and more meanes to comfort thee The spirituall sigh vpon the seauenth thought O Lord my sinnes haue deserued the paines of hell and eternall death much more these fatherly corrections wherewith thou doest afflict me But O blessed Lambe of God which takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon me and wash away all my filthy sinnes with thy most precious blood and receiue my soule into thy heauenly kingdome for into thy handâ— O Father I commend my spirit and thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth The sicke person ought now to send for some Godly and Religious Pastor IN any wise remember if conueniently it may be to send for some godly and religious Pastor not onely to pray for thee at thy death for GOD in such a case hath promised to beare the Praiers of the righteous Prophets and Elders of the Church But also vpon thy confession and vnfaigned repentance to absolue thee of thy sinnes For as Christ hath giuen him a calling to baptize thee vnto repentance for the remission of thy sinnes so hath he likewise giuen him a calling and power and authority vpon repentance â—o absolue thee from thy sinnes I will giue thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be lâ—â—sed in heauen And againe Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee bind in earth shall be â—ound in heauen whatsoeuer yee loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen And againe receiue yee the holy Ghost whosoeuer sinnes yeare◠〈◊〉 they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuer sinnes yee retaine they are retained This doctrine was as ancient in the Church of God as Iob for Elihu tels him That when God strikes a man with malady â—n his bed so that his soule draweth neere the graue and his life to the buriâ—rs If there beâ— any messenger with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse then will hee haue mercy vpon him c. And answerable heereunto saith Saint Iames if the sicke 〈◊〉 committed sinnes vpon his repentance and the praier of the Elders they shall be forgiuen him These haue power â—o shut heauen and to deliuer the scandalous impenitent sinner 〈◊〉 Satan For the weaponâ— of their war faâ—â— are 〈◊〉 carnall but mighty through God to cast downe c. and to haue vengeance in readinesse against all disobedience They haue the key of loosing therefore the power of absoluing The Bishops and Pastors of the Church doe not forgiue sinnes by any absolute power of their owne for so onely Christ their master forgiueth sinnes but ministerially as the seruants of Christ and stewards to whose fidelity their Lord and Master hath committed his keyes and that is when they doe declare and pronounce either publikely or priuately by the word of God what bindeth what looseth and the 〈◊〉 of God to penitent 〈◊〉 or his iudgement to impenitent and obstinate personâ— and so doe apply the generall promiseâ— or threatnings to the penitent or impenitent For CHRIST from heauen doth by them as by his Ministers on Earth declare whom hee remitteth and bindeth and to whom he will open the gates of heauen and against whom he will shut them And therefore it is not said whose sinne yee signifie to be remitted but whose sinnes yee remit they then doe remit sinnes because Christ by their ministry 〈…〉 aâ— Christ by his Disciples loâ—sed Lazarus Iob. â—â— 44 And as no water could wash away 〈…〉 but the waters of 〈…〉 though other riuers 〈◊〉 cleare because the promise was annexed vnto the 〈◊〉 of Iordane and not of â—â—ther Riuers so though another man may pronounce the same words yet haue they not the like efficacie and power to worke on the conscience as vvhen they are pronounced from the mouth of Christs Ministers because that the promise is annexed to the Word of God in their mouthes for them hath he chosen separated and set apart for this worke and to them hee hath committed the ministerie and word of reconciliation by their holy calling and ordination they haue receiued the holy Ghost and the Ministeriall power of binding and loosing They are font forth of the holy Ghost for this worke wherunto he hath called them And Christ giues his Ministers power to forgiue sins to the penitent in the same words that he teacheth vs in the Lords Prayer to desire God to forgiue vs our sins to assure all penitent sinners that God by his Ministers absolution doth fully through the merits of Christs bloud forgiue them all their sinnes So that what Christ decreeth in heauen in foro Iudicij the same hee declareth on earth by his reconciling Ministers in foro paenitentiae So that as GOD hath reconciled the world to himselfe by Iesus Christ so hath he saith the Apostle giuen vnto vs the ministery of this reconciliation Hee that sent them to baptise saying Goe and teach all nations baptising them c. sent them also to remit sinnes saying As my Father sent mee so send 〈…〉 whosoeuer sinnes yee remit they are remitted vnto them c. As therefore none can baptise though he vse the same Water words but onely the lawfull Minister whom Christ hath called and authorised to this diuine and Ministeriall Function So though others may comfort vvith good words yet none can absolue from sinne but onely those to whom Christ hath committed the holy ministerie and word of reconciliation and of their absolution Christ speaketh he that heareth you heareth me In a doubtfull title thou wilt aske the counsell of thy skilfull Lawyer in perill of sickenesse thou wilt know the aduise of thy learned Physitian and is there no danger in dread of damnation for a sinner to be his owne Iudge Iudicious Caluin teacheth this point of doctrine most plainely Etsi omnes mutuò nos debeamus consolari c. Although saith he we ought to comfort and confirme one another in the confidence of Gods mercy yet we see that the Ministers are appointed as witnesses and sureties to acertaine our consciences of the remission of sinnes insomuch as they are said to remit sinnes and to loose soules Let euery faithfull man therefore remember that it is his duty if inwardly he be vexed and afflicted with the sence of his sins not to neglect that Remedy which is offered vnto him by the Lord to wit that for the easing of his Conscience he make priuate confession of his sinnes vnto his Pastor and that he desire his priuate indeuour for the application of some comfort vnto his soule whose office it is both publikely and priuately to administer Euangelicall Consolation to Gods people Beza highly commendeth this practise and Luther saith
TO THE HIGH AND mighty Prince CHARLES Prince of WALES CHRIST IESVS the PRINCE of Princes blesse your Highnesse with length of dayes and an increase of all Graces which may make you truely prosperous in this life and eternally happy in that which is to come Ionathan shot three Arrowes to driue Dauid further off from Sauls furie and this is the third Epistle which I haue written to draw your Highnesse neerer to Gods fauour by directing your heart to beginne like Iosiah in your youth to seeke after the GOD of DAVID and of IACOB your Father Not but that I know that your Highnesse doth this without mine admonition but because I would with the Apostle haue you to abound in euery Grace in faith and knowledge and in all diligence and in your loue to Gods Seruice and true Religion Neuer was there more neede of plaine and vnfained Admonitions for the Comicke in that saying seemes but to haue prophesied of our times Obsequium amicos veritas odium parit And no maruell seeing that wee are fallen into the dregges of Time which being the last must needes be the worst dayes And how can there be worse seeing Vanitie knowes not how to be vainer nor Wickednesse how to be more wicked And whereas heretofore those haue beene counted most holy who haue shewed themselues most zealous in their Religion they are now reputed most discreet who can make the least profession of their Faith And that these are the last daies appeares euidently because that Securitie of mens eternall state hath so ouerwhelmed as CHRIST fore-told it should all sorts that most who now liue are become louers of pleasures more then louers of God And of those who pretend to loue GOD. O GOD what sanctified hart can but bleede to beholde how seldome they come to prayers how irreuerently they heare Gods Word what strangers they are at the Lords Table what assiduous spectators they are at Stage-playes where being Christians they can sport themselues to heare the Vassals of the Diuell scoffing Religion and blasphemously abusing phrases of holy Scripture on their Stages as familiarly as they vse their Tabacco-pipes in their bibbing-houses So that he who would now adayes seeke in most Christians for the power shall scarse almost finde the very shew of godlinesse Neuer was there more sinning neuer lesse remorse for sinne Neuer was the Iudge neerer to come neuer was there so little preparation for his comming And if the Bride-groome should now come how many who thinke themselues wise enough and full of all knowledge would be found foolish Virgines without one droppe of the Oyle of sauing Faith in their lamps For the greatest wisedome of most men in this age consists in being wise first to deceiue others and in the end to deceiue themselues And if sometimes some good Booke haps into their hands or some good motion comes into their heads whereby they are put in minde to consider the vncertaintie of this life present or how weake assurance they haue of eternall life if this were ended and how they haue some secret sinnes for which they must needes repent here or be punished for them in Hell hereafter Securitie then forthwith whispers the Hypocrite in the Eare that though it be fit to thinke of these things yet It is not yet time and that hee is yet young enough though hee cannot but know that many millions as young as himselfe are already in hell for want of timely Repentance Presumption warrants him in the other Eare that hee may haue time hereafter at his leasure to repent and that howsoeuer others dye yet hee is farre enough from death and therefore may boldly take yet a longer time to enioy his sweete pleasures and to encrease his vvealth and greatnesse And hereupon like Salomons Sluggard he yeelds himselfe to a little more sleepe a little more slumber a little more folding of the hands to sleepe in his former sinnes till at last Despayre Securities ougly hand-maide comes in vnlooked for shewes him his Houre-glasse dolefully telling him that his time is past and that nothing now remaines but to dye and be damn'd Let not this seeme strange to any for too many haue found it too true more without more grace are like to be thus soothed to their end and in the end snared to their endlesse perdition In my desire therefore of the common saluation but especially of your Highnesse euerlasting Welfare I haue endeuoured to extract out of the Chaos of endlesse Controuersies the olde Practise of true PIETIE which flourished before these Controuersies were hatched which my poore labours in a short while comes now forth againe the third time vnder the gracious protection of your Highnesse fauour and by their entertainment seeme not to be altogether vnwelcome to the Church of Christ. If to be pious hath in all ages beene held true honour how much more honourable is it in so impious an age to be the true Patrone and Patterne of Pietie Pietie made Dauid Salomon Iehosaphat Ezechias Iosias Zerubbabel Constantine Theodosidus Edward the 6. Queene Elizabeth Prince Henry and other religious Princes to be so honoured that their names since their deaths smels in the Church of GOD like a precious oyntment and their remembrance is sweet as Hony in all mouthes and as Musicke at a banquet of Wine when as the liues of others who haue beene godlesse and irreligious Princes doe rot and stinke in the memory of Gods people And what honour is it for great men to haue great titles on earth when God counts their Names vnworthy to be written in his Booke of life in heauen It is Pietie that enbalmes a Prince his good name and make his face to shine before men and glorifieth his Soule among Angels For as Moses face by often talking with GOD shined in the eyes of the People so by frequent praying which is our talking with God and hearing the Word which is Gods speaking vnto vs we shall be changed from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord to the Image of the Lord. And seeing this life is vncertaine to all especially to Princes What argument is more fit both for Princes and People to study then that which teacheth sinfull man to deny himselfe by mortifying his corruption that hee may enioy Christ the Author of his saluation To renounce these false and momentanie pleasures of the world that he may attaine to the true and eternall ioyes of Heauen to make them truely honourable before God in Piety who are now onely honourable before men in vanitie What charges soeuer wee spend in earthly vanities for the most part they eyther dye before vs or wee shortly die after them but what we spend like Mary in the Practise of Pietie shall remaine our true memoriall for euer For Pietie hath the promise of this life and of that which shall neuer
the damnation of hell This fulnesse of cursednesse is either particular or generall Particular or that which in a lesse measure of fulnesse lighteth vpon the Soule immediately as soone as shee is separated from the body For in the very instant of dissolution she is in the sight and presence of God For when she ceaseth to see with the organe of fleshly eyes she seeth after a spirituall manner like Stephen who saw the glory of GOD and Iesus standing at his right hand or as a man who being blinde-borne and miraculously restored to his sight would see the Sunne which hee neuer saw before And there by the testimonie of her owne Conscience Christ the righteous Iudge vvho knoweth all things maketh her by his omnipresent power to vnderstand the doome and Iudgement that is due vnto her sinnes and what must be her eternall state And in this manner standing in the sight of Heauen not fit for her vncleannesse to come into Heauen shee is said to stand before the throne of God And so forthwith she is carried by the euill Angels who came to fetch her with violence into Hell where shee is kept as in a Prison in euerlasting paines and chaynes vnder darknesse vnto the Iudgement of the great day But not in that extremitie of torments which she shall finally receiue at the last day The generall fulnes of cursednesse is in a greater measure of fulnesse which shall be inflicted vpon both thy Soule and Body when by the mighty power of Christ the supreame Iudge of heauen and earth the one shall be brought out of Hell and the other out of the Graue as Prisoners to receiue their dreadfull doome according to their euill deedes How shall the Reprobate by the roaring of the Sea the quaking of the Earth the trembling of the Powers of Heauen and terrours of heauenly Signes be driuen at the worlds end to their wits end Oh vvhat a vvofull Salutation will there be betwixt the damned Soule and Body at their revniting at that terrible day O sincke of Sinne O lumpe of Filthinesse will the Soule say vnto her Body how am I compelled to re-enter vnto thee not as an habitation to rest but as a Prison to be tormented together How doest thou appeare in my sight like Iephtes Daughter to my greater torment Would God thou hadst perpetually rotted in thy graue that I might neuer haue seene thee againe How shall wee be confounded together to heare before God Angels and Men laid open all those secret sinnes which wee committed together Haue I lost Heauen for the loue of such a stinking Carrion Art thou the flesh for whose pleasures I haue yeelded to commit so many Fornications O filthy Bâ—lly how became I such a foule as to make thee my God How madde was I for momentanie ioyes to incurre these torments of eternall paines yee Rockes and Mountaines why skirpe yee so like Rams Psal. 114.4 and will not fall vpon mee to hide mee from the face of him that comes to sit on yonder Throne for the great day of his wrath is come and vvho shall be able to stand Apoc. 6.16.17 Why tremblest thou thus O Earth at the presence of the Lord and vvilt not open thy mouth and swallow mee vp as thou diddest Korah that I be seene no more O damned Furies I would yee might vvithout delay teare me in pieces on condition that you vvould teare me vnto nothing But whilest thou art thus in vaine bewailing thy miserie the Angels hale thee violently away from the brincke of thy Graue to some place neere the Tribunall seate of Christ where being as a cursed Goate separated to stand beneath on earth as on the left hand of the Iudge Christ shall rippe vp all the benefits he bestowed on thee and the torments hee suffered for thee and all the good deedes which thou omitted and all the vngratefull villanies which thou didst commit against him and his holy Lawes Within thee thine owne conscience more then a thousand witnesses shall accuse thee the Diuels vvho tempted thee to all thy lewdnesse shall on the one side testifie vvith thy Conscience against thee and on the other side shall stand the holy Saints and Angels approuing Christs Iustice and detesting so filthy a creature Behinde thee an hydeous noyse of innumerable fellow-damned Reprobates tarrying for thy company Before thee all the world burning in flaming fire Aboue thee an irefull Iudge of deserued vengeance ready to pronounce his sentence vpon thee Beneath thee the fiery sulphureous mouth of the bottomlesse pit gaping to receiue thee In this wofull estate to hide thy selfe will be impossible for on that condition thou vvouldest wish that the greatest Rocke might fall vpon thee to appeare will be intollerable and yet thou must stand forth to receiue with other reprobates this thy sentence Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Depart from mee there is a separation from all ioy and happinesse Yee cursed there is a blacke and direfull Excommunication Into fire there is the crueltie of paine Euerlasting there is the perpetuitie of punishment Prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Here are thy infernall tormenting and tormented companions O terrible Sentence from which the condemned cannot escape which being pronounced cannot possibly be with-stood against which a man cannot except and from which a man can no where appeale So that to the damned nothing remaines but hellish torments which knows neyther ease of paine nor end of time From this Iudgement-seate thou must be thrust by Angels together vvith all the damned Diuels and Reprobates into the bottomlesse Lake of vtter darknesse that perpetually burnes with fire and Brimstone Whereunto as they shall be thrust there shall be such weeping woes and wailing that the cry of the company of Core Dathan Abiram when the earth swallowed them vp was nothing comparable to this howling nay it vvill seeme vnto thee a Hell before thou goest into hell but to heare it Into vvhich bottomlesse Lake after that thou art once plunged thou shalt euer be falling downe and neuer meet a bottome and in it thou shalt euer lament and none shall pittie thee thou shalt alwaies weepe for the paine of fire and yet gnash thy teeth for the extremitie of colde thou shalt weepe to thinke that thy miseries are past remedie thou shalt weepe to thinke that to repent is to no purpose thou shalt weepe to thinke how for the shadowes of short pleasures thou hast incurred these sorrowes of eternall paines thou shalt weepe to see how that weeping it selfe can nothing preuaile yea in weeping thou shalt weepe more teares then there is water in the Sea for the water of the Sea is finite but the weeping of a Reprobate shall be infinite There thy lasciuious Eyes shall be afflicted vvith sights of ghastly Spirits thy curious Eares shall be
these thy Seruants which stand euer before thee and heare thy Wisedome How shall thy Soule be rauished to see her selfe by grace admitted to stand vvith this glorious companie to behold the blessed Face of Christ and to heare all the Treasures of his diuine Wisedome How shalt thou reioyce to see so many thousand thousands wel-comming thee into their heauenly Societie for as they all reioyced at thy conuersion so vvill they now be much more ioyful to behold thy Coronation and to see thee receiue thy Crowne which vvas laid vp for thee against thy comming For there the crowne of Martyrdome shall be put on the head of a Martyr vvho for Christs Gospell sake endured torments the Crowne of virginitie on the head of a Virgin vvhich subdued Concupiscence the Crowne of Pietie and Chastitie on the head of them who sincerely professed Christ and kept their wedlocke-bed vndefiled the Crowne of Good-workes on the good Almes-giuers head vvho liberally relieued the poore the Crowne of incorruptible glory on the head of those Pastors vvho by their preaching and good example haue conuerted soules from the corruption of sinne to glorifie God in holinesse of life Who can sufficiently expresse the reioycing of this heauenly Company to see thee thus crowned with glory arrayed with the shining Roabe of righteousnesse and to behold the Palme of victory put into thy hand Oh what gratulation will there be that thou hast escaped all the miseries of the World the snares of the Diuell the paines of Hell and obtained with them thy eternall rest and happinesse for there euery one ioyeth as much in anothers happinesse as in his owne because hee shall see him as much loued of GOD as himselfe Yea they haue as many distinct ioyes as they haue compartners of their ioy And in this ioyfull and blessed state the Soule resteth with Christ in Heauen till the Resurrection when as the number of her Fellow-seruants and Brethren be fulfilled which the Lord termeth but a little season The second degree of mans blessednesse after death is from the Resurrection to the pronouncing of the finall sentence For at the last day 1 The Elementary Heauens Earth and all things therein shall be dissolued and purified with fire 2 At the sound of the last Trumpet or voyce of Christ the Archangell the very same bodies which the Elect had before though turned to dust and earth shall arise againe and in the same instant euery mans soule shall re-enter into his owne body by vertue of the Resurrection of Christ their head and be made aliue and rise out of their graues as if they did but awake out of their beds And howsoeuer Tyrants bemangled their bodies in pieces or consumed them to ashes yet shall the Elect finde it true at that day that not an haire of their head is perished 3 They shall come forth out of their graues like so many Iosephs out of Prison or Daniels out of the Lyons Dens or Ionahs out of Whales bellies 4 All the bodies of the Elect being thus made aliue shall arise in that perfection of nature whereunto they should haue attained by their naturall temperment if no impediment had hindered and in that vigor of age that a perfect man is at about three and thirtie yeeres old each in their proper sexe Whereunto Diuines thinke the Apostle alludeth when he saith till wee all come vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the age or stature of the fulnes of Christ. Whatsoeuer imperfection vvas before in the body as blindnesse lamenesse crookeâ—nesse shall then be done away Iacob shall not halt nor Isaac be blinde nor Leah bleare-eyed nor Mephibosheth be lame for if Dauid would not haue the blinde and lame to come into his house much lesse will Christ haue blindnesse and lamenesse to dwell in his heauenly Habitation Christ made all the blinde to see the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare the lame to walke c. that came to him to seeke his grace on earth much more will hee heale all their imperfections whom hee will admit to his glory in Heauen Among those Tribes there is not one feeble but the lame man shall leape as an Hart and the dumbe mans tongue shall sing And it is very probable that seeing GOD created our first Parents not infants or olde men but of a perfect age or stature the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or new creation from death shall euery way be more perfect then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first frame of a man from which he fell into the state of the dead Neither is it like that Infancy being imperfection and olde age corruption can well stand with the state of a perfect glorified body 5 The bodies of the Elect being thus raised shall haue foure most excellent and supernaturall quallities For 1 They shall be raised in power wherby they shall for euer be freed from all wants and weakenesse and enabled to continue without the vse of meate drinke sleepe and other former helps 2 In incorruption whereby they shall neuer be subiect to any manner of imperfections blemish sickenesse or death 3 In Glory whereby their bodies shal shine as bright as the Sunne in the firmament and which being made transparant their soules shall shine through farre more glorious then their bodies Three glimses of which glory was seene First in Moses face Secondly in the transfiguration Thirdly in Stephens countenance Three instances and assurances of the glorification of our bodies at that glorious day Then shall Dauid lay aside his Shepheards weede and put on the roabe of the Kings sonne Iesus not Ionathan Then euery true Mordecai who mourned vnder the Sakecloth of this corrupt flesh shall be arrayed with the Kings royall apparell and haue the Crowne royall set vpon his head that all the world may see how it shall be done to him whom the King of kings delighteth to honour If now the rising of one Sun makes the morning so glorious how glorious shall that day be when innumerable million of millions of bodies of Saints and Angels shall appeare more glorious then the brightnesse of the Sunne the body of Christ in glory surpassing all 4 In Agility whereby our bodies shall be able to ascend and to meete the Lord at his glorious comming in the ayre as Eagles flying vnto their blessed Carkase To this agility of the Saints glorious bodies the Prophet alludes saying They shall renewe their strength they shall mount vp with winges as Eagles they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not faint And to this state may that saying of Wisdome be referred In the time of their vision they shall shine and runne too and fro as sparkes among the stubble And in respect of these foure qualities Paul calleth the raised bodies of the Elect Spiriâ—ualâ— for they shall be spirituall in
were all his thoughts and imaginations Then husbands and wiues looke to your actions and thoughts For all shall be made manifest one day See 1. Cor. 4.5 8 The faithfull in the old Testament are said to be gathered to their Fathers therefore the knowledge of our friends remaines 9 Loue neuer falleth away therefore knowledge the ground thereof remaines in another life 10 Because the last day shall be a declaration of the iust iudgement of God when he shall reward euery man acording to his workes and if euery mans work be brought to light much more the worker And if wicked men shall account for euery idle word much more shall the idle speakers themselues bee knowne And if the persons be not knowne in vaine are the workes made manifest Therefore saith the Apostle Euery man shall appeare to account for the worke that hee hath done in his body c. See Wisdome Chapter 5.1 Though the respect of diuersities of degrees and callings in Magistracy Ministry and Oeconomy shall cease yea Christ shall then cease to rule as he is Mediator and rule all in all as hee is God equall with the Father and the holy Ghost The greatest knowledge that men can attaine vnto in this life comes as farre short of the knowledge which wee shall haue in heauen as the knowledge of a childe that cannot yet speake plaine is to the knoweldge of the greatest Philosopher in the World They who thirst for knowledge let them long to be students of this Vniuersity For all the light by which wee know any thing in this world is nothing but the very shadow of God but when we shall know GOD in heauen wee shall in him know the manner of the worke of the creation the mysteries of the worke of our Redemption yea so much knowledge as a Creature can possibly conceiue and comprehend of the Creator and his works But whilest wee are in this life wee may say with Iob. How little a portion heare wee of him And assure our selues with Syracides that There are hid yet greater things then these be and that wee haue seene but a few of Gods works 2 They shall loue God with as perfect and absolute loue as possibly a creature can doe The manner of louing God is to loue him for himselfe the measure is to loue him without measure For in this life knowing God but in part we loue him but in part but when the Elect in heauen shall fully know God then they will perfectly loue God And for the infinite causes of loue which thy shall know to be in him they shall be infinitly rauish't with the loue of him 3 They shall be filled with all manner of diuine pleasures At thy right hand saith Dauid there are pleasures for euermore Yea they shall drinke saith he out of the riuer of pleasures For assoone as the soule is admitted into the actuall fruition of the beatificall presence of God shee hath all the goodnesse beauty glory and perfection of all creatures in all the world vnited together and at once presented vnto her in the sight of God If any be in loue there they shall enioy that which is more amiable if any delight in fairenesse the fairest beauty is but a dusty shadow to that he that delights in Pleasures shall there finde infinite varieties without either interruption of griefe or distraction of paine Hee that loueth honour shal there enioy it without the disgrace of cankred enuy he that loueth treasure shall there possesse it and neuer be beguiled of it There they shal haue knowledge void of all ignorance health that no sickenes shall impaire and life that no death can determine In a word looke how farre this wide world surpasseth for light pleasures comfort the darke and narrow womb wherin thou wast conceiued a childe so much doth the world to come exceede in ioyes solace consolation this present world Now happy then shall wee be when this life is chāged we thither translated 4 They shal be replenished with an vnspeakeable ioy In thy presence saith Dauid is the fulnesse of ioy And this ioy shall arise chiefly from the vision of God and partly from the sight of all the holy Angels and blessed soules of iust and perfect men who are in blisse and glory with him But especially from the blissefull sight of Iesus the Mediator of the New Testament our Emmanuel God made man His sight will be the chiefe cause of our blisse and ioy If the Israelites in Ierusalem so showted for ioy that the earth rang againe to see Salomon crowned how shall the Elect reioice in heauen to see Christ the true Salomon adorned with glory If Iohn Baptist at his presence did leape in his mothers wombe for ioy how shall wee exult for ioy when he will be not onely with vs but in vs in heauen If the wise men reioyced so greatly to finde him a Babe lying in a manger how great shall the ioy of the Elect bee to see him sit as as King in his celestiall throne If Simeon was so glad to see him an Infant in the Temple presented by the hands of the Priest how great shall our ioy be to see him a King ruling all things at the right hand of his Father If Ioseph and Mary were so ioyfull to finde him in the middest of the Doctors in the Temple how glad shal our soules be to see him sitting as Lord among Angels in heauen This is that ioy of our Master which as the Apostle saith the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard nor the heart of man can conceiue which because it cannot enter into vs vvee shall enter it 5 Lastly they shall enioy this blissefull and glorious estate for euermore Therefore it is tearmed euerlasting life and Christ saith that our ioy shall no man take from vs. All other ioyes be they neuer so great haue an end Assuerus Feast lasted an hundred and eightie dayes but hee and it and all his ioyes are gone For mortall man to be assumed to heauenly glory to be associated to Angels to be satiated with all delights and ioyes but for a time were much but to enioy them for euer without intermission of end who can heare it and not admire it who can muse of it and not be amazed at it All the Saints of Christ as soone as they felt once but a true taste of these eternall ioyes counted all the riches and pleasures of this life to be but losse and dung in respect of that And therefore with vncessant prayers fasting almes-deedes teares faith and good life they laboured to acertaine themselues of this eternall life and for the loue thereof they willingly eyther solde or parted with all their earthly goods and possessions Christ calleth all Christians Merchants Luke 19. and eternall life a precious pearle
let thy care be greater for heauenly then earthly things and be more grieued for a dishonour done to GOD then for an iniurie offered to thy selfe But if any priuate iniurie be offered vnto thee beare it as a Christian with Patience Neuer was an innocent man wronged but if patiently hee bare his crosse he ouercame in the end But thy good name in the meane while is wounded beare that also with Patience And hee that at the last day will giue thy Body a Resurrection will as sure in his good time grant a resurrection to thy good name If impatiently thou frettest and vexest at thy wrongs the hurt which thou doest thy selfe is more then that which thine Enemie can doe vnto thee Neither canst thou more reioyce him then to heare that it throughly vexeth thee But if thou canst shew Patience on earth GOD will shew himselfe iust from Heauen Pray for him for if thou be a good man thy selfe thou canst not but reioyce if thou shouldest see thy worst enemie to become a good man too But if hee still continueth in his malice and increaseth in his mischiefe giue thou thy selfe vnto Prayer committing thy selfe and commending thy cause vnto the Righteous Iudge of Heauen and Earth saying with Ieremy O Lord of hoasts that iudgest righteously and tryest the reynes and the heart vengeance is thine and vnto thee haue I opened my cause In the meane while waite with Dauid on the Lord Be of good courage and hee shall comfort thine heart 8 The more others commend thee for any excellent act be thou the more humble in thine owne thoughts Affect not the vaine praises of men the blessed Virgin was troubled when shee was truely praised of an Angell They shall be praised of Angels in Heauen who haue eschewed the praises of men on Earth Neyther needest thou praise thy selfe deale but vprightly others vvill doe that for thee Be not thou curious to know other mens doings but rather be carefull that no man knowes any ill dealings by thee 9 Esteeme no sinne little for the curse of GOD is due to the least and the least would haue damned thee had not the Sonne of God dyed for thee Bewaile therefore the miserie of thine owne state and as occasion is ministred mourne for the iniquitie of the time Pray to God to amend it and be not thou one of them that make it worse 10 Lastly thinke often of the shortnesse of thy life and certaintie of Death and wish rather a good life then a long For as one day of mans life is to be preferred before the longest age of a Stagge or Rauen so one day spent religiously is to be higher valued then a mans whole life that is consumed in profanenesse Cast ouer therefore once euery day the number of thy dayes by substracting those that are past as being vanished like yesternights dreame contracting them that are to come sith the one halfe must be slept out the rest made vncomfortable by the troubles of the world thine owne sicknesse and the death of friends counting onely the present day thine which spend as if thou wert to spend no more Secondly for thy Words 1 REmember that thou must answere for euery idle word that in multiloquie the wisest man shall ouer-shoote himselfe Auoid therefore all tedious and idle talke whereof seldome ariseth comfort many times repentance especially beware of rash answeres when the tongue out-runs the minde The word was thine whilest thou keptst it in it is anothers as soone as it is out O the shame when a man 's owne tongue shall be produced a witnesse to the confusion of his owne face Let then thy wordes be few but aduised fore-thinke whether that which thou art to speake be fit to be spoken affirme no more then what thou knowest to be true and be rather silent then speake to an ill or to no purpose 2 Let thy heart and tongue euer goe together in honestie and truth hate dissembling and lying in another detest it in thy selfe or GOD will detest thee for it for he hateth the lyar and his father the Diuell alike And if once thou be discouered to make no conscience of lying no man will beleeue thee when thou speakest a truth but if thou louest truth more credit will be giuen to thy word then to a liars oath Great is the possession which Sathan hath in those who are so accustomed to lying that they will lie though they get nothing by it themselues nor are not compelled vnto it by others Let not thine anger remaine when thou seest the cause remoued and euer distinguish twixt him that offendeth of infirmitie or against his will and him who offendeth maliciously and of set purpose let the one haue pittie the other iustice 3 Keepe thy speech as cleane from all obsenitie as thou vvouldest thy meate from poyson and let thy talke be gracious that hee that heares thee may grow better by thee and be euer more earnest vvhen thou speakest of Religion then when thou talkest of worldly matters If thou perceiuest that thou hast erred perseuere not in thine errour reioyce to finde the truth and magnifie it Study therefore three things especially to vnderstand well to say well and to doe well And when thou meetest with Gods Children be sure to make some holy aduantage by them learne of them all the good that thou canst and communicate vvith them all the good things that thou knowest The more good thou teachest others the more will God still minister vnto thee For as the gifts of men by much vsing doe perish and decrease so the gifts of God by much vsing doe the more grow and increase like the Widowes Pitcher of Oyle vvhich the more it poured to fill other vessels the more it vvas still replenished in it selfe 4 Beware that you beleeue not all that is told you that you tell not all that you heare for if you doe you shall not long enioy true friends nor euer want great troubles Therefore in accusations be first assured of the truth then censure And as thou tenderest the reputation of an honest heart neuer let malice in hatred make thee to reueale that which loue in friendship bound thee a long time to conceale But for feare of such afterclaps obserue two things First Though thou hast many acquaintance yet make not any thy familiar friend but he that truly feares God Such a one thou neuer needest to feare For though you should in some particulers fall out yet Christian loue the maine ground of your friendship will neuer fall away and the feare of God will neuer suffer him to doe thee any villainy Secondly doe nothing in the sight of a ciuill friend for which thou canst not be safe vnlesse it
and the Lord will be with the good 10 Lastly make not an occupation of any recreation The longest vse of pleasure is but short but the paines of pleasure abused are eternall Vse therefore lawfull recreation so farre forth as it makes thee the fitter in body and minde to doe more chearefully the seruice of God and the duties of thy calling Thy worke is great thy time is but short And hee who will recompence euery man according to his workes standeth at the doore Thinke how much worke is behinde how slow thou hast vvrought in the time which is past and what a reckoning thou shouldest make if thy Master should call thee this day to thine accounts Be therefore carefull hence-forth to make the most aduantage of thy short time that remaines as a man vvould of an olde Lease that were neere expiring and when thou disposest to recreate thy selfe remember how small a time is allotted for thy life and that therefore much of that is not to be consumed in idlenesse sports playes and toyish vanities seeing the whole is but a short while though it be all spent in doing the best good that thou canst for a man was not created for sports playes and recreation but zealously to serue GOD in Religion and conscionably to serue his neighbour in his vocation and by both to acertaine himselfe of eternall saluation Esteeme therefore the losse of time one of the greatest losses Redeeme it carefully to spend it wisely that when that time commeth that thou maiest be no longer a steward on earth thy Master may welcome thee with an Euge bone serue and giue thee a better in Heauen where thou shalt ioyfully enioy thy Masters ioyes for euermore Meditations for the Euening At Euening when thou preparest thy selfe to take thy rest meditate on these few points 1 THat seeing thy daies are numbred there is one more of thy number spent and thou art now the neerer to thy ende by a day 2 Sit downe a while before thou goest to bed and consider with thy selfe what memorable thing thou hast seene heard or read that day more then thou sawest heardest or knewest before and make thy best vse of them but especially call to minde what sinne thou hast committed that day against GOD or Man and what good thou hast omitted and humble thy selfe for both If thou findest that thou hast done any goodnesse acknowledge it to be Gods grace and giue him the glory and count that day lost wherein thou hast not done some good 3 If by frailty or strong temptation thou shalt perceiue that thou hast committed any grieuous sinne or fault presume not to sleepe till thou haue vpon thy knees made a perticular reconciliation with God in Christ for the same both by confessing the fault and by feruent praying for the pardon of the same Thus making thy score euen with Christ euery night thou shalt haue the lesse to account for when thou art to make thy finall reckoning before his Maiesty in the Iudgement day 4 If thou haue fallen out with any in the day let not the Sunne goe downe on thine anger that night If thy conscience tels thee that thou hast wronged him acknowledge thine offence and entreate him to forgiue thee If hee haue wronged thee offer him reconciliation and if hee will not be reconciled yet do thou from thy heart forgiue him Matth. 5.23 But in any case presume not to be thine owne reuenger For in so doing thou doest God a double iniury First in offering to take his sword of Iustice out of his hand as though he were not iust hauing reserued the execution of vengeance to himselfe Secondly in vsurping authority ouer his seruant without referring the cause to his hearing and censure being his and thy Master Besides thou art too partiall to be a Reuenger For if thou be to execute reuenge on thy selfe thou wilt doe it too lightly if on thy enemy too heauily It belongeth therefore to God to reuenge to thee to forgiue And in testimony that thou hast freely forgiuen him pray vnto God for the forgiuenesse of his fault and the amendment of his life and the next time that occasion is offered and it lyes in thy power doe him good and reioyce in doing it for hee that doth good to his enemies shewes himselfe the childe of GOD and his reward is with GOD his Father 5 Vse not sleepe as a meanes to satiate the foggy lithernesse of thy flesh but as a medicine to refresh thy tyred senses and members Sufficient sleepe quickeneth the minde and reuiueth the body but immoderate sleepe dulleth the one and fatneth the other 6 Remember that many goe to bed and neuer rise againe till they be wakened and raised vp by the fearefull sound of the last trumpet But he that sleepeth and wakeneth with praier sleepeth and wakeneth with Christ. If therefore thou desirest to sleepe securely and safely yeeld vp thy selfe into the hands of God whilest thou art waking and so goe to bed with a reuerence of Gods maiesty and consideration of thine owne misery which thou maiest imprint in thy heart in some measure by these meanes and the like meditations Read a Chapter in the same order as was prescribed in the morning and when thou hast done kneele downe on both thy knees at thy bed side or some other conuenient place in thy Chamber and lifting vp thy heart thine eyes and hands to thy heauenly Father in the name and mediation of his holy Sonne IESVS pray vnto him if thou haue the gift of praier 1 Confessing thy sinnes especially those which thou hast committed that day 2 Caruing most earnestly for Christ his sake pardon and forgiuenesse for them 3 Requesting the assistance of his holy spirit for amendment of life 4 In giuing thankes for benefits receiued especially for thy preseruation that day 5 Praying for rest and protection that night 6 Remembring the state of the Church the King and the Royall Posterity our Ministers and Magistrates and all our brethren visited or persecuted 7 Lastly commending thy selfe and all thine to his gracious custody All which thou maiest do in these or the like words A praier for the Euening O Most gracious God and louing Father who art about my bed and knowest my down lying and mine vprising and art neere vnto all that call vpon thee in truth and sincerity I wetched sinner doe beseech thee to looke vpon me with the eies of thy mercy and not to behold mee as I am in my selfe For then thou shalt see but an vncleane and defiled creature conceiued in sinne and liuing in iniquity so that I am ashamed to lift vp mine eies to heauen knowing how grieuously I haue sinned against heauen and before thee For O Lord I haue transgressed al thy commandements and righteous lawes not onely through negligence and infirmity but oftentimes through wilfull
to doe the duties of his calling This is specially to be obserued of Ministers and Iudges Sixtly A religious Fast which a man voluntarily vndertakes to make his body and soule the fitter to pray more feruently vnto GOD vpon some extraordinarie occasion And of this fast onely wee are to treate The Religious Fast is of two sorts eyther priuate or publike 1 Of a priuate Fast. THat vvee may rightly performe a priuate Fast foure things are to be obserued first the Author secondly the Time and Occasion thirdly the Manner fourthly the Ends of priuate Fasting 1 Of the Author The first that ordained Fasting was God himselfe in Paradise and it was the first Law that God made in commanding Adam to abstaine from eating the forbidden fruit GOD would not pronounce nor write his Law without Fasting and in his Law commands all his people to Fast. So doth our Sauiour Christ teach all his Disciples vnder the New Testament likewise By religious Fasting a man comes neerest the life of Angels and to do Gods will on earth as it is done in heauen Yea Nature seemeth to teach man this duty in giuing him a little mouth and a narrower throaete for Nature is content with a little Grace with lesse Neyther doth Nature and Grace agree in any one act better then in this exercise of religious Fasting for it strengtheneth the memory and cleareth the minde illuminateth the vnderstanding and bridleth the affections mortifieth the flesh and preserueth chastitie preuenteth sicknesse and continueth health it deliuereth from euils and procureth all kinde of blessings By breaking this Fast the Serpent ouer-threw the first Adam so that hee lost Paradise But by keeping a Fast the second Adam vanquished the Serpent and restored vs into Heauen Fasting was she who couered Noâ—h safe in the Arke whom Intemperance vncouered and left starke naked in the Vineyard By fasting Lot quenched the flame of Sodome whom drunkennesse scorched with the fire of Incest Religious Fasting and talking vvith GOD made Moses face to shine before men when Idolatrous eating and drinking caused the Israelites to appeare abhominable in the sight of GOD. It rapt Elias in an Angelicall Coach to Heauen when voluptuous Ahab was sent in a bloudy Chariot to Hell It made Herod beleeue that Iohn Baptist should liue after death by a blessed resurrection when after an intemperate life hee could promise nothing to himselfe but eternall death and destruction O diuine Ordinance of a diuine Author 2 Of the Time The holy Scripture appoints no time vnder the new Testament to fast but leaues it vnto Christians owne free choyse Rom. 14.3 1 Cor. 7.5 to fast as occasions shall be offered vnto them Mat. 9.15 As when a man becomes an humble and earnest suiter vnto God for the pardon of some grosse sinne committed or for the preuention of some sinne whereunto a man feeles himselfe by Sathan sollicited or to obtaine some speciall blessing which hee wants or to auert some Iudgement which a man feares or is already fallen vpon himselfe or others or lastly to subdue his flesh vnto his spirit that hee may more cheerefully poure forth his Soule vnto God by prayer Vpon these occasions a man may fast a day or longer as his occasion requires and the constiâ—uâ—ion of his body and other needfull affayres will permit 3 Of the manner of a priuate Fast. The true manner of performing a priuate Fast consists partly in outward partly in inward actions The outward Actions are to abstaine for the time that wee fast First from all worldly businesse and labour making our fasting day as it were a Sabbath day Leuit. 23.28 for worldly businesse will distract our mindes from holy deuotion Secondly from all manner of foode yea from bread and water so farre as health will permit 1 That so we may acknowledge our owne indignitie as being vnworthy both of life all the meanes for the maintenance thereof 2. That by afflicting the body the soule which followeth the constitution thereof may be the more humbled 3. That so wee may take a godly reuenge vpon our selues for abusing our libertie in the vse of Gods Creatures 4. That by the hunger of our bodies through want of these earthly things our Soules may learne to hunger more eagerly after spirituall and heauenly foode 5. To put vs in minde that as vvee abstaine from foode which is lawfull so wee should much more abstaine from Sinne which is altogether vnlawfull Thirdly from good and costly Apparell that as the abuse of these puffes vs vp with pride so the laying aside their lawfull vse may witnesse our humilitie And to this end in auncient times they vsed especially in publike Fasts to put on Sacke-cloath or other course apparell The equitie hereof stil remaineth especially in publike Fasts at what time to come into the Assembly vvith starched bands crisped haire braue apparell and decked with â—lowers or perfumes argueth a Soule that is neyther humbled before GOD nor euer knew the true vse of so holy an exercise Fourthly from the full measure of ordinary sleepe That thou maist that vvay also humble the body and that thy soule may watch and pray to be prepared for the comming of Christ. And if thou vvilt breake thy-sleepe earely and late for worldly gaine how much more shouldest thou doe it for the seruice of God And if Ahab in imitation of the godly did in his fast lie in Sacke-cloath to breake his sleepe by night what shall wee thinke of those vvho on a fasting day will yeeld themselues to sleepe in the open Church Fiftly and lastly from all outward pleasures of our senses So that as it was not the throate onely that sinned so must not the throate onely be punished and therefore vve must endeuour to make our eyes as at all times so especially on that day to fast from beholding vanities our eares from hearing mirth or Musicke but such as may moue to mourne our nostrils from pleasant smels our tongues from lying dissembling and slandering yea the vse of the Marriage bed must be omitted in a religious reuerence of the diuine Maiestie That so nothing may hinder our true humiliation but that all may be signes that vve are vnfainedly humbled Thus much of the outward manner 2 The inward manner of Fasting consists in two things 1. Repentance 2. Prayer Repentance hath two parts 1. Penitencie for sinnes past 2. Amendement of life in time to come This penitency consists in 3. things First an inward insight of sinne and sense of miserie Secondly a bewailing of thy vile estate Thirdlie an humble and particuler confession of all thy knowne sinnes 1 Of the inward insight of sinne and sense of miserie This sense and insight will be effected in thee First by considering thy sinnes especially thy grosse sinnes according to the circumstances of the time when place where
Wine therefore are not bare signifying Signes but such as vvherewith Christ doth indeede exhibite and giue to euery worthy Receiâ—er not onely his diuine vertue and efficacie but also his very Body and Bloud as verely as hee gaue to his Disciples the Holy Ghost by the signe of his sacred Breath or Health to the diseased by the word of his Mouth or touch of his hand or garment And the apprehension by faith is more forcible then the exquisitest comprehension of Sense or Reason To conclude this point this holy Sacrament is that Blessed Bread vvhich being eaten opened the Eyes of the Emauites that they knew Christ. This is that Lordly Cup by vvhich wee are all made to drinke into one Spirit This is that Rocke flowing with hony that reuiueth the fainting spirits of euery true Ionathan that tastes it vvith the mouth of Faith This is that Barly Loafe vvhich tumbling from aboue strikes downe the Tents of the Midianites of infernall darkenesse Elias Angelicall Cake and Water preserued him fortie dayes in Horeb and Manna Angels foode fed the Israelites forty yeeres in the Wildernesse but this is that True Bread of life and heauenly Manna which if vvee shall duely eate will nourish our Soules for euer vnto life eternall How should then our Soules make vnto Christ that request from a spirituall desire which the Capernaites did from a carnall motion Lord euermore giue vs this Bread The fift end of the Lords Supper 5 To be an assured pledge vnto vs of our Resurrection The Resurrection of a Christian is two-folde first the spirituall Resurrection of our Soules in this life from the death of Sinne called the first Resurrection because that by the Trumpet-voyce of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell we are raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace Blessed and holy is he saith Saint Iohn who hath part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death hath no power The Lords Supper is both a meane and a pledge vnto vs of this spiâ—rituall and first Resurrection Hee that eateth mee euen hee shall liue by mee And then are we fit Guests to sit at the Table with Christ when like Lazarus wee are raysed from the death of sinne to newnesse of life The truth of this first resurrection vvill appeare by the motion vvherewith they are internally moued for if when thou art moued to the duties of Religion and practise of Pietie thy heart answereth vvith Samuell Here I am Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth And vvith Dauid O God my heart is ready And vvith Paul Lord what wilt thou haue mee to doe Then surely thou art raysed from the death of sinne and hast thy part in the first Resurrection but if thou remainest ignorant of the true grounds of Religion and findest in thy selfe a kinde of secret loathing of the exercises thereof and must be drawne as it were against thy will to doe the workes of Pietie c. then surely thou hast but a name that thou liuest but thou art dead as Christ tolde the Angell of the Church of Sardis and thy Soule is but as salt to keepe thy body from stincking Secondly the corporall Resurrection of our bodies at the last day which is called the second resurrection which freeth vs from the first death Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day For this Sacrament signifieth and sealeth vnto vs that Christ died and rose againe for vs and that his flesh quickneth and nourisheth vs vnto eternall life and that therefore our bodies shall surely be raised to eternall life at the last day For seeing our head is risen all the members of the body shall likewise surely rise againe For how can those bodies which being the weapons of Righteousnesse Rom. 16 13. Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 and Members of Christ. haue bin fedde and nourished vvith the body and blood of the Lord of life but be raised vp againe at the last day And this is the cause that the bodies of the Saints being dead are so reuerently buried and laid to sleepe in the Lord. And their buriall places are termed the beddes and dormitories of the Saints The reprobates shall arise at the last day But by the Almighty power of Christ as he is Iudge bringing them as malefactors out of the goale to receiue their sentence and deserued execution but the Elect shall arise by vertue of Christs resurrectiâ—n and of the Communion which they haue with him as with their head And his resurrection is the cause and assurance of ours The Resurrection of Christ is a Christians particuler faith the Resurrection of the dead is the childe of Gods chiefest confidence Therefore Christians in the Primitiue Church were wont to salute one another in the morning with these phrases The Lord is risen and the other would answere True The Lord is risen indeede The sixt end of the Lords Supper 6 To seale vnto vs the assurance of euerlasting life Oh what more wished or loued then life Or what doe all men more either feare or abhorre then death Yet is this first death nothing if it be compared with the second death neither is this life any thing worth in comparison of the life to come If therefore thou desirest to be assured of eternall life prepare thy selfe to be a worthy receiuer of this blessed Sacrament For our Sauiour assureth vs That if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Hee therefore who duely eateth of this holy Sacrament may truely say not onely Credo vitam aeternam I beleeue the life euerlasting but also Edo vitam aeternam I eate life euerlasting And indeed this is the true tree of life which GOD hath planted in the middest of the Paradise of the Church And whereof hee hath promised to giue euery one that ouercommeth to eate And this tree of life by infinite degrees excelleth the tree of life that grew in the Paradise of Eden for that had his roote in the earth this from heauen that gaue but life to the body this to the soule that did but preserue the life of the liuing this restoreth life to the dead The leaues of this tree healeth the Nation of beleeuers and it yeelds euery moneth a new manner of fruit which nourisheth them to life euerlasting Oh blessed are they who often eate of this Sacrament at lest once euery moneth taste anew of this renewing fruit which Christ hath prepared for vs at his Table to heale our infirmities and to confirme our beleefe of life euerlasting The seauenth end of the Lords Supper 7 To binde all Christians as it were by an
enuied to be taxed with such a blemish though I knew that otherwise the graces of God shined in him in aboundant measure I made â—ests of officious and aduantage of pernitious lyes herein shewing my selfe a right Cretian rather then an vpright Christian. And lastly O Lord where I should haue rested fully contented vvith that portion which thy Maiestie thought meetest to bestow vpon me in this Pilgrimage and reioyced in an others good as in mine owne Alas my life hath beene nothing else but a greedy lusting after this neighbours house and that neighbours land yea secretly vvishing such a man dead that I might haue his liuing or office coueting rather those things which thou hast bestowed on another rather then being thankefull for that which thou hast giuen vnto my selfe Thus I O Lord who am a carnall sinner and sold vnder sinne haue transgressed all thy holy and spiritual commandements from the first to the last from the greatest vnto the least and here I stand guiltie before thy Iudgement-seate of all the breaches of all thy lawes and therefore lyable to thy Curse and to all the miseries that Iustice can poure forth vpon so cursed a creature And whither shall I goe for deliuerance from this miserie Angels blush at my rebellion and will not helpe mee Men are guilty of the like transgression and cannot helpe themselues Shall I then despaire vvith Caine or make away my selfe with Iudas No Lord for that were but to end the miseries of this life and to beginne the endlesse torments of Hell I will rather appeale to thy Throane of Grace where Mercy raignes to pardon abounding sinnes and out of the depth of my miseries I will cry with Dauid for the depth of thy mercies Though thou shouldest kill me with afflictions yet will I like Iob put my trust in thee Though thou shouldest drowne me in the Sea of thy displeasure with Ionas yet will I catch such hold on thy Mercy that I will be taken vp dead clasping her with both my hands And though thou shouldest cast mee into the bowels of Hell as Ionas into the Belly of the Whale yet from thence would I cry vnto thee O God the Father of Heauen O Iesus Christ the Redeemer of the World O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier three Persons and one eternall God haue mercy vpon mee a miserable sinner And seeing the goodnesse of thine owne nature first moued thee to send thine onely begotten Son to dye for my sinnes that by his death I might be reconciled to thy Maiestie O reiect not now my penitent Soule who being displeased with her selfe for sinne desireth to returne to serue and please thee in newnesse of life and reach from Heauen thy helping hand to saue mee thy poore seruant who am like Peter ready to sincke in the Sea of my sinnes and miserie Wash away the multitude of my sinnes with the merits of that bloud which I beleeue that thou hast so abundantly shed for penitent sinners And now that I am to receiue this day the blessed Sacrament of thy precious body and bloud O Lord I beseech thee let thy holy Spirit by thy Sacrament seale vnto my soule that by the merits of thy Death and Passion all my sinnes are so freely and fully remitted and forgiuen that the curses and Iudgements which my sins haue deserued may neuer haue power eyther to confound me in this life or to condemne me in the world which is to come For my stedfast faith is that thou hast dyed for my sinnes and risen againe for my iustification This I beleeue O Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Worke in mee likewise I beseech thee an vnfained Repentance that I may heartily bewaile my former sins and loath them and serue thee hence forth in newnesse of life and greater measure of holy deuotion And let my soule neuer forget the infinite loue of so sweete a Sauiour that hath laid downe his life to redeeme so vile a Sinner And grant Lord that hauing receiued these seales and pledges of my Communion with thee thou maist henceforth so dwell by thy Spirit in mee that I so liue by Faith in thee and that I may walke all the dayes of my life in godlinesse and pietie towards thee and in Christian loue and charitie towards all my neighbours that liuing in thy feare I may dye in thy fauour and after death be made partaker of eternall life through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen 3 Of the meanes whereby thou maist become a worthy Receiuer THese Meanes are dueties of two sorts the former respecting GOD the later our Neighbour Those vvhich respect GOD are three first sound knowledge secondly true faith thirdly vnfained repentance That which respecteth our neighbour is but one sincere Charitie 1 Of sound knowledge requisite in a worthy communicant Sound knowledge is a sanctified vnderstanding of the first Principles of Religion As first of the Trinity of Persons in the vnity of the Godhead Secondly of the Creation of Man and his fall Thirdly of the curse and misery due to sinne Fourthly of the natures and offices of Christ and redemption by faith in his death especially of the doctrine of the Sacraments sealing the same vnto vs. For as an house cannot be built vnlesse the foundation bee first laid no more can Religion stand vnlesse it bee first grounded vpon the certaine knowledge of Gods word Secondly if wee know not Gods will we can neither beleeue nor doe the same For as wordly businesses cannot be done but by them who haue skill therein so without knowledge must men be much more ignorant in diuine and spirituall matters And yet in temporall things a man may doe much by the light of nature But in religious mysteries the more we relye vpon naturall reason the further we are from comprehending spirituall truth Which discouers the feareful estate of those who receiue without knowledge and the more fearefull estate of those Pastors who minister vnto them without Catechising 2 Of sincere faith required to make a worthy communicant Sincere faith is not a bare knowledge of the Scriptures first grounds of Religion for that Diuels and Reprobates haue in an excellent measure and doe beleeue it and tremble But a true perswasion as of all those things whatsoeuer the Lord hath reuealed in his word so also a particular application vnto a mans owne soule of all the promises of mercy which God hath made in Christ to all beleeuing sinners And consequently that Christ and all his merits doe belong vnto him as well as to any other For first if wee haue not the righteousnesse of Faith the Sacrament seales nothing vnto vs and euery man in the Lords Supper receiueth so much as hee beleeueth Secondly because that without Faith we communicating on earth cannot apprehend Christ in heauen For as he dwelleth in vs by faith so by faith we must likewise eate him Thirdly because
vvho came to Christ for mercy went euer away vvithout his errand Bathe thou likewise thy sicke Soule in this fountaine of Christs bloud and doubtlesse according to his promise Zach. 13.1 thou shalt be healed of all thy sinnes and vncleannesse Not sinners therefore but they who are vnwilling to repent of their sinnes are debarred this Sacrament Fiftly meditate that Christ left this Sacrament vnto vs as the chiefest token pledge of his loue not when wee vvould haue made him a King Iohn 6.15 which might haue seemed a requitall of kindnesse but vvhen Iudas and the High Priest were conspiring his death therefore vvholy of his meere fauour When Nathan would shew Dauid how entirely the poore man loued his sheepe that was killed by the rich man hee gaue her said hee to eate of his owne morsels and of his owne Cup to drinke 2 Sam. 12.3 and must not then the loue of Christ to his Church be vnspeakeable when hee giues her his owne flesh to eate and his owne bloud to drinke for her spirituall and eternall nourishment If then there be any loue in thine heart take the Cuppe of saluation into thy hand and pledge his loue with loue againe Psal. 116.11 Sixtly when the Minister beginneth the holy consecration of the Sacrament then lay aside all praying reading and all other cogitations whatsoeuer and settle thy meditation onely vpon those holy actions and rites which according to Christs Institution are vsed in and about the holy Sacrament For it hath pleased God considering our weaknesse to appoint those rites as meanes the better to lift vp our mindes to the serious contemplation of his heauenly graces When therefore thou seest the Minister putting apart Bread and Wine on the Lords Table and consecrating them by Prayers and the rehearsall of Christs Institution to be a holy Sacrament of the blessed Body and Bloud of Christ then meditate how GOD the Father of his meere loue to mankinde set apart and sealed his onely begotten Sonne to be the all-sufficient meanes and onely Mediator to redeeme vs from sinne and to reconcile vs to his grace and to bring vs to his Glory When thou seest the Minister breake the Bread being blessed thou must meditate that Iesus Christ the eternall Sonne of GOD was put to death and his blessed Soule and Body vvith the sense of Gods anger broken asunder for thy sinnes as verely as thou now seest the holy Sacrament to be broken before thine eyes And withall call to minde the hainousnesse of thy sinnes and the greatnesse of Gods hatred against the same seeing Gods Iustice could not be satisfied but by such a Sacrifice When the Minister hath blessed and broken the Sacrament and is addressing himselfe to distribute it then meditate The King who is the Master of the feast stands at the Table to see his guests and looketh vpon thee whether thou hast on thee thy Wedding garment thinke also that all the holy Angels who attend vpon the Elect in the Church and doe desire to behold the celebration of these holy Mysteries doe obserue thy reuerence and behauiour Let thy Soule therefore whilest the Minister bringeth the Sacrament vnto thee offer this or the like short Prayer vnto Christ. A sweet Soliloquie to be said betwixt the Consecration and receiuing of the Sacrament IS it true indeed that GOD will dwell on earth behold the Heauen and the Heauen of Heauens are not able to containe thee how much more vnable is the soule of such a sinfull câ—itife as I am to receiue thee But seeing it is thy blessed pleasure to come thus to suppe with me and to dwell in mee I cannot for ioy but burst out and say What is man that thou art so mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou so regardest him What fauour soeuer thou vouchsafest mee in the abundance of thy Grace I will freely confesse what I am in the wretchednesse of my Nature I am in a vvord a carnall Creature vvhose very soule is sold vnder sinne a wretched man compassed about with a body of death yet Lord seeing thou callest here I come and seeing thou callest sinners I haue thrust my selfe in among the rest and seeing thou callest all with their heauiest loades I see no reason why I should stay behinde O Lord I am sicke and whither should I goe but vnto thee the Physitian of my Soule Thou hast cured many but neuer didst thou meete vvith a more miserable patient for I am more leaprous then Gehazi more vncleane then Magdalene more blinde in Soule then Bartimeus vvas in Body for I haue liued all this while and neuer seene the true light of thy Word My Soule runnes with a greater fluxe of sinne then vvas the Hemorisse issue of bloud Mephiboseth was not more lame to goe then my soule is to walke after thee in loue Ieroboams Arme was not more withered to strike the Prophet then my hand is maimed to relieue the poore Cure me O Lord and thou shalt doe as great a worke as in curing them all And though I haue all their sinnes and sores yet Lord so abundant is thy grace so great is thy skill that if thou wilt thou canst with a word forgiue the one and heale the other And vvhy should I doubt of thy good will when to saue mee will cost thee now but one louing smile vvho shewedst thy selfe so willing to redeem me though it should cost thee all thy heart bloud and now offerest so gratiously vnto mee the assured pledge of my redemption by thy bloud Who am I O Lord God and what is my merit that thou hast bought me with so deare a price It is meerely thy mercie and I O Lord am not worthy the least of all thy mercies much lesse to be a partaker of this holy Sacrament the greatest Pledge of the greatest mercy that euer thou diddest bestow vpon those sonnes of men whom thou louest How might I in respect of mine owne vnworthynesse cry out for feare at the sight of thy holy Sacrament as the Philistimes did when they saw the Arke of God come into the assembly Woe now vnto me a sinner But that thy Angel doth comfort me as he did the women Feare thou not for I know that thou seekest Iesus which was crucified It is thou indeed that my soule seeketh after And heere thou offerest thy selfe vnto me in thy blessed Sacrament If therefore ELIZABETH thought her selfe so much honoured at thy presence in the wombe of thy blessed mother that the babe sprange in her bellie for ioy how should my soule leape within mee for ioy now that thou commest by thy holy Sacrament to dwell in my heart for euer Oh what an honour is this that not the mother of my Lord but my Lord himselfe should come thus to visit me Indeede Lord I confesse with the faithfull Centurion that I am not worthy that thou shouldest
then meditate on three things First how graciously God dealeth with thee Secondly from what euils death wil free thee Thirdly what good death will bring vnto thee First concerning Gods fauourable dealing with thee 1 Meditate that God vseth this chastisement of thy body but as a Medicine to cure thy soule by drawing thee who art sicke in sin to come by repentance vnto Christ thy Physitian to haue thy soule healed 2 That the sorest sickenes or painefullest disease which thou canst endure is nothing if it be compared to those dolours and paines which Iesus Christ thy Sauiour hath suffred for thee when in a bloody sweat he endured the wrath of God the paines of hell and a cursed death which was due to thy sinnes Iustly therefore may he vse those words of Ieremy Behold and see if there be any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto mee wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath Hath the sonne of God endured so much for thy redemption and wilt not thou a sinful man endure a little sicknesse for his pleasure especially when it is for thy good 3 That when thy sicknes and disease is at the extreamest yet it is lesse and easier then thy sinnes haue deserued Let thine owne conscience iudge whether thou hast not deserued worse then all that thou doest suffer Murmure not therefore but considering thy manifold and grieuous sinnes thanke God that thou art not plagued with far more grieuous punishments Thinke how willingly the damned in hell would endure thy extreamest paines a 1000. yeeres on condition that they had but thy hope to be saued and after so many yeeres to be eased of their eternal torments And seeing that it is his mercy that thou art not rather consumed then corrected how canst thou but beare patiently his temporall correction seeing the ende is to saue thee from eternall condemnation 4 That nothing commeth to passe in this case vnto thee but such as ordinarily befell to others thy brethren who being the beloued and vndoubted seruants of GOD when they liued on earth are now most blessed and glorious Saints with Christ in Heauen as Iob Dauid Lazarus c. They groaned for a time as thou doest vnder the like burthen but they are now deliuered from all their miseries troubles and calamities And so likewise ere long if thou wilt patiently tarry the Lords leisure thou shalt also bee deliuered from thy sicknesse and paine either by restitution to thy former health with Iob or which is farre better by being receiued to heauenly rest vvith Lazarus 5 Lastly that God hath not giuen thee ouer into the hand of thine enemie to bee punished and disgraced but being thy louing Father he correcteth thee with his owne mercifull hand When Dauid had his wishe to choose his own chastisement hee chose rather to be corrected by the hand of GOD then by any other meanes Let vs fall into the handes of the Lord for his mercies are great and let mee not fall into the hand of man Who will not take any affliction in good part when it commeth from the hand of God from whom though no affliction seemeth ioyous for the present wee know nothing commeth but what is good The consideration heereof made Dauid to endure Shemeis cursed railing with greater patience and to correct himselfe another time for his impatiencie I should not haue opened my mouth because thou didst it and Iob to reprooue the vnaduised speech of his wife thou speakest like a foolish woman What shal we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill And though the cup of Gods wrath due to our sinnes was such a horrour to our Sauiours humane nature that hee earnestly prayed that it might passe from him yet when he considered that it was reached vnto him by the hand and will of his Father hee willingly submitted himselfe to drinke it to the very dregs thereof Nothing will more arme thee with patience in thy sickenesse then to see that it commeth from the hand of our heauenly father who would neuer send it but that he seeth it to bee vnto thee both needfull and profitable The 2. sort of Meditations are to consider from what euils death will free thee IT freeth thee from a corruptible body which was conceiued in the witnesse of flesh the heare of lust the staine of sinne and borne in the blood of filthynesse a liâ—ing prison of the soule a liuely instrument of sinne â— very sacke of stinking dung the excrements of whose nostrils eares pores and other passages duely considered will seeme more loathsome then the vncleanest sinke or vault Insomuch that whereas trees and plants bring foorth leaues flowers fruits and sweet smels mans body brings foorth naturally nothing but lice wormes rottennesse and filthy stench His affections are altogether corrupted and the imaginations of his heart are onely euill continually Hence it is that the vngodly is not satisfied with prophannesse nor the voluptuous with pleasures nor the ambitious with preferments nor the curious with precisenes nor the malicious with reuenge nor the lecherous with vncleannesse nor the couetous with gaine nor the drunkard with drinking New passions and fashions doe daily grow new feares and afflictions doe still arise heere wrath lies in waite there vaine-glory vexeth heere pride lifts vp there disgrace casts downe and euery one waiteth who shall arise in the ruine of another Now a man is priuily stung with backbiters like fiery Serpents anon hee is in danger to be openly deuoured by his enemies like Daniels Lyons And a godly man where ere he liueth shall euer be vexed like Lot with Sodomes vncleannesse 2 Death brings vnto the godly an end of sinning and of all the miseries which are due vnto sinne So that after death there shall be no more sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine for GOD shall wipe away all teares from our eyes yea by death we are separated from the company of wicked men and GOD taketh away mercifull and righteous men from the euill to come So he dealt with Iosiah I will gather thee to thy Fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place And God hides them for a while in the graue vntill the indignation passe ouer So that as Paradise is the Heauen of the soules ioy so the graue may be tearmed the hauen of the bodies rest 3 Whereas this wicked body liues in a world of wickednesse so that the poore soule cannot looke out at the eye and not be infected nor heare by the eare and not bee distracted nor smell at the nostrils and not be tainted nor taste with the tongue and be allured nor touch by the hand and not be defiled and euery sense vpon euery
thoughts and sighes The first thought SEeing euery man enters into this life in Teares passeth it in sweate and ends it in sorrow ah what is there in it that a man should desire to liue any longer to it oh what a folly is it that vvhen the Mariner roweth with all his force to arriue at the wished Port and that the Traueller neuer testeth till hee come to his iourneyes end wee feare to discrie our Port and therefore would put backe our Barke to be longer tossed in this continual Tempest we weepe to see our iourneyes end and therefore desire our iourney to be lengthened that vvee might be more tyred with a foule and cumbersome way The spirituall sigh thereupon O Lord this life is but a troublesome Pilgrimage few in dayes but full in euils and I am weary of it by reason of my sinnes Let me therefore O Lord entreate thy Maiestie in this my bed of sickenesse as Elias did vnder the Iuniper tree in his affliction It is now enough O Lord that I haue liued so long in this vale of miserie take my fâ—ule into thy mercifull hands for I am no better then my Fathers The second thought THinke with what a body of sinne thou art loaden vvhat great ciuill warres are contayned in a little world the flesh fighting against the spirit Passion against Reason Earth against Heauen and the world within thee â—anding it selfe for the world without thee and that but one onely meane remaines to end this conflict Death which in Gods appoynted time will seperate thy Spirit from thy flesh the pure and regenerate part of thy soule from that part which is impure and vnregenerated The spirituall sigh vpon the second thought O Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death O my sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ thou hast redeemed me with thy precious bloud And because thou hast deliuered my soule from sinne mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I doe here from the very bottome of my heart ascribe the vvhole praise and glory of my Saluation to thy onely grace and mercy saying vvith the holy Apostle Thankes be vnto GOD which hath giuen mee the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. The third thought THinke how it behooues thee to be assured that thy soule is Christs for death hath taken sufficient gages to assure himselfe of thy body in that all thy senses beginne already to dye saue onely the sense of paine but sith the beginning of thy being beganne with paine meruaile the lesse if thy end conclude with dolours But if these temporall dolours which onely afflict the body be so painefull O Lord who can endure the deuouring fire who can abide the euerlasting burning The spirituall sigh vpon the third thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD vvho art the onely Physitian that canst ease my body from paine and restore my Soule to life eternall put thy Passion Crosse and death betwixt my Soule and thy Iudgement and let the merits of thy Obedience stand betwixt thy Fathers Iustice and my disobedience and from these bodily paines receiue my soule into thine euerlasting peace for I cry vnto thee with Stephen Lord Iesu receiue my spirit The fourth thought THinke that the worst that death can doe is but to send thy soule sooner then thy flesh would be willing to Christ and his heauenly ioyes Remember that that worst is thy best hope The worst therefore of death is rather a helpe then a harme The spirituall sigh vpon the fourth thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sauiour of all them that put their trust in thee forsake not him that in misery flieth vnto thy grace for succour and mercy Oh sound that sweet voyce in the eares of my soule which thou spokest vnto the penitent theefe on the Crosse this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise For I O Lord doe with the Apostle from my soule speake vnto thee I desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ. The fifth thought THink if thou fearest to dye that in Mount Sion there is no death for he that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer die And if thou desirest to liue without doubt the life eternall whereunto this death is but a passage surpasseth all There doe all the faithfull departed hauing ended their miseries liue with Christ in ioyes and thither shall all the godly which suruiue be gathered out of their troubles to enioy with him eternall rest The spirituall sigh on the fift thought O Lord thou seest the malice of Satan who not contenting himselfe 〈…〉 all the daâ—es and nights of our life to seek our destruction shewes himselfe most bâ—siest when thy children are weakest and neerest to their end O Lord reprooue him and preseâ—ue my Soule Hee seekes to terrifie me with death which my sins haue deserued but let thy holy spirit comfort my soule with the assurance of eternall life which thy blood hath purchased Asswage my pain encrease my patience and if it be thy blessed will end my troubles for my soule beseecheth thee with olde blessed Simeon Lâ—rd now let me thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word The sixth thought THink with thy selfe what a blessing God hath bestowed vpon thee aboue many millions of the world that whereas they are either Pagans who worship not the true GOD or Idolaters who worship the true GOD falsely Thou hast liued in a true Christian Church and hast grace to dye in the true Christian faith and to be buried in the sepulchres of Gods seruants who all waite for the hope of Israel the raising of their bodies in the resurrection of the iust The spirituall sigh vpon the sixt thought O Lord Iesus Christ who art the resurrection and the life in whom whosoeuer beleeueth shall liue though hee were dead I beleeue that whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in thee shall neuer dye I know that I shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day for I am sure that thou my Redeemer liuest And though that after my death wormes destroy this body yet I shall see thee my Lord and my God in this flesh Grant therefore O CHRIST for thy bitter death and passions sake that at that day I may bee one of them to whom thou wilt pronounce that ioyfull sentence Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world The seauenth thought THinke with thy selfe how Christ endured for thee a cursed death and the wrath of God which was due vnto thy sinnes and what terrible paines and cruell torments the Apostles and Martyrs haue voluntarily suffered for the defence of Christs faith when they might haue liued by dissembling or denying him how much more willing shouldest thou be to depart in the faith of Christ hauing lesse paines to torment thee
that he had rather lose 1000. worlds then suffer priuate confession to be thrust out of the Church Our church hath euer most soundly maintained the truth of this doctrine but most iustly abolished the tyrannous and Antichristian abuse of Popish auricular confession vvhich they thrust vpon the Soules of Christians as an Expiatorie Sacrifice and a meritoâ—ious satisfaction for sinne racking their Consciences to confesse when they feele no distresse and to enumerate all their sinnes which is impossible that by this meanes they might diue into the secrets of all men which oft times hath proued pernitious not onely to priuate persons but also to publike states But the truth of Gods vvord is that no person hauing receiued Orders in the Church of Rome can truely absolue a sinner for the Keyes of absolution are two the one is the Key of Authoritie and that onely Christ hath the other is the Key of Ministerie and this hee giues to his Ministers who are therefore called the Ministers of Christ The Stewards of Gods Mysteries The Ambassadours of reconciliation Bishops Pastors Elders c. But Christ neuer ordayned in the New Testament any Order of sacrificing Priests neyther is the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth Sacerdos or sacrificing Priest giuen to any Officer of Christ in all the New Testament Neyther doe we reade in all the New Testament of any who confessed himselfe to a Priest but Iudas Neyther is there any reall Priest of the New Testament but onely Christ. Neyther is there any part of his Priesthood to be now accomplished on Earth but that which hee fulfilleth in Heauen by making intercession for vs. Seeing therefore Christ neuer ordayned any Order of sacrificing Priests and that Popish Priests scorne the name of Ministers of the Gospell to whom onely Christ committed his Keyes it necessarily followeth that no Popish Priest can truely eyther excommunicate or absolue any sinner or haue any lawfull right to meddle with Christs Keyes But the Antichristian abuse of this diuine Ordinance should not abolish the lawfull vse thereof twixt Christians and their Pastors in cases of distresse of Conscience for which it was chiefely ordayned And verily there is not any meanes more excellent to humble a proud heart nor to raise vp an humble spirit then this spirituall conference betwixt the Pastors and the People committed to their charge If any sinne therefore troubleth thy conscience confesse it to Gods Minister aske his counsell and if thou dost truely repent receiue his Absolution And then doubt not in foro Conscientiae but thy sinnes be as verily forgiuen on earth as if thou didst heare Christ himselfe in foro iudicij pronouncing them to be forgiuen in Heauen Qui vos audit me audit hee that heareth you heareth mee Try this and tell mee whether thou shalt not finde more ease in thy Conscience then can be expressed in words Did prophane men consider the dignitie of this diuine calling they would the more honour the Calling and reuerence Persons The sicke man hauing thus eased his Conscience and receiued his Absolution may doe well hauing a conuenient number of faithfull Christians ioyning with him to receiue the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper to encourage him in his Faith to discourage the Diuell in his assaults In this respect the Councell of Nice tearmeth this Sacrament Viaticum the soules prouision for her iourney And albeit the Lords Supper be an Ecclesiasticall action yet for as much as our Lord the first institutor celebrated it in a priuate house and that Saint Paul tearmeth the houses of Christians the Churches of Christ. And that Christ himselfe hath promised to be in the middest of the faithfull where but two or three are gathered together in his Name I see no reason but if Christians desire it vvhen they are not through sickenesse able to come to the church but that they should receiue and Pastors ought to administer vnto them the Sacraments at home Hee sheweth more simplicitie then knowledge who thinks that this sauours of a priuate Masse For a Masse is called priuate not because it is said in a priuate house but because as Bishop Iewel teacheth out of Aquinas the Priest receiueth the Sacrament himselfe alone without distribution made vnto others and then it is priuate although the vvhole Parish be present and looke vpon him There is as much difference betweene such a Communion and the Antichristian Idol of a priuate Masse as there is betwixt Heauen and Hell For at a Communion in a priuate family vpon such an extraordinary occasion Christ his institution is obserued Many faithfull brethren meet together and tarry one for anothâ—r Christ his death is remembred and shewed and the Minister together with the faithfull and the sicke party do communicate Master Caluin saith That he doth very willingly admit administring of the Communion to them that are sicke when the case and opportunity so requireth And in another place hee saith That hee hath many waighty reasons to compell him not to deny the Lords Supper vnto the sicke Yet I would wish all Christians to vse to receiue often in their health especially once euery moneth with the whole Church for then they shall not neede so much to assemble their friends vpon such an occasion nor so much to be troubled themselues for want of the Sacrament For as Master Perkins saith very well The fruit and efficacy of the Sacrament is not to be restrained to the time of receiuing but it extends it selfe to the whole time of mans life afterward the efficacy whereof did men throughly vnderstand they should not neede to be often exhorted to receiue it Pastores omnes hic exoratâ—s vellem vt in huius controuersiae statum penitius introspiciant nec fideles ex hac vita migrantes panem vitae petentes viatico suo fraudari sinaâ—t ne lugubris ista in â—ijs adimpleatur lamentatio Parvâ—li panem petunt non sit qui frangat eis As therefore when a wicked liuer dyeth he may say to death as Ahab said to Eliah Hast thou found me O mine enemy So on the other side when it is told a penitent sinner that death knocks at the doore and beginnes to looke him in the face he may say of death as Dauid said of Ahimaaz Let him come and welcome for he is a good man and commeth with good tidings he is the messenger of Christ and bringeth vnto me the ioyfull newes of eternall life And as the Redde Sea was a gulfe to drowne the Aegyptians to destruction but a passage to the Israelites to conuey them to Canaans possession so death to the wicked is a sincke to hell and condemnation but to the godly the gate to euerlasting life and saluation And one day of a blessed death will make an amends for all the sorrowes of a bitter
phrase of laying by in store comprehendeth al the other exercises of the Sabath and why should the Apostle require the collections to be made on the first day of the weeke but because that on this day the holy assembly were held in the the Apostles time 1 Cor. 11.33 15.1.2 1 Cor. 14.37 Acts 20.4.5.6 c. a Acts 21.4 c. b Apoc. 1.10 Mos Christianus c. It is the manner of Christians to call it the Lords day Beda in Luc. cap. 24.1 Heb. 2.5 Heb 2.11 and 5.9 * Ier. 17.22 Ezech. 20.19.20.21.24 Ezec. 23.38 Nehe. 9.14 Ex. Bodin de Repub. lib. 4. cap. 2. 1 Cor. 14.33 40. Esa. 55.1.2 Apoc. 3.18 Iames 2.9 Gen. 2 3. Exod. 34.1 c. Deut. 4.13 Deut. 4.4 1 Reg. 8.9 Heb. 9.4 Rom. 5.17 Matth. 5.19 Acts 15.20.24.28.21 Mat. 24.20 Euseb. hist. Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 5. It is probable that this oracle was that voice migremus hinc which with an earthquake was heard by night in the temple mentioned by Iosephus de bello Iudaico lib. 7. cap. 12. Mat. 24.35 Isa. 56.6 Nehem. 13.11 c. Eph. 2.14 Pro 2.17 Mat. 19.6.8 Nitimur in vetitum Hor. Rom. 7.14 Gen. 1.14 Iob. 9.9 Iob 38.31 Amos 5.8 a To distinguish twixt Spring and Haruest Summer and Winter and to foreshew Iudgements to come b Moaedim sig Sacred times appointed for Gods holy worship hauing special significations and promises c One of the 7. daies of the week from the other d Solar Sabbatary and Iubilie Ex. 23 11.12 Index Chron. apup Anno Mundi 1998. After M. Rob. Pont. his computation Treatise of the last decaying age of the world published Anno Dom. 1600. R. Pont. tr of the last age pag. 17. Ier. 25.11.12 Hezr 1.1 * Apoc. 8.2 and 9.7 Napier on the Apoc. Proposition 6.8.9 hiâ— Resolution Apoc. 5. Pont. Of the last age of the world pag. 12. Buchol 2. Index Chron. Broughton Consent A.M. 2430. Deut. 34. Pont. ibid. Scaliger Bucholzer * Pont. p. 21. Buch. Index Cronol apud A.M. 2500. * Iubilie some deriue of trumpets or Rammes-hornes wherewith the Iubilie was sounded others from Jubal a streame because they carry vs to the death of Christ the author of our eternall rest ioy Isay 61. Luke 4. * Pont. of the last decaying age of the world pag. 12.13.21 a Expertum est in plerisque omnibus 63. annum cum periculo cladâ— aliqua venire aut corporis morbique grauioris aut vitae interitus aut animi agritudinis Agellius lib. 1.15 c. 7. Augustus in ep ad Caiâ—n nepotem exultat s◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commâ—â—em senâ—orum omnium 63. euasisse Bodin de Repub. lib. 4. cap. 2. * Aristotle Cicero Bernard Bocace Erasmus Luther Melancthon Sturmiâ—s c. * She was she is what can there more be said In earth the first in heauen the second Maide Bodin Bucholz Climax vitae virorum ferè septenariis aut nouenariis Faeminarum verò senariis d finitur Bodin de Rep. lib. 4. cap. 2. Wisd. 11.17 Wolph praem chron Apoc. 10.6 Tempus est reruÌ„ mundanarum duratio extrinsecuâ— obseruata H. Wolph Chron. cap. 1. Tempus cum mundo caepit una desiturum est ibid. Gen. 2.3 Apoc. 1.10 * Si quid horuÌ„ tota die per orbem frequentat Ecclesia Nam hoc quin ita saciendum sit disputare insolentissimae insaniae est August Ep. 118. ad Ian. Synod Col. part 9. cap. 9. Ignat. ad Magnes Apolo 2. Origen homilia 7. super Exod. 1. Epistol ad Ianuar. 119. cap. 13. ad Cassul Epi. 86. August de temp Ser. 251. Psal. 87.3 Aug. de temp ser. 251. 154. Conc. Const. Can. 8. Wolphius Chron. lib. 2. cap. 1. Muss Bipont postill Dom. Pasc. Mat. 27.52 Codoman Aâ—nat An. Munâ— 2515. Iosh. 6.13 Apo. 10.7 Aug. ad Casulan ep 86. ad Ianuar 119. cap. 13. Aug. Serm. de temp 251. 154. Conc. 6. Constant cau 8. * Non dubiâ—amus quin variè apud Christianos Sabbathum violetur non abstinendo ab iis quae aliis diebus licita sunt Armin. Iunius praelect in Gen. 2.3 Exod. 31.13 14. c. Ezek. 20.12.20 Ezek. 46.1.2.3 c. Exod. 35.2 Armin. disput Theolog. in praecep 4. Thes. 14. Act. 10.15 Isa. 58.13 Read H. Wolphins Cronolog de Temp. lib. 2. cap. 4 pag. 118. and cap. 7. pag. 140. c. Num. 5.32 2 Mac. 27.28 Cent. Magdol 12. cap. 6 Discip. de tempore Ser. 117. Tho. Cantiprat lib. 2. de apib Tympiâ— admiran vindict diu Theus hist. Iohan Finc lib. 3. de miraculis Stowes A. bridgement Anno 1582. Discite iam moniti Dominum non temnere Christum Whilest the Preachers cryed in the church prophanenesse prophanenesse Gaine would not suffer them to heare therefore when they cryed fire fire in the streets God would not suffer any to helpe * Numb 15.38 a Num. 28.9.10 b Exo. 35.2.3 c Exo. 16.23 d Deu. 5.15 e It was the Sabbath day on which Moses and the Children of Israel sang to God wheÌ„ Pharaoh and his hoast were drowned in the sea Exod. 15. See Trem. Iun. notes on Deu. 5.15 on Exod. 12.15 Obiect â— Gal. 4.10 1 Cor. 16.1 and 14.37 Act. 20.7 Col. 2.17 Leuit. 23.37 38. Obiect 2. Col. 2.16 Obiect 3. Rom. 14.5 Rom. 15.1 Apoc. 1.10 * Exo. 31.29 30. Exod. 31.12 13. Exod. 31.15 c. Exod. 34.21 Nehe. 13.15 Ier. 17.21.22.27 Deut. 5.14 Rom. 8 22· Deut. 25. â— â— Cor. 9.9 Neh. 15.15.16.19 Apoc. 1.19 Isa. 58.13.14 Psal 37.4 Ephes. 5.18.19 Rom. 12.11 Deut. 28.47 Isa. 58.13 1 Cor. 10.7 Exod. 32.6.18.19 Melius enim arare quam saltare in Sabato Aug. in tit Psal. 91. Act. 17.31 Rom. 2.12 c. 2 Thes. â— 8 c. Lactan. lib. 7. cap. 19. Apo. 12.11 * This was the last and heauiest curse that Saint Iohn wished spirituall Babylon Apo. 2. 3. Isa. 56.2 c. and 58.13 c. Exod. 16.23 c. Exod. 19.15 1 Cor. 7.5 Gen. 35.2 1 Thes. 4.4 1 Sam. 21.5 Exod. 19.16 Psal. 92.2 Eccles. 417. Col. 4.3 Psal. 91.1.2.5 1 Chron. 29 11. c. * Here thou maist confesse whatsoeuer sinne of the last weeke clogs thy conscience Iohn 1.29 Mat. 13.1 Luke 8.25 Col. 4.3 Act. 26.18 1 Thes. 5.13 Heb. 13.17 1 Cor. 11.10 Eph. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.12 Esa. 58.13 Esa. 66.23 Psal. 104.4 Psal. 42.1.2 Psal. 84.10 Psal. 5.8 Gen. 28.26.17 1 Cor. 14.25 Psal. 26.8 Psal. 27.4 Psal. 27.6 Psal. 23.6 Eccl. 4.17 1 Cor. 12.12 Act. 2.2.46 4.32 Eccle. 5.1 Eze. 46.10 Psal. 110.3 * Cum Romam venio Jeiuno Sabbato cum hîc sum non Ieiuno Sic tu ad quam fortè Ecclesiam veneris eius morem serua si cuiquaÌ„ non vis esse scandalo nec queÌ„quam tibi Amb. consil August ep ad Ianuar. Luk. 4.20 Luk. 19.48 Isa. 2.3 Act. 10.33 1 Chr. 17.25 Gal. 4.14 1 Thes. 2.13 Apoc. 2.7 Luk. 24.32 Luk. 11.28 Rom. 15.16 Deut. 33.3 Ioh. 10.27 Ioh.
nights in the graue hath sanctified and as it were warmed it for the bodies of his Saints to rest and sleepe in till the morning of the resurrection So that now vnto the faithfull Death is but a sweet sleepe and the graue but Christs bed where their bodies rest and sleepe in peace vntill the ioyfull morning of the Resurrection day shall dawne vnto them Let therefore thy bed-cloathes represent vnto thee the mould of the earth that shall couer thee thy shâ—etes thy winding sheete thy sleepe thy death thy waking thy resurrection And being laid downe in thy bed when thou perceiuest sleep to approach say I will lay mee downe and sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest mee dwell in safety Thus religiously opening euery Morning thy heart and shutting it vp againe euery Euening with the word of God and praier as it were vvith a locke and key and so beginning the day with GODS worship continuing it in his feare and ending it in his fauour thou shalt be sure to finde the blessing of GOD vpon all thy daies labours and good endeauours and at night thou mayest assure thy selfe thou shalt sleepe safely and sweetly in the armes of thy heauenly Fathers prouidence Thus farre of the Piety which euery Christian in priuate ought to Practise euery day Now followeth that which he being a Housholder must practise publikely with his Family Meditations for Houshold Piety 1 IF thou be called to the gouernment of a Familie thou must not hold it sufficient to serue GOD and liue vprightly in thine owne person vnlesse thou cause all vnder thy charge to doe the same with thee For the performance of this dutie God was so well pleased with Abraham that he would not hide from him his counsell For saith GOD I know him that he will command his sons and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him And Abraham had 318. men seruants which were thus borne and Catechized in his house With whose helpe hee rescued also his Nephew Lâ—t from the captiuity of his enemies And religiously valiant Iosuah protesteth before all the people that if they all would fall away from the true worship of GOD yet that hee and his house would serue the Lord. And GOD himselfe giues a speciall charge to all householders that they do instruct their Family in his word and traine them vp in his feare and seruice These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt whâ—â— them continually vpon thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp c. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him Dauid according to this Law had so ordered his Family That no deceitful person should dwell in his house but such as would serue God and walke in his way And religious Hester had taught her Maydes to serue GOD in fasting and prayer And the more to further thy family in the zeale of Religion settle euer thy chiefest affection on those whom thou shalt perceiue to be best addicted to true religion This also will turne to thine owne aduantage in a double respect First GOD will the rather blesse and prosper the labour and handy worke of such godly Seruants For Laban perceiued that God blessed him for Iacobs sake And Potiphar saw that the Lord made all that Ioseph did to prosper in his hand yea when innocent Ioseph vvas cast into prison his Keeper saw that whatsoeuer he did the Lord made it to prosper and therefore the Keeper committed all the charge of the Prisoners into Iosephs hand Secondly the truer a man doth serue God the faithfuller he will serue thee 2 If euery Housholder were thus carefull according to his duetie to bring vp his Children and Familie in the seruice and feare of God in his owne house then the house of God should be better filled and the Lords Table more frequented euery Sabbath day and the Pastors publike preaching and labour would take more effect then it doth The streetes of Townes and Cities would not abound with so many drunkards swearers whoremongers prophane scorners of true Pietie and Religion Westminster-Hall would not be so full of contentions wrangling suites and vnchristian debates and the Prisons vvould not be euery Sessions so full of theeues robbers traytors and murtherers But alas most Housholders make no other vse of their Seruants then they doe of their beasts Whilest they may haue their bodies to doe their seruice they care not if their Soules serue the Diuell Yet the common complaint is that faithfull and good seruants are scarce to be found True but the reason is because there are so many prophane and irreligious Masters for the example and instruction of a godly and religious Master will make a good and a faithfull seruant as may witnesse the examples of Abraham Ioshua Dauid Cornelius c. who had good seruants because they were religious masters such as were carefull to make their seruants Gods seruants It is the chiefe labour and care of most men to raise and to aduance their house yet let them rise vp earely lye downe late and eate the bread of carefulnesse all vvill be but in vaine for except the Lord build a house that is raise vp a familie they labour in vaine For GOD hath sealed this as an irreuocable Decree that he will poure his wrath vpon the Families that call not vpon his Name yea God will take the wicked and plucke him out of his Tabernacle and roote him out of the land c. Yea when his iniquities are full he will make the Land to spue out euery Canaanite Religion then and the Seruice of God in a Family is the best building and surest entailing of house and Land to a man and his posteritie for the righteous man shall inherit the land and dwell therein for euer As therefore if thou desirest to haue the blessing of God vpon thy selfe and vpon thy familie eyther before or after thine owne priuate deuotion call euery morning all thy familie to some conuenient roome and first eyther reade thy selfe vnto them a Chapter in the word of God or cause it to be read distinctly by some other If leasure serue thou maist admonish them of some remarkeable good notes and then kneeling downe with them in reuerent sort as is before described pray with them in this manner Morning Prayer for a Familie O Lord our GOD and heauenly father who art the onely Creator Gouernour of Heauen and Earth and all things therein contained we confesse that wee are vnworthy to appeare in thy sight and presence considering our manifold sinnes vvhich wee haue committed
against Heauen and before thee and how that wee haue beene borne in sinne and doe daily breake thy holy Lawes and Commandements contrary to our knowledge and Consciences albeit that we know that thou art our Creator who hast made vs our Redeemer who hast bought vs with the bloud of thine onely begotten Sonne and our Comforter who bestowest vpon vs all the good and holy graces which wee enioy in our soules and bodies And if thou shouldest but deale with vs as our vvickednesse and vnthankfulnesse haue deserued what other thing might vve O Lord expect from thee but shame and confusion in this life and in the vvorld to come wrath and euerlasting condemnation Yet O Lord in the obedience of thy Commandement and in the confidence which wee haue in thy vnspeakeable and endlesse mercy in thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ we thy poore Seruants appealing from thy Throne of Iustice where wee are iustly lost and condemned to thy throne of Grace where mercy raigneth to pardon abounding sinne doe from the bottome of our hearts most humbly beseech thee to remit and forgiue vnto vs all our offences and misdeedes that by the vertue of the precious bloud of IESVS CHRIST thine innocent Lambe which hee so aboundantly shed to take away the sinnes of the world all our sins both originall and actuall may be so clensed and washed from vs as that they may neuer be laid to our charge nor neuer haue power to rise vp in Iudgement against vs. And we beseech thee good Father for Christ his death and passions sake that thou wilt not suffer to fall vpon vs that fearefull curse and vengeance which thy Law hath threatned and our sins haue iustly deserued And for as much O Lord as wee are taught by thy word that Idolaters Adulterers couetous men contentious persons drunkards gluttons and such like inordinate liuers shall not inherite the kingdome of God poure the grace of thy holy spirit into our harts whereby we may be enlightened to see the filthinesse of our sinnes to abhorre them and may be more and more stirred vp to liue in newnesse of life and loue of thy Maiestie so that vvee may daily encrease in the obedience of thy word and in a conscionable care of keeping thy Commandements And now O Lord vvee render vnto thee most heartie thanks for that thou hast elected created redeemed called iustified and sanctified vs in good measure in this life and giuen vs an assured hope that thou vvilt glorifie vs in thy heauenly Kingdome vvhen this mortall life is ended Likewise vve thanke thee for our life health wealth libertie prosperitie and peace especially ô Lord for the continuance of thy holy Gospell among vs and for sparing vs so long and granting vs so gracious a time of Repentance Also vve praise thee for all other thy mercies bestowed vpon vs more especially for preseruing vs this night past from all dangers that might haue befallen our soules or bodies And seeing thou hast now brought vs safe to the beginning of this day vve beseech thee protect and direct vs in the same Blesse and defend vs in our going out and comming in this day and euermore Shield vs O LORD from the temptations of the Diuell and grant vs the custodie of thy holy Angels to defend and direct vs in all our wayes And to this end wee recommend our selues and all those that belong vnto vs and are abroad from vs into thy hands and almightie tuition Lord defend them from all euill prosper them in all graces and fill them with thy goodnesse Preserue vs likewise this day from falling into any grosse sinne especially those vvhereunto our natures are most prone Set a watch before the doore of our lips that vve offend not thy Maiestie by any rash or false oathes or by any lewde or lying speeches giue vnto vs patient mindes pure and chast hearts and all other graces of thy Spirit vvhich thou knowest to be needfull for vs that vvee may the better be enabled to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse And seeing that all mans labour without thy blessing is in vaine blesse euery one of vs in our seuerall places and callings direct thou the works of our hands vpon vs euen prosper thou our handy-worke for except thou guide vs vvith thy grace our endeuours can haue no good successe And prouide for vs all things which thou O Father knowest to bee needfull for euery one of vs in our soules and bodies this day And grant that wee may so passe through the pilgrimage of this short life that our hearts being not setled vpon any transitorie things which we meete with in the way our soules may euery day bee more and more rauished with the loue of our home and thine euerlasting Kingdome Defend likewise O Lord thy vniuersall Church and euery particuler member thereof especially wee beseech thee to continue the peace and prosperity of these Churches and Kingdomes wherein wee liue Preserue and defend from all euils and dangers our gracious King the Queene our hopefull Prince Charles together with the Princely Palsgraue of Rhene and religious Princesse Elizabeth his wife Multiply their daies in blisse and felicity and afterwards crowne them with euerlasting ioy and glory Blesse all our Ministers and Magistrates with all graces needful for their places and gouerne thou them that they may gouerne vs in peace and godlinesse And of thy mercy O Lord comfort all our brethren that are destressed sicke or any way comfortlesse especially those who are afflicted either with an euill conscience because they haue sinned against thy word or for a good conscience because they will not sinne against thy truth Make the first to know that not one drop of the blood of Christ was a drop of vengeance but all drops of grace powerfull to procure pardon vpon repentance for the greatest sinnes of the chiefest sinner in the world And for the other let not O Lord thy long sufferance either too much discourage them or too much encourage their enemies but grant them patience in suffering and a gracious and speedy deliuerance which way may stand best with their comfort and thy glory Giue euery one of vs grace to be alwaies mindefull of his last end and to be prepared with faith and repentance as with a wedding garment against the time that thou shalt call for vs out of this sinnefull world And that in the meane while we may so in all things and aboue all things seeke thy glory that when this mortall life is ended wee may then be made partakers of immortality and life eternall in thy most blessed and glorious Kingdome These and all other graces which thou O Father seest to be necessary for vs and for thy whole Church wee humbly begge and craue at thy hands concluding this our imperfect prayer in that absolute forme of prayer which Christ himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father c. After Prayers let euery one of thy Houshold taking