vp nowe to the Heauens Thou hast alreadie past all toyle and turmoyle The way that rests vnto the Kingdome is both smooth euen without anie rubbe of opposition thou shalt enter into immortalitie O the showres of grace and mercie which raine downe vpon vs both Farewell till that desired day of the Resurrection come The Pastour His eyes stirre a little they are full of teares the tribute of Repentance He beginneth to shake he now seemeth to bee wakened out of his traunce I will inquire what his minde is set vpon What meditations are these Sir that yee are vpon Yee seeme to haue beene in some good motion The sicke Man My Soule Sir and my bodie after a blessed agreement haue beene taking their adewes one from another They haue bene blessing each other beâ—…ause they haue serued God together they looke to bee one day both glorified together A sea of comfortes hath rained downe vpon my Soule from the Heauens in most sweete and pleasant showers The Pastour Surelie that is a worthie exercise Such good motions are plants of God and impressions of his finger Happie are the Soule the bodie that can serue God together with one shoulder At that last day they shall haue a joyefull meeting they two shal be clasped together in loue with such contentmentes as tongues of Angels are not able to expresse But O when the vvicked soule shall returne from hell to take vp its bodie for to carie it to euerlasting torments then shall they curse each other with manie a woe for their Fornications Adulteries Lyes Deceits Ryot Drunkenesse Then would the bodie if it could haue intelligence of the soules comming wish that a rock or a mountaine would fall vpon it for to hide it from the Soule that beeing voyde of life it might bee free of feeling But the decree is come foorth of necessitie they must bee joyned together O but they then shall looke one to another like Lyons Their feede shall receiue none agreement no not They shall neuer agree in anie thing but in this to 〈◊〉 together that their comfortlesse dolours may bee doubled This is a deare pennie-warth so little pleasure for so much paine In that day all the wicked shal bitterlie repent such barganes Now happie is your Soule Sir and your bodie both that are so well resolued to depart Yee are certainelie blessed that euer yee were borne Behold nowe yee rest in hope of the resurrection which shall bee in that great day of Gods generall assemblie when all that euer tooke breath shall compeare before Christ the Iudge of the World for to receiue that which they did in the flesh bee it good bee it euill Now Sir seeing yee are an inrolled Citizen of Heauen and an adopted haire of God vp still with your heart towarde that heauenlie Heritage with sighes and grones beate on still at the doores of Gods mercie God giueth vnto prayer victory against himselfe Nowe the time draweth neere Sir your houre is come to a quarter fight out the good fight fixe the eyes of your Faith vpon the bloodie wounds of Iesus Lay hold on him listen to his voyce ere it bee long yee shall heare these words of joye Come faithfull seruant and enter into thyÌ„ Masters joye O Lord the giuer of grace and of glorie out of the blessed bowels of thy mercie bath and wash this Soule with that arteriall blood which sprang thorow the pierced filme of the heart of his Redeemer At the beginning of this Battell Lord thou did see howe his poore Soule was scorched with the flames of hellish temptations which did burne the verie marrow out of his bones this is thy ordinarie dealing with thine owne Hell on earth is for the heires of Heauen But heauen on earth is the portion of the heires of hell Now Lord from his hell bring him to thine Heauens Mak his Soule more clearelie to look vp toward the blessed bloodie wounds of his Sauiour wherein hee may perceiue the props of his protection Make his Soule now to be fullie possessed with an entire loue to the fairenesse of thy face wherein are pleasures for euermore The sicke Man Lord Iesus make clay againe with thy Spittle for to anointe my dimmed eyes that clearelie with Simeon my Soule may see thy Saluation We in our life receiue but the first impositioÌ„ of handes like the man that saw men walking like trees Now Lord at death giue mee the second imposition that I may see thee euen as thou art The Pastour Lord heare thou in Heauenâ—… Maintaine the life of his loue towards thee Now vvater the seede vvhich thou hast sowne Weede out the tares vvhich Sathan hath sowne Pittie and pardon Lay all his sinnes vpon the Sonne of thy loue Now let his feete be shod for the journey which hee is making to a better place Inspire his Soule with the spirit of grace till his life bee expired Saue him by thy blood which saued theÌ„ that spilt it The sicke Man I finde Death besieging my heart with seÌ„sible blowes O bring out my Soule out of this bricke of bondage of the bodie Mine heart stringes are so racked within mee that they are like to breake The hope that is deferred is the fainting of the Soule Lord helpe mee in this heauie houre The Pastour Lord heare thou in heauen and satisfie his hearts desire The sicke Man Pray pray that the Lord vphold mee in the throng of these throes wherewith mine heart is gripped lest I be whollie swallowed vp of despaire The Pastour O Sauiour of mankinde who out of thy meere mercie and loue came vnder the charge of his accounts Mak now answere for him as his Aduocat before that high Tribunall before which his poore Soule is now arraigned to coÌ„peare Turne all thy wrath in mercie and thy Iustice-seat in a Throne of grace Call home all his wandering thoughtes settle and them vpon thy selfe Maintaine the life of his loue Make death to him a Messenger of mercie and his paines a meane to bring him to thy pleasures O Captaine of his Saluation vnder whose bloodie banner hee hath in his life made warre against the enemies of thy glorie at death ouercome thou all the enemies of his Saluation With thy Trumpets and Lampes terrifie all these merciles Midianites Make them like a wheele as the stubble before the winde Graunt the victorie vnto thy weake Seruant heere that in the Heauens thou may crowne his Soule with glorious garlands of immortalitie Lord heare vs for the sake of thy Sonne vnto whom with thee and the Spirite of Grace bee all glorie and honour Amen Now Sir vp with your heart to the Father of mercies Fight out couragiouslie the fight of Faith Christ now is holding out the Crowne your Saluation is sealed yee neede not feare yee haue your warrant vnder the Broad Seale of the King of Heauen The sicke man O My deare
whereby he may be shielded from the bloodie blowes of a most cruell aduersarie Put on him Lord the compleate armour of God that hee may bee able to with-stand in this euill houre and hauing done all to stand Before this Battell end make him with stomacke and courage to runne all his enemies throgh with the two edged sword of thy Spirit Haue now Lord a speciall care of him Hemme in all his thoughts within the compasse of thy will Possesse him so with the fulnes of thy presence that in him there be found no roome for any ill motions Furnish him with the supplie of all these graces which thou knowest to bee wanting into him Let thy Spirit make residence in his heart as in an house of God Now Lord while it is time to saue saue the Soule of thy Seruant which is now readie to remoue Open vnto it that euer-flowing fountaine promised to the penitent of the house of Dauid for to tak away sinne and vncleannesse O Fountaine of Grace wash him and wash him throughlie with the blessed Blood of thy satisfaction After that thou hast made him perfectly cleane hold out thy succouring helpful armes vnto this Soule and take it into thy bosome Let it there taste of the honie of thy Compassions In this time of gloummines darknesse of death inlighten his Soule with the light of thy countenance Turne thy face now vnto it Hitherto it could see nothing but the Back-parts of Thee that Great IEHOVAH which bringeth joye but in parte From such parts now bring him vnto the fulnesse Turne thy selfe vnto this Soule that it may fullie see thy face wherein is fulnesse of joye And seeing no man can see thy face liue let this thy Seruant now see thy face and die that after death hee may liue with thee for euer in the Heauens Let neither the loue of life nor the feare of death turne his eyes from the prize of the high calling of God Make him now with a long steppe from the earth to the heauens to step in into immortalitie Now Lord engraue deepelie this Soule into the palmes of thine hands Set it as a seale on thine heart Wrap it within the Mantle of thy mercie warâ—…e it within the bowels of thy loue lappe it in thy bosome with that vnspeakable joye which Christ hath purchased with vnspeakable paine euen through the bloodie merites of his most bitter passions His wordes now are failed Square thou all his thoughts by the rule of thy Spirit of grace Lord make these our weake prayers to mount vp lik Pillars of smoke parfumed with the mercifull merites of thine onelie Sonne To him with thee his Father and with the Spirit of Grace be all Glorie Praise Power and Dominion for euer AMEN The spirituall Friend O deare Friende whome I haue seene a sorrow beaten sinner Rejoyce now in your Sauiour whose mercies haue beene the Bane of all your sinfull miseries Cleaue still fast vnto your Sauiour Let not him goe whom your soule loueth till ye come to Peniel where yee shall see him face to face The Lord refresh your wearied soule with the soft sweete breath of his Spirit The Lord kned into your heart these spirituall meditations which are of the purest straine O Father of mercies giue vnto this soule a most sure Infefâ—…ment of heauen by the hand of thy Spirit Make some drops of thy Myrrhe to enter in by some litle creuice of his heart Put in thine hand by the keye hole of the doore that his bowels may bee moued for thee Let such a strength now repare from thee vnto him that the world may see that thy strength is made perfect in weaknesse It shall bee expedient that nowe yee his Pastour in a short prayer recommend him to God againe Behold him now at the last gaspes his eye stringes are broken The water of death trickleth downe ouer his cheekes His life is now drawen to an haire O Lord while bodilie sight and senses faile make spirituall sight and sense succeede in a greater perfection Make a spaite of thy grace with a mightie streame to carrie him to glorie O deare Friend vp with your heart to your God Nowe all your sins shall die with your sicknesse The Rocke of your Saluation Iesus hath shiuered them in pieces There is 〈◊〉 condemnation to these that are in Christ who out of the pangs of loue suffered that paines of hell for mans RedeÌ„ption His Angels Sir are heere waiting vpon your Soule for to carrie it to pleasures for euermore Yet a little while and loe yee shall bee at the vpshotte of all your woe Yee are nowe vtterlie out of the reach of all the powers of hell euen vpon the borders of euerlasting pleasures vnmixed pleasures which shall turne all your teares into triumphes The Pastour Now Sir Gird vp the loynes of your minde make haste to your God who shortlie shall put into your haÌ„d the palme of victorie Sathan is chained vp now for doing you anie more harme The night of your trouble is past Christ that blessed Day spring hath brought a morning mercie vnto your Soule His graces in you hath shined more and more and so shall doe vntill the perfect day euen vntill your Soule carried on Eagles winges reach the hight of Heauen where without teares or tediousnesse are pleasures for euermore Though your tongue now faile you Sir let your heart be busie with God in prayer hee will hearten and encourage you in all the businesse Your taske is at an end Heaue vp your heart to Christ crucified with vs and that with sighes and sobbes the groanings of his owne Spirit Though your bodie now be cold the Spirit of Iesus shall by a free and vitall operation maintaine the heate and vigour of your Soule The Spirit of comfort conueye vnto your soule the warmest blood that euer heated the heart of Iesus Let vs pray The last prayer for the sicke Man in the verie jawes of death O LORD whose mercies are aboue all thy workes it was neuer thy custome to send away a broken heart without comfort Now heare the secret gâ—…oanes and sighes of thy seruant whose soule is ready in this gasping agonie to come out of its Tabernacle for to coÌ„peare before thee Thou who hast giuen him thy Son for a ransome giue him thy Spirit for a pledge Furnish him with force for to fight and finish this Battell in victory As thou hast bene at the beginning of his beeing euen the beginner of his beeing so now bee thou the ende at which hee aimes euen the ende of all his woes And seeing hee is now in the narrow throat of death helpe him by thy power till hee hath past this passage Put now into him a fresh liâ—…e that in a strong vigour hee may runne with the feete of the Hinde till hee come to thee in eteâ—…nitie Make him now supple and nimble
mans life is but a winde in a worme * O happie is that man in whose heart Christ hath grauen deepe the shape of himselfe in this world when Death shall come then shall he know what blessed treasures of contentment God hath stored vp for his beloued When the Soules of the faithfull which on earth haue beene endued with a matchlesse concurrence of diuine graces shall come out of their bodies Christ the Father of mercies shall cast the armes of his cōpassions about their necks At their first entrie into Heauen hee shall giue them the comfortable kisses of peace Lord soften our stonie hearts enlighten our mistie minds that all our joye may bee in enjoying thee in whom is fulnesse without dislike O satisfie vs yearely with thy mercie the fairest flower of the Garland of thy Majestie While wee remember the death of others make vs carefullie to studie vnto newnesse of life that in this life wee dying vnto sinne may after death liue vnto Thee and with Thee vnto the vtmost bound of the euerlasting Hills AMEN FINIS A. H. THE LAST BATTELL OF THE SOVLE IN DEATH 2. Volume Carefullie digested for the comfort of the Sicke By Mr. ZACHARIE BOYD Preacher of Gods Word at Glasgow Bernard in Serm. Novissima sunt quatuor MORS IVDICIVM GEHENNA GLORIA Quid horribilius morte Quid terribilius judicio Quid intolerabilius gehenna Et quid incundius gloria Idem Senibus mors est in ianuis Iuvenibus vero in insidijs Printed at Edinburgh by the Heires of ANDRO HART 1629. TEMPVS TO THE MOST EXCELLENT PRINCESSE ELIZABETH Queene of Bohemia c. MADAME IN corporall troubles let vs seeke for spirituall Comfortes Dayes of sorrow are dayes of drousinesse For the remeede of such sorrowes heere followeth a Discourse of heauens Happinesse with diuerse other Christian comforts which I must humblie and heartilie dedicate to your Majestie If MADAME I were more able to present your Majestie with some matter◅ of greater worth my will should not bee deficient to mine Abilitie Thus presuming out of your Royall bountie that this little Offer from One of SCOTLAND your Majesties natiue Soyle shall bee graciouslie accepted I most humblie present it to your Majestie for to bee receiued and shrouded vnder your Royall safe-gard and louing protection After manie feruent and vnfained prayers made to God for the esta blishment of the Crowne vpon your Majesties Royall Heads and also for spirituall Graces to bee aboundantlie powred vpon you and vpon the rest of these Royall Plants which by the great mercie of God haue branched from You both I humblie take my leaue Your Majesties most humble and most obedient Oratour and Seruant M. ZACHARIE BOYD Preacher of GODS word at Glasgow From Glasgow the 12. day of Februrie 1629. THE QVEENES Lamentations for the death of her Son O But GOD is most terrible when hee is angrie He hath called as in a solemne day my terrors round about surelie against mee is he turned hee turneth his hand against mee all the day My flesh and my skinne hath he made olde hee hath broken my bones Hee hath builded against mee and compassed mee with gall and trauell He hath set mee in dark places as they that bee dead of olde Hee hath hedged mee about that I cannot get out Hee hath made my chaine heauie Hee hath turned aside my wayes and pulled me in pieces He hath made me desolate He hath bent his Bow set me as a marke for his arrowes He hath caused the Arrowes of his Quiuer to enter into my reines Hee hath filled mee with bitternesse Hee hath made mee drunke with worme-wood The verie Sea monsters are carefull for their young ones They drawe out the breast to giue them sucke How should I bee like the vnnaturall Ostrich which leaueth her egges in the earth and forgetteth that the foote may orush them or that the wild beast may breake them Shee is hardened against her young ones as though they vvere not hers God hath depriued her of wisedome neither hath hee imparted to her vnderstanding Alas alas the joye of our heart is ceased our dance is turned into mourning The crowne is fallen from our head Woe vnto vs that wee haue sinned for this our heart is faint for these thinges our eyes are dimme Wherefore Lord doest thou forget vs for euer forsake vs so long time Thou hast vtterlie rejected vs Thou art verie vvroth against vs O that mine eyes were a liuelie Spring of teares which day and night might trickle downe for the lamenting of my losse O yee Daughters of Britaine my natiue Soile Conueene your selues together Come all and joyne your sorrowes with mine Come contribute teares in aboundance that wee may deplore our domage Come come and helpe mee to mourne for my first Borne It is Gods will it is Gods commandement that yee mourne with these that mourne With whom will yee mourne if yee refuse to mourne with mee O noble Ladies of Britaine think vpon my sorrows My griefe is great mine heart is broken mine eyes doe faile with teares Come yee all and condole with mee Cast off your Rayments of joye And thou BOHEMIA with the PALATINAT mak to your selues new Robes of doole Fill al the Lāds with mourning like that mourning in Zacharie The mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon for the death of good Iosiah Mine heart is sore gripped with griefe Iam lik the Pelican in the vvildernesse Mine eyes doe faile with teares my bowels are troubled my Liuer is powred vpon the earth I was at ease but hee hath broken mee asunder Hee hath also taken mee by the necke and shaken mee to pieces and set mee vp for his marke His Archers compasse mee round about Hee cleaueth my reines asunder and doeth not spare Hee powreth out my gall vpon the ground Hee breaketh mee with breach vpon breach Hee runneth vpō me lik a Gyant My face is foule with weeping and on mine eye-lids is the shadow of death My Friendes scorne mee but mine eye powreth out teares vnto God When a few yeares are come then I shall goe the way whence I shall not returne The Lord hath made me as a by-word of the people Mine eyes are dimme by reason of sorrow and all my members are as a shadow Know now yee all that God hath compassed mee with his net Hee hath fenced vp my way that I cannot passe and hee hath set darknesse in my pathes Hee hath stript mee of my Glorie and taken the Crowne from mine head Hee hath destroyed mee on euerie side and I am gone and mine hope hath hee remoued like a tree His troupes come together and raise vp their way against mee and encampe round about my Tabernacle He hath put my brethrene far from mee My Kins-folke haue failed and my familiare friendes haue forgotten mee Haue pittie vpon mee O yee my Friendes for the hand of God hath troubled mee
for immortalitie vpon the Earth The sicke Man My Soule rejoyceth to heare you Sir proceede I pray you The Pastour Wee haue no great cause to desire to sojourne on earth What are we heere on earth but like poore beggers shute downe to the lowest chambers of the world This low contrie may well be called Cabul as Hiram by disdaine called the dirtie cities of Solomon Be glad noâ—… Sir for to leaue this earth a dirtiâ—… dwelling Step vp the Staire eueâ—… the Ladder of Iaacob that yee may mount vp to your God for to see what hee is doing aboue Well is you who shall heare shortlie the musicke of Angels into that Palace whose pauement is the roofe of alâ—… mortall dwellings O if yee kneâ—… what is there Fye on our ignorance The ChildreÌ„ of God in this worlâ—… are like Lords children sent out to bee fostered into little Cottages oâ—… clay when they are sent for by sicknesse and death their Fathers messengers they weepe to come home to their Fathers Palace because they know not these many pleasant Mansions that bee in their Fathers house But after that they haue once tryeâ—… what it is to bee in Heauen with their God they shall wonder 〈◊〉 their childishnesse Be not Sir lâ—… these fort of men that cannot abidâ—… to heare speake of Death but euen sicken at the name thereof or waxe wroth at the speaker as Ahab fumed at the Prophet because hee spake not good thinges vnto him The sicke Man Hezekiah spake more wiselie while hee was threatned by the Prophet Good said hee is the word of the Lord I pray you to continue your purpose concerning death It is good that wee remember our latter end The Pastour Indeed Sir the thoghts of Death are helpefull and healthfull to the Soules of men to bee corrections for their corruptions Such thoughts keepe euer God in our sight They are like a strainer wherthrough the thoughts wordes and workes of men are purified Hardlie can a man thinke of a shoâ—…t life and thinke euill as hardlie can hee dâ—…eame of a long life thinke well All the sinnes of Gods Church in Icremâ—…es dayes vvere imputed vnto this that shee remembred not her end Wee for the most part deceiue our selues vvith the opinion of long life and so did they vvho are dead alreadie O how gracious vvould one day bee to these novv who vvhile they liued did scorne at these vvordes Redeeme the Time But their maâ—…ket time is now past Gods Faire vvas ended before they could vnderstand vvhat it vvas to buy without money Well is the man vvho vvhile he hath time so liueth to dye that hee may dye to liue If our life be good our death cannot be euill To the godlie man death is a comfort as beeing a medecine for all his diseases a cure for all his cares a restâ—… from his labours But in this is his greatest joye that by it the filthie flooxe of sinne is dryed vp into an instant * By it also the prison doore is opened that the Soule like a Doue may flie vp to its God The consideration of such things made Solomon to preach The day of death is better than the day that one is borne Hee spake the trueth for the one is the beginning the other is the ending of all our woe and miserie Now Sir before that I proceede any further I pray you to tell mee what yee thinke now of this world In this as I remember was your last temptation grounded that going out of this world yee should no more see nor bee seene I haue let you see as in a glasse what vanitie is in it yea that all is but vanitie of vanities the verie abstract of an abstract or for to speak so vanitie fined and quintessenced out of vanitie which I may call the spirit or quintessence of vanitie Now Sir tell me what ye thinke of this world wherin gods must die like men No worldlie thing below in the day of neede will bee able to keepe touch vnto vs. The sicke Man Fye fye on my faultes and my folie I foolishlie once thought that I should feather a nest into this world that should neuer bee pulled downe Mine heart hath beene so bent toward this vanitie that I haue neither moued foote nor finger toward eternall Life It is true that I haue beene nourished and brought vp into this world like a Child into a rurall cottage I like a Child thought that there was no better Ionah was angrie for to quite his Gourd The greatest pleasures that are heere beeing well weighed are but like the shadow of that Gourd euanishing and worme-eaten pleasures All such comforts are but slender they faile man in his greatest neede The Pastour Though worldlie pleasures be sweete for a space to these whose portion is into this Life yet as Abner said of the deuouring Sword to Ioab It will bee bitternesse in the latter end In all the gourdes of worldlie pleasures are wormes of paine which shall make them to wither The sicke Man That is most certaine well is him that hath turned his backe to all such lying vanities So long as a man is in nature not reformed by grace hee is but a stranger from heauen The loue of the world in his heart like a moth cats out all liking of Heauen I haue beene too long alas sucking the breastes of this Nourse whereout of I haue drawen nothing but the swill of wickednesse Blessed bee my God who hath sent this affliction for to waine my Soule from the loue of all things below I beginne now to incline for to returne to my Fathers house in Heauen where as I heare it shall bee much better for mee Oh forlorne Sonne that I am who haue wandered so farre from my Father The Pastour I thanke God Sir for these good motions flesh and blood cannot teach such lessons But one word I haue obserued into your speach yee haue said that ye beginne to incline to goe home to your Father Are ye not as yet fullie resolued Desire yee not indeede presently to be dissolued Is it not your greatest desire to flitte fâ—…om this bodie which is but a Booth a Shoppe or Tabernacle of clay Is not your Soule wearied to sojourne into such a reekie Lodge Is not your heart panting after God lâ—…ke an Hart panting after the water brookes He are yee not your Soule crying within you O when shall I come and appeare before God A small feeble inclination to goe to God is not sufficient ye must now come to a stedfast resolution He who is not resolued is not readie for to be dissolued Taâ—… courage bee not dashed into this danger declare your mind freely be not nice there bee none heere but friendes The sicke Man I am so pyned with sicknesse that hardlie can I
make answere Oh but I am pressed with an heaui◅ hand I feare much my last houre My Soule is sore troubled The Pastour Learne of Christ in his trouble Now said hee is my Soule troubled and what shall I say Father deliue◅ mee from this houre But for this cause came I into this houre Father glorifie thy Name As hee did so doe yee Hee fearing the houre was earnest with God in prayer for to bee deliuered from it and yet most humblie submitted himselfe vnto his Fathers will So doe yee If ye feare greatlie that houre pray feruentlie that God deliuer you from it and yet notwithstanding let God haue all his will of you His will shall eu◅r bee your well The Sicke Man But alas my paines are grea◅ my breach is like the sea Gods rod vpon mee is torne with stripes and worne to the stomps In my torments I both feare and feele his wrath If hee loued mee would he scourge mee with such scorpions The Pastour Whom God loueth hee chasteneth and scourgeth euerie Sonne whom hee receiueth By this yee see plainelie that hee will receiue none to himselfe but those whom hee is minded to scourge This scourging whereof yee complaine is Gods loue-token telling you that hee is minded for to receiue you Woe ◅o the Childe whom the Father will not correct God commandeth louing Fathers to chastise their children till they cry His command is also that they bee not hindered for their cryes Chasten thy Sonne said God while there is hope and let not thy Soule spare for his crying So long as there is life there is hope While God chasteneth you it is a token that there is hope Woe to that man whom GOD disdaineth to strike It is a sore word when a Father or a Master saith to a Childe I despaire of him there is none hope I giue him ouer will strik him no more It was a fearefull vvord that God said to the rebellious Israelites I will not visite your Daughters when they are harlotes nor your Spouses when they are whoores That is I will correct them no more but let them runne head-long to their owne destruction Woe to him vvhom God vvill not correct Certe tunc magis irascitur Deus cum non irascitur God is most angrie when hee seemeth least to bee angrie The wicked are most fearefullie plagued when God spareth them most Let not therefore your sore paines discourage you but rather comfort you as beeing a speciall token that God will receiue your Soule What reckes what this Carion suffer if so be that God receiue the Soule Shall I not drinke of my Fathers Cup said Christ * To drinke of a Kings cup it vvould bee thought an honour See then vvhat honour is in the affliction of the godlie thereby they drinke of the King of Heauens cup This is also a token of our friendship vvith Christ vvhen wee drinke vvith him of one cuppe Men will not drinke of one cuppe with their enemies Rejoyce then Sir to drink vvith Christ in your Fathers cuppe Though this cuppe bee bitter at the brimme the bottome will haue a pleasant farewell Thinke vvell vpon this Sir and possesse your soule in patience despare neuer of Gods mercie though hee seeme to bee angrie depend vpon him trust into him though hee should slay you In confidence of h◅s Loue rest and sleepe in his bosome hang on him saue his honour by trusting in him If this yee doe I assure you that yee shall dye sweetlie resting into his armes The sicke Man I finde Sir my paines greatlie to increase The Pastour Bee of good comfort If your paines increase God will increase your patience with your paines he is mercyfull and will surelie strengthen you in the weakest houre Gods strength is made perfect in weaknesse In the meane time bee fighting out the good fight manfullie Hold vp your hands with Moses against Amaleke Pray feruentlie to your God that hee would cast into your memorie all the good thinges that euer yee heard or reade wherewith your Soule as with a rempart may bee guarded against the houre of temptations Pray oft-ten with Christ Father deliuer mee from this houre What say yee Sir It appeareth that there bee some thing into your mind yet that vexeth you The sicke Man This Soule of mine is verie loath to depart from this bodie They be of olde acquaintance haplie long shall it be before they meete againe Friendes cannot bee but sorie while they shedde The Pastour That is naturall to all But grace in the Godlie must rule Nature Wee must gladlie leaue all for to goe liue with Christ we must deny our selues for to confesse him we must desire to be dissolued for to bee with him hee who loueth any thing better than him shall not bee found worthie of him Your Soule say ye is sorie to goe from the body What are our bodies for the present but prisons of clay Let them goe to clay till the day of the Resurrection come when those painefull prisons shall bee turned into pleasant Palaces What reckes of an inch of time heere on Earth in respect of eternitie in Heauen Should a mans heart so itch after an inch of Earth that hee would desire to tarrie from Heauen but an houre The Soule must turne its backe vpon the bodie for to turne its face vnto the God of Glorie This is but a childish temptation It is for women children to weepe at the taking of adewes chiefelie while these that depart are going to a better condition of life Because the day draweth towards Euening it is now time for mee to remoue I hope God willing to come againe the Morrow and to visite you that I may minister vnto you some Spirituall comforts In the meane time seeing your minde hath bene so perplexed with carnall temptations concerning Life Lāds Children and Riches Cause read vnto you this night in mine absence the Book of Ecclesiastes from the beginning vnto the end where ye shall see as in a glasse the vanitie of all these things wherewith your Soule now is most enamoured If ye haue time cause also reade vnto you Iob 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Before I goe Sir it shall bee best that I recommend you vnto God by prayer The first Prayer for the sicke Man O LORD in whose hands is the gift of the Spirit of groanes inspire our heartes at this time that with an heauenlie disposition wee may fall downe before thee vpon the knees of our Soules quicken our dead and drowsie heartes to the performance of this duetie of calling vpon thy Name Thou is not close handed to these that seeke thee in sinceritie wee are ashamed O LORD euen wee all who are heere before thee on the Earth thy Foote-stoole wee are ashamed for to face the Heauens the Throne of thy Majestie Our heartes are
in the dumbe choppe of the conscience The Pastour As I perceiue ye are in the storme of temptations As the shippe in a tempest goeth with a low saile So is it good and most sure in the tempest of temptations to take downe the top sailes of our owne worth But yet Sir in your humilitie beware to disprise and set at nought the graces of God that are within you Vertue standeth in the midst As the Publican would not brage vainlie with the Pharisee that he was not like other men so neither would hee desperatlie say with Cain Mine iniquitie is greater than that it may be forgiuen The sicke Man Alas Sir yee know not what weight hangeth vpon mine heart ye are not priuie vnto my secret sinnes which I thinke shame to vtter O these gnawings of my wormish Conscience hardlie can yee imagine what filthie thoughts haue beene into my heart since I came into this world Hitherto they haue all beene hidde from mine eyes But now I thinke that I see all my sinnes set in order before mee My Soule is poisoned with the stinke of such corruptions I abhorre my selfe and what wonder that God abhorre mee The Pastour The more a man abhorreth himselfe God who is milde mercifull loueth him the better It is good for a man to stinke in his owne nose A wicked man may bee well compared to the Latin Cimex French Punaise Tree Lice that stinke most vilelie and yet feele not the stinke of their own breath Laodicea thought her selfe happie and yet God said that he wold spew her out of his mouth Gods thoughtes are not mans thoughts Yee complaine Sir of the filthines of your bygone thoughts it is well done But heere is your comfort Now is that fountaine of God in Zachrie opened to the house of Dauid for sin and for vncleannesse Though through sin yee were lepper in soule as Na◅man was in bodie the Iordan of Christs Blood is able to mak you cleane The precept is not of hard practise Wash and bee cleane belieue and bee saued If yee would haue the Spirit of God to take a Chamber into your heart keepe your hearte cleane Gods house must be a cleane house it must often bee sweept If the dust or dirt of sinne defile the pauement thereof it must first bee watered with the teares of repentance The stoure dust must be laid with holie water then wee must sweepe out all filthinesse with the besome of godlie reuenge This doing Sir God shall delight to dwell in you If Sathan blow at the juniper coales of your sinnes kindled with sparkles of fierie wrath runne with the Bucket of Faith to the Blood of Iesus which is onelie able for to quenche that flamme The sicke Man My cheekes are watered with teares trickling downe both day and night * my moist eyes are soked in this salt brimie water O but they are comfortlesse teares The Pastour God at last shall make them comfortable like the bowle full of dewe which Gideon wrāg out of his Fleece Gods signe of Israels Saluation Haue patience a little Sir and your waterie eyes shall receiue the other dryē signe of the fleece all your teares shall bee dryed and wyped away so that yee shall neuer weepe any more The houre is fast comming that God shall wipe away your teares the waters of your weeping after that there shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor paine Seeke the Lord while hee may be found and call vpon him while hee is nigh To him alone in Iesus must yee haue all your recourse on him alone must yee relye The sicke Man I wote not where to goe I can neither sitte stand nor lye Mine heart alas is hardened yea hard like the heart of the Leuiathan which is hard like a piece of the nether milstone I thinke that such hardnesse is from the deceitfulnesse of sinne The Pastour It is a sort of softnesse when we feele our owne hardnesse He who hath begun such softning will bring his own work to perfectiō in his appointed houre The seedes of grace are like Corne they are not ripe the first day they are sowen but ripen by degrees From this is that saying Grace requyreth space or in space commeth Grace A reprobate sense is not so neare at anie time as when it is least suspected and most neglected Say in all patience with the Prophet Micah I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him He will turne againe he will haue compassion vpon you Hee will subdue your iniquities cast them in the depths of the sea Holde vp your heart toward the Father of Lights the giuer of euerie good gift Let your foule flee vp to the Throne of his Grace The sicke Man My Soule is not fit for fleeing to the Heauens It is lik a pulled foule that wanteth the feathers It may well nod with its head and make a mint with the stumpts of its wings but can by no meanes hoise it selfe from the Earth All my comforts are clipped from me Sinnes heauy like milstones are hung about my necke Oh that I were cast into the sea with my sinnes there to be buried for euer farre if it were possible from the presence of my God Since yee came to mee mine heart was not in such a plounge of miserie as it is now There is nothing within me but wrath and woe warring against my Saluation Gods heauie hand hath distressed mine heart wonderfullie My Soule is so besieged with temptations that it may well be called Magor missabib feare round about This I feare that my name bee crossed out of the Booke of Life The Pastour I remember of a wise counsel which a learned Diuine gaue to a man sore assaulted vpon his death-bed with the temptations of the deuil When thou art tempted of Satā said he seest no way to escape euē thē plainly close vp thine eyes and answere nothing to his temptations But commend thy cause to God This said hee is a principall point of wisedome that we must follow in the houre of death That is That we daine not to giue Sathan an answere but say with Michael The Lord rebuke thee Sathan If thy flesh tremble and feare to enter into another life and if it doubt of saluation if thou yeeld to these things thou hurtest thy selfe therfore close thine eyes as before and say with S. Stephen Lord Iesus receiue my Spirit and then certainelie Christ will come vnto thee with all his Angels and bee the guider of thy way At the entrie of the red Sea when Israel enuironed on both sides with mountaines hauing the sea before and the Egyptians behind could see no meanes of escape Then Moses said to Israel The Lord shall fight for you and yee
workes may easilie ouertoppe all your sins iniquities God will haue man with his narrow bowels of mercie to forgiue his brother seuen times in a day if hee shall returne seuen times in a day saying It repenteth mee If God requireth such mercie of man whose bowels in the widest are not of a span breadth what shall hee doe whose compassions are rouled together into bowels broader than the Sea yea wider than the heauens If ye can repent Sir God can forgiue When man ceaseth to spurne God beginneth to spare The sicke Man I take God to witnesse that I am sorie for my sinnes and so ashamed that with the Publicane I cannot lift vp mine eyes to the heauens I would be content to kisse the ground a thousand times for to get but one kisse of the feete of him who is the on◅ lie helpe of the conscience and the health of the countenance I finde myselfe deepe to the Chine in a gulfe of miserie Tell mee truelie Sir I pray you Thinkeyee that if with a mourning heart I confesse my sinnes to God that hee will haue pittie of me I am sore perplexed the deepe thoughts of mine owne guiltinesse strike men with such a set silence that I am not able to vtter my griefe My feare is that I bee of the familie of hell an haire of horrour and vtter woe Be free with mee I pray you Thinkeyee th◅t such an hord of miserie as mine can euer meete with his mercie The Pastour It is great ignorance Sir to thinke that anie miserie of man can ouer reach the infinite power of his pitie and boundlesse compasse of his compassions It were more easie to turne the Sunne from his course than God from shewing mercie to repenting sinners both his Name and Nature is mercie See wee not out of what myres of miserie Gods mercie hath deliuered repenting sinners In Scripture wee may read long Catologes of pardoning sinnes Consider well I pray you thinke deepelie vpon the mercies of your God Look well what hee hath done to others Could the adulterie of Dauid the incest of Lot the drunkennesse of Noah the murther of Simeon Leui the persecutions of Paul the perjurie of Peter or any other like sinne hinder God to be mercifull to the◅ so soone as they repented * Wherefore wereall these pardons printed into God Booke but for to tell all ages that no man were hee neuer so sinfull should despaire of the mercie of his God As I liue saith the Lord take no delight into the death of sinners but rather that they should repent and liue These bee his owne words If words beare no weight behold effects God hath so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onelie Sonne that whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life This is not a verball loue when a man giueth his best beloued for to die for another God hath not spared his onelie Sonne that by his satisfying sufferings his Iustice beeing payed hee might shew mercie to man his poore vnworthie creature not onelie the Father hath loued the world but also the Sonne out of vnspeakable loue was as desirous to die for man as the Father was to send him This out of his owne mouth hee declared that no loue could ouer-reach his loue No man said hee hath greater loue than this than when a man layeth downe his life for his friend The highest of mans loue is to die for his friend But Christs loue was greater hee died for vs euen when wee were his enemies In another point behold the loue of Christ scarselie saith the Apostle for a righteous mā wil one die yet per aduenture for a good man some would euen dare to die But God commendeth his loue towardes vs in that while wee were yet sinners Christ died for vs Who shall doubt of this loue which the Lord hath registred on earth with the dearest blood of his onelie begotten Sonne There is such a loue in the Father and such a loue in the Sonne and such a loue in the holie Ghost toward the Saluation of man that all the heauens are filled with loue of our well so that at the conuersion of one sinner on earth there is more joy among the Saints and Angels than for fourescore and ninteene righteous who neede not repentance * If Sir yee would haue the heauens to rejoyce cast your selfe into the armes of your God with these words Lord doe with mee what thou wilt though thou shuld slay me yet will I true in thee If yee would see the picture of Gods mercy ye must draw aside the curtaine of all carnall surmises The sicke Man Oh that I might cast my Soule into his Armes But how can I doe this The Lord hath turned his backe on mee shall I cast my selfe into a consuming fire At the first sight of his angry face my Soule will die for feare The Pastour Men often are deceiued So soone as Manoah had seene the Angel hee said to his wife Wee shall surelie die because wee haue seene God But his wife answered more wiselie If the Lord were pleased to kill vs hee would not haue receiued a sacrifice from vs As shee said to him so say I to you If the Lord were pleased to kill you hee would not haue giuen his Sonne in a Sacrifice for you * I is a greater loue token that God hath giuen his Sonne in a Sacrifice for you than that hee should receiue any sacrifice from you It is the Apostles argument that since God hath giuen vnto vs his owne Sonne hee will not refuse vs any other thing that may doe vs good Christ alone is the sinners refuge hee is a Rocke of comfort which cannot bee shaken a Rocke which commandeth all seas of sorrows the pole of our peace Be earnest in prayer with God cry till he hea◅e The sicke Man I am wearied with crying to God my prayers may be called The voyce of my roaring But what shall I say I cry but there is none that maketh answere God hath couered himselfe with a cloude that my prayers should not passe thorow hee hath stopped his eares that my prayer should not bee heard This is a most fearefull blast and blow in his bloo die battell The Pastour Deceiue not your selfe often our prayer framed and followed by the Spirit of grace is heard though the fense of grant bee not yet brought to vs God for causes will let a time goe betweene seeking and finding After this the Angel spake vnto Daniel At the beginning of thy prayer God heard thee and now I am come to tell thee See how a space will interceede betweene Gods hearing of mans prayer and mans knowledge that God hath heard him Though yee as yet know not whither God hath heard you or not yee must not
place for them By this it would seeme that they shall bee altogether abolished The Pastour I answere that they shall not be abolished but they are said to flee away from the face of God as most learned Diuines thinke ad declarandum eorum terrorem animum ad fugam paratum for to declare their feare to compeare before the face of so great a Majestie till they be forbished scoured of the roust of their vanity wherevnto they haue beene made subject they thinke shame of their vncleannesse before such eyes of puritie It is said That there was no place found for them not that they wanted a place but because of such a Majestie they did goe about to hide themselues It is well said by a Learned interpreter vpon these words Quorum locus non reperitur illa latent occulta manent whose place is not found they lurke and remaine hidde not that they shall want a place but because no man can find out by searching what shall bee their place By this is onelie declared that till the Heauens and Elements bee reneued they shall in a manner goe and hide themselues from before the face of that heauenlie Majestie as a ragged man who thinking shame to compeare among those who are richlie arrayed withdraweth himselfe vnto some darke corner that hee should not be seene till he be better arrayed After that all shall bee made cleare and cleane by the fire they shall appeare before God in their appointed place The sicke Man Thinke yee that it shall bee a long time before that all can bee refined by that fire as also before that the dead bee raised vp and gathered together The Pastour * All this shall bee done in a moment In the twinkling of an eye the dead shall bee raised and the liuing shall bee changed where euer they bee found whether grinding at the Mile or walking in the fieldes or lying in their beddes they must all compeare either for to bee taken or to be forsaken all other thinges shall bee speedilie dispatched The sicke Man O but he is a great God who by his word keepeth in store the Heauens and Earth which are nowe reseruing them vnto fyre against the day of Iudgement Great must hee bee who shall kindle such a fire Nowe after that this fire shall bee quenched what shall bee done The Pastour After that by the fire the Lord hath cleansed all his creatures from their roust and scoured them from all their drosse hee shall forme them by his word the breath of his mouth As a maker of Glasses by the blast of his mouth formeth as hee pleaseth the soft melted liquour taken out of the fornace But wherevnto can we compare the most High in his most wonderfull workes Thē the Heauens which of before hee had rolled vp like a scrole shall bee vnfolded and put out of their roll and the Earth beeing purified and fined shall bee made a Lodging for righteousnesse according to his promise saith S. Peter Wee looke for new Heauens and new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse The sicke Man What is that to say That righteousnesse dwelleth into the new Heauens and into the newe Earth These words seeme to bee difficile The Pastour The opinions of men are diuerse concerning the sense thereof some thinke that Righteousnesse shall dwell in that new Heauens new Earth vnderstanding by Righteousnesse the righteousnesse of Christ According to this S. Pauls greatest desire was that hee might bee found in Christ Not said hee hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Lawe but that which is of the Faith of Christe the Righteousnesse of God by Faith Others by a Metommie vnderstand that righteousnesse dwelling on the new Earth to bee taken or all faithfull and righteous men who shall be the Citizens of that new Heauen and of that new Earth O if wee knewe the glorie of these new things they would surelie rauish our heartes so that wee would all cry Come Lord Iesus come These new Heauens shall neuer be ouer-cast with clouds there shall bee none ecclipsing of light any more As for the new Earth there shall be no more sweate of browes All toiles and turmoiles shall cease Sinne the cause of all our woe shall bee no more there The most barbarous and barren parte that is now on earth shall bee more pleasant than euer was Paradise for then God shall be All in all All the Earth shal be lik that Holie of holies but without a partition wall In that Holie of holies in Canaan none but one that but once in the yeare might enter But in the new Heauens and newe Earth all the Faithfull shall haue their perpetuall residence where they shall follow the Lambe whither-so-euer it shall please him to goe There shall they for euer bee courting his countenance Fye that men will not liue well for a little space that they may liue with the Lambe for euer among these pleasures for euermore Fye that men for stinking pleasures should losse the comfort of these places wherein nothing but righteousnesse shall bee able to dwell The sicke Man Seeing the heauens and the earth shall bee made new yee thinke that they shall change for the better The Pastour That is most certaine They haue in their owne kinde beene obedient seruantes vnto their God and God shal also glorifie them with a kind of glorie which his Wisedome shall thinke fittest for them The heauens like a garment are waxed olde at Gods seruice God will not cast off his olde seruants but after their seruice he will reward them If their cloths bee worne at his seruice hee will giue them a new coate If their first powers bee shaken he will put new powers into them againe It was truelie said by the father of lyes That none serue God for nought It shall not bee for nought that the Heauens by their motions and the Earth by its birth haue declared the glorie of God omnipotent The sicke Man But is it possible that such creatures haue any knowledge while they serue God that he will reward them at the last day that therby they may bee incouraged at his seruice The Pastour They haue indeede a certaine secret instinct from GOD which worketh in them a sort of longing for the last day which shall bee the day of rewardes the day of their deliuerance In this the Apostle is plaine For saith hee the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestatiō of the Sons of God for the creature was made subject vnto vanitie not willinglie but by reason of him that hath subjected the same in hope because the creature it selfe also shall bee deliuered frō the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the Children of God For this cause the whole creation is said To groane and to
they who gather themselues before the decree come foorth Behold and consider what a change is this These who mourned of before for their sinnes shall then solace themselues in their sorrowes The shriks squoakes of these damned soules falling down to hel which shal be to the wicked a song of judgement shal be to the Godlie in that day quite otherwise euen a song of mercie full of mirth and of Musicke O how sweete then shall mercie bee to the Godlie when they shall see what Gods fearefull vengeance shall work on the wicked whom their life by an accursed Alchymie turned the grace of their God into wantonnesse O how rejoyced shall their heartes bee when that great IEHOVAH shall begin to sway with his Almightie Arme that mace of yron for to dash these fore-lorne limmes with paine both of sense and of losse Then shall the Theefe wish that both his hands had beene maimed and mutilate Then shall the vncleane person whose eyes are filled with adulterie and filthinesse wish that he had beene borne blind Then shall the Drunkard wish that he had beene borne without a mouth Then shall the Blasphemer a man of bloody oathes wish that his tongue with a Turkesse had beene torne out of his throat This also for a surplus shall bee joyned to their anguish none shall bee for to wish them well or for to condole their miserie The decree beeing once come foorth and the doome of damnation beeing once pronounced with these wordes of command Depart from mee c. All the vngodlie in scarlet abominations who in their excessiue pride rousted on high as in Eagles nests shall in that day fall down with Deuils into that Dungeon and ward house of Hel wher ther is no light but for to let these which are tormented see their miserie no darknesse but that which may hid from their eyes all sortes of comfort Then all their by-past burning pleasures shall bee quenched into the fire of Hell lik◅ed hote yrō quenched into water with an extinguishing noise Nothing shal be then but shouting gnashing of teeth sighing sobbing and fearfull groanes Fewell of fire and garments rolled in blood All wicked Soules shall that daye bee drencht into an Occan of desperat displeasure and shall bee carried away with an invnding spaite of spitefull wrath O what joye shall bee kindled into the heartes of the Godlie when on the one hand they shall behold the miseries of the Theiues Drunkards Adulterers Fornicators and Blasphemers who were wont wantonlie to stretch out their throates into high blastes of blasphemie whē on the other part they shall consider how God in mercie hath fastened them as nailes into a sure place which cannot bee shaken O what gladnesse of heart shall the Saintes haue after that they haue seene the wicked tumbled downe into Hell to see what companie they shall be into among Angels of light loue with Christ himselfe in whose face is fulnesse of joye at whose right hand are pleasures for ouermore These pleasures vnspeakable for the greatnesse of themselues shal bee commended vnto the Godlie by two by-respects First by the consideration of that infinite woe and hellish virulencie without anie mixture of mercie whereinto they shall see the wicked to be plunged wherof they shall bee free Secondlie by the rememberance of the miserie whereinto they liued while they did dwell on earth during the dayes of their vanitie their estate changed to the better shall become the sweeter Are they not these who are called Lillies among the thornes doeth Scripture call them These that are come out of the great tribulations Their by-past tribulations shall wonderfullie commend their present felicitie This wee see to be of great force by daylie experience The considerations first of other mens woes of the calamities wherewith at other times vvee haue beene perplexed are like Hunger which like good sauce giueth rellish and taste to course things which at other times wee thinke to bee no dainties To the hungrie Soule euerie bitter thing is sweete How sweete thē shall the sweetnesse of Gods face be to the Godlie after all their terrours are past after they haue seene the wicked these fearfull mis-chappen brats tumbled down the steepe precipes of eternall destruction What pleasures I pray you shall these bee when pleasures for euermore shall be joyned with the rememberance of all these tribulations wherin wee were enwrapped while our feete stackefast in the myre All these considerations joyned together with vnspeakable pleasures shall make the Harpes of God sound Halleluiah Halleluiah for euer and euer Such meditations ouerflow my Soule dyuing in such depths Now Sir yee haue heard of the last thinges which shall bee done in this world heere is the conclusion of the last judgement The wicked as S. Matthew saith shall goe away to euerlasting punishment but the Righteous to Life eternall The sicke Man O but mine heart is sore moued within mee while I thinke of that deepe Gulfe whereinto all wretched Soules shall bee plunged O yee who in the dayes of your vanitie drink vp the very Creame flower of the earth al your pleasures now thē must be gone Oh that euer anone we culd applie this vnto our hearts My soule is look one liking down from an high and steepie place The meditations of these woes of the wicked makal my senses to be troubled al my spirits to be confusedlie shuffled together my heart within me is so tossed to fro that it is come like a squissed egge whose yolke is mingled with its white All my thoughtes are confounded as one that is into an hurlie burlie Good Lord let thy visions bee vnto my Soule visions of peace The blessed God preserue vs from all these woes Lord make vs all to cleaue to thee with full purpose of Soule Now to come to the purpose In your discourse ye haue powerfullie let mee see the wicked swallowed vp in a fearefull gulfe Let mee heare now what becommeth of the godly The Pastour After that Christ hath giuen them his Blessing saying vnto them Come yee blessed of my Father c. They all beeing crowned and clothed in royall apparell shall all in good order goe triumphantlie in Charets vp to the Heauen of heauens with such shoutes of triumph and of Ioye of Loue and of Laud as was neuer heard since the world was founded Then shall that prophecie bee fulfilled God is gone vp with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet Sing praises to God sing praises That shal be the Lambes marriage day a day that shall neuer bee darkened with a night a Feast that shall neuer bee followed with a Fast. The day of the bringing of a Queene to the King of the Land is a day of great joye What pleasure can bee had of Mirth or Musicke shall not bee away that
shall bee so pure that no vncleane inclination shall be able by any juggling feat of conueiance to cogge in it selfe into our heartes any more O the foolishnesse of mans blind and bewitched heart that for a moment of toylesome time should losse that Eternitie of joye The sicke Man Thinke yee that in Heauen wee shall bee of diuerse ages Children men or olde men as wee were here when wee deceased The Pastour It is hard to tell wee must not swerue from the wisedome of Gods word Scripture heere is silent But seeing Heauen is the place of perfection it is probable as some Diuins thinke that in Heauen all shall bee in greatest perfection Seeing say they that infancie is imperfection and olde age is defection none of two are conuenient for bodies that are perfectlie glorified As the Sunne taketh the mid course of Heauen so shall the godlie who shall shine like Sunnes abide in the middest beeweene the Poles of all extremities for there shal be the perfection of Vertue Age Stature Beautie and of all that shall concerne them All shall bee content for all shall drinke their filles out of the Riuer of the vnmixed pleasures perfections of God which neither Man nor Deuill the strength of Hell or length of eternitie shall euer bee able to trouble or make drumlie The sicke Man There is one thing which earnestlie I desire to know viz. Whether or not wee who on earth haue liued together and loued one another shall know each other into Heauen The Pastour It is thought that so shall be and that because of the presence of God in whom is such a Light that by it wee shail see and know these whom wee neuer did see or know on earth When Christ was transfigured vpon mount Tabor down came Moses Elias whō the Apostles had neuer seene of before Though they had neuer seene them before that yet by the light of Christes transfiguration they were so inlightned that they did perfectlie know what they were If the sight of that figured light gaue such a knowledge vnto sinners that they knew these whom they had neuer seene what shall it bee when all obscure figures and also our sins which maketh all good thinges obscure shall bee remoued and God shall bee All in all But though we should all know one another as I thinke indeede we shall all these carnall respectes which are heere as of Father Mother Wife Childrē shall all fall from vs lik the mantle of Elias before wee enter into Heauen for to enjoye these Empyrian pleasures which are so far aboue the fadome and reach of all changable mortalitie Wee thinke much now of such earthlie respectes which are indeede Coagulum hujus vitae the verie curding and joyning together of greatest naturall contentments But seeing all such things are but things of Child-hoode they shall not enter into our thoughtes when wee shall bee perfect men into the Heauens the presence-Chamber of our God When I was a Childe saide S. Paul I spake as a Child I vnderstood as a Child I thought as a Childe But when I became a man I put away childish things So long as a man is into this world if hee be compared with that which hee shall bee hee is but a Child hee vnderstandeth as a childe hee speaketh as a Child and hee thinketh as a Childe All the dearest naturall respects that are heere are but childish things Seeing they are so when we shall come to Heauen where we shall bee perfect men they all shall bee put away I will let you see this in a natural figure In this world we haue that which wee call Child hoode and that which we call the perfection of a man Now tell me I pray you should it be seemelie for a graue Senatour sitting before his Prnce and confering vpon the most weightie matters of the Kingdome to beginne and speak what he did with this Child and that Childe with whom he was wont to ride vpon Reedes Would hee beeing a wise man at such a time beginne to discourse how with these little companions hee builded vnder a bowre little houses into the sand or how in their childish conuentions they made their litle feastes of Pieres Nuts and Apples Would a wise man thinke ye in the presence of his Prince put off the time with such purpose No not When the foolish Child is become a wise man hee speaketh no more as a Childe neither vnderstandeth hee as a Childe neither thinketh he as a Childe Such childish thinges in Heauen shall not so much as once come into his thought for that were to thinke as a Childe That which is now in part shall bee done away at the comming of perfection which shall bee in that Coronation day Because we are heere but children wee cannot now vnderstand the wisedome of the words thoughts that wee shall haue aboue Languages then shall cease One shall not speake English and another French and another Spanish That Babylonish confusion of tongues shall bee taken away and wee all shall speake the Language of the Lambe God then shall speake no more vnto his people with stammering lippes and with another tongue Then shal be no difference of contrie-men or estates whether they were borne in Asia Europe or Affrica There shall it not bee looked to whether they were Kings or Subjects Masters or Seruants bond or free In the Heauens is neither Greeke nor Iewe Circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond or free But Christ shall bee All in all What can bee laking vnto man where God shall bee vnto him All in all yea and the Soule of his Soule As the Soule is in the whole man whollie in euerie part so shall the whole diuinity in the heauens informe the whole mysticall bodie and bee in it whollie and that into the least member thereof God beeing All in all Then and not till then we shall bee satisfied aboundantlie with the fatnesse of Gods house and drinke of the Riuers of his pleasures yea and our Soules shall feast themselues by all our senses vpon vnmixed joyes free from the mudde and distemper of all displeasures In a worde our heartes shall bee fastened to our God with such cords of loue which no thing aboue or below shall bee able to vntwine Heere is our journeyes end heere is our resting place from our labours and toilesome trauels Heere is absence of all euill and presence of all that is good Heere the Lambe is the Temple and the Light and the Tree of Life that bringeth foorth fruite euerie moneth euer new joyes without perishing of the olde euer new pleasures without any loathing of the former euer new light without any darkning euer new life without any dying euer new delightes without any dolours euer new Glorie without any grudge euer new mirth with out any mudde of miserie * Bodilie pleasures worke a
great desire aye till they bee gotten But spirituall delights as a Father said Cum non habentur sunt in fastidio Cum habentur sunt in desiderio Before they bee gotten they are loathed But are they gotten they are loued So long as our Soules are led hoode-winkt in this our moody and mistie mortalitie wee cannot thorowlie perceiue this O that wee had heartes to consider O that wee could rightlie mind the thinges that are aboue O that our hearts were wained froÌ„ this our natiue soile a place of hunger and cold a place of nakednesse sicknesse and sorrow that wee might earnestlie desire to bee into that holie Land where wee shall feast on the Tree of Life and drinke of that Crystall Riuer with pleasures for euermore So long as wee are in this our mortalitie wee must bee still looking till our change come which being once made wee shall neuer change anie more O then the sweetnesse of the Crowne shall for euer allay the sowâ—…enesse of the Crosse. The sicke Man Mine heart is wonderfullie rauished with such purpose I finde my Soule silent within mee that it may hearken and giue good heede to that which ye say Blessed be he who createth the fruite of the lips O Lord come let thy Spirite take houseroume into mine heart Now let vs come to our purpose againe So farre as I can obserue your minde is that we all shall know one another in Heauen but without regard to anie carnall consideration whether they were our Father oâ—… Mother or our Sister The Pastour It is euen so For if any particular respect should be had to any it should be of a man to his wife or a wife to her husband who must leaue both father mother and cleaue vnto another for to become one flesh Yet so it is that in Heauen there shal be no more particular respect betweene them than these whom they had neuer seene before The Lord hath made this plaine The Saducees who scorned the Resurrection hauing told Christ that there had beene seuen brethren in Israel which all had married one wife one after another and that last of all the woman died also Now said they In the Resurrection whose wife of them shall shee bee Iesus answered and saide The children of this world marie and are giuen in marriage But they that shall bee accounted worthie to obtaine that world and the resurrection from the dead neither marrie nor are giuen in marriage Neither can they die anie more for they are equall vnto the Angels and are the Children of God beeing the Children of the Resurrection Certainelie at that day none of these seuen brethren will claime any more acquaintance vnto that woman than vnto her whom they had neuer seene before that day What created thing can allure the eyes of the creature where the Creator is visiblie seene as hee is Whom haue I in Heauen but thee said the Psalmist As the Sunne by his beames at his first rising darkneth all the glorious stars of light so that they seeme to flie away from his presence quite out of the heauens So shall the loue of God himsâ—…lfe like a greater Light darken and dazle all other desires whatsoeuer No by-respects shall bee able to hinder vs to haue ouâ—… eye to the maine Wee shall loath all thinges that we may feast on his facâ—… wherein is fulnesse of joye The sicke Man I desire Sir to know of you whether or not there shall bee degrees of Glorie in the Heauens or if all shall bee alike in honour The Pastour The most part are of that opinion that there shall bee diuerse degrees their opinion is founded vpon these words There is one glorie of the Sun and another of the Moone and another glorie of the Starres For one star differeth from another star in glory So also is the Resurrection of the dead it is sowen in corruption it is raised in incorruption Some of the Learned who esteeme that there shall bee diuerse degrees of glorie in Heauen think that no such thing is intended in these wordes but onelie as one Starre differeth from another in glorie so shall the bodie after the Resurrection differ farre in glorie from the estate wherein it was in this life according to this it is said It is sowen in corruption it is raised in glorie for to declare the different estate of the godly heere and heereafter For this assertion concerning degrees of glorie this seemeth to bee most cleare which is said by Christ to his Apostles Behold saide Peter wee haue forsaken all and followed thee What shall wee haue therefore And Iesus said vnto them Verilie I say vnto you that yee which haue followed mee in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit on the Throne of his Glory yee shall also sit vpon twelue Thrones judging the twelue Tribes of Israel The sicke Man Before yee proceede I pray you to cleare these words That yee which haue followed mee in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sitte on his Throne yee also shall sitte vpon twelue Thrones I vnderstand not well what the word Regeneration signifieth there To follow Christ in the regeneration what can that bee The Pastour These wordes bee diuerslie read Some reade them this way Yee who haue followed mee in the regeneration Others reade them after this maneâ—… joyning there-with the following words In the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sitte on his Throne yee also shall sitte If the words be so joyned Yee who haue followed mee in the regeneration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word Regeneration is taken as the most Learned esteeme for the preà ching of the Gospel which Christ brought into the world whereby a new creation or regeneration of mens heartes and Soules hath beene made in the world So to follow Christ in the Regeneration is to embrace his Gospel whereby we are regenerate But in the opinion of the most part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regeneration heere is rather to be joyned with the words following after this manner In the regeneration they shal sit vpon Thrones according to that In regeneration is as if he had said In renovatione mundi vel post renovationem mundi in alterò seculo That is In the renewing or after the renewing of the World Indeede regeneration here seemeth â—…hieflie to signifie the Resurrection and restoring of our bodies The sicke Man It would appeare by that saying of Christ in S. Matthew that the Apostles shall sit vpon twelue Thrones in greater dignitie than anie others The Pastour It would seeme so to be As for Moses Enos and Elias and so many worthie Prophets most glorious instrumeÌ„ts of Gods grace in this world it would seeme that their glorie there should bee greater than that of common persons Manie of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall
before the Lord Let vs all humble our selues heere before our Maker A Prayer for the sicke Man O LORD prepare our heartes to prayer Let vs not be rash with our mouth nor hastie with our heart to vtter any thing before Thee O glorious GOD and all mercifull Father which art the true Physicion both of Soule and bodie we must humblie bend our knees before Thee intreating thee to be with thy seruant heere whom thou hast now laide into this bedde of languishing Let not his sinnes whereof hee hath beene guiltie from his youth vp prouok thy wrath any more against him Knit them all in a bundle and cast them all behind thy mercifull back burie them al into the bottomlesse sea of thy compassions that they neither bee able to accuse him any more in this worlde nor yet to condemne him in the world to come Though his sinnes LORD were like Scarlet and Crimsin there is vertue into the Blood of thy Lambe to make them white like woole and whiter than the Snow For thy Sonnes sake remoue all his transgressions as far frō him as the East is from the west Hell LORD Destruction are before thee how much more the hearts of the Sonnes of men Thine All seeing Eye pryes most clearelie into the in-most closet of mans heart Look with the Eye of thy compassions within the Doores of this wearied heart of thy Seruant Looke in and proclaime mercie and pardon vnto his sillie Soule Let him know that neither Death nor Life shal be able to separate him from thy Loue O LORD assist him and stand fast by him in this houre Desert him not in his greatest last agonie Let thy Spirit possesse him so fullie that there be none entrie or roume for Satans temptations whē the Temper is bufiest let thy Spirite bee strongest Arme him with all Pieces against the last conflict of this bloodie battell Honour him with the Lawrels of victorie Let thy strength be made perfect in his greatest weak nesse Doe the turne by thine owne force and take all the glorie to thy selfe By the vertue of thy Christ crucifie into him the olde Man and his vvorkes Make him to die into him that hee may liue to Thee vvho to all the Faithfull is aduantage both in life and death Hee is now LORD walking betweene thy Mercie and thy Iustice through many-temptations Gouerne thou his steppes vvith such vvisedome that the feare of Iustice may keepe him from presumption and the hope of mercie may preuent despaire Increase his patience vvith his paine Sanctifie his Sickenesse make it as Bellowes to thy graces that thereby they may be kindled and blowne vp to a greater flame Enamour him vvith the loue of thy goodnesse Powre in the oyle of thy mercie into his bruissed hearte which hath bene filled with mournfull groanes And seeing now thou art calling him to repetitions to see vvhat hee hath profited in thy Schoole cast into his rememberance all the good things that hitherto hee hath heard or meditate for to comfort this houre Bee strong in him now in this time of tryall Applye vnto his wounds the Balme of Gilead Hee is weake and therefore O LORD forbea◅e him in thy mercie O pittie this wounded man as did that Samaritane Powre Oyle into his wounds bind them vp and take him to thine Inne For thy mercies sake remember him Forthy Sonnes sake pittie him For thy promise sake forget him not Free his Soule f◅ the maze of all worldlie cares Inspite into him the life of grace with a most fresh vigout and feruent heate of zeale to thy Glorie Hee LORD in his most piercing paines knoweth not what to doe but his eyes are on Thee In thine handes is both Life and Death Thou bringest to the Graue and bringest backe againe In thy greate mercie O LORD make all his bedde in his sicknesse make his bedde to be a Schoole vnto him wherein hee may not onelie learne the hudgnesse of his owne miserie but also the greatnes of thy mercie Let neither Death fright him nor the Graue grieue him Let him knowe that Death is but a sleepe for the friendes of Christ and the Graue a bedde for the resting of their wearied bones Let not the weight of mortalitie beare downe his Spirite frō minding the things which are aboue Make him content to quite gladlie all earthlie pleasures and contentments for to goe dwell with Thee his GOD in immortalitie Let neither the sweetnesse of the Figge nor the grapes of the Vine nor the fatnesse of the O liue hinder his desire to reigne in heauen Against the feare of death comfort him with hope of the glorious Resurrection Assure his Soule though his bodie goe to bee eaten of the wormes that hee in that bodie againe shall see his Redeemer and none other for him Furnish him with spirituall courage vnto the end Giue him boldnesse to march without feare thorow the valey of death for to come to Thee yea to run were it thorow Hell for to come to Thee in Heauen Tell vnto his Soule that his paines dismay him not seeing his trauell is to bring foorth eternall life Let thy Iustice seate trouble him no more seeing Christ hath payed his debts Let him not bee afraide to come before the Face of his Iudge seeing the Iudge himselfe is his Brother who hath both cut cancelled that hand-writting of the Law which no flesh was able to performe Pittie him LORD pittie him for loe hee is nowe in thine handes looking pittifully vp to Thee for thy mercie Some of thy setters are yet vpon him none can loose him but the hands which haue bund him Pittie good LORD and pardon set vnto this Soule the seale of thy pardons by the Spirit of adoption Heale and sweetlie close vp the wounds of his Spirit by the vertue of thy most blessed Blood This is our confidence that thou who hast stricken him is able to heale him and will also doe it if it bee for thy glorie and his well if not Lord in judgement remember mercie If it bee his best that after some dayes sicknesse he depart out of this mortall life let these paines which hee suffers nowe bee like Ionathans arrowes which were not shot for to ◅urt but to giue warning Giue him grace that like an obedient Childe hee may as w◅ll kisse thine hand while it beateth as while it blesseth If thy decree be come foorth that hee must remoue from this World assure him of a better place where pleasures are in greater number th◅ the starres Teach him by thy Spirit that by death hee shall change a mortall habitation a dungeon of darknes◅◅ cage of corruptions for euerlasting T◅bernacles most heauenlie sacred M◅sions where constant peace vnmi◅ joyes remaine Weane his heart from the loue of all things that are vnder the Sunne Let the beautie and glorie of the Heauens whereof hee hath heard at length this day
Beasts fed on the bare commons are not so neere the slaughter as these that goe into fatter pastures B◅ware of all vncleannes Make a couenant with your eys not to behold wine women keepe carefullie your vessels cleane in sanctification and honour If yee slippe in anie sinne beware to sleepe in it for that is death Vita in vigilia est Godlie men in olde age regretting their former haunts are lessons from God to teach Youth not to plot the pleasures wherewith God is displeased Manie sinnes of Youth be called tricks but it is a terrible tricke to goe to Hell People foolishlie cloake Fornication with a tricke of youth but the Spirit of GOD giueth it a scarlet cloake dyed in red with the blood of three and twentie thousand Bee yee wise in time let the rememberance of the shrill sound of the last trumpet euer hold your heart in a stirre so soone as yee see the least appearance of euill Thinke no sin litle seeing it is against so great a Majestie For eating of a tree Ada◅ was banished out of Paradise For touching the Arke shaken with the Oxen Vzzah lost his life For looking into it fiftie thousand three score and tenne men were slaine at Bethshemeth For gathering sticks vpon the Sabbath God declared that the man should bee stoned vnto death without the Campe Such thinges are written for our learning As for you stand in awe to sinne in a thought To clippe the Kings Coyne were it neuer so little is an high ◅reason Be affraide at the first gloumes of your GOD Crouch so soone as hee beginneth to shake his rod at you In all companies be constantlie godlie like the Sunne in his light Too manie like the Moone now glister with reflexes of light and anone are darkened Now and then they appeare with diuerse faces now with Saul they are Prophets among the Prophets and anone as reuoking all former godlinesse they runne rȳot with gluttons and reuellers O my beloued thinke neuer shame to be godlie among scorners Care not that by your conscio◅able cariage the wicked bee gauld and grieued in their madde moode they will call all godlinesse but outwardnesse and formalitie Tak good he◅d to all your ways set a guarde about your thoughts and a watch before your mouth Seeing the tongue is mans glorie let it not bee abused with rotien words Let not your eares bee open for to receiue the scowring of other mens filthie mouthes Bee calme and quiet in all your wayes Bee not rash or hastie looke before yee leape bee not selfe-willed proude contemners of your betters Aspire not aboue your pitch Care not so much for mans d◅spight as for Gods displeasure Let God be the caruer of all your car◅s Abhorre to be idle like these who sitting in the Chire of sloth passe their time at handie dandie Loyter not while yee should labour The first word that Pharaoh said to Iaakob his sonnes was What is your treade or occupation Be painefull and faithfull in your calling liue not litherlie as these that are giuen to sleepe the sluggardes lingring sicknesse Hee is of a base spirit who sluggishlie gaping and stretching himselfe lyeth lusking on the downe Vp vp from the feathers earelie in the morning striue with the Cocke in watchfulnesse and rise with the chirping of the birdes Ioyne watching against euill with wishing and prayers for that which is good It is good that the bodie bee moistned with the morning dew earelie rising bringeth health to the bodie and increaseth the number of mans dayes I remember of a verse which while I was young serued for a wakener for to rouse mee from my morning sleepe Sanctificat sanat dit at quoque surgere mane That is it maketh holie whole and rich to rise earelie in the morning for this cause earlie buckle your selues to your businesse Bee wise and watchfull In all your enterprisses haue an eye vpō your God doe all as into his sight bee not too cast down in aduersitie nor too puft vp in prosperitie If mans applause make you to ouerweene your selues at anie time chasten your loftinesse with the memorie of manie infirmit es which are nested within you in all thinges feare the worst and hope the best That which seemeth to man vnliklie is not with God impossible Let your life in a godlie sober ciuill cariage shine before men that they seeing it may glorifie your heauenlie Father Striue not to bee called Doctours and Rabbies though ye bee men of letters but aboue all striue to bee teachers of others by good example and not by word onlie lest yee bee like the Fyle which smootheth all other thinges but it selfe remaineth rough Beware of all sinfull pleasures which like faire Ladies come with alluring propines to woo and catch the vnstable soule In the verie throng of all your adoes draw your selues to a set dyet of priuate deuotion Mine heart beginneth to faint of force I must make a pause After that I am refreshed with a little rest I shall declare to you all that is in my minde and memorie O my Soule seek sigh for grace Be carefull for a neerer acquaintance with the Lord of Heauen Shortlie thou shalt embrace him whom the Fathers by faith saluted but a farre off The Pastour Lord heare thou in Heauen the groanes of thine humble supplicant mak him fullie freelie to taste and partake of the pleasures of thy graces til he come to glory Roll his wearied Soule within these compassions which in thy mercie are rouled together O deare Iesus besprinkle thou his heart with thy precious Soule-sauing blood which is euer louelie to the mercifull eye of the Father Take breath a little Sir that yee may continue in such precepts such heauenlie sentences were neuer bred nor brewed vpon the earth The Lord himselfe hath put the Roll of these things into your mouth which yee haue eaten and which make your breath to haue the sauour of life vnto life Certainelie in some measure the Lord Iesus hath breathed vpon you as hee did vpon his Apostles when hee said vnto them Receiue the holie Ghost The sicke Man Lord imprint thine Image into my Soule afresh My Spirit is reuiued a new power is entered into mee Blessed be hee who giueth power to the faint and who increaseth strength to them that haue no might Giue eare now againe vnto my speach O yee my deare Children Incline your eares vnto the wordes of my mouth See that yee liue in loue a rent is the forerunner of a ruine If yee would liue die in honestie practise all Christian dueties Feare God loue the Church honour your King bee faithfull to your Countrie reuerence your Mother Bee pitifull bee courteous liue in loue together Your strength is in vnitie like a sheafe of arrowes A
Seruant fainting in great weaknesse of bodie But thogh flesh and friends health wealth and all should faile him thou LORD will neuer faile him Hee is thy Seruant he is thy Seruant the son of thy hand-maide Thou hast most powerfullie hitherto supported and vpholdeÌ„ him by thy mercifull hand Now leaue him not while he is drawing neare vnto his long home It is easie to perceiue that his age is departing from him like a shepheards tent and that thou art readie to cutte off his life like a weauer His desire LORD is to bee with Thee Thou hast heard the sighings of this prisoner and thou hast vnderstood the groanes of thine own Spirit As thou hast begunne the good worke in him so perfect it in due time As thou doest with the yeare crowne it with thy goodnesse with-draw not thy Grace from him till it bee made perfect in weaknesse Thou LORD hast manifested thy loue to him wonderfullie by putting into his minde and mouth such diuine preceptes and counselâ—… to his Friends Wife and Children that all that haue heard them haue beene forced to wonder at the glorie of thy grace Now deare Iesus let thy force be with him in his fainting but the nearer hee draweth vnto his end lâ—…t thy Spirit the Comforter enable him the more till victoriouslie hee hath put an end vnto this Battell As the strength of his bodie shall beginne to decrease let the comfortes of thy Spirit increase in his Soule Seale vp in his heart that peace which thou hast purchased by the blood of the Prince of peace Assure him of the rest of these joyes which are to bee reuealed whereof hee hath alreadie receiued the earnest O say vnto his Soule that thou shalt bee his Saluation In the silence of the night while deepe sleepe falleth on man make thou his reines to instruct him Suggest vnto his heart the sweetest wordes of thy comforts which may bee vnto him like apples of gold in pictures of siluer Waine his heart daylie more and more from the loue of things below Make thou his Soule to soare vp with Eagles wings towardes the heauenlie Mansions Prepare nowe his Soule to the last conflict Put vpon him all the Armour of God Strengthen his Faith that hee may holde fast by Thee yea so resoluedlie that though thou should slay him yet hee may trust in thee When the force of sicknesse shall tak away the vse of his tongue make his heart to groane vnto Thee in the secret language of thy Spirite â—…hat in thine hands he commenâ—… 〈◊〉 his Soule and that he desireth thee to come quicklie for his reliefe Let not the increasing throes and pangues of death discourage him In greatest anguish vphold his enfeebled heart with the hope of Glorie Look on him Lord with the eye of thy mercie incline thine eare to the sighes of his heart make haste to come for his Soule is longing for his appointed time till his change come As thou art the Lord of life so vnto thee belong the issues of death Let strength proceede from thee like vertue from Christes garment whereby hee may bee encouraged against the fearefull assaults of death which shortly in all appearance shall besiege his noble parts for to bring him vnto dust froÌ„ whence hee came Make thy Spirit to enter into his hearte for to vphold him against this feare smart of his last and most heauie houre Let him know that if the earthlie house of his Tabernacle bee dissolued that he hath a building of God an house not made with hand eternall in the heauen Make his Soule more and more earnestlie to groane for to bee cloathed vpon with his house which is from Heauen Seeing while hee is heere at home in the bodie hee is absent from the Lord make thou him confident and willing rather to bee absent from the bodie that hee may bee present with Thee in the Heauens Let the hope of the Resurrection vphold him against all the terrours of the Graâ—…e Perswade his Soule that at the sound of that shrill celestiall Trumpet his bodie shall arise and with these same eyes shall beholde his Redeemer and none other for him Innumerable euils Lord haue compassed him about Nowe the time approacheth that thou wilt deliuer him from all his feares Make haste Lord Come Lord Iesus come Rebuke Sathan wee intreat thee that in the darksome night he interrupt not the comforts of thy Spirit Suffer neuer that slie and craftie one to bereaue him of the pledges of thy loue Make him to holde fast that which hee hath that none bee able to take his Crowne O mercifull God take notice of all his wants and necessities and bee thou to him SHADAI GOD all sufficient for to supplie them Let him not want that Grace without the which hee cannot serue thee Through thy selfe make him to push downe all the enemies of his Saluation Through thy Name make him to treade them vnder foote that rise vp against him for he hath not forgotten the Name of thee his God neither hath hee stretched out his hands to a strange God While his eye-stringes shall bee broken and when the throes of death shall make his heart to tumble within him then bee thou the strength of his heart the health of his countenance and his God In his greatest griefes anoynt his Soule with some droppes of that oyle of gladnesse wherewith thou once anointed our Lord and Sauiour aboue his fellowes Let thy Graces like that precious ointment that ran downe vpon the beard of Aaron flowe down from thee aboundantlie vpon all the powers of his Soule Let spirituall vertues drop downe vpon him as the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended vpon the mountaines of Zion O thou the perfection of beautie shine vpon his Soule Indue him with a melting and relenting heart Bee mercifull to thy distressed Church comfort Her in all Her teares and troubles Pittie Her deformities Adorne Her with Puritie and Vnitie Though Shee bee outwardlie 1. duskie because the Sun hath withered Her yet Shee is the Kings Daughter whose 2. whole glorie is within 3 Awake O North Wind and come thou South blow vpon Her Garden that the spices thereof may flowe out Declare vnto Her enemies that if they 4 touch Her they shall touch the Apple of thine Eye Let them all know that it is 5 hard to kicke against prickes and that if they perlecute thee Thou wilt throw them to the ground Bee mercifull to our gracious SOVERAIGNE the Kings Majestie as by thy Grace thou hast made him a King so by thy Grace make Him a good King Powre down a princelie Spirit vpon his Soule that Hee may haue courage for the Trueth Make Him answerable to his most honourable Style Defender of the Faith Vouchsafe thy mercie vpon his Princelie Spouse Let the beautie of the Lord Her God bee vpon Her Make Her like
shall ye bee Mans life at the longest may bee measured with a spanne Behold said the Psalmest thou hast made my dayes of an hand-breadth Mine age is as nothing before thee Our life is but a vapour and a wind which once passeth away returneth not againe It should therefore bee your best in time to prepare your selues for a better life and not with many to relye securelie vpon a possibilitie of pardon If yee bee wise venter not vpon such broken staues which faile in greatest neede The carnall Friend Thinke not the worse of mee Sir if I desire you to be honoured with the best in Buriall bee not too precise I hope that wee all shall come to heauen at last wee are all sinners I hope before I die to repent mee of all my sins The sicke Man S. Augustins wordes are of great power Metuendum est ne te occidat spes cum multum speres de misericordia incidas in judicium It is to be feared that while men hope for nothing so much as mercy euen then they fall into damnation I pray God that such hopes deceiue you not Many foolishlie make a packe horse of Christs merites and Gods mercies not caring what burdens they lay on A broken heart is onelie an heart qualified for the pardons of heauen If Christ Iesus his wordes bee of anie credit among men this wee must hold that none shall come to heauen but by the narrow way Sathan with his temptations hath bored out the eyes of many as the Philistins did to Samson But alas who hath the courage of Samson to seeke to be ledde to the chiefe pillars that he may pull them down for to bee reuenged vpon his foes Alas this is the fashion of this world men like the sluggard liue in delayes in steepe and in sloth Yet a little while and yet a little while No man will build an Arke vntill the floode come Lot himselfe did linger to saue himselfe from a brime stone fyre Men haue no leasure to bee saued so hard is it for the most part to pluke their feete out of the clouches of this world If wee could ouercome the loue of this worlde which is the great Goliah of our enemies then shuld we easilie ouercome the pride of the Philislins and the feare of Israel But carnall men know not what it is to mortifie olde Adam with his corrupt lustes Fooles feede on folies and tickle their fond fancies with imagined contentments not knowing the strick narrow course of sanctification Such mens speach is often both vnseemelie and vnseasonable Blessed bee my God who hath giuen mee the staffe in the hand and the stone in the scrippe wherewith I haue stricken all my strongest corruptions in the temples Sathan is tread vnder foote my flesh is subdued mine heart is in Heauen I care for the worlde no more neither desire I to speake anie longer of clay or of anie thing below My minde is aboue farre from the dirt drosse of all earthlie thoughts O my heauenlie Father wrap my Soule wrappe it vp in the righteousnesse of thy Sonne Let that bee the white long robe of my Soule while my body wrapt in its winding sheete shal lye rotting into the graue O my God fill my fainting heart with a joyfull confluence of the precious sufferings of Iesus of the promises of life of the joyes of heauen mak mine ende with that of the vpright man to bee peace Bee not cast downe my Soule neither bee thou disquieted within mee Hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Oh but mine heart is sicke Oh where is my deare and louing Pastour His conference is most comfortable vnto my Soule The Pastour I am heere Sir waiting till I see the end of your Battell I haue heard all your wordes with great contentment I haue plainelie perceiued that Gods Angels these noble Spirits attend both to guide to guarde you God by the arme of his power hath brought you out of the thicket of thornes and pricking thistles of monie temptations He who hath made all things in number weight and measure hath not surcharge your Soule aboue that which he hath made you able to beare God in great grace hath made you first to know your selfe in your offences and miserie and after that to know him in his Majestie and mercie The Lord God in great kindnesse hath furnished you with firme Faith constant Hope and sincere Loue He hath led you thorow many trauerses and perplexities Now haue ye passed the most dreadfull darkest houre of all your temptations Now the dawning of a new day approacheth now labour might maine to be prepared for you God within a short space Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse that day spring from on high shall arise vpon your Soule neuer for to goe downe Continue in your prayers to God that he wold possesse your Soule with true hearted holinesse without which no Soule shall see Gods face What now Sir are yee doing The sicke Man My sillie Soule is heere waiting till Death come and open the prison doore that she may flee to her God to her Contrie from whence she came Fogs mists arise before mine eys O my God from the Throne of thy Grace râ—…ine downe vpon my wearied Soule the refreshing showrs of thy most iender mercies Vouchsafe vpon mee some crummes of thy comforts Oh that I had the wings of a doâ—…e for to flee to the woundes of Iesus as to the holes of the Rock My poore Soule in this bodie is like a Bird in a Cage looking through the wyres Faine would it bee free of this sinfull captiuitie O but my Soule panteth fast after my Sauiour What now shall stay mee from my God from my Christ from my Father my brother and my Comforter my dearest Darling of delight I long to bee in Heauen the place of my rest My desire is to goe to Goshen the Land of light of Life and of Libertie Mine heart is fast linked vnto Christ in loue O Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him O man what is God that thou art so forgetfull of him O my GOD prepare mee to meete thee with a bruised Spirit Melt my sinnes into sighes and my troubles into teares Let thy good Spirit leade mee into the Land of vp rightnesse Lord let neuer this clay returne to clay till my Spirit be readie to goe to him that gaue it O quicken sharpen my care of heauen dulled and blunted with earthlie thoughts Make sound wisedome and discretion to bee life vnto my Soule and grace to my necke Make my Soule trimme with that costly wedding Garment bought with thy Blood O Iesus the blessed Bridegroome who hast by thy Gospel of Grace betrothed my Soule vnto
Creator Praised be the Name of the most High who hath borne and broken that vnspeakable burden of wrath where with yee were surcharged at our first meeting The sicke Man Amen Amen Blessed bee the Name of Iesus At that Name the knees of my Soule bowe in a most humble manner to the ground for to kisse it with my mouth a thousand times vpon Conscience of my bygone miserie and of his present mercie All mine affections are set on foote and are so cheered and rauished with the loue of my God as no tongue can expresse O happie thrise happie change Once I feared damnation nowe Christ is my Saluation Once I sat in darknesse hee is now my Light Once I was in Death hee is now my Life Once I was in bondage hee is now my Libertie Once I was in want hee is now my Wealth Once I was in sicknesse hee is nowe mine Health Once I was in shame hee is nowe my Glorie What shall I say mo◅e Hee is mine onelie Deare and and dearest heartes desire Hee is my strongest Tower I haue none other Arke to saue mee from the flood Mine heart is prepared mine heart is prepared Oh that I were where without let I shall sing Halleluiah for euer where all earthlie objects shall seeme but filthie abjects in comparison of him Now Sir I intreat you to conceiue another Prayer that thereby as by the Charet of Elijah my Soule may bee carried vp into Heauen Commend my Soule into the hands of Christ the Redeemer Yee the Lords Priest stand still with the Arke till my Soule hath passed the Iordan for to enter into Canaan O Lord Iesus pittie this poore Soule that panteth at thy feete draw it out of this clogge of clay B◅e with mee vnto the end Graue thine owne shape deepe within mine heart that it may bee in judgement as a piece of euidence that the Heauens are mine heritage O look vpon mee who am heere waiting vpon that blessed hope Comfort refresh mee with the sweetest breath of thy blessed Spirit Set my sillie Soule upon Pisga the sight hill of Canaan Guarde mee with the invinsible troopes of thine Angels O thou whose Name and Nature is mercie take my wearied Soule and lull it sweetelie in the softest armes of thy most tender compassions Ioyne your prayers vnto mine The effectuall feruant prayer of a righteous man auaileth much The Pastour According to your desire Sir wee shall worsle with God in prayer that your end may bee peace The Lord gather all our scattered thoughts that beeing as twisted together into one threede they may be like the three-fold corde which is not easilie broken powerfull to draw downe Gods Graces from aboue Let vs pray A Prayer for the sick mā O Lord settle earnest prayer in our Soules vpon true sense of our neede Let not our prayers be tumultuous Tune thou our words by thy Spirit while our lips walke make our hearts to moue Preserue vs from vaine babyling lest our prayers bee turned into sinne O God the God of all Spirites who hast the keyes of Heauen and of Hell Thou steeketh and no man openeth Thou openeth and no man steeketh Open now thy mercifull doores vnto this poore Soule which panteth after thee as the chassed Hart panteth after the water brookes Let none of his sinnes stand betweene thy face and him for to ecclipse his Soule the light of thy countenance Seale vp in his heart by thy Spirit the free full forgiuenes of all his transgressions Thou who by the vertue of thy death made the vaile of the Temple to rent for to mak an open way to the Holie of holies mak also the partition wall of all his iniquities to cleaue from the toppe to the bottome that his Soule remoued from his bodie may get entrie to the Highest and holiest of the Heauens where thine honour dwelleth Make thy Graces in him to growe like Elias his cloud which at the first no bigger than an hand at last by and by did ouer spread the whole skie Sanctifie his Soule and soften his heart with the diuine dew of thy Grace Say vnto his Soule I am thy Saluation Behold Lord his Soule is seeking thee let nothing in his search carie him on the by Keepe fast in his remembrance the blessed bloodie passion of his Redeemer Iesus When Death shall come let him die with thy Christ in his Armes Strengthen and increase his desire to be dissolued assuring him that it shal be much better for him Furnish him with strength whereby he may row against the strictest streams of all temptations till hee arriue into the hauen of the Heauens the sole and safe harberie of Saluation And seeing no vncleane thing can enter into Heauen Lord wash this thy seruant and wash him throughlie that by the vertue of thy Blood his sinnes though they were red like scarlet and crimson may bee made white like wooll and whiter than the snow Pull off his Soule the menstrous cloath of his owne righteousnes and cloth him with the righteousnes of him whose statelie style is THE LORD OVR RIGHT TEOVSNES Thou who hast alreadie added strength vnto his Faith while it was scant like a smoking flaxe let not the sparkle which once thou hast kindled for euer bee quenched Amid the sight of his sins make him to lay hold vpon the merite and full satisfaction of his Sauiour Let him with all the Faithfull receiue of that fulnesse and grace for grace And seeing nowe Lord hee is comming vnto thee thorow the snakie fielde of manie temptations lette his feete bee shod with the preparation of thy Gospel Thou Lord wilt neuer suffer anie that trust in thee to bee confounded Hee followed thee constantlie in his life nowe let thy Spirit tryst him at the houre of death Hee disclaimeth all hope of helpe by anie other than by thy selfe alone Though hee knoweth not perfectlie what to say yet his eyes are on thee Thou who is Alpha and Omega hast begunne this good worke in him crowne it with the perfection of thy goodnesse Let him more more feele that hee is euerlastinglie acquite by the Blood of the Lambe from the terrors of Gods Tribunall Refresh his Soule more and more with celestiall spirituall joyes proceeding from the Spirit of Grace Let him feele himselfe assuredlie knit vnited to thee O thou preseruer of men that in and by thee hee may be presented blamelesse before thy Majesties Iustice-seate Furnish his minde with light and his memorie with strength that hee may vnderstand and remember that Christes death is an absolute and all sufficient Sacrifice for remouing the guilt of all repenting sinners Shewe him a signe of thy loue Multiplie in his heart the pledges of thy kindnes Make him faithfull vnto death that hee may receiue the Crowne of life Thou hast alreadie subdued in him alloue and liking of this world
Nowe graunt that the hope of that glorie which is to bee reuealed may bee so strong in his Soule that it may shield and fence him from the force and furie of the last assaults The nearer he draweth vnto death inlarge the chanell of thy graces like a Riuer which is broadest towards the end of its course Make his heart in the ◅orest pangs of death to bee still lifted vp towards thee And seeing Death and the Deuill mans two last enemies are euer busie the one for to fright the other for to tempt Prepare him Lord and furnish him so with thy Graces that hee may proue victorious in this last assault O gracious GOD assist him by thy force against the most violent blustering winds of the last and most fearefull temptations If Satan looke in at the doores of his heart seeking for an entrie let him neuer get so much as one chamber-roome set a part for his sojourning Make thy grace vnto him like a Sunne like a Bridegroome comming out of his Chamber to disperse the darknesse of his mistie minde Vnto his last gaspe direct him so by thy good Spirit that his Soule may cleaue so fast vnto thee that neither sinne nor sicknesse life nor death may bee able to separate him from thee Thogh thou shuld slay him yet wil hee trust in thee Faile him not now in time of neede vphold his heart in this heauie houre Let his Soule lurke vnder the winges of thy mercie till the tempest of wrath bee calmed past ouer Bee thou to him a shelter against the heauie showers of the last agonie O gracious Lord in wrath remember mercie In the multitude of thy compassions blot out his transgressions and that for the dearest drops of that sacred Blood that gushed vpon the cursed crosse Rinse and cleanse his heart from all vncleannes Giue him courage in his greatest fears Let not Death bee vnto him as a king of feare nor hee as one of the wicked whose hope doeth perish with their breath O Lord let thy Name bee vnto him like a strong tower for to hid him into the time of trouble Let this bee the cleare candle of his comfort neuer to bee quenched that Christ by his death hath for him and all the Faithfull ouercome Death and disarmed it of its sting Declare by the inward motion of thy Spirit to his Soule that the nature of death by the death of Christ is changed into a sleepe vnto all the friends of Christ who by the infinite power of his diuine Nature hath swallowed it vp in victorie and hath so digested it that now the bitternesse thereof is past As the Arke was to Noah and Zoar vnto Lot so bee thou a refuge to this faithfull Soule fighting thy battels not onelie against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers against the gouernours of darknesse of this world and against spirituall wickednesse in high places Let thy strength bee made perfect in his weaknesse As thou hast vp holden him hitherto by the strength of thy Spirit so continue with him vntill the end The battell is the Lords fight Lord for thine own cause euē for this Soule one of thy redeemed Ones obtaine thou the victorie and take the glorie to thy selfe O God both of grace and glorie seale surely vp in his bosome the pardon of all his iniquities Perfect the comfortes which thou hast begunne say vnto his Soule That heauen is not so high nor hell so low nor the world so wide as are thy mercies towards him All thy creatures haue their owne dimensions but thy mercie Lord like thy selfe is without measure Out of these infinite compassions make this sillie Soule partaker of the dearest mercies that euer rould together the relenting bowels of thy tenderest loue Heare vs Lord in all these our sutes and that for the sake of thy best beloued and onelie begotten Sonne the Lord Iesus Christ in whose Name and at whole command wee powre out our heartes to thee in that prayer which by his own sacred and most blessed mouth hee hath taught vs Our Father c. The sicke Man Lord heare thou in Heauen Blessed for euer be thy Name for such spirituall comfortes for so manie mercies I can rander nothing but the little mites of praise and thankesgiuing Mine heart is filled with songs of Gods mercie If his Spirit of grace had not vpholden mee in my first feares while as I thought I was wrapped into an infinite wrath I had certainelie beene swallowed vp with ouermuch sorrow But now blessed eternallie bee the Lord who hath made the earth to swallow vp all the floodes of temptations and tribulations which that red Dragon the Deuill a bloodie murtherer hath cast out of his mouth after mee for to carrie my Soule down head-longs to perdition Now finde I Gods word to bee true that hee is ouercome by the Blood of the Lambe Except that the Lord had beene on my side O in what a dumbe dumpe had my poore Soule beene driuen into ere now The Pastour Hee who followed Adam thorow the thicke bushes and Ionas in the bottome of the sea Hee who blessed the crooked man and made the barren fertile and the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare and the blind to see hath made his grace perfect in your weaknesse He best feeleth the pulse of our heartes and the force of our life Loth would hee bee to breake the bruised reede or to quench the smoking flaxe All men by nature are but like an vncleane Dung-hill of drosse their heartes at the first are but a den of Dragons But so soone as the Spirit of grace hath begunne to drawe the draughts and lineamentes of Gods image within the soule of a man nothing shall bee able to deface or mangle that liuelie image To all sorts of temptations Gods wisedome shall finde an out-gate Neither the traines of Sathan nor the treason of our bosome sinnes nor the terrors of hell nor the trashes of the world shall euer be able to preueale against Adirim Gods excellent Ones According as Zacharias filled with the holie Ghost prophecied It is granted vnto vs that wee beeing deliuered out of the handes of our enemies may serue him without feare The sicke Man I blesse God for such inestimable comforts Sathan hath shrewdlie assaulted mee but could not preuaile My corruptions haue beene subdued and awed by the Majestie of the Spirit of Iesus My Soule rejoyceth in GOD In the merites of Christ as in a glasse I see him a meeke a mercifull Father I am not now afraide to come to a tryall at his Tribunall I am no more dismayed for the vnquencheable flammes of the fierie lake I thinke certainelie that there was neuer a man so much beholden to my God as I am Truelie may I sing with the Psalmest I waited patientlie or the Lord and hee inclined vnto mee and heard my cry Hee
her faire face because Hypocrisies face seemeth to be faire while it is fairded No not God will haue true faith to come out that the world may see her into works Shew mee thy Faith by thy workes Christ who desireth that the niggard or ambitious left hand know not or see not the liberalitie of the charitable right hand commandeth that wee let ouâ—… light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our Father which is in heauen The graces of Gods Spirit in a man are like a light candle No man light a Candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a Candle-sticke it giueth light to all that are in the house The good life of the godlie man should bee like a Citie sette on an hill which cannot bee hid The labourer soweth not his seede on the ground that it may still remaine hidde vnder the cloddes neither doeth God sow his graces in our heartes that there they may luâ—…k still abide secret I like not these who feare to seeme godlie left they should bee thought to be Hypocrites Euen in that are they Hypocrites that for feare they seeme to affect godlinesse will not doe good that may bee seene which would moue the true Israelits to glorifie our Father in heauen yea and also allure these to come to God who as yet are strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel I confesse that fewe bee troubled with such a feare It is a sin whereof verie few in this Land are guiltie yet seeing it is a sinne it would bee carefullie auoided Because Papists whollie relye on their workes Protestants with great scandale will onelie bragge of their Faith Thus both the one and the other against the truth of doctrine separate that which God hath joyned together The sicke Man O Lord GOD of gods O Father of euerlasting compassions whose blessed bowels did bleede vpon the crosse for to saue sinners pittie heere a fraile feeble creature yet tugging and wrestling in the Barras of this sinfull flesh Furnish mee with strength whereby I may surmount and vanquish all difficulties which are betweene my Soule and the place of its euerlasting rest I am weake forbeare mee Lord in thy great mercie Ioyne thy Grace with my griefâ—… O that I were with my Christ the Marke whereat I aime the Port whereto I saile the rest of my desires Let thy good Spirit O Lord assist mee Let thy fauour and grace bee my vade-mecum till I come to thy Glorie O who shall giue to my soule the wings of a Doue that it may flee out of the Douket of this bodie vp to its God O deare Sauiour set mee as a seale vpon thine heart Draw mee and wee shall runne after thee Holde mine heart aloft that it may onelie minde the things aboue The Pastour Lord heare thou in heauen and grant the sute of thy seruant I feare Sir that yee bee wearied with speaking As I perceiue yee force your selfe in your words aboue the reach of your strength Seeing yee trauell thus in paine of your speach spend the little space of life that resteth in holie meditations concerning the bloodie wounds of Christ your Sauiour The sicke Man Christ now is onelie my comfort I loue him with the best bowels of mine heart In the bowels of his mercie I reade by the eye of Faith most faire lines of his loue all written in great Capitall letters of an heauenlie impression Christ is to mee in stead of all for alreadie in my neede hee hath stood mee in more stead than all O in what a pitifull plight my sillie and forlorne Soule was once into Blâ—…ssed bee hee for euermore who in so great kindnesse hath shined vpon me with the blessed bright and vnspotted beames of his mercy O but my Soule panteth after him Oh how this heart of mine is euill to breake What a piece of clammie teugh clay is this that settereth so my Soule that by no meanes can it bee loosed from it that it may soare vp to its God from griefe to glorie O that I were with him with whom I shall not want the thing that I can wish Now Lord the time is come pull off mee the dull wiede of sinfull mortalitie and cloath my soule in white with the Robe of Christes righteousnesse that it may followe the Lambe O but I am wearied My Soule longeth to see the Face of my God The Pastour Waite vpon the Lords will when it is time hee will open the prison doore and let your Soule flie vp to your Glorie Thinke on Heauen still Mount vp your minde to your Maker who shall shortlie roofe with Glorie the graces which hee hath reared vp into your heart Let the hope of these thinges hearten you in the mudde and myre of this sinfull mortalitie The sicke man O Lord pittie this Soule which I haue defiled and defaced with scarlet transgressions and crimsin iniquities Thou hast begunne the good worke in me It is now neere to perfection Put to now the last hand and perfect the worke Rub out perfectlie with the Blood of thy Lambe the least staines which sticke in my Soule that while thou shalt look vpon mee thou may know mee to bee thy redeemed one by the stampe of thine owne Image O Lord fixe mine heart so into thine owne heart that nothing bee able to pull it out without pulling out thine owne It hath beene like a crooked twigge O writh it so nowe the right way that it may bee according to thine owne heart The Pastour Lord heare thou in Heauen and graunt the sute of thy Seruant Let nothing bee able to tickle tempt or trouble his Soule Be of good heart Sir the Battell is neare an end Fight out the good fight finish your course and keepe the Faith hence-foorth is laide vp for you a Crowne of righteousnesse which the LORD shall giue you at that day Make now full proofe of your courage which shall shortlie be couered with a Crown Hold out still in your holie exercise till your change come The sicke Man I wearie of this cottage of claye I am at a point with all that is vnder the Sunne I care not for this worlds fauour no more for its frowne But O but my Soule longeth to be with my Lord that I may see his face with fulnesse of joye O thou with whom nothing is impossible make the scales of mortalitie to fall from mine eyes that I may fee thee before euen as thou art My Soule longeth to be out of this myry lak of miserie for to dwell with thee into the Pallace of immortalitie O when shall I get ridde of these sinfull bonds O Sauiour of mankind giue eare vnto my sute Deliuere mee from this seeming life that I may die to liue the life of pleâ—…sures for euermore O drawe drawe out this Soule entombed into this bodie Before
thou separate them sâ—…ale surelie thy pardons within my Conscience and doe perfectlie away all my transgressions Guarde mee assist mee and harnesse my Soule against Sathan his last on-sette Let my Soule graspe with an holy greedinesse in the hand of Faith such spirituall comforts as thou O Lord makest to come from the boundlesse and bottomelesse fountaine of thy mercie toward all these whoÌ„ thouloueth Let my soule feele more and more sensiblie these mercies which fairelie oriently streame thorow the bloodie wounds of my blessed Sauiour Iesus the 〈◊〉 wash and bath my drooping Soule in the well of life Giue vnto it a drinke of the riuers of thy pleasures O Lord of loue shedde thy loue into mine heart thorow the bleeding bowels of my blessed Sauiour O blessed Redeemer of lost mankinde O Pelicane of pittie whose heart did euer melt with mâ—…rcifull compassions pittie my Soule in this painefull plight Mine heart strings are racked my bowels are rent the house of the Soule is falling downe nowe open the doore of thine euerlasting Tabernacles that my Soule may goe from Grace to Glorie Make the power of thy loue like a load stone for to draw mine heart after thee from the mudde of this mortalitie The Pastour Lord heare thou in heauen and fulfill the sute of thy Seruant burie all his sinnes and his sorrowes in the bottomelesse sea of thy mercie Entombe in the Tombe of Iesus where they may lye for euer without anie hope of a resurrection The sicke Man I waite for the Lord my Soule doeâ—…h waite in his word doe I hope My soule waiteth for the Lord more thaÌ„ they that watch for the morning I say More thaÌ„ they that watch for the morning My Soule is wearied of this earthlie Tabernacle O when shall I come and appeare before God O that I were at my wished home O nowe moue the poole of thy mercie and moue my Soule to runne into it The Pastour It is likly that within an houâ—…e God shall grant you your desire Could not you watch with mee but an houre said Christ to his Disciples Yee haue nowe but an houres absence from your God Yee haue but an houres voyage from the bodie to the sight of Gods face the place of your rest Fixe fast your eyes vpon the Crowne of immortalitie till your Soule be past from toilesome Time to Eternitie Yet a little while God shall retire you from the tyring trauels of this life Watch but an houre and your end shall bee peace The sicke Man The Lorde sende a good houre wherein I may lay downe the loade of this mortalitie Alas manie an houre haue I euill and idlie spent in pam pering this foggie flesh with the light and loose pleasures of this life O Spirite of Grace drawe neare vnto my Soule Make thy residence into this broken heart Correct cure and couer all the corruptions of my Nature Beginne and end crowne the worke with thy goodnes At last close in me thy graces with thy glorie O make mine eyes to see and mine armes to carrie and mine heart to bee filled with thy Saluation Conuoye vnto my Soule the warmest blood that euer heated the heart of Iesus Let that euer recking blood wherein is a Sauour of life vnto life Comfort and vp-holde my Soule in this last heauie houre Now Sir seeing the end draweth neare helpe mee to spend well this houre which in all appearance shall be my last I wish that all my thoghts and affections bee nowe so bended toward my God that they neither sway nor swerue from him by anie idle wandering of minde O Thou that art high and excellent who dwellest in the high and holie place Thogh thou be high thy promise is to dwell also with him that is of a contrite humble spirit According to thy promise reuiue the Spirit of the humble and giue life to him that is of a contrite heart O Lord according to thy wonted grace make mee in my last agonie to possesse my Soule in peace and patience Disapoint Satan in all his craftie fetches O couer this sillie Turtle vnder the mantle of thy mercie All other couerings are but light and slight like Spiders webbes which cannot endure the breath and blast of thy mouth The Pastour Lord hearken thou in heauen giue eare vnto the sute of thy Seâ—…uaÌ„t I perceiue indeede that now your words wearie you Lest yee faint I shall tak the speach vpon me If it be your will I shall let you heare a most diuine discourse taken from a godly preacher on his death-bed the words surely are weighty of great power If ye please I shal let you heare them while I speake them meditate yee and in your minde make them your owne wordes The sicke Man I intreate your Sir for to let mee heare them I shall follow you in mine heart as I can I finde that my tongue almost now faileth mee O God while I heare let the Spirit of grace take harbour into mine heart Set all mine affections on bensell that I may carefullie giue eare vnto thy comfortes the cordials of thy Gospel O cleare the sight of my minde dazeled with the mist of my corrupt affections The Pastour Lord heare thou in heauen and forgiue the sinnes of thy seruant After this manner Sir the man of God spake vpon his death-bedde I owe to God a death as his Son died for mee Euer since I was borne I haue beene sayling to this Hauen and gathering patience to comfort this houre therefore shall I bee one of these Guestes nowe that would not come to the banket when they were inuited What hurt is in going to Paradise I shall lose nothing but the sense of euill And anone I shall haue greater joyes than I feele paines For mine Head is in Heauen alreadie to assure mee that my Soule and bodie shall follow after O Death where is thy sting Why should I feare that which I wold not escape because my chiefest happines is behind I cannot haue it vnlesse I goe vnto it I wold goe through Hell to Heauen And therfore if I march but through death I suffer lesse than I would suffer for God My paines doe not dismay mee because I trauaile to bring foorth eternall life My sinnes doe not fright me because I haue Christ my Redeemer The Iudge doeth not astonish me because the Iudgâ—…s Sonne is mine Aduocat The Deuill doth not amaze mee because the Angels pitch about me The Graue doeth not grieue me because it was my Lords bedde Oh that Gods mercie to mee might moue others to loue him For the lesse I can expresse it the more it is The Prophets and the Apostles are my fore-runners Euery man is gone before mee or else hee will follow after mee If it please God to receiue mee into Heauen before them which haue serued him better I owe more thankfulnesse vnto
custome of God as we see to put his dearest Ones to the hardest proofe as wise Builders put the greatest timber and the heart of the Oake to the greatest stresse Manie thinke that Heauen standeth hard by their Bed-side and that a light Lord haue mercie will make the doore of Heauen to goe wide open to the wall no not Through man◅e tribulations we must enter into that Kingdome As Aprill showers goe before the May flowers so must our teares trickle before our Triumphs Wee must smert before we smile and grone before wee glorie All Christian Soules like Christ himselfe must enter by the port of paines vnto the palace of pleasures for euermore No co-reigning without a co-suffering O let vs consider what paines this godlie man hath suffered in this fierie tryall since this Battell beganne O with what difficulties hath hee swimmed thorow so many temptations If the righteous scarcelie bee saued where shall the vngodlie and the sinner appeare O sowre Apple of Adams pride many teeth hast thou set on edge The Sparrow by wandering the Swal low by flying may escape but where sin hath beene once there must also be sorrow before that the sinner can come to joye It is not so easie as manie men thinke to winne in at the doores of heauen as though one Gods-mercy were enough for to doe the turne Before that a man be able to winne in at the straite gate for to enter into his euerlasting rest hee must be buffeted with diuerse temptations and broken with sorrowes till his heart become contrit that is grund bruished small as if it were corne in a Querne There is none entrie into rest for man before that in great griefe hee hath pluckt out his right eye euen his dearest darling best bosome pleasure Hee that would lodge with God in eternitie muste heere lay holde on his Kingdome with an holie violence What wonder that he auen be hard to win seeing with all the infernall powers of darknesse legions of our owne corruptions combined oppose might maine the grouth of Gods graces in our Soules Manie foolishlie in the idle rowings of their braines content with a blush of zeale thinke that Heauen may bee winne with wishes and therefore in their life skippe wantonlie ouer the threatnings of the Law in hope that easilie at death they may catch at the promise of the Gospel But who had seene this holie man of GOD vpon the painefull racke of repentance would count all the perishing pleasures of sinne too deare bought pleasures Sinne at the beginning is like poyson in perfume pleasant at the first but not long after it worketh deadlie except that it be repelled with some stronger Antidote The way to heauen as wee see is not like the way to great ma◅ket Townes easilie discerned by the multitude of footesteppes Our good Friende is nowe in the verie panges of death A patient and Lambe like death is this His life is on his lippe This wearied Traueler is nowe neare the ende of his journey Seeing that the ende of a worke crowneth it let vs conceiue a Prayer whereby wee may lay his Soule into the bosome of his God who shall refresh him with euerlasting comforts O Lord by the vigour of thy Spirit giue wings to our groueling prayers A Prayer for the sicke Man approaching vnto Death O GOD of mercle and of mans Saluation who thinketh nothing too deare for a repēting soule were it to giue it a draught of the heart Blood of thy Sonne wee heere vpon the knees of our hearts humbled againe before the foote-stoole of the the Throne of thy Grace put vp to thee our most humble sute for this thy seruant who is nowe comming to thee His words now faile him but thou Lord wilt neuer faile him In stead of wordes let the crouding sobbes the Turtle finde roome into thine eares Heaue vp his heart to thy mercie seate with the requests of thy Spirit in sighs which cannot bee expressed O charitable Almes giuer open the hand of this Begger and thrust the money of thy mercie into it Seale fast vp in his heart the remission of all his sinnes in the blood of Iesus Burie all his transgressions in Christes Burial Establish thy free Spirit within him Take from him all dulnesse and deadnesse of spirit all secure and hardened thoughts all that may hinder him from comming vnto thee Continue his comfortes begunne Bee thou the ende and the ender of his worke Lorde disapoint Sathan who by his charmes and cunning traines hath gone about both by force fraud to catch this Soule of thy seruant Now Death is approaching To thee belongeth the issues of death Thou killest thou makest aliue thou bringest downe to the graue and againe thou raisest vp Now as euidentlie appeareth thou art for to remoue this thy seruant from the Land of the l◅uing and thy will must bee done Wee could haue wished the continuance of his Christian fellowship with the lengthening and enlarging of his dayes But most humblie wee submitte all our affections vnto thy good pleasure and will O Father of mercies in whose boundlesse bowels are moste pittifull compassions without anie passion shew thy selfe mercifull louing and kinde towardes this Soule which in the dayes of its fleshe hath beene with thee but a stranger and ◅ sojourner His Soule now is saying to thee with Iohn his two Disciples Rabbi Master where remaineth thou Answere it as thou answered them louinglie Come and see and after that tak it home to thine own house as Iohn tooke home thy Mother O deare Father of our Sauiour by Nature O our dearest Father by adoption bee fauourable to this thy seruant euen for that blood wherewith thou art passing lie pleased Forget and forgiue all his sinnes whatsoeuer Lay now thy louing Armes about him Claspe him hard to thy bosome and keepe him fast till hee be surelie and softlie placed into the heauens Now Lord thou hast begunne to loofe this Soule out of its prison Let earth goe to earth and his Spirit returne to thee that gaue it Place it into one of these heauenlie Mansions which thy Sonne is gone to prepare for these that are thine Strengthen him now at the last and highest point of his tryall O Great IEHOVAH who neuer hucketh to giue mercie to heart broken sinners let him finde more and more that thy bowels ouerflowing with mercie are readie to receiue him In the bottomelesse sea of thy mercie make his sinnes all to bee choaked and his Soule deliciouslie to be bathed with euerlasting comforts And because Sathan in his last assaults is most furious bee thou most powerfull in him by the vertue of thy Spirite Blunt so the edge of all his temptations that they bee not able any more to wound his Spirit Let thy secret loue bee vnto his Soule lik a Secret or jack in this bloodie battell
will God bring with him For this wee say v◅to you by the word of the Lord that wee which are aliue and remaine vnto the comming of the Lord shall not preuent them which are asleepe For the Lord himselfe shall d◅scend from heauen with a shout with the voyce of the Arch Angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then wee which are aliue and remaine shall bee caught vp together with them in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the Aire And so shall wee bee euer with the Lord. VVherefore comfort one another with these words Consider well and weigh these words which that great Pen-man of God hath set downe with a precept that with them wee should comfort one another while wee are in doole for the dead Finallie this M. yee must know that all earthlie sorrowes were they neuer so sharpe will at last growe blunt and will bee meekened and skinned ouer by time Nowe that which Time can doe to a Pagane let Grace doe it to a Christian. I intreate the Lord of all Grace and kindnesse to cast downe his compassionate eye vpon your afflicted grieued case that your mourning beeing tempered with mercie ye may in your greatest griefe rejoyce in your God Amen A compendious Epitaphe fit for a godlie Man deceased To long Eternitie from toylesome Time His Soule is past his Body sleepes in Slime A COMFORT for the fatherlesse MY deare heartes bee not dismayed in this grieuous affliction But take it in patience seeing it is from the Lord who maketh all thinges to worke to the best of th◅se that loue him As Father Iob said while hee was made Childlesse so muste yee say while yee are made fatherlesse The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken away and blessed bee the Name of the Lord. If yee can blesse him for the remouing of his blessinges hee shall double his blessinges vpon you and shall make them to meete you at euerie turne The fatherlesse Children of the faithfull whether their Fathers haue beene poore or rich haue a rich Legacie left vnto them ◅or to them belong that promise of shewing mercie vnto thousands Such as bee blessed of him saith the Psalmist mist shall inherite the earth In another place hee saith The generation of the righteous shall bee blessed Wee knowe nothing on Earth more tender than a mother toward the fruit of her wombe This made the Lord to say Cā a mother forget her sucking Childe that she should not haue compassion of the fruite of her nombe But what answered the Lord to that question Yea said hee they ◅ay forget yet will I not forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of mine hands This was Dauids greatest comfort that though his Father and his Mother should for sake him yet the Lord would take him vp If yee would heare of sensible Experience My flesh said hee and mine hearte faileth But God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer Thus as yee see Father and Mother Sister and Brother flesh and Friendes Heart Health and Wealth and all will faile vs but our God is onelie and euer fast hee is the strength of our heart and our portion for euer Seeing it is so let your hearts relye vpon your God alone What euer your distresses bee as Abraham said to his Sonne The Lord will prouide Will yee heare Experience I haue bene yong said Dauid and now am old yet haue I not seene the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging their bread Though the children of the godlie bee but Children of poore fathers yet heere is their comfort their godlie fathers before they die treasure vp for them many prayers in Heauen and leaue vnto them the rich Legacie of Gods fauour Yee knowe certainlie that your Father was one that feared the LORD from his heart whereof to all our comforts hee hath giuen a good proofe And ther◅fore yee may boldlie by the hand of faith laye holde on the promises of God which belong to all the faithfull and to their Children vnto many generations Ye may know by the writen word howe God feedeth the Rauens and clotheth the Lillies Though they neither toile nor spinne and though they neither sowe nor reape and though they neither haue store-house nor Barne yet are they sufficiently prouided How much more are ye better than Fowles or flowers Christs precept is of profitable practise Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse therof and all other things shall bee cast vnto you Pray the Lord not coldlie and careleslie but most earnestlie that hee would cleanse scoure your hearts from all these worldlie cares of what yee shall eate and vvhat ye shall drink and vvhat yee shall put on Learne in time to cast your burden vpon the Lord who desireth you so to doe and that with a promise that hee shall sustaine you A little with Gods blessing is enough It is like that Widowes handfull of meale and little oyle which failed not The vessels of Gods grace are like that other VVidowes pot of oyle which yeelded out oyle continuallie so long as there were vessels to receiue If yee bee earnest with God in prayer hee will not repell your prayers with a deafe eare The Lord himselfe hath taken vpon him to bee your Iudge and defender If anie goe about for to molest you by a violent boisterous course he will certainelie bee their bane like dung hee sh◅ll swee◅e them away from the face of the Earth Seeing then yee haue such faire promises of GOD made both to your faithfull Father and to you also in the day of your Baptisme beware by a lewde life to forfeite such Bandes and Obligations Beware to followe the euill examples of this Worlde in following the droue which either by secret hypocrisie or publicke prophaning biddeth Battells to all the Preceptes of Gods Lawe Sharpe is that sauce which commeth after the sweet◅st worldlie pleasures Let them bee as pleasant as yee please there is an Hooke in the Bate The most part of this world is but a rabble of Reprobates an hoste of damned sinners rushing vpon their owne destruction Their cleanest Garments are spotted with the flesh They are more clammie than pitch None can touch them and not bee defiled Bee euer earnest to doe well Though ye come faire short of that you should and also would doe yet bee not discouraged Gods strength at last shall bee made perfect in your weaknesse It cannot bee auoided but manie will trouble you by fraud by cusenage and by other diuerse afflictions Though such things bee tedious to the flesh and goe against the streame of your affections yet in the latter end all shall worke both to your well contentment Let not sorrow ouerwhelme your hearts Mourne not as these that haue none hope