in spirituall strength the better to encounter all sad and sharpe occurrents which either in doing or in suffering the will of God he might meet withall This hee knew was the speciall meanes prescribed by God himselfe unto Joshua Josh 1.78 The necessity and excellency of Mâ—ditation that hee might make his way prosperous and have good successe namely to meditate in the word of God day and night and not to turne aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left This hee knew was the mark and character of a blessed man Psal 1.2 Da mihi magistrum Gen. 24.63 to delight in the law of the Lord an in that law to meditate day and night And therefore for the better practice of this holy duty he did usually carry about him some part of the Bible Means and helpes which hee used or his Sermon Note booke if he went abroad into the field to meditate as Isaac did in the evening or were upon a journey as the Eunuch was when he was reading and meditating in his chariot on the prophecy of Isaiah concerning Christ Jesus Acts 8.28 Or if he were within doores he gave himselfe much to the reading of the Word and to make collections of promises Reading of the word precepts comforts prohibitions mercies judgements marks of Gods children brands of wicked men and many other good things as he found them in the way And these he made the matter or ground of his meditation and the means to inlarge himself in this exercise And of godly mens writings His Cammon-place book To which end also he did very diligently reade and peruse the workes of divers learned and godly men and drew unto certaine heads and Common-places what he thought most worthy observation and of best use in them Amongst the rest hee was much delighted and refreshed with D. Hals Contemplations and Meditations M. Greenhams workes M. Rogers his Seven Treatises which for his better helpe and greater comfort he had abridged and drawn into an Epitome almost all untill he was informed that another godly man a worthy Divine had already done it to his hand M. Baine His following of the rules of direction Afterwards when M. Egertons practice of Christianity containing the summe and substance of that booke came forth he addressed himself to make his best use of that part of it touching the art and exercise of this divine Meditation wherein he profitted so well that he was very able according to those places and rules of direction to enlarge his meditations upon any subject that did usually fall within his reach and compasse So that now hee might say after a sort with holy David Psal 119.97.54 O how love I thy law O Lord It is my meditation all the day I have made thy statutes my song and my meditation in the dayes of my pilgrimage The gaine of godlines 1 Tim. 6.6 The gain which he got by this exercise of holy meditation was an increase of godlines and godlinesse we know is great gaine having all sufficiency in it self for true comfort and contentment The fruits which he reaped of this his planting Many benefits and fruits of it and watering were very gracious and precious As 1. the killing or quelling of many noysome lusts 1 Killing of lusts which like caterpillars or cancker-worms are wont to breed in the best trees 2. The dislodging and driving out many unsavoury and worldly cares and thought 2 Driving out evill thoughts which bring nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit with them 3. This bred in him a godly watchfulnes over his words 3. Watchfulnesse and works heart and life 4. It wrought in him a gracious aptnesse 4. Aptnesse to good duties and chearefulnesse unto all good duties wherin he might be either serviceable unto God or profitable unto men 5. It ministered unto him counsell and strength for the spirituall war 5 Counsel strength that he might stand fast in the evill day against all his and Gods enemies 6. It brought him to a heaven upon earth 6 Conversation in heaven teaching him so to have his conversation in heaven that he might go about earthly affaires with a heavenly mind as he saw hee had calling thereunto 7. It kept his heart in possession of his integrity and sincerity 7 Possesing of his integrity ever calling upon him to keep faith and a good conscience alwayes and in all things 8. It wrought his soul to a gracious tendernes lowlines and meeknes 8 Sensiblenesse of sins and sorrowes to be very sensible of other mens sins and sorrows as wel as of his own 9. It was unto him as a sweet perfume composed of many delicate and costly spices 9 A perfume to all his actions which made all his thoughts words and works more sweet and savoury so that where ever he came he left no ill sent but a sweet savour of his graces and vertues behind him 10. And lastly 10 A preservative against secret and open sins this exercise of meditation was unto him a soveraign preservative not only against secret and open lesser and grosser sins but against all the inticements and allurements of the pleasures and profits honors and favors of this present evil world so that he was neither intangled in them nor inveagled by them O how great is the difference betwixt this Gent Great difference and many others of his rancke and of greater and meaner estate also I which professing themselves to be Christians Many enemies to it Psal 2.1.2 Psal 36.4 Zac 8.17 Ge. 27.41 1 Sam. 18.1.23.25 2 Sam. 17.23 2 Sam. 16.3 Ps 52.1 2 Ioh. 13.2 Acts 5.1 2 3. Many of the better sort fail in it are yet either enemies or strangers to this Christian duty required at their hands Some there be so empty of grace and goodnesse and so full of malice lust pride covetousnes and voluptuousnes that they cannot fix their minds nor settle their hearts upon any good thing to any good end but if they meditate it is but upon vaine or vile things devising mischief upon their beds and imagiving evill in their hearts against their brethren Such were Esau Saul Achitophel Ziba Doeg Indas Ananias and Saphira all of which had their musings and meditations their severall imaginations and consultations but never a good man nor any good matter of meditation amongst them all Some other there are of better minds and hearts who yet for want of good acquaintance with this holy and heavenly exercise of meditation for the nature and manner helps and meanes end and use of it have little experience of the benefit which comes by it and so deprive themselvs of many sweet comforts and refreshings which otherwise they migh enjoy by the practise of it Who is wise and he shall understand these things Hos 14 9. prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are
Images which heâ— found dangerous and offencive in any quarte or corner of it An attempt and act thaâ— will be subject to the censure of the Patrons of popery and many other popish and prophane persons as a matter of grosse impiety and sacriledgâ— to deale so rudely and contumeliously with the images of God of Christ and of his Saints So did Pope Gregory the third excommunieate the Emperour Leo and stamped the name of Iconâ—clast as a brand of heresie in his forehead 〈◊〉 breaking downe of Images in the churches So did Bellarmine censure the Germane Protestants as irreligious and prophane because in their reformation they spared not their Idols and their Images These men no doubt would have cast one stone of rebuke at Christ himselfe if they had seene him drive with whips the buyers and sellers out of the Temple and throwne another at Paul for speaking against the Images of Jupiter and silver Shrines of Diana at Ephesus and for preaching against the Altar dedicated to the unknown God which he saw at Athens had they beene amongst those persons and in those places Now shall we intreat these hypocrites Iustified by themselves against themselvs to turne their eyes into their owne bosomes and view the records of their owne stories and then let them tell us whether their beame be not much bigger than our mote in this kinde of disgracing or defacing images and some other things which they account ornaments of their Churches What if these Catholikes as they desire and delight to be called have cast with violence the reliques of their Saints Nicu. Coni. lib. de Isaac fil Alexio into filthy and base places what if they have throwne the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ with great indignation sometimes unto the ground and sometimes into the fire what if they have prophaned their holy Vessels Altars Temples what if they have used their sacred images for seates and footstooles Their own Writers will assure them that in the taking of Constantinople Antonin Histor. part 3. tit 19. cap. 2.9 3. they were guitly of such and so great sacriledge that they spared neither the treasures of the Churches nor the Silver Tables about their Altars Sed violatis sacrariis cruces iconas reliqua Ecclesiarum ornamenta rapiebant but prophaning all the holy places and holy things they spoiled their Crosses and Curcifixes their Images and other ornaments of their Churches whatsoever Let them reade and consider Ouuph in vit Clem. 7. Guiciard Hist lib. 7. what violence and indignity Cardinall Columna offered in the taking of Rome under Clement the seventh unto the Palace of the Vaticane and Saint Peters Church when he spoiled them of all their treasure and rich furniture and all the Ornaments of the Church besides Now therefore yee Hypocrites either take the beam out of your own eye or cease to find fault with this mote in your brothers eye any longer If ye be obstinate in this errour of Image worship and call upon our Church windowes for your Church witnesses Testes fenestrae Rat. 10. Aug. de Consensu evang l. 1. cap. 10. as your Father Jesuite Campion hath done we will then answer you with Austin Sic errare meruerunt qui Christum Apostolos ejus quaesiverunt non in sanctis codicibus sedin pictis parietibus They have well deserved so to erre who have sought for Christ and his Apostles not in the holy Booke of God but in painted wales and windowes as you for your parts Aug. ibid. both doe and have done Nec mirum si a pingentibus fingentes decepts sunt And no marvaile if such fainers and forgers as you are bee deceived with such painters and pictures as these be And as for this Gentleman of whom we speak it shall be sufficient for him and us that in this his affection and action hee commeth so neare to that commendation which Ambrose gave unto Theodosius Theodosius abscondit simulacra Gentium omnes enim cultus idolorum fides ejus abscondit Ambrose Orat in mort Theo. omnes eorum ceremonias obliteravit Theodosius did obscure and disgrace all the images of the Gentiles for his faith did darken all the worship of Idols and obliterate all their ceremonies CHAP. XXVII 2 In establishing Gods true Word and worship NOw as it was the just and due praise of these worthies of the Lord according to the nature of true zeale not onely to demolish and deface all instruments or ornaments of idols and false worship but to build up and beautifie the house of God in procuring and providing all good means for his due and true service so may it be and that justly an addition to this Gentlemans former praise that his heart was so enlarged towards God for his glory and Gods people for their good that it was not only his care and conscience to abolish all occasions and provocations unto idolatry and false worship but the very joy of his soule to bring in such godly and able Ministers amongst them as he could provide almost every Lords day into the publike Assembly Such as did feed the people like faithfull Pastors with knowledge and understanding Such as did sowe and plant as Gods husbandmen the seeds and roots of grace and truth amongst them Such as were Ambassadors of peace both preaching unto them the glad tydings of the Gospell by the word of reconciliation and beseeching them also in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God and Heralds at armes also By procuring godly Ministers to preach to lift up their voices as a trumpet to tell the house of Israel their transgression and the house of Iudah their finnes and to denounce Gods righteous judgements due unto the same And all this he did of his own cost and labour and that with a cheerfull and upright heart honouring the Lord with his substance and giving meanes and maintenance to such as were the Lords labourers in the Lords harvest Of his own cost and charg All which his care cost and labour although it was much slighted by many little regarded by the vulgar sort much opposed by the popish and profane and too much undervalued by all yet was hee never daunted nor discouraged in his course nor weary of well doing Little regarded neither Rheum the Chancellor nor Shimshai the Scribe by their letters nor Samballat and Tobiah by their mocks threats and slanders Yet he not discouraged because the word of God prospered could ever divert him from his way or cause the worke of God to cease in his hand So the Word of God grew mightily and prevailed and to use his own words so religion began to enter mangre the divell and his partakers for I was much opposed c. In this passage I much desire to commend unto every Christian especially to Gentlemen of good rancke and place to whom the Lord hath given a large portion in the blessings of
and hardnes of the other I thinke no man may justly put them far asunder if he ever knew how well they did herein agree together Tuis oculis durities de genibus camelorum in illo Sancto Asellae corpuseulo prae orandi frequentia obcalluisse perspecta est Hieron ad Marcellum de laudibus Asellae The matter of his private prayers Now in these his private devotions his desires and endeavours were principally bent to search his heart and to examine his life to confesse and bewayle his speciall sins and infirmities craving pardon for them and power against them And as he found any thing to bee amisse in his Family by any transgression or affliction hee brought it in prayer before the Lord to procure some help and healing of the same from his hand Here also did he mourne for the sins of Sion Sins of Sion Ezek. 9.4 and take to heart the afflictions of Ioseph and desolations of Ierusalem Here did he bemone and bewayle the common and grosse sins of the Time Sins of the Time Psa 119.136 and afflict his heart for the barrennesse or backsliding of many professors of Religion for their embracing of the world and forsaking of their first love Praise and Thanksgiving Here did he also rejoyce in the Lord and praise his holy Name for earthly and heavenly blessings bestowed upon him and sometimes for great deliverances which hee had wrought for him And thus did he converse with his God in this third Duty of Prayer and Prayse in the Invocation of Gods Name every day CHAP. XLIX NOw followeth the fourth which was his holy Imitation of his heavenly Father every day And this hee endevoured by conforming himselfe unto his Image in expressing the Properties Vertues Affections and Actions of him that had begot him and called him to be conformable to the Image of his Son Christ Iesus To this end hee dayly laboured to be more and more renewed in the spirit of his mind in knowledge righteousnesse Eph 4.24 Col. 3.10 and holinesse of Truth according to the Image of him that created him And this hee knew was the Duty of all Gods obedient Children to bee holy as hee is Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1.14 15 16. Lev. 11. 44. because it is written Bee yee Holy for I am Holy This hee knew also was charged upon us Mat. 5.45 46 by our Saviour Christ Iesus that in all our Affections and Actions we should behave our selves like the children of our Heavenly Father and labour to resemble him in doing good unto all hurt unto none Amicos diligere omnium est inimicos autem solorum Christianorum Tertull lib. ad Scapull Cap. 2. yea in doing good unto the bad as as well as to the good and to our enemies as well as to our friends Mat. 5.48 Luke 6.36 Rom. 2.4 striving to be perfect as he is perfect mercifull as hee is mercifull righteous as hee is righteous wise as he is wise patient as he is patient faithfull as he is faithfull and endeavouring to hate iniquity which he hateth to love righteousnesse which he loveth to delight in the Saints in whom he delighteth and to hate the wicked Psalm 5 5 Heb. 1.9 2 Cor. 3. last whom his soule abhorreth After this manner did this gratious Gentle set the Lord alwayes before his eyes and following this blessed patterne and example of his Heavenly Father with all godly care and good Conscience and so with open face as in a Glasse the glory of the Lord he was translated into his Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. And thus have we declared unto you the first of those three generall heads proposed for the further opening and manifesting of the vertues of his life viz. his holy conversing with God which consisted in his Meditation Observation of Gods Mercies and Iudgements Invocation of his Name in Prayer and Praise and Imitation of his blessed example in his Properties and Affections Words and Works CHAP. L. NOw we come to the second which is his conversation in the world 2 His conversation in the world Cic. Tusc Quaest. lib. 5. in fol. p. 166. When Socrates was demanded what countreyman he was he answered that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a citizen of the world and so he might well knowing no other world but this present evill world But this Gentleman although by his naturall birth and condition of the same city and society with Socrates yet by his new birth and regeneration being called out of the world Ioh. 15.19 1 Ioh. 5.4 and having by his faith overcome the world though he were in the world yet was he not of the world and though he were amongst the children of the world a froward and a crooked generation Luk. 16.8 Eph. 2.19 yet was he even then a citizen of the holy city and of the houshold of God and a sonne of the heavenly Ierusalem which is the mother of us all And so being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 2.19 .i. his conversation in heaven even while he was in earth Phil. 3.20 So that of all that ever we knew in these parts he might have taken up the words of the Apostle with best warrant and most comfort Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world For such indeed was the course of his life that he did desire nothing more than to walk worthy God 1 Thes 2.10 11 12. endeavouring to expresse the very power of godlinesse in the fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse to the praise of his glorious grace Phil. 1.9 10 11. Phil. 2.15 16. And that he might so hold forth the word of life in his lampe and lanterne that he might both shine as a light in himselfe and be a light unto others also in this present world Now for the better clearing and manifesting of this point we will set downe certaine rules of direction which he much desired to follow partly as preparatives for a godly conversation in the world and partly as preservatives against the contagion and corruptions of the same 1 As first Resolution against the world God presence A holy resolution so to use the world as neither abusing it nor being abused by it but to keep himselfe unspotted from it 2 The second A full purpose of heart to keepe his heart alwayes in Gods presence knowing and beleeving that he heareth all his words and beholdeth all his works 3 The third Striving against sin A constant and conscionable standing and striving against all manner of sinne especially the sinnes of the time and the common corruptions that are in the world through lust 4 The fourth Desire to doe good A godly desire in
charme he never so wisely Thus have we made it manifest that this gracious and Godly Gentleman was in his holy conversation full of mercy and full of good fruits All of which do taste and relish so much the better because they were seasoned with two other gracious qualities of that wisedome which is from above namely Equity and Syncerity for hee was without partiality and without hypocrisie According to that of the Prophet Micha He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justlie and to love mercy and to walk humbly and uprightly with thy God And thus have we according to our purpose and promise taken a more speciall view of some parts and passages of this Gentlemans life wherein the gifts of Gods grace the vertues of Christ and the fruits of the Spirit did more eminently appear As first in his conversing with God and secondly in his conversation in the world And so wee come from the course of his life in the world and draw towards the end of his life namely his departure out of the world which was the third and last of those 3. generall heads which were proposed to be handled CHAP. LX. COncerning his departure out of this world 3. General Head His departure out of the world 1. Prepar 2. His Resol 3 His confidence 4. His const Psa 90.12 we propole divers things to be considered and observed First his preparation for it Secondly his patient resolution to Beare all the sharpe occurrents of it Thirdly his gracious confidence of a blessed and happy exchange after it Fourthly his happy constancy in the faith of Christ unto the end and in the end untill hee was put in possession of it and so obtained the end of his faith the salvation of his lonle in Christ Jesus Now for the first as his whole life was a meditation of death so was it also a continuall preparation for it For the Lord had taught him so to number his dayes that he did apply his heart unto wisdome I say both to be wise unto salvation and so wise also as to consider Wisedom Deut. 32.29 Iob. 14.14 and often think too upon his latter end So that all the dayes of his appointed time he did wait as Iob did till his change should come Al his studies and labours all his holy duties and services all his prayers and tears all his watchings and fastings all his desires and endeavors were especially bent and directed unto this end next unto Gods glory that he might so run that he might obtaine and so fight His preparation for death that he might overcome and in the end be more than a conquerour in him that loved him that is in Christ Jesus It was therefore his care and confidence ever so to live that he might never be affraid to dye yea so to live that he might desire to dye and to bee with Christ which is best of all even where he is and as he is for over Phil 1.23 Paulm in vita Amb. Possidon in vita Aug. As Paulinus hath recorded of Ambrose that being ready to dye he uttered these comfortable words unto his friends about him Non sic vivi ut pude no me inter vos vivere nec mori timeo quiu bonum habemus Dominum I have not so lived that I am ashamed to live amongst you neither am I affraid to dye because we have a good Lord. His more especiall preparation for his latter end His more speciall preparation in ten speciall duties consisted in these holy duties and heavenly exercises 1. To deny himself his wit his will his reason and affection 2. To renounee the world and to we are himselfe from the love of it and from all the pleasures profits honours and favours of the fame 3. To set and settle his affections on the things which are above placing his heart where his head Christ is 4. To take all his decayes of nature his bodily infirmities want of vigour and strength abatement of naturall heate and moisture to be certeyne Impressions of his mortality and evident Summons to a dissolution 5. To make all his spirituall rejoycings and refreshings in the estate of grace to bee pledges and earnests as it were of heavenly and everlasting joy and happinesse in the estate of glory 6. To consider that unto the godly death is but a passage unto life a dissolution of soule and body for a season which afterwards shall bee restored again in greater beauty and glory at the resurrection 7. To observe that death puts an end to all sins and sorrows to all temptations and afflictions and brings us into the possession of an heavenly inheritance where the true treasure is in abundance where also there are rivers of pleasures and fulnesse of joy for ever more 8. To meditate that here we are but strangers and pilgrims having here no continuing city but seeking one to come that heaven is our home and that whiles we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord and that Ierusalem which is above is the city of the Saints and mother of us all 9. To conferre and talke with his godly friends of the day of death and time of his departure out of this world even in the middest of all other comforts as Christ himself did with Moses and Elias in the holy Mount of his departure that is of his death at Ierusalem and as Austin had much holy and heavenly communication with his mother Monica Aug Cons l. 9. t. 10. and shee with him to the like purpose 10. Lastly to watch and pray with oyle in our Lamps and our lights burning taking every day for our last day Mat. 25.4 2 Tim. 2.21 Mat. 25.23 and so bee ready and prepared for our Masters worke for our Masters comming and for our owne reckoning Thus much of the means which he used and duties which he performed to prepare himself for his departure out of this world Now for his patient resolution to beare all the sharp occurrents of it As hee had obtained mercy of the Lord to bee faithfull in doing his will So had he also to be patient and resolute in suffering and abiding his good pleasure both in life and death To which end the Lord had given him a great measure of spirituall strength Phil. 4.13 Eph. 6.13 that he was able to doe in a manner all things in Christ which strengthened him and hee had furnished him also with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole armour of God whereby he might be able to stand fast in the evill day whether of tentation or affliction against all adverse power that might assaile him We read of that faithfull servant of Christ Chrysostome when hee was grievously persecuted by Eudoxia the Empresse that the Lord did give him such courage and resolution that he feared nothing which she could doe unto him though shee did threaten never
so much against him Si vult Regina me exulem agat in exilium Domini est terra plenitudo ejust si vult secare secet Chrys Ep. Cyriace Epise Tom. 5. idem passus est Isairs si vult in pelagus mittere Ionoe recordabor c. If the Queene will have me banished let her banish me the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof If she will cut me in peeces let her doe so The Prophet Isaiah suffered the same death If she will cast me into the sea I will then remember Jonah if she will throw me into a burning fornace the three children suffered as much before me Such like courage and resolution had this Gentleman against his naturall afflictions as Chrysostome had against violent persecution So that now he was able with valiant David to goe forth in the name of the Lord even against Goliah of the Philistims And grew resolute with Paul not to reckon his life deare unto him whatsoever afflictions might befall him so that he might fulfill his course with joy Act. 20.24 Ro. 8.18 Accounting all the afflictions of this world to be unworthy of the glory that shall be revealed and never fainting for any sorrow because although the outward man did perish and decay yet was his inward man renewed daily 2 Cor. 4.16.17 and all the afflictions of this life were but light and momentany to him that had an eye to the eternall vveight of glory laid up in heaven for him CHAP. LXI IT was observed by many of his friends His graces much increased in his old age both at home and abroad that in his declining dayes when he faw he was drawing on towards his journeyes end his faith was exceedingly increased his hope and rejoycing in God much enlarged his love and zeale wonderfully inflamed his affections towards God and the godly Theodosius senior aetate sed valìdius fide Amb. de Obit Theod. more holy and heavenly and his motions towards heaven more quicke and lively Much like the Elements and other such naturall bodies which the nearer they draw to their proper places are ever more violent and speedy in their motions till they come unto them So was it with this Gentleman for his spirituall estate the nearer he drew to wards his proper place his mansion house 2 Cor. 5. 1 Ioh 14. 2. Phil 3.13 Act. 20.24 Heb. 12.1 prepared for him in the heavens the more eager his desires were and his motions more vehement to dispatch his journey with all good speed to finish his course with joy and to runne out the race with patience vvhich vvas set before him Those that hee planted in the house of the Lord Psal 92.14.15 shall flourish in the courts of our God They shall bring forth fruit in old age and they shall bee fat and flourishing His laft dayes his best days Their last dayes shall bee their best dayes and their last vvorkes their best vvorkes and their fruit shall bee more and better at the last than at the first Isay 61.3 Such a tree of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord vvas this godly Gentleman whose fruit did not faile whose leafe did not fade no not in the winter of his age Psal 1. Ier. 17.8 Psa 92.13 14. Phil. 3.13 but did ever flourish in the courts of our God He was of Saint Pauls resolution forgetting those things which were behinde and reaching forth unto those things which are before he pressed towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus His Resolution and courage against all assaults And casting out as it were his gantlet of defiance against all the most sharpe and dangerous assaults that might encounter him and be made against him he challengeth them all as Paul did Who shall separate me from the love of Christ Shall tribulation on distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword Shall sicknesse or sorrowes feares or terrors pains or aches fores or swellings miseries of life or pangs of death so prevaile against me Nay in all these things I shall be more than a conquerour through him that loveth me And so from Pauls resolution he grew unto Pauls perswasion J am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. His hope and expectation Phil. 1.20 21. And from this perswasion to an earnest hope and expectation That in nothing hee should bee ashamed but that with all boldnesse as alwayes so now also Christ should bee magnified in his body whether it bee by life or by death For to him to live was Christ and to die was gaine Being now thus setled and resolved in patience and confidence to beare all afflictions and indure all grievances which might be either as fore-runners or attendants on his departure and dissolution It seemed good unto the Lord to visit him with sicknesse and that after this manner as his faithfull yoke-fellow hath reported and fent me in writing from her owne hand Her words be these CHAP. LXII His first sicknesse and visitation I Call to mind some words which he spake unto me alone at that time when it pleased the Lord to visit him which was upon the day after the Sabbath That morning he arose exceeding early and having beene in private prayer with God as his usuall manner was he performed afterwards this duty in the whole family This being done he went as he was accustomed into his Studie untill dinner time And having dined he went into his Study again And then it pleased God about an houre or two after to visit him as it were with an Ague after the manner of a shaking and so withdrawing himselfe thence into his little parlour he laid him down upon his bed Then said I unto him Sir I feare your early rising hath done you hurt Then he replied If you had seene wife such glorious things as I saw this morning being in private prayer with God â—ide Posâ—d de vita Aug. c. 27. you would not have said so For they were so wonderfull and unspeakable that whether I was in the body or out of the body with Paul I cannot tell Thus it hath pleased the Lord least I should be too much exalted by this glorious sight to give mee with Paul a buffet in the flesh All which things he spake with exceeding great joy unto me Non probo quod â—esero vix fas est credere visis Saepe Satan tali in lumine lucc nocet The like report of the like ravishing in spirit and such glorious sights which he saw not long before he himselfe made unto some of his friends after he had beene one day in private prayer with God in his grove The particulars
he would not confesse but onely told them in generall with great tendernesse of heart 2 Cor. 11 14. and many teares in his eyes teares of joy and teares of sorrow Pati timetis exire non vultis quid facium vobis Possid de vita Aug. c. 37. For now he had a strong perswasion that he should not live long and that within a while he should make a glorious change of this life with a better of earth for heaven of this world for another and of an estate of misery for an estate of glory And hereunto hee did very carefully addresse himselfe 3. Head His confidence of a happy exchange labouring for a gracious confidence of this blessed and happy exchange whensoever he should come unto it And this hee did by clearing his evidence and confirming his assurance of it His evidence he cleared by informing his judgment aright in the all-sufficiency and perpetuity of that blessed estate His evidence of it His assurance he confirmed by such faithfull records covenants grants gifts pledges earnests witnesses signes oaths seales His assurance for it fruits and marks of his interest unto that estate that neither sinne nor Satan law nor conscience death nor hell could infringe it nor finde any flaw therein to give either them any just occasion to except against it or him any cause once to doubt of it This his confidence was his comfort in all his sicknesse His confidence cause of his comfort which drew many comfortable and heavenly speeches from him Such as these and the like O how great is thy goodnes O Lord which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sonnes of men O how precious are thy thoughts unto me Psal 31.19 O God! O how great is the summe of them Psal 139.17 18. If I should count them they are moe in number than the sand when I awake I am ever with thee I trusted in the Lord Psal 31. I said thou art my god My times are in thy hand I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand Thou shalt guide me with thy counsell Psal 31.23 24 25 26 and afterwards receive me to glory Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against that day Psal 31. O love the Lord all yee his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithfull and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God for the living god O when shall I come and appeare before God O let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth Cant. 1.1 2. for thy love is better than wine Because of the savour of thy good ointment Thy name is as an oyntment powred forth therefore do the virgins love thee Draw me and I will run after thee God is not unrighteous Heb. 6.10 to forget our worke and labour of love which we have shewed unto his name Faithfull is he that promiseth and calleth us 1 Thes 5.24 Neh. 5.15 and 13. v. 14.22 who will also do it Remember me O my God for good according to all that I have done for thy people and wipe not out my kindnesse that I have done for the house of my God for the Offices thereof Remember me O my God and spare me according to the greatnes of thy mercy Some of these holy and heavenly Speeches hee uttered at his first awaking in the morning some in Prayer with his Family some in his short Ejaculations some as the issue of his secret and silent Meditations some in conference and speech with such of his Christian friends as did come to visit him and to minister either other counsell or comfort unto him Yea and many hundred more than these which would be a matter of great difficulty if not of impossibility to call to mind and to record them His heart was as a fountaine full of the waters of life Iohn 4.141 full of the heavenly knowledge of the holy Scriptures and now being as it were broken open by affliction the riverets of grace and truth did issue out amayne He was full of matter like Elihu Iob 32. â—9 and the Spirit within him did constraine him Behold his belly was as new wine which hath no vent It is ready to burst like new bottles Psa 45.15 His heart was ever inditing some good matter and his tongue became the pen of a ready writer CHAP. LXIII His diligence and conscience in frequenting Gods house NOw although his bodily infirmities did increase and grow upon him yet would he not by any meanes bee kept from the house of God on the Lords day so long as either he could go or ride which was some eight or nine weekes before his death and departure out of this world His house was distant about a myle from the Church His cheerfull going to Church the way faire and large so that hee usually went afoot calling all his family about him leaving neither Cooke nor Butler behinde him nor any of his servants but two or three to make the doores and tend the house untill their returne Psal 122. 1 2. And then taking his Tenants and neighbours as they lay in the way along with him hee marched on with a joyfull and cheerefull heart as a leaden of the Lords host towards the house of God according to that of the Psalmist Psal 42.3 I went with the multitude to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with a multitude that kept Holy-day And so it was indeed his ordinary manner to call his company neare about him Singing of Psalms by the way and to joyne together with one heart and voice to sing Psalmes as they went along and that Psalme especially How pleasant is thy dwelling place Psal 84. which they performed with such a melodious harmony that the like may be said of them as was of the Jewes God made them to rejoyce with great joy the wives also and the children rejoyced so that the joy of Ierusalem was heard even afarre off Neh. 12.43 For although I cannot say as Augustine did that by such sweet singing of Psalmes divers were converted to the faith of Christ that were strangers to it Yet am I well assured by that which I have heard that many that heard but afarre off Some much delighted and some much bettered by this melody the pleasant sound onely of their delicate and sweet voices according so well together in Gods praises were much refreshed and delighted therewit hall and