by it when the meanest scullion oâ— his kitchin and the poorest cripple at his gates were therby made their Lords Kinsmen being all Adams children as well as himselfe And what pitch of honour had he gotten from that common ancestor of al mankind but what we all his posterity by wofull experience finde to bee pitch indeed the guilt and infection of sin and the fruit of it death Objects proper for shame sorrow and humiliation no way for honour or vain-glory Adam himselfe being made but of red earth and he and his posterity to returne to earth againe O most blessed Lord God blessed and magnified be thy most holy and glorious name who after many generations hast raised up a mighty salvation for us in the Lord Iesus the second Adam sonne of thy servant David according to the flesh as thou didest speake by the mouth of all thy holy Prophets which have beene since the world began by whom we have redemption and deliverance from the guilt and punishment â—f the first Adams rebellion and from all the power and malice of that old wily serpent who overthrew him in the terrestriall paradise and are by the blessed promised seed of the woman the Lord our righteousnesse God manifested in the flesh for our redemption restored to a better inheritance even the Paradise of God his owne heavenly Kingdome Let all the Monarchs and States of the world fall downe before thy glorious foot-stoole O most blessed Lord and Saviour and worship and rejoyce in thee the only God of our salvation and let no man glory in the antiquitie of his noble ancestors for no man can goe higher then the Lord Lumleys Pedegree But let every true Christian how meane soever or wretched here and though by nature in the first Adam a child of wrath and perdition lift up his head with joy unspeakable and glorious being in and by this second Adam our blessed Saviour and his holy Spirit by adoption and grace made the child of the most High the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and thereby become truly noble indeed And let all the Potentates of the earth aspire to this spirituall honour by regeneration in CHRIST then to all the pompe and glories of a thousand worlds with the good Emperour Theodosius who thanked GOD more for his being made a member of CHRIST then the Emberour of the world for the best and noblest nature amongst the children of men brings forth nothing but corruption onely grace makes truly noble and everlastingly happy 13. Of a Felon making of a comfortable end at his Execution AMongst all other charitable deeds of that worthy man of God Master Perkins in the Vniversitie of Cambridgâ— his manner was as I have heard to visit the prisoners condemned at the Goale deliveries there not onely in the prison for their spirituall instruction and preparation before their execution but to accompanie them also at the place where they were to suffer whither divers schollers and others of good â—ancke also usually resorted one of which spectators a fellow of Trinitie Colledge made relation to mee of a comfortable worke upon one of the felons at one of the executions more remarkable then the rest to this eâ—â—ect The prisoner being a strong lustie fellow in the vigour of his youth in his going up the ladder discovered an extraordinary lumpishnesse and dejection of spirit and when he turned himselfe to sit upon an upper round to speake to the people looked with such a ruefull and heavie countenance as if hee had beene halfe dead already where good Master Perkins standing at the foot of the ladder laboured to cheere up his spirits and finding him still in agony and distresse of mind called upon him in words to this purpose what man what is the matter with thee art thou afraid of death Ah no said the prisoner shaking his head but of a worser thing Saist thou so said Master Perkins come downe againe man and thou shalt see what Gods grace will doe to strengthen thee whereupon the prisoner comming downe Master Perkins tooke him by the hand and made him to kneele down with himselfe at the Ladder foot hand in hand when that blessed man of God made such an effâ—â—tuall prayer in confession of sins and aggravating the same in all circumstances with the horrible and eternall punishment due for the same by Gods justice as made the poore prisoner burst out into aboundance of â—â—â—â—es as the fervencie of the prayer gave occasion and when the blessed Preacher found that he had brought him low enough even to hell gates hee proceeding to the second worke of his prayer to shew him being truly humble and unfainedly penitent the Lord Iesus the Saviour of all penitent and believing sinners stretching forth his blessed hand of mercy and power to save him in that distressed estate and to deliver him from all the powers of darknesse did so sweetly presse the same with such heavenly art and powerfull words of grace upon the soule of the poore prisoner as cheered him up againe to looke beyond death with the eyes of faith to see how the blacke lines of all his sinnes and debts owing to Divine Justice were crossed and cancelled with the red lines of his crucified Saviours precious blood so graciously applying it to the prisoners wounded conscience as made him breake out into new showers of teares for joy of the inward consolation which he found and gave such expression thereof to the beholders as made them lift up their hands and praise God to see such a blessed change in him who upon the prayer ended rose up from his knees cheerefully and went up the Ladder againe so cheered and tooke his death with such patience and alacritie of spirit as if he actually saw himselfe delivered from the hell hee feared before and heaven opened for the receiving of his soule to the great rejoycing of the beholders Blessed bee thy most holy and glorious name O Lord our good God for all those gracious endowments and abilities wherewithall thou hast and dost furnish thy Ministers of the Gospell of peace for the converting of sinners unto thee and for bringing home the wandring ones and rescuing their soules out of the Lions mouth not only amongst those many of the meaner sort that suffer in our ordinary Circuits and Goale deliveries but also amongst our great men and Nobles capitall offenders at the Tower some of whom the spectators seeing their Christian and gracious preparative for death and their behaviour in it have adjudged more happie in their ends then in all the glorious pompe of their greatnesse before Good Lord increase the number of thine able servants furnished both with gifts and willing mindes to visit comfort and help those poore children of death in that their greatest and last need that they may then by thy grace feele that which all thy children doe in their greatest distressesâ— that mans extremity is Gods blessed opportunitie for their finall comfort
our sinnes or fearing his justice against us which our Saviour the Lord IESUS hath already satisfied for us to our finall peace and salvation Let us then cheere up our selves in this blessed comfort of all comforts our debts are all paid and cancelled our Paschall Lambe is slaine CHRIST IESUS hath made all our dayes holy-dayes have any more cause to bee merrie then wee Away then with droopings and mistrustfulnesse for the Lord hath turned our sorrow into joy and such joy as shall never bee taken from us Blessed be the name of the Lord our God for ever And now O most glorious and gracious Redeemer who art the author and finisher of my faith perfect the good work of thy grace begun in me that by daily renewing of my humble faith and repentance by these weake and unworthy meditations of mine I may with joy and gladnesse comfort and cheerfulnesse walk before thee this day and all the remaining dayes of my earthly pilgrimage waiting for thy blessed calling of me to thy selfe in glory when my faith shall bee turned into fruition and I shall leave imperfection and mortality behinde me for ever The Second MEDITATION of Mount TABOR How sweet a thing it is to have God appeased towards thee Places of Scripture shewing how this benefit belongs to us THus saith the high and mighty one that inhabiteth eternitie Isa 57.15 whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Ver. 16 For I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should faile before me and the soules which I have made Vers 17 For the iniquitie of his covetousnesse was I wroth and smote him J hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart Vers 18. I have seene his wayes and will heale him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and unto his mourners Vers 19. I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is afarre off and to him that is neere saith the Lord and I will heale him Who is a God like unto thee Micah â— 18 that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage hee retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Vers 19. He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depth of the sea For when wee were yet without strength Rom. 5. â— in due time CHRIST died for the ungodly Verse 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that whiles we were yet sinners CHRIST died for us Ver. 9. Much more then being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Vers 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life Vers 11. And not only so but we also rejoyce in God through our Lord IESUS CHRIST by whom we have now received the attonement Ioh. 16.33 These things have I spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace 1 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ and hath given unto us the ministery of reconciliation 19 To wit that God was in CHRIST reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation Vers 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for CHRIST as though God did beseeâ—h you by us we pray you in CHRIST his stead be ye reconciled unto God 21. For hee hath made him to be sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him For now in CHRIST IESUS Ephes 2.1 ye that sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of CHRIST Vers 14. For he is our peace Ver. 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Crosse For it pleased the Father Colos 1 â—â— that in him should all fulnesse dwell Vers 20 And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven Vers 21. And you who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled Vers 22. In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblamable and unreproovable in his sight And to wait for his sonne from heaven whom he raised from the dead 1 Thes â—â— even IESUS which hath delivered us from the wrath to come 1 Thes 3 â— For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to attaine salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ Vers 10. Who died for us The second Meditation NOw my soule having formerly considered the great benefit of having all our bebts cancelled our second remembrance points us to a blessed consequence thereof how sweet a thing it is to have our God appeased towards us which will the better appeare for our instruction and comfort if we seriously take into our humble consideraâ—ion these three points 1. The infinite power and greatnesse of the Almighty whom our sinnes have provoked to wrath against us 2. His graciousnesse and goodnes towards our selvs in particular 3. The hainousnesse of our offences by which we have justly incurred his displeasure For the first The Lord our God is the great and the terrible God Nah. 1.5 The great and dreadfull God Daniel 9.4 The Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth and all things therein contained and disposer of all things by his eternall and al-governing providence who hath ever at his commandement innumerable hosts of Angels one of which 2 King 19.35 killed 1850000. of his Churches enemies in one night Nah. 9.3 who hath his way us the whirl-wind and in the storme and the clouds are the dust of his feet Nahum 14. He rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry the mountains quake at him and the hils melt and the earth is burnt up at his presence yea the world and all that dwel therein v. 5. Who can stand before his indignation who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger Verse 6. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 A great God and a great King above all gods Psal 9.13 The great and mighty God the Lord of Hosts is his name Jeremy 32.18 Great in counsell and mighty in workes for his eyes are open upon all the wayes of the sonnes of men Vers 19. to give to every one according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings who shall judge the quicke and the dead 2 Tim. 4.1 For he is the judge of the whole world and will hold his grand Sessions
Christum transit in Christum By the first CHRIST becometh ours by the second we resigne our selves unto CHRIST and become his And these are the two hands of faith By the one we receive mercy from God by the other wee render son-like obedience unto him and if we believe as we ought to do that God is become our Father and do so apprehend him in Christ then ought we again to shew by our chang of life and new obedience that wee have rendred our selves to be his For of all those that came to CHRIST in the Gospell none went away as they came and they that are truly in him get vertue from him which workes in them the similitude of his owne life so as this meditation O my soule doth properly spread it selfe into two branches First the glorious priviledges and comforts wee receive by our adoption and then our most bounden duties to our most gracious God for the same There is a naturall adoption which is defined to be a lawfull act imitating nature found out for the comfort of them who have no children of their owne but this spirituall adoption of us differs farre from it For it is a lawfull act transcending nature found out by the Lord our God for the comfort of children that want a father Wee being by nature miserable Orphans having no father to provide for us It pleased the Lord our God to become our father in Christ and to make us his sonnes and daughters by adoption not for any benefit he receives of us for nothing can arise by the meanes of any creature to that most high and alsufficient Majestie but that hee might have some upon whom to bestow his benefits for the declaration of the glory of his rich mercy Yet both adoptions agree in this that they flow from the pleasure and goodnesse of the adoptant and that there are given to him that is adopted the priviledges of a son which by nature he hath not but where the naturall adoptant cannot change the nature of the partie adopted It is otherwise with us For if God by the grace of adoption make us his sonnes he will also by the grace of regeneration make us new creatures and therefore whosoever continues in sinne cannot challeng any interest in this divine priviledge only the sanctified are entitled to it Here also let us to our unspeakable comfort observe that the sonnes of God know most certainly that God is become their heavenly Father For in this that they are taught of God by his owne spirit to acknowledge him and call upon him with boldnesse as upon their father they cannot be deceived of their generation but with more freedome of spirit yea and surer knowledge they call God their Father then any son of the world is able to call upon his earthly Father Here also we are taught that we cannot pray unto God but by the spirit of adoption who is the parent that begets prayer as the mother who conceives it is the humble and contrite heart For no proud uncleane or hard heart can pray unto God And certainly unlesse the holy spirit testifie unto us that God is our father and hath made us his children wee dare not goe neere him to crave good things from him and therefore herein appeareth the Fatherly indulgence of our God towards us We are here in the valley of death in heavines through continuall afflictions and temptations The time is not yet come wherin the Lord will communicate unto us his glorious presence to fil us with that fulnes of joy which is in that blessed vision The time is not yet come wherein we must ascend to our father yet to keep us in the meane time that wee faint not the Lord hath sent down his holy spirit into our hearts to comfort us O fatherly care O wonderfull love That spirit the comforter descended once according to CHRISTS promise upon the Apostles in a visible manner and doth daily descend in a secret and invisible manner into the hearts of the godly lest the children of the marriage chamber should be swallowed up with heavines through the want of their Bridegroome And this glorious Ambassador teacheth us to cry unto God as upon our Father which if we doe with this spirit of adoption it is effectuall enough to draw downe upon us all those blessâ—ngs which the Lord communicates to his children His name shall bee sanctified in us his kingdom shall be advanced in us we shall not want our daily bread he will forgive us all our sins and preserve us that we fall not into temptation and deliver us from evil For all comforts rest under this name of father if we can so call him in faith the riches of his mercies are ours O blessed Lord God what manner of man should I bee in holinesse righteousnesse and heavenly-mindednesse answerable to this high and holy calling and how unworthy a wretch have I shewed my selfe of so great mercy when instead of worshipping fearing loving and obeying this most gracious Lord and heavenly father in all things I have yeelded to the filâ—hy allurements of his and mine owne most malitious and accursed enemy in many vile pollutions of my prophane youth and the many rash indiscretions sinfull neglect of good duties unfruitfulnesse and unthankfulnesse of my after time Here here my soule is a fit opportunity for me to breake out into holy mourning and lamenting for the manifold sinnes and offences of my mispent life past which now appeare the more abominable and heynous in mine eyes when I look back and consider in what strict and precise humiliation with what universall holy obedience dutifulnes and carefull watching over my thoughts words actions I should have walked before this blessed God almighty mine heavenly father whom I have so ungraciously offended O most blessed spirit of adoption God the Holy Ghost most glorious sealer up of my precious salvation looke downe in thine infinite mercies upon my poore humbled and afflicted soule and have compassion upon me Descend ô Lord my God by thy heavenly grace into my heart and purifie and sanctifie it into a holy Temple for thine owne blessed residence for ever to mollifie and melt it into the sighs and teares of true contrition and repentance for the sinnes and iniquities of my life past and then withall to raise it up by faith to see my selfe fully acquitted and discharged from them all in the precious blood-shedding of my deare Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST the promised Messiah God in the flesh manifested and so to enable me with the hands of humble and true faith to lay fast hold upon him and his merits for me and upon this blessed priviledge of being in and by him the adopted son of my heavenly father unto the assurance of my finall and everlasting comfort and peace Quickning and strengthning me unto all holy duties all the remaining daies of my earthly pilgrimage whereby to glorifie my heavenly father as I
as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the Judgement Verse 28. So CHRIST was once offered to beare the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appeare the second time without sinne unto salvation Who his own self bare our sins in his owne body on the tree 1 Peter 2.24 by whose stripes ye were healed He is the propitiation for our sins 1 Iohn 1â— â— The Sonn of man came to give his life a Ransome for many Mat. 20.28 Mark â—â— â—3 There is one God 1 â—â—m â— â— and one Mediator betweene God and man the man CHRIST IESUS Who gave himselfe a ransome for all to be testified in due time Verse â— My first MEDITATION of Mount TABOR NOw my soule that by Gods mercy and goodnesse we are withdrawen from the world into this solitary Mountaine where our blessed Saviour the Lord IESUS was transfigured in divine glory before his suffering in his humanitie that his Disciples thereby discerning both his natures in one person might be assured that he was that true promised Messiah God manifested in the flesh for the redemption of mankinde Let our meditations be employed in the consideration of those glorious benefits which the faithfull soule receiveth from this blessed Saviour of the world wherein our first remembrance propounded unto us is How excellent a thing it is to have all our debts cancelled that is to say to have all our sinnes discharged and so the Gospell comparing Matthew 6.12.14 with Luke 11.4 expounds the same for every sinne is a grievous debt indeed and a debt upon record in Gods owne debt-booke which he hath committed to the keeping of our own consciences as a trustie register betweene him and us aswell that we should not be able to deny oâ— wage our law for the least parcell there entred as that our selves may see h w we grow every day more and more into debt and being thereby privie to our owne miserable and wretâ—hed estaâ—e o not being able to make satisfactiâ— may seriously and seasonably lâ—â—oâ—â— to gâ—t our debts cancelled befo e we be called to reckoning â—n the XVIII Chapter of S. Matthew we read of a King that would take accompt of his servants Vers XXIV and when he had begun to reckon one was brought unto him that owed him a thousand Talents and having not to pay his Lord commanded him to be sold and his wife and children and all that hee had and paiment to be made Such a miserable debtor O Lord my God and Saviour am I my debts being not of pence but of talents and that not single but thousand-fold and all of them of such nature as the world if I had it in my power to dispose of cannot satisfie divine justice for the least of them and yet there can be no discharg of the debt no remission of my sinnes without satisfaction For mercy and justice are in our God both essentiall neither can the one exceed the other where they are both infinite Oh then where shall I wretched creature finde in heaven or earth a paiment of infinite value to answer and satisfie this infinite justice for my manifold and grievous offences What surety will come in to be my baile in this desperate and forlorne condition this satisfaction can no way be made but by thine own blessed selfe O most gracious Lord IESUS one only Saviour who being God and Man in one person hast vouchsafed out of thine infinite mercy and goodnesse together with our fraile nature to take also our debts all our sinnes upon thy selfe and so as my most glorious surety and Redeemer to free me from that insupportable burthen which otherwise had pressed me downe to the nethermost hell It being not possible that the blacke lines of my debts of sinne could bee crossed or blotted out of Gods debt-booke by any other meanes then by the red lines of thy most precious blood For thou only O Lord art the alsufficient and propitiatory sacrifice whereby divine justice is fully satisfied for all the sins of every true penitent that believes in thee Therefore in all true humiliation of soule hungring and thirsting after thy salvation O blessed IESUS my Lord and my God thus crucified for me doe I prostrate my self at thy glorious foot-stoole beseeching thee by thy grace to strike my heard and stonie heart that in all contrition of soule I may spend my selfe into the tears of unfained repentance for the manifold sins and wickednes ignorance prophannesse unthankfulnes and unfruitfulnes of my life past and then withall by the same thy gracious spirit to lift up my penitent and afflicted soule by the hands of an humble and lively faith to lay fast hold upon thee my blessed Saviour and most glorious Redeemer that so this alsufficient satisfaction of thine applyed to my soule and conscience and by faith become mine may make me assured that all my huge and burthensome debts are cancelled and my sins remitted that they may never affright my conscience any more For I know O Lord and assuredly believe that how great or grievous soever my sinnes have beene yet there can be no sins unpardonable to an infinite mercy nor any sins so hainous or multiplyed but the infinite merit of thy precious death and passion can and doth fully expiate and discharge the same for ever to every true penitent and believing soule Oh then most blessed Saviour quicken I beseech thee and strengthen my weak and feeble faith by thy gracious spirit to make such a powerfull and effectuall application of this thy most gracious satisfaction for me to my wounded and fearefull conscience as may quiet the same for ever In assurance that all my debts are paid and crossed out of GODS Debt-booke by thee my most blessed surety never to bee demanded of mee againe Give mee grace O Lord IESUS not to stand onely poring and gazing upon my sinnes the objects of confusion but to lift up the the eyes of my soule unto thee my gracious Saviour the proper object of consolation and to be so wholly and truly enflamed with thy love as that I may for ever with al awful reverence and devout adoration blesse praise and magnifie thy most holy name for this eternall love and incomprehensible mercy of thine towards me in freeing and acquitting me from all my sinnes And now O my soule let us rouze up our dull and heavie spirits and rejoyce together with joy unspeakable and glorious let us sing and be merrie in the Lord for he is the Lord our God even the God of our salvation And we shall tenne times more honour him in obeying his commandement by believing in him whom hee hath sent into the world for our redemption and shall much better please him in trusting to his mercy and sealing to his truth in the blessed performance of his covenant of grace in the promised Messiah then in doubting of his mercie by reason of
of life and death of salvation and damnation at that Acts 2.20 great and terrible day of the Lord wherein 2 Pet. 3.10 the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up the dead raised the living changed and all mankinde brought together to give a most strict accompt not for their ill works alone but for their neglect of good duties not for actions alone but for their words and that not for filthy and mischievous words only but for every idle word and the thoughts of the heart And this my soule is that infinite almighty and most glorious and dreadful Majestie against whom we have rebelled in the highest treasons his wisdome power justice being incomprehensible and his wrath insupportable O come let us worship and fall downe prostrate with all aweful reverence trembling and feare and then in the second place consider how infinitely gracious and good this our most blessed God the King of eternall glory hath beene to such a worme and vile wretch as my unworthy selfe For besides those most blessed and extraordinary priviledges which I have with my countrey-men in being borne an Englishman in the time of the most glorious Sun-shine of the Gospell of grace seconded with such Halcyon daies of blessed peace the publike miracles of mercy which God hath wrought even in my life time in the preservation of this Church and Kingdome our gracious Princes our selves and our posterities specially in these two famous deliverances never to be forgotten by any true English heart from the Spanish invincible Armado and the Popish hellish Powder plot O blessed Lord God how infinitely good and gracious hast thou been unto me most unworthy in all the particular passages of my earthly pilgrimage First in spirituall blessings by thy preventing mercy keeping me from some grievous sinnes into which my owne wicked corruptions by Sathans damnable enticements had els drawne me In thy sparing mercies in my acting of other sins wherinto I was faln In thy pardoning mercies that miracle of miracles in translating me out of that damnable estate of mine unregenerate time into rhe glorious liberty of thine owne children of grace and adoption in IESUS CHRIST and for thy renewing mercies by the work of thy holy spirit making me to loath all sinne and to apply my selfe to all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse in universall new obedience to thy most holy will and a constant will and resolution to serve and please thee love feare adore and obey thee in all true repentance and sanctification all the remaining houres of my life and lastly for the assurance thou hast given me of the upshot of all thy finall and crowning mercies in the life to come Then again in temporall blessings by preserving mee from harme in most desperate dangers giving mee the helpe of good education blessing me with a most gracious and comfortable fellowship in marriage and us both with hopefull children and grandchildren especially for our eldest son the true staffe of our age and for thy bountifull providing for us and them in outward necessaries and shewing us mercy in all our occasions yea good Lord for thy fatherly chastisements sent amongst us and therein for that gentle paralyticall infirmity of mine owne aged body whereby I have beene gratiously taken off from worldly cares and employments and have held and still by thy goodnesse have this blessed time and opportunity for heavenly meditations and Christ in preparation of my self for my change and dissolution and my finall translation into those glorious mansions which our most blessed Saviour hath provided for us in his heavenly kingdome O most blessed Lord God how shall I poore weakling do to admire thy providence adore thy Majestie love feare serve and obey thee and glorifie thy most holy name as I am most bounden and heartily desire to do in all sincerity duty and thankfulnes for all thy numberles and incomprehensible mercies blessings comforts and deliverances vouchsafed unto me even in this fraile life and valley of teares and for the glorious upshot of all thy crowning mercies reserved for me in the life to come Oh fill my heart with thy gracious spirit for enabling me to pay my humble vowes unto thy Majestie in all true sanctified obedience and faithfull and serious endeavours of soule and body to walke acceptably before thee from henceforth and for ever Amen And now my soule should wee in the third place consider how wickedly and ungraciously I have misbehaved my self all the days of my flesh towards this most high glorious almighty and most dreadful Majestie and towards this most gracious and mercifull God and Saviour of ours But here alas I am confounded wâ—h shame astonishment of heart and horror of conscience but to think of the manifold frailties prophannes pollutions of my youth and the sinful negligencies rashnesses improvidence unfruitfulnes and unthankfulnes and other sins and transgressions of thought word or deed of my whole mispent life by past Yea O Lord my God in my ungrateful and froward neglect of thy gracious time of visitation graunted mee of thine unspeakable mercie these foure last yeares aswell for my sound humiliation and serious daily repentance for my manifold sins and corruptions as for improving that precious time in those gracious duties and spirituall exercises publike and private which my conscience tels me I should have performed with more fervour of spirit feare and trembling and syncerity and intention of heart then I have done But O Lord I finde that were mine eyes fountaines of teares powred out every moment of my life should my heart fall asunder into drops of blood in my brest for anger and indignation against my selfe for my grievous sins and transgressions yet should I come infinitely short of that sorrow and hearts griefe which mine offences would justly require and exact at my hands And therefore O Lord my God though it bee my most earnest suit and the earnest desire and constant prayer of my humble soule that my hard and dull heart may by thy grace be so softned and quickned as to be truly broken and dissolved into sighs of true contrition and that I may weepe day and night for my sinnes and offences all my life long unto my dying houre yet all could not serve to draw thy mercy upon me for the least of my transgressions for in the point of redemption of mankind and purgation of sinne nothing could serve the turn but the precious blood of IESUS CHRIST God and Man in one person blessed for ever Either the sonne of God must die or else all mankind be eternally damned and their sinnes only are properly said to have pierced him who at length are saved by his blood Come then my soule let us set our humble faith on worke to lay fast hold upon this blessed Saviour of ours who only is become our reconciliation and peace-maker
Loâ—â— IESUS CHRIST who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospell Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch thâ—â— as tâ—â— children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe â—ook parâ—â—y the same that through death â—eâ— might destroy him that had the power of death that is the divell 1â— and deliver them who through 〈◊〉 were all their lifetime subject to bondage Revel 1.18 I am hee that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for ever more Amen and have the keyes of hell and death Revel 2.11 He that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death Ioh. 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my words and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Ioh. 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my sayings he shall never see death Revel 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power The Fifth MEDITATION NOw my soul are we by Gods goodnesse come to the fifth step of these our meditations to consider how full of sweet comfort and contentment the life of him is or ought to bee that lives without feare of death and hell Death being in its owne nature the extreamest of evils in this life the king of terrors to every living thing and hell the most horrible dungeon of everlasting torments to the just feare of both which the wicked of the world are every minute subject None but those children of grace here that are sure of their salvation hereafter can live this pleasant and fearelesse life There is a first and a second death the death of the soule saith Saint Augustine went before in the soules departure from God and the death of the body followed by the soules departing from the body the soule first left God willingly yea wilfully and therefore is compelled unwillingly to leave the body Now from both these deaths are we delivered by the Lord Jesus For our soules being by him freed from sinne are reconciled unto God and so exempt from that wrath to come and from the power of the second death for ever And from the first death we are so delivered from it that albeit in the owne nature it be the center of all miseries and a fearefull effect of Gods curse on man for sinne yet to the godly the nature of it is also changed so as now it is not the death of the man but the death of sinne in the man Death saith Ambrose is the buriall of all vices for it is the progresse and accomplishment of the full mortification of all our earthly members wherein that filthie flux of sinne is dryed up in an instant it as a voluntary sacrificing of the whole man soule and body to the Lord the greatest and the highest service wee can doe to him on earth For where in the course of our life wee are continually fighting against our inordinate lusts and affections to bring them in subjection to Christ by death as it were by one stroke they are all smitten and slaine and the soule is offered up unto God in a sacrifice of full and perfect obedience And though this mortall tabernacle must bee laid to sleepe for a time in the grave which is Gods mâ—â—ld wherein it shall bee new moâ—ldâ—d and f amed fit for heaven yet my blessed Saviour who Romans 4.24 was delivered to death for our offences and was raised againe for our justification hath by his most glorious resurrection blessed be his most holy name not onely already made mee partaker of the first resurrection in this life from the death of sinne by grace and on such the second death â—â—â—h no power but hath also by my blessed union with him as one of the sanctified members of that mysticall body whereof himselfe is the glorious head assured mee of my bodies resurrection unto glory and peace for ever and that death shall restore it againe in better plight than ever it was before to bee againe reunited unto thee my immortall soule in joynt glory and immortality for ever And what is this fraile body to mee but my closet or inmost garment which I shall no sooner put off but it shall be sure of repose and thou mine enfranchised soule of joy and when I arise neither of you shall faile of glory O then my soule in this confidence and assurance of our finall peace come let us joyne together in this last earthly dutie wee have to performe of offering up unto our most glorious and mercifull heavenly father in the name and mediation of our most blessed Saviour IESUS CHRIST by the gracious assistance of God the Holy Ghost my selfe the whole man soule and body in an humble faithfull voluntary and most obedient and free sacrifice that hee mercifully accepting the same at our hands I may securely quietly patiently nay joyfully and thankfully depart hence in peace unto the God of my salvation Amen Amen The Sixth MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR How rich and stately a thing it is to be heire of glory Places of Scripture shewing how this transcendent priviledge belongs unto the faithfull ESay 43.6 Bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth 7. Even every one that is called by my name for I have created him for my glory Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome Iohn 12.32 Hee appointed us a Kingdome Psalme 84.11 For the Lord is the sunne and sheild the Lord will give grace and glory Luke 22.29 Therefore I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me 30. that ye may eat and drinke at my table in my kingdome Romans 8.16 The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of GOD. Vers 17. And if Children then heires heires of God and joynt heires with CHRIST if so bee that wee suffer with him that wee may also be glorified together Vers 18. For J reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall bee revealed in us 21 Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the gloriouâ— liberty of the children of God 30 moreover whom hee did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall waight of glory Gal. 4.7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a sonne then an heire of God through Christ Eph. 3.6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heires and of the same body and partakers of his promise in CHRIST by the Gospell Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall wee
remaining daies of our life seeing we are called to be heires of an heavenly inheritance shall we any longer minde and affect earthly things nay rather with the holy Apostle Philip. 3.8 9. Let us accompt all things to bee but dung in respect of the excellent knowledge and fellowship of the Lord IESUS Seeing CHRIST must be our comfort in death when all other comforts will forsake us let us make him out joy and pleasure and our portion in this life and so shall he be both in life and death an advantage unto us O most gracious Lord God and our mercifull heavenly father give us grace we most humbly beseech thee seriously to consider of this high calling of ours being by adoption made thy children members of CHRIST and heires annexed with him of glory of rebels and slaves of Sathan made the happie servants of our blessed Redeemer nay more then so his friends Iohn 14.15 Henceforth call I you no more servants but friends yea more then friends for he hath made us his brethren Heb. 2.11 He that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are all one wherefore hee is not ashamed to call them brethren O transcendent and wonderfull comfort God the Father cries from heaven This is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him The Sonne againe speaking unto us here on earth saith Iohn 20.17 I ascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God He that is my God and my Father is also your Father and your God Therefore goe ye unto him and with confidence cal upon him as your Father and your God and hee will heare you and helpe you O most glorious and most merciful heavenly Father confirm us more and more in the assurance of thy eternall love free grace and unchangeable mercies towards us in Christ Iesu that in lively sense and inward assurance thereof wee may with comfort and cheerfulnes waite for love and long for his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 for our deliverance from this bondage of corruption and receiving of us to himselfe in glory To whom with thee O Father of mercies and God the Holy Ghost most holy glorious and ever blessed Trinitie in the unity of one only true and everliving God of incomprehensible glorious essence and most adored and coeternall Majestie be all glory praise dominion and thankesgiving ascribed for ever and ever Amen Amen Amen FOR A Seventh MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR NOw my soule having by our most gratious GODS fatherly indulgence and mercie had time and beene enabled though with much humane weaknesse to consider distinctly and severally of those sixe maine points of meditation propounded unto us for Mount Tabor the same indeed comprehending all manner of spirituall comforts and refreshings for the Christian soule wee are by course and order come to a seventh stepp which very name puts mee in minde of the seventh day of our weeke the fittest of all the rest for heavenly contemplations Almightie GOD after his six daies worke of wonder in the creation of the visible World consecrating the seventh day for a holy rest to himselfe and for his owne immediate worship and service which was the Iewes Sabbath and the glorious resurrection of God the Sonne manifested in the flesh for the most gracious worke of our redemption being also celebrated in the Church ever the seventh day of the week which is the Christians Sabbath and both of them types of that everlasting Sabbath which the triumphant Church shall celebrate for ever in the kingdome of Heaven The consideration of which particulars might bee a theme large enough and fit enough for a seventh Meditation of Mount Tabor But being sensible of my owne weaknesse I am resolved here to set up my rest and instead and place of this seventh and concluding Meditation of mine to set downe two exercises of this kind heretofore composed by me the one fitting the Christians Sabbath to the worlds end the other a contemplation of the new Ierusalem and heavenly Sabbath world without end recommending the foure other heads of meditation set downe by Master Downâ—m and the twelve priviledges of the faithfull set downe by Master Byfeild as fit arguments for divine contemplations to such as are better able to travell therein no day of the weeke no nor of our whole life being to bee exempted from that most necessary duty of daily renewing our faith and repentance whereof see Downam at large in his Guide to Godlinesse lib. 3. cap. 2. A MEDITATION On the Incarnation and Passion of our most glorious Saviour the Lord Iesus and our blessed union with him alluding to the song of Simeon called Nunc Dimittis SImeon was one of those which waited for the Messiahs comming Israels consolation Whom that himselfe should see before he died was shewed to him from God by revelation And when the Virgin mother brought her Son up to the Temple to present him there Simeon by motion of the Holy Ghost came in and praising God with joyfull cheere The blessed babe with arms he gently claspt about This Swan-like song divinely warbling out O Lord since thou hast let me live to see the Christ thy promised salvation Whom thou hast now prepar'd reveald to be before the face of every nation A saving light unto the Gentiles who in darknesse and in shade of death did dwell The glory and the way of peace unto thine owne beloved people Israel Now lettest thou thy servant blessed Lord Depart in peace according to thy word If Simeon at the sight of Christ a child new come into the world for our salvation That glorious work not then accomplished was yet so wrapt with joy and exultation As disesteeming all the world beside he had no mind of living longer here How then O Lord should I affected be who live in this thy Gospels light so cleare My Saviours acts and sufferings all to see And know the benefit therof belongs to me O thou divine peace-maker how shall I admiâ—e and praise thy mercy infinite That being God our nature wouldst assume and to thy sacred person it unite That so thou being God and man in one 〈◊〉 perfect Mediator might become To God for man who els had perished and without thee beene utterly undone Good Lord how should my soule affected be At this thy wonderfull humility That thou th' almighty maker of the world for by thy word all things at first began Should'st yeeld thy self a creature to become and to be made twise made for sinfull man Made of the blessed Virgin so to take with our fraile nature our infirmities And made under the law to undergo the burthen of our sinnes and miseries How then good Lord should I affected be To this great work of mercy towards me That thou to whom all powers in heaven did bow and thought it their honour to be serviceable Should for us wretched men descend so low as to be born heire in a homely stable Laid in a cratch pursued
by tyrants rage tempted by Sathan made of men a scorne Sold by thy servant arraigned and condemned grievously scourged then crowned with thorne Naild to the crosse twixt two thieves crucified Pierc'd through the heart opprest in soul beside Most blessed Iesu why shouldst thou endure thy precious body peerlesly innocent Yea sacred and holy by the cruell hands of sinfull wretches to be torne and rent Was there no way to expiate my sins but all these torments must be laid on thee O wretched caytive I that did offend most gracious Saviour thou thus pitying me O let my heart weep teares of blood within For these thy sufferings and my grievous sin And thou deare Lord whose love unutterable hath made thee undergo all this for me Inflame my heart with holy fire that I with awfull love againe may worship thee With true repentâ—nt teares and contrite heart prostrate thy precious bleeding wounds before My Lord my God thus crucified for me with humble faith and reverence to adore Hating my selfe for all my grievous sins Which caused those thy grievous sufferings O let mine eyes powre forth whole streames of tears my heart dissolv'd to sighs of true contrition So to bewaile my sins and wickednes and that most miserable and forlorn condition Which guilt of sin sight of the wrath of God desert of hell and utter condemnation Might threaten me but that my hope is fixt on thee my Iesus God of my salvation Thou only blessed Lord canst succour me O save my soule which only trusts in thee For when the people were in Moses time by fiery serpents wounded mortally The brasen serpent was lift up by him that such as looke up to it might not die If such great vertue in that figure were the type of this thy crosse and reall elevation How much more vertue shall thy precious blood afford my sin-sick soule for my curation Then let my humble faith cleave fast to thee Sweet Saviour let us never parted be For when I look up to this crosse of thine five glorious victories my meditation Observes thereon to be atchiev d by thee for making sure the worke of my salvation The law of grace against the law of workes prevailing so to work my liberty Against my sin thy selfe deere Lord made sin that it might righteousnesse become to me Thy death O Saviour mine abolishing My soule unto eternall life to bring And thou the Prince of darknesse conquering that I might still the child of God remaine And lastly overcomming hell it selfe that I might heavens blessednesse obtaine Thus by thy precious death and passion my soules maine enemies are vanquisht quite And I set free now under th' law no more but under grace by thy rich grace and might O let thy spirit of grace still governe me That I may die to sin and live to thee That whiles I live I may divide my time betweene true godly sorrow for my sinnes And faithfull praising of thy holy name from whence alone my hope of comfort springs And so by lively faith being knit to thee thou by thy spirit dwelling in my heart Soule of my soule mayst day by day to me thy spirituall life and quickning grace impart And I by mysticall injunction be Truly though spiritually made one with thee Of which sweet union thou hast made me sure by those maine seales of thine eternall love Thy word of truth thy Sacraments of grace thy spirit of peace inspired from above And so by matchlesse mercy on thy part most blessed Lord and humble faith on mine Thou hast betroth'd thy glorious selfe unto my poore believing soule and made it thine One of thine owne to be disjoyned neâ—eâ— But live in thee to thee with thee for ever Why then should any mortall thing detaine me longer in this vaile of teares and sin Whose whole desire with blessed Simeon is to contemne the world and all therein To lay aside this robe of earth I weare that my redeemed soule may come to thee Whose blessed will is so declar'd that where Thou art thine owne shall also be Call then sweet Iesu as it shall thee please Into thy hands receive my soule in peace When my appointed time of change shall be For which my soule shall daily wait on thee A Contemplative Meditation of the new Ierusalem and the triumphant Church celebrating an everlasting Sabbath in the kingdome of Heaven entitled by mee Halelujah to Heavens King LEâ—ve O my soule this restlesse vaile below Which sin and sorrow by turnes still overflow Raise up thy thoughts to that supernall rest Which maketh all the Saints and Angels blest Who altogether do for ever sing Halelujah's to Heavens King There is erect the Godheads glorious throne More bright than many thousand suns in one Where thy deare Saviours body glorified That body which for thee was crucified Now raigneth with the Dietie In soveraigne blisse and Majestie That sacred head which here was crownd with thorns A crown of heavenly glory now adornes That hand which here did hold the scornful reed Now weilds the Scepter of al power and dread Those feet once naild unto the tree Trample on death and hel in victorie â—he holy citie new Ierusalem Is there prepar'd for just and perfect men With great high wals of Iasper built foure square Whereof the length breadth depth all equall are Of twelve foundations precious stone The twelve Apostles names thereon In twelve gates of pearles a peece on each side three At which twelve Angels the attendants be The st eets pure gold all shining like the Sun Through which the crystal stream of life doth run From out the throne of glory flowing The Tree of life on both sides growing Within those gates of glorious habitation None enter may but heires of salvation The Lambs redeemed his espoused wife Whose names are written in his booke of life The Church triumphant there set free Forever from mortality There live those blessed troopes of purest spirits In such excesse of joyes and true delights As neither eare can heare nor eye perceive Nor can the heart of mortall man conceive Prepared by the Lord of blisse Before all worlds for all of his Who living here the blessed life of grace Are hence translated to that glorious place Where thy deare Saviour keepes a roome for thee Then looke and long for immortalitie Waite his good houre and in waiting sin Halelujahs to heavens King A Meditation of Mans mortality MAn unto whom each houre in changes preacheth That all this Globe earths glory shall decay Believs that doome to mightier creatures reacheth Yet dreames it cannot hold in brittle clay So dull and heavie is his heart in ease To think of ought that may the flesh displease Then neerer come to his dull senses cry All flesh is grasse worm-eaten flowers mans pride It 's true saith he but tell him that himselfe shall die He rather thinks it true in all beside So reason traind to be self-pleasures thrall He thinks that
of the lamb and by the word of their testimony And certainly that attempt of stealing me away as soone as I was born whatsoever the midwives talk of it came from the malice of that arch-enemy of mankind who is continually going about seeking whom he may betray and devoure But blessed be the Lord our most gracious God and mercifull father that disappointed them then and hath ever since preserved and kept mee from his manifold plots and stratagems of destruction so as now in the seventieth yeare of mine age I yet live to praise and magnifie his wonderfull mercies towards me in this behalfe O most blessed Lord Iesu our most gracious Saviour and Mediator one part of thy Church redeemed by thy pretious blood have already fought the good fight of faith and are translated hence into thine heavenly kingdome with Abraham the father of the faithfull and the rest of the glorified Saints to celebrate thy praises for evermore The other part of this Church is militant here upon earth striving against their owne naturall corruptions and the wiles and power of thine and their enemies Good Lord thou knowest the cunning power malice and crueltie of the adversary and the great weaknesse of â—â—â—e owne children and beholdeâ— their daily fightings and failings and how â—â—â—ble wee are to stand in our selves O mercifull Saviour strengthen us with thy grace and shew thine almightinesse in our weaknesse that fighting under thy banner who hast already in our flesh and for us conquered all our enemies to our hands we may be enabled to stand fast and unmoovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord that so in the end we may bee more than conquerors through thee our glorious Captaine and Saviour and when wee have fought here below so long as thou wouldest have us wee may when thou shalt bee pleased to call us hence be translated unto the fellowship of thy Saints and Church triumphant in heaven there to joyne with them in the new songs of thy redeemed ones to magnifie and praise thy most holy and blessed name from everlasting to everlasting Amen 5 Vpon my breeding up at Schoole IT was not my happines to be bred up at the Vniversity but all the learning I had was in the free Grammar Schoole called Christs schoole in the City of Gloucester yet even there it pleased God to give mee an extraordinary helpe by a new schoolemaster brought thither one Master Gregory Downhale of Pembrook-Hal in Cambridge after I had lost some time under his predecessor This Master Downhale having very convenient lodgings over the school tooke such liking to me as he made me his bedfellow my fathers house being next of all to the schoole This bedfellowship begat in him familiaritie and gentlenesse towards mee and in mee towards him reverence and love which made me also love my book love being the most prevalent affection in nature to further our studies and endeavors in any profession hee came thither but Batchelour of Arts a good scholler and who wrote both the secretary and the Italian hands exquisitly well But after a few yeares that hee had proceeded Master of Arts finding the schooles entertainment not worthy of him hee left it and betook himselfe to another course of being Secretary to some noble man and at last became Secretary to the worthy Lord Chancellour Ellesmere and in that service as I think dyed And my selfe his scholler following his steps as neere as I could though furnished with no more learning then he taught mee in that Grammar Schoole came at last to be Secretary to the Lord Brooke Chancellor of the Excheqâ—er and after that to my â—â—â—ch honoured Lord the Earle of Middlesex Lord high Treasurer of England and lastly to the most worthy my most noble Lord the Lord Coventry Lord-keepper of the great Seale in whose service I expect to end my dayes And this I note that though I were no graduate of the Vniversity yet by Gods blessing I had so much learning as fitted me for the places wherunto the Lord advanced mee and which I thinke to bee very rare had one that was after a Lord Chancellors Secretary to be my Schoolemaster whom by Gods blessing I followed so close that I became a successor to his successors in the like place of eminent service and employment It is the almighty and al-governing hand of thy providence O most glorious Lord God whereby all things are disposed amongst the children of men let my soule for ever praise thee for this gracious work of thine towards me thine unworthy wretch whom thou hast preserved and enabled from my weake and small beginnings for those places whereunto I have beene called and which by thy grace I have with credit and comfort discharged O blessed Lord God who hast led mee from my youth up forsake mee not now in mine old age when I am gray headed and my strength faileth me but finish thy gracious worke of mercy and grace in me to the consummation of it in thy heavenly kingdome whereunto thou hast â—lected mee in IESUS CHRIST thine eternal Son the promised Messias God in the flesh manifested our most gracious Lord and Saviour unto whom with thee ô father of glory and mercies and God the Holy Ghost the most blessed spirit of grace and adoption most holy glorious and ever blessed Trinitie in the unity of one onely true immortall and everliving God of incomprehensible glory and most adored and coeternall Majestie be al praise glory dominion and thanksgiving for ever Amen 6 Vpon an accident to me when I was a Schoole-boy BEfore Master Downhale came to be our Master in Christ-school an ancient Citizen of no great learning was our schoolmaster whose manner was to give us out severall lessons in the evening by construing it to every forme and in the next morning to examine us thereupon by making all the boyes in the first forme to come from their seates and stand on the outsides of their desks towards the middle of the schoole and so the second forme and the rest in order whiles himself walked up and down by them and hearing them construe their lesson one after onother and then giving one of the words to one and another to another as he thought fit for parsing of it Now when the two highest formes were dispatched some of them whom we called prompters would come and sit in our seates of the lower formes and so being at our elbowes would put into our mouths answers to our masters questions as he walked up and downe by us and so by our prompters help we made shift to escape correction but understood little to profit by it having this circular â—e â—oâ— like the Mil-horse that travelâ— all day yet in the end finds himsâ—â—â— not a yard further then when he 〈◊〉 I being thus supported by my prompter it fell out one day thâ—â—â—â—e of the eldest schoâ—ler◠〈◊〉 one of the highest forme fell out with mee upon occasion of some boyes-play
letter the middlemost the iota out of this one word and the rest will answer fumus smoak which also will teach us another lesson of the vanitie of all earthly things and these two lessons well conned will bring us from the consideration of the two former lessons to bethinke our selves of the last the future tense Quid erimus what we shall bee hereafter That like the children of grace and wisdome whiles we are yet in the first tense the time present we may provide our selves of spirituall comfort against wee come to the following tenses that when wee are to say our last lesson having learned our Christs crosse well afore hand in the present tense of this life wee may by his merits and mediation be finally received into the blessed mansions of his heavenly kingdome when time shall be no more which the Lord of all grace glory and mercy grant unto us all of his infinite goodnesse through IESUS CHRIST our only Saviour and redeemer Amen 17. Vpon three words written with a Cole in a great Iudges house THe noble Lord Chancellour Ellesmere was wont every morning in term time after the dispatching suitors of the better ranck in his great chamber and gallery in York-house to come into the Chappell to publike prayers wherein the meanest suitors might accompany his Lordship who upon ending of prayers came through a waiting-roome downe the staires into the Hall and so through it into his Coach that all petitioners might take their oppertunities to put up their complaints or deliver their petitions to himselfe Those staires being made with severall halfe paces wainescotted on every side to a mans height with a faire white wall above it In which wall in the most perspicuouâ— place obâ—ious to every mans eyes that should come downe the staires one morning against his Lordship should goe to Westminster there was written with a cole in faâ—re large Italique letters these three words Tanquam non reverturuâ— which my selfe having then occasion to attâ—nd his Lordship did read as himselfe and others diâ— or could hardly forbeare to doe they stood so in the eyes of all those that came downe the staires wh â—her some scholler fearing oppression y some mighty adversary wrote the sâ—me to give his Lordship that necessary watchword or upon what other occasion or by whom the same was written I know not But I am sure that both his Lordship then and all that did read it or shall reade this hereafter may make good use oâ— such a memorandum though but written with a cole to make us the more warie and watchfull of our words or actions when wee goe abroad out of our houses chambers or closets even for this reason because we may happen not to returne againe How should such a meditation worke in the Clyents mind for peace and reconciliation and the Lawyers tongue for syncerity and truth in the Iudges conscience for justice and equity in every man and womans heart for avoiding of evill doing if they would but thinke of these few words and consider whether they would speake or doe thus or thus if they were presently to die or whether thus or thus behave themselves abroad if they were not to returne againe to their homes O mercifull Lord God have mercie upon us poore wretches of frailtie whose very memories are so depraved by our naturall corruption that what is indelebly written in our hearts and consciences we wilfully suppresse when wee are about any evill or mischiefe how mischievous soever iâ— proove afterwards to our selves or others Pardon good Lord our former neglects of such usefull meditations of our owne mortality and howsoever wee neglect these and the like remembrances from mortall men give us grace we beseech thee to shew our obedience to the Commandement of our Saviour who must also be our Iudge Matthew 24 42 Watch for you know not the houre 18. Vpon consideration of one Muscle of the eyes of man more then of any other creature IN the creation of man Almighty God intending in that admirable and choice peece of all his workes to joyne an heavenly soul and an earthly body together did even in the frame of that body by that Muscle of the eye give man to understand his owne excellencie above all other creatures which having only muscles for the use of their natures his goodnesse added one to the eyes of man that hee might looke up directly to Heaven from whence his better part came the soule having especiall use of that motion of the eye in prayer and meditation that this power of lifting up the eyes without might put us in minde of lifting up our hearts and souls within to our good God who gave our eyes that motion to that purpose as also that the body was to looke unto and performe service to the Creator as well as the soule and to exercise that muscle in the works of grace as the other are used for the necessary works of nature and withall to shew us that as when our eyes are intentively lifted up towards heaven wee cannot looke downeward or to any thing below so our minds should be affected in al our spirituall duties to God neglecting all worldly things therein and keeping our soules to him alone O mercifull Lord God pardon the errours of mine eyes forepast and sanctifie them to make these gracious uses for the time to come and that both mine eyes and all other the members and faculties both of soule and bodie may be consecrated to thy faithfull service in universall obedience that when these eyes shall be shut up fr m this mortall light my soule may be received into the glorious light of thy heavenly kingdome through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen 19. Vpon the name of God proclaimed IN the 34. Chapter of Exodus it is thus written vers 5 The Lord descended in the clouds and proclaimed the name of the Lord vers 6. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth 7 keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie and transgressions and sin and that will by no meanes cleer the guilty visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children and childrens children unto the third and fourth generation In which words of our heavenly fathers own proclaiming what blessed arguments of comfort are involved for the poore sinner if he consider the severall titles that the Lord hath given himselfe in this most gracious proclamation For though the two first titles proclaime his soveraign dominion and supreme Majestie for our most due and bounden humiliation before the Lord our maker and the last title shewes his just hatred of sin and his unpartiall justice to worke his true feare into our hearts yet all the rest which M. Bolton 349. reckons to seven times as many proclaime nothing but his superaboundant mercy and goodnes to shew us how transcendent he is in pitie and compassion to the truly humbled
to walke exactly Ephes 5.15 in a holy life have little store of that grace and little hold of that Saviour whereof they presume so much Shortly as it is our great comfort that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. So that which followes must bee our great care to walke not after the flesh but after the spirit That new and living way by the blood of Christ will guide us streight to heaven between those two dangerous rocks of despaire and presumption Rec. 4. Nov. 1630. In the conclusion of this Letter I was encouraged to continue my honourable Lords service which I did for the yeare following and then 30. Novemb. 1631. being suddainly taken with a disease called vertigo capitis which I doubted might turne to an Apoplexy I withdrew my selfe home and entred into a course of Physick under which I was holden so long as I was by GODS mercy taken off from my further worldly imployments and with my noble Lords extraordinary favour in my farewell retired my self into Northamptonshire since which time it hath pleased our most gracious Lord God to adde some more yeares to my life for my better preparation for the time of my change blessed be his most holy name for it and let his holy spirit of grace I humbly beseech him teach both my selfe and all others that shall read this worthy letter to learne and practise that most necessary and blessed lesson of joyning faith and obedience true beliefe and holy life together in the short race of our earthly pilgrimage that so being true children of grace here we may be assured to bee heires of glory in the life to come through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen 23. Vpon the words revealed to S. Augustine In te stas non stas IT is written of Saint Augustine that after his conversion to the faith he was grievously vexed with inward conflicts against his corrupt affections complaining of his inbred hereditary habituall inveterate vices and after long strugling with them by purposing and vowing strong resolution watching fasting selfe-revenging and other good meanes finding still hâ—s owne weaknesse and the encreasing violence of his owne corruptions as he was intentively musing and meditating what to doe more hee heard a voice speaking to him these words Jn te stas non stas Whereupon rightly apprehending that his owne strength of wit carnal I reason and other powers and helpes of nature could not serve the turne for effecting that which was the peculiar and proper worke of grace hee betooke himselfe to his Saviour by humble faithfull and fervent prayer and at last found such inward assistance from the holy spirit of grace as strengthened him to stand and make good his resolutions with more comfort then before Whether the Lord in speciall favour to this gracious servant of his did vouchsafe to give him this vocall instruction by words to his eares or howeveâ— the matter thereof was suggested or revealed to him by the Holy Ghost I enquire not but sure I am they are words of great use and warning to us all not to trust to our selves or any strength or power of nature for any spirituall worke to be wrought in us or by us but to have our recourse to our Saviour and to seeke helpe from him and his grace which cannot bee had elsewhere how often it falls out that selfe opinion of a mans owne wit makes his wit his owne overthrow and selfe-confidence of his owne strength in evill company instead of reclaiming others to make himselfe worse then they O blessed Lord Iesu our most blessed Saviour who knowest both the miserable infirmities and debilities of our depraved nature and the subtile and advantagious power of our ghostly enemies and having thy selfe in our flesh and for us overcome them in all their temptations dost best know Hebrews 2.18 to succour them that bee tempted have mercie upon us thy weake and unworthy servants and give us grace to learne that necessarie lesson of self-deny all and with humble faith to put our whole trust in thee for ever Esay 26.4 For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength and Iude 24. thou only art able to keepe us from falling that so being weake in our selves wee may bee strong in thee and in the power of thy grace be enabled to stand fast in the evill day and in all things Romans 8.11 through thee who lovest us to hee more then conquerors for 2 Timothie 4.18 Thou O Lord hast delivered us and dost deliver us and we hope wilt deliver us from every evill worke and wilt preserve us unto thy heavenly kingdome to thee be all glory and praise for ever Amen 24. Vpon the building of Pauls Church in London WHensoever that goodly monument of antiquity was built it was evident to my understanding that the Christian Church of those times did hold that not Saint Peter but the holy Christian faith was the rocke or foundation whereupon the militant Church of CHRIST was to be founded for under the Chauncell of that mother Church of the chiefe Citie of England there is an under-Church built with strong arches and pillars called Sancta Fides usually called S. Faiths which is indeed the proper foundation of the Church of Paul's By which demonâ—â—rative argument it appeares that the good people in those dayes did better understand the true meaning of our blessed Saviour in the 16. Chapter and 18. verse of Saint Matthew's Gospell concerning the Rocke whereupon hee would build his Church then the Romanists of later times have done who would make the world believe that our Saviour did then appoint S. Peter and after him his successors in the Cathedrall Church of Rome to be that rocke of the Catholike Church of Christ and the supreme Vicar and head of the Church in whose breast all infallibilitie of judgment and power of determining in all matters of the Church should bee only resident For certainly if there had beene any such conceit broached at the building of Pauls the fundamentall Church of holy faith should have beene named Saint Peters as if our Saviour had meant to build his Church upon Saint Peter's person and not upon the Christian faith which hee as the mouth of all the Disciples professed that our Saviour was the true Messiah Christ the sonne of the living God our Saviours question being made expresly to all the Disciples verse 15. and hee answering for them all O most blessed Lord Jesu who art the way the truth and the life and seest into what miserable combustions the state of Christendome is brought by these antichristian wastings of thine owne blessed workes for maintenance of private supremacie and Soveraigntie here as if thy kingdome were of this world which thy self hast Ioh. 8.36 expresly disclaimed have mercy upon thy poore distracted and distressed Church and make up the breaches thereof against all the wicked plots and machinations of the adversary by inclining the
hearts of all that professe thy holy name to agree in the truth of thy holy word that wee may all live in Christian unity peace and godly love waiting for the accomplishment of the number of thine elect that these daies of sin and dissension being finished we may bee received into thine everlasting peace through thine owne blessed merits and mediation for us Amen 25. Vpon the reading of a paper casually taken out of an old bundle at my first comming to Stanwick VPon my resolving to make Stanwick the place of my retiring my selfe from the businesse of this world that I might with more freedom prepare my self for a better amongst other necessaries sent thither from Westminster there was certaine bundles of old letters notes and writings sent thither upon my remoove which was in Iune 1632. that I might there peruse them before they were laid aside for wast papers And when I came thither in the first bundle I tooke to looke over I lighted upon a sheet of paper foulded up and endorsed only with the name of a very worthy Preacher of mine old acquaintance and having quite forgotten what it might conâ—erne I opened it and found it to be an abstract of one of his Sermons taken by my selfe about 40. yeares before upon this Text Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise that they would understand this and would consider that later end wherein I found the necessity of that Christian duty of preparation for the time of our dissolution so powerfully pressed by that man of God as I was glad to light upon it so seasonably for a gracious introduction to my further meditations of that necessary subject O blessed Lord God what just cause have I to condemne mine owne dulnes and corruption that having so long before by mine owne hand taken an abstract of such a pretious instruction did neglect the comfort and use thâ—reof more then for the present for many yeares not remembring that J had any such thing But withall how infinitely bounden am I to thy Majestie O most gracious and mercifull Heavenly Father by whoâ—e speciall providence it was preserâ—â—â— in my many remooves to remote dwellings and severall alterations of 〈◊〉 fortunes and now so season 〈◊〉 brought to my hands in this last 〈◊〉 of my life when I have most 〈◊〉 of holy preparatio◠〈◊〉 to teach me 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 in speedy and serious practise that lesson which I took out so long a goe O Lord my God bury J beloâ—â— thee this neglect of mine with the reâ—â— of the manifold sinnes of my youth in the bottomlesse seas of thy mercies and by thy holy Spirit sanctifiâ— and strengthen me now at last whiles it is yet called to day blessed be thy most blessed name for it and apply my selfe wholly to this blessed learning of being wise to salvation that by thy blessing and mercies J may by humble and stedfast faith fruitfull repentance and new obedience be provideâ— of that Saviour besides whom there is no other against my last â—eed so to cover all my misdoings and sins of all kinds from being imputed unto me and to cloath me with his perfect righteousnesse that when the houre of my change shall come I may be found of thee in peace through his merits and mediation our eternall advocate and most blessed peace-maker Amen And although this paper of mine be but a briefe or abstract of that which was largely delivered by that worthy messenger of God yet as short and imperfect as it is I conceive good use may be made thereof by the humble minded and conscionable reader and therefore being a relique of mine owne hand for so many yeares preserved I have thought fit to annexe the originall it self to this meditation in hope some gracious use may be made thereof for our preparation for our later end which cannot be far from any of us for Jnter breve vitae spatium nihil pâ—â—cul diei potest DEUT. 32.29 O that they were wise that they would understand this and would consider their later end THese words are part of the last song of Moses the man of God which he sung unto the people Swan like at his being readie to leave the world Dying mens words have deepest impression let these as Moses dying words are repuire your attention yea and not as the words of Moses alone but as the words of godly Moses for v. 20 The Lord said I will hide my face from them I will see what their end will be c. and in the first verse Hearken yee heavens and I will speake and let the earth heare the voice of my mouth 2. My doctrine shall dropp as the raine and my speech shall still as the dew and the shower upon the herbes and as the great raine upon the grasse Hearken with your earthly bodies and with your heavenly soules for you have all of you part oâ— heaven within you that both soule and body as herbs watered with Aprill showers may bring forth fruit unto God that waters them and wisheth here the best things unto you wisdome and understanding to provide for your later end for all flesh is grasse and must have an end a withering as well as a growing a harvest as well as a spring happie is the soule that is so watered with grace here that hee shall reape glorie in the Lords great harvest to come This Text hath two parts the things recommended to them and the inducment or introduction therunto The wish O that The matter that they would be 1. Wise 2. Vnderstand 3. Consider their later end Here when the Lord wisheth that all men would bee saved and come to the knowledge of the truth I presume not to enter into the secret cabinet of Gods eternall counsell and election but humbly content my selfe with what hee hath revealed namely that God offereth his grace to all and would have all men to bee saved desiring not the death but the conversion of a sinner Why will yee lie O house of Israel Perditio tua ex te Now when God recommends any thing unto us we may conclude it to bee absolutely good and absolutely necessary for us and therefore the greater shall our sinne bee if wee neglect the counsell of God The matter recommended unto us is wisdome to be wise to salvation and this extends to poore as well as to rich generally to all for all have soules and all are invited to be wise to save them Doth any man want wisdome let him aske of God Iames 5. who giveth to all men liberally and repr â—â—heth no man and it shall be giveâ— unto him As there is a wiâ—domeâ—â— which meâ— in theâ— severall callings doe governe themselves and their worldly occasions so there is a wisdome whereby wee are taught to governe our soules unto eternall life And if wee were as profound in policie as Machiavillians and had all the wisdome of the learned for the managing of earthly things yet all were nothing
without this wisdome to salvation which wee are here exhorted unto The feare of God is the beginning of wisdome for this wisdome dwells not with wicked men This is not every mans wish or desire The most affect worser things some worldly honour some earthly riches some sensuall pleasure but few that look after this heavenly Kingdome all for the body none for the soule as if we had no soules to save and therefore the Holy Ghost stirres us up to bee wise that wee may understand which is the next part of the matter propounded understanding What do we not understand already yes but wee understand not what belongs to our peace and as wee should understand unto salvation It were a great steppe to grace that wee had so much understanding of GOD as the honest Heathen had who by their understanding and reason kept themselves from grosse sinnes intemperance injustice anger distempered passions and kept themselves in just dealing with others and a tranquillitie of minde to themselves But wee come short of the fowles for the Stork knowes her appointed times and of the beasts for the Oxe knowes his Master but wee know not our maker and even in the least of creeping things the Ant provides in Summer what must keepe her in Winter and wee should bee likewise to gather here what should be needful for us at our going hence In every man and woman God hath infused a reasonable soule and in every soule hath set up a Candle the light of reason to guide the understanding and when we commit sinne this candle is for the time smothered betweene Sathan and our owne corruption or else wee should not sinn with the greedines we doe How can yee say that the man hath reason that drinkes himselfe into a beast when no beast will be so intemperate How doth the Gallant understand himselfe when he layes his life to pawne nay his soule with his life in a triviall quarrell What reason hath the blasphemer for his swearing or the adulterer for hunting the houses of death Surely if our understanding were cleare as God made it we should never sinne and therefore it is not without a cause that Gods children are wished here to bee wise and to understand that so wee may consider our later end which is the object aime and end of all our wisdome and understanding and so we come to the last part Is there then so great wisdome and understanding to know that we must all die we all know that well enough Oh but to consider this that is so well known as we should is a point of highest wisdome and deepest understanding to know it so as to consider it as it ought to bee considered is a point of absolute necessity to him that will have any care of his salvation To consider our later end is so to judge of earthly things that they may helpe us to a blessed end for finis coronat opus and hee that remembers his later end as hee should doe shall never sinne as the wise man saith It will be a scar-crow to him to keepe him from sinne when he considers of it and himselfe as he should doe Who is he amongst us all that doth consider of Gods blessings heaped upon us as he ought to doe He might have made us insensible creatures as stones in the wall onely vegetative creatures as trees or herbes sensible creatures as Todes or the like But he hath made us reasonable creatures and that not Indians and Turkes to worship the Divell and the murtherer Mahomet instead of GOD but Christians and amongst them not Idolaters and Schismaticks but bred up with the sincere milke of the Word of GOD in the purest Church that God hath now in the whole world O who is then a wise and understanding man that will not consider this to advance and magnifie the goodnesse of the Lord unto him who by so many steps of mercy and goodnesse hath advanced him above all the creatures of the world And as this consideration should moove us to thankfulnesse to GOD so it would keepe us in obedience towards him for to what end have wee all these preferments from God but that we should remember to glorifie him that hath bestowed them and to fit our selves for that future glory which hee hath reserved for us at our later end Oh then that they would be wise and understand and consider their later end their later end that is their death that they must die consider it as wel as know it and so wisely provide for that which cannot be avoided Death shall gnaw them as sheepe saith the Prophet David as sheep doth the grasse some now some anone the whole pasture over in a while and then as the fresh grass springs up so death comes over againe and crops it yet still the root remaines there is a root of eternitie which death cannot take from us but how soone we shall be cropt off by death no man knowes we may reckon of years and perhaps not live a weeke or a day nay this night the sheet that covers thee may be thy winding sheet before to morrow What manner of men should we be in holines and righteousnes of life if wee did thus consider of death and how much doth it concerne us to consider and prepare for our later end which is so uncertaine unto us All worldly things honour riches pleasures nay life it selfe hath an end but that end is not the end of us there is something else to bee considered in that word namely what followeth that end and that is judgement for the same day wee dye are wee brought to judgement and called to the strictest accompt that can possibly bee imagined not to answer for our owne sinnes alone but for Adams and for our corruption which came from him and for the sinnes of those that shall come after us whom our ill example or neglect of instruction hath corrupted and not for deeds alone but for words also and not for wicked and sinfull words but for idle words even for every idle word and for our very thoughts O Lord what shall wee sinfull wretches doe when we come to this accompt who let us take as much care as wee can of our words even in our prayers and best devotions yet we shall shew our imperfections and weaknesses even then how great then is the numberlesse number of our iniquities when they shall bee gathered together into one totall how should wee answer for one of a thousand let us then consider seriously of this great and strict accompt and provide our selves of a Saviour that may cover our misdeeds and the errours of our words and thoughts that they may not bee imputed unto us in that judgement From which consideration of a judgement there may be also further considered that there is a Hell a place of torment where the wicked shall have their particular being with the Divell and his Angels whom they served in this
life separated from the joyfull presence of our glorified Saviour in whose face is perfect joy for evermore and if there were no further paine of sense in hell but this poena damni only this deprivation of God's presence that were a hell sufficient of it self wherunto there is added paines of sense fire eternall utter darknesse But withall this consideration of the Judgement which shewes such terrible things to the wicked brings the faithfull to another issue the blisse and heaven and everlasting salvation the comforts and joyes wherof it lyeth not in my power to declare nor in the heart of any man to conceive but there will bee the full fruition of what wee hope for here and an absolute deliverance from all those things which trouble or feare us here And yet I have not done one thing more this consderation of our end brings us to namely that wee must not end when we come to our end but there is an eternitie that attends us after-wards whether of life to salvation or of eternal confusion And this is a consideration of weight indeed I read of a good Christian in time of persecution who being condemned to die for his conscience his wife perswaded him to yeeld to the kings will and save his life why saith hee how long thinkest thou I may live if I should doe so shee answered twentie or thirtie yeares perhaps Alas saith hee and if it were so many thousand yeares what were that to eternitie O let us make use of this and consider sadly and seriously of this maine point that this thorâ— lifâ— of ours is but a moment whereupon eternitie depends and therefore it much concernes us all to listen to this wish of th Holy Ghost and to labour to bee wise and understand and consider our later end 26. Vpon the Turkies comming duly to their roost at night SEe how these silly fowles which at their owne libertie wander and feed abroad in Gardens Fields and Orchards all the day long and many times farre off from their usuall roosting places yet notwithstanding the company of other fowles of their owne kinde met abroad discovery of new places of better feeding and other enticements or impediments do ever towards Sunne-set draw themselves homewards before it be darke so to have time and daylight enough to flie up to their perches of roost where only they looke for safety and quiet in the night approaching This providence taught these sillie creatures by instinct of nature as it directly shames and condemnes some of us who when we are got abroad are easily drawne by ill company good-fellowship or other idle vanitie to deferre our comming home till we are not able to come home but must be led home like beasts or lie in a ditch by the way to the hazard of soule and body so it may bee a necessary remembrance usefull to us all that in all our worldly occasions of this life wee bethinke our selves of the Sun-setting with us I meane the houre of death which must as certainly come upon every one of us at one time or other as the Sun-setting closeth up every day that goes over our heads that like the sons and daughters of wisdome we may everyday remember that our last night is at hand and so provide to make our peace with God by Iesus Christ our only peace-maker whiles it is called to day that that night doe not surprise us or take us unprovided for it O mercifull Lord God strengthen my feeble soule by thy holy Spirit of grace that with the humble wings of true repentance and a lively faith J may before hand flie up into the Arke of my Saviours perfect righteousnes that whensoever that night shall come upon me I may bee found there in safetie and so received into thine everlasting peace Amen 27. Vpon the remove of houshold from one dwelling to another THe day appointed for this remoove was set downe many daies agoe and most of the stuffe packed up and made readie for carriage yet see how full of trouble and perplexitie the day it selfe is by taking leave of old friends and neighbours some things forgotten to bee done before some new interruptions falling out in the instant so that many times the carriages are benighted and fall short of getting to the new home in due time Wee are all in this world but sojourners and our home is not here but in Heaven for which wee should bee everyday so wise by preparing our selves that wee might not bee combred upon the day of our remoovall but to have them nothing to doe but to lift up our soules unto our Saviour the Lord Iesus and so depart in peace yet how contrary to this is the practice of many who leave all their busines to the very remoove-day the day of death not having so much as setled their outward estate or made their wils before wherby they grow so perplexed and distracted with thoughts of this world care of wife and children visitations of neighbours pangs and distresses of sicknes fear of death inward horrours and temptations aâ— makes their departure many times very discomfortable O most glorious Lord God I know not how sufficiently as I desire and ought to praise thy most holy name for thy great mercy towards me in this gentle visitation of sicknes which thy most gracious and tender hand hath laid upon me whereby I am taken off from all worldly cares and thoughts and have also of thine infinite goodnesse such gracious times and opportunities to prepare my selfe for my remove and change O let my soule for ever praise and magnifie thy holy name therefore And withall J most humbly beseech thee to stretch thy hand of mercy yet further upon me that as my body shall decay wherein I most humbly submit my selfe to thy blessed good will and pleasure my soule may be strengthened by thy powerfull spirit of grace and the good worke begun in me made more and more perfect that when this earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved my soule united by faith to my blessed Redeemer the Lord Iesus may bee then received of thee in peace through his precious merits and mediation who is our alone Saviour and peace-maker Amen 28. Vpon the casuall hearing of a verse in the new Testament read by a child AS I was to passe through the roome where my little grand-childe was set by her Grandmother to reade her mornings Chapter which fell out to bee the ninth of S. Matthews Gospell just as I came in shee was uttering those words in the second verse Jesus said to the sicke of the palsie sonne bee of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee Which words sorting so fitly with my case whose whol left side is taken with that kinde of disease and whose soule desires nothing so much as such a gracious word from my Saviour I stood at a stand at the uttering of them and could not but conceive some joy and comfort in those blessed words
them to his dominion insomuch as he presumed to set upon the Lord Jesus God blessed for ever finding him cloathed in our flesh though to his owne utter overthrow in the combate our Saviour the second Adam becomming absolute conquerour and that for us also that doe believe in him who are thereby made partakers of his victorie In the young Cock me thinks I see the naturall and unregenerate man overladen with his owne originall corruption who endowed with many gifts of nature and helpes of good education presumes of himselfe to stand against the old cock in fight But the old murtherer who never shewes faire play but workes upon any base or villanous advantage hee can laying hold upon his naturall corruption and by help thereof gives him many a wound and is like to overcome and oppresse him through the treachery of his own flesh by the m ltitude of his sins when behold the Lord Jesus the blessed spectator of all our fights and combats and who is our only supporter and helper in them seeing the poore soule his souldier in this distresse and danger gives order by the work of his sanctifying spirit to cut off that traiterous corruption 〈◊〉 nature and by the supply of grace to renew his strength against the fiery assaults of the tempter who missing his wonted hold of corrupt flesh and finding a new influence of grace from the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which ever overcomes him wheresoever it meets him turnes the backe and flies away and so the man though but in part regenerate becomes more then conquerour through him that loved us Romans 8.37 Most blessed Saviour who seest our manifold weaknesses and the enemies great advantage over us in these spirituall combats strengthen us thy poore weaklings fighting under thy banner that by thy grace we may be enabled to stand fast and couragiously in the evill day and by the power of thy might put all temptations to flight and so finally obtaine the Crowne of victorie to thy glory and our everlasting peace Amen 31. Vpon a childes asking blessing in the morning WHiles I was busie one morning in writing my little grand child came into the roome where I was falling downe upon her knees and desired me to pray to God to blesse her and having so done knowing that I heard her she without expecting any verball answer from me out of the confidence of my fatherly love riseth up assureing her selfe of the blessing shee desired and so betaketh her selfe to the employments of the day O blessed Lord God our most gracious heavenly Father thy love is the only Fountaine of all true fatherly love and affection and the deerest love of the tenderest parent is but as a dropp from that ocean why then should not I with as much or rather much more confidence and assurance relie upon thy paternall love as the childe doth on mine Why should any doubtings interrupt my prayers when I knâ—w I put thâ—m up to so gracious a Father whose love is all infinite and unchangeable like thy selfe why should my sinnes or unworthinesse deterre me from that dutie when J know thy love and grace is free and freely bestowed out of thine owne goodnesse not for any merit of mine nay against my sinfull deservings O blessed Lord God seale up unto my conscience by thy pacifying spirit the assurance of mine adoption and strengthen mee by thy grace in all my poore prayers howsoever accompanied with humane infirmities to come unto thee with true filiall confidence and awfull reverence in the name of thine onely naturall and eternall Sonne my blessed Saviour and onely Mediator and so shall I be sure of thy Fatherly acceptance of me in him O then let my soule for ever rejoyce in this priviledge of thy children and cheerefully thankefully and constantly put my whole trust and affiance both in life and death in thine eternall and free love and mercy towards me in Christ Jesus Amen 32. Vpon one word attributed to God thrice in three verses together in one Chapter IN the last Chapter of Ionah it is said verse 6. that the Lord God prepared a Gourd verse 7. that the Lord prepared a worm vers 8 and the Lord prepared a vehement east-winde three workes of Gods omnipotent power as it were of three new creations from thence to draw a most demonstrative argument for convincing the Prophets erronious zeale and to manifest the glories of his owne infinite mercies above all his workes O most glorious Lord God did the Prophet know indeed verse 2. that thou art a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and should hee now bee angry because thou wert slow to anger and would he needs die of the sullens because thou wouldest not destroy one hundred and twentie thousand infants when their parents repented what strange passions are these in a Prophet had he forgotten so soone his owne case when so late before for his rebellious flying from thee and thy word he was justly even by his own confession thrownover board into the sea and yet of thine infinite mercy by a miraculous deliverance was after three daies and three nights together lying in the deep brought in life and safety to dry land againe was hee glad and thankfull then for thy mercies in sparing of one rebell and hath he now so little pitie upon so many thousand innocents O blessed Lord God how transcendent are thy thoughts Esa 558 above ours and how contrary are our wayes unto thine Thine end in this Prophets employment was for the Ninivites conversion not for their destruction And when by thy blessed summons of prevention thou didst upon their repentance save them greater was thy glory thereby and the successe more pleasing to thy Majestie then it would have beene by their impenitencie and destruction let these two examples of thy mercie upon the fugitive Prophet and the repentant Ninivites teach us to put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercies for blessed are all they that put their trust in thee Psalme 2.12 and 34.8 O Lord strengthen us by thy grace to depend upon thee and thy goodnesse both in life and death through Iesus Christ our Saviour Redeemer and Mediator Amen And againe O Lord God didst thou here immediately prepare both the refreshing Gourd and the smiting worme and fainting heat for thine owne gracious end with the Prophet and doth any matter of comfort or affliction bâ—fall any of thy â—hildren but by the hand of thine al governing providence who in thine unsearchable wisdome knowest what is best for them and in thine unchangeable mercy disposest thereof accordingly O then blessed Lord give us grace withall meeknesse to humble our selves under thy mighty hand in all the occurrents of this mortall life and in all our troubles to depend and rest upon thy mercies for that blessed issue which thou in thy boundlesse goodnesse shalt produce for thine owne glory in our finall peace and salvation Amen 33. Vpon the