dye I must O my celestiall soul tho halt also great cause to curse thy wretched body for being so ill a servant to thee so pretious a piece of Gods creation in that thou art now affraid to depart at thy great Lords command As the parting of soul body is violent and very sad so more sable shall be their meeting at the resurrection when the sin-accusing conscience shal deliver up soul and body to the righteous judge of quick and dead Act. 10.42 when that judg shal deliver the guilty sinner and the law shall judge and bind him over to death eternall and to hell where the worm dyet not Esa 66.24 Mark 9.43.44 and the fire never goes out but must abide an eternity of weeping howling and gnashing of teeth Pretious Saint far otherwise and â—ull of blisse is the state of every blessed Simeons soul and body in the approach and very article of death when he shall sweetly sing or use this Prosopopoeia or words to the same effect Thou body of mine the God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be with thee in thy departure in thy death and in thy grave for hee hath shut thine eyes and bound thy jaws and bid thee abide a while in peace bee thou content to sleep in death and to rest in hope on such a bed of roses for er'e long thy dust and clay shall live and thou shalt arise with Christ's blessed body Isa 26.19 thou that dwellest in the dust shalt awake sing for thy dew is as the dew of herbs the earth shal cast out the dead in her And thou my happy soul shalt return a glorified soul to be united for ever to thy incorruptible immortall and glorified body to be joined to the great Congregation in heaven where God Christ and the Spirit and all Angelicall natures shal for ever honour thee and all other glorified ones with that very glory which Christ Jesus had with the Father John 17. before the world was Suffer this exhortation then I beseech you to take hold on your hearts sweetly to submit to your all-wise God and Father even in every state and condition of life and death which I shal amplifie under these three heads 1. Of health 2. Of sickness 3. Of death 1. In our health and prime of our life whil'st green and flourishing like a bay tree must be an holy resignation of our selves into the hands of so good a God Eccl. 12.1 1 Chron. 28. betimes wee must remember our Creator in the days of our youth then we must learn to know the Lord God of our fathers as good David gives in counsell to his young son Solomon and this submission must bee a totall resigning of soul and body to the Lord a lesson not taught in any school below heaven none of the Moralists none of the Philosophers could attain it being onely found in the school of grace which among other things doth teach Psal 34.9 10. Mat. 28. 20. 2 Cor. 12.9 Isai 41.10 Isai 33.16 that no good thing shall be wanting unto such and that bee our condition never so strait yet God and Christ are with us and his grace shall be sufficient for us he will uphold us and help us with the right hand of his righteousness and our amunition is made of rocks in pregnable round about us Isai 27.9 and lastly God will so order all his good providences for us that they shall all work together for our good as Israel's pressures in Egypt Joseph's casting into the pit and twice selling to bee a slave as the rod of Ashur and the furnace of Babylon Now in thy submission to the good pleasure of thy heavenly Father thou must not be over hasty after fruition but with an holy patience must possesse thy soul during thy stay in this world for as thou so those fore-named promises have their set determinations by an unchangeable decree as Noah's time in the Ark Gen. 8. Job 14.14 and Job waits his appointed time all his days and so did Simeon here in the text 2. In sickness wee must submit to the Lord's visitation and say Lord it is thy hand and thy holy wil be done in me upon me I wil use the Physitian a good ordinance of thine but I will recumb in thee alone I will honour the Physitian for my necessity but I do commend my self to thy all-wise dispose who if thou shalt please to add to my days and to piece out my frail life a little longer I will by the assistance of thy grace indeavour to live and to be an instrument of thy praise but shalt thou see it good to end my pilgrimage and to take me home Oh that 's best I will sing Hallelujahs to thee for ever But by the way consider the poor and the Lord will strengthen thee upon the bed of languishing Psal 41.1.3 10. and will make all thy bed in thy sickness and bee mercifull to thee and raise thee and requite thee men may visit thee deceitfully flatteringly speaking good words unto thee and whispering evill in their own bosom and say when shal he dye v. 5. v. 8. and his name perish an evil disease say they cleaveth fast to him and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more but the Lord shall visit thee upon the bed of sickness with a visit speaking pardon of sin peace of conscience thy reconciliation to himself with joy in the holy Ghost even joy unspeakable and full of glory Giving to the poor though it be thy duty Pro. 19.17 yet it is called a lending to the Lord who will repay it with more consideration then the principal it self Thou puttest thine almes into the poor mans hand and the Lord makes thee payment ten thousand-fold into thy heart and soul But least I be thought to digresse this sick man or woman must submit patiently readily unto the gracious hand of the all-wise Lord God and that in the name and worthinesse of his sweet saviour Jesus Christ devoutly praying as David did in the words of faith Psal 71.1 In thee O Lord have I put my trust let me never be put to confusion Deliver me in thy righteousness Correct me not in thine anger O Lord nor rebuke me not in thine indignatioÌ„ Jer. 10.24 Psal 6.2 heal me O Lord for my bones are vexed Psal 22.11 Bee not far from me for trouble is nigh at hand lay no more on me then thou shalt give me strength to bear 1 Cor. 10.13 Cast me not away when my strengh faileth mee and so will the Lord answer Because he hath set his love upon me Psal 71.9 therefore will I deliver him I will be with him in trouble Psal 91.14.15.16 I will deliver him and honour him With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my salvation And for thy comfort know who hast a mansion with God that thy God
charge unto their heavenly Father to take care of them as Isaac and Jacob did Gen. 28.1 Gen. 48.15 16. chap. 49. Heb. 11.20.21 besides Parents know best what have been and are the ways and conversations of their children they know what have been their sins and infirmities what their defects and wants what is their present state and condition what mercies pardon and grace they do most need and by their neerness of relation to them and by their duty which they owe them and lastly their interest which they have in them they are much concerned to look to and study their welfare much every way as might bee shewed in Job's care of his children when they were grown up and dwelled in families of their own he sent and sanctified them Job 1.5 not only while they were little ones going to school and under their Parents roof Godly Parents near to death do see and read volums of divine and gracious providences flowing towards them and theirs from out the Ark of the covenant by virtue of which they are much invited to mind and presse the Lord with that successive goodness of his to the after generation and posterity of them that fear the Lord viz that their generations shall be blessed Psa 112.2 and upon this account do they with an humble boldness and much confidence put up their holy supplications and prayers that he will please to enrich and bless their children with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Eph. 1.3 that the Lord will be their portion Psa 16.5 Ps 73.26 Ezra 9.8 Eâ—a 56.5 Jer. 13.11 and ever give to them and theirs a place in his Sanctuary and a name better then that of sons and daughters that they should be unto the Lord for a people for a name for a praise and for a glory And for outward things they must commend them also to the blessing of the Lord in every state high or low rich or poor of marriage or single life that the Lord will please to lay them out such a condition as in which they may be most serviceable to God to the country they live in to neighbours relations and friends in all godliness and honesty and their Parents even while they do live may say of natural children as John doth of his spirituall children Joh. 5.3 4. I have no greater joy then to hear that my children walk in the truth And observe as Parents must take care of the particular concernments of every child who will bee ready to observe what Parents intend do or may bee like to do for them oft saying secretly to themselves what shall I do and what shall I do says another what will become of mee says one and of me says another and of me says a third when my Father and Mother are dead so must the soul of every one and the outward estate of each one be cared for by every wise holy and affectionate Parent Job he offered sacrifice for each one Lev. 4.13.14.15.21 Lev. 1.2 3 4. where mark that whereas some sacrifices were for the whole Congregation and some only for single persons so Job did not only offer a general sacrifice for al his sons but a particular sacrifice for every individual of them whatever their sin should be Parents when you draw neer to dye you must not only pray in generall that God will blesse your children but you must if possibly it may be set them before the Lord one by one Gen. 32.24 and wrestle with God by prayer for a speciall benediction to be upon the head of each one of them according to his or her age rank calling condition and habitation according to his or her temptations afflâ—ctionâ— and trialls that God will sanctâ—fie them unto himself and make them very instrumentall for his glory 1 Chron. 28.9 Esa 38.3 that they may know the Lord God of their Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind and that by such children God will raise up to his own name and unto his own glory an holy seed and faithfull generation to serve the Lord for ever and that such children may live in a most sweet and holy concord which as it is a great blessing unto Parents so the contrary it is a great heart-breaking to them as might be shewed in Adam Gen. 4. who when he had only two sons the one kills the other and in Abraham's family was scoffing Ishmael Gen. 21. in Isaac's family Esau hated Jacob Gen. 27. Jacob had twelve sons eleven of them hated and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites Gen. 37. intending never to see his face more 2 Sam. 13.28 David had an Absolon who caused his brother Amnon 1 King 1.5.18.25 to be murthered and Adonijah riseth against Solomon Look to it Parents be much in prayer to God that your children may bee sweetly bundled in the bond of love and charge it on them with strongest arguments shew them Ps 133.1 how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity v. 2. it 's like the precious ointment upon the head v. 3. that ran down upon the beard even Aaron 's beard that went down to the skirts of his garment 't is like the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion and tell them that there the Lord commanded the blessing and life for evermore Where there where this bond is kept inviolable Some would add a third thing much tending to the setting ones house in order namely the recommendation of children such as are under age unto the loving care of some godly wise and christian friends thus did old David comend the care of young Solomon his son to certain Princes to help Solomon in his reign 1 Chron. 22.17 18. when he should govern saying is not the Lord your God with you intimating thereby that they would be very usefull and helpfull to his young son such friends may bee of excellent use and benefit to fatherless children whom the Lord himself gives charge unto to deal friendly by them to be as fathers to the fatherless Psal 68.5 as God himself vouchsafes to be called But I leave this of Trustees and Guardians and come to the last thing concerning a man's setting his house in order and that 's about his last will and testament 'T is to be presupposed it hath been much of a Parents care to set a part somewhat for children in the management of outward things that they have layd up somewhat to distribute dispose of at their death And not without great reason 1. That the future as well as the present may be provided for 2. That peace in the dispose of the goods of the family may be provided for from out that true interest which Parents have in the goods of the family to bequeath and dispose the estate which the God of all
In his declining days his Father of mercies exercised him with sore afflictions of bodily infirmities spirituall combates and conflicts and soking and grinding distempers of the stone in the bladder with Apoplexies and Palsie and other infirmities of age but O the sweet and invinceable patience O the humility the holiness contentation and wise moderation of himself and sweet composedness of his spirit He was naturally of an hasty dispositon but his conquest over such his infirmities those who waited much on him and others who much visited him do and must testifie that the Lord gave him a great measure of Christian patience meekness and self-deniall with that totall resignation of himself unto the will of his heavenly Father that indeed he was changed into another man and was of another spirit a good while before his change Near the Sun-set when the shadow must be long and his life short his sences of seeing and hearing seemed to have been renewed especially his hearing which had been much decaied for many years that surdity or privation was wonderfully restored and quickened to the great admiration not only of friends and relations visiting him but to the comfort of himself and all attendants about him reading and speaking to him enjoyed the benefit of another Patriarch to hear his gracious words which did daily improve to his dying day the losse of whom is very great and much bewailed not onely in his family and relations but in the Church of God yet so it pleased God This servant of the Lord had much of heaven on this side heaven whereby his bitter portion given him under sore afflictions and strong conflicts had much sweetning in them the various turns oâ— providence and the amazâ—ng alterations of Church and State made him live more upon God and less upon the creature when his Castle at Brampton was besieged and taken when his sweet and gracious consort yet of happy memory was taken to mercy and to rest from her labours when his children were taken prisoners his goods given to spoilers and robbers his family exposed to the cruell mercies of exasperated enemies and carried away captives his lands sequestred and all his revenues extinct yet even then good Sir ROBERT HARLEY assured his believing soul that nothing was slain dead lost spoiled and taken from him of all his proprieties which might have been better to him then the gain which this pretious soul found without them hee would long for nothing which hee found that the Lord thought good to deny him still he found stronger arguments to ballast his religious soul then to be overturned with such contrary winds the just shall live by his faith under dark and bloody providences The little which himself his had left them at that time he was very thankeful for he did want the rest with content which made him very rich whom the sword and cruell oppressor had made very poor Now much Honoured in the Lord and happy Son to such a Father after such a deliniation of so many specialls never to bee buried our eyes and hearts are towards you who do live to succeed such a president of grace and virtue our daily prayers to the Lord are for you and your posterity that the Lord who gave you such a Father will also give you to be always correcting and amending the copy and history with a wise and understanding heart to walk in his godly footsteps that you may as fair excell him in all wisedom as Solomon did good old David and will please to write on your heart and on your life in great capitall letters on a table of pure gold Holiness to the Lord that you may ever see and enjoy the Lord's covenant-goodness continued to sons and daughters of your own flesh and blood from generation to generation which is and shall be the daily prayer of Your most affectionate servant in the Lord T. W. From my house in Kingssland June 13 1658. When at deaths Gate my soul I do commend Into thy hands Salvation be mine end Deo Gloria Amen TO THE READER Christian Reader SSome have written Institutions to a christian life as Calvin Herlenius some of the emendation of life as Richardus Hampoll in his Speculum Spirituale others not a few De vita activa contemplativa as Ludolphus Saxonicus and the school-men but the right manner of dying well and the gracious encounter with death in its approach and the happy conquest in the article of death hath been very seldome heard of which gives me encouragement to cast in my mite into this treasury to make holy Simeon my happy president and indeed herein aestuebat ille senex beatissimus whose breathings of spirit did wax hot whil'st hee fixed his believing eye upon his Christ in four respects viz. as he was his peace his salvation his light his glory in the first he looked on him as his Mediatour in the second as his Redeemer in the third as his guide and teacher in the fourth as his crown of rejoicing In this Treatise you have Simeon's humble confession his faith unfained his blessed hope his constant love ravishing expectation under which hee doth happily repose himself till his departure out of his prison house of clay which he assuredly knew would not be long This Book was penned now and then a sheet as the Authors leisure from other studies permitted and were presented unto an aged eminent Servant of the Lords Sir ROBERTH HARLEY Knight of the Noble Order of the BATH being God's prisoner and confined to his Chamber by reason of manifold weaknesses and distempers of body with which the Lord pleased to exercise him for diverse years before his death being utterly disenabled to wait upon God in his publick Ordinances therefore among other mercies he gladly entertained these remembrances from a Minister of Christ who was very much his servant in the Lord the most of the papers were somtimes read to him in his Chamber by the Author himself which papers have bin since his death gathered up and now composed in this little Treatise for the use and benefit of such as do desire to live and dye blessedly as Simeon did Therefore judicious Reader accept of his good wil who hath indeavoured to pre-dispose prepare thy anxious soul for a blessed separation from the body and with good Simeon to depart in peace Thus I commend thee to God this Book to thy close perusal reading throughout hoping the Lord will please to make it very instrumental to thee to advance thy more happy comfortable dissolution and change which is the highest aim and utmost end of him who subscribes himself Thy Servant in the Lord's Work T. W. ERRATA in the Lines of the Book Page 2. Line 9. for giving read given pag. 2. lin 10. after people add p. 3. l. 20. for Elegie read Elogie lin 10. for off r. os l. 23. f. of r. off p. 14. l.
flesh 1. Jo. 2.16 the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life with troubles of divers kinds with discontents every moment under the emptinesse of the creature the groaning creature which we do too much rely upon besides what troubles what wants what feares what doubts what losses what crosses is every day filled up withall what malice and envie from the men of the world for godlyness sake if but in appeareance Ps 35.19 What slanders lyes and mischievous reports shall be vented and sent abroad to blur and cloud a gratious conversation As David complaines of mischiefe divised and contrived against him a poor innocent without any cause on his part What unrighteousnesse oppressions what self-seekings what vain-glory confusions divisions what rendings of Christs seameles coat enough to make any good Simeons heart to ake and his eyes like the pool of Heshbon to stand full of tears of water and under all these abominations as branches of the curse together with the vanity all things are exposed vnto even the unreasonable creatures do groan yea Rom. 8.22.23 the whole creation groaneth together under its vanity and the dear servants of God cannot but be very sensible and be willing to draw forth their desires after that glorious liberty and happier condition laid up for them in the safe hands of Simeon's Lord. Nay this good old man had learned under what vanity all things below Christ did groan how far from home they were and under how perillous and sojourning a condition How obvious they lay to the grudgings of the worlds Naballs and how their ears are daily beaten with the barkings of balaamitish curs who drive designes to set the world their earthy god above Jesus Christ these things ran much in Simeons heart Besides the personall evils and sufferings of decrepit old age of languishing sickness under a world of bodily infirmities the seizure of mortall diseases which do ascertain death not to be farr of And although we know that we must dye yet wee know not how soon The pinching pains and incessant dolours of a worn-out decaied body at the best but of a crazy constitution supported like an old house with the propps and buttresses of art and nature ready every moment to fall about our ears making us wish in the morning Deu. 28.67 would God it were even and at even would God it were morning All which laid to heart makes blessed Simeon desire to dye and live no longer but to dye in the arms of mercy no matter how soon to wish to sigh to groan and heartily to long for a principle of faith and hope to depart in peace Good old Simeons desire is the desire of restlesness after that which is above all desirable even rest and salvation in Heaven with the people of God who rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 and their works follow them Ah soul had'st thou but a sweet taste of this blessed rest remaining to the people of God! Heb. 4.9 Gal. 5.22 hadst but the fruits of the Spirit in any gracious measure thou wouldest bid all adieu and couldest willingly part with all on earth such as honour pleasures profits friends neerest and dearest relations with all thy earthly interests and contentments yea with all thy lands revenues and life it self and wouldest sigh and groan within thee as old Simeon did after the fuller enjoyment of thy Lord and dearest Christ waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of thy body 3. A desire of Contentment 3. a desire of contentment Rev. 12.1 Good old Simeon hath enough of life Rev. 12.1 being clothed with the Sun hee can now tread the moon under his feet And as Saint Paul have a low esteem of all things beneath Christ Phil. 3.8 and can say Psa 116.7 as David Return to thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee And hence doth gracious Simeon desire to acquiesce in his Lord and to dye by his statutum est who is life it self to possesse him possessing whom he is assured to possesse all things therefore said well-contented Simeon Lord let me be translated hence in thy good time to be inseperably with thee to all eternity 4. of Admiration 4. A desire of admiration Simeon might well admire the glory and excellency of that Salvation on which his eye of faith was so fixed and stand amazed Malac. 4.2 at the raies of this Sun of righteousness which shines not into every soul and saith Oh! the pretiousness of this salvation which is so attractive as to draw out my soul out of my body my soul and body out of this present evill world but for blessed ends blessed be thou my Lord that I may worship thee in Heaven as the four beasts did and the four and twenty elders when they fell dow before the Lamb And sung a new son saying Revel 3.9 thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Blessing honour glory and power be unto him and unto the Lamb for ever and ever So much in answer to the two Questions 1. What this sight is 2. What this desire of Simeon is Reasons why all Christ-seeing Simeons may desire to dye Because old Simeon found himself delivered from the curse of the first Covenant Gen. 2.14 which was eternall death as it holds proportion with the blessing in Paradise eternall life and he found himself delivered from the wrath to come by him who was to dye and to destroy him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 Job 33.24 He found himself delivered from going down into the pit death was in it self the sentence of the law and the recompence of an offended God but old Simeon found the jaws of death broken and this beast of prey now becomes unable to hold him no more then it was able to hold Jesus Christ and therefore all Simeons may insult in their death over death and say Hosea 31.14 used by the Apostle 1. Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sin the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Death doth deliver us from and periodize all wrongs vices infirmities bodily pains and labours all the piercing cares of this life and all vain pleasures As after Noah had been tossed but one year upon the waters Gen. 8.4.20 how glad was he to land on Mount Ararat so old Simeon after many years wearisome days and nights fluctuating on the waters of worldly perturbations O how glad was the good old man of a resting place where he could say hîc ero salvus as the long sick man did write upon his grave stone hîc ero sanus Reason 2 Because
dejected Disciples Lu. 24.17 What manner of communications are these while you walk and are sad Joh. 17. What are you so sad are you not advised that I must depart and glorifie my Father Joh. 14.3 and that when you go hence I must and will prepare mansions of glory for you do not you consider what I am to you and what you are to me whom I have so and so honoured already and am in you the hope of glory Col. 1.27 and that you shall shortly in three days expect my Resurrection from the dead Mat. 16.21 1 Cor. 15.20 Joh. 14.1 an assured evidence of your Resurrection you my beloved Disciples be not troubled at my death and departure Judg. 8.2 nor at your own but praise and give thanks for certainly the gleanings of the grapes of Ephraim which you enjoy are infinitely better then all the vintage of Abiezer the earnest and first fruits which even now you live spiritually upon Eccle. 1.2 chap. 12.8 do excell and transcend all the glory and vanity of things sublunar or below 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. and before in Deut. 7.7 And indeed my beloved Disciples consider what moved me and my Father to own you rather then others so undeservedly when wee passed by so many of the great men and nobles of the world to make you vessels of honour and to give you an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you Rom. 9.21 2 Tim. 2.21 1 Pet. 1.4 What am I said David and my Fathers house that I should be son in law to a King 1 Sam. 18.18 whence was it that the mother of my Lord should com unto me Luk. 1.43 sayd Elisabeth to the Virgin Mary Great was the joy in the hearts of the four lepers of the great and besieged city of Samari◠2 Kings 7.3 to the 12. whom the Lord so wonderfully relieved and enlarged Alas all these were but as nut-shells and oyster-shells compared with the mercies of blessed Simeon whose mercies as they be reall celestial and lasting for ever so they do call for reall and angelicall prayses Heavens candidates bee glad at deaths approach thou art next apparent to glory and indeed be thankful for it may bee thou maist bee one of the next souls who may be gloriously ushered in thither nay in a sense thou art in heaven already thy faith is there thy hope is there thy conversation is there while thy eye is fixed on thy Christ there and thou art daily translated from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord Eph. 1.3 and all this is sealed to thee by the Spirit of promise of which more fully afterwards mean while do but open thy eyes and thou canst not but be really thankfull fiducially to see all the prophesies and all the promises to thee accomplished although thou see it but a far off And now that thou maist be thus thankful let me be assistant to thee in four or five directions Direction Luk. 2 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Study thou poor mortall to praise and magnifie thy God and thy Christ in the highest as the Angells did at the nativity of Christ high mercies do cal for high praises thankfulness may be in carnal earthly men for good turns done them yea and gladness in the beast that receiveth fodder But O thou saved by the Lord thou must act higher even from a principle of Covenant-grace reached out to a lost and dead sinner by the hand of unconceivable mercy procured by the Lord Jesus saving thee so mightily and wonderfully not out of the common store-house of divine providence but out of the Ark of the Covenant or bosom-love of thy Lord Jesus Christ Therefore O blessed soul thy thankfulness must be super-abounding and thy whole soul be poured out in this duty with holy vows and fixed resolutions as that sweet singer of Israel Psal 116. I will love thee I will serve thee Psal 116 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgivings and I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people in the Courts of the Lords house in the midst of thee O Jerusalem praise ye the Lord Lo what a pattern of high and reall thankfulness is here presented unto gracious Simeons 2. To be more real in our thankfulness for such salvation-mercies as Simeons here was we must look farther then the superficies and out-side of a mercy for as God in his workings of good providence hath a wheel within a wheel so he hath oftimes a mercy within a mercy and when wee are called to such a piece of thankfulness as is here required wee must brighten the souls eye of faith and by the prospective of divine promises covenant-goodness we must dive deep and look far to see if it were possible not onely the hand of mercy stretched forth to us but the very heart of Gods mercy opened to us Genesis 6. compared with 1 Pet. 3.19 nay through that mercy the soul must look on the Lord himself for else we do but see the Ark of preservation as the old world did not the covenant-goodness of God in that Ark nor his Church in that Ark nor his Christ there nor all the saved of the Lord even thy self there spiritually in the heart of God and Jesus Christ you must look into the inside of your mercies else you will but see the bush on fire and it preserved but not the good will of him that dwelt in the bush Exod. 3.2 Deut. 33.16 for one may observe the Lords faithfulness in keeping covenant and promise and not look on Jesus Christ the promoter of the covenant by and with whom the Lord made such a covenant therefore wee must throughly look as well on the in-side of the mercy whence a mercy comes originally on Gods mind aim end as on the mercy it self reached out to us we must look on Gods mind towards us in the mercy how to walk act before him in fom sutableness expectatiō to the mercy we do enjoy to live more holily to worship more devoutly to act faith in Gods al-sufficiency to trust in him more to recumb depend more to be the Lords more entirely thē ever before For as in many mercies there is a good out-side but a better in-side so in the carriages of the people of God there is not only a more out-side-carriage before the Lord but a more intern spiritual cordial acting of a thankful soul to serve the Lord more sincerely more absolutely more graciously and more holily as David not onely throughout the 116 Psalm but also Psalm 42.5 after more experience of the Lord and a farther inspection into his gracious dealing with him hee sayes O my soul trust thou in God for I shal yet give him thanks and praise him for the help of his countenance so vers 11
hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the help of my countenance and my God direction 3. To be very reall in our thanks we must much revolve in our mindes and consider our great unworthiness and that we are unfit for any mercy as Jacob did Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies that we are then dead doggs as Mephibosheth humbly spoke to King David 2 Sam. 9.8 we must call to mind the number the kind the nature and the good of a mercy the freeness the fulness and choiceness of it and the suitableness of the loving kindness and be thankfull to admiration as David was often and as Simeon was here for his vision which was so adequate to his soul and bodies welfare here and hereafter in life in death and at the last judgment this will make a soul sing and say Luk. 1.69.70 Blessed be the Lord God who hath raised up such Salvation for so miserable a creature as I was and to say with holy David Bless the Lord O my soul Ps 103.2 forget not all his benefits and the better to recollect these mercies Christians must bee carefull to keep records of singular mercies of the year and day the matter the manner the measure the instruments as David did most sweetly for that out of these records shall be made up the song of Moses and the Lamb. 2 Sam. 8.16 2 Kgins 18.18 Joah the son of Asaph was Hezechiahs Recorder Psal 105.6 7 8 9 10 11. Read the 105 Psalm it 's wholly filled with rich enumerations of the Lord 's wonderous works from Abraham to the time of the planting of the Lords people in Canaan and they are bid to remember his marvellous works and the judgments of his mouth how he had remembred his Covenant for ever the Word which he commanded to a thousand generations his Covenant with Abraham his Oath with Isaac and confirmed the same to Jacob for a law and to Israel for an everlasting Covenant c. true thankfulnesse as its long-lived and written with infallible characters so it takes care to eternize the praises of the Lord and sayes as thankfull Job Job 19.23 24. O that my words were printed in a book that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever have we done so that not God looses his glory and thy soul is too short in thy reall thanks direct 4. 4. Real thanks must be all to God self is little regarded so as Gods name and glory may be exalted Many are somewhat thankful when self is much concerned and wil praise the Lord Psal 68.4 when dangers be over Psal 107. when enemies be defeated cut off and destroyed when afflictions be over and sickness turned to health that now they may enjoy again their honor their ease their pleasure their estates in the world their corn and wine then they will give God thanks and blesse his name Hab. 1.15 they rejoyce and are glad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but still their thanks go no farther then self is concerned which the Prophet cals a sacrificing to their own nets and a burning of incense to their own dragg but such their thanks seldom goes higher then themselvs But I must tell them that those thanks which do begin and end in self bee not reall Christian thanks but true thanks do draw out the soul to bless the Lord for Jesus Christ and the Gospells for the manifestations of his glory power wisdome truth and all his goodness to his Church and for the prosperity of Sion when it goes well there O then thankfull souls will insult for joy and bee full of praises as the Israelites were at the bringing home of the Ark And David danced before the Lord 2 Sam. 6.12 14 15. 1 Kings 8. and was girded with a linnen Ephod And Israel brought up the Ark with showting and with the sound of the trumpet and at the dedication of the Temple as on the contrary when it goes ill with the Church and people of God it goes also ill with gracious souls 1 Sam. 4.13 14 15 vers 19. as with Eli and Phineas wife when the Ark was taken and when the glory was departed from Israell who called her son Icabod And thus so publike spirited was she that her life seemed to be bundled up in the wellfare of the people of God direction 5 True reall thankfulness does acquiesce in God can repose in the Lord his alsufficiency covenant goodness for such a one doth see all the enemies of his salvation ever fall down before the Lord 1 Sam. 5.4 Josh 6. to the 20. Gen. 3.15 Rev. 6.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 4. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Dagon did before the Ark irrecoverably to be demolished like the walls of Jericho such do see the seed of the woman break the serpents head and Christ himself riding conquering and to conquer do see Kings bound in chains and nobles with fetters of Iron in this consideration doth David lay himself down in peace who as from time to time his soul did recollect the Lords manifold great and glorious mercies conferred upon him so he said I will trust in him and he shall be my God for ever this he said after a long enumeration of Sea land-mercies he engageth himself in voluntary vows to devote and consecrate himself to the Lord that shall be all his work for time to come and he will wholly be the Lords not his own so had the Lord obliged his servant that he is at a stand what returns of thankfulness to make but at last concludes to offer thanks to pay his vows and to be for ever realizing the praises of his soul by declaring them and exemplifying them and improving them untill they do empty themselves into beatificall hallelujahs and he himself do sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven Thus of real thankfullness Which sees fiducially into all the Lords covenant-goodness doth substantiate things not seen make things absent as present Thus wee have seen what bee true reall thanks which wil be found in some measure in all thankfull Simeons 1. There be very high praises of God and his Christ 2. They look far and search deep in the heart and in-side of the mercy 3. There 's humble acknowledgments of self-unworthiness 4. God hath the all of true thankfulness as all came out from him so it empties it self into God again 5. It acquiesces and reposeth in the Lord. All this did abundantly shine forth in godly men and so they do in every truly thankfull soul Thus of the first exhortation The second exhortation is to prepare for an happy death Solidly and Timely Exhort 2 ◠to prepare for an happy death Psal 90. Be we all exhorted to prepare for an happy death 1. Timely 2. Solidly 1. Timely thy days
he must be a new creature Without holiness no man shall see the Lord who is not ingrafted into Christ the true vine shall be cas out Joh. 15.4.5 Rom 8.17 Gal. 6.7 1 Cor. 6.9 none but adopted sons can inherit whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor effeminate nor thievs nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God But all such as have not made their peace with God timely and really let them be ascerteined that merciless and impartial death shall snatch them away from their dwellings and relations Mar. 9.44.46 48. into the blackness of darknesse for ever where the worm dieth not thrice repeated Then let none dare protract time and think to be prepared in a moment in the time of sicknesse and the hour of death indeed God may then shew mercy I had almost said a miracle as on the thief Luk. 23.43 but such miracles are very rare in Scripture for strait is the gate Mat. 7.13.14 and narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few they be that find it Some are so combred with the world that they never will bee at leisure to prepare to die do think and speak of it but never do it like the banquerout who says he will pay all his debts but takes no more care of it then of his ending day Pro. 9.17 Some are tickled with sins stolen waters of pleasures and profits till wounded and slain Prov. 7.23 as the young man going after his harlot like an Ox to the slaughter or a fool to the stocks Till a dart strike through his liver for her house is the way to hell going down to the chambers of death CPoor sinfull man death is coming on the wing every day nearer and nearer and thou art insensible of its certain approach Eccles 12. nay death's harbingers are with thee already who do weaken thy silver cord and spend the marrow of thy frail life who do dimme thine eyes deaf thine ears whiten thine hairs and thou incogitant perceivest it not and these messengers of death will ere long be break the golden bowl from which all parts enjoy their vitall spirits And sinfull man suppose thou be young and lusty flourishing like David's Bay tree thou art no more sure to live a day longer then he of an hundred years old who creeps on all four as we say for so soon as the hopefullest man begins to live in that very instant he begins to die death gnaweth on every man's root of life till sooer or later she lays us all in the dust The besotting folly and uncorrigible madness of sinfull men living as if they were in covenant with death and hell making lies their refuge Isa 28.15 and hiding themselves under falshood have made me too long in this preparatory to this second exhortation whom the Lord notably answereth as if viva voce your Covenant with death shall be disanull'd Isa 28.18 your agreement with hell shall not stand And thus I come to the exhortation it self Solidly and Timely to fall upon the work of preparation which consists of these four heads 1. An holy desire to live well 2. To be well principled in matters of Religion 3. To bee much in conference with death 4. To set all things in order for death The first head Many do like heaven well but not the way thither many desire glory to come when they can enjoy earthly glory no longer whereas a right holy desire as Simeons was will take all due care to get into and to keep heavens milky way not to accumulate that high degree per saltum but be glad to go Christ's way saying Father I have glorified thee on earth Joh. 17.4 5. and now glorifie thou me in heaven A presumer or intruder would live in sin till his dying day and then be forgiven and taken into Abraham's bosom but the true desirer is glad as Saint Paul Act. 20.21 to go God's way of repentance of amendment and of believing unto salvation as low Zacheus did when he welcomed Christ into his house and heart The presumer desires faintly to dye but 't is when he cannot live nor sin any more but the well prepared soul after days and years of much serving God after much sore travell through hot afflictions strong temptations and many fiery trialls Psal 42.1 Gen. 32.26 28. 1 Sam. 1.13 is fervent in desiring death and restless as the Hart after the water brooks like Jacob who will not leave wrestling till he prevail nor Hannah cease praying till the Lord had granted her the desire of her soul 1 Sam. 1.13 Gal. 4.19 Piè vixit ergo libēter vult mori Psa 90.12 The soul was restless till whole Christ was formed in her and now she desires to die with groaning desires she had lived well and therefore she would dye such be ever numbring their days and so do apply their hearts to wisdome to which end 1. Thou must accept the time of thy repentance laid out for thee by the Lords own hand Rev. 2.21 Jezebell had her time so had the old world Sodom and Gomorrah and the Jewes so had Corazin ank Bethsaida but they accepted not that time In our repentance their must bee Godly sorrow for sin for all the sins of our natures 2 Cor. 7. of our hearts and lives aggravated by many sad circumstances of the matter the manner measure time when how oft lived in against means Lament throughout to have avoided such sins against light and counsell to the contrary yea and it may be against our vows never to do so or so with very great large desires of pardon and reconciliation to God in and through Jesus Christ and a restlesness upon thy spirit till thy soul be satisfied that thou art pardoned and accepted and thy evidence for heaven sealed with the blood of Christ together with strong engagements upon thy whole man never to return again to folly but to keep an holy vigilancy ever upon thy soul with solemn covenanting thy self to be the Lords and not thine own any more as thou wast in the day of thine impenitency 2. And whereas in many things we sin all even the most righteous sins oft every day we must renew our repentance often as David did Hezekiah Peter other◠yea so oft that we may be said to walk humbly before the Lord in an humble holy conversation labouring never more to be deceived by the presumption pride and daring boldnesse of our unregenerate part and so the longer thou thus walk'st humbly and penitently before the Lord the better stil is thy preparation which made one to say well that good men are best at last even when they are dying so great a dependance hath a gracious death upon an humble and
think that we do give or bee bountifull and good benefactors when we do but our duty and therfore that word which we call alms the word in the Syriack tongue is called Justice Mat. 6.2 When thou doest thy justice which wee read alms because alms is a fruit of justice Vide Alex. Alens de generali Restitutione speciali Satisfactione Parte Quarte Quest 24. membrum per totum but things to bee restored bee a due debt comminicatio ista non est gratuita sed ex justitia debetur Quest What if there be not enough to pay all Answ If the creditors bee equall then pro toto if not then the poor must bee paid the first If there bee not any thing left then bee of a willing mind and leave it upon Gods account beseeching him to bee thy restorer whose is all the earth and the fullness thereof The next thing respects the persons related to a family and so parents and other relations must take care of persons whom they leave behind on whom they are to bestow 1 holy admonition and 2 good counsell 3 with faithfull prayer 1. For admonition so they are to advise and instruct them the best they can how to walk prudently and graciously towards God and men as did Isaac and Jacob Isaac called Jacob unto him and blessed him Gen. 49.1 to 19. when he sent him to Padan Aran to Bethnell So Jacob the father of the twelve Tribes called them all one by one and blessing he blessed them as some of the Rabbins say was the custome of the holy Patriarchs to call their children before them some considerable time before their death to acquaint them with their covenant-interests with the knowledg of pretious and speciall promises to be expected to instruct them in holy aphorismes and good documents of faith and manners so did Moses almost throughout the 33 of Deut. naming the Tribes one by one from the sixth verse to the end so did dying Joshua a little before his end Jos 23.2 call all the tribes of Israell and spake more especially to their elders heads Judges and officers and said unto them v. 3 I am old and stricken in age you have seen all that the Lord hath done unto these nations because of you be ye couragious v. 6. keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses v. 8. 1 Kin. 2.1 and cleave unto the Lord your God and so David called and instructed Solomon his son 2 3 4. charging him to be strong to shew himself a man and to keep the charge of the Lord his God to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes that he may prosper and that the Lord may continue his promising word that he had made to David concerning his son Solomon Let Magistrates Ministers Parents and other relations lay this to heart that good men wise and godly men have made their death-beds to be their pulpits and oratories to prophesie to preach in and to give sweet and wholesome instructions to their relations Quest But why at such a time of pain and sickness and sorrow Answ Not because the work is to be left alone till then though then especially it may not be left undone Not because as some philosophers say the soul upon deaths approach Xenoph. lib. 8. Plat. in apolog is more divine and supernaturally inspired but because at that time the words and wholsome admonitions of a dying Magistrate Minister Father or friend do probably make a deeper impression upon affectionate and religious minds And to let such relations understand the religious care of Godly ancestors that their posterity might do well with such golden legacies and live upon the covenant-goodness of the Lord God of their Fathers Great is the difference between the carnall worldling and the gracious believer the one looks no farther then the temporall good of his relations the other to their spiritual and eternall welfare Like wicked Achitophell peradventure he will put his house in order but without any due regard 2 Sam. 17.23 to his own or their souls such persons may and do oft call their friends children and relations about them as Ishai did in calling forth his sons first coms Eliab then Aminadab then Shammah but David the anointed of the Lord 1 Sam. 16. was called last of all so when death comes near first the Phisition is called for and he comes but his Art cannot deliver from the unsatiable grave next like Ahaziah he is remembred of some God of Ekron some good witch wizard or white devill to enquire of but if he help not in the third place a wise and cunning Lawer is sent for to entail and perpetuate his lands to his lawfull heirs and to help him make his will and to bequeath his moveables to children and friends mean while how sad and comfortless is this dying creature Oh how much is he cumbred about his many things Luk. 10.41 wishing heartily longer life not to grow better but to grow richer lastly when all hope is past then he sends for a Minister one it may be of his own carnal and earthly mind and before him confesseth his sins in the grosse to have been great and many then aâ—ks God and all the world forgivenesse repeats his good works tells of his keeping his Church of receiving at Easter of his care to pay every one his own of his just and honest dealing with all men he sayes the Lords prayer the Creed and the Ten commandements and if the Minister be one of those daubing flatteres Ezech. 13.10 he magnifies his goodness and happy estate making the poor wretch vainly confident of a very good posture in which to dye praying to God for him to have mercy on his soul and to receive him into his Kingdom and so leaves the deceived soul presuming that Christ saies to him Luk. 23.43 to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And if he preach his funerall sermon he extolls him for an eminent Saint and well he may for he is well paid for his pains And thus do many wretched sinners leave the world they know not how having it may be feared put nothing in order for an happy death But as for holy admonition sweet and pious counsell how to be prepared to dye happily themselves and to leave their relations under a gracious frame of heart is the least of such mens care who should bee advised first to serve the Lord God and to walk before him with an upright and perfect heart and in their particular callings to serve his providence and glory wirh all integrity in holiness and righteousness all their day Luk. 1.75 The second thing is holy and faithfull prayer of persons neer their end for and in behalf of their relations I shall onely instance in Parents prayers for their children who are to bless them in the name of the Lord as resigning up their
displeasure or other mutining passion because the main interest of thy friend is laid up in God perhaps thou sayest Oh! it was my dear father my tender mother my sweet brother or sister my son or my daughter whose life and mine seem to be bundled together he or she was my right hand my right eye and will God take such an one from mee I had rather hee should take any one else yea my very self to have spared such an one thus foolishly do some passionate ones rangle with the just determinations of their omnipotent Lord God as churlish Nabal did with well deserving David 1 Sam. 25. Naball refused to part with some of his provisions to relieve David and his hungry souldiers by whom Naball and his flocks had been so preserved Naball answers with expostulations with pleading his propriety in his bread his water and flesh as thou dost thine in thy friends hence he concludes that Davids motion was very unjust and the most unreasonable that could have been made what saith he shal I take my bread my water and my flesh that I have killed and prepared for my sheerers and shall I send it to I know not whom nor whence they be There be many servants now adaies which break away every man from his master What is come upon me saies Naball Who is David who is the son of Jesse See we had need of this moderation when God sends crosse providences to us else we shall murmur against the Lord himself and this murmuring is a great sin The second rule is timely pacification we must not mourn over-much 2 Timely pacification or over-long when God takes away our friends Jer. 31.15 Mat. 2.18 this will be to call Gods wisdome into question it was Rachels fault that she refused to be comforted but it was Jobs high commendation that he was timely quieted and satisfied after the losse of so many friends and such an abounding estate from hence that it was the soveraign Lord God that had done it he composeth his mind and blesseth God not onely when he was full of children and wealth but when he was emptied of both and that by Satans malice and other malignant adversaries even then did Job blesse the Lord Job 12.1 and gave him thanks what for the death of his children what for the losse of his goods and estate what for the loss of his reputation amongst his hollow hearted friends no not simply so but from this consideration it is the great Jehovah the Lord of hosts let God do what he shall please with me with my relations and with all that I call mine yet I stil find abundant cause to thank him what when God shall thunder and lighten against him with storms and tempests from heaven from earth from hell what when hee shal shake the high Cedars as if he meant to pul them up and destroy them root and branch and make the earth to tremble as you may imagine when so many evills crowded in upon him when the grown up children of his own body were slain 1 Pet. 4.14 then to say blessed be the name of the Lord so timely to be content surely the spirit of glory and of God did rest upon humble and holy Job the servant of the Lord. The spirit is out of rest like Noahs dove hove ring about not finding where to rest the soul of her foot till she came to the Ark so the Godly-wise under their soaking afflictions go from place to place till they come to the Lords sanctuary and mercy seat where they find rich materialls of praising and blessing God in their afflictions and for their afflictions suppose it be losse of an eminent father or any other neere or dear relation of children as Jobs was Job 1.13 to the 20. they feasting one another to maintain and enjoy brotherly love and concord then to bee destroyed by a violent tempest beating down the house by the power and malice of the Devill who also but a little before had all his camells taken by plunder and his servants slain by the cruell sword a litttle before that also had his flock of sheep and his servants with them burnt with fire from Heaven and a little before that had his oxen plowing and his Asses feeding by them all violently taken away by the Sabeans which aggravating gradations might have eternized his sorrows but holy Job wel had learned that as God is not always chiding neither must we be always mourning besides he did assure himself that the rod of the wicked Ps 103.9 Ps 125.3 shall not always rest upon the lot of the righteous and however it be yet God is good to his Israel Thirdly for satisfaction which respects the goodnesse of God towards thee and towards thy lost friends Friends in Gods name mourn yet cōsider that your friend that is dead did war a good warfare 2 Tim. 4.7 combate with implacable foes did fight the good fight did finish his course did keep the faith and was kept by the mighty power of God to salvation Consider he is now dead in the peace of God and is even now enjoying what was promised in Abraham's bosom is now reaping what he sowed and insulting over all his spirituall adversaries faith is now in fruition thy friends soul is now wearing that Crown of glory which Christ had purchased with his dearest blood And now consider is it any branch of religious reason now to be murmuring and complaining of our losse as if it had been irrepairable to our selves or our friends since our friend is with the Lord Rom. 8.37 is more then a conqueror through him that loved him and is rejoicing praising and magnifying the Lord as for other mercies so for death which came so seasonably and so graciously to deliver Christ's prisoner out of durance to discharge Christ's valiant souldier from fighting with spirituall adversaries who command to triumph for ever over them to live and reign with Christ in heaven and to bee enthroniz'd into a kingdom of glory and to be actually in the great assembly saying Rev. 19.1.3 and singing Hallelujah Hallelujah salvation power and glory bee to our God Hallelujah the Lord God omnipotent reigneth Well then let us be glad rejoice since living friends are no loosers by thy gracious friends departure and since deceased friends are such gainers put off your sable weeds and rejoice for such as you believe do dye in the Lord imitate their holy foot-steps Phil. 3.17 follow them as they followed Christ put on the milkie white garments of holiness and righteousness all your days till you can say you are gainers by death and shal in God's time be translated to be for ever with your friends Rom. 16.7 who were in Christ before you as Saint Paul spake went to heaven before you to see enjoy that salvation which Simeon spake of in the text where you shall
bee assured of mirth without mourning of life without death of an immortal crown without any cross at all The fourth concerns thy consolation Consola and so bee comforted who tookest all due care to walk as a Christian with holy tender and abounding affections towards thy dear friend when and while he or shee lived with thee ask thy self what Christian communion thou had'st what care and watching over thy friend in all good offices of love didst discover thy self a friend to his soul did'st admonish exhort reprove or comfort him according to thy best ability and his necessity wa st much in prayer by humble seeking God to beg every blessing which thy friend did want did'st do all the offices of love to thy friend in his sickness or under any need of thy help if thou wast sincere in this matter thou mai'st be comforted and blesse the Lord who gave thee such an heart and now that the Lord hath taken thy friend into an higher story of divine favour be better perswaded well knowing that God calls thee now to other work upon which to attend and leave thy friend to the Lord betake thy self to serve his good providence among the living who do survive Somewhat wee see of this in David 2 Sam. 12. while the child was very sick David besought God for the child hee fasted and went in and lay all night on the earth nor would he bee raised from the earth by the elders of his house neither would he eat bread with them On the seventh day the child dyed of which when David had heard then he arose from the earth he washed and anointed himself changed his apparell and came into the house of the Lord and worshipped and when hee required they set bread before him and he did eat At which carriage of his his servants much marvelled saying what thing is this that thou hast done thou did'st fast and weep when the child was alive and when it was dead thou did'st arise and eat bread and David answered while the child was yet alive I fasted and wept for I said said who can tell whether the Lord will bee gracious to mee that the child may live but now hee is dead wherefore should I fast can I bring him baek again I shal go to him but hee shall not return to mee And David comforted Bathsheba Thus there is a time to be born Eccl. 3.2 and a time to dye a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance Fiftly our dolorous mournings 5. A sweet mixture of joy and sorrow in our mourning must not be without some mixture of joy the losse of beloved friends may seem desperate and irrecoverable and the sorrow is the more exuberant but yet there is joy again which doth surmount in the gracious soul to allay it's bitternesse who can loose nothing of the creature but it is made up in God repaid in Christ with a great overplus therefore sorrow may not alwaies abide upon his spirit if he sorrow that any stream of his comfort is cut off it is but turning him to the fountain and he hath all made up to him again and he rejoyceth blessing God who saith to him as Elkanah to Hannah am not I to thee instead of more friends so says God to the mourner I am to thee instead of all more then all And thus as fast as doth thy sorrow abound so fast and faster do thy consolations superabound That dear friends be dead that is sad to hear of or to see but that mortality is put off to put on immortality that 's joyful that death hath swallowed up our friends may grieve us but that death is swallowed up of life that doth rejoyce us that friends be departed seems to begin a desolation but that they be delivered from their body of sin from grinding pains from destroying diseases from unruly lusts and sinful passions from strong and dangerous temptatitions from fiery darts from Satans wiles and methods all this is matter of joy you who exceed in your mournings for your loving parents and dear friends taken out of this world I may fear you believe somewhat in this worlds glory to be very lovely and truly good and more excelling then the Scriptures ever spake of and therefore you so mourn at your friends being bereaved of and taken away from that good when as indeed all that is below and sublunar is fading and perishing and all that is below Jesus Christ and the glory to come Eccles 1.2 stained vanitie emptinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but a melancholly lump of vanity and vexation of spirit which made the Psalmist say that every man in his best estate is altogether vanity you seem to forget that the whole creation groans under this vanity and travelleth in pain together till now and not onely they Rom. 22.23 but our selves also which have the first fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodyes when God sees good to take away our gracious friends he takes them from such vanities and perturbations as under which they do groan that we might not onely be satisfied with his dispensation but blesse God and say be it so Lord according to thy word When you think of your friends long languishing sickness sore pains wearisome days and nights and of the cruell stroak of death then like Heshbons pools our eyes be full of water and like house-spouts tears run down our cheeks but man of sorrow recollect thy self and wisely consider that by deaths hand all pains sicknesses and sorrows are finallized and there shall never be one tear sorrow or pain more thy body is laid to sleep as in a sweet bed of roses till the generall resurrection and thy soul is at perfect rest and ease is carried by the blessed Angells into thy Lords armes of sweatest embraces and hath the same entertainment as Christs humane soul and body had after his blessed ascention whom the Angells brought to the Antient of days Dan. 7.13 so doth Christ present the souls of his Saints departed to the father Do'st grieve and canst not be comforted Oh change thy minds affection as thy friend is changed for he is received into heaven with the same acclamations as Christ himself was welcomed only it shal be according to thy measure and capacity By this time I hope I have wiped off all tears from thy eyes put a sweet handkerchiefe into thine hands to do it thy self Then meditate much and say it oft blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord or rather that sleep in the Lord that they may live for ever Pretious soul do not mourn unmeasurably for such who are triumphant in heaven being cloathed in long white robes and washed in the blood of the Lamb who at the generall restauration of all things shall claspe and imbrace