Meditations OF MAN'S MORTALITIE OR A WAY TO TRVE Blessednesse WRITTEN By Mrs ALICE SVTCLIFFE wife of Iohn Sutcliffe Esquire Groome of his Maiesties most Honourable Privie Chamber The Second EDITION enlarged ROM 6. The wages of Sinne is Death but the guift of GOD is Eternall life through IESVS CHRIST our Lord. LONDON Printed by B. A. and T. F. for Henry Seyle at the Tygers head in St. Pauls Church-yard 1634. TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS AND GRACIOVS PRINCESSE KATHERINE DVTCHESSE OF BVCKINGHAM AND THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND VERTVOVS LADY SVSANNA COVNTESSE OF DENBEIGH her Sister Gracious Princesse WHen I read how the Gods sooner accepted of a Handfull of Franken-sence offered by pure Devotion then whole Hecatombes of Arabian Spices in Ostentation I am incouraged having duely considered Your unlimited Goodnesse to present this my Mite unto your Grace and your Honourable Sister For as you are Twinnes in Virtues so I have joyned You in my Devotions Where first I most humbly crave of You to passe a favourable Censure of my proceedings it beeing I know not usuall for a Woman to doe such things Yet ELIHA sayth There is a Spirit in Man and the inspiration of the Almightie giveth them Vnderstanding And it is sayd againe Out of the mouthes of Babes and Sucklings thou shalt perfect Praise I am assured I shall meet with mocking Ishmaels that will carpe at Goodnesse wherefore I runne to Your selves for refuge humbly craving to bee assisted by your Graciousnesse which will appeare as the Splendant Sunne to disperse those Mists I have chosen a subiect not altogether Pleasing but my ayme is that it may prove Profitable having observed in this short course of my Pilgrimage how apt Man is not to thinke of his Mortalitie which stealeth upon him as a Thiefe in the night Experience teacheth mee that there is no Action wisely undertaken whereof the End is not fore-casted in the first place howsoever it bee last put in execution I have ever accompted Ingratitude to be like a Beast who having received benefites thinkes not of any acknowledgements Owing therefore a due Debt of Thankefulnesse for Your unexpressable undeserved Favours and being no wayes able to cause the desires of my Heart to appeare worthy-your Acceptances I have made choyse of this as being perswaded thereto by that truely Noble vertuousnes which hath evidently appeared in You to the strengthening of Goodnesse that heere it may find admittance which otherwise might want Entertainement and for that you have beene more then a Mother to mee I having onely from her received life but next under God from your Grace your honorable Sister the being both of mee and mine By which as there is none greater then your Selfe to whom in duty I am bound so there is not any to whom I wish greater Prosperity both for Temporall and Spirituall blessings then to your Grace beseeching God to preserve you and your Honorable Off-spring here upon Earth with my no lesse vertuous Lady your Sister to whom I am tyed by the same bonds of Thankfulnesse that as God hath made your Renownes great upon earth so I beseech him to adde to your Lives length of dayes and after life Eternall happinesse in the Heavens whither CHRIST is gone to prepare a place for You. I alwayes remayning Your Graces and your Honors truely devoted Servant Alice Sutcliffe AN ACCROSTIQVE Vpon the Renowned Name of the most vertuous Princesse KATHERINE Dutchesse of Buckingham KNow you this Princesse BVCKINGHAM'S Chast Dutchesse ASke aged Time with his worm-eaten Crutches TO find amongst the numbers of his Role HEr-Paralell of such a Heavenly moule EXcelling so i' th' beauties of the Soule RIch in all Treasures that to Virtue tend IN Faith Hope Charity the blessed's end NOr is there ought that lives in Woman kinde EXceeding the rare prowesse of her Minde BOrne of High blood from RVTLANDS Family VNited to a Duke of Royall state CVrs'd bee the time more curs'd his cruelty KIll'd him and reav'd this Turtle of her mate IN peerlesse woe we still lament that fate NOr shall his memorie e're out of date GOe on then Gracious Princesse grac't by Fame HOnour shall still attend your noble Name ANd as your Goodnesse hath abounded so MAy Heaven the greatest good on You bestow AN ACCROSTIQVE Vpon the Name of the Right Honourable and truely vertuous Lady SVSANNA Countesse of Denheigh SEe heere a Lady blessed in her birth VNto whose Greatnesse Goodnes ioyn'd is still SVSANNA ne're so famous was on Earth AS is this Lady lead by vertuous will NOthing so sweete to her as heavenly mirth NO Musike sounds like Haleluia still A Happy Soule which those delights doth fill DAigne then to view these lines where truely I EXpresse but truth not vsing Flattery NO Fallaces within my mouth once lurkes BVt hates all those that use dissembling workes EVen as your Goodnesse merits so speake I I Am your Servant bound untill I dye GIve leave then gracious Lady for I finde HEaven hath indu'd you with a vertuous minde AN ACCROSTIQVE Vpon the name and Titles of the Right honourable and my ever honored Lord PHILIP Earle of Pembrooke and Montgomery Lord Chamberlaine of his Majesties Houshold c. PEMBROOKE's great Peere your Princely favour I HEere humbly crave to guerdon my weake pen IF this doth show my imbecilitie LIke a good Patron shroud it from bad men I By your favours mov'd doe this present PRay then my Lord accept my good intent POore are my weake endeavours yet if you ENcourage my Minervaes infant Muse MY cherisht thoughts by that may frame anew BOoke of true thanks unto your Lordships use RIght Noble then view but the vertuous tract OF this small Volume and if you shall finde OVght good expressed by our Sexes act KNow honor'd Lord my starres are very kinde MOVNTGOMERY my Caelique Muse doth mount ON Cherubs wing from this low Orbe to heaven VErtue is here exprest vices account NOr is' t a Tale or Fable that is given TRuth never is asham'd to shew it's face GReat man and good but alwayes loves the light OMay it then find an accepted Grace MOre cause a woman did the same indite EVen then as DERORAH's sweet tuned song Run RVng out her sacred Peale in holy Writ OSo I pray my heart my pen my tongue YEa all my faculties may follow it Your Lordships Devoted Servant Alice Sutcliffe TO Mrs. Alice Sutcliffe on her divine Meditations WHen I had read your holy Meditatiōs And in them view'd th' uncertainty of Life The motives and true Spurres to all good Nations The Peace of Conscience and the Godly's strife The Danger of delaying to Repent And the deceipt of pleasures by Consent The cōfort of weake Christiās with their warning From fearefull back-slides And the debt we ' are in To follow Goodnesse by our owne discerning Our great reward th' aeternall Crown to win I sayd who ' had supp'd so deepe of this sweet Chalice Must CELIA bee the Anagram of
ALICE Ben. Ionson Vpon the Religious Meditations of Mrs. ALICE SVTCLIFFE TO THE READER WOuld'st thou fraile Reader thy true Nature see Behold this Glasse of thy Mortality Digest the precepts of this pious Booke Thou canst not in a nobler Mirrour looke Though sad it seeme and may loose mirth destroy That is not sad which leades to perfect ioy Thanke her faire Soule whose meditation makes Thee see thy frailtie nor disdaine to take That knowledge which a Womans skill can bring All are not Syren-notes that women sing How true that Sexe can write how grave how well Let all the Muses and the Graces tell THO MA To Mr. IOHN SVTCLIFFE Esq upon the receipt of this Booke written by his Wife SIr I receiv'd your Booke with acceptation And thus returne a due congratulation For that good Fortune which hath blest your life By making you the Spouse of such a Wife Although I neuer saw her yet I see The Fruit and by the Fruit I judge the Free My Praise addes nothing to it That which is Well done can praise it selfe and so may this To be a woman 't is enough with me To merit praise For I can never be So much their Friend as they have heretofore Deserv'd although they merited no more When therefore to their Woman-hood I finde The love of sacred Piety conioyn'd Me thinks I have my duty much forgot Vnlesse I praise although I know them not But when to Woman-hood and good Affections Those rare Abilities and those Perfections Vnited are to which our Sexe aspire Then forc'd I am to Love and to admire I am not of their mind who if they see Some Female-Studies fairely ripened be With Masculine successe doe peevishly Their worths due honour unto them deny By overstrictly censuring the same Or doubting whether from themselves it came For well I know Dame Pallas and the Muses Into that Sexe their faculties infuses As freely as to Men and they that know How to improve their Guift shall find it so Then ioy in your good Lot and praises due To Him ascribe that thus hath honor'd you Geo. Withers Vpon the Meditations of Mrs ALICE SVTCLIFFE I Have no Muse my owne but what I see Worthy of praise that is a Muse to me Divinity the highest theame will find No fitter subiect then an humble mind And as in scorne of them that are more fit By instruments lesse notable expresseth it Almes and Devotion Zeale and Charity Might for thy Sexe beseeming Scripture be But when thou speak'st of death and that iust doome Which shall on all conditions ages come And thence descending to Philosophie Teachest weake Nature how to learne to dye It seemes to me above thy Sex and State Some heavenly sparke doth thee Illuminate Live still a praise but no example to Others to hope as thou hast done to doe Live still thy sexes honour and when Death With whō thou art acquainted stoppes thy breath Fame to Posteritie shall make thee shine And adde thy Name vnto the Muses nine PET HEYVVOOD AN ENCOMIVM vpon the Authoresse and Booke GReat Ladies that to vertue are inclin'd See here the pious practice of a wife Expressed by the beauties of the Mind And now set forth in Pictures of the life Wherein matter and forme are both at strife Who shall be Master but i' th end hands shooke For that they have a Mistresse to theyr Booke Whose Language I must needs in truth admire And how such Elegance should from her spring Vntill I thinke of Zeale that Caeliquefire Which might transport her soule by Cherubs wing In Prose or Numbers piously to sing Precepts of Praise worthy your approbation For she is Rara Avis in our Nation And though her youth gives her no SYBILS name Nor doth she Prophecie as they of old Yet she 's indu'd with the most sacred flame Of Poesie Divine and doth vnfold Nought but the truth and therefore may be bold Whose holy paines and study here exprest Shall Register her name amongst the blest VRANIA is her most heavenly Muse Which flyeth vpwards where her minde is placed She sings such Songs as DEEORAH did vse When she and BARVCH had their foes abased For which with Lawrell shee may well be graced And stil'd the Paragon of these our Times In her sweet Prose and true composed Rimes But thinke not Ladies that I doe contrive Numbers to mend ought that is done amisse Or that I meane to keepe her name alive VVhen she is gone and pass'd to greater blisse For I ne're knew her when I framed this Onely I read her lines which forc't me praise The Picture of her minde with this course bayes FRA LENTON THE Contents of the ensuing Treatise I. VVHerie the vncertainty of Mans life expressed and of the fearefull end of the Wicked Fol. 1. II. Motiues and Jnducements to true Godlinesse Fol. 53. III. Of the Peace of a good Conscience and the Joyfull end of the godly fol. 57 IIII. Of the deferring of Repentance how dangerous it is and of the deceivablenesse of Worldly Pleasures fol. 74. V. Comforts for the weake Christian and to bee ware of Back-sliding fol. 101. VI. That man ought to bee wonne to follow Godlinesse in respect of the Eternall happinesse fol. 114. MEDITATIONS OF MANS Mortality I. Wherein the vncertainty of Mans life is expressed and of the fearefull end of the Wicked WHen I behold the Heavens the earth the workemanship of the Almighty and see in 〈◊〉 all Creatures both for commodity and pleasure which as a store-house preserue all things for the behoofe and benefit of Man I cannot but vse to my selfe the saying of the Prophet DAVID Psalm 8. Lord what is Man that thou shouldest thinke on him or the Sonne of man that thou shouldest be mindfull of him thou hast made him but a little lower then the Angels thou hast crowned him with honour and worship by reason of which I thinke him to be onely happy and a God vpon earth and that there is no blessednes beyond this but looking into him with more deliberation I find his breath is in his nostrils and that hee is as the Beast that perisheth Eccles 3. I find his wife to be but a span and the perpetuity of his Happinesse no better then a flower which flourisheth to day and to morrow is out downe and withereth and that his habitation is but a Pilgrimage hee hath no certaine abiding I perceiue there is no building of Tabernacles heere this is no place of rest I remember the foole that sayd to his soule Luke 12. There was much laid up for many yeares but that night his soule was taken from him and how that after Death hee must give an account of his Stewardship for they are not his but lent him of the Lord neyther to abuse through excesse nor niggerdice but to put them foorth to the best vse and to the glory of him who is the giver of all good things For it is true that
Miseries those thy short Pleasures have wrought thee O thou foolish and sencelesse hadst thou no respect to the death of CHRIST who dyed to redeeme thee but that by thy sinnes thou must anew Crucifie him and make his Wounds to bleed afresh Thou hast againe nayled him to the Crosse by thy pollutions thou hast againe pierc'd his side not with one but many speares of Blasphemy and as it were piece-meale tearing him from Heaven thou hast grinded him by thy oppressions which thou didst to maintaine thy superfluous delights It was his love that caused him to undergoe his Fathers wrath for thy sake but what one sinne hast thou left for his Canst thou say and that truly that thou hast spared one dish from thy Belly to feed his hungry Members or one Garment from thy excessive apparell to cloth the naked or one houres sleepe to meditate on his miseries a poore requitall of such infinite Love Was CHRIST stretched on the Crosse and couldest thou recount it nothing to stretch thy selfe vpon thy downy Beds of sinne Did CHRIST suck downe Vineger and Gall for thee and couldest thou without pricke of Conscience surfeit with overflowne Boles Was CHRIST crowned with Thornes and couldest thou crowne thy selfe with ease and pleasure Then now behold O thou rich Glutton thou who wouldest never cast up thine eyes to behold the true happines till it was too late and consider what the allurements of the Flesh now profit you which you then so much delighted in What is become of your Riches where are your Honours where are your Treasures where are your Delights were are your Ioyes the seaven yeares of Plenty are past and other seaven yeares of Dearth and scarcity are come which have devoured up all your Plenty no memory or footsteps being left of it Ioh. 24. As it is in IOB Drought and heate consume the Snow waters so doth the Grave those that have Sinned your Glory is now perished and your Felicity is drowned in the sea of Sorrowes not onely your delights have not profited you which you injoyed in this World but they shall bee the causes of greater Torments witnesse the Glutton in the Gospell who fared deliciously every day being in Hell was not that member his Tongue most tormented which gave him the greatest delight in Sin Nay speedily and unexpected this horror rusheth upon them for as everlasting Felicity doth quickly follow the Godly in the short race of theyr Misery so everlasting Misery quickly followeth the ungodly in the short race of theyr worldly Felicity It were better therefore for a man to live poorely being assured of the bliste of Heaven then to be deprived thereof though during life hee possesse all worldly riches for intollerable are the burthens they bring with them seeing that the Scripture sayth Where much is given much is againe required besides the memory of the ungodly shall perish as saith IOB The pitifull man Ioh 24. shall forget him the Worme shall feele his sweetnesse he shall bee no more remembred and the Wicked shall bee broken like a Tree II. Motives and Inducements to true Godlinesse HAving already spoken of the unstability of Mans life the wretched estate the Wicked is in at the houre of his Death I will now also set downe some Motives for incouragements to true Godlinesse wherin it shall easily bee discerned that Godlinesse excelleth Wickednesse as farre as Light excelleth Darknesse It is a thing both usuall and lamentable to see how men goe on in wickednesse and can neyther bee drawne to thinke of theyr end by the dayly examples of Mortality nor wonne to remember the infinitnesse of Gods Love by their dayly preservations they call not once to theyr remembrance the saying of the Apostle PAVL wherein hee admonisheth them to worke out theyr Salvation with feare and trembling by which hee depriveth them of all kind of security and the Prophet IEREMIAH cryeth unto them and sayth Jerem. 22. O earth earth earth heare the Word of the Lord. Shewing thereby that howsoever they esteeme of themselves yet they are but dust whose glory is but for a moment and all theyr Pleasures but Deceptio visus For that there is no Peace saith the Lord of the Wicked Esa 48. Wherefore consider this yee that forget GOD least he teare you in pieces and there bee none to deliver you feare this God for he is iust love this God Psal 4. for hee is Mercifull stand in awe and Sinne not commune with your hearts consider your wayes make your Peace with him seeke the Lord Psal 2. whilest he may bee found If his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all those that puts theyr trust in him O taste and see how good GOD is he is a God of Mercies and delights not in the Death of a Sinner as hee sayth Have I any pleasure at all Ezech. 18. that the Wicked should dye sayth the Lord and not that hee should returne from his wayes and live hee will bee found of them that seeke him hee hath ingaged his word for it and againe he saith Those that come to mee I will not cast away nay hee calleth with aboundance of love Come unto mee Math. 11. all yee that are wearie and heavie laden with the burthen of your sinnes and I will ease you hee is that good Samaritaine he may powre in Wine to make those wounds of your Sinnes to smart but hee will againe refresh you with the oyle of his Mercies O then prostrate thy selfe at his feete creepe under the wing of his compassion for he is slow to wrath Ioel. 2. and of much mercy and repenteth him of the euill alas it was thy weakenesse that made thee sinfull and thy sins haue made the miserable thy miserie must now sue to his mercie if thy misery were without sinne then thou mightest pleade before his Iustice and his Iustice would releeue thee but for that it proceedeth from sinne approach the barre of his mercy and thou shalt finde the lustre thereof to shine through all his workes remember Christs owne words were Math. 15. I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Jsrael what though with the woman in the Gospell he call thee dogge wilt thou therefore leaue off thy sute consider that the tender mother many times for faults committed by her childe hideth her louing countenance and as it were altogether reiecteth it not for any hatred she beareth to the childe but thereby to indere the obtaining of his favour and to cause the greater feare of offending if then thou seasing thy sute goeth without mercy whome wilt thou accuse Christ sayd to Ierusalem Thy destruction is of thy selfe O Jerusalem but in me is thy saluation Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Hee is infinitely good and hurteth no man vnlesse the blame be in himselfe through his owne default for as the Sunne beame is
to the lips in water yet they are slaine with thirst as the Poets in times past fabled of TANTALVS But though many and great be the troubles of the Righteous yet the Lord delivereth them out of all For the eyes of the Lord is over the Righteous and his Eare is open to theyr cry but the Face of the Lord is against them that do evill Psalm 3 4 to cut off theyr Remembrance from the Eatth Who would be unwilling then to suffer ignominies and scornings rather then with the wicked to injoy the pleasures of Sin for a season Revel 2â— God himselfe will wipe all teares from theyr eyes hee will give them Ioyes for theyr Sorrowes as hee sayth Blessed are yee that now Weepe for yee shall Rejoyce troubles in this life are badges of Gods Children Whom the Lord loveth Prov. 3. hee chastiseth and correcteth every Sonne that he chuseth with Patience Luke 21. Therefore possesse your Soules Iohn 15. and remember who it is that sayd You are not of the World as I am not of the World the world hateth you because it hated mee first if you were of the world the world would love you Oh blessed Sufferings that makes us like to God himselfe if wee had the Wisedome of SALOMON the Treasure of CRoeSVS and the long life of METHVSALEM and out of the favour and love of God our Wisedome were Foolishnesse for to know him is perfect wisedome our Riches were drosse for riches will not avayle in the day of Wrath and that life so long and wickedly led no better then a man that dreames hee is a King honoured of all and wanting nothing when waking hee findes himselfe hated of all and wanting all things III. Of the Peace of a good Conscience and the Ioyfull end of the Godly SALOMON having set himselfe to behold all things that were under the Sun having taken to himselfe all that could bee delightfull for what can he doe more that commeth after the King at last concludeth Eccles 2. That all the dayes of Man are sorrowes and his travailes griefe therefore sayth he I hated life for all is Vanity and vexation of Spirit and perceiving how apt men were to follow what delights this world could affoord them scoffes at theyr folly and by way of derision sayth Rejoyce O young man in thy Youth Eccles 11 let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes yet would hee not let them goe on thus but gives them an Jtem saying But know that for all these things God will bring thee to Iudgement for though sayth hee A Sinner doe evill an hundred times and his dayes bee prolonged yet surely I know that it shal be well with them that feare God These Caveats the godly man placeth before his remembrance least hee should fall into errors and making his life of no value to him hee despiseth all things onely ayming at that may make him happy which is a good Conscience for that will bring him peace at the last death being to a godly man the ending of Sorrowes and the beginning of Ioyes he doth then begin to live with God when hee dyes to the World Eccles â— as it is sayd in Ecclesiastes Who so feareth the Lord it shall goe well with him at the last and in the day of his Death hee shall be blessed And St. IOHN was commanded to Write Blessed are the Dead Revel 14. that dye in the Lord even so sayth the Spirit that they may rest from theyr labours their works follow them How can that man bee discouraged that heareth this of the Lord in the houre of his Death when he findeth himselfe hasting thither where hee shall receive that which he hath all his life-time desired And Saint AVGVSTINS speaking of the Death of a Good man sayth He that desireth to bee dissolved be with Christ dyeth not Patiently but liveth Patiently and dyeth delightsomely and it may be sayd That like a Swan he dyeth singing yeilding the glory to God which calleth him With what joy doth that Soule behold his end who hath all his Life-time possessed a good Conscience nothing fearefull can present it selfe before him he sees all his sinnes not of a Crimson die but White as wooll washed by the blood of Christ he beholds him not as his Iudge but his Sauiour and Mediatour his Iudge is his Brother God in Christ is become his Father hee hath no debts to pay Christ Iesus on the Crosse hath Cancelled the hand writing that was against him and hath not onely made him free but also an heyre of the Kingdome of Heaven The presence of Death is not terrible to him for he feareth not Death because hee feared GOD and hee that feareth him need feare none other hee feareth not Death because he feared Life but feare of Death are the effects of an evill Life hee feareth not Death because through all his life hee learned to dye and prepared himselfe to dye but a man prepared and provident need not feare his Enemy he feareth not Death because so long as he lived he sought for those things that might helpe him that is for Vertues and good Workes hee feareth not Death because to a Righteous man Death is not death but a sleepe it is not Death but an end of all labours it is not Death but away unto life and a Ladder unto Paradice for hee knoweth that Death hath lost all the bitternesse of Death after it hath passed through the veynes of Life and that it hath received the sweetnesse of life hee feareth not the presence of Divels because he hath CHRIST his defender and Captaine he feareth not the horror of the grave because he knoweth that his body is sowne a corrup tible body but shall rise againe in incorruptible body often boasting in the strength hee hath gained by Christ saying with cheerefulnesse of spirit O Death where is thy sting 2. Cor. 15. O Grave where is thy victory The strong man death comes not upon him unawares for hee hath layd up in store for himselfe a good foundation against this time 1. Tim. 6. which was to come that hee might lay hold on Eternall life Even the brest-plate of righteousnesse Ephes 5. the shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit having his loynes girt about with verity and his feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of Peace what hope now hath his enemy of any advantage though helped by the weakenesse of his owne flesh Death was ever expected and therefore provided for he alwayes lived as in the presence of GOD having a strict eye over all his actions and though now Satan bend all his Forces against him because hee hath but a small time before his siege must bee raysed and therefore presents that before him which he dearest loued his Wife
Children Father and Friends with his whole Estate Honour Riches Youth Health Strength and Life it selfe thereby thinking to shake his hold for this subtill enemy knoweth they are not lost without griefe which are possessed with Love yet fayles he of his purpose for it is certaine hee that in this life knoweth of fewest delights least of all other feareth Death so he having never prized them otherwayes then they were in themselves parteth from them with the lesse trouble yet weake nature strugling with him may a little dazle him but calling to minde the Words of his Saviour who sayth Mark 10. He that forsaketh Father Mother Wife Children house and lands for my sake shall receive an hundred fold hee gaines strength and with the greater joy his Soule answers Oh sweet IESVS I shall I not willingly forgoe all these who for my sake suffered the Viols of thy Fathers wrath due to me for sinne to be powred out upon thee and in thy body indured that which I deserved It was for my sake thou wast borne in a Stable and layd in a Cratch for me thou flying into Egypt livedst seaven yeares in banishment for me thou didst fast thou didst watch thou didst run hither thither thou didst sweate Water and Bloud thou didst Weepe and thou didst prove by experience those miseries which my sinnes deserved and yet thou wast without sinne neyther was there guile found in thy mouth neyther hadst thou offended but wast offended for me thou wast taken forsaken of thine denyed sold beaten with fists spet upon mocked whipped crowned with Thornes reviled with blasphemies hanged upon the Crosse Dead and Buried thou wert not onely forsaken of all externall things but also of the Divine comfort as thy owne Mouth testified when thou cryedst out My God my God Math. 27. why bast thou forsaken mee Oh the height of Loved Oh the depth of unmeasurable humility Oh the greatnesse of Mercy Oh the bottomlesse Pit of incomprehensible Goodnes Oh Lord if I be so greatly indebted to thee because thou hast redeemed mee what doe I not owe thee for the manner by which thou hast redeemed mee thou hast redeemed mee with most great dolours with contumelies and ignominies not to be borne insomuch that thou wast made a reproach of men and the scorne of the whole world through thy reproaches thou hast honoured me through thy accusations thou hast defended me through thy bloud thou hast washed me through thy death thou hast raysed me and through thy teares thou hast freed me from everlasting weeping and gnashing of teeth thine were the Wounds that healed my sores thine was the backe that bare my sorrowes thine was the prize that quit my scores thou assumedst my flesh to redeeme me here and thou raignest as King to crowne me hereafter Thus by those miserable Torments thou didst free me from all evill and shall I be unwilling to suffer the deprivation of a little happinesse and the induring of a few paines to come unto thee who hast thus dearely purchased me for thy selfe these Meditations so ravished his soule that with aint PAVL he thinkes himselfe in the third Heaven hee hath drunke so freely of the River of Paradice one drop of which is greater then the Ocean which alone is able to quench the thirst of the whole World that he loatheth these puddell Waters accounting all things but drosse and dung in respect of Christ all is to him in comparison no more then the light of a Candle is to the glorious beames of the Sunne he is now so farre from esteeming eyther them or life that he desires to be dissolved and be with Christ he longs for the day of his dissolution life being to him a Prison and with often groanes and sighes cryoth Come Lord Jesus come quickly and with DAVID hee sayth O how I long to appeare before GOD. If life were offered him with all the pleasures thereof hee would despise it for hee is fitted for God he is no man for the World his Soule hath too exactly looked into the worth of it to be deceived with all the glithering shewes thereof the which hee findes to bee vayne and fleeting and nothing permanent in this Life IIII. Of the deferring of Repentance how dangerous it is and of the deceiveablenesse of worldly Pleasures HAving now seen the quiet Happinesse and happie Blessednesse of the Godly at the houre of his Death mee thinkes it should incourage every man to prepare himselfe for his end in the time of Prosperity least when the time of changing shall come they bee found naked and bare and so lye open to all the assaults and batteries of Sathan many there bee to whom the Day of Iudgement seemes terrible not remembring the day of theyr Death which is the first Iudgement the which whosoever passeth on such the second shall have no power as Saint IOHN sayth in the Revelation The deferring of Repentance proves dangerous Yet some inreligious man will say When I am come to old Age I will runne to the remedy of Repentance Dare mans frailtie presume thus much of himselfe seeing hee hath not one day of all his Life in his owne power for though God hath promised Pardon to the Penitent yet he hath not promised to morrow to a sinner therefore whilst it is called to day Hebr. 5. heare his voyce and hearden not your hearts least you enter into temptation Follow the counsell of that Kingly Preacher make no tarrying to turne unto the Lord Eccles 5. and put not off from day to day for soda nly shall his wrath come and in the time of vengeance he shall destroy thee besides there is another evill sinne having no restraint but free liberty to runne on in his owne current how dangerous doth it proove and how hard is it to stop the course thereof being once growne to a custome Is it not usually knowne that hee that driveth a Nayle into a Post fasteneth it at the first stroke that he giveth it but more firmely at the second stroke but so fast at the third that it can hardly bee pulled out againe and the oftner he striketh it the faster it sticketh and is pulled out againe with the greater difficulty So in every one of mans wicked actions vice is driuen deepely into their soules as if it were with a Mallet and there it sticketh so fast that it can by no meanes be pulled foorth but by the bitter teares of Repentance which are seldome and very hardly found this same thing our Saviour shewed in the raysing of LAZARVS being foure dayes dead whom he called foorth Ioh. 1. with groaning of spirit whereas he raysed others that were dead with farre easier tokens of difficulty signifying to us thereby how great a myracle it is that God should convert one buried in the custome of sinning yet not considering these things how doth time passe on and what numberlesse sinnes are committed without feare to offend or care
to cause him to become weary and backward in well doing Therefore thou O man I that wouldest doe the good thou doest not but through the deceiveablenesse of thy flesh standeth loytering and with SALOMONS fluggard cryeth Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a wake and behold CHRIST comming in the Clouds Stand up and gird thy selfe like a man lift up thy eye of Faith and behold thy Saviour whose merits plead for thee See him dying for thee and thereby paying thy debts See thy Iudge a just one and therefore will not require that againe which Christ hath already satisfied hee hath beheld the thoughts of thine heart and found thy desires are to serve him concerning the inward Man and though thou didst fall into sinnes most offensive to the eyes of his Divine Maiesty yet hee knowes that the evill thou didst hate that thou didst But it was a Law in thy Members that ledde thee captive to the Law of sin Rom. 7. then if as a Captive forc't it was no longer thou but sinne that dwelled in thee Let the remembrances of these Mercies waken thy Soule from the drowsinesse of Sinne and remember who hath sayd Awake Ephes 5. thou that sleepest and arise from the Dead and CHRIST shall give thee light Hee calleth thee Hee biddeth thee awake let not these sweet calles strike thee dead Math. 20. as his presence did the Keepers who became astonished and were as dead men but rather let that voyce bee of as great power to thee as it was to LAZARVS not onely to rayse thee from the sleepe Iohn 11. but also from the death of Sin And bee as ready to entertaine this love as THOMAS was who no sooner touched his Saviour but cryed out Iohn 20. My Lord and my God Neyther deceive thy selfe with a soothing conceit of what is not in thee Iâ—th 7. For the Tree is knowne by the fruit for men cannot gather Grapes of Thornes nor Figs of Thistles A good man out of the good Treasure of his Heart Math. 7. bringeth forth good things and an evill man out of the evill Treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things so that howsoever thou mayst seeme to the World yet as a shadow doth alwayes follow the body so feare and desperation will at all times and in all places wayte upon an evill Conseience Let not thy Faith be as a House built upon the Sands which will shake with every blast of Temptations or Afflictions but found it upon the Rocke CHRIST IESVS against which whatsoever beateth shall returne with a greater repulse to it selfe as not being able to move it and having once attayned this perfection take heed of recoyling for CHRIST sayth He that layeth hand upon the Plough and looketh backe is not meet for the Kingdome of Heaven Luke 9. What though the way to Heaven be narrow and full of Difficulties Wilt thou not therefore beeing entred perseuere Who would wish or desire to walke in a way strowed with Roses and planted with divers fragrant Flowers if the assured end of it be death and who would refuse a rough and difficult path that leadeth unto life is it not commonly seene that many men to attaine to Preferment run into most apparent dangers and hazard the losse of theyr life nay I know thou wouldest doe it thy selfe and shall it bee troublesome and grievous to thee to doe that for thy Soule which thou refuseth not to doe for thy Body Shall it seeme a great thing unto thee to suffer a little trouble heere that hereafter thou mayst escape eternall torment What would not the rich covetous man buryed in Hell willingly doe if he might have licence to come into the World againe that he might amend his errors Is it meet that thou shouldest doe lesse now then he would doe seeing that if thou dost persever in thy wickednesse the same torments remaine for thee He that runneth a Race leaveth not till hee come to the Gole So run as you may obtaine Remember LOTS Wife who looking backe became a Piller of Salt so take heed lest thou by looking backe upon the vanities of this life forget the care of thy Soule commanded thee by God so of his child become not a Piller of Salt but a child of Perdition a man having much riches is still â—â—vetous of more and what wealth to be compared to the Soule A thing so great in it selfe that what gayneth hee that getteth the whole world and looseth his Soule even as great a purchase as hee who having with much Labour and great charge obtayned a precious lewell straight giueth it for a trifle Nay were it so it were the lesse for that were but the undoing of the body this the losse of the Soule that friends againe may rayse this is a losse irrecoverable Wherefore thinke no paynes wearisome no labours irksome nor any troubles grievous to attaine true happinesse For our light afflictions 2. Cor. 4. which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding eternall weight of Glory while we looke not at the things which are seene but at the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are Temporall but the things which are not seene are Eternall wherefore setting all hinderances apart with cheerefulnesse of spirit take up the Crosse of CHRIST and incourage thy feeble spirit with the saying of the Apostle PAVL The troubles of this Life are not comparable to the joyes that shall bee heereafter 2. Cor. 6. having therefore these promises cleanse your selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting Holinesse in the feare of GOD. VI. That Man ought to bee wonne to follow Godlinesse in respect of the Eternall Happinesse HAving now set before thee Deut. 30. Life and good Death and evill I defire thee to choose Life that both thou and thy seed mayest live for having beheld the deceiveablenes of worldly pleasures and how this momentany felicity is attended on by sorrow and her Confederates me thinks thou shouldest be weary of this house of Clay scituated in a Wildernes of miseries which hourely produceth Monsters that ravenously seeketh to prey on thy destruction and withdrawing thy mind from these fleeting delights elevate thy thoughts to Heaven and contemplate with thy selfe of those Coelestiall pleasures note the beauty of the place the gloriousnesse of the company and the durablenesse of that Happinesse which is Eternity for the beautie of this place this Heavenly Ierusalem looke into the Revelation Revel 21. and thou shalt finde It hath the glory of GOD the light thereof to be like a Iasper stone cleere as Chrystall glorious must it needs bee when the Wall is of Iasper and the City of pure gold cleare like glasse and the Foundations of the Wall garnished with all manner of precious stones the twelve Gates were twelve Pearles every severall gate was of one pearle Revel 15 for the company there are