thy Face Aquinas Set Death into your Minds and it will put Life into your Actions St. Austin saith There 's nothing more abateth Sin than the frequent Meditation of Death He cannot Die Ill that Lived Well and seldom doth he Die Well that Lived Ill. Ambrose saith Death is the Burial of all Vices To be willing to Die consider the harmlesness of Death to the People of God tho' it keeps its Dart yet it hath lost its Sting Thy Heart may be kept from shrinking back in time of Sickness by considering the necessity of Death in order to the Fruition of God 2 Cor. 5.6 Whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord. Another Argument to this unwillingness to Die is The immediate Succession of a more excellent and a more glorious Life it is but Wink and you shall see God Rom. 8.10 11. At Death you will be freed from Trouble here and have Communion with God and Communion of Saints Flavel Cardinal Richleu being Tempted to doubt and disbelieve a God another World and the Immortality of the Soul and by that Distrust to relieve his aking Heart but in vain So strong he said was the Notion of God on his Soul so clear the Impression of him upon the frame of the World so unanimous the Consent of Mankind so powerful the Conviction of his own Conscience that he could not but taste of the Powers of the World to come and so Live as one that must Die and so Die as one that must Live Eternally And being asked one day Why he was so sad he answered Monsieur Monsieur the Soul is a serious thing It must be either Sad here for a moment or Sad hereafter for ever Cardinal Mazarine when he came to Die said O my poor Soul Whither wilt thou go saying one Day to the Queen Mother Madam your Favors have undone me and were I to Live again I would rather be a Capuchine than a Courtier Sir Francis Walsingham towards the latter end of his Life grew very Melancholy and Writ to the Lord Burleigh to this purpose We have lived long enough to our Country to our Fortunes and to our Soveraign It is high time to live to our Selves and to our God. In the multitude of Affairs that pass through our Hands there must be some Miscarriages for which a whole Kingdom cannot make our Peace Whereupon some Court Humorist being sent to Divert Sir Francis Ah! said he whil'st we Laugh all things are serious round about us God is serious when he Preserveth us and hath Patience towards us Christ is serious when he Dieth for us the Holy Ghost is serious when he striveth with us the Holy Scripture is serious when it is Read to us the Sacraments are serious when they are Administred unto us the whole Creation is serious in serving God and us they are serious in Heaven and Hell and shall a Man that hath one Foot in the Grave Jest and Laugh Dr. Dunn a Man of as great Parts and Spirit as any in this Nation being on his Death-Bed taking his solemn leave of all his most considerable Friends left this with them I Repent of all my Life but that part of it I spent in Communion with God and doing Good. That Person in a Dying hour shall wish himself not a Man that hath not been a good Christian When Queen Mary Died Mr. Fox that Writ the Book of Martyrs was Preaching Comfort to the English Exiles in Geneva at which time he did tell them That now was the time come for their return into England and that he brought them that News from God for which Words many of the Grave Divines Rebuked him greatly for the present but afterwards excused him by the Event for it appeared that Queen Mary Died but the Day before he so spake to them Judge Nichols used to say That he knew not what they called Puritan Preaching but he said that Preaching which went next his Heart and spake as Attorney General Noy used to say of Doctor Preston as if they knew the Mind of God. Mr. Selden that Universal Scholar being suspected by many to have too little Affection to Religion a little before he Died sent for the Bishop of Armagh and Dr. Langbane and told them to this effect That he had Surveyed most part of the Learning that was amongst the Sons of Men And that he had his Study full of Books and Papers of most Subjects in the World yet at that time could he not recollect any Passage out of those many Books and Manuscripts he was Master of whereon he could rest his Soul save of the Holy Scriptures wherein the most remarkable Passage that lay upon his Spirit was Titus the 2. ver 11 12 13 14 15. Grotius one of the greatest of Scholars concluded his Life with this Protestation That he would give all his Honor and Learning for the plain Integrity and harmless Innocency of Jean Urick who was a Devout Poor Man who spent Eight hours of his Time in Prayer Eight in Labor and but Eight in Sleep and other Necessaries And with this Complaint to another who admired his Astonishing Learning and Industry Ah Vitam perdedi opero se nihil Agendo And this Direction to a Third that desired in his great Learning and Wisdom in brief to shew him what to do who bade him Be Serious Count Gundomer was as great a Wit and Statesman as ever Europe knew and took as much Liberty in point of Religion till drawing towards his latter end he would say as they say of Ansalem I fear nothing more in the World than Sin often professing That if he saw Corporally the Horror of Sin on the one hand and the Pains of Hell on the other and must necessarily be plunged into the One he would choose Hell rather than Sin yea that what liberty soever he had taken he had rather be torn in pieces with Wild Horses than wittingly or willingly run into any Sin. Above all says Sir Philip Sidney at the time of his Death govern your Will and Affections by the Word and Will of your Creator and in me behold the end of this World. Damnation PEter Lumbard says GOD Condemns none before he Sins nor Crowns any before he Overcomes Disrespect IF any despise thee do not bear a grudge against him for it And be not offended with any meerly because they do not Honor thee If any neglect or slight thee care not for it yet observe it Distrust IT is Distrust of God to be troubled about that which is to come Impatience against God to be troubled for what is present and Anger at him to be troubled at what is past Vid. Afflictions and Sufferings Doubting ONe cause of uncomfortable Living is That Christians look more at their present Cause of Comfort or Discomfort than they do at their future Happiness and the way to attain it Another cause of Doubting is The weakness and small measure of your Graces
somewhat more from you to Comfort my Stomach for unless the Lord assist me in his Service I shall play the White-liver'd Knight but he can make a Coward in his Cause to Fight like a Man. Jerom of Prague being ready to be Burned these were his last words This Soul of mine in Flames of Fire O Christ I offer unto thee Sir Thomas More said We go to Hell with more pain than we may go to Heaven with Honor. IT is Machiavils Rule That they that rise very high should descend timely to quit the Envy lest they lose the Honor of their Greatness Queen Elizabeth asked Sir Nicholas Bacon Why his House was so little he answered My House is not too little for me but you have made me too big for my House Heavenly Country HOw Worthy yea how necessary a thing it were that they that is the Lord Burleigh and Sir Francis Walsingham should at length bid farewel to the Snares one of a Secretery and the other of an Ambassador and should both of them set their Minds upon their Heavenly Country and by Repentance ask Mercy of GOD. Human Affairs Human Affairs are so uncertain that he seemeth the Wisest Man not who hath a Spirit to go on but he that hath a Wariness to come off And that seems the best Course that hath most Passages out of it Hatred THe World perhaps doth not Love us have we not reason to thank it if it make us place our Affections on Heaven Epiphanius used to say That he never let his Adversary Sleep not that he disturbed him in his Sleep but because he agreed with him presently and would not let the Sun go down upon his Wrath. Prosper saith Thou shalt neither Hate the Man for his Vice nor Love the Vice for the Mans sake Heart and Tongue CYprian saith Two things never wax Old in Man the Heart ever imagining new Cogitations and the Congue uttering vain Corruptions of the Heart Hearing the Word Cyril saith Some came to Church to see Fashions others to meet their Friends yet it is better come so than not at all In the mean time the Net is laid and they that intend nothing less are drawn into Christ who catches them not to destroy them but that being Dead he may bring them to Life Eternal St. Bernard when he came to the Church Door used to say this to himself Stay here all my Worldly Thoughts and Vanity that I may entertain Heavenly Meditations Hereticks IRaeneus was wont to compare the Hereticks and Schismaticks of his Time to Esop's Dogg that lost the Substance of Religion whil'st they gaped too earnestly after the Shaddow It was St. Hierom's saying Dead Flesh is to be cut off for fear of Gangrene Arias at first was but a Spark but being not suppressed betimes proved the Incendary of the whole Church Holiness ISodore faith Knowledge and a Good Life are both very profitable yet if both cannot be attained a Good Life is rather to be sought than much Knowledge Hope WE will never part comfortably with our Enjoyments on Earth till we have comfortable Thoughts of better in Heaven That Hope of Salvation that is not accompanied with Heart Purification is vain Hope Humility IT is a lowly frame and habit of Spirit arising from a due sence of the glorious Excellency of Almighty God and our own Frailties and Infirmities and upon our Infinite dependance on his Bounty Goodness and Mercy whereby we are under a constant firm and sound Conviction that all that is in us or that is Injoyed or can be expected by us is from the free and undeserved Liberality of that glorious GOD. An Humble Man says Alexander of Hales is like a good Tree the more fuller of Fruit the Branches are the lower they bend themselves It is the empty Soul I mean one empty of Pride Self-conceit and Vain-Glory that is capable of Satisfaction with the Divine Goodness If an Humble Man doth any Good Noble or becoming Action he checks the first motions of Pride and Ostentations in himself and receives not the Applause of others but directs all to the Praise and Glory of it to that God that hath done it for him and by him Not unto us but unto thy Name give the Glory C. J. Hales 141. And Justice Hales said I can call my own Experience to witness that even in the external Actions Occurrences and Incidencies of my whole Life I was never disappointed of the best Guidance and Direction when in Humility and the sence of my own deficiency and diffidence of my own Ability to direct my self or grapple with the difficulties of my Life I have with Humility and Sincerity employed the secret Directions and Guidance of the Divine Providence and I dare therein appeal to the vigilant and strict Observance of any Man's Experience whether he hath not found the same Experience in relation to himself and his own Actions and Successes whether those Counsels and Purposes which have been taken up after an humble Invocation of the Divine Direction have not always been most successful in the end 146 and 130. Hypocrisie Hypocrisie is to do the outward Acts without the inward Sincerity now to do them without Sincerity is to do them without Love for to do a thing in Love is to do it in Sincerity that is the best way to know it by A man that doth much to God but not out of Love all that he doth is out of Hypocrisie Doctor Preston The Hypocrite hath a Profession that he may not seem Wicked but it is but a Profession and therein he is Wicked He that pretends to Godliness by a specious Profession and yet doth not practise Godliness by an holy Conversation he hath a Form but doth deny the Power Mead. It is seriousness and earnestness about fleshly Vanity and want of seriousness about things Spiritual and Eternal which is the temper and Character of the Hypocrite Jests ARche made King James sensible of the danger the Prince was in in Spain by telling him he would change Caps with him Why said the King because thou hast sent the Prince into Spain from whence he is never likely to return But said the King What wilt thou say if thou see him return back again Marry said he I will take off the Fools Cap which I now put on thy head for sending him thither and put it on the King of Spains for letting him return Secretary Baurus's Son kept a Gentlemans Wife in Shropshire and when he was weary of her caused her Husband to be dealt with to take her home again assuring him of 500 l. for Reparation The Gentleman went to Sir Henry Sidney to take his Advice telling him That his Wife promised him to live a new Life and to say the truth 500 l. would be very seasonable at that time By my troth said Sir Henry take her home and the Money with her and then whereas other Cuckholds wear their Hornes plain you may wear yours Guilt
we say less than the least of God's Mercies Prayer THat Prayer that is pure and holy entereth into the Heavens and returneth not empty It is a shelter to the Soul a Sacrifice to God and a Scourge to the Devil Austin's Prayer was Lord first give me what thou requirest and then require what thou wilt And he that Prayeth well cannot choose but Live well Mr. Perkins upon his Death-Bed said to his Friends praying for the ease of his Pain Pray not for the ease of Torments but for the encrease of my Patience He that Prays for the good Things that he hath not doth not seek for that which is good but that which seems to be good Oh! what do I inwardly suffer when in my Mind I consider Heavenly Things and presently in my Prayers a multitude of Carnal Imaginations present themselves before me My God be not far from me depart not in thy Wrath from thy Servant cast forth thy Light and scatter them send forth thy Darts and break all the Imaginations which the Enemy casts in Gather in call home my Senses unto thee make me forget all the things of this World grant me to cast away speedily the imaginations of Wickedness Succour thou me thou everlasting Truth that no Vanity may move me come Heavenly Sweetness and let Impurity fly from before thee Pardon me also and mercifully forgive me as often as I think of any thing else besides thee in Prayer I do humbly confess I am wont to be subject to many Distractions for I confess I am not there where I do corporally stand or sit but there am I whither my Thoughts do carry me where my Thoughts are there am I. There are oftentimes my Thoughts where my Affections are that offer themselves quickly unto me which is naturally delightful and by custom pleasing Tho. de Kempis 268. If thou be in God Christ is thy Father and therefore in Prayer thy Applications are to thy Father Mat. 7.7 If we being evil know how to give good things whatsoever thou canst expect from thy Earthly Father so much and much more may'st thou expect from thy Heavenly Father patience to bear with thy Infirmities and Failings Psal 78.18 compassion to pity thy Sufferings Psal 103. Goodness to supply thy Wants Justice to revenge thy Injuries Psal 105.14 Those Prayers that are from the workings and sighings of God's Spirit in us from sincere Hearts lifted up to God through the sense of our own Emptiness and from God's infinite Fulness that are suited to God's Will and the great Rule of Prayer that are for Spiritual things more than Temporal that are accompanied with Faith and dependance these Prayers speak a Man altogether a Christian Mead. A Prayer for Purging the Heart and for obtaining Heavenly Wisdom STrengthen me O God by the Grace of thy holy Spirit give me to be strengthened in the inward Man and to empty my self of all unprofitable Care and Anguish not to be drawn away by sundry desires either mean or precious but looking upon all things as passing away together with them for nothing is permanent under the Sun where all things are vanity and vexation of Spirit Oh how wise is he that considereth of them Tho. de Kempis 112. A Powerful Letter IN a Letter to King Henry the VIII it is concluded thus Wherefore Gracious King have pity on your Soul and consider that the Day is even at hand when you shall give an Account of your Office and the Blood that hath been shed with your Sword. In which day that you Grace may stand stedfast and may have your Quietus est sealed with the Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ which will only serve at that day is my daily Prayer c. Our Persecutors FRet Fume and Gnash the Teeth to hear that we under these grievous Afflictions can be so Merry let us Pray instantly that this Joy may never be taken from us for it passeth the Delights of this World This is the Peace which passeth all Vnderstanding This Peace the more it is chosen and possessed with the more they feel it and therefore cannot faint neither by Fire nor Water Prosperity HEre lies the danger of a pleasing Condition in regard of Pleasures Credit Delights Riches Friends Habitation Health or any inferiour thing the more of Good that seemeth to be in them as distinct from God the more Dangerous for they are more like to stand up in Competition with him and carry it with our partial and blinded Souls in the Competition Remember this if you love your selves when you would have all things about you more Pleasant and Lovely here lies the danger of a prosperous Condition and State. On the contrary here lies the blessed benefit of Adversity which if Men were not Brutish and Unbelieving they would heartily welcome it as the surest Condition Mr. Baxters Rest 3d Part 216. Papist MY Lord of Worcester being a Papist had this Maxim That he would not be Disordered within himself only because things were out of Order without him Queen Elizabeth was wont to say That my Lord of Worcester had Reconciled what she thought Inconsistent A stiff Papist to be a good Subject Punishment WHensoever God Punisheth he doth it for just Cause and the Godly never accuse him of Rigour as the Wicked do but acknowledge that in themselves is just cause why they should thus intreat them Dan. 9.7 Why should a Living Man complain for the Punishment of his Sins Hale 130. Reason IT 's Human to use Reason rather than Force and a Christian to seek Peace and ensue it Reformation IT would be an easie matter says Malvezzi for Favourites to Reform Kings Palaces if it were not an hard thing to Reform their own Houses Regiment of Health TO be chearfully disposed at Hours of Meat Sleep and Exercise is one of the best Exercises of long lasting As for the passions and studdies of the Mind avoid Envies Anxious Fears Anger fretting Inward subtile and knotty Inquisitions Joys and Exhilerations in Excess Sadness not Communicated entertain Hopes and Mirth rather than Joy variety of Delights rather than Surfeit on them Lord Bacon 's Essays 188. Rejoycing at Death MR. Edward Deering said As for my Death I bless God I feel and find so much inward Joy and Comfort in my Soul that if I were to make my Choice whether to Live or Die I would a Thousand times rather choose Death than Life if it may stand with the good Will of God And shortly after he Died in the Year of our Lord Christ 1576. Religion REligion and the Practice of its Vertues is the Natural state of the Soul the condition to which God designed it As God made Man a reasonable Creature so all the Acts of Religion are equal and suitable to our Natures and our Souls are then in Health when we are what the Laws of Religion require to be and to do what they Command us to do Dr. Tillotson The great Principals of Religion