is the Son of God will not murmure at any dispensation of his Providence should I lead your Meditations through all the Stages of her sufferings in the late bloody Rebellious times truly I might tire yours though they did not overcome Her Patience But she with a most Heroick Christianlike Courage and Spirit bore up against all the batteries and storms of plundering Persecutours of railing Shimei's and backbiting Rabshakes against whom her Innocency was no fence to keep of their approaches And as those lesser lights of Heaven shine brightest in the dark Winter nights and fire burns hottest in the cold frost so the Star of her profession shind most gloriously the fire of her Zeal to the Truth glowed with a greater heat under the rage of those who did persecute her with their hands robbing her of her goods because she would not be as they were bad rebels against the King and Church and blasting her reputation with their black Tongues not dreading to report she was a Papist or as one said before a Committee something like one and why Because she was loyal to her Soveraign a lover and Patroness of Orthodox Divines and abounded in good works If it were only Charity that did constitute a Papist I would not refuse or dislike to be so called but her soundness in her opinion and practice of the true Religion manifested to the World that she was a rare Christian a Christian indeed and not only in name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ign. One of a most exact conversation and fit to be proposed to this loose and sinful Age as a pattern of good living and as St. Augustine referr'd those that desired to profit in Virtue to the life and conversation of S. Paulinus Vade in Campaniam disce Paulinum Go to Campania and study Paulinus so would I say to any person that should desire to attain to some degree of perfection in Grace Goodness and Piety Vade ad Sancti Aegidii oppidum Disce Ducissam Dudleyam Have recourse to St. Giles's and enquire after the Life and manners of Dutchess Dudley conform your Life to Her Religious Conversation who hath left behind her there many Ladies much like unto her so may you prove a good proficient in Religion Her Patience likewise discovered it self highly all the time of her sickness which was long and tedious and in the midst of all her pains which were sharp and grievous her Soul was drowned in the Contemplation of that great Ocean of bliss in Heaven to which she was sailing through the narrow channel of this life She never complained with murmuring or bitter Lamentation as too many do in their sickness nor saying as Rebekah did Gen. 25.22 when the twins strugled in her womb If it be so why am I thus No she knew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the gate is strait which leadeth into the City of bliss and that through many tribulations we must enter into heaven which she had learned out of Acts 13.22 and therefore embraced her Cross with cheerfulness and why should a living man complain a man for the punishment of his Sin Lam. 3.39 She in effect oft said what St. Hierome suggested to Paula concerning the death of Blaesilla Bonus est Dominus quodcunq â—ecerit bonus Deus non potest non esse boâ—… The Lord is good and whatsoever a good God doth cannot be bad To conclude this particular She look'd upon her troubles as the Lot of God's Children the Physick of the Soul the Pledge of Divine Love the Badge of her profession as a Christian the Incentive of her Devotion and a mark of her Conformity with Christ her Head and the Captain of our Salvation and therefore following him she bore all with Patience To whom that she might by a closer Union be joyned Now that her Soul was drawing towards Heaven having spent all the time of her sickness in Prayer and Repentance and heavenly Conferences of which I could give a large account She as she had done oft-times before desired to receive her last Viaticum that heavenly food which might as it did strengthen her Spirit in it's last conflict with Death and in it's long journey to eternity or everlasting life I mean that which is a Sacrament as of a thankful Commemoration of Christ crucified so of a blessed Confirmation for that it confirms our Faith that Christ is and will be in all respects to our Souls I had rather say to our Persons what the Bread and Wine is to our Bodies Had you been then present and seen with what flaming devotion with what burning affection and lowly Reverence upon her Knees when she could hardly stand upon her feeble legs she received that heavenly Food that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ign. calls it which Physicks the Soul for Eternity the seal of her pardon and token of her Communion with Christ had you then beheld her devout deportment and heard the Divine expressions which immediatly fell from her gracious lips you would hence have concluded that she was a rare Saint Having thus got a firmer hold of Christ by Faith in the Merits of his Death and Passion and grasping her Saviour in the Arms of Her Love and Thankfulness She ever after chaunted out old Simeons Song Luke 2.29 Domine nunc dimittis c. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace She as St. Augstine says of Faith tore of Death's grim Vizard and beheld under it a comely smiling face so as whiles unto the enemies of God those that are not reconcil'd unto him by Faith in Christ and the amendment of their lives it is no other than a terrible executioner of Divine Vengeance it seemed to her an Herauld of Peace a messenger of Joy a plausible and sure Convoy unto Blessedness For this cause or upon these considerations she longed after her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her dissolution even as the weary Traveller after he hath measured many tedious miles as she had years and passed many dangers both by Sea and Land and felt the harsh entertainments of a stranger rejoyces to draw near in his return to a pleasant and Rich habitation Thus she desired earnestly to be released from Her Prison the body is such and no more to the Soul She often wished to be dissolved and to be admitted into a nearer familiarity or Communion with Christ a few days after the Lord in Mercy made her partaker of her holy wish and desire gave her an happy Release by Death and Grace to utter these last words of the Protomartyr Saint Stephen Act. 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit and when she had said this she after ninety years current spent in God's service fell asleep Death was no more to this Illustrious Dutchess then a sleep Her body after many vexatious Toils Troubles and Disquiets in this World shall sleep or rest for a while in it's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's Dormitory the Grave But her soul
A Mirrour of Christianity AND A Miracle of Charity Or A true and Exact NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE and DEATH Of the most Virtuous Lady ALICE Dutchess DUDDELEY Published after the Sermon in the Church of St. Giles in the Fields by R. B. D. D. Rector of the said Church on Sunday the 14th of March MDCLXIX PSAL. 112.6 The righteous shall be had in an everlasting remembrance PSAL. 41.1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy Si vis esse mercator optimus foenerator egregius da quod non potes retinere ut accipias quod non poteris amittere da modicum ut recipias centuplum da temporalem possessionem ut consequaris aeternam Haereditatem London Printed by E. C. for R. Royston Bookseller to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty at the Angel in St. Bartholomews Hospital and for J. Collins at the Kings Head in Westminster Hall 1669. To the Virtuous and most Religious Lady KATHERINE LEVISON The Relict of Sir RICHARD Knight and Baronet And the only Surviving Daughter of the Illustrious DUTCHESS Whose just Encomium is published in the ensuing Treatise Madam I Do here present to your Ladyship a lively and true Portraiture of your deceased Lady Mother or rather your own genuine Picture Though it wants those lively Colours which might be required to set forth it 's luster However it being drawn after her Death and so not to the Life I doubt not but your Ladyship will admit it into your favourable acceptance and draw it over again as you have begun by your great charity to the poor piety towards God in your Christian Life and Conversation Your Ladyships Patronage of this work I cannot in prudence beg for there is no fence against contradicting envy and malice which is far from those Noble Persons and others in this place where the Illustrious Dutchess breath d and expired Yet I presume to say that some who shall peruse the ensuing Treatise will imagine if not say when they have viewed her matchless deeds recorded in the same that what they have Read is incredible which censure they will disown after they have considered that She was a Miracle of Grace and a glorious Prodigy of Munificence Let such persons misguided in their Judgments and misled in their deceiving Phansies know that to commend the dead for their unquestionable merits is a work of that spotless Innocence that the Authour cannot be attach'd of Flattery in doing it as the Person commended is out of danger of being injur'd by it in that she cannot be elevated in her mind nor tempted to Pride so said the Learned Maximus Taurinensis in one of his Homilies I shall close these few impolite Dedicatory lines with my Prayers to the Almighty Lord the God of Grace that he would be pleased to encrease his Graces which are great and many in you and continue his Mercies to you that having with a large Revenue a larger heart and an open hand you may tread in the same path of charitable beneficence in which your Deceased Renowned Mother walked and with Her be hereafter glorified in Heaven wearing the Crown of Charity and Perseverance This is the hearty Vote of him who is Madam Your humble Servant Ready to Obey your Commands R. Boreman Imprimatur Sam. Parker Reverendissimo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino Gilberto Archiep. Cantuar. a Sacr. Dom. Ex Aedibus Lambethanis Aprilis 26º 1669. An Exact NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE and DEATH Of the Renowned Dutchess DUDLEY Who departed this Life in her House neer the Church of St. Giles in the Fields Januarii 22. Anno 1669. in the XC year of her Age. WE never read of any that were blamed for drawing of too much water out of the Well of Life I mean for devoting themselves with an earnest assiduity to the reading and study of Gods Word Neither can we possibly give too much honour to the Lord of Glory and King of Saints though we should put our inventions upon the rack and scrue up our expressions to the highest There be many ways and divers means whereby God may be glorified by us but none more effectual and powerful to the advancement of his glory than by acknowledging with due praises the many eminent Virtues which as so many Rivulets stream into the Souls of the Saints from the everlasting Spring of Divine Grace They glorified God in me so said S. Paul of himself Gal. 1.24 Who though he stiled himself out of the depth of humility the chiefest of sinners and the least of Saints yet in Gods esteem he was as great as the greatest of the Latter and Less then the least of the former Now to the glory of God which is the aim of my weak endeavours to the praise of his eternal goodness which should be the object of yours I shall by his Blessing and Divine Assistance discharge a duty which is pattern'd to us by the practice of the Heathens Jews and Christians in all ages it is to present to the view of your Meditations one of the Fairest Flowers in the Garden of Gods Church one for her Saintship of the highest Stars in this lower firmament whilst I embalm the memory of the most Virtuous deceased Dutches D. with a just Encomium and praises due to her rare and transcendent perfections In the doing whereof I shall perform a double commendable work First A Duty of Civility and Christianity to the dead Secondly A Duty of Piety to the Living whilst I stir up their Devotions to an Holy Emulation and Zealous Imitation of the Graces and Virtues which Shined in the Life and Death of the Renowned Dutchess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To speak in the Language of the Learned Nazianzen whose Tongue that Tongue which sored so high in the praise of S. Athanasius and S. Basil would suit well with this great work better then mine who when I have said all that I can being not able to speak enough may incur that censure of endeavouring or going about to fit a Dwarfs Shoe to a Giants Foot But to hold your expectation no longer in suspense I shall lay the Foundation of this Structure in Her Graces Birth and Education and then lay upon it the weight of an Holy Life and happy Death this done refer all to your godly imitation and so commend you to God's blessing First For her Ladiships Birth we have here a Righteous Branch sprung of a Righteous Stock She was the second Daughter of Sir Thomas Leighe of Stoneley in the County of Warwick Knight and Baronet the Relict of Sir Robrt Dudley Knight Son to Robert late Earl of Leicester and for his extraordinary merits created a Duke by Ferdinand the Second Late Emperor of Germany For divers great considerations She was by Letters Patents bearing date at Oxford the twentieth day of May In the twentieth year of King Charles the first of Blessed Memory By the said King advanced to the title of a Dutchess being by the foresaid Robert
is now awake in Heaven wearing the Crown of Perseverance and singing with the triumphant Chorus of Angels and Saints glorified a joyful Song to the Lamb Christ Jesus sitting upon a golden glorious Throne who will at the great day raise up her body from it's long sleep by virtue of that Spirit which rais'd him from the dead Rom. 8.11 and dwelt by a full measure of Grace in the Soul of our deceased Saint who being dead yet speaketh as the Apostle attests of righteous Abel Heb. 11.4 and methinks bespeaks as now on Earth her survivers from Heaven in the words of St. Paul Let your conversation be as mine was in Heaven where I raign now in the Embraces and Glories of my Saviour and Be ye followers of me as I was of the Lord Jesus in Faith and Love in Humility Meekness Piety and Patience and suppose too that she bespeaks you all in the words of Gideon to his Souldiers and of Abimeleck to his Judg. 7.17 chap. 9.48 Look on me and do likewise what ye have seen me do and shall hear I have done even so do ye according to your abilities and several capacities ☞ Clothe the backs of the poor and feed the hungry bellies adorn God's Houses and contribute to the Rebuilding of decaied and by war and fire wasted Churches endow poor Vicaradges with Annual Accessions or Augmentations of large Salaries relieve poor Widows in Hospitals by yearly Pensions give good and competent Summes for the redemption of Christian Captives now chain'd up to slavery in the hands or under the power of Infidels and for placing out of poor Children or Orphans yearly to be Apprentices Honour your Ministers who are set over you in the Lord especially those who labour in the Word 1 Tim. 5.17 i. e. take great pains to dispense the lively Oracles of it and administer frequently the holy Sacraments for the edifying and saving of your Souls give what is due unto them and take nothing by fraud or violence from them and if they want an house to dwell in provide one for them All that has been said the Illustrious Dutchess did and gave to God the Glory of it who afforded Her by his blessing that good and plentiful seed which she liberally sowed and scatter'd in the fields of the poor and hath sprung in a rich and large crop of blessings which she now enjoys with God in the Coelestial Paradise Pauperum fundus est foecundissimus The poor man's field affords the largest Crop And though all cannot keep an even pace or go along with her in her Bounty and Magnificence yet follow her though at a distance by conforming your lives and actions to her Charity and goodness Thus if you do as her good deeds in a manner exhort you and declare the Sincerity or Truth of your Faith by your goods works Imitating Christ the King of Saints and this deceased Dutchess a Queen among her Sex for her rare exemplary Virtues and Graces you shall be for ever blessed as She is and Crown'd with Everlasting Glory and Happiness Trin-uni Deo Laus honor Gloria c. A Memorable and Exact CATALOGUE OF ALL THE RENOWNED DUTCHESS Her Good or Most Charitable Deeds AS to abound in Good Works is an Argument of a Lively Faith in Christ and a true mark of Christianty so to disperse the same upon a self-seeking Interest out of a design to gain praise and get glory by it is an infallible note or sign of Hypocrisie This Pharisaical vice never lodged in the Soul of our deceased Dutchess so Renown'd for her stupendous Charity the fire whereof burnt hot in her Religious brest but was cover'd over with the Ashes of Humilty She whilst living loved not to hear her just praises sounded in her Ear for well-doing but contented her self with God's approbation whilst she did all for His Glory that the poor releived by her bounty might have an occasion to say Blessed be the Lord for his merciful goodness that hath open'd the heart and hand of his servant to help and succour us in our want She was such a stranger to Pride which never enter's into a gracious Soul and so far from Ostentaion in her life that I am perswaded had any come to her before her death and mention'd the design of publishing the ensuing Catalogue after it she would not have consented to that motion but rather forbad it However now that her Grace is out of the reach of Flattery and cannot be suspected for the guilt of Vain-glory I shall blow the Trumpet of her praise by presenting to the World a list of her good deeds that those who peruse it may thereby be induced to follow her steps to conform their lives to the exemplary pattern of her bountiful goodness to abstain from superfluities in Apparel and Diet which murther Charity that what they spare or gain by abandoning all excess in needless expenses they may contribute the same to the relief and comfort of Christ's poor Members his necessitous pious Servants This was the practice of our Illustrious Dutchess and for this God has Crown'd her as he will all those that imitate her with everlasting glory and happiness A just Account of her good deeds in her life and little before her death taken out of our Churche's Register and specified in her last VVill and Testament 1. HER Charity began at the House of God which was first in her thoughts as it is usually the last or not at all in other's When the former Church here of S. Giles which was decay'd by Age lay as it were in Rubbish there being a Void space at the upper end of the Chancel which was stored with Lumber as the Boards of Coffins and Dead-mens Bones She being offended at that unhandsome prospect erected a decent Skreen to divide the said Chancel from the forenamed place and to hide it from the beholders eyes which could not but be troubled at it 2. When the foresaid Church was fallen It began to be built in the year 1623 and was finished with the wall about it Aâ—… 1631. with the fall whereof that Skreen was demolished God moved the hearts of the Parishioners to erect a new Church in the Room or place of the former which was in a few years effected and finished many hundreds of good Christians in other Parishes contributing to so good and glorious a work she most liberally as she had a magnificent large soul gave to the advance and finishing of it together with the Wall that encompasseth it many 100 l. of which her magnificent bounty the then grateful Parishioners erected a Monument which is placed over the great gate or the Northside of the Church The words engraven in a large square Stone are these QVOD FOELIX BONVMQVE SIT POSTERIS HOC TEMPLVM LOCO VETERIS EX ANNOSA VETVSTATE COLLAPSI MOLE ET SPLENDORE AVCTVM MVLTO PAROECORVM CHARITAS INSTAVRAVIT IN QVIBVS PIENTISSIMAE HEROINAE D. ALICIAE DUDDELEY
of Sir Thomas Leigh of Stoneley in Warwick-shire Knight and Baronet so Her Mother was Katharina a most Virtuous Lady Daughter to Sir John Spencer of Worme Leighton Knight and great Grandfather to the Right Honourable now Earl of Sunderland c. The foresaid Sir Thomas had by His Lady Katharina Issue John Leigh Knight who was the Father of the Lord Leigh Baron of Stoneley now living in the County of Warwick Philip. 3.20 Our Conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ THERE is in Love so strange a piece of of Magick as to transform a man into the object of it and to translate the Soul into a place far remote from the body of the affectionate Lover S. Paul whose Soul was fired with a burning flame of Seraphick love was of this Divine and Holy Temper after his vision when he was rap'd up into the third Heaven where he heard and saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words and things which were inexpressible and doubtless beheld the glorious face of our Lord Christ Jesus the beauty of Heaven and the mirrour of Angels ever after he was yet with submission to God's will whether for life or death weary of the world which he look'd upon as a Shop of vanities a Sink of uncleanness and a Dungeon of miseries and by an holy transmigration of Spirit converst daily hourly with his God in Heaven and knowing that the only way or means to arrive at that place of Bliss that Mansion of pure delights and sublimate Joys is to follow Christ to imitate H m whose life is the most perfect Idea of all virtues the most exact rule of Holy Living he therefore in his Epistle to the Ephes 5.1 Exhorts them and with them us in these words Be ye followers of God as dear Children again 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ S. Paul who press'd this duty to the Ephesians and Corinthians did know full well the nature of man whom an Apish and Fond imitation turns into the nature of beasts so it may be said of some men as it is Psal 49. the last verse They being in honour i. e. endu'd with reason wherewith they are honour'd by God above other Creatures for want of a right use of it to a discreet ordering of their lives may be compared to the beasts that perish When men do follow the bad examples of others and walk in crooked and by-paths which tend to destruction they may be compared to the silly sheep who will follow their leaders even into deep waters and down steep Praecipicies Non quà eundum sed quà itur Senec. Not minding where they should but where the others go There have been and are those who did and do count a defect or deformity a piece of graceful honour if by it they may be like their Superior Thus a wry neck in Nero's court was the Mode and esteem'd a piece of Gallantry as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lisp in Julians and to limp in anothers because these defects were beheld in those Emperors But we Christians ought to be wise and prudent in our Imitations and by setting before our eyes the choicest patterns of goodness we should endeavour to heighten and advance our Souls to an evenness in Grace and virtue with the best Presidents amongst God's Saints To this end i. e. to raise their Souls to an high degree of Perfection S. Paul vers 17. of this Chap. exhorts the Philippians to propose him for a pattern to walk by Brethren be ye followers of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example To which exhortation he subjoyns a reason in the words of my Text. For our conversation is in Heaven c. The first word Conversation is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the which admitting of divers Interpretations has caused a Variety of Constructions amongst Expositors They who with Tertullian and S. Hierome translate the same by Municipium which is the State or Condition of those who dwelling out of a City in some remote place or Country have yet the Priviledges of the same they being enfranchised belonging to them upon this account or for this reason they take this to be the meaning of the Words That although we be strangers and sojourners here on Earth however we are Municipes Freemen or Free-denyzens of Heaven and have the priviledge to be call'd and own'd by God as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Fellow-citizens of the Saints Ephes 2.17 With whom we shall at the great day of the world's Assizes Raign for ever in Heaven and partake of their Happiness But the word being of a larger acception or signication for that by it is understood many times in the Greek Fathers as Chrysostome Basil and others vitae ratio institutum a trade or manner of living which is agreeable Likewise to the Syriack Translation we may with Beza read the words thus Nos ut coelorum cives nosmet gerimus we behave our selves as Citizens of Heaven And this Paraphrastical gloss suits with that of Grotius who says that this clause Our conversation c. must borrow light for it's sense or meaning from the preceding words v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who mind earthly things to which is oppos'd that which follows in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But our Conversation is in Heaven c. The words thus explain'd In them and those that follow are wrapt up these two General parts First Here is the Apostles protestation of his holiness in these words Our conversation is in Heaven c. Secondly His and all good Christians joyful hope or expectation From whence we expect the Lord Jesus Christ First For the Protestor S. Paul and his Protestation I remember that S. Chrysostome making mention of him says that he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a large Soul a Soul as large as Heaven for that it was not shut up nor Imprison'd as the worldly mans is in his body nor chain'd in fetters of Earthly cares but dilated as ours should be in his love of Souls and spread in its ardent desires of Heaven or future happiness after which he panted as appears by his Cupio dissolvi Philip. 1.23 I desire to be dissolv'd and to be with Christ Thus his conversation or rather heart was in Heaven And this his Protestation in the Text of his Heavenly-mindedness did not proceed from Pride or a vain-glorious Ostentantion but only from an holy and earnest desire to draw our Souls upward by his Example to God that made them whilst we follow him in our practice by a Godly Imitation of his Virtues In the second Epistle to Tim. 3.10 The Apostle thus bespeaks him Thou hast fully known my doctrine manner of life purpose faith long-suffering charity patience to which we may add his Sobriety and Temperance of which we have a record 1 Cor. 9.27 As also his
unawares trading in sin or living in any kind of lewdness This waiting vigilancy is our sheild to keep off the fiery darts of Satan his evil suggestions and a Canopy to keep our Virtues pure from being sullied or spotted by any Vice It does that indeed which the Heathens thought their Goddess Pellonia did it drives and Chases all evil from us He that watches for Death conceives that it is ever at hand and not afar off and therefore he makes a daily provision for it He is of the same temper of the same frame of spirit as the Watchman was of Isaiah 21.8 my Lord says he there to the Prophet I stand continually upon my watch-tower in the day time and I am set in my ward whole nights In this Watchman's posture we should ever be There is specula meditationis a watch-tower of meditation which transports the soul from earth to Heaven and thus the good Christian is ever watching by meditating on the benefits that redound or come by Death to us it being only a releasing us from a nasty Prison no more is the body to the soul and an advancing us to a stately Palace of pure Delights a freeing us from our toilsome fetters of sin and sickness with other woful miseries and a possessing us of the Glorious liberties of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 This Meditation sweetens Death and makes it's approach less terrible Familiarity takes away fear and the Meditation of Death makes it familiar to us The daily constant Meditation of Death is likewise a great help or means to Cool the heat of Lusts to kill Pride and suppress Covetousness when we shall consider and believe that the day or hour of Death is approaching when a winding Sheet and a Napkin about our heads will be all the goods we shall carry hence with us a Grave all the land a Coffin the only house which we shall possess when worms shall be our sole companions a noisome stench instead of perfumes and instead of Robes and rich attire raggs of Rottenness He that seriously thinks on these things and digests in his soul or conscience the bitter Pills of these sad truths that man will not be proud lustful nor covetous Secondly there is specula Praeparationis a watch-tower of preparation and on this the good-man or devout Christian is ever standing his care is to do that hourly and daily which Carthusianus advises all to do and that is so to provide for the coming of Death ut nihil in mente resideat quod conscientiam mordeat cum quo mori timeat that no sin reside or remain in our brest which may wound and trouble the Conscience and with which we being guilty cannot die in peace and safety When sin is separated from thy Soul by a true and timely Repentance thou shalt not need to fear a dissolution or separation of thy soul from thy body by death Make thy peace with God in time if he be thy friend death wil be the same to thee not thy foe not thy enemy No unclean Person shall inherit the Kingdom of God Ephes 5.5 When therefore thy soul is cleansed thy conscience purged and purified that the guilt of no crying or raigning sin lies upon it then art thou fitted for Death then mayst thou with a cheerful confidence give a Christian-like invitation to it and say Come Death and wellcome Lord Jesus An holy temperate sober life an happy Death and comfort at the great day of Judgment these are close linked together they never part asunder Non potest malè moriqui vixit bene His death cannot be ill who lived well Aug. that feared God and perform'd his will by keeping his holy Commandments Therefore let your conversation be in Heaven whilst you live here upon earth and be diligent as S. Peter exhorts 2 Epist 3.14 that you may be found of Christ in peace without spot and blameless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the hour of your death Then may you be assur'd that at the last day he will be your friend you shall find him in effect what his Name Jesus imports a loving Saviour and not a severe Judge even so come Lord Jesus and when thou comest make good thy saving Name unto us Thus we pray to this end we Preach and this is every ones desire to be saved from Hells everlasting torments But let me tell you that though he be a common universal potential Saviour in respect of the Jews and Gentiles and in respect of all sorts and conditions of men yet to them only he will be effectually a Jesus who acknowledg him to be their Lord which Title is therefore prefix'd or set before that Name in the Text we look for the Lord Jesus to teach us that if we stoop to his Scepter and submit to his word if we obey his Commands and live according to his precepts wearing the Livery of His Holiness in our lives making that first Sermon of His Matt. 5. the rule of all our Actions and transcribing that fair Copy the rule of all perfection by our holy practice we may then look for him as Jesus and expect from him Salvation I look for the Lord my soul doth wait for him and in his word is my trust So said the Prophet David Psal 130.5 which words may be applied to Christ's coming in Judgment He look'd for the Lord whom he served to be his Saviour and his trust was in his word that word of Promise that he will not condemn a penitent humble sinner And whilst we look for the Lord let that promise be the comfort and stay of our souls 1 Cor. 11.31 If we judg our selves we shall not be judged by a judgment of condemnation That which the Apostle exhorts us to is that Judicium paenitentiale as Tertullian calls it the Penitential Judgment or the Judgment of Repentance when a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Chrys exhorts us to do sets up in his Soul a Tribunal or Seat of Justice and makes his Conscience both Judg and Witness and examining himself daily wherein he hath offended God after this examination passes a sentence against himself as deserving for his sins eternal damnation then appeales from himself to God's mercy and Christ's merits humbly begging for Christ's sake a pardon of all his transgressions and seals or ratifies his pardon to his Conscience by his amendment The man that doth these things shall never fall from his hope of happiness Christ will not condemn him who thus condemns himself and his sins by putting them to death or by living no longer in them Judicium paenitentiale evacuat Paenale saith Tertullian The Penitential Judgment whereby we condemn our selves doth evacuate the penal we shall not be punished for our sins He that is thus dead whilst he lives shall live in his Death and may say upon his sickbed as that devout man Myconius said to Luther his friend that came to visit him thy sickness is not unto Death but unto life for Death shall only give a release to his soul from the Prison of his body to a full and perfect State of liberty and when Christ shall appear at the latter day he will raise his body out of the Dust and place it at his right hand to triumph and reign with him in endless joy and unspeakable happiness This honour shall be conferr'd on all God's faithful Saints and dutiful Servants whose conversation is now in Heaven from whence we look for the Lord Jesus And that our conversation may be such even Heavenly as it becometh those who wait for the coming of their Lord. Let us pray O God most holy who delightest in those Souls which resemble thee in purity let thy blessed Spirit take full possession of our Souls and Spirits and by the power of it drive out of them the foul Spirit of envy and malice of pride and uncleanness that being cleans'd from these Impurities they may be fill'd with thy Divine Graces and our lives shine with the heavenly rays of Charity and Chastity of Humility and Meekness of Sobriety and Temperance which are the badge the Cognisance of thy Elect and the Lives of thy Saints And Lord wean our hearts from the love of this World's vanities which can neither content our Souls nor continue with us and fix them upon thy self who art the Joy of the Holy Angels and our only Stay Hope and comfort in all our distresses that when we leave this sinful World and all forsake us when death shall arrest our Bodies our Souls may not be forsaken of thee but admitted into those Joys which shall never end because they stream from Thee who art Everlasting Those Graces and this Glory we most humbly beg through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen