the worse It is thy Weakness to suffer thy self to be blown over by the Air of some putrified Lungs which if thou dost but decline by not valuing it will soon vanish 5. THOU art under ill Tongues This is an Evil proper only to Man Other Creatures are subject to Diseases Death or outward Violence but they cannot be obnoxious to Detraction since they are not capable of Speech whereby a Slander can be form'd They have their several Sounds and Notes of Expression whereby they signifie their Dislike and Anger But only Man can cloath his angry Thoughts with Words of Offence so that Faculty which was given him for an Advantage is depraved to a further Mischief But the Liberal Hand of his Creator hath also endued him with a Property of Reason which as it directs his Tongue to others so it instructs him to make use of other Speeches to him And where he finds it unjust either to convince it by a just Apology or to contemn it If therefore thou understandest thy self to lye under an unjust Obloquy have so much of the Man as to confute or despise it 6. THOU art shamefully traduced But give me leave to enquire not what thou suffeâ—est but for what If for a good Cause I shall turn my Pity to Envy Truth it self hath told thee Thou art in the way to Blessedness who can pity thee for that wherein thou hast cause to rejoyce Blessed are ye when Men revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of Evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven Mat. 5.11 Rather pluck up thy Spirits and take up the Resolution of holy Job that Man of Patience If mine Adversary had written a Book against me surely I would take it upon my Shoulders and bind it as a Crown to me Job 31.35 36. And say with that gracious King of Israel I will be yet more vile for the Lord 2 Sam. 6.22 7. THOU art reproach'd by lewd Men Thank thy Vertue that thou art envyed Wert thou so bad as thy Detractors thou would'st sit quiet enough If we were of the World saith our Saviour the World would love his own But because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you John 15.19 Whil'st the Moon sets no Dogs bark at her it is her Shining that opens their Mouths Wert thou Obscure or Wicked thou mightest be safe but if thou wilt be eminently Good look for the Lashes of ill Tongues They think it strange that you run not with them into the same Excess of Riot speaking Evil of you saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.4 8. IT was not without Reason that a great Musician struck his Schollar because the Multitude applauded his Skill knowing that had he been true to his Art those misâ—judging Ears could not have approved him What more excellent Instruments had God in his Church than the Blessed Apostles And what Acceptation found they on the Earth Being defamed we intreat We are made as the Filth of the World and are the Off scouring of all things unto this Day We are made a Spectacle to the World to Angels and to Men 1 Cor. 4.9 13. Complain if thou canst of a worse Condition than these Ambassadors of God otherwise resolve with the Holy Apostle to pass cheerfully through Honor and Dishonor through evil Report and good Report towords the Goal of Immortality 9. THOU art disgraced through sland'rous Reports It is not Air we live by How many hast thou known that have blown over a just Infamy with a careless Neglect Pleasing themselves to think they are thriven under Curses And shall their Guiltiness be entertain'd with more Courage than thine Innocence Let those whose heart is as foul as their Names be troubled with deserved Censures Do not thou give way to Malice as to yield any Regard to her mis-raised Suggestions Thou canst not devise more to vex a Detractor than by Contempt Thus thou shalt force Spight as that wise Heathen truly said to drink of the greatest Part of her own Poyson 10. THOU art disgrac'd with an ill Fame What a poor matter is this How far dost thou think that Sound reacheth Perhaps to the next Village or Shire wherein thou dwellest It is like the next County never heard of thy Name And if thou look yet further off as soon may'st thou be discoursed amongst the Antipodes as in the Neighbouring Region And what a small Spot of Earth is this to which thy Shame is confined Did'st thou know the vast Extent of this great World thou would'st easily see into how narrow a Corner either our Glory or Dishonour can be shut up And should'st confess how little Reason we have to affect the One or be disheartned with the Other 11. THOU art wronged with an unjust disgrace Have Patience Slanders are not long-liv'd Truth is the Child of Time ere long she 'll appear and vindicate thee Wait upon the God of Truth who shall cause Thy Light to break forth as the Morning and thine Health to spring forth speedily Isa. 58.8 There is a Shame worthy of thy Fear which is both Universal before the Face of all the World of Angels and Men and beyond the reach of Time Eternal Fear This and contemn the Other 12. ON the contrary If Fame should be-friend thee so much as to strain her Cheeks in sounding thy Praises and should cry thee up for Vertuous and Eminent every way Alas how few shall hear her and how soon is that Noise stilled and forgotten Eccles. 9.16 Shortly Then let it be thy main Care to demean thy self holily and conscionably before God and Men leave the rest upon God who shall be sure to make his Word good in spight of Men and Devils The Memory of the Just shall be blessed but the Name of the Wicked shall rot Prov. 10.7 A Prayer upon loss of Reputation O Lord withdraw my heart I beseech thee daily more and more from the love of the World and the things thereof seeing they are Vain Transitory and full of Grief and Vexation not yielding that delight and Contentment which they promise by their fawning Allurements But on the Contrary much anguish and unquietness of Mind Witness the cause of such unexpected bitterness suffer me not to affect them as formerly nor let them seem so sweet and pleasant to me as they do to others who have not tasted of better things and therefore find such relish in these but grant that all the affections of my heart may be fixed upon thee alone 2. REPROACH and Shame O Lord hath now Encompassed me and it hath been thy Justice to make others behold the Weakness of thy Servant and to cause my wants Imperfections and Infirmities to be known and discerned of many Lord thou knowest how ready I am to fail if thy Grace doth not continually sustain me O let me not be overwhelm'd with
to what ever Afflictions God is pleased to inflict upon us In this Humility is a great Assistant and renders things easie to us perswading us not to murmur or repine at any thing God does but let what Afflictions soever come though in the heaviest kind we may be always ready to say Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven And with old Eli when that great Affliction came of Gods threatning the Destruction of his Family he loss of the Priesthood the Cutting off both his Sons in one Day yet considering it was the Lord inabled him calmly to yield to 'em saying Let him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3.18 The same Effect it had on David in his Affliction I was dumb I opened not my Mouth because thou didst it Psal. 39.9 God doing it silenc'd all Murmurings and Repinings in him And it must operate the same Effect in us in all our Afflictions if we intend to acquire this Duty of Patience 4. THEREFORE when ever God strikes we are not only Patiently to endure his Rod but kiss it also that is be truly thankful that he is pleased not to Give us over to our own Hearts Lusts Psal. 18.12 But still continuing his tender Care over us sending Afflictions as so many Messengers to call us to himself From whence we may learn what an absurd Folly it is to murmur at those Stripes which are design'd so graciously 5. THIS Duty is not compleated by only a Quietness and Thankfulness under Affictions but there must be Fruitfulness also or all the rest will be of no Advantage which is the production of that for which the Afflictions were sent viz. the Amendment of our Lives So that in Time of Affliction it is a necessary Duty to examine our Hearts and Lives and make a severe Scrutiny what Sins have provoked God to scourge us and whatsoever we find our selves guilty of humbly to confess to him and immediately to forsake them Redeeming what we have lost the Time to come 6. OUR next Duty concerning Patience is That we are as much bound to comply with one sort of Sufferings as another whether they be immediately from God as Sickness loss of Friends or the like or whether it be from Men who sometimes are Instruments of afflicting us and cannot prejudice us without Gods Permission And God may as well create the Instruments of punishing us as to do it directly Himself for it is a Counterfeit Patience that pretends to submit to God and yet can bear nothing from Men. We see an Instance of Holy Job who is recorded in Sacred Scripture as a Pattern of true Patience he made no such Difference in his Afflictions but took the loss of his Cattle which the Chaldeans and Sabeans robb'd him of with as much Meekness as he did that which was consumed by Fire from Heaven Therefore whatever we suffer from Men if it be never so unjust in respect of them we are humbly to confess it is most just in respect of God and instead of looking upon them with Rage and Revenge as the vulgar custom of the World is we are to look up to God and acknowledge his Justice in the Affliction imploring his Pardon most earnestly for those Sins which have provoked his wrath against us and patiently and thankfully to bear those Sufferings till He shall in his own good time see fit to remove them still saying with Job Blessed be the Name of the Lord Job 1.21 7. A Second sort of Submission in Humility is to the Wisdom of God and that is to acknowledge him Infinitely Wise And whatsoever he doth we must confess it the best and fittest to be done And this Confession we are to put in practice both in his Commands and in his disposing and ordering of all things First Whatsoever he commands us to believe we are to believe how impossible soever it seems to our shallow Understandings Secondly To do whatever he commands us how opposite soever it be to our Carnal Reason and Humour and to conclude in both that his Commandments are most reasonable and not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 8. NEXT we are to submit to his Wisdom in disposing and ordering of Things which is to acknowledge He desposes of all things most wisely Not only to the World in General but in what concerns every one in particular So that in what Condition soever we are in We are to be Content 1 Tim. 6.8 and not to be impatient and disturb'd at any Choice which God makes since he chuses for us who cannot err But to leave all things to him to fit us with such an Estate and Condition as he sees best for us Perhaps it may not please our unreasonable Humours because we cannot live in that Splendour equal to our Superiours And the Reason is we are so full of our selves that we can see nothing beyond it We expect God should place us where we please though by it he discomposes the whole Scheme of his Providence But he like a wise Master-Builder knows that every Stone is not fit for the Corner not every little Rafter for the main Beam And sure there cannot be a more vile contempt of the Divine Wisdom than to dispute his Choice who knows what is fitter for us than we do our selves Therefore when ever we are disappointed of any of our Aims or Wishes let us not only patiently but joyfully submit to it and acknowledge that it is certainly best for us it being chosen by the unerring Wisdom of our Heavenly Father 9. HAVING spoken of the Humility due towards God I am now to speak of Humility as it concerns our selves which will be no less necessary than the former This Humility is of two sorts the first is the having a mean and low Opinion of our selves the second is being content that others should have so of us The first of these is contrary to Pride and the second to Vain-glory. Pride cast the Angels out of Heaven and it is the greatest Sin the Devil hath been guilty of And we may frequently find in Scripture the hainousness of it Prov. 16.5 Every one that is proud in Heart is an abomination to the Lord and in Chap. 6. among many things which the Lord hates a Proud Look is set as the chiefest It is indeed a most prolifick Vice and there are few Sins to which it is not either Parent or Nurse to There are many places of Scripture which shews the detestableness of it I shall only add one James 4.7 That God resisteth the Proud but giveth Grace to the Humble 10. AND the means of relinquishing this Sin of Pride is perform'd by Humility by these Directions First We are to consider the hainousness of the Sin with that Regret as may operate in us no petty Contempt but a deep and irreconcileable Hatred against it Secondly To be vigilant over our Hearts that they foment not any Originals of it never suffering them to feed on the Phantasm
THOU art pained with Sickness Consider seâ—iously from whence it comes and what makes it so bitter to thee Affliction cometh not out of the dust Job 5.6 Couldst thou but hear the Voice of thy Disease as thou now feelest the Stroke of it it hath proclaim'd loud enough Am I come up hither without the Lord to torment thee The Lord hath said to me Go up against this Man and afflict him 2 Kings 18.25 Couldst thou perceive the Hand that smites thee thou wouldst be eager to kiss it since it is the Father of all Mercies Comfort and Consolation that lays these Stripes upon thee He that made thee and bought thee at so dear a Price as his own Blood it is He that chastiseth thee And canst thou think He would scourge thee but for thine own Advantage For what tender Father is there but has Bowels of Compassion and never takes the Rod in hand out of a Pleasure to chasten that Flesh which is derived from his own Loyns Or is it any ease to him to make his Child smart and bleed But rather himself suffers more than he inflâ—cts and would be content to Redeem those Stripes with his own yet he sees the Chastisement proper not to spare him for his Frowardness and Tears but will plead he had not lov'd him if he had not been so kindly severe And Solomon gives us this advice Chasten thy Son while there is Hope and let not thy Soul spare for his Crying Prov. 19.18 And if we that are evil know how to give loving and beneficial Correction to our Children how much more shall our Father which is in Heaven know how to Chastise us for our Advantage So as we may sing under the Rod with the Blessed Psalmist I know O Lord that thy Judgments are right and that thou in Faithfulness hast afflicted me Psal. 119.75 Might a Child be made Arbiter of his Chastisement do we think he would adjudicate himself to be Corrected Yet the discreet Parent knows he shall wrong him if he give not due Correction as having learned of wise Solomon Prov. 23.14 Thou shalt beat him with the Rod and shalt deliver his Soul from Hell Love hath its Stroaks saith St. Ambrose which are the sweeter the harder they are inflicted 5. DOST thou not remember the Message the two Sisters sent to our Saviour John 11.3 Lord behold he whom thou lovest is Sick Were it so that Pain or Sickness or any of the Executioners of Divine Justice ere let loose to tyrannize over thee at Pleasure to render thee perfectly Miserable there were just Reason for thy utter Diffidence But they are stinted and march under Comission neither can they be allowed to have any other Limits than thy own Advantage Hadst thou rather be Good or be Healthful I know thou wouldst imbrace both and think thy self in a happy State For who is so little in his own favour as to imagine he can be the worse for faring well But he that made thee has a far greater Inspection into thee than thine own Eyes can have he sees thy Vigor is turning wanton and if thy Body be not sick thy Soul will If he therefore think it fit to take down thy worst part a little for the preventing of a Mortal Danger to the better what cause hast thou to complain yea rather not to be thankful When thou hast felt thy Body in a distemper of Fulness thou hast gone to Sea on purpose to create a Sickness yet thou knewest that turning of thy Head and Stomach would be more painful to thee than thy former Indisposition Why then should not thy All-wise Creator take Liberty to Cure thee with an Afflictious Remedy 7. THOU art now Sick Wert thou not a long time Healthful and canst thou not take that patiently which God hath allotted thee If thou hast enjoy'd more dayes of health than hours of sickness how canst thou think thou hadst cause to repine Had the Divine Wisdom thought fit to mitigate thy many days pain with the Ease of one hour it had been worthy of thy Thanks But now that he hath requited thy few painful hours with years of perfect health how unthankfully dost thou repine at thy Condition It was a gross mistake if thou didst not from all Earthly things expect a Vicissitude They cannot have their Being without a Change as well may Day be without a Succession of Night and Life without Death as a Mortal Body without Fits of Distemper And how much better are these momentary Changes than that last Change of a Misery unchangeable It was a deplorable Word that Father Abraham said to the Rich Glutton Son remember that thou in thy Life time receivest thy good things and Lazarus evil things but now he is Comforted and thou art Tormented Luke 16.25 How happy then are we that are here chastned of the Lord that We may not be Condemned of the World O then welcome Feavers and all other Diseases of the Body that may quit my Soul from Everlasting Burnings 8. THOU complainest of Sickness and many have effused Tears for their superfluity of Health condoling the fear and danger of losing God's Favour for their not being Afflicted Bromiard tells us of a Devout Man that complained at his Prosperity as no small Affliction whom God soon after accommodated with Pain enough according to his Desires The poor Man was joyful at this Change and look'd upon his Sickness as a Mercy for so it was intended by him that sent it Why are we too much dejected with that which others complain the want of Why should we find that so tedious to our selves which others have wish'd to enjoy There have been Medicinal Agues which the wise Physician have cast his Patient into for the Cure of a worse Distemper A secure and illegal Health however Nature takes it is the most dangerous Indisposition of the Soul If that be healed by some few bodily Pangs the advantage is unspeakable Look upon some vigorous Gallant that in the height of his Spirit and heat of Blood eagerly pursues his Carnal Delights thinking of no Heaven but the free delectation of his Sense and compare thy present Estate with his Here thou liest groaning and sighing panting and shifting thy weary Sides complaining of the slow motions of thy tedious Hours whilst he is frolicking with his jocund Companions Carousing his large Healths sporting himself with his wanton Delilah and bathing himself in all sensual Pleasures And tell mo whether of the two thou thinkst in the happier Condition If thou art not shrunk into nothing but Sense and hast not cast off all Thoughts of another World thou wouldst pity the Misery of that Atheistical Jollity and gratulate to thy self the advantage of thy humble and faithful suffering that which will at last make thee ample Satisfaction by yielding thee the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness Heb 12.11 9. THY Pain is grievous but dost thou not hear the great precedent of Patience crying out from his
Humiliation have been raised through God's mercy to a Comfortable Sense of the Divine Favour and have proceeded to a high degree of Regeneration and liv'd and dy'd good Christians 18. BUT this is not every ones Case those who have from their Infancy been brought up in The Nurture and Fear of the Lord Eph. 6.4 and from their Youth been Train'd up under a Godly and Conscionable Ministry where they have been plyed with the effectual means of Grace Precept upon Precept Line upon Line here a little and there a little Isa. 28.10 and by an insensible Conveyance received the Gracious Inoperations of the Spirit of God though not without many inward Debates Temptations and deep Humiliation for their particular Failings these cannot expect to find so sensible Alterations in themselves As well a Child knows when he was born as these know the instant of their Spiritual Regeneration and as well may they see the Grass grow as perceive their insensible Increase of Grace It is sufficient that a Child attaining to Reason knows he was born as when we see the Grass higher than we left it know that it is grown Let it then suffice thee that the thing is finish't though thou canst not define the time and manner of doing it Be not over curious in matters of particular Preceptions whil'st thou art assured of what is wrought in thee The skilful Chyrurgion makes a Fontinel in the Body of his Patient either by a sudden Incision or by a leisurely Corrosive both equally tend towards Health Trust God with thy self and with his own Work without making inquiry which way he designs thy Salvation 19. ALL were safe thou say'st if I could be ascertain'd of my Election to Life Eternal I could be Patient so I might be sure But wretched that I am here I am plung'd I see others walk comfortably as if in Heav'n whereas I droop under a continual Diffidence raising my self new Arguments of Distrust Could my heart be settled in this Assurance nothing could make me unhappy It is true as all other mercies flow from our Election so the securing of this one involves all other Favours that concern the welfare of our Souls It is no less true our Election may be assured else the Holy Ghost had not laid so deep a Charge upon us to use our utmost Endeavour to ascertain it And we are much wanting to our selves if hearing so excellent a Blessing may be attained by diligence if we pull not our hand out of our Bosom to reach that Crown so offer'd to us But withal 't is true if there were not a difficulty in this work the Apostle had not so earnestly call'd for the utmost of our Endeavour to effect it 2. Pet. 1.10 20. THE Truth is in Christianity there is no Path wherein there is more need of treading warily than in this On each side is Danger and Death Security on one hand and Presumption on the other And the Miscarriage either way is deadly Behold the miserable Examples on both kinds Some walk carelesly as if there were no Heav'n or if such a Place yet of no Concernment Their hearts are fond of the Pleasure of this Life and they neither care nor wish to be happier than this World can make 'em The God of this World hath blinded their Eyes that they believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 Others walk proudly being vainly puff't up with their own ungrounded Imaginations as if they were invested with Immortal Glory fancying themselves rapt up with St. Paul into the Third Heav'n and have seen their Names recorded in the Book of Life Whereas this is nothing but an Illusion of that Lying Spirit who knows the the way to keep 'em out of Heaven is to make 'em believe they are in a State of happiness 21. IT must be thy main Care to walk in a just Equidistance from both these Extreams that thou may'st be resolute without Presumption and careful without Diffidence And First I advise thee to abandon those false Teachers who improve their Wits for the Ruine of Souls in broaching the sad Doctrines of Uncertainty and Distrust Be sure our Saviour had not bid his Disciples rejoyce that their Names are written in Heaven Luke 10.20 Had there not been a particular Enrollment nor the Disciples could never have attained to the notice of such Inscription Neither is this a Mercy peculiar to his Domestick Followers but universal to all that believe what they testifie and by believing we may be assur'd our Names are Registred in those Eternal Records 22. NOT that we should take an Acesius his Ladder and climb up to Heaven and turn over the Book of God's Councils and read our selves design'd to Glory But as we by Experience imagine we can by Reflections read those Letters which directly we cannot So we may do here in spiritual Objects The same Apostle that gives us our Charge gives us withal our Directions Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Callings and Election sure for if ye do those things ye shall never fall for so an Entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Here is first our Calling then our Election Not that we should begin with Heaven and thence descend to Earth but that we should from Earth ascend to Heaven from our Calling to our Election As knowing that God shews what he hath done for us above by that which he hath wrought in us here below 23. OUR Calling not outward and formal but inward and effectual The Spirit of God hath a Voice and our Soul an Ear that Voice of the Spirit speaks inwardly and effectually to the Ear of the Soul calling us out of the State of Corrupt Nature into the State of Grace out of Darkness into his marvellous Light By thy Calling thou mayst judge of thine Election God never works in vain neither doth he cast away his saving Graces But whom he did Predestinate them also he Called and whom he Called them he Justified and whom he Justified them also he Glorified Rom. 8.30 This doubtless thou sayst is sure in it self but how assured to me I answer That which the Apostle adds By good Works if we comprehend the Acts of Believing and Repenting is a special Evidence of our Election But not to urge that Clause of Good Works which tho read in the Vulgar is found wanting in our Editions The clear words of the Text evince no less For if ye do these things ye shall nevâ—r fall Here is our Negative Certainty And for our Positive So an Entrance shall be Ministred unto you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If we shall never fall but shall undoubtedly enter the Kingdom of Christ what possible scruple can be of the accomplishment of our Election What then are these things that must be perform'd by us Fix your Eyes upon that Collection of Graces
beset with Parasitical Friends Young Man said he I pity thy Solitude Perhaps thou may'st be more alone in such Society than in the Wilderness Such Conversation is better lost than continued If thou canst but be well acquainted with thy self thou shalt be sorry thou wert no sooner solitary 12. THOU art from thy Country Who is not so We are all Pilgrims together with thee 1 Pet. 2.11 Heb. 11.13 Whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 Miserable are we if our true home be not Above That is the Better Country which we seek even an Heavenly Heb. 11.16 And thither thou mayst equally direct thy Course in whatsoever Region This Center of Earth is equidistant from the Glorious Circumference of Heaven If we may once meet there what need we make such Difference in the way A Prayer in Exile O LORD GOD Lord of the Mountains and Vallies Land and Sea and the God of the Exiled and Out-crst thou dost with much Patience behold Oppression and Wrong until the measures of Iniquity be filled up O Lord behold the pressures of me thy poor dispised and dejected Servant Thy Mercy and Gracious Audience of the Afflicted is neither limited to Jerusalem nor this Mountain every place is equally near Heaven and where ever Men lift up pure Hands and Hearts Worshipping of thee in Spirit and Truth thou art there present to hear and help them Lord thou seest good to permit me to the power of Men to Exercise me yet can they not shut thy Merciful Ear against me O let my Complaint therefore come before thee Let thy word be as the Cloudy-Pillar to lead me in thy Way and let thy good Spirit direct me 2. LORD leave me not destitute and comfortless in my Afflictions Be my Guide and Helper in this Earthly Pilgrimage and Valley of Tears unto and in the Hour which thou hast appointed to take me hence into the incorruptible and undefiled Inheritance which thou by â—hy Power hast reserved in Heaven for all Believers There no hand of the Oppressor can reach and where shall be no Curse no Sin nor fear of Forfeiture Into which no Enemy shall be admitted and from which no Inhabitant shall ever be cast out Lord Hear and Help me Lord have Mercy on me and grant me that which I ask according â—o thy will and that which I should ask which thou knowest best for me through the Infinite Merits of of the Son of thy Love the Author and Finisher of our Salvation Christ the Righteous Amen SECT XII Of Blindness and Deafness 1. THOU hast lost thine Eyes a Loss which all the World is uncapable to repair and thou art condemn'd to perpetual Darkness For the Light of the Body is the Eye and if the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness Mat. 6.22.23 Couldst thou have foreseen this Evil thou hadst anticipated this Loss by weeping out those Eyes for Grief which now thou art destitute of There are but two Senses by which any external Comfort can have free access to thy Soul Seeing and Hearing One of 'em is now extinguish't for ever Yet thou hast two internal Eyes that can supply the want of thy external the Eye of Reason and the Eye of Faith The One as a Man the Other as a Christian. Answerable to which there is a double Light apprehended by 'em Rational and Divine 2. SOLOMON tells thee of the one Prov. 20.23 The Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the Inward Parts of the Belly St. John tells thee of the other 1 John 1.5 7. God is Light and in Him is no Darkness and we walk in the Lgiht as he is in the Light Now the two Lights so far exceed that external and visible of which thou art depriv'd as Light Darkness If then by the Eye of Reason thou attainst to intelligible Things and by the Eye of Faith to things Supernatural and Divine the Improvement of these Eyes will make amends for the want of thy Natural ones 3. THY Sight is lost Let me tell thee what Antony the Hermite whom Ruffinus is not doubious of stilling Blessed said to Learned Didymus of Alexandria that was Blind Let it not trouble thee O Didymus that thou art bereft of thy Carnal Eyes for thou lackest only those Eyes which Mice and Flyes and Lyzards have But rejoice that thou hast those Eyes which the Angels have whereby they see God and by which thou art enlightned with a great measure of Knowledge Endeavour to perfect this and thou shalt not be much discomforted with the absence of them 4. THINE Eyes are lost and the chief Comfort of thy Life gone with them The Light is sweet saith Solomon and a pleasant thing it is for the Eyes to behold the Sun Eccles. 11.7 Hath not God done this purposely that he might take thee off from all Earthly Objects that thou might'st fix thy self upon him and seek those Spiritual Comforts which are to be found in a better Light The Sun is the most glorious Planet the Eyes can possibly see but thy Spiritual ones may behold him that Created that glorious Luminary who is infinitely more glorious than what he Created If thou hast now an Inspection into him more than thou hadst that which thou countedst thy Loâ—s hath prov'd thy Gain 5. THOU art Blind and certainly it is a sore Affliction The Men of Jabesh Gilead offered the Tyrant of the Ammâ—nites to serve him 1 Sam. 11.1 But when he required the loss of their Kâ—â—ht Eyes as a Condition of Peace they will rather hazard their Lives in an unequal War as if Servitude and Death were a less Mischief than one Eye's loss How much more of Both For tho one Eye be but Testis Singularis yet the evidence of that is as true as of both and in some Causes more For when ye take a perfect Aim we shut one Eye as being conducive to an accurate Perspective Yet for ordinary use we value equally these Lights that there is no wise Man but would rather lose a Limb than one of them 6. A Person not less Religious than Witty when his Friends bewail'd the loss of one of his Eyes ask'd them whether they wept for the Eye which he had lost or the Eye which remain'd Weep rather said he for the Enemy that stays behind than for the Enemy that 's gone He look'd upon his Sight with Eyes different from others he look'd upon 'em as Enemies which others beheld as Officious Servants good Friends and dear Favourites 7. INDEED they are all of these as they are us'd Good Servants if they go faithfully on their Errands and return true Intelligence Good Friends if they advise and invite us to Holy Thoughts But Enemies if they suggest Evil. If thine Eyes have been employ'd in evil Offices to thy Soul God hath done that for thee which he hath in a Figurative Sense enjoyn'd thee to
not easily determin'd which loss is greatest the Eye or Ear both are afflictive Now all the World is to thee Dumb since thou art Deaf to it And how small a Matter hath made thee a Cypher amonst Men These are the Senses of Instruction and there is no other way for Intelligence to be convey'd to the Soul either in Secular or Spiritual Affairs The Eye is the Window the Ear is the Door by which all Knowledge enters In matter of Observation by the Eye and of Faith by the Ear Rom. 10.17 20. HAD it pleas'd God to have excluded these Senses from thy Birth thy State had been utterly Disconsolate and there had been no possible access for Comfort to thy Soul Had this Affliction happen'd in thy riper Age there had been no way but to be content with thy former Store But now he hath vouchsafed to leave thee one Passage open it behoves thee to supply one Sense by the other and to let in those helps by the Window which are deny'd Entrance at the Door But now Omnipotency hath been pleas'd to lend thee an Ear so long till thou hast laid the sure Foundation of Faith in thy Heart thou mayst work upon 'em in this silent Opportunity with Celestial Meditations and raise 'em up to no less height than thou could'st have done by thy quickest Hearing 21. IT is a great Blessing that in the plentitude of thy Senses thou wert sollicitous to improve thy Bosom as a Magazine of Heavenly Thoughts providing with the Wise Patriarch for the seven Years of Dearth Now that the Passages are block'd up thou mightest have been in danger of Famishing Thou hast now leisure to recal and ruminate upon those Counsels which thy Improvement hath laid up in thy Heart and to thy happy Advantage find'st the difference betwixt a wise Providence and a careless Neglect 22. THINE external Hearing is lost But thou hast an internal Ear whereby thou hear'st the secret motions of God's Spirit which shall never be lost How many thousands whom thou enviest are in a worse Condition They have an external Ear whereby they hear the voice of Men but they want that Spiritual Ear which perceives the least Whisperings of the Holy Ghost Ears they have but not hearing ones for Fashion more than Use. Wise Solomon makes and observes the Distinction Prov. 20.12 The hearing Ear and the seeing Eye the Lord hath made even both of them And a Greater than Solomon can say of his formal Auditors Hearing they hear not Matt. 13.13 If thou have an Ear for God tho Deaf to Men How much happier art thou than those Millions of Men that have an Ear for Men and are Deaf to God 23. THOU hast lost thy Hearing and therewith no small Sorrow How would it grieve thy Soul to hear those woful Ejaculations pitiful Complaints hideous Blasphemies atheistical Notions mad Paradoxes and hellish Heresies wherewith thine Ear would have been Wounded had it not been barr'd against their Entrance It is thy just Grief thou missest hearing of many good Words and it is thy happiness thou art freed from hearing of many Evil. It is an even Lay betwixt the benefit of hearing Good and the torment of hearing Evil. A Prayer Consolatory to the Blind and Deaf O MOST Powerful Lord God who hast in thy good pleasure been pleased to deprive me of Seeing and Hearing I know O Lord I have deserved thy wrath in a greater measure even Death and Hell it self but I know thou art a God full of Compassion Long suffering and abounding in Goodness and Truth and shews Mercy unto Thousands Lord as thou hast inflicted this on me even the loss of my Sight illuminate my Understanding by thy holy Spirit Thou hast taken away my Sight that I might not behold Vanity O Enlighten my Mind that I may behold inwardly the wonders of thy Law Lord I aâ— poor in Spirit but let thy blessed Spirit help my Inâ—â—â—mities that in thy Light I may see Light 2. AND O thou bright Morning-Star guide me in the way of thy Commandments that at last I may safely arrive where all Tears and Obstructions of Sight shall be taken away from my Bodily Eyes And though my outward hearing is fled away yet let me hear the voice of the Comforter speak peace to my Soul and quietness to my Conscience that when ever thou shalt be pleased to call me hence I may be ready prepared to resign my self up into thy hands as into the hands of a Faithful Creator In the mean time Lord Sanctifie these thy Fatherly Visitations to me and ever remember that what thou hast in thy good Pleasure inflicted on my Body may be for the good of my Soul in the day of the Lord Jesus Amen SECT XIII Of Sterility 1. THOU complainest of dry Loyns and a Barren Womb as Abraham did before thee What wilt thou give me seeing I go Childless Gen. 15.2 And the Wise of Israel made the same Complaints Gen. 30.1 Give me Children or else I die So desirous hath Nature been to propagate and so impatient of a Denial Lo Children and the Fruit of the Womb are an Heritage and Gift that cometh from the Lord Happy is he that hath his Quiver full of such Shafts Psal. 127.4 6. It is a Blessing David grudg'd to Wicked Ones Psal. 17.4 They have Children at their Desire 2. IT was the Curse God inflicted on the Family of Abimelech in Closing up all the Wombs in his House for Sarah 's sake Gen. 20.17 18. The Judgment threatned to Ephraim is a miscarrying Womb and dry Brests Hos. 9.14 And Jeconiah's Doom is Jer. 22.30 Write this Man Childless It is a special Favour of God That the Barren hath born seven 1 Sam. 2.5 And observ'd by the Psalmist as a wonder of God's Mercy Psal. 113.8 that He makes the Barren Woman to keep House and to be a joyful Mother of Children 3. IT is pity he was born that esteems not Children a Blessing She hath a double Favour from God that is a Joyful Mother of Children Many breeds Sorrow and Death And there is scarce any other Blessing season'd with so much Acrimony of Misery and Danger Do but compare one Pain with another and consider the Anxious Cares that attend 'em and tell me whether thy bemoan'd Sterility enjoys not more ease and less sorrow 4. IT is thy Sorrow thou art not Fruitful Consider thou art freed from a greater affliction In Sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children Gen. 3.16 Think on the Shricks in the Painful Travels of thy Neighbours wearying Days and Nights in restless Pangs and calling for Death in despair of Delivery And after the unprofitable Labours of the Midwives have made use of another Sex so have been deliver'd of Life and Birth together All these Sorrows thou hast escap'd And many whom thou enviest have thought thee happier than themselves 5. THOU art afflicted thou art not a Mother And many a one wishes they had been Barren If Children
fortitude takes off his terror If as a Messenger of God he is sent to convey thee to happiness what reason hast thou to be afraid of thine own bliss It is one thing what Death is in himself a privation of Life such as nature cannot chuse but abhor Another what he is by Christ made unto us and introduction to Life and a harbinger to Glory 21. WHY would the Lord of Life yield unto Death and by yielding vanquisht him but to alter and sweeten him to us and of a fierce Tyrant make him a Friend and Benefactor And if we look upon him thus changed and reconciled how can we chuse but bid him welcome 22. THOU art afraid of the pangs of Death Some have dyed without any great sense of pain Some have yielded up their Souls without a groan And how knowest thou what measure God hath allotted thee Our Death is a Sea-Voyage The holy Apostle desired to lanch forth Phil. 1. wherein some find a rough and tempestuous passage others calm and smooth Such thine may prove and so thy dissolution may be easier than a fit of sickness 23. BUT if God had determined otherwise look unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 the Son of God the Lord of Glory see with what Agonies he conflicted what torments he endured for thee Look upon his Bloody Sweat Bleeding Temples Furrowed Back Nailed Hands and Feet Rack'd Joints and Pierc'd Side Hear his strong Cries consider the Shame Pain and Curse of the Cross which he underwent for thy sake Say whether thy sufferings can be comparable to his He is a Cowardly and Unworthy Soldier that follows his General sighing Behold these are the steps wherein thy God and Saviour hath trod before thee Walk on couragiously in this deep and bloody way and after a few paces thou shalt overtake him in Glory For if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 24. THOU shrink'st at the thoughts of Death Is it not for over-valuing Life and making Earth thy home Rich Persons that live at ease are loth to stir abroad especially upon hard and stormy Voyages Perhaps 't is so with thee wherein I cannot but much pity thy weakness in placing thy contentment where a wiser Man could find nothing but vanity and vexation 25. ALAS what is our Exile if this be our home What entertainment to be enamour'd on Distempered humours hard usages violent passions and bodily sicknesses sad complaints disappointed hopes and frequent miscarriages Momentany Pleasures mixt with sorrows and lastly umbrages of joy and real miseries Doth these so bewitch thee that when Death calls thou art ready to reply as the Devil to our Saviour Mat. 8.29 Art thou come to torment me before the time 26. ARE these such contentments as allures thee to the World as St. Peter was to Mount Tabor Mat. 17.4 Master It is good for us to be here if thou have any Faith in thee look up to the other World where thou art going and see whether that true Life pure Joy perfect Felicity and Eternity may not be worthy to draw thy heart to a longing desire of Fruition and a Contempt of what the Earth can promise in comparison of infinite blessedness 27. IT was one of the defects which Sir Francis Bacon found in Physicians that do not study Remedies to procure the easie passage of their Patients through the Gates of Death Such helps I leave to the care of the skilful Sages of Nature the use I supose must be with caution lest whilst they endeavour to sweeten Death they shorten Life 28. BUT let me prescibe this spiritual means of thine happy Euthanasia which is a faithful disposition of the labouring Soul that can truly say with Timothy 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and Chap. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day 29. THOU startest ar the mention of Death How canst thou but blush to read of Socrates when the Message of Death was brought him applauded the News with much joy Or of a Cardinal of Rome that received the Intimation of his approaching Death Cry'd out the news is good and welcome Is not their Confidence thy Shame who believing that when our Earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 yet shrinks at the motion of taking possession of it 30. CANST thou with dying Mithridates be unwilling to forsake this light when thou art going to a light more Glorious than the Sun It is our infidelity that makes us unwilling to die Did we think the Soul sleeps as well as the Body from the moment of the dissolution till the day of Resurrection death might be unwelcome 31. OR did we think we should wander to unknown places to uncertain entertainment or fear a scorching Tryal upon the Emigâ—ation in flames little inferiour to those of Hell there were some cause to tremble at the approach of Death But we can boldly say with the Wise Man VVisd 3.1 2 3. The Souls of the Righteous are in the hands of God and there shall no torment touch them In the sight of the unwise they seem'd to die and their departure is taken for misery and their going from us to be utter destruction but they are in peace 32. OH thou of little Faith why fearst thou â—hide thy self as that dying Saint of old and say my Soul go boldly forth what art thou afraid of Lo the Angels are ready to receive thee and carry thee to Glory leave there this wretched Body and be possess'd of Heaven After a momentary darkness upon Nature thou shalt enjoy the Beatifical Vision of God Be not afraid to be happy but say in Faith what Jonah said in Anger Jonah 4.3 It is better for me to dye than to live 33. I am afraid to dye This is Natures voice But wilt thou hear what Faith saith To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain If therefore Nature reigns in thee thou must be affrighted with Death But if true Grace be prevalent in thy Soul that Guest shall not be unwelcome Was ever any Man afraid of Profit and Advantage Such is Death to the Faithful Whosoever finds Christ his Life shall be sure to find Death his gain for he is thereby brought to a near Communion with him Whereas before he enjoyed him by the dim apprehension of Faith now he clearly and immediately enjoys that Glorious Presence which only makes blessedness 34. THIS is it that causeth Death to change his Copy and renders him who is formidable pleasing and beneficial I desire to depart and to be with Christ saith the Man who was rapt up in the third Heaven had it been only departing he
had not been in such an extasie but to depart and to be with Christ is that which raiseth his Soul 35. WHEN Socrates was to dye for his Religion he comforted himself with this that he should go to Orpheus Homer Musaeus and the other Worthies of former Ages Poor Man Could he have known God manifested in the flesh and received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3.16 and in that glorified state sitting at the right hand of Majesty could he have known the Blessed Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Angels Arch Angels Principalities and Powers and the rest of the most Glorious Hierarchy of Heaven Could he have been acquainted with that Celestial Choir of the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect Heb. 12.23 Could he have known the God and Father of Spirits the Infinite and Incomprehensible Glorious Diety whose Presence transfuses Everlasting Blessedness into all those Citizens of Glory And could he have known that he should have an undoubted interest in that infinite Bliss how gladly would he have taken of his hemlock and how joyfully would he have passed to that happy World 36. ALL this we know and no less assured then of our present being with what comfort should we think of changing our present Condition with a Blessed Immortality How sweet a Song was that of old Simeon Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation That which he saw by the Eye of Sence thou seest by the Eye of Faith even the Lords Christ verse 16. he saw him in Weakness thou seest him in Glory why should'st thou not depart not in peace only but in joy and comfort 37. HOW did the Proto-Martyr Stephen triumph over the rage of his Enemies and the fury of Death when he had once seen the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.56 God offers the same blessed prospect to the Eye of thy Soul Faith is the Key that opens the Heav'n of Heav'ns fix thy eyes upon that Glorious and Saving Object Thou canst not but lay down thy Body in peace and send thy Soul into the hands of him that bought it with the cheerful and sweet Recommendation of Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Acts 7.39 A Prayer at the Hour of Death O LORD GOD Almighty I humbly acknowledge my own vileness through the whole course of my Life And seeing thou hast thus long spared me now accomplish thy Mercy in me Be thou my God forever and my Guide unto the end O Comfort me now my Heart trembleth in me and the terrors of Death are fallen upon me give me the long expected fruits of my hopes proposed to me in thy Word O Blessed Jesu who art the Death of death now shew thy self my Saviour Take from my afflicted Soul the sting of Death and assure me of Victory Loose the Pains allay the Fears and Sorrows and Sweeten the bitterness of Death untill in my enjoying thy Presence it be swallowed up in Victory O Holy Saviour who hast had Experience of all our miseries for Sin without Sin and hast admitted us to be Baptized into the Similitude of thy Death and Resurrection Let me now feel in my Languishing Soul the Power and Efficacy thereof 2. O Christ whose Human Soul in thy Passion for my Redeemption was heavy unto Death now mercifully Consider my Frailty who am now at the point of Dissolution O now give me an Invincible Faith in thee against which the Gates of Hell shall never prevail now speak Peace and Comfort to my poor Soul Thou who pouredst out thy Soul to Death for me receive my wearied Spirit to Eternal Life Let not this fearful passage be too bitter to me but be thou ever present with me in all my sufferings O Holy Ghost the Comforter of all the Elect leave me not Comfortless let me be gathered to my Fathers in Peace Bring me to that Life wherein thou hast promised to wipe away all Tears from our Eyes Where shall be no more Death Sorrow Pain nor any bitter Effects of Sin Lord hear me O thou who despisest not a broken contrite Heart have mercy upon me Lord receive my Petitions and in thy appointed hour come Lord Jesus my Saviour and Redeemer deliver me from this bondage of Corruption even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen SECT XVII Of Judgment 1. THOU apprehendest true Death is terrible but Judgment more both succeed upon the same decree It is appointed unto Men once to dye but after this the judgment Heb. 9.27 It is not more terrible than thought on Death because he strikes and lays before us examples of Mortality cannot but sometimes take up our hearts but the last Judgment having no visible proofs upon our thoughts too seldom fright us 2. YET who conceives the Terror of that day When the Sun shall be turn'd into darkness and the Moon into blood Acts 2.20 That day which shall burn as an Oven when all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as the stubble Mal. 4.1 That day in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 That day wherein the Lord Jesus shall be reveal'd from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess. 1.7 8. That day wherein the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire for by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh Isa. 66.15 16. That day wherein the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory and all Nations shall be gathered before him and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats Mat. 25.31 32. And that day wherein all the kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him Rev. 1.7 3. THAT great and terrible day of the Lord Joel 2.31 wherein if the powers of Heav'n be shaken how can the heart remain removed And if the World be dissolved who can abide it Alas we are ready to tremble at Thunder in a Cloud and at Lightning that glances our Eyes what shall we do when the Heavens shall break in pieces and be on flame about our Ears Oh who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth Mal. 3.2 4. YET be of good cheer amidst all this horror there is comfort whether thou be one whom it shall please God to reserve upon the Earth to the sight of this dreadful day he knows in whose hands our times are but this we are sure of that we are upon the last days And we may spit
secret Counsel of the wicked and Psal. 25.19 20. Consider mine Enemies for they are many and they hate me with cruell hatred O keep my Soul and deliver me St. Paul prayed earnestly that he might be freed from the Messenger of Satan whose buffets he felt and was answered with My Grace is sufficient for thee so he sues for all Gods Saints May the God of peace tread down Satan under your feet shortly 2 Cor. 12.9 Rom. 16.19 20. WHAT ever evil it be that presseth thy Soul have speedy recourse to the Throne of Grace pour out thy heart into the Ears of the Father of all Mercies and God of all Comfort and be sure if not of redress yet of ease We have his word for it that cannot fail us Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal. 50.15 Fashionable Supplicants may talk to God but be assur'd he that can truly pray can never be truly miserable Of our selves we lie open to evils our rescue is from above and what entercourse have we with Heaven but by Prayer Prayer can deliver us from Dangers avert Judgments prevent Mischiefs and procure Blessings it is an Antidote against Temptation and a Soveraign Balsom for afflicted Consciences It is the Instrument of fetching down all good things to us whether Spiritual or Temporal no Prayer that is qualified as it ought to be but is sure to bring down a Blessing according to that of the Wise Man Ecclus. 35.17 The prayer of the humble pierceth the Cloulds and will not turn away till the highest regard it It sanctifies all good things to us and sweetens the bitterness of our afflictions it opens the Windows of Heaven shuts up the Bars of Death and vanquishes the powers of Hell therefore let us not cease in making our addresses to him who is the Fountain of all Goodness and at whose right hand there is pleasures for evermore Psal. 16.11 And let us with all lowliness as well of Body as of Mind according to that of the Psalmist say O come let us Worship let us fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker Psal. 95.6 For he is our hope and strength and a very present help in trouble Ps. 46.1 A Conclusive Prayer BLESSED Lord who hast caused all Holy Scripture and good Literature to be written for my Learning grant that I may in such wise hear read mark learn and inwardly digest them that by Patience and Comfort of thy Holy Word I may embrace and even hold fast the blessed hope of Everlasting Life which thou hast given me in my Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen 2. Prevent me O Lord in all my doings with thy most gracious favour and further me with thy continual help that in all my Works begun continued and ended in thee I may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy Mercy obtain Everlasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 3. Almighty God who hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Son's Name I beseech thee mercifully to encline thine Ears unto me who have now made my Prayers and Supplications unto thee And grant that those things I have faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the relief of my Necessities and to the setting forth of thy Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Blessing THE Peace of God which passeth all Vnderstanding keep my Heart and Mind in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and the Blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost The Virtue of Christ's blessed Cross and Passion his Glorious Resurrection and Ascention and the Coming of the Holy Ghost be with me now and at the Hour of Death Amen FINIS ADVERTISEMENT THere is lately Published The Government of the Thoughts A Prefatory Discourse to the Government of the Tongue by the Author of the Whole Duty of Man Printed for Richard Cumberland at the Angel in St. Pauls-Church-Yard 1694. Bp. Hall 's Baâ—m of Gilead Senec. Eâ—ist 107. Senec. Epist. 76. * Here name the Particular Person Sir Walter Rawleigh Mr. Fisher of Trinity Colledge Lord Bacon 's Natural History Artimedor de insomniis Lib. 1. Cap. 6. Goul. Histoires Memorables Advancement of Learning Plato Phoedone