No man liuing Sir may absolutelie desire to be dissolued but vnder condition that it bee for the glorie of God and the Saluation of his owne Soule For two respects a man may desire to be dissolued First for to bee deliuered from the bondage of sinne which the Apostle calleth A bodie of death Secondlie for an earnest desire to bee with his God a man may desire to bee dissolued But for no reason must a man dissolue himselfe that were selfe murther If we may not kill our Neighbour whoÌ„ we should loue as our selues neither must wee kill our selues who are the rule and square of neighbourlie loue Man in this world is as a set Watch hee must not remoue till it please him by whom hee was set to command him to come Though lawfullie wee may desire death that we may bee deliuered from the bodie of death which is sinne for to bee with Christ which is meekle better for vs yet wee must not cry for death for some triflles of worldlie troubles as Ionah did for the lossing of his leafes Our desire of Death should bee chieflie grounded vpon a desire to bee with Christ and to bee fredde from the spirituall bondage of our sins well is him that can sincerly say from his heart Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of death That Soule is happie whose desire is vpon that which is meakle better for it To bee with Christ in Scripture stile is called meakle better What say ye now Sir doeth not your heart grone vnder this burden of sinfull death Doeth not your Soule long to bee out of this bodie for to bee with him where it shall bee meakle better for you The sicke Man I take vp the matter better than I did I see by your reasons that there is no reason wherefore a man should desire to die but for to bee with his Christ and to be deliuered from the bodie of bondage which is a death But alas The Pastour I see you yet Sir into a plunge I heard that word Alas Wherefore say yee Alas Yee looke yet as one who desireth to liue My wordes are not gifted with perswasion yee seeme to be afraide at that word dissolued What aileth you There bee doubtlesse some thing within that troubleth you The sicke Man I am sorie to goe out of this world wherevnto I am chained by diuerse respects In the cutting off of my dayes I will mourne with sicke Hezekiah in the words of his doole I am depriued of the residue of my yeares c. The Pastour I see Sir that yee are taking vp the Lamentations of Hezekiah I will striue to make answere to euerie sentence apart Yee are depriued saye yee of the residue of your yeeres Hee is not depriued that hath changed for the better The residue of your few yeeres shall bee turned into eternitie Hee who seeth many yeeres seeth many miseries and which is worse contracteth many sinnes the cause of all our woe Moreouer what is a residue of life Death is not farre when it is farthest The sicke Man But if I die I shall not see the Lord euen the Lord in the land of the liuing The Pastour This is your ignorance What can man see of the Lord in the land of the liuing What can a sinner see of that great IEHOVAH here What is to bee seene on Earth but the Backe-parts of IEHOVAH Into the Heauens wherevnto yee now approach yee shall see that great and glorious IEHOVAH face to face What are all men on Earth but a number of wormes crawling and creeping vpon a clat or clod of clay But againe what is this that ye call the land of the liuing What is all the Land yee see but a dead lump of earth where the most part of men are dead in their sins Doe not the best part die daylie vnto Sin which death is our best life and yet laden with a bodie of death Can ye now call this earth the Land of the liuing Call me not Nahomi pleasant said Nahomi but call me Marah that is bitter for the Almightie hath dealt verie bitterlie with mee So may the Earth say Call mee not the Land of the liuing No rather call mee a dungeon of death a place for the burying of the dead a place where all must needs die and bee as water spilt vpon the ground which cannot bee gathered vp againe The sicke Man But alas if I die I shall behold men no more with the inhabitants of the world The Pastour This heere is your griefe that death will strik you with a blindnes so that yee shall not bee able to see any more the faces of these whom yee loue best into this world as of Wife Children and of Friends of your old acquaintance This is your dâ—…lour theÌ„ that ye shall see them no more Let such thoughts Sir moue these to mourne who know not Death better than that Pagan who speaking of a slaine man said In eternam clauduntur Lumina noctem That is Death closeth mans eyes for euermore This is most false A true Christian knoweth that though both his eyes should sinke â—…owne into his head or droppe out like blobbes or droppes of water yet that with these same eyes runne into water hee and none othér for him shall see his Redeemer Though after my skin said Iob wormes destroy this bodie yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not another Lay this comfort to your heart Though your eyes were eaten out with the wormes if you die in the faith of Iesus yee shall see God and none other for you and that with these same eyes yee now looke vnto meeâ—… If yee bee perswaded that yee shall see your God in the Heauens in whose face is fulnesse of Ioye yee haue little cause of doole that yee shall no more behold man with the inhabitants of the world What are all the creatures of thiâ—… World but things that dwell in dâ—…st The Sainctes and Angels that dwell into these vpper Chambers whose feete are aboue ouâ—… head are so faâ—… in glorie aboue all the glorie of the world as the Heauens are aboue the Earth As Zebah and Zalmunah said of Gideons brethren so may we say of all these that dwell there euerie one of them is like the Sonne of a King What are all the Creatures below but beggerlie things The sicke Man But alas if I die mine age is departed and remoued from me as a Shepheards tent The Pastour What is your doole It is all then that yee must quite your shepheards tent Now poore man What haue yee lost Yee shall change a poore shepheards tent for the most pleasant Palace of your God a life mortall for a life that is eternall
so fullie fraughted with all sortes of sins which like most filthie streames flow from the first fountaine or rather puddle of our originall sinne which wee haue from the Loynes of Adam Wee are all infected with this spirituall Leprosie there is nothing that can wash vs and make vs cleane saue onelie the Iordan of the blood of Iesus Besprinkle our consciences O LORD with the vertue of that Blood which cryeth for better things than the blood of Abel Seale vp thy Loue in our heartes by the blood of the Sealed man whom Thou the Father did seale and appoint to bring Life eternall to the world In him thou art well pleased In his Name and for his Loue wee begge thy fauour He himselfe hath tolde vs that what wee shall aske thee in his Name we shall receiue it O Father of mercies remember the promise of thy Sonne In confidence of his Command wee take the boldnesse at this time particularlie to put vp our prayers vnto thee for this thy diseased Seruant tossâ—…d to and fâ—…o with diuerse temptations Sathan the enemie of his Saluation the feare of Death the loue of the world and of worldlie things haue set themselues in Battell-array like armies betweene his Soule and the entrie of Heauen They haue maliciouslie ensnared his heart and taken his affections captiues with the immoderate loue of perishing thinges Oh how hath hee beene bewitched with the seeming sweetenesse of such vanities O Thou LORD IESVS the LORD of Life encourage him so with thy liuelie Spirit that he may be bold couragiously to face Death and the Graue Put these interrogations in his mouth O Death where is thy Sting O Graue where is thy victorie Cause thy Spirit whisper in his eare that thou hast put out the life of Death Cast into his rememberance the words wherewith Thou boasted Death and the Graue O Death I will be thy plagues O Graue I will bee thy destruction Let his Soule knowe that the Graue is a Bed of rest for all these that die in the LORD wherein they rest from their labours beeing at ease in peace without any toile or turmoile Worke in his heart a desire to be dissolued for to bee fred from the sinfull bonds of mortality for to goe dwell where hee shall neuer anger the Lord againe Let the Loue of Christ waine his heart from the desire of anie abiding heere O deare IESVS who was both buffeted slaine and buried for to saue man set the print and stampe of thy mercie vpon this Soule Seuer all his thoughts from all that is earthlie whether it bee Life Lands Children Houses or whatsoeuer other thing may allure him for to sojourne heere in a strange Land wherein wee are all strangers from God whom wee cannot see heere but behind Vntye his heart from the loue of this his natiue soile Purge him of this out-bearing humour O LORD flesh and blood will neuer teach a man to renounce his deare selte and such other carnall things wherewith hee is in phantasie The earthlie minde is so lumpish that it wearieth to thinke of thee and of the pleasures of thy Palace A carnall hearte is euer rouing and wandering heere about this worlds businesse Martha is a mother of many Children who trouble themselues about many thinges But few are these that with Marie can fold their heart for to sit downe at the feete of IESVS for to make choise of that best part which should neuer bee taken from them Thou to whoÌ„ nothing is impossible draw this Soule vnto thee make the bent of his affection to bee vpon thee O great IEHOVAH thou hast heard and seene how carnall temptations haue teared the Soule of thy Seruant this day in the bedde of his languishing Immoderat cares for thinges below haue depriued him of all rest and joyes which he should haue in thee Wee must confesse to thee and from his heart hee acknowledgeth to bee true that his minde hath beene too bent vpon such perishing shadowes which can not bee gripped Such trashes of no worth haue taken too much roome into his heart Hee who is not content to quite all for to come to thee is not worthie of thee But LORD if mans Saluation were grounded vpon the sand of his owne worthinesse such a building could not stand against the winds floodes of temptations But his Saluation shall neuer bee branled because it is builded vpon the euerlasting and most sure Rocke the foundation of thy Church O LORD wee faile all in many things If hitherto this thy Seruant hath not as hee should minded thâ—… thinges which are aboue but lodged in their place the desire of thinges below now in thy greaâ—… mercie inlighten his mistie mindâ—… and bee mercifull to him in thâ—… thing Make the flesh now to cede and giue place vnto the Spirit Let the heauens come in with the pledges of thy Loue which no mortall armes can fadome Come with thy Spirituall and diuine motions and fill therewith the chambers of his heart where earthlie thoughts had their abode Make his Soule to inuite thy Spirit to come in Saying with Laban Come in thou blessed of the Lord wherefore standest thou without O deare IESVS direct so all his thoughts that hee wearie himselfe no more with the desire of that which sooner or later heee must â—…orgoe Why should thornie cares for dust and clay choake the good motions of thy Spirit Let no such care cumber him any more for foolish fáding commoditie Dissolue this glew by which his heart is tyed to the ground In thy Light let him see Light whereby hee may perceiue how fraile fickle are all such transitorie trashes which beeing too much loued both coole our zeale and clogge our affections so that they can in no wise soare vp toward thee O blessed Sauiour in whom is the very pith sweetest marrow of Gods mercies make thy seruants heere to loue thee aboue all things in heauen or earth Make his heart to say Whom haue I in Heauen but thee Make him to loue thee for thy selfe and not for thine onelie which is but an hyred Loue Put in thine owne hand at the hole of the doore of his heart and let some droppes of the Mirrhe of thy mercie this night fall vpon the handle of the Barre that his Soule beeing affected therewith may runne out of the Chamber of sleepe for to seeke him who loueth his Soule euen his blessed Sauiour the LORD IESVS Bee mercifull to all thine afflicted members in the Church militant fighting vnder the bloodie Banner of the LORD IESVS CHRIST The Church is thy Spouse keep her as the Apple of thine eye make all her members with one minde and one mouth to glorifie thy Name Blesse our gracious Soueraigne the Kings Majestie with thy best blessings Adorne him with spirituall Graces and giftes wherewith hee may please thee in his whole carriage both Ecclesiastice and Ciuill Make Iustice and Iudgement the habitation
joyes that are aboue the Heauen of heauens Hee who with penne and inke would set out the greatnes of that glory which is to bee seene within that blessed Building should bee as who would foolishlie tak paines to paint the Sun with a coale In vaine shall a man prease to expresse that which cannot be spokē but into vnspeakable words Words come shorter than thoghts and thoughts come shorter infinitly than the thing it selfe The sicke Man I haue heard with great ioye of the vnspeakable glorie of God himselfe of the beautie of his Princelie Palace I desire now to heare some thing more at large concerning the estate of the Sainctes wherein they shall be when they shall dwell with God after the resurrection The Pastour It is most certaine that they shal be there into a farre better estate than wee can imagine For if Da◅id thought one day in Gods earthly hous◅ better th◅ a thousand else where what shall it bee when wee shall bee in Heauen the Citie of our GOD whereof God is the House and the Temple The Saincts shal be in such glorie there as that no earthlie tongue can tell If in this world by be holding in a glasse the glorie of the Lord wee are changed into that same Image from glorie to glorie what a change shal bee made when we shall see not Gods Image not in a glasse but himselfe face to face If the sight of his Image in the glasse of his Gospel hath such a working power as to change vs into the same Image heere on earth what a change shall bee made of vs in the Heauens when we shall see God euen as hee is All the godlie Gods warriours then shall liue in peace and rest As their life on earth was a continuall battell so shall their life in Heauen bee a perpetuall triumph Then the winter of their affliction shall bee past The stormes of their miserie shall blowe no more On Earth joyes and sorrowes are combined together In Hell is sorrow without any joye In Heauen shall bee joye without anie sorrow There they all in bleached coats of righteousnes shall blaze brighter than the Sunne God beeing in them shall burne in them as hee did in the Bush They shall burne but not bee consumed While S. Iohn was rauished in the Spirit he behelde a great multitude which no man could number all standing before the Lambes Throne cloathed in white robbes which had beene bleached from their blemish by the blood of the Lambe hauing the testimonie of two Senses he reporteth what hee saw and heard With his eyes hee saw them cloathed with white robes and Palmes in their hands The one was their innocencie the other was their victorie With his eares hee heard the songs of their triumph They cryed said hee with a loude voyce Saluation to our God which sitteth vpon the Throne With them were Angels Elders roūd about the Throne all falling down vpon their face and singing Blessing and glorie and wisedome and thankesgiuing and honour and power and might bee vnto our God for euer and euer Then with vncōquerable comforts shall all Christes crouding Turtles bee loueinglie comforted Then shall all their sighes bee turned into songs Then joyes vnspeakable shall fill all their senses without any surfet Euerie Sense shall receiue more than all mortal hearts can conceiue But which is of all good things the sweetest relish there shall bee such vnspottednesse of life and loue among the Saincts as the heart of man here cannot conceiue Euery one shall rejoyce of anothers wel as much as they shall doe of their own felicitie The enuious man seeds-man of all strife debate shall not be there All selfe-loue which is of a niggardlie nature enuious of the good of others shall be quite away in the place therof shall come such an heauenlie loue that shall make all the joyes of Heauen to be common As was in the primitiue Church so shall bee there but in greater perfection a communitie of goods One shall not say This is mine or that is thine But as wee shall bee all in Christ Christ in vs so shall wee bee all one in another filled one with anothers joye All state of strife then shal be farre away In Ierusalem aboue an euerlasting peace is within her walls and perpetuall prosperitie within her Palaces All the godlie glistering like starres shall rejoyce one into anothers light Euerie one of them by twinkling and be◅kning vnto other with celestiall smiles shall bend all their force for to giue glorie to the Sunne of righteousnesse the fountaine of all their light All Soules there shall bee most wonderfullie beau◅fied with internall externall and eternall happinesse There God onelie shall speake peace vnto his people and vnto his Sainctes who shall neuer returne againe to their folies Mans chiefe contentment in the heauens shal be in loue first with God and then of one with another O these euerlasting streames of contentmentes which shall flowe into these blessed breastes sequestred for euer from all doole and distresse The sicke Man Lord make all these thinges to liue freshlie in our memories My Soule is inflammed with loue to heare of that loue which shall bee betweene God and his Saincts and among the Sainctes themselues Your discourse Sir with a plausible and pleasant insinuation windeth it selfe into the affections of mine heart It hath alreadie winne mine heart to him to whome it most justlie belongeth Blessed bee his Name for euer Seeing yee were speaking of that vnspeakable loue that shal be between God and vs and also among our selues I pray you to say some thing more concerning that matter The Pastour I shall doe what I can brieflie As for God euery Soule shall loue him better than it selfe because it shall then perfectlie know that God hath loued it more than euer it was able to loue it selfe As for all the Saints wee shall loue them equallie with our selues as beeing all members of that mysticall Bodie Then and not till then shall bee the perfect practise of that second great command the summe of the second Table which is to loue our neighbour as our selues If the Soule of this naturall Bodie in the toyle of our pilgrimage hath such a commande ouer our naturall affections that it maketh vs to loue all the members and euerie member to worke equallie well for the good of another O mercifull God what greater loue shall proceede from that Spirite of Loue which shall bee in the Heauens euen the Soule of that mysticall bodie of all the Elect Looke how much grace surpasseth Nature and Glorie surpasseth Grace the Spirit of God which shall animate this bodie shall so much more straitlie make the members thereof to liue in Loue The holier the Soule bee within a man the greater loue concord is betweene his members
heart Sir bee on your house It is now time to mind the things that are aboue Eye vpon clay and stones What are all the royall Palaces of the world to these statelie houses aboue whereof the floore or pauement glisters with thousands of Starres as with as manie golden nailes o◅ twinkling Dya◅onds There the Sun the Moone the two great Iewels of Heauen shall bee vnder your feete which are now aboue our heade What is within no mortall tongue can tell S. Paul saw there some-thing but hee neuer reuealed it neither was it lawfull for him to declare what he had seene This one thing wee may know seeing the out-side of Heauen is so beautifull how pleasant must it bee within Heauen is like the Kinges Daughter whose whole beautie is within There is profite pleasure health wealth honour happinesse beautie blesse In a word there bee thinges that eye neuer saw neither eare heard yea which neuer could enter into the heart of man The sicke Man But alas must I then forsake all my wealth and so leaue all my treasures behind mee The Pastour Such treasures are but traitours though they bee counted gods God said to Magistrats I haue called you gods But hee neuer called gold god To call gold god is Ashdodien language Gods of gold must be forsaken for to goe to the God of Glorie What are all these worldlie thinges whereon naturall men so doe gaze What are they but idoles lying vanities To ouercome the loue of such lyers is the triumph of Trueth If Gods Arke be within our heart such Dagons will fall downe Turne therefore your eyes from such clay and minde the things that are aboue Manie gather riches as hee that earneth wages to put it into a bottomlesse bagge The first lesson of Christianitie is selfe denyall The Sicke Man How is it then Sir that a man must goe through this world for to come to Heauen The Pastour Euen as the Israelites desired to goe through the Land of Sihon the King of the Amorites for to come to Canaan the figure of Heauen Let mee goe through thy Land said Israel Wee will not turne aside into the fieldes nor into the vineyards neither drinke of the waters of the wells wee will goe by the Kings high way vntill wee be past thy Countrey It is so that wee must passe through this world for to come to that heauenlie Canaan we must not turne asid into the faire fields of pleasure nor drink our selues drunke in its vineyards But wee must follow directlie the rule of Gods Law the King of Heauens high way that so we may enter into Canaan What say ye Sir Is it not time to bee resolued The sicke Man Mine heart is pined within mee It is like to breake for sorrow when I looke to my little Children Who shortlie shal be fatherlesse Alas hard shall their estate be when I shall bee away who will take care of them The Pastour That which Christ said to Peter may bee said to you O man of little Faith why hast thou doubted Hath not God promised to shew mercie vnto thousands of these that loue him If the King of this Land should now come himselfe to your bed-stocke and say Iames or Iohn heere I giue to you mine hand befor God and good witnesse that I shall bee a Father to your Children after you and shall so prouide for them that they shall want nothing that may doe them good If yee heard such a man make such promises I thinke that yee should not bee in paine for the estat of your childrē And yet what is a King but a man But so it is that all men are lyares or may lie But God who can not lie hath giuen his Hand and his trueth to the faithfull man yea hath oblished himselfe by an oath and hath taken Heauen and Earth to bee witnesse that hee shall neuer forsake the godlie man nor his seede his promise is to thousands If yee beleeue God to bee true relye vpon his promise Let not the care of Children trouble you any more prepare your selfe for God and let Death bee welcome Put your house to an order in time Discharge your selfe of all worldlie burdens denude your hands and your heart of all temporall affaires that your Soule haue nothing to doe but to waite vpon your God It is not time to bee combered with the world while the whole heart should bee taken vp with heauenlie meditations It is now high time to thinke earnestlie vpon that life wherevnto yee are going by Death It would seeme Sir that yee are not contentas yet for to remoue What can this be that troubleth you shuld not your heart rejoyce to goe vnto your God The sicke Man I finde contrarie draughts within mee Your wordes indeede Sir beginne to worke vpon mine heart and to draw vp my Soule toward the pleasures that are aboue But againe I finde the desires of this life like weightie paisses drawing mee downe to the ground againe This is my regret Alas must I then leaue this world and the light thereof and neuer see it againe any more Shall I beholde man no more with the inhabitants of the worlde Shall I neuer see after this into the Land of the liuing any of all these whom I haue loued so well The Pastour Sir it shall bee your farre best to suffer the loue of Christ swallow vp the loue and all other considerations of worldlie thinges as Moses his serpent swallowed vp the serpents of the Magicians What euer seemeth pleasant into this world vnto the naturall eye it is but by juggling of the senses If we haue the grace of God this grace shall be indeede like as a foure nooked Clauer is in the opinion of some viz a most powerfull meanes against the juggling of the sight If wee could seeke this grace it would let vs see the vanitie of such thinges which beguile the naturall senses The eye of a mans Soule is betimes like the eye of a man come out of a bilious feuer all things seeme to him to bee yellow because of the bile which haue peruerted his sight Sathan can forge temptations like glasse of whatsoeuer colour hee pleaseth wherethorow all things seeme to bee of the colour of his temptations Thorow one glasse a mans owne spouse will seeme to be filthie Thorow another a bordel-whore will seeme to bee pleasant Thorow one the world will seeme to bee glorious thorow another the brightest heauens will seeme to bee but cloudes Thorow one fables will seeme to be Scripture thorow another Scriptures will seeme to bee but fables Thorow one if a man feast as Christ did hee will seeme to bee a glutt◅n thorow another if hee feast with the Baptist hee will seeme to bee a deuill The chiefe gripe of your temptation is in this that
hold and heaue vp like a buckler betweene Gods wrath and our sinfull Soules In what case finde yee your Conscience to bee for the present The sicke Man One deepe calleth to another deepe at the noyse of Gods water Spouts My sorrow is like the Sea it ebbeth and it floweth As I haue swimmed thorow one deepe temptation I fall into another that is deeper My braine is turned with a whirling giddinesse The Pastour There is no such deepnesse either in our sinnes or in our troubles but the mercie of God in Christ shall bee able to ouer-reach it by innumerable fathomes S. Paul said that hee was assured that neither high nor depth shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God Though affliction raine downe vpon vs like water falling from spouts they may well wash vs but shall not bee able to drowne vs A godlie man should not be afraide for a spoâ—… full of bitter waters Though thâ—… waters of the sea roare be troubled Though the Mountaines shake with the swelling thereof yea though the surges thereof should boast the cloudes heere is the faithfull mans comfort There is a riuer the streames whereof shall make glad the Citie of God Thogh the Mediterranean Sea yea the great Ocean with its surges should boast Gods Ierusalem a little riuer or brooke a Kidron of Gods grace sending out streames of comfortes like the waters of Siloe shall make glad the Citie of God The sicke Man But how shall I passe thórow to Canaan behold before mee what floodes of iniquities ouerflowing their bankes as in the swelling of Iordan Such fearefull floodes ruâ—… betweene me and Heauen 〈◊〉 place appointed for my 〈◊〉 The â—…our 〈◊〉 â—…oake with the garment 〈◊〉 Christes righteousnesse will diuide the floodes of Belial as Elisha diuided the Iordan by striking it with the mantle of Elijah that hee might safelie passe thorow Christes merits are like the Arke which made the Iordan to goe backe for to make a way for Israel vnto Canaan Our heartes like the Priestes must stand hard by the side of this Arke till all our affections the Lords Armies be come thorow the swelling Iordan of grieuous afflictions The sicke Man While I beholde my selfe I abhorre my selfe The eye of my God seeth mee and what am I but like a bemired Dogge trodde by Sathan into the puddle of perdition Alas when good motions came into â—…e heart I crosed them with my lustes Now cursed be my lusts I am so filthâ—… â—…hat I abhorre my selfe my sinnes are so 〈◊〉 that nothing is able to make them 〈◊〉 The Pastour Know yee Sir what God said of olde in Isaiah Come now and let vs reason together though your sins be as scarlet they shall bee as white as snow though they be red lâ—…k crimsin they shall bee as vvoole If yee could but reason a little with God ye should find this to be true There is no sinne which Christes blood is not able to purge What euer your sinne be if yee can repent he can forgiue Christ can doe anie thing butthis hee cannot saue him that will not repent Seeing yee know him to bee infinite in mercie haue all your recourse to him Take once a proofe of his mercie Humble your selfe at his feete and see whether or not there bee mercie with him that hee may bee feared The seruants of Benhadad knowing that the Kings of Israel were mercifull Kings Put sack-clotâ—… vpon their loynes ropes vpon their heads for to seeke mans mercie which also they found Shall man finde merâ—… into the narrow bowels of a man and 〈◊〉 hee bound the holie One of Israel Christ who is not onelie true but Trueth it selfe hath said Whatsoeuer yee shall aske in my Name that vvill I doe Hee who is true may lye but Trueth can not lye The sicke Man That is trueth While I consider your comfortes for the distressed Soule I thinke that all your purpose pointeth chieflie at Christ as though hee alone were the ground of Grace Let mee heare I pray you more at large what Christ is vnto vs. The Pastour Hee is Emmanuell God with vs God with man God in Man God-Man In Him God and Man are but one Person Our life is hid with Christ in God Because wee did eate of the forbidden Fruite Hee was hanged vpon a cursed tree Hee hath borne vs such a loue as is vnspeakeable What tongue 〈◊〉 forme wordes sufficieâ—…â—…or to expresse the least part of the same By the conduite pype of his Humanitie Grace for Grace hath beene conueighed to our graceles Soules who can expresse his Loue hee loueth vs to the end and of his Loue there is none end This I will say That hee hath borne to man such a loue that hath made all mankind like a Banquerupt so farre vnable to pay the principle that though man should loue his Sauiour withall his might and his minde yet should hee not pay so much as the interest of so great a loue No though hee should giue his bodie to bee brunt for the honour of his Name No though he should for his sak haue his name if it were possible scraiped out of the Booke of Life Though all our Soules should suffer for his honour the euerlasting paines of the damned all these paines were not to bee counted the interest of his paines for vs It is more that a Prince get a deadlie hurt in a Battell thaÌ„ that a thousand common Souldiers were slaine It is more that the Prince of Heauen suffered vpon the crosse but an houre than that a thousand worlds had beene cast into a thousand hells for to bee tormented for euer There is no proportion in suffering betweene the creature him who was both God and Man into one person O then what can be the interest of that principall loue that moued God to die for man Let this bee like a Bell ringing for to waken your drowsie Soule Let your Soule like Iohn leane vpon the blessed bosome of Iesus Haue euer your eye vpon this Mercie-seat The sicke Man Is it onelie then in Christ Sir that Saluation is to bee found All Scripture would yee say doeth leauell at him The Pastour The Scripture is plaine There is none other Name giuen vnder heauen among men whereby wee must bee saued Hee is full of the bowels of loue Hee is that onelie Sauiour pointed out by both the Testaments Like as the two Cherubims though seuered one from another yet looked one towards another and both vpon the Mercie seate Euen so the Olde and New Testament looke one towards another yet point at one the same Christ the marrow and kernell of mans Saluation All Religion is in this that wee know Christ This is mans Saluation to know Christ and him crucified
the blasphemie against the holie Ghost shall not bee forgiuen vnto men To this is subjoyned in the verse following Whosoeuer speaketh a word againe the Sonne of man it shall bee forgiuen him but whosoeuer speaketh against the holie Ghost it shall neuer bee forgiuen him By this at the first blinke it would seeme indeede that it were not so dangerous to offend the Father or the Sonne as the holie Ghost Wherefore yee must consider that this sin which is called the sin against the holie Ghost is no lesse against the Father and against the Son than it is against the holie Ghost But it is called the sinne against the holie Ghost because it is a most high rebellion and stiffe standing out against the peculiar worke of the Spirite which is to inlighten the minde and bow the will and affections that man by repentance may bee brought home againe vnto his God As the Creation is ascribed to the Father and Redemption vnto the Sonne so is illumination and conuersion of Soules 〈◊〉 to the holie Ghost though all these eâ—…ternall actions of Creation Redemption and Sanctification bee common to all the three Persons of the Trinitie Vnderstand then that the reason wherefore this sinne is called the sin against the holie Ghost it is because it is against that energie efficatioâ—…s working of conuersion common to all the three Persons but particularlie ascribed to the holie Ghost as our Creation is to the Father and our Redemption to the Sonne When man stiflie and stubburnlie sinneth against the remeede of sin how can that sinne bee remeeded It must of necessitie bee a sinne reremeedilesse A sinne past all remeede is a desperate disease The sicke Man Let mee I pray you heare more clearelie what this sinne is The Pastour It is an vniuersall apostasie from a knowne Trueth with an eager â—…nest malicious persecuting of the same by both secret and open hostilitie The sicke Man I know that manie of the learned call that sinne an vniuersall apostasie from the Trueth but I neuer could well vnderstand that The Pharisees are esteemed to haue beene guiltie of that sin yet I cannot read that they had made an vniuersall apostasie from the trueth of doctrine Christ said that they sat in Moses chaire which did signifie that they had kept some thing of Moses his Doctrine though miserablie mixed with the leauen of their traditions Thus as ye see their apostasie was not vniuersall * Saul did not altother renounce the religion of Israel though after hee had beene among the Prophets hee killed the Priestes The Pastour Indeede Sir that doubt is not without great difficultie Mine opinion concerning that is that who out of malice and despite renounceth and persecuteth any fundamentall point of religion which he hath before knowne and approuen is by consequence guiltie of that vniuersall Apostasie My reason is fouÌ„ded vpon the Apostles rule Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point hee is guiltie of all That is who euer he bee that maketh no conscience of one sinne maketh conscience of no sinne If for the feare of God you darre not murther how darre thou then if thou feare God committe adulterie or how darre thou steale or lye Euen so he out of malice despite renounceth any maine ground of the Trueth which hee hath once knowne and professed and after that contemptiouslie with a lifted vp hand persecuteth the same hee in my judgement hath drawne vpon himselfe the guiltinesse of an vniuersall Apostasie If by this vniuersall Apostasie were onelie vnderstood an actuall publick totall renouncing of God of all Religion with railing and raging such sinners should not bee as indeede they are most difficile to bee knowne The sicke Man I perceiue by the definition of that sinne that it is not common to all the Reprobates The Pastour No not But onelie to these who haue beene inlightened with some knowledge of the doctrine of truth after begin maliciouslie to persecute the same The sicke Man But thinke ye that any man would bee so beastlie as to persecute a knowne Trueth I cannot thinke that the Pharisees who are said to haue beene guiltie of that sinne did euer know Christ to be come from God for had they knowne him they had not crucified the Lord the Lord of glorie The Pastour Indeede these words are true of many but not of those doctours which made Christ to pronounce so manie woes against them They and their complices knew what hee was and wherefrae hee came Yee both know mee said Christ to them and yee know whence I am The sicke Man Mercifull God how could they then pursue him with such spight bitternesse I thinke that by that knowledge as by a bit their most head-strong corruption should haue beene snaffled and curbed The Pastour Man doeth not despight to the Spirit of grace at the first but by little and little like clay before the Sunne his heart is haâ—…dened by the deceitfulnesse of sinne First a man will know the Trueth and will loue it with some sort of feruour for a space after a little this loue beginneth to lessen and grow cold while at last it is turned into hatred man beeing fallen in loue with lyes which fill his bowels with a boiling hatred of the Trueth From thence commeth a persecution and a finall desertion a just recompence of reward due to all these that will not receiue and keepe the loue of the Trueth that they might bee saued If the poore Pagan for abusing his naturall â—…ite by changing the trueth of God into a lye by Gods just judgement was giuen ouer to a reprobate mind what wonder if they who hauing once beene inlightned fall away bee neuer possiblie reneued againe vnto repeÌ„tance seeing they crucifie to themselues the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Such men goe about presumptuouslie to grind the face of all godlinesse The sicke Man I see then that in the sinne against the holie Ghost there must first bee a knowledge of Gods Trueth and then a wilfull rebellion against it with a lifted vp banner The Pastour The Apostle is plaine If we saith hee sinne wilfullie after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the Trueth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of judgement fierie indignation The poison of that sinne is in the word wilfullie after a preceeding knowledge While Peter denyed his Master it was not wilfullie but for feare of his lif Soule persecuted most bitterlie beyond measure said hee I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it but God had mercie on him for it was in his ignorance These two great men rode so neare vnto that vnpardonable sinne that betweene Peter and it was nothing but wilfullie and betweene Paul and it was
workes may easilie ouertoppe all your sins iniquities God will haue man with his narrow bowels of mercie to forgiue his brother seuen times in a day if hee shall returne seuen times in a day saying It repenteth mee If God requireth such mercie of man whose bowels in the widest are not of a span breadth what shall hee doe whose compassions are rouled together into bowels broader than the Sea yea wider than the heauens If ye can repent Sir God can forgiue When man ceaseth to spurne God beginneth to spare The sicke Man I take God to witnesse that I am sorie for my sinnes and so ashamed that with the Publicane I cannot lift vp mine eyes to the heauens I would be content to kisse the ground a thousand times for to get but one kisse of the feete of him who is the on◅ lie helpe of the conscience and the health of the countenance I finde myselfe deepe to the Chine in a gulfe of miserie Tell mee truelie Sir I pray you Thinkeyee that if with a mourning heart I confesse my sinnes to God that hee will haue pittie of me I am sore perplexed the deepe thoughts of mine owne guiltinesse strike men with such a set silence that I am not able to vtter my griefe My feare is that I bee of the familie of hell an haire of horrour and vtter woe Be free with mee I pray you Thinkeyee th◅t such an hord of miserie as mine can euer meete with his mercie The Pastour It is great ignorance Sir to thinke that anie miserie of man can ouer reach the infinite power of his pitie and boundlesse compasse of his compassions It were more easie to turne the Sunne from his course than God from shewing mercie to repenting sinners both his Name and Nature is mercie See wee not out of what myres of miserie Gods mercie hath deliuered repenting sinners In Scripture wee may read long Catologes of pardoning sinnes Consider well I pray you thinke deepelie vpon the mercies of your God Look well what hee hath done to others Could the adulterie of Dauid the incest of Lot the drunkennesse of Noah the murther of Simeon Leui the persecutions of Paul the perjurie of Peter or any other like sinne hinder God to be mercifull to the◅ so soone as they repented * Wherefore wereall these pardons printed into God Booke but for to tell all ages that no man were hee neuer so sinfull should despaire of the mercie of his God As I liue saith the Lord take no delight into the death of sinners but rather that they should repent and liue These bee his owne words If words beare no weight behold effects God hath so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onelie Sonne that whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life This is not a verball loue when a man giueth his best beloued for to die for another God hath not spared his onelie Sonne that by his satisfying sufferings his Iustice beeing payed hee might shew mercie to man his poore vnworthie creature not onelie the Father hath loued the world but also the Sonne out of vnspeakable loue was as desirous to die for man as the Father was to send him This out of his owne mouth hee declared that no loue could ouer-reach his loue No man said hee hath greater loue than this than when a man layeth downe his life for his friend The highest of mans loue is to die for his friend But Christs loue was greater hee died for vs euen when wee were his enemies In another point behold the loue of Christ scarselie saith the Apostle for a righteous mā wil one die yet per aduenture for a good man some would euen dare to die But God commendeth his loue towardes vs in that while wee were yet sinners Christ died for vs Who shall doubt of this loue which the Lord hath registred on earth with the dearest blood of his onelie begotten Sonne There is such a loue in the Father and such a loue in the Sonne and such a loue in the holie Ghost toward the Saluation of man that all the heauens are filled with loue of our well so that at the conuersion of one sinner on earth there is more joy among the Saints and Angels than for fourescore and ninteene righteous who neede not repentance * If Sir yee would haue the heauens to rejoyce cast your selfe into the armes of your God with these words Lord doe with mee what thou wilt though thou shuld slay me yet will I true in thee If yee would see the picture of Gods mercy ye must draw aside the curtaine of all carnall surmises The sicke Man Oh that I might cast my Soule into his Armes But how can I doe this The Lord hath turned his backe on mee shall I cast my selfe into a consuming fire At the first sight of his angry face my Soule will die for feare The Pastour Men often are deceiued So soone as Manoah had seene the Angel hee said to his wife Wee shall surelie die because wee haue seene God But his wife answered more wiselie If the Lord were pleased to kill vs hee would not haue receiued a sacrifice from vs As shee said to him so say I to you If the Lord were pleased to kill you hee would not haue giuen his Sonne in a Sacrifice for you * I is a greater loue token that God hath giuen his Sonne in a Sacrifice for you than that hee should receiue any sacrifice from you It is the Apostles argument that since God hath giuen vnto vs his owne Sonne hee will not refuse vs any other thing that may doe vs good Christ alone is the sinners refuge hee is a Rocke of comfort which cannot bee shaken a Rocke which commandeth all seas of sorrows the pole of our peace Be earnest in prayer with God cry till he hea◅e The sicke Man I am wearied with crying to God my prayers may be called The voyce of my roaring But what shall I say I cry but there is none that maketh answere God hath couered himselfe with a cloude that my prayers should not passe thorow hee hath stopped his eares that my prayer should not bee heard This is a most fearefull blast and blow in his bloo die battell The Pastour Deceiue not your selfe often our prayer framed and followed by the Spirit of grace is heard though the fense of grant bee not yet brought to vs God for causes will let a time goe betweene seeking and finding After this the Angel spake vnto Daniel At the beginning of thy prayer God heard thee and now I am come to tell thee See how a space will interceede betweene Gods hearing of mans prayer and mans knowledge that God hath heard him Though yee as yet know not whither God hath heard you or not yee must not
is come to the dregges The image of the worlds vanitie is like that of Nebuchadnezars all gold and siluer in the vp most parts but in this last most corrupt age wee are come to the clay If wee bee wise we must seeke a new world in this olde world for this will neuer grow a better As the loue of Venisō wan Isaac to blesse one for another so if we loue this world with a blind loue for a morsell of its Venison wee will preferie it to Gods blessing All the dayes of this wretched life wee remaine in a fooles paradise But I leaue this I desire your earnestlie Sir that yee would let mee heare something more concerning olde Age which is a thing that euery man desireth to come vnto as if it were the best time of life The Pastour In this point appeareth the vanitie of man the weaknes of his wit Euery man would liue to be old and yet no man desireth to bee olde Let men say what they will I speake of naturall men all men desire to liue long which is to bee olde and yet they desire to remaine young * Their wrinkles their gray haires the companions of olde Age the end of their desires are vn welcome vnto them Then would they turne backe againe that with the Eagle they might cast their Bill whereby they might renew their youth Heare old Nestor who as Poets record had liued three ages a surfet of yeares Heare him with his wish O miht praeteritos referat si Iupiter annos Like a foolish Pyla◅ while hee is at the mouth of his Harberie hee would raise vp the Sailes for to turne to the tempestuous sea againe See howe the olde man if hee get but a faire Sunne blinke of a weekes health after cloudes returning after the raine how hee will rejoyce as though it shuld neuer be foule weather againe Men may pyne themselues with desire of dayes But doe what they can their life is like one that saileth whether hee standeth or hee sitteth whether hee watch or sleepe hee is euer vpon his course The sicke Man Let it please you Sir to continue in that discourse The Pastour Solomon in the last lecture of the Booke of his preaching letteth the young man see the vanitie of many yeares In that place is most clearelie set downe how olde Age the end of our appointed time is enwrapped with a cloud of miseries as beeing a time wherevnto like waues in a Sea one trouble ariseth vpon the necke of another the latter beeing euer worse than the former till at last fluctus decumanus the last and the greatest waues of Death come and sweepe the man away The imaginarie sweetenesse of all earthly contentmentes is closed and concluded with a bitter Farewell In that Lecture the Preacher bringeth in the old man like a Skellet whereat in the presence of all yong men hee pointeth out all his infirmities saying vnto the young Ones Beholde if such a life bee so much to bee desired First of all hee pointeth at his dayes calling them The euill dayes 2. Hee toucheth his yeares calling them Yeares without pleasure 3. He speaketh of the moyst raw rainie winter of his colde old Age the dayes of sorrow vvherein clouds returne after the raine As one defluxtion hath rained downe another is arising like a cloude 4. Hee pointeth out all the imperfections of his bodie When olde Age is come then the keepers of the house tremble that is the handes which keepeth the bodie become sicke of the palsie they tremble so that they can not carry the cuppe to their heade Then the strong men bow themselues their legges are not able to beare them Then the grinders cease their teeth rotte and become mouldie so that they can eate no bread Then they waxe darke that looke out at the windowes their eyes become bleared and blind Then the doores shall bee shut in the streetes when the sound of the grinding is low when the teeth the mouthes grinders are rotten the lippes which are the doores of the streete of the mouth are shut so that the old man cannot speak so distinctlie as of before Then shall hee rise vp at the voyce of the Bird olde men cannot sleepe hee muste rise so soone as the Birds beginne to sing or his sleepe is so vnfound that the chirpe of a little Bird will w◅ken him Then shall all the daughters of singing bee abased neither can an olde man sing himselfe for lacke of voyce neither can hee heare others sing for deafenesse so both his wind pipes and his eares the daughters of singing are abased Thē shall he be afraide of the high thing he dar climbe no more hee is no more for Stares and vpper Chambers * Then feare shall bee in the way while they walke they tremble as one that is afraide to fall Then the Almond tree shall flourish their gray haires growe white like the flourishes and blossomes of an Almond Then a Grasse Hopper shall bee a burden they are so weake that they can beare nothing their knees are weak as water so that they are a burden vnto themselues See howe the weight of a grasse hopper which is little greater than a Bee is a burden to the man of yeares Then shall the siluer cord bee loosed and the golden bowle shall bee broken his Sinewes shall become slacke and his Gall shall breake Then shall the pitcher bee broken at the well the vaines shall draw no more blood out of the well of the Leuer Then shall the wheele bee broken at the Cisterne his Lightes become so ◅otten and riuen that he can no more draw any breath with his broken Bellowes See howe Death stealeth vpon vs with insensible degrees Behold O young man the anatomie of thy selfe when thou shal◅ haue gottē thine hearts wil of years Heere is thy portrature drawen before hand Painters can portray but according as they see but tymes to come are present vnto God Heere is thy portrature for the dayes of olde age that is to come Beholde thy selfe in it before hand a receptacle of maladies See there thy balde head and thy bleared eyes and thy deafe eare and thy wrinkled face and thy rotten teeth and thy stinking breath hauing thy body bowed and crouched with thy third foote into thine hand Of thee may bee put out a Riddle What is it which hauing three feete walketh with one foote into its hand I shall assoile it It is an olde man going with a staffe To this let mee subjoyne another What is it that hath his stomacke into a Booste and his eyes into his pocket It is the same viz. An olde man fedde with boost Confections or cured with cōtinuall purgations hauing his Spectacles his eyes of glasse into a case His dayes are dayes of drousinesse
But if the Soule be not holie all the members will shortlie discord The one Hand will cut off the other The Hand will wound the Heart or cut the throat and the Mouth will bite the Fingers But O what loue shall bee then among the members when our Sanctification shall bee made so perfect that nothing more can bee added vnto it O what loue peace and concord shall bee there where God who is loue like a more powerfull and noble forme shall in an vnspeakable manner informe all the members of that mysticall bodie Wee all then shall accord to one thing All our wils shall bee according to Gods will And eue◅ie one of our wills with another shall bee like our two eyes whereof the one cannot so soone turne but the other must follow after it for to behold the same object Wee cannot now comprehen◅ this For mans reason heere on earth is like a riuen vessell which can not containe the discourse of immortalitie Our mindes are so drossie ◅mpish that they cannot conceiue euerlasting matters Wee speake now of Loue O but Loue now is litle among men we may say of it in this last age as Lot said of Bel◅h Is it not a little one Though it bee little now it shall bee great in these dayes Then shall it defie all sickle and foolish changes In this worlde belowe three graces dwell into the Soule of man like three sisters viz. Faith Hope and Charitie two of them conv◅ye the godlie Soule vnto the doores of Heauen viz. Faith and Hope but Charitie entereth in The Lord openeth his Doore to Loue Faith beeing a substance of things not seene so soone as the Soule commeth to sight it ceaseth to be because there is no such substance there Hope being of things to come so soone as the future is become present it hath no more a doe But Loue entereth in and as fyre posteth vp to fyre so Loue swiftlie flieth to God for God is Loue and for to speake so the verie element of Lou◅ Till Loue bee at him it is like a thing out of its element the place of its ◅ost there shall our soules feede on his Loue In such a feeding they shall bee as if they were euer hungrie and as if they were euer satisfied As the heauens hunger is without any laking so is its fulnesse without any loathing On Earth as it is said Voluptates commendat rarior vsus Single vse maketh pleasures the more agreeable But in Heauen the more our Soules shal haue the more they shall desire The more they shall desire the more they shall receiue So by an infinite multiplication joyes and pleasures and contentments shal be heaped vpon godlie Soules for euer like fyre in fuell which suppone the fuell be infinite can neuer die out but day lie increasseth as it were from a sparkle to a flame What shall I say more There shall bee such a fulnesse of all good thinges that no Soule shall bee able to receiue a greater desire of more All shall bee content all shall bee vnspeakablie glorious and made perfect There shall be no blemish into our bodies nor sinne in our Soules Iaacob shall not halt Mephibosheth shall goe straight blind Isaac then shall see Leah shal no more be bleared the deafe shall heare the dumbe shall speak The lame man shall leape as an Hart and the dumbe mans tongue shall sing Then shall these words bee perfectlie performed There shal be no more a pricking briar vnto the house of Israel or any grieuing thorne of all that are round about them Then shall our wearied Soules find aboue the highest circumference of Heauen the Centre of our rest God then shall bee our Sanctuarie in whom we shall haue joye and gladnesse without feare of ending O folie folie folie Why should we for such earthlie toyes losse such celestiall joyes Hee that for so little pleasure losseth that which Christ hath bought with so great paines as said a Father Stultum Christum reputat mercatorem That is Hee thinketh Christ to bee a foolish buyer while indeed he himselfe is a most foolish seller When one day with prophane Esau he shall bitterlie repent his bargane then shall hee know what a pennie-worth hee hath of all his pleasures The sicke Man Alas that men cannot consider O my God master and mortifie all such corruptions within mine heart that they be not able to lay my soule open to Sathans temptations But to proceede in our purpose what thinke yee shall bee the chiefe exercise of Soules in Heauen The Pastour It shal be to sing Psalmes of praise and to follow the Lambe whether soeuer hee goeth from East to West or from South to North. The sicke Man Alas that for this pricke of earth men should doe that which shall debarre them from that Palace of pleasure Our bodies as yee thinke shall not then bee wearied in following the Lambe were it to goe neuer so farre The Pastour O not Then shall our Soules bee refined from the drosse of sinne Then shall wee bee free of all this lumpishnesse of clay caused by sinne wherewith now wee are both cloyed and clogged Our motion then shall bee swifter than the Sunne in his course As with a◅thought our hearts will compasse the Heauens so shall wee goe most swiftlie whether wee desire As by the motion of the Eye wee looke from East to West or as the Sunne beames while he ariseth are suddenlie darted from the one end of Heauen to the other so shall it be of our motion then for we shall bee carried with the infinite power of God which shall not be subject to the Lawes of naturall motions below As for example here can be no motion without resistance All motions whether from aboue or siō below or ouerthwartlie finde enemies by the way opponing themselues to that which is moued as Edom did to the Israelites saying Thou shalt not passe by mee The stronger the opposition bee the motions are the slower Man cannot wade thorow waters so swiftlie as runne thorow the aire vpon the earth because the partie is stronger which is against him all things goe so below but aboue no bodies shall oppose themselues to the Children of God What euer bee aboue all shall goe with them they shall bee like shippes before the winde carried with a mightie gale There is nothing heere like vnto that that shall bee into that celestiall Fabricke But not bee curious to diue into such deepes This is certaine that the Sainctes shall bee carried there with the force of an vnspeakable power and that without anie wearinesse They shall runne saith the Prophet and not bee wearie they shall walke and not faint What can these want who beeing companions of the blessed Angels shall abide with him in whose face is fulnesse of delight There all our pleasures
good therefore that yee summon your hearte and your glorie to giue praise vnto your God Let not a thought of your heart absent it selfe from this point of seruice God must not bee serued by halfes As for mee I am but the Lordes weak Instrument for your well Giue God the glorie The sicke Man Blesse the Lord O my Soule all that is within mee blesse his holie Name I desire now to come with Dauid to my last words A speach of the sicke Man to his Pastour First of all I addresse my speach to you my worthie Pastour Gods mercie in you toward mee hath beene great for yee haue soundlie vnfolded all the intricate difficulties wherwith my Soule hath beene fearefullie entangled Yee are one of these that may well say Wee haue the mind of Christ God by his Grace haue made you that one of a thousand you haue I found to bee like Ionah the sonne of Amittai that is the sonne of trueth Happie is that Preacher who is ledde in all trueth O the Majestie of that message O the wisedome of these that gaine Soules vnto Christ Wisedome hath said That hee that winneth soules is wise O but my Soule loueth you My loue toward you assureth mee of Gods loue toward mee for by this wee know that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the Brethren I loue you Sir in the dearest blood I haue for yee haue beene the good instrument of God for my conuersion ye in all my troubles while mine heart was toucht to the quicke and my Conscience ransackt to the bottome haue beene to mee a Barnab as a sonne of consolations where with as with splents ye haue bound mine heart God in great mercie hath giuen vnto you the tongue of the Learned with lippes touched with a coale from his Altar for the relieuing of my wounded Conscience with words of comfort O but that is true a whole some tong is a tree of life By the sword of the Word ye haue cut the twisted bonds of my greatest temptations wherein my Soule lay fast fettered Mine heart hath beene greatlie rejoyced to heare you resoluing al my doubts and difficulties O howe beautiful are the feete of these that bring goâ—… tydings Now I finde that of Solomon to bee true The word of the wiâ—… are as goads and as nailes fastened by the Masters of assemblies which are giuen from one Shepheard Christ that great Shepheard of the flocke 〈◊〉 with your words as with goades â—… nailes so fastened me to himselfe that Death it selfe shall not bee able to seuer vs Yee haue wonderfullâ—… restored my sicke Soule with flagonâ—… of the most sweete juice of the cluster of wine Ye haue bound vp my broâ—… ken joynts with the spirituall splenâ—… of diuine comforts O in what woefull plight O in what seas of gall was I plunged when yee came first vnto mee there was nothing sound into my Souleâ—… All was full of botches boiles and puâ—…trifying sores But yee like a cunning Surgeon in curing tumours haue broght the matter to an â—…ead and at last with great skill ye haue launced the boiles of my corruptions whereof nowe God in mercie hath made mee free I tremble to remember these fearefull temptations wherewith yee found mee at the first beset and besieged These were indeede such temptations as Bernard called Terribilia de fide horribilia de divinitate Sathan hath assaulted mee both in a blacke shape and into an Angel of light By your sweete comforts my Soule hath beene reuiued like that dead man that liued by touching the bones of Elisha Yee haue fed my Soule with the doctrine of your breastes bigge as Towers Yee haue strengthened and sinewed my weake Soule with comfortable words wouen and wrought out of a feeling heart by the strength of holy meditations And now happie are yee who haue beene the instrument of my conuersion I hope to bee one day one of these that shall stand at your backe when yee shall say to your Master Christ Behold heere I am and the children that God hath giuen mee Account me Sir one of these Talents that yee haue gained with the Talent of your gift Your wordes haue stricken home vnto mine heart with powerfull and particular applications of comforts whereby my disaffected Soule hath beene wooed and wone vnto the loue of my Sauiour Iesus account me therefore a seale of your Ministerie Ye know better than I what God hath promised to these that with a readie minde shal conuert a sinner from his euill ways such as God himselfe hath promised shall bee like the starres in the Firmament for euer From your lips is come the sweetest balme that euer dropt from the penne of God vpon the leaues of the Booke of life Blessed bee my God who by his good Spirit into your mouth hath breathed most sweete comfortes into my Soule Woe to all Doctours of dispaire Blessed bee your lips wherein God hath placed the preseruation of knowledge Your tongue to mee hath beene like a siluer watch bell to rouse and waken vp the gifts of God within my Soule God by his words in your mouth declaring vnto man his righteousnesse hath blowne vp his Graces which were weake into mine heart like a smoking flaxe or a sparkle of fire vnder greene wood Blessed bee my God who by your diuine instructions hath made mee to bee acquainted with himselfe Your comforts hath beene cordials and lenitifes to the ranking and festered sores of my Soule To God bee glorie who hath made you moste cunning of that great Arte of sauing sinners O my deare Pastor by the refreshing Balme of your consolations ye haue infinitly indeered my soule you to gâ—…s one of a thousand I am assured that God hath made you faithfull with Ieremie for to take foorth the preciouâ—… from the vile Nowe my God with whom I thinke to bee shortlie bee with you in your Ministerie make you his faithfull seruant vnto death that ye may bee a worthie wooer for Christ for to bring home manie straggling sinners vnto him the blessed Bridegroome of our Soules Farewell now my faithfull Pastour My Soule now is glad to flitte from this house of clay As for my bodie it must goe to the graue where for a space it shall bee confined but not confounded for I looke assuredlie for the day of the Resurrection O Lord seale vp in my Conscience the discharge of all my sinnes that I may gladlie lay downe this Tabernacle The Pastour Mine heart rejoyceth with an exceeding great joy to reape such fruits of my labours But this know that what good yee haue by mee it is not from mee but from him that sent me * It is God that giueth life Soule vnto the Word that is powerfull to Saluation Paul may plant and Apollos may
when it shall please his Majestie That which is the gift of Gods good pleasure is not a thing which a man may haue wheÌ„ he pleaseth Youth is lik the time of the stirring of the poole a gracious time if it be wel imployed Christ I knowe may cure a Soule that hath beene sicke of the palsey of sinne eight and thirtie yeeres but that must bee counted a most rare miracle Late repentance is seldome sound But alas though a man were assured that in his olde dayes he should repent truelie of all the folies of his youth how bitter a thing is that which Gods word calleth Repentance A Pagan hauing gotten some little glimpse thereof while he conferred the pleasures of sin with the paines of repentance refused to bargaine for his pleasures saying plainelie Non emeâ—…im tanti poenitere that hee would not buy repentance so deare Most men in the heat of their sinnes lay about them to finde some pretence for the lessening therof lest they seeme vgelie Oh that youth would bee wise our youth is either a great friend or a great foe vnto our olde age If we get a fill of Gods mercie in the morning of our age wee shall bee glad and rejoyce all our dayes The rememberance of a well spent youth is in olde age lik the casting of the Eagles bill whereby its age is renewed O the siluer coloured gray head of that olde man who from his youth in the maine of his life hath walked in the wayes of righteousnesse Grace froÌ„ the Cradle is of great expectation Happie is that youth which is old in grace If yee get grace to your youth yee shall get glorie after age God it is who giueth both grace and glorie which two I may call the euerlasting twinnes conceiued into the breast and bowels of that Mercie that is aboue Take heede my Children In your first dayes striue to bee like the Auncient of dayes A good Conscience well kept in youth is a perpetuall feast for olde age That mans youth is a great friend to his old age who can say with Obadiah I feare the Lord from my youth A well spent youth is a blessed seede time for Heauen A well spent youth is spirituall physicke vnto olde age which of it selfe on Earth is a sicknesse drawing vnto Death As the well spent youth is a friend vnto old age so if it bee euill spent it is a most fearfull foe a foe full of woes woe to him whose old bones are sores with the sins of his youth the Lord hath taken the penne in his hand wherewith after he that hath narrowly searched his wayes hee shall write bitter thinges against him and shall make him possesse the iniquities of his youth * Beware therefore to set your corruption to worke for to giue the Prime of your life vnto pleasures Bee wise in time lest Sathan shely foist in and closelie conuay corruptions into your young and tender heartes by tickling and tempting you to folie It is more easie while it is time to spend well the time than after to redeeme the mispent time Why would yee trouble your olde age with young folies If yee sawe the seede of folie in your youth ye shall vndoubtedly reapesheaues of sorrows in your old age It is a sore troublé to sow in laughter reape in teares In the best man that liueth there is sufficient mater of mourning for his cloudie and rainie yeares The old man hath enough to suffer vnder sicknes though hee had no cumber of his sinnes O how pleasant is the bitter haruest of a foolish youth O folie hath not olde age paines sufficientlie in the bodie though it bee not surcharged with the troubles of the Spirit What wisedome is this to surcharge the weakest age with the heauiest burden Thinke chieflie vpon this seeing the goodnesse of God followeth the whole life of man from his mothers bellie to his buriall it is reason that his whole life as well youth as olde age bee framed for to expresse his thankfulnesse My first and chiefest direction to you is that yee giue to God the first fruites of your age Suffer not sinne in your tender yeeres to get hold haunt in your heartes A godlie Youth hath a speciall promise 〈◊〉 God these that seeke mee earelie 〈◊〉 finde mee This parable was forged in Hell young Saincts old Deuils that is A good Lad will bee an euill man And this is turned ouer againe by the prophane world viz. An euill Lad will bee a good man Nay but an euill Lad is in the way to proue an olde wag-string A young scoffing Ismael will become an olde swaggering reueller Children in Scripture are called Plants If in the Moneth of May a 〈◊〉 bee without leafes or buddes we conceiue little good hope of anie fruites to bee had in the haruest time thereafter will a tree bring foorth fruites before it flourish When flourish time is past without anie blossome shall wee looke for anie fruite for that yeare Learne of the trees to know your seasons Solomon sent the sluggard to Doctour Pismires schoole for to learne wisedome to prouide for the euill day Striue with the trees in your youth to get a spring of grace which may appâ—…are in the sprout and blossome of dispositions vnto vertues Muâ—…ium est assâ—…escere a teneris To beginne well or euill is to bee in the midst of the journey Most powerfull are the first impressions lik the loue of women which ordinarlie is greatest towards her first Match the guide of her youth who tulit primos amores hath gorten the prime of her loue It is hard to fall from her first loue See what a liking these who are in Kings Courts will haue to remember of the Cottage or rurall village whereinto they were borne and brought vp The secret draught is so powerfull that hardlie can anie expresse the cause This made a Pagan to say Nescio qua natale soluÌ„ dulcedine cuÌ„ctos Ducit immemores non sinit esse sui By this yee may see how by a certaine secret instinct wee euer loue the places where wee haue beene borne brought vp Obserue the lesson of this if yee passe your youth in sin in the pleasures therof hardly shal yee euer forget that company doe what ye can ye shall euer haue a certaine secret loue which your Soule darre not auouch toward that which yee once loued while ye were yong If your sinnes bee your Companions in your vouth they will bee your Counsellers in olde age Rehoboams fall was in this that he took counsell of the young men that were growne vp with him If sinne bee brought vp with you in your youth there is danger that ye take its counsell in your olde age The time of youth is most dangerous for in it the affections
Beasts fed on the bare commons are not so neere the slaughter as these that goe into fatter pastures B◅ware of all vncleannes Make a couenant with your eys not to behold wine women keepe carefullie your vessels cleane in sanctification and honour If yee slippe in anie sinne beware to sleepe in it for that is death Vita in vigilia est Godlie men in olde age regretting their former haunts are lessons from God to teach Youth not to plot the pleasures wherewith God is displeased Manie sinnes of Youth be called tricks but it is a terrible tricke to goe to Hell People foolishlie cloake Fornication with a tricke of youth but the Spirit of GOD giueth it a scarlet cloake dyed in red with the blood of three and twentie thousand Bee yee wise in time let the rememberance of the shrill sound of the last trumpet euer hold your heart in a stirre so soone as yee see the least appearance of euill Thinke no sin litle seeing it is against so great a Majestie For eating of a tree Ada◅ was banished out of Paradise For touching the Arke shaken with the Oxen Vzzah lost his life For looking into it fiftie thousand three score and tenne men were slaine at Bethshemeth For gathering sticks vpon the Sabbath God declared that the man should bee stoned vnto death without the Campe Such thinges are written for our learning As for you stand in awe to sinne in a thought To clippe the Kings Coyne were it neuer so little is an high ◅reason Be affraide at the first gloumes of your GOD Crouch so soone as hee beginneth to shake his rod at you In all companies be constantlie godlie like the Sunne in his light Too manie like the Moone now glister with reflexes of light and anone are darkened Now and then they appeare with diuerse faces now with Saul they are Prophets among the Prophets and anone as reuoking all former godlinesse they runne rȳot with gluttons and reuellers O my beloued thinke neuer shame to be godlie among scorners Care not that by your conscio◅able cariage the wicked bee gauld and grieued in their madde moode they will call all godlinesse but outwardnesse and formalitie Tak good he◅d to all your ways set a guarde about your thoughts and a watch before your mouth Seeing the tongue is mans glorie let it not bee abused with rotien words Let not your eares bee open for to receiue the scowring of other mens filthie mouthes Bee calme and quiet in all your wayes Bee not rash or hastie looke before yee leape bee not selfe-willed proude contemners of your betters Aspire not aboue your pitch Care not so much for mans d◅spight as for Gods displeasure Let God be the caruer of all your car◅s Abhorre to be idle like these who sitting in the Chire of sloth passe their time at handie dandie Loyter not while yee should labour The first word that Pharaoh said to Iaakob his sonnes was What is your treade or occupation Be painefull and faithfull in your calling liue not litherlie as these that are giuen to sleepe the sluggardes lingring sicknesse Hee is of a base spirit who sluggishlie gaping and stretching himselfe lyeth lusking on the downe Vp vp from the feathers earelie in the morning striue with the Cocke in watchfulnesse and rise with the chirping of the birdes Ioyne watching against euill with wishing and prayers for that which is good It is good that the bodie bee moistned with the morning dew earelie rising bringeth health to the bodie and increaseth the number of mans dayes I remember of a verse which while I was young serued for a wakener for to rouse mee from my morning sleepe Sanctificat sanat dit at quoque surgere mane That is it maketh holie whole and rich to rise earelie in the morning for this cause earlie buckle your selues to your businesse Bee wise and watchfull In all your enterprisses haue an eye vpō your God doe all as into his sight bee not too cast down in aduersitie nor too puft vp in prosperitie If mans applause make you to ouerweene your selues at anie time chasten your loftinesse with the memorie of manie infirmit es which are nested within you in all thinges feare the worst and hope the best That which seemeth to man vnliklie is not with God impossible Let your life in a godlie sober ciuill cariage shine before men that they seeing it may glorifie your heauenlie Father Striue not to bee called Doctours and Rabbies though ye bee men of letters but aboue all striue to bee teachers of others by good example and not by word onlie lest yee bee like the Fyle which smootheth all other thinges but it selfe remaineth rough Beware of all sinfull pleasures which like faire Ladies come with alluring propines to woo and catch the vnstable soule In the verie throng of all your adoes draw your selues to a set dyet of priuate deuotion Mine heart beginneth to faint of force I must make a pause After that I am refreshed with a little rest I shall declare to you all that is in my minde and memorie O my Soule seek sigh for grace Be carefull for a neerer acquaintance with the Lord of Heauen Shortlie thou shalt embrace him whom the Fathers by faith saluted but a farre off The Pastour Lord heare thou in Heauen the groanes of thine humble supplicant mak him fullie freelie to taste and partake of the pleasures of thy graces til he come to glory Roll his wearied Soule within these compassions which in thy mercie are rouled together O deare Iesus besprinkle thou his heart with thy precious Soule-sauing blood which is euer louelie to the mercifull eye of the Father Take breath a little Sir that yee may continue in such precepts such heauenlie sentences were neuer bred nor brewed vpon the earth The Lord himselfe hath put the Roll of these things into your mouth which yee haue eaten and which make your breath to haue the sauour of life vnto life Certainelie in some measure the Lord Iesus hath breathed vpon you as hee did vpon his Apostles when hee said vnto them Receiue the holie Ghost The sicke Man Lord imprint thine Image into my Soule afresh My Spirit is reuiued a new power is entered into mee Blessed be hee who giueth power to the faint and who increaseth strength to them that haue no might Giue eare now againe vnto my speach O yee my deare Children Incline your eares vnto the wordes of my mouth See that yee liue in loue a rent is the forerunner of a ruine If yee would liue die in honestie practise all Christian dueties Feare God loue the Church honour your King bee faithfull to your Countrie reuerence your Mother Bee pitifull bee courteous liue in loue together Your strength is in vnitie like a sheafe of arrowes A
her faire face because Hypocrisies face seemeth to be faire while it is fairded No not God will haue true faith to come out that the world may see her into works Shew mee thy Faith by thy workes Christ who desireth that the niggard or ambitious left hand know not or see not the liberalitie of the charitable right hand commandeth that wee let ouâ—… light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our Father which is in heauen The graces of Gods Spirit in a man are like a light candle No man light a Candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a Candle-sticke it giueth light to all that are in the house The good life of the godlie man should bee like a Citie sette on an hill which cannot bee hid The labourer soweth not his seede on the ground that it may still remaine hidde vnder the cloddes neither doeth God sow his graces in our heartes that there they may luâ—…k still abide secret I like not these who feare to seeme godlie left they should bee thought to be Hypocrites Euen in that are they Hypocrites that for feare they seeme to affect godlinesse will not doe good that may bee seene which would moue the true Israelits to glorifie our Father in heauen yea and also allure these to come to God who as yet are strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel I confesse that fewe bee troubled with such a feare It is a sin whereof verie few in this Land are guiltie yet seeing it is a sinne it would bee carefullie auoided Because Papists whollie relye on their workes Protestants with great scandale will onelie bragge of their Faith Thus both the one and the other against the truth of doctrine separate that which God hath joyned together The sicke Man O Lord GOD of gods O Father of euerlasting compassions whose blessed bowels did bleede vpon the crosse for to saue sinners pittie heere a fraile feeble creature yet tugging and wrestling in the Barras of this sinfull flesh Furnish mee with strength whereby I may surmount and vanquish all difficulties which are betweene my Soule and the place of its euerlasting rest I am weake forbeare mee Lord in thy great mercie Ioyne thy Grace with my griefâ—… O that I were with my Christ the Marke whereat I aime the Port whereto I saile the rest of my desires Let thy good Spirit O Lord assist mee Let thy fauour and grace bee my vade-mecum till I come to thy Glorie O who shall giue to my soule the wings of a Doue that it may flee out of the Douket of this bodie vp to its God O deare Sauiour set mee as a seale vpon thine heart Draw mee and wee shall runne after thee Holde mine heart aloft that it may onelie minde the things aboue The Pastour Lord heare thou in heauen and grant the sute of thy seruant I feare Sir that yee bee wearied with speaking As I perceiue yee force your selfe in your words aboue the reach of your strength Seeing yee trauell thus in paine of your speach spend the little space of life that resteth in holie meditations concerning the bloodie wounds of Christ your Sauiour The sicke Man Christ now is onelie my comfort I loue him with the best bowels of mine heart In the bowels of his mercie I reade by the eye of Faith most faire lines of his loue all written in great Capitall letters of an heauenlie impression Christ is to mee in stead of all for alreadie in my neede hee hath stood mee in more stead than all O in what a pitifull plight my sillie and forlorne Soule was once into Blâ—…ssed bee hee for euermore who in so great kindnesse hath shined vpon me with the blessed bright and vnspotted beames of his mercy O but my Soule panteth after him Oh how this heart of mine is euill to breake What a piece of clammie teugh clay is this that settereth so my Soule that by no meanes can it bee loosed from it that it may soare vp to its God from griefe to glorie O that I were with him with whom I shall not want the thing that I can wish Now Lord the time is come pull off mee the dull wiede of sinfull mortalitie and cloath my soule in white with the Robe of Christes righteousnesse that it may followe the Lambe O but I am wearied My Soule longeth to see the Face of my God The Pastour Waite vpon the Lords will when it is time hee will open the prison doore and let your Soule flie vp to your Glorie Thinke on Heauen still Mount vp your minde to your Maker who shall shortlie roofe with Glorie the graces which hee hath reared vp into your heart Let the hope of these thinges hearten you in the mudde and myre of this sinfull mortalitie The sicke man O Lord pittie this Soule which I haue defiled and defaced with scarlet transgressions and crimsin iniquities Thou hast begunne the good worke in me It is now neere to perfection Put to now the last hand and perfect the worke Rub out perfectlie with the Blood of thy Lambe the least staines which sticke in my Soule that while thou shalt look vpon mee thou may know mee to bee thy redeemed one by the stampe of thine owne Image O Lord fixe mine heart so into thine owne heart that nothing bee able to pull it out without pulling out thine owne It hath beene like a crooked twigge O writh it so nowe the right way that it may bee according to thine owne heart The Pastour Lord heare thou in Heauen and graunt the sute of thy Seruant Let nothing bee able to tickle tempt or trouble his Soule Be of good heart Sir the Battell is neare an end Fight out the good fight finish your course and keepe the Faith hence-foorth is laide vp for you a Crowne of righteousnesse which the LORD shall giue you at that day Make now full proofe of your courage which shall shortlie be couered with a Crown Hold out still in your holie exercise till your change come The sicke Man I wearie of this cottage of claye I am at a point with all that is vnder the Sunne I care not for this worlds fauour no more for its frowne But O but my Soule longeth to be with my Lord that I may see his face with fulnesse of joye O thou with whom nothing is impossible make the scales of mortalitie to fall from mine eyes that I may fee thee before euen as thou art My Soule longeth to be out of this myry lak of miserie for to dwell with thee into the Pallace of immortalitie O when shall I get ridde of these sinfull bonds O Sauiour of mankind giue eare vnto my sute Deliuere mee from this seeming life that I may die to liue the life of pleâ—…sures for euermore O drawe drawe out this Soule entombed into this bodie Before