prove deform'd unnatural and wicked what a Corrosive is this to the Parents Rebecca thought it long to be twenty Years Childless her Husband at Sixty prays for Issue Gen. 25.20 21. his Devotion carried him to Moriah the place where his Life was miraculously preserved from the Knife of his Father hoping it might by the like Miracle be renew'd in his Posterity 6. GOD hears him Rebecca Conceives But when she felt that early Combat of her strugling Twins she can say If it be so why am I thus Gen. 25.22 And when she saw a Child Red all over like a hairy Garment Gen. 25.25 and saw his Conditions no less rough than his Hide Gen. 27.41 do we not think she wish'd that part of her Burden unborn Certainly Children are Blessings or Crosses Hast thou a Child well dispos'd well govern'd A wise Son maketh a glad Father Prov. 10.1 Prov. 19.13 Hast thou a Child disorderly and debauch'd A foolish Son is the Heaviness of his Mother and the Calamity of his Father Prov. 10.1 Chap. 19.13 Hast thou a Son stubborn and unnatural Then Solomon tells us He that wasteth his Father and chaseth away his Mother is a Son that causeth Shame and bringeth Reproach Prov. 19.26 And if such a Son live and die impenitent what can answer the Discomfort of that Parent 7. THOU hast no Children As thou hast less Joy thou hast less Trouble It is a continual Care that belongs to these Possessions Artimedorus observes that to dream of Children imports Cares As they are our greatest Cares many lesser ensues For thou hast many Mouths to feed and 't is thy Duty to provide for 'em For If any provide not for his own especially for those of his own House he hath denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel 1 Tim. 5.8 8. DOES not many Rivulets from the main Channel leave the Stream shallow So is it with thee But this Expence is not more necessary than comfortable A Great Man visited a Gentleman in the Country and seeing his Children placed according to their Age and Stature said These make Rich Men Poor But immediately he receiv'd this Answer Nay my Lord these make a Poor Man Rich For there is not one of these I would part with for all your Wealth 9. INDEED we receive to distribute and are but Farmers of those we leave behind If we freely lay out of our Substance before-hand so much of our Rent is happily clear'd It is observable none are so Covetous as the Childless For those who for maintenance of large Families are inur'd to frequent Disbursements find such Experience of Divine Providence in Prudent Managing of Affairs that they lay out with more Cheerfulness then they receive So that their Care must be abated when God takes it to himself 10. AND if not wanting to themselves Faith gives them Ease in casting their Burden upon him who hath more Power and Right to it since Children are more his than our own He that feedeth the Young Ravens Psal. 147.9 can he fail the best of his Creatures A worthy Divine tells us of a Gentlewoman coming to the Cottage of a poor Neighbour furnished with Children could say Here are the Mouths but where is the Meat But not long after was answer'd to that Question for the poor Woman after the Burial of her last Child inverted the Qustion upon her Here is the Meat but where is the Mouths 11. SURELY the Great Governour of the World will never leave any of his without the Bread of Sufficiency and who so fit to be his Purveyors as Parents for their Children Nature hath taught Birds to pick out the best of Grains for their Young Nature sends Moister out of the Root which gives Life to Branches and Blossoms Sometimes indeed it meets with a kind Retaliation some Stork-like Disposition repairs the loving Offices done by the Parents in a dutiful Retribution to their Age or Necessity 12. BUT how frequently proved often the contrary By an unsatiable Importunity of extracting from the Parents that Maintenance which is extravagant Sometimes an undutiful neglect in not owning the Meanness of their Parents or supporting their decay'd Estate by due Maintenance Ingratitude is odious in Man but in a Child monstrous 13. IT is thy Grief thou never hadst a Child There is not so much Comfort in having of Children as Sorrow in parting with 'em especially when their parts and Disposition have raised our Hopes and doubled our Affections towards 'em And according to the French Proverb He that hath not cannot lose so on the contrary he that hath must lose Our Meeting is not more certain than our Parting Either we must leave them and so their Grief doubles ours or they leave us and so our Grief will be no less than our Love was extended 14. IF thou wilt be truly wise set thy heart upon that only Good which is not capable of losing Divided Affections abate their Force and since no Objects of Dearness distracts thy Love place it wholly upon that Infinite Goodness which entertains it with Mercy and rewards it with Blessedness If Elkanah therefore could say to his Barren Wife Hannah 1 Sam. 1.8 Why weepest thou and why is thy Heart heavy Am not I better to thee than ten Sons How much more comfortably may'st thou hear the Father of Mercies say to thy Soul Why is thy Heart heavy Am not I better to thee than ten Thousand A Prayer of Comfort in Sterility O GOD the Great Creator and Redeemer of all the World who dist Command our first Parents to Encrease and Multiply Yet those Blessings thou thinkest not fit to dispence where thy Wisdom and Providence knows it not requisite O LORD thou hast been pleased to give me dry Breasts and shut up my Womb and hast kept me from that great pain and peril of Child-Birth which many have undergone which hath put a period to their Lives O let me Bless and Praise thy Holy Name that I am at this day a living Monument of thy Mercy And that thy Servant whom thou hast been pleased to ordain for my Husband is not yet Summoned by Death from me 2. LORD thy Omnipotency knows what is most necessary for me and the less Incumbrances and Cares I meet with in the World grant that I may the more attentively serve thee let me in every State O Lord submit to thy Holy Will and not murmure and repine at what thy good pleasure has allotted me Comfort me O Lord I beseech thee and increase my Love and Affection towards my Husband that I may say as Elkanah did to Hannah that he is more worth to me then ten Sons But O Lord grant that when thou shalt be pleased to call me out of this dark World into thy marvellous Light that I may be ready to leave all and follow thee who art my God and all things Amen SECT XIV Want of Repose 1. THOU are afflicted with that which is incident to distemper'd Bodies
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
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
Dunghil O that my Grief were throughly weighed and my Calamities laid in the Ballance together For now it would be heavier than the Sand of the Sea Therefore my words are swallowed up for the Arrows of the Almighty are within me the Poyson whereof drinketh up my Spirits The Terrors of God do set themselves in Array against me Job 6.2 3 4. Dost thou not hear the Man after God's own Heart speak of the Voice of his Roaring Psal. 22.1 He that shrunk not from the Bear the Lyon nor Goliah of Gath is now drenching his Bed with his Tears Psal. 6.6 Dost thou not hear the Faithful crying out I am the Man that hath suffered Affliction by the Rod of his Wrath c. Surely against me he is turned he turneth his hand against me all the day my Flesh and my Skin hath he made old he hath broken my Bones Lam. 3.1 3 4. Consider the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs the great Favourites of Heaven some on Gridirons others in Boyling Caldrons some on Spits others under Saws some in Flames others crashed with the Teeth of Wild Beasts some on Racks others in Fiery Furnaces Most of 'em in such Torments as in comparison thy Pains are but a Sport But to leave Mortality and sinful Dust and Ashes thou may'st behold the Son of God and Lord of Life the King of Glory God blessed for ever sweating drops of Blood in his dreadful Agony and mayst hear him cry upon the Tree of Curse and Shame My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 Alas What are we capable to suffer in proportion of these Tortures What are we that we should think much to share with the best of God's Saints nay even with the dear and eternal Son of his Love our ever blessed Redeemer Had not God prescribed this their way to Heaven they had not waded so deep in Blood 10. WHY do we repine to wet our feet where they waded If from these Holy Ones we turn our Eyes we shall find Examples among meer Pagans For instance He who we used to account infamous for Voluptuousness Epicurus the Philosopher who on his Dying-day when he lay extreamly tormented with the Stone in the Bladder and a tearing Cholick in his Bowels as it were grasping for Life yet even then writing to his Idemeneus can out of the strength of his Resolutions profess his Cheerfulness and can stile even that day Blessed It was the same Mouth that could boast that if he were frying in the Brazen Bull of â—alaris he could there find Contentment What should I tell thee of a Mutius Scaevola who in a Glorious Revenge voluntarily burnt off his Right Hand not without the Envy and Pity of his Enemies or of a Regulus that after so high a Provocation offers himself to the worst of the merciless Fury of his Tormenters Why shouldst thou admire saith wise Seneca that some should be well pleased to be Scorch'd Wounded Rack'd or Kill'd Frugality is a pain to the Riotous Labour a punishment to the Lazy Continence a misery to the Wanton and Study a torture to the Sloâ—hful 11. ALL these are not in their own Nature difficult but we are infirm and inconstant Shall Pagans attain to this height of Magnanimity by their Fortitude And shall we Christians droop under gentler Sufferings We profess the advantage of Faith to uphold and chear us But poor Ethniâ—k Souls they never heard of a Merciful God to Comfort 'em They never knew those sweet Messages from Heaven Call upon me in the day of Trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt Glorifie me Psal. 50.15 Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy laden and I will give you Rest Matth. 11.28 Strengthen ye the weak Hands and confirm the feeble Knees Say to them that are of a fearful Heart Be strong fear not behold your God will come with Vengeance even God with a Recompence He will come and save you Isa. 35.3 4. They had not the Heart of a Job to say I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19.25 Nor the Eyes of a Stephen to pierce the Heavens to see their Saviour standing at the Right hand of God But out of their Vigour elevated with an arrogant Ambition of that Fame which they believed would survive 'em Whereas we Christians know that we have the Father of Mercies to stand by us a Redeemer to deliver us a Comforter to strengthen and refresh us sweet and infallible Promises to sustain us And at last a Crown of Eternal Glory to reward us 12. THOU art pained with Sickness View not what thou feelest but think what Punishment thou hast deserved Wherefore doth a living Man complain a Man for the punishment of his Sin Lam. 3.39 Alas the Wages of every Sin is Death a Death of Body and Soul Temporal and Eternal Any thing below this is Mercy There is not the least of thy Transgressions but hath merited the infinite wrath of a just God and more Torments than thou art able to undergo What dost thou complain of Ease Where thou owest a thousand Talents thou art bid to Take thy Bill and write down Fifty Luke 16.6 Wilt thou not magnifie the Clemency of so favourable a Creditor Surely were every Twig which creates a Smart a Scorpion and every Breath thou sendest forth a Flame This were yet less than thy Deserts Oh the infinite goodness of our Indulgent Father that uses so gentle a Correction to us Tell me thou nice Patient if thou canst not suffer these Stripes how thou wilt endure those that are infinitely sharper Alas What are these Trifles to that Hell which abides for the Impatient There are Torments without Mitigation eternal Pains without Intermission which thou can'st not suffer nor avoid Fear them and murmur not at these prostrate thy self low under the hand of God and be thankful for a tolerable Misery How graciously hath the Wisdom of God thought fit to temper our Afflictions if they prove sharp they are not long and if long not over sharp that our Strength might not be depressed by those Trials we undergo Therefore aspire a Contentment in thy self and thy Languishment will be easie or thy Pain soon over Extream and Everlasting are Terrors reserv'd for the Wicked hereafter that are durable painful and not capable of any Relaxation What a Moment is it that thou dost suffer Yea nothing in respect of Eternity which thou must either hope for or fear Endure a while patiently that thou mayst not be infinitely Miserable 13. THOU complainest of Pain Of what use were thy Patience if that were mitigated God never gives Vertues without an intent of their Exercise To what end were our Christian Valour if we had no Enemy to Encounter Thus long thou hast supinely slept in a secure Garison where thou hast heard no Trumpet but thine own and hast turned thy Drum-head into a Table for Dice lavishing out thy days in varieties of idle Recreations Now God draws thee
following If you add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness Charity 2 Pet. 1.5 6. 23. IF Thou wouldst be inform'd what God hath written concerning thee in Heaven look into thy own Bosom and see what Graces he hath wrought in thee Truth of Grace saith the Divine Apostle will make good the certainty of your Election Not to instance the rest of that Heavenly Combination do but single the first and the last Faith and Charity For Faith how clear is that of our Saviour He that believeth in him that sent me hath Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but hath passed from Death to Life Joh. 5.24 What danger can befall us in our acquiring Heaven All the Peril is in the way Now the Believer is already passed into Life This is the Grace by which Christ dwells in our Hearts Ephes. 3.17 and whereby we have Communion with him and an assured Testimony of and from him For he that believeth in the Son of God hath the Witness in himself And what Witness is that This is the Record that God hath given us Eternal Life And this Life is in his Son he that hath the Son hath Life 1 Joh. 5.10 11 12. Oh happy Connexion Eternal Life first This Life Eternal is in and by Christ Jesus he is ours by Faith and this Faith testifieth to our Souls assurance of Life Eternal Charity is the last which comprehends our love to God and Man For from the reflection of God's Love to us ariseth a Love from us to him again The beloved Disciple can say We love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4.19 And from these resulteth our Love to our Brethren And such an Evidence we have that the Apostle tells us expresly That we know we are passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.14 For the love of the Father is inseperable from the love of the Son He that loveth him that Begets loves him that is Begotten of him 1 Joh. 5.1 25. NOW deal impartially with thine own Heart and enquire seriously as in the Presence of the Searcher of all Hearts Whether thou dost not find in thy self these Evidences of thine Election Art thou not effectually tho not perfectly called out of the World and corrupt Nature Dost thou not inwardly abhor sinful ways and think of what thou wert with Detestation Dost thou not endeavour to be in all things approved to God and confirmed to thy Saviour Dost thou not cast thy self upon the Lord Jesus and depend upon his free All sufficiency for Pardon and Salvation Dost thou not love that infinite Goodness who hath been so rich in Mercies to thee and bless those Beams of Goodness which he hath cast upon his Saints on Earth Lastly Dost thou not love a good Man because he is so Comfort thy self in the Lord and let no Fear and Distrust possess thy Soul Faithful is he that hath Called thee 1 Thes. 5.24 who will also Preserve thy whole Spirit and Soul and Body blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 5.23 A Prayer for an Afflicted Conscience O GOD the Father of all Mercies and Heavenly Consolation suffer me not at any time to fall from thee or to be swallowed up in the depth of Affliction but when ever it shall please thee to try me in that Furnace let my sure Hope and Confidence be fixed on thee that when multitude of Sorrows shall encompass my Soul my only trust may be in thy Mercies Give me the Oil of Joy for Mourning and the Garment of Gladness for the Spirit of Heaviness that thy great Name may be Glorified by me in a thankful acknowledgement of thy Goodness towards me 2. LORD thou beholdest afar off the manifold Perils and Dangers I am exposed to in this World which is a sea of Miseries and numerous Calamities The Winds blow the deep Waters lift up their proud swelling Waves and the stormy Tempests threaten me with Ship-wrack to the Ruine and Destruction both of Soul and Body But O thou who art the God of Unity speak Peace unto this inward Voice and say unto it I am thy Salvation so shall I be refreshed with thy loving Kindness and Praise thee ever more Amen SECT IV. Remedies against Temptations 1. THOU art assaulted with Temptations And what the Enemy cannot do by Force or Fraud he seeks by Importunity Can this seem averse to thee when the Son of God was in the Wilderness forty Days and forty Nights under the Tempter He that durst set upon the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 How shall he spare frail Flesh and Blood Why should Christ suffer himself to be Tempted but to support thee in all thy Temptations The Keys of the Bottomless Pit are at his disposal He could have confin'd that Presumptuous Spirit to Chains of Darkness and admitted him no nearer to him than Hell but he would let him loose and permit him to act his worst purposely that we might not dislike to be Tempted and that he might foyl our greatest Enemy 2. CANST thou think that he who sits at the right Hand of Majesty commanding the Powers of Heaven Earth and Hell could not keep off that malignant Spirit from assailing thee Canst thou think him less Merciful than mighty Would he die to save thee And will he turn that Miscreant of Hell loose to worry thee Dost thou not Pray daily to thy Father in Heaven to Lead thee nâ—t into Temptation Thou hast to do with a God that heareth Prayers Oh thou of little Faith why fearest thou He that was led by his Divine Spirit into the Wilderness to be Tempted of that Evil Spirit bids thee pray to the Father that he would not Lead thee into Temptation implying that thou couldst not go into Temptation unless he lead thee and whilst he that is thy Father leads thee how canst thou miscarry Let no Man when he is Tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with Evil neither tempteth he any Man Jam. 1.13 God Tempteth thee not yet being his thou couldst not be Tempted without him both permitting and ordering that Temptation to his own Glory and thy eternal Welfare 3. THAT Grace which God hath given thee he will have thus manifested How had we known the admirable Continency of Joseph if he had not been strongly sollicited by a Wanton Mistress Or David's Valour if the Philistines had not had a Giantly Challenger to encounter him How had we known the invincible Piety of the Three Children had there been no Furnace to try ' em Or of Daniel if no Lyons to accompany him Be assured thy Glory shall be Proportionable to thy Tryal Neither couldst thou ever be so happy hadst thoâ— not been beholding to Temptations How often sayst thou have I beaten off these base Suggestions yet still they retort upon
forth to the Field and shews the an Enemy where is thy Christian Fortitude if thou recoilest and chusest rather to fly than resist And is this a proper Character for thee who professest to sight under his Banner who is the Conqueror of Death and Hell Is this the way to that happy Victory and to acquire a Crown of Glory If thou faint in the day of Adversity thy Strength is but small Be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might Ephes. 6.10 Encounter with that fierce Enemy wherewith God would have thee assaulted look up to him who hath said and cannot fail to perform it Be faithful to the Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 14. THOU art surpriz'd with Sickness accuse thy self for it Who forbid thee expecting so sure a Guest Thy Frame of Body should have prompted thee to other Thoughts Dost thou perceive this living Fabrick made up as a Clock consisting of many Wheels and imagine that some of 'em shoud not be ever out of order Couldst thou think that a Cottage not strongly built and standing so bleak in the very Mouth of the Winds could for ever hold firm and strong Or art thou not amazed it hath out-stood so many blust'ring Blasts utterly unruined It was scarce a patient Question which Job asked Is my Strength the Strength of Stones or is my Flesh as Brass Job 6.12 Alas thy best Metal is but Clay and fading Flesh is but Grass the Clay mouldereth and the Grass withereth Why do we reckon of any thing but Misery and Fickleness in this woful Region of Change If we wiâ—l needs over-reckon our Condition we do but assist to aggravate our own Wretchedness 15. THOU art retir'd to thy sick Bed be of good Comfort God was never so near thee never so indulgent to thee as now The Whole saith our Saviour needs not a Physician but they that are Sick Mat. 9.12 The Physician cometh not but where there is necessity and where that is will not fail to come Our Wants is motive enough to Him who took our Infirmities and bare our Sicknesses Mat. 8.17 Our Health alienates him from us but whilst thou art this Patient he cannot be from thee The Lord saith the Psalmist will strengthen thee upon the Bed of Languishing thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sickness Psal. 41.3 The Comforter doth not only visit but attend thee If thou find thy Bed uneasie he will soften it for thy Repose Canst thou not read God's Indulgence in thine own Disposition Thou art a Parent Perhaps thou affectest one Child more than another though all dear enough But if any of them be cast down thou art more careful about that than the rest How thou pitiest and pliest it with Offers and Receipts With what silent Anxiety dost thou watch by it listning for every Breathing jealous of every whispering that might break its Slumber responding its Groans with Sighs and in fine taking such Care that thy greatest Darling seems the while neglected in comparison of this under Affliction How much more shall the Father of Mercies be compassionately Intent upon the Sufferings of his dear Children according to the Proportion of their Afflictions 16. THOU art wholly entertain'd with the Extremity of thy pains Alas poor Soul Thy dimness perceives nothing but what is near thee It is thy sense which thou followest but where is thy Faith Couldst thou inspect the end of thy Sufferings thou wouldst rejoyce in Tribulation Let Patience have her perfect Work and thou shalt once say It is good for me that I was afflicted Thou mightest be jocund long enough ere thy Jollity could make thee happy Yea Woe to them that laugh here Luke 6.25 But on the contrary Our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 O blessed improvement of a few Groans Oh glorious Issue of a short Storm of Sorrow Why do we imitate Christians if nothing but Flesh and Blood And if better we have more cause of Joy than Complaint for whilst our Outward Man perisheth our Inward Man is renewed dayly 2 Cor. 4.16 Our External Man is Flesh our Internal is Spirit infinitely more noble than this living Clay that we carry about us Whil'st our Spirit gains more than our Flesh is capable to lose what reason have we not to boast of the Bargain Let not then these close Curtains confine thy sight but lift up thine Eyes to Heaven whence thy Soul came and view there that Crown of Glory which thy God holds forth to all thaâ— overcome And then Run with Patience the Race that is set before thee looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who is set down at the Right Hand of the Throne of God Heb. 12.1 2. Then chear thy self with the Expectation of that Blessedness which if thy Toâ—ments were no less than those of Hell would make more than ample Amends for all thy Suffeâ—ings 17. THOU art sick to Death And hast received the Sentence of Mortality in thy self thy Physician hath given the up to act the last Scene Neither art thou like to rise till the General Resurrection How many are lately expired that would have thought it a great happiness to die thus quietly in their Beds Whom Storms of War hath hurried away furiously into another World not suffering them to taâ—e leave of that Life which they were forced to abandon Whereas thou hast leisure to prepare thy self for the Entertainment of thy last Guest to set both thine House in order and thy Soul It is no disadvantage to thee thus to behold Death at a distance and to observe every one of his Paces towards thee that thou mayst put thy self into a fit Posture to meet this grim Messenger who Ushers thee to Immortality that dying thus by Degrees thou hast leisure with the Patriarch Jacob to Summon thy Children to bequeath them thy last Benediction and being encompassed with thy sad Friends now in thy long Journey to a far Country thou mayst take a Solemn Farewell as going somewhat before them to the appointed happy Meeting-place of Blessedness And lastly That one of thine own may close those Eyes which shall in their opening see the Face of thy most Glorious Saviour and see this Flesh now ready to lye down in Corruption made like to his unspeakable Glory A Prayer for a Sick Person O Most Gracious and Merciful Lord God the only Author of our Health and Being thou castest us down upon our Beds of Sickness and sometimes draws the Curtain between the World and us O Lord my time is in thy hand and I know not how soon my change which thou hast appointed shall be whether this Week this Day this Hour yea or this very Moment O Lord sanctifie unto me this thy present Visitation which my Sins have long since deserved heal my Soul which in great bitterness hath sinned against thee
disquiets thee Doubtless thou art Soul-sick thy Spirit is wounded within thee and what can thus affect thy Soul but sin Or what can this Affection of thy Soul be for Sin but true Penitence 7. THOU repliedst I am indeed sorrowful for Sin but not upon the right Grounds I grieve for the misery that Sin hath brought upon me not for the evil of Sin but for the Punishment not the Offence for my Peril not for the displeasure of my God Beware lest an undue Humility cause thee falsely to accuse the Graces of God's Spirit Thou art no competent Judge whilst thou art under Temptations Had not thy Sorrow a relation to God why wouldst thou Sigh to Heaven Why would thy Heart challenge thee for unkindness in Offending And to cry out of the Sordidness not of the Peril of thy Sin What renders the act of thy Sin to be sinful but the offence against the Divine Majesty How canst thou be sorry that thou hast Sinned and not be sorry that thou hast Offended Tell me What is it thy Conscience primarily suggests to thee in this impression of thy Sorrow Is it thou shalt be Punish'd or that thou hast Sinned And were it put to thy Choice Whether thou hadst rather enjoy the Favour of God with extremity of Pain or continue in his Displeasure with Ease Or if Liberty were tendred to thee that thou mightst freely sin without danger of Punishment Whether doth not thy Heart rise at the Condition as ready to flie in the Face of the Offerer Besides Fear and Horror dost thou not find an internal Indignation at thy Miscarriage and such a detestation of thy Sin that were it to be reiterated if it were possible to be concealed from God and Men and if there were no Hell to avenge it woulst thou not abhor to commit it All these are strong Convictions of the right grounds of thy Repentance and of the injury which thou dost thy Soul in the unjust Scruples which thou raisest against it 8. IF the grounds thou say'st of my Repentance be regular yet the measure is Insufficient I am sorrowful for Sin but not enough An effectual grief for sin should be serious deep hearty intensive mine is slight and superficial I Sigh but my Sighs proceed not from an humble Heart I can sometimes Weep but cannot pour out my self in Tears I mourn but don't continue my Sorrow To this I Answer Thou hast to do with a God which in all the dispositions of thy Soul regards Validity and not Quantity If he find thy Remorse he exacts not the solid Measure He doth not meet up our Repentance by Inches or Hours but where he finds sincerity of Penitence is Indulgent Look upon David and acknowledge his Sin formidably detestable no less than Adultery Inebriation and Murder Yet no sooner did he in a true Compunction of Heart cry out I have sinned against the Lord then he hears from that Mouth which accused him The Lord also hath put away thy Sin thou shalt not die 2 Sam. 12 13. Here is a penitent Confession which was efficacious in the Expiation of those grievous Crimes Thou art deceived if thou imaginest God delights in the Affliction of his Creatures So far only is the grief of his Servants pleasing to him that it may conduce to the health of their Souls in the sensibleness of their Sin and meet capacity of Mercy 9. I do not with some Casuists flatter thee with an Opinion of the sufficiency of any slight Attrition and empty wishes that thou hast not Sinned doubtâ—ess a true Contrition of Spirit and Compunction of Heart are necessarily required to a saving Repentance And these wert thou but an indifferent Censurer of thine own ways thou would'd find within thy self Why is thy Countenance so dejected thy Cheeks pale and watered so oft with Tears thy want of Rest and loss of Appetite Wherefore dost thou pour out those doleful Complaints and vehement Deprecations But after all this art thou such as thou accusest thy self defective in thy Repentance Dost thou rest contented in this condition and not complain of it as the greatest Misery Art thou not heartily sorry that thou canst be no more grieved for thy Sin Comfort thy self even this is an acceptable Repentance and God accepts it What is Repentance but a change from Evil to Good And how sensible is this Change that thou who formerly delightedst in thy Sin now detests it and thy self for it and art yet ambitious of more Grief for being transported into it Let not thy Souls Enemy who desires nothing more than to make thee perfectly Miserable so allure thee as to render thee unsatisfied with the Measure of that Penitency which is accepted of God Rather turn thine Eyes from thy Sins and look to Heaven and fix 'em upon thine All-sufficient Mediator and behold his Face smiling upon thy humbled Soul and perfectly reconciling thee to his Eternal Father as being fully assured That being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God Rom. 5.1 2. 10. THERE thou say'st is the very root of my Complaint I want that Faith that should give me an interest in my Saviour and afford true Comfort to my Soul and Boldness and Access with Confidence to the Throne of Grace Ephes. 3.12 I can be sorry but cannot believe my Grief is not so great as my Infidelity I see others full of Joy and Peace in believing Rom. 15.13 But my stubborn Heart cannot soar up to a conformable apprehension of my Saviour So as indeed I dwell in obdurate Darkness and a sad ponderosity of Incredulity wanting that Assurance which others profess to find in themselves Take heed lest whilst thou art too querulous thou prove unthankful and whilst thy Humbleness disparages thee thou make God a Loser A Man may have a rich Mine in his Ground which he knows not of and there are Shells furnish'd with Pearls whose Worth many are not sensible of This is thy State Thou hast that Grace thou complainest to want and there is no measuring of thy self by Sense especially in the time of Temptation Thou coulst not so sensibly lament the want of Faith if thou hadst it not Thou canst not deny an Assent to the verity of all God's Promises Thou acknowledgst he could not be what he is if he were not even Verity it self Thou canst not doubt but he hath made those promises of Grace and Mercy to all Penitent Sinners which tend to their Salvation and thou canst not but grant thou art sinful enough to need Mercy and sorrowful enough to desire and Embrace it 11. CANST thou but love thy self so well that when thou seest a Pardon held forth to stretch forth thy Hand and take it This Hand is thy Faith which takes hold of thy Redeemer As for that Assurance thou mentions they
are happy that can feel and maintain it and it must be our holy Ambition to be diligent in the Aspiraration But such a height of Perfection every Traveller in this wretched Pilgrimage cannot whilst he is in this perplexed and heavy Road hope to attain to It is an unsafe and dangerous Path which those Men have walked in who have used to define all Faith by Assurance Should I conduct thee that way it might be prejudicial So sure a Certainty of our constant and reflected apprehension of Eternal Life is both hard to acquire and not easie to hold unmovably considering the many strong Temptations that we are subject to in this Vale of Misery and Death Should Faith be reduced to this Trial it would be more rare than our Saviour hath foretold it For as many boasts of such an Assurance who is yet failing of a true Faith embracing a vain Presumption instead of it So many also hath true Faith in the Lord Jesus who yet complains to want that Assurance Canst thou in a sense of thine own Misery close with thy Saviour Canst thou throw thy self into the Arms of his Mercy Canst thou trust him with thy Soul and relie upon him for Forgiveness and Salvation Canst thou prostrate thy self before him as a miserable Object of his Grace and Mercy And when it is offered thee canst lay some tho weak hold upon it Labour for further degrees of Strength daily Set not up thy Rest in this pitch of Grace but cheer up thy self and thus much Faith shall save thy Soul Thou believest and he hath said it that is Verity it self He that believeth on the Son hath Everlasting Life Joh. 3.36 12. I know thou averrest that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners and that Whoever believeth on him shall not Perish but have eternal Life Joh. 3.15 Neither can I deny but in a sense of my sinful Condition I cast my self in some measure upon my Saviour and lay hold upon his All-sufficient Redemption But Alas My apprehensions of him are so weak that they can afford no Comfort to my Soul Were it not that thou expectest to be Justified and saved by the power and act of thy Faith thou hast reason to be disheartened with the imbecility of it But now that the Vertue and Efficacy of this happy Operation is in the Object apprehended by thee which is the infinite Merits and Mercy of thy Saviour that cannot be abated by thine Infirmities thou hast reason cheerfully to expect thy Salvation Understand thy case aright Here 's a double Hand that helps thee towards Heaven thy hand of Faith lays hold on thy Saviour Thy Saviour's hand of Mercy and plentious Redemption lays on thee thy hold of him is feeble and easily loosed his hold of thee is strong and irresistable Comfort thy self therefore with the blessed Apostle when thou art Weak then thou art Strong when weak in thy self then strong in thy Redeemer Shouldst thou boast and say Tush I shall never be moved I should suspect the Verity and Safety of thy Condition Now thou deplorest thy Weakness I cannot but Congratulate the happy Estate of thy Soul If a greater Work were expedient strength of Hand were necessary But now only receiving of a precious Gift is required why may not a weak Hand perform that as well as a strong tho not so forcibly Be not dejected with Impotency but comfort thy self in the Mercies of thy Redeemer 13. THOU expressest Sometimes I find my heart at ease in a comfortable Reliance on my Saviour and being well resolv'd of the safety of my State promise good days to my self and after the banishment of my former Fears dare bid defiance to Temptations But Alas how soon is this serenity over How suddenly is this clear Skie clouded spread over with obscurity and I return to my former Despondency Did'st thou conceive that Grace would put thee into a constant and perpetual invariable Condition of Soul whil'st thou art on this side Heav'n Didst thou ever hear or read of any of God's Saints upon Earth that were unchangeable in their holy Dispositions whil'st they continued in this Region of Mutability Behold the Man after God's own heart thou shalt find him sometimes so couragious as if the Spirits of all his Worthies were met in his own Bosom how resolutely doth he blow off all dangers trample on his Enemies and triumph over all cross Events Another while thou shalt find him so dejected and transform'd from what he was When chearful The Lord is my Shepherd I shall lack nothing Psal 23.1 In Affliction Why art thou so sad my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Psal. 42.14 In Fortitude I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about Psal. 3.6 In Trouble Hide me under the shadow of thy Wings from the Wicked that oppress me from my deadly Enemies who compass me about Psal. 17.84 In his Integrity Thy Loving Kindness is before mine Eyes and I have walked in thy Truth Psal. 26.3 In contrary Events Lord where are thy loving Kindnesses Psal. 89.49 And dost thou not hear him in one Breath professing his Confidence and lamenting his Dissertion Lord by thy Favour thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong Thou didst hide thy Face and I was troubled Psal. 30.7 Look upon St. Paul Sometimes thou shalt see him erecting Trophies of Victoâ—y to his God In all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 On the contrary thou shalt find him lamenting his own sinful Condition Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Rom. 7.24 In a holy Rapture thou shalt find him caught up into the Third Heaven and by Permission of the Almighty buffetted by the Messengers of Satan and uttering Complaints to God of the Violence of that Assault Here the Spouse of Christ bemoaning her self I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone My Soul failed when he spoke I sought him but I could not find him I called him but he made me no answer Cant. 5.6 Thus is it with thee whil'st thou art in this Carnality The Temper of thy Soul will be subject to Vicissitudes Should'st thou continue always in the same State I should suspect thee This difference betwixt Nature and Gâ—ace the One is still uniform the Other varies â—â—cording to the pleasure of the Giver The Spirit â—eaths when and where it listeth Joh. 3.8 When therefore thou find'st the gracious Inspirations of the Holy Ghost within thee be thankful to the Infinite Munificence of that Blessed Spirit And still pray Arise O North and come thou South Wind that the Spices thereof may flow out Cant. 4.16 But when thou finds thy Soul becalm'd and not a Leaf stirring in its Garden be not too much dejected with an ungrounded Opinion of being destituted of thy God neither repine at
Cement Souls as Grace For here the Union is wrought by a better Spiâ—it than our own even that blessed Spirit who stiâ—es himself Love 1 Joh. 4.18 The greater thine Affection the heavier thy Loss But let me tâ—â—l the I fear thou art accessary to thine own Afflâ—ction Didst thou expect this Loss Did thy Heart say What if we should part Didst thou not ovâ—â— enjoy this Blessing If so these are no small Disadvantages 3. AS every Evil so this especially is aggravated by our Unexpectation Neither hadst thou been so oppressed with Sorrow if thou hadst foreseen it It is our weak inconsideration if we welcome these Earthly Comforts not as Guests but Inmates some are importunately Hospitable to entertain their Friends that they have no power to let 'em Depart Whereas we ought according to the Advice of Seneca to possess 'em as those that make account to fore-go 'em and fore-go 'em as if we possest ' em And the Apostle St. Paul gives us this Advice to Use this World as if we us'd it not for the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7.30 31. 4. THOU art griev'd for the loss of a Dear Friend Take heed lest thy Love had too much of Humanity and too little of the Deity All Blessings as they flow from the Father of Mercies should be enjoy'd in him But if we enjoy 'em as in themselvs our Love degenerates into Carnal It is a sure Rule that Love depends upon the thing affected but when that ceaseth Love is Extinguish'd As he that loves a Face for Beauty when Deformity appears it cools his Affection He that respects a Man for Bounty disregards him when he is Impoverish'd 5. DID'ST thou value thy Friend for Wit Complaisance and kind Offices All these are lost and thy Love with them But if thou didst affect him for Eminency in Goodness for the sake of God that dwelt in him thy Love cannot be lost because thou enjoy'st God in whom thou loved'st him Comfort thy self therefore in God in whom he was thine and yielded him cheerfully into those Hands from whom thou receiv'st him 6. THOU hast lost a true Friend That Jewel was to be priz'd for the rarity of it The World affords Friends enough such as they are Friends of the Purple as Tertullian calls them Friends of the Basket as the Poet nominates them such as love thy Loaves and Fishes and thee for them Wealth makes many Friends saith the Wise Man Prov. 14.20 and Chap. 19.4 But where is the Man that loves thee for thy self for being Vertuous divested of all By-respects Whil'st there is Honey in thy Pot the Wasps and Flies will be buzzing about it but the Honey being gone the Vessel remains quiet 7. WAS he so much thine as not to leave thee in Adversity Did he honour thee when the World despised thee Did he follow with Applause whilst thou wert hooted at by the Multitude Would he have own'd thee if he had found thee stripped and wounded in the Wilderness Such a Friend is worthy of thy Tears But take heed thy Love prove not envious If God hath thought him fitter for Society of Saints and Angels dost thou repine at his happiness Thou hast lost his Presence he is advanc'd to the Beatifical Presence of the King of Glory Now Whether is thy Loss or his Gain the greater 8. THOU hast lost thy Friend Say rather Thou hast parted with him That is properly lost which is past Recovery and past hopes to see any more It is not so with this Friend thou mourn'st for He is but gone Home before thee and thou art following him You will both meet in your Father's House and enjoy each other more happily than you could have done here below How just is that Charge of the Blessed Apostle That we should not mourn as Men without Hope for those that do but sleep in Jesus 1 Thess. 4.13 14. Did we think their Souls vanish't into Air as that Heathen Poet prophanely expresseth it and their Bodies resolv'd into Dust without all Possibility of Reparation we might weep out our Eyes for the utter Extinction of those we lov'd But if They do but sleep they shall do well John 11.12 Why are we Impatient for their Reposal in the Bed of Earth when assured of their waking to Glory 9. THOU hast lost a Dear Wife the Wife of thy Youth the desire of thine Eyes Prov. 5.18 Isa. 54.6 Ezek. 24.16 Did you not take each other upon Terms of Re-delivery when call'd for Were you not in Uniting put in mind of Dissolution Till Death us do part Was she Vertuous Knowest thou not there was a Pre-Contract betwixt Christ and her Soul ere thou could'st Claim her Body And canst thou grudge his Challenge of his own Wilt thou not allow him to call for a Consummation of that happy Match Did'st thou so affect her that thou would'st not have her Soul Glorious If thou loved'st her not as a Man but a Christian envy her not that better Husband who for her Dowry gives Immortality 10. THY Son is dead What marvel is it that a Mortal Father hath begot a Mortal Son Marvel rather that thou hast liv'd to enjoy and lose a Son We lie open to so many Casualties that our Subsistence is almost Miraculous Thou hast lost a piece of thy self For what are Children buâ— Colonies deduced from our Flesh yea rather our selves in other Models This loss cannot but go near thee But what was the Disposiâ—ion of the Son thou mournest for If graceless and debauch'd as thy Shame so thy sorrow should die with him Place the hopes thou might'st have had if his Reclaiming against the Fears of his increasing in Wickedness and thou could'st have made no other Account but of Dishonour and Discomfort 11. IF it be sad that he is taken away in his Wildness it had been more heavy had he added to the heap of Sin to augment his Torments If he were Gracious he hath a better Father than thy self whose Interest was more in him than thine And if that Heavenly Father have thought good to prefer him to a Crown of Immortal Glory why should'st thou be afflicted with his Advancement Why should'st thou not rather rejoyce that thy Loyns have assisted to furnish Heav'n with a Saint Were it put to thy Choice that thy Son might be call'd from his Blessed Rest and return to his Earthly Relations Could'st thou be so injurious as to wish the Misery of so disadvantagious a Change to to that Soul which as it was never of thy Production so it were pity it should be at thy disposing Rather labour to have thine own Soul so disposed that it may be ready to follow him into those Blessed Mansions and that it may love and long for Heaven so much more to dwell among the Spirits of the Just made perfect A Prayer against Immoderate Grief for the Loss of Friends O GOD the God of the Spirits of all Flesh thou killest and makest
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