thou hast and take up thy crosse daily and follow me else thou canst not be my Disciple Luke 14.26 27. Ph. This is a hard saying who can hear it and he went away sorrowful and followed him no more Joh. 6.60.66 Mat. 19.22 The third Conference between Christ and a doubting Christian Christ COme unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 Christian Oh Lord I am a poor heavy laden sinner that would come unto thee but cannot come Ch. It is true O soul no man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Joh. 6.44 Christian How then Lord shall I come unto thee Ch. I and my Father are one and we give power to the faint and to them that have no might we add strength Joh. 10.30 Esay 40 29. Christian Lord I am altogether without strength therefore draw me unto thee and I will come Ch. I will draw thee unto me with the cords oâ— a man with bands of love and with loving kindness Hos 11.4 Jer. 31.3 Joh. 12.32 Christian But Lord noâ— I look upon my selfe I see I am unworthy to come unto thee yea unworthy of the least of thy mercies Ch. So said my servant a John the Baptist and b Jacob and c others yet do not judge thy selse as the d Jewes did unworthy of eternal life a Mat. 3.11.6 b Gen. 32.10 c Luk. 7.7 Mat. 8.8 d Acts 13.46 Christian Iâ— such men as John Baptist and Jacob did judge themselves unworthy how many thousand times more unworthy am I a wretched and wicked sinner Ch. It is true neither they nor thou could be worthy of your selves but yet I am willing to account you worthy As the prodigals Father did his Son Luk. 15.21 22. Luk. 20.35 and 21.36 Rev. 3.4 Christi But Lord if therâ— were any thing that were good in me it might a little incourage me to come unto thee but I find nothing but evil in me Ch. Dost thou not knowâ— that without me thou canst e do nothing and that a man can f receive nothing except it be giveâ— him from heaven Why theâ— dost thou stay away from me who must g work all thy workes in thee And c Joh. 15.5 f Joh. 3.27 g Esa 26.12 2 12. 2. Because thou seest nothing but evil in thee thou shouldst thee rather come unto me who am the h Fountain wherein thy unclean soul must be washed and unless I i wash thee thou canst not be clean nor have any k part in me h Zac 13.1 i Eze. 36.25 and 1.9 k Joh. 13.8 Christian True Lord thou art the Fountain and welspring of life and it is thy blood and nothing else that can wash a way my sins but how can I come near to thee who am so wicked that for â—ught I know have counted thy blood an l unholy thing l Heb. 10.29 Ch. Thou poor dear and doubting soul what if thou hadst had a hand in crucifying me as the Jewes had yet cannot I forgive thee as I did many of them But thou hast not counted my blood an unholy thing for thou still desirest to have thy sins washed away by it Act. 2.36.41 Christian What the Jewes did they did ignorantly but I have sinned against knowledge which makes my sins worse then theirs Ch. If thou hast sinned against knowledge ye thou hast not sinned so but that thou maist be forgiven For my dear Disciple Peter sinned against knowledg when he denied with an oath that he knew me not Mat. 26.72 Christian Oh but yet my sins are worse then his for his sin was but one sin and that a suddain and short sin but I have sinned many sins and continued long in them Ch. So did my beloved servant David who was a man according to my own heart commit several sins together as Murther Whoredome c. and continued a while too in his sins Christian Oh but Lord those servants of thine though they sinned against thee yet they expressed a great deal of sence of their sins and sorrow for them but I can neither be sensible of nor sorrowful for mine Ch. Oh sweet soul thou mistakest and forgettest thy selfe for thou dost often confess thy sins before me with sence shame and sorrow And I hear the daily bemoaning and complaining and saying I have n sinned against the Lord woe is me for I am undone n Job 7 20. Psal 51.4 Lam. 5.16 Christian Oh good Lord it is not without a cause that I cry woe is me I am undone for I think there is no soul in such a dangerous and desperate condition as mine is in Ch. Why doest thou think and say so Christian Because I have sinned that unpardonable sin against thy spirit Ch. Oh thou poor and precious soul thou dost but think so and fear so But tell me how canst thou sin that sin against my Spirit and yet pray for more of my Spirit and so much prize my Spirit as thou dost Christian Oh Lord I have often grieved and quenched thy Spirit and is not this to commit that unpardonable sin Ch. My own dear and loving children may and do sometimes grieve my spirit by sining and quench the gracious motions of it and yet do not sin that unpardonable sin Eph. 4.30 1 Thes 5.19 Esay 63.10 Christian Oh but I can â—â—â—nk no less but that I have â—â—â—â—â—red that sin for I have had hard cruel and desperate thoughts in my heart against the Holy Spirit Ch. Though my child thoâ— hast had such thoughts in thy 〈◊〉 yet thou hast noâ—â—â—oken evil of my Spirit as the Jewes did which is the sin of blasphemy and that unpardonable sin Mat. 12.24 28 31. Mark 3.22 to 30. Christian Lord I am not sure but that I have spoken evil words of thy spirit for I know I have many times uttered vile bitter and cursed words Ch. Notwithstanding thou didest through the violence of thy temptations and in the bitterness of thy Soul speak such words as my servants Job David Jeremy Jonah and Peter did yet thou hast not done despightfully nor sinned maliciously and wilfully against my Spirit of grace as Reprobates doe Heb. 10.29 Job 3. to 13. and 10.18 and 23.15 16. Psa 31.22 and 116.11 Jer. 20.14 c. Jonah 4.3 4 9. Mat. 26 27 74. Christian Oh I have been and still am very wilful and have often sinned wilfully and thou sayest in thy word that if any sin wilfully after they receive the knowledge of the truth their remaineth no more sacrifice for sins Heb. 10.6 Ch. Thou dear soul have not I heard thee often in prayer complaining of and bewailing thy sins and beging earnestly for power against them therefore it is rather against thy will then wilfully that thou dost sin Christian Oh but I find sins in power in my soul which if I were a Saint they would not be so Ch. My servant Paul found sin so strong in him that he confessed he was carnal
nothing 1 Cor. 8.2 Rom. 3.11 By Grace I know in part 1 Cor. 13.12 In Glory I shall know even as I am known 1 Cor. 12. 30. By Nature My services were abominable Pro. 15.8 By Grace My services are acceptable 1 Pet. 2.5 In Glory My services shall be rewarded Mat. 6.4 and 10.41 31. By Nature I was like a beast Psal 73.22 and 45.12 By Grace I am like a Prince Gen. 23.6 Rev. 1.6 In Glory I shall be like an Angel Luke 20.36 32. By Nature My body was the Temple of sin Rom. 6.12 By Grace My body is the Temple of the holy spirit 1 Cor. 6.19 In Glory My body shall be raised spiritual 1 Cor. 15.44 33. By Nature I did glory in my shame Phil. 3.19 By Grace I am ashamed of my sin Rom. 6.21 In Glory I shall be without sin and shame Heb. 9.28 34. By Nature I was like the dirt and mire most filthy Isa 57.20 and 10.6 By Grace I am like the Moon in beauty Cant. 6.10 In Glory I shall be like the Sun in Glory Mat. 10.43 35. By Nature I sate in the shaddow of death Luk. 1.79 By Grace I do sit virtually in the Kingdom of Life Eph. 2.6 In Glory I shall sit on his Throne Eternally Mat. 19.40 Rev. 3.21 The Character of a true Christian with some Divine Contemplations Observations and Directions to a Holy Life 1. A True Christian is one that hath had clear convictions of sin especially his Master sin unbelief and of Christ that is the want and worth of him and of Judgment that is of punishment as the due desert of sin Joh. 16.8 2. He is unbottomed and broken off from himself he hath no confidence in himself his Birth Education Parts Performances and best works are impure and imperfect in his own sight Phil. 3.3 Isa 64.6 3. He is hardly brought to believe he hardly believes that he doth believe and hardly casts away his confidence when he doth once truly believe 4. Upon selfe suspition he doth greatly desire to be searched and doth earnestly search himself Psal 139.1 and last and Psal 77.6 5. He doth resolve never to go on in any sin or to neglect any duty 6. He prays to God most against his dearest and Master sin and praises God most when he hath power against it 7. He never repents for any sin he hath forsaken for any good he hath done or for any affliction he hath suffered for Christ 8. He hath Love to all Christians and seeks Unity among all and makes Union and Godliness the ground of his fellowship and Communion Phil. 1.5 1 Pet. 2.17 Rom. 14.4 1 Cor. 1.9 10. 9. In reading the Scripture he observes what helps on his holiness and teacheth self-denial as well as what increaseth knowledg 10. He cares not what he hath whether he goes nor what he suffers with Christ and for him without sin 11. His faith helps on his holiness and his holiness helps up his faith 12. Though he alwaies resolves to follow Christ through every condition yet he much suspects and fears that he shall not be able to hold out 13. He seeks and prizes holiness to serve God here as much as happiness hereafter 14. He fears God and sin more then men and suffering Gen. 39.9 Dan. 3.17.18 15. He neglects not his duty though he knows there is great danger in doing of it Deut. 6.10 16. He is one that is careful to lay in and to get true grace in his heart as well as in his profession as the wise Scribe Mat. 13. and wise Virgin Mat. 25. 17. He can and dare do nothing against the Truth 2 Cor. 13.8 especially if he knows it 18. He cleaves to the Lord and follows after the Lord fully in the worst times and when others forsake him Num. 14.24 Joh. 6.68 19. He respects all and rejects none of Gods commandments Psal 119.6 2 Sam. 22.23 20. He takes patiently and thankfully the harshest words and the hardest dealings of God 1 Sam. 3.18 2 Kings 20.19 Job 1.14 to the end 21. He is much affected with and afflicted for the sufferings of the Godly and the sins of the wicked as David Jeremiah Lot Paul c. 22. He is one that when he is recovered from his former backsliding remembers his former good condition and prizes it and praises God and hates his sin more then he did before Hos 2.7 and 14.2.3.8 23. He seeks and esteems sincerity more then any garnishing gifts prizes plain and poor Christians that are honest and upright more then they that have parts and wealth if they be less sincere 24. He is one that exerciseth a good conscience in all things 25. He is one that fears God and his name and desires Grace for Grace sake Neh. 1.11 26. He is one that prays at his first conversion Acts 9.11 God hath no still-born Children 27. He beholds Christ in the deepest affliction as well as in the most spiritual ordinance 28. He believes he shall sooner overcome his outward Enemies by praying for them then by praying against them 29. He prefers Christ before self and suffering before sinning 30. He desires to live so holy that we may keep Christ in heaven undispleased the spirit within him ungreived his conscience undefiled unwounded and unseared his profession unstained his brethren unoffended and poor sinners unstumbled 31. His care is to wait on God to walk with God to work all his works in and for God to bring his will to submit to the will of God in all things to glorifie God and to gain good to himself by all he doth and suffereth to do what good he can to others and receive what good he can from other Christians to deny himself and to be found in Christs righteousness without his own Phil. 3.9 32. A true Christian will desire to be freed from 1. Doubts of his Eternal condition 2. From the power of corruption 3. From the fire of the Law in his conscience 4. From the fierce Temptations of Sathan 5. From scruples in matters of opinion 6. From wicked places and persons where he can neither do nor receive good nor be without danger of Evil 7. From a bad frame of heart as hardness straightness Lukewarmness 8. From the fear of Death 33. A true Christian desires 1. To know God in Christ 2. To know himself in Christ 3. To know Christ in him 4. To know himself as he was without Christ Eph. 2.12 1 Tim. 1.13 Wicked and wretched in respect of sin unwilling to good and weak in respect of good Rom. 3.9.10 11. and 8.7 and 5.6 A Miscellany of Divine Contemplations Observations and Directions to a Holy Life 1. A Christian is to put forth his faith in prayer and afterwards to follow his prayer with faith 2. Reading of the Scripture helps Meditation Meditation Prayer and Prayer every good work 3. Man may come too late to God when the door is shut but God never comes too late to men Luk.
Christ though he kill me and I will endeavour to live to serve him though he should afterwards damn me Mat. 4.5 Rev. 12.10 Job 12.13 Exod. 20.13 Act. 16.28 Job 13.15 Christian Though I dâ— sometimes resolve against Satans temptations and labour to resist them yet I find my temptations are renewed and I am not able to withstand them for they come in as a flood upon me Ch. I that say unto the proud waves hitherto shalt thou come but no further I will by my spirit put the Enemy Satan to flight when he comes in like a flood against thee Job 38.11 See Esa 59.19 Marg. Christian But Lord I find am not only troubled with fear and sad temptations but also with strong and powerful corruptions Ch. I will subdue all thy iniquities and thy sins shall not have dominion over thee Mich. 7.19 Rom. 6.14 Christian Oh but this doth much trouble me that I do not find any love in my heart to thee Ch. What though thou dost not yet I will circumcise thy heart and thou shalt love me and when thou apprehendest my love to thee thou wilt love me again Deut. 30.6 1 Job 40.19 Christian I have sinned Lord against thy mercies and abased thy love yea loveâ— my sins more then thee therefore I cannot think that eveâ— thou wilt look upon me with any love or delight Ch. So did my servant David and my people Israel do yet as I loved them so will I love theâ— freely and betroth theâ— to me in loving kindnesâ— and mercy 2 Sam 12.8 9. Hos 2.5 and 14.4 and 2.9 Christian But Lord â— have not only sin'd against thy mercies but against thy corrections and chastisements also Ch. So did my people Israel formerly do for when I smote them they went on forwardly in the way of their evil hearts but I led them and restored comforts to them Esa 57.17.18 Christian I but my condition is worse then all that for I have been long under the means of grace and yet I am altogether fruitless and like the barren Fig-tree Ch. Thou troubled soul in me is thy fruit found and I will purge thee and thou shalt bring forth fruit abundantly for they that are planted in my house shall flourish and be fat and like a green Olive Tree Joh. 15.5 Psal 92.12 13 14. Christian I Lord its true if I were a branch in thee and a true member of thy house then I could believe these promises of thine alas I am neither of both but separated from thee and thy people C. Do not say that thou art none of mine for â— have bought thee with my blood and do not speak that thou art separated from my people for I will give thee in mine house and within my walls a place and a name of Sonâ— and Daughters Esa 56.3.5 Christian Sure if I were not an out-cast and a Reprobate I should not be thus as I am in a wilderness condition Ch. Israel was counted an out-cast and she cried out yet I was then a God to her and she a people to me Jer. 30.16.17.22 Christian Oh if I were but one of thine I should then count my self the happiest in all the world Ch. Fear not my Spouse for I am thy Husband and thy Father Christian If I were one of thy Children thou wouldst not hide thy selfe from me as thou dost Ch. I have hid my selfe and my face from some of my Prophers and people of old and yet it was in love to them and so it is to thee Psal 88.14 Esa 8.17 and 64.7 Christian But thou hast hid thy self from me and thou seemest also to be angry with me Esa 54.5 Jer. 31.9 Ch. Fury is not with me towards thee and though I be angry yet my anger is but for a moment Esa 27.4 and 54.8 Christian Yet Lord thou hast been angry with me a long time for thou hast forgotten me Ch. Zion did say so the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me yet I had not forgot her for she was graven upon the palmes of my hands Esa 49.14.15 Jer. 51.5 Christian But Lord if thou had'st not forgotten me thou would'st never have left me in such a wilderness and barren condition as I am in Ch. I have allured thee into the wilderness that I might speak comfortably unto thee Hos 2.14 Christian I have been many years in trouble and terrours and wanting peace in my soule which could not possibly have been if I had truly believed in thee Ch. But now will I speak peace unto thee and I will guide thee into the way of peace Psal 85.8 Luk. 1.79 Christian Lord wilt thou speak peace unto me and guide me into the way of peace i. e. The Preachers Lips that Preach't peace Ch. I will create the fruit of the lips Peace Peace and my spirit shall be in thee and his fruit shall be peace to thy soul Esa 57 19. and 55.12 Christian But Lord thy word saith there is no peace to the wicked Ch. No not to a man that will persist in his wicked way and doth not nor will not believe in me but thou art one of those that I bore the chastizement of thy peace and one of the children of peace Esa 53.5 and 54.13 Christian But Lord how can I have peace seeing a man cannot have peace before and without he does believe Ch. Thou shalt have faith and peace and I will give peace through believing 2 Thes 3.16.6 Christian But Lord theâ—â— I must know that I am one of thine Ch. Thou shalt know that I am the Lord thy God and that thou art one of my people Ezek. 34.30 Christian Oh how shall I know that Ch. My spirit shall bear witness with thy spirit that thou art my Child Rom. 8.16 Christian But how shall I know that it is thy spirit that beareth this witness and that it is not the spirit of delusion Ch. Thou maiest know that by its power in working in thy heart which no other spirit can work alike as also by the earnest and fruits thereof 2 Cor. 5.5 and 7.22 Gal. 5.22 23. Christian Lord what else shall I believe besides being one of thine Ch. Dost thou believe that Christian Yes Lord I do believe that thou art Jesus the Son of God and the Saviour of the world Act. 8.37 Joh. 6.69 and 11.27 Ch. But dost thou believe that I am thy Saviour Christian Lord I do believe that there is no other way to be saved but only by thee Act. 4.12 Ch. But dost thou believe that thou shalt be saved by me Christian Lord I do believe help my unbelief Mar. 9.24 Ch. To thee it is given to believe Phil. 1.29 Christian now Lord I doe believe Ch. What dost thou now believe Christian I believe that thou loved'st me and did'st give thy self for me and that thou art my Lord and my God and that I am justified and shall be saved by grace Gal. 2.20 Joh. 20.28 Act. 15.11 Ch. How
13.26 Mat. 20.6 4. Pray that thy last days and last works may be best and that when thou comest to die thou maist have nothing else to do but to die 5. 'T is very hard to behold our own gifts without pride and the gifts of others if they excel ours without envy 6. Do not commend thy friend nor discommend thy soe too much least thou be judged to be partial 7. Oh my Soul will neither great Love great Mercy great Forbearance great Intreaty great Patience great Promises nor great Wages prevail with thee to serve Christ free better and more constant and self-denying 8. A deep sence of sin begets deep sorrow for sin and true sorrow for sin leads to well-grounded faith and from hence flows inward Peace Joy and Holiness 9. A Passionate and troubled spirit is like a little Rill of water which every shower of rain changeth the colour of it and makes it muddy 10. The fear of death is ingrafted in the common Nature of all men but faith works it out of Christians 11. Nothing will be terrible where the love of God is apprehended and nothing grievous where love to Christ is excercised 12. Careless hearing makes carnal hearts and carnal hearts makes cursed lives 13. Oh my Soul look for death hourly long for it greatly prepare for it carefully meet and welcome it joyfully for it is Christs servant to direct his spouse the Soul to him and thy friend that comes to set thee at liberty from thy sins It will discharge thee from thy prison dismist thee from thy sorrows and bring thee at once to enjoy all thy desires 14. Christians though disagrecing in opinion should agree in affection and though differing in controversie yet should agree in charity 15. He that cannot pitty the sinner and hate sin doth not reprove out of love to Christ nor from a gracious spirit 16. God makes Christians feel him or his hand that he may hear them strokes makes crys and whippings mournful complaints to him 17. My Soul bear up with Christ bear off from Sathan and the world bear down thy corruptions and bear forth thy Testimony 18. Clear knowledge of Christ in the understanding begets fervent love in the heart and both godliness in the life 19. He that would live for himselfe only or cheifly in the world is not worthy to live a day in it 20. I would be glad to be out of the world when I have no service to do for God in it 21. God hath set the tongue between the brains and heart that it may advise with both and guarded it with Teeth to keep it in and yet how unruly it is 22. A Christians security and safety is in doing his duty and he should always Study his duty more then his safety for if he will take care to please God God will take care to preserve him 23. The love of the Master the sweetness of the service and the greatness of the reward are sufficient encouragements to serve Christ 24. The heaviest afflictions on earth are but light in comparison of Christs sufferings sins desert or the punnishment of the wicked in Hell 25. Lay in lay up lay out for Christ and remember that you will shortly reach immortallity but never Eternity 26. Oh Christian why should not he please thee who art but finite that pleases God who is infinite even Jesus Christ 27. A Christian should desire to dye that he may be fully freed from sin and have a full fruition of Christ that he may be above all fears and doubts and may be able to serve the Lord incessantly and unweariedly 28. A true Christian when he goes from hence changes neither his work nor company but his place and condition only 29. Be still imployed in doing good and you shall not be much tempted or troubled with evil for the Devil hath great advantage both against those that are idle or ill-imployed David was found guilty of the first 2 Sam. 11.2 and Jehosophat in the last 2 Chron. 10.31 30. Sence of Misery must precede sence of Mercy and the more we feel and fear Misery the more we desire seek for and prize Mercy 31. It is the least of afflictions to be afflicted by men for they can afflict but the outward man only and of all Eâ—emies man is the â—â—akeâ—t Eâ—â—my But God 〈…〉 yea Satan and 〈…〉 do afflict the 〈…〉 is more intollerable 32. That Christian is most in prayer that hath most sence of his own wants and is most comfortable ordinarily that is most penitent and the same word in the Greek signifies to want and to pray and the same word in Hebrew to repent and to comfort 33. Be more thoughtful and careful how to use what you have to Gods glory then to gain more 34. Take heed of being humbled and yet unhumbled that is of being brought outwardly Low and yet the heart continue still high 35. Sometimes Ejaculations or short and suddain pantings and breathings out of desires to God may be more acceptable to him and more prevailing with him then long prayers 36. Never reckon what thou hast of outward worldly things unless it be to praise God for them or to serve God better with them 37. It is the property of a true Christian to justifie God and to judg himself under the greatest afflictions 38. Learn to know sin to disallow of it to dispise it to overcome it inwardly and to put it from thee to fear its return and to be more estranged toward it more watchful to avoid Temptations and wise to shun occasions that lead to it 39. To dye should be no more to a Christian then to breath or to pass over a great River on a sure Bridge or in a safe Boat or to return from a field where a man hath been working to his own house to take his rest 40. Make hast to do thy work Christian and God will make hast to give thee thy wages 41. The hardest dutys in Christianity are to deny self and to destroy sin 42. A heart unconverted is contented with nothing but what is helping it on to Hell and it hath never enough of that to wit sin and a heart converted is never satisfied but with what helps it toward heaven and yet thinks he hath never enough thereof to wit Christ and Grace 43. To take pains about unnecessary and unprofitable things is laboriously to mispend time 44. Get Christ O Christian to bind thy conscience to the peace and thy affections and flesh to the good behaviour 45. Be not ambitious of love and greatness and thou shalt not be so soon an object of Envy 46. He that converts a sinner covers a world or multitude of sins and gains more then a world to wit a Soul Jam. 5.20 Pro. 11.30 47. Take heed of covering any mans good with his evil but let the one plead for him as well as the other against him 48. One of the chiefest works of the soul is selfe
on more then God himself but pray to him for the prosperous use of them 134. Love all things for Gods sake and God only for his own and look you make him your friend whosoever be your enemy for 〈◊〉 this you shall do if as an obedient Child you always live in the eye of your heavenly Father 135. Give no offence to any man justly whether within or without for wo to them by whom offences come 136. Carry your self unto all so as the weak may be won the strong may be comforted and the wicked be ashamed 137. Delight to do all the good you can to Gods Children and to receive all the good you can from them 138. Think it the greatest work in the world to die well which to do you must inure your self to die before hand 1. By dying to your sins 2. Learning the word of affection before it actually leave you 3. In your last learning of if do it willingly yea joyfully whensoever wheresoever or howsoever God shall call you 139. Greive for nothing so much in the world as for your own sins and in them for nothing so much as for offending so loving a God 140. Let your meat apparel and recreation be lawful needful and moderate 141. Labour alwaies to learn to die defie the world deny the Devil despise the flesh and delight your self in the Lord be penitent for your sins past and present and yet despair not be strong in Faith and yet presume not Desire with the great Apostle to be dissolved and to be with Christ with whom even in death there is life 142. Use your life and keep it with as much quietness as you can so that you offend not God that ease that cometh with his displeasure turneth at length to an unspeakable pain and the gain of the world with the loss of his favourâ— is extream beggary and wretchedness 143. The greatest honour that man can give to God is to confess his truth truly and faithfully in time of trouble and affliction 144. It is but a folly for any one that truly professeth Christ crucified to look for the love of the world 145. Infidelity is the cause of all our misery which causeth us to fear man more then God and to esteem things present more than things to come 146. Love is that flower which shall never fade but shall flourish more and more till it be made perfect in that place where Faith and Hope shall have no office but shall then fully possess that which they have so long patiently waited for in this world 147. After the Lord hath made a Christian to know what he is in himself he will doubtless shew him comfort and declare to him what he is in Jesus Christ his Son 148. The mind of man cannot be contented patiently to bear the troubles either of Soul or body until it be regenerated and possessed by Gods spirit 149. Why should we Christians fear death can death deprive us of Christ who is all our comfort our joy and our life 150. Let us tarry with Christ one hour in Tribulation and affliction and doubtless he will keep us for ever with him in joys everlasting 151. Patience and Perseverance under great tryals are the proper notes whereby Gods children are known from counterfeits they that persevere not were alwaies but Hypocrites 152. If Christ be our Captain we must follow him as good Souldiers if we keep company with him in afflictions we shall be â—â—re of his society in Glory if we forsake not him he will never forsake us if we confess him he will confess us if we be ashamed of him he will be ashamed of us Therefore as he forsook Father Heaven and all things to come to us so let us forsake all things to come to him being most sure and certain that we shall not lose thereby 153. Afflictions are in separable but not infallible notes of Salvation for none shall be saved but he must suffer afflictions but all that are afflicted shall not be saved 154. Wealth is not the way to heaven but the Contrary let all our care be how to live well and then to be sure we shall never dye poor 155. Afflictions and sufferings are sometimes the way to Glory in this world Joseph had never been a Courtier had he not first been a prisoner 156. Gods children are ever the better for being miserable It is good for me that I was afflicted let God use us how he will on Earth so that we may have what he hath promised to those that love him in Heaven who would not be a Lazarus for a day that he might sit in Abrahams bosome for ever Some Heavenly Meditations Exhortations and Consolations of that blessed Martyr Mr. John Bradford and other Martyrs written out of prison to several Friends To Mr. J.H. COnsider what this life is Consider what death is Consider what is prepared for you after death 1. Concerning this life know it is full of misery vanity and wo it is a plain banishment and hath nothing in it that hath continuance it is therefore compared to a vapour to smoak to a shaddow yea to a warfare to a vail of misery wherein we are compassed about on every side with most fierce and fearful Enemies and should we desire to dwell there should we be fond to live in this toylsome and laborious world should we wish to continue in this wretched estate should we take pleasure to remain in this dangerous condition Daniels den was not so dreadful as is this Dungeon we dwell in 2. Concerning death to Gods dear children what other thing is it then the dispatcher of all displeasure the end of Travil the door of desires the gate of gladness the port of Paradise the heaven of Heaven the entiance into rest and quietness the path-way into Felicity and the beginning of all blessedness It is a very bed of Down and therefore compared to a sleep for the bodies of Gods people to rest out of which they shall arise and awake most fresh and flourishing to everlasting life It is a passage to the Father a chariot to Heaven the Lords messenger a leader unto Christ a going to our home a deliverance from prison and bondage a dismission from war a security from all sorrow and a freedom from all misery Should we be dismay'd at it should we be afraid of it should we trouble to hear of it should such a freind as this is be unwelcome should the foulness of his face fear us from his good conditions should the hardness of his husk hinder us from his sweet kernel should the roughness of the Tyde tye us to the bank and shore should the hardness of the saddle set us on our feet to perish by the way rather then leap up and endure the same a little and so to be where we would be 3. Concerning that which is prepared for you after death if I should go about to express it the more
the fiery Chariot leaving these sorry Mantles and old Cloaks of our carcases behind us in ashes for a little time which God shall restore unto us again in a glorious manner To a faithful friend of his by Mr. John Bradford Martyr BE willing to carry the Cross of Christ least you carry the Cross of the world the flesh and the Devil One of these four Crosses you must carry three of them bring to hell and therefore the greatest part go that way which is the broad way only the forth bringeth to Heaven but few go that way as well because the way is straight as also because but few walk in it how beit though it be straight it is but short and the few are many if you consider the godly as the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Confessors and Christ Jesus with all his guard and train Think not scorn to come after them who are gone before you I hourly look for Elias fiery Chariot to come and catch me up to Heaven my Cloak that is my Carcase I shall leave behind me in ashes which I doubt not my Lord will raise up and restore to me again at the last day glorified even like unto his most glorious Body That portion of the good spirit which my Father hath lent me I wish to be doubled yea trebled upon you all If we suffer in the cause of Christ our sufferings are but short and the time of ease to Gods Enemies is not long the time of our rejoycing shall be endless but the time of their torments shall be everlasting and intollerable Our breakfast is sharp but our supper will be sweet The afflictions of this life may not be compared in any part with the glory that shall be revealed To his godly Friends G. and N. By Mr. John Bradford Martyr CAst your care on the Lord for he careth for you and hath counted all the hairs on your head so that one shall not perish if you commit your selves to his ordering whereas else your heads and bodies yea and souls too shall perish if ye withdraw your selves as unwilling to take his Cup and to drink of it not that I would have you to thrust your selves headlong or rashly to pull them upon you or that I would not have you use such honest and lawful means as you may in the fear of God and with a good conscience to a void the Cross and give place to evil but that I would have you willingly to put forth your hand to take it when God offereth it in such a manner as with a good Conscience you cannot escape then take it kiss it and thank God for it It is a most sure sign that God loveth you as he saith Whom I love I chastise Rev. 3.19 And if ye are not partakers of correction surely ye are no children Heb. 12.8 But if once chastise you and ye kiss the rod verily he will cast the rod into the fire and will imbrace you and kiss you as a mother doth her child when she perceiveth it to take her correction in good part Consider not the things of this life my dearly beloved brethren which is a very prison to all Gods children but the things of Everlasting life which is our very home but to the believing of this you must open the eyes of your Faith as Moses did who set more by trouble with Gods people then by the riches of Egypt and Pharoahs Court. Your house home goods yea life and all that ever ye have God hath given you as love-tokens and to admonish you of his love and to win your love to him again now he will try your love whether you set more by him then by his tokens or no. If ye for his tokens sake that is for your house home goods yea life will go with the world least you should lose them then be assured your love as he cannot but espy it to be a Strumpets love so will he reject and cast it away with the world In another Letter to the same persons by Mr. John Bradford Martyr MY dearly beloved heavy is this anger fallen upon us all doleful is this day Now hath Antichrist gotten all his power again now is Christs Gospel trodden under foot now is Gods people a division and a prey for the wicked Now is the greatest of all plagues fallen upon us the want of Gods word and all these judgments we have yea I alone have justly deserved Oh that as I write with my hands I alone so I could wish David 2 Sam. 24 17. and with Jonas in heart say so But I do not I do not I see how grievously I have sinned and how great a misery is fallen upon us for my unthankfulness for Gods word for mine hypocrisy in professing preaching hearing and speaking of Gods word for my not praying to God for the continuance of it for my not loving it throughly as it required Oh good Father it is we that have sinned and therefore deserve the taking away of thy good word it is we that have done amiss we have dealt unjustly with thy Gospel we have procured thy wrath and therefore just art thou in punishing us just art thou in plaguing us for we are very miserable But good Lord and dear Father of Mercies whose justice is such that thou wilt not punish the poor souls of this Realm which yet have not thus sinned against thee as we have done for many yet never heard thy word for our trespasses and whose mercy is so great that thou will put our sins out of thy Remembrance for thy Christ sake if we believe and repent O Lord let us remember that all thy dearest children have carried the Cross of gracious affliction in this life in whose company thou dost place us and dost lay such a Cross upon us as thou wilt make us able to bear to thy glory and our Salvation in Christ for whose sake we pray thee to shorten the days of this our great misery fallen upon us most justly and in the mean season to give us Patience Repentance Faith and thy eternal Consolation Amen Amen Amen To Mr. J. H. and his wife Prisoners in New-Gate I have heard my good Brother and Sister how God hath brought you both into his School-house of correction he I say hath brought you where you are and though your reason and wit tell you it is by chance and fortune or otherwise yet my dear beloved know for certain that whatsoever was the means God your Father was the worker hereof and that for your good though it may be your old Adam and poor sences may tell you otherwise yet I say of a truth it is your duty to think that this Cross is of Gods sending and cometh from him and it is out of his love and Fatherly affection for your benefit and profit sake But here perhaps you will object what benefit what advantage can it be You are now kept in close prison your children
faith and stretch forth his hand of mercy over us for his dear Son Christ his sake take not away all thy true Preachers out of this Realm O Lord but leave us a seed least England be made as Sodom and Gomorrah when thy true Lots are removed and gone But why go I about to mingle your mirth with my mourning your just joy with my deserved sorrow if I loved you as I pretended I should surely rejoice with you most hartily and praise God from the very bottom of my heart I should praise God night and day for your excellent Election in and through his great mercy I should give him most humble thanks for your vocation by his Gospel and your true knowledg in the same I should earnestly praise him for your sweet justification whereof you are most certain by Gods grace and spirit I should earnestly pray to him for your Glorification which shall shortly ensue I should rejoice and be glad to see you dignified by the Crown of Martyrdome and to be appointed to that honour to testifie his truth and to seal it with your blood I should highly extol the Lord who hath given you a glorious victory over all your Enemies visible and invisible and hath given you grace and strength to finish your Course as you have begun Oh that the time were now come that I might put off this frail Tabernacle of the flesh in this heavenly security quietness of conscience in Jesus Christ Yours for ever in the Lord Jesus John Careless living in hope against hope Mr. John Careless to Mr. Philpot. MY dearly beloved brother God hath brought you into a straight place out of your pinching and painful seat in prison you have plentifully poured upon me your precious Oyntment the sweet Savour whereof hath greatly refreshed my faint and tired soul Ah good Jeremiah hath Pashur put thee in the Stocks why now thou hast the reward of a Prophet thy glory never began to appear until now Oh good Mr. Philpot which art a principle Pot indeed filled with most precious liquor as appeareth by thy plenteous pouring out of the same O Pot most happy ordained to honour by the high Potter thou dost contain heavenly treasure in thy earthen vessel Oh Pot thrice happy in whom Christ hath wrought a great miracle altering thy nature and turning water into Wine and that of the best out of whom the Master of the Feast hath filled my cup so full that I am even overcome in joy of the spirit through the same Be not offended dear heart at my Metaphorical speech for I am disposed to be merry and with David to dance before the Ark of the Lord and though you play on a painful pair of Organs the Stocks not very comly nor easie to the flesh yet the sweet sound that came from thence to me from you causeth me thus to speak Oh that I were with you in the body as I am present in spirit that I might sing all care away in Christ Jesus our blessed Saviour and Redeemer from all trouble for now the time of comfort is come Mr. Laurence Sanders In a Letter to the true Professors of the Gospel MY dear friends in the Lord the times are perilous and dangerous we must therefore be circumspect and not solace delight our selves in carnal security but with a joyful and contented mind we must now venture into the ship of Christs Cross and afflictions and now let us seriously weigh and consider all the perils dangers and hazards that we must expect to meet in our journey to our heavenly Countrey yet let us account it comfort enough in this dangerous Voyage that we have the company and fellowship of such an adventurer as our blessed Lord Jesus to go along with us when he was once in the ship with his Disciples with his word he did asswage the swelling of the dangerous Seas and he hath not left us alone in this ship either to sink or to swim but will be awaked if he be call'd upon by importunate prayer Holy Breathings OR A Divine Dialogue between Jesus and the Soul With other Poems Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Soul COme unto me what voice is this I here Iesus It is the sweet voice of thy Saviour dear He calleth labouring sinners to him flee He calleth laden sinners such as thee He calleth sinners bids them come away He calleth all Oh why then shouldst thou stay He calleth such as by sin are undone He calleth thee therefore unto him run Soul But how I should come to thee Blessed Lord Sin is the only thing by thee abhord And I am nothing else but sin and thou Wilt not of sin of the least sin allow Besides thou art in heaven and how shall I Reach unto thee thou art above the sky And I poor creature grovling on the earth The mold from which at first I came by birth Iesus Remember soul my blessed word that saith That coming to me is alone by Faith Soul Thou Lord that puttest faith into mans heart Bestow on me that gift to me impart Such other graces as may let me see My want of Christ that I may come to thee My sins thou know'st a heavy burden are A load that is too big for me to bear No slave that 's under Turkish Tyranny Is under such sad bondage as am I. But it is unto thee O Christ I come Believing in thee Oh make me a Room Within thy Arms take me into thy heart And since my Faith is weak strong Faith impart Iesus Poor Soul take comfort though thy Faith be small A grain of mustard seed's smallest of all Yet I of mustard seeds of Faith allow So that thy Soul unto my Scepter bow Nay of one grain a wonder let it be To thy poor soul that such love is in me That I accept of Faith even of the least That I receive so poor so vile a guest As wretched man who nothing hath to bring To make him acceptable but his sin Soul O blessed Jesus mount me on the wing Of Holy Faith let me not feel the sting Of conscience but let me answer all That I believed and went at Christ his call My Saviour call'd and I unto him went He gave me Faith and helpt me to repent I come with sorrow that I sinned have I come with Faith that thou my soul wilt save It is but weak O Lord I must confess It is a feeble hand yet ne're the less It is the hand of Faith and it is true It lays holds on thee claiming but its due And that is Rest which thou hast promised me And my poor soul is restless till with thee Rest is that good all creatures do desire Rest is that good to which all Saints aspire If th' bodies resting after labour be So sweet so pleasant as we know and see Then what is it to have the soul to rest In