began now to darken This darkness was so great that it spread over all the Land of Jewry some think over all the World so we translate it in Luke And there was a darkness over all the earth 2. About three which the Jews call the ninth hour the Sun now beginning to receive his light Jesus cried with a loud voice Eli Eli Lamasabachthani my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And then that the Scriptures might be fulfilled he said I thirst And when he had received the Vinegar he said It is finished And at last crying with a loud voice he said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and having said thus he gave up the Ghost I cannot stay on these seven words of Christ which he uttered on the Cross his words were ever gracious but never more gracious than at this time we cannot find in all the Books and Writings of men in all the Annals and Records of time either such Sufferings or such Sayings as were these last Words and Wounds Sayings and Sufferings of Jesus Christ And having said thus he gave up the Ghost Or as John relates it He bowed his head and gave up the Ghost And now we may suppose him at the Gates of Paradise calling with his last Words to have them opened that the King of Glory might come in 3. About four in the Afternoon he was pierced with a Spear and there issued out of his side both blood and water And one of the Soldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there out blood and water How truly may we say of the Soldiers that after all his Sufferings they have added wounds they find him dead and yet they will scarce believe it until with a Spear they have search'd for life at the well-head it self CHAP. VIII Giving an account of the manner and place of Christs Burial ABout five which the Jews call the eleventh and last hour of the day Christ was taken down And Mary caused certain Ministers with whom she joyned to take her dead Son from the Cross whose body when she once got free from the nails she kissed and embraced with entertainments of the nearest vicinity that could be expressed by a person that was holy and sad and a Mother weeping for her dead Son She now bathes his cold Body with her warm Tears and makes clean the surface of the Wounds and delivering a winding Napkin to Joseph of Arimathea gave to him in charge to enwrap the Body and embalm it to compose it to the Grave and do it all the Rites of Funeral He obeys her Counsel and ventures upon the displeasure of the Jewish Rulers and went confidently to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus and Pilate gave it to him Joseph therefore takes the body binds his face with a Napkin washes the body anoints it with Ointment enwraps it in a composition of Myrrhe and Aloes and puts it into a new Tomb which he for himself had hewn out of a Rock it not being lawful among the Jews to inter a condemned person in the common Coemeteries for all these circumstances were in the Jews manner of Burying But when the Sun was set the chief Priests and Pharisees went to Pilate telling him that Jesus whilst he was living fore-told his own Resurrection upon the third day and lest his Disciples should come and steal the body and say he was risen from the dead desired that the Sepulcher might be secured against the danger of any such Imposture Pilate gave them leave to do their pleasure even to the satisfaction of their smallest Scruples They therefore sealed the Grave rolled a great stone at the mouth of it and as an ancient Tradition saies bound it about with Labels of Iron and set a Watch of Soldiers as if they had intended to have made it surer than the Decrees of Fate or the never-failing Laws of Nature A Funeral Sermon FOR THAT FAITHFUL AND LABORIOUS Servant of CHRIST Mr. JOHN DVNTON Who Deceased November the 4th 1676. in the 48th Year of his Age. By N. H. Minister of the GOSPEL O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 LONDON Printed for John Dunton at the Black Raven in the Poultrey over against the Stocks-Market 1684. Introduction DEarly Beloved should a Stranger behold the face of this vast Assembly and see all the honourable Persons here present with the great number of Ministers that are come this day to attend this mournful occasion and such a great confluence of all ranks and qualities in this dejected posture they would say as the Inhabitants of Canaan did when they saw the Mourning for old Jacob in the floor of Arad This is a grievous Mourning to England and would certainly enquire what eminent Person what great Man is this day fallen in our Israel But you who knew the worth of this Excellent Person whose shadow lies there before you do rather wonder that all faces are not covered with blackness and all bodies with Sackcloth and come hither so fully prepared to Mourn that you even long till something be spoken of him that you may ease your hearts a little though it be with weeping I must needs confess I have been so surprized with sorrow my self that I thought it hardly possible for me to undertake this service but that I must have covered over my Affections and his Elogies as the Painters did Agamemnons grief for Iphigenia with a veil of silence But stay a while I beseech you and weep not so abundantly as I see many of you now do till I deliver an Errand from God the ground whereof you shall find in 1 Sam. 25.1 And Samuel died and all the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him and buried him in his house at Ramah DEarly Beloved the work in hand is a Funeral the Party deceased worthy Samuel the Mourners all Israel the place of Burial his own house at Ramah The whole passage penned either by Gad or Nathan as it should seem by the Chronicles at Gods appointment whose Eye follows every Mourner here and therefore it behoves us to follow his voice with our best attentions For my own part I am very sensible of the Difficulties I now sustain for the subject of our Discourse Samuels Funeral is enough to astonish any Israelite for matter it is not easie to say what will be most expediently said and for manner we have things almost incompatible to reconcile plainness and briefness in the same speech The Text gives some advantage by its plainness and fulness yielding matter of large use from two sorts of men of highest quality viz. from Samuel dying and from Israel mourning And first of Samuel he dies And in his death let 's read our own and grow to this conclusion Death is unavoidable Life and Death take turns each of other the man lives not that shall not see Death be he a King with Saul a Prophet with Jeremy a wise
what Family scarce is there in the whole Kingdom into which the Spirit of Division hath not breathed some malignant distemper Here are two Brethren in the Text as near as Nature Society and Religion could make them whom neither native Country nor tedious Travel nor pinching Famine nor threats of Danger or Distress could separate yet such an unhappy Breach fell out between them as that two such ancient and dear Friends could not longer live together Shall I shew you two others who were Brethren by Country by Calling and by Grace united together in one joynt Commission of Apostleship and yet a very small matter occasioned such a sharp Contention between them as that those which had been very fast Companions in Love and Labour were provoked to part asunder Between Abram and Lot the State peace was broken Between Paul and Barnabas the Church peace was broken But from the Text now read we shall gather this Doctrine That where unbrotherly strife is all possible and speedy means must be used for Reconciliation I need not light a Candle to this Sun both Nature and Nation Civility and Morality Profession and Religion Truth and Christ bespeak this Duty from us There are no Counsels so obvious in Gods word as those which perswade to Brotherly Amity to Christian Unity and peace and a blessing is promised to Peaceableness and Peace-making both in Civil and in Ecclesiastical Differences The Arguments are likewise manifest and manifold which our Saviour useth to provoke unto Love How Pathetical and full of Affection are those Arguments of the Apostle Philip. 2. v. 1 2 3. If there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any Comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one mind Let nothing be done through strife and vain-glory Methinks the Apostles soul and words flow out together as he says elsewhere 1 Thes 2.8 We are willing to impart not the Gospel only but our own Souls because you are dear unto us What a heap of Unities doth the Apostle pile up in Ephes 4. v. 4 5 6. One Body one Spirit one hope of our Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all which is above all and through all and in you all And now what is all this Oneness but to make us One to impel Saints into the Vnity of the Spirit and Bond of Peace If all be one why should Brethren be two What mighty Convictions doth the Apostle hold forth from Natures light 1 Cor. 12. shewing how the united services of all the members in the Body natural do tutor the uniting of Christians and of all their Offices parts and gifts for the service of the body mystical Variety of gifts are not bestowed on us to work Contrariety of Affection It is a sublime notation of unity which the Apostle there gives v. 12. calling the Head and the Body one Christ plainly intimating that such who wilfully rend themselves from the Body do as much as in them lies to rend themselves also from the Head But what need I step beyond the Text for impulsives to inforce the duty of the Doctrine Two I herefind one above the Text the other at the foot of it Let there be no strife between thee and me neither between thy Herdsmen and my Herdsmen saith Abram to Lot and why 1. Because the Canaanite and the Perezite dwell in the Land 2. Because we are Brethren Let us now examine these Reasons and 1. Because of the Canaanite and Perezite which dwell in the Land as if Abram should have said Why Brother Lot do you not see that there is a Generation of ungodly men dwelling amongst us who would willingly take the Advantage from our Divisions to work us both out of this good Land I pray thee therefore Brother let there be no strife betwen us Why but some will say Whom do you mean by these Canaanites and Perizites I 'le shew you what Characters the Spirit of God doth hint unto us of them the Canaanite is derived from that cursed Seed who did mock at his Fathers Nakedness you have the story in Gen. 9.25 The Perezite from an Hebrew root which signifies to divide Both of these mischievous enough to the power of Godliness and to the peace of the Gospel The wild Boar and the little Foxes do exceeding great though not equal hurt unto the Spiritual Vine The little Foxes spoil her Grapes but the wild Boar would root it up The Wolfes teeth and the Fanthers breath do both kill but the Panther with delight the Wolfe with cruelty But what do you tell us of the Canaanites and the Perizites are there any such dwelling in our Land My Brethren I accuse none here but I am very certain you will all bear me witness that there is a Generation of Canaanites in the Land which scoff at Saints at Ministers at Profession at Ordinances and would scoff at Jesus Christ himself if he were alive who do not only triumph in such nakednesses as they see but with those in Mioah They pull off the beautiful Garment from them that pass by them peaceably they study all the mischiefs they can to render Religion and the sincere Professors thereof odious Beloved formerly love was the Badge and true Cognisance of a true Christian But I much wonder where we may now find a David and a Jonathan an Eusebius and a Pamphilius yea a Ruth and a Naomy Where shall we now seek unam animam in duobus corporibus inclusam one Soul in two Bodies Where shall we look for such as were the Apostles that had but one heart and one Soul Alas No! those golden days are past and gone and now the Dog-days are come in every one biting and barking at his Neighbour Not like Christians not like Brethren nor yet like Saints but even like Bears and Tigers striving to tear one another yea like Scithians and Canibals endeavouring to eat up another as void of all natural Love and Affection Oh my Friends is this Christianity is this to be members of the same Body is this to be Sons of the same Father Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us Why then do we deal so treacherously one with another every man against his Brother Mal. 2.10 But hereafter I shall hope better things of you and let not I beseech you my hopes be frustrated and of none effect but follow you Peace with all men especially with those that are of the houshold of Faith be ye all of one mind 1 Pet. 3.9 having compassion one of another love as Brethren be pitiful be courteous Not rendring evil for evil railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that you are thereunto called that you should inherit a blessing But to proceed there is another Generation of Perizites in the Land who like Samsons Foxes have Fire-brands at their tails
who make it their design to divide that they might rule I mean not such who through tenderness of Conscience do separate but the Politick Perizzite who is set on work by Rome and Hell to retard the Christian Reformation through the divisions of Brethren For is not the hand of Joab in all this Hath not the Devil and the Jesuit made it their Master-piece by most unhappy Divisions to break the strength of that Party that have resolvedly espoused the true Protestant Religion yea and I am perswaded that there are many truly Godly who are trappaned by them that are altogether â—gnorant of their design As Philip King of Macedon imployed those honest Philosoâ—â—hers in those two famous Cities of Greece â—o make several Parties in them that he night be invited in to make himself master of both And as the same Philip decided the Controversie of the Kingdom of Thessaly between those two discording Brethren who contending for it which he fairly took from both Oh that we could undermine the Gates of Rome and Hell this day by our most happy uniting Methinks there is no Argument can have more force in it than this when we know that there are such Generations of men amongst us who do wait for this advantage to break in upon us through the Lane of our Divisions and to raise their decayed fortunes on our miserable Ruines Tully in his Offices presents us with a very pat story to cautionate the Unbrotherly discord of these times The Nolans and the Neopolitans having a Controversie about a parcel of Ground which lay between their several Countrys Fabius Labeo being invited to determine the difference gave unto them the exterior limits of the Ground adjoyning to their respective Countries and took unto the State of Rome all the Land which lay in the midst between the Confines My Brethren let us be well advised lest whilst we do most unhappily contend about indifferent things our good Friends of Rome do not come in and give us as much sensual Liberty as we desire but take away from us those saving Gospel-Truths and that Purity and Power of Ordinances which lie between us in medio on both sides contended for The second Argument that lies at the foot of the Text is the force of Brotherhood For we are Brethren and we are Brethren many ways 1. We are Brethren by Country Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos Ducit Should the Lord send us into a strange Land to hang up our musical Instruments by the Waters of our Captivity and to weep over those Songs of Sion which here we might enjoy with peace and spiritual delight and do not then this Country Brotherhood would have Argument enough to cement us Ah my Brethren do we need such a rod to whip us into the sense of Brotherly love Surely the Provocations of Sons and Daughters are greatest Provocations and our Heavenly Father hath Provocations enough to turn us all out of doors when we cannot live peaceably together in his house But secondly Brethren by Blood as some of us are and Brethren by Grace as Abram and Lot were Children of the same heavenly Father partakers of the same Divine Nature begotten of the same immortal Seed bred up in the same houshold of Faith made to drink into one and the same Spirit partakers of the same heavenly Calling Heirs to the same immortal Inheritance and bound up together in the same bundle of life and Bond of the Covenant of Grace O methinks flesh and Bones should sooner separate in the Body natural than such Spiritual Nerves and Sinews be broken in the Body mystical Beloved we should all love as Brethren as genuinely and naturally as Brethren that 's our Rule but if we cannot hold proportion with the Rule to love as Brethren yet let us keep correspondency with the Object to love the Brotherhood There is nothing sets the common Adversary higher in the Scorners Chair than the Discords of Brethren The Devil hath Prophesied that the Rents in Christs Kingdom should make room for his Shall I give you his plain Language in some that wish well to his Kingdom The Presbyterians and Episcopal men will fall out and then all will be ours again Now my Brethren let not our Divisions make the Devil a true Prophet Let us honour God and Religion and our selves and shame the Devil let our blessed Union discover him as he is a Lyar from the beginning Vse Shall I need now to make use of this point Surely there was never more need than now that use should be made of it and no point more useful more needful than this But I shall desire you to save me that Labour and to take it home with you each of you to make use of it upon your own hearts and one unto the other say as Abraham unto Lot Good Neighbour Dear Friend Let there be no strife between me and thee neither between my Pastours and thy Pastours for we are Brethren Ah Friends let us labour earnestly for Union and Peace for the Spirit of God doth shew us that if we either love Jerusalem or desire to prosper in it we must â—â—ay for the Peace of it pray for the Peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee but if our Practises should give our Prayers the lye it were an horrid Mockery to God and to our selves If we should Petition God or Man for Brotherly Love and Peace and should not endeavour our selves to keep â—he Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace and to follow after those things which make for Peace our Prayers would prove in vain and our Peace a snare Now I would encourage your endeavour by directing it Some Directions you have from the Copy we have in hand others we shall add for your Benefit and Practice The first is this The higher any man is in place or parts above his Brethren the more is his Duty to be first in seeking Peace Erat Abraham major natu usu rerum prudentior Abraham was the Elder and Nobler of the two here both in place and parts and yet he is the first that sues for Reconciliation We hear not in his mouth the Language of these times Sir I am your Elder and your better I look that you should stoop to me I wonder Sir that you will suffer your Servants to fall out with mine why have not I bred you up from a Boy Have you not gotten all that you have under me And what Common or Pasture can your Shepherds challenge but what they have at my Courtesie Nay no such Language you hear from Abraham he that saw Christs day had received of Christs Spirit to be meek and lowly in heart He lays aside all thoughts of disparity either in years or place and the Foster-Uncle comes an humble Suitor unto his Underâ—â—g for an Honourable Peace We are all bound to serve one another in love and it is not incongruous unto Gods way
I mean your covert as your open sins your loved as your loathed lusts your Heart-abominations as your Life-scandals your Babe-iniquities as your Giant-provocations And Oh my dear Friends How much was the Lord of Sabbaths and his Ordinances honoured when our Tribes with their Servants did march in good array unto the Temple of the Lord A great complaint there is every where of bad Servants but let Governours of Families lay their hands on their own Hearts and see if the fault be not mostly their own who take no more care to make their Servants good I know well that all Governours have not ability alike to provoke their Servants unto Good but all have Authority alike to keep them from evil And if they be not as Eagles to carry them on their Wings to Heaven yet they should be as Sparrows to lead them unto Gods House Solomon did so order his Family as that the Queen of Sheba did think them happy that lived under his Roof You have the choicest Youth of all the Families in England trusted with you in your City if they should miscarry through your neglect how publick how great will that mischief be In a word may I say to you as that Prophet to the King of Israel If thou let any escape if thou connive at any sin or sinner thy life shall go for his life but if as the Syrian sword did the King of Israel you would single out some lusts let me bring forth to justice especially these 1. Strive against that evil heart of unbelief which is in some degree in the best of us There is no sin damns but unbelief is in the company of it When the Israelites were upon the borders of the Holy Land their unbelief did send them back to wander forty years in the wilderness till all their carkasses were wasted in it We lately thought our selves even entring into our rest into the possession of those glorious promises which we have long waited for but now we are in a wilderness we know not what to do we know not what to say we know not what to think and our great Provocation is our unbelief If we had Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed we should remove mountains we should cast out Devils Every lust is a mountain that stands up against the work of Reformation And all unbelief is that dumb and deaf Devil that casts us so often into fire and water now some Mountains some Devils are too hard for Ordinances for Apostles themselves if they were alive only Faith calls forth the fulness of God in Jesus Christ to overcome them In Isaiah 41.14 and 15. verses the Lord sets a Worm on work to thresh the mountains Alas what proportion is there between a small Worm and a huge Mountain But fear not I am with thee saith the Lord. Here is a word for Faith to live upon and to call out an Omnipotent arm to its aid whereas our unbelief doth not only weaken us but even Omnipotency it self as the Lord Christ saith He could do no great thing in Nazareth because of their unbelief Beloved if you would live as Brethren in love peace and unity then see that your Faith do call in God and his Christ unto the Treaty See that your peace hath a word of Faith to bottom upon otherwise every Storm will shake if not overturn the sandy foundation of it All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field The grass withereth the flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for ever There is more in one word of God to establish a lasting peace and union among us than in all the Counsels of perishing Creatures who look beside it Had we Caleb's spirit to follow God fully in the guidance and assurance of his Word what a great measure of self-denial and Christian condescention might we obtain to work towards a Religious and a firm Peace and Unity Whatsoever therefore you strive against strive especially against the unbelief of your own Hearts Secondly Against your Pride This is a Proclaimed Rebel against Heaven God will have no Peace with it And little hope of a stable peace with men if our Pride stands up to wage War with God He that serves his Lusts will not spare any thing that may serve them neither with Haman the Blood of an whole Nation nor with Absalom the blood of nearest Relations nor with Herodias the blood of most Eminent Ministers nor Conscience nor Religion nor Christ nor God nor any thing that will suit his Design When Donatus was cross'd in the Bishoprick of Carthage he turned Heretick and fired the whole Empire with his Faction I fear lest Ambition and Malice have made many Malignants in these days Shall I say as he Fight not against small nor great No fight against all your Lusts But above all against this great Lust this Pride of your Hearts and against all those Corruptions that strengthen themselves by it O that I could in this prevail with you this day fortior est qui se quam qui fortissima vincit maenia He is stronger that ruleth his spirit than he that winneth a City Could you overcome these Lusts of yours you may not only win a City but preserve and crown your own My Brethren take heed how you serve their ends who do serve their own Lusts How should they govern you aright that cannot govern their own Passions Fleshly Corruption will ever lay before us specious pretences in all those ways into which our Pride or Passion doth prompt us but Grace will ever have a jealous eye over them I never suffered my Passion to work but I suffered by it and so undoubtedly shall all they which give way unto it I will only bring hither that passage of our Saviour in Luke 17. and the beginning of the Chapter where he shews the danger of those that give Offences and the Duty of those that suffer Offences First for those that give Offences And mark your danger you that do it It were better for him saith Christ that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the Sea then that he should offend one of these little ones Secondly for those that suffer offences your Duty is to forgive and Christ well knowing how hard this Duty is to Corrupt Nature how apt we are to make Peter's Question How oft shall we forgive Preoccupates this Objection and tells us that if every day our Brother should offend us and seven times in every day and should as often declare himself to be sorry for his Offence it is our Duty to forgive Hereupon the Apostles startle and cry out O Lord increase our Faith who hath Faith strong enough to close with such a Duty as this Our Faith can hardly work us to forgive our Brother if he offends us but once but if every day and if seven times in every day he doth offend where 's the Faith that
can master Passion so often to forgive Now mark what Christ Answers If ye had Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye might say unto this Sycamine Tree Be thou plucked up by the Roots and be thou planted in the Sea and it should obey you Though Christ might point to a Sycamine Tree there present yet doubtless that which he did chiefly aim at was this root of bitterness that corruption which is naturally in every one of our Hearts indisposing us to Reconciliation whereby the work is as hard to forgive offences as to root up spreading Trees Now if a grain of Mustard-seed will stock up this bitter Root and throw it into the Sea of forgetfulness where it may never grow nor appear more Oh where is your Faith then where is this grain of Mustard-seed to be found If ever the publick good did provoke us to exercise Faith in this Duty of forgiveness now even now it doth If the glory of one man of one Parish be great in passing by offences how eminent and exemplary will the glory of a City be To conclude Dear Friends keep your eyes your ends your aims Heaven-ward Christ-ward God-ward and whatsoever is against Heaven against Christ or against God be you against it And whatsoever is for Heaven for Christ for God be you for iâ— And if we walk according to this Rule peacâ— shall be upon us and upon the Israel of God But the Peace that is here spoken of and Brotherly Love being both now adays things scarce to be found I shall end this my Farewel Discourse with the following Poem out of the Ingenious Herbert Viz. Sweet Peace where dost thou dwell I humbly crave Let me once know I sought thee in a secret Cave And ask'd if Peace were there A hollow wind did seem to answer No Go seek elsewhere I did and going did a Rainbow note Surely thought I This is the Lace of Peaces Coat I will search out the matter But while I lookt the Clouds immediately Did break and scatter Then went I to a Garden and did spy A gallant Flower The Crown Imperial Sure said I Peace at the Root must dwell But when I digg'd I saw a Worm devour What shew'd so well At length I met a rev'rend good old man Whom when for Peace I did demand he thus began There was a Prince of old At Salem dwelt who liv'd with good increase Of flock and fold He sweetly liv'd yet sweetness did not save His Life from foes But after death out of his Grave There sprang twelve stalks of Wheat Which many wondring at got some of those To plant and set It prosper'd strangely and did soon disperse Through all the earth For they that taste it do rehearse That vertue lies therein A secret vertue bringing Peace and mirth By flight of sin Take of this grain which in my Garden grows And grows for you Make bread of it and that repose And Peace which every where With so much earnestness yo do pursue Is only there Closet Employment OR Several Vertues and Vices particularly Characterized with pertinent Applications under each Head fit for every Christian seriously to ponder upon all the days of his Life when he is by himself alone 1. Of Truth TRuth is like the seamless Coat of our Saviour without Rent or Division of Heresie or Error it is wove with the fingers of Love and put upon a gracious Soul by the hand of Faith which makes her a comely Bride in the Eye of the Bridegroom Lord if my mistaken Soul be misled through the dim spectacles of Opinion strip her of that dark Habit and vest her in the light of Truth as with a Garment 2. The Creator known by the Creature By the pourtraiture of Hercules Foot we find the Mathematical proportion of his body by the visible foot-steps of the Almighty in the tract of his Creatures we see in part the perfections of the Creator the Rays of the Sun directs my Eye to their glorious Orb the Rivals of the Earth to their Fountain-head the streams of the Sea to their immense Ocean that Flower of the Field which darkned the splendour of Solomon's Robe instructs me to contemplate the beauty of the maker Clear up O Lord the Eye of my dusky soul that what I cannot reach to by the sight of sense and reason my Vnderstanding may admire and see thee by faith in thy infinite perfections 3. Of Prayer Faithful Prayer is a winged Mercury which speeds our Necessities to God himself and pleads our Infirmities at the bar of Heaven and that with such winning Oratory as prevails with the Father of Mercies for a Blessing a promise apprehended by Faith not returning without the pardon of sin sealed by the Spirit of God as a Love-token to a Repenting sinner Gracious Father let not I pray the multitude of my sins or the greatness of my transgressions cloud my Prayers so as to turn them into Air but let them be as faithful Messengers of my Hearts desires to find Entertainment in the Court of Heaven and bring down the Pardon of my guiltiness with the Blessing of Grace to relieve my wants for my future comfort 4. Of Repentance The Soul of Man Naturally runs counter to the Commands of God like our Grandame Eve after forbidden Fruit till happily through the grace of God stopt in the career of her designs by Repentance as Balaam by an Angel which shews her Disease in the glass of the Law also her Remedy in the glass of the Gospel so that she becomes a gracious Convert Vomiting up those pleasurable baits of sin like an overcharg'd Stomack Luxurious Morsels that made her sick So Merciful art thou O Lord unto us which were such Enemies unto our selves that while we are posting in the high Road of Iniquity to our own Ruine thou turnest us back by the Angel of Repentance changing the complexion of our greedy Appetites from cursed Fruit to a Zealous hunger after the Bread of Life so good art thou to save us though against our wills 5. Of Humility Humility is rightly defined the Queen of Vertues the death of Vices the Looking-glass of Virgins and the Receptacle of the Blessed Trinity She is like the Vertuous Woman whose price is above Gold or Precious Stones her lowly Habitation is a gracious Heart where she sits Regent amongst other Vertues who as so many Daughters rise up and call her Blessed they are all exercised about strengthning the inward Man Humility levelleth Ambitious desires Patience teacheth to bear Afflictions Hope expects a deliverance from them Charity Relieves the Necessity of the Saints and covers a multitude of faults and Faith lays hold on Eternal Life Thus shall it be done to the Soul that the King will Honour Honour O Lord the Heart of thy Servant with these high-born Graces then enter thou King of Glory Humility's House thy own Fabrick that the Graces may bid thee welcome Let Humility Entertain thee as her gracious Guest
Faith embrace thee as a strong Hold Hope wait upon thee as a sure Defence Charity relieve thee in thy distressed Members and Patience bear thy Cross as her Crown of Glory 6. Of Self-denial There is nothing brings more Honour to God and Credit to Man than the Grace of Self-denial which is a Character of Gods own Teaching but few will take the pains to Learn it because they must first be untaught self before they can be taught the Art of Self-denial Men generally are apt to study Men and study Books both Divine and Moral to increase Humane knowledge and set up the Interest of Ambition and Covetousness that when Times change and Religion and Ambition come in competition they will steer their Devotions to all Winds to shelter them from the storms of Ship-wrack whereas a gracious Heart will endeavour to study that Chymical Wisdom to draw out the Spirit of Self-denial from the Limbeck of Heaven which indeed is the Quintessence of all the Graces and makes a Soveraign Antidote against all Malignant Tumors of Self-love it combates the passions of the Heart it allayeth the flateous Humours of Pride and Vain-glory it suppresseth the Earthy Vapours of Avarice which poysoneth the Heart and intoxicates the Brain it bridles intemperate Appetites which run like a Torrent having the wind of Satans Temptations and our own passionate inclinations to split the Ship of our Souls upon the Rock of Eternal Misery Preserve me O my God from such disasters by this Mysterous Vertue of Self-denial render me I beseech thee a Disciple capable of this Science teach me effectually to spell my frailty in this golden Alphabet place it as a Frontlet before the eyes of my Soul that I may continually read the out-strayings of my Heart with regret of spirit that I may change my Affections from the love of the World to the love of thy self that when the Bark of my Soul shall put ashore it may safely arrive at the Haven of Heaven 7. Of Patience Patience under the Cross is like Gold under the hand of the Finer when sufficiently tryed in the Fire of Affliction and ordered by the hand of Heaven becomes a Glorious Crown for a faithful Christian Lord if my Earthy heart be so impatient that it needs Refining purifie it I pray thee of its drossie quality that it may be brought into a better temper and be made tractable to thy gracious Designs 8. Of Contentment Contentment is a meek submission of a gracious Spirit to the will of God in every condition it puts the Heart into a Holy frame willing to subject and lay it self low to the frowns and stroke of Justice as well as to the smiles of Mercy Good is the Word of the Lord saith Old Eli. If the Lord say he takes no pleasure in me saith David let him do to me what he pleaseth Learning with Paul in every condition to be content This gracious disposition is like Wax capable of any impression or as Clay in the hand of the Potter which may be molded into any form or fashion Where there is a suitableness between the disposition and the condition a man will suffer all things endure all things with contentment Take from him as one saith his Wealth his Treasure is in Heaven cast him into Prison his Conscience is free take away his good Name his Innocency will vindicate him against all aspersions banish him his Countrey Jerusalem above is his City of Refuge Si fractus illabatur orbis impavidum seriunt ruinae vultus Though the Foundation of the Earth should shake he will not be moved It is the mind and apprehension that makes every condition better or worse Restraints and Confinements to some are as bad as Death but to others sweet Captivities places of more Liberty for the Service of God witness the rejoycings of Paul and Silas He that hath Christ dwelling in his Heart by Faith may truly say with the Philosopher Omnia mea mecum porto my Treasure is a hidden Treasure I carry all within me and that all I shall carry to Heaven with me Gracious Lord who hath the hearts of all men in thy hands to order and dispose of them to thy own design impress I beseech thee with the seal of thy spirit upon my heart this lovely Grace of Contentment that I may bear thy Cognisance in every condition mold it I pray thee to such an Holy temper as my submission to thy will may answer thy expectation If thou cast me into the Mold of Affliction let me come out thy contented Patient if thou take from me all that I have give me thy self and I shall enjoy all things Christus meus omnia If Christ be not wanting Contentment feels no want 9. Of Peace Peace is a gracious Acquiescence of the Soul in God it is one part of that joyful Tidings proclaimed by the Herald of Heaven Glory to God on Earth Peace good-will towards men yea it is that Royal Legacy left by the King of Glory to his Apostles My Peace I leave with you as it was his dying bequest so it was his reviving salute after his Resurrection Peace be unto you This is that Peace which passeth all understanding which keeps our Hearts in the knowledge and love of God It causeth a cessation of all our Lusts which War against God and our Souls it Uniteth God and Man together in a happy Union and sweet Communion in the Court of Conscience it puts an end to all strife and begets an harmonious Agreement between man and man Blessed Saviour who art the great Peace-maker between God and Man who stilleth the raging of the Sea and the madness of the People I beseech thee bridle the floods of my Passions that they run not over me with noise calm with the word of Peace the boisterous billows of my warfaring Members that they swell not over the banks of my soul sending forth mire and dirt And since there is a necessity of War in my heart Lord convert the enmity thereof against sin and Satan that the end of this War may be Peace 10. Of Love Love is a holy flame derived to us from the Altar of God who is Love it self whose property is to beget the like so we come to love God who first loved us Philosophy tells us that Love is grounded upon similitude Nature instructs sensible Creatures to love their young and God teacheth Parents to love their Children because parts of themselves and Children by a reflective relation to love their Parents as Authors of their being How much more ought we to love God who created both Soul and Body Our Love being but a part of his parental Affection who offered himself a Sacrifice for us through the flame of his Affection Assimulate O my God the soul of thy servant unto thee and let the fire of thy spirit burn up the pile of my sins purifying my heart and kindling my Affections that I may offer up