in his heart Thou vvho made a Cake of Barley bread to tumble vpon the tents of Midian ouer turne them thou can easilie worke great vvorkes by weak meanes It is thy custome to make thy strength perfect in weakenesse Let this poore sicke Patient heere haue the proofe of the practise of thy custome Let his Soule like a Doue enter in at the cliftes of the Rock let it creepe in by the wounds of Christ vnto his blessed bowels there to bee warmed with Gods most feruent loue Whether shall hee goe LORD to whom shall hee make his mone but to thee Whom hath he in heauen but thee O LORD now the day is farre spent and the wearisome night approacheth Before wee goe let vs obtaine our sute that thou would make thy vvrath to relent a little Let not our prayers bee powred out in vaine wee will not admit a refusall therefore set vs not off till another time abandon not this troubled Soule Thou who hast said vnto man Say not vnto thy neighbour Goe and come againe and to morrow I will giue thee if thou now haue it O LORD practise thine owne precept wee are heere come not for to buy but to begge thy mercie for thy distressed Seruant Thou cannot denye but thou hast mercie for this is euer true Mercie is with thee Seeing then LORD now thou hast it wee vrge thee with thine owne directions say not Goe and come againe to morrow I will giue thee By such a delay thou should but enhance his griefe Alas LORD what rest shall his wearied Soule get all this night if thou delay and drift him vntill morrow O come come and powre into his heart the comfortable bowels of thy compassions Powre into his Soule the powers of thy Spirit wherby hee may bee reuiued and goe softlie the rest of his time in the bitternesse of his Soule Refresh his parched Conscience with the dew of thy grace Deare Father for Christs sake let not hardnesse of heart creepe any more vpon him Receiue him softlie into thine Armes this night and cause his spirit to rest into thy bosome Whether hee sleepe or hee wake make all his thoughts to run vpon thee In the darknesse of the night make thy loue like light to breake in vpon his Conscience as the shining light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day Seeing Satan the lord of the night the prince of darknesse is most combersome in the night we intreat thee that thou would shield and preserue him by thy mercifull and powerfull protection Make his Soule to stand vpon a continuall watch that it may bee readie with a well furnished Lampe for the comming of his Lord Make the day of thy mercie to breake and all the shadowes of temptations to flee away O Father heare helpe for the sake of the dearest blood of thy Sonne the alone purger of the Soule and the chiefe softner of hardened heartes bee thou a Sanctuarie vnto this troubled Soule Create vpon him a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night joyne the direction of thy fire with the protection of thy cloud O giue now thy blessing vnto this halting man Souple and loosen his stiffe and stupefied joyntes that beeing drawne by thee hee may runne after thee Fence and garde his soule by thy grace till thou bring him vnto glorie O Iesus pray thou for him whom Sathan hath sought to winnow let him bee found as good corne vpon thy barne floore vnto the praise of thy heauenly glory of thy diuine grace Blesse thy beloued Church vniuersall purge her from all Shifmes diuisions which breed great thoughts of heart Decke and decore her with puritie vnitie the two most precious spirituall jewels of thy Spouse make her fertile like a broodie Vine Direct our gracious Soueraigne in all his ways Guide him by thy Counsell and afterward bring him vnto glorie Blesse his Royal Match the Queenes Majestie make her a Nuâ—…se mother in Israel a blessed Mother of blessed Children Blesse all the Estates of thiâ—… Land blesse thy Ministerie adornâ—… their breastes with thy Vrin and thy Thummim thy light of doctrine and perfection of life Blesse vs all who are heere humbled before thy face this night while our bodies shall goe to bed for to rest grant that our Soules may goe rest in the armes of thee our most louing GOD and Father To thee with thy Sonne and the Spirit of Grace wee giue all praise and glorie for euer Amen Cause read vnto you this night whâ—… ye awak Psal. 6 Ps. 49. Ps. 102 ps 130 The grace of God and the peace oâ—… his Spirit bee with you The sicke Man The Lord direct you Sir in all your wayes I looke ye shall returne the morrow earelie Thinke vpon that where we left at last I look that yee shall cleare that matter more aâ—… large at our next meeting My God bee with you THE THIRD DAYES Conference Of spirituall temptations The Pastour THE Lord blesse you Sir according to yourâ—…d sire I am come againe to visite you in your bedde of languishing The sicke Man I was looking for you for since yee left mee yesternight I may say with Iacob Sleepe departed from mine eyes My conscience all this night hath beene like a boiling pot O but weake man is borne to manie sorrowes his dayes are few and euill The best of them is builabour and sorrow But let vs now begin where wee left The Pastour Our last conference as yee may remember was concerning Christ in whose wings I said was health for healing of your woundes I declared vnto you that he is so tenderlie touched with the feeling of our sores that hee hath declared that these that touch vs touch the apple of his eye Hath this beene the matter of your nights meditation The sicke man That which ye haue said of Christ Sir is true There is indeed health in his wings and helpe in his hands But alas Christ will not bee helpefull but to these that are of a strong Faith My Faith is both faint and fectlesse nothing but a smoke of Faith The Pastour Christ hath said plainlie that hee will not quench the smoking flaxe S. Peter was not a man of strong Faith when in his voyage to Christ vpon the sea hee beganne to sinke Said not Christ vnto him Thou man of little Faith why hast thou doubted The Lord reproued him for the weakenesse of his Faith but neuer coost him off for the littlenesse thereof The sicke Man That was another matter Christ was with his Apostle There was vertue into that hand wherewith he gripped the sinking man as was vertue in his garment while the hemme thereof was but touched Such a weake Faith as mine cannot reach vp so farre as to touch him into the Heauens The Pastour Though your faith bee weake that Christ also be bodily
the blasphemie against the holie Ghost shall not bee forgiuen vnto men To this is subjoyned in the verse following Whosoeuer speaketh a word againe the Sonne of man it shall bee forgiuen him but whosoeuer speaketh against the holie Ghost it shall neuer bee forgiuen him By this at the first blinke it would seeme indeede that it were not so dangerous to offend the Father or the Sonne as the holie Ghost Wherefore yee must consider that this sin which is called the sin against the holie Ghost is no lesse against the Father and against the Son than it is against the holie Ghost But it is called the sinne against the holie Ghost because it is a most high rebellion and stiffe standing out against the peculiar worke of the Spirite which is to inlighten the minde and bow the will and affections that man by repentance may bee brought home againe vnto his God As the Creation is ascribed to the Father and Redemption vnto the Sonne so is illumination and conuersion of Soules 〈◊〉 to the holie Ghost though all these eâ—…ternall actions of Creation Redemption and Sanctification bee common to all the three Persons of the Trinitie Vnderstand then that the reason wherefore this sinne is called the sin against the holie Ghost it is because it is against that energie efficatioâ—…s working of conuersion common to all the three Persons but particularlie ascribed to the holie Ghost as our Creation is to the Father and our Redemption to the Sonne When man stiflie and stubburnlie sinneth against the remeede of sin how can that sinne bee remeeded It must of necessitie bee a sinne reremeedilesse A sinne past all remeede is a desperate disease The sicke Man Let mee I pray you heare more clearelie what this sinne is The Pastour It is an vniuersall apostasie from a knowne Trueth with an eager â—…nest malicious persecuting of the same by both secret and open hostilitie The sicke Man I know that manie of the learned call that sinne an vniuersall apostasie from the Trueth but I neuer could well vnderstand that The Pharisees are esteemed to haue beene guiltie of that sin yet I cannot read that they had made an vniuersall apostasie from the trueth of doctrine Christ said that they sat in Moses chaire which did signifie that they had kept some thing of Moses his Doctrine though miserablie mixed with the leauen of their traditions Thus as ye see their apostasie was not vniuersall * Saul did not altother renounce the religion of Israel though after hee had beene among the Prophets hee killed the Priestes The Pastour Indeede Sir that doubt is not without great difficultie Mine opinion concerning that is that who out of malice and despite renounceth and persecuteth any fundamentall point of religion which he hath before knowne and approuen is by consequence guiltie of that vniuersall Apostasie My reason is fouÌ„ded vpon the Apostles rule Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point hee is guiltie of all That is who euer he bee that maketh no conscience of one sinne maketh conscience of no sinne If for the feare of God you darre not murther how darre thou then if thou feare God committe adulterie or how darre thou steale or lye Euen so he out of malice despite renounceth any maine ground of the Trueth which hee hath once knowne and professed and after that contemptiouslie with a lifted vp hand persecuteth the same hee in my judgement hath drawne vpon himselfe the guiltinesse of an vniuersall Apostasie If by this vniuersall Apostasie were onelie vnderstood an actuall publick totall renouncing of God of all Religion with railing and raging such sinners should not bee as indeede they are most difficile to bee knowne The sicke Man I perceiue by the definition of that sinne that it is not common to all the Reprobates The Pastour No not But onelie to these who haue beene inlightened with some knowledge of the doctrine of truth after begin maliciouslie to persecute the same The sicke Man But thinke ye that any man would bee so beastlie as to persecute a knowne Trueth I cannot thinke that the Pharisees who are said to haue beene guiltie of that sinne did euer know Christ to be come from God for had they knowne him they had not crucified the Lord the Lord of glorie The Pastour Indeede these words are true of many but not of those doctours which made Christ to pronounce so manie woes against them They and their complices knew what hee was and wherefrae hee came Yee both know mee said Christ to them and yee know whence I am The sicke Man Mercifull God how could they then pursue him with such spight bitternesse I thinke that by that knowledge as by a bit their most head-strong corruption should haue beene snaffled and curbed The Pastour Man doeth not despight to the Spirit of grace at the first but by little and little like clay before the Sunne his heart is haâ—…dened by the deceitfulnesse of sinne First a man will know the Trueth and will loue it with some sort of feruour for a space after a little this loue beginneth to lessen and grow cold while at last it is turned into hatred man beeing fallen in loue with lyes which fill his bowels with a boiling hatred of the Trueth From thence commeth a persecution and a finall desertion a just recompence of reward due to all these that will not receiue and keepe the loue of the Trueth that they might bee saued If the poore Pagan for abusing his naturall â—…ite by changing the trueth of God into a lye by Gods just judgement was giuen ouer to a reprobate mind what wonder if they who hauing once beene inlightned fall away bee neuer possiblie reneued againe vnto repeÌ„tance seeing they crucifie to themselues the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Such men goe about presumptuouslie to grind the face of all godlinesse The sicke Man I see then that in the sinne against the holie Ghost there must first bee a knowledge of Gods Trueth and then a wilfull rebellion against it with a lifted vp banner The Pastour The Apostle is plaine If we saith hee sinne wilfullie after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the Trueth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of judgement fierie indignation The poison of that sinne is in the word wilfullie after a preceeding knowledge While Peter denyed his Master it was not wilfullie but for feare of his lif Soule persecuted most bitterlie beyond measure said hee I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it but God had mercie on him for it was in his ignorance These two great men rode so neare vnto that vnpardonable sinne that betweene Peter and it was nothing but wilfullie and betweene Paul and it was
all bee comfounded and turned backe that hate Zion confound all hatchers of Here◅ies let them bee as the grasse vpon the house tops which withereth afore it groweth vp wherewith the Mower filleth not his hand nor hee that bindeth sheaues his bosome Protect Her by thy cloud by day direct Her by night by the pillar of fire let neuer the bright star of thy Gospel goe downe which pointeth out vnto vs the Sauiour Saluation of our Soule O righteous LORD thou hast juste cause against this Church to make Her Sunne goe downe at noone and darknesse to surprise vs in the cleare day with a sudden and ineuitable sin prizall and destruction GOD blesse vs with an holie vnion and banish farre off the Deuill of diuision Blesse our gracious SOVERAIGNE the Kings Majestie Mak him to joy in thy strength greatlie to rejoyce in thy Saluation Direct His Heart His mouth by thy Spi◅it giue him his hearts desire and with-hold not the requeast of his lips Giue to Him the courage of Dauid and the wisdome of Solomon Be fauourable to His Royall Match Inflame Her Heart with the loue of thy deare Sonne Iesus Let all Her desire be to know him crucified Make Her an happie Mother of happie Children euen a blessed Mother in Israel Blesse our Nobilitie make them noble like the men of Berea so that they may haue courage for the Truth And seeing LORD that as wee may see in this our deare Friende man is like to vanitie and that his dayes are as a shadow that passeth away Take vs to thy schoole and teach vs to number our fewe and euill dayes that wee may apply our hearts to wisedome to wel doing Let it please thine Highnesse to grant vs these out sutes for the onely sake of Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith the verie Anchor of our Soule the onelie stay and staffe of our hope the ende and rest of all created desires the true substance of ceremoniall shewes and shadowes To Him with Thee and thy Spirit of Grace bee praise and thankesgiuing glorie and dominion now and euermore AMEN If your sleepe in the night be interupted cause read vnto you the Booke of Ecclesiastes the strong enemie of all worldlie vanitie Moses his psalme which is the ninty Psalme shal be meete for your meditations cause reade also the 1 Pe◅er chap. I. The LORD sanctifie all your spirituall exercises to the comfort of your wearied Soule The GOD of all mercie blesse the little sparke of Grace enkindled by his Spirite in you till it spread into a big flame GOD with a little Dewe of newe Grace can so bl◅sse prosper another Grace alreadie giuen that Hee will make it though so little like a graine of mustard to growe towardes a tree Blesse GOD who hath not suffered you to tread the fearefull and desperate path of these who from the beginning of their life vnto the end haue beene nothing but disturbers of peace waues of the Sea foaming out their owne shame and casting vp mire and dirt vpon the shore of their whole couersation The LORD edge the little measure of your weake Faith with a longing desire after fulnesse of perswasion And season your heart with sauing Grace The Lord make his most Sacred and powerfull Word so to enter into the secretes of your Soule that it may strike a dead stroke at the sweetest of your sinnes that your sinnes being slaine your Soule may liue and haue a portion in Gods new Ierusalem till yee come there the LORD guard you with an inuincible troupe of his blessed Angels The Loue of the Father the Grace of the Sonne with the Peace his Spirit bee with you for euer THE FIFT DAYES Conference Of the last Iudgement The sicke Man OVanity of vanities O vanity of vanities all is vainity this whole night I haue dreamed of vanitie I thinke that my Dreameproceedeth from vesterdays Conference for Solomon saith that a dreame cōmeth through the multitude of businesse Well is the man that is well occupyed in the day for in the night such businesse maketh an impression into his Spirite An euill doer in the day cānot often dreame of good into the night Happie is the man that hath made the Lord the onelie leuell of his life What houres can it now bee I long for a sight of my louing and comfortable Pastour The Pastour Heere I am Sir come againe for to see what progresse yee haue made into your Christian pilgrimage Ye◅ heard yesterday of the vanitie of all things that are below I desire now to know how your heart hath beene affected since The sicke Man I haue Sir all this night d◅eamed that this world is but vanitie a lifting vp for a fall a race vnto a ruine I see nowe that all the profites and pleasures thereof are but lik a rotten Nut when men thinke to cracke the kernell they find nothing but worms with rottenesse bitternesse which prouocke the eater to spit O how the pure and cleane streames of diuine grace are stained with the stirring of the foule puddle of corrupt nature I am greatlie oblished to my God who hath giuen to me such patience in my sicknesse that I haue beene able to heare that heauenlie discours which ye had yesterday concerning earthlie things This life as I perceiue is nothing but a toilesome task of cares the best of our time is but labour sorrow our ease is a disease and wee rot in our rest Mine heart is no more in this world He is but a foole and so shall hee feele who euer hee bee that is too bent for the transitorie trashes thereof Heere is not our rest Rest heere is not our best As water by standing becometh stinking so the Spirit rotteth by carnall rest The ease of the flesh is the disease of the Spirit If wee bee without God in the world in our well we shall find but woe in our wealth but want in our loue but l◅cke in our mirth but mone In laughing the heart shall be sorrowfull and the end of that mirth shal be heauiness◅ Without God in greatest compan◅ is greatest melancholie Hee whose eyes the god of th◅ world hath not blind-folded may easilie perceiue that all that is heere is but vanitie which vexeth the spiri◅ What follie is this to take pleasure in such perishing things which can bring no comfort at the conclusion of all when dust must returne to the earth as it was Oh that wee were wise to consider that while wee are heere we are compassed about with a bodie of sin in a world of wickednesse All sortes of euil in this world with eager pursute persecute the Soule of sinfull man all the depthes of Sathan and policies of Hell concure into this worke Now Sir I intreat you seeing yee haue spoken so heauenlie of the earth that it would please you to say some-what concerning the last judgement
who hath the fauour of his God In good life is long life Nequities vitae non sinit esse senem The wickednesse of life abbridgeth the life Bee more desirous to liue well than to liue long Too too manie liue to spend their grace-right with their Birth right Such like wanton Widowes are dead while they liue If yee fall in sinne vp vp make haste to returne vnto your God Repentance delayed in youth is a strengthening of sinne against the olde and weaker age The least sin entertained maketh a way for more The least drop of the juice of euill is lik leauen that sowreth the whole lumpe If in this world yee prosper bee not taken vp with selfe foolish conceit Take not outward prosperitie to bee the ell and measure of Gods loue Whether yee wither or yee flourish in worldlie thinges thinke vpon this that your miserie or happinesse can be in nothing but in that which is eternall Goe where ye please the justice of God one day shall try the foote-steppes which ye haue troden The chiefe Legacie which I leaue to you all is the Charter of Gods promise which I haue receiued by the hand of Faith In it is an Heritage of lines fallen in pleasant places VIZ. That not onelie hee should bee my God but that he should be a God to my Childrē vnto thousand generations keepe fast this promise into the Charter Chists of your heartes In confidence of this promise depend vpon your God in well and in ◅oe in wealth and in want Though hee should slay you yet say with Iob that yee will trust in him Nowe for to drawe to an ende for my breath faileth and mine heart fainteth I desire you aboue all things to bee earnest in prayer with God By prayer morning euening dresse your Soules like the Lampes of Gods Tabernacle Fill them of the pure oyle-oliue of his grace that alwayes they may shine Eliphaz charged Iob chieflie with this as beeing the chiefe cause of all his woe that hee restrained prayer before God With this the Psalmest hath branded the wicked They call not vpon God and againe They call not vpon God It is obserued by the most cunning Physitions that paine in speaking and loathing of meate be two symptoms of a diseased distempered bodie A Soule while it prayeth it speaketh while it heareth it eateth If there be paine in the one and loathing in the other that Soule cannot bee well Thrise a day Dauid was wont to pray at morning euening and at noone This zeale also wakened him while others were sleeping At mid-night he arole for to pray vnto his God Happie is that mā who shal so spend the short time of his life in this valey of mortalitie Let this in all things bee an awband aboue your heades that the eye of the Almightie God is euer vpon you and that hee is acquainted with all your wayes Where euer yee bee thinke your selues euer to be in that most awefull presence make Conscience of all your thoughts for the verie thought of foolishnesse is euill Beware of the lustes of youth Striue with God in prayer that hee would so ingage you in his grace loue that your corruption proue not strongest while your wittes are weakest Intreate earnestlie the Lord that hee woulde make perfect his strength in your weaknesse When yee finde anie good beginnings of Grace within your selues waite stedfastlie vpon the due accomplishment thereof in Glorie Whom the Lord loueth hee loueth to the end his calling and gifts are without repentance If this yee doe carefullie ye shall bee like twigges which hauing a vigorous life sprout and flourish till they come to trees And now at last for to conclude and summe vp the whole brieflie If ye would haue God to dwell into you bee yee an holie Sanctuarie for his Spirit If yee would haue God to rest in you as hee did into his holie Temple there must bee in you as was in his Temple an Holie of holies As were within Gods Arke so must yee haue within your heartes the Tables of Gods Law the summe of the Olde Testament and with them the potte of Manna euen Christ the bread of life the substance of the New Testament Loue this word honour this word bleed for this word yea die for it Manie in this world be like these Pultrons and base spirited men of Thessalonica who had no courage for the t◅ueth As for you striue to bee like these of Berea who were better borne of a more manlie breeding in that they were couragious for the Trueth Striue to the keeping of Gods Commandments for like friends they are so linked together that if one bee offended all the rest will interest themselues in its quarrell faile in one and faile in all Pray feruentlie that ye may practise all these my precepts This doing ye shal neuer find your selues fatherles The great God shal be your Father To this Father now I giue you irtreating him to bee a Father vnto you in all times to ensue The Father of mercies the Sonne of his loue and the Spirit of c◅mfortes so guide you in all your cariage that ye may carie an incorrupt Conscience to the Graue The God of all grace mak you perfect stablish strengthen settle you leade you in the Land of vprightnes The Lord blesse you all with his best blessings My blessing I leaue you Kisse mee and so fare well Now the day is fatre spent and my strength beginneth to faile mee seeing all things as the Apostle saith are sanctified by the word of God and prayer let vs conclude this dayes conference with our humble supplications vnto our God My deare Pastour offer yee vp this Euening Sacrifice The Lord perfume it with the spirituall incense of Christs merites that thereby our Soules being perfumed the Lord may finde a smell as the smell of a fielde which the Lord hath blessed Pray earnestlie for me that the Lord giue me both strēgth and courage for the fighting out of this Battell that in the ende I may bee crowned with the Laurels of an euerlasting victorie The Pastour My Soule rejoyceth to haue heard so manie good wordes from your mouth Solomon said verie well and wiselie A word spoken in due season how good is it According to your desire wee shall conceiue a Prayer to GOD for you The Lord powre vpon all our Soules that promised Spirit of grace and of supplications A Prayer for the sicke Man Sore weakned with sicknesse MOst gracious GOD most deare louing Father Let the word of our mouth the meditations of our hearts bee acceptable in thy sight O LORD our strength and our Redeemer By thy Spirit banish all stragling thoughts and keepe our mindes steddie and attentiue in this chiefest worke of deuotion Beholde LORD and consider heere thy poore
whereby he may be shielded from the bloodie blowes of a most cruell aduersarie Put on him Lord the compleate armour of God that hee may bee able to with-stand in this euill houre and hauing done all to stand Before this Battell end make him with stomacke and courage to runne all his enemies throgh with the two edged sword of thy Spirit Haue now Lord a speciall care of him Hemme in all his thoughts within the compasse of thy will Possesse him so with the fulnes of thy presence that in him there be found no roome for any ill motions Furnish him with the supplie of all these graces which thou knowest to bee wanting into him Let thy Spirit make residence in his heart as in an house of God Now Lord while it is time to saue saue the Soule of thy Seruant which is now readie to remoue Open vnto it that euer-flowing fountaine promised to the penitent of the house of Dauid for to tak away sinne and vncleannesse O Fountaine of Grace wash him and wash him throughlie with the blessed Blood of thy satisfaction After that thou hast made him perfectly cleane hold out thy succouring helpful armes vnto this Soule and take it into thy bosome Let it there taste of the honie of thy Compassions In this time of gloummines darknesse of death inlighten his Soule with the light of thy countenance Turne thy face now vnto it Hitherto it could see nothing but the Back-parts of Thee that Great IEHOVAH which bringeth joye but in parte From such parts now bring him vnto the fulnesse Turne thy selfe vnto this Soule that it may fullie see thy face wherein is fulnesse of joye And seeing no man can see thy face liue let this thy Seruant now see thy face and die that after death hee may liue with thee for euer in the Heauens Let neither the loue of life nor the feare of death turne his eyes from the prize of the high calling of God Make him now with a long steppe from the earth to the heauens to step in into immortalitie Now Lord engraue deepelie this Soule into the palmes of thine hands Set it as a seale on thine heart Wrap it within the Mantle of thy mercie warâ—…e it within the bowels of thy loue lappe it in thy bosome with that vnspeakable joye which Christ hath purchased with vnspeakable paine euen through the bloodie merites of his most bitter passions His wordes now are failed Square thou all his thoughts by the rule of thy Spirit of grace Lord make these our weake prayers to mount vp lik Pillars of smoke parfumed with the mercifull merites of thine onelie Sonne To him with thee his Father and with the Spirit of Grace be all Glorie Praise Power and Dominion for euer AMEN The spirituall Friend O deare Friende whome I haue seene a sorrow beaten sinner Rejoyce now in your Sauiour whose mercies haue beene the Bane of all your sinfull miseries Cleaue still fast vnto your Sauiour Let not him goe whom your soule loueth till ye come to Peniel where yee shall see him face to face The Lord refresh your wearied soule with the soft sweete breath of his Spirit The Lord kned into your heart these spirituall meditations which are of the purest straine O Father of mercies giue vnto this soule a most sure Infefâ—…ment of heauen by the hand of thy Spirit Make some drops of thy Myrrhe to enter in by some litle creuice of his heart Put in thine hand by the keye hole of the doore that his bowels may bee moued for thee Let such a strength now repare from thee vnto him that the world may see that thy strength is made perfect in weaknesse It shall bee expedient that nowe yee his Pastour in a short prayer recommend him to God againe Behold him now at the last gaspes his eye stringes are broken The water of death trickleth downe ouer his cheekes His life is now drawen to an haire O Lord while bodilie sight and senses faile make spirituall sight and sense succeede in a greater perfection Make a spaite of thy grace with a mightie streame to carrie him to glorie O deare Friend vp with your heart to your God Nowe all your sins shall die with your sicknesse The Rocke of your Saluation Iesus hath shiuered them in pieces There is 〈◊〉 condemnation to these that are in Christ who out of the pangs of loue suffered that paines of hell for mans RedeÌ„ption His Angels Sir are heere waiting vpon your Soule for to carrie it to pleasures for euermore Yet a little while and loe yee shall bee at the vpshotte of all your woe Yee are nowe vtterlie out of the reach of all the powers of hell euen vpon the borders of euerlasting pleasures vnmixed pleasures which shall turne all your teares into triumphes The Pastour Now Sir Gird vp the loynes of your minde make haste to your God who shortlie shall put into your haÌ„d the palme of victorie Sathan is chained vp now for doing you anie more harme The night of your trouble is past Christ that blessed Day spring hath brought a morning mercie vnto your Soule His graces in you hath shined more and more and so shall doe vntill the perfect day euen vntill your Soule carried on Eagles winges reach the hight of Heauen where without teares or tediousnesse are pleasures for euermore Though your tongue now faile you Sir let your heart be busie with God in prayer hee will hearten and encourage you in all the businesse Your taske is at an end Heaue vp your heart to Christ crucified with vs and that with sighes and sobbes the groanings of his owne Spirit Though your bodie now be cold the Spirit of Iesus shall by a free and vitall operation maintaine the heate and vigour of your Soule The Spirit of comfort conueye vnto your soule the warmest blood that euer heated the heart of Iesus Let vs pray The last prayer for the sicke Man in the verie jawes of death O LORD whose mercies are aboue all thy workes it was neuer thy custome to send away a broken heart without comfort Now heare the secret gâ—…oanes and sighes of thy seruant whose soule is ready in this gasping agonie to come out of its Tabernacle for to coÌ„peare before thee Thou who hast giuen him thy Son for a ransome giue him thy Spirit for a pledge Furnish him with force for to fight and finish this Battell in victory As thou hast bene at the beginning of his beeing euen the beginner of his beeing so now bee thou the ende at which hee aimes euen the ende of all his woes And seeing hee is now in the narrow throat of death helpe him by thy power till hee hath past this passage Put now into him a fresh liâ—…e that in a strong vigour hee may runne with the feete of the Hinde till hee come to thee in eteâ—…nitie Make him now supple and nimble
while he is neere the ende of his race His sillie soule hath beene sore weather-driuen with many temptations now let his battell take an end Receiue his soule in thy Rest. and lull it in the bosome of thy pleasures Bee a shield and a shelter vnto him for to hidde and couer him from the last blowes and painefull thrusts of his enemie the Deuill Disapoint that euill one while hee looketh for the greatest victorie Let him receiue the foulest foile Loose now sweetlie these two which thou hast joyned together that after his eyes with olde Simeon haue seene thy Saluation he may depart in peace Seeing the Battell is nowe come to the laâ—…f stroke make thy Spirit O Lord in him to fight it out that hauing ouercome thou may put the palme of victorie into his hand after that the dayes of dangers are past O draw this soule now vnto thee with the strongest cordes of thy loue Proclaime vnto his Conscience a full a finall remission of his sinnes whether Originall or actuall whether of Commission or of Omission Subscribe his paâ—…don with the arteriall blood of thy blessed Sonne O Father of mercies the Spouse of all faithfull Soules receiue this Spirit into thy wed locke-bedde It was betrothed vnto thee by thy faire promises in the Gospel now according to thy promise accomplish and fulfill that blessed Band in the presence of thine Angels Long Lord hath hee thought on it and earnestlie longed for it Seale thou it now with the sense of thy loue Fulfull it Lord and this day be thou the Bridegroome of his Soule Heere hee hath seene but the Copie of thy countenance let him now come where he may see thee euen as thou art As thou gaue him his measure of grace in the world so nowe giue him his portion of glorie bâ—…sides thy selfe Let nothing sway his thoughts from thee in this last agâ—…nie Season so his heart with thy loue that there bee no roome in his heart for any thing by thy selfe Now loose the pinnes of the Tabernacle while his soule shall bee out of the bodie let it enter into the Palace of pleasures Say vnto it as Laban said to Abrahams seruant Come in thou blessed of the Lord Thou who hast clasped his name within the Booke of life Bind now his soule into the bundle of life Drawe it out of this myrie mortalitie place it among the Angels and spirites of just men who are alwayes in thy presence courting thy countenance wherein iâ—… fulnesse of joye Vnto the end and in the end keepe his heart vnblameable in holinesse that Sathan that roaring Lyon bee neuer able to catch him within the reach of his paw Preserue the true rellish and sound joyes of thy Spirit of grace within him till from grace thou bring him vnto glorie where thou shalt crowne thy giftes and graces with thy goodnesse O now open the euerlasting doores let in this Soule decked with the lawrels of victorie Let all the Heauens welcome this conuerted sinner with songes and shoutes of joye O Spirit of Comfort thou hast guided him thorow many seas of sorrowes sit still at the Helme till thou haue brought him to his Hauen O now crowne thy graces with thy glorie Lord Iesus receiue my spirit To the Father Sonne and holie Ghost be euerlasting praise and dominion for euer AMEN Michael and the Deuils dispute for the ' Soule of the sicke Man alittle before its departure out of the Body Sathan I Haue many things to lay to this mans charge I am the Lordes Proctor and Acturney appointed to plead for his justice I haue alreadie sifted his life Of force this Soule must bee damned None Assise can cleanse it It is now taken red hand in the path and passage of sinne The Angel Michael I will not vse against thee a railing accusation neither darre I for my Master the God of mercie and of meekenesse It hath pleased his royall Majestie to license thee to accuse the soules of men Thine accusations are euer most bitter and most bloodie I am heere standing on my Masters side for to defend this Soule which hee hath bought with his blood But what can thou say against this man whose Soule is committed to me for to be carried vnto Paradise I know thee of olde to bee the accuser of the brethren I remember well how once I contended grappled with thee for the bodie of Moses which was buried sore against thy will It is likelie that of it thou thought to make an idole Loose now thy leach and let all thy hell-hounds come forward Come come with thy most foule mouthed objections what caÌ„ thou now alledge against the soule of this man before that it come out of this bodie Thou art heere a Lyon against a Lambe Declare now what thou can in this Assise Thou can say no more than he hath alreadie said against himselfe But come on fâ—…aime thine inditement against him Discharge thy fieâ—…ie dartes with the outmost of thy force Sathan Knowest thou not that there is a large haruest for Hell manie called but few chosen Hee is my Vassall I require but Iustice Let him receiue but according to his deseruinges Heere is a Bill of inditement able to conuinee him In his wickednes he turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell Both fiercelie and feareleslie marching vnder my collours in the pursute of his pleasures hee ranne ryote in the way of wickednesse The Angel Michael Is not God a God of mercie able to forgiue But what hath hee done Sathan Beholde the pieces of Euidence which I produce against him Let all the actions of his life bee brought to a true touch and it shall appeare what a monster hee hath beene In his youth hee scorned at the Thunder of Gods word counting it but Paper shot His soule was neuer grieued to grieue the Spirit of grace seldome came hee to the Church hee was of the kinred of Noahs Raùen delighting to flie about the Arke not willing to enter into it Gods hony word of vnspeakable sweetnesse was vineger to his teeth The pure commandement of the Lord which inlightened the eys was lik smok vnto his eyes the cause of blearednesse In all pointes he was disloyall vnto his God Hee misregarded his Parents He burned with lust like an Ouen heated by the baker Hee so loued his lust that it was his law His hands were full of pickerie his eyes were full of adulterie and his heart was full of guile and his tongue full of lyes euer gaggling like a Goose. He was a cunning clawbacke a paunchpike thanke His custome was to defile the aire with most filthie belghs of blasphemie Hee sported at all reproofes O the noble jugling There there this geare goeth trimme By hooke by crooke he sought for gaine Howe hee wanne it hee cared not if men perceiued not his fraude With Iudas hee was whollie giuen to the
mine owne Conscience This is my greatest feare that I haue done despite vnto the Spirit of Grace This striketh widest wounds into my Soule and maketh all the bowels of my bellie to wamble O fye fye what a filthinesse is within this heart of mine The small moats moue not thicker in the Sunne than sinnes of all sortes haue reeled to and froe in this wicked heart of mine which is nothing but a nest of Spiders and a cage of corruptions O what a shamefull discouerie should this bee if mine heart were as well seene as my face If all the monsters of my meditations were set in open view if the eyes of men could spie out what thoughts haue beene within my breast since I was borne If all the men of Africke a place most fertile of Monsters were taken to bee witnesse they would plainlie declare that the Earth cannot bring foorth such Monsters as are bredde into the heart of man O the great mercie of God who to the ende that man may liue with man hath hidde the heart of man from men O my God though thou hast sieled the eyes of man that hee cannot see within my breast thine eyes which see our thoughts a far off perceiue most clearlie all my bygone abominations To Thee alone belongeth the discouerie of a closed heart Would I bee dashed if the eye of a sinner tooke mee at an euill turne and shall I not bee ashamed when I remember how the eye of my God hath followed me in all mine euill wayes Alas my deare Pastour yee speake much to mee of Christ and of his death but what portion can such a vile stinking creature as I haue with Christ I haue delayed all to the after-noone and now my Sun is readie for to set The blacke night of darknes is posting vpon my soule My Soule refuseth all sortes of comforts I thinke that it shall die in the verie grippes of such bloodie temptations Behold and consider if there bee anie sorrow like vnto my sorrow The Pastour I know Sir that no sort of men are sooner or sorer touched for their sinnes than are the best children of God Sathan is most busie to blow at the coale of their corruptions And againe there bee no sort of men more readie to appropriate to themselues the comforts of God than they to whom they least belong But yet Sir seeing yee are sicke in Soule yee must not refuse spirituall Physicke Christ is the onelie comfort against the guilt of sinne His blood is the onelie trayacle against the poyson of this pest But can any comfort auaile to him that will not receiue it As meate set vpon the Table cannot nourish except that it bee put into the mouth and from thence bee sent downe to the stomacke So neither can the wordes of comfort feede the heart Nitraijciantur in viscera nostrae animae transeant in affectiones nostras except that they enter into the bowels of our Soule and passe thorow vnto our affections Your Spirit is so knappish and way-ward that it will not admit the most solide comforts The marke of Christs Lambes is an eare-marke My sheepe heare my voyce The sicke Man But thinke yee Sir that I can bee one of Gods who haue beene so great a sinner My Soule is sicke to the death with surfets of sinne Can Gods Spirit abide where there is so great corruption Can two Guestes of so contrarie nature dwell together in one man The Pastour They may indeede though they cannot agree Grace and corruptions may be into the heart of a mā as Israel was with the Iebusites Hiuites and Perezites into Canaan But as Israel wasted these Nations by litle litle so the Spirit of God with grace by little and litle rooteth out wasteth and foileth these nations of sinne that are within vs But not all at once Lest wee should grow idle and roust for want of such spirituall exercise The heart of a godlie man is like the house of Abraham where Isaac and Ismael lodge together Though for a space they tarie together at death the olde scorning Ismael shall bee cast out Hee shall not inherite the promise with Isaac the laughing man If Sir yee finde a wresling within your heart some newe working which once yee did not perceiue it is a token that grace is conceiued in your soule After that a womā hath conceiued she wil find some times a working about the heart prouoking to vomite It is so with the heart of a regenerat mā so soone as grace is conceiued into it it wil ouercast til it cast and vomite out many filthy corruptions Though Iacob be little and weake at the first seeme not to be a peregall vnto the rugh man who is full of strength yet at last hee shall catch him by the heele and ouerturne him in a moment Waite but a litle and yee shall bee vtterlie out of the reach of all the powers of Hell The sicke Man I tremble all with feare that the Lord cast mee off and banish out of the Land of the liuing this filthie festered Soule The Pastour God is more mercifull than man can conceiue him to bee Can a mother forget her Childe that shee haue no compassion saith the Lord A louing Father will bee loth to cast his Childe out of doores in a deadly disease If these who are euill can giue good things vnto their Children how much more will that Father who is goodnesse it selfe giue the holie Spirit with all other good thinges to these who will seeke then cry to God in prayer The sicke Man Alas the sorrow of mine heart lameth the liberty of my tongue my wordes cannot expresse the groanes of my griefe The Pastour Though yee bee not able to vtter words sigh with your hearte vnto God God heard Moses his sighs like cryes Why cryest thou to mee said God to the sighing man A sigh out of a soft melting heart is a powerfull prayer before God The sicke Man I am both sinfull and senslesse Though I haue sinned most hainouslie yet I finde no melting in mine heart All the teares of my repentance within mee are become like a frozen moisture I cannot so much as wring out one drop thereof Oh that they were so melted that they might rush out at the flood-gates of mine eyes that thereof I might with the sinfull woman make a bath for the feete of my Lord Oh that mine heart were formed into another mould Oh that I could in his presence drench my Soule in a showre of teares O how precious is the sense of a reuealed and a reconcealed God! I find my selfe so ycie and colde yea so benummed and blockish as though I were voide of all sense of grace What can this bee The Pastour He who findeth himselfe benummed is not altogether senslesse
subject vnto changes lik the Moone Crownes haue their composse triumphs haue their tombes All our sweetest thinges in end proue but honied poyson Thus all that yee see heere below is vnconstant The greatest kingdomes are turned about as with whirling wheeles The Kinges vpon its spokes are marked vpon this dittâ—… 〈◊〉 Regnabo regno regnam suâ—… 〈◊〉 sine regno One Prince is lying vpon his backe another hath a spok in his hand climing vp the Wheele The third is vpon the top The fourth is fallen hauing his heeles vp his head down All the things of this world are diuided into foure Either they lye low or they climbe they stand or they are fallen The poore man is lying vpon his backe without any helpe or hope Another is fall of climbing conceits The third beeing there where all would bee euen vpon the toppe the higher hee is mounted the greater is his fall He then falleth that another may stand in his place while hee againe is lifted vp hee must stand with feare and heare Let him that standeth take heede lest hee fall At last also to him the haÌ„dwritting commeth foorth that in Gods ballance he is found wanting that therfore his kingdome must bee taking from him Then all the pleasures of his wine of his whoores then all his feasting his mirth and his Musicke is turned into a trembling feuer which maketh all his joyntes to shiuer and his knees to smyte one against another Beholde and consider how the glorie of Kings the gods of this world is brought to destruction Though their heads bee golden their feete are but of clay like Nebuchadnezars image Gods litle stone cut out without hands is able to bruise grinde in powder their Golde Siluer Brasse Yron and Clay for the allaying of the pride of their peacocke feathers Hee can let them see the blacknesse of their feete None of them can stand before the winde of that voyce Returne ye ChildreÌ„ of men Though their honours which they doe broach with so bold a face were reared aboue the highest cloudes and exalted aboue the starrie Skie yet must they descend at the Euening of their life and make their bed with the beggers in the dust Thus after they haue drunke vp the pleasures of this world as Behemoth the Riuer of Iordan they at last find all to be but vanitie and change When their houre is come they must quite all and make resignation of all into the hands of a new succession for to goe dwell in the Land of darknesse and shadow of death Who knewe the weight of their Crownes they would neuer be so sicke for them as King Ahab was for Nabothes vine yarde If of any man may bee said this is most true of him who is in highest places While his flesh is vpon him hee shall haue paine and his Soule within him shall mourne After that for a space hee hath feasted with Belshazzar and fatted himselfe against the day of slaughter with Wheat Wine and Oyle at last shall hee know but too late that no Feast is continuall but that of a good Conscience * Oh that great men while their minds with Dauid are beastlie would with Dauid goe to the Sanctuarie of God for to learne that if great men be not good men though they were Kinges they are sette in slipperie places Seeing Kings and Kingdomes are but vanitie what is that on earth that is not vaine There is nothing that can stretch to eternitie below In this world all men are strangers in their birth Pilgrimes in their life at last lik combersome guests by death they are thrust out at doores The language of Tabor was that It is good for vs to bee heere But the language of heaueÌ„ proclaimed that Peter knew not what he said Striue to keepe euer your heart loose from the earth The glassie sea of this vvorld is neuer without tempests Hee that would haue his Soule wained from the loue of this world let him remember but these sixe things 1. What hee is in himselfe 2. What is within him 3. What is aboue him 4. VVhat is beneath him 5. What is before him 6. What is behind him Man in himselfe is but dust and ashes a cage of corruptioÌ„ Thrise with one breath is he called Earth earth earth Earth by creation sustentation and corruption saith Bernard Within him is a blind minde a peruerse will and most vile affections yea so that euerie imagination of the thoughts of his hearte are onelie euill continuallie Aboue is a weightie vengeance hanging by a small twined threed of Gods patience Below him is a fierie fornace and the smoking brimstone gulfe of euerlasting burnings Against him Sathan and sinne with their legions posting to and fro so that when one departeth it is but to fetch seuen others worse than himselfe Before him is nothing but miserie volumnes of woes and lamentations Those bee his Day-booke Behind him pale Death followeth with stealing steppes See vvhat a masse of miserie like an hudge armie besetteth and besiegeth the whole course of the life of man till death at last come with the dead stroke and separate the Soule from the lumpish heauinesse of clay Then they that die in the Lord are blessed yea saith the Spirit That they may rest from their labours But because the day is alreadie spent yee shall now carefullie thinke vpon that which hath beene said It was a speciall propertie required in Sacrifices fitte for God that they could chewe the cude I leaue that which ye haue heard vnto your nights meditations I pray God that by his Spirit he would conuoy into the substance of that which your eare hath receiued Before I leaue you let vs all bend our knees vnto God in prayer that it would please his Highnesse to blinke downe vpon you with a reconcealed face His boundlesse and bottomelesse mercies did neuer yet know how to breake a bruised reed or quench a smoaking flaxe Let vs pray A Prayer for the sicke Man O LORD the GOD of the Spirits of all flesh the preseruer of men in whoÌ„ is both power for to saue and to destroy Thou art the true Teacher of Israel Thou hast the keyes of Heauen of Hell and of the Graue Come and cast the armes of thy mercie about this sorrow-beaten sinner Rejoyce him with the comforts of thy Spirit Inspire him with holy motions and with the life of Grace till hee bee made partaker of the diuine Nature Thou hast alreadie made his heart to melt within him at the sight of his transgressions Thou hast sette all his sinnes in order before him This is out of thy great mercie wherby thou wold not suffer him to freeze in the dregs of his corruptions Now at last LORD after thou hast refined him in the fierie fornace of temptations send him
reliefe refresh his Soule and coole it with thy comfortes Let thy Spirit come vnto him with glad tydinges that all his sinnes are forgiuen him Oh what sorrow of heart hath hee had since he hath felt the power of thy wrath His poore two eyes haue beene like two fountaines of teares trickling downe both day and night The apple of his eye hath euer beene droping downe the salt brimie and bitter teares of sorrow Oh how bitter lie hath he wept since this battell beganne Hath hee not powred out his heart like water before thee in bemoaning his transgrassions Now LORD for thy mercie sake make him free of all excessiue griefe Beholde him with the tendrest eye of thy compassions Ridde him of all gripping griefes of Conscience Settle in his heart a godlie sorrowwhich may cause repentance neuer to bee repented of Bee pleased toward him Turne thine angerie face from the bloodie colour of all his transgressions and looke vpon the perfect and vnspotted righteousnes of thy Lambe whose blood hath blanched the red Crimsin sinnes of the world No flesh O LORD is able to stand before thee when thou art angrie for what is man which is consumed before the moath He dwelleth into an house of clay and his foundation is in the dust When it shall please thee hee must lye downe into his growing bedde and there say to corruption Thou art my father and to the worme Thou art my mother and my sister O who shall stand when thou shall say Returne yee Children of men O gracious GOD pittie this creature that was once formed to thine owne image which once lost thou hast repaired with the Blood of thy Sonne Stampe his heart vvith thy liuelie Image and coine it with thy countenance Insinuate thy selfe into his Soule and compasse him with thy comfortes Let thy poore Seruant heere who hath beene most fearefullie tossed and scorched with fierie temptations find a spiritual cooling refreshing in thy mercifull bowels Temper so the Spirit of his minde bowe his will and incline his affections that his chiefest delight may bee in thee Couer his sillie Soule vnder the shadow of thy Winges vntill all these calamities bee ouerpast Refresh this paunting Soule braying after thy water brookes Giue him a newe hearte put within him a new Spirite take this stonie heart out of his breast and in the place thereof put an heart of flesh By thy word O LORD wee haue let him see what the vanitie of this world is how vnconstant are all things below and how they are turned vpon a whirling wheele O mak his heart consider that there is nothing heere on earth that can bring solide contentment vnto the heart What are the best of our dayes on earth but labour and sorrow Is not our life a vapour a breath are not our dayes consumed as a tale that is tolde Make the consideration of such naughtie thinges below moue him so much the more to minde the things that are aboue Let him know that in the surging waues of this worldlie Sea there is no permanent peace so no crosse shall come vpon him vnawares Teach him by practise and experimentall feeling of thy Graces that thy strength is made perfect in weakenesse Let him feele that it is a fruite of thy lone that thou suffereth him to be afflicted Sanctifie his sorrowes make them to lead him vnto the face and presence of his GOD. By the loathing of things earthlie worke in his heart a loue a liking of things heauenlie an ardent desire of thy celestiall dainties Let him know that so soone as he shall come to thee that with thy face thou shall fill the desires of his Soule for in thy face is fulnesse of joyes O thou to whom nothing is impossible lift vp his Soule to affect that happines so that earnestlie his Soule may desire to see that day when he shall be cloathed with the long white robe of Christes righteousnesse euen the innocencie of thy deare Sonne Iesus Couer him Lord couer him with the golden fleece of thy righteous Lambe Parsume him with the sweete sauour of Christes merites thy mercies Let the Blood of his Aduocate pl◅ade for his pardon Naile all his sinnes to the Crosse of thy Sonne Iesus Rid out of his heart all doubts and difficulties draw his eyes from looking vpon himselfe make thine own selfe the object of his sight in the mirrour of the Gospel wherein as with open face hee may behold as in a glasse the glorie of the Lord and bee changed into the same image from glorie to glorie euen as by the Spirit of the Lord. Seeing a good man is mercifull to his beast how much more wilt thou bee who are mercie it selfe Thou who art most plenteous in mercie vnlocke wee intreat thee the treasures of thy mercies and affoard vnto thy seruant such graces whereby hee may come to thy Glorie Send a Seraphin for to kindle hi◅ zeale and affection toward thee Publish proclaime vnto his Sou◅ that thou art pacified and that tho◅ hast receiued a ransome These days by past LORD thou ha◅ him trained vp with diuerse fearefu◅ temptations whereout of let it please thee now to giue him an out gate O put thy quickening Spirit within him that by the force of thy life he◅ dying vnto sin may liue vnto The◅ who art our life and lengthening of our dayes Thine eare hath heard the heauie groanes of his hearte which haue made thine heart to bee turned within thee O now let thy compassions bee so kindled together that hee may in all boldnesse come to the Throne of thy Grace permit him such familiaritie with thee whereby hee may cast his burden vpon thee Giue him LORD a full resolution to submitte himselfe alwayes to thine appointments that his heart neuer anie more repine nor grudge at thy proceedings By the finger of thy Grace frame fullie his heart for the following of thy will Gracious Father rouse vp his Soule and raise vp the good motions of thy Spirit within him Make him in mercie to growe in Grace which may worke a deepe detestation of all bygone slippes whether secret or knowne with an eager and earnest striuing to bee renewed in the Spirit of his minde O thou whose bowels rumble lowd with compassions pacifie and calme all the clamours of his Conscience Thy mercie is most magnified when it relieueth the extremest miserie Thy light is most precious when it shineth into the depth of discomfort and darknesse O pittie and pardon him besprinkle him with the Blood of vertue that beeing purged from all carnall and spiritual vncleanneste hee may grow vp vnto full holinesse in thy feare and so may end his life in thy fauour the surest Sāctuarie of a troubled Soule Pittie the distressed members of thy Church Many a time haue they afflicted her from her youth The plowers plowed vpon her backe making long furrowes let them
their sinnes dreaming of saftie and suretie euen then their judgement lingreth not and their damnation is not in a slumber This shall they know by sense and feeling when Gods most fierie jealousie shall breake foorth vpon them like the sorrowes of a woman in trauell No sorrow can be heere like vnto their sorrowes Fire chaines rackes and lashing whips cannot expresse the shadow of one infernall tor tour All the woes that euer were heard on earth are nothing to the least of these vnpittied plaints The sicke Man I haue one question for to propound to you It is concerning the order of Christes proceeding into Iudgement What reason is there thinke ye that the Iudge in that day shall first absolue the godlie by bidding them Come with his Fathers bl◅ssing before that he speake a word vnto the wicked whose hearts in their life-time for the most parte were sealed vp by the spirit of slumber The Pastour I finde two probable reasons first because the great God of mercie is more bent to shew mercie toward his creatures than to powre vengeance vpon them and that for to teach all Iudges to execute Iustice with Grauitie and griefe Beholde heere howe our God while hee is euen come vnto the last periode giueth vnto the wicked who in their life with Whoorish fore-heads out faced the Sunne behold I say how hee giueth them a certaine respite and a delay from Hell in that space while hee is speaking vnto the Godlie And yet the more slowlie hee striketh the surer shall hee sette his blow which shall shake euerie sinew of their bodie and each power of their Soule The other reason wherefore he speaketh first to the Godlie such words of comfort and of comming is that the wicked who in the dayes of their vanitie combined sport with spight against him may see how good a God hee shall bee to all these which haue serued him heere in Faith and trueth O what shall the trembling Soules of these vvorldlre brates that would not serue Christ in their life thinke when they shall heare that Lord so sweetlie in so sweete heauenly honey vvords say vnto al his Saints his dearest Darlings whom they as out-casts despised on Earth Come yee blessed of my Father come and be all Kings with mee for euer more Come from the ◅awes of Death to the joyes of an euer blessed Life Such wordes shall make the heartes of the Godlie to daunce and leape within them for joye but shall make the heartes of the wicked to droope and to bleede for sorrow O what would Diues in the fyre boyling Lacke then giue for to bee in the place of Lazarus Manie Kings of Princelie but prophane blood which haue borne the Crowne and swayed the Scepter aboue the heades of many thousāds being drunke with idolatric Secret murther of their Parents for to sit vpō their Throne shal thē spue and fall but shall neuer rise againe They all drenched in a poole of vvrath shall wish in that day that they had vvept and vvypt the feete of Le◅s with the haires of their head yea that they had beene borne Beggers hauing the Faith and feare of Iesus My heart trembleth to think how so many thousands who deemed dreamed once to bee saued shall with damned Deuils rush downe to the snakie poole of perdition because like Swyne in their life they trampled vnder feete the precious pearle of mercie purchased by the Blood of Iesus The sicke Man After that the sentence shal be pronounced whether thinke yee that the wicked shall first goe to paine or the Godlie vnto pleasure The Pastour It would seeme by the words of the Gospel that the wicked that base brood of corruption to whome Christ hath spokē last shal first goe to torment After that the doome is giuen out with a roaring thūder it is said these shal goe away to euerlasting punishmēt but the righteous vnto life eternal After that the wicked are like chaffe chaissed away to brimstone beames the Armes of Christ and the Gates of Glorie shall stād wide open for to giue entrance to the righteous whō the Father Christ of Iesus shall receiue with most cordiall embracements vnto their euerlasting comfort Blessed are they who nowe cast their bread vpon the vvaters looking neither for thankes nor recompence from men for then they shall bee richlie rewarded by God The sicke Man What reason thinke yee can bee of that order that before the Godlie goe to Glorie the vvicked all in a r◅ue shall bee hurled away to euerlasting punishment beeing thrust downe into the dominions of darknes most fearfull spectacles of amazement O how these so mi◅ie men shal then bee pensiue and perplexed The Pastour This would seeme to be the maine reason viz. For thereby to kindle vp so much the more the loue of the Godlie toward their God The bitter bickering and fearefull squeeles of the Reprobate hurling downe to hell beeing heard and seene by the Godlie shall make the joyes of heauen to relish the sweeter vnto them If while a people were in a Church the Church should fall downe and smother the one halfe not doing any harme vnto the other these who should escape should by beholding the crushed and bloodie bones of others much more be rauished with the joy of such a deliuerance than if the house had not fallen at all When Dathan and Abiram with their companies sanke down to Hell in the sight of all Israel what joye thinke ye had these whom the earth did beare aboue Manie who neuer in their life gaue God thankes for that the sward of the earth hath borne them aboue if they should see such a sight as of Dathan and of Abiram they would regard the benefite the more and would giue God moe thankes for that one mercie than for all by-gane fauours shewed vnto them since they beganne to vvalke vpon the ground Wee thanke God little that the earth beareth vs aboue because wee see it not swallow vp sinners with a gaping gulfe while men see the miserie of others it wakens into them the sense of Gods mercie toward them O how glad shall the Godlie bee then that they haue serued God when they shall see the Deuil his Darnell the wicked seede cast into a fierie Lake when these blessed soules shal see the hels opē the black deuils flashing fire into the faces of the wicked hurling away these damned spirits with fearfull cryes shrikes downe to the dungeons of distresse to most vile Vaults of darknesse entrinched among gnawing wormes stinking Scorpions and hissing Serpents then they who were wont to weepe for the sins of the wicked in this life shal haue no cōpassion on them but shall laugh to see them lashed rejoycing in the justice of their God powred out vpon these that in a selfe liking of their owne estate despised the sweetenes of his mercie O happie
owne seeing it is said That the Father is he who shall put all things vnder his feete The Pastour The most learned Diuines haue considered that the Apostle there speaketh not of Christ as hee is Filius Dei eternus simpliciter simplie the Sonne of God but as hee is in the fo◅me of a seruant for that cause as is well remarked by the best wits none can affirme that in Christ is Secundaria divinitas a Diuinitie of a baser rancke * This wee must all know that Christ the Sonne the Father beeing but one GOD worke with one and the selfe same power As God the Father and hee are one so what power Christ man hath in subduing his enemies it may bee said to bee from the Father Because the Trinity is such a deepe mysterie as no humane Wit can search it thorow so the actions of the three Persons are such as no man can clearelie discerne them It is much for our shallow-wits to know the borders of Gods ways It is good in Gods mysteries s◅pere ad sobrietatem that our wisedome bee sober and not drunke with a giddie curiosity neither must wee d◅aw to the other extremitie as to flatter our selues in a sluggish dulnesse hauing no care to search the Scriptures with the men of Berea for to knowe that which it hath pleased God to reueale to vs It is good to seeke out carefullie though not curiouslie the knowledge of Gods reuealed will so farre as can make for the comfort of our Soules The sicke Man Certainelie the knowledge of such things is verie needfull for the comfort of these that are for to leaue this world And therefore I who loo◅ not for long sojourning heere desire to know the more earnestlie what good things the Lord hath prepared for his owne into that other world The hope of Glorie is like a strong hold against the feare of Death O◅ that I were that which I would bee There is now resting only one difficultie in the words of the Apostle which I neuer as yet could well vnderstand It is said That when all things shal be subdued vnto the Father then shall the Sonne also himselfe bee subject vnto him that put all thing◅ vnder his feete Is not the Sonne euen now subject vnto the Father If not how is it said That hee shall bee then subject vnto him The Pastour Christ as God is not at all subject vnto the Father but all the Godlie are subject both to Him and to the Father But as man Christ is with vs subject vnto the Father According to this a Father said well Christus in quantum Deus est cum illo nos subjectos habet in quantum sacerdos nobiscum illi subjectus est That is To Christ as God wee are subject as to the Father but as Christ is our Priest hee is with vs subject vnto the Father Moreouer it may bee saide that after the last Iudgement Christ shall bee subject vnto the Father because then all the Faithfull which are his Mysticall bodie shall bee perfectlie subject to the Father Christ the Head of the Church since his incarnation hath in his owne Person bene subject vnto the Father perfectly and so is hee yet But in his mysticall members below there is a miserable rebellion of flesh against the Spirit But when all shall bee gathered together in one Bodie into Glorie thē shall Christ be perfectlie subject vnto God both Quoad naturam suam tum quoad corpus mysticum In his humane Nature and in his mysticall Bodie which are the faithfull When all the Elect with their Head Christ shall be perfectlie subject vnto God then shall Christ bee fullie and finallie subject to the Father This seemeth to bee the true meaning of the wordes This is made cleare by the wordes following viz. That this subjection shall bee that God may bee All in all But this wee must vnderstand that this subjection of Christ and of his mysticall Bodie is not anie disgrace or disparagement to our Head Christ or to vs The trueth is that it is a moste Princelie honour to bee the Prince of Heauens subject It were better to bee the least subject of Heauen than the greatest commander of Hell The seruice of our God is greatest libertie The more perfect this subjection be the greater is our Glorie The subjection of a creature to God is the verie Image of God in the creature Gods Image in Adam was chieflie in his subjection to Gods will which was defaced by his rebellion which is the verie Image of the Deuill The sicke Man Wee are much beholden to our God who in his great mercie hath reuealed vnto vs all these things into his word His word may well bee called A Lanterne vnto our steps a light which enlighteneth the eyes burning clearer thā any Cresset-light warning from dangers The Pastour Indeede Gods word is a word of life and of light It is a sauing word the power of God to Saluation This power is onelie peculiar to the mightie operation of this word There bee in the creatures words and lines of words for to declare vnto man that there is a God that so man may be without excuse Day vnto day vttereth speach and night vnto night sheweth knowledge Their Line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world But all these wordes and lines are but lines of words concerning the creation All that they can say is but that there is a God a mouer a primum ens a first Be-ere whereby all things haue their beeing But in all these lines of words there is not one word of Christ the Redeemer There is not a day where the Gospel shinneth not that can vtter any speach or shewe any knowledge of that which concerneth mans Saluation wrought with the bloodie sweate of God There is not a word let bee a line in any worke of Nature concerning the great mysterie of Godlinesse Christ manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued vp into glorie The sicke Man O words worthie to bee written with the point of a Dyamond Seeing it is so this should mak vs to esteeme so much the more of the glorious Gospel which is the power of God to saluation of all beleeuers The Pastour The Gospel indeede is like a m◅st rich treasure digged into a fielde for which a man that hath found it will goe and sell all that hee hath that hee may buy that fielde for the treasures cause This Gospel is like a Sunne newly created in the heauens which shineth both day and night both in life and death with most glistring wholesome Beames wherby the vnwholesome cloudie night aire of iniquitie is rarified scattered and dispersed As the Sun in the heauens by its heate maketh al
arrows of thy wrath which thou hast made to stick in his ribbes the poyson whereof hath drunken vp his Spirit O how fearefull haue thy terrours set themselues in aray against him Beginne Lord and continue to slacke thy wrath Be with him now in thy great mercy O LORD and conuoye him by the graces of thy Spirit thorow the snakie field wildernesse of this world wherein hee hath beene like a Pilgrime or a Traueller passing from Towne to Towne till hee come into his Inne where he hopeth by thy mercie to bee exempt from all mixture of miserie Hee is now in the heate of his journey Let some cooling droppes of thy comforts bee send vnto him for to coole and quench his drougth in the scorching heate of this spirituall skirmish Thou who made waters to rush out of the jaw bone for the refreshing of Samson after his fight with the Philistimes giue vnto this wearied soule a drink of that water whereof if a man drink hee shall neuer thirst any more And now seeing in all appearance he is not for to remaine manie dayes vpon this Earth make him to be still looking all the dayes of his appointed time till his changing come grant that when it shall come hee may change for the better and that for the glorie of thy great Name and for the euerlasting rest peace and joye of his sillie sorrow beaten Soule O crush the head and breake the heart of euerie sinne that lurketh within his breast left they choke the Soule of this thy Turtle Doue Bee no more sowre vnto him If thou should appeare grieslie with a sterne countenance vnto sinners how soone should they bee out-faced if thou straitlie m◅iniquitie who shall stand But O mercie is with thee Let that mercie that is with thee come to him wherby all his floating thoughts may bee made to sink soake into the Blood of the Lambe the softner and soupler of stiffe and hardened heartes In the darkest houre of death bee thou the comfort and darlling del◅ght of his heart O Pastour of Israel now put an end to all the cloudie and darke dayes of his distresse Tak in this silly Soule thy little Lambe within the compasse of thine heauenlie folde till it winne there refresh it with a baire in its journey let no meanes bee deficient til in it thou crowne thy graces with thy glorie LORD blesse thy Church vniuersall the deare Spouse of Iesus as they are all members of one Body make them all to bee of one heart that in an heauenlie harmonie they may all thinke one thing Stop the mouth of the red Dragon from spewing out the red bloodie floodes of persecution against Her if not giue Her the winges of Faith whereby Shee may flee to the wildernesse for Her escape O cloth her Priests with Saluation that all her Saints may shout a lowd for joye Giue them one mind and one mouth But alas Icabod where nowe is that glorie Preserue our gracious SOVERAIGNE with his Royall Match Send down a princelie Spirit vpon him Keepe them as the Apple of thine Eye As thou hast bund their bodies into the bond of wed locke so bind their Soules into the bandle of life Make the Heauens to rejoyce at her Majesties conuersion Loue Her LORD as thou loued Lidea by the opening of her heart Make both Crowne and Court seruiceable to thee the greatest Majestie aboue Sanctifie all our Nobles make them lik the men of Berea couragious for the Trueth Plants of renowne Guide vs all in the way of righteousnesse and weane vs from the loue of this Worlde Prepare vs for the last Battell of the Soule Suffer neuer Sathan with the mood of his temptations to trouble or distemper the cleare Riuers of thy comforts wherwith thou refresheth thy beloued Ones Suffer neuer that prince of darknesse to put out with his dampes the glorious Light of thy Gospel which now most orientlie shineth among vs. LORD perfume all our vnwhorthie prayers with the sweete smelling righteousnes of Iesus Christ our Lord Master in whose most blessed Name wee pray as hee hath pleased him to teach vs Our Father which art c. By Gods grace Sir I shall returne the Morrow earelie The Spirit of Iesus print into your heart the best comforts of his Treasures Remember Sir that all our goodnesse is of him for naturallie wee are hewen out of a sinfull rocke All our guises are but guile till we bee cast into another mould by the Spirit of regeneration Striue more and more to bee constant and couragious till this bitter Battell bee ended For euerie Battell of the Warriour is with confused noise and garments rolled in Blood Now the night is fallen downe while deepe sleepe falleth on mē strin◅ to bee acquainted with the Teacher of the reines in the night season If the paine of your sicknes rob your eyes of sleepe cause read vnto you this night Dan. 7. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thess. 4. The LORD pul off your Soule al the filthie menstruous cloutes of your corruptions and cloath you with the most rich invaluable Robe of Christs righteousnesse The Lord fill your heart with the inspirations of the Almightie His Grace bee with you THE SIXT DAYES Conference of Heauens Glorie The Pastour ACcording to my promise Sir I am heere come againe for to see what it shall please God to doe with you at last waite constantlie on your God His mind is to doe you good in the latter end I earnestlie now desire to know what the meditation of the last judgement hath wrought into your heart this night bygone The sicke Man Except that a man bee well occupied in the day his heart in the night will swarme with worthlesse witlesse thoughts Sathan the lord of the night is euer busie by secret foisting in of corruptions into mans thoughts to justle out of his heart all holie and heauenlie meditations All this night it seemeth vnto me that I heard the shrill sound of the last Trumpet sounding most fearefullie the Alarum of the Resurrection at the second and sudden comming of our Lord All Saintes and Angels seemed to bee present at that great Iubile I thought in my sleepe that I saw the Sonne of man enuironed with innumberable Charets of fyre comming downe with vnspeakable pompe Glorie and Majestie I thought him more glistering than the Sun while he sbineth in his greatest force Mine eyes were dazeled with the brightnesse of his Beames All thrones made roome vnto his Throne Mine heart was neuer so rauished as it hath bene this last night by-past In the thoghts of mine heart in the night while deepe sleepe falleth on mā there came into my memorie some passages of Scripture concerning heauens glorie wherof most gladlie I desire now to heare The Apostle S. Paul speaketh of this with great power Wee faint not said hee but though our outward man perish
yet the inward man is renewed day by day There bee some other good words following but my memorie faileth mee The Pastour I shall helpe you Sir in that matter The verse following is For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glorie The sicke Man These bee the words indeede I finde great difficultie in these words I pray you to make them cleare What is that to say Though the outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day The Pastour The interpretation of these words is that the corruption and decaying of the outward man by diuerse crosses and calamities Servit renovando homini interno is a meanes for the renewing of the inward man that we may grow in godlinesse By the outward man is vnderstood the bodie By the inward the Spirit the mind By the weakening of the bodie the Spirit is made strong The sicke Man But what say yee of these words that our light affliction which is but for a moment is said to worke for vs or to cause vnto vs an exceeding and eternall weight of glorie Is that the merite and worth of affliction The Pastour The Romane Church expounds it so that by such afflictions men merit euerlasting glory Indeed the words in the original seeme much to fauour that exposition The wordes are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cauficit parie operatur nobis that is Causeth or worketh that glorie But it is certaine that affliction yâ— is light for a moment both light short cannot be properlie a cause of an euerlasting and infinite â—…ight of glorie A moment cannot be the mother of eternitie That which is so light can neuer bring out an infinite weight But God who is infinite in poâ—…er maketh affliction a meanes for to bring vs vntâ—… glorie as good works are via regâ—… causa regâ—…di the way to the Kingdome but not the cause of reigning so through the way of manie tribulations wee must enter into Gods Kingdome The Scripture is the best interpreter of it selfe Abraham who was the Father of the Faithfull was not justified either by his doinges or his sufferings If Abraham were justified by workes hee â—…th whereof to glorie but not before God Shame shall come vpon him who glorieth of that whereof hee may not glorie before God I darre boldly glorie before God of his mercie and of my Lords merits but to glorie of mans righteousnesse a monstrous cloth is an abomination before GOD If sufferinges and calamities could efficientlie cause merit that infinite weight of Glorie how did S. Paul reckon when hee said I reckon that the sufferings of thâ—… present time are not worthy to be coÌ„pared with the glorie which shall bee reuealed in vs This maketh the matter cleare that our light afflictions of a moment cannot efficientlie and meritoriouslie purchase vnto vs an exceeding and eternall weight of glorie they are indeed good meanes wherby our Soules are fitted and furthered in the way to Glorie The sicke Man I euer hold that the surest ground that a man be little in his own eyes Sinfull flesh cannot bee too humble before God That Religion which giueth greatest glorie vnto God casteth mans own worth most down hath the clearest marke of trueth Daniel pointeth at this while hee saith O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs confusion of faces I am now satisfied in the exposition of these wordes wherein I did euer finde much difficultie Now Sir if your memorie serueth you can yee tell what is said by the Apostle in the Chapter following I remember that some notable thinges there be spoken of immortall Glorie The Pastour Indeede in the beginning of that Chapter there bee notable wordes For wee know saith the Apostle that if the earthlie house of this Tabernacle were dissolued wee haue a building of God an house not made with sand eternall in the heauens For in this wee groane earnestlie desiring to be clothiâ—… vpon with our house which is from heauen If so bee that beeing cloathed wee shall not bee found naked For we that are in this Tabernacle doe grone being burdened not that wee would bee vâ—…cloathed but cloathed vpon that mortalitie might bee swallowed vp of life c. While wee are at home in the bodie wee are absent from the Lord c. Wee are confident and willing rather to bee absent from the bodie and to bee present with the Lord. The sicke Man These indeede bee the words I could neuer well vnderstand them doubtles they be words full of comforts for these that are looking for a better Life I pray you Sir to giue mee the exposition thereof The Pastour Indeede Sir they want not great difficultie neither doeth that which I say make for the doctrine of papists who affirme that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore must not bee reade by the common people It is by reading that men purchase vnderstanding The Doctors themselues before they read are ignorant neither was it euer heard that Scriptures was abused so much by the common people as by these who are most Learned Where heare wee that the Merchand the Artifan or rurall men beginne Heresies Are not they forged in the vnsanctified braines of these in who are lodged the oppositions of science falsely so called It is oftest seene that throgh Philosophie and vaine deceit The Soule of man are spoiled not by ignorance of the simplest sort There is none obscuritie in Gods Word that should debarre the people young or olde from the reading of it The Letter which my God hath written vnto me I may open it and read it and see what my Fathers will is The Spirite of God in S. Iohn leading his haÌ„d hath set down these wordes I write vnto you Fathers c. I write vnto young men c. I write vnto you little Children c. Who hath power to forbid any man to read the Missiue Letter which his God hath written vnto him Moreouer there is such a Light in Gods word that will make a blind man to see The light of the Sun will shew and discouer hid things in darknesse unto him who hath eyes but cannot make a blind man to sâ—… But the light of Gods word Meiraâ—… Henaâ—…m facit ut oculi videant it maketh the eyes for to see In that Psalme also it is said That the Law of the Lord maketh wise the simple It is a great ignorance for Papist Doctors to close claspe their Bibles from the hands of the ignorant simple ones seeing by this word the simple are made wise It is written to the euerlasting praise of the men of Berea that after Paul had preached they searched the Scriptures for trying of his Doctrine These be the words of their praise These were more noble than these
with thy mercie In the multitude of thy compassions blot out my transgressions wash me throghlie from mine iniquitie and cleanse mee from my sinnes where by the seed of thy grace within mine heart hath beene choaked and starued Let the depth of thy mercy swallow vp the deepes of my miserie Bridle my sinnes and spurre forward thy graces within mee Set all mine affections on foote that they may follow after Thee Put a fairer flame into my smoking slaxe and more strength into this bruisedreede that the bones which thou hast broken may re◅oyce O Lord with thine eye salue cleanse and open the eyes of my poore Soule that I beholding these things that are aboue may gladlie desire to be dissolued for to be there with my Lord and Sauiour Lord let thy Spirit carrie still a strong hand ouer me Furnish mee with such measure of thy graces whereby I may patiently waite vpon thy will Except that by a speciall fauour thou vphold mee I shall neuer bee able to secure my feete in so slipperie ground While I haue beene hearing most glorious speaches of the Heauens the shadowes of earthlie things haue ecclipsed my minde like a Moorie O make such shadowes to flie away that the horizon of my spirituall sight beeing cleared I may in some measure see thy backe partes whereby my Soule may bee enlightened like the face of Moses Though often I haue beene deafe at thy preachinges bee not thou dumbe at my prayers O Father of mercies listen vnto the groanes of my drooping spirite assailed with diuerse temptations Heare the sighes and crouding of thine owne Turtle Doue O LORD leade mee into the Land of vprightnesse and make thy grace to seat it selfe into mine heart Store my memorie with these good lessons which I haue heard preached in mine health Let mee neuer ouer-pryze anie good thing that is within my selfe Though Iames and Iohn bragged that they were able to drinke of thy cuppe scarce could they abide to see Thee drinke it O Lord make mee euer to vnder-value thy greatest worth that thorow the valey of humilitte I may come to these euer lasting exaltations Come LORD for loe thy seruant commeth I am willing Lord helpe my vnwillingnesse If it bee thy will to loose me out of this sinfull prison when I shall leaue this earth to earth appoint thine Angels to carrie my Soule vnto Abrahams bosome where I may sing with thy Saincts Halleluiah for euer Come Lord now and seeke thy lost groate Fetch home vpō thy Shoulders this wandering Sheepe and make all the Heauens to rejoyce Despise not that which in the creation thou diddest ennoble with thy liknesse Giue mee a warrand and a token to bee admitted within the Gates of thine euerlasting Tabernacles Till I come there make my Soule to burne still in holie feelings Lord heare mee for the deare sake of thy Sonne to whom with Thee and the Spirit of grace as it is most due wee render all praise glorie and dominion for euer AMEN The Pastour Blessed be God Sir who maketh his Spirit to worke so powerfullie within you Wee are all greatlie refreshed with your comforts It hath beene a great joye to vs all to heare that most sweete feruent prayer full of the groanes of the Spirit of Iesus In you haue wee seene the trueth of that Text The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as wee ought But the Spirite it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot bee vttered I am assured that that same Spirite hath made intercession for you with groaninges in that prayer which now yee haue vttered And againe while I consider in what weakenesse and faintnesse I found you at the first I wonder at such a vigour of Spirit which I petceiue now to be into you Truelie the word of God is most true God giueth power to the faint to them that haue no might hee increaseth strength Euen the Youths shall faint and bee wearie and the young men shall vtterlie fall But they that waite vpon the Lord renewe their strength They shall mount vp with winges as Eagles Many in their afflictions either desparatelie rage or weaklie wa◅le But God in great mercie hath at last filled you with true Christian courage and comfort in your greatest smart Hee hath listened to all your desires beeing moued with that sacred Loue which alwayes burneth in his bosome His Grace like the Notherne Pole hath giuen you aime and direction whether to bend your course Now the darkenesse of the night beginneth to ouer-cloud the earth By Gods grace I shall returne in the Morning so soone as the birdes shall begin to chirpe at the spring of day Because while the spirit of man is idle it weareth and wasteth it selfe away with barren and lumpish melancholie While yee shall awake cause reade Scripture vnto you and particularlie these places Psalme 27. Psalme 84. Psalme 87. 1. Corinthians 15. 2. Corinthians 12. Reuelation 21. Reuelation 22. His Grace bee you THE SEVENTH DAYES Conference The sicke Mans last wordes to his Pastour Friendes Wife and Children The Pastour THE Lord blesse you Sir According to my promise yester-night I am come againe earlie All this night mine heart hath earned to knowe of your estate How haue yee passed this night The sicke Man O the mercie of my God towards mee that hath moued you to take such paines for mee an vnworthie worme By your most holy Sermons yee haue furnished and supplied my minde with store of holie and heauenlie meditations Ye haue beene both a Paul for to plant mee in the true Faith and an Apollos for to water mee Christ the Master builder by the Finger of his Spirit hath laide the foundation of his Temple within mine heart Hee hath made choise of you a skilefull Workeman to aduance the worke till in mercie at last hee shall roofe his graces in mee with celestiall Glorie By the word of God yee haue comforted mee that is onelie the word of comfort Of all other words were they neuer so eloquent I will say with a Father In a thousand talents of worldlie wordes a man shall hardlie finde an hundreth pence of spirituall heauenlie wisedome This life is like the Haw thorne more pricking than pleasant Ye haue rauished my heart with desire of immortalitie aboue I blesse God Sir that euer I saw you The Pastour All these good things are to bee ascribed to the working of GODS Spirit All the juice and sappe whereby the branches spring and liue ensueth and riseth from the roote of the tree We who are Pastours are but the Lords Spouts and Cocks of his Conduits wherby his graces are conuoyed vnto the heartes of our hearers If the Spirit of God mak not a mans Saluation sure hee will incessantlie reele from one doubt to another from one temptation to another like a drunken man from wall to wall It is
who in this sinfull time is least known of the world so that shee truelie striue to know God and her selfe Wise Solomon who in his wisedome excelleth all as also in number of wiues spake by experience that wandering Women were not chast by this special marke hee brandeth the whoore That her feete abide not in her house but nowe shee is without and now in the streetes By Solomons record shee that gadeth abroad cannot bee well thought of With Wisedome shee hath cracked her credit If Dinah had taried at home while shee went abroad shee had not beene deflored which was the cause of great blood-shed which made her brethren Simeon and 〈◊〉 afterward to bee diuided in Iaakob dispersed in Israel The occasion of all that euill was from the vanitie of the Damosell her folie is registred in Gods Chronicles for all Ages to come that women chieflie may read it and bee wise by her example The wordes are these And Dinah the daughter of Leah which shee bare vnto Iaakob went out to see the daughters of the Land Remember well I pray thee these few pâ—…ecepts Bee carefull sincere at the seruice of thy God Serue him not by halfes Hee who is onelie holie must bee serued wholie Take good heed to thy self beware of clawing flatterers who for gaine wil varnish thy vices for to make them seeme vertues Labour for a good name perrell it not for trifflles If for light matters it bee mainelie hazarded it shall bee easilie cut off where euer thou bee bee content with thy lot See that in anie wise thou neuer harbour in thine heart a discontented mind Beware of an euill tongue which is an vnruelie euill within the compasse of the mouth wherein it is is a vvorld of vvickednesse Bee carefull both for the inward and the outward of thy conuersation for many eyes will looke and spye what shall be thy life after me Bee therefore euer vpon thy guard sinne neuer in hope of secrecie for none can sinne without a witnesse Sequester thy selfe from all occasions of euil if thou wold haue grace to bee dearelie and deepelie rooted in thine heart Where euer thou art thinke God thereto be present Tak him at all times to bee an eye-witnes of thy thoughts Thogh ali be barred out the Lord is within Feare God liue in peace with thy neighbours Let the good thoughts of thine heart put the ouer in the handes of practise first know theÌ„ doe which is compleate Christianitie Grow in grace grone for sins past escape relapses haunt the godlie flie these that are of a prostitute Conscience Sinne is like a Ring-worme of a contagious and spreading nature from lesse to more ouer Shooes ouer Bootes like Hezekiels waters from the Ankles to the Knees and so higher and higher from scabbe to scandale Shune all appearance of euill so shall thy conuersation sauour like oyntment and most sweete perfume Now the Lord bee with thee Kisse mee and so farewell The Pastour Heere Sir are your little Children waiting for your blessing it is good that yee say some-thing to them for their instruction The last words of a Friend or of a Father are often of greatest weight and beare most into the rememberance of these to whom they are spoken I feare that ye faint in your weaknesse and therefore bee as summar and short as yee can The sicke Man I thanke God though the strength of my bodie decayeth my Spirit is become stronger like Samson after that his haire beganne to grow My force courage within is renewed like the youth of the Eagle by casting of its bill Blessed be he who giueth power to the faint and increaseth strength to them that haue no might O Lord mould mine heart after the heauenlie modell of thy Law Emptie mine head and disburden mine heart of all earthlie cares that my thoughts may be whollie and entirelie spent vpon thy selfe without any turning awry from holie and heauenlie meditations The Pastour Seeing God is with you in such a spirituall power spend your short time the best yee may for his glorie and for the well of these whom yee desire to bee best in this world after you That new strength which appeareth in you at the sight of your Children remembereth me of old Iaakob lying on his death-bedde when it was tolde him that Ioseph whom he loued was come to see him it is said That Israel strengthen himselfe and satte vpon the bed The sicke Man I finde the like mercie though not in such a measure O my God fit and furnish my Soule with the sanctifying grace of thy spirit Rouse vp my Spirit whet vp my minde to feeke the thinges which are aboue Lord put a liuing Soule within this dying bodie A speach to his Children And now yee my Children gather your selues together and hearken vnto your louing Father that ye may remember well his last words Come neare mee I pray you and receiue your old Fathers blessing Let mee lay both mine handes vpon your heads that I may make my last prayer for you The Angel which redeemed mee from all euill blesse the Lads and lette them grow in multitude as fishes God make you as Ephraim and as Manasses Behold now my deare ChildreÌ„ I goe the way of all the earth keepe the charge of the Lord your God to walke in his wayes that yee may prosper in all that yee doe and whther soeuer yee turne your selues By instant prayers to God hemme in the folies of your youth In this wicked euill world striue to bee like fishes which keepe their fresh taste while they liue in saltest waters Bee carefull to consecrate the first yeeres euen the flower and pryme of your life vnto the Lord which shall bee a meanes for sanctifying the rest of your age The first borne and the first fruites vnder the Law of ceremonies were the Lords The substance thereof in the Gospel is that wee giue the Lord the best of our yeeres and the flower and strength of our age Most men in the prime of youth are both hote and headie Happie is hee who in a sober moode and colde blood passeth the time of his sojourning heere chieflie while hee is in the strength of youth By carefull culture manurance the fiercenesse of Beares and Lyons will be mitigated and tamed It is a great slight of Sathan to make young men sport in their sinnes vnder hope they may repent when they are olde But alas who is so young that can say that he shall liue vntill morrow Is it not seene that there bee as manie little as great skuls in Golgotha As soone say wee commeth the Lambe skin to the market as the olde Sheepes But thogh they who are yong were assured to become old they could not be assured of repentance which is the gift of God which hee giueth to whom and
Nowe graunt that the hope of that glorie which is to bee reuealed may bee so strong in his Soule that it may shield and fence him from the force and furie of the last assaults The nearer he draweth vnto death inlarge the chanell of thy graces like a Riuer which is broadest towards the end of its course Make his heart in the ◅orest pangs of death to bee still lifted vp towards thee And seeing Death and the Deuill mans two last enemies are euer busie the one for to fright the other for to tempt Prepare him Lord and furnish him so with thy Graces that hee may proue victorious in this last assault O gracious GOD assist him by thy force against the most violent blustering winds of the last and most fearefull temptations If Satan looke in at the doores of his heart seeking for an entrie let him neuer get so much as one chamber-roome set a part for his sojourning Make thy grace vnto him like a Sunne like a Bridegroome comming out of his Chamber to disperse the darknesse of his mistie minde Vnto his last gaspe direct him so by thy good Spirit that his Soule may cleaue so fast vnto thee that neither sinne nor sicknesse life nor death may bee able to separate him from thee Thogh thou shuld slay him yet wil hee trust in thee Faile him not now in time of neede vphold his heart in this heauie houre Let his Soule lurke vnder the winges of thy mercie till the tempest of wrath bee calmed past ouer Bee thou to him a shelter against the heauie showers of the last agonie O gracious Lord in wrath remember mercie In the multitude of thy compassions blot out his transgressions and that for the dearest drops of that sacred Blood that gushed vpon the cursed crosse Rinse and cleanse his heart from all vncleannes Giue him courage in his greatest fears Let not Death bee vnto him as a king of feare nor hee as one of the wicked whose hope doeth perish with their breath O Lord let thy Name bee vnto him like a strong tower for to hid him into the time of trouble Let this bee the cleare candle of his comfort neuer to bee quenched that Christ by his death hath for him and all the Faithfull ouercome Death and disarmed it of its sting Declare by the inward motion of thy Spirit to his Soule that the nature of death by the death of Christ is changed into a sleepe vnto all the friends of Christ who by the infinite power of his diuine Nature hath swallowed it vp in victorie and hath so digested it that now the bitternesse thereof is past As the Arke was to Noah and Zoar vnto Lot so bee thou a refuge to this faithfull Soule fighting thy battels not onelie against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers against the gouernours of darknesse of this world and against spirituall wickednesse in high places Let thy strength bee made perfect in his weaknesse As thou hast vp holden him hitherto by the strength of thy Spirit so continue with him vntill the end The battell is the Lords fight Lord for thine own cause euē for this Soule one of thy redeemed Ones obtaine thou the victorie and take the glorie to thy selfe O God both of grace and glorie seale surely vp in his bosome the pardon of all his iniquities Perfect the comfortes which thou hast begunne say vnto his Soule That heauen is not so high nor hell so low nor the world so wide as are thy mercies towards him All thy creatures haue their owne dimensions but thy mercie Lord like thy selfe is without measure Out of these infinite compassions make this sillie Soule partaker of the dearest mercies that euer rould together the relenting bowels of thy tenderest loue Heare vs Lord in all these our sutes and that for the sake of thy best beloued and onelie begotten Sonne the Lord Iesus Christ in whose Name and at whole command wee powre out our heartes to thee in that prayer which by his own sacred and most blessed mouth hee hath taught vs Our Father c. The sicke Man Lord heare thou in Heauen Blessed for euer be thy Name for such spirituall comfortes for so manie mercies I can rander nothing but the little mites of praise and thankesgiuing Mine heart is filled with songs of Gods mercie If his Spirit of grace had not vpholden mee in my first feares while as I thought I was wrapped into an infinite wrath I had certainelie beene swallowed vp with ouermuch sorrow But now blessed eternallie bee the Lord who hath made the earth to swallow vp all the floodes of temptations and tribulations which that red Dragon the Deuill a bloodie murtherer hath cast out of his mouth after mee for to carrie my Soule down head-longs to perdition Now finde I Gods word to bee true that hee is ouercome by the Blood of the Lambe Except that the Lord had beene on my side O in what a dumbe dumpe had my poore Soule beene driuen into ere now The Pastour Hee who followed Adam thorow the thicke bushes and Ionas in the bottome of the sea Hee who blessed the crooked man and made the barren fertile and the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare and the blind to see hath made his grace perfect in your weaknesse He best feeleth the pulse of our heartes and the force of our life Loth would hee bee to breake the bruised reede or to quench the smoking flaxe All men by nature are but like an vncleane Dung-hill of drosse their heartes at the first are but a den of Dragons But so soone as the Spirit of grace hath begunne to drawe the draughts and lineamentes of Gods image within the soule of a man nothing shall bee able to deface or mangle that liuelie image To all sorts of temptations Gods wisedome shall finde an out-gate Neither the traines of Sathan nor the treason of our bosome sinnes nor the terrors of hell nor the trashes of the world shall euer be able to preueale against Adirim Gods excellent Ones According as Zacharias filled with the holie Ghost prophecied It is granted vnto vs that wee beeing deliuered out of the handes of our enemies may serue him without feare The sicke Man I blesse God for such inestimable comforts Sathan hath shrewdlie assaulted mee but could not preuaile My corruptions haue beene subdued and awed by the Majestie of the Spirit of Iesus My Soule rejoyceth in GOD In the merites of Christ as in a glasse I see him a meeke a mercifull Father I am not now afraide to come to a tryall at his Tribunall I am no more dismayed for the vnquencheable flammes of the fierie lake I thinke certainelie that there was neuer a man so much beholden to my God as I am Truelie may I sing with the Psalmest I waited patientlie or the Lord and hee inclined vnto mee and heard my cry Hee
brought me out of an horrible pitte out of the myrrie clay and set my feete vpon a Rocke and established my goings He hath put a new song into my mouth euen praise vnto our God many shall see it and feare and shall trust in the Lord. O that I had breath for the setting foorth of his praise Happie is he who while he may vtter words praiseth God continuallie Blessed is that man who may call his tongue his Glorie O my Soule I charge thee by the Roes and by the Hindes of the fielde that thou cease not to praise his Might his Mercie and his Majestie O my Soule take heede and listen vnto his voyce O Iesus the great Deputie of mercie sent by the Father forsake mee not in this heauie houre Now I sore sicken so that all naturall force faileth me My words now so weaâ—…ie mee that I thinke ere it be long this bodie shall bee lodged in the place of silence But let mee intreate you Sir so long as ye shall perceiue life to bee in mee let it please you to continue in some good purpose concerning the world to come By some holie discourse rouse vp my drousie Spirit hold mine heart vpon an edge Let me not die like a senselesse Nabal of whom it is written that his heart died within him so that hee became like a stone Manie blindlie and boldlie rush into hell I beseech you Sir to waite well vpon mee till yee see the ende I thinke that ere it bee long my Soule shall bee at the farthest tryst O Lord warme my frozen Soule with the sense of the kindled compassions of the bowels of thy loue Inlighten my mistie minde cleare it with thy countenance Bee thou the comforter of my Conscience vntil the day break and the shadows flie away Take now Sir my Soule into the armes of your prayers lift it vp and lay it into that blessed bosome of my Lordes mercies Bend yet againe your knees before God in prayer that hee for his mercies sake would receiue mee into my Masters joye O but my Soule fluttereth fast within mee for to bee at my God Let it please you to bee feruent in prayer for mee that I may foile vnder my feete the Deuill Death and all the powers of hell The Deuill in death will not faile to giue mee a furious assault at the chiefest fortresse of my Saluation for to batter it downe to the ground Intreate the Lord that his mercie may bee a strong rempart and a blessed Bul-wark against all the Engines of hell which are readie bent to waste and hauock all Gods graces within mee O Lord campe thine Angels about mee Place thy Pauilions of war betweene mee and mine enemies Refresh mee more and more with thy comforts Giue mee the earnest of these joyes which passe all vnderstanding Possesse mee with the Spirit of gladnesse for that thou in mercie hast forgiuen mee my sinnes Continue so vnto the end that in the heauens for euer this may be the burden of my song For his mercie indureth for euer Let it please you Sir on whome God hath vouchsafed the Spirit of Prayer in a good and great measure to assist mee with your comforts and prayers lest by temptations I should beginne to slacke off my care and watchfulnesse The Pastour Hold fast your eye vpon Christ your Redeemer Follow him thorow the valey of death for hee hath not onelie pointed out our path but as Captaine of our Saluation hath troden euery steppe before vs Yee may well sticke a little in the narrow throate of Death but that one steppe being past yee enter into Rehoboth a place of roome farre from the reekie smoke vaine shadowes and dreames of earthlie vanitie and perishing pleasures Bee glad Sir to flit from this barren moorish ground and muddie mortalitie for to goe to a paradise a Palace a place of pleasures for euermore According to your desire wee shall returne to God by prayer A Prayer for the sicke man drawing neare to the doores of death O Father of mercies and God of all comforts in whom all goodnesse and graces are treasured let it please thee fauourablie to regard the soule of this thy seruant here whose heart panteth after thee as the wearied Hart panteth after the water brookes Refresh his Soule with the diuine dew of thy grace till it bee entered in at the gates of Glorie Powre into his hearte the sweete streames of thy loue Settle his soule in a right and vpright course so long as it remaineth in this mistie muddie mortalitie send out thy light and guide it by thy Grace till it hath passed the straites of Death for to enter into the Land of vprightnes O Father of mercies perswade him by thy Spirit that the comming of Death shall bee to him a time of discharge a time of freedome from sicknes of bodie anguish of Spirit trouble of Conscience and from all possibilitie of sinning anie more Let him know that while hee is going to the Graue hee is going to a bedde of ease where most quietlie he shall rest from all his toylesome labours Turne all feare of Death into a chearefull expectation and longing for the houre of dissolution Make quiet his Conscience that he may die with comfort O thou Sauiour of mankind whose boweles are filled with mercifull compassions spreade the wing of thy righteous garment ouer this Soule of thy seruant Thou hast shaken him with thy terrours in diuerse assaults Thou hast broght him low for to make him a fitte passenger for the little doore which leadeth vnto Glorie Leaue him not now Lord in his greatest neede Make thine Angels camped about him powerfully to assist him against al the last assaults of that euill one Thou who hast heard all his groanes registrat thou his sighs and put all his teares into thy bottels suffer not thy kindled zeale to coole in him In an holie despaire of his owne worth make him whollie to relye vpon thy meere mercies in Christe the onelie salue for sicke Soules and remeed for broken bones While hee is weakest work with thy Spirit feelinglie and powerfullie into his hearte Subdue euerie euill motion that may arise therein for the troubling of his soule Draw vp his desire aboue the pitch of all natural knowledge Banish all earthlie thinges cleane out of his minde and make all his thoughts to attend vpon thee In thy diuine might rebuke Sathan that hee interrupt not thy comforts Let him not bee able by his secret craft and vyles to steale from him the pledges of thy loue O Sonne of GOD O Sunne of Righteousnes send a quickning heate with a shining light into his sillie Soule Make thy blessed Beames to strik on his heart for to warme it with thy loue Set all his desires a floate from the moode of sinful mortalitie Thou at diuerse times hast affrighted him fearefullie with
her faire face because Hypocrisies face seemeth to be faire while it is fairded No not God will haue true faith to come out that the world may see her into works Shew mee thy Faith by thy workes Christ who desireth that the niggard or ambitious left hand know not or see not the liberalitie of the charitable right hand commandeth that wee let ouâ—… light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our Father which is in heauen The graces of Gods Spirit in a man are like a light candle No man light a Candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a Candle-sticke it giueth light to all that are in the house The good life of the godlie man should bee like a Citie sette on an hill which cannot bee hid The labourer soweth not his seede on the ground that it may still remaine hidde vnder the cloddes neither doeth God sow his graces in our heartes that there they may luâ—…k still abide secret I like not these who feare to seeme godlie left they should bee thought to be Hypocrites Euen in that are they Hypocrites that for feare they seeme to affect godlinesse will not doe good that may bee seene which would moue the true Israelits to glorifie our Father in heauen yea and also allure these to come to God who as yet are strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel I confesse that fewe bee troubled with such a feare It is a sin whereof verie few in this Land are guiltie yet seeing it is a sinne it would bee carefullie auoided Because Papists whollie relye on their workes Protestants with great scandale will onelie bragge of their Faith Thus both the one and the other against the truth of doctrine separate that which God hath joyned together The sicke Man O Lord GOD of gods O Father of euerlasting compassions whose blessed bowels did bleede vpon the crosse for to saue sinners pittie heere a fraile feeble creature yet tugging and wrestling in the Barras of this sinfull flesh Furnish mee with strength whereby I may surmount and vanquish all difficulties which are betweene my Soule and the place of its euerlasting rest I am weake forbeare mee Lord in thy great mercie Ioyne thy Grace with my griefâ—… O that I were with my Christ the Marke whereat I aime the Port whereto I saile the rest of my desires Let thy good Spirit O Lord assist mee Let thy fauour and grace bee my vade-mecum till I come to thy Glorie O who shall giue to my soule the wings of a Doue that it may flee out of the Douket of this bodie vp to its God O deare Sauiour set mee as a seale vpon thine heart Draw mee and wee shall runne after thee Holde mine heart aloft that it may onelie minde the things aboue The Pastour Lord heare thou in heauen and grant the sute of thy seruant I feare Sir that yee bee wearied with speaking As I perceiue yee force your selfe in your words aboue the reach of your strength Seeing yee trauell thus in paine of your speach spend the little space of life that resteth in holie meditations concerning the bloodie wounds of Christ your Sauiour The sicke Man Christ now is onelie my comfort I loue him with the best bowels of mine heart In the bowels of his mercie I reade by the eye of Faith most faire lines of his loue all written in great Capitall letters of an heauenlie impression Christ is to mee in stead of all for alreadie in my neede hee hath stood mee in more stead than all O in what a pitifull plight my sillie and forlorne Soule was once into Blâ—…ssed bee hee for euermore who in so great kindnesse hath shined vpon me with the blessed bright and vnspotted beames of his mercy O but my Soule panteth after him Oh how this heart of mine is euill to breake What a piece of clammie teugh clay is this that settereth so my Soule that by no meanes can it bee loosed from it that it may soare vp to its God from griefe to glorie O that I were with him with whom I shall not want the thing that I can wish Now Lord the time is come pull off mee the dull wiede of sinfull mortalitie and cloath my soule in white with the Robe of Christes righteousnesse that it may followe the Lambe O but I am wearied My Soule longeth to see the Face of my God The Pastour Waite vpon the Lords will when it is time hee will open the prison doore and let your Soule flie vp to your Glorie Thinke on Heauen still Mount vp your minde to your Maker who shall shortlie roofe with Glorie the graces which hee hath reared vp into your heart Let the hope of these thinges hearten you in the mudde and myre of this sinfull mortalitie The sicke man O Lord pittie this Soule which I haue defiled and defaced with scarlet transgressions and crimsin iniquities Thou hast begunne the good worke in me It is now neere to perfection Put to now the last hand and perfect the worke Rub out perfectlie with the Blood of thy Lambe the least staines which sticke in my Soule that while thou shalt look vpon mee thou may know mee to bee thy redeemed one by the stampe of thine owne Image O Lord fixe mine heart so into thine owne heart that nothing bee able to pull it out without pulling out thine owne It hath beene like a crooked twigge O writh it so nowe the right way that it may bee according to thine owne heart The Pastour Lord heare thou in Heauen and graunt the sute of thy Seruant Let nothing bee able to tickle tempt or trouble his Soule Be of good heart Sir the Battell is neare an end Fight out the good fight finish your course and keepe the Faith hence-foorth is laide vp for you a Crowne of righteousnesse which the LORD shall giue you at that day Make now full proofe of your courage which shall shortlie be couered with a Crown Hold out still in your holie exercise till your change come The sicke Man I wearie of this cottage of claye I am at a point with all that is vnder the Sunne I care not for this worlds fauour no more for its frowne But O but my Soule longeth to be with my Lord that I may see his face with fulnesse of joye O thou with whom nothing is impossible make the scales of mortalitie to fall from mine eyes that I may fee thee before euen as thou art My Soule longeth to be out of this myry lak of miserie for to dwell with thee into the Pallace of immortalitie O when shall I get ridde of these sinfull bonds O Sauiour of mankind giue eare vnto my sute Deliuere mee from this seeming life that I may die to liue the life of pleâ—…sures for euermore O drawe drawe out this Soule entombed into this bodie Before
Pastour hee is come hee is come whom my Soule loueth I am my Beloueds his desire is towards mee The lost sheepe is found The vnthriftie Son is come home againe All the snares of destruction are broken My Soule is escaped like a Birde I am now at a point infinitlie desirous rather to goe to my God than to sojourneanie more on earth Mine heart is more in God than in my selfe I haue a begunne possession of Heauen by the first fruites I looke for perfection in fulnesse of joye and pleasures fore euermore O blessed Iesus set me as a Seale vpon thine heart O deare Sauiour the Roote and the Rocke of my Saluation loe I come stretch out thine Armes and take my Soule into thy bosome yet a little while and I shall bee no more a stranger vvith thee and a sojourner The Pastour O blessed bee our God for euermore who hath made you to triumph so ouer all your enemies after such vnuterable groanes of griefe where your mind was sore perplexed at the first Hold fast now that which yee haue Your heart is now richlie stored with the true treasures of godlinesse Yee are but sipping of these joyes wherof in Heauen ye shal drink in a full cup. The sicke Man Christ the Lord is mine Hee is mine Hee is to mee hoth in life and death aduantage My comforts are in my Bosome The Angelicali Guardes are heere about mee I dye in the Faith of Iesus Come euen Lord Iesus come quicklie and loose this Soule a prisoner in clay groning to bee at liberty O my Soule returne vnto thy rest for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Now may I say This poore man cryed and the Lord hath heard him deliuered him out of all his troubles The Pastour The Lord is with you who ere it be long shall fulfill all your hearts desires yea hee shall doe aboue all that yee can thinke or wish Now Sir yee haue him whom your soule loueth His Spirit is in the verie bosome of your heart Hold fast the grip yee haue Dye in his Armes sleepe in the blessed bosome of your God Full libertie is at the doore readie to enter in Yet a little and yee shall haue a joyfull meeting with Christ and all his Angels in the Kingdome of your Father Till yee come out of this bodie sticke fast by Faith to Christ your Redeemer Claime boldlie that which hee hath deerelie purchased by his Blood O deare Iesus his Staffe and his Strength wrape now his Soule into the white winding-sheete of thy righteousnesse While hee hath life liue thou in him that while he breaths hee may liue to thee and after death may liue with thee for euer Let neither life nor death bee able to separate him from thy loue The neerer death approacheth for to separate his Soule from his bodie d◅aw thou the neerer vnto his Soule till thy Spirit the Spirit of Life fullie finallie in all perfection liue into him the Soule of his Soule Fixe your eye nowe vpon the heart of Christ deadlie wounded for your transgressions Behold that Speare-hole in his heart which hee suffered for to sa◅e you Consider his bleeding woundes all dropping the balme of mercie which hath proceeded from the bowels of his compassions Hee it is who hath died for your sinnes and is risen againe for your righteousnesse The sicke Man I know that my Redeemer liueth his blood of an vnualuable price is the onelie ransome of my Soule Hee onelie is the joye of mine heart and the health of my countenance The Pastour Holde fast that confidence Let your Soule repare vnto the euerlasting Armes of his loue Shroud shelter your selfe vnder the winges of the Almightie Yee are nowe neere the ende of the Race The Lord guarde you with his Grace that no temptation of Satan be able trippe your heele before that yee be entered in his rest Nowe the lowring showring seede-time of teares is past and the Haruest of joye is hard at hand Now Sir Christ is at the doore Beholde hee standeth at the doore and knockes hee is nowe for to suppe with you on earth that yee may suppe with him for euer in the Heauens Behold hee is with you The sicke Man I haue found him whom my Soule loueth I will surelie hold him and will not let him goe My Soule hath already taste of the fruite of Canaan by the report of the spye of my faith Christ now is mine The Pastour Seeing yee haue him wrap your soule into the bowels of his euerlasting compassions waite on perfectiō is the last gift Lift vp continuallie the eyes of your spirit to the worthy woundes of Iesus In them behold read in great Capitall characters the vnspeakable loue of the Father The sicke Man O Lord I haue waited for thy Saluation Remember mee nowe while as thou art into thy Kingdome Father into thine handes I commend my Spirit my Soule I giue to thee who hast giuen it to mee The Pastour Now Sir your wished houre is come Christ is laying his Arm◅s about you for to receiue your Soule in his bosome Solace your selfe in your Sauiour who hath made it free of al weights that swiftly without anie let it may flee vp to its God O the loue of Iesus towardes you Hee hath not onelie beene an Inte◅cessour to pray for you but an Advocatalso to pleade for you By the vertue of his Blood your cause is win And therefore homage ye now your heart sealed with the sense of his loue Yeelde and surrender your Soule into the Armes of his mercie that hee may perfect his graces in you with glorie in immortalitie The sicke Man Lord Iesus receiue my Spirit and glad it with thy glorie The Pastour He againe is fallen into a traunce His battell is now neere an end Let vs waite a little see what he doth Hee now beginneth a little for to stir There is yet some life into him as I perceiue Now Sir be glad Christ is knocking at the doore for to call foorth your Soule from bondage to libertie from your banishment to an heauenlie home from a prison of paine to a palace of pleasures for euermore That we may haue assurance that ye die in the Faith of Iesus shew vs some signe Lift vp your hand in token that yee are assured to goe to God Behold how he hath lifted vp his hand Cortenet quod lingua tacet His hande telleth what is in his heart O but this poore Soule since the beginning of this bloodie Battell hath beene miserablie mangled howed and hacked vpon by most bitter and bloodie temptations what carnall what spirituall Now blessed bee God from all his troubles he is come to his good things We are all oblished to giue praise vnto God who hath set out this man before vs as an excellent example and mirrour of his mercie It is the
of the Resurrection Let the meditations of Gods mercie and promised fauour rouse vp your Soules from that lumpishnesse and melancholious drowsinesse which may creep in into your hearts in this troublous time Striue to bound and fence your heartes about deligentlie with the thoughts of Gods Fatherlie fauour who shall neuer leaue you fatherlesse Though your father be dead yet God is aliue Now Sir yee who aâ—…t the elder bee yee the more thankfull to God who hath giuen you the first place Shew good example vnto the yonger Oppresse them not but rather bee a father vnto them By your good counsell striue to make them plyable and frameable to Gods will reuealed in his word As for you who are yonger ones bee not discouraged for often grace maketh the yonger to bee the elder and sinne maketh the elder the yonger So Iacob found the blâ—…ssing though Esau was the first borne It is Vertue that maketh the Heire Let your heartes therefore relye vpon the Lord Let him bee the caruer of all your cares If yee depend on him yee shall not want Hee who created the world without matter and preserueth it without meanes is God all sufficient who can easilie finde out meanes for the maintenance of al these that by faith can laye claime to his promise If wealth bee expedient for you the Lord will giue you a large allowance till hee make your Cuppe to ouer flow But if otherwise hee hath appointed to exercise you with pouertie know that he who hath the hearts of all men in his hands can easilie for your comfort stirre vp some who by their liberalitie towards you shall prouide themselues bags vvhich waxe not olde If yee can bend your whole endevour to the seruice of your God hee shall satisfie you with the prouisions of his mercie But if otherwise yee become lewde and prophane haunting euill companie the verie canker and cut-throate of all godlinesse yee shall neuer prosper no not though by a painefull drudgerie ye should draw out the verie life-blood of your hearts It is not earlie rising noâ—… late going to bedde but Gods blessing that enricheth Now the Lord of grace blesse you mine hearts The Lord teach you to set seale these comforts with prayers patience vpon your hearts And seeing the dayes are now euill euen the dregges of dayes I intreate the most High to graunt you grace hour lie to renâ—…w and strengthen your watch that your hearts spirits may be preserued vnblamable and that vntill the day of his most glorious appearance AMEN A diuine and heauenly discourse fit to be read to these that are conueened in the house of mourning that thereby the liuing may be remembered of their mortalitie DEarlie Beloued this our godlie Friend one of Gods excellent Ones is now deceased that peacâ—…ablie like a Lambe into the armes oâ—… his God who hath euer lasting lie fast bund his Soule in the bundle of life The death of such is often a fearfull preâ—…age of much anger and euill to come His Soule is now glorious in the Heauens like a Starre new created in the Skie It is now liuing the life of God aboue where it is filled with the infusion of that 〈◊〉 which wee haue heere on earth 〈◊〉 by imputation Hee hath now alâ—… God and all that is in God in â—…speakable perfection beeing in that place where God is all in all At last after sore fighting and bitter bickering as diuerse godlie persons haue seene through the bent browes of an angrie Iudge hee hath seene the yearning and relenting bowels of a louing Father Now after his Battell ended he hath 〈◊〉 the Spirit Clepsydrâ—… 〈◊〉 his houre glasse is now runne out and his Soule is come to its wished home where it is free from the fetters of flesh Nowe from the â—…hanging turnes of time hee is at last come to Eternitie Thorow many seas of â—…orrows both bitter and brimie hath he sailed before that hee could ariue at that blessed Port. Our hearts cannot be but sorrowfull to bee depriued of such comfortable companie as was â—…is But here iâ—… our comfort and the matter of our joye hee is well and shall bee so for euer By the mercie of his God hee is now passed ouer thâ—… knoppes of the mountaines of miserie and thorow the muddie myres of sinfull mortalitie thorow fearefull tryals and troubles euen from the dyets of grace to the dainties of glorie from the Villages of this world vnto euerlasting 〈◊〉 farre aboue the rolling wheele of all changeable pleasures and smarting paines Poore mans life on earth is like a restlesse whirle-gigge whirled about The mouing heauens are the place of our rest and the resting earth is the place of our restlesse motions The way of this life as wee may see is not adorned with Violets and Roses No not It is full of rubs and thornes and pricking whinnes of piercing griefe O with what paines hath his sillie Soule sought vp the sweete streames of Gods mercie 〈◊〉 to the Fountaine it selfe which is 〈◊〉 to the Heauens God in great mercie hath now 〈◊〉 last after manie dolours and bitter bickerings put his Spirit into the acâ—… tuall and full possession of his 〈◊〉 all joyes Through fyre and water 〈◊〉 Lord hath broght him out into a 〈◊〉 place Now he is free from the bodie of bondage which did hang so fast 〈◊〉 His Soule is set out of the reach of 〈◊〉 troubles and sublunary toyes Now blessed bee our God hee is no 〈◊〉 lyable to our sinfull mortalitie into this earth a gulfe of corruption God at last hath recompenced his light affliction with an euerlasting weight of glorie O but he hath had a painefull time in his sicknes with manie deepe sigh and heauie groane hath hee beene heard in his feares His face could neuer bee dryed for teares continuallie trickling ouer his cheekes Happie is hee now for all the cloudes of his sinnes haue bene dissolued by the raine of mournâ—…full teares where with all Soules must be baptised before that they can be members of the Church Triumphant Now blessed bee God all his teares and his trauels are turned into triumphes If men shedde not â—…eares on earth God cannot wypt them away in heauen All as wee must fight the good fight before â—…hey can catch the Crowne Let vs all learne in him and in â—…his House of mourning to see and conâ—…der the end of vs all that while wee are liuing wee may lay it to our hearts and make it a matter of our nights meditations Happie and thrise happie is hee that can practise that saying of Iob All the dayes of mine appointed time will I waite till changing come It is good that wee euer bee watchfull vpon our guarde well prepared for our last departure and finall accounts No man can â—…ll how soone hee shall bee arraigned in the great