Jesus receive my spirit Acts 7.59 or with Christ himself Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23.46 and if God seem to be angry at that time then let him interpose the Death of his Son between his Wrath and his own soul in his last prayers saying (c) Hosius in Confess petrocoviens c. 13. I enterpose the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ betwixt me and thine anger no otherwise do I contend with thee And if he say to him Thou art a sinner let him answer Lord I put the Death of the Lord Jesus Christ betwixt thee and my sins If he say Thou hast deserved Damnation say I set the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ betwixt me and my bad merits and I offer his Merits instead of the merits which I ought to have but yet have not Thus I instruct the dying Christian to pray as men were taught many hundred years agone and therefore I beseech you that you will lay up these sayings in your hearts as Mary the thrice blessed Virgin the Shepherds words Luke 2.19 that so you may be able with much readiness to prompt them and to make use of them according to Faith and in Faith to your unutterable and endless Comfort which the Lord of Life in mercy grant unto you Let me add a few Incentives and then I have done So doing as hath been shewed in all these Rules and Directions you shall purchaseto your selves 1. Much Boldness 2. Much Quietness 3. Much Chearfulness 1. Much Boldness There is a twofold Boldness 1. A Well-grounded 2. A Groundless The one is good the other is bad 1. The good and Well-grounded I mean which proceedeth 1. From Righteousness and an holy walking with God which maketh a man as bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 For as the * Hemin l. 1. c. 105. Lyon being pursued by the Hunter doth not hide but rather shew himself and counteth it a great shame to flee yea * Isidore Etymol l. 6. looketh the Hunter in the very face and is not affrighted or daunted but rather encouraged So careful holy Walkers do not flie or shrink or fear or hide their faces but shew themselves most when death is nearest and are bold even to look him in the face as we may note in the three Children when they were threatned with death yea with a most grievous and extraordinary Death Dan. 3.18 and in divers holy Martyrs I 'll instance but in one * Ignatius Epist ad Pim. de Smyrna per Ephes O that I might but once enjoy those Beasts said Ignatius which are prepared for me and which I wish may quickly consume me and not being terrified abstain from me as they did from others and if they will not touch me I 'll impel and urge them Forgive me I know what is expedient for me let the Fire the Cross the constancy of Beasts Abscision Separation confraction of all my Members and a dissolution of my whole body and all Satans whips come to me that I may win Christ Thus he 2. From a holy Confidenc in God upon former experiences for such as be so careful to walk so holily as hath been formerly shewed cannot but find much sweetness in God and receive many tokens of love and favour from God Psal 31.19 20. so that needs they must be very confident in their lives bold at last in their death The Hebricians call therefore Boldness Betac Confidence because it proceedeth from it and the (b) Aqum 2. Sent. dist 26. q. 1. a. 3. Schools define it by Considence II. Much Quietness For 1. There can be no such discord as is and must be in careless providers for Death between 1. The Law of God and their own Consciences because they strive to the utmost to agree with it that it may not prove in the end their greatest adversary So Austin understands our Saviours speech Mat. 5.25 2. Hope and Reason for Reason it self cannot but reason for them upon such grounds drawn from holy Writ as cannot be denied For instance that one pregnant passage 2 Pet. 1.10 11. cannot but afford such a Premise as must needs infer for them a most firm Conclusion that entrance shall be ministred unto them upon their diligence in making their Calling and Election sure by an Holy Walking into the everlasting lasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Christ 3. God himself and them for In every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him Acts 10.35 and as without Faith its impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 so with and by Faith a man cannot but please God and so be at peace with God Rom. 5.1 2. They that shall follow these Rules shall fix their minds upon the Lord 's never-failing Promises according to one of the said Rules and therefore they must needs be very quiet stayed and firm for the Promises are most firm even Yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 and therefore they that stay themselves in them must needs be so too even as he that buildeth upon a Rock builded firmly and as he that standeth upon a Rock stands firmly Hence when an holy Man was asked how he could pass his last sickness so without any trouble he answered That he did ever eye that excellent promise in Esa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because be trusteth in thee True it is that some holy Walkers and eminent Believers as Mr. Glover Mr. Peacock and others have been much troubled for all this in their latter end which may seem to cross what I have said but their trouble was not perpetual For fiâ—st They had comfort at last 2. Was rather a kind of peace then a war for their trouble was a war with Satan Now our war with Satan as Tertullian saith truly Is our peace because it brings peace at last 3. Was extraordinary whereas ordinarily an holy walking and confidence brings quietness and so I desire to be understood I close up therefore the prosecution of this second Incentive with a Speech like unto that which an Hebrew Interpreter made to King Ptolomy asking him How he might be at rest when he Dreamed Let Piety be the scope of all thy sayings and doings for by applying all thy Discourses and Works to excellent things whether thou sleepest or wakest thou shalt have quiet rest in regard of thy self Thus he And as he said to him so say I unto you would ye die and sleep up quietly then do as he advised him and put your trust in the Lord withall and it will be so 3. Much chearâ—ulness which is a higher degree of comfort being Positive wheras quietness is Negative comfort I or 1. There is not such cause and matter of discomfort and sadness in such as do so carefully provide for death and labour to die in and according to Faith as in other loose and careless persons who 1. Quench the Spirit that should comfort them
us and saile with us and go and take Heaven and take it freely or thus as I alleadged the words above Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the Water of Life freely and therefore how may we suppose that poor needy souls and such as have no money that is nothing of their own to stand upon Isa 55.1 2. and have any desires to be saved and to be so well seated and provided for will by God's blessing going with our preaching strive and stir and use all means possible to purchase such an estate and such a stately seat at so cheap and easie a rate going with us and going away from all that they have and from whatsoever is near and dear to them to be so near to God 3. Ground It cries up Zeal saying as it is written Enter ye at the strait Gate for wide is the Gate and broad is the Way that leads to Destruction and many there be which go in thereat because strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leads to Life and few there be that find it Mat. 7.13 14. And so run that you may obtain 1 Cor. 9.24 and be zealous and repent Rev. 3.19 which when it is earnestly powerfully preached and pressed upon a people and sounds into their ears so awakeneth their slumbering Consciences as that they cannot sleep as they were wont in their Pues nor be quiet but must needs stir and needs look about and begin with God's blessing to take the same course that Saints take that they may take Heaven it being with them then as it was with those dead dry bones in Ezekiel for as there when the Prophet prophesied There was a noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together bone to his bone ver 7. So here when God's Ministers prophesie and preach with power there usually will be a noise whereas before all was quiet one crying one thing another another and behold a shaking for such Ministers make Drunkards and Usurers and unclean persons and careless ones shake in their seats and then bone comes to his bone my meaning is this men come together crying and saying What shall we do to be saved as the Jaylor Acts 16.30 Again bone comes to his bone in that those which are out of joynt and out of order and out of the Body of Christ come to be restored joyned jointed united with God with Christ with Christians I mean good Christians that they may be saved or thus as when there is a fire in a house seen and cryed by night men will be startled at it and roused and raised so when the Fire of Zeal is kindled in God's House and cryed and seen by such as were asleep it being night and dark with them by reason of the darkness which is in them they must needs be awakened excited troubled like those in Acts 2.37 4. Ground It will take away the * For all men before they come to Christ are vailed us Rebecca before she came to Isaac Gen. 24.65 and like the Jews See 2 Cor. 3. 14 15 16. Vail which is over all mens faces in that it will make men see what they never saw by reason of that blindness and ignorance which was in them opening their eyes through the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Acts 26.18 by the plain and light-bringing Manifestation of the everlasting Gospel preached as it ought to be preached that all men that hear it may see clearly what they are and how it is with them and especially shewing them the Lord Christ with these or the like words Loc the fairest of all men Psal 45.2 or Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world John 1.29 which when poor sinners hear and see O how they are taken with it O how it works upon their spirits O how they begin to long to love to desire to be with the Father of spirits and how they be ravisht with the Beauties of Christ seeing what had not been shewen and told them so before and considering what they had not heard so before as it is written For that which had not been told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they consider Isa 52.15 5. Ground It takes away all excuses vain conceits and opinions which hinder the coming of Christ into their hearts for some will say that they cannot yet come to Christ to be saved by Christ either by reason of business or because they are intangled with a wife I mean Mistris Pleasure or Lust like those Luke 14.13 19 20. And besides these there are many in many places who have a conceit and opinion that they are come to Christ already and do beleive in Christ when they do not but are deceived by a mist or black †ibi oculus qui per nebulam aut aquam inspicit res metitur falso modo sic animus qui per opinionis nubem Lips de Const l 1. cap. 5. Cloud of confused knowledge and mistaken grounds now this is done away in Christ by a Christ-Preaching-Ministry which brings them to yea into Christ 2 Cor. 3.19 For this Ministry tells them that no such excuses pretences lets will serve to keep them from Jesus Christ who is better than Ground better than Cattel better than all the profits of all the world and is infinitely to be preferred before Wives Sons and Daughters for he can save us but they cannot so that he may better say the words of Elkanah than any man breathing or thing existing Am not I better to thee than Ten Sons and better than Ten Wives and better than Ten Livings nay better than Ten thousand Worlds if there were so many See 1 Sam. 1.8 Again saith this Ministry to take down their high Conceits and good Opinions of their present estates and conditions You are meerly deceived as those 2 Tim. 3.13 for you * As the Disciples took Christ to be a Spirit so they contrariwise take that evil spirit and his deceits to be Christ Mat. 14.26 take Satans delusions to be Christ and a temporary or dogmatical faith for saving Faith having your minds and consciences defiled and denying God in your deeds though you be Professors and because you are to every good work Reprobates as those who want that true saving Faith which is so far above your temporary and dogmatical Faith as Heaven is above the Earth Tit. 1.15 16. Moreover saith this Ministry to such as think that they are in the state of Salvation when they are all the while in the state of Hell and Damnation Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with mankind nor Theeves nor â—…tous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor â—…tortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10. and such are some of you And it come to pass saith this Ministry further if there be any
and roar in prayer and yet in vain unless we continue in prayer and though we contend never so much yet is it to no end unless we contend so long by our violent Intreaties with God till we have our errands end O my Brethren this is the very Life the Soul the Art the Master-peice of right Praying by it we must needs carry Heaven nay with it we shall win the very God of Heaven even by Force Force your selves therefore my Brethren so to invocate the Name of God and to draw near to the Throne of Grace for Grace even Grace to help in a time of need Heb. 4.16 nay go and strive by many Prostrations before the Throne of Grace and mighty and uncessant Encountrings with God to become Overcomers of God saying to God as once Jacob said I will not let thee go tili thou bless me Gen. 1. By Violent Intreaties for the Effectual Fervent Prayer of a righteous Man availes much Jam. 5.17 O it presseth into the Presence of God it breaks through whole Hosts of hostile Powers it chargeth through the thickest Troups of Oppositions it mounts up beyond the Stars it penetrates the Heavens nay it towrs up beyond all aspectable Heavens and never ceases towring till it enters the very Heaven of Heavens where it wrestles with the God of Heaven for Heaven and never gives him over till by Force it hath won Heaven And therefore let this mighty Champion which we call Wrestling enter the Lists with God for you that Heaven may be taken by you Which God in mercy grant unto you 2. With uncessantly Violent Intreaties For Pray continually saith Christ Luke 18. 1. and With all Perseverance saith the Apostle Ephes 6.18 which is much more For in this Direction is a Climax or Gradation from much to much more For to pray uncessantly is as much beyond Violent Intreaties as the Sun is beyond the Moon in that as the Moon can have no light without the Sun so we without Perseverance in Prayer can see no light of God's Countenance beaming upon us no help to assist us no strength to enable us for high things to be attempted by us there we may cry and roar in prayer and yet in vain unless we continue in prayer and though we contend never so much yet is it to no end unless we contend so long by our violent Intreaties with God till we have our errands end O my Brethren this is the very Life the Soul the Art the Master-peice of right Praying by it we must needs carry Heaven nay with it we shall win the very God of Heaven even by Force Force your selves therefore my Brethren so to invocate the Name of God and to draw near to the Throne of Grace for Grace even Grace to help in a time of need Heb. 4.16 nay go and strive by many Prostrations before the Throne of Grace and mighty and uncessant Encountrings with God to become Overcomers of God saying to God as once Jacob said I will not let thee go tili thou bless me Gen. 32.26 When a City or Citadel is beleagured the great Guns go off often and when they cease the Country concludes that it is taken And so must our Prayers which are our Canons as * Bombardae Christianorum Luther Luther was wont to call them go off often when we go to win Heaven that is even indesinently the same time when we are about it crying as the little Children did once Mat. 21.9 Hosanna Hosanna that is Now save now save even again and again first here in this Temple from your very hearts and when ye are come home from your Closets your doors being shut and never give over crying so and discharging your great Canons so till you have won Heaven that is never come out of your Chambers after they have been shut till you have gotten some assurances from Heaven that you shall have Heaven concluding so because God hath heard them and as it were told them that Heaven is taken by them But here I must resolve two Cases of Conscience 1. Case The first is Sir we have heard all this and yet there is no stirring after all this some will say and therefore what shall we do in this Case To this I answer in four Conclusions 1. There may be no stirring with some of you because you are not yet effectually called and spoken to nor yet blown upon by the Spirit of God John 6.44 like those dry bones in Ezek. 37.2 even very dry so as that there was no stirring among them at all till after when the Prophet prophesied to them and the Wind that is the Spirit of God which is like Wind did breath upon them 2. Conclusion There may be no stirring with some of you as yet because your time is not come yet some are called the third some the sixth hour some the ninth some the eleventh hour Mat. 20.3 5 6. 3. Conclus If there be no stirring with you because you are not yet effectually called nor have been blown upon by the Spirit of God then you must pray to the Lord that this my preaching now at last may work upon you and there may be a stirring among you as thus O our God say Let this man's preaching to us belike Ezekiels prophesying For Lord hast not thou sent him saying Go and prophesie to these dead dry bones which are in that Town of T that they may live and wilt not thou bless his prophesying to our souls O that there were a shaking among us as there was among those bones O most mighty God let there be such a shaking and such a stirring among us now at last after all this prophesying that we may stand upon our feet as a great and terrible Army with Banners Cant. 6.11 and take Heaven by Force Or thus As Moses prayed Numb 14.17 And now I beseech thee let the Power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken So let every one of you now cry and say to Lord And now I beseech thee let the Power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken So let every one of you now cry and say to the Lord And now I beseech thee let the Power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live Ezek. 37.5 and Verily verily I say unto you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live John 5.24 Lord I am dead cause me to hear his Voice this hour this time that I may stir and live O this stirring it is that which must work must move our hearts must remove our affections must elevate our spirits must collocate our souls in a capacity and ability to attain to high atchivements and therefore I advise you so much and perswade you so earnestly to beg it 4. Conclus But if your time
of Heaven And therefore imprint them all in your memories that so those everlasting Spirits of yours breathed into your bodies by the All-powerful God I mean your Souls may feed on them and sill themselves with them and be revived by them so consequently with such Honey-sweet-Cordials strengthening them may go hence when the time of their departure is come to God your Heavenly Father as Sampson to his Father with Honey in his mouth for he came eating Judg. 14.9 The third Principle You must make it sure that you have faith by an infallible Tryal 2 Cor. 13.5 trying your selves often by these three never-deceiving Signs 1. A thorow Humiliation Acts 2.37 2. A thorow Purgation from sin even every known sin so as that none reigns or rules in the heart Acts 15.9 3. A thorow Sanctification Acts 26.18 manifesting it self by a constant and earnest endeavour to walk in all God's Holy Commandments in general Luke 1.6 and by love unfained in special I mean that singular Love which the true Believer bears to God in Christ above all seeking his Glory in all things and more then all things and to the Châ—â—dren of God for God Gal. 6.5 1 John 3.14 Of which love St. * Aug. de Trin. l. 8. c. 7. Austin saith truly That a man knoweth more the love with which he loveth then his Brother whom he loves The Fourth Principle You are to make use of your Faith when death approacheth as the state of a dying Believer requireth it observing these ensuing Rules The First Rule A dying Believer must set his House in order Isa 38. and if he be free and of ability and have not done so before make his last Will and Testament according to Faith believing verily that God will be a Father to his Children if he be a Father and a Husband to his Wife if a Husbard and that he will bless that well-gotten Estate which he leaveth to his God-fearing Posterity whether it be much or little so as that they shall find content in it and so far forth as his blessing of it shall make for their good The Second Rule He must according to Faith possess his Soul in * Cum eâ—iâ—â— Deus sit qui nos castigat is misericordiae suae non obliviscatur cur it a nos conficimur marere cur solvimur in ejulator Cur murmuramus fremimus Doctor Daniel Tisianus in Lament 4.39 Patience eying by Faith such places as these Isa 26.3 Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 The consideration whereof caused an ancient * Aug. in Psal 36. Cenc 2. Doctor to say most aptly When thou dost consider what thou art to receive all the things that thou sufferest here imagine the most bitter pains pangs which thou must undergoe in thy last and sorest sickness will be vile unto thee neither wilt thou esteem them worthy for which thou shouldst receive it Thou wilt wonder that so much is given for so small a labour For indeed Brethren for everlasting rest everlasting labour should be undergone being to receive everlasting felicity thou oughtest to sustain everlasting sufferings but if thou shouldest undergoe everlasting labour when shouldst thou come to everlasting felicity So it cometh to pass that thy tribulation must needs be Temporal that it being finished thou mayest come to infinite felicity But yet Brethren there might have been long tribulation for eternal Felicity That for example because our felicity shall have no end our misery and our tribulations add sickness in special should be of long continuance for admit they should continue a thousand years weigh a thousand years with eternity Why dost thou weigh that which is finite be it never so great with that which is infinite Ten thousand years ten hundred thousand if we should say and a thousand thousand which have an end cannot be compared with Eternity So Macarius the Eygptian Anchorete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar Hom. 15. Touching the Gift which Christians shall inherit this a man may rightly say that if any one from the time Adam was created unto the very end of the world did fight against Satan and undergo afflictions add or should be so long visited with the most grievous sickness he should do or suffer no great matter in respect of the Glory that he shall inherit for he shall reign with Christ without end 3. Let him give good instructions to the Survivers according to Faith like Jacob Gen. 49.2 3 4 c. and like (e) Dr. Hill in his Directions to die well p. 129. St. Austin who being near his end said Nature compelleth me to be dissolved I according to the Scripture phrase am to go the way of my fore-Fathers Now Christ inviteth me now I desire to see celestial Sights O keep you the Faith think you also that ye are mortal men Let this be your care to keep the Commandments of God if you regard me or keep any remembrance of me your Father think of these things savour these things do these things 4. Let him take his fill and farewel of Repentance viewing confessing and lamenting his sins as much as he can according to Faith and in Faith that is believing verily that he shall see them no more again for ever even as the Children of Israel saw the Egyptians of whom they were so much afraid no more again for ever Exod. 14.13 5. When he is brought to the very confines of that King of fear so as that now forthwith he must yield up his Ghost then let him even sleep up in Faith and die in the Lord according to Faith Rev. 14.13 I 'll explicate my meaning herein by these few Directions 1. Let him now eye the Promises formerly gathered for the same purpose like those antient Believers Heb. 11.13 2. Let him labour to be perswaded of them as they were Ibidem 3. Let him even imbrace the Lord Christ in the arms of his faith as old Simeon imbraced him in the armes of his body believing verily 1. That he died for him in particular that he might not die the death which is eternal Gal. 2.20 2. That he purchased Heaven for him in particular as the Author of his Salvation Heb. 5.9 like sweet (b) Guillermus de vita St. Bernard l. 1. c. 12. St. Bernard who when he seemed to stand before God's dreadful Tribunal in a grievous sickness told Satan accusing him That he for his part was not worthy indeed of everlasting Life but that his Lord and Saviour Christ having a twofold right to it by inheritance and by vertue of his passion was contented with the one and did impart unto him the other So let him perswade himself in like manner and answer the same Accuser of the Brethren in the same words if he trouble him as at such a time he is wont to do with his accusations to drive him to desparation 3. Let him pray in Faith to the Lord saying either with Stephen the Proto-Martyr Lord
2. Grieve the Spirit that should comfort them Whereas careful providers for death rather 1. Blow up the good motions and workings of the Spirit as much as in them lyeth by their careful and holy walking and applying of the Lord's Promises so that needs they must feel more joy and comfort then others that do not so even as one that bloweth up Coals doth feel more heat then he which suffers them to go out 2. Please the Spirit of God and cherish his motions by their conformity to his Nature in that they labour to be as Spiritual as possible they may and so consequently to partake of his Nature so as that the Spirit being pleased and cherished cannot but please and cherish them again as they please and cherish him for if we that usually are very unkind and ungrateful yet cannot but be kind to those that be kind to us and make much of them as they make much of us how much more will that most kind and holy Spirit of God chear up those that cherish him and make much of them as they make much of him See Acts 9.31 how therefore they that walked in the fear of the Lord are also said to walk in the Comforts of the holy Ghost 2. Such are most fit for comfort and joy For 1. The muchness of Grace which is in them and procedeth from them cannot but be evidently seen and observed by them and cause them to joy in it and to be even exceeding glad for it like a man that hath and finds a treasure that was hid in his field see Mat. 13.44 Now the finding of such a Treasure will chear up the heart 2. The enlargment of their holy desires and endeavours cannot but procure joy which is an Laetitia quasi latitia enlargement of the Heart Psal 119.32 and is given to holy and careful walkers as a gracious remuneration from God Psal 97.11 3. Holy walkers and careful providers for death cannot but attain to a most happy consecution of that good which they desire even the enjoying of Christ by Faith a cognition or knowledge of the same consecution which is * Delectatio requirit consecutionem boni convenientis et consecutionis cognitionem Tho. Aquin. 1.2 q. 32. a. 1. required unto delectation as well as the consecution it self so that they cannot but rejoyce more or less sooner or later with that joy which is called Unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1.7 8. or at least with a lesser degree of joy if God for causes best known to himself be pleased to suspend and to deny that higher degree of rejoycing 4. They are in a manner in Heaven already and Heaven is in them in that they mind nothing almost but Heaven as I shewed that men ought so to do so as that they cannot but joy in that which is so full of joy enjoying the very same objective Happiness with the Saints in Heaven though not the same subjective Happiness as not being yet capable of it for if he that is but in a Goldsmiths shop cannot but receive some splendor from the Gold that is in it how much more shall they that mind nothing but Heaven and so have their conversation in Heaven partake also more or less of that Joy Blessedness which is in Heaven and which the true Believer seeth as it were and beholds by his Faith and seeing admireth and admiring in a manner possesseth for by Hope we are saved already saith the Apostle Rom. 8.24 * Arist 2. Rhetor 11. Aristotle saith expresly That Admiration is the cause of Joy and Delectation because it maketh us hope that we shall acquire something which is delectable and joyful And therefore conceive ye what Joy the vision taking possession of Heaven it self which is so rare and so full of admiration must needs cause in a truly serious savingly believing mind For your greater delight and encouragement I 'll here set down some of those triumphant passages which some careful Providers for Death have uttered to this purpose a little before they were by Death unmanned I feel a light said * Fox Justus Jusbery one of Christ's blessed Martyrs which refreshes me with joy far above that which I am able to express desiring nothing more now then to be dissolved and to be with Christ So Adolphus Clarebachius Martyr at his death I believe there is not a merrier heart in the world at this instant than mine And for my part said Mr. Deering as concerning death I feel such joy of spirit that if I should have the sentence of lise on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather chuse a thousand times seeing God hath appointed the separation the sentence of death than the sentence of life So Mr. John Holland a fruitful Minister of God's Word having the day before he dyed continued his Meditation and Exposition upon Rom. 8. for the space of two hours or more said on a sudden O stay your reading what Brightness is this that I see have ye lighted any Candles No said one it is the Shunshine Sunshine said he No it is my Saviours Shine Now farewel world welcome Heaven the Day-Star from on high hath visiced my heart O speak it when I am gone and preach it at my Funeral for he spake to a Minister c Mr. Leigh in his Sermon intitled The Souls Solace against Sorrow p. 17. who relates it God deals familiarly with men I feel his Mercy I see his Majesty whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God he knows but I see things unutterable O what a happy change shall I make from night to day from darkness to light from death to life from sorrow to solace Thus joyful holy Walkers and true Believers have been at their departure and therefore be ye perswaded to trace their steps and to follow as ye ought those most needful Directions and Rules which were formerly delivered that so living and so dying by with and according to Faith you may also be mounted as the said Believers were upon the wings of Joy and feed as they did on those ravishing and transcendent Comforts which God like Manna is wont to rain down upon his holy Walkers in this men devouring Wilderness the World I mean from which God in mercy bring us all in the end of our dayes to a World of Joy and Glory which shall never have an end Amen Soli Deo Gloria FINIS