and the Son by proceeding These are incommunicable Actions and â—o make not an essential accidental or â—ational but a real distinction betwixt the â—hree persons So that he who is the Father â—n the Trinity is not the Son He who â—s the Son in the Trinity is not the Faâ—her He who is the holy Ghost in the Triâ—ity is neither the Son nor the Father â—ut the Spirit proceeding from both â—hough there is but one and the same Essence common to all three As thereâ—ore we believe that the Father is God he Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God â—o we likewise believe that God is the Faâ—her God is the Son and God is the Holy Ghost But by reason of this real distinction the Person of the one is not nor ever can be the Person of the other The three Persons therefore of the Godhead do not differ from the Essence but formally but they differ really one from another aâ—d so are distinguished by their hypostatical proprieties As the Father is God begetting God the Son the Son is God begotten of God the Father and the holy Ghost is God proceeding from both God the Father and God the Son Hence it is that the Scriptures use the name of God two manner of ways Either Essentially and then it signifieth the three Persons conjointly or Personally and then by a Synecdoche it signifieth but one of the three Persons in the God-head As the Father 1 Tim. 2. 5. or the Son Act. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 16. or the holy Ghost Acts 5. 4. 2 Cor. 6. 16. And because the Divine Essence common to all the three Persons is but one we call the same Vnity But because there be three distinct Persons in this one indivisible Essence we call the same Trinity So that this Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity is a holy Mystery rather to be religiously adored by faith than curiously searched by reason further than God hath revealed in his Word Thus far of the diverse manner of being in the Divine Essence now of the Attributes thereof ATtributes are certain descriptions of the Divine Essence delivered in the Scriptures according to the weakness of of our capacity to help us the better to understand the nature of God's Essence and to discern it from all other Essences The Attributes of God are of two sorts either nominal or real The Nominal Attributes are of Three sorts 1. Those which signifie God's Essence 2. The Persons in the Essence 3. Those which signifie his Essential works Of the first sort is the Name Jehovah or rather Jehueh which signifieth eternal being of himself in whom being without all beginning and end all other beings both begin and end Isa. 42 8. Psal 83. 18. God tells Moses Exod. 6. 3. That he was not known to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by his Name Jehovah Not but that they knew this to be the Name of God for they used it in all their Prayers but because they lived not to see God effecting indeed that which he promised them in graciously delivering their â—eed out of Egypt and in giving them the real possession of Canaan's Land and so to be not only God Almighty by whom all things were made but also performing indeed to the Children that which he promised in his word to the Fathers which this Name Jehovah especially signifieth And for this cause Moses calls God first Jehovah when the universal creation had its absolute being Gen. 2. 4. And this Admirable Name is graven on the Decalogues forehead which was pronounced upon the Israelites deliverance to be the Rule of Righteousness after which they should serve their Deliverer in the promised Land This Name is so full of Divine Mysteries that the Jews hold it a sin to pronounce it but if it be no sin to write it why should it be unlawful to pronounce it This holy Name of God teacheth us First What God is in himself namely an eternal being of himself Secondly How he is unto others because that from him all other Creatures have received their being Thirdly That we may confidently believe his promises for he is named Jehovah not only in respect of being and causing all things to be but especially in respect of his gracious promises which without fail he will fulfil in his appointed time and so cause that to be which was not before And so this Name is a golden pledge unto us that because he hath promised he will surely upon our repentance forgive us all our sins at the time oâ— death receive our Souls and in the resurrection raise up our Bodies in glory to life everlasting The second Name denoting God's Essence is Ehejeh but once read Exod. 3. 14 of the same root that JEHOVAH is and signifieth I AM or I WILL BE for when Moses asked God by what Name he should call him God then named himself Ehejeh Asher Ehejeh I am thaâ— I am or I will be that I will be signifying that he is an eternal unchangeable Being for seeing every Creature is temporary and mutable no Creature can say Ero qui ero I will be that I will be This name in the New Testament is given to our Lord Christ when he is called Alpha and Omega The beginning and the ending which is which was and which is to come The Almighty Apoc. 1. 8. For all time past and to come is aye present before God And to this name Christ himself alludeth Joh 8. 58. Before Abraham was I AM. This Name should teach us likewise to have always present in our minds our first Creation present Corruption and future Glorification and not content our selves with I was good or I will be good but to be good presently that when ever God sends for us he may find us prepared for him The third name is Jah which as it comes of the same root so is it the contract of Jehovah and signifieth Lord because he is the beginning and Being of Beings It is a name for the most part ascribed unto God when some notable deliverance or benefit comes to pass according to his former promise and therefore all Creatures in Heaven and Earth are commanded to celebrate and praise God in this Name Jah The fourth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord used often in the New Testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth I am Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the first Essence of a thing or authority when it is absolutely given to God it answereth to the Hebrew name Jehovah and is so translated by the seventy Interpreters for God is so a Lord that he is of himself Lord of all This Name should always put us in remembrance to obey his Commandments and to fear his Judgments and submit our selves to his blessed Will and Pleasure saying with Eli It is the Lord let
him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3. 18. The fifth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 600 times used in the New Testament and of prophane Wriâ—ers commonly It is derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he runs thorow and compasseth all things or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to burn and kindle for God is Light and the Author both of Heat Light and Life in all Creatures either immediately of himself or mediately by secondary causes This name iâ— used either improperly or properly Improperly when it is given either figuratively to Magistrates or falsely to Idols But when it is properly and absolutely taken it signifieth the Eternal Essence of God being above all things and through all things giving life and light to all creatures and preserving and governing them in their wonderful frame and order God seeth all in all places Let us therefore every where take heed what we do in his sight Thus far of the names which signifie God's Essence The name which signifieth the Persons in the Essence is chiefly one Elohim Elohim signifieth the mighty Judges it is a name of the plural number to express the Trinity of Persons in Vnity of Essence And to this purpose the holy Ghost beginneth the holy Bible with this plural Name of God joyned with a Verb of the singular number as Elohim Bara Dii creavit The mighty Gods or all the three Persons in the God-head created The Jews also note in the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bara consisting of three Letters the mystery of the Trinity by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth Ben the Son by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resh Ruach the Spirit by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aleph Ab the Father But this holy mystery is more clearly taught by Moses Gen. 3. 23 And Jehovah Elohim said Behold the Man is become as one of us And Gen. 19. 24. Jehovah rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrha bâ—imstone and fire from Jehovah out of Heaven that is God the Son from God the Father who hath committed all judgment unto the Son John 5. 22. See Psal. 33. 6. Isa. 6. 8 9 10. The singular number of Elohim is Eloah derived of Alah he swore because that in all weighty causes when necessity requireth an Oath to decide the Truth we are only to swear by the Name of God which is the great and righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth This Name Eloah is but seldom used as Hab. 3. 3. Job 4. 9. Job 12. 4. and 15. 8. 36. 2. Psal. 18. 32. Psal. 114. 7. Once it hath a Noun plural joyned to it Job 35. 10. None saith Where is Eloah Gosai the Almighty my Maker to note the mystery of the eternal Trinity Many times also Elohim the plural number is joyned with a Verb singular to express more emphatically this Mystery Gen. 35. 7. 2. Sam. 7. 23. Josh. 24. 19. Jer. 10. 10. Elohim is also sometime Tropically given to Magistrates because they are God's Vice-gerents as to Moses Exod. 7. 1. Jehovah said unto Moses I have made thee Elohim to Pharoah that is I have appointed thee an Ambassador to represent the person of the true three one God and to deliver his message and will unto Pharoah As oft therefore as we read or hear this name Elohim it should put us in mind to consider that in one divine Essence there are three distinct Persons and that God is Jehovah Elohim Now follow the Names which signifie God's Essential Works which are these five especially 1. EL which is as much as the strong God and reacheth us that God is not only most strong and fortitude it self in his own Essence but also that it is he that giveth all strength and power to all other Creatures Therefore Christ is called Isai. 9. 6. El Gibbor The strong most mighty God Let not God's Children fear the power of enemies for El our God is more strong than they 2. Shaddai That is Omnipotent By this Name God usually stiled himself to the Patriarchs I am El Shaddai the strong God Almighty Because he is perfectly able to defend his servants from all evil to bless them with all spiritual and temporal blessings and to perform all his promises which he hath made unto them for this life and that which is to come This name belongeth only to the Godhead and to no creature no not to the humanity of Christ. This may teach us with the Patriarchs to put our whole confidence in God and not to doubt of the true performance of his promises 3. Adonâ—i My Lord. This name as the Masorets note is found 134 times in the Old Testament Analogically it is given to Creatures but properly it belongeth to God alone It is used Malach. 1. 6. in the plural number to note the mystery of the holy Trinity If I be Adonim Lords where is my fear Adoni the singular Adonim the plural number This Name is given to Christ Dan 9. 16. Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate for Adoni the Lord Christ his sake The hearing of this Holy Mame may teach every Man to obey God's Commandments to fear him alone to suffer none besides him to reign in his Conscience to lay hold by a particular hand of faith upon his Word and Promise and to challenge God in Christ to be his God that he may say with Thomas Thou art my Lord and my God 4. Helion that is most high Psal. 9. 2. Psal 91. 9. and 92. 9. Dan. 4. 17 24 25 34. Act 7. 48. This Name Gabriel giveth unto God telling the virgin Mary that the child which should be born of her should be the Son of the most High Luke 1. 32. This teacheth that God in his Essence and glory exceedeth infinitely all creatures in Heaven and Earth Secondly that no Man should be proud of any earthly honour or greatness Thirdly if we desire true dignity to labour to have communion with God in grace and glory 5. Abba a Syriack Name signifying Father Rom. 8. 15. This is sometimes used Essentially as in the Lord's Prayer Secondly Personally as Mat. 11. 25. For God is Christ's Father by Nature and Christians by Adoption and Grace Christ is called the everlasting Father Isa. 9. 6. because he regenerates us under the New Testament God is also called the Father of lights Jam. 1. 17. because God dwelleth in inaccessible light 1 Tim. 6. 16. and is the Author not only of the Son 's light but also of all the light both of natural reason and supernatural grace Which lighteneth every Man that cometh into the World This name teacheth us that all the gifts which we receive from God proceed from his mere Fatherly Love Secondly that we should love him again as dear Children Thirdly That we may in all our needs and troubles be bold to call upon him as a Father for his help and succour Thus should we not hear
day 5. Praying for rest and protection that night 6. Remembering the state of the Church the King and the Royal Posterity our Ministers and Magistrates and all our Brethren visited or persecuted 7. Lastly commending thy self and all thine to his gracious custody All which thou maist do in these or the like words A Prayer for the Evening O Most gracious God and loving Father who art about my bed and knowest my down-lying and mine up-rising and art near unto all that call upon thee in truth and sincerity I wretched sinner do beseech thee to look upon me with the eyes of thy mercy and not to behold me as I am in my self For then thou shalt see but an unclean and defiled creature conceived in sin and living in iniquity so that I am ashamed to lift up mine eyes to heaven knowing how grievously I have sinned against heaven and before thee For O Lord I have transgressed all thy Commandments and righteous Laws not only through negligence and infirmity but oftentimes through willful presumption contrary to my knowledge yea contrary to the motions of thy Holy spirit reclaiming me from them so that I have wounded my conscience and grieved thy Holy Spirit by whom thou hast sealed me to the day of redemption Thou hast consecrated my soul and body to be the temples of the Holy Ghost I wretched sinner have defiled both with all manner of pollution and uncleanness My eyes in taking pleasure to behold vanity mine ears in hearing impure and unchaste speeches my tongue in leasing and evil speaking my hands are so full of impurity that I am ashamed to lift them up unto thee and my feet have carried me after mine own ways my understanding and reasoning which are so quick in all earthly matters are only blind and stupid when I come to meditate or discourse of spiritual and heavenly things my memory which should be the treasury of all goodness is not so apt to remember any thing as those things which are vile and vain Yea Lord by woful experience I find that naturally all the imaginations of the thoughts of mine heart are only evil continually And these my sins are more in number than the hairs upon mine head and they have grown over me like a loathsom leprosie that from the Crown of my head to the sole of my feet there remains no part which they have not infected They make me seem vile in mine own eyes how much more abominable must I then appear in thy sight And the custom of sinning hath almost taken away the conscience of sin and pulled upon me such dullness of sense and hardness of heart that thy judgments denounced against my sins by the faithful Preachers of thy Word do not terrifie me to return unto thee by unfeigned repentance for them And if thou Lord shouldest but deal with me according to thy justice and my desert I should utterly be confounded and condemned But seeing that of thine infinite mercy thou hast spared me so long and still waitest for my repentance I humbly beseech thee for the bitter death and bloody passion sake which Jesus Christ hath suffered for me that thou wouldest pardon and forgive unto me all my sins and offences and open unto me that ever streaming fountain of the blood of Christ which thou hast promised to open under the New Testament to the penitent of the house of David that all my sins and uncleanness may be so bathed in his blood buried in his death and hid in his wounds that they may never be more seen to shame me in this life or to condemn me before thy Judgment-seat in the World which is to come And for as much O Lord as thou know'st that it is not in man to turn his own heart unless thou dost first give him grace to convert and seeing that it is as easie with thee to make me righteous and holy as to bid me to be such O my God give me grace to do what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt and thou shalt find me willing to do thy blessed will And to this end give unto me thine Holy Spirit which thou hast promised to give to the world's end unto all thine Elect people And let the same thy holy Spirit purge my heart heal my corruption sanctifie my nature and consecrate my soul and body that they may become the temples of the Holy Ghost to serve thee in righteousness and holiness all the days of my life that when by the direction and assistance of thy holy Spirit I shall finish my course in this short and transitory life I may chearfully leave this world and resign my soul into thy Fatherly hands in the assured confidence of enjoying everlasting life with thee in thine heavenly Kingdom which thou hast prepared for thine elect Saints who love the Lord Jesus and expect his appearing In the mean while O Father I beseech thee let thy holy Spirit work in me such a serious repentance as that I may with tears lament my sins past with grief of heart be humble for my sins present and with all mine endeavour resist the like filthy sins in time to come And let the same thy holy Spirit likewise keep me in the Vnity of thy Church lead me in the truth of thy Word and preserve me that I never swerve from the same to Popery nor any other errour or false worship And let thy Spirit open mine eyes more and more to see the wondrous things of thy Law and open my lips that my mouth may daily defend thy truth and set forth thy praise Increase in me those good gifts which of thy mercy thou hast already bestowed upon me and give unto me a patient spirit a chast heart a contented mind pure affections wise behaviour and all other graces which thou feest to be necessary for me to govern my heart in thy fear and to guide all my life in thy favour that whether I live or die I may live and die unto thee who art my God and my Redeemer And here O Lord according as I am bound I render unto thee from the Altar of my humblest heart all possible thanks for all those blessings and benefits which so graciously and plentuously thou hast bestowed upon my soul and body for this life and for that which is to come namely for mine Election Creation Redemption Vocation Justification Sanctification and Preservation from my child-hood until this present day and hour and for the firm hope which thou hast given me of my Glorification Likewise for my health wealth food raiment and prosperity and more especially for that thou hast defended me this day now past from all perils and dangers both of body and soul furnishing me with all necessary good things that I stand in need of And as thou hast ordained the day for
How might I in respect of mine own unworthiness cry out for fear at the sight of thy holy Sacrament as the Philistines did when they saw the Ark of God come into the Assembly Wo now unto me a sinner but that thy Angel doth comfort me as he did the woman Fear thou not for I know that thou seekest Jesus which was crucified It is thou indeed that my soul seeketh after And here thou offerest thy self unto me in thy blessed Sacrament If therefore Elizabeth thought her self so much honoured at thy presence in the Womb of thy blessed Mother that the babe sprang in her belly for joy how should my soul leap within me for joy now that thou comest by the holy Sacrament to dwell in my heart for ever Oh what an honour is this not that the Mother of my Lord but my Lord himself should come thus to visit me Indeed Lord I confess with the faithful Centurion that I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof and that if thou didst but speak the word only my soul should be saved yet seeing it hath pleased the riches of thy grace for the better strengthning of my weakness to seal thy mercy unto me by thy visible sign as well as by thy visible word in all thankful humility my soul speaks unto thee with the blessed Virgin Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word Knock thou Lord by thy Word and Sacraments at the door of my heart and I will like the Publican with both my fists knock at my breast as fast as I can that thou mayest enter in and if the door will not open fast enough break it open O Lord by thine Almighty Power and then enter in and dwell there for ever that I may have cause with Zaccheus to acknowledge that this day salvation is come into mine house And cast out of me whatsoever shall be offensive unto thee for I resign the whole Possession of my heart unto thy sacred Majesty intreating that I may not live henceforth but that thou mayst live in me speak 〈◊〉 me walk in me and so govern me by thy Spirit that nothing may be pleasing unto me but that which is acceptable unto thee That finishing my course in the life of grace I may afterwards live with thee for ever in the Kingdom of Glory Grant this O Lord Jesus for the merits of thy death and blood shedding Amen When the Minister bringeth towards thee the bread thus blessed and broken and offering it unto thee bids thee Take eat c. then meditate that Christ himself cometh unto thee and both offereth and giveth indeed unto thy faith his very Body and Blood with all the merits of his death and passion to feed thy Soul unto eternal life as surely as the Minister offereth and giveth the outward signs that feed thy Body unto this temporal life The Bread of the Lord is given by the Minister but the Bread which is the Lord is given by Christ himself When thou takest the Bread at the Ministers hand to eat it then rouze up thy Soul to apprehend Christ by faith and to apply his merits to heal thy miseries Embrace him as sweetly with thy faith in the Sacrament as ever Simeon hugged him with his arms in his swadling clouts As thou eatest the Bread imagine that thou seest Christ hanging upon tâ—â— Cross and by his unspeakable tormenâ—â— fully satisfying God's Justice for thy sins and strive to be as verily partaker of the spiritual grace as of the Elemental signs For the truth is not absent from the sign neither doth Christ deceive when he saith This is my Body but he giveth himself indeed to every Soul that spiritually receives him by Faith For as ours is the same Supper which Christ administâ—red so is the same Christ verily present at his own Supper not by any Papal Transubstantiation but by a Sacramental Participiation whereby he doth truly feed the faithful unto eternal life not by coming down out of Heaven unto thee but by lifting thee up from the Earth unto him According to that old saying Sursum corda lift up your hearts And where the carcase is thither will the Eagles resort Matth. 24. When thou seest the Wine brought unto thee apart from the Bread then remember that the Blood of Jesus Christ was as verily separated from his Body upon the Cross for the remission of thy sins And that this is the seal of the new Covenant which God hath made to forgive all the sins of all penitent sinners that believe in the merits of his blood shedding For the Wine is not a Sacrament of Christ's Blood contained in his Veins but as it was shed out of his Body upon the cross for the remission of the sins of all that believe in him As thou drinkest the Wine and pourest it out of the Cup into thy Stomach meditate and believe that by the merits of that Blood which Christ shed upon the Cross all thy sins are as verily forgiven as thou hast now drunk this Sacramental Wine and hast it in thy stomach And in the instant of drinking settle thy meditation upon Christ as he hanged upon the Cross as if like Mary and John thou didst see him nailed and his Blood running down his blessed side out of that gastly wound which the Spear made in his innocent heart wishing thy mouth closed to his side that thou mightest receive that precious Blood before it fell to the dusty Earth And yet the actual drinking of that real Blood with thy mouth would be nothing so effectual as this Sacramental drinking of that blood spiritually by Faith For one of the Souldiers might have drunk that and been still a reprobate but whosoever drinketh it spiritually by Faith in the Sacrament shall surely have the Remission of his sins and life everlasting As thou feelest the Sacramental Wine which thou hast drunk warming thy cold stomach so endeavour to feel the Holy Ghost cherishing thy Soul in the joyful assurance of the forgiveness of all thy sins by the merit of the blood of Christ. And to this end God giveth every faithful Soul together with the Sacramental Blood the Holy Ghost to drink We are all made to drink into one Spirit And so lift up thy mind from the contemplation of Christ as he was crucified upon the Cross to consider how he now sits in glory at the right hand of his Father making intercession for thee by presenting to his Father the unvaluable merits of his death which he once suffered for thee to appease his Justice for the sins which thou dost daily commit against him After thou hast eaten and drunk both the Bread and Wine labour that as those Sacramental Signs do turn to the nourishment of thy body and by the digestion of heat become one with thy substance so by the operation of Faith and the Holy
day of affliction in the time of health think on sickness in the time of sickness make my self ready for death and when death approacheth prepare my self for Judgment Let my whole life be an expressing thankfulness unto thee for thy Grace and Mercy And therefore O Lord I do here from the very bottom of my heart together with the thousand thousands of Angels the four Beasts and twentâ— four Elders and all the creatures in heaveâ— and on the earth acknowledge to be due untâ— thee O Father which sittest upon the Throneâ— and to the Lamb thy Son who sitteth at thâ— right hand and to the Holy Spirit which proceedeth from both the holy Trinity 〈◊〉 Persons in unity of substance all praisâ— honour glory and power from this timâ— forth and for evermore Amen Meditations for one that is like to die IF thy Sickness be like to encrease unto Death then meditate on Three thingsâ— First how graciously God dealeth with theeâ— Secondly from what evils Death will freâ— thee Thirdly what good Death will brinâ— unto thee First Concerning God's favourable dealing with thee 1. Meditate That God useth this chastisement of thy Body but as a Medicine to cure thy Soul by drawing thee who arâ— sick in Sin to come by Repentance unto Christ thy Physician to have thy Soâ—â— healed 2. That the sorest Sickness or painfulleâ—â— Disease which thou canst endure is nâ—â—thing if it be compared to those dolours and pains which Jesus Christ thy Saviour hath suffered for thee when in a bloody sweat he endured the wrath of God the pains of hell and a cursed death which was due to thy sins Justly therefore may I use those words of Jeremy Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath Hath the Son of God endured so much for thy redemption and wilt not thou a sinful man endure a little sickness for his pleasure especially when it is for thy good 3. That when thy sickness and disease is at the extreamest yet it is less and easier than thy sins have deserved Let thine own Conscience judge whether thou hast not deserved worse than all that thou dost suffer Murmur not therefore but considering thy manifold and grievous sins thank God that thou art not plagued with far more grievous punishments Think how willingly the damned in Hell would endure the extreamest pains a thousand years on condition that they had but the hope to be saved and after so many years to be eased of their eternal torments And seeing that it is his mercy that thou art not rather consumed than corrected how canst thou but bear patiently his temporal correction seeing the end is to save thee from eternal damnation 4. That nothing cometh to pass in this case unto thee but such as ordinarily befell to others thy Brethren who being the beloved and undoubted servants of God when they lived on earth are now most blessed and glorious Saints with Christ in Heaven as Job David Lazarus c. They groaned for a time as thou dost under the like burthen but they are now delivered from all their miseries troubles and calamities And so likewise ere long if thou wilt patiently tarry the Lord's leisure thou shalt also be delivered from thy sickness and pain either by restitution to thy former health with Job or which is far better by being received to heavenly rest with Lazarus 5. Lastly that God hath not given thee over into the hand of thine Enemy to be punished and disgraced but being thy loving Father he correcteth thee with his own merciful hand When David had his wish to chuse his own chastisement he chose rather to be corrected by the hand of God than by any other means Let us fall into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of man Who will not take any affliction in good part when it cometh from the hand of God from whom though no Affliction seemeth joyous for the present we know nothing cometh but what is good The confideration hereof made David to endure Shimei's cursed railing with greater patience and to correct himself another time for his impatiency I should not have opened my mouth because thou didst it and Job to reprove the unadvised speech of his Wife Thou speakest like a foolish Woman What shall we receive good at the hand of God and not receive evil And though the Cup of God's wrath due to our sins was such a horror to our Saviour's humane nature that he earnestly prayed that it might pass from him yet when he considered that it was reached unto him by the hand and will of his Father he willingly submitted himself to drink it to the very dregs thereof Nothing will more arm thee with Patience in thy sickness than to see that it cometh from the hand of thy heavenly Father who would never send it but that he sees it to be unto thee both needful and profitable The second sort of Meditations are to consider from what evils death will free thee IT freeth thee from a corruptible Body which was conceived in the weakness of flesh the heat of lust the stain of sin and born in the blood of filthiness a liviâ—g Prison of thy Soul a lively instrument of â—in a very sack of stinking dung the exâ—â—ements of whose Nostrils Ears Pores and â—ther passages duly considered will seem more loathsome than the uncleanest sink â—r vault Insomuch that whereas Trees and Plants bring forth Leaves Flowers Fruits â—nd sweet smells man's body brings forth â—â—turally nothing but Lice Worms Rottenâ—ss and filthy stinks His affections are alâ—ogether corrupted and the imaginations 〈◊〉 heart are only evil continually Hence 〈◊〉 is that the ungodly is not satisfied with prophaneness nor the voluptuous with pleasures nor the ambitious with perferments nor the curious with preciseness nor the malicious with revenge nor the leacherous with uncleanness nor the covetous with gain nor the drunkard with drinking New passions and fashions do daily grow new Fears and Afflictions do still arise here Wrath lies in wait there Vain-glory vexeth here pride lifts up there disgrace casts down and every one waiteth who shalâ— arise in the ruine of another Now a Maâ— is privily stung with Back-biters like fiery Serpents anon he is in danger to be openly devoured of his enemies like Daniel's Lionsâ— And a godly man where ere he liveth shall ever be vexed like Lot with Sodom's uncleanness 2. Death brings unto the godly an end of sinning and of all the miseries which arâ— due unto sin so that after Death there shaâ—â— be no more sorrow nor crying neither shalâ— there be any more pain for God shall wipe aâ— way all tears from their eyes Yea by death we are separated from
together and addest unto those the sins of Cain and Judas and puttest unto them all the sins of all the Reprobates in the World doubtless it would be a huge heap yet compare this huge heap with the infinite mercy of God and there will be no more comparison betwixt them than betwixt the least Mole-hill the greatest Mountain in a Country The cry of the grievous est sins that ever we read of could never reach up higher than unto Heaven as the cry of the sins of Sodom but the mercy of God saith David reacheth up higher than the Heavens and so overtoppeth all our sins And if his Mercy be greater than all his works it must needs be greater that all thy sins And so long as his mercy is greater than the sins of the whole world do thou but repent there is do doubt of pardon If â—â—tan shall object that thou hast many times vowed to repent and hast made a shew of repentance for the time and yet didst fall to the same sins again and again and that all thy repentance was but feigned and a mocking of God And that seeing thou hast so often broken thy vow therefore God hath withdrawn his mercy and hath changed his love c. mediâ—ate 1. That though this were true which indeed is hainous yet it is no sufficient cause why thou shouldst despair seeing that this is the common case of all the Children of God in this life who vow so oft to forbear some sin till perceiving their weakness nor able to perform it they vow that they will vow no more Their Vows shew the desires of their spiritual Man their breaking the weakness of their corrupt flesh And our oft slips into the same sins Christ foresaw when he taught us to pray daily Our Father forgive us our trespasses And why doth Christ enjoyn thee who art but a sinful man to forgive thy brother seven times in a day if he shall return seven times in a day and say it repenteth me But to assure thee that he being the God of mercy and goodness it self will forgive unto thee thy seventy times seven-fold sins a day which thou hast committed against him if thou return unto him by truâ— Repentance The Israelites were cured by looking though with weak eyes on the Brazen Serpent as oft as they were stung by the fiery Serpent in the Wilderness to assure thee that upon thy tears of repentance thou shalt be recovered by â—aith in Christ as often as thou are wounded to death by sin 2. That thy salvation is grounded not upon the constancy of thine obedience but upon the firmness of God's Covenant Though thou variest with God and the Covenant be broken on thy behalf yet it is firm on God's part and therefore all is safe enough if thou wilt return for there is no variableness with him neither shadow of change He hath locked up thy salvation and made it sure in his own unchangeable purpose and hath delivered to thy keeping the keys which are Faith and repentance and whilst thou hast them thou mayst perswade thy self that thy salvation is suâ—e and safe For whom God loveth he loveth to the end and never repenteth of bestowing his love on them who repent and believe Lastly If Satan shall perswade thee that thou hast been doubting a long time and that it 's best for thee now to despair seeing thy sins increase and thy judgment draweth near meditate 1. That no sin though never so great should be a cause to move any Christian to despair so long as God's mercy by so many millions of degrees is greater and that every penitent and believing Sinner hath the pardon of all his sins confirmed by the Word and Oath of God two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lye His Word is that at what time soever a sinner whosoever doth repent of his sin whatsoever for both time and sins and sinners are indefinite from the bottom of his heart God will blot forth all his sins out of his remembrance that they shall be mentioned unto him no more If we will not take his word which God forbid we should doubt of he hath given us his Oath As I live I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live As if he had said will ye not believe my Word I swear by my life that I delight not to damn any sinner for his sins but rather to save him upon his conversion and repentance The meditation hereof moved Tertullian to exclaim O how happy are we when God sweareth that he wills not our damnation O what miserable wretches are we if we will not believe God when he sweareth this truth unto us Listen O drooping Spirit whose soul is assailed with ways of faithless despair how happy were it to see many like thee and Hezekiah who mourn like Doves for the sense of sin and chatter like Cranes and Swallows for the fear of God's anger rather than to behold many who die like Beasts without any feeling of their own estate or any fear of God's wrath or Tribunal Seat before which they are to appear Comfort thy self O languishing soul for if this earth hath any for whom Christ spilt his blood on the Cross thou assuredly art one Chear up therefore thy self in the all-sufficient atonement of the blood of the Lamb which speaketh better things than that of Abel And pray for those who never yet obtained the grace to have such a sense and detestation of sin Thou art one indeed for whom Christ died and from whom a wounded spirit judging rather according to his feeling than his faith hath wrung that doleful voice of Christ My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And doubt not but ere long thou shalt as truly reign with him as now thou dost suffer with him for Yea and Amen hath spoken it No sin bars a man from salvation but only Incredulity and Impenitency nothing makes the sin against the Holy Ghost unpardonable but want of repentance Thy unfeigned desire to repent is as acceptable unto God as the perfectest repentance that thou couldest wish to pâ—râ—orm unto him Meditate upon these Evangelical comforts and thou shalt see that in the very agonâ— of death God will so assist thee with his spirit that when Satan looketh for the greatest victory he shall receive the foulest foil yea when thy eye-strings are broken that thou canst not see the light Jesus Christ will appear unto thee to comfort thy Soul and his Holy Angels will carry thee into his Heavenly Kingdom Then shall thy Friends behold thee like Manoah's Angel doing wonders indeed when they shall see a frail man in his greatest weakness by the mere assistance of God's Spirit overcoming the strength of sin the bitterness of death and all
constanter justissimè quidem inquit feci In meo eam inveni Tert. de spect lib. cap. 26. Therefore Tert. in cap. 6. calls the Stage Diaboli Ecclesiam Cathedram postilentiarum †Jam. 5. 9. Rev. 11. 20. Matth 25. 8. Prov. 6. 10. Jude ver 3. Eccles. 7. 1. Eccles. 4. 21. * Luk. 10. 20. Rev. 17. 8. Exod. 34. 29 30. 2 Cor. 3. 18. * Matth. 26. 13. †1 Tim. 4. 8. * Principibus ad salutem sola satìs vera est pietas absque illâ verò nihil est vel exercitus vel Imperatoâ—is fortitudo vel apparatus reliquus Zozom Eccles. Hist. lib. 9. c. 1. * The Honourable Sir Robert Cary Knight and the religiâ—â—â—s Lady Cary his Wife Mr. Thomas Murray Sir James Fullâ—rton †2 Chron. 24. 16 The gracious Archbishopâ— of Cant 〈◊〉 1 Chr. 28. 9. * Tum Deum amare libet cùm persuasum habemus ipsum esse optimum maximum ubique praesentem omnia in nobis efficientem eum in quo vivimus movemus sumus Bucer in Psal. 115. †Heb. 11. 6. Danda imprimis opera est ut Deum nôrimus quotquot foelices esse volumus Quid noscis si teipsum nescis a Psal. 14. 3. 3. b 1 Tim. 6. 16. c Deut. 14. 4. 35. 32. 39. 6. 4. Isa. 45. 5 6 7 8. 1 Cor. 8. 4. Eph. 4. 5 6. 1 Tim. 2. 5. d Joh. 4. 24. 2 Cor. 3. 17. e 1 Kin. 8. 17. Psal. 147. 5. f Deut. 32. 4. g Exod. 3. 14. h 1 Cor. 8. 6. Act. 17. 25. Rom. 11. 36. i Heb. 1. 3. k Joh. 1. 1. 5. 31 37. 14. 16. l Col. 2. 9. Joh. 14. 9. m Gen. 1. 26. 3. 22. 11. 7. Exod. 20. 2. Hos. 1. 4 7. Isa. 63. 9. 10. Zach. 3. 2. Hag 2. 5 6. 1 Joh. 5. 7. Mat. 3. 16 17. 28. 19. Joh. 14. 26. 2 Cor. 13. 13. n Singula sunt in singulis omnia in singulis singula in omnibus unum omnia Aug. lib. 6. de Trin. cap. ult * Gen. 1. 26. 3. 22. 11 7. Isa. 6. 8. †Personae Divinitatis distinguuntur personaliter sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Deus est in divise unus in Trinitate inconfuse trinus in unitate Justin. a Mat. 11. 27. Mat. 3. 17. b Isa. 63. 16. Eph 3. 14 15. c Prov. 30. 4. d Psal. 2. 7. e Heb. 1. 3. Phil. 2. 6. f Basil. sup 5. Johâ—n Sicut mens cogitando in seipsam reflectitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 internum gignit ita mens illa aeterna quae est Deus pater in seipsam intelligendo reflexa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aeternum modo ineffabili genuit Et sicut exterior 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interioris effigies quasi est ita aeternus ille 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aeterni Patris imago est majestatis character Heb. 1. 3. g Joh 1. 18. Iren. l. 4. c. 14. h Act. 10. 43. Heb. 1. 1. Luk. 24. 27. Joh. 5. 45. Act. 3. 22 23 24. i Isa. 63. 10. 2 Cor. 13. 14. k 1 Joh. 4 13. 2 Cor. 3. 17. l Joh. 20. 21 22. Gal. 4. 6. x 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. y 2 Cor. 3. 18. 1 Thes. 5. 23. 1 Pet. 1. 2. a Origo essentiae in divinis nâ—llâ— est origo personarum locum habet in Filio Spiritu sancto Pater enim est prior Filio non tempore sed ordineâ— Alst. b Mat 28. 19. 1 Joh. 5. 7. c Ideo dicitur Pater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Filius Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoad essentiâ—m absolutâ—m est quidepâ— Ã â—â—ipso 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed ratioâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive ess persoâ—alis per atâ—â—nam gâ—nerationem à Patre existit ideoque non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 6. â—8 27. John 5. 19. Mic. 5. 1. Joh. 1. 1. e Psal. 2. 7. Heb. 1. 5. Aliud est habere Essentiam divinam à seipso habere essentiam divinam à seipsa existentem remotâ enim relatione ad Patrem sola restat Essentia quae est à seipsa hinc Filius dicitur princiâ—atus non essentiatus Th. Sum pag. q. 33. f Joh. 15. 26. Joh. 16. 15. Therefore Rom. 8. 9. The Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of Christ. g Spiritus S. â— Patâ—e à Filio procedit tanquam ab uno eodem principio in duabus tantùm personis subsistente non autem tanquam à duobus ac diversis Principiis a Hinc Dei men saepe in scripturis Patri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tribuitur Joh. 14 Rom. 8. 3. 1 Cor. 8. 6 1 Cor. 15. 24. b Mat. 11. 25 26 27. Joh. 5. 19 20 21 22 23. Joh. 11. 41 42 Joh. 12. 49. c 2 Cor. 5. 18 c. d Incarnatio verbi propriâ— non Patriâ—ec Spiritui sancto nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compeâ—it Damas. 1. de oâ—tho sid c 13. Implevit carnem Christi Patâ—r Spiritus S. sed majâ—statâ—noâ— susceptione Aug. serm 3. de Temp. Joh. 3. 16. Rom. 8. 12. â—nd 5. 8 10. Hoc mirum foedus semper mens cogitâ—t uno hoc tu ne â—ubita foedere parta salus Melan. e Ut. qâ—i erat in divinitete Dei fiâ—â—s ficret in humanitate hominis filius neunomen filii ad alterum ansiret qui non esset aeterna nativitate filius Aug. d Congruebat filium assumere humanam naturam ut haec persona quaeest substantialis imago aeterni Patris restitueret imaginem Dei in nobis corruptam Athan. e Heb. 3. 17 18. Heb. 4. 15. Infirmitates merae privationis non pravae dispositionis f Humana natura est distinctum individuum à natura divina etsi non sit distincta Persona Keck Syst. Theol. lib. 3. p. 119. g Uniti Hypostaticè Deum homiem nihil est aliud quam naturam humanam non habere propriam existentiam sed assumptam esse à Verbo aeterno ad ipsam verbi subsistentiam Bellar. de incarnat â—ib 3. cap. 8. h Salvis distinctis manentibus proprietatibus natuâ—ae tam assumentis quam assumptae i Act. 20 28 k Act. 7. 31. Dr. Field of the Church book 3. c. 35. l Secundum esse naturale Christus non est ubique m Secundum esse persoâ—a le Christus est ubique In operibus ad extâ—â—◠〈◊〉 personae oâ—â—â—rantur simâ—d servato ordine personarum in operando a Rom. 11. 36. b As redemption Act. 20 28. and sanctification 1 Pet. 1 2. to the Father Creation 1 Jon. 3. and Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 2. to the Son Creation Psal. 33. 6. and Redemption Eph. 4. 30. to the Holy Ghost Joyntly all to each 1 Cor. 6. 11. Opera Trinitatis ad extra indivisa ad intùs divisa Perioâ—ae nomen non est aliquid ab essentia abstractum ac separatum Faiâ—s Thes. disp 2. Persona est
estate for evermore Therefore it is termed everlasting life and Christ saith that our joy no man shall take from us All other joys be they never so great have an end Ahasuerus's Feast lasted an hundred and eighty days but he and it and all his joys are gone For mortal man to be assumed to heavenly glory to be associated to Angels to be satiated with an delights and joys but for a time were much but to enjoy them for ever without intermission of end who can hear it and not admire it who can muse of it and not â—e amazed at it All the Saints of Christ as soon as they felt once but a true taste of these eternal joys counted all the riches and pleasures of this life to be but loss and dung in respect of that And therefore with uncessant prayers fastings alms-deeds tears faith and good life they laboured to ascertain themselves of this eternal life and for the love thereof they willingly either sold or parted with all their earthly goods and possessions Christ calleth all Christians Merchants Luke 19. and Eternal Life a precious Pearl which a wise Merchant will purchase tho' it cost him all that he hath Matth. 13. Alexander hearing the report of the great riches of the Eastern Country divided forthwith among his Captains and Soldiers all his Kingdom of Macedonia He phaestion asking him what he meant in so doing Alexander answered That he preferr'd the riches of India whereof he hoped shortly to be master before all that his Father Philip had left him in Macedonia And should not Christians then preferr the eternal riches of Heaven so greatly renowned which they shall enjoy ere long before the corruptible trash of the Earth which lasts but for a season Abraham and Sarah left their own Country and Possessions to look for a City whose builder and maker is God and therefore bought no Land but only a place of Burial David preferred one day in this place before a thousand elsewhere yea to be a door-keeper in the house of God rather than to dwell in the richest Tabernacles of wickedness Elias earnestly besought the Lord to receive his Soul into his Kingdom and went willingly tho in a fiery Chariot thitherâ— St. Paul having once seen Heaven continually desired to be dissolved that he might be with Christ. St. Peter having espied but a glimpse of that eternal glory in the Mount wished â—hat he might dwell there all the days of his life saying Master it is good for us to be here How much better doth Peter now think it to be in Heaven it self Christ a little before his death prayeth his Father to receive him into that excellent Glory And the Apostle witnesseth that for the joy which was set before him he endured the Cross and despised the shame If a Man did but once see those joys if it were possible he would endure a hundred deaths to enjoy that happiness but one day Saint Augustine saith That he would be content to endure the torments of hell to gain this joy rather than to lose it Ignatius St. Paul's Scholar Being threatned as he was going to suffer with the cruelty of Torments answered with great courage of Faith Fire Gallows Beasts breaking of my bones quartering of my members crushing of my body all the torments of the devil together let them come upon me so I may enjoy my Lord Jesus and his Kingdom The same constancy shewed Polycarp who could not by any terrours of any kind of death be moved to deny Christ in the least measure With the like resolution answered Basil his persecutors when they would terrifie him with death I will never said he fear Death which can do no more than restore me to him that made me If Ruth left her own Country and followed Naâ—â—i her Mother-in-law to go and dwell with her in the land of Canaan which was by a type of Heaven only upon the fame which she heard of the God of Israel though she had no promise of any portion therein how shouldst thou follow thy holy Mother the Chruch to go unto Christ into the heavenly Canaan wherein God hath given thee an eternal inheritance assured by an holy Covenaâ—t made in the word of God signed with the Blood of his Son and sealed with his Spirit and Sacraments this shall be rhine eternal happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven where thy life shall be a communion with the blessed Trinity thy joy the presence of the Lamb thy exercise singing thy ditty hallelujah thy consorts Saints and Angels where youth flâ—urisheth that never waxeth old beauty lasteth that never fadeth love aboundeth that never cooleth health continueth that never slacketh and â—ife remaineth that never endeth Meditations directing a Christian how to apply to himself without delay the aforesaid knowledge of God and himself THou seest therefore O Man how wretched and cursed thy state is by corruption of â—â—ture without Christ insomuch that whereas the Scriptures do liken wicked men unto Lions Bears Bulls Horses Dogs and such like savage Creatures in their lives it is certain that the condition of an unregenerate man is in his Death more vile than a Dog or the filthiest Creature in the World For the Beast being made but for Man's use when he dieth endeth all his miseries with his death But Man endued with a reasonable and immortal soul made after God's image to serve God when he ends the miseries of this life must account for all his misdeeds and begin to endure these miseries that never shall know end No creature but man is liable to yield at his death an account for his life The brute creatures not having reason shall not be required to make any account for their deeds and good Angels tho' they have reason yet shall they yield no account because they have no sin And as for evil Angels they are without all hope already condemned so that they need not make any further accounts Man only in his death must be God's accountant for his life On the other side thou seest O Man how happy and blessed thy estate is being truly reconciled unto God in Christ in that through the restauration of God's Image and thy restitution into thy soveraignty over other creatures thou art in this life little inferiour to the Angels and shall be in the life to come equal to the Angels Yea in respect of thy Nature exalted by a personal Vnion to the Son of God and by him to the glory of the Trinity superior to the Angels a Fellow-Brother with Angels in spiritual Grace and everlasting Glory Thou hast seen how glorious and perfect God is and how that all thy chief bliss and happiness consisteth in having an eternal Communion with his Majesty Now therefore O impenitent sinner in the bowels of Christ Jesus I intreat thee nay I conjure thee as thou tenderest thy own salvation seriously
the company of wickâ—ed Men and God taketh away merciful 〈◊〉 righteous men from the evil to come So 〈◊〉 dealt with Josiah I will gather thee to thâ— Fathers and thou shalt be put into thy grâ—â— in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the 〈◊〉 which I will bring upon this place And Goâ— hides them for a while in the grave untill 〈◊〉 indignation pass over So that as Paradise 〈◊〉 the Heaven of the soul's joy so the Graâ—â— may be term'd the Heaven of the bodies 〈◊〉 3. Whereas this wicked Body lives in a world of wickedness so that the poor Soul cannot look out at the Eye and not be infected nor hear by the Ear and not be distracted nor smell at the Nostrils and not be tainted nor taste with the Tongue and not be allured nor touch by the Hand and not be defiled and every sense upon every temptation is ready to betray the Soul by death the Soul shall be delivered from this Thraldom and this corruptible body shall put on incorruption and this mortal immortality 1 Cor. 15. 53. O blessed thrice blessed be that Death in the Lord which delivers us out of so evil a World and freeth us from such a body of bondage and corruption The third sort of Meditations are to consider what good Death will bring unto thee 1. DEATH bringeth the godly Man's Soul to enjoy an immediate Communion with the blessed Trinity in everlastâ—ng bliss and glory 2. It translates the Soul from the Miseâ—ies of this world the contagion of sin and â—â—ciety of Sinners to the City of the living â—ed the Celestial Jerusalem and the comâ—any of innumerable Angels and to the assemâ—ly and congregation of the first-born which 〈◊〉 written in Heaven and to God the Judge 〈◊〉 all and to the Souls of just Men made perâ—ect and to Jesus the Mediator of the new â—ovenant 3. Death putteth the Soul into the aactual and full possession of all the inheritance and happiness which Christ hath either promised unto thee in his Word or purchased for thee by his blood This is the good and happiness whereunto a blessed death will bring thee And what truly Religious Christian that is young would not wish himself old that his appointed time might the sooner approach to enter into this celestial Paradise where thou maist exchange thy Brass for Gold thy Vanity for Felicity thy Vileness for Honour thy Bondage for Freedom thy Lease for an Inheritance and thy mortal State for an immortal Life He that doth not daily desire this blessedness above all things of all others he is less worthy to enjoy it If Cato Vticensis and Cleombrotus two Heathen-men reading Plato's Book oâ— the Immortality of the Soul did voluntarily the one break his Neck the other run upon his Sword that they might thâ— sooner as they thought have enjoyed those joys what a shame is it for Christianâ— knowing those things in a more excellent measure and manner out of God's owâ— Book not to be willing to enter into these heavenly Joys especially when their Master calls for them thither If thereforâ— there be in thee any love of God or desirâ— of thine own happiness or salvation wheâ— the time of thy departing draweth nearâ— that time I say and manner of Death which God in his unchangeable Counsel hath appointed and determined beâ—fore thou wast born yield and surrender up willingly and chearfully thy Soul into the merciful hands of Jesus Christ thy Saviour And to this end when the time is come as the Angel in the â—ight of Manoah and his Wife ascended from the Altar up to heaven in the flame of the sacrifice so endeavour thou that thy spirit in the sight of thy friends may from the altar of a contrite heart ascend up to Heaven in the sweet perfume of this or the like spiritual Sacrifice of Prayer A Prayer for a sick Man when he is told that he is not a Man for this World but must prepare himself to go unto God O Heavenly Father who art the Lord God of the spirits of all flesh and hast made us these souls and hâ—st appointed us the time as to come into this World so having finished our course to go out of the same the number of my days which thou hast determined are now expired and I am come to the utmost bounds which thou hast appointed beyond which I cannot pass I know O Lord that if thou enterest into judgment no flesh can be justified in thy sight And I O Lord of all others should appear most impure and unjust for I have not fought that good â—ight for the defence of thy Faith and Religion with that zeal and constancy that I should but for fear of displeasing the World I have given way unto sins and errours and for desire to please my flesh I have broken all thy Commandments in thought word and deed so that my sins have taken such hold on me that I am not able to look up and they are more in number than the hairs on my head If thou wilt straitly mark mine iniquities O Lord where shall I stand if thou weighest me in the balance I shall be found too light For I am void of all righteousness that might merit thy mercy and loaden with all iniquities that most justly deserve thy heaviest wrath Buâ— O my Lord and my God for Jesus Christ thy Son's sake in whom only thou art well pleased with all penitent and believing sinners take pity and compassion upon me who am the chief of sinners Blot out all my sins out of thy remembrance and wash away all my transgressions out of thy sight with the precious blood of thy Son which I believe that he as an undefiled Lamb hath shed for the cleansing of my sins In this faith I lived in this faith I die believing that Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose again for my justification And seeing that he hath endured that Death and born the burthen of that Judgment which was due unto my sins O Father for his Death and Passion 's sake now that I am coming to appear before thy Judgment-seat acquit and deliver me from that fearful Judgment which my sins have justly deserved And perform unto me that gracious and comfortable Promise which thou hast made in thy Gospel That whosoever believeth in thee hath everlasting life and shall not come into Judgment but shall pass from death unto life Strengthen O Christ my Faith that I may put the whole confidence of my salvation in the merits of thy obedience and Blood Encrease O holy Spirit my patience lay no more upon me than I am able to bear and enable me to bear so much as shall stand with thy blessed will and pleasure O blessed Trinity in Unity my Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier vouchsafe that as my
Israelites to convey them to Canaan's possession so death to the wicked is a sink to hell and condemnation but to the godly the gate to everlasting life and salvation And one day of a blessed death will make amends for all the sorrows of a bitter life When therefore thou perceivest thy soul departing from thy body pray with thy Tongue if thou canst else pray in thy heart and mind these words fixing the eyes of thy soul upon Jesus Christ thy Saviour A Prayer at the yielding up of the Ghost O Lamb of God which by thy blood hast taken away the sins of the world have mercy upon me a sinner Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Amen When the sick party is departing let the faithful that are present kneel down and commend his soul to God in these or the like words O Gracious God and merciful Father who art our refuge and strength and a very present help in trouble lift up the light of thy favourable countenance at this Instant upon thy servant that now cometh to appear in thy presence wash away good Lord all his sins by the merits of Christ Jesus's blood that they may never be laid to his charge Increase his faith preserve and keep safe his soul from the danger of the Devil and his Wicked Angels Comfort him with thy Holy Spirit cause him now to feel that thou art his loving Father and that he is thy child by Adoption and Grace Save O Christ the price of thine own blood and suffer him not to be lost whom thou hast bought so dearly Receive his soul as thou didst the penitent thief into thy heavenly Paradise Let thy blessed Angels conduct him thither as they carried the soul of Laâ—arus and grant unto him a joyful resurrection at the last day O Father hear us for him and hear thine own Son our only Mediator that sits at thy right hand for him and us all even for the merits of that bitter death and passion which he hath suffered for us In confidence whereof we now recommend his soul into thy fatherly hands in that blessed Prayer which our Saviour hath taught us in all times of our troubles to say unto thee Our Father c. Thus far of the Practice of Piety in dying in the Lord. Now followeth the Practice of Piety in dying for the Lord. THE Practice of Piety in dying for the Lord is termed Martyrdom Martyrdom is the testimony which a Christian beareth to the Doctrine of the Gospel by enduring any kind of death to invite many and to confirm all to embrace the truth thereof To this kind of death Christ hath promised a Crown Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee the Crown of life Which promise the Church so firmly believed that they termed martyrdom it self a Crown And God to animate Christians to this excellent prize would by a prediction that Stephen the first Christian Martyr should have his name of a Crown Of Martyrdom there are Three kinds 1. Solâ voluntate in will only as John the Evangelist who being boiled in a Cauldron of Oil came out rather annointed than sod and died of old age at Ephesus 2. Solo opere in deed only as the Innocents of Bethlehem 3. Voluntate opere both in will and deed as in the Primitive Church Stephen Polycarpus Ignatius Laurentius Romanus Antiochianus and thousands And in our days Cranmer Latimer Hooper Ridley Farrar Bradford Philpot Sanders Glover Taylor and others innumerable whose fiery zeal to God's Truth brought them to the flames of Martyrdom to seal Christ's Faith It is not the cruelty of the death but the innocency and holiness of the cause that maketh a Martyr Neither is an erroneous Conscience a sufficient warrant to suffer Martyrdom because Science in God's Word must direct Conscience in man's heart For they who killed the Apostles in their erroneous Consciences thought they did God good service and Paul of zeal breathed out slaughters against the Lord's Saints Now whether the cause of our Seminary Priests and Jesuits be so holy true and innocent as that it may warrant their Conscience to suffer death and to hazard their eternal salvation thereon let Paul's Epistle written to the ancient Christian Romans but against our new Antichristian Romans be judge And it will plainly appear that the Doctrine which St. Paul taught to the ancient Church of Rome is ex diametro opposite in 26 fundamental points of true Religion to that which the new Church of Rome teacheth and maintaineth For St. Paul taught the Primitive Church of Rome 1. That our Election is of God's free Grace and not ex operibus praevisis Rom. 9. 11. Rom. 11. 5 6. 2. That we are justified before God by faith only without good works Rom. 3. 20 28. Rom. 4. 2 c. Rom. 1. 17. 3. That the good works of the regenerate are not of their own condignity meritorious nor such as can deserve Heaven Rom. 8. 18. Rom. 11. 6. Rom. 6. 23. 4. That these Books only are God's Oracles and Canonical Scripture which were committed to the custody and credit of the Jews Rom. 3. 2. Rom. 1. 2. Rom. 16. 26. such were never the Apocrypha 5. That the Holy Scriptures have God's authority Rom. 9. 17. Rom. 3. 4. Rom. 11. 32. conferred with Gal. 3. 22. Therefore above the authority of the Church 6. That all as well Laity as Clergy that will be saved must familiarly read or know the Holy Scripture Rom. 15. 4. Rom. 10. 1 2 8. Rom. 16. 26. 7. That all Images made of the true God are very Idols R. 1. 23. R. 2. 22. conferr'd 8. That to bow the knee religiously to an Image or to worship any Creature is meer Idolatry R. 11. 4. and a lying service R. 1. 25. 9. That we must not pray unto any but to God only in whom we believe Rom. 10. 13 14. Rom. 8. 15 27. therefore not to Saints and Angels 10. That Christ is our only intercessor in Heaven Rom. 8. 34 Rom. 5. 2 Rom. 16. 27. 11. That the only Sacrifice of Christians is nothing but the spiritual Sacrificing of their souls and bodies to serve God in holiness and righteousness R. 12. 1 R. 15. 16. therefore no real sacrificing of Christ in the Mass. 12. That the religious worship called dulia as well as latria belongeth to God alone Rom. 1. 9. Rom. 12. 11. R. 16. 18. conferr'd 13. That all Christians are to pray unto God in their own native language R. 14. 11. 14. That we have not of our selves in the state of corruption free will unto good Rom. 7. 18 c. Rom. 9. 16. 15. That Concupiscence in the regenerate is sin Rom. 7. 7 8 10. 16. That the Sacraments do not confer grace ex opere operato but sign and seal that â—t is conferred already unto us Rom. 4. 11 12. Rom. 2. 28 29. 17. That every