by tyrants rage tempted by Sathan made of men a scorne Sold by thy servant arraigned and condemned grievously scourged then crowned with thorne Naild to the crosse twixt two thieves crucified Pierc'd through the heart opprest in soul beside Most blessed Iesu why shouldst thou endure thy precious body peerlesly innocent Yea sacred and holy by the cruell hands of sinfull wretches to be torne and rent Was there no way to expiate my sins but all these torments must be laid on thee O wretched caytive I that did offend most gracious Saviour thou thus pitying me O let my heart weep teares of blood within For these thy sufferings and my grievous sin And thou deare Lord whose love unutterable hath made thee undergo all this for me Inflame my heart with holy fire that I with awfull love againe may worship thee With true repentâ—nt teares and contrite heart prostrate thy precious bleeding wounds before My Lord my God thus crucified for me with humble faith and reverence to adore Hating my selfe for all my grievous sins Which caused those thy grievous sufferings O let mine eyes powre forth whole streames of tears my heart dissolv'd to sighs of true contrition So to bewaile my sins and wickednes and that most miserable and forlorn condition Which guilt of sin sight of the wrath of God desert of hell and utter condemnation Might threaten me but that my hope is fixt on thee my Iesus God of my salvation Thou only blessed Lord canst succour me O save my soule which only trusts in thee For when the people were in Moses time by fiery serpents wounded mortally The brasen serpent was lift up by him that such as looke up to it might not die If such great vertue in that figure were the type of this thy crosse and reall elevation How much more vertue shall thy precious blood afford my sin-sick soule for my curation Then let my humble faith cleave fast to thee Sweet Saviour let us never parted be For when I look up to this crosse of thine five glorious victories my meditation Observes thereon to be atchiev d by thee for making sure the worke of my salvation The law of grace against the law of workes prevailing so to work my liberty Against my sin thy selfe deere Lord made sin that it might righteousnesse become to me Thy death O Saviour mine abolishing My soule unto eternall life to bring And thou the Prince of darknesse conquering that I might still the child of God remaine And lastly overcomming hell it selfe that I might heavens blessednesse obtaine Thus by thy precious death and passion my soules maine enemies are vanquisht quite And I set free now under th' law no more but under grace by thy rich grace and might O let thy spirit of grace still governe me That I may die to sin and live to thee That whiles I live I may divide my time betweene true godly sorrow for my sinnes And faithfull praising of thy holy name from whence alone my hope of comfort springs And so by lively faith being knit to thee thou by thy spirit dwelling in my heart Soule of my soule mayst day by day to me thy spirituall life and quickning grace impart And I by mysticall injunction be Truly though spiritually made one with thee Of which sweet union thou hast made me sure by those maine seales of thine eternall love Thy word of truth thy Sacraments of grace thy spirit of peace inspired from above And so by matchlesse mercy on thy part most blessed Lord and humble faith on mine Thou hast betroth'd thy glorious selfe unto my poore believing soule and made it thine One of thine owne to be disjoyned neâ—eâ— But live in thee to thee with thee for ever Why then should any mortall thing detaine me longer in this vaile of teares and sin Whose whole desire with blessed Simeon is to contemne the world and all therein To lay aside this robe of earth I weare that my redeemed soule may come to thee Whose blessed will is so declar'd that where Thou art thine owne shall also be Call then sweet Iesu as it shall thee please Into thy hands receive my soule in peace When my appointed time of change shall be For which my soule shall daily wait on thee A Contemplative Meditation of the new Ierusalem and the triumphant Church celebrating an everlasting Sabbath in the kingdome of Heaven entitled by mee Halelujah to Heavens King LEâ—ve O my soule this restlesse vaile below Which sin and sorrow by turnes still overflow Raise up thy thoughts to that supernall rest Which maketh all the Saints and Angels blest Who altogether do for ever sing Halelujah's to Heavens King There is erect the Godheads glorious throne More bright than many thousand suns in one Where thy deare Saviours body glorified That body which for thee was crucified Now raigneth with the Dietie In soveraigne blisse and Majestie That sacred head which here was crownd with thorns A crown of heavenly glory now adornes That hand which here did hold the scornful reed Now weilds the Scepter of al power and dread Those feet once naild unto the tree Trample on death and hel in victorie â—he holy citie new Ierusalem Is there prepar'd for just and perfect men With great high wals of Iasper built foure square Whereof the length breadth depth all equall are Of twelve foundations precious stone The twelve Apostles names thereon In twelve gates of pearles a peece on each side three At which twelve Angels the attendants be The st eets pure gold all shining like the Sun Through which the crystal stream of life doth run From out the throne of glory flowing The Tree of life on both sides growing Within those gates of glorious habitation None enter may but heires of salvation The Lambs redeemed his espoused wife Whose names are written in his booke of life The Church triumphant there set free Forever from mortality There live those blessed troopes of purest spirits In such excesse of joyes and true delights As neither eare can heare nor eye perceive Nor can the heart of mortall man conceive Prepared by the Lord of blisse Before all worlds for all of his Who living here the blessed life of grace Are hence translated to that glorious place Where thy deare Saviour keepes a roome for thee Then looke and long for immortalitie Waite his good houre and in waiting sin Halelujahs to heavens King A Meditation of Mans mortality MAn unto whom each houre in changes preacheth That all this Globe earths glory shall decay Believs that doome to mightier creatures reacheth Yet dreames it cannot hold in brittle clay So dull and heavie is his heart in ease To think of ought that may the flesh displease Then neerer come to his dull senses cry All flesh is grasse worm-eaten flowers mans pride It 's true saith he but tell him that himselfe shall die He rather thinks it true in all beside So reason traind to be self-pleasures thrall He thinks that
them to his dominion insomuch as he presumed to set upon the Lord Jesus God blessed for ever finding him cloathed in our flesh though to his owne utter overthrow in the combate our Saviour the second Adam becomming absolute conquerour and that for us also that doe believe in him who are thereby made partakers of his victorie In the young Cock me thinks I see the naturall and unregenerate man overladen with his owne originall corruption who endowed with many gifts of nature and helpes of good education presumes of himselfe to stand against the old cock in fight But the old murtherer who never shewes faire play but workes upon any base or villanous advantage hee can laying hold upon his naturall corruption and by help thereof gives him many a wound and is like to overcome and oppresse him through the treachery of his own flesh by the m ltitude of his sins when behold the Lord Jesus the blessed spectator of all our fights and combats and who is our only supporter and helper in them seeing the poore soule his souldier in this distresse and danger gives order by the work of his sanctifying spirit to cut off that traiterous corruption 〈◊〉 nature and by the supply of grace to renew his strength against the fiery assaults of the tempter who missing his wonted hold of corrupt flesh and finding a new influence of grace from the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which ever overcomes him wheresoever it meets him turnes the backe and flies away and so the man though but in part regenerate becomes more then conquerour through him that loved us Romans 8.37 Most blessed Saviour who seest our manifold weaknesses and the enemies great advantage over us in these spirituall combats strengthen us thy poore weaklings fighting under thy banner that by thy grace we may be enabled to stand fast and couragiously in the evill day and by the power of thy might put all temptations to flight and so finally obtaine the Crowne of victorie to thy glory and our everlasting peace Amen 31. Vpon a childes asking blessing in the morning WHiles I was busie one morning in writing my little grand child came into the roome where I was falling downe upon her knees and desired me to pray to God to blesse her and having so done knowing that I heard her she without expecting any verball answer from me out of the confidence of my fatherly love riseth up assureing her selfe of the blessing shee desired and so betaketh her selfe to the employments of the day O blessed Lord God our most gracious heavenly Father thy love is the only Fountaine of all true fatherly love and affection and the deerest love of the tenderest parent is but as a dropp from that ocean why then should not I with as much or rather much more confidence and assurance relie upon thy paternall love as the childe doth on mine Why should any doubtings interrupt my prayers when I knâ—w I put thâ—m up to so gracious a Father whose love is all infinite and unchangeable like thy selfe why should my sinnes or unworthinesse deterre me from that dutie when J know thy love and grace is free and freely bestowed out of thine owne goodnesse not for any merit of mine nay against my sinfull deservings O blessed Lord God seale up unto my conscience by thy pacifying spirit the assurance of mine adoption and strengthen mee by thy grace in all my poore prayers howsoever accompanied with humane infirmities to come unto thee with true filiall confidence and awfull reverence in the name of thine onely naturall and eternall Sonne my blessed Saviour and onely Mediator and so shall I be sure of thy Fatherly acceptance of me in him O then let my soule for ever rejoyce in this priviledge of thy children and cheerefully thankefully and constantly put my whole trust and affiance both in life and death in thine eternall and free love and mercy towards me in Christ Jesus Amen 32. Vpon one word attributed to God thrice in three verses together in one Chapter IN the last Chapter of Ionah it is said verse 6. that the Lord God prepared a Gourd verse 7. that the Lord prepared a worm vers 8 and the Lord prepared a vehement east-winde three workes of Gods omnipotent power as it were of three new creations from thence to draw a most demonstrative argument for convincing the Prophets erronious zeale and to manifest the glories of his owne infinite mercies above all his workes O most glorious Lord God did the Prophet know indeed verse 2. that thou art a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and should hee now bee angry because thou wert slow to anger and would he needs die of the sullens because thou wouldest not destroy one hundred and twentie thousand infants when their parents repented what strange passions are these in a Prophet had he forgotten so soone his owne case when so late before for his rebellious flying from thee and thy word he was justly even by his own confession thrownover board into the sea and yet of thine infinite mercy by a miraculous deliverance was after three daies and three nights together lying in the deep brought in life and safety to dry land againe was hee glad and thankfull then for thy mercies in sparing of one rebell and hath he now so little pitie upon so many thousand innocents O blessed Lord God how transcendent are thy thoughts Esa 558 above ours and how contrary are our wayes unto thine Thine end in this Prophets employment was for the Ninivites conversion not for their destruction And when by thy blessed summons of prevention thou didst upon their repentance save them greater was thy glory thereby and the successe more pleasing to thy Majestie then it would have beene by their impenitencie and destruction let these two examples of thy mercie upon the fugitive Prophet and the repentant Ninivites teach us to put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercies for blessed are all they that put their trust in thee Psalme 2.12 and 34.8 O Lord strengthen us by thy grace to depend upon thee and thy goodnesse both in life and death through Iesus Christ our Saviour Redeemer and Mediator Amen And againe O Lord God didst thou here immediately prepare both the refreshing Gourd and the smiting worme and fainting heat for thine owne gracious end with the Prophet and doth any matter of comfort or affliction bâ—fall any of thy â—hildren but by the hand of thine al governing providence who in thine unsearchable wisdome knowest what is best for them and in thine unchangeable mercy disposest thereof accordingly O then blessed Lord give us grace withall meeknesse to humble our selves under thy mighty hand in all the occurrents of this mortall life and in all our troubles to depend and rest upon thy mercies for that blessed issue which thou in thy boundlesse goodnesse shalt produce for thine owne glory in our finall peace and salvation Amen 33. Vpon the
as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the Judgement Verse 28. So CHRIST was once offered to beare the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appeare the second time without sinne unto salvation Who his own self bare our sins in his owne body on the tree 1 Peter 2.24 by whose stripes ye were healed He is the propitiation for our sins 1 Iohn 1â— â— The Sonn of man came to give his life a Ransome for many Mat. 20.28 Mark â—â— â—3 There is one God 1 â—â—m â— â— and one Mediator betweene God and man the man CHRIST IESUS Who gave himselfe a ransome for all to be testified in due time Verse â— My first MEDITATION of Mount TABOR NOw my soule that by Gods mercy and goodnesse we are withdrawen from the world into this solitary Mountaine where our blessed Saviour the Lord IESUS was transfigured in divine glory before his suffering in his humanitie that his Disciples thereby discerning both his natures in one person might be assured that he was that true promised Messiah God manifested in the flesh for the redemption of mankinde Let our meditations be employed in the consideration of those glorious benefits which the faithfull soule receiveth from this blessed Saviour of the world wherein our first remembrance propounded unto us is How excellent a thing it is to have all our debts cancelled that is to say to have all our sinnes discharged and so the Gospell comparing Matthew 6.12.14 with Luke 11.4 expounds the same for every sinne is a grievous debt indeed and a debt upon record in Gods owne debt-booke which he hath committed to the keeping of our own consciences as a trustie register betweene him and us aswell that we should not be able to deny oâ— wage our law for the least parcell there entred as that our selves may see h w we grow every day more and more into debt and being thereby privie to our owne miserable and wretâ—hed estaâ—e o not being able to make satisfactiâ— may seriously and seasonably lâ—â—oâ—â— to gâ—t our debts cancelled befo e we be called to reckoning â—n the XVIII Chapter of S. Matthew we read of a King that would take accompt of his servants Vers XXIV and when he had begun to reckon one was brought unto him that owed him a thousand Talents and having not to pay his Lord commanded him to be sold and his wife and children and all that hee had and paiment to be made Such a miserable debtor O Lord my God and Saviour am I my debts being not of pence but of talents and that not single but thousand-fold and all of them of such nature as the world if I had it in my power to dispose of cannot satisfie divine justice for the least of them and yet there can be no discharg of the debt no remission of my sinnes without satisfaction For mercy and justice are in our God both essentiall neither can the one exceed the other where they are both infinite Oh then where shall I wretched creature finde in heaven or earth a paiment of infinite value to answer and satisfie this infinite justice for my manifold and grievous offences What surety will come in to be my baile in this desperate and forlorne condition this satisfaction can no way be made but by thine own blessed selfe O most gracious Lord IESUS one only Saviour who being God and Man in one person hast vouchsafed out of thine infinite mercy and goodnesse together with our fraile nature to take also our debts all our sinnes upon thy selfe and so as my most glorious surety and Redeemer to free me from that insupportable burthen which otherwise had pressed me downe to the nethermost hell It being not possible that the blacke lines of my debts of sinne could bee crossed or blotted out of Gods debt-booke by any other meanes then by the red lines of thy most precious blood For thou only O Lord art the alsufficient and propitiatory sacrifice whereby divine justice is fully satisfied for all the sins of every true penitent that believes in thee Therefore in all true humiliation of soule hungring and thirsting after thy salvation O blessed IESUS my Lord and my God thus crucified for me doe I prostrate my self at thy glorious foot-stoole beseeching thee by thy grace to strike my heard and stonie heart that in all contrition of soule I may spend my selfe into the tears of unfained repentance for the manifold sins and wickednes ignorance prophannesse unthankfulnes and unfruitfulnes of my life past and then withall by the same thy gracious spirit to lift up my penitent and afflicted soule by the hands of an humble and lively faith to lay fast hold upon thee my blessed Saviour and most glorious Redeemer that so this alsufficient satisfaction of thine applyed to my soule and conscience and by faith become mine may make me assured that all my huge and burthensome debts are cancelled and my sins remitted that they may never affright my conscience any more For I know O Lord and assuredly believe that how great or grievous soever my sinnes have beene yet there can be no sins unpardonable to an infinite mercy nor any sins so hainous or multiplyed but the infinite merit of thy precious death and passion can and doth fully expiate and discharge the same for ever to every true penitent and believing soule Oh then most blessed Saviour quicken I beseech thee and strengthen my weak and feeble faith by thy gracious spirit to make such a powerfull and effectuall application of this thy most gracious satisfaction for me to my wounded and fearefull conscience as may quiet the same for ever In assurance that all my debts are paid and crossed out of GODS Debt-booke by thee my most blessed surety never to bee demanded of mee againe Give mee grace O Lord IESUS not to stand onely poring and gazing upon my sinnes the objects of confusion but to lift up the the eyes of my soule unto thee my gracious Saviour the proper object of consolation and to be so wholly and truly enflamed with thy love as that I may for ever with al awful reverence and devout adoration blesse praise and magnifie thy most holy name for this eternall love and incomprehensible mercy of thine towards me in freeing and acquitting me from all my sinnes And now O my soule let us rouze up our dull and heavie spirits and rejoyce together with joy unspeakable and glorious let us sing and be merrie in the Lord for he is the Lord our God even the God of our salvation And we shall tenne times more honour him in obeying his commandement by believing in him whom hee hath sent into the world for our redemption and shall much better please him in trusting to his mercy and sealing to his truth in the blessed performance of his covenant of grace in the promised Messiah then in doubting of his mercie by reason of
of life and death of salvation and damnation at that Acts 2.20 great and terrible day of the Lord wherein 2 Pet. 3.10 the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up the dead raised the living changed and all mankinde brought together to give a most strict accompt not for their ill works alone but for their neglect of good duties not for actions alone but for their words and that not for filthy and mischievous words only but for every idle word and the thoughts of the heart And this my soule is that infinite almighty and most glorious and dreadful Majestie against whom we have rebelled in the highest treasons his wisdome power justice being incomprehensible and his wrath insupportable O come let us worship and fall downe prostrate with all aweful reverence trembling and feare and then in the second place consider how infinitely gracious and good this our most blessed God the King of eternall glory hath beene to such a worme and vile wretch as my unworthy selfe For besides those most blessed and extraordinary priviledges which I have with my countrey-men in being borne an Englishman in the time of the most glorious Sun-shine of the Gospell of grace seconded with such Halcyon daies of blessed peace the publike miracles of mercy which God hath wrought even in my life time in the preservation of this Church and Kingdome our gracious Princes our selves and our posterities specially in these two famous deliverances never to be forgotten by any true English heart from the Spanish invincible Armado and the Popish hellish Powder plot O blessed Lord God how infinitely good and gracious hast thou been unto me most unworthy in all the particular passages of my earthly pilgrimage First in spirituall blessings by thy preventing mercy keeping me from some grievous sinnes into which my owne wicked corruptions by Sathans damnable enticements had els drawne me In thy sparing mercies in my acting of other sins wherinto I was faln In thy pardoning mercies that miracle of miracles in translating me out of that damnable estate of mine unregenerate time into rhe glorious liberty of thine owne children of grace and adoption in IESUS CHRIST and for thy renewing mercies by the work of thy holy spirit making me to loath all sinne and to apply my selfe to all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse in universall new obedience to thy most holy will and a constant will and resolution to serve and please thee love feare adore and obey thee in all true repentance and sanctification all the remaining houres of my life and lastly for the assurance thou hast given me of the upshot of all thy finall and crowning mercies in the life to come Then again in temporall blessings by preserving mee from harme in most desperate dangers giving mee the helpe of good education blessing me with a most gracious and comfortable fellowship in marriage and us both with hopefull children and grandchildren especially for our eldest son the true staffe of our age and for thy bountifull providing for us and them in outward necessaries and shewing us mercy in all our occasions yea good Lord for thy fatherly chastisements sent amongst us and therein for that gentle paralyticall infirmity of mine owne aged body whereby I have beene gratiously taken off from worldly cares and employments and have held and still by thy goodnesse have this blessed time and opportunity for heavenly meditations and Christ in preparation of my self for my change and dissolution and my finall translation into those glorious mansions which our most blessed Saviour hath provided for us in his heavenly kingdome O most blessed Lord God how shall I poore weakling do to admire thy providence adore thy Majestie love feare serve and obey thee and glorifie thy most holy name as I am most bounden and heartily desire to do in all sincerity duty and thankfulnes for all thy numberles and incomprehensible mercies blessings comforts and deliverances vouchsafed unto me even in this fraile life and valley of teares and for the glorious upshot of all thy crowning mercies reserved for me in the life to come Oh fill my heart with thy gracious spirit for enabling me to pay my humble vowes unto thy Majestie in all true sanctified obedience and faithfull and serious endeavours of soule and body to walke acceptably before thee from henceforth and for ever Amen And now my soule should wee in the third place consider how wickedly and ungraciously I have misbehaved my self all the days of my flesh towards this most high glorious almighty and most dreadful Majestie and towards this most gracious and mercifull God and Saviour of ours But here alas I am confounded wâ—h shame astonishment of heart and horror of conscience but to think of the manifold frailties prophannes pollutions of my youth and the sinful negligencies rashnesses improvidence unfruitfulnes and unthankfulnes and other sins and transgressions of thought word or deed of my whole mispent life by past Yea O Lord my God in my ungrateful and froward neglect of thy gracious time of visitation graunted mee of thine unspeakable mercie these foure last yeares aswell for my sound humiliation and serious daily repentance for my manifold sins and corruptions as for improving that precious time in those gracious duties and spirituall exercises publike and private which my conscience tels me I should have performed with more fervour of spirit feare and trembling and syncerity and intention of heart then I have done But O Lord I finde that were mine eyes fountaines of teares powred out every moment of my life should my heart fall asunder into drops of blood in my brest for anger and indignation against my selfe for my grievous sins and transgressions yet should I come infinitely short of that sorrow and hearts griefe which mine offences would justly require and exact at my hands And therefore O Lord my God though it bee my most earnest suit and the earnest desire and constant prayer of my humble soule that my hard and dull heart may by thy grace be so softned and quickned as to be truly broken and dissolved into sighs of true contrition and that I may weepe day and night for my sinnes and offences all my life long unto my dying houre yet all could not serve to draw thy mercy upon me for the least of my transgressions for in the point of redemption of mankind and purgation of sinne nothing could serve the turn but the precious blood of IESUS CHRIST God and Man in one person blessed for ever Either the sonne of God must die or else all mankind be eternally damned and their sinnes only are properly said to have pierced him who at length are saved by his blood Come then my soule let us set our humble faith on worke to lay fast hold upon this blessed Saviour of ours who only is become our reconciliation and peace-maker
for us to God our heavenly father and alone câ—n helpe us in all our distresses This being a true principle in the heavenly art of comforting of afflicted consciences that so soone as a man is heartily humbled for all his sinnes and wearie of their waight though his sorrow bee not answerable to his owne desire yet hee shall most certainly bee wellcome to IESUS CHRIST for it is not so much the muchnesse and measure of our sorrow as the truth and heartinesse of it that fits us for the promise and comfort of mercie though withall it is true that hee that thinkes hee hath sorrowed enough for his sinnes never sorrowed savingly O most blessed and most gracious Lord God I beseech thee sanctifie my heart by thy holy spirit unto sound and syncere humiliation of soul that in the sight of my sinnes I may still grow viler in my owne eyes and bee more and more humbled in true repentance for them but yet withal by the hand of lively and saving faith upon the Lord Iesus dying and bleeding upon the crosse for my sake and for mine assured reconciliation with thy Majestie by whom alone thou art appeased towards me and made my most gracious and mercifull father for ever that so by thy grace I may ever keep in my bosome an humble soft and lowly spirit which may ever enable mee to live by faith more cheerfully to enjoy thee my most glorious Lord God more neerly to apply my Iesus to my soules comfort more feelingly and to wait for and long for his blessed comming more earnestly that so being graciously prepared and sanctified by thy holy spirit the soule of my soule governing comforting and supporting me I may with all alacrity and thankfulnes faith repentance and obedience to thy most holy will walke before thee in all holy fear all the dayes of mine appointed time till my change shall come In full assurance that no sooner shall this dark world and the shadow of it bee out of my bodily sight but the glorious light of the heavenly mansions of my Saviours Palace provided for mee and all the rest of his shall shine upon my soule in full brightnesse to mine everlasting joy comfort and finall peace through IESUS CHRIST my blessed Saviour and only peace-maker Amen The Third MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR How glorious a thing to be the child of God Places of Scripture shewing how this benefit belongs to us Ioh. 1.11 HE came unto his owne and his owne received him not Vers 12 but as many as received him to them gave he power or the right or priviledge to become the sonnes of God even to them that believe in his name Ioh. 12 3â— While you have light believe in the light that ye may be the children of the light For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Râ—m 8. â—â— 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Vers 16. The spirit it selfe beareth witnesses with our spirits that we are the children of God For ye are all the children of God by faith in CHRIST IESUS Gaâ— â— â— When the fulnesse of time was come Gaâ— â— â— God sent forth his sonne made of woman made under the Law 5. to redeeme them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sonnes 6. And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts 7 therefore thou art no more a servant but a son Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us Iohn 3. â— that we should be called the sonnes of God 2 Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be The third Meditation Now my soul are we by Gods mercy come to the third step of these our Meditations which offereth to our consideration how glorious a thing it is to be the child of God In our first step when we lay first bound in the chains of our sins under the insupportable waight of numberlesse talents of debts oppressing us our most gracious Saviour the Lord Iesus blessed for ever became our surety took our nature upon him God manifested in the flesh paid all our debts satisfied divine justice for all our sinnes and so set us at liberty and made us freemen In our second step he brought us into a further degree of favour to make our God whom we had so grievously offended and provoked to become friends with us and appeased towards us And now in the third place wee are brought to bee more than friends children of the almighty and most glorious God himselfe whereby we are entitled to demand and challenge at his fatherly hands not only safe protection from al dangers and evils and carefull provision both for soul and body in this life but also an eternal inheritance of heavenly glory in the life to come And how comes it to passe ô my soul that so wretched and worthies a creature as my unworthy self should be advanced to those glorious priviledges and high dignity of being made and accepted a child of the most high our God hath but one only son by nature even G d the son very God of very God the second person of the most holy glorious and ever blessed Trinity in and by whom alone as in our former meditations I was redeemed from my sinnes and reconciled unto God so it is in and by him only that I and all the rest of his redeemed ones doe receive the adoption of sonnes even so O most blessed Lord God and heavenly father because it so pleaseth thee through IESUS CHRIST our Lord whom our humble and true faith apprehending we receive from him into our hearts the blessed spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father the same spirit bearing witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God by faith in CHRIST IESUS as in the severall places of holy Scripture before named appeareth O then my soule let us now also by this third step and meditation take this just and fit opportunity for renewing of our daily repentance and of our humble faith in this most gracious Saviour of ours for our laying fast hold upon him who by these blessed degrees hath brought us to this high priviledge of being the children of God And true faith I find to be thus defined Faith is a filiall confidence in God conceived of the knowledge of CHRIST and the love of the father in him whereby man runneth unto God and cryeth unto him Abba Father In which lively faith there is a twofold operation First an apprehending vertue by which the believer receives and applieth to himselfe IESUS CHRIST as he is offered in the word and sacraments Secondly a rendring vertue so to call it whereby the believer goes out of himselfe into the Lord. Qui credit in
and penitent sinner for the strengthening of his faith and hope to rely constantly and confidently upon his infinite mercies O blessed Lord God of our Fathers who even in the time of the law under the covenant of workes wert thus good and gracious towards sinners before the manifestation of our blessed Saviour thine eternall sonne in the flesh and salvation in him proclaimed to all nations by the golden trumpet of the Gospell mercifully sanctifie and strengthen us poore sinfull wretches by thy holy spirit to lay fast hold upon those thine eternall mercies exhibited unto us by thy new covenant in Christ Jesus and sealed up unto us in his most precious blood for the full and sure remission of all our sinnes in him our perfect reconciliation with thy Majestie and the assurance of thine unchangeable love and our owne finall peace and salvation in him whom thou of thine incomprehensible mercies towards poore penitent sinners hast sealed and sent into the world to bee relyed upon for salvation that so by humble and lively faith with true and hearty repentance relying and resting upon those mercies of thine which have beene ever of old unto the end and in the end we may receive the end of our faith in the salvation of our soules through the precious merits and blessed mediation of that prince of peace our most gracious Saviour and eternall peacemaker Amen 20. Vpon the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to breath THis little word consisting but of two letters the first and last of the Greeke Alphabet yet makes two syllables and gives a weighty signification the english of it being I live or breath which in my conceit may note unto us the shortnes of the life of man and the neernesse of death to every man breathing when we cannot say I breath but the last letter must conclude it as the first began it the one following the other as close as the shadow doth the body or the night the day without any other letter interposed betweene them or so much as an aspiration to prolong the word but no sooner Alpha begins but Omega concludes and if all the other twenty letters of the Alphabet should bee interposed and reckoned after the greatest computation of mans life not by dayes but by yeares where how many be there that come not to so many moneths or weekes some not to so many houres or minutes yet must we all that read that Alphabet come to Omega at last And if any be so strong as to read it over in the largest extent of yeares there times and a halfe over yet were his life but labour and sorrow so soone passeth it away and we are gone O Lord my God thou hast prolonged my life to the 69. yeare of mine age which brings mee to the confines of Moses his computation of the life of man and therfore howsoever others may reckon the Omega to be far off from them which no man can bee sure of for an houre yet must I continually expect it aâ— at hand O most mercifull Lord Jesus who hast called thy selfe Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the fâ—â—sh and the last who art the author and finisher of our faith the beginner of every good worke of grace in us and 〈◊〉 perfecter of it have mercy upon me and by thy holy spirit perfect that good worke begun in me for preparing my soule in true faith repentance and obedience all the dayes of mine appointed time so to wait till my change commeth that when that happie houre shall come J may be found ready for heaven and hee finally received of thee in peace into thine everlasting kingdome Amen 21. Vpon the words of S. Paul 1 COR. 9.24 So run that ye may obtain IT is the saying of Theophylact that oâ— the children of God Quidam sunâ— in patria quidam in via ad patriam some are at home in their countrie some in their way towards it some have obtained the goale already the rest are running their race towards it some have finished their course have fought the good fight of faith in grace here and are now at rest in glory some in the beginning of their course and others in our apprehension more forward but all tending to the end And as it is with Gods children that they are not yet at home in their country whiles they are in this world but are travelling thitherward so also the wicked whiles they live here are not where they must be hereafter for they are runners too how well soever they think they have setled themselves in this world and must of necessity leave it when their turnes comes For there is one thing to be done by every man and woman living high or low good or bad rich or poore one with another which it concernes every man to be sure to doe well or else hee can never come to heaven it being not possible to do it more tâ—en once and that is to die If thou runne well in the race of thy life thou shalt bee sure to dye well and he that so doth is safely gotten in patriam but if death once surprize thee in an ill case thou canst never come to dye againe in a better Therefore since the life of man is a race to all men and howsoever we runne or walke or play by the way we must all come to the goale at last what an excellent caveat hath the Holy Ghost given us here by the Apostle so to run that wee may obtaine It is not in our choise whether we will runne or no for wee are all runners our life runnes away like the sand in the houreglasse without staying the twinckling of an eye whether wee observe it or no and it is no small matter that lies at stake even no lesse then salvation or damnation a crowne of glory if wee follow this gratious counsell or Commandement of God by the Apostle of so running that wee may obtaine everlasting horrour and confusion if wee obtaine not Men that use to runne a race for a wager walke over that peece of ground often where they are to performe their race at last to observe on whether side the advantage lyeth at this downe with or that rise of the way and what bee the impediments which may hinder them in their speede that they may avoid them and all to win the wager which is but for a Nag or a suit of cloaths or some other like triviall or transitory thing how much more need have wee then that have our soules at stake to take a daily view of our way and of the short race whereupon eternitie depends not to bee taken with the goodly buildings faire flowers sweet valleys or pleasant fields and other delights offered to our senses but to marke seriously what dangerous letches what thornie passages what nets or gâ—â—ns what bogs or false ground lye in our way that wee may avoid them in our race and runne on
though by the childes reading as if the Lord by her had spoken them to my selfe a paralytick and a sinner as that sicke-man was who for ought appeares in the Text expected only the cure of his bodily infirmity when behold the gracious redeemer of the World who is wont to give more unto us then we desire or deserve begins first with the cure of the soule by remitting his sins and then cures the body afterwards O most blessed Saviour those words of grace which thou didst vouchsafe to that sicke man not desâ—ring it speake thou of thy rich mercy by thy holy Spirit to my sinne-sicke soule which most humbly beggs it at thy most mercifull hands My soule is grievously sicke in the sight of my sins sence of the wrath of my displeased God and desert of hell and utter condemnation But Lord speake these words only unto me and my soule shall live for Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me whole O Lord heale my soule for I have sinned against thee As for my bodily infirmitie which thou as the chastisement of a loving and merciful father hast laid upon me to weane me from the world and for my better preparation against the time of my dissolution by it I do with all humble thankfulnesse and dutifull obedience submit my selfe thereunto therein But my humble and earnest suite is for mercy mercie good Lord for the cure of my Soule by the pardoning of my sinnes O Blessed Saviour speake those gracious words to mee one Paralyticke more Sonne bee of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee that being absolved from them all by thee in this life who hast already fully satisfied divine justice for them all J may when that houre of my departure commeth with comfort and cherefulnes deliver up my redeemed soule into thy blessed armes of mercy in peace Amen Amen 29. Vpon the wâ—rds of a childe intimating the necessitie of my timely preparation for death and heaven IF notice were taken of the speeches which sometimes fâ—ll from children I am perswaded great use might bee made thereof by those of ripe yeares for their instruction and good which I lately observed in a short discourse had with my little grand-daughter not yet seven yeares old my selfe being entred into the seventieth yeare of my age and my left side taken with a disease called the dead palsie shee seeing mee to have my left hand rubbed after meals and my left legg rubbed at my going to bed and at my uprising said to me Grandfather this you doe to make that side well nay child said I but to preserve it so long 〈◊〉 shall please God but I looke not to be well till I be in heaven whereunto she replyed in these very words yea grandfather you long to bee there and your leg would faine go to sleepe in the grave In which words how directly doth the childe teach me many things 1. What I should doe long to bee in heaven 2. That there is no passage thither for the soule but by the death of the body 3. That when the body is ready for the grave it is high time for the soule to be longing for heaven 4. That the grave is buâ— the bodies bed to sleepe in for a time 5. Intimating therewith thâ—â— there shall be a time of waking By which five particulars how evident is it Psal 8.2 out of the mouths of very babes and children hath God ordained strength to witnesse his grace and praises to the confounding of the enemy who would suppresse them O most blessed Lord God let my soule first praise thy holy name for giving me those seasonable admonitions from one that comes in a second descent of mine owne loines beseeching thee to blesse those seeds of grace sowen in her heart in these her tender yeares to make and preserve her thy childe of grace all her life long that finally she may be heire of thy glory And then for my selfe O good Lord look graciously upon me thy most unworthy servant who have longed for thy salvation for thou Lord art the thing J long for Psal 71.4 5 8 thou art my hope even from my youth through thee have I been holden up ever since I was borne thou art he that tookest me out of my mothers womb my praises shall be ever of thee O cast me not away in the time of age forsake me not when my stâ—â—â—â—th faileth 10. Go not far from me O God my God haâ—â— thee to hâ—lp me that as this earthly tabernacle d caie daily through old age and infirmities so thy grace may shew it selfe powerfull in my weaknesse to enable me to hunger and thirst after thy righteousnesse in a true desire after sanctification and new obedience for the remainder of my few daies with heartie sorrow and unfained repentance for my sins past and faithfull relying upon thy mercies in Christ for the pardon of them that when I shall leave this house of earth thy blessed Angelâ— may â—onvey my soul into the glorious mansion of peace which I long for and my Saviouâ— hath prepared for me in thy heavenly kingdome Amen 30. Vpon a fight between two Cocks AT Stanwick my son had going with his Hens a young Cock of a stout and large breed with very large Iollops hanging downe on either side of his beake and a friend of his giving him afterwards a Cock and a Hen of the game as they call them the Cocks-combe and jollops being finely cut off close to the head for advantage in fighting It fell out that the two Cocks meeting in the yard together fell close to their fight where the younger Cock fought stoutly a good while till the old Cocke taking advantage of his large Iollops hanging so low tooke hold thereof for raising himselfe to wound the young Cocke at every blow which being observed by the spectators they parted the fray for the present and caused the young Cocks pendant Iollops to be cut off and his head trim'd for the fight as the old Cocks was who had at first so beaten the young Cocke that he durst not stay within his view but after the sores of his Iollops cut were healed the young Cocke comming abroad againe the old Cock ran presently upon him to have made him runne away as he was wont to doe before But the young Cocke turning againe and they falling to a new fight very sharpe and eager on both sides at last the old Cocke finding his old hold of the young Cocks Iollops taken from him was faine to cry creake and to runne away as fast from the young Cocke as the young Cock did from him before and ever after the young Cock was master of the field In this fight of the two Cockes me thinkes I see represented by the old Cocke the old wilie seâ—pent who by subtiltie and advantage taking overcomming our first parents in Paradise as if he were then the Prince of the World sets upon every one of their posteritie to subdue
great Clock in Westminster Palace THis Clock strikes foure and twentie times a day And every striking shewes one hower is past Thus houre by houre our daies do weare away And one those houres must shortly be our last But which we know not that poore sinners we In faith repentance and obedience From houre to houre by grace prepar'd may be For our last houre and happie going hence When our dear Saviour shall call us home in peace And sin death sorrow shall for ever cease 34. Home LOrd Iesu keepe my heart which by thy grace would faine keep thee excluding all beside O let thy spirit sanctifie the place and by his sacred influence still rule and guide My thoughts words actions studies and desires To heaven-ward whereto my soule aspires For thence it came I have no home but there and thitherward am travelling as I may A sojourner and wearied pilgrim here waiting my calling home from day to day Till mine appointed time of change shall come And thou dear Lord my soul shall welcome home Meane while thy grace increase my faith in thee with true repentance and obedience That these thy graces may abound in me and I may die in them when I go hence And so by grace prepar'd as I should be Sweet Saviour receive my Soule in peace to thee 35. A Dialogue betweene an old sick man and his neighbour visiting him Q. HOw do you Sir A. I praise God never better Because I never was so neere my home Q. What home mean yoâ— nature to death is debtor And old or young we all must thither come A. True deâ—th the common passage is betweene This mortall life and that which lasts for ever The body carries th' immortall soule unseene Along with it so far but their they sever The bodie dies the soule to heaven straight From whence it came and where its dwelling is And that 's the home I meane for which I waite The glorious mansions of eternall blisse Q But ere you can get thither you must die A. My body must indeed but that 's not I. Q. And should the bodies death so slighted be The king of terrour to all living things A. I slight not death Gods messenger is he And therefore welcome and good newes he brings T'uncloath me of this body that I may Be cloath'd upon with immortalitie And so brought home to dwell in heaven for ayâ— In glorious joyes and true felicitie And though death laies my bodie in the dust As if I never should behold it more Yet rise it shall and he restore it must In better plight then ere it was before The sooner I get home the better then Sweet Iesus take me home in peace Q. Amen 36. A Hymne for Christmas-day Gloria in excelsis Deo ALL glory be to God on high and peace on earth good will to men This was the Chore of Angels song at Iesus birth in Bethlehem For then the eternall sonne of God became the blessed virgins sonne God manifested in the flesh to save mankind els quite undone Come let us magnifie his name with Angels and Archangels still And sing All glory be to God and peace on earth to men good-will For by this worke of God made man both th' heavens and earth have cause of joy The heavens new glory have thereby the earth doth heavenly peace enjoy And both from Gods good will to man for loe this blessed heavenly child Hath sinfull Adam and his race redeem'd and to his Father reconcil'd Come let us magnifie his name with Angels and Archangels then And sing all glory be to God and peace on earth good will to man This babe though cradled in a cratch was yet the King of glory borne And came from heaven man to save who otherwise had beene forlorne He is our only peace on earth the conscience pacifier here He is our glory in the heavens our blessed glorifier there Come then above all creatures we should sing this Angels Antheme still All glory be to God on high and peace on earth to men good will But first from men on earth below should glory mount to God on high Then God from heaven would shower downe peace to men on earth abundantly For God being now at peace with man through Christ the Lord both God and man The heavens and earth are likewise friends as 't was when first the world began Come let us magnifie his name with Angels and Archangels then And sing All glory be to God and peace on earth good-will to men O what transcendent love was this of that great God to poore mankinde When men and Angels both were falne God tooke man up left them behinde And that man might be quit from hell and brought to heavens glorious blisse The Prince of heaven man became was ever mercy like to this Come then and let us praise his name with Angels and Archangels still And give God glory in the highest that shâ—wed to man such high good-will To thee O most Almighty Lord most holy gâ—â—â—ious Trinitie The Father Goâ—â—â—d Holy Ghost in ever blessed nâ—â—e From hearts and soules and all our powers all glory prâ—â—â—e â—â—â—nksgiving be As in beginning was is now and shall to all eternitie For Christ the Lord our Iesus borne at time prâ—fixt in Betâ—lehem Let heâ—ven and earth with all their hosts come joyne with us and say Amen A Prayer and Meditation for my wife and my selfe to joyne together she being in the 67. year of her age and I â—n the 74. of mine and both full of bodily infirmities for our daily waiting for the blessed houre of our dissolution 1 HEre at thy foot-stool blessed Lord do we â—calâ— Thy weak unworthy servants wait thy gracious Our work draws to an end and now we come to thee Whose blessed will is so declared we shall Blesse this our waiting time and by thy grace Support us joyfully to end our race 2 For thou already hast of thy good will In truth and mercy us espous'd to thee Although the mariage day must rest untill This mortall puts on immortality Meane while thou hast thy holy spirit us given To guide us all along our way to heaven 3 Whose sacred hand within the first degree Of life eternall hath already brought us â— Vniting us renewed by grace to thee Most glorious Saviour who hast deerly bought us And by this first degree assures the rest To make us finally for ever blest 4. The second step to lifes eternitie Is by deaths passage which we now attend Where laying down all our mortalitie Our soules by Angels conduct shall ascend Members of thy Church thine own espoused wife Into thy palace of eternall life 5. Where we instead of flesh that 's transitory And must be laid to sleep here in the grave Shall have new robes of everlasting glory As all our fellow members there shall have O what a blessed glorious change is this To leave this world for heavens endlesse blisse 6. And yet there rests behind a third degree When these fraile bodies rais'd from death agen Vnto eternall life rejoynd shall be Vnto our soules and glorified with them When all things shall receive their consummation Our soules and bodies both compleat salvation 7. Now whiles we wait in this our pilgrimage When our appointed time of chang shall come Lord Iesu help in this our lifes last stage And our redeemed soules bring safely home To that safe home of thine where al things bee In perfect peace and true securitie 8. For in this life such our corruptions are As hinder when we any good intend But headlong running into every snare To make us our most gracious God offend Vnder this bondage of corruption thus Lye we till thou good Lord deliver us 9. Here then with panting longings after thee Most glorious Saviour for our finall rest With sighs of hope and teares of joy do we Attend thy blessed call to make us blest Call then sweet Iesu when it shall thee please Into thy hands receive our soules in peace Amen Iob 14.14 All the daies of mine appointed time will I waite till my change shall come
our sinnes or fearing his justice against us which our Saviour the Lord IESUS hath already satisfied for us to our finall peace and salvation Let us then cheere up our selves in this blessed comfort of all comforts our debts are all paid and cancelled our Paschall Lambe is slaine CHRIST IESUS hath made all our dayes holy-dayes have any more cause to bee merrie then wee Away then with droopings and mistrustfulnesse for the Lord hath turned our sorrow into joy and such joy as shall never bee taken from us Blessed be the name of the Lord our God for ever And now O most glorious and gracious Redeemer who art the author and finisher of my faith perfect the good work of thy grace begun in me that by daily renewing of my humble faith and repentance by these weake and unworthy meditations of mine I may with joy and gladnesse comfort and cheerfulnesse walk before thee this day and all the remaining dayes of my earthly pilgrimage waiting for thy blessed calling of me to thy selfe in glory when my faith shall bee turned into fruition and I shall leave imperfection and mortality behinde me for ever The Second MEDITATION of Mount TABOR How sweet a thing it is to have God appeased towards thee Places of Scripture shewing how this benefit belongs to us THus saith the high and mighty one that inhabiteth eternitie Isa 57.15 whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Ver. 16 For I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should faile before me and the soules which I have made Vers 17 For the iniquitie of his covetousnesse was I wroth and smote him J hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart Vers 18. I have seene his wayes and will heale him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and unto his mourners Vers 19. I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is afarre off and to him that is neere saith the Lord and I will heale him Who is a God like unto thee Micah â— 18 that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage hee retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Vers 19. He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depth of the sea For when wee were yet without strength Rom. 5. â— in due time CHRIST died for the ungodly Verse 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that whiles we were yet sinners CHRIST died for us Ver. 9. Much more then being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Vers 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life Vers 11. And not only so but we also rejoyce in God through our Lord IESUS CHRIST by whom we have now received the attonement Ioh. 16.33 These things have I spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace 1 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ and hath given unto us the ministery of reconciliation 19 To wit that God was in CHRIST reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation Vers 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for CHRIST as though God did beseeâ—h you by us we pray you in CHRIST his stead be ye reconciled unto God 21. For hee hath made him to be sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him For now in CHRIST IESUS Ephes 2.1 ye that sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of CHRIST Vers 14. For he is our peace Ver. 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Crosse For it pleased the Father Colos 1 â—â— that in him should all fulnesse dwell Vers 20 And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven Vers 21. And you who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled Vers 22. In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblamable and unreproovable in his sight And to wait for his sonne from heaven whom he raised from the dead 1 Thes â—â— even IESUS which hath delivered us from the wrath to come 1 Thes 3 â— For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to attaine salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ Vers 10. Who died for us The second Meditation NOw my soule having formerly considered the great benefit of having all our bebts cancelled our second remembrance points us to a blessed consequence thereof how sweet a thing it is to have our God appeased towards us which will the better appeare for our instruction and comfort if we seriously take into our humble consideraâ—ion these three points 1. The infinite power and greatnesse of the Almighty whom our sinnes have provoked to wrath against us 2. His graciousnesse and goodnes towards our selvs in particular 3. The hainousnesse of our offences by which we have justly incurred his displeasure For the first The Lord our God is the great and the terrible God Nah. 1.5 The great and dreadfull God Daniel 9.4 The Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth and all things therein contained and disposer of all things by his eternall and al-governing providence who hath ever at his commandement innumerable hosts of Angels one of which 2 King 19.35 killed 1850000. of his Churches enemies in one night Nah. 9.3 who hath his way us the whirl-wind and in the storme and the clouds are the dust of his feet Nahum 14. He rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry the mountains quake at him and the hils melt and the earth is burnt up at his presence yea the world and all that dwel therein v. 5. Who can stand before his indignation who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger Verse 6. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 A great God and a great King above all gods Psal 9.13 The great and mighty God the Lord of Hosts is his name Jeremy 32.18 Great in counsell and mighty in workes for his eyes are open upon all the wayes of the sonnes of men Vers 19. to give to every one according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings who shall judge the quicke and the dead 2 Tim. 4.1 For he is the judge of the whole world and will hold his grand Sessions
Christum transit in Christum By the first CHRIST becometh ours by the second we resigne our selves unto CHRIST and become his And these are the two hands of faith By the one we receive mercy from God by the other wee render son-like obedience unto him and if we believe as we ought to do that God is become our Father and do so apprehend him in Christ then ought we again to shew by our chang of life and new obedience that wee have rendred our selves to be his For of all those that came to CHRIST in the Gospell none went away as they came and they that are truly in him get vertue from him which workes in them the similitude of his owne life so as this meditation O my soule doth properly spread it selfe into two branches First the glorious priviledges and comforts wee receive by our adoption and then our most bounden duties to our most gracious God for the same There is a naturall adoption which is defined to be a lawfull act imitating nature found out for the comfort of them who have no children of their owne but this spirituall adoption of us differs farre from it For it is a lawfull act transcending nature found out by the Lord our God for the comfort of children that want a father Wee being by nature miserable Orphans having no father to provide for us It pleased the Lord our God to become our father in Christ and to make us his sonnes and daughters by adoption not for any benefit he receives of us for nothing can arise by the meanes of any creature to that most high and alsufficient Majestie but that hee might have some upon whom to bestow his benefits for the declaration of the glory of his rich mercy Yet both adoptions agree in this that they flow from the pleasure and goodnesse of the adoptant and that there are given to him that is adopted the priviledges of a son which by nature he hath not but where the naturall adoptant cannot change the nature of the partie adopted It is otherwise with us For if God by the grace of adoption make us his sonnes he will also by the grace of regeneration make us new creatures and therefore whosoever continues in sinne cannot challeng any interest in this divine priviledge only the sanctified are entitled to it Here also let us to our unspeakable comfort observe that the sonnes of God know most certainly that God is become their heavenly Father For in this that they are taught of God by his owne spirit to acknowledge him and call upon him with boldnesse as upon their father they cannot be deceived of their generation but with more freedome of spirit yea and surer knowledge they call God their Father then any son of the world is able to call upon his earthly Father Here also we are taught that we cannot pray unto God but by the spirit of adoption who is the parent that begets prayer as the mother who conceives it is the humble and contrite heart For no proud uncleane or hard heart can pray unto God And certainly unlesse the holy spirit testifie unto us that God is our father and hath made us his children wee dare not goe neere him to crave good things from him and therefore herein appeareth the Fatherly indulgence of our God towards us We are here in the valley of death in heavines through continuall afflictions and temptations The time is not yet come wherin the Lord will communicate unto us his glorious presence to fil us with that fulnes of joy which is in that blessed vision The time is not yet come wherein we must ascend to our father yet to keep us in the meane time that wee faint not the Lord hath sent down his holy spirit into our hearts to comfort us O fatherly care O wonderfull love That spirit the comforter descended once according to CHRISTS promise upon the Apostles in a visible manner and doth daily descend in a secret and invisible manner into the hearts of the godly lest the children of the marriage chamber should be swallowed up with heavines through the want of their Bridegroome And this glorious Ambassador teacheth us to cry unto God as upon our Father which if we doe with this spirit of adoption it is effectuall enough to draw downe upon us all those blessâ—ngs which the Lord communicates to his children His name shall bee sanctified in us his kingdom shall be advanced in us we shall not want our daily bread he will forgive us all our sins and preserve us that we fall not into temptation and deliver us from evil For all comforts rest under this name of father if we can so call him in faith the riches of his mercies are ours O blessed Lord God what manner of man should I bee in holinesse righteousnesse and heavenly-mindednesse answerable to this high and holy calling and how unworthy a wretch have I shewed my selfe of so great mercy when instead of worshipping fearing loving and obeying this most gracious Lord and heavenly father in all things I have yeelded to the filâ—hy allurements of his and mine owne most malitious and accursed enemy in many vile pollutions of my prophane youth and the many rash indiscretions sinfull neglect of good duties unfruitfulnesse and unthankfulnesse of my after time Here here my soule is a fit opportunity for me to breake out into holy mourning and lamenting for the manifold sinnes and offences of my mispent life past which now appeare the more abominable and heynous in mine eyes when I look back and consider in what strict and precise humiliation with what universall holy obedience dutifulnes and carefull watching over my thoughts words actions I should have walked before this blessed God almighty mine heavenly father whom I have so ungraciously offended O most blessed spirit of adoption God the Holy Ghost most glorious sealer up of my precious salvation looke downe in thine infinite mercies upon my poore humbled and afflicted soule and have compassion upon me Descend ô Lord my God by thy heavenly grace into my heart and purifie and sanctifie it into a holy Temple for thine owne blessed residence for ever to mollifie and melt it into the sighs and teares of true contrition and repentance for the sinnes and iniquities of my life past and then withall to raise it up by faith to see my selfe fully acquitted and discharged from them all in the precious blood-shedding of my deare Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST the promised Messiah God in the flesh manifested and so to enable me with the hands of humble and true faith to lay fast hold upon him and his merits for me and upon this blessed priviledge of being in and by him the adopted son of my heavenly father unto the assurance of my finall and everlasting comfort and peace Quickning and strengthning me unto all holy duties all the remaining daies of my earthly pilgrimage whereby to glorifie my heavenly father as I
am most bounden and to assure mine owne conscience of the truth of mine adoption by the syncerity of my heart and thorough sanctification that so by the sweet beams of thy grace shining into my dull and feeble soule I may with cheerfulnesse and comfort wait the good houre when my blessed Saviour IESUS shall call me from hence home to himselfe peace in and I shall leave mortality and imperfection behind me for ever Amen The Fourth MEDITATION of Mount TABOR How happie a condition it is for thee upon thy perseverance in grace to be assured of thy salvation Places of Scripture shewing how this benefit and priviledge belongs to us EXod 15.2 The Lord is my strength and song he is become my salvation Esay 45.17 Jsrael shall bee saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation yee shall not be confounded nor ashamed world without end Jeremy 31.3 The Lord hath appeared unto me saying yea J have loved thee with an everlasting love therfore have I extended loving kindnesse unto thee Ioh. 4.42 And know that this is indeed the CHRIST the Saviour of the world Ioh. 14.1 IESUS having loved his owne which were in the world he loved them unto the end Ioh 15.16 You have not chosen me but J have chosen you and ordained you that you should goe and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine that whatsoever yee shall aske of the Father in my name hee may give it you 9 As my Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love 11 These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remaine in you and that your joy might be full Romans 1.16 J am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth Romans 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance 1 Corinth 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord 8. Who will also confirme you unto the end that yee may bee blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Galatians 2.20 Christ liveth 〈◊〉 me and the life which I now live iâ— the flesh J live by the faith of the son of God Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he who hath begun a good worke in you will performe or finish it untill the day of Iesus Christ Acts 4.10 Bee it knowne unto you all that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead doth this man stand before you whole 11 This is the stone which was set at nought by you builders which is become the head of the corner 12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there in no other name given under heaven amongst men whereby we must be saved Acts 13.26 Whosoever among you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent 1 Tim. 1.5 Christ came into the world to save sinners Heb. 7 22. By so much was Iesus made a surety of a better testament 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him The fourth MEDITATION of Mount TABOR NOw my soule hath the Lord in mercy brought us to a fourth step of these our meditations which is a blessed consequent of the three former For being redeemed from our sinnes which was our first step and in the second received to our heavenly Father and in the third made his children by grace and adoption we are thereby become sure upon our perseverance in grace of finall salvation which brings us to this fourth step making our condition even in this earthly pilgrimage most happy and safe notwithstanding any inward or outward afflictions temptations terrors torments we shall or may be exercised withall in our way to heaven For hee that is sure of grace here and glory hereafter what can possibly trouble him seeing Romans 8.18 the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall bee revealed in us and 2 Cor. 4.17 our light afflictions which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding waight of glory And how is it O my soule that we are brought to this blessed condition of safety and happinesse even by the same our most blessed Saviour only with whom we began in the first step of these meditations For hee is Alpha and Omega the first and the last Heb. 12.2 the author and finisher of our faith neither is there salvation in any other as is before quoted and recited Oh then my soul here are we to renew our daily repentance for our offences past and our humble faith in our almighty Saviour who hath acquitted us from them all and is thus graciously pleased to goe along with us and will confirme us unto the end that wee may bee blamelesse in the day of the Lord IESUS O most gracious Lord and Saviour who hast begun thine owne good worke in me thy poore weake and unworthy servant finish the same for thine owne glorious names sake and by thy holy spirit dwell in my heart for ever that for being both in soule and body throughly purified and sanctified unto all holy duties of true humiliation and godly sorrow for my sins and corruptions and of new universal obedience in the remaining houres of this transitory life J may with cheerfulnesse and comfort passe over the same and not with patience only but with joy and thankefulnesse waite for the time of my change and dissolution when thou shalt be pleased to call me home to thy blessed selfe in glory Amen Amen The Fifth MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR How pleasant a state it is to live without feare of death and hell Places of Scripture shewing this comfort to belong to the fa thfull HOsca 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave J will redeeme them from death O death J will be thy plagues O grave J will be thy destruction Esay 25.8 He will swallow up death in victorie and the Lord God will wipe away teares from all faces Mat. 16.18 Vpon this rocke viz. the faith of Christ will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death 25. I thanke God â—hrough Iesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus for the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death 1 Cor. 15.54 Death is swallowed up in victorie 55. O death where is thy sting O grave or ô hel where is thy victory 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law 37. But thanks be to God who giveth us the victorie through Iesus Christ our Lord. 2 Timoth. 1.10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our
Loâ—â— IESUS CHRIST who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospell Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch thâ—â— as tâ—â— children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe â—ook parâ—â—y the same that through death â—eâ— might destroy him that had the power of death that is the divell 1â— and deliver them who through 〈◊〉 were all their lifetime subject to bondage Revel 1.18 I am hee that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for ever more Amen and have the keyes of hell and death Revel 2.11 He that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death Ioh. 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my words and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Ioh. 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my sayings he shall never see death Revel 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power The Fifth MEDITATION NOw my soul are we by Gods goodnesse come to the fifth step of these our meditations to consider how full of sweet comfort and contentment the life of him is or ought to bee that lives without feare of death and hell Death being in its owne nature the extreamest of evils in this life the king of terrors to every living thing and hell the most horrible dungeon of everlasting torments to the just feare of both which the wicked of the world are every minute subject None but those children of grace here that are sure of their salvation hereafter can live this pleasant and fearelesse life There is a first and a second death the death of the soule saith Saint Augustine went before in the soules departure from God and the death of the body followed by the soules departing from the body the soule first left God willingly yea wilfully and therefore is compelled unwillingly to leave the body Now from both these deaths are we delivered by the Lord Jesus For our soules being by him freed from sinne are reconciled unto God and so exempt from that wrath to come and from the power of the second death for ever And from the first death we are so delivered from it that albeit in the owne nature it be the center of all miseries and a fearefull effect of Gods curse on man for sinne yet to the godly the nature of it is also changed so as now it is not the death of the man but the death of sinne in the man Death saith Ambrose is the buriall of all vices for it is the progresse and accomplishment of the full mortification of all our earthly members wherein that filthie flux of sinne is dryed up in an instant it as a voluntary sacrificing of the whole man soule and body to the Lord the greatest and the highest service wee can doe to him on earth For where in the course of our life wee are continually fighting against our inordinate lusts and affections to bring them in subjection to Christ by death as it were by one stroke they are all smitten and slaine and the soule is offered up unto God in a sacrifice of full and perfect obedience And though this mortall tabernacle must bee laid to sleepe for a time in the grave which is Gods mâ—â—ld wherein it shall bee new moâ—ldâ—d and f amed fit for heaven yet my blessed Saviour who Romans 4.24 was delivered to death for our offences and was raised againe for our justification hath by his most glorious resurrection blessed be his most holy name not onely already made mee partaker of the first resurrection in this life from the death of sinne by grace and on such the second death â—â—â—h no power but hath also by my blessed union with him as one of the sanctified members of that mysticall body whereof himselfe is the glorious head assured mee of my bodies resurrection unto glory and peace for ever and that death shall restore it againe in better plight than ever it was before to bee againe reunited unto thee my immortall soule in joynt glory and immortality for ever And what is this fraile body to mee but my closet or inmost garment which I shall no sooner put off but it shall be sure of repose and thou mine enfranchised soule of joy and when I arise neither of you shall faile of glory O then my soule in this confidence and assurance of our finall peace come let us joyne together in this last earthly dutie wee have to performe of offering up unto our most glorious and mercifull heavenly father in the name and mediation of our most blessed Saviour IESUS CHRIST by the gracious assistance of God the Holy Ghost my selfe the whole man soule and body in an humble faithfull voluntary and most obedient and free sacrifice that hee mercifully accepting the same at our hands I may securely quietly patiently nay joyfully and thankfully depart hence in peace unto the God of my salvation Amen Amen The Sixth MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR How rich and stately a thing it is to be heire of glory Places of Scripture shewing how this transcendent priviledge belongs unto the faithfull ESay 43.6 Bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth 7. Even every one that is called by my name for I have created him for my glory Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome Iohn 12.32 Hee appointed us a Kingdome Psalme 84.11 For the Lord is the sunne and sheild the Lord will give grace and glory Luke 22.29 Therefore I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me 30. that ye may eat and drinke at my table in my kingdome Romans 8.16 The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of GOD. Vers 17. And if Children then heires heires of God and joynt heires with CHRIST if so bee that wee suffer with him that wee may also be glorified together Vers 18. For J reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall bee revealed in us 21 Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the gloriouâ— liberty of the children of God 30 moreover whom hee did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall waight of glory Gal. 4.7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a sonne then an heire of God through Christ Eph. 3.6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heires and of the same body and partakers of his promise in CHRIST by the Gospell Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall wee
by it when the meanest scullion oâ— his kitchin and the poorest cripple at his gates were therby made their Lords Kinsmen being all Adams children as well as himselfe And what pitch of honour had he gotten from that common ancestor of al mankind but what we all his posterity by wofull experience finde to bee pitch indeed the guilt and infection of sin and the fruit of it death Objects proper for shame sorrow and humiliation no way for honour or vain-glory Adam himselfe being made but of red earth and he and his posterity to returne to earth againe O most blessed Lord God blessed and magnified be thy most holy and glorious name who after many generations hast raised up a mighty salvation for us in the Lord Iesus the second Adam sonne of thy servant David according to the flesh as thou didest speake by the mouth of all thy holy Prophets which have beene since the world began by whom we have redemption and deliverance from the guilt and punishment â—f the first Adams rebellion and from all the power and malice of that old wily serpent who overthrew him in the terrestriall paradise and are by the blessed promised seed of the woman the Lord our righteousnesse God manifested in the flesh for our redemption restored to a better inheritance even the Paradise of God his owne heavenly Kingdome Let all the Monarchs and States of the world fall downe before thy glorious foot-stoole O most blessed Lord and Saviour and worship and rejoyce in thee the only God of our salvation and let no man glory in the antiquitie of his noble ancestors for no man can goe higher then the Lord Lumleys Pedegree But let every true Christian how meane soever or wretched here and though by nature in the first Adam a child of wrath and perdition lift up his head with joy unspeakable and glorious being in and by this second Adam our blessed Saviour and his holy Spirit by adoption and grace made the child of the most High the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and thereby become truly noble indeed And let all the Potentates of the earth aspire to this spirituall honour by regeneration in CHRIST then to all the pompe and glories of a thousand worlds with the good Emperour Theodosius who thanked GOD more for his being made a member of CHRIST then the Emberour of the world for the best and noblest nature amongst the children of men brings forth nothing but corruption onely grace makes truly noble and everlastingly happy 13. Of a Felon making of a comfortable end at his Execution AMongst all other charitable deeds of that worthy man of God Master Perkins in the Vniversitie of Cambridgâ— his manner was as I have heard to visit the prisoners condemned at the Goale deliveries there not onely in the prison for their spirituall instruction and preparation before their execution but to accompanie them also at the place where they were to suffer whither divers schollers and others of good â—ancke also usually resorted one of which spectators a fellow of Trinitie Colledge made relation to mee of a comfortable worke upon one of the felons at one of the executions more remarkable then the rest to this eâ—â—ect The prisoner being a strong lustie fellow in the vigour of his youth in his going up the ladder discovered an extraordinary lumpishnesse and dejection of spirit and when he turned himselfe to sit upon an upper round to speake to the people looked with such a ruefull and heavie countenance as if hee had beene halfe dead already where good Master Perkins standing at the foot of the ladder laboured to cheere up his spirits and finding him still in agony and distresse of mind called upon him in words to this purpose what man what is the matter with thee art thou afraid of death Ah no said the prisoner shaking his head but of a worser thing Saist thou so said Master Perkins come downe againe man and thou shalt see what Gods grace will doe to strengthen thee whereupon the prisoner comming downe Master Perkins tooke him by the hand and made him to kneele down with himselfe at the Ladder foot hand in hand when that blessed man of God made such an effâ—â—tuall prayer in confession of sins and aggravating the same in all circumstances with the horrible and eternall punishment due for the same by Gods justice as made the poore prisoner burst out into aboundance of â—â—â—â—es as the fervencie of the prayer gave occasion and when the blessed Preacher found that he had brought him low enough even to hell gates hee proceeding to the second worke of his prayer to shew him being truly humble and unfainedly penitent the Lord Iesus the Saviour of all penitent and believing sinners stretching forth his blessed hand of mercy and power to save him in that distressed estate and to deliver him from all the powers of darknesse did so sweetly presse the same with such heavenly art and powerfull words of grace upon the soule of the poore prisoner as cheered him up againe to looke beyond death with the eyes of faith to see how the blacke lines of all his sinnes and debts owing to Divine Justice were crossed and cancelled with the red lines of his crucified Saviours precious blood so graciously applying it to the prisoners wounded conscience as made him breake out into new showers of teares for joy of the inward consolation which he found and gave such expression thereof to the beholders as made them lift up their hands and praise God to see such a blessed change in him who upon the prayer ended rose up from his knees cheerefully and went up the Ladder againe so cheered and tooke his death with such patience and alacritie of spirit as if he actually saw himselfe delivered from the hell hee feared before and heaven opened for the receiving of his soule to the great rejoycing of the beholders Blessed bee thy most holy and glorious name O Lord our good God for all those gracious endowments and abilities wherewithall thou hast and dost furnish thy Ministers of the Gospell of peace for the converting of sinners unto thee and for bringing home the wandring ones and rescuing their soules out of the Lions mouth not only amongst those many of the meaner sort that suffer in our ordinary Circuits and Goale deliveries but also amongst our great men and Nobles capitall offenders at the Tower some of whom the spectators seeing their Christian and gracious preparative for death and their behaviour in it have adjudged more happie in their ends then in all the glorious pompe of their greatnesse before Good Lord increase the number of thine able servants furnished both with gifts and willing mindes to visit comfort and help those poore children of death in that their greatest and last need that they may then by thy grace feele that which all thy children doe in their greatest distressesâ— that mans extremity is Gods blessed opportunitie for their finall comfort
to walke exactly Ephes 5.15 in a holy life have little store of that grace and little hold of that Saviour whereof they presume so much Shortly as it is our great comfort that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. So that which followes must bee our great care to walke not after the flesh but after the spirit That new and living way by the blood of Christ will guide us streight to heaven between those two dangerous rocks of despaire and presumption Rec. 4. Nov. 1630. In the conclusion of this Letter I was encouraged to continue my honourable Lords service which I did for the yeare following and then 30. Novemb. 1631. being suddainly taken with a disease called vertigo capitis which I doubted might turne to an Apoplexy I withdrew my selfe home and entred into a course of Physick under which I was holden so long as I was by GODS mercy taken off from my further worldly imployments and with my noble Lords extraordinary favour in my farewell retired my self into Northamptonshire since which time it hath pleased our most gracious Lord God to adde some more yeares to my life for my better preparation for the time of my change blessed be his most holy name for it and let his holy spirit of grace I humbly beseech him teach both my selfe and all others that shall read this worthy letter to learne and practise that most necessary and blessed lesson of joyning faith and obedience true beliefe and holy life together in the short race of our earthly pilgrimage that so being true children of grace here we may be assured to bee heires of glory in the life to come through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen 23. Vpon the words revealed to S. Augustine In te stas non stas IT is written of Saint Augustine that after his conversion to the faith he was grievously vexed with inward conflicts against his corrupt affections complaining of his inbred hereditary habituall inveterate vices and after long strugling with them by purposing and vowing strong resolution watching fasting selfe-revenging and other good meanes finding still hâ—s owne weaknesse and the encreasing violence of his owne corruptions as he was intentively musing and meditating what to doe more hee heard a voice speaking to him these words Jn te stas non stas Whereupon rightly apprehending that his owne strength of wit carnal I reason and other powers and helpes of nature could not serve the turne for effecting that which was the peculiar and proper worke of grace hee betooke himselfe to his Saviour by humble faithfull and fervent prayer and at last found such inward assistance from the holy spirit of grace as strengthened him to stand and make good his resolutions with more comfort then before Whether the Lord in speciall favour to this gracious servant of his did vouchsafe to give him this vocall instruction by words to his eares or howeveâ— the matter thereof was suggested or revealed to him by the Holy Ghost I enquire not but sure I am they are words of great use and warning to us all not to trust to our selves or any strength or power of nature for any spirituall worke to be wrought in us or by us but to have our recourse to our Saviour and to seeke helpe from him and his grace which cannot bee had elsewhere how often it falls out that selfe opinion of a mans owne wit makes his wit his owne overthrow and selfe-confidence of his owne strength in evill company instead of reclaiming others to make himselfe worse then they O blessed Lord Iesu our most blessed Saviour who knowest both the miserable infirmities and debilities of our depraved nature and the subtile and advantagious power of our ghostly enemies and having thy selfe in our flesh and for us overcome them in all their temptations dost best know Hebrews 2.18 to succour them that bee tempted have mercie upon us thy weake and unworthy servants and give us grace to learne that necessarie lesson of self-deny all and with humble faith to put our whole trust in thee for ever Esay 26.4 For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength and Iude 24. thou only art able to keepe us from falling that so being weake in our selves wee may bee strong in thee and in the power of thy grace be enabled to stand fast in the evill day and in all things Romans 8.11 through thee who lovest us to hee more then conquerors for 2 Timothie 4.18 Thou O Lord hast delivered us and dost deliver us and we hope wilt deliver us from every evill worke and wilt preserve us unto thy heavenly kingdome to thee be all glory and praise for ever Amen 24. Vpon the building of Pauls Church in London WHensoever that goodly monument of antiquity was built it was evident to my understanding that the Christian Church of those times did hold that not Saint Peter but the holy Christian faith was the rocke or foundation whereupon the militant Church of CHRIST was to be founded for under the Chauncell of that mother Church of the chiefe Citie of England there is an under-Church built with strong arches and pillars called Sancta Fides usually called S. Faiths which is indeed the proper foundation of the Church of Paul's By which demonâ—â—rative argument it appeares that the good people in those dayes did better understand the true meaning of our blessed Saviour in the 16. Chapter and 18. verse of Saint Matthew's Gospell concerning the Rocke whereupon hee would build his Church then the Romanists of later times have done who would make the world believe that our Saviour did then appoint S. Peter and after him his successors in the Cathedrall Church of Rome to be that rocke of the Catholike Church of Christ and the supreme Vicar and head of the Church in whose breast all infallibilitie of judgment and power of determining in all matters of the Church should bee only resident For certainly if there had beene any such conceit broached at the building of Pauls the fundamentall Church of holy faith should have beene named Saint Peters as if our Saviour had meant to build his Church upon Saint Peter's person and not upon the Christian faith which hee as the mouth of all the Disciples professed that our Saviour was the true Messiah Christ the sonne of the living God our Saviours question being made expresly to all the Disciples verse 15. and hee answering for them all O most blessed Lord Jesu who art the way the truth and the life and seest into what miserable combustions the state of Christendome is brought by these antichristian wastings of thine owne blessed workes for maintenance of private supremacie and Soveraigntie here as if thy kingdome were of this world which thy self hast Ioh. 8.36 expresly disclaimed have mercy upon thy poore distracted and distressed Church and make up the breaches thereof against all the wicked plots and machinations of the adversary by inclining the
life separated from the joyfull presence of our glorified Saviour in whose face is perfect joy for evermore and if there were no further paine of sense in hell but this poena damni only this deprivation of God's presence that were a hell sufficient of it self wherunto there is added paines of sense fire eternall utter darknesse But withall this consideration of the Judgement which shewes such terrible things to the wicked brings the faithfull to another issue the blisse and heaven and everlasting salvation the comforts and joyes wherof it lyeth not in my power to declare nor in the heart of any man to conceive but there will bee the full fruition of what wee hope for here and an absolute deliverance from all those things which trouble or feare us here And yet I have not done one thing more this consderation of our end brings us to namely that wee must not end when we come to our end but there is an eternitie that attends us after-wards whether of life to salvation or of eternal confusion And this is a consideration of weight indeed I read of a good Christian in time of persecution who being condemned to die for his conscience his wife perswaded him to yeeld to the kings will and save his life why saith hee how long thinkest thou I may live if I should doe so shee answered twentie or thirtie yeares perhaps Alas saith hee and if it were so many thousand yeares what were that to eternitie O let us make use of this and consider sadly and seriously of this maine point that this thorâ— lifâ— of ours is but a moment whereupon eternitie depends and therefore it much concernes us all to listen to this wish of th Holy Ghost and to labour to bee wise and understand and consider our later end 26. Vpon the Turkies comming duly to their roost at night SEe how these silly fowles which at their owne libertie wander and feed abroad in Gardens Fields and Orchards all the day long and many times farre off from their usuall roosting places yet notwithstanding the company of other fowles of their owne kinde met abroad discovery of new places of better feeding and other enticements or impediments do ever towards Sunne-set draw themselves homewards before it be darke so to have time and daylight enough to flie up to their perches of roost where only they looke for safety and quiet in the night approaching This providence taught these sillie creatures by instinct of nature as it directly shames and condemnes some of us who when we are got abroad are easily drawne by ill company good-fellowship or other idle vanitie to deferre our comming home till we are not able to come home but must be led home like beasts or lie in a ditch by the way to the hazard of soule and body so it may bee a necessary remembrance usefull to us all that in all our worldly occasions of this life wee bethinke our selves of the Sun-setting with us I meane the houre of death which must as certainly come upon every one of us at one time or other as the Sun-setting closeth up every day that goes over our heads that like the sons and daughters of wisdome we may everyday remember that our last night is at hand and so provide to make our peace with God by Iesus Christ our only peace-maker whiles it is called to day that that night doe not surprise us or take us unprovided for it O mercifull Lord God strengthen my feeble soule by thy holy Spirit of grace that with the humble wings of true repentance and a lively faith J may before hand flie up into the Arke of my Saviours perfect righteousnes that whensoever that night shall come upon me I may bee found there in safetie and so received into thine everlasting peace Amen 27. Vpon the remove of houshold from one dwelling to another THe day appointed for this remoove was set downe many daies agoe and most of the stuffe packed up and made readie for carriage yet see how full of trouble and perplexitie the day it selfe is by taking leave of old friends and neighbours some things forgotten to bee done before some new interruptions falling out in the instant so that many times the carriages are benighted and fall short of getting to the new home in due time Wee are all in this world but sojourners and our home is not here but in Heaven for which wee should bee everyday so wise by preparing our selves that wee might not bee combred upon the day of our remoovall but to have them nothing to doe but to lift up our soules unto our Saviour the Lord Iesus and so depart in peace yet how contrary to this is the practice of many who leave all their busines to the very remoove-day the day of death not having so much as setled their outward estate or made their wils before wherby they grow so perplexed and distracted with thoughts of this world care of wife and children visitations of neighbours pangs and distresses of sicknes fear of death inward horrours and temptations aâ— makes their departure many times very discomfortable O most glorious Lord God I know not how sufficiently as I desire and ought to praise thy most holy name for thy great mercy towards me in this gentle visitation of sicknes which thy most gracious and tender hand hath laid upon me whereby I am taken off from all worldly cares and thoughts and have also of thine infinite goodnesse such gracious times and opportunities to prepare my selfe for my remove and change O let my soule for ever praise and magnifie thy holy name therefore And withall J most humbly beseech thee to stretch thy hand of mercy yet further upon me that as my body shall decay wherein I most humbly submit my selfe to thy blessed good will and pleasure my soule may be strengthened by thy powerfull spirit of grace and the good worke begun in me made more and more perfect that when this earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved my soule united by faith to my blessed Redeemer the Lord Iesus may bee then received of thee in peace through his precious merits and mediation who is our alone Saviour and peace-maker Amen 28. Vpon the casuall hearing of a verse in the new Testament read by a child AS I was to passe through the roome where my little grand-childe was set by her Grandmother to reade her mornings Chapter which fell out to bee the ninth of S. Matthews Gospell just as I came in shee was uttering those words in the second verse Jesus said to the sicke of the palsie sonne bee of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee Which words sorting so fitly with my case whose whol left side is taken with that kinde of disease and whose soule desires nothing so much as such a gracious word from my Saviour I stood at a stand at the uttering of them and could not but conceive some joy and comfort in those blessed words