are happy that can feel and maintain it and it must be our holy Ambition to be diligent in the Aspiraration But such a height of Perfection every Traveller in this wretched Pilgrimage cannot whilst he is in this perplexed and heavy Road hope to attain to It is an unsafe and dangerous Path which those Men have walked in who have used to define all Faith by Assurance Should I conduct thee that way it might be prejudicial So sure a Certainty of our constant and reflected apprehension of Eternal Life is both hard to acquire and not easie to hold unmovably considering the many strong Temptations that we are subject to in this Vale of Misery and Death Should Faith be reduced to this Trial it would be more rare than our Saviour hath foretold it For as many boasts of such an Assurance who is yet failing of a true Faith embracing a vain Presumption instead of it So many also hath true Faith in the Lord Jesus who yet complains to want that Assurance Canst thou in a sense of thine own Misery close with thy Saviour Canst thou throw thy self into the Arms of his Mercy Canst thou trust him with thy Soul and relie upon him for Forgiveness and Salvation Canst thou prostrate thy self before him as a miserable Object of his Grace and Mercy And when it is offered thee canst lay some tho weak hold upon it Labour for further degrees of Strength daily Set not up thy Rest in this pitch of Grace but cheer up thy self and thus much Faith shall save thy Soul Thou believest and he hath said it that is Verity it self He that believeth on the Son hath Everlasting Life Joh. 3.36 12. I know thou averrest that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners and that Whoever believeth on him shall not Perish but have eternal Life Joh. 3.15 Neither can I deny but in a sense of my sinful Condition I cast my self in some measure upon my Saviour and lay hold upon his All-sufficient Redemption But Alas My apprehensions of him are so weak that they can afford no Comfort to my Soul Were it not that thou expectest to be Justified and saved by the power and act of thy Faith thou hast reason to be disheartened with the imbecility of it But now that the Vertue and Efficacy of this happy Operation is in the Object apprehended by thee which is the infinite Merits and Mercy of thy Saviour that cannot be abated by thine Infirmities thou hast reason cheerfully to expect thy Salvation Understand thy case aright Here 's a double Hand that helps thee towards Heaven thy hand of Faith lays hold on thy Saviour Thy Saviour's hand of Mercy and plentious Redemption lays on thee thy hold of him is feeble and easily loosed his hold of thee is strong and irresistable Comfort thy self therefore with the blessed Apostle when thou art Weak then thou art Strong when weak in thy self then strong in thy Redeemer Shouldst thou boast and say Tush I shall never be moved I should suspect the Verity and Safety of thy Condition Now thou deplorest thy Weakness I cannot but Congratulate the happy Estate of thy Soul If a greater Work were expedient strength of Hand were necessary But now only receiving of a precious Gift is required why may not a weak Hand perform that as well as a strong tho not so forcibly Be not dejected with Impotency but comfort thy self in the Mercies of thy Redeemer 13. THOU expressest Sometimes I find my heart at ease in a comfortable Reliance on my Saviour and being well resolv'd of the safety of my State promise good days to my self and after the banishment of my former Fears dare bid defiance to Temptations But Alas how soon is this serenity over How suddenly is this clear Skie clouded spread over with obscurity and I return to my former Despondency Did'st thou conceive that Grace would put thee into a constant and perpetual invariable Condition of Soul whil'st thou art on this side Heav'n Didst thou ever hear or read of any of God's Saints upon Earth that were unchangeable in their holy Dispositions whil'st they continued in this Region of Mutability Behold the Man after God's own heart thou shalt find him sometimes so couragious as if the Spirits of all his Worthies were met in his own Bosom how resolutely doth he blow off all dangers trample on his Enemies and triumph over all cross Events Another while thou shalt find him so dejected and transform'd from what he was When chearful The Lord is my Shepherd I shall lack nothing Psal 23.1 In Affliction Why art thou so sad my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Psal. 42.14 In Fortitude I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about Psal. 3.6 In Trouble Hide me under the shadow of thy Wings from the Wicked that oppress me from my deadly Enemies who compass me about Psal. 17.84 In his Integrity Thy Loving Kindness is before mine Eyes and I have walked in thy Truth Psal. 26.3 In contrary Events Lord where are thy loving Kindnesses Psal. 89.49 And dost thou not hear him in one Breath professing his Confidence and lamenting his Dissertion Lord by thy Favour thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong Thou didst hide thy Face and I was troubled Psal. 30.7 Look upon St. Paul Sometimes thou shalt see him erecting Trophies of Victoâ—y to his God In all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 On the contrary thou shalt find him lamenting his own sinful Condition Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Rom. 7.24 In a holy Rapture thou shalt find him caught up into the Third Heaven and by Permission of the Almighty buffetted by the Messengers of Satan and uttering Complaints to God of the Violence of that Assault Here the Spouse of Christ bemoaning her self I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone My Soul failed when he spoke I sought him but I could not find him I called him but he made me no answer Cant. 5.6 Thus is it with thee whil'st thou art in this Carnality The Temper of thy Soul will be subject to Vicissitudes Should'st thou continue always in the same State I should suspect thee This difference betwixt Nature and Gâ—ace the One is still uniform the Other varies â—â—cording to the pleasure of the Giver The Spirit â—eaths when and where it listeth Joh. 3.8 When therefore thou find'st the gracious Inspirations of the Holy Ghost within thee be thankful to the Infinite Munificence of that Blessed Spirit And still pray Arise O North and come thou South Wind that the Spices thereof may flow out Cant. 4.16 But when thou finds thy Soul becalm'd and not a Leaf stirring in its Garden be not too much dejected with an ungrounded Opinion of being destituted of thy God neither repine at
beset with Parasitical Friends Young Man said he I pity thy Solitude Perhaps thou may'st be more alone in such Society than in the Wilderness Such Conversation is better lost than continued If thou canst but be well acquainted with thy self thou shalt be sorry thou wert no sooner solitary 12. THOU art from thy Country Who is not so We are all Pilgrims together with thee 1 Pet. 2.11 Heb. 11.13 Whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 Miserable are we if our true home be not Above That is the Better Country which we seek even an Heavenly Heb. 11.16 And thither thou mayst equally direct thy Course in whatsoever Region This Center of Earth is equidistant from the Glorious Circumference of Heaven If we may once meet there what need we make such Difference in the way A Prayer in Exile O LORD GOD Lord of the Mountains and Vallies Land and Sea and the God of the Exiled and Out-crst thou dost with much Patience behold Oppression and Wrong until the measures of Iniquity be filled up O Lord behold the pressures of me thy poor dispised and dejected Servant Thy Mercy and Gracious Audience of the Afflicted is neither limited to Jerusalem nor this Mountain every place is equally near Heaven and where ever Men lift up pure Hands and Hearts Worshipping of thee in Spirit and Truth thou art there present to hear and help them Lord thou seest good to permit me to the power of Men to Exercise me yet can they not shut thy Merciful Ear against me O let my Complaint therefore come before thee Let thy word be as the Cloudy-Pillar to lead me in thy Way and let thy good Spirit direct me 2. LORD leave me not destitute and comfortless in my Afflictions Be my Guide and Helper in this Earthly Pilgrimage and Valley of Tears unto and in the Hour which thou hast appointed to take me hence into the incorruptible and undefiled Inheritance which thou by â—hy Power hast reserved in Heaven for all Believers There no hand of the Oppressor can reach and where shall be no Curse no Sin nor fear of Forfeiture Into which no Enemy shall be admitted and from which no Inhabitant shall ever be cast out Lord Hear and Help me Lord have Mercy on me and grant me that which I ask according â—o thy will and that which I should ask which thou knowest best for me through the Infinite Merits of of the Son of thy Love the Author and Finisher of our Salvation Christ the Righteous Amen SECT XII Of Blindness and Deafness 1. THOU hast lost thine Eyes a Loss which all the World is uncapable to repair and thou art condemn'd to perpetual Darkness For the Light of the Body is the Eye and if the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness Mat. 6.22.23 Couldst thou have foreseen this Evil thou hadst anticipated this Loss by weeping out those Eyes for Grief which now thou art destitute of There are but two Senses by which any external Comfort can have free access to thy Soul Seeing and Hearing One of 'em is now extinguish't for ever Yet thou hast two internal Eyes that can supply the want of thy external the Eye of Reason and the Eye of Faith The One as a Man the Other as a Christian. Answerable to which there is a double Light apprehended by 'em Rational and Divine 2. SOLOMON tells thee of the one Prov. 20.23 The Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the Inward Parts of the Belly St. John tells thee of the other 1 John 1.5 7. God is Light and in Him is no Darkness and we walk in the Lgiht as he is in the Light Now the two Lights so far exceed that external and visible of which thou art depriv'd as Light Darkness If then by the Eye of Reason thou attainst to intelligible Things and by the Eye of Faith to things Supernatural and Divine the Improvement of these Eyes will make amends for the want of thy Natural ones 3. THY Sight is lost Let me tell thee what Antony the Hermite whom Ruffinus is not doubious of stilling Blessed said to Learned Didymus of Alexandria that was Blind Let it not trouble thee O Didymus that thou art bereft of thy Carnal Eyes for thou lackest only those Eyes which Mice and Flyes and Lyzards have But rejoice that thou hast those Eyes which the Angels have whereby they see God and by which thou art enlightned with a great measure of Knowledge Endeavour to perfect this and thou shalt not be much discomforted with the absence of them 4. THINE Eyes are lost and the chief Comfort of thy Life gone with them The Light is sweet saith Solomon and a pleasant thing it is for the Eyes to behold the Sun Eccles. 11.7 Hath not God done this purposely that he might take thee off from all Earthly Objects that thou might'st fix thy self upon him and seek those Spiritual Comforts which are to be found in a better Light The Sun is the most glorious Planet the Eyes can possibly see but thy Spiritual ones may behold him that Created that glorious Luminary who is infinitely more glorious than what he Created If thou hast now an Inspection into him more than thou hadst that which thou countedst thy Loâ—s hath prov'd thy Gain 5. THOU art Blind and certainly it is a sore Affliction The Men of Jabesh Gilead offered the Tyrant of the Ammâ—nites to serve him 1 Sam. 11.1 But when he required the loss of their Kâ—â—ht Eyes as a Condition of Peace they will rather hazard their Lives in an unequal War as if Servitude and Death were a less Mischief than one Eye's loss How much more of Both For tho one Eye be but Testis Singularis yet the evidence of that is as true as of both and in some Causes more For when ye take a perfect Aim we shut one Eye as being conducive to an accurate Perspective Yet for ordinary use we value equally these Lights that there is no wise Man but would rather lose a Limb than one of them 6. A Person not less Religious than Witty when his Friends bewail'd the loss of one of his Eyes ask'd them whether they wept for the Eye which he had lost or the Eye which remain'd Weep rather said he for the Enemy that stays behind than for the Enemy that 's gone He look'd upon his Sight with Eyes different from others he look'd upon 'em as Enemies which others beheld as Officious Servants good Friends and dear Favourites 7. INDEED they are all of these as they are us'd Good Servants if they go faithfully on their Errands and return true Intelligence Good Friends if they advise and invite us to Holy Thoughts But Enemies if they suggest Evil. If thine Eyes have been employ'd in evil Offices to thy Soul God hath done that for thee which he hath in a Figurative Sense enjoyn'd thee to
not easily determin'd which loss is greatest the Eye or Ear both are afflictive Now all the World is to thee Dumb since thou art Deaf to it And how small a Matter hath made thee a Cypher amonst Men These are the Senses of Instruction and there is no other way for Intelligence to be convey'd to the Soul either in Secular or Spiritual Affairs The Eye is the Window the Ear is the Door by which all Knowledge enters In matter of Observation by the Eye and of Faith by the Ear Rom. 10.17 20. HAD it pleas'd God to have excluded these Senses from thy Birth thy State had been utterly Disconsolate and there had been no possible access for Comfort to thy Soul Had this Affliction happen'd in thy riper Age there had been no way but to be content with thy former Store But now he hath vouchsafed to leave thee one Passage open it behoves thee to supply one Sense by the other and to let in those helps by the Window which are deny'd Entrance at the Door But now Omnipotency hath been pleas'd to lend thee an Ear so long till thou hast laid the sure Foundation of Faith in thy Heart thou mayst work upon 'em in this silent Opportunity with Celestial Meditations and raise 'em up to no less height than thou could'st have done by thy quickest Hearing 21. IT is a great Blessing that in the plentitude of thy Senses thou wert sollicitous to improve thy Bosom as a Magazine of Heavenly Thoughts providing with the Wise Patriarch for the seven Years of Dearth Now that the Passages are block'd up thou mightest have been in danger of Famishing Thou hast now leisure to recal and ruminate upon those Counsels which thy Improvement hath laid up in thy Heart and to thy happy Advantage find'st the difference betwixt a wise Providence and a careless Neglect 22. THINE external Hearing is lost But thou hast an internal Ear whereby thou hear'st the secret motions of God's Spirit which shall never be lost How many thousands whom thou enviest are in a worse Condition They have an external Ear whereby they hear the voice of Men but they want that Spiritual Ear which perceives the least Whisperings of the Holy Ghost Ears they have but not hearing ones for Fashion more than Use. Wise Solomon makes and observes the Distinction Prov. 20.12 The hearing Ear and the seeing Eye the Lord hath made even both of them And a Greater than Solomon can say of his formal Auditors Hearing they hear not Matt. 13.13 If thou have an Ear for God tho Deaf to Men How much happier art thou than those Millions of Men that have an Ear for Men and are Deaf to God 23. THOU hast lost thy Hearing and therewith no small Sorrow How would it grieve thy Soul to hear those woful Ejaculations pitiful Complaints hideous Blasphemies atheistical Notions mad Paradoxes and hellish Heresies wherewith thine Ear would have been Wounded had it not been barr'd against their Entrance It is thy just Grief thou missest hearing of many good Words and it is thy happiness thou art freed from hearing of many Evil. It is an even Lay betwixt the benefit of hearing Good and the torment of hearing Evil. A Prayer Consolatory to the Blind and Deaf O MOST Powerful Lord God who hast in thy good pleasure been pleased to deprive me of Seeing and Hearing I know O Lord I have deserved thy wrath in a greater measure even Death and Hell it self but I know thou art a God full of Compassion Long suffering and abounding in Goodness and Truth and shews Mercy unto Thousands Lord as thou hast inflicted this on me even the loss of my Sight illuminate my Understanding by thy holy Spirit Thou hast taken away my Sight that I might not behold Vanity O Enlighten my Mind that I may behold inwardly the wonders of thy Law Lord I aâ— poor in Spirit but let thy blessed Spirit help my Inâ—â—â—mities that in thy Light I may see Light 2. AND O thou bright Morning-Star guide me in the way of thy Commandments that at last I may safely arrive where all Tears and Obstructions of Sight shall be taken away from my Bodily Eyes And though my outward hearing is fled away yet let me hear the voice of the Comforter speak peace to my Soul and quietness to my Conscience that when ever thou shalt be pleased to call me hence I may be ready prepared to resign my self up into thy hands as into the hands of a Faithful Creator In the mean time Lord Sanctifie these thy Fatherly Visitations to me and ever remember that what thou hast in thy good Pleasure inflicted on my Body may be for the good of my Soul in the day of the Lord Jesus Amen SECT XIII Of Sterility 1. THOU complainest of dry Loyns and a Barren Womb as Abraham did before thee What wilt thou give me seeing I go Childless Gen. 15.2 And the Wise of Israel made the same Complaints Gen. 30.1 Give me Children or else I die So desirous hath Nature been to propagate and so impatient of a Denial Lo Children and the Fruit of the Womb are an Heritage and Gift that cometh from the Lord Happy is he that hath his Quiver full of such Shafts Psal. 127.4 6. It is a Blessing David grudg'd to Wicked Ones Psal. 17.4 They have Children at their Desire 2. IT was the Curse God inflicted on the Family of Abimelech in Closing up all the Wombs in his House for Sarah 's sake Gen. 20.17 18. The Judgment threatned to Ephraim is a miscarrying Womb and dry Brests Hos. 9.14 And Jeconiah's Doom is Jer. 22.30 Write this Man Childless It is a special Favour of God That the Barren hath born seven 1 Sam. 2.5 And observ'd by the Psalmist as a wonder of God's Mercy Psal. 113.8 that He makes the Barren Woman to keep House and to be a joyful Mother of Children 3. IT is pity he was born that esteems not Children a Blessing She hath a double Favour from God that is a Joyful Mother of Children Many breeds Sorrow and Death And there is scarce any other Blessing season'd with so much Acrimony of Misery and Danger Do but compare one Pain with another and consider the Anxious Cares that attend 'em and tell me whether thy bemoan'd Sterility enjoys not more ease and less sorrow 4. IT is thy Sorrow thou art not Fruitful Consider thou art freed from a greater affliction In Sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children Gen. 3.16 Think on the Shricks in the Painful Travels of thy Neighbours wearying Days and Nights in restless Pangs and calling for Death in despair of Delivery And after the unprofitable Labours of the Midwives have made use of another Sex so have been deliver'd of Life and Birth together All these Sorrows thou hast escap'd And many whom thou enviest have thought thee happier than themselves 5. THOU art afflicted thou art not a Mother And many a one wishes they had been Barren If Children
no Man to be no Brawlers but gentle shewing all Meekness unto all Men Tit. 3.2 16. AND the means to obtain this Vertue are these First To make a deep Impression in our Minds of the Loveliness and Benefits of Meekness together with the Deformity and Mischief of Anger Secondly To set before our selves the Example of our Blessed Lord and Saviour who indured all Reproaches and Torments with a perfect Patience that was Led as a Sheep to the Slaughter Isa. 53.7 That when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not 1 Pet. 2.23 Thirdly To be very vigilant in preventing the beginnings of Anger and to that end we must mortifie all inward Peevishness and Frowardness of Mind which is a Sin in it self if it proceed no further but if cherish'd will break out into open Effects of Danger Therefore when ever thou find'st the least Motion of it within thee make as much haste to check it as thou wouldest to quench a Fire in thy House And be sure to keep a strick watch over thy Tongue that it break not out into any angry Expressions for that Breath will fan the Fire not only in thine Antagonist but thy self too Therefore though thy Heart be ardent within suffocate the Flame that it break not out and the greater the Temptation is the more earnestly call upon God to assist thee to conquer it Fourthly Often call to mind the great Punishments thy sins have deserved and then whether thy Afflictions be from God or Man thou wilt acknowledge them to be far short of what thou deservest and wilt be ready to blush at thy great Impatience A Prayer for Meekness and Humility O Most Blessed Lord God the Perfect Pattern of Humility and Meekness infuse into me I humbly beseech thee those Excellent Graces whereby I may be fully convinced of my own Wretchedness and Evidently behold that I am sinful Dust and Ashes Lord work in me such a lowliness of Mind that I may in the sincerity of my Heart confess and acknowledge that I am less than the least of all thy Mercies and justly deserve the greatest of thy Judgments Give me O Lord a Contrite Spirit a Meek and an Humble Heart and chase from me all Pride and Vanity of Mind whereby I may become lowly yea base and vile in my own Eyes 2. ROOT out O Lord from me all perverseness of Spirit and wholly dispossess it of its residence that I may be fit to entertain that good Spirit of thine and thou mayst take delight to dwell and remain with me Grant that I may every day be more humbled with the sight of my own Unworthiness and Spiritual Wants and to esteem my self as nothing without thee but always acknowledge my own frailty and weakness O let me wholly depend and rely upon thee and ascribe the Praise and Glory of whatsoever good is wrought in me or by me unto thee alone who art the God of my Strength the Author and Giver both of Grace and Glory and the Beginner and Finisher of every Good Thing which is wrought in any of thy Servants to whom be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen SECT II. In time of Sickness 1. WHAT should we do in this Vale of Tears but condole each others Miseries Every Man hath his weight and happy is he whose Burthen is so easie that he may assist his Neighbours Many have waded through a Sea of Sorrows and the Angel of the Lord that hath Redeemed their Souls from Evil and led them within few Paces of the Shore offers to lend thee his Hand to guide thee in this dangerous World wherein every Error is Death Let us follow him therefore with a humble Confidence and be safe in the View and Pity of the woful Miscarriages of others and take warning by their sad Misfortunes 2. THOU art on thy Bed of Sickness and with holy David Roaring all the day long Psal. 32.3 for the Extremity of thy pain measuring the slow Hours not by Minutes but by Groans Thy Soul is weary of thy Life Job 10.1 through the Intolerable Anguish of thy Spirit Job 7.11 Of all temporal Afflictions this is the sorest And Job 1.21 after the loss of his Goods and Children could yet support himself and Bless the God that gives and takes But when his Body was tormented and made one Boyle then his Patience is extended so far as to curse not his God but his Nativity Job 3.3 Let the day perish wherein I was born and the night in which it was said there is a Man Child conceived And King Artaxerxes questioning with his Cup bearer Nehemiah could say Why is thy Countenance sad seeing thou art not Sick Nehem. 2.2 implyed that the Sick of all others hath just cause to be dejected Humane Crosses are at a distance but Sickness is in our Bosoms Those touch Externaly these Internally our Selves Here the whole Man suffers What could the Body feel without the Soul that animates it How can the Soul which makes the Body sensible chuse but be most affected with that Pain wherewith the Body is afflicted Both Partners are perplex'd to encounter so fierce an Enemy and the sharpest requires the most powerful Resistance Therefore let us recollect our selves and summon all the Powers of our Souls to engage with so violent and potent an Enemy 3. THY Body is by a sore Disease confin'd to thy Bed I should be sorry to say thy self wert so Thy Soul which is thy self I hope is at a distance from thee but however it is content to take a share in thy Sufferings soars above to the Heaven of Heavens and is prostrate before the Throne of Grace imploring for Mercy and Forgiveness beholding the Face of thy Glorious Mediator interceding for thee Unhappy were we if our Souls were lockt up in our Bosoms that they could use no Motions but what our lumpish Bodies could contribute But blessed be God he hath animated us with active Spirits that can move themselves while our Bodies lie still that can be so agil in their Motions as they can pass from Earth to Heaven ere we can turn our wearied and sick Bodies to find ease 4. AND how much shall we be wanting to our selves if we do not make use of this Spiritual Agility sending up these Spirits of ours from this brittle Clay of our Bodies to those Regions of Blessedness that they may from thence Extract Comforts to alleviate the Sorrows of their heavy Partners Thus if thou imployest thy better part no Pains of the Body can make thee miserable that Spiritual Part of thine shall ere long be in Bliss whil'st this piece of Earth lies putrified in the Grave Why dost thou not then even now before thy Dissolution improve all the Powers of it to thy present Advantage Let thy internal Eye still behold the Face of thy God in Glory whil'st thy Corporal Eyes observe those Friends at thy Bed-side which may pity but cannot help thee 5.
following If you add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness Charity 2 Pet. 1.5 6. 23. IF Thou wouldst be inform'd what God hath written concerning thee in Heaven look into thy own Bosom and see what Graces he hath wrought in thee Truth of Grace saith the Divine Apostle will make good the certainty of your Election Not to instance the rest of that Heavenly Combination do but single the first and the last Faith and Charity For Faith how clear is that of our Saviour He that believeth in him that sent me hath Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but hath passed from Death to Life Joh. 5.24 What danger can befall us in our acquiring Heaven All the Peril is in the way Now the Believer is already passed into Life This is the Grace by which Christ dwells in our Hearts Ephes. 3.17 and whereby we have Communion with him and an assured Testimony of and from him For he that believeth in the Son of God hath the Witness in himself And what Witness is that This is the Record that God hath given us Eternal Life And this Life is in his Son he that hath the Son hath Life 1 Joh. 5.10 11 12. Oh happy Connexion Eternal Life first This Life Eternal is in and by Christ Jesus he is ours by Faith and this Faith testifieth to our Souls assurance of Life Eternal Charity is the last which comprehends our love to God and Man For from the reflection of God's Love to us ariseth a Love from us to him again The beloved Disciple can say We love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4.19 And from these resulteth our Love to our Brethren And such an Evidence we have that the Apostle tells us expresly That we know we are passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.14 For the love of the Father is inseperable from the love of the Son He that loveth him that Begets loves him that is Begotten of him 1 Joh. 5.1 25. NOW deal impartially with thine own Heart and enquire seriously as in the Presence of the Searcher of all Hearts Whether thou dost not find in thy self these Evidences of thine Election Art thou not effectually tho not perfectly called out of the World and corrupt Nature Dost thou not inwardly abhor sinful ways and think of what thou wert with Detestation Dost thou not endeavour to be in all things approved to God and confirmed to thy Saviour Dost thou not cast thy self upon the Lord Jesus and depend upon his free All sufficiency for Pardon and Salvation Dost thou not love that infinite Goodness who hath been so rich in Mercies to thee and bless those Beams of Goodness which he hath cast upon his Saints on Earth Lastly Dost thou not love a good Man because he is so Comfort thy self in the Lord and let no Fear and Distrust possess thy Soul Faithful is he that hath Called thee 1 Thes. 5.24 who will also Preserve thy whole Spirit and Soul and Body blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 5.23 A Prayer for an Afflicted Conscience O GOD the Father of all Mercies and Heavenly Consolation suffer me not at any time to fall from thee or to be swallowed up in the depth of Affliction but when ever it shall please thee to try me in that Furnace let my sure Hope and Confidence be fixed on thee that when multitude of Sorrows shall encompass my Soul my only trust may be in thy Mercies Give me the Oil of Joy for Mourning and the Garment of Gladness for the Spirit of Heaviness that thy great Name may be Glorified by me in a thankful acknowledgement of thy Goodness towards me 2. LORD thou beholdest afar off the manifold Perils and Dangers I am exposed to in this World which is a sea of Miseries and numerous Calamities The Winds blow the deep Waters lift up their proud swelling Waves and the stormy Tempests threaten me with Ship-wrack to the Ruine and Destruction both of Soul and Body But O thou who art the God of Unity speak Peace unto this inward Voice and say unto it I am thy Salvation so shall I be refreshed with thy loving Kindness and Praise thee ever more Amen SECT IV. Remedies against Temptations 1. THOU art assaulted with Temptations And what the Enemy cannot do by Force or Fraud he seeks by Importunity Can this seem averse to thee when the Son of God was in the Wilderness forty Days and forty Nights under the Tempter He that durst set upon the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 How shall he spare frail Flesh and Blood Why should Christ suffer himself to be Tempted but to support thee in all thy Temptations The Keys of the Bottomless Pit are at his disposal He could have confin'd that Presumptuous Spirit to Chains of Darkness and admitted him no nearer to him than Hell but he would let him loose and permit him to act his worst purposely that we might not dislike to be Tempted and that he might foyl our greatest Enemy 2. CANST thou think that he who sits at the right Hand of Majesty commanding the Powers of Heaven Earth and Hell could not keep off that malignant Spirit from assailing thee Canst thou think him less Merciful than mighty Would he die to save thee And will he turn that Miscreant of Hell loose to worry thee Dost thou not Pray daily to thy Father in Heaven to Lead thee nâ—t into Temptation Thou hast to do with a God that heareth Prayers Oh thou of little Faith why fearest thou He that was led by his Divine Spirit into the Wilderness to be Tempted of that Evil Spirit bids thee pray to the Father that he would not Lead thee into Temptation implying that thou couldst not go into Temptation unless he lead thee and whilst he that is thy Father leads thee how canst thou miscarry Let no Man when he is Tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with Evil neither tempteth he any Man Jam. 1.13 God Tempteth thee not yet being his thou couldst not be Tempted without him both permitting and ordering that Temptation to his own Glory and thy eternal Welfare 3. THAT Grace which God hath given thee he will have thus manifested How had we known the admirable Continency of Joseph if he had not been strongly sollicited by a Wanton Mistress Or David's Valour if the Philistines had not had a Giantly Challenger to encounter him How had we known the invincible Piety of the Three Children had there been no Furnace to try ' em Or of Daniel if no Lyons to accompany him Be assured thy Glory shall be Proportionable to thy Tryal Neither couldst thou ever be so happy hadst thoâ— not been beholding to Temptations How often sayst thou have I beaten off these base Suggestions yet still they retort upon
are raised to a greater height of Godly Zeal than ever Corinth had never been so rich in Grace if not defiled with so foul a Crime Confess now if this be not in effect thy Case Shouldest thou ever have detested thy Sin if thou had'st not been drawn in to commit it Shouldst thou have had so fervent a Love to God had it not been out of a sense of his great Mercy in remitting it Wouldst thou have been so weary in thy Stops as thou art if thou hadst not slip'd Give Glory to God but shame to thy self and Bless him for the benefit that he hath been pleased to make of thine Offending him 11. BUT Alas thou sayst my Case is far worse than it is conceiv'd I have been more than once miscarried into the same Sin For after I have made profession of my Repentance I have been transported into my former Wickedness Having washt off my Sin as I thought with many Tears yet I have suffer'd my Soul to be defiled again I must not flatter thee this Condition is Dangerous Those Diseases which upon their first Seisure have receiv'd Cure after a Relapse have threatned Death Look upon the Saints of God thou shalt find they have kept a distance from that Fire wherewith they have been formerly Burn'd Thou shalt not find Noah again Uncovered through Drunkenness Nor Judah climbing to Tamer's Bed Thou shalt not take Peter again in the High-Priest's Hall denying his Master or after St. Paul's Reproof Halting in his Dissimulation Gall. 2.11 12 13. 12. BUT tell me notwithstanding Art thou truly serious with thy God Hast thou doubled thy Humiliation for the Reduplication of thine Offence and sought God more instantly with an unfeigned Contrition Hast thou found thy Soul hath a greater detestation of Sin than thine acquaintance with it hath indulg'd thee Hast thou taken this occasion to lay hold on thy Saviour and to reinforce the Vows of strict Obedience If so this unpurpos'd Reiteration of thy Sin shall be no Prejudice to thy Salvation It is one thing for a Man to walk on willingly in a beaten Path of Sin another thing for him to be led out of the way of Righteousness by the violence of a Temptation which he soon recovers by a sincere Repentance 13. THE Best cannot but he overtaken with Sin But He that is Born of God doth not commit Sin 1 Joh. 3.9 He may be transported but makes not a Custom of doing ill His Heart is against that his Hand is drawn to And if in this inward Strife he is over-power'd he lyes not down with a willing Mind but struggles and with a reassumed Courage tramples on that which formerly supplanted him Didst thou give thy self to a resolved course of Sinning and betwixt whiles smite thy Breast with a formal God forgive me I should have no Comfort for thee but rather send thee to an afflictious Remedy of the Almighty for Correction if possibly those Stripes may prevent thine Everlasting Torments 14. BUT now since What thou hatest that thou dost and thou dost that which thou wouldst not and it is no more thou that dost it but Sin that dwels in thee Rom. 7.19 20. Exclaim as much as thou wilt on the sinfulness of thy Sin bewail thy Weakness with a better Man than thy self O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Rom. 7.24 But know that thou hast found Mercy with God Thy repeated Sin may grieve but cannot prejudice thy Soul Had we to do with a Finite Compassion it might be abated by wasting it self on a frequent Remission as a great River may be drawn dry by many small Out-lets But now that we deal with a God whose Mercy is Infinite it is not the greatness or number of our Offences that makes a difference in his free Remission That God who hath charged our weak Charity Not to be overcome of Evil but to overcome Evil with Good Rom. 12.21 justly scorneth that we should imagine his Infinite and Incomprehensible Goodness can be check't with our Evil. 15. IT was not without a singular Providence that St. Peter came to our Saviour with that Question in his Mouth Lord How often shall my Brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times That it might produce this Gracious Answer for our perpetual Comfort I say not unto thee until seven times but until seventy times seven Matth. 18.21 22. Lord if thou wilt have us sinful Creatures indulgent to one another in our Mutual Offences what Limits can be set to thy Mercies in our Sins against Thee Be we Penitent for thou art Gracious A Prayer against Temptations O Lord thou art the God of my Strength and to thee alone I fly for refuge the Tempter is now busie and labours to undermine me and more especially when I least suspect him But O let me be always ready to meet him in the Gate before he advances too far upon me Let not a Supine carelessness seize upon my Spirits but excite me to Vigilancy that I may stand upon my Guard ever prepared to resist him even in the beginning of his first Assaults Lord grant I may be fortified with Faith Courage and Resolution so that with the Assistance of thy Grace I may gain the Conquest 2. FURNISH me with thy compleat Armour the Helmet of Salvation the Sword of the Spirit and the Shield of Faith whereby Satan may be vanquished do thou Arm and so Strengthen me with thy Grace that through the Power of thy Might I may prevail against him and put him to flight when he is intending the greatest mischief and most advantage against me so shall I sing Praises unto thy Name both now and ever and teach others to resort unto thee in their greatest dangers and hardst Conflicts even then when the powers of darkness shall most obstruct them Amen SECT V. Imbecillity of Grace 1. THOU complainest of the Imbecillity of Grace Some little motions thou art sensible of God's Spirit but so insignificant that thou canst not find any solid Comfort Thou seest others thou say'st whose Breasts are full of Milk and their Bones moistned with Marrow Job 21.24 whil'st thou languishest under a Spiritual Leanness and Imbecillity Thou wantest that vigorous Heat of holy Affections and that Alacrity in the Performance of Holy Duties which thou observest in other Christians I like this Complaint and tell thee That without this thou could'st not be in the way to happiness 2. THINK'ST thou that those whom thou esteem'st eminent in Grace make not the same moan that thou do'st Certainly they never had any if they did not complain of too little Every Man is sensible of his own wants and ready to pass secret Censures upon himself for being applauded by others Even the Man after God's own heart can say But I am Poor and Sorrowful Psal. 69.29 He was a great King when he said so it was not Meaness in Estate that troubled him but
me as if Denials invited 'em as tho' they meant to tire me with their Solicitations as if I must yield and be overpow'rd though not with their Force yet with their Frequence 4. KNOW thou hast to do with Spiritual Wickedness Ephes. 6.12 whose Nature is as unweariable as their Malice unsatisfiable Thou hast a Spirit of thine own and God hath inspir'd thee with his So as he expects thou should'st through the Pow'r of his Gracious Assistance match the Importunity of that Evil Spirit with an indesatigable Resistance Be strong therefore in the Lord and in the Power of his Might and put on the whole Armour of God that thou may'st be able to stand in the Evil Day and having done all to stand Ephes 6.10 11 13. Look upon a stronger Champion than thy self the blessed Apostle thou shalt find him in thy own Condition See the Messenger of Satan sent to buffet him 2. Cor. 12.7 and he did it to purpose With what extream Rigour was he buffeted on both sides and how often Thrice he besought the Lord that it might depart from him Verse 8. but the Temptation holds only a Comfort countervails it My Grace is sufficient for thee for my Grace is made perfect in VVeakness Verse 9. 5. IT is not to be consider'd how hard thou art aim'd at as how strongly thou art upheld How many with the Blessed Martyr Theodorus have upon Racks and Gibbets found their Courage stronger than their Pains Whilâ—st therefore the Goodness of God supplies thee with abundance of Spiritual Vigour and Refreshment answerable to the worst of Assaults what dost thou complain of suffering The Advice is Sublime which St. James gives his Compatiots My Brethren count it all Joy when ye fall into divers Temptations Let Temptations be rather Trials by Afflictions than Suggestions of Sin yet even those overcome yield no small cause of Triumph For by them is our Faith tried and the trying of our Faith worketh Patience and the perfect work of Patience is a blessed Entireness The number of Enemies adds to the Praise of Victory To overcome a single Temptation is commendable but to subdue Multitudes is glorious 6. ALAS thou repliest I am opprest not with Multiplicity but with Pow'r In Duelling respect is had to the Equality both of the Combatants and Weapons But alas how am I overmatch'd I am a weak Wretch and We wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities and Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World against Spiritual Wickedness in Heavenly Places Ephes. 6.12 Behold the Amorite whose height is like the height of Cedars and their Strength as the Strength of Oaks Amos 2.9 We are but poor Pismirs in the Valley to these Men of Measures Who can stand before these Sons of Anak I did not advise thee to be strong in thy self we are all Compounds of weakness One of those Pow'rs of Darkness were able to subdue all Mortality But to be Strong in the Lord whose inferiour Angel is able to vanquish a Hell of Devils And in the Pow'r of his Might commandeth the most furious of those Infernal Spirits to their Chains What a Condition should we be in if left to our selves there were no way for us but Circumvention and Death But Our Help is in the Name of the Lord who hath made Heaven and Earth Psal. 124.8 The Lord is our Strength and our Shield Psal. 28.7 He is our Rock and our Salvation He is our Defence so as we shall not be moved Psal. 62.2 6. It is he that hath girded us with Strength unto Battle and that subdueth those that rise up against us Psal. 18.39 7. ASSUME Courage therefore to thy self there can't be so much difference betwixt thee and those Hellish Pow'rs as there is betwixt them and the Almighty There Force is finite and limited by Omnipotence How glad do'st thou think Jannes and Jambres the great Magicians of Egypt would have made but an Insect in affront to Moses but could not How earnest was that Legion of Devils fain to beg leave to prevail over a few Gaderene-Swine How strong soever they seem to thee yet to him they are so weak that they cannot move without him Who fears a Bear or a Lion when chain'd to a Stake Children then can be Spectators when they are so Restrained Look not on thy self therefore nor them but look up to the Almighty who ordinates all Motions to his own holy Purposes and even out of their Malice raises Glory to himself and Advantage to his Servants 8. IT is a sad Advantage thou say'st I have made of Temptations For Alas I have been soil'd by 'em what by their Subtilty and Violence have been seduced into a grievous Sin against God and lie down in a just Confusion of Face to have been so miserably vanquished Had'st thou wanted Tears for thine Offences I should willingly have lent thee some But it is indeed a deplorable Case that thou hast given thy deadly Enemy this occasion to Triumph over thee and hast thus provoked God Nevertheless be thou throughly humbled under the Guilt of thy Sin and be not too hasty in snatching a Pardon out of the hand thou hast offended Be humbled and after a serious Repentance be not dis-heartned with thy Failings Neither do I dread to tell thee of an Advantage to be made not of thy Temptations only but of thy Sin 9. ART not thou a Gainer if after this thy Assault thou dost in a Holy Indignation rise up and fight the more valiantly A Wound received whets the Edge of Fortitude Many a one had not been Victorious if he had not bled first Look where thou wilt upon all the Saints of God observe if thou canst see any of them without his Scars Many fearful Gashes we have beheld of the Noblest of God's Champions whose Courage had not been raised to so high a Pitch had it not been out of the sense of some former Discomfortures As some well-spirited Wrestler be not troubled with thy Fall as zealous to repay it with a successful Encounter We know saith the blessed Apostle that all things worketh together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 Yea even their very Sins The Corinthians offended in their silent Connivance at the Incestuous Person The Apostles Reproof produced their Sorrow What was the Issue For behold this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a Godly sort what Carefulness is wrought in you Yea what clearing of your selves yea what Indignation yea what Fear yea what vehement Desire yea what Zeal yea what Revenge 2 Cor. 7.11 What a marvellous Advantage is here made of one Offence And what hath Satan gain'd by this Encounter One poor Corinthian is misled to an incestuous Copulation The Evil Spirit rejoiceth at such a Prey but how long shall he enjoy it Soon after the offending Soul upon the Apostles Censure is reclaim'd he is deliver'd to Satan that he should never possess him 10. THE Corinthians
Mercies are everlasting and Remedies certain Be we but Penitent we cannot be Miserable 19. WE soon forgot this Visitation loss of Friends and God's Judgments and thought with foolish Agag that Surely the Bitterness of Death is past 1 Sam. 15.32 and provok'd him still to Wrath against us we must have after our Contagion a Purgation by Fire which the best Naturalists say is a proper Remedy against Infection the Almighty seeing it necessary to use this Prescription prepar'd it into a Medicine That great Conflagration which consum'd most part of our City to Ashes It was dreadful to behold and made most tremble yet what signs of Remorse do we shew What Vanity I fear I may ask what Vice have we substracted upon the Sense of God's Anger What nicety in Cloaths or Diet have we cut off in sympathy with the Nakedness and Hunger of our afflicted Brethren Nay do not the unreasonable Jollities among us look as if we triumpht in their Miseries found Musick in the Discordant Sound of their Groans and our own Laughter and emulated that infamous Barbarity of Nero who play'd while Rome burn'd 'T is mention'd by the Prophet as a most prepost'rous thing a kind of impious Solecism to revel under the Menace of Judgments Amos 4.11 I have over-thrown some of you as God over-threw Sodom and Gomorrah and ye were as a Fire-brand pluckt out of the Burning yet have ye not return'd to me saith the Lord. 20. FIRE is the Eagle in Nature nothing in the Elementary World mounts so high to its Place and stoops so low to its Prey The two Properties God himself ascribes to that Bird Job 39.27 30. And if we still refuse obstinately to be gather'd like Chickins under our Lord's Wings he can again let loose this Bird of Prey this Eagle of Heaven upon us and from the East where it began before flie it home like Lightning even to the utmost West to seize and to devour where-ever there is the least Quarry remaining 21. NEXT Gebal and Ammon and Amalek and the rest that Hell and Rome and their Partizans our Enemies on all hands both Foreign and Domestick have been so long Confederate against us saying Come and let us root them out that they be no more a People that the Name of that Reformed Church of England may be no more in remembrance They have often attempted to bring about their malicious Designs and yet have not been able to seize us To what can we justly ascribe all this but to the gracious Protection of the Almighty to whom we must fly for Defence and Aid 22. AND now when restless and unquiet Men the true Spawn of him whose Tail drew the third part of the Stars of Heaven and cast them to the Earth would fain by their Hellish Plots and Contrivances bring us down again from thence even down to the Ground and lay our Honor in the Dust When by their secret Machinations they are at work on all sides to hurry us back into the old Confusions in hope that out of that disorder'd Mass they may at length rear up a new World of their own but what a World A World made up of a new Heaven of Superstitions and Idolatries A new Earth too of Anarchy first and pretended Liberty but of Tyranny insufferable at the next Remove 23. IN such a dangerous State of Affairs as this whether should we nay whether else can we seek for Help and Deliverance but under his Protections the stretching out of whose Arms of Providence fills the Breadth of thy Land O England He can make these Cockatrice Eggs on which this Generation of Vipers that eat out the the Bowels of their Mother have sat so long abrood windy and addle So that out of the Serpents Root shall never proceed an Adder to bite us or a fiery flying Serpent to Devour us He can confound these Babel Builders with their City Tower and Temple their Foreign Policy and strange Worship their Novel Modes and Models of Governmnet in Church and State and scatter them abroad from hence upon the Face of the Earth like as a Dream when one awaketh So shall he despise their Images and their Imaginations too and make their whole Contrivance consume away like a Snail and Become like the untimely Fruit of a Woman which shall never see the Sun 24. AND And now let us cry mightily unto God and say Remember not Lord our Offences nor the Offences of our Fore-Fathers neither take thou Vengeance of our Sins Spare us good Lord spare thy People whom thou hast Redeemed with thy most Precious Blood and be not angry with us for ever And good Lord deliver us from Lightning and Tempest from Plague Pestilence Fâ—mine and Fire from Battle and Murder and from sudden Death From all Sedition and Faction Privy Conspiracy and Rebellion from all false Doctrin Heresie and Schism from hardness of Heart and Contempt of the World and Commandment Libera nos Domine A Prayer in time of Publick Calamity O THOU God of Justice I humbly beseech thee in this thy Wrath to remember Mercy We confess O Lord our Guilt flasheth in our Faces and Woe unto us for we have Sinned We have not kept the way of the Lord but perfidiously departed from thee our God the Wise hath trusted in his Wisdom the Strong in his Strength and the Rich in his Riches Thus have we brought our selves under the Curse by trusting in the Arm of Flesh and the Ballances of Deceit are in our Hands and throughout the whole course of our Lives we have wrought a deceitful Work 2. BUT O God bow down thy Ear unto our Prayers attend unto the voice of our Supplications create in us new Hearts O God and renew right Spirits within us We have all been Examples of Sin O make us all Examples of Reformation that old things may pass away and all things may become new Deliver us O Lord from these Publick Calamities which we so Righteously have deserved and let not thy Displeasure arise any more against us and grant that we may serve thee for the future in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of our Lives Amen SECT VIII Loss of Friends 1. THOU hast lost thy Friend Thy Sorrow is just the Earth hath nothing more precious than what thou hast parted with For what is a Friend but a Man's self A Soul divided in two Bodies and animated by the same Spirit It is somewhat worse with thee than a Palsied Man whose half is stricken with Numbness he hath lost but the use of one side of his Body thou the half of thy Soul Or may I not with assurance say that a true Friend hath two Souls in one Body his Own and his Friend 's It was so with Jonathan and David The Soul of Jonathan was knit with the Soul of David and Jonathan lov'd him as his own Soul 1 Sam. 18.1 2. STILL the more Goodness the stronger Union Nature can never so fast
the days of a mispent Youth so now accomplish thine own Work give me an Heart faithfully to adhere unto thee that I may constantly Endeavour to Redeem the many Errors of my life past by becoming a Pattern of Faith and Obedience in all those with whom I Converse with for the Future Lord fill me with thy Holy Spirit that I may bear more fruit in my Age Forsake me not now I am Old and Gray-Headed Neither Remember the Sins and Follies of my Youth 2. O let thy Power appear in my Weakness and the Operation of thy Spirit in the Decays and Ruins of this Earthly Tabernacle by the evident repair of thine own Image in me Mortifying the remainds of Sin and assuring me of my Election and Calling in Christ Jesus And now O Lord that the time of my departure draweth nigh give me a vigilant Spirit that I may be ready when thou Summonest me Lord there are but few steps between me and this Worlds period O strengthen me with thy Grace give me a lively Faith an Invincible and Constant perseverance in this Race of the few and evil dayes of this Earthly Pilgrimage that by thy merciful Assistance I may so run that I may obtain That when thou pleasest to give me rest from my Labours and gather me to my Fathers I may against all the pains and Sorrows of Death willingly and cheerfully yield up my Soul into thy Gracious Hands in full assurance of my Redeemption and Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen SECT XVI Of Mortality 1. THOU fearest Death The Holiest Wisest and Strongest have done no less He is King of Terrors and must command Thou mayst hear the Man after God's own heart say Psal. 116.3 The sorrows of Death compassed me And Psal. 88.3 4 5. My Soul is full of troubles my life draweth nigh to the Grave I am counted with them that go down to the Pit as a Man that hath no strength free among the Dead And Good Hezekiah upon the message of Death Chattered like a Crane or a Swallow and went mourning as a Dove Isa. 38.14 2. THOU fearest as a Man but must strive too ver-come as a Christian which thou mayst perform if from the terrible aspect of the Messenger thou cast thine eyes upon the Amiable Face of God that sends him Holy David shews the way Psal. 18.5 6. The snares of Death prevented me In my distress I called upon the Lord and cryed unto my God and he heard my voice out of his Temple and my cry came before him even into his ears He that is our God is the God of Salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues of death Psal. 68.20 3. MAKE God thy Friend and Death shall be an advantage Phil. 1.21 It is true what the Wise Man said VVisd 1.13 Chap. 2.24 that God made not death but through envy of the Devil death came into the VVorld But though God made him not he is pleas'd to employ him as his Messenger to Summon some to Judgment and Invite others to Glory and those the Psalmist makes mention of are these latter Psal. 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints And what reason hast thou to abomâ—nate that which God accounts precious 4. THOU art afraid of Death Acquaint thy self with him more and thou wilt fear him less Bears and Lyons at the first sight affright us but upon frequent viewing lose their Terror Inure thine eyes to the sight of Death and that Face shall not displease thee Thou must shortly dwell with him for a long time for the days of darkness are many Eccl. 11.8 but in the mean time entertain him as the blessed Apostle doth 1 Cor. 15.31 I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I dye daily 5. INVITE him to thy Board lodge him in thy Bed discourse him in thy Closet and walk with him in thy Garden as Joseph of Arimathea did and by no means suffer him to be a stranger to thy thoughts This familiarity shall bring thee to delight in his company whom thou didst formerly dread then thou mayest with the blessed Apostle say Phil. 1.23 I have a desire to be with Christ which is far better 6. THOU art gievously afraid of Death Fears are apt to imagin and aggravate evils Even Christ himself walking upon the waters and the Disciples trembled as at some dreadful Apparition perhaps thou lookst at Death as some utter abolition or extinction of thy being and nature must needs shrink at the thought of not being at all This is an ill and dangerous misprision For it is but departing which thou call'st Death 7. SEE how God stiles it to Abraham Thou shalt go to thy Fathers in peace thou shalt be buried in a good old Age Gen. 15.15 And Jacob Gen. 49.33 When Jacob had ended commanding his Sons he gathered up his feet into the bed and yielded up the Ghost and was gathered unto his People So that dying is going to our Fathers and gathering to our People with whom we shall live in a better World and re-appear Gloâ—ious Let but thy Faith represent Death to thee in this shape and he will not appear terrible 8. DO but observe in what familiar terms God Confer'd with Moses concerning his Death Deut. 32.49 Get thee up into this Mountain Abarim unto Mount Nebo which is in the Land of Moab and behold the Land of Canaan which I gave unto the Children of Israel for a Possession and dye in the Mount whither thou goest up and be gathered to thy People as Aaron thy Brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his People So it is no more go up there and dye should it have been go a days Journey in the Wilderness to Sacrifice it could have been no otherwise expressed or as if it were all one to go up to Sinai to meet with God and go up to Nebo and dye Neither is it otherwise with us only the difference is that Moses must first view the Land of Promise and then dye whereas we must first dye and then see the Promised Land 9. THOU art troubled with the fear of Death What reason hast thou to be Afflicted with that which is common to Mankind Remember the words of Joshua Josh. 23.14 Behold this day saith he I am going the way of all the Earth If all the Earth go this way couldst thou think there is a by-path left thee to tread in were it so that Monarchs Princes Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles were allow'd any easier passage out of the World thou mightst perhaps repine at a painful dissolution but now since all go one way there can be no ground for a discontented murmur 10. GRUDGE if thou wilt that thou art a man but grudge not that being a man thou must dye It is true those whom the last day shall find alive shall not dye but they shall be changed 1 Cor. 15.51 52. but this change shall be
an Annalogical Death a speedy Consumption of all our corrupt and drossy Parts so as the pain must be the more intense by its shortness than in the ordinary course of death Briefly that change is death and our death is a change as Job stiles it Job 14.14 The difference is not in the pain but in the speed of the Tâ—ansaction Fear not then the sentence of Death remember them that have been before thee and that come after for this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh Ecclus. 41.3 11 THOU fearest Death So do not Infants Children or Distracted Persons as the Philosopher observes Why should reason render us more Cowardly than defect of reason doth them Thou fearest that which others wish for O Death how acceptable is thy sentence to the needy and to him whose shrength faileth that is now in the last age and is vexed with all things and to him that despaireth and hath lost patience Ecclus. 41.2 VVherefore is light given saith Job to him that is in misery and life unto the bitter in Soul VVhich long for hid Treasures which rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they can find the grave Job 3.20 21 22. 12. HOW many invite the violence of Death and if refus'd do as Ignatius threatned he would do to the Lyons force his Assault Death is the same to all The Difference is in the Disposition of the Entertainers could'st thou loost upon Death with their eyes he would be as welcome to thee as to them At least why shouldst thou not labour to have thy heart so wrought upon that this Face of Death which seems lovely and desirable to some may not appear over-terrible to thee 13. THOU art afraid to die Could'st thou have been capable in the Womb of the use of reason thou wouldst have been more afraid of coming into the World than thou art of going out For why should we be more afraid of the better than of the worse Better is the day of death than the day of ones birth saith the Preacher Eccles. 7.2 better every way our birth begins our miseries our death ends them The one enters the best into a wretched World but the other enters the good into a World of Glory Certainly were it not for our infidelity as we came crying into the World so we should go rejoycing out And as some have solemnized their Birth-day with feasting and triumph the Primitive Church hath enjoyned rejoycing upon the Dying day of her Martyrs and Saints 14. THOU abhorrest Death and fleest from it as from a Serpent but dost thou know his sting is gone what harm is there in a sting-less Snake Hast thou not heard of some delicate Dames that have carried 'em in their Bosom for coolness and pleasure of their smoothness The sting of Death is Sin 1 Cor. 15.56 He may hiss and wind about us but cannot prejudice us when that Sting is out Look up O thou believing Soul to thy blessed Saviour who hath pluckt out this sting of Death and happily triumphs over it O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory 1 Cor. 15.55 15. THY Soul and Body old Companions are loth to part It is but forbearing their Society a while they but take leave of other till they meet at the Resurrâ—â—â—â—on in the mean time they are safe and the better 〈…〉 It is commendable in the Jews otherwis◠〈…〉 Men that they call their Grave 〈…〉 thâ— House of the Living and when thâ—y 〈…〉 â—urial of their Neigbours they 〈…〉 â—nd cast it into the Air with those words of the Psalmist 72.16 They shall flourish and put forth as Grass upon the Earth 16. DID we not believe a Resurrection of the one part and a re-uniting of the other we had reason to be daunted with thoughts of a Dissolution But now we have no cause to be dismayed with a little Intermission It was the saying of a Wise Heathen That Death which we so fear and flee from doth but respite Life for a while not take it away The day will come which shall restore us to Light again Settle thy Soul in this assurance and thou canst not be discomfited with a necessary Parting 17. THOU art afraid of Death when thou art weary of thy days labour art thou afraid of rest Hear what thy Saviour who is the Lord of Life esteems of Death Joh. 11.11 Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth and of Jarius his Daughter Matt. 9.24 The Maid is not Dead but Sleepeth Neither useth the Spirit of God any other Language concerning his Servants under the Old Testament Now shall I sleep in the Dust saith holy Job Job 7.21 and of David 2. Sam. 7.12 When thy days be fulfilled thou shalt sleep with thy Fathers nor yet under the New For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.30 18. THE Philosophers were wont to call Sleep the Brother of Death but God says Death is no other than Sleep it self a Sleep sure and sweet When thou liest down at Night to thy Repose thou canst not be certain to awake in the Morning as when thou layest thy self down in Death thou art sure to wake in the Morning of the Resurection Out of this Bodily Sleep thou may'st be startled with some noise of Horror fearful Dreams Tumults or allarms of War but here thou shalt rest quietly in the place of Silence free from all internal and external Disturbances and in the mean time thy Soul shall see none but Visions of Joy and Blessedness 19. BUT oh the sweet and hearty expression of our last rest and the Issue of our happy resuscitation which our holy Apostle hath laid forth for the consolation of his mournful Thessalonians 1 Thess. 4.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again Even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him So that our belief is Antidote enough against the worst of Death And why are we troubled when we believe Jesus dyed and what a Triumph is this over Death that the same Jesus who dyed rose again And what a comfort is it that the same Jesus who arose shall come again and bring all his with him in Glory And lastly what a strong Cordial is this to all good Hearts that all which die well sleep in Jesus Thou thoughtest perhaps of sleeping in the Bed of the Grave and there indeed is Rest But he tells thee of sleeping in the Bosom of Jesus and there is Immortality and Blessedness O blessed Jesu in thy presence is the fulness of Joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal. 16.12 Who would desire to walk in the World when he may sleep in Christ. 20. THOU fearest Death But on what terms doth Death present himself to thee If as an Enemy as the Apostle stiles him 1 Cor. 15.26 The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death thy unpreparedness will make him dreadful but thy readiness and
had not been in such an extasie but to depart and to be with Christ is that which raiseth his Soul 35. WHEN Socrates was to dye for his Religion he comforted himself with this that he should go to Orpheus Homer Musaeus and the other Worthies of former Ages Poor Man Could he have known God manifested in the flesh and received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3.16 and in that glorified state sitting at the right hand of Majesty could he have known the Blessed Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Angels Arch Angels Principalities and Powers and the rest of the most Glorious Hierarchy of Heaven Could he have been acquainted with that Celestial Choir of the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect Heb. 12.23 Could he have known the God and Father of Spirits the Infinite and Incomprehensible Glorious Diety whose Presence transfuses Everlasting Blessedness into all those Citizens of Glory And could he have known that he should have an undoubted interest in that infinite Bliss how gladly would he have taken of his hemlock and how joyfully would he have passed to that happy World 36. ALL this we know and no less assured then of our present being with what comfort should we think of changing our present Condition with a Blessed Immortality How sweet a Song was that of old Simeon Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation That which he saw by the Eye of Sence thou seest by the Eye of Faith even the Lords Christ verse 16. he saw him in Weakness thou seest him in Glory why should'st thou not depart not in peace only but in joy and comfort 37. HOW did the Proto-Martyr Stephen triumph over the rage of his Enemies and the fury of Death when he had once seen the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.56 God offers the same blessed prospect to the Eye of thy Soul Faith is the Key that opens the Heav'n of Heav'ns fix thy eyes upon that Glorious and Saving Object Thou canst not but lay down thy Body in peace and send thy Soul into the hands of him that bought it with the cheerful and sweet Recommendation of Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Acts 7.39 A Prayer at the Hour of Death O LORD GOD Almighty I humbly acknowledge my own vileness through the whole course of my Life And seeing thou hast thus long spared me now accomplish thy Mercy in me Be thou my God forever and my Guide unto the end O Comfort me now my Heart trembleth in me and the terrors of Death are fallen upon me give me the long expected fruits of my hopes proposed to me in thy Word O Blessed Jesu who art the Death of death now shew thy self my Saviour Take from my afflicted Soul the sting of Death and assure me of Victory Loose the Pains allay the Fears and Sorrows and Sweeten the bitterness of Death untill in my enjoying thy Presence it be swallowed up in Victory O Holy Saviour who hast had Experience of all our miseries for Sin without Sin and hast admitted us to be Baptized into the Similitude of thy Death and Resurrection Let me now feel in my Languishing Soul the Power and Efficacy thereof 2. O Christ whose Human Soul in thy Passion for my Redeemption was heavy unto Death now mercifully Consider my Frailty who am now at the point of Dissolution O now give me an Invincible Faith in thee against which the Gates of Hell shall never prevail now speak Peace and Comfort to my poor Soul Thou who pouredst out thy Soul to Death for me receive my wearied Spirit to Eternal Life Let not this fearful passage be too bitter to me but be thou ever present with me in all my sufferings O Holy Ghost the Comforter of all the Elect leave me not Comfortless let me be gathered to my Fathers in Peace Bring me to that Life wherein thou hast promised to wipe away all Tears from our Eyes Where shall be no more Death Sorrow Pain nor any bitter Effects of Sin Lord hear me O thou who despisest not a broken contrite Heart have mercy upon me Lord receive my Petitions and in thy appointed hour come Lord Jesus my Saviour and Redeemer deliver me from this bondage of Corruption even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen SECT XVII Of Judgment 1. THOU apprehendest true Death is terrible but Judgment more both succeed upon the same decree It is appointed unto Men once to dye but after this the judgment Heb. 9.27 It is not more terrible than thought on Death because he strikes and lays before us examples of Mortality cannot but sometimes take up our hearts but the last Judgment having no visible proofs upon our thoughts too seldom fright us 2. YET who conceives the Terror of that day When the Sun shall be turn'd into darkness and the Moon into blood Acts 2.20 That day which shall burn as an Oven when all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as the stubble Mal. 4.1 That day in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 That day wherein the Lord Jesus shall be reveal'd from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess. 1.7 8. That day wherein the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire for by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh Isa. 66.15 16. That day wherein the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory and all Nations shall be gathered before him and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats Mat. 25.31 32. And that day wherein all the kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him Rev. 1.7 3. THAT great and terrible day of the Lord Joel 2.31 wherein if the powers of Heav'n be shaken how can the heart remain removed And if the World be dissolved who can abide it Alas we are ready to tremble at Thunder in a Cloud and at Lightning that glances our Eyes what shall we do when the Heavens shall break in pieces and be on flame about our Ears Oh who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth Mal. 3.2 4. YET be of good cheer amidst all this horror there is comfort whether thou be one whom it shall please God to reserve upon the Earth to the sight of this dreadful day he knows in whose hands our times are but this we are sure of that we are upon the last days And we may spit
when he hath once fastned he sooner leaveth his life then his hold Contrariety of Events Exercise not dismay him and when Crosses Afflict him he seeth a Divine Hand invisibly striking with those sensible scourges against which he dares not Murmur nor Rebel 9. HE troubleth not himself with Exciting Thoughts nor others with needless Suits He intermeddles not in others business nor adventures upon rash Attempts he offends none with provoking Terms not taketh offence at others Actions He lendeth not his Ear to idle Tales nor soweth discord or seeketh Revenge But hath a meek heart a contented mind and a charitable eye his Tongue is Affable hand Peaceable and his gesture sociable His Deportment is Neighbourly his Judgment charitable a loving Speaker and a friendly Converser He puts up all wrongs patiently and wrongs none willingly And such manner of Men ought we to be in all holy Conversation And I shall end with the words of the holy Apostle and desire of God that he would direct your hearts into his love and into the patient waiting for him 2 Thes. 3.5 I shall not think it improper to insert here a Relation of Sir Thomas Moore that excellent Pattern of Patience who wholly resigned himself to the will of the Divine Providence Sir Thomas returning from beyond Sea after his Embasy and being remote from his House with the King in the Month of August part of his dwelling House and all his Barns laden with Corn were by a sudden Fire consumed his Lady by a Letter certified him of this sad mischance to which he return'd her this Answer Madam All Health wished to you I do understand that all our Barns and Corn with some of our Neighbours likewise are wasted by a fire an heavy and lamentable loss but only that it was Gods will of such abundance of Wealth but because it so seemed good to God we must not only patiently but also willingly bear and submit to the hand of God so stretched out upon us God gave whatsoever we have lost and seeing it hath pleased him to take away what he gave his Divine Will be done Never let us repine at this but let us take it in good part we are bound to be thank-ful as well in Adversity as in Prosperity and if we cast up our Accounts well this which we esteem so great a loss is rather a great gain For what is necessary and conducing to our Salvation is better known to God than us I intreat you therefore to have a good heart and to take all your Family with you to the Church and there give thanks to God for all these things which he hath pleas'd to take away as well as for his blessings which he hath bestow'd on us and to praise him for that which is left It is an easie matter with God if he please to Augment what is yet left but if he shall see good to take away more even as it shall please him so let it be And let Enquiry be made what my Neighbours have lost and wish them not to be sorry For I will not that my Neighbours shall suffer any thing by my loss though I leave not my self any thing and though all should be taken away I pray thee O Alice be joyful in the Lord with my Children and all our Family all these things and we are in the hands of the Lord. Let us therefore wholly depend upon his good will and so no losses shall ever hurt us Farewel From the Court at Woodstock September 13th 1529. What a sincere Devotion was here to the Divine Will of God! What a Letter from a heart truly setled upon Heav'n This Master of the Family had learn'd his Lesson well and was grown a proficient in the Art of Patience This was a Man that by supporting himself upon God's Providence was able to bear all losses sweetly Behold an Ostrich able to digest Iron His Barns were burnt but his Mind was cool Patience kept him in his uprightness In a short space after God requited his Losses in September he received this heavy news In October he was promoted Lord Chancellor of England so that not only Honour but his Means also were mightily enlarged that now he needs not repair his Barns but may build new ones Certainly there is not in the World such a holy sort of Artifice so Divine a charm to unite God to us as this of resigning our selves to him We find the Gibeonites by yielding themselves Vassals to the Israelites had their whole Army at their back to rescue them in their danger Jos. 10.6 and can we think God is less considerate of his Homagers and Dependents No certainly his Honour as well as his Compassion is concern'd in the relief of those who have Surrendred themselves to him A Prayer for Patience O Most gracious God let not the Spirit of Impatience possess me whereby I may in any measure incur thy displeasure thou art my Maker O let me not strive with thee I am the Work of thy Hands and therefore with thee there is no contending if I provoke thee by strugling under the Yoke of Affliction the end thereof will be Gaul to my Neck and Bitterness to my Conscience But O Lord it is not my Punishment thou pursuest after but my Repentance and Amendment of Life and what thou art pleased to inflict upon me is but to chase me to my Duty which when I have perfectly learnt I know thou wilt fully Reward and Recompence my Patience that I may possess my own Soul in the day of the Lord Jesus 2. O thou that art the wise disposer of all Things both in Heaven and Earth let me look up to thee from whence cometh Affliction and then inspect into my own Heart where I shall find out the efficient Cause O let nothing then seem to perplex me which thou in thy good pleasure knoweth to be advantagious but let me ever be content to drink of the bitterest Cup of Affliction which thou hast allotted me O let thy good Spirit still strive with me and draw me unto thee with the Cords of thy Love it is of thy tender Mercies that I am not consumed but I know thy Compassion fails not towards poor and wretched Sinners Lord give me Grace to perform this Duty and say of my Affliction as thou O Jesu didst of thy bitter Cup and Passion Father if it be thy will let this Cup pass from me if not not my Will but thy Will be done Amen The CLOSE Consisting of Scriptural Ejaculations referring to the several Sections of the before-going Treatise 1. HAVING gone through this short Tract of the Art of Patience I shall now lay down these following Ejaculations as being most necessary and we have St. James 's Testimony for it Is any among you afflicted let him pray James 5.13 This is the Great and Soveraign Catholicon of the distressed Soul which is able to give relief to all the forementioned Complaints 2. FOR