might make our calling and election sure It is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation And with what confusion of face and horrour of spirit if we die in that state shall we appear before the Iudge of all the world when he shall come in the Clouds of heaven with his holy Angels and all mankind from the first man created unto the last that shall be borne upon the earth shall appear before his Judgement-seate Me thinks I see the remisse lukewarme professour and the hypocritical factious pretender of sanctity looking up to the Clouds and crying out O that throne that flaming white and glorious throne and he that sits thereon with the sharp sickle in his hand and the crown of pure gold upon his head Revel 14.14 from whose face the heaven and the earth flye away and the foundations of the world are brought to nothing Oh! is he the Lamb that was slain whose blood was poured out like water upon the earth to save his people from their sins Is he the Prince of life that was crown'd with thornes scourged spit upon crucified pierced through and murthered and comes he now to judge the world Oh! It is he It is he miserable wretch that I am What shall I do or whither shall I go Such will be the dreadful agonies and concertations in that day betwixt the Hypocrite and his conscience betwixt the enemies of Gods truth and their gasping undone souls When the people that forget God shall go down quick into hell and the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and laid open before Angels and men For in that day all their dark and private lusts their closet-sins bosome-councels specious pretences and bloody machinations which now like so many foul spirits lurk in their gloomy breasts shall be forced out and will appear as visible to all mankind as if they were written with the beams of the Sun upon the pure and unclouded firmament In the mean while the very fowles of the aire and their own horrid guilt either in time of distraction which they are alwayes subiect to or in their sleep which is alwayes fraught with penal visions and spiritual tumults may make a full discovery of their most secret villanies before the appointed time It was a blessed and a glorious age the Primitive Christians lived in when the wildernesse and the solitary places were glad for them and the desert rejoyced and blossom'd as the rose When the blood of Christ was yet warme and the memory of his miracles and live fresh and vigorous what Zeale what powerful faith what perfect charity hearty humility and true holinesse was then to be found upon the earth If we compare the shining and servent piety of those Saints with the painted and illuding appearance of it in these of our times we shall have just cause to fear that our Candlestick which hath been now of a long time under a Cloud is at this very instant upon removing But I had rather you should be informed of their true holinesse and love to Christ by an Eye-witnesse that was conversant with them and went in and out amongst them then by a bare relation from my pen. Heare therefore what he saith Vidi ego verè vidi the saurum Christi in humanis absconditum vasculis c. vidi enim apud eos multos Patres in terra positos coelestem vitam agentes novos quosdam Prophetas tam virtut bus animi quà m vaticinandi officio imbutos c. Nonnullos namque â—orum ità ab omni malitia cogitatione suspicione vidimus alienos ut nec si aliquid mali adhuc in seculo gereretur meminissent tanta in eis erat tranquillitas animi tantúsque in eis inoleverat bonitatis affectus c. Commanent autem per cremum dispersi separati cellulis sed charitatis vinculo connexi Ob huc autem dirimuntur habitaculis ut silentii sui quietem intentionem mentis nec vox aliqua nec occursus ullus aut sermo aliquis otiosus obturbet Intentis ergo in suo quisque loco animis velut fideles servi adventantem dominum expectant Omnes hi nullam cibi aut indumenti aut ullius horum sollicitudinem gerunt Iustitiam regnum Dei requirunt armis orationum pugnant scuto fidei ab inimico insidiante protecti patriam sibi coelestem conquirunt I have seen saith he and I was not deceived the treasure of Christ laid up in earthen vessels for amongst those Christians in Egypt I have seen many Fathers who had here upon earth already begun the heavenly life and regenerate Prophets who were indued not onely with holy habits but had received therewith the Spirit of promise for I have known many of them that were so free from malice perverse thoughtfulnesse and suspition as if they had never known that there were such evill wayes to be followed in the world Such a great tranquillity of mind and such a powerful love or longing after goodnesse had wholly possessed them They lived dispersed up and down the wildernesse and separated from one another in several Cells or Cots but knit all together in the perfect bond of Charity The reason of their distinct and distant habitations was because they would not have the silence of their retirements disturbed nor their minds diverted from the contemplation of heavenly things by any noyse sudden occurrence or idle discourse for this cause they have every one their particular mansion where with intentive or earnest minds they do like faithful servants expect and look for the coming of their Master They take no thought for meat and drink and cloathing nor for any such accommodations they seek onely the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof they fight with the weapons of prayer being guarded with the shield of faith from the devices of their spiritual enemies so travel on towards their heavenly countrey This was the old way and whether we are in it or out of it is not hard to be decided A pretended sanctity from the teeth outward with the frequent mention of the Spirit and a presumptuous assuming to our selves of the stile of Saints when we are within full of subtilty malice oppression lewd opinions and diverse lusts is I am sure a convincing argument that we are not onely out of it but that we have no mind to returne into it The way to heaven is wet and slippery but it is made so with teares and not with blood it is through the vale of miseries and the raine filleth the pooles Psal. 85. There is no voyce in those shades of Palme but the voyce of the Turtle which is alwayes groning and Naturalists say she hath no gall It is ill coming to the Lamb of God in a Wolfes skin They that do so must be taught that he hath another attribute and they shall finde him a Lion It is strange that after the experience of almost six thousand
that are more permanent we may by the doctrine of contrarieties make them as useful as any of the former And this is elegantly done by the poet who was then serious and stayed enough though somewhat passionate Nam mihi quid prodest quod longo flumina cursu Semper inexhaustis prona feruntur aquis Ista manent nostri sed non mansêre parentes Exigui vitam temporis hospes ago What is 't to me that spacious rivers run Whole ages and their streams are never done Those still remain but all my fathers di'd And I my self but for few dayes abide Thus he of the water-course which he saw would out-run him and will do so with all that come after him But the quick tyde of mans life when it is once turned and begin to ebbe will never flow again The Spring comes constantly once a yeere and flowers when the frosts are past keep house no longer under ground but feel the Sun and come abroad The leaves come again to whisper over our heads and are as green and as gay as ever but mauâ—dieth and wastesh away yea man giveth up the ghost and where is he In these sad contemplations was the Brittish Bard when he broke out into this Eloquent complaint Mis mawrddh rhyddhig Adar Pob peth y ddhaw trwr ddhayar Ond y marw maur vy garchar In March birds couple a new birth Of herbs and flowers breaks through the earth But in the grave none stirs his head Long is th' Impris'ment of the dead The dayes of darknesse are many and he that goeth down to the grave shall not come up his place shall not know him nor shall he returne to his house he shall not be awaked nor raised out of his sleep untill the heavens be no more These last words were put in for our comfort and imply the resurrection or the time of restoring all things This was manifested to Ezekiel by the vision of dry bones with a noise and a shaking amongst them and they came together bone to bone and were clothed with sinews flesh and skin and the breath of life entered into them and they stood upon their feet an exceeding great army We have it also confirmed out of the mouth of Iesus Christ himself Iohn 5.28 29. his words are these Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the grave shall hear his voyce And they shall come forth that have done good unto the resurrection of life but they that have done evill unto the resurrection of condemnation The Scripture is every where full of these proofs But I shall insist only upon three 1. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the later day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me Job 19 25 26 27. 2. Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Isa 26.19 3. Behold O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves O my people and brought you up out of your graves and shall put my spirit in you and yee shall live Ezek. 37.12 13 14. And thus have we most full and absolute promises from the divine spirit and from Iesus Christ who is the life of the world for the redemption of our bodies Nor are we left destitute of very clear and inexcusable demonstrations of it in nature We see mortal men when the body and substance of vegetables is consumed in the fire out of their very ashes to make glasse which is a very bright and noble body how much more shall the Immortal and Almighty God who created all things of nothing out of dust and corruption raise us up incorrupt and glorions bodies Thou fool saith St. Paul that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die first and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body which shall be but bare grain but God giveth it a body as he pleaseth There are in nature many creatures which at certain seasons that their spirit is inconsistent with fall into a dormition or dead sleep which differs little from death and convey themselves into secret places as hollow trees or some desolate ruines where they may rest in safety during that season as being taught by some secret informant that they shall awake again Here have we a clear type of the resurrection for what else is death but sleep as the Apostle calls it A great Philosopher and Secretary to nature discoursing of the resurrection of the dead tells us that he oftentimes lighted upon some of those creatures in that dark state of dormition and did dissect some of them and cut off the limbs of others and yet saith he could I perceive no signe of life at all in them their arteries and flesh being as hard and as dry as a stick but casting them into a pot of seething water they would soften by degrees and shortly after stir about and those very parts which were dissected would give very clear and satisfactory Indications of life This is so strong a Symboll of the resurrection that I think it needlesse to make any application Onely this I shall adde that the curious observers of nature reckon these creatures amongst those of the lunar order And indeed if we consider well the nature of that planet whose sphere is the veil or partition drawn betwixt us and Immortality and whose relation to this lower world is more intimate and of a greater tye then any of the other six we shall finde that she exactly typifies and demonstrates unto us those two famous states of terrestrial bodies viz. their state of darknesse and their state of glory their dissolution and restoration for she doth agonizare and suffers a monethly recession of light and in a short time becomes full again And I pray are not light and life compatriots What else is death but the recession and absence of life or darknesse but the absence of light Sic nostros casus solatur mundus in astris So our decays God comforts by The Stars concurrent state on high Do not we see divets birds of this regiment such as are commonly known to us with other meaner Creatures as silk-worms and the humble-bee which yet are not so contemptible but they may serve us for noble instances in this point seeing there is in them a living spirit and that creatures of the same rank with them are recorded in Gods own word yea and are own'd by him as memorable and select Instruments of his service as Joshuah Cap. 24. ver 12. And
nothing can bring us sooner to it then the serious consideration of our own frailty This is the Catharma that turns away the plague and as Physicians say of fasting that it cures almost all bodily diseases So may I say of this that it prevents if timely applyed all the depravations and diseases of the mind It will bring down every high thought set us upon even ground where we shall be in no danger of soul or body Our Saviour was buried in a Rock and he that builds upon his grave he that mortifies his affections and hides his life in him needs feare no stormes What beauty is there in a deaths-head crownd with roses If we carry the one about us we shall be safe enough from the temptations of the other Let sensual natures judge as they please but for my part I shall hold it no Paradoxe to affirme there are no pleasures in this world Some coloured griefes and blushing woes there are which look so clear as if they were true complexions but it is a very sad and a tryed truth that they are but painted To draw then to an end let us looke alwayes upon this Day-Lilie of life as if the Sun were already set Though we blossome and open many mornings we shall not do so always Soles occidere redire possunt but man cannot He hath his time appointed him upon earth which he shall not passe and his days are like the days of an hireling Let us then so husband our time that when the flower falls the seed may be preserved We have had many blessed Patterns of a holy life in the Brittish Church though now trodden under foot and branded with the title of Antichristian I shall propose but one to you the most obedient Son that ever his Mother had and yet a most glorious true Saint and a Seer Heark how like a busie Bee he hymns it to the flowers while in a handful of blossomes gather'd by himself he foresees his own dissolution I made a Posie while the day ran by Here will I smell my remnant out and tye My life within this band But time did becken to the flowers and they By noon most cunningly did steal away And wither'd in my hand My hand was next to them and then my heart I took without more thinking in good part Times gentle admonition Who did so sweetly death 's sad taste convey Making my mind to smell my fatal day Yet sugring the suspition Farewel dear flowers sweetly your time ye spent Fit while ye liv'd for smell or ornament And after death for cures I follow strait without complaint or grief Since if my sent be good I care not if It be as short as yours As often therefore as thou seest the full and ripe corne to succeed the tender and flowery Spring the Autumne again to succeed the Summer and the cold and snowie Winter to succeed the Autumne say with thy self These seasons passe away but will returne againe but when I go I shall returne no more When thou seest the Sun to set and the melancholy shadowes to prevaile and increase meditate with thy selfe Thus when my life is done will the shadowes of death be stretched over me And yet this Sun which now leaves me will be here againe to morrow but when the Sun of my life sets it shall not returne to me until the heavens be no more When the night is drawn over thee and the whole world lies slumbring under it do not thou sleep it out for as it is a portion of time much abused by wicked livers so is it of all others the most powerful to excite thee to devotion be stirring therefore and make special use of that deepest and smoothest current of time like that vigilunt Pilot who alwayes mistrusted the greatest calms Sydera cuncta notat tacito labentia coelo When thou also seest those various numberles and beautiful luminaries of the night to move on in their watches and some of them to vanish and set while all the rest do follow after consider that thou art carried on with them in the same motion and that there is no hope of subsisting for thee but in him who never moves and never sets Consider thy own posterity if thou hast any or those that are younger then thy self and say These are travelling up the hill of life but I am going head-long down Consider thy own habitation how many have been there before thy time whom that place must never know again and that there is no help but thou must follow Consider the works of thine own hands the flowers trees and arbours of thine own planting for all those must survive thee Nay who knows but thou mayst be gone before thou canst enjoy those pleasures thou dost expect from them for the Poet in that point proves oftentimes a Prophet The trees we set grow slowly and their shade Stays for our sons while we the Planters fade Virg. Georg. Tarda venit sorisque futura nepotibus umbra To be short acquit thee wisely and innocently in all thy Actions live a Christian and die a Saint Let not the plurality of dayes with the numerous distinctions and mincings of thy time into moneths weeks houres and minutes deceive thee nor be a means to make thee misspend the smallest portion of it let not the empty honours and pompous nothing of this world keep thee back from the grapes of the brook of Eshcol Remember that we must account for every idle word much more for our actions If thou hast lost any dear friends have them alwayes before thine eyes visit their graves often and be not unkind to a Ionathan though in the dust Give eare to heaven and forget not what is spoken to thee from thence Behold I come as a thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame The time of life is short and God when he comes to see us comes without a bell Let us therefore gird up the loynes of our minds and be sober and hope to the end Let us keep our selves in the love of God as obedient children not grieving his holy Spirit by which we are sealed unto the day of redemption And let us not give place to the devil nor be weary of well-doing but let us be renewed daily in the spirit of our mind that when he comes who will not tarry we may be found faithful and about our masters businesse Let us feare God and forgive men blesse those that persecute us and lay up treasure for our selves in heaven that where our treasures is there our hearts may be also and this if God permits will we do and then We can go die as sleep and trust Half that we have Vnto an honest faithful grave Making our pillows either down or dust Now unto him who shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himselfe even unto Iesus Christ the Prince of the Kings of the earth and the first begotten of the dead be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen A Prayer when thou findest thy self sickly or when thou art visited with any Disease MOst merciful and wise God who bringest light out of darknesse and true comforts out of the greatest afflictions I do in all humility and with all my soule resigne my selfe unto thy divine pleasure and give thee most hearty and unfeined thanks for this thy present visitation an infallible argument of thy fatherly love and that tender care which thou hast of my salvation Thou gavest me health and I took no notice of thy gift and but very little of the Giver Thou gavest me dayes of gladnesse and I numberd them not Wherefore with most true sorrow for my unthankfulnesse and with all the sad Resentments of a most penitent heare I do acknowledge thy justice adore thy providence and beg thy mercy O righteous Father Though I have gone astray do not thou cast me off though I am no more worthy to be called thy son yet have thou a minde to the work of thine own hands Confirme my faith sanctifie my affections give me a lively and enduring hope with an unwearied patience And strengthen me in all my Agonies with the celestial assistance and inexpressible refreshments of thy overcoming spirit Thou that didst give to thy blessed and faithful Martyrs such a glorious measure of thy Almighty spirit as encouraged them for thy sake to be sawed asunder to be burnt stoned and beheaded give unto me now such a gracious portion of the same Comforter as may leade me through death unto life Or if thou wilt in mercy restore me again and enlarge my time give me I beseech thee a thankful heart holy resolutions and a stedfast spirit to performe them And for Iesus Christ his sake never suffer me to forget thy tender and fatherly compassion or to fall again into my old sins and heap up for my self thy eternal anger and most just indignation For what end soever thou hast sent this present sicknesse whether for my dissolution or for a temporal correction of my sinful life grant I beseech thee that both may be for thy glory and the salvation of my poore soule purchased with the precious blood of thine only Sonne and my dear Redeemer to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be ascribed by Angels and men all wisdome dominion and majesty for ever and ever Amen! A Prayer in the hour of Death O My most blessed and glorious Creatour that hast fed me all my life long and redeemed me from all evil seeing it is thy merciful pleasure to take me out of this fraile body and to wipe away all teares from mine eyes and all sorrowes from my heart I do with all humility and willingnesse consent and submit my self wholly unto thy sacred will I desire to be dissolved and to be with my Saviour I blesse and praise thy holy name for all thy great mercies conferred upon me from the first day of my life unto this present hour I give thee all possible thanks for this gracious kind visitation in which thou art mercifully pleased to order this last act of thy poor creature to thy glory and the fruition of those heavenly comforts which have already swallowed up my whole spirit O let all that come after me speak of thy wondrous mercies and the generations which are yet unborn give praise unto thy name Lord Iesus Christ my most loving Redeemer into thy saving and everlasting Armes I commend my spirit I am ready my dear Lord and earnestly expect and long for thy good pleasure Come quickly and receive the soul of thy servant which trusteth in thee Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb and to the holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen Glory be to God on high and on earth peace good will towards men Blessed be God alone Thrice blessed three in one MAN IN Glory OR A Discourse of the blessed state of the Saints in the New JERUSALEM Written in Latin by the most Reverend and holy Father ANSELMUS Archbishop of Canterbury and now done into English Printed Anno Dom. 1652. To the Reader Reader ANSELMUS Archbishop of Canterbury lived here in Britaine in the reigne of Rufus and striving to keep entire the Immunities of the Church which the spirit of Covetousnesse and Sacriledge did then begin to encroach upon he was twice banished first by William the second called Rufus or red-hair'd and after by Henry the first his youngest brother and successor Men of fierce and unmanagable spirits they were and by so much the fitter for the throne The first was such an infamous lover of money that the Neophyte-Iews were at a constant fee with him for renouncing Christianity and the later like a true son of Ottoman caused his eldest brothers eyes to be pull'd out who was then his prisoner in the Castle of Cardiffe To avoid the fury of Rufus who had thus banished him our Author here retired into France and shelter'd himself in the Abbey of Clunie where by way of discourse with that reverend family he shed forth this Dissertation which at the same time it proceeded from him was exactly taken and put into writing by Eadinerus a Canon regular of the Church of Canterbury and his Amanuensis in his banishment Some brokages and disorderly parcels of it are to be found in his book De similitud but the entire and genuine discourse was first made publick at Paris 1639. where it took so well that it was presently translated into French This much I thought fit to acquaint thee with and so I shall leave thee to thy owne affaires which I wish to be such as may bring thee to the fruition of those joyes which are showne thee here through a glasse darkly and but in part untill that which is perfect shall come and this which is in part shall be done away Thy Friend HEN. VAUGHAN Here holy Anselme lives in ev'ry page And sits Arch-bishop still to vex the age Had he foreseen and who knows but he did This fatal wrack which deep in time lay hid Had never like Elias driv'n him hence A sad retirer for a slight offence 'T is but just to believe that little hand Which clouded him but now benights our land For were he now like the returning year Restor'd to view these desolations here He would do penance for his old complaint And weeping say That Rufus was a Saint Revel Chap. 7. 1. ANd after this I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands 2. And cried
Prayers and Meditations before receiving the Lords Supper p. 36 A Prayer for the Grace of Repentance with a Confession of sins p. 47 A particular Meditation before receiving the holy Communion p. 51 A Prayer when thou art upon going to the Lords Table p. 59 An Ejaculation immediately before the receiving p. 60 Admonitions after receiving the holy Communion p. 61 A Prayer after you have received p. 63 In time of Persecution and Heresie p. 66 In Troubles occasioned by our Enemies p. 68 MAN in DARKNESSE or a Discourse of Death p. 71 A Prayer in time of sicknesse p. 127 A Prayer in the hour of Death p. 130 MAN in GLORY or a Discourse of the blessed estate of the Saints in Heaven p. 133 FINIS ADMONITIONS FOR Morning-Prayer THe night saith Chrysostome was not therefore made that either we should sleep it out or passe it away idly and Chiefly because we see many worldly persons to watch out whole nights for the Commodities of this life In the Primitive Church also the Saints of God used to rise at midnight to praise the Rock of their salvation with Hymns and Spiritual Songs In the same manner shouldst thou do now and Contemplate the Order of the Stars and how they all in their several stations praise their Creator When all the world is asleep thou shouldst watch weep and pray and propose unto thy self that Practise of the Psalmist I am weary of my groaning every night wash I my bed and water my Couch with my tears for as the Dew which falls by night is most fructifying and tempers the heat of the Sun so the tears we shed in the night make the soul fruitful quench all Concupiscence and supple the hardnesse we got in the day Christ himself in the day-time taught and preach'd but continued all night in prayer sometimes in a Mountain apart sometimes amongst the wild beasts and sometimes in solitary places They whose Age or Infirmity will not give them way to do thus should use all Convenient means to be up before the Sun-rising for we must prevent the Sunne to give God thanks and at the day-spring pray unto him Wisd. 16. It was in the morning that the Children of Israel gathered the Manna and of the Just man it is said That He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him and will pray before the most high Eccl. 39. So soon therefore as thou dost awake shut thy door against all prophane and worldly thoughts and before all things let thy God be first admitted offer unto him thy first fruits for that day and commune with him after this manner When thou dost awake O God the Father who saidst in the beginning Let there be light and it was so Inlighten my Eyes that I never sleepe in death lest at any time my Enemy should say I have prevailed against him O God the Sonne light of light the most true and perfect light from whom this light of the Sun and the day had their beginning thou that art the light shining in darknesse Inlightning every one that cometh into this world expell from me all Clouds of Ignorance and give me true understanding that in thee and by thee I may know the Father whom to know is to live and to serve is to reigne O God the Holy Ghost the fire that inlightens and warms our hearts shed into me thy most sacred light that I may know the true Joyes of Heaven and see to escape the illusions of this world Ray thy selfe into my soul that I may see what an Exceeding weight of glory my Enemy would bereave me of for the meer shadowes and painting of this world Grant that I may know those things which belong unto thee and nothing else Inflame me with thy divine love that with a true Christian Contempt I may tread upon all transitory Pleasures and seek only those things which are eternal Most blessed Trinity and one eternal God! as thou hast this day awaked me from this bodily sleep so awake my soule from the sleep of sin and as thou hast given me strength after sleep now again to watch so after death give me life for what is death to me is but sleep with thee to whom be ascribed all glory wisdome majesty dominion and praise now and for Ever Amen When thou dost arise ARise O my soul that sleepest arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Arise O daughter of Sion O my soul redeemed with the blood of Christ sit no more in the dust of thy sins but arise and rest in that peace which is purchas'd by thy Saviours merits Christ Iesus my most merciful and dear Redeemer as it is thy meer goodness that lifts up this mortal and burthensome body so let thy grace lift up my soul to the true knowledge and love of thee grant also that my body may this day be a helper and servant to my soul in all good works that both body and soul may be partakers of those Endlesse Joyes where thou livest and reignest with the Faher and the Holy Ghost one true God world without End Amen As soone as thou art drest before thou comest forth from thy Chamber kneel down in some convenient place and in this or the like Prayer commend thy self for that day unto thy Creator's Protection ALmighty eternal God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ I blesse and praise thy holy name and with my whole heart give thee all possible thanks that out of thine infinite goodness thou wert pleased to watch over me this night to resist my adversary and to keep me from all perils of body and soul O thou that never slumbrest nor sleepest how careful hast thou been of me how hast thou protected me and with thy holy angels thy ministring spirits sent forth to minister for the heirs of salvation incompast me about yea with what unmeasurable love hast thou restored unto me the light of the day and rais'd me from sleep and the shadow of death to look up to thy holy hill Justly mighst thou O God have shut the gates of death upon me and laid me for ever under the barres of the Earth but thou hast redeemed me from Corruption and with thy Everlasting armes enlarged my time of Repentance And now O Father of mercies and God of all Consolation hear the voyce of thy Supplicant and let my cry be heard in thy highest heavens As I do sincerely love thee and beg for thy Protection so receive thou me under the shadow of thy wings watch over me with the Eyes of thy mercy direct me in the wayes of thy Law and enrich me with the gifts of thy Spirit that I may passe through this day to the glory of thy great name the good of others and the comfort of my own soul. Keep me O my God from the great offence quench in me all vain Imaginations and sensual desires sanctifie and supple my heart with the dew of thy
the Swallow a nest for her selfe where she may lay her young even thine Altars O Lord of Hosts my God and my King Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be still praising thee For one day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a doore-keeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Let it be thy Care then when thou art there present to carry thy self like a true worshipper Give none offence neither outwardly to thy Brethren nor the Angels 1 Cor. 11.10 Nor inwardly to thy God whose Eyes shine within thee and discern thy reins and thy heart Look seriously about thee and Consider with thy self how many beauteous wittie and hopeful personages in their time lie now under thy feet thou canst not tell but thy turn may be next Humble thy self in this dust and all vain Imaginations will flie from thee Consider that thou art now in the Cave of Macpelah in a sacred Repositorie where the Bodies of Saints are asleep expecting that hour when those that are in the grave shall hear his voyce Do not then stop thy eares against the Charmer but give diligent attention and hear him while it is yet to day that in the day of thy death thou mayst rest there in the same hope When thy vessel is fill'd with this Manna and thy soul satisfied go not off without Thanksgiving Be not like those nine Leapers who never returned to give glory to God but come back with the thankfull Samaritane and receive another blessing Go in peace Saint Luke in the Acts of the Apostles making mention of the Ethiopian Eunuch who came up to Ierusalem for to worship tells us that in his returne he was reading in Isaiah the Prophet This blessed Convert I would have thee to imitate When thou hast fill'd thy Hin with this living water leave it not behinde thee at the Fountain spill not thy Milk and thy Wine because thou hast it without money and without price but carry it home and use it Thou mayest have need of it in six dayes and perhaps shalt not come to draw again untill thou drinkest it anew with thy Saviour in his Fathers Kingdom A Prayer before thou goest to Church LOrd Iesus Christ who out of thy Fathers bosome wert sent into this world to reveal his will unto sinners and to instruct them in the way of salvation behold I am now going to hear thy blessed word and these many yeers have so done expecting still thy good pleasure and the Consummation of thy sacred will in me I have come unto the bread of life and yet am hungry into the light and yet am blind unto the great Physician and yet my Issue runs The former and the later rain of thy heavenly Doctrine falls still without intermission upon my heart but this bad ground yeelds nothing but Thornes and Briers Many dayes many moneths and many yeers hast thou expected fruit and found nothing but leaves It is thy Infinite mercy O Lord that thou hast left unto us the seed of thy word and sendest into thy harvest such upright and faithful labourers but in vain O Lord shall they cry in our Ears unlesse thou openest and renewest our hearts Open then I beseech thee O blessed Jesu the eares of my heart that not onely the outward hearing but the inward also may be stirr'd up in me and what I hear with the eare I may understand with the spirit O thou most mild and merciful Lamb of God! the onely and the Almighty sower grant I beseech thee that the seed which falls this day upon my heart may never be choak'd with the Cares of this world nor be devoured by the fowles of the aire nor wither away in these times of persecution and triall but so Cherish it with the Dew of thy divine spirit that as in a good and faithful ground it may bring forth fruit unto eternal life to the glory of thy great name and the Comfort of my poor soul which thou hast bought with thy most precious and saving blood Amen Another when thou art come home or in the way if thou beest alone LOrd Iesus Christ my ever mercifull and most loving Redeemer I give unto thee most hearty thanks for this thy heavenly spiritual provision wherewith thou hast fed and refreshed my soul. Grant I beseech thee that this Celestial seed may take root in me and be effectual to my salvation Watch over my heart O Lord and hedge it in with thy grace that the fowles which descend in the shadows of the Evening may not pick it out But so prepare and fit me for thy love that I may never forget thy gracious words thy blessed and saving advice but may know in this my day what belongs unto my peace It is thy promise by thy holy Prophet That as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater So thy word that goeth forth out of thy mouth shall not return unto thee void but shall accomplish that which thou pleasest and prosper in the thing whereto thou sendest it Isai. 55. 10 11. Even so Lord Iesus let it be as thou hast promised Let the words I have heard this day out of the mouth of thy servant the Dispenser and Steward of thy Mysteries prosper in me and make my life answerable to his Doctrine that I may not onely know what thy blessed will is but performe also and fulfill it so that at last by thy mediation and mercies I may attain to thy eternal and most glorious Kingdom Amen Admonitions for Evening-Prayer REmember that in the Levitical Law there is a frequent Commemoration and Charge given of the two daily Sacrifices the one to be offer'd up in the morning and the other in the Evening Exod. 30.7 8. These offerings by Incense our holie harmlesse and undefiled High-Priest hath taken away and instead of them every devout Christian is at the appointed times to offer up a Spiritual Sacrifice namely that of Prayer for God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth John 4.24 At these prescribed times if thou wilt have thy Prayers to ascend up before God thou must with-draw from all outward occupations to prepare for the inward and divine To which end thou hast here this following Meditation that thou maiest therewith season and invite thy soul from thy worldlie imployments to her proper vocation and so come not altogether undrest into the presence of the King of glory A Meditation at the setting of the Sun or the Souls Elevation to the true light THe path of the Just O my God is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto a perfect day of eternity Prov. 4. But the wicked neither know nor understand they walk in darknesse
make haste to help me O Lord Upon some suddaine fear O set me upon the Rock that is higher then I for thou art my hope and a strong tower for me against my enemy Upon any disorderly thoughts Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Upon any occasions of sadnesse Thy rebuke hath broken my heart I am full of heavinesse but thou O Lord shalt lift me up again Upon any Diffidence Thou art my hope O Lord even from my youth through thee have I been holden up ever since I was borne though thou shouldst kill me yet will I trust in thee When thou dost any good work Not unto me O Lord not unto me but unto thy name give the praise When thou art provoked to anger Give thy peace unto thy servant O God let no man take away my Crown In patience O Lord let me possesse my soul. For thine Enemies Lord lay not this sinne to their Charge they know not what they do Upon any gracious deliverance or other mercies conferr'd upon thee The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want He maketh me to lie down in green pastures he leadeth me besides the still waters He hath prevented me with the blessings of goodnesse he hath granted me my hearts desire and not with-holden the request of my lips Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life And I will dwell in the house of my God for ever Upon any losses or other adversities Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evill Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. When thou hearest that any is dead Teach me O Lord to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisdome Upon thought of thy sins Turn away thy face from my sins O Lord and blot out all mine offences Praise the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thy sins and healeth all thine Infirmities When thou art weary of the cares and vanities of this world Like as the Hart brayeth for the water-brooks so thirsteth my soul after thee O God O who will give me the wings of a Dove that I may slie and be at rest ¶ Admonitions with Meditations and Prayers to be used before we come to the Lords Supper ALl the Sacraments of the New Testament in those that come to participate them require a most Exquisite and sincere preparation But this Sacrament of the Lords Table because in Institution and Effect it is the highest of all requires the most perfect and purest Accomplishments Our preparation to this Sacrament is not perfected by Contrition onely and Confession of sins both which are unavoidably requisite but if we will be worthy receivers and partake of those graces which are exhibited unto us in this heavenly banquet there are many other duties we must necessarily performe for this Sacrament is of an infinite vertue having in it the Wel-spring of all graces even Iesus Christ with all the merits of his most bitter passion which admit neither number nor measure Wherefore such as our pre-disposition is such also shall our proportion be of this spiritual Manna for as he that cometh to a Well to draw water takes no more thence then what his vessel contains which yet he cannot impute unto the Well but unto his Pitcher which could hold no more so they that come unto this glorious Sacrament receive onely so much grace as their preparation and holines makes them capable of Now there are required of us before we presume to lay hands upon this bread of life three things 1. Purity of Conscience 2. Purity of Intention 3. Fervent and effectual Devotion We must as far as it lies in us refrain from all actual sins in thought word and deed Secondly We must do it to a good end not for any private benefit not by compulsion or for fear of Censure or any other Ecclesiastical correction not out of Custome nor for any sensual devotion or joy because of the confluence and company at these love-feasts Thirdly and lastly we must watch over our owne souls and take heed that no wind blows upon our garden but the spiritual and eternal we must labour for an heavenly setlednesse sanctified affections holy hopes new garments a clean heart and a right spirit Cant. 2. The soul must be sick of love she must long for the banqueting house nothing now must appear but flowers nothing must be heard but the singing of birds and the voice of the Turtle Lord God saith S. Ambrose with what contrition of heart with what fountains of tears with what reverence fear with what chastity of body and purity of mind should this divin mystery be celebrated where thy flesh is the meat where thy blood is the drink where the creature feeds upon the Creatour and the Creatour is united unto the creature where Angels are spectators and God himself both the Priest and the Sacrifice what holinesse and humility should we bring thither O what pure things most pure must those hands be which bring my God to me As therefore some rich odoriferous water is distill'd out of many and several sorts of fragrant herbs and flowers so our devotion at this soveraigne Sacrament should be composed of many spiritual acceptable affections with God as amongst others are profound humility unmeasurable reverence ardent love firme faith actuall charity impatient hunger and an intollerable longing after this heavenly banquet And because we may not touch these white robes with dirty hands nor come neer the Rose of Sharon with ill sents and offensive fumes it hath been ever the Custom of Gods Church to injoyn and set apart a certain limited time of purification before this mysterious solemnity wherein all religious and worthy Communicants addressed and prepared themselves in some measure for this unmeasurable mercy Such was in our Church that more strict and holy season called Lent and such still are the preparation-dayes before this glorious Sabbath in all true Churches Two dayes were given the Israelites to sanctifie themselves and to wash their clothes that they might be ready against the third day upon which the Lord was to come downe in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai And this onely at the reception of the Law which was given by Angels much more then ought we to wash and cleanse our vessels from all vaine affections idle words and actions and to separate our selves from the world for three dayes at least that we may be ready against that great and blessed day wherein we are to come not to a mountain that might not be touched nor to the sound of a Trumpet nor to the voice of words spoken to us out of the midst of fire but to the general assembly and Church of the first-borne which are written in
me a heart of flesh renew a right spirit within me cloath me with white raiment and anoint mine Eyes with Eye-salve that I may know and see how wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked I am and may be zealous therefore and repent O thou that didst cause the waters to flow out of the stonie rock and gavest to Magdalen such store of teares that she washed thy feet with them give to me true remorse and such a measure of repentance as may become a most miserable sinner I confesse dear God that I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies much lesse to appear at this great and solemne Feast this Feast of mercy and miracles where none but with holy hands pure intentions crucified affections and renewed spirits should presume to enter But as for me I am all uncleannesse a polluted vile creature and nothing belongs unto me at this great day but confusion of face and an utter separation from this glorions and saving Communion I have wasted thy stock consumed thy talents and destroyed thy goods I was restlesse and unquiet till I had found out wayes to offend thee I have broken thy Commandments laid open thine Inclosures and most grievously trespassed against thy truth and against the light of mine own Conscience I have preferred rottennesse and dust to the treasure of thy word and mine own voluptuousnesse to thy revealed will And now O thou preserver of men What shall I do unto thee Against thee onely have I sinned and my transgressions are ever in thy sight Lord God! I lay me down at thy footstoole and if thou wilt be extreme to mark what is amisse I shall from my very heart acknowledge and adore thy Justice But O my dear Creatour for Christ Jesus his sake have mercy upon me look not on my deserts but on thy glory O Lord do not refuse me but reforme and restore me O Lord hearken and do and deferre not but speak peace to my troubled soul and send thy loving spirit to strengthen and confirme me in the way of holinesse bring me home O Lord and leade me now unto these living waters incorporate me into the saving vine and purge me that I may bear more fruit O cast me not away like an abominable and withered branch but make me to flourish in the Courts of thy house where thy Children are like Olive-branches round about thy table O Lord hear and have mercy and forgive me and be reconciled unto me for Christ Iesus his sake To whom with thee and the holy Ghost be glory in the Church through all ages world without end Amen A Meditation before the receiving of the holy Communion HOly holy holy is the Lord God of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Behold to the Moone and it shineth not and the Starres are darknesse in his sight The Pillars of heaven do tremble and are astonished at his reproof O who then am I that I should appear before thee or what is man that thou shouldest regard him O light of light the all-seeing light that shineth in darknesse and the darknesse comprehendeth it not what will become of me when I shall appear before thy glorious and searching Eye What an habitation of darknesse and death wilt thou finde within me What abominable desolations and emptinesse What barrenesse and disorders wilt thou see there Many a time hast thou knockt and I have shut the doors against thee thou hast often called and I would not answer Sleeping and waking early and late day and night have I refused instruction and would not be healed And now O my God after all this rebellion and uncleannesse wilt thou come and lodge with me O Lord where shall I prepare and make ready for thee What communion can there be betwixt light and darknesse purity and pollution perfection and deformity O Rose of Sharon thou undefiled and everlasting flower the glory of the fields and the first fruits of the dead shall the wilde Asses and the beasts of the wildernesse feed now upon thee Wilt thou give the bread of life unto dogs and cast thy pearls before swine O Iesus Christ the lover and the redeemer of all humble and penitent souls Thou that feedest among the Lilies untill the day breaks and the shadows flee what is there in my heart where onely tares and thistles grow that thou canst feed upon Thy blessed body was wrapt in fine and white linen which is the righteousnesse of the Saints It was laid in a new and undefiled grave hewen out of a rock wherein never man was laid before But all my righteousnesse is a filthy rag my heart neither new nor undefiled but a nest of unclean birds where they have not onely laine but hatched and brought forth their viperous young ones I confesse dear God I confesse with all my heart mine own extrem unworthyness my most shameful and deplorable condition But with thee O Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption Thou dost not use to reject and cast off those that unfeignedly repent and return unto thee the great design and end of thine Incarnation was to save sinners Thou hadst never come into this world but for thy love to thy lost sheep and those thou didst then love thou dost love still unto the end Thou didst not come unto the whole but to the sick The first had there been any such had no need of a Physician and the last hadst not thou come to restore them had perished for ever It was thy gracious pleasure while thou wert here in the world to receive Publicans and sinners and though thou art now ascended to thy Father yet hast not thou changed thy nature Thou art the same yesterday to day and for evermore Thy life here was nothing else but a pilgrimage and laborious search after sinners that thou mightst finde them out and make them whole And how willingly O blessed Jesus didst thou lay down thy robes of glory and cloath thy self with flesh that thou mightst afterwards lay down thy life a propitiation for our sins How many scorching and wearisome journeys didst thou undergo for our sakes How many cold and tedious nights didst thou watch and spend abroad in prayer when the birds of the aire lay warme in their nests and thou hadst not a place to put thy head in In the day time I finde thee preaching in the Temple and all night praying in the Mount of Olives a little after on thine own Sabbath travelling for me in the corne-field Another time wearied with thy journey sitting on the Well of Iacob and begging a draught of that cold water from the woman of Samaria Now again I meet thee on the Asse made infinitely happy by so glorious a rider by the God of Ieshurun who rideth on the heavens and in his excellencie on the skies Sure it was his simplicity and ordinary contempt with man that made him so acceptable in thy sight But Oh! with what language
I sent the hornet before you which drove them out from before you even the two kings of the Amorites but not with thy sword nor with thy bowe And Isaiah Chap. 6 ver 18 19. And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall hisse for the flye that is in the uttermost parts of the river of Egypt and for the Bee that is in the land of Assyria And they shall come and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys and in the holes of the rocks and upon all thornes and upon all bushes I say then do not we see that these birds and inferiour creatures which in the spring and summer continue here very merry and musical do on a sudden leave us and all winter-long suffer a kind of death and with the Suns warmth in the youth of the year awake again and refresh the world with their reviv'd notes For the singing of birds is naturalis musica mundi to which all arted strains are but discord and hardnesse How much more then shall Iesus Christ the Sun of righteousnesse rising with healing under his wings awake those that sleep in him and bring them again with a joyful resurrection Having then these prolusions and strong proofs of our restoration laid out in nature besides the promise of the God of nature who cannot faile let us so dispose of this short time of our sojourning here that we may with joy and sure comforts expect that day of refreshing Let us number our dayes and apply our hearts unto wisdome What ever happens here under our feet let it not draw down our eyes from the hill whence cometh our help Let not these sudden and prodigious mutations like violent earth-quakes shake our foundation let us hold fast the faith and presse towards the mark that whether absent or present we may be accepted of him for many are already gone astray and have slipt into the same damnable estate with those wretches whom a very Heathen could reprove Sunt qui in fortunae jam casibus omnia ponunt Et nullo credunt mundum rectore moveri Naturâ volvente vices lucis anni There are that do believe all things succeed By chance or fortune that nought's decreed By a divine wise will but blindly call Old time and nature rulers over all Let us consider him that is invisible and those that are righteous let them be righteous still let them have respect unto the recompence of the reward for he comes quickly and his reward is with him Let us endure unto ehe end and overcome that we may have right unto the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the City for Ex hoc momento pendet aeternitas Upon our little inch of time in this life depends the length and breadth the height and depth of Immortality in the world to come even two eternities the one infinitely accursed the other infinitely blessâ—d I remember saith a reverend Author that I have read and not without admiration of some Primitive Christian that considered with himself the eternity of the torments to be endured in hell after this manner What man living said he that were in his right minde and reason if he were offered the most spacious and flourishing Kingdoms of France Spain and Polonia onely for lying continually upon any one part of his body in a bed of roses for the space of forty yeers would accept of them upon that condition And though perhaps such a mad man could be found as would accept of the offer yet it is a thing most certain that before three peâ—rs would come about he would get him up and beg to have the conditions cancell'd And what madnesse then is it for the enjoying of one minutes pleasure for the satisfaction of our sensual corrupt appetite to lie for ever in a bed of burning brasse in the lake of eternal and unquenchable fire Suppose saith the same Writer that this whole Globe of earth were nothing else but a huge masse or mountain of sand and that a little Wren came but once in every thousand yeers to fetch away but one grain of that huge heap what an innumerable number of yeers would be spent before that world of sand could be so fetcht away And yet alas when the damned have laine in that siery lake so many yeers as all those would amount to they are no nearer coming out then the first houre they entered in To the same purpose is this Hymne of the Ancients Ex quo poli sunt perfecti Audet numero complecti Stellas coeli still as roris Vndas aquei fluoris Guttas imbris pluvialis Floccos vellerisni valis Quot sunt vere novo flores Quot odores quot colores Quot vinacios Autumnus Poma legit vertumnus Quot jam grana iulit aestas Frondes hyemis tempestas Tâ—tus orbis animantes Aër atomos volantes Pilos ferae pecus villos Vertex hominum capillos Adde littoris arenas Adde graminis verbenas Tot myriades Annorum Quot momenta saeculorum Heus adhuc aeternitatis Portus fugit à damnatis AEternum aeternum quanta haec duratio quanta Quà m speranda bonis quámque tremenda malis From the first hour the heavn's were made Unto the last when all shall fade Count if thou canst the drops of dew The stars of heav'n and streams that flow The falling snow the dropping showres And in the moneth of May the flowres Their sents and colours and what store Of grapes and apples Autumne bore How many grains the Summer beares What leaves the wind in Winter tears Count all the creatures in the world The motes which in the air are hurl'd The haires of beasts and mankind and The shores innumerable sand The blades of grasse and to these last Adde all the yeers which now are past With those whose course is yet to come And all their minutes in one summe When all is done the damneds state Out-runs them still and knows no date O Eternity eternity saith a holy Father whose strength is able to bear out thy torments And the smoke of their torments asceÌ„deth up for ever ever they have no rest day nor night O what is this same for ever and ever Gladly would I speak something of it but I know not what to speak All that I know is this That it is that which onely the infinitenesse of the Almighty God doth compasse about and comprehend Seeing then it is so that eternal pleasures or eternal pains do inavoidably and immediately overtake us after our dissolution with what unwearied care and watchfulnesse should we continue in well-doing and work out our salvation with fear and trembling How should we as strangers and pilgrims abstain from flâ—shly lusts which warre against the soul What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse With what Christian thrift and diligence should we dispose of every minute of our time that we