hearts of all that professe thy holy name to agree in the truth of thy holy word that wee may all live in Christian unity peace and godly love waiting for the accomplishment of the number of thine elect that these daies of sin and dissension being finished we may bee received into thine everlasting peace through thine owne blessed merits and mediation for us Amen 25. Vpon the reading of a paper casually taken out of an old bundle at my first comming to Stanwick VPon my resolving to make Stanwick the place of my retiring my selfe from the businesse of this world that I might with more freedom prepare my self for a better amongst other necessaries sent thither from Westminster there was certaine bundles of old letters notes and writings sent thither upon my remoove which was in Iune 1632. that I might there peruse them before they were laid aside for wast papers And when I came thither in the first bundle I tooke to looke over I lighted upon a sheet of paper foulded up and endorsed only with the name of a very worthy Preacher of mine old acquaintance and having quite forgotten what it might conâ—erne I opened it and found it to be an abstract of one of his Sermons taken by my selfe about 40. yeares before upon this Text Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise that they would understand this and would consider that later end wherein I found the necessity of that Christian duty of preparation for the time of our dissolution so powerfully pressed by that man of God as I was glad to light upon it so seasonably for a gracious introduction to my further meditations of that necessary subject O blessed Lord God what just cause have I to condemne mine owne dulnes and corruption that having so long before by mine owne hand taken an abstract of such a pretious instruction did neglect the comfort and use thâ—reof more then for the present for many yeares not remembring that J had any such thing But withall how infinitely bounden am I to thy Majestie O most gracious and mercifull Heavenly Father by whoâ—e speciall providence it was preserâ—â—â— in my many remooves to remote dwellings and severall alterations of 〈◊〉 fortunes and now so season 〈◊〉 brought to my hands in this last 〈◊〉 of my life when I have most 〈◊〉 of holy preparatio◠〈◊〉 to teach me 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 in speedy and serious practise that lesson which I took out so long a goe O Lord my God bury J beloâ—â— thee this neglect of mine with the reâ—â— of the manifold sinnes of my youth in the bottomlesse seas of thy mercies and by thy holy Spirit sanctifiâ— and strengthen me now at last whiles it is yet called to day blessed be thy most blessed name for it and apply my selfe wholly to this blessed learning of being wise to salvation that by thy blessing and mercies J may by humble and stedfast faith fruitfull repentance and new obedience be provideâ— of that Saviour besides whom there is no other against my last â—eed so to cover all my misdoings and sins of all kinds from being imputed unto me and to cloath me with his perfect righteousnesse that when the houre of my change shall come I may be found of thee in peace through his merits and mediation our eternall advocate and most blessed peace-maker Amen And although this paper of mine be but a briefe or abstract of that which was largely delivered by that worthy messenger of God yet as short and imperfect as it is I conceive good use may be made thereof by the humble minded and conscionable reader and therefore being a relique of mine owne hand for so many yeares preserved I have thought fit to annexe the originall it self to this meditation in hope some gracious use may be made thereof for our preparation for our later end which cannot be far from any of us for Jnter breve vitae spatium nihil pâ—â—cul diei potest DEUT. 32.29 O that they were wise that they would understand this and would consider their later end THese words are part of the last song of Moses the man of God which he sung unto the people Swan like at his being readie to leave the world Dying mens words have deepest impression let these as Moses dying words are repuire your attention yea and not as the words of Moses alone but as the words of godly Moses for v. 20 The Lord said I will hide my face from them I will see what their end will be c. and in the first verse Hearken yee heavens and I will speake and let the earth heare the voice of my mouth 2. My doctrine shall dropp as the raine and my speech shall still as the dew and the shower upon the herbes and as the great raine upon the grasse Hearken with your earthly bodies and with your heavenly soules for you have all of you part oâ— heaven within you that both soule and body as herbs watered with Aprill showers may bring forth fruit unto God that waters them and wisheth here the best things unto you wisdome and understanding to provide for your later end for all flesh is grasse and must have an end a withering as well as a growing a harvest as well as a spring happie is the soule that is so watered with grace here that hee shall reape glorie in the Lords great harvest to come This Text hath two parts the things recommended to them and the inducment or introduction therunto The wish O that The matter that they would be 1. Wise 2. Vnderstand 3. Consider their later end Here when the Lord wisheth that all men would bee saved and come to the knowledge of the truth I presume not to enter into the secret cabinet of Gods eternall counsell and election but humbly content my selfe with what hee hath revealed namely that God offereth his grace to all and would have all men to bee saved desiring not the death but the conversion of a sinner Why will yee lie O house of Israel Perditio tua ex te Now when God recommends any thing unto us we may conclude it to bee absolutely good and absolutely necessary for us and therefore the greater shall our sinne bee if wee neglect the counsell of God The matter recommended unto us is wisdome to be wise to salvation and this extends to poore as well as to rich generally to all for all have soules and all are invited to be wise to save them Doth any man want wisdome let him aske of God Iames 5. who giveth to all men liberally and repr â—â—heth no man and it shall be giveâ— unto him As there is a wiâ—domeâ—â— which meâ— in theâ— severall callings doe governe themselves and their worldly occasions so there is a wisdome whereby wee are taught to governe our soules unto eternall life And if wee were as profound in policie as Machiavillians and had all the wisdome of the learned for the managing of earthly things yet all were nothing
letter the middlemost the iota out of this one word and the rest will answer fumus smoak which also will teach us another lesson of the vanitie of all earthly things and these two lessons well conned will bring us from the consideration of the two former lessons to bethinke our selves of the last the future tense Quid erimus what we shall bee hereafter That like the children of grace and wisdome whiles we are yet in the first tense the time present we may provide our selves of spirituall comfort against wee come to the following tenses that when wee are to say our last lesson having learned our Christs crosse well afore hand in the present tense of this life wee may by his merits and mediation be finally received into the blessed mansions of his heavenly kingdome when time shall be no more which the Lord of all grace glory and mercy grant unto us all of his infinite goodnesse through IESUS CHRIST our only Saviour and redeemer Amen 17. Vpon three words written with a Cole in a great Iudges house THe noble Lord Chancellour Ellesmere was wont every morning in term time after the dispatching suitors of the better ranck in his great chamber and gallery in York-house to come into the Chappell to publike prayers wherein the meanest suitors might accompany his Lordship who upon ending of prayers came through a waiting-roome downe the staires into the Hall and so through it into his Coach that all petitioners might take their oppertunities to put up their complaints or deliver their petitions to himselfe Those staires being made with severall halfe paces wainescotted on every side to a mans height with a faire white wall above it In which wall in the most perspicuouâ— place obâ—ious to every mans eyes that should come downe the staires one morning against his Lordship should goe to Westminster there was written with a cole in faâ—re large Italique letters these three words Tanquam non reverturuâ— which my selfe having then occasion to attâ—nd his Lordship did read as himselfe and others diâ— or could hardly forbeare to doe they stood so in the eyes of all those that came downe the staires wh â—her some scholler fearing oppression y some mighty adversary wrote the sâ—me to give his Lordship that necessary watchword or upon what other occasion or by whom the same was written I know not But I am sure that both his Lordship then and all that did read it or shall reade this hereafter may make good use oâ— such a memorandum though but written with a cole to make us the more warie and watchfull of our words or actions when wee goe abroad out of our houses chambers or closets even for this reason because we may happen not to returne againe How should such a meditation worke in the Clyents mind for peace and reconciliation and the Lawyers tongue for syncerity and truth in the Iudges conscience for justice and equity in every man and womans heart for avoiding of evill doing if they would but thinke of these few words and consider whether they would speake or doe thus or thus if they were presently to die or whether thus or thus behave themselves abroad if they were not to returne againe to their homes O mercifull Lord God have mercie upon us poore wretches of frailtie whose very memories are so depraved by our naturall corruption that what is indelebly written in our hearts and consciences we wilfully suppresse when wee are about any evill or mischiefe how mischievous soever iâ— proove afterwards to our selves or others Pardon good Lord our former neglects of such usefull meditations of our owne mortality and howsoever wee neglect these and the like remembrances from mortall men give us grace we beseech thee to shew our obedience to the Commandement of our Saviour who must also be our Iudge Matthew 24 42 Watch for you know not the houre 18. Vpon consideration of one Muscle of the eyes of man more then of any other creature IN the creation of man Almighty God intending in that admirable and choice peece of all his workes to joyne an heavenly soul and an earthly body together did even in the frame of that body by that Muscle of the eye give man to understand his owne excellencie above all other creatures which having only muscles for the use of their natures his goodnesse added one to the eyes of man that hee might looke up directly to Heaven from whence his better part came the soule having especiall use of that motion of the eye in prayer and meditation that this power of lifting up the eyes without might put us in minde of lifting up our hearts and souls within to our good God who gave our eyes that motion to that purpose as also that the body was to looke unto and performe service to the Creator as well as the soule and to exercise that muscle in the works of grace as the other are used for the necessary works of nature and withall to shew us that as when our eyes are intentively lifted up towards heaven wee cannot looke downeward or to any thing below so our minds should be affected in al our spirituall duties to God neglecting all worldly things therein and keeping our soules to him alone O mercifull Lord God pardon the errours of mine eyes forepast and sanctifie them to make these gracious uses for the time to come and that both mine eyes and all other the members and faculties both of soule and bodie may be consecrated to thy faithfull service in universall obedience that when these eyes shall be shut up fr m this mortall light my soule may be received into the glorious light of thy heavenly kingdome through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen 19. Vpon the name of God proclaimed IN the 34. Chapter of Exodus it is thus written vers 5 The Lord descended in the clouds and proclaimed the name of the Lord vers 6. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth 7 keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie and transgressions and sin and that will by no meanes cleer the guilty visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children and childrens children unto the third and fourth generation In which words of our heavenly fathers own proclaiming what blessed arguments of comfort are involved for the poore sinner if he consider the severall titles that the Lord hath given himselfe in this most gracious proclamation For though the two first titles proclaime his soveraign dominion and supreme Majestie for our most due and bounden humiliation before the Lord our maker and the last title shewes his just hatred of sin and his unpartiall justice to worke his true feare into our hearts yet all the rest which M. Bolton 349. reckons to seven times as many proclaime nothing but his superaboundant mercy and goodnes to shew us how transcendent he is in pitie and compassion to the truly humbled
to walke exactly Ephes 5.15 in a holy life have little store of that grace and little hold of that Saviour whereof they presume so much Shortly as it is our great comfort that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. So that which followes must bee our great care to walke not after the flesh but after the spirit That new and living way by the blood of Christ will guide us streight to heaven between those two dangerous rocks of despaire and presumption Rec. 4. Nov. 1630. In the conclusion of this Letter I was encouraged to continue my honourable Lords service which I did for the yeare following and then 30. Novemb. 1631. being suddainly taken with a disease called vertigo capitis which I doubted might turne to an Apoplexy I withdrew my selfe home and entred into a course of Physick under which I was holden so long as I was by GODS mercy taken off from my further worldly imployments and with my noble Lords extraordinary favour in my farewell retired my self into Northamptonshire since which time it hath pleased our most gracious Lord God to adde some more yeares to my life for my better preparation for the time of my change blessed be his most holy name for it and let his holy spirit of grace I humbly beseech him teach both my selfe and all others that shall read this worthy letter to learne and practise that most necessary and blessed lesson of joyning faith and obedience true beliefe and holy life together in the short race of our earthly pilgrimage that so being true children of grace here we may be assured to bee heires of glory in the life to come through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen 23. Vpon the words revealed to S. Augustine In te stas non stas IT is written of Saint Augustine that after his conversion to the faith he was grievously vexed with inward conflicts against his corrupt affections complaining of his inbred hereditary habituall inveterate vices and after long strugling with them by purposing and vowing strong resolution watching fasting selfe-revenging and other good meanes finding still hâ—s owne weaknesse and the encreasing violence of his owne corruptions as he was intentively musing and meditating what to doe more hee heard a voice speaking to him these words Jn te stas non stas Whereupon rightly apprehending that his owne strength of wit carnal I reason and other powers and helpes of nature could not serve the turne for effecting that which was the peculiar and proper worke of grace hee betooke himselfe to his Saviour by humble faithfull and fervent prayer and at last found such inward assistance from the holy spirit of grace as strengthened him to stand and make good his resolutions with more comfort then before Whether the Lord in speciall favour to this gracious servant of his did vouchsafe to give him this vocall instruction by words to his eares or howeveâ— the matter thereof was suggested or revealed to him by the Holy Ghost I enquire not but sure I am they are words of great use and warning to us all not to trust to our selves or any strength or power of nature for any spirituall worke to be wrought in us or by us but to have our recourse to our Saviour and to seeke helpe from him and his grace which cannot bee had elsewhere how often it falls out that selfe opinion of a mans owne wit makes his wit his owne overthrow and selfe-confidence of his owne strength in evill company instead of reclaiming others to make himselfe worse then they O blessed Lord Iesu our most blessed Saviour who knowest both the miserable infirmities and debilities of our depraved nature and the subtile and advantagious power of our ghostly enemies and having thy selfe in our flesh and for us overcome them in all their temptations dost best know Hebrews 2.18 to succour them that bee tempted have mercie upon us thy weake and unworthy servants and give us grace to learne that necessarie lesson of self-deny all and with humble faith to put our whole trust in thee for ever Esay 26.4 For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength and Iude 24. thou only art able to keepe us from falling that so being weake in our selves wee may bee strong in thee and in the power of thy grace be enabled to stand fast in the evill day and in all things Romans 8.11 through thee who lovest us to hee more then conquerors for 2 Timothie 4.18 Thou O Lord hast delivered us and dost deliver us and we hope wilt deliver us from every evill worke and wilt preserve us unto thy heavenly kingdome to thee be all glory and praise for ever Amen 24. Vpon the building of Pauls Church in London WHensoever that goodly monument of antiquity was built it was evident to my understanding that the Christian Church of those times did hold that not Saint Peter but the holy Christian faith was the rocke or foundation whereupon the militant Church of CHRIST was to be founded for under the Chauncell of that mother Church of the chiefe Citie of England there is an under-Church built with strong arches and pillars called Sancta Fides usually called S. Faiths which is indeed the proper foundation of the Church of Paul's By which demonâ—â—rative argument it appeares that the good people in those dayes did better understand the true meaning of our blessed Saviour in the 16. Chapter and 18. verse of Saint Matthew's Gospell concerning the Rocke whereupon hee would build his Church then the Romanists of later times have done who would make the world believe that our Saviour did then appoint S. Peter and after him his successors in the Cathedrall Church of Rome to be that rocke of the Catholike Church of Christ and the supreme Vicar and head of the Church in whose breast all infallibilitie of judgment and power of determining in all matters of the Church should bee only resident For certainly if there had beene any such conceit broached at the building of Pauls the fundamentall Church of holy faith should have beene named Saint Peters as if our Saviour had meant to build his Church upon Saint Peter's person and not upon the Christian faith which hee as the mouth of all the Disciples professed that our Saviour was the true Messiah Christ the sonne of the living God our Saviours question being made expresly to all the Disciples verse 15. and hee answering for them all O most blessed Lord Jesu who art the way the truth and the life and seest into what miserable combustions the state of Christendome is brought by these antichristian wastings of thine owne blessed workes for maintenance of private supremacie and Soveraigntie here as if thy kingdome were of this world which thy self hast Ioh. 8.36 expresly disclaimed have mercy upon thy poore distracted and distressed Church and make up the breaches thereof against all the wicked plots and machinations of the adversary by inclining the