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A23803 The whole duty of mourning and the great concern of preparing our selves for death, practically considered / written some years since by the author of The whole duty of man, and now published upon the sad occasion of the death of our Most Gracious Sovereign Lady Mary the II, Queen of England, &c. of blessed memory. Allestree, Richard, 1619-1681. 1695 (1695) Wing A1194; ESTC R33068 65,567 192

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Seek and that is by doing Good and suffering Evil doing Good and being active is the Work of Nature but to do well is an effect of Grace and cause of prosperous Reward as Holy Moses intimates to Israel Deut. 6.28 Do ye that which is good in the sight of the Lord that you may prosper Do you that which is good and that you may do chiefly with these two Instruments a Praying Tongue and a Relieving Hand for Charity and Prayer are the Swiftest Wings on which the Soul can mount to Heaven II. Prayer is the Jewel of God's Ear the Dialogue 'twixt Heaven and Earth the Tongue of Angels the Souls Embassador with God which never with a Faithful Hand knock'd at Heaven Gates and was sent Empty away what though not presently heard 't is but to double our Importunity what though not straightway granted 't is but to glorify our Patience yet sometimes I confess our Prayers like Exhalations drawn up here may fall else where in fruitful Showers and may light on our posterity but fervent Prayer never goes uncrown'd but is still heard in a proportion to our Welfare though not always answered according to our vain Desires II. Prayer is the Sole Phoenix of the Graces from out the Ashes of whose Spicy Nest Revives a Bird of Paradise this can make a Precious Arabian Bird as Happy as her other Sister and for stony hearts can give us Hearts of Flesh Ezek. 11.19 there is a kind of an omnipotence in Prayer it locks and opens Heaven 1 Kings 18.5.7 it renews Societies 'twixt parted Souls and Bodies 2 Kings 4.33 it blows down the Walls of Jericho stays the Sun and makes Fire descend it holdeth that Hand which holdeth all the World from striking a very Sodom GOD himself can do nothing till praying Lot is gone Gen. 19.22 and 't is very remarkable in that Dialogue 'twixt GOD and Abraham Gen. 18. how God disisted not from Granting till Abraham first left off Petitioning and therefore as the Apostle wishes Pray Continually 1 Thes. 5.17 That is at constant times of publick and retir'd Devotions or else continually by Good Words or Works for indeed no Circumstances can exclude Prayer and besides every good Action is a kind of Supplication Seek therefore by doing Good and that first by Prayer III. But because Prayer alone makes a Man but like a Bird with one Wing or as a Boat with one Oar somewhat lame and imperfect to perform this Duty for let any Zeal make what noise it will if spoke with the Tongue of Men and Angels yet without Charity 't is but a tinkling not a well-tuned Cymbal 1 Cor. 13.1 Let therefore the praying Tongue say to the relieving Hand as Ruth to Naomi Ruth 1.16 Whether thou goest I will go and where thou dwellest I will dwell Let Charity I say and Prayer like Links of a golden Chain depend on one another though like two Gloves one lost the other but of little use yet both together make themselves compleat For God like Isaac Gen. 27. will feel the Hands as well as hear the Voice of whom he blesseth IV. Pliny in his History tells us of the Eagle That she knows her young Ones by their Eyes their Perspicacy and unless they can out-face the Sun she rejects them as a Bastard Brood But God knows his Children by their Hands their Liberality and whom he finds like Jeroboam withered-handed close-fisted he counts them but degenerate Sons and will dis-inherit them of his Heavenly Kingdom yet will give them a Portion I tremble to say where Cast then thy Bread upon the Waters Eccles. 11.1 relieve the Needy whose Multitude and Weakness terms them so and after many days for Heaven will never forget it thou shalt find it and that flowing to thee like rich Merchandize with blest encrease each one that shall crave an Alms is an Arm stretcht out from God who hath another Hand as ready to reward as that was to receive for who so hath Mercy upon the Poor lendeth to the Lord Prov. 19.17 and indeed but lendeth to the best advantage for the Lord will recompence him God puts us not to the expence of costly Sacrifices should he how cold would his Altars lye the Calves of our Lips and Offerings of our Hands are now all he challengeth and therefore to do good and to distribute forget not for these are the pleasing Sacrifices V. Part with some of that which long you cannot keep to gain that which you can never lose Make you friends of that unrighteous mammon Luk. 16.9 Ethimius tells us God hath given Men Riches not as unto Treasurers but Stewards Imitate then that wise One in the Gospel for to every one it shall be one Day said Give an Account and believe it none shall make a better Reckoning at the last great Audit than the Charitable Person For love covereth a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4.8 and this indeed the Judge himself attestates Mat. 25.30 Christ there describing his last general Sessions seems to take notice only of Works of Mercy there 's no mention of your Frugality Temperance Diligence or other Virtues but Feeding Cloathing Visiting and Ministring these Christ names and takes upon his own account You have done it unto me and therefore re-pays them with Eternal Happiness Come you Blessed c. and Charity is the way unto that Kingdom and Heavenly City of the New Jerusalem that we seek though not the worth of it Seek therefore by doing good and that by Prayer and Charity VI. It follows next That by Patience in suffering Evil we ought to seek By suffering for thereunto are we called saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps and two ways likewise must we suffer by Bearing and Forbearing in which two Things says Epictetus the sum of all Philosophy and I may add of almost all Christianity consists First in forbearing Intemperance all Luxurious Riot and Excess 't is both the Mother and the Nurse of Vertues Hippocrates his Aphorisms is true on both sides That Diseases both of Body and Mind for the most part owe their original to fulness and redundant Humours and indeed where Satan tempts one fasting he tempts a thousand full and therefore abstinence is the best Cure of both And oh how well had it been for their Posterity had but our first Parents been acquainted with this Virtue in Paradise then for ought I know they had still been there and then I 'm sure that same one Man's Meat had not prov'd so all others Poison but ever since we took from that first Mother of ours all our vicious longings we likewise hunger after Superfluities and Forbidden Fruits not contented with enough but are too indulgent to our wanton Genius VII Intemperance brings not only Grey Hairs but Green Years with Sorrow to the Grave For how soon does immoderate Potions like much Water on a little Fire extinguish natural
nor ever entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 IV. Now we ought not to forget this End but Imprint it in our minds for though we know not distinctly what the things prepared are yet we know they are Great and Glorious for so much is revealed unto us by Gods Spirit and we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.10.12.16 and therefore O thou great being teach us to make a Covenant with our Eyes to turn them away from beholding of Vanity and ever to look at this mark and to feed our Eyes with a sight of this Glory and even afarr off to behold it by Contemplation until we approach neerer unto it and with the Psalmist be satisfied therewith Psal. 17 1● V. And in our Fellowship with God we are not only allowed to see him but to enjoy him and all that we see in him by Covenant he gives himself to be our God Gen. 17.7.8 and is our portion and inheritance Psal. 16.5 Jer. 10.16 Lam. 3.24 in this Promise are Contained all the Riches of Glory and all the Treasures of Immortality and in all the Promises of the Gospel there is not more Comfort then that which is included in this Word for what Gift is greater then God or what can be wanting to them that have the Lord for their exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 VI. The Comfort of this Gift is unspeakable for the present in the midst of affliction but in the last period of our lives then is the fulfilling of this and the like Promises therefore is that End ever to be remembred and longed after then especially shall it appear how his Flock shall remain as Lambs in the Bosome of the Lord their Shepherd Isa. 40.11 then will it be further revealed how God dwelleth in them and they in him 1 John 4.15 16. he that fills heaven and Earth Jer. 23.24 is himself a House wherein they shall dwell and they a Mansion wherein he shall make his abode John 14.23 by this Heavenly Conjunction and Cohabitation with God shall the Elect be one even as the Father and the Son are one Christ in them and the Father in him that they may be perfect in one John 17 22. VII This thrice Blessed and most Glorious Union is that Green bed of Christ and his Spouse Cant. 1.16 an Eternal Paradise of Delights and Garden of Spiritual Comfort by this Communion God Embraceth those who are his with both armes of his love and putteth them in his bosom Cant. 2.6 chap 8.3 and in this divine Embracement there is felt more Happiness and Heavenly Joy then all the Love and Fruits of Love or whatsoever went under the Name of the Tenderest and Strongest affection in this World could ever yield unto the Heart of Man for if the first Fruits of Spiritual Joy now at this pesent in the midst of Tribulation be an Hundred fold more than all the Pleasure of Houses and Lands Fathers and Mothers Wife and Children the most desirable things of this World Mark 10.29 30. then how can it be but more then an Hundred Thousand fold Pleasure to enjoy the Beauty and Face of God in Heaven to inherit the fulness of Joy in his Presence and Pleasures for evermore at his Right Hand VIII If the infinite Blessedness of the Glorious Persons in the Holy Trinity doth appear in their mutual Union so that they were an all sufficient and Eternal delight unto themselves in enjoying one another continually before the World was and before Men or Angels were made Pro. 8.30 then may we well think how our Vessels shall be filled and overflow with Heavenly Comfort 1 John 14. when we come to Drink of that Divine Fountain and Enter into our Masters Joy Mat. 25.21.23 and taste the sweetness of that Communion this Love of God is better then life it self Psal. 63.3 and all our Life and Love of this World is to be hated in Comparison of it Luke 14.26 IX And as in Soul so in Body shall we be made like unto Christ our vile bodies shall be changed and fashioned like unto his glorious body and this according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3.21 that is as effectually and Comfortably as an Almighty Power is able to bring to pass and therefore as in the transfiguration of Christ his face did shine as the Sun Mat. 17.2 Even so shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father Mat. 13.43 as the raiment of Christ through the brightness of his Body did shine as the Transparen light and was exceding white as snow Mark 9.3 and withal white and glistring Luke 9.29 So the whole Person of the Righteous made whiter then snow in their transfiguration shall shine Glister and Sparkle with a Radient Beauty and Heavenly Brightness then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients gloriously Isa. 24.23 then he shall be glorified in his Saints and made marvellous in all them that believe 2 Thes. 1.10 X. If the Face of Moses while he was yet Cloathed with Corruption when he had seen but the Back-parts of the Almighty and that but for a moment in one Vision did yet shine so Gloriously that Men fled away amazed from him and durst not behold the Brightness of his Countenance Exod. 34.30 chap. 33.23 What then shall be the Glory of the Righteous when being Cloathed with Immortality they shall see God Face to Face and that in a perpetual Vision for evermore XI From this Transfiguration of the Saints made so Glorious by the sight of God and Fellowship whith him ariseth the Glory of their Fellowship one with another which is also an unspeakable Felicity of the Second Life to enjoy all the Beauty and all the Love of all the Glorified Souls and Bodies in Heaven as Jonathan seeing the Grace of God in David was knit unto him and loved him as his own Soul 1 Sam. 18.1 So here the Saints beholding the Glory of God revealed in each other shall be link'd together in the nearest bonds of entire Affection they that first give themselves to God do then give themselves to one another by the will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 they are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.28 there is one body and one spirit Eph. 4.4 all are gathered together in one under one head whether things in heaven or in Earth Men and Angels whether they be Thrones or Principalities or Powers Eph. 1.10.22 all things are the Saints whether it be Pauls or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are theirs and they are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. XII Hereupon the Angels take the Souls of Men deceased into their Bosomes and convey them to Heaven and then even