I would make supplication to my Judge And what is the supplication that I would make unto him Even that which his own holy Spirit hath taught me to make and will cause him to hear That he will not be extream to mark what is done amiss Psal. 130. 2. Lord hear the voice of my supplications for what even for this that thou shouldst not mark iniquities as it follows If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared This is the favourable proceeding by which I hope to be acquitted for why hast thou taught me to believe the forgiveness of sins unless I may attain what I do believe And if I may attain forgiveness of my sins here how shall I be condemned or punished for them hereafter since that is no forgiveness which either holds guilty to condemn or holds as guilty to punish and torment I do then believè that God will proceed in Judging me not according to the Law which requires an absolute obedience without sin but according to the Gospel which admits of Repentance for the forgiveness of sins Thus hath the Doctor of the Gentiles long since determined Rom. 2. 16. In the day when God shall Judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Not according to the Law which will condemn all that have been guilty of any sin but according to the Gospel which will condemn none but the unbelieving and impenitent sinners For the Gospel pronounceth sentence of Absolution to all that Believe So Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Where damnation is denounced not for breaking the Law but for rejecting the Gospel And again John 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life The words speak four such truths as the Angels desire to look into and men can never enough look upon yet four Miracles rather then Truths 1. That God who was provoked to inflict Death should offer Life and that Everlasting Life 2. That he should offer it to the world which had so provoked him 3. That he should offer it by sending his only begotten Son away from himself into the world 4. That he should so send this Son as to give him giving his only Son the Son of his love to give life to those that hated him and more deserved his hatred That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Since then I know that I believe why should I fear that I shall perish Why should I think that I shall not have this everlasting life which the Father hath promised the Son hath purchased and the Holy-Spirit hath sealed for I can say with a thankful heart and a chearful voice In Te Domine speravi ne confundar in aeternum Psal. 71. 1. In thee O Lord have I put my trust let me never be put to confusion deliver me in thy righteousness I pray not to be delivered in mine own righteousness but in thine Deliver me in thy Righteousness O God the Father of heaven for thou hast promised deliverance Deliver me in thy Righteousness O God the Son Redeemer of the world for thou hast purchased deliverance Deliver me in thy Righteousness O God the Holy-Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son for thou hast sealed both the Promise and the purchase of deliverance Deliver me in thy Righteousness O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity three Persons and one God for I trust on thy Promise on thy Purchase on thy Seal for deliverance For with thee is the Fountain of life in thy light shall we see light Psal. 36. 9. My soul desires nothing but Life and Light for as a Spirit she was made for Life as an Intellectual or Rational spirit she was made for Light And she must go to God for both She must go to him for Life for with thee is the Fountain of Life and she must go to him for Light for in thy Light shall we see Light And the Life is before the Light even as Living is before Seeing The soul cannot work before she sees and she cannot see before she lives so that Life is in truth given before the work and cannot possibly be given for it And will you know who gives both Life and Light Saint John will tell you John 1. 4. In him was Life and the Life was the Light of men Life and Light both proceed from the Eternal Son of God and Life before Light I had Life in him before I had Light from him He purchased the Life before he gave the Light and therefore sure he hath not given the Light to take away the Life I know it is said That we must all appear before the Judgement-seat of Christ that every one may bear the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 10. And I confess I have done very bad things in my body but since my Saviour hath already born them for me must I still fear to bear them for my self Christ is called The Mediator of the New-Testament Heb. 9. 15. It is not said The Mediator of the New-Covenant as in other places but of the New-Testament for a Covenant doth wholly depend upon mutual conditions which if either partie fail the Covenant is broken and made of none effect But a Testament is a thing meerly of Grace and Liberality without any condition and so may be fulfilled meerly out of the goodness of the Testator And this goodness is the support and comfort of my soul I am afraid of the Covenant and I flie to the Testament even to that Testament by which I am made a child an heir even an heir of God and joint heir with Christ Rom. 8. 17. Wherefore I cannot but hope that he will Judge to me the Inheritance which he hath already given me by his own Will and Testament For I look for him to appear the second time without sin unto salvation Heb. 9. 28. not only without sin in himself for he never had any but also without sin in me and all his members from whom he hath taken away all For the death of Christ is doubly beneficial to all true Believers First in respect of his Priest-hood that he hath expiated their sin Secondly in respect of his Testament That he hath given them an Inheritance I dare not deny the first the benefit of his Priest-hood for he is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world And why should I doubt the second the benefit of his Testament since he did therefore take away the sin that he might give the Inheritance I confess that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 9. whether Fornicators or Idolaters or Adulterers or Thieves or
enjoy thee And now O Lord God the Word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant establish it for ever and do as thou hast said for thou O Lord God hast spoken it and with thy blessing let the soul of thy servant be blessed for ever 2 Sam. 7. 18. 75. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us O Lord let me not fear being deprived oâ—… my earthly inheritance by death whiles 〈◊〉 find in my self the work of this Regeneration and cherish in my self the hope of this resurrection But let me ever be kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time that I may therein greatly rejoyce though now for a season I am in heaviness through manifold temptations 2 Pet. 1. 3. That the tryal of my faith being much more precious then of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire may be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. 76. O thou who hast given me the soul of thy Christ and of my Jesus to sanctifie me the body of Christ to nourish and strengthen me the blood of Christ to redeem me the stripes of Christ to heal me the agonies of Christ to comfort and to refresh me give me also the wounds of Christ to hide me that thou mayest not Judge me or the Merits of Christ to cover me that I may be acquitted in the Judgement O Lord who didst not despise man transgressing and falling from thee do not despise me repenting and returning to thee but as thou hast opened unto me a door of faith and repentance unto life so shut not that door against me now I am desirous to enter in by it and to come to thee O Lord I believe help my unbelief O Lord â—…repent increase my repentance and give unto me that repentance whereby thou wiâ—…t accept me and that faith whereby I may receive and embrace thee for ever 77. The Lord make me faithfully to remember and thankfully to consider and constantly to believe that he who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for me will also with him freely give me all things or rather hath already with him freely given me all things that I was capable to receive and now is enlarging my capacity that he may enlarge his own bounteous liberality He is making me capable of receiving more that he may freely give more He hath made me capable of receiving himself his Son his holy Spirit by Faith Hope and Love He will now make me capable of receiving and enjoying himself his Son his holy Spirit by vision comprehension and fruition A vision that shall see him as he is in his excellent glory A comprehensioâ—… that shall fully receive and firmly retaiâ—… him And a fruition that shall perfectlâ—… enjoy him and perfectly rejoyce in him One God Father Son and Holy-Ghost world without end Amen 78. Abide thou with me O Lord Jesuâ—… Christ for it is towards evening with me and the day is far spent of this my toilsom and troublesom life And though my eye be holden that I do not see thee whiles I have sad communications with mine own heart yet be thou pleased still to tarry with me and to sit at meat with me and to bless to me the holy repast of eternity and mine eyes shall soon be opened to see thee and my heart shall be opened to receive thee And do not vanish out of my sight till thou hast brought me to see thee in thy heavenly Kingdom Amen 79. God be merciful unto me and bless me and shew me the light of his countenance in my passing through Death and be merciful unto me in bringing me to everlasting life The Lord bless me and keep me the Lord make his face to shine upon me and be gracious unto me The Lord lift up â—…is countenance upon me and give me â—…eace God the Father preserve me in my â—…assage by his Almighty power God the â—…on guide and direct me by his All-seeing wisdom God the Holy-Ghost assist and comfort me by his All-sufficient Grace and Goodness and bring me to everlasting life Amen 80. Now the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace in believing that I may abound in Hope through the power of the Holy-Ghost Rom. 15. 13. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen 2 Tim. 4. 18. The sick mans Devotions To the Reader DEvotion is seldom Cordiaâ—… when it is constrained and iâ—… is commonly constrained when either Fear or Paâ—… makes a man devout For then he may seem to have taken up Sauls resolution 1 Sam. 13. 12. Therefore said I the Philistines will now come down upon me and I have not made supplication unto the Lord I forced my self therefore and offered a burnt-offering So is it too too frequently with those men who neglect the motives and means of prayer whiles they are in health and leave all their suplications to be made in their sickness or any other great extremity for whiles â—…y vainly fear lest custom should make â—…ir prayers uncordial or undevout they â—…erably find that compulsion doth indeed â—…ve them to be so since therefore either â—…tom of praying will steal away thy heart thou fondly thinkest or contempt of praywill harden thy heart at I flatly averr now in good time what thou hast to do a phantastical fear is no excuse for runâ—…g into a real mischief Whiles thou â—…ishly fearest lest thy heart should be stolen 〈◊〉 impiously causest thy heart to be hardenâ—… Consider therefore what the Prophet â—…uel hath taught thee to say and do in thy â—…resses to thy Maker since God hath set 〈◊〉 appointed him to direct and guide thee â—…y Devotions And do not as Saul did 〈◊〉 without a Priest or with a Priest of â—…e own choosing perhaps of thine own â—…ing offer thy burnt-offering lest Samuel 〈◊〉 at the end of thy sacrifice and say unto 〈◊〉 as he said unto him v. 13. thou hast 〈◊〉 foolishly thou hast not kept the comâ—…dment of the Lord thy God which he â—…manded thee this reproof as it doth â—…rly concern thee so it will undoubtedly siâ—…e thee for when God hath given thee a sure Guide for thy Devotions even such a Church as neither the wit of man can prove nor the malice of Devils can make guilty either of Faction or of Superstition If thou wilt not go along with this Guide but wilt needs gad after thine own imaginations thou dost indeed follow Saul in his sin and art like to follow him in his punishment thou appeasest not wrath but provokest it thou forsakest God and
heavenly Kingdom My-sins had shut the gate of Paradise against my soul but thy Merits have opened it again O let me earnestly desire to enter in for thou art gone thither before â—…e that thou mightest be there ready to receive me and retain me with thy self for evermore Amen 12. Lord when shall this corruptible put on incorruption and this mortal put on immortality that in me may be brought to pass that saying Death is swallowed up in Victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death was sin till sin was expiated The strength of sin was the Law till the Law was fulfilled But thanks be unto God which hath given me the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ both over my sins and over his Law in this great contestation Having imputed my transgressions unto my Saviour that my sin might be expiated and having imputed my Saviours righteousness and obedience unto me that his Law might be fulfilled Therefore being justified by faith I have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also I have access by faith into his grace and rejoyce in hope that I shall at last have access into his glory 13. O Lord Jesus Christ who art the Resurrection and the Life be unto me Life in Death be unto me Resurrection from the Dead and so guide me through Death that it may be my passage into everlasting Life there to see and to bless and to enjoy thee who art the Redeemer and lover of souls and livest and reignest the King of Saints with the Co-eternal Spirit in the glory of God the Father 14. My soul truly waiteth still upon God and still shall wait upon him for of him cometh my help He verily is my strength and my salvation even in weakness and in destruction He is my defence so that I shall not greatly fall And if through mine infirmity I do fall by his power I shall rise again and be able to stand fast being supported through the Merits and Mercies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 15. O Lord see the blood of thine immaculate Lamb which taketh away the sin of the world sprinkled on my soul that thou mayest see no sin in it And when thou seest that blood let the destroying Angel pass over me never to return again and let the Comforter come unto me and remain with me for ever 16. O dearest Advocate be pleased to intercede and plead for me and to answer all the accusations which the Devils will alledge and mine own conscience will witness against me in the day of Judgement That I being made the monument of thy Mercy who am the purchase of thy Blood may bless and praise thee among thy Redeemed in the Land of the living for ever and ever 17. O thou Eternal Son of Righteousness who risest with healing in thy wings heal thou me and I shall be perfectly healed Shew me the light of thy countenance to dispell all the mists and clouds which now threaten to bring darkness upon my soul Turn thy merciful eyes towards me that I may see thy glorious face in thy heavenly Kingdom where no tears shall dim my sight no sighing shall interrupt my speech no fears shall disquiet my heart and no sadness nor amazement shall disturb or discompose the blessed rest of my soul with thee the longing desires of my soul to thee and the infinite delights of my soul in thee and in thine All-sufficient Merits and All-saving Mercies for evermore 18. O Saviour of the world save me who by thy Cross and precious blood hast Redeemed me Help me O my God at all times but most especially at this time now I am least able to help my self or my friends to help me Intercede for me by thy precious death and passion in all my distresses but then most when I shall least be able to speak for my self at the hour of Death and in the day of Judgement Be now and then and ever my defence and make me know and feel that there is no other name under heaven given unto men in whom and through whom I may expect health and salvation but only thy Name O my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 19. O Lord God which art the giver of all good things and never repentest of the good gifts which thou hast given give unto me health and ease as long as they shall be blessings from thee and give me thy grace to desire them no longer And when thou most takest from me these or any other comforts of this mortal life then Lord most increase and multiply upon me the joyes and comforts of a blessed Immortality 20. Lord I am desirous to go out of my self and out of this vale of misery that I may come unto Mount Sion and to the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New-Covenant O thou who hast prepared these immortal joyes for my soul prepare my soul for these joyes that being made a Citizen of thy heavenly Jerusalem I may be able to joyn in consort with the Angels thy first-born there and with the spirits of just men made perfect since them who now both together make but one Quire and are alwaies singing Hallelujah and worshiping him that liveth for ever and ever 21. O blessed Jesus thou only comfort of miserable and distressed sinners consider my distress Look upon mine adversity and misery and forgive me all my sin O thou blessed Mediator betwixt God and man intermediate for me Let the unspotted righteousness of thy life be an acceptable sacrifice for the multiplyed unrighteousness of mine And let the bitter pangs of thy death keep from me all the bitterness of the temporal and much more the pangs and horrours of the eternal Death Thou didst taste the gall and vinegar when thou gavest up the Ghost therefore I beseech thee keep me from tasting it Thou didst seem to be forsaken of thy God O let not me bâ—… forsaken of thee But grant that I putting my whole trust and confidence in thy Merits and in thy Mercies â—…ay from henceforth most chearfully serve thee in all holiness and pureness of living and most faithfully persist in thy service by a resolved constancy contentedness and patience of dying That I may yet more and more know thee and the power of thy Resurrection and the fellowship of thy sufferings being made conformable to thy death that so I may attain to a joyful Resurrection of the dead to give praise and thanks unto thy holy Name world without end 22. O thou Eternal Son of God who didst take upon thee the nature of man that thou mightest lead a miserable life and undergo a shameful death I beseech thee sweeten unto me