haue grace to repent heereafter 2 Math. 11.26 Come vnto mee all you that labour and are heauy laden and I wil giue you rest Hence the lewdest man collects that he may come vnto Christ when he list But he must know That no man euer comes to Christ but hee who as Peter saith Hauing knowne the way of righteousnesse hath escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ. To come vnto Christ is to repent and beleeue And this no man can doe except his heauenly father draweth him by his grace 3 Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus True But they are such who walke not after the flesh as thou dost but after the spirit which thou diddest neuer yet resolue to doe 4 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners c. True But such sinners vvho like Paul are conuerted from their wicked life not like thee who still continuest in thy lewdnesse For that Grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men teacheth vs that denying vngodlinesse and wordly lusts we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world 5 Prou. 23.26 A iust man falleth seauen times in a day and riseth c. In a day is not in the Text Which meanes not falling into sinne but falling into trouble which his malicious enemie plots against the iust and from which GOD deliuers him And though it meant falling in and rising out of sinne what is this to thee whose falles all men may see euery day but neither God nor man can at any time see thy rising againe by repentance 6 Isay 64.6 All our righteousnes are as filthy rags Hence the carnall Christian gathers That seeing the best workes of the best Saints are no better then his are good enough and therefore hee needes not much grieue that his deuotions are so imperfect But Isay meanes not in this place the righteous workâ— of the Regenerate as feruent praiers in the name of God charitable almes from the bowels of mercy suffring in the Gâ—spels defence the spoile of goods and spilling of blood and such workes which Paul calles the fruit of the spirit But the Prophet making an humble confession in the name of the Iewish Church when she had fallen from GOD to Idolatry acknowledgeth that whilest they were by their filthy sinnes separated from GOD as leapers are by their infected sores and polluted cloathes from men their chiefest righteousnesse could not be but abhominable in his sight And though our best works compared with Christs righteousnesse are no better then vncleane ragges yet in Gods acceptation for Christs sake they are called white rayment yea pure fine linnen and shining farre vnlike thy Leopards spots and filthy garments 7 Iam. 3.2 In many things we sinne all True But Gods children sinnes not in all things as thou doest without either bridling their lusts or mortifying their corruptions And though the reliques of sinne remaines in the dearest children of God that they had neede dayly to cry Our Father which art in heauen forgiue vs our trespasses Yet in the New Testament none are properly called Sinners but the vnregenerate But the Regenerate in respect of their zealous endeuour to serue God in vnfained holinesse are euery where called Saints Insomuch that Saint Iohn saith that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not That is liueth not in wilfull filthinesse suffring sinne to raigne in him as thou doest Deceiue not thy selfe with the name of a Christian vvhosoeuer liueth in any custommary grosse sinne he liueth not in the state of Grace Let therefore saith Paul euery one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The Regenerate sinne but of frailty they repent and God doth pardon therefore they sinne not to death The Reprobate sinne maliciously wilfully and delight therin so that by their good will sinne shall leaue them before they will leaue it They will not repent and God will not pardon Therefore their sinnes are mortall saith Saint Iohn Or rather immortall as saith S. Paul Rom. 2.5 It is no excuse therefore to say wee are all sinners True Christians thou seest are all Saints 8 Luk. 23 43. The Thiefe conuerted at the last gaspe was receiued to Paradice What then If I may haue but time to say when I am dying Lord haue mercy vpon me I shall likewise be saued But what if thou shalt not And yet many in that day shalâ— say Lord Lord and the Lord will not knowe them The Thiefe was saued for he repented but his fellow had no grace to repent and was damned Beware therefore lest trusting to late Repentance at thy last end on earth thou be not driuen to repent too late without ende in Hell 9 1 Ioh. 1. The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne And 1 Ioh. 2.1 If any man siâ—ne we haâ—e an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous c. O comfortable But heere what Saint Iohn saith in the same place My little children these things write I vnto you that yee sinne not If therefore thou leauest thy sinne these comforts are thine else they belong not to thee 10 Rom. 5.20 Where sinne abounded Grace did abound much more O sweet But heare what Paul addeth What shall wee say then shall we continue in sinne that Grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein Rom. 6.1.2 This place teacheth vs not to presume but that we should not despaire None therefore of these promises promiseth any grace to any but to the penitent heart The grounds of Religion mistaken are 1 From the doctrine of Iustification by faith onely a carnal Christian gathereth That good workes are not necessary he commends others that do good works but he perswads himself that he shall be saued by his faith without doing any such matters But he shold know that though good works are not necessary to Iustification yet they are necessary to saluation for We are Gods workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath predestinated that wee should walke in them Whosoeuer therfore in yeres of discretion bringeth not forth good works after he is called he cannot besaued neither was he euer predestinated to life eternal Therefore the Scripturs saith that Christ wil reward euery maÌ„ according to his works Christ respects in the Angels of the 7. Churches nothing but their works And at the last day he will giue the heauenly Inheritance onely to them who haue done good workes in feeding the hungry cloathing the naked c. At that day Righteousnesse shall weare the Crowne No righteousnesse no Crowne No good workes according to a mans talent no reward from God vnlesse it be vengeance To be rich in good workes is the surest foundation of our assurance to
the poole of Bethesda streaming with fiue bloudy wounds not of a troubling Angell but of the Angell of Gods presence troubled with the wrath due to thy sinnes who descended into hell to restore thee to sauing health and heauen Returne not now with the Dogge to thine owne vomit nor like the washed sow to wallow againe in the mire of thy former sinnes and vncleannesse lest being intangled and ouercome againe with the filthinesse of sinne which now thou hast escaped thy latter ende prooue worse then thy first beginning Twice therefore doth our Sauiour Christ giue the same cautionary warning to healed sinners First to the man cured of his 38 yeeres disease Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing fall vnto thee Secondly to the woman taken in adultery Neither doe I condemne thee Goe thy way and sinne no more Teaching vs how dangerous a thing it is to relapse and fall againe into the former excesse of riot Take heede therefore vnto thy wayes and pray for grace that thou maiest apply thy heart vnto wisdome during that small number of dayes which yet remaine behinde And for thy present mercy and health imitate the thankefull Leaper and returne vnto God this or the like thanksgiuing A thankesgiuing to be said of one that is recouered from sickenesse O Gracious and mercifull Father who art the Lord of health and sickenesse of life and of death who killest and makest aliue who bringest downe to the graue and raisest vp againe who art the onely preseruer of all those that trust in thee I thy poore and vnworthy seruant hauing now by experience of my painefull sicknesse felt the gieuousnesse of misery due vnto sinne and the greatnesse of thy mercy in forgiuing sinners and perceiuing with what a fatherly compassiion thou hast heard my prayers and restored me to my health and strength againe doe heere vpon the bended knees of my heart returne with the thankefull Leaper to acknowledge thee alone to bee the God of my health and saluation and to giue thee the praise and glory for my strength and deliuerance out of that grieuous disease and malady and for thus turning my mourning into mirth my sickenesse into health and my death into life My sinnes deserued punishments and thou hast corrected me but hast not giuen me ouer vnto death I looked from the day to the night when thou wouldest make an end of me I did chatter like a Crane or a Swallow I mourned as a Doue when the bitternesse of sickenesse oppressed me I lifted vp mine eies vnto thee O Lord and thou didst comfort me for thou didst cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe and didst deliuer my soule from the pit of corruption and when I found no helpe in my selfe nor in any other creature saying I am depriued of the residue of my yeeres I shall see man no more among the inhabitants of the world then didst thou restore mee to health againe and gauest life vnto mee I found thee O Lord ready to saue me And now Lord I confesse that I can neuer yeelde vnto thee such a measure of thanks as thou hast for this benefit deserued at my hands And seeing that I can neuer bee able to repay thy goodnes with acceptable workâ— Oh that I could with Mary Magdalen testifie the â—oue and thankfulnes of my heart with abounding teares Oh what shall I be able to render vnto thee O Lord for al these benefits which thou hast bestowed vpon my soule Surely as in my sickenesse when I had nothing else to giue vnto thee I offered Christ and his merits vnto thee as a ransome for my sins so being now restored by thy grace vnto my health and strength and hauing no better thing to giue behold O Lord I doe heere offer vp my selfe vnto thee beseeching thee so to assist mee with thy holy spirit that the remainder of my life may wholly be spent in setting foorth thy praise and glory O Lord forgiue mee my former follies and vnthankefulnesse that I was not more careful to loue thee according to thy goodnesse nor to serue thee according to thy will nor to obey thee according to thy commandements nor to thanke thee according to thy benefits And seeing thou knowest that of my selfe I am not sufficient so much as to thinke a good thought much lesse to doe that which is good and acceptable in thy sight assist mee with thy grace and holy spirit that I may in my prosperity as deuoutely spend my health in thy seruice as I was eranest in my sickenesse to beg it at thy hands And suffer mee neuer to forget eyther this thy mercy in restoring mee to my health or those vowes and promises which I haue made vnto thee in my sickenesse With my new health renew in me O Lord a right spirit which may free mee from the slauery of sinne and establish my heart in the seruice of grace Worke in mee a greater detestation of all sinnes which were the causes of thy anger and my sicknesse and increase my faith in Jesus Christ who is the author of my health and saluation Let thy good spirit leade me in the way that I should walke and teach me to deny all vngodlines and worldly lusts to liue soberly righteously and godly in this world that others by my example may thinke better of thy truth And sith this time which I haue yet to liue is but a little respite and small remnant of daies which cannot long continue teach me O my God so to number my daies that I may apply my heart to that spiritual wisdome which directeth to saluation And to this end make me more zealous then I haue beene in religion more deuout in praier more feruent in spirit more carefull to heare and profit by the preaching of thy Gospell more helpefull to my poore brethren more watchfull ouer my waies more faithfull in my calling and euery way more aboundant in all good workes Let me in the ioyfull time of prosperity feare the euill day of affliction in the time of health thinke of sicknesse in the time of sickenesse make my selfe ready for death and when death approcheth prepare my selfe for iudgement Let my whole life be an expressing thankfulnesse vnto thee for thy grace and mercy And therefore O Lord I do here from the very bottome of my heart together with the thousand thousands of Angels the foure beasts and twenty foure Elders and al the creatures in Heauen and on the Earth acknowledge to be due vnto thee O Father which sitteth vpon the throne and to the Lambe thy Sonne who sitteth at thy right hand and to the holy spirit which proceedeth from both the holy Trinitie of persons in vnity of substance all praise honour glory and power from this time forth and for euermore Amen Meditations for one that is like to die IF thy sickenesse be like to encrease vnto death
liue vnder the discipline of others rather then at the disposition of thine owne will No tired Horse was euer more willing to be rid of his burthen than thou wast to get out of the seruile state of this bondage A state not worth the description 3 Meditations of the miseries of Man-hood WHat is Mans-state but a Sea wherein as waues one trouble ariseth in the necke of another the latter worse then the former No sooner diddest thou enter into the affaires of this world but thou wast enwrapped about with a cloud of miseries Thy Flesh prouokes thee to lust the World allures thee to pleasures and the Diuell tempts thee to all kinde of sinnes feares of enemies affrights thee suites in Law doe vexe thee wrongs of ill neighbours do oppresse thee cares for Wife and Children doe consume thee and disquietnesse twixt open foes and false friends doe in a manner confound thee Sinne stings thee within Sathan layes snares before thee Conscience of sinnes past dogges behinde thee Now aduersitie on thy left hand frets thee anone prosperitie on thy right hand flatters thee ouer thy head Gods vengeance due to thy sinnes is ready to fall vpon thee and vnder thy feete Hell-mouth is ready to swallow thee vp And in this miserable estate whither wilt thou goe for rest and comfort the house is full of cares the field full of toyle the country of rudenesse the citie of factions the Court of enuy the Church of sects the Sea of pirates the Land of robbers Or in what state wilt thou liue seeing wealth is enuied and pouertie is contemned wit is distrusted and simplicitie is derided Superstition is mocked and Religion is suspected vice is aduanced and vertue is disgraced Oh with what a body of sinne art thou compassed about in a world of wickednesse What are thine Eyes but windowes to behold vanities What are thine Eares but floud-gates to let in the streame of iniquitie what are thy Senses but matches to giue fire to thy lusts what is thine Heart but the Anuill whereon Sathan hath forged the ougly shape of all lewde affections Art thou nobly descended thou must put thy selfe in peril of forraine wars to get the reputation of earthly Honour oft times hazard thy life in a desperate combate to auoid the aspersion of a Coward Art thou borne in meane estate Lord I what paines and druggerie must thou endure at home and abroad to get maintenance and all perhaps scarce sufficient to serue thy necessitie and when after much seruice and labour a man hath got something how litttle certaintie is there in that which is gotten seeing thou seest by daily experience that he who was rich yesterday is to day a begger hee that yesterday was in health to day is sicke he that yesterday was merry and laughed hath cause to day to mourne and weepe hee that yesterday vvas in fauour to day is in disgrace and he who yesterday was aliue to day is dead and thou knowest not how soone nor in what manner thou shalt die thy selfe And who can enumerate the losses crosses griefes disgraces sicknesses and calamities which are incident to sinfull man To speake nothing of the death of friends and children which oft times seemes to be vnto vs farre more bitter then present death it selfe 4 Meditations of the misery of old age WHat is old age but the receptacle of all maladies for if thy lot be to draw thy dayes to a long date in comes olde-bald-headed age stooping vnder dotage with his wrinckled face rotten teeth and stinking breath iesty with choler withered with drynesse dimmed vvith blindnesse absurded with deafenesse ouerwhelmed with sicknesse and bowed together with weaknesse hauing no vse of any sense but of the sense of paine which so racketh euery member of his body that it neuer easeth him of griefe till hee hath throwne him downe to his graue Thus farre of the miseries which accompanie the body Now of the miseries which accompany chiefly the soule in this life Meditations of the miserie of the soule in this life THe miserie of thy Soule will more euidently appeare if thou wilt but consider 1 The felicitie shee hath lost 2 The misery which shee hath pulled vpon her selfe by sinne 1 The Felicitie lost was first the fruition of the Image of God whereby the soule was like vnto GOD in knowledge enabling her perfectly to vnderstand the reuealed will of GOD. Secondly true Holinesse by which shee was free from all prophane errour Thirdly Righteousnes whereby she was able to incline all her naturall powers and to frame vprightly all her actions proceeding from those powers With the losse of this diuine Image shee lost the Loue of GOD and the blessed communion which she had with his Maiestie wherein consisted her life and happinesse If the losse of earthly riches vexe thee so much how should the losse of this diuine treasure perplexe thee much more 2 The Misery which shee pulled vpon her selfe consists in two things 1 Sinfulnesse 2 Cursednesse 1 Sinfulnesse is an vniuersall corruption both of her Nature and Actions for her Nature is infected with a pronenesse to euery sinne continually the Minde is stuffed with vanitie the Vnderstanding is darkened with ignorance the Will affecteth nothing but vile vaine things All her Actions are euill yea this deformitie is so violent that oftentimes in the regenerated soule the Appetite will not obey the gouernment of Reason and the Will wandreth after and yeelds consent to sinfull motions How great then is the violence of the Appetite and Will in the reprobate Soule which still remaines in her naturall corruption Hence it is that thy wretched Soule is so deformed with sinne defiled with lust polluted with filthinesse outraged with passions ouer-carryed with affections pining with Enuy ouercharged with gluttony surquedred with drunkennes boyling with reuenge transported with rage and the glorious Image of GOD transformed to the ougly shape of the Diuell so farre as it once repented the Lord that euer he made man From the former flowes the other part of the Soules misery called cursednesse wherof there are two degrees 1 In part 2 In the fulnesse thereof 1 Cursednesse in part is that which is inflicted vpon the Soule in life and death and is common to her with the body The Cursednesse of the soule in life is the wrath of God which lyeth vpon such a creature so farre as that all things not onely calamities but also very blessings and graces turne to ruine Terrour of Conscience driues him from from GOD and his seruice that he dares not come to his presence and ordinances but is giuen vp to the slauerie of Sathan and to his owne lusts and vile affections This is the Cursednesse of the Soule in life now followes the Cursednesse of the Soule and body in death Meditations of the misery of the body and soule in death AFter that the aged
earth he hath a sure title in this life and he shall haue the plenary and peaceable possession of them in the life to come Hence it is that all Reprobates are but vsurpers of all that they possesse and haue no place of their owne but Hell 7 He hath the assurance of Gods Fatherly care and protection day and night ouer him which care consisteth in three things 1 In prouiding all things necessary for his soule and body concerning this life and that which is to come so that he shal be sure euer either to haue enough or patience to be content with that he hath 2 In that God giues his holy Angels as his ministers a charge to attend vpon him alwaies for his good yea in danger to pitch their tents about him for his safty where euer hee be Yea Gods protection shall defend him as a cloud by day and as a pillar of fire by night and his prouidence shall hedge him frō the power of the Deuill 3 In that the eyes of the Lord are vpon him and his eares continually open to see his state and to heare his complaint and in his good time to deliuer him out of all his troubles Thus farre of the blessed estate of the godly and Regenerated man in this life Now of his blessed estate in death 2 Meditations of the blessed estate of a regenerate man in his death WHen GOD sends death as his messenger for the regenerated man hee meetes him halfe the way to heauen for his conuersation and affection is there before him Death is neyther strange nor fearefull vnto him not strange because he dyed daily not fearefull because vvhilest hee liued hee vvas dead and his life vvas hid with Christ in God To dye vnto him therefore is nothing else in effect but to rest from his labour in this world to goe home to his fathers house vnto the citie of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne to God the Iudge of all and to the Spirits of iust men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediator of the new Testament Whilest his Body is sicke his Minde is sound for God maketh all his bed in his sicknesse and strengtheneth him with faith and patience vpon his bed of sorrow and when hee begins to enter into the way of all the world hee giueth like Iacob Moses and Ioshua to his Children and friends godly exhortations and counsailes to serue the true GOD to worship him truely all the dayes of their life His blessed soule breatheth nothing but blessings and such speeches as sauours a sanctified spirit As his outward man decayeth so his inward man increaseth and vvaxeth stronger When the speech of his tongue faultreth the sighes of his heart speaketh louder vnto GOD when the sight of the Eyes faileth the Holy Ghost illuminates him inwardly vvith aboundance of spiritual light His soule feareth not but is bold to goe out of the body and to dwell with her Lord. Hee sigheth out with Paul cupio dissolui I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. And with Dauid As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God My Soule thristeth for God for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before God Hee prayeth vvith the Saints How long O Lord which art holy and true Come Lord Iesus come quickely And vvhen the appointed time of his dissolution is come knowing that hee goeth to his Father and Redeemer in the peace of a good Conscience and the assured perswasion of the forgiuenesse of all his sinnes in the bloud of the Lambe hee sings with blessed old Simeon his Nunc dimittis Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace c. And surrenders vp his Soule as it were with his owne hands into the hands of his heauenly Father saying vvith Dauid Into thy hands O Father I commend my Soule for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth And saying with Stephen Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Hee no sooner yeelds vp his sacred Ghost but immediately the holy Angels who attended vpon him from his birth vnto his death carry and accompany his Soule into Heauen as they did the Soule of Lazarus into Abrahams bosome which is the Kingdome of Heauen whither onely good Angels and good workes doe accompany the Soule the one to deliuer their charge the other to receiue their reward The Body in conuenient time as the sanctified Temple of the holy Ghost the members of Christ nourished by his Body the price of the bloud of the Sonne of God is by his fellow-brethren reuerently laid to sleepe in his graue as in the bed of Christ in an assured hope to awake in the resurrection of the iust at the last day to be pertaker vvith the Soule of life and glory euerlasting And in this respect not onely the Soules but the very Bodies of the faithfull also are termed blessed Thus farre the blessednesse of the soule and body of the regenerated man in death Now let vs see the blessednesse of his soule and body after death 3 Meditations of the blessed estate of the regenerated man after death THis state hath three degrees 1 From the day of Death to the Resurrection 2 From the Resurrection to the pronouncing of the Sentence 3 After the Sentence which lasts eternally As soone as euer the regenerated man hath yeelded vp his Soule vnto Christ the holy Angels take her into their custodie and immediately carry her into Heauen and there presents her before Christ where shee is crowned with a Crowne of righteousnesse and glory not which she hath deserued by her good workes but vvhich God hath promised of his free goodnesse to all those vvho of loue haue in this life vnfainedly serued him and sought his glory Oh! what ioy vvill it be to thy Soule vvhich vvas vvont to see but miserie and sinners now to behold the face of the God of Glory yea to see Christ vvell comming thee as soone as thou art presented before him by the holy Angels vvith an Euge bone serue Well done and well-come good and faithfull seruant c. enter into thy masters ioy And vvhat ioy vvill this be to behold thousand thousands of Cherubims Seraphims Angels Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers All the holy Patriarkes Priests Prophets Apostles Martyrs Professors and all the Soules of thy Friends Parents Husbands Wiues Children and the rest of Gods Saints who departed before thee in the true Faith of Christ standing before Gods Throne in blisse and glory If the Queene of Sheba beholding the glory and attendance giuen to Salomon as it were rauished therwith brake out and said Happy are thy men happy are
heart Trust not eyther late Repentance or long life not late repentance because it is much to be feared least that the Repentance vvhich the feare of death enforceth dyes with a man dying And the Hypocrite vvho deceiued others in his life may deceiue himselfe in his death GOD accepteth none but free-will Offerings and the repentance that pleaseth him must be voluntarie and not of constraint Not long life for old age will fall vpon the necke of youth and as nothing is more sure then Death so nothing is more vncertaine then the time of dying Yea oft-times when ripenesse of sinne is hastned by outragiousnesse of sinning GOD sodainly cutteth off such vicious liuers eyther with the sword intemperatenes luxurie surfeit or some other fearefull manner of sicknes Maist thou not see that it is the euill Spirit that perswades thee to deferre thy Repentance till olde age when Experience tels thee that not one of a thousand that takes thy course doe euer attaine vnto it Let Gods holy Spirit moue thee not to giue thy selfe any longer to eate and drinke with the drunken least thy Master send Death for thee in a day when thou lookest not for him and in an houre that thou art not aware of and so sodainely cut thee off and appoint thee thy portion with the Hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth But if thou louest long life feare GOD and long for life euerlasting The longest life here when it is come to the period will appeare to haue beene but as a tale that is tolde a vanishing vapour a flitting shadow a seeming dreame a glorious flower growing and flourishing in the morning but in the euening cut downe and withered or like a weauers shittle which by winding here and there swiftly vnwindeth it selfe to an end It is but a moment saith Saint Paul O then the madnesse of man that for a moment of sinful pleasure wil hazard the losse of an eternall waight of glory These are the seuen chiefe hinderers of Pietie vvhich must be cast out like Mary Magdalens seauen Diuels before euer thou canst become a true practizer of Pietie or haue any sound hope to enioy either fauour from CHRIST by grace or fellowship with him in glory The Conclusion TO conclude all for as much as thou seest that without Christ thou art but a slaue of sinne Deaths vassall and wormes meate vvhose thoughts are vaine vvhose deedes are vile whose pleasures haue scarse beginnings whose miseries neuer knowes end vvhat wise man would incurre these hellish torments though hee might by liuing in sinne purchase to himselfe for a time the Empire of Augustus the riches of Croesus the pleasures of Salomon the policie of Achitophel the voluptuous fare and fine apparrell of Diues for what should it auaile a man as our Sauiour saith to winne the whole world for a time and then to lose his soule in Hell for euer And seeing that likewise thou seest how great is thy happinesse in Christ and how vaine are the hinderances that debarre thee from the same beware as the Apostle exhorteth of the deceitfulnesse of sinne For that sinne which seemes now to be so pleasing to thy corrupt nature vvill one day proue the bitterest enemie to thy distressed soule and in the meane while harden vnawares thine impenitent heart Sinne as a Serpent seemes beautifull to the eye but take heede of the sting behinde whose venemous effects if thou knewest thou wouldest as carefully flye from sinne as from a Serpent for 1 Sinne did neuer any man good and the more sinne a man hath committed the more odious hee hath made himselfe to GOD the more hatefull to all good men 2 Sinne brought vpon thee all the euils crosses losses disgraces sicknesse that euer befell thee Fooles saith Dauid by reason of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted Ieremy in lamenting manner asketh the question Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull The holy Ghost answereth him Man suffereth for his sinne Hereupon the Prophet takes vp that doleful out-cry against sinne as the cause of all their miseries woe now vnto vs that euer we haue sinned 3 If thou dost not speedily repent thee of thy sins they wil bring vpon thee yet farre greater plagues losses crosses shame and Iudgements then euer hitherto befell thee Reade Leuit. 26.18 c. Deut. 28.15 c. 4 And lastly if thou wilt not cast off thy sinne GOD when the measure of thine iniquitie is full will cast thee off for thy sinne for as hee is iust so hee hath power to kill and cast into hell all hardened and impenitent sinners If therfore thou wilt auoide the cursed effects of sinne in this life and the eternall wrath due therto in the world to come and be assured that thou art not one of those who are giuen ouer to a reprobate sense Let then ô Sinner my counsell be acceptable vnto thee breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy towards the poore oh let there at length be an healing of thine error Nathan vsed but one Parable and Dauid was conuerted Ionas preached but once to Niniuie and the whole Citie repented CHRIST looked but once on Peter and hee went out and wept bitterly And now that thou art oft so louingly entreated not by a Prophet but by Christ the Lord of Prophets yea that GOD himselfe by his Ambassadours doth pray thee to be reconciled vnto him leaue off thine adulterie with Dauid repent of thy sinnes like a true Niniuite and whilest Christ looketh in mercy vpon thee leaue thy wicked companions and weepe bitterly for thine offences Content not thy selfe with that formall Religion which vnregenerated men haue framed to themselues in stead of sincere deuotion for in the multitude of opinions most men haue almost lost the practise of true religion Think not that thou art a Christian good enough because thou dost as the most and art not so bad as the worst No man is so wicked that hee is addicted to all kinde of vices for there is an Antipathie twixt some vices But remember that Christ saith except your righteousnesse shall exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies yee shall in no case enter into the kingdome of Heauen Consider with thy selfe how farre thou commest short of the Pharisies in fasting praying frequenting the Church and in giuing of Almes Thinke with thy selfe how many Pagant who neuer knew Baptisme yet in morall vertues and honestie of life doe goe farre beyond thee Where is then the life of Christ thy Master and how farre art thou from being a true Christian If thou dost willingly yeeld to liue in any one grosse sinne thou canst not haue a regenerated Soule though thou reformest thy selfe like Herod from many other vices A true Christian must haue respect to walke
as one of thy children of light to walke in all holy obedience before thy face this day and that I may endeauour to keepe faith and a cleere conscience towards thee and towards all men in all my thoughts words and dealings And so good Lord blesse all my studies and actions which I shall take in hand this day as that they may tend to thy glory the good of others and the comfort of mine owne soule and conscience in that day when I shall make my finall accounts vnto thee for them O my God keepe thy seruant that I doe no euill vnto any man this day and let it be thy blessed will not to suffer the Diuell nor his wicked Angels nor any of his euill members or my malicious enemies to haue any power to doe mee hurt or violence But let the eye of thy holy prouidence watch ouer me for good and not for euill and command thy holy Angels to pitch their tents round about me for my defence and safetie in my going out and comming in as thou hast promised they should doe about them that feare thy name for into thy hands O Father I doe heere commend my soule and body my actions and all that euer I haue to bee guided defended and protected by thee being assured that whatsoeuer thou takest into thy custody cannot perish nor suffer any hurt or harme And if I at any time this day shall through frailtie forget thee yet Lord I beseech thee doe thou in mercy remember me And I pray not vnto thee O Father for my selfe alone but I beseech thee also be merciful vnto thy whole Church and chosen people wheresoeuer they liue vpon the face of the earth Defend them from the rage and tyranny of the Diuel the world and Antichrist Giue thy Gospell a free and a ioyfull passage through the world for the conuersion of those who belong to thine election and kingdome Blesse the Churches and kingdomes wherein wee liue with the continuance of peace iustice and true Religion Defend the Kings Maiesty from all his enemies and grant him a long life in health and all happinesse to raigne ouer vs. Blesse the Queene Prince Charles the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the Gratious Lady Elizabeth his Wife Increase in them all heroycall gifts and spirituall graces which may make them fit for those places for which thou hast ordained them Direct all the Nobilitie Bishops Ministers and Magistrats of this Church common-wealth to gouerne the commons in true Religion iustice obedience and tranquillity Be mercifull vnto all the Brethren which feare thee and call vpon thy name And comfort as many among them as are sicke and comfortlesse in body or in minde especially be fauourable to all such as suffer any trouble or persecution for the testimonie of thy truth and holy Gospell And giue them a gracious deliuerance out of al their troubles which way it shall seeme best to thy wisdome for the glory of thy Name the further enlarging of the truth and the more ample encrease of their owne comfort and consolation Hasten thy comming O blessed Sauiour and end these sinnefull daies and giue me grace that like a wise Virgin I may be prepared with oyle in my Lampe to meete thee the sweet Bride-groome of my Soule at thy comming whether it be by the day of death or of iudgement And then Lord Iesus come when thou wilt euen Lord Iesus come quickelie These and all other graces which thou knowest needefull and necessary for me this day and euermore I humbly beg and craue at thy hands O father giuing thee thy glory in that forme of Praier which Christ himselfe hath taught me to say vnto thee Our Father which art in heauen Hallowed be thy name c. Meditations IF when thou art about to pray Satan shall suggest that thy praiers are too long and that therefore it were better either to omit praiers or else to cut them shorter meditate that praier is thy spirituall sacrifice wherewith God is wel pleased And therefore it is so displeasing to the Diuel and so irkesome to thy flesh Bend therefore thy Affections will they nill they to so holy an exercise assuring thy selfe that it doth by so much the more please God by how much the more it is vnpleasing to thy flesh 2 Forget not how the holy Ghost puts it downe as a speciall note of reprobates They call not vpon the Lord They call not vpon God And when Eliphaz supposed that Iob had cast off the feare of God and that God had cast Iob out of his fauour hee chargeth him that hee restrained prayer before God making that a sure note of the one and a sufficient cause of the other On the other side that GOD hath promised that whosoeuer shall call on his Name shall be saued It is certaine that hee who maketh no conscience of the dutie of Prayer hath no grace of the holy Spirit in him For the spirit of Grace and of Prayer are one and therefore Grace and Prayer goe together But he that can from a penitent heart morning and euening pray vnto GOD it is sure that he hath his measure of grace in this world and he shall haue his portion of glory in the life which is to come 3 Remember that as loathing of meate and painefulnesse of speaking are two Symptomes of a sicke body so irkesomnesse of praying when thou talkest with GOD and carelesnesse in hearing when GOD by his Word speakes vnto thee are two sure signes of a sicke soule 4 Call to minde the zealous deuotion of the Christians in the Primitiue Church who spent many vvhole nights and vigils in watching and praying for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and that they might be found readie at the comming of Christ. And how that Dauid vvas not content to pray at morning at euening and at noone but hee would also rise vp at mid-night to pray vnto GOD. And if CHRIST did chide his Disciples because they would not watch vvith him one houre in praying vvhat chiding dost thou deserue who thinkest it too long to continue in Prayer but one quarter of an houre If thou hast spent diuers houres in seeing a vaine Maske or a Play yea whole dayes and nights in carding and dicing to please thy flesh be ashamed to thinke a Prayer of a quarter of an houre long to be too long an exercise for the seruice of GOD. 5 Consider that if the Papists in their blinde superstition doe in an vnknowne and therefore vnedifying Tongue fit onely for the children of mysticall Babylon mutter ouer vpon their Beades euery morning and euening so many scores of Aue-Maries Pater-nosters and Idolatrous Prayers how shall they in their superstitious deuotion rise vp in Iudgement against thee professing thy selfe to be a true Worshipper of Christ If
many yeers as the world did weekes of yeeres vnto that time and so many weekes of yeeres as the world had lasted Iubilies Daniels 70. weekes of yeeres contained 490. single yeeres the World before that time 490. weekes or Sabbaths of yeeres Daniels period 70. weekes the worlds 70. Iubilies So that to comfort the Church for their 70. yeeres captiuity which they had now according to Ieremies Prophesie endured in Babylon Gabriel tels Daniel that at the ende of 70. weekes or Sabbaths of yeeres that is 70. times seuen yeeres or 490. yeeres their eternall redemption from hell should be effected by the death of Christ as sure as they were now redeemed from the Captiuitie of Babilon This period of Daniel containing 70. Sabbaths or 10. Iubilies of yeeres beganne at the first libertie granted the Iewes by Cyrus in the first yeere of his raigne ouer the Babilonians mentioned Hezr 1.1 and ends iustly at the time that Christ dyed vpon the Crosse. From the death of Christ or the last ende of Daniels weekes to the 71. yeere of Christ the world is measured by seauen seales or seauen Sabbaths of yeeres making one compleate Iubilie From the end of those 7. seales the World is measured to her end by 7 Trumpets each containing 245. yeeres as some coniecture about 440. yeeres hence the truth vvill appeare Enoch the seauenth from Adam hauing liued so many yeeres as there are dayes in the yeere 365. vvas translated of God in a Sabbaticall yeere Moses the seauenth from Abraham as an other Enâ—ch is buried of God but borne in a Sabbaticall yeere of the world 2373. and in the 777. yeere since the Floud after Broughtons Computation is saued as a new Noah in a Reede Arke and liueth a Builder of the Church so long as Noah was building the arke 120. yeeres The promise was made to Abraham in a Sabbaticall yeere being the 2023. of the World The sixt yeere of Iosua being the 2500. yeere from the Creation of the world wherein the Land was possessed diuided among the Children of Israel was a Sabbaticall yeere and the 50. Iubilie from the Creation of the world At this yeere Moses beginnes his Iubilie by vvhich as with a chaine of 30. linckes he tyeth the parting of Canaans possession to the Israelites by Ioshua to the opening of the Kingdome of Heauen to all beleeuers by Iesus And so carryeth the Church of the Iewes by a ioyfull streame of Iubilies from the Type to the substance from Canaan to Heauen from Ioshua to Iesus for Christ at the end of Moses 30. Iubilies and the beginning of the 30. yeere of his age at his Baptisme openeth heauen and giues the clearest vision of the blessed Trinitie that was seene since the world began And by the siluer Trumpet of his Gospell proclaimes according to the Prophesie of Isay eternall redemption to all that repent and beleeue in him And the yeere of our Sauiour Christs birth being the 3948. of the World vvas at the ende of a Sabbaticall yeere and the 524. Septenarie of the World Moses maketh the common age of all men to be tenne times seauen Psal. 90. euery seauenth yeere commonly produceth some notable change or accident in mans life And no wonder for as Hypocrates affirmeth that a child in his mothers wombe on the seauenth day of his conception hath all his members finished and from that day groweth to the perfection of birth which is alwayes eyther the ninth or seauenth moneth At seauen yeeres old the childe casts his teeth and receiues new And euery seauenth yeere after there is some alteration or change in mans life especially at nine times seauen the Clymactericke yeere which by experience is found to haue been fatall to many of those learned men who haue beene the chiefest lights of the world And if they escaped that yeere yet most of them haue departed this life in a septenary yeere Lamech dyed in the yeere of his life 777. Methusalem the longest liuer of the sonnes of men died when hee began to enter his 900. and 70. yeere Abraham dyed when hee had liued 25. times 7. yeeres Iacob when hee had liued 21. times 7. yeeres Dauid after hee had liued tenne times 7. yeeres So did Galen so did Petrarch who as Bodin noteth dyed on the same day of the yeere that hee vvas borne so did the Maiden-Queene Elizabeth of blessed and neuer dying memorie vvho came into this world the Eue of the Natiuitie of the blessed Virgin Mary and went out of this world on the Eue of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Hypocrates dyed in his 15. septenarie Hierome and Isocrates in their 13. Plinie Bartolus and Caesar in their 8. septenarie And Iohannes de temporibus vvho liued 361. yeeres dyed in the 53. septenary of his life The like might be obserued of innumerable others And indeed the whole life of a man is measured by the Sabbath for how many yeeres soeuer a man liueth here yet his life is but a life of 7. dayes multiplied so that in the number of 7. there is a mysticall perfection which our vnderstanding cannot attaine vnto All which diuine disposition of admirable things so oft by seauens call vpon vs to a continuall meditation of the blessed seauenth day Sabbath in knowing and worshipping GOD in this life that so from Sabbath to Sabbath wee may be translated to the eternall glorious Sabbath of rest and blisse in the life to come By the consideration wherof any man that looketh into the holy Historie may easily perceiue that the whole course of the world is drawne and guided by a certaine chaine of Gods prouidence disposing all things in number measure and waight All times are therefore measured by the Sabbath so that time and the Sabbath can neuer be separated And the Angell sweares that this measuring of time shall continue till that Time shall be no more And as the Sabbath had his first institution in the first Booke of the Scriptures so hath it its confirmation in the last and as this Booke doth authorise this day so this day graceth the Booke in that the matter thereof was reuealed vpon so holy a day the Lords reuelation vpon the Lords day As well therefore may they pull the Sunne Moone and Stars out of the heauens as abolish the holy Sabbath times meterod out of the Church seeing the Sabbath is ordained in the Church as well as the Sunne and Moone in the Firmament for the distinction of times 8 Because that the whole Church by an vniuersall consent euer since the Apostles time haue still held the commandement of the Sabbath to be the morall and perpetuall Law of God and the keeping of the Sabbath on the first day of the weeke to be the institution of Christ and his Apostles The Synode called Synodus Coloniensis saith that the Lords day hath beene famous
Wine therefore are not bare signifying Signes but such as vvherewith Christ doth indeede exhibite and giue to euery worthy Receiâ—er not onely his diuine vertue and efficacie but also his very Body and Bloud as verely as hee gaue to his Disciples the Holy Ghost by the signe of his sacred Breath or Health to the diseased by the word of his Mouth or touch of his hand or garment And the apprehension by faith is more forcible then the exquisitest comprehension of Sense or Reason To conclude this point this holy Sacrament is that Blessed Bread vvhich being eaten opened the Eyes of the Emauites that they knew Christ. This is that Lordly Cup by vvhich wee are all made to drinke into one Spirit This is that Rocke flowing with hony that reuiueth the fainting spirits of euery true Ionathan that tastes it vvith the mouth of Faith This is that Barly Loafe vvhich tumbling from aboue strikes downe the Tents of the Midianites of infernall darkenesse Elias Angelicall Cake and Water preserued him fortie dayes in Horeb and Manna Angels foode fed the Israelites forty yeeres in the Wildernesse but this is that True Bread of life and heauenly Manna which if vvee shall duely eate will nourish our Soules for euer vnto life eternall How should then our Soules make vnto Christ that request from a spirituall desire which the Capernaites did from a carnall motion Lord euermore giue vs this Bread The fift end of the Lords Supper 5 To be an assured pledge vnto vs of our Resurrection The Resurrection of a Christian is two-folde first the spirituall Resurrection of our Soules in this life from the death of Sinne called the first Resurrection because that by the Trumpet-voyce of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell we are raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace Blessed and holy is he saith Saint Iohn who hath part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death hath no power The Lords Supper is both a meane and a pledge vnto vs of this spiâ—rituall and first Resurrection Hee that eateth mee euen hee shall liue by mee And then are we fit Guests to sit at the Table with Christ when like Lazarus wee are raysed from the death of sinne to newnesse of life The truth of this first resurrection vvill appeare by the motion vvherewith they are internally moued for if when thou art moued to the duties of Religion and practise of Pietie thy heart answereth vvith Samuell Here I am Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth And vvith Dauid O God my heart is ready And vvith Paul Lord what wilt thou haue mee to doe Then surely thou art raysed from the death of sinne and hast thy part in the first Resurrection but if thou remainest ignorant of the true grounds of Religion and findest in thy selfe a kinde of secret loathing of the exercises thereof and must be drawne as it were against thy will to doe the workes of Pietie c. then surely thou hast but a name that thou liuest but thou art dead as Christ tolde the Angell of the Church of Sardis and thy Soule is but as salt to keepe thy body from stincking Secondly the corporall Resurrection of our bodies at the last day which is called the second resurrection which freeth vs from the first death Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day For this Sacrament signifieth and sealeth vnto vs that Christ died and rose againe for vs and that his flesh quickneth and nourisheth vs vnto eternall life and that therefore our bodies shall surely be raised to eternall life at the last day For seeing our head is risen all the members of the body shall likewise surely rise againe For how can those bodies which being the weapons of Righteousnesse Rom. 16 13. Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 and Members of Christ. haue bin fedde and nourished vvith the body and blood of the Lord of life but be raised vp againe at the last day And this is the cause that the bodies of the Saints being dead are so reuerently buried and laid to sleepe in the Lord. And their buriall places are termed the beddes and dormitories of the Saints The reprobates shall arise at the last day But by the Almighty power of Christ as he is Iudge bringing them as malefactors out of the goale to receiue their sentence and deserued execution but the Elect shall arise by vertue of Christs resurrectiâ—n and of the Communion which they haue with him as with their head And his resurrection is the cause and assurance of ours The Resurrection of Christ is a Christians particuler faith the Resurrection of the dead is the childe of Gods chiefest confidence Therefore Christians in the Primitiue Church were wont to salute one another in the morning with these phrases The Lord is risen and the other would answere True The Lord is risen indeede The sixt end of the Lords Supper 6 To seale vnto vs the assurance of euerlasting life Oh what more wished or loued then life Or what doe all men more either feare or abhorre then death Yet is this first death nothing if it be compared with the second death neither is this life any thing worth in comparison of the life to come If therefore thou desirest to be assured of eternall life prepare thy selfe to be a worthy receiuer of this blessed Sacrament For our Sauiour assureth vs That if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Hee therefore who duely eateth of this holy Sacrament may truely say not onely Credo vitam aeternam I beleeue the life euerlasting but also Edo vitam aeternam I eate life euerlasting And indeed this is the true tree of life which GOD hath planted in the middest of the Paradise of the Church And whereof hee hath promised to giue euery one that ouercommeth to eate And this tree of life by infinite degrees excelleth the tree of life that grew in the Paradise of Eden for that had his roote in the earth this from heauen that gaue but life to the body this to the soule that did but preserue the life of the liuing this restoreth life to the dead The leaues of this tree healeth the Nation of beleeuers and it yeelds euery moneth a new manner of fruit which nourisheth them to life euerlasting Oh blessed are they who often eate of this Sacrament at lest once euery moneth taste anew of this renewing fruit which Christ hath prepared for vs at his Table to heale our infirmities and to confirme our beleefe of life euerlasting The seauenth end of the Lords Supper 7 To binde all Christians as it were by an
remembrance of me and in doing this thou shalt shew thy selfe best mindefull and thankefull for his death For as oft as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cup yee shall shew the Lords death vntil he come And let this bee the chiefe ende whereunto both thy receiuing and liuing tendeth that thou maiest be a holy Christian zealous of good workes purged from sinne to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world that thou maiest be acceptable to God profitable to thy brethren and comfortable vnto thine own soule Thus farre of the manner of glorifying God in thy life Now followeth the Practise of Piety in glorifying God in the time of sickenesse and when thou art called to die in the Lord. AS soone as thou perceiuest thy selfe to be visited with any sicknesse meditate with thy selfe 1 That misery commeth not forth of the dust neither doth affliction spring out of the earth Sicknesse comes not by hap or chance as the Philistimes supposed that their Mise and Emeroides came but from mans wickednesse vvhich as sparkles breaketh out Man suffereth saith Ieremie for his sinnes Fooles saith Dauid by reason of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted As therefore Salomon aduised a man to carry himselfe towards an earthly Prince If the spirit of him that ruleth rise vp against thee leaue not thy place for gentlenesse pacifieth great sins so counsell I thee to deale with the Prince of Princes If the spirit of him that ruleth heauen and earth rise vp against thee let not thy heart despaire for repentance pacifieth great sins And whosoeuer returneth in his affliction to the Lord God of Israel and seekes him he will be found of him 2 Shut too thy Chamber doore Examine thine owne Heart vpon thy bed Search and try thy wayes Search as diligently for thy capitall sinne as Ioshua did for Achan till thou findest it for albeit GOD when he beginneth to chasten his Children hath respect to all their sinnes yet vvhen his anger is incensed he chiefely taketh occasion to chasten and enter vvith them into Iudgement for some one grieuous sinne wherein they haue liued without Repentance 3 When thou hast thus considered all thy sinnes put thy selfe before the Iudgement seate of God as a fellon or murtherer standing at the Bar of an earthly Iudge and with griefe and sorrow of heart confesse vnto God all thy knowne sinnes especially thy Capitall offences wherewith GOD is chiefely displeased Lay them open with all the circumstances of the time place and manner how they were committed as may most serue to aggrauate the hainousnesse of thy sinnes and to shew the contrition of thy heart for the same Lift vp thine hand and acknowledge thy selfe before the righteous Iudge of heauen and earth guilty of eternall death and damnation for those thy hainous sinnes and transgressions And hauing thus accused and iudged thy selfe cast downe thy selfe before the Foote-stoole of his Throne of Grace assuring thy selfe that whatsoeuer the Kings of Israel be yet the GOD of Israel is a mercifull God And cry vnto him from a penitent and faithfull heart for mercy and forgiuenesse as eager and earnest as euer thou knewest a malefactor being to receiue his sentence crying vnto the Iudge for fauour and pardon vowing amendement of life and by the assistance of his Grace neuer to commit the like sinne any more All vvhich thou maist doe in these or the like words A Prayer when one begins to be sicke O Most righteous Iudge yet in Iesus Christ my gracious Father I wretched sinner doe here returne vnto thee though driuen with paine and sicknesse like the prodigall childe with want and hunger I acknowledge that this sicknesse and paine comes not by blinde chance or fortune but by thy diuine prouidence and speciall appointment It is the stroke of thy heauie hand vvhich my sinnes haue iustly deserued and the things that I feared are now fallen vpon mee Yet I doe vvell perceiue that in wrath thou remembrest mercie When I consider how many and how hainous are my sinnes and how few and easie are thy corrections Thou mightest haue strucken me with some fearefull and sodaine death vvhereby I should not haue had eyther time or space to haue called vpon thee for grace and mercy and so I should haue perished in my sinnes and beene for euer condemned in Hell But thou O Lord visitest mee vvith such a Fatherly chastisement as thou vsest to visit thy dearest children whom thou best louest giuing mee by this sicknesse both warning and time to repent and to sue vnto thee for grace and pardon I take not therefore O Lord this thy visitation as any signe of thy wrath or hatred but as an assured pledge and token of thy fauour and louing kindnes whereby thou dost vvith thy temporall Iudgements draw mee to iudge my selfe and to repent of my wicked life that I should not be condemned with the godlesse and vnpenitent vvorld For thy holy Word assures mee that whom thou louest thou thus chastenest and that thou scourgest euery Sonne that thou receiuest That if I endure thy chastening thou offerest thy selfe vnto me as vnto a sonne and that all that continue in sinne and yet escape without correction whereof all thy Children are partakers are Bastards and not sonnes and that thou chastenest mee for my profit that I may be a partaker of thy holinesse O Lord how full of goodnesse is thy nature that hast dealt with mee so gratiously in the time of my health and prosperitie and now being prouoked by my sinnes and vnthankefulnesse hast such fatherly and profitable ends in inflicting vpon me this sicknesse and correction I confesse Lord that thou doest iustly afflict my body with sicknesse for my soule was sicke before of long prosperitie and surfetted with ease peace plentie and fulnesse of bread And now O Lord I lament and mourne for my sinnes I acknowledge my wickednesse and mine iniquities are alwayes in my sight Oh what a vvretched sinner am I void of all goodnesse by nature and full of euill by sinfull custome Oh what a world of sinne haue I committed against thee whilest thy long sufferance expected my conuersion and thy blessings wooed mee to repentance Yet O my God seeing it is thy propertie more to respect the goodnesse of thine owne nature then the deserts of sinners I beseech thee O Father for thy Sonne Iesus Christ his sake and for the merits of that all-sauing death which he hath voluntarily suffered for all which beleeue in him haue mercy vpon me according to the multitude of thy mercies turne thy face away from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquitie cast me not out of thy presence neither reward mee according to my deserts for if thou doest reiect mee who will receiue me or who will succour me if thou dost forsake mee
But thou O Lord art the helper of the helplesse and in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy for though my sinnes be exceeding great yet thy mercy O Lord farre exceedeth them all neither can I commit so many as thy Grace can remit and pardon Wash therefore O Christ my sins with the vertue of thy pretious bloud especially those sinnes vvhich from a penitent heart I haue confessed vnto thee but chiefely O Lord for Christ his sake forgiue mee And seeing that of thy loue thou diddest lay downe thy life for my ransome vvhen I vvas thine enemie Oh saue now the price of thine owne bloud vvhen it shall cost thee but a smile vpon mee or a gratious appearance in thy Fathers sight in my behalfe Reconcile mee once againe O mercifull Mediatour vnto thy Father for though there be nothing in mee that can please him yet I know that in thee and for thy sake hee is well pleased with all whom thou acceptest and louest And if it be thy blessed vvill remoue this sickenesse from mee and restore mee to my former health againe that I may liue longer to set forth thy glory and to be a comfort to my Friends vvhich depend vpon mee and procure to my selfe a more setled assurance of that heauenly inheritance vvhich thou hast prepared for mee And then Lord thou shalt see how religiously and wisely I shall redeeme the time which heretofore I haue so lewdly and prophanely spent and to the end that I may the sooner and the easier be deliuered from this paine and sicknes direct mee O Lord I beseech thee by thy diuine prouidence to such a Physitian and helper as that by thy blessing vpon thy meanes I may recouer my former health and welfare againe And good Lord vouchsafe that as thou hast sent this sicknesse vnto mee so thou wouldest likewise be pleased to send thy holy spirit into my heart whereby this present sicknesse may be sanctified vnto me that I may vse it as thy schoole wherein I may learne to know the greatnesse of my misery and the riches of thy mercy that I may be so humbled at the one that I despaire not of the other and that I may so renounce all confidence of helpe in my selfe or in any other creature that I may onely put the whole rest of my saluation in thy all sufficient merits And forasmuch as thou knowest Lord how weake a vessell I am full of frailty and imperfections and that by nature I am angry and froward vnder euery crosse and affliction O Lord who art the giuer of all good gifts arme me with patience to endure thy blessed will and pleasure and of thy mercy lay no more vpon me then I shall be able to endure and suffer Giue me grace to behaue my selfe in all patience loue and meekenesse vnto those that shall come and visit mee that I may thankefully receiue and willingly embrace all good counsels consolations from them and that they may likewise see in me such good examples of patience and heare from me such godly lessons of comfort as may bee arguments of my Christian faith and profession and instructions vnto them how to behaue themselues when it shal please thee to visit them with the like affliction or sickenesse I know O Lord I haue deserued to die and I desire not longer to liue then to amend my wicked life and in some better measure to set forth thy glory Therefore O Father if it bee thy blessed will restore mee to health againe and grant me a longer life But if thou hast according to thine eternall decree appointed by this sickenesse to call for mee out of this transitory life I resigne my selfe into thy hands and holy pleasure thy blessed will be done whether it be by life or by death Onely I beseech thee of thy mercy forgiue mee all my sinnes and prepare my poore soule that by a true faith and vnfeigned repentance shâ—e may bee ready against the time that thou shalt call for her out of my sicke and sinfull body O heauenly Father who art the hearer of prayers heare thou in heauen this my prayer and in this extremity grant me these requests not for any worthinesse that is in me but for the merits of thy beloued Sonne Iesus my onely Sauiour and Mediator for whose sake thou hast promised to heare vs and to grant whatsoeuer we shall aske of thee in his Name In his name therefore and in his owne words I conclude this my vnperfect Prayer saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. Hauing thus reconciled thy selfe with GOD in Christ 1 Let thy next care be to set thy house in order as Isay aduised king Ezechias making thy last Will and Testament if it bee not already made If it be made then peruse it confirme it and for auoyding all doubts and contention publish it before witnesses that if God call for thee out of this life it may stand in force and vnalterable as thy last Will and Testament and so deliuer it locked or sealed vp in some Boxe to the keeping of a faithfull friend in the presence of honest witnesses 2 But in making thy Testament take a religious Diuines aduise how to bestow thy beneuolence and some honest Lawyers counsell to contriue it according to Law Dispatch this before thy sickenesse doth encrease and thy memory decay lest otherwise thy Testament prooues a dotement and another mans fancy rather then thy will 3 To preuent many inconueniences let me recommend to thy discretion two things 1 If God haue blessed thee with any competent state of wealth make thy Will in thy health time It will neither put thee further from thy goods nor hasten thee sooner to thy death but it will bee a great ease to thy minde in freeing thee from a great trouble when thou shalt haue most need of quiet for when thy house is set in order thou shalt be better enabled to set thy soule in order and to dispose of thy iourney towards GOD. 2 If thou hast children giue to euery one of them a portion according to thine ability in thy life time that thy life may seeme an ease and not a yoake vnto them yet so giue as that thy children may still bee beholding vnto thee and not thou vnto them But if thou keepe all in thy hands whilest thou liuest they may thanke death and not thee for the portion that thou leauest them If thou hast no children and the Lord haue blessed thee with a great portion of the goods of this world and if thou meane to bestow them vpon any charitable or pious vses put not ouer that good worke to the trust of others seeing thou seest how most of other mens Executors prooue almost Executioners And if friends be so vnfaithfull in a mans life How much greater cause hast thou to distrust their fidelity after thy death Lamentable experience sheweth how many dâ—admens Wils haue
sinne to come For though the eternall punishment of sinne as it proceedeth from Iustice is fully pardoned in the sacrifice of Christ yet vvee are not without serious iudging of our selues exempted from the temporall chastisement of sinne for this proceedeth onely from the loue of God for our good And this is the reason that when Nathan told Dauid from the Lord that his sinnes were forgiuen yet that the Sword of chastisement should not depart from his house and that his Childe should surely die For GOD like a skilfull Physitian seeing the soule to be poysoned vvith the setling of sinne and knowing that the raigning of the Flesh vvill proue the ruine of the Spirit ministreth the bitter pill of affliction vvhereby the reliques of sinne is purged and the soule more soundly cured the flesh is subdued and the spirit is sanctified Oh the odiousnesse of sinne vvhich causeth God to chasten so seuerely his Children whom otherwise hee loueth so deerely 2 God sendeth affliction to seale vnto vs our Adoption for euery Childe whom God loueth hee correcteth And hee is a Bastard that is not corrected Yea it is a sure note that where GOD seeth sinne and smites not he there detests and loues not Therefore it is said that hee suffered the vvicked Sonnes of Eli to continue in their sinnes without correction because the Lord would slay them On the other side there is no surer token of Gods fatherly loue and care then to be corrected with some crosse as oft as vvee commit any sinfull crime Affliction therefore is a seale of Adoption no signe of Reprobation For the purest Corne is cleanest fanned the finest Gold is oftest tryed the sweetest Grape is hardest pressed and the truest Christian heauiest crossed 3 God sendeth affliction to weane our hearts from too much louing this World and worldly vanities and to cause vs the more earnestly to desire and long for eternall life For as the Children of Israel had they not beene ill entreated in Aegipt vvould neuer haue beene so willing to goe towards Canaan so were it not for the crosses and afflictions of this life Gods Children would not so heartilie long and willingly desire for the Kingdome of Heauen For wee see many Epicures that vvould be content to forgoe heauen on condition that they might still enioy their earthly pleasures and hauing neuer tasted the ioyes of a better how loath are they to depart this life whereas the Apostle that saw Heauens glory tels vs that there is no more comparison twixt the ioyes of eternall life and the pleasures of this world then there is betwixt the filthiest dung and the pleasantest meate or betwixt the stinkingst dung-hill and the fairest bed-chamber As therefore a louing Nursse puts Worme-wood or Mustard on the breast to make the childe the rather to forsake the dug so GOD mixeth sometimes affliction with the pleasures and prosperitie of this life least like the Children of this generation they should forget God and fall into too much loue of this present euill vvorld and so by riches grow proud by fame insolent by libertie vvanton and spurne with their heele against the Lord when they waxe fat For if Gods children loue the vvorld so well when like a curst stepmother shee misvseth and strikes vs how should vvee loue this harlot if shee smiled vpon vs and stroaked vs as shee doth her owne worldly Brats Thus doth GOD like a wise and louing Father embitter with crosses the pleasures of this life to his children that finding in this earthly state no true nor permanent ioyes they might sigh long for eternall life where firme and euerlasting ioyes are onely to be found 4 By affliction and sicknesse God exerciseth his children and the graces which hee bestoweth vpon them He refineth and trieth their faith as the Goldsmith doth his gold in the furnace to make it shine more glistering bright he stirreth vs vp to pray more 〈…〉 and zealously and proueth what patience we haue learned all this while in his schoole The like experience he maketh of our hope loue and all the rest of our Christian vertues which without this triall would rust like iron vnexercised or corrupt like standing waters that either haue no current or else are not powred from vessell to vessell whose taste remaineth and whose sent is not changed And rather then a man should keepe still the sent of his corrupted nature to damnation who would not wish to be changed from state to state by crosses and sickenesse to saluation For as the Camomill which is troden groweth best and smelleth most fragrant and as the fish is sweetest that liues in the saltest waters so those soules are most pretious vnto Christ who are most exercised and afflicted with his Crosse. 5 God sendeth affliction to demonstrate vnto the world the truenesse of his childrens loue and seruice Euery hypocrite will serue GOD whilest he prospereth and blesseth him as the Diuel falsly accused Iob to haue done but who saue his louing childe will loue and serue him in aduersity when GOD seemeth to bee angry and displeased with him yea and cleaue vnto him most inseperably when hee seemeth with the greatest frown and disgrace to reiect a man and to cast him out of his fauour yea when he seemeth to wound and kill as an enemy yet then to say with Iob Though thou Lord kill me yet will I put my trust in thee The louing and seruing of God and trusting in his mercy in the time of our correction and misery is the truest note of an vnfained child and seruant of the Lord. 6 Sanctified affliction is a singular helpe to further our true conuersion and to driue vs home by repentance to our heauenly Father In their affliction saith the Lord they will seeke mee diligently Aegypts burdens made Israel cry vnto GOD. Dauids troubles made him pray Hezekias sickenesse made him to weepe and miserie droue the Prodigall childe to returne and sue for his Fathers grace and mercy Yea wee reade of many in the Gospell that by sickenesses and affliction were driuen to come into CHRIST vvho if they had health and prosperity as others would haue like others neglected or contemned their Sauiour and neuer haue sought vnto him for his sauing health and grace For as the Arke of Noah the higher it was tossed with the floud the neerer it mounted towards heauen so the sanctified Soule the more it is exercised vvith affliction the neerer it is listed towards GOD. Oh blessed is that crosse that draweth a sinner to come vpon the knees of his heart vnto Christ to confesse his owne misery and to implore his endlesse mercy Oh blessed aye blessed bee that Christ that neuer refuseth the sinner that commeth vnto him though weather-driuen by affliction and miserie 7 Afflictions worke in vs pittie and compassion towards our fellow-brethren that
then meditate on three things First how graciously God dealeth with thee Secondly from what euils death wil free thee Thirdly what good death will bring vnto thee First concerning Gods fauourable dealing with thee 1 Meditate that God vseth this chastisement of thy body but as a Medicine to cure thy soule by drawing thee who art sicke in sin to come by repentance vnto Christ thy Physitian to haue thy soule healed 2 That the sorest sickenes or painefullest disease which thou canst endure is nothing if it be compared to those dolours and paines which Iesus Christ thy Sauiour hath suffred for thee when in a bloody sweat he endured the wrath of God the paines of hell and a cursed death which was due to thy sinnes Iustly therefore may he vse those words of Ieremy Behold and see if there be any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto mee wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath Hath the sonne of God endured so much for thy redemption and wilt not thou a sinful man endure a little sicknesse for his pleasure especially when it is for thy good 3 That when thy sicknes and disease is at the extreamest yet it is lesse and easier then thy sinnes haue deserued Let thine owne conscience iudge whether thou hast not deserued worse then all that thou doest suffer Murmure not therefore but considering thy manifold and grieuous sinnes thanke God that thou art not plagued with far more grieuous punishments Thinke how willingly the damned in hell would endure thy extreamest paines a 1000. yeeres on condition that they had but thy hope to be saued and after so many yeeres to be eased of their eternal torments And seeing that it is his mercy that thou art not rather consumed then corrected how canst thou but beare patiently his temporall correction seeing the ende is to saue thee from eternall condemnation 4 That nothing commeth to passe in this case vnto thee but such as ordinarily befell to others thy brethren who being the beloued and vndoubted seruants of GOD when they liued on earth are now most blessed and glorious Saints with Christ in Heauen as Iob Dauid Lazarus c. They groaned for a time as thou doest vnder the like burthen but they are now deliuered from all their miseries troubles and calamities And so likewise ere long if thou wilt patiently tarry the Lords leisure thou shalt also bee deliuered from thy sicknesse and paine either by restitution to thy former health with Iob or which is farre better by being receiued to heauenly rest vvith Lazarus 5 Lastly that God hath not giuen thee ouer into the hand of thine enemie to bee punished and disgraced but being thy louing Father he correcteth thee with his owne mercifull hand When Dauid had his wishe to choose his own chastisement hee chose rather to be corrected by the hand of GOD then by any other meanes Let vs fall into the handes of the Lord for his mercies are great and let mee not fall into the hand of man Who will not take any affliction in good part when it commeth from the hand of God from whom though no affliction seemeth ioyous for the present wee know nothing commeth but what is good The consideration heereof made Dauid to endure Shemeis cursed railing with greater patience and to correct himselfe another time for his impatiencie I should not haue opened my mouth because thou didst it and Iob to reprooue the vnaduised speech of his wife thou speakest like a foolish woman What shal we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill And though the cup of Gods wrath due to our sinnes was such a horrour to our Sauiours humane nature that hee earnestly prayed that it might passe from him yet when he considered that it was reached vnto him by the hand and will of his Father hee willingly submitted himselfe to drinke it to the very dregs thereof Nothing will more arme thee with patience in thy sickenesse then to see that it commeth from the hand of our heauenly father who would neuer send it but that he seeth it to bee vnto thee both needfull and profitable The 2. sort of Meditations are to consider from what euils death will free thee IT freeth thee from a corruptible body which was conceiued in the witnesse of flesh the heare of lust the staine of sinne and borne in the blood of filthynesse a liâ—ing prison of the soule a liuely instrument of sinne â— very sacke of stinking dung the excrements of whose nostrils eares pores and other passages duely considered will seeme more loathsome then the vncleanest sinke or vault Insomuch that whereas trees and plants bring foorth leaues flowers fruits and sweet smels mans body brings foorth naturally nothing but lice wormes rottennesse and filthy stench His affections are altogether corrupted and the imaginations of his heart are onely euill continually Hence it is that the vngodly is not satisfied with prophannesse nor the voluptuous with pleasures nor the ambitious with preferments nor the curious with precisenes nor the malicious with reuenge nor the lecherous with vncleannesse nor the couetous with gaine nor the drunkard with drinking New passions and fashions doe daily grow new feares and afflictions doe still arise heere wrath lies in waite there vaine-glory vexeth heere pride lifts vp there disgrace casts downe and euery one waiteth who shall arise in the ruine of another Now a man is priuily stung with backbiters like fiery Serpents anon hee is in danger to be openly deuoured by his enemies like Daniels Lyons And a godly man where ere he liueth shall euer be vexed like Lot with Sodomes vncleannesse 2 Death brings vnto the godly an end of sinning and of all the miseries which are due vnto sinne So that after death there shall be no more sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine for GOD shall wipe away all teares from our eyes yea by death we are separated from the company of wicked men and GOD taketh away mercifull and righteous men from the euill to come So he dealt with Iosiah I will gather thee to thy Fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place And God hides them for a while in the graue vntill the indignation passe ouer So that as Paradise is the Heauen of the soules ioy so the graue may be tearmed the hauen of the bodies rest 3 Whereas this wicked body liues in a world of wickednesse so that the poore soule cannot looke out at the eye and not be infected nor heare by the eare and not bee distracted nor smell at the nostrils and not be tainted nor taste with the tongue and be allured nor touch by the hand and not be defiled and euery sense vpon euery
heauens Rest and how many stripes doe you esteeme Heauen worth As your life hath beene a comfort to others so giue your Friends a Christian example to dye and deceiue the Diuell as Iob did It is but the Crosse of Christ sent before to crucifie the loue of this vvorld in thee that thou maist goe eternally to liue with Christ who was crucified for thee As thou art therefore a true Christian take vp like Simon of Cyrene with both thy armes his holy Crosse carry it after him vnto him thy paines will shortly passe thy ioyes shall neuer passe away Consolations against the feare of Death IF in the time of thy sickenesse thou findest thy selfe fearefull to dye meditate 1 That it argueth a dastardly minde to feare that which is not For in the church of Christ there is no Death Isay 25.7.8 And Whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in Christ shall neuer dye Iohn 11.26 Let them feare death vvho liue vvithout Christ Christians dye not but when they please GOD they are like Enoch translated vnto GOD Their paines are but Eliahs fiery Charriot to carry them vp to heauen or like Lazarus sores sending them to Abrahams bosome In a word if thou be one of them that like Lazarus louest Iesus thy sicknesse is not vnto thee death but for the glory of God who of his loue changeth thy liuing death to an euerlasting life And if many Heathen men as Socrates Curtius Seneca c. dyed willingly when they might haue liued in hope of the immortalitie of the Soule vvilt thou being trayned so long in Christs Schoole and now called to the Marriage Supper of the blessed Lambe Apoc. 10.7 be one of those Guests that refuse to goe to that Ioyfull Banquet God forbid 2 Remember that thy aboade here is but the second degree of thy life for after thou hadst first liued nine moneths in thy Mothers wombe thou wast of necessitie driuen thence to liue here in a second degree of life And when that number of moneths which GOD hath determined for this life are expired thou must likewise leaue this and and passe to a third degree in the other World vvhich neuer ends Which to them that liue and die in the Lord surpasseth as farre this kinde of life as this doth that which one liues in his mothers wombe To this last and excellentest degree of life through this doore passed Christ himselfe and all his Saints that were before thee and so shall all the rest after them and thee Why shouldest thou feare that vvhich is common to all Gods Elect Why should that be vncouth to thee vvhich was so welcome to all them Feare not death for it is the Exodus of a bad but the Genesis of a better World the end of a temporall but the beginning of an eternall life 3 Consider that there are but three things that can make death so fearefull vnto thee first the losse thou hast thereby secondly the paine that is therein Thirdly the terrible effects which followes after All these are but false fires and causlesse feares For the first if thou leauest here vncertaine goods which theeues may rob thou shalt finde in heauen a true treasure that can neuer be taken away these were but lent thee as a Steward vpon accounts those shall be giuen thee as thy reward for euer If thou leauest a louing Wife thou shalt be marryed to Christ which is more louely If thou leauest Children and Friends thou shalt there find all thy religiously Ancestors and children departed yea Christ and all his blessed Saints and Angels and as many of thy Children as be Gods children shal thither follow after thee Thou leauest an earthly possession a house of clay and thou shalt enioy an Heauenly inheritance and Mansion of Glory vvhich is purchased prepared and reserued for thee What hast thou lost Nay is not death vnto thee gaine goe home goe home and wee will follow after thee Secondly for the paine in Death the feare of Death more painâ—s many then the very pangs of death for many a Christian dyes without any great pang or paines Pitch the Anchor of thy hope on the firme grouâ—â— of the Word of God vvho hath promised in thy weaknesse to perfect his strength and not to suffer thee to be tempted aboue that thou art able to beare And Christ will shortly turne all thy tempâ—rall paines to his eternall ioyes Lastly as for the terrible effects which follow after death they belong not vnto thee being a Member of Christ for Christ by his death hath taken away the sting of death to the faithfull so that now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus And Christ hath protested that he that beleeueth in him hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life Hereupon the holy Spirit from Heauen saith Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord and that from thenceforth they rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them In respect therfore of the faithfull death is swallowed vp into victorie and his sting which is sinne and the punishment thereof is taken away by Christ. Hence death is called in respect of our bodies a sleepe and rest In respect of our soules a going to our heauenly Father a departing in peace a remouing from this body to goe to the Lord a dissolution of soule and body to be with Christ. What shall I say Precious in the sigâ—â—t of the Lord is the death of his Saints These paines are but thy throwes and trauell to bring foorth Eternall Life And who would not passe through Hell to goe to Paradise much more through death There is nothing after death that thou needest feare not thy sinnes because Christ hath paid thy ransome not the Iudge for hee is thy louing Brother not the Graue for it is the Lords Bed not Hell for thy Redeemer keeps the Keyes not the Diuell for Gods holy Angels pitch their Tents about thee and will not leaue thee till they bring thee to Heauen Thou wast neuer neerer Eternall life glorifie therefore Christ by a blessed death Say chearfully Come Lord Iesu for thy Seruant commeth vnto thee I am willing Lord helpe my weakenesse Seauen sanctified thoughts and mournefull sighes of a sicke man ready to die NOW for as much as God of his infinite mercy doth so temper our paine and sickenesse that we are not alwaies oppressed with extremitie but giues vs in the midst of our extremities some respite to ease and refresh our selues thou must haue an especiall care considering how short a time thou hast eyther for euer to lose or to obtaine Heauen to make vse of euery breathing-time which God doth afford thee and during that little time of ease to gather strength against the fits of greater anguish Therefore in these times of relaxation ease vse some of these short
thoughts and sighes The first thought SEeing euery man enters into this life in Teares passeth it in sweate and ends it in sorrow ah what is there in it that a man should desire to liue any longer to it oh what a folly is it that vvhen the Mariner roweth with all his force to arriue at the wished Port and that the Traueller neuer testeth till hee come to his iourneyes end wee feare to discrie our Port and therefore would put backe our Barke to be longer tossed in this continual Tempest we weepe to see our iourneyes end and therefore desire our iourney to be lengthened that vvee might be more tyred with a foule and cumbersome way The spirituall sigh thereupon O Lord this life is but a troublesome Pilgrimage few in dayes but full in euils and I am weary of it by reason of my sinnes Let me therefore O Lord entreate thy Maiestie in this my bed of sickenesse as Elias did vnder the Iuniper tree in his affliction It is now enough O Lord that I haue liued so long in this vale of miserie take my fâ—ule into thy mercifull hands for I am no better then my Fathers The second thought THinke with what a body of sinne thou art loaden vvhat great ciuill warres are contayned in a little world the flesh fighting against the spirit Passion against Reason Earth against Heauen and the world within thee â—anding it selfe for the world without thee and that but one onely meane remaines to end this conflict Death which in Gods appoynted time will seperate thy Spirit from thy flesh the pure and regenerate part of thy soule from that part which is impure and vnregenerated The spirituall sigh vpon the second thought O Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death O my sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ thou hast redeemed me with thy precious bloud And because thou hast deliuered my soule from sinne mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I doe here from the very bottome of my heart ascribe the vvhole praise and glory of my Saluation to thy onely grace and mercy saying vvith the holy Apostle Thankes be vnto GOD which hath giuen mee the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. The third thought THinke how it behooues thee to be assured that thy soule is Christs for death hath taken sufficient gages to assure himselfe of thy body in that all thy senses beginne already to dye saue onely the sense of paine but sith the beginning of thy being beganne with paine meruaile the lesse if thy end conclude with dolours But if these temporall dolours which onely afflict the body be so painefull O Lord who can endure the deuouring fire who can abide the euerlasting burning The spirituall sigh vpon the third thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD vvho art the onely Physitian that canst ease my body from paine and restore my Soule to life eternall put thy Passion Crosse and death betwixt my Soule and thy Iudgement and let the merits of thy Obedience stand betwixt thy Fathers Iustice and my disobedience and from these bodily paines receiue my soule into thine euerlasting peace for I cry vnto thee with Stephen Lord Iesu receiue my spirit The fourth thought THinke that the worst that death can doe is but to send thy soule sooner then thy flesh would be willing to Christ and his heauenly ioyes Remember that that worst is thy best hope The worst therefore of death is rather a helpe then a harme The spirituall sigh vpon the fourth thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sauiour of all them that put their trust in thee forsake not him that in misery flieth vnto thy grace for succour and mercy Oh sound that sweet voyce in the eares of my soule which thou spokest vnto the penitent theefe on the Crosse this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise For I O Lord doe with the Apostle from my soule speake vnto thee I desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ. The fifth thought THink if thou fearest to dye that in Mount Sion there is no death for he that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer die And if thou desirest to liue without doubt the life eternall whereunto this death is but a passage surpasseth all There doe all the faithfull departed hauing ended their miseries liue with Christ in ioyes and thither shall all the godly which suruiue be gathered out of their troubles to enioy with him eternall rest The spirituall sigh on the fift thought O Lord thou seest the malice of Satan who not contenting himselfe 〈…〉 all the daâ—es and nights of our life to seek our destruction shewes himselfe most bâ—siest when thy children are weakest and neerest to their end O Lord reprooue him and preseâ—ue my Soule Hee seekes to terrifie me with death which my sins haue deserued but let thy holy spirit comfort my soule with the assurance of eternall life which thy blood hath purchased Asswage my pain encrease my patience and if it be thy blessed will end my troubles for my soule beseecheth thee with olde blessed Simeon Lâ—rd now let me thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word The sixth thought THink with thy selfe what a blessing God hath bestowed vpon thee aboue many millions of the world that whereas they are either Pagans who worship not the true GOD or Idolaters who worship the true GOD falsely Thou hast liued in a true Christian Church and hast grace to dye in the true Christian faith and to be buried in the sepulchres of Gods seruants who all waite for the hope of Israel the raising of their bodies in the resurrection of the iust The spirituall sigh vpon the sixt thought O Lord Iesus Christ who art the resurrection and the life in whom whosoeuer beleeueth shall liue though hee were dead I beleeue that whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in thee shall neuer dye I know that I shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day for I am sure that thou my Redeemer liuest And though that after my death wormes destroy this body yet I shall see thee my Lord and my God in this flesh Grant therefore O CHRIST for thy bitter death and passions sake that at that day I may bee one of them to whom thou wilt pronounce that ioyfull sentence Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world The seauenth thought THinke with thy selfe how Christ endured for thee a cursed death and the wrath of God which was due vnto thy sinnes and what terrible paines and cruell torments the Apostles and Martyrs haue voluntarily suffered for the defence of Christs faith when they might haue liued by dissembling or denying him how much more willing shouldest thou be to depart in the faith of Christ hauing lesse paines to torment thee