an happie death is that aboue all thinges wee striue to make our acquaintance with Christ the Lord of life Till a man know Christ who hath disarmed Death by taking away its sting and its dart hee will tremble at its buzze A Bee that wāteth the sting will afray a Childe with its buzze but the man of vnderstanding is not afraide for a sound I am assured that the excessiue feare of Death in a wicked man is a most powerfull meanes for to make him die before his day that is sooner than by course of Nature hee should haue died Though a mans day bee set yet God vseth meanes Death is a distresse vnto the wicked Let him thē that would die in peace make his peace with his God No man cā be willing to die before his Conscience bee at quiet till God and his Soule haue shaken hands beene friended A man that is at feed with his God will say to death Gods messenger as Ahab saide to Gods Prophet Hast thou found mee mine enemie But as for the godlie mā whose Soule is prepared to meete with his God he will say to Death welcome Friend take my Soule by the hand and draw it out of this prison Oh but it is wearied O but it longeth to be free from these bonds of mortalitie combersome clogges of claye Hee that is assured to goe to Christ cannot die vnwillinglie what careth hee to die an houre for to liue for euer I will neuer feare Death saide a Father which can doe no more than restore me to him that made mee To change a life that is mortall for an that is eternall is an vnspeakable profite The sicke Man But alas By what way may I come vnto that Life The Pastour I am the way said Christ None commeth to the Father but by mee This way is thorow the valey of death In this valey yee neede not to feare if Christ bee with you In the valey of the shadow of death said Dauid I will feare none euill his reason was this that God was with him For thou art with mee The sicke Man I finde my selfe Sir exceeding weake and that I drawe neere the doores of Death I take great delight to heare you I requeast you to continue your comforts I intreate you to call to remembrance these speciall comforts yee haue had either by your owne experience or by reading or by Meditation I am assured that yee haue some laide vp in store for your selfe against the houre of temptation Let me heare I pray you what yee thinke best to be said to a man in his greatest feares The Pastour First of all that yee may bee capable of comforts striue to bee patient in your trouble Acknowledge in this sicknesse the great mercie of your God In this affliction hee hath giuen to you the wish and choise of Dauids chastisement You are not fallen into the hands of men whose compassions are cruell but in the hands of God your Father whose bowels are full of mercifull remembrance Though a Mother should forget her Childe wee are printed vpon his Palmes It is true that no afflictiō for the present seemes joyous Yet afterward the bitter seed of sorrow bringeth foorth the sweet quiet fruit of righteousnes If yee would bee armed against the feare of Death my counsell is that aboue all things in the tempest of your temptations yee haue recourse vnto the bloodie wounds of Christ wherein as in the holes of the Rocke your Soule like a Doue may find a place of refuge His wounds well may I call The secret of the most High He who lodgeth there is vnder the shadow of the Almightie An afflicted Soule is like a Bee in a tempest tossed to and fro Frae once the Bee hath winne to its Hyue-hole it entereth into rest The poore Soule of a man for a space will be wonderfullie tossed with tempests and long will it wrestle But so soone as it can once win in at the holes of Christs wounds then it enters into Rest Out of these wounds as out of its Castle and fortresse it will boast the Deuill Death the Flesh and the World In these woundes is the Soules strongest Tower the secret place of the most High where none enemie of mans Saluation shall bee able to reach vnto it for to hurt it Let your chiefest care bee to creepe in into these wounds Againe after that yee haue shaken hands with Christ and made him your friend consider well what hee hath made of Death Christ hath made it a friend of a foe Is not Death now a sleepe Christs friends sleepe Sleepe as yee know is our great friend Hee must bee a great friend without whose friendship we can not liue As wee can not liue without Sleepe neither can we liue without Death Except that wee die on Earth we can not liue in Heauen Thou foole said S. Paul That which thou sowest is not quickened except it die The whole course of a Christian is contained within the compasse of these wordes I liue to die that I may die to liue If man will not resolue to liue for to die hee shall not die to liue The course of a Christian is from a good life to an happie death and from thence to life yea to life eternall Well is the man that runneth not without this compasse The sicke Man But alas O my God take mee not away in the midst of my dayes Alas Sir must I die so soone The Pastour The Apostle saith That we die daylie Tunc quoque cum crescimus vita decrescit It is certaine that so soone as wee beginne to liue wee also beginne to die What are all the dayes of our life but a progresse vnto Death which is the putting off of our Tabernacle What is this body but a mire of mortalitie Hominiquid vita cylindrus What is mans life but a rolling thing The sicke Man But will the Lord take mee away in the midst of my dayes Hath not God promised to the godlie man that his dayes shall bee long in the land Long life is a thing whereof God hath made promise vnto these whō hee loueth The Pastour I answere that such a promise is vnder two conditions First of Gods glorie secondlie of mans well If God loue a man dearlie hee will whiles take him away in his youth that hee may haue him neere to him selfe Moreouer God seeth that which no man can fore-see viz. the euill to come The righteous saith Isaiah is taken away from the euill to come God hath indeede promised many dayes to the righteous man But if God shorten them and take him away sooner what wrong hath he done vnto him If a Lord should giue to one of his seruants some cottage house of clay with some little piece of
some glimpse of joye may yet more clearlie appeare for the recreating of my wearied Soule O deare Redeemer no tong can tell how much poore sinners are beholden vnto Thee who with a strong Arme hast brought them out of a dry pitte wherein was not a drop of comfort O that deepe and darke dungeon of sinne that I haue beene into O these blessed beames which my Soule fealeth comming from his countenance O the Light of that Face which putteth more joye into mine heart than all the worlde can haue when their Wheat Wine and Oyle doe most abound O infinite weight of glorie O pleasures euer to be spoken of though vnspeakeable O joyes euer to bee thought of though none heart bee able to conceiue them O pleasures most pleasant to the eye though eyes below cannot see them O O euerlasting mirth of Musicke O yee celestiall Tunes most worthie to bee heard though eares of flesh cannot heare you O Tree of Life most sweete to the taste though sinfull tongues may not taste of thee O Crystall River proceeding out of the Throne of God and the Lambe when shall my soule drinke of thee with a full Cuppe Mine heart like an Hart panteth brayeth after these water brooks Oh when shall I come and appeare before God O my God keepe mine heart vnder some spirituall serise of these blessed delights till perfectlie I enjoye thee into the armes of my Soule with the contentment of all contentmentes then which there can bee no greater The Pastour It is the Lord who with the Eye-Salue of his grace hath enlightened your minde He hath taken out the mots of temptations which of before did mak the eyes of your Soule so to water till they become drumlie Now Sir yee know full well what it is of God and his goodnesse in the Heauens where faithfull Soules shall be fed with the bread of Angels and feasted with the daintiest delicates that are aboue The wicked in this world are like blinde men which eate many moats and flees They eate them because they cannot sec to discerne them All the knowledge of the wicked is but â—… carkase and carion of knowledge To know God his Son Christ him crucified is the verie marrow kernell of true happinesse A Soule whose eyes the Lord hath enlightned with grace can no more rest off its God than an element out of its own place It may well bee detained with-holden from its place by some stronger power but no power can make it to rest till it be there where God hath appointed it to rest Your Soule now Sir is drawing neere vnto its Rest The neerer 〈◊〉 bee vnto it let your motion towards it bee the swifter In this Grace is like Nature swiftest at the end of the motion which tendeth vnto rest Vp still with your heart rejoyce in your God Happie are yee who now are flitting from this worlde wherein the sillie Soule as a Ball in a Tenice is tossed from wall to wall scourged with the Racket of diuerse temptations which by course one after another are readie to catch it at euerie rebound Let your Soule now altogether rejoyce in your Sauiour That is the only joye which shal neuer be taken from vs All other joyes are but liâ—… flying moats in the aire toyle and toyes toylesome toyes For euen in laughing the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse The sicke Man Blessed bee my Lord for euer I finde now the beginning of these joyes which passe all vnderstanding My Spirit hath receiued the earnest of immortalitie I finde now my Soule in the kindlie temper of a spirituall constitution which as I am fullie perswaded shall neuer bee troubled with anie moodie mixture of distempered mortalitie if once this Battell were ended O the blessed beames of that righteous Sun which shine so brightlie vpon my Soule They shall neuer be intercepted by any earthlie interposition of sinfull shadows Hence foorth nothing shall bee able for euer to â—…et God my Soule at oddes O now nothing shall bee able to affright my Soule any more with dreadfull distempers to God alone belongeth the glorie Well may I say If the Lord had not helped mee it had not failed but my Soule should haue beene put to silence I esteeme all the joyes which I feele to be a Cluster of Canaan which my faith lik a trustie Spy hath broght vnto mee that thereby I may know the goodnesse of that Land But because I cannot tell what assaults my Soule may yet suffer for I finde my former joyes a little ouerclouded I pray you Sir to conceiue a prayer to God for mee that the assurance of his pardons may more and more be sealed vp into mine heart that death bee not vnto mee as a king of feare but rather as a passage and an entrie to life eternall Make earnest requeast for mee that I die not as the wicked whose hope doeth perish with their breath hauing their Soules goared with sinne the sting of Death O Lord bring mee an Out law by Nature within the bounds of thy Sheep-folde Fill nowe my Soule with spirituall and heauenlie inspirations I haue alas the most parte of my life beene like roustie yron vnfitte for anie worke It hath fared with mee as with the Eye which seeing other thinges seeth not it selfe nor the face wherein it is fixed In knowing other things I haue remained ignorant of my selfe a great stranger at home into mine own bosome from my youth my Soule sicke of â—… spirituall dropsie did swell in a conceit of its owne excellencie Now Lord wound this pride of life within mine heart wound it in the head and craze it in the braine Separate all iniquitie from mee that nothing wherewith thy Spirit may bee grieued may harbour in mine heart Vpon this earth there hath beene none hoe with my desires which lik the sore crauing Horse-Leach culd say nothing but Giue giue Now Lord make my Soule to loath that which I haue too much loued prepare my Soule emptie it of all that is euill before it come before thy Face wherein is fulnesse of joy for all Saints and Angels which are aboue Now Lord after that thou hast cleansed mee by the fierie tryall by beating and battering mine hard heart let the workman-ship of thine holie hands be to refine me more more till I become perfectlie a newe creature O powre this heart into the calmes of thy compassions that therein as in a mould it may receiue thy liuelie Image Weede out of mine hearte all carnall and earthlie desires The Pastour I blesse the Lord for such working of his Spirit According to your desire wee shall bend our knees to God in prayer While wee are praying lift vp your heart vnto God and pray with your Spirit Set now all your affections in bensell
in the dumbe choppe of the conscience The Pastour As I perceiue ye are in the storme of temptations As the shippe in a tempest goeth with a low saile So is it good and most sure in the tempest of temptations to take downe the top sailes of our owne worth But yet Sir in your humilitie beware to disprise and set at nought the graces of God that are within you Vertue standeth in the midst As the Publican would not brage vainlie with the Pharisee that he was not like other men so neither would hee desperatlie say with Cain Mine iniquitie is greater than that it may be forgiuen The sicke Man Alas Sir yee know not what weight hangeth vpon mine heart ye are not priuie vnto my secret sinnes which I thinke shame to vtter O these gnawings of my wormish Conscience hardlie can yee imagine what filthie thoughts haue beene into my heart since I came into this world Hitherto they haue all beene hidde from mine eyes But now I thinke that I see all my sinnes set in order before mee My Soule is poisoned with the stinke of such corruptions I abhorre my selfe and what wonder that God abhorre mee The Pastour The more a man abhorreth himselfe God who is milde mercifull loueth him the better It is good for a man to stinke in his owne nose A wicked man may bee well compared to the Latin Cimex French Punaise Tree Lice that stinke most vilelie and yet feele not the stinke of their own breath Laodicea thought her selfe happie and yet God said that he wold spew her out of his mouth Gods thoughtes are not mans thoughts Yee complaine Sir of the filthines of your bygone thoughts it is well done But heere is your comfort Now is that fountaine of God in Zachrie opened to the house of Dauid for sin and for vncleannesse Though through sin yee were lepper in soule as Na◅man was in bodie the Iordan of Christs Blood is able to mak you cleane The precept is not of hard practise Wash and bee cleane belieue and bee saued If yee would haue the Spirit of God to take a Chamber into your heart keepe your hearte cleane Gods house must be a cleane house it must often bee sweept If the dust or dirt of sinne defile the pauement thereof it must first bee watered with the teares of repentance The stoure dust must be laid with holie water then wee must sweepe out all filthinesse with the besome of godlie reuenge This doing Sir God shall delight to dwell in you If Sathan blow at the juniper coales of your sinnes kindled with sparkles of fierie wrath runne with the Bucket of Faith to the Blood of Iesus which is onelie able for to quenche that flamme The sicke Man My cheekes are watered with teares trickling downe both day and night * my moist eyes are soked in this salt brimie water O but they are comfortlesse teares The Pastour God at last shall make them comfortable like the bowle full of dewe which Gideon wrāg out of his Fleece Gods signe of Israels Saluation Haue patience a little Sir and your waterie eyes shall receiue the other dryē signe of the fleece all your teares shall bee dryed and wyped away so that yee shall neuer weepe any more The houre is fast comming that God shall wipe away your teares the waters of your weeping after that there shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor paine Seeke the Lord while hee may be found and call vpon him while hee is nigh To him alone in Iesus must yee haue all your recourse on him alone must yee relye The sicke Man I wote not where to goe I can neither sitte stand nor lye Mine heart alas is hardened yea hard like the heart of the Leuiathan which is hard like a piece of the nether milstone I thinke that such hardnesse is from the deceitfulnesse of sinne The Pastour It is a sort of softnesse when we feele our owne hardnesse He who hath begun such softning will bring his own work to perfectiō in his appointed houre The seedes of grace are like Corne they are not ripe the first day they are sowen but ripen by degrees From this is that saying Grace requyreth space or in space commeth Grace A reprobate sense is not so neare at anie time as when it is least suspected and most neglected Say in all patience with the Prophet Micah I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him He will turne againe he will haue compassion vpon you Hee will subdue your iniquities cast them in the depths of the sea Holde vp your heart toward the Father of Lights the giuer of euerie good gift Let your foule flee vp to the Throne of his Grace The sicke Man My Soule is not fit for fleeing to the Heauens It is lik a pulled foule that wanteth the feathers It may well nod with its head and make a mint with the stumpts of its wings but can by no meanes hoise it selfe from the Earth All my comforts are clipped from me Sinnes heauy like milstones are hung about my necke Oh that I were cast into the sea with my sinnes there to be buried for euer farre if it were possible from the presence of my God Since yee came to mee mine heart was not in such a plounge of miserie as it is now There is nothing within me but wrath and woe warring against my Saluation Gods heauie hand hath distressed mine heart wonderfullie My Soule is so besieged with temptations that it may well be called Magor missabib feare round about This I feare that my name bee crossed out of the Booke of Life The Pastour I remember of a wise counsel which a learned Diuine gaue to a man sore assaulted vpon his death-bed with the temptations of the deuil When thou art tempted of Satā said he seest no way to escape euē thē plainly close vp thine eyes and answere nothing to his temptations But commend thy cause to God This said hee is a principall point of wisedome that we must follow in the houre of death That is That we daine not to giue Sathan an answere but say with Michael The Lord rebuke thee Sathan If thy flesh tremble and feare to enter into another life and if it doubt of saluation if thou yeeld to these things thou hurtest thy selfe therfore close thine eyes as before and say with S. Stephen Lord Iesus receiue my Spirit and then certainelie Christ will come vnto thee with all his Angels and bee the guider of thy way At the entrie of the red Sea when Israel enuironed on both sides with mountaines hauing the sea before and the Egyptians behind could see no meanes of escape Then Moses said to Israel The Lord shall fight for you and yee
many doe But yet yee must know that hee that made the Time will not bee subject vnto Time the King of Time is Eternall GOD is eternall and hath all Times at his command There is no Time that can hinder him to bee mercifull to a sinner at whatsoeuer time he sha◅l repent For this cause Christ for to let the world see that hee can forgiue when a sinner can repent hee took from the Crosse the Soule of a condemned Theefe and after that hee had absolued it hee carried it to Paradise God hath said That at whatsoeuer time a sinner shall repent that hee will put away his wickednesse out of his rememberance Fra once hee hath said the word hee cannot take his word againe He is constant in all his wayes and therfore neuer saith and vnsaith one thing Hath he said shall hee not doe it If yee can but waite a little ye shall finde all the fiercenesse of his fur◅e to bee turned into the fulnesse of his fauour * Hee who shall seeke him earnestlie shall not receiue an emptie answere There is mercie in heauen for an hell of conscience vpon earth Cast all your cares aside cast your selfe into the armes of your God Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and hee shall sustaine thee Be strong in the Faith of God In hope belieue against hope though for a space your Spirit bee distempered yet still relye vpon the mercie of your God Goe not off this that the Blood of Iesus was shed for you that Christ hath payed your ransome What euer Sathan by his temptations suggest vnto you belieue him not Take my counsell I pray you Sir that I speak the trueth heere I darre take it vpon my Soules Saluation The sicke Man I thank God from mine heart that euer I heard you your words are ful of comfort O how indebted am I to the mercy of my God who hath vnlocked the bowels of his loue towards me At our first meeting I found my selfe inuolued with much miserie and mischief but since I haue heard you I finde I blesse God some stirring of God Spirit within mine heart mine heart before this time hath beene lik that Altar at Athens wherin was ingrauen in great Letters TO THE VNKNOVVNE GOD I heard often of God but I neuer knew him truelie vntill now This is the infancie of my regeneration I haue beene too long a stranger from so good a God My Soule now rejoyceth after many toes and froes I finde mine heart loosed from the cartropes of my sinnes and linked vnto my Sauiour with stronger chaines than of before There bee better motions within than euer I did feele before this houre O thou who is Loue let my Soule bee possest of a sound and constant loue to thy most mercifull Majestie Bring my Soule from the shadow of death to the light of thy countenance O Lord my strength and my Redeemer O Lord of Hostes giue me strength and courage to fight out this Christian fight whereof the victorie is glorious and the reward a Crowne of immortalitie Inspire mine heart with the life of Grace If thy care had not hitherto preserued my Spirit my Soule had long since bene drowned in a sea of sin and sorrow There haue bene such lecks into mine heart that except the Lord in time had pumped it with repentance my Soule long since had made ship-wracke of Faith O how much am I beholden to my God who hath taken longer day with mee than within any others from whom before they were prouided hee hath demanded his due Blessed bee my God who hath made mee free from the frenzie of Spirite by appearing vnto mee in a greater calme The feeling of his wrath past I hope shall be a sauce for to sharpen my blunted loue towardes him in all times to come with vndaunted constancie I perceiue nowe that the day is darkened and that the night approcheth Oh that I might cōtinue conference with you but least I should wearie you from the best of my bowels my deare Pastour I bidde you farewell I looke to morrow for a new conference for with many difficulties mine heart is yet troubled and tossed I requeast you before yee goe to helpe mee with your prayers The Pastour I blesse God who hath begunne to intermingle the sweete honey of some comfortes with the bitter gall of painefull temptations GOD who hath begunne to make you his his Prentice in Grace shall an one mak you a free man in Glorie As Ministers must first sit at Gamaleels feete for to learne before they sit in Moses chaire for to teach so must Christians first bee humbled with temptations on earth before they bee honoured with exaltations into the Heauens Well is the man that is truelie humbled by GOD and made a foole in his owne eyes for hee which thinketh himselfe wise is a foole ipso facto All naturall wisedome without Spirituall humilitie is like ouernights Manna which did no good but mould and fust God by diuers temptations first carnall and after spirituall hath besieged the corruptions of your nature and hath battered downe the strong holds and fortified Castles of your imaginations and reasoning the high thinges which exalt themselues against the knowledge of GOD Before hee leaue you hee shall bring into Captiuitie euerie thought of your heart to the obedience of Christ According to your desire wee shall bend our knees to GOD in prayer that yee may spell his loue out of such a Fatherlie correction and learne in time to stay your selfe vpon his kindnesse and good will A Prayer for the sicke Man O LORD of Mercie whose bowels are turned within thee when thou beholdest the griefe of the godlie Bee heere present for the reliefe of this thy poore distressed Seruant His eyes are stedfastlie fixed vpon Thee as the eyes of the hand maide are fixed vpon the hands of her Mistresse Behold LORD and heare his amazed broken heart braying after thee as an Hart panting after the Riuers of waters Pitie this sillie Soule which is like the drye ground gaping for droppes of Raine Oh LORD his strength is d◅yed vp like a Pot shard his tongue cleaueth vnto his jawes and thou hast brought him into the dust of death Let the sweetest comfortes of thy bleeding bowels bee powred into his broken heart Make the joyfull Light of thy countenance breake foorth vpon his drooping and cloudie Conscience O strengthen his sillie Soule in this heauie houre Pacifie the pangs of his remorse that hee may laye holde vpon the merits and mercies of thy Sonne IESVS Come gracious GOD with thy strength for his succour Sathan a most bitter enemie hath besieged his Soule with most fearefull temptations There is no mischiefe which could bee deuised but hee hath m◅stered it and set it in battell arraye against him While hee had health and youth this enemie
subject vnto changes lik the Moone Crownes haue their composse triumphs haue their tombes All our sweetest thinges in end proue but honied poyson Thus all that yee see heere below is vnconstant The greatest kingdomes are turned about as with whirling wheeles The Kinges vpon its spokes are marked vpon this dittâ—… 〈◊〉 Regnabo regno regnam suâ—… 〈◊〉 sine regno One Prince is lying vpon his backe another hath a spok in his hand climing vp the Wheele The third is vpon the top The fourth is fallen hauing his heeles vp his head down All the things of this world are diuided into foure Either they lye low or they climbe they stand or they are fallen The poore man is lying vpon his backe without any helpe or hope Another is fall of climbing conceits The third beeing there where all would bee euen vpon the toppe the higher hee is mounted the greater is his fall He then falleth that another may stand in his place while hee againe is lifted vp hee must stand with feare and heare Let him that standeth take heede lest hee fall At last also to him the haÌ„dwritting commeth foorth that in Gods ballance he is found wanting that therfore his kingdome must bee taking from him Then all the pleasures of his wine of his whoores then all his feasting his mirth and his Musicke is turned into a trembling feuer which maketh all his joyntes to shiuer and his knees to smyte one against another Beholde and consider how the glorie of Kings the gods of this world is brought to destruction Though their heads bee golden their feete are but of clay like Nebuchadnezars image Gods litle stone cut out without hands is able to bruise grinde in powder their Golde Siluer Brasse Yron and Clay for the allaying of the pride of their peacocke feathers Hee can let them see the blacknesse of their feete None of them can stand before the winde of that voyce Returne ye ChildreÌ„ of men Though their honours which they doe broach with so bold a face were reared aboue the highest cloudes and exalted aboue the starrie Skie yet must they descend at the Euening of their life and make their bed with the beggers in the dust Thus after they haue drunke vp the pleasures of this world as Behemoth the Riuer of Iordan they at last find all to be but vanitie and change When their houre is come they must quite all and make resignation of all into the hands of a new succession for to goe dwell in the Land of darknesse and shadow of death Who knewe the weight of their Crownes they would neuer be so sicke for them as King Ahab was for Nabothes vine yarde If of any man may bee said this is most true of him who is in highest places While his flesh is vpon him hee shall haue paine and his Soule within him shall mourne After that for a space hee hath feasted with Belshazzar and fatted himselfe against the day of slaughter with Wheat Wine and Oyle at last shall hee know but too late that no Feast is continuall but that of a good Conscience * Oh that great men while their minds with Dauid are beastlie would with Dauid goe to the Sanctuarie of God for to learne that if great men be not good men though they were Kinges they are sette in slipperie places Seeing Kings and Kingdomes are but vanitie what is that on earth that is not vaine There is nothing that can stretch to eternitie below In this world all men are strangers in their birth Pilgrimes in their life at last lik combersome guests by death they are thrust out at doores The language of Tabor was that It is good for vs to bee heere But the language of heaueÌ„ proclaimed that Peter knew not what he said Striue to keepe euer your heart loose from the earth The glassie sea of this vvorld is neuer without tempests Hee that would haue his Soule wained from the loue of this world let him remember but these sixe things 1. What hee is in himselfe 2. What is within him 3. What is aboue him 4. VVhat is beneath him 5. What is before him 6. What is behind him Man in himselfe is but dust and ashes a cage of corruptioÌ„ Thrise with one breath is he called Earth earth earth Earth by creation sustentation and corruption saith Bernard Within him is a blind minde a peruerse will and most vile affections yea so that euerie imagination of the thoughts of his hearte are onelie euill continuallie Aboue is a weightie vengeance hanging by a small twined threed of Gods patience Below him is a fierie fornace and the smoking brimstone gulfe of euerlasting burnings Against him Sathan and sinne with their legions posting to and fro so that when one departeth it is but to fetch seuen others worse than himselfe Before him is nothing but miserie volumnes of woes and lamentations Those bee his Day-booke Behind him pale Death followeth with stealing steppes See vvhat a masse of miserie like an hudge armie besetteth and besiegeth the whole course of the life of man till death at last come with the dead stroke and separate the Soule from the lumpish heauinesse of clay Then they that die in the Lord are blessed yea saith the Spirit That they may rest from their labours But because the day is alreadie spent yee shall now carefullie thinke vpon that which hath beene said It was a speciall propertie required in Sacrifices fitte for God that they could chewe the cude I leaue that which ye haue heard vnto your nights meditations I pray God that by his Spirit he would conuoy into the substance of that which your eare hath receiued Before I leaue you let vs all bend our knees vnto God in prayer that it would please his Highnesse to blinke downe vpon you with a reconcealed face His boundlesse and bottomelesse mercies did neuer yet know how to breake a bruised reed or quench a smoaking flaxe Let vs pray A Prayer for the sicke Man O LORD the GOD of the Spirits of all flesh the preseruer of men in whoÌ„ is both power for to saue and to destroy Thou art the true Teacher of Israel Thou hast the keyes of Heauen of Hell and of the Graue Come and cast the armes of thy mercie about this sorrow-beaten sinner Rejoyce him with the comforts of thy Spirit Inspire him with holy motions and with the life of Grace till hee bee made partaker of the diuine Nature Thou hast alreadie made his heart to melt within him at the sight of his transgressions Thou hast sette all his sinnes in order before him This is out of thy great mercie wherby thou wold not suffer him to freeze in the dregs of his corruptions Now at last LORD after thou hast refined him in the fierie fornace of temptations send him
terrours shall most violentlie rush vpon their Soules standing in an heauie dumpe waiting on their dreadfull doome While they liue heere the stone of their heart is like an grauell stone so bedded in the bladder that it cannot be painefull Little dreame the wicked now that such fearefull and hellish horrours are preparing for them But O their euerlasting woe is presentlie in hatching and hammering It is neerest to the birth while the wicked are most secure Sudden destruction is neerest while the preaching of peace are doubled by crying Peace and saftie Happie is the man to whom the Lord doeth vouchsafe the grace in this world to waken out of the drousie slumber of sin for to repēt in time Woe to these in whose hearts the long forebearance of Gods wrath hath wrought a more frozen coldnesse presumptuous securitie wherein being lulled they are carried in a most sweete and sound sleepe to places where their eye-lids shall neuer bee refreshed with rest any more O how shall they fling and cry when they shall feele themselues stung galled vpon thesore After that the Lord hath brow-beaten them with the biggest lookes of his wrath and hath terrified them with his piercing eyes of fire and after that he hath disclaimed all interest that euer hee had into them hee shall cause take these Foxes that spoiled his vines That done he shall vnsheath the flamming sword of his vengeance with these most fearefull wordes of excommunication Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fyre prepared for the Deuill and his Angels In that fire like dry chippie burne-wood they shall burne but in this they shall bee like Salamanders that they shall neuer bee consumed By that moste fearefull blast of wrath the LORD shall chase them all away from before his face as the chaffe of the mountaines before the winde and like a rolling thing before the whirle wind The mightie Lord lowring with a darke and cloudie countenance shall then in great furie lay about him with the heauie hammer of his judgements and that with full weight With one stroke without any iteration of strokes from the best strength of a diuine Arme Hee shall bring downe their hairie scalpes to the lowest dungeon of Death euen to euerlasting burning brimstone beames which no mercie shall be able to coole or quench There shall they drinke in cuppes of wrath for euer If these miserables could bee put out of paine vpon the sudden they should not be altogether comfortlesse But the mercilesse vengeance of Gods wrath shall adde leasure and lingring to their dying life and liuing death that sensiblie they may feel death in a life of vntollerable sufferings No mercie no pittie no regard shall bee had vnto them no not but the Lords justice shall charge the edge of his flamming sword vpon the heads and heartes of these doolefull creatures of infamous ranke These fearefull blowes of Iustice shall bee without any mixture of mercie He who created them without any labour shall destroy them without any losse Snaires fire and brimstone in that day shall raine downe vpon the hairie scalpe of euerie one which in their life-time did goe on in their sins without ◅emorse In this perplexitie anguish besieged with judgements both felt feared shall they slād before their Iudge all trembling and waiting vpon the sentence of that doolefull doome The sicke Man What shall become of the wicked after that the Lord hath dischairged them his presence any more by commanding them to depart The Pastour So soone as the Lord hath pronounced these words of euerlastingexcommunication they shall all incontinent goe downe to Hell in heapes for to bee scorcht parcht with the euerlasting burninges of a deuouring wrath They who haue bene intrapped in their sins shall be entombent in Gods plagues There shal be no more abiding for them in his presence they shal be chassed frō their God vnto euerlasting exile in dungeons of Deuils and of darknes where they shall bee pestered with vnspeakable doole in floods of fire wherin they shall waile and yele for euer Gods most heauie vengeance lik a Barley Loafe tumbling from aboue shall thrust them downe and crush them altogether like the Tents of the Midianites Sathan then with all the spight he can shall lay on load with milstones of miseries hung about their neckes Hee shall drawe them down with chaines of curses to the dungeons of darknesse Thus Hell with a gaping gulfe shall swallow them all at once They shall goe downe most fearefullie with grappling Deuils with squeeles roaring voyces which beeing heard by the blessed in whose eyes and sides they once were prickes and thornes shall rouse vp their hearts wonderfully to rejoyce and sing with such an high tune that shall mak the whole world to resound with a reboūding noise Mine heart trembleth to thinke vpon these torments which the wicked shall suffer into the fierie Lake after their departing from before their Iudge All wordes faile mee I finde my conceptions too weak in thinking vpon that infinite wrath O then these who enjoyed once all the pleasures which could bee purchased on Earth shall want all the good which they can desire and receiue all the euill which they can deserue They shall for euer be dying in a life which shall neuer end that they may dye continuallie and that in vtter darknesse where Sunne neuer shined where Day shall neuer dawne because that in the days of their flesh on earth they wold not so liue to die that they might die to liue they shall for euer in the Hell dye to liue that they may liuing to dye a liuing death a dying life a life death of woes These miserable creatures shal be so perplexed that they shall both grieue to liue and feare to dye They shall desire absolutelie neither death nor Life yet in a manner shall they wish for both but all in vaine The full bended Iustice of God shall giue no truce to their teares nor place to their plaints Vnto all these terrours of Gods wrath shal be joyned another feare euen Sathan the king of feare hee in most bitter spight shall besiege these trembling Soules with vnspekable terrours For he shall stare them in the face with most grizlie formes and terrible representations Hee in great furie shall hunt out vpon them most fearefull gnawing wormes which shall feast on their Consciences The thoughtes of such thinges should pierce as I thinke euen vnto the verie center of leared Consciences O but the assurance of happinesse in many is false and misgrounded Obstinate sinners whose hearts are hard paued with obstinate rebellion think now that they shall neuer see that day because God now keepeth silence they thinke that he is lik vnto them But the slower Gods hand be in comming on the fadder and ◅orer shall his stroake bee While the wicked most securelie snort in
before the Lord Let vs all humble our selues heere before our Maker A Prayer for the sicke Man O LORD prepare our heartes to prayer Let vs not be rash with our mouth nor hastie with our heart to vtter any thing before Thee O glorious GOD and all mercifull Father which art the true Physicion both of Soule and bodie we must humblie bend our knees before Thee intreating thee to be with thy seruant heere whom thou hast now laide into this bedde of languishing Let not his sinnes whereof hee hath beene guiltie from his youth vp prouok thy wrath any more against him Knit them all in a bundle and cast them all behind thy mercifull back burie them al into the bottomlesse sea of thy compassions that they neither bee able to accuse him any more in this worlde nor yet to condemne him in the world to come Though his sinnes LORD were like Scarlet and Crimsin there is vertue into the Blood of thy Lambe to make them white like woole and whiter than the Snow For thy Sonnes sake remoue all his transgressions as far frō him as the East is from the west Hell LORD Destruction are before thee how much more the hearts of the Sonnes of men Thine All seeing Eye pryes most clearelie into the in-most closet of mans heart Look with the Eye of thy compassions within the Doores of this wearied heart of thy Seruant Looke in and proclaime mercie and pardon vnto his sillie Soule Let him know that neither Death nor Life shal be able to separate him from thy Loue O LORD assist him and stand fast by him in this houre Desert him not in his greatest last agonie Let thy Spirit possesse him so fullie that there be none entrie or roume for Satans temptations whē the Temper is bufiest let thy Spirite bee strongest Arme him with all Pieces against the last conflict of this bloodie battell Honour him with the Lawrels of victorie Let thy strength be made perfect in his greatest weak nesse Doe the turne by thine owne force and take all the glorie to thy selfe By the vertue of thy Christ crucifie into him the olde Man and his vvorkes Make him to die into him that hee may liue to Thee vvho to all the Faithfull is aduantage both in life and death Hee is now LORD walking betweene thy Mercie and thy Iustice through many-temptations Gouerne thou his steppes vvith such vvisedome that the feare of Iustice may keepe him from presumption and the hope of mercie may preuent despaire Increase his patience vvith his paine Sanctifie his Sickenesse make it as Bellowes to thy graces that thereby they may be kindled and blowne vp to a greater flame Enamour him vvith the loue of thy goodnesse Powre in the oyle of thy mercie into his bruissed hearte which hath bene filled with mournfull groanes And seeing now thou art calling him to repetitions to see vvhat hee hath profited in thy Schoole cast into his rememberance all the good things that hitherto hee hath heard or meditate for to comfort this houre Bee strong in him now in this time of tryall Applye vnto his wounds the Balme of Gilead Hee is weake and therefore O LORD forbea◅e him in thy mercie O pittie this wounded man as did that Samaritane Powre Oyle into his wounds bind them vp and take him to thine Inne For thy mercies sake remember him Forthy Sonnes sake pittie him For thy promise sake forget him not Free his Soule f◅ the maze of all worldlie cares Inspite into him the life of grace with a most fresh vigout and feruent heate of zeale to thy Glorie Hee LORD in his most piercing paines knoweth not what to doe but his eyes are on Thee In thine handes is both Life and Death Thou bringest to the Graue and bringest backe againe In thy greate mercie O LORD make all his bedde in his sicknesse make his bedde to be a Schoole vnto him wherein hee may not onelie learne the hudgnesse of his owne miserie but also the greatnes of thy mercie Let neither Death fright him nor the Graue grieue him Let him knowe that Death is but a sleepe for the friendes of Christ and the Graue a bedde for the resting of their wearied bones Let not the weight of mortalitie beare downe his Spirite frō minding the things which are aboue Make him content to quite gladlie all earthlie pleasures and contentments for to goe dwell with Thee his GOD in immortalitie Let neither the sweetnesse of the Figge nor the grapes of the Vine nor the fatnesse of the O liue hinder his desire to reigne in heauen Against the feare of death comfort him with hope of the glorious Resurrection Assure his Soule though his bodie goe to bee eaten of the wormes that hee in that bodie againe shall see his Redeemer and none other for him Furnish him with spirituall courage vnto the end Giue him boldnesse to march without feare thorow the valey of death for to come to Thee yea to run were it thorow Hell for to come to Thee in Heauen Tell vnto his Soule that his paines dismay him not seeing his trauell is to bring foorth eternall life Let thy Iustice seate trouble him no more seeing Christ hath payed his debts Let him not bee afraide to come before the Face of his Iudge seeing the Iudge himselfe is his Brother who hath both cut cancelled that hand-writting of the Law which no flesh was able to performe Pittie him LORD pittie him for loe hee is nowe in thine handes looking pittifully vp to Thee for thy mercie Some of thy setters are yet vpon him none can loose him but the hands which haue bund him Pittie good LORD and pardon set vnto this Soule the seale of thy pardons by the Spirit of adoption Heale and sweetlie close vp the wounds of his Spirit by the vertue of thy most blessed Blood This is our confidence that thou who hast stricken him is able to heale him and will also doe it if it bee for thy glorie and his well if not Lord in judgement remember mercie If it bee his best that after some dayes sicknesse he depart out of this mortall life let these paines which hee suffers nowe bee like Ionathans arrowes which were not shot for to ◅urt but to giue warning Giue him grace that like an obedient Childe hee may as w◅ll kisse thine hand while it beateth as while it blesseth If thy decree be come foorth that hee must remoue from this World assure him of a better place where pleasures are in greater number th◅ the starres Teach him by thy Spirit that by death hee shall change a mortall habitation a dungeon of darknes◅◅ cage of corruptions for euerlasting T◅bernacles most heauenlie sacred M◅sions where constant peace vnmi◅ joyes remaine Weane his heart from the loue of all things that are vnder the Sunne Let the beautie and glorie of the Heauens whereof hee hath heard at length this day
water but it is God who giueth the increase The best of all Preachers are but like Iohn the Baptist the voyce of a Cryer who could not make all the crooked straight nor the rough plaine If any good bee conuoyed vnto your Soule by mee I am but the Instrument or Channell wherethorow the Spirit of Iesus hath made his Graces to flow vnto you To Him alone belongeth the Glorie and the Thankes It is not humane eloquence which conuerceth Soules One word quickened and enliued with his Spirit is more fruitfull than all the glorious eare-pleasing pompe of mans wordes which like Agrippa and Bernice are full of phantasie All the good that man can doe either by word or worke is like the honie in the combe gathered out of many flowers But the euill is lik the Spidders webbe drawne out of our owne bowels The griefes of your heart Sir haue bene very great but now ye are mercifullie comforted Manie in this world plod on from sin to sin marching merrilie feareleslie towards the plagues of Hell But O how much are yee beholden vnto your GOD who in all your wearisome mazes hath supported and sinewed your Soule by his sauing Grace Because Sir there be here diuerse of your Friendes and other acquaintance vnto whom it may be ye wold desire to speake I giue place to them that now they may learne something of you The last words of a godlie man are verie forcible vnto the liuing And therefore Sir while ye haue breath spend your short time vpon this that by your good counsell yee may doe good to these that are for to liue after you That once done commit your Soule to God as a faithful Creator He himselfe hath said I will not leaue thee neither will I forsake thee A speach of the sicke Man to his Friendes And now yee my trustie Friends whose age God hath crowned with ripenesse of judgement I turne my selfe to you But first of all let mee speak vnto you my spiritual special Friend who in my deepest plunge while I was fast sticking into the myrie clay did vphold me with your comforts Your counsell to sende for my Pastour hath prouen a speciall salue for my sore God by that man of whom yee spake hath now healed my Soule of all its harmes O blessed be that vnspeakable mercy of my God Though Sathan had bereaued mee of my puritie he could not bereaue my God of his pittie The Lord of light hath brought my Soule out of that long and loathsome night which is in the valley of the shadow of death in comparison whereof the most palpable darknesse of Egypt might haue beene esteemed to bee day O that pleasant Sunne-shine wherewith my Soule is nowe inlightned O my God breath more more into my Soule the life of grace The spirituall Friend Glorie bee to God for his wonderfull mercies towardes you The Lord now set your Soule on wing that swiftlie like an Eagle it may flie vp to its God Many a sore assault haue yee suffered since I spake with you at the first Satan his temptations with the world the corruption of Nature had gathered themselues against you like Gebal Amon and Amaleck against Israel Of them may yee well say nowe They compassed mee about like Bees they are quenched as the fyre of thornes To Sathan may yee now say Thou hast thrust sore at mee that I might fall but the Lord hath helped mee When I mette with you first yee were compassed with a chaine of calamities one linked into another To mee yee appeared to bee hanging ouer Hell by the slender twined threed of a lifelesse hope Yee were plunged deeper downe than Ionaâ—… was when hee went downe to the bottome of the mountaines where the weedes were wrapt about his head Now let your Soule say with Ionah I will sacrifice vnto thee with the voyce of thankesgiuing I will pay that that I haue vowed Saluation is of the Lord. The sicke Man Blesse the Lord O my Soule and all that is within mee blesse his holie Name Blesse the Lord O my Soule and forget not all his benefites Farewell my trustie Friend Now as for you mine other friends I turne my selfe to you Hee that is conuerted with Peter should labour the conuersion of others Hee whose weaknesse the Lord hath helped should strengthen his brethren It is nowe time to take our last good night Heere in your presence I say Farewell O world wherein I haue liued which I haue too much loued Learneye in time to set your affections vpon God None of you can tell if God shall giue you such laiser to repent as he hath granted vntome If yee forsake not in time the sweete pleasures of your sins feare lest at last that that be found true which Abner said to Ioah Knowest thou not that it will bee bitternesse in the latter end There is no sinne so sweete to man in his life but before his death it shall bee dissweetned and turned into gall and wormewoode within the bellie of the Conscience I speake by experience as one who hath knowne the terrours of the Lord O my deare friendes looke ouer your shulder back to your bygone life and consider how grieued yee shall bee for the sinnes of your pleasures when yee shall bee warded into your death beddes readie to compeare before the great Iudge of the world As yee see mee this day so shall others see you ere it bee long I haue often beene glad among you Yee see now by mee what it is of all worldlie â—…oye With a little blast of sickenesse such comfort like chaffe are chassed away Your time is fast comming Your Glasse is running my sicknesse cryeth vnto you Learne of the estate of this your olde Friend to make your selues readie for another world To mee to day to you to morrow Where the tree falleth there shall it lye Whether the Glutton and the Begger are gone thither must wee all that is either to 〈◊〉 hams bosome or to the Deuils 〈◊〉 The death of one is like a 〈◊〉 charging all others to bee readie 〈◊〉 flitte and remoue Happie yea thrise happie is that man who in these 〈◊〉 and desperate dayes is not dulde with securitie Blessâ—…d is hee who is forâ—… warned striue to bee forewarned Blessed is that man who is eueâ—… vpon his watch hauing his loineâ—… girded and his Candle in his hand waiting for the comming of his Lord. A dew my louing Friendes Seeke in time the friendship of your God Striue to be worthie the stile of Abraham that was called The friend of God O my deare Friends let mee now tell you what the Lord hath done to my Soule Hee hath at last beene sensiblie gracious to my poore Soule which Sathan hath long hunted vp downe like a Patridge on
thee in righteousnesse in judgement in louing kindnesse in mercies come now and perfect the marriage in glory before the Sainctes and Angels that are aboue where pleasures are for euermore The Pastour Amen Amen The Spirit of God Sir is with you within you Continue in such holie and heauenlie thoughtes Contemne still the transitorie triffles of this world that gladlie yee may desire to goe dwell with your God Naturallie all men are so stiffe-necked and so steele hearted that they cannot submit their will to the good pleasure of their God O that men would bee wise in time and could consider how they must bee accountable for euerie houre of time they haue imployed in their life Our Soules alas are so sensuall that they will not knit into acquaintance with Right and Reason but like factious ligged lieges rebell stifelie against their Lord Hardlie will mans heart rander vnto that petition which is often in his mouth viz. Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen The pride of mans heart perketh it selfe aboue the Lawes of humble obedience Blessed bee God whose mercie hath made you a resolued man such wordes as I haue heard of you were neuer teached in the Schoole of Nature Nature cannot speake the language of Canaan We haue nothing to rander vnto God for his working mercies but the mites of praise O but ye are much beholden vnto GOD who hath endued your Soule with his loue subdued the raging power of temptations whe◅with your Soule at the first was caried lik chaffe or dust before a gale mightie winde O but your heart at the first was fearefullie hacked and mangled with most terrible temptations O but the Spirite of Iesus hath wrought wonderfullie within you Now by him are ye made free from all the terrors of temptations which like venemous hornets did flie in your face The sicke Man I finde now all that to bee true Glade is my Soule that euer it knew that Lord Full welcome is his Spirit to me Christ is now my Loue mine hearts delight Hee hath ridde my Soule of all mine heauie-hearted thoughts By his blessed Spirit hee hath perswaded mee that my Soule hath a true and reall enterest in these blessed tidings of peace and Saluation which hee by his Blood hath bought and broght from the Heauens O the mercie of my God! O the Ocean of his compassions which hath swallowed vp the most hudge mountaines of mine iniquities O what a redemption is this to bee deliuered from so great a death wherin the damned must die so long as God shall liue O death of torments without anie end O life of continuance without anie ease O the immortalitie of that death wherein sinners shall euer bee dying but neuer dead wherein the least touch of paine cannot bee counteruailed with the millions of pleasures O the tumbling and tossing that shall bee there where the wrath of God shall infinitelie burne Now Christ the Lord of life hath made mee free of all these fear◅s I hope shortlie to bee with him I rejoyce in hope of the glorie of God To him will I say as hee said to Zacheus Today I must bide with thee I long to bee out of this state of strife My bodie is weake and mine ◅eart fainteth within mee O Lord recreate and refresh my Soule with the blessed Blood of the Lambe orientle streaming thorow the channell of his wounds Giue mee a constant assurance that all my sinnes are blotted out of thy Register Where no woode is there the fyre goeth out Where sin is taken away there wrath ceaseth to bee O Lord conduct the Ruther of my Soule till it hath sailed thorow al the seas of sorrows and become to the Port of pleasures for euermore The Pastour Take courage and continue so Lift vp your head with the eye of Faith behold the other Shore euen the Land beyond the riuer The Land of vprightnes Canaan which is aboue Bend vp all your heart-strings with hauenlie desires Fixe fast your eyes vpon that Crowne of immortalitie Let now all your thoughts claspe fast about the mercies of your God Hee nowe imbraceth you his hand is a sure hold fast which neuer letteth slip that which it once hath seized on In al appearance your Battell is neare an end Waite stedfastlie vpon the Lord Christ shortlie with a soft hand shal loose the knot of your life that your Soule may goe free to the place of its rest your Soule alreadie by the mercifull Arme of Iesus hath beene deliuered from the painefull racke of repentance and now is sette vpon the rocke of your Saluation The gracious God hath beene your Father Feeder and Defender Your desirs which of before were grappled to the ground now only aspire to things which are aboue Afflictions to the Soule is like the gade to the Oxe a teacher of obedience Finde ye now the tempest of your Conscience so allayed as yee would wish Is all calme and at quiet within I hope that the blessed droppes of the Lambes Blood haue quenched that wilde fyre wherewith once your troubled Conscience was enflammed Yee as I esteeme are no more troubled for your sinnes as though God neither would nor were able to forgiue I pray God that yee may boldlie say with a godlie Father What shall I returne vnto my gracious God that I darre now looke my sinnes in the face and not bee afraide The sicke Man My sinnes I blesse God fright mee no more O the rich bowels of Iesus wherein is a Myne of mercie I remember now of a sweete saying of a godlie mā on his death-bed When mine iniquities saide hee are greater than thy mercies O God then will I feare and despaire The comfortes of my God now refresh my Soule lik the Riuer of Siloah that watered the Citie of God I blesse God for all my try all troubles which hee hath made to worke together to my well Grace in the heart is often like fyre in flint insensible vntill it bee beaten It is good for vs that wee bee afflicted The bluenesse of the wound purgeth away euill My Saluation now is surelie sealed by the hand of the Spirit By his seale it is made sure and authenticall O how my Soule hath with a bright eye discouered the fauours of his face O if God forsake a man hee will shortlie with Iudas passe from the horror to the halter O the mercies of God towards me The Pastour O how much are yee beholden vnto God who by his Spirit hath so directed your heart and mouth with wordes perfumed with the sauour of life vnto life yee haue refreshed all our Soules as with a sweete breath If the Spirit of Grace guided not our tongues in our temptations our mouths to our euerlasting shame should breath out stiffe and stinking blastes of blasphemie against the Lord our
bee thankfull vnto thy good and gracious Lord O what tribulations am I come thorow O with what balmie comfortes hath the Lord asswadged the dolours of my Soule O my Soule I charge thee by the Roes and by the Hynds that thou haste thee vnto thy God in thy strongest affections Keepe nowe tryst with the Spirit of thy God who is now here waiting till thou bee readie The Pastour My Soule and all that is within mee praise the Lord for the powerfull working of his Spirite within you whereby hee hath made such a change as is wonderfull This particula◅ remembereth mee of a certaine Martyre who beeing condemned to bee burnt could feele no working of the Spirit within his hearte till hee came neare to the stake But beeing once come there with a cry hee clapped his hands and crying out amaine said O Austen hee is come hee is come The Martyr was called Master Goner The sicke Man By the grace of God I hope shortlie to say as much My Soule is readie bent waiting for his comming O come Lord Iesus come Let this mine hungrie Soule win in now at the ports of thy Palace for to get a share of the mariage supper of the Lambe in hope already I feast vpon the joys of eternitie In my Soule is now the Charter of my Saluation sealed with that most pure and purifying Blood of the immaculate and spotlesse Lambe that came to take away the monstrous and menstrous sin◅es of the world In the vertue of his Blood is my strongest comfort and highest resolution By it alone all my blacke and bloodie sinnes are clensed from their crimsin colour The Pastour Indeede Sir it is onelie that Lambes Blood that can purge away sinne and iniquitie Though man should wash himselfe with nitre and take him much sope yet for all that shall his iniquitie bee marked before God except that hee bee bathed into this blood of sprinkling Seeing now your Charter is well sealed hold fast these writtings that nothing aboue or belowe no not principalities and powers bee able to wrest them out of your hands Happie is your heart now wherein is that white jewell of the Reuelation euen the white stone wherein is a new name which no man can knowe except the receiuer O the boundlesse bleeding bowels of Gods compassions O that infinite store-house of Christs merites and mercies which no sinne were they neuer so hainous can bee able to stint or restraine before the repenting sinner get a parte of that purchase Neither Death nor Life things present nor to come shall be able to with hold a mourning sinner from a share in our Lords dearest compassions Christ now Sir is readie to receiue ◅ou Make your selfe readie for him Lift vp your hea◅ for your Redemption draweth neare The ende of your time and toile is fast comming The Angels of God are here waiting vpon your Soule which is now looking out to Christ as the morning faire as the Moone cleare as the Sunne and terrible as an Armie with Banners Wherevpon is your minde nowe fixed The sicke Man All mine affections are bended toward God O what shall bee able to hold or hinder me from hastening to my Lord the repairer of life the destroyer of death the conquerour of Heauen the vanquisher of Hell O my Sauiour come neerer yet vnto mee let my Soule creepe in by thy wounds euen to the verie bowels of thy mercie Warme it like a Chicken vnder the vvinges of thy loue The Pastour In Christ alone is Saluation Out of his side did issue the water that hath quenched the vnquencheable fyre of Gods wrath with the Blood that taketh away the sinnes of the world His holie Heart was racked his Armes of compassiō were stretched out vpon the Crosse for to declare to all repenting sinners the infinite widenesse of his mercies His sacred Head hang down bowed for to giue eare vnto the gronings of his prisoners His blessed Bowels rumbling with compassions rolled together made him to proclaime that Oyas of mercie Come vnto mee all yee that are wearied and ladened with sinne and I will ease you Much hath hee suffered for our cause Like a painefull labourer hee powred out sweate not onely of water but of blood at the working the great worke of mans Saluation At last by laying downe that Life of loue hee achieued the victorie ouer Sathan flesh the world all the enemies of mans Saluation Them all hee hath crushed and trodde vnder foote Stand fast by Iesus In Faith and Hope thrust your heart vpon him What now Sir thinke ye vpon The sicke Man Christ hath bund vp all my woūds he hath perfectlie closed them with the blessed Balme of his comfortes Now at the end of mine appointed time I am waiting earnestlie till my changing come I hope ere it be long to bee translated from grace to glory The Pastour O Lord set this Soule as a seale vpon thine Hearte and as a seale vpon thine Arme Out of thy great loue make this Soule beautifull as Tirzah comelie as Ierusalem terrible as armie with banners Thou Lord who crownest the yeare with thy goodnesse tak in thine hand the crowne of immortalitie in this Soule crowne thy graces with thy glorie Now Sir yee are neare the borders of Canaan three or foure steppes more would set you in that Land of life and loue The sicke Man Mine heart like an Hart braying after waters panteth after God O when shall I come and appeare before him Now mine heart shiuers within mee I am so sicke that I feare to faint The Pastour O Lord now be mercifull shew fauour toward this thy seruant Distill thy graces into his heart vvith a blessed influence from the Spirit of thy loue pull in all his spirits to Thee and thrust out all distractions O Lord of Life and Loue breath into his soule the life of immortalitie Take heede now vnto him ye who are neere about him for death now approacheth with its last assaultes in all appearance Looke well to him for hee seemeth to bee fallen into a sowne THE SICKE MAN IN A SOVVNE A SOLILOQVEE Or a priuie conference betweene the Soule and the bodie of the sicke Man lying in a sowne The Bodie MY Soule desireth thou now to leaue mee that haue borne thee about mee so manie yeares If thou goe from mee I must no longer remaine among the inhabitants of the world but incontinent after thy departure I a vassell of death must bee hid vnder the dust among crawling wormes farre from the eyes of the liuing These who were once glad to kisse my mouth shall abhorre to see my face Is not the Graue a Babel a place of confusion Doe not Iim and Zim resort there Doe not the Satyres and the Fairies daunce there Mine haire startes all vp for feare while I
vp nowe to the Heauens Thou hast alreadie past all toyle and turmoyle The way that rests vnto the Kingdome is both smooth euen without anie rubbe of opposition thou shalt enter into immortalitie O the showres of grace and mercie which raine downe vpon vs both Farewell till that desired day of the Resurrection come The Pastour His eyes stirre a little they are full of teares the tribute of Repentance He beginneth to shake he now seemeth to bee wakened out of his traunce I will inquire what his minde is set vpon What meditations are these Sir that yee are vpon Yee seeme to haue beene in some good motion The sicke Man My Soule Sir and my bodie after a blessed agreement haue beene taking their adewes one from another They haue bene blessing each other beâ—…ause they haue serued God together they looke to bee one day both glorified together A sea of comfortes hath rained downe vpon my Soule from the Heauens in most sweete and pleasant showers The Pastour Surelie that is a worthie exercise Such good motions are plants of God and impressions of his finger Happie are the Soule the bodie that can serue God together with one shoulder At that last day they shall haue a joyefull meeting they two shal be clasped together in loue with such contentmentes as tongues of Angels are not able to expresse But O when the vvicked soule shall returne from hell to take vp its bodie for to carie it to euerlasting torments then shall they curse each other with manie a woe for their Fornications Adulteries Lyes Deceits Ryot Drunkenesse Then would the bodie if it could haue intelligence of the soules comming wish that a rock or a mountaine would fall vpon it for to hide it from the Soule that beeing voyde of life it might bee free of feeling But the decree is come foorth of necessitie they must bee joyned together O but they then shall looke one to another like Lyons Their feede shall receiue none agreement no not They shall neuer agree in anie thing but in this to 〈◊〉 together that their comfortlesse dolours may bee doubled This is a deare pennie-warth so little pleasure for so much paine In that day all the wicked shal bitterlie repent such barganes Now happie is your Soule Sir and your bodie both that are so well resolued to depart Yee are certainelie blessed that euer yee were borne Behold nowe yee rest in hope of the resurrection which shall bee in that great day of Gods generall assemblie when all that euer tooke breath shall compeare before Christ the Iudge of the World for to receiue that which they did in the flesh bee it good bee it euill Now Sir seeing yee are an inrolled Citizen of Heauen and an adopted haire of God vp still with your heart towarde that heauenlie Heritage with sighes and grones beate on still at the doores of Gods mercie God giueth vnto prayer victory against himselfe Nowe the time draweth neere Sir your houre is come to a quarter fight out the good fight fixe the eyes of your Faith vpon the bloodie wounds of Iesus Lay hold on him listen to his voyce ere it bee long yee shall heare these words of joye Come faithfull seruant and enter into thyÌ„ Masters joye O Lord the giuer of grace and of glorie out of the blessed bowels of thy mercie bath and wash this Soule with that arteriall blood which sprang thorow the pierced filme of the heart of his Redeemer At the beginning of this Battell Lord thou did see howe his poore Soule was scorched with the flames of hellish temptations which did burne the verie marrow out of his bones this is thy ordinarie dealing with thine owne Hell on earth is for the heires of Heauen But heauen on earth is the portion of the heires of hell Now Lord from his hell bring him to thine Heauens Mak his Soule more clearelie to look vp toward the blessed bloodie wounds of his Sauiour wherein hee may perceiue the props of his protection Make his Soule now to be fullie possessed with an entire loue to the fairenesse of thy face wherein are pleasures for euermore The sicke Man Lord Iesus make clay againe with thy Spittle for to anointe my dimmed eyes that clearelie with Simeon my Soule may see thy Saluation We in our life receiue but the first impositioÌ„ of handes like the man that saw men walking like trees Now Lord at death giue mee the second imposition that I may see thee euen as thou art The Pastour Lord heare thou in Heauenâ—… Maintaine the life of his loue towards thee Now vvater the seede vvhich thou hast sowne Weede out the tares vvhich Sathan hath sowne Pittie and pardon Lay all his sinnes vpon the Sonne of thy loue Now let his feete be shod for the journey which hee is making to a better place Inspire his Soule with the spirit of grace till his life bee expired Saue him by thy blood which saued theÌ„ that spilt it The sicke Man I finde Death besieging my heart with seÌ„sible blowes O bring out my Soule out of this bricke of bondage of the bodie Mine heart stringes are so racked within mee that they are like to breake The hope that is deferred is the fainting of the Soule Lord helpe mee in this heauie houre The Pastour Lord heare thou in heauen and satisfie his hearts desire The sicke Man Pray pray that the Lord vphold mee in the throng of these throes wherewith mine heart is gripped lest I be whollie swallowed vp of despaire The Pastour O Sauiour of mankinde who out of thy meere mercie and loue came vnder the charge of his accounts Mak now answere for him as his Aduocat before that high Tribunall before which his poore Soule is now arraigned to coÌ„peare Turne all thy wrath in mercie and thy Iustice-seat in a Throne of grace Call home all his wandering thoughtes settle and them vpon thy selfe Maintaine the life of his loue Make death to him a Messenger of mercie and his paines a meane to bring him to thy pleasures O Captaine of his Saluation vnder whose bloodie banner hee hath in his life made warre against the enemies of thy glorie at death ouercome thou all the enemies of his Saluation With thy Trumpets and Lampes terrifie all these merciles Midianites Make them like a wheele as the stubble before the winde Graunt the victorie vnto thy weake Seruant heere that in the Heauens thou may crowne his Soule with glorious garlands of immortalitie Lord heare vs for the sake of thy Sonne vnto whom with thee and the Spirite of Grace bee all glorie and honour Amen Now Sir vp with your heart to the Father of mercies Fight out couragiouslie the fight of Faith Christ now is holding out the Crowne your Saluation is sealed yee neede not feare yee haue your warrant vnder the Broad Seale of the King of Heauen The sicke man O My deare
whereby he may be shielded from the bloodie blowes of a most cruell aduersarie Put on him Lord the compleate armour of God that hee may bee able to with-stand in this euill houre and hauing done all to stand Before this Battell end make him with stomacke and courage to runne all his enemies throgh with the two edged sword of thy Spirit Haue now Lord a speciall care of him Hemme in all his thoughts within the compasse of thy will Possesse him so with the fulnes of thy presence that in him there be found no roome for any ill motions Furnish him with the supplie of all these graces which thou knowest to bee wanting into him Let thy Spirit make residence in his heart as in an house of God Now Lord while it is time to saue saue the Soule of thy Seruant which is now readie to remoue Open vnto it that euer-flowing fountaine promised to the penitent of the house of Dauid for to tak away sinne and vncleannesse O Fountaine of Grace wash him and wash him throughlie with the blessed Blood of thy satisfaction After that thou hast made him perfectly cleane hold out thy succouring helpful armes vnto this Soule and take it into thy bosome Let it there taste of the honie of thy Compassions In this time of gloummines darknesse of death inlighten his Soule with the light of thy countenance Turne thy face now vnto it Hitherto it could see nothing but the Back-parts of Thee that Great IEHOVAH which bringeth joye but in parte From such parts now bring him vnto the fulnesse Turne thy selfe vnto this Soule that it may fullie see thy face wherein is fulnesse of joye And seeing no man can see thy face liue let this thy Seruant now see thy face and die that after death hee may liue with thee for euer in the Heauens Let neither the loue of life nor the feare of death turne his eyes from the prize of the high calling of God Make him now with a long steppe from the earth to the heauens to step in into immortalitie Now Lord engraue deepelie this Soule into the palmes of thine hands Set it as a seale on thine heart Wrap it within the Mantle of thy mercie warâ—…e it within the bowels of thy loue lappe it in thy bosome with that vnspeakable joye which Christ hath purchased with vnspeakable paine euen through the bloodie merites of his most bitter passions His wordes now are failed Square thou all his thoughts by the rule of thy Spirit of grace Lord make these our weake prayers to mount vp lik Pillars of smoke parfumed with the mercifull merites of thine onelie Sonne To him with thee his Father and with the Spirit of Grace be all Glorie Praise Power and Dominion for euer AMEN The spirituall Friend O deare Friende whome I haue seene a sorrow beaten sinner Rejoyce now in your Sauiour whose mercies haue beene the Bane of all your sinfull miseries Cleaue still fast vnto your Sauiour Let not him goe whom your soule loueth till ye come to Peniel where yee shall see him face to face The Lord refresh your wearied soule with the soft sweete breath of his Spirit The Lord kned into your heart these spirituall meditations which are of the purest straine O Father of mercies giue vnto this soule a most sure Infefâ—…ment of heauen by the hand of thy Spirit Make some drops of thy Myrrhe to enter in by some litle creuice of his heart Put in thine hand by the keye hole of the doore that his bowels may bee moued for thee Let such a strength now repare from thee vnto him that the world may see that thy strength is made perfect in weaknesse It shall bee expedient that nowe yee his Pastour in a short prayer recommend him to God againe Behold him now at the last gaspes his eye stringes are broken The water of death trickleth downe ouer his cheekes His life is now drawen to an haire O Lord while bodilie sight and senses faile make spirituall sight and sense succeede in a greater perfection Make a spaite of thy grace with a mightie streame to carrie him to glorie O deare Friend vp with your heart to your God Nowe all your sins shall die with your sicknesse The Rocke of your Saluation Iesus hath shiuered them in pieces There is 〈◊〉 condemnation to these that are in Christ who out of the pangs of loue suffered that paines of hell for mans RedeÌ„ption His Angels Sir are heere waiting vpon your Soule for to carrie it to pleasures for euermore Yet a little while and loe yee shall bee at the vpshotte of all your woe Yee are nowe vtterlie out of the reach of all the powers of hell euen vpon the borders of euerlasting pleasures vnmixed pleasures which shall turne all your teares into triumphes The Pastour Now Sir Gird vp the loynes of your minde make haste to your God who shortlie shall put into your haÌ„d the palme of victorie Sathan is chained vp now for doing you anie more harme The night of your trouble is past Christ that blessed Day spring hath brought a morning mercie vnto your Soule His graces in you hath shined more and more and so shall doe vntill the perfect day euen vntill your Soule carried on Eagles winges reach the hight of Heauen where without teares or tediousnesse are pleasures for euermore Though your tongue now faile you Sir let your heart be busie with God in prayer hee will hearten and encourage you in all the businesse Your taske is at an end Heaue vp your heart to Christ crucified with vs and that with sighes and sobbes the groanings of his owne Spirit Though your bodie now be cold the Spirit of Iesus shall by a free and vitall operation maintaine the heate and vigour of your Soule The Spirit of comfort conueye vnto your soule the warmest blood that euer heated the heart of Iesus Let vs pray The last prayer for the sicke Man in the verie jawes of death O LORD whose mercies are aboue all thy workes it was neuer thy custome to send away a broken heart without comfort Now heare the secret gâ—…oanes and sighes of thy seruant whose soule is ready in this gasping agonie to come out of its Tabernacle for to coÌ„peare before thee Thou who hast giuen him thy Son for a ransome giue him thy Spirit for a pledge Furnish him with force for to fight and finish this Battell in victory As thou hast bene at the beginning of his beeing euen the beginner of his beeing so now bee thou the ende at which hee aimes euen the ende of all his woes And seeing hee is now in the narrow throat of death helpe him by thy power till hee hath past this passage Put now into him a fresh liâ—…e that in a strong vigour hee may runne with the feete of the Hinde till hee come to thee in eteâ—…nitie Make him now supple and nimble
THE LAST BATTELL OF THE SOVLE IN DEATH Diuided into eight coÌ„ferences 1. Volume Whereby are showne the diuerse Skirmishes that are betweene the Soule of Man on his Death-bedde and the Enemies of our Saluation Carefullie digested for the comfort of the Sicke By Mr. ZACHARIE BOYD Preacher of Gods Word at Glasgow IOB 14. Vers. 14. All the dayes of mine appointed tyme will I 〈…〉 my changing come I liue to die that I may die to liue Printed at Edinburgh by the Heires of ANDRO HART 1629 C. R. HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DONEC·PAX·REDDITA·TERRIS· TO THE MOST SACRED AND Mightie Monarch CHARLES King of Great BRITAINE FRANCE IRELAND Defender of the FAITH MOST DREAD SOVERAIGNE It was wisely said by the Royall Preacher The memorie of the Iust is blessed But the name of the wicked shall rot To haue a good name both in this life and after Death is a blessing promised vnto the Righteous But as for the vngod lie their names become mouldie and rotten Qui injuste 〈◊〉 omâ—…tur just damnantur This consideration should rouse vâ—… all men to the doing of that which is good but chieflie KINGS and PRINCES whose liues are to bee seene in Chronicles by all ages which come after While other mens names within a little space are buried in obliuion the Chronicles the Registers of times cry vnto the World Read and consider vvhat sort of men such and such haue beene Of Saul it is writter that his sinne of rebellion in sparing Agag was as the sinne of Witch-craft that his stubbornnesse was as idolatrie His enuie against Dauid his consulting with the Witch at Endor shall bee manifest to all Ages to come Dauids Vertues and his Vices are penned Solomons vvisedome his folies Rehoboâ—…ms contemning of the olde counsellers A habs and A haz his wickednesse Iosiah and Iehoshaphats goodnesse shall bee to bee seene and reade so long as this world shall last Oh that Kings would consider how in a short life they may soone plot the euill which shâ—… staine â—…heir good name to the worlds end Manie may Flatter a Prince while hee liueth But so soone as hee is gone Trueth which while hee liued was warded then commeth out and plainelie declareth to the world whether hee was a wise man or a foole There is no sinne so secret but God in his owne time shall bring it to light If King CHARLES rule well and bee truelie godlie like Nathanael without guile An hundreth yeares after this Great BRITAINE shall blesse the Name of King CHARLES yea and that till God end Time in Eternitie * The seuen Stars of the Charles Waine are not so glorious as shall bee the seuen Letters of CHARLES in GODS Booke which is the Booke of Life Though your Maiesties Bodie after Death lye rotten in the Graue yet shall your Royall Name as if it were perfumed enbalmed haue a most sweete sauour like these Garments wherein Iacob got his Fathers blessing the smell whereof was as the smel of a field which the Lord had blessed Seeing there is nothing more powerfull to moue a man to liue well than to remember that hee must die and after come for to reckon with his God For this cause haue I penned this Treatise of Sicknesse bringing vnto death where your Maiestie may see the most fearfull Skirmishes which are betweene the faithfull Soule the enemies of our Saluation For this cause haue I called it THE LAST BATTELL OF THE SOVLE Loe this wee haue searched so it is heare it and know it for your good Let it please your Maiestie to looke vpon these my Workes with a fauourable eye and to take them into your Royall Protection They were brought foorth in the Land of Your Birth euen in your olde SCOTLAND Whereof your Maiestie is now the hundreth and ninth King The particular place where this Booke was penned is your owne GLASGOWE a Citie once greatlie beloued of great King IAMES your Maiesties Father of blessed memorie * A Citie that looketh for the like fauour from your Royall MAIESTIE My chiefest spirituall desire is that this may bee comfortable to sicke Soules My first temporall wish is that your Maiestie would daine it with a blink of your Fauour Let it obtaine your Royall Approbation which shall bee to it as a Passe-port which neither Pride nor Enuie shall bee able with Reason to reiect If anie man be contentious I heere appell vnto Caesar. Let mee bee so bolde as heere to aske a Petition from your Maiestie which granted I will atcount a sufficient recompence to all my Labours This is it That it would please your Religious Maiestie to take a specall care that the prophanation of the Lords blessed and hallowed day bee remoued from this Land It is come to such a custome and that chieflie betweene Edinburgh and Glasgow that by no meanes the Church is able to refine it except that by your Royall authoritie their Market dayes bee changed The abuse is so great that if your godlie Maiestie knew it yee could not indure it The keeping of this Precept is the onelie one which hath a memento before it and yet it is most forgotten It is the verie Key of Religion Let it please your Maiestie to consider what good Nehemiah did for the reformation of such an abuse I contended said hee with the Nobles of Iudah and saide vnto them What euill thing is this that yee doe and prophane the Sabbath day Did not your Fathers thus and did not our God bring all this euill vpon vs vpoÌ„ this Citie Yet yee bring more wrath vpoÌ„ Israel by prophaning the Sabbath See what Nehemiah did It came to passe that when the gates of Ierusalem beganne to be dark before the Sabbath I commanded that the gates should bee shut and charged that they should not bee opened till after the Sabbath And some of my Seruants set I at the gates that there should no burden bee brought in on the Sabbath day So the Merchands and sellers of all kinde of ware lodged without Ierusalem once or twise Then I testified against them and said vnto them Why lodge yee about the wall If yee doe so againe I will lay hands on you What wrought that From that time foorth came they no more on the Sabbath Afâ—…er he had done this good worke hee looked vp to God by prayer saying Remember mee O my God concerning this also and spare mee according to the greatnesse of thy mercie I pray God that your Maiestie may reforme this great abuse with that good Nehemiah If this yee doe I am assured that Your God shall remember You concerning it and that hee shall spare You according to the greatnesse of his mercie One thing I desire earnestlie that your Maiestie once at least in the day would carefullie consider these weightie wordes of
No man liuing Sir may absolutelie desire to be dissolued but vnder condition that it bee for the glorie of God and the Saluation of his owne Soule For two respects a man may desire to be dissolued First for to bee deliuered from the bondage of sinne which the Apostle calleth A bodie of death Secondlie for an earnest desire to bee with his God a man may desire to bee dissolued But for no reason must a man dissolue himselfe that were selfe murther If we may not kill our Neighbour whoÌ„ we should loue as our selues neither must wee kill our selues who are the rule and square of neighbourlie loue Man in this world is as a set Watch hee must not remoue till it please him by whom hee was set to command him to come Though lawfullie wee may desire death that we may bee deliuered from the bodie of death which is sinne for to bee with Christ which is meekle better for vs yet wee must not cry for death for some triflles of worldlie troubles as Ionah did for the lossing of his leafes Our desire of Death should bee chieflie grounded vpon a desire to bee with Christ and to bee fredde from the spirituall bondage of our sins well is him that can sincerly say from his heart Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of death That Soule is happie whose desire is vpon that which is meakle better for it To bee with Christ in Scripture stile is called meakle better What say ye now Sir doeth not your heart grone vnder this burden of sinfull death Doeth not your Soule long to bee out of this bodie for to bee with him where it shall bee meakle better for you The sicke Man I take vp the matter better than I did I see by your reasons that there is no reason wherefore a man should desire to die but for to bee with his Christ and to be deliuered from the bodie of bondage which is a death But alas The Pastour I see you yet Sir into a plunge I heard that word Alas Wherefore say yee Alas Yee looke yet as one who desireth to liue My wordes are not gifted with perswasion yee seeme to be afraide at that word dissolued What aileth you There bee doubtlesse some thing within that troubleth you The sicke Man I am sorie to goe out of this world wherevnto I am chained by diuerse respects In the cutting off of my dayes I will mourne with sicke Hezekiah in the words of his doole I am depriued of the residue of my yeares c. The Pastour I see Sir that yee are taking vp the Lamentations of Hezekiah I will striue to make answere to euerie sentence apart Yee are depriued saye yee of the residue of your yeeres Hee is not depriued that hath changed for the better The residue of your few yeeres shall bee turned into eternitie Hee who seeth many yeeres seeth many miseries and which is worse contracteth many sinnes the cause of all our woe Moreouer what is a residue of life Death is not farre when it is farthest The sicke Man But if I die I shall not see the Lord euen the Lord in the land of the liuing The Pastour This is your ignorance What can man see of the Lord in the land of the liuing What can a sinner see of that great IEHOVAH here What is to bee seene on Earth but the Backe-parts of IEHOVAH Into the Heauens wherevnto yee now approach yee shall see that great and glorious IEHOVAH face to face What are all men on Earth but a number of wormes crawling and creeping vpon a clat or clod of clay But againe what is this that ye call the land of the liuing What is all the Land yee see but a dead lump of earth where the most part of men are dead in their sins Doe not the best part die daylie vnto Sin which death is our best life and yet laden with a bodie of death Can ye now call this earth the Land of the liuing Call me not Nahomi pleasant said Nahomi but call me Marah that is bitter for the Almightie hath dealt verie bitterlie with mee So may the Earth say Call mee not the Land of the liuing No rather call mee a dungeon of death a place for the burying of the dead a place where all must needs die and bee as water spilt vpon the ground which cannot bee gathered vp againe The sicke Man But alas if I die I shall behold men no more with the inhabitants of the world The Pastour This heere is your griefe that death will strik you with a blindnes so that yee shall not bee able to see any more the faces of these whom yee loue best into this world as of Wife Children and of Friends of your old acquaintance This is your dâ—…lour theÌ„ that ye shall see them no more Let such thoughts Sir moue these to mourne who know not Death better than that Pagan who speaking of a slaine man said In eternam clauduntur Lumina noctem That is Death closeth mans eyes for euermore This is most false A true Christian knoweth that though both his eyes should sinke â—…owne into his head or droppe out like blobbes or droppes of water yet that with these same eyes runne into water hee and none othér for him shall see his Redeemer Though after my skin said Iob wormes destroy this bodie yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not another Lay this comfort to your heart Though your eyes were eaten out with the wormes if you die in the faith of Iesus yee shall see God and none other for you and that with these same eyes yee now looke vnto meeâ—… If yee bee perswaded that yee shall see your God in the Heauens in whose face is fulnesse of Ioye yee haue little cause of doole that yee shall no more behold man with the inhabitants of the world What are all the creatures of thiâ—… World but things that dwell in dâ—…st The Sainctes and Angels that dwell into these vpper Chambers whose feete are aboue ouâ—… head are so faâ—… in glorie aboue all the glorie of the world as the Heauens are aboue the Earth As Zebah and Zalmunah said of Gideons brethren so may we say of all these that dwell there euerie one of them is like the Sonne of a King What are all the Creatures below but beggerlie things The sicke Man But alas if I die mine age is departed and remoued from me as a Shepheards tent The Pastour What is your doole It is all then that yee must quite your shepheards tent Now poore man What haue yee lost Yee shall change a poore shepheards tent for the most pleasant Palace of your God a life mortall for a life that is eternall
if ye were once dead yee shall beholde man no more with the inhabitants of the world Yee are far beguiled into the sight of the wo◅ld wherewith yee are so rauished Change your Spectacles and all that is below shall seeme to bee of another colour If your Soule could once sore vp towardes Heauen the loue of the Earth and earthlie things would fall from you as did the Mantle of Elias when he was rapt and rauished vp vnto glorie The sicke Man But ye know Sir that it is verie hard not to bee sore grieued to goe out of this world Non amplius visur us neque videndus neither for to see anie more nor yet to bee seene Who without teares can say his adewes to all his joys pleasures and contentments that are here Whē I once shal be caried out of my house yee shall see mee no more Hencefoorth yee and I will speake no more together I departing from you must goe to the place of silence among stinke wormes Who can-without displeasure say to all worldlie joyes farewell The Pastour It is best that ye turne your backe vnto such naughtie things as Hezekiah turned his backe to the stocke and his face to the wall that hee might conferre with his God It is great folie to bee so fond vpon such transitorie trashes What is so pleasant in this world that should allure vs to it Are not all thinges inconstant heere below There is nothing that standeth at a stay but either it is comming in or going out like the Tyde There is no creature but while it beginneth to waxe it also beginneth to waine A child of the age of a day hath lesse time to liue at Eauen than hee had in the morning Since hee came out of the bellie from the morning vnto eauen hee hath made a dayes journey in the way to his graue In ipso ortu vergimus ad occasum Our arising vp is but a course to our fall The degrees of a mans life are as as manie stepp vnto his death All that wee see below is in a continuall whirling from a beginning to an end The course of all the Creatures below is in a trance of transitorie trashes I can but teach you with vvords as Iohn baptized with water It is onelie the Lord vvho can perswade The sicke Man I take delight to heare you I pray God to perswade mee Continue I pray you into that discourse concerning the vanitie and inconstancie of vvo◅ldly things ripe them vp and open them wider that I may see them within the bowels The Pastour The vvisest among men preached Vanitie of vanities and all is vanitie All things are vaine and all things cry vnto vs that wee are vaine So vaine a thing is man The Trees the Herbes the Flowrishes the Fruites the Fishes the Beastes the Spring the Summer the Haruest the Winter the Aire the Water the Earth the Heauens are all appointed teachers by God to tell man of his changing Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world All that haue eyes eares may heare read their doctrine that heere is nothing permanent One creature calleth to another Let vs leaue this World See wee not how vvee melt away by droppes for to bee dryed into dust Moses saith that wee spend our yeares as a tale that is tolde a strange speach for to declare the vanitie of lōg life so much desired while a tale is in telling it seemeth to bee something but when a tale is once told these that haue heard it will in end say That it is but a tale So long as mans life is lasting it is like a tale that is in telling But so soone as Death the end of all commeth it is but like a tale that is tolde Thus as yee see all mans life in Scripture language is called but a tale All the times of our life past present and to come are turned at last into a fuimus wee haue beene Wee that liue now let vs remember our case Ecce tempus nunc futurum quo dicen◅ nos fuisse The time shall bee shortlie that man shall say of vs that wee haue beene And thereafter a time shall come that none shall know that euer wee had a beeing Our life is like a sparkle fleeing out of the fire which dyeth out into the flight it failleth before it falleth The sicke Man These bee wordes of great power I finde now some working thereof within mine heart I pray you continue The Pastour Wee haue none abiding heere We all both yong old post swiftlie away to the graue the last bed wherein euerie man must sleepe we are long of comming to But how soone are wee pulled downe Our strength saith Moses is soone cut off and wee flee away Wee are like the Yee which thaweth sooner than it froze This is the Law of all flesh Prince People Poore and Rich all must goe to Golgotha The Preacher saith plainlie There is no discharge in that warre Though a man in the morning bee proude like a Peacocke with lifted vp feathers if Death come before the night come hee must lay downe his head among dead mens Skuls What a thing is this that within an hundreth yeares not one of vs all that are heere shall bee left aliue no not in this great Citie wherein wee liue Are wee not all as water spilt vpon the ground which can not bee gathered vp againe What memorie is now of these tha◅ are past And what shall bee said o◅ vs when wee are gone It is o◅ farre best then to follow our God and to turne our backe vpon all suc◅ lying vanities The sicke Man I requeast you Sir not to be wearied Proceede I pray you into tha◅ purpose that I may learne what vanitie is into this life which is so much desired The Pastour Mans life into this world is but a Pilgrimage and a race not of great length for man that is borne of a w◅man hath but a short time to liue Iacobs answere to King Pharaohs question concerning his age was few and euill haue my dayes beene What is man saith one but Vermis crasti◅ moriturus a worme that will die to morrow Dauid putteth the length of his dayes betweene his little finger his thumbe My life said he is like a span long some get but an inch consider well I pray you Sir seeing it is so what is it then of your life which is but of the length of a span what thogh it were an ell of length Is not Methusalah with his many hundreth yeeres as well in dust as as hee that liued but a day Other haue giuen place to vs and we must also giue place to others To mee to day to thee tomorrow There is no lodging
for immortalitie vpon the Earth The sicke Man My Soule rejoyceth to heare you Sir proceede I pray you The Pastour Wee haue no great cause to desire to sojourne on earth What are we heere on earth but like poore beggers shute downe to the lowest chambers of the world This low contrie may well be called Cabul as Hiram by disdaine called the dirtie cities of Solomon Be glad noâ—… Sir for to leaue this earth a dirtiâ—… dwelling Step vp the Staire eueâ—… the Ladder of Iaacob that yee may mount vp to your God for to see what hee is doing aboue Well is you who shall heare shortlie the musicke of Angels into that Palace whose pauement is the roofe of alâ—… mortall dwellings O if yee kneâ—… what is there Fye on our ignorance The ChildreÌ„ of God in this worlâ—… are like Lords children sent out to bee fostered into little Cottages oâ—… clay when they are sent for by sicknesse and death their Fathers messengers they weepe to come home to their Fathers Palace because they know not these many pleasant Mansions that bee in their Fathers house But after that they haue once tryeâ—… what it is to bee in Heauen with their God they shall wonder 〈◊〉 their childishnesse Be not Sir lâ—… these fort of men that cannot abidâ—… to heare speake of Death but euen sicken at the name thereof or waxe wroth at the speaker as Ahab fumed at the Prophet because hee spake not good thinges vnto him The sicke Man Hezekiah spake more wiselie while hee was threatned by the Prophet Good said hee is the word of the Lord I pray you to continue your purpose concerning death It is good that wee remember our latter end The Pastour Indeed Sir the thoghts of Death are helpefull and healthfull to the Soules of men to bee corrections for their corruptions Such thoughts keepe euer God in our sight They are like a strainer wherthrough the thoughts wordes and workes of men are purified Hardlie can a man thinke of a shoâ—…t life and thinke euill as hardlie can hee dâ—…eame of a long life thinke well All the sinnes of Gods Church in Icremâ—…es dayes vvere imputed vnto this that shee remembred not her end Wee for the most part deceiue our selues vvith the opinion of long life and so did they vvho are dead alreadie O how gracious vvould one day bee to these novv who vvhile they liued did scorne at these vvordes Redeeme the Time But their maâ—…ket time is now past Gods Faire vvas ended before they could vnderstand vvhat it vvas to buy without money Well is the man vvho vvhile he hath time so liueth to dye that hee may dye to liue If our life be good our death cannot be euill To the godlie man death is a comfort as beeing a medecine for all his diseases a cure for all his cares a restâ—… from his labours But in this is his greatest joye that by it the filthie flooxe of sinne is dryed vp into an instant * By it also the prison doore is opened that the Soule like a Doue may flie vp to its God The consideration of such things made Solomon to preach The day of death is better than the day that one is borne Hee spake the trueth for the one is the beginning the other is the ending of all our woe and miserie Now Sir before that I proceede any further I pray you to tell mee what yee thinke now of this world In this as I remember was your last temptation grounded that going out of this world yee should no more see nor bee seene I haue let you see as in a glasse what vanitie is in it yea that all is but vanitie of vanities the verie abstract of an abstract or for to speak so vanitie fined and quintessenced out of vanitie which I may call the spirit or quintessence of vanitie Now Sir tell me what ye thinke of this world wherin gods must die like men No worldlie thing below in the day of neede will bee able to keepe touch vnto vs. The sicke Man Fye fye on my faultes and my folie I foolishlie once thought that I should feather a nest into this world that should neuer bee pulled downe Mine heart hath beene so bent toward this vanitie that I haue neither moued foote nor finger toward eternall Life It is true that I haue beene nourished and brought vp into this world like a Child into a rurall cottage I like a Child thought that there was no better Ionah was angrie for to quite his Gourd The greatest pleasures that are heere beeing well weighed are but like the shadow of that Gourd euanishing and worme-eaten pleasures All such comforts are but slender they faile man in his greatest neede The Pastour Though worldlie pleasures be sweete for a space to these whose portion is into this Life yet as Abner said of the deuouring Sword to Ioab It will bee bitternesse in the latter end In all the gourdes of worldlie pleasures are wormes of paine which shall make them to wither The sicke Man That is most certaine well is him that hath turned his backe to all such lying vanities So long as a man is in nature not reformed by grace hee is but a stranger from heauen The loue of the world in his heart like a moth cats out all liking of Heauen I haue beene too long alas sucking the breastes of this Nourse whereout of I haue drawen nothing but the swill of wickednesse Blessed bee my God who hath sent this affliction for to waine my Soule from the loue of all things below I beginne now to incline for to returne to my Fathers house in Heauen where as I heare it shall bee much better for mee Oh forlorne Sonne that I am who haue wandered so farre from my Father The Pastour I thanke God Sir for these good motions flesh and blood cannot teach such lessons But one word I haue obserued into your speach yee haue said that ye beginne to incline to goe home to your Father Are ye not as yet fullie resolued Desire yee not indeede presently to be dissolued Is it not your greatest desire to flitte fâ—…om this bodie which is but a Booth a Shoppe or Tabernacle of clay Is not your Soule wearied to sojourne into such a reekie Lodge Is not your heart panting after God lâ—…ke an Hart panting after the water brookes He are yee not your Soule crying within you O when shall I come and appeare before God A small feeble inclination to goe to God is not sufficient ye must now come to a stedfast resolution He who is not resolued is not readie for to be dissolued Taâ—… courage bee not dashed into this danger declare your mind freely be not nice there bee none heere but friendes The sicke Man I am so pyned with sicknesse that hardlie can I
so fullie fraughted with all sortes of sins which like most filthie streames flow from the first fountaine or rather puddle of our originall sinne which wee haue from the Loynes of Adam Wee are all infected with this spirituall Leprosie there is nothing that can wash vs and make vs cleane saue onelie the Iordan of the blood of Iesus Besprinkle our consciences O LORD with the vertue of that Blood which cryeth for better things than the blood of Abel Seale vp thy Loue in our heartes by the blood of the Sealed man whom Thou the Father did seale and appoint to bring Life eternall to the world In him thou art well pleased In his Name and for his Loue wee begge thy fauour He himselfe hath tolde vs that what wee shall aske thee in his Name we shall receiue it O Father of mercies remember the promise of thy Sonne In confidence of his Command wee take the boldnesse at this time particularlie to put vp our prayers vnto thee for this thy diseased Seruant tossâ—…d to and fâ—…o with diuerse temptations Sathan the enemie of his Saluation the feare of Death the loue of the world and of worldlie things haue set themselues in Battell-array like armies betweene his Soule and the entrie of Heauen They haue maliciouslie ensnared his heart and taken his affections captiues with the immoderate loue of perishing thinges Oh how hath hee beene bewitched with the seeming sweetenesse of such vanities O Thou LORD IESVS the LORD of Life encourage him so with thy liuelie Spirit that he may be bold couragiously to face Death and the Graue Put these interrogations in his mouth O Death where is thy Sting O Graue where is thy victorie Cause thy Spirit whisper in his eare that thou hast put out the life of Death Cast into his rememberance the words wherewith Thou boasted Death and the Graue O Death I will be thy plagues O Graue I will bee thy destruction Let his Soule knowe that the Graue is a Bed of rest for all these that die in the LORD wherein they rest from their labours beeing at ease in peace without any toile or turmoile Worke in his heart a desire to be dissolued for to bee fred from the sinfull bonds of mortality for to goe dwell where hee shall neuer anger the Lord againe Let the Loue of Christ waine his heart from the desire of anie abiding heere O deare IESVS who was both buffeted slaine and buried for to saue man set the print and stampe of thy mercie vpon this Soule Seuer all his thoughts from all that is earthlie whether it bee Life Lands Children Houses or whatsoeuer other thing may allure him for to sojourne heere in a strange Land wherein wee are all strangers from God whom wee cannot see heere but behind Vntye his heart from the loue of this his natiue soile Purge him of this out-bearing humour O LORD flesh and blood will neuer teach a man to renounce his deare selte and such other carnall things wherewith hee is in phantasie The earthlie minde is so lumpish that it wearieth to thinke of thee and of the pleasures of thy Palace A carnall hearte is euer rouing and wandering heere about this worlds businesse Martha is a mother of many Children who trouble themselues about many thinges But few are these that with Marie can fold their heart for to sit downe at the feete of IESVS for to make choise of that best part which should neuer bee taken from them Thou to whoÌ„ nothing is impossible draw this Soule vnto thee make the bent of his affection to bee vpon thee O great IEHOVAH thou hast heard and seene how carnall temptations haue teared the Soule of thy Seruant this day in the bedde of his languishing Immoderat cares for thinges below haue depriued him of all rest and joyes which he should haue in thee Wee must confesse to thee and from his heart hee acknowledgeth to bee true that his minde hath beene too bent vpon such perishing shadowes which can not bee gripped Such trashes of no worth haue taken too much roome into his heart Hee who is not content to quite all for to come to thee is not worthie of thee But LORD if mans Saluation were grounded vpon the sand of his owne worthinesse such a building could not stand against the winds floodes of temptations But his Saluation shall neuer bee branled because it is builded vpon the euerlasting and most sure Rocke the foundation of thy Church O LORD wee faile all in many things If hitherto this thy Seruant hath not as hee should minded thâ—… thinges which are aboue but lodged in their place the desire of thinges below now in thy greaâ—… mercie inlighten his mistie mindâ—… and bee mercifull to him in thâ—… thing Make the flesh now to cede and giue place vnto the Spirit Let the heauens come in with the pledges of thy Loue which no mortall armes can fadome Come with thy Spirituall and diuine motions and fill therewith the chambers of his heart where earthlie thoughts had their abode Make his Soule to inuite thy Spirit to come in Saying with Laban Come in thou blessed of the Lord wherefore standest thou without O deare IESVS direct so all his thoughts that hee wearie himselfe no more with the desire of that which sooner or later heee must â—…orgoe Why should thornie cares for dust and clay choake the good motions of thy Spirit Let no such care cumber him any more for foolish fáding commoditie Dissolue this glew by which his heart is tyed to the ground In thy Light let him see Light whereby hee may perceiue how fraile fickle are all such transitorie trashes which beeing too much loued both coole our zeale and clogge our affections so that they can in no wise soare vp toward thee O blessed Sauiour in whom is the very pith sweetest marrow of Gods mercies make thy seruants heere to loue thee aboue all things in heauen or earth Make his heart to say Whom haue I in Heauen but thee Make him to loue thee for thy selfe and not for thine onelie which is but an hyred Loue Put in thine owne hand at the hole of the doore of his heart and let some droppes of the Mirrhe of thy mercie this night fall vpon the handle of the Barre that his Soule beeing affected therewith may runne out of the Chamber of sleepe for to seeke him who loueth his Soule euen his blessed Sauiour the LORD IESVS Bee mercifull to all thine afflicted members in the Church militant fighting vnder the bloodie Banner of the LORD IESVS CHRIST The Church is thy Spouse keep her as the Apple of thine eye make all her members with one minde and one mouth to glorifie thy Name Blesse our gracious Soueraigne the Kings Majestie with thy best blessings Adorne him with spirituall Graces and giftes wherewith hee may please thee in his whole carriage both Ecclesiastice and Ciuill Make Iustice and Iudgement the habitation
your Soule which maketh it abhorre all comforts as it is said of these that are bodilie sicke in the Psalme Their soule abhorreth all manner of meate and they draw neare the doores of death What was their remeedie Earnest prayer to God Then they cryed vnto the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered them from their distresses Mans extremitie is Gods opportunitie Bee of good comfort Sir haue the Faith of God within you Bee earnest in prayer and God shall deliuer you from all your feares The sicke Man Oh that I had Faith Oh that I could pray I finde my griefes to growe I spake neuer in earnest till now All other temptations before were but for carnall thinges They were all but sport in comparison of this of my sins where with my Soule is pressed and borne downe I take this to bee the forebrunt of endlesse plagues and paines prepared for the damned I abhorre my selfe fye on mee What am I but a dead Sardian or which is worse a lukewarme Laodicean neither colde nor hote a fitte prouocation of vomite to my God It is a vvonder if by this death he vomite mee not out of his Church for to cast mee into Hell Now what pleasure can I haue of all my sinnes where of I am ashamed All the joyes of my bygone life beeing joyned together counteruaile not the least part of my present paine Alas Sir how can I gladly draw neare the doores of death while there bee such impedimentes betweene mee and the doores of Heauen The Pastour I loue these lamentations It is good that a Soule be sensible of sin Woe to that Soule that is past all feeling Blessed bee God that hath wakened you out of the slumber of your sinnes Gods wrath euer followeth drowsie consciences for to giue them vp to the spirit of slumber or to sporting spirites that make men to sport themselues with their own deceiuings It is good that in our afflictions we consider well the cause for Affliction commeth not out of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground leremie in this is plaine Man suffereth for his sins It is your part to make a carefull search for the capitall sinne which as yee thinke may chieflie be the cause of so great a wrath Till Achan was found Israel could not stād before their enemies But say on Sir let mee heare you to Amen The sicke Man God hath set all my sinnes in order before mee I see nothing but a burning wrath which Scripture calleth a consuming fire Mine euill thoughts which I euer thought to bee free stand now vp in battell array against mee◅ O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy wayes and hardened our heart from thy feare I haue no comfort within my Soule I heare a clamour within my conscience crying vnto mee What part or interest can thou looke for in the Kingdome of him whom thou hast so highlie dishonoured How can thou be of that number that belongeth to the election of grace I find my conscience raging within me lik a swelling sea except some calme of mercie come my Soule shal be swallowed vp with some fearefull surge Alas Sir what is your counsell All that is within mee is into an vproare despare is working within the bowels of my bellie The Pastour These secret throwings in the bellie are but Gods secret reproues tokens of his Loue Such secret checkes are like the rebukes of a Father taking his Child apart to some quiet chamber for to admonish him This is Gods customable doing with his owne Children if by their open and scandalous sinnes they haue not moued the enemies of God to blaspheme hee will take them to the secret chamber of their heart there apart as it were after that hee hath barred the doore and put all out hee will tell them what they haue done Ioseph would not tell before the Egyptians how his Brethren had solde him But while hee reuealed himselfe to his Brethren hee commanded all others to goe foorth Cause euerie man said hee to goe out from mee and there stood no man with him while hee made himselfe knowne to his Brethren God would not reproue Iob before Elihu El◅phaz his vncharitable friends but a part out of the while winde After that hee had rebuked and scooled his Seruant Iob in the secret whirle of the winde and hade made him to acknowledge his faultes hee came to his friendes and told them that his wrath was kindled against them After that Peter had thri◅e most shamefullie denyed his Master Christ who heard him so perjuredlie lye would not reproue him openlie before the wicked but onelie turned his eye with a looke towards him With that secret looke which no man perceiued but Peter himselfe hee gaue him such a secret checke and nippe of reproofe that incontinent hee went out and weeped bitterlie * Yee shall find at last Sir all these temptations that trouble you within are but God taking you apart and telling you with Ioseph what yee haue done God is now in the whirle winde working secretlie with you as with Iob till ye bee humble in dust and ashes All this bitternesse which ye finde within is but from a Loue-looke of Christ that yee may bee saued by weeping bitterlie for your sinnes Bee of good comfort Sir all these troubles within are but God out of loue whispering some reproofs into your eare for some bygone faultes The sicke man I wish that it were so But O what a stir is this within my Soule I thinke those wordes of God in Ierimie to bee directlie said vnto mee Thine owne wickednesse shall correct thee and thy backslidinges shall reproue thee know therefore and see that it is an euill thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my feare is not in thee The Pastour While the dregge and mudde of a melancholious minde is stirred vp from the bottome with grieuous temptations the sinner must spare to judge till the Soule bee settled Let that muddie minde of yours first bee settled and yee shall shortly see that matters are not as they seeme to bee When Christ said to Peter Get thee behinde mee Sathan it was a speach of glouminesse But O the sweete gloumes of Iesus more sweete than the worlds smiles Let that righteous reproue mee and it shall bee as oyle which shall not breake mine head God may seeme to be angrie at his Darlings but yet in great loue hee hath locked vp their Saluation and made it sure in his vnchangable decree The sicke Man Mine heart is pricked with paines and grieued with griefe This is the mischiefe I see none out-gate my Soule is enuironed with temptations The Pastour The wordes of S. Peter are comfortable The Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godlie out
absent yet be not for that disquieted his Godhead is present Hee himselfe hath said concerning his bodily presence that it was expedient for vs that hee should goe away As for the weaknes of your Fa◅th pray God to strengthen it Faith though it bee little yet it is of great force a graine of it will cast a mountaine into the sea The Sicke Man Let mee see I pray you Sir anie particular example of a weake Faith sauing anie man The Pastour Of this in Scripture wee haue a cloud of witnesses I shall let you see two one in substance the other in type or figure That of Peter in the New-Testamēt is substantiall Christ called him a man of little Faith and yet by that Faith though little hee was saued The other is in the old Testament in the type and figure When the Israelites were bitten with the fierie Serpents their onely refuge and remeede was to looke vp to the brasen Serpent This was the verie type of a Soule stung with sinne beholding Christ with the eye of Faith Of these who behelde that Serpent of brasse some were bleared and other some had weake eyes But the weaknesse of their sight could not hinder the cure Nay the old man with his dimmed eyes beholding as through a mist that type of Christ was as soundlie cured as hee whose eyes were in their greatest vigour The meate taken with a paralitique and trembling hand will not refuse nourishment to the bodie no more than if it were taken with a stable hand Obserue Sir what I say Faith is the eye of the soule wherof the Israelites eyes were but a figure Christ is the trueth of the brasen Serpent Though this eye bee dimmer in some yet if it see the Soule shall bee saued Faith is the hand of the Soule Christ is the foode Though this Faith tremble Christ trembleth not The palsie is not into the foode Bee of good courage Sir feare not this trembling feare the worke of Saluation cannot bee wrought out but with feare and trembling When the worke shall bee ended all trembling shall cease and Faith shall bee stable then the Soule shall be made free from all palsie paine The sicke Man Oh that I were but sicke of such a palsie paine Oh that I were assured to haue anie graine of true Faith Alas I am vndone This wretched heart of mine is so wrung with wrath that there remaineth not within it so much as a droppe of grace All my spirituall moisture is spent all the faculties of my Soule are so racked that my tongue cannot vtter my griefe and smart Is there no Balme in Gilead for a sorrow beaten sinner Oh through excessiue paine my Liuer is rolled within mee If I finde no remeede my Soule shall shortlie bleade to death my paines exceed my sorrow is extreme thorow the tortours thereof my Soule is compelled to roare Oh Lord turne thy wrath in mercie and thy Iustice seat in a Throne of grace and pardon the sins which more and more ripen thy wrath against mee Mine heart is rent and harrowed with griefe what salue can I finde fit for such sinfull sores The more I thrust griefe out the more it throngeth in The Pastour The soueraigne salue for such sores is to get a sight of Christ who bare all our sinnes vpon his battered backe which was torne with mercilesse strippes Christ in that plight is the most fit object for the eye of a troubled Soule There is no salue for the sore of sin but the sight of him who is the trueth of that brasen Serpent the object of the faithfull eye This remeede among all others is like the master Bee the best of all the hyue * Though yee bee like Zacheus a man of little stature so that yee cannot see Christ ouer the multitude of your sins yet run before climbe the tree of the Crosse and behold him No rather behold him now vpon the Crosse fixed vpon a mount high aboue that all may see him euen vpon mount Caluarie Behold him there treading death vnder his feete * Though there be a mount of dead mens scules there is no dead scule so high but Christ may bee seene aboue it Christ is euer nearest in the hotest skirmish He is the sea the seate of mercie If yee can seeke yee shall finde no scant of mercie into him ye shall wonder at his loue when yee shall relish his kindnesse To Christ then yea to Christ alone must ye runne and forsake all as the Mariner while all his cunning is gone runneth to God in the tempest In him is Balme for all wounded spirits there is no gash so deepe but his blood can cure it As all riuers lead to the sea so should all comfortes guide vs vnto Christ While hee was in the dayes of his flesh there was no miserie that could with-hold sinners from him neither lamenesse nor blindnesse nor deafenesse nor deuils could stay any from him nor stay him to doe them good hee healed them all Neuer a man came backe from him saying I haue sought to this God in vaine I came to him but he could not helpe me Or as the father of the lunaticke said I brought him to thy Disciples and they could not cure him To him may all heart broken sinners say with the Prophet My flesh and mine heart faileth but thou art the strength of mine heart and my portion Flesh and friends health and wealth and all will faile vs but Iesus will neuer faile vs Mans extremitie is his opportunitie By him alone the Soule of man hath light libertie and life All other helpes and hopes are but vaine As no water could wash cleanse the leprosie but one lie Iordan so nothing can wash away the leprosie of sinne but the Blood of Christ the Lambe of God which is a spirituall Iordan for washing of leper Soules In a word in all our stormy troubles Christ Iesus is a firme Rocke of refuge which repelleth and turneth into froth all the waues of most tēpesttuous temptations By his Blood alone our Soules are both healed hallowed vpon the right of your redemption sute the remission of your sinnes Bee not abashed hee who hath Christ needeth not to feare The sicke Man If I were one of Christs would he leaue mee thus wise comfortlesse He is the Sunne of Righteousnesse in whose beames as in a spring time I was wont to rejoyce But now hee is gone downe My Soule is benighted and I am affrighted with grudginges of despaire Oh that mine eyes of flint were melted into teares O smite my flintie heart with the rod of thy mercie that it may make teares the water of repentance to gush out at the Conduite pypes of my mourning eyes O what
bee the more streightned O the vnspeakeable compasse of Gods compassions The sicke Man I doubt not of the infinite compasse of his mercie but whether or not he will shew that mercie to such sinners as I am this often troubleth my darkned and droopping Soule The Pastour To shew mercie to most mise rable persons is most familiar to Gods Nature * Hee neuer executeth judgement till we egge him and inforce him vnto For this cause where he punisheth hee is said To doc his worke his strange worke and to bring to passe his act his strange act Hee hath sworne by his life that he taketh no delight in our death Our God is not rigorous against these that would faine doe well No not but lik as a father that pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him for hee knoweth our frame hee remembreth that wee are but dust Our God will not exact strictlie a perfection in the life of his Children If wee haue an affection to doe well though wee cannot affect it hee will accept it A godlie Father hath said well concerning this Deus magis delectatur affectu quam effectu that is God is more pleased with the affection of a man than with the effect it selfe Christ thought more of the poore womans mites than of rich mens millions and that all because of her good affection Well is the Soule in whose bosome it lodgeth The sicke Man But the good affection must euer bee followed with some effect * Mine heart hath beene nothing but a filthie puddle a false Fox hole The more I dig into this dung hill I am the more confounded O what a jewell is a good Conscience coâ—…ered vp into the heart of a Christian It is like a precious pearle in a Ring I am ashamed to come into Gods presence while I looke vpon my sinnes The Pastour Shall the sicke man bee ashamed to lay out his sores to a secret and wise Surgeon It is good to think shame of sinne before wee doe it for to abstaine from it It is also good to think shame of it after it is done for to repent vs of it But wee must neuer thinke shame to confesse it This is the craft of Sathan hee ta keth away shame from man at the commission of sinne and restoreth it againe to man at the confession of sinne That which hee hath once taken away from a man by forged cauillation like Zacheus he though in a worse sense refloreth him fourefold A wicked man after that he hath sinned hath fourefold more shame to confesse his sinne before a Congregation which indeed should bee his honour thaâ—… hee had at the committing of sinne the onelie cause of shame If hee had beene as ashamed to commit sin priuilie as hee is ashamed to confesse it publicklie he had neuer taken pleasure into sinne Men of widest Consciences whose hearts are sâ—…uft and engrossed with wickednes will often I confesse seeme shame fâ—…st before men In the presence of a carnallâ—… eye they will straine the gâ—…ate like â—…e Maidens which cannot eate at Table where they are seene their throat is so narrow that hardlie can any meate passe ouer quasi vero O but in secret greatest gluttons deuouring blacke bread embrued with yesterdayes broth Shee that but pitissat sippes before the Sober can skip at the scols with her Commers till shee bee sicke with healths Euen so it is of such sinners most modest they are shamefast while they are seene The gnate of a light vaine word they cannot digest if men haue heard it but in the meane time in the polluted thoughts of their prophane hearts they are filthy dreamers if secret occasion serue without shame of God they will swallow Camels making no bones Though their sinne bee neuer so huge in greatnesse euen Adulterie the wracke of most famous Families if they can straine and passe it with a close conueyance their heart will say of it as Lot said of Bela Is it not a little one Well is that Soule which while it is tempted to sinne hath euer an eye vpon its God saying with Ioseph Now behold my God seeth mee and hee is a witnesse of this my doing How then can I doe this great wickednesse and sin against God As for that yee say now that yee are ashamed to come before God while yee looke vpon your sinnes It is good sir that ye think shame to come into Gods presence because of your sinne but thinke not shame in Gods presence to confesse your sin Sin whether secret or confessed is euill but the confession of sin is euer good Gods word is true If wee confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull and just to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse Trust in God Sir relye vpon his mercifull bowels who out of his great compassions hath said I haue receiued a ransome God loueth those that are feelinglie affected wakened out of the slumber of Conscience The sicke Man But thinke yee verilie that God will bee mercifull to mee whose Soule hath beene but a soile for weedes The Pastour I thinke that yee your selfe should thinke none otherwise A good man saith Solomon is mercifull to his beast It is a beastlie thing for a man to thinke that God will not bee more mercifull to his Soule than any man can bee to his beast God was more offended at Cain for despairing of his mercie than for killing of his brother Iudas kindled more Gods wrath for the desperate hanging of himselfe than for the betraying of his Lord that was hanged by his treason Hee who offered his mouth to receiue a kisse from that Treatour had neuer refused him mercie if hee had sought it with a repenting heart Because prophane Ahab had but a shew or outward scroofe of repentance hauing Sackcloth neerest his skinne the Lord spaired him all his dayes to let men see what he will doe to true repentance seeing hee is so gracious vnto that which is but an outward likenesse thereof There is no sinne that offendeth God more highlie as distrust Here is the great injurie of doubt or despaire it maketh the sinne of a little Grashopper to ouer-reach the infinite mercie of the most High as though man a little clat of clay could bee more sinfull than that infinite Majestie can bee mercifull Happie is that Soule which God hath singled out in time for to make it loath its best loued pleasures God delighteth to take vp a seat in a bruissed heart sorrow beaten for displeasing of its God Take a good heart Sir yee haue to doe with a God whose Name and Nature is mercie a God whose mercie is great aboue the Heauens yea and ouer all his workes That which ouer reacheth all Gods
ruines Listen vnto his voyce crying to all sorrow beatē sinners Come vnto mee Thinke often vpon this Sir if ye desire comfortes in your distresse The great worke of mans redemption finished by the Blood death of God is a worke worthie of continuall wondering As for the work of the Creation it cost the Lord but his Will and his Word But the worke of mans redemption was a costlie worke it was chargeable to God it cost him the best thing that hee could giue euen the lif of his Loue our Lord O what a mercie O what a liuelie Loue The meditation of this worke should worke in our heart a louing compulsion and a compelling loue The thought of this made S. Paul to say The loue of Christ constraineth mee What shall a Christian man feare hauing Christ his Brother to bee both his Aduocat and his Iudge his Suretie and his Sauiour Was not his blessed Bodie displayed abroad vpon the Crosse with his armes spred a crying jesture a jesture crying with a voyce Come vnto mee all ye that are leadened and wearied Oh that we were sicke for the loue of him who died for the loue of vs Oh that we were wounded with loue vvhen vvee remember his precious wounds from which gushed out the streames of our Saluation Flee Sir to the holes of this Rocke flee to the bores of his woundes runne not with Adam vnto the shrubbes for to hide your selfe from God heere is your hiding place in the Lords deepest wounds Hee is the fortresse of your Faith our strength and our stay the onelie helpe and ground of all our hopes our warrantable justice Hee onelie is the bodie of all spirituall comfort all other things were they neuer so specious are but shew and resemblance Shroud your selfe vnder his protection and throw no more your selfe vpon temptations whereby ye may bee disabled from manfullie fighting out the good fight followed with a Crowne filled with massines of glorie The sicke Man Now well is me that euer I heard tell of Christ Blessed bee the day the Sonne of God was borne But alas where are the holes of that Rocke where my wearied Soule may enter in The Pastour Lift vp your lumpish thoughtes seek first to the naile holes in his feet beginne humblie creepe in into these lowest wounds and there for a space settle your abode kisse his sacred Feete wash them with the true teares of repentance wype them with the haires of your head from thence looke vp and come to the naile holes of his Hands Bee busie there like a Bee sucke out of them the Honey of Heauen from thence goe to the Speare hole in his side Let your Soule sit downe there and croud like a Doue euer till Christ let it in into the hole of the Rock the place of its euerlasting rest If once the faithfull Soule Christs Turtle win in into the fortresse of his woundes from thence it will boast all the enemies of its Saluation Frō thence wil it cry to the flesh crouch There it careth not for the Serpents hissing nor for the Cockatrices denne nor for the Graues gaping nor for Deathes dungeon nor for the Popes Purgatorie his pardons his dirges and his Trentals which bring fatte morsels to Baals Priestes Christ is mine will hee say Hee is to mee aduantage both in death and life As the Doue found no footing till shee came to the Arke so the Soule can find no rest till it come to Christ I◅ euer totters til it leane vpō his Loue. Happie is the Soule that is secured with the seale secret impression of Gods fauour The sicke Man If I had faith to belieue all wold be wel I acknowledg that there is sufficient helpe in Iesus but such a helpe is only for these that are strōg in faith my faith is both faint fecklesse The Pastour Christ hath said plainelie that he wil not quēch the smoking flax S. Peter was not a man of strong faith whē he began to sink down into the Sea Said not Christ vnto him Thou man of little Faith why hast thou doubted Hee reproued him for the weaknes therof but cast him not off for the littlenes thereof The sicke Man That was another matter Christ was with him Christ took him by the hād * Ther was vertue in the grip of Christs hand as was in the hem of his garment while it was touched Such a weake Faith as mine cannot mount vp so high as that it may reach vnto Christ into the heauens The Pastour Though your faith bee weake and Christ also bee absent in bodie yet bee not for that disquieted he is present in his God-head As for the weaknesse of your faith pray God to strengthen and increase your faith Faith though little is of great force a graine of it is able to remoue Mountaines and cast them into the Sea I pray your Sir to intreat God for a fixed heart for as I perceiue endlesse are the mazes of Sathans circular temptations which vnavoidablie if they bee not barred out by grace wind themselues into mans heart with a slie and craftie insinuation The sicke Man O man of little faith that I am if I had Faith I would belieue that I had it if I had Faith I am perswaded that I should haue Peace Being justified by Faith wee haue Peace towardes God That Peace I seeke and cannot finde These troubles wherewith I am tossed plainly argue that my Faith is failed The Pastour I answere that who euer are justified by Faith they also haue peace toward God though such a Peace bee not euer felt That which a man feeleth not is not euer absent A man in a trance knoweth not that he liueth and yet hee is not altogether depriued of life The tree seemeth to be dead in time of Snow and frost and yet it hath life and sappe at the roote These then that are justified by Faith haue Peace but their peace is not euer sensible but often is disturbed with fearefull temptations The sicke Man I desire to know of you what is that yee properlie call the peace of Conscience The Pastour I take the qualmes of Conscience chieflie to proceede from a sense of Gods wrath kindled for some sins of commission or omission Sathan also with his billowes bloweth at this fire yea often while God is pacified he assaulteth the sillie Soule with false feares and counterfeit alarums Nowe when by the vertue of Christs intercession the fire of Gods wrath is quenched the Conscience of man beginneth to settle and growe calme and in stead of accusing vs any further it beginneth to excuse and acquite vs before the Tribunall of our God Vpon this doeth ensue a pleasant calmenes quietnesse and rest in the Soule of a sinner Though this Peace bee sore enuied and often troubled by Sathans railing and
whomsoeuer if it bee without true Godlinesse is l◅k a faire woman wanting Discretion whom wise Solomō compareth to a jewel of go◅d in a Swynes snowte This all flesh will either subscriue or put their hand to the Pen in token of consent except these that look vpon such outward things with the vnhallowed eye of prophannesse But to leaue all particulars What is all the glorie of Nations If all their glorie and excellencie whatsoeuer were put in one Scale of the Ballence and Vanitie in the other Vanitie should weigh them downe Dauid in his time put them in the weights together after hee had well considered the matter hee gaue out sentence saying Surelie men of low degree are vanitie mē of high degree are a lye if they bee laid in the Ballance they are altogether lighter than Vanitie See howe Vanitie is too heauie a weight for men of low and high degree If ye would mak euen weight out of vanitie must bee sought that which Habakkuke calleth verie vanitie euen Solomons vanitie of vanities Put in that lightest vanitie into the one Scale and men of all degrees in the other then shall the tongue of the Ballance stand euen What then shall wee say of the glorie of all Nations It is well compared by the Prophet vnto the droppe of a Bucket and to the small dust of the Ballance To tell vs that no worldlie thing can be balast in Gods Ballance no more than the lightest dust can bee of weight into a Scale of mans Ballance which is most easilie blowne away with the least blast of breath Great is the vanitie of the greatest From the Throne the King himselfe must come downe by death for to goe sleepe in slyme To Gods God hath said Yee shall die like men Thus as yee see all earthlie Honour for which is so much strife debate all worldly pompe and glory which mē so hungerlie hunt after is but like dust driuen away with a pu◅t of breath Let men in Honour bee in his best estate Man in his best estate is altogether vanitie The whole course of mans life is but a Myne of miserie and a verie fardle of vanities That thereof which is most stable is but a flash and away Let Gods vine trees keepe their wine and his figges their sweetenesse and his Oliues their fatnesse but let the Brambles catch crownes This was the euent and issue of the Parliament of Trees at the crowning of their King Well is the man that may line and lurke Who knoweth the weight of Crownes the lodging of greatest Honours would neuer daine to desire them 3. RICHES Now let vs come to Riches what are they a swift vanitie which with winges flie away like an Eagle I compare the most parte of rich men vnto Spiders which spend their verie bowels in weeuing a web wherewith they may catch a flee What is all the glorie of Riches but like a feast in print all sortes of meat are there all sorts of wine are also there but onelie words lines There is nothing there indeede that can either flake the hunger o◅ quench the thi◅st of the wearied man no not after that hee hath laboured night and day might and maine to attaine contentment This world is rich in pr◅ffers but of petit performance Man for a space like a Shippe before the wind are rich laden may glide gladlie ouer the sea of this world with a full saile Hee may get Ladies sailing as wee say and that in a wonderfull quietnesse but a little after such calme Alcedonian dayes are past euen while he is swimming in his wealth blessing himselfe as who but hee vp getteth a tempest and downe commeth a blast beholde a little from the Shore in sight of the Hauen in the hight of his hopes and hee is tumbled head-long downe to the bottome of the Gulfe Let this bee a lesson vnto all not to say with Dauid in his prosperitie I shall neuer bee moued Shall this bee mans felicitie which daylie is in reuerence of Winde and Waue Pyrats and Perrels Certainlie it is none happinesse for man heere to haue this wicked world at will It is Gods custome to giue the fatnesse of the Earth to the men of this World These onlie be the things whereof they haue an assigned liferent vvith that rich man in the Gospel to whom Abraham after his death cryed downe Remember that in thy life-time thou receiuedst thy good things At Abrahams requeast GOD refused not to make Ismael vvealthie in this world Concerning Ismael said the Lord I haue heard thee Loe I haue blessed him and will make him fruitfull and will multiplie him exceedinglie Twelue Princes shall hee beget The bitter teates of prophane Esau were comforted with the fatnesse of the Earth with the dew of heauen from aboue Christ cast first the bagge vnto Iudas and after gaue him a sop for to lette the world know that neither money nor meate are sure tokens of Gods fauour The wicked men of this vvorld are content with such thinges because their heauen is vpon earth they haue their portion in this life As for the Godlie though with Iacob they haue but a staffe in their hand for to goe out the vvay they will bee content if so bee that GOD will giue them bread to eate and clothes to put on * Alas that vvee cannot consider that by such heaped vp treasures men often heape vp to themselues treasures of wrath against the day of wrath Happie they vvho lay vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life If vvee could with a fixed and sanctified eye behold all these things for which men doe vnder goe such paines by afflicting their Soules wee should easilie perceiue our earthlinesse vvhen vvee losse such things which we loue and who can keepe them it breaketh the verie heart of all our contentments What are all such thinges I pray you euen while most pleasinglie and plausiblie they are enjoyed to the full in the most fertile plaines of plentie pleasures of this vvorld These vvhose cuppe doeth ouerflow in vvhose coffers are wadges of Gold can best if they vvould declare the vanitie of such transitorie things they know vvith vvhat cumber they are conquered and vvith vvhat care they are kept Nay man keepeth not them but they keepe the minde of man in care Cura facit canos Care changeth haire A peeuish worldling is a warded Wretch entangled with golden fetters his Palace is but a prison of carking cares in scraping together hee taketh pleasure into paine before his end hee cannot perceiue his follie But still he gads by Sea by Land seeking vpon the Sea and vpon the Earth an heauenlie felicitie till at last frustrate of all his hopes hee falleth downe into the Graue with
the jâ—…yes of Heauen The Pastour Such a matter is verie vnpleasant yea very fearefull to a naturall man It is written that while as S. Paul reasoned of Righteousnesse Temperance and Iudgement to come Felix who was but a naturall man tremblâ—…d all while hee heard him and therefore desired him to leaue off preaching any more and to goe his way till a more fitte and conuenient time Thogh the wicked tremble at this discourse yet it is coÌ„fortable profitable into the godly I wish at God that I had that tongue of the Learned that thereby I might produce these reasons of S. Paul which hee vttered while hee reasoned vpon this matter before Felix This Sir yee must first know that the day of Iudgement shall bee a great day a day of Law when all the Sonnes of Adam must compeare before the eyes of him who seeth our thoughts a farre off euen to the very depths of our heart The sicke Man First of all I desire to heare of the time that Christ shall come into the Cloudes for to judge both quicke and dead The Pastour As for the particular time of that great and glorious comming of the Lord no man can define wheÌ„ it shall bee whether in the night or in the day at mid-night or cock-crow It was a time hid from Christ himselfe as man while hee was heere in the dayes of his flesh neither thought hee shame to tell it His vvords and his counsell concerning that are of great weight But that day said hee and that houre knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heauen neither the Sonne but the Father Now what was his Counsell therevpon Take heede said hee watch and pray for yee know not when the time is For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey who left his house and gaue authoritie to his seruantes and to euerie man his work commanding the Porter to watch Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the house commeth at Euen or at mid-night or at the cock-crowing or in the morning lest comming suddenlie hee finde you sleeping And what I say vnto you I say vnto you all watch S. Peter saith that hee shall come as a Theefe in the night By all this it euidentlie appeareth that no man can designe the particular time of the comming of the Lord vnto Iudgement No tongue can tell whether his comming shall bee in the night or in the day in the morning or in the euening at the prayer or at the preacing * Watch yee therefore saide Christ and this he doubled againe And what I say vnto you that I say vnto you all watch The sicke Man What can bee the cause wherefore God hath kept vp to himselfe the particular knowledge of that great day The Pastour God in great wisedome hath hidde from all flesh the time of his comming as hee hath concealed from all men the houre and forme of their death that all may striue to be readie at all times The sicke Man Though this Day bee not particularlie knowne thinke yee not but it is verie neere The Pastour S. Iames in his dayes saide The comming of the Lord draweth neere The sicke Man But since hee said that it is more than a thousand and fiue hundreth yeares and yet all thinges remaine euen as they were haue I heard some men say The Pastour These bee the words of them whom S. Peter calleth Scoffers Knowing this first saith hee that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their owne lustes And saying where is the promise of his comming for since the Fathers fell a sleepe all things centinâ—…e as they were from the beginning of the Creation This is as much as if they had said If there were a God indeede for to come to judgement hee would not bee so slacke in his comming But what saith S. Peterâ—…o â—…o that The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some meÌ„ count slacknes but is long suffering to vs ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance The sicke Man I see now that no man can be certaine at what time Christ shall come It is a secret which God hath kept vp from all the liuing into his owne bosome The Pastour Indeed Sir it is such a secret thaâ—… may not bee searched Christ after his Resurrection said a wise word to his Apostles It is not for you 〈◊〉 knowe the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power This is the wisedome of God who hath concealed such things from the knowledge of all men as well learned as vnleaâ—…ned as well Kinges as Subjects that all flesh at all times be in readinesse when the Lord shall come to judgement This made the Lord so carefullie to waine his Disciples to watch The sicke Man The Lord graunt that wee may euer haue our loynes girded ouâ—… Candles in our hands waiting for the comming of that Lord. The Pastour That should be our daylie prayer This should teach vs not to lye downe to sleepe like foolish Virgines without Oyle in our Lampes leâ—… before wee waken the Bridegrome come vpon vs vnprouided enter in his Chamber while we shall bee seeking that which we shal not find The sicke Man Now Sir I pray you proceed and declare to mee howe the Lord shall come downe from Heauen for to judge this world wherein we dwell The Pastour He shall come downe not as King Agrippa his Queene Bernice came down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with much phantasie or vaine shew which is nothing indeede but a foolish phantasie But O the vnspeakable Glorie that shall bee seene at the comming of the Lord. The sicke Man I requeast you earnestlie to continue into that purpose for it affecteth mine heart verie much The Pastour I reade in the Gospel that while Christ was sitting vpon the Mount of Oliues his Disciples came vnto him priuatelie saying Tell vs when shall these things be and what shall be the signe of thy comming and the end of the world Christs answere was That they should take heede that no man deceiue them because saide hee many shall come into my Name saying I am Christ and shall deceiue many The sicke Man But did hee not declare anie particular signes or tokens that should appeare before his comming The Pastour The Lord hath declared that before that great terrible day come The Sunne shall bee darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light and the Starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall bee shaken The sicke Man I wish to heare the exposition of these words for they seeme to bee full of difficulties The Pastour Some think that these words are but an allegorie of the callamities that were to befall to the Church and
bee judged By this it would appeare that all the sinnes which they in their life did commit vnder the curtaine of darknesse shall then bee set in open view O the deepe displeasure of our God Happie they who are highlie in his fauour I would gladlie know what a blacke bible is that which is called the Book of the wicked The Pastour When Christ the Ancient of dayes sitting vpon his Throne readie for to judge the wicked shall bee vpon the touch of their tryall the Books of accounts shall bee laide open The Book of the Godlie is but one Book called The Booke of the Lambe and the Booke of Life But as for the wicked while the Scirpture speaketh of them it speaketh of Bookes in the plurall number The Bookes were opened saith S. Iohn And the dead were judged out of these thinges that were written in the Bookes By these Bookes some vnderstand the Law of God and their own Conscience Their bosome Booke like Vriahs Letters containing their own death Let mee also add◅ vnto these two a third Booke ei◅en the Booke of the Gospel First of all the Lord shall open his Law Book vnto the wicked where they shall see what they haue done that God hath forbidden and what they haue not done that hee hath commanded At the breach of euerie command they shall see curles of Woe woe woe annexed like the reekie taile of a Comet which are nothing but the smoke of Gods wrath After that with sore sighing griefe of minde they haue read through all the Book of the Law haue clearlie seene what filthie breaches they haue made to them shall bee presented the Booke of the Gospel wherein they shall see that they haue sinned against the reemeede of sinne by refusing grace offered vnto them and by treading vnder their vncleane feete the precious Blood of the Lambe the price of their Redemption Thogh the wicked shall indeed be judged according to their workes yet the maine cause of their condemnation shall bee because they would not belieue in the Son of God For this cause the Gospel which is that Book of Faith shal be Gods chiefe Booke of Iudgement according to this S. Paul plainelie saith That in that day God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel Nowe lest the wicked should thinke God anie wise to bee vnrigh teous while hee judgeth the third Booke like Iosephs Cup where by hee did diuine shall bee produced euen their bosome Booke the Booke of their owne Conscience the Booke of Nature and of Nations which euerie one of them had in keeping within their brest since they could discerne good by euill What euer they haue spoken wrought or thought there shall they finde it written in most black Characters as it were subscribed with their owne hand so that they shall not be able to haue a face for to deny no more thā a man can denye his owne hand write The Letters of that Booke shall be printed with so great a Character that all the Godlie who shall bee Christs Assessours in that Iurie for to passe their Verdict vpon them shall see easilie a farie off all the shame of the wicked which was once closse couered vnder vanished colours of great godlinesse O in that day all their filthy thoghts and craftie conueyances and secret conspiracies and hidde murthers and adulteries and all other mischiefe the vnhappie cockle darnell of their heartes whereof they were secretlie guiltie shall be sette in open view before GOD Angels and men All their faces shall be couered with the filthinesse of their menstruous clouts All their sins both knowne and secret shall God set in order before them that all eyes of men and Angels may beholde their abominations O short so◅r sweete pleasures with long euerlasting tailes of sorrow O but the Saintes of God shall wonder in that day to see so manie whom they while they liued iudged in Charitie to bee godlie and well set persons O say I but they shall wonder to see them in ba◅e bondage among the blacke band hauing the Books of their Consciences blotted with so many Items of i◅lle and wicked thoughtes which in this life could neuer be taken within the walk of humane justice After the Items of their vile thoughts shall appeare the Items of idle and wicked words After all shall bee seene the most filthie Items of their most vile abominable works which they thought had beene buried in eternall obliuion The dashing tempest of Gods wrath shall wash out all the varnished paintings of their hypocrisie Mercifull GOD what shame in that day shall come with confusion vpon all the faces of the wicked When such secret sinnes as hid murthers by Sword or by poyson hid adulteries incest stollen inches false weights all other such iniquities whereof this world is full and that vnder a faire colour and shewe of godlinesse when all these hid sianes say I shall bee singled out and shall come to light the Godlie whome they once reputed precise fooles and simple Fellowes shall wonder at the sight thereof Then shall they point at such persons saying among themselues Fye fye out vpon him out vpon her Ohshame who could haue thought that euer hee had beene such a man or that shee had beene such a woman was this the life that these dapper delicate persons did leade vnder the faire colour of such a glorious profession Ah stinking hypocrites formall Pharisees with your sodered shewes to whom poore poore Publicans seemed to bee no bodie because while yee sinned God kept silence yee thought that hee was altogether such a one as your selfe But now hee shall reproue you and shall set all your sinnes in order before you It shall bee clearlie proued vnto your faces false hearts that ye were but painted Tombes and whited walls The Lord in his furie shall hurle you out of your place Hee in his rage shall push you all downe like a rotten and tottering wall Nothing shall bee able to dazele or deceiue the eyes of your Iudge The sicke Man The Lord bee mercifull to my sillie Soule The Lord cast all my sinnes behind thy backe and burie them in the bottome of the Sea It is euident then as I see that all secret sinnes shall come to light in that day and shall bee seene written with Letters great like mountaines for to be seen by the eyes of all these that euer tooke life and that to the euerlasting shame and infamie of these who in the dayes of Gods patience turned his grace into wantonnesse The Pastour It is most certaine that there is nothing which shall not bee seene that day All the closse corruptions where with the wicked were stuft and swelled shall bee sette in open view all the wicked shall be known yea euerie mothers sonne of them shal be
the earth in the Spring to grow greene and the Cornes to come vp at the first with small green points and after to shoote vp to the shot bled after that to come to the Seede that at last beeing cut downe in a white ripenesse it may be lay◅e vp into Girnels Euen so the Gospel like a Sunne shining from the heauens commeth after the colde frostie season of the dead Winter of our Nature and by its Beames warmeth vs and wakeneth vp the seede of grace sowen into our heartes by the good hand of God After that with its heate by little and little it ripeneth these sowne graces at last while wee are ripe and while the graces of God in vs are come to their perfection the Lord sendeth his seruāt Death to cut vs downe with a sickle After that by Death we are cut downe the Lord treasureth vs vp into euerlasting Tabernacles the Girnels of the Prince of Heauen farre from the keene rasors of lying tongues Now seeing the day is f◅r spent here I shall pause leauing that which hath bene said to your nights meditations By that grace of God I shal returne in the morning earelie He that made Peter safelie to walk vpon the swelling waues vphold you so that ye sinke not at the rising of any boisterous blaste of temptation Gods Children in this world are lik these three Children in the fierie furnace though such fire seeme to bee a consuming fyre it shall not bee able so much as to sindge their apparell The sicke Man But before yee goe Sir according to your good former custume by your deuote prayers committe my Soule to the armes of my Sauiour I euer feare that my false heart giue mee the slippe As God hath giuen you a diuine tong so Lord giue me a sanctified eare the sweetest spirituall musick and harmonie of Gods seruice Oh that with Peter I could gird my coate and swimme thorow all the swelling seas of temptations that I might come vnto my Lord. Offer vp I pray you Sir for mee the Christian sacrifice of prayer Resigne my Soule into his mercifull hands Oh that I could with you homage mine heart vnto God in feruent supplications wee are not able as I see to stand a moment in the right way without Gods vnderpropping hand Alas Sir I finde in my prayers great distractions which wonderfullie blunt the edge of my deuotion while my mouth is speaking to God my minde is speaking with follies and phansies If a man speaking vnto a Prince should nowe turne him vnto this man and now to that man would not that Prince at last commaund him silence enjoyning him with all speed to packe him out of his presence as being a man who knoweth not what is matchable to such a Majestie Many a time alas haue I at prayer babled out with my lippes many sauourles words which haue wrought nothing but the sadding and grieuing of Gods Spirit O Lord make this meditation of mine owne vnworthinesse bee like a whet-stone to my prayers that by helpe thereof I may pray better than euer I did before Giue mee grace at all times but speciallie in prayer to keepe watch and ward ouer my thoughts that I neuer let loose the bridle vnto them as most foolishlie often I haue done rushing my Soule ouer head and eares into the myres of earthlie mindednes Now good Lord make mee fresh and nimble in my Spirit for prayer Oh for that Spirit of spirituall groans which maketh intercession for the Sainctes according to the will of God I desire your helpe in prayer The night is noysome I lye downe I say when shall I arise and the night beginne I am full of tossing vnto the dawning of the day The Pastour I rejoyce with my Soule to heare you I know no surer token of Gods Spirit within a man than a ben◅nes to prayer Reprobates with Herod may gladlie heare Preachers But they all in Scripture are branded with this blot They call not vpon God Desire of conference with God is a most sure token of friendship betweene God and man Can two walke together except they bee agreed Can two speake together except they be friendes Hypocrites I knowe will make long prayers which are but lip labour which our Lord calleth much babling But their heartes in their prayers wander from God goe to worldly toyes so that while they are speaking one thing with the mouth their hearts are vpon another subject Thus Scripture calleth A drawing neere to God with the mouth while the heart is farre off * God cannot bee scorned but knoweth howe much is behind though Ananias would seeme to bring all Hee who can pray from his heart by his prayer as with a piercing keye is able to vnlocke the celestiall treasures of God where out of hee will draw comfortable cordials for distressed Soules in their gasping agonies Let vs now bend our knees most humblie before our Maker and worship him both with heart mouth the most pleasant harmonie of a Christian Soule The Lord set all our hearts rightlie on worke For the heart of man in prayer is most bent to play reakes in wandering from God A Prayer for the sicke Man O Great and Omnipoten◅ GOD whose Eyes are ten thousand time brighter than the Sunne at Noone Day Our sinnes cannot bee hidde from The◅ Faine would wee confesse them but alas for this hardnesse of hear◅ Smite O LORD smite these our hearts of yron soften them with the fire of thy Spirit till my sighs sobs they melt within our boweles O◅ LORD who shall not feare thee to whom is giuen all power both in heauen and earth When we remember thy last Sessions which shall bee in that great last judiciall day it maketh all the haires of our head to start vp Wee are instructed by thy diuine Word that the fashion figure of this world shall passe away and that all Thrones shall bee remoued that that most Royall glorious Throne may bee erected for the comming of the Son of man O LORD in that great and terrible day all thinges must compeare naked before Thee Then shalt thou bring to light the things which were hidde in darknesse and shalt make manifest the most secret counsels of mens hearts From thy face nothing shall bee able to procure escape Happie shall that Soule be on whom in that day thou shalt bleink with a reconcealed face O gracious GOD whose goodnesse is bottomlesse and greatnesse immeasurable Now speake home to the hearte of thy seruant heere who in his fainting weaknesse hath desired me to powre out this prayer for him All his desires are toward thee stampe vpon his Soule the Image of thy selfe Giue him a pawne and a pledge of thy fauour make him assured that in that day hee shall finde thee a fauourable Iudge who shall cry on him among the rest of thy Children Come
that tyme Ornan with his foure Sons while they were threshing Wheate saw also the Angel and hid themselues Dauid vpoÌ„ that occasion bought the floore and offered Sacrifices with prayer and God answered him by fyre vpon the Altar of brunt offering and so God was pacified After Dauids death Solomon builded the Temple there It signifieth the feare or doctrine of GOD The sicke Man Let mee heare a little of that glorious Temple The Pastour It was seuen yeares in building The length thereof was threescore cubites and the breadth thereof twentie cubites and the hight thereof thritie cubites all the stones were readie for the wall before they were brought thither So that there was neither Hammer nor Axe nor any toole of yron heard in the House while it was in building Those that write of this Temple diuide it in three parts First toward the West was Sanctum Sanctorum the Holie of holies called also the Oracle This by a vaile was diuided from all the rest At the death of Christ this Vaile was rent from the top to the bottome Before that no man might enter into it but the higâ—… Priest that but once in the yearâ—… not without blood There stood the Arke wherein was the Pot of Mannah and Aarons Rod and the Tables of the Couenant The sicke Man While I was a Scholler I heard that passage confronted with another which declareth that neither the Mannah nor the Rod were in the Arke but onelie the Tables The Pastour Indeede it is written that the Mannah was layed vp before the Testimonie or Arke In another place it is plainlie said There was nothing in the Arke saue the two Tables of stone So indeede in that passage of the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth juxta beside the Aâ—…ke The second roome of the Temple is called by the Apostle The first That is the first part of the Tabernâ—…cle Not first in dignitie but in regard of entrie if it bee compared with the Holiâ—…st or Oracle This part is called Sanctum Sanctuarium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sancta which word some of the Learned take to bee corrupt as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this middle roome was the Candle sticke and the Table of the Shew-bread and the Altar of incense The third parte of the Temple toward the East was the Porch called Atrium Heere stood the Brasen Altar wherevpon the burnt offerings were burnt sub dio vnder the open aire as some think on this altar was kept that fire which came downe from Heauen Heere stood also the Molten sea set vpon twelue Oxen. c. The sicke Man I haue heard concerning mount Sion and mount Moriah and of the holie Temple with great contentment Now I intreat you to let me heare of the mount of Oliues while Christ was nigh vnto the Mount hee sent his Disciples into a Village for to bring him the Asse whereon hee rode thorow Ierusalem the day the little Children cryed Hosanna Hosanna The Pastour Indeede this Mount is well renouned by Christes often resorting vnto it While hee was sitting vpon the mount of Oliues hee taught his Disciples most diuinelie concerning the destruction of Ierusalem and the signes preceeding as also of the end of the world of the signes of his comming to Iudgement It was vpon the mount of Oliues that Christ told Peter that before the Cocke creâ—… twise hee should deny him thrise It was to the mount of Oliues that he came out of Ierusalem after his last Supper for Matthew saith That after they had sung an Hymne they went out into the mount of Oliues It was at the descent of the mount of Oliues that Christ said That if men should holde their peace the stones would cry ouâ—… his praise It was in Gethsemane a valley at the roote of the mount of Oliues where Christ suffered the bloodie agonie While hee there in a colde night did sweate blood there the Disciples slept With himselfe hee tooke a part Peter Iames and Iohn to whom hee said My Soule is exceeding sorrowfull vnto death tarrie yee heere and watch There the Lord fell on the ground praying that if it were possible the houre might passe from him all this befell to our Lord at the roote of the Mount of Oliues At last from the mount of Oliues our Lord ascended vnto Heauen As for the Mount it selfe it is so called because of the Oliue trees which grew there in great aboundance S. Augustine calleth it The mountainâ—… of vnction because of its great fertilitie Others calleth it the mountaine of health because of diuerse Herbes good for Physicke which growe there Ierom writteth that vpon this mount the red Cow was burnt whose ashes were prepared by the Priestâ—… for separation and purification This Mount was sâ—…uate toward the East from Ierusalem some thing more than a mile between it Ierusalem runneth the Brooke Kidron The sicke Man Mine heart is sore wounded to heare of these places which hath bene so renouned by the pen of God I haue heard of Sion of Moria and of the mount of Oliues Now let mee heare of Hermon The Pastour The Hill Hermon is also made glorious by Gods word wherein mention is made thereof The heauens are thine saith the Psalmest the earth also is thine The North and the South thou hast created them Tabor and Hermon shall rejoyce in thy Name Dauid speaking of brotherlie loue and of the communion of the Sainctes compareth it to the oyle that ranne downe vpon the beard of Aaron To this hee subjoyneth As the dew of Hermon and as the dewe that descended vpon the mountaines of Zion In the Song of Solomon mention is made of Shenir and Hermon This Hill hath three names the Iewes call it Hermon the Amorites call it Shenir and the Sydonians call it Sirion Moses by the figure Syncope tâ—…king out two Letters calleth it Syon From Aroer to Arnon saith he euen vnto mount Syon which is Hermon This Mountaine is thought by some to bee higher than mount Syon that is in Ierusalem It is neare the Iordan not farre from the mountaines of Gilboa where King Saul was slaine Some will it to bee called Hermon from Heren res devota a thing consecrate to God or to an holie vse The sicke Man There is a passage in the Psalme concerning Hermon whereof I know not well the sense O my God saith the Psalmest my Soule is cast downe within mee Therefore will I remember thee from the Land of Iordan and of the Hermonites from the hill of Missar or the little hill The Pastour These wordes want not difficultie In our poesie they are turned after this manner And thus my Soule within mee Lord doeth faint to thinke vpon The Land of Iordan and record the little
drawe the desires of his heart to abide into that P◅lace of pleasures where there is Light without Darknesse Mirth without Sadnesse Health without Sicknesse Wealth without want Beautie without blemish For the sake of thy dea◅e Selfe seale vp into his Soule the assurance of thy loue that in all bol◅nesse through the bleeding bowels of Christes compassions hee may come to the Throne of thy grace frō thence he may enter into glory O LORD the comfort the joye and the glorie of Israel Bee fauourable to thy distressed Sainctes dispersed vpon the Earth Thy Church here below is like a shippe on the sea Though it floate aloft it is fore tossed to and f◅o with wind and with waue thou therin seemeth whiles to sleep Now LORD at last awake in these boisterous blastes Master Master saue vs for wee perish Awake O LORD and rebuke the winds Alas O LORD thou seemeth now to lowre in thy wrath by driuing all our petitions from Thee with a darke and cloudie countenance so that these that trust in Thee are cleane dashed out of countenance while they heare the scorninges of the aduersaries who nowe waste and hauocke thy Vine Arise O LORD as a man of war Awake as one out of sleepe and like a mightie man that shouteth by reason of Wine Smite thou all the enemies in the hinder partes and put them to a perpetuall reproach Take the Cudgell into thine hand and stricke a way these Dogges which follow Thee but for crustes Let vs neuer bee colde or carelesse in the distresse of others but for to assure vs that wee are all members of one Bodie giue vs this pledge of mourning with these that mourne Make vs all to bee grieued for the affliction of Ioseph Blesse our gracious SOVERAIGNE with the Spirit of Wisedome and of Grace Rescue Him from all dangers both bodilie ghostlie Thogh Hee bee a Prince among men yet Hee is thy Subject Thou who by Grace hast made Him to reigne ouer thy people on earth at the end of his appointed time when the dayes of His Reigne shall bee happilie finished exalt Him highlie in the heanens among thy Sainctes and Angels So long as Hee is heere let Him know that it standeth Him fast in hand to bee an Hornager vnto Thee Direct him so in all His cariage that His whole life may bee to all His Subjects an holy patronage of good example Let Him neuer retract nor repeale that vow which Hee made at His Coronation for to maintaine the puritie of thy Gospel and for to bee a louing Father vnto thy people Cloth his enemies with shame but vpon Himselfe make His Crowne to flourish Blesse His Royall Match Make Her to striue stretch all the powers of Her Soule by prayer in searching the sincere knowledge of thy truth LORD in Her carefull search make Her to say at last with the Spouse I haue found him whom my Soule loueth I will not let him goe Thou LORD louest Trueth in the inward partes and therefore so sanctifie Her Hearte that She may day lie thriue in the power of Godlinesse Though all outward meanes should faile Her bee Thou to Her in stead of all meanes aboundantlie supplying Her with the power and presence of thy Spirit Leuell LORD Her Heart directlie to the loue of Christ of him crucified that by a true liuelie Faith in him Shee may shine among the Sainctes in Heauen like one who in a great measure hath beene receiued in Grace on earth Let thy Preastes bee cloathed with righteousnesse Blesse all our Nobles mak them truelie noble not like Ephraim whose righteousnesse was like the morning dew Let them neuer for feede or fauour slinke or shrinke back from the puritie of thy Gospel established in this Land Giue vnto vs all courage for the Trueth that wee may bee bold to resist euen vnto the blood not beeing like these who at the first in an hote and hastie zeale promise faire with Peter but anone at the first womanlie temptation start aside like deceitfull bowes Suffer no sinne to goe current with vs without check Let vs neuer follow the sway of tymes with sewed Cushions vnder our Elbowes LORD abide with vs this night As thou hast drawne the night Curtaine of darknesse vpon the face of the earth so bee thou a pillar of the cloude betweene vs and our enemies Hide our soules from Sathans temptations as by the cloudie pillar thou hid the Israelites from the Egyptians Make vs this night to sleepe softlie and soundlie in thine Armes that our bodies beeing refreshed with sleepe may bee the better enabled to morrow for to sette foorth thy Glorie in the work of our Vocation LORD let these our weake prayers come vp before Thee like Pillars of smoke perfumed with the liuelie sauoure of thy Son To whom with Thee and the Spirit of Grace bee endlesse Glorie and Dominion for euer Now Sir wee haue recommended you God to who is stretching out the Armes of his mercie readie for to receiue your Soule into the bosome of his Loue Make you nowe readie for him for in all appearance ye are not farre from the doores of death Bee vigilant in prayer lest Satan yet put in his leauen into the Spirites dough and so by sowring it make it distastfull to the Lord By a little droppe of filth the pure webbe of the Spirit will become a menstruous cloath The sicke Man The lost Sheepe is found I giue you most heartie thankes for that feruent prayer I pray God that it be heard in the Heauen as Solomon prayed for these that prayed in the Temple which he had builded saying Then heare thou in Heauen Lord graunt that these comforts and contentments bee not deceiuable feelinges and flashings of joye O Lord let not the Spirit of Grace in this new birth recoyle as once Zarah in Thamars wombe Seeing God hath furnished me with a new spirituall strength I wish that I culd imploy it well for the short space that I haue to liue among mortall wightes in this region of corruption O Lord stirre all the streames of mine affections toward thy selfe Wound ward weaken wasle all my delightfull and darling sinnes that my whole joye may rest on Thee command confine all my thoghts to thy selfe that by Faith my Soule may seaze and lay hold on the merits of Christ the celestiall Pearles of price Disburthen my soule of euerie weight that hangeth so fast on lest that thereby it should bee swayed away from Thee I finde mine hearte stirred with a feruent desire to powre out it selfe in prayer before God I pray you all that sit by to joyne your affections with mine into this worke The sicke mans Prayer for himselfe O LORD the Father of mercies and GOD of all Consolation bee present in thy great mercie with mee thy vnworthie seruant into this time of trouble suffer mee earth and ashes to speake
when it shall please his Majestie That which is the gift of Gods good pleasure is not a thing which a man may haue wheÌ„ he pleaseth Youth is lik the time of the stirring of the poole a gracious time if it be wel imployed Christ I knowe may cure a Soule that hath beene sicke of the palsey of sinne eight and thirtie yeeres but that must bee counted a most rare miracle Late repentance is seldome sound But alas though a man were assured that in his olde dayes he should repent truelie of all the folies of his youth how bitter a thing is that which Gods word calleth Repentance A Pagan hauing gotten some little glimpse thereof while he conferred the pleasures of sin with the paines of repentance refused to bargaine for his pleasures saying plainelie Non emeâ—…im tanti poenitere that hee would not buy repentance so deare Most men in the heat of their sinnes lay about them to finde some pretence for the lessening therof lest they seeme vgelie Oh that youth would bee wise our youth is either a great friend or a great foe vnto our olde age If we get a fill of Gods mercie in the morning of our age wee shall bee glad and rejoyce all our dayes The rememberance of a well spent youth is in olde age lik the casting of the Eagles bill whereby its age is renewed O the siluer coloured gray head of that olde man who from his youth in the maine of his life hath walked in the wayes of righteousnesse Grace froÌ„ the Cradle is of great expectation Happie is that youth which is old in grace If yee get grace to your youth yee shall get glorie after age God it is who giueth both grace and glorie which two I may call the euerlasting twinnes conceiued into the breast and bowels of that Mercie that is aboue Take heede my Children In your first dayes striue to bee like the Auncient of dayes A good Conscience well kept in youth is a perpetuall feast for olde age That mans youth is a great friend to his old age who can say with Obadiah I feare the Lord from my youth A well spent youth is a blessed seede time for Heauen A well spent youth is spirituall physicke vnto olde age which of it selfe on Earth is a sicknesse drawing vnto Death As the well spent youth is a friend vnto old age so if it bee euill spent it is a most fearfull foe a foe full of woes woe to him whose old bones are sores with the sins of his youth the Lord hath taken the penne in his hand wherewith after he that hath narrowly searched his wayes hee shall write bitter thinges against him and shall make him possesse the iniquities of his youth * Beware therefore to set your corruption to worke for to giue the Prime of your life vnto pleasures Bee wise in time lest Sathan shely foist in and closelie conuay corruptions into your young and tender heartes by tickling and tempting you to folie It is more easie while it is time to spend well the time than after to redeeme the mispent time Why would yee trouble your olde age with young folies If yee sawe the seede of folie in your youth ye shall vndoubtedly reapesheaues of sorrows in your old age It is a sore troublé to sow in laughter reape in teares In the best man that liueth there is sufficient mater of mourning for his cloudie and rainie yeares The old man hath enough to suffer vnder sicknes though hee had no cumber of his sinnes O how pleasant is the bitter haruest of a foolish youth O folie hath not olde age paines sufficientlie in the bodie though it bee not surcharged with the troubles of the Spirit What wisedome is this to surcharge the weakest age with the heauiest burden Thinke chieflie vpon this seeing the goodnesse of God followeth the whole life of man from his mothers bellie to his buriall it is reason that his whole life as well youth as olde age bee framed for to expresse his thankfulnesse My first and chiefest direction to you is that yee giue to God the first fruites of your age Suffer not sinne in your tender yeeres to get hold haunt in your heartes A godlie Youth hath a speciall promise 〈◊〉 God these that seeke mee earelie 〈◊〉 finde mee This parable was forged in Hell young Saincts old Deuils that is A good Lad will bee an euill man And this is turned ouer againe by the prophane world viz. An euill Lad will bee a good man Nay but an euill Lad is in the way to proue an olde wag-string A young scoffing Ismael will become an olde swaggering reueller Children in Scripture are called Plants If in the Moneth of May a 〈◊〉 bee without leafes or buddes we conceiue little good hope of anie fruites to bee had in the haruest time thereafter will a tree bring foorth fruites before it flourish When flourish time is past without anie blossome shall wee looke for anie fruite for that yeare Learne of the trees to know your seasons Solomon sent the sluggard to Doctour Pismires schoole for to learne wisedome to prouide for the euill day Striue with the trees in your youth to get a spring of grace which may appâ—…are in the sprout and blossome of dispositions vnto vertues Muâ—…ium est assâ—…escere a teneris To beginne well or euill is to bee in the midst of the journey Most powerfull are the first impressions lik the loue of women which ordinarlie is greatest towards her first Match the guide of her youth who tulit primos amores hath gorten the prime of her loue It is hard to fall from her first loue See what a liking these who are in Kings Courts will haue to remember of the Cottage or rurall village whereinto they were borne and brought vp The secret draught is so powerfull that hardlie can anie expresse the cause This made a Pagan to say Nescio qua natale soluÌ„ dulcedine cuÌ„ctos Ducit immemores non sinit esse sui By this yee may see how by a certaine secret instinct wee euer loue the places where wee haue beene borne brought vp Obserue the lesson of this if yee passe your youth in sin in the pleasures therof hardly shal yee euer forget that company doe what ye can ye shall euer haue a certaine secret loue which your Soule darre not auouch toward that which yee once loued while ye were yong If your sinnes bee your Companions in your vouth they will bee your Counsellers in olde age Rehoboams fall was in this that he took counsell of the young men that were growne vp with him If sinne bee brought vp with you in your youth there is danger that ye take its counsell in your olde age The time of youth is most dangerous for in it the affections
leape the same loupe beeing assured of as much and all because hee seeth that now his neighbour is soundlie healed and feeleth no more paine If yee wander from God hasten your returne A man out of the way must come back againe The soone◅ hee returneth the lesse is his labour If yee fall in sinne and rise againe beware to bee relaps An Horse comming by the same place where hee caught a fall will starte a backe Neither for Spur nor Wand will ye get him into the same hole againe Dauid no doubt after once would not count the Tribes againe neither would Peter after that awefull looke of Christ denye his Master againe neither would Iob seck anie more to dispute with his God againe They all know by experience how bitter a thing such sins were and therefore abhorred all such things at the verie rememberance thereof Remember well I pray you that olde age will inquire what youth hath beene doing This now know that all youthlie pranking pleasures are followed with pages of paines which cry vnto others that they listen not to the allurementes and deceitfull charmes of their filthie flesh While Dalilah lulleth in her lappe shee is armed with Sissers for to cutte the haire of our strength It is good that both old young haue their loynes euer girded their Candles in their hands waiting for that comming of their Lord Learne of the foolish Virgines how dangerous a thing it is to sleepe without oyle in your Lampes Let neuer sinne reigne in your mortall bodies Subdue the flesh to the Spirit If yee liue in Gods feare looke to die in Gods fauour Happie is the man that keepeth a Calender of his days wherby hee may bee roused vp to thinke euerie day his last It is certaine that our life like a shippe vpon the Sea is caried with a strang gale There is none abiding heere our Sunne is fast posting to the West as hee arose so shortlie must hee fall And therefore though yee dwell one earth mind the thinges that are aboue Let your Soules here in earth on earth soare vp toward the euerlasting Tabernacles Too manie Soules bee Trewands from God onlie minding the thinges that are below Beware that thornie cares choak in your Soules the seede of grace To be worldlie minded is death Aspire not aboue your pitch Thrust not yourselues in offices An office is well called A Calling because man should waite till hee bee called vnto it It is better to bee haled by force of others to great offices than to rushrashlie vpon them vndesired It were to bee wished that rather men want Offices than that Offices want men answereable to their discharge Affect not to bee singular in glorious shewes of profession without substance like Pedlers who hang out more than they haue within There bee none so peeuish as prattling professours without the power of practise The new creature in actions is the truest outward witnesse of the trueth of the inward affections Affection bewrayeth the euill affections Malo esse probus quam haberi It is better to bee good than so to seeme Among all humane dueties bee carefull to keepe loue with your Neighbours So farre as is possible winne the good word and will of all men Bee not contentious nor stirrers vp of discordes God hath blessed the peace makers The Apostles Precept is plaine Let brotherlie loue remaine Forget not the poore Hide not yourselues from your owne flesh The rich and the poore will meete together saith Solomō That is One good turne may bee requited by another If they cānot recompence you they will pray for you Though that which yee giue vnto them at the first seeme to be lost like seed sowne into a running water which carrieth it away the Lord who brought backe the Iordan shall bring back your lost seede with a plentifull increase Cast then your bread vpon the waters for yee shall finde it after many dayes Christs counsell is that rich men mak vnto themselues friends of the Mammō of vnrighteausnesse If ye receiue the poore in their neede into your earthlie mansions they by their prayers shall receiue you in your greater neede into euerlasting Tabernacles When Diues hath dyned let Lazarus haue the crums Cursed Adam was couered but with figge leaues and Christ cursed the fig tree for hauing leaues without fruites While ye giue almes let all be done without a desire to be seene or praised of men Let not your left hand know what the right hand giueth and God shall reward that humble secrecie with open honour What euer bee done see that it bee done in Faith without which most glorious workes are but glistering sinnes and Pharisees almes beggers of praise things done to be seene Bee meeke and gentle toward all The Spirit of God cannot light vpon a Soule but in the shape of a Doue Euerie way of a man is right in his owne eyes But the Lord pondereth the hearts My Spirit fainteth my breath shorteneth mine heart sickeneth I finde Death now besieging my Noble partes I cannot tell how soone God shall fetch away my Soule It is most certaine that I drawe neare to the doores of death I haue yet some-thing in my mind for to tell you O my deare Childrē but for weakenesse I cannot till I be refreshed with a little rest Within a little space I looke to bee lockt in my graue O Lord say vnto my Soule I am thy Saluation Refresh mine heart rejoyce my Soule with a sight of thy reconcealed face before that I goe hence and bee seene no more The Pastour Lord heare thou in Heauen O how much fruite groweth off one stalke GODS grace in you hath brought foorth a large haruest of comforts to all that haue heard you The Lord renew your strength and put his Spirit within you The Lord sanctifie your Spirit which is the Candle of the Lord searching all the bowels of the bellie The God of all grace hath cleansed and purified your words throgh the stramer of his great mercie * So soone as ye haue gathered strēgth let vs heare the rest of your counsell to your Children In it is wisedome for to be learned of old age recouer your force a little that yee may conclude that which yee haue begunne It is good in good things to goe throgh stitch The sicke Man O Lord perfect thy strength in my great weaknesse My deare Children hearken vnto mee It is not possible but in this euill world yee shall bee troubled with great and grieuous afflictions In my great griefes I was euer wont to comfort my selfe with that wise speach of Solomon When a mans wayes shall please the Lord hee shall make euen his enemies to bee at peace with him If anie man offend you or is offended against you perswade yourselues that some of your wayes please not
Seruant fainting in great weaknesse of bodie But thogh flesh and friends health wealth and all should faile him thou LORD will neuer faile him Hee is thy Seruant he is thy Seruant the son of thy hand-maide Thou hast most powerfullie hitherto supported and vpholdeÌ„ him by thy mercifull hand Now leaue him not while he is drawing neare vnto his long home It is easie to perceiue that his age is departing from him like a shepheards tent and that thou art readie to cutte off his life like a weauer His desire LORD is to bee with Thee Thou hast heard the sighings of this prisoner and thou hast vnderstood the groanes of thine own Spirit As thou hast begunne the good worke in him so perfect it in due time As thou doest with the yeare crowne it with thy goodnesse with-draw not thy Grace from him till it bee made perfect in weaknesse Thou LORD hast manifested thy loue to him wonderfullie by putting into his minde and mouth such diuine preceptes and counselâ—… to his Friends Wife and Children that all that haue heard them haue beene forced to wonder at the glorie of thy grace Now deare Iesus let thy force be with him in his fainting but the nearer hee draweth vnto his end lâ—…t thy Spirit the Comforter enable him the more till victoriouslie hee hath put an end vnto this Battell As the strength of his bodie shall beginne to decrease let the comfortes of thy Spirit increase in his Soule Seale vp in his heart that peace which thou hast purchased by the blood of the Prince of peace Assure him of the rest of these joyes which are to bee reuealed whereof hee hath alreadie receiued the earnest O say vnto his Soule that thou shalt bee his Saluation In the silence of the night while deepe sleepe falleth on man make thou his reines to instruct him Suggest vnto his heart the sweetest wordes of thy comforts which may bee vnto him like apples of gold in pictures of siluer Waine his heart daylie more and more from the loue of things below Make thou his Soule to soare vp with Eagles wings towardes the heauenlie Mansions Prepare nowe his Soule to the last conflict Put vpon him all the Armour of God Strengthen his Faith that hee may holde fast by Thee yea so resoluedlie that though thou should slay him yet hee may trust in thee When the force of sicknesse shall tak away the vse of his tongue make his heart to groane vnto Thee in the secret language of thy Spirite â—…hat in thine hands he commenâ—… 〈◊〉 his Soule and that he desireth thee to come quicklie for his reliefe Let not the increasing throes and pangues of death discourage him In greatest anguish vphold his enfeebled heart with the hope of Glorie Look on him Lord with the eye of thy mercie incline thine eare to the sighes of his heart make haste to come for his Soule is longing for his appointed time till his change come As thou art the Lord of life so vnto thee belong the issues of death Let strength proceede from thee like vertue from Christes garment whereby hee may bee encouraged against the fearefull assaults of death which shortly in all appearance shall besiege his noble parts for to bring him vnto dust froÌ„ whence hee came Make thy Spirit to enter into his hearte for to vphold him against this feare smart of his last and most heauie houre Let him know that if the earthlie house of his Tabernacle bee dissolued that he hath a building of God an house not made with hand eternall in the heauen Make his Soule more and more earnestlie to groane for to bee cloathed vpon with his house which is from Heauen Seeing while hee is heere at home in the bodie hee is absent from the Lord make thou him confident and willing rather to bee absent from the bodie that hee may bee present with Thee in the Heauens Let the hope of the Resurrection vphold him against all the terrours of the Graâ—…e Perswade his Soule that at the sound of that shrill celestiall Trumpet his bodie shall arise and with these same eyes shall beholde his Redeemer and none other for him Innumerable euils Lord haue compassed him about Nowe the time approacheth that thou wilt deliuer him from all his feares Make haste Lord Come Lord Iesus come Rebuke Sathan wee intreat thee that in the darksome night he interrupt not the comforts of thy Spirit Suffer neuer that slie and craftie one to bereaue him of the pledges of thy loue Make him to holde fast that which hee hath that none bee able to take his Crowne O mercifull God take notice of all his wants and necessities and bee thou to him SHADAI GOD all sufficient for to supplie them Let him not want that Grace without the which hee cannot serue thee Through thy selfe make him to push downe all the enemies of his Saluation Through thy Name make him to treade them vnder foote that rise vp against him for he hath not forgotten the Name of thee his God neither hath hee stretched out his hands to a strange God While his eye-stringes shall bee broken and when the throes of death shall make his heart to tumble within him then bee thou the strength of his heart the health of his countenance and his God In his greatest griefes anoynt his Soule with some droppes of that oyle of gladnesse wherewith thou once anointed our Lord and Sauiour aboue his fellowes Let thy Graces like that precious ointment that ran downe vpon the beard of Aaron flowe down from thee aboundantlie vpon all the powers of his Soule Let spirituall vertues drop downe vpon him as the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended vpon the mountaines of Zion O thou the perfection of beautie shine vpon his Soule Indue him with a melting and relenting heart Bee mercifull to thy distressed Church comfort Her in all Her teares and troubles Pittie Her deformities Adorne Her with Puritie and Vnitie Though Shee bee outwardlie 1. duskie because the Sun hath withered Her yet Shee is the Kings Daughter whose 2. whole glorie is within 3 Awake O North Wind and come thou South blow vpon Her Garden that the spices thereof may flowe out Declare vnto Her enemies that if they 4 touch Her they shall touch the Apple of thine Eye Let them all know that it is 5 hard to kicke against prickes and that if they perlecute thee Thou wilt throw them to the ground Bee mercifull to our gracious SOVERAIGNE the Kings Majestie as by thy Grace thou hast made him a King so by thy Grace make Him a good King Powre down a princelie Spirit vpon his Soule that Hee may haue courage for the Trueth Make Him answerable to his most honourable Style Defender of the Faith Vouchsafe thy mercie vpon his Princelie Spouse Let the beautie of the Lord Her God bee vpon Her Make Her like
Nowe graunt that the hope of that glorie which is to bee reuealed may bee so strong in his Soule that it may shield and fence him from the force and furie of the last assaults The nearer he draweth vnto death inlarge the chanell of thy graces like a Riuer which is broadest towards the end of its course Make his heart in the ◅orest pangs of death to bee still lifted vp towards thee And seeing Death and the Deuill mans two last enemies are euer busie the one for to fright the other for to tempt Prepare him Lord and furnish him so with thy Graces that hee may proue victorious in this last assault O gracious GOD assist him by thy force against the most violent blustering winds of the last and most fearefull temptations If Satan looke in at the doores of his heart seeking for an entrie let him neuer get so much as one chamber-roome set a part for his sojourning Make thy grace vnto him like a Sunne like a Bridegroome comming out of his Chamber to disperse the darknesse of his mistie minde Vnto his last gaspe direct him so by thy good Spirit that his Soule may cleaue so fast vnto thee that neither sinne nor sicknesse life nor death may bee able to separate him from thee Thogh thou shuld slay him yet wil hee trust in thee Faile him not now in time of neede vphold his heart in this heauie houre Let his Soule lurke vnder the winges of thy mercie till the tempest of wrath bee calmed past ouer Bee thou to him a shelter against the heauie showers of the last agonie O gracious Lord in wrath remember mercie In the multitude of thy compassions blot out his transgressions and that for the dearest drops of that sacred Blood that gushed vpon the cursed crosse Rinse and cleanse his heart from all vncleannes Giue him courage in his greatest fears Let not Death bee vnto him as a king of feare nor hee as one of the wicked whose hope doeth perish with their breath O Lord let thy Name bee vnto him like a strong tower for to hid him into the time of trouble Let this bee the cleare candle of his comfort neuer to bee quenched that Christ by his death hath for him and all the Faithfull ouercome Death and disarmed it of its sting Declare by the inward motion of thy Spirit to his Soule that the nature of death by the death of Christ is changed into a sleepe vnto all the friends of Christ who by the infinite power of his diuine Nature hath swallowed it vp in victorie and hath so digested it that now the bitternesse thereof is past As the Arke was to Noah and Zoar vnto Lot so bee thou a refuge to this faithfull Soule fighting thy battels not onelie against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers against the gouernours of darknesse of this world and against spirituall wickednesse in high places Let thy strength bee made perfect in his weaknesse As thou hast vp holden him hitherto by the strength of thy Spirit so continue with him vntill the end The battell is the Lords fight Lord for thine own cause euē for this Soule one of thy redeemed Ones obtaine thou the victorie and take the glorie to thy selfe O God both of grace and glorie seale surely vp in his bosome the pardon of all his iniquities Perfect the comfortes which thou hast begunne say vnto his Soule That heauen is not so high nor hell so low nor the world so wide as are thy mercies towards him All thy creatures haue their owne dimensions but thy mercie Lord like thy selfe is without measure Out of these infinite compassions make this sillie Soule partaker of the dearest mercies that euer rould together the relenting bowels of thy tenderest loue Heare vs Lord in all these our sutes and that for the sake of thy best beloued and onelie begotten Sonne the Lord Iesus Christ in whose Name and at whole command wee powre out our heartes to thee in that prayer which by his own sacred and most blessed mouth hee hath taught vs Our Father c. The sicke Man Lord heare thou in Heauen Blessed for euer be thy Name for such spirituall comfortes for so manie mercies I can rander nothing but the little mites of praise and thankesgiuing Mine heart is filled with songs of Gods mercie If his Spirit of grace had not vpholden mee in my first feares while as I thought I was wrapped into an infinite wrath I had certainelie beene swallowed vp with ouermuch sorrow But now blessed eternallie bee the Lord who hath made the earth to swallow vp all the floodes of temptations and tribulations which that red Dragon the Deuill a bloodie murtherer hath cast out of his mouth after mee for to carrie my Soule down head-longs to perdition Now finde I Gods word to bee true that hee is ouercome by the Blood of the Lambe Except that the Lord had beene on my side O in what a dumbe dumpe had my poore Soule beene driuen into ere now The Pastour Hee who followed Adam thorow the thicke bushes and Ionas in the bottome of the sea Hee who blessed the crooked man and made the barren fertile and the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare and the blind to see hath made his grace perfect in your weaknesse He best feeleth the pulse of our heartes and the force of our life Loth would hee bee to breake the bruised reede or to quench the smoking flaxe All men by nature are but like an vncleane Dung-hill of drosse their heartes at the first are but a den of Dragons But so soone as the Spirit of grace hath begunne to drawe the draughts and lineamentes of Gods image within the soule of a man nothing shall bee able to deface or mangle that liuelie image To all sorts of temptations Gods wisedome shall finde an out-gate Neither the traines of Sathan nor the treason of our bosome sinnes nor the terrors of hell nor the trashes of the world shall euer be able to preueale against Adirim Gods excellent Ones According as Zacharias filled with the holie Ghost prophecied It is granted vnto vs that wee beeing deliuered out of the handes of our enemies may serue him without feare The sicke Man I blesse God for such inestimable comforts Sathan hath shrewdlie assaulted mee but could not preuaile My corruptions haue beene subdued and awed by the Majestie of the Spirit of Iesus My Soule rejoyceth in GOD In the merites of Christ as in a glasse I see him a meeke a mercifull Father I am not now afraide to come to a tryall at his Tribunall I am no more dismayed for the vnquencheable flammes of the fierie lake I thinke certainelie that there was neuer a man so much beholden to my God as I am Truelie may I sing with the Psalmest I waited patientlie or the Lord and hee inclined vnto mee and heard my cry Hee
brought me out of an horrible pitte out of the myrrie clay and set my feete vpon a Rocke and established my goings He hath put a new song into my mouth euen praise vnto our God many shall see it and feare and shall trust in the Lord. O that I had breath for the setting foorth of his praise Happie is he who while he may vtter words praiseth God continuallie Blessed is that man who may call his tongue his Glorie O my Soule I charge thee by the Roes and by the Hindes of the fielde that thou cease not to praise his Might his Mercie and his Majestie O my Soule take heede and listen vnto his voyce O Iesus the great Deputie of mercie sent by the Father forsake mee not in this heauie houre Now I sore sicken so that all naturall force faileth me My words now so weaâ—…ie mee that I thinke ere it be long this bodie shall bee lodged in the place of silence But let mee intreate you Sir so long as ye shall perceiue life to bee in mee let it please you to continue in some good purpose concerning the world to come By some holie discourse rouse vp my drousie Spirit hold mine heart vpon an edge Let me not die like a senselesse Nabal of whom it is written that his heart died within him so that hee became like a stone Manie blindlie and boldlie rush into hell I beseech you Sir to waite well vpon mee till yee see the ende I thinke that ere it bee long my Soule shall bee at the farthest tryst O Lord warme my frozen Soule with the sense of the kindled compassions of the bowels of thy loue Inlighten my mistie minde cleare it with thy countenance Bee thou the comforter of my Conscience vntil the day break and the shadows flie away Take now Sir my Soule into the armes of your prayers lift it vp and lay it into that blessed bosome of my Lordes mercies Bend yet againe your knees before God in prayer that hee for his mercies sake would receiue mee into my Masters joye O but my Soule fluttereth fast within mee for to bee at my God Let it please you to bee feruent in prayer for mee that I may foile vnder my feete the Deuill Death and all the powers of hell The Deuill in death will not faile to giue mee a furious assault at the chiefest fortresse of my Saluation for to batter it downe to the ground Intreate the Lord that his mercie may bee a strong rempart and a blessed Bul-wark against all the Engines of hell which are readie bent to waste and hauock all Gods graces within mee O Lord campe thine Angels about mee Place thy Pauilions of war betweene mee and mine enemies Refresh mee more and more with thy comforts Giue mee the earnest of these joyes which passe all vnderstanding Possesse mee with the Spirit of gladnesse for that thou in mercie hast forgiuen mee my sinnes Continue so vnto the end that in the heauens for euer this may be the burden of my song For his mercie indureth for euer Let it please you Sir on whome God hath vouchsafed the Spirit of Prayer in a good and great measure to assist mee with your comforts and prayers lest by temptations I should beginne to slacke off my care and watchfulnesse The Pastour Hold fast your eye vpon Christ your Redeemer Follow him thorow the valey of death for hee hath not onelie pointed out our path but as Captaine of our Saluation hath troden euery steppe before vs Yee may well sticke a little in the narrow throate of Death but that one steppe being past yee enter into Rehoboth a place of roome farre from the reekie smoke vaine shadowes and dreames of earthlie vanitie and perishing pleasures Bee glad Sir to flit from this barren moorish ground and muddie mortalitie for to goe to a paradise a Palace a place of pleasures for euermore According to your desire wee shall returne to God by prayer A Prayer for the sicke man drawing neare to the doores of death O Father of mercies and God of all comforts in whom all goodnesse and graces are treasured let it please thee fauourablie to regard the soule of this thy seruant here whose heart panteth after thee as the wearied Hart panteth after the water brookes Refresh his Soule with the diuine dew of thy grace till it bee entered in at the gates of Glorie Powre into his hearte the sweete streames of thy loue Settle his soule in a right and vpright course so long as it remaineth in this mistie muddie mortalitie send out thy light and guide it by thy Grace till it hath passed the straites of Death for to enter into the Land of vprightnes O Father of mercies perswade him by thy Spirit that the comming of Death shall bee to him a time of discharge a time of freedome from sicknes of bodie anguish of Spirit trouble of Conscience and from all possibilitie of sinning anie more Let him know that while hee is going to the Graue hee is going to a bedde of ease where most quietlie he shall rest from all his toylesome labours Turne all feare of Death into a chearefull expectation and longing for the houre of dissolution Make quiet his Conscience that he may die with comfort O thou Sauiour of mankind whose boweles are filled with mercifull compassions spreade the wing of thy righteous garment ouer this Soule of thy seruant Thou hast shaken him with thy terrours in diuerse assaults Thou hast broght him low for to make him a fitte passenger for the little doore which leadeth vnto Glorie Leaue him not now Lord in his greatest neede Make thine Angels camped about him powerfully to assist him against al the last assaults of that euill one Thou who hast heard all his groanes registrat thou his sighs and put all his teares into thy bottels suffer not thy kindled zeale to coole in him In an holie despaire of his owne worth make him whollie to relye vpon thy meere mercies in Christe the onelie salue for sicke Soules and remeed for broken bones While hee is weakest work with thy Spirit feelinglie and powerfullie into his hearte Subdue euerie euill motion that may arise therein for the troubling of his soule Draw vp his desire aboue the pitch of all natural knowledge Banish all earthlie thinges cleane out of his minde and make all his thoughts to attend vpon thee In thy diuine might rebuke Sathan that hee interrupt not thy comforts Let him not bee able by his secret craft and vyles to steale from him the pledges of thy loue O Sonne of GOD O Sunne of Righteousnes send a quickning heate with a shining light into his sillie Soule Make thy blessed Beames to strik on his heart for to warme it with thy loue Set all his desires a floate from the moode of sinful mortalitie Thou at diuerse times hast affrighted him fearefullie with
dreadfull visitatations of Conscience His Soule hath bene sore racked with the pitifull perplexities of a vexed minde Now death is approaching Sight senses all are failing but thou Lord will neuer faile him While the naturall eyes of his bodie beginne to growe dimme then cleare thou the spirituall eyes of his soule that hee may with Stephen see the heauens opened and the Sonne of man readie to receiue him And alwayes Lord as the time of death shall approach so let his Soule draw nearer vnto thee that while sicknesse shall take away the vse of his tongue his heart may cry to thee Come Lord Iesus come in thine hands I resigne my Spirit Nowe Father of mercies seeing thy Girnels are prepared for him by the power of thy grace fanne this Corne cleane from its chaffe that it may bee treasured vp therein Put his life in a readinesse that hee may giue thee a chearefull account of all wherein hee hath imployed thy Talents Let him heare these words of joye Faithfull seruant come and enter in thy Masters joye Long hath his Soule beene wooing the heauens with weake fluttering desires Nowe open the window of thine Arke and let in this wearied Doue crouding for thy Rest Manie depthes bee betweene vs and heauen One deepth calleth vpon another deepth for flesh and blood there is no possibilitie of passing thorowe But Lord that which is impossible with men is possible with thee Let therefore the vertue of thy death be to him like a Bridge for to sette him safe ouer all the gulfes of miserie In his journey to thy Kingdome remoue all rubbes out of the way O Lord listen to our cry Put these our vnworthy prayers into thy golden Censer Perfume them with the incense of thy righteousnesse and offer them vp to thy Father vpon the Altar of thy diuinitie And thou Fatherof mercies for the merites of thy Son his all sauing death which hee hath suffered for al repēting sinners Receiuein mercy this Soule which Sathan hath sought to sift Receiue the deare price of the Blood of thy Son Let thy Iustice say I am satisfied Let thy mercie so smile vpon him that it may bee the health of his countenance and the comfort of his Conscience While hee shall finish his course finish thou his Faith with perfection whereby hee may die hauing a settled assurance of that blessed Inheritance and massie Crowne of immortalitie which Christ hath conquised by his bloodie merites To whom with Thee and the Spirit of Grace bee all Glorie honour dominion and euerlasting power for now and euer Amen The sicke Man Lord heare thou in Heauen O blessed God and Father of eternity seeing my time nowe is short giue mee grace to manage it well Shute not thine eares to my sighes while my tong in the jawes of death shall cleaue fast to the roofe of my mouth O follow me with thy fauours euē thorow the valey of the shadow of death O Lord because thou art faithfull cannot lie I look shortlie to receiue in hand that which I haue in hope O come now and put an ende to the dayes of my vanitie The Pastour Blessed magnified be the Lord of eternitie for such wonderfull mercies towards you He most powerfullie most wonderfully hath brought you back from the corrupt course of Nature as a Boat rowed against the streame by the force of Armes and of Oares Behold now ye approch vnto your Heauen Be of good heart Sir ye are neare vnto your rest the place of pleasures for euermore Nowe seeing the ende draweth neare yee haue to remember well if yee haue anie grudge against anie that before yee decease they may be fetcht and friended with you The sicke Man I wish all men to be well I hope that no man wisheth otherwise to mee My desire was neuer either to reuile or to reuenge I am readie to satisfie where I haue failed and to forgiue where I haue receiued the greatest wrong Mans wronges against mee are but light in comparison of my wickednes against God Hee is not worthie that God shuld forgiue him his sinnes who will not forgiue his neighbour an injury My good God hath forgiuen mee all As hee hath forgiuen mee so I forgiue all men and desire the lik to be done by others vnto mee My Soule abhorreth these words of ranckour I may forgiue him but I will not forgete him The softning Spirit of God cannot dwell where there is such stonie steelie hardnesse of heart O Fountaine of Grace powre the powers of thy Spirit within my breast that my Soule may bee refreshed with thy blessed balmie comfortes of sauing grace Draw vp my spirit toward the Tabernacles of immortalitie O when shall I come and appeare before God! Put to the Spure to this dull jadde of my foggie flesh that I may make more haste in my journey The Pastour Lord heare thou in heauen Seeing God hath blessed you with Wealth I doubt not but that ye will doe some thing for the well of Colledges Hospitales Colledges are the Seminaries or seede-plotes of vertues out of which come these who become Rulers of the Church Common-wealth Hospitals are shelters for the poore the friendes of Christ Christs counsell to the rich is that they make friendes of the Mammon of vnrighteousnes Such words were not spoken by our Lord without great and weightie reasons The sicke Man All these things were done in my Testament while I put mine house to an order I haue not forgot that point of duetie Hee is not worthy to be called a faithfull man who leaueth not behind him some fruits of his Faith That Faith which cannot justifie a man by good works before men will neuer justifie his soule before God Remember mee O Lord cōcerning this wipe not away my good deedes which I haue done for thy glory Let men dreame of Saluation as they please S. Iames his precept is that men shewe their Faith by their workes Though Pharisees doe all that they doe for to bee seene men must not in mens sight forbeare to doe well Because Hypocrites come to preaching prayers publicklie true Israelites for that must not sitte at home The Godlie must not bee so base in heart as to abstaine from all publicke good because the wicked worshippe but outwardlie Shewes without substance in some should not bee able to banish the shewes of substance from others The Pastour Indeede Sir yee speake wiselie As the tree is first seene in the budde and then in the flourish and after in the fruite so muste the life of man bee Because the barren figge tree had nothing but leaues the fruitfull tree must not grow bare the leaues of the tree haue their owne vse among the fruites So haue godlie shewes good vses when they are joyned with true substance The Faith of a Christian should not think shame to shew
him And because I haue deferred my repentance till this houre whereby my Saluation is cutte off if I should die suddenlie Loe how my God in his mercifull prouidence to preuent my destruction calleth mee by a lingring sicknesse which stayeth till I bee readie and prepareth mee to mine ende like a preacher and maketh mee by wholesome paines wearie of this beloued world lest I should depart vn willing like them whose death is their damnation So hee loueth mee while hee beateth mee that his stripes are plasters to saue mee therefore who shall loue him if I despise him This is my whole office nowe to strengthen my bodie with mine heart and to bee contented as God hath appointed vntill I can glorifie him or vntill hee glorifie mee If I liue I liue to sacrifice and if I die I die a sacrifice for his mercie is aboue mine iniquitie Therefore if I should feare death it were a signe that I had not Faith nor hope as I professed but that I doubted of Gods trueth in his promise wh◅ther hee will forgiue his penitent sinner or not Hee is my Father let him doe what seemeth good in his sight Come Lord Iesus for thy seruant commeth I am willing helpe mine vnwillingnesse Heere is the end of that godlie mans speach As at that Brydell in Cana the best wine came last so shall it be heer◅ After the words of a godlie man I shall let you heare the words of God spoken by a man inspired by his Spirit euen the last words of Dauid the man whose praise is this that hee was a man according to Gods owne heart The last words of Dauid Dauid the sonne of Iesse said and the man who was raised vp on high the a◅ointed of the God of Iaacob and the sweete Psalmist of Israel said The Spirit of the Lord spake by mee and his words was in my tongue The God of Israel saide the Rocke of Israel spake to mee Hee that ruleth ouer men must bee just ruling in the feare of God And hee shall bee as the light of the morning when the Sunne riseth euen a morning without cloudes as the tender grasse springing out of the earth by cleare shining after raine Although mine house bee not so with God yet hee hath made with mee an euerlasting couenant ordered in all things and sure For this is all my Saluation and all my desire although hee make it not to growe But the sonnes of Belial shall bee all of them as thornes thrust away because they cannot bee taken with hands But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with yron and the staffe of a speare and they shall bee vt◅er lie burnt with fyre in the same place Alittle before his death at the inauguration of his Sonne Solomon he spake manie notable words among others these bee of great weight O Lord wee are heere but strangers before thee and so◅ourners as were all our fathers Our dayes on the earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our Fathers keepe this for euer in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their heartes vnto thee That hundreth and two Psalme is excellent It is intituled a prayer of the afflicted when he is ouerwhelmed and powreth out his complant before the Lord. Heare my prayer O Lord and lette my cry come vnto thee hide not thy face from mee in the day when I am in trouble incline thine eare vnto mee In the day when I call answere mee spe◅dilie For my dayes are consumed like smoke and my bones are burnt like an hearth c. Seeing as wee see that nothing is stable in this world but as it is in that Sermon of the Preacher vanity of vanities and all is vanitie wee haue to intreate the Lord earnestlie as Moses did a little before his death That hee would so teach vs to number our dayes that we may applye our hearts to wisedome and to well doing All things below wither and decay our best beauties are w◅ithed and wrinkled by time But the beautie of the Lord is of euerlasting continuance Let the beautie of the Lord our God bee vpon vs. O the beautie of the things aboue O the beautie of the Firmament O these azured Curtaines spangled with stars of light What jewels of joy are within no mortall tongue can tell Looke vp nowe Sir with the eye of your Faith and visite these heauenlie Mansions and blessed buildinges for immortaltiie Yee are shortlie for to change for the better So long as our sillie Soules are here they are but poore Soules reading and meditating the mercies of God within a cottage of clay hauing nothing to see with but the weak light of the small Candle of grace a light dimmed and darkened with the reekie smok of our sinfull corruptions But so soone as wee shall bee dissolued by Death we shall come to the euerlasting Beames of a Sunne which by nothing is able to bee ecclipsed alight which knoweth no darknesse euen that Light which bringeth light out of darknesse Now Sir vp with your heart saile out your course Be like the Pylot who while hee hath hand on the Helme hath his eye fixed on the heauen Take now the Cuppe of Saluation the great Mazer of his mercie and call vpon the Name of the Lord Hee is worthie to bee praised for his vnspeakable fauour toward you He in great mercy hath toward you turned all the sharpe corrasiues of the Law into most sweete cordials of the Gospel He hath now made you free of all these terrours whereinto yee found your selfe once lyable Oh Lord how did once the sharpe edge of thy Law laide to his mourning heart cutte him thorow the verie gall But blessed bee thou who in thy great mercie hast cut the Cartropes of his sinnes where with hee was once kept fast vnder the most heauie bondage of Hell What say yee now Sir How is it of all Haue yee heard all these words and laide them vp into your minde The sicke Man I haue heard them all that with great comfort now mine heart is in heauen Christ by the vertue of his vnualuable Blood-shed hath takē away the gall of my guiltines Now my bodie is wholly dead to its paine and my Soule is whollie aliue to its glorie I see a Crowne of immortalitie which my Soule would not sticke to fetch thorow the brimstone beames of hell My Soule seeth the face of its Redeemer Christ with a soft hand is now loosing all the bondes of my miserie His most sacred Blood hath melted my marble heart Nowe come Lord Iesus come Long haue I looked for thy Saluation Nowe let thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy Saluation O my deare Soule I summond thee with all thy powers and faculties to
Pastour hee is come hee is come whom my Soule loueth I am my Beloueds his desire is towards mee The lost sheepe is found The vnthriftie Son is come home againe All the snares of destruction are broken My Soule is escaped like a Birde I am now at a point infinitlie desirous rather to goe to my God than to sojourneanie more on earth Mine heart is more in God than in my selfe I haue a begunne possession of Heauen by the first fruites I looke for perfection in fulnesse of joye and pleasures fore euermore O blessed Iesus set me as a Seale vpon thine heart O deare Sauiour the Roote and the Rocke of my Saluation loe I come stretch out thine Armes and take my Soule into thy bosome yet a little while and I shall bee no more a stranger vvith thee and a sojourner The Pastour O blessed bee our God for euermore who hath made you to triumph so ouer all your enemies after such vnuterable groanes of griefe where your mind was sore perplexed at the first Hold fast now that which yee haue Your heart is now richlie stored with the true treasures of godlinesse Yee are but sipping of these joyes wherof in Heauen ye shal drink in a full cup. The sicke Man Christ the Lord is mine Hee is mine Hee is to mee hoth in life and death aduantage My comforts are in my Bosome The Angelicali Guardes are heere about mee I dye in the Faith of Iesus Come euen Lord Iesus come quicklie and loose this Soule a prisoner in clay groning to bee at liberty O my Soule returne vnto thy rest for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Now may I say This poore man cryed and the Lord hath heard him deliuered him out of all his troubles The Pastour The Lord is with you who ere it be long shall fulfill all your hearts desires yea hee shall doe aboue all that yee can thinke or wish Now Sir yee haue him whom your soule loueth His Spirit is in the verie bosome of your heart Hold fast the grip yee haue Dye in his Armes sleepe in the blessed bosome of your God Full libertie is at the doore readie to enter in Yet a little and yee shall haue a joyfull meeting with Christ and all his Angels in the Kingdome of your Father Till yee come out of this bodie sticke fast by Faith to Christ your Redeemer Claime boldlie that which hee hath deerelie purchased by his Blood O deare Iesus his Staffe and his Strength wrape now his Soule into the white winding-sheete of thy righteousnesse While hee hath life liue thou in him that while he breaths hee may liue to thee and after death may liue with thee for euer Let neither life nor death bee able to separate him from thy loue The neerer death approacheth for to separate his Soule from his bodie d◅aw thou the neerer vnto his Soule till thy Spirit the Spirit of Life fullie finallie in all perfection liue into him the Soule of his Soule Fixe your eye nowe vpon the heart of Christ deadlie wounded for your transgressions Behold that Speare-hole in his heart which hee suffered for to sa◅e you Consider his bleeding woundes all dropping the balme of mercie which hath proceeded from the bowels of his compassions Hee it is who hath died for your sinnes and is risen againe for your righteousnesse The sicke Man I know that my Redeemer liueth his blood of an vnualuable price is the onelie ransome of my Soule Hee onelie is the joye of mine heart and the health of my countenance The Pastour Holde fast that confidence Let your Soule repare vnto the euerlasting Armes of his loue Shroud shelter your selfe vnder the winges of the Almightie Yee are nowe neere the ende of the Race The Lord guarde you with his Grace that no temptation of Satan be able trippe your heele before that yee be entered in his rest Nowe the lowring showring seede-time of teares is past and the Haruest of joye is hard at hand Now Sir Christ is at the doore Beholde hee standeth at the doore and knockes hee is nowe for to suppe with you on earth that yee may suppe with him for euer in the Heauens Behold hee is with you The sicke Man I haue found him whom my Soule loueth I will surelie hold him and will not let him goe My Soule hath already taste of the fruite of Canaan by the report of the spye of my faith Christ now is mine The Pastour Seeing yee haue him wrap your soule into the bowels of his euerlasting compassions waite on perfectiō is the last gift Lift vp continuallie the eyes of your spirit to the worthy woundes of Iesus In them behold read in great Capitall characters the vnspeakable loue of the Father The sicke Man O Lord I haue waited for thy Saluation Remember mee nowe while as thou art into thy Kingdome Father into thine handes I commend my Spirit my Soule I giue to thee who hast giuen it to mee The Pastour Now Sir your wished houre is come Christ is laying his Arm◅s about you for to receiue your Soule in his bosome Solace your selfe in your Sauiour who hath made it free of al weights that swiftly without anie let it may flee vp to its God O the loue of Iesus towardes you Hee hath not onelie beene an Inte◅cessour to pray for you but an Advocatalso to pleade for you By the vertue of his Blood your cause is win And therefore homage ye now your heart sealed with the sense of his loue Yeelde and surrender your Soule into the Armes of his mercie that hee may perfect his graces in you with glorie in immortalitie The sicke Man Lord Iesus receiue my Spirit and glad it with thy glorie The Pastour He againe is fallen into a traunce His battell is now neere an end Let vs waite a little see what he doth Hee now beginneth a little for to stir There is yet some life into him as I perceiue Now Sir be glad Christ is knocking at the doore for to call foorth your Soule from bondage to libertie from your banishment to an heauenlie home from a prison of paine to a palace of pleasures for euermore That we may haue assurance that ye die in the Faith of Iesus shew vs some signe Lift vp your hand in token that yee are assured to goe to God Behold how he hath lifted vp his hand Cortenet quod lingua tacet His hande telleth what is in his heart O but this poore Soule since the beginning of this bloodie Battell hath beene miserablie mangled howed and hacked vpon by most bitter and bloodie temptations what carnall what spirituall Now blessed bee God from all his troubles he is come to his good things We are all oblished to giue praise vnto God who hath set out this man before vs as an excellent example and mirrour of his mercie It is the
appointed his boundes that hee cannot passe As the enemies of Christ could not laye handes on him till his houre was come neither Death the 〈◊〉 enemie touch the Sainctes till the houre of their change come As for you M. whom now the Lord hath made a Widow yee haue to take patience and holde your peace with Aaron Dauid said to God I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou diddest it A Widow in the holie tongue is called Almanah from a worde that signifieth dumb a word warning her to lay her haÌ„d on her mouth for to seale it with a reuerend silence because God hath done it Let his decease prouoke and enkindle your desire to goe to him for hee will no more come to you God M. hath not left you comfortlesse for now happie is your Husband who hath drunke of deaths cuppe so peaceablie euen a sleeping drinke wherewith hee hath gone to sleepe with these righteous who are said by the Prophet to rest in their beddes The friendes of Christ die not but softlie with Lazarus that friend of Christ they sleepe in their Graues where they lye still and are quiet Trauell M. with your owne heart that it bee silent O but yee haue to blesse God who hath dealt so mercifullie with your dearest hearte whome hee hath so powerfullie vp holden in so bloodie and bitter a Battell against the enemies of his Saluation wherein by the strength of God in his weakenesse After bitter bickeringes hee hath obtained so glorious a victorie which hath made all the heauens torejoyce Now assuredlie M. yee may say My deare Husband the desire of mine eyes is now a Prince in heauen crowned with the euer greene Lawrels of immortalitie Hee hath changed a fraile life a wind in a worme for eternitie of Glorie Faithfull Iob patientlie blessed God by whose permission Sathan in a whirle-wind crushed all his Children together vnder the ruines of an house howe much more comfortablie may yee say The Lord gaue the Lord hath taken away blessed bee the Name of the Lord. How manie good and godlie persons haue their Husbands taken by Pyrates pyned in Galleyes rotting in prisons slaine by poysoÌ„ stobbed in duells murthered by Traitours killed in warre drowned in Riuers sunke downe in Seas with their whole substance and diuerslie taken away in most doolefull manner But be hold which may blunt the edge of your dolours your husband peaceablie deceased in his bed hauing his eyes closed with the finger of a Friend Though all the sortes of death of Gods beloued Ones be precious in his sight yet it is most comfortable for the liuing when these whom they loue best are remoued in this outward peaceable manner both spirituallie and temporallie comforted This Iob calleth to die in our nest If God had done otherwise to you in the rigour of his Iustice who durst controll him This also ye must remember for the settling of any druÌ„blie mood of impatiencie that may be in your heart that hee was but lent vnto you for a space and so contracted yee at the first to tarrie but a space together for if yee will take leasure to reade your Contract of mâ—…rriage yee shall finde that therein is made mention of the death of you both Let mee yet come neerer after hee had taken you by the hand before the 〈◊〉 on your marriage day your handes a little after few wordes spoken did goe asunder againe euen for to tell you that none immortall knot can bee had of any things heere below happie shee whose hearte is plyable and obsequious to the will of her God I confesse that yee cannot but mourne beeing depriued of such 〈◊〉 pleasure the fairest jewell of all your worldlie joy the staffe of your estate on whoÌ„ your greatest comfortes did depend what woÌ„der for many days haue ye bene glad together so that it is no possible were ye neuer so saÌ„ctified but your heart must be deeplie wounded Why not Gods will was neuer against anie moderate mourning for the dead * Grace maketh noâ—… men and women Stoicks and stockes that cannot bee moued for anything Nay God permits vs to mourne but not to carke care as these which haue none hope who â—…ugging out their haire and downe their cheekes powre out their roaringes as waters beeing swallowed vp of discouragement hauing none hoe in their griefe they some out myre and dirt It is permitted to mourne when Gods hand is gone out against vs It is naturall True grace is not against it but against its corruption in excesse In the Olde-Testament Abraham mourned for Sarah For the death of Deborah Rebeccas Nurse was sore weeping for which cause yâ— Oak-tree vnder which she was buried was called Allon Bachuth the Oake of weeping Iacob wept exceedingly for Ioseph whom hee thought by some wilde beaste to haue beene rent in pieces After that Iacob had gathered vp his feete yeelded vp the ghost Ioseph fell vpon his face and wept 〈◊〉 him and kissed him Naomi after shee had lost both Husband and Children would no more bee called Naomi that is pleasant Call me not Naomi said shee that is pleasant but call mee Marah that is bitter For the Almightie hath dealt verie bitter 〈◊〉 with me I went out full and the Lord hath brought mee home againe emptie Why then call yee mee Naomie seeing the Lord hath testified against mee and the Almightie hath afflicted mee These all were interested and therefore they mourned beeing pinched with the smart Behold M. how in the Olde-Testament God by taking away by death hath afflicted his dearest Ones for to vse Naomis words hath testified against them consider also how they haue mourned In the New-Testament Christ himselfe groaning in himselfe wept at Lazarus his Graue The wordes are these And Iesus wept The sight of Christes death was by Simeon foretold to his Mother Marie This Simeon called a sword which shuld pierce her thorow the Soule Thus as yee see a Christian heart is not a Marble heart but a melâ—…ing heart furnishing teares the tribute of our loue appointed for the funeral obsequies of our best beloued whose appointed monethes of life are expired Indeede where grace is it stayeth at the course stoppeth the â—…ent and the streame of Natures blind and bold corruptions bringing our most violent affections into an holie compasse of an humble submission vnto Gods will But it neuer dissalloweth a tempered Turtle crouding for the absence of our dearest comforts Such cleare crystall teares the Lord will put vp in his Bottels But as for these drumlie and barmie teares of fierce and vnrulie passions comming from the muddie fountaine of an vnhallowed heart the Lord will not respect them no more than 〈◊〉 regarded the sacrifice of Cain Sucâ—… teares are like the waters of jealousiâ—… to the whoorish woman which madâ—… her thigh to rotte
hardlie thinke of buriall A morning mementomori is not able to waken vs so fast are wee lulled asleepe in carnall securitie euen while the dead Bell soundeth wee forget o◅ niortalitie The House of mourning is become an house of drinking of snuffing and of sneuelling with Tobacca Though wee bee warned wee are not wiser In Solomons dayes the liuing in such places laid such thinges to their heart But alas euen while in the thoughts of the gastlie visage of death we are carrying others to the graue our hearts are not molten and liquified for sinne the cause of our mortalitie While wee put our hand to the Beire wee may get some light sudden flashes of deuotion but anone we forget that within a short time as wee doe to others so shall bee done to vs Euen while wee walke with the dead to the Graue wee dreame of immortalitie forgetting our borrowed dayes If there bee any heate of zeale in our hearts how soone is it cooled Mans heart is like water which as the Learned obserue becommeth more cold after the heating than it was before Such heate because it is not naturall and kindlie but forced by fire it cannot continue but must bee foorth-with extinguished Man is like an Horse that naturallie ◅rots though by industrie hee bee broken and made to ◅mble for a space yet euer and anone hee preaseth to goe out of his amble for to enter into his trot While we are at the Beire and the dead corp◅ in sight an ambling sorrow for a space may make the bowels of our bellie to wamble But haue wee once turned our backe vpon the Graue and wee anone to the olde trot of our former folies While wee should learne to die wee plant our selues in the face and glorie of the world Wee are so troubled with Marthas many things that wee forget Maries best par◅ Many come to their death-bed before that they had euer earnestlie thought of their life They die euen then whē they thought to begin to amend their life Thus as ye see they die deceiued in their delayes they die before they know wherfore they liued Their Sunne setteth while they are entering on the journey The euening of their life is the morning of their task By by base respects their mind◅ are caried on the by Foolish fancie◅ creepe in by stealth slilie insinuate and winde in themselues into their heartes wherein beeing once fast cogged they keepe the minde musing on vanitie till the Sunne of their life bee set While their time is thus spent they can doe nothing but lament the losse of that which they cannot recouer Vitae summa brevis spem Nos vetat in choare longam A short life is not for long and large projects Poore man is sent vnto this world for a great businesse to bee done in a short time Hee must first of all glorifie his God and in that doing hee must worke out the great worke of his Saluation All the time alloted to this businesse is but threescore and ten yeares or foure score at the most But alas most men sleepe both the morning and noone of their life And yet which is worse euen while they see their Sunne going downe and posting to the west they haue no care to redeeme the time At the comming of death their assigned businesse is scarchlie well begunne Most men are so miserablie muffled that they cannot see the sand of their houre glasse in a continuall course Oh that we were wise to bee forearmed for death whereof wee are forewarned As the Cananitish woman picked comfort out of the reproachful name of Dogge so out of all thinges should wee without daintie nicenesse bee storing vp comforts for to vphold vs in our last and most heauie houre But Oh where is the man who in time is carefull to redeeme his euill idly spent houres O foolish man fye vpon thee shall the sickle follie of an houre cost thee the lose of that glorious immortalitie Wilt thou not thinke in time that grimme Death shall come at last like an armed man for to bereaue thee of thy Soule thou neither can tell how when nor where Happie is that man whose journey time businesse and breath are finished together Happie shall that t◅yst be when these foure shall finish in immortalitie It is good that in time wee set all the powers of our Soule vpon Christ that out of his Sacred person wee may suck the influence of his goodnesse whereby wee may bee saued from the traines treasons of the Deuill He is euer readie to strik fyre with his frezell and his flint if wee will find him tinder Oh that our hearts continuallie could minde things that are aboue All things below are vnconstant as water they sl◅d away but Gods fauour is more fixed than Mount Syon What an heart-scald should this bee vnto vs that wee haue so long neglected this best part not remembering our latter end Let vs now therefore consider in time that wee are all into this world but Tenants at will Prince people great and small all must leaue this Cottage of clay at the first warning Pale Death at its first approach will anone change the copie of their countenance Stat sua cuique dies Euerie mans day is set None can transgresse his appointed houre God absolutelie at Death must bee obeyed None by force or fauour may sit his summonds Wee by the death of others are all lawfullie forewarned to flit remoue All things aboue vs beneath vs about vs cry vnto vs that wee must shortly leaue this world for to goe sleepe in slime No contentment of man below can out-last the date of foure score year◅s O Lord open our eyes that we may see how the sickle figure of this world passeth away Happie and thrise happie is hee who after the bitter and bloodie Battell of this life is with olde Simeon departed in peace As the life of the godlie is gracious so is their death precious This wee learne in Scripture Precious to the Lord is the death of his Sainctes But as for all the wicked who while they liued did justle out of their hearts all feare of God they shall be so wrapped in his wrath that their hearts shall bee slitted with sorrow While the godlie with Elias shall bee princelie carried into Gods royall Coach vnto heauen the wicked Ahab shall be sent into a bloodie Charet vnto hell depriued of all these comforts which they on earth did most eagerlie desire All their princelie pleasures shall be followed with pinching paines Such will boast boldlie before death come but at the slight and light touch of a Feuer or Fluxe they quickelie plucke in their snailes hornes like Ahab lowring in sacke-cloth When sicknesse beginneth to lay siege to their noble parts they weakly waile womanly lament Then know they but too late that
mans life is but a winde in a worme * O happie is that man in whose heart Christ hath grauen deepe the shape of himselfe in this world when Death shall come then shall he know what blessed treasures of contentment God hath stored vp for his beloued When the Soules of the faithfull which on earth haue beene endued with a matchlesse concurrence of diuine graces shall come out of their bodies Christ the Father of mercies shall cast the armes of his cōpassions about their necks At their first entrie into Heauen hee shall giue them the comfortable kisses of peace Lord soften our stonie hearts enlighten our mistie minds that all our joye may bee in enjoying thee in whom is fulnesse without dislike O satisfie vs yearely with thy mercie the fairest flower of the Garland of thy Majestie While wee remember the death of others make vs carefullie to studie vnto newnesse of life that in this life wee dying vnto sinne may after death liue vnto Thee and with Thee vnto the vtmost bound of the euerlasting Hills AMEN FINIS A. H. THE LAST BATTELL OF THE SOVLE IN DEATH 2. Volume Carefullie digested for the comfort of the Sicke By Mr. ZACHARIE BOYD Preacher of Gods Word at Glasgow Bernard in Serm. Novissima sunt quatuor MORS IVDICIVM GEHENNA GLORIA Quid horribilius morte Quid terribilius judicio Quid intolerabilius gehenna Et quid incundius gloria Idem Senibus mors est in ianuis Iuvenibus vero in insidijs Printed at Edinburgh by the Heires of ANDRO HART 1629. TEMPVS TO THE MOST EXCELLENT PRINCESSE ELIZABETH Queene of Bohemia c. MADAME IN corporall troubles let vs seeke for spirituall Comfortes Dayes of sorrow are dayes of drousinesse For the remeede of such sorrowes heere followeth a Discourse of heauens Happinesse with diuerse other Christian comforts which I must humblie and heartilie dedicate to your Majestie If MADAME I were more able to present your Majestie with some matter◅ of greater worth my will should not bee deficient to mine Abilitie Thus presuming out of your Royall bountie that this little Offer from One of SCOTLAND your Majesties natiue Soyle shall bee graciouslie accepted I most humblie present it to your Majestie for to bee receiued and shrouded vnder your Royall safe-gard and louing protection After manie feruent and vnfained prayers made to God for the esta blishment of the Crowne vpon your Majesties Royall Heads and also for spirituall Graces to bee aboundantlie powred vpon you and vpon the rest of these Royall Plants which by the great mercie of God haue branched from You both I humblie take my leaue Your Majesties most humble and most obedient Oratour and Seruant M. ZACHARIE BOYD Preacher of GODS word at Glasgow From Glasgow the 12. day of Februrie 1629. THE QVEENES Lamentations for the death of her Son O But GOD is most terrible when hee is angrie He hath called as in a solemne day my terrors round about surelie against mee is he turned hee turneth his hand against mee all the day My flesh and my skinne hath he made olde hee hath broken my bones Hee hath builded against mee and compassed mee with gall and trauell He hath set mee in dark places as they that bee dead of olde Hee hath hedged mee about that I cannot get out Hee hath made my chaine heauie Hee hath turned aside my wayes and pulled me in pieces He hath made me desolate He hath bent his Bow set me as a marke for his arrowes He hath caused the Arrowes of his Quiuer to enter into my reines Hee hath filled mee with bitternesse Hee hath made mee drunke with worme-wood The verie Sea monsters are carefull for their young ones They drawe out the breast to giue them sucke How should I bee like the vnnaturall Ostrich which leaueth her egges in the earth and forgetteth that the foote may orush them or that the wild beast may breake them Shee is hardened against her young ones as though they vvere not hers God hath depriued her of wisedome neither hath hee imparted to her vnderstanding Alas alas the joye of our heart is ceased our dance is turned into mourning The crowne is fallen from our head Woe vnto vs that wee haue sinned for this our heart is faint for these thinges our eyes are dimme Wherefore Lord doest thou forget vs for euer forsake vs so long time Thou hast vtterlie rejected vs Thou art verie vvroth against vs O that mine eyes were a liuelie Spring of teares which day and night might trickle downe for the lamenting of my losse O yee Daughters of Britaine my natiue Soile Conueene your selues together Come all and joyne your sorrowes with mine Come contribute teares in aboundance that wee may deplore our domage Come come and helpe mee to mourne for my first Borne It is Gods will it is Gods commandement that yee mourne with these that mourne With whom will yee mourne if yee refuse to mourne with mee O noble Ladies of Britaine think vpon my sorrows My griefe is great mine heart is broken mine eyes doe faile with teares Come yee all and condole with mee Cast off your Rayments of joye And thou BOHEMIA with the PALATINAT mak to your selues new Robes of doole Fill al the Lāds with mourning like that mourning in Zacharie The mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon for the death of good Iosiah Mine heart is sore gripped with griefe Iam lik the Pelican in the vvildernesse Mine eyes doe faile with teares my bowels are troubled my Liuer is powred vpon the earth I was at ease but hee hath broken mee asunder Hee hath also taken mee by the necke and shaken mee to pieces and set mee vp for his marke His Archers compasse mee round about Hee cleaueth my reines asunder and doeth not spare Hee powreth out my gall vpon the ground Hee breaketh mee with breach vpon breach Hee runneth vpō me lik a Gyant My face is foule with weeping and on mine eye-lids is the shadow of death My Friendes scorne mee but mine eye powreth out teares vnto God When a few yeares are come then I shall goe the way whence I shall not returne The Lord hath made me as a by-word of the people Mine eyes are dimme by reason of sorrow and all my members are as a shadow Know now yee all that God hath compassed mee with his net Hee hath fenced vp my way that I cannot passe and hee hath set darknesse in my pathes Hee hath stript mee of my Glorie and taken the Crowne from mine head Hee hath destroyed mee on euerie side and I am gone and mine hope hath hee remoued like a tree His troupes come together and raise vp their way against mee and encampe round about my Tabernacle He hath put my brethrene far from mee My Kins-folke haue failed and my familiare friendes haue forgotten mee Haue pittie vpon mee O yee my Friendes for the hand of God hath troubled mee
thinges to worke to the best of these that loue him Gods corrections are good directions With one crosse hee can worke two cures first a correction for by-past corruption and after a direction for times to come If God should not scourge vs betimes the reigning of the flesh should proue the ruine of the Spirit This was the vtter ouerthrow of the Sonnes of Eli God would not correct them because the Lord would stay thē As for that which ye speake concerning the changing amending of your life your resolution is good But seeing the houre of death is vncertaine it is good that yee bee presentlie prepared Death commeth vpon mā with stealing steps Let no man put far off the day of his death There is great danger that any man sooth himselfe with the vaine hope of this mortall life No man can tell how soone hee shall be arraigned to compeare before Gods Barre None said a Pagane is assured to liue vntill the morrow Nemo tam diuos habuit faventes Crastinum ut possit sibi polliceri It is good therefore daylie and hourelie to bee vpon our Watch-Tower preparing our selues for death which shall either be the end of all our miserie or the beginning of our euerlasting woe delay to prepare for death is a strong threed in the Deuils net A man will not die the sooner that he prepare himselfe to die If a man bee prepared to die and yet die not hoc sibi ponat in lucro that preparation is great aduantage vnto him But if hee die hee hath done that which hee should haue done What a dangerous venture is this to a man to delay to prepare himselfe to die because it may bee that yet hee may liue But may it not also bee that hee die It is a dangerous thing to perrell our Saluation vpon a may be which may as well no bee It is fearefull to bee hanged ouer Hell with the euill twined threed of a life that must end none can tell how where nor when No man is exeemed from this necessitie The post Pale Horse wherevpon Death is mounted caries his Rider thorow all Nations Cities and Houses pulling out of their beds Princes Prelats and priuate men without any respect of persons thus are their hopes cropped in their fairest flower It is good therefore that wee euer bee vpon our gard God offereth grace to day To day if yee heare his voyce But who promiseth to morrow well is him that feareth alwayes The sicke Man O the terrours of Death and of the Graue mine heart quaketh while I remember of these last strugglings that are in death It was not without reason that the Pagans called it terribilium terribilissimū of all fearefull things the most fearefull The Pastour If men knew what Christ hath made of Death the liuing would not be so afraid with the feare therof Isaiah saith that hee hath put it into his Stomacke hee hath swallowed it vp in victorie A wife man will not swallow ouer that which hee is not able to digest Christ hath swallowed Death and hath digested it perfectlie Nowe Death after Christs digestion hath lost all its poyson and is turned into a sleepe The name thereof is changed for to tell vs of the change of its nature Dead Lazarus in Christs language is called sleeping Lazarus Lazarus Our Friend sleepeth said Christ speaking of his death Hee that liueth and beleeueth in mee said Christ shall neuer die Death is not death to the Friends of Christ but a sleepe to their bodie a translation of their Soule from a prison to a Palace As by the grace of God it is made an Exodus of miserie so is it a Genesis of a better life the corruption of one thing beeing the generation of another What is this that men should so feare Death which is the end of the foule cōbersome way of our Pilgrimage Hath not God made death like a Chariote to a wearied man for to carie him to his euerlasting rest This was seene in a visible figure when Elijah in a firie Chariot went vp by a whirle wind vnto heauen The sicke Man All that is true Sir But yee know that death is fearefull to all flesh So soone as it commeth it maketh a Soule lyable to yeeld an acoūt for all the actions of the by-past life The bodie and the Soule are of olde acquaintance and haue not wil to part one frō the other I cannot expresse what a worsling I finde within mee there is such a working feare about mine heart that I tremble to thinke vpon it This maketh my words to wade in teares mine heart is cut with sobs of sorrow O death the enemie of Life is there no comfort against thee Is there no Balme in Gilead Of force then must I die The Pastour The woman of Tekoah said verie well Wee must all needes die and are as water spilt on the ground which can not bee gathered Death is an vnauoidable passage there is none entrie vnto Heauen but by it I will striue to let you see before that yee enter in at the doores of Death that your Soule hath no such cause to be afraide Indeed I confesse that death to these that know not Christ is indeede a most fearefull thing according to this Sathan said Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath he will giue it for his life See how a Naturall man would bee content that his skinne were pulled off him if it could bee a ransone for to saue his life Such is the feare of death that for to bee free of it a man would giue his skinne Agag called it a bitter thing Surelie said he The bitternesse of death is past The wilde Gourdes shred into the Prophetes pottage for bitternesse were called Death So soone as they had tasted them all cryed Death is into the pot The bitter torments of Hell are called so great a Death Dauid speaking of the pangs of death calleth them waues The waues of death cōpassed me See how death is compared to a raging Sea with rolling waues To this Dauid subjoynes The snares of death preuented mee Death indeed is fearfull armed with waues snares We in our weaknesse make it also fearfull painting it with bare bones with a skul girning with its teeth and with its sting like a flooked Dart for to pierce thorow the heart of man It is true that death is bitter in it selfe but hee that made sweetnesse to come out of the strong and meate to come out of the eater can bring both meate and sweetnesse out of death for the Christian Soule though no thing bee stronger than death the greatest eater of the world One saith well that there is in death but one bitter morsell to swallow The cheefe course that wee haue to tak for to win to