possession of us when the Sunnes last shadow flyes from us and enraged death sharpens his Dart to strike thorow our breast But thou O Lord dost witnesse thy power even in death it selfe not onely by crying out at the last gaspe but also by shaking the earth by cleaving the rocks opening the graves rending the vaile of the Temple The Centurion himselfe being a man conversing with the members of the Church but beleeving out of the Church confessed from hence and said This man was indeed the Sonne of God But the last word thou utteredst in thy mortality is diligently to be noted and seriously to be weighed Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit This was thy last word Ah would to God it might bee also mine and I trust Lord it shall be so and God I hope will heare it for thou hast obtained this for me because thou hast both prayed for me upon the Crosse and hast as my chiefe high Priest suffered all things nor didst thou commend thine own Spirit alone unto thy Father but mine also and of all the faithfull who are members of thy body thou hast bound my soule together with thine owne in the bundle of life and hast delivered it into the hands of the Almighty O how doe the words pierce my soule and spirit which thou utteredst before thou didst passe that deadly way and in which thou didst most devoutly speake unto thy Father I pray for them I pray not for the world but for those whom thou hast given me for they are thine Holy Father keepe them in thy name whom thou hast given me that they may bee one as we are one preserve them from the world sanctifie them in thy truth I pray not only for these but for those also who shall beleeve in me through their word that they may all be one as thou O Father art in mee and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent mee and I have given them the glory which thou gavest mee that they may be one as wee are one I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be where I am that they may see my glory which thou hast given me because thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world What father can more earnestly recommend a son what mother a daughter or what brother his brother to anothers care than thou O Son of the living God hast recommended us to thy Father Thy Father doth heare us his degenerate adopted sonnes how much rather will he heare thee his Sonne obedient even to the death and his issue begotten of his owne substance from all eternity yea he hath already heard him Can saith he even he thy Father a woman forget her owne childe that she should not have compassion upon the sonne of her owne wombe Though she should be so forgetfull yet will not I forget thee behold I have graven thee upon my hands Thou also O Christ my Saviour sayest My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow mee and I give unto them eternall life and they shall not perish for ever and no man shall snatch them out of my hands My Father who gave me them is greater than all and none can take them out of my Fathers hands Resting upon these thine attracting sentences I may be startled at the remembrance of death but I shall not be dismayed because I shall also bee mindfull of thy promises merits and intercessions When at length by thy permission a sharpe sicknesse shall weaken my sinewes and shall gnaw and feed upon my bloodlesse and halfe rotten skinne when my face shall bee bedewed with a cold sweat and I shall be moistned with the drops of death when my wan lips shal be widowed of their rednesse and a sad murmure shall be heard from the horrid noise of the gnashing teeth when my Sunne shall be darkened by my funerall clouds and death shall involve my head in everlasting darknesse yet thou Son of righteousnesse shalt shine cleare unto me thou shalt furnish my soule wrastling and triumphing by the vertue of thy Spirit with thine owne word Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit CONTEMP c. 23. Of the opening of Christs side COme hither come hither O my soule behold him hanging on the Crosse ascend ascend O my soule and pluck out the nailes from his hands and feet wherewith hee is fastened to the Crosse Thou needst no ladder it is devotion it is faith which elevates and lifts thee up thither O miserable spectacle O lamentable carcasse how ill-favourdly in what an ugly manner art thou butchered They could not glut their malice upon him while he lived they insult also upon him being dead and goare him with a speare whence blood and water did flow most holy Symbols of thy two Sacraments Who is he O Lord that hath overcome the world but he that beleeveth that Jesus is the Sonne of God This is that Jesus Christ that came by water and blood not by water alone but by water and blood Thou camest unto us in water in Baptisme thou camest to us in blood in the holy Supper this is that double testimony that we are reconciled to the Father by thee and that wee are washed and purged from our sinnes thou wast very much besotted and soiled yet wast thou lovely to thy Father because thou becamest obedient to death even to the death of the Crosse thou art also most lovely to mee whilst I dive into thy side and into thy wounds not with the eyes of my body with Thomas but with the eyes of faith which are the instruments of life the perspective glasse of the world to come when I see I am freed from death by the death of my Lord and my God When I locke on the immense and love without bounds love without end the love that wee want understanding to conceive and our reason waxeth darke to apprehend For I have sinned and thou hast suffered yea I who have sinned have suffered in thee our flesh was so joyned to the Deitie so as that which was to die everlastingly for sinne became dead in another for us and we neither felt grief nor death yet were we in like manner restored to life for as Christ put upon him our flesh in the wombe so he dyed our death upon the Crosse For whatsoever the God made man did suffer he suffered for man from whom hee can now no more be severed than from his other Nature with which he united this to the end he might save it O great clemencie O unspeakable clemencie O bounty that cannot be expressed with words of mans eloquence God who is for ever blessed is first made man and at length is made a curse
for man O blessed day wherein the head of the Dragon is trampled under the feet of thy crucified and dead body Leviathan is bruised Behemoh that vast and powerfull creature is overthrowne and death is cast out O most milde Tribunall before which I am absolved without punishment freed without death but yet that even by death where I am dismissed from my bloody deeds by the blood of the supreme King by thy blood now shed I see most clearely that thou hast transferred my nature upon thy selfe that I might receive that innocencie from thee which I had altogether corrupted in my selfe but thou keptest thy divine Nature that I might receive glory and dignitie thou joynedst both together that the Deitie being joyned to the humanitie and the humanitie joyned to the Deity he that was sensible of my misery putting on my affections might unite him unto me as a brother whom I did feare as a Judge What shall I say or how shall I speak for I am not my selfe when I think of thee when I lift up my eyes unto thee when I behold thy side launced with the speare and behold thorow that wound thy most loving heart Thou that art immense infinite not circumscribed void of passion and immortall hast put on for love of us even this our flesh straight finite circumscribed and finally liable to passion and death it selfe which by hunger by thirst by miseries by injuries by scourgings by spittings on by blood by death was handled beaten extended and tortured by pieces in the presence of the Devill yet being joyned also with thy Divinitie thou hast placed it above all the Angels above all creatures which are in heaven and earth even at the right hand of thy Father that we who before were even pressed downe to hell may now by thee be taken into the fellowship of the Godhead I would I might alwayes rest in this thy so great passion that I may dwell in thy wounds for whosoever flies to thy wounds and precious scars shall in tribulation finde great comfort and enjoy that comfort the soule doth onely desire CONTEMP c. 24. Of Christs buriall THere is at length an end set to labour and the worke of redemption being wrought and finished and that all-sufficient ransome paid the grave receives and covers this ill-handled body for God is faithfull O Christ my God who set a convenient end to thy labours temptations sorrowes necessities and persecutions for my sinnes thou wast put to death after death thou art buried but it was that thou mightest rise againe out of the grave for my just fication Before the day of preparation for the Passeover was wholly past thou art taken from the Crosse thy Father hastens also our departure from this preparation day by a preparation to the heavenly journey that we may the sooner be brought to thee celebrate Sabbath upon Sabbath unto thee Therewas no reproach that thou hadst not bin loaden with in that Crosse nor any ignominy that thy body had not beene disgraced with in it yet these things could not affright Nicodemus whom thou hadst instructed by thy nightly conference and gained for a secret Disciple and Ioseph of Arimathea a rich good and pious Senatour two of the principall men amongst the Jewish Nation Thou didst hang upon the Crosse betweene theeves thy chosen companions fled from thee the whole rabble of thy persecutors cryed Crucifie crucifie him take him away take him away Pilate delivered thee over to death and judged thee worthy to be tormented yet these men searing nothing breake through the midst of the host of these perverse troops they goe to Pilate and beseech him that the infamously handled carkas yet heavens relique might be given unto them accounting of it as of a most great gift What courage of mind shal I beleeve you had who quickned your spirits O Nicodemus and Ioseph what beliefe could the small reliques of that golden tree raise up in you did you not think that yee might bee accounted partners with Christ whom they had proclaimed for a deceiver and a disturber of the publike peace and that yee might be reckoned for troublers of the Senate and be blamed of Pilate and stoned of the people But the fire of faith was kindled in you which not being to be confined within in your hearts breaks forth on all sides O strange power of God in his faithfull servants O how unsearchable are his works The Disciples had above three yeares beene publicke auditors of Christ now crucified they had beene plentifully and carefully fed and instructed by him but when so great dangers grew thicke they forsake their Master Nicodemus and Ioseph came in private to Jesus fearing to bring the peoples hatred upon themselves now when they see all things seeme desperate they doe not forsake him whom they had worshipped whom they had heard whom they had reverenced but doe now still even now love and honour not unwillingly How great is thy power in those that are weake how great thy perfection in those that are imperfect would to God that nothing also may be able to separate me from the love of Christ neither affliction nor anguish nor persecution nor hunger nor nakednesse nor danger nor the sword but let me be perswaded that nor death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature whatsoever shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is Christ Jesus my Lord. Those diligent worshippers of thee doe wrap thee in cleane linnen do embalme thee with Myrrh and Aloes O that I may humble my selfe by bitter repentance and purged from my sinnes may receive thee with a pure heart They embalme thee and lay thee in a new tombe in which no other had ever beene laid O that none but thy selfe might enter into my heart renewed by thy blessed Spirit They spend many things willingly for thy sake nor dare spare any cost let me also spend my life and blood for thee and for thine and what else besides my blood thou hast given me in this life When thou shalt call my soule from this wombe of durt let me thinke of nothing but of thy death but of thy blood but of thy wounds but of thy crowne when I I shall be affrighted with the grave let me thinke I shall be buried in no other sepulchre than in that which thou hast touched with thine one body which thou hast sanctified by thy scars that being to be raised at thy command I may live with thee everlastingly Amen CONTEMP c. 25. Of Christs resurrection SEt forth the prayses of the Lord and call upon his name declare his works among the nations sing unto him sing praises unto him declare all his wonderfull works call to mind his wonders which he hath done his strange works the judgements of his mouth Who can sufficiently speak of the power of the Lord
but feare God and examine exactly what may be truly profitable for thee Doe good to the poore with all thy power that thou mayest gather for thy selfe a treasure in heaven Doe all that God bids thee for thou art bound to doe good with thy will and spirit but he that knowes to doe well and doth it not he is guilty of sinne but he that doth good doth it not from himselfe but for that cause that it is bestowed on him of God and that he belongeth unto God Love not O man the world or the things of the world as the lusts of the flesh the desires of the eyes and the pride of life but feare God and meditate with thy selfe of heavenly things strive to fulfill Gods will in all vertuousnesse shun worldly minds set upon the earth that thou be not defiled with other mens sins seeke Gods kingdome and so use the mirth is permitted to thee that thou mayest alwayes tremble stand in awe and shew thy selfe thankfull that thou fall into no secret sin or be delighted with the tree of good and evill and with the sight of a momentany pleasure thou remove like Eve the law of God out of thine eyes and heart which should be neverthelesse the summe and highest pitch of all thy delights It should be thy delight night and day that it may be to thee the right way the truth and the life if thou wilt lead a a living life conducting to life eternall not to everlasting death Next O man keepe these three things faith charity and stedfastnesse of hope What ever thou dost see thou doe it in faith in simplicity of heart in confidence of the fatherly will of God and give God thanks to whom they are due and his blessings shall be alwayes thy handmaid let charity spring from the ground of thy heart nor be carefull to give thy selfe content but labour with feare and humility to please God Be pleasing unto men in truth mercy and justice without flattery for that is perfect charity Charity bids us look to the things that concerne God our neighbour not only those things which concern my selfe Let thy hope be without feare and doubting let him that desires divine heavenly and eternall things rest upon the wil of God and not upon slippery fraile and brittle things No man shall make thee lose thy hold of that hope which thou hast placed upon God thou mayest hope upon him even in the pangs of death for he is omnipotent Never let humility slip out of thy mind for he preserveth thy life by simplicitie strengthens it by patience and feeds it by truth Commit all thy waies unto God and hee shall bring it to passe he knowes what is for thy profit and what not Thinkest thou that he knowes not thy condition behold God sees and knowes all things and nothing is hid from his eyes He regards also the poore and contrite spirit and him that trembleth at his Word Search not therefore after high things when thou art commended feare because thou art an unprofitable servant and canst doe nothing except thou be assisted by the power favour and Spirit of God Thinke not better of thy selfe than of thy neighbour for thou art a man of nought remember God is only to be honoured and thou shalt be the greater if thou cast down thy selfe Be alwayes ruminating of these things first let no vain idle scurrilous words break from thy lips but godly pleasing profitable which tend to life and lead not to death therefore bridle thy tongue and restraine it for it can kill and give life Secondly to keepe thy soule and conscience free from wickednesse exclude thou malice and impious thoughts and never shun the light O thrice happie and more is hee whose heart condemnes him not Thou belongest to God O man walke upright with God remove from thee darknesse lyes and injustice for he is a Judge and a revenger of such things Trie and prove thy selfe in all things that thou mayst know what vice sticks to thee what vertue thou wantest that thou mayst shake off that and purchase this for thou canst never bee so perfect that something will not still be wanting Whatsoever thou dost thou dost it by Gods indulgence and helpe if it be acceptable to him for of thy selfe thou art very nothing and by the assistance of Gods holy Spirit canst thou onely proceed in goodnesse stay not therefore or hinder the operations thereof work out thy salvation with feare and trembling in continuall repentance humility and simplicitie of heart and think that thou art neither worthy of the blessings of this life or of that which is to come Lastly pray without ceasing in all thy labours pray reverently devoutly and humbly with faith in all thy wayes with a most fervent desire of thy neighbours salvation Thou must pray in thy chamber in solitarinesse in most humble devotion in fastings in teares in anguish in weeping in contrition upon thy knees night and day with a full hope and not doubting according to the will of God for all the true professors of the Christian faith study in all things to please God and not men whosoever honours God God will also honour him whosoever contemnes God God shall also contemne him Grant me thy grace most mercifull God that it may bee with me that it may labour with me and may continue with me even unto the end Grant I may alwayes will and desire that which is most acceptable unto thee and most dearly pleaseth thee let thy will be my will and let my will alwayes follow thine and agree best with it let me will and will the same thing that thou dost and grant I may not have power otherwise to will or not to will them as thou dost O my God thou unspeakable sweetnesse turne all carnal comforts into bitternesse unto me which doe draw me from the love of things eternall and evilly allure mee under colour of some present delectable good Let not flesh and blood O my God overcome me let not the world and its short glory deceive me let not the devill and his subtilty supplant mee Give mee strength to resist patience to endure constancie to performe give mee in stead of all the comforts of the world the most sweet unction of thy Spirit and infuse into mee the love of thy Name in stead of carnall love Confirme me my God by the grace of thy holy Spirit give mee power to bee strengthned in the inward man and to emptie my heart of all unprofitable care and vexation nor to be distracted with the various desires of any thing whether it be vile or precious but that I looke upon all things as if they passed but by me and that I did also passe away as they doe because nothing under the Sun is of any continuance but all things are vanity and vexation of spirit O how wise is he that thus considers with himselfe Give me my God heavenly wisdome
salvation is left for him that turnes repentance it selfe into sinne which is the meanes of salvation O miserable soule that desires to see holy things and lives a heathenish life Observe in what a manner the wicked end their dayes so that thou mayest detest their lives See how the godly end their lives that thou mayest run the same course as they doe Obey thy Superiours honour those that are wise keepe company with those that be honest and religiously given And seeing mans corrupt nature doth much love hypocrisie touch not nor use the Sacrament before thou have founded the depth of thine owne heart most accurately Rule over those that are subject to thy command more by courtesie than severity courtesie is full of hope and tyranny of feare Gods justice will not suffer a tyrant to continue long for though subjects both by Gods laws and also by mans ought to yeeld obedience to Magistrates yet the Magistrates themselves are but Gods Ministers and if wee consider them as they are Christians they are not only servants but our brethren also in Christ Christians therefore must rule like Christians in charity and mercie as Christ hath taught us by his own example Art thou made a Judge give right judgement remembring that thy selfe must appeare before Gods Judgement Seat he is cursed that blesseth the wicked but blessed that blesseth the blessed O man how dangerous is mans life what a great account hath he to give what a short space is it but thou must appeare at Gods Tribunall What then must thou doe What deed hast thou committed How wouldest thou appeare if thou wert this houre to depart If thou wert to appeare this moment before thy Examiner It would quickly be determined concerning thee Thou art to day a man shalt thou appeare to morrow O dulnesse and hardnesse of mans heart that only meditates upon things present and foresees nothing what shall be hereafter Thou oughtest so to behave thy selfe in every action as if thou wert this day to dye in the morning think thou mayst not live to the evening and in the evening dare not promise thy selfe the next ensuing morning be alwayes prepared and so live that death may never take thee unprovided How happie and wise is he that labours to be such whilst he lives as he wisheth to be found at his death O Jesu give me the perfect contempt of the world give me a fervent desire to profit in vertue give me the love of instruction the labour of repentance the readinesse of obedience O my God grant that I may desire thee in my heart to seeke thee in my desires to find thee in my search and love thee being found Give me my Lord and God repentance for my heart contrition to my spirit a flood of teares to my eyes and a liberall distribution of almes to my hands O my King extinguish in me the desire of the flesh and kindle in mee the fire of thy love O my Redeemer drive out of me the spirit of pride and favourably grant me the treasure of thy humilitie O my Saviour remove from mee the madnesse of anger and indulgently afford me the shield of patience O my Creator pluck out all rancour out of my mind and bestow on me the sweetnesse of a milde spirit give mee most mercifull Father a firme faith a congruous hope and continuall charitie my Governour doe thou divert all vanity from mee all inconstancie of mind wandring of the heart scurrility of the tongue pride of the eyes gluttony of the belly reproaching of my neighbours the sins of detraction the itch of curiosity the desire of riches the extortion of great men the desire of vain-glory the evill of hypocrisie the poyson of flattery the contempt of the poore the oppression of the weak the thirst of covetousnesse the rust of envie and the death of blasphemie O my Maker cut off from me rashnesse iniquity lewdnesse disquietnesse idlenesse drowsinesse sloth dulnesse of mind blindnesse of heart obstinacie of sense bloodinesse of conditions disobedience to goodnesse resistance of good counsell unbridlenesse of my tongue preying upon the poore wronging the weak slandering the innocent neglecting my inferiours cruelty in my family impiety towards my familiars and hardnesse of heart to my neighbours O God my mercy I beseech thee by thy beloved Son give mee the works of mercy the study of godlinesse to suffer with those in affliction to counsell those that erre to helpe the miserable to succor the needy to comfort the sad to releeve the oppressed to refresh the poore to cheare those that weepe to forgive our debtors to spare them that sin against me to love those that hate me to render good for evill to despise no man but to honour all to imitate the good to beware of the wicked to embrace vertue to reject vice to be patient in adversity to be moderate in prosperity to set a watch over my mouth and a doore before my lips give mee uprightnesse in my dealings and a true testimony of my faith to trample upon earthly things to thirst after heavenly things that thou mayst one day say to me Well done good and faithfull servant thou hast been faithfull in a little I will set thee over much enter into the joy of thy Master Amen CONTEMP c. 37. Of the exceeding number of Gods benefits and of mans contempt of them by the multitude of his sinnes WHo will give water to my head and a fountaine of tears to mine eyes and I will weepe both night and day Let my eyes drop tears and my eye-lids flow with waters I will convey my selfe into the place of weeping and of teares I will take paines in my groaning I will every night wash my bed and water my couch with my teares My teares shall be my meat day and night and I will not hide my mourning I will prostrate my selfe and let the reines loose to my teares and rivers shall gush from mine eyes I will weepe in the bitternesse of my soule I will continue in weeping and the teares shall trickle downe my cheeks wherewith I will deplore my most grievous sinnes and will detest my impious ingratitude wherewith I have repayed my God and Lord. O that I could weepe out my eyes with teares that my bowels might be disturbed and my liver might be powred forth upon the earth for my great enormities The causes are great and many O God why my eyes should streame forth wates yea blood it selfe But I will now contemplate of nothing but the greatnesse multitude of thy blessings that thou hast bestowed upon me when I was yet thine enemy That therefore my soule may be astonished my cheeks blush my eyes cast downe and that I may eternally hate my malicious and most polluted life I will begin to reckon up thy blessings and my cursed deeds that I may see what thou art and what I am what thou hast done for me and how I have requited thee Send
I see better Contemplations Sighs Groanes of A Christian I follow worse London printed for William Lee and are to be sold at the Turks head in fleete streete 1640. CONTEMPLATIONS SIGHES and GROANES of a Christian Written in Latine By IOHN MICHAEL DILHERRUS And Englished by WILLIAM STYLE of the Inner Temple Esquire LONDON Printed by Richard Bishop for WILLIAM LEE and are to be sold at the Great Turks Head next to the Mitre Taverne in Fleet-street 1640. The Authors Dedication TO THEE O IESVS CHRIST Son of the living God and borne of the Virgin Mary Lord of the living and of the dead Doe I with Teares and Groanes Give Dedicate and Consecrate These my CONTEMPLATIONS and SIGHES And doe begge and beseech thee that thou wilt make them unto mee A helpe in my life A comfort at my death My protection in Iudgement Thy adorer redeemed by thy blood J.M.D. The Translator to the Reader BOokes if they bee good need no protection if bad in this our age and state they can have none bee not the Surveyors of the Presse a thing not to be presumed either corrupt or negligent Now therefore to see a booke in print with an Imprimatur in the front is a sufficient warrant for all to buy and a sure rule for thee to reade without either offence to thy selfe or displeasure of any other Besides this is no new Booke though a new Translation and therefore I hope as it hath been publikely vendible for many yeares without restraint and good applause in the Latine tongue so it may now find as free a passage and as faire an acceptance in the English and shall not need a Protector to keepe it off from a publique censure or warrant it from the fire And this is all I now wish either for my Author or my selfe Yet I have a Patron too even He that commands not only the hands but even the tongues and hearts of men If he be pleased with these my weak endevours for whose honour I chiefly undertooke them I have my Guerdon even all I expect or desire if not I am sure I shall vainly implore any other patronage how potent soever as no way sufficient to protect either me or my Translation from his All-seeing eye and All-doing hand of him therefore doe I beg pardon of my errors committed and to his service doe I in all humilitie dedicate my selfe and this Manuall and doe loveingly commend the use thereof to thee my courteous Reader From my chamber in the Inner Temple August 20. 1639. THE AVTHOVR to the Reader THE time is already come which our Saviour foretold should be before the Fabrick of this world should be dissolved take heed saith he you bee not deceived for many shall come in my name and shall say I am Christ and that time draweth nigh but go not after them And when you shall heare of wars and tumults be not affraid for these things must first be but the end is not yet for Nation shall rise against Nation and Kingdome against Kingdome and there shall be great earthquaks in divers places and famines and deaths and there shall be terrors and oppositions and great signes shal be seen from heaven and there shall be great tempests but before all these things come to passe they shall violently lay hands upon you they shall persecute you and deliver you up to their Synagogues into prisons and shal set you before Kings and Governors for my Name sake your own parents brethren kindred and friends shall betray you and they shall put some of you to death and you shall bee hated of everybody He that makes a doubt of the fulfilling of this Prophesie let him cast his eyes upon the actions of the former age and behold the tragedy which is even acted in the sight of all men which dyes in purple both the body and estates of all men and yet its Catastrophe doth not yet a peare to us How many imaginary Christs forged in hell hath the old Serpent put upon us he hath suffered almost no age to passe wherein he hath not hammered out new Authors and Princes of Salvation and hath prepared new ways for impious devotion so that we are even reserved to that time than which none was ever more fierce for Religion nor more barren in Piety If any more sincere and more unspotted than the rest be given us from heaven that may shew us the path to those heavenly mansions and that faith which is the only ladder to life eternall and commands to bee clothed with works bids those other personating sectaries of Christianitie to carry more devotion in their hearts than in their countenances and to be fiercer in doing than saying he shall scarce get from them without hissing and a clownish jeere I dare say that these very things doe happen even within the Orchyard of the Church How many witnesses of the Gospels truth are delivered by our adversaries to make themselves pastime to be destroyed by the cruell sword to be consumed by the devouring flames and to be pined within a dark prison In our age have wee seene Nation to rise up against Nation and their great burden pressing the earth more than ever wee reade of in our bookes we find by daily experience that fathers grow mad and cruell against their own sonnes mothers against their daughters and children against their parents and that either for Christs or Mammons sake Though we see not innumerable Cities overwhelmed by earthquaks yet we know it to bee true in other parts of the World We see armies of fires in the Firmament representing unto us and besmeared with the humane blood which is after to be shed netther is the breaking in of seas and floods any new thing and more I need not say for as Gregory the Great out of whom wee have taken something of that we have formerly declared doth write when the swelling waves hang over us and doe threaten death which they bring with them wee call to mind no carnall pleasures yea we cast over boord those very things for which we have made a long voyage and all things compared with our life are set at nought So we also when we perceive the waves of Gods wrath to swell high we laye aside the burthen of our wordly possessions we remove our vaine desires and cast from us the weight of all our worldly cares being earnestly and only sollicitous for our hoped for eternal life So shall it bee that thus lightned the ship of our devotion may floate which laden must sink for the cares which depresse us in this life do draw our soules into the deep which is borne so much the higher amidst the billows of temptation as wee are carefull to rid it from the thoughts of this world but there is another thing which wee should duly consider in these our tempestuous times when a storme doth first arise the waves are then but small but presently after they swell to
bigger volumes at length they mount so high that by their loftinesse they overturne all those that saile upon them Now also hastens that extreame tempest of soules that shall overwhelme the whole World which sets forth unto us its beginning by wars slaughters as it were by some of his waves And the neerer we do daily come to the end so much the greater are the volumes of troubles which we behold but at the last when all the Elements are in a hurly burly the Iudge will come amongst us and bring an end of all things with him and certainely it is but a moment till he shall shake not only the earth but the heavens themselves We ought vigilantly to looke for this tempest and to be afraid of the waves that daily swell against us and to foresee what must follow upon these troubles which buffet the World God himselfe warnes us so saying take heed least at any time your hearts be over charged with gluttony and drunkennesse for drunkennesse is a smooth devill a sweet poyson a delightfull sin he that is possessed with it hath not himself and he that acts it commits not a sin but is wholly sin it selfe and as the soule which is free from wine is most wise and of the most excellent temper so moystned with the vapours of wine it is as it were enveloped in a cloud it doth confound nature makes us lose grace destroys our glory and makes us incurre eternall damnation He warnes us that we be not entangled with the cares of this life For we cannot serve two God and Mammon for the love of riches doth farre more torture than refresh our soules to get them is toylesome we keepe them with feare and lose them with much sorrow He warnes us that we watch at all times and pray that wee may bee worthy to escape the evils to come and to stand before the sonne of man Let us watch O let us watch for that only day of our Lords comming is kept secret that we might every day stand in awe The Lord will come in an houre when wee thinke not of him when wee shall say peace and all things are safe Whether we eate or drinke or whatsoever we do else let that dreadfull voice alwayes sound in our eares Arise ye dead and come unto judgement Let us watch my companions let us watch hee shall be blessed whosoever he be that doth nothing without the remembrance of this Iudgement let us pray O my companions let vs pray let us pray without ceasing and let us cry with a strong voyce to the Lord and though wee cease with our tongue yet let us cry with good workes and that without ceasing for prayer is rather of the heart than of the lippes rather of our workes than of our words the words of him that prays are not so much observed by God as the heart of the suppliant By how much more we are oppressed with the tumultuousnesse of carnall things so much the more fervently we ought to bend our selves unto prayer Let us pray continually because wee are alwayes tempted and because our sins doe labour without intermission to circumvent us the world to deceive us hell to devour us and the devill to insnare us Let us surround God making as it were a power against him by our prayers that we may bind and overcome our sinnes the world hell and the devill and may without blame wait for the fixed houre and the day of the universall doome That houre shall not be unprofitable to us which to others hath proved most fruitfull for prayer quenched the fiery fornace for the three Children stopped the Lions mouthes that they could not hurt Daniel appeased the seditious Israelites for Moses opened Paradise locked up heaven made the barren wombe fruitfull loosed Pauls and Peters bands nay he hath enlarged the confidence of prayer which carryed Cornelius to heaven and did justifie the Publicane That I might stirre up and encrease this desire of prayer of Groanes and of Sighes in my selfe not long since I framed this incitement when Hanibal as it were was even at our gates and rash death commanded mee to cease from my other labours and I doe willingly impart it to the youth that love learning and religion and to others that please to whom I wholly enthrall my selfe I have willingly and wittingly passed over those quarrels and brawles which many make against things of this nature for I endeavoured not so much to sharpen and embelish the wit as to amend and better the soul nor could I with a soaring wing of wit compasse heaven and earth If any desire a smooth style let him know that I made choyce rather to speak in other mens words and to recollect the sentences of the Ancient than to speake in mine owne phrase and let him consider not the style but the sense of the matter wherin these things are writ neither whether it bee according to the usuall manner of phrase but whether the matter be true for if the sense hee true What skils it saith a learned German in so abstruse a busines whether thou cloath it in a fine or a course vaile or garment so it be not uncomely Surely my minde is good throughout and if my humane tongue or pen shall any where falter let mee not bee too severely punished for there is no malice or obstinacie in it though there may be weaknesse and obscurity if any shall maintaine that these things are neither beseeming my age or condition I shall willingly give him leave to abound in his owne sense and if he please to bee wise in his owne conceit yet every man ought to hold piety deare and to be studious of it of whatsoever qualitie or years they be of I am young sayes one and now I will take my pleasure hereafter will I repent This is as much as to say I will wound my selfe with my sword and then I will goe to the Chirurgion Alas knowest thou not that a wound is received in a minute that can hardly bee cured in a long time Thou mayst sin of thy selfe but rise from sin alone thou canst not in which most grave sentence of S. Augustine I end and seriously rest I beseech you doe so with me Imprimatur THO. WYKES Octob. 30. 1639. CONTEMPLATIONS SIGHES and GROANES of a Christian CONTEMP c. 1 Of the greatnesse of Gods Love AWake my soule out of the sleep of ignorance awake my heart out of the sleep of sloth struggle out my spirit out of the depth of darknesse and look back upon thy God look upon thy God that cannot be seen with corporeall eyes because he dwels in an inaccessible light that none can behold and live yet doe I O my god lift up my spirit unto thee I raise up my soule unto thee I cast up mine eyes unto thee my understanding desires to meditate and consider of thee but sees not where to begin how to goe on aad in
of him in whom thou hast placed all thy hope and trust I therefore that am forsaken of all doe bring to both of you that small ayd I am able thou O Mother behold another Sonne for thee thou my disciple behold another helpe for thee O most holy Jesus O most faithfull Saviour O most mercifull helper how many sad widows doest thou even now comfort how many poore orphans doest thou now relieve how many afflicted persons doest thou now take charge of I am also widowed of all comfort and deprived of all sustenance robbed of all protection and aid the anxieties of my mind are many my affliction is great my griefes are multiplied comfort me sustaine me take care of me O thou omnipotent Comforter of those that bee sad thou Strength of those that labour let my groanes come unto thee what extremity soever I am in that in my necessities I may joy in the presence of thy mercy Heare also yee that have eares to heare the fourth word Let my soule attend let my spirit attend and let all the devotion that is in me give her attention our Priest in the dayes of his flesh offered up prayers and supplications with teares and strong cries unto him that was able to save him from death My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The just God and heavenly Father who begate thee from eternity who by a voyce from heaven testified of thee This is my beloved Sonne heare him hath forgotten thee hee left thee not for thine owne cause but for mine for I by my sinnes have begotten thee these labours and griefes it was I was to be forsaken but thou stoodest in my stead thou who speakest righteousnesse who art the bulwarke of salvation hast trod the wine-presse alone and there was not a man to helpe thee thou lookedst about and there was no helper thou soughtest but foundst none that might save O how bitter was this forsaking to thee but how pleasant and how happie to mee Thou God exceeding long-suffering thou shalt not leave me for ever because thy Sonne was forsaken for me Thou ardent lover of my soule thou diligent Saviour of sinners thou most courteous searcher of men thy most obedient Sonne tooke on him the punishment which was due for my sins which are so much against thee hee hath borne the sinners burthen hee hath endured the horrours of death and terrours of hell and hath most largely satisfied for me Leave me not then O my God depart not from me O my God in the day of my death if the so copious satisfaction of thy Sonne if my so dangerous misery can move thee to compassion be present with me most miserable sinner pitifully heare my prayers and help mee in the houre of death neither remember my iniquities but O thou fountaine of mercyes deale with mee according to thy exceeding great mercy CONTEMP c. 20. Of the fifth word of Christ uttered upon the Crosse GAther O gather your selves together and heare saith the Patriarch Iacob when he stretched forth his feet to enter into the way of all flesh and stood even at the threshold of his wished-for eternity but if the last words of a man were to bee received with such attention what attention may be required what fervour what diligence to heare his last words who is both God and man who is above all the Patriarches in whom all the Patriarches did trust and whom they wished so often to behold The words were seven The number of seven is a peculiar number a holy number and is used in many mysteries it is here also peculiar it is holy and not barren of mysteries thou hast already understood this O my soule and thou shalt know it in part hereafter The first word of our Lord was I thirst ah Lord all thy spirits were dissipated all thy strength issued forth in the torrent of thy blood for thou wast a man of sorrowes and experienced in infirmities despised and a man of the least esteeme although thou haddest committed no offence nor was guile found in thy mouth therefore wast thou scorched with extream thirst and yet thou Saviour and preserver of men thou couldest not obtaine drink from men O most barbarous cruelty the Lord did travell with extreame thirst at the beginning of his passion and that thirst did increase still more and more so that it was one of the greater sort of torments which the Lord endured upon the crosse for the letting out of the great plenty of the vitall fountaine doth dry and cause thirst therefore the Lord who after much wearinesse and by his scourging lost much blood and afterwards being crucified had foure open fountaines as it were in his body from which great plenty of blood had for a long time issued forth how could it be but that hee must be tormented with extreame thirst They who have received many wounds from which much blood doth flow desire nothing so much as drink as if they suffered nothing but thirst but who was there that took pitty and offered so much as cold water who was present who had a fellow-feeling of his sorrowes there was not one nor any found to comfort him O Jesus thou heavenly Lord they gave thee gall to eate and in thy thirst they have thee vineger to drink thy beloved John saith there was a vessell set full of vineger and they fastning a sponge full of vineger to an hysop stalk offered it to his mouth O cruell wickednesse as they had at the beginning a little before his crucifying offered him wine mixed with gall so at the departure of his soule they offer him vineger a most pernitious thing for his wounds that Christs passion might be a true and continued passion from the beginning to the end without any mixture of comfort in stead of refreshing and pleasing liquour they offer him hurtfull and bitter O refreshing without any refreshing O most lamentable consolation When Sampson had slaine the Philistims he thirsted exceedingly and the Lord opened a great tooth for him in the jaw-bone of an asse whence waters did flow and thou when thou haddest overcome the most potent enemies the world satan and death diddest also thirst extreamely but no waters were given thee and the Antitype was in a farre worse condition than the type which the Conquerour of the Philistims did represent wee alas had deserved eternall thirst to us was due that scorching heat which the glutton had when hee lifted up his eyes being in torments and saw Abraham afarre off and Lazarus in his bosome and crying said Father Abraham take pitty of me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and refresh my tongue for I am tormented in these flames but thou that takest pitty of us that most ardently thirstest for our salvation hast in thy thirst suffered that thirst and hast deserved so much for us that we shall one day neither hunger nor thirst any more neither
and make all his praises to be heard O Lord my God thou art exceedingly exalted thou hast put on praise and comelinesse and art clothed with light as it were with a garment Ioseph was thrust into a most noysome darknesse of a prison but the third yeere was hee taken thence and made the great commander over all Aegypt Christ was put in the bowells of the earth but the third day he came out thence alive and was made governour of heaven and earth Moses was cast forth into the river being shut into an Arke of bulrushes but was presently drawne from thence and made the people of Israels Captaine and deliverer Christ Jesus was shut into the tomb but was in good time raised thence and designed for a Saviour unto all men The bush in the wildernesse did burne but was not consumed by the fire Jesus burned upon the Crosse and was exposed to the flames of Gods wrath and the assaults of Satan but this fire was put out and now the beames of his fatherly favour shine forth Aarons rod was withered but it flourished againe all Christs bones were dryed by his passion but vigour returned to them from the grave Josuah trampled the five Kings that were brought unto him under his feet and hung them upon five trees Jesus Christ trampled upon our five enemies the world satan sinne death and the grave and carried away most great spoyles and set up glorious trophyes of his victory Sampson was taken in Gaza but hee plucked up the gates of the City and escaped Christ Jesus was taken of death but not kept and having conquered death hee triumphed David overthrew Goliah the Philistims champion with a sling Christ with his blood overthrew and vanquished the devill the leader and captaine of the wicked We blesse thee famous Saviour we laud thee most invincible captaine we reverence thee most triumphant victour arise make haste my soule and come away now winter's past the storme is over and gone the flowers deck our feilds the spring is come the voyce of the turtle is heard in our land the figgtree is budded the flourishing vines send forth a sweet savour arise make haste my soule and come away it is no time for sloth but to make speed it is no time to sleepe but to awake it is no time to weepe but to rejoyce it is no time to complaine but to bee glad wee have beene too indulgent to sadnesse wee have shed teares enough let sadnesse depart let mirth returne the time of the passion is past the time of the resurrection is come all anxiety must fly away when the message sent by the Angell is heard all greife of heart must vanish when the Gospell is received hee is risen hee is risen whom his friend betrayed whom the company of his disciples forsook whom Peter denied whom the Priests delivered up whom the serjeants smot whom the high Priests mocked whom the Iudges condemned whom the hangmen put to death whom the souldiers pierced whom the accursed burden of our sinns did oppresse whom the wrath due to our sinns had tormented hee is risen the Lord our God is risen our brother is risen who hath in his sepulcher buried all our iniquities and by his resurrection hath brought forth for us freedome and salvation Confesse unto the Lord and call upon his name set forth his works amongst the Gentiles sing unto him sing psalmes unto him declare all his wonderfull works This is the day wherein hath fallen what ever lifted up the head against the Lord for the Lord himselfe after hee had drunk of the brock in the way exalted his own head and brake to peeces the heads of his adversaries this is the day wherein hell was overthrowne and the abhominable Kingdome of Satan conquered the devill bound the old dragon spoyled death disabled and the miserable Christian people freed Remember the wonderfull things of the Lord which hee hath done his marvailes and the judgements of his mouth who shall set forth the power of the Lord and make all his praises to be heard this is the day wherein did vanish away the snares of the serpent of paradise which hee layd for the seede of the woman they vanished away and the head of the serpent was cleft in sunder and the enmity betwixt mankinde and the serpents brood brake forth into extreamity of deeds This is the day wherein the second Adam from heaven awaked out of sleepe and received his only beloved and married her to himselfe blesse the Lord O my soule O Lord my God thou hast been wonderfully magnified thou hast put on praise and comelinesse and art clothed with light as with a garment rejoyce in the Lord O my soule this ought to be the solemnity above all solemnities wherein Christ the Lord by his divine power arose from death 〈…〉 as before handled like a 〈…〉 theefe this day is better than tha◠wherein the world did first appeare For that was created for mans labour this was made for his rest that deserved death this frees him from the feare of death the light of that day is buried in darknesse the brightnesse of this day doth even enlighten the graves to conclude the dead see not the light of that day but the light of this day hath even showne forth to the dead let us therefore rejoyce in this day which both shines about the living and quickneth the dead and illuminates those who are to come Let all the world exult with joy for it is meet that as every creature did lament with mournfull teares the death of their Creator and did follow the hearse of him that was put to death upon the Crosse in the dark funerals of the night so they should now joyfully receive him triumphantly returning in his resurrection from the dead And thou also my soule rowse thy selfe from the sleepe of sinne that thou crucifie him not againe after his resurrection awake if thou be asleepe and rise from the dead when the Lord arose from the tabernacle the campe removed and all the people followed to day is the Lord of life and death risen from the grave thou must not lie snorting but follow him by thy fervent devotion the old leaven must be purged out the leaven of malice and wickednesse wee must feed on the unleavened bread of truth and sincerity I am willing O God but not able thou who hast given mee grace to hate the way of the flesh and studies of this age vouchsafe that I may never set foot in that way nor ever be deceived by these inventions Lord Jesus Holy Iesus Good Iesus if thou wilt I shall be able for it is thy will that makes mee able will therefore I may have ability and will I may bring this good work to perfection Thou who did'st vouchfafe to dye for our sinns and to rise againe for our justification I beseech thee by thy glorious resurrection to raise me from the grave of all my sinnes and offences
what Saint Paul said We brought nothing into this world and we know that we can carry nothing away from thence and therefore let us be content with our food and cloathing but those that will bee rich fall into temptations and snares and many foolish lusts which afflict and drowne the sons of men in ruine and destruction Pray with Agur the son of Jakeh I have desired two things of thee O God deny them not unto me as long as I live remove farre from me vanity and lyes give me neither poverty nor riches let me be nourished with the meat of mine owne table lest being over full I lye against thee and say who is the Lord or being poore I should steale and so abuse the Name of my God Bee grieved more for Gods dishonour than thine owne if thou sufferest wrong beare it patiently and thou shalt overcome it yet thou mayest say my reputation is stained shall I endure it Why not suffer and thy reputation will be soone repaired he that shall at length even in the last day restore unto thee thy putrified body shall restore to thee thy credit if thou be angry and enraged and teare thy selfe what shall all these turmoiles profit thee Nothing is more pleasing to thy enemie than to see thee by thy rage to be in such a confusion Rather pray for thine enemies that they be fellow-heires with thee of eternall life and fellow-chaunters of thy Fathers praises in his heavenly Kingdome The more others extoll thee the more doe thou humble thy selfe in thine owne eyes nor please thy selfe with such vanities They that esteeme lightly of earthly things are magnified and extolled by the Angels of heaven proceed sincerely rightly and innocently in every of thy actions nor too earnestly take care for the things thou hast not Think no sin little for there is none so light if any may bee said light but it may bring upon thee great plagues everlasting death therefore deplore thy least sinnes and pray without ceasing for the bettering of thy life Think how short thy life is if any seriously consider what ever belongeth to us he shall see they vanish from us like birds in the aire and wee also by our perpetuall motion are carried beyond those transitory things but that which is worst no remedy can be found against this for these things fall out thus by the law of Nature for the things of this life are a dreame a smoake and impostures this is our life O men that lead a fleeting life such is the Scene upon the earth that wee must be borne ere we could have a being and as soone as we are borne wee are againe dissolved to nothing Wee are a dreame that lasts not an apparition that cannot be laid hold on a flight of a bird that is gone the passage of a ship in the sea that leaves behind no impression dust a vapour morning dew a flowre that hath his time to blow and time to wither the dayes of man are as grasse and shall flourish but like the flowre of the field Think therefore alwayes what manner of life thou hast not how long it may last make haste to live well and think every day is another life let us extend our life whose office and argument is action let us not place the goodnesse of our life in the length of it but in the use of it For it may come to passe yea it often happens so that he who hath lived long hath lived little his life is most long in the whole extent whereof he hath been at leasure for himselfe and yet no part thereof hath lyen waste or idle Life is like a Play it skils not how long it is but how well it was acted not he that hath sung much to the Harpe nor he that hath made many prayers or hath steered many ships is to be commended but he that hath performed these things for Beauty is to be placed in Vertue and a seasonable moderation not in length of dayes In every thing we see the Priority to bee yeelded to maturity and perfection not to their old-age For amongst the Plants those are accompted the best which beare most fruit in the shortest time and amongst the living creatures those from whom we receive most commodities for our lives in the shortest time We conclude therefore that a short time well and innocently spent is farre to be preferred before a sinfull long life CONTEMP c. 35. Of necessary rules to lead a holy life concerning our words HEare and obey these things O man which I shall utter touching thy words weigh well continually with thy selfe that saying of our Saviour I say unto you that of every idle word that the sonnes of men shall speake they shall give an account for in the day of judgement and that also which the most wise Salomon also affirmes in the multitude of words there will not cease to be sin Fly therefore idle and slothfull words which have repentance treading upon their heeles and ill successe at their elbowes Examine what thou art to propose and what to answer As long as thy word is within the fence of thy teeth it is thine own but as soon as it is escaped it is his that receives it How foule and uncomely a thing is it if thy unbrideled tongue breaking the bounds of modesty shall cause thee to blush for shame Let therefore thy words be few and weighty and seasoned with salt and mark in the delivery what is worthy and what in them is unworthy of thee Chiefly vaunt of nothing for truth which thou knowest not to be true nor give thy selfe over to receive vaine reports Such a tongue is a monster more changeable than any Proteus that fils the world with fables doth often in sports cause tragedies to be acted amongst men it encreaseth in its progresse and for the most part relates things to be greater than they are and cannot abstain from telling of lies in relating a truth and although it doth onely utter trifles and toyes yet sometimes is it in the place of a thousand witnesses As the hand of a foole doth leave a token of his folly deciphered upon every wall it passeth by so such a tongue filleth all mens eares with rumours and stories but whether they be true or false it careth not A mouse scarce peeps out of any cranny but it is presently at hand and like a midwife receives this issue and makes it presently grow bigge and that it may shew the fairer cloaths it in most large vestments so he forces rumours upon every one he meets as being fresh and new yea as a true story though for the most part it hath scarce any truth in it So is falshood in very short time divulged thorow the world Whosoever heares a report coynes and addes something to that he hath heard what either credulity or ornament shal perswade him too Behold the stories which doe at length put off
Returne returne thou degenerate son nor will I set my face against thee so that thou wilt acknowledge the sinnes by which thou hast offended thy God How often hast thou called me unto thee by this most pleasing voice How often hast thou exhorted me by great feare by most terrible threats by the daily expectation of daily danger of perpetuall death and strict judgement how many preachers hast thou afforded me how many teachers hast thou set over me who partly by doctrine and partly by example should shew me the way I should walke in Thou hast allured me by most gentle compellations thou hast chastised me by dangerous sicknesses and other miseries and hast left out nothing that might induce me from the old way What shall I render unto thee O Lord for all thy blessings bestowed upon me I owe thee my selfe and all things I enjoy because thou hast created me for thou madest me and what ever I have Againe I owe thee my selfe and all things I possesse because thou hast preserved me besides Lord thou gavest thy selfe to be my great and plenteous reward What can I render unto thee If I had in my hand all the lives of all the Angels and all the soules of all mankinde and I should resolve to pay them to thee they could not stand in comparison with one drop of thy blood shed for me therefore I most worthily complaine and cry out who shall give water to my head and a fountaine of teares to my eyes and I will weepe night and day and deplore mine owne abominable ingratitude wherewith I thy creature O my best Creator have repayed thee for all thy so many and so great and so incomprehensible benefits bestowed upon me Helpe me O my God impart thy grace unto me that I may with inward contrition confesse unto thee my back-sliding from thee Ah! Lord I am thy creature though most unhappy and unworthy of thee my Creator Thou didst create me according to thine own image and similitude looke backe upon me O God take from me what ever I have brought in and then thou shalt finde nothing but good in me and that which thou hast bestowed upon me O thou most perfect worker of all goodnesse Alas I have resisted the powers of thy holy will and striven much to oppose thee Oh with what security have I given my self over to wrath my feet made haste to doe evill my hands prepared themselves to doe mischiefe to covetousnesse and all manner of impurities my eyes were turned to behold vanity my eares were open to receive lies filthy talking slandering and reproaching My soule that was a most noble soule and neare in nature to thy heavenly Ministers and ought to have contemplated to beheld and have reflected upon thee turnes backe from thy unspeakable beauty and turnes it selfe towards the flattering deceitfull beauty of the world and laboured this with care that it might abuse the fraile goods of this world to her owne lusts and knew not how grievous and hurtfull this would prove unto her This behold is the understanding part of my soule let us see what good may proceed from the will Thou hast enclined O Lord my will to heavenly riches but it hath declined to earthly things and hath wholly enthralled her selfe by a vaine love unto them this O Lord is that grace which I have repayed thee for thy most precious gifts What shall I answer thee ah Lord if thou shouldest call me before thy judgement seat and shouldest say I have planted thee for a noble vine and that thou shouldest wholly be a faithfull seed how then are you changed into degenerate branches of a wilde vine But if I stand in so foule a condition upon examination of the benefit of my Creation what will it prove if I should give an account of the benefits of my Preservation For thou hast preserved him so many dayes so many moneths so many yeares who hath dedicated all his senses to the contempt and despite of all thy Commandements who hath persecuted thy servants who hath beene a scandall to the communion of thy Saints who hath strengthened and enlarged the kingdome of sinners Thou hast preserved the tongue that hath blasphemed thee and taken thy Name in vaine thou hast preserved the members that have most vehemently offended thee thou hast given him meat and drinke that hath abused them both to thine owne reproach I have not beene onely unthankfull but I armed my selfe with thine owne blessings against thee Thou createdst all thy creatures for me even for my profit and to draw me to love thee and I have used thy creatures to the inexcusable hatred of thee Those things which ought to have brought me to thy most beautifull wisdome did make me blinde and made me not only not to looke up but did even close mine eyes that I should not behold how much the Creator did excell those his so many faire and comely creatures for the most rare Artist of all beauty and comelinesse was He that that created them Thou gavest me all things that I should yeeld and consecrate my selfe unto thee thou wouldest have all things serve me that I might serve thee even I that have so little thought upon thee Thy creatures according to thy command are ready at thy becke but I alas have stoutly refused thy commandements Thou hast given me health of body and I have granted the use thereof to the devill thou hast given me strength understanding and a will and I have bestowed them upon the service of iniquity And what shall I say as many dangers and losses of other men as I have beheld so many of thy blessings towards my selfe have I seene that thou didst not overwhelme me in the same dangers and losses If thou shouldest send me what I deserve thou mightest finde me more worthy so many miseries than others are but it is thy mercy O Lord that I am not consumed Beasts are tamed by courtesies are made gentle and familiar for the service and obedience of man and yet thy benefits have not tamed me have not moved me that I might say in my heart Let us feare the Lord our God that giveth us raine the early and the later raine it its season preserving for us the fulnesse of the yearly harvest that enricheth us with his blessings that preserveth us from our birth even to our death Ought not these things to set before mine eyes and minde thy favour and mercy towards me But if I am so much bound unto thee for these benefits which thou hast produced for me by the bare power of thy Word what shall I be indebted to thee for redeeming me from eternall death and damnation by the precious blood of thine only begotten son Oh how much have I neglected thy most wise counsell how have I despised thy incarnation which I ought to adore Thou my God art made man that thou mightest make me partaker of the divine nature and I a
is lost we even divide this very day we now enjoy betweene death and our selves Wretched man why disposest thou not of thy selfe every houre Think thou mayest now die because thou knowest thou must die call to mind that the time is comming upon the wings wherein thy eyes must sinke into thy head the veines of thy body shall be crackt in pieces and thy heart shall be cleft with sorrow remember thine owne frailtie remember the miserable estate of thy pilgrimage call to mind in the bitternesse of thy soule thy yeares past and the dangers of mans life Amidst the most uncertaine things of man yet is death most certaine yet what is found more uncertaine than the houre of death it takes no pitie upon want it reverenceth not riches and to conclude it spareth neither wisdome manners nor age this only is the difference that death standeth at the old mans doore and for the young man he lyes in ambush every one therefore ought well to feare this last day because every one in the day of Judgement shall be judged for such as he shall be found at his day of death Upon this only moment of our life depends eternity that hath no end What is more terrible than judgement and what can bee imagined more intolerable than hell What will a man feare if hee feare not these things if horrour seize not on him and if dread doe not cause him to tremble O man if thou have lost the shame which belongs to so noble a creature if thou bee not sensible of the sorrows of affliction which is also a property that belongs to mortall creatures yet lose not at least thy feare Feare therefore O man because in death thou must be parted from all the good things of this thy body and the sweet marriage knot of thy united soule and body must be cut in sunder by this most bitter divorce Feare because in that terrible Judgement thou must stand before him into whose hands it is a most fearfull thing to fall even before such an Examiner from whom nothing can be hid if iniquitie be found in thee thou must be banished the society of blisse and glory and bee severed from the number of the blessed Feare because in hell thou must be exposed to insufferable and everlasting torments and receive thy portion with the devill and his angels even in the everlasting fire prepared for them Dost thou not yet feare the face of the Judge which is even terrible to the angelicall Powers Dost not thou tremble at the wrath of that powerfull One at his angry countenance and his sharp words Art thou not affraid of the teeth of the infernall beast of the belly of hell of those yellings fore-runners of our devourings Are we not yet affraid of the gnawing worme scorching flames smoak and vapour brimstone and stormie tempests O! who shall give water to my head and a fountaine of teares unto mine eyes that by my weeping I may prevent that weeping and gnashing of teeth and those hard bands of hands and feet and that weight of oppressing fettering burning and yet not consuming chaines and that I may come to thee my Lord and my God Yet if any be so cursedly obdurate so fierce and steely that hee cannot be troubled with the feare of ill yet who can be so madde and senselesse that he will not be touched with the desire of good things There are laid up endlesse good things for them that make a godly end even things which the eye hath not seene nor the eare heard nor ever entred into the heart of man to conceive which God hath prepared for those that love him those things the preparer and worker whereof is God What things must they be thinkest thou The eye hath not seene them because they are not colour the eare hath not heard them for they are not a sound nor hath it entred into mans heart to conceive them because the heart of man must ascend unto them Why labour I then to make my tongue to utter that which my heart cannot conceive which is to be beleeved and not to be beheld nay it is not onely invisible but also unspeakable O Lord Jesus Christ when that most perilous moment approacheth wherein I shall enter into the way of immortality then give mee a quiet and pleasing repose that in the true acknowledgement and confession of thy grace I may yeeld up my spirit and my poore soule with peace and gladnesse and may deliver it into thy hands Neither let mee bee long tormented as I have a thousand times deserved and that I may enjoy peace on the earth in my body and may watch and be made coheire of the resurrection to life of all the beleevers that I may praise and glorifie thee with gladnesse and may give thee thanks for evermore for all the innumerable blessings which thou hast bestowed upon mee through the whole space of my pilgrimage Call me not to an account for my old scores and remember not the sins of my youth but be mercifull unto me according to thy great mercies and sustaine me in a firme faith and comfort even to my last gaspe that neither sinne death or the divell doe me any hurt nor that my own flesh make me impatient but that I may enter in unto thee that I may dwell with thee and may remaine with thee for evermore Amen CONTEMP c. 45. Of Eternity IS it this that divideth the entrailes parteth the bowels woundeth the heart tyes the tongue shutteth the lips distracteth the senses and overwhelmes all our members with feare Rivers slow from our eyes our cheekes are watered with teares and all this torrent hath its originall from this one word a terrible word by the force and threates whereof feare and anguish are bred in us a word that no day no voice shall determine no starre-light shall shadow no constellation shall darken a word that melts the marrow and softens breakes and even minces the heart and bones though harder than the Adamant or Marble This word is Eternity a word of longer continuance than the Heavens more terrible than thunder and lightning or any tempest whatsoever It is Eternity that hath neither pause measure nor end and drives on the minds of men as it were with goades and spurs and pricks so that they search not after mutable or transitory things This word hath moved many to pluck of their glittering crownes from their ayery heads and to despise the lofty bayes and made them let fall their towring plumes and putting on a courser habit to contemplate higher and more divine things This word doth wholely possesse me nor suffers me to enjoy any encrease of content it infuses into my most disquieted soule care feare and griefe O end most remote from any end ô time without time O yeare and no yeare O number not to bee summed up of any Descend descend my soule to hell not to mix thy selfe with flames but to avoid