After these and other graue and comfortable speeches he vttered this heauenly praier following The Prayer of Ierome being now ready to die OHoly Iesus my virtue my resuge my taker vp my deliuerer and my praise in whom I haue hoped in whom I haue belecued and whom I haue loued my cheife sweetnesse my tower of strength and my hope euen from my youth Call me ô the Guide of my life and I will answer thee Stretch foorth the right hand of thy clemencie to the worke of thine owne hands which thou the creature of all things hast made of the mire of the earth and ioyned together with bones and nerues to whom thou dying hast giuen life and mercy Bid me come ô Lord doe not delay it is time that dust returne to the dust and that the Spirit returne to thee the Sauiour who hast sent it hither Open to me the gate of life for thou hast promised mee that thou wouldst receiue it when thou didst hang vpon the crosse for me Come my beloued let me lay hold vpon thee and not let thee go bring me into thy house Thou art my Taker vp my glorie and the lifter vp of mine head my saluation and my blessing Receiue me ô mercifull God according to the multitude of thy mercies Thou dying receiuedst the Theife vpon the Crosse running vnto thee O eternall blessednesse let me possesse thee Inlighte with the light of thine eternall sight mee blinde man crying by the way Iesus thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me O inuisible lights what ioy can I haue when I sit in darknesse and see not the light of heauen O light without which there is no truth there is no discretion no wisedome no goodnesse inlighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death that my enemie say not I haue preuailed against him My soule is weary of my life I speake in the bitternesse of my soule I am sicke my life is weakned through pouertie my bones are fried as it were in a frying pan And therfore I runne to thee Lord the Phisitian Heale mee O Lord and I shall bee healed saue me ô Lord and I shall be saued and I shall not be confounded because I put my trust in thee But who am I most holy God that I should speake so boldly vnto thee I am a sinner altogether begotten borne and brought vp in sinnes I am a rotten carcase a slinking vessell euen wormes meate Woe is me ô Lord spare mee what victorie is it if fighting with me thou shouldst ouercome mee who am lesse then the stubble before the fire Forgiue all my sinnes lift mee poore Wretch out of the mire O Lord if thou wilt giue me leaue I will say that thou oughtest not to put me away comming vnto thee because thou art my God Thy flesh is of my flesh and thy bones of my bones For for this cause not leauing the right hand of the Father thou hast cleaued to my nature and becamest God and man And why didst thou this so hard and vnthought of thing but that I might come confidently vnto thee as vnto a brother and that thou mightest mercifully communicate vnto me thy diety Wherfore arise helpe mee ô Lord arise and reiect me not finally Euen as the Hart braies after the riuer of water so my soule thirsteth after thee the liuing fountaine that it may drinke waters of ioy out of the fountaine of my Sauiour and neuer thirst againe O Lord when wilt thou haue regard and restore my soule from euill deeds and my daâ—â—ing from the Lyonsâ— If my sinnes were weighed whereby I haue deserued thine anger and my calamitie were put in the ballance it would be heauier then the sande of the sea and if thou stay a little longer I shall finde tribulation and sorrow Come the ioy of my Spirit that I may delight in thee reueale vnto mee thy mercie the ioy of mine heart Let me finde thee my desire Euen as a seruant longs for the end of his worke so I long for thee O LORD Let my request come into thy sight that thy hand may saue me I haue bin a great sinner in my life time and done much euill in thy sight I haue not knowne thee I haue bin vngratefull for thy benefits I haue not praised thee as I ought I haue often coÌ„cealed thy truth when thou didst knocke at the doore of my heart I was slow to let thee in reuerently I haue loued my rotten body which goeth away like a shadow with too much affection I haue defiled my mouth with vaine words my minde hath not bin alwaies in thy testimonie I haue not turned mine eyes from beholding vanitie I haue polluted mine eares with vnprofitable words I haue not stretched out my hands oftentimes to the necessities of my neighbours I haue made hast with my feet to iniquitie What should I say more from the sole of my foote to the crowne of my head there is no whole part in me Surely vnlesse dying vpon the crosse thou hadst holpen mee my soule had dwelt in hell O holy Iesus I am part of so great a price for mee hast thou shed thy pretious blood ô reiect mee not I am the ship that haue wandred ô good Shepheard looke me vp and bring me to thy fold that thou may est be iustified in thy sayings For thou hast promised mee that at what houre soeuer a sinner repenteth he shall be saued I am greeued I know my sins and mine iniquitie are alwaies before me Truly I am not worthy to be called thy Sonne for I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Speake ioy and comfort in mine eare turne away thy face from my sinnes blot out mine iniquities according to thy great mercy Cast mee not away from thy sight neither deale with me according to my sinnes but helpe mee ô God of my saluation and for the honour of thy name deliuer me Deale benignly with me according to thy good will that I may dwell in thy house all the dayes of my life that I may praise thee togither with those that dwell there for euer and euer Arise and make haste ô the most beloued husband of my soule do not consider that it is tawney black through sinne Shew hir thy face vtter thy voice in her eares for thy voice is pleasant and thy face is comely Turne not away from me shun not thy seruant at this houre I waite vpon thee O Lord I beleeue to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liuing Therefore come my beloued let vs goe out togither into the field and see if the vine hath flourished Turne my mourning into ioy incline thine eare vnto mee make haste to deliuer me out of this vale of teares miseries Trinitati in vnitate Gloria
comforting in reforming and in praying was all in effect spoken by her if a register heer of had beene made And I haue made this addition the rather that all the world may know that in what faith and hope and affections and iudgements good Christians amongst vs dye now a dayes in the same faith and affections the most learned and holy seruants of God died twelue hundred yeeres agoe For let who so will look with a single eye into this Treatise and he shall plainly see that Ierom held a particular faith prayed only to God professing great boldnesse for that Christ was his brother renounced all merit of his owne workes and beleeued to passe immediately to be auen being shaken with no feare of purgatory fire with many poynts more which may easily bee gathered But I forget my self I write too long an Epistle before so briefe a worke I conclude therefore and pray the God of comfort to fill you with true heauenly comfort to the end Amen Your Worships in all duty to be commanded in the Lord. I. M. Luk. 2.29 30. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation THese are the words of Simeon an old man that feared God who in all likely-hood by reading the Prophesie of Daniel Chap. 1.9 finding out that about this was the time of the Messiah prayed to the Lord that he might bee so happy as to see him before his death wherunto the Lord condescending promiseth that he should not die before he had seen his Sauiour And accordingly moouing him by the Spirit to goe to the Temple when his Sauiour being now a childe of fourty dayes olde was brought thither with an offering according to the Law he granted him his hearts desire and gaue him a sight of him whom for ioy he taketh into his armes and yeelds himselfe to dye in singing Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart c. In these words are two things Simeons sight and Simeons ioy His sight Mine eyes haue seene thy saluation His ioy Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to to thy Word For the first Mine eyes that is not onely the eye of my minde with which I saw him long agoe but also the eies of my body Thy saluation that is thy Sonne by whom the saluation of the Elect is wrought who for this excellency aboue other sauiours is called Saluation Doct. Hence we may obserue that some obtain so great fauour at the hands of the Lord as to see with their eies whilst they liue in this vale of miserie the Sonne of God and their eternal saluation wrought by him This fauour had Simeon and Anna and many faithfull both men and women in those daies who not onely with the eies of their minde but euen with their bodily eies also saw their saluation And all the faithfull in all ages both before and since the birth of Iesus haue beene made partakers of this fauour with their eies to see their saluation Of Abraham the the Lord saith Ioh. 8.56 Abraham desired to see my day and saw it and reioyced And of the rest S. Paul to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 11.13 They all diea in faith and obtained not the promises but saw them a farre off And since the death of Iesus all the beleeuers haue seene and haue heerein beene more blessed then they which seeing with their bodily eies beleeued According to which the Lord Iesus himselfe teacheth when Thomas would not beleeue till he had seen with his bodily eies Iesus risen againe and felt him with his hands saying O Thomas thou hast seene Ioh. 20.29 and beleeued blessed are they that haue not seene and yet beleeue So that it is a greater fauour not to see with the eyes of the bodie and yet to beleeue then to see with these eies and so to beleeue And of this fauour did this our deere sister partake whilst she liued in this world her eies did see her saluation shee did constantly heleeue in Iesus Christ and only relied vpon him for the obtaining of euerlasting life And whereas some things doe trouble the sight of the eies and some things againe do help and cleere it shee that obtained a more cleere sight by remouing the hinderances and vsing the helps most carefully The things that trouble the sight are sins and the thing that helpeth is the eye-salue of the Spirit that is the annoynting of the Holy Ghost For the Church of Laodicea liuing in sin is reproued as miserable Reu. 3.17 18. poore and blinde and for remedie is counselled to buy eye-salue of the Spirit Euen as the bodily eye saith S. Augustine which is made to behold the light Aug. Mat. Hom. 18. if dust or any offensiue thing rusheth into it it is so troubled as that it is not only not able to behold the light but must be hidden from it as not able to indure the light for that it now becommeth hurtfull to the eye so the eye of the minde by sinne is made vnable to behold the Lords Saluation yea it is rather troubled at it This excellent Saint of God knowing this did alwaies most carefully shunne all sinne keeping a most diligent watch ouer her waies and by the daily humble acknowledgement of her infirmities had her eyes cleered from the dust of sinne And as touching the annoynting this was plentifully diffused vpon her soule there being in her a most fragrant smell of all Christian graces First she was annoynted with a heauenly zeale as Mary the sister of Lazarus Luc. 10.42 who thought that one thing necessary her delight was to sit at the feet of Christ with all diligence to heare him preaching in the ministry of his holy word Neither the length of the way the cold and wet of the winter neither the businesses of the world could hinder her feet from comming to the house of God Vpon the Lords daies vpon Lecture-daies and vpon euerie occasion of preaching she was seene with the forwardest about the Lords Seruice In her priuate familie praiers morning and euening reading of the Scriptures and singing of Psalmes were neuer wanting in manie yeeres Besides that the Sermons were most carefully rehearsed seruants and children duely enstructed and manie heauenly speeches by her continually ministred to the breeding of grace in the hearers By this heauenly exercizing of her selfe then shee had her conuersation in heauen Phil. 3.20 and so could not but see her saluation there laid vp Sicut corpus quod aëris puritate perfruitur c. Euen as the bodie faith Chrysostome which liueth in pure and cleare aire Chrysost Matth. Hom. 2. enioyeth health and a more cleere sight but if in a thicke or smoakie aire it is much annoied hereby So the soule which is exercised in heauenly seeth the things of God more cleerely wheras the smokines of manifold worldly businesses much troubleth the sight Secondly
shee was annoynted with wisdome as Abigail who is sayd to be of excellent vnderstanding Shee did not lose her time in hearing reading discourse and meditation but profited more then many more ancient to apply that of Dauid vnto her Psal 119.100 I am become wiser then the ancient because I keepe thy commandements Such was her vnderstanding as that she could readily recite sit texts of Scripture for any purpose and finde them out and for harder places by singular labour she attained good skill herein She was not like the dul Hebrues Heb. 5. that were like babes in vnderstanding when by reason of the time they might haue beene Doctors but her knowledge with the time increased so as that like a teacher she was capable of great mysteries Old nature was not so in her as that she should bee blinded from perceiuing the things of God but the new Spirit gaue her an vnderstanding of all things 1 Cor. 2.14 as it is sayd The naturall man perceiueth not the things of God but the spirituall man discerueth all things She had doubtles then a cleere sight of her saluation giuen by God seeing that they which are thus inlightned 1 Cor. 2.12 haue receiued the Spirit of God whereby they know the things giuen them of God Thirdly shee was annoynted with true loue causing in her plenty of good works as in Dorcas Acts 9.35 her loue was exceeding great both toward God and towards her neighbour Of God her loue was so great as that shee burnt with the fire of earnest zeale for his glory stoutly euen beyond the strength of her sex opposing sinne and maintaining vertue in those that were about her As Dauid Psal 101.7 in setting forth his zeale so it may truely be said of her A wicked person shall not stand in my sight If any were neere in alliance or great in worldly respects yet if they were not orious for finne she tooke no delight but rather a lothing of their company 2 For the loue of God she kept a continuall watch ouer her wayes lest she should offend against his holy will no childe is more afrayd of offending the father or master then she of offending God 3 Because that notwithstanding all watches sinne cannot altogether be kept out shee was not a little troubled for her frailties and falls being alwaies glad when the Lord took the matter into his owne hands by chastizing her with sicknesse for then and in health time also shee did much complaine of her sinnes and forgetfulnesse for which it was necessary to be corrected Her continuall bewailing and often mourning euen with teares when wicked cursed speakers were in presence did plainely shew such an heart as Lots so taken vp with the loue of God as that hearing and seeing any thing against God 2 Pet. 2 8. could not but vex the hart inwardly with sorrow Of her neighbour shee had also a true loue not in word but in deed She had loue of almes-deeds which she plentifully performed to the poore as Iob Iob 31.16 17. not eating her mosells alone but the fatherlesse did eat part with her from her youth vp the poore were nou rished vp with her Vers 20. their loines blessed her for that they were kept warme with her fleeces Whilest shee liued the hungry could not goe vnfed the naked vncloathed the sicke vnuisited plentifully the Lord had dealt vnto her plentifully she gaue to the Lord againe in his poore members appointing continuall releefe to bee giuen to the sick and needy in such places of great pouerty as wherein shee liued not 2 She shewed loue by admonishing the disorderly instructing the ignorant and exhorting the backward in religion by all meanes prouoking to loue and good workes O how great was her care that her whole houshold and all her neighbours might serue the Lord that it might goe well with them for euer 3 Her loue was exceeding great towards Gods Ministers and all Saints reioycing alwaies to entertaine such and to be in their company 4 Her loue was such towards all as that shee would not giue offence to any by speaking ill of them neither did she delight as many do to heare ill reports against others Wherefore her religion was not vaine 1 Cor. 13. as all is without loue but it was a true religion her purity was in heart and in truth and blessed are the pure in heart Mat. 5.1 for they shall see God Her life was a continuall laying vp of treasure in heauen and therefore she could not but see heauen to be her dwelling place She led a right Angelicall life as Icrom truly speaketh Ieron epist 14 part 3. cap 1. Sine hac monasteria sunt tartara homines sunt damones c. Without this famlies are hels and men are diuels But with this families are paradices and men are Angel and if Angels they see their saluation Fourthly shee was annoynted with humility as Mary the blessed mother of Christ who being so highly graced by God Luc. 2.48 yet acknowledgeth herse fe his humble handmayden Although shee had something whereof others are proud as birth riches and estimation yet shee was the same lowly hand-maid of the Lord. 1 Through humility she made herselfe equall to those that bee of low degree being euen a companion of the poore ones that feare the Lord. 2 She despised the ornaments of vanity which other women so much delight in her outward habit did shew the inward lowlines and modesty of her mind 3 Shee stroue against the sharpnesse of her naturall disposition and by striuing did attaine a great measure of meeknesse and gentlenesse learning of him that sayd Matth. 11. Learne of mee that I am meeke and gentle and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules 4 Like the poore Publican shee was alwayes humbled in the sight of her sinnes in health and sicknesse neuer flattering herselfe with any thing which shee had done but alwayes bewailing her vnworthinesse and sinnes with which she sayd that she alwayes found herselfe compassed about 5 Because shee thought herselfe worthy of greater punishments she did humbly in all her sufferings submit herselfe to whatsoeuer it should please the Lord to lay vpon her verily perswading herselfe that no sicknesse or griefe came by chance but by Gods prouidence Without murmuring or impatient complaining she buckled her shoulders to to the yoke often affirming that shee respected not any sufferings heere Iam. 4.6 so that shee might goe to heauen heereafter Now to the humble it is promised that the Lord is neere though he despiseth the proud a farre off Esa 66.2 The Lord that inhabiteth eternity saith the Prophet is neere and hath respect to the humble that tremble at his word and if the Lord be neere hee is seene by the humble to bee their saluation Aug Mat Ser 5. This is the step saith Augustine whereby we ascend vp vnto God begin at the step
A choice one is the Deuils prey he careth not for taking the wicked because they are his owne already That wise man Salomon fell and his Father Dauid a man after Gods owne heart Feare O brethren againe I pray you feare on euery side for blessed is the man that feareth the Lord if tents bee pitched against him his heart shall not be afraid if warre riseth vp against him herein he shall haue hope The perfect feare of the Lord casteth vaine feare out of doores Loue hath no vaine feare loue and the feare of God are one which the Prophet considering crieth out and saith Psal 26. Settle thy feare within mee Who is there amongst you Psal 98. that desireth to see good daies let him come hither and be inlightned and his face shall not be confounded He that feareth the Lord shall doe good things and his soule shall dwell in good and his seed shall inherit the Land For the Lord is a sure stay to those that feare him and he will declare his will vnto them If ye doe any good take heed that ye feare Many do good things whose fruite the desire of the praise of men doth steale away There were tenne Virgins and yet halfe of them were shut out of heauens doore Alasse how many are at this day regenerate by holy baptisme and haue the name of Christians for whom it had beene better that they had neuer beene For the paines of hell which the Pagans shall suffer are farre lesser then the paines of wicked Christians I would to God that the greater part were not such The ship that is cuery where sound is drowned by one little hole Men haue gone out of the way in this large wildernesse some submitting their neckes to the yoake of couetousnesse others like most filthy swine being held in the filth of luxury others occupied about the wresting away of things vnprofitable whence it commeth to passe that the vse of reason being cast away they doing like brute beasts are made like vnto them and haue not found the way to the new Citie Ierusalem Such a mans way is an hundreth fould streighter then it is thought to be and yet it is large to all such as truly feare Christ promiseth to come to the Ceuturion fearing but denieth to come to the pettie-King presuming All doe not truely obey the Gospell The time shall come saith the Apostle wherein men will not suffer wholesome doctrin Many preach but all doe not preach the truth They binde the hearts of simple men in sinnes They binde heauy burthens in the least sinnes and passe ouer greatest sinnes winking with the eie There is a false Doctour a doubtfull sword on the one side he cutteth with his example and worke on the other side he smiteth and killeth with deceitfull and wicked words How should the fire gine cold and the water heate how should the stone go vpward and how should the filthy man preach chastly And if he doth preach what profit commeth hereby to the Hearers What can hee that heareth say but why dost thou preach with thy voice that which thou deniest with thy worke He that speaketh well with his tongue and liueth ill damneth himselfe Behold the Psalmist sheweth how acceptable such preaching is vnto the Lord. To the Sinner saith God Psal 50. Why dost thou declare my righteousnesse and takest my word into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed Many read great things and learne hard things dispute subtilly and speake finely that they may be honoured of the people that they may be counted masters of the common sort and yet doe nothing If ye beleeue experience beleeue me the holinesse of life doth more moue the hearts of men then fine speaches Be Doers and so preach doing without preaching preuaileth Math. 7. but not preaching without doing God hath not said hee that preacheth the will of my Father but he that doth it I dispraise not preaching but onely in those that doe not the things which they preach A Teacher of subtile wordes onely and not of workes is a certaine light breathing into the eares and a smoake soone passing away without fruite Vnderstand ô brethren vnderstand what I say he doth much better that preacheth and doeth then hee that doeth and preacheth not If I onely doe good I profit my selfe alone but if I both preach and doe I profit my selfe and others also According to which it is said They which instruct others in righteousnesse shall shine as the stars for euer and euer For Preachers are a light to inlighten with their doctrine hearts dimme and blinde by reason of the cloud of sinne and that with the light of Christ that shineth in darkenes They are also for the seasoning of the word which is the food of the soule when it is ioyned with good workes The dutie of preaching is inioyned euery one that knoweth if he be a Doer Yea that I may say more hee that knoweth and doeth onely and teacheth not others shall giue accompt to the Lord therefore For seeing according to the Apostle Iohn He that hateth his brother is a murtherer and he that hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother in neede and yet shutteth vp his bowels against him hath not the loue of God in him How much more is he a Murtherer and without the loue of God who seeing his brother out of the way and oppressed with deadly sinnes and yet knowing how to doe it doth not Minister vnto him the word of doctrine Feare O ye Rectours and Teachers to whom the Lord inioyneth the duty of preaching that we should minister vnto his people the word of the Lord. For looke how many die in their sinnes through your example or negligence so many will the Lord require at your hand For by how much the higher yee be in degree by so much yee shall be tortured with the greater torments Ye are not Lords but shepheards There is one Lord and one cheife Shepheard which knoweth his sheep and will require them at your hands Alas how many are this day in the Church not Shepheards but Hirelings to whom the sheepe of Christ doe nothing pertaine Moreouer that I may speake truelie and as themselues know they are rauening Wolues which teare and disperse the sheepe Certainely nothing is worse nothing more abominable then when they scatter the sheepe which ought to keepe them Alas what is done at this day by some not shepheards of the Church but Destroiers which are not the lesser part They doe vnsatiablie deuour euen like hell the goods and labours of men and doe not onely not reforme them from their sinnes but euen they themselues doe draw them to things vnlawfull either by their owne negligence or by their most wicked instruments or by their vngodlie workes in such sort as that I must needes say if God should leaue them being such vnpunished hee should be no longer God And therefore as I haue often said my