in torments and tortures and that for an Eternity If the People of Egypt fell into despair before the expiration of the seven years Ex Inferno nulla est redemptio Facilis Descensus Averni sed revocare gradum hoc opus hic labor est Varg. being sure of a relief soon after what despair will the wicked be in having an assurance from thy mouth O Lord that their miseries shall never have an end O what miserable and unfortunate wretches are we they will cry what time what powerful means what opportunities of working our eternal Salvation have we neglected The time was that with one cup of cold water we might have purchas'd unto our selves a Crown of glory we might by relieving the poor and other such like works of mercy have merritted life everlasting how great was our blindness our madness and folly to have neglected those favourable occasions of enriching our selves for ever and to suffer those fruitfull years of such great abundance to pass away without making any provision for our Souls Had we been brought up amongst Infidels and Pagans and believ'd that our Souls were mortal as well as our bodies that we were in the same Category with all brute animals whose souls do perish at once with their bodies we might have some kinde of excuse and plead that we knew nothing of what was commanded or what was forbidden by God but being brought up Christians and holding for an Article of our belief that the hour shall come wherein we must give a strict account of all our transactions to God we have been often told by Preachers and Teachers that the kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and that we could not attain to it otherways then by the pass-port of Mortifications and Pennance that it was our incumbent duty to depress our unruly Passions and never to be drawn away by our evil inclinations yet unfortunate Souls we were fondly perswaded that Heaven was for us without any pains at all that God was so merciful that he would not condemn our Souls to everlasting torments ' tho' we were never so wicked and therefore we have justly deserv'd that he should deal with us according to the full rigour of his Justice Come then ye Infernal Furies come and rend us in pieces come and devour our unchristian bowels for we have justly deserv'd to be so cruelly dealt with we have deserv'd to be hunger-starv'd for ever being we have neglected to provide for our selves while we had both the means the time and conveniency of doing it we deserve not to reap because we have not sown We deserve to fuffer want and misery being we never laid up any thing in store we often refused the poor and needy their humble and earnest request and therefore we deserve to be deny'd ours We often have clos'd ears to the sighs and groans of the poor and distress'd and therefore we deserve to sigh and lament for an eternity in vain We deserve that the worm of our conscience should gnaw our intrails for ever by representing unto us our criminal and transitory pleasures the great happiness which we have lost by them Erravimus a via veritatis Justitiae lumen non illuxit nobis Sol intelligentiae non est ortus nobis lassati sumus in via iniquitat's perditionis ambulavimus vias difficiles viam autem Domini ignoravimus Sap. 5.6 7 8. the unspeakable torments which we are to suffer for them and their long continuance which will be for an Eternity We err'd and wander'd from the ways of truth and the light of Justice was not with us nor did the Sun of Wisdom shine upon us We weari'd our selves in the ways of wickedness and perdition and walk'd in paths of difficulty and knew not the way of the Lord. What has our Pride profited us and what has the pomp of our Riches avail'd us all those things have pass'd like a shaddow or like a messenger who passes in hast or like a Ship which cuts the instable waves leaves no mark where it went even so we are now consum'd in our wickedness The cruel and bloudy Tyrants who have afflicted put to death thy holy Martyrs O Lord shall be troubl'd with horrible fear when they shall behold them whom they had so unhumanely treated in this life to be so highly honour'd in Heaven they shall wonder at their unexpected Salvation and say amongst themselves with great regret with much grief and anguish of Spirit These are the men who sometime were unto us matter of Scorn and laughter We insipid wretches imagin'd their life to be madness and that then end will be without nonour but behold how they are counted amongst the children of God and how their lot is amongst the Saints such will be the amazement of those mercenary Judges also who have trampl'd under foot the justice and right of thy poor servants on Earth when they shall behold them Judges in Heaven and themselves condemn'd to Hell-fire for their unjust Sentences Solomon's words verifies this Eccl. c. 3. 10. where he says I saw a great evil beneath the Sun that in the Throne of Judgement was Seated impiety and wickedness in the place of Justice And I said in my heart God shall Judge the good and evil and then shall be seen who every one is Here on Earth the wicked sometimes are exalted and the Godly depress'd but thou O Lord shalt in the day of thy visitation rectify those great disorders and grievances thou shalt Separate the wheat from the tares thoushalt place the good upon thy right hand elevated in the Air that all the world may honour and reverence them as being thy favourites whereas the wicked shall stand all in a confusion far off at thy left expecting their final Sentence and the immediate execution thereof O how they shall at that dreadful hour envy the happy state of the Just seeing them so much honour'd and themselves so much despis'd O how will the Potentates and crown'd heads of the Earth be astonish'd when they shall behold their Vassals in Glory their Slaves amongst the Angels and themselves in the same rank with the Devils O my Sweet Saviour St. Chrys hom 24. in Lucam Armabit omnum creaturam ad ultronem inimicorum pugnabit proâ—eo orbis terrarum contra insensatos what shall I think of my self what shall I say what shall I do or how shall I be able to excuse my self in that day of thy wrath when Heaven Earth Sun Moon Stars Night and Day together with all that is contain'd within the precincts of the whole world shall accuse me bear witness of all my evil and cry vengeance against me before thy dreadful Throne nay were they all silent mine own conscience shall fly in my face and accuse me of all my offences even of the least idle word that ever I have spoken Woe 's me then says St. Ambrose St. Ambr. in
Earth how necessitous how poor how miserable soever which the damn'd would not most willingly endure nay they would think themselves most happy were they permitted so favourable an Exchange This very Consideration wrought so much upon several of my Saints that there was no course of life so austere but they would undergo My beloved Disciple after he had discours'd of the smoke which ascended from the torments of the damn'd world without end Hic patientia sanctorum est qui custodiunt mandata Dei Apoc. 14.12 and how they had no rest night or day immediately adds here is the patience of the Saints meaning that seeing all the troubles of this life were only temporal and the torments of the other eternal nothing that they endur'd seem'd too much for them See what a penitent posture Manasses had put himself in after his conversion behold how he groans under the burden of his Sins and how he laments his iniquities with such a sorrow that he acknowledg'd himself unworthy even to lift up his eyes towards Heaven so great he confess'd were his offences that he was rather deserving of Hell then any favour at my hands hear his words and thou shalt believe them to be the products of a truly penitent Soul 'T is true says he O Lord I have infinitely offended thee and my Sins are more in number then the Sand of the Sea I am unworthy to lift up my eyes towards Heaven to demand thy mercy I have Sinned O my God I have Sinned I acknowledge all the evil I have done pardon O Lord pardon I beg of thee and earnestly beseech thee do not destroy me with my iniquities do not reserve me to the utmost rigour of the Justice do not condemn me for ever unto the fire of Hell Remember that thou art my God the God of Penitents and thy immense bounty will best appear in me whilst it makes thee to save a miserable Sinner unworthy of thy Grace and gives me occasion to praise thee eternally for thy infinite goodness Behold how the Israelites in their Babilonical Captivity after the taking of Jerusalem cover'd with hair-cloth all their heads and bodys laid over with ashes prostrate on the ground cry out to me from the bottom of their hearts we have Sinned against thee O Lord in not obeying thy word To thee O Lord belongs Justice and uprightness but to us nothing but shame and confusion which our iniquities have deserv'd We have Sinn'd we have done evil we have dealt unjustly O Lord our God in all thy commandments Turn from us thy anger hear O Lord our prayers and our petitions open thy eyes and consider that the dead praise thee not but the Soul which is sensible and afflicted with the greatness of the evils done and performs due pennance for them Psal 6. How full of inward grief and trouble was David for the Sins he had committed O Lord says he rebuke me not in thine anger chastise me not in thy hot displeasure Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vex'd But thou O Lord how long Return O Lord deliver my Soul Save me for thy mercies sake For in Death there 's no remembrance of thee In the grave who shall give thee thanks I am weary with my groaning all the night make I my bed to swim I water my Couch with my tears mine eyes are consum'd with grief Psal 51. Have mercy upon me O Lord according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me throughly from my iniquity and clense me from my sin for I acknowledge my transgressions and my Sin is ever before me Against thee only have I Sinned and done this evil in thy sight wherefore contemn not the Sacrifice which I offer unto thee of an afflicted mind and of an humble and contrite heart Behold O man what these great Saints have done to make mean atonement for their Sins and to avoid the everlasting torments of Hell See how they labour'd to mortify their Passions to depress their evil affections and to destroy all their sinister inclinations proceeding from the infection of their sensual concupiscences they knew this to be the only means to weaken the forces of their enemies and that nothing was more effectual to dismount their batteries against them then to chastise their bodies and keep them in subjection by a long and earnest practise of corporal afflictions In Jejunijs multis in multis vigilijs in fame siti frigore nuditate c. 2 Coâ— 11.27 this is the powerful remedy that all my Saints made use of and even my Apostles came to Heaven by the same means for they spent their whole lives in much fasting much watching hunger thirst cold and nakedness My beloved Apostle and Brother St. James tho' he was a man of extraordinary great Sanctity and was therefore Sir-nam'd the Just yet besides other austerities of apparel diet and all other mortifications his exercise of praying on his bare knees was so continual that the skin of them was as hard as the brawn of a Camels knee Philo the learned Jew and famous Philosopher giving an account of the first Christians in Alexandria under St. Mark the Evangelist sent thither from Rome by St. Peter to give a beginning to that Church which he perform'd says he with such exemplary Piety Sanctity of life Simplicity abstinence and mortification that he and his followers mov'd their Adversaries to extreme admiration But to what did all this rigour tend or what might be the end of all these extraordinary mortifications practis'd so exactly and for so many Ages as well by Monks Anachorites and Hermits as by the Founders of Holy Orders and by their Disciples to this very present Age and will continue with my assistance to the worlds end St. St. Aug. L. 1. Confess 5. Augustin will tell thee in these few words the prime motive thereof Moriar ne moriar that is to say I will dy to the end that I may not dy for ever I will mortify my body in this Life lest I should be of the unhappy number of the damn'd for ever St. Hierom is much upon the same point for being in the Desert of Syria he was set upon by the Devil who plagu'd him as he did St. Paul with suggestions of the Flesh but what weapons did he make use of to obtain the victory over so dangerous an enemy the fear of God and of the fire of Hell was an Armour of proof to him against all the temptations snares of so powerful an adversary Hear the relation he makes himself of his several conflicts and brave defence How often says he being in the Wilderness was I burnt up and scorch'd with the extream heat of the Sun how oft likewise was I tempted with the Roman delights tho' I was so far distant from those objects and so low
of Christians then he did so great was his animosity to both that he murther'd very many thousands of them and destroy'd all their Alters and Churches which were erected and dedicated to my worship and Service will this most wicked and disssembling Prince cry Peccavi in the hour of his death no he will continue his impiety to his last breath which will be the perfect Eccho of his most ambitious and abominable life for receiving a mortall wound in the siege of a Town in the Kingdom of Persia he took a handfull of his blood flung it up as it were into my face with this horrid expression vicisti Nazarene vicisti O Nazarean Cum mens inclinata fugrit ad aliquid non se jam haber aequaliâ—er ad utrum que oppositorum sed ad illud ad quod magis inclinatur fertur nisi per rationis discussionem ab eo quadam solicitudine abducatur St. Tho. thou hast indeed overcome me at last after this he commanded his Gentlemen to put his Corps into a Coffin of lead and cast it into the Sea that his subjects finding not his body on Earth might believe it was carri'd by the hands of Angels into Heaven and seated there amongst the Gods Thou seest by these presidents what a foolish mistake the wicked ly under when they put off their conversion to the very last hour of their life in hopes to have then a hearty Peccavi which may be to me a sufficient Atonement for all their offences and breaches of both my Laws and commandments The Angelical Doctor St. Thomas seems to be much astonish'd at their folly herein for says he when men are viciously inclin'd and taken with a surprize in their evil habits it is out of their jurisdiction to conceive an abhorrence against them and have a love and esteem for a virtuous life unless they make use of their reason to finde out the manifold advantages of the one and the several evil consequences of the other but how can a wicked man that is seiz'd on by Death as he walks in the streets by a tile falling from the top of a house or some other such like unexpected accident make use of his reason in that ample manner 't is impossible and consequently Hac animadversione percutitur percator ut moriens obliviscatur sui qui dum viveret oblitus est Dei St. Amb. Arist whoever neglects his Salvation so far as to put it to such perilous events deserves no mercy at my hands But set the case that an old habitual Sinner should dye of a long and languishing sickness 't is very probable he will never think of me in his latter hour nor have the least feeling of a Peccavi being he forgot to call to me for mercy in his healthful days and this indeed is the usual punishment which I do inflict upon such persons Moreover 't is grounded upon this other Maxim of Philosophy altogether as undeniaable as the former Ab assuetis non fit passio That is to say things which men have dayly before their eyes make no impression upon their hearts the Sun which is the most resplendent and the most glorious Creature that ever was wrought by my hands for the use of men is dayly seen without the least admiration whereas if a Comet appears they are all eyes to behold it A Chirurgion will handle and dress the nastiest wound that ever man had without the least grudge or loathing because he is accustom'd to it A new rais'd Soldier will tremble at the noise of a bullet whereas an old and well-train'd Soldier will never shrink or give ground tho' even Cannons were roaring about him and their bullets flying on every side of him because he is acquainted with such warlike entertainment 'T is even so with a wicked liver in the hour of his death tho' his Ghostly Father his Wife his Children and all his friends were round his bed breaking their hearts and bursting their lungs calling and crying unto him to produce one act of Contrition one sorrowful Peccavi one have mercy on me O Lord he will take no notice of what they say all their exhortations to him intended to bring him to dye a good death will be to no effect he had often heard the like or rather more pressing motives from Teachers and Preachers in their Pulpits yet his heart was Steel-proof to all their fiery words they could never make him think on his Salvation and therefore 't is but in vain to expect he will be sollicitous for it now when the Devil has him fast fetter'd when his heart is over-clouded with the darkness of his manifold and grievous Sins when his understanding is blinded his will altogether corrupted his senses decay'd and the whole commonwealth of his Body and Soul clear out of order by reason of their approaching and dismal separation Thou hast a very remarkable president of this in the old Testament there thou mayst read what wonders I had done in order to mollify the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 9.10 and bring him to a right understanding of his obedience and duty to me who am the powerfull and mighty Jehovah who depress at will and make subject the greatest Potentates of the whole World How I had slain his first-born for refusing to let go the People of Israel out of his Land how I made all the Rivers Streams Fountains Springs within his Dominions run with bloud for the same reason how I cover'd all his Realm with darkness and Frogs which were so numerous that they came in Swarms upon his Table and even into his Bed how I sent a grievous Swarm of Flies into his house and into all the houses of Egypt how I had plagued all the Inhabitants of the Land as also their Cattle which pestiferous Ulcers Boils of which they all died how I had rain'd down such a stupendious shour of Hail upon them as was never seen before or since in the world how I had spread over the whole Land of Egypt Locusts that devour'd and destroy'd all that the hail had left yet all these prodigies could not mollify the obdurate and rebellious heart of Pharaoh till at last my Justice took him to task and drown'd both him and his whole Army in the Red-Seas which was a passage they were to go through to take up their quarters in the unquenchable fire of Hell where they shall repent for an Eternity but to no advantage for their Souls If this discourse so well grounded upon Scripture Fathers and Reason Hos 13.9 as also upon so many presidents out of Holy Writ will not prevail with Sinners not to delay their conversion or put it off to their crasy years I have only this to say Perditio tua ex te Israel let their eternal ruine and the fatal loss of their Souls lie at their own doors However to let them know how much I thirst after their Salvation I will have thee
to convince them of their extream folly to serve so faithfully such bad Masters as the World and the Devil who for every pleasure they allow them give them a thousand mortal Stings even in this life besides the unspeakable misery which they shall make them suffer in the other on the contrary my pleasures are solid permanent and bring excessive comfort to the consciences of those that receive them so that as the Propher says Psa 84.10 one day spent in my service brings more advantage to their Souls then a thousand years imploy'd in that of the world and it were-better be a door-keeper in my house then to dwell in the Tents of wickedness Let them know likewise the tenderness of my affection for them and how earnestly I court them to serve me and not to take example by the prodigal Child who had spent all his substance idlely was forc'd at last to feed with the swine and was very glad too to be admitted into their company When in reallity he might sit at my Table feed with my Saints and Angels in Heaven if he had serv'd me with as much care and diligence as he did the World MAN NO man can be grateful to thee O Lord without contemning those things that put the common People out of their wits We must go into banishment they cry we must lay down our lives hate the World and all its allurements begger and expose our selves to reproaches nay 't is often seen that gratitude suffers the punishment due to Malefactors and that Ingratitude receives the rewards of fidelity As thy benefits are many and great so are the hazards of gratitude which is the case more or less of all other virtues and it were hard if this above all the rest should be both painful and fruitless So that tho' we may go currently on with it in smooth way we must yet prepare and resolve if need be to force through all to 't even if the way were cover'd with thorns and Serpents and fall back fall edge we must be gratefull still Grateful for thy sake O Lord and grateful likewise for our own peculiar Interest for it preserves thy favours and gains us a new addition of greater When I speak in the praise of gratitude I pleade the cause both of God and man for without it we can neither be Sociable nor religious There 's a strange delight in the very purpose and contemplation of it as well as in the action when I can say to my self I love my Benefactor what is there in this world that I would not do to oblige serve him Where I have not the means of a requital the very meditation of it is sufficient A man is never the less an Artist for not having his tools about him or a musitian because he wants his Fiddle nor is he the less brave because his hands are bound or the worse Pilot for being upon dry ground If I have only a will to be grateful and the heart to persever I am so and that 's all thou requirest O Lord Let me be upon the wheel or under the hand of the Executioner let me be burnt limb by limb and my whole body dropping in the flames a good Conscience supports me in all extreams nay it is comfortable even in death it self for when we come to approach that point what care do we take to summon and call to minde all our Benefactors and the good offices they have done us that we may leave the world fairly and set our minds in order this is the bare duty of good nature and what common civility requires of us how much greater then must our care be to remember all the graces and favours which We have receiv'd at thy hands O Lord and to be grateful to thee accordingly or if we can't return thee thanks equal to the benefits which thou wert pleas'd to confer upon us let us at least be grateful to thee so far as not to serve another Master for whom thou hast an abhorrence as being quite contrary to thy divine Maxims I have already produc'd sufficient motives and reasons to breed in our hearts a contempt of the World so odious to God and so destructive of our own Salvation I have endeavoured as much as I could to wean our affections from it and from all it's pelf as well for being in themselves vile transitory mutable inconsiderable and dangerous as for the frequent Instructions we have had from thee O Lord to hate despise and consider them as the mortal Enemys of our Salvation I will now add this one reason that tho' the World and all its pleasures and treasures were real indeed and of that great estimate as we make them yet we should not love them because that thy love O God should replenish our hearts to that degree as to leave no place for any terrene or carnal affection It was thy command O Lord to the People of Israel that they should love thee with all their heart with all their Soul and with all their powers tho' they were not so much oblig'd to thee as we are having receiv'd more favours and graces at thy hands then ever they did and having also more knowledge of thy goodness then they could ever attain to how then can we in gratitude admit of any other love How can we cast our eyes or set our hearts upon the creature when had each of us a million of hearts we should in justice consecrate 'em all unto thee There 's not a motive for which thou art amiable but deserves a thousand wills a thousand loves a thousand lives all what we are and all what we have or can prtend to in this World But if we look upon all the titles and motives of love which I have already spoke of and for which we are indespensably oblig'd to love thee how can we in good Conscience love any thing besides thee If we consider seriously the multitude of thy benefits and the products of thy infinite love and goodness to us we shall be oblig'd to confess that had we as many hearts as there are grains of Sand upon the Sea-shore or Atoms in the air all would not be capable to contain that great love which we owe unto thee how then can I divide this one heart which I have from thee amongst so many Creatures and yet this is a plague that follows all mankinde 't is an evil that runs in the blood of all mortals 't is the highest of Ingratitude which is the common distemper of this corrupt Age we live in for some are ungrateful to their Country and their Country no less ungrateful to others so that the complaint of Ingratitude reaches all Men Does not the Son wish for the death of his Father the Husband for that of his Wife c. But who can expect to finde gratitude in an age of so many gaping and craving Appetites where all People take and none give
of Musicians and Singers both of Men and Women wherein the Children of men do place their chiefest delight I had a great many artificial curious and costly Cups to drink Wine In fine whatever things my Eyes and Heart could fancy it was out of hand provided for them I did never restrain them from taking their pleafures But when I came to reflect seriously with my self upon all my actions and works wherein I had taken so much labour and toil both in minde and body I made this conclusion and firmly believe that all was vanity and affliction of minde Job was likewise a most wise and holy man Job 1.2 3 4. c. he was perfect and upright in all his ways He was a man that fear'd God eschew'd all evil there were born unto him seven Sons and three Daughters whom he had educated in the fear and love of God His substance was seven thousand sheep three hundred Camels five hundred yoke of Oxen five hundred she-Asses a vast treasure of Gold and Silver abundance of Plate and Houshold-stuff a numeroms Family In fine he was the richest and most powerful of all the Men of the East yet in a moment he was made the poorest and the most afflicted of all mankinde He was reduc'd to that extremity that his dearest Friends would not abide the sight of him thus was he cast out of doors and forc'd to lye upon a dunghil where he makes this sad complaint which is enough to breed in the hearts of all mankinde a continual abhorrence of the World and all its allurements How long says he to his false and dissembling Friends will ye vex my Soul and break me in peices with words These ten times have ye reproached me You are not asham'd that you make your selves strange to me And be it indeed that I have err'd mine errour remains with my self If indeed ye will magnify your selves against me and plead against me my reproach Know now that God has permitted the World and the Devil to overthrow me and compass me with their nets Behold I cry out of wrong but I am not heard I cry out aloud but there 's no Judgment They have fenc'd up my way that I can't pass and have set darkness in my paths They have stript me of all my substance wherein I glori'd and have taken the Crown from my head They have also destroy'd me on every side and have put my Brethren far from me and made my acquaintance even estranged from me so that my Relations have fail'd me and my familiar Friends have forgotten me They that dwell in my house Ridicule me and my maids count me for a Stranger I am an Alien in their sight I call'd my Servant and he gave me no answer I entreated him with as much humility as possible and he rebuk'd me My Breath is loathsome to my Wife and tho' I intreated her for the Childrens sake begotten of my body yet she would not come near me Nay even young Children despise me I arose and they spake against me All my inward Friends abhorr'd me and they whom I lov'd are turn'd against me O man can there be a greater motive to hate and abhor the World to despise it's pleasures to make nothing of it's allurements and never to confide or place any trust in it's false and dissembling friendship then to see how Tyger-like they all combine together to work the utter destruction of this poor innocent and harmless Prince who was seen one day to be the most opulent the most famous and the most respected of all Men of his Age and on the fame day to be made a poor loathsom crasy and despicable creature cast out of doors and laid upon a dunghil all full of Ulcers from head to foot abandon'd by his Wife by all his Friends by his Servants and even by those friends who made up their fortunes under him and for whom he had as great a kindness as a Father could have for his Children But alas to see Friends and Favourites so much estrang'd and so ungrateful to their chief Benefactours is no novelty 't is of as ancient a date as is in a manner the Creation of the World was not Cain so ungrateful and treacherous to his Brother Abel as to invite him into the Fields under the notion of kindness but really and with an absolute design to murther him as it fell out for being jealous of his prosperity and of his being more in my favour then himself he made an end of his life in that very place where Abel thought to meet with his pleasure And was not this same Cain murther'd by his own Grandchild Lamech Septuplum ultio dabitur de Cain de Lamech vero septuagies septies Gen 4 24. Per quae quis peccat per haec punietur St. Amb. Maledictus Chanaan servus servorum erit fratribus suis Gen. 9.25 to let all people know that such treacherous proceedings will have their due punishment at last and that they shall be chastis'd in the same manner as they have offended me If the ingratitude of Brothers and Friends be so displeasing to me as to deserve my indignation and wrath in so high a measure what severe punishment must Children expect that are ungrateful and cruell to their Parents Read in the book of Genesis what afflictions were heap'd upon Cham for being so ungrateful to Noah the Just who was his Father and the Saviour of all mankinde too After the Deluge was over he planted a Vineyard and he drank of the Wine to that Excess that he lay uncover'd within his Tent and when this Cham his younger Son beheld his nakedness he laugh'd ridicul'd the good old Man who no sooner was a wake and discerning what Cham had done but was extreamly mov'd and in the bitterness of his heart he gave him his malediction which fell soon after upon him and continu'd successively to his whole generation Absolon came to be so great a Monster to his Father that he rebell'd against him brought the greatest part of the Nation into his faction and march'd towards him with a resolution to deprive him both of his Life and Scepter what a deplorable condition was the Father brought to when he saw his own dearly beloved Son and all his subjects in arms against him Himself left alone with a few Friends that stood by him banish'd from his Palace revil'd by his Subjects call'd a thousand Rogues Stones flung at his head Shall this affliction from a Son to so good a Father Tulit Joab tres lanceas in manu sna infixit eas in corde Absolom 2 Reg. 18.14 Three lances for the three times he disturbed the Nation remain without punishment no Absolon's heart shall be pierc'd through with as many lances as he created disturbances in the Kingdom and sorrow to his Father and this punishment shall be perform'd by the dearest of all his friends which of necessity must be an
Saints to be a perfect madness but now our eyes are open'd to see that they were the wise men indeed and We the only fools I can say no less of corporal Beauty Prov. 31. for it is vain and the grace of a fair countenance is deceivable 'T is the fatal cause of the loss and utter destruction of many Millions of Souls it was the vain complacency that Lucifer took in his fading beauty which gave him that irrecoverable overthrow from the height of Heaven to the bottomless pit of Hell hear how my Prophet speaks to him how art thou fallen from Heaven Isa 14.12 O Lucifer Sun of the morning How art thou cast down to the ground which didst weaken the Nations for thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into Heaven I will exalt my Throne above the Stars of God I will sit also upon the Mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North. I will ascend above the height of the Clouds I will be like the most High Yet thou shalt be brought down to Hell to the sides of the Pit They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee and consider thee saying is this the Angel of light far surpassing that of the Stars whose beauty did exceed that of all other Angels but alas it is now chang'd into deformity far greater then that of all the Devils in Hell This gave occasion of David's most humble request to me turn away my eyes O Lord that they behold not vanity 'T is a singular vanity indeed which is both dangerous and deceitful O! had mortals duly consider'd what infinite ruines and destructions beauty has caus'd in the World Psa 4. Psa 118. Favus distillans labiam erecricis ne attendas fallaciae ejus longe fac a muliere viam tuam ne appropinques foribus domus ejus Noviffima autem illius amara sunt quasi absynthiam accuta quasi gladius biceps c. Pr. 5.3.4.8 they would be altogether of David's mind and fly from it as from the aspect of a most poisonous Serpent Was it not the beauty of the fair Helena that laid the famous Troy in ashes and put the pious Eneas to the strait of carrying his old Father Anchises upon his shoulders through the flames did not the most valiant Champions of their Age Hector and Achilles dy upon the same account were not all the Inhabitants of that unfortunate Citty Men Women and Children kill'd and most barbarously cut in peices by the Grecians to take a full revenge for the affront which Paris had done to their King by taking his Queen away I might have produc'd as many Presidents of this nature as would be sufficient to fill a larger volume then this but for brevities sake I will only lay down before thee this single consideration how many Souls are dayly hurri'd headlong to Hell for doting upon this fading and deceitful Beauty how many challenges and Duels how many Jealousies and private animosities how many Strifes and great uprores about this and that other beauty and all this noise is but for a painted Snake so the holy Fathers call it which is fair without and inwardly replenish'd with mortal poison add to this the remedy which a most learn'd Doctour prescribes against the temptation of a beautiful Woman consider says he what foul dross lys under that fair Skin for when the fairest face in the world is either scratch'd or scar'd it will be rather a subject of contempt then of any love An Ague of some four or five days will bring a great alteration upon the fairest beauty but half an hours absence of the Soul from the body will make the loveliest face that ever was a most hideous and frightful sight to be look'd upon Issabella Clara was the rarest beauty of her Age but when she dy'd and was in her coffin but two days one of the Grandees of Spain that esteem'd very much her beauty when living desir'd to have a prospect of her face which was then the ngliest that ever man could behold all cover'd with worms and two ill-shap'd ones starting out of her eyes this indeed made the good Nobleman with no less horrour then admiration to utter these words haec ne est illa Issabella Clara is this that fair Issabella whose resplendent beauty had ravish'd the hearts and dazi'd the eyes of all her beholders adieu then to the World and all its vanities this was a Christian Resolution and worthy to be taken notice of by all those who bestow so much labour in procuring or preserving their corporal beauty as tho' all their happiness consisted therein nay many are detain'd even by that only consideration from taking a resolution to serve me so that this precious Jewel as they call it is a great obstacle to their Salvation as it is often the fatal Subject of many a poor creatures eternal damnation But the basest of all Prostitutes are those that dedicate themselves wholly to the extravagance of Embroiderys rich Apparel Paint Gen. 3. Wash Patches perfumes Tire-women c. They have pass'd even the limits of Nature for if Adam had never fallen Men and Women should never have known what belong'd to Apparel It is only a conveniency devis'd to cover the shame of nakedness and other infirmities contracted by his dismal overthrow They are lash'd out into superfluities insomuch that it is now adays only for Beggars and Clowns to content themselves with what is sufficient Their Luxury makes them Insolent and mad They take upon themselves like Princes and Queens and will fly out for every trifle as if there were life death in the case What a madness is it for a man to lay out an Estate upon a Table or a Cabinet a hundred pound for a pair of pendants to his Lady and a far greater Sum for garments that will neither defend her body nor her modesty so thin that one would make a conscience of swearing she were not naked This is the common distemper of all mankind for they take pride and glory in apparel which is as much as if a Begger should glory and take pride in his old clouts that do cover his sores St. Paul seems to be avers'd to this Superfluity of apparel for writing to his Disciple Timothy and setting down a Rule whereby Christians should order their lives Habâ—â—tes autem alimenta quibus tegamur his contenti fimus 1 Tim. 6.8 he says if we have wherewithal to cover our selves let us be content my very dictates and the holy maxims with the rare examples which I have left unto all mortals should condemn their nicety and variety of apparel for I was pleas'd to be content with one only garment during the whole course of my mortal life without Shoes Stockins or a Hat nor even a shirt to my back not for any want for I might have had all the most precious ornaments of the World to adorn my body Qui
Prophet will tell thee also how ready and willing I am to be reconcil'd to my Children when they repent He represents me as if I were overjoy'd at the very hearing of their mournful voice I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus thou hast chastised me and I was chastis'd as a Bullock unaccustom'd to the yoak turn thou me and I shall be turn'd for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turn'd I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my Thigh I was asham'd yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth thou has heard the repentance of a sorrowful Sinner his firm resolution to lead a better life for the future Now observe well my joyful expressions to him Yea Ephraim my dear Son He is a pleasant Child indeed for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still Therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him says the Lord. All these propertys exercis'd by me upon my beloved deserve to be seriously consider'd for they are certainly able to inflame the most obstinate hearts with my love and why not being I am so much enamour'd of them tho' they be so refractory to my laws and such great enemies to their own welfare that they do not regard my earnest and charming invitations But to oblige them the more to their duty to me Joan. 14.15 I tell them that I am the good Shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine But how dost thou know them O Lord with what eyes dost thou behold them As my Father knows me even so know I my Father and with the same eyes that I behold my Father and my Father beholds me I behold my sheep O most blessed Eyes O most happy aspect O wonderful Providence What greater glory what richer treasure or what greater Riches can any Man desire then to be the worthy object of my divine Aspect and to be look'd upon with the same eyes that my Father beholds me Ezech. 34 11 12 13.14 c. What! an adopted Son only to enjoy the priviledge chief prerogative of the only and dearly beloved Son of God O the main advantage O the unspeakable favour Hear how the holy Ghost extolls the superexcellent benefit of this peculiar Providence by the mouth of my Prophet Behold I even I will both search my sheep and seek them out as a Shepherd seeks at night for the sheep which are stray'd or scatter'd from his Flock in the day so will I seek out my Sheep and will deliver them out of the places where they have been scatter'd in the cloudy and dark day And I will bring them out from the People and gather them from the countrys and will bring them to their own Land and feed them upon the Mountains of Israel by the Rivers Ezech. 34. ult and in all the inhabited places of the Country I will feed them in a good pasture and upon the high Mountains of Israel shall their food be there shall they lye in a good Fold and in a Fat Pasture shall they feed upon the Mountains of Israel I will feed my Flock and I will cause them to ly down says the Lord God I will seek that which was lost bring back again that which was driven away and will binde up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick But I will keep the fat and the strong and will feed them with judgment I will make with them a Covenant of peace and will cause the evil Beasts to cease out of the Land and they shall dwell safely in the Wilderness and sleep in the woods And I will make the places round about my hill a blessing and I will cause the shower to come down in his Season and there shall be showers of blessing Tell me O man what greater care could be expected from a watchful Shepherd or what sweeter words could I make choice of to express my unspeakable kindeness for all mankinde for they are the Sheep that I have taken so much labour and care to preserve they are that dear Flock for which I have spilt my blood and lost my life and therefore thou must not understand the words of the Holy Ghost of any material or brutish Flock No no He means thee and the rest of mortals and therefore He concludes Esai 40.11 ye are my Flock the Flock of my Pasture are Men. They are my Sheep and I am their Shepherd neither is it a common Pasture I promise unto them nor the abundance of Earthly wealth but my own Flesh and Blood which contains a vast treasure of spiritual graces and of a peculiar Providence whereby as a gracious and bountiful Lord I do rule and protect my Spiritual Flock All this is consonant to what another Prophet says of my great care and tender love for ungrateful mortals He shall says he feed his Flock like a true Shepherd indeed Esa 40.11 for he shall gather the young and the weary Lambs and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead the sheep that are heavy with young ones and carry them in his arms too if they be not able to go what can be said more charming The words of the Prophet Royal are indeed no less for they seem to proceed from a heart throughly inflam'd with my love The Lord says he is my Shepherd therefore 't is impossible that I should want having so good and so bountiful a Keeper He makes me to ly down in green Pastures He leads me besides the still-waters and which is a far greater benefit then all the rest he has converted my Soul and has restor'd unto her her former beauty which was wholly lost by Sin and now He leads me in the Paths of Righteousness for his holy names sake I might tell thee of several other propertys which are given to me in Scripture as that of King because I govern and defend my People that of Master because I teach and instruct them how they are to decline iniquity and keep always within the ways of Righteousness a Physitian because I cure them of all their distempers as well Spiritual as temporal but the sweetest name of all and that which pleases me most is that of Spouse because it represents my love and Providence to mankinde more amply and of greater importance to them for being their Spouse Gen. 2. I must forsake Father and all to adhere unto them and put on their nature too so that they and I shall be henceforth as two in one flesh O says St. Paul Ephes 5.32 this is a great Mistery But I speak concerning Christ and the Church Jere. 3.4 'T is so great a mistery that thou and all mankinde have reason to love me above all creatures in the World and to cry unto me Thou art our Father indeed our powerful protectour the Guide of our youth and
eorum cognoscatis eos Math. 7.16 and the goodness of the one may be easily discern'd by th' other My Lord I have given you a true and faithful description of your most renowned Progenitor's great Atchievements Martial Exploits Loyalty Valour and Courage by which we may reasonably conclude that the whole Series of his noble and numerous Race were much of the same temper when occasion was offer'd witness your raising a Regiment of Horse upon your own Cost and Charges for the defence and supporting King Charles the First and his Royal Prerogatives against the basest of Usurpers Oliver Cromwell the most cruel of Tyrants and the very worst of Subjects The several and perilous hazards you have expos'd your self to in manifesting your Loyalty as well in Battels and Skirmishes as in Storming and taking of Towns and Castles with as much Bravery as could be performed by the most expert in the Stratagems of War will be a convincing Argument to after-Ages of the greatness of your Courage and also a perpetual Evidence of your unspotted Loyalty which was always reputed to be the chief ground of your happy Rise the main support of your Noble Family and will be in the other World a most glorious Flower to compleat the Beauty of your Eternal Crown But as Brave Men must expect to be tofs'd when they Steer their course against the Stream of Fortune and work against Wind and Weather Almighty God who disposes of all things to the best advantage of his beloved Servants has suffer'd your noble Family to be notably suppress'd for a time and to groan under the heavy weight of great Persecutions and Troubles which were in a manner equal in number to the afflictions of Holy Job Job 1. for your Children were taken violently from you and made close Prisoners your Vertuous Lady was confin'd another way your Plentiful Stock of Cows Horses and Sheep driven away by the Rabble your Mansion house taken and plunder'd by the Enemy your whole Estate expos'd to Sale before your Face and your self after all was forc'd to Travel into Foreign Countreys for a subsistance yet in all these disasters you were never heard to repine at your ill Fortune In omnibus his non peccavit Job labiis suis neque stult m quid locutus est contra Deum Job 1.21.22 Pliny of the Property of the Swallows for you accounted all your worldly Substance to be only adventitious and the temporal Blessings which you had from God A Deo data and therefore you were as willing to part with them as he was free to recal them in order to exercise your Patience How well the generous dispositions of your noble mind agree with the inbred inclinations of those innocent Creatures of your Coat of Arms appears in this that you have perform'd by the light of Grace what they do only by the instinct of nature for when any of their little ones happen to be afflicted with Blindness they fly with all speed into a certain Island of the Sea whence they bring a little Stone which they know has the vertue of restoring their fight and you my Lord in all your afflictions have made your most humble and earnest addresses to Jesus Esay 28.16 who is the tried and precious Corner Stone lodg'd in Zion for a foundation and who alone has the power to make all our afflictions tho' never so bitter sweet and comfortable The Swallows have another property no less remarkable they seem to touch the Earth with their Wings yet the least grain of its Dust can't stick to their Feathers because they are no sooner down than up in the Skies out of all Mens sight and this your Lordship has always perform'd for though your Fortune be considerable and that you have a competent share of the World's wealth yet nothing of its fleeting dross comes near your heart already possess'd with the love of God who will not admit of a Rival neither are you resolv'd to entertain any and though your Body has endur'd a close and tedious Confinement for Justice your Thoughts have been all the time sporting themselves within the enclosure of a vast Eternity or taking a fore-taste of the everlasting Joys and Pleasures of Heaven 'T is true the manifold Calamities of those sad times were so sharp and terrible that many Catholick Families fell from their Religion and went to Church rather than be depriv'd of their Estates and Livings but yours my Lord was tied fast to the Anchor of Faith and stood firm on Peters Rock unmov'd with any external violence or otherwise so little mov'd that all the Commotions and Troubles the Malice and Rage of their miscreant Foes could invent in order to remove their hearts from God were no more to them than is a shower of Hail on the Roof of a House that crackles and skips off again without doing any damage to the Inhabitants 'T is nothing my Lord for a Man to hold up his head in a Calm but to maintain his Post when others have quitted their ground and there to stand upright where others are beaten down this is Divine and praise worthy and this is what you have vigorously perform'd in your days induc'd to it as well by the good instructions as the rare examples of your Noble Parents and Ancestors for the one with th' other is very powerful to stir us up to Heroick actions nay the History alone of such large and masculine Souls is able to inspire any Man with generous Thoughts and make him long to be in Action and doing something that may be beneficial to the World as protecting the innocent upholding the weak delivering th' oppressed relieving the poor cloathing the naked cherishing the distressed Widows and Orphans Job 1.16.17.18 Tob. 1 20. this was the only thing that the holy Job and the righteous Tobias did value themselves upon It was likewise the pious and constant practise of your renown'd Ancestors and the same is now settl'd in your Lordships Breast where it shines to all mens admiration and no wonder for your Table was never seen without Strangers no more than your Door without a number of Poor whose several Necessitys were copiously supply'd in due time and good order you have besides preserv'd Thousands of His Majesties Subjects from Starving and Hundreds of the Irish Nation are oblig'd to your Lordship for their lives this is Praise-worthy indeed and the rather that they are a people which their Loyalty and their Zeal of Religion have depress'd to the deepest abyss of misfortune for besides loosing all their earthly substance upon so honourable an account they are hated revil'd and spit at even by those that should in all equity and Justice love respect and cherish them and bring others to do the same by their own Examples But as Abraham's liberality to Lot Gen. 22.16 with the greatness of his Faith gain'd him the powerful Protection of Heaven and the promise of a numerous
as would occasion their death but I am wholly an Alien to their feelings and do choose rather to side with the Prophet Samuel and in all humility do intreat that thou O Lord wilt be graciously pleas'd to speak to me Not Moises no nor any of thy Prophets for the instructions and lights they may give me be but gifts and Rays borrowed of thy incomprehensible Splendor thou alone without their Ministry canst perfectly instruct me alas their endeavours in my regard will signify just nothing without thy gracious concurrence They may indeed utter some words but unless thou dost influence them they 'l never mollify my stony Heart nor lodge thy Spirit within my bowels Their words may be indeed plac'd to admiration their Rhetorick Charming their Eloquence exceeding that of the very best Orators their Periods mannag'd in extraordinary good order but if they relish not of thy divine Spirit my heart alas will remain as cold as the very Ice They may Cite Scripture fluently to confirm their discourse and quote both Councels and Fathers to the astonishment of their Hearers but they cannot work so far on their understanding as to make 'em conceive the thing they aim at nor bring their Will to the practise of it that enterprize is out of their Province 't is a Prerogative pertaining alone to thee O Lord no mortal Man no the very Angels cannot pretend to it unless they have thy Commission to that effect They may entertain us with a learn'd and pleasant discourse of thy great and adorable Mysteries but thou alone can'st render our understanding capable to conceive them they may tell us of thy Precepts and Counsels but thou alone can'st help us to fulfil them They can shew to us the ready road leading to Salvation but thou alone can'st comfort us in our failings and give us then greater courage to walk therein till we arrive at our journeys end The most they can boast of is to be thy Sollicitors and Agents which thou mak'st use of to exhort us to the practise of this or that other Virtue they may describe unto us the many evil consequences of a wicked Licentious life Ego plantavi Apollo rigavit Deus autem incrementum dedit 1 Epist Pauli ad Câ—rintâ—ios c. 3. v. 6. Tanquam a facie Colubri fuge peccatum Eccl. c. 21. v 2. they may thunder from their Pulpits thy dreadful threatnings and the horrid effects of thy divine wrath but 't is thy Sanctifying Grace that alone can soften instruct and illustrate our Hearts They can exteriously water our barren and rebellous Souls but thou alone can'st give the increase cause them happily to comply with the sweet Influences of thy holy Inspirations They may cry out and warn us to fly from sin as from the venom of a Serpent but thou alone mak'st our understanding and will prompt to conceive and practise what they say Let Moises then for bear speaking to me 't is from thee my God I do expect the word which can subdue reform clear my heart from all terrene and sordid affections If I only be outwardly admonish'd and not inwardly inflam'd with the ardent fire of thy divine Love my Souls death may ensue or at best I shall be but a barren and wither'd tree Let me then hear thee speak O Lord and let thy word be no sooner heard but put in execution by me no sooner known but lov'd no sooner pronounc'd but deeply fix'd in the Center of my heart there to produce the worthy fruits of a sincere sorrowful and constant repentance 1 Reg. 3. Verba enim viâ—ae eternae habes Jo. 6. Speak then O Lord for thy Servant hears thee thy words are the happy seed of eternal life let me then hear them to the comfort of my Soul and to the reformation and perfect amendment of my whole life this is a work that will really be for thy greater Glory and my eternal Salvation SAVIOVR HEar my words O Man they are most sweet efficacious and vivifying far exceeding the science of the Philosophers and wise of this World my words are both spirit and life they are beyond the reach of humane understanding they don't affect a vain complacency but delight to be receiv'd rather in silence with all humility and with all the tenderness of love and affection that can be express'd My Servant David was throughly convinc'd of this undeniable assertion when he sent forth these seraphical expressions to my heavenly Throne Beatus quem tu erudieris Domine deâ—ege tua eum docueris ut mitiges ei a die bus malis c. Psal 93. v. 12. Blessed is the man O Lord whom thou shalt instruct in thy Law and teach how he may in the evil days of his mortal life heap up a vast treasure of merits for an Eternity I am the Lord who have taught the Prophets from the beginning and since have never ceas'd to speak unto all Men but alas few answer my expectation Satan has so blinded their understanding so perverted their will so benumb'd their senses that the most part of them make nothing of my words take no notice of my corrections and set no value on my most amorous invitations in order to revive their poor Souls and shelter them under the wings of my paternal and powerful protection from the rage and fury of that infernal and devouring Dragon The most of them are so infatuate as to be more inclin'd to give ear to the deluding Sirens of the world then to the inspirations of their God to the fatal perswasions of the flesh then to the salutary dictates of the Holy Ghost to the ruinous suggestions of the Devil then to the amorous invitations of their Creator and Redeemer What the world does promise 'em is but temporal and of no 〈◊〉 and yet for that small satisfaction they are content to become slaves to it and to lose that glorious title of Children of God and all pretentions to Heaven What I promise 'em is of an unspeakable estimate and of an everlasting continuance yet their hearts are strangely averse to it and seem to conceive as great an abhorrence of it as the people of Israel had against that food which I showr'd down upon them in the Desart Their obedience to the world and their other mortal enemies and their care of pleasing them is more prompt and far greater then what they shew in my service Esay 23. Let Sidon blush and why because that for a small Sallery for a trifle she will run a long way but for the purchase of Heaven for the gain of an everlasting and happy life she will hardly raise up her foot from the ground A man shall labour a whole day to get sixpence at night and perhaps less he will undertake the most vile work that can be nam'd and be at it both night and day and weary himself so extreamly as to be nigh breathing out his life and all
proper Prerogative of the Elect which gives them an assured title to life everlasting 'T is so eminent a favour that the gift of Prophecy the operation of Miracles and even the most eminent Speculation is of no worth without it nay Faith Hope and all other Virtues can never be grateful to thee O Lord unless they have Grace and Charity along with them it makes the poor of Spirit rich in virtues and the most opulent in earthly Treasures humble and low in heart She is the Mistress of Truth the Teacher of Discipline the Light of our understanding the Comfort of the afflicted a deliverer from all Sadness a remedy against fear a nurse of Devotion and a most powerful Instrument to draw sorrowful sighs and bitter tears from our hearts and eyes What am I without thy Grace O Lord what but a dry land and a fruitless Tree fit for no other use then to be cast into the fire Wherefore O Lord let thy grace prevent me always and go with me in all my ways that I may be the more able to perform thy commands and comply with thy blessed will SAVIOVR O Man Sancti esto te quoniam ego Sanetus sum Dominus Deus vester Lev. 11.44 wilt thou condemn me that thou mayst be justified wilt thou accuse me of too much rigour and want of discretion that thou mayst be excus'd of thy intollerable negligence sloath and transgressions didst thou not hear me speak by my servant Moises to the People of Israel Perfectus absque macula eris cum Domino Deo tuo Deu. 18.13 Estore perfecti sicut Pater vester coelestis perfectus est Matt. 5.48 Cum metu timore tremore operamini salutem vestram Phil. 2.12 Nostra conversatio in coelis est Phil. 3.20 Ubi amor ibi oculus St. Bern. Ubi Thesaurus tuus est ibi Cor tuum erit Matt. 6.21 Verius est anima ubi amat quam ubi animat Aug. that they should be all Saints because that I the Lord their God am a Saint that they should be all perfect and without the least Spot in my presence The same command was often repeated to thee in the law of Grace there thou shalt finde what a weighty obligation thou liest under to be perfect as thy Father in heaven is 'T is a tribute due to the Divine Justice and as thou hast thy life from him with that obligation to spend it wholly in virtue and in his faithfull Service thou canst not do otherways without incurring his great displeasure my Apostle was order'd by me to warn thee and all mankinde to work your Salvation with fear apprehension and trembling never to cease praying and to be always imploy'd in some good work or other Thou tellest me of being a frail man was not Peter was not Paul and the rest of my Apostles made of the same stuff as thou art yet they tell thee that their dayly and hourly conversation was in Heaven Thou hast been often told that he is accurs'd who will either say or believe that God has commanded impossible things to Man His very first Precept to him is that he must love God with all his heart and wilt thou tell me that this is an impossible thing thou beleivest I suppose this maxim where the love is there the eye is that other where thy creasure there thy heart is I shall add another maxim which is no less credible that the Soul is more assuredly there where she loves then where she animates now lay thy hand on thy conscience and tell me how often has that unruly and predominant love which thou hast for a filly Creature oblig'd thee to pay her a visit with all humility respect patience and with all the expressions imaginable of a most tender affection how often hast thou intreated that object of thy lust to give thee a favourable admittance into her presence didst thou ever think the time long in her company no tho' it were a whole day it seem'd but a moment to thy thoughts would'st thou not undergoe all the fatigues imaginable to be admitted into her favour nay to purchase a smile or an amourous glance of her eye thou wouldst I am sure endanger even thy sweet life And wilt thou be backward to do as much for me who came from my Fathers breast to my Servants womb from my heavenly Palace to a dirty Stable from a seat of Glory to a Land of misery from the company of Angels to that of brute beasts from a peaceable and well-settled government Eâ—â—erat snbditus illis Luke 2.51 to be subject to and under the command of a poor Carpenter and all this was to retrieve thy lost Soul wilt thou not I say do as much for me who have sustain'd labour and toil the full space of thirty three years being all that time needy and poor as the Evangelists testify of me going bear-headed and without Shooes destitute of lodging or Cloaths to defend me against the Weather All this I suffer'd to lodge thy Soul in Heaven for an eternity or for me who have been betray'd by my own Disciple deliver'd over into the hands of my Enemys Scourg'd Crown'd with thorns condemn'd and nail'd to a shameful Cross thereon dy'd to purchase for thee as well as for all mankind an Eternity of Glory And shall I have no other return from thee for all my aforesaid kindnesses then to tell me that thou art a frail man and not an Angel as if the perfection which I require of thee was rather to be expected from those heavenly Spirits then from so weak and frail a creature as thou art O ingratitude beyond all expression but alas it is the common distemper of all mankind for they do generally despise the bounties of their Maker none is content with his State or condition were he as strong as an Elephant as swift as a Buck as light as a Bird he shall complain that he wants the Sagacity of Dogs the sight of Eagles the long life of Ravens nay he will repine that he is not immortal endu'd with the knowledge of things to come his ingratitude will not be content with the enjoyment of that neither no he takes it ill that he is not a God upon Earth He never considers the advantages of his condition much less the goodness and love of God to him in the benefits he enjoys The benignity of Providence was so great in his regard as to give him power to subdue the strongest of Creatures overtake the fleetest reclaim the fiercest and outwit the craftiest He is within one degree of Heaven it self and yet he is not Satisfied he would fain have Heaven for his inheritance and the glory of Saints for his Patrimony without any further trouble O man take notice of thy great folly wilt thou pretend to have Heaven at a cheaper rate then I have had it who am the only the undoubted Heir of that
be thus wounded mangled and bruised to cure them Certainly if those Sores had not been mortal and even the fatal causes of the eternal death of thy Soul I had never suffer'd so cruel a death for her recovery Can there be a more considerable or a pressing motive to lament and abhor thy Sins then to remember that they were the only cause of all my sufferances and even of my most bitter death upon the Cross The Jews went once through Jerusalem and bewail'd the destruction of that Royall City and the loss of their King how much more reason hast thou to lament thy great misfortune to have occasion'd my death who am thy King thy Redeemer and he only that can either pardon thee thy sins or condemn thee for them to an eternity of pains O man let this consideration be the constant subject of thy serious meditations it will pierce thy heart unless it be harder and more obdurate then the very Stones This very consideration made one of my faithful servants to say that it is a shameful thing for Christians not to acknowledge the evils which sin has brought upon them when they consider what so supream a Majesty as that of the Son of God has been oblig'd to suffer for them The Son of God says he takes compassion on the miseries of man and weeps for sorrow whilst insensible man who is overwhelm'd with his own sins is not concern'd at all MAN O My dear Lord and Master thou hast said enough to conquer my heart and to bring also the whole universe to admire the greatness of thy love for man For what can be more worthy of our admiration then to behold a God of so infinite a Majesty finish his life under the notion of a notorious malefactor upon a shameful Cross and betwixt two Thieves Had I seen a man tho' he were the basest and most vile amongst the People brought to that misfortune as to be condemn'd for his crime to dy so cruel a death certainly I could not choose but compassionate his condition and condole that his misdemeanours should have brought him to so great a distress If it be then a subject worthy our compassion to see a man of that inferiour rank and condition for his own crimes in so deplorable a state what will it be I pray to see not a man but the Lord of all created things for the Sins of his servants reduc'd to that extremity Can there be any thing more wonderfull then to see even God himself plung'd into so great an abyss of anguishes and pains for the sins and wickedness of wretched Men If the calamity and misfortune suffer'd must be retaliated with a trembling and astonishment proportionable to the worth and dignity of the person that suffers O ye Angels of Heaven who have a perfect knowledge of the greatness and excellency of my benign Jesus our gracious Redeemer and your Creator tell me how great was your grief how stupendious your astonishment how excessive was your lamentation and trouble when you have seen him hang on that hard and uneasy cross The Cherubins whose figures God had order'd in the old Law to be plac'd on each side of the Arck of Alliance look'd then at each other with admiration to behold this bloudy Sacrifice of that innocent and immaculate Lamb for the redemption of mankinde Nature it self stood amaz'd and all creatures were interdicted their inbred inclinations and functions The Principalities and Powers of Heaven trembl'd at the very consideration of the unspeakable goodness of God tho' so intimately acquainted therewith What then shall become of those that do not swim in the waves of so great an ocean of admiration Dominator Domine Deus misericors clemens patiens multae miserationis Exod. 34. or what of those that are not drown'd in the Seas of so great a bounty are not they depriv'd of their senses even as Moises was on Mount Sinai where the figure of this bloudy sacrifice was so lively represented to him that he cry'd out with a loud voice the Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodness and truth So much Surpriz'd was he at the view of thine excessive goodness O Lord that he could not forbear praising thy mercy in the hearing of all the multitude of Israel The Prophet Helias cover'd his face as God pass'd by him in the splendor of his glory much more then should all mortals cover theirs to behold Gods profound humility and annihilation Now not overthrowing mountains and spliting Rocks with his infinite power but expos'd to the view of a malignant and most wicked Nation and in so terrible and dismal a posture that even the Rocks and Temple were rent asunder with an excess of compassion What man of Steel what heart of brass will not relent and open his breast to lodge therein the love of so charming so gracious and so bountiful a God O height of charity O profoundness of humility never to be paralel'd O unspeakable mercy O Abiss of incomprehensible bounty O my most gracious Lord If I be so much oblig'd to thee for redeeming me how much more am I bound to thee for the means which thou hast taken to redeem me Thou hast redeemed me with pains with sorrow with scorns with reproaches with nails and thorns and hast been made the derision of men and even the most vile of the whole world However O Lord by thy contumelies thou hast honour'd me by thy false accusations thou hast defended me with thy bloud thou hast wash'd me by thy death thou hast reviv'd me and by thy tears thou hast deliver'd me from a perpetual weeping and gnashing of teeth O heavenly Father how tenderly thou lovest thy Children thou art indeed that good and faithful Pastor thou givest thy self as food to thy flock O faithful keeper who hast laid down even thy precious life for to protect and defend thy Sheep which thou hadst in thy keeping what thanks or what service can I return thee for so great a favour with what tears can I recompence thy weeping or what life shall I bestow upon thee for that pure and holy one which thou hast given for me Alas there is no proportion betwixt the life of man and that of God betwixt the tears of a silly creature and that of an omnipotent Creator 'T is true thou hast not suffer'd for me alone but for all the world shall I therefore think my obligation the less to thee no no for tho' thou sned'st thy most precious bloud for all mankinde yet it was after such a manner that every particular man receiv'd the benefit from thy sufferings In fine thou didst suffer thy bitter and bloudy passion as well for me in particular as thou hast for all in general O my God thy charity was so immense that if but one alone of all mankinde were criminal even for that one man thou wouldst have suffer'd what thou didst for all
and condition where wilt thou go what wilt thou do to whom wilt thou call for help To return to life 't is impossible and to ease thy self thou wilt not be able In illa die occidet Sol in meridie tenebrescere faciam terram in die luminis c. Amos. 8. what shall become of thee when I will cause the Sun to go down at noon and when I will darken the Earth at mid-day what wilt thou say when I shall turn thy feasts into mourning and all thy Songs into lamentation when I will bring up Sackcloth upon all mens loins and baldness upon every head and when I shall make it as the morning for an only Son and the end thereof as a bitter day hast thou not therefore a far greater subject then Job to curse the day wherein thou wert born for he was so just a man that my eternal Father glori'd in having so good so gracious and faithful a Servant nay In omnibus his non peccavit Job labiis suis c. Job 1.22 the Holy Ghost avers that he sinned not in all what he had spoken in his troubles and calamities which I had permitted to come upon him not as a punishment for his Sins but as a trial of his patience to make him a worthy president to all mortals of virtue of constancy and of perfect resignation to my holy will in all their afflictions He himself does protest that his conscience did not accuse him yet he was so apprehensive of the strict judgment which a Soul is to undergo at her departing the body that amaz'd at the severity of my Justice he crys out protect me O Lord Dionys. Rikel Art 16. de novis and hide me in hell whilst thy fury passes Whereupon one of my devout Servants affirms that the instant wherein I give judgment of a Soul is not only more terrible then Death but more terrible then to suffer even the pains of hell for a certain time not only to those who are to be damn'd but even unto my very Elect. O man reflect seriously upon this and Judge what will become of a Sinner at the hour of his Death and at the lively representation of all his offences and crimes what a consternation he will be in how he will tremble and shake every limb of him at the very sight of me his Creator and Redeemer whom he had so often offended and injur'd in the course of his sinful life that very presence will be more dreadful to him then the suffering of the pains of hell it self MAN O Most gracious Redeemer I cann't deny what thou sayst of a dying man and of the Anguishes which he shall suffer at the departing of the Soul from his body she shall enter into Judgment alone naked poor and without any to patronize her cause except her good works if she has any to shew her Conscience will be the Deponent the Triall will be either for life or death not temporal but eternal and thou an injur'd Judge shall appear to her in a dreadful Throne to give sentence for her or against her either of Salvation or of her everlasting damnation If she be grievously indebted and not able to ballance her accounts O what a horrible confusion she will be in grief and sorrow sighs and tears dreadful lamentations and crys will be her woful entertainment and the only motives she can produce to mollify thee O Lord but all will be to no purpose her repentance comes too late 't is totally fruitless at that hour all her protestations of amendment will be in vain no bills or bonds of performance will be accepted of no bail shall be taken her lease is out she must remove her nobility her riches her honours cann't obtain for her a further respite of time the sentence is pronounc'd the decree is unavoidable she must submit O the unfortunate Sinner what will he do what will he say how can he express the greatness of his misfortune otherwise then by these words of thy Prophet Psa 18.4.5 The sorrows of Death have compassed me and the flouds of iniquity have made me afraid The sorrows of hell have compassed me about and the snares of Death have prevented me O what a woful circle is that into which his Sins have brought him and unexpected too when he had not the least thought of death what will his friends avail him now his dignities his riches his lands and all that he took most delight in they will remain after him to other Masters that will soon wast and consume 'em in a worse way perhaps then ever he gather'd them tho' that perchance was bad enough The Sins which he had committed in heaping them up are the only companions he is like to have along with him to another world where he is to be tormented for them according to their enormity If I should make my addresses to worldlings in hopes to be farther instructed in this so necessary a matter to Salvation Alas they know nothing of it and which is worse they will not believe it for they live as if they had no account at all to give after death and why should I think it strange being they live in Egypt that is in a land of darkness in a willful blindness overwhelm'd with all sorts of errors where scarcely two are found of one opinion in matters of Faith and manners I am then resolv'd to go farther off and streight into the land of Geshen where the light of verity is allways in its full splendour Non intres in Judicium cum servo tuo Domine quia non justiflcabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens Psa 143. and to consult with the Inhabitants thereof in this case they will certainly teach me not only by their words but also by their examples how much this dreadful day of so strict an account is to be fear'd The first I meet with is the holy'st man of his age a man according to thine own heart O Lord yet he is so terrifi'd even at the very remembrance of this accompting day that he begs thee with all the tenderness of a contrite heart not to enter into Judgment with thy Servant and the reason he gives for his request is that in thy sight shall no man living be justifi'd The second that appears to me In vitis Patrum Sect. 2.153 is that most renown'd and holy Arsenius a man of wonderful austerity a man always in prayer always in contemplation yet tho' he was so virtuous and so great a Saint tears were seen to trickle down his cheeks when he was a dying and all his body to tremble in his deep consideration of this reckoning day His Disciples that stood round his poor and hard bed setting him the question why he cry'd and whether he was afraid of death he made answer yes my dearly beloved Children I fear Death and I tremble at the approach of my dreadful Judge
ubertate Domus tuae torrente voluptatis tuae porabis eos Ps 35.9 shall be replenish'd with such unspeakable sweetness and pleasure that it may be really said the whole man is made to drink of the River of thy divine delights and made drunk with the abundance of thy most glorious and plentiful house The Seventh and last prerogative of a glorifi'd body is what the Divines call Perpetuity that is security of life which agrees well with that place of Scripture where 't is said the Just will live for ever and St. Paul avers Justi autem in perpetuum vivent Sap 5.16 Mors illi ultra non dominabitur Ro. 6.9 that Death has no more dominion over him And this is one of the chiefest prerogatives most excellent Dignities of a glorifi'd body for by the great benefit of this unspeakable favour he is free'd from all care all doubt all fear all danger all hurt all annoyance and all manner of accidents that may cross him or give any disturbance to his ever lasting peace and rest O how sweet will the fruit of a virtuous life be then to his palate how pleasant will all his mortifications and pennance all his persecutions and troubles all the wrongs and injuries all the aspersions calumnies which were heap'd upon him by his apparent enemies or by his counterfeit friends and which he willingly suffer'd for thy sake how pleasant I say they will appear to him and he to them how he will imbrace them as being instrumental to his everlasting settlement in Glory for tho' they seem'd bitter to him in this life yet in Heaven they will tast most sweet to him and he will think himself highly honour'd to have been so ill treated for Justice Sweet is the cool evening after the hot summers day sweet is the fountain to the weary Traveller sweet is the rest and sleep to the tir'd Servant but much more sweet is it to the Saints in Heaven to enjoy ease after their manifold troubles tranquility after their afflictions and crosses peace after their long tedious war Security after all their dangers and rest after all their pains and travels For then all their grievances are at an end then their Skirmishes and conflicts with their Enemies are laid aside there 's no more talk of them they lay down their Arms for ever and remain in peace The Children of Israel went forth arm'd towards the Land of promise Exod. 13. but when they had conquer'd it they laid down their Arms put off their Armour 3 Reg. 4. and forgetting all fear and the fatigues of War every one of them under the shaddow of his own Pavilion enjoy'd the sweet advantage of a delightful peace Now may the bodys of thy Saints Abac. 3. O Lord which have been wearied with continual watching take their rest Now may the watchful Prophet come down from the Sentinels place and take his sweet repose for ever Now may all those brave champions that fought so couragiously against the rage the violence and the craft of the Infernal Serpent lay down their warlike weapons and take their pleasures in as ample a manner as thy glorious Palace can afford without the least apprehension of any further disturbance or fear of any invasion from either the world the Flesh or the Devil There 's no place there for the subtle crafts of the lurking vipers nor for the sight of the deadly Basilisk neither shall the hissing of the ancient Serpent be heard there but only the soft breathing air of the Holy Ghost This is the Region of peace indeed and the only place of security scituated above all the Elements whereto the nauseous clouds and stormy winds of the dark air of the world can have no access Gloriosa dicta sunt de te civitas Dei Psa 86. O City of God what glorious things have been said of thee and no wonder for besides all that is written of the Majesty of thy King of the beauty and splendour of thy Inhabitants of the peace and union of their hearts of their unspeakable joy and comfort the very description which is given of thee is able to invite any one to be of the number of thy citizens for thy gates are wrought with Saphirs and Emeralds thy walls are built with precious Stones thy Streets are pav'd with white and polish'd marble thy houses are likewise adorn'd with precious Stones all lin'd through with Saphirs and cover'd above with massy gold The light that shines in thee proceeds neither of Lamps nor of the Moon nor yet of the refulgent Stars no 't is the light which issued from Light that gives lustre to thee Psa 103. 'T is thou O Lord that fills her with light for in the midst of her thou keepest thy continual residence and all the Saints do there reign with thee Psa 20. adorn'd with light which is their sumptuous apparel and bear Crowns of transparent gems and precious stones upon their heads O blessed Kingdom says St. Austin where thou art always present O Lord who art the hope of all Saints and the Diadem of their everlasting glory replenishing them with joy on every side so that in thy Realm O Lord there is infinite joy without Sadness health without sorrow life without labour light without darkness felicity without vexation all goodness without evil There Youth flourishes and never grows old Life knows no end beauty never fades love never cools health never diminishes joy never ceases There sorrow is never felt complaint is never heard matter of grief is never seen nor ill success is never fear'd because they enjoy thee O Lord whose glorious presence confers all these and many more blessings upon them O my Soul what a main happiness will it be to see that holy Lamb thâ—â— sweet Jesus thy gracious Redeemer invested with superexcellent Majesty Seated in his Chair of State If the three Eastern Kings undertook a long journey to Bethlehem and were so much overjoy'd when they found him tho' lying in a manger how great must their joy be now to see him triumphing in his glory If St. John the Baptist did leap with joy at his approaching towards him in his Mothers womb what an ocean of joy will now or'ewhelm his heart when he sees him face to face in his royal and eternal Kingdom O says the same Saint to be admitted into thy presence O Lord and to receive the beams of glory from the splendour of thy Majesty surpasses all other joy and felicity that the Saints possess in Heaven and were I to suffer torments every day yea and the very pains of Hell for a time thereby to gain thy vision in Heaven and to be united in glory to the number of thy Saints it were nothing to the greatness and excellency of the reward but alas how far am I from the feelings of this most learn'd and holy man I am like a Child that longs and crys for an
perpetual decree that it can't pass it and tho' the waves thereof toss themselves yet can they not prevail tho' they roar yet can they not pass over it as if he had said hast thou not a great deal of reason to dread the Arm of so powerful a God whose omnipotency is sufficiently discover'd by this prodigious work And if he be so great in all his works thou must likewise acknowledge him to be great in the chastisement of Sinners The same Prophet was Innocent and free from the least spot of Sin being Sanctifi'd in his Mothers womb yet he trembles at the very noise of my Severity to Sinners and says there is none like unto thee O Lord thou art great and thy name is great in might Who would not fear thee O King of Nations for to thee does it appertain For as much as among all the wisemen of the Nations and in all their Kingdoms there is none like unto thee My heart is replenish'd with the fear of thy wrath and therefore have sequester'd my felf from the converse of all men into a remote wilderness to prevent thy fury and appease thy Anger with sorrow with Sighs and with a continual flood of tears Respicit Terram facit eam tremere tangit montes fumigant Psa 105. Stellae Columnae Coeli pavent contremiscuntad nutum ejus Job 26.11 Ideo sn uno die venient plagaeejus mors luctus fames igne comburetur quia fortis est Dominus Deus qui Jndicabit illam Ap. c. 18.8 Tho' this holy man was certain that my Indignation and wrath was not against him yet seeing it so great and ready to fall with all its weight upon the criminal and guilty heads of Sinners he had no less then cause to tremble being that even my looks put the Earth in a quaking fit and make the Mountains groan nay they make the Stars and even the Pillars of Heaven to tremble they are astonish'd at my reproof and why not being that the Angels and Archangels the Cherubins and Seraphins the Principalities and Powers of Heaven are all Struck into an amazement at the very aspect of my most dreadful Majesty and angry countenance not that they fear to be depriv'd of their glory but because the greatness of my indignation is such that they can't but be astonish'd at the very sight of me By this thou mayst Judge in what a deplorable condition the Damn'd will be for these are the unhappy wretches which are to feel the weight of my wrath all their plagues shall come upon them in one day everlasting death mourning and famine shall be their inheritance for ever they shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth them My Apostle had a sufficient tryal of my Strength when I forc'd him out of the way of iniquity Horrendum est incidere in manus Dei viventis Heb. 10.31 and of a Persecutor of Christians made him the Defender and powerful promoter of Christianity therefore he says it 's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God not into the hands of men for they are not so powerful but criminals may fly from their violence and decline from their anger moreover they have not the authority to cast a Soul into the Dungeon of Hell It 's therefore I had warn'd my Disciples not to fear them which kill the Body Mat. 10.28 and are not able to kill the Soul but rather to fear him which is able to destroy both Soul and body in Hell And these are the hands which my Apostle calls dreadful they are them also that the wise man speaks of where he says unless ye do pennance and give that slender attonement of tears and of a hearty grief to God for your sins ye shall undoubtedly fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of men By what is already said thou mayst easily conclude that as I am omnipotent and great in my power in my Majesty and in all my works I am the same in my wrath in my Justice and in the punishment which I have decreed for the Damned If thou wilt examine Scripture thou shalt finde there such dreadful effects of my Justice upon the wicked even in this life which is the only season for mercy that thou shalt be forc'd to confess that the pains of Hell must be as intollerable as they are unspeakable and that it were better for the dam'd they had never been born then to endure them for an Eternity without any hopes of redemption or of the least abatement What a terrible punishment was that of Dathan and Abiram and of all their Complices in the sight of that numerous People of Israel at the request of my Servant Moises to vindicate his innocency and punish the wrong which was intended to him by those Peoples rising in Rebellion against him I commanded the Earth to open its bowels and to swallow them alive together with all their Earthly substance down into the bottomless pit of Hell which was no sooner commanded then put in execution The punishment of Sodom and Gomorah if well consider'd is able to terify the stoutest Bully that ever appear'd on the Stage of this world to mollify his obdurate heart and force from his mouth Lord what wilt thou have me do They were so much addicted to that brutish pleasure Domine quid me vis facere Act. 9.6 and sordid Sin of the flesh that they must attempt even upon my very Angels and strive to make them the subject of their Lust this was a general corruption and therefore requir'd a general chastisement their Sins cry'd for vengeance Gen. 19.24 and tho' I was sollicited by my Servant Abraham to spare their lives for the sake of ten Just men knowing there was none but Lot who was already secured and under the safeguard of my Angels I pour'd down wild-fire and brimstone upon them and cast them headlong into Hell-fire there to increase the fatal number of the damn'd and to become partakers of their torments as they had been of their crimes on Earth Didst thou ever hear such terrible menaces as are set down in Deuteronomy Deut. 28.16 17. c. and which were exactly put in execution against the transgressours of my Law Hear how the Prophet speaks to them in my behalf Cursed shalt thou be in the City and Cursed shalt thou be in the field Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in enrfed shalt thou be when thou goest out The Lord shall send upon thee cursing vexation rebuke in all that thou set'st thine hand unto for to do untill thou be destroyed and until thou perish quickly because of the wickedness of thy doings whereby thou hast for saken me The Lord shall smite thee with a Consumption and with a Fever and with an inflamation and with an extream burning and with the sword and with blasting and they
shall pursue thee until thou perish Thy Carcase shall be meat unto all Fowls of the Air and unto the Beasts of the Earth and no man shall fray them away The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt and with the Emerods and with the Scab and with the Itch whereof thou shalt not be heal'd The Lord shall smite thee with madness and blindness and astonishment of heart Thou shalt grope at noon-day as the blinde grope in darkness and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways and thou shalt be oppress'd and spoil'd evermore and no man shall save thee Thou shalt serve thine Enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things and he shall put a yoak of Iron about thy neck until he have destroy'd thee The Lord shall bring a Nation against thee from far from the end of the Earth as swift as the Eagle flys and shall besiege thee in all thy gates until thy high and fenc'd-walls come down wherein thou trustest and thou shalt eat the fruit of thy own body the flesh of thy Sons and of thy Daughters which the Lord thy God has given thee in the Siege and in the straitness wherewith thine Enemies shall distress thee so that the man that is tender among you and very delicate his eye shall be evil towards his Brother and towards the Wife of his bosom and towards the remnant of his Children which he shall leave so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his Children whom he shall eat because he has nothing left him in the Siege and in the straitness wherewith thine Enemys shall distress thee in all thy gates The tender and delicate Woman among you which would not adventure to set the Sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness her eye shall be evil towards the Husband of her bosom and towards her Son towards her Daughter and towards her young one that cometh out from between her feet and towards her Children which she shall bear for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the Siege and straitness wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates Certainly these are most horrible dreadful punishments yet they and many more such like chastisements which I have heap'd upon the wicked even in this life for their Sins are no more then a very imperfect shadow and figure of what the damn'd do suffer in Hell for there my Justice shall act to its full extent and rigour against those that made nothing of my mercy in this life If the shaddow be so dreadful what will the reality be If now my Justice having a mixture of mercy with it and if the Chalice of my wrath temper'd with the water of my Grace seems notwithstanding so intollerable bitter what will it be when it shall come violently those unfortunate Souls without any mixture at all of my mercy Esa 27. When I shall Judge in measure against measure as the Prophet says Jer. 25. when I shall exercise Judgment in weight in Justice and measure Apoc. 20. 22. when I shall pay them home according to their particular works and according to the inventions of their deprav'd and rebellious hearts Psal 27. 61. when I shall command the Infernal Spirits to chastise all and each of them according to their demerits Apoc. 18. when I shall give them this charge of Babylon now thrown down into the Lake Look how much she has glorifi'd her self and how long she has liv'd in delights so much torments and afflictions give her and continue her the same entertainment for ever without affording her the least comfort or respit of ease The Holy Fathers and Doctors of my Church grounded upon my word believe a variety of torments in Hell for the Damn'd according to the variety of the Sins which they had committed in their Life for the Adulterer shall have one kinde of torment the Murtherer another the Thief another the Drunkard another the Lyer another and the rest accordingly The Proud shall be trodden under the feet of Devils and box'd by every one that meets him with a Sirrah to boot thou hast damn'd thy Soul for a point of Honour And thou Lady of pleasure for a Paint and a wash for thy face and hands forfooth to make them look white plump and smooth to the view of thy Gallants hast made thy Soul as black as even our master Devil O what a killing reproach will this be The Glutton shall have for his morning and evening drink Ps 148.8 fire hail snow froft the spirit of Tempest season'd with the unsufferable Stench of so many Millions of damn'd rotten rosted Carcases St. Bonaventure will tell thee that if one only body of the damn'd were brought into the world and laid in any part or corner thereof it were sufficient to infect the whole Earth Thou mayst Judge by this what a dreadful potion the Glutton is to have in Hell the Drunkard also shall have a full share of the same Cup. The delicious mouth shall be fill'd up with Gall and the delicate body fear'd with hot-burning Irons O man take notice how well the Doctrine of my Church agrees with the Dictates of the Holy Ghost for speaking of the wicked he says the bread in his belly shall be turn'd into the Gall of Serpents Job 20. He shall be constrain'd to vomit out again the Riches which he had devour'd God shall pull them forth of his belly He shall be constrain'd to suck the galls of Cockatrices and the tongues of Adders shall slay him He shall bear the smart of all that ever he has done and yet shall he not be consum'd but shall suffer according to the multitude of all his devices These words shew plainly that wicked men shall suffer particular torments for their particular crimes as Gluttony Extortion Oppression c. And that these torments shall be far beyond the expression of any mortal tongue what shall I say of the continuance and length thereof which is another circumstance no less terrible then the former for their torments shall be of the same extent with Eternity which has no end and withall there shall be no possibility of any jot of help ease intermission relaxation respiration or comfort And this is signifi'd by my words so often repeated Ligatis manibus pedibus projicite eum in tenebras exteriores Matth. 12. The Damn'd shall be cast into Hell bound hand and foot that is without all ability of resistance or strugling against their torments The dreadful shutting up of the gate which I fore-told in a doleful manner and with a heavy heart is a sufficient evidence of it Clausa est Januae The gate is shut up and made fast for ever that is to say in Hell the gate of all mercy Matth. 25. of all pardon of all
In an Age of license to all sorts of vanity and wickedness as Lust Gluttony Avarice Envy Ambition Sloth Insolence Levity Contumacy Fear Rashness private Discords and publick Evils extravagant and groundless wishes vain Confidence sickly affections shameless Impiety Rapine authoriz'd and the violation of all things Sacred and prophane Obligations are pursu'd with Sword and Poison Benefits are turn'd into Crimes and that blood most seditiously spilt for which every honest man should expose his own Those that should be the preservers of their Country are the destroyers of it and 't is matter of dignity to trample upon the Government the Sword gives the Law and Mercenaries take up arms against their Masters Among these turbulent and unruly motions what hope is there of finding honesty or good Faith which is the life of all virtues there is not a more lively Image of humane life then that of a conquer'd City There is neither Mercy Modesty nor Religion and if we forget our lives we may well forget the obligations we have to thee and all thy benefits too But let us consider seriously the multitude and greatness of thy divine blessings deal with thee even as one man does with another The wise man says that gifts break Rocks Victoriam honorem acquirit qui dat munera animam autem aufert accipientium Prov. 22.9 and shall not thy divine benefits move a heart of flesh and if they can steal the hearts of the receivers according to Solomon how come we not to be rob'd of our Souls by thee O Lord For thou dost not only give us thy gifts but also dost bestow thy self upon us as a most precious treasure If we consider the benefits which we have receiv'd from thee in our Creation they are as many as we have members of our bodys and faculties of our Souls If those of our Conservation they are equal in number to the distinct natures in Heaven and on Earth The Elements the Sun the Moon the Stars and the whole World were created for our preservation for without them we could not subsist If we look upon the benefits of our Redemption We shall be easily convinc'd that they are as many as there are evils in Hell from which we are happily deliver'd by thy Passion and total effusion of thy most precious bloud Those of our Justification are no less in number then are the Sacraments which thou hast instituted to increase our Merits and work the Sanctification of our Souls then the Graces and Inspirations which thou dost shower down into our hearts and the divine Examples which thou hast left us Nonne haec opportuit Christum pati ita intrare in gloriam suam Luc. 24.26 which should invite us all to tread with a masculine courage in the same paths which brought thee O Lord into thine own glory All these with thousands of other benefits and obligations which we have receiv'd from thee and by thy Creatures cry out unto us to love thee with all our heart with all our Soul with all our Powers and to trample under our feet this false World with all it's vanitys trifles transitory pleasures But alas We make nothing of all thy benefits We give no ear to all their crys but rather will love the World and tast of its pleasures in as ample a measure as our fortunes will afford us wherein we seem to be worse then even the very Heathens for Aristides tho' he was reputed to be one of the greatest Men of Athens yet he was so avers'd to the Pomp and toys of the World and so affected to poverty that he always wore a course broken garment suffer'd Hunger Cold and Thirst not for any want of means or friends to relieve him but meerly for his own fancy Zeno was nothing concern'd when news was brought to him that he had lost all what he had in the World When An xagoras receiv'd the like news he said no more then if my Goods had not perish'd I had been undone Crates flung his whole substance into the Sea with this expression It is better I drown you then you me Diogenes bid adieu to all he had in the World and took nothing with him but a wooden dish and seeing by chance one drink out of the hollow of his hand broke that also And shall we refuse to do in obedience to thy Commands O Lord for the purchase of an eternal weight of glory what they freely and gladly perform'd to pleasure their own fancies and gain the repute of being Philosophers O madness O ingratitude never to be paralel'd Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi Ps 115.12 Tho' We are thine by so many just titles and thou hast given thy self and all what thou hast unto us yet we never think of what We ought to do for thee nor how We shall express our thankfulness for such and so great benefits This was the greatest care that David took and the sole subject of his most serious consideration what shall I return unto the Lord for all the favours which he has confirm'd upon me But O blessed King and Prophet give me leave to ask thee what are those favours 'T is true he has rais'd thee from the Station of a Shepherd to the dignity of a King He has enabl'd thee to encounter a Giant and to get the better of him too He has often protected thee against the evil Spirit of Saul and has preserv'd thy life from all the wicked and treacherous attempts he made to destroy thee these are great obligations indeed and deserve thy grateful return but are nothing to the benefits which we have receiv'd at his hands his love for us was so great that he suffer'd death to bring us to life everlasting and left unto us for food to our Souls his most precious body and blood certainly these obligations are unspeakable and deserve at least that small attonement of returning back unto him our Souls hearts and bodys for as we had them from him 't is our weighty obligation to let him have them again entirely and free from any love-to the World or affection to the Creatures so that We are to account our selves now and evermore as only his and not our own consequently We are not to debase our love by placing it upon any worldly object but to settle it wholly upon him alone And really if we consider seriously the infinite love which thou hast for us O Lord We shall finde that we have no love left to bestow either upon the World or any terrene object no nor upon our selves for We must know that love consists in action and the more it acts or suffers the greater is the perfection thereof how great then must thy love be O Lord being thou hast wrought such Stupendious works for our Salvation still dost continue to work the like for our preservation the Sun the Moon Omnia subjecisti sub
a horse we take off his cloths and his trappings and examin his shape and body for fear of being cozen'd And shall we put an estimate upon a man for being set off by his fortune and quality nay if we see any thing of ornament about him we are to suspect him the more for some infirmity under it He that is content in Poverty would not be so neither in Plenty for the fault is not in the thing but in the minde It 's therefore thy Apostle writing to Timothy says command the Rich of this World not to be high-minded nor place their considence in the uncertainty of their Riches Divitibus hujus mundi praecipe non sublime sapere neque sperare in incerto divitiarum 1 Tim. 17. Non proderunt divitiae indie ultionis Pro. 11.4 Divitiarumjactantia quid nobis contulit Sap. 5. Dormierunt somnum suum nihil in venerunt omnes viri divitiarum in manibus suis Psa 75.6 and the ground of his Precept is that Riches shall not profit a man in the day of revenge nor rescue him from the rigour of thy Justice in the day of his death if his sins have put him out of thy favour this the wicked Rich themselves confess tho' too late being already condemn'd to live in torments for an Eternity what has the bravery of our Riches avail'd us nothing at all but have rather increas'd our misery because we made thereof our Gods upon Earth tho' we were often told of their vanity and how they could never afford their Masters any comfort or ease when they were in most need of their help The Royal Prophet seems to commiserate their deplorable condition where he says Alas the Rich men have slept out their sleep and have found nothing in their hands People in their sleep will dream of Mountains of Gold and Silver and think themselves rich for ever but when they awake they finde they are altogether in as bare a condition as before this is the case with the rich whilst they are in this life they do imagine themselves Rich for ever and that their vast treasures will bear them up in all necessitys that shall occur but when they open their eyes in the hour of death they see then that they must depart for another World with as little provision as the poorest beggar in nature I can't but smile to hear the Prophet Baruch laugh at such People where are they now says he those great Estated men those mercenary Judges those deluding Lawyers those flie Attornys those greedy and covetous Merchants those insatiable Usurers that heap'd up such a vast deal of gold silver and that never desisted gathering together Alas they are rooted out of the World cast down into Hell-sire And therefore says St James now ye rich men weep and wail Jacob. 5.1 2 3. c. and howl for your miseries that come upon you now your riches are rotten and your gold and silver is rusty and the rust thereof shall be in testimony against you It shall feed upon your flesh as if it were fire you have hoorded up wrath to your own selves in the last day Tho' he is an Apostle that speaks yet his words are the very dictates of the holy Ghost whereby we may easily conceive the dangerous consequence of worldly wealth and the main folly of them that labour so much to procure the same by injustice and other indirect means and when they are masters of them do not imploy them to the advantage of their Souls but lay out all to support their grandeur and satisfy their Lust I am certain that if an Assembly of the most able physitians of the World had met to determine whether such or such meats were dangerous to feed upon and that they should all conclude they were absolute poyson to the body few or none at all would hazard his health to eat thereof tho' otherwise in sight smell and tast they appear'd sweet and most pleasant And shall not the unanimous votes of all the Saints in Heaven and of all the Catholike Doctors on Earth together with thy most holy and urgent admonitions O Lord be able to remove the disordinate love which mortals bear to this most dangerous Soul-killing vanity Thou sayst by thy Prophet to all mankind Divitiae si affluant nolite cor apponere Psa 61. Qui diligit aurum non justificabitur Eccl. 31. Zacha. 1. set not your hearts upon the love of Riches and why the wise make them this answer because whoever loves Gold that is beyond the precept shall never be justifi'd and thou sayst thy self that thy indignation and wrath shall fall very heavy upon rich nations There 's nothing so often repeated in Scripture as a Woe to the Rich and thou dost confirm it thy self with that usual affirmation Amen Amen I say unto you that a Rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 19. What an extream folly it is then to seek so much after so poisonous a bait as are Earthly Riches which may perhaps afford some little comfort to their owners in this World but with an absolute exclusion from the everlasting pleasures of thy kingdom Woe be to you Rich men for that you have receiv'd your consolation in this life so that in the other you are not to expect any Sad news indeed for the Rich and able to settle in their hearts a perpetual abhorrence against so fatal an enemy to the Salvation of their Souls This expression I fear will not at all rellish with many of our Worldlings who account Riches to be their dearest and only Friend nay had I said their God it would not be contrary to truth for their hearts are more enamour'd with them then they are with thee O Lord tho' thou hast deposited thy sweet life to ransom their Souls from the power of Hell Qui volunt divites fieri incident in tettuionem in laqueum Diaboli defideria malta inutilia nociva quae mergunt homines in interitum perdidonem 1 Tim. 6.9 and Death everlasting And yet if St. Paul may be credited they are grosly mistaken and wide from the mark they aim at for where they expect their consolation and pleasure they meet with their eternal destruction and sorrow for He says that they which will be rich do fall into temptations and into the Snares of Satan as also into many unprofitable hurtful desires which do drown them in the Abiss of destruction and Woe Their main objection to this doctrine is what shall become of our Wives and Children if we be not careful to provide a maintenance for them that they may live in the World with as much splendour as the dignity of their condition requires But the Wife man gives them a satisfactory answer in my minde and a notable check to boot for he calls them fools and besides he tells them in plain terms that their great care
such a thing may be expected in this World But all those calamities I now have mention'd are common as well to the good as to the bad Lassati sumus in via iniquitatis perditionis ambulavimus vias difficiles viam autem domini ignoravimus Sap. 5. because they both sail in the same Sea and are both likewise expos'd to the self-same fortune yet I can demonstrate many other miseries which are peculiar to the wicked alone and these are not improperly term'd the Daughters of iniquity whose description will be much to our present purpose because they render the life of the wicked most abominable and their body and minde both subject to a multitude of miseries Hear what they themselves do confess of them Alas say they we have wearied our selves in the way of iniquity and perdition We have walk'd in most difficult and sinister paths during our whole lives for We know nothing of the way of the Lord by this their own discourse we may very well conclude that even as the Just enjoy a kind of Paradise here upon Earth and do expect a far more happy one in the other life so the wicked have in this World their Hell to which a far more intollerable shall succeed in th' other for evil Consciences proceed from Hell without doubt and they steer their course directly to the same Haven where they shall be tormented eternally And their products have proportionable evils deriv'd from several causes some of them are the effects of thy Justice O Lord for thou art a most just Judge in all thy proceedings sometimes thou dost order the sin to be punish'd as soon as committed and tho' thou dost usually reserve the punishment thereof to the other life yet the wicked are very often afflicted even in this life for the same 'T is most certain that as thou dost govern the whole World with a general providence thou dost also moderate every particular therein with a peculiar Providence so that as the number of our Sins does increase our Punishments shall be multipli'd to the same degree This we know by our many and fatal experiences for what were all our disasters hitherto as so many Revolutions of Government such vast alterations and changes in matters of State and Religion the various fortune of so many Kings and Princes Such horrid disloialty in Subjects to their lawful Sovereigns so many stupendious and destructive Famines and Conflagrations such inhumane and bloudy Wars so many pestilential Distempers such cruel Murthers so many private and publick dissentions and jars They were certainly the just punishments of our manifold and most grevious offences to make good what I say that the punishment immediately follows the sin I produce what thou O Lord saidst to Cain for a confirmation Nonne si bene egeris recipies si autem male statim in foribus peccatum aderit Gen. 7. Deut. 7. If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted but If thou dost ill Sin lieth at thy door that is to say the pain and punishment of the Sin is at hand and Moises in thy name says as much to the People of Israel know then that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keeps Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandments to a thousand Generations and repays them that hate him to their face to destroy them He will not be slack to him that hates him he will repay him to his face This word Statim so often repeated in Scripture and which signifies a quick return assures me that besides the punishments thon hast reserv'd for the wicked in th' other World thou hast also some in store whereby to chastise them even in this life immediately after the transgression of thy Law So that as often as they fall into Sin so often they feel the heavy weight of thy just indignation they are tost from one misery into another from one tribulation they fall into another this day brought to the bar for their misdemeanours to morrow condemn'd to dye and the next day shamefully put to death without making any reflection upon what might be the fatal cause of their great misfortune For they do not believe the goods of nature to be thy benefits and consequently not deserving their thanksgiving for them neither do they impute their punishment to thy Wrath nor as laid upon them by thy appointment and this blindness it is which prevents the amendment of their lives If there were no other evil in the World then the afflictions and miseries which attend our bodys it were not so much to be hated neither should our fear be so great to trade and converse therein but seeing our correspondence and freedom with it is so pernicions to our Souls also which ought to be the subject of our greatest care as being the principal part of our essence Pluet super peccatores laqueos Psal 10.6 and a precious depositum whereof We must give a strict account to thee O Lord We are necessarily in all reason oblig'd to estrange our selves from it and more especially for fear to be intangl'd in its Snares which are so numerous that the Prophet says of thee upon the wicked thon shalt rain Snares O what an unspeakable number of snares must be in the world then since they are compared to the drops of Rain that fall from Heaven and they must fall upon Sinners too because they of all men have the least care of their hearts of their senses and consciences they are the least solicitons to avoid the occasions of Sin and the least concern'd for Spiritual Remedys so that being intimately acquainted with the World they can't avoid falling into these Snares which come like Rain upon Sinners O Lord thou dost pour down Snares upon Youth Snares upon old Age there are Snares in every state and condition Snares in Riches Snares in Poverty Snares in Honours Snares in opprobrys Snares in Frindship Snares in the Society of Men as well as in the company of Women Snares in the Solitary Wilderness Snares in Prosperity Snares in Adversity Snares in all our senses In fine the Prophet crys out Snares upon all the Inhabitants of the Earth O Lord hadst thou vouchsaf'd to open our eyes as thou didst those of blessed St. Anthony Athanas. in vita St. Antony We should see how the whole World is spread over with Snares and so close that they touch one another and we would also admire as he did that any one should escape what wonder is it then that so many Souls should perish dayly and that St. Bernard should fay of ten Souls that flote upon the tempestious Sea of this World scarce one shall be fav'd and who shall not hate so dangerous a World who should not fear to live in so dreadful a place who will not strive with all his might and skill to avoid those Snares who will dare go bare-foot among so many Serpents
and without Arms among so many Enemies who will believe himself secure among so many occasions of Sin or who will be so desperate as to cohabit with so many mortal infirmities without a Doctor or his prescription to preserve him from falling into one or several of those distempers who will not use all his Endeavours to get out of this Egipt out of this land of darkness out of this Babilonish Slavery who will not ardently desire to be set at liberty out of the scorching flames of this World which do as often provoke thee O Lord to resolve upon our utter destruction as the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorha did solicit thee to so dreadful a chastisement as theirs was Since that the World is so replenish'd with dangerous Snares design'd to intangle our poor Souls therein and send them Prisoners to the dark dungeon of Hell and withall We meet every where with a Precipiece the very flames of vice have in a great measure deform'd tho beauty of our Souls already who will then think himself safe to live any longer in a place so throng'd with mortall Enemies The Wise man sets us this Question Prov. 6. can a man take fire in his bosom and his cloths not by burnt or can one go upon hot Coals and his feet not be burnt He that will handle Pitch Eccle. 13. says another can't be free from a spot no more can a Man that is always conversant with the Proud be exempt from Pride and this is the case of all us poor Mortals for We can't expect to live in the World among so many Snares Aliquando incidam vna die in manum Sauli nonne melius est ut sugiam salver 1 Reg. 27.1 and Ambushes without falling into them frequently David was cruelly persecuted by Saul and often in danger of his sweet life which made him take a firm resolution to avoid his company and never to come into his sight for says he if I do not take this course and secure my life by flying from the danger I shall certainly one time or other fall into his hands let us make use of the same means to secure our Souls from the World and from all it 's false allurements let us fly from them or at least if We be so far ingag'd therein that we can't avoid it let us be sure to give it no place in our hearts which ought to be wholly consecrated to thee O Lord who alone deservest it intirely to thy self without any Rival for thou dost love us still tho' We continue to be thy Enemies and desires only a grateful return of love from us that we may be made happy for ever In our Baptism We gave thee admittance into our hearts with a promise to be faithful to thee hereafter thou art ready to take possession thereof and to adorn it with all thy holy Graces and favours certainly we must be hard-hearted indeed if we refuse so favourable a motion from so good and so gracious a Saviour I am consident thy endearing words and most loving expressions will even force our consent to so charming a request and the rather that it is to our great advantage and the eternal Salvation of our Souls Speak then O Lord for We shall all hear thee and will by the assistance of thy Grace perform what ever thou wilt command us to do SAVIOVR O Man the greatness of my Paternal Providence for mankinde in general and the excess of my love for those among them that are my faithful Servants should win the hearts even of the most obstinate and most rebellious that ever were heard of nay it should force them to pay me that small tribute I only require at their hands which is to love me with all their hearts and to fulfill my commands with the most tender affection of a most dutiful and obedient Servant For the love I bear them does far exceed that of all worldly Fathers to their Children and the care I take to provide for them is altogether as great as my love What Father was ever known to shed his blood for his children as I have done for mine or give that attendance to his Children as I give to mine I am both day and night present with them to protect and defend them from all accidents I stand by them in all their tribulations to comfort them and so temper their afflictions that their extremity make them not despair the Prophet Royal was sensible of the great care I take of my Children in their afflictions by this I know Psal 40.11 12. says he that thou favourest me because thou dost not suffer mine Enemy to triumph over me thou upholdest me in my integrity and settest me in thy sight for ever So great is my love for my beloved Children that I never remove my eyes from off them There 's no better testimony then that of a man who knows what is said to be true by his own experience my Prophet can give thee a true account of my ardent love for those that are so happy as to be of the number of my Children and Favourites and therefore I would have thee to hear what he says of me and to fix thy self upon his undeniable deposition behold says he the eyes of the Lord is upon them that fear him and upon them that hope in his mercy to deliver their Souls from Death The eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous and his ears are open unto their cry But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the Earth The Righteous cry and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saves such as be of a contrite Spirit Many are th' afflictions of the Righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all Psa 30.18 Psa 34.15 But evil shall slay the wicked and they that hate the Righteous shall be desolate Whereas the Lord shall redeem the Souls of his own true Servants and Children and none of all them that place their trust and put their confidence in him shall ever perish The greatest treasure that a Christian Man should wish to enjoy in this World is the love and Providence of God the more he knows them and the surer he is of their enjoyment the greater should be his comfort and confidence in the same God Thou must know O man that the testimonies of Scripture relating to the promises I give unto the Faithfull of my love Eccle. 15 20.34 19. my care and protection of them are so many authentick Evidences and ratifications of the same that they are no more to be question'd then is the last Will and Testament of a dying man which none ought to mistrust of falshood Hear then and take great notice of what the wise say of my great love and care for Men. The eyes of the
judge of thy Charity by thy behaviour to thy Christian Religious Brethren I shall find thee altogether an Alien to it for 't is said in Scripture 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3 4. c. tho' I speak with the tongues of Men and Angels and have not Charity I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Symbal And tho' I have the gift of Prophesy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and tho' I have all Faith so as to remove Mountains and have no Charity I am nothing And tho' I bestow all my goods to feed the Poor and tho' I give my body to be burnt and have no Charity it profits nothing Charity suffers long and is kind Charity Envys not Charity extols not it self is not puffed up does not behave it self unseemly seeks not her own is not easily provok'd thinks not evil rejoyces not in Iniquity but rejoyces in the Truth bears all things hopes all things endures all things This is a rule which St. Paul leaves unto all mortals whereby they may easily conceive whether they be in Charity with all men or not And St. James says if one fulfils the whole Law and yet offends in one point Jacob. 2.10 he is guilty of all This is thy case O man if thou hast Charity for all and withdraws it from one Brother thou hast none either for God or for thy Neighbour no nor for thy self for thou art void of Charity in all respects and as it is impossible thou shouldst be grateful to God without Faith so it is altogether impossible thou shouldst be pleasing to him whilst thou art not in Charity with thy Christian or Religious Brother St. St. Augu. Ser. 20. de verb Dom. Augustin gives this reason for it as the Church of God is grounded by Faith and rais'd by hope so she receives her perfection and complement by Charity alone A wholesome Advise to all Mankind O Man entertain thy self frequently with these Considerations The Conclusion and with the good Instructions which I have given thee in this Book for they are sufficient to move the most obstinate and the most Rebellious of Sinners to a true repentance Remember that it is not enough to be well grounded in thy Faith no thou must be also well vers'd in the Maxims and practices of a Christian life Suffer not thy Mind to be corrupted with the fallacys of the World which will easily deprave as well all thy Actions as thy whole life This was the charge which the Prophet gave to the Jews in their Babilonish captivity Baruch 6.3 You will see says he in Babilon Idols of Gold and Silver carri'd upon Mens shoulders to cause a terrour and respect in their Spectatours but beware you do not adore them with others When you shall see multitudes of People coming in great troops from all parts to adore them say in your heart O Lord thou alone art he who ought to be ador'd I say the same unto thee O man Thou wilt see many in the World adoring Idols that is Pleasures Vanitys Riches Gold and Silver the Flesh and their Passions thou wilt see there that Vice is in great request and highly honour'd and that Virtue is depress'd nay 't is a ridiculous thing in the opinion of Worldlings Thou wilt hear there such Maxims as were never taught in any University but that of the Reprobates whose chief President is the Devil that sits night and day in the chair of pestilence uttering his infernal dictates and dispatching his hellish Agents to disperse them in the World but be thou careful whom thou conversest with and be more wary in choosing thy Company then thy victuals for the worst of this can but anoy thy Body whereas the worst of that will certainly destroy thy Soul But to animate thy self against all evil occurrences let the true Maxims of Christianity be always in thy memory and let the Eternal Veritys thou hast heard from me in this Treatise be the dayly subject of thy serious Meditations have recourse to them when thou art assaulted with the World 's nefarious Allurements and to the end they may serve as certain Rules for the future conduct of thy life and conversation peruse them very often and with the greatest devotion and attention possible If thou shalt faithfully observe what I here prescribe unto thee thou wilt move me to give thee further Instructions in the Second part of this Book In the mean time the Grace of God shall not be wanting to assist thee in performing thy duty to me as well as to thy Neighbours in as ample a manner as it is here set down Thy immediate compliance will contribute largely to the eternal hapiness of thy Soul and therefore I give thee the same advice that I gave St. Augustin which was a happy beginning to his most happy Conversion Tolle Lege Perfice Take Read and practise punctually what thou readest Soli Deo honor gloria FINIS
necessary things and that he is firmly resolv'd to break off with Vice C. P. 52. How a Sinner by his frequent relapse into Sin may reasonably fear he never was really contrite for his Sins C. p. 56. That a Sinner must fix his hope in God of whose mercy he can't despair without a mortal offence C. p. 57. The nature and necessary conditions of a true and perfect contrition p. 60. The fatal consequences of Venial Sins and how by degrees they bring a Man to commit Mortals C p. 65. The greatness of Gods Love for Man is a most pressing motive to a sorrowful contrition M. p 67. The means which God was pleas'd to take in order to redeem Mankind is another pressing motive to a sorrowful contrition M. p. 71. What Christ has suffer'd from his Cradle to the Cross was only for the love of Man M. p. 74. His Death and Passion should breed in our hearts a mortal hatred and abhorrence of Sin M. p. 78. Several other Considerations upon the same subject able to move even a Heart of Steel to love God above all Creatures M. p. 82. The benefits of our Justification lays a weighty obligation on us to love God with all our hearts p. 88. Several other deep considerations of the same benefit Mp. 91. The manifold disasters and miseries occasion'd by Sin and how we are happily deliver'd from 'em all by the benefit of our Justification M. p. 95. The manifold and wonderful advantages of a Justifi'd Soul M. p. 99. The benefit of our Justification exceeds that of our Creation and Redemption M. p. 103. The certainty of Death and th'uncertainty of the hour of Death with the several and dreadful circumstances thereof is a most pressing motive to detest Sin M. p. 106. The particular Judgment which is given of the Soul at her departing the Body M. p. 114. How dreadful will the sight of her Judge be to her and what anguishes she shall suffer at her Trial M. p. 120. Of the most strict account which will be taken of the Soul in this particular Judgment M. p. 126. How remote is the Judgment of God from that of Man and of the severity of his Chastisements even in this Life by which we may easily conceive th'unspeakable rigour of his punishments in th' other M. p. 133. Of the Torments which the Damn'd suffer in Hell M. p. 140. Of the Glory of Heaven in what it consists of its great estimate and what we ought to suffer for the everlasting purchase thereof M. p. 148. Of th'everlasting happiness of the Saints in Heaven and of their glorious Prerogatives M. p. 162. The little value that Christians set upon Vertue and how their dissolutions surpass the debauchery even of the worst of Heathens M. p. 173. The Godly feelings and Heroick exploits of Heathen Philosophers will certainly confound the Christians in the Day of Judgment M. p. 188. Of Hell and of th'unspeakable and various Torments which the Damn'd shall suffer there for an Eternity M. p. 201 Of the severity of Gods Justice the rage and malice of the Devils and the horrid confusion of the Damn'd occasion'd by the full Knowledge of their Vanities main Folly and wilful neglect of their Salvation M. p. 217. The wonderful Austerities of Gods Servants as well in the Old as in the New Testament in order to avoid the Torments of Hell will be a main confusion to such Christians as live deliciously in this World M. p. 226. If men be so outragiously cruel one to th' other how excessive cruel must the Devil be to the Damn'd in Hell being a professed enemy to all mankind even from the Creation M. p. 234. An habitual Sinner that puts off his Conversion to the hour of Death in expectation of a good Peccavi lies under a moral impossibility to be sav'd M. p. 248. The Love of God should replenish our hearts to that degree to leave no place for any terrene or carnal affection M. p. 266. An ample description of th'ingratitude inconstancy treachery cruelty and vanity of the World with several presidents relating thereunto M. p. 278. The Lust of the Flesh with its fatal attendance and branches are most abominable in themselves most odious to God and the most destructive enemies of our Souls M. p. 293. Th' only thing that the Nobility should value themselves upon is Vertue how vain is the Wisdom of the World Of Corporal Beauty and Rich Apparel and how th' one as well as th' other has been the ruine of many Millions of Souls M. p. 310. That the State of Poverty is far more advantageous to the Soul than that of Riches though it may not be so pleasant to the mind which is never content M. p. 327. The Charming expressions of Christ and the several employments he takes upon himself in order to save our Souls are able to withdraw all our scatter'd affections from the World and settle them upon him alone M. p. 346. That the World is both a Cheat and a Lyar for his Promises ars false his Honours are vain his Pleasures are Poyson and his Treasures are Soul-Killing Thorns M. p. 368. That they who after all Gods sweet Inspirations loving Invitations and gracious Admonitions do not love him reciprocally shall be in danger of eternal Destruction M. p. 384. A Check to Man p. 391. A Check to the Christian Man p. 395. A Check to the Religious Man p. 402. A Wholesom Advice to Mankind in general p 410. Errata P. 10. L. ult R. remit P. 26. M N. R. hac P. 249. L. 4. R. double P. 254. M. N. R. transiit messis P. 255. M. N. R. quo P. 259. L. 12. R. axiom P. 265. L. 27. R. Prophet P. 271. L. 13. R. no more P. 315. M. N. R. putredini p. 329. L. 26. R. not P. 336. L. 8. R. the. P. 344. L. 27. R. be P. 352. L. 18. R. so P. 368. L. 22. R. doorkeeper P. 371. L. 6. R. martial P. 374. L. 17. R. Micheas P. 376. L. 21. R. were P. 384. L. 6. R. as A Dialogical Discourse betwixt the Saviour and Man wherein all Souls desirous of the Love of God are copiously suppli'd with means powerfull to attain it and to gain the happy accomplishment of their Salvation MAN SPeak O Lord for thy Servant hears thee 1. Reg. 3. grant me a right Understanding to know thy ways and lead my will to walk therein let the sacred Dew of thy divine Inspirations flow down from thy heavenly Throne into my obdurate Heart Psal 118. that I may more easily observe thy Commands and steer my course directly without any Remora towards the Region of everlasting Bliss Loquere tâ— nobis audiemus non loquatur nobis Dominus ne â—orte moriamur Exod. 20. for which thou didst Create my Soul Heretofore the Children of Israel would have Moises only speak to them not thou O Lord fearing thy words might strike such a terrour to their Hearts