no Man to be no Brawlers but gentle shewing all Meekness unto all Men Tit. 3.2 16. AND the means to obtain this Vertue are these First To make a deep Impression in our Minds of the Loveliness and Benefits of Meekness together with the Deformity and Mischief of Anger Secondly To set before our selves the Example of our Blessed Lord and Saviour who indured all Reproaches and Torments with a perfect Patience that was Led as a Sheep to the Slaughter Isa. 53.7 That when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not 1 Pet. 2.23 Thirdly To be very vigilant in preventing the beginnings of Anger and to that end we must mortifie all inward Peevishness and Frowardness of Mind which is a Sin in it self if it proceed no further but if cherish'd will break out into open Effects of Danger Therefore when ever thou find'st the least Motion of it within thee make as much haste to check it as thou wouldest to quench a Fire in thy House And be sure to keep a strick watch over thy Tongue that it break not out into any angry Expressions for that Breath will fan the Fire not only in thine Antagonist but thy self too Therefore though thy Heart be ardent within suffocate the Flame that it break not out and the greater the Temptation is the more earnestly call upon God to assist thee to conquer it Fourthly Often call to mind the great Punishments thy sins have deserved and then whether thy Afflictions be from God or Man thou wilt acknowledge them to be far short of what thou deservest and wilt be ready to blush at thy great Impatience A Prayer for Meekness and Humility O Most Blessed Lord God the Perfect Pattern of Humility and Meekness infuse into me I humbly beseech thee those Excellent Graces whereby I may be fully convinced of my own Wretchedness and Evidently behold that I am sinful Dust and Ashes Lord work in me such a lowliness of Mind that I may in the sincerity of my Heart confess and acknowledge that I am less than the least of all thy Mercies and justly deserve the greatest of thy Judgments Give me O Lord a Contrite Spirit a Meek and an Humble Heart and chase from me all Pride and Vanity of Mind whereby I may become lowly yea base and vile in my own Eyes 2. ROOT out O Lord from me all perverseness of Spirit and wholly dispossess it of its residence that I may be fit to entertain that good Spirit of thine and thou mayst take delight to dwell and remain with me Grant that I may every day be more humbled with the sight of my own Unworthiness and Spiritual Wants and to esteem my self as nothing without thee but always acknowledge my own frailty and weakness O let me wholly depend and rely upon thee and ascribe the Praise and Glory of whatsoever good is wrought in me or by me unto thee alone who art the God of my Strength the Author and Giver both of Grace and Glory and the Beginner and Finisher of every Good Thing which is wrought in any of thy Servants to whom be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen SECT II. In time of Sickness 1. WHAT should we do in this Vale of Tears but condole each others Miseries Every Man hath his weight and happy is he whose Burthen is so easie that he may assist his Neighbours Many have waded through a Sea of Sorrows and the Angel of the Lord that hath Redeemed their Souls from Evil and led them within few Paces of the Shore offers to lend thee his Hand to guide thee in this dangerous World wherein every Error is Death Let us follow him therefore with a humble Confidence and be safe in the View and Pity of the woful Miscarriages of others and take warning by their sad Misfortunes 2. THOU art on thy Bed of Sickness and with holy David Roaring all the day long Psal. 32.3 for the Extremity of thy pain measuring the slow Hours not by Minutes but by Groans Thy Soul is weary of thy Life Job 10.1 through the Intolerable Anguish of thy Spirit Job 7.11 Of all temporal Afflictions this is the sorest And Job 1.21 after the loss of his Goods and Children could yet support himself and Bless the God that gives and takes But when his Body was tormented and made one Boyle then his Patience is extended so far as to curse not his God but his Nativity Job 3.3 Let the day perish wherein I was born and the night in which it was said there is a Man Child conceived And King Artaxerxes questioning with his Cup bearer Nehemiah could say Why is thy Countenance sad seeing thou art not Sick Nehem. 2.2 implyed that the Sick of all others hath just cause to be dejected Humane Crosses are at a distance but Sickness is in our Bosoms Those touch Externaly these Internally our Selves Here the whole Man suffers What could the Body feel without the Soul that animates it How can the Soul which makes the Body sensible chuse but be most affected with that Pain wherewith the Body is afflicted Both Partners are perplex'd to encounter so fierce an Enemy and the sharpest requires the most powerful Resistance Therefore let us recollect our selves and summon all the Powers of our Souls to engage with so violent and potent an Enemy 3. THY Body is by a sore Disease confin'd to thy Bed I should be sorry to say thy self wert so Thy Soul which is thy self I hope is at a distance from thee but however it is content to take a share in thy Sufferings soars above to the Heaven of Heavens and is prostrate before the Throne of Grace imploring for Mercy and Forgiveness beholding the Face of thy Glorious Mediator interceding for thee Unhappy were we if our Souls were lockt up in our Bosoms that they could use no Motions but what our lumpish Bodies could contribute But blessed be God he hath animated us with active Spirits that can move themselves while our Bodies lie still that can be so agil in their Motions as they can pass from Earth to Heaven ere we can turn our wearied and sick Bodies to find ease 4. AND how much shall we be wanting to our selves if we do not make use of this Spiritual Agility sending up these Spirits of ours from this brittle Clay of our Bodies to those Regions of Blessedness that they may from thence Extract Comforts to alleviate the Sorrows of their heavy Partners Thus if thou imployest thy better part no Pains of the Body can make thee miserable that Spiritual Part of thine shall ere long be in Bliss whil'st this piece of Earth lies putrified in the Grave Why dost thou not then even now before thy Dissolution improve all the Powers of it to thy present Advantage Let thy internal Eye still behold the Face of thy God in Glory whil'st thy Corporal Eyes observe those Friends at thy Bed-side which may pity but cannot help thee 5.
are happy that can feel and maintain it and it must be our holy Ambition to be diligent in the Aspiraration But such a height of Perfection every Traveller in this wretched Pilgrimage cannot whilst he is in this perplexed and heavy Road hope to attain to It is an unsafe and dangerous Path which those Men have walked in who have used to define all Faith by Assurance Should I conduct thee that way it might be prejudicial So sure a Certainty of our constant and reflected apprehension of Eternal Life is both hard to acquire and not easie to hold unmovably considering the many strong Temptations that we are subject to in this Vale of Misery and Death Should Faith be reduced to this Trial it would be more rare than our Saviour hath foretold it For as many boasts of such an Assurance who is yet failing of a true Faith embracing a vain Presumption instead of it So many also hath true Faith in the Lord Jesus who yet complains to want that Assurance Canst thou in a sense of thine own Misery close with thy Saviour Canst thou throw thy self into the Arms of his Mercy Canst thou trust him with thy Soul and relie upon him for Forgiveness and Salvation Canst thou prostrate thy self before him as a miserable Object of his Grace and Mercy And when it is offered thee canst lay some tho weak hold upon it Labour for further degrees of Strength daily Set not up thy Rest in this pitch of Grace but cheer up thy self and thus much Faith shall save thy Soul Thou believest and he hath said it that is Verity it self He that believeth on the Son hath Everlasting Life Joh. 3.36 12. I know thou averrest that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners and that Whoever believeth on him shall not Perish but have eternal Life Joh. 3.15 Neither can I deny but in a sense of my sinful Condition I cast my self in some measure upon my Saviour and lay hold upon his All-sufficient Redemption But Alas My apprehensions of him are so weak that they can afford no Comfort to my Soul Were it not that thou expectest to be Justified and saved by the power and act of thy Faith thou hast reason to be disheartened with the imbecility of it But now that the Vertue and Efficacy of this happy Operation is in the Object apprehended by thee which is the infinite Merits and Mercy of thy Saviour that cannot be abated by thine Infirmities thou hast reason cheerfully to expect thy Salvation Understand thy case aright Here 's a double Hand that helps thee towards Heaven thy hand of Faith lays hold on thy Saviour Thy Saviour's hand of Mercy and plentious Redemption lays on thee thy hold of him is feeble and easily loosed his hold of thee is strong and irresistable Comfort thy self therefore with the blessed Apostle when thou art Weak then thou art Strong when weak in thy self then strong in thy Redeemer Shouldst thou boast and say Tush I shall never be moved I should suspect the Verity and Safety of thy Condition Now thou deplorest thy Weakness I cannot but Congratulate the happy Estate of thy Soul If a greater Work were expedient strength of Hand were necessary But now only receiving of a precious Gift is required why may not a weak Hand perform that as well as a strong tho not so forcibly Be not dejected with Impotency but comfort thy self in the Mercies of thy Redeemer 13. THOU expressest Sometimes I find my heart at ease in a comfortable Reliance on my Saviour and being well resolv'd of the safety of my State promise good days to my self and after the banishment of my former Fears dare bid defiance to Temptations But Alas how soon is this serenity over How suddenly is this clear Skie clouded spread over with obscurity and I return to my former Despondency Did'st thou conceive that Grace would put thee into a constant and perpetual invariable Condition of Soul whil'st thou art on this side Heav'n Didst thou ever hear or read of any of God's Saints upon Earth that were unchangeable in their holy Dispositions whil'st they continued in this Region of Mutability Behold the Man after God's own heart thou shalt find him sometimes so couragious as if the Spirits of all his Worthies were met in his own Bosom how resolutely doth he blow off all dangers trample on his Enemies and triumph over all cross Events Another while thou shalt find him so dejected and transform'd from what he was When chearful The Lord is my Shepherd I shall lack nothing Psal 23.1 In Affliction Why art thou so sad my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Psal. 42.14 In Fortitude I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about Psal. 3.6 In Trouble Hide me under the shadow of thy Wings from the Wicked that oppress me from my deadly Enemies who compass me about Psal. 17.84 In his Integrity Thy Loving Kindness is before mine Eyes and I have walked in thy Truth Psal. 26.3 In contrary Events Lord where are thy loving Kindnesses Psal. 89.49 And dost thou not hear him in one Breath professing his Confidence and lamenting his Dissertion Lord by thy Favour thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong Thou didst hide thy Face and I was troubled Psal. 30.7 Look upon St. Paul Sometimes thou shalt see him erecting Trophies of Victoâ—y to his God In all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 On the contrary thou shalt find him lamenting his own sinful Condition Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Rom. 7.24 In a holy Rapture thou shalt find him caught up into the Third Heaven and by Permission of the Almighty buffetted by the Messengers of Satan and uttering Complaints to God of the Violence of that Assault Here the Spouse of Christ bemoaning her self I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone My Soul failed when he spoke I sought him but I could not find him I called him but he made me no answer Cant. 5.6 Thus is it with thee whil'st thou art in this Carnality The Temper of thy Soul will be subject to Vicissitudes Should'st thou continue always in the same State I should suspect thee This difference betwixt Nature and Gâ—ace the One is still uniform the Other varies â—â—cording to the pleasure of the Giver The Spirit â—eaths when and where it listeth Joh. 3.8 When therefore thou find'st the gracious Inspirations of the Holy Ghost within thee be thankful to the Infinite Munificence of that Blessed Spirit And still pray Arise O North and come thou South Wind that the Spices thereof may flow out Cant. 4.16 But when thou finds thy Soul becalm'd and not a Leaf stirring in its Garden be not too much dejected with an ungrounded Opinion of being destituted of thy God neither repine at
alive thou bringest to the Grave and bringest back again And forasmuch as it hath pleased thee to take from us out of this Sinful World the Soul of this thy Servant grant that our grief for this affliction may not be immoderate whereby we may displease thee or so overwhelm us that we make our selves unfit for thy service but sanctifie we beseech thee unto us this thy Fatherly Correction that we may endeavour to live every day as if it were to be our last that when we are Summoned and Arrested by the hand of Death We may not be afrighted by that King of Terrors 2. LORD we are here in a state of banishment and absent from thee O take us where we shall for ever behold thy Face and follow the Lamb whether soever he goeth and that at the last hour we may pronounce with a good Conscsence we have fought a good fight we have finished our Ceurse we have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for us a Crown of Righteousness which God the Righteous Judge will freely give to those that Love and Fear him and trust in his Mercy Amen SECT IX Of Poverty 1. THOU art driv'n to Indigency and which is worse out of abundance Those Evils we have been inur'd to from our Cradle are grown so familiar that we are little moved with their Presence But those into which we fall suddenly out of an external Felicity of Estate overwhelm us Let thy Care be not to want those Riches which shall make thy Soul happy and thou shalt not be troubled with the loss of these mean and perishing Trifles Had these been true Riches they could not have been lost For that Good that is least capable of Loss and unsatisfying in an imperfect Fruition so in the losing it turns Evil 2. DID'ST thou not know That Riches have Wings to fly away Prov. 23.5 And of what use is Wings if not to flie If any Man's Violence shall clip those Wings they take their flight Set thy heart upon that Supream Wealth which cannot be taken from thee which shall never leave thee nor forsake thee then thou mayst easily slight these poor Losses As these were not Goods so they were not thine Here thou foundest them and here leav'st them For the Apostle Timothy informs us 1 Tim. 6 7. We brought nothing into this World and it is certain we can carry nothing out What had'st thou but their use Neither can they be otherwise thine Heirs whom thou leavest behind thee I am asham'd to hear the Philosopher say All I possess I carry about me when many Christians hug those things which are so Transitory 3. IT was an unanswerable Question God moved to the Rich Man in the Parable upon parting with his Soul Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Luke 12.20 Perhaps a Strangers or as â—n the Case of undisposed Lands the Occupants false Executors or an Enemies Call that thine own thou art sure to carry with thee that may accompany thy Soul or follow it Such as thy Holy Graces Charitable Works Vertuous Actions and Heavenly Dispositions These are Treasures which thou shalt Lay up for thy self in Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust doth Corrupt and where Thieves do not break through nor steal Mat. 6.20 4. THOU hast lost thy Goods May I not rather say Thou hast restor'd ' em He parted with more that said The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken Job 1.21 Whether by Patrimony or Pâ—ovidence or Industry the Lord gave it and whether by the Chaldeans or Sabeans the Lord hath taken it and he did but give and takes his own What Reason hast thou then to complain It was not giv'n but lent thee for a while till it were call'd for And do'st thou grudge to restore what thou borrowest Nay that thou mayst have less Claim to this Talent was it not left in thy hand by the Owner to employ it for his Use till he should redemand it with the Increase Thou wert only entrusted to improve and account for it If others have taken off thy Charge by thy impoverishment they have eased thee 5. THY Wealth is gone But if thou hast Necessaries left Be thankful for what thou hast and forget what thou didst possess Hadst thou had plenty thou couldst have used no more than Nature calls for the rest could have but lain by thee for readiness of Imployment Do but forbear the Thought of Superfluities and what art thou the worse Perhaps thy Fare is courser Dishes fewer Utensils meaner Apparel homelier and thy Train shorter But how is thy Mind affected Contentment consists not in Quantities nor Qualities but in the inward Disposition of the Heart that multiplies Numbers and raises Prizes turns course Freezes into rich Velvets Pulse into Delicates and makes one Attendant many Officers 6. WISE Seneca tells thee the true Mould of Wealth is our Body as the Last is of the Shoe if the Shoe be too big for the Foot it is troublesome and useless It is Fitness that is regarded here not Magnitude And this is the Charge of the Blessed Apostle Having Food and Rayment let us there with be content 1 Tim. 6.8 And if we have no more we shall be but as we were and as we shall be For we brought nothing into the World neither shall we carry any thing out 1 Tim. 6.7 7. THOU hast parted with thy Wealth perhaps for thine Advantage How many have been swell'd with Plenty resembling the Ostrich or Bustard with the Bulk of Body unweldly to raise their Thoughts to Spiritual Things who when their Weight have been taken off have mounted nimbly towards Heaven How many had lost their Lives if with the Philosopher they had not parted with their God and how many through Covetousness may loss their Souls The Vessel had sunk in this boist'rous Sea if the Earthly Freight had not been cast over-board and why art thou troubled to lose that which might have undone thee in keeping 8. THOU had'st Wealth Hast thou not parted with that for which many hath been worse both in Body and Soul and for which never any Soul was better Have not Corn-fields been spoil'd with Rankness and a Branch spilt with too much Fruit Whereas had they been thinner sown or seasonably eaten down had yielded a fair Crop and those Boughs moderately laden had out-liv'd many Autumns Do'st thou not hear thy Saviour say How hardly shall they that have Riches enter into the Kingdom of God Mat. 10.23 Art thou troubled that a Stumbling block is remov'd out of thy way to Happiness That the Bunch of the Camel is taken off if yet thou wilt pass through the Eye of the Needle 9. THOU hadst Riches But hadst thou not Cares attended ' em Else thou hast fared better than thy Neighbours None but thy self could handle these Roses without pricking their Fingers He was famous amongst the Jewish Doctors whose Maxim was He that multiplies Riches multiplies Cares
in the Faces of St. Peters Scoffers that say where is the promise of his coming Knowing that the Lord is not slack but he that shall come will come and not tarry 2 Pet. 3.4 9. Heb. 10.17 And some may live to see the Son of Man come in the Clouds of Heaven in this last Scene of the World 5. IF so let not thy heart be dismay'd with these fearful things Thy change shall be sudden one Moment shall put off Mortality and clothe thee with Incorruption not capable of fear and pain The Majesty of this appearance shall add to thy Joy and Glory Thou shalt then see the Lord himself descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the trump of God Thou shalt see thy self and those other which are alive and remain to be caught up into the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shalt thou be ever with the Lord. On this Assurance the Apostle subjoyns Wherefore comfort one another with these words 1 Thes. 4.16 17 18. And if ever there were comfort in words not of Men or Angels but of the God of Truth these will afford it to our trembling Souls 6. BUT if thou be one whom God hath determin'd to Summon before the great day of his appearance here is a joy unspeakable and full of Glory For those that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him 1 Thes. 4.15 They shall be of that Glorious Train which shall attend the Great Judge of the World Yea they shall be Co-assessors to the Lord of Heaven and Earth in this Judicature sitting upon the Bench when guilty Men and Angels shall be at the Bar To him that overcometh saith Christ will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father upon his Throne Rev. 3.21 What place is here for any terror since such heavenly Magnificence fulness of Joy and Eternal Glory 7. THOU art afraid think of Judgment I had rather thou wert awful than timorous when St. Paul Acts 24.25 discoursed of the judgment to come it is no marvel that Felix trembled But the same Apostle when he pressed to his Corinthians the certainty and generality of our appearance before the Judgment-Seal of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body whether good or evil adding knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men but we are made manifest to God 2 Cor. 5.10 11. 8. THE holiest Man is not exempted from the dread but slavish fear of the great Judge We know his infinite Justice and are Conscious of our manifold failings And how can we acknowledge these and not fear But this fear works not in us a Malignant repining at the severe Tribunal of the Almighty but a careful endeavour to approve our selves that we may be acquitted by him and appear blameless in his presence How justly may we tremble when we look upon our Actions and Deserts But confidently appear at the Bar where we are assur'd of a discharge Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.1 When we think of a Conflagration of the World how can we but fear But when we think of a happy restitution of all things how can we but rejoice in trembling Acts 3.21 9. THOU quakest at the expectation of Judgement Surely the Majesty of that great Assize must needs be formidable And if the delivery of the Law on Mount Sinai Exod. 19.16 18. were with so dreadful a Pomp of Thunder and Lightning Fire Smoak and Earthquakes that the Israelites were half dead with fear in receiving it with what terrible Magnificence shall God come to require an account of that Law at the hands of the whole sinful generation of Mankind 10. REPRESENT unto thy thoughts that which was shewed to the Prophet Daniel Dan. 7.9 10. Imagine thou sawst the Ancient of days sitting upon a Throne like a fiery flame a fiery stream issuing and coming forth from before him thousand thousands ministring unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him the judgment set and the Books opened Or as John the Daniel of the New Testament saw Rev. 20.11 12. A great white throne and him that sat on it from whose Face the Earth and the Heavens fled away and the dead both small and great standing before God and the Books opened and the Dead judged out of those things which were written in those Books according to their works 11. LET the eyes of thy mind foresee that which these bodily eyes shall once see and tell me how thou feelest thy self affected with the sight of such a Judge such an appearance and such a process And if thou art in a trembling Condition cheer thy self with this that thy Judge is thine Advocate that upon that Throne sits not greater Majesty than Mercy It is thy Saviour that shall sentence thee how safe art thou then under such hands Canst thou fear he will doom thee to death who dyed to give thee life Canst thou fear he will condemn thee for those sins which he hath given his blood to expiate Canst thou fear the rigour of that Justice which he hath so fully satisfied Or canst thou misdoubt the miscarriage of that Soul he hath so dearly bought 12. NO all this Divine State and Magnificence makes for thee Let those guilty and impenitent Souls Rom. 2.5 who have heaped unto themselves Wrath against the day of wrath quake at the Glorious Majesty of the Son of God for whom nothing remains but a fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries Heb. 10.27 But for thee who art reconciled unto God by the Mediation of the Son of his love and incorporated into Christ and made a Member of his Mystical Body thou art Commanded with all the Faithful to look up and lift up thy head for now the day of Redemption is come Luk. 21.28 Ephes. 4.30 13. AND indeed it is thy priviledge since by vertue of a blessed Union with thy Saviour this Glory is thine every Member hath an interest in the Honour of the Head Rejoyce therefore in the day of the Lord Jesus Phil. 2.16 And when the Tribes of the Earth shall wail Rev. 1.7 Do thou Sing and call to the Heavens and Earth to bear thee Company Let the Heavens rejoyce and let the Earth be glad Let the Sea make a noise and all that is therein Let the Fields be joyful and all that is in it Then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce before the Lord for he cometh for he cometh to judge the Earth and with righteousness to judge the World and the People with his Truth Psal. 96.11 12 13. 14 THOU art affâ—ighted with the thought of the Great Day Think oftner and thou shalt less fear it it will come surely and suddenly let thy frequent thoughts prevent it it will come as a Thief in the
forth to the Field and shews the an Enemy where is thy Christian Fortitude if thou recoilest and chusest rather to fly than resist And is this a proper Character for thee who professest to sight under his Banner who is the Conqueror of Death and Hell Is this the way to that happy Victory and to acquire a Crown of Glory If thou faint in the day of Adversity thy Strength is but small Be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might Ephes. 6.10 Encounter with that fierce Enemy wherewith God would have thee assaulted look up to him who hath said and cannot fail to perform it Be faithful to the Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 14. THOU art surpriz'd with Sickness accuse thy self for it Who forbid thee expecting so sure a Guest Thy Frame of Body should have prompted thee to other Thoughts Dost thou perceive this living Fabrick made up as a Clock consisting of many Wheels and imagine that some of 'em shoud not be ever out of order Couldst thou think that a Cottage not strongly built and standing so bleak in the very Mouth of the Winds could for ever hold firm and strong Or art thou not amazed it hath out-stood so many blust'ring Blasts utterly unruined It was scarce a patient Question which Job asked Is my Strength the Strength of Stones or is my Flesh as Brass Job 6.12 Alas thy best Metal is but Clay and fading Flesh is but Grass the Clay mouldereth and the Grass withereth Why do we reckon of any thing but Misery and Fickleness in this woful Region of Change If we wiâ—l needs over-reckon our Condition we do but assist to aggravate our own Wretchedness 15. THOU art retir'd to thy sick Bed be of good Comfort God was never so near thee never so indulgent to thee as now The Whole saith our Saviour needs not a Physician but they that are Sick Mat. 9.12 The Physician cometh not but where there is necessity and where that is will not fail to come Our Wants is motive enough to Him who took our Infirmities and bare our Sicknesses Mat. 8.17 Our Health alienates him from us but whilst thou art this Patient he cannot be from thee The Lord saith the Psalmist will strengthen thee upon the Bed of Languishing thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sickness Psal. 41.3 The Comforter doth not only visit but attend thee If thou find thy Bed uneasie he will soften it for thy Repose Canst thou not read God's Indulgence in thine own Disposition Thou art a Parent Perhaps thou affectest one Child more than another though all dear enough But if any of them be cast down thou art more careful about that than the rest How thou pitiest and pliest it with Offers and Receipts With what silent Anxiety dost thou watch by it listning for every Breathing jealous of every whispering that might break its Slumber responding its Groans with Sighs and in fine taking such Care that thy greatest Darling seems the while neglected in comparison of this under Affliction How much more shall the Father of Mercies be compassionately Intent upon the Sufferings of his dear Children according to the Proportion of their Afflictions 16. THOU art wholly entertain'd with the Extremity of thy pains Alas poor Soul Thy dimness perceives nothing but what is near thee It is thy sense which thou followest but where is thy Faith Couldst thou inspect the end of thy Sufferings thou wouldst rejoyce in Tribulation Let Patience have her perfect Work and thou shalt once say It is good for me that I was afflicted Thou mightest be jocund long enough ere thy Jollity could make thee happy Yea Woe to them that laugh here Luke 6.25 But on the contrary Our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 O blessed improvement of a few Groans Oh glorious Issue of a short Storm of Sorrow Why do we imitate Christians if nothing but Flesh and Blood And if better we have more cause of Joy than Complaint for whilst our Outward Man perisheth our Inward Man is renewed dayly 2 Cor. 4.16 Our External Man is Flesh our Internal is Spirit infinitely more noble than this living Clay that we carry about us Whil'st our Spirit gains more than our Flesh is capable to lose what reason have we not to boast of the Bargain Let not then these close Curtains confine thy sight but lift up thine Eyes to Heaven whence thy Soul came and view there that Crown of Glory which thy God holds forth to all thaâ— overcome And then Run with Patience the Race that is set before thee looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who is set down at the Right Hand of the Throne of God Heb. 12.1 2. Then chear thy self with the Expectation of that Blessedness which if thy Toâ—ments were no less than those of Hell would make more than ample Amends for all thy Suffeâ—ings 17. THOU art sick to Death And hast received the Sentence of Mortality in thy self thy Physician hath given the up to act the last Scene Neither art thou like to rise till the General Resurrection How many are lately expired that would have thought it a great happiness to die thus quietly in their Beds Whom Storms of War hath hurried away furiously into another World not suffering them to taâ—e leave of that Life which they were forced to abandon Whereas thou hast leisure to prepare thy self for the Entertainment of thy last Guest to set both thine House in order and thy Soul It is no disadvantage to thee thus to behold Death at a distance and to observe every one of his Paces towards thee that thou mayst put thy self into a fit Posture to meet this grim Messenger who Ushers thee to Immortality that dying thus by Degrees thou hast leisure with the Patriarch Jacob to Summon thy Children to bequeath them thy last Benediction and being encompassed with thy sad Friends now in thy long Journey to a far Country thou mayst take a Solemn Farewell as going somewhat before them to the appointed happy Meeting-place of Blessedness And lastly That one of thine own may close those Eyes which shall in their opening see the Face of thy most Glorious Saviour and see this Flesh now ready to lye down in Corruption made like to his unspeakable Glory A Prayer for a Sick Person O Most Gracious and Merciful Lord God the only Author of our Health and Being thou castest us down upon our Beds of Sickness and sometimes draws the Curtain between the World and us O Lord my time is in thy hand and I know not how soon my change which thou hast appointed shall be whether this Week this Day this Hour yea or this very Moment O Lord sanctifie unto me this thy present Visitation which my Sins have long since deserved heal my Soul which in great bitterness hath sinned against thee
and then if it stand with thy good Pleasure heal my Body and raise it that I may glorifie thy Holy Name in the Congregation of the Righteous 2. BUT if in thy Omniscency thou hast otherwise determined that this Visitation shall put a period to my frail Mortality I humbly beseech thee to fit and prepare me for that last and great change Wean me from all the fading pleasures and vain allurements of this sinful World that I may become a meet partaker of thy Heavenly Kingdom Send down O LOrd thy Light and thy Truth into my inward parts that I may understand thy Wisdom secreetly Support the weakness of my Faith that I may with a strong Assurance lay hold upon the Blood of Jesus by whose Merits I expect Salvation and to Reign with thee in thy Heavenly Kingdom Amen SECT III. Affliction of Conscience 1. THY Sin is ponderous upon thy Soul Bless the Omnipotence thou art sensible of it Many hath more weight and boasteth of Ease There 's Musick in this Complaint the Almighty delights to hear it next to the Melody of Saints and Angels Pursue and continue these sorrowful Notes if ever thou expectest Comfort It is this Godly Sorrow that worketh Repentance to Salvation not to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 Weep still and be not too much hastly to exhaust thy Tears for they are precious and rendred fit to be reserv'd in the Bottle of the Almighty Psal. 56.8 Over-speedy Remedies may prove injurious to the Patient And as in the Body so in the Soul Diseases and Tumours must have their due Maturation ' ere there can be a Cure The Inwards of the Sacrifice must be three times rinsed with Water Lev. 1.9 One Ablution will not serve turn But when thou hast Evacuated thine Eyes of Tears and unloaded thy Breast of leisurely Sighs I shall then by full Commission from him that hath the Power of Remission say to thee Son be of good Comfort thy Sins are forgiven thee Mat. 9.2 2. THINK not this Word meerly formal and forceless He that hath the Keys of Hell and of Death Rev. 1.18 hath not said in vain Whose Sins ye remit they are remitted John 20.23 The Words of his Vicegerents on Earth are ratified in Heav'n only the Priest under the Law hath power to pronounce the Leper clean Lev. 13.3 Had any other Israelite done it it had been as unprofitable as presumptuous It was a good Expression that fell from Elihu When a Man's Soul draweth nigh unto the Grave and his Life to the Destroyer if there be a Messenger of God with him an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto that Man his Uprightness then He i. e. God is Gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down into the Pit I have found a Ransom Job 33.22 23 24. Behold this is thy State thy Souls Life is in danger of the Destroyer through his powerful Temptations I am howsoever unworthy a Messenger sent to thee from Heaven and in the Name of the Almighty that sent me do here upon thy serious Repentance before Angels and Men proclaim thy Soul fix'd in the Court of Heaven The Invaluable Ranson of thy dear Saviour is accepted for thee so thou art deliver'd from descending into the Pit of Perdition 3. OH happy Message thou replyest were it receiv'd with Comfort But Alas my heart is possest with deep Grounds of Fear and Diffidence not easily to be remov'd That convicts me whil'st you offer to acquit me and positively acquaints me I am a worse Criminal than a Spectator can imagine My Sins are beyond measure hainous such as my Thoughts tremble at and Tongue dare not express to God that knows 'em against whom only they are committed If there is Horror in their very Remembrance what will their be then in their Retribution 4. THEY are bitter things thou urgest against thy self no Adversary could plead worse But I admit thy vileness be thou as wicked as Satan can make thee It is not his Malice or thy Wickedness that can exclude thee from Mercy Be thou as sordid as Sin can expose thee yet There is a Fountain opened to the House of David Zach. 13.1 a bloody Fountain in the Side of thy Saviour for Sin and for Uncleanness Be thou as Leprous as that Syrian was of old 2 King 5.18 if thou canst but Wash seven times in the Waters of this Jordan thou wilt be clean Thy Flesh shall come again to thee like to the Flesh of a little Child Thou shalt be at once sound and innocent Be thou stung with the Fiery Serpents of this Wilderness yet if thou cast thine Eyes to that Brazen Serpent erected for thy Malady thou wilt find Cure Wherefore came Christ into the World but to save Sinners Add if thou wilt Whereof I am Chief 1 Tim. 1.15 Thou canst alledge no worse by thy self than the best did before thee who in the Right of a Sinner claimeth the Benefit of a Saviour 5. WERE it not for Sin what use were there of a Redeemer Were not Sin hainous how should it require such an Expiation as the Blood of Christ The magnitude of thy Sins merits but to magnifie the Mercy of the Forgiver To remit the Debt of Farthings were insignificant but to forgive thousands of Talents is the height of Bounty Thus God deals with thee He permits thee to run on to so deep a Sum that when thy Conscious heart hath proclaim'd thee a Bankrupt he may infinitely oblige thee and glorifie his own Mercy in crossing the Reckoning and acquitting thy Soul All Sums are equally dischargable to the Munificence of our Great Creditor in Heav'n As it is the Act of his Justice to expect the least so it is of his Mercy to forgive the Greatest Had we to do with a Finite Power we might sink under the Burthen of our Sins But having an Infinite Power to attend us let thy Care be to lay hold on that Infinite Bounty and as thou art an Object of Mercy sinful and miserable enough so conclude thy self as thou art a Subject proper to receive it as a Penitent Believer Open and enlarge thy Bosom and assume this Free Grace and close wth thy Blessed Saviour and in him possess thy self of Remission Peace and Salvation 6. COMFORTABLE Expressions thou confessest to those that are capable of them But what is this to me that am neither Penitent nor Believer Alas That which is Honey to others is Gall and Wormwood to me who want the Grace to Repent and Believe as I ought Why art thou so imprudent and unjust as to conspire with Satan against thy own Soul Why wilt thou be so unthankfully injurious to the God of Mercies as to deny those Graces which his good Spirit hath bestowed upon thee If thou wert not penitent why are these Tears What means these Sighs and Passionate Expressions of Sorrow which thou utterest It is no Temporal Loss that afflicts thee nor Corporal Distemper that thus
disquiets thee Doubtless thou art Soul-sick thy Spirit is wounded within thee and what can thus affect thy Soul but sin Or what can this Affection of thy Soul be for Sin but true Penitence 7. THOU repliedst I am indeed sorrowful for Sin but not upon the right Grounds I grieve for the misery that Sin hath brought upon me not for the evil of Sin but for the Punishment not the Offence for my Peril not for the displeasure of my God Beware lest an undue Humility cause thee falsely to accuse the Graces of God's Spirit Thou art no competent Judge whilst thou art under Temptations Had not thy Sorrow a relation to God why wouldst thou Sigh to Heaven Why would thy Heart challenge thee for unkindness in Offending And to cry out of the Sordidness not of the Peril of thy Sin What renders the act of thy Sin to be sinful but the offence against the Divine Majesty How canst thou be sorry that thou hast Sinned and not be sorry that thou hast Offended Tell me What is it thy Conscience primarily suggests to thee in this impression of thy Sorrow Is it thou shalt be Punish'd or that thou hast Sinned And were it put to thy Choice Whether thou hadst rather enjoy the Favour of God with extremity of Pain or continue in his Displeasure with Ease Or if Liberty were tendred to thee that thou mightst freely sin without danger of Punishment Whether doth not thy Heart rise at the Condition as ready to flie in the Face of the Offerer Besides Fear and Horror dost thou not find an internal Indignation at thy Miscarriage and such a detestation of thy Sin that were it to be reiterated if it were possible to be concealed from God and Men and if there were no Hell to avenge it woulst thou not abhor to commit it All these are strong Convictions of the right grounds of thy Repentance and of the injury which thou dost thy Soul in the unjust Scruples which thou raisest against it 8. IF the grounds thou say'st of my Repentance be regular yet the measure is Insufficient I am sorrowful for Sin but not enough An effectual grief for sin should be serious deep hearty intensive mine is slight and superficial I Sigh but my Sighs proceed not from an humble Heart I can sometimes Weep but cannot pour out my self in Tears I mourn but don't continue my Sorrow To this I Answer Thou hast to do with a God which in all the dispositions of thy Soul regards Validity and not Quantity If he find thy Remorse he exacts not the solid Measure He doth not meet up our Repentance by Inches or Hours but where he finds sincerity of Penitence is Indulgent Look upon David and acknowledge his Sin formidably detestable no less than Adultery Inebriation and Murder Yet no sooner did he in a true Compunction of Heart cry out I have sinned against the Lord then he hears from that Mouth which accused him The Lord also hath put away thy Sin thou shalt not die 2 Sam. 12 13. Here is a penitent Confession which was efficacious in the Expiation of those grievous Crimes Thou art deceived if thou imaginest God delights in the Affliction of his Creatures So far only is the grief of his Servants pleasing to him that it may conduce to the health of their Souls in the sensibleness of their Sin and meet capacity of Mercy 9. I do not with some Casuists flatter thee with an Opinion of the sufficiency of any slight Attrition and empty wishes that thou hast not Sinned doubtâ—ess a true Contrition of Spirit and Compunction of Heart are necessarily required to a saving Repentance And these wert thou but an indifferent Censurer of thine own ways thou would'd find within thy self Why is thy Countenance so dejected thy Cheeks pale and watered so oft with Tears thy want of Rest and loss of Appetite Wherefore dost thou pour out those doleful Complaints and vehement Deprecations But after all this art thou such as thou accusest thy self defective in thy Repentance Dost thou rest contented in this condition and not complain of it as the greatest Misery Art thou not heartily sorry that thou canst be no more grieved for thy Sin Comfort thy self even this is an acceptable Repentance and God accepts it What is Repentance but a change from Evil to Good And how sensible is this Change that thou who formerly delightedst in thy Sin now detests it and thy self for it and art yet ambitious of more Grief for being transported into it Let not thy Souls Enemy who desires nothing more than to make thee perfectly Miserable so allure thee as to render thee unsatisfied with the Measure of that Penitency which is accepted of God Rather turn thine Eyes from thy Sins and look to Heaven and fix 'em upon thine All-sufficient Mediator and behold his Face smiling upon thy humbled Soul and perfectly reconciling thee to his Eternal Father as being fully assured That being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God Rom. 5.1 2. 10. THERE thou say'st is the very root of my Complaint I want that Faith that should give me an interest in my Saviour and afford true Comfort to my Soul and Boldness and Access with Confidence to the Throne of Grace Ephes. 3.12 I can be sorry but cannot believe my Grief is not so great as my Infidelity I see others full of Joy and Peace in believing Rom. 15.13 But my stubborn Heart cannot soar up to a conformable apprehension of my Saviour So as indeed I dwell in obdurate Darkness and a sad ponderosity of Incredulity wanting that Assurance which others profess to find in themselves Take heed lest whilst thou art too querulous thou prove unthankful and whilst thy Humbleness disparages thee thou make God a Loser A Man may have a rich Mine in his Ground which he knows not of and there are Shells furnish'd with Pearls whose Worth many are not sensible of This is thy State Thou hast that Grace thou complainest to want and there is no measuring of thy self by Sense especially in the time of Temptation Thou coulst not so sensibly lament the want of Faith if thou hadst it not Thou canst not deny an Assent to the verity of all God's Promises Thou acknowledgst he could not be what he is if he were not even Verity it self Thou canst not doubt but he hath made those promises of Grace and Mercy to all Penitent Sinners which tend to their Salvation and thou canst not but grant thou art sinful enough to need Mercy and sorrowful enough to desire and Embrace it 11. CANST thou but love thy self so well that when thou seest a Pardon held forth to stretch forth thy Hand and take it This Hand is thy Faith which takes hold of thy Redeemer As for that Assurance thou mentions they
Humiliation have been raised through God's mercy to a Comfortable Sense of the Divine Favour and have proceeded to a high degree of Regeneration and liv'd and dy'd good Christians 18. BUT this is not every ones Case those who have from their Infancy been brought up in The Nurture and Fear of the Lord Eph. 6.4 and from their Youth been Train'd up under a Godly and Conscionable Ministry where they have been plyed with the effectual means of Grace Precept upon Precept Line upon Line here a little and there a little Isa. 28.10 and by an insensible Conveyance received the Gracious Inoperations of the Spirit of God though not without many inward Debates Temptations and deep Humiliation for their particular Failings these cannot expect to find so sensible Alterations in themselves As well a Child knows when he was born as these know the instant of their Spiritual Regeneration and as well may they see the Grass grow as perceive their insensible Increase of Grace It is sufficient that a Child attaining to Reason knows he was born as when we see the Grass higher than we left it know that it is grown Let it then suffice thee that the thing is finish't though thou canst not define the time and manner of doing it Be not over curious in matters of particular Preceptions whil'st thou art assured of what is wrought in thee The skilful Chyrurgion makes a Fontinel in the Body of his Patient either by a sudden Incision or by a leisurely Corrosive both equally tend towards Health Trust God with thy self and with his own Work without making inquiry which way he designs thy Salvation 19. ALL were safe thou say'st if I could be ascertain'd of my Election to Life Eternal I could be Patient so I might be sure But wretched that I am here I am plung'd I see others walk comfortably as if in Heav'n whereas I droop under a continual Diffidence raising my self new Arguments of Distrust Could my heart be settled in this Assurance nothing could make me unhappy It is true as all other mercies flow from our Election so the securing of this one involves all other Favours that concern the welfare of our Souls It is no less true our Election may be assured else the Holy Ghost had not laid so deep a Charge upon us to use our utmost Endeavour to ascertain it And we are much wanting to our selves if hearing so excellent a Blessing may be attained by diligence if we pull not our hand out of our Bosom to reach that Crown so offer'd to us But withal 't is true if there were not a difficulty in this work the Apostle had not so earnestly call'd for the utmost of our Endeavour to effect it 2. Pet. 1.10 20. THE Truth is in Christianity there is no Path wherein there is more need of treading warily than in this On each side is Danger and Death Security on one hand and Presumption on the other And the Miscarriage either way is deadly Behold the miserable Examples on both kinds Some walk carelesly as if there were no Heav'n or if such a Place yet of no Concernment Their hearts are fond of the Pleasure of this Life and they neither care nor wish to be happier than this World can make 'em The God of this World hath blinded their Eyes that they believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 Others walk proudly being vainly puff't up with their own ungrounded Imaginations as if they were invested with Immortal Glory fancying themselves rapt up with St. Paul into the Third Heav'n and have seen their Names recorded in the Book of Life Whereas this is nothing but an Illusion of that Lying Spirit who knows the the way to keep 'em out of Heaven is to make 'em believe they are in a State of happiness 21. IT must be thy main Care to walk in a just Equidistance from both these Extreams that thou may'st be resolute without Presumption and careful without Diffidence And First I advise thee to abandon those false Teachers who improve their Wits for the Ruine of Souls in broaching the sad Doctrines of Uncertainty and Distrust Be sure our Saviour had not bid his Disciples rejoyce that their Names are written in Heaven Luke 10.20 Had there not been a particular Enrollment nor the Disciples could never have attained to the notice of such Inscription Neither is this a Mercy peculiar to his Domestick Followers but universal to all that believe what they testifie and by believing we may be assur'd our Names are Registred in those Eternal Records 22. NOT that we should take an Acesius his Ladder and climb up to Heaven and turn over the Book of God's Councils and read our selves design'd to Glory But as we by Experience imagine we can by Reflections read those Letters which directly we cannot So we may do here in spiritual Objects The same Apostle that gives us our Charge gives us withal our Directions Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Callings and Election sure for if ye do those things ye shall never fall for so an Entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Here is first our Calling then our Election Not that we should begin with Heaven and thence descend to Earth but that we should from Earth ascend to Heaven from our Calling to our Election As knowing that God shews what he hath done for us above by that which he hath wrought in us here below 23. OUR Calling not outward and formal but inward and effectual The Spirit of God hath a Voice and our Soul an Ear that Voice of the Spirit speaks inwardly and effectually to the Ear of the Soul calling us out of the State of Corrupt Nature into the State of Grace out of Darkness into his marvellous Light By thy Calling thou mayst judge of thine Election God never works in vain neither doth he cast away his saving Graces But whom he did Predestinate them also he Called and whom he Called them he Justified and whom he Justified them also he Glorified Rom. 8.30 This doubtless thou sayst is sure in it self but how assured to me I answer That which the Apostle adds By good Works if we comprehend the Acts of Believing and Repenting is a special Evidence of our Election But not to urge that Clause of Good Works which tho read in the Vulgar is found wanting in our Editions The clear words of the Text evince no less For if ye do these things ye shall nevâ—r fall Here is our Negative Certainty And for our Positive So an Entrance shall be Ministred unto you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If we shall never fall but shall undoubtedly enter the Kingdom of Christ what possible scruple can be of the accomplishment of our Election What then are these things that must be perform'd by us Fix your Eyes upon that Collection of Graces
Conception lyes in the way of thy Improvement and many a one had been Gracious had they not esteem'd themselves But now thou art Meaner in thine Opinion than in thine Estate who can more justly claim our Saviours Blessing Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.3 10. THOU art weak in heart It is thine own Fault if thou acquir'st not more Strength Wherefore is that Heavenly Food of the Word and Sacraments but to nourish thy Soul to Eternal Life Do but Eat and Digest and thou wilt grow stronger God will not be wanting to thee in an Increase of Grace if thou art not wanting to thy self He offers his Holy Spirit with the Means and it is thy neglect if thou separate ' em Thou knowest in whose hands is the Staff of Bread pray That he who gives thee Food and Mouth would also give thee Appetite Digestion and Nourishment 11. THY Spirit is weak It concerns thee highly to be cautious in avoiding occasions of Temptation He that carries brittle Glasses is careful lest they should break whereas strong Metal fears no danger So he that has a small Rush-Light walks gently and keeps off every Air. Thou art weak thy God is strong Do'st thou not see the Infant that cannot go alone how fast he clings to the hand of his Mother more trusting to her help than his own Strength Do thou so to thy God and say with the Blessed Psalmist Hold up my goings in thy Paths that my Foot-steps slip not Psal. 17.5 Hold thou me up and I shall be safe Psal. 119.117 Uphold me according to thy Word that I may live and let me not be ashamed of my Hope Psal. 119.116 12. St. Peter was presumptuous in attempting to tread on the Waters But he that ventured to walk there upon the Strength of his Faith when he felt the stiff Wind and saw the great Billow began to sink in his Weakness But no sooner had Jesus stretch'd forth his hand and caught him but he takes Courage and goes now with the same assurance upon the Sea as he on the Land And with a Check receives more Supportation from Christ than his own Limbs could afford him Mat. 14.29 30 31. Fear no Miscarriage through thine own weakness whilst thou art supported by that Strong Helper A Prayer for Grace O LORD who art the Author of all Goodness and from whom cometh every good and perfect Gift make me to discern aright what Grace thou hast vouchsafed unto me and learn me to be truly thankful for the same and to Glorifie thee the only giver of it so likewise to use my utmost diligence in the performance of those Duties which thou requirest of me That when thou shalt Summon me to a Reckoning for the use of that Talent committed to me I may give in my Accounts and be plentifully Rewarded by entering into that Joy which thou hast prepared for all thy Servants 2. GRANT that I may ever use that measure of Grace thou hast allotted to me and restrain me from turning of it into Wantonness Let me be content with that Portion which thou in thy Wisdom and Goodness hast endowed me withal and not plead Ignorance and contemn its Insufficiency neither let me Envy those that haeve received more lest I repine against thee nor despise those which have attained less lest I incur thy Displeasure and cause thee in Justice to withdraw that Grace from me which in Mercy thou hast freely given me and bestow it upon those who would make better use of it But Lord Sanctifie unto me all thy Gifts and Graces to my Lifes end Amen SECT VI. Loss of Reputation 1. NEXT to our Body and Soul is the Care of our Reputation which lost we are dead to the World Thou sufferest under a Publick Infamy I do not ask how justly He was wise that said It was fit for every Good Man to fear a false Reproach A good Name is no less wounded for the time with that than with a just Crimination This is a sore Evil against which there is no Preservative nor hardly can be prescrib'd any Remedy Innocence it self is no Antidote against Malicious Tongues Neither Grandeur nor Sanctity can secure any from unjust Calumny 2. MIGHT that be any Ease to thee I could tell thee of Kings and Saints that have complain'd of this Misfortune and yet were not able to resist it Thou hast the Company of the best if that mitigates thy Misery But what do I speak of Mortals whose greatest Purity might be blurr'd with some Imperfections Look upon the Lord of Life the Eternal Son of the ever living God God cloathed in Flesh and see whether any other were his Lot in this Region of Mortality Dost thou not hear for his Gracious Sociableness branded as Gluttonous a Wine-bibber a Friend of Publicans and Sinners Mat. 11.19 For his Powerful and Merciful Cure of Demoniacks blazon'd for a Fellow that Casts out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of Devils Mat. 12.24 Was not he slandred to death for Treason against Caesar and Blasphemy against God John 19.12 Mat. 26.65 Did not the Multitude say He is mad and hath a Devil John 10.20 Was he not after his Death counted an Impostor Mat. 27.63 And can there be worse Names than Glutton Drunkard Conjurer and Traytor Blasphemer Mad-man Demoniack and Impostor Who then can think much to be slandered with meaner Crimes when he hears the Son of God in whom The Prince of this World could find nothing laden with so hainous Calumniations John 14.30 3. THOU art smitten with a sordid Tongue which penetrates into thy Soul That Person gave a high praise to his Sword that affirm'd It was sharper than Slander And if a Razor proves sharper yet short of the Edomites Tongue Psal. 52.2 And if these Weapons reach not far enough he found both Spears and Arrows in the Mouths of his Traducers Psal. 57.4 Thou art in the same Circumstance with David What should'st thou do but for his Complaint use his Remedy I will cry unto God most high unto God that performeth all things for me He shall send from Heav'n and save me from the Reproach of him that would swallow me up God shall send forth his Mercy and his Truth Psal. 57.2 3. Do by thy Reproaches as Hezekiah did by the Railing Lines of Rabshakeh spread them before the Lord and leave thy Cause in the just hands of the Almighty who will in his good time revenge thy Wrong and clear thine Innocency and requite thee Good for their Malice and Envy 4. IN the mean time thou complain'st of being blemish'd with an odious Aspersion and thy Name repeated by many censorious Mouths Thou hearest what others say but do'st thou make a particular Search in thine own Bosom If thy Conscience acquit thee obdure thy Face against all Spight of Malice What is ill Fame but an unsavory Breath Do but turn thine Ear from the Reception and what art thou
grief that others may behold that in me which creates this disrespect but make me every day careful to walk Circumspectly and to Redeem that Time I have so vainly lost that at last I may by hearty Repentance and the Merits of a blessed Jesus be received into thy Favour Amen SECT VII Of Publick Calamities 1. THOU art afflicted with the Publick Calamities So it becomes thee as a good Man a good Christian and a good Patriot We are not entirâ— Pieces but Limbs of a Community of Church and Kinâ—dom Whâ—e the whole Body suffers how can â—e bâ— free This should be no News to us Whaâ— Eaâ—thly Kingdom or State hath ever enjoy'd a constâ—nt Felicity These Publick Bodies like single Persons have their Birth Infancy Youth Vigour and Declinations Even the White Marble of that famous Emblem and Type of God's Church after not many Centuries of Years felt the Dine of Time and Mould'red to nothing 2. IT is as much as Heavenly Bodies can do to avoid Mutation And well might be distracted with these Troubles if we did not know from whence they come even from a most Wise Powerful and just Providence He that sits in Heaven ordeâ—s these Earthly Affairs according to the Counsel of his Will It is that Almighty Hand that holds the Stern of this Vessel and steers it in that Course he knows best It is not for us Passengers to meddle with Card or Compass Let that All-skillful Pilot alone with his Work He knows every Rock and Shelf that may endanger it and can cut the proudest Billow that threatens it It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3.18 3. WERE there no other respects than Personal I cannot blame thee if thy Fears strive with thy Grief for the Publick Evils Every Man's Interest is involv'd in the Common and if the Ship Sink what will become of the Passengers But withal there is a kind of inbred Sympathy in every good heart which gives a Share in all Miseries and affects us more for them than our own Old indulgent Eli lov'd his Sons well and was no doubt very sensible of their Death yet that part of the News passed over with some Passion But when he heard the Ark of God was taken his Neck and Heart were broke together And his Religious Daughter-in-Law though she were Delivered of a Son yet she died in Travel of that heavy News and could live only to say Ichabod the Glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken 1 Sam. 4.17 18 21 22. disregarding her new Son when she heard of the Loss of heâ— People and her God 4. HOW many Pagans have we read of that have died resolutely for their Country cheerfully sacrificing themselves to the Publick How many that died with their Country hating to out-live the common Ruin How many have Scorn'd to be beholden for their Lives to their Peoples Murtherers We shall as soon extinguish Grace and Nature as quit this Compassionate Sense of the Common Calamities 5. THOU grievest for the Publick Distempers Mourn not as one without Faith Be sure He that keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleep Psal. 121.4 Wherefore was The Holy Tabernacle over spread with Skins but to figure to us God's Church shelt'red under a sure Protection Exod. 26.7 He that was so curious of the Custody of his Material Temple by Night as well as by Day that a sleeping Levite might not escape beating and burning of Garments how careful do we think he will be of his Spiritual and Living House How unmeet Judges are we of his Holy Proceedings We are ready to measure his Love by an outward Prosperity than which nothing can be more uncertain 6. THE Almighty goes by other Rules such as are most Consonâ—nt to his Infinite Justice and Mercy I am abash'd to hear a Pagan though no Vulgar one say Whatsoever is brought to pass a wise Man thinks ought to be so done neither goes about to rebuke Nature But finds it best to suffer what he cannot alter And shall we Christians repine at those seemingly harsh Events which we see fall out in God's Church whil'st we are ignorant of his Designs and be ready to bless a thriving Prophaneness Behold the antient Lot of God's Inheritance and thou shalt see the Father of Esau Flourishing yielding eight Kings of his Line whil'st poor Israel was toyling and sweating in the Aegyptian Furnaces Yet we know the World to stand inviolable The Elder shall serve the Younger and Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated 7. WHAT if that Wise God who brings Light out of Darkness have purposed to dispense Honor and Happiness to his Church out of this sad Affliction Metals are never so bright as when polish'd Perfumes and Spices never so Redolent as when they have endur'd the Fire and Pestle Wilt thou not give the Physician leave to make use of Mithridate because there are Vipers in the Composition How unworthy art thou of Health if thou wilt not trust the Skill of the Artist in mixing so wholesome a Cordial 8. THOU art troubled with the Publick Miseries Take heed that thy Grief be clear of all Impiety Would'st thou not have God to be Just and allow it an Act of his Justice to punish Sins Can'st thou deny that our Sins have reacht to Heaven and call'd for Judgment Wherefore doth a Living Man complain a Man for the punishment of his Sin Lam. 3.39 I read of a Devout Man that was instant with God in his Prayers for a Nation not far off And was answer'd Suffer the Proud to be humbled Whether we suffer it or no the just God will humble the Proud and punish the Sinful The wonderful Patience and infinite Justice of the Almighty hath set Limits to the Wickedness of every People The Iniquities of the Amorites is not yet at the full saith God to Abraham Gen. 15.16 When the Measures is made up it is time for God to strick Then we complain when perhaps 't is too late 9. WOULD'ST thou know what Remedy is to be us'd for preventing of a Destructive Vengeance There is no way under Heav'n but to break off our Sins by a seasonable serious Repentance By the united Forces of Holy Resolutions and Endeavours to make an Head against our Wickednesses and not to suffer it to fill up to the Brim of that fatal Epah till which time the Long-suffering God only threatens and corrects a People But then he plagues them and insists upon the necessity of his inviolable Justice Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord And shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this Jer. 5.9 10. THOU mournest for the common Sufferings And indeed our Fears can never be better bestowed But have not thy Sins helped to make up this irritating Heap and thou cast in thy Symbole into the common Shot Cannot the Timeâ— justly challenge thee as accessary to their Misery Begin at Home if thou
Cement Souls as Grace For here the Union is wrought by a better Spiâ—it than our own even that blessed Spirit who stiâ—es himself Love 1 Joh. 4.18 The greater thine Affection the heavier thy Loss But let me tâ—â—l the I fear thou art accessary to thine own Afflâ—ction Didst thou expect this Loss Did thy Heart say What if we should part Didst thou not ovâ—â— enjoy this Blessing If so these are no small Disadvantages 3. AS every Evil so this especially is aggravated by our Unexpectation Neither hadst thou been so oppressed with Sorrow if thou hadst foreseen it It is our weak inconsideration if we welcome these Earthly Comforts not as Guests but Inmates some are importunately Hospitable to entertain their Friends that they have no power to let 'em Depart Whereas we ought according to the Advice of Seneca to possess 'em as those that make account to fore-go 'em and fore-go 'em as if we possest ' em And the Apostle St. Paul gives us this Advice to Use this World as if we us'd it not for the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7.30 31. 4. THOU art griev'd for the loss of a Dear Friend Take heed lest thy Love had too much of Humanity and too little of the Deity All Blessings as they flow from the Father of Mercies should be enjoy'd in him But if we enjoy 'em as in themselvs our Love degenerates into Carnal It is a sure Rule that Love depends upon the thing affected but when that ceaseth Love is Extinguish'd As he that loves a Face for Beauty when Deformity appears it cools his Affection He that respects a Man for Bounty disregards him when he is Impoverish'd 5. DID'ST thou value thy Friend for Wit Complaisance and kind Offices All these are lost and thy Love with them But if thou didst affect him for Eminency in Goodness for the sake of God that dwelt in him thy Love cannot be lost because thou enjoy'st God in whom thou loved'st him Comfort thy self therefore in God in whom he was thine and yielded him cheerfully into those Hands from whom thou receiv'st him 6. THOU hast lost a true Friend That Jewel was to be priz'd for the rarity of it The World affords Friends enough such as they are Friends of the Purple as Tertullian calls them Friends of the Basket as the Poet nominates them such as love thy Loaves and Fishes and thee for them Wealth makes many Friends saith the Wise Man Prov. 14.20 and Chap. 19.4 But where is the Man that loves thee for thy self for being Vertuous divested of all By-respects Whil'st there is Honey in thy Pot the Wasps and Flies will be buzzing about it but the Honey being gone the Vessel remains quiet 7. WAS he so much thine as not to leave thee in Adversity Did he honour thee when the World despised thee Did he follow with Applause whilst thou wert hooted at by the Multitude Would he have own'd thee if he had found thee stripped and wounded in the Wilderness Such a Friend is worthy of thy Tears But take heed thy Love prove not envious If God hath thought him fitter for Society of Saints and Angels dost thou repine at his happiness Thou hast lost his Presence he is advanc'd to the Beatifical Presence of the King of Glory Now Whether is thy Loss or his Gain the greater 8. THOU hast lost thy Friend Say rather Thou hast parted with him That is properly lost which is past Recovery and past hopes to see any more It is not so with this Friend thou mourn'st for He is but gone Home before thee and thou art following him You will both meet in your Father's House and enjoy each other more happily than you could have done here below How just is that Charge of the Blessed Apostle That we should not mourn as Men without Hope for those that do but sleep in Jesus 1 Thess. 4.13 14. Did we think their Souls vanish't into Air as that Heathen Poet prophanely expresseth it and their Bodies resolv'd into Dust without all Possibility of Reparation we might weep out our Eyes for the utter Extinction of those we lov'd But if They do but sleep they shall do well John 11.12 Why are we Impatient for their Reposal in the Bed of Earth when assured of their waking to Glory 9. THOU hast lost a Dear Wife the Wife of thy Youth the desire of thine Eyes Prov. 5.18 Isa. 54.6 Ezek. 24.16 Did you not take each other upon Terms of Re-delivery when call'd for Were you not in Uniting put in mind of Dissolution Till Death us do part Was she Vertuous Knowest thou not there was a Pre-Contract betwixt Christ and her Soul ere thou could'st Claim her Body And canst thou grudge his Challenge of his own Wilt thou not allow him to call for a Consummation of that happy Match Did'st thou so affect her that thou would'st not have her Soul Glorious If thou loved'st her not as a Man but a Christian envy her not that better Husband who for her Dowry gives Immortality 10. THY Son is dead What marvel is it that a Mortal Father hath begot a Mortal Son Marvel rather that thou hast liv'd to enjoy and lose a Son We lie open to so many Casualties that our Subsistence is almost Miraculous Thou hast lost a piece of thy self For what are Children buâ— Colonies deduced from our Flesh yea rather our selves in other Models This loss cannot but go near thee But what was the Disposiâ—ion of the Son thou mournest for If graceless and debauch'd as thy Shame so thy sorrow should die with him Place the hopes thou might'st have had if his Reclaiming against the Fears of his increasing in Wickedness and thou could'st have made no other Account but of Dishonour and Discomfort 11. IF it be sad that he is taken away in his Wildness it had been more heavy had he added to the heap of Sin to augment his Torments If he were Gracious he hath a better Father than thy self whose Interest was more in him than thine And if that Heavenly Father have thought good to prefer him to a Crown of Immortal Glory why should'st thou be afflicted with his Advancement Why should'st thou not rather rejoyce that thy Loyns have assisted to furnish Heav'n with a Saint Were it put to thy Choice that thy Son might be call'd from his Blessed Rest and return to his Earthly Relations Could'st thou be so injurious as to wish the Misery of so disadvantagious a Change to to that Soul which as it was never of thy Production so it were pity it should be at thy disposing Rather labour to have thine own Soul so disposed that it may be ready to follow him into those Blessed Mansions and that it may love and long for Heaven so much more to dwell among the Spirits of the Just made perfect A Prayer against Immoderate Grief for the Loss of Friends O GOD the God of the Spirits of all Flesh thou killest and makest
of Pleasure I have gladly withdrawn my self from that Imperious Mistress 13. WHAT an unreasonable Vassalage our Youthful Lusts subject us to we need no other Instance than in Sampson who was effeminated by his impotent Passion and weakned to betray his Life to a mercinary Harlot and to endure to hear her say Tell me wherewith thou mayst be Bound to do thee hurt Judg. 16.6 How easily might he have answered her O Delilah even with these Cords of Brutish Sensuality How was Solomon Besotted with his Strange Wives and drawn away to Worship strange Gods 1 King 11.5 14. AND how may Fir-trees howl when Cedars fall Who can hope to be free from being transported with irregular Affections when we see such great precedents of Frailties From the danger of these sad Miscarriages our Age happily secures us disposing us into quiet Harbour whence we may see Youth toss'd with Tempests of unruly Passions from which Seniority hath free'd us 15. ANNEX Experimental Knowledge which Age enriches us every Dram is worth Pounds of Junior Contentments In comparison the Speculative Knowledge is weak and imperfect This may come at an easie rate perhaps cost us nothing That commonly we pay dear for and is esteem'd valuable If Experience be the Mistress of Fools I 'm sure 't is the Mother of Wisdom For the long Observation of variety of Actions and Events in the whole course of our Life must needs leave such sure Rules of Judgment as may be unfailable Directions for our selves and others 16. IN vain shall this be expected from our Minority which the Wise Philosopher excludes from being Judges of true Morality And well might the Old Man say Ye Young Men think us Old Men Fools but we Old Men know you Young Men to be Fools And indeed what value Ignorance may put upon it this Fruit of Age the Earth hath nothing equally so precious It was Prophane but fit for the Mouth of an Heathen Poet That Prudence is above Destiny But surely a Christian may justly say That next to Providence Humane Prudence may challenge the supream Place in Earthly Affairs and Age claim the greatest Interest in that vertue 17. YOUNG Elihu could say Job 32.7 Multitude of years should teach Wisdom And the Wise Man Ecclus. 25.4 5. Oh how comely a thing is Judgment for Gray-Hairs and for Ancient Men to know Counsel Oh how comely is the Wisdom of Old Men and Understanding and Counsel to Men of Honor. And the Grecians could say That young Men are for Action and old Men for Advice And among the Romans Senators take their Name from Age. That which causeth weakness of Aged Eyes is they better discern things further off and by the strength of their Mental Eyes they perceive Judgments or Advantages at a distance and accordingly frame their Determinations 18. IT is observ'd that Old Lutes sound better than New It was Rehoboam's Folly and Undoing 1 King 12.6 7 8 9 10 c. to follow the Advice of Green Heads and abandon those Grave Senators of his Fathers Counsel Not that Age of it self is Rich in Wisdom and Knowledge But well cultur'd and improv'd is valuable There are Old Men that live and have a Being upon Earth who can give no Proof of their many Years but only Gray-Hairs and Infirmities There are those who like to Hermogenes are Old whilst Young and Children when Old These the Elder they grow are more stupid 19. TIME is an ill Measure of Age which should rather be meted by Proficiency Ripeness of Judgment and Monuments of commendable and useful Labours If we have thus imployed our selves our Autumn will shew what our Spring was and our Gray-Hairs will give us more Cause to fear Pride than Dejection We accuse Age of many Weaknesses and Indispositions But these Imputations are not Universal Many of these are Faults of the Person not of the Age. All Wine doth not sowr with Age neither doth every Nature 20. OLD Oyl is clearer and hotter in Medicinal Uses than New Some are pettish and morose in Youth and others are mild gentle and sociable in their decayed Years Some are crazy in their Prime and others in their Wain are Vigorous And many before the fulness of their Age have lost their Memory as Hermogenes Corvinus Antonius Carracalla Georgius Trapezuntius and Nizolius 21. SOME whose intellectuals have so happily held out that they have been best at the last Plato at fourscore and one died with his Pen in his hand and Demosthenes when Death Summon'd him at an 100 Years he bemoan'd himself that he must now die when he began to gain knowledge And as for Spiritual Graces and Improvements the Psalmist satisfies us Psal. 92.12 13. Such as be planted in the House of the Lord shall flowrish in the Courts of our God They shall also bring forth more fruit in their Age and shall be fat and well liking 22. BUT the chief Benefit of Age is our approach to our Journeys end For the end of motion is rest and once attain'd their remains nothing but fruition Now Age brings us after a weary Race within some breathings of our Journeys end For if Young Men may die Old Men must a condition which a carnal heart bewails and abhors complaining of nature as Niggardly in Dispensations of the shortest time to her noblest Creatures and envying the Oaks which many generations must leave standing and growing 23. NO marvel the Worlding thinks himself at home and looks upon Death as a banishment He hath placed his heav'n here below and can see nothing in his remove but Annihilation or Torment But for Christians who know that whilst we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 and do justly account our selves Foreigners our Life a Pilgrimage Heaven our Home how can we but rejoice that after a tedious and painful Travel we do now draw near the threshold of our Father's house wherein we know there are many Mansions and all Glorious John 14.2 24. I could blush to hear a Heathen say if God would offer me the choice of renewing my Age and returning to my Childhood I should heartily refuse it for I should be loath after I have passed so much of my Race to be recalled back from the Goal to the Bars of my first setting out and to hear a Christian sighing and sobbing at the thought of his Dissolution Where is our Faith of a Heav'n 〈◊〉 after long Sea-beaten we are loath to think of putting into the safe Harbour of Immortality A Prayer for the Aged O LORD GOD of my Salvation I humbly render thee all hearty thanks for thy abundant Mercies and Favours Spiritual and Temporal for thy Gracious Preservation of me from my Youth untill this present Moment That thou hast spared me in thy Fatherly Mercy when in thy Justice thou mightest have destroyed me Lord as thou hast given me space for Repentance and reserv'd me to these Years who mightest justly have cut off
fortitude takes off his terror If as a Messenger of God he is sent to convey thee to happiness what reason hast thou to be afraid of thine own bliss It is one thing what Death is in himself a privation of Life such as nature cannot chuse but abhor Another what he is by Christ made unto us and introduction to Life and a harbinger to Glory 21. WHY would the Lord of Life yield unto Death and by yielding vanquisht him but to alter and sweeten him to us and of a fierce Tyrant make him a Friend and Benefactor And if we look upon him thus changed and reconciled how can we chuse but bid him welcome 22. THOU art afraid of the pangs of Death Some have dyed without any great sense of pain Some have yielded up their Souls without a groan And how knowest thou what measure God hath allotted thee Our Death is a Sea-Voyage The holy Apostle desired to lanch forth Phil. 1. wherein some find a rough and tempestuous passage others calm and smooth Such thine may prove and so thy dissolution may be easier than a fit of sickness 23. BUT if God had determined otherwise look unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 the Son of God the Lord of Glory see with what Agonies he conflicted what torments he endured for thee Look upon his Bloody Sweat Bleeding Temples Furrowed Back Nailed Hands and Feet Rack'd Joints and Pierc'd Side Hear his strong Cries consider the Shame Pain and Curse of the Cross which he underwent for thy sake Say whether thy sufferings can be comparable to his He is a Cowardly and Unworthy Soldier that follows his General sighing Behold these are the steps wherein thy God and Saviour hath trod before thee Walk on couragiously in this deep and bloody way and after a few paces thou shalt overtake him in Glory For if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 24. THOU shrink'st at the thoughts of Death Is it not for over-valuing Life and making Earth thy home Rich Persons that live at ease are loth to stir abroad especially upon hard and stormy Voyages Perhaps 't is so with thee wherein I cannot but much pity thy weakness in placing thy contentment where a wiser Man could find nothing but vanity and vexation 25. ALAS what is our Exile if this be our home What entertainment to be enamour'd on Distempered humours hard usages violent passions and bodily sicknesses sad complaints disappointed hopes and frequent miscarriages Momentany Pleasures mixt with sorrows and lastly umbrages of joy and real miseries Doth these so bewitch thee that when Death calls thou art ready to reply as the Devil to our Saviour Mat. 8.29 Art thou come to torment me before the time 26. ARE these such contentments as allures thee to the World as St. Peter was to Mount Tabor Mat. 17.4 Master It is good for us to be here if thou have any Faith in thee look up to the other World where thou art going and see whether that true Life pure Joy perfect Felicity and Eternity may not be worthy to draw thy heart to a longing desire of Fruition and a Contempt of what the Earth can promise in comparison of infinite blessedness 27. IT was one of the defects which Sir Francis Bacon found in Physicians that do not study Remedies to procure the easie passage of their Patients through the Gates of Death Such helps I leave to the care of the skilful Sages of Nature the use I supose must be with caution lest whilst they endeavour to sweeten Death they shorten Life 28. BUT let me prescibe this spiritual means of thine happy Euthanasia which is a faithful disposition of the labouring Soul that can truly say with Timothy 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and Chap. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day 29. THOU startest ar the mention of Death How canst thou but blush to read of Socrates when the Message of Death was brought him applauded the News with much joy Or of a Cardinal of Rome that received the Intimation of his approaching Death Cry'd out the news is good and welcome Is not their Confidence thy Shame who believing that when our Earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 yet shrinks at the motion of taking possession of it 30. CANST thou with dying Mithridates be unwilling to forsake this light when thou art going to a light more Glorious than the Sun It is our infidelity that makes us unwilling to die Did we think the Soul sleeps as well as the Body from the moment of the dissolution till the day of Resurrection death might be unwelcome 31. OR did we think we should wander to unknown places to uncertain entertainment or fear a scorching Tryal upon the Emigâ—ation in flames little inferiour to those of Hell there were some cause to tremble at the approach of Death But we can boldly say with the Wise Man VVisd 3.1 2 3. The Souls of the Righteous are in the hands of God and there shall no torment touch them In the sight of the unwise they seem'd to die and their departure is taken for misery and their going from us to be utter destruction but they are in peace 32. OH thou of little Faith why fearst thou â—hide thy self as that dying Saint of old and say my Soul go boldly forth what art thou afraid of Lo the Angels are ready to receive thee and carry thee to Glory leave there this wretched Body and be possess'd of Heaven After a momentary darkness upon Nature thou shalt enjoy the Beatifical Vision of God Be not afraid to be happy but say in Faith what Jonah said in Anger Jonah 4.3 It is better for me to dye than to live 33. I am afraid to dye This is Natures voice But wilt thou hear what Faith saith To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain If therefore Nature reigns in thee thou must be affrighted with Death But if true Grace be prevalent in thy Soul that Guest shall not be unwelcome Was ever any Man afraid of Profit and Advantage Such is Death to the Faithful Whosoever finds Christ his Life shall be sure to find Death his gain for he is thereby brought to a near Communion with him Whereas before he enjoyed him by the dim apprehension of Faith now he clearly and immediately enjoys that Glorious Presence which only makes blessedness 34. THIS is it that causeth Death to change his Copy and renders him who is formidable pleasing and beneficial I desire to depart and to be with Christ saith the Man who was rapt up in the third Heaven had it been only departing he
had not been in such an extasie but to depart and to be with Christ is that which raiseth his Soul 35. WHEN Socrates was to dye for his Religion he comforted himself with this that he should go to Orpheus Homer Musaeus and the other Worthies of former Ages Poor Man Could he have known God manifested in the flesh and received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3.16 and in that glorified state sitting at the right hand of Majesty could he have known the Blessed Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Angels Arch Angels Principalities and Powers and the rest of the most Glorious Hierarchy of Heaven Could he have been acquainted with that Celestial Choir of the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect Heb. 12.23 Could he have known the God and Father of Spirits the Infinite and Incomprehensible Glorious Diety whose Presence transfuses Everlasting Blessedness into all those Citizens of Glory And could he have known that he should have an undoubted interest in that infinite Bliss how gladly would he have taken of his hemlock and how joyfully would he have passed to that happy World 36. ALL this we know and no less assured then of our present being with what comfort should we think of changing our present Condition with a Blessed Immortality How sweet a Song was that of old Simeon Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation That which he saw by the Eye of Sence thou seest by the Eye of Faith even the Lords Christ verse 16. he saw him in Weakness thou seest him in Glory why should'st thou not depart not in peace only but in joy and comfort 37. HOW did the Proto-Martyr Stephen triumph over the rage of his Enemies and the fury of Death when he had once seen the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.56 God offers the same blessed prospect to the Eye of thy Soul Faith is the Key that opens the Heav'n of Heav'ns fix thy eyes upon that Glorious and Saving Object Thou canst not but lay down thy Body in peace and send thy Soul into the hands of him that bought it with the cheerful and sweet Recommendation of Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Acts 7.39 A Prayer at the Hour of Death O LORD GOD Almighty I humbly acknowledge my own vileness through the whole course of my Life And seeing thou hast thus long spared me now accomplish thy Mercy in me Be thou my God forever and my Guide unto the end O Comfort me now my Heart trembleth in me and the terrors of Death are fallen upon me give me the long expected fruits of my hopes proposed to me in thy Word O Blessed Jesu who art the Death of death now shew thy self my Saviour Take from my afflicted Soul the sting of Death and assure me of Victory Loose the Pains allay the Fears and Sorrows and Sweeten the bitterness of Death untill in my enjoying thy Presence it be swallowed up in Victory O Holy Saviour who hast had Experience of all our miseries for Sin without Sin and hast admitted us to be Baptized into the Similitude of thy Death and Resurrection Let me now feel in my Languishing Soul the Power and Efficacy thereof 2. O Christ whose Human Soul in thy Passion for my Redeemption was heavy unto Death now mercifully Consider my Frailty who am now at the point of Dissolution O now give me an Invincible Faith in thee against which the Gates of Hell shall never prevail now speak Peace and Comfort to my poor Soul Thou who pouredst out thy Soul to Death for me receive my wearied Spirit to Eternal Life Let not this fearful passage be too bitter to me but be thou ever present with me in all my sufferings O Holy Ghost the Comforter of all the Elect leave me not Comfortless let me be gathered to my Fathers in Peace Bring me to that Life wherein thou hast promised to wipe away all Tears from our Eyes Where shall be no more Death Sorrow Pain nor any bitter Effects of Sin Lord hear me O thou who despisest not a broken contrite Heart have mercy upon me Lord receive my Petitions and in thy appointed hour come Lord Jesus my Saviour and Redeemer deliver me from this bondage of Corruption even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen SECT XVII Of Judgment 1. THOU apprehendest true Death is terrible but Judgment more both succeed upon the same decree It is appointed unto Men once to dye but after this the judgment Heb. 9.27 It is not more terrible than thought on Death because he strikes and lays before us examples of Mortality cannot but sometimes take up our hearts but the last Judgment having no visible proofs upon our thoughts too seldom fright us 2. YET who conceives the Terror of that day When the Sun shall be turn'd into darkness and the Moon into blood Acts 2.20 That day which shall burn as an Oven when all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as the stubble Mal. 4.1 That day in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 That day wherein the Lord Jesus shall be reveal'd from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess. 1.7 8. That day wherein the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire for by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh Isa. 66.15 16. That day wherein the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory and all Nations shall be gathered before him and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats Mat. 25.31 32. And that day wherein all the kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him Rev. 1.7 3. THAT great and terrible day of the Lord Joel 2.31 wherein if the powers of Heav'n be shaken how can the heart remain removed And if the World be dissolved who can abide it Alas we are ready to tremble at Thunder in a Cloud and at Lightning that glances our Eyes what shall we do when the Heavens shall break in pieces and be on flame about our Ears Oh who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth Mal. 3.2 4. YET be of good cheer amidst all this horror there is comfort whether thou be one whom it shall please God to reserve upon the Earth to the sight of this dreadful day he knows in whose hands our times are but this we are sure of that we are upon the last days And we may spit