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
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
to what ever Afflictions God is pleased to inflict upon us In this Humility is a great Assistant and renders things easie to us perswading us not to murmur or repine at any thing God does but let what Afflictions soever come though in the heaviest kind we may be always ready to say Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven And with old Eli when that great Affliction came of Gods threatning the Destruction of his Family he loss of the Priesthood the Cutting off both his Sons in one Day yet considering it was the Lord inabled him calmly to yield to 'em saying Let him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3.18 The same Effect it had on David in his Affliction I was dumb I opened not my Mouth because thou didst it Psal. 39.9 God doing it silenc'd all Murmurings and Repinings in him And it must operate the same Effect in us in all our Afflictions if we intend to acquire this Duty of Patience 4. THEREFORE when ever God strikes we are not only Patiently to endure his Rod but kiss it also that is be truly thankful that he is pleased not to Give us over to our own Hearts Lusts Psal. 18.12 But still continuing his tender Care over us sending Afflictions as so many Messengers to call us to himself From whence we may learn what an absurd Folly it is to murmur at those Stripes which are design'd so graciously 5. THIS Duty is not compleated by only a Quietness and Thankfulness under Affictions but there must be Fruitfulness also or all the rest will be of no Advantage which is the production of that for which the Afflictions were sent viz. the Amendment of our Lives So that in Time of Affliction it is a necessary Duty to examine our Hearts and Lives and make a severe Scrutiny what Sins have provoked God to scourge us and whatsoever we find our selves guilty of humbly to confess to him and immediately to forsake them Redeeming what we have lost the Time to come 6. OUR next Duty concerning Patience is That we are as much bound to comply with one sort of Sufferings as another whether they be immediately from God as Sickness loss of Friends or the like or whether it be from Men who sometimes are Instruments of afflicting us and cannot prejudice us without Gods Permission And God may as well create the Instruments of punishing us as to do it directly Himself for it is a Counterfeit Patience that pretends to submit to God and yet can bear nothing from Men. We see an Instance of Holy Job who is recorded in Sacred Scripture as a Pattern of true Patience he made no such Difference in his Afflictions but took the loss of his Cattle which the Chaldeans and Sabeans robb'd him of with as much Meekness as he did that which was consumed by Fire from Heaven Therefore whatever we suffer from Men if it be never so unjust in respect of them we are humbly to confess it is most just in respect of God and instead of looking upon them with Rage and Revenge as the vulgar custom of the World is we are to look up to God and acknowledge his Justice in the Affliction imploring his Pardon most earnestly for those Sins which have provoked his wrath against us and patiently and thankfully to bear those Sufferings till He shall in his own good time see fit to remove them still saying with Job Blessed be the Name of the Lord Job 1.21 7. A Second sort of Submission in Humility is to the Wisdom of God and that is to acknowledge him Infinitely Wise And whatsoever he doth we must confess it the best and fittest to be done And this Confession we are to put in practice both in his Commands and in his disposing and ordering of all things First Whatsoever he commands us to believe we are to believe how impossible soever it seems to our shallow Understandings Secondly To do whatever he commands us how opposite soever it be to our Carnal Reason and Humour and to conclude in both that his Commandments are most reasonable and not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 8. NEXT we are to submit to his Wisdom in disposing and ordering of Things which is to acknowledge He desposes of all things most wisely Not only to the World in General but in what concerns every one in particular So that in what Condition soever we are in We are to be Content 1 Tim. 6.8 and not to be impatient and disturb'd at any Choice which God makes since he chuses for us who cannot err But to leave all things to him to fit us with such an Estate and Condition as he sees best for us Perhaps it may not please our unreasonable Humours because we cannot live in that Splendour equal to our Superiours And the Reason is we are so full of our selves that we can see nothing beyond it We expect God should place us where we please though by it he discomposes the whole Scheme of his Providence But he like a wise Master-Builder knows that every Stone is not fit for the Corner not every little Rafter for the main Beam And sure there cannot be a more vile contempt of the Divine Wisdom than to dispute his Choice who knows what is fitter for us than we do our selves Therefore when ever we are disappointed of any of our Aims or Wishes let us not only patiently but joyfully submit to it and acknowledge that it is certainly best for us it being chosen by the unerring Wisdom of our Heavenly Father 9. HAVING spoken of the Humility due towards God I am now to speak of Humility as it concerns our selves which will be no less necessary than the former This Humility is of two sorts the first is the having a mean and low Opinion of our selves the second is being content that others should have so of us The first of these is contrary to Pride and the second to Vain-glory. Pride cast the Angels out of Heaven and it is the greatest Sin the Devil hath been guilty of And we may frequently find in Scripture the hainousness of it Prov. 16.5 Every one that is proud in Heart is an abomination to the Lord and in Chap. 6. among many things which the Lord hates a Proud Look is set as the chiefest It is indeed a most prolifick Vice and there are few Sins to which it is not either Parent or Nurse to There are many places of Scripture which shews the detestableness of it I shall only add one James 4.7 That God resisteth the Proud but giveth Grace to the Humble 10. AND the means of relinquishing this Sin of Pride is perform'd by Humility by these Directions First We are to consider the hainousness of the Sin with that Regret as may operate in us no petty Contempt but a deep and irreconcileable Hatred against it Secondly To be vigilant over our Hearts that they foment not any Originals of it never suffering them to feed on the Phantasm
Dunghil O that my Grief were throughly weighed and my Calamities laid in the Ballance together For now it would be heavier than the Sand of the Sea Therefore my words are swallowed up for the Arrows of the Almighty are within me the Poyson whereof drinketh up my Spirits The Terrors of God do set themselves in Array against me Job 6.2 3 4. Dost thou not hear the Man after God's own Heart speak of the Voice of his Roaring Psal. 22.1 He that shrunk not from the Bear the Lyon nor Goliah of Gath is now drenching his Bed with his Tears Psal. 6.6 Dost thou not hear the Faithful crying out I am the Man that hath suffered Affliction by the Rod of his Wrath c. Surely against me he is turned he turneth his hand against me all the day my Flesh and my Skin hath he made old he hath broken my Bones Lam. 3.1 3 4. Consider the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs the great Favourites of Heaven some on Gridirons others in Boyling Caldrons some on Spits others under Saws some in Flames others crashed with the Teeth of Wild Beasts some on Racks others in Fiery Furnaces Most of 'em in such Torments as in comparison thy Pains are but a Sport But to leave Mortality and sinful Dust and Ashes thou may'st behold the Son of God and Lord of Life the King of Glory God blessed for ever sweating drops of Blood in his dreadful Agony and mayst hear him cry upon the Tree of Curse and Shame My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 Alas What are we capable to suffer in proportion of these Tortures What are we that we should think much to share with the best of God's Saints nay even with the dear and eternal Son of his Love our ever blessed Redeemer Had not God prescribed this their way to Heaven they had not waded so deep in Blood 10. WHY do we repine to wet our feet where they waded If from these Holy Ones we turn our Eyes we shall find Examples among meer Pagans For instance He who we used to account infamous for Voluptuousness Epicurus the Philosopher who on his Dying-day when he lay extreamly tormented with the Stone in the Bladder and a tearing Cholick in his Bowels as it were grasping for Life yet even then writing to his Idemeneus can out of the strength of his Resolutions profess his Cheerfulness and can stile even that day Blessed It was the same Mouth that could boast that if he were frying in the Brazen Bull of â—alaris he could there find Contentment What should I tell thee of a Mutius Scaevola who in a Glorious Revenge voluntarily burnt off his Right Hand not without the Envy and Pity of his Enemies or of a Regulus that after so high a Provocation offers himself to the worst of the merciless Fury of his Tormenters Why shouldst thou admire saith wise Seneca that some should be well pleased to be Scorch'd Wounded Rack'd or Kill'd Frugality is a pain to the Riotous Labour a punishment to the Lazy Continence a misery to the Wanton and Study a torture to the Sloâ—hful 11. ALL these are not in their own Nature difficult but we are infirm and inconstant Shall Pagans attain to this height of Magnanimity by their Fortitude And shall we Christians droop under gentler Sufferings We profess the advantage of Faith to uphold and chear us But poor Ethniâ—k Souls they never heard of a Merciful God to Comfort 'em They never knew those sweet Messages from Heaven Call upon me in the day of Trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt Glorifie me Psal. 50.15 Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy laden and I will give you Rest Matth. 11.28 Strengthen ye the weak Hands and confirm the feeble Knees Say to them that are of a fearful Heart Be strong fear not behold your God will come with Vengeance even God with a Recompence He will come and save you Isa. 35.3 4. They had not the Heart of a Job to say I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19.25 Nor the Eyes of a Stephen to pierce the Heavens to see their Saviour standing at the Right hand of God But out of their Vigour elevated with an arrogant Ambition of that Fame which they believed would survive 'em Whereas we Christians know that we have the Father of Mercies to stand by us a Redeemer to deliver us a Comforter to strengthen and refresh us sweet and infallible Promises to sustain us And at last a Crown of Eternal Glory to reward us 12. THOU art pained with Sickness View not what thou feelest but think what Punishment thou hast deserved Wherefore doth a living Man complain a Man for the punishment of his Sin Lam. 3.39 Alas the Wages of every Sin is Death a Death of Body and Soul Temporal and Eternal Any thing below this is Mercy There is not the least of thy Transgressions but hath merited the infinite wrath of a just God and more Torments than thou art able to undergo What dost thou complain of Ease Where thou owest a thousand Talents thou art bid to Take thy Bill and write down Fifty Luke 16.6 Wilt thou not magnifie the Clemency of so favourable a Creditor Surely were every Twig which creates a Smart a Scorpion and every Breath thou sendest forth a Flame This were yet less than thy Deserts Oh the infinite goodness of our Indulgent Father that uses so gentle a Correction to us Tell me thou nice Patient if thou canst not suffer these Stripes how thou wilt endure those that are infinitely sharper Alas What are these Trifles to that Hell which abides for the Impatient There are Torments without Mitigation eternal Pains without Intermission which thou can'st not suffer nor avoid Fear them and murmur not at these prostrate thy self low under the hand of God and be thankful for a tolerable Misery How graciously hath the Wisdom of God thought fit to temper our Afflictions if they prove sharp they are not long and if long not over sharp that our Strength might not be depressed by those Trials we undergo Therefore aspire a Contentment in thy self and thy Languishment will be easie or thy Pain soon over Extream and Everlasting are Terrors reserv'd for the Wicked hereafter that are durable painful and not capable of any Relaxation What a Moment is it that thou dost suffer Yea nothing in respect of Eternity which thou must either hope for or fear Endure a while patiently that thou mayst not be infinitely Miserable 13. THOU complainest of Pain Of what use were thy Patience if that were mitigated God never gives Vertues without an intent of their Exercise To what end were our Christian Valour if we had no Enemy to Encounter Thus long thou hast supinely slept in a secure Garison where thou hast heard no Trumpet but thine own and hast turned thy Drum-head into a Table for Dice lavishing out thy days in varieties of idle Recreations Now God draws 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
do thy self Matt. 5.29 If thy Right Eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee For it is better for thee that one of thy Members should Perish and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell 8. THOU hast lost thine Eyes and with 'em Earthly Contentment But thou art hereby freed of many Temptations for those were the Inlets of Sin and the very Panders of Lust for Debauching of the Soul How many thousands on their Death-beds upon the sad recalling of their guilty Thoughts have wish'd they had been Born Blind So as thy Joy is less thy Sin is less neither shall any vain Objects take away thy Thoughts from the serious Meditation of Spiritual things 9. BEFORE it was no otherwise with thee than the Prophet Jeremiah reports of the Jews That Death is come up by the Windows Jer. 9.21 And our great Grand-mother Eve She saw the Tree was pleasant to the Eyes and took of the Fruit Gen. 3.6 And it hath been so ever since with the Fruit of her Womb both in the old and latter World The Sons of God saw the Daughters of Men that they were Fair and they took them Wives of all which they chose Gen. 6.2 Insomuch as not filthy Lusts but Adulteries take up their Lodgings The blessed Apostle mentions it 2 Pet. 2 14. Having Eyes saith he full of Adultry and cannot cease from Sin Whilst thine Heart walked after thine Eyes as Job speaks Job 31.7 It could do no less but Carry thee down to the Chambers of Death Prov. 2.27 Thou art now deliver'd from that danger of so deadly a Misguidance 10. HATH not the loss of thine Eyes freed thee of a World of Sorrows Hadst thou but seen what others are forc'd to behold those fearful Conflagrations savage Violences and Sacrilegious Outrages thine Heart would bleed within thee Now thou art affected at a distance receiving 'em by the imperfect Intelligence of thine Ear from the unfeeling Relation of others 11. THINE Eyes are lost What need thy Heart to go with ' em Old Isaac was Dark-sighted when he gave the Blessing contrary to his own Intentions to his Son Jacob yet he liv'd forty Years after and could be pleased to have good Provision made him with Wine and Venison Gen. 27.25 Our Life doth not lye in our Eyes The Spirit of a Man is that which upholds his Infirmities Prov. 18.14 Labour to raise thy self to a cheerful Disposition and in thy Bodily Darkness There shall be Light and Joy to thy Soul Est. 8.16 12. HATH God taken away thy Sight But hath he not given thee a supply in other Faculties Are not thy internal Senses more quick thy Memory stronger thy Fancy more active and thy Understanding more apprehensive The Wonders we have heard of Blind Men's Memories were if to be credited not obvious to conceive that the removal of Distractions gives them opportunity of a careful reposition of desired Objects and a sure Fixedness of 'em where they are laid Hence hath it come to pass that some Blind Men have attain'd to those Perfections which their Eyes could never have endu'd 'em with 13. OUR Ecclesiastical Story reports of Didymus of Alexandria being Blind from his Infancy through his Prayers and diligent Endeavours reach'd unto such knowledge in Logick Arithmetick and Astronomy as was admir'd by the Leard Masters of those Arts and for his rare insight in Divinity was by St. Athanasius approv'd to be Doctor of the Chair in that Church What need we doubt the Verity of it when our late Times have so clearly seconded it having yielded divers worthy Divines which have been depriv'd of Sight 14. THERE was one very Eminent in the University of Cambridge of great skill in Tongues and Arts and of singular acuteness of Judgment Suidas reports of Neoclides that being Blind he could steal more cunningly than any that had use of Eyes I may as boldly say of Mr. Fisher That he was more dextrous in picking the Locks of difficult Authors and extracting their Treasures of hidden Secrets than those that had the sharpest Eyes about 'em insomuch as it was noted those were singular Proficients which employ'd themselves in reading to him If they read Books to him he dictates Lectures the while to them and taught 'em more than he learn'd himself 15. AS for the other external Senses they are vulgarly more exquisite in the Blind We read of some who have been of so accurate a Touch that by their feeling they could distinguish betwixt Black and White And for the Ear as our Philosophers observe Sounds are sweeter to the Blind than to the Sighted being more curiously judg'd by 'em But the most perfect recompence of these Natural Eyes is in the Exaltation of our Spiritual Ones We are more Illuminated towards the Beautifical Vision of God as they apprehend more Obscurity in all Terrestial Objects Thou wilt not miss the loss of thy Sight if thou findst thy Soul thus happily Illuminated 16. THINE Eyes are lost It is a Blessing that once thou hadst 'em Hadst thou been Born Blind what a Stranger wouldst thou have been to God and the World Hadst thou never seen the Face of the Elements what Expressions could have made thee apprehensive of the wonderful Works of thy Creator Not any Discourse could have made thee understand what Light is The Sun the Fountain of it the Heavens the Glorious Region of it and the Moon and Stars Illuminated by it How could'st thou have had thy Thoughts raised so high as to give Glory to that Great God whose infinite Power hath wrought all these marvellous things 17. NO doubt God hath his ways of Mercy for those that are Born Blind not requiring what he hath not given supplying by his Spirit in the internal Vessels what is wanting in the External So as even those that never see the Face of the World shall behold the Face of God that made it But in an ordinary Course of proceeding those which have been Blind from their Birth must needs want those helps of knowing and glorifying God in his mighty Works which lye open to Sight These once satisfied thine Eyes and remain with thee in their absence 18. THEREFORE walk on in the strength of those fixed thoughts alwayes adoring the Majesty of that God whom thy Sight hath represented to thee so Glorious and in an humble Submission to his Pleasure strive against all the discomforts of thy Sufferings It is reported of a valiant Soldier Polyzelus who after his Eyes were shot out in Battle covering his Face with his Target fought and laid about him vehemently as if he had receiv'd no hurt Strive to imitate this Courage and let not the loss of thine Eyes hinder thee from a cheerful Resistance of those Spiritural Enemies which labour to draw thee into an impatient Murmuring against God But wait humbly upon him who hath better Eyes for thee than thou hast lost 19. THOU hast lost thy Hearing It is
Night without warning or noise Let thy careful vigilance expect it and thy Soul shall not be surprized nor confounded Thine Audit is sure and uncertain Sure that it will be but uncertain the time If thou wilt approve thy self a good Steward have thine Account ready and set thy reckoning even betwixâ— God and thy Soul Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Mat. 24.46 15. LOOK upon the Heavens and Earth as Dissolving and think with St. Jerome that thou hearest the last Trump and voice of the Arch-angel shrilling in thine Ears Arise ye dead and come to judgment Let it be thy main care to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World looking for that Blessed Hope and the Glorious Appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Chirst who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity VVho shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like to his Glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.21 A preparatory Prayer of the Judgment to come O Omnipotent Lord God who hast appointed a day wherein thou wilt bring all the world to judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil O make me try my Soul daily and hourly at the Bar of my own Conscience that accusing and judging my self for my sins and transgressions thou mayst not condemn me at thy dreadful Tribunal Lord let that remarkable day be often in my thoughts that the fear of it and thee may be ever before my eyes And my Conscience may be kept more pure by the power of that dread and fear give me an earnest desire and a careful endeavour to direct all my ways and to order the whole Course of my Life according to the Rule and Precepts of thy Holy VVord let it be my utmost care and diligence to have a good Conscience in all things and to live so that my Life being approved of thee my Death may be happy and my appearance before thee in the day of thy coming surrounded with joy and comfort 2. GRANT that the Merit of thy Death and Vertue of thy Resurrection may both Mortifie all my Sinful and Corrupt Affections and raise me to the Life of Righteousness that dying to Sin and governed here by thy â—ower and hereafter Acquitted by thy final Sentence I may at last arrive to a perfect Union with thee with a full view and eternal enjoyment of thee and thy Blessed Presence Grant this through thy Mercies O Heavenly Father thy Merits O Gracious Jesu and thy Assistance O Holy Spirit Three Persons One only VVise Omnipotent and Immortal God to whom belongeth all Honour Praise Might Majesty and Dominion in Heaven and Earth from this time forth and to all eternity Amen SECT XVIII Spiritual Conflicts 1. THOU art affrighted at the thought of Spiâ—itual Enemies Earth nor Hell hath any thâ—ng so formidable Power Malice and Subtilty are mâ—t in them Neither is it easie to say in which of these they are most eminent Certainly were we to match with him on even hands their was just cause not of Fear but Despair 2. I could tremble thou sayst to think what Satan hath done and what he can do With what Contestation he enabled the Egyptian Sorcerers to stand with Moses how they turn'd their Rods into Serpents and seemed to have the advantage of many Serpents crawling and hissing in Pharaoh's Pavement Exod. 7.12 How they turn'd waters into blood vers 22. and brought Frogs upon the Land of Egypt Exod. 8.7 as if thus far the power of Hell would presume to hold Competition with Heaven What furious Tempests he raises in the Air as that from the Wilderness beat upon the four corners of the House of Job's eldest Son and overthrew it Job 1.19 Now Job was the greatest Man in the East Job 1.3 His Heir dwelt not in a Cottage but a strong Fabrick which could not stand against this Hurricane of Satan 3. WHAT fearful Apparitions he makes in upper Regions What great wonders causing Fire to come down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of Men Rev. 13.13 Lastly what grievous Tyranny he exerciseth upon the Children of Disobedience Eph. 5.6 Couldst thou expect any less from those the Spirit of God himself styles Principalities and Powers and Rulers of the Darkness of this World and spiritual wickednesses in high Places Eph. 6.12 and the Prince of the Power of the Air Eph. 2.2 4. SURELY it were no Victory to be a Christian if we had not powerful Opposites but dost thou not consider that this Power is by Concession and the Exercise but with Permission and Limitation What Power is their in any Creature which is not derived from the Almighty This Measure the Infinite Creator was pleased to communicate to them as Angels which they retain and Exercise as Devils their damnation hath stript them of Glory but we know not how much their strength is abated 5. AND we may perceive how their Power is bounded Those that turn'd their Rods into Serpents could not keep 'em from being devour'd of that one Serpent of Moses Those that brought Frogs upon Egypt cannot bring Lice those that were suffer'd to bring Frogs lose that power to take 'em away Restrained Powers must know their Limits and we knowing them must set limits to our Fears a Lion chain'd can do less harm than a Cur loose Why art thou concern'd at the powerfulness of Spirits whilst they by an over-ruling Power are tied to their Stake that they cannot hurt thee 6. THY Fears are increas'd with their number which are as many as Powerful one Demoniack was possessed with a Legion how many Legions then tempt those Millions of Men upon the face of the Earth whereof none is free from their Solicitations to evil That holy Man whom our counterfeit Hermits pretend to imitate in the Vision of his retiredness saw the Air full of them and their snares for Mankind and were our Eyes as clear as His we might perhaps meet with the same Prospect But be not dismaid Couldst thou borrow the eyes of the Servant of an Holier Master thou shouldst see that there are more with us than against us â— Kin. 6.16 Thou shouldst see the blessed Angels of God pitching their Tents about thee as the Powerful Vigilant and Constant Guardians of thy Soul These are those Valiant ones about thy Bed They all hold Swords being expert in VVar every one his Sword upon his Thigh because of fear in the night Cant. 3.7 8. 7. FEAR not therefore but make the Lord Even the Most High thy Habitation then there shall no evil befall thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling For he shall give his Angels charge over thee in all thy ways they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone and besides this indemnity Thou shalt tread upon
when he hath once fastned he sooner leaveth his life then his hold Contrariety of Events Exercise not dismay him and when Crosses Afflict him he seeth a Divine Hand invisibly striking with those sensible scourges against which he dares not Murmur nor Rebel 9. HE troubleth not himself with Exciting Thoughts nor others with needless Suits He intermeddles not in others business nor adventures upon rash Attempts he offends none with provoking Terms not taketh offence at others Actions He lendeth not his Ear to idle Tales nor soweth discord or seeketh Revenge But hath a meek heart a contented mind and a charitable eye his Tongue is Affable hand Peaceable and his gesture sociable His Deportment is Neighbourly his Judgment charitable a loving Speaker and a friendly Converser He puts up all wrongs patiently and wrongs none willingly And such manner of Men ought we to be in all holy Conversation And I shall end with the words of the holy Apostle and desire of God that he would direct your hearts into his love and into the patient waiting for him 2 Thes. 3.5 I shall not think it improper to insert here a Relation of Sir Thomas Moore that excellent Pattern of Patience who wholly resigned himself to the will of the Divine Providence Sir Thomas returning from beyond Sea after his Embasy and being remote from his House with the King in the Month of August part of his dwelling House and all his Barns laden with Corn were by a sudden Fire consumed his Lady by a Letter certified him of this sad mischance to which he return'd her this Answer Madam All Health wished to you I do understand that all our Barns and Corn with some of our Neighbours likewise are wasted by a fire an heavy and lamentable loss but only that it was Gods will of such abundance of Wealth but because it so seemed good to God we must not only patiently but also willingly bear and submit to the hand of God so stretched out upon us God gave whatsoever we have lost and seeing it hath pleased him to take away what he gave his Divine Will be done Never let us repine at this but let us take it in good part we are bound to be thank-ful as well in Adversity as in Prosperity and if we cast up our Accounts well this which we esteem so great a loss is rather a great gain For what is necessary and conducing to our Salvation is better known to God than us I intreat you therefore to have a good heart and to take all your Family with you to the Church and there give thanks to God for all these things which he hath pleas'd to take away as well as for his blessings which he hath bestow'd on us and to praise him for that which is left It is an easie matter with God if he please to Augment what is yet left but if he shall see good to take away more even as it shall please him so let it be And let Enquiry be made what my Neighbours have lost and wish them not to be sorry For I will not that my Neighbours shall suffer any thing by my loss though I leave not my self any thing and though all should be taken away I pray thee O Alice be joyful in the Lord with my Children and all our Family all these things and we are in the hands of the Lord. Let us therefore wholly depend upon his good will and so no losses shall ever hurt us Farewel From the Court at Woodstock September 13th 1529. What a sincere Devotion was here to the Divine Will of God! What a Letter from a heart truly setled upon Heav'n This Master of the Family had learn'd his Lesson well and was grown a proficient in the Art of Patience This was a Man that by supporting himself upon God's Providence was able to bear all losses sweetly Behold an Ostrich able to digest Iron His Barns were burnt but his Mind was cool Patience kept him in his uprightness In a short space after God requited his Losses in September he received this heavy news In October he was promoted Lord Chancellor of England so that not only Honour but his Means also were mightily enlarged that now he needs not repair his Barns but may build new ones Certainly there is not in the World such a holy sort of Artifice so Divine a charm to unite God to us as this of resigning our selves to him We find the Gibeonites by yielding themselves Vassals to the Israelites had their whole Army at their back to rescue them in their danger Jos. 10.6 and can we think God is less considerate of his Homagers and Dependents No certainly his Honour as well as his Compassion is concern'd in the relief of those who have Surrendred themselves to him A Prayer for Patience O Most gracious God let not the Spirit of Impatience possess me whereby I may in any measure incur thy displeasure thou art my Maker O let me not strive with thee I am the Work of thy Hands and therefore with thee there is no contending if I provoke thee by strugling under the Yoke of Affliction the end thereof will be Gaul to my Neck and Bitterness to my Conscience But O Lord it is not my Punishment thou pursuest after but my Repentance and Amendment of Life and what thou art pleased to inflict upon me is but to chase me to my Duty which when I have perfectly learnt I know thou wilt fully Reward and Recompence my Patience that I may possess my own Soul in the day of the Lord Jesus 2. O thou that art the wise disposer of all Things both in Heaven and Earth let me look up to thee from whence cometh Affliction and then inspect into my own Heart where I shall find out the efficient Cause O let nothing then seem to perplex me which thou in thy good pleasure knoweth to be advantagious but let me ever be content to drink of the bitterest Cup of Affliction which thou hast allotted me O let thy good Spirit still strive with me and draw me unto thee with the Cords of thy Love it is of thy tender Mercies that I am not consumed but I know thy Compassion fails not towards poor and wretched Sinners Lord give me Grace to perform this Duty and say of my Affliction as thou O Jesu didst of thy bitter Cup and Passion Father if it be thy will let this Cup pass from me if not not my Will but thy Will be done Amen The CLOSE Consisting of Scriptural Ejaculations referring to the several Sections of the before-going Treatise 1. HAVING gone through this short Tract of the Art of Patience I shall now lay down these following Ejaculations as being most necessary and we have St. James 's Testimony for it Is any among you afflicted let him pray James 5.13 This is the Great and Soveraign Catholicon of the distressed Soul which is able to give relief to all the forementioned Complaints 2. FOR
secret Counsel of the wicked and Psal. 25.19 20. Consider mine Enemies for they are many and they hate me with cruell hatred O keep my Soul and deliver me St. Paul prayed earnestly that he might be freed from the Messenger of Satan whose buffets he felt and was answered with My Grace is sufficient for thee so he sues for all Gods Saints May the God of peace tread down Satan under your feet shortly 2 Cor. 12.9 Rom. 16.19 20. WHAT ever evil it be that presseth thy Soul have speedy recourse to the Throne of Grace pour out thy heart into the Ears of the Father of all Mercies and God of all Comfort and be sure if not of redress yet of ease We have his word for it that cannot fail us Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal. 50.15 Fashionable Supplicants may talk to God but be assur'd he that can truly pray can never be truly miserable Of our selves we lie open to evils our rescue is from above and what entercourse have we with Heaven but by Prayer Prayer can deliver us from Dangers avert Judgments prevent Mischiefs and procure Blessings it is an Antidote against Temptation and a Soveraign Balsom for afflicted Consciences It is the Instrument of fetching down all good things to us whether Spiritual or Temporal no Prayer that is qualified as it ought to be but is sure to bring down a Blessing according to that of the Wise Man Ecclus. 35.17 The prayer of the humble pierceth the Cloulds and will not turn away till the highest regard it It sanctifies all good things to us and sweetens the bitterness of our afflictions it opens the Windows of Heaven shuts up the Bars of Death and vanquishes the powers of Hell therefore let us not cease in making our addresses to him who is the Fountain of all Goodness and at whose right hand there is pleasures for evermore Psal. 16.11 And let us with all lowliness as well of Body as of Mind according to that of the Psalmist say O come let us Worship let us fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker Psal. 95.6 For he is our hope and strength and a very present help in trouble Ps. 46.1 A Conclusive Prayer BLESSED Lord who hast caused all Holy Scripture and good Literature to be written for my Learning grant that I may in such wise hear read mark learn and inwardly digest them that by Patience and Comfort of thy Holy Word I may embrace and even hold fast the blessed hope of Everlasting Life which thou hast given me in my Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen 2. Prevent me O Lord in all my doings with thy most gracious favour and further me with thy continual help that in all my Works begun continued and ended in thee I may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy Mercy obtain Everlasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 3. Almighty God who hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Son's Name I beseech thee mercifully to encline thine Ears unto me who have now made my Prayers and Supplications unto thee And grant that those things I have faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the relief of my Necessities and to the setting forth of thy Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Blessing THE Peace of God which passeth all Vnderstanding keep my Heart and Mind in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and the Blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost The Virtue of Christ's blessed Cross and Passion his Glorious Resurrection and Ascention and the Coming of the Holy Ghost be with me now and at the Hour of Death Amen FINIS ADVERTISEMENT THere is lately Published The Government of the Thoughts A Prefatory Discourse to the Government of the Tongue by the Author of the Whole Duty of Man Printed for Richard Cumberland at the Angel in St. Pauls-Church-Yard 1694. Bp. Hall 's Baâ—m of Gilead Senec. Eâ—ist 107. Senec. Epist. 76. * Here name the Particular Person Sir Walter Rawleigh Mr. Fisher of Trinity Colledge Lord Bacon 's Natural History Artimedor de insomniis Lib. 1. Cap. 6. Goul. Histoires Memorables Advancement of Learning Plato Phoedone