him he is sometimes joyed with a sense of Gods love by and by in sorrow through some growing afflictions his months are sometimes watry as April sometimes mirthful as May and yet by all these varieties his field of sanctification becomes more fruitful All the months of Jobs years were not alike Job 29.2 O that I were saith he as in the months past What were those seasons lightsome days prosperous favourable Gods Candle burnt over my head all went with a sweet stream But now he possesses months of grief and darkness he goes mourning without the Sun Job 30. yet we know all these wrought for his good the glory of his patience the excellencie of his affiance the worthiness of his hope when the blind eye of man could espie nothing but what appeared hopeless These changes of joy sorrow are not because the Lord is changed for he is immutable and changes not but they signes of our changeableness When God bestows good things on us and his favour is towards us we are ready to change this into occasion of pride and security thereupon the Lord strips us of our consolations and sends some Messenger of Satan to buffet us lest we should be puft up or because we are puft up 2 Cor. 12â— 1. Lest we should for prevention And is not this for oâ—r good when the poyson is taken out 〈◊〉 our hands which we are ready tâ— drink 2. Because we already are foâ— our humiliation and is not this foâ— our good also that like Tenant we might acknowledge of whom we hold In a short time yoâ— shall see David both up and down Psal 30.6 by the Lords hand so setting him in prosperity up by his own security Ver. 7. I shall never be moved Presently he is down down by the Lords hiding his face as a pricking of this windy Bladder that his proud confidenec may fall and down in own sad apprehensions then I was troubled and saw how quickly the Lord can abase our highest thoughts and turn away his face from us We do not always finde God writing pleasant Epistles to his Children he sometimes writes bitter things Reason It must be thus to make good the difference 'twixt Earth and Heaven Earth is a place of change and variation in Heaven all things always continue alike The Sun if it rise with us in its very rising it is passing from us to the West In Heaven the glorious light rides always in the East there is no declination nor setting the Lord is an everlasting light Here all things are full of Transitions joy sits but while then sorrow takes the room Eccl. 1 4. One generation passeth and another cometh In our way to Heaven we must look for change of ways many turnings only at our journies end we finde a good and always remaining good estate durable and immutable When once we come in presence of that face of glory there is no Cloud can ever be interposed 'twixt us and it to hide it from us Earth would be too like Heaven if our good things did fasten their foot with us and we should know no change Reason 2 This sorts with the nature of man who cannot well coniinue and endure in any stayed estate to use it aright He cannot keep within his measure If he be full he will burst like a bottle unleâ—â— God give him some vent If 〈◊〉 be empty he will burst with impatience unless God put som meal into the barrel Mans hanâ— is paralytick cannot hold the ballance even one of the Scales goe too low by too much sorrow oâ— is lifted up by too much presumptuous and secure joys 2 Cor. 2. We cannot well grieve but over-grieve and when we joy we are subject to be over joyed Only we have a wise God that knows our temper and whereof we are made and so disposes of us that we shall sometimes have matter oâ— patience in our afflictions other times matter of praise and thanks in a condition more easie and prosperous Surely I think these two excellent vertues would scarcely be found were it not for the vicissitude and changes of sweet and bitter For where would God get his due thanks if he did not sometimes manifest his face and favour to his Children and what use had we for patience Heb. 10.36 if God suffered us not sometimes to wait for his countenance to shine on our persons and his accptance of our prayers and grant of our desires Here is now some work for that Grace Use Doth God work our good by such contrary means This should teach us to weigh Gods work with his own weights and to look into his dealings with us with better eyes than those of humane wisdom The wisdom of men is but foolishness with God it cannot give a true censure of his actions If God work not by visible and probable means and instruments such as man would imagine the fittest we then conclude our vain expectance of a good end from such strange proceedings We if we had seen Christ put clay and spittle in a mans eyes should be ready to shoot our bolts of folly and to think what fault has the man committed thus to have his eyes put out Alas weak wisdom Consider the workman it is Christ who can bring light out of darkness heal with wounding fetch water out of flints and beget good to be brought out of the womb of evil That God who made waters stand like a wall who quickned the dead and barren womb of Sarah that God who made a Maiden a Mother Was not the Virgin Mary meter anandros parthenos brephotrophos Joan. Euchaitens in Jambic Gen. 1.11 16. who raised the Prince of righteousness glory out of a Manger who made the earth bring forth fruit before there was a Sun to shine upon it that God I say who works by contrary means and without means why should we distrust him working by unlikely means He turns away his face from thee it is for thy good to strengthen thy faith in waiting and praying to bring thee to loath and distaste worldly comforts when thou findest so little health and help in them and to raise thy affections to run the faster him When we think God is so angry with us Psal 39. as no better end can be expected than that his sore strokes should consumes us and make an end of us then has the Lord worthy ends intended working for his own glory and his Childrens fuller consolation thereby for it is the priviledge of his Divine Power to effect matters far above all that we can either ask or think or conceive with the most quick eye of humane wisdom Ephes 3. What if we be cast into the dungeon with Joseph cannot God bring him through this room and make it the high way to seat him a Compeer with Pharaoh though cast out with Moses into the Bullrush-boat it may be God sees this the ready way
tell us of taking good heed to these two things which are the complex of the whole counsel of God Acts 20. 27. Repentance towards God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ Or lastly take his unum magnum his one great point of exercise To have always a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Men. Act. 24.16 Gen. 5.12 All comes to this one to imitate Enochs holy Peripateticks to walk with God continually Many things of beauty and novelty are lookt after in this World outwardly glorious and rich things are applauded men and great persons dote upon rarity and splendors of this World and think those men are in a kind of Heaven though they be very fairly forward in a way to Hell Plato in Tâ—aeâ— Thus the glorious Tent and Tabernacle of the great Persian Kings were called Ouranoi the Heavens you have learnt better to know Christ in the Soul and the Soul in Christ to be Heaven upon Earth He that believeth hath everlasting life What a glorious vanity was that of Kings of Cusco and Mexico one of them having a glorious Garden where all the Trees Fruits Lord St. Aug. Herbs Plants Flowers according to order and greatness they have in a Garden were curiously framed in Gold and in his Cabinet all the living Creatures were known in Earth or Sea curiously fashioned and cast in Gold A princely Heathenish vanity would make his life no better then a St. Augustine calls this life A shadow in Moonshine which is little more then shadow of a shadow I know you more study to have all the fair flowers of Heaven Faith Patience Humility Meekness Love of Christ Thankfulness c. cast in a sanctified model by Gods Spirit kept in your heart and life exceeding massy gold Carlo Boccomeo Bp. of Millain Canonised for a Saint said well A Bishop should have no Garden but the holy Scriptures Go you on still to make Prayer your Garden and Flowers and by holy glorifying of God as St. Chrysostome directs Give up your five spiritual senses to wait on God continually For the Soul has spiritual seeing smelling tasting touching hearing which in their way applyed to God and his manifestations you shall not only please God but give him Musick and be his Decachorda Cithara St. Chry. in op Imperfecto in cap. 22. S. Matth. Hom. 24. his ten stringed Harp to praise him No farther will I detain you but pray for you that you may have support of Gods Spirit in your great infirmities tryals and gravid years to answer them from Heaven with grace sufficient for you and very efficient in you that when your strength of flesh and heart fails you God may come in with fresh store and assure you of Holy Asaphs viaticum that he will be the strength of your heart your portion for ever He the Guide Faher of his Israel lead you till per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a right Christian comfortable death he bring you ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to an immortal life which all good Mortals wait for by Jesus Christ the blessed Purchaser and unfailing Preparer of it So prays your observant servant in the Lord. T. C. THE EPISTLE To the READER FAith and assurance the Christians Ourania is better worthy Wooing and fighting for then the Grecians Helena the one is but the subject of a worm-eaten beauty the other carries with it a decor and beauty that no old age no not Eternity it self can wrinkle or furrow with uncomeliness holy Souls find it hard in the getting and meet with 〈◊〉 task that makes them imploâ— all their shoulders and sinews foâ— the keeping of it The Labours of the Saints to fight with the Monsters that Satan sets on work against them 2 Cor. 2.11 Revel 2.24 the scruples doubts fears distempers temptations hellish methods noemata and depths of the Serpent do put a name of softness and facility upon all Hercules his labours Phil. 1.6 Phil. 4.13 sore tryals with Beasts and Men yet this is their comfort their help is more for Christ having begun his Grace will stand by them and work for them till all his Heavenly business be perfected and though the Serpent may rend the Skin and wound the flesh of the Heel yet Gods Servants shall end in capite in the Head both bruising the Head of the Serpent and being sure to have the benefit as members of Jesus Christ their Head of whom they hold The first of these Texts was addressed and dressed for the wounded Heel of a gracious Saint that was struck sick by the Serpent of which sore drinking up the moysture of her Spirits she was dangerously deeply and distressfully sick lying in the valley of the shadow of death 3 Quarters of a Year day and night combating with God about Ecclipses of his Face desertions manifestations of wrath apprehensions of hell which squeezed out frequent confessions and complaints of an estate worse then Cains an owning of the Sin against the Holy Ghost a challenging reprobation as its due portion And besides the sense of an angerful God there was continual combating with the spiteful Spiriâ— of Hell every day ready tâ— write its own Epitaph with the blackest letters of damnation and a lost Soul All these accompanied with solitude and secrecie with two three days together fasting praying and weeping till the eyes were turned into buckets and few spiritual comforters and legati pacis to be met withal save one spirit of Grace that had bound up the Soul in this Resolution Though God will not be my God yet I will die praying and seeking after him and a poor messenger of God who having but a little Oyl in his cruse by dayly dropping of it into the wound it both increased and healed with the dropping It pleased God at length to make the winter and sad weaâ—her of this storm-beaten â—â—â—l to be over end so as the flowers appeared singing of birds was come and the voice of the Turtle was heard a cheerful Soul began sweetly to sing in its Cage of Clay The sorrows were deep the comforts rose very high and as once wormwood waters were drunk in the Cellar of bitterness and the banner over the Soul seemed in â—reat letters to have it The Lord hath forsaken me Cant. 2. Isa 49.14 Now â—t is led into the Wine Cellar of of Gods promises the sweetest comforts are broached and drunk and the Lords banner of love is spread over Here Heaven out of Heaven and some of the masters joy descended down before the Soul ascended up to it After the Vesseâ— had been seasoned some months with this unknown and admirable new Wine of living comforts Largissimum quoddam caeli gremium Bernard in Cantic Ita mihi visus sim tanquam unus ex illis beatis esse O Si duresset Idem in cantic Ser. 23. the Lord by a Chariot of sickness and that a violent one
â—his Children utteâ—â—◠〈…〉 opportunity he usually helps when all other helps fail that we may â—he more strongly cleave to him and ground our selves upon him as knowing how infirm we are if he confirm us not When mans Cruse of Oyl is dry and fails can drop no more then is Gods time to prepare his Thus helpt he the Israelites at the Red Sea when all mans strength and wisdom was at a stand He loves to be seen in the Mount in extremities These are the truest glasses to shew Gods truth power wisdom goodness and to shew to man his own Nothingness Valeant humana praesidia quae nos deserunt modo in anima spes firma maâ—eat Deum nobis servatorem non de fore qui saepe gentem harc eripuit exitio Philo Iud. in Legat. ad Cajum Emptiness Vanity that he can do nothing with the strongest brawn of his own fleshly arm We should never learn rightly this Lesson of dependance upon God alone if he did not delay deliverance oft-times to the very failing of our Spirits 1. Art thou then in that shiâ— which is tossed and Christ sleepâ— and helps thee not doth thy spâ—rit fail in struggling with the stroâ— sense of inward misery want 〈◊〉 Grace or want of the joy 〈◊〉 Grace Learn at that time tâ— look on thy condition aright Looâ— not on thy self in thy self but looâ— upon thy self in the Saints seâ— thy case in the Saints commoâ— case Thou art not singular God sheep have commonly been thuâ— markt Thou thinkest God has forgotten thee yes he has forgot thee as he forgot his Children heretofore Thus he forgot David Job Paul they were brought to perplexity though not to despair we are cast down but not destroyed I intreat thee tell me if this â—hy comfortless estate shall bring thee the jocund offspring of the world whom conscience sleeping never troubles â— Cor. 4.8 9. Cain the Builder Jubaâ— the merry Musitian worldly Nabal carnal Ishmael temporizing Demas or any of that fleshly Tribe who never knew one sigh of a penitent heart nor ever came â—ear to the failing of their spiâ—it in waiting upon God O no â—hou sayest it is fearful to be sorâ—ed with these whose Candle God will put out who spend their days in jollity Job 11.13 and in a moment â—umble into the grave But now the Lord has dealt well with thee having joyned thee to the number of his own thus hath he scourged though not in the same degree every Son and Daughter he has received thus have they been taught to mourn before him Great joy ought it to be to us that we bear the same Livery and Badge upon earth which they once wore who are now the blest Courtiers of Heaven The Apostle was so far from troubling himself for it that he bids all others cease troubling him and take heed what they do to him for he carries in his body the noble marks of sufferings and wounds for Christ he gloried in it Gal. 6. Let no man henceforth trouble me for I bear in my body the marâ— of the Lord Jesus O high dignâ—tion to be like Christ in any 〈◊〉 state yea though it be in hâ— sweating suffering and sighiâ— out his My God my God why haâ— thou forsaken me 2 Cor. 4.10 For if we bear â—bout the dying of the Lord Jesus is for our future comfort that the liâ— of Jesus may be manifest in our moâ—tal bodies Remember we theâ— always that be our spirits neveâ— so low Gods dearest Childreâ— have been in the same pit yea anâ— lower than we and yet God aâ— length raised them up from thesâ— hopeless depths Psal 22.15 Psal 119.82 They cried tilâ— their tongues failed with long praying for deliverance theiâ— eyes failed with waiting theiâ— hands failed with being lifâ— up And yet which of these waited upon God in vain None of them tell us amongst all these failings that God failed and did not at length give them their hearts desire Meque istis potius societ quam congreget illis Prosper in Verse de Providentia Quos jam summoto permisit verbere cursu Ire voluntatis Use 2 Let the failing spirit be directed to take Davids course though he cried out of failing yet he failed not of crying to his God The weaker we are it should make us cry the faster So long as the Spirit of prayer fails not in us so long the Spirit of power will not fail to uphold us only cry we as men far cast down Lord if thou wilt forsake me yet Lord forsake me not long Psal 119.8 Defect enim Spiritus meus ut impleat me Spiritus tuus Prosper in Psalm Esai 40.29 30 31. My spirit now fails me that thy Spirit may help fill me for so some gloss upon this Verse For this is is the ground of the application of Gods Promise and for our encouragement Are we weak now is the time come he promised to help us He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength Even the youths shall faint and be wearâ— and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lorâ— shall renew their strength c. Anâ— again when we are thinking 〈◊〉 I shall never get out of this troublesome evil the Lord answers Fear not Esa 41.10 for I am with thee be nâ— dismayed for I am thy God Yeâ— but I have no more strength tâ— wait upon God then have wâ— Gods answer I will strengthe thee I will help thee O but thâ— Cross is so heavy I shall fail anâ— perish under it No saith he will uphold thee with the right hanâ— of my righteousness Here is 〈◊〉 large and liberal promise Thoâ— hast Gods Word Gods handâ— Gods help Gods strength thoâ— mayst utterly fail if his strengtâ— fail thee If thou criest on him tâ— look at his Promises and remember his Covenant with his Children he cannot finally neglecâ— thee unless Christ sleep in his seaâ— of intercession or his memory perish that he forgets his Children or he forget his own hands where his Childrens names and necessities are ingraven Esa 54.11 For this end in crying and calling upon him the failing spirit may plead with these two strengthening Arguments As first that it stands much for Gods glory that he do help us in respect of ungodly and impious men Thus may it be urged If thou suffer my spirit to fail and me to perish then Lord thou losest not only thy Creature but thy Glory also let none of thy glory be diminisht Psal 79 10. For why should the Heathen say where is now their God If God cast off his Children and give them not deliverance Religion would receive a great blow and ungodly men would speak evil of his ways and worship They whose service is sin when they see Gods devout Children are at a low ebb in a deep extremity then they throw dung in
when they shall be fuller of â—lory and rest than ever they â—ere of troubles and miseries We are here set in a warfare Act. 3.19 asâ—aulted with fightings without and errors within 2 Cor. 7.5 Exoothen machai esoothen phoboi we are compast â—ith an unruly body of flesh we â—re laden with corporal maladies â—ains infirmities pestered with â—piritual faintings qualms and â—eak fits that if we had not betâ—er comfort brought us for the fuâ—ure to free us from these cumâ—ersom anxities a servant of God â—ere of all men most miserable but â—weet Death looses our Chains â—nd sets us free Upon this ground â—id the Holy Father build that â—ghing prayer of â—is to God Domine solve hanc tunicam ita mihi gravem ponderosam da mihi leviorem Nazianz. O Lord saith he â—elp me off loose â—nd unbuckle this â—eavy Coat meaning the flesh full of infirmitie which lies with such a pondeâ—â— pressing weight upon my shouldâ— and give me a lighter and easier gâ—ment meaning the garment eternal life so pleasant so easâ— and free from all troubles whiâ— death brings us and clothes withal If there were 〈◊〉 such Sugar at the bottom the Christians Cup and the bâ— Wine kept to the end of the Feaâ— he had the worst fate of all meâ— but he may with a patience digâ— these earthly troubles because tâ— Lambs Supper shall make amenâ— for the worlds sharp Dinner Psal 27.15 I hâ— utterly fainted saith David 〈◊〉 that I believed verily to see the goâ— ness of the Lord in the Land of thâ—â—ving That is meant of this liâ— much more may thoughts of etâ—nal life keep us from fainting Tâ— hope of death is the hope of 〈◊〉 life it is necessary we die that 〈◊〉 sorrows may die Use 2 Must the very Righteous dâ— let it lead us to consider of aâ— conclude that universal deluge Gen. 2.17 â—riginal corruption wherein all â—ankind lies drowned It is too â—rue that being made of dust sin ends us to returâ— to dust again Who will defend nature to be imâ—aculate and unwounded â—eaths Weapons could not enter â—lesh had not our original impuâ—ity weakned us and strengâ—hâ—ned â—im Man first brought sin into â—he world sin brought death Rom. 5.12 Let one be so bold as to defend naâ—ure to be untainted unless he â—an bring this Argument to â—rove it Here is one free from â—eath Ergo free from that sin We are born Heirs and Coheirs annexed with Adam of sin â—nd death Pray we and strive we against Original lust yea repent we of this sin as that which put death in office and reached the dart into his hand Use 2 This might stir us up that seeing all men even the Righteous must die that we should labour to die Righteous The Righteous mans eye is all on God in his life and Gods eye as at other times so especially is set on him at his death to fetch him to a blessed Mansion We must die but oh that that last Act were made the Axle-tree Deut. 32.29 on which all the actions of our life might turn about by continually thinking on our later end A paper newly written is kept from blotting if dust or sand be cast upon it The remembrance that we are but dust and ashes often and daily cast upon our hearts and meditations would keep us in an holy watchful course that our lives should not be stained with so many blots of impiety and neglect of Gods worship Death indeed shall come to all but our lives are that which makes death bitter or sweeâ— unto us For he shall come to the wicked and rigtheous in a different manner 1. To the wicked and unrighteous he shall come as a man of War to a man where sin lives as long as he lives where Sataâ— sways the Scepter of his Monarchy in his Soul living impenitently in fleshly lusts deaths message is astonishing to such a one Such a sinful wretch looking approaching death in the face his Conscience cries a loud 1 Kin. 21.20 1 King 14.6 Hast thou found me O mine enemy as Ahab to Elias To whom death answers with no better answer than Ahijahs to Jeroboams wife I am sent to thee with heavy tidings a hard message I have brought thee thy wages of sin which is death And then doth the desperate sinner tremble and quake Rom. 6.23 remembring how bad a life has made way for death and death to torment then too late his sins affright him and he cries out but one day longer to repent as did that man in his death O spare me Chrysaorius in morte clamabat Inducias usque mane Gregor Hom. 12. in Evang. and give me but respite and truce till the morning that I die not in my sins and for my sins O where are those many hours neglected in vanity 2. But to the Godly and Righteous Soul his appearance and face is glorious and amiable he speaks a comfortable language to him I cannot hurt thee thy Saviour has taken thy weapons from me 1 Cor. 15.55 his death was my death was my death for his Children I come but to be thy Bridge that thou mayest pass over me into eternal life So great a difference is there 'twixt the Godly and the wicked Christian get thy debts paid in Christ and thy Bond cancelled in his blood get into the croud and touch but the hem of his Garment by faith to draw vertue holiness and his righteous-making merits then shall there be no terrour in deaths Vizard that will sweeten the bitterness of the Grave unto thee and finding that thou art righteous and accepted in Christ thou mayest challenge him O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory O! by repentance keep thy Soul from dying and the death of the body wilâ— be a blessed prelude to immortality And so much for a general viewâ— of the necessity of death to the very righteous Doct. The Souls of the Saints at their death are gathered to the Lord and by the Lord into blessedness This Conclusion has inclusively in it two parts 1. That in this life there is a mixture of good and bad 2. That in death God gathers the Souls of the righteous into aâ— happy unmixt society by themselves Eccl. 3.20 Do not all go to one place saith Solomon yes for bodies in death the Grave is the common receptacle of good and bad a Murderer and a Martyr may be laid in one Grave together but for Souls they change Countries The Sanctum Sanctorum is for those Souls which have been Kings and Priests to God the Righteous are gathered into Heaven but the wickeâ— they shall be gathered into another place they shall be turned into Hell into the Company of all them that forget God Psa 9.17 This Phrase of being gathered together in death may be an allusion to the custom of the Jews who in death are said to be gathered to their
blessed ones Do we envy their happiness would we have them break off their blessed company for ours and have their Souls re-inspired into these Clay-Tabernacles and then to live again below in these smoaky Houses of sin and vanity No let us set a period to our plaints and say Blessed be God who hath delivered these our Friends from all mundane miseries and gathered them so near unto himself 2 Sam. 12 23. We shall go to them but they shall not come to us as David said of his dead Child 2. To the person dying Death indeed seems terrible but shall we fear it as that which destroys all our joy What is there else that we need fear if we fear God Doth thy Conscience witness within thee that all thy indeavours have bin to honour the Lord in thy life never start then for fear of death all the harm he will do thee is a gathering of thy Soul unto the Lord and to the society of the blessed Socrateâ— could fly to this to sweeten his poysoning Cup of death to which he was condemned saying Count ye it not an high matter to have conference in another life with Orpheus Musaeus Homer Hesiod Xenophon O how shall I swimm in abundant pleasures when I shall meet with Palamedes and Ajax and other fasly condemned Truly saith he I would willingly often go out of this life if it might be to find these men my Companions Lo Christian blush before the Heathen who could warm himself with these poor Chipps and this cold comfort How far sweeter will be the Heavenly inhabitants when thou shalt see Adam Abel Abraham that glorious Friend of God and Father of the faithful Moses and Elias those pickt out by Christ to conferr with at his Transfigurations There shalt thou see David and Samuel Paul who hath filled the world with sweetness by his honied leaves Paulus John the darling of Christ yea that Jewel of women Mary the blessed Mother of Christ and Christ himself the Lord of Glory with all the faithful Saints that ever the world had yea all our dead Friends departed in the faith of Christ Would he go often to see such blind Heathens whose Heaven it is to be suspected is Hell and shall we be afraid once to be transported into such a glorious Clew of Heavens Citizens Go out therefore undaunted O my Soul fear not death thou goest to God thou art gathered to Christ to Angels to Saints glorified to the society of the Spirits of just men made perfect Shall the Souls of righteous c. Use 4 Learn we farther from it these things 1. It will teach us what becomes of the wicked in their deaths they also are gathered together among themselves as the Godly among themselves to make a bundle of life so are these Tares bound up in the bundle of death to feed eternal fire Hear O drossy Hearts you sons of Abaddon have a great mercy that you live mixt with Saints whose examples might be made unto you at occasion of blessedness but from their lives you will not learn holiness you shall not be always together hereafter you shall be seperated and go Goats with Goats The righteous when they die go to Heaven Gen. 30.25 and the blessed Canaan that is their own place as the earthly Canaan was called Jacob and so wicked men when they die they go the Kingdom of perdition that is their own place as Judas when he perished They have a place of their own Act. 1.25 where no righteous man shall come among them they have wrought for it and they shall have it the place of darkness and horrour Which made the Prophet cry out O Lord Ps 26.9 gather not my Soul with sinners nor my life with bloody men O what mirth and joy is here upon earth Drunkards made songs of me Psal 69.12 when a knott of lewd and licentious livers that hate Christ and laugh at his Word do meet together and he is the happiest counted of this unhappy Crue that can coyn some scurrilous and base jest upon a Christian that walks after Pauls rule circumspectly strictly Eph. 5.15 or as they call it precisely yet these blind wretches in their death shall wish to be the Dogs that might but lick the Crumbs which fall from the Table of these Children of the most High whom they have despised and reviled O sinner learn betimes the way of the righteous Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. If thou diest unreconciled to God thou shalt not have part with the righteous thou shalt be gathered among thy miserable Companions as the faithful are gathered into Abrahams bosome so shalt thou be gathered into Judases bosome the Patriarch of them that perish with Cain Perditorum Patriarcha Saul Demas Herod Julian c. And all that wicked crue which hated Christ 2. Seeing the Righteous shall be gathered together hereafter let it exhort us to love their companions in Heaven seek out the Godly man affect his society talk with him walk with him for he walks with God As he that rubbs his hands on Musk or Civit shall savour of it so by thy society with the righteous Cant. 5.5 thou shalt get a savour of good things his conference will quicken up thy Graces his zeal provoke thee his hands drop myrrhe upon thee 3. Hate all wicked associates partners in sins shall be partners in sins scourge As thou desirest not to be gathered with the wicked men and their black Angels hereafter so hate thou to be gathered into their counsel and company here When the Righteous go from among us some Judgment is to be feared is coming towards us It is to be suspected that some great evil is ready to fall on that people out of whom God selects them When mercy gathers the godly some judgement is like to come and scatter the ungodly God in this may be compared to a careful Husband whose House beginning to burn here he snatches his Plate there he gathers up his Jewels conveys away his Trunks of Linnen and Goods oâ— most worth as for baggageâ— wood-vessels and other cheap anâ— baser Furniture he lets that burâ— because he has saved that he loveâ— the best Thus doth God wheâ— a sinful nation is kindling hiâ— wrath against it in some judgmenâ— the Lord before it begin or in thâ— beginning takes and snatcheâ— away here an holy man and therâ— an holy woman he gathers uâ— these his Jewels and choiceâ— Plate to lay them out of thâ— reach of the fire that only thâ— wicked may perish in those flameâ— their own sins have kindled Seâ— it in Lot so long as he is in Sodoâ— their Table is not spread for Godâ— hot banket of fire and Brimstoneâ— but assoon as the Lord has goâ— him out Gen. 19.22 Non posse se dixit quod sine dubio porerat per potentiam non poterat per justitiam Aug. cont Gaud. l. r. cap. 30.
Soul-rusting pride and fashions strange Whose brood's Court Lunaticks in monthly change How many traps alluring baits do lie And rest in naked breasts for an adulterous Eye Tinctur'd by you not she knew not your toys Nor dieted her Soul with Dunghils joys Smells as foul earth your Sophistrie she fled Which makes a two-fac'd Monster with one Head An Act calls God Bungler Blush stars and Sun Art perfects that face Heaven had not well done Three things were deemed precious 〈…〉 Eye Time Faith Christs Blood for which her prayers did vie In first the second by second third she got 'Bove both Indie's treasures a surpassing lot Put to the Trial Temptations hotest flame She du'd endured stood withstood quencht orecame And from Whales belly out of sorrows Hell Of Gods supporting Grace could wonders tell O Heavenliest Art that sweet Experience She could decline Afflictions in each Tense What Present Past and future fruits they bring How Saints do sometimes sink then float and swim Yet here 's not all more Virtues could I pick To puzzle and gravel all Arithmetick Which makes me pity that poor Sâ—agyrite When he did his Ethnick Ethick Volumes write VVhere all the moral Virtues he could count The number of eleven did not surmount Our living Volum fair printed had far more Our little VVorld saith his great world was poor For whose dear sake Grammarians may define Virtue always of Gender femenine Thy death sham'd not thy life thy dearest friend On his day chose thee to him to ascend Thy green years promis'd life Virtue full grown Pronounc'd thy field was ripe fit to cut down Living each one had part of Joys in thee Dying like griefs as having from our Tree Best branch rent off O loved Spousess câ—ys one Dear Daughter another Sister Companion Kind Lady these all Friend boâ—â—â— tyed and true With love engrain'd that never chang'd the hew Thy Battel 's ended Lawrel decks thy brows Deaths livery ours the fadest Cypress boughs Had death spar'd thee a while and given leave ' Mongst us thy friends some legacies to leave Our griefs had lower ebb'd Lo I desire For Legacy some coals of thy hot fire Of Zeal to heat my freezing frigid heart Or else of thy Humility a part ' Gainst innate Pride O thou mightst well have given Thy Love divided amongst six or seven Thy worlds contempt had been an excellent gift That eight or nine amongst us might it shift And knowing our hasty spirits when thou slipt hence Why didst thou not bequeath thy Patience Thou knewst how many walk'd with that bad note Of busie scullers in anothers boat Couldst not thou say Friend take thee this bequest Handle thine own Oars that becomes the best I leave thee it ' cause I lov'd it Thus good heart Thou mighst have given us every one a part I see Death will engross say what we list He scorns our Laws will be a Monopolist I 'le not Chide fate nor curse dire destiny Nor challenge Death to field nor rage and cry O hateful Heavens when Providence will must Have the perledst Mortals once to kiss the dust Here Heart from sighs our Eyes from brackish tears Body from weakness Mind from horrid fears Can't be priviledged Earths Cushions pillows best Be stufft with thorns or life is stuck and drest VVith netles briars Blest be thy Pylat Death VVho hence from Pirats on these Seas beneath Sin Misery Vanity doth our Souls transport Into Heavens blessed Harbour Rests true Port. VVhere neither boistrous North West South or East Raises ambitious VVaves nor yet that Beast Leviathan below can Cables break Or with Temptations make our Pinnace leak VVhere we forget those Threnodies of grief VVeep watery Eyes and VVho can send relief For me Imparâ—dis'd Soul to thee once dear Assistant witness in thy assaults of fear And sore Soul-combates were Saints power to mind As mind here was I should not stay behind For reason and religion both this prove Heaven doubles Gr ce and so it doubles Love Some curious Eyes did look I should rehearse Some light-heel'd lines in a wit-woven verse VVisemen will think the match is very base To lay on cloth of Gold a Buck-rams lace Or motleys purls and edge The sobred Grave Hate feathred leightness and substantials crave Her aims o'rclimb'd the Stars who gravity Sleight neither know themselves nor her nor me Nor eare I what capriccious Judges think Who say here it flatteries mart and Oile for Ink I 'le glew these lines on envious slaunders barr And Twelve of Malice's Clients that would marr A VVorld of honesty shall empaneld be To vent galls verdict ' gainst this verity Truth fears no blasting breath come slander speak Or bite thy lips in anger till th' Heart break Had she no faults yes some thou more none 's free Adam fell once we often sometimes she VVhen Marbles moulder and pounded are to dust Yet fresh shall be the Memorial of the Just When in my Memory enrolled I find thee not Well may I doubt all virtue I hove forgot Sanctities pen writes such an Epicede Quaint'st brains mere Pernasian doth exceed Ermins are vermin base in Arms and Coat Where Grace powders not life with holy note Good Day thou hast gotten bidst us Good night Leaving thy virtuous pattern to guide us right An holy course chalks th' way to Heavenly light Let vain World dress its Carps spit spite fume laugh A Gracious life leaves fairest Epitaph The Epitaph on the Lady Mary Gryffith FRom mothers womb unto earths womb the grave Through th' Worlds desert some years I wandered have Nature gave being Grace well-being Death th' best Heavens happy Being to Soul to Body rest I lie here waiting till the last shrill-voic'd Trump Shall breath new life into this dead Clays lump Then shall be at once two Nuptials solemniz'd Of Body to Glorious Soul and both to Christ O Mortals learn of me make Christ your scope By Prayers and Tears I came to rest in Hope FINIS