of need Is not my Meditation rather to be enclined another way to condole and commiserate their distresse who haue none How many are sicker perchance then I and laid in their wofull straw at home if that coâ—ner be a home and haue no more hope of helpe though they die then of preferment though they liue Nor doe no more expect to see a Phisician then then to bee an Officer after of whome the first that takes knowledge is thâ— Sexten that buries themâ— who buries them in obliuioâ— too For theâ— doe but fill vp the number of the dead in the Bill but we shall neuer heare their Names till wee reade them in the Booke of life with our owne How many are sicker perchance then I and thrown into Hospitals where as a fish left vpon the Sand must stay the tide they must stay the Phisicians houre of visiting and then can bee but visited How many are sicker perchaunce then all we and haue not this Hospitall to couer them not this straw to lie in to die in but haue theiâ— Graue-stone vnder them and breathe out theiâ— soules in the eares and in the eies of passengers harder then their bed the flint of the streâ—tâ— That taste of no part of our Phisick but a sparing dyet to whom ordinary porridge would bee Iulip enough the refuse of our seruants Bezar enough and the off scouâ—ing of our Kitchin tables Cordiall enough O my soule when thou art not enough awake to blesse thy God enough for his plentifull mercy in affoording thee many Helpers remembâ—r how many lacke them and helpe them to them or to those other things which they lacke as much as them 7. EXPOSTVLATION MY God my God thy blessed Seruant Augustine begg'd of thee that Moses might come and tell him what heâ— meant by some place of Genesis May I haâ—â— leaue to aske of thâ— Spirit that writ thâ— Booke why when Dâ—â—uid expected newes fiâ—â— Ioabs armie and that thâ— Watchman tolde him that hee sawe a man ruâ—â—ning alone Dauid concluâ—ded out of that circumstance That if hee caâ—â— alone hee brought 〈◊〉 newes I see the Graâ—â—mar the word signifie so and is so euer accepâ—ted Good newes but I see not the Logique nor the Rhetorique how Dauid would prooue or perswade that his newes was good because hee was alone except a greater coÌ„pany might haue made great impressions of danger by imploring and importuning present supplies Howsoeuer that bee I am sure that that which thy Apostle sayes to Timothy Onely Luke is with me Luke and no body but Luke â— hath a taste of coÌ„plaint sorrow in itâ— Though Luke want no testimony of abilitie oâ— forwardnes of constancie perseuerance in assisting that great building which S. Paul laboured in yet S. Paul is affected with that that ther was none but Luke to assistâ— We take S. Luke to haue bin a Phisician it admits the application the better that in the presence of one good Phisician we may bee glad of more It was not only a ciuill spirit of policy or order that moued Moses father in law to perswade him to diuide â—he burden of GouernmeÌ„t Iudicature with others take others to his assistance but it was â—lso thy immediat spirit O my God that mou'd Moses to present vnto â—hee 70 of the Elders of Israel to receiue of that spirit which was vpon Moses onely before such â— portion as might ease â—im in the gouernmeÌ„t of that people though Moses alone had indowments aboue all thou gauest him otheâ— assistants I consider thâ— plentifull goodnesse 〈◊〉 my God in employing Angels more then onâ— in so many of thy remarkable workes Oâ— thy Sonne thou saist Iâ— all the Angels of God wâ—â—â—ship him If that bee iâ— Heauen vpon Earth hâ—â— sayes that hee could coâ—â—maund twelue legions 〈◊〉 Angels And when Hâ—â—uen and Earth shall bâ— all one at the last dayâ— Thy Sonne O God the Sâ—â— of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him The Angels that celebrated his birth to the Shepheards the Angels that celebrated his second birth his Resurrection to the Maries were in the plurall Angells associated with Angels In Iacobs ladder they which ascended and descended maintain'd the trade between Heauen and Earth between thee and vs they who haue the Commission and charge to guide vs in all our wayes they whâ—â— hastned Lot and in himâ— vs from places of danger and tentation theâ— who are appoynted to instruct gouerne vs in thâ— Church heere they who are sent to punish the disobedient and refractarâ—â— they that are to be the Mowers and haruest meâ— after we are growne â—p in one field the church 〈◊〉 the day of IudgmeÌ„t they that are to carrie oâ—â— soules whither they caâ—â—â—ed Lazarus they who attend at the seueral gateâ— of the new Ierusalem to admit vs there all these who administer to thy seruants from the first to their last are Angels Angels in the plurall in euery seruice Angels associated with Angells The power of a single Angell wee see in that one who in one night destroyed almost 200. thousand in Sennacheribs army yet thou often imployest many as we know the power of saluation is abundantly in any one Euangelist and yet thou hast afforded vs foure Thy Sonne proâ—claimes of himselfe thâ— thy Spirit hath annoynteâ— him to preach the Gospelâ— â— yet he hath giuen otheâ—s for the perfiting of the S. in the worke of the Miâ—â—â—stery Thou hast made him Bishop of our soules but there are others Biâ—shops too Hee gaue the holy Ghost others gaue it also Thy way O mâ— God and O my God thoâ— louest to walk in thine own waies for they are large thy way from thâ— beginning is multiplication of thy helps and therfore it were a degree of ingratitude not to accept this mercy of affording me many helpes for my bodily health as a type and earnest of thy gracious purpose now and euer to affoord mee the same assistances That for thy great Helpe thy Word I may seeke that not froÌ„ corners nor Conuenticles nor schismatical singularities but froÌ„ the assotiation communion of thy Catholique Church and those persons whom thou hasâ— alwayes furnished thâ— Church withall And that I may associate thâ— Word with thy Sacrâ—â—ment thy Seale with thy Patent and in that Sâ—â—crameÌ„t associate the sigâ—â— with the thing signified the Bread with the Bodâ— of thy Sonne so as I maâ— be sure to haue receiuâ—â— both and to bee maâ—â— thereby as thy blesseâ— seruant Augustine sayes the Arke and the Monâ—â—ment the Tombe of thâ— most blessed Sonne that hee and all the merits of his death may by that receiuing bee buried in me to my quickning in thiâ— world and my immortall establishing in the next 7. PRAYER O Eternall and most gracious God who gauest to thy seruants in
eyes to testifie my spiritual sicknes I stand in the way of tentations naturally necessarily all men doe so for there is a Snake in euery path tentations in euery vocation but I go I run I flie into the wayes of teÌ„tation which I might shun nay I breake into houses wher the plague is I presse into places of tentation and tempt the deuill himselfe and solicite importune them who had rather be left vnsolicited by me I fall sick of Sin and am bedded and bedrid buried and putrified in the practise of Sin and all this while haâ—e no presage no pulse no sense of my sicknesse O heighth O depth of misery where the first Symptome of the sicknes is Hell where I neuer fee the feuer of lust of enuy of ambition by any other light then the darknesse and horror of Hell it selfe â— where the first Messenger that speaks to me doth not sayâ— Thou mayst die no nor Thou must die but Thou art dead and where the first notice that my Soule hath of her sicknes is irrecouerablenes irremediablenes but O my God Iob did not charge thee foolishly in his temporall afflictions nor may I in my spirituall Thou hast imprinted a pulse in our Soule but we do not examine it a voice in our conscience but wee doe not hearken vnto it We talk it out we iest it out we drinke it out we sleepe it out and when wee wake we doe not say with Iacob Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not but though we might know it we do not we wil not But will God pretend to make a Watch and leaue out the springe to make so many various wheels in the faculties of the Soule and in the organs of the body and leaue out Grace that should moue them or wil God make a springe and not wind it vp Infuse his first grace not second it with more without which we can no more vse his first grace when we haue it then wee could dispose our selues by Nature to haue it But alas that is not our case we are all prodigall sonnes and not disinherited wee haue receiued our portion and mis-spent it not bin denied it We are Gods tenants heere and yet here he our Land-lord payes vs Rents not yearely nor quarterly but hourely and quarterly Euery minute he renewes his mercy but wee will not vnderstand least that we should be conuerted and he should heale vs. 1. PRAYER O Eternall and most gracious God who considered in thy selfe art a Circle first and last and altogether but considered in thy working vpon vs art a direct line and leadest vs from our beginning through all our wayes to our end enable me by thy grace to looke forward to mine end and to looke backward to to the coÌ„siderations of thy mercies afforded mee from the beginning that so by that practise of considering thy mercy in my beginning in this world when thou plaÌ„tedst me in the Christian Church and thy mercy in the beginning in the other world wheÌ„ thou writest me in the Booke of life in my Election I may come to a holy consideration of thy mercy in the beginning of all my actions hereâ— That in all the beginâ—nings in all the accesses and approches of spiriâ—tuall sicknesses of Sinn may heare and hearkeâ— to that voice O thou Maâ— of God there is death in thâ— pot and so refraine from that which I was so hungerly so greedily flying to A faithfull Amâ—bassador is health says thy wise seruant Solomon â— Thy voice receiued in the beginning of a sicknesse of a sinne is true health If I can see that light betimes and heare that voyce early Then shall my light breake forth as the morning and my health shall spriug foorth speedily Deliuer mee therefore O my God from these vaine imaginations that it is an ouercurious thing a dangerous thing to come to that tendernesse that rawnesse that scrupulousnesse to feare euery concupiscence euery offer of Sin that this suspicious iealous diligence will turne to an inordinate deiection of spirit and a diffidence in thy care prouidence buâ— keep me still establish'd both in a constant assurance that thou wilâ— speake to me at the beginning of euery such sicknes at the approach of euery such Sinne and that if I take knowledg of that voice then anâ— flye to thee thou wilâ— preserue mee from falling or raise me againe when by naturall infirmitieâ— I am fallen doâ— this O Lord for his sake who knowes our naturall infirmities for he had them and knowes the weight of our sinns for he paid a deare price for them thy Sonne our Sauiour Chr Iesus Amen 2. Actio Laesa The strength and the functioÌ„ of the Senses other faculties change and faile 2. MEDITATION THe Heauens are not the lesse constant because they moue continually because they moue continually one and the same way The Earth is not the more constant because it lyes stil continually because continually it changes and melts in al the parts thereof Man who is the noblest part of the Earth melts so away as if he were a statue not of Earth but of Snowe We see his owne Enuie melts him hee growes leane with that he will say anothers beautie melts him but he feeles that a Feuer doth not melt him like snow but powr him out like lead like yron like brasse melted in a furnace It doth not only melt him but Calcine him reduce him to Atomes and to ashes not to water but to lime And how quickly Sooner then thou canst receiue an answer sooner then thou canst conceiue the question Earth is the center of my body Heauen is the center of my Soule these two are the naturall place of these two but thoâ— goe not to these two iâ— an equall place My bâ—â—dy falls downe withouâ— pushing my Soule doâ—â— not go vp without puâ—ling Ascension is mâ— Soules pace measurâ— but precipitation my bâ—dies And euen Angellâ— whose home is Heaueâ— and who are wingeâ— too yet had a Ladder 〈◊〉 goe to Heauen by stepâ— The Sunne who goes 〈◊〉 many miles in a minuâ—â— The Starres of the Fiâ—â—mament which go so very many more goe not so fast as my body to the earth In the same instant that I feele the first attempt of the disease I feele the victory In the twinckling of an eye I can scarse see instantly the tast is insipid and fatuous instantly the appetite is dull and desirelesseâ— instantly the knees are sinking and strengthlesse and in an instant sleepe which is the picture the copy of death is taken away that the Originall Death it selfe may succeed and that so I might haue death to the life It was part of Adams punishment In the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread â— it is multiplied to me I haue earned bread in the sweat of my browes in the labor of my calling and I haue itâ— and I sweat againe
againe from the browâ— to the sole of the footâ— but I eat no bread I tast no sustenance Miserable distribution of Mankind where one halfe lackes meat and the other stomacke 2. EXPOSTVLATION DAuid professes himself a dead dog to his king Saul so doth Mephibosheth to his king Dauid yet Dauid speaks to Saul and Mephibosheth to Dauid No man is so little in respect of the greatest man as the greatest in respect of God for here in that wee haue not so much as a measure to try it by proportioÌ„ is no measure for infinitie He that hath no more of this world but a graue hee that hath his graue but lent him til a better man or another man must bee buried in the same graue he that hath no graue but a dung-hill hee that hath no more earth but that which he carries but that which hee is hee that hath not that earth which hee is but euen in that is anothers slaue hath as much proportion to God as if all Dauids Worthies and all the worlds Monarchs and all imaginations Gyants were kneaded and incorporated into one and as though that one were the suruiuor of all the sonnes of men to whom God had giuen the world And therefore how little soeuer I bee as God calls things that are not as though they were I who am as though I were not may call vpon God and say My God my God why comes thine anger so fast vpon me Why dost thou melt me scatter me powre me like water vpon the ground so instantly Thou staidst for the first world in Noahs time 120 yeres thou staidst for a rebellious generation in the wildernesse 40 yeares wilt thou stay no minute for me Wilt thou make thy Processe and thy Decree thy Citation and thy Iudgement but one act Thy Summons thy Battell thy Victorie thy Triumph all but one act lead me captiue nay deliuer me captiue to death assoon as thou declarest mee to be enemy and so cut me off euen with the drawing of thy sword out of the scabberd and for that question How long was he sicke leaue no other answere but that the hand of death pressed vpon him from the first minute My God my God thou wast not wont to come in whirlwinds but in soft and gentle ayre Thy first breath breathed a Soule into mee and shall thy breath blow it out Thy breath in the Congregation thy Word in the Church breathes communion and consolation here and consummation heereafâ—er shall thy breath in this Chamber breathe dissolution and destruction diuorce and separation Surely it is not thou it is not thy hand The deuouring sword the consuming fire the winds from the wildernes the diseases of the body all that afflicted Iob were from the hand of Satan it is not thou It is thou Thou my God who hast led mee so continually with thy hand from the hand of my Nurce as that I know thou wilt not correct mee but with thine own hand My parents would not giue mee ouer to a Seruants correction nor my God to Satans I am fallen into the handes of God with Dauid and with Dauid I see that his Mercies are great For by that mercy I consider in my present state not the haste the dispatch of the disease in dissoluing this bodyâ— so much as the much more hast dispatch which my God shal vse in recollectingâ— and reuniting this dust againe at the Resurrection Then I shall heare his Angels proclaime the Surgite Mâ—rtuiâ— Rise yee dead Though I be dead I shall heare the voice the spunding of the voice and the working of the voice shall be all one and all shall rise there in a lesse Minute then any one dies here 2. Prayer O Most gracious God who pursuest and perfitest thine own purposes and dost not only remember mee by the first accesses of this sicknes that I must die but informe me by this further proceeding therin that I may die now who hast not only waked mee with the first but cald me vp by casting me further downe and clothd me with thy selfe by stripping me of my selfe and by dulling my bodily senses to the meats and eases of this world hast whet and sharpned my spirituall senses to the apprehension of thee by what steps degrees soeuer it shal please thee to go in the dissolution of this body hasten O Lord that pace and multiply O my God those degrees in the exaltation of my Soule toward thee now to thee then My tast is not gone away but gone vp to sit at Dauids table To tast see that the Lord is good My stomach is not gone but gone vp so far vpwards toward the Supper of the Lamb with thy Saints in heauen as to the Table to the CoÌ„munion of thy Saints heere in earth my knees are weak but weak therfore that I should easily fall to and fix my selfe long vpon my deuotions to thee A sound heart is the life of the flesh a heart visited by thee and directed to thee by that visitation is a sound hart There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thinâ— anger Interpret thinâ— owne worke and call this sicknes correction and not anger there is soundnes in my fleshâ— There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne transferâ—e my sinnes with which thou arâ— so displeased vpon him with whome thou art so well pleased Christ Iesus and there will be rest in my bones And O my God who madest thy selfe a Light in a Bush in the middest of these brambles thornes of a sharpe sicknesse appeare vnto me so that I may see thee and know thee to be my God applying thy selfe to me euen in these sharp and thorny passages Doe this O Lord for his sake who was not the lesse the King oâ— Heauen for thy suffering him to be crowned with thornes in this world 3. Decubitus sequitur tandem The Patient takes his bed 2. MEDITATION WEe attribute buâ— one priuiledge and aduantage to Mans body aboue other mouing creatures that he is not as others grouelingâ— but of an erect of an vpright form naturally built disposed to the contemplation of Heauen Indeed it is a thankfull forme and recompences that soule which giues it with carrying that soule so many foot higher towards heauen Other creatures look to the earth and euen that is no vnfit obiect no vnfit contemplation for Man for thither hee must come but because Man is not to stay there as other creatures are Man in his naturall forme is carried to thâ— contemplation of thaâ— place which is his homâ— Heauen This is Man prerogatiue but whaâ— state hath he in this diâ—â—nitie A feuer caâ— filliâ— him downe a feuer caâ— depose him a feuer caâ— bring that head whicâ— yesterday caried a crouâ— of gold fiue foot toâ—wards a crown of glory as low as his own fooâ— to day When God camâ— to breath into Man
thâ— breath of life he founâ— him flat vpoÌ„ the grouÌ„â— when hee comes to withdraw that breath from him againe hee prepares him to it by laying him flat vpon his bed Scarse any prison so close that affords not the prisoner two or â—hree steps The Anchorites that barqu'd themselues vp in hollowe trees immur'd themselues in hollow walls That peruerse man that barrell'd himselfe in a Tubb all could stand or sit and enioy some change of pasture A sicke bed is a graue anâ— all that the patient saieâ— there is but a varying oâ— his owne Epitaph Eueâ—ry nights bed is a Typâ— of the graue At nighâ— wee tell our seruants aâ— what houre wee wilâ— rise here we cannot telâ— our selues at what day what week what moâ—neth Here the head lieâ— as low as the foot thâ— Head of the people aâ—lowe as they whom those feete trod vpon And that hande thaâ— signed Pardons is toâ— weake to begge his owne if hee might haue it for lifting vp that hand Strange fetters to the feete strange Manacles to the hands vvhen the feete and handes are bound so much the faster by how much the coards are slacker So much the lesse able to doe their Offices by how much more the Sinnewes and Ligaments are the looser In the Graue I may speak thorough the stones in the voice of my friends anâ— in the accents of thosâ— wordes which theiâ— loue may afford my meâ—mory Here I am minâ— owne Ghost and ratheâ— affright my beholders then instruct them theâ— conceiue the worst oâ— me now and yet feaâ—â— worse they giue me foâ— dead now yet wonâ—der how I doe wheâ— they wake aâ— midnight and aske how I doe â—â—â—morrow Miserable and though common to all in human postuâ— where I must practise â—y lying in the graue by â—ying still and not practise my Resurrection by â—ising any more 3. EXPOSTVLATION MY God and my Iesus my Lord and my Christ my Strength and my SaluatioÌ„ I heare thee and I hearken to thee wheÌ„ thou rebukest thy Disciples for rebuking â—hem who brought â—hildren to thee Suffer little children to come tâ— mee saiest thou Is therâ— a verier child then I aâ— now I cannot say witâ— thy seruant Ieremy Lorâ— I am a child and cannâ— speake but O Lord I aâ— a sucking childe anâ— cannot eat a creepinâ— childe and cannot goâ—â— how shall I come tâ— thee Whither shall 〈◊〉 come to thee To thiâ— bed I haue this weake and childish frowardâ—nes too I cannot sit vpâ— and yet am loth to go tâ— bed shall I find thee 〈◊〉 bed Oh haue I alwaies done so The bed is not ordinarily thy Scene thy Climate Lord dost thoâ— not accuse me dost thou not reproach to mee my former sinns when thou layest mee vpon this bed Is not this to hang a man at his owne dore to lay him sicke in his owne bed of wantonnesse When thou chidest vs by thy Prophet for lying in beds of Iuory is not thine anger vented not till thou changest our bedds of Iuory into bebs of Ebony Dauid sweares vnto thee that hee will not goâ— vp into his bed till he haâ— built thee a House To goâ— vp into the bed denoteâ— strength and promiâ—eâ— ease But when thoâ— saiest That thou wilt caâ— Iesubel into a bed thoâ— mak'st thine own comâ—ment vpon that Thoâ— callest the bed Tribulâ—â—tion great Tribulation â— How shal they come tâ— thee whom thou haâ—â— nayled to their bedâ— Thou art in the Congrâ—â—gation I in a solitude when the Centurions seruant lay sicke at home his Master was faine to come to Christ â—he sicke man could not Their friend lay sicke of the Palsey and the four charitable men were faine to bring him to Christ he could not come Peters wiues mother lay sicke of a feuer Christ came to her shee could not come to him My friends may carrie mee home to thee in their prayers in the Congregation Thou must comâ— home to me in the visiâ—tation of thy Spirit anâ— in the seale of thy Sacraâ—ment But when I aâ— cast into this bedd mâ— slacke sinewes are yroâ— fetters and those thiâ— sheets yron dores vpoâ— me And Lord I haue loâ—ued the habitation of thâ— house and the place wheâ— thine honour dwelleth lye here and say Blesse are they that dwell in thâ— house but I cannot say I will come into thy housâ— I may say In thy feaâ— will I worship towards thy â—oly Temple but I cannot â—ay in thy holy Templeâ— And Lord the zeale of thy House eats me vp as fast as my feuer It is not a Recusancie for I would come but it is an ExcoÌ„munication I must not But Lord thou art Lord of Hosts louest Action Why callest thou me from my calling In theâ— graue no man shall praise thee In the doore of the graue this sicke bed no Man shal heare mee praise thee Thou hast not opned my lips that my mouth mighâ— shew thee thy praise buâ— that my mouth mighâ— shew foorth thy praise But thine Apostles fearâ— takes hold of mee thâ—â— when I haue preached to â—â—thers I my selfe should be cast-way and therefoâ—â— am I cast downe that might not be cast awaâ— â— Thou couldst take mâ— by the head as thoâ— didst Abacuc and carrâ—â— mee so By a Chariot 〈◊〉 thou didst Eliah caâ—â—rie me so but thou caâ—â—riest me thine own priuate way the way by which thou carryedst thy Sonne who first lay vpon the earth praid and then had his Exaltation as himselfe calls his Crucifying and first descended into hell and then had his Ascension There is another Station indeed neither are stations but prostrations lower then this bed To morrow I may be laid one Story lower vpon the Floore the face of the earth and next day another Story in the graue the wombe of the Earth As yet God suspends mee betweene Heauen and Earth as a Meteor and I am not in Heauen because an earthly bodie clogges me and I am not in the Earth because a heauenly Soule sustaines meeâ— And it is thine owne Law O God that if a man bee smitten so by anoâ—ther as that hee keepe hiâ— bed though he dye not hee that hurt him must take care of his healing and recompence him Thâ— hand strikes mee into this bed and therefore if I rise againe thou wilt bee my recompence all the dayes of my life in making the memory of this sicknes beneficiall to me and if my body fall yet lower thou wilt take my soule out of this bath present it to thy Father washed againe and againe and again in thine own teares in thine owne sweat in thine owne blood 3. PRAYER O Most mightie anâ— most merciful God who though thou hauâ— taken me off of my feet hast not taken me off oâ— my foundation whicâ— is thy selfe who thougâ— thou haue remoued mâ— froÌ„ that vpright forme in which I could stand and see thy throne thâ—
Heauens yet hast not remoued from mee thaâ— light by which I can liâ—â— and see thy selfe who though thou haue weakened my bodily knees that they cannot bow to thee hast yet left mee the knees of my heart which are bowed vnto thee euermore As thou hast made this bed thine Altar make me thy Sacrifice and as thou makest thy Sonne Christ Iesus the Priest so make me his Deacon to minister to him in a chereful surrender of my body soule to thy pleasure by his hands I come vnto thee O God my God I come vnto thee so as I can come I come to thee by imbracing thy comming to me I come in the confidence in the application of thy seruant Dauids promise That thou wilt make all my bed in my sicknesse All my bedd That which way soeuer I turne I may turne to thee And as I feele thy hand vpon all my body so I may find it vpon all my bedde and see all my corrections and all my refreshings to flow from one and â—he same and all from thy hand As 〈◊〉 hast made these featherâ—â—â—hornes in the sharpnes of this sicknes so Lord make these thornes feathers againe feathers of thy Doâ—e in the peace of Conscience and in a holy recourse to thine Arke to the Instruments of true comfort in thy Institutions and in the Ordinances of thy Church Forget my bed O Lord as it hath beene a bedde of sloth and worse then sloth Take mee not O Lord at this aduantage to teâ—â—rifie my soule with sayâ—ing now I haue me thee there where thoâ— hast so often departe from me but hauinâ— burnt vp that bed bâ— these vehement heate and washed that bed iâ— these abundant sweatâ— make my bed againe Lord and enable me aâ—â—cording to thy coâ—â—mand to commune wiâ—â— mine owne heart vpon 〈◊〉 bed and be still To prâ—â—uide a bed for all mâ— former sinnes whilest I lie vpon this bed and a graue for my sins before I come to my graue and when I haue deposed them in the wounds of thy Sonn to rest in that assurance that my Conscience is discharged froÌ„ further anxietie and my soule from farther danger and my Memory from further calumny Doe this O Lord for his sake who did and suffered so much that thou mightest as well in thy Iustice as in thy Mercy doe it for me thy Sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus â— 4. Medicusque vocatur The Phisician is sent foâ—â— 4. MEDITATION IT is too little to calâ— Man a little World â— Except God Man is diminutiue to nothing Man consistes of morâ— pieces more parts theâ—â—he world then the world doeth nay then the world is And if those pieces were extended and stretched out in Man as they are in the world Man would bee the Gyant and the world the Dwarfe the world but the Map and the man the World If all the Veines in our bodies were extented to Riuers and all the Sinewes to vaines of Mines and all the Muscles that lye vpon one another to Hilles and all the Bones to Quarries of stones and all the â—â—ther pieces to the prâ—â—portion of those whicâ— correspond to them iâ— the world the aire wouâ—â— be too litle for this Orâ—â— of Man to moue in tâ—â— firmament would bâ— but enough for this staâ—â— for as the whole worâ—â— hath nothing to whicâ— something in man doâ—â— not answere so haâ—â— man many pieces 〈◊〉 which the whol worâ—â— haâ—h no representatioâ— Inlarge this Meditatioâ— vpon this great worlâ— Man so farr as to consider the immensitie of â—he creatures this world produces our creatures are our thoughts creatures that are borne Gyants that reach from East to West from earth to Heauen that doe not onely bestride all the Sea and Land but span the Sunn and Firmament at once My thoughts reach all comprehend all Inexplicable mistery I their Creator am in a close prison in a sicke bed any where and any one of my Creatures mâ— thoughts is with tâ—â— Sunne and beyond tâ—â— Sunne ouertakes tâ—â— Sunne and ouergoes tâ—â— Sunne in one pace oâ— steppe euery wherâ—â— And then as the othâ—â— world produces Serpenâ— and Vipers malignanâ— venimous creatureâ— and Wormes and Cateâ—â—pillars that endeauoâ—â— to deuoure that worlâ— which produces theâ— and Monsters compileâ— and complicated of dâ—â—uers parents kinds 〈◊〉 this world our selues produces all these in vs 〈◊〉 producing diseases â—â—cknesses of all those â—orts venimous and infectious diseases feeding consuming diseases and manifold and entaÌ„gled diseases made vp of many seueral ones And can the other world name so many venimous so many consuming so many monstroâ—s creaâ—ures as we can diseases of all these kindes O miserable abuÌ„dance O â—eggarly richesâ— how much doe wee lacke 〈◊〉 hauing remedies for euâ—â—rie disease when as yâ—â— we haue not names fâ—â— them But wee hauâ— Hercules against theâ— Gyants these Monsterâ— that is the Phisician 〈◊〉 musters vp al the forâ—â— of the other world â— succour this all Natuâ—â— to relieue Man We haâ—â— the Phisician but we 〈◊〉 not the Phisician Hee we shrinke in our pâ—â—â—portion sink in our dâ—â—â—â—nitie in respect of veâ—â— meane creatures wâ—â—â— â—re Phisicians to themâ—elues The Hart that is â—ursued and wounded they say knowes an Herbe which being eaâ—en throwes off the arrow A strange kind of vomit The dog that pursues it though hee bee subiect to sicknes euen prouerbially knowes his grasse that recouers him And it may be true that the Drugger is as neere to Man as to other creatures it may be that obuious and present Simples easie to bee had would cure him bâ—â— the Apothecary is not 〈◊〉 neere him nor the Pâ—â—â—sician so neere him 〈◊〉 they two are to othâ—â— creatures Man hath nâ—â— that innate instinct to aâ—â—ply those naturall meâ—â—â—cines to his present daâ—â—ger as those inferioâ—â— creatures haue he is nâ—â— his owne Apothecary hâ—â— owne Phisician as thâ—â— are Call back therefoâ—â— thy Meditations agaiâ—â—â— and bring it downâ—â— what 's become of maâ—â— greâ—t extent propoâ—â—â—tion when himselfe shrinkes himselfe and consumes himselfe to â— handfull of dust what 's become of his soaring thoughts his compassing thoughts when himselfe brings himselfe to the ignorancâ— â—o the thoughtlesnessâ— of the Graue His diseases are his owne but the Phisician is not hee hath them at home but â—ee must send for the Phisician 4. EXPOSTVLATIONâ— I Haue not the rightâ—ousnesse of Iob but haue the desire of 〈◊〉 I would speake to the â— mightyâ— and I would reasâ—â— with God My God 〈◊〉 God how soone wouâ—â—dest thou haue me goâ—â— to the Phisician hoâ—â— far wouldest thou haâ—â— me go with the Phisiâ—â—â—an I know thou hâ—â— made the Matter aâ—â— the Man and the 〈◊〉 and I goe not from thâ—â— when I go to the Phisician Thou didst not make clothes before ther was a shame of the nakednes of the body but thou didst make Phisick before there was any grudging of any sicknes for thou didst imprint a medicinall vertue in
sin together Yet O blessed and glorious Trinity O holy whole Colledge and yet but one Phisician if you take this confession into a consultâ—â—â—on my case is not despâ—rate my destructioÌ„ is not decreed If your consultation determin in writing if you refer mee to that which is written you intend my recouery for al the way O my God euer constant to thine owne wayes thou hast proceeded opeÌ„ly intelligâ—bly manifestly by the book From thy first book the book of life neueâ— shut to thee but neuer throughly open to vs froÌ„ thy second book the booke of Nature wher though subobscurely and in shadows thou hast expressed thine own Image froÌ„ thy third booke the Scriptures where thou hadst writteÌ„ all in the Old and then lightedst vs a caÌ„dle to read it by in the New Testament To these thou hadst added the booke of iust and vsefull Lawes established by them to whom thou hast committed thy people To those the Manualls the pocket the bosome books of our own Consciences To â—hose thy partcular books of all our particular sins and to those the Booke with seuen seales which only the Lamb which was slaine was found worthy to opeÌ„ which I hope it shall not disagree with the meaning of thy blessed Spirit to interpreâ—e the promulgation of their pardon and righteousnes who are washed in the blood of that Lambe And if thou refer me to these Bookes to a new reading a new triall by these bookes â— this feuer may be but a burning in the hand and I may be saued thogh not by my book mine own conscience nor by thy other books yet by thy first the book of life thy decree for my election and by thy last the book of the Lamb and the shedding of his blood vpon me If I be stil vnder coÌ„sultation I am not coÌ„demned yet if I be sent to these books I shall not be condem'd at all for though there be somthing written in some of those books particularly in the Scripturâ— which some men turne to poyson yet vpon these consultations these confessions these takings of our particular cases into thy consideration thou intendest all for phisick euen from those Sentences from which a tooâ—late Repenter will sucke desperation he that seeks thee early shall receiue thy morning dew thy seasonable mercy thy forward consolation 9. PRAYER O Eternall and most gracious God who art of so pure eyes as that thou canst not look vpon sinn and we of so vnpure constitutions as that wee can present no obiect but sin and therfore might iustly â—eare that thou wouldst turn thine eyes for euer from vs as though we cannot indure afflictions in our selues yet in thee we canâ— so thogh thou canst not indure sinne in vs yet in â—hy Sonn thou canst and he hath taken vpon him seâ—fe and presented to thee al those sins which might displease thee in vs. There is an Eye in Nature that kills assoon as it sees the eye of a Serpent no eye in Nature that nourishes vs by looking vpon vs But thine Eye O Lord does so Looke therefore vpon me O Lord in this distresse and that will recall mee from the borders of this bodily death Look vpon me and that wil raise me again from that spirituall death in which my parents buried me when they begot mee in sinne and in which I haue pierced euen to the lawes of hell by multiplying such heaps of actuall sins vpon that foundation that root of originall sinn Yet take me again into your Consultation O blessed and glorious Trinitie thogh the Father know that I haue defaced his Image receiued in my Creation though the Son know I haue neglected mine interest in the Redemption yet O blessed spirit as thou art to my ConscieÌ„ce so be to them a witnes that at this minute I accept that which I haue so often so often so rebelliously refused thy blessed inspirations be thou my witnes to them that at more poores then this slacke body sweates teares this sad soule weeps blood and more for the displeasure of my God then for the stripes of his displeasure Take me then O blessed glorious Trinitie into a RecoÌ„sultation and prescribe me any phisick If it bee a long painful holding of this soule in sicknes it is phisick if I may discern thy hand to giue it it is phisick if it be a speedy departing of this Soule if I may discerne thy hand to receiue it 10. Lentè Serpenti satagunt occurrere Morbo They find the Disease to steale on insensibly and endeauour to meet with it so 10. MEDITATION THis is Natures nest of Boxes The Heauens containe the Earth the Earth Cities Cities Men. And all these are Concentrique the common center to them all is decay ruine only that is Ecoentrique which was neuer made only that place or garment rather which we can imagine but not demonstrate That light which is the very emanation of the light of God in which the Saints shall dwell with which the Saints shall be appareld only that bends not to this Center to Ruine that which was not made of Nothing is not threatned with this annihilation All other things are euen Aâ—gels eueÌ„ our soules they moue vpon the same poles they bend to the same Center and if they were not made immortall by preseruation their Nature could not keepe them from sinking to this center Annihilation In all these the frame of the heuens the States vpoÌ„ earth Men in them comprehend all Those are the greatest mischifs which are least discerned the most insensible in their wayes come to bee the most sensible in their ends The Heauens haue had their Dropsie they drownd the world and they shall haue their Feuer and burn the world Of the dropsie the flood the world had a foreknowledge 120 yeares before it came and so some made prouision against it and were sauâ—dâ— the feuer shall break out in an instant consume all The dropsie did no harm to the heauens froÌ„ whence it fell it did not put out those lights it did not quench those heates but the feuer the fire shall burne the furnace it selfe annihilate those heauens that bâ—eath it out Though the Dog-Starre haue a pestilent breath an infectious exhalation yet because we know when it wil rise we cloâ—he our selues wee dieâ— our selues and wee shadow our selues to a sufficient preueÌ„tion but Comets and blazing starres whose effects or significations no man can interrupt or frustrat no man foresaw no Almanack tells vs when a blazing starre will breâ—k out the matter is carried vp in secret no Astrologer tels vs when the effects wil be accomplishd for that 's a secret of a higher spheare then the other and that which is most secret is most dangerous It is so also here in the societies of men in States CommoÌ„wealths Twentie rebellious drums make not so daÌ„gerous a noise as a few whisperers and secret plotters in corners The Canon
mention the Flea as the Viper because the Flea though hee kill none hee does all the harme hee can so euen these libellous and licentious Iesters vtter the venim they haue though sometimes vertue and alwaies power be a good Pigeon to draw this vapor from the Head and from doing any deadly harme there 12. EXPOSTVLATION MY God my God as thy seruant Iames when he asks that questioÌ„ what is your life prouides me my answere It is euen a vapor that appeareth for a little time then vanisheth away so if he did aske me what is your death I am prouided of my answere It is a vapor too And why should it not be all one to mee whether I liue or die if life and death be all one both a vapor Thou haâ—t made vapor so indifferent a thing as that thy Blessings and thy Iudgements are equally expressed by it and is made by thee the Hierogliphique of both Why should not that bee alwaies good by which thou hast declared thy plentifull goodnes to vs A vapor went vp from the Earth and watred the whole face of the ground And that by which thou hast imputed a goodnes to vs and wherein thou hast accepted our seruice to thee sacrifices for Sacrifices were vapors And in thâ—m it is said that a thicke cloude of incâ—nce went vp to thee So it is of that wherein thou comst to vs the dew of Heauen And of that wherein we come to theeâ— both are vapors And hee in whom we haue and are all that we are or haue teÌ„porally or spiritually thy blessed Son in the persoÌ„ of wisedome is called so to she is that is he is the vapor of the power of God and the pure influence froÌ„ the glory of the Almighty Hast thou Thou O my God perfumed vapor with thine own breath with so many sweet acceptations in thine own word and shall this vapor receiue an ill and infectious sense It must for since we haue displeased thee with that which is but vapor for what is sinne but a vapor but a smoke though such a smoke as takes away our sight and disables vs from seeing our danger it is iust that thou punish vs with vapoâ—s to For so thou dost as the Wiseman tels vs Thou canst punish vs by those things wherein wee offend thee as he hath expressed it there Bâ— beasts newly created breathing vapors Therefore that Commination of â—hine by thy Prophet I will shew wonders in the heauen and in the Earth bloud and fire and pillars of smoke â— thine Apostle who knewe thy meaning best calls vapors of smoke One Propheâ— presents thee in thy terriblenesse so There went out a smoke at his Nostrils and another the effect of thine anger so The house was filled with smoake And hee that continues his Prophesie as long as the world can continue describes the miseries of the latter times so Out of the bottomlesse pit arose a smoke that darkened the Sunne and out of that smoke came Locusts who had the power of Scorpions Now all smokes begin in fire all these will end so too The smoke of sin and of thy wrath will end in the fire of hell But hast thou afforded vs no means to euaporate these smokes to withdraw these vapors When thine Angels fell from heauen thou tookst into thy care the reparatioÌ„ of that place didst it by assuming by drawing vs thitherâ— when we fel from thee here in this world thou tookst into thy care the reparation of this place too and didst it by assuming vs another way by descending down to assume our nature in thy Son So that though our last act be an ascending to glory we shall ascend to the place of Angels yet our first act is to goe the way of thy Sonn descending and the way of thy blessed spirit too who descended in the Doue Therefore hast thou bin pleased to afford vs this remedy in Nature by this application of a Doue to our lower parts to make these vapors in our bodies to descend and to make that a type to vs that by the visitation of thy Spirit the vapors oâ— sin shall descend we tread them vnder our feet At the baptisme of thy Son the Doue descended at the exalting of thine Apostles to preach the same spirit desceÌ„ded Let vs draw down the vapors of our own pride our own wits our own wils our own inueÌ„tions to the simplicitie of thy Sacraments the obedience of thy word and these Doues thus applied shall make vs liue 12. PRAYER O Eternall and most gracious God who though thou haue suffred vs to destroy our selues hast not giuen vs the power of reparation in our sâ—lues hast yet afforded vs such meanes of reparation as may easily and familiarly be compassed by vs prosper I humbly beseech thee this means of bodily assistance in this thy ordinary creature and prosper thy meanes of spirituall assistance in thy holy ordinances And as thou hast caried this thy creature the Doue through all thy wayes through Nature and made it naturally proper to conduce medicinally to our bodily health Through the law and made it a sacrifice for sinne there and through the Gospel and made it thy spirit in it a witnes of thy sonnes baptisme there so carry it and the qualities of it home to my soule and imprint there that simpliciâ—y that mildnesse that harmelesnesse which thou hast imprinted by Nature in this Creature That so all vapours of all disobedience to thee being subdued vnder my feete I may in the power and triumphe of thy sonne treade victoriously vpon my graue and trample vpon the Lyon and Dragon that lye vnder it to deuoure me Thou O Lord by the Prophet callest the Doue the Doue of the Valleys but promisest that the Doue of the Valleyes shall bee vpon the Mountaine As thou hast layed mee low in this Valley of sickenesse so low as that I am made fit for that question asked in the field of bones Sonne of Man can these bones liue so in thy good time carry me vp to these Mountaynes of which euen in this Valley thou affordest mee a prospect the Mountain where thou dwellest the holy Hill vnto which none can ascend but hee that hath cleane hands which none can haue but by that one and that strong way of making them cleane in the blood of thy Sonne Christ Iesus Amen 13. Ingeniumque malum numeroso stigmate fassus Pellitur ad pectus Morbique Suburbia Morbus The Sicknes declares the infectionâ—â—nd malignity thereof 〈…〉 13. MEDITATION WEe say that the world is made of sea land as though they were equal but we know that ther is more sea in the Western theÌ„ in the Eastern Hemisphere â— We say that the Firmament is full of starres as though it were equally full but we know that there are more stars vnder the Northerne then
feare of death that there was not a house where there was not one dead for therupon the Aegyptians said we are all deaâ— men the death of others should catechise vsâ— to death Thy Sonne Christ Iesus is the first begotten of the dead he rises first the eldest brother and he is my Master in this science of death but yet for mee I am a younger brother too to this Man who died now and to euery man whom I see or heare to die before mee and all they are vshers to mee in this schoole of death I take therefore that which thy seruant Dauids wife said to him to bee said to me If thou saue not thy life to night to morrow thou shalt bee slaine If the death of this man worke not vpon mee now I shall die worse than if thou hadst not afforded me this helpe for thou hast sent him in this bell to mee as thoâ— didst send to the Angelâ— of Sardis with commission to strengthen the things that remaine and that are ready to die that in this weaknes of body I mighâ— receiue spiritual strengâ—h by these occasions This is my strength that whether thou say to mee as thine Angell said to Gedeon Peace bee vnto thee feare not thou shalt not die or whether thou say as vnto Aaron Thou shalt die there yet thou wilâ— preserue that which is ready to die my soule from the worst death that of sinne Zimrie died for his sinnes saies thy Spirit which he sinned in doing euill and in his sinne which he did to make Israel sinne For his sinnes his many sinnes and then in his sinne his particular sinne for my sinnes I shall die whensoeuer I die for death is the wages of sinne but I shall die in my sinne in that particular sinne of resisting thy spirit if I apply not thy assistances Doth it not call vs to a particular consideration That thy blessed Sonne varies his forme of Commination and aggrauates it in the variation when hee saies to the Iewes because they refused the light offered you shall die in your sinne And then when they proceeded to farther disputations and vexations and tentations hee addes you shall die in your sinnes he multiplies the former expressing â—o a plurall In this sinne â— and in all your sinnes doth not the resisting of thy particular helps at last draw vpon vs the guiltinesse of all our former sinnes May not the neglecting of this sound ministred to mee in this mans death bring mee to that miserie as that I whom the Lord of life loued so as to die for me shall die and a Creature of mine owne shall be immortall â— that I shall die and the worme of mine owne conscience shall neuer die 18. PRAYER O Eternall and most gracious God I haue a new occasion of thanks and a new occasion of prayer to thee from the ringing of this bell Thou toldst me in the other voice that I was mortall and approaching to death In this I may heare thee say that I am dead in an irremediable in an irrecouerable state for bodily health If that bee thy language in this voice how infinitely am I bound to thy heauenly Maiestie for speaking so plainly vnto mee for euen that voice that I must die now is not the voice of a Iudge that speaks by way of condemnation but of a Physitian that presents health in that Thou presentest mee death as the cure of my disease not as the exaltation of it if I mistake thy voice herein if I ouer-runne thy pace and preuent thy hand and imagine death more instant vpon mee than thou hast bid him bee yet the voice belongs to me I am dead I was borne dead and from the first laying of these mud-walls in my conception they haue moldred away and the whole course of life is but an actiue death Whether this voice instruct mee that I am a dead man now or remember me that I haue been a dead man all this while I humbly thanke thee for speaking in this voice to my soule and I humâ—ly beseech thee also to â—ccept my prayers in his behalfe by whose occasion this voice this sound is come to mee â—or though hee bee by death transplanted to thee and so in possession of inexpressible happinesse there yet here vpon earth thou hast giuen vs such a portion of heauen as that though men dispute whether thy Saints in heauen doe know what we in earth in particular doe stand in need of yet without all disputation wee vpon earth doe know what thy Saints in heauen lacke yet for the consummation of their happinesse and therefore thou hast affoorded vs the dignitie that wee may pray for them That therefore this soule now newly departed to thy Kingdome may quickly returne to a ioâ—full reunion to that body which it hath left and that wee with it may soone enioy the full consummation of all in body and soule I humbly beg at thy hand O our most mercifull God for thy Sonne Christ Iesus sake That that blessed Sonne of thine may haue the comsummation of his dignitie by entring into his last office the office of a Iudge and may haue societie of humane bodies in heauen as well as hee hath had euer of soulesâ— And that as thou hatest sinne it selfe thy hate to sinne may bee expressed in the abolishing of all instruments of sinne The allurements of this world and the world it selfe and all the temporarie râ—uenges of sinne the stings of sicknesse and of death and all the castles and prisons and monuments of sinne in the graue That time may bee swallowed vp in Eternitie and hope swallowed in possession and ends swallowed in infinitenesse and all men ordained to saluation in body and soule bâ— one intire and euerlasting sacrifice to thee where thou mayest receiue delight from them and they glorie from thee for euermore Amen 19. Oceano tandem emenso aspicienda resurgit Terra vident iustis medici iam cocta mederi se posse indicijs At last the Physitians after a long and stormie voyage see land They haue so good signes of the conâ—oction of the disease as that they may safely proceed to purge 19. MEDITATION ALl this while the Physitians themselues haue beene patients patiently attending when they should see any land in this Sea any earth any cloud any indication of concoction in these waters Any disorder of mine any pretermission of theirs exalts the dâ—sease accelerates the rages of it no diligence accelerates the concoction the maturitie of the disease they must stay till the season of the sicknesse come and till it be ripened of it selfe and then they may put to their hand to gather it before it fall off but they cannot hasten the ripening Why should wee looke for it in a disease which is the disorder the discord the irregularitie the commotion and rebellion of the body It were scarce a disease if it could bee ordered and
it in the hands and rest of a Sabbath though thou haue beene pleased to glorifie thy selfe in a long exercise of my patience with an expectation of thy declaration of thy selfe in this my sicknesse yet since thou hast now of thy goodnesse afforded that which affords vs some hope if that bee still the way of thy glory proceed in that way and perfit that worke and establish me in a Sabbath and rest in thee by this thy seale of bodily restitution Thy Priests came vp to thee by steps in the Temple Thy Angels came downe to Iaacob by steps vpon the ladder we finde no staire by which thou thy selfe camest to Adam in Paradise nor to Sodome in thine anger for thou and thou oâ—ely art able to doe all at once But O Lord I am not wearie of thy pace nor wearie of mine owne patience I prouoke â—heâ— not with a praier not with a wish not with a â—ope to more haste than consists with thy purpose nor looke that any other thing should haue entred into thy purpose but thy glory To heare thy â—steps comming towards mee is the same comfort as to see thy face present with mee whether thou doe the worke of a thousand yeere in a day or extend the worke of a day to a thousand yeere as long as thou workest it is light and comfort Heauen it selfe is but an extention of the same ioy and an extention of this mercie to proceed at thy leisure in the way of restitution is a manifestation of heauen to me here vpon earth From that people to whom thou appearedst in signes and in Types the Iewes thou art departed because they trusted in them but from thy Church to whom thou hast appeared in thy selfe in thy Sonne thou wilt neuer depart because we cannot trust too much in him Though thou haue afforded me these signes of restitution yet if I confide in them and beginne to say all was but a Naâ—urall accident and nature begins to discharge her selfe and shâ—e will perfit the whole worke my hope shall vanish because it is not in thee If thou shouldest take thy hand vtterly from me and haue nothing to doe with me Nature alone were able to destroy mee but if thou withdraw thy helping hand alas how friuolous are the helps of Nature how impotent the assistances of Art As therefore the morning dew is a pawne of the euening fatnesse so O Lord let this daies comfort be the earnest of to morrowes so fâ—rre as may conforme me entirely to thee to what end and by what way soâ—uer thy mercie haue appointed mee 20. Idâ—agunt Vpon these Indications of digested matter they proceed to purge 10. MEDITATION THougâ— counsel seeme rather to consist of spirituall parts than action yet action is the spirit and the soule of counsell Counsels are not alwaies determined in Resolutions wee cannot alwaies say this was concluded actions are alwaies determined in effects wee can say this was done Then haue Lawes their reuerence and their maiestie when wee see the Iudge vpon the Bench executing them Then haue counsels of warre their impressions and their operations when we see the seale of an Armie set to them It was an ancient way of celebrating the memorie of such as deserued well of the State to afford them that kinde of statuarie representation which was then called Hermes which was the head and shoulders of a man standing vpon a Cube but those shoulders without armes and hands All together it figured a constant supporter of the state by his counsell But in this Hierogliphique which they made without hands they passe their consideration no farther but that the Counsellor should bee without hands so farre as not to reach out his hand to forraigne tentations of bribes in matters of Counsell and that it was not necessary that the head should employ his owne hand that the same men should serue in the execution which assisted in the Counsell but that there should not belong hands to euery head action to euery counsell was neuer intended so much as in figure and representation For as matrimonie is scarce to bee called matrimonie where there is a resolution against the fruits of matrimonie against the hauing of Children so counsels are not counsels but illusions where there is from the beginning no purpose to execute â—he determinaâ—ions of â—hose counsels The arts and sciences are most properly referred to the head that is their proper Element and Spheare But yet the art of prouing Logique and the Art of perswading Rhetorique are deduced to the hand and that expressed by a hand contracted into a sist and this by a hand enlarged and expanded and euermore the power of man and the power of God himselfe is expressed soâ— All things are in hiâ— hand â— neither is God so often presented â—o vs by names that carry our consideratioÌ„ vpon counsell as vpon execution of counsell he is oftner called the Lord of Hosts â—han by all other names that may be referred to the other significationâ— Herebyâ— therefore wee take into our meditation the slipperie condition of man whose happinesse in any kinde the defect of any one thing conducing to that happinesse may ruine but iâ— must haue all the peeces to make it vp Without counsell I had not got thus farreâ— withouâ— action and practise I should goe no farther towards health But what is â—he present necâ—ssary action purging A withdrawing a violating of Nature a farther weakening O deare price O strange way of addition to doe it by substraction of restoring Nature to violate Nature of prouiding strength by increasing weaknesse Was I not sicke before And is it a question of comfort to be asked now Did your Physicke make you sicke Was that it that my Physicke promised to make me sicke This is another step vpon which we may stand and see farther into the miserie of man the time the season of his Miserie It must bee done now O ouer-â—â—nning ouer-watchfull ouer-diligent and ouer-sociable misery of man that seldome comes alone but then when it may accompanie other miseries and so put one another into the higher exaltation and better â—eart I am ground euen to an attenuation and must proceed to euacuation all waies to exinaniâ—ion and annihilation 20. EXPOSTVLATION MY God my God the God of Order but yet not of Ambition who assignest place to euery one but not contention for place when shall it be thy pleasure to put an end to all these quarrels for spirituall precedences when shall men leaue their vncharitable disputations which is to take place faith or repentance and which when we consider faith and works The head and the hand too are required to a perfit naturall man Counsell and action too to a perfit ciuill man saith and works too to him that is perfiâ—ly spirituall But because it is easily said I beleeue and because it doth not easily lie in proofe nor is easily demonstrable by any euidence taken from my heart for
God why is it so so odious It must bee so because hee that hath sinned and then repented hath weighed God and the Deuill in a ballance hee hath heard God and the Deuill plead and after hearing giuen Iudgement on that side to which he adheres by his subsequent practise if he returne to his sinne hee decrees for Satan he prefers sinne before grace and Satan before God and in contempt of God declares the precedency for his aduersary And a contempt wounds deeper than an iniury a relapse deeper than a blasphemy And when thou hast told me that a relapse is more odious to thee neede I aske why it is more dangerous more pernitious to me Is there any other measure of the greatnesse of my danger than the greatnesse of thy displeasure How fitly and how fearefully hast thou expressed my case in a storm â—t Sea if I relapse They mount vp to Heauen and they goe downe againe to the depth My sicknesse brought mee to thee in repentance and my relapse hath cast mee farther from thee The end of that man shall be worse than the beginning saies thy Word thy Sonne My beginning was sicknesse punishment for sin but a worse thing may follow saies he also if I sin againe not onely death which is an â—nd worse than sicknesse which was the beginning but Hell which is a beginning worse than that end Thy great seruant denied thy Sonne and he denied him againe but all before Repentance here was no relapse O if thou haddest euer re-admitted Adam into Paradise how abstinently would hee haue walked by that tree and would not the Angels that fell haue fixed themselues vpon thee if thou hadst once re-admitted them to thy sight They neuer relapsed If I doe must not my case be as desperate Not so desperate for as thy Maiestie so is thy Mercie both infinite and thou who hast commanded me to pardon my brother seuenty seuen times hast limited thy selfe to no Number If death were ill in it selfe thou wouldest neuer haue raised any dead Man to life againe because that man must necessarily die againe If thy Mercy in pardoning did so farre aggrauate a Relapse as that there were no more mercy after it our case were the worse for that former Mercy for who is not vnder euen a necessity of sinning whilst hee is here if wee place this necssity in our own infirmity and not in thy Decree But I speak not this O my God as preparing a way to my Relapse out of presumption but to preclude all accesses of desperation though out of infirmity I should Relapse 23. PRAYER O Eternall and most gracious God who though thou beest euer infinite yet enlargest thy selfe by the Number of our prayers and takest our often petitions to thee to be an addition to thy glory and thy greatnesse as euer vpon all occaâ—ions so now O my God I come to thy Maiestie with two Prayers two Supplications I haue Meditated vpon the Ielouzie which thou hâ—st of thine owne honour and considered that Nothing can come neerer a violating of that hâ—nor neerer to the Nature of a scorne to thee then to sue out thy Pâ—rdon and receiue the Sealâ—s of Reconciliation to thee and then returne to thâ—t sinne for which I needed and had thy pardon before I know that this comes to neare to a making thy holy Ordinances thy Word thy Sacraments thy Seales thy Grace instruments of my Spirituall Fornications Since therefore thy Correction hath brought mee to such a participation of thy selfe thy selfe O my God cannot bee parted to such an intire possession of thee as that I durst deliuer my selfe ouer to thee this Minute If this Minute thou wouldst accept my dissolution preserue me O my God the God of constancie and perseuerance in this state from all relapses into those sinnes which haue induc'd thy former Iudgements vpon me But because by too lamentable Experience I I know how slippery my customs of sinne haue made my wayes of sinne I presume to adde this petition too That if my infirmitie ouertake mee thou forsake mee not Say to my Soule My Sonne thou hast sinned doe so no more but say also that though I doe thy Spirit of Remorce and Compunction shall neuer depart from mee Thy Holy Apostle Saint Paul was shipwrackd thrice yet stil saued Though the rockes and the sands the heights and the shallowes the prosperitie and the aduersitie of this world do diuersly threaten mee though mine owne leakes endanger mee yet O God let mee neuer put my selfe aboard with Hymeneus nor make shipwracke of faith and a good Conscience and then thy long-liud thy euerlasting Mercy will visit me though that which I most earnestly pray against should fall vpon mee a relapse into those sinnes which I haue truely repented and thou hast fully pardoned FINIS Gen. 28.16 Mat. 13â— 16. 2 Reg. 4.40 Prou. 13.17 Esa. 58.8 1 Sam. 24 15. 2 Sam. 9.8 2 Sam. 24.14 Psa. 34.8 Prou. 14.30 Psa. 38.3 Ibid. Mat. 19.13 Amos 6 4. Psal. 132 3. Apoc. 2.22 Mat. 8.6 8.4 8.14 Psa. 26.8 84.4 5.8 69.10 1 Cor. 9.27 2. Reg. 2.11 Exod. 21 18. Psa. 41.3 Psal. 4.4 Iob 13.3 Ezâ—c 47.12 Ioh. 5.6 Ier. 8.22 Ecclus. 38.4 Ecclus. 38.15 1. Chro. 16.12 Ecclus â—8 9 Ps. 6.2 v. 10. v 12. Act. 9. â—4 Luc. 5.17 Apo. 22 2â— Ier. 51.9 Ose 5.13 Esa. 2 Châ—o 7.14 Ezech 47.11 Mat. 4.23 Luc. 6.19 Io 7.23 2. Reg. 20. â— Num 12.14 Io 13.23 Num 23.9 Deu 33.28 Eccles. 4.10 Sap. 1.9 Mat. 14.23 Mat. 26.13 Io. 8.16 Psa. 38.11 Esa. 63.3 1. regâ— â—4 14 Luc. 10.40 Ier. 1.1 Leu 13.46 Exo 14.2 Gen. 32.24 Ecclus. 6.16 2 Sam 3.11 9.34 Iob 9.34 Luc 18.1 Luc. 11.5 Psa. 27.1 Num 14.9 Ps 35.70 46.5 Ecclus 41 3. Mar. 6.20 Psa 25.14 Pro 2.5 Act. 9.31 Gen. 3.10 Pro 1.26 10.24 Ps 14.5 53 6. Io 7.13 19.38 29.19 Esai 33.6 Mat. 8.26 Iud 7.3 Apo 21.8 Iob. 6.20 Mat. 28.8 Ps 111.10 Pro. 1.7 Ecclus. 1.20.27 Deu 4.10 Heb 11.7 Ecclus 18.27 2 Sam. 18 25. So al but our Translation takes it Euen Burcdorf Schindler 2.4.11 Exod. 18 13. Num. 11 16. Heb. 1.6 Mat. 26.53 Mat. 25.31 Luc. 21.15 Io. 20.12 Gen. 28.12 Psa. 91.13 Gen. 19.15 Apo. 1.20 Apo. 8.2 Mat. 13.39 Luc. 16.22 Apoc. 21.12 1. Reg. 19.35 Luc. 4.18 Eph. 4.11 1. Pet 2.25 Io. 20.22 Ecclus. 13.23 Augustus 2 Sam. 19.12 2 Sam. 24. â—â— v. 17. 2 Chro. 14.8 2. Chro. 25.16 42.13 9.6 11.2 Gen. 1.26 Iob. 1. Tim. 4.1 Ose. 4.12 Esa. 19.14 Apoc. 7.1 Iosephus Iere. 9.21 Io. 8.44 Ioh. 6.70 Ps. 19.12 Esay 47.10 Gen. 4.10 Ier. 20.27 Eccle. 10.20 Gen. 3.8 Eccles. 12.14 Mat. 10.26 Psal. 32.34 8.5 Prou. 23.26 Iob. 1.8 Ier. 17 9 Gen. 6.5 Amos 4.14 1 Sam. 13 14. Ier. 3.15 Ezech. 11 19. Eccles. 7.26 Prou. 28.26 Io. 13.2 Ecclus. 50.23 Leuit. 26 36. Ios. 2.11 1 Sam. 7.3 2. Cor. 1.22 1. Sam. 25.37 24.5 1. Sam. 24.10 1. Reg. 8.38 Phil. 4.7 Coma latro in Val. Max. Ardionus 4.14 Gen. 2.6 Leuit. 16 23. Ezech. 8.11 Sap. 7.24 Sap. 11.18 Ioel. 2.30 Act. 2.19 Psa. 78.8 Esa. 6.4 Apo. 9.2 Psa. 91.13 Eze. 7.16 37.3 Can. 4.7 Iud. 23. Iob 9.30 Ephes. 5.29 Iosua 22.17 Sap. 13.14 Gen. 30.33 Mat. 9.12 Iob 11.15 Dan. 7 9. Mat. 20.6 6â—34 4.10 2 16â— 2. Cor. 6.2 Apoc. 6.17 Eph. 6.1 3. Ioh. v. 2. Heb. 1.2 2. Thes. 5.8 Mat. 23 30â— Mat. 22.15 V. 23. V. 34. V. 46. Gen. 32.26 2 Pet. 3.8 Ecclus. 41.1 Mat. 28.20 Psa. 121.1 2 Pet. 2.3 Psa. 127 1. Leu. 26.6 Ion. 1.5 Mat. 8.24 Io. 11.12 Eccles. 8.16 Pro. 4.16 Eccles. 5.12 Mat. 13.25.28.13 26.40 Iud. 16.3 vers 19. Eph. 5.14 1 Thes. 5.6 Ier. 51.59 Can. 5.8 1 Thes. 5.6 vers 10. Magius Antwerp Roan Roccha Num. 10 1. Exo. 18. Apoc. 14 13. Gen. 49.1 Deut. 33 1. 2 Reg. 20.1 2 Pet. 2.13 Ioh. 14.1 Psal. 31.5 Leuit. 21 1. Sap. 14.14 Sap. 13.9 Sap. 13.18 Esay 8.14 Deu. 33.6 Zechar. 11.9 Iud. 12. Exo. 12.30 Apo. 1.5 1 Sam. 19.11 Apoc. 3 2â— Iud. 6.23 Num. 20.26 1 Reg. 16 18. Ioh. 8.21 Vers. 24. Esay 66.14 Psal. 46.3 Psa. 33.7 Psa. 8.29 Ios. 3.17 Ecelus 43.24 vers 27. Sap. 14.3 Act. 17.11 Luc. 5.3 Act. 27.24 Mar. 5.2 Act. 27.31 Iac. 3.4 Apo. 8.9 Io. 6.21 Lam. 3.26 Exo. 13.21 16.10 1 Reg. 19.43 August Eccles. 11.4 Prou. 10 4. Psal. 24.3 Exod. 31.29 1 Sam. 22.17 Leuit. 8.36 Galâ—n Galen Galen Psa. 106 12. Mar. 15 23. Io. 12.28 Mat. 27 46.50 Deut. 5.22 2 Sam. 22.14 Psal. 68 33. Psal. 29. Io. 5.25 Apo. 1.12 Iob. 4.16 Psa. 93.3.4 Ecclus. 8.8 Ibid. v. 7. 1 Sam. 19.15 2 Chro. 24.25 Amos 3.12 Act. 5.15 Mat. 96 Leu. 5.2 Num. 15 22. Rom. 1.32 Eph. 2.3 1 â—o 3.4 Rom. 7.23 Ier. 6.7 7.26 Iacob 1.14 Gen. 3.6 1 Reg. 1â— 3 1 Reg. 21 1 Par. 22 3. Luâ— 23.23 Act. 12.3 Eph. 4.22 1 Cor. 5.7 Psal. 78.41 Num. 14 22. Ios. 23.12 Deut. 13 12. Iâ—s 22.11 1.12 Num. 25 4. Tertull. Psa. 107 26. Mat. 12.45 Io. 8.14 Mar. 14 70. Ecclus. 2.18 Ecclus. 21.1 2. Cor. 11.25 Timo. 1.19