which endureth to Everlasting Life Pardon I beseech thee O Lord as all my sins in general so especially whatever amiss hath passed from me this day and for Jesus Christ his sake do thou become unto me a reconciled Father own me for thy Child and continually preservr me by thy providence keep in me always a Religious Sense of thee and of thy goodness towards me and sanctifie my heart with thy holy Spirit that I may walk before thee the remaining part of this day and all the days of my life to thy honour and glâ—ry through Jesus Christ my blessed Lord and Saviour in whose Name and Words I continuâ— to implore thy Mercies saying Our Father c. A Prayer for the Evening in private O Most holy holy Lord God Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory Thou art a God of purer Eyes then to behold the least Iniquity with the least Approbation thou chargest thine Angels with folly yea the Heavens are not pure in thy sight How shall I then so sinful and impure a Wretch dare to appear before thee or to take so holy a Name into my sinful and unhallowed Lips But O Lord thou art God and not Man thy ways are not as our ways nor thy thoughts as our thoughts but as high as the Heavens are above the Earth so are thy thoughts of Love and Peace higher than our thoughts and therefore relying on thy Mercies and gracious Promises I am bold at this time to prostrate my self before thee humbly confessing that I am corrupt in my very Nature having an inability and aversness to that which is good and an aptitude and proneness to all that is evil but I have corrupted my self yet much worse by many vicious Customs and sinful Habits I have transgressed my duty to thee my Neighbour and my self followed too much the devices and desires of my own wicked heart and not only not obeyed but many times wilfuâ—ly broken thy Commandements which are holy just and good and to my former provocations I have added the sins of the day past of omission and commission of thoughts words and actions Here particularize any sin Yea I know not how often I have offended O cleanse cleanse thou me from my secret faults And now O Lord should'st thou be extream to mark what I have done amiss I could not be justified in thy sight nor be able to answer thee for the sins of this one day but thou O God delightest in Mercy and there is forgiveness with thee that thou may'st be feared O I beseech thee let Repentance and Contrition prepare me for that Mercy of thine and then be thou pleased to take away all mine Iniquity and to receive me graciously into thy favour Neither do I desire thee only for the pardon of my past sins but do most bumbly beg for a Divine Power that I may be able to subdue them for the time to come and get a compleat Victory over all the Temptations of the World the Flesh and the Devil To that end let thy Grace and goodness and tender mercies prevent and follow me all the days of my life and bring into obedience whatsoever exalteth it self against thy blessed will that at last I may come to be such as thou would'st have me to be even holy in all manner of Conversation And as I pray unto thee so I desire likewise from an unseigned heart to praise and to bless thee for thy infinite Mercies for those which relate to this life and a better particularly for the Mercies of the day past Here enumerate them O Lord the least of these deserves my hearty Thanksgivings let not the universality and commonness of thy goodness make me to have the slighter regard of it but fill my Soul with a Sense of thy Love and my Tongue with sincere acknowledgments that as I daily receive blessings from thee so I may daily from an affectionate and devout heart offer up thanks unto thee and let my whole life and all my actions be the verification of my Praises And now I beseech thee O Lord receive me this Night into the Arms of thy providence hide me under the shadow of thy Wings Give thy holy Angels charge over me to pitch their Tents round about me that no evil happen unto me nor any plague come nigh unto my Dwelling but that I and mine and all my Concerns may be safe under thy gracious protection that lying down in thy fear and being refreshed with moderate rest I may be the fitter to serve thee in the duties of the ensuing day And all I beg in the Name and for the sake of Jesus Christ my alone Saviour and Redeemer for whom my Soul hath endless cause to bless and to praise thee to whom with thy self and Holy Spirit of Grace be by me ascribed as is most due and all thy Saints and Servants both in Heaven and in Earth all possible Praise Might Majesty and Dominion both now and for evermore Amen A Prayer in publick with the Family for the Evening HEar us O Lord in the multitude of thy Mercies even in the truth of thy Salvation and let not O let noâ— the loud cry of our sins hinder our Prayers from coming up unto thee or thy Graces and Mercies from coming down upon us but pardon our sins which make us unworthy to appear in thy presence and our services to be accepted by thee and assist us we pray thee with thy holy Spirit which may make us fervent and earnest in our Devotions that so we may obtain our Requests at thy hands in and through Jesus Christ O Eternal and Everliving Lord our God thou art in thy self most glorious and in thy Son most gracious Heaven is thy Throne and that thou fillest with thy Majesty the Earth is but thy Foot-stool and yet that thou fillest with thy Goodness both Heaven and Earth loudly proclaim the exceeding greatness of thy Glory and transcendent Excellencies We thy sinful Creatures who are not worthy to lift up our Eyes unto Heaven for we have sinned against Heaven and before thee are yet bold in the Bowels and Mercies of Jesus Christ to cast our selves down at the Foot-stool of thy Majesty desiring in all humility of Souls and Bodies to acknowledg our own vileness and wretchedness O Lord we brought into the World with us evil and wicked Inclinations and we have since made it our business to improve them into practice As the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts so the very words of our Lips and actions of our Lives have been evil and only evil and that continually Our provocations against thee our God have been very great and hainous and as for their number more than the Sands of the Sea We have lived in an universal disobedience to thy Laws and violated all thy holy Commandments in the keeping of which there is great Reward And this O Lord not only through ignorance and frailty but too many
Lord I beseech thee mercifully hear my prayer and spare me who now confess my sins unto thee that I whose conscience by sin is accused by thy merciful pardon may be absolved from all my offences through Christ our Lord. Amen O most Mighty God and Merciful Father who hast compassion upon all Men and hatest nothing that thou hast made who wouldest not the Death of a Sinner but that he should rather turn from his Sin and be saved mercifully forgive me my Trespasses receive and comfort me who am grieved and wearied with the Burthen of my Sins Thy property is alwayes to have mercy to thee only it appertaineth to forgive Sins Spare me therefore good Lord spare me whom thou hast redeemed Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant who am vile Earth and a miserable Sinner but so turn thine anger from me who meekly acknowledg my vileness and truly repent me of my faults and so make hast to help me in this World that I may ever live with thee in the World to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen This being done you are next to review your Sins again and consider what were the occasions which drew you into each particular Sin and then consider and think of those ways and mean by which you may for the future avoid them and arm your self before-hand with reasons and holy resolutions against their assaults whensoever they invade which you may do well to commit to Writing After this consider what Graces directly oppose your Vices that you may in the next place petition for them for it is not enough that you are pardoned but you must also remember that that will not stand you in stead If you again return to your Old Vices An Examplification of this you have in one or two Sins following As January I fasted and upon Examination I found my self guilty of unclean and unchast thoughts and that with delight and approbation which sometimes brake forth into corrupt frothy Discourse and immodest or unclean Actions Upon reflecting into the Causes of this Sin I found them to be Eating and Drinking too highly keeping light or idle Company not keeping that Guard over my self as I ought nor behaving my self in all places with that gravity and seriousness as I should and giving way to the first motions of vain and impure thoughts Upon which I resolved to use my self to a spare low Diet to avoid Drinking much Wine or Strong Liquors to avoid light Company and not suffer mine ears to hear or my tongue to utter any frothy or corrupt Communication to carry my self always with a becoming gravity in my behaviour to deport my self as in the immediate presence of God remembering that he is a God of infinite Purity and Holiness I will be watchful over my own Heart that I do not permit any unclean thoughts or fancies to enter within me much less give them Entertainment and as soon as they offer themselves to my fancy I will endeavour to divert them by holy and heavenly Meditations And last of all I will be frequent in my prayers to God for a clean heart and purity of spirit and for the Graces of Temperance and Chastity When I fasted likewise I found my self guilty of muth deadness and dulness in my Devotions vain and wandring thoughts in them c. Upon Examination of my self I found the great Causes of it to be the want of keeping my self continually in a serious frame and temper of spirit my not spending some some time in Meditation before I came to pray my want of frequency in my Devotions and want of the due sense of God's great and dreadful Majesty and my own necessities of those things I come to pray for Upon which I resolved constantly to keep my self in an habitual frame and temper of piety to be more frequent in Prayer and to praemeditate of the dread and awfulness of that Majesty before whom I appear to consider before-hand that nothing but what is hearty and from the ground of the Soul will be accepted by him and how great need I have of those things I ask I will pray often for the Spirit of Devotion and Sincerity and will be sure to watch over my thoughts when I am at my Devotions but if any such enter I will presently repel them and then pray with greater fervency to cross the Devil's design therein These meditations and resolutions being over you may begin again thus O Lord increase my weak Faith Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief and give me Grace to live and die according to my belief for I believe in thee O God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ thy only Son our Lord who was conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into Hell The third day he rose again from the dead He ascended into heaven and siteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of Sins The Resurrection of the Body and the life everlasting Amen O Lord be with my Spirit O Most gracious God make me careful to discharge and perform all my Vows and Resolutions which I have made unto thee both in publick and in private Make me a serious and professed enemy to every sin and to all ungodliness especially O Lord to all c. Here meition thy most prevailing Sins and Corruptions and let no sinful thought surprize me without a sorrowful sigh no ungracious word pass me without a suddain retractation and devour confession no wicked action defile me without a sincere and godly humiliation Unto each measure of sin enable me to allow a due measure of sorrow Let those sins that have been reigning over me be at set times constantly revenged by me and as my body hath been a deep sharer in my Sins so let it have a daily share in my Sufferings Help me at set times to deny my self some of those outward Enjoyments which thou O Lord in mercy hast allowed me as a true sign of my godly sorrow for that sinful excess which I have too oft taken without thine allowance Let those sinful hours which have been vainly lost in idleness and emptiness be willingly redeemed in a constant observation of Religious Duties Let no day pass me with out a solemn and devout task of Devotion no hour without some sweet Ejaculation and when at any time the troubles and disturbances of this frail life shall deny me happy opportunities for those heavenly performances what is wanting in act let it be made up in desire which thou Lord I trust wi lt graciously accept and look upon because faithfully intended These and whatever mercies thou knowest needful and requisite I humbly beg in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ
let not the Lights of the World any more be put under Bushels but keep them in their Candlesticks that they may give light to all that are in the House Let not Jeroboam's Priests profane thy service but let the seed of Aaron still minister before thee And O thou Father of mercies and God of all comfort succour and relieve all that are in affliction and deliver the outcast and poor help them to right that suffer wrong Let the sorrowful sighing of the Prisoners and the Captives come before thee and according to the greatness of thy Power preserve thou those that are appointed to die Grant easie to those that are in pain health to those that are in Sickness Here mention any that you know in that Condition Give them patience and contentation under this thy Visitation and a happy Issue out of all their Afflictions when and which way it shall seem best to thy godly Wisdom only so preserve them by thy Grace that Christ may be unto them whether in Life or Death advantage Give suitable supplies to all that are in want to all presumptuous sinners give a sense of their sins and to all despairing a sight of thy mercy and do thou O Lord for every one above what they can ask or think forgive my Enemies Persecutors or Slanderers overcome all their evil with thy infinite goodness turn their hearts and draw them powerfully to thy self Pour down thy blessings on all my Friends and Benefactors all that have commended themselves to my prayer or that I am bound to pray for especially c. Here specify thy nearest relations particular Friends and all committed to thy Charge O Lord infuse Grace where it is not and where it is weak do thou strengthen it give them all things necessary for their Souls and Bodies guide them here by thy counsel and afterwards receive them to thy self in glory And grant O merciful Father that through this Blood of the Cross we may all be presented pure and unblamable and unreproveable in thy sight that so we may be admitted into that place of Purity where no unclean thing can enter there together with Saints and Angels to sing eternal Praises Doxologies and Alelujahs to Father Son and holy Ghost for ever Amen Either before or immediately after this Intercession make an oblation unto God of something for the Poor or Pious Uses and if it be the tenth of all thy Acquists thou wilt in the end be no looser by it but 't will prove unto thee a piece of frugal prodigality He that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9.6 We put our money into sure hands it is but lent though it be given We engage God himself and he will pay us again Pro. 19.17 This is the Fast that God hath chosen and delights in Isa 58.7 This stock that you thus lay up is the treasure that you send before you to heaven your Friend of the mammon of unrighteousness that when these earthly things fail will receive you into everlasting habitations 'T is call'd a Sacrifice wherewith God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 and again Phil. 4.18 a Sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God St. Augustine saith that Jejunium sine Eleemosina Lampas sine Oleo Fasting without Alms is a Lamp without Oyl It may shew beautiful to the Eye but will never lead you by it's light to Heaven When you have separated that portion which you chearfully design for this Charitable Use it may not be amiss if you offer and devote it to God in this or the like manner O Blessed Lord God I know that my goodness extendeth not to thee thou art infinitely happy in and from thy self alone Lucret. and wants nothing of ours to make any addition to thy happiness Yea O Lord all that we have and enjoy is from thy bounty and goodness and I can retribute nothing to thee but what must first come from thee Yet O Lord seeing there are many of thy poor necessitous Servants that stand in need of our Charity and thou hast said that whatsoever we do unto these we do it unto thee in consideration of my duty and thy mercies I here offer and devote unto thee for pious and holy uses this small portion as thou hast been pleased to bless me the week past O let it be a Sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing in thy Sight throughâ— Jesus Christ Amen Put this up in the poor Man's Purse by it self By this course thou wilt have always something in store by thee to give all indigent persons as there is opportunity offered and this great advantage thou wilt have by it also thou wilt not give grudgingly as the Apostle terms it 2 Cor. 9.7 or murmur when a poor Man asks an Almes of thee Deut. 15.10 for thou lookest upon this stock as not thy own and thy self only as Gods Purser and the Hand to dispense it yea thou will rejoyce and give God thanks when thou hast a fit opportunity to distribute do good and refresh the hungry bowels of thy poor Brother After this spend some time in Reading or Meditating or both Then call to mind and consider your Mercies both Spiritual and Temporal which you have in the foregoing Week received at the hands of God and if they have been any way eminent omit not to commit them to your Diary where also you may place your Vows if you have made any the benefit which may accrue from hence I shall hereafter shew you If you have no other mercies but the preservation of you from your own vile-Lusts Lusts and Affections from Presumptuous Sins and from Death and Damnation for the Temporal Mercies of each particular day and the mercies even of this day thou hast Matter enough of thanksgiving therefore you cannot do better than conclude your Fast with Praises and Thanksgiving The Thanksgiving and Conclusion of the Work O Most holy and for ever blessed Lord God thy Name only is excellent and thy praise above Heaven and Earth Heaven is thy Throne and that thou fillest with thy Majesty the Earth is but thy Foot-stool and yet that thou fillest with thy Goodness O how great are thy tender Mercies to us O Lord how large is the Summ of them If I would declare them and speak of them they are more than I am able to express I may as well count the sands upon the Sea Shore or the drops of the Ocean as enumerate thy favours Thou didst at first create me out of nothing instamp thine own Image upon me and gavest me Dominion over the Works of thy hands Thou art he that took me out of my Mothers womb By thee have been holden up ever since I was Born thy Almighty hand hath constantly supported me and thy Providence watched over me and I still acknowledg my dependance on thee When Mankind had departed from thee by Disobedience and erased that Image and Innocency in which he was created and for feited that Right to all thy
us in the face our Consciences accuse us our faces are appaled and our thoughts Distracted to think that if this Sickness should prove our last we must certainly not only be excluded from God's presence for evermore but have our portion with Devils and Reprobates in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone to all eternity 2. In the time of thy greatest health be frequent in the meditation of Sickness and Death Si sapis utaris totis Coline diebus extremumque tibi semper ad esse puta Martial It was the passionate Wish of Moses Deut. 32.29 O that Men were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end The consideration of our latter end before-hand is the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest pitch of wisdom and understanding and on the contrary the putting far from us the evil day is the perfection of folly It is reported of Bilney the Martyr that he used some time before his Martyrdom to acquaint himself with the heat and burning of a Candle that the greater flames might not be novel and strange unto him at the time of his Suffering The Grave would be no surprize to us if we did sometimes in our Health descend there in our thoughts and meditations Praecogitati mali mollis ictus venit Senec. Ep. 76. Thou may'st therefore sometimes when thou art in thy retirement fancy thy self to be then Arrested with thy last Sickness and consider then what thou would'st do and how thou would'st behave thy self in it Imagine thy sickness long and tedious thy pains violent thy nights wearisome and restless think that thou seest thy helpless Friends mourning about thy Bed and thy hands so feeble that thou canst not stretch them forth to take thy last farwell of them and at length findest thy Spirits quite Languishing thy Eye-strings Cracking Cold sweats bedewing thy Face and thy extream parts growing chill and dead and thy Soul just taking it's flight to appear in the presence of God Believe it This is more than Romantick Story or an Imaginary thing and 't is only a fancy with relation to the difference of time otherwise a great reality Thou may'st proceed farther likewise with these Considerations Probably I may die a suddain death and may possibly be snatch'd hence before I have time to make my peace with God if I do it not now in the time of my health and then how shall I be of all men the most miserable It is but the just reward of my demerits for trifling away so much precious time as was allotted me for that purpose I know many have died suddainly a Syncope Imposthume or an Apoplexy a small Obstruction in my Veins or Arteries a Stone falling from the top of a House a fall from my Horse a Thousand casualties and accidents may take me off or if I have the favour of a Death-bed probably my pains may be so sharp a Lethargy or Phrensy may seize my head and dethrone my reason or my thoughts may be so distracted and in confusion that I may be altogether unfit then to perform the great Work of repentance or secure my peace with God therefore take up holy Job's resolutions Job 14.14 All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change shall come 3. In the time of thy greatest Health lay up in store a stock of proper Graces against the time of Sickness and Death In the time of peace and quietness we discover no want of our Armour but let an Enemy invade us we are sensible of the folly of our neglect because we are now destitute of that which should secure us in our greatest necessity If we provide not before-hand a stock of Faith and Patience and most Christian Fortitude and Resolution Armour to shield and Weapons to repel the Frauds and Encounters of our great Assailant the Devil which will then take all advantages of our weakness we must certainly be foiled in the Combate The Graces then to be exâ—â—cised are chiefly these Faith Hope Râ—pâ—ntance Patience Devotion and Charity of which I shall speak more Particularly when I shew you this manner of exercising them on your Death-bed 4. Set not your Affections too much on the World and the vanities of it but wean your self from them by degrees lest at last your heart come to be so united to them that you cannot think of leaving them without great Reluctancy and you be apt with the Disciple to talk of building Tabernacles here and set your Affections on things on the Earth more than things of Heaven therefore Love not the World nor the things of the World Lay not your Affections that way more than a natural conveniency requires put now your House in order and dispose of your outward concerns prudently piously charitably Insere nunc Maelibaee pyros pone ordine vites that so when you come to die you may have nothing else to do but to die Emori satis est and having nothing else to do it well This alone will exact our greatest care our greatest diligence 5. Lastly In the time of thy health be frequent in prayer unto God that he will fit and prepare thee for that fiery Tryal that so Death find thee not unprovided Pray often for those Graces that thou shalt then have occasion to make use of that so When this Earthly Tabernacle of thy Body shall be dessolved thou may'st have a Building with God not made with hands but Eternal in the Heavens Of the Proximate Preparations for Sickness and Death FIrst Therefore when it shall please God to visit thee with Sickness â—hink thus This Sickness will put a peâ—â—od to my days I shall now go to the â—ates of the Grave whence I shall not â—eturn but before it comes to that I â—ust pass through a tedious Sickness and â—ost acute Pains but however be it â—hat it will I resolve by Gods Assiâ—ance patiently to undergo it and â—eerfully to submit to Gods Will and â—easure in it My Sins have deserved â—uch more Thy will O Lord be done 〈◊〉 Earth as it is in Heaven If thy Distemper will suffer it before â—ou takest thy Bed kneel down and pray to God that he will sanctifie unto thee this his Fatherly Chastisement give thee a cheerful patience under it and convert this thy Sickness into the advantages of Holiness and Religion that he will strengthen thy Faith encourage thy Hope support thy Weakness pity thy Infirmities and that being tried thou may'st come out of thy Affliction as Gold out of the Fire more pure and more refined and more fit for thy Masters use Or if he hath in his Wisdom otherwise disposed that he will be unto thee in death as well as in life advantage That he will not suffer thee to be tempâ—ed above what thou art able but with the Temptation will make a way for the to escape that thou may'st be able 〈◊〉 bear it That he will arm thee againâ—â— all the
Temptation can come thence or if we could come to it those pleasures now would have no gusts or relish The Flesh cannot tempt us for that is now refined and purifi'd from all Corruptions and vain Desires we are now so confirmed in our State of Happiness that God himself with reverence do I speak it cannot alter or change it to all Eternity Reflections upon Heaven and the Joys thereof AND now O my Soul Is Heaven such a glorious place Are the joys thereof so transcendant so satisfactory and so permanent without any fear of Diminution or Mutation Then this should teach thee to use all possible diligence that thou may'st in the end attain them and think no pain care or trouble too great for their Acquisition This is the Pearl of great price for which if thou sell all to purchase it thou wilt be a great gainer This is the Vnum necessarium the only thing necessary thy all that thou hast to do in this World 2. Is Heaven such a glorious Place and are there such Joys and Priviledges reserved for blessed Souls Then wo is me that I must remain in Meshech and have my habitation among the tents of Kedar I cannot but say with Elias I am weary of my life and with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace with St. Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better than to abide in this Baca of Tears and Wilderness of Fears for there all Tears shall be wiped away from mine Eys I shall cease to sorrow cease to grieve cease to sin If the poor deluded Mahometans can rejoyce at the expectation of a feigned sensual Paradise If a pooâ— Heathen could desire to die Cicero de Somn. Scipion. because he had hopes of conversing after death with such Heroick Spirits as Socrates Aristides Scipio c. â—ow much more should all true Christiâ—ns who have far greater hopes and firm assurance of the enjoyment of a real spiritual Paradise of conversing with Saints and Angels with our blessed Reâ—eemer nay God himself rejoyce to â—hink of that day and cry out with holy David Oh that I had Wings like a Dove for then would I fly away and be â—t rest My Soul is athirst for God yea â—ven for the living God when shall I â—ome to appear before the presence of God For one day in thy Courts is better â—han a thousand I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God than â—o dwell in the Tents of Wickedness Thou art my Helper and my Redeemer O Lord make no long tarrying 3. Is Heaven such a glorious Place And are there such joys and pleasures at Gods right hand Then this discovers unto me the madness and extream folly of the World who put so high a value â—nd estimate upon the pitiful contemptible empty things of this Life as riches â—onours pleasures and the like which we either lose living or leave dying without securing themselves of that Heaven and those Joys which are far above all value and comparison What a deal of toil and trouble do Men take for that Meat which perisheth And neglect that which endureth to everlasting Life How eagerly do Men gape after Riches rise early and late take rest endeavouring by all unlawful as well as lawful means to inlarge their Possessions to add Field to Field and House to House till there be no more place and neglect the true Riches Yet musâ— at last be content with a mouthful oâ— Earth whom many Mannors did noâ— content in life How do Men prefer aâ— little outward pomp and grandeur oâ— a fading title of Honour before the Ornaments of a meek and humble Spirit before the honour of being Gods Children here and of being admitted into his presence to raign with him for ever How do Men greedily hunt after and court the unsatisfactory yea troublesome pleasures of this vain World 〈◊〉 which are but momentany and aspire not to those which are at Gods righâ— hand for evermore O my Soul come not thou into their secret to their Assembly be not thou united 4. Is Heaven such a glorious Place 〈◊〉 Do the joys thereof so far transcend all â—umane Conceptions and Imaginations Then this should teach thee O my Soul â—o be content with whatever coarse Enâ—ertainment thou shalt meet withal in â—hy way thither be it poverty sickâ—ess disgrace disappointment losses â—r the greatest temporal Evil or Calamiâ—y that may befal thee Consider that Heaven will make amends for all O how great is the goodness which thou hast laid â—p for them that fear thee All the Afâ—lictions thou canst meet with here will â—ccompany thee no farther than the Grave and that is but a little way a â—hort time at most but a moment with respect to Eternity Those light Afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Those may not retard thy motion neither for commonly they rather acceâ—erate the course they work for us where as too much prosperity slackens â—logs us and works against us makes us apt to set up our rest on this side Jordan and never long for a better for a more heavenly Canaan If we come to a Friends House where we are well accommodated and have all things according to our desire we are inclined to stay longer than at first we designed and are very difficultly drawn thence but if we meet with bad Accommodation and unwelcome Entertainment we care not how soon we are gone and presentâ—y bethink us of our home where we shall have all things at our desire This World is but our passage our way not our home Heaven is our home our abiding our resting place and we can never be well accommodated till we arrive there We have many difficulties to pass through before we come to our Journeys end and then we may sit down and rejoyce Et olim haec meminisse juvabit and then it will be pleasant and delightful to reflect upon our past dangers Here I am in a state of Bondage I shall then enjoy perfect Freedom and Liberty yea the Liberty of the Children of God I cannot here attend one minute to thy service without distraction there I shall be free and find no interruption O bring my Soul out of Prison that I may give thanks unto thy Name and together with Angels and Arch-Angels and all the company of Heaven laud and magnifie thy glorious Name evermore praising thee and saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high Amen JOB 16.24 When a few years are come then shall I go the way whence I shall not return THere is not a more powerful Argument to reclaim a Sinner from the wickedness of his ways or to incourage a holy man in the prosecution of Piety and Goodness than the frequent Meditation of Death When a wicked
Give us grace to apply it to our selves and to reduce it into practice that thy word may be unto us the savour of life unto life and not unto any Soul of us the savour of death unto death These Mercies O most merciful Father for our selves or any of thine and whatever else thou knowest fitting for us together with the acceptance of our praises we humbly beg at thy hands though not for any worthiness that is in our selves for we utterly disclaim all but for the Merits of him who alone is worthy Jesus Christ the Righteous in whose endearing Name and holy Words we continue to pray unto thee saying Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ c. A Prayer for Sunday Evening in the Family Open thou our Lips O Lord and our Mouths shall shew forth thy praise O Most blessed and glorious Lord God Father of Mercies and of our Lord Jesus Christ Thou fillest Heaven with thy Glory and the Earth with thy Goodness All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints give thanks unto thee Thy Name only is excellent and thy praise above Heaven and Earth but because thou art good and delightest in doing good thou art pleased to permit us thy poor unworthy Creatures here on Earth to offer up our Prayers and our Praises unto thee who dwellest in the highest Heavens that thou may'st reward them with thy favour and loving kindness And that we might never be wanting to our selves thou art daily pleased to give us new and fresh occasions of Praising and Magnifying thy Holy Name Even this very day we have had large Experiences of thy Goodness which call for our highest Thanksgivings The temporal Mercies we have received in thy protection of us from those many dangers to which we were exposed by reason of our sins and the plentiful refreshment we have had in the use of thy good Creatures deserve our due acknowledgments but that thou hast given us Dust and Ashes an opportunity and leave to come into thy more immediate presence to wait upon thee in thy House to speak unto thee the glorious Majesty of Heaven before whom Angels cover their Faces and to hear thee speaking unto us instructing us in our Duties and offering unto us terms of Reconciliation most justly challenge our devoutest Affections and most exalted Praises Thou hast given thine only Son to be a Sacrifice for us by whom we have Redemption through his Blood thou hast given him Victory over Hell and the Grave by his Resurrection from the dead and he is now sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high making continual Intercession for us Thou hast given us the constant Solicitations of thy blessed Spirit of Truth the Seal of our Adoption and the earnest of the Inheritance of the Saints together wih a succession of Pastors and Teachers to be the Dispensers of thy Word and Will and the Guides of our Souls And thou hast prepared such things for those that fear thee as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor ever entred into the heart of Man to conceive Lord what is Man that thou art mindful of him Or the Son of Man that thou hast done such great things for him Praise the Lord O our Souls and all that is within us praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O our Souls and forget not all his benefits O that all this Goodness of thine might ingage us by way of just return to thy free and undeserved Mercies more heartily to love thee more devoutly to worship thee and more diligently to live after thy Commandments Give us a due savour and relish of those Divine Truths we have learned this day Grant that we may not be only hearers but doers of thy Word lest we deceive our own Souls Cherish those holy Thoughts Affections and Resolutions which thy good Spirit hath raised in us O Let not them pass out of our minds with the day but leave Impressions upon our hearts the whole Week following and all our days that as we have received how we ought to walk and to please thee our God so we may abound more and more Bless all the faithful Dispensers of thy Word and Sacraments however dignified or distinguished More especially bless him O Lord who hath this day blessed us in thy Name Pour down a double portion of thy holy Spirit into his heart make him an eminent Instrument for thy Glory Let him turn many from their wicked ways unto thee the living God and hereafter let his Soul shine as a Star in the Firmament of thy Kingdom Continue unto us O Lord such holy opportunities and seasons of Grace as thou now affordest us and send them where they are not Let not O let not the loud cry of our national Sins provoke thee to remove thy Candlestick from us or to quench the Light of our Israel but blessed God whatever temporal Judgments thou art pleased to bring upon us whatever Mercies thou art pleased to deny us yet for thy Names sake and for thy Truth and Righteousness sake be pleased still to continue unto us the free liberty of thy House of thy Word Sacraments and Ordinances in their primitive purity and regularity until time shall be no more Pardon we pray thee good God whatever thou hast seen amiss in us the day past even the many frailties and imperfections of our holiest Duties and Performances Look not upon the weakness of our Flesh but upon the sincerity of our Hearts and Desires Pity all our Infirmities and let those Sacrifices which we have this day offered unto thy Divine Majesty be accepted in and for that Sacrifice which thy Son Christ Jesus hath offered up upon the Cross for us Finally O Lord we commend into thine hands this Night our Selves Souls and Bodies and all our Friends every where to be protected by thy providence refreshed with moderate rest and raised again the next Morning by thy power to serve thee with more cheerfulness and to praise thee for thy renewed Mercies And all we beg for the alone sake and love of thy Son who is the Son of thy love Jesus Christ our Lord In whose holy Name we are bold to beg the acceptance of our Petitions and Thanksgivings and to continue to supplicate thy Divine Majesty Saying as he hath taught us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ c. A Prayer preparatory for Death to be often used in the time of Health O Immortal and Everliving Lord God thy years endure throughout all Generations from everlasting to everlasting thou art God I thy frail Creature created at first by thy power to a state of Immortality with thy self which by Adams Transgression the representative of all mankind I have long since forfeited my right to and am become liable to Death I acknowledg thy mercy towards me in my Creation and thy justice and faithfulness in the execution of thy Threatnings upon breach
already by better Heads been so largely and learnedly discussed nor yet pretend to the invention of many new but only cull out a few which seem to me most cogent and convincing and which have given me the greatest confirmation of my own Faithin the Existence of a Deity SECTION I. Concerning God and what he is IT was not without great Reason advised by the Wisest of Kings that when we had a mind to speak any thing before God we should not be hasty to utter it and Aristotle teaches us Nunquam nos-verecundiores esse debere quam cum de diis agitur That we never ought to be more modest than when we have to do about God and there is no doubt but that when we speak not only before God but of him we ought most seriously to weigh our thoughts and words and with much caution produce them lest we should any way derogate from the Purity and Excellencies of so transcendent Majesty But when we have weighed and considered all that we can of him our Apprehensions are very narrow and scant and our Notions of him come infinitely short of his Divine Perfections For as he is Invisible to the Eye so he is Incomprehensible to the Mind Whatsoever we conceive it is but in part there is much more we cannot perceive nor comprehend He is represented to us a Spiritual and Incorporal Essence and till we come to be unbodied our selves we cannot perfectly conceive what he is so that we may conclude with Aristotle Hoc tantum scio me nihil scire This only we know that we know nothing or with a Diviner Authori Elihu Job 37.23 Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out There is no question but those that duly Worship and Honour God duly agnise and are acquainted with him But if the Atheist to whom the greatest part of this Discourse is directed should interrogate Where is your God Jovis omnia plena And bid us Worship what we know we answer God fills every place John 4.22 and we know what we Worship and that is the true God whose Nature and Infinity though we who are but finite Creatures cannot sufficiently comprehend yet he is more cognoscible to us by his Perfections and Attributes than any other thing whatsoever Under the Notion therefore of a God I understand a Being that is Eternal Omniscient Omnipotent the Fountain of all Goodness Mercy and Truth the Creator of all things and finally that hath in himself the Complement of all Perfections This is a Glympse a general Notion that we now have of that most glorious God we Revere and Adore Job 26.14 We now hear of him but a little portion saith Job We know but in part 1 Cor. 13.12 and see him but darkly as through a Perspective Glass in the Works of his Creation but hereafter when this earthy Tabernacle of ours shall be dismantled We shall know him as we are known and see him face to face Our Eyes are now too weak to behold this dazling Sun but then they shall be strenghened and enlightned all mists dispelled and we shall with Cherubims and Seraphims admire its lustre and bear our part to him in that Divine Anthem Revel 4.11 Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Let us learn then hence this Corollary That though God be invisible to the Eye and incomprehensible to the Mind and as Job says We cannot find him out in his perfection Job 11.7 Let us lay by our Sense and Reason and apprehend him now by Faith that so we may know him to our Salvation for ever SECT II. That the Existence of a God and a Providence in the World is as cleerly demonstrable as any Truth whatsoever IT hath been often disputed if there ever were and whether it is possible there ever should be such a Prodigy in Nature as a Speculative Atheist and it hath been generally carried in the Negative and for my part I can hardly believe that there is such a Monster in the World for amongst the immense number of Deities that remoter Nations have had and their disagreeings what Gods they ought to have yet none were so wild and barbarous as totally to renounce all Nulla gens est neque tam immansueta neque tam fera quae non etiamsi ignoret qualem habere deum deceat tamen habeâ—dum sciat Cicero de Legib. lib. 1. And again Nulla gens tam fera nemo omnium tam sitim manis cujus mentem non imbuerit deorum opinio Tusc Qu. lib. 1. So Seneca Nulla gens usquam estadeo extra leges moresque projecta ut non aliquos deos credat Epist 118. In omnium animis deorum notionem impressit ipsa natura Nature it self hath herein given Laws to the minds of Men. This is one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common Notions The Law written in our hearts and were there an Absolute impossibility to have this Notion ab Extra yet it is too deeply impress'd there by the God of Nature ever to be errased or obliterated Otherwise what can we think of those who have been born both Deaf and Dumb and understood nothing of any Character to be instructed by yet will give manifest Discoveries of their Apprehension of a God by paying him in their unintelligible way Homage and Adoration and often prostrating themselves on the Earth with their Eyes and Hands lifted up towards Heaven with the greatest seriousness and reverence imaginable This is a part of Piety St. Basil says we never learn'd but brought with us into the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an impression made in us by the hand of Nature it self Men were heretofore so superstitious in the belief of a Deity that they those rather to err on the right hand than the left and would have too many rather then none at all They would have a Deity for every thing their Corn and their Wine and their Cattel and so that the Romans by that method had multiplied their Gods to above Thirty thousand and other Nations came not much behind them But alass our Age pretends to more light and indeed I think only too much hath dazled our Eyes that we cannot see as far as the Wisest Heathens Non praestat fides quod praestat infidelitas Even Fabricius Cato and Regulus will upbraid and shame many of us who call our selves Christians Heretofore only a few poor Indians Inhabitants of Soldania in Affrick and Cannibals of Ammerica or single persons as Diagoras Milesius Protagoras Abderites Lucian and no number much less Societies of Men ever denyed a Deity but now we need not go so far as those dark and barbarous Corners of the World to search for such Monsters as these who differ but little from the very Brutes we may find them much nearer home in Europe as
Physician passing by and moved with compassion bleeded some of them and prescrib'd such Medicines as he thought proper to their condition which it pleased God to succeed with his benediction so that those and those only recovered which were thus handled the others suffering the common though untimely fate of all Mankind So that hence it seems manifest that tho God had prepared the means yet had there not been an actual application of it they must of necessity have shared in the same destiny The other is this which I my self have been more than once the sad beholder of that persons labouring under a troublesom Cough or Catarrh which hath disturb'd their rest at nights and being of a thin texture of Body and weak Constitution by the unseasonable and unskilfull administration of Opiatick Medicines have taken their laethaean nap and gone smoothly and quietly to the Land of forgetfulness The like may be said of giving the same Medicine in a Pthysis Pleurisie Empyema and the like which hath often produced the same effect To say nothing of those many strong robust men that meerly through wantonness or for prevention of some Epidemical and Popular Disease that hath then threatn'd have committed themselves to the hands of confident Empiricks who not regarding or not knowing the temper of their Patients Bodies and the Nature and Dose of their Medicines have been by a Hypercatharsis or too violent Evacuations sent head long to the other World which may sufficiently evince that many have shortned their daies by rashly exposing themselves to such dangers or else wilfully neglecting those assistances they might have had for the preservation or prolongation of theiâ— lives The common Objection of Asa's reprehension for seeking to the Physician and not to the Lord is a very weak one to draw this Conclusion from That therefore I ought not to apply my self to a Physician for it is evident by the text 2 Chron. 16.12 that here is no Antithesis or opposition but a Protimesis and is an Expression by way of choice and estimation Asa is reproved because that in his Disease he sought not to the Lord but rather to the Physicians or them onely Had he implored the divine as well as humane assistance he had not without doubt been reprehended for it So in the 16 of St. Matthew the 19. and 20. verses we are bid not to lay up treasures for our selves vpon Earth but lay up for our selves treasures in Heaven and in a Parallel place we are forbad to labour after the Meat that perisheth but to labour after that which endureth to everlasting Life which are not to be understood as plain prohibitions to lay up Earthly treasures or to labour for our daily food but by way of choice or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather lay up treasures in Heaven than treasures upon Earth rather labour after that Meat which endureth to everlasting Life than that which perisheth which is no more than this have a greater care of the one than the other Our Saviour himself says They that are whole need not the Physician but as it follows they that are sick which is a sufficient warrant for all in that Condition to apply themselves unto him for he is as Herophilus observes Manus Dei the hand by which God conveys health unto their diseased Bodies And though he can as I have before shewed cure them by a miracle yet his usual and common way is by fit and appropriate means so that they who wilfully neglect them do sihi manus inferre even cruelly prove their own Executioners therefore as the Son of Syrach Eccles 38.4 observes that seeing God hath created Medicines out of the earth he that is wise will not abhor them I could here swell this Section to a great bulk if I designed to depaint the dignity of Physick and learned Physicians but the Sun needs not the light of a Candle to make it seen nor a perfect natural Complection the disgraceful help of such Artificial Tinctures besides being of the same Profession my self I fear I should be condemned either of Pride or Vain-Glory and therefore shall conclude this only with too Disticks of the famous Horstius In ventum Medicina Dei est Medicusque peritus Rectè mortalis dicitur esse Deus Hoc Medico hoc commune Deo quod uterque misellis Auxiliatrices detque feratque manus SECT VII That a Holy and Vertuous Life is a necessary Qualification for a Physician in order to the imbettering his Judgment and his good success in Practice WHat is true in Theology That the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and the knowledg of the Holy Ones is Vnderstanding Prov. 9.10 and that The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psal 25.14 is also most true in Physick and Philosophy which Truth is acknowledged by the best and divinest Philosophers and hence is it that they so frequently discourse of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purgative Vertues such as they judged necessary to prepare the Soul in order to its clearer Contemplation and Knowledg of the most useful and sublime Speculations It is Aristotle's Observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Wickedness is destructive of Principles and a greater than he hath observed that Wisdom cannot enter into a Wicked Heart nor dwell in the Body that is subject unto Sin Wisdom 1.4 Immorality and a Vicious Life unfits and indisposes the most Ingenious Minds for the Acquisition of the noblest Truths whether Moral or Divine and though sometimes they may hit upon some Curious and Philosophical Notions and Secrets of Nature yet even here they had done far better and excell'd themselves had they been more purg'd from Vice and Wickedness which casts such a mist before their Eyes that they can not discern Truth from Error dulls their Invention and so clouds their Understanding that they never arrive to the full discovery and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even of common Arts and Sciences Thus you see that a Holy and Good Life affords the greatest advantages to the imbettering the Judgment not only in Divine but Philosophical Speculations Next of all such a life is necessary in order to their Directions of profitable Prescriptions for their Patients Although as I have before hinted God is not always tyed up to means or to these in particular yet he usually co-operates with those that are proper and adequate to the end Those that do truly fear God as the pious and worthy Judge Hales of late blessed Memory hath observed have a secret Guidance from a higher Wisdom than what is barely Humane namely from the Spirit of Truth and Wisdom that doth really and truly but secretly prevent and direct â—â—em and let no Man think that this â—s a piece of Fanaticism for any Man that fears Almighty God and relies upon him calls upon him for his Guidance and Direction hath it as really as the Son hath the Directions of his Father and tho the voice be not audible
nothing but what comes from the ground of the Heart is accepted by him and that only the Fervent Prayer is effectual and prevails with him how great need you have of those things you ask and that for ought you know this may be the last time you may have an opportunity of putting up any Petition unto him Then draw near unto God in Faith and in Humility in a sense of his great Majesty and thy own Wretchedness and Misery In the entrance to thy Prayer earnestly desire the Assistance of Gods Holy Spirit and have a care to keep out all vain and wandring thoughts In the close of thy Prayer remember to give God thanks for that gracious opportunity vouchsafed thee for that strength of Body and Assistance of his Holy Spirit which he hath been pleased to afford thee in the performance of thy Duty and desire him for the continuation of the same Mercies to pardon the Frailties and Imperfections of thy Holy Duties and to do more abundantly for thee than thou art able to ask or think c. This being done prepare thy self for thy Bed unless thou art Major Domo Master of a Family and then call thy Family together read unto them or cause them to read a Chapter or two and afterwards Pray with them and be not unmindful to adapt thy Prayers as near as thou canst to their as well as thy own particular wants and necessities which by having an eye over them thou mayst without any great difficulty observe and know As thou art putting off thy Cloaths Meditate that it will not be long before thou put off thy Body also Beg of God therefore by Ejaculation that when this Earthly Tabernacle of thy Body shall be dissolv'd thou mayst have a building with God not made with hands but Eternal in the Heavens and that when thy Body shall lie down in its Bed of Darkness thy Soul may pass into the Regions of Light and dwell with God for ever more through Jesus Christ Amen After thou art in Bed use these or the like short Prayers or Ejaculations I will remember thee in my Bed I will think upon thee in the Night Season At Midnight will I give thanks to â—hee because of thy Righteous Judgments O Lord deliver me from the place works and spirits of Darkness O Let â—e not walk in the Night of Sin lest I â—umble and fall In the midst of Darkâ—ess and the shadow of Death O Lord â—e thou my Light Give thy Holy Angels charge over â—e to keep me in all thy ways and be â—hou O blessed Saviour unto me both 〈◊〉 life and death advantage I will lay me down in Peace and â—ake my rest for thou Lord only makest â—e dwell in fafety Consider and bear me O Lord my â—od Lighten mine Eyes that I sleep â—ot in Death Into thy hands I commend my Spirit â—oul and Body for thou hast redeemed â—â—em O Lord thou God of Truth Glory be to the Father and to the â—on and to the Holy Ghost As it was 〈◊〉 the beginning is now and ever sha◠〈◊〉 c. If any time remains before sleep seizeth on thee you cannot do better than to spend it in Meditation of some portion of that Scripture which you before read If you awake in the Night fill up the Chasms and Intervals with short Prayers Ejaculations or Meditations upon the four last things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell So shalt thou sleep and awake with God Prov. 3.24 yea thy sleep shall be sweet and no dangers of the Night or Spirits of Darkness shall terrifie thee So shalt thou be in a continual epectation of the coming of thy dearest Lord that if he call for thee at Morning or at Evening at Midnight or at Mid-day at the third or fourth Watch thou wilt be found prepared for his coming thou wilt lay thy head down in the dusâ— with joy rest in hope and at length rise to a glorious Immortality which will make an ample Compensation for these thy pains and services Of a Private Fast and Directions for it FAsting in its Definition I take to be nothing else but an abstaining from our lawful Food upon a Religious account which although it be no where in Scripture injoyn'd simply for its own sake yet if we consider the many advantages of it in order to the benefit of our Souls we shall not think the Commands of the Church and the Practice of the Primitive Christians too severe and inimitable The Jews fasted twice every Week sc Tuesdays and Thursdays concerning which is the boast of the Pharisee Luke 18.12 and the Christians have not come behind them and the Sabbath being for good Reasons altered they have observed Wednesdays and Fridays for a Religious Fast which days are taken notice of by Tertullian and called Dies Stationarii But alas we that now live in this profligate and degenerate Age are so far from following the steps of pious Antiquity or the Commands of our Holy Mother the Church that if we set apart a Day for this purpose once in a quarter shall I say before the Sacrament or a year rather we think we have sufficiently deny'd our selves and discharg'd our Duty But certainly did we seriously consider and put a due estimate upon the great Emoluments and Advantages of this Holy exercise we should not be so remiss and negligent in it which I shall in the next place give you a taste of 1. And first of all Fasting is very instrumental to all Acts of Devotion for seeing there is so near an affinity between the Soul and the Body the former using the Organs of the latter for its Operations and for the most part follows the Temperament of it it cannot be when the Body is stuff'd even to Satiety and clog'd with a Load of indigested Humours that the Soul should be so active and vigorous as at other times and mount with those Wings of Devotion with that Zeal and Affection towards Heaven as when it is freed from that Burthen which still presses it down to the Earth And if there were no other reason to be given for it every good Christian's own Experience will sufficiently evince the Truth of the Assertion 2. Fasting is very instrumental in order to our humilation for Sins past and subduing of Lusts for the future Such is the misery of Mankind That whilst we are driven by an indispensable necessity to Eating and Drinking that we may support our frail Beings we also by the same Act cherish and foment our Vices Our Flesh is apt to be too rebellious and we find a Law in our Members constantly warring against the Law of our Minds and leading us Captive at will Now fasting is the Soul's Physick and there is no better way to tame this Monstrous Panther than by substracting that Pabulum which nourishes and feeds it This course Holy David took he wept and chastened himself with Fasting and many of God's Children imitate his Example
That he would bless his Minister that hath this day blessed you that he would pour down a double portion of his Spirit into his heart and make him an eminent Instrument for his glory and finally may so live and so preach that he may both save himself and them that hear him Pray also that he would continue such his spiritual Mercies towards you and make you to grow in knowledg and to be more fruitful under all the means of Grace that so his Word may be unto you the savour of Life unto Life and not to any Soul of you the savour of death unto death c. Thus shalt thou sanctifie this day unto the Lord and the Lord will sanctifie thee unto himself He will give thee of the blessings of this Life and that which is to come Remember the words of the Prophet Isaiah ch 58.13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my Holy day and call the Sabbath a Delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thy own ways nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the Earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy Father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Of the holy Sacrament SHould I here go about to enumerate the many great benefits of this holy Mystery I might in the next page also reckon up all the benefits of Physick Meat and Drink for what there are to the Body the other is to the Soul Meat and Drink are the Supporters of our Beings strengthen the Powers and Abilities of the Body preserve its natural heat and vigor and repair its decays and our Saviour saith of this Holy Sacrament my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed such as will not only like Meat strengthen and nourish but like Drink or Wine comfort encourage and revive even drooping dying Souls It came down from Heaven and it is of Efficacy sufficient to translate us thither and as the Body being but a little deprived of Food languishes and at last expires even so is it with the Soul being deprived of this spiritual Sustenance which is said to nourish the Soul unto Life everlasting it immediately grows sick and at length dead unto all good Works And then as the Body by too great plenty of feeding at last contracts Corruption and Diseases and hath need of some Physick to cleanse and purifie it and to preserve the Blood from dangerous putrefactions even so is it with the Soul which by conversing with the pleasures and delights of the World is apt to contract some stain and foulness which may here in this sacred Fountain be washed away and cleansed and the Soul by this Antidote preserved from future Corruptions It is not my design here to acquaint you with the nature use and end of this Sublime Mystery or with the manner of worthy receiving it this being a Province above my low Sphere or Capacity and already so exactly done by the Learned and Pious Authors of the Christian Sacrifice Whole Duty of Man Method of Private Devotions c. to which I refer you All that I shall say in it is to endeavour to press you to the frequency of communicating which if we consider the Will and Command of Christ Luke 22.19 our continual wants and necessities and the great and inestimable benefits we reap by it we should not think our selves excused from any opportunity that offers it self but rather court every one and if it be in our power make it rather than want it for certainly if thou be a good Christian thou wilt think every return too slow and confess with David That as the Hart panteth after the Rivers of Waters so panteth thy Soul after God That thy Soul is athirst for God even for the living God when shalt thou come and appear before him And if thou not knowing it before-hand come into a Congregation where the Table is spread or art sodainly invited to communicate with a sick or dying person I cannot see how thou canst turn thy Back upon that sacred Ordinance although thy preparations are not according to the Sanctuary or so strict as they ought to have been hadst thou had timely notice thereof Supposing thee therefore to be one who lives in an habitual preparation that is in a daily Examination of thy Conscience and calling thy self to an account of thy Sins and in a constant performance of Religious duties and even now lamenting that thou hast not more time to prepare thy self so that what is wanting in Act is made up in Desire thou may'st undoubtedly draw near with comfort and receive as worthily though not perhaps so much to thy own satisfaction as if thou hadst made a greater and more solemn preparation and I must tell thee who ever thou art that unless thou art thus always ready to receive thou art in no wise prepared to die which that thou maist be I shall in the next Section set down some short Rules and Directions which may help thee towards it Remote Preparations for Death THere is nothing so much sharpens the sting of Death and adds greater malignity and venom to it than the want of due Consideration of it before-hand and Preparation for it Inexpertata plus aggravant novitasadjicit calamitatibus pondus Senec. Epist 91. The suddenness and surprize of an evil adds to the weight and smart of it Death we are told is an enemy 1 Corinth 15.26 and you know to be surprized by an Enemy puts all into tumult and confusion and permits not the free use of that reason and conduct that we should otherwise have had upon a timely monition and preparation Nay we are told that it is the last enemy and being to fight but this one battle it will be the greatest imprudence in the World not to muster up all our forces not to make all the provision we can before-hand that we be not worsted in this last Conflict Non licet in bello his peccare To fail once here is to fail for ever And we shall never have any opportunity more to rectify a former fault And therefore that you may not miscarry in so momentous a concern take and follow these brief Directions First in the time of your greatest health carry your self with the greatest innocency watchfulness and circumspection Endeavour to keep your Soul in an habitual frame and temper of piety continually abstain from the commission of any known Sin and do not that at any time which if God should then call for thee for no Man hath any assurance that he shall not die suddainly thou wouldst not be ashamed to be found doing If a sharp Sickness seizes our Bodies whilst we have a load of guilt upon our Souls what consternation and terrour does it strike unto us Our Sins stare
blessed Remove from me all Distractions by worldly Thoughts enlighten my Judgment quicken my Invention rectifie my Will and increase my Affection to heavenly Things that my Heart may be more enlarged towards thee and my Devotion so enkindled that I may find my Corruptions abated and my Graces thriven and my Life every way bettered by this holy Exercise Grant this O Lord for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Next consider seriously with your self what the thing is whereof you meditate and endeavour rightly to understand it in its definition then proceed to the division and explication of it from thence if it be an Attribute of God proceed to the Admiration and Love of God for such his infinite Perfections and if it be such as is imitable stedfastly resolve to seek to attain it in part which thou canst not in degrees if it be a Vertue thou art meditating of represent it to thy Soul in the most amiable dress by comparing it with the contrary deformities of Vice If a Vice uncover its nakedness and shew all its ugliness and evil consequences freely confess thy former Follies resolve against it and beg Gods Assistance against future Backslidings If it be Mercies or Providences thou art meditating of be sure to mention all the Circumstances of them and to raise thy Soul to the highest pitch of gratitude for them And in all these remember that if the Sacrifice wants a Heart it will not be accepted by God never therefore leave considering and meditating until thou hast ingaged thy Heart and Affections in the Work Throughout the whole time of thy Meditation be frequent in Soliloquies and Ejaculations and at length conclude all with Thanksgiving and recommending thy self to God It will be impossible for me and I think for any other to prescribe an exact method for proceeding in this Duty because of the different matter and various subjects of Meditation Every pious Soul after some constancy in it will know best how to adapt it to his own greatest profit However take in good part Reader those following Exemplifications The Thanksgiving after Meditation O Blessed God the fountain of all Mercies I give thee most humble and hearty Thanks for this present Expression of thy love and kindness for the Assistances of thy holy Spirit and inward Comforts which I have now received by â—his holy Exercise O that Men would praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders â—hat he doth for the Children of Men for he satisfieth the empty Soul and filleth the hungry Soul with goodness Grant me O Lord an unweariedness in well-doing and let it be the delight and joy of my Soul to do thy will and let thy comforts always encourage and refresh my Soul Pardon O Lord all my sins pity all my Infirmities especially those of my present performances and receive me into thy gracious protection both now and ever through Jesus Christ Amen Divine Meditations Concerning Gods Omnipresence BY the Omnipresence or Ubiquity of God is meant Gods being present in every place and at all times Gods most glorious presence is in the highest Heavens where he is encircled with Myriads of Angels and beautifi'd Spirits who continually behold and admire his Majesty and Glory yet he is not here Circum Scriptivè or as confined only to that place for then he were not God but he is here also on the lowest Earth and we daily discover him in his Providences Nay he is in Hell too and that the Devil and Damned discover by their Torments his Center is every where and his Circumference no where Though no place can contain him yet none can exclude him for he fills Heaven and Earth â—rem 23.24 Whither shall I flee from â—y presence saith David if I ascend 〈◊〉 into Heaven thou art there if I â—ake my Bed in Hell behold thou art â—ere also Psalm 139.7 8. No place no time can bound his preâ—â—nce The most wild and untrodden â—aces of the Desart the solitary Caves â—nd Recesses of the Earth the thickest â—nd more than Cimmerian darkness of â—e Night are no shelter from thy All-â—eing Eye the darkness is no darkness â—ith thee yea the day and night to â—â—ee are both alike Psalm 139.12 God is present in the Church beholdâ—â—g our Order and Behaviour there He 〈◊〉 present in the Closet when the door 〈◊〉 closest shut to inspect our seriousâ—ess and devotion there He is present â—t our Tables and at our Merry Meetâ—ngs at our Feasts and at our Fasts â—e is about our Beds and about our â—aths he takes particular notice of all â—ur Actions and weighs all our words â—n a ballance Nay thoughts secret â—houghts are not hid from him but he â—nows them long before we do or can Our flesh alas is too pervious to hinder â—im from entring into the secret recesses â—f our hearts 1. This then should teach thee O my Soul to revere and adore the God of such infinite Perfections and firmly to believe what thou canst not comprehend We know a humane Body the perfection of the whole Creation cannot be in two places at one and the same time yet blessed God I am assured by Faith and by the constant dispensation of thy Providences in all places that thou art Omnipresent at the same time That there is not any Creature that is not manifest in thy sight Heb. 4.13 but all things are open and naked unto the Eyes of thee with whom we have to do for in thee we live and move and have our being Acts. 7.28 2. Thou may'st learn hence O my Soul to have continually an awful sense of the Divine Majesty to tremble at the apprehensions of his presence Jereuâ— 5.22 and to behave thy self always as in his sight not to dare to commit any even the most minute sin in secret because God sees and is present who will be both thy Witness and thy Judge How shall I do this Wickedness saith Joseph and sin against God Genesis 39.9 Though no Eye saw him yet he was conscious that God was a Spectator and therefore he dares not offend in his presence Do thou therefore good God throughly convince my Soul of this great Truth that I can never abscond my self from thy presence that thy Eye is watchful over all my Actions that thy Ear is ever open to hear all my words and that thou discernest the most secret of my thoughts that so looking upon thee as a Witness of my whole Conversation I may always keep a Conscience void of offence towards thee and towards all Men. 3. Be careful O my Soul because thou art in the immediate presence of God to be sincere towards him in all thy Religious Duties as well private as publick and approve thy self to thy Father who seeth in secret Matth. 6.6 4. This will be a comfort to thee O my Soul in all the Afflictions in all the Troubles thou can'st meet withal here in this World Psal 91.15 Gen. 17.1 God is present with
thee he sees all thy wants and necessities He is an All-sufficient God he is able and will always succour and relieve thee take up then holy David's resolution Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me put thy trust in God Psalm 42.5 Or that of the Church Lamen 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my Soul therefore will I hope in him 5. This should stir up in thee longing and ardent desires after the full enjoyment of his more immediate presence in Heaven where our joys shall be full and our pleasures everlasting Psalm 16.11 Draw nearer yet then O my Soul Is there in his presence such fulness of joy Bring forth then thy strongest love towards him that hath prepared such great things for so contemptible Worms as we are Thy strongest endeavours to please him here and desires to enjoy him hereafter I have had some prelibations or fore-tastes of the sweetness of thy presence in Praying Meditating Hearing thy Word and Receiving the Holy Sacrament but these have been incompleat and interrupted It will not be long before I shall by his Mercy be admitted unto a more full perfect and compleat enjoying of his more immediate presence where I shall for ever behold his Face and be united to him without any divorce or separation to all Eternity Eo feror quocunque feror Nihil aliud velim quam permanere illic in aeternum St. Aug. Conf. If those Servants were accounted happy that stood continually in the presence of an Earthly Prince 1 Kings 10.8 and if the Twelve Apostles were happy in the enjoyment of the sweet company of our Saviour here on Earth though in the State of his Humiliation then thrice happy are those Men and those Servants which shall stand continually before thee in thy Kingdom who art King of Kings and Lord of Lords One day in those Coelestial Courts is better than a thousand My Soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord my Flesh and my Heart rejoyce in the living God My Soul thirsteth for thee my Flesh also longeth after thee in a barren and dry land where no water is Like as the Hart desireth the VVater brooks so longeth my Soul after thee O God My Soul is athirst for God even for the living God when shall I come and appear before the presence of God Of the Mercy of God MErcy in God is an Attribute Essential to his Nature by which he pitieth those that are in Misery relieveth those that are in Necessity and passeth by many sins and frailties in his Creatures which he might in Justice severely punish Mercy and Misery are relatives and were there no Want nor Trespass there needed no Mercy Mercy is either in the Affection or Expression In the Affection it is termed Bowels of Mercy in the Expression Works of Mercy The former God always hath for it is one of his principal Attributes and cannot be separated from him no not at the time when he is in the Execution of his Justice for when his hand strikes his heart as I may so speak melts and pities and his Bowels yearn within him like a merciful Judge who at the same time being compell'd by justice that he condemns the Criminal relents in his heart for him In the very midst of Judgment God remembers Mercy The latter every Man living hath daily fresh Experiences of in the plentiful Largesses of his undeserved Bounty That thou yet livest is an unparallell'd Mercy for thou mightest have been now in Hell beyond the Hopes of any more Mercy as well as many thousands who perhaps have deserved it less than thy self It is of the Lords Mercy that we are not consumed Lam. 3.22 Should I go about to enumerate the variety of Gods Mercies towards us as Men and as Christians I might in the next page recount what the Philosopher foolishly attempted the sands of the Sea-shore or the drops of the Ocean Gods Mercies towards us as they are undeserved so they are free he hath no other motive than what proceeds from his own goodness and pleasure He hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy Rom. 9.18 Alass there is nothing in us that could invite his Mercy but our own misery and wretchedness he pitied us when we lay in our blood and said unto us live God's mercy is universal illimitable His mercy is over all his Works Psalm 145.9 The wicked as well as the godly daily taste of his mercies for he sendeth Rain upon the just and the unjust Matt. 5.45 but yet his Mercy is more special towards his Elect Servants 1 Tim. 1.16 for those he hath mercies tender mercies yea multitudes of tender mercies Psalm 51.1 God is great in mercy Psalm 119.156 2 Sam. 24.14 He is rich in Mercy Eph. 2.4 The duration and constancy of God's mercy it is for everlasting Psal 100. ul◠136.1 God is delighted in mercy He is mercy in the abstract and therefore David calls him his mercy Psal 59.10 It it said that Mercy rejoyceth or triumpheth over Judgment 2 Jam. 2.13 as if there were a pretty kind of contention between them and mercy had gotten the upper-hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God in the Second Commandment threatens to punish to the third and fourth Generation but his mercy extendeth to thousands There is no perfection in God the Acts of which are more manifest than in that of his Mercy Let us Consider it's opposite Justice How few Acts can we find of this for multitudes of his mercies And when he does smite how many warnings doth he give before-hand How long is he whetting his Sword and lifting up his hand to strike He seems even to lay aside his Omnisciency that he might be frustrated in doing this work This his strange Work Isaiah 28.21 I will go down saith God and see if their wickedness be altogether so great as the Cry which is come up unto me and if not I will know Genes 18.21 God delighteth in mercy Micah 7.18 But it grieves him to the very heart if I may so speak when he is forced to execute his Justice Dolet Deus quoties cogitur esse Deus Who is there that can say he hath been punished according to his demerits Nay canst thou find out any Act of his Justice which hath not an Alloy or Mixture of his Mercy for his tender mercies are over all his Works Psal 145.9 1. Learn then hence O my Soul to admire and adore this infinite perfection of Almighty God and to labour after a due Sense and Consideration of it that rhou mayst glorifie him for it 2. Learn hence to acknowledge God's mercy in all that thou hast and dost enjoy All thy mercies come from him 1 Chron. 29.14 What hast thou which thou hast not received from his benign hand Every good gift comes down from above James 1.17 and St. Paul tells us 2 Corinth 1.3 That he is the Father of all mercies and
The Meditation of the torments of Hell renders the joys of Heaven the more valuable and therefore I begin with the former God hath set before us Life and Death eternal Rewards and eternal Punishments He hath given us just and holy Laws to observe and keep and power to keep them and to the keeping of which he hath annexed an everlasting reward by an irrevocable Decree to the violation of which he hath by the same Decâ—ee annexed an everlasting punishment so that if we embrace the former we shall not fail of the recompence of reward but if we persevere in the latter we treasure up Wrath against the day of Wrath and shall be sure at length to feel the Righteous Judgment of God This is God's Covenant that he makes with us To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal Life but unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish Rom. 2.7 8 9. Now 't is essential to God to be just to his Covenant The Lord is just saith the Prophet Zephan 3.5 He is Just in all his decrees and just in the Execution of them He is just in himself and just in his Law just in his rewards just in his punishments He is Justice in the abstract He is the Judge of all and shall not he do right Yes certainly he shall and will As he keeps mercy for the righteous so he will by no means clear the guilty Exodus 34.7 Let no wicked person therefore condemn in this the severity of God's justice in proceeding against wicked Wretches Whose damnation as the Apostle says Rom. 3.8 is just For it is their own voluntary free choice their Destruction is of themselves Hos 13.9 Let God be true and every man a Liar that he may be justified in his saying and clear when he is judged by wicked and unreasonable men Rom. 3.4 5 6. St Paul puts the question Is God unrighteous who taketh Vengeance and answers it himself God forbid for how shall God then Judge the World For if God be a Judge he be must just and distribute punishments as well as rewards The Lord is just saith the Psalmist and there is no unrighteousness in him Psal 92.15 O enter not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified O Lord if thou condemn me thou art righteous thou hast but dealt with me after my sins end rewarded me according to the demerits of mine iniquities Righteous art thou in all thy ways just and true are thy Judgments Holy St. Jerome was wont to say That whether he did eat or drink sleep or wake or whatever he did he thought the Sound of the last Trump did eccho in his Ears and heard a voice saying Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment If this holy Man were under such continual apprehensions and had such fears of the approach of the last day that he could not at any time disband them from his thoughts How then should it strike horror and amazement into the hearts of obstinate impenitent sinners to think of the dreadfulness of that day and the greatness and perpetuity of their torments which shall then commence but never have an end They have had their Heaven upon Earth and now they shall have Hell instead of Heaven Bona accepisti Remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things none remain now but evil things now thou art tormented Ezekiel's Role was sweet in his Mouth but bitter in his Belly Had Solomon's simple Man seriously considered what Shot his fatal Banquet would have cost him He would never have commended the sweetness of his stoln waters and pleasantness of his Bread eaten in secret for he knew not at least would not know that he was a companion with the dead and that his fellow guests were in the depths of Hell Prov. 9.17 18. where being once come he can never return Facilis descensus Averni Sed revocare gradum superasque evadere ad auras Hic labor hoc opus Hell is a place appointed by God for the tormenting of the Devil wicked Angels and sinful Souls to all Eternty and we are told that it is a place downwards and beneath us Prov. 15.24 The way of Life is above to the Wise that he may depart from Hell beneath and so ch 7.27 speaking of the Harlot Her house is the way to Hell going down to the Chambers of Death besides in Prov. 9.18 It is called Profundum a Depth to define the local place of which is too deep for me God grant I may never be able better to define it Sin I am sure laid the Corner-Stone of that deep and dark Vault and it must be my Innocency that must preserve me from being an Inhabitant in it The Ingenious Mr. Cowley hath given this Description of the place in his Davideis BEneath the silent Chambers of the Earth Where the Sun 's fruitful Beams give Mettals birth Where be the growth of fatal Gold does see Gold which above more influence has than he Beneath the Dens where unfletch'd Tempests ly And infant Winds their tender voices try Beneath the mighty Ocean's wealthy Caves Beneath the Eternal Fountain of all Waves Where their vast Court the Mother Waters keep And undisturb'd by Moons in silence sleep There is a place deep wondrous deep below Which genuine Night and Horror does o'r flow No bound controuls the unwearied space but Hell Endless as those dire pains that in it dwell Here no dear glympse of the Sun 's lovely face Strikes through the solid darkness of the place No dawning Morn does her kind reds display One slight weak Beam would here be thought the day No gentle Stars with their fair gems of Light Offend the tyran'ous and unquestion'd Night But it is not so much the Place as t h Torments there to be endur'd Who can express their Sharpness Who their Number Non mihi si centum linguae sint oraque centum Ferre a vox omnes scelerum compr'endere formas Omnia poenarum percurrere nomina possim No heart of Man can think no tongue can tell The direful pains ordain'd and felt in Hell All the Senses shall be rend'red more exquisite than ever the more fully to perceive their Torments and every one have their fill of them The Sight shall be afflicted with a more than Egyptian Darkness and the continual beholding of monstrous Fiends and Devils The Hearing with Shreeks and horrible Cries The Smelling with Fumes of Brimstone and noisome Stenches The Taste with ravenous Hunger and insatiable Thirst The Feeling the most exquisite of all the Senses with intolerable yet unquenchable Fire because the Breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it Isaiah 30.33 Add to these a Fire continually flashing in the Reprobates Face which shall yield no more light than with a glympse to shew
him the Torments of others and others his yet withal of so violent a burning that should it glow on Mountains of Steel it would melt them like Snow Suppose thou shouldest be confined to lie but one Night grievously afflicted with a raging Fit of the Stone Strangury Collick Gout Toeth-ach or the like though thou had'st a soft Bed to lie upon Friends and Companions about thee and all things necessary that thou couldest desire but ease from thy pains how long would'st thou count the minutes and blame the Clock for its slow progression What will it be then for thee to suffer the torment of the hottest Flames And that not for a Night only but for Myriads of Ages and when that circle is gone through there is yet no point or end 'T is Labor actus in orbem a continual Revolution Believe it This is no Poetical Phantastical Styx or Acheron but a real Hell Ixion's Wheel was a place of Rest compared with this Wheel of Justice The Task of Sisyphus or Danaus's Daughter but a sport compared with this Torture And besides these external Torments of the Body the Soul the more sensible part drinks most deeply of this Cup of God's fury All the Furies of Hell afflict his Conscience Thought calls to Fear Fear to Horrour Horrour to Despair Despair to Torment Torment to Extremity all to Eternity The damned Soul hath no Soul now capable of comfort and tho his Eyes distil like Fountains and his Prayers and Cries were loud enough to silence the dismal Shreeks of all his miserable Companions yet God is now inexorable and speaks to them in this Language You refused to hear me when I have called yea when I have so often wooed and intreated you I have waited to be gracious and stretched out my hand all the day long and you have not regarded I will not now hear your Cry I will laugh at your Calamity and mock at your Fear this shall be your portion for ever This is the Damned's Poena Sensus their positive punishment There is also Poena Damni to be considered their privative punishment and this the Contemplation of the Blessedness of the Righteous will much help them too when they shall too late consider that such joys as the Righteous are now partakers of might have been their lot and portion if they had obeyed the Laws and Commands of God as the others did The consideration of this is that Worm of Conscience that never dies that cruel Vulture that continually gnaws upon the Liver of this Tityus and cannot be shaken off Haeret latori laethalis arundo I could speak much more to aggravate the misery of the Damned and represent the Torments of Hell out par nulla figura Gehennae Reflections upon Hell and the Yorments of it Is Hell such a direful Place And are the Torments of it so acute so inexpressible so remediless so eternal Then this should teach thee O my Soul 1. First to avoid Sin which was the Founder of it and which if persevered â—n will certainly bring thee to that dismal Place those dire Torments from which there is no Redemption Did sinners seriously consider of the evil consequences of Sin and had they â—ut one glympse of those Torments they are to suffer in Hell to all Eternity how would it charm their Spirits appale their Faces and strike fear and astonishment to their Hearts for who can think of the Divine Wrath without trembling Or Who can dwell with Everlasting Burnings O poor secure sinners what will ye now do Where will you hide your selves Or what shall cover you Mountains and Rocks are gone the Earth and Heavens that were are passed away the devouring Fire hath consumed all except your selves who must be the Fuel for ever There is no remedy for you but Repentance that plank after Shipwrack that can rescue you from this Vengeance Think O think of this ye that now forget God lest he pluck you away and there be none to deliver you 2. Is Hell such a direful place c. Then this should teach thee to mind those things that are above The way of Life is above to the Wise saith Solomon that he may depart from Hell beneath The way to depart from Hell which is the lowest is to mind those things which are highest which are above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seek or be wise for those things that are above This is the truest Wisdom the greatest piece of Understanding 'T is not enough to cease to do evil but we must also learn to do well Non progredi est regredi If we lie still we shall never come to our Journeys end There is no standing idle or loitering in the School of Vertue As we must abstain from the appearance of Evil so we must follow after Holiness without which no Man shall see God so shall we be free'd from the fears of this dreadful place And when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory Coloss 3.4 3. Is Hell such a direful place And are the Torments of it so insupportable so endless Then this should teach me to pity instruct and pray for those that are posting thither We see Dives even in Hell pities his poor Brethren and would could he have found a Messenger have sent them an account of the Torments he felt that they might escape their coming into that place And although this Province be chiefly the Ministers yet private Persons as place and fit opportunity occurs may also instruct and reprove the unfruitful works of Darkness or if that doth not take place we may at least pity them mourn in secret for them and pray for their Conversion and though they perhaps may not reap the benefit yet we may God accepts our Charity and will reward our Prayers they shall return into our own bosom Psal 35.13 4. Is Hell such a direful place And have I any assurance that I shall escape it This then should raise my thankfulness to God for this his great and distinguishing Mercy towards me that he hath called me from under the power of Darkness into his marvellous Light This should cause me to be continually magnifying his great and glorious Name for so unspeakable so inestimable a Mercy that whereas others lie wallowing in the puddle of their Sins heaping up Wrath against the day of Wrath and hastning to their eternal ruin he hath been graciously pleased to snatch me as a Fire-brand out of the Fire and hath given me some hopes and assurance that I shall never come into this Place of Torment Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits who saveth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness And now being delivered out of the hands of these my spiritual Enemies I may serve God without fear in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of
my life This is that which will exact our greatest praises here and because this life is too scanty and contracted for it it will afford us matter for our eternal Praises in the Kingdom of Heaven My next Method leads me to the Meditation of the joys of Heaven And here I must pause a while This is a Theme too sublime for Humane Oratory the Tongues of Men and Angels come infinitely short of Expressions of those joys nay they never entred into the heart of Man to conceive them 1 Cor. 2.9 The Eye sees much the Ears hear more the Heart conceives most yet all come short of apprehension much more of comprehension of those joys Therefore enter thou into thy Masters joy for it is too great to enter into thee said a pious Author But as Pythagor as guessed at the Stature of Hercules by the length of his Foot And as the Israelites made some discovery of the sertility of Canaan from the few Clusters of Grapes brought them by the Spies so may we make some imper fect Collection of the Glory of this heavenly Kingdom from that of this temporal one for the visible things of this World which are made declare unto us the invisible things of God Rom. 1.20 If we look downwards upon the beauty and comeliness the order decency and usefulness of all created Beings here below what Excellencies do we find there But if we cast our Eyes upwards and consider the Embroidered Canopy of Heaven drawn over our heads the Majestick brightness of the Sun Moon and Stars Lights to which preâ—ious Stones in their brightest Lustre are but Clouds What is exposed to our view is admirable how much more what we cannot see If the out-side of the Royal Pallace be so Magnificent if the Hall appear so rare what Ornaments are there in the Presence-Chamber of the King If the lower side of that Pavement which the Feet of the Saints shall walk upon in Heaven be so glorious What be the Parlors and Inner Chambers unseen Whence the Poet If in Heaven's outward Court such Beaâ—ty be What is the Glory which the Saints do see Heaven I should express but in faint Meâ—aphors should I tell you of Chrystal Streams and Shady Groves of a feigned Elysium or Temporal Canaan St. John in his Revelation gives us some imperfect account of this Holy Place this New Jerusalem Rev. 21. to bring the thing as near to sense as he can and our apprehensions he tells us the Walls are of all manner of precious Stones the City of pure Gold the Twelve Gates whereof are Twelve Pearls every several Gate of one Pearl There is no Night there neither is there any need of the Sun or Moon to shine in it or of a Candle to lighten it for the Glory of the Lord doth lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof of which Ingenious Mr. Cowley For there no Twilight of the Suns dull ray Glimmers upon the pure and native day No pale-fac'd Mâ—on do's in stoln beams appear Or with dim Taper scatters Darkness there We are now come to the high Court of Heaven and if these things be so full of Majesty and Glory what is the transcendent brightness and glory of their Maker And here I can go no farther for as no Man hath ever seen God at any time so no mind could ever comprehend him Whatsoever we can conceive of him it is but in part 1 Cor. 13.12 We hear of him but a little portion saith Job ch 26.14 and we know less Who can behold the Sun in his glorious Shining Much less can we comprehend the glorious Majesty of God Who hath beheld it that he may demonstrate it Not the Angels for they are fain to cover their Faces Isa 6. v. much less we that dwell in houses of Clay who have that ignorance and guiltiness that those glorious Seraphims are freed from Should Angels Cherubims and Seraphims descend from Heaven to proclaim the exceeding greatness of his Glory we may at length conclude with the Queen of Sheba concerning Solomon's Magnificence That the one half was not told us And yet such is the immense goodness of God that he hath promised us wretched Creatures Dust and Ashes who faithfully serve him the Vision and Contemplation of this his Glory that we shall be where he is and behold him Face to Face And in this Beatifick Vision consists the greatest joy and blessedness of the Godly Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matt. 5.8 Here we shall have a perfect compleat knowledg of his Goodness and Glory and the full fruition of his presence which will abundantly satisfie and no wonder for in his presence is fulness of Joy and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore For quality they are pleasures for quantity fulness for dignity at Gods right hand for eternity for evermore Psal 16. ult Delight we in good Company Here is the glorious presence of the Blessed Trinity the Father that made us the Son that redeemed us even with the price of his own most precious Blood the Holy Ghost that sanctified us and that brought us unto this place the holy and unspotted Angels that rejoyced at our Conversion on Earth much more at our Consolation in Heaven All the Patriarchs Prophets and the full Communion of Saints Delight we in pleasant Musick Here are Quires of Angels and beautifi'd Spirits who cease not night and day to sing Praises and Hosanna's unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb and oh the sweet Melody of Alelujahs which so many glorified Souls shall sing to God in Heaven Delight we in dainty Fare or good Cheer We shall eat and drink with Christ at his Fathers Table and hear Christ himself thus Welcoming us Eat O my Friends and make you Merry O well be loved Cant. 5.1 Such honour have all his Saints Delight we in good Apparel We shall be arraied with Fine Linnen and long White Robes Revel 6.11 If in Dominion We shall Judge the Angels And they shall Reign for ever and ever Rev. 22.5 In a word We shall enjoy more than ever we could desire or wish All our Faculties which shall now be more capacious than ever shall be silled to the utmost and we shall be possessed of those Joys and Delights which know neither measure nor end And as the consideration of the duration of the Torments of the Wicked to all Eternity gives them their greatest venom and malignity so on the other side the consideration of the continuance of those Joys to all Eternity adds unto them their greatest Beauty and Perfection they shall come out from thence no more for ever For as nothing enters into that holy place that defileth so there is nothing there that can defile The great Dragon the grand Enemy and Accuser of the Brethren is cast down into the bottomless Pit whence he shall never return to tempt the Godly more The World is consumed and no
multiplicity of Lusts and Sins insnared with passions amazed with fears divided between cares and impertinencies wearied with labours loaden with diseases afflicted with want evil spoken of with and without a cause I have had many disappointments and losses been unfortunate in my Friends and Relatives and which is worst of all I have been daily harrassed with many impetuous Lusts and Temptations My sins have prevailed against me I have displeased my God and wounded my own Conscience interrupted my hopes of Heaven and am continually tormented with evil and wicked inclinations I find still a Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Mind and bringing me into Captivity to the Lavv of Sin and Death Those things vvhich I vvould do I cannot do but those things that I would not do those I do O Wretched Man that I am Who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin and Death that I carry about me I am afraid lest my Faith should fail lest having received the Grace of God and tasted of the heavenly Powers I should again be entangled by the Snares of my old beloved Lusts and so forfeit all my right to Heaven lose the Reward of all my strict and circumspect Walking and not continue faithful unto Death But O my Soul there is something the remembrance of which alleviates my grief and sweetens this bitter Cup These my sorrows will not last long a few years are the most and they will suddenly come and then I shall go the way whence I shall not return I shall then cease to grieve any more cease to sorrow cease to fear and cease to sin any more for ever All tears shall then be wiped away from mine Eyes and there shall be no more Sickness nor Sorrow nor Death nor Crying nor Pain I shall then have perfect rest and joy peace and quietness without any interruption for in his presence is fulness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore Though the way be foul and troublesome yet the Journey is but short and the end will be pleasant and peaceable and this consideration shall make me go cheerfully away with my present burthen for when a few years are come then I shall go the way whence I shall not return Meditations before or at Dinner or Supper 1. VVHen you see the Table spread Meditate on Gods Fatherly goodness and providence towards all his Creatures what vast infinite numbers there are and yet he carefully as a loving Father for his Children provides for them all their Meat in due season 2. Meditate how much more gracicious God is to thee who hath richly furnished thy Table and prepared these his good Creatures for thee without any great care or trouble of thine whereas there are many thousands in the World far better than thy self who are sentenced to a necessitous Condition and are enforced daily to tug at the Oar to delve in the Dirt to wash their Faces and bathe their Bodies in their own Sweat and yet for all this must be content at last with course Fare and hungry Stomachs 3. Meditate that every Creature of God is good if it be received with Thanksgiving and that it is sanctified by the Word of God and by Prayer and therefore resolve always to implore his blessing on the same in the first place 4. Meditate that several of Gods Creatures lose their lives to preserve thine whose Nature have as great a repugnancy to Annihilation as thy own and as thou now feedest on them so the Worms shall shortly feed on thee and let this excite thee to be temperate in the use of them and so to eat and drink as may the better dispose thee for any service of God thy Neighbour or thy self Let not the daintiness of the Cheer tempt thee to Luxury remembring that it is the greater Vertue to abstain when there is the greater Temptation 5. Lastly Meditate that God who filleth things living with his goodness expects no other return but praise and thanksgiving therefore when thou hast eaten and art full have a care that thou forget not to pay him that so easie Tribute Occasional Meditations Vpon the sight of a Dying Friend IT was not many days since that we had sweet Commerce together and our Conversation was dear to each other we frollick'd it till the Night parted us and then our separation was as the shadow of Death We thought the Nights tedious and the Days long till we should be again happy in each others Embraces but â—o how soon the Scene is altered my Friend is arrested by a fatal Disease and is just expiring his last Breath I came to comfort him and to receive Comfort and Satisfaction from him but alass all that is left me to do now is to be only a witness of his dying groans to close his Eyes and to receive his departing Breath Those Arms that used to hug and imbrace me at our first Meetings are now become so weak and languid that he cannot shake hands at parting nor lift them up unto his Maker That Tongue that was formerly the Conduit of Eloquence and Charm'd all that heard him by its sweet and mellifluous Expressions into a sensible but silent admiration is now become mute and speechless that he cannot as much as take his Vltimum Vale or bid me farewell at parting Those Ears that were heretofore delighted with pleasant Discourse and melodious Sonnets are now become thick of hearing and cannot distinguish between the soft murmurs of some and the louder cries of other his mournful Friends nor can admit of the least comfortable Advice in this his greatest extremity His Eyes sometimes so sparkling and sprightly that they would not suffer the most minute Object to pass their Advertency are now become so dull and heavy that they can scarce peep out of their Casements to behold the most glorious Object nay not so much as to salute that Heaven which he is just going to be the possessor of That countenance which a few days since was so amiable and pleasant as to attract the Eyes as well as raise the Envy of all beholders is now so pallid and ghastly and his Cheeks so bedewed with Cold Sweats that his dearest Friends and Relations draw the Curtains about him that they may not contemplate his grim Visage In a word his brother Body the Receptacle of his Divine Soul and partner with her in all her Actions which till now kept an indissoluble Relation with it is turning into Dust and says to the Grave Thou art my Father and to the Worms my Mother and my Sister Job 17.13 Good God how great a change is this in so short a span of time This shall teach me to put a very slight estimate on all the imperfect Perfections of this World and to seek after those things which alone are truly valuable This shall teach me also to think often of my latter end and all the days of my appointed time to wait until