understanding there are many Concerning which we must hold First That the essentiall properties of God are all really the one essence of God for there is nothing in God which is not God there is no accident in him a man hath wisedome power justice but not of himselfe not ever not infinitely neither as his essence for the wisedome power justice c. of a man are not man but whatever is in God is of God and his eternall essence of himselfe subsisting independently inseparably neither are they after his essence but coeternall and coessentiall though they have not alwaies beene declared to the creatures so his wisedome and omnipotency was from all eternity though they were not manifested till that time he had appointed for the creation of the world wherein he made men and Angels witnesses thereof the same is to be understood of his other properties mercy justice patience c. Secondly That these properties are not parts of Gods essence for that which is infinite hath no parts and that which hath parts cannot be infinite but every essentiall property is the being of God who is indivisible and truly one Thirdly The essentiall properties of the deity are inseparable and incommunicable so that no creature can become a deity or have such an essence as is infinite omnipotent omnipresent c. Fourthly Some things absolutely spoken of God are in the abstract to intimate his selfe-being as when we say he is life wisedome goodnesse c. Some things in the concrete to import to us the reallity of his existence as when we say he is good just holy c. in both we understand that whatsoever is attributed to him herein is the essence of God Fifthly We are taught in Gods Word that he is an uncreated Spirit of selfe-being infinite perfect eternall immense immutable everlasting life it selfe infinitely blessed wise omniscient good gracious loving mercifull just true holy omnipotent freely and by his owne independent power doing whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth and all creatures of infinite glory and majesty 4. The foole hath said in his heart there is no God none but the foole can think so considering 1. What we reade in the booke of Nature where that which may be knowne of God is manifest Rom. 1. 19. the admirable forme masse making preservation of the world with the diversities and perpetuities of motions demonstrate a present God whence could all these things at first come who set that admirable order and constant lawes who reduced those vast and discordant seeds of this great fabricke of the world into the harmony which still preserveth it can any man thinke of an effect without a cause thou wilt say how shall we know that God made this who saw him creating why if thou seest an house thou canst easily conclude it had some builder if none but the builders were privy to it and wilt thou not believe Gods worke except thou see him that all see this none can Whatsoever thou canst see is not God Neither let this seeme strange that he is invisible thou feelest the stormy winds thou believest they are winds without the testimony of thine eies thou knowest thou canst not see them thou thinkest speakest movest and livest by thy soule didst thou ever see it if thou canst not see the creatures part of thy selfe wouldst thou examine thy invisible Creatour with carnall eies with what sense canst thou apprehend a spirit The eye cannot see him except hee be coloured the eare cannot receive him except he bee some sound the feeling cannot perceive him except he be a body hee might therefore needs passe by thee as Job said and thou not see him being obvious to no sense and above and more pure then any created understanding Thou wilt say all these things are by nature such And what is nature but the ordinary power of God Which when he pleaseth he dispenseth with parting the red sea smiting the rock and bringing the fountaines thence dividing Jordan restraining the Babylonish sier and the like that all may know that he only is Lord of the creaturs who but spake and they were made whose will is his word and his word his worke Thou seest the heavens incessantly and without any rest turning about day and night in uniforme and unwearied motion who could have set up and furnished those admirable starres and planets with a never-failing light who could move them thus but a God of infinite power thou seest and treadest on this vast ball of earth hanging in the midst of heavens which turne about it who could substaine it but God thou seest the sea ebbing and flowing the wonders of the deepe on earth the plants and flowers keeping the first law of their creation preserved by a kind of mortall immortality dying and reviving as it were in a yearly resurrection who can do the least of these things amongst all the creatures where is he in heaven or earth can imitate these things which can give life to the poorest fly when thou hast considered all thou shalt know that none but a stupid foole can thinke there is no God 2 If we consider the testimonie of mans own conscience trembling at the apprehension of suddaine dangers stormes earthquakes thunders as Caligula was wont feare of death sheweth an Atheist the same if there be nothing after death nor God to punish the wicked what art thou afraid of 3 If we consider the punishments of the wicked in this life so following sinnes that it appeareth no fortuitous hand or chance that strooke them but the all-seeing just God so fitting his rods to mens sinnes that the punishment pointeth out the crime so in Sodoms unnaturally burning lust punished with a supernaturall shower of fire and brimstone so in Pharoahs drowning Adonibezecks cruelty requited with the like it were too long to recite all the remarkable instances of this kinde wherein the consciences of wicked men convincing them they have confessed with those Egyptianâ—orcerers â—orcerers this is the singer of God 4 If we consider the constancy of the Martyres suffering death where sometimes the casting one graine of incense upon an alter might have saved their lives they constantly resolving we will not serve your Gods our God whom we serve is able to deliver us When they endure such varieties of torments under the wearied hands of tormenters in hope of that which God hath promised them who suffer for his truth we may certainly conclude that neither the consent of so many nor the perseverance of dying men would be vaine or disâ—embled and that patience it selfe could never have willingly endured such tortures without the admirable assistance of God 5 If we consider predictions of things to come and their certaine fulfilling in the appointed time and manner who but God
end of the world assisting it with his owne spirit in the speakers and faithfull hearers The subject of this annointing was the manhood of Christ made the full storehouse of Grace The spirituall oyle we must understand not of the essentiall properties of the Godhead as omnipresence infinitude uncircumscribednesse and the like for these are incommunicable in respect of the incapacity of the creature but certaine created gifts and graces placed in the humane nature The deity of Christ is infinite and therefore nothing can be added thereto neither was that nature annointed by any such addition though the person of Christ consisting of two natures was annointed and eternally consigned to the office of a mediatour as Athanasius proved against the Arians which being laid downe it may appeare that however men confesse Christ in word yet they deny him in deeds who 1. say his humane nature is omnipresent 2. Who attribute that kingly office which is peculiar to Christ to any other pretended Vicar generall or the like 3. Who depend on any other or pretend to any other Priesthood and proper expiatory sacrifice for the living and dead then the Priesthood and once sufficient expiatory sacrifice of Christ for our redemption once offered 4. Who obtrude traditions of men for his doctrine who ought to be our teacher in whose ipse dixit we must rest equalling them with the word of God 5. Who appoint other mediatours of intercession contrary to his word 1. Tim 2. 5. which saith there is one God and one mediator betweene God and men the man Christ Jesus 6. Who joine mens merits with the merits of Christ for their salvations 7. Who walke not worthy of their high calling in Christ but content themselves with the bare names of Christians whereas to be so maketh happy if thou hast indeed received the holy annointing thou shalt be a spirituall king to rule over and subdue thy corrupt affections a spirituall Priest to offer up sweet smelling sacrifices to God that will like that box of pretious oyntment powred on Christ fill all the house with the savour thereof all the faculties of body and soule shall relish of Christ it shall enlighten thy understanding make sin loathsome to thee and comfort and cheere thee in all estates this is the oyle of gladnesse when the Eunuch had but a litle touch thereof he went rejoycing home so constant and solid that it maketh men rejoce in afflictions and that they are counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ. 3 The third title is his only sonne We are here to consider two things 1 That Christ is the son of God 2. That he is the only Sonne 1 We are in two relations to consider Christ as he is a Son he is of the father begotten not made as the raies are of the Sunne only we must take heed that we fix not on any finite thing further then it may serve to bring home to our finite understanding some notions of infinites this mystery is without and above all comparison as he is God he is of himselfe neither begotten nor proceeding for as the essence of the Father is its own selfe-being so is the Godhead of the Sonne for they are not divers Godheads or beings but one and the same but as he is the Sonne he is of the Father as light of light very God of very God 2 The Sonne is of the same substance with the Father and the deity of the Father is not lessened by the same nor is the Sonne divided from the Father the Father communicateth his whole nature to the Sonne not by division for infinites have no parts and therefore cannot be divided but by an incomprehensible and unspeakable communication of the whole essence of the Father to the Sonne so as that they are one and the same God coëquall coëternall for before all time he was with the Father Prov. 8. 2. Joh 1. 1. Phil 2. 6. Joh 16. 15. 3 He is the only Sonne by nature not adoption wee are Gods Sonnes by adoption not by nature as he is 4 The fourth title is our Lord so the Psalmist stileth him Psalm 110. 1. so Math 22. 44. Act 2. 36. Let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that he is made of God Lord and Christ. This Jesus I say whom yee have crucified So 1. Cor 8. 6. We have one God one Lord Jesus Christ. See Rev 1. 5. Phil 2. 10. It is not unworthy our noting that when this Lord of Lords was come into the world God's secret hand of providence made the great Master of the world Augustus Caesar vaile bonnet by a strict edict commanding that no man should give or receive the title of Lord. Christ is our Lord by right 1. of creation Joh 1. 3. 2. Redemption 1. Cor 6. 20. 3. Preservation and government Ephes 5. 23 that we may obey him trust in him and acknowledge him our Lord and God as Thomas did that we may worship him in the unitie of the sacred Trinity and finally commend our spirits into his hands as the first Martyr did Lord Jesus receave my spirit 1 We are also to beleeve that Jesus Christ our Lord was conceived by the holy Ghost as Luk 1. 35 this is that great mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh for though he was to be truely man consisting of an humane body and reasonable soule of the seed and posterity of Abraham yet was he not conceived of humane propagation but an extraordinary way The first Adam in whom all dye was not begotten by man but framed and made by the power of God and so it became the second Adam by whom we are restored to life to become man by the immediate sanctifying power of God whose word caused the vast seeds of the world to conceive and frame the severall parts thereof the heavens aire water and earth as now we see them And so the spirit of God was said to move upon the face of the deep Gen 1. 2. which is spoken to expresse an omnipotent and lively efficacy of the spirit and power of God digesting forming and framing the creatures according to his wisedome so must we here understand Christs humane conception to be by the power of Gods spirit so commanding and therefore so framing Christ of a sanctified masse as that the deity and humanity of Christ became one person Neither may we think that the father and the eternall word and sonne of God were here excluded because the action is attributed to the holy Ghost but this is said to intimate that this was so by the free gift and grace of God for 't is said the power of the most high shall overshadow thee Luk 1. 35. that the manhood of Christ being but a creature should be so annointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes that it should become a part of the sonne of God
hast left may best appear in thy tryals how many of these shadowes follow thee now thou art clouded doe they not feare thy mine doth not that set a strange distance between you are these thy friends or such acquaintance as thou maist every where finde Againe how many malicious enemies hast thou left behinde who have often so embittered thy soule that thou hast cryed out Wo is mee that I sojourne in Meshech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar my soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace so that upon a just account thou art not so much banished thy country as taken from impious enemies 4. Lastly be confident that what ever is good wee shall meet withal again in the immutable happinesse of heaven what ever cannot come thither is not worth our lamenting here it being truely rather a gaine to loose it then to recover it 7. Consider how popular inconstancy usually retributeth evil to best deserts as Aristides the just Alcibiades as hee also whose epitaph sayed to posterity Ingrateful native soile thou hast not so much as my bones had experience of it Wee have examples in holy writ of those who wandred in deserts and mountaines of whom the world was not worthy All is little to that one example of Christ persecuted from his infancy carried into Egypt to avoid Herod's tyrannous fury and all his life made a man of sorrows by them hee came to save That condition to which Christ is a pattern can make no man unhappy hee came amongst his own and they received him not hee did only good to them their owne testimony was hee hath done all things well yet they crucified him remember his words The disciple is not greater then his master and doest thou think much that being innocent thou art banished thy native soile few good men live where they first drew breath or best deserve 8. Learne the good which God doth for thee who best knoweth how to make all things work for the best as in thy exile thy security from thine adversaries whose restles malice is as trucelesse as the Divells which ruleth in the enemies of Gods children that he hath set thee by better neighbours or lesse pernicious who canst not have worse then thou hast lost however thou valew this the Prophet fervently wisheth for it O that I had in the Wildernesse a Cottage of a Wayfaring man that I might leave my People and goe from them for they be all an assembly of treacherous men they bend their tongues like their bow for lies 9. Learne to seek happinesse and content in thy selfe in peace of conscience purity of heart sanctified will and affections faith patience meeknesse temperance humility and the like and no losse of these outward â—hings shall much trouble thee who hast set thy affections on heaven and to a man assured that he must ere long change this life for an eternall what matter is it from what point of the earth his soule taketh her flight whether from Pisga with Moses from the bankes of Jordan with Eliah from the Prison with John Baptist from the field mill or bed or from the mount of Olives whence Christ ascended into Heaven it is not much considerable whence thou comest thy happinesse in spight of secular afflictions and active malice shall be once to arrive at heaven where all shall be securely unchangeably and eternally happy The Banished mans Petition O Lord God holy and mercifull whose providence ruleth over all the earth is thine and thou assignest the parts thereof to the children of men thou brougâ—st a Vine out of Egypt and plantedst it thou madst the branches thereof to fill the land and spread themselves from the river to the flood but in thy displeasure thou didst cast them out of the inheritance which thou hadst given them Thou art the Lord of Mountaines and vallies land and sea and the God of the exiled and outcast Thou dost with much patience behold oâ—â—ression and wrong untill the measures of iniquity be filled up ô Lord behold the pressures of me thy poore despised and dejected servant thy mercy and gracious audience of the afflicted is neither limited to Jerusalem nor this mountaine every place is equally neere heaven where ever men lift up pure hands and hearts worshipping thee in spirit and truth thou art there present to heare and help them Gracious Father though thou seest good to permit me to the power of men to exercise me yet can they not shut thy mercifull eare against me O let my complaint therefore come before thee let thy word be as the clowdy Pillar to lead me in thy way let thy good spirit direct me cast me not from thy presence take not thy mercies from me give me grace to forsake all those sinnes for which thy chastisement is now upon me that I may happily profit by thy Fatherly corrections and if it be thy holy will restore me to these blessings and comforts which thou gavest me for my support if otherwise yet good Lord give me assurance of thy mercy and patience to expect thy saving health leave me not destitute and comfortlesse in my afflictions be my guide and helper in this earthly pilgrimage and vally of teares unto and in the howre in which thou hast appointed to take me hence into the incorruptible and undefiled inheritance by thy power reserved in heaven for all that beleeve in thee to which no hand of the oppressor shall reach where shall be no curse no sinne nor feare of forfeiture into which no enemy shall be admitted from which no inhabitant shall ever be cast out Lord heare and help me Lord have mercy on me and grant me that which I aske according to thy will and that which I should aske which thou knowest best for me through the infinite merits of the Sonne of thy Love the author and finisher of our Salvation and eternall happinesse Christ Jesus the righteous AMEN CHAP. XXXIII Of old Age directions counsels and comforts therein § 1. Age common evils thereof § 2. How the foundation of an happy Age must be laid in youth § 3. How the evils of Age may be lessened § 4. Or more patiently borne § 5. By what Rules of practice it may be improved to the comfort of the Aged 1. OLd Age is our times sun-set the last of this life and first-fruits of death that which all desire and but few like or patiently bear so ingrateful are men to God that they would be yong again so waiward doth sinne make them that they like no present state of so discomposed and foolish a minde are those aged children whose desires look to the Sodom whose dangerous â—lame they had escaped 2. It is the condition of all that groweth in time to decay Time is the devourer of his children here is nothing but perpetual changes we shall not be to morrow what wee were
the Woman was of the man without paine because innocent but now the man is of the woman with her sorrow because she hath sinned a sorrow so intense and embittered with feare and anguish that the Holy Ghost hereby expresseth the condition of the fainting afflicted and dejected spirit in sodaine feares of the affrighted conscience expecting an inevitable judgement The hower of birth and death the entrance and exit of this World being solely in Gods hand and secret counsaile none else knowing the time nor being able to dispose thereof reason more then apparent urgeth the necessity of addresse to him 2. Some are the sepulchers of their Children gone out of ere they came into this World exiled before they saw a native soile advanced from a short imprisonment in the wombe to the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God to the blessed Kingdome of Heaven before they touched this cursebearing earth some see their Benoni and thence have passage into eternall life where the sentence of death began some live to tast their sorrowes allay in â—he sweetest temper of divine mercy with justice becoming rejoycing mothers all is disposed by the all-guiding providence and unlessened power of Gods word who at the beginning but spake and it was done It hath much troubled some to think why if our sinnes be pardoned in Christ are not the punishments thereof also taken away as here why the elect and reprobate the chast matron and filthy adultresse should in this sentence share and suffer alike for satisfaction herein let the servant of God considerâ— 1. That whereas all sinne though not in the same kinde measure or degrees there remaining the same cause there must remaine the same effect in all that bring forth 2. This life is the stadium or race which we have through the variable distractions and tryalls of seducing pleasures and dejecting paines so to runne that we may obtaine here all are a like the Wheat and the tares must grow up togeather unto the harvest the difference shall appeare in the binding up which shall sufficiently crowne or punish 3. Gods finall sentence is adjourned to the Worlds great Assizes the day in which he hath appointed to judge in righteousnesse if he should by present rewards or punishments distinguish between good and evill the matter of Religion would seem acted by selfe-love feare awing and gaine alluring servile mindes to secure and serve themselves not God rather then the love of God which is the summe and ground of all true obedience nor should men according to the mercifull ordinance of God live by Faith but sense the lives of beasts rather then of men they are drawn to obsequie by rewards held out to them or compelled to duty by stripes but these by Faith in the promises of God even when there appeareth in things externall no difference between the wicked and the just nor indeed should God otherwise leave a due place for faiths reward which is not slitely tryed by our present sharing in secular evills with the wicked nor so just and great a punishment of sinne by permitting the disobedient to runne on in their own wayes storing up wrath against the day of wrath and greatning their own damnation 4. Though there is much difference in the issue between the temporall afflictions common to elect and reprobate they being the beginning of destruction to these and a fatherly correction to the other that they might not be condemned with the World yet he continueth them to his dearest children in this life that they may make them throughly sensible of the odiousnesse of sinne by the bitter effects thereof of Gods immutable and inviolable justice the same now which it was when this dolefull sentence was first pronounced of the corrupted state of mans depraved nature conceived in sinne and therefore comming into living in and going out of the World with sorrow and lastly of the necessity of our repaire by faith and continuall renewing our repentance 5. As all other afflictions are not only mitigated but made good to the Saints and coâ—perative for the best to them that love God so is this for through this temporall Childbearing they shall be saved if they continue in Faith and Charity with holinesse and sobriety and in the mean time they are not without their peculiar comforts 1. Our Saviour noted it So soon as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is borne into the World Doubtlesse as it was and is an affliction to be childlesse so it cannot but be a comfort to her that by an holy progeny encreaseth the Kingdome of God to be her Husbands blessing a fruitfull Vine upon the walls of his house God promising the fruit of the wombe and the sweet Olive branches round about the table for a blessing to them that feare him and walke in his waies 2. It must be a comfort to consider how God not only in Christ in whom male and female have equall interest hath taken off the curse from this sexe made coe-heires with us of the same grace but also the dishonour and bitternesse of their sentence by some peculiar favours and consolations as first that he sent forth his Sonne made of a Woman without man so that he made her mother of Christ according to the flesh that shee might by the power of the most high conceive her Saviour that as shee was the unhappy doore to let in sorrowes and paines deaths terrible harbingers and destruction on all her posterity so she might be to let in Christ the peace happinesse redeemer and life of all the elect Secondly that God made her seed to break the serpents head 3. That he made a Woman the first witnesse of the accomplishment thereof in his resurrection from the dead that the sexe that first heard and felt the sentence on sinne should first see and beleeve the ransome of our sinne there accomplished where death was absolutely vanquished 3. In the sweet object of their affection they most tenderly love who suffer the most bitter sorrow for Children God sometimes expresseth the constancy of his love by a mothers can a Mother forget could a greater among the children of men have been found his infinite love and compassion towards man should have been weighed by it 4. In their Husbands greater love as Leah said now therefore my Husband will love me none but the unnaturall but will have compassion and the more tender love to her by whose sorrowes God hath made him glad by the comfort of deare Children pledges of his posterity 5. In their Childrens love and duty who forsake not the law of their mother as fooles who are their living sorrowes onely the wicked forget their Mothers paines and care for them the ravens of the vallies are too milde executioners for them who despise their Mother when shee is old who looketh
appearing meane time make us patient cheerefully to endure our trialls give us hearts rightly composed to wait all the daies of our lives till our changing come And now O gracious Father though wee are most unworthy to speake unto thee for our selves yet seeing thou hast commanded us to call upon thee one for another with promise that the prayers for the righteous shall be available if they be fervent so that they shall save the sick that thou wilt raise them up and if they have committed sinnes they shall be forgiven them we humbly pray thee for this our sick brother Lord assure him of his sinnes remission by the merits of Christ Jesus give him that peace of conscience and inward comfort of thy holy spirit which may manifest thy favour and mercy to him There is nothing impossible to thee which thou wilt doe heare therefore and have mercy on him only speake the word and blesse the meanes that he may be healed if otherwise thou hast determined thy holy will be done Lord who canst make all things happy to thy children give him patience meekely to beare thy fatherly hand remember whereof thou hast made fraile man consider his infirmity measure out his tryalls with that tender hand which best knoweth how to proportion the affliction to that strength which thy selfe hast given him O Lord God of all comfort leave him not comfortlesse but as the outward man decayeth strengthen the inward suffer not the malicious tempter to cast down or shake his confidence in Christ Jesus let not the sonne of violence come neere him as thou hast all his life time from his mothers wombe unto this present given thyne angells charge over him to pitch their tents about him so be pleased in this time of tryall to open to him the eie of faith whereby he may cleerely perceive that they are more and stronger with him then can be against him send the holy spirit the comforter to his afflicted soule to bring to memory and apply all these gracious promises which thou hast made thine elect Blessed Jesus who hast therefore taken our fraile nature on thee that thou mightst have experience of our miseries who best knowest what it is to dy having in thyne own death and bitterest passion overcome death and him that had the power thereof to deliver us from sinne and destruction the bitter fruite and effect therof now appeare his comforter assuring him of his interest in thy sufferings give him such a sense of thy mercy that the gates of hell may never prevaile against it such experience of the life of thy spirit and power by which thou didst rise againe from the dead that hee may certainely know that his Redeemer liveth and shall at last shew the same power in his resurrection in which he shall with the rest of thine elect at the voyce of the last trumpet be raised from the dust of the earth to meet thee in the clouds of heaven to see thee with those now languishing eyes which must at and to the appointed time be cloased to sleep in thee that hee may rest from his labours And now O Lord who hast hid from us the houre of our dissolution that we might alwaies expect thee let thy good spirit which sleepeth not set a carefull watch over every one of our soules that we may never sleepe without oyle in our lamps but be ready at thy appearance to enter with thee into thy kingdom where all sorrow shall cease in the fulnes of joy faith in the fruition of thy promises and this state of misery and corruption in a never ending life of glory and immortality Lord heare and help us Lord grant us these requests and whatsoever else thou knowest more needfull what thou hast promised or we should aske for thy Sonne Christ Jesus sake in whose words and mediation we conclude our imperfect prayers Our Father which art in heaven c. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Thanksgiâ—ing for health recovered O Lord God gracious and mercifull aboundant in goodnesse and truth heaven and earth sound out thy praise all thy creatures tasting of thy providence and preservation praise thee and what have I more to present thee with them what can I lesse then my humble and hearty thanks for thy tender mercy toward me whom thou hast therefore delivered from sicknesse and sorrowes of death that I might yet live to glorifie thy name among the living and for the comfort of others to declare what thou hast done for my poore soule how thou hast raised me by casting mee down and healed me by wounding an afflicted conscience with a terrible sense of thy severe judgements how thou didst sanctify my sicknesse by giving me an heart to looke up to thy fatherly hand which smote me to acknowledge my sinnes for which thou correctedest me to repent me of the same assured of thy mercy in Christ Jesus to resolve and vow to forsake all my sinfull waies to doe a more holy and faithfull endeavour to serve and please thee And now O Lord I humbly pray thee enlarge my heart and tongue to praise and glorifie thy holy and great name all things are of thee and what can any creature give thee but of thine owne hand Lord give mee that sacrifice of praise and thankesgiving which may be acceptable to thee that I may henceforth not onely speake but live thankefully and holily before thee that I may pay my vowes which I made in my distresse and feare so that it may be good for me that I have beene afflicted that I may in all temperance and godlinesse make a right use of health restored me and of the daies which thou addest to my life to thy glory and the comfortable assurance of my conscience both in life and death That thou who hast begun to shew mercy maist be pleased to continue the same in thy gratious preservation of me so that at my last houre which thou hast appointed me the former experience of thy mercy may give me a sound hope and full assurance that thou wilt keepe me unto and in my end that when this house of clay shall be dissolved I shall rest with my Saviour Jesus Christ untill the time determined to raise the dead in him to the life of glory in which our Forerunner now sitteth at thy right hand to whom with thee O Father of mercy and God of all consolation and the holy spirit bee rendred all honour praise and glory in Heaven and on Earth for ever and ever AMEN A Prayer for the sicke of the Plague O Allmighty God great and terrjble in thy judgments yet of infinite mercy and compassion to those who truly seeke thee wee humbly acknowledge that not only this plague wherein thou now afflictest this land is due unto our sinnes but also allother thy severe judgments to our destruction and desolation and to whome shall we seek for helpe but to the whome we haue so continually
sinners death but his conversion Lord convert my soule remove my sins frame my heart affections and life according to thine own will thou who hearest the poor and despisest not the wretched captive visit all that are bound Lord our redeemer hear them in an acceptable time and help them in the day of salvation preserve the oppressed and despised of men say unto the prisoners Goe forth and to them that are in darknesse Shew your selves binde up the broken hearted proclaime liberty to the captives and opening the prison to them that are shut up comfort them that mourne let their deep sighing come before thee according to the greatnesse of thy power preserve thou them that are appointed to dye Lord lift thou up my head enlarge my feet bring me out of bondage that I may live to serve and praise thee in the assemblies of thy servants however thou pleasest to dispose of mee let all my sufferings redound to thy glory and my salvation give me patience to endure constancy to depend on thee firme faith to apprehend thy promises and hope to expect thy saving health Consider my weaknesse and lay no more upon mee then thou wilt enable mee to bear cheerfully sanctifie my afflictions and make them good to mee in the fruits of righteousnesse which thou hast laid up for all those who rest on thee Heare mee O Lord let my cry come unto thee and have mercy upon me through Jesus Christ our Lord and blessed Saviour AMEN A Morning Praier for prisoners O Eternal and Almighty God Creator Preserver and Governer of all things in heaven and earth before whom the Thrones and Dominions Powers Cherubims and Seraphims vaile their faces with their wings not able to behold the brightnesse of thy Majesty nor to comprehend thy being known to none but thine owne infinite wisedome At the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure the earth is moved and the pillars of heaven doe tremble yet in thy unspeakable mercy thou vouchsafest to looke downe from thy throne of glory and to take care for man yea the poorest and most despised among the sonnes of men and not only to bow downe a gracious eare to their petitions but to command them to call upon thee that thou maist relieve and deliver them to this end hast thou made so many instances of that word of thine The fervent praier of the righteous availeth much Such praiers have divided the Seas and made their swelling waves stand on heapes beat down the armies of aliants stopped the mouthes of lions restrained the devouring flames opened and shut heaven made the Sunne and Moone stand still converted the revengeful malice of enemies into pity and compassion broken the heavy yokes of bondage shaken off the chaines opened the prison doores and delivered those that were appointed to death so that thou hast not in â—ain sayed Call upon mee in the day of thy trouble so will I heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Lord thy mercy is not changed thine arme shortened nor thine eare heavy only our sins have separated between thee and us this is that filthy leprosie over-spreading every part and faculty of our bodies and souls which hath covered our mouths and hindred our praies from thy graecious presence turning away thy merciful eares so that as wee have not hearkned when thou spakest unto us by thy Prophets to warn us from the waies of death and destruction so thou maist justly refuse to heare our cries But O Lord God if thy mercy could have been hindred by mans sin thou hadst never elected him to salvation for thou fore-sawest all things from eternity to all times to come If any evil could have overcome thy goodnesse thou hadst never redeemed us with so great a price as the blood of thy sonne Jesus for thou fore-knewest that they to whom thou sentest him as a redeemer would crucifie the Lord of life if the iniquity of an impious world could intercept thy bounty this sun should not shine nor thy rain descend upon the wicked neither wouldst thou have preserved us this night past that we might now meet to call upon thee for mercy and deliveraâ—ce if thy justice had not given place to mercy we therefore humbly acknowledge thy goodnesse and our own vilenesse and unworthinesse and for thy mercy sake beseech thee to pardon and put all our sins out of thy remembrance that they may no more appeare to provoke thine anger to our destruction O Lord we know not what or how to pray as wee ought help thou our infirmities by thy holy Spirit who maketh intercession for us according to thy will with groanings inuterable it is the same spirit of thine which indited the praiers of thy Prophets and Apostles by which they obtained such marvellous things which now also moveth in and for thy poore afflicted children crying unto thee Good Father give us that lively faith fervency and evidence of spirit to which thou who art the God of trueth and canst not deceive hast made the promise of audience and attaining Lord shew us the effects of that good word which saith Ask and you shall have Now give unto us that aske forgive us all our sinnes and give us an happy deliverance out of the pressures which lie so heavily upon us Give us peace with thee in the testimony of a good conscience and if it be thy holy will peace with all men as thou hast passed by us with fire storme and earth-shaking indignation so now speake unto us in the still voice of thy mercy and compassion Lord if it be possible let this cup of anger passe â—rom us if not thy will be done Give us patience and perseverance give the blessed issue who givest the bitter tryal consider whereof thou hast made fraile man Remember that wee are but poore dust and earth and as the grasse soon withering away deale with us so here that wee may not faile of living to thee in this life and with thee in that eternal life to come And now O Lord who causest the out-goings of the morning and evening to praise thee wee bless thy holy name for thy gracious providence preserving of us this night past and giving us this present oportunity of presenting our supplications unto thee Good Father continue thy mercy to us and ours this day sanctifie us unto thy service direct all our thoughts words and actions so as that in the several waies of our callings they may all tend to the glory of thy holy name the good example of our brethren and the further assurance of our consciences before thee Lord blesse thy holy Church in all nations specially that which thy right hand hath planted in this Blesse Lord our several families let our innocency appeare as the light lift up our heads from these bonds and in thy good time restore us to them againe hear their praiers for us and ours for them and both for thy sonne Jesus sake O Lord who art the
prosperous rich mighty and glorious 3. Thus would he be borne poore to make us rich to expresse his love to us 4. Thus he would teach us humility how intolerable is the pride of sinfull man repining at some wants when the sonne of God was thus humbled for our sins 5. He would have this difference betweene his first and second comming first he descended like raine into the fleece without noise he came not then to make any externall politicall â—â—changes in the kingdomes of the world but only to overthrow the spirituall kingdome of Satan and to worke not the Jews temporall redemption as they dreamed but their eternall salvation who beleeve in him both of Jewes and Gentiles And so the manifestation of Christs birth was not to the kings or great Doctors of the Law but to poore shepheards first though not by men but glorious Angels Having considered these things we must learne 1 To subject our reason to the word of God in assurance that all things are possible to him which he will and certainly true which he speaketh Thou wilt say but how shall I doe that I may be assured thereof I conceive these rules very necessary here in 1. That thou understand this word is not discerned by any light but by the same spirit which indited it Therefore said our Saviour when the spirit of truth is come He will lead you into all truth These things seeme foolish and improbable to our carnall man because he wanteth the spirit of God whereby hee might bee able to discerne those things which are not otherwise then spiritually discerned 2. If thou read or heare the Gospell be sure thou bring a beleeving heart resolved in this one principle at least Gods word is certainely true though many particulars are above my apprehension it is but lost labour for him to take the holy word of life into his hand who is resolved to beleeve no more then that which he can bring within the reach and dimension of his own carnall reason which erreth grosly in many things obvious to common sense 3. In this as many other matters necessary to be beleeved the onely way being to apprehend by faith doe thou not attempt the examination of all by reason but rather renounce it as unable to measure these things as thou art to take up the vast ball of earth into thy hand or measure the orbs of heaven by the span the rather in this because the holy Ghost hath told us it is the great mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh 4. Lastly remember when ever thou commest to read or heare of how high a consequence that is to which thou art come it is no vaine word concerning thee but thy life and salvation if thou beleeve and obey or thy destruction on the contrary and thou wilt easily be perswaded to prepare thy selfe by earnest prayer to God for his assistance and blessing who only hath the key of David which openeth and no man can shut the want of this one duty is the cause of so much unbeleefe and impiety in so abundant a light of the Gospell as we had long amongst us 2 That thou know that Christ thus conceived and borne hath sanctified our conception and birth in sin thus are the fountaines of our naturall propagation healed holy wedlock declared an undefiled bed and sacred virginity interressed in eternall attendance on Christ the Lambe of God 3 To be contented in every estate and comforted though in a dejected considering to what Christ descended for thy sake 4 To prepare and magniâ—ie the inestimable love of God shewed us in Christ. So did the holy Angels Luk 1. 46. 47. Luk 2. 14. 5 Where thou hast the promises of God for thy assurance not to feare how impossible or improbable soever they seeme to flesh and blood they shall be fulfilled in their appointed time and manner How impossible did this promise seeme to carnall reason a Virgin shall conceive and beare a sonne the ' B. Virgin her selfe was herewith posed how can this be Yet was it fulfilled in the fulnesse of time though many ages after the promise made Though he seeme to delay yet expect it that cannot faile which God promiseth so also thinke of the promises of thy resurrection and eternall life what ever carnall reason witty to its own destruction or the malitious tempter can object against the word of truth in due time it shall be fulfilled CHAP. V. What we are to beleeve concerning § 1. Christs suffering under Pontius Pilat his crucifying death and buriall § 2. His resurrection § 3. Ascention § 4. Sitting at the right hand of God the Father § 5. His comming to judge 1 THe humiliation of Christ is considerable 1. In generall comprehending all that he suffered in the forme of a servant the whole curse of the Law all kindes of aâ—â—lictions both of body and soule quae à peccato sunt non quae ad peccatum all the effects of sinne without sinne as in his birth circumcision subjection to men temptations blasphemous contradictons and contumelies desertions of friends and most injurious malice of enimies apprehension of his fathers wrath against sinne the paines of death and torments of hell all that which is incident and due to sinfull man sin onely excepted whereby he became the man of sorrowes 2. In particular that which he suffered under Pontius Pilat the then Roman deputie for that Province 2 Concerning the generall we must observe 1. That the divine nature though personally united to the humane suffered not but only the humane yet the suffering is attributed to the person and sometimes to the deity by reason of the communication of proprieties and union of the two natures in one person so God is said to have purchased the Church with his own blood because his blood who is truely God and man was shed for the redemption of his Church As the Athenian Codrus disrobing himselfe and falling into the enemies quarters in the habit of a poore man with a burthen on his back that he might steale a death to make his people conquerers according to the Oracle which said that people should overcome whose king should be slaine in the battle So Christ assumed the forme of a servant and became of no repute so bare he the Crosse that his own knew him not but slew the Lord of life that in his death who so loved us wee might be more then Conquerers He was impatible in his deity therefore he assumed an humanity which could suffer that he might become a ransome and sacrifice for our sinnes that the dignitie and merit of his passion might be vallewed according to the dignitie of the person suffering now because the worth of his passion was to be estimated from the united deity therefore his temporall and short suffering was of infinite merit to redeeme and free us from that which we should
in them Their communion with the Sonne is in that they are united to him become his members he liveth in them guideth governeth protecteth and comforteth them He communicateth to them all the benefits of his merits and passion so that they become as surely theirs for their justification as they are his as 't is written we are made partakers of Christ Heb 3. 14. hereby we become coheires with him Rom 8. 17. This belongeth onely to the Saints and true beleevers who walke as children of the light 1. Job 1. 6 7. who hearken to him and persevere unto the end Heb 3. 14. but Christ hath no communion with Infidels Christs communion with us is 1. in nature by his becomming â—lesh of our â—lesh 2. by grace and assumption of our persons in a mysticall union with him answering to God for us and so making us partakers of the divine nature 2. Pet 1. 4. 3. The perfection hereof shall be the translation of us into his glory so certaine as the truth of God which is the reason why the Apostle pronounceth thereof as of a thing already past Christ received â— us to the glory of God Rom 15. 7. The first of these states relateth to the second and the second to the last as nature is subordinate to grace and grace to glory the first union causeth the following we cannot have communion with him in his future glory if we have not in his present grace nor could wee ever have beene united to him by grace had not he first united himselfe to our nature whereby he fulfilled the law satisfied God's justice for us and so the divine unction sloweth from the head to all the body The holy Ghost worketh this union by giving us faith and sanctification This union is the most arct and indivisible he tooke on him our nature into an hypostaticall union with the deity he joyneth us to his mysticall body whereof he is the head by the holy Ghost hee that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit with him 1. Cor 6. 17. 1. Cor 12. 13. 1. Joh 3 24. 1. Joh 4. 13. Rom 8. 11. Ephes 4. 4. Hereby wee are really sanctified in that measure which he appointeth every man to salvation whereby he changeth our vile body that it may be like unto his own glorious body Phil 3. 21. and even now suffereth with us reckning all that is done unto us as done unto himselfe He becommeth wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption unto us He freeth us from condemnation purgeth us from all sinne maketh us walk according to his good spirit mortifying the works of the flesh The communion of the holy Ghost is a participation of his grace by which he uniteth us to him regenerateth governeth teacheth leadeth comforteth us witnesseth with our spirits that we are the sonnes of God helpeth our infirmities intercedeth for us with unutterable groanes sealeth us up to the day of redemption and uniteth us one with another 3. Our communion one with another importeth 1. an externall communion and society of the Saints called and united in the body of the visible Church by the ministry of the word and use of the Sacraments 2. an internall conjunction in which those whom God hath united in an externall communion are also by the holy Ghost united unto God and one to another By which they have mutually and joyntly 1. The same right to adoption and sonship in God 2. The same interest in Christ and all his merits 3. The same faith and grace of justification 4. The same right to salvation life and eternall glory This communion is either of the living with the living or of the living with the deceased Saints present or that which shall be in the life to come in the Church triumphant which shall be the most compleat and excellent part thereof This is the first prerogative which the God of unity bestoweth on his Church that her true members hold an happy unity in Christ and a sweet and comfortable fellowship one with another for wee being many are partakers of one bread and one body by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body here is our happinesse in unity without which there is neither happinesse nor life the most excellent part the eye divided from the body cannot see communion must needs be happy where God uniteth we have now in that spirit which uniteth us a communion with the soules in heaven and have our conversation there though but imperfectly but when we also are perfect it shall be a most excellent state the more holy and wise we are the more divine is our fellowship which is only betweene the good and wise when Peter James and John saw Moses and Elias but two glorified Saints in our Saviours transfiguration ravished in spirit they cryed out 't is good for us to bee here let us build here why said they not so before being with Christ Alas there appeared in him before this only the forme of a servant and man of sorrowes no beauty that we should desire in him but now some beames of his glory brake through the clowd of his humanity When Moses and Elias lived on earth they were of no such esteeme there is not that poore despised Saint whose presence now seemeth irksome to the worldly prosperous man but he shall bee most aimiable in our perfect communion in the liâ—e to come Society of man is excellent what were the world to a man alone But he that said 't is not good for man in the state of innocency to be alone reserved the best society to the state of glory the best life excellent is that communion which we now have in this imperfect state for as much as we are united in one spirit faith and doctrine we have like affections love each other assist each other as in things externall so specially by mutuall prayers yea the Angels of heaven rejoyce at a sinners conversion because they hold communion with us under one head and no wonder for if the humane soule which is but a â—inite creature can give so much unity and sense to every member of the body as to make them have a mutuall sympathy care and love how much more shall the spirit of an infinite God give these to all those which he uniteth in Christ But if so excellent bee this communion to us now in this mortall life and state of imperfection what thinke yee shall it be when thiâ— corruptible hath puton iucorruption and God shall be all in all And beleeving this why should I doubt of our knowing one another in the world to come To him that beleeveth this comfortable Article of Faith these following rules are necessary 1 Love all men for Gods sake If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowsâ—ip of the spirit saith the Apostle fulfill my joy that yee
of death I will sing my nune dimittis Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace securely may hee dare Death and Hell Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory who can indeed say Thankes be unto God which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. Confesse and repent thee of all thy sinnes that is forsake them and thou shalt find mercy if thou hidest them under any pretence of merit or pleading not guilty thou canst not prosper God's family saith not I am whole but heale mee O Lord and I shall be whole repentance is the second table after the shipwracke of our soules wee read that Peter after his fall repented wee read hee wept wee read not that hee satisfied repentance is no cause but a condition of our pardon without which it cannot be obtained because God is just as well as mercifull if God should forgive before we repent it were approbation of the fact rather then mercy nor could it stand with his justice This repentance is 1. in knowledge of our sinne without which we cannot repent therefore David prayeth Lord open mine eyes that I sheep not in death it is a fearfull judgement of God not to know our sinnes that we may repent The first degree of happinesse is not to sinne the second to knowe our sinnes there in entire innocency to save here followeth the medicine to heale 2. In hearty sorrow for all our sinnes without which we doe not repent 3. In a constant change of the minde purpose to sinne no more and forsaking our evill waies 't is not only in saying God be mercifull to me but in turning to him that hee may shew mercy who had not had any Saint had hee not pardoned sinners therefore the Prophet bids us search and try our waies turne againe unto the Lord. 3. Apply the word of God home to thy conscience that thou maist understand thy sinne and misery comming on thee and be toucht at heart as Peters hearers were Act 2. 37. 4. Pray earnestly to God to take away the stony heart which hindereth thy repentance and the comfortable effects thereof this lieth like the cover on the wells mouth at Padan Aram till it be roled away the flocks cannot bee watred the rocks at Horeb could not yeeld a drop of water till the rod of God smote it nor can mans harder heart one teare of faithfull repentance untill God touch it 5. Beware of living in or relapsing into any knowne sinne least the end be worse then the beginning in such case it had beene better for thee not to have knowne the way of righteousnesse then after the knowledge thereof to returue with the dog to the vomit 6. Be sure thou forgive 't is the condition of remission of thy sinne which Christ annexeth to thy petition for forgivenesse as we forgive them that trespasse against us and repeateth it to teach us the necessitie thereof for if we forgive them their trespasses your heavenly father will also forgive you but if yee forgive not â—neither will your father forgive your trespasses malice is strange fire which never came from heaven no sacrifice of prayer can be acceptable therewith be resolved then seeing thy daily infirmities put thee upon a daily asking mercy to shew it that thou maist find it that thou be not with the evill servant who would receive but shew no pitty delivered to the tormentors for the exaction of that which thou canst never satisfie A Prayer for repentance and remission of sinnes O Lord God of mercy and compassion slow to anger and more ready to forgive then we can be to beg pardon forgive us all our sinnes which we have at any time committed in thought word or action give us hearts to consent and obay that thou maist bee pleased according to thyne owne gratious promise to make our scarlet sinnes white as snow to take away those filthy habits where with we are naturally clothed and to put us on the robe of Christ's innocency give us hearty and unfeigned repentance of all our sins that we may abandon all our evill vaine and unprofitable waies whereby we have provoked thy wrath against our owne soules Seale up our pardon by the certaine testemonie of thy spirit of truth which cannot deceave in a comfortable peace of conscience and assurance of our reconciliation by the merits of our Lord Jesus Give us security on the second table of repentance who have unhappily let goe the first of innocency As thou hast in the pretious blood of thy deare sonne Jesus cancelled the hand writing of ordinances which was against us fastning them on his crosse so accomplish thine owne mercy cancelling them to the sense of our consciences by a certaine assurance of our salvation that the stings of death may not afflict us nor the gates of hell ever prevaile against us but that our sinnes being covered and no more imputed to us we may cheerefully thankfully and holily live before thee to thy glory the good example of of others and the assurance of our owne hearts before thee that thoâ—â— who hast in some measure sanctified hast also freely and fully pardoned us Lord answer unto our soules with good and comfortable words through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour AMEN CHAP. X. § 1. Of the resurrection from the dead § 2. How the truth thereof may appeare § 3. What wee are to make of the meditation hereof 1 THe third benefit of the Church shall be the Resurrection from the dead in the first Adam all dye in the second all live hope of a joyfull resurrection is the root of all good workes Act 24. 15. 16. Act 26. 6 7. 2. It is necessary that sinne which brought death into the world like a viperous brood eating through its mothers bowels should be destroyed by death and as necessary that sins kingdome so ended all should rise againe that they may come to judgement 3. Resurrection is of the dead body of man for first death is not only a bare negation but a privation of life so dead and livelesse differ that only which had life and after died riseth againe Secondly there are two sorts of dead bodies the first sine potentiâ ad vitam without possibilitae of rising againe so beasts dye never to live againe or in potentiâ ad vitam in abilitie once to rise againe by the power of God so determining it so man dyeth and shall assuredly rise againe all men elect and reprobates shall come from death as Pharaohs two servants from their prison one to honour the other to execution some to the joyes of heaven eternall blessednesse of body and soule the other to endlesse shame and unspeakable torments in hell sire with the Devill and his Angells 4. The same body which dyeth shall be raised againe the same substance as
dead shall live CHAP. XI Concerning life everlasting § 1. What life everlasting is § 2. Wherein the happinesse thereof consisteth § 3. What rules of practice we are to hold concerning the same 1 WE are in the last place to beleeve that which is the end of faith the salvation of our soules life everlasting necessarily inserted as the Corônis and finishing the articles of our beleefe why else should we beleeve our resurrection or any other article but that in beleeving all the Gospell we shal have eternall life 2. The life of man is that act of body and soule united whereby he liveth life in generall is either uncreated which is the Godhead living of and by himselfe and giving life to all living this is incommunicable to any creature created life is that which is in and by anothers power as 't is written in him we live move and have our being the life of man is either naturall in this world sustained by such meanes as God hath thereto appointed or spirituall which is our union with Christ inchoate here to bee perfected in the world to come where we shall have no more need of any of the creatures to sustaine us we have need for the present of the word and Sacraments to support our life of grace but there God will be all in all all good all happinesse no noise of hammer was heard in Solomons Temple when it was raising all was prepared before so here shall be no noise of prophesie or preachching that shall cease God will be our illumination preservation joy and life Rev 21. 22. and in this life desire is never satisâ—ied but there is the tree of life Christ Jesus in the midst of the heavenly Paradise giving life to all and silling all with such absolute blessednesse that if all the joyes on earth and an abstract thereof were present we could no more desire them then a prudent man could childrens rattles Paul regenerate counted all things vile and worthlesse in respect of Christ how much more shall the gloriâ—ied As the Sunne eclipseth or obscureth all inferiour light so doe the heavenly all secular joyes which like Eliahs mantle fall off in our ascension to the things which are above Our blessednesse in this eternall life shall consist in 1. An absolute freedome from all wants spirituall and bodily There shall be no ignorance of that wee should know no unbeleefe no diffidence in the mercy of God no servile feare no envy anger lust corrupt affection no sicknesse paine want violence oppression injury no sinne sorrow or effect of sinne 2. Perfect knowledge of God Moses could see onely his back parts we see the effects of his wisdome power and goodnesse the effence it selfe is incomprehensible we see now but in part there we shall see face to face as he is that is as much as we can be capeable of 3. Perfect love of God for his owne sake without measure because we shall knowe him as he is most amiable 4. An absolute and perpetuall Sabbath we keep one now every seaventh day and at best wee fayle in our sanctification thereof but there shall be all holy soules and bodies yet shall not our life bee meerely contemplative and inactive nor servile but eternally spent in the service of God without lassitude or irksomenesse which was prefigured in Priests officiating on the Sabbath without violation of the holy rest 5. Glory of bodies and soules reunited incorruption immortality spirituall and divine life shall shine on us as on Christ in his transfiguration all corruptible qualities being put off and if the now visible parts of the heavens are free from corruption how much more shall man in his glorious liberty seeing heaven and earth were made for him When Christ ascended no corporall weight hindered him when Elias beganne to bee changed He ascended into a Chariot of fire no elementary gravity hindred him so shall our bodies bee freed from the burthen of first and second qualities and all seeds of naturall corruption and made active to move in Gods service without let 6. Unspeakable joy in the presence of God and union with Christ whatsoever we here enjoy or rejoyce in is but imperfect and transitory there 's ever some evill mixed with our present good some feare of loosing or unexpected bitternesse in possessing but there shall be perfect and absolute joy without any mixture of evill to blast it Eternall life is an entire and most pleasant possession of all good an unchangeable eternall reall true perfect blessedresse which after millions of yeares expired shall be as far from ending as at the first if we thinke of more millions of ages then there have been minuts since time began yet if they were ever to end the expectation of a long deferred end must leave joy lesse absolute time wasteth what ere we suffer enjoy or doe this which I write dictate or peruse is taken from my life but eternitie is infinite and therefore nothing can be added or taken from it it being perfect when Paul was taken up into heaven he heard and saw but things unutterable 1. Cor 12. 4. eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor can the heart of man apprehend for present the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1. Cor 2. 9. Isai 64. 4. 't is easier to say what heaven is not then what it is 't is not like this wretched world the most secure best condition of this life is far short of the least joy therein there shall be no more evill to embitter or discompose our happy soules God shall wipe all tears from our eyes there shall be no more feare of death nor bitter parting of deare friends no privation of any good nor sense of evill hither no enemie is admitted hence no friend departeth The Rules we are here to practise are 1. Labour for true faith apprehending Christ hee only is the way none can come to the Father but through him Whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh 3. 16. 2. Be holy if ever thou meanest to arive here no uncleane thing can enter Rev 21. 27. Heb 12. 14. 1. Cor 6. 9. 10. Math. 5. 8. when the rich man asked Christ what good thing shall I doe that I may eternally live He replyed keepe the commandements holinesse is the way to eternally life 3. Endure afflictions patiently our momentary afflictions shall cause a far more happy weight of eternall glory in the life to come 4. Set thy affections on things above and learne an holy contempt of this world the fashion whereof continually changeth that is true life which is unchangeably blessed the most pleasant temporall life compared herewith is not to bee reckned life 5. Here take comfort in all present distresses joy shall come when Joseph had made himselfe
Our owne necessities and others necessitie cryeth to thee as that master of the Joppa shippe to Jona in the storme What meanest thou O sleeper arise call upon thy God that wee perish not Charity bids thee pray for others though God have no need of our prayers wee have of his mercy and blessings which we will give wheâ— wee in faithfull prayer acknowledge his power to give and his mercy to grant which is our dependance on him without his helpe and blessing no creature can helpe if the Lord doe not helpe thee Whence should I helpe thee Said the King of Israel no not the bread which thou hast in thy hand can nourish thee therefore hee taught rich and poore to say give us this day our dayly breadâ— he grâ—â—th it and power to nourish 2. Admirable is the power of prayer it calmeth the surges of a troubled spirit Takes men up to heaven in holyrapts it inclineth heaven to earth shuts the lyons mouths opens the prison doores beats the fiercest enemies while Moses hand was held up Israel prevailed David armed herewith beat the overgrowne champion of Gath Joshua hereby fetcht ammunition from heaven and the Lord cast downe hailestones from heaven to destroy the enemies the Sunne and Moone stood still the Starres in their order fought against Sicera It was the answer of the Oracle to the Cretians that their enemies must be conquered with prayers before they could with armes Prayer is the key of heaven Eliah hereby shutt and opened it for raine it casteth out devils which can no otherwise but by fasting and prayer be cast out Prayer is a sacrifice to God a reliefe to the supplyant a scourage to the devill 't is the Bathsheba of heaven which can receive no repulse Abraham interceeded for the impious Sodomites and Abraham gave over asking before God gave over granting and condescending when Moses prayed God said Let mee alone that I may destroy them as if he had laid violent hands of God's judgements and by prayers arrested his justice His mercy like that oile 2 King 4. ceaseth not increasing while there is any vessell to receive it if the widowes importunity could incline an impious judge to justice how much more shall ours a righteous God to mercy If we who are evill will give our children good things how much more will God who cannot erre in giving prayer obtaineth the spirit of sanctification Luk. 11. 13. wisedome Jam. 1. 5. deliverance from troubles Psalm 50. 15. for our selves and others Act. 12. Jam. 5. 15. health in sicknesse blessing in health remission of sinnes it must needs be so seeing hee inviteth us to pray and promiseth to heare our prayer he is nigh unto all them that call upon him in truth Christ interâ—edeth for us when Aquilius brest was opened before the Roman Judges and he but shewed the wounds received in their service it enclined them to mercy and recovered the almost forlorne cause what shall not the merits of Christs wounds perswade with God O that he would say to my soule as he did once to Peter before his temptation I have prayed for thâ—e that thy faith faile thee not Let the Lyons yell the powers of hell muster up against mee if Christ pray for mee I passe not who is against mee My addresse is to him and my dependance on him no man might come to the Persian King but he must first solicit the second in the Kingdome but Christ saith Come unto mee thou shalt need no other mediatour fervent prayer never returneth empty it bringeth us either that we aske or something better in the fervencie of spirit it ascendeth like the Angell in the â—lame of Manoahs sacrifice and doth wonderfully it saith as wrastling Jacob I will not let thee go except thou blesse mee It was a motive to Benhadad to sue for quarter we have heard that the Kings of Israel are mercifull Kings therefore he sent and obtained we have heard and certainly knowne that God is abundant in mercy why are we silent when Moses came down from talking with God his face shined never stay wee with God in the mount by hearty prayer but our soules bring away some divine lustre and heavenly beauty on them some secret joy assurance of obtaining and confidence to persevere But some may say I have long prayed and yet obtain not I answer the rule is that hee will speedily answer and grant according to his promise Before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will heare nor will he delay except in case that 1. The obstruction be in our selves as when we continue in sinne and repent not when our faith and patience is not throughly exercised and then it concerneth us to amend and learne patience considering that God hath sometimes granted the requests of impatient men in his anger and that it is best which God will not that we and when any thing happeneth contrary to our desires to bear it meekly and give thankes 2. That he deferreth to our greater advantage meaning to recompence that delay by multiplying the blessing so was it with the poore Canaanite whose importunity would receive no denyall I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the hoâ—se of Israël then a reproach 't is not meet to take the childrens bread and give it to dogs yet at last to her praise as long as that Gospel shall sound in the Church of God and toâ—her confirmation to eternity she heard O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee as thou desirest Some urge I have many times and long prayed and find no fruit nor successe but rather things contrary I answer there may be many causes hereof 1. It may be you performe not the conditions of prayer your mind wandreth you waver or wax faint in prayer if Moses but let downe his hands Amalecke prevaileth you pray not in spirit your heart is not upright you seek God only for the worlds sake you want charity you pray not in faith See Num. 20. 12. 2. It may be you aske somethings which obtained would hurt you as children crie for knives or fire He both mercifully heareth us and mercifully denyeth the Physitian better knoweth what is good for the patient we have all begged mischiefes if God had not denyed in mercy we had long since perished by our owne desâ—res you that are so impatient because God granteth not what you desire come to the Scriptures you shall find the devill was in some case heard the Apostle not heard God heard him whom he had damned and heard him not whom he would heale save 3. It may be you aske something good to an evill end you aske and receave not because you aske amisse that yee may consume it on your pleasures Jam 4. 3. 4. It may bee
you are deafe or carelesse to the word of God if you continue in mee saith Christ and my words in you yee shall aske what yee will and it shall be done unto you Job 15. 7. the just cryed and he delivered them 't is the prayer of the righteous which availeth much Jam 5 16. therefore saith the Apostle let every one that calleth on the name of Jesus depart from iniquitie and I will that men pray every where lifting up holy hands Sanctity like that stone which Aaron and Hur put under Moses fainting hands supporteth our prayers with assurance of obtaining his prayer is powerfull whose cause tongue action and life speake for him the Oratours rule is the hand speake's injuries cry for revenge such a voice had Abels blood so almes deeds for mercy Corâ—â—lius beneficence did so thy prayers and thy almes are come up for a memoriall before God prayer flyeth up to God with Cherub's wings faith and fervency but must have hands under those wings bee thou holy and attentive to Gods word and thou maist bee confident of audience with him otherwise hee will say when you make long prayers I will not heare you prayer is the soules soveraigne balme but cannot cure where any splinter remaineth in that wound where any intention is to continue in sin no prayers are heard The Lepers mouth by the Law was to be covered sinne thy soules leprosie stops thy mouth and therein thou but awakest Gods justice to punish thee it made the heathen in the storme say to some debauched fellowes when they prayed hold your peace least God should know such wicked fellowes sailed here To the ungodly God said what hast thou to doe to take my covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed 5. It may be God denieth what you aske that he may give you something better It is indeed a bitter triall to pray and have no sense of being heard I conceave that made David expostulate with God as if he were forsaken but let a man consider what God hath done to his dearest servants O that Ismael might live in thy sight cryed faithfull Abraham God giveth him an Isaak a blessed seed Moses prayer could not obtaine his entrance into Canaan it obtained his present entrance into heaven he many times denieth our wills that hee may accomplish his in our salvation he denieth temporall things that profit not that hee may bestow eternall Be not dejected not â—illed with indignation but consider how God giveth lands fruits health children plenty and the like to them that daily blaspheame him he that gives such things to sinners what thâ—nkst thou he reserveth for his children Certainly not earth but heaven I say he meaneth to give himselfe to thee if he removes the lets that he may so doe art thou impatient Againe some will say as Moses I am not eloquent to form a prayer I answer there are many formed already for thee but canst thou say lesse then the poore Publican God be mercifull to me a sinner say that as he did and it shall be enough for thee to goe home justified what was the meaning of that caution in the Law that he might offer a paire of turtles who had not a sheep but that God will accept if we offer the best we can be it never so litle If thou have no more offer a contrite heart I shall never beleeve him destitute of happy audience with God who looking on the merits of Christ interceding for him can but weepe those teares have strong cries why else doth David mention the voice of his teares Powerfull prayer is more in the groanes of the spirit then rhetoricall elegancies more in weeping then speaking There are certaine rules of practice hereto neceâ—â—ary 1. Before Prayer 1. Meditate on the gracious promises of God meditation and prayer are like the two Disciples going to Emaus whâ—le they are conferring Christ joyneth himselfe to them and like Eliah and his servant on Carmel one obtaineth the other discovereth the blessing comming 2. Forgive all thine enimâ—es give those that wâ—nt thy help forgive those that offend thee put out all bitternesse and desire of revenge out of thy soule count it the most divine victory to overcome thine adversary with vertue and goodnesse 3. Set thy selfe in the presence of God remembring thine owne vilenesse and guiltinesse Thinke of the dreadfull Majestie of God before whom thou art to appeare before whom are thousand thousand glorious Angels those unseene messengers of his who see and heare thee 4. Disburden thy minde of all cares and thoughts of this world prepare thy heart to thinke only of heavenly things 5. Humbly and heartely begge pardon for all those sinnes which have intercâ—pted his grace and made thee lesse apt to pray and thy former prayers lesse fruitfull 6. Compose thy body to that humble gesture which may best serve to expresse thy high reverence of body and soule to stirre up the greater devotion in thy selfe and others 7. Entreat Gods assistance and the evidence of his spirit to helpe thy infirmities and to prepare thee to pray faithfully 2. In prayer 1. Lift up thy soule to God call upon him with thy heart fix thy thoughts in heaven and as much as humane infirmitie can attaine to turne thee to looke upon the throne of God through the merits of Christ at the right hand of God receaving and presenting thy requests to him 2. Watch over thy thoughts and diligently fetch them in from their extravagancies and wandrings out forcing them into an ardent attention 3. As oft as Satan distracteth in a briefe ejaculation and quick flight of a thought desire the Lord to reprove and restraine him and to assist and help thee 3. After Prayer let thy heart 1. Thanke the Lord for his gratious assistance 2. In an ejaculation pray God to passe by and forgive all thy failings 3. Resolve to wait Gods leasure and to subject all thy desires to his holy will for the time and manner of his grant 4. Attend what answer God giveth either 1. More confidence of obtaining 2. Cheerefulnesse of spirit and resolution to trust in him what ever he pleaseth to doe with thee 3. More fervently to persevere in prayer 4. A constant resolution carefully to examine thy waies in case thou art sensible of some obstruction and let to thy obtaining 5. Granting thy requests that thou maist acknowledge his mercy and glorify him and thence gather future assurance of being heard in the like or other necessities Thus enformed and prepared loose not the comfortable suits of dayly prayers by foreslowing thy opportunity of calling on God while he is nigh every houre will serve hereto but be sure thou set apart some specially the first and the last every place hath served God's children in necessity the lyons denne the prison the belly of the Whale the
parity of manners conciliateth love but Gods love createth our likenesse to him hence is it that the most excellent creatures love him most whereby they are made such some think that ardency of love denominateth those Angells which stand in Gods presence Seraphim certaine it is such are we as is our love our manners are not estimable by that which we knowe but by that we love good or evill love maketh us such if we love God we are godly if the world worldly if sinne sinfulf all men the best of all doe sinne but the wicked only love sinne looke how the glasses species are as is the posture thereof if you turne it to heaven you see only heaven in it if to the earth only earth so is it in our love the soules looking-glasse wherein we may see and judge of our selves 6. Without this love there can be no true happinesse for the wrath of God the severity of his justice remaineth for those who hate him give him all that a sinfull soule can desire make him times minion the worlds favorite you can make him nothing better then a devill But with the love of God though a man may possibly seeme or be said unhappy he cannot be so for all things worke together for good to them that love God prosperity adversity life death all things shall finally advantage them he that seeketh the love of God must looke for many enemies but contrary to their intentions they shall doe him good the love of the world is sweet at first but bitternesse in the end and the love of God hath many sharpe trialls at first but in the end shall be most comfortable This love is that divine Elixer which maketh the vile pretious an indeficient treasure which whosoever hath can never lack that which is good he that hath it not can never be the better for all hee hath what good or salvation can he expect who is so unhappy as not to love the fountaine of all blessednesse what can hee reasonably feare who loveth an omniscient and righteous God who is a pleanteous rewarder of those that love him Though we cannot be saved for any desert of Love to God for it is his mercy not our merit wee cannot be saved without it if any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be anathema maranatha 1. Cor 16. 22. 7. So excellent is this one possession that Paul counted all but meere losse for it dying Joshua left this as the chiefe legacie to his friends and family concerning whom hee resolved as for me and my house we will serve the Lord take good heed therefore unto your selves that yee love the Lord your God he need no more it is better to love God then to be heire of the world if thou canst not know this living thou shalt when thou art dying let my children faithfully love God I wish them no greater blessing who with my soule pray they may be truly blessed A Prayer for love to God O Lord God Almightie great and glorious who art cloathed with Majestie the beauty of holinesse perfection of beauty who hath filled heaven earth with the gratious effects of love and goodnesse I thy poore creature prostrating my selfe before thy mercy seat humbly acknowledge the many sinnes which render me utterly unworthy ever to appeare before thee specially that great ingratitude which maketh me ashamed to speake unto thee who art the searcher of all hearts yet in assurance of my acceptance in the son of thy love who now sitting at thy right hand maketh requests for me I am bold to pray thee to fill my heart with thy love which is better then all things that with my soule I may desire thee in the night with my spirit within me seeke thee early O Lord though the remainder of sinne in me create me many distractions though fraile flesh and blood starteth at the apprehension and feare of thy just judgments or murmur at the bitternes of thy present corrections yet thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee though with a fraile yet with a sincere heart and love with thine owne spirit infused into me O Lord my soule thirsteth after thee and thy holy presence in my sanctification and full assurance of thy mercy Therefore according to thine owne promise who caâ—st not deceive sanctifie me herein that I may love thee more and more cleanse me from all my sinnes create that purity of heart in me which may assure me of a capacity to behold thy goodnesse in the land of the living fill my lips with grace diffusive of it selfe to thy glory and the ministration of grace to the hearers guide me in the whole course of my life in that holinesse which may please thee disburden my conscience of all that guilt which leaveth me in any feare of that way by which thou hast appointed me to come unto thee and thy kingdome of glory that no afflictions paines feaâ—es or terrours of life or death may be able to separate me from thy love in Christ Jesus Blessed Lord only assure me of thy love and let thy holy will bee done with me I am thine thou madest me to thine owne image thou redeemedst and repairedst the same by thy free spirit when I was dead in trespasses and sinnes thou neither madest redeemâ—dst nor sanctifiedst me for my selfe therefore when thou doest that with me which shall best please thee in the advancement of thy glory in my salvation thou makest me happy in the end of my creation redemption and sanctification Lord it was thine owne free love which by revealing thy selfe and the inestimable riches of thy mercy to mee made me knowe what I had to love in thee neither didst thou finde in me any thing worthy of thee but the effects of thine owne love which in my election before I was determined to make me an object of thy mercy therefore thou who art Love didst set thine own image on me thou best knowest that I am of my selfe but worthlesse dust and earth and by my sinnes a masse of corruption such as onely can displease thee and deserve thine anger but O Lord God of mercy who foundest me a child of wrath and madest me a sonne an enemy and reconciledst me by the death of thy holy sonne Jesus accomplish the worke of thine owne mercy in me and love me still give mee an heart to love thee so above all with all my soule minde and might love that which thou hast wrought in my heart cherish thine owne graces in me though my love be full of imperfections yet thy worke is perfect in thee is no shadow of change Lord for thine owne loves sake now make me such as thou maist love me to eternitie through the merits of thy sonne Jesus Christ my Lord and blessed Saviour AMEN CHAP. XVII § 1. Of love to our selves of the kindes thereof § 2. Of Love to our
will I hide my selfe from him 6. Suspect not thy friend unjust suspition overthroweth freindships fundamentall lawes if thou count thy freind faithfull thou shalt thereby make him such Nor is this against the rule of wisedome which bids thee keepe the power of that which may nourish freindship in thine own hand Give not saith the wise man thy sonne and wife thy brother and friend power over thee while thou livest give not thy selfe over unto any Yet no man loveth those whom hee cannot beleeve nor beleeve those he cannot love as hatred and suspect so love and confidence are indivisibly united 7. Be constant to thy freind in every estate prosperous and adverse in presence and absence Thine own friend and thy fathers freind forsake not levity and inconstancy of mind is inconsistent with friendship That the prosperous man may reckon many freinds the afflicted but few sheweth that among many acquaintance there are but very few freinds that many love thy fortune not thee freindship which can change with externall estate was never true a freind loveth at all times and a brother is borne for adversity in prosperity 't is hard to judge whether the person or estate be loved prosperity findeth friends but adversity tryeth them a true friend therefore is neither knowne in prosperity nor hid in adversity Like the starre of a cleare heaven neither seen in the day nor concealed in the darkest shades of night as the wise man saith there is a freind that sticketh closer then a brother a false freind like Jobs brooke in the winter when wee have no need of him overfloweth with tenders of his service and shews of kindnesse but when it is hot they are consumed out of their place the troupes of Tema looked the companies of Sheba waited for them and were ashamed as are they who finde contempt neglect where they looked for the love of a constant freind there are shadowes of freinds which will goe with you in all your actions you cannot shake them off which yet vanish so soone as your prosperitie commeth under the clowd there are some vaine â—iphers whom place only brings to some accompt whose honours so much change their manners that they cannot looke so low as an old freind which concludeth levity weaknesse of minde selfe-love foolish pride and ignorance of the rules of wisdome piety and true honour which knoweth a faithfull compliance in every estate and like the sun to shine with the same unchanged though more perfect light in his exaltation or heigth and in his rising on the mole-banke and on the mountaine on the smooth and on the troubled waters it was a rare piety in Ruth to resolve concerning the afflicted Naomi entreat me not to leave thee for whether thou goest I will goe where thou dyest I will dye and there will I bee buried the Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death depart thee and mee and it was a patterne of the most noble freindship which was betweene Jonathan and David there was a nexus animarum more then the love of women the soule of Jonathan was knit with the soule of David he loved him as his owne soule which he demonstrated in his constant fidelity to him on all occasions 8. Beare with the seeming injuries which proceed from thy freinds weaknesse considering that we yet converse not with Angells of heaven but imperfect men and that our selves must have the same favour of candid interpretations in many of our actions wherein we may bee misunderstood or possibly besides our intentions hurt our freind 't is wisdome to passe by offences love to cover faults and piety to beare each others burden where all are infirme without this we can hold no amity with men but shal be foolish freinds overcaptioâ—s querulous or like Jobs miserable comforters injuriously bitterly censorious ever finding fault displeased withall of bitter spirits like contentious Ismaël our hand against every man and every mans against us or rugged Nabal living to none but himselfe this vanity of impatience drave that humane monster the times prodigie nature's paradox man-hating man the dogged Timon from the society of men 9. Reveale no secret of thy freind he that is of a faithfull spirit concealeth the matter rehearse not unto another that which is told unto thee if thou hast heard a word let it dy with thee and be told it will not hurt thee a foole travaileth with a word his minde who useth to tell newes is like the breaches in water banks you shall hardly make it hold but who sodiscovereth a secret looseth his credit and shall never finde a freind to his minde love thy freind and be faithfull unto him but if thou bewraiest his secrets follow no more after him a wound may be bound up and after reviling there may bee reconcilement but he that bewraieth secrets is without hope 10. Conceale not thy frends vertues if by speaking thou maist encourage him therein or wherein thou maist laudando praecipere teach him by praising him neither his faults if thou maist by detection amend or better him least thy silence make them thine Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt rebuke him and not suffer sinne upon him or that thou beare not sinne for him hee loveth not who had rather venture his freinds soule then his favour in case he should distast a reproofe every one that spareth is not a freind nor every one that smiteth an enemie it is better to love with severitie then to deceive with lenity the wounds of a lover are faithfull but flattery in evill is treason against the soule of thy freind by so much worse then any other but how much greater heaven is then earth eternity then time a wise man will be glad to be reprooved and amended by any and take him to be a freind by whose tongue hee may cleanse the spots of his soule before the appearance of the strict judge A faithfull freind like a true glasse will shew thee to thy selfe as thou art how many men are unhappy only in the want hereof who having in them many excellent parts imitable qualities mixed as 't is with men with some apparent blemishes taking much off from the opinion of their worth were easily mended because wise had they but a prudent frend to discover their failings to them I beleeve hence was the complaint of the Philosopher so frequent in his mouth O freinds there 's none to freind we easily discover others faults but our owne hardly with inconvenience we owe to our native selfe-love herein we ought to helpe one another not fearing how that will be taken which is our freinds advantage and our duty Certainly if thou rebuke a wise man hee will love thee for it seeing thy sincerity which if he be not hee is better lost then
the opinion of the unwise wicked doe but consider that wise men looke most to the end that they have rightly proposed to themselves which if they attaine their worke is done whether by force or counsell they passe not they looke to the end through just meanes Suppose thine end is to overcome thine enemie if thou mightest make free choice of the meanes tell me wouldst thou overcome him by good or evill by vertue or violence by excelling him in goodnesse or equalling him in evill 'T is an epidemick madnesse to thinke there is no victory but in violence and requiting evill with evill becomming as damnable as their enemies 9. Lastly resolve that every injurie shall better thee doth thine enemie hurt thee Let it occasion thee to pray for him aud to enter into a serious examination of thine owne heart whether thou hast not injured him or some other upon discovery of injury done by thee repent and give satisfaction that God may give thee thy quietus est so will hee in his good time judge for thee ever looke to the hand that smiteth thee Assyria is but the rod of Gods anger God raised up enemies to Solomon It may be that God bad Sheimei curse be not like the foolish dog to bite the stone cast at him but looke to the cause which being removed the effect shall cease There are who bend their tongues to shoot out bitter words which God permitteth to admonish his servants of some unrepented sinnes which being discovered and repented of they proove ike Jonathans arrowes shott to warne not to wound Thy friends may possibly not see or seeing dissemble thy faults marke well what thine enemies say of thee let their vigilant malice apt to accuse thee make thee more carefully watch over thy waies least thy failings advantage them or give them just occasions of reviling thee and as Theseus is said to have cut off his comely lockes least his enemies should finde advantage by catching hold of them so doe thou all occasions of calumny how many men haâ—â— perished in their sinnes unseene had not the malice of enemies awaked admonished them And like Jason Phereus enemy cured them by wounding them Selfe-love is ever blinde and true friendship sometimes but malice hath a thousand eyes this Serpent is quick sighted to find out others faults seeing I cannot but be faulty and would not be so I had rather want many acquaintance then some enemies who may amend mee though for ill will I owe much to many good friends for other offices but most to mine enimies for this who yet through Gods mercy never hurt me but to the greater advantage of my soule I hope they who never could never shall A Prayer for Love and Charity O Lord God of mercy and compassion we humbly acknowledge that so many continuall have our rebellions been against thee that we deserve thine anger and that thoâ—â— shouldst arme all the hoste of heaven and the creatures under heaven against us but we humbly pray thee to pardon us for Jesus Christ his sake give us hearts to repent before the consummation of thy feirce wrath the day of thine anger come upon us to agree with our adversary quickly while we are yet in the way to seeke righteousnesse that we may be hid in the day of thine anger Lord our hope is in thee make us not a reproach to them that hate us withold not thy tender mercy from us let thy loving kindnesse and thy truth preserve us Thou who art the God of love and unity set thine own image again upon us and as thou hast loved redeemed us in the son of thy love Christ Jesus so give us hearts to love one another that thereby all men may knowe that we are his Disciples Lord deliver us not to the will of our enemies and oppressours but forgive us all that wherein we have any waies injured or justly offended our brethren make our waies so pleasing in thy sight that thou maist bee pleased to make our enemies at peace with us Turne their hearts and mischievous intentions as thou didst revengefull Esau's give them a true sight and sorrow for their sinnes that they may repent and bee saved Prevent and divert their malice that it may not proceed further to hurt themselves or us restraine the tempter that he may no more be able to set variance and his owne bitter influence malice and enmity between those whom thoâ— hast united by their adoption in Christ Thou hast promised the blessing on brethren who live together in unity give us that spirit that we may hold the sacred band thereof in peace that we may not bring a scandall on thy truth that our prayers be not hindred that our soules may be delivered from the snares of death in which the malitious are holden that we may all meet cheerefully before thy tribunall in the holy communion of Saints and blessed unity of the body of Christ to whom with thee O Father of love God of peace and the holy Ghost the comforter be rendred all honour glory praise and dominion in heaven and earth for ever and ever AMEN CHAP. XVIII § 1. Of the soule faculties thereof affections minde and thoughts in generall § 2. Of the corruptions of the heart the danger and difficultie of the cure § 3. Of the necessitie of right ordering our thoughts § 4. Rules of practice 1 THere are many things of whose being we know whose quality we knowe not all confesse wee have a soule which commandeth and restraineth in us what a one it is none can tell hence are those many disputes about its essence seat and subject with the subordinate faculties of it no man hath throughly beene acquainted with this secret governour in man some have defined it an harmonie some a divine vertue a particle of the deity some the most exile slender aire some a blood some heat or fire some number so innate is errour that we most erre concerning our owne selves more rightly doe they say who call it an immortall spirit an incorporeall substance created by infusion and infused in its creation made to the image of the Creatour capable of the light of understanding wisdome holinesse blessednesse and eternity so that in its conjunction with the body it ammateth giveth life action and motion wherein it differeth from an Angell and in its separation from the body for a time untill it shall be reunited in the resurrection it subsisteth as doe the Angells and then hath its proper acts and apprehensions as they Now as the eye seeth the eye in a glasâ—e so the soule knoweth it selfe by a kinde of â—reflex The soule is a divine ghest sent from heaven into these earthly Tabernacles to give them life and governe them yet is it neither seene comming nor departing it is an immortall forme of moâ—tall man the body decayeth the soule doth not being
Prov 16. 5. Fiftly they who have wicked thoughts runne swiftly to iniquity and destruction is in their paths Sixtly in the corruption of the heart the very fibrae and remainders of sins reviving root Satans venome remaineth The Hydra's ever-growâ—ng heads which when occasions ability so faile that the impious cannot serve the devill in externall actions will shew its venome in their will to sinne Lastly it is a very difficult thing rightly to compose the thoughts in respect of the hearts unsounded deceitfulnesse and the mind 's unlimited agility in these depths of quick-shifting thoughts sinne easily hideth it selfe externall sinnes in words or workes are like the plague of leprosie broken out abroad and covering all the skinne neerer the cure and by so much the more easily amended or overcome by how much more evident they are not onely to others but also to our selves the sinnes of the heart are by so much more hardly cured and avoided by how much more secretly and invisibly they are committed the thoughts are more securely extravagant carelesse and presuming by how much lesse they are obvious to any reprover or censurer without And where the heart is smitten with some aufull feare of God and resolution to repent maketh inquest after sinne that which is in word or action is more easily and frequently found but the sin of the mind like Jonathan and Ahimaaz at Bahurim is let downe into the depth of the heart whose secret enemies are like those Ligurian mountainers whom the Romans chased more hardly found then vanquished Moreover man's innate selfe-love and naturall complacency make him unapt and loath to condemne himselfe in any thing wherein hee knoweth others cannot And lastly the restlesse machination of Satan is to suggest selfe-delusions as he doth temptations to sinne whereby his baits may be swallowed his policy is to keep the heart for his retreat and if any reproofe happily chase away profanenesse bitter anger obscenity or calumny out of the tongue or adultery theft murder or the like from the outward man yet if he can but cherish and maintaine any of these in the uncleansed heart hee will finde opportunity meanes to make them breake out again or if not he knoweth that where he hath the heart bee the words and actions never so saint-like God hath no part there and this bringeth us to our third consideration There is great necessitie of regulation of our thoughts and heart without which it is but vaine to draw neere God with our lips The right ordering of the affections thoughts is of two branches that we compose them first to wisdome secondly to integrity I. Wisdome is as a mistres to tumultuous servants at whose presence the most disorderly are suddainly composed silenced an understanding heart is the inward light of the soule which God looketh on without which all externall shewes and appearances of sanctity make formall hypocrites no better then Egyptian Temples which outwardly grave decent and venerable were ridiculous with their Apes Serpents Cats and Crocadiles set up for Gods within Solomon who had granted him free choice of any thing that he would aâ—ke of God desired an understanding heart above riches or life He whom God made the wisest of meere men of all the holy pen-men gave most precepts concerning the heart and minde our direction herein must be sought for in Gods word which only is able to make us wife to salvation and begged of him who giveth all men liberally and upbraideth none He that trusteth his owne heart is a foole for the heart of the sonnes of men is full of evill and madnesse is in their heart while they live Unhappy is hee who goeth on frowardly in the way of his own heart or that which the wisedome of corrupt man can teach him seeing all that is foolishnesse with God 2. Secondly we must so compose our hearts that they may be upright and sincere before God without this our best actions prayer hearing repentance almes and what ever else wee doe is worth nothing O Jerusalem saith the Lord wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou maist be saved how long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge in thee It is but folly to labour the cure in the outward part while the contagion and venome of sinne invadeth the secure heart or to wash the eyes with floods of teares where the sinne of Judah is written with a penne of iron and graven with the point of a diamond upon the table of the heart Blessed are they in whose heart are the waies of God he is good unto them that are of a cleane heart they shall finde him who seeke him with all their heart they that knowe righteousnesse have the law of God in their heart their steps shall not slide they delight to doe Gods will they hide up the law of God in their heart that they may not sinne against him tho knowledge of God is pleasant unto their soule and shall give them length of daies and peace when they goe it shall lead them when they sleepe it shall keepe them when they wake it shall talke with them it is a lampe and light to direct them in the waies of life to keepe them from sinne Now however the waies of an hypocrite may seeme cleane in his owne eies yet seeing the God of justice weigheth the spirits it highly concerneth every man to looke to the ordering of this inward house that it may be a cleane temple for Gods spirit to dwell in without whose guidance man can doe no other then runne to destruction of body and soule by ordering our thoughts aright so we have our conversation in heaven wee walke with God and in our many dangerous sicknesses of minde sundry distempers and perturbations of fluctuant thoughts the wearied soule shall ever have recourse unto this Arke for rest There are troublesome errours of sicke mindes which see false comforts insteed of true there is anxietie impatience and griefe which eateth the heart there is the fire of anger to enflame envie and malice to transport vaine hopes and feares whose vicissitudes doe miserably afflict the disquiet minde there are many parturbations which if not prudently managed will master reason and violently carry men into the most dangerous precipices whence they cannot when they would stay themselves all which to a wise and good man shall be but exercises to make his victory over his owne passions more glorious nor is hee lesse honourable who overcommeth himselfe then he that conquereth others The great conquerers of kingdomes have beene overcome of their own affections thereby foolishly eclypsing all the glory of their victories the strong may overcome others but only the good can overcome themselves I had rather overcome mine own minde then all mine enemies I would I were secure of my selfe all the powers of
hell cannot overcome me nor make me unhappy if mine own affections betray me not let us therefore next advise how to secure our selves herein For the right composure of minde and thoughts it is very necessary to consider â—irst those rules of practice which concerne the same in generall and then that which appertaineth to some particular passions of the minde 1. Have a care of thy soule as thy greatest interest and that which is incomparably better then all the world and of thy minde which if well composed admirably maketh good or prudently beareth every estate without whose right temper nothing can be good or comfortable what is strength sicknes may anticipate but age must make the strongest bow what beauty Beside that these flowers quickly fade they many times become the snare and destruction of foolish and unhappy owners what are honours Where there wants a mind to manage them those Phaëtons precipitate themselves and set the world on fire What are riches without a minde to use them well but snares and easie waies to hell Truly to a prudent minde which can limit it selfe within the desire of necessaries a litle is enough to an ambitious nothing Alexander had an overgrowne minde when hee was troubled that there was but one world for him to conquer 'T is the minde which maketh truly rich or poore that contented in every estate aboundeth in its owne happinesse discontented can bee blessed in none The way to make one rich is not so much by adding to his estate as by taking from his minde that foolish desire of having superfluity beyond use worldly riches are but a burden to him who hath truly set his affections on heaven where there is nor moth nor theefe nor feare of loosing that which we lay up that which must once be lost beyond our use is nothing worth which consideration possibly made Stilpo answer like a Philosopher who when Demetrius had taken Megera and out of a noble care to give him protection from from plundering asked him if the souldiers had taken ought from him answered no for said hee I saw no man that would take any knowledge or learning from mee The minde is sacred and out of the reach of violent hands So that to make thee happy which is the scope of a prudent desire the way is not to labour so much and disquiet thy selfe in things externall but to compose thy minde aright to get true wisdome and understanding to vallew and make a good use of them thou hast and well ordered affections quietly to beare want or enjoy plenty in which there is not only an admirable skill and strength of minde requisite but also an holy habit no precepts can sodainly make a man practically wise or good which must make us resolve quickly to study this divine Philosophie and truly experience here discovereth a marvelous stupor and incogitancy of most men in any bodily disaffection wee speedily consult the Phisitian but in our soules distempers we not only delay our seeking helpe but are too often impatient of offered remedies that which thou meanest to doe well speedily put in practice 2. Keepe thine heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Many thinke it enough to keep their tongues few come so farre and their hands but it highly concerneth Christians to keepe their hearts from Satan's snares there hee beginneth all his stratagems which afterward breake out into words and actions it is true that baâ—e suggestions without any delight or consent of ours are no more our sinnes then the robbery or murder without our consent or knowledge committed in our field is ours but except wee watch over our thoughts and carefully guard them Satan's mischievous influences will beget a delight consent and yeelding to them therefore the wise man saith let not thine heart decline to her waies goe not astray in her paths 3. Resist the beginnings of sinne in thy thoughts use them roughly at the doore is not the sound of their Masters feet behinde them We must there chiefely marke and extinguish sin where 't is borne and quench the sparkes thereof before they breake out into masterlesse flames we must crush the Cockatrice in the egge before it become a fiery flying Serpent wee neglect not the biting of a serpent but presently seeke remedy to keepe the â—venome from the heart with how much more care and diligence should we looke to the biting of the old Dragon able if a litle neglected to kill body and soule Of evill seeds come evill plants murder from revenge in the heart adultery from lust unextinguished there and God justly punisheth evill intentions though they doe not alwaies breake out into actions 4. Keep a good conscience and be holy the wicked meditate on evill their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their paths as our actions follow our thoughts so do they leave impressions in them which prove occasions of their further working the thoughts of the righteous are right The wicked care not what they think 5. Love good thoughts and thou shalt be furnished with them as flowers spring out of buds so good desires from holy thoughts we often thinke of that we love and are ambitious of acquaintance therewith love of God will cause thee to loath all thoughts of evill as the approaches of the old malitious serpent to thy heart 6. Fix thoughts on something certaine The heart is a spirituall Labyrinth in whose perplexed turnings we often loose our selves and the best fruits of idle and extravagant fancies are but cogitat ionum quisquiliae ac minutiae As the eyes continually rowling up and down seeing see nothing intentively so the the wandring minde It is a signe of a composed minde if it can stay it selfe a while with it selfe and not run out into those vaine evagations and wandring thoughts whence waking as out of some feverish dreame after much thinking we can give our selves no good accompt what the minde busied it selfe about but that it long thinking we thought of nothing to the purpose The minde is mans most active facultie in a moment with the flight of a thought it mounts from earth to heaven and back againe from age to age from present to future or long past like lightning it moves from east to west vanishing in the appearance It is not a little skill to arrest it so as that we may say with David my heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed without this we can neither heare nor pray otherwise then profane hypocrites provoking Gods anger by drawing neere him with their lips when their hearts are far from thinking on him 7 Seek thy peace with God through faith in Christ the true composure and happy rest of the minde is herein there 's no peace to the wicked no true rest out of Christ sinne is the distemper and unrest of the soule
that breedeth it and as the rust of iron so envy the minde that hath it It is more miserable then any other for it is afflicted not only with it own sorrow but also for others joy what ever is good to others is a torment to him another mans store is the envions mans want another mans health his sicknesse anothers praises his reputed dishonour 2. Other sinnes had some remission anger will spend it self in time hatred hath some end but envy never ceaseth fierce lions are tamed and become tractable but the envious grow worse and worse The more good Christ did the Jewes curing their sick healing their infirme and bestowing the word of life on them the more destructively did they envy him 3. It is the canker that blasteth friendship the corruption of life plague of nature the devill 's incentive to rebellion who because he could not in his malice hurt God assailed man it instigated Cain to murder Abel and the Jews to crucifie the Saviour of the world 4. It hath irrational effects it would stop up the fountaines and vaile the sunne-beames it regardeth neither bonds of nature civility or religion Rachel envied her sister Gen. 30. 1. Jacobs sonnes their brother Joseph Gen. 37. 11. the Jewes the very preaching and hearing the Gospâ—l Acts 13. 45. It is the rottennesse of the bones Prov. 14 30. it slaieth the silly Job 5. 2. it excludeth from heaven what should envy doe where there is nothing but love and rejoycing in each others happinesse 5. It is a perverse distemper of a sick minde making the envious looke on any good of others as it were with sore eies grieved with seeing It delighteth immens miseries as the flies feed themselves on others sores so the envious please themselves with discoursing of other mens faults or afflictions to the setting out whereof they will sometimes personate the mercifull as if they spake thereof onely in pity when 't is to vent their malice sometimes the just then will they seem zealous of Lawes and due punishment of delinquents when indeed they but turn judgment into wormwood and kill or robbe by lawes who durst noâ— with the sword or open violence sometimes they will assume the most holy protenoes appearing like that Endor deâ—ill in the holy Prophets mantle doing some things externally good that they may thereby achieve some greater evill so the false Apostles preached Christ of meere envy to Paul that they might thereby adde more affliction to his bands 6. It is at best but a fruit of the flesh Gal. 5. 21. meere folly Tit. 3. 3. devillish sensuall earthly Jam. 3. 14 15. a dangerous signe of a reprobate minde given up to destruction Rom. 1. 28 29. the most that envy can doe toward it owne satisfaction is but to grieve where others joy and possibly to hurt temporally with it own eternall destruction of body and soule it is no better then the spirit of Satan in the envious 7. This mischiefe sometimes obrepeth on the incautious good men Joshua envied for Moses sake David confesseth My â—eet saith he were almost gone for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked c. Jeremie and Habakkuk were a little infected with this contagion which the Scripture remembreth to admonish the best of men to beware of this mischiefe which endangered such men 8. The acts thereof are unconsistent with right reason if we respect the supreme giver of that which stimulateth envy for how irrationall a presumption is it in man to controle the providence of God If Jacob dim-eyed for age would not permit his deare Joseph to change the imposition of his hands or to transpose the blessing at his pleasure how much lesse will the all-seeing God permit the envious man to alter his hands if wee respect the quality of the envied for is he evill whom thou enviest it were good reason thou shouldst pity him because his sinne makes him more wretched then all the world could doe is hee good how evill must thou be who caunt envy the happinesse of any good man or if wee respect the effect of envy which is hurtfull onely to the envious as I have noted For Antidotes against this venome 1. Put on Christ and be sure thou shalt put off envy it is the Apostle's rule Let us walke honestly as in the day not in strife and envying but put yee on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof put on Christ by an holy imitation of him hee was meek and lowly in heart and therefore envied no man the meek Moses was so free from ambition and pride that hee reproved those that envied for his sake and wisht that all God's people could prophesie and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Christ loved all respectively love envieth not If we love for God's sake we shall never be grieved for any blessings which he bestoweth but wish them greater we shall neither undervalue others nor over-rate our selves as the envious doe 2. Learne in God's schoole there 's the best cure of envy it was a thing which troubled David to understand it Vntill saith he I went into the Sanctuary of God Here thou art taught not to value secular things too much to consider his hand which setteth up and pulleth downe to referre all thy desires to the advance of his glory to acknowledge the favours which he hath conferred on thee by Christ better then a thousand worlds which thoughts can leave no place for envy 3. Consider the end of those thou enviest David found in the Sanctuary that his enemies were not to be envied Surely said he thou didst set them in slippery places thou castedst them down into destruction remember how God mixeth bitter and sweet to all men in this life this man hath great riches but neither childe to enjoy it nor heart to use it this man is healthy in body with a sick soule this man thrives and layeth up wealth but with such a conscience as that the poorest saint is incomparably more happy another man riseth in honours it may be only to greaten his fall another is many waies prosperous to the world-ward but as the moon is then most darke toward heaven when shee is most light toward the earth and contrariwise so is it commonly with men the more gloriously they shine to us the more despicable they are to God who layeth up such terrible judgements for them that a soule in hell is as proper an object of envy as these glittering epuloe's who are hasting thither 4. Ever remember that wee are brethren members of one body whereof Christ is the head therefore wee must withall meeknesse support one another through love and mutually rejoice at each others good and so cast away the works of darknesse strife and envy 7. Impatience is
to reveale his will for our salvation so neither in any thing which concerneth our present comfort and well being his word is a full store-house of spirituall consolations and directions of the outward man able to make him wise to salvation There is no condition of man no state of life which hath not directions here layed downe from the King to the poore Master of the cottage from imperial Potentates to poore Vassals here are precepts and counsels which being religiously observed will make a man happy in any estate The duety of a Master of a Family is reducible to these heads 1. That hee care and provide for his family otherwise hee denieth the faith and is worse then an infidel Carelesnesse and sloth are the mother and nurse of misery and confusion See Pro. 20. 4. Pro 2. 24 27. Pro 18. 9. Pro 21. 25. Eccles 10. 18. Pro. 24. 30 31 34. Destruction of many noble families hath been through prodigality vaine profusion in diet apparrel building suretiship and the like 2. That hee instruct his family in the fear God and exercises of true religion as Abraham did as those who call them together to prayer reading and hearing some portion of holy Scripture singing Psalmes repetition and giving an account what they have learned from the publick ministery of God's Word catechising and instructing them at all convenient times at home and seeing them presented to the publick ministery Mine eies said David shall be upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with mee hee that walketh in a perfect way shall serve mee hee that worketh deceit shall not dwell in mine house hee that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight Reason it selfe easily concludeth that thou shouldst teach thy servants to serve God first that they may conscionably serve thee But canst thou think that hee will be faithfull to thee who is perfidious to God It was Constantines rule when as by Jehu's stratagem hee informed himselfe which of his courtiers were God's servants and which idolaters that he might banish these and encourage the other Canst thou think that thou oughtst to have better servants then God Know this that sinne is a cursed leproâ—ie in an house bringing God's anger and many plagues upon it Now whereas example is indeed the most powerfull Rhetorick the onely way to teach is to doe that which thou wouldst have another learne be sure that thou who art a master of a family give no ill example in thy house if thy servants see the impious profane profuse drunken or lazy they will imitate thee as thou servest God so will they thee If thy servant knoweth any evil of thee hee can keep thee in awe and so thy worst enemies may be they of thine own house therefore the wise man saith Beware of thine owne children 3. That hee do unto his servants that which is equal considering the impartiality of God's judgement moderately commanding not over-burdening them with labours remembring that they are men not beasts to whom men ought to be merciful as their fellow creatures not threatning or afflicting them with cruelty beating maiming or wounding God cautioned that the Hebrew servant should after six yeeres service be manumissed and set free and so in case of maiming It is folly to create contempt by too much familiarity and it is impiety to contemn him that is Christ's free-man bought with the sameprice and heire of the same kingdom of heaven with thee and what knowest thou but that God hath appointed thy servant to save thy life as a captive maid did for Naaman or thy soule When Antigonus saw his sonne cruelly entreating a servant hee said knowest not thou O Sonne that our kingdome is but a glorious servitude And Demonax in like case said Leave beating him lest thou become like thy servant such are humane conditions slaves have become masters and great Lords servants but to serve passion is the worst slavery hereof Croesus Darius Sampson Adonibezek Manasses and many others have been examples Be thou not therefore as a lyon in thine own house nor frantick among thy servants let them love thee rather then fear thee 4. Let not thy hirelings wages remaine with thee neither be thou rash upon every frivolous occasion to change servants remember that a faithfull servant is a jewel not alwaies to be purchased nor may wee be too impatient of some failings who each day begge Gods pardon for ours with condition of forgiving others be not fond to keep a fugitive Onesimus or any servant against his will Diogenes was so farre right when they perswaded him to pursue his Manes 'T were a shame said he that Manes should be able to live without Diogenes and that Diogenes should not be able to live without Manes If a true servant be not willing to go from thee leave him not destitute let thy soule love a good servant and desraud him not of liberty The duty of a Servant may be understood in these and the like rules 1. Servants be obedient to them that are your Masters with feare and trembling in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ in all things which are subordinate to God's commands otherwise God must be obeyed and not man Saul's servants who sought him a witch and killed the Preists at his command sinned so did David's who fetcht him Bathsheba and Joab who betrayed Vriah to the enemie so did those Elders who obeyed Jezabel against Naboth so did Vriah the Priest in making an altar according to the pattern from Damaseus so did Herod's servants in beheading John the good servant must not obey only with eie-service as men-pleasers but in singienesse of heart fearing God to a good man God is ever and every where a present law How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God said conscientious Joseph To this rule appertaineth that which the Apostle saith Tit. 2. 9. Exhort servants to be obedient not purloining but shewing good fidelity to do according to their trust as Abraham's servant did as Joseph and as David's servants as also that they may not be given to prating and divulging the secrets of their Masters family nor for fear or favour concealing their Masters dangers injuries or disadvantages from them 2. Let servants count their Masters worthy of all honour that they despise them not and this subjection must be given not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward 1 Pet. 2. 18. To this appertaineth that they be neither flatterers nor backbiters of their Masters that they forget not their duety but keepe that distance which may preserve a due reverence which is indeed a servants honor contrary to that rustick procacity which speaketh them base and unmannerly 3. That servants be true hating lying lest Gehazie's curse fall on them David would entertain no lyar in his
and amity that they give not scandal to others nor create mutual bitternesse to themselves Mutual love is gods blessing on thy family a praeludium of heaven in thy house a comfortable pattern to thy children like the sun-beams on thy possession as the dew of heaven on thy fields which maketh all look cheerfully and be fruitful a state that cometh neerest up to that blessed Paradise-oeconomy of Adam innocent a blessing which maketh every estate such without which no store is blessed k Pro. 15. 17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is then a stalled oxe and hatred therewith l Pro. 17. 1. Better is a dry morsel and quietnesse therewith then an housefull of sacrifices with strife 4. That they do cheerfully and willingly communicate in all that which God hath given them in prosperity advising in adversity comforting each other with such sympathy in joy and sorrow as is in them who are truely one flesh 5. That they bear each others infirmities never taking things spoken or done in the worst sense nor making every trivial matter an occasion of quarrel or alienation of affection but passing by them so as that they may seem rather covered in love then excused in judgement or approved in stupidity in which practice Satan may be beaten with his own weapon while that every occasion which hee administred in hope to former discord being prudently used to demonstrate the invincible love of the party suffering and willing rather to put up injury then to admit the least breach of amity by retaliation more endeareth them to each other 6. That they join hands and hearts to assist each other in the way to heaven See 1 Cor. 7. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 7. 7. That they mutually defend each other so Michol preserved David when Saul sought his life so prudent Abigail endeavoured Nabal's preservation they must not be false Delilahs to conâ—ederate against the lives or estates of their husbands 8. That they neither unjustly take nor justly give occasion of jealousie which ever embittereth the otherwaies most happy families Jerom's rule is here to be commended to women m Etsi negagata non feceris tamen deforme putes testimonium si rogeris Hier ep 2l 9 though thou yeeld not being asked yet think it an odious testimony to be asked hee comes to neer who cometh to be denied The Duties proper to the Husband may appeare in these following Rules 1. Let the n 1 Pet. 3. 7. husband dwell with his wife according to knowledge giving honor to her as the weaker vessel as being co-heires of the grace of life that their prayers be not hindred where there needeth reproof let it neither be rough odious injurious publick clamorous nor disgracefull but allayed with such wisedome and opportune perswasions as may not only reform but endeare in the most happy wedlock there may be some matter of just dislike and therefore due cause of reproof it much concerneth thee to know thy wives faults but not to hate her for them let the rule be either beare thy wives faults if tolerable with patience or amend them with direction if they are intolerable in this thou makest her better in that thy selfe 2. Let a man love o Eph. 5. 33. his wife as himselfe esteeming nothing too good or dear for her good as Christ loved his Church which concludeth nothing for them who impiously and cruelly afflict their wives with stripes or otherwise for God saith p Col 3 19. Husbands love your wives and be not bitter against them it is uncertaine whether they have evil wives but certain that they deserve such who can no otherwise governe then by blowes Neither doth this binde any man to an indiscreet much lesse an impious and dangerous indulgence to his wife wherein she desireth that which needs must or probably may hurt her self her husband or family it is love and wisedome to deny her that 3. Let a man maintain his wife in cloaths and necessaries according to his estate so as shee may live cheerfully with him not as servant but as a partner in his estate 4. Let the husband use all comity holy gratious prudent and peaceable language as a pattern to all his family so specially as a pledge of love to his wife neither like rugged Nabal nor fond and vaine which commonly changeth into fits of extream bitternesse for who can like such inksome levity 5. Let the man heare the wife's advice but never be transported beyond better reason nor carried thereby against the holy will of God as Adam whose dreadfull sentence bare this cause in the front q Gen. 3. 17. because thou hast hearkned to the voice of thy wife as r 1 King 21. 25. Ahab hearkned to the voice of Jezaâ—el as s 1 King 11 3 Solomon whom his wives most fearfully corrupted t Anilâ—e mihi liber videatur cui mulier imperat cui leges imponit praescribit iubet vetat qui nihil imperaâ—â—i negare potest nihil recusare audetâ—â— ego verò isâ—um non modò servum sed nâ—quissimum servum etiamsi in amplissima â—amilta natus sit appellandum puto Cic. pared omnes sapientes liberos esse c. The Orator could say of a man so awed by his wife I doe think that hee ought to be called not onely a slave but truely the worst of such Concerning the proper dueties of Wives I sinde these three principle rules 1. Let the wife be u Eph. 5. 22. Col 3. 18. subject to her husband as unto the Lord in every thing for the man is the wife's head w 1 Tim. â— 9 12. shee was made for man God permitteth not the woman to usurpe authority over the man this duety comprehendeth love x Eph. 5. 32. reverence aiâ— and assistance doing her husband good endeavouring to content please and comfort him See Pro. 31. 11. contrary to which is the imperious command of the domineering wife unreverend speech or action neglect of her charge through pride sloth or riotous wasting her husbands estate 2. Let her be chaste modest and silent the Scripture expresseth this by y 1 Pet. 3. 5 6 1 Pet. 3 1 c. 1 Tim. â— 9 10 chast conversation coupled with feare impudency and chastity are rarely compatible and modest apparreling which becometh women professing godlinesse andâ—let the women learn with all subjectionâ— a meâ—k and a quiet spirit are of high esteem in Gods sight this is God's rule by what law they live who think it religion and good policy by their loud and quarrelsom tongues bitter spirits of contradiction and otherwise to master their husbands and cantonize themselves I know not it is certain these are heavy crosses and no better then the sad furies possessing and so restlesly haunting the house of a wretched man that hee may well take up that old bemoaning z Hei mihi nec sine te nec tecum vivere possum Woe is
how little room will serve us as Alexander Severus said taking up his urne thou shalt limit him whom the world could not The rich man would fain lay house to house and land to land and still hee thinkes hee hath too little but within a while as little earth as Naaman begged of the prophet 2 King 5. 17. two mules load shall serve to cover and stop his mouth Many a man disquieteth himself in vaine seeking happinesse farre abroad when 't is to be found at home in an holy and contented minde 5. Follow the guidance of God's hand to riches or poverty carefully mark his providence in all things when the Lord appeared to Isaac at Beersheba and promised to blesse him there he pitched his tent and set down it is a blessed thing to mark how God leadeth thee and how or where he disposeth thee thereto rest confidently and contentedly 6. If thou have not wealth seek it not by any unjust meanes if thou have lay it up at least some good part thereof in heaven r where neither moth nor theefe can hurt it That is true riches which once had can never be lost every poor mans hand is a bill of exchange for heaven to be paid at sight not onely for so much here given to the poore on God account but a thousand for one upon the surest negotiâ—â— or the world can draw upon Say not Charity is usually abused the wicked most importunately begge I doubt not but thou hast many of Christ's poore by thee but if thou sometimes mistake the object of thy charity thou hast to say with the Philosopher I gave not to the man but to humanity As thy state encreaseth encrease thy charity and ever remember that there is a portion in thy hands which is not thine but the poore mans whom God hath set by thee to try thee and not only his who hath liberty to come to thy gates but the prisoners which shall come on account at the last as well as the other when not only theeves those enemies of the Common-wealth as Alexander Severus called them oppressors and extortioners who take away from the poore but they that relieve them not shall hear their go ye cursed that only of all thy estate is saved which thou bestowest on the poor this is a good foundation 7. Be not deceived but seek true riches the Heathen could say that it is no absolute good which can be taken away temporal riches are often evil masters and sometimes trecherous servants but godlinesse is great gaine labour for that bread which perisheth not the fat of earth the dew of heaven victory c. were Esau's blessings and are often given to the profane and wicked but faith and sanctity peace of conscience and such like are the riches of God in Christ given only to the blessed Seek these first and the other shall finde thee it is a great madnesse to toile and care night and day to fill thy house with transitory riches and in the meane time to neglect a poore and empty soule It is thy shame if thy goods have an ill master and more if thou provest so much worse by how much more God giveth thee and is good unto thee if thou have not God thou hast nothing but unhappinesse in thy other gaines Therefore set thy affections on things above and there will follow an holy contempt of this world and thy vaine care and love thereof which is enmity with God in thy hearts ascension shall fall off 8. Encrease in humility with sanctity benificence goodnesse and thankfulnesse to God as thou encreasest in estate if thou canst finde any unjust gotten penny in thy estate make present restitution as Zache did otherwise it will bring a curse on thee and thy posterity A rich man humble is spiritually poor and so blessed and a poor man proud covetous or unjust setteth his heart on riches though they encrease not and so is doubly unhappy 9. Let thy encreases make thee more diligent as in all holy duties so specially in praier the rich man is most obnoxious to Satan's snares and like Sisera fastened to the earth it is high time to cry to God when thou art thus beset lost as the moon is eclipsed in her full so thou become most destitute of grace in thy fulnesse most unhappy in thy wealth The rich mans Petition O Lord God of mercy encline my heart unto thy testimonies and not unto covetousnesse the vigilant tempter hath his snares in every estate in poverty worldly sorrow and affectation of unjust supplies in riches pride luxury love of the world distracting cares neglect of thy holy ordinance and forgetfulnesse of thee but O Lord make good thine own gifts to mee give me such an heart to use the blessings which thou hast bestowed upon me that it may be eternally good for my soul that I had them for this time It is not O Lord for man to adde any thing to his estate thy hand maketh rich thou raisest the poor out of the dust and settest him with the Princes of the people riches come of thee not from the West or East my condition in my birth was no better then the poorest mans naked cam I into this world I was cast upon thee from the womb and what am I O Lord that thou hast given mee this abundance All that is in heaven and earth is thine both riches and honour come of thee and in thine hand it is to make rich and great I am but a stranger before thee as all my fathers were All this store wherewith thou hast blessed mee and mine is of thine hand and thine own that thou hast put this abundance into mine hand it is to try me hereby now therefore prepare my heart nnto thee give me true thankefulnesse and those riches which shall never be taken away keepe my heart that I may never forget thee in the abundance which by thy merâ—y I enjoy As thou hast made mee a steward of much so make mee proportionably faithful in managing this estate that I may soberly and prudently enjoy these blessings cheerfully relieve those who by thy providence have dependance on me hold all with a loose hand willing to leave them and ready ever to give a faithful accompt when thou shalt 〈◊〉 pleased to exchange these temporal riches for the eternal and inestimable treasures of thy glorious kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN CHAP. XXX § 1. Poverty a great temptation yet having a capacity of true happinesse § 2. What wee are to consider herein § 3. What wee must practice IT is true that Poverty is a great affliction and dangerous temptation in this life exposed to so many necessities especially in this last and most uncharitable age where there is the unhappy concurrence of spiritual wants it is no lesse then the destruction of the poore to the saints it is a great
the precious blood of Christ and canst thou think that for want of a little meat drinke and cloaths hee will loose thee It is not a small thing that hee so valueth thy present life that hee giveth thee the lives of thy fellow creatures good for meat to preserve it Lord what is man cryed the Psalmist all is nothing to this hee gave thee the life of his sonne Jesus to save thy life eternally and canst thou be affected with such a feverish dream as to feare that hee will let thee perish for want of a little food and raiment 8. Consider how the lilies grow how hee feedeth the ravens shall hee not much more feed and cloath you upon whom hee hath put his own image the life is better â—hen meat or the body then raiment hee that gave the one will not faile to supply the other his providence descendeth to the preservation of the poorest and meanest creature will hee neglect thee hee knoweth before you aske what yee have need of adde not evil to the day by distracting cares which cannot adde one cubit to thy stature but cast thy care on him who careth for thee 9. Consider well what thy fear or impatience can bring thee certainly it can only make thy burden heavier indeed hee only is truely poore who would faine be rich an holy meeknesse and contentednesse is not only the best worldly riches but such as that without them no estate can be enough 10. Consider from how many evils poverty delivereth thee pride security intemperance and envy not the least of those black shadowes which attend riches and greatnesse with many noisome desires which drown men in sin and destruction Pittacus the wise when the Mitylens offered him many thousand acres of land for a gratuity said Give mee not that which many envy and more desire and saith my author hee accepted only an hundred hee that giveth thee riches giveth thee cares wretched is the custody of great wealth For rules of practice herein it is necessary that 1. Wee first seeke the kingdom of God and his righteousnesse and then all these things which wee want shall be administred unto us a little with righteousnesse is better then the riches of the wicked they that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing better is a little with the feâ—re of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith many a man laboreth and careth enough to be rich yet cannot thrive as 't is said there is that with-holdeth more then is meet but it tendeth to poverty because they seek not the Lord nor his will but some sinister ends of their own If wee neglect Gods part hee will blast all our labours If there be some hidden sacriledge our poverty may be comfortlesse untill wee prove the Lord with new obedience then will he open the windows of heaven and poure out an abundant blessing then he will rebuke the destroyer or if hee see it best for us still to exercise the outward man with wants yet hee will abundantly recompence that with inward comfort in Christ with which the saint is happily rich 2. Endeavour in some lawful calling and be industrious Love not sleep lest thou come to poverty open thine cies and thou shalt be satisfied with bread Be frugal the drunkard and glutton shall come to poverty and drousinesse shall cloath a man with raggs but hee that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread hee that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough Here is no patronage for them that incurre a voluntary poverty following ambition in a perverse way God requireth that we should live a better life then the vulgar worldly man not in all things a contrary 3. Doe thy uttermost endeavour to suppresse that turbulent Philistiâ— covetous love of the world which will still be casting earth into thy fountain of living water disturbing an holy content with vain desire of having more then necessaries It is an hard but most fruitful lesson which Paul had learned in every estate to be content If thou wilt live to necessity a little is enough if to opinion nothing when the Cynick saw men drinking water in their hands hee said With how few utencils is nature content Opinion maketh many a man poor content rich hee is so who can well agree with poverty What skils it whether a man have much or little in the chest barne fields and pastures if he reckon not on that he hath but that which hee would have It was a prudent resolution If my estate will not be enough for mee I will be for it If thou canst not justly greaten thy estate prudently lessen thy minde the poore man wanteth something the covetous all things hee least wanteth who desireth least hee wanteth who hath not enough he most to whom nothing can be enough fulnesse costeth much but temperance little and poverty is not so heavy a burden to them that cheerfully submit to Gods providence as to them who would not or have not learned how to bear it wisely so that though there be two measures of wealth first to have necessaries secondly to have enough or more then simply necessary and though there be much difference between a small estate and a strait or incompetent one yet in all the minde beareth a great part making a poore estate more light or heavy and indeed he is not so much poore who hath little as hee that desires more what ere hee hath How happy must it therefore be to learn an holy moderation submitting to Gods good providence in all conditions assured that it is best which hee doth for thee in giving or taking away as having nothing and possessing all things how happy were our first parents when they had no use of any housholdstuffe no not so much as cloaths how fully did they after live before Cain built a city Adah invented tents Jubal musical instruments or Tubal-Kain wrought in brasse and iron It is opinion and curiosity which hath invented varieties and other mens superfluities make the envious and emulous seem poore if they have not as much whereas that which natural necessity requireth is obtained without much difficulty the first external want I finde man sensible of was of clothing wherein if thou wilt not live to others opinion but thy necessity a small charge will supply thee if thou fashion not to the fickle world possibly it will despise thee what losse is that if God love and like thee if hee put on thee that best robe Christ's right cousnesse which all the riches in the world cannot purchase and for food either a little labour of thine or others charity will supply thee or thou shalt in a very little time have no need of it Once I am resolved it is more happy to be the poorest Lazarus then not only the
God of all true consolation who defendest the fatherlesse and widowes leave them not comfortless be thou their guider and protector though thou pleasest to take us from them take not thy grace and holy spirit from us nor them and so thy will be done Blesse all those who any where suffer in the like durance with us blesse us all here present grant that wee may make a right use of our present afflictions that they may better us give us hearts to trust in thee what ever thou doest to us cheerfully to discern thy mercies in the midst of our corrections and ever to blesse thy holy name for that thou hast corrected and not given us over to final destruction Lord encline thine eare and heare Lord help us Lord consider in mercy and do it for Jesus Christ his sake in whose ever blessed name we conclude our petitions in that absolute forme of prayer which hee hath taught us in his Gospel saying Our Father which art in heaven c. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ c. AMEN An Evening praier for the same O Most gracious and glorious Lord God we do not here appear before thee with any confidence in our own merits being such in respect of our unhallowed thoughts corrupt words and sinful actions as that if there were neither in earth or heaven among men or Angels any witnesse of our iniquities our owne consciences would accuse and convict us and if there were no other judge our own hearts could not but condemne us and thou art greater then our hearts and nothing can be hid from thee the just and all-seeing judge of the living and the dead who must all stand before thy tribunal wee therefore in all humility of soules appeale from thy justice in which wee can looke for nothing lesse then death and destruction the due wages of sin unto the sanctuary of thy mercy there laying hold on that altar on which thy sonne Christ Jesus was offered up a living sacrifice for us who were dead in trespasses and sinnes hee is that lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world and that great Angel of the Covenant who in the precious censer of his merits offereth the praiers of the Saints as Sweet odors holy and acceptable to thee for his sâ—ke â—arden all our sinnes which have rendred us not onely lesse then the least of thy mercies but also worthy of thy severest judgments temporal and eternal for his sake let our complaints come before thee and from thy mercy seat 〈◊〉 thou our supplications which come not out of feigned 〈◊〉 but from the depth of our afflicted soules Trueth it is O Lord wee have procured all these miseries unto our selves and the bitternesse wherewith thou hast filled us is none other but the fruit of our owne inventions who have obstinately followed our owne vain and unprofitable waies refusing the guidance of thy good spirit and holy word recalling us to the paths of eternal life But O Lord God of mercy thou desirest not the death of sinners but that they may be converted and live thou art the sole fountain of holinesse every good and perfect giving descendeth from thee who art the father of light enlighten thou our understandings open our eies that wee sleep not in death sanctifie our depraved wills rectifie our sinful affections and subject them all to thine owne holy will and pleasure frame every faculty of our soules and bodies to a new and sincere obedience to thy law that wee may neither decline to the right hand nor to the left but may henceforth make strait steps to our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. In his name wee continue our supplications to thee in the behalfe of thy Church universal Lord gather dayly to her such as thou hast elected to salvation enlighten those who have not yet known thy name take off the vaile from the hearts of thy ancient people the Jewes that now neer the fulnesse of time they may see unto Christ the end of the law to every one that beleeveth both of Jewes and Gentiles shew more and more mercy in the confirmation of us whom thou hast called until our fulness be come in Discover and confound the man of sinne daily abolishing the mystery of iniquity by the brightnesse of thy coming the sword of the spirit and evident preaching the Gospel to all nations until thou shalt at thy second coming manifest thy selfe our Saviour and Redeemer and wipe all teares from our eies even so come Lord Jesus And now O Lord who lookest with a tender eie upon the pressures of thy servants let the sighing of the Prisoners come before thee and according to the greatnesse of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die be merciful to us here present before thee we have indeed at thy hands against whom wee have sinned deserved this rod but O our God correct us in mercy not in thine anger for what are wee in thy hands and who can stand before thee when thou art angry Wee have not rendred unto thee according to thy goodnesse wee have surfeited on the sweet blessings of peace and abused our liberties not valuing the benefit thereof but vainly reckoning it among our hereditary possessions as if it might never be taken from us when we had freedom to goe into the assemblies of thy children the places where thine honour dwelleth to hear thy word and present our supplications unto thee Lord how often have vain pleasures or worldly profits detained us or coming before thee how seldom have wee returned with any fruits of amendment therefore doest thou now teach us by wanting these comforts their estimate which wee would not know while wee enjoyed them But O good God seeing thy fatherly corrections are not to destroy but to amend us give us now good understanding by these chastisements give us discerning spirits that through these afflictions we may look up to the hand that smiteth us and by our corrections gain a true loathing and detestation of all the sins for which thou art displeased with us Lord if it may stand with thine honor enlarge and deliver us in mercy restore every man to his own family to the mutual comfort of us and ours that with them we may praise thy holy name and better serve thee then ever wee have done if otherwise Lord proportion our patience to our tryals forsake us not in our sad distresses be thou ever present with us that we may rest assured of thy mercies give us peace of conscience and a blessed freedom from the bondage of sin that wee may therein know that neither stone walls nor armed guards can shut thy holy spirit the comforter from us nor bar our praiers from ascending up to thee Lord as our tryals encrease encrease our comforts in thee so that as the more it rained the more the arke was listed up in which thou hadst enclosed those whom thou didst thereby save in a
the faults of manners not of age which being seperated by beter counsaile and habit may leave that age a cleere and evident capacity of being most happy as neerest to our state of blessednesse the life to come doth avarice or morosity then make age evill a prudent mastering thy selfe and resolved patience will amend this and true repentance that this take away that evill into which thine own will beareth a principall part and thou shalt finde that as thou canst not be evill except thou consentest so not unhappy in age and if thou wilt not forbeare the evill which afflicteth thee thou makest thine age evill not thy age thee 2. Bodily infirmities and decayes are but the Angells sent to pull thee out of Sodom not as Lot by the hands only by warning thee of approaching death that thou maist prepare to entertaine it and not be destroyed with a perishing world 3. Prepare for death that which leadeth age with irksome sorrow is vaine love of the World and unwillingnesse to dye there is not an old man but thinkes he may live one yeare more if thy life were entire it is so short a summe that it cannot beare any long hopes and it is great folly ever to be beginning to live to lay new foundations and hopes neere our exit what is more incongruous then for an old man in vaine hope and desire to beginne to live when indeed he is neere death he only shall easily beare the inconveniences of age who is ever resolved and willing to dye and be with Christ. 4. Learne to make a prudent use of the time which admitteth no returne the conscience of a well spent life and remembrance of many good workes is very comfortable the foole loveth nothing but that which is past and vainely troubleth his soule with desire of much more time nothing solicitous to accompt to God for that he hath already given him at thy last day it shall not much concerne thee how long thou hast lived but how well it is not long life but good which shall render a man eternally happy neither is there any true profit of living here but in gaining that by which we shall live to eternity The evills of Age may be cheerfully borne if we can truly weigh the conveniences with the inconveniences thereof For 1. It is true that Age bringeth with it many good things as it doth many evills it is good that it freeth from pleasures those impudent masters of misrule giveth wisdome and maturer counsailes as the Egyptian Ibis feeding in her youth on Serpents when age hath consumed those venemous humours hath an aromaticall and sweeter breath so hath it been observed of some that after an ill dieted and mispent youth time having digested and evaporated that venome their age hath breathed divine things and more sweet then usuall to the secular man life like Wine how ever pleasing it was young in age it groweth sharpe and dull to the Saints it is not so age is their Suburbs of heaven praeludium of eternity the gate of glory where aged Simeon sang his requiem Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Luke 2. 29. 2. The old man dyeth more easily then the young a great advantage seeing all must dye none dye more gently then they that dye insensibly like a Lampe the oyle consumed quietly going out young men dye more painefully as Lamps overflowed with Water violence killeth the young maturity the old there 's a wrack here a quiet departing from the Inne so pleasing to the good that it seemeth to them as the sight of the port they are to make after a wearisome voyage that aged Barzillai could not so exactly tast or heare the voices of singers 2. Sam. 19. 35. was not so much a losse as security against temptations which oftentimes ensnare youth 3. It is the age of wisdome the spring hath pleasures but the Autumne profits the fruits of age are much better then the flowers of youth a little time is long enough to live well but if thou art gone much farther thou hast no more cause to sorrow then the Husbandman that the pleasant spring is past and the profitable autumne come except thou art of Themistocles minde who said it grieved him to dye when he began to be wise 4. It is not so much esteemed the end of this life as the beginning of eternity and the haven after a curst sea now as the traveller endureth the rough and bad wayes neere home for rest's sake and for the comfort which he expecteth there so must we the troubles of age which we shall easily doe if we gaine a certaine assurance of eternall blessednesse in the life to come 5. We have here comfort and confidence in temporall calamities they cannot now be long it was Solon's answer to the tyrant Pisistratus when he demanded on what ground of hope he durst resist him I am confident because old When Jacob saw the chariots which Joseph sent to bring him into Egypt his drooping spirit revived and certainly they who desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ are so farre from being grieved at their age that their soules are comforted to think they are going to him In the last place we are to know what rules of practice are observable to the improvement of old age to our good and comfort for it is certaine that happy is he whom old age seizeth in the service of Christ. 1. Be sure to attemperate and proportion thy minde to thy age that it be not said of thee as of Vespastans covetousnesse the fox hath changed his haire but not his manners lay downe thy youthfull minde with youth be grave not bitter it is an impious incongruity to beare the authority and port of an old man and the vices of the young to be youthfull in age is great folly and greater to wish to be young againe like some brainesick traveller who after a dangerous and wearisome journey would goe back againe for a little pleasant way sake though it be very hard to put off that which we are borne yet the happy way to be renewed is as much as we can attaine to to put off the old man corrupt with his affections and to put on the new man Ephes. 4. 22 23 24. this is the way to passe à ruga ad juventutem from old age to youth while man like the heavenly orbs inferior to the first mover goeth in body to the West of age but in his soule toward the east and rising sunne of righteousnesse the inward man renewing in the outward mans decay so becoming part of that lovely spouse which in her perfection shall be without spot or sinne in her innocency or wrinkle of age in her eternity in the meane if thou art wise thou wilt rejoyce that thou hast past over a tempestuous sea
not on her with honour tender love and duty nothing can fully recompence the ingratitude of this generation of Vipers their Mothers sorrow and destruction but hell Gods children love and honour his Ordinance in their parents For direction and comfort before their Travaile let Women 1. Spend the time of their expectation as they would doe the howers of their last day in hearty repentance for all their sinnes making their peace with God labouring to strengthen their faiths by recounting the comfortable promises of God in Christ Jesus rendring themselves with patience meeknesse and confidence into his mercifull hands who alone can keep them strengthen and comfort them in their paines and make them joyfull Mothers 2. Consult with God in all their fears and sorrowes as Rebecca did by the holy scriptures which are his Oracles giving certaine and infallible answers conference with the prudent Saints meditations and ascensions of the afflicted soule into Gods gracious presence 3. Reconcile themselves to all those whom they have injured by repairing them what they can for it is a condition of their salvation in childbearing that they continue in Faith and Charity and if all must quickly agree with their adversaries while they are in the way then they specially who as they say of Seamen may be reckoned between the living and the dead and in hazard of a sodaine convention at the barre by the end of this life 4. It must be a grave document as to all so specially to married Women of modesty and chastity I know not what comfort the adultresse can have who bringeth forth her Husbands irreparable injury her own shame Children of Whoredomes the indelible staine of their blood and their posterities dishonour all this with paine and horrour or more dangerous stupidity of a sinfull conscience whereas the good conscience of the chast is the soules rest bed of perfumes Garden of spices sorrowes lenitive griefes faire havens the soules Paradice and afflictions sanctuary with which though they have externall sorrowes yet are they blessed happy is the way however rough and fearefull by which they come to eternall life as the externall prosperity of the wicked can never make their waies better then destructive and unhappy So neither can any afflictions sorrowes feares or paines of the elect make them lesse then truely blessed because all these are but as the stepps in Jacobs ladder whose last shall land them in the presence of God as it is written we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdome of God 5. Let them pray frequently and fervently that God would be pleased to measure their sufferings by that assistance which he will give them strengthen them to their labour mitigate their paines grant them a speedy and safe deliverance that they may enjoy the blessing of propagation to the encrease of his Kingdome the glory of his holy name and their eternall rejoycing after their temporall sorrowes which hee hath appointed them A prayer for Woemen in or neere their Travaile MOst glorious and holy Lord God almighty creator and mercifull preserver of all thy creatures who hast commanded the weary and heavy laden to come to thee and promised by the sonne of thy love and truth Christ Jesus to ease them we prostrate our selves before thy throne of mercy with bended knees and trembling hearts yet with assurance of thy faithfulnesse to performe who hast freely promised Truth it is O Lord when we consider our own deservings we can look for nothing but the severity of thy justice and rejection from thy gracious presence that thou shouldest take no delight in us when we come before thee but that the spreadiâ—g out of our hands in Prayer should be a trouble and wearinesse unto thee we confesse that destruction of body and soule by all those judgements which thou hast denounced against the first sinners is due unto us if thou enter into judgement with us we accuse and condemne our selves as most vile and utterly unable to stand in judgment before thee the searcher of the heart and reines and most unworthy of the least of those favours which our necessities compell us to beg at thy mercifull hands in confidence that thou wilt not breake the bruised reed reject the penitent nor condemne them who condemne themselves we renounce our selves that we may be found in the righteousnesse of our Lord Jesus It was he ô blessed Father who being the eternall Word Wisdome and Power by whom the World was created and is still sustained yet to save us miserable sinners and so his enemies was made flesh for us became man to set us free took on him the forme of a Servant to sanctify and redeeme us from sinne begun in our conception and encreasing from our birth vouchsafed to be conceived in the Virgins wombe by the Holy Ghost and to be borne the man of sorrowes to suffer the severity of thy wrath against sinners 't was he that dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification that thereby he might pull out the sting of death and change the judgements into fatherly corrections 't was he that became a curse for us to redeeme us from the curse of the law that by his stripes we might be healed that the blessing the promise of the spirit the comforter might come on us through faith in him for his sake holy Father be reconciled to us for his sake encline thy gracious cares to our prayers now according to thine own appointment calling on thee Thou hast indeed threatned the first sinner to multiply her sorrowes in her travailes and that sentence as the sinne in which we fell is become hereditary in paines sorrow feare and anguish in these bitter effects of sinne we acknowledge thy just judgements but Lord correct us not in thine anger consider the frailty and infirmity of this poorâ— dust and earth wherewith thou hast clothed us consider not what we have done but what thy holy Sonne Jesus in that sacred flesh indivisibly united to the Godhead hath suffered for us accept his obedience who hath done and suffered all things which thy determinate counsaile had before all worlds appointed for the worke of our redemption We are unworthy to be heard but Lord heare him ascended into heaven to take possession thereof for us and now sitting at thy right hand a faithfull mediator for us and bearing the remembrance of us before thee he is truely God able to heare and help all them that call upon him faithfully and truly man who hath had experience and can be toucht with a sense of humane miseries for his sake heare us speaking the same things to thee here on earth which his own spirit helping our infirmities both dictateth to us from heaven and presenteth to thee for us in heaven Lord for his sake helpe us give us true and hearty repentance assure us of our sinnes remission and our discharge from the curse and rigor of the law
tabernacle thou art absent from the Lord thus resolved thou shalt bee willing to be dissolved that thou maist live with Christ when Peter saw onely a glimpse of the future glory in Christ's transfiguration on the mount he cryed out it is good for us to be here let us make here three tabernacles he shall easily contemne death whose love and desires are fixed on heaven so travellers regard not dangerous and rough waies that they may come home death is greivous to the lovers of the world 4 Consider the advantages that death shall bring thee it shall quit thee from all sicknesse sorrow feare of dying and all those temporall calamities which flesh and blood now groaneth under instead of earth and these transitory things which at best serve but to necessitie and perish in their use it shall invest thee in the heavenly which excell all present thoughts of man it shall set thee free from sinne and make thee a perfect servant of God The husbandman is content to cast his pretious graine into the earth where hee knoweth it must perish because hee is assured it shall rise againe with encrease and advantage to him Whereas if it dye not it abideth alone how much more should the gaine of heaven make us willing to part with this vaine and evill world therefore Lucius the martyr thanked Vrbicius because bydeath freeing him from wicked maisters he sent him to God the father 5 It is necessary that thou often thinke on death which will we nill we cannot be farre off Easily shall he contemne all secular things who alwaies thinketh he must dye Make death familiar to thee by often thinking of it the tempter once said yee shall not dye at all hee knoweth it were a folly to say so now experience teaching the contrary yet now he doth what he possibly can to put death out of the sinners memory now he perswadeth them they shall not dye these many yeares hereby he first leadeth into security of sinning and at last into despaire by sodain terrours of unexpected death But when God gave Israël Manna he had them gather only as much as would sufâ—ice for a day because hee would have them to expect death that they might not provide for the morrow So taught he us to pray for daily bread to take away care for the morrow Truely the whole life of a wise man should be a meditation of death 6 Because the houre is hidden from thee watch for it God hath not revealed it that wee might expect it every houre And he calleth men of all ages that none might bee secure it is uncertaine where death expecteth thee therefore looke for it every where it is as uncertaine when therefore live every day as if it were thy last When thou goest to sleep reckon as Paâ—uviâ—s woont that thou t hast lived thy time if God give more daies make good use of them he is the most secure and happy possessour of himselfe who without solicitousnesse expecteth the morrow He that saith he hath lived riseth every day to a new gaine It is a chiefe part of deaths bitternesse that it commeth sodainly upon him who promised himselfe a longer life the best way to make it tolerable is to render thy minde to a present expectation of it 7 Patiently subject to that which must be and use thy best skill that it may be well with thee The goodnesse of the Pilot is seene in the storme and the wisdome of a man in the greatest triall Meekly submit to that to which all the world is liable Zerxâ—s is reported to have wept when he saw his numerous army remembring that in a little time they must bee all dead if we could view all the world at once what calamities and destructions should we see Nation against nation kingdome clashing against kingdome some gasping under cruell tormenters hands some swallowing up of the deafe sea some in their birth some breathing their last all ere long peperishing as all the starres greater and lesser in larger and smaler orbs doe finish their courses and set in their appointed times so men of all conditions dye death equally knocketh at the cottage and palace doore sparing no estate it is so appointed appointed all must dye it pittieth not the poore nor spareth the rich it regardeth neither wisdome valour excellency it is folly to have for exemption from its rigid and inevitable law which hath past on all thy fathers before thee thy friends besides thee and shall take away all thou leavest behinde thee Toward death thou goest every moment and canst not stay till thou fall to the earth now too much feare of death depriveth not only of the comfort but also of the fruits of life and vaine struggling under the burden which thou canst neither cast off by any impatience nor comfortably beare without a cheerefull subjection to necessitie maketh it more heavy know thy condition and that thou hast not only many but all men partners therein When they told Anaxagoras of the sentence of death pronounced against him he replied it is the same which nature long since pronounced on them and me 8 Strive for sound â—aith the onely cure for an Israëlite stung with a fiery serpent was looking up to the brazen serpent the morall is that the onely remedy against the sting of death is to look up to Christ the resurrection of life who by dying hath conquered death and the tyrant that had the power of death so that they that naturally feare it believing in Christ looke on it as children use to gaze upon some fierce enemie vanquished and led in chaines to the believer death is but like the Melita viper more feare then danger like Moses serpent terrible but eating up the worlds enchanters serpent and becomming a key to let us into our rest certainly if there be any evill in death it is onely to the evill and unbeliever be thou good and faithfull and it cannot hurt thee it must benefit thee the faithfull thinke of their deaths as of their journeyes end 9 Looke for thy conforts agaist death in Gods Word which onely is infallible the Heathens had many false and unsound comforts against death as assiming it to be but a sleepe or refreshing an haven and refuge to which they desired to come a pleasant journey after which there shall be no more care and discoursing confidently of the â—oules immortality all which served possibly to appease a beguiled soule ready to be cast into hell fire not much unlike those African mothers lullabies who as we noted use to still their weeping babes which they offered to Molocke with songs and kisses that they might not cast à crying sacrifice into those flames no better was Plato his admired discourse of the soules eternity to Cleombrotus which when hee had