Dunghil O that my Grief were throughly weighed and my Calamities laid in the Ballance together For now it would be heavier than the Sand of the Sea Therefore my words are swallowed up for the Arrows of the Almighty are within me the Poyson whereof drinketh up my Spirits The Terrors of God do set themselves in Array against me Job 6.2 3 4. Dost thou not hear the Man after God's own Heart speak of the Voice of his Roaring Psal. 22.1 He that shrunk not from the Bear the Lyon nor Goliah of Gath is now drenching his Bed with his Tears Psal. 6.6 Dost thou not hear the Faithful crying out I am the Man that hath suffered Affliction by the Rod of his Wrath c. Surely against me he is turned he turneth his hand against me all the day my Flesh and my Skin hath he made old he hath broken my Bones Lam. 3.1 3 4. Consider the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs the great Favourites of Heaven some on Gridirons others in Boyling Caldrons some on Spits others under Saws some in Flames others crashed with the Teeth of Wild Beasts some on Racks others in Fiery Furnaces Most of 'em in such Torments as in comparison thy Pains are but a Sport But to leave Mortality and sinful Dust and Ashes thou may'st behold the Son of God and Lord of Life the King of Glory God blessed for ever sweating drops of Blood in his dreadful Agony and mayst hear him cry upon the Tree of Curse and Shame My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 Alas What are we capable to suffer in proportion of these Tortures What are we that we should think much to share with the best of God's Saints nay even with the dear and eternal Son of his Love our ever blessed Redeemer Had not God prescribed this their way to Heaven they had not waded so deep in Blood 10. WHY do we repine to wet our feet where they waded If from these Holy Ones we turn our Eyes we shall find Examples among meer Pagans For instance He who we used to account infamous for Voluptuousness Epicurus the Philosopher who on his Dying-day when he lay extreamly tormented with the Stone in the Bladder and a tearing Cholick in his Bowels as it were grasping for Life yet even then writing to his Idemeneus can out of the strength of his Resolutions profess his Cheerfulness and can stile even that day Blessed It was the same Mouth that could boast that if he were frying in the Brazen Bull of â—alaris he could there find Contentment What should I tell thee of a Mutius Scaevola who in a Glorious Revenge voluntarily burnt off his Right Hand not without the Envy and Pity of his Enemies or of a Regulus that after so high a Provocation offers himself to the worst of the merciless Fury of his Tormenters Why shouldst thou admire saith wise Seneca that some should be well pleased to be Scorch'd Wounded Rack'd or Kill'd Frugality is a pain to the Riotous Labour a punishment to the Lazy Continence a misery to the Wanton and Study a torture to the Sloâ—hful 11. ALL these are not in their own Nature difficult but we are infirm and inconstant Shall Pagans attain to this height of Magnanimity by their Fortitude And shall we Christians droop under gentler Sufferings We profess the advantage of Faith to uphold and chear us But poor Ethniâ—k Souls they never heard of a Merciful God to Comfort 'em They never knew those sweet Messages from Heaven Call upon me in the day of Trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt Glorifie me Psal. 50.15 Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy laden and I will give you Rest Matth. 11.28 Strengthen ye the weak Hands and confirm the feeble Knees Say to them that are of a fearful Heart Be strong fear not behold your God will come with Vengeance even God with a Recompence He will come and save you Isa. 35.3 4. They had not the Heart of a Job to say I know that my Redeemer liveth Job 19.25 Nor the Eyes of a Stephen to pierce the Heavens to see their Saviour standing at the Right hand of God But out of their Vigour elevated with an arrogant Ambition of that Fame which they believed would survive 'em Whereas we Christians know that we have the Father of Mercies to stand by us a Redeemer to deliver us a Comforter to strengthen and refresh us sweet and infallible Promises to sustain us And at last a Crown of Eternal Glory to reward us 12. THOU art pained with Sickness View not what thou feelest but think what Punishment thou hast deserved Wherefore doth a living Man complain a Man for the punishment of his Sin Lam. 3.39 Alas the Wages of every Sin is Death a Death of Body and Soul Temporal and Eternal Any thing below this is Mercy There is not the least of thy Transgressions but hath merited the infinite wrath of a just God and more Torments than thou art able to undergo What dost thou complain of Ease Where thou owest a thousand Talents thou art bid to Take thy Bill and write down Fifty Luke 16.6 Wilt thou not magnifie the Clemency of so favourable a Creditor Surely were every Twig which creates a Smart a Scorpion and every Breath thou sendest forth a Flame This were yet less than thy Deserts Oh the infinite goodness of our Indulgent Father that uses so gentle a Correction to us Tell me thou nice Patient if thou canst not suffer these Stripes how thou wilt endure those that are infinitely sharper Alas What are these Trifles to that Hell which abides for the Impatient There are Torments without Mitigation eternal Pains without Intermission which thou can'st not suffer nor avoid Fear them and murmur not at these prostrate thy self low under the hand of God and be thankful for a tolerable Misery How graciously hath the Wisdom of God thought fit to temper our Afflictions if they prove sharp they are not long and if long not over sharp that our Strength might not be depressed by those Trials we undergo Therefore aspire a Contentment in thy self and thy Languishment will be easie or thy Pain soon over Extream and Everlasting are Terrors reserv'd for the Wicked hereafter that are durable painful and not capable of any Relaxation What a Moment is it that thou dost suffer Yea nothing in respect of Eternity which thou must either hope for or fear Endure a while patiently that thou mayst not be infinitely Miserable 13. THOU complainest of Pain Of what use were thy Patience if that were mitigated God never gives Vertues without an intent of their Exercise To what end were our Christian Valour if we had no Enemy to Encounter Thus long thou hast supinely slept in a secure Garison where thou hast heard no Trumpet but thine own and hast turned thy Drum-head into a Table for Dice lavishing out thy days in varieties of idle Recreations Now God draws thee
Humiliation have been raised through God's mercy to a Comfortable Sense of the Divine Favour and have proceeded to a high degree of Regeneration and liv'd and dy'd good Christians 18. BUT this is not every ones Case those who have from their Infancy been brought up in The Nurture and Fear of the Lord Eph. 6.4 and from their Youth been Train'd up under a Godly and Conscionable Ministry where they have been plyed with the effectual means of Grace Precept upon Precept Line upon Line here a little and there a little Isa. 28.10 and by an insensible Conveyance received the Gracious Inoperations of the Spirit of God though not without many inward Debates Temptations and deep Humiliation for their particular Failings these cannot expect to find so sensible Alterations in themselves As well a Child knows when he was born as these know the instant of their Spiritual Regeneration and as well may they see the Grass grow as perceive their insensible Increase of Grace It is sufficient that a Child attaining to Reason knows he was born as when we see the Grass higher than we left it know that it is grown Let it then suffice thee that the thing is finish't though thou canst not define the time and manner of doing it Be not over curious in matters of particular Preceptions whil'st thou art assured of what is wrought in thee The skilful Chyrurgion makes a Fontinel in the Body of his Patient either by a sudden Incision or by a leisurely Corrosive both equally tend towards Health Trust God with thy self and with his own Work without making inquiry which way he designs thy Salvation 19. ALL were safe thou say'st if I could be ascertain'd of my Election to Life Eternal I could be Patient so I might be sure But wretched that I am here I am plung'd I see others walk comfortably as if in Heav'n whereas I droop under a continual Diffidence raising my self new Arguments of Distrust Could my heart be settled in this Assurance nothing could make me unhappy It is true as all other mercies flow from our Election so the securing of this one involves all other Favours that concern the welfare of our Souls It is no less true our Election may be assured else the Holy Ghost had not laid so deep a Charge upon us to use our utmost Endeavour to ascertain it And we are much wanting to our selves if hearing so excellent a Blessing may be attained by diligence if we pull not our hand out of our Bosom to reach that Crown so offer'd to us But withal 't is true if there were not a difficulty in this work the Apostle had not so earnestly call'd for the utmost of our Endeavour to effect it 2. Pet. 1.10 20. THE Truth is in Christianity there is no Path wherein there is more need of treading warily than in this On each side is Danger and Death Security on one hand and Presumption on the other And the Miscarriage either way is deadly Behold the miserable Examples on both kinds Some walk carelesly as if there were no Heav'n or if such a Place yet of no Concernment Their hearts are fond of the Pleasure of this Life and they neither care nor wish to be happier than this World can make 'em The God of this World hath blinded their Eyes that they believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 Others walk proudly being vainly puff't up with their own ungrounded Imaginations as if they were invested with Immortal Glory fancying themselves rapt up with St. Paul into the Third Heav'n and have seen their Names recorded in the Book of Life Whereas this is nothing but an Illusion of that Lying Spirit who knows the the way to keep 'em out of Heaven is to make 'em believe they are in a State of happiness 21. IT must be thy main Care to walk in a just Equidistance from both these Extreams that thou may'st be resolute without Presumption and careful without Diffidence And First I advise thee to abandon those false Teachers who improve their Wits for the Ruine of Souls in broaching the sad Doctrines of Uncertainty and Distrust Be sure our Saviour had not bid his Disciples rejoyce that their Names are written in Heaven Luke 10.20 Had there not been a particular Enrollment nor the Disciples could never have attained to the notice of such Inscription Neither is this a Mercy peculiar to his Domestick Followers but universal to all that believe what they testifie and by believing we may be assur'd our Names are Registred in those Eternal Records 22. NOT that we should take an Acesius his Ladder and climb up to Heaven and turn over the Book of God's Councils and read our selves design'd to Glory But as we by Experience imagine we can by Reflections read those Letters which directly we cannot So we may do here in spiritual Objects The same Apostle that gives us our Charge gives us withal our Directions Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Callings and Election sure for if ye do those things ye shall never fall for so an Entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Here is first our Calling then our Election Not that we should begin with Heaven and thence descend to Earth but that we should from Earth ascend to Heaven from our Calling to our Election As knowing that God shews what he hath done for us above by that which he hath wrought in us here below 23. OUR Calling not outward and formal but inward and effectual The Spirit of God hath a Voice and our Soul an Ear that Voice of the Spirit speaks inwardly and effectually to the Ear of the Soul calling us out of the State of Corrupt Nature into the State of Grace out of Darkness into his marvellous Light By thy Calling thou mayst judge of thine Election God never works in vain neither doth he cast away his saving Graces But whom he did Predestinate them also he Called and whom he Called them he Justified and whom he Justified them also he Glorified Rom. 8.30 This doubtless thou sayst is sure in it self but how assured to me I answer That which the Apostle adds By good Works if we comprehend the Acts of Believing and Repenting is a special Evidence of our Election But not to urge that Clause of Good Works which tho read in the Vulgar is found wanting in our Editions The clear words of the Text evince no less For if ye do these things ye shall nevâ—r fall Here is our Negative Certainty And for our Positive So an Entrance shall be Ministred unto you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If we shall never fall but shall undoubtedly enter the Kingdom of Christ what possible scruple can be of the accomplishment of our Election What then are these things that must be perform'd by us Fix your Eyes upon that Collection of Graces
of Pleasure I have gladly withdrawn my self from that Imperious Mistress 13. WHAT an unreasonable Vassalage our Youthful Lusts subject us to we need no other Instance than in Sampson who was effeminated by his impotent Passion and weakned to betray his Life to a mercinary Harlot and to endure to hear her say Tell me wherewith thou mayst be Bound to do thee hurt Judg. 16.6 How easily might he have answered her O Delilah even with these Cords of Brutish Sensuality How was Solomon Besotted with his Strange Wives and drawn away to Worship strange Gods 1 King 11.5 14. AND how may Fir-trees howl when Cedars fall Who can hope to be free from being transported with irregular Affections when we see such great precedents of Frailties From the danger of these sad Miscarriages our Age happily secures us disposing us into quiet Harbour whence we may see Youth toss'd with Tempests of unruly Passions from which Seniority hath free'd us 15. ANNEX Experimental Knowledge which Age enriches us every Dram is worth Pounds of Junior Contentments In comparison the Speculative Knowledge is weak and imperfect This may come at an easie rate perhaps cost us nothing That commonly we pay dear for and is esteem'd valuable If Experience be the Mistress of Fools I 'm sure 't is the Mother of Wisdom For the long Observation of variety of Actions and Events in the whole course of our Life must needs leave such sure Rules of Judgment as may be unfailable Directions for our selves and others 16. IN vain shall this be expected from our Minority which the Wise Philosopher excludes from being Judges of true Morality And well might the Old Man say Ye Young Men think us Old Men Fools but we Old Men know you Young Men to be Fools And indeed what value Ignorance may put upon it this Fruit of Age the Earth hath nothing equally so precious It was Prophane but fit for the Mouth of an Heathen Poet That Prudence is above Destiny But surely a Christian may justly say That next to Providence Humane Prudence may challenge the supream Place in Earthly Affairs and Age claim the greatest Interest in that vertue 17. YOUNG Elihu could say Job 32.7 Multitude of years should teach Wisdom And the Wise Man Ecclus. 25.4 5. Oh how comely a thing is Judgment for Gray-Hairs and for Ancient Men to know Counsel Oh how comely is the Wisdom of Old Men and Understanding and Counsel to Men of Honor. And the Grecians could say That young Men are for Action and old Men for Advice And among the Romans Senators take their Name from Age. That which causeth weakness of Aged Eyes is they better discern things further off and by the strength of their Mental Eyes they perceive Judgments or Advantages at a distance and accordingly frame their Determinations 18. IT is observ'd that Old Lutes sound better than New It was Rehoboam's Folly and Undoing 1 King 12.6 7 8 9 10 c. to follow the Advice of Green Heads and abandon those Grave Senators of his Fathers Counsel Not that Age of it self is Rich in Wisdom and Knowledge But well cultur'd and improv'd is valuable There are Old Men that live and have a Being upon Earth who can give no Proof of their many Years but only Gray-Hairs and Infirmities There are those who like to Hermogenes are Old whilst Young and Children when Old These the Elder they grow are more stupid 19. TIME is an ill Measure of Age which should rather be meted by Proficiency Ripeness of Judgment and Monuments of commendable and useful Labours If we have thus imployed our selves our Autumn will shew what our Spring was and our Gray-Hairs will give us more Cause to fear Pride than Dejection We accuse Age of many Weaknesses and Indispositions But these Imputations are not Universal Many of these are Faults of the Person not of the Age. All Wine doth not sowr with Age neither doth every Nature 20. OLD Oyl is clearer and hotter in Medicinal Uses than New Some are pettish and morose in Youth and others are mild gentle and sociable in their decayed Years Some are crazy in their Prime and others in their Wain are Vigorous And many before the fulness of their Age have lost their Memory as Hermogenes Corvinus Antonius Carracalla Georgius Trapezuntius and Nizolius 21. SOME whose intellectuals have so happily held out that they have been best at the last Plato at fourscore and one died with his Pen in his hand and Demosthenes when Death Summon'd him at an 100 Years he bemoan'd himself that he must now die when he began to gain knowledge And as for Spiritual Graces and Improvements the Psalmist satisfies us Psal. 92.12 13. Such as be planted in the House of the Lord shall flowrish in the Courts of our God They shall also bring forth more fruit in their Age and shall be fat and well liking 22. BUT the chief Benefit of Age is our approach to our Journeys end For the end of motion is rest and once attain'd their remains nothing but fruition Now Age brings us after a weary Race within some breathings of our Journeys end For if Young Men may die Old Men must a condition which a carnal heart bewails and abhors complaining of nature as Niggardly in Dispensations of the shortest time to her noblest Creatures and envying the Oaks which many generations must leave standing and growing 23. NO marvel the Worlding thinks himself at home and looks upon Death as a banishment He hath placed his heav'n here below and can see nothing in his remove but Annihilation or Torment But for Christians who know that whilst we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 and do justly account our selves Foreigners our Life a Pilgrimage Heaven our Home how can we but rejoice that after a tedious and painful Travel we do now draw near the threshold of our Father's house wherein we know there are many Mansions and all Glorious John 14.2 24. I could blush to hear a Heathen say if God would offer me the choice of renewing my Age and returning to my Childhood I should heartily refuse it for I should be loath after I have passed so much of my Race to be recalled back from the Goal to the Bars of my first setting out and to hear a Christian sighing and sobbing at the thought of his Dissolution Where is our Faith of a Heav'n 〈◊〉 after long Sea-beaten we are loath to think of putting into the safe Harbour of Immortality A Prayer for the Aged O LORD GOD of my Salvation I humbly render thee all hearty thanks for thy abundant Mercies and Favours Spiritual and Temporal for thy Gracious Preservation of me from my Youth untill this present Moment That thou hast spared me in thy Fatherly Mercy when in thy Justice thou mightest have destroyed me Lord as thou hast given me space for Repentance and reserv'd me to these Years who mightest justly have cut off
forth to the Field and shews the an Enemy where is thy Christian Fortitude if thou recoilest and chusest rather to fly than resist And is this a proper Character for thee who professest to sight under his Banner who is the Conqueror of Death and Hell Is this the way to that happy Victory and to acquire a Crown of Glory If thou faint in the day of Adversity thy Strength is but small Be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might Ephes. 6.10 Encounter with that fierce Enemy wherewith God would have thee assaulted look up to him who hath said and cannot fail to perform it Be faithful to the Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 14. THOU art surpriz'd with Sickness accuse thy self for it Who forbid thee expecting so sure a Guest Thy Frame of Body should have prompted thee to other Thoughts Dost thou perceive this living Fabrick made up as a Clock consisting of many Wheels and imagine that some of 'em shoud not be ever out of order Couldst thou think that a Cottage not strongly built and standing so bleak in the very Mouth of the Winds could for ever hold firm and strong Or art thou not amazed it hath out-stood so many blust'ring Blasts utterly unruined It was scarce a patient Question which Job asked Is my Strength the Strength of Stones or is my Flesh as Brass Job 6.12 Alas thy best Metal is but Clay and fading Flesh is but Grass the Clay mouldereth and the Grass withereth Why do we reckon of any thing but Misery and Fickleness in this woful Region of Change If we wiâ—l needs over-reckon our Condition we do but assist to aggravate our own Wretchedness 15. THOU art retir'd to thy sick Bed be of good Comfort God was never so near thee never so indulgent to thee as now The Whole saith our Saviour needs not a Physician but they that are Sick Mat. 9.12 The Physician cometh not but where there is necessity and where that is will not fail to come Our Wants is motive enough to Him who took our Infirmities and bare our Sicknesses Mat. 8.17 Our Health alienates him from us but whilst thou art this Patient he cannot be from thee The Lord saith the Psalmist will strengthen thee upon the Bed of Languishing thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sickness Psal. 41.3 The Comforter doth not only visit but attend thee If thou find thy Bed uneasie he will soften it for thy Repose Canst thou not read God's Indulgence in thine own Disposition Thou art a Parent Perhaps thou affectest one Child more than another though all dear enough But if any of them be cast down thou art more careful about that than the rest How thou pitiest and pliest it with Offers and Receipts With what silent Anxiety dost thou watch by it listning for every Breathing jealous of every whispering that might break its Slumber responding its Groans with Sighs and in fine taking such Care that thy greatest Darling seems the while neglected in comparison of this under Affliction How much more shall the Father of Mercies be compassionately Intent upon the Sufferings of his dear Children according to the Proportion of their Afflictions 16. THOU art wholly entertain'd with the Extremity of thy pains Alas poor Soul Thy dimness perceives nothing but what is near thee It is thy sense which thou followest but where is thy Faith Couldst thou inspect the end of thy Sufferings thou wouldst rejoyce in Tribulation Let Patience have her perfect Work and thou shalt once say It is good for me that I was afflicted Thou mightest be jocund long enough ere thy Jollity could make thee happy Yea Woe to them that laugh here Luke 6.25 But on the contrary Our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 O blessed improvement of a few Groans Oh glorious Issue of a short Storm of Sorrow Why do we imitate Christians if nothing but Flesh and Blood And if better we have more cause of Joy than Complaint for whilst our Outward Man perisheth our Inward Man is renewed dayly 2 Cor. 4.16 Our External Man is Flesh our Internal is Spirit infinitely more noble than this living Clay that we carry about us Whil'st our Spirit gains more than our Flesh is capable to lose what reason have we not to boast of the Bargain Let not then these close Curtains confine thy sight but lift up thine Eyes to Heaven whence thy Soul came and view there that Crown of Glory which thy God holds forth to all thaâ— overcome And then Run with Patience the Race that is set before thee looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who is set down at the Right Hand of the Throne of God Heb. 12.1 2. Then chear thy self with the Expectation of that Blessedness which if thy Toâ—ments were no less than those of Hell would make more than ample Amends for all thy Suffeâ—ings 17. THOU art sick to Death And hast received the Sentence of Mortality in thy self thy Physician hath given the up to act the last Scene Neither art thou like to rise till the General Resurrection How many are lately expired that would have thought it a great happiness to die thus quietly in their Beds Whom Storms of War hath hurried away furiously into another World not suffering them to taâ—e leave of that Life which they were forced to abandon Whereas thou hast leisure to prepare thy self for the Entertainment of thy last Guest to set both thine House in order and thy Soul It is no disadvantage to thee thus to behold Death at a distance and to observe every one of his Paces towards thee that thou mayst put thy self into a fit Posture to meet this grim Messenger who Ushers thee to Immortality that dying thus by Degrees thou hast leisure with the Patriarch Jacob to Summon thy Children to bequeath them thy last Benediction and being encompassed with thy sad Friends now in thy long Journey to a far Country thou mayst take a Solemn Farewell as going somewhat before them to the appointed happy Meeting-place of Blessedness And lastly That one of thine own may close those Eyes which shall in their opening see the Face of thy most Glorious Saviour and see this Flesh now ready to lye down in Corruption made like to his unspeakable Glory A Prayer for a Sick Person O Most Gracious and Merciful Lord God the only Author of our Health and Being thou castest us down upon our Beds of Sickness and sometimes draws the Curtain between the World and us O Lord my time is in thy hand and I know not how soon my change which thou hast appointed shall be whether this Week this Day this Hour yea or this very Moment O Lord sanctifie unto me this thy present Visitation which my Sins have long since deserved heal my Soul which in great bitterness hath sinned against thee
disquiets thee Doubtless thou art Soul-sick thy Spirit is wounded within thee and what can thus affect thy Soul but sin Or what can this Affection of thy Soul be for Sin but true Penitence 7. THOU repliedst I am indeed sorrowful for Sin but not upon the right Grounds I grieve for the misery that Sin hath brought upon me not for the evil of Sin but for the Punishment not the Offence for my Peril not for the displeasure of my God Beware lest an undue Humility cause thee falsely to accuse the Graces of God's Spirit Thou art no competent Judge whilst thou art under Temptations Had not thy Sorrow a relation to God why wouldst thou Sigh to Heaven Why would thy Heart challenge thee for unkindness in Offending And to cry out of the Sordidness not of the Peril of thy Sin What renders the act of thy Sin to be sinful but the offence against the Divine Majesty How canst thou be sorry that thou hast Sinned and not be sorry that thou hast Offended Tell me What is it thy Conscience primarily suggests to thee in this impression of thy Sorrow Is it thou shalt be Punish'd or that thou hast Sinned And were it put to thy Choice Whether thou hadst rather enjoy the Favour of God with extremity of Pain or continue in his Displeasure with Ease Or if Liberty were tendred to thee that thou mightst freely sin without danger of Punishment Whether doth not thy Heart rise at the Condition as ready to flie in the Face of the Offerer Besides Fear and Horror dost thou not find an internal Indignation at thy Miscarriage and such a detestation of thy Sin that were it to be reiterated if it were possible to be concealed from God and Men and if there were no Hell to avenge it woulst thou not abhor to commit it All these are strong Convictions of the right grounds of thy Repentance and of the injury which thou dost thy Soul in the unjust Scruples which thou raisest against it 8. IF the grounds thou say'st of my Repentance be regular yet the measure is Insufficient I am sorrowful for Sin but not enough An effectual grief for sin should be serious deep hearty intensive mine is slight and superficial I Sigh but my Sighs proceed not from an humble Heart I can sometimes Weep but cannot pour out my self in Tears I mourn but don't continue my Sorrow To this I Answer Thou hast to do with a God which in all the dispositions of thy Soul regards Validity and not Quantity If he find thy Remorse he exacts not the solid Measure He doth not meet up our Repentance by Inches or Hours but where he finds sincerity of Penitence is Indulgent Look upon David and acknowledge his Sin formidably detestable no less than Adultery Inebriation and Murder Yet no sooner did he in a true Compunction of Heart cry out I have sinned against the Lord then he hears from that Mouth which accused him The Lord also hath put away thy Sin thou shalt not die 2 Sam. 12 13. Here is a penitent Confession which was efficacious in the Expiation of those grievous Crimes Thou art deceived if thou imaginest God delights in the Affliction of his Creatures So far only is the grief of his Servants pleasing to him that it may conduce to the health of their Souls in the sensibleness of their Sin and meet capacity of Mercy 9. I do not with some Casuists flatter thee with an Opinion of the sufficiency of any slight Attrition and empty wishes that thou hast not Sinned doubtâ—ess a true Contrition of Spirit and Compunction of Heart are necessarily required to a saving Repentance And these wert thou but an indifferent Censurer of thine own ways thou would'd find within thy self Why is thy Countenance so dejected thy Cheeks pale and watered so oft with Tears thy want of Rest and loss of Appetite Wherefore dost thou pour out those doleful Complaints and vehement Deprecations But after all this art thou such as thou accusest thy self defective in thy Repentance Dost thou rest contented in this condition and not complain of it as the greatest Misery Art thou not heartily sorry that thou canst be no more grieved for thy Sin Comfort thy self even this is an acceptable Repentance and God accepts it What is Repentance but a change from Evil to Good And how sensible is this Change that thou who formerly delightedst in thy Sin now detests it and thy self for it and art yet ambitious of more Grief for being transported into it Let not thy Souls Enemy who desires nothing more than to make thee perfectly Miserable so allure thee as to render thee unsatisfied with the Measure of that Penitency which is accepted of God Rather turn thine Eyes from thy Sins and look to Heaven and fix 'em upon thine All-sufficient Mediator and behold his Face smiling upon thy humbled Soul and perfectly reconciling thee to his Eternal Father as being fully assured That being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God Rom. 5.1 2. 10. THERE thou say'st is the very root of my Complaint I want that Faith that should give me an interest in my Saviour and afford true Comfort to my Soul and Boldness and Access with Confidence to the Throne of Grace Ephes. 3.12 I can be sorry but cannot believe my Grief is not so great as my Infidelity I see others full of Joy and Peace in believing Rom. 15.13 But my stubborn Heart cannot soar up to a conformable apprehension of my Saviour So as indeed I dwell in obdurate Darkness and a sad ponderosity of Incredulity wanting that Assurance which others profess to find in themselves Take heed lest whilst thou art too querulous thou prove unthankful and whilst thy Humbleness disparages thee thou make God a Loser A Man may have a rich Mine in his Ground which he knows not of and there are Shells furnish'd with Pearls whose Worth many are not sensible of This is thy State Thou hast that Grace thou complainest to want and there is no measuring of thy self by Sense especially in the time of Temptation Thou coulst not so sensibly lament the want of Faith if thou hadst it not Thou canst not deny an Assent to the verity of all God's Promises Thou acknowledgst he could not be what he is if he were not even Verity it self Thou canst not doubt but he hath made those promises of Grace and Mercy to all Penitent Sinners which tend to their Salvation and thou canst not but grant thou art sinful enough to need Mercy and sorrowful enough to desire and Embrace it 11. CANST thou but love thy self so well that when thou seest a Pardon held forth to stretch forth thy Hand and take it This Hand is thy Faith which takes hold of thy Redeemer As for that Assurance thou mentions they
following If you add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly Kindness Charity 2 Pet. 1.5 6. 23. IF Thou wouldst be inform'd what God hath written concerning thee in Heaven look into thy own Bosom and see what Graces he hath wrought in thee Truth of Grace saith the Divine Apostle will make good the certainty of your Election Not to instance the rest of that Heavenly Combination do but single the first and the last Faith and Charity For Faith how clear is that of our Saviour He that believeth in him that sent me hath Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but hath passed from Death to Life Joh. 5.24 What danger can befall us in our acquiring Heaven All the Peril is in the way Now the Believer is already passed into Life This is the Grace by which Christ dwells in our Hearts Ephes. 3.17 and whereby we have Communion with him and an assured Testimony of and from him For he that believeth in the Son of God hath the Witness in himself And what Witness is that This is the Record that God hath given us Eternal Life And this Life is in his Son he that hath the Son hath Life 1 Joh. 5.10 11 12. Oh happy Connexion Eternal Life first This Life Eternal is in and by Christ Jesus he is ours by Faith and this Faith testifieth to our Souls assurance of Life Eternal Charity is the last which comprehends our love to God and Man For from the reflection of God's Love to us ariseth a Love from us to him again The beloved Disciple can say We love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4.19 And from these resulteth our Love to our Brethren And such an Evidence we have that the Apostle tells us expresly That we know we are passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.14 For the love of the Father is inseperable from the love of the Son He that loveth him that Begets loves him that is Begotten of him 1 Joh. 5.1 25. NOW deal impartially with thine own Heart and enquire seriously as in the Presence of the Searcher of all Hearts Whether thou dost not find in thy self these Evidences of thine Election Art thou not effectually tho not perfectly called out of the World and corrupt Nature Dost thou not inwardly abhor sinful ways and think of what thou wert with Detestation Dost thou not endeavour to be in all things approved to God and confirmed to thy Saviour Dost thou not cast thy self upon the Lord Jesus and depend upon his free All sufficiency for Pardon and Salvation Dost thou not love that infinite Goodness who hath been so rich in Mercies to thee and bless those Beams of Goodness which he hath cast upon his Saints on Earth Lastly Dost thou not love a good Man because he is so Comfort thy self in the Lord and let no Fear and Distrust possess thy Soul Faithful is he that hath Called thee 1 Thes. 5.24 who will also Preserve thy whole Spirit and Soul and Body blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 5.23 A Prayer for an Afflicted Conscience O GOD the Father of all Mercies and Heavenly Consolation suffer me not at any time to fall from thee or to be swallowed up in the depth of Affliction but when ever it shall please thee to try me in that Furnace let my sure Hope and Confidence be fixed on thee that when multitude of Sorrows shall encompass my Soul my only trust may be in thy Mercies Give me the Oil of Joy for Mourning and the Garment of Gladness for the Spirit of Heaviness that thy great Name may be Glorified by me in a thankful acknowledgement of thy Goodness towards me 2. LORD thou beholdest afar off the manifold Perils and Dangers I am exposed to in this World which is a sea of Miseries and numerous Calamities The Winds blow the deep Waters lift up their proud swelling Waves and the stormy Tempests threaten me with Ship-wrack to the Ruine and Destruction both of Soul and Body But O thou who art the God of Unity speak Peace unto this inward Voice and say unto it I am thy Salvation so shall I be refreshed with thy loving Kindness and Praise thee ever more Amen SECT IV. Remedies against Temptations 1. THOU art assaulted with Temptations And what the Enemy cannot do by Force or Fraud he seeks by Importunity Can this seem averse to thee when the Son of God was in the Wilderness forty Days and forty Nights under the Tempter He that durst set upon the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 How shall he spare frail Flesh and Blood Why should Christ suffer himself to be Tempted but to support thee in all thy Temptations The Keys of the Bottomless Pit are at his disposal He could have confin'd that Presumptuous Spirit to Chains of Darkness and admitted him no nearer to him than Hell but he would let him loose and permit him to act his worst purposely that we might not dislike to be Tempted and that he might foyl our greatest Enemy 2. CANST thou think that he who sits at the right Hand of Majesty commanding the Powers of Heaven Earth and Hell could not keep off that malignant Spirit from assailing thee Canst thou think him less Merciful than mighty Would he die to save thee And will he turn that Miscreant of Hell loose to worry thee Dost thou not Pray daily to thy Father in Heaven to Lead thee nâ—t into Temptation Thou hast to do with a God that heareth Prayers Oh thou of little Faith why fearest thou He that was led by his Divine Spirit into the Wilderness to be Tempted of that Evil Spirit bids thee pray to the Father that he would not Lead thee into Temptation implying that thou couldst not go into Temptation unless he lead thee and whilst he that is thy Father leads thee how canst thou miscarry Let no Man when he is Tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with Evil neither tempteth he any Man Jam. 1.13 God Tempteth thee not yet being his thou couldst not be Tempted without him both permitting and ordering that Temptation to his own Glory and thy eternal Welfare 3. THAT Grace which God hath given thee he will have thus manifested How had we known the admirable Continency of Joseph if he had not been strongly sollicited by a Wanton Mistress Or David's Valour if the Philistines had not had a Giantly Challenger to encounter him How had we known the invincible Piety of the Three Children had there been no Furnace to try ' em Or of Daniel if no Lyons to accompany him Be assured thy Glory shall be Proportionable to thy Tryal Neither couldst thou ever be so happy hadst thoâ— not been beholding to Temptations How often sayst thou have I beaten off these base Suggestions yet still they retort upon
are thy Guests and Inmates to Sojourn with thee in this Retiredness What if the Light be excluded from thee It cannot hinder thee from seeing the Invisible The Darkness hideth not from thee saith the Psalmist but the Night shineth as the Day the Darkness and the Light are both alike to thee Psal. 139.12 5. I may say without dubiousness God hath never been so evidently seen as in darkest Dungeons for the external Light of Prosperity directs our Visive Beams which are strongly contracted in a deep Obscurity He must descend low and be in Darkness that would see the glorious Lights of Heaven by day They ever shine but not seen except in the Night If thine Eyes be blessed with this invisible Prospect thou art exempt from envying those Persons tho they could see all that the Tempter represented to the view of our Saviour upon the highest Mountain All the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them 6. THOU art forced to Retiredness but with what Disposition of Mind and Body If thou hadst a burden'd Soul the open and free Air could not refresh thee and if thou have a sincere Heart a strict Closeness cannot dismay thee thy Thoughts can keep thee Company and cheer thy Solitariness If thou hadst an unsound Body afflicted with the Gout Rupture or Luxation of some Limb thou wouldst not complain of thy Retiredness thy Pain would make thee insensible of thy Confinement But if God have blessed thee with Health how easily may'st thou digest an harmless Limitation 7. A Wise Man as Laurentius observ'd doth much in Solitude So may'st thou employ the Hours of thy close Retiredness and bless God for so happy an Opportunity How memorable an Instance hath our Age afforded us of an Eminent Person to whose Learning we are all oblig'd for that noble History of the World The Court had his Youthful Years and the Tower his latter Age The Tower Reform'd the Court in him and produc'd these worthy Monuments of Art and Industry which we should in vain expected from his Freedom and Jollitry It is observ'd that shining Wood within doors loseth its Light It is otherwise with this and many active Wits which had never shin'd if not for Confinement 8. THOU art close shut up Anchorets have sued for this as a Favour which thou esteemest a Punishment and having obtain'd it have plac'd Merit in that thou apprehend'st Misery Our History relates of one who when the Church Where his Cell was annex'd was on Fire would not come out but Die and lye Buried under the Ashes of that Roof where his Vow had fix'd him 9. THOU art Imprison'd Wise Men are apt in all Events to enquire into the Causes Wherefore dost thou suffer Is it for thy Guiltiness Make thy Goal God's Correction-House for the reforming of thy Wickedness Remember and imitate Manasses the evil Son of a good Father who upon Humiliation by his just Imprisonment found an happy Expiation of his horrible Idolatries Muders and Witchcrafts whose Bonds brought him home to God and himself Is it for Debt Think not to pay thy Creditors with a lingring Durance if power be in thine hands for a Discharge If there is Fraud and Injustice in this Confinement Fear thou a worse Prison if thou wilt wilfully live and die Indebted when thou mayst be Free and Honest 10. STRETCH thine ability to the utmost to satisfie others tho thou art Impoverish'd But if the hand of God have disabled thee labour what thou canst to agree with thy Creditors If they are Cruel look up with Patience to the Almighty who thinks fit to afflict thee with their Unreasonableness and make the same good use of thy Sufferings as if from the immediate Hand of thy Creator If it be for a good Cause rejoyce in this Tribulation and be exhilerated with the Blessed Apostles that thou art Counted worthy to suffer shame and bonds for the Name of the Lord Jesus Acts 5.41 For every just Cause he owns Neither is he less a Martyr that sufâ—ers for his Conscience in any of God's Commandments than he who suffers for matter of Faith and Religion 11. REMEMBER that Cordial Word of thy Saviour Blessed are they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.10 In such a Prison thou shalt be sure to find good Company as Joseph Micaiah Jeremiah John Baptist Peter Paul and Silas and all the Holy Martyrs and Confessors of Christ from the first Plantation of the Gospel to this present Repent if thou canst to be thus accompanied and choose not rather to violate a good Conscience for freedom than to be kept under a Momentary Restraint 12. THOU art a Prisoner Make the best of thy Condition close Air is warmer than open and how frequently do we hear Birds sing sweeter Notes in Cages than in Woods It is thy defect if thou art not amended by thy Retir'dness Thou art a Prisoner So is thy Soul in thy Body there not restrain'd only but fetter'd yet complains not of the straitness of these Clay-Walls or weight of those Bonds but patiently waits for a happy Goâ—l-delivery So do thou attend with all Long-suffering the good hour of the Pleasure of God Thy period is set not without regard to thy Advantage He in whose hand are all Times hath determined a sit time to free thy Body from these Prison-Walls and thy Soul from this Prison of thy Body and to restore Body and Soul from the Bondage of Corruption to the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 A Prayer in Confinement O Holy Lord God who wouldest not the death of a Sinner but rather that he should turn from his Wickedness and live Lord Convert my Soul remove my Sins and frame my Heart Affections and Life according to thy blessed Will Thou who hearest the Poor and despisest not the Wretched Captive visit all that are bound Lord 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 go forth and to them that are in Darkness shew your Selves Bind up the Broken Hearted proclaim Liberty to the Captives and open the Prison to them that are shut up Comfort them that Mourn let their deep Sighing come before thee And according to the greatness of thy Power preserve thou them that are appointed to dye 2. LORD lift thou up my head enlarge my feet and bring me out of all bondage that I may live to serve and praise thee in the Assembly of thy Servants However thou pleasest to dispose of me Let all my Sufferings redound to thy Glory and my own Salvation Give me Patience to endure and a constancy to depend on thee a firm Faith to apprehend thy Promises and a hope to expect thy Saving Health Consider my Weakness and lay no more upon me then thou wilt Enable me to bear cheerfully Sanctifie my Afflictions and make them good to me in the
beset with Parasitical Friends Young Man said he I pity thy Solitude Perhaps thou may'st be more alone in such Society than in the Wilderness Such Conversation is better lost than continued If thou canst but be well acquainted with thy self thou shalt be sorry thou wert no sooner solitary 12. THOU art from thy Country Who is not so We are all Pilgrims together with thee 1 Pet. 2.11 Heb. 11.13 Whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 Miserable are we if our true home be not Above That is the Better Country which we seek even an Heavenly Heb. 11.16 And thither thou mayst equally direct thy Course in whatsoever Region This Center of Earth is equidistant from the Glorious Circumference of Heaven If we may once meet there what need we make such Difference in the way A Prayer in Exile O LORD GOD Lord of the Mountains and Vallies Land and Sea and the God of the Exiled and Out-crst thou dost with much Patience behold Oppression and Wrong until the measures of Iniquity be filled up O Lord behold the pressures of me thy poor dispised and dejected Servant Thy Mercy and Gracious Audience of the Afflicted is neither limited to Jerusalem nor this Mountain every place is equally near Heaven and where ever Men lift up pure Hands and Hearts Worshipping of thee in Spirit and Truth thou art there present to hear and help them Lord thou seest good to permit me to the power of Men to Exercise me yet can they not shut thy Merciful Ear against me O let my Complaint therefore come before thee Let thy word be as the Cloudy-Pillar to lead me in thy Way and let thy good Spirit direct me 2. LORD leave me not destitute and comfortless in my Afflictions Be my Guide and Helper in this Earthly Pilgrimage and Valley of Tears unto and in the Hour which thou hast appointed to take me hence into the incorruptible and undefiled Inheritance which thou by â—hy Power hast reserved in Heaven for all Believers There no hand of the Oppressor can reach and where shall be no Curse no Sin nor fear of Forfeiture Into which no Enemy shall be admitted and from which no Inhabitant shall ever be cast out Lord Hear and Help me Lord have Mercy on me and grant me that which I ask according â—o thy will and that which I should ask which thou knowest best for me through the Infinite Merits of of the Son of thy Love the Author and Finisher of our Salvation Christ the Righteous Amen SECT XII Of Blindness and Deafness 1. THOU hast lost thine Eyes a Loss which all the World is uncapable to repair and thou art condemn'd to perpetual Darkness For the Light of the Body is the Eye and if the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness Mat. 6.22.23 Couldst thou have foreseen this Evil thou hadst anticipated this Loss by weeping out those Eyes for Grief which now thou art destitute of There are but two Senses by which any external Comfort can have free access to thy Soul Seeing and Hearing One of 'em is now extinguish't for ever Yet thou hast two internal Eyes that can supply the want of thy external the Eye of Reason and the Eye of Faith The One as a Man the Other as a Christian. Answerable to which there is a double Light apprehended by 'em Rational and Divine 2. SOLOMON tells thee of the one Prov. 20.23 The Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the Inward Parts of the Belly St. John tells thee of the other 1 John 1.5 7. God is Light and in Him is no Darkness and we walk in the Lgiht as he is in the Light Now the two Lights so far exceed that external and visible of which thou art depriv'd as Light Darkness If then by the Eye of Reason thou attainst to intelligible Things and by the Eye of Faith to things Supernatural and Divine the Improvement of these Eyes will make amends for the want of thy Natural ones 3. THY Sight is lost Let me tell thee what Antony the Hermite whom Ruffinus is not doubious of stilling Blessed said to Learned Didymus of Alexandria that was Blind Let it not trouble thee O Didymus that thou art bereft of thy Carnal Eyes for thou lackest only those Eyes which Mice and Flyes and Lyzards have But rejoice that thou hast those Eyes which the Angels have whereby they see God and by which thou art enlightned with a great measure of Knowledge Endeavour to perfect this and thou shalt not be much discomforted with the absence of them 4. THINE Eyes are lost and the chief Comfort of thy Life gone with them The Light is sweet saith Solomon and a pleasant thing it is for the Eyes to behold the Sun Eccles. 11.7 Hath not God done this purposely that he might take thee off from all Earthly Objects that thou might'st fix thy self upon him and seek those Spiritual Comforts which are to be found in a better Light The Sun is the most glorious Planet the Eyes can possibly see but thy Spiritual ones may behold him that Created that glorious Luminary who is infinitely more glorious than what he Created If thou hast now an Inspection into him more than thou hadst that which thou countedst thy Loâ—s hath prov'd thy Gain 5. THOU art Blind and certainly it is a sore Affliction The Men of Jabesh Gilead offered the Tyrant of the Ammâ—nites to serve him 1 Sam. 11.1 But when he required the loss of their Kâ—â—ht Eyes as a Condition of Peace they will rather hazard their Lives in an unequal War as if Servitude and Death were a less Mischief than one Eye's loss How much more of Both For tho one Eye be but Testis Singularis yet the evidence of that is as true as of both and in some Causes more For when ye take a perfect Aim we shut one Eye as being conducive to an accurate Perspective Yet for ordinary use we value equally these Lights that there is no wise Man but would rather lose a Limb than one of them 6. A Person not less Religious than Witty when his Friends bewail'd the loss of one of his Eyes ask'd them whether they wept for the Eye which he had lost or the Eye which remain'd Weep rather said he for the Enemy that stays behind than for the Enemy that 's gone He look'd upon his Sight with Eyes different from others he look'd upon 'em as Enemies which others beheld as Officious Servants good Friends and dear Favourites 7. INDEED they are all of these as they are us'd Good Servants if they go faithfully on their Errands and return true Intelligence Good Friends if they advise and invite us to Holy Thoughts But Enemies if they suggest Evil. If thine Eyes have been employ'd in evil Offices to thy Soul God hath done that for thee which he hath in a Figurative Sense enjoyn'd thee to
had not been in such an extasie but to depart and to be with Christ is that which raiseth his Soul 35. WHEN Socrates was to dye for his Religion he comforted himself with this that he should go to Orpheus Homer Musaeus and the other Worthies of former Ages Poor Man Could he have known God manifested in the flesh and received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3.16 and in that glorified state sitting at the right hand of Majesty could he have known the Blessed Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Angels Arch Angels Principalities and Powers and the rest of the most Glorious Hierarchy of Heaven Could he have been acquainted with that Celestial Choir of the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect Heb. 12.23 Could he have known the God and Father of Spirits the Infinite and Incomprehensible Glorious Diety whose Presence transfuses Everlasting Blessedness into all those Citizens of Glory And could he have known that he should have an undoubted interest in that infinite Bliss how gladly would he have taken of his hemlock and how joyfully would he have passed to that happy World 36. ALL this we know and no less assured then of our present being with what comfort should we think of changing our present Condition with a Blessed Immortality How sweet a Song was that of old Simeon Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation That which he saw by the Eye of Sence thou seest by the Eye of Faith even the Lords Christ verse 16. he saw him in Weakness thou seest him in Glory why should'st thou not depart not in peace only but in joy and comfort 37. HOW did the Proto-Martyr Stephen triumph over the rage of his Enemies and the fury of Death when he had once seen the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.56 God offers the same blessed prospect to the Eye of thy Soul Faith is the Key that opens the Heav'n of Heav'ns fix thy eyes upon that Glorious and Saving Object Thou canst not but lay down thy Body in peace and send thy Soul into the hands of him that bought it with the cheerful and sweet Recommendation of Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Acts 7.39 A Prayer at the Hour of Death O LORD GOD Almighty I humbly acknowledge my own vileness through the whole course of my Life And seeing thou hast thus long spared me now accomplish thy Mercy in me Be thou my God forever and my Guide unto the end O Comfort me now my Heart trembleth in me and the terrors of Death are fallen upon me give me the long expected fruits of my hopes proposed to me in thy Word O Blessed Jesu who art the Death of death now shew thy self my Saviour Take from my afflicted Soul the sting of Death and assure me of Victory Loose the Pains allay the Fears and Sorrows and Sweeten the bitterness of Death untill in my enjoying thy Presence it be swallowed up in Victory O Holy Saviour who hast had Experience of all our miseries for Sin without Sin and hast admitted us to be Baptized into the Similitude of thy Death and Resurrection Let me now feel in my Languishing Soul the Power and Efficacy thereof 2. O Christ whose Human Soul in thy Passion for my Redeemption was heavy unto Death now mercifully Consider my Frailty who am now at the point of Dissolution O now give me an Invincible Faith in thee against which the Gates of Hell shall never prevail now speak Peace and Comfort to my poor Soul Thou who pouredst out thy Soul to Death for me receive my wearied Spirit to Eternal Life Let not this fearful passage be too bitter to me but be thou ever present with me in all my sufferings O Holy Ghost the Comforter of all the Elect leave me not Comfortless let me be gathered to my Fathers in Peace Bring me to that Life wherein thou hast promised to wipe away all Tears from our Eyes Where shall be no more Death Sorrow Pain nor any bitter Effects of Sin Lord hear me O thou who despisest not a broken contrite Heart have mercy upon me Lord receive my Petitions and in thy appointed hour come Lord Jesus my Saviour and Redeemer deliver me from this bondage of Corruption even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen SECT XVII Of Judgment 1. THOU apprehendest true Death is terrible but Judgment more both succeed upon the same decree It is appointed unto Men once to dye but after this the judgment Heb. 9.27 It is not more terrible than thought on Death because he strikes and lays before us examples of Mortality cannot but sometimes take up our hearts but the last Judgment having no visible proofs upon our thoughts too seldom fright us 2. YET who conceives the Terror of that day When the Sun shall be turn'd into darkness and the Moon into blood Acts 2.20 That day which shall burn as an Oven when all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as the stubble Mal. 4.1 That day in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 That day wherein the Lord Jesus shall be reveal'd from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess. 1.7 8. That day wherein the Lord will come with fire and with his Chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire for by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh Isa. 66.15 16. That day wherein the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory and all Nations shall be gathered before him and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats Mat. 25.31 32. And that day wherein all the kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him Rev. 1.7 3. THAT great and terrible day of the Lord Joel 2.31 wherein if the powers of Heav'n be shaken how can the heart remain removed And if the World be dissolved who can abide it Alas we are ready to tremble at Thunder in a Cloud and at Lightning that glances our Eyes what shall we do when the Heavens shall break in pieces and be on flame about our Ears Oh who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth Mal. 3.2 4. YET be of good cheer amidst all this horror there is comfort whether thou be one whom it shall please God to reserve upon the Earth to the sight of this dreadful day he knows in whose hands our times are but this we are sure of that we are upon the last days And we may spit
in the Faces of St. Peters Scoffers that say where is the promise of his coming Knowing that the Lord is not slack but he that shall come will come and not tarry 2 Pet. 3.4 9. Heb. 10.17 And some may live to see the Son of Man come in the Clouds of Heaven in this last Scene of the World 5. IF so let not thy heart be dismay'd with these fearful things Thy change shall be sudden one Moment shall put off Mortality and clothe thee with Incorruption not capable of fear and pain The Majesty of this appearance shall add to thy Joy and Glory Thou shalt then see the Lord himself descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the trump of God Thou shalt see thy self and those other which are alive and remain to be caught up into the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shalt thou be ever with the Lord. On this Assurance the Apostle subjoyns Wherefore comfort one another with these words 1 Thes. 4.16 17 18. And if ever there were comfort in words not of Men or Angels but of the God of Truth these will afford it to our trembling Souls 6. BUT if thou be one whom God hath determin'd to Summon before the great day of his appearance here is a joy unspeakable and full of Glory For those that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him 1 Thes. 4.15 They shall be of that Glorious Train which shall attend the Great Judge of the World Yea they shall be Co-assessors to the Lord of Heaven and Earth in this Judicature sitting upon the Bench when guilty Men and Angels shall be at the Bar To him that overcometh saith Christ will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father upon his Throne Rev. 3.21 What place is here for any terror since such heavenly Magnificence fulness of Joy and Eternal Glory 7. THOU art afraid think of Judgment I had rather thou wert awful than timorous when St. Paul Acts 24.25 discoursed of the judgment to come it is no marvel that Felix trembled But the same Apostle when he pressed to his Corinthians the certainty and generality of our appearance before the Judgment-Seal of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body whether good or evil adding knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men but we are made manifest to God 2 Cor. 5.10 11. 8. THE holiest Man is not exempted from the dread but slavish fear of the great Judge We know his infinite Justice and are Conscious of our manifold failings And how can we acknowledge these and not fear But this fear works not in us a Malignant repining at the severe Tribunal of the Almighty but a careful endeavour to approve our selves that we may be acquitted by him and appear blameless in his presence How justly may we tremble when we look upon our Actions and Deserts But confidently appear at the Bar where we are assur'd of a discharge Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.1 When we think of a Conflagration of the World how can we but fear But when we think of a happy restitution of all things how can we but rejoice in trembling Acts 3.21 9. THOU quakest at the expectation of Judgement Surely the Majesty of that great Assize must needs be formidable And if the delivery of the Law on Mount Sinai Exod. 19.16 18. were with so dreadful a Pomp of Thunder and Lightning Fire Smoak and Earthquakes that the Israelites were half dead with fear in receiving it with what terrible Magnificence shall God come to require an account of that Law at the hands of the whole sinful generation of Mankind 10. REPRESENT unto thy thoughts that which was shewed to the Prophet Daniel Dan. 7.9 10. Imagine thou sawst the Ancient of days sitting upon a Throne like a fiery flame a fiery stream issuing and coming forth from before him thousand thousands ministring unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him the judgment set and the Books opened Or as John the Daniel of the New Testament saw Rev. 20.11 12. A great white throne and him that sat on it from whose Face the Earth and the Heavens fled away and the dead both small and great standing before God and the Books opened and the Dead judged out of those things which were written in those Books according to their works 11. LET the eyes of thy mind foresee that which these bodily eyes shall once see and tell me how thou feelest thy self affected with the sight of such a Judge such an appearance and such a process And if thou art in a trembling Condition cheer thy self with this that thy Judge is thine Advocate that upon that Throne sits not greater Majesty than Mercy It is thy Saviour that shall sentence thee how safe art thou then under such hands Canst thou fear he will doom thee to death who dyed to give thee life Canst thou fear he will condemn thee for those sins which he hath given his blood to expiate Canst thou fear the rigour of that Justice which he hath so fully satisfied Or canst thou misdoubt the miscarriage of that Soul he hath so dearly bought 12. NO all this Divine State and Magnificence makes for thee Let those guilty and impenitent Souls Rom. 2.5 who have heaped unto themselves Wrath against the day of wrath quake at the Glorious Majesty of the Son of God for whom nothing remains but a fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries Heb. 10.27 But for thee who art reconciled unto God by the Mediation of the Son of his love and incorporated into Christ and made a Member of his Mystical Body thou art Commanded with all the Faithful to look up and lift up thy head for now the day of Redemption is come Luk. 21.28 Ephes. 4.30 13. AND indeed it is thy priviledge since by vertue of a blessed Union with thy Saviour this Glory is thine every Member hath an interest in the Honour of the Head Rejoyce therefore in the day of the Lord Jesus Phil. 2.16 And when the Tribes of the Earth shall wail Rev. 1.7 Do thou Sing and call to the Heavens and Earth to bear thee Company Let the Heavens rejoyce and let the Earth be glad Let the Sea make a noise and all that is therein Let the Fields be joyful and all that is in it Then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce before the Lord for he cometh for he cometh to judge the Earth and with righteousness to judge the World and the People with his Truth Psal. 96.11 12 13. 14 THOU art affâ—ighted with the thought of the Great Day Think oftner and thou shalt less fear it it will come surely and suddenly let thy frequent thoughts prevent it it will come as a Thief in the
Meekness Humility and Patience hearken unto thy Saviour's Lesson Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls And St. Paul earnestly beseeches us Ephes. 4.1 2 3. To walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith we are called with all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love And David gives us this Comfort Psal. 25.8 Them that are meek shall he guide in judgment and such as are gentle them shall he learn his way And Psal. 9.18 For the poor shall not always be forgotten The patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever Psal. 37.9 Wicked doers shall be rooted out but they that patiently abide the Lord those shall inherit the land And then lastly thou mayst say to thy great joy and comfort I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my calling Psal. 40.1 3. WHEN thou art cast down on thy Bed of Sickness Call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray James 5.14 This was Hezekiah's Recipe when he was sick unto Death then he turned his Face to the Wall and prayed 2 King 20.1 2. Pray with David Psal. 6.2 Have mercy on me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed And take the Counsel of the wise Man Ecclus. 38.9 My Son in thy Sickness be not negligent but pray unto the Lord and he will make thee whole 4 IF thou art afflicted in Conscience pray with David Psal. 8.5 6. The sorrows of Hell compassed me about and the snares of Death prevented me In my distress I called upon the Lord and cryed unto my God 5. ART thou infested with importunate Temptations pray earnestly with St. Paul when the Messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him 2 Cor. 12.8 Thrice I besought the Lord that it might depart from me And Holy David he complains while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted thy fierce wrath goeth over me But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee Psal. 88.15 16 17. 6. IF thou art disheartned with imbecillity of Grace use David's Prayer I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart Lord all my desire is before thee Psal. 38.8 9. 7. WHEN thou aâ—t afflicted with loss of Reputation and Slander of Evil Tongues say with the Psalmist The mouâ—h of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me they have spoken against me with a lying Tongue Hold not thy peace O God of my praise Psal. 109.1 2. 8. IN time of publick Calamities of War Famine or Pestilence pray with good Jehosaphat who importun'd God with his Gracious Promise made to Solomon If when evil cometh upon us as the Sword Judgment or Pestilence or Famine we stand before this house and in thy presence and cry unto thee in our affliction then thou wilt hear and help And shuts up his zealous Supplication with neither know we what to do but our Eyes are upon thee 2 Chron. 9.12 9. AT loss of Friends in thy affliction pray and have recourse to God as Ezekiel when Peletiah the Son of Benajah died Ezek. 11 13. Then fell down upon my face and cryed with a loud voice and said ah Lord God! Wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel 10. IN time of Poverty pray with David Psal. 109.24 25 26. I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded within me I became also a reproach to them when they that looked upon me shaked their heads Help me O Lord my God Oh save me according to thy mercy 11. IN Confinement pray with Jonah when he was shut up within the Living-Waâ—ls of the Whale Jonah 2.1 2. I cryed by reason of my affliction unto the Lord and joyn with Asaph in prayer Psal. 79.11 Oh let the sorrowful sighing of the Prisoners come before thee and according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die 12. IN Exile use Solomons Prescription 2 Chr. 6.36 37 38 39. If thy people be carried away into a Land far off or near Yet if they bethink themselves in the Land whether they are carried and turn and pray to thee in the Land of their Captivity If they return to thee with all their hearts and pray towards the Land thou gavest to their fore-fathers c. then hear thou from Heaven even thy dwelling place their Prayer and their Supplication 13. HAST thou lost thy Seeing and Hearing make thy address to him that said Who hath made mans mouth or who maketh the Dumb and the Deaf or the Seeing or the Blind Have not I the Lord Exod. 4.11 Cry aloud to him with Bartimeus Mark 10.47 51. Lord that I may receive my sight And if thou be hopeless of thine outward sight yet pray with the Psalmist O Lord open thou mine Eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law Psal. 119.18 14. ART thou afflicted with Sterility pray with Isaac who intreated the Lord for his Wife because she was barren And the Lord was intreated of him and Rebekah his Wife conceived Gen 25.21 And Hannah she prayed in bitterness of Soul unto the Lord and wept sore and received a Gracious Answer 1 Sam. 1.10 15. ART thou troubled and weakened for want of repose pray with Asaph Psal. 77.3 4 1. I complained and my Spirit was overwhelmed thou holdest mine eyes waking I am sore troubled that I cannot speak I cryed to God with my voice even unto God with my voice and he gave ear unto me 16. DOST thou droop under Old Age Pray with David Oh cast me not off in the time of Old Age forsake me not when my strength faileth O God thou hast taught me from my Youth Now also when I am Old and Gray-headed O God forsake me not Psal. 71.9 17 18. 17. ART thou troubled and dismayed with fears of Death Pray with David Psal. 18.3 4 5 6 13. My Soul is full of troubles and my Life draweth nigh unto the Grave I am counted with them that down into the pit I am as a man that hath no strength free among the dead thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the deep But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee 18. DOST thou tremble at the thoughts of Judgment So did the man after Gods own heart Psal. 119.120 My flesh trembled for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments look up with Jeremiah and say to thy Saviour O Lord thou hast pleaded the causes of my Soul thou hast redeemed my Life O Lord judge thou my cause Lam. 3.58 59. 19. ART thou afraid of the Power Malice and Subtility of thy Spiritual Enemies Use Psal. 59.1 Deliver me from mine Enemies O my God defend me from them that rise up against me O hide me from the