Loâ—â— IESUS CHRIST who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospell Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch thâ—â— as tâ—â— children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe â—ook parâ—â—y the same that through death â—eâ— might destroy him that had the power of death that is the divell 1â— and deliver them who through 〈◊〉 were all their lifetime subject to bondage Revel 1.18 I am hee that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for ever more Amen and have the keyes of hell and death Revel 2.11 He that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death Ioh. 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my words and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Ioh. 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my sayings he shall never see death Revel 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power The Fifth MEDITATION NOw my soul are we by Gods goodnesse come to the fifth step of these our meditations to consider how full of sweet comfort and contentment the life of him is or ought to bee that lives without feare of death and hell Death being in its owne nature the extreamest of evils in this life the king of terrors to every living thing and hell the most horrible dungeon of everlasting torments to the just feare of both which the wicked of the world are every minute subject None but those children of grace here that are sure of their salvation hereafter can live this pleasant and fearelesse life There is a first and a second death the death of the soule saith Saint Augustine went before in the soules departure from God and the death of the body followed by the soules departing from the body the soule first left God willingly yea wilfully and therefore is compelled unwillingly to leave the body Now from both these deaths are we delivered by the Lord Jesus For our soules being by him freed from sinne are reconciled unto God and so exempt from that wrath to come and from the power of the second death for ever And from the first death we are so delivered from it that albeit in the owne nature it be the center of all miseries and a fearefull effect of Gods curse on man for sinne yet to the godly the nature of it is also changed so as now it is not the death of the man but the death of sinne in the man Death saith Ambrose is the buriall of all vices for it is the progresse and accomplishment of the full mortification of all our earthly members wherein that filthie flux of sinne is dryed up in an instant it as a voluntary sacrificing of the whole man soule and body to the Lord the greatest and the highest service wee can doe to him on earth For where in the course of our life wee are continually fighting against our inordinate lusts and affections to bring them in subjection to Christ by death as it were by one stroke they are all smitten and slaine and the soule is offered up unto God in a sacrifice of full and perfect obedience And though this mortall tabernacle must bee laid to sleepe for a time in the grave which is Gods mâ—â—ld wherein it shall bee new moâ—ldâ—d and f amed fit for heaven yet my blessed Saviour who Romans 4.24 was delivered to death for our offences and was raised againe for our justification hath by his most glorious resurrection blessed be his most holy name not onely already made mee partaker of the first resurrection in this life from the death of sinne by grace and on such the second death â—â—â—h no power but hath also by my blessed union with him as one of the sanctified members of that mysticall body whereof himselfe is the glorious head assured mee of my bodies resurrection unto glory and peace for ever and that death shall restore it againe in better plight than ever it was before to bee againe reunited unto thee my immortall soule in joynt glory and immortality for ever And what is this fraile body to mee but my closet or inmost garment which I shall no sooner put off but it shall be sure of repose and thou mine enfranchised soule of joy and when I arise neither of you shall faile of glory O then my soule in this confidence and assurance of our finall peace come let us joyne together in this last earthly dutie wee have to performe of offering up unto our most glorious and mercifull heavenly father in the name and mediation of our most blessed Saviour IESUS CHRIST by the gracious assistance of God the Holy Ghost my selfe the whole man soule and body in an humble faithfull voluntary and most obedient and free sacrifice that hee mercifully accepting the same at our hands I may securely quietly patiently nay joyfully and thankfully depart hence in peace unto the God of my salvation Amen Amen The Sixth MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR How rich and stately a thing it is to be heire of glory Places of Scripture shewing how this transcendent priviledge belongs unto the faithfull ESay 43.6 Bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth 7. Even every one that is called by my name for I have created him for my glory Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome Iohn 12.32 Hee appointed us a Kingdome Psalme 84.11 For the Lord is the sunne and sheild the Lord will give grace and glory Luke 22.29 Therefore I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me 30. that ye may eat and drinke at my table in my kingdome Romans 8.16 The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of GOD. Vers 17. And if Children then heires heires of God and joynt heires with CHRIST if so bee that wee suffer with him that wee may also be glorified together Vers 18. For J reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to bee compared with the glory that shall bee revealed in us 21 Because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the gloriouâ— liberty of the children of God 30 moreover whom hee did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall waight of glory Gal. 4.7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a sonne then an heire of God through Christ Eph. 3.6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heires and of the same body and partakers of his promise in CHRIST by the Gospell Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall wee
Mount Tabor OR PRIVATE EXERCISES OF A PENITENT SINNER Serving for a daily Practice of the life of Faith Reduced to speciall heads comprehending the chiefe comforts and refreshings of true Christians Also Certain occasionall Observations and Meditations profitably applyed Written in the time of a voluntary retrait from secular affaires By R. W. Esquire Published in the yeare of his age 75. Anno Dom. 1639. The Contents of the booke are prefixed LONDON Printed by R. B. for P. Stephens and C. Meredith at the gilded Lion in S. Paul's Church-yard 1639. TO MY DEERE WIFE AND CHILDREN THese private notes and thoughts of minâ— Not worthy nor so fit for publike view I For last pledges of my love consign My neerest deerest private ones to you Three sons two sons and two daughters-in-Law Gâ—and-children eleven Besideâ— those six and five †Non amissos sed praemissoâ— already gone to Heaven Beseeching God by grace so to prepare us yet surviving here We all may meet together and live for evâ—â— there The Table of this private Booke THe Dedication of it to my wife and children The occasion and motive of these exercises called Meditations of Mount Tabor 1 The introduction to those meditations 7. 1. How excellent a thing it is to have all our debts cancelled 8. 2. How sweet a thing to have God appeased towards thee 20. 3. How glorious a thing to be the child of God 36. 4. How happie and safe a condition for thee to be sure of perseverance in grace and salvation 49. 5. How pleasant a state of life to bee void of the feare of death and hell 56. 6. How rich and stately aâ—â—ng to be heire of glory 63. Two meditations formerly composed applyed for a seventh step or meditation of Mount Tabor 79 A Meditation on the Incarnation and Passion of our most glorious Saviour the Lord Jesus and our blessed union with him alluding to the song of Simeon called Nunc Dimittis 79. A contemplation of the new Ierusalem and the triumphant Church celebrating an everlasting Sabboth in the Kingdome of Heaven 84. A Meditation of mans mortality 86. Foure short meditations of the vanity of mans life 87 88. Occasionall Meditations 1. Vpon a sad and unseasonable shower of raine 88. 2. Vpon a Looking-glasse 89. 3. Concerning an extraordinary veile â—hich covered my body at my comâ—â—â— into the world ibid. 4. Of an extraordinary accident when J was first in my swadling cloaths 92. 5. Vpon my breeding up at Schoole 97. 6. Vpon an accident when I was a School-boy 101. 7. Vpon six verses of the 12. Chapter of S. Luke 105. 8. Vpon a Stage-play which I saw when I was a child 110. 9. Vpon the Diall of Gloucester Colledge Clock 115. 10. Vpon good counsell given by a Countrey Painter in homely verse 117. 11. Vpon a Pedegree found in a private mans house 120. 12. Vpon a pedegree found in a noblemans house 124. 13. Of a felon making a comfortable end at his death 129. 14. Vpon the words used in the embleme of our mortality bodie mihi cras tibi 135. â—5 Vpon observing of a grave-stone in Pauls Church London 138. 16. Of a short inscription upon a greâ—â— mans tombe 14â— 17. Vpon three words written with cole in a great Judges house 14â— 18. Vpon consideration of the fifâ—â— muscle of a mans eye 14â— 19. Vpon the name of God blessed foâ— ever proclaimed 15â— 20Vpon the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 siâ—nifying to breath 15â— 21. Vpon the words of S. Paul So râ—â— that ye may obtaine 15â— 22. Vpon a worthy Divines Letter a case of conscience 16â— 23. Vpon the words revealed to Sainâ— Augustine In te stas non stâ—â— 17â— 24. Vpon the building of S. Paâ—â— Church in London 17â— 25. Vpon the reading of a paper â—sually taken out of an old bundle my first going to Stanwick 17â— 26. Vpon the Turkies comming aâ—â— to their roost before Sun-set 19â— 27. Vpon the remove of houshold frâ—â— one dwelling to another 19â— 28. Vpon the casuall hearing of verse in the new Testament read by a childe 199. 29. Vpon the words of a childe intimating the necessity of my timely preparation for death and heaven 202 30. Vpon a fight betweene two Cocks 206. 31. Vpon a childs asking of blessing in the morning 211. 32. Vpon one word attributed to God thrise in three verses together in one Chapter of the Prophet Ionas 214. 33 Vpon the great Clock in Westminster Palace 218. 34. Vpon our last and best home 219. 35. A Dialogue betweene an old sick-man and his neighbour visiting him 220. 36. A hymn for Christmas day upon the Angels song Gloria in excelsis Deo 222. 37. A prayer or meditation for my wife and my selfe to joyne together in our daily preparation for our dissolution 225. Imprimatur Thomas Wykes October 31. 1639. The occasion and motive of these weake exercises of mine following which I call my Meditations of Mount Tabor UPon my reading over of one of the Sermons of a worthy messenger of God and Batchelour of Divinitie entiâ—eled the Life of Faith reprinted in Anno 1627. wherein I found the duty of daily renewing our faith the Life of our Soules by Prayer and Meditation by many arguments of necessity profit and comfort powerfully and graciously pressed I observed a passage in these very words Hearken unto me O thou of little faith and lesse use of it dost thou desire to have a continuall feast to rejoyce alwayes with the Lord I know that thou desirest it with all thy soule Let me prescribe a diet a daily diet without omission strictly to be kept the Lord give thee and me grace to observe it Looke how duely thou refreshest thy body by use of repast or recreation so often at the least be sure to cheare up thy soule by the use of thy faith Let thy soule have two or three walkes a day up to Mount Tabor that is into some retyred place of Meditation and Prayer such as Isaac's Field Cornelius his Leades David's Closet c. But what is there to be done I answer still make use of thy faith But what is that you call using of faith I now come to the point to the chiefe mysterie of spirituall life Stirre up thy soul in this Mount to converse with CHRIST Look what promises and priviledges thou dost habitually believe now actually think of them roule them under thy tongue chew on them till thou finde some sweetnesse in the palat of thy soule view them joyntly severally sometimes muse of one sometimes of another more deeply and lest thou shouldest still think me obscure think with thy self 1 How excellent a thing it is to have all thy debts cancelled 2 How sweet a thing to have GOD appeased 3 How glorious a thing to be the son of GOD. 4 How happy a condition for thee upon thy perseverance to be assured of thy salvation 5 How pleasant a state of life to be void of
also appeare with him in Glory Philippians 3.20 For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we looke for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ Verse 21. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himselfe 1 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not unto me only but unto them also which love his appearing Titus 3.7 That being justified by his grace we should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life 1 Pet. 5.1 The elders which are amongst you I exhort who am also an elder and a witnesse of the sufferings of CHRIST and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed 2. Feed the flock of God 4. And when the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare yee shall receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not a way 10. But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternall glory by CHRIST IESUS make you perfect 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine unto life and godlin sse through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glorie and vertue 11. For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost 4. Jn whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospell of CHRIST who is the image of God should shine unto them 5. For we preach not our selves but CHRIST IESUS the Lord 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of IESUS CHRIST 7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power may be of God and not of us The sixth Meditation NOw my soul are we by Gods mercy come to the sixth and uppermost step propounded to us in these our meditations namely to â—onsider how rich and stately a thing it is to be an heire of glory And this indeed must needs be the most high and transcendent priviledge of all that can bee bestowed upon the children of men who being by nature children of wrath and in bondage to sinne death and damnation are by grace brought to this most blessed estate of changing sinne into righteousnesse death into life and hell and damnation into heaven and glory And how comes this blessed worke to bee effected for us most unworthy wretches but onely by that most blessed Saviour and redeemer of ours God in the flesh manifested who brought us up the first step of these our meditations and so from steppe to step all along to this the highest of heavenly glory For hee is the onely naturall sonne of GOD and thereby the onely proper and immediate heire to that blessed inheritance whereunto hee hath a twofold right one by his eternall generation and so hee is the heire of his Fathers Kingdome in a manner proper and peculiar to himselfe alone The other right hee hath by purchase for by the merit of his precious death and passion hee hath purchased eternall liâ—e for all the members of his Churcâ— whom having espoused unto himselfe by grace wee also by that â—lessed union with him became heires annexed with him of the same glory In the first right he can admit no companion in the second all the members of his mysticall body are made partakers with him O my soul what shall we say to this transcendent dignitie of all truly penitent believers but as the Psalmist saith Psalme 87.3 glorious things are spoken of thee ô thou Citie of God so may we say of every citizen of the holy City new Ierusalem the Lambs wife Rev. 21.3 For God will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himselfe shall bee with them and be their God 4. and God shall wipe away all their teares from their eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine For Psalme 144.15 Blessed are those people whose God is the Lord and are called to this happie fellowship and union with him who is the king of Saints O my soul come let us with all humble reverence heartily love and adore the Lord who hath of his free grace made us partakers of this unspeakable mercy let us rejoyce and bee glad in the Lord and let my heart and mouth be filled with his praises for ever For Esay 1.9 except the Lord had reserved mercy for us wee had beene made like unto Sodome and Gomorah whereas by this blessed Saviour of ours our most gracious Lord and husband the lots are fallen unto us in pleasant places and we have a faire heritage Blessed be the God of our salvation for ever and ever And although all the adopted children of God members of Christ are heires of this glorious inheritance yet is not the same diminished to any one of them for the rich portion of one shall bee no prejudice to another but every one shall bee filled with the fulnesse of the glory of God But withall we are to observe that howsoever in earthly inheritances the father must first die before the sonne come to the full possession thereof yet for this heavenly inheritance wee our selves must first die that wee may possesse the same For our Father is the ancient of dayes the heavens are the worke of his hands they shall perish but hee doth remaine we all shall wax old as doth a garment but he is the same and his yeares shall not faile for he is the Father of eternitie in whom there cannot fall so much as a shadow of change But as for us our condition is such that by suffering death we must enter into the kingdome we cannot see him so long as wee live nor bee satisfied with his image till we awake in the resurrection Therefore should the day of death be a ioyfull day unto us because it is the day of our glorious inheritance Dies mortis aeternae vitae natalis est and as this serves unto us for a speciall comfort in the houre of temptation and day of death so it should provoke us to answer this our heavenly vocation by the holy and heavenly disposition of our minds and affections whiles we live and a gracious and Christian preparation from day to day for the time of our dissolution waiting for it with cheerfulnesse and joy Seeing we are the sonnes of God shall wee not make it our studie and care to use all blessed meanes for renewing his image in us which our former sins have defaced and to serve him in holines and righteousnes all the
by tyrants rage tempted by Sathan made of men a scorne Sold by thy servant arraigned and condemned grievously scourged then crowned with thorne Naild to the crosse twixt two thieves crucified Pierc'd through the heart opprest in soul beside Most blessed Iesu why shouldst thou endure thy precious body peerlesly innocent Yea sacred and holy by the cruell hands of sinfull wretches to be torne and rent Was there no way to expiate my sins but all these torments must be laid on thee O wretched caytive I that did offend most gracious Saviour thou thus pitying me O let my heart weep teares of blood within For these thy sufferings and my grievous sin And thou deare Lord whose love unutterable hath made thee undergo all this for me Inflame my heart with holy fire that I with awfull love againe may worship thee With true repentâ—nt teares and contrite heart prostrate thy precious bleeding wounds before My Lord my God thus crucified for me with humble faith and reverence to adore Hating my selfe for all my grievous sins Which caused those thy grievous sufferings O let mine eyes powre forth whole streames of tears my heart dissolv'd to sighs of true contrition So to bewaile my sins and wickednes and that most miserable and forlorn condition Which guilt of sin sight of the wrath of God desert of hell and utter condemnation Might threaten me but that my hope is fixt on thee my Iesus God of my salvation Thou only blessed Lord canst succour me O save my soule which only trusts in thee For when the people were in Moses time by fiery serpents wounded mortally The brasen serpent was lift up by him that such as looke up to it might not die If such great vertue in that figure were the type of this thy crosse and reall elevation How much more vertue shall thy precious blood afford my sin-sick soule for my curation Then let my humble faith cleave fast to thee Sweet Saviour let us never parted be For when I look up to this crosse of thine five glorious victories my meditation Observes thereon to be atchiev d by thee for making sure the worke of my salvation The law of grace against the law of workes prevailing so to work my liberty Against my sin thy selfe deere Lord made sin that it might righteousnesse become to me Thy death O Saviour mine abolishing My soule unto eternall life to bring And thou the Prince of darknesse conquering that I might still the child of God remaine And lastly overcomming hell it selfe that I might heavens blessednesse obtaine Thus by thy precious death and passion my soules maine enemies are vanquisht quite And I set free now under th' law no more but under grace by thy rich grace and might O let thy spirit of grace still governe me That I may die to sin and live to thee That whiles I live I may divide my time betweene true godly sorrow for my sinnes And faithfull praising of thy holy name from whence alone my hope of comfort springs And so by lively faith being knit to thee thou by thy spirit dwelling in my heart Soule of my soule mayst day by day to me thy spirituall life and quickning grace impart And I by mysticall injunction be Truly though spiritually made one with thee Of which sweet union thou hast made me sure by those maine seales of thine eternall love Thy word of truth thy Sacraments of grace thy spirit of peace inspired from above And so by matchlesse mercy on thy part most blessed Lord and humble faith on mine Thou hast betroth'd thy glorious selfe unto my poore believing soule and made it thine One of thine owne to be disjoyned neâ—eâ— But live in thee to thee with thee for ever Why then should any mortall thing detaine me longer in this vaile of teares and sin Whose whole desire with blessed Simeon is to contemne the world and all therein To lay aside this robe of earth I weare that my redeemed soule may come to thee Whose blessed will is so declar'd that where Thou art thine owne shall also be Call then sweet Iesu as it shall thee please Into thy hands receive my soule in peace When my appointed time of change shall be For which my soule shall daily wait on thee A Contemplative Meditation of the new Ierusalem and the triumphant Church celebrating an everlasting Sabbath in the kingdome of Heaven entitled by mee Halelujah to Heavens King LEâ—ve O my soule this restlesse vaile below Which sin and sorrow by turnes still overflow Raise up thy thoughts to that supernall rest Which maketh all the Saints and Angels blest Who altogether do for ever sing Halelujah's to Heavens King There is erect the Godheads glorious throne More bright than many thousand suns in one Where thy deare Saviours body glorified That body which for thee was crucified Now raigneth with the Dietie In soveraigne blisse and Majestie That sacred head which here was crownd with thorns A crown of heavenly glory now adornes That hand which here did hold the scornful reed Now weilds the Scepter of al power and dread Those feet once naild unto the tree Trample on death and hel in victorie â—he holy citie new Ierusalem Is there prepar'd for just and perfect men With great high wals of Iasper built foure square Whereof the length breadth depth all equall are Of twelve foundations precious stone The twelve Apostles names thereon In twelve gates of pearles a peece on each side three At which twelve Angels the attendants be The st eets pure gold all shining like the Sun Through which the crystal stream of life doth run From out the throne of glory flowing The Tree of life on both sides growing Within those gates of glorious habitation None enter may but heires of salvation The Lambs redeemed his espoused wife Whose names are written in his booke of life The Church triumphant there set free Forever from mortality There live those blessed troopes of purest spirits In such excesse of joyes and true delights As neither eare can heare nor eye perceive Nor can the heart of mortall man conceive Prepared by the Lord of blisse Before all worlds for all of his Who living here the blessed life of grace Are hence translated to that glorious place Where thy deare Saviour keepes a roome for thee Then looke and long for immortalitie Waite his good houre and in waiting sin Halelujahs to heavens King A Meditation of Mans mortality MAn unto whom each houre in changes preacheth That all this Globe earths glory shall decay Believs that doome to mightier creatures reacheth Yet dreames it cannot hold in brittle clay So dull and heavie is his heart in ease To think of ought that may the flesh displease Then neerer come to his dull senses cry All flesh is grasse worm-eaten flowers mans pride It 's true saith he but tell him that himselfe shall die He rather thinks it true in all beside So reason traind to be self-pleasures thrall He thinks that
letter the middlemost the iota out of this one word and the rest will answer fumus smoak which also will teach us another lesson of the vanitie of all earthly things and these two lessons well conned will bring us from the consideration of the two former lessons to bethinke our selves of the last the future tense Quid erimus what we shall bee hereafter That like the children of grace and wisdome whiles we are yet in the first tense the time present we may provide our selves of spirituall comfort against wee come to the following tenses that when wee are to say our last lesson having learned our Christs crosse well afore hand in the present tense of this life wee may by his merits and mediation be finally received into the blessed mansions of his heavenly kingdome when time shall be no more which the Lord of all grace glory and mercy grant unto us all of his infinite goodnesse through IESUS CHRIST our only Saviour and redeemer Amen 17. Vpon three words written with a Cole in a great Iudges house THe noble Lord Chancellour Ellesmere was wont every morning in term time after the dispatching suitors of the better ranck in his great chamber and gallery in York-house to come into the Chappell to publike prayers wherein the meanest suitors might accompany his Lordship who upon ending of prayers came through a waiting-roome downe the staires into the Hall and so through it into his Coach that all petitioners might take their oppertunities to put up their complaints or deliver their petitions to himselfe Those staires being made with severall halfe paces wainescotted on every side to a mans height with a faire white wall above it In which wall in the most perspicuouâ— place obâ—ious to every mans eyes that should come downe the staires one morning against his Lordship should goe to Westminster there was written with a cole in faâ—re large Italique letters these three words Tanquam non reverturuâ— which my selfe having then occasion to attâ—nd his Lordship did read as himselfe and others diâ— or could hardly forbeare to doe they stood so in the eyes of all those that came downe the staires wh â—her some scholler fearing oppression y some mighty adversary wrote the sâ—me to give his Lordship that necessary watchword or upon what other occasion or by whom the same was written I know not But I am sure that both his Lordship then and all that did read it or shall reade this hereafter may make good use oâ— such a memorandum though but written with a cole to make us the more warie and watchfull of our words or actions when wee goe abroad out of our houses chambers or closets even for this reason because we may happen not to returne againe How should such a meditation worke in the Clyents mind for peace and reconciliation and the Lawyers tongue for syncerity and truth in the Iudges conscience for justice and equity in every man and womans heart for avoiding of evill doing if they would but thinke of these few words and consider whether they would speake or doe thus or thus if they were presently to die or whether thus or thus behave themselves abroad if they were not to returne againe to their homes O mercifull Lord God have mercie upon us poore wretches of frailtie whose very memories are so depraved by our naturall corruption that what is indelebly written in our hearts and consciences we wilfully suppresse when wee are about any evill or mischiefe how mischievous soever iâ— proove afterwards to our selves or others Pardon good Lord our former neglects of such usefull meditations of our owne mortality and howsoever wee neglect these and the like remembrances from mortall men give us grace we beseech thee to shew our obedience to the Commandement of our Saviour who must also be our Iudge Matthew 24 42 Watch for you know not the houre 18. Vpon consideration of one Muscle of the eyes of man more then of any other creature IN the creation of man Almighty God intending in that admirable and choice peece of all his workes to joyne an heavenly soul and an earthly body together did even in the frame of that body by that Muscle of the eye give man to understand his owne excellencie above all other creatures which having only muscles for the use of their natures his goodnesse added one to the eyes of man that hee might looke up directly to Heaven from whence his better part came the soule having especiall use of that motion of the eye in prayer and meditation that this power of lifting up the eyes without might put us in minde of lifting up our hearts and souls within to our good God who gave our eyes that motion to that purpose as also that the body was to looke unto and performe service to the Creator as well as the soule and to exercise that muscle in the works of grace as the other are used for the necessary works of nature and withall to shew us that as when our eyes are intentively lifted up towards heaven wee cannot looke downeward or to any thing below so our minds should be affected in al our spirituall duties to God neglecting all worldly things therein and keeping our soules to him alone O mercifull Lord God pardon the errours of mine eyes forepast and sanctifie them to make these gracious uses for the time to come and that both mine eyes and all other the members and faculties both of soule and bodie may be consecrated to thy faithfull service in universall obedience that when these eyes shall be shut up fr m this mortall light my soule may be received into the glorious light of thy heavenly kingdome through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen 19. Vpon the name of God proclaimed IN the 34. Chapter of Exodus it is thus written vers 5 The Lord descended in the clouds and proclaimed the name of the Lord vers 6. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth 7 keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie and transgressions and sin and that will by no meanes cleer the guilty visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children and childrens children unto the third and fourth generation In which words of our heavenly fathers own proclaiming what blessed arguments of comfort are involved for the poore sinner if he consider the severall titles that the Lord hath given himselfe in this most gracious proclamation For though the two first titles proclaime his soveraign dominion and supreme Majestie for our most due and bounden humiliation before the Lord our maker and the last title shewes his just hatred of sin and his unpartiall justice to worke his true feare into our hearts yet all the rest which M. Bolton 349. reckons to seven times as many proclaime nothing but his superaboundant mercy and goodnes to shew us how transcendent he is in pitie and compassion to the truly humbled