or indeed the least sorrow Matth. 27.27 Then the souldiers of the Governours took Jesus into the Common-hall and gathered about him the whole band Ver. 28. And they stripped him and put upon him a scarlet robe Ver. 29. And platted a Crown of thorns and put it upon his head and a reed in his right-hand and bowed the knees before him and mocked him saying God save the King of the Jews Ver. 30. And spit upon him and took a reed and smote him on the head Ver. 31. Thus when they had mocked him they took the robe from him and put his own raiment on him and led him away to crucifie him Ver. 33. And when they were come unto the place called Golgotha that is to say the place of dead mens sculls Ver. 34. They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall and when he had tasted thereof he would not drink Ver. 35. And when they had crucified him they parted his garments and did cast lots that it might be fullfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Psal 22.18 They divided my garments amongst them and upon my vesture did cast lots Ver. 36. And they sate and watched him there Ver. 37. They set up also over his head his cause written This is Jesus the King of the Jews Ver. 38. And there were two thieves crucified with him one on the right hand and the other on the left Ver. 39. And they that passed by reviled him wagging their heads and Ver. 40. Saying Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three dayes save thy self if thou be the Sonne of God come down from the crosse Ver. 41. Likewise also the High-Prists mocking him with the Scribes and Pharisees and Elders said Ver. 42. He saved others but he cannot save himself if he be the King of Israell let him now come down from the crosse and we will beleeve him Ver. 43. He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him for he said I am the Sonne of God Ver. 44. That same also the thieves that were crucified with him cast in his teeth Ver. 45. Now from the sixth hour was there darkness over all the land untill the ninth hour Ver. 46. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Ely Ely lamasabachthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Ver. 47. And some of them that stood there when they heard it said This man calleth Elias Ver. 48. And straight way one of them ranne and took a spunge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him to drink Ver. 49. Others said Let be let us see if Elias will come and save him Ver. 50. Then Jesus cried with a loud voice again and yeelded up the ghost Now then let us be glad and rejoyce to goe to him our Saviour our joy our peace what way soever he is pleased to call us through the most bitter torments of minde or body by weaknesses sicknesses and imperfections and let us be most assured that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2 Tim. 2.3 Let us therefore suffer afflictions as good souldiers of Jesus Christ For it is a true saying If we be dead with him we shall also live with him if we suffer with him we shall also raign with him if we deny him he also will deny us Yea 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions Here have we no continuing City but we seek one to come Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to him in well doing as unto a faithfull Creatour knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in our brethren which are in the world As many as our Saviour loveth he rebuketh and chasteneth Be zealous therefore in the truth and amend and rejoice alwayes that the will of God in Christ Jesus thy Saviour is therein done which is the best for thee Amen X. A fift Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our going from sorrow to joy Isa 17.1 The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come 2 King 22.19 20. But because thy heart did melt and thou hast humbled thy self before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants of the same to wit that it should be destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I have also heard it saith the Lord behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put into thy grave in peace and thy eyes shall not see all the evill which I will bring upon this place this was the great love of God to King Josiah See 2 Chron. 34.28 Luk. 16.22 Lazarus by a blessed dissolution is eased of all his pains sores diseases fears and troubles is called for out of the prison of the body and presently by the happy messenger of death is made fit and carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome where all the elect are in joyes incomprehensible freed from sinne and sorrow forever Amen XI A sixth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our being gathered to our nearest alliance our kindred and our parents 2 King 22.19 20. Josiah was gathered to his fathers in great abundant mercy as I mentioned before See the most sweet and gracious call of the eternall mercy to Moses Deut 32.48 49 50. which I lately mentioned And the Lord spake to Moses the self same day saying Goe up into the mountain of Abarim unto the mount Nebo which is in the land of Moab over against Jericho and behold the land of Canaan which I give to the children of Israell for a possession and die in the mount which thou goest up unto and thou shalt be gathered unto thy people as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor and was gathered to his people Gen. 25.8 The Abraham yeelded up the spirit and died in a good age an old man and of great years and was gathered to his people Numb 20.26 Almighty God commanded Moses to take Aaron and Eleazer his sonne and to bring them up into the mount Hor and to cause Aaron to put off his garments and to put them upon Eleazer his sonne saying Aaron shall be gathered to his fathers and shall die there Numb 30.1 2. Almighty God doth bid Moses avenge the children of Israel of the Mideanites and in token of acceptance and reward faith afterwards thou shalt be gathered to thy people Gen. 15.17 And Ishmaell yeelded up the spirit and died and was gathered to his people Chap. 35. ver 29. And Isaak gave up the ghost and died and
them that goe down into the pit Cause me to hear thy loving kindenesse in the morning for in thee doe I trust cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee Deliver me O Lord from my enemies viz. from my sinnes I fly unto thee to hide me teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightnesse Quicken me O Lord for thy Names sake for thy righteousnesse sake bring my soul out of trouble And of thy mercy cut off my enemies viz my sinnes and destroy all them that afflict my soul for I am thy servant I will rejoyce to work in thy vineyard O my creatour and in the strength of thy mercies will attend thy call to rest as thy most obedient servant Amen V. Comfort Take comfort in a constant thirsting to be dissolved and to be with Christ as his servants are who be already dissolved if almighty God in Christ Jesus were so pleased Read Gerrards Meditations Though death as to us is bitter yet in from pag. 268 unto pag. 302. our trust on almighty God in Christ it is sweet For who keepâ—th his word shall never see death Joh. 8.51 The misery of a Christian dieth but not the Christian man we lose not our friends at their death but they goe before us to the place of our enjoyment of them in Christ Jesus for ever as we may well beleeve Luk. 2.29 Simeon saith Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace And Phil. 1.23 The Apostle desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Rev. 7.9 The elect have robes in token of innocency and palms in their hands in token of victory therein are all tears wiped away from our eyes Ver. 17. And therein is no mourning nor grief nor any cry heard but rest from labour Chap. 21. v. 4. and 14.15 Our blessed Saviour shews the great benefit of being dissolved when his Disciples were sad at it he said Joh. 14.28 If ye loved me ye would rejoyce rather Phil. 1.21 Death is gain The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to his Sonne therefore rejoyce in thy true belief to goe to that judgement For Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that who so beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Matth. 18.14 Neither is it the will of our Father that one of the little ones should perish Ver. 11. Our Saviour came to save that which was lost He takes away the sinnes of the world He died for the sinnes of the world He hath a gracious call for us as Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you He maketh intercession for us and hath blotted out the hand-writing which was against us Joh. 5.24 He that heareth his word and believeth on him that sent him hath life everlasting and shall not come into condemnation O my Saviour I beleeve yet help thou my unbelief and increase thou my faith Eph. 5.29 30. That I may truly and as I ought beleeve my self to be and be a member of thy body of thy flesh and of thy bones O my Saviour in the power of thy might and as thou diedst to save sinners make me holy is thou the Lord my God art holy The dayes of my pilgrimage are few and evill My conversation is in Heaven and I desire to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living When shall I appear before thy face O God As the Hart panteth after the fountain of water so doth my heart after thee O God At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore I shall be abundantly satisfied with the plentifullnesse of thy house and thou shalt give me to drink of the brook of thy pleasures for with thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light Thou O Lord art the portion of my inheritance and my exceeding great reward Thou shalt of thy free love to sinners shewed in Jesus Christ cover me with the garment of salvation and cloathe me with the white robe of righteousnesse where there is no hunger nor thirst nor scorching Sunne Of the fruit of the vine shall I drink in thy Kingdome for thy words are spirit and life therefore shall death be swallowed up in victory and thou O Saviour shalt for thy free merit in the blessed mercy of our eternall Father wipe away all tears from my eyes for ever for thou art my all-sufficient Lord God While we live we cannot hope to cease from sinne but when we die we hope to sinne no more which consideration doth administer great comfort in the remembrance and appearance of death to those that are truly weary of sinning against their God VI. The first Comfort in the pangs and passages of Death First Because the will of God is therein done in Jesus Christ which is certainly the best for us It is appointed to all men once to die and after that comes the judgment Heb. 9.27 2 Cor. 4.14 Knowing that he which hath raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus therefore we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily Ver. 17. For our light afflictions which are but for a moment causeth unto us a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glory while we look not on the things that are seen but on the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall Read Gerrards Meditations p. 109. praying for a blessed departure out of this life and a blessed resurrection unto life ever lasting And Read the fift Chapter of the 2d Cor. in which is admirable comfort in the passages of death that we may be present with the Lord. Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptations for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Then present thy sould a true devotary unto our most gracious Father in Jesus Christ and say with David Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Ps 71.23 My lips will rejoyce when I sing unto thee and my soul which thou hast delivered And rejoyce with Paul Gal. 3.13 saying Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law when he was made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Then gathering thy spirit freeing thy soul of worldly thougths say in faith and true repentance in full assurance that our good God is all-sufficient and that his mercy endures for ever and that in Jesus thy Saviour he hath elected and adopted thee his sonne Come Lord Jesus my most dear Saviour come quickly Amen VII A second Comfort in the passages of Death Take
comfort in this That his mercy endures for ever therefore rejoyce alwayes and in all things give thanks for that is the love of God to thee in Christ Jesus Isa 43.25 Thus saith the Lord I even I am he that putteth away thy iniquities for mine own sake and will not remember thy sinnes Isa 53.4 Fear not for thou shalt not be ashamed neither shalt thou be confounded for thou shalt not be put to shame yea thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth Ver. 7. For a little while have I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee Ver 8. For a moment in my anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer Ver. 9. For this is unto me as the waters of Noah for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more goe over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be angry with thee nor rebuke thee Ver. â—0 For the mountains shall remove and the hills shall fall down but my mercy shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee Ver. 13. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and much peace shall be to thy children Ver. 17. But all the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemne this is the heritage of the Lords servants and their righteousnesse is of me saith the Lord. Eph. 2.8 For by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Sing praises unto the Lord ye his Saints and give thanks before the remembrance of his holinesse for he endureth but a while in his anger but in his favour is life weeping may abide at evening but joy cometh in the morning 1 Chron. 16.34 Praise the Lrod for he is good for his mercy endures for ever Ver. 41. And they were appointed to praise the Lord because his mercy endures for ever 2 Chron. 5.13 And they praised the Lord saying for he is good because his mercy lasteth for ever Chap. 7. ver 3. And they bowing themselves worshipped saying for he is good because his mercy lasteth for ever Ver. 6. And the Priests waited to praise the Lord because his mercy lasteth for ever Chap. 10. ver 21. And they went before the men of Arms saying Praise ye the Lord for his mercy lasteth for ever Ezra 3.11 Thus they sang when they gave praise unto the Lord For he is good for his mercy endures for ever Psal 118.4 Let them that fear the Lord say that his mercy endures for ever Psal 106.1 Praise the Lord because he is good for his mercy endures for ever Read Psal 136. Psal 117.12 For his loving kindnesse is great towards us and the truth of the Lord endures for ever Psal 138.8 Praise ye the Lord the Lord will perform his work towards me Psal 28.21 O Lord thy mercy endures for ever forsake not thou the works of thy hands forsake me not O Lord be not thou farre from me my God Psal 71.9 Cast me not off in the time of age forsake me not when my strength faileth Amen VIII A third Comfort in Death Thou maist rejoyce because blessed are they which die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Rev. 14.13 Say thou with Paul Phil. 1.21 Christ is to me both in life and death advantage Ver. 22. And whether to live in the flesh were more profitable for me and what to chuse I know not Ver. 23. For I am greatly in doubt on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Eccl. 4.12 So I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought under the Sunne and behold the tears of the oppressed and none comforteth them and loe the strength is of the hand of them that oppresse them and none comforteth them wherefore I praised the dead which now are dead above the living which are yet alive Numb 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like unto his the death of the righteous is greatly to be desired Psal â—8 14 God is our God for ever an ever he shall be our guide unto death Psal 116.15 Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Prov. 14.32 The wicked shall be cast away for his malice but the righteous hath hope in his death Love the Lord thy God and therein thou shalt have comfort and great joy in all conditions whatsoever for love is stronger then death and our God will destroy death for ever Isa 25.8 Hear with great joy the word of the Lord to them that love him Hoseah 13.14 I will redeem them from the power of the grave I will deliver them from death O death I will be thy death O grave I will be thy destruction repentance is hid from my eyes Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Chap. 8. ver 2. For the Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death Psal 42.1 2. As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of waters so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appear before the presence of God IX A fourth Comfort in Death Our Saviour Jesus died in pain farre greater then ours and also a most ignominious and shamefull death and all for our sinnes it were happy for us that we could imitate in some measure his sufferings for us because his purity in the least degree or part we cannot He suffered most freely for us contrary to the cry and call of our rebellions even at that time against him when he could have got as much honour in our condemnation and have been rescued from those sufferings by more then twelve legions of Angels He hath willingly suffered to parchace eternall life for us as we ought truly to beleeve Therefore this being his appointed Crosse for us let us take it up carry it and follow him therewith rejoycing that we through his mercy are accepted of him as worthy to obtain and doe his service much more may we rejoyce that we in his goodnesse should have promise to raign with him for ever Amen Besides our blessed Saviours incarnation in coming from his Throne of eternall God-head to take upon him the form of a servant his being laid in the manger not having whereon to rest his head his many weepings and sorrowings for the sinnes of the world Read with true sorrow and repentance that thy sinnes should cause him such a death
though there were neither Hell of his justice nor Heaven of his mercy 2. True love will choose rather to serve our good God in Hell for ever if it could more fully and better do him perfect service in those flames then to be for ever in the highest joyes of Heaven these not to serve him as fully and as truly 3. To desire the eternall and whole conversion of thy soul and body for ever into the everlasting service of thy good Creatour in true love and to finde therein thy true peace is true love Love truly converted into the will of God is Heaven and those that are so converted may be said to be in Heaven upon earth for neither love nor Heaven can here be perfect but although they be still in their earthly tabernacles they have heavenly peace both of minde and conscience which cannot be quite taken from them although here must be no perfection whereby the whole will of almighty God without which either by appointment or permission nothing comes to passe is the true joy and content of their mindes wills and souls The love of our good Father is shown to us in his Sonne Jesus who as it were took satisfaction for our sinnes in his sufferings that his justice being satisfied in the sufferings death and passion of our Saviour Jesus we might have onely the mercy of our good Father to appear before which in his eternall love to us is sufficient for our Salvation when the justice of our good God could no other wayes be satisfied but by our damnation The great and unexpressible love prevailed with the sacred Deity for us when our Saviour Jesus could have been rescued from his sufferings for us with more then twelve legions of Angels and when he could have had as great honour if not greater in our condemnation then in our salvation Let our souls and bodies then with all their faculties be converted into the true love of our Saviour Jesus for ever For His 1. Coming down from his Fathers right-hand from his being God with his Father for ever 2. Poverty that thou mightest be rich 3. Not having whereon to lay his head 4. Wandrings and fastings and prayers for thee 5. Being betrayed 6. Being apprehended as a malefactor 7. Being fasly accused 8. Scarlet robe of derision 9. Crowne of Thornes 10. Being condemned 11. Nayling to the Crosse 12. Cruell thirst 13. Sweating bloud 14. Side stricken with a spear 15. Bleeding water and bloud at that wound 16. Sufferings from his cradle to his grave 17. Bitter passion causing him to cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 18. Lying in the grave 19. Resurrection 20. Now sitting at the right-hand of his Father and in him our Father in Heaven there asking the forgivenesse of all our sinnes of his Father who never denies him any thing Wherefore let us stand at the foot of the Crosse of this our Saviour weeping for sorrow that our sinnes caused his sufferings but for joy that through his infinite love shewed therein we are freed from sinne death and hell and have a place prepared in the power of his might where we shall see and partake of his blessed glory as his elected servants for ever Amen Thou needest not to fear death for thy Saviour hath destroyed the sting of death that is the Devill Read Heb. 2.14 15 16 17 18 verses there 's comfort enough in any condition the words are these Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him which had the power of death that is the Devill And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham wherefore in all things it became him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and a faithfull High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted See an admirable expression of the infinite love of God which may preserve us from despair and may give us true joy from our humble desires to serve him though we cannot desire much more perfectly serve him as we ought Isa 40.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people will your God say speak comfortably to Jerusalem and say unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquities are pardoned From hence is sweet and solid comfort in all conditions An humble Prayer O Lord remember thy mercies draw me unto the Sonne of thy love Psal 139.23 24. and lead me in the way of thy precepts Try me O God and know my heart prove me and know my thoughts and consider if there be any way of wickednesse in me and lead me in the way for ever 5.8 Lead me O Lord in thy righteousnesse because of my enemies 27.11 make thy way plain before my face Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a right path because of my enemies by enemies understand inward and outward of the soul and of the body but especially those inward enemies which are the ruin and destruction of both 31.3 For thou art my rock and my fortresse therefore for thy Name sake 43.3 direct and guide me Send thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy mountains and unto thy tabernacles 143.10 Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God let thy good Spirit lead me unto the land of righteousnesse Draw me O God and I will runne after thee Cant. 1.4 Psal 28.3 Job 7.16 Draw me not away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity I shall not live alwaies O spare me then for my daies are but vanity I rejoice O Lord my God in thy love because thou art mercifull and wilt spare me as a man spareth his sonne that serveth him for thy mercy endures for ever Selah Thou art my good Father O my Creatour thou wilt not punish me nor impute to me my Originall sinnes which descended upon me from the wicked rebellion of my first parents even as my body is from them but the soul that sinneth and doth not look towards thee nor desire thy gracious gift of true repentance it shall die Yet art thou O my good Father wholly and only good and thy mercy endures for ever Selah Thou wilt not punish the presumptuous sinnes and vanities of my youth for thou art good and thy mercy endures for ever Selah Thou delightest not in the death of a sinner O God but wouldst that all should be converted from their evill waies and live Thou art my All-sufficient God of mercy whose will is all things both in Heaven and earth I trust in Jesus thy only Sonne my Saviour
Mich. 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments and his waies past finding out Psal 4.5 Offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and put your trust in the Lord. And 104. 33. I will sing unto the Lord so long as I live I will sing praise unto my God while I have any being Matth. 6.20 Lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves doe not break through and steale for where your treasure is there will your heart be also Prov. 13.13 Who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the Commandement shall be rewarded 1 Pet. 3.16 Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evill of you as of evill doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because be trusteth in thee 2 Chron. 25.2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God 1 Tim. 1.5 Now the end of the Commandement is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned Psal 107.43 Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Deut. 4.9 Take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently and teach them thy sons and thy sons sonns Matth. 5.19 Whosoever shall doe and teach them shall be great in the kingdom of heaven Prov. 28.9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law even his prayers shall be an abomination to the Lord. Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God 1 Tim. 4.13 Give attendance to reading Psal 1.2 In his Law doth he meditate day and night Read the whole Psalm Psal 55.17 Evening morning and noon will I pray Luk. 6.38 Give and it shall be given to you again Eccl. 1.4 One generation passeth and another generation cometh 1 Thes 5.10 Who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdome of this world Ver. 27. God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise and the weak things of this world to confound the things which are mighty Phil. 4.17 I desire fruit that may abound to your account Psal 103.15 As for man his dayes are as grasse as a flower of the field so he flourisheth Heb. 11.16 But now they desire a better country that is a heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Psal 90 1â— So teach us to number our dayes O Lord that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome TEN ADMONITIONS Upon the Ten severall Ages of a Mans Life It being divided into ten Sevens in which is easily to be observed ten apparent changes in our Apprehensions and Desires PSAL. 90.10 The age of a man is threescore years and ten if strength continue till fourscore years yet is that strength but labour and sorrow it suddenly faileth and we are gone ALSO Generall Admonitions for the whole Life of Man ECCLES 12.12 By these my sonne be admonished ECCLES 4.13 Better is a poor and a wise childe then an old and foolish King who will no more be admonished HIS EPISTLE Children MY desire is to speak very plainely to you in a low and common stile that so the meanest capacity may receive and understand my meaning You are they that are very near me in my generation and for vicissitudes and perhaps multitudes of times although to speak properly not much time for our dayes be few and evill you are to passe and sojourn with me in my pilgrimage and as my journey drawes towards an end nearer the grave the undoubted portion of mortality so your journeys likewise become shorter and who knowes the hour of his dissolution for our times are in thy hands O God My accompt is great for you and my care is great of you especially for the good of your eternity and my commands are therefore great unto you that with your best abilities you assist me in it and heartily endeavour to further my good accompt of you in the day of triall let our great and diligent care be so to spend our time that we may live together in the true and perfect service of our good God for our eternity Let us take here comfort in those our friends who are gone or shall go out of this world before us praemissi non anussi who lived and died in the same faith and belief with us and whose lives as we may judge have answered their profession that we in the eternall mercy of the eternall Father in Christ Jesus shall upon our dissolution meet them again Rev c. 2. we being as they were constant in all good duties to the end and never part one from the other nor from the perfect service of our Creator for ever This may be in some part our hope and joy but our great rejoycing must alwaies be willingly and joyfully to submit to the will of God and to his pleasure for ever This is not to be the work of a day but of all the dayes of all our lives for a day soon passeth away and mortality is alwaies at hand therefore beware of unpreparednesse for if the tree fall ill so it lies upon this moment as it were dependeth eternity if then thou hast not oyl in thy lampe the door of mercy is for ever shut and who knows what a day may bring forth therefore seriously consider fill your holy lampes with the burning oyl of piety and watch And know in case any of you become a Parent that you owe unto your Children not only materiall subsistence for their bodies but much more to contribute spirituall things unto their better part their souls and be sure you principle them aright in the beginning of their daies so soon as they can doe or apprehend any thing let it be good and from the true principle of loving and obeying our good God even for his own sake which will conduct us to the right loving of our neighbour I humbly blesse our good God that hath endued all of you with capacities and naturall endowments in some measure capable of the best instructions and withall I humbly crave his powerfull spirit upon your wills to improve them and I trust your best compliances shall not be wanting Be sure you imbrace and hold fast true love one towards another and although you had
Correction is the sweet beams of Gods love to soften us that so we may receive the marks of his saving mercy take great heed thou be not as the Spider upon the Flower that gathereth poison nor as clay to the Sunne which is hardened by it but be thou as wax softned and fitted for impression and as the Bee that gathereth honey from the Flower I advise you to labour much in the Scriptures especially be very perfect in the new Testament they are the medicine of life and in them rightly understood is salve for every sore and sound counsell in all occasions Labour to be a good text-man for Scripture interprets it self although in some places there seems literall contradiction yet the holy Spirit trieth all and findes all holy right and good tending to the all and only good our temporall and eternall peace which cannot be taken from us Psal 34.10 The Lyons shall want and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any thing that is good that is to say they shall have all good spirituall and temporall including in this word good all such temporall things as may be necessary to salvation for whatsoever is contrary thereto is neither good nor profitable but bad and pernitious and therefore God doth not give temporall felicity to all his servants but only to such of them as he knowes with the help of his grace will use it well to his honour and glory and to such it is a furtherance of salvation whereas to wicked men though it be also Gods gift yet it is not properly counted Gods gift to them but evill and punishment not a blessing but a curse not felicity but misery by reason that it makes them more insolent proud and licentious and by consequence increaseth their damnation this is the plain meaning of the Psalmist and accordingly will one Scripture interpret another Again Psal 37.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thine heart What is that think you plenty credit vain honour ease full tables riches c. No no but that in the want or fullnesse of these things you shall rest in God and therein have your full desire that your will being united to the will of God you shall desire nothing but what is sutable to his will and pleasure and wholly rejoyce in your will that the will of God is done which is only good and the best for you Search not too curiously into Gods Majesty and mysteries lest thou be oppressed with the glory of them Take great heed of infecting thy judgment with false doctrine be alwaies most humble in the sight of God and offer unto him the chastity of an inward minde Never cease from good works during life but lay up the treasure of all thy love in heaven and be assured that for thy well doing thou shalt have thy reward of true joy and peace in minde and conscience in this life as a heavenly gift when earth perhaps denies thee any and perfect peace for thy eternity and further know that who doth a work never so good and laudable in it self if he doe it to gain the applause of the world more then out of duty and obedience to almighty God he shall have his reward that is perhaps the vain-glory he looked for a worldly reward but not my reward that is the most blessed and glorious reward of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ a heavenly reward which he hath laid up eternally for his blessed Saints and servants in heaven My wishes to you are that you will every one of you seriously observe my drift herein and that you will not only read and practise it in the best construction for your souls good but that you will teach others so to doe especially your Children if God shall give you any and to this joyn hearing reading prayer meditation blessed alms and charity and all other Christian duties in true love to almighty God for his own sake to your neighbours for his Commandements sake and both for obedience sake unto his sacred Majesty Consider that as one generation goeth so another cometh and it shall be only well to the righteous be righteous then and our good God will surely blesse you and in the best time of his providence will bring us all together to eternall peace in Christ Jesus Children I do not command you to study read or love this book above others by far more learned Authors because of any oratory wit or learning there is shewed in it but because in its right construction I trust it is pious true and honest and comes from a near related heart that truly desires and hopes in the sweet and saving mercy of our good God to live with you all in the eternall and perfect welfare of your souls and bodies when our short dangerous and various conditioned pilgrimages in this world are ended and that truly endeavours and desires the perfect welfare of your souls and bodies and the true conversion of both into the sincere love of our Creatour more then all the world besides therefore seriously consider this and the Lord give you perfect wisdom from heaven in all things Amen Your Father H. M. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Pet i. 2.2 Though infant vanityes doe vs accuse Yet humble innocence our God doth chuse Death watches time time parts with euery sand Death and our time are partners hand in hand And as the sands doe change theire glass Soe I in change my life must pass Advice or Admonition OF A FATHER There are three Ages principally distinguished in a Mans Life The first is Infancie Childhood Youth The second is Manhood The third is Old age The first to be spent in learning from others and therein our duty is to be diligent and love our Teachers For Youth well spent a true foundation is Of an immortall monument of blisse The second to be spent in more laborious learning both from our selves and others especially to know thy self for mans heart is deceitfull doe thou present thy strength unto the Lord For Thou canst not finde a better friend more fit To have thy strength then he that gave thee it The third to be spent both in teaching others and thy self for length of dayes increaseth wisdome and he that truly seeks in time may finde For When deaths pale face appears and wrinkled brow Thou knowst thy aâ—count is near not when nor how Infancy and Childhood Youth strength and hoary age if death prevent not make our pilgrimage Jer. 4.31 FOr I have heard a voice as of a woman in travell and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first childe Jer. 49.25 Anguish and sorrow have taken her as a woman in travell Deut. 12.30 Take heed to thy self that thou be not snared Eccl. 9.12 So are the sonnes of men snared in an evill time when it falleth suddenly upon them
Prov. 1.30 31. They would none of my counsell they despised all my reproof therefore shall they cat the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices Prov. 11.3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them but the perversnesse of transgressors shall destroy them Ezek. 18.25 Ye say the way of the Lord is not equall hear now O house of Israel are not my wayes equall are not your wayes unequall Hos 4.9 Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but the transgressors shall fall therein Psal 45. â—0 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation and said it is a people that doe erre in their hearts and they have not known my wayes Prov. 16.10 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivers from death 1 Cor. 11.31 And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Chron. 29.15 Our dayes on the earth are as a shadow and there is no abiding Job 14.2 He cometh forth as a flower and is cut down he fleeth as a shadow and continueth not Prov. 10.7 The memoriall of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot And 11. Ver. 5. The wicked shall fall by his own wickednesse Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into hell Psal 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thy eyes And Ver. 22. Now consider this you that forget God least I tear you to pieces and there be none to deliver you To God alone be glory for ever Amen Prov. 2.6 For the Lord giveth wisdome out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding James 1.5 If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him 1 King 3.9 Give thy servant an understanding heart O God to judge thy people that I may discern betwixt good and bad for who is able to judge this thy so great a people Ver. 10. And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing ver 11. And God said unto him because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self long life neither hast asked riches for thy self nor hast asked the life of thy enemies but hast asked for thy self understanding to discern judgment Ver. 12. Behold I have done according to thy word loe ' I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart so that there was none like thee before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee Ver. 13. And I have also given thee that which thou askedst not both riches and honour so that there shall not be any among the Kings like unto thee all thy dayes Ecclus 7.36 Whatsoever thou takest in hand remember the end and thou shalt never doe amisse What I say vnto you I say vnto all Watch Mark 13.37 If God at all forsake vs wretched wee Become a prey to our grande enimie Rest with our mother earth and watch the call To right hand loues and joyes perpetuall Adein foule eares tast smell invention sight You haue mee deluded now I see cleare light There is much wisdome and counsell in the Apocripha and in the Proverbs and sayings of wise and devout men Seek and thou shalt finde You aske and receive not because you aske amisse Children this is only my gift of Advice to you hinting some part of duty which by the blessing of almighty God you may in practice make out better with this I humbly pray the Lord give you understand ng in all things for it is not in my power I cannot give you wisdome it is only by the true performance of duty to be obtained as the gift of God A generall Discourse of Religion IT 's too much God knowes the manner of Christians to owe their Title meerly to the Font Education or Countrey their primitive principles much satisfying their proceeding devotions whereas Grace and reason best confirms Christianity by which we are taught not to hate but pity those of carnall and corrupted belief heartily endeavouring their better reformation and instruction Christianity being largely spread and divided and many professors fallen from the native beauty and true belief thereof wherefore we must be very wary to preserve and practise it in the primitive integrity which our Saviour and his Apostles taught the holy Fathers and Martyrs have confirmed and take heed we imitate not the ancient Pagans contemning a pure truth for a poor profession I doe not herein disswade from a just and pious reformation well knowing it 's better to avoid then detain a corrupted principle in which the humble and sincere heart the Almighty guideth and will deliver from those evils and corruptions which I fear in some sort possesse both reformations and reformers either from too much self-inclination or advantage therefore I take it not unfitly warned from violence or warre onely for Religion or belief for whatsoever one hath framed or beleeved another may likewise frame and beleeve therefore heresies will arise so we reade but not that they will be quite abolished there are schismes and divisions in all Religions but a wary combatant may lye unvulnerable under the true buckler of faith where reason cannot faith must lead the way which is not only above but sometimes against it also how necessary then is the contemplation of the attributes of the Almighty his wisdome eternity mercy c. which never admits us to be alone or solitary which is a sweet companion a constant rest repose and comfort Reason and wisdome are co-partners and jewels to be earnestly sought for whereby we learn to read the book of the Creatures Natura nihil git frustra and therein to behold the infinite bounty of our Creator Cast out the glorious likenesse of thy reason To finde the truth both in and out of season To finde the sacred webb that Nature wove Circle from center to the seat of Jove Search all those simple Hierogliphs that read Those secret pathes wherein her steps do tread That was our Makers Character to lead us To truest comfort had not sinne deceiv'd us And blotted out that blessed guiding art That now the most we know is scarce an Yet mercy hath allowed us to search That pains and reason some small part may reach Search while thou wilt and let thy reason goe To ransome truth even from th' Abyss below Rally the scatterd causes and that line Which nature twists be able to untwine It is thy Makers will for unto none But unto reason can he here be known The Devils know him but those damned meteors Build not his
Five thee survive Four be immortaliz'd One more is gone the path of mortall race The rest rejoyce in hope to see thy face Thy Ninth and last born childe our gracious God Diâ— friendly free thee of but oh his rod Some ten dayes after for my sinnes I fear Took thee to joy left me to labour here Labour I will but only in his strength Is all my joy all my eternall wealth About some Thirty three was all thy age Thy worldly trouble and thy pilgrimage Thy five dayes sicknesse needs I must relate As rarest pattern fit to imitate What thanks for grace in thy child-bearing pain What humble yeelding unto death again What free submission to thy Fathers will Either to die or wait his pleasure still What sorrow for to hear of shedding blood What fear least warre should doe more hurt than good So that thy faith thy promise-bearing-pain Confirmes our hope our hope to meet again Another thus IN Infancy thou wert of humble spirit In Youth thy love to piety did merit In Womans years thy neighbours truly speak Thee sober modest studious and meek Loving true peace and all that loved good In Charity relieving poor with food Zealous in duty to thy gracious God Feeding with joy upon his sacred word This as thy years increast did daily grow To high perfection both in deed and show See that when death first had his licence given From thy Creatour by decree of Heaven He stood at distance onely shew'd his dart To see if fear would make thee shrink the smart But finding still the Roses white and red Adorn thy face as they were customed The second day he nearer doth advance Adds sorer sicknesse as his furtherance And finding still thy firm undaunted faith The third day shewes his much enraged wrath The fourth day seeing that no worldly deare Could change thy Christian courage into feare The fift and last to the utmost of his power Without his sting produc'd the fatall hour To the Soul IMpale thy self my soul and circle in thy wandring thoughts from worldly vain deceits Which maketh errours covereth her sinne And perywiggs with fraud her base retreats Darkens the knowledge and bemists the eyes Guilding the pit-falls of her vanities And let thy towring fence ascend more high Then doth the panting ayre or feathered wing So that the Prince thereof may not come nigh To scale the batlings or disturb within But let thy sacred soul most freely breath It self in Heavens joyes though thou beneath And keep out from thy peacefull Paradice All proud and haughty thoughts which make thee seem Better then others in thy darkned eyes When least of others thou thy self should'st deem And take unto thee infant humble blisse For of such vertue the true Kingdome is Keep out from hence all covetous avarice For that 's a partner with the proud disdaine That eggs thee on to cast off all advice And makes thee throw off godlinesse for gain And take unto thee goods most justly got Using this world as if thou used it not Take heed of setting up an Idoll here For that 's soon done before thou be aware Take heed of prizeing any thing so deare As thy own maker fear and have a care Serve thy own Maker thy own God alone Serve fear and love him for he 's onely One Three Persons yet one God our Maker is So holy Scriptures teach us to believe The Father Sonne and Holy Ghost it is True faith the confirmation doth us give No other true belief of Heavens wayes Can man make out unto his Makers praise Take to thy self and truly put in use Those ten most blessed Precepts Moses gave From our Creatour which men much abuse By false construction thinking for to save Thereby their trespasses but alas it 's vaine To think the soul can live where sinne doth raigne Misguided conscience often guides us wrong Yet we no better guide then conscience have If it be guided right by true and long Practice of piety prayer and counsell grave For our good Maker the true humble heart Truly converts and teacheth him the Art Blest and for ever prais'd be God alone Which gives us comfort notwithstanding sinne And hath a store of mercies of his owne A fountain for the soul to wash it in That in the merits of his onely Sonne Our souls appear free'd from corruption Then cast off from thee every sinfull thought And all appearances that evill be What er'e it is though ner'e so deerly bought If it but move to sinne cast it from thee And let thy pious prayers and humble soul Thy earthly passions and thy sinne controule Keep out by thy impal'd and circled guard Hopes in rebellion or by feats of armes Let civill warre for no hopes or reward Move thee to trample on thy neighbours harmes But pâ—ty all distrested and well know The sword 's abus'd seldome reforms below And keep from thee all idle wandring wayes That have no end in motion tend to nought When men seek nothing so they spend their dayes In vain conceits moov'd by a wandring thought And being empty of all good within The Devill ready is to fill with sinne Civill Warre FLy Civill warres what 's good they oft undoe Peace is my Alpha and Omega too Y' trust none hurts me for why none I hate I wish all peace least all repent too late Neuters are fittest men th' unbyass't life Makes a fit judge to end debate and strife Demeanours in severall Accidents and Occasions Life WIth Life remember Death and soon commence to love thy Maker and his providence Health Peace War In Health take Physick Peace provide for Warre fly all excesse and fly the Civill jarre Sicknesse In Sicknesse sorrow not but know it 's best in thy Creatours providence to rest Sorrow When Sorrowes doe possesse thy troubled soule take heed thy will doe not thy God controle Joy Take heed of too much joy and laughing much true serious thoughts doe leave a better touch Affliction In all Afflictions while thy time doth runne with true content say Lord thy will be done Single life There 's great temptation waits a Single life more outward ease oft brings more inward strife Marriage Weddings like winter Sunne at noon-shine bright but often clouds appear and sudden night Discourse In thy Discourse take heed of speaking more then thou thy self know'st to be true before Dispute Opinionated men in their Dispute rather themselves then others doe confute Travell Use words to get their speech but mark thou well their Laws and Customs and what doth excell Study In closet Study where no eye doth see remember God and thy eternitie Forraigne Countrey If thou from home to Forraign parts be call'd take heed thou be not in their vice enthral'd Distresse at sea When raging seas oppresse thy trembling barke Saints have their haven Doves their Noah's Arke Wretchedness Thrice wretched he that humane Lawes must force to doe the right he knowes Sinne. Thy soul from sinnes
was gathered to his people And Chap. 49. ver 26. Jacob saith I am ready to be gathered to my people bury me with my fathers Observe There is no sign or shew of sorrow in him for he might well rejoyce to exchange earth for Heaven And Ver. 33. Then Jacob made an end of giving charge to his sonnes and plucked up his feet into the bed and gave up the ghost and was gathered to his people It is an infinite and an incomprehensible mercy of God that his love in Jesus is to call us in his good time from our disserving rather then serving of him here and that with thousands of fears cares and griefs to be gathered to his servants our fathers and nearest friends in peace XII A seventh Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our entrance into the true communion of Saints By the Gospell we are joyned to the Angels and Patriarchs even in this life much more shall we be united to the true heavenly serving our eternall mercy with them when we shall cease from sinne Heb. 13.22 23. Ye are come to the mount Sion and to the City of the living God the celestiall Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the Congregation of the first-born which are written in Heaven And to God the Judg of all and to the spirits of just and perfect men Ver. 24. And to Jesus the mediator of the new Testament Col. 1.9 The Apostle saith For this cause we pray for you and do desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding Ver. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God Ver. 11. Stengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfllunesse Ver. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Ver. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his dear Sonne Ver. 14. In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sinnes Ver. 15. Who is the Image of the invisible God the first-born of every creature Ver. 16. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Ver. 17. For he is before all things and by him all things consist Ver. 18. And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence Ver. 19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell Ver. 20. And having made peace through the blood of his crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in Heaven Ver. 21. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight 1 Thes 3.12 13. The Lord increase you and make you abound in love one towards another and towards all men to make your hearts stable and unblameable in holinesse before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his Saints Jude ver 14. Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints Rev. 7.9 I beheld saith the Apostle and behold a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands Ver. 14. And an Elder said unto me These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their long robes and have made their long robes white in the blood of the Lambe Ver. 15. Therefore are they in the presence of the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the throne will dwell amongst them Ver. 16. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any heat Ver. 17. For the Lambe which is in the midst of the Throne shall govern them and shall lead them unto the lively fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes XIII An eighth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our ceasing from sinne and the entrance into our eternall rest and peace Heb. 4.9 10. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God For he that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his own works as God did from his Chap. 6. ver 20. Let us study therefore to enter into that rest least any fall through disobedience Into which peace the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus that is made a High-Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec Job 3.13 For so should I now have lyen and been quiet I should have slept then and been at rest Ver. 14. With the Kings and Counsellors of the earth which have builded themselves desolate places Ver. 17. The wicked have there ceased from their tyranny and there they that laboured valiantly are at rest Ver. 18. The prisoners rest together and hear not the voice of the oppressors Ver. 19. There are small and great and the servant is free from his Master XIV A ninth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our going to doe the will of God our most loving and mercifull Father in Jesus Christ without sinning against his most blessed and sacred Majesty In dying we doe the will of God Heb 9.27 For it is appointed to all men once to die and after that comes the judgement Rom. 6.7 For he that is dead is freed from sinne Joh. 14.28 When our Saviour had acquainted his Disciples of his departure from them by his passion they were sorrowfull For which our Saviour seemed to reprove them and said If ye loved me ye would rather rejoyce because I said I goe unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. XV. A tenth Comfort in Death It is the love of our good God unto us to take us away from the evill to come therefore rejoyce at this his gracious call of infinite mercy to that heavenly mansion which our blessed Saviour hath prepared for us in his Fathers house Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions or dwelling places if it were not so I would have told you I goe to prepare a place for you 1 King 11.11 12. The Lord said to Solomon I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant Notwithstanding in thy dayes I will not doe it because of David thy Father but I will rent it out of the
hand of thy sonne 2 Tim. 3.1 This know in the last dayes shall come perillous times Ver. 2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy Vor. 3. Without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them which are good Ver. 4. Traiterous heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof turn away therefore from such Nah. 1.7 Say thou with the Prophet Nahum The Lord is good and a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him In thee O Lord doe I trust let me never be ashamed O my God Amen XVI An eleventh Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is the going to the place where our Saviour is according to the call and being of his servants Joh. 14.3 And though I goe to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there may ye be also Phil. 1.21 For Christ is to me both in life and death advantage Ver. 22. And whether to live in the flesh were profitable for me or what to choose I know not Ver. 23. For I am greatly in a straight on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Psal 50.5 Gather my Saints together unto me those that make a Covenant with me with sacrifice Isa 40.10 11. Behold the Lord God will come with power and his arm shall rule for him behold his reward is with him and his works before him he shall feed his flock like a shepheard he shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosome and shall guide them with young Matth. 3.12 He will gather the wheat into his garner Eccl. 12.7 And dust returns to the earth as it was and the spirit returns to God that gave it XVII A twelfth Comfort in Death Rejoyce in the Diseases pains pangs and troubles in thy minde or body because the way to Heaven is through many afflictions and it is the way our blessed Saviour went before us let us rejoyce then to follow him in it Luk. 6.46 Our blessed Saviour saith Why call ye me Master and doe not the things that I speak Psal 34.19 Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions Isa 48.10 I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction saith the Lord And 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Be sober and watch for your adversary the Devill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist steadfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren which are in the world Remember the love of our Saviour Jesus in his taking upon him our sinnes our flesh c. See his love to us his suffering for us from his cradle to his grave Read the Scriptures See some notes thereof in the title true love to God in this book Psal 119.49 Remember thy promise made to thy servant wherein thou hast caused me to trust it is my comfort in my trouble for thy promise hath quickned me Ver. 92. Except thy Law had been my delight I should have perished in my affliction I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou quicknest me I am thine save me for I have sought thy precepts Behold my affliction and deliver me for I have not forgotten thy Law Plead my cause and deliver me quicken me according to thy word XVIII A thirteenth Comfort in Death Rejoyce because it is our going to enjoy such as were our nearest friends in this life in unexpressible heavenly enjoyments according to our heavenly Fathers will in Jesus without any fear of losing them or those joyes for ever It is our being gathered to our Fathers and then surely to all our friends which are the servants of our Saviour Christ The joyes of Heaven are such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive for that the flesh cannot discern nor punctually understand the spirit Who knowes a man viz. the soul save the spirit c. The change in death is our being gathered to the place where our Saviour is that we may see his glory then certainly no joy or comfort can possibly be wanting neither can there be any fear of losing them any more he is the sure foundation of eternall comfort and a building set thereon cannot fail Hear what St John saith Joh. 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my word he shall never see death God is most gracious his mercy endures for ever he is onely good he accepts the will for the deed if we truly will to obey and love his word although we doe it not Rom. 7.20 It is not us but sinne that doth offend And certainly the authour and actor of sinne in us our old enemy that old and lying Serpent the devill shall in the justice of God to him and the loving mercies of God to us in Christ bear the burthen of our sinnes which deserve and shall have upon him eternall death A fourteenth Comfort in Death Rejoyce For that after a short time those friends left behinde us in this world shall be in Jesus gathered to us to our eternall communion and praise of our everlasting most dear and loving Father with them without offending or danger to offend his most blessed and sacred Majesty for ever Job 14.1 Man that is born of a woman is of short continuance and full of sorrow James â— 14 For what is your life it is even a vapour that appears for a little time and afterward vanisheth away Job 10.20 Are not our days few Chap. 14. ver 5. Are not his days determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds which he cannot passe Psal 103.15 The dayes of a man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he Man is like to vanity his dayes are like a shadow which vanisheth Rom. 6. â— For he that is dead is freed from sinne Ver. 11. Like wise also think ye that ye are dead to sinne but are alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Rev. 15.2 3 4. And I saw as it were a glassie sea mingled with fire and them that had got victory of the beast and of his Image and of his mark and of the number of his name stand at the glassie sea having the harps of God and they sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God almighty just and true are thy wayes
that thou wilt turn me from all my evill waies and give me true repentance from the bottome of my heart so I shall be turned unto thee in true love for thou art the Lord my God and thy mercy endures for ever Selah Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart Psal 19.14 be now and ever acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer Incline not my heart to evill that I should commit wicked works with men that work iniquity Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the door of my lips so shall my mouth speak thy praises for ever Amen O my sweet eternity and my eternall Saviour in thy love to poor sinners in Jesus and for his sake I only beg of thee trusting that in him thou wilt not deny me notwithstanding all my sinnes for thou art good and thy mercy endures for ever And first my most humble petition unto thy most sacred Majesty is that thou wouldest of free and perfect mercy pardon all my breach of Covenants with thee or men as thy mercy endures for ever Secondly To pardon accordingly my vowing and not paying for thou art good as thy mercy endures for ever Thirdly to pardon of thy like goodnesse all my hypocrisie towards thee and man as thou art good and as thy mercy endures for ever Fourthly To pardon all my blasphemies against thy Majesty any manner of way as thou my God art only good and as thy mercy endures for ever Fifthly To pardon all my Lies wherewith I have given thee cause of Anger against me as thou art good and as thy mercy endures for ever Sixthly To pardon all my relations speaking absolutely yet beyond my certain knowledge at that time when I spoke them as thou my good Lord art onely and perfectly good and thy mercy endures for ever Seventhly To pardon all my Oathes and taking of thy Name in vain as thou art good and thy mercy endures for ever Eighthly To pardon all my vain and idle speakings as thou art good and as thy mercy endures for ever O my mercifull and loving Father I humbly pray thee for thy Sonne my Saviours sake and in his Name be graciously pleased to pardon and forgive all the sinnes of all my senses I humbly acknowledge I have been dull to listen to thy commands but most ready and open to receive vanity to the corrupting and as much as in me lieth the destruction of my body and soul For give I humbly beg also the sins of my seeing smelling tasting goings and of all the members and faculties of my body and soul for they have all rebelled against thy gracious mercy to their due deservings of eternall death O Lord who knowes the errour of his heart and of his waies cleanse my soul O Lord from my secret sinnes and deliver me I humbly beseech thee from my presumptuous sinnes least they get the dominion over me O cleanse thou me and so I shall be cleansed I doubt not but thou wilt in thy infinite love to the works of thy own hands and in thy free pardoning of sinne for Jesus Christ his sake give me eternall life with thy servants and wilt not impute the guilt of sinne unto me for thou art the Lord my God whose mercy endures for ever above all thy works Selah In thee therefore I will rejoice A Confession and humble suit for Pardon in Jesus Christ O My mercifull Lord God I humbly pray thee for Christ thy Sonne my only Lord and Saviours sake to pardon and put clear out of thy remembrance that originall sinne and damnation due to me from the loynes and rebellions of my first parents O forgive thou the sinnes of my father and let the sinnes of my mother be done away I doubt not oh my Father of mercy but thou hast of thy own free goodnesse already done it for I know thou art only perfectly good and thy mercy endures for ever Selah O Father I know thou wilt not visit the originall sinne of my fathers upon me Exek 18.20 for that thou hast said The sonne shall not bear the iniquity of the father neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the sonne but the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be upon himself O Lord I know as a father hath compassion on his children so thou hast compassion on them that fear thee O my God I acknowledge that I was born in iniquity and in sinne hath my mother conceived me Psal 51.5 Exod. 34.6 7. but thou art the Lord my God strong and mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquities Dan. 9.9 transgressions and sinnes Compassion and forgivenesse is in the Lord our God albeit we have rebelled against him O my Father Eccl. 11.10 Remember not the sinns of my childhood for childhood and youth are vanity When I was a childe I spake as a childe I understood as a childe I thought as a childe but mercy is with thee that thou maist be feared Psal 24.48 Look thou upon my affliction and my travell and forgive all my sinnes It is the joy of my soul O God 86.5 that thou art good and mercifull and of great kindnesse unto all them that call upon thee O my good Lord I beseech thee for thy goodnesse sake remember not the sinnes and vanities of my youth for only thy free mercy in Jesus my Saviour is sufficient to release me from the torments of their deservings Thou my good God in thy saving compassion and sparing us miserable men from our deservings saist Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evill even from his youth but thy mercy endures for ever O make me not to possesse the iniquities of my youth Psal 25.7 Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellions but according to thy loving kindnesse remember thou me even for thy goodnesse sake O Lord for thou art my hope O Lord even my trust from my youth O God thou hast taught me from my youth even untill now therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works I desire most humbly to live if it were thy blessed will from this moment eternally in thy perfect service O my God I must acknowledge and confesse that my heart my will my waies my words and actions have been evill from my youth the leprosie of my sinne is only cureable by the blood of my Saviour that infinite pledge of thy blessed mercy therefore O my good God give me a lively faith to apply it to all my wounds as thou my God art only good and from thee only is the will and the deed of true faith and repentance Amen O my Father Remember not the sinnes of my man hood and riper years I acknowledge O my God when I call to minde my breach of promises and Covenants both with thee
my God and man which I have solemnly made and taken I have promised to thy sacred Majestie my unworthy service though but the least part of my dutie upon condition to receive mercy from thee which in particular thou hast been gratiously pleased as I may judg to give me but I alas have wholly left undone my promise with thee so that surely I admire thy patience that thou hast not ere this cast me into hell amongst thy enemies Thou hast of thy free mercie given me time of repentance I trust thou wilt in thy great goodnesse give me true repentance it self even such as thou wilt not despise O give it me for thy mercies sake O my Creatour as thou lovest sinners in Jesus and hast mercie for the works of thy own hands give me true and saving grace lead and draw me to thee in true repentance Lord thy long-suffering and patience to me doth give me some hope of thy electing me to mercie O give me the full assurance of it by a true and a lively faith Open thou I most humbly pray for Christ Jesus his sake my dark and closed eyes so that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law blesse me O my Father in not imputing sinne unto me for man liveth not by bread only but by every word of thy mouth O God What is man that thou art mindefull of him Psal 8.4.144.3.89.5 or the Sonne of man that thou visitest him Lord what is man that thou regardest him or the Sonne of man that thou thinkest upon him Behold thou hast made my daies as a hand-breadth and my age as nothing in respect of thee surely every man in his best estate is altogether vanitie When thou O God with rebukes dost chastise man for sinne as a moth his beauty doth consume surely every man is vanity Doubtlesse man walketh in a vain shadow he disquieteth himself in vain he heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them And now Lord what wait I for my hope is even in thee deliver thou me from all my transgressions Who can withstand thy chastenings surely every man living is vanitie Selah O my God I humbly beseech thee for my Saviour Jesus Christ his sake and in thy love through him to poor wretched and miserable sinners forgive all my Oathes and my hypocrisie towards thee or man all my blasphemies lies false and doubtfull speeches my vanities and offendings of thee by thought word and deed O let thy sweet free and saving mercy forgive all my secret sinnes and from my presumptuous sinnes good Lord deliver me least they get the dominion over me I humbly beseech thee seeing sinne must raigne in this my earthly tabernacle give me grace and strength I humbly crave of thy most sacred Majestie that I may submit unto it unwillingly as to the subjection of a cruell Tyrant not willingly with joy and comfort as to a lawfull Prince Give me grace and strength I most humbly pray with Ephraim to bemoane my self in secret and truly desire to be released from the cruell oppression of this Tyrant to be dissolved and be with thee my only joy and peace that I may serve thee as thy faithfull servants and never offend against thee any more Amen I beseech thee O my Saviour and my God for the whole remainder of my life that yet I have to live under the Sunne remember not thou against me my former iniquities but make haste and let thy tender mercies prevent me that I offend not against thee nay I doubt not in Jesus but thou my mercifull God wilt of thy free goodnesse prevent me Psal 27.11.86.11 Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a right path because of my enemies Teach me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy truth knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy Name Turn away mine eies from vanity and quicken me in thy way 119.37 Stay my steps in thy pathes that my feet doe not slide Shew me thy waies O Lord and teach me thy pathes for all thy pathes O Lord are mercie and truth unto such as keep thy Covenants and thy testimonies O my God I plainly see my evill and my sinne the bitternesse of my waies are before me I must judge and condemne my self for the least sinne guilty of infinite punishment even as thou the Lord my God whom I offend and rebell against thereby art infinite But O what then is the due desert from thy severe justice for those innumerable heapes of wickednesse and transgressions which momentarily increase upon me through my corruption wherewith I have provoked thee to anger and which continually call for judgment for my eternall destruction as my due deserts Although I see no way of pardon without great fears and doubts yet I will delight my self in the mercies of thee my God and commit my waies unto thee my Redeemer for I know thou wilt bring it to passe I humbly beseech thee O my Father my hope my joy the onely rest and peace of my eternitie guide me and lead me in the perfect way of thy blessed service as thy true and faithfull servant from this moment for ever O leave me not nay I doubt not in Jesus but thou wilt ever guide and not leave me untill I be in the house of thy love in the place of thy rest which thou O my Father in thy infinite love hast prepared for thy servants untill the door be shut that I cannot return unto my own vanities againe even so come O my Father in Jesus Come quickly Amen A Prayer O thou that hearest prayers unto thee shall all flesh come look upon our Saviour and our mercy and let not our unworthy prayers offend thee O Almighty and our all-sufficient Lord God whose will is all things both in Heaven and earth who art only good and whose mercy endures for ever to thee the grave is open and from thee there is no covering for destruction thou stetchest out the North over the empty place and hangest the earth upon nothing thou bindest thy waters in the clouds and the clouds are not broken under them thou holdest back the face of thy Throne and spreadest the clouds upon it Thou hast set bounds to the waters untill the day and night come to an end The pillars of Heaven tremble and quake at thy reproof the sea is calm by thy power and by thy understanding thou smitest the pride thereof Thy spirit hath garnished the Heavens and thy hand hath formed the crooked serpent Loe these are part of thy waies O mighty God but how little a portion have we of thee and who can understand thy fearfull power Thou art the God of the spirits of all flesh great art thou O Lord and most worthy to be praised thy greatnesse is incomprehensible Thou good Lord be mercifull to all us that desire or would at least both desire and fully prepare our whole hearts to seek and
saved where then shall wretched sinners appeare Beleeve not every spirit but prove the spirits if they be of God Do not understand that thou maist beleeve but beleeve that thou maist understand Faith is the assurance or substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seene Lord what I have been pardon what I am amend what I shall be direct Those sharpe corrections which the body wound if rightly used do make the soul more sound The sweetest Comfort AS a deare Mother comforteth her Son whom she hath borne So will I helpe and comfort thee at evening and at morne Isa 63.13 Nay though a Mother should forget compassion to have Yet is my mercy towards thee even when thou canst not crave Isa â—9 15 Colos 3.4 When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory Ver. â— Mortyfie therefore your members which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse the inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is colatry Ver. 6. For the which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience Ephes â— 3 But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you Ver 4. As it becometh Saints neither filthynesse neither foolish talking neither jesting which are things not comely but rather giving of thankes Mark 7.21 For from within even out of the heart of man proceed evill thoughts adulteries fornications murthers Ver. 22. Thefts covetousnesse wickednesse deceit uncleannesse or wantonnesse a wicked eye back-biting pride foolishnesse Chap. 4. ver 1â— The lusts of the world and the flesh enter into the heart and choake the Word and it is unfruitfull Therefore in true zeal and faith pray O Lord my God for Christ Jesus his sake Matth. 6.13 Leade me not into temptation but deliver me from evill Endure thou with patience and in the strength and mercy of thy Saviour resist thy temptations wherewith the world the flesh and the Devill joyne in desire to destroy thee Jam. 1.12 For blessed is the man that endureth temptations Ver. 13. For when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Let no man say when he is tempted that he his tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evill neither tempteth he any man 1 Cor. 10.13 Know that there hath no temptation taken you but such as appertaineth to man and God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted above that you be able but will even give the issue with the temptation that you may be able to beare it Selah 1 Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soul 2 Tim. â— 2â— Flee also from the lusts of youth and follow after righteousnesse faith love and peace with all them that call on the Lord with pure hearts Amen The Sunne that 's set may rise againe and freshly gild his glorious traine But man is sicke and dies and where are all his pleasures priz'd so deare Yet a ter some few times are past he shall receive a raising blast Eccl. 7.2 Who can tell man what 's good at need in his vaine life and daies Or who shall after him succeed his works and all his waies I see Eccl. 4.8 most vaine of vanities which to relate breed's fear One spares no toyles no paines nor lies for wealth yet hath no Heire Mat. 25.26 c. O humbly begge of God most high that he would give thee grace To use thy Talent in the way of his just Stewards race Job 7 7. Remember well thy brickle life thy bubble shade-like spanne Hast fit thee for eternity ' gainst these few sands be runne Prov. 13.7 8 9. Two things I humbly begge my God do not thou me deny Before thou strike me with thy rod before I fall and die Put farre from me all vanities and all dissembling lies Feed me with food convenient thy lawes to exercise Least I be full and thee deny and say who is the Lord Least I be poor and steale and take thy Name in vaine O God Amen as is thy good will in Jesus Of worldly rest It 's good to want fly fullnesse here least here thou hast thy fill Of worldly wish that without care thou doest or good or ill For good so done is wickednesse if from a maxime right It be not with true humblenesse to God as in his sight Take heed therefore of worldly things whatever doth appeare To make thee say for they have wings it 's good for to be here Least so thou say Know it is good to fly the vaine excesse For outward joyes at highest flood are full of emptinesse Then fill thy soul with wisdome pure and thou shalt plainly see That 's onely good that doth assure good of eternity The Devill hath a secret snare in all our thoughts words and actions a tare at least among the Corne Therefore watch and care to prevent him at your perill On the L M.W. dying in Child-bed the Infant living My dearest Childe the daily growing love Of thy deare Father will not have thee stay To beate impetuous waves like wandering dove From worldly tumults I will take away My sweetest lilly yet least no Phaenix be I l'e leave a root a little branch of thee That hence may grow such fruit as thou didst beare Such hopes of piety such vertuous flowers Such innocence such humble waies to share Such piety adorn'd thy daies and houres Such full preparednesse for heavenly joyes That wrong it were to put thee off with toyes Therefore my dearest welcome to thy houre Let all my Angels shew there glad rejoyce Let thine alli'd who are and are to come Then thankes and praise send forth in joyfull voice For well you know my dearest onely Sonne No longer suffr'd then his work was done So all my Children if I take them thence Where sin doth raigne where sorrowes multiply If of my love I make them soone commence Their lasting blisse their joy eternally This they must know to be their onely good Thus would I have my actions understood Another on the same L.M.W. CAn dearest love more to the life appear Then when the Child beset with mortall dread When outward meanes will not preserve from fear Sorrow and sin will not be vanquished To take the most assured change of death Which unto Saints is perfect life and breath For in this life we nothing perfect have But sin and sorrow which bespot the soul And since our great Creatour will her save From sin which in us doth his Image foule His will be done and his dispose be blest Most due it is that we therein should rest Knowing assured here is no abide Nor solid dwelling here to habit in As Saints have gone before the Gate is wide We shall succeed her if not barr'd by sinne Then shall we meet and perfect blisse partake
did with them conspire To give us constant and most vigorous health And flowing springs beyond their hearts desire Of relishing the height of earthly wealth Though Prelates Princes greatest amongst men Who set the worlds beliefe and actions Be fram'd in heart to serve us and let then Our mindes be freed from all distractions And let our vast imaginations Be fill'd with pleasures and with plenty store So that our hearts can wish no alteration Nor can conceive how to have any more Thus when our thoughts are fully at a stand And can no higher raise our happy state Do but remember that this great command Each moment Shortens till 't be terminate And till it may be said the time is past The thousand yeares are ended long agoe He long commanded all but yet at last Death loos'd his holde and quickly took him froe His fond delights his foolish vanities Things onely good to him that giveth well Their sweet refreshments to their Makers praise And in true use of them the vaine excell Alas poor soul what comfort will it give When gastly death sore sicknesse or distresse Call's for account and saith thou must not live But must forth with prepare in readinesse A reckoning just how thou hast ordered And us'd thy Talent for thy Masters gaine If thou thy fellowes have not murthered Or his poor creatures for thy lusts have slaine If by false Oathes or foul hypocrisie Thou hast deceiv'd or hurt or gain'd or spoil'd Thy honest neighbour as thy enemy And thus thy Countries peace by warre imbroil'd If thou be guilty of a double tongue And such a lying lip as Heaven hates How canst thou hope to live the Saints among Want of true Oyl will fasten Heavens gates Most firm against thee when the fatall thred Of life is cut and when thy soul would rest In Heavens joyes as in a pleasant bed There'l be no room for those that held it best To have their portion and their fill below And said unto their souls take here thy ease And valued not their Makers will to know Nor did regard our sacred God to please But let 's proceed my soul for to compare Great things with small or rather all with nought That which we shall be with that which we are Which if but rudely known it 's well we sought We are poor earthy wormes as plants we grow And as the beasts our bodies doe decay Nay they exceed us they nor set nor sow Nor piercing sorrows takes their rest away Their senses farre more quick their bodies strong Their souls not subject to the due of sinne For they die as their bodies so along We think it's life not soul which doth keep in The vegetative life that is in Plants And sensitive that other Creatures have But Man is Lord of all or else he vaunts himself too high too much above the grave Of all the rest that sojourn here below Their times appointed and the same as his Onely with reason God did us endowe And from the Beasts our difference is this If we by crooked and uneven wayes Of sinfull walkings and rebellions Doe not destroy our selves we spend our dayes In true subduing our plantations And well command as God did first appoint And use our fellow creatures to refresh Our wearied mindes and bodies to anoint With oyl of joy and food of thankfullness But yet a little further to proceed To finde on earth what thing is onely good Suppose what can be possible wee 'd neede Though reason will not so be understood Suppose that the least shadow of delight Wherein we have ten thousand years to come Were full as much and of as great a weight As twice ten thousand years when time is gone Eternity gives thousands thousands years Against each moment of the longest time And having worne it out it well appears No whit diminisht still it is a crime To say it 's shorter for that cannot be When time 's worn out and years thus multiplied It 's all one still it 's still eternity It s still as wide a gulf it 's never satisfied Then see how vainely are our lives spun out If time doe end upon us unsuspected And if it may be said that without doubt What is most needfull is the most neglected Yet in my reason I can scarce believe But well spent dayes should greater honour have Then smallest infants whom none doe relieve But use their Mothers bowels for their grave And so for all degrees of knowledge sound That men attain to can it be for nought That some sit high and others plough the ground I cannot herein six my wandring thought But must presume that the eternall blisse Which we soon shall enjoy in our belief When we part hence to one farre greater is Then to another yet nor care nor grief Can seize of any who admitted are To be ingulpht in the eternall joy Hence great is comfort yet I think to spare My wandring thoughts least thereby I annoy My truest peace which is my full belief And setled grant of mercy from above That the eternall light doth shew his truth To all mens souls if with obedient love Their eyes but see it with a watchfull care And right improve it in each action Which to the soul a height of mischiefs are Changing our peace into distraction But specious shewes deludings of pretence Speak what they will destructive are and vaine If they delude the minde deceive the sense Or doe but move from the eternall gaine The high employment of the soul is love To her Creatour much beyond all sense Of Wisdome Arts and Knowledge farre above Both study wit and long experience Hath circled to it self the light divine As we may judge beyond all limitation And in its freedome gloriously doth shine Beyond the reach of her imagination While it 's imprisoned in the clayie bonds Of earthly mansion with defiled hue It dully moves as wanting feet or hands For its pure freedome which to it is due Of its Creatours gift so soon as when It separated is from earthy clay And is endu'd beyond the gift of men And beggs of none but of its God who may And will relieve its wants with purest aid This beeing hope and full assurance Hold fast to care and caring be afraid Least smiling sinne get thy inheritance And catching thee in snares of wickednesse Thirsty for earthy bubbles in a rage Chusing no mean but loving all excesse With Esau sell for messe of poor pottage Thy glorious birth-right to thy Fathers joy And heavenly Kingdome ever permanent And so in sinne and grief and sad annoy With everlasting woe thou must lament Here stay a little let us count a while With nature uncorrupted and with reason Reason condemns her for a Mistris vile And charges her with little lesse then treason If she afford to men long life and dayes And fitting organs for the soul to act And gain a height of knowledge to the praise Of their Creatour by
the glorious fact Of constant warfare and doth thereby gaine The blessed way to living streames of life It seemes but labour lost and all in vaine That she hath hazarded by eager strife To gain no more amidst the many years Which she hath run in danger of the goale Then she might fully had sans cares and fears If she from mothers wombe without controle Had been prevented by the tender knees And breasts had not afforded Childrens food And secret helps which onely nature sees Had been by her denyed that understood How vain it was for me to venture on So long a voyage from security When I was safe and setled well upon As good a stoole as ripe maturity Could give unto me yea and better farre For that the hazard of so long a time Is infinite if they no better are That have in holy strife oppos'd the crime That watcheth every moment to destroy Them in their passage if when best is done They have no more then without this annoy They'd not been born nor had not seen the Sunne Or that had nought to doe with time or age What reason is' t such should have like perfection With those who well doe spend their pilgrimage Hating all sinne by Heavens good direction It must not so be thought that ought in vaine Is done by nature reason is the eye That tells us it and shewes unto us plaine Nature doth nought but hath a reason why For if but die and live but end and enter Into the blisse of high eternity In perfect measure full as those that venture The longest life No! wherefore should it be To wish a moment of imployment here As earthly Pilgrims onely hazarding What sure before we had as 't doth appear Most void of gain though in well ordering This reason forc'd me to but still I must My quiet in my souls belief permit What it doth truly dictate is most just And perfect rule of the most sacred spirit If through devout and wary walking here We have of our Creatours grace obtain'd This holy Spirit from our blest Saviour deare As his last Legacy to us remain'd But O how blest a thing it is to see That our immortall souls possessed are Upon our entrance on Eternity Of perfect joyes and more without compare Then we are capable to comprehend While we are wrapped in this mansion What then shall be our height when we ascend And perfect are at resurrection This we refer to the Creatours will And joy that it and onely it is done And pray that we converted from all ill May in perfection ever serve his Throne Thrice happy moments which engrosse the soul Which circle it from all the worlds assaults Which doe ingraspe it and which doth controule The foul attempts proceeding from the vaunts Of fierce temptations ravishing all sense And singling out the soul unto it self While it in blisse his Ever doth commence And of all vanities is clear bereft Blest are those soul-contents and raptures high Which thus our sacred spirits do possesse And blessed is the soul eternally That so doth leave all sinne and wickednesse And thence is entertain'd amongst the Saints A listed servant to his sacred love Where though degrees yet none complains of wants But all are filled with the holy dove And thereby fitted in perfection To serve the high and uncontrouled good And this from perfect mercies free election Which by his Spirit 's onely understood But now me thinks I see a vanity Above what tongue can speak or heart conceive Desires great beyond humanity Beyond the blessed rules our God did give The longing thirsty wishings of those men Are for terrestriall shadowes seeming goods Which false deluding pleasures are but when The body 's strong the soul 's beneath the floods Of vain deceits which no enjoyment have Out of this body yet doth hazard much Losse of eternall good if they enslave Themselves into the company of such To their last home to their eternity I cannot judge but they most certainly Passe hence into eternall misery Then O my soul make it thy chiefest care Since most of multitudes are thus deluded It doth not fall to thy unhappy share With most of men from peace to be excluded For truly I conceive the knowing will And thirsty wish of earthly things and vaine Is perfect hell as freedome from all ill And full content is perfect Heavens gaine What multitudes of wretched men I finde Some fiercely thirsting after flesh and blood Others lye gaping for the empty winde Of worldly honour and ambitious food Others do covet earth of every kinde So that I see and sigh to see mans face Thus desperately turned to his woe And must beware least this unhappy race Of wicked mortals lead me wrong to goe Well I must try and well must weigh my soule I must examine all my secret selfe My words my wayes my works I must controule Least they me of my hoped blisse bereave Which best is done by contemplation In private place from troubles of this life And where thou findes by self-examination Wants in thy self fly on with eager strife To true repentance gainst all enemies That shall oppose thy good intent herein And hate the voice of all deceitfull lies Which would excuse or seem to hide thy sinne Goe quick about this work for sinne doth grow 'Till true repentance kill it at the roote It 's hard to get yet penitents do know It is obtain'd by prayer and earnest suite And must be had else the whole fault is ours It is our crooked wayes that holds us out Our want of truth doth keep from us the showers Which would with garlands deck us round about Take heed least death this needfull balme prevent This happy salve that cures the soul of sinne ' Least point of time if th' messenger be sent As the tree falls so Ever doth beginne True reason makes up for us our accounts And shews how empty fond allurements are And how the least that we may hope surmounts The most we can expect from earth by farre In this passage to make thy soul secure Let thy chief entertainments be thy paines And count it greatest joy and highest pleasure And that there 's nought sufficient for the gaines Of well preventing such a hazard great Count nothing long count nothing misery To gain by winters cold by summers heat A happy Ever and Eternity Then doubt not but thy care shall be respected Thy pains shall bring a hundred sold increase Thy debts are paid thou need 's not be dejected Thy Saviours pains hath purchased thy ease Now thou maist truly will to be dissolved To be with Christ thy Saviour most dear Of all thy doubts thou here shalt be resolved This ends disputes this puts an end to fear Then love long life and love those many dayes That like ripe fruit makes thee securely fall Into that passage which to thy Makers praise Being duly entred secures thee from thrall And thee delivers for
Give thou O God and frame thy servant thankfully to see his yearly gain for his hourly service his eternall joy for his temporall grief the infinite rest from his finite sufferings How fit is it O my Father that I should as well suffer as raigne with my Saviour and to know that the present afflictions of this life are unworthy of the joyes that in thy most free and gracious mercy shall be revealed and given unto me O my good Father give unto me thy most evill deserving childe all those sweet and blessed scourges crosses and afflictions even whatsoever is necessary and needfull to frame my impersect soul and body fit for thy eternall and most perfect service And truly O my Father although I were to have of thy justice my self-condemning sentence to all eternity so soon as this life is ended yet my serious thoughts would not make choice to spend my time in sinfull vain delights but would rather choose thy fatherly chastisement and corrections temporall although they also were to be as I deserve eternall for thy corrections as all that proceedeth immediately from thee my God are sweete they sad the countenance thereby making the heart better I submit wholly to thy will O my eternall Good To be thy servant is my Heaven for thou art the Lord my God and I am thine Thou art the will and the deed O my God guide me for thy Names sake to doe thee service and in thy goodnesse accept of my desire thy own most gracious gift suffer not sinne O my Father to raigne in my corrupted mortall body let not my soul offend my God however my body may offend him let not my will offend my God however my actions may offend thee but let the desires of my soul and the inclinations of my spirit be so commanded by thy sacred power that they may truly will and doe thee true and perfect service now and for ever and doe thou for thy own mercies sake to the works of thy own hands and for the merits of Jesus Christ thy onely Sonne my Saviour convert my most imperfect will into most perfect actions in thy most perfect and everlasting service And when these dayes of my sinfull pilgrimage are ended when I return to thee my God my hope my joy from this my earthly tabernacle doe thou O my blessed Creator re-create my soul and body that so thy blessed will may be my eternall perfect joy and comfort and that to be thy servant wheresoever and howsoever may be the blessed Heaven of my soul and body for ever O my Good Eternity I doe not onely humbly crave these mercies and what is necessary to salvation which is the perfect admittance into thy sacred service for my self and such as are near to me in this life but also that it be thy blessed will even for all that thou hast appointed to immortality in thy gracious converting of sinners from the wickednesse of their waies that so if it be thy blessed will to whom all things are possible we might be all as one flock under thee the great and gracious shepheard of our soules that so the number of thy elect being accomplished the blessed resurrection may appear before thee and we become fit inhabitants for that new Heaven and new earth which thou hast appointed and sinne and sorrow may cease from us thy unworthy servants And further my humble suit is that thou wouldest give us to see all thy gracious dispensations towards us in this life to know that nothing falls upon us by chance and fortune but by thy especiall providence and appointment Give us to know we are not our own but thine and that it is most right thou shouldest dispose of thy own for ever make us to rejoice onely in thy dispose for that thou art most good and gracious and knowest better what is best for us than we can know or aske Now O my good Creator take us into thy almighty protection and direction for ever thou hast been wonderfull in mercy and goodnesse to every one of us thou hast delivered infinite of us from infinite evils which we see others visited with which we may justly judge deserve better at thy hands then we have done we humbly beseech thee let this thy mercy lead us to repentance and make us to love thee as thou hast loved us that hath not spared thy Son to death for us that so thy justice being satisfied in his sufferings for our sinnes which could no otherwise have beene satisfied but in our damnation thy mercy may be sufficient for our salvation and although I have provoked thy justice by my daily sinnes to my just condemnation yet doe I cast my soul and body even for its eternity upon thy mercy and doe disclaime all other judgment then thy gracious pleasure in which I will in thy gracious strength with peace rejoice and therein rest for ever Wherefore to thee O gracious Father to thee O sacred Sonne to thee O eternall Spirit three persons but one everlasting God be ascribed as is most due all honour glory and praise by thy whole creation now and for ever Amen The Blessing O Blessed Childe whose parts his age out-run Whose vertues stile him man before his stature Each eye beholds him as ' the rising Sunne Each heart applauds him as a Pearle in nature Yea very strangers blesse his hopefull breeding And breathe out prayers to his happy speeding But when fresh springing budds proove canker-fretted With taint of vice or rust of happy sloth Their dearest friends that see their hopes defeated To speak them fair or deigne a look are loth But view such noysome weeds with nausious scorn Yea parents wish ill-thriving plants unborn The fear of God doth only guide aright The perfect way to sacred wisdom's treasure Then let this fear direct with powerfull might Thy twisted thred spun out by natures leasure So with thy daies thy saving health will grow To perfect joy in sins just overthrow Let Heavens powre down their sweetest influence let them enrich you with the earth's best treasures Let them withall instill Truths Quintessence heavens joyes doe far surmount all earthly pleasures Let the celestiall powers you guard and guide and countermine when wicked powers conspire Let spotlesse blood which ran from harmlesse side quench unto you the ever burning fire And let the winged Posts void of delayes from glorious Throne whom great Jehovah sendeth Translate your souls when death shall end your daies to that celestiall blisse which never endeth FINIS An Index or Table directing to severall Points and Discourses in this Book THe Authors Epistle Parents and Children travell together towards the grave Parents must give an account for their Children Children must herein assist their Parents We should live together here as we would live together hereafter Hence take comfort in the dissolution of godly friends that we shall goe to them and shall never part page 2. Our constant work Beware of
severall Mothers yet let your love and unity be one in faith and truth and the One eternall God will undoubtedly give you the incomprehensible blessing both of temporall and eternall peace and will strongly fortifie you against any dejection at the deprivement of any temporall blessings whilest you truly consider the uncertainty of them the difficulty in well using of them and the danger if abused and that nothing is worthy our serious thoughts but what accompanies us to our eternall habitation and goeth with us to that admirable perfect and happy estate we shall most certainly arrive unto if we wean our selves from these worldly impediments that here deface and clogge our souls and only endeavour and esteem that good which tends to the good of our eternity The inward endowments of the minde are by far more excellent than the outward adornments of the body therefore let the bottome and foundation of all thy endeavours be laid in pure and undefiled religion truly grounded upon the sacred Scriptures rightly understood Sint cast a deliciae meae scripturae tuae nec faller in eis O Deus meus nec fallam ex eis August Confess For except the Lord build the house the workmen labour but in vain We must all acknowledge and beleeve a most sacred heavenly Deity for whosoever come to almighty God aright fitting for his mercifull and saving acceptance must first know and beleeve that he is and that he is the rewarder of them that serve him True religion consisteth in the knowledge of God and of our selves for it is a relative action between both the office thereof is to extoll God to the utmost of our power and to beat down man as utterly lost and then to furnish him with means to rise again to make him feel his misery and his weaknesse to the end he may put his whole confidence in God alone Religion should knit and unite us to the author and principall cause of our good and re-unite us to our first cause and root where if we continue firm we are thereby preserved in our perfection and contray if we separate we instantly faint and languish True Religion doth make us give all honour to almighty God and receive all benefit to our selves Glory be to God on high and peace with men on earth Almighty God must be served with our hearts and spirits it is the service answerable to his nature he is a spirit then worship him in purity of spirit this he requireth and it pleaseth him the Father desireth such worshippers the most acceptable sacrifice unto his sacred Majesty is a pure free and humble heart this he will not despise A pure heart is a sacrifice to God an innocent soul an innocent life A holy man is a true sacrifice to God his body is his Temple his soul is his a Image his affections are his b offrings his solemne sacrifice is to imitate serve and implore him God is rich and therefore giveth unto us poor and therefore aske Although all true worship be from the inward spirit yet neverthelesse we must not contemn or disdain outward and publick service which must be an assistant to the inward truth by observing ceremonies orders and customs with moderation without vanity ambition hypocrisie or covetousnes as they may and doe tend to the advancement of true devotion in us alwaies remembring that God will be served in spirit and what is performed by us otherwise is rather for our selves then for God for humane respects and formall observances then divine verity which rather belongs to manners and customs then the thing it self Our vowes and prayers to almighty God should be alwaies with this submission Thy will be done O Lord and not mine Tua voluntas Domine mea sit mea voluntas tuam semper sequatur optimè ci concordet saith a pious and ancient Father Take great heed of asking any thing against the determination of his revealed will his will is that we ought to fit our selves to receive We must think speak and deal with almighty God as if all the world did behold us and live and converse with the world as if God did behold us We must take great care not upon any slight occasion or cursorily to use the most sacred Name of God but with premeditation obediently and reverently to speak and use it his Name is holy and all honour is for ever due unto it The divine providence being well learned by us doth administer sufficient upholding comfort in all the chances and changes of this life We are most thankfully to acknowledge and submit to this providence which disposeth all things to the best to them that truly and obediently acknowledge it without which a Sparrow falls not and with whom our hairs are numbred this is the staff of life the blessed stay of comfort on which we safely rest in all the passages of our pilgrimage this inward spirit works quite contrary to the outward man it makes us truly say Thy will be done O God and not mine and not only say so but heartily and thankfully rejoyce that so it is knowing that it is best and only good for us this clears thy soul of grief and trouble and fills thy heart with joy and gladnes knowing that is done which is only good for thee and that thy will is not done for had it been against divine providence it would have produced thy utter ruine and destruction therefore for ever blesse that most gracious providence that hath avoided it Be diligent to finde out the good of necessity it is a sweet herbe but growes not in every garden it is an especiall branch of true wisdome and teacheth to take every thing by the right end the righteous and the wicked the wise and the foolish the true contented and discontented doe all the same things but not after the same manner not with the same apprehension understanding and judgment neither intending or conducing to the same end and purpose and therefore the operation in them is not the same but quite contrary Nothing in this world is perfect therefore there is both good and evill a right and a wrong use of them the first tending to true joy and comfort the latter to sorrow and discontent Correction upon search discovereth sinne and moveth to repentance and prevention Not to rejoyce after serious thoughts at the chastisements of Gods providence is a very evill signe of a wicked heart we must be truly sorrowfull for sinne which is the only cause of correction not for the correction for the cause of the disease not for the cure Before I was corrected I went astray but now have I learned thy word O blessed and sweet correction that leads and holds us in the way to eternall happinesse if correction bring thee not comfort with resolution by the gracious assistance of almighty God and joy in amendment search narrowly thy wayes for it is greatly to be feared they lead thee to eternall death