that God vnderstands it and there is no man but vpon true serious examination of his owne peraduenture slumbering conscience but shall finde matter enough to prouoke God to anger wherein hee may though in loue stir vp some Shemei a Iudas a Cain to raile on you to betray you to robbe or to wound you to death all to rowse you out of your securitie wherein the best man sometimes slumbers as Dauid did cannot be awaked vnlesse GOD send some seuere messenger to tell you that thou art the man Seeing therefore yee shal be subiect and that of necessitie to so many dangerous enemies it behoues you euer to looke about you and to haue an eye euen to heauen while ye liue in the earth remember how watchfully ye ought to liue ouer your owne wayes and what manner people yee are to shew your selues in holy and heauenly conuersation preparing your selues before-hand for any of these things that when they come yee knowing wherefore and by whom they are sent may make true vse of them and in the meane time to walke so much the more warily watchfully and soberly An vnwise man knoweth not this and a foole vnderstands it not but if yee haue learned or will learne and practise it aright ye shall be happy in the worlds vnhappinesse If yee bee ignorant looke into and search the Word of God heare it reade it lay it vp in your hearts make true vse of it leaue off to sinne and liue righteously if ye haue sinned sinne no more The Lord is full of compassion slow to anger and of great kindnes and truth Hee will forgiue all your sinnes and heale you of all your infirmities It is hee that hath redeemed you by the precious bloud of his owne only Sonne And if you beleeue in him and obey him he will finally crowne you with mercie and louing kindnesse and shall from time to time fill you full of euery good thing feare him and loue him and then bee afraid of no mortall creature for if God be on your side who can be against you If yee continue vnto the end ye shall assuredly bee saued Therefore I say grudge not though ye bee left behind me poore and much destitute of the superfluous things of this world God is your portion in whom yee haue a farre greater treasure then the world can yeeld you If I could haue left you riches in aboundance yee had beene indeede neuer truely the better but in coÌ„mon reputation which is as variable as are vncertaine riches being left poore yee are neuer the worse but in opinion which many times allowes of the worst condemnes the better it is the vertue of your minde that shines within that is allowed of God and giues light vnto men without PART X. Ignorance a shame for men or women of yeeres TO teach you now the Principles of true Religion in this Exhortation were to argue your ignorance and your ignorance your shame and mine yee are not Infants who are to bee otherwise taught then I hope you haue need yee haue Moses and the Prophets ye haue Christ and his Gospell yee haue the comfort of the Apostles yee liue in a time wherein God haue the prayse yee may freely reade ye may freely heare as freely practise what yee learne they teach you spirituall knowledge and the way of saluation Endeuour to learne pray for the Spirit in the Spirit without the Spirit yee cannot pray and that Spirit is the gift of God which prayeth in you and hee that giues you the Spirit to pray will also giue you knowledge for what to pray and how to liue he will fill you with Diuine vnderstanding and will make you wise in all heauenly knowledge and shew you the same through good workes in a godly conuersation before men in faith glorifying God So in what manner soeuer ye passe your dayes whether in prosperitie or aduersitie ye shall be blessed for it is not the outward appearance that approoueth or disprooueth man as glorie or basenesse but a holy or prophane life Christs owne Apostles suffered hunger cold nakednesse wants and persecutions Lazarus sores and extreme pouertie Iob deepest afflictions Ioseph slander and wrongfull imprisonmeÌ„t Were they the worse no but so much the more approoued the children of the most highest and farre the more noble And these Examples doth the Spirit of Truth recommend vnto you for your imitation that yee should follow them in their Vertues Faith Patience and Integritie If therefore it fall out that yee lose that little yee haue say with Iob Naked I came into the World and naked must I returne blessed be the Name of the Lord. If yee bee slandered remember the wordes of our Sauiour Cursed are they of whom all men speake well therefore Reioyce and bee glad when men speake euill of you for wel-doing If it come to passe that ye be banished froÌ„ your owne natiue countrie and friends for the Truths sake and to trauaile from place to place for succour remember that yee haue heere no continuing Citie but ye seeke one to come If ye haue neither house nor home remember that Christ our Sauiour had no house to put his head in If yee fall into sicknesse or any infirmitie of body limbes or senses remember that though your outward man perish your inner man shall bee renewed daily for God is your Father and the rocke of your saluation he will increase his Graces towardes you euen towardes you and your children PART XI A guiltie Conscience for a most grieuous affliction and the remedie TO come now to the most grieuous things that can befall you in this life namely the committing of such sinnes as doe oppresse your consciences and which doe cast downe your soules as it were into despaire thinke with your selues and beleeue that your Father whom ye haue offended is mercifull and that ye haue a most louing and most preuailing Mediator with him euen Iesus Christ the righteous who is a propitiation for your sinnes in and through whom although God be angrie with Sinners hee becomes a most louing and kinde Father to them that are truely sorrie for their sinnes and intend to lead a new life Hee is the Father of Mercies and God of all Consolation long suffering and patient great in Mercie and Goodnesse He forgiâ—eth the iniquitie of his people and couereth all their sinnes He withdraweth all his anger and turneth from the fiercenesse of his wrath and his Saluation is neere to them that feare him Forsake and bewaile your sinnes and cleaue againe vnto Righteousnes turne vnto him in Faith then shall hee clense your hearts and the bloud of Iesus Christ shall wash you from all your sinnes hee shall deliuer your soules from death your eyes from teares and your feet from falling He hath promised to be your Father whom although of weaknes not of presumption yee
his Grace I could not but fall backe and runne the way wherein I walked before I was called and to that end Satan ceaseth not to apply all his malice and meanes to allure mee to doe those things I should not doe taking aduantage of my corrupt inclination and to hinder me from doing those things I should doe besetting mee with many feares as first of Death that is euery houre ready to seise vpon me Secondly by laying my sins before the eyes of my giltie conscience and lastly the darke and ougly graue that gapes to swallow vp my fleshly part But what of these should I be afraid of them no Satan himselfe I know is chained and the execution of his malice limited and beyond the compasse and extent of diuine permission hee can not doe And hee that keepeth the house of my soule is that absolute strong man that hath already conquered him in me and for mee and hath redeemed mee out of his power my ransome is paid and I am become a freeman in Christ who although he leaue me for a time here in a warfare against many enemies and many kinds of aduersaries of whom I may receiue some stripes sometimes wounds and many foyles yet shall I neuer be ouercome nor fall finally for he that fighteth for me hath chosen mee whose election is sure for whom he once receiueth hee loueth to the end And therefore I know that vnder his power and protection I shall maintaine that good fight of faith vntill I haue subiected all mine enemies and at length be renewed and enioy his full presence by whome I haue gotten the victorie Then who shall lay any thing to my charge Or who shall condemne me It is Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request euen for me And where the iudge of Iudges iustifies no inferiour iudgement may condemne But I am so farre both from cause or conceit to iustifie my selfe as I acknowledge my sins so great and my wel-doing so weake as I vtterly condemne my self worthy not onely of infinite stripes but of eternall death yet I haue hope for hee that is Truth it selfe hath promised mercie to penitent sinners among whom I acknowledge my selfe the greatest Yet I know his mercie goodnesse to be greater whose manifold mercies shewed vnto others confirmeth my assurance that my sinnes great as they are are not onely pardonable but already pardoned in Christ his beloued my soules best beloued On him I fixe the eie of my soule in faith from his vertue I receiue the most salutarie oyle of grace whereby I am cured of all my death bringing diseases And from whom and by whom I haue tasted such an heauenly antidote that hereafter none of Satans poysonous confections shall re-inuenime my spirituall part Hee may take and tread on my heele But I shall trample on his head through the power of that great conqueror And therefore though his principall and chiefe Champion Death take me and bind me hand and foote I shall breake his cords as easily as Samson did his If he cast me bound into the graue couer me with dust and fill my mouth with clay shut mine eyes bereaue me of my sences and send mee into vtter obliuion out of the sight of all my naturall friends I shall rise come forth againe I shall see againe euen with these eyes and in despite of all his despite receiue a farre greater strength thē death can bereaue mee of here am assured that neither death nor the graue shall retaine me vnder their power for euer But as there is a sowing time of bodies in the earth so shall there come a reaping of them when they shall be carried into the Garner of euerlasting glorie Therefore I doe not only not feare this death this bodies dissolution but desire it rather when it shall please him that gaue mee my life to take it againe For I am not ignorant that it was but lent me at the first as a pledge of a better life after this death And therefore shall I most willingly restore it when it shall bee required Christ my Sauiour was once among the dead But his death is my life as to all also that beleeue By his death hee conquered death And by his rising againe made way for mee and them also to ascend where hee is ascended namely into the highest heauens into the bosome of his Father and my Father and their Father and there remaineth in our flesh glorified holding the possession of that heauenly Kingdome in the name of and for all his members Should I then or neede I to be afraid to lay downe this my mortall body also among the dead for a time My Sauior lay three dayes in the Graue and rose the third If I lie three thousand yeers it is but as three dayes for with him a thousand yeeres are but as one day And therefore as sure as hee rose in three dayes So in time though it bee according to the Suns reuolutiō after many yeeres yet I shall find no tedious tarying for the accomplishment of his promise touching my resurrection for the vttermost of this temporall death is but the separation of the soule from the body which lasteth but for a season finite and after they shall meete againe for a time infinite and without time And what is the Graue but a bed to rest me in A place of protection as it were to free my mortall body from danger from sicknesse from labour and carke and care and feare and griefe and enuies and crosses and sinne Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and all inconueniences It is not so with all such as die not so with them that die but not in Christ whose labours doe then but beginne What then is death but a sleepe out of which I know I shall awake againe in the most glorious morning of the most ioyfull appearing of my Redeemer in the clouds This death then carryes a name farre more fearfull and more terrible then indeede it is rather to bee desired and willingly to be imbraced then to bee feared or fled from especially of them that truely vnderstand the benefit it bringeth and the discommodities that accompanie men in this life especially liuing after the flesh and not after the Spirit As there is a naturall and a Spirituall death so is there a Spirituall life and a carnall life and that in this Pilgrimage or Passage frō birth to buryall the first cannot bee properly called a naturall but a spirituall life though it partake of both The Bond-woman and her seed must awhile remayne with the Free-woman and her sonne the earthly body and the corruption thereof with the heauenly soule Though the fleshly part bee here maintayned by naturall
Resurrection of thy Sonne when wée were worthy to be condemned for sanctifying vs by the Holy Ghost being by nature vile for preseruing vs hitherto and that in safetie by thy prouidence and for thy fatherly prouiding for vs all things necessarie to this present morning and for that thine assured and most comfortable promise that thou wilt glorifie vs in the heauens with thée after this mortall and miserable life ended And wee praise thy great and gracious goodnesse for so mercifully preseruing vs this night past from all dangers and for that thou hast giuen vs comfortable rest and sléepe in the same whereby our weake bodies are refreshed and haue receiued the more strength and power to enter into this day and to vndertake the workes of our callings and because by reason of the corruption of our natures we are pressed downe with dulnesse and beclouded with ignorance so as wee cannot rightly vnderstand nor truely performe our duties either in thy seruice or our owne worldly functions without thy blessing we here vpon the knées of our hearts doe humbly and heartily pray thée for Jesus Christ thy beloued Sonnes sake to assist vs with thy Holy Spirit that these our praises and prayers may bee accepted of thée and that our ignorance may be banished by the light of thy holy Spirit that wee may plainely sée and perceiue our owne errors and wants the detestablenesse of our sinnes and through his bloud obtaine pardon of all our imperfections and defects with liuely and effectuall renewing of our obedience to thée in all our workes wordes and duties this day Remember not O Lord the sinnes we haue committed nor our neglect of the duties we haue omitted call not to minde the transgressions of our youth which we haue forgotten nor looke vpon the wickednesse of our riper yéeres which doe presse vs downe through the sense of thy seuere iudgements threatned against vs for them and let thy grace we humbly beséech thée from henceforth euer beeextended towards vs vouchsafe thy holy Spirit vnto vs euermore to direct vs that neither the weaknesse dulnesse and peruersnesse of our owne natures in doing that which is good nor the strength of our naturall inclinations to doe that which is euill be any hinderance to the worke of thy grace in vs. But so much the more good Father watch euer vs that neither Sinne nor Satan preuaile against vs that wee obtayning at thy hands this great mercy may the more fréely chéerfully prosperously passe this day and that our labours being taken in hand in thy feare may through thy blessing succéede to thine owne glorie our comfort and to the good of them whom they may concerne And forasmuch as the passing through this world is many wayes euery where dangerous and full of perils by reason not only of Satans malice but also by reason of the practices of our corporall enemies our owne infirmities crosses losses troubles and many miseries Assist vs gracious God and leuing Father that we may escape all these inconueniences and not to fall into any sinne or corporal danger this day but rest secure and safely protected vnder thy power and prouidence and carry our selues vpright in all our actions through Christ our Lord. Amen O Lord increase our faith A Prayer in the Euening for priuate Families O Gracious Lord God and most leuing Father in Jesus Christ wee thy most vnworthy seruants doe humbly intreate thée to accept from vs in his Name our vnfained thanks for the manifold pledges of thy loue towards vs. Thou hast made vs and not wee our selues and where thou mightest haue made vs beasts thou hast formed and shaped vs men and women and furnished vs with many spirituall blessings besides infinite corporall comforts which not onely this day now presently past but all the dayes of our liues doe witnesse for day vnto day vttereth thy goodnesse towards vs and night vnto night approueth thy prouidence ouer vs. The day is now past darknes is gone ouer our heads resembling rightly our ignorance for without the light and knowledge of thy sauing Truth we liue in darknesse in the strongest and most glorious light of the Sunne The eye of the body may bee light when the vnderstanding as touching heauenly things may be so dark as not able to apprehend our owne wants and imperfections Thus O Lord doe wee acknowledge our hearts to bee eclipsed with the dulnesse and blindnesse of our naturall reason and vnderstanding whereby we yet are able and doe onely séeke and search finde and follow the forbidden vanities of this wretched life tasting and vsing them with carnall pleasure and forbidden delight as the sins which wee haue committed this day and the good duties we haue omitted doe testifie against vs to our shame this euening and yet such is thy great goodnesse and mercy towards vs as thou this day in our ignorance hast instructed vs in our blindnesse hast guided vs in our necessities reléeued vs in our wearinesse refreshed vs now brought vs to the euening of this last day wherein wee haue liued and that in safetie so that wee cannot but acknowledge this day to haue béene a day added by thy blessing to thy former manifold fauours which we haue daily receiued at thy hands possible it is not for vs to number vp the benefits and blessings which thou hast bestowed vpon vs through all our life they are numberlesse yet wretches that wee are wee haue as it were striued to equalize nay rather to exceede thy blessing in the number of our transgressions Our naturall corruption the sinne of Adam cleaueth vnto vs his posteritie so fast as it hath filled vs euen from our conception with the séedes of all euill so that we brought that into the world with vs which without thy grace and frée pardon in Christ cannot but confound vs But thou hast giuen thy Sonne Jesus Christ a meanes of propitiation in whom thou reconcilest all that beléeue in him vnto thy selfe Therefore haue we boldnesse through him to intreat thée of pardon for all the sinnes we haue euery one of vs committed this day as our euill thoughts idle words and wicked actions whereby thou hast béene euen this day iustly prouoked against vs besides our former abusing of thy patience and despising of thy Word whereby thou threatnest to punish sinners and whereby thou hast promised to blesse and comfort them that serue thée in truth Thou mayst iustly condemne vs also for our vnthankefulnesse for thy mercies especially for our vnfaithfulnesse in not beléeuing thy promises But now Lord wee beséech thée that the old man our corruption by the new man thy Spirit sinne may bee abandoned and cast out that sinne no longer haue dominion ouer vs mortifie in vs the whole bodie of sinne and so clense vs that we carry not vnto our beds this night any dregs of the same but may bee fully washed through thy Sons bloud from euery spot stayne that
yet remaynes in our corrupt hearts that we being thus washed in the Lauer of perfect regeneration the precious bloud of that slayne Lamb by faith we may not feare the assaults of Satan nor any malicious instrument of his this night but may be safely kept and preserued by thy prouidence and receiue such rest and sléep as may onely refresh vs let thy Angels guard vs and our soules and bodies and all that we haue that we it may bee kept and preserued safe vntill the morning and for euer Amen O Lord increase our faith A Confession of sinne a Prayer for pardon and for a godly and sanctified life O God and Father of all Goodnesse and Fountaine of Mercie the Guide of the Righteous the Giuer of all perfect gifts and the Sanctifier of the heartes of all that shall be saued shew thy selfe vnto me who am a defiled and deformed wretch whom originall corruption and actuall sinnes haue so polluted as I am not worthy to stand in thy sight or that thou shouldest dwell in mée by thy holy Spirit And therefore I cannot without feare and astonishment without trembling and shame approch into thy presence séeing mine owne filthinesse and considering thy great Maiestie Integritie and Puritie yet am I embeldened to come vnto thée coÌ„passed with many infirmities especially with 〈◊〉 and corruption which if I would endeuour to conceale I cannot they are so open and manifest to thine All-séeing eye that the more I labour to hide them so much the more they breake forth and shew themselues vnto thée O looke not vpon them as a Judge to condemne me for them but as a louing and mercifull Father and Phisician to cure mée of them so shall I not onely willingly discouer vnto thée all the sores and pollutions of my corrupt heart and pro phane life which by search I shall bée able to finde in my selfe but intreate thée also with the Lancet of thy Loue to cut searifie rip vp and find out all the hidden filthinesse that lurketh in my soule in my minde in my will and in mine affections and apply the Playster of the sauing Bloud of Jesus Christ to heale mee throughout that there remaine no more grosse corruption in mée and learne mée so to search and know the wickednesse of my heart that I may not spare my dearest and most familiar sinne but may â—ast it out as the chiefest worker of my miserie Lord let it become bitter lothsome and méerely hatefull vnto my soule as a most deadly infection howsoeuer it hath béene heretofore séeming swéet pleasing and delightfull vnto my carnall part Let mée abhorre all iniquitie and truely abstaine from all occasions to sinne againe Giue mée strength O Lord to ouercome my sinfull lusts and what wanteth in my power supply by thy grace that I may at least still striue against euery sin through the power of thy Spirit that I may bée approoued a member of thy Militant Church here where yet I am a stranger and where I continually féele the wearisome warfare betwéene the flesh and the Spirit wherein I haue neuer the victorie but by thine only power but the fâ—yle euer by mine owne weaknesse O subdue my flesh and fleshly minde to thine obedience that I neuer make ship wracke of a good conscience by yéelding vnto the motions of my corrupt heart which I daily féele in my selfe to rebell against thy reueiled will and make mée lightly to estéeme of the vaine and deceiuing things of this World that I may truly shew my selfe to take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof but by a constant deniall of mine owne will approoue my selfe to liue by Faith after thy will And giue mée grace that in nothing I may offend thy Maiesty and let mée neuer giue way to mine owne corrupt will and affections to commit the least sinne whereby I may quench that sparke of that Spirit and Grace thou hast begun in mée Enlighten my heart that I may know thy will aright and rightly behaue my selfe according vnto the same not for a day and then fall to the workes of mine owne peruerse will againe but that my Righteousnesse may shine more and more through a constant perseuerance vntill it come to that perfection as may truly testifie vnto my conscience that I am the same that I desire to séeme to be not according to the opinion that others haue of mee but according to that measure oâ— holinesse thou requirest to be in me let my outward integritie bee in all holy simplicitie and godly purenesse among men as in thy sight And the more that Satan by his meanes and ministers endeuoureth to withdraw mine obedience from thée so much the more let mée striue to maintaine that dutie and obedience which I owe vnto thée And let thy loue towardes mée draw mée to loue thée aswell when thou touchest mée with aduersttie as when thou giuest me prosperitie and fayle mée not in my greatest néed Teach mée O Father to séeke and obtaine all things at thy hands by the meanes and merits of Jesus Christ in whose name I humbly offer vnto thée this my weake and imperfect Sacrifice Accept it yet in him he is thine only Sonne in whom thou art euer well pleased hée is my Redéemer and hath paid the ransome for me which for my sinnes was laid vpon me and hee sitteth now a Mediator at thy right hand euen for me Scatter therefore O Lord my sinnes as a mist and mine iniquities as a Cloud and let my Righteousnesse appeare as the Sunne and mine Integritie before men as the noone day that my heart may alwayes behold thée And let thy face of fauour and loue spread its beams so ouer mee that I being inlightened by thée may walke as in the cléere Light of sauing Truth and be euer led by the hand of thy Grace that neither sinne Satan the World nor mine owne corruptions cause me to stumble and fall Giue me good Father the Spirit of perfect Prayer And although through the coldnesse of my Zeale and weaknesse of Faith I cannot cry vocally vnto thée alwayes alike yet accept the will and the sighes and grones of my heart which cannot bee expressed yet knowne to thée Thou knowest the meaning of the heart and hee that inwardly mourneth for his sinnes though hee outwardly cry not for Mercie thou hearest him it is thy Grace that worketh sighes in the sorrowfull heart and which inkindleth the fire of Zeale whereby the tongue is mooued from the beléeuing heart euen in often inforced silence to pierce at length euen the Heauens with the loudnesse of its cry And thou againe graciously grantest the faithfull hearts desire by outward reliefe or inward comfort so that nothing wanteth to him that séeketh thée but hee is filled with all ioy and spirituall consolation In this ioy let all worldly ioyes bee swallowed vp in mee and let mee preferre the peace of a good conscience before all carnall peace and
meanes as by the ayre wherein I breathe and moue and by foode which nourisheth bloud the vitall spirits and outward members visible to men yet in the same house of clay there is a spirituall and an inuisible life which is nourished in a more diuine manner not by bread that perisheth but by the word of God which worketh faith the life of the soule which feedeth on things that are aboue and not on things of the earth And therefore doth the Spirit of God for instruction lay downe before the sonnes of men the fruits both of the one and of the other of the flesh and of the spirit which are contrary one to the other to shewe what bitter fiuits proceede of the flesh to moue man to flie them and the sweet fruits of the Spirit to allure vs to follow them The fruits of the flesh saith Saint PAVL are manifest meaning indeed too common which are Adultery Fornication Uncleannesse Wantonnesse Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Debate Emulations Wrath Contentions Seditions Heresies Enuie Murder Drunkennesse Gluttony and such like affirming also that they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of heauen A fearefull conclusion against those onely that with delight cōmit them for that they are so contrarie to the Law of the Spirit which produceth Loue Ioy Peace Long suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance against such there is no Law But here ariseth and I doe apprehend a fearefull fallacie to lye hidden in the performance of these spirituall workes for as I may flatter my selfe to bee spirituall and yet be more carnall so may I censure a man carnall that is more spirituall for the performance of these spirituall works as it were literally and in outward shew is meere carnalitie ostentation tending to Pharisaicall glorie better fruits proceede not from mee by nature then to seem what indeed I am not sincere and pure religious holy counterfaiting the workes of the Spirit by a kinde of outward imitation of men indeede truely sanctified And aboue all other sins this which is hypocrisie is most to be condemned for that it deceiues not onely other men but the counterfeit himselfe But being indeede endued with the quickning Spirit which causeth me to die vnto the world and the vaine-glorie thereof then shall I inwardly and spiritually liue vnto God and the works that I shall doe shall witnesse vnto men that I dissemble not with God yet when I finde my selfe most and best inclined to spirituall actions I finde and feele againe and againe the buffets of my corrupt nature wresting mee to the contrarie what shall I then say doe I good because I will doe good and doe I not euill because I will not do euill nothing lesse for my will is no further free to do that which is good then it is made free by the grace of God And againe my will is so farre prone to euil by how much I am not preuented by grace To euery good worke God giues the will and the deed and euill is alwaies present with mee Therefore I in part desire and in part feare to die yet I must die Forasmuch therefore as I know I shal die and that the way to die well is first to liue well which is not in my owne power I must seeke the meanes of God and therefore it behoueth me to be much conuersant in his Word wherein the way is described and the meanes prescribed and yet not vnderstood by naturall wisedome but by the Spirit of God which reueileth the same therefore ought I to aske wisedome of him that is wisedome it selfe who willeth me to aske and I shall receiue wisedome to seeke and I shall find grace to knocke and hee will open the dore of diuine knowledge how to walke in the way of a godly life the true and perfect preparation to a happy death and this death is the gate of eternall life To aske seeke knock importeth prayer and prayer an inward heartie desire to obtayne that at the hands of God which I by no other means can obtayne and this by a feruent firme and constant assurance that GOD to whom I pray will grant my request in the merits mediation of his Sonne so that I neede not doubt but that if I aske spirituall things spiritually and wauer not in my Faith I shall obtayne grace so to walke in this life as I shall not fear to die but with cheerfull alacritie imbrace it when it offers it selfe vnto me therefore will I open my mouth vnto him that hath promised to fill it I will addresse my heart to him that can and will direct it and so present my prayers before his mercies Seate prostrate vpon the knees of mine vnfayned heart and he will heare me and saue me A Prayer for a godly life and a happy death The Prayer O Gracions and most louing Lord God in Jesus Christ the fountaine of Life and the Disposer of the same by death how where or when it shall best please thee euer for the best to them that loue thy name I cannot but confesse and acknowledge that death cannot but be fearefull if a godly life go not before O what a terrour therefore befals me O Lord through the consideration and calling to mind the former course of my most corrupt and sinfull life How can I but feare to be dissolued when I thinke of and call thy iudgements into my minde and that hell and destruction attends the death of the wicked but the righteous shall be glad in thee and trust in thee and all the vpright in heart shall reioyce to whome death shall bée great aduantage Let it therefore please thée O my most gracious God and louing Father to remember thy mercies and in the multitude of them put away cleanse me of all my sinnes and so reforme me that hence-forth I may walke before thee and be vpright I am a man void of counsell neither is there any vnderstanding in me I am not sufficient of my selfe so much as to think a good thought but my sufficiencie is of thee Therefore teach mee thy way O Lord that I may hence-forth walke in thy truth Knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy name make my heart vpright in thy Statutes for thou Lord hast pleasure in righteousnesse and hée is blessed in whose heart are thy wayes Graunt therefore gracious Lord that according to the riches of thy grace I may be strengthened by the Spirit of the inward Man that CHRIST may dwel in my heart by faith and so my whole spirit soule and bodie may bee kept blamelesse to the cōming of the Lord Iesus And if I haue found fauour in thy sight shew me thy way that I may know thée and may walk from henceforth all the dayes of my life in a sincere sanctified conuersation and take away the vaile wherewith my mind is couered that I
feare him then that feare being blessed and sanctified â—restraynes mee from sinne to walke in the wayes of God therefore I feare and walke because I am blessed and not blessed because I either feare or walk in his wayes for God by his blessing which is his grace giues mee the will without which the deede cannot follow so both the will and the deede the desire and the worke in me are of God He that feareth the Lord will neither speake nor do euill because both speaking doing good comes from the feare of doing euill which holy feare being the gift of God hath great commendation in the Scripture It is the beginning of wisedome saith Salomon and wisedome the end of all heauenly perfection and tendeth not only to restraine from euill for feare of Gods Iudgements as it wrought in Dauid when he said My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy Iudgements But to retayne me in the loue and fauour of God Iob was reputed a iust and vpright man because he feared God and in fearing God he eschewed euill Satan himselfe confessed that God preserued Iob blessed all that he had for that he feared God The feare of God then is that true rule of wisedom which directeth vnto a godly life a godly life an infallible forerunner of a happie death and to die in the Lord is chiefest blessednesse the passage from a miserable mortall to a blessed immortall being This feare then being the first steppe to a godly preparation to liue well and to die blessed is that true most precious Iem and Iewell which I seeke and desire to obtayne at the hands of God whose gift it is And therefore according as Salomon hath defined this feare of the Lord I will indeuour to abandon euill and to abhorre sinne Dauid also teacheth and I will desire to practice the same feare in keeping my tongue from euil and my lips that they speake no guile I will seeke to eschew euill and to doe good to seeke peace and to follow it for Who hath euer continued in the feare of the Lord and hath beene forsaken of him in life or in death A Prayer for the feare of God and wherein I may so liue as I may not be afraid to die The Prayer O Lord my God who hast made mée and fashioned mee of the dust of the earth and hast breathed into me the breath of Life here to trauaile vpon the face of the earth during a time appointed by thy Prouidence which I shall not passe for thou hast set down the number of my dayes which how many they shall bée I am vtterly ignorant giue me therefore a holy â—eare that I may thinke euery day to bee the day appointed for my death that I may so much the more warily walk in the wayes of true wisedome in a holy and sincere conuersation before the sons of men and in the sanctification of the inner man lest I be found more formall before men then faithfull in thée I beséech thée hearken to the prayer of thy Seruant who desireth vnfaynedly so to feare thée as I may not feare or be afraid of death Giue me that holy feare of thy Name which thou hast commanded that I may not erre from thy wayes nor harden my heart from thy feare for I know that great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd vp for them that feare thee Knit my heart therefore vnto thée that I may fear thy Name and may receiue grace to serue thée so that I may so please thée with reuerence and feare that I not only may not feare to die but desire it rather passing all the time of my dwelling here in continuall meditation of thy future life sanctifying thee the Lord God of Hosts who art euermore my feare for thou only art able to kill and to make aliue to cast downe and to raise vp therefore art thou only to be feared like vnto whom there is none among al the gods so glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises and doing wonders I thanke thée gracious Father in Jesus Christ that in and by him I haue receiued the Spirit of re conciliation adoption whereby I am enabled to crie Abba Father and am freed from the spirit of seruile feare from the feare of Satan by thy Spirit Though for a little while O Lord thou maist séeme to forsake me and leaue mee to the spirit of bondage yet with great compassion according to thy wonted mercies I finde thée euer readie to receiue mee againe For a moment thou hidest thy face from mee but with euerlasting mercie thou wilt haue compassion vpon mee and after this my mortalitie receiue mee to eternitie who art my Lord my God my streÌ„gth and my Redéemer Lord increase my feare of thee my faith in thee and loue towards thee Amen MEDIT. IIII. Watchfulnesse THE second point of my preparation is to bee watchfull and that for three especiall causes The first for that I haue an Aduersarie who is maliciously watchfull therefore ought I to be religiously watchfull The second because death will steale suddenly vpon me as a Thiefe The third because of my generall account to which I know I shall be called as soone as my soule is gone from my bodie if then I bee not able to yeeld a â—ust reason how I haue spent the time of my life here I shall be cast into prison neuer to bee redeemed First then to apply my watchfulnes to the watchfulnesse of mine enemie it behoueth me euer to haue an eye vnto the thoughts motions and affections of my corrupt heart for from my heart proceed all the euils that by any part or member of my bodie are actually committed and all the thoughts of my heart are euill euermore yet thence is my tongue moued to speake how then can my words be holy proceeding from so polluted a fountayne I am often violently carried whither the thoughts of my heart doe moue me and am often incited to commit those things howsoeuer euill which my corrupt heart hath conceiued And mine enemie Sathan that thirsteth for my confusion takes aduantage by the inclination of my heart manifested by mine accustomed actions to frame his bayts according to my corrupt appetite coueting euer to draw actual euils out of the polluted puddle of sinne conceiued in my heart This do I find by the experience of his long practice and inferâ—all stratagems for vpon my committing of some sinne and hartily repenting the same with a resolution neuer to commit the like I haue as it were sensibly felt and plainly obserued how by little and little he hath endeuoured to lay snares to draw me to the same euil not as with a violent hand but as it were stealing vpon me like a flattering and deceitefull Theefe whose policies I haue no power to preuent but only by that promise which GOD made vnto
sense of future good or euill auoid it left death steale vpon you and finde you so doing depend on Gods prouision blessing of your owne lawfull and laudable industries He is your heauenly Father and knoweth whereof ye haue neede seeke him hee will be found he will supply all your occasions if yee bee faithfull though yee were neuer so poore DAVID depending on God found by experiēce that the righteous were neuer left destitute nor their faithfull children to begge Cast then your care vpon God for hee careth for you And let not the care of the things of this life preuent your carefull preparation to a better life which you cannot attayne vnto but by death and therefore indeuour so to liue as God may bee glorified in your death not giuing your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne here but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the dead and giue your members as weapons of righteousnesse vnto GOD. Striue against your owne corruption and let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies that yee should obey it in the lusts thereof for When lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sinne and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death not the death of the body only which is but a dissolution of the soule from it for a season but the death both of soule and body which is eternall Walke therefore in the Spirit saith Saint Paul and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Ye haue the light walke not in darknes for he that walketh in darknesse walkes hee knowes not whither while yee haue the light therefore walke in it So walke as your hearts may mooue from euill to good from sinne to sanctitie cease to do euil learne to doe good and practise it Learne of Dauid to run the way of the Lords Cōmandements Walke not in the counsell of the wicked stand not in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull but delight your selues in the Law of the Lord and thereupon meditate day and night so shall yee bee blessed in life and death Yet thinke not to bee free from troubles enemies and crosses how sincerely soeuer yee liue nay the more carefull yee shall be to lead a holy and a godly life so much the more will Satan seeke to peruert you bee not dismaid cease not to walke honestly as in the open light that men may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heauen PART II. Gods prouidence towards his IF pouertie want oppresse you Let your Petitions bee vnto God who as he giueth seede vnto the Sower so shall he administer vnto you meat drinke and all things necessarie Remember the rich mercies of God which he hath euer shewed to his faithfull distressed children He sent his Prophet Abacuck to Daniel when hee was not only a prisoner and out of the reach of all his friends to releeue him but had for his companions the fearfull deuouring Lyons whose mouthes that most mightie God who will bee yours closed vp they could not hurt his seruant God might haue sustayned him with-out foode as he did Moses and Eliah but to shewe his secret mercies by visible meanes Remember also the miserable estate of that poore distressed woman Hagar ' who was so farre from any hope of worldly helpe in the barren wildernesse hauing a most heauie heart for her poore infant that with the mother was like to perish for want of a cup of cold water despairing as it were in her selfe laid away the childe from her forsooke it as loth to see the sorrowfull spectacle of its death and looked vp vnto GOD that saw her whose mercy and compassion was such towards her as hee opened a Well of water opened her eyes to see it whereby shee refreshed her selfe and relieued her child shewing thereby how carefull the Lord is of the distressed estates euen of such as are out of the couenant of grace how much more of such as take hold of him by faith in Christ namely of them that truly feare him faithfully beleeue in him and vnfainedly serue him When Samson had wearied himselfe combating with the Philistims became so weake and faint as hee was readie to perish for want of water to refresh him did not the same God yea our God the God of the faithfull giue him drinke out of the drie iaw-bone of an Asse Could he bring water sufficient to quench his great thirst out of so small and so drie a vessell yes for as long as hee desired to drinke so long it yeelded water like as did the oyle which by the power of the same God Eliah infused into the emptie vessels of the widdow of Sarepthah it ranne so long as shee had vessells to contayne it When Christ turned water into wine it ceased not till all the vessells were filled vp to the brim So doth the same God euen to this day deale with his children whom he neuer ceaseth to fill and feede as long as they haue faith to receiue his blessings and necessitie to haue them Hee fed foure thousand with seuen loaues and a few fishes and fiue thousand with fiue loaues and two fishes besides women and children hee could with the same meanes haue fed a more infinite number his power is so absolute what hee will hee works and what hee commands is done The hard Rocke must yeeld Riuers of water shewing that he can mollifie the heart of the most cruell Tyrant and in stead of afflicting to comfort his children The deuouring Rauen when God will vse him contrary to his nature shall carry foode to his distressed Eliah so doth hee at this day doubtlesse worke the hearts of most obdurate men to doe good as it were contrary to their condition to them that feare him and faithfully call vpon him in their distresses The examples of Gods presence with his loue vnto his and his power and prouidence ouer his faithfull children are in the Scriptures numberlesse The like are of his iudgements towards the wicked not only particular enemies of his as was Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Scnacherib Herod and others but against whole Kingdomes Cities Multitudes the Kingdomes of Israel and Iudah where are they Is not the Scepter departed from them for the wickednesse of the people that dwelt in them Sodom Gomorrah Zeboim Admah and Zegor where are they Came not fire brimstone from heauen vpon them How did the same God cōfound Ierusalem the slaughter-house as it were not only of his Prophets but of his owne innocent Sonne and doe wee not see daily GODS iust iudgements vpon diuers Countries People by fire inundations of water by pestilence warres and famine And is not the sudden hand of God vpon such as at this day blaspheme his Name Needes there examples of such as haue beene striken some
his Psal. 73. in 〈◊〉 We ought not to fret our selues at the prosperitie of the wicked Ver. 27. Ver. 18. Ver. 24. Rom. 13. 4. Troubles of the righteous to be born with gladnesse Greatest afflictions cannot deserue the glorie to come Rather to long for then to lothe death Rom. 8. 18. Pleasure nor profit can bring vs to Heauen Heb. 12. 6. Reuel 3. 19. Correction comprehendeth all afflictions Phil 4. 11. It is not in our power to bee patient or thankeful Afflictions more necessarie then prosperitie Trouble is irkesome yet profitable Pouertie not the least affliction Little creatures teach vs industrie Idlenesse is not libertie Labour is light to a willing minde The poore are rich hauing Gods blessing Labour with the feare of God is blessed Psal. 128. Psal. 127. To take seruants fearing God Gen. 30. 27. Gen. 39. 3. 5 Deut. 28. 38. to 58. Psal. 1. 3. Psal. 9. 18. God a refuge for the poore Psal. 10. 17. God needeth not our seruice Psal. 12. 5. Psal 16. 8. Pouertie nor riches of them-selues good or euill Ier. 17. 7. Psal. 119. 2. Pouertie and riches do neither helpe nor hinder but according to the vse or abuse Respect of persons I am 2. 1. 1. Pet. 1. 17 Rom. 10. 12 Trust in God makes pouertie and reproches easie to â—e borne Psal. 9. 18. Psal. 14. 6. Psal. 17. 14. Psal. 18. 16. God chooseth godly men and blesseth them God makes disobedient Princes contemptible They that lay snares for others fall into the same Ester 7. 10. Dan. 6. 24. ExperieÌ„ce of Gods deliueries an incouragement to the godly Exo. 14. 28. Gen. 31. 24 and 32. 4. Gen. 22. 9. and 39. God is God of the godly for euer God knoweth whereof wee haue neede 1. King 21. 2. 14. Flatterie daÌ„gerous 2. Sam. 15. 1. to 6. Act 24. 2 3. Pro. 29. 5. Matth. 22. 16 17. Counterfait kindnesse deceiuesmany Pro. 27. 6. Eccles. 7. 7. Good neither to flatter nor bee flattered Iudg. 14. Psal. 78. 36 Iob 34. 9. Psal. 36. 2. A dissembling frieÌ„d worse then an open enemie Pro. 27. 5. Act. 12. 22. Euill companie dangerous Wisdome a defence against euill and flatterie 2. Sam. 17. 23. Matt. 5. 5. Many things which worldlings seek after are but shaddowes The godly rich account their wealth not their owne Miserable riches that make the possessors ignorant of better things The defence of the poore and of the rich Psal. Aesops Wolfe To giue place vnto the wrath of the wicked 1. Ioh. 3. 19. Men apparantly hurtfull to them-selues and others To beare all euils with patience that men offer vs. 2. Sam. 16. 〈◊〉 6. Mat. 26. 47 Gen. 4. 8. Dan. 13. 1 2 1. King 21. 14. We ought to be circumspect in our wayes All men know not why God sends them enemies Psal. 103. 8. Rom. 8. 31. Prayer obtayneth knowledge how to liue godly All Gods Children haue suffered afflictions Iob. 1. 21. Banishment Comfort in whatsoeuer cala mitie Gods goodnesse and mercy Psal. 85. 2. To turne vnto God Mark 16. 9. Ioh. 18. 17 2. Sam. 11. 4. 7. Act. 26. 9 10. We may not imitate sinners but their Repentance Rom. 6. 1. As God is mercifull he is iust We may not sinne after pardon obtayned Wilfull sinners Phil. 3. 18. Not to assume selferighteousnesse Not one of our godliest Fore-fathers were with-out sinne much leâ—e wee Iusticiaries to be auoided Though we cannot be yet we ought to striue to be perfect We must goe on in goodnesse The ppoperties of the humble man The Pharise and Publican Meeknesse makes men likest vnto Christ. We must be humble whatsoeuer befall vs. We ought to prayse God Harty not verball praises are acceptable to God Wife and children are to bee recommended to God Iob 7. 3. Gen. 49. 7. 2. Tim. 4. 8. Iob 14. 14. Phil. 1. 2. Cor. 5. Rom. 14. 8. Phil. 3. 21.