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
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
may behold thy glorie and bee changed into the same Image by thy Spirit It is thou only that giuest wisedome and out of thy mouth proceeds knowledge and vnderstanding therefore Make me more and more to abound in knowledge and all iudgement that I may discerne betweene good and euill and bée kept pure with-out offence vntill the finall dissolution of this my mortall body filled with the fruits of Righteousnes which are by Jesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God Let mée not good Father be giuen ouer to the lust of my Aduersarie nor to mine owne corrupt hearts desire that iniquitie should haue dominion ouer mé◠but make mee perfect to euery good worke who workest in thy Children both the wil and the deede O Lord teach me to do thy will for thou art my God make my heart constant and euer kéep it vnblameable before thée in holinesse that I may serue thée in al holy duties with a good conscience and may walk before thée in truth and with a perfect heart doing that which is good in thy sight Let thy peace which passeth all vnderstanding preserue my heart mind in Iesus Christ euen to the end and in the end yea euen when the Messengers and pangs of death shal take hold on me euen then support me that Satan with his malicious suggestions and infernall temptations preuaile not against mée in laying before the eyes of my guiltie conscience the vglinesse of my sinnes past or by drawing my minde into any forbidden thought or desire Draw me out of the net that hee priuily layeth to catch my soule in breake it for mee for thou art my strength make haste to deliuer me and saue me for My soule is filled with euils and my life draweth neere vnto the graue And what man liueth and shall not see death Séeing then deare Father I am appointed to die and that death cānot bée comfortable vnto mée when it commeth vnlesse a godly life goe before prepare my hart O Lord prepare it to a holy conuersation and a ioyfull and gladsome resolution that I may lay down this mortall body of miue in the dust whence it was taken and made and to surrender my soule with all heauenly alacritie into thine hands that gauest it And when the snares of death the terrors of the graue take hold of mee then Lord let me find fauour with thée in Christ my Redéemer in whom I beséech thée to deliuer my soule Amen Lord euer increase and confirme my faith MEDITAT II. NOw then I hauing by the grace of God in some measure learned to liue and to know I shall dye what remayneth but that I looke for the day and attend the houre not knowing when it will come And therefore to bee alwayes ready hauing also through Christ receiued the spirit of boldnesse to remooue out of this bodie to bee with the Lord. This boldnesse I confesse I haue not of my selfe it is the gift of God who in the beginning made mee to his Image without spot but spotted before I was borne by him that was once without spot whose fault is now by imputation nay by action mine whereby I bringing sinne and corruption into the World with me haue deeply defiled my selfe by like actuall disobedience and therefore may iustly feare the face of that seuere and iust Iudge especially hauing so many and so strong Aduersaries Satan with his principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesse a million of sinnes and a guiltie conscience besides the horrours of Death and the Graue enough to cast my sinfull soule into vtter destruction were there not a power aboue his power and principalities to subdue his I thanke God in Christ I haue beene taught and I know that the seed of the woman hath subdued Satan led him all his powers principalities and spirituall wickednesse captiue triumphing ouer him and them vpon the Crosse making a shew of them openly And this I am not only taught to know but I beleeue the same stedfastly Lord strengthen my beliefe As for my siunes past I feare them not for Christ suffered for them once the iust for the vniust to bring me to God As touching death I knew that my Redeemer liueth and he hath taken away the sting therof and made a way for mee through the graue to come vnto glorie through the valley of death to passe vntill I come to the Lord my God in Sion I cannot yet but confesse that notwithstanding my boldnesse I feele many wauerings I am not at all times alike bold but often tremble at the consideration of death because I haue had no experience of the terrour thereof and therefore though the Spirit be willing my flesh is weake But I am so much the more strengthened by how much I doe consider that euen the dearest of Gods Children haue sometimes staggered at the consideration of death Saint Paul himselfe confesseth that he had fightings without and terrours within Peter for feare of death denyed his Master And our Sauiour Christ being lest vnto his manhood wished though contrarily resolued that the Cup of the Crosse might passe and that hee might not drinke of it Death comes with an vgly and fearefull countenance to all but especially to them that haue their consolation here Death nay the remembrance of death as the Wiseman affirmeth is better to him that hath the wealth the pleasures and happinesse of this life And vnlesse the Lord by his grace support and sustaine the best man he will feare and faint at the approching of death Therefore will I make my prayer vnto God in Christ to giue me strength and an holy resolution to imbrace death when it shall come A Prayer against the feare of death fit to be said at all times especially in sicknesse The Prayer O Lord my God and gracious Father in Iesus Christ who hast formed mee of the dust of the Earth and by thy Spirit made me a liuing soule in a mortall bodie Giue mée grace continually to remember my mortality how I am borne to dye and that after death I shall come to Judgement yet hast thou hidden the time when the place where and the maner how I shall dye from mee all knowne to thée Teach mee therefore Gracious Father teach mée so to number my daies as to consider that the more they increase in number so much the neerer I draw to the time of my dissolution therefore giue mee wisedome and a heart whereby I may apply me thereunto that I may be at all times and in all places watchfull and readie to imbrace the comming of that which I cannot auoyde Let mée not rest secure in health nor be dismayde in sicknesse but let my heart bee euer set on the things that are where I desire and hope to come and not on the things which I sée and partake herein this life Teach mee thy wayes instruct me in thy Lawes giue me a repēting
in sicknesse The Prayer O Lord my God I waite on thée My soule keepeth silence vnto thee for of thee commeth my saluation therefore do I submit my self vnto thy will giuing thée thankes for thy patience towards me in Jesus Christ nor thou hast shewed thy selfe towardes mee slowe to wrath and full of goodnesse and mercy Increase euer more and more thy graces towards mee that in this my Pilgrimage towardes my graue I may possesse my soule in patience waiting thy good time for my deliuerie for here where I now dwel I neither hear nor sée taste nor touch any truly comfortable thing only thy Word is my spirituall consolation and the hope of future glorie my ioy And were I not fed with the hope of a better life by death I were of all men most miserable for nature could not with patience beare the burden of this miserable life being so ful of all infirmities both of body and mind so fraught with sins of all sorts and accompanied with so many and sundry crosses and finally subiect to thy seuere Judgement But thy fauour and thy loue and thy patience towards me worheth in me patience knowing that the time is comming and at hand wherein I shal be fréed from this mortal and miserable to enioy a life immortall and glorious O confirme therefore increase the patience attendance and attention which thou hast begun in me that after I haue here done thy will I may receiue the promise wherein thou hast assured me that the patient abiding of the righteous shall be gladnesse Thou art a God of mercy and blessed are they that waite for thee Grant therefore Lord that I may be found blamelesse in the day of my distation and that I may here walke worthy of thee through Christ beeing strengthned with al might thrugh thy glorious power to all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnes Amen Lord increase my faith MEDIT. VIII Of Repentance and Merit NO man be he neuer so holy is free froÌ„ sinne and therefore neuer free from occâ—sions to mooue him to Repentance And I acknowledge that Repentance Patience Watchfulnesse Attendance and Attention are of no force vnlesse Faith be the ground of euery of them For it sufficeth mee not to bee sorrie for my sins as it séemeth Iudas and Kain were vn lesse by Faith I can feele assure my selfe that my sinnes are also pardoned as neither of them did for it is the free gift of God which God vouchsafed not to them Neither is it sufficient for mee to watch with Patience or to attend the bringing forth of outward oftentiue and vaine-glorious works but I must feele in my selfe the infallible tokens of mine effectuall calling and ingrafting into Christ through Faith before I can bring forth workes worthy amendment of life which is true Repentance Some tokens of mine effectuall calling I feâ—le in my selfe for I desire to do good yet euen then is euill present with me I delight in the Law of God as conceruing the inner man Namely as I am regenerate But I see another Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde and lending me captiue vnto the Law of sinne which is in my members So that I cannot doe the good I would doe but the euill which I would not do that I doe Should I then thinke that because I feele not the signes of my calling in perfection and because I am not free from all touch of infirmities and sinnes in thought word and deed that therefore I haue no Repentance God forbid for to perswade my selfe that I haue no sinne were to deifie my selfe and to make mee equall with Christ as doe those that are faithed from yet by their workes of Merit and of Supererogation presume to affirme that they can bring not only them-selues but others to saluation whose arrogate Merit stinkes before God making the death of Christ of none effect the highest Blasphemie that mortall man can spew out against the Trinitie for hereby is the most vnsearchable loue of God the Father in sending his Sonne made vain and fruitlesse the obedience of Christ to his Fathers will made needlesse and his death causlesse and the worke of the Holy Ghost who giueth Faith in the hearts of them that shall bee saued excluded and the corrupt heart of miserable man wherein by nature is nothing but sinne the dregges whereof will remaine euen in the regenerate man during this mortall life exalted aboue the merits of Christ. Which Blasphemy be farre from me Hee that can merit his owne Saluation needs no Repentance which I disclay me and cleaue only and alone to the merits of Christ my Sauiour in whom my Repentance imperfect is reputed true Repentance howsoeuer the â—ing of sinne remaines in me yet without mortall venome only to keepe me euer in minde of mine imperfections for when sinfull motions arise in mee I cannot but acknowledge in my selfe corruption which cannot but humble mee before God and occasion me to pray for the Spirit of Repentance and that God will deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne A Prayer for true Repentance and a reformed life The Prayer O Lord my God I come here into thy presence fearefull to looke vp to Heauen where thou sittest from whence thou beholdest all my wayes and obseruest all mine actions in earth cursed and euill and wherein I haue too too long wallowed my selfe and as it were bathed my selfe in the bloud of mine owne soule which I haue diuersly wounded through my sinnes seldome or neuer calling my selfe to an account what I haue done but resting secure haue followed vanitie vpon vanity heaping â—â—â—ne vpon sin as if there were neither pleasure nor profit but in a carnall course of life O touch my heart with a true sorrow for euery idle thought of my heart for euery vaine word of my mouth and for euery act that I haue commited against thy sacred Maiestie giue mee grace to call to minde my sinnes of all sorts of all seasons and of all places howsoeuer or wheresoeuer I haue done and committed them that they appearing vnto mee in their vgly likenesse I may truely lothe them hate and abhorre them and vnfainedly repent them while Ihane time and while thy Mercies may be found for in death there is no remeÌ„brance of thee and in the graue who shall prayse thee Returne O Lord deliuer my soule saue mee for thy mercies sake withdraw not thy tender mercie from mee O Lord let thy Merrie and thy Truth alwayes preserue me Open Lord my dimme eyes the â—ies of my heart that I may hence-forth sée and walke in thy wayes Soften and molliste my hard and stonie heart that with Peter I may go out of my sinnes and bitterly bewaile them Send thy light and thy truth let them lead mee let them bring me vnto thine holy Mountaine and to thy Tabernacles Giue me a truly repenting heart through a liuely Faith in the Merits
of thy Sonne in whom say vnto my Soule and seale it vnto mee by thy holy Spirit that thou art my Saluation Lord increase my faith and accept my Repentance MEDIT. IX Of Faith and Hope and the effects of them both and of the glorie to come FAITH HOPE the maine Pillars whervpō are builded all other Diuine Vertues are the meere gift of God without which I doe acknowledge I cannot be saued Saint Paul writing vnto the Hebrewes describes the faith whereby I beleeue in Christ not to be a dead but a working faith knowne by the effects whereof are many Examples Rom. 11. And whereby many most worthy men approued themselues to bee of God and to bee beloued of God who by their faith apprehended things absent and vnseene to their vnspeakable comfort as really and truly a◠if they had beene present and visible confirming thereby that faith is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene By this our faithfull Fore-fathers saw Christ long before he came in the flesh and beleeued him to come to bee the Messiah Moses saith Christ saw my dayes So did the Prophets Dauid and many other who hoped for that which they saw not yet at length obtained the visible glorie of the same Sonne of God by whom and in whose bloud to bee shed they were saued Without faith howsoeuer a man may liue in a seeming sincere course of life before men though he bee obserued to doe no man wrong yet if hee take not hold of Christ by this liuely faith if hee imbrace not his Word lay it vp in his heart if he bring not forth fruits worthy amendment of life he pleaseth not God for in nothing is GOD pleased but in and by his Sonne and is delighted is none but in such as seeke him and serue him in and by his Sonne I cannot come vnto God without Christ nay I cannot beleeue that God is but by Christ. I cannot hope to receiue the good things of Heauen not with patience abide for them but that Christ hath purchased the same for me and promised the same vnto me And therefore I beleeue them to bee certaine and sure though yet but in expectation therefore I wait with patience The Husbandman wayteth for the Haruest many dayes after his chargeable and laborious committing the Seed vnto the earth if the Haruest were instant vpon the casting away of the Seed there were neither Patience nor Hope in the Seedes-man And if by experience hee found not that the Seed cast into the Earth would render recompence hee would either forbeare to cast it away or being sowne neuer hope for fruit So I wretched man though I deserue no other fruit to reape then I haue sowne namely of the flesh corruption yet I hope to reape what I haue not sowne namely of the Spirit euerlasting life and that through Iesus Christ who and not I hath cast the Seed of the Spirit into my Soule the fruit whereof I shall reape at the generall Haruest to mine owne euerlasting vse as if the Seed had beene mine owne for which I hope with patience in Faith As the Light followeth the Sunne so Hope followes Faith But if I beleeued not God in Christ and in him had assurance through Faith of the performance of his promise of future glorie I might well say with Saint Paul I were of all men most miserable for to endure here miseries crosses enemies labours anguishes and perplexities of bodie and minde and to bee also frustrate of future comfort my case were worse then the Bird in the Ayre the Fish in the Sea or the brute Beast of the Field But glorie bee to God in Christ who hath assured mee of a Kingdome to come an inheritance immortall Edifie your selues saith Saint Iude in your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost and keep your selues in the loue of God looking for the Mercie of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Eternall life then being the end of my Hope I will with patience abide it for comming I know it will come And the delay of mine enioying it is but the try all of my faith which yeeldeth me that assurance that to mee is much more precious then Gold that perisheth and shall bee found to my glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ whom though I haue not seene yet I loue him beleeue and reioyce in him with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious and shall receiue the end of my Faith euen the saluation of my soule after this death It may bee demanded Is it so easie a matter to obtaine eternall life To beleeue onely no I beleeue not that simply to beleeue can obtaine saluation But if I confesse with my mouth the Lord Iesus and doe beleeue in my heart that God raysed him vp from the dead I shall bee saued It may bee againe obiected Here is yet but faith of the heart and confession of the mouth If this bee all that is required to saluation it is not so hard a thing as it is conceiued to obtaine it I hold in deed that the bare confession of Christ and to beleeue that Christ is though I beleeue him to bee the Sauiour of the World and yet doe not apply his merits and death vnto my selfe my Faith profits mee little and my Confession nothing at all Thou beleeuest saith Saint Iames that there is one God thou doest well the Deuils also beleeue and tremble and therefore barely to beleeue that there is a God and a Christ to confesse as much is no more then the Deuils doe Therefore this Faith and this Confession is not sufficient to my saluation for then should the Deuils that beleeue bee also saued but they beleeue and tremble I beleeue and hope desiring to shew my Faith by my workes Abraham indeed was iustified by his faith that before the attempting of the offering of his son But by the offering of his sonne hee shewed that his faith was not a naked and bare faith but a faith accompanied with obedience good Workes for his workes preceded not his iustification but beeing first iustified he beleeued and obeyed Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Faith being the gift of God brings forth good Works which in Abraham grew not by nature but by the free mercie of God wrought and working by the Holy Ghost whose fruits they were yet in Gods mercie imputed as the fruits of Abraham so what-soeuer good thing proceedeth of my faith in Christ I assume it not as mine though through Christ so imputed I beleeue that true and sauing Faith cannot bee without good Works for without good Works faith is dead And I also beleeue that there may bee works of themselues good and yet without true faith not onely not acceptable to God but rather condemned of him for
sinners I had perished through thy iust iudgement long agone euen in my youth for as soone as I was able to speake though vnderstanding little I indeuoured to excuse my childly errors with vntruths falshood lying growing to mans estate and to the abilitie to act greater sinnes I omitted no one forbidden vanitie offered to any of my sences but greedily imbraced it and as I increased in yeeres and in strength to sinne so did I increase in cōmitting wickednesse neither reuerencing thee nor seeking to know thee or to obey thee according to my dutie but rebelled against thee and thy Lawes as if thy threats against sinne and sinners had been only to terrifie and not to punish them And thy promises of spirituall comforts and future happines had been only to withdraw mee from my carnall delights wherein I reposed all my felicitie perswading my selfe there was no danger in sin nor reward for well-doing Thus foolish was I and ignorant by nature shewing that I had no originall goodnesse in mee but corrupt in my conception sinfull in my birth and wicked in my life and consequently the childe of wrath This masse of miserie befell me by the fall of the first man ADAM in whom I was first good and pure and righteous and holy like vnto thee O God of heauen And had not Adam defaced that Image of sanctitie in himselfe I should haue remained holy as thou art holy for euer But by his disobedience I lost in him all obedience towards thee and became a Rebell like vnto him euen in his loynes for in him I was conceiued in sinne and through the corruption of that my conception I only bring forth iniquitie Beeing thus miserably cast downe from glorie to shame from light to darknesse from sanctitie to sin from Heauen to Hell to whom shall I appeale for reliefe whose aide shall I craue for the obtayning of thy fauour loue againe for being depriued of thee I am dead being aliue if I die without thee I die eternally But Lord now I know thee and whom thou hast sent IESVS CHRIST and I know that in thy seuere iustice through him thou remembrest mercie and in thy fierce wrath thou shewest compassion which in nothing appeareth so much as in the performance of thy promise in sending thy Sonne the Seede of the Woman who according to thy Couenant hath conquered Satan and trodden downe the Serpent by whome our first Parents were inuenomed and stung vnto death and I in them But now in and by that sacred Seede Iesus Christ that poysonous sting is remoued and all beleeuers restored to life Therefore Lord Iesu thou Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercie vpon me take away my sins wash me and make mee cleane through thy bloud from all my filthinesse giue me a liuely faith to take hold of thy merits and to depend vpon thy promises of saluation And that I may apply thy salutarie death vnto my sicke and diseased soule wounded by the dart of sinne and guilt of disobedience set thy righteousnesse against my sins and thine obedience to my disobedience couer me with the Robe of thine owne Innocencie that the foulenesse of my deseruings may be hidden from mine highly-offended God who by promise will impute thy most absolute integritie to be mine as he imputed and laid all the sinnes of Adams posterity vpon thee as thine Lord now at the last lighten mine vnderstanding purifie my heart sanctifie my will order all mine affections and actions and rectifie so my conuersation as I may walke as thy truly adopted sonne in holinesse and true righteousnesse and be kept euer blamelesse vntill the glorious appearing of Christ my Sauiour in whose name I now come vnto thee most louing and mercifull Father beseeching thee for his sake that I feeling and confessing the hainousnesse of my sinnes past and groning vnder the burden of them may feele the release and ease of them in that I through thy holy Spirit am assured and stedfastly doe beleeue that CHRIST my most louing Redeemer hath borne the burden of them euen for me Grant deare Father that I being assured hereof in my conscience may be renewed in the inner man through thy grace that I may hate detest and abhor sinne and indeuour to liue according to thy will all the dayes of my life And for as much gracious Lord God as I must here continue during thine appointed time in this dangerous wildernesse of many vanities subiect to many troubles tryed with many temptations and compassed with many and infinite miseries and dangers hauing of my selfe no succour no defence no safetie but in thine alone fauour power and prouidence I humbly pray and beseech thee O mercifull Lord God to looke downe from heauen vpon me in mercy and louing kindnesse Shew mee thy wayes teach mee thy pathes leade mee euer in thy Truth and instruct me in the things that I ought to learne and learne mee how to practise to leade my life according vnto the same lest I follow vanities and delight in sinne lest I fall into troubles and there bee none to deliuer mee lest Sathan preuaile against me and I fall from thee and lest I fall into dangers and perish in my miseries Turne thy face towards me O Lord and cheere me with the brightnesse of thine amiable countenance for when thou turnest thy face from me I faint and when thou hidest thy countenance I fall fearefully As long as thou art with me I am safe when thou leauest mee then troubles afflict me enemies insult me and triumph ouer me I am then subiect to all miseries Satan with his temptations preuaileth my corrupt affections misleade me the world with vanities distract me and I am not able to looke vp my heart is cast downe my mind is estranged from all goodnesse and my will is carried into all forbidden things So that I am as a dead man or rather no man but the meere image of a man in whom dwelleth neither right reason nor humane vnderstāding a beast in thy sight Hide not therefore thy face from me O Lord nor cast thy seruant away in displeasure Thou hast been euer and in all things my succour leaue me not now O Lord nor forsake me O God of my saluation But continue thy loue and fauour towards mee that I may againe recouer my spirituall strength and be enabled to serue thee with a faithfull constant and obedient heart vnto the end In my necessitie furnish me O Lord with all competent meanes for the maintenāce of my present life and estate here in plen tie make me truly thankefull in want patient in sicknesse be thou my Physician and heale me and preuent Satan that he in the time of my finall visitation ouer charge me not laying before the eyes of my weake conscience my sins past but arme me with the assurance of thy mercies and with a liuely hope of future glorie with thee in the heauens
death are equally as vncertayne to man as is the Houre the Day the Weeke the Moneth the Yeere of Christs comming to Iudgement which that he will come is as certaine as death but as touching the time of the cōsummation of al things Christ as hee was man confessed he knew not the time yet was no earthly thing hid from him no not the thoughts of men But that Day is concealed in the generall as the houre of mans death in particular only to make vs and to keepe vs in such a continuall obedience as if death should suddenly steale vpon vs we may be readie to imbrace him in what manner soeuer hee should execute his seuerity vpon vs. Whereby I learne that as I tender mine own safetie So I should prepare me for that and to that which come it sooner or later cannot be auoyded It is then the principall point of diuine Wisdome to learne and to practize to liue well for without a godly life I cannot willingly and comfortably imbrace death which can neuer bee euill if a good life haue gone before As I shall dye so shall I rise If I dye iustified I shall rise to be glorified To liue well as some account it wealthily is not well And to dye rich is not to dye righteous for so should the rich Glutton haue beene carryed into Abrahams bosome with or before poore Lazarus The cōdition of worldlings no doubt is glorious were it good pleasant were it truly profitable It is high in conceit but not as it is taken true happinesse It is no higher then the Eye can see It consisteth but of the Earth and earthly things The Swine thinkes his condition happie yet only noozels in the Earth for Apples and Acornes neuer looking to the Tree from whence they fall So doe Worldlings wallow in all carnall care how to become great and glorious in this life seldome or neuer looking vp with the Eye of Faith to him from whom and from none else commeth the riches that maketh a man blessedly happie Contrarie is the condition of the Childe of God who loues God in feare and feares him in loue accepting euery smal gift as a great measure of his bountie resting content with whatsoeuer God will vouchsafe to bestow on him liuing in the world but dead to the World following with diligence and truth his Vocation be it neuer so base and contemptible receiuing with thankefulnesse to GOD whatsoeuer he enioyeth in this life not setting his affection vpon that which the World loueth but affecteth whatsoeuer hee hath for his sake that giues it hauing the Eye of his sanctified Soule alwayes and in all things in prosperity in aduersity in health in sicknesse in peace and persecution in fulnesse and in want and is alwayes conuersant as it were in Heauen desiring to bee dissolued to bee with Christ. These are the pleasures of that life that precedes a happie death My desire therefore and continuall indeuour shall be to learne and my care to practize the life and conuersation of a liuely Christian in continuall filiall obedience not after the flesh in shew only but after the Spirit in Truth not for the bodie only as doth the beast that perisheth but for the Soule which being safe the bodie cannot finally perish and safe I cannot bee in soule or bodie vnlesse I liue in Christ and Christ in me for I now find that as long as I liued without Christ I did but liue in shew as the Angell of Sardis who had the name to liue but yet was dead so I though I liued and breathed and had a naturall being yet was I dead spiritually without him as the wanton Widdow that was dead while she liued But by the Spirit of Christ I am now againe made aliue desiring to liue in him hee is life in deed to walke in him hee is the true way indeed and to beleeue in him he is truth in deed My former learning to liue was in carnall libertie which I now finde to bee but foolishnesse falshood and deceit I now seeke to learne to liue according vnto Christ though late though it bee the very euening of my day being called vnto and if I doe perseuere in my labour according vnto my dutie I doubt not but to receiue my penny as well as if I had carryed the burden of the whole day of my life for he that calleth me into his Vineyard is truly bountifull and respecteth not the quantitie but the qualitie of my worke not how much I doe but how well and willingly I doe it for he rewards none for merit but in mercie And now finding my selfe to be not only in the way but neere vnto the end of my day I desire so to finish it as I may liue in him vnto the end that is life eternall that as he is eternall I beginning here to liue in him I may liue eternally with him in Heauen after this death And therefore I doe heartily abhorre the life that I haue led with-out him desiring now a right preparation so to lay downe this mortall bodie as it may bee taken vp and raysed by the vertue of Christs Resurrection at the comming of him in the Cloudes and in the meane season I desire so to walke in my spirituall part as in his time also hee may againe receiue it that gaue it for I know that if my earthly house be destroyed I haue a building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the Heauens And through the mercy of God in Christ I shall then remayne for euer in Abrahams bosome the Paradise of God a new and spirituall Ierusalem I confesse I ground not mine assurance of my future blessednesse vpon any worthinesse or merite of mine owne whose merits I acknowledge Gods mercies Therefore being dissolued I beleeue not that the Prayers of friends or mediation of Saints or Angels or any Missall Sacrifice after my soule hath left my bodie can auayle me any thing But doe contrarily beleeue Post-Prayers to bee meerely fruitlesse if not sinfull the intercessions of Saints or Angels to be needlesse if not fabulous I only relye vpon the Al-sufficient Sacrifice of the bloud of Iesus Christ shed vpon the Crosse for me and his merit and mediation to bee mine onely atonement with God for my sinnes being liuing and through his power my soule to bee transported to glorie my bodie being dead from whence neither sinne nor Satan principalities nor powers shall be able to remoue mee nor to take mee out of my Redeemers hands Glory therefore bee vnto God in Iesus Christ who hath deliuered mee from the power of Satan Death and Hell This mine assurance giueth mee peace in Christ yet doe I withall feele another law within mee stirring mee vp or rather casting mee downe into sundry corrupt motions tending to sinne and did not God assist me with
Paul that his grace is sufficient for mee yet doth it much behooue me to take continuall heede vnto my waies yea to the very motions of my corrupt heart for mine inward desires are not long hid from him who will neuer let slip the least shew of whatsoeuer euill and prophane inclination But as the fire is a little inkindled in and by mine owne nature So is he readie with a thousand ministers and impious meanes to blow it and to bring it to an vnquenchable flame of sinfull actions Therefore my heartie desire is for the withstanding of his temptations to practise whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are worthy loue whatsoeuer things are of good report the practice of which things is true watchfulnes most irksome and most offensiue to al mine enemies Things true Satan the father of lyes hates deadly things honest are contrarie to mine owne naturall and carnall inclination which of it selfe delighteth in pleasure in vanities and all kinde of prophanenesse Things of good report the World indureth not but rather backe-biting and slandering This capitall Aduersarie the Deuill doth not assaile me singly nor alone but commonly combines together with the World and my corrupt nature then as so many Captains each of them with a band of infernall Souldiers the Deuill with his angels powers and principalities the Flesh with a thousand contagious cogitations vngodly affections and forbidden vanities and the World with a million of vexations set vpon me A man hauing but one mortal enemie wil watchfully beware of him either to flie him or be prepared with weapons sufficient to incounter him though hee seeke but to depriue the life of the bodie How much more then behooueth it mee to bee watchful hauing so many and so mightie so mortall Aduersaries that seeke not only my bodily death but the confusion also of my soule and if I be not armed with grace the least of these will easily preuaile against me There is nothing more aduātagious to these mine enemies then mine owne corrupt inclination the fruits whereof are as meat and drinke vnto mine Aduersaries which are the works of darknesse therefore will I striue with an holy endeuour to abandon and cast off the works of darknesse deare vnto mine enemies and to put on the armour of light which is vnto them as death I wil set mine affections on things that are aboue and not on things that are on the earth I will auoid euill and cleau◠vnto that which is good Many venimous and viperous Serpents lurke in the way of this life to escape their poyson in practice I looke not but to resist their power I doubt not for the Lord is my strength to whom I will flie for succour A Prayer against Satan and his ministers the World and mine owne corruption The Prayer MOst gracious Lord God and most mercifull in Jesus Christ who art most pitifull in beholding the daily strong tentations where with I am tryed by the policies of Satan looke vpon me for he taketh as it were vnto himselfe in aide the vanities of the world laying them before the eyes of my corrupt minde to seduce me from the sweete consolation that I haue in the contemplation of heauenly things vnto the delights and pleasures of earthly deceits And further thou knowest O Lord how subtilly hee windeth himselfe as it were into the secret inclinations of my heart by obseruing the least shew of my outward actions maliciously watching to trap me and by his baits painted out as it were with the glittering shew of ease of pleasure of profit such like deceiuing succeeding contentments indeuoureth to traine mée into his snares What am I good Father that I should vndergoe and beare the burden of so many subtill wiles secret snares and strong temptations as this most mortal aduersary of mine frameth against mée how can I escape so vigilant and so powerfull an enemie that can command principalities powers and all spirituall wickednesse to attend his most deadly designes vnlesse thou by thy grace preuent him I disclaime any power in my selfe to resist his deuices and doe rather acknowledge that in steade of resisting I doe assist him against my self by the vanities of mine own corrupt nature and therefore doe wholly and altogether relie vpon thy méere merciè wherein thou hast compassion on thy weake children thus beset with such and so many deadly Aduersaries and compassed about with so great a trsupe of wickednesse Make mee therefore strong good Father in the power of thine owne strength Put vpon mée thy defensiue armour that I may yet manfully in the Spirit of truth encounter all my spirituall and secret enemies Gird me with the girdle of Truth put on mee the brest-plate of Righteousnesse and the inuincible and impenetrable shield of Faith so shall I be able to quench the sterie darts of the Deuill and with the sword of the Spirit wound the strongest of them that rise vp against me for thou with thy Helmet of saluation shalt kéepe me euer safe so as neither Satan Death nor Hell shall bée able to preuaile against me O Lord my God work I beséech thée in mée that which is pleassng in thy sight and grant according to the riches of thy grace that I may bee strengthened by thy Spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwell in my heart by Faith and so my whole spirit soule and body may be kept frée from the power of sin Satan blamelesse to the comming of the Lord Jesus to whom bee glorie and praise for euer O Lord increase my faith MEDIT. V. The second cause of watchfulnesse the vncertaintie of the time of death THe second cause of watchfulnesse is the vncertayne comming of death To the end therefore that I may prouide for his comming and not bee afraid as no doubt by nature flesh and bloud cannot but bee at the consideration of the supposed horror it bringeth with it I must entertayne a godly care to liue well and that in the continuall expectation of the time when it will come for a godly sincere and a religious life can neuer be too suddenly surprised by death come it where when and how it will so shall I be sure to die in the Lord. Though I should lose my head with Iohn Baptist bee stoned with Stephen though I should be burned with fire slaine by the sword with Iames or by whatsoeuer other ignominious cruell or tormenting death yet I am the Lords and with him I shall liue for euer Yet am I not secure as if I needed not to feare for I cannot but confesse that howsoeuer I indeuor to leade a godly life I find in my selfe many and sundrie relapses and desertions though not finall yet fearefull through the manifold temptations of Satā working by through mine owne corruptions therefore I finde it
horrible thunder and all things shall bee suddenly surprized by the greatnesse of his Maiestie that shall appeare with flames of fire And many that shall liue to behold this fearefull Apparition as all men shall remayning aliue in that Day for none shall bee able to shut their eyes and the eyes of them that are now rotten in the graues shall be opened shall seeke to hide themselues from the face of that most terrible Iudge but in vaine The sight of the Iudge that can condemne but the bodie is fearfull to the offendor What then will the sight of this Iudge of Iudges bee vnto the wicked to sinfull and secure worldlings who comes not with a mortall Sherife accompayned with a Trayne of fantasticall Attendants but with millions of Angels at whose presence the Heauens shall shrinke away with a noyse the Elements shall melt with â—eate and the earth with the works thereof the great and glorious Buildings and the things therein shall bee burnt with vnquenchable Sulpher O who will not consider this who will not watch and be sober knowing that this great and terrible Day this Day of Wrath is comming and at hand a Day of Wrath to the wicked but to them that feare God in loue and liue in his feare a Day of ioy and gladnesse there fore shal they hold vp their heads for their redemption draweth neere Seeing then that all things that wee see and here enioy the Heauens aboue vs the Earth beneath vs the Seas and all things in them shall bee thus consumed and wee know not how soone nor when one particular iudgement namely the day of our death shall be What manner persons ought wee to bee appeare must euery man and answere answere alas what can we answere to him that comes not to iudge the bodie onely which yet is terrible but the soule and bodie not to a temporall punishment but to eternall torment The stoutest cannot but be stricken dumbe at the very sight of this great Iudge who will giue sentence according to that euery one hath done in the flesh good or euill O that I could therefore clense my heart from euill to good I cannot it is the worke of the Spirit of God in mee which hee worketh euen of his owne good pleasure freely therfore I pursuing this good begunne in mee daily going on from faith to faith from grace to grace I shall become fit through Gods acceptance in Iesus Christ to waite for the Day of death or the generall dissolution with gladnesse It is the rich grace of GOD bestowed on me whereby I haue my conuersation in Heauen from whence I looke for the comming of my Sauiour the Lord Iesus In whom and by whom there is laid vp for mee the Crowne of Righteousnesse and not for me only but for all them that loue and looke for his second appearing I will therefore watch and pray by the grace of GOD continually that I may bee counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that I may stand before the Sonne of man without feare A Prayer for continuall watchfulnesse that neither the generall nor the particular Day of Iudgement come vpon mee vnprouided The Prayer O Lord my God in Jesus Christ who art terrible and fearefull euen to them that séeke thée how much more fearfull wilt thou appeare when thou settest thy wrathfull countenance against the wicked such as now haue no feare of thy Name Giue me I pray thée a continual watchful heart euer to bée exercised in diuine and heauenly things and leaue mee nor vnto mine owne affections which are by nature full of corruption and sinne wherein if thou shouldest take mee suddenly I should be found a most vnprofitable seruant to bee bound hand and foot and east into vtter darknesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth O hide thy face from my sin and blot out all mine iniquities Create in mee a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free Spirit Why art thou cast down O my Soule and vnquiet within me waite on God he neuer faileth them that trust in him Waite thou on the Lord O my Soule keepe his way and he shall exalt thee that thou shalt inherit the Land euen the Land of Promise Spirituall Canaan new Ierusalem When the wicked shall perish thou shalt see it Such as are blessed of GOD shall inherit the Land And they that bee cursed of him shall be cut off Endue mee therefore good Father with thy grace that I may euer thinke of my end that I presume not vpon long life resting secure as if I had none account to make vnto thée of my time and talents heere receiued of thée and how they haue béene spent by me nor any holy duties required to bee performed in this my Pilgrimage and Banishment where I haue no continuing Citie but I séeke one to come Holy Father giue mée thy Spirit and Grace euer to bring forth heauenly fruits that whensoeuer wheresoeuer or howsoeuer I shall depart hence I may be yet found faithfull and of the number of them whom Christ when hee commeth may find waking in well-doing that the sentence Go ye cursed be not pronounced against me but bee of the societie of them that shall heare Come yee blessed Grant this for Jesus Christs sake in and by whom I haue the promise of eternall life to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost bee all power and praise ascribed for hee is worthie Lord increase my faith MEDIT. VII WAtchfulnesse then being a principall meane to preuent the sudden surprise that death might make vpon mee there followeth necessarily Patience an inseparable companion of Watchfulnesse which implies care attendance and attention The care here meant is not for any worldly thing for these I cast my care vpon God for he careth for me But such a care as Paul had of all the Churches 2. Cor. 11. 28. seeking the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof Matt. 6. 33. then will not God faile mee nor forsake me The care therfore that I couet to haue is how to preuent sinne and flye Securitie which are contrary to a godly care and consequently contrary to true watchfulnesse and therefore farre from true patience which worketh not vpon securitie and carnall peace but vpon wayting for the promise of Redemption This is the patience which the Children of God haue whose patient abiding shall be gladnesse I will not therefore render euill for euill nor rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise I will blesse knowing that I am thereunto called that I should be the heire of blessing 1. Pet. 3. 9. And if I be rayled on for the name of Christ shall I discouer my weakenesse through impatience no there is a blessing promised for the Spirit of glorie and of God resteth on
true peace with or in the World and happie is hee that hath warres with it and peace with God But here is the miserie of miseries hence is griefe hence often vpbraydings especially domesticke the want of daintie fare gay and fashionable garments and the want of meanes to preferre and aduance Posterities is the Houshold Breake-peace and to auoid this miserie some runne into a mischiefe vsing sinister and vnlawful means to satisfie the World and worldly mindes displeasing God to please vaine fantasies yet for a time it is sweet and pleasant yeelding a kind of content and carnall comfort such as CHRIST fore-told that Worldlings should haue in this life as the Rich man in the Gospell had but GODS owne Children should haue contrarie enentertainmēt in the world they should want weepe and lament as Lazarus did and as their estates of wealth and want pleasure and paine faith and infidelitie doe differ so do their ends for fulnes and want mirth and mourning ioy and sorrow idlenesse and labour stand not together in this life neither yeeld they like comfort or calamitie after death There are but two extremes in riches and pouertie but their degrees are infinite so are there of pleasure and paine after this life The true vse of riches and the patient acceptance of a meane estate are equall and receiue eequall proportion of reward So the abuse of riches and the impatient vndergoing of a poore estate shall be equally punished whether therefore I bee poore or rich I am in neither happie but so farre as I walke in either of them in the feare and loue of God that giues both for the good of the good and to the reproofe of them that abuse either O happie is that heart that harbours the hope of heauenly things it is contentedly satisfied with the smallest portion the world doth yeeld and yet resteth not idle in well-doing but carefully indeuoreth so to liue as willingly not to be chargeabe to any desiring rather to bee able to helpe the needie and to owe nothing but good will to any Naked came I into the World poore and in a meane estate I liue and naked I must goe hence as touching my spirituall part I shall be clothed with the Robe of my Redeemers merits in the Heauens vntill my bodie shall be raysed againe and then reunited vnto my soule and both become one bodie clothed with eternall glorie And therefore Come Lord Iesus come quickly and finish these dayes of sinne that I may partake of thy glorie THE HVSBANDS Christian counsell to his Wife and Children left poore after his death PART 1. Death certaine his comming vncertaine BY the former Discourse ye may perceiue that Death will certainly come vpon mee and you as vpon all men but when where or how no man knowes and that after death all shall come to Iudgement and yeeld account for whatsoeuer they haue done in this life and therefore wee all should prepare vs against the time by continuall watchsulnesse in well-doing You may also conceiue and I know you haue too well experimented my poore estate to bee such as I cannot leaue behinde me such testimonies of my worldly happinesse as many other men doe to them they leaue behinde them that may challenge some remembrance by their worldly substance And therefore in stead of such commemorations I desire before I goe hence and bee no more seene to leaue such token of my loue towards you as I can that you may likewise remember mee in Christian imitation after my death wishing you to take that in good part at my hands that I shall giue you in counsell though words I know make none wealthy In stead therefore of Possessions and Pecuniary Portions I wish you euer to esteeme the fauor loue and prouidence of God your chiefest riches who as he hath been euer mine so will hee bee assuredly yours if in faith yee serue him and seeke him Bee yee therefore patient in that which in this life necessitie inforceth to be vndergone howsoeuer hard and vnsauourie it bee to flesh and bloud and make of that necessitie a vertue which if bee taken with grudging turnes into sinne The time will not bee long which will giue end to the greatest miseries then what difference can there bee obserued betweene them that haue abundance and them that haue least they shall carrie equall portions to their graues only nakednesse which both the rich and poore the glorious and the base brought into the World with them yet their future portions may differ as did the Rich mans and Lazarus Let vs therefore as long as we liue together couple and comfort our hearts together in the Lord whose pleasure it is and that in loue to keepe vs low in this World to the end wee should not be transported from the loue of heauenly to earthly things the best whereof is our bodie which yet is compared to a Flowre that fades and comes to nothing If therefore pouertie and afflictions continually possesse vs and presse vs downe euen vnto our liues ends Let vs rest euer faithfull cleauing constantly vnto God for hee careth for vs so shall wee bee the lesse carefull for worldly things Care not for your liues saith Christ namely what yee shall eate or what yee shall drinke nor for your bodies what yee shall put on for the bodie is more worth then meate and of more value then rayment bee it neuer so precious yet shall it naturally rot as the Garment doth but so much the more precious is the bodie though it perish by how much it shall bee futurely glorified But the bodies of the disobedient and wicked are so much the more base and vile then is a garment by how much it shall not so totally perish as the garment doth but bee reserued and raysed to endlesse torments The fowles of the ayre are brought in by Christ to teach man to cast his care vpon God Who careth for the verie fowles though they sow not nor reape nor carrie into barnes yet they are fedde and nourished by God but they are not idle for as God hath ordained food for them so are they to flye to and fro to seeke it teaching as not to rest careles of lawfull labours though Christ say Care not for to morrow but rather that we should bee so much the more industrious euery where by all meanes at all times in our lawfull callings omitting no opportunitie lawfully to encrease our store Christ likewise by way of comparison brings in the Lillyes of the field setting their glorie to the glorie of our corrupt bodies shewing that although wee labour and toyle and carke and care and busie our bodies and braynes about superfluous and vanishing things wee can neuer bee comparable to the glory of the Lilly other glorious beautifull flowers no not Salomon in his most glorious robes yet as glorious as these
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
daily offend if yee bee truely sorrie for it hee will not cast you off but will receiue you as his sonnes and daughters Mary Magdalen was a woman of a defiled conuersation Peter weake for fear denied his Master Dauid committed two great sinnes Whoredome and Murder Paul persecuted Gods people yet vpon Repentance they all receiued pardon Yee may not therefore imitate them as they were sinners but imitate their Repentance and lye not in your sinnes God indeed is gracious but ye may not sinne that grace may the more abound God for bid for although God be mercifull hee is not totally mercie but is also iust and in his iustice hee might condemne all humane creatures for no man is righteous in his fight And therefore none without Christ in whom all that shal be saued are saued Take theresore holde of him and his mercies and mediation through Faith so were your sins as red as bloud they shal be made as white as snow and were they as Purple bee made as white as wooll by the sheading of his bloud vpon the Crosse. Cast off all feare and despaire therefore only beware of relapses fall not backe againe bee not like the Dogge and the Sow and take heede of presumptuous sinning as to sinne perswading your selues ye will and can repent when yee list and so much the more boldly because ye haue learned that God is mercifull This is to quench his Mercie and to incense his Iustice and to harden your hearts in the custome of sinning so should ye haue Iudgement without Mercie Such as thus sinne against God are enemies to the Crosse of Christ and contemners of the Mercie of God who shall melt away as Waxe at the fire and perish at the presence of God But the Righteous shall bee glad and reioyce yea they shall leape for ioy not the Righteous in their owne opinion or the Righteous in shew but the truly Righteous to whom the Righteousnesse of Christ is freely imputed Take heede therefore that yee assume not vnto your selues to bee righteous for before God there is none no not one righteous in the Earth ye may obiect and say How then shall any man reioyce seeing there is none righteous none in or by their owne inherent Righteousnesse for the best mans actions are in and of them-selues euill euermore without Christ. He therefore that is truely righteous is righteous by imputation not by actuall perfection Abraham nor Isaak nor Iacob nor Iob nor Dauid nor Daniel no not Enoch or Elias nor Peter nor Paul nor that Diuine Apostle Iohn were of them-selues by nature so perfect holy or righteous as that any of them durst to stand vpon their owne merits by them to bee saued no the Blessed Virgin acknowledged Christ to bee her Sauiour Beware therefore of that generation of Vipers Iusticiaries who assume vnto themselues that puritie and power as they do and are able to fulfill all the Commandements and whole Law of God which the most righteous man Christ excepted could neuer doe Christ came to saue Sinners confessing their owne vnworthinesse not such as neede no other workes of Redemption but their owne workes of perfection by which workes they shall bee iudged without the imputation of the worthinesse of Christs Merits vnlesse they repent their iudgement is pronounced alreadie O flye from the hearing of any bewitching tongue whatsoeuer that shall indeuour to make you beleeue that yee may liue without sinne They are Lyers the children of the father of Lyes and would make you Lyers like vnto themselues who though they bee men in shape yet are they Monsters indeed they would seeme Dcified and alas they are Deuils incarnate haue no conuersation with such men yet striue and studie to be perfect namely to attaine vnto such perfection as the dearest children of God can haue in this life Stand not at a stay but endeuour to proceed from faith to faith from one diuine vertue to another vntill yee become perfect in Christ in whom and not in your selues your absolute perfection consisteth and when yee haue done all that yee can acknowledge your selues farre imperfect and vnprofitable seruants for the way to glorie is by humilitie and hee that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low The humble man thinks euery man better then himselfe and thinkes his best actions worthy rather to bee reprooued then rewarded And vpon due consideration of his deserts is so farre from iustifying himselfe as hee is ashamed of his owne vnworthinesse he casts himselfe downe and the Lord lifts him vp But hee that iustifies himselfe lifts himselfe vp and makes himselfe equall with God and God doth cast him downe to haue his portion with Lucifer Remember the reiection of the proud Pharises iustification and the acceptation of the Publicans humiliation your humilitie consisteth in your voluntarie subiection vnto the Ordinances of God who reuealeth vnto the poore in spirit the knowledge of his will and hides it from them that assume vnto themselues knowledge sufficient without the Doctrine of his Word Yee can in nothing bee more like vnto Christ then in meeknesse and humility two adiuncts of Christ not much vnlike in operation The first namely Meekenesse is most properly shewed in your conuersation among men The second which is humilitie sheweth it selfe in patient submitting your selues without any inward discontent to what it pleaseth God to doe with you or against you against you neuer though your carnall vnderstanding may so conceiue it Iob was contented with all his afflictions resoluing himselfe that though GOD would kill him yet would he trust in him And should you professing humilitie grudge when any thing befalls you for your good farre be it from you rather prayse God exalt his Name fall downe before his footstoole imbrace his Discipline for he is holy and to be loued and feared loued in that hee is your God who hath created you and preserued you to bee feared in that hee is iust and may iustly condemne you in the strictnesse of his Iustice. Enter therefore into his gates with prayse and into his Courts with reioycing prayse him and blesse his Name for hee is good his Mercie is euerlasting and his Truth namely the performance of his promises endureth from generation to generation Serue him with gladnesse and come before him euer with ioyfulnesse for though hee be in the Heauens yet looketh hee downe from his holy Sanctuarie to heare the mournings of the Prisoners and to deliuer them that are appointed to death Let your soules therefore euermore prayse the Lord not your tongues and lippes only which are outward and oftentimes Organs of Hypocricie Remember and keepe in minde all his benefits for they are more towardes you then yee are able to number hee for giueth all your sinnes he healeth all your infirmities he giueth you all good things he preserueth you in troubles supplyeth your
wants redeemeth your liues from the Graue and hath prouided for you a Crowne of Glorie And Wife although I your poore Husband shall leaue you a penurious and desolate Widdow hee will bee vnto you a prouiding Husband cleaue vnto him And though I shall leaue you poore fatherlesse children cast your care vpon him he will care for you hee will bee your Father and as a most louing and helping Father obey him as most dutifull and faithfull Children And when the time of my dissolution shall come which cannot be long I must obey and I am readie I shall goe a little before you and yee shall shortly follow if ye goe not before mee which is in God euen to the place of mine assured happines if with faith ye imbrace obey the wil of him that calleth you while ye yet liue as becommeth the Children of so Gracious a Father In the meane time the same God blesse you all with his true Feare continuall Peace and competent Plentie A briefe collection of Diuine comfort for mine owne and the incouragement of euery Christian to dye willingly FOr asmuch as death is the end of this life and this life duly considered an vnpleasant passage to a better and whether it shall bee long or short it behoueth vs to vndergoe with patience in hope whatsoeuer entertainment this World shall afford vs. Iob had as an inheritance the moneths of vanitie and painfull nights were appointed vnto him The dayes of Iacobs pilgrimage were few and euill yet some thinke their pleasantest dayes are here in the earth therefore desire no better not so with me knowing that after this life there is layd vp for me a crowne of righteousnes and not for me only but for all them that loue the appearing of the Lord Iesus There is little reason therefore that I or any other that haue tasted and do daily taste of the bitter cup of this liues vanities and miseries should desire longer to be pressed or oppressed there with but rather to comfort my selfe in a godly and patient expectation of the time when my dissolution may come desiring to bee dissolued and to be with Christ to whom no man commeth but he must remooue out of this house of clay and that cannot bee by any other meanes but by death that is by the destruction or change of this earthly Tabernacle either leauing it in the earth for a season or to be taken vp suddenly at Christs second comming but howsoeuer I know and am assured that both soule and bodie shall bee together and for euer be glorified in the end be clothed with a house not made with hands eternall in the heauens Who then can but sigh in desire to be an inhabitant in that house which is perpetuall and glorious I looke for it in hope confidently assuring my selfe that Christ shall bee then magnified in my bodie whether it bee by life or death for whether I liue I liue vnto him or whether I die I die vnto him whether therefore I liue or die I am the LORDS for I know that he whom I haue beleeued is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that day wherein my mortall bodie shall bee quickned made like vnto his glorious bodie therefore will I willingly lay downe my life and commit my soule vnto God as vnto my most faithfull Creator A comfortable Meditation and Prayer to bee considered and said by euery Christian being neere the time of his dissolution NOw O Lord now draw néere vnto my soule and redéeme it for the time is at hand wherein I shall taste of the cup of death Now therefore is the acceptable time for thee to receiue my soule in the multitude of thy mercies which are wonderfull therefore doe I trust vnder the shaddow of thy wings my soule cleaueth vnto thée for thy right hand vpholdeth mée My soule thirsteth for thée my flesh longeth greatly after thée whose louing kindnesse is better to mee then life for from thée commeth my saluation Haue mercy vpon mée O God haue mercy vpon me for my soule trusteth in thée and vnder the shaddow of thy wings wil I trust till this my finall affliction be ouer-past My heart is prepared O God my heart is prepared to come vnto thée make it constant in thée because I know that although this body for a time shall wither yet it shall be in the house of my God as a gréene Oliue trée euer to flourish and be blessed Thou Lord thou hast chosen me and hast caused me to come vnto thée my saluation is of thine owne frée mercy and of thy frée and Fatherly election I shall dwell in thy Courts for euer and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house euen of thy Kingdome of glorie I shall drinke of the Riuers of thy pleasures for with thée is the Well of life and in thy Light I shall sée light Let thy good Spirit leade mee in the Land of Righteousnesse and bring me by thy strength to thy holy and heauenly habitation plant mee in the Mountayne of thine inheritance euen in the place which thou hast prepared and in thy sacred Sanctuarie which thou hast established that I may sée thy goodnesse in the Land of the liuing Let mee behold thy face in righteousnesse and let me be satisfied with the fulnesse of the glorie of thy Countenance for in thy face is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore Into thy hands oh Lord I commend my spirit for thou hast redéemed me O Lord God of truth shew a token of thy goodnesse and fauour towards me that they which wish euill vnto my soule may sée it and be ashamed and they that loue thy Name obserue it and be confirmed in thée who hast euermore holpen me and comforted mée Increase my faith and prepare my soule to come vnto thee AMEN To thee O Lord God only wise and only mercifull be ascribed all praise thanks dominion and glorie for to thee it only belongeth Priuate Prayers for Morning and Euening A Morning Prayer for priuate Families ALmightie LORD GOD most mercifull and louing FATHER Maker and Preseruer of all thy creatures but especially the Sauiour and Sanctifier of all them that beléeue in thée by the merit and vertue of the bloud of Iesus Christ Receiue at the hands of vs thine vnworthy seruants in the Name of Iesus Christ this our morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing for all thy mercies from time to time bestowed vpon vs for electing vs of thine owne free fauour before the world was made for creating vs of nothing in humane and not in the shape of brute creatures for redéeming vs with the most precious death of thine owne Sonne when wee were captiues and slaues vnto Satan for calling vs by the preaching of thy blessed Word and frée Spirit when we were strangers vnto thee for iustifying vs by the