THE SOVLES LIFE Exercising it selfe in the sweet Fields of Divine Meditations and Prayers Collected for the comfort of all those who willingly adventure their lives for the defence of the Gospel in these blood-thirsty times of War LONDON Printed for R. Harper and are to be sold at his shop in Smithfield 1645. The Printer to the Reader VVHen this Booke came into my hands by means of a wel-wishing friend after I had perused it and the Title thereof I thought it very sitting as well in regard of the Subject being Divine Meditations as of the devotion and intent of the Religious Author to raise up the mindes of men from the troublesome thoughts of these tempestuous times that their Soules sole hope might take Anchor hold upon God The Subject of our Meditation is divers as also of our prayer and thanksgiving in regard whereof Hilary compareth the Psalmes of David to a bunch of keyes which as by severall doors give us accesse to God as some admiring him in his creatures and wonderfull works some of thanksgiving for his mercyes and wonderfull deliverance of his people the children of Israell others of exhortation to al Nations to know and rejoyce in him and the like Meditation it is true though it be most proper to the private and solitary Soule retired from worldly affairs and busines yet is it a duty most necessary for all the servants of God at all times and in all places wheresoever to exercise themselves in Isaac we read went out to meditate at the eventide Gen. 24. 63. When I remember thee upon my bed saith David Ps 63. 6 and meditate upon thee in the night watches So that Meditation being so generally necessary for every true servant of God a Subject of such excellent use worth I could not but publish this to the view of the world though the pious Authors modesty is such that he could be content to live sibi notus ignotus aliis Farewell The Soules Life MEDITATION I. Meditations and confessions of mans sinfull wayes O Blessed God when I consider with my self how I have spent my time nay rather mis spent it I tremble for when I should have served thee my God I served mine owne lusts and evill affections I walked too often in the vanity of mine owne wayes and hearkened not to thy will and Commandements which should have been as a lanthorn and light to guide mee in those darker pathes It hath been mine unhappy errour to minde more the things of the world then the things which concerne thee I confesse O Lord that I have offended thee in all my wayes both in thought word and deed and have served the creature more then the Creator But O Lord I humbly beg pardon of thee who art the God of mercy Pardon therfore my misdeeds I beseech thee and cast not away thy servant in displeasure O Lord I come unto thee upon the bended knees of my heart and cry with the Publican Lord be mercifull unto me a sinner for I know O Lord thou delightest not in the death of a sinner but that he should repent and be saved Save me therefore O Lord and make my wayes so direct for the time to come that I may keepe thy commandements and that I may doe nothing but that which is acceptable in thy sight make me humble for thou standest afarre off from the proud make both my soul and body as they ought to be a fit Temple for the Holy Ghost out of which do thou O Christ drive away all worldly thoughts and vaine imaginations chase buiers and sellers of my heavenly treasure and make me meditate on things above Clense me O Lord from all filthinesse of sinne and evill concupiscence and grant that for the time to come I may serve thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of my life that when death shall ceaze on my body my soule may without fear rejoyce long to be with thee my Saviour and Redeemer there to enjoy that happines and blisse which thou hast prepared for them that love thee MEDITAT II. Meditations of a penitent sinner hoping for pardon through the merits of Christ O Lord how are my daies wasted and come to an end even as a dreame that is told how doe my nights passe away and are not to be recall'd againe and how doe I forget what I have done against thee my God the sinnes alas that I have committed are as innumerable as the sand on the sea shore not to be numbred by any but thy justice and what account shall I make to thee O Lord when this tabernacle of mine shall bee dissolved and my soule appeare before thy Majesty at the last and dreadfull day of judgement where all that I have done shall be laid open and shall be as so many witnesses against me and I not able to answer one of a thousand what shall I doe Lord or whither shall I go for succour no place can hide me from thy presence for thou fillest all places and art not excluded from any place therefore I have no place to flie from thy justice O Lord I beseech thee to remember the pretious bloud of thy dear Son which was shed for me his bloud is a sufficient ransome for the whole world and for as many worlds as there are people therefore O Lord I will not despaire of a share in my Saviours sufferings he dyed as well for me as for others and I hope through his merits I shall be saved therefore I beseech thee O my Saviour answer for me and plead thou my cause for in thee alone shall I be reconciled to my God and shall have forgivenesse of all my sins be they never so many or grievous Therefore O my Soule be not dismaied but comfort thy selfe in thy Saviour for in stead of punishment thou shalt have a reward thy reward shall be a Crowne of everlasting glory thy reward shall bee the rewarder even God himselfe thou shalt see and enjoy him whom none can see and not be blessed thou shalt see and enjoy the fellowship of all the blessed Apostles the holy Angels and Saints of God and shalt sing Hallelujahs and prayses to the heavenly King for ever and ever MEDITAT III. Meditations of the wonderfull goodnesse and love of God to mankinde O God how wonderfull art thou in thy works in wisdome hast thou made them all the Earth is full of thy riches and so is the great and wide Sea also this was thy great care and providence to mankinde that before the creation of man thou createdst all things for his use before thou sentest him into the world to the end he might not perish but be relieved with all things necessary convenient and delightfull for him O God when I see the fields cloathed with corne it makes my heart rejoyce with an exceeding great joy and when I think thereupon I consider with my selfe it was thy providence that provided that for me
and spoyled with armies our woods cut downe as if it were intended no more should grow in our Land How are our Cattle driven in flockes and heardes from place to place and devoured by the enemy so that a famine must needes ensue How are the poore people driven from their habitations for the preservation of their lives being bereft of house goods and land as if they had no right to those possessions their Ancestors left them How are whole Townes burned without either pity or mercy How many thousands suffer for want of their means which heeretofore they received at pleasure O God! make us to prize that blessing of peace heereafter at a higher rate and give us thankefull hearts for all our enjoyments Cleanse the Land from sinne and turne away thy wrath from us Helpe us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy name O deliver us and be mercifull unto our sinnes for thy names sake so wee that are thy people and sheepe of thy pasture will give thee thankes for ever and ever MEDITAT VII A Prayer upon the same subject O Most glorious Lord God! creator both of Heaven and Earth and of all things contayned therein Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and Judge of all the World We miserable sinners acknowledge that we are a sinfull people laden with sinnes and iniquities we have deserved thy wrath and indignation and these heavy judgements which are now inflicted upon us are deservedly befallen us there is no goodnes in us but we are filled with filthy corruption and sinne there is no whole part in us from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot all are corrupted sinfull and abominable we have walked in the vanity of our owne desires and evill concupiscence wee have not hearkened to thy will and commandements but have gone astray after our owne wayes and sinfull lusts we confesse O Lord that we have broken all thy commandements and have offended thee continually both in thought word and deed Our desires and thoughts have beene more bent to the world then to heaven heavenly things O God! we cannot but admire thy patience and long suffering for it had been just with thee to have cut us off long agoe and that wee should have perished in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for ever What shall wee render to thee O Lord for thy unspeakable mercies Wee will take the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. O Lord we beseech thee to make our wayes so direct for the time to come that we may keep thy commandements bridle our wills tame our unruly affections and suffer them not to stray so farre from thee Fasten and imprint thy Laws in our hearts that we may feare thee love thee and obey thee in all things and that our study may be to serve thee as thou hast appointed take away our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh Lord give us faith hope and charity for without these graces we shall never see thy face Purge away all evill from us and give us to serve thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Give us peace in our time O Lord but especially the peace of conscience O Lord unite the hearts of King and People together that righteousnes and peace may kisse each other and we beseech thee O God out of thy bowels of compassion to suffer no more bloud to bee shed in our land and that wee may heare the voice of joy and gladnesse in our dwellings Grant this O Lord and all other things needefull for us even for thy deare Sons sake JESUS CHRIST our Lord and blessed Saviour Amen MEDITAT VIII Meditations of Gods great love and mercy to his servant O God how am I bound to thee for thy unspeakable mercies towards mee wretched sinner how can I forget thy exceeding love to me that hast given mee my limbs my eye sight and my senses when many others want all these who deserve as well as I. Doe I not see as I passe in the street one poore man want armes another legges one wanting eye sight another being dumbe some bowed together others distracted wanting all maner of sense some their bodies festred and ready to perish for want of succour Thou O God couldst have done the like to me sure I am I deserved no lesse punishment then they Lord let me live no longer then I shall praise thee for giving me al things these poore soules want and stand in need of O let me extoll thy name for ever and let mee not forget to shew forth thy praise let me be telling of thy kindnesse to them that feare thee and let my soule rejoyce in thee that hast done such great things for me For what am I O Lord that thou shouldest esteeme me more then they perhaps I have deserved greater punishments and yet thou sparest me and afflictest them sure I am my sinnes have deserved as great punishments as thou hast layd upon them Lord I feare that thou hast greater punishments in store for me unlesse I repent and become a new creature Lord give mee grace that I may timely repent lest thou afflict my body heere in this valley of teares and utterly confound my soule in Hell for ever Make me O Lord to watch over my wayes and to walke in that way thou hast appointed let me meditate upon thy Lawes and commandements o let me not goe wrong for feare of thy Judgements let me love thee feare thee and obey thee in all things so shall I be happy and enjoy that happinesse which thou hast prepared for all those that love thee MEDITAT IX Meditations of the judgements and afflictions that attend people in this world for sin WHen I consider with my selfe the wants accidents and afflictions which attend people in this world it amazes me when I see great men with their stately Palaces flowing and abounding in great riches and possessions both for profit and pleasure and on a sudden they fall and come to nothing nay many times are they constrayned to bee beholding to inferiour men for releefe Surely these sudden chastisements come from thee O God surely thou didst it to bring them home to thee thou afflictest the body to save the soule I have seene many of all sorts live in great prosperity dreaming that time would last ever and yet have I seene them come to want being in a most miserable condition I my selfe have had a share of these sufferings but not according to my deservings for Lord if thou shouldst mark what were done amisse who were able to abide it Therefore I acknowledge O Lord thou hast been very favourable unto me for in judgement thou hast remembred mercy therefore will I prayse thy Name and render thee thanks even for ever and ever O LORD what need I care how or what my body suffereth so thou save my soule these meats drinkes clothing riches and
thy wisdome knowest what is fittest for us wee beseech thee make us in prosperity to remember that all wee have or enjoy comes from thee and that we may make a right use of them to thy glory rendring thee thanks continually for them And in adversity order us so that we may remember and acknowledge that what we suffer is deservedly for our sinne and ingratitude Lord make us as thou wouldest have us to be then shall we be happy MEDITAT XV. Meditations of the covetous rich-man and the poor labouring-man SEe the difference betweene the rich-man and the poor-man how penurious and griping is the one being never at rest nor quiet for feare hee shall lose that he hath or that his plots bargaining or over-reaching will not take effect How doth he labour and toyle to increase his wealth scarce enjoying one good houre how doth hee impoverish himselfe by his greedy desires depriving himselfe of the benefit of those good things God hath given him when the other is content with little being not certaine of that little neither having nothing but what he labours for and many times failes of that by reason of sicknesse or ill pay-masters and yet this poore man I le warrant you enjoyes more happy dayes in one yeare then the rich-man doth in seven and sleepes more sounder ten to one then the other What difference is there in their dyet the rich-man perhaps hath variety of dainties at his table and may have them when he will if covetousnesse hinder not the poore-man he is sure of nothing but if any comes its welcome be it more or lesse nay if it be but a dish of herbs or roots he is as well content with it as the rich-man with all his dainties See the difference of their habiliments the rich-man he is cloathed in purple and fine linnen when all the pride the poor-man hath is to cover himselfe with a homely garment to keepe out the weather not regarding either fashions or costly rayment See the difference of their mindes how proud scornfull and above measure exalted is this rich-man how disdainfully doth he looke upon his inferiours as if they were not worthy to behold his pride how doth he trample the poor underfoot and looks as high as if all the world were under his power when the poor-man he contents himselfe with his humility and low thoughts being courteous loving and kinde to his neighbours living meekly and in the feare of God See the difference of their lives the rich-man his thoughts are most on his lands goods cattell tenants purchasing and what hee shall eat and drinke when the poor-man his study is to serve his God and to get his bread by the sweat of his brows this is all his delight Now you may see the difference the rich-man hee spends all or the greatest part of his time in pride covetousnesse gluttony idlenesse and worldly vanity the poor-man in his dayly labour and service of God O rich-man consider that thou hast a soule to save or to damne therefore spend not thy time so lavishly and foolishly let God have a part of it here lest hee deprive thee of the riches of his heavenly Kingdome hereafter Consider that thy wealth was not given thee on those termes thou shouldest forget him that gave it to thee Tell mee what joy canst thou have with all thy riches and possessions when death comes to summon thee to another world where thou must give an account for all thy actions will thy riches save thee no all the riches and possessions of this world will not keepe thee from that fearfull sentence Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire nay rather will they encrease thy account Therefore have a care whilest thou hast time to spend it in the service of thy God remembring that upon this moment depends eternity MEDITAT XVI Meditations of the sufferings of Gods dear children in this world and of the benefit they shall receive thereby O God what need wee care for these light afflictions here in this world they cannot last long and who would not willingly embrace them to purchase a better world nay to gain the Kingdome of Heaven Our Blessed Saviour he suffered ten thousand times more then any of us nay he suffered more then we are able to suffer and are we to good to beare a part rather let me not live then to bee such a sonne as the father will not correct Suppose a man hath a wound in his body and that wound full of dead flesh would he not willingly indure to have that dead flesh cut out rather then to have it gangren and destroy the whole body even so is it with the soule there is a wound in the soule by sinne and God sends crosses and afflictions to cure the soule Lord let my wound smart rather then my body perish let my body smart for a little time here rather then my soule burne for ever in Hell Holy David said It was good for him that he was afflicted for before he went astray was it good for him and is it not good for us sure none of us are so good as he for he was a man after Gods owne heart and knew very well that afflictions were good for him otherwise he would not have said so he remembred that whom God loves he chastiseth even every son whom he receiveth nay they are bastards and not sonnes that will not endure correction Lord how did the blessed Apostles and Martyrs suffer these were sawne asunder others stoned some whipt and scourged others crucified their faith was exercised in watchings fastings shipwracks imprisonments being naked and destitute of all comfort How were many others of Gods deare children tormented Daniel in the Lions den Ionas in the Whales belly Sampson among the Philistims Ieremy in the Dungeon besides multitudes of others whose tortures have beene very great and certainly none of these should have suffered thus had not God loved them and saw it fit for them surely hee did it to weane them from the world and worldly things and that their everlasting happinesse in the Kingdome of heaven might by their patience here bee improved where is all joy and no sorrow where is fulnesse of all beatitude Therefore consider O my soule and comfort thy selfe with these Meditations and feare neither want imprisonment nor death for all these shall work for the better to them that love God MEDITAT XVII Meditations of the covetous desire men have to attain riches LOrd what adoe is there in this world to gaine riches how doe men labour and toyle to get a little muck or dirt they think nothing too much no time so well spent in any thing as in the purchase of this unrighteous mammon when God knows whether they shall live to enjoy it one houre How vigilant and carefull are they to rise early and sit up late scarce enjoying one good houre in all their life time Nay many men there are and God knowes too
which without I could not subsist And when I see the ground bedecked with grapes the green meadows with pasture the multitude of woods abounding with trees both for timber fuell and thousands of other uses as also the varieties of fruit trees in abundance the rare mineralls which spring from the bowels of the earth affording infinite wealth I cannot but admire to see the multitude of cattle both for food cloathing and many other accommodations the infinite store of fowle of all kindes the sweet flowers in abundance and the innumerable sorts of vegetables all profitable and delightfull I cannot but wonder at the great Ocean and the innumerable varieties of fish besides the great commodity wee enjoy by the shipping voyaging to all parts of the world for commodities both for profit and pleasure When I consider the firmament how thou hast bespangled it with those glorious creatures the Sunne Moon and Starres and all for the use of man to give light both by day and by night but above all that thou hast given thy only begotten Son to dye for us this is love beyond all the love that ever was these things transport me into an admiration and compell me to praise and to love thee O my God with an exceeding great love who is he or what is he that will not praise thee O Lord for these thy unspeakable mercies to mankinde O grant that I may no longer live then I love thee O God I will love thee I will blesse thee I will magnifie thee so long as I have any being MEDITAT IV. Meditations of the love and sufferings of our Saviour Christ for mankinde O Sweet Saviour what hast thou suffered for my sake and what have I done to deserve thy sufferings alas my sinne was the cause of thy sufferings yet had'st thou not suffered for my sinne I had utterly perished and been out of all possibility of being saved I was guilty of sinne but thou knewest no sinne neither was there guile found in thy mouth and what shal I render to thee my Saviour for thy unspeakable love towards me all I have is thine and therefore I have nothing to give thee or make any satisfaction to thee for thy love O Saviour thou hast given me a tongue and understanding to the end I should praise thee therefore I offer unto thee my Redeemer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving exrolling thy infinite mercy and clemency to thy poore creature Thou O sweet Saviour wast naked and I cloathed thou my Redeemer wast hungry and I satisfied with bread thou wast scourged and buffeted and I at ease feeling no pain thou wast spit on and rail'd on among thine enemies and I in rest and quiet among my friends thou wast in prison and I at liberty thou sufferest storms and tempest at Sea and I being upon drie land was safe upon my pillow thou wast crucified upon the crosse for my sake and suffered'st death for me O unspeakable love for ever to be had in remembrance never can I sufficiently magnifie thy wonderfull mercie patience and long suffering O Saviour give mee a heart that may alwayes bee mindfull of these thy wonderfull kindnesses and unparallel'd sufferings and that I may endeavour by all meanes possible to love thee and to dye for thee as thou dyedst for me make me seriously to ponder and thinke of thee continually and that my soule may so desire thee that it may never be at rest till it enjoyes thee MEDITAT V. Meditations of Gods preservation of man I Confesse O God thou preservest me yea when I thinke not of thy providence it is my dull sottishnesse and ingratitude that makes me thus forget my God How oft have I been in dangers both by sea and land ready to perish and yet it was thou alone that preservedst me and I knew it not because I remembred not thee O God as I ought to have done Thou hast preserved mee from the venome of false tongues and I on a sudden forgat it I might have perished oft in my going abroad and comming home but it was thy mercy that preserved me I might have miscarried in my very meat and drinke but for thy providence thou hast preserved me from theeves and murderers who would have confounded me but above all thou hast preserved mee from that roaring Lion who still seekes to devoure me and from those that lye in wait to catch my soule O Lord how shall I extoll thy mercy sufficiently for these unexpresseable favours to me wretched man that I am thy love is wonderfull to me and farre be it from me to thinke that I merit any thing from thee O God O Lord make me I beseech thee to thinke on thee continually and to meditate on thee day night alway expressing my thankfulnesse to thee for these thy marvellous preservations make me to praise thee and to love thee with an exceeding great love knit my heart to thee that I may feare thee and keepe thy commandements O let me doe nothing that may offend thee lest thou draw thy care and providence from me for if thou O Lord shouldest leave me to my selfe I were utterly lost and deprived of all help and comfort I could bee no where safe because of mine enemies which are mighty and strong who leek to destroy both body and soule leave me not therefore O my God but hold thy hand of providence over me continually watch over my wayes and suffer not the enemy to have any advantage over me hide me under the shadow of thy wings and preserve both my body and soule so shall I be safe from mine enemies MEDITAT VI. Meditations of the miseries and calamities of the time O God how happy were we when we enjoyed that great blessing of peace and tranquility how were we both a mirror and a terror to all the eyes of the Christian world how did our corne spring up with encrease of an hundred fold so that the people did rejoyce and sing how fruitfull was our Land with all manner of graine how full of all creatures fit for the use of man yea how did we abound in all things so that we were able to live of our selves without the succours of any other Nation what a sweet harmony and agreement was there among our selves which made our enemies stand amazed at our felicity when they themselves enjoyed none of these blessings O God how comes this change and unexpected misery upon us that now we are in Surely we did not value that blessing of peace as wee ought to have done surely it is our sinne and ingratitude that hath drawne thy vengeance upon us what a sight is it to see the father shedding the bloud of the sonne and the sonne the father brother against brother kinsman against kinsman one neighbour cutting the throat of another and all the whole Kingdome divided and plunged into a world of miseries how doe our fields lye barren for want of tillage our pâ—stures trodden
honour they are but transitory things for when the breath of man is gone all these things vanish away but it is the immortall soule that I esteeme and preferre before all things of this world Lord though my body want bread feede thou my soule with the bread of life if my body want cloathing cloath thou my soule with thy righteousnesse if all the riches profits and pleasures of this world fayle me let mee enjoy thee and I shall want nothing let me have thee and I have all things if I want thee I want all things Thou O God art my life my health my riches my pleasure my food my rayment my delight the joy of my heart and the fountayn of all happines Thou O God takest care of sparrowes and feedest yong ravens that call upon thee how much more for us Christians who are made in the image of thee O God Lord I beseech thee give me neither poverty nor riches feed mee with food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poore and steale and take the Name of my God in vaine Prov. 30. Give me what thou wilt doe with me as thou wilt and in all things dispose of me according to thy good pleasure Lord I submit my selfe to thee humbly desiring thee to take me into thy gracious protection not only for this day but for ever MEDITAT X. Meditations of the misery of Man from his Infancy to his old Age. O God I cannot but consider how miserable Man is from his infancy to his grave What a poor silly creature it is being newly sprung from the wombe of the mother what danger was there in his very entrance into the world when oftentimes it costs the life of the mother the child or both be it so that hee live it is not able to help it selfe either to food or cloathing wanting both witte and strength being in a farre worse condition then the beasts of the field for they bring their clothing with them into the world and naturally can and doe apply themselves to the Tett that yeeldes them nourishment How is this poor infant nursed and brought up with much â—endernes care trouble and charge to the Parents and let them doe all they can now when they have done their uttermost no sooner is it able to goe but it is attended with many hard accidents Sometimes it falls into the fire some times into the water as if poore thing it were possest with the spirit of mischaÌ„ce Sometimes it falls downe the staires to the ground and then againe into a pit below the ground and many such like accidents it is obnoxious to Now mee thinks it is a wonder that it lives and comes to speake and when it hath gotten the tongue how perversly doth it prattle how hardly is it brought to schoole to learn to know it selfe leave it but to its owne bent and it will neither bee serviceable to God nor man Now when it is got up to what wee call man how wild and like an untamed beast is he though all are not such wee must confes that many are what dangers and troubles doe they fall into and t is almost a miracle they come to old age for some are drowned in the sea or land waters some are kill'd in duels some in the warres some are put to death for heino us crimes some by their lewd courses come to meere beggery and are in a manner lost And if it happen a man comes to old age his miseries are intolerable having little or no joy of himselfe How are the eyes dim'd which deprives him of the comfort of all holy Books How doe his senses fayle him rendring him uncapable of knowing or doing any thing as formerly how feeble are his limbes being not able to goe without the helpe of a staffe or man what a multitude of diseases attend him as the stone gowt palsey and many other so that being bereft of his senses he hath small comfort but what he enjoys in his soule Now O miserable man what encouragement hast thou to live in this world or to set thy heart upon it thou seest thy whole age is nothing but labour and sorrow thy comforts are few thy sorrowes many and grievous therefore looke to it thou yong man and remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth whil'st thou hast strength and use of thy senses for in age it may be too late serve thy God alwaies and pray to him for grace and then thou needest not feare old age nor any thing that doeth accompany it thou needst not feare death nor Hell but shalt be happy heere on earth and shalt receive thy reward heereafter in the kingdome of Heaven MEDITAT XI Meditations on the ill life and actions of man NOw good God! how circumspect ought we to bee of our actions in this life knowing that we must one day give an account for all the sinnes that ever wee committed And if men would lay these things to heart surely there would not bee so much wickednesse in the world But O the blindnesse of this world how many live and spend their time as if there were neyther a heaven to enjoy nor a hell to suffer what bloodsheds are committed for a trifle nay even for a rash word men are ready to murder one another How oft doe men robbe on the high way and break houses for a small gaine oftentimes ventring both soule and body in these unhumane actions yea many times doing these wicked actions for their meere recreation and thus sport away their souls How many are there that commit whoredome adultery and many such like crimes even with greedinesse How doth this Land flow with excesse of drunkennesse and glutony vaine swearing covetousnesse despising the holy Scripture and prophaning the Lords day What perjuries lying cousening backbiting and slandering one another What revenge what envy hatred malice and all manner of uncharitablenesse is there amongst us committing all sinnes that can be imagined How doe men set their hearts upon the world and worldly things which profit nothing and neglect the weighty matters that concerne salvation How willingly are they led away to serve the world the flesh and the Divell making vain pleasures and profits of this world their sole delight O God how foolish and besotted is vaine man to neglect thee thy service and his soules good Consider O man if thy soule were in hel what wouldest thou not give or doe to be redeemed out of those scorching flames where the worme dieth not neither is the fire quenched and where thy torment shall be everlasting Wouldest thou not give a world nay a thousand worlds to be eased of those paines wouldest thou not cast off all those sinnes before mentioned and strive to serve thy God with all thy heart yes surely thou wouldest but then it will be too late for what can buy thee from thence when thou hast lost
many that scarce make any conscience how they come by their wealth they will cousen their friend their kins-man nay their owne father if it lye in their way and will venter both soule and body rather then faile of their desires What delight doe they take in the sight of their musty bags and what pleasure have they â—â— their gold no musicke in the world is so delightfull to them as the chinking of this fine dirt But what saith our Saviour Where your treasure is there are your hearts also and againe How hard is it for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven it is easier for a Camell to go through a needles eye then for a rich man to come there if it be so have a care thou worldling that thou art not snatched away from thy riches before thou hast made thy peace with thy God Set not thy heart too much upon those things thou canst not keep and remember that God sent thee not into the world to serve only thy selfe and thy covetous desires but to doe him service and to lay up treasure in Heaven for thy soules good I dislike not an honest and lawfull gain and true it is that it is a glory to a Nation to bee rich they may doe much good with it both to King and Kingdome they may build Hospitalls Schooles and Almes-houses they may erect houses to set the poore on worke they may relieve the widow the fatherlesse and all that stand in need If they imploy it thus they doe well but let them have a care they get their wealth honestly and conscionably otherwise all this will doe them no good Therefore be sure thou covetous man to preferre God and his service in the first place for otherwise thou robbest him of his honour and endangerest thine owne soul which Christ died for MEDITAT XVIII Meditations of the feare of death O God! with what dread do men expect death how loath are they to quit this their earthly Tabernacle Methinkes it is an ill signe either that they have not lived so well as they should have done or they love the world too well to part with it For mine owne part I see nothing in the world that should so invite mee to imbrace it I meet with nothing but care trouble vexations sorrow and a world of miseries O God I certainly know that the thing I most delight in I am weary of on a suddain and I find it a burden to me Perhaps some will say I have riches in abundance so that I can purchase all the delights the world can afford But what saith Solomon that exceeded all the world in wisdome riches honour and all delights whatsoever All is vanity saith he and vexation of spirit Suppose thou dost enjoy all these things they cannot last long they are but moment any either they are taken from thee or thou from them for David saith Thine age is but a span long therefore thou canst not possesse them long It may be this day thy soule shall be taken from thee nay perhaps this night it may bee this very houre therefore there is no cause why thou shouldest bee unwilling to part with that which thou art not sure of one houre and if thou hast lived well surely the very thought of death will be a great comfort to thee and death it self a welcome guest For certainly all the life of man is but labour and sorrow and where a man enjoyes one comfort he hath a thousand discomforts for it and there is no true comfort nor perfection in this world Consider therefore that thy dayes are few and thy griefes many wherefore then wouldest thou live O God! who would not exchange a miserable wretched world for a heavenly Kingdome who would not bee willing to leave the society of wicked and ungodly men to enjoy thee who would not gladly leave his riches honour and vaine delights to enjoy him who is the fountaine of everlasting riches honour and delight and to bee among the Angells and Saints of God where is all joy and no sorrow where thou shalt bee satisfied with all things thou desirest and there shall be no end of thy happines thou shalt follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth and shalt bee ravished with exceeding great joy and delight in him that liveth for evermore MEDITAT XIX Meditations on the same Subject with satisfaction to him that fears death THou O man what soever thou art that feares to dye what canst thou say for thy selfe perhaps thou wilt say thou fearest the pangs of death or that thou art unwilling to leave thy profits pleasures and delights of the world or it may bee thou art doubtfull whither thy soule shall goe after death To rhe first I answer That true it is the pangs of death are great but they endure not long I am perswaded that there are many torments in this world that are as great and are of a longer durance as for example a fit of the stone or gout or the paines of a woman in her travell These I conceive are no lesse torments of longer continuance and this is certaine that many men dye with lesser pain then any of these inflict for I have observed they lye quietly seldome or never complaining and so depart without either groane or sigh if this be true as I am sure it is thou hast no cause to fear death Then thou wilt say thou art unwilling to leave thy profits pleasures and delights of the world Certainly there can bee no profit pleasure or delight here that can be compared to those in heaven where thou shalt have the Kingdome of heaven for thy possession a Crowne of glory for thy reward with true pleasures and blisse for evermore The profits of the world are but for a short time but those are for eternity and surely if the profits and delights of this world please thee so much as that thou art unwilling to leave them without all question those in heaven will much more delight thee and they must needs be far exceeding these where God himselfe is in a more speciall manner then upon earth Perhaps thou wilt say my soule is safe here but when it shall depart from my body I know not whither it goeth Thou vaine man how hast thou spent thy time hast thou served thy God as thou oughtest hast thou visited the fatherlesse and widow in their afflictions hast thou kept thy selfe unspotted of the world If thou hast done these things thy soule shall as surely goe to heaven even as sure as thy body is here upon earth for the Scripture saith He that beleeveth in me althogh he dye yet shall he live And Iob saith My Redeemer liveth and I shall see him with these eyes O thou vaine man now hast thou no excuse for thy selfe thou needst not feare the pangs of death nor be unwilling to leave the profits and pleasures of the world neither needs thou doubt whither thy
soule goeth for certainly it shall bee with God for ever in Heaven where it shall enjoy the society of all the blessed Saints and Angels where it shall have riches honour peace and plenty where this soule shall bee ravished in her fruition which fruition like herselfe shall bee everlasting MEDITAT XX. Meditations of the joyes of Heaven reserved for the godly THe joyes that are prepared for the Elect are infinite beyond the capacity of any mortall man to conceive but so farre as they are revealed in the holy Scripture I may safely set downe here First that as soone as thy soule is departed from the body it goeth to Heaven where thou shalt see God thy Creator and Protector the Sonne thy Redeemer and Intercessor the Holy Ghost thy comforter and directer where thou shalt see Angels Archangels Vertues Powers Principalities Dominations Thrones Cherubins and Seraphins and these are a multitude of the heavenly hoast who are alway praysing God Thou shalt see the Celestiall Citizens arrayed in comely Robes of linnen pure and white like their innocency These are the soules of just and perfect men which even in the very in stant of departure from this life are presented by the Angels to their Saviour and by him adorned with these invaluable Robes of Righteousnesse Here mayest thou see the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Virgins and besides these an innumerable multitude of all Nations Kindreds and People and Tongues standing before the Throne of God and before the Lamb with palmes in their hands in token of assured victory and crying with a loud voice Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb And thou mayest heare all the Angels answering and saying Blessing and glory and wisdome and thanksgiving and honour and power and might bee unto God for ever and ever when God shall wipe away all teares from thine eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Oh God! what soule would not desire to be uncloathed to be cloathed upon to be at rest with thee to enjoy all this happines which farre exceeds any happines we can possibly thinke off Be joyfull and glad O my soule for thou hast a Kingdome provided for thee a Crowne of glory a place where all joy and blisse abounds This world is but dung and drosse in comparison of it therefore mind not the world nor worldly things but let thy conversation be in Heaven let thy sole delight be there think upon it continually and give thy soule no ease nor rest till it attaine that eternall rest MEDITAT XXI Meditations of mans vain mispending his time HOw comes it to passe that many men set their hearts and sole delight upon the world and worldly things neglecting the service of God and their souls good spending the greatest part of their time in carking and caring how they shall gaine riches being never satisfied with that portion of meanes God hath lent them but coveting for more and more as if they made this world the end of their happinesse Others there are that spend most of their time in the pleasures and delights of the world as if they were sent hither to no other end and purpose but to serve their own vaine wills and filthy desires sporting and delighting themselves in courting of women in chambring and wantonnesse in lusts and evill affections setting their hearts wholly upon the pleasures and delights of the world and so trifle out their owne time Suâ—e these men know not what the power of religion is for if they did they would consider that this is no abiding place they must not remaine here long this is not their home their home is Heaven But let me tell this sort of men they are travellers and pilgrims and if they loyter and wander out of the way perhaps they may come short of home O God what soul content can these men have when they shall consider seriously how they have spent their time what account will they make when thou O God shalt reckon with them for all the sinnes that ever they committed what a sad and dismall day will that be when they will not be able to answer one of a thousand how terrible will it be to thinke on the torments of Hell where there is nothing but howling and crying weeping and gnashing of teeth and where those torments shall be everlasting how sad will they be to thinke how they have neglected the service of God and their souls good in pleasing themselves with their ungodly vanities Consider these things in time all yee that forget God and be sure to spend your time in his service casting away all covetous desires and worldly vanities then shall you bee right Pilgrims and Travellers indeed and shall never goe out of your way your journey shall bee pleasant and delightfull to the end your home shall be Heaven and your entertainment shall be riches honour delight and pleasures for evermore Such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor ever hath entred into the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that love him MEDITAT XXII Meditations on the sight of a pleasant Garden MEE thinkes when I come into a faire and pleasant Garden and see the infinit varieties of flowers and herbs I cannot but admire the wonderfull goodnesse of God his power wisdome and love to mankinde I cannot but consider that these things had never been but for the bountifull providence of the Almighty intending the good of his creature man How pleasant and delightfull are these flowers to the eye we see various sorts of them yet not one like the other See the rarenesse of their dresse the beauteous variety of their colours how richly they are set forth and shadowed no Painter in the world is able to come neare them for excellency Art is but Natures ape doe but pluck them and make them into a Nose-gay and you shall see a most glorious shew and the scent of them will infinitly delight you See the different sorts of herbs they are all greene and yet if you view them well you shall find them all differ both in colour and fashion How pleasant and delightfull are they to the eye and scent nay that is not all they are usefull to some for food others for physick and many for green wounds and bruises nay the natures and uses of them all are not knowne to the rarest and most learned Herballist or Physitian in the world certainly none ever knew them rightly but King Solomon See the goodnesse of God to his people how he doth not only provide cloathing food and such necessaries but sends things delightfull medicinall and healing too My thinks this Garden puts me in minde of that heavenly Garden of Gods Word you may see there varieties of comfortable flowers both for soule and body and for all necessities There you may see
would not have made use of it You can hardly meet that holy Musitian David without either an Instrument in his hand or a Song in his mouth with which he played and sung praises to God as in the second of Samuel Chap. 6. And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of Instruments made of Fir-wood even on Harps Psalteries Timbrels Cornets and cymbals Surely had not Musick beene pleasing to God David durst not have plaied before him nay I am confident he would not and if God himselfe delights in this harmony of his creatures shall man whose breath is in his nostrils dispise that which the ever living God seems to delight in We may observe also that Musicke was used oft-times before the Arke of God and when the Prophets prophesied and usually before a deliverance and after And we may read in the first of Chron. the esteem that David had of Musicke and the Professors of it for he appointeth Musitians to attend continually on the Arke And in the the Booke of Psalmes hee dedicated three and fifty Psalmes to the Chiefe Musitian Ieduthun to the end he should compose on them skilfully And in Nehem. cap. 12. you may take notice that the Musitians builded them villages round about Ierusalem that they might be neare the City to praise the Lord. Nor is it unworthy our observation that when God had recovered King Hezekiah of a dangerous sicknesse neare unto death adding fifteene yeares to his life having also miraculously set the Sunne ten degrees backward for his sake he exprest his thankfulnesse to God in this Song of his The Lord was ready to save me therefore we will sing my Songs to the stringed instruments all the dayes of our life in the house of the Lord. See the 15 Chap. of Exodus how that after the Children of Israel were delivered out of the hands of Pharaoh and his hoste Then sang Moses and the Children of Israel this song unto the Lord and spake saying I will sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea c. And in the same Chapter And Miriam the Prophetesse the sister of Aaron toâ—ke a Timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her with Timbrels and with dances And Miriam answered them Sing ye to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he throwne into the sea Likewise in the second of Chron. Chap. 15. The people entred into a covenant to seeke the Lord with all their heart and soule They sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with Trumpets and with Cornets I yet more admire when I read the second of Chron. Chap. 5. The Levites which were the singers all of them of Asaph of Heman of Ieduthun with their sons and their brethren being arrayed in white linnen having Cymbals and Psalteries and Harps stood at the East end of the Altar and with them an hundred and twenty Priests sounding with Trumpets And it came to passe as the Trumpets and singers were as one to make one sound to be heard in praysing and thanking the Lord and when they lift up their voyces with the Trumpets and Symbals and instruments of Musicke and praysed the Lord saying For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever that then the house was filled with a cloud even the house of the Lord. So that the Priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God You see that God was pleased to grace this facred consort with the glory of his owne presence whereas had hee beene displeased they could not expect to have had more then Moses lot when he saw only the back parts of the Almighty Nay when we observe the poor Birds how they delight in chirping and warbling out their notes expressing their joy at the approach of the Spring as if God had sent them on purpose to tell us of the good tydings of a Summer neare at hand we must needs fancy that those pretty creatures by a naturall instinct are affected with Musick as being themselves the Choristers of the aire and we see that a bird though prisoner in a close cage cannot leave his nature but will imitate those sounds which are whistled to him and had not this bird beene naturally pleased with those noats whistled to him all the world could never have compelled him We see that irrationall creatures naturally love and are delighted with Musick and why should not man being indued with knowledge and understanding farre above all other creatures True it is the most commendable end of Musicke is the praise of God and very meet it is that Musicke should praise him whose gift it is My soule thou hast discovered the lawfull use and rare excellency of this Science now a while entertaine thy selfe with its manifold accommodations and benefits There is no law to be compared with Love nor any Art to the Art of Musick t is a refreshing to the minde oppressed with sorrowes the heart quickens the rest of the members and Musick that heart It is commendable I had almost said necessary for youth to exercise themselves in this divine Art for it fils the mind and affections with cleane thoughts and will not leave so much as one corner or cranee for unchaste imaginations so that the serious Practioners thereof are I may safely say at that instant of time not obnoxious to any sinne either in thought word or deed O my soule do thou ever love that which does resist sinne for it must needs bee of God Now some perhaps will object that Musick is hurtfull in regard of divers wanton and lascivious ditties but to this I deny that the Musick is hurtfull for take away those ditties and either sing or play those notes that were composed upon those ditties and you shall finde nothing but innocency and harmony in them now the fault is partly in the Poet and partly in the Musitian the fault on the Poets part is that hee contrives such wanton and idle words and on the Musitians part for composing on them And I confesse ingeniously that I could wish there were no roome for them in England also it is to bee wished that people of all sorts could sing their parts especially those that have ill ears for if you please to observe at the singing of Psalmes in the Church you shall heare such untunable voyces and such intollerable discords that no man or woman that hath well tuned voyces but are exceedingly displeased with it it being a hindrance to devotion And the Apostle saith Let all things be done decently and in order But sure I am there is no good soule but is pleased and delighted with harmony nay they must needs be so if they love their owne soule which it selfe is composed of harmony If all this cannot indeare