by tyrants rage tempted by Sathan made of men a scorne Sold by thy servant arraigned and condemned grievously scourged then crowned with thorne Naild to the crosse twixt two thieves crucified Pierc'd through the heart opprest in soul beside Most blessed Iesu why shouldst thou endure thy precious body peerlesly innocent Yea sacred and holy by the cruell hands of sinfull wretches to be torne and rent Was there no way to expiate my sins but all these torments must be laid on thee O wretched caytive I that did offend most gracious Saviour thou thus pitying me O let my heart weep teares of blood within For these thy sufferings and my grievous sin And thou deare Lord whose love unutterable hath made thee undergo all this for me Inflame my heart with holy fire that I with awfull love againe may worship thee With true repentâ—nt teares and contrite heart prostrate thy precious bleeding wounds before My Lord my God thus crucified for me with humble faith and reverence to adore Hating my selfe for all my grievous sins Which caused those thy grievous sufferings O let mine eyes powre forth whole streames of tears my heart dissolv'd to sighs of true contrition So to bewaile my sins and wickednes and that most miserable and forlorn condition Which guilt of sin sight of the wrath of God desert of hell and utter condemnation Might threaten me but that my hope is fixt on thee my Iesus God of my salvation Thou only blessed Lord canst succour me O save my soule which only trusts in thee For when the people were in Moses time by fiery serpents wounded mortally The brasen serpent was lift up by him that such as looke up to it might not die If such great vertue in that figure were the type of this thy crosse and reall elevation How much more vertue shall thy precious blood afford my sin-sick soule for my curation Then let my humble faith cleave fast to thee Sweet Saviour let us never parted be For when I look up to this crosse of thine five glorious victories my meditation Observes thereon to be atchiev d by thee for making sure the worke of my salvation The law of grace against the law of workes prevailing so to work my liberty Against my sin thy selfe deere Lord made sin that it might righteousnesse become to me Thy death O Saviour mine abolishing My soule unto eternall life to bring And thou the Prince of darknesse conquering that I might still the child of God remaine And lastly overcomming hell it selfe that I might heavens blessednesse obtaine Thus by thy precious death and passion my soules maine enemies are vanquisht quite And I set free now under th' law no more but under grace by thy rich grace and might O let thy spirit of grace still governe me That I may die to sin and live to thee That whiles I live I may divide my time betweene true godly sorrow for my sinnes And faithfull praising of thy holy name from whence alone my hope of comfort springs And so by lively faith being knit to thee thou by thy spirit dwelling in my heart Soule of my soule mayst day by day to me thy spirituall life and quickning grace impart And I by mysticall injunction be Truly though spiritually made one with thee Of which sweet union thou hast made me sure by those maine seales of thine eternall love Thy word of truth thy Sacraments of grace thy spirit of peace inspired from above And so by matchlesse mercy on thy part most blessed Lord and humble faith on mine Thou hast betroth'd thy glorious selfe unto my poore believing soule and made it thine One of thine owne to be disjoyned neâ—eâ— But live in thee to thee with thee for ever Why then should any mortall thing detaine me longer in this vaile of teares and sin Whose whole desire with blessed Simeon is to contemne the world and all therein To lay aside this robe of earth I weare that my redeemed soule may come to thee Whose blessed will is so declar'd that where Thou art thine owne shall also be Call then sweet Iesu as it shall thee please Into thy hands receive my soule in peace When my appointed time of change shall be For which my soule shall daily wait on thee A Contemplative Meditation of the new Ierusalem and the triumphant Church celebrating an everlasting Sabbath in the kingdome of Heaven entitled by mee Halelujah to Heavens King LEâ—ve O my soule this restlesse vaile below Which sin and sorrow by turnes still overflow Raise up thy thoughts to that supernall rest Which maketh all the Saints and Angels blest Who altogether do for ever sing Halelujah's to Heavens King There is erect the Godheads glorious throne More bright than many thousand suns in one Where thy deare Saviours body glorified That body which for thee was crucified Now raigneth with the Dietie In soveraigne blisse and Majestie That sacred head which here was crownd with thorns A crown of heavenly glory now adornes That hand which here did hold the scornful reed Now weilds the Scepter of al power and dread Those feet once naild unto the tree Trample on death and hel in victorie â—he holy citie new Ierusalem Is there prepar'd for just and perfect men With great high wals of Iasper built foure square Whereof the length breadth depth all equall are Of twelve foundations precious stone The twelve Apostles names thereon In twelve gates of pearles a peece on each side three At which twelve Angels the attendants be The st eets pure gold all shining like the Sun Through which the crystal stream of life doth run From out the throne of glory flowing The Tree of life on both sides growing Within those gates of glorious habitation None enter may but heires of salvation The Lambs redeemed his espoused wife Whose names are written in his booke of life The Church triumphant there set free Forever from mortality There live those blessed troopes of purest spirits In such excesse of joyes and true delights As neither eare can heare nor eye perceive Nor can the heart of mortall man conceive Prepared by the Lord of blisse Before all worlds for all of his Who living here the blessed life of grace Are hence translated to that glorious place Where thy deare Saviour keepes a roome for thee Then looke and long for immortalitie Waite his good houre and in waiting sin Halelujahs to heavens King A Meditation of Mans mortality MAn unto whom each houre in changes preacheth That all this Globe earths glory shall decay Believs that doome to mightier creatures reacheth Yet dreames it cannot hold in brittle clay So dull and heavie is his heart in ease To think of ought that may the flesh displease Then neerer come to his dull senses cry All flesh is grasse worm-eaten flowers mans pride It 's true saith he but tell him that himselfe shall die He rather thinks it true in all beside So reason traind to be self-pleasures thrall He thinks that
great Clock in Westminster Palace THis Clock strikes foure and twentie times a day And every striking shewes one hower is past Thus houre by houre our daies do weare away And one those houres must shortly be our last But which we know not that poore sinners we In faith repentance and obedience From houre to houre by grace prepar'd may be For our last houre and happie going hence When our dear Saviour shall call us home in peace And sin death sorrow shall for ever cease 34. Home LOrd Iesu keepe my heart which by thy grace would faine keep thee excluding all beside O let thy spirit sanctifie the place and by his sacred influence still rule and guide My thoughts words actions studies and desires To heaven-ward whereto my soule aspires For thence it came I have no home but there and thitherward am travelling as I may A sojourner and wearied pilgrim here waiting my calling home from day to day Till mine appointed time of change shall come And thou dear Lord my soul shall welcome home Meane while thy grace increase my faith in thee with true repentance and obedience That these thy graces may abound in me and I may die in them when I go hence And so by grace prepar'd as I should be Sweet Saviour receive my Soule in peace to thee 35. A Dialogue betweene an old sick man and his neighbour visiting him Q. HOw do you Sir A. I praise God never better Because I never was so neere my home Q. What home mean yoâ— nature to death is debtor And old or young we all must thither come A. True deâ—th the common passage is betweene This mortall life and that which lasts for ever The body carries th' immortall soule unseene Along with it so far but their they sever The bodie dies the soule to heaven straight From whence it came and where its dwelling is And that 's the home I meane for which I waite The glorious mansions of eternall blisse Q But ere you can get thither you must die A. My body must indeed but that 's not I. Q. And should the bodies death so slighted be The king of terrour to all living things A. I slight not death Gods messenger is he And therefore welcome and good newes he brings T'uncloath me of this body that I may Be cloath'd upon with immortalitie And so brought home to dwell in heaven for ayâ— In glorious joyes and true felicitie And though death laies my bodie in the dust As if I never should behold it more Yet rise it shall and he restore it must In better plight then ere it was before The sooner I get home the better then Sweet Iesus take me home in peace Q. Amen 36. A Hymne for Christmas-day Gloria in excelsis Deo ALL glory be to God on high and peace on earth good will to men This was the Chore of Angels song at Iesus birth in Bethlehem For then the eternall sonne of God became the blessed virgins sonne God manifested in the flesh to save mankind els quite undone Come let us magnifie his name with Angels and Archangels still And sing All glory be to God and peace on earth to men good-will For by this worke of God made man both th' heavens and earth have cause of joy The heavens new glory have thereby the earth doth heavenly peace enjoy And both from Gods good will to man for loe this blessed heavenly child Hath sinfull Adam and his race redeem'd and to his Father reconcil'd Come let us magnifie his name with Angels and Archangels then And sing all glory be to God and peace on earth good will to man This babe though cradled in a cratch was yet the King of glory borne And came from heaven man to save who otherwise had beene forlorne He is our only peace on earth the conscience pacifier here He is our glory in the heavens our blessed glorifier there Come then above all creatures we should sing this Angels Antheme still All glory be to God on high and peace on earth to men good will But first from men on earth below should glory mount to God on high Then God from heaven would shower downe peace to men on earth abundantly For God being now at peace with man through Christ the Lord both God and man The heavens and earth are likewise friends as 't was when first the world began Come let us magnifie his name with Angels and Archangels then And sing All glory be to God and peace on earth good-will to men O what transcendent love was this of that great God to poore mankinde When men and Angels both were falne God tooke man up left them behinde And that man might be quit from hell and brought to heavens glorious blisse The Prince of heaven man became was ever mercy like to this Come then and let us praise his name with Angels and Archangels still And give God glory in the highest that shâ—wed to man such high good-will To thee O most Almighty Lord most holy gâ—â—â—ious Trinitie The Father Goâ—â—â—d Holy Ghost in ever blessed nâ—â—e From hearts and soules and all our powers all glory prâ—â—â—e â—â—â—nksgiving be As in beginning was is now and shall to all eternitie For Christ the Lord our Iesus borne at time prâ—fixt in Betâ—lehem Let heâ—ven and earth with all their hosts come joyne with us and say Amen A Prayer and Meditation for my wife and my selfe to joyne together she being in the 67. year of her age and I â—n the 74. of mine and both full of bodily infirmities for our daily waiting for the blessed houre of our dissolution 1 HEre at thy foot-stool blessed Lord do we â—calâ— Thy weak unworthy servants wait thy gracious Our work draws to an end and now we come to thee Whose blessed will is so declared we shall Blesse this our waiting time and by thy grace Support us joyfully to end our race 2 For thou already hast of thy good will In truth and mercy us espous'd to thee Although the mariage day must rest untill This mortall puts on immortality Meane while thou hast thy holy spirit us given To guide us all along our way to heaven 3 Whose sacred hand within the first degree Of life eternall hath already brought us â— Vniting us renewed by grace to thee Most glorious Saviour who hast deerly bought us And by this first degree assures the rest To make us finally for ever blest 4. The second step to lifes eternitie Is by deaths passage which we now attend Where laying down all our mortalitie Our soules by Angels conduct shall ascend Members of thy Church thine own espoused wife Into thy palace of eternall life 5. Where we instead of flesh that 's transitory And must be laid to sleep here in the grave Shall have new robes of everlasting glory As all our fellow members there shall have O what a blessed glorious change is this To leave this world for heavens endlesse blisse 6. And yet there rests behind a third degree When these fraile bodies rais'd from death agen Vnto eternall life rejoynd shall be Vnto our soules and glorified with them When all things shall receive their consummation Our soules and bodies both compleat salvation 7. Now whiles we wait in this our pilgrimage When our appointed time of chang shall come Lord Iesu help in this our lifes last stage And our redeemed soules bring safely home To that safe home of thine where al things bee In perfect peace and true securitie 8. For in this life such our corruptions are As hinder when we any good intend But headlong running into every snare To make us our most gracious God offend Vnder this bondage of corruption thus Lye we till thou good Lord deliver us 9. Here then with panting longings after thee Most glorious Saviour for our finall rest With sighs of hope and teares of joy do we Attend thy blessed call to make us blest Call then sweet Iesu when it shall thee please Into thy hands receive our soules in peace Amen Iob 14.14 All the daies of mine appointed time will I waite till my change shall come
Mount Tabor OR PRIVATE EXERCISES OF A PENITENT SINNER Serving for a daily Practice of the life of Faith Reduced to speciall heads comprehending the chiefe comforts and refreshings of true Christians Also Certain occasionall Observations and Meditations profitably applyed Written in the time of a voluntary retrait from secular affaires By R. W. Esquire Published in the yeare of his age 75. Anno Dom. 1639. The Contents of the booke are prefixed LONDON Printed by R. B. for P. Stephens and C. Meredith at the gilded Lion in S. Paul's Church-yard 1639. TO MY DEERE WIFE AND CHILDREN THese private notes and thoughts of minâ— Not worthy nor so fit for publike view I For last pledges of my love consign My neerest deerest private ones to you Three sons two sons and two daughters-in-Law Gâ—and-children eleven Besideâ— those six and five †Non amissos sed praemissoâ— already gone to Heaven Beseeching God by grace so to prepare us yet surviving here We all may meet together and live for evâ—â— there The Table of this private Booke THe Dedication of it to my wife and children The occasion and motive of these exercises called Meditations of Mount Tabor 1 The introduction to those meditations 7. 1. How excellent a thing it is to have all our debts cancelled 8. 2. How sweet a thing to have God appeased towards thee 20. 3. How glorious a thing to be the child of God 36. 4. How happie and safe a condition for thee to be sure of perseverance in grace and salvation 49. 5. How pleasant a state of life to bee void of the feare of death and hell 56. 6. How rich and stately aâ—â—ng to be heire of glory 63. Two meditations formerly composed applyed for a seventh step or meditation of Mount Tabor 79 A Meditation on the Incarnation and Passion of our most glorious Saviour the Lord Jesus and our blessed union with him alluding to the song of Simeon called Nunc Dimittis 79. A contemplation of the new Ierusalem and the triumphant Church celebrating an everlasting Sabboth in the Kingdome of Heaven 84. A Meditation of mans mortality 86. Foure short meditations of the vanity of mans life 87 88. Occasionall Meditations 1. Vpon a sad and unseasonable shower of raine 88. 2. Vpon a Looking-glasse 89. 3. Concerning an extraordinary veile â—hich covered my body at my comâ—â—â— into the world ibid. 4. Of an extraordinary accident when J was first in my swadling cloaths 92. 5. Vpon my breeding up at Schoole 97. 6. Vpon an accident when I was a School-boy 101. 7. Vpon six verses of the 12. Chapter of S. Luke 105. 8. Vpon a Stage-play which I saw when I was a child 110. 9. Vpon the Diall of Gloucester Colledge Clock 115. 10. Vpon good counsell given by a Countrey Painter in homely verse 117. 11. Vpon a Pedegree found in a private mans house 120. 12. Vpon a pedegree found in a noblemans house 124. 13. Of a felon making a comfortable end at his death 129. 14. Vpon the words used in the embleme of our mortality bodie mihi cras tibi 135. â—5 Vpon observing of a grave-stone in Pauls Church London 138. 16. Of a short inscription upon a greâ—â— mans tombe 14â— 17. Vpon three words written with cole in a great Judges house 14â— 18. Vpon consideration of the fifâ—â— muscle of a mans eye 14â— 19. Vpon the name of God blessed foâ— ever proclaimed 15â— 20Vpon the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 siâ—nifying to breath 15â— 21. Vpon the words of S. Paul So râ—â— that ye may obtaine 15â— 22. Vpon a worthy Divines Letter a case of conscience 16â— 23. Vpon the words revealed to Sainâ— Augustine In te stas non stâ—â— 17â— 24. Vpon the building of S. Paâ—â— Church in London 17â— 25. Vpon the reading of a paper â—sually taken out of an old bundle my first going to Stanwick 17â— 26. Vpon the Turkies comming aâ—â— to their roost before Sun-set 19â— 27. Vpon the remove of houshold frâ—â— one dwelling to another 19â— 28. Vpon the casuall hearing of verse in the new Testament read by a childe 199. 29. Vpon the words of a childe intimating the necessity of my timely preparation for death and heaven 202 30. Vpon a fight betweene two Cocks 206. 31. Vpon a childs asking of blessing in the morning 211. 32. Vpon one word attributed to God thrise in three verses together in one Chapter of the Prophet Ionas 214. 33 Vpon the great Clock in Westminster Palace 218. 34. Vpon our last and best home 219. 35. A Dialogue betweene an old sick-man and his neighbour visiting him 220. 36. A hymn for Christmas day upon the Angels song Gloria in excelsis Deo 222. 37. A prayer or meditation for my wife and my selfe to joyne together in our daily preparation for our dissolution 225. Imprimatur Thomas Wykes October 31. 1639. The occasion and motive of these weake exercises of mine following which I call my Meditations of Mount Tabor UPon my reading over of one of the Sermons of a worthy messenger of God and Batchelour of Divinitie entiâ—eled the Life of Faith reprinted in Anno 1627. wherein I found the duty of daily renewing our faith the Life of our Soules by Prayer and Meditation by many arguments of necessity profit and comfort powerfully and graciously pressed I observed a passage in these very words Hearken unto me O thou of little faith and lesse use of it dost thou desire to have a continuall feast to rejoyce alwayes with the Lord I know that thou desirest it with all thy soule Let me prescribe a diet a daily diet without omission strictly to be kept the Lord give thee and me grace to observe it Looke how duely thou refreshest thy body by use of repast or recreation so often at the least be sure to cheare up thy soule by the use of thy faith Let thy soule have two or three walkes a day up to Mount Tabor that is into some retyred place of Meditation and Prayer such as Isaac's Field Cornelius his Leades David's Closet c. But what is there to be done I answer still make use of thy faith But what is that you call using of faith I now come to the point to the chiefe mysterie of spirituall life Stirre up thy soul in this Mount to converse with CHRIST Look what promises and priviledges thou dost habitually believe now actually think of them roule them under thy tongue chew on them till thou finde some sweetnesse in the palat of thy soule view them joyntly severally sometimes muse of one sometimes of another more deeply and lest thou shouldest still think me obscure think with thy self 1 How excellent a thing it is to have all thy debts cancelled 2 How sweet a thing to have GOD appeased 3 How glorious a thing to be the son of GOD. 4 How happy a condition for thee upon thy perseverance to be assured of thy salvation 5 How pleasant a state of life to be void of
as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the Judgement Verse 28. So CHRIST was once offered to beare the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appeare the second time without sinne unto salvation Who his own self bare our sins in his owne body on the tree 1 Peter 2.24 by whose stripes ye were healed He is the propitiation for our sins 1 Iohn 1â— â— The Sonn of man came to give his life a Ransome for many Mat. 20.28 Mark â—â— â—3 There is one God 1 â—â—m â— â— and one Mediator betweene God and man the man CHRIST IESUS Who gave himselfe a ransome for all to be testified in due time Verse â— My first MEDITATION of Mount TABOR NOw my soule that by Gods mercy and goodnesse we are withdrawen from the world into this solitary Mountaine where our blessed Saviour the Lord IESUS was transfigured in divine glory before his suffering in his humanitie that his Disciples thereby discerning both his natures in one person might be assured that he was that true promised Messiah God manifested in the flesh for the redemption of mankinde Let our meditations be employed in the consideration of those glorious benefits which the faithfull soule receiveth from this blessed Saviour of the world wherein our first remembrance propounded unto us is How excellent a thing it is to have all our debts cancelled that is to say to have all our sinnes discharged and so the Gospell comparing Matthew 6.12.14 with Luke 11.4 expounds the same for every sinne is a grievous debt indeed and a debt upon record in Gods owne debt-booke which he hath committed to the keeping of our own consciences as a trustie register betweene him and us aswell that we should not be able to deny oâ— wage our law for the least parcell there entred as that our selves may see h w we grow every day more and more into debt and being thereby privie to our owne miserable and wretâ—hed estaâ—e o not being able to make satisfactiâ— may seriously and seasonably lâ—â—oâ—â— to gâ—t our debts cancelled befo e we be called to reckoning â—n the XVIII Chapter of S. Matthew we read of a King that would take accompt of his servants Vers XXIV and when he had begun to reckon one was brought unto him that owed him a thousand Talents and having not to pay his Lord commanded him to be sold and his wife and children and all that hee had and paiment to be made Such a miserable debtor O Lord my God and Saviour am I my debts being not of pence but of talents and that not single but thousand-fold and all of them of such nature as the world if I had it in my power to dispose of cannot satisfie divine justice for the least of them and yet there can be no discharg of the debt no remission of my sinnes without satisfaction For mercy and justice are in our God both essentiall neither can the one exceed the other where they are both infinite Oh then where shall I wretched creature finde in heaven or earth a paiment of infinite value to answer and satisfie this infinite justice for my manifold and grievous offences What surety will come in to be my baile in this desperate and forlorne condition this satisfaction can no way be made but by thine own blessed selfe O most gracious Lord IESUS one only Saviour who being God and Man in one person hast vouchsafed out of thine infinite mercy and goodnesse together with our fraile nature to take also our debts all our sinnes upon thy selfe and so as my most glorious surety and Redeemer to free me from that insupportable burthen which otherwise had pressed me downe to the nethermost hell It being not possible that the blacke lines of my debts of sinne could bee crossed or blotted out of Gods debt-booke by any other meanes then by the red lines of thy most precious blood For thou only O Lord art the alsufficient and propitiatory sacrifice whereby divine justice is fully satisfied for all the sins of every true penitent that believes in thee Therefore in all true humiliation of soule hungring and thirsting after thy salvation O blessed IESUS my Lord and my God thus crucified for me doe I prostrate my self at thy glorious foot-stoole beseeching thee by thy grace to strike my heard and stonie heart that in all contrition of soule I may spend my selfe into the tears of unfained repentance for the manifold sins and wickednes ignorance prophannesse unthankfulnes and unfruitfulnes of my life past and then withall by the same thy gracious spirit to lift up my penitent and afflicted soule by the hands of an humble and lively faith to lay fast hold upon thee my blessed Saviour and most glorious Redeemer that so this alsufficient satisfaction of thine applyed to my soule and conscience and by faith become mine may make me assured that all my huge and burthensome debts are cancelled and my sins remitted that they may never affright my conscience any more For I know O Lord and assuredly believe that how great or grievous soever my sinnes have beene yet there can be no sins unpardonable to an infinite mercy nor any sins so hainous or multiplyed but the infinite merit of thy precious death and passion can and doth fully expiate and discharge the same for ever to every true penitent and believing soule Oh then most blessed Saviour quicken I beseech thee and strengthen my weak and feeble faith by thy gracious spirit to make such a powerfull and effectuall application of this thy most gracious satisfaction for me to my wounded and fearefull conscience as may quiet the same for ever In assurance that all my debts are paid and crossed out of GODS Debt-booke by thee my most blessed surety never to bee demanded of mee againe Give mee grace O Lord IESUS not to stand onely poring and gazing upon my sinnes the objects of confusion but to lift up the the eyes of my soule unto thee my gracious Saviour the proper object of consolation and to be so wholly and truly enflamed with thy love as that I may for ever with al awful reverence and devout adoration blesse praise and magnifie thy most holy name for this eternall love and incomprehensible mercy of thine towards me in freeing and acquitting me from all my sinnes And now O my soule let us rouze up our dull and heavie spirits and rejoyce together with joy unspeakable and glorious let us sing and be merrie in the Lord for he is the Lord our God even the God of our salvation And we shall tenne times more honour him in obeying his commandement by believing in him whom hee hath sent into the world for our redemption and shall much better please him in trusting to his mercy and sealing to his truth in the blessed performance of his covenant of grace in the promised Messiah then in doubting of his mercie by reason of
of life and death of salvation and damnation at that Acts 2.20 great and terrible day of the Lord wherein 2 Pet. 3.10 the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up the dead raised the living changed and all mankinde brought together to give a most strict accompt not for their ill works alone but for their neglect of good duties not for actions alone but for their words and that not for filthy and mischievous words only but for every idle word and the thoughts of the heart And this my soule is that infinite almighty and most glorious and dreadful Majestie against whom we have rebelled in the highest treasons his wisdome power justice being incomprehensible and his wrath insupportable O come let us worship and fall downe prostrate with all aweful reverence trembling and feare and then in the second place consider how infinitely gracious and good this our most blessed God the King of eternall glory hath beene to such a worme and vile wretch as my unworthy selfe For besides those most blessed and extraordinary priviledges which I have with my countrey-men in being borne an Englishman in the time of the most glorious Sun-shine of the Gospell of grace seconded with such Halcyon daies of blessed peace the publike miracles of mercy which God hath wrought even in my life time in the preservation of this Church and Kingdome our gracious Princes our selves and our posterities specially in these two famous deliverances never to be forgotten by any true English heart from the Spanish invincible Armado and the Popish hellish Powder plot O blessed Lord God how infinitely good and gracious hast thou been unto me most unworthy in all the particular passages of my earthly pilgrimage First in spirituall blessings by thy preventing mercy keeping me from some grievous sinnes into which my owne wicked corruptions by Sathans damnable enticements had els drawne me In thy sparing mercies in my acting of other sins wherinto I was faln In thy pardoning mercies that miracle of miracles in translating me out of that damnable estate of mine unregenerate time into rhe glorious liberty of thine owne children of grace and adoption in IESUS CHRIST and for thy renewing mercies by the work of thy holy spirit making me to loath all sinne and to apply my selfe to all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse in universall new obedience to thy most holy will and a constant will and resolution to serve and please thee love feare adore and obey thee in all true repentance and sanctification all the remaining houres of my life and lastly for the assurance thou hast given me of the upshot of all thy finall and crowning mercies in the life to come Then again in temporall blessings by preserving mee from harme in most desperate dangers giving mee the helpe of good education blessing me with a most gracious and comfortable fellowship in marriage and us both with hopefull children and grandchildren especially for our eldest son the true staffe of our age and for thy bountifull providing for us and them in outward necessaries and shewing us mercy in all our occasions yea good Lord for thy fatherly chastisements sent amongst us and therein for that gentle paralyticall infirmity of mine owne aged body whereby I have beene gratiously taken off from worldly cares and employments and have held and still by thy goodnesse have this blessed time and opportunity for heavenly meditations and Christ in preparation of my self for my change and dissolution and my finall translation into those glorious mansions which our most blessed Saviour hath provided for us in his heavenly kingdome O most blessed Lord God how shall I poore weakling do to admire thy providence adore thy Majestie love feare serve and obey thee and glorifie thy most holy name as I am most bounden and heartily desire to do in all sincerity duty and thankfulnes for all thy numberles and incomprehensible mercies blessings comforts and deliverances vouchsafed unto me even in this fraile life and valley of teares and for the glorious upshot of all thy crowning mercies reserved for me in the life to come Oh fill my heart with thy gracious spirit for enabling me to pay my humble vowes unto thy Majestie in all true sanctified obedience and faithfull and serious endeavours of soule and body to walke acceptably before thee from henceforth and for ever Amen And now my soule should wee in the third place consider how wickedly and ungraciously I have misbehaved my self all the days of my flesh towards this most high glorious almighty and most dreadful Majestie and towards this most gracious and mercifull God and Saviour of ours But here alas I am confounded wâ—h shame astonishment of heart and horror of conscience but to think of the manifold frailties prophannes pollutions of my youth and the sinful negligencies rashnesses improvidence unfruitfulnes and unthankfulnes and other sins and transgressions of thought word or deed of my whole mispent life by past Yea O Lord my God in my ungrateful and froward neglect of thy gracious time of visitation graunted mee of thine unspeakable mercie these foure last yeares aswell for my sound humiliation and serious daily repentance for my manifold sins and corruptions as for improving that precious time in those gracious duties and spirituall exercises publike and private which my conscience tels me I should have performed with more fervour of spirit feare and trembling and syncerity and intention of heart then I have done But O Lord I finde that were mine eyes fountaines of teares powred out every moment of my life should my heart fall asunder into drops of blood in my brest for anger and indignation against my selfe for my grievous sins and transgressions yet should I come infinitely short of that sorrow and hearts griefe which mine offences would justly require and exact at my hands And therefore O Lord my God though it bee my most earnest suit and the earnest desire and constant prayer of my humble soule that my hard and dull heart may by thy grace be so softned and quickned as to be truly broken and dissolved into sighs of true contrition and that I may weepe day and night for my sinnes and offences all my life long unto my dying houre yet all could not serve to draw thy mercy upon me for the least of my transgressions for in the point of redemption of mankind and purgation of sinne nothing could serve the turn but the precious blood of IESUS CHRIST God and Man in one person blessed for ever Either the sonne of God must die or else all mankind be eternally damned and their sinnes only are properly said to have pierced him who at length are saved by his blood Come then my soule let us set our humble faith on worke to lay fast hold upon this blessed Saviour of ours who only is become our reconciliation and peace-maker
for us to God our heavenly father and alone câ—n helpe us in all our distresses This being a true principle in the heavenly art of comforting of afflicted consciences that so soone as a man is heartily humbled for all his sinnes and wearie of their waight though his sorrow bee not answerable to his owne desire yet hee shall most certainly bee wellcome to IESUS CHRIST for it is not so much the muchnesse and measure of our sorrow as the truth and heartinesse of it that fits us for the promise and comfort of mercie though withall it is true that hee that thinkes hee hath sorrowed enough for his sinnes never sorrowed savingly O most blessed and most gracious Lord God I beseech thee sanctifie my heart by thy holy spirit unto sound and syncere humiliation of soul that in the sight of my sinnes I may still grow viler in my owne eyes and bee more and more humbled in true repentance for them but yet withal by the hand of lively and saving faith upon the Lord Iesus dying and bleeding upon the crosse for my sake and for mine assured reconciliation with thy Majestie by whom alone thou art appeased towards me and made my most gracious and mercifull father for ever that so by thy grace I may ever keep in my bosome an humble soft and lowly spirit which may ever enable mee to live by faith more cheerfully to enjoy thee my most glorious Lord God more neerly to apply my Iesus to my soules comfort more feelingly and to wait for and long for his blessed comming more earnestly that so being graciously prepared and sanctified by thy holy spirit the soule of my soule governing comforting and supporting me I may with all alacrity and thankfulnes faith repentance and obedience to thy most holy will walke before thee in all holy fear all the dayes of mine appointed time till my change shall come In full assurance that no sooner shall this dark world and the shadow of it bee out of my bodily sight but the glorious light of the heavenly mansions of my Saviours Palace provided for mee and all the rest of his shall shine upon my soule in full brightnesse to mine everlasting joy comfort and finall peace through IESUS CHRIST my blessed Saviour and only peace-maker Amen The Third MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR How glorious a thing to be the child of God Places of Scripture shewing how this benefit belongs to us Ioh. 1.11 HE came unto his owne and his owne received him not Vers 12 but as many as received him to them gave he power or the right or priviledge to become the sonnes of God even to them that believe in his name Ioh. 12 3â— While you have light believe in the light that ye may be the children of the light For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Râ—m 8. â—â— 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Vers 16. The spirit it selfe beareth witnesses with our spirits that we are the children of God For ye are all the children of God by faith in CHRIST IESUS Gaâ— â— â— When the fulnesse of time was come Gaâ— â— â— God sent forth his sonne made of woman made under the Law 5. to redeeme them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sonnes 6. And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts 7 therefore thou art no more a servant but a son Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us Iohn 3. â— that we should be called the sonnes of God 2 Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be The third Meditation Now my soul are we by Gods mercy come to the third step of these our Meditations which offereth to our consideration how glorious a thing it is to be the child of God In our first step when we lay first bound in the chains of our sins under the insupportable waight of numberlesse talents of debts oppressing us our most gracious Saviour the Lord Iesus blessed for ever became our surety took our nature upon him God manifested in the flesh paid all our debts satisfied divine justice for all our sinnes and so set us at liberty and made us freemen In our second step he brought us into a further degree of favour to make our God whom we had so grievously offended and provoked to become friends with us and appeased towards us And now in the third place wee are brought to bee more than friends children of the almighty and most glorious God himselfe whereby we are entitled to demand and challenge at his fatherly hands not only safe protection from al dangers and evils and carefull provision both for soul and body in this life but also an eternal inheritance of heavenly glory in the life to come And how comes it to passe ô my soul that so wretched and worthies a creature as my unworthy self should be advanced to those glorious priviledges and high dignity of being made and accepted a child of the most high our God hath but one only son by nature even G d the son very God of very God the second person of the most holy glorious and ever blessed Trinity in and by whom alone as in our former meditations I was redeemed from my sinnes and reconciled unto God so it is in and by him only that I and all the rest of his redeemed ones doe receive the adoption of sonnes even so O most blessed Lord God and heavenly father because it so pleaseth thee through IESUS CHRIST our Lord whom our humble and true faith apprehending we receive from him into our hearts the blessed spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father the same spirit bearing witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God by faith in CHRIST IESUS as in the severall places of holy Scripture before named appeareth O then my soule let us now also by this third step and meditation take this just and fit opportunity for renewing of our daily repentance and of our humble faith in this most gracious Saviour of ours for our laying fast hold upon him who by these blessed degrees hath brought us to this high priviledge of being the children of God And true faith I find to be thus defined Faith is a filiall confidence in God conceived of the knowledge of CHRIST and the love of the father in him whereby man runneth unto God and cryeth unto him Abba Father In which lively faith there is a twofold operation First an apprehending vertue by which the believer receives and applieth to himselfe IESUS CHRIST as he is offered in the word and sacraments Secondly a rendring vertue so to call it whereby the believer goes out of himselfe into the Lord. 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am most bounden and to assure mine owne conscience of the truth of mine adoption by the syncerity of my heart and thorough sanctification that so by the sweet beams of thy grace shining into my dull and feeble soule I may with cheerfulnesse and comfort wait the good houre when my blessed Saviour IESUS shall call me from hence home to himselfe peace in and I shall leave mortality and imperfection behind me for ever Amen The Fourth MEDITATION of Mount TABOR How happie a condition it is for thee upon thy perseverance in grace to be assured of thy salvation Places of Scripture shewing how this benefit and priviledge belongs to us EXod 15.2 The Lord is my strength and song he is become my salvation Esay 45.17 Jsrael shall bee saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation yee shall not be confounded nor ashamed world without end Jeremy 31.3 The Lord hath appeared unto me saying yea J have loved thee with an everlasting love therfore have I extended loving kindnesse unto thee Ioh. 4.42 And know that this is indeed the CHRIST the Saviour of the world Ioh. 14.1 IESUS having loved his owne which were in the world he loved them unto the end Ioh 15.16 You have not chosen me but J have chosen you and ordained you that you should goe and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine that whatsoever yee shall aske of the Father in my name hee may give it you 9 As my Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love 11 These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remaine in you and that your joy might be full Romans 1.16 J am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth Romans 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance 1 Corinth 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord 8. Who will also confirme you unto the end that yee may bee blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ Galatians 2.20 Christ liveth 〈◊〉 me and the life which I now live iâ— the flesh J live by the faith of the son of God Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he who hath begun a good worke in you will performe or finish it untill the day of Iesus Christ Acts 4.10 Bee it knowne unto you all that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead doth this man stand before you whole 11 This is the stone which was set at nought by you builders which is become the head of the corner 12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there in no other name given under heaven amongst men whereby we must be saved Acts 13.26 Whosoever among you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent 1 Tim. 1.5 Christ came into the world to save sinners Heb. 7 22. By so much was Iesus made a surety of a better testament 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him The fourth MEDITATION of Mount TABOR NOw my soule hath the Lord in mercy brought us to a fourth step of these our meditations which is a blessed consequent of the three former For being redeemed from our sinnes which was our first step and in the second received to our heavenly Father and in the third made his children by grace and adoption we are thereby become sure upon our perseverance in grace of finall salvation which brings us to this fourth step making our condition even in this earthly pilgrimage most happy and safe notwithstanding any inward or outward afflictions temptations terrors torments we shall or may be exercised withall in our way to heaven For hee that is sure of grace here and glory hereafter what can possibly trouble him seeing Romans 8.18 the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall bee revealed in us and 2 Cor. 4.17 our light afflictions which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding waight of glory And how is it O my soule that we are brought to this blessed condition of safety and happinesse even by the same our most blessed Saviour only with whom we began in the first step of these meditations For hee is Alpha and Omega the first and the last Heb. 12.2 the author and finisher of our faith neither is there salvation in any other as is before quoted and recited Oh then my soul here are we to renew our daily repentance for our offences past and our humble faith in our almighty Saviour who hath acquitted us from them all and is thus graciously pleased to goe along with us and will confirme us unto the end that wee may bee blamelesse in the day of the Lord IESUS O most gracious Lord and Saviour who hast begun thine owne good worke in me thy poore weake and unworthy servant finish the same for thine owne glorious names sake and by thy holy spirit dwell in my heart for ever that for being both in soule and body throughly purified and sanctified unto all holy duties of true humiliation and godly sorrow for my sins and corruptions and of new universal obedience in the remaining houres of this transitory life J may with cheerfulnesse and comfort passe over the same and not with patience only but with joy and thankefulnesse waite for the time of my change and dissolution when thou shalt be pleased to call me home to thy blessed selfe in glory Amen Amen The Fifth MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR How pleasant a state it is to live without feare of death and hell Places of Scripture shewing this comfort to belong to the fa thfull HOsca 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave J will redeeme them from death O death J will be thy plagues O grave J will be thy destruction Esay 25.8 He will swallow up death in victorie and the Lord God will wipe away teares from all faces Mat. 16.18 Vpon this rocke viz. the faith of Christ will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death 25. I thanke God â—hrough Iesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus for the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death 1 Cor. 15.54 Death is swallowed up in victorie 55. O death where is thy sting O grave or ô hel where is thy victory 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law 37. But thanks be to God who giveth us the victorie through Iesus Christ our Lord. 2 Timoth. 1.10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our
though by the childes reading as if the Lord by her had spoken them to my selfe a paralytick and a sinner as that sicke-man was who for ought appeares in the Text expected only the cure of his bodily infirmity when behold the gracious redeemer of the World who is wont to give more unto us then we desire or deserve begins first with the cure of the soule by remitting his sins and then cures the body afterwards O most blessed Saviour those words of grace which thou didst vouchsafe to that sicke man not desâ—ring it speake thou of thy rich mercy by thy holy Spirit to my sinne-sicke soule which most humbly beggs it at thy most mercifull hands My soule is grievously sicke in the sight of my sins sence of the wrath of my displeased God and desert of hell and utter condemnation But Lord speake these words only unto me and my soule shall live for Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me whole O Lord heale my soule for I have sinned against thee As for my bodily infirmitie which thou as the chastisement of a loving and merciful father hast laid upon me to weane me from the world and for my better preparation against the time of my dissolution by it I do with all humble thankfulnesse and dutifull obedience submit my selfe thereunto therein But my humble and earnest suite is for mercy mercie good Lord for the cure of my Soule by the pardoning of my sinnes O Blessed Saviour speake those gracious words to mee one Paralyticke more Sonne bee of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee that being absolved from them all by thee in this life who hast already fully satisfied divine justice for them all J may when that houre of my departure commeth with comfort and cherefulnes deliver up my redeemed soule into thy blessed armes of mercy in peace Amen Amen 29. Vpon the wâ—rds of a childe intimating the necessitie of my timely preparation for death and heaven IF notice were taken of the speeches which sometimes fâ—ll from children I am perswaded great use might bee made thereof by those of ripe yeares for their instruction and good which I lately observed in a short discourse had with my little grand-daughter not yet seven yeares old my selfe being entred into the seventieth yeare of my age and my left side taken with a disease called the dead palsie shee seeing mee to have my left hand rubbed after meals and my left legg rubbed at my going to bed and at my uprising said to me Grandfather this you doe to make that side well nay child said I but to preserve it so long 〈◊〉 shall please God but I looke not to be well till I be in heaven whereunto she replyed in these very words yea grandfather you long to bee there and your leg would faine go to sleepe in the grave In which words how directly doth the childe teach me many things 1. What I should doe long to bee in heaven 2. That there is no passage thither for the soule but by the death of the body 3. That when the body is ready for the grave it is high time for the soule to be longing for heaven 4. That the grave is buâ— the bodies bed to sleepe in for a time 5. Intimating therewith thâ—â— there shall be a time of waking By which five particulars how evident is it Psal 8.2 out of the mouths of very babes and children hath God ordained strength to witnesse his grace and praises to the confounding of the enemy who would suppresse them O most blessed Lord God let my soule first praise thy holy name for giving me those seasonable admonitions from one that comes in a second descent of mine owne loines beseeching thee to blesse those seeds of grace sowen in her heart in these her tender yeares to make and preserve her thy childe of grace all her life long that finally she may be heire of thy glory And then for my selfe O good Lord look graciously upon me thy most unworthy servant who have longed for thy salvation for thou Lord art the thing J long for Psal 71.4 5 8 thou art my hope even from my youth through thee have I been holden up ever since I was borne thou art he that tookest me out of my mothers womb my praises shall be ever of thee O cast me not away in the time of age forsake me not when my stâ—â—â—â—th faileth 10. Go not far from me O God my God haâ—â— thee to hâ—lp me that as this earthly tabernacle d caie daily through old age and infirmities so thy grace may shew it selfe powerfull in my weaknesse to enable me to hunger and thirst after thy righteousnesse in a true desire after sanctification and new obedience for the remainder of my few daies with heartie sorrow and unfained repentance for my sins past and faithfull relying upon thy mercies in Christ for the pardon of them that when I shall leave this house of earth thy blessed Angelâ— may â—onvey my soul into the glorious mansion of peace which I long for and my Saviouâ— hath prepared for me in thy heavenly kingdome Amen 30. Vpon a fight between two Cocks AT Stanwick my son had going with his Hens a young Cock of a stout and large breed with very large Iollops hanging downe on either side of his beake and a friend of his giving him afterwards a Cock and a Hen of the game as they call them the Cocks-combe and jollops being finely cut off close to the head for advantage in fighting It fell out that the two Cocks meeting in the yard together fell close to their fight where the younger Cock fought stoutly a good while till the old Cocke taking advantage of his large Iollops hanging so low tooke hold thereof for raising himselfe to wound the young Cocke at every blow which being observed by the spectators they parted the fray for the present and caused the young Cocks pendant Iollops to be cut off and his head trim'd for the fight as the old Cocks was who had at first so beaten the young Cocke that he durst not stay within his view but after the sores of his Iollops cut were healed the young Cocke comming abroad againe the old Cock ran presently upon him to have made him runne away as he was wont to doe before But the young Cocke turning againe and they falling to a new fight very sharpe and eager on both sides at last the old Cocke finding his old hold of the young Cocks Iollops taken from him was faine to cry creake and to runne away as fast from the young Cocke as the young Cock did from him before and ever after the young Cock was master of the field In this fight of the two Cockes me thinkes I see represented by the old Cocke the old wilie seâ—pent who by subtiltie and advantage taking overcomming our first parents in Paradise as if he were then the Prince of the World sets upon every one of their posteritie to subdue
our sinnes or fearing his justice against us which our Saviour the Lord IESUS hath already satisfied for us to our finall peace and salvation Let us then cheere up our selves in this blessed comfort of all comforts our debts are all paid and cancelled our Paschall Lambe is slaine CHRIST IESUS hath made all our dayes holy-dayes have any more cause to bee merrie then wee Away then with droopings and mistrustfulnesse for the Lord hath turned our sorrow into joy and such joy as shall never bee taken from us Blessed be the name of the Lord our God for ever And now O most glorious and gracious Redeemer who art the author and finisher of my faith perfect the good work of thy grace begun in me that by daily renewing of my humble faith and repentance by these weake and unworthy meditations of mine I may with joy and gladnesse comfort and cheerfulnesse walk before thee this day and all the remaining dayes of my earthly pilgrimage waiting for thy blessed calling of me to thy selfe in glory when my faith shall bee turned into fruition and I shall leave imperfection and mortality behinde me for ever The Second MEDITATION of Mount TABOR How sweet a thing it is to have God appeased towards thee Places of Scripture shewing how this benefit belongs to us THus saith the high and mighty one that inhabiteth eternitie Isa 57.15 whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Ver. 16 For I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should faile before me and the soules which I have made Vers 17 For the iniquitie of his covetousnesse was I wroth and smote him J hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart Vers 18. I have seene his wayes and will heale him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and unto his mourners Vers 19. I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is afarre off and to him that is neere saith the Lord and I will heale him Who is a God like unto thee Micah â— 18 that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage hee retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Vers 19. He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depth of the sea For when wee were yet without strength Rom. 5. â— in due time CHRIST died for the ungodly Verse 8. But God commendeth his love towards us in that whiles we were yet sinners CHRIST died for us Ver. 9. Much more then being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Vers 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life Vers 11. And not only so but we also rejoyce in God through our Lord IESUS CHRIST by whom we have now received the attonement Ioh. 16.33 These things have I spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace 1 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Iesus Christ and hath given unto us the ministery of reconciliation 19 To wit that God was in CHRIST reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation Vers 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for CHRIST as though God did beseeâ—h you by us we pray you in CHRIST his stead be ye reconciled unto God 21. For hee hath made him to be sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him For now in CHRIST IESUS Ephes 2.1 ye that sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of CHRIST Vers 14. For he is our peace Ver. 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Crosse For it pleased the Father Colos 1 â—â— that in him should all fulnesse dwell Vers 20 And having made peace through the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven Vers 21. And you who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled Vers 22. In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblamable and unreproovable in his sight And to wait for his sonne from heaven whom he raised from the dead 1 Thes â—â— even IESUS which hath delivered us from the wrath to come 1 Thes 3 â— For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to attaine salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ Vers 10. Who died for us The second Meditation NOw my soule having formerly considered the great benefit of having all our bebts cancelled our second remembrance points us to a blessed consequence thereof how sweet a thing it is to have our God appeased towards us which will the better appeare for our instruction and comfort if we seriously take into our humble consideraâ—ion these three points 1. The infinite power and greatnesse of the Almighty whom our sinnes have provoked to wrath against us 2. His graciousnesse and goodnes towards our selvs in particular 3. The hainousnesse of our offences by which we have justly incurred his displeasure For the first The Lord our God is the great and the terrible God Nah. 1.5 The great and dreadfull God Daniel 9.4 The Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth and all things therein contained and disposer of all things by his eternall and al-governing providence who hath ever at his commandement innumerable hosts of Angels one of which 2 King 19.35 killed 1850000. of his Churches enemies in one night Nah. 9.3 who hath his way us the whirl-wind and in the storme and the clouds are the dust of his feet Nahum 14. He rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry the mountains quake at him and the hils melt and the earth is burnt up at his presence yea the world and all that dwel therein v. 5. Who can stand before his indignation who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger Verse 6. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 A great God and a great King above all gods Psal 9.13 The great and mighty God the Lord of Hosts is his name Jeremy 32.18 Great in counsell and mighty in workes for his eyes are open upon all the wayes of the sonnes of men Vers 19. to give to every one according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings who shall judge the quicke and the dead 2 Tim. 4.1 For he is the judge of the whole world and will hold his grand Sessions
also appeare with him in Glory Philippians 3.20 For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we looke for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ Verse 21. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himselfe 1 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not unto me only but unto them also which love his appearing Titus 3.7 That being justified by his grace we should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life 1 Pet. 5.1 The elders which are amongst you I exhort who am also an elder and a witnesse of the sufferings of CHRIST and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed 2. Feed the flock of God 4. And when the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare yee shall receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not a way 10. But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternall glory by CHRIST IESUS make you perfect 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine unto life and godlin sse through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glorie and vertue 11. For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost 4. Jn whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospell of CHRIST who is the image of God should shine unto them 5. For we preach not our selves but CHRIST IESUS the Lord 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of IESUS CHRIST 7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power may be of God and not of us The sixth Meditation NOw my soul are we by Gods mercy come to the sixth and uppermost step propounded to us in these our meditations namely to â—onsider how rich and stately a thing it is to be an heire of glory And this indeed must needs be the most high and transcendent priviledge of all that can bee bestowed upon the children of men who being by nature children of wrath and in bondage to sinne death and damnation are by grace brought to this most blessed estate of changing sinne into righteousnesse death into life and hell and damnation into heaven and glory And how comes this blessed worke to bee effected for us most unworthy wretches but onely by that most blessed Saviour and redeemer of ours God in the flesh manifested who brought us up the first step of these our meditations and so from steppe to step all along to this the highest of heavenly glory For hee is the onely naturall sonne of GOD and thereby the onely proper and immediate heire to that blessed inheritance whereunto hee hath a twofold right one by his eternall generation and so hee is the heire of his Fathers Kingdome in a manner proper and peculiar to himselfe alone The other right hee hath by purchase for by the merit of his precious death and passion hee hath purchased eternall liâ—e for all the members of his Churcâ— whom having espoused unto himselfe by grace wee also by that â—lessed union with him became heires annexed with him of the same glory In the first right he can admit no companion in the second all the members of his mysticall body are made partakers with him O my soul what shall we say to this transcendent dignitie of all truly penitent believers but as the Psalmist saith Psalme 87.3 glorious things are spoken of thee ô thou Citie of God so may we say of every citizen of the holy City new Ierusalem the Lambs wife Rev. 21.3 For God will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himselfe shall bee with them and be their God 4. and God shall wipe away all their teares from their eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine For Psalme 144.15 Blessed are those people whose God is the Lord and are called to this happie fellowship and union with him who is the king of Saints O my soul come let us with all humble reverence heartily love and adore the Lord who hath of his free grace made us partakers of this unspeakable mercy let us rejoyce and bee glad in the Lord and let my heart and mouth be filled with his praises for ever For Esay 1.9 except the Lord had reserved mercy for us wee had beene made like unto Sodome and Gomorah whereas by this blessed Saviour of ours our most gracious Lord and husband the lots are fallen unto us in pleasant places and we have a faire heritage Blessed be the God of our salvation for ever and ever And although all the adopted children of God members of Christ are heires of this glorious inheritance yet is not the same diminished to any one of them for the rich portion of one shall bee no prejudice to another but every one shall bee filled with the fulnesse of the glory of God But withall we are to observe that howsoever in earthly inheritances the father must first die before the sonne come to the full possession thereof yet for this heavenly inheritance wee our selves must first die that wee may possesse the same For our Father is the ancient of dayes the heavens are the worke of his hands they shall perish but hee doth remaine we all shall wax old as doth a garment but he is the same and his yeares shall not faile for he is the Father of eternitie in whom there cannot fall so much as a shadow of change But as for us our condition is such that by suffering death we must enter into the kingdome we cannot see him so long as wee live nor bee satisfied with his image till we awake in the resurrection Therefore should the day of death be a ioyfull day unto us because it is the day of our glorious inheritance Dies mortis aeternae vitae natalis est and as this serves unto us for a speciall comfort in the houre of temptation and day of death so it should provoke us to answer this our heavenly vocation by the holy and heavenly disposition of our minds and affections whiles we live and a gracious and Christian preparation from day to day for the time of our dissolution waiting for it with cheerfulnesse and joy Seeing we are the sonnes of God shall wee not make it our studie and care to use all blessed meanes for renewing his image in us which our former sins have defaced and to serve him in holines and righteousnes all the
remaining daies of our life seeing we are called to be heires of an heavenly inheritance shall we any longer minde and affect earthly things nay rather with the holy Apostle Philip. 3.8 9. Let us accompt all things to bee but dung in respect of the excellent knowledge and fellowship of the Lord IESUS Seeing CHRIST must be our comfort in death when all other comforts will forsake us let us make him out joy and pleasure and our portion in this life and so shall he be both in life and death an advantage unto us O most gracious Lord God and our mercifull heavenly father give us grace we most humbly beseech thee seriously to consider of this high calling of ours being by adoption made thy children members of CHRIST and heires annexed with him of glory of rebels and slaves of Sathan made the happie servants of our blessed Redeemer nay more then so his friends Iohn 14.15 Henceforth call I you no more servants but friends yea more then friends for he hath made us his brethren Heb. 2.11 He that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are all one wherefore hee is not ashamed to call them brethren O transcendent and wonderfull comfort God the Father cries from heaven This is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him The Sonne againe speaking unto us here on earth saith Iohn 20.17 I ascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God He that is my God and my Father is also your Father and your God Therefore goe ye unto him and with confidence cal upon him as your Father and your God and hee will heare you and helpe you O most glorious and most merciful heavenly Father confirm us more and more in the assurance of thy eternall love free grace and unchangeable mercies towards us in Christ Iesu that in lively sense and inward assurance thereof wee may with comfort and cheerfulnes waite for love and long for his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 for our deliverance from this bondage of corruption and receiving of us to himselfe in glory To whom with thee O Father of mercies and God the Holy Ghost most holy glorious and ever blessed Trinitie in the unity of one only true and everliving God of incomprehensible glorious essence and most adored and coeternall Majestie be all glory praise dominion and thankesgiving ascribed for ever and ever Amen Amen Amen FOR A Seventh MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR NOw my soule having by our most gratious GODS fatherly indulgence and mercie had time and beene enabled though with much humane weaknesse to consider distinctly and severally of those sixe maine points of meditation propounded unto us for Mount Tabor the same indeed comprehending all manner of spirituall comforts and refreshings for the Christian soule wee are by course and order come to a seventh stepp which very name puts mee in minde of the seventh day of our weeke the fittest of all the rest for heavenly contemplations Almightie GOD after his six daies worke of wonder in the creation of the visible World consecrating the seventh day for a holy rest to himselfe and for his owne immediate worship and service which was the Iewes Sabbath and the glorious resurrection of God the Sonne manifested in the flesh for the most gracious worke of our redemption being also celebrated in the Church ever the seventh day of the week which is the Christians Sabbath and both of them types of that everlasting Sabbath which the triumphant Church shall celebrate for ever in the kingdome of Heaven The consideration of which particulars might bee a theme large enough and fit enough for a seventh Meditation of Mount Tabor But being sensible of my owne weaknesse I am resolved here to set up my rest and instead and place of this seventh and concluding Meditation of mine to set downe two exercises of this kind heretofore composed by me the one fitting the Christians Sabbath to the worlds end the other a contemplation of the new Ierusalem and heavenly Sabbath world without end recommending the foure other heads of meditation set downe by Master Downâ—m and the twelve priviledges of the faithfull set downe by Master Byfeild as fit arguments for divine contemplations to such as are better able to travell therein no day of the weeke no nor of our whole life being to bee exempted from that most necessary duty of daily renewing our faith and repentance whereof see Downam at large in his Guide to Godlinesse lib. 3. cap. 2. A MEDITATION On the Incarnation and Passion of our most glorious Saviour the Lord Iesus and our blessed union with him alluding to the song of Simeon called Nunc Dimittis SImeon was one of those which waited for the Messiahs comming Israels consolation Whom that himselfe should see before he died was shewed to him from God by revelation And when the Virgin mother brought her Son up to the Temple to present him there Simeon by motion of the Holy Ghost came in and praising God with joyfull cheere The blessed babe with arms he gently claspt about This Swan-like song divinely warbling out O Lord since thou hast let me live to see the Christ thy promised salvation Whom thou hast now prepar'd reveald to be before the face of every nation A saving light unto the Gentiles who in darknesse and in shade of death did dwell The glory and the way of peace unto thine owne beloved people Israel Now lettest thou thy servant blessed Lord Depart in peace according to thy word If Simeon at the sight of Christ a child new come into the world for our salvation That glorious work not then accomplished was yet so wrapt with joy and exultation As disesteeming all the world beside he had no mind of living longer here How then O Lord should I affected be who live in this thy Gospels light so cleare My Saviours acts and sufferings all to see And know the benefit therof belongs to me O thou divine peace-maker how shall I admiâ—e and praise thy mercy infinite That being God our nature wouldst assume and to thy sacred person it unite That so thou being God and man in one 〈◊〉 perfect Mediator might become To God for man who els had perished and without thee beene utterly undone Good Lord how should my soule affected be At this thy wonderfull humility That thou th' almighty maker of the world for by thy word all things at first began Should'st yeeld thy self a creature to become and to be made twise made for sinfull man Made of the blessed Virgin so to take with our fraile nature our infirmities And made under the law to undergo the burthen of our sinnes and miseries How then good Lord should I affected be To this great work of mercy towards me That thou to whom all powers in heaven did bow and thought it their honour to be serviceable Should for us wretched men descend so low as to be born heire in a homely stable Laid in a cratch pursued
letter the middlemost the iota out of this one word and the rest will answer fumus smoak which also will teach us another lesson of the vanitie of all earthly things and these two lessons well conned will bring us from the consideration of the two former lessons to bethinke our selves of the last the future tense Quid erimus what we shall bee hereafter That like the children of grace and wisdome whiles we are yet in the first tense the time present we may provide our selves of spirituall comfort against wee come to the following tenses that when wee are to say our last lesson having learned our Christs crosse well afore hand in the present tense of this life wee may by his merits and mediation be finally received into the blessed mansions of his heavenly kingdome when time shall be no more which the Lord of all grace glory and mercy grant unto us all of his infinite goodnesse through IESUS CHRIST our only Saviour and redeemer Amen 17. Vpon three words written with a Cole in a great Iudges house THe noble Lord Chancellour Ellesmere was wont every morning in term time after the dispatching suitors of the better ranck in his great chamber and gallery in York-house to come into the Chappell to publike prayers wherein the meanest suitors might accompany his Lordship who upon ending of prayers came through a waiting-roome downe the staires into the Hall and so through it into his Coach that all petitioners might take their oppertunities to put up their complaints or deliver their petitions to himselfe Those staires being made with severall halfe paces wainescotted on every side to a mans height with a faire white wall above it In which wall in the most perspicuouâ— place obâ—ious to every mans eyes that should come downe the staires one morning against his Lordship should goe to Westminster there was written with a cole in faâ—re large Italique letters these three words Tanquam non reverturuâ— which my selfe having then occasion to attâ—nd his Lordship did read as himselfe and others diâ— or could hardly forbeare to doe they stood so in the eyes of all those that came downe the staires wh â—her some scholler fearing oppression y some mighty adversary wrote the sâ—me to give his Lordship that necessary watchword or upon what other occasion or by whom the same was written I know not But I am sure that both his Lordship then and all that did read it or shall reade this hereafter may make good use oâ— such a memorandum though but written with a cole to make us the more warie and watchfull of our words or actions when wee goe abroad out of our houses chambers or closets even for this reason because we may happen not to returne againe How should such a meditation worke in the Clyents mind for peace and reconciliation and the Lawyers tongue for syncerity and truth in the Iudges conscience for justice and equity in every man and womans heart for avoiding of evill doing if they would but thinke of these few words and consider whether they would speake or doe thus or thus if they were presently to die or whether thus or thus behave themselves abroad if they were not to returne againe to their homes O mercifull Lord God have mercie upon us poore wretches of frailtie whose very memories are so depraved by our naturall corruption that what is indelebly written in our hearts and consciences we wilfully suppresse when wee are about any evill or mischiefe how mischievous soever iâ— proove afterwards to our selves or others Pardon good Lord our former neglects of such usefull meditations of our owne mortality and howsoever wee neglect these and the like remembrances from mortall men give us grace we beseech thee to shew our obedience to the Commandement of our Saviour who must also be our Iudge Matthew 24 42 Watch for you know not the houre 18. Vpon consideration of one Muscle of the eyes of man more then of any other creature IN the creation of man Almighty God intending in that admirable and choice peece of all his workes to joyne an heavenly soul and an earthly body together did even in the frame of that body by that Muscle of the eye give man to understand his owne excellencie above all other creatures which having only muscles for the use of their natures his goodnesse added one to the eyes of man that hee might looke up directly to Heaven from whence his better part came the soule having especiall use of that motion of the eye in prayer and meditation that this power of lifting up the eyes without might put us in minde of lifting up our hearts and souls within to our good God who gave our eyes that motion to that purpose as also that the body was to looke unto and performe service to the Creator as well as the soule and to exercise that muscle in the works of grace as the other are used for the necessary works of nature and withall to shew us that as when our eyes are intentively lifted up towards heaven wee cannot looke downeward or to any thing below so our minds should be affected in al our spirituall duties to God neglecting all worldly things therein and keeping our soules to him alone O mercifull Lord God pardon the errours of mine eyes forepast and sanctifie them to make these gracious uses for the time to come and that both mine eyes and all other the members and faculties both of soule and bodie may be consecrated to thy faithfull service in universall obedience that when these eyes shall be shut up fr m this mortall light my soule may be received into the glorious light of thy heavenly kingdome through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen 19. Vpon the name of God proclaimed IN the 34. Chapter of Exodus it is thus written vers 5 The Lord descended in the clouds and proclaimed the name of the Lord vers 6. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth 7 keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie and transgressions and sin and that will by no meanes cleer the guilty visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children and childrens children unto the third and fourth generation In which words of our heavenly fathers own proclaiming what blessed arguments of comfort are involved for the poore sinner if he consider the severall titles that the Lord hath given himselfe in this most gracious proclamation For though the two first titles proclaime his soveraign dominion and supreme Majestie for our most due and bounden humiliation before the Lord our maker and the last title shewes his just hatred of sin and his unpartiall justice to worke his true feare into our hearts yet all the rest which M. Bolton 349. reckons to seven times as many proclaime nothing but his superaboundant mercy and goodnes to shew us how transcendent he is in pitie and compassion to the truly humbled
and penitent sinner for the strengthening of his faith and hope to rely constantly and confidently upon his infinite mercies O blessed Lord God of our Fathers who even in the time of the law under the covenant of workes wert thus good and gracious towards sinners before the manifestation of our blessed Saviour thine eternall sonne in the flesh and salvation in him proclaimed to all nations by the golden trumpet of the Gospell mercifully sanctifie and strengthen us poore sinfull wretches by thy holy spirit to lay fast hold upon those thine eternall mercies exhibited unto us by thy new covenant in Christ Jesus and sealed up unto us in his most precious blood for the full and sure remission of all our sinnes in him our perfect reconciliation with thy Majestie and the assurance of thine unchangeable love and our owne finall peace and salvation in him whom thou of thine incomprehensible mercies towards poore penitent sinners hast sealed and sent into the world to bee relyed upon for salvation that so by humble and lively faith with true and hearty repentance relying and resting upon those mercies of thine which have beene ever of old unto the end and in the end we may receive the end of our faith in the salvation of our soules through the precious merits and blessed mediation of that prince of peace our most gracious Saviour and eternall peacemaker Amen 20. Vpon the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to breath THis little word consisting but of two letters the first and last of the Greeke Alphabet yet makes two syllables and gives a weighty signification the english of it being I live or breath which in my conceit may note unto us the shortnes of the life of man and the neernesse of death to every man breathing when we cannot say I breath but the last letter must conclude it as the first began it the one following the other as close as the shadow doth the body or the night the day without any other letter interposed betweene them or so much as an aspiration to prolong the word but no sooner Alpha begins but Omega concludes and if all the other twenty letters of the Alphabet should bee interposed and reckoned after the greatest computation of mans life not by dayes but by yeares where how many be there that come not to so many moneths or weekes some not to so many houres or minutes yet must we all that read that Alphabet come to Omega at last And if any be so strong as to read it over in the largest extent of yeares there times and a halfe over yet were his life but labour and sorrow so soone passeth it away and we are gone O Lord my God thou hast prolonged my life to the 69. yeare of mine age which brings mee to the confines of Moses his computation of the life of man and therfore howsoever others may reckon the Omega to be far off from them which no man can bee sure of for an houre yet must I continually expect it aâ— at hand O most mercifull Lord Jesus who hast called thy selfe Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the fâ—â—sh and the last who art the author and finisher of our faith the beginner of every good worke of grace in us and 〈◊〉 perfecter of it have mercy upon me and by thy holy spirit perfect that good worke begun in me for preparing my soule in true faith repentance and obedience all the dayes of mine appointed time so to wait till my change commeth that when that happie houre shall come J may be found ready for heaven and hee finally received of thee in peace into thine everlasting kingdome Amen 21. Vpon the words of S. Paul 1 COR. 9.24 So run that ye may obtain IT is the saying of Theophylact that oâ— the children of God Quidam sunâ— in patria quidam in via ad patriam some are at home in their countrie some in their way towards it some have obtained the goale already the rest are running their race towards it some have finished their course have fought the good fight of faith in grace here and are now at rest in glory some in the beginning of their course and others in our apprehension more forward but all tending to the end And as it is with Gods children that they are not yet at home in their country whiles they are in this world but are travelling thitherward so also the wicked whiles they live here are not where they must be hereafter for they are runners too how well soever they think they have setled themselves in this world and must of necessity leave it when their turnes comes For there is one thing to be done by every man and woman living high or low good or bad rich or poore one with another which it concernes every man to be sure to doe well or else hee can never come to heaven it being not possible to do it more tâ—en once and that is to die If thou runne well in the race of thy life thou shalt bee sure to dye well and he that so doth is safely gotten in patriam but if death once surprize thee in an ill case thou canst never come to dye againe in a better Therefore since the life of man is a race to all men and howsoever we runne or walke or play by the way we must all come to the goale at last what an excellent caveat hath the Holy Ghost given us here by the Apostle so to run that wee may obtaine It is not in our choise whether we will runne or no for wee are all runners our life runnes away like the sand in the houreglasse without staying the twinckling of an eye whether wee observe it or no and it is no small matter that lies at stake even no lesse then salvation or damnation a crowne of glory if wee follow this gratious counsell or Commandement of God by the Apostle of so running that wee may obtaine everlasting horrour and confusion if wee obtaine not Men that use to runne a race for a wager walke over that peece of ground often where they are to performe their race at last to observe on whether side the advantage lyeth at this downe with or that rise of the way and what bee the impediments which may hinder them in their speede that they may avoid them and all to win the wager which is but for a Nag or a suit of cloaths or some other like triviall or transitory thing how much more need have wee then that have our soules at stake to take a daily view of our way and of the short race whereupon eternitie depends not to bee taken with the goodly buildings faire flowers sweet valleys or pleasant fields and other delights offered to our senses but to marke seriously what dangerous letches what thornie passages what nets or gâ—â—ns what bogs or false ground lye in our way that wee may avoid them in our race and runne on
life separated from the joyfull presence of our glorified Saviour in whose face is perfect joy for evermore and if there were no further paine of sense in hell but this poena damni only this deprivation of God's presence that were a hell sufficient of it self wherunto there is added paines of sense fire eternall utter darknesse But withall this consideration of the Judgement which shewes such terrible things to the wicked brings the faithfull to another issue the blisse and heaven and everlasting salvation the comforts and joyes wherof it lyeth not in my power to declare nor in the heart of any man to conceive but there will bee the full fruition of what wee hope for here and an absolute deliverance from all those things which trouble or feare us here And yet I have not done one thing more this consderation of our end brings us to namely that wee must not end when we come to our end but there is an eternitie that attends us after-wards whether of life to salvation or of eternal confusion And this is a consideration of weight indeed I read of a good Christian in time of persecution who being condemned to die for his conscience his wife perswaded him to yeeld to the kings will and save his life why saith hee how long thinkest thou I may live if I should doe so shee answered twentie or thirtie yeares perhaps Alas saith hee and if it were so many thousand yeares what were that to eternitie O let us make use of this and consider sadly and seriously of this maine point that this thorâ— lifâ— of ours is but a moment whereupon eternitie depends and therefore it much concernes us all to listen to this wish of th Holy Ghost and to labour to bee wise and understand and consider our later end 26. Vpon the Turkies comming duly to their roost at night SEe how these silly fowles which at their owne libertie wander and feed abroad in Gardens Fields and Orchards all the day long and many times farre off from their usuall roosting places yet notwithstanding the company of other fowles of their owne kinde met abroad discovery of new places of better feeding and other enticements or impediments do ever towards Sunne-set draw themselves homewards before it be darke so to have time and daylight enough to flie up to their perches of roost where only they looke for safety and quiet in the night approaching This providence taught these sillie creatures by instinct of nature as it directly shames and condemnes some of us who when we are got abroad are easily drawne by ill company good-fellowship or other idle vanitie to deferre our comming home till we are not able to come home but must be led home like beasts or lie in a ditch by the way to the hazard of soule and body so it may bee a necessary remembrance usefull to us all that in all our worldly occasions of this life wee bethinke our selves of the Sun-setting with us I meane the houre of death which must as certainly come upon every one of us at one time or other as the Sun-setting closeth up every day that goes over our heads that like the sons and daughters of wisdome we may everyday remember that our last night is at hand and so provide to make our peace with God by Iesus Christ our only peace-maker whiles it is called to day that that night doe not surprise us or take us unprovided for it O mercifull Lord God strengthen my feeble soule by thy holy Spirit of grace that with the humble wings of true repentance and a lively faith J may before hand flie up into the Arke of my Saviours perfect righteousnes that whensoever that night shall come upon me I may bee found there in safetie and so received into thine everlasting peace Amen 27. Vpon the remove of houshold from one dwelling to another THe day appointed for this remoove was set downe many daies agoe and most of the stuffe packed up and made readie for carriage yet see how full of trouble and perplexitie the day it selfe is by taking leave of old friends and neighbours some things forgotten to bee done before some new interruptions falling out in the instant so that many times the carriages are benighted and fall short of getting to the new home in due time Wee are all in this world but sojourners and our home is not here but in Heaven for which wee should bee everyday so wise by preparing our selves that wee might not bee combred upon the day of our remoovall but to have them nothing to doe but to lift up our soules unto our Saviour the Lord Iesus and so depart in peace yet how contrary to this is the practice of many who leave all their busines to the very remoove-day the day of death not having so much as setled their outward estate or made their wils before wherby they grow so perplexed and distracted with thoughts of this world care of wife and children visitations of neighbours pangs and distresses of sicknes fear of death inward horrours and temptations aâ— makes their departure many times very discomfortable O most glorious Lord God I know not how sufficiently as I desire and ought to praise thy most holy name for thy great mercy towards me in this gentle visitation of sicknes which thy most gracious and tender hand hath laid upon me whereby I am taken off from all worldly cares and thoughts and have also of thine infinite goodnesse such gracious times and opportunities to prepare my selfe for my remove and change O let my soule for ever praise and magnifie thy holy name therefore And withall J most humbly beseech thee to stretch thy hand of mercy yet further upon me that as my body shall decay wherein I most humbly submit my selfe to thy blessed good will and pleasure my soule may be strengthened by thy powerfull spirit of grace and the good worke begun in me made more and more perfect that when this earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved my soule united by faith to my blessed Redeemer the Lord Iesus may bee then received of thee in peace through his precious merits and mediation who is our alone Saviour and peace-maker Amen 28. Vpon the casuall hearing of a verse in the new Testament read by a child AS I was to passe through the roome where my little grand-childe was set by her Grandmother to reade her mornings Chapter which fell out to bee the ninth of S. Matthews Gospell just as I came in shee was uttering those words in the second verse Jesus said to the sicke of the palsie sonne bee of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee Which words sorting so fitly with my case whose whol left side is taken with that kinde of disease and whose soule desires nothing so much as such a gracious word from my Saviour I stood at a stand at the uttering of them and could not but conceive some joy and comfort in those blessed words
them to his dominion insomuch as he presumed to set upon the Lord Jesus God blessed for ever finding him cloathed in our flesh though to his owne utter overthrow in the combate our Saviour the second Adam becomming absolute conquerour and that for us also that doe believe in him who are thereby made partakers of his victorie In the young Cock me thinks I see the naturall and unregenerate man overladen with his owne originall corruption who endowed with many gifts of nature and helpes of good education presumes of himselfe to stand against the old cock in fight But the old murtherer who never shewes faire play but workes upon any base or villanous advantage hee can laying hold upon his naturall corruption and by help thereof gives him many a wound and is like to overcome and oppresse him through the treachery of his own flesh by the m ltitude of his sins when behold the Lord Jesus the blessed spectator of all our fights and combats and who is our only supporter and helper in them seeing the poore soule his souldier in this distresse and danger gives order by the work of his sanctifying spirit to cut off that traiterous corruption 〈◊〉 nature and by the supply of grace to renew his strength against the fiery assaults of the tempter who missing his wonted hold of corrupt flesh and finding a new influence of grace from the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which ever overcomes him wheresoever it meets him turnes the backe and flies away and so the man though but in part regenerate becomes more then conquerour through him that loved us Romans 8.37 Most blessed Saviour who seest our manifold weaknesses and the enemies great advantage over us in these spirituall combats strengthen us thy poore weaklings fighting under thy banner that by thy grace we may be enabled to stand fast and couragiously in the evill day and by the power of thy might put all temptations to flight and so finally obtaine the Crowne of victorie to thy glory and our everlasting peace Amen 31. Vpon a childes asking blessing in the morning WHiles I was busie one morning in writing my little grand child came into the roome where I was falling downe upon her knees and desired me to pray to God to blesse her and having so done knowing that I heard her she without expecting any verball answer from me out of the confidence of my fatherly love riseth up assureing her selfe of the blessing shee desired and so betaketh her selfe to the employments of the day O blessed Lord God our most gracious heavenly Father thy love is the only Fountaine of all true fatherly love and affection and the deerest love of the tenderest parent is but as a dropp from that ocean why then should not I with as much or rather much more confidence and assurance relie upon thy paternall love as the childe doth on mine Why should any doubtings interrupt my prayers when I knâ—w I put thâ—m up to so gracious a Father whose love is all infinite and unchangeable like thy selfe why should my sinnes or unworthinesse deterre me from that dutie when J know thy love and grace is free and freely bestowed out of thine owne goodnesse not for any merit of mine nay against my sinfull deservings O blessed Lord God seale up unto my conscience by thy pacifying spirit the assurance of mine adoption and strengthen mee by thy grace in all my poore prayers howsoever accompanied with humane infirmities to come unto thee with true filiall confidence and awfull reverence in the name of thine onely naturall and eternall Sonne my blessed Saviour and onely Mediator and so shall I be sure of thy Fatherly acceptance of me in him O then let my soule for ever rejoyce in this priviledge of thy children and cheerefully thankefully and constantly put my whole trust and affiance both in life and death in thine eternall and free love and mercy towards me in Christ Jesus Amen 32. Vpon one word attributed to God thrice in three verses together in one Chapter IN the last Chapter of Ionah it is said verse 6. that the Lord God prepared a Gourd verse 7. that the Lord prepared a worm vers 8 and the Lord prepared a vehement east-winde three workes of Gods omnipotent power as it were of three new creations from thence to draw a most demonstrative argument for convincing the Prophets erronious zeale and to manifest the glories of his owne infinite mercies above all his workes O most glorious Lord God did the Prophet know indeed verse 2. that thou art a gracious God and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and should hee now bee angry because thou wert slow to anger and would he needs die of the sullens because thou wouldest not destroy one hundred and twentie thousand infants when their parents repented what strange passions are these in a Prophet had he forgotten so soone his owne case when so late before for his rebellious flying from thee and thy word he was justly even by his own confession thrownover board into the sea and yet of thine infinite mercy by a miraculous deliverance was after three daies and three nights together lying in the deep brought in life and safety to dry land againe was hee glad and thankfull then for thy mercies in sparing of one rebell and hath he now so little pitie upon so many thousand innocents O blessed Lord God how transcendent are thy thoughts Esa 558 above ours and how contrary are our wayes unto thine Thine end in this Prophets employment was for the Ninivites conversion not for their destruction And when by thy blessed summons of prevention thou didst upon their repentance save them greater was thy glory thereby and the successe more pleasing to thy Majestie then it would have beene by their impenitencie and destruction let these two examples of thy mercie upon the fugitive Prophet and the repentant Ninivites teach us to put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercies for blessed are all they that put their trust in thee Psalme 2.12 and 34.8 O Lord strengthen us by thy grace to depend upon thee and thy goodnesse both in life and death through Iesus Christ our Saviour Redeemer and Mediator Amen And againe O Lord God didst thou here immediately prepare both the refreshing Gourd and the smiting worme and fainting heat for thine owne gracious end with the Prophet and doth any matter of comfort or affliction bâ—fall any of thy â—hildren but by the hand of thine al governing providence who in thine unsearchable wisdome knowest what is best for them and in thine unchangeable mercy disposest thereof accordingly O then blessed Lord give us grace withall meeknesse to humble our selves under thy mighty hand in all the occurrents of this mortall life and in all our troubles to depend and rest upon thy mercies for that blessed issue which thou in thy boundlesse goodnesse shalt produce for thine owne glory in our finall peace and salvation Amen 33. Vpon the