guns of the losâ— of his Cattel and Estate and Servants would have done some execution in making some breach upon his faith and patience and this great gun playing when he was before tired in defending must needs shatter him in peices He may fitly be called the Wolf of the Evening Jer. 5. 6. that devoureth This roaring Lyon walketh in the night to seek his prey There have been few eminent Saints but have found their Death-bed a Bed of Thorns in regard of temptations Mr. Knox said when he came to dye In my life time the Devil tempted me to despair casting my sins in my teeth but now in my sickness he tells me I have been faithful in the Ministery and so have merited Heaven but blessed be God who brought those Texts into my mind Not I but the grace of God in me What hast thou that thou hast not received The Israelites never met with so much opposition as when they were to take possession of the Land of Canaan then all the Kings of Canaan combined together and came out and fought them When Satan was to be cast out of the possessed person and never to enter into him more he rent him and tore him that the people thought he was dead Now Reader What need hast thou to be serious and holy on a dying Bed to the utmost of thine ability and to fetch in all the strength thou canst from Heaven when thou hast such cruel powerful enemies to encounter with It s was one of the most quickening prevalent arguments that Alexander used to the Macedonians before their third and last fatal Battel with Darius That tâ—ey were to fight with all the strength of Persia at once What an awakening argument should it be to thee that thou art to fight with all the Powers of Hell at once Secondly Consider It s a special season wherein thou mayst glorifie God A Saint by his death may bring God more honour then by all his life The Actions and Speeches of dying men make a deep impression on the hearts of those that are about them The wicked themselves who have mocked at the purity and strictness of the Saints lives have admired their patience and chearfulness in their deaths Though they look on the beleivers words in health as savouring of self and sinister ends and humour and so neglect them yet when they hear a dying Saint commend the love and faithfulness of God the pleasantness and excellency of his ways and worship and to bless the time and pains and strength that ever they spent in his service they esteem his language and begin to have other thoughts of Holiness and Heaven for they consider that surely now the man is entering upon the borders of eternity he is serious and in earnest Hence the Patriarchs knowing the prevalency of such words urge Ioseph with Iacobs dying charge Thy Father when dying said Forgive I pray thee the iniquity of thy servants Gen. 50. 16. That Ruâ—â—ian that would live with his fellow Riotors beholding the holy behaviour of Ambrose on his Death-bed would chuse to dye with Ambrose The enemies of Christ beholding at the death of Christ how the Rocks were rent darkness covered the face of the earth how the vail of the Temple was torn in sunder the graves were opened the dead raised were forced to cry out Doubtless this man was the Son of God So when the adversaries of Gods people see them on their Death-beds and behold their patience in bearing their sickness their Faith in relying on their Saviour their charity in forgiving their enemies their zeal for the honour and interest of their Master their constancy in defending the Gospel they did before profess they are compelled in their consciences to acknowledge Doubtless these are the Servants the Sons and Daughters of God Much more will a holy behaviour on a Dying-bed benefit such as fear God It convinceth sinners that they whether they will or no must have other thoughts of holiness and holy men then formerly and it confirmeth Saints in their gracious practices and makes them more diligent in their preparation Mr. Bilny the day before he suffered death being told that though the fire was hot Gods Spirit would cool it to his everlasting refreshing answered putting his hand in the flame of the Candle I feel by experience and have known by Philosophy that Fire by Gods Ordinance is very hot but yet I am perswaded by Gods holy Word and by the experience of some spoken of therein That in the flame they felt no heat and in the fire no consumption and I constantly beleive howsoever the stubble of this my body shall be wasted by it yet my soul and spirit shall be purged thereby a pain for the time whereon followeth joy unspeakable And then he most comfortably treated on Isaiah 43. 1 2. But now Thus said the Lord that created thee O Jacob and that formed thee O Israel Fear not for I have redeemed thee When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Which words he applied both to himself and his friends then present Of which some reaped such fruit that they caused the words to be fair written on Tables The comfort whereof in several that were with him was never taken from them to their dying day O t is very profitable to others when a Saint so behaveth himself on his Death-bed that he may say to his Friends and Relations as Sir Robert Harleigh did to his Children I have formerly taught you how to live and now I teach you how to die Thirdly Consider It s the last opportunity that thou shalt ever have to do any work for thy God and Saviour and thy own soul When thou diest thou goest to the place where thou shalt receive thy reward and shalt never never more have any season to sow to the Spirit in to serve thy Redeemer in and to manifest thy thankfulness to him for his love to thee I must work the work of him that sent me whilst it is day saith Christ for the night cometh wherein no man can work Ioh. 9. 4. Thou mayst when dying say to thy friends as the Crier of the Ludi seculares which happened but once in a hundred years did at Rome Come see that which ye never saw before nor shall ever see again He that hath but one Arrow to shoot but one throw to cast but one opportunity left him to work out his salvation in may well improve it to the utmost A certain Martyr going to suffer expressed his sorrow that he was going thither Where he should do his God no more service Our God is so good that his work is desireable and were it possible for any grief in Heaven saith Dr. Sibs it would arise from a Christians consideration that he did no more
obtain them what ever it cost or to dye in the undertaking T is by the sap which from the root is derived through the bark to the branches that makes them fruitful T is from â—he strength which faith derives from Christ that the Christian becomes so abundant in holiness cut off the bark and the tree withereth Take away faith and no more good works The extension of the branches ariseth from the intension of the sap and how shall that be conveyed but by the bark Christ like Ioseph keeps the granaries wherein is abundance of soul-food and faith unlocks those Store-houses and takes out supplies As Pharoah when the Egyptians cryed to him for bread said Go ye to Joseph and what he saith to you do So God saith to Christians that call on him for Grace Go ye to Christ by Faith and he will relieve you It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Here is 1. Fulness abundance not a drop or a small degree of living water 2. All fulness a redundance the fulness of a spring a fountain not of a vessel 3. All fulness dwelling abiding there to eternity running over and running ever But you will say What is a Christian the better sor it I Answer Of his fulness by faith We all receive grace for grace As a Pipe from the River supplieth the house upon all occasions and the several offices therein with water so doth faith supply the Christian with grace from Christ answerable to his several exigencies and necessities Indeed all the graces act valiantly in their several places under the command of this General Hence though fear and love and heavenly mindedness were specially operative in many of the Patriarchs actions and passions for God yet still the crown is set upon the head of faith under whose banner and conduct they fought Heb. 11. per tot When this Champion like Goliah is vanquished the other graces as the Philistines are put to the rout As dark clouds obscure the glorious stars so doth unbeleif blemish the lustre of a Christians graces If this shepherd Faith be smitten other Graces like â—heep are scattered If this grace keep the field the rest always keep their ground The length of the days depends upon the shining of the sun as this shines more or less so the days are longer or shorter The degrees and measures of other graces depend exceedingly upon this grace The branches blossom answerable to the sap which they receive from the root Other graces bud and blow according to the sap which they receive from faith For example sake Repentance is more or less according to the degrees of faith T is the fiducial apprehension of divine love that mollifieth the stony hearâ— None mourn so much as they who apprehend God a father The hot beams of divine grace and favour by faith united in the soul thaw the most iâ—y heart They shall see him whom they have pierced i.e. with an eye of faith and mourn for him as one that mourneth for his onely childe Peter saw Christs love in his look and then went out and wept bitterly 2. Humility We are never lower in our own eyes then when faith assures us that we are high in Gods favour The Centurions humility seems to keep equal pace with his faith though Christ saith of his faith I have not found so great no not in Israel Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof neither thought I my self worthy to come unto thee When Nathan brought David word that God had a great respect for him and would build him a sure house for ever He presently crieth out What am I and what is my fathers house that thou hast brought me hitherto c. 2 Sam. 7.18 3. Love The fire of love flames more or less according to the fuel which faith provides To whom much is forgiven the same loveth much The knowledge of a pardon granted by such a Lord who hath all the reason in the world to loath the soul turns it into a lump of love 4. Ioy Faith broacheth the pipe of the promises and presenteth that wine which rejoyceth the heart of the new man In whom beleiving we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.7 5. Patience He that beleiveth his bonds are good that his estate is in safe hands and that his forbearance doth abundantly encrease it will wait quietly for the day of payment He that beleiveth maketh not haste None quarrel or fret but from want of faith Run with patience the race set before you Looking at Iesus If the Christian be weak faith will give him the staff of the Word to lean on if he be weary faith will shew him his journeys end Lo yonder is heaven saith faith hold out a little longer your work is almost done As the Eagle by stretching her self towards the Sun through its heat hath her old feathers fallen off new ones growing in their places and her strength renewed so the Christian cleaving to Jesus Christ the Sun of righteousness by faith reneweth his strength as the Eagle runneth and is not weary walketh and is not faint It s reported of the Chrystal that there is a vertue in it to quicken all other precious stones when it toucheth them it puts a lustre and brightness on them It s true of faith it hath a vertue in it to enliven and quicken all other graces These stars have the greatest influence when in conjunction with this Sun As the Philosopher saith of water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is of all things the best most soveraign and precious because it s of universal influence in the life of man so I may say of faith it is of all graces most excellent in regard of the universality of its influence upon all duties graces providences ordinances T is by Faith that prayer becomes so prevalent Whatsoever ye ask of the Father beleiving ye shall receive Joh. 16. 22. An unbeleiving prayer is a Messenger without a tongue no wonder if he dispatch not his errand Heb. 11. 6 7. T is by Faith that Scripture is so powerful This sword of the Spirit doth no Execution save in the hand of Faith The word did not profit them not being mingled with Faith in them that heard it Heb. 4. 2. T is by Faith that the Lords Supper becomes so nourishing and strengthning This is the hand that receiveth that flesh which is meat indeed this is the mouth that eats it this is the stomach that digests it without this thou mayst receive the Elements but not the sacrament 1 Cor. 11. 25 26. Unbeleivers like Waspes may sit upon the tops of these flowers and seem to gather honey but alas they are far from any such thing T is by Faith that Crosses are turned into comforts and afflictions into mercies This like Mithridates can digest poison and get strength from the wrath and rage of Men and Devils 1 Phil. 19. Heb. 11. 38. T
and delightful colour invite a man to eat but prove unsavoury and unwholsome He that had onely natures moonlight to see by could say Perditissimi est hominis fallere eum qui laesus non esset nisi credidisset None but the most villainous will deceive him who had been safe if he had not trusted saith Cicero Thy righteousness must extend to all according to their several places and relations That righteousness which is real will be universal Render therefore to all their due tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Rom. 13. 7. He that is just in his Actions hath a due respect to all persons whether Superiors or Equals or Inferiors He who is righteous to his fellow-Subjects and wrongs his Soveraign in his Custom or Tribute is a Rebel against the Crown and Dignity of Iesus Christ. He is undutiful to the King of Nations who payeth not his due to the King of that Nation in which he liveth Render saith Christ to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Hierom on that place doth well observe that the name of Caesar is not proper but Appellative because from the first Roman Emperor Iulius Caesar all his Successors were so called Hereby Christ intimates that Tribute belongs to every person cloathed with the supreme power And Gerrhard in his Harmony saith that our Saviour doth particularly in that Text understand Tiberius that monster of men enjoyning payment of Tribute to that persecuting Prince How great then is their crime who cheat a King that is a Christian Such unnatural Members must expect to fare the worse for impoverishing their Head The wealth of a Political Father is both a credit and support to his Children If the Root be kept without water the branches must needs wither The Ancients emblemed a just man by one with a pair of ballances in one hand a sword in another and both his eyes shut to dispense impartially to all Iustice both commutative and distributive A Magiâ—strate must distribute justice to every one a like He may see a difference in causes but no difference in persons When righteousness reigneth it s said to run down like water and as a mighty stream Amos. 5. 24. Now water is as free for the poor as the rich the stream runs down by the meanest Cotâ—tage as much as by the Princes Court Righteousness must be as common as water as universal as a stream David reigned over all Israel and executed Iustice and judgment to all his people 2 Sam. 8. 15. His righteousness was as large as his realm to all his people SECT V. SEcondly As to the manner of thy dealings thy duty is to be courteous as well as righteous Some men soil the lustre of their justice and hinder the honour it might bring to the Gospel by the crabbedness of their carriage A rugged unhewn piece of Timber disgraceth when a neat smooth one crediteth the building One end of our dealings with men as I shall shew by and by most be to gain them to mind godliness which end will be much furthered by an affable conversation Men delight not to walk in rugged ways nor to deal with rugged men As curious Flowers draw the eyes and rare Musick the ears so doth courtesie allure the hearts of men after it He that pleaseth all men in all things indifferent is the likeliest to save some 1 Cor. 10. ult It was the affable carriage of Titus amongst other things which made him the delight of mankind It s said of Iulius Caesar that he overcame their affections by his humanity whose persons he had before subdued by his power and policy He gloried in nothing so much as in pardoning his Enemies and gratifying his friends saith Austin They who durst speak to Caesar saith Marius were ignorant of his greatness and they which durst not were ignorant of his goodness We may gain their love by soft words who would hate us if we went about to ravish them or to lay violent hands on them Alexander won the love of his Souldiers by calling them Fellow-Footmen Courtesie like the loadstone will draw even Iron to it Pharoah an Heathen was full of Courtesie and though a King condescended much in his carriage towards Iacob Abraham is noted not onely for his faith in God and holiness but also for his discreet familiarity and affable behaviour towards men Gen. 47. 8 9. Gen. 23. 7. Our blessed Saviour is therefore said to come eating and drinking because of the sweetness and attractiveness of his conversation This Lord of Glory in all his converses had a comely and winning grace They who are truly noble are ever affable those that like the Persian keep up state are but according to the French dialect of their haughty upstarts gentle Villains Contempt or arrogancy is a weed that ever groweth in dunghils T is from the rankness of the soyl that it hath its height and haughtiness They are but windy Spirits that bubble thus above others t is the froth onely that gets always to the top of the water It s a Divine Command Be Courteous 1 Pet. 3.8 the word signifieth Friendly-minded studious to do such things as are grateful to others Obedience to this command is cheap and costeth nothing which whosoever denyeth will certainly never obey those precepts which will put him to charge He who denyeth men a good look will not at Gods call lay down his life for the Gospel The Romans beâ—ause they would not have any defrauded of civil respect retained Admonitors called Nomenclatores who should suggest the name and quality of every one they encountered that so he might be saluted in a conformable stile We read in Scripture frequently of Salutations sent to and from the Saints Rom. 16. God never intended that when men put on Christianity they should put off civility Those Quakers who like Idols have eyes and see not moâ—ths and speak not are so far from being invested above others as they pretend with the divine nature that they are even divested of the humane nature The very Turks salutation to him they meet is Salaum aleek Peace be to thee and the reply is Aleek salaum To thee be peace also When Boaz came into his field The Lord be with you saith he to his Reapers The Lord bless thee say they to him Indeed Christ commands his Disciples Salute no man Luk. 10. 4. But the occasion of this prohibition is considerable The Disciples were sent about business of importance and expedition and the salutations Christ speaks off are in the nature of those which we call Complements a filling up of precious time with needless toys and trifles As if Christ had said Your work is of weight and requires haste do not therefore loyter by standing to talk with any by the way but mind your business It is not intended by a Master
Thus the children of God should bespeak each other If the world be too hard for thee I will endeavour to assist thee by discovering the vanity of its shallow allurements and the foolery of its skin deep affrightments If the Devil or Flesh be too hard for me thou shalt do thy utmost to succour me in withstanding their batterieâ— and repelling their poisonous and fiery darts Onely let us be of good courage let us watch stand fast in the faith quit our selves like men for our God and our Redeemer and our souls and our eternal salâ—ations and the Lord will be found faithful who hath assured us that he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able 3. By comforting the sorrowful Christians should have a Cordial in store for them that are fainting a cup of wine for the heavy in heart and be able to speak a word in season to him that is weary Comâ—fort the feeble i. e. the sick at heart such as are ready to sink under the weight of sin and are frighted with the apprehension of the eternal fire 1 Thess. 5. 14. Amalek is branded with a mark of infamy and was followed with a curse and slaughter from God for falling upon the faint and feeble ones of Israel Deut. 25.18 God cannot endure it he cannot bear it that his weak sickly ones should be wronged He is tender of them himself he carrieth his lambs in his arms Isa. 40. 11. and others must do so too or he will make them rue it The world doth as the herd push the wounded Deer out of their company but Saints endeavour to bind up the broken in heart to comfort them as Paul commands his Corinthians lest they be swallowed up of too much sorrow 1 Cor. 2.14 The Husbandman doth mind his young tender trees in a special manner above them that are grown up and strong because such are in more danger of breaking and bruising and other hurt then grown trees so that besides the wall or common fence aâ—bout the Orchard he makes a special fence with bushes and stakes about these and gives them more choice nourishment and more frequent watering God is most choice of his little ones his weak children When Israel was a child I loved him I drew him with the cords of love and with the bands of a man Hos. 11. 1 3. Christians must imitate God in thisâ— and be followers of him as dear children Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees Hebr. 12.12 The Martyrs in prison by discoursing on the promises shook off their carnal seâ—ters Holy Bradford made his dark dungeon by this means lightsom to his fellow-prisoners Luther profest Melancthon very helpful to him against his inward doubts as he was to Melancthon against his frights about the publick state of the Church A friend is born for the day of adversity And t is pity he was ever born that denieth to do that for which he was born It appertaines especally to the office of a friend saith Seneca to asswage his friends grief by speech to drive away his sadness by chearfulness and to refresh him with his very presence When women travail they carry frequently with them strong waters and if one fainteth or is sick she that hath those cordial waters prayeth her to take some for her ease and comfort The Apostle prepareth for the Christian choice and rare cordials in 1 Thess. 4. about the six last verses and then wisheth them to make use of them for their mutual good Wherefore comfort one another with these words 4. By admonishing the sinful Saints like Clocks made up of curious wheels and engines are soon discomposed and therefore often want some workman to set them in order again A good man if his friend follow vertue will be a Father to encourage him if he be full of doubts will be a Minister to direct him but if he follow vice will be a Magistrate to correct him Christians must allow one another for their infirmities but not allow one another in their infirmities If a brother be overtaken with a fault restore such a one with the spirit of meekness Gal. 6.1 Which words are very emphatical and point to us 1. The nature of his fall he is overtaken with a fault he doth not overtake the fault He is rather passive of it then active in it A sinner like Ahab sells himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord but a brother like Paul is sold under sin It s proper to the wicked to be voluntiers in this unholy war against God Saints fight not except they be prest The Christian is drawn to iniquity by cords of vanity the other draweth iniquity with cords of vanity 2. The duty of his friend restore such a one It s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an allusion to Chirurgions who set bones out of joynt though they put their Patients to pain and make them angry at present So must Christians endeavour the joynting of their brethren whose souls are out of order though at present they have little thanks for their labour This courtesie we owe to our brothers Ox or Ass much more to his Soul Exod. 22. 4. It s a strict command warn the unruly 1 Thes. 5. 14. though most men draw back when they are called to this burthen that fallen brethren lie under the same misery that Travellers do to find many Hosts but few Friends and may cry out as Lewis the eleventh of France I have plenty of all things but such as will tell me my faults 3. The manner how this friendly part must be performed with the spirit of meekness The bitterness of reprehension is much sweetness by the pleasingness of our expressions Gentle sores are but anguisht with too hard a pressure Though Swine are driven with violence yet Children that wander are gently led home According to the wound must the plaister be more or less searching Christ reproves Martha mildly Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things but he rebuked Peter sharply Get thee behind me Satan The Apostle writing to the Romans commendeth them highly that they were able to admonish one another Rom. 15. 14. They had piety and grace enough to perform the duty notwithstanding the arguments of ill will or loss in estate or other evils which the flesh suggested to the contrary and they had prudence and discretion enough to perform the duty so as it might most probably be profitable But how unlike are Christians in our days to those in the Primitive times Admonition is a Lyon which few dare come near for fear it will tear them in peices We carry our selves rather like Machiavels Scholars who taught his followers if their friend were up to the knees in water to lend him their hand to help him out and so if he were up to the waste but if he were up to the chin then to lay their hand on his head and duck
that they all speak the same thing they are one in affection one in opinion aud one in expression There Christs prayer is granted Father that they may be one as we are one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they may be one in us If it be so good and pleasant a thing for brethren here to dwell together in unity and it be as a precious Oyntment and as the Dew which descended upon the Mountains of Sion where the Lord commanded his blessing even life for ever How good and pleasant will it be for those to dwell together in perfect unity there where the consolation of Christ is perfect the fellowship of the Spirit entire the comfort of love compleat no crying no complaining no angry word no frowning look no suspicious thought But as old Gryneus said There Zwinglius and Luther are well agreed Our Communion here is but with a few we are acquainted but with few and our communion is not so large as our acquaintance we have seen but few we have heard but of few and we have discoursed with fewer There are but few in the Counties in the Kingdom where we live and many of them are wholly unknown to us But There is a glorious Company of Patriarchs Prophets Apostles a noble Army of Martyrs a numberless number of Saints of all Countries Callings Conditions Relations a thousand thousand are before him and ten thousand times ten thousand minister to him If Peter when he saw but two of the Children of God in glory with Christ on Earth cryed out Master It is good to be here How good will it be to be There where there shall be a great multitude which no man can number of all Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues standing before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white robes and Palmes in their hands and crying with a loud voice Salvation unto our God that sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb for ever O what a blessed time or rather eternity will that be when I shall fully understand what the Communion of Saints meaneth If Solomon could say of militant Saints As Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart so doth the sweetness of a mans friend by hearty counsel How much better might he speak it of Saints triumphant What is the sweetness and joy of that societyâ— where every soul is a bed of spices an Orchyard of Pomgranats a Cabinet of perfumes for their mutual delight and refreshment If David was so taken with the beauty of the Church in this World notwithstanding her blackness by reason of corruption and affliction that he saith If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer not Ierusalem before my chief joy How much is he taken with the Spouse of Christ There where it is granted unto her to be arrayed in fine linnen pure and white which is the righteousness of the Saints not onely imputed but also inherent to be cloathed with the embroydered graces of the holy spirit perfect knowledge perfect love perfect joy and all the beauties of holiness without the least spot or wrinkle or any such thing there indeed he prefers Jerusalem before his chief joy whâ—lst he beholds her all fair compleatly conformed to Christ with such a peculiar resemblance of his glory as if the name of Christ was written on her fore-head and her spiritual affinity and kindred manifested thereby Surely it is a lovely communion when Saints sit down together at the Lords Table in this world and partake of his last Supper when they see and hear and taste the true pledges of their Fathers infinite grace and read their Redeemers boundless love written by himself in his own blood Their hearts have many a time been so ravished therewith that they have wished the ordinance might have lasted longer and that Christ would have lain so all night between their breasts But O how infinitely short is this Communion of that which â—hey shall have in glory when they shall be called to the Marriage supper of the Lamb when they shall eat of the hidden Manna and drink of the new wine in their Fathers Kingdom then then indeed every one may say I sit under his shadow with great delight and his fruit is sweet unto my taste without question that Communion which Adam had with Eve that short time which they continued in innocency was exceeding sweet She was to him as a Crown of glory a meet help and the delight of his eyes What a â—air Bride was she whom God himself drest and deckt with all the ornaments of grace What joy must there needs be at that Wedding which was celebrated in Paradise covered with the curious Tapestry of thâ—se pleasant trees which the very hanâ— of the most High had planted and delighted with the raâ—ishing noats of those pretty Quitisters which Infinite Wisdom had taught to sing at the Marriage feastâ— where there was a perfect likeness and love between the Maried Persons where there was not the least evil or shew of evil to allay their joy and especiaâ—â—y where the God of all consolation was fully and fâ—â—ourably present as Master of the Feast Adam could not but esteem her his loving Hind and pleasant Râ—e his sweet yoke-fellow and pleasant play-fellow the partner and sweetner of all his comforts he could not but he satisfied with her breasts and ravished with her love But even this is far inferiour to the communion of the Saints above There in heaven are more glorious bands and sweeter knots of loving fellowship then that of Marriage the attire of the Bride is far richer the beauty of the Bride far greater the wedding chamber is the heavenly Paradise the melody made there will be by celestial Courtiers Angels themselves and there the Fountain whence all joy floweth will run more freely and he will turn that water which Adam had below into the richest wine Lord I acknowledge to thy glory that I have sometimes been refreshed with the company of thy chosen in this world I have seen thee in them and heard thee by them yet how little good have I got by them in comparison of what I might and ought Pardon all my weaknesses and do thou so supply my spiritual wants that I may both love more and improve better the society of thy Saints here that so when thou callest me from this imperfect communion with some few I may be carried to Abrahams bosome and enjoy perfect fellowship with those thousands that are before thee where thou art visible in all every one being thy temple and every heart being the altar upon which the fire of thy love is ever burning O let me praise thee in that great congregation and my glory sing of thee before much people for there shall those that mourned for Sion be filled with comfort and rejoyce for
be charily lookt to or they fade away so Saints if the Spirit of God were not choyce of them and ever watchful over them would perish How lovely are flowers to the eye how pleasant to the taste how soft to the touch what ornaments to an house How amiable are the children of God to those that have eyes to see his image on them how fragrant is the smell of their Spiknard and Calamus and Cassia what a grace are they to any Family or Society Dost thou walk into thy Garden to observe how thy flowers thrive so Jesus Christ goeth into his garden to see how his plants flowrish Thou wilt not allow any weeds or barren flowers in thy Garden and Jesus Christ will not permit such wicked unprofitable ones in his Church Flowers are lovely and beautiful one day and withered and fallen off the stalk the next so man is a comely living creature one day and a deformed corps the next Thus a Saint may make every flower like the Gilly-flower cordial to him If thou walkeâ—t by a River thou mayst change the water there into spirits by meditation How fitly may thy thoughts be raised by that object to the cleansing refreshing properties of the Word of God to the water of life to the Well of salvation to the river whose streams make glad the City of God to the rivers of pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore The same water which being liquid is penetrated with an horse hair will bear the horse himself when hard frozen So those threats and judgements of God which penetrate deep into the tender consciences of the regenerate enter not at all into the hearts of carnal men hardned by custom in sin and hence thou mayst gather the reason whence the sword of the Word that in some divideth the joynts and marrow in others glanceth only or reboundeth not making the least dinâ— or impression upon their frozen adamantine hearts If thou art eating and drinking thou mayst feed thy soul as well as thy body by meditating on the meat that endureth to everlasting life on that flesh which is meat indeed and that blood which is drink indeed Thou mayst think if my outward man need food and without it cannot subsist surely spiritual food is as needful for my inward man and without it that will starve If a famine of bread and water be so dreadful that the tongues of men cleave under it to the roof of their mouths and their countenances become as black as a coal how dreadful is a famine of the Word of the Lord If natural food be so pleasant and savoury to my taste surely spiritual food is sweeter then the honey and the honey comb If all the labour of man be for his belly what labour doth the soul deserve If the ordinances of my God now are so pleasant to me that my soul is even filled as with marrow and fatness and refreshed as with Wine on the Lees well refined what a blessed day will it be when I shall eat bread in the Kingdom of Heaven and drink new wine in my Fathers Kingdom O blessed are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. If thou beholdest thy candle thou mayst consider how that light which makes small shew in the day yeilds a glorious lustre in the night not because the Candle hath then more light but because the Air hath then more darkness so that holiness and grace which in a day of prosperity and life seems of small worth and price in a night of adversity and death will be of infinite value Or thus I set up this candle to help and direct me about my business so God sets up the candle of my life and affords me the light of his word for me to work out my salvation not to play by them Or thus this candle is spending it self for my good so I should be willing to spend and be spent for the good of others souls Or this Candle is always consuming and will at last be quite wasted so is my life daily wearing away and ere long will be quite extinguished The great Candles whilst they burn make the greater light but when they go ouâ— leave the greater stench So ungodly men the greater they are the more they shine with glory whilst they live but when they die leave the more stinking savour behind them If thou art putting off thy cloaths thou mayst ponder thy duty to put off the old man which is corrupt according to his deceitful lusts and to put off the works of darkness as also that ere long thou shalt put off thine earthly tabernaâ—le Art thou lying down in thy bed thou mayst think of thy grave wherein thou must shortly lye down and never rise up till the morning of the resurrection Is the night dark thou mayst meditate thence on the darkness of thy mind naturally of the works of darkness of the blackness of darkness for ever Ah! what a dark dungeon is Hell where not the least spark of light appears though so much fire My night will end but sinners evening will find no morning If a bed be so refreshing to my wearied body how refreshing is a Redeemer to a wearied soul How lovingly he inviteth me Come to me all that are weary I will give you rest and how refreshing will tha God! When thou wakest in the morning thou mayst say with the Psalmist When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness or When I awake I am still with thee or rouse thy self up with Awake to righteousness and sin not Awake thou that sleepest arise and call upon thy God When thou art rising thou mayst meditate on the Churches garment of needle work the fine linnen of the Saints righteousness thy putting on the new man created after God in righteousness and true holiness thy putting on that most excellent cloathing which is for warmth for ornament and defence the Lord Iesus Christ. Dost thou look on the glass to dress thy self think of the glass of Gods law how necessary it is daily to look into it for the discovery of thy spiritual spots and filth Dost thou wash thy hands O wash thy heart from wickedness and forget not that great laver of the blood of Jesus Christ. Doth thy stomach call for some food think of thy spiritual appetite and how savoury it will make the dainties of Gods house to thee They did all eat of the same spiritual meat and they did all drink the same spiritual drink they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ. Art thou to go about buying or selling or worldly bargains take some thoughts of buying that one Pearl of great price which the wise Merchant sold all he had to purchase of buying that gold of grace and fine linnen of the Saints righteousness Mat. 13. 44. Rev. 3. 18. Amongst all thy gains and gettings consider What will it profit a man to gain the
herein I shall give thee an example though I would desire thee to remember that the advantage of meditation is rather to be felâ— then read He that can paint Spikenard or Musk or Roses in their proper colours cannot with all his Art draw their pleasant savoâ—r that is beyond the skill of his pencil Let us O my soul a little retire out of the worlds company to converse with the word of thy God I cannot but hope the malefactour hath an high esteem for that Psalm of mercy without which he had lost his life I have reason to believe that thou hast no mean value for that Gospel of grace and the graece of that Gospel without which thou hadst lost thy soul thy God thy joy thy delight thine all and that for ever yet sure I am the price thou sets on it is far inferiour to the worth of this Pearl and besides I have observed of late wheâ—her partly because of its constancy with thee things common though never so necessary and excellent being less valued then meaner things that are rare or cheifly because of thy old seeming friend or rather real enemy thy flesh within thee that never speaks well of it because of its contrariety to the word from which it hath received its deaths-wound and therefore would die as the Thies on the Cross spitting out its venome and malice at it or what ever be the cause I perceive too much thou beginnest to decline in thy respect to it what else doth thy backwardness to read it thy carelesness in minding what thou dost read and thy neglegence in practicing it signifie Therefore let us take a turn or two together and argue the case lest it be argued against thee in an higher Court to thy cost and I charge thee before the dreadful God at whose judgement seat thou art to stand or fall for ever that thou attend to me seriously and not dare to give me the slip till the whole be debated for it is not a vain thing but iâ— for thy life What is this Word which thou art so prone to despise Consider it O my soul First in its Causes and then tell me whether the child be not worthy of love and esteem in the superlative degree for his parents sake 1. It s Principal Efficient cause is the glorious and supreme Majesty of Heaven and Earth the Spring and Fountain of all excellency and perfection All Scripture is given by inspiration of God It s the Word of the Lord the Breath of his Mouth the Law of his Lips whoever were the Pens or Scribes his Mind indicted and his Hand wrot every sentence in it What a word must that be which is the result of infiniteâ— wisdom How precious are those Tables which are the writing of God himself How glorious is that beam of light which was darted from this Sun to whom a whole Firmament of Suns were worse then perfect darkness If the breath of a man be so sweet that his doctrine drop as the rain and his speech distil as the dew If the heart of a man can indict a good matter and his tongue resemble the pen of a ready writer O what is the speech of the tongue of a God! Never man spake as he spake his enemies themselves being judges The Queen of Sheba came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and blessed those Servants that waited at his Table and heard his wisdom But loe O my soul A greater then Solomon is here How blessed are they that wait at his Gates and that watch at the Posts of his doors 2. The Pen-men and Scribes of it were men of choice gifts and graces Some of them were like Saul higher by the head and Shoulders then their brethren in the fear and favour of God As Moses the meekest man upon the face of the earth David the sweet singer of Israel a man after Gods own heart Solomon who excelled in wisdom all that were before him or came after him Isaiah of the Blood-Royal an Evangelical Prophet or Prophetical Evangelist whose prophesie is clean and clear and curiously garnished with all kind of Rhetorick Iohn the beloved Disciple that leaned on the bosome of Iesus Paul who was wrapt up into the third Heavens and as famous for active and passive obedience as any in the world in his days All of them were men extraordinarily inspired and assisted by the Spirit of God Not onely the notions but the very phrases and words were imprinted on them and infused into them by God himself The writings of some Naturalists have been bought at a great price and thought worthy to be presented to great Princes but the best of them though the Prophesie of the Sybills which the Heathen so highly esteemed be included is but a bundle of folly and vanity to this book Prophesie came not of old time by the will of men but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost O how excellent must that Scripture be of which such incomparable persons were the Pen-men or Amanâ—enses and to whom the infinite wisdom of God did dictate every word 3. The matter of them is heavenly and divine the epitome of all equity and righteousness the compendium of whatsoever is fit to be beleived or practiced The Scripture is a perfect rule both for faith and manners It informeth us fully in our carriage towards God and towards men how we ought to walk in all relations and conditions it forbiddeth evil all evil in the very thoughts it commandeth good whatsoever is good in the whole course of our lives It speaketh of such things as are far above reason and yet nothing that is contrary to reason The truths delivered in it are many of them such as no humane or created capacity could have possibly invented yet such as are all agreeable to a rational understanding It would have exceeded the wisdom of an Angelâ— to have thought of such a sweet mixture of justice and mercy as is discovered in the Gospel about the redemption of fallen man It teacheth the nature and excellency of God the trinity of persons the unity of essence the immensity of all his attributes how he is infinite in his being wisdom knowledge holiness mercy and faithfulness how he is a pure act without the least passion a perfect being uncapable of any addition eternal without either beginning or ending immutable without the least alteration incomprehensible beyond all coâ—ceptions omnipresent without any circumscription It instructeth us in the person and offices and states of the blessed Redeemer how he being the Son of God was partaker of the humane nature that the Sons of men might be partakers of the divine nature How God and Man were united in one person that Man and God might be united in one Covenant How the eternal God married our natures that he might exalt his boundless grace in marrying our persons How man
for the least of their offences how he hath manifested his justice in the deluge brought on the old world in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in his carriage towards Apostate Angels rebellious Israelites his own chosen people and the Medâ—atour his own Son when he took upon him mans sin in the instruments of eternal death which he hath prepared in Hell for sinners and the solemn triumph which justice shall have at the great day and to all eternity in the other world 5. His holiness how he loaths sin with the greatest abhorrency cannot behold the least iniquity shoots the arrows of his vengeance against its actours and authors will be sanctified in or upon all that approach him is terrible in his holy places forbiddeth the least complyance with sin though but in a sudden thought and makes it his end in his providences ordinances the gift of his Son his Spirit to make men holy I might shew how it exalteth him in all his properties but I pass on It glorifieth him in every part of it Its precepts and commands speak his purity and dominion its promises and covenant speak his boundless mercy and compassion its threatnings and comminations speak his justice and jealousie its prophesies and predictions speak his wisdom and omniscience The Scripture tendeth also to the eternal good of men It is helpful to beget a soul to Christ Of his own will begat he us again by the Word of truth The Word of grace is instrumental for the conveyance of grace Act. 2.37 Rom. 10. 14. It is helpful to build the soul up in Christ as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. Grace is increased by the same means by which it is generated as the same Sun that begets some living creatures is helpful for their growth The Word of God of stones raiseth up children to Abraham and of Children maketh Young men and Fathers It is so penned that all sorts of persons all ranks of Christians may be directed into the way of truth and guided by it in the way of life It is able to make us wise to salvation To shew the path of life 2 Tim. 3. 15. Psa. 16. 11. As Ioshua it leads the Israelites into Canaan All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable 1. For Doctrine Where Scripture hath not a tongue to speak I must not have an ear to hear Scriptura est regula fidei Scripture is the rule of faith Hence the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called a foundation Ephes. 2. 20. 2. For reproof It is the hammer of Heresies Ignorance of Scripture is one main cause of error Ye err not knowing the Scripture By this sword of the Spirit Christ vanquished Satan Mat. 4. 4. and the Jews Ioh. 5.45 and Sadduces Mat. 22.29 Lapidandi sunt haeretici sacrarum literarum argumentis Hereticks are to be stoned with Scripture arguments saith Athanasius The Word of God hiâ—s that unclean bird in the eye and wounds it mortally 3. For correction of manners The sword of the Word pierceth the sinners conscience like Christ to the woman of Samaria It tells him all that ever he did and makes him smite upon his thigh and say What have I done Scripture is a glass which sheweth him the spots that are in the face of his heart and life 4. For instruction in righteousness It is the way in which we should walk the rule of our spiritual race What is written on some Psalms may be written on every Psalm and Chapter in the whole Bible Maschil or Psalm for instruction Its precepts teach us what to follow its prohibitions tell us what to forsake Its promises are to allure us to sanctity its threatnings to affright us from sin the good example of the Saints speaketh as Christ to Peter Follow thou me the wicked actions and ends of sinners cry aloud as Abner to Ioab Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the end 5. For comfort There is no such cordial for a fainting spirit as a promise in the Word The Gospel in the Greek is glad tidings and not without cause This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me When souls have been ready to despair under the sense of their wickedness and to sink in deep waters the Word of God hath held them up by the chin and preserved them from drowning Vnless thy law had been my delight I had perished in mine affliction 6. For salvation the Word is called the Kingdom of heaven partly because it revealeth Gods thoughts of such an inestimable happiness to the children of men The celestial Canaan was terra incognita till that discovered it He hath brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel partly because it prepares the soul for heaven the Word sanctifieth and so saveth precious souls By filling us with grace it fitteth us for glory Rom. 1.16 Ioh. 17.17 Partly because it is the seed of heaven As the Harvest is potentially in the seed and a tall Oke potentially in an acorn so heaven and eternal life is potentially in the Word of life It is called The grace of God that bringeth salvation It bringeth salvation to men and it bringeth men to salvation Secondly Consider it O my soul in its properties they will also speak its preciousness 1. It is pure and holy there are some dregs that will appear in the exactest writings of the best men when they have been shaken by a critical hand but none could ever justly fasten the least filth upon the holy Scriptures The Word of Christ is like the Spouse of Christ There is no spot in it The Alcoran of Mahomet alloweth Polygamy promiseth sensual pleasures as the reward of his servants but the Scripture winketh not at the least sin no not so much as in a motion of the heart or a glance of the eye and its promises are also pure and spiritual The Doctrine of the wisest Heathen and Philosophers were a mixture of good and bad Theft was no fault amongst Lycurgus Laws but if done slily commended highly Aristotle permitted revenge and obscene jesting which Scripture expresly forbids Thy word is very pure The words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times There is not the least dross of evil or error in it 1. It s principal Author is the original and exemplar of all holiness his nature is the pattern and his will the rule of purity Exod. 15. 4. Isa. 6. 3. 2. The Scribes of it were holy men moved and actuated by the Holy Ghost 3. It s effect is to sanctifie and make holy Ye are clean through the word that I have given you 4. The matter of it is holy Its commanding part is holy The Law is holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. It s assertory part is holy what it affirmes to be is what it denyeth to
be is not Psa. 19. 7. It s promissory part is holy both formaliter in its own nature and effective in its end and fruit It s Historical part is holy other books are properly called prophane Histories in distinction from this The Scriptures expressions are pure of the most impure actions He knew her no more men with men doing what is unseemly Gen. 38. 26. Rom. 1. 27. 2. It is powerful As fire it can melt the hardest mettal As an Hammer it can break the most stony heart Ier. 23. 29. 1. It is powerful for Conviction It sets mens sins before their eyes and makes them behold their ugliness and deformity whether they will or no It tells the sinner as Elisha concerning the Syrian King to the King of Israel what he doth and saith in his bed-â—hamber in the retiring room of his heart It makes the spirit of the stoutest sinner to treâ—ble as the leaves with the wind and though he strives to put off his quaking fits by some humane cordials yet he finds his soul-Ague still continuing upon him Sturdy Murderers of Christ spring in trembling and an earthly Felix quakes under the power of this word This voice of the Lord is powerful it â—hakes the Cedars of Lebanon The batteries of the word have shaken the sensless conscience and shattered the flinty hâ—art in peices 2. It is powerful for conversion It is able to change the nature and turn an heart of stone into an heart of flesh It hath many a time inlightned dark minds to see the things which they never saw enlivened dead souls and enabled them to stand up from the dead The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul It hath dispossessed the strong man cast him out of his strong holds wherein he had raigned many years and subdued the soul to another Lord and Soveraign What hath been said of God may be said of the Word in the hand of the Spirit Who ever resisted its will How powerful is that word which can make the proudest creature that scorned former reproofs and precepts threatnings and judgements to cry and weep bitterly like a child under the rod that can create the new creature the choicest of Gods works By the word of the Lord are the new Heavens wherein dwelleth righteousness made and all the glorious host thereof of sparkling graces by the breath of his mouth 3. It s powerful for conquering spiritual enemies The noble victories atchieved by the Lords Worthies are most of them obtained by this sword of the Spirit Whole armies of sins have been discomfited and forced to flie before the face of this weapon God hews these by his Prophets and slays them by the word of his mouth This word like the rod in the hand of Moses worketh wonderfully for the destruction of such Egyptian enemies Satan is another enemy of the Christians but as powerful and as politique as he is he falls down like lightening from heaven before the preaching of the word This sword hath so wounded that Leviathan that destroyer of souls that he can never recover himself They overcame him i. e. the Devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony Rev. 12. 11. In a word it must needs be strong for it is the power of God to salvation The rod of his strength Rom. 1. 16. Psa. 110. 2. 3. It is perfect It contains in it all that is necessary and sufficient for our eternal salvation It is a full and compleat rule and measure both of things to be believed and practised it will admit no addition because it is defective in nothing it will suffer no diminution for it is redundant in nothing If any man shall add unto it God shall add anto his plagues If any man shall take away from the words of this book God shall take away his part out of the book of life Jesus Christ who was the great Teacher sent from God was faithful in his office and gave his Church whatsoever Precepts or Doctrines were needful for her in order to her endless good He tells us Whatsoever I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you Joh. 15. 15. And his Apostle speaks to the same purpose Act. 20. 21. I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God Besides it is able to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished unto every good word which it could never do if it were not perfect it self Nil dat quod non habet Nothing can give that which it hath not in it self either formally or virtually Traditions are no way necessary to compleat the Canon of Scripture Since God did reveal his will in writing every age had that revealed to it which was sufficient for that age to make such as then lived wise to salvation but as God was pleased to reveal more the latter did assist us in the understanding of the former â—herefore so long as any truth was necessary to be more fully known he inspiâ—ed holy men to do it and the compleating of the divine Canon was reserved for Christ and his Apostles Ioh. 15. 15. and 7. 8. and 6. 13. Act. 20. 27. Gal. 1. 6 7 8. 4. It is true and certain Not a tittle of it shall fail It is calâ—ed truth the truth thy truth the Scripture of truth the word of truth the Gospel of truth a more sure word the comparative for the superlative the most sure word Christ prefers it before information from the dead the Apostle before Revelation from Angels or auy other way whatsoever 1. The Precepts of it are true they are perfectly agreeable to the mind of the speaker Thou art near O Lord and all thy commandments are truth Psa. 119. 5. The words of men may be true but the word of God onely is truth There is no error no mixture in it t is therefore called sincere milk 1 Pet. 2. 2. 2. The Promises of it are true They are accomplished to the least particle of them Hence they are called the sure mercies of David The Promises of God are unquestionable because their speaker is unchangeable and one for whom it is impossible to lie They are sure hold and will eat their way through all the Alpes of opposition Not one good thing haâ—h failed of all that the Lord our God hath promised Joshua 21. 45. 3. The Histories of it are true Whatsoever is written in it of the first or second Adam of any persons or nations is exactly true â—here never was fuch an impartial historian as the inditer of the word This is the Book which hath no Errata's in it 4. The threatnings are true The sinner shall as certainly feel them as he reads or hears them He shall as surely be damned as if he were already damned therefore he is said to be condemned already to speak its certainty He shall find the gnawing worm and the eternal fire as unquestionably as if he felt them at
Satan for the advancement of Christ and holiness but thou hast excelled them all Thou hast changed Lions into Lambs Ravens into Doves Beasts into Men and Men into Angels thou hast subdued head-strong passions mortified natural and riveted corruptions tore up old and sturdy lusts by the roots conquered Principalities and Powers led captivity captive and turned the world upside down By thee wonders are wrought the blind restored to their sight the dead raised the deaf hear the dumb speak the Lepers are cleansed and the poor have the Gospel preached to them and are changed into the nature of it where thou ridest conquering and to conquer the whole world runneth after thee Thy neck is like the Tower of David builded for an Armoury wherein there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men Thy weapons are not carnal but spiritual and mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. By thee poor weak and contemptible men have subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained the promises stopped the mouths of roaring lions quenched the violence of hellish fire escaped the edge of Hereticks and persecutors sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in sight turned to flight Armies of the Aliens Thou hast not onely like Saul slain thy thousands but with David thy ten thousands thou hast broken the serpents head destroyed the great Leviathan tramplest on Scorpions and Vipers and nothing can hurt thee Thou bringeth heaven down to earth and carriest earth up to heaven Thou are the joyful message from a far country the river whose streams make glad the City of God Infinite Wisdom contrived thee Infinite Truth proclaimed thee and infinite Goodness discovered thee The Father indited thee the Son confirmed thee and the Spirit revealed thee to the children of men The Countries and Kingdoms of the earth were overwhelmed with worse then Egyptian darkness till thou didst arise upon them and with thy glorious beams enlighten and enliven them by thee fools have been made wise sinners made Saints ignorant men have been instructed wandring men reduced weak ones confirmed and lost ones saved By thee the heavens were established the foundations of the earth formed the sorrowful are comforted the scandalous reformed the needy relieved and the righteousness of God revealed Thou art eyes to the blind and â—eet to the lame and food to the hungry and rest to the weary and physick to the sick and life to the dying The ablest Historian will infinitely fall short in describing thy heroick deeds None can declare thy noble acts or display half thy praise Angels may well pry into thee with admiration and astonishment and make the contents of thy Chapters the subject of their songs and substance of their Halelujahâ— to all eternity When that heavenly host preached on earth thou wert their Text be thou their triumph in heaven for ever O thou savour of life thou living water thou well of salvation thou tidings of great joy to all Nations thou ministration of righteousness thou mystery of godliness thou mine of unsearchable riches thou way of holiness thou word of the kingdom that thou wert written on the tables of my heart and graven with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond on that rock for ever Thou wast once written on tables of stone with the hand of God himself how precious was that book wherein every leaf was immediately of Gods making and every line in it of Gods writing My heart is an heart of stone I find it by too much experience but if thou wert engraven on it 't would be a precious stone its price would be far above Rubies the Onyx and the Saphire should not be valued with it the Gold and the Chrystal should not equal it neither should it be exchanged for Coral or Pearls O that I were manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God known and read of all men O that my soul were the house and thou the inhabitant for ever O that the word of Christ might dwell richly within me that I were able to say with holy David I delight to do thy will O God thy law is within my heart or in the midst of my bowels Thou art the Oracles of God all thy sayings are faithful and true and worthy of all acceptation when O when shall I give it them Thou art worthy of the eye Blessed is he that readeth the words of this Prophesie Rev. 1. 3. Thou art worthy of the ear Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Thou art worthy of the heart O that I could hide thee in mine heart that I might not sin against the Lord Thou art a counsellor to the doubting a comforter to the distressed Thou art health to the navel and marrow to the bones an ornament of grace unto the head and a chain of gold about the neck They that walk in thy ways are safe and their feet do not stumble Thou teachest in the ways of wisdom and thou leadest in right paths O that my ways were directed to keep all thy commandements for thy steps tend to holiness and thy Paths take hold of Heaven O my soul is it possible for thee to hear the excellency of Scripture thus opened to thee and not to burn in love to it Hast thou been all this while in such an hot bath and still cold and shivering Hast thou felt its power tasted its savour seen its beauty often heard its awakening voice and known its universal vertue and dost thou yet doubt its divinity or question its excellency Surely if ever thou shouldst again through unbelief belief ask it the same question which the Scribes did Christ when they beheld his miraculous actions By what authority dost thou these things or who gave thee this authority thou mayst answer thy self in the words of the man born blind and then seeing to the Jews Is it not strange or This is a marvellous thing that thou knowest not whence it is yet it hath opened thine eyes Joh. 9. 30. Was there not a night of dread and horror with thee when thou didst sit in darkness and in the shadow of death till this sun did arise with light and life under its wings O cry out with the Psalmist I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickened me I was wallowing in my filth weltring in my blood rotting in the grave of corruption till thou didst say unto me Live yea till thou didst say unto me Live Thy voice is powerful overcoming all opposition The love revealed in thee is wonderful far surpassing the love of woman Thy promises are exceeding great and precious more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold Thy Maker may well prevail for thine acceptance Who
would not reverence the issue for the Authors sake Surely that coin deserves esteem which hath that Kings Image and Superscription on it The matter in thee merits respect Thou art a Love-letter from God to his creature revealing his eternal thoughts of good will publishing his acts of grace and oblivion to all traytors and rebels in arms against his Majesty upon condition they will throw down their weapons and become Loyal Subjects for the future Thou art the Churches Charter containing all the priviledges which the blessed Jesus purchased for her What wise man would not value the deeds and evidences which speak and give a right to pardon love grace joy peace and the undefiled inheritance for ever When thou comest to a soul salvation comes to that soul Thou art always attended with a rich train of all sorts of comforts The good tidings thou bringest and great blessings thou conveyest where ever thou comest may well make thee welcome I may well say unâ—o thee beholding the bracelets and ear-rings wherewith thou adornest the Spouse of the true Isaac as Laban to Abrahams servant Come in thou blessed of the Lord why standest thou without I have prepared lodging for thee If I am bound to bless my God for the natural lights which he hath made the greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night because thereby it appears that his mercy endureth for ever Psa. 136. 7 8 9. How much am I bound to bless him for the spiritual light of his word that true that marvellous light which shineth in a dark place till the eternal day dawn O what mercy what mercy enduring for ever is there in every leaf in every verse in every line of that sacred Book If Regeneration be a mercy to be partaker of the divine nature the stamping the lovely Image of the glorious God upon thee then the word is a mercy for that is the seal in the hand of the Spirit which imprinteâ—h it on thee Iames 1. 18. Is faith a mercy that shield of the soul whereby it quencheth the fiery darts of the Devil that Ladder by which the soul mounteth to Heaven and converseth daily with its Lord and Master then the word is a mercy for faith comes by hearing the word is the door of faith Rom. 10. 14. Act. 14. 27. If repentance be a mercy those second and best thoughts of the soul that recovery of the man to his wits and right mind then the word is a mercy for t is the voice of Christ in the word that casteth the Devil of impenitency and sensuality out of the heart where it raigned and raged sending out fire and flames like AEtna for many years and makes the man like him in the Gospel out of whom the Devil was cast to sit at Iesus his feet in his right mind bitterly weeping and mourning for his former folly and madness T is the hot beams of love that shine in the Gospel that thaw the frozen spirits Is hope a mercy â—hat Helmet of salvation which defendeth the head of Christians from Swords and Musquets the souls of Saints from the darts and dangers of temptations those Bladders of the soul which keep it from sinking in deep waters then the word is a mercy for we through patience and comfort of the Scripture have hope Rom. 15. 4. Hope had never lookt out at the window longing for the coming of its beloved if the word had not come before as a faithful Messenger and brought certain news that he was upon the way Are pardon reconciliation with God adoption growth in grace yea Heaven it self a mercy then the word is a mercy All those Jewels are lockt up in that Cabinet Man durst not have presumed he could not have conceived that the glorious jealous God should ever have such infinite respect for such wretches and rebels if he had not found it written with his own hand in the word T is on the waters of the sanctuary that the Saint saileth safely through the Sea of this world to the Port of salvation There was no visible bridge laid over the Gulf of Gods wrath for sinners to pass into the Kingdom of grace here and glory hereafter till the Gospel erected one O my soul what honour can be high enough what love hot enough for the holy Scriptures 1. Consider the preciousness of them in the eyes of good men and the love they had for them Iob preferred them before food before his necessary food Solomon before ornaments of gold crowns of glory Paul before all other Doctrines though Preached by Angels David before the honey and the honey comb great spoils thousands of gold and silver all riches And when he ceaseth to compare beginneth to admire iâ—s worth Wonderful are thy testimonies And his own fervent affection to it O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day 2. The price paid for it It cost the blood of thy beloved well may the Scriptures be called Testaments they were both sprinkled with blood and made valid by the death of the Testatour Heb. 9. 15 16 17. And for this cause he is the mediatour of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first Testament they which were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance For where a Testament is there must of necessity also be the death of the Testator For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the testator liveth 3. The pearl hid in it The Lord Jesus Christ is the matter as well as the Author of it Well may it be called the Word of Christ. Search the Scripture for they are they that testifie of me He was the substance of the Law and he is the sum of the Gospel Thou hadst not known sin but for the Law nor the Saviour but for the Gospel When David considered the kindness he had receâ—ved from Ionathan he said to his servants Is there none left of the house of Saul that I may shew kindness to for Jonathans sake He could not but in gratitude study some return suitable to that good will of his dear friend Great is the kindness I have received from the Scripture What wilt thou say what wilt thou do O my soul for this Word of thy God! O swear unto the Lord and vow unto the mighty God of Jacob surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house I will not go up into my bed I will not give sleep to mine eyes nor slumber to mine eyeâ—lids until I â—inde out a place for the law of the Lord and an habitation for the Gospel of the God of Jacob. Wilt thou not willingly O my soul rather then this worthy guest should lie without doors take it into thy heart O that thou wert the ark wherein the two Tables the two Testaments might be laid up for ever Lord I will
Morning prayer is the key of the day which openeth the treasury of divine bounty and locketh the soul up in safety A Prayerless person goeth all day unarmed and may expect many wounds from that hellish crew that lye always in ambush to destroy him The neglect of this pass gives Satan a great advantage to take the City When Saul had left off calling at Heavens gate the next time you hear of him is knocking at a Witches at the Divels door Prayer is one of the great ordinances that batters down the strong holds of the Devil hence he sets his wits at work to divert men from it It is the Souls armour and Satans terrour he that knoweth how to use this holy spell aright need not fear but he shall fright away the Devil himself The Lord Jesus when he marcht out against the powers of darkness and was to fight with them hand to hand armed himself before-hand with prayer Luk. 3. 21 22. not onely for his own protection but also for a pattern to us Every day we walk in the midst of enemies which are both mighty and crafty and will watch all advantages to undo us and should we go amongst them without prayer we are sure to become their prey It s too late to wish for weapons when we are engaged in a Battel Caesar cashierd that Souldier who had his armour to furbish and make ready when he was called to fight The moral of the Fable is good The Boar was seen whetting his Teeth when no enemy was near to offend him and being asked the reason why he stood sharpening his weapons when none was by to hurt him he answered It will be too late to whet them when I should use them therefore I whet them before danger that I may have them ready in danger Another duty that concernes thee in secret is to read some portion of the Word of God The Work-man must not go abroad without his Tools The Scripture is the Carpenters Rule by which he must square his building the Tradesmans Scales in which he must weigh his commodities The Travellers Staff which helpeth him in his journey There is no acting safely unless we act scripturally Bind it continually upon thy heart and tie it about thy neck When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee when thou wakest it shall talk with thee For the commandement is a lamp and the law is light and reproofs of instruction are the way of life Prov. 6. 21 22 23. The Lawyer hath his Littleton or Cook which he consulteth The Physitian hath his Galen or Hippocrates with which he adviseth The Scholar haâ—h his Aristotle The Souldier his Caesar And the Christian his Bible that Book of Books to which all those Books are but as a course list to a fine cloth and scarce worthy to be wast paper for the Binder to put before this to shelter it This will teach the Lawyer to plead more effectually then Cicero when undertaking the cause of Quintâ—â— Ligarius one of Caesars enemies he did by the power of his Oratory make Caesar his Soveraign to tremble and often to change colour and when he described the Battel of Pharsalia caused him to let his books fall out of his hand as if he had been without spirits and life and forced him against his will to set Ligarius at liberty this will teach him so to plead as to prevail with and overcome God himself This will teach the Physitian to work greater cures then ever AEsculapius wrought to produce more strange and rare effects then the most powerful natural causes The Weapon-salve and most extraordinary cures that ever have been wrought are nothing to the healing a vitiated nature by the spirit and a wounded conscience by the blood of Christ which have been frequently done by the Word of God It hath opened the eyes of the blind abated the dropsie of pride softned the stone in the heart stopped a bloody issue of corruption healed the falling-sickness or back-sliding and raised the dead to life He sendeth his Word and healeth them Psa. 107. 20. The waters issuing out of the Sanctuary are healing waters Ezek. 47. 9. This will teach the Scholar to know more then the greatest Naturalists or then the Delphick Oracle could enable him to though it told him his duty even to know himself It is a Glass clean and clear wherein he may plainly see the spots and dirt and deformity of his heart and life It will teach him to know the only true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath seâ—t whom to know is life eternal This will teach the Souldier how to war a good warfare how to fight the Lords Battails against the Prince of Darkness and all his adherents and over all to be more then a Conquerour There is no Guide no Counsellor no Shield no Treasure among all the Books that ever were written comparable to the Scripture It is reported that a certain Iew should have poisoned Luther but was happily prevented by his Picture which was sent to Luther with this warning from a faithful friend That he should take heed of such a man when he saw him by which Picture he knew the Murtherer and escaped his hands the Word of God discovereth the face of those lusts in their proper colours which lie ready in our callingsâ— in all companies in our goings out and comings in to defile us and which Satan would employ to destroy us By them is thy servant forewarned saith David Psa. 19. 11. By reading and applying it we may know their visage and prevent their venome by the words of thy mouth I have kept my self from the paths of the destroyer Cyprian would let no day pass without reading of Tertullian nor Alexander without reading somewhat in Homer Shall the Christian let a morning pass without an inspection into the Word of Christ As God commanded Moses to come up into the Mount early in the morning with the two Tables in his hand So Reader he commandeth thee to give him a meeting every morning with the two Testaments in thy hand After the refreshment of nature about which I have given thee directions else-where and therefore shall omit it here it will be requisite that thou shouldst call thy family together and worship the blessed God with them Our Relations namely Children and Servants have mercies bestowed on them wants to be supplied dangers to be prevented natures to be sanctified souls to be saved as well as our selves and therefore must not be neglected Some tend and feed the souls in their families on the Lords day and starve them all the week after but herein they are guilty of dishonesty and unfaithfulness They rob God of the service which is due to him from all in their house joyntly They wrong the souls in their families by not allowing them the liberty at least by not calling and causing them to hear the voice and seek the face of God
in my dealing and discourse with such men Lord thou knowest the poor silly children of men are unable to judge of eternal affairs according to their weight they are quickly lost when in their thoughts they begin to launch into that boundless Sea The ponderousness of the subject is ready to affright and press them down being so much beyond and above their shallow understandings But wouldst thou please to enable them though it were but to peep into the other world and to behold through some Crevice what is doing and enjoyed there both by thy friends and thine enemies they would soon have other thoughts of thee and thy service and other carriages when they are about thy work the greatest seriousness would then be too little the greatest ardour would not be thought enough for thy worship they would then indeed be fervent in spirit when they are serving the Lord. O teach thy servant though he cannot see into the other world with the eye of sense yet so to look into it with an eye of faith that he may transact the concerns thereof with that diligence faithfulness and fervency which thou acceptest and whilst he liveth be zealous of good works I Wish that my heart may be so affected with pity towards sick and afflicted persons that I may often and earnestly remember them in my prayers A little Captive considering the Leprosie of her Master was instrumental for his cure by crying out Would God my Lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria for he would recover him of his Leprosie I have more reason when I behold a Leprous soul near its last gasp to look up to Heaven with Would to God that poor creature were with Jesus Christ that great prophet of his Church who is able and willing to enliven and pardon and sanctifie and save Would to God he would be perswaded to come to Christ to cling to Christ to close with Christ for he would recover him And what do I know but my prayers may be prevalent on his behalf Christ when dying prayed for his enemies for them that imbrued their hands in his blood and shall not I pray for my friends when they are dying and possibly ignorant whether they are going My Prayers are a cheap courtesie and diminish nothing of my estate either spiritual or temporal Their misery is an awakening motive to the duty Never did they stand in such need of help from others and wrastling with God on their behalves as now that they are taking their journey into a far Country and entring upon an unchangeable condition They may say to me as Nehemiah to Geshem I am doing a great work c. I am going to die to bid adieu to all the folly and vanity and comforts of this world to take possession of my long home of the place wherein I must abide for ever O pray for us that we may be pardoned and saved that we may repent and believe that we may die in the faith and obtain the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto life eternal They have many distractions upon their own spirits by reason of pains and bodily distempers and the loss and lamentation of their Kindred and Relations that they cannot poure out their hearts to God with that freeness and seriousness and earnestness which probably they desire Their enemies and assaults and temptations at such a time are more quick and strong and violent and full of rage having but a short time I must now pray for them or never pray for them Now beg mercy for them or never beg mercy for them When their life is gone all tears and cries and groans for them are in vain Davids greatest passions for dead Absolon were to no purpose They are then gone the way they shall not return and fixed in that place whence they shall never remove Lord I confess that my narrow heart hath not pity enough for afflicted and sick and dying souls and my weak hands have not power enough to supply or support them in their sad estates but thou hast both O be pleased to look down from Heaven the habitation where thine holiness dwelleth Behold their miseries hide thy face from all their iniquities out of thine infinite fulness releive their necessities Let the eyes of their souls be opened to see their sins and their Saviour before the eyes of their bodies be closed Give them patience and strength answerable to the burden thou layest on their backs Enable them to do their last works well and let them be better then their first Open thou their lips and let their mouths shew forth thy praise before they go to the place of silence Stand by them in their last conflict with their enemies Death and Devils that they may over come both be more then conquerours through him that loves them and pass through the jaws of death to the joys of a blessed eternal life I Wish that my soul may be the more sound for every visit I bestow on sick bodies There is not so much danger of catching their outward diseases as there is hope of increasing my spiritual health if I am not wanting to my self The sick and dying bed is a Pulpit out of which I may be instructed more fully in many serious truths though the sick or dying man be speechless King Joash obtained three famous victories over the Syrians by visiting sick Elisha and might have gotten a compleat conquest over them if it had not been his own fault The sight of sick and dying men may assist me in my conflicts with the three great enemies of my present purity and future comfort and bliss It teacheth â—e how vain it is to make provision for that flesh which will it self ere long be provision for wormes Ah how foolish am I to pamper and please that which instead of releiving or refreshing will in my extremity pierce and pain me It teacheth me that the world it self is the greatest Cheat and Impostour in the world That though it laughs and smiles on men dandling them on her knees and hugging them in her armes whilst they are in health and promising all sorts of comforts and pleasures yet in their sickness and misery she turns them off and leaves them as Absolons Mule did him to be â—hot through with the heart-cutting arrows of eternal death By discovering the emptiness and falseness of these two seeming ends the flesh and the world it helpeth me to overcome my third enemy and to repel the fiery darts of the Devil The cup of temptation which hath so often bewitched me to drink down his deadly poison had its prevalency from the worldly profit with which the out-side was guilded or the fleshly pleasure with which the in-side was sweetned Ah! could I but bid an hearty defiance to the World and the Flesh and conquer them I need not fear the wicked one They are the powerful Advocates by which Satan pleads and too often prevails with
aspire heaven-ward when its returning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to its original divinity according to Plotinus his phrase of death As his Saviour he brings out his best wine at last and his last works are more then his first Rev. 2. 19. The blessed Prince and Lord of life should be our pattern at death He got his Father most glory he did his Church most good by his death though he was eminently serviceable to both all his life time It s said of him He was obedient Phil. 2. 7. to the death Which may import 1. His continuance in well-doing His obedience lasted to the last moment of his life so should ours Elisha would not leave his Master till taken from him into Heaven and we should not leave our Lord till taken to him into Heaven Polycarp in his old age being urged by the Proconsul to deny Christ answered I have served him eighty six years and he never once hurt me and shall I now deny him 2. His obedience in his death His death was a Free-will offering in obedience to his Fathers command Not onely his birth and life was an answer to his Fathers call A body hast thou prepared c. Then said I Lo I come to put on that body to take upo◠〈◊〉 that nature and thereby and therein to do thy Will O God but also his death was in pursuance of his duty This commandment received I of my Father Thus the Christians death must be offered up as a sacrifice to God in obedience to his command The Sinners soul is Prest to this War in which there is no discharge This night thy soul shall be required of thee The Saint understanding the orders from the Lord of Hosts is a Voluntier He gives up the Ghost Into thy hands Lord I commend my Spirit 3. The gracious manner of his dying The Sun of righteousness when setting did shine most gloriously Though at his death he had such infinite disadvantage being to wrestle with the frowns of an incensed God the fury of earth and Hell and met with clouds black and thick enough to have obscured the graces and hindered the holiness of any but himself from shining at all yet how brightly did they break forth in the midst of all those Fogs and Mists and Darkness What holy counsel and comfort did he give his Disciples to prepare them for his departure in his last and one of his longest Sermon Ioh. 14 15 16. What an heavenly prayer doth he put up to his Father for them and all his elect to give them both a taste and a pledge of that intercession which he was going to Heaven to make for them When he was hanging on the Cross under such an heavy weight as the sins of the whole World Grace was not depressed His love to his Mother is observeable Woman behold thy Son And from that hour that Disciple took her to his own house John 19. 26. But his love to his membrenâ— though enemies was wonderful Father forgiâ—â— them they know not what they do His Faith in his Father Father into thy hands I commend my spirit His pity to one of the Theives His Patience in bearing the scoffing words and taunts more bitter then Worm-wood of them that passed by reviling him as well as in suffering the wracking of his bones and whole body and the anger of an infinite God in his soul without any murmuring may well call for our admiration Reader he hath set thee a pattern that thou shouldst follow his steps Some tell us the Phoenix of Saba in Arabia Faelix so called from Phoenicea or the Purple colour of her wings liveth six hundred and sixty years at the end of which time she buildeth her a nest of Cassia Calamus Cinnamon and other precious spices and gums which the Sun by the extremity of his heat and the wavering of her wings fires and she taking delight in the sweetness of the savour hovers so long over it that she burns her self in her own Nest. Thus did the blessed Jesus and thus ought his followers to expire in a Nest of sweet Spices the exercise of the graces of the holy Spirit It was a poor farewel to the world which even Octavius Augustus gave when at the point of death he called for his Looking-glass commanded to have his Head and beard combed and his shriveled Cheeks smoothed up then asking his friends if he had acted his part well Cum ita responderint vos omnes igitur inquit Plaudite It is a dreadful conclusion which Pliny relates the Hyberboreans to make who when they have lived to one hundred years or more make a great feast to which they invite all their friends and after their jollity and mirth throw themselves down a steep rock and so perish Ungodly men are always worst at last when they come to the bottom they are flat and dead and nothing but grounds and dregs How often in the eyes of the world do wicked persons go out like a Lamp leaving a stench behind them The scandalous sinner usually like the Goats beard or star of Jerusalem closeth up the flower of his presumptuous hope at high noon he is cast in his own conscience long before his death The Hypocrite ordinarily as the Daysie and Dandelion declares the approach of the evening by shutting up before its approach If he be gold in the morning and silver at noon yet as we say of Butter he is lead at night What is the hope of the Hypocrite when God shall take away his soul As its storied of the Pardora a people in India that in their youth they have silver hairs but in their age their hairs are quite black Or as the She Wolf hath a yearly defect in generation the first time she hath five the second time four then three then two then one then barren ever after So the Hypocrite dâ—clines and decreaseth in goodness faster then the Moon in its last quarter and is commonly worst at last But the sincere Christian hath his best at the bottom and hath his daintiest dish reserved to be served in at the last courseâ— Naturalists tell us of Honey that that is the thickest and best Honey which is squeezed last out of the Comb. O what excellent periods and endings both in regard of the exercise of grace and comfort have many of the Children of God made The Death-bed to some Saints hath been like Tharah to the Israelites in the Wilderness where after many journeys growing near to the Land of Canaan they rested themselves and it was called Tharah from Roah and Tarah which signifieth a breathing time The Sun when it declines into the West hath even then much more light then any of the Stars The meanest upright Christian when he is near setting hath more joy and comfort then a specious Hypocrite any day of his life When some asked Oecolampadius lying on his death-bed whether the light did not offend him he answered pointing
in the counsel of the ungodly and to go in the paths of the destroyer that my feet should tend to death and my steps take hold of hell yet for thy sons sake teach me thy way and lead me in thy righteousness that my soul may never be gathered with sinners nor my life with bloody men that I may die the death of the righteous and my latter end may be like his I wish that I may look upon a dying Bed as a Fit Pulpit in which I may preach my Makers and Redeemers praise The speeches of dying persons are often highly prized as savouring of most sincerity and least suspected of selfish ends They who scorned my counsel and rejected my advice in my health and strength as fearing it proceeded rather from interest then simplicity of heart will if they have the least grain of charity believe me in earnest and my words to be the language of my soul when I am dying and entering into my eternal estate The worst of men have some reverence and respect for dying Christians What thrusting and crowding even to the prejudice of their bodies hath there often been to hear the speeches and last words of dying men The vilest Malefactour who is cut off by the Sword of justice is permitted with patience to speak and attended to with diligence at the Gallows If enemies have some respect for dying Felons and will hearken to them with meekness what hopes may a dying Saint have of advantaging the souls of his friends O that I might greedily embrace such an opportunity of advantaging the interest and honour of my God the service and good of my neighbours and by my pious language and gracious carriage at my latter end make others in love with holiness holy men and the holy one of Israel Sinners catch hold of every season to propagate their ungodly seed and commend Satans rotten wares to the men of the world Why should not Saints be as vigilant as diligent for their God and Saviour Lord I know not in what manner by what distemper it will please thee to call me to thy self I beg if it may seem good in thy sight that nothing may befal me on my dying bed which may render me uncapable of commending thee and thy ways and worship to others My chearfulness in bearing thy will and activeness to extol thy work and reward may through thy blessing perswade Satans drudges to forsake his slavery and admit themselves thy servants O that I might allure others to prepare for such a day by lifting up my head with joy when that day of redemption draweth nigh The Apprentice makes merry when his time is expired and he enjoyeth his freedom The Bride hath a feast and musick when her Marriage-day is come This life is my time of service death sets me at liberty In this World I am contracted to my dearest Saviour my solemn marriage is in the other world into which I pass through death Why should I fear that Messenger which brings such good news and be troubled at that friend who will do me so great a courtesie O enable me to live every day according to thy Gospel that keeping my conscience clean and my evidences clear I may in the day of my death rejoyce and be exceeding glad Give me to savour the sweetness of thy love the pleasantness of thy paths to feel the powerful influences of thy spirit the vertue and efficacy of thy word so to rellish communion with thy self and thy dear Son all the days of my life that when I am going out of the world and comming to thee O Father I may from my own experience quicken and encourage others to forsake earthly vanities before earthly vanities forsake them and to take thee for their chiefest good and choicest happiness who will never leave them nor forsake them I Wish that the nearer I draw to my reward the more zealous and industrious I may be about my work and that when my body droppeth and faileth most my soul may be most vigorous and active in the exercise of grace I am infinitely indebted to the blessed God for his unspeakable grace to my precious soul my engagements to the dearest Redeemer for loving me and washing me in his own blood are far beyond my apprehension This is the last opportunity that I shall ever enjoy to testifie my thankefulness and to do my God my Saviour my soul any service O how diligent should I be to promote their interest and improve this season Nature in its last conflict with a disease puts forth it self to the utmost it draweth in those spirits which before were scattered in the outward parts to guard and arm the heart it rallieth all those forces which are left if possible to win the day O why should not grace in its last encounter muster up all its strength and put forth it self to the utmost Lust is strong to the last when nature is weak and spent and the sinner disabled from his unclean or intemperate acts even then he can hug them in his heart and roul them under his tongue as a sweet morsel and commit them over and over again in his thoughts and fancy and affections The dying Theif on the Cross when his hands and feet were nailed and by force kept in order could yet find his tongue at liberty before his death to rail at and revile the Lord of life Ah is it not a thousand pities that grace should be outvied by lust and that those that are paid with such lamentable wages as everlasting burnings should dye serving their cruel Master and enter into Hell belching out their blasphemies and spitting their poison in the face of Heaven and that the Children of God should do their father so little service when they are going to their blissful mansions and can do him no more love to my self as well as to my God may quicken me to labour with all my might when I draw near my last hour As I fall now I lie for ever My eternal estate dependeth more upon my death then my life It s possible though rare that a prophane life may be corrected by a penitent death but a wicked death can never be amended He that shoots off a piece if he be not steady just at its going off loseth his Charge and misseth his Mark He that dieth ill dieth ever he is killed with death He that goeth awry when he goeth out of the world shall never come back to recal or amend his steps If I am a conqueror now I am a conqueror for ever if I am foiled now I am foiled for ever Cowards will sight desperately when they are in extremity and must either kill or be killed The Historian saith of Cn. Piso a confederate of Catalines that though he had an heart like an Hare yet he could sight like a Lyon when he apprehended a necessity of fighting for his life O that my pains my diligence may be
Justice Vide Righteousness K THe Knowledge of God a special means of godliness 802 Subjects should pay tribute to their King 38 39 L LIfe is uncertain 490 Life is short 838 Love should be among Christians 2â—5 Why the Commandment of Love is called a new Commandment 236 The fervency of Christs prayer for love 237 Sad effects of want of love among Christians 239 M MEans whereby Christians may exercise themselves to godliness 695 A good Foundation 696 Living by Faith 746 Setting God before our eyes 729 A constant watchfulness 734 Meditation of our dying day 745 Dayly solemn performance of holy duties 756 Frequent thoughts of the day of judgement 765 Calling our selves often to account 780 Avoiding occasions of sin 787 Walking humbly 793 Suppressing sin in the beginning 799 The knowledge of God 801 A contented frame of spirit 809 Avoiding those things that hinder godliness 819 Meditation useful 388 What set Meditation is 389 to 396 An example of set Meditation on the Word of God 398 Another example on the patience of God 466 It s a christians duty to be meek 42 The excellency of meekness 43 Meekness a sign of a wise man 44 The Christians meekness should not hinder his zeal for God 46,47 A meek man a good Neighbour in what respects 48 49. N NAture is corrupted and must be renewed 571 O OCcasions of sin must be avoided 787 Obedience must be universal 8 9 P PAtience of God wonderful 467 Gods Patience amplified in twelve considerations 467 to 476 The causes of Gods patience 476,477 The Application of Gods patience 485 The vanity of Pride 795,796 Christians must look to the Principles of their ordinary actions 50 51 Men must pay what they owe. 20 Payments must be in good money 21 Q ITs good for Christians sometimes to put Questions to their own souls 524 The manner how they should do it 546 547 The benefit of it in four particulars 525 526 R REgeneration necessary 695 Christians should rejoyce in others graces 308 The credit of Religion much engaged in a Christians publique dealings 11 to 61 It s the duty of Saints to reprove them that sin 165 188 285 286 Reproof must be given seriously seasonably prudently compassionately 191 to 204 It s a Christians duty to take a reproof kindly 302 to 306 Christians ought to be righteous in their dealings with all men 15 In their works 16,64,65 In buying 17 18 19 Wherein Righteousness in buying consisteth 20 21,65 Christians ought to be righteous in selling 22 Wherein it consisteth 23 24,25,66,67 The general rule of righteousness 27,69 Christianâ— ought to be righteous in their words 34,70 S SAtan a strong crafty industrious and cruel enemy 336 to 339 Sinful shame what 174 Christians must be righteous in selling 22 It s a sin to work upon the ignorance or poverty of the Seller 18 19 Its a duty to visit the sick 554 557 Great caution about it 555 It s a special season of doing and receiving good 559 560 It may be the last opportunity 565 We must be acquainted with the state of sick persons souls 568 Sutable application must be made to the sick 570 Five things cheifly to be insisted on to the carnal sick 571 to 576 How to apply our selves to civil men in sickness 577 Three great lessons all should learn by sickness 579 How to apply our selves to Saints in their sickness 578 We must deal faithfully with the sick 581 It s a duty to pray with and for the sick 582 Much good may be gotten by visiting the sick 584 We may learn our own frailty the worth of health the price of time the excellency of grace 585 to 588 Sinful silence what 165 What it is to be silent in evil times 168 Sin to be suppressed in the beginning 799 Open sins worse then secret in a threefold respect 13 God hates sin 467 How many ways we may partake of other mens sins by provocation complyance Silence 164 165 186 No true friendship betwixt Saints and Sinners 104 108 141 142 Christians should be careful of their carriage amongst sinners 155 Christians should not needlesly accompany with sinners 111. Vide company In what respect Sinners are said to be without 155 Sinners joyn hand in hand to oppose the interest and Kingdom of Christ. 153 What it is to sit with vain persons 112 Slothful Christians must be quickened 282 Soliloquies a duty 432 It s a Christians duty to be holy in Solitude 354,355 The danger of neglecting our watch in Solitude 362 The great benefit of seasonable Solitude 357 To make conscience of our carriage in Solitude is a good sign of sincerity 365. Wherein it consisteth 369 c. In guarding the heart against vain thoughts 369 In spiritualizing earthly objects 372 In solemn Meditations 388 In Soliloquies 432 Secret Ejaculations 435 The evil of needless Solitude 257 The sorrowful must be comforted 283 T CHristians must be thankful for restraining grace 180 181 Vain thoughts must be watcht against 369 Time is precious and must be redeemed 263,264,578 Trees teach men ten lessons 460 to 464 V VAin thoughts what 370 Unrighteousness a sign of Hypocrisie 7,8 58 The folly of unrighteous men 25 28 to 34 W THe life of man compared to a Walk 1 The life of a Christian to a walk with God 2 In what respects a Christians life is said to be a walking in the light 2,3 Christians must watch 514 Watchfulness requisite in evil company 155 160 161 Watchfulness a great help to Godliness 734 Great reason for watchfulness 741 We must watch against sin 741. for doing good ibid. in duties 742. after duties ibid. our senses ibid. our tongues 743. our heart especially 744 Every Week-day to be devoted to God 488 Motives to it 490 to 496. Wherein it consisteth In beginning the day with God 496 Diligence in our callings 511 Redeeming time 518 Constant watchfulness 514 Self Examination 523 Evening duties 527 Our words should be the language of our hearts 34 The excellency of the Word of God largely described in its four causes 398 c. The Word of God is true 412. holy 408. perfect 411. powerful 410 Why the Word of God is compared to light 416 Why to rain 419 World not to be loved 821 The vanity of worldly things 824 Worldly things unsutable to our souls 8. 8. unsatisfying 830. deceitful 828. vexatious 832. Z ZEal what it is 179 Christians should be Zealous ibid. FINIS These Books following are Printed for and sold by Thomas Park-hurst as the three Crowns at the lower end of Cheap-side over-against the great Conduit Folio's THe History of the Evangelical Churches of the Valleys of Piedmont By Sam. Mâ—rland A Commentary upon Iob Psalms Proverbs Ecclâ—siâ—stes and the Song of Songs By Iohn Mayâ—r Exemplary Novels a famous Romance An Exposition upon the first Epistle of Iohn By Iohn Cotton An Exposition upon the second Epistle to the Corinthians By Rich. Sibs The bowels of tender mercy sealed