surprise us hell attends to torment us within it's horrours and the dreadful gulph is prepar'd to open his jawes eternally to consume us in his flames Meditations upon Repentance MY Soul Jerusalem the heritage of the Lord the beloved City hath transgressed she was not cleansed from the pollution of her feet neither hath she been mindful of her end wherefore she hath been rendred desart solitary and a prey to the Gentiles My soul Corah Dathan and Abiram for not having obeyed the Lord Num. 16 were punish't by the earth who opened her jawes and swallowed them in her gulph Mat. 24.25 The servant supriz'd in debauchery is punish't separated and ranck't with hypocrites Mat. 25.1 And the Virgins for being but a little separate from the Bridge-groom have found the door for ever clos'd against them These are the Judgments pronounc't by the Word of God who is High Penetrating and Effectual These are the Judgments pronounc't against them who stop their eares at the voice of the Saviour of the World Mat. 4.17 Who cryeth on the Earth amend you for the Kingdome of God is at hand Act. 3.19 Mat. 3.7 Amend you and be ye converted that your sins may be effaced Fly from the wrath to come bring forth fruit meet for repentance My soul be apprehensive then of the judgments of God Consider of thine own salvation apprehend so many new plagues which from the incensed heaven thou beholdest tumbling upon thee Consider so many woes that environ thee and such numberlesse fore-runners of future miseries Prevent the vengeance of God by humility and penance that so thou mayest not be prevented by his wrath Imitate the humble Dove who creeps into the bottome of the shrubs beholding afar off the ravenous Eagle cutting and dividing the aire with his wings and hasting to surprize her Fill the aire with thy sighths and regreates for thy vices even to the very bitternesse of thysoul cast forth cryes of displeasure and repentance demean thy self as altogether dejected altogether wasted perfectly penitent even at the foor-stool of the Lord spread forth thy hands toward his mercy addresse thy voes and most ardent supplications unto him to divert from thee the flames of his wrath and to appease his indignation Importune thy Saviour with so many plaints with so many sacrifices of praise thereby to shake the Sword out of his Hand Force the Kingdom of heaven and ravish it with violence Mat. 11.12 whil'st a means of reconciliation is open and be careful not to procrastinate till the day when the door shall be most securely bar'd Go to then my Soul defer not longer make hast to cover thy head with ashes and lamentations cause to distill tears of acknowledgment of thy sinnes and raise up thy meditations on high to avoid thy Destruction Retire thy self from the presse of the World and dispose thy self as the Pelican who seeketh the least frequented the most solitary places Come out of Babylon and follow the way of the heavenly Jerusalem propose for a pattern Jacob Abraham Moses Elias who retired from Mesepotamia from Caldea from Egypt and from the Court of Samaria Imitate the great Legislator of the Hebrewes Moses who separated himself from the multitude and went to the Mountain of Sinai the more freely to converse with God My soul be not like the inhabitants of Corazin and Bethsaida who shall be more rudely handled in the day of Judgement Mat. 11.21 than those of Tyre Sydon and of Sodome for that they were not reformed at the Word of the Lord. Contrarily immitate those of Hierusalem Mat. 3.5 of Judea and of the Country about Jordan which ran unto St. John who prepared the path of the Saviour of the world Oppose to the Justice of God his proper succours oppose the bloodshed by his Son oppose thy prayers thy vowes thy fasting and thy repentance He had decreed the sacking and ruine of Ninivâ— yet notwithstanding as soone as thy had bewaild their faults he suspended his decree sanctifie then a fast my sonne rend thy heart with teares and lamentations in the presence of thy God Returne unto him He is mercifull he is pityfull slow to anger and abundant in kindnesse In ancient times by a perpetual Ordinance 't was expresly commanded to his people to celebrate a fast on the tenth day of the seventh month which was the solemne feast of Propitiations He had ordained them to afflict their souls and to refrain from labour For as much as the Priest made a propitiation for them to the end they might be clensed from their sinnes in his presence This day my soul is the feast of propitiations to thee wherein 't is thy duty to be converted to the Lord. Imitate then the people afflict thy self masserate thy flesh with watchings and fastings to the intent thou may'st be the more strong and cry with the Priests who wept betwixt the Portck and the Altar Joel 2.16 Pardon me my God and expose not thy Heritage to Reproach Lord I lament before thee I seek by amendment of life to take a resolution to follow thee I humble my self I abase my self to attaine even unto the heavens But Lord for to approach to thee it 's requisite I retyre altogether out of my self and that I can no way effect without the succours of thy hand Lord the very Angels tremble in adoring thee and I wretched and abominable sinner manifest no token of astonishment I quake not I have not an humbled heart nor eyes drowned in teares I much desire it my God I heartily wish it but it 's impossible without thy grace For if thou Prevents not the wicked by thy compassion he can never amend A man revolted and slip't into disobedience returns not unto thee without the conduct of thy spirit Enlighten them Lord my soul by the operation of thy holy Spirit prevent its cold and slothfulnesse Pierce it with a thousand stings and thousands remorces of conscience to the end he may discover his malady unto thee and that to thee he may make his heat and anguish appear to obtain remedy Lord thou art the wise Pilot of my squiffe tottering at the mercy of the waves thou art not ignorant of the stormes and the floods that batter this fraile vessel thou art the bright and shining lanthorne which must be the Bear-star in all extremityes to guide to direct this poore Barke on this raging Sea Guard me then from ship-wrack rebuke the winds who mutiny against me and confederate together are set against my sayles Strike from the highest heaven one considerable stroke to engrave in my heart the lively impressions of the love of thee and to dispose my spirit to thy service Open my eyes as thou did'st the servant of Elisha encline my eares to thy Word arme my conscience against my flesh and make to arise out of this stone a childe of Abraham Mine iniquities are now against thy pleasure but then shall my
am the prodigal child famish't covered with raggs I have sinned against thee embrace me my Father Extinguish with thy hand these burning Torches which consume me these fire-brands of desolation these so abominable crimes To the intent that these chaines of my captivity being broken I may recover my liberty in thy grace to my salvation to the glory of thy Name and the confusion of Satan Lord my end is certaine if thou stanch'st not the blood which streams from my wounds Banish me not from my presence turne no thy countenance from me with-draw not thy clemency which sheweth it selfe after thy displeasure and which should not be of use if men lived innocently Drive far from me that cursed spirit who from the beginning separated thy creature from thee Chase away that old enemy whose ambushes are so prom't and whose assaults so rude Adorne and Decke my heart with the spoyles of my sinnes dispose me to walke with thee from the dawning facilitate my teares and fill me with a desire of my salvation Cause me to forsake all mundane contagion and plunge me in the pleasant streames of a holy and a peaceable life give me an esteeme of this chast and ravishing penetence which opens me a passage into thy holy habitation which may bury my transgressions and swallow my vanities under an eternal oblivion Lord I lament bitterly before thee I poure forth my teares of complaint which without drying drench my soul in bitternesse and dissolves it in displeasures I present my self to thee with an humbled and frozen spirit a soul afflicted and touch't with true repentance Receive then my God this penetent sinner be thou apt to pardon destroy not thine own worke Approach unto me my God cause to wither in me this multitude of plants of perdition who produce these fruits of iniquity and helpe my Mallady without indignation Manasses prostrated himself before Idols he profaned thy Altars yet never the lesse he being converted unto thee and repenting his impieties he appeased thee Thou delivered'st him from the hands of the Assyrians and from the fetters wherein thou had'st caused him to fall and returnd'st him a glorious King commander of Palestine And I Lord I present thee my homage with a contrite spirit stifle and choke not then my heavynesse and my life Exercise not thy power on me to my destruction who am thine cause not to descend on me thy punishments from heaven stigmatise me not with an eternal infamy but open Lord unto me the gate of thy mercy Dan. 10.12 and give eare to my supplycation as thou did'st unto Daniel from the first day he afflicted himself before thee Thy coming was to call sinners to repentance Luke 5.32 Thou commandest thy Apostles to go unto the lost sheep Mat. 10.6 I am of that number cause me then in the midst of this displeasure to experience thy comiseration Luk. 8.24 the Tempest is descended on the lake my bark leakes I am in hazzard awake thy self my God rebuke the wind appease the waves and make it calm By the example of Daniel with fasting sackcloth and ashes I addresse my face toward thee Thou strong Thou great Thou terrible God I have sinned I have committed iniquity I am estranged from thy Law Lord to thee belongs Justice to me confusion but mercies and compassions are likewise from thee Turne away then thy displeasure and indignation hearken to my supplycations and cause thy holy Spirit to shine on thy desolate servant I belong to thine election I am an inheritor of the merit of thy Son and have my lot and portion in heaven Regard me then Lord in him for in his countenance in his wounds thou canst not deny me pardon The father defers till the last to cut off his members He weeps he grones in severing them Thou art my Father good God suspend thy stroaks restrain them have compassion on my ashes who am lesse then ashes and of the lees and scum of the world Purifie them after such a manner that they be not annihilated let them not be forsaken of thee who have deserted thee If they be reduc't to nought thou canst not extract glory from them for in nothing nought is found but nothing it self I say not my God that thou hast created these eyes to make them endure so much and to dissolve themselves into streames For Lord their eye-lids have exalted themselves against thee They are the reason that thou assistest me not farther with thy favours after such a manner that they ought to distill into teares untill they have encountered the port of thy clemency which now files them and with-drawes it selfe away from their sight Lord wilt thou be stedfast in thy wrath wilt thou wage war with an earth-worme wilt thou regard the weight of my offences and not that of thy goodnesse I am guilty of errours and crimes but I am cover'd with ashes and teares I am a sinner but created with the sweet and fragrant breath of thy mouth I am cover'd with offences but thou art the Father of grace the Father of salvation the Father of compassion and in saving me thou conservest the work of thy hands in blessing me thou repleatest thy selfe with joy and delight Receive then Lord my prayer that it be not lost and vanish into ayre Hearken to my mouth and my throat which consumes with crying and give eare to their groans Give remedy to that distemper whose birth I ought to avoyd stretch forth and abase thy hand here below to succour me drive back by the powerfull motions of thy browes the plagues which threaten me Speak unto me as unto the Paralitick and save me by thy grace I resemble blind Bartimeus Mat. 10.47 who lifted up his voyce to thee and redoubled his intercessions equal to their reproofs and rebuks to the intent he should hold his peace My offences by the brute of their obscure gloominess will drowne the cleernesse of my voyce but being fortified by thy holy Spirit I take courage I reinforce my self and attaine the victory Mat. 5.1 Lord thou hast expelled Legions of unclean spirits out of their bodyes who presented themselves before thee Chase then from the those offences which I cannot tame drive away these miseries which by a divine vengeance vissibly torment me Lord glory not in thy Puissance against me to make thy self Renowned Display not thy force against me since with one glance of an eye thou may'st discomfit me neither can I sustaine thy presence Rifle me dart thy flames from heaven I acknowledge I have deserved more The World But Lord this great City would become desolate if nothing should remain is' t but what thou would'st absolve in the severity of thy justice and thou art the pitiful Father who givest more terrour than stripes and delightest rather to restore than to destroy Thou hastest to receive the cryes of one penitent sinner if he repents himself thou pardonest him and as he addes
transgression upon transgression thou multipliest the acts of clemency Be not then My God inexorable to my fault pursue me not unto extremity The Nurse forbears not to give the breast to her child because it disturbs her repose and sleep Thou art to me more than a Fosterer be not then deaf to my plaints and deny not the milk and the sweetnesse of thy grace to thy infant whom thou hast imbellish't for an high designe and whom thou hast redeem'd with the life of thy onely Son I have forfeited thy grace my God but thou never losest thy goodnesse behold me in thy clemency not in thy justice my hopes survives in thee alone swallow my transgressions in thy compassions and the fruit shall remain to thy glory Lord my braines dissolve into teares my haires are full of ashes my visage heavy my eyes are hollow sunk and dull But Lord if my teares can render thee more gentle if they can move thee to extinguish the flames of my crimes set open the Fountaines of my weeping and cause me to bathe in the waters of my penitence untill that by the merits of the Saviour of the world thou hast overturned my transgression and impure desires under the power of thy compassion Lord I am nothing but Rottennesse and Corruption But the very ashes of a rich substance want not their value I am ransom'd by the stripes of thy Sonne I am cleansed by his blood I speak to thee by hismouth be mindful then of that sweet smelling sacrifice which Jesus Christ offered on the Crosse and do me the honour I may participate in the Triumph of his perfect and compleat Ministry Thou promisedst to Abraham not to destroy Sodom if so be that there thou couldst finde ten just persons and I Lord Gen. 15.36 I am holy I am enclosed I am a member of the just one without spot of one just justifying who hath swallowed my transgressions in the Ocean of his merits of one Just who is the light from whence I borrow the rayes of splendor Of one Just who hath cherish't me in his bosome and who makes me to draw the breath of his mouth Accept then the offerings my God of my humble acknowledgment which I bring to thy Altars with all the zeal and devotion whereof I am capable Psal 51. I beseech thee with the Psalmist David O God have pity upon me according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions efface my offences wash me from mine iniquity and purge me from my sinne I acknowledge my transgressions and my faults are ever before thee I have sinned against thee purge me with bysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Turn thy face away from mine iniquities O God create in me a clean heart and a stedfast spirit east me not away from thy presence neither take from me the Spirit of thy holinesse Restore me to the gladnesse of thy salvation open may lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Lord cause thy graces to abide with me conduct and lead me in thy wholsom paths by a divine inspiration touch to the quick my spirit and my sense and fill me with an ardure to thy service Open my lips which my transgressions have closed make to spring in me piety integrity the love of my neighbours modesty and that my vices after having so long time abused thy creature may in conclusion quit and surrender the place to a blessed to a reformed estate Effect it that my very countenance may answer for me that one may read in my eyes and voice the integrity of my intentions Enable me that I may fructifie as Trees planted by the streames of waters Enable me to walk worthily as it is requisite before thee increasing in all sweet savour and declaring that I am a member of thy Church instructed in thy Gospel and that thy Word dwelleth in me Lord thou hast unto this day conserved me thou hast born me upon thy wings Enable me then to be obedient to thy Voice that I may keep thy Covenant and that I may be of the Kingdome of thy Priests and of thy holy Nation Engrave thy holy Ordinances in my spirit cause my eares to resound the sweet and gratious ayres of thy Word Bring to passe that my tongue may sing a perperual song and be an eccho to thy heavenly voice and for the time to come I may ever addresse most ardent supplications not idle drowsy words unto thee then when as carried away with a Designe or Slumber and that I speak and understand not my self Establish my heart in thy fear retain my inclinations in obedience to thine fill my soul with charity which is the Complement of the Law the establishment of grace the preparative to glory which as the influence of the Sunne enables me with a vertue to fructifie and increase Lord receive me into thy favours wholly blot out my sinne temper and aslwage the scaldings of my wounds Encamp thy Angels round about me dispel and scatter all evil farre from me Be thou my Guide through the perisous straights of the World and the turbulent stormes of the violence of my passions suffer me not to daâ—h against the rocks of this Sea of the world and under the conduct of thy Holy Spirit cause me to arive at the Port of thy salvarion and cast anchor in the midst of thine Love me my God to the intent I may love thee that I may seek thee serve thee pray to thee that I may give thee glory and honour for ever A Meditation upon the Holy Supper UP then my Soul continue not longer buried in the delights and vanities of the World Arise awake thee rouze thy self and lend an attentive ear to the sacred voice of the well-beloved Sonne of God who invites thee to take place at his feast to sit down to the Banquet of eternal life Arise recollect all thy strength and lift thy self up toward this Fountain of light who by his Sunne illustrates all the Starres of heaven and illuminates all the parts and corners of the earth He is the only Physician on whom depends all thy deliverance He is the onely Authour of grace who can conserve thee against darknesse against hell he onely is Omnipotent who can carry thee for ever into heaven Up then my Soul prostrate thy self before him fortifie thy zeal follow thy God who calleth thee to participate of that great divine mystery which he hath instituted and ordained in his Church which is the Sacrament of his body of which one must take part to obtain eternal life The Sacrament of his body by the which he is united unto thee to convey thee into his glory whereby he removeth he abolisheth he effaceth all that is in thee of sin of cursing and of death and there replanteth his grace his life and his felicity All whatever he has brought from heaven all the grace which is
infused into him all the treasure of those merits which he acquir'd on the Crosse is conferred on thee by the communion of this holy Sacrament of his Supper which is the Fountain of spiritual sweetnesse by the which God nourisheth sustaineth and conserveth the life he hath confer'd on us in Baptisme and hath united us unto himself making â—s as saith Saint Paul flesh of his flesh bones of his bones and members of his proper body But my God all times are ever present with thee thou mindest not the past nor attendest the future Thou watchest over my cogitations thou art the Judge of my intentions nothing is hid from thee all things to thee are naked and entirely manifest my heart is fast closed in my breast but my bosome is not other than glasse in thy sight and thou beholdest Lord that the fervour of my faith is as it were quite extinct that my brow hath neither sincerity nor candor that I take not repose but under the branches cracking with fruits of iniquity and that my soul is more defil'd than the mire of which my body is form'd I cannot then great God approach thy holy Table till I have in thy presence with a true resentment and entire affection without hypocrisie and with an open and free heart confessed my shame acknowledging thy glory Lord I am oppressed with fear and astonishment I humble my self at thy feet I poure forth in thy sight all my offences which appeal my countenance I accuse I blame and condemne my ingratitude and my failings I acknowledge I am the most infirme the most abject of all thy creatures the very scorn of the earth and the most vile and detestable of all that the heaven covers I have suffered my self to be carried away with the deceitful delusions and enticements of the world I am quite over-spread with foul and filthy scales which â—â—â—ke me stumble into precipices and inâ—â—ead that thou hast opened my mouth to the end I should exalt thee and hast given me the knowledge of thy truth to declare it on the earth I am ever backward to that which concerne thy glory and my salvation Lord thou mayest dart thy lightning from heaven thou canst consume and over-whelme me with thy storms but I am nothing and in punishing me thou losest thy labour and thy thunder thou art the Omnipotent God from all eternity and I a fraile man yet the work of thy hands as thou art powerful in thy wrath so art thou Omnipotent in thy clemency Rend not him then who is humbled I am thine now thou canst have no delight in my Funerals I am a great sinner but thou art yet greater in thy mercies thou holdest the lives of men in thy hands 't is thy mouth which pronounces their absolution have pity then on me my God by the infinite number of thy compassions blot out my innumerable iniquities and save by thy grace him whom thou mayst damne in thy justice deliver him who is ransom'd by the precious blood of thy Sonne of thy Sonne who all glittering and resplendent with glory hath so far humbled himself as to be cloathed with our flesh to raise up the mud and refuse of the earth toward the Throne of thy Grandure Cause Lord that my Repentance and Confession may be to thee sweet sacrifices agreeable and of pleasant odour I knock at the gate let it not be closed seeing thou art merciful with thee the word and effect are the same grant me pardon from deserved punishment and mollifie the hardnesse of my heart which is in thy power Lord in times past thou drewest out and deliverest thy people from the fetters of Egypt thou hast divided the Red Sea and formed a Rampart of waters against the waters continue then thy goodnesse towards thine own Deliver me Lord Deliver me immediately by the merits of thy Sonne from the servitude of mine iniquities under the bondage whereof with anguish I emplore thy succours Bow down thy greatnesse over me display upon my soul the rayes of thy holy Spirit and enlighten me with the lustre of thy divinity to the end that I may meditate and fully comprehend how the body of Jesus Christ my Saviour is given and broken for thine elect and his blood spil't on the Crosse is made mine by the communion of thy holy Sacrament I am unable of my self to raise me up from this miserable earth to a subject so High and Excellent But Lord Thou hast cleft the obscurity thence to draw out light Thy divine eye enlightens the darknesse touch my spirit with thy brightnesse as thou didst that of Saint Paul render me uncapable and untractable to the vanities of the World and clear-sighted in the inestimable treasures of thy Gospel Assure my faith establish my faith Lord stay it upon thy promises fortifie me mightly according to the riches of thy divinity so that Christ may abide in me and that I may comprehend with the Saints his love and greatresse Ephes 3.16 which passeth all understanding That we who when enemies having been reconciled by the death of the Saviour of the World may now much rather being justiâ—ed by his blond Rom. 5.10 Shall I be preserved from thine ire Regulate Lord the disordred affections and appetites of my heart mundifie the impure cogitations of my spirit cleanse all the pollutions of my lips and wrench my sins in the blood of thy Son to the intent I may present my self pure at thy Table Grant that my understanding may comprehend Thee that my heart may affect Thee my soul adore Thee and that all my powers and faculties may render and yield thee the obedience which is thy due Father of glory grant me the spirit of wisdome enlighten my eyes Eph. 1.18 to the end I may apprehend what is the excellency of thy Son whom thou hast caused to sit at thy right hand in the heâ—venly places and whom thou hast prefer'd to all principalities and powers and above every name which is invoked not onely in this world but likewise in that which is to come Give eare to me Thou onely object of the Angels through thy Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth and reigneth in unity with Thee and thy holy Spirit for ever and ever Lord after having formed the light after having stretched out the heavens with thy hands separated the earth from the flood and finishest the creation of such a multitude of starres of so many creeping things of such a variety of Fowles who have a being to thy Glory Thou tookest dust thou embellished it and formed man subjecting the earth under his feet giving him dominion over the fishes of the Sea and over the Fowles of the Ayre And this man good God instead of lifting up without ceasing his vowes to thy honour and praise and to possesse with joy eternally the delights of Eden hath open'd his mouth against thee and contrary to thy expresse command and menaces hath tasted the fruit
call to my remembrance his blood shed for to acquire for me life eternal By the receiving the bread and the wine I enter by faith into a community into the society of the body and blood of the Son of God I draw life I draw absolution and am clothed again with his innocence and with his Justice By the vissible receiving which I performe of the bread and of the wine I am assured that I am spiritually united to Christ and made a Citizen of the Kingdome of heaven that he hath bequeath'd me and possessor of eternal life which he hath given me and in eating and drinking the bread and the wine at thy holy Table I am assured my God that I Participate of the body and of the blood of thy Son which I truely receive by faith and by which I participate of the Treasures and Heritage which he hath acquired by his death and which he hath bestowed on his faithful servants When I receive the bread and the wine I receive not only the Elements which are the figures and sacred signs of his body and of his blood but I receive by faith and in spirit the things themselves which are signified and represented Not that the bread and the wine of the Eucharist communicate to me his body and blood but thy goodnesse my God Thy truth Thy majesty Thy vertue and the efficacy of thy holy Spirit communicate and reach forth this body and blood to my understanding and my soul to be spiritually eaten and drank by faith The bread and wine serving to this purpose being sacred signes of his Body and of his blood which should be eaten by the operation of his holy Spirit without understanding any thing therein of sensual any thing corporeal ☜ any thing carnal and without searching here below and in our corporal mouths His true body with it's proper essentials with it's inseparable accidents with it's quantity and dimentions which is ascended to the heavens and set at the right hand of God where 't is requisite that the heavens contain him even until the restauration of all things Thus Lord I seek the body of Christ in heaven Acts 3.21 by faith I celebrate in the holy Supper the memory of his Death and of his Passion I declare it I esteem it and magnifie it even untill he come and I receive it not with a carnal mouth and corporal throat but after a Divine manner Sacramentally under a signifficant mystery with the mouth of my heart and spiritually by faith By faith which is the substance of things hoped for By faith whereby I really embrace his Body and blood and which bring to passe that in the holy Eucharist I am made partaker of it By faith which is the vessel and the hand whereby I receive thy Graces And as Lord 't is by faith that the Lamb was slaine from the beginning of the world 't is by faith that Abraham saw the day of the Lord 't is by faith that the Galatians have had Christ crucified before their eyes 'T is by faith that the Gospel gives me at this present eternal life Also Lord 't is by faith that in the celebration of thy holy Supper His body and his blood are present and subsistent in my heart in my spirit and in my soul 'T is by faith that I embrace his body and suck his blood which distilleth from his wounds And by means of this Sacramental eating and feeding on the body of the Saviour of the world and this spiritual drinking of his blood I am made bone of his bone flesh of his flesh I am incorporated in him I draw by faith eternal life from his flesh broken for me and from his blood shed for me I live of Christ and in Christ I live of his Justice instead that I should dye of my sinne I am justified by him sanctified in him to be eniivened and glorified in him By this holy Sacrament I am also admonished of my duty toward my Neighbour in regard as we are ransomed with the same blood made members of the same body and Dependants of one and the same Head and consequently one among our selves and by the Commandment of God and natural duty We all draw life from one and the same death nourishment from one and the same food and the self same cup. Up then my soul 't is here where thou oughts to Anchor and fix thy cogitations stay thy course and cast thy eyes upon the love of thy God 'T is here that thou oughtest to supplicate that Divine heavenly heart who onely bestowes motion upon men That only pulse and life of thy being 'T is the only base whereon thou foundest thy hope to inspire in thee the ardent flames of his Spirit and turn into thy heart the generous boylings of zeale heate and ardour toward him to the intent that thou mayest be a worthy partaker of that holy Sacrament which is the most singular consolation the most effectual remedy and greatest guift which he hath communicated to his upon the earth It 's the entyre Summe and Soveraign abridgment of his benefits it 's the certaine token of his infinite love the true treasure of his bounty Lord Eph. 1.7 thou hast ransomed me by the blood of thy Sonne according to the rickes of thy grace which thou causest plentifully to abound over me Instructing me in the secret of thy pleasure Thou hast informed me that 't is the bread of life by the which my soul is sustained That 't is the true Vine whereof I am a branch The gate of Honour and the rich assent which conducts me to the mount of Glory Thou hast called me to the communication of his body Hast applyed his merits to me made me his Co-heritor partaker of his Riches enjoying his celestial heritage In time-past I was not of thy people but now am I of the chosen generation of the Royal Priest-hood of the holy Nation of thy purchased people To th' intent I should set forth and magnifie thy grace and vertue my God who hast called me out of darknesse into thy merveilous light Thy Sonne is my only sacrifice my only oblation my onely Holocost by the vertue and merit whereof the heavens and all the treasures of heaven are open to me 'T is the onely remedy of my sin the onely spunge capable to efface my crimes 'T is the Sanctuary the Assillum of my salvation my heritage the joy and the Divine chaine sufficient to rayse me from these miserable places 'T is the tongue of succour who undertaketh my defence 'T is the sacred Anchor which stayeth my vessel and secureth it from ship-wrack and the prosperous Gale which freeth and delivereth me from the depths and Gulfes of the world If the food Lord which will sustaine me but one day obligeth me to praise thy Fatherly goodnesse how much more ought to be excited and enflamed my Devoyre to render thee thanks for the bread of life and for
forbear to aggravate my torments regard my afflictions and my travel and forgive me all my offences Lord I suffer in my groanings I mingle my Couch with my tears I am pierc't with afflictions on the bed of languishing The earth is not capable to deliver me out of this extremity The heavens alone have the glory of the medicines that are requisite for me Make hast then to come to my deliverance my God who doth dayly comfort me in my distresse and shelter me in all my stormes Lord I am afflicted that I cannot depart more than that I cannot live But good God who hast freed from death the great Shepheard of the flock by the blood of the perpetual Covenant turn thy compallionate countenance towards my torment and cause it to shine upon me in joy and in salvation Lord thou hast instructed me to understand my end and what is the wretchednesse of my dayes But good God since thou hast ordain'd that I must die cause me to depart in thee that Imay live again I have sinned my God I have displeased thee I have a thousand and a thousand times every day provoked thy fury but thou art the God of my deliverance I am washt I am sanctifi'd I am justified by thy grace in the name of Jesus Christ who hath taken my sorrowes upon him and charged my offences upon himself I am a fellow-Citizen of the Saints of thy Houshold I am built upon the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles Pardon then my sinnes Lord in the name of thy well-beloved Son correct me not in thy displeasure neither chasten me in thy fury have mercy on me that am destitute of strength I beseech thee my God in the bitternesse of my Soul in the words of the Propher David Lord heare my request and make my supplication come unto thee Hide not thy face from me in the time that I am in calamity encline thine ear unto me in the day that I cry unto thee hast thee to answer me for my bones are dryed as an hearth and they cleave to my flesh by reason of my groaning and my time vanisheth away like smoke and as a shadow which passeth away and as for me I am become withered as the grasse Lord I said once again with David Eternal reprove me not in thine indignation thine arrowes have pierc't me and thy hand hath overwhelm'd me there is no entire part in my flesh there is no rest in my bones by reason of my sinne for mine iniquities are gone over my head and are too weighty as â—n heavy burthen above my strength I am bowed down and swerve beyond measure I am weakned and bruised more and more Lord all my desires are before thee and my afflictions are not hid from thee Forsake me not my God be not far from me hast thee and help me All my hope is in thy mercy Lord thou hast spoken by the mouth of thy Prophet Esay I have heard thee in an acceptable season and succoured thee in the day of salvation My God now behold the agreeable time see now the day of salvation Be thou now Lord my Rock and my Fortresse be thou my Deliverer and sure Retrait The snares of death hath surpriz'd me destruction hath environ'd me but I lift up my self to thee my God hearken to my supplication from thy holy place and let my cry enter into thine ears Give me by thy free mercy the wages and entire reward notwithstanding that I entred not into thy Vineyard till at the close of the day shew me thy sight give me life eternal after this fleeting languishing and cransitory life and assure me of heaven to the intent that the grave swallow me not up for ever Grant me my God that when the Saviour of the World shall appear I may appear with him in glory Grant me that I may accompany that infinite number of thine which shall be before the Throne cloathed in long white Robes holding Palms in their hands and that I sing with a loud voyce with them salvation is of our God who is set upon the Throne and of the Lamb. Wash my garment and cleanse it in his innocent blood to the end that I may eternally serve thee in his holy Temple wherein I shall never suffer hunger nor thirst that I be no more molested nor distemper'd with the Sun nor with the Winter nor with miseries my tears and my pains wip't away with thy hand O Lord I am at the last gasp of my life in the agony and shadow of death to thee I direct my latest vowes my last words All my actions have not been better than vanity in respect hereof Good God arme not thy self with vengeance against me I render to thee my penitent Soul deploring languishing which savours of nought but earth and dust to which this carcasse shall be incontinently reduc't I oppose my cryes my tears my requests my plaints and my groans against my condemnation and my fall Let the confession of my mouth the contrition of my heart cause thy Sword to tumble out of thy hands let my gasping move thy goodnesse magnifie not thy power and might against a languishing attenuated immoveable carcasse against withered grasse laid on the earth expecting nought but to be driven away by the smallest blast I am at my end I neither have more power nor heart to offend thee but I may still serve thee to publish thy elemency the foundation of my hope and thy bounty the spring of my life I am thine from the Cradle thou hast sanctified me I have been redeem'd and ransom'd by the blood of thy Son who died innocent to give life to the guilty by the blood of thy Son who must open to me the door of felicity I have my recourse to him I beseech thee in his Name It is not reasonable that my sinnes should violate me in so holy a Sanctuary Rouse thee good God a rise speedily the extremity of my affliction will not admit any delay to the end that these sinnes be not too powerful for me hearken to my prayers give me strength to prevail against these billowes that drive me off from the heavenly shoar hast thee to absolve me preserve in thy hands my Soul lest it remain a prey drive these sins our of thy presence which are the work of thine enemy and Lord pardon me that am the work of thine hands Lord I render praise for that thou hast made me capable to participate of the heritage of Saints in thy light for that thou hast delivered me from the power of darknesse and hast transported me to the Kingdome of thy well-beloved Son in whom I have deliverance and remission from my sins Lord I perceive the establishment of thine assistance I feel my self replenish't with thy Holy Spirit who effaces my transgressions and ravisheth my Soul even unto heaven to shew him the inheritance which the mercy of thy Son hath bestowed on me in thy presence O good God! how blessed shall I be to hear from thy Holy Spirit that the last of my dayes shall be the first of my repose that I am not farther from my satisfaction than the length of the last groan of my life I am approaching Lord to thy Throne of grace with assurance to obtain mercy by the vertue of my High Priest who hath compassion on my infirmities I am coming to behold thee face to face whereas now I discern thee but darkly as in a mirrour I am quitting these miseries for a fulness of delight from these dolors into the Mountain of Syon from this Militant to the Triumphant Jerusalem from this World to the City of the living God I voluntarily cease to live on the Earth to survive in heaven I contentedly part with this wretched life for that which is most happy I chearfully quit my self to follow thee I abandon this carcasse and render my Soul into thy hands FINIS
in some degree it may supply the other Defects Disabilities and want of Industry which his Relation oblidges him to for your information and instruction in the perusal you cannot altogether regrete your pains nor remain unsatisfied with those reflections of your own Pure spirit whose motions are none other than restlesse actions tending to Holinesse and Righteousnesse the honour of God the comfort of Men that parallel 'twixt his sayings and your performances And if the generality of men overpasse this with neglect with contempt yet Providence when it shall be instal'd in your Oratory that Sanctum Sanctorum of unsullied Devotions your Closet may be pleased to move some curious eye who may collect some word some syllable that may faciliate his voyage to the City of my God this ensuing Treatise not onely weaning men from the World but gradually conducting them in the five subsequent discourses to life eternal through the gastly gate of death not dreadful though to worthy Christians but a rest from their labours at worst I may not altogether dispair but hereby to fix a more than ordinary impression on the spirits of the tender productions of our entire affection our selves multiplied who may as persons more nearly concerned in their parents acquisitions extract what may advance their eternal well-fare which if it fall out as my Prophetick soule whispers and suggests and my most frequent and fervent addresses to the Throne of Grace importune I am abundantly recompenc'd for my cordial intentions in thus exposing my self to the censure of this choice pallated generation But my best blest soul I may not longer detain thee from what 's more worthy thy consideration since it 's an effect of his singular regard whose terrestrial glory solely consists in what renders him the object of others envy that perfect and indissolvable amity he contracted with thee from that happy moment he had the peculiar priviledge and felicity to subscribe what he entirely is MADAM My Dearest Passionately Enamor'd onely with the title of Your most Affectionate More oblig'd Husband Peter Temple TO THE Reader I Hold it not impertinent to Advertise thee That notwithstanding the infinite number of excellent Treatises of this nature our Nation so abounding with persons famous in their generation that it may seem as Idle an Irregularity to addresse to this Forreiner as to imitate the extravagancies of his Nation yet the not too frequent perusal in the Original possibly out of curiossity remarking that in a stranger which I might have over-past in a Denizon so entertain'd otherwise but tedious and unpleasant houres with such an agreeable Conversation as encourag'd nay more obliged me thus to expose my self to an universal censure in this Publication so I might thereby Reluminate this glimmering yet glittering sparke of Divinity who in his native language as well as choyce subject is so proper so admirably excellent and insinuating that I never observ'd a more sad sober languishing yet becoming yea enticing countenance Portrayed by a more Judicious Pensil and in more flourishing not garish colours which hitherto notwithstanding never so much as warm'd our more Frigid climate and more than probable having served his generation through the Authours modesty In omitting his name or oversight of men is near extinct in his Native Country The subject is the most necessary Faith and Repentance Instructing to do to suffer The Active The Passive Posture of a Christian But I shall not longer detain you with a tedious Appollogy to so short a Collation yet dare I avow your entertainment both wholsome and not unsavory your only Infelicity is in being thus slenderly served and at second hand I wish I had no greater Frailties than my deffect in not perfectly comprehending the language of the Original Attribute then to him whose abilities reach't not his cleer intentions all over-sights and imperfections but what it may contract in the Presse and them alone besides some necessary variations that of 't sounding harsh in a forrain stile which is most exactly ellegant in it's Native Dialect It being the common fate of Translations to abate of their Primitive purity as the most-knowing can easily determine The rest I gratefully return to the memory of the Pious Authour whose worst fate 't is Thus to deliver his excellent conceptions by so insufficient an Interpreter his name questionlesse is regestred in heaven though obscur'd here I heartily desire you no lesse satisfaction I would say advantage then I reap't The same providence whose wayes are past finding out that directed it to my hand in the chiefest confluence of the most ellaborate pieces in the Courts of his desolate Sanctuary St. Pauls Church-yard moving your heart and if I be any way Instrumental herein to contribute to the consolation or information of any deprest dejected or gasping soul this being a most Rich Cordial for a fainting spirit he who only heareth all prayers and to whom only they ought to be directed and addrest hath after his accustomed mâ—â—â—full manner abundantly answered 〈◊〉 Fervent Potion of Your Companion in armes under the invincible banner of the ✚ P. T. A POST-SCRIPT IT may possibly prove no unseasonable Argument to the Reader that Lot urg'd for the rescuing of Zoar out of that doleful and general conflagration It 's but a little one spare it and my soul shall live For the same if no other reason peruse this let me thus excite such as happily imploy not their time alwayes more thriftily 'T is not tedious but doubtlesse of admirable use and comfort specially for such Reverst overwhelmed spirits who thereby may be establish't to attend to submit to the divine pleasure and not rashly give way to their extremities Inhummanly to precipitate them to the eternal destruction of their precious souls being a too frequent too deplorable remedy or rather such an immortal Barbarisme against themselves that their most malicious most cruel adversaries want gall to wish and abillity to effect ERRATA Page 7. line 14. read he is for we are p. 14. l. 22. add men before may p. 25. l. 1. after retrograde ad to heaven p. 34. l. 7. say that that p. 41. l. 17. r. their for her p. 43. l. 9. for layeth r. loveth p. 45. l. 4. r. of the add paths p. 46. l. 19. make a at selves p. 60. l. 24. omit he p. 75. l. 1. for feigned r. sayning p. 76. l. 15. make a at serve and omit that at manner p. 78. l. 29. for parke r. sparke p. 88. l. 3. r. victory for ministry p. 114. l. 6. r. in the extremity of my numberlesse afflictions p. 133. l. 10. make a at grave p. 158. l. 1. r. to take a greater in his Globe p. 168. l. 6. for so he r. as one p. 203. l. 14. leave out the first and. p. 206. betwixt the 12. and 18. l. you must 7. times r. her and she for him and he c. p. 215. for highly r. slyly A DISCOURSE UPON THE
and contempt will not he break up his Family from whence he reaps nought but vexation So the Master of the world who is without intermission affronted by our vices will he not withdraw from the midst of us his graces the testimonyes of his presence will he not approach us in his anger to destroy and to afflict us under his stormes He is Just he is Omnipotent his power marcheth equal pace with his pleasure he will crush his enemies he will terryfie them after such a sort as to disable them to Rally or reunite he will cause them to tremble under his sword as eares of corne under the siccle their bodyes torne and dismember'd with wounds shall be a pray to salvage beasts they shall serve as food for Ravens he will inflict on the children the rigour of his revenging lawes for their fathers offences he will punish the transgression in the Race who shall shrivel and fade with a shameful brand on the brow of the Nephewes and in vain would men ward his blows in vain will they sly before his face For neither the thundering Cannons nor the sharp sword nor the high Bullwarks nor the most inaccessible Mountaines nor the whole universs rang'd in battel array can preserve them of whom he hath vowed to take vengeance Let all the ungodly rally themselves let them assemble he would destroy them at one stroak he would reduce them into one handful of ashes ☞ into nothing such is his force that he can vanquish his enemies and not onely overturne them but entice and dragge them and their Armies and tumble them for ever head-long into the gulph of darknesse belching with fire and carcasses fil'd with despaires and horrours wherein they shall be tormented without intermission without having a thousand millions of yeares of exquisite torments to be esteemed as one only point of eternity in which they shall languish suffer and endure perpetually with rage the racks the flames and what ever can be imagined dreadful The Lord is living in truth saith Jeremiah he is living in judgement and justice erem 4. wherefore cloath you in sack-cloth lament and howle Direct the ensigne toward Sion retire together and tarry not for feare lest his anger break forth as fire and that it doth not inflame by reason of the wickednesse of your deeds Let us beware then that we be not of those accursed flourishing like the lawrell but are suddenly vanish't Psal 37. suddenly they are no more and are in a Moment destroyed with their transgressions Let us beware that we are not of those reprobates which have been beaten and have felt no smart Jerem. 5.3 warn'd and hardned their hearts rejecting admonition and refusing to turn unto the Lord Num. 2.4 nor contemning the riches of his goodnesse of his patience and long-suffering which excites us which calleth us and which so long a time envites us to repentance God liveth for ever He is Great He is Omnipotent He is Dreadful He will be Redoubted will you not feare me saith He will you not tremble before my face I can do all all things are in my hand I have plac't the sand for limits to the Sea I have fixt his waves within the shore that they may not passe beyond them what then shall we persist still in our crimes shall our own feet search out the snares of our desolation what shall we again lance out selves into the depth of the torrent to the end that the stream of the water overslowing may carry us away shall we again thrust the sword into our bosomes that our own hands should give us a wretched death we did I say from whom God hath taken the vaile from our eyes on whom he hath bestowed holy and manifest instructions we allyed to the Divinity Shall we abandon heaven shall we quit the faithful and saving counsel of that truth to plunge our selves into the world and precipitate our selves into these vices God hath instructed us in his wayes He hath taught us his paths He hath with his own mouth cutsed the wicked we know that we ought to love him with all our hearts and with all our mindes that He ought to be Renowned for his judgments that our salvation should be more deare and precious to us than all the vain pleasures and false treasures which can sustaine this perishable earth How is it then that we follow the Prince of Darknesse which worketh effectually in us as the children of rebellion How do we swerve out of the course how break we out of the Park to expose our selves to be abandon'd to Wolves What considerations can deliver us up to the concupiscence of our flesh without judgment without reason Bethink with our selves that Satan does surmount that he blinds and besots us We are of those of whom Paul speaks who having known the righteousnesse of God which understand that they which commit such things are worthy of death and neverthelesse plunge our selves therein we are inexcusable saith he for that having the knowledge of God we glorifie him not as God neither render him praise for his benefits but are vain in our discourse having our our Hearts filled with Darknesse Let us then remember how we have been enlightned that we have been partakers of the Holy Spirit that we have tasted of the heavenly gift the Word of God and the power of the World to come and that all his blessings having been heap't upon us we again crucifie the Some of God in following the tracts of iniquity Heb 6.4 and as much as in us lies exposing him to contempt Come then let us force Fountains of teares to issue from our eyes let us from the bottome of our hearts cause sighths and regreats to arise which may produce the fruits of repentance 'T is time to set our affaires in order the houre presseth us the season hasteth us the mischief is at hand if suits not our purpose to slumber the defluxion of this poison choakes us Let us awake awake our selves from death Ephe. 5.41 2 Tim. 2.26 that Christ may enlighten us and cause us to escape the snare of the Devil by the which we have been taken for to accomplish his will Be we not like to rebellious people disobedient Rom. 10 22. gain-saying which turne our backs on the Lord while he calleth us and stretcheth out the hands of his mercy towards us Let 's walk altogether according to the Spirit Gal. 5.16 chasing away the covetousnesse of our flesh we very well understand which is the sure path for the conduct of our worldly affaires and can we not also discern that which is just and what is necessary for our salvation since 't is thither that we ought to move our hands whether our cares should tend where all our labours should terminate since we understand nothing is more happy for man than what is proposed To follow the way tract him out by the finger of God
danger The infinite number of afflictions should instruct us not to esteem them as considerable Our life is no other than a continual war-fare if sometimes we are free from heavinesse it 's nothing but a short truce with the world or rather a suspension of armes and no absolute no entire peace If the Sunne shines bright a sudden storm in an instant chaseth away the serenity of the ayre and filleth all with darknesse if we behold a glimpse of light we are again plunged presently into a more close prison War interrupts peace sicknesse health death the sweetnesse of conversation Pleasure and sorrow are of near assinity and ever entertain each other Such is the condition of men against which plaints are unprofitable Such it was to those in ages past and so shall it be to them in time to come The remedy is that we serve our selves of these changes as Musitians of Tones flat sharp and diverse It 's necessary that we learn to conduct our vessel not onely in calme still waters but also in the high going and rough billowes Contrary winds do not hinder that we aid our selves by following the North if so be we hoyse and trimme our sailes as we ought The bitternesse of griefs are sweetned by remedies the nettles do not sting when we presse them very hard nor afflictions when we tread on their throat If they made choice of persons if in passing by some they spar'd them altogether their inequality would be more insupportable but the bullet is blind it pierces as soon the Captain as the Souldier The feavour is deaf it retires not sooner for the plaints of the greatest than the meanest The heat of the Sunne scorches without distinction all those who are in the Plain The cold as easily penetrates the Velvets as the Shagges and death overturnes every one without excepting any to the intent that the equality of each ones necessary destiny should serve for a general consolation But if it appeares to us that we behold some who are ever at their ease who live and flourish in great plenty of all things without encountering any affliction assuredly we abuse our selves it 's the lustre of their habits which dasles us their Port and Fashion which deceives us we see not with what a multitude of agitations their soules are tormented what perturbations and what desires vex their spirits putting them into inquietude and interrupting their repose we see not their Catarrs their issues and the cryes they send forth in the dolour of their stone and gout the condition of their spirit and disposition of their Bodies is unknown to us They go not forth of their houses but in health they shew not themselves in publick but with a cheareful countenance whereas often their hearts are heavy and that is it which deceives us and then what know we what afflictions they have had heretofore what distempers then when we were in health what heavinesse at such time when we were in delight what understand we what mischiefs hang over their heads ready to overcome and destroy them An Ague is ready a pestilent ayre a weaknesse a fall the treachery of an enemy And if we be not satisfied with so many Considerations let 's cast down our sight and beholding so many poor people afflicted of all sorts seeing the beggar often in despaire for default of finding a morsel of brown bread Behold them tormented with a feavour impaired languishing laid overturned on the pavement observe the greatest consolation which they receive from our charity they are dragged to a hideous place fil'd with wretches there they understand nothing but cries but plaints but groanes but gaspings after death oft-times the dead remaining long among them before they be enterred and thus in these continued miseries they finish their lives Behold on the other side a poor father sick stretch't out upon the straw to whom bread is wanting when his labour failes him having five or six small children lying about him crying for hunger Behold one Bed-ridden of the Palsie these foure yeares continually pierc't through with heavinesse constantly gasping after death if we be so mischievous to receive any consolation from the harmes of another agreeable to our sorrowes 'T is most facile for us by this communion of miseries to asswage our own and to mitigate our affliction by the multitude of other afflicted ones which are so innumerable But let 's return to our selves what advantage have we by so many plaints do our afflictions retire for our cryes ☞ no they never swerve out of their way Give them passage then and crosse their humour to the intent they should not abide in our Company If by lamentations we think to chase away our evils If by teares we hope to lift up the Tombs and renew and enlighten again the extinguisht lives of our friends I should be of opinion to enforce our selves to distill out all we have of oysture But if our lamentations bring them no advantage if that our regreates are not so much as understood by them if the marble that presseth them heareth not our groanes to what end are so many unprofitable sighths so many rages so many faintings to no effect If it be in regard of them 't is folly if for our own do we love our ease so much then as to cruciate our selves for the losse of one contentment of one support or a little wealth If we lament for that 't is an affliction consider our misery observe how one stroak seconds another and how that if for every occasion we will afflict our selves ☞ teares will faile us sooner than a ground for lamentation 'T is a miserable remedy to go about to drive away one heavinesse with another it 's the way to passe away our life in continual teares and sadnesse and not to manifest the grandure of our courage and generosity of our soules Who is more praise-worthy or he who being surpriz'd and overtaken by an affliction doth by his impatience aggrevate and imbitter his misfortune and gives himself to despair or rather he who yieldeth not to it's assaults and thereby abates and frustrates the force of adversity by an invincible heart and couragiously bears away the victory The good disposition of our spirits should not change as that of our bodies according to Climates and Moons This World which beholds our persons may afflict them but not our soules which should continually reside in the hand of God what though our bodies are sometimes languishing wasting and consuming we are neverthelesse sound in our better parts to wit our soules seeing we fill them with assurance And why bemoan we our selves for so many diseases understand we not that our bodies are no other than receptacles of corruption and that many of them are hereditary and left us as a sad patrimony If we consider of how many diverse parts our bodies are compos'd and fram'd to how many several accidents each is subject and that the
without the desolution of the whole Body But then when our well-fare requires that so it must be it 's better to perish in part then entyrely to lose one than both our eyes of't-times a member spar'd costs the life If we be alwayes heated with Prosperity if we ever live at our ease what a multitude of designs would take up our thoughts and interpose that we lift not up our soules to that which is on high with how little difficultie will we permit our selves to slip into vices and to be partakers of all the vanities of the word That little interval we have enjoyed gives us full assurance the example of very many removes all doubt We are slothful to our safety we must be prest to it we are slack and advance not but by constraint The Eagle hovers round about her young to teach them to rayse themselves from the earth he lets some dayes passe without feeding them to the intent that hunger may compell them to seek out their food and for the utmost remedy He beats them he corrects their sloth with strokes both with his beak and wings Even so the great God delivers his Ordinances into our hands to observe them He commands us to obey them he summons he threatens us and in conclusion when bare words makes no impression in our hardned hearts He puts us forward and constraines us through sundry afflictions He deals by us as a Father who hastily snatches the Knife out of the hand of his childe fearing he should hurt himself and forbeares not for his crying As the Father who retyres his sonne from the brinck of the River and in with-drawing him corrects him to the end he should not return again He chastiseth us to the intent we should resent our offences he leads us off beating us and ever addes some surcharge to our afflictions thereby to humble us During our prosperity we pride our selves beholding every thing with a scorneful eye we value none but our selves and think not of ought but our content and felicity And as bodies that are fatted languish under their proper weight and stoop beneath the burthen and charge of themselves in like manner our overmuch and continual repose drowns us in pleasures and lessons in delights the first glances men observe to blaze of our zeal and ardure to pursue the path of the children of God The skilful Physician sometimes breaths a veine not for present necessity but to prevent and remove the cause of that malady he judges approaching In like manner God afflicts us to turn us from vices which we are ready to embrace And so he prunes off many branches of a plant to the intent it may become more fruitful we undergo afflictions to the intent we may fructifie the more and that we may increase our zeal That we may preserve our selves dextrous and strong we accustome our selves to Justs Turneys we counterfeit war in a full absolute peace and to preserve our soules ever amiable alwayes healthy do we refuse adversity afflictions and tryals we conceive not of our felicity but by the same measure that we recent evil ☞ we joy not in heaven but so far as earth torments us we embrace not God but in the same degree that men afflict us Men distinguish the children of God by their scars their songs are sighths their garments sable mourning and gloomy their Edifices Prisons and the Grave Men send the stout Souldier to the assault they plant him in the midst of the breach they place him in the mouth of the Cannon the Loyal in battel against difficulties losses and vexations The Courage of the Souldier softens and relents during the truce his generosity abates if he be long absent from the Field of battel In like-sort the zeal of Gods Children languisheth and consumeth it self in time of prosperity He there signalizeth himself by the scars in his front and by the wounds received for default of his Armes This here by afflictions proceeding from the hand of the Omnipotent God All his adversities are advertisements these rubarbs are healthful nourishments and bitternesses tending to pleasantnesse we may not imitate the Caterpiller converting flowers into poyson the Anvil which hardens it self against the Hammer The sonnes of earth who sinke in despaire The valiant brow searches the glory of Lawrels and Palms for testimonies of their courage the true believers suffer the honour of crosses of griefs and tryals for signes of their faith Let 's then quit the Field to these Panick these feeble amasements overthrowing them under our weapons enduring them with a cheareful aspect since 't is the pleasure of God that afflictions as pointed arrowes should be fixt in our bodies Suffering with constancy if his heavy hand presseth us on abates us dismembers us and hence forward being rather apt to penance than plaints Being of good courage he is ever a spectatour of his own who strugle and contest against calamity He is ever at hand to yield them courage by their sides to aid and assist them He was by Job stretcht out on the Dunghill He accompanied the three Children in the Furnace He descended with Daniel into the innermost crannies of the Den of Lyons He was near Elias in the Desart with Saint Peter in the Prisons with such a multitude of Martyrs in the midst of the flames This labour is an exercise of true Courage in the sweat whereof men finde felicity The end the aime whereunto we are call'd is so excellent and admirable that we are oblidg'd to embrace all enterprises which may conduct us thither Then let these Ignominies these faded withered things these dolours be our Lawrels our Palmes our Crowns let them be the marks of our vertue engraven on our bodies Let us chearefully receive these Presents from the hand of God let 's relish these wholsome medicines let 's embrace if it be the pleasure of God wounds Martyrdome and Death What then If for his honour and glory if the more to publish the Name and Merit of the Saviour of the World He delivers us into the hands of these Barbarians who oppose publick afflictions and the horrour of death to check the progresse of the Name of Christ who seek not their glory but by the measure and proportion of their cruelty against persevering Christians if he deliver us into the power of these Butchers who imagine the heavenly Field is husbanded as ours by the labour and assistance of the Iron who persecute us by publick punishments by the astonishment of flames by the horrour of Gibbets and of Pillaries surfeting of blood and carcasses and by the dread of Butchers prepared to death and destruction What Shall we not conserve this precious earnest this holy gage this divine faith planted in our hearts by the powerful operation of the Omnipotent Spirit Shall we not inviolably observe this sacred oath of fidelity given to Jesus Christ at our birth What Shall we not freely lavish out our blood
designs and thy grandures are buried with thee in the same shroud Thy sorrests are reduc'd to a biere thy buildings to a stone and yet thou art so blind so bewitch't with the love of the earth which dispoyles thee of the knowledg of thy condition that thou dayly augmentest the number of thy vowes of thy wishes of thy desires which presse thee hourly forward until God with the celerity of his ayd prevents thy fall stretches his hand over thee for to interrupt thee to make thee behold the vanity of thy imaginations and cogitations to make thee feel the earth to totter already under thy feet that she is ready to redemand what thou hast borrowed of her and to shew thee the fatal precipices the horrible depths and frightful gulfes within which all thy passions would destroy thee Bestir thee then vapour of earth shadow of life since the great God descends from his Throne to abase himself even to thee and to admonish thee Come then order and command all thy unworthy servile and foolish imaginations to retire from thee dispoyle thy self of man submit thy spirit unto God and to thy spirit all the affaires of the World smother up in thy breast thy stinking breaths and permit truth only to proceed out of thy mouth O Lord I am dust compos'd of the earth my members fram'd of this imperfection are apt to dissolve I am like the flower which hath its birth and funeral in the same day who in twelve houres sees it's spring and winter birth and death I am like the Rose who in his blooming regardeth his decline as the Lillies who shoots up suddenly to perish as all the flowers of one morn which the same instant blooms and fades which the least wind dryeth and causeth to fall This body increaseth in it's spring time then cometh its Summer the winter seases and nips it and it appears no more the least cold chills it dispoyles it as the Trees of leaves and of its natural vigour and oft times in its first season it falls benum'd by some glance of thy displeasure thou mowest it in thy fury as the grasse one stroak a feavour stops his course and his life and so many sundry mischiefs which conspire its destruction in the end prevaile against it it vanisheth and choaks its memory Lord I am born of the dregs of the World I acknowledge it most reasonable that I have a sense of it out of rottennesse proceeds nought but clay of corruption but wormes The earth hath produc't me hath nourisht me to receive its accidents to participate its wretchednesse I am unlike the Fishes who live in the Sea without relishing of the Salt and without being distur'bd by the winds and tempests I am more inclin'd to the humours of the earth I am subject to all its evils wherewith it abounds and cannot decline their attaints every day threatens my life and every houre raiseth me up some affliction but in the midst of these evils I must not imitate the Children of the world which think not but of the edge that wounds them ☞ but of the Catarr that suffocates them of the heat that burns them like to beasts who convert their rage to ceaze the stones wherewith they be wounded and to wreak their spleen with their teeth It 's requisite Lord that I raise up my Soul toward thy hand from whence the stroak proceeded toward thy arme who darts the stone toward thee who reservest in thy power the poyson and the antidote rest and labour death and life 'T is necessary that my afflictions admonish me to retire my self from these innumerable billowes to arive again at thy favourable harbour I ought to fix my eyes on thee who must serve me as a Star of light and a Phare during so perilous a voyage toward thee who already seems to comply to commiserate my grief and to offer thy omnipotence for my refuge Thou shalt find Lord my Soul shattered by the contagion of my body and of its senses neverthelesse thou remarkest some traces of thy hand some reliques of thy lineaments Thou beholdest them there sullied not defast it 's flame and lustre covered but not extinct and regarding it in its distressed condition thou wilt have compassion on thine own image of the work of thy hands Thou wilt inspire it with thy holy Spirit making it glitter again sparkle and lighten my obscurity for the time I have to live Give him then Lord so much zeal so much fervour to seek thee that as hitherto she hath appear'd cold and lazy she hath resembled the earth who depriv'd of the light of the Sun remains disconsolate and sterill cover'd over with a profound troubled silence But good God if thou wilt be pleased to disperss some rayes of thy Spirit to enlighten it incontinently all her transgressions in the midst whereof she is buried will disappeare as clouds chased by the wind This Ice frozen about his heart shall dissolve it self and shall slide and trickle on the ground and so he perceiving himself discharg'd of all his miseries which opprest him untangled from so many Passions that bedim'd him and animated by the power of thy Spirit she shall present her self before thee contemplating with delight on that great day the last of this life full of contentment and satisfaction for the Elect full of terror of dolors and horrible sighings for the wicked But Lord can I rationally implore thy favour and thy assistance seeing that all my actions merit death can I well require of thee an absolution from my offences which already seem fitted and prepared for an Eternal destruction And this careasse altogether stuft with vices cover'd over with ulcers and sores dares it yet boldly humble it self before thy holy Majesty whom it hath so many waies provoked to demand pardon to supplicate thee not to permit that the burning furnace and the horrible Gulf swallow it up Yes good God yes and with assurance For what though my sins retyre me far from heaven never the lesse the blood of thy Son shed for my clensing will give me entrance there his wounds heal mine rendering thee prompt to pardon me hindering thee to destroy thine own work-manship His descent from heaven was made in my favour He hath quitted his glory to hast to my rescue by the merit of his death He hat retyred me from hell and given me the victory over my transgressions O Lord since that I am redeemed with so precious a ransome with so high a prize since his innocent blood poured on the earth recoyles upon me and flowes on every side of my body to clense it I will take the boldnesse to present my self before to thee and with assurance to expect that blessed day wherein it will please thee to retyre my spirit and reduce this body to dust I will contemplate it with satisfaction and delight that this world doth not properly belong to us that thou hast given us but the use
our carcasses under the weight of his yeares how highly our dayes glide away That the present makes way to the future that importunes it that presseth it that treads on it's heels that our yeares are consum'd by months the months passe away by dayes the dayes glide by houres and the houres by moments and that encreasing to be we advance our selves to decrease and be no more Perceive I not Lord that in this world all things incline to their destruction posting to their period marching and running into death and notwithstanding that there are some works of thy hand very durable yet neverthelesse there is nothing that is permanent Witnesse those great and proud Cities who find themselves sudenly devoured and suddenly swallowed by earth-quakes Those nations grown insolent by their long rule authority who behold themselves in an instant mowed down by millions by the Pestilence I shall therefore prepare my self good God cheerfully to obey thy Ordinances I shall contemplate on my infirmity which by degrees cuts off the use of this life I observe that my fall is already far advanc't that death mixes and confounds it's self through out my life I shall joyfully and cheerfully receive and with an unastonish't countenance that which it pleaseth thee to ordain for this poor creature and shall not be of their number who submit to thee by constraint because the winde carryes them because the celestial decrees who ever conserve their puissance draw them from above and because they understand that in vain they should resist thy invincible power which tames and surmounts all things wherefore then esteeme I not my self blessed to have an entyre and absolute deliverance from my sufferings and to go and triumph with the ever blessed Citizens in heavenly joyes and delights who feel not any griefs nor distempers wherefore after having so long turn'd tost having so long time floated at the pleasure of the waves and floods do not I please my self to have attain'd the shore and to appear in the Port why should not the haven be agreeable from whence I see a far off the Sea swelling stir'd up and enraged by the tempest to lift it self up to the clouds and the Billowes foaming to sink the ships or cast them against the Shelves and the Rocks to break them and my self in the mean time freed from ship-wrack Up arise my soul thou art here far off from perfection fix not thy eyes longer on the earth with-draw thy sight from the miseries of the world efface them out of thy fantacy Imitate the Pilgrim who seekes the fresh and the cool shadows to ease him of his travel Up up my soul remember thy self that God gives not admission into his pleasant Syon but by the sacred gate of a blessed issue out of this world abandon the night to enjoy that Sun quit these desolate fields and desarts to enter into these quarters of flowers come out of these endlesse Gulfs of mischiefs to live in these fulnesse of blessings Up rouze thy courage fortifie thy zeal embrace this Divine present Embrace this passage to ascend to heaven Follow chearfully thy God who will catry thee for ever into his holy Temple all resplendent and glittering with glory and felicity where thy eyes shall perfectly behold him whom thy spirit adores where thine age shall remain firm where thou shalt be rendred more sparkling and bright than the Stars where thou shalt behold the earth under thee and the day to issue and break from under thy feet O wretched vessel which the waves which the winds and the Pilot direct and steer to such contrary courses that thou shalt be happy to have power speedily to traverse these dangerous Shelves and Rocks of this life to behold thy self in all safety and shelter in a freedome in a place of rest in a place where tranquility and peace inhabit forever O my soul that thou shalt be content freed from the vexations of the world to understand those holy notes and that sweet that pleasant and Divine harmony of heaven which so many millions of Angels render unseasantly unto the Lord Quit then thy shackles and thy prison ☞ render thy self into his hands who hath formed thee and will carry thee into this holy habitation wherein repose is infinite the satisfaction eternal and riches without measure where thy cogitations shall have no other aime than thy God thy eyes no other object than his glory where thou shalt flourish in an eternal spring ☞ and shalt breath nothing but most perfect and absolute felicity Praise praise this Divine Herald which comes intimating the day of thy departing that thou must cease to live and disrobe thee of thy desires imitate the swans who in dying render their voyces most harmonious being the last day of their songs Good God I am without colour without vigour and without motion unlesse that which perturbations of minde causes a thousand cares gnaw my spirit and a thousand snares of solitude entangle in my cogitations and hold me straightly fixt to their sorrowes the same distemper the same grief equally labours my body and my soul I miserably languish in this poor carcasse which surfeits on sorrows and savours of nothing but the Coffin My soul is stuffed with ignorance and gloominesse with ice and coldnesse 't is stupid and heavy but by thy grace in one instant she will mount her self into heaven she will be fil'd with splendour and light she shall be ravish't in the contemplation of the beauty of thy Divinity she will be partaker of joyes not to be exprest and with contentments the only contemplation whereof begets an ardent desire in my will she shall adorn her brow with a wreath the folyage whereof shall ever flourish and never wither she shall bathe her self in thy Divine spring there to draw water and drink to the intent never to thirst more to the end that that draught should be made a fountain of living water in her flowing into life eternal O holy stream Current of joy and entyre delight Eternal Source which never dryes up that my soul might ever repose under thy shadow that it might draw the sweetnesse of thine ayre let her live in the admiration of thy perfections This Lord is the ardent desire that inflames me 't is the only vow which possesseth my heart the health of this body concernes me not her greatest age is not so much as one poynt to the price of the eternity of my soul and then 't is necessary to return to earth to be fashioned anew that she may dye in Adam to be born again in Christ that she may descend into the grave to come forth immortal that she must hide her self under the earth even to the day that thou comest to awaken on a sudden raising it up to glorifie it until that great day which shall surprize all humane designs Thou shalt make this All to shiver at the sound of the Trumpets of thine Angels
which shall Harp before the Saviour of the world who shall gloriously descend from the vaults of heaven all those whom the Sea hath overwhelm'd or the earth received to the intent that being clothed with their bodyes before the great Judge they may receive their definitive sentence of life or death O Lord that I may be of their number who shall arise to their glory and not of them who shall arise to their infamy that I may be of them who shall rejoyce with perpetual Triumph and not of those who shall for ever remain slaves of that horrible Monster That I may be of that number that may be borne into the brightnesse of heaven and not of those that shall be tumbled down into gloomy places and to eternal night That I may be a Citizen of thy heavenly habitation that I may inherit thy Paradice that my seat may be near my Saviour that my place may be there designed that I may not be of those victims prepar'd for Hell that I may not be of that number that shall be precipated into the abism of death which shall have their abode in darknesse and their habitation in the grave O good God suffer not my Barke to fall into so cruel so sad and dismal a storme It should be more expedient for me never to have been born than be ranck't in the number of them who were created to their destruction Bring to passe then at that great day that my rotten cossin may be listed up enlighten this extinguish't carcase cause it to live and shine with my soul make them to flourish together for ever and ever I am nothing Lord but a lump of mud yet never the lesse thy hands have compast me I am nothing but corruption but I bear on my brow thine Image drawn to the life I am all vice all sinne all abomination in thy sight Thy love makes no impression farther than my lips Thy Divine flame pierces not within my soul But Lord I have been washed with the water of holy Baptism I have participated of thy Sacraments I have received a seal a token a sacred testimony of my pardon I have sucked that powerful antidote that immortal Ambrosia that heavenly nourishment which shall concerve me against the poyson and venome of my sinnes and against the power of Satan Lord A lively Description of the last Judgment it seems to me that I already behold thee descending from on high set on thy Throne of Glory filling all with astonishment environed with a Million of Angels holding the sword of vengeance in thy hand It appears to me that I now behold an infinite company of scatter'd men delving the earth to hide themselves not daring ot sustain the bring flames of thy countenance that I behold the flock of thy chosen postrate at thy feet crying out that the squadrons of thy holy Angels dare not appears in reverence of thy just severity crying out that their souls were purchase by the precious blood of thy body That their sinnes are surmounted by thy grace that the honour of thy goodnesse is manifest in their salvation that thou wilt not cut and prune off thy members and reject those whose names are written in thy book of life It seems that I behold thy countenance turn'd toward them standing at thy right hand and thy mouth pronouncing their absolution and saying to them Come ye blessed of my Father possesse for heritage the Kingdome which was prepared for you from the foundation of the World Methinks I behold them rejoycing and filling themselves with splendour while thou art speaking beholding them transported by a sweet and delightful ravishment by an ardure full of zeal for thee and for thy glory to remain there for ever O good God 't is thither that we must direct all our vowes and confine all the desires of our soules 'T is the lustre of that glorious and holy day that should dazle our eyes and not the riches of this world 'T is the remembrance of these extream bright and perfect beauties which should ever entertain our thoughts and not the dark shadowes of our cares Bestir thee then let 's not longer stay on these earthly cares which are so many spiritual Divorces and Adulteries My Soul entertain not other discourse my heart have no other wishes my mouth pronounce no other name than that of our Saviour and thy salvation Let 's up and anchor here our bark in these fair desires let 's perfect this man finish this body let 's forbear to corrupt and ulcerate our wounds to encrease our woes to open again our miseries that our dolors that our convulsions that our fleames if it seem good to them hail us quick and drag us alive to the Tomb that our carcasses be consum'd with wormes that our bones may be reduc't to dust it matters not seeing that the Saviour of the world renders as possessors of the fruit of so signaland happy a victory that he bestowes on us our share and lot in his land that he covers us with Lawrels and with Palmes O God this Crown is very high 't is above this aspiring rock whose way is narrow and uneven incumber'd with thornes and bryars I lye tumbling on my Bed I cannot pull up my feet not raise my head above my bolster my carcasse is nothing but dung and my Soul then corruption I am laden with a counter-wait which ever presseth me down my offences are bolts and shackles on my feet which makes me ever stumble The Devil places them near the avenues to close up the passage to render the way dreadful and to drive me to despair of my salvation But what shall I say good God! I must not require the endeavours of my attenuated legs and my carcasse half benum'd to climb this Mountain to pierce the thicknesse of the clouds and raise my self even to the heighth 'T is onely requisite that I dive into the contrition of my heart the confession of my month I need but lift up my eyes and taise up my cogitations toward the great Saviour of the World who openeth his armes to transport me O my Rock thou art not then any longer hard for me to prevail with Christ the object of my faith Christ the only medicine who can close and consolidate my wounds Christ in whom I establish all my present and future felicity Christ my guide and my Bare star who must conduct me to the light of his ensign he shall open to me the way shall make my faith to surmount all despaires he shall deliver me from these hindrances he shall raise me up free and conduct me even into heaven making me mount by his divine degrees and shall guide by the might of his holy Spirit my blessed and happy soul into his high place where the seasons passe eternally I will leave to him this Triumph I will leave to him the accomplishment of this great work the honour shall be to his blood to his blood
the only vertue whereof shal fix establish this handful of earth higher than the heavens I already perceive the rayes of his divine grace which begin to shine over my soul I feel in my self the assistance of his holy Spirit Away then all worldly cares get you behind me be packing and approach no more You are nothing but corrupt water but rottennesse then infection in respect of those heavenly beauties of those odorifferous and fragrant flowers which cast forth so sweet a sent which surpriseth my spirit and ravisheth me in the contemplation of them But good God pain and torment cuts off my speech whilst I implore thee consider my malady which reinforces it self which redoubles its violence It appears to me that my feavour is obstinate to revenge on my flesh and on my bones the offences committed against thee the heat stifles me the chilnesse causeth the members of my feeble carcasse to shiver to sustain and endure a thousand torments I can do no more but sighth and bemoan my self I languish all wounded quite undone and my vigour hourely wasts and decayes I am thirsty my mouth is dry I can find nothing that can quench my infinite drought my feavour takes away from me the relish of every thing all liquors seem bitter all food is against stomach their very sight is nautious not so much as the thought I swallow my spittle instead of all nourishment Alas Lord I well perceive what will become of me I cannot longer resist the assaults of so many evils all the succours of the earth are too feeble to heal me my countenance droops its extinct my members begin to feel the rigour of death I tosse and tumble up and down I stretch my self and am no more I court a little repose a little sleep but it flyes me I can obtaine none Alas formerly my repose descended and dropt so pleasantly into my eyes The night was accustomed to bury all my cares to give truce to my labours to enclose all my torments in a grateful slumber I ever adjourn'd my trouble untill the day untill the Sun came to open mine eyes But now Lord I cannot with great difficulty close my eyes to slumber but instantly I waken my self affrighted with the terrour of a thousand dreams with a thousand horrible visions which appear before me successively The silence of the night which was so agreeable to me at present redoubles my horrours my eye-lids are inclined to watch perpetually my infirmity increases dayly its rigour and violence recovers new force every moment and oppresseth me the more it gains upon me Lord thou hast made adversity as saith the Prophet Amos thou hast created it as saith Isaiah and nothing comes upon us but by thy just providence as Job hath acknowledged in the extremity of his affliction Alas my God thy judgments are perfect I feel the effects of thy fury the weight of thine Arme I submit and render my self to thy mercy cure not my evil by another apply not remedies more sharp than the distemper have pity on my sufferings At least Lord prevent that the tediousnesse of my pain discompose not offend not nor overturn my spirit continue my judgment to me to the intent that I may employ that little time which remaines to meditate and consider thy graces and to beg my pardon Lord thou hast caused waters to flow out of the rock and to refresh thy people in the Desart cause to spring out of my faith a fountain to refresh my scaldings and to give intermission to my evils to the end that my soul fil'd with a divine zeal may wholly raise up her self to heaven and civert from this carcasse the sense of its miseries Lord Lord approach thee near to me my voyce cannot convey my sorrowes even to thy eares and so my miseries shall surpasse my plaints Lord from thy Royal Palace from thy holy and sacred Throne thou considerest all that is acted here below Alas incline thy countenance to my aid assistance redouble not more the extremities of my feavour augment not my sufferings I understand good God that by the destruction of this carcasse my Soul must enter into its felicity but cause what remains to dissolve easily cause that my natural faculties diminish by degrees and that my Soul may depart gently and from the midst of this bed she may fly to thee Lord my breath is so short my infirmity is so violent my dissolution is so near that I behold nothing but the shadow of my Coffin and the depth of my grave which attends me My half dead body makes me utter interrupted speeches my words vanish in my mouth and willing to continue my complaints I cannot make an end Alas good God I fear that my voyce will forsake me strengthen me for awhile or at least be so gracious that in my Soul I may acknowledge my faults and obtain thy pardon Grant me that the short time I have to live may be nothing else but a penitence for my sinnes and a meditation of thy goodnesse that I may not delight but in the sound of thy voice that thy holy volume may be in lieu of a pillow that my heart that my spirit may breath forth and contemplate thy praises Lord my distemper is so violent that it suffocates me yet notwithstanding it oppresseth me not so much as the vast number of my sinnes which I observe hasting before me and the punishment that followes I tremble when I turn my eyes toward thee great God revenger of iniquities which enlightneth and pierceth through the shadowes and remarkest the tracts of all my offences Thou beholdest my conscience without any vail without ornament all my cognitations are open to thee the past and present are both alike before thee thou readest during the course of my life the train of my offences that I have committed thou beholdest thy enemy in my habitation thou findest him inclosed in my bosome My voyce should ever sound in thy eares it ought incessantly to cause thy praises to eccho upon the earth on the contrary my mouth hath ever been open to blasphemies closed to thy Word Thou hast given me a spirit to know thee a heart to adore thee hands to stretch forth to the support and relief of my neighbour I am revolted from thee I have despised the afflicted and have avoided the path of the poor and needy fearing their ran-counter I have avoided their company as if I had dreaded to behold them When thy heaven hath thundred I have stopt my eares I have rendred my self deaf When thy Sun hath cast forth his beames upon me I have made my self blind when thou hast sought after me I have fled away when thou hast called me I have not answered when thou hast corrected I have been hardned at thy stroakes Inlieu of sacrifising my life for thine honour I have continually betrayed thy service I am abandoned to vices I have serv'd riches the follies and vanities