Mount Tabor. OR PRIVATE EXERCISES OF A PENITENT SINNER. Serving for a daily Practice of the life of Faith, Reduced to special heads comprehending the chief comforts and refresh of true Christians: Also Certain occasional Observations and Meditations profitably applied. Written in the time of a voluntary retreat from secular affairs. By R. W. Esquire. Published in the year of his age 75. Anno Dom. 1639. The Contents of the book are prefixed. LONDON, Printed by R. B. for P. Stephens and C. Meredith, at the gilded Lion in S. Paul's Churchyard. 1639. TO MY DEAR WIFE AND childs. THese private notes and thoughts of min●, Not worthy, nor so fit for public view; I (For last pledges of my love) consign, (My nearest, dearest, private ones) to you. Three sons, two sons and two daughters-in-Law, Grandchilds eleven; Besides those six and five, † Non amissos; sed praemisso●. already gone to Heaven: Beseeching God, by grace so to prepare us yet surviving here, We all may meet together, and live for ev●● there. The Table of this private Book. THe Dedication of it to my wife and children. The occasion and motive of these exercises, called Meditations of Mount Tabor. 1 The introduction to those meditations. 7. 1. How excellent a thing it is to have all our debts canceled. 8. 2. How sweet a thing to have God appeased towards thee. 20. 3. How glorious a thing to be the child of God. 36. 4. How happy and safe a condition for thee to be sure of perseverance in grace and salvation. 49. 5. How pleasant a state of life to be void of the fear of death and hell. 56. 6. How rich and stately a●●ng to be heir of glory. 63. Two meditations formerly composed, applied for a seventh step or meditation of Mount Tabor. 79, A Meditation on the Incarnation and Passion of our most glorious Saviour the Lord Jesus, and our blessed union with him; alluding to the song of Simeon (called Nunc Dimittis.) 79. A contemplation of the new jerusalem and the triumphant Church, celebrating an everlasting Sabbath in the Kingdom of Heaven. 84. A Meditation of man's mortality. 86. Four short meditations of the vanity of man's life. 87, 88 Occasional Meditations. 1. Upon a sad and unseasonable shower of rain. 88 2. Upon a Looking-glass. 89. 3. Concerning an extraordinary veil ●hich covered my body at my com●●● into the world. ibid. 4. Of an extraordinary accident when I was first in my swaddling . 92. 5. Upon my breeding up at School. 97. 6. Upon an accident when I was a Schoolboy. 101. 7. Upon six verses of the 12. Chapter of S. Luke. 105. 8. Upon a Stage-play which I saw when I was a child. 110. 9 Upon the Dial of Gloucester College Clock. 115. 10. Upon good counsel given by a Country Painter in homely verse. 117. 11. Upon a Pedigree found in a private man's house. 120. 12. Upon a pedigree found in a nobleman's house. 124. 13. Of a fellow making a comfortable end at his death. 129. 14. Upon the words used in the emblem of our mortality, body mihi, cras tibi. 135. ●5. Upon observing of a grave-stone, in Paul's Church, London. 138. 16. Of a short inscription upon a gre●● man's tomb. 14● 17. Upon three words written with coal, in a great Judge's house. 14● 18. Upon consideration of the fif●● muscle of a man's eye. 14● 19 Upon the name of God (blessed fo● ever) proclaimed. 15● 20Vpon the Greek words (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) signifying to breath. 15● 21. Upon the words of S. Paul, So r●● that ye may obtain. 15● 22. Upon a worthy Divines Letter a case of conscience. 16● 23. Upon the words revealed to Sain● Augustine, In te stas, & non st●● 17● 24. Upon the building of S. Pa●● Church in London. 17● 25. Upon the reading of a paper ●sually taken out of an old bundle my first going to Stanwick. 17● 26. Upon the Turkeys coming a●● to their roost before Sunset. 19● 27. Upon the remove of household fr●● one dwelling to another. 19● 28. Upon the casual hearing of verse in the new Testament read by a child. 199. 29. Upon the words of a child, intimating the necessity of my timely preparation for death and heaven. 202 30. Upon a fight between two Cocks. 206. 31. Upon a child's ask of blessing in the morning 211. 32. Upon one word attributed to God thrice in three verses together, in one Chapter of the Prophet jonas. 214. 33 Upon the great Clock in Westminster Palace. 218. 34. Upon our last and best home. 219. 35. A Dialogue between an old sick-man and his neighbour visiting him 220. 36. A hymn for Christmas day upon the Angel's song, Gloria in excelsis Deo. 222. 37. A prayer or meditation for my wife and myself to join together, in our daily preparation for our dissolution. 225. Imprimatur. Thomas Wykes. October 31. 1639. The occasion and motive of these weak exercises of mine following which I call my Meditations of Mount Tabor. UPon my reading over of one of the Sermons of a worthy messenger of God and Bachelor of Divinity, enti●eled (the Life of Faith) reprinted in Anno 1627. wherein I found the duty of daily renewing our faith (the Life of our Souls) by Prayer and Meditation, by many arguments of necessity, profit and comfort, powerfully and graciously pressed, I observed a passage in these very words. Harken unto me (O thou of little faith and less use of it) dost thou desire to have a continual feast, to rejoice always with the Lord? I know that thou desirest it with all thy soul. Let me prescribe a diet, a daily diet without omission, strictly to be kept: the Lord give thee and me grace to observe it. Look how duly thou refreshest thy body, by use of repast or recreation; so often at the least be sure to cheer up thy soul by the use of thy faith. Let thy soul have two or three walks a day up to Mount Tabor, that is, into some retired place of Meditation and Prayer; such as Isaac's Field, Cornelius his Leads, David's Closet, etc. But what is there to be done? I answer, still make use of thy faith. But what is that you call using of faith? I now come to the point, to the chief mystery of spiritual life. Stir up thy soul in this Mount to converse with CHRIST. Look what promises and privileges thou dost habitually believe, now actually think of them, roll them under thy tongue, chew on them till thou find some sweetness in the of thy soul, view them jointly, severally, sometimes muse of one, sometimes of another more deeply, and lest thou shouldest still think me obscure; think with thyself, 1 How excellent a thing it is to have all thy debts canceled. 2 How sweet a thing to have GOD appeased. 3 How glorious a thing to be the son of GOD. 4 How happy a condition for thee, upon thy perseverance, to be assured of thy salvation. 5 How pleasant a state of life, to be void of the fear of Death and Hell. 6 How rich and stately a thing to be heir of glory. Say to thyself, as Paul to the Corinth's, 1 Cor. 5.8. Let us feast and be merry CHRIST hath made us holy-days, our Paschall Lamb is slain: have any more cause to be merry? With these Soliloquies mingle some Ejaculations to Heaven for ●r●ce and aid, and descend not this 〈…〉 till thou findest and feelest thy soul in some cheerly plight, revived and warmed with these spiritual Flagons of Wine; in the strength whereof thou mayest walk all the day following. And this in plain terms, I call, using of faith, and living by faith; which if thou wilt duly enure thyself unto, thou wilt not marvel why I call it, ascending Mount Tabor, thou wilt stay thyself upon good proof: It is good to be here, daily to be here, often to come hither, oh that this did as clearly appear to the world in this matter of faith, as it doth in all other habits, graces, gifts, virtues, and good things whatsoever; that the principal beauty and benefit of them consists in use, fruition and action; (not the bare profession) yea, the very increase and perfection of them. Use limbs, and have limbs. The more thou dost, the more thou mayest: Use will bring perfectness, and through disuse things perish, and come to nothing. As the Ploughshare laid up rusts and consumes; employed glisters, doth good, and lasts the longer. Let any man diligently and throughly improve, the greater will be his faith, and great comfort it will bring in. And again, after the end of the Sermon in his Epistle to the Reader, (which he purposely then enters and not before it) to leave the better impression, he hath a farther passage to this effect. Let me minister unto thee an Interrogatory or two; and answer me in good serious sooth between God and thy soul, Hast thou and dost thou thyself (letting others alone) live by faith? Prove and examine thyself, and take for instance this present week or day past wherein thou readest this little Manual, How hast thou or usually dost thou spend the day? What thought didst thou awake withal? what was the morning draught for thy foul next thy heart? What hath cheered and made thee merry in private and in company, whether thy sports or thy meals more than the heavenly ejaculations? Deal plainly (not with me and this Book, which yet shall witness against thee, if thou refuse to practise it, when thou hast read it) but with thyself. Hast not thou challenged some time (more or less) half a quarter of an hour at the least in the day, for this exercise of thy faith? if not (as it is neglected by most men, not for days, or weeks, but for months and years) let thy heart smite thee for thy folly and say, have I lived, or rather not lived, by consuming precious time in vanities? How cometh it about, that the greatest part of my life, is the least part wherein I have lived? Oh then recover and recollect thyself before thou go hence; wilt thou die before thou hast lived? as boys slabber their books, before they have learned their lessons: Oh learn to live this life; it is never too late, it is never (I am sure) too soon. It is no shame for thee to learn it, of what age or condition soever thou be. The Introduction to my MEDITATIONS OF MOUNT TABOR. My work is done, I can no longer toil, under the restless cares of worldly things, Come then (my soul) let's prove another while, what sounder comfort thought of heaven brings. For here we see by selfe-experience, the fruits of this world, wheresoever they grow, In City, Court, high place of eminence, in Cottages, or Country shades below, Yield but the spirits vexation— If not confusion; Or vanity at best,— The spirits illusion Then leaving all below: let us ascend the sacred Mount of Tabor; where we may With humble quiet thoughts attend, our Saviour's call from day to day; For we should now make every day our last, not needing or desiring any more; If God another to our life shall cast spend it likewise, with thanks to him therefore. And so being freed from earthly perturbation, Make heavens care our daily meditations, Waiting the period of our frail life's story; Until his calling of us to himself in glory. The first Meditation How excellent a thing it is to have all our debts canceled. Places of Scripture, showing how this benefit belongs to us. Daniel 9.24 SEaventie weeks are determined upon thy people, to finish transgression, to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to anoint the most holy; (vers. 25.) Messiah the Prince (26.) who after sixty two weeks shall be cut off, but not for himself. ysayd 3.5 He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes are we healed. Matth ●. 2. JESUS seeing their faith, said to the sick of the Palsy, son, be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee. And undoubtedly (saith Bishop Cowper) this is a standing sentence, spoken not only to this Paralytic, but as a general proclamation to every believer. This is my blood of the new Testament, which is shed for many, Mat. 26. ●● for the remission of sins. I came not to call the righteous, Mark ●. 17. but sinners to repentance. To give knowledge of salvation unto his people for the remission of their sins. Luke ●. ●7. Through the tender mercy of our GOD, ●er●e ●8. whereby (CHRIST) the day spring from an high, hath visited us. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, Ver●e ●●. to guide our feet in the way of peace. That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations. Luke ●4. 47 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. john ●. 2● And he is the propitiation for our sins. john 13. ●. To him give all the Prophet's witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. Acts 10.43 Acts 13.32. We declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the Fathers. Verse 33. God hath fulfilled the same to us their children, in that he hath raised up JESUS again. Verse 38. Be it known unto you therefore, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. Verse 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses. Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in JESUS christ. Verse 25. Whom God hath set forth, to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins. Heb. 9.26. But now hath he appeared to put away sin, by the Sacrifice of himself. Verse 27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgement. Verse 28. So CHRIST was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, 1 Peter 2.24 by whose stripes ye were healed. He is the propitiation for our sins. 1 john 1●. ●. The Sonn of man came to give his life a Ransom for many. Mat. 20.28 Mark. ●●. ●3 There is one God, 1 ●●m. ●. ● and one Mediator between God and man, the man CHRIST JESUS. Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Verse ● My first MEDITATION of Mount TABOR. NOw (my soul) that by God's mercy and goodness we are withdrawn from the world, into this solitary Mountain; where our blessed Saviour the Lord JESUS was transfigured in divine glory, before his suffering in his humanity; that his Disciples thereby discerning both his natures in one person, might be assured that he was that true promised Messiah, God manifested in the flesh, for the redemption of mankind: Let our meditations be employed in the consideration of those glorious benefits, which the faithful soul receiveth from this blessed Saviour of the world: wherein our first remembrance propounded unto us, is; How excellent a thing it is, to have all our debts canceled: that is to say; to have all our sins discharged: and so the Gospel (comparing Matthew 6.12.14. with Luke 11.4.) expounds the same: for every sin is a grievous debt indeed, and a debt upon record, in Gods own debt-book; which he hath committed to the keeping of our own consciences; as a trusty register between him and us: aswell that we should not be able to deny o● wage our law for the least parcel there entered, as that ourselves may see, h w we grow every day more and more into debt, and being thereby privy to our own miserable and wretched estate, o not being able to make satisfacti●, may seriously and seasonably l●●o●● to g●t our debts canceled, befo e we be called to reckoning ●n the XVIII. Chapter of S. Matthew, we read of a King that would take account of his servants, Verse. XXIV. and when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him a thousand Talents, and having not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. Such a miserable debtor (O Lord my God and Saviour) am I: my debts being not of pence, but of talents, and that not single, but thousand-fold: and all of them of such nature, as the world (if I had it in my power to dispose of) cannot satisfy divine justice for the least of them; and yet there can be no discharge of the debt, no remission of my sins without satisfaction. For mercy and justice are in our God both essential, neither can the one exceed the other, where they are both infinite. Oh then, where shall I wretched creature find in heaven or earth a payment of infinite value, to answer and satisfy this infinite justice, for my manifold and grievous offences? What surety will come in to be my bail, in this desperate and forlorn condition? this satisfaction can no way be made but by thine own blessed self (O most gracious Lord JESUS, one only Saviour) who being God and Man in one person, hast vouchsafed out of thine infinite mercy and goodness, together with our frail nature, to take also our debts, all our sins upon thyself; and so (as my most glorious surety and Redeemer) to free me from that insupportable burden, which otherwise had pressed me down to the nethermost hell. It being not possible that the black lines of my debts of sin could be crossed or blotted out of God's debt-book by any other means, then by the red lines of thy most precious blood. For thou only (O Lord) art the alsufficient and propitiatory sacrifice, whereby divine justice is fully satisfied for all the sins of every true penitent that believes in thee. Therefore in all true humiliation of soul, hungering and thirsting after thy salvation (O blessed JESUS, my Lord and my God, thus crucified for me) do I prostrate myself at thy glorious footstool; beseeching thee by thy grace to strike my herd and stony heart, that in all contrition of soul I may spend myself into the tears of unfeigned repentance for the manifold sins and wickedness, ignorance, profaneness, unthankfulness, and unfruitfulness of my life past, and then withal by the same thy gracious spirit, to lift up my penitent and afflicted soul, by the hands of an humble and lively faith, to lay fast hold upon thee (my blessed Saviour and most glorious Redeemer) that so this alsufficient satisfaction of thine applied to my soul and conscience, and by faith become mine, may make me assured, that all my huge and burdensome debts are canceled, and my sins remitted, that they may never affright my conscience any more. For I know O Lord and assuredly believe, that how great or grievous soever my sins have been, yet there can be no sins unpardonable to an infinite mercy, nor any sins so heinous or multiplied, but the infinite merit of thy precious death and passion can and doth fully expiate and discharge the same for ever, to every true penitent and believing soul. Oh then (most blessed Saviour) quicken I beseech thee, and strengthen my weak and feeble faith by thy gracious spirit; to make such a powerful and effectual application of this thy most gracious satisfaction for me, to my wounded and fearful conscience, as may quiet the same for ever: In assurance that all my debts are paid, and crossed out of GOD'S Debt-book by thee my most blessed surety, never to be demanded of me again. Give me grace (O Lord JESUS) not to stand only poring and gazing upon my sins the objects of confusion, but to lift up the the eyes of my soul unto thee (my gracious Saviour) the proper object of consolation, and to be so wholly and truly inflamed with thy love, as that I may for ever with all awful reverence and devout adoration, bless, praise, and magnify thy most holy name, for this eternal love and incomprehensible mercy of thine towards me, in freeing and acquitting me from all my sins. And now (O my soul) let us rouse up our dull and heavy spirits, and rejoice together with joy unspeakable and glorious; let us sing and be merry in the Lord: for he is the Lord our God, even the God of our salvation: And we shall ten times more honour him, in obeying his commandment, by believing in him whom he hath sent into the world for our redemption, and shall much better please him in trusting to his mercy, and sealing to his truth in the blessed performance of his covenant of grace, in the promised Messiah, then in doubting of his mercy by reason of our sins, or fearing his justice against us, which our Saviour the Lord JESUS hath already satisfied for us, to our final peace and salvation. Let us then cheer up ourselves in this blessed comfort of all comforts, our debts are all paid and canceled, our Paschall Lamb is slain: CHRIST JESUS hath made all our day's holy-days; have any more cause to be merry than we? Away then with droopings and mistrustfulness: for the Lord hath turned our sorrow into joy, and such joy as shall never be taken from us: Blessed be the name of the Lord our God for ever. And now (O most glorious and gracious Redeemer) who art the author and finisher of my faith, perfect the good work of thy grace begun in me, that by daily renewing of my humble faith and repentance, by these weak and unworthy meditations of mine, I may with joy and gladness, comfort and cheerfulness, walk before thee this day, and all the remaining days of my earthly pilgrimage; waiting for thy blessed calling of me to thyself in glory, when my faith shall be turned into fruition, and I shall leave imperfection and mortality behind me for ever. The Second MEDITATION of Mount TABOR. How sweet a thing it is, to have God appeased towards thee. Places of Scripture showing how this benefit belongs to us. THus saith the high and mighty one that inhabiteth eternity; Isa. 57.15. whose name is holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Ver. 16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. Vers. 17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him: I hide me and was wroth, and he went on frowardly, in the way of his heart. Vers. 18. I have seen his ways and will heal him; I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him, and unto his mourners. Vers. 19 I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace to him that is afar off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord, and I will heal him. Who is a God like unto thee, Micah ●. 18 that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage: he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy Vers. 19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depth of the sea. For when we were yet without strength, Rom. 5. ●. in due time CHRIST died for the ungodly. Verse 8. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that whiles we were yet sinners, CHRIST died for us. Ver. 9 Much more than being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Vers. 10. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Vers. 11. And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord JESUS CHRIST, by whom we have now received the atonement. joh. 16.33. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. 1 Cor. 5.18. All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by jesus Christ and hath given unto us the ministry of reconciliation (19) To wit, that God was in CHRIST reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Vers. 20. Now than we are Ambassadors for CHRIST, as though God did besee●h you by us, we pray you in CHRIST his stead, be ye reconciled unto God. 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. For now in CHRIST JESUS, Ephes. 2.1. ye that sometime were far off, are made nigh by the blood of CHRIST. Vers. 14. For he is our peace. Ver. 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God, in one body by the Cross. For it pleased the Father, Colos. 1 ●● that in him should all fullness dwell. Vers. 20 And having made peace through the blood of his Cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Vers. 21. And you who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. Vers. 22. In the body of his flesh, through death; to present you holy and unblamable and unreproovable in his sight. And to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, 1 Thes. ●●. even JESUS, which hath delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Thes. 3 ●. For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to attain salvation, by our Lord Jesus Christ. Vers. 10. Who died for us. The second Meditation. NOw (my soul) having formerly considered the great benefit of having all our bebts canceled; our second remembrance points us to a blessed consequence thereof; how sweet a thing it is to have our God appeased towards us: which will the better appear for our instruction and comfort, if we seriously take into our humble consideration, these three points. 1. The infinite power and greatness of the Almighty, whom our sins have provoked to wrath against us. 2. His graciousness and goodness towards our selus in particular. 3. The heinousness of our offences, by which we have justly incurred his displeasure. For the first, The Lord our God is the great and the terrible God, Nah. 1.5 The great and dreadful God, Daniel 9.4. The Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth, and all things therein contained, and disposer of all things by his eternal and al-governing providence; who hath ever at his commandment innumerable hosts of Angels, one of which (2 King. 19.35.) killed 1850000. of his Church's enemies in one night. (Nah. 9.3.) who hath his way us the whirlwind, and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet, (Nahum. 14.) He rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry, the mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burnt up at his presence, yea, the world and all that dwell therein, (v. 5.) Who can stand before his indignation? who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? (Verse 6.) The King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, (1 Tim. 6.15. A great God and a great King above all gods, (Psal. 9.13.) The great and mighty God, the Lord of Hosts is his name, (Jeremy 32.18.) Great in counsel, and mighty in works, for his eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men, (Vers. 19) to give to every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings, who shall judge the quick and the dead, (2 Tim. 4.1.) For he is the judge of the whole world, and will hold his grand Sessions of life and death, of salvation and damnation, at that (Acts 2.20.) great and terrible day of the Lord, wherein (2 Pet. 3.10.) the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up, the dead raised, the living changed, and all mankind brought together, to give a most strict account, not for their ill works alone, but for their neglect of good duties; not for actions alone, but for their words, and that not for filthy and mischievous words only, but for every idle word, and the thoughts of the heart. And this (my soul) is that infinite, almighty, and most glorious and dreadful Majesty, against whom we have rebelled in the highest treasons; his wisdom, power, justice, being incomprehensible, and his wrath insupportable. O come, let us worship and fall down prostrate, with all awful reverence, trembling and fear, and then in the second place consider, how infinitely gracious and good this our most blessed God, the King of eternal glory, hath been to such a worm and vile wretch as my unworthy self. For besides those most blessed and extraordinary privileges which I have with my countrymen in being borne an Englishman, in the time of the most glorious Sunshine of the Gospel of grace, seconded with such Halcyon days of blessed peace, the public miracles of mercy which God hath wrought (even in my life time,) in the preservation of this Church and Kingdom, our gracious Princes, ourselves, and our posterities; specially in these two famous deliverances, never to be forgotten by any true English heart, from the Spanish invincible Armado, and the Popish hellish Powder plot: (O blessed Lord God▪) how infinitely good and gracious hast thou been unto me most unworthy in all the particular passages of my earthly pilgrimage? First in spiritual blessings, by thy preventing mercy keeping me from some grievous sins, into which my own wicked corruptions, by Satan's damnable enticements had else drawn me: In thy sparing mercies in my acting of other sins, wherinto I was fallen: In thy pardoning mercies, that miracle of miracles, in translating me out of that damnable estate of mine unregenerate time, into the glorious liberty of thine own children of grace and adoption in JESUS CHRIST: and for thy renewing mercies by the work of thy holy spirit, making me to loathe all sin, and to apply myself to all duties of holiness and righteousness in universal new obedience to thy most holy will, and a constant will and resolution to serve and please thee, love, fear, adore, and obey thee in all true repentance and sanctification all the remaining hours of my life: and lastly, for the assurance thou hast given me of the upshot of all thy final and crowning mercies, in the life to come. Then again, in temporal blessings, by preserving me from harm in most desperate dangers, giving me the help of good education, blessing me with a most gracious and comfortable fellowship in marriage, and us both with hopeful children and grandchilds, especially for our eldest son, the true staff of our age, and for thy bountiful providing for us and them in outward necessaries, and showing us mercy in all our occasions, yea, (good Lord) for thy fatherly chastisements sent amongst us, and therein for that gentle paralytical infirmity of mine own aged body, whereby I have been graciously taken off, from worldly cares and employments; and have held and still by thy goodness have this blessed time and opportunity for heavenly meditations, and Christ in preparation of myself for my change and dissolution, and my final translation into those glorious mansions, which our most blessed Saviour hath provided for us in his heavenly kingdom. O most blessed Lord God, how shall I poor weakling do, to admire thy providence, adore thy Majesty, love, fear, serve and obey thee, and glorify thy most holy name, as I am most bounden, and hearty desire to do? in all sincerity duty and thankfulness; for all thy numberless and incomprehensible mercies, blessings, comforts and deliverances, vouchsafed unto me, even in this frail life, and valley of tears, and for the glorious upshot of all thy crowning mercies reserved for me in the life to come. Oh fill my heart with thy gracious spirit for enabling me to pay my humble vows unto thy Majesty, in all true sanctified obedience, and faithful and serious endeavours of soul and body to walk acceptably before thee, from henceforth and for ever, Amen. And now (my soul) should we in the third place consider, how wickedly and ungraciously I have misbehaved myself all the days of my flesh towards this most high, glorious, almighty, and most dreadful Majesty, and towards this most gracious and merciful God and Saviour of ours. But (here alas) I am confounded w●h shame, astonishment of heart, and horror of conscience, but to think of the manifold frailties, prophannes, & pollutions of my youth, and the sinful negligencies, rashnesses, improvidence, unfruitfulness, and unthankfulness, and other sins and transgressions of thought, word or deed of my whole misspent life by past. Yea, (O Lord my God) in my ungrateful and froward neglect of thy gracious time of visitation granted me of thine unspeakable mercy these four last years, aswell for my sound humiliation, and serious daily repentance for my manifold sins and corruptions, as for improving that precious time in those gracious duties and spiritual exercises, public and private, which my conscience tells me I should have performed with more fervour of spirit, fear and trembling, and sincerity and intention of heart than I have done. But (O Lord) I find, that were mine eyes fountains of tears, poured out every moment of my life, should my heart fall asunder, into drops of blood in my breast, for anger and indignation against myself, for my grievous sins and transgressions, yet should I come infinitely short of that sorrow and hearts grief, which mine offences would justly require and exact at my hands. And therefore, O Lord my God, though it be my most earnest suit, and the earnest desire and constant prayer of my humble soul, that my hard and dull heart may by thy grace be so softened and quickened, as to be truly broken and dissolved into sighs of true contrition, and that I may weep day and night for my sins and offences all my life long, unto my dying hour: yet all could not serve to draw thy mercy upon me, for the least of my transgressions, for in the point of redemption of mankind, and purgation of sin, nothing could serve the turn, but the precious blood of JESUS CHRIST, God and Man in one person, blessed for ever. Either the son of God must die, or else all mankind be eternally damned and their sins only are properly said to have pierced him, who at length are saved by his blood. Come then (my soul) let us set our humble faith on work, to lay fast hold upon this blessed Saviour of ours, who only is become our reconciliation and peacemaker for us, to God our heavenly father, and alone c●n help us in all our distresses. This being a true principle in the heavenly art of comforting of afflicted consciences; that so soon as a man is hearty humbled for all his sins, and weary of their weight; though his sorrow be not answerable to his own desire, yet he shall most certainly be welcome to JESUS CHRIST, for it is not so much the muchness and measure of our sorrow, as the truth and heartiness of it, that fits us for the promise and comfort of mercy: though withal it is true, that he that thinks he hath sorrowed enough for his sins never sorrowed savingly. O most blessed and most gracious Lord God, I beseech thee sanctify my heart by thy holy spirit, unto sound and sincere humiliation of soul, that in the sight of my sins I may still grow viler in my own eyes, and be more and more humbled in true repentance for them; but yet withal by the hand of lively and saving faith upon the Lord jesus, dying and bleeding upon the cross for my sake and for mine assured reconciliation with thy Majesty, by whom alone thou art appeased towards me, and made my most gracious and merciful father for ever: that so (by thy grace) I may ever keep in my bosom, an humble, soft, and lowly spirit, which may ever enable me to live by faith more cheerfully, to enjoy thee (my most glorious Lord God) more nearly, to apply my jesus to my soul's comfort more feelingly; and to wait for and long for his blessed coming more earnestly: that so being graciously prepared and sanctified by thy holy spirit (the soul of my soul, governing, comforting, and supporting me,) I may with all alacrity and thankfulness, faith, repentance and obedience to thy most holy will; walk before thee in all holy fear, all the days of mine appointed time till my change shall come. In full assurance that no sooner shall this dark world and the shadow of it be out of my bodily sight, but the glorious light of the heavenly mansions of my Saviour's Palace provided for me and all the rest of his, shall shine upon my soul, in full brightness, to mine everlasting joy, comfort, and final peace, through JESUS CHRIST my blessed Saviour and only peacemaker, Amen. The Third MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR. How glorious a thing to be the child of God. Places of Scripture showing how this benefit belongs to us, joh. 1.11. HE came unto his own, and his own received him not. Vers. 12 but as many as received him, to them gave he power (or the right, or privilege) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name. joh. 12. 3●. While you have light believe in the light, that ye may be the children of the light. For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God. R●m. 8. ●● (15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father. Vers. 16. The spirit itself beareth witnesses with our spirits, that we are the children of God. For ye are all the children of God by faith in CHRIST JESUS. Ga●. ●. ● When the fullness of time was come, Ga●. ●. ●. God sent forth his son made of woman, made under the Law, (5.) to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (6.) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts. (7) therefore thou art no more a servant but a son. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, john 3. ●. that we should be called the sons of God. (2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. The third Meditation Now (my soul) are we by God's mercy come to the third step of these our Meditations; which offereth to our consideration, how glorious a thing it is to be the child of God. In our first step, when we lay first bound in the chains of our sins, under the insupportable weight of numberless talents of debts, oppressing us, our most gracious Saviour the Lord jesus blessed for ever, became our surety, took our nature upon him, God manifested in the flesh, paid all our debts, satisfied divine justice for all our sins, and so set us at liberty, and made us freemen In our second step, he brought us into a further degree of favour, to make our God whom we had so grievously offended and provoked to become friends with us, and appeased towards us. And now in the third place we are brought to be more than friends, children of the almighty and most glorious God himself▪ whereby we are entitled to demand and challenge at his fatherly hands, not only safe protection from all dangers and evils, and careful provision both for soul and body in this life, but also an eternal inheritance of heavenly glory in the life to come. And how comes it to pass (o my soul) that so wretched and worthies a creature as my unworthy self should be advanced to those glorious privileges, and high dignity of being made and accepted a child of the most high? our God hath but one only son by nature even G d the son, very God of very God, the second person of the most holy, glorious and ever blessed Trinity, in and by whom alone, as (in our former meditations) I was redeemed from my sins, and reconciled unto God: so it is in and by him only that I and all the rest of his redeemed once do receive the adoption of sons: even so (O most blessed Lord God and heavenly father) because it so pleaseth thee, through JESUS CHRIST our Lord▪ whom our humble and true faith apprehending, we receive from him into our hearts the blessed spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father; the same spirit bearing witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God, by faith in CHRIST JESUS, as in the several places of holy Scripture before named, appeareth. O then (my soul) let us now also by this third step and meditation, take this just and fit opportunity for renewing of our daily repentance, and of our humble faith in this most gracious Saviour of ours, for our laying fast hold upon him, who by these blessed degrees hath brought us to this high privilege of being the children of God. And true faith I find to be thus defined. Faith is a filial confidence in God, conceived of the knowledge of CHRIST, and the love of the father in him; whereby man runneth unto God, and cryeth unto him, Abba Father. In which lively faith there is a twofold operation. First, an apprehending virtue by which the believer receives and applieth to himself JESUS CHRIST, as he is offered in the word and sacraments. Secondly, a rendering virtue, (so to call it) whereby the believer goes out of himself into the lord Qui credit in Christum transit in Christum. By the first CHRIST becometh ours, by the second we resign ourselves unto CHRIST, and become his. And these are the two hands of faith. By the one we receive mercy from God, by the other, we render sonlike obedience unto him: and if we believe (as we ought to do) that God is become our Father, and do so apprehend him in Christ; then ought we again to show by our change of life and new obedience, that we have rendered ourselves to be his. For of all those that came to CHRIST in the Gospel, none went away as they came; and they that are truly in him, get virtue from him, which works in them the similitude of his own life, so as this meditation (O my soul) doth properly spread itself into two branches. First the glorious privileges and comforts, we receive by our adoption, and then our most bounden duties to our most gracious God for the same. There is a natural adoption, which is defined to be, a lawful act imitating nature, found out for the comfort of them, who have no children of their own, but this spiritual adoption of us differs fare from it: For it is, a lawful act transcending nature, found out by the Lord our God, for the comfort of children that want a father. We being by nature miserable Orphans, having no father to provide for us; It pleased the Lord our God to become our father in Christ, and to make us his sons and daughters by adoption, not for any benefit he receives of us, for nothing can arise by the means of any creature, to that most high and alsufficient Majesty) but that he might have some upon whom to bestow his benefits, for the declaration of the glory of his rich mercy Yet both adoptions agree in this, that they flow from the pleasure and goodness of the adoptant, and that there are given to him that is adopted, the privileges of a son which by nature he hath not but where the natural adoptant cannot change the nature of the party adopted. It is otherwise with us: For if God by the grace of adoption make us his sons, he will also by the grace of regeneration make us new creatures, and therefore whosoever continues in sin, cannot challenge, any interest in this divine privilege, only the sanctified are entitled to it. Here also let us to our unspeakable comfort observe, that the sons of God know most certainly that God is become their heavenly Father. For in this that they are taught of God by his own spirit to acknowledge him and call upon him with boldness, as upon their father, they cannot be deceived of their generation: but with more freedom of spirit, yea, and surer knowledge they call God their Father, than any son of the world is able to call upon his earthly Father. Here also we are taught, that we cannot pray unto God but by the spirit of adoption, who is the parent that begets prayer, as the mother who conceives it, is the humble and contrite heart: For no proud, unclean, or hard heart can pray unto God. And certainly unless the holy spirit testify unto us that God is our father, and hath made us his children, we dare not go near him, to crave good things from him, and therefore herein appeareth the Fatherly indulgence of our God towards us. We are here in the valley of death, in heaviness through continual afflictions and temptations. The time is not yet come, wherein the Lord will communicate unto us his glorious presence, to fill us with that fullness of joy which is in that blessed vision; The time is not yet come, wherein we must ascend to our father: yet to keep us in the mean time that we faint not, the Lord hath sent down his holy spirit into our hearts, to comfort us. O fatherly care! O wonderful love! That spirit the comforter descended once according to CHRIST'S promise upon the Apostles in a visible manner, and doth daily descend in a secret and invisible manner into the hearts of the godly, lest the children of the marriage chamber should be swallowed up with heaviness, through the want of their Bridegroom. And this glorious Ambassador teacheth us to cry unto God, as upon our Father: which if we do with this spirit of adoption, it is effectual enough to draw down upon us all those blessings which the Lord communicates to his children: His name shall be sanctified in us; his kingdom shall be advanced in us; we shall not want our daily bread; he will forgive us all our sins; and preserve us that we fall not into temptation, and deliver us from evil For all comforts rest under this name of father: if we can so call him in faith, the riches of his mercies are ours. O (blessed Lord God,) what manner of man should I be in holiness, righteousness, and heavenly-mindedness, answerable to this high and holy calling? and how unworthy a wretch have I shown myself of so great mercy: when instead of worshipping, fearing, loving, and obeying this most gracious Lord and heavenly father, in all things I have yielded to the filthy allurements of his and mine own most malicious and accursed enemy, in many vile pollutions of my profane youth, and the many rash indiscretions, sinful neglect of good duties, unfruitfulness, and unthankfulness of my after time? Here, here, (my soul) is a fit opportunity for me to break out into holy mourning and lamenting, for the manifold sins and offences of my misspent life past; which now appear the more abominable and heinous in mine eyes, when I look back and consider, in what strict and precise humiliation, with what universal holy obedience, dutifulness and careful watching over my thoughts, words, & actions, I should have walked before this blessed God almighty mine heavenly father whom I have so ungraciously offended. O most blessed spirit of adoption, God the Holy Ghost, most glorious sealer up of my precious salvation; look down in thine infinite mercies upon my poor, humbled, and afflicted soul, and have compassion upon me. Descend (o Lord my God) by thy heavenly grace into my heart and purify and sanctify it into a holy Temple for thine own blessed residence for ever: to mollify and melt it into the sighs and tears of true contrition and repentance for the sins and iniquities of my life past; and then withal to raise it up by faith, to see myself fully acquitted and discharged from them all, in the precious bloodshedding of my dear Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST the promised Messiah, God in the flesh manifested: and so to enable me with the hands of humble and true faith to lay fast hold upon him and his merits for me, and upon this blessed privilege of being in and by him the adopted son of my heavenly father, unto the assurance of my final and everlasting comfort and peace: Quickening and strengthening me unto all holy duties all the remaining days of my earthly pilgrimage; whereby to glorify my heavenly father as I am most bounden and to assure mine own conscience of the truth of mine adoption by the sincerity of my heart and thorough sanctification: that so by the sweet beams of thy grace shining into my dull and feeble soul, I may with cheerfulness and comfort wait the good hour, when my blessed Saviour JESUS shall call me from hence, home to himself peace, in and I shall leave mortality and imperfection behind me for ever, Amen. The Fourth MEDITATION of Mount TABOR. How happy a condition it is for thee, upon thy perseverance in grace to be assured of thy salvation. Places of Scripture showing how this benefit and privilege belongs to us. EXod. 15.2. The Lord is my strength and song, he is become my salvation. Esay 45.17) Jsrael shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation; ye shall not be confounded nor ashamed world without end. Jeremy 31.3. The Lord hath appeared unto me, saying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore have I extended loving kindness unto thee. joh. 4.42. And know that this is indeed the CHRIST, the Saviour of the world. joh. 14.1. JESUS having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. joh 15.16. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you; and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (9) As my Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my love. (11) These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. Romans 1.16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Romans 11.29. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 1 Corinth. 1.9. God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his son jesus Christ our Lord (8.) Who will also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 2.20. Christ liveth 〈◊〉 me, and the life which I now live i● the flesh, I live by the faith of the son of God. Phil. 1.6. Being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you; will perform (or finish it) until the day of jesus Christ. Acts 4.10. Be it known unto you all, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, doth this man stand before you whole. (11) This is the stone which was set at nought by you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (12) Neither is there salvation in any other, for there in no other name given under heaven, amongst men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 13.26. Whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. 1 Tim. 1.5. Christ came into the world to save sinners. Heb. 7, 22. By so much was jesus made a surety of a better testament. (25) Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him. The fourth MEDITATION of Mount TABOR. NOw (my soul) hath the Lord in mercy brought us to a fourth step of these our meditations, which is a blessed consequent of the three former. For being redeemed from our sins, which was our first step, and in the second, received to our heavenly Father; and in the third, made his children by grace and adoption; we are thereby become sure upon our perseverance in grace, of final salvation: which brings us to this fourth step, making our condition (even in this earthly pilgrimage) most happy and safe; notwithstanding any inward or outward afflictions, temptations, terrors, torments, we shall or may be exercised withal in our way to heaven. For he that is sure of grace here, and glory hereafter, what can possibly trouble him? seeing (Romen 8.18.) the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us, and (2 Cor. 4.17.) our light afflictions which is but for a moment, worketh for us, a fare more exceeding weight of glory. And how is it (O my soul) that we are brought to this blessed condition of safety and happiness? even by the same our most blessed Saviour only, with whom we began in the first step of these meditations. For he is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, (Heb. 12.2.) the author and finisher of our faith; neither is there salvation in any other, as is before quoted and recited. Oh then (my soul) here are we to renew our daily repentance for our offences past, and our humble faith in our almighty Saviour, who hath acquitted us from them all, and is thus graciously pleased to go along with us, and will confirm us unto the end, that we may be blameless in the day of the Lord JESUS. O most gracious Lord and Saviour, who hast begun thine own good work in me, thy poor, weak, and unworthy servant, finish the same for thine own glorious names sake, and by thy holy spirit dwell in my heart for ever: that for being both in soul and body throughly purified and sanctified unto all holy duties of true humiliation and godly sorrow for my sins and corruptions, and of new universal obedience, in the remaining hours of this transitory life, I may with cheerfulness and comfort pass over the same; and not with patience only, but with joy and thankfulness wait for the time of my change and dissolution, when thou shalt be pleased to call me home, to thy blessed self in glory, Amen, Amen. The Fifth MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR. How pleasant a state it is, to live without fear of death and hell. Places of Scripture showing this comfort to belong to the fa thfull. HOsca 13.14. I will ransom them from the power of the grave, I will redeem them from death. O death I will be thy plagues; O grave I will be thy destruction. Esay 25.8. He will swallow up death in victory: and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. Mat. 16.18. Upon this rock (viz. the faith of Christ) will I build my Church: and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death. (25.) I thank God through jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 8.1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ jesus, for the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 1 Cor. 15.54. Death is swallowed up in victory. (55.) O death, where is thy sting? O grave (or o hell) where is thy victory? (56.) The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. (37.) But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through jesus Christ our Lord. 2 Timoth. 1.10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Lo●● JESUS CHRIST, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. Heb. 2.14. Forasmuch th●● as t●● children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself ●ook par●●y the same: that through death ●e● might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil (1●) and deliver them, who through 〈◊〉 were all their life-time subject to bondage. Revel. 1.18. I am he that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive for ever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death. Revel. 2.11. He that overcommeth shall not be hurt of the second death. joh. 5.24. Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth my words and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life. joh. 8.51. Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my sayings, he shall never see death. Revel. 20.6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power. The Fifth MEDITATION. NOw (my soul) are we by God's goodness come to the fifth step of these our meditations, to consider how full of sweet comfort and contentment the life of him is, or aught to be, that lives without fear of death and hell. Death being in its own nature the extremest of evils in this life, the king of terrors to every living thing, and hell the most horrible dungeon of everlasting torments: to the just fear of both which the wicked of the world are every minute subject. None but those children of grace here, that are sure of their salvation hereafter, can live this pleasant and fearless life. There is a first and a second death, the death of the soul, (saith Saint Augustine) went before, in the soul's departure from God, and the death of the body followed, by the souls departing from the body, the soul first left God willingly, yea wilfully; and therefore is compelled unwillingly to leave the body. Now from both these deaths are we delivered by the Lord Jesus. For our souls being by him freed from sin, are reconciled unto God, and so exempt from that wrath to come; and from the power of the second death for ever. And from the first death, we are so delivered from it, that albeit in the own nature it be the centre of all miseries, and a fearful effect of God's curse on man for sin; yet to the godly the nature of it is also changed; so as now it is not the death of the man, but the death of sin in the man. Death (saith Ambrose) is the burial of all vices: for it is the progress and accomplishment of the full mortification of all our earthly members, wherein that filthy flux of sin is dried up in an instant, it as a voluntary sacrificing of the whole man, soul and body to the Lord, the greatest and the highest service we can do to him on earth. For where in the course of our life we are continually fight against our inordinate lusts and affections, to bring them in subjection to Christ; by death (as it were by one stroke) they are all smitten and slain: and the soul is offered up unto God in a sacrifice of full and perfect obedience. And though this mortal tabernacle must be laid to sleep for a time in the grave, (which is God's m●●ld, wherein it shall be new moulded and f amed fit for heaven) yet my blessed Saviour, who (Romans 4.24.) was delivered to death for our offences, and was raised again for our justification, hath by his most glorious resurrection, (blessed be his most holy name) not only already made me partaker of the first resurrection in this life, from the death of sin by grace, and on such the second death ●●●h no power; but hath also by my blessed union with him, as one of the sanctified members of that mystical body whereof himself is the glorious head, assured me of my body's resurrection unto glory, and peace for ever; and that death shall restore it again in better plight than ever it was before: to be again reunited unto thee (my immortal soul) in joint glory and immortality for ever. And what is this frail body to me, but my closet or inmost garment; which I shall no sooner put off, but it shall be sure of repose, and thou (mine enfranchised soul) of joy; and when I arise, neither of you shall fail of glory. O then, (my soul) in this confidence and assurance of our final peace, come let us join together in this last earthly duty we have to perform, of offering up unto our most glorious and merciful heavenly father, in the name and mediation of our most blessed Saviour JESUS CHRIST, by the gracious assistance of God the Holy Ghost, myself the whole man, soul and body, in an humble, faithful, voluntary, and most obedient and free sacrifice; that he mercifully accepting the same at our hands; I may securely, quietly, patiently, nay, joyfully and thankfully departed hence in peace, unto the God of my salvation, Amen, Amen. The Sixth MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR. How rich and stately a thing it is to be heir of glory. Places of Scripture showing how this transcendent privilege belongs unto the faithful. ESay 43.6. Bring my sons from fare, and my daughters from the ends of the earth. (7.) Even every one that is called by my name; for I have created him for my glory. Luk. 12.32. Fear not little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. john 12.32 He appointed us a Kingdom. Psalm 84.11. For the Lord is the sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory. Luke 22.29. Therefore I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me. (30.) that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. Romans 8.16. The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of GOD. (Vers. 17.) And if Children than heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with CHRIST, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together. (Vers. 18.) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. (21) Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (30) moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified 2 Cor. 4.17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a fare more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Gal. 4.7. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, than an heir of God through Christ. Eph. 3.6. That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body and partakers of his promise in CHRIST by the Gospel. Col. 3.4. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in Glory. Philippians 3.20. For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord jesus Christ; (Verse 21.) Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself. 1 Tim. 4.8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day, and not unto me only, but unto them also, which love his appearing. Titus 3.7. That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs, according to the hope of eternal life. 1 Pet. 5.1. The elders which are amongst you, I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of CHRIST, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. (2.) Feed the flock of God. (4.) And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not a way. (10.) But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by CHRIST JESUS, make you perfect. 2 Pet. 1.3. According as his Divine power hath given unto us all things, that pertain unto life and godlin sse, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. (11.) For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4.3. If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. (4.) In whom the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of CHRIST (who is the image of God) should shine unto them. (5.) For we preach not ourselves, but CHRIST JESUS the Lord (6.) For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of JESUS CHRIST. (7.) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. The sixth Meditation NOw my soul are we (by God's mercy) come to the sixth and uppermost step propounded to us in these our meditations: namely, to consider how rich and stately a thing it is, to be an heir of glory, And this indeed must needs be the most high and transcendent privilege of all, that can be bestowed upon the children of men; who being by nature children of wrath, and in bondage to sin, death and damnation, are by grace brought to this most blessed estate, of changing sin into righteousness, death into life, and hell and damnation, into heaven and glory. And how comes this blessed work to be effected for us most unworthy wretches? but only by that most blessed Saviour and redeemer of ours (God in the flesh manifested) who brought us up the first step of these our meditations; and so from step to step all along to this the highest of heavenly glory. For he is the only natural son of GOD, and thereby the only proper and immediate heir to that blessed inheritance: whereunto he hath a twofold right; one, by his eternal generation, and so he is the heir of his Father's Kingdom, in a manner proper and peculiar to himself alone: The other right he hath by purchase; for by the merit of his precious death and passion, he hath purchased eternal li●e for all the members of his Church; whom having espoused unto himself by grace, we also by that ●lessed union with him, became heirs annexed with him of the same glory. In the first right he can admit no companion; in the second all the members of his mystical body are made partakers with him. O my soul, what shall we say to this transcendent dignity of all truly penitent believers? but as the Psalmist saith (Psalm 87.3.) glorious things are spoken of thee o thou City of God; so may we say of every citizen of the holy City new jerusalem, the Lamb's wife, Rev. 21.3 For God will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God, (4.) and God shall wipe away all their tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. For, Psalm 144.15. Blessed are those people whose God is the Lord, and are called to this happy fellowship and union with him who is the king of Saints. O my soul, come let us with all humble reverence, hearty love and adore the Lord, who hath of his free grace made us partakers of this unspeakable mercy: let us rejoice and be glad in the Lord; and let my heart and mouth be filled with his praises for ever. For, Esay 1.9. except the Lord had reserved mercy for us, we had been made like unto Sodom and Gomorah; whereas by this blessed Saviour of ours, our most gracious Lord and husband, the lots are fallen unto us in pleasant places, and we have a fair heritage. Blessed be the God of our salvation for ever and ever. And although all the adopted children of God, members of Christ, are heirs of this glorious inheritance; yet is not the same diminished to any one of them; for the rich portion of one shall be no prejudice to another; but every one shall be filled with the fullness of the glory of God. But withal, we are to observe, that howsoever in earthly inheritances, the father must first die before the son come to the full possession thereof; yet for this heavenly inheritance, we ourselves must first die, that we may possess the same. For our Father is the ancient of days, the heavens are the work of his hands: they shall perish, but he doth remain; we all shall wax old as doth a garment, but he is the same, and his years shall not fail: for he is the Father of eternity, in whom there cannot fall so much as a shadow of change. But as for us, our condition is such, that by suffering death, we must enter into the kingdom, we cannot see him so long as we live, nor be satisfied with his image, till we awake in the resurrection. Therefore should the day of death be a joyful day unto us, because it is the day of our glorious inheritance. Dies mortis aeternae vitae natalis est; and as this serves unto us, for a special comfort in the hour of temptation and day of death; so it should provoke us, to answer this our heavenly vocation, by the holy and heavenly disposition of our minds, and affections, whiles we live, and a gracious and Christian preparation from day to day for the time of our dissolution, waiting for it with cheerfulness and joy. Seeing we are the sons of God, shall we not make it our study and care to use all blessed means for renewing his image in us, which our former sins have defaced? and to serve him in holiness and righteousness all the remaining days of our life? seeing we are called to be heirs of an heavenly inheritance, shall we any longer mind and affect earthly things? nay rather with the holy Apostle (Philip. 3.8, 9) Let us account all things to be but dung in respect of the excellent knowledge and fellowship of the Lord JESUS. Seeing CHRIST must be our comfort in death, when all other comforts will forsake us; let us make him out joy and pleasure, and our portion in this life, and so shall he be both in life and death an advantage unto us. O most gracious Lord God and our merciful heavenly father; give us grace, we most humbly beseech thee, seriously to consider of this high calling of ours, being by adoption made thy children, members of CHRIST, and heirs annexed with him of glory of rebels and slaves of Satan, made the happy servants of our blessed Redeemer: nay more than so; his friends, (john 14.15.) Henceforth call I you no more servants, but friends; yea, more than friends, for he hath made us his brethren. (Heb. 2.11.) He that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are all one; wherefore he is not ashamed to call them brethren. O transcendent and wonderful comfort! God the Father cries from heaven, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased; hear him. The Son again speaking unto us here on earth, saith, (john 20.17.) I ascend unto my Father, and to your Father, and to my God, and your God. He that is my God and my Father, is also your Father and your God. Therefore go ye unto him and with confidence call upon him as your Father and your God; and he will hear you and help you. O most glorious and most merciful heavenly Father, confirm us more and more in the assurance of thy eternal love, free grace, and unchangeable mercies towards us in Christ jesus: that in lively sense and inward assurance thereof we may with comfort and cheerfulness wait for, love, and long for his appearing. (2 Tim. 4.8.) for our deliverance from this bondage of corruption, and receiving of us to himself in glory. To whom, with thee (O Father of mercies) and God the Holy Ghost, most holy, glorious, and ever blessed Trinity, in the unity of one, only, true and everliving God, of incomprehensible glorious essence, and most adored and coeternal Majesty, be all glory, praise, dominion and thanksgiving ascribed, for ever and ever, Amen, Amen, Amen. FOR A Seventh MEDITATION OF MOUNT TABOR. NOw (my soul) having by our most gracious GOD'S fatherly indulgence and mercy, had time, and been enabled (though with much humane weakness) to consider distinctly and severally of those six main points of meditation propounded unto us for Mount Tabor, (the same indeed comprehending all manner of spiritual comforts and refresh for the Christian soul) we are by course and order come to a seventh step: which very name puts me in mind of the seventh day of our week, the fittest of all the rest for heavenly contemplations. Almighty GOD after his six day's work of wonder in the creation of the visible World, consecrating the seventh day for a holy rest to himself and for his own immediate worship and service, which was the jews Sabbath; and the glorious resurrection of God the Son manifested in the flesh, for the most gracious work of our redemption, being also celebrated in the Church ever the seventh day of the week, which is the Christians Sabbath, and both of them types of that everlasting Sabbath, which the triumphant Church shall celebrate for ever in the kingdom of Heaven. The consideration of which particulars might be a theme large enough and fit enough for a seventh Meditation of Mount Tabor: But being sensible of my own weakness, I am resolved here to set up my rest; and instead and place of this seventh and concluding Meditation of mine to set down two exercises of this kind, heretofore composed by me, the one, fitting the Christians Sabbath to the world's end: the other, a contemplation of the new jerusalem, and heavenly Sabbath, world without end: recommending the four other heads of meditation set down by Master Down●m, and the twelve privileges of the faithful set down by Master Byfeild, as fit arguments for divine contemplations to such as are better able to travel therein; no day of the week, no, nor of our whole life being to be exempted from that most necessary duty of daily renewing our faith and repentance, whereof see Downam at large in his Guide to Godliness. lib. 3. cap. 2. A MEDITATION On the Incarnation and Passion of our most glorious Saviour the Lord jesus, and our blessed union with him, alluding to the song of Simeon, called Nunc Dimittis. SImeon was one of those which waited for the Messiahs coming, Israel's consolation; Whom that himself should see, before he died was showed to him from God by revelation, And when the Virgin mother brought her Son up to the Temple to present him there, Simeon by motion of the Holy Ghost, came in, and praising God with joyful cheer: The blessed babe with arms he gently clasped about; This Swanlike song divinely warbling out. O Lord since thou hast let me live to see, the Christ, thy promised salvation, Whom thou hast now prepared revealed to be before the face of every nation, A saving light unto the Gentiles, who in darkness and in shade of death did dwell; The glory, and the way of peace, unto thine own beloved people Israel. Now lettest thou thy servant (blessed Lord,) Depart in peace according to thy word. If Simeon at the sight of Christ a child, new come into the world for our salvation; That glorious work not then accomplished, was yet so wrapped with joy and exultation; As disesteeming all the world beside, he had no mind of living longer here; How then O Lord should I affected be, who live in this thy Gospel's light so clear, My Saviour's acts and sufferings all to see, And know the benefit thereof belongs to me. O thou divine peacemaker, how shall I admire and praise thy mercy infinite? That being God, our nature wouldst assume, and to thy sacred person it unite, That so thou being God and man in one, 〈◊〉 perfect Mediator might become To God for man, who else had perished: and without thee been utterly undone. Good Lord, how should my soul affected be, At this thy wonderful humility? That thou th'almighty maker of the world, (for by thy word, all things at first began Shouldst yield thyself a creature to become, and to be made, twice made for sinful man: Made of the blessed Virgin, so to take with our frail nature, our infirmities: And made under the law, to undergo the burden of our sins and miseries. How then (good Lord) should I affected be, To this great work of mercy towards me? That thou to whom all powers in heaven did bow and thought it their honour to be serviceable; Should for us wretched men descend so low, as to be born heir in a homely stable; Laid in a cratch, pursued by tyrant's rage, tempted by Satan, made of men a scorn, Sold by thy servant, arraigned and condemned, grievously scourged, then crowned with thorn, Nailed to the cross, 'twixt two thiefs crucified: Pierced through the heart, oppressed in soul beside. (Most blessed jesus) why shouldst thou endure, thy precious body peerlesly innocent, Yea sacred and holy, by the cruel hands of sinful wretches to be torn and rend Was there no way to expiate my sins but all these torments must be laid on thee: O wretched caitiff I that did offend, most gracious Saviour, thou thus pitying me, O let my heart weep tears of blood within, For these thy sufferings, and my grievous sin. And thou (dear Lord) whose love unutterable hath made thee undergo all this for me, Inflame my heart with holy fire that I, with awful love again may worship thee. (With true repentant tears, and contrite heart, prostrate thy precious bleeding wounds before My Lord, my God, thus crucified for me, with humble faith and reverence to adore, Hating myself for all my grievous sins, Which caused those thy grievous sufferings. O let mine eyes pour forth whole streams of tears my heart dissolved to sighs of true contrition, So to bewail my sins and wickedness and that most miserable and forlorn condition. Which guilt of sin, sight of the wrath of God desert of hell and utter condemnation, Might threaten me, but that my hope is fixed on thee (my jesus) God of my salvation. Thou only (blessed Lord) canst secure me: O save my soul, which only trusts in thee. For when the people were in Moses time, by fiery serpents wounded mortally, The brazen serpent was lift up by him, that such as look up to it, might not die: If such great virtue in that figure were the type of this thy cross and real elevation? How much more virtue shall thy precious blood afford my sin-sick soul for my curation. Then let my humble faith cleave fast to thee; Sweet Saviour; let us never parted be. For when I look up to this cross of thine, five glorious victories my meditation Observes, thereon to be atchiev d by thee, for making sure the work of my salvation: The law of grace against the law of works prevailing, so to work my liberty: Against my sin, thyself (dear Lord) made sin, that it might righteousness become to me. Thy death (O Saviour) mine abolishing, My soul unto eternal life to bring. And thou the Prince of darkness conquering, that I might still the child of God remain: And lastly overcoming hell itself, that I might heavens blessedness obtain. Thus by thy precious death and passion, my souls main enemies are vanquished quite, And I set free now under th'law no more, but under grace, by thy rich grace and might. O let thy spirit of grace still govern me, That I may die to sin, and live to thee. That whiles I live I may divide my time between true godly sorrow for my sins, And faithful praising of thy holy name, from whence alone my hope of comfort springs. And so by lively faith being knit to thee, thou by thy spirit dwelling in my heart, Soul of my soul, mayst day by day to me, thy spiritual life and quickening grace impart. And I by mystical injunction be, Truly (though spiritually) made one with thee. Of which sweet union thou hast made me sure, by those main seals of thine eternal love; Thy word of truth, thy Sacraments of grace, thy spirit of peace inspired from above: And so by matchless mercy on thy part, (most blessed Lord) and humble faith on mine, Thou hast betrothed thy glorious self unto my poor believing soul and made it thine, One of thine own, to be disjoined ne●e●: But live in thee, to thee, with thee for ever. Why then should any mortal thing detain, me longer in this veil of tears and sin? Whose whole desire with blessed Simeon, is to contemn the world and all therein. To lay aside this robe of earth I wear, that my redeemed soul may come to thee, Whose blessed will is so declared, that where Thou art, thine own shall also be. Call then (sweet jesus) as it shall thee please, Into thy hands receive my soul in peace, When my appointed time of change shall be, For which my soul shall daily wait on thee A Contemplative Meditation of the new jerusalem and the triumphant Church, celebrating an everlasting Sabbath in the kingdom of Heaven; entitled by me, Halelujah to Heavens King. LE●ve (O my soul) this restless veil below, Which sin and sorrow by turns still overflow Raise up thy thoughts to that supernal rest, Which maketh all the Saints and Angels blessed; Who altogether do for ever sing, Halelujahs to Heavens King. There is erect the Godheads glorious throne, More bright than many thousand suns in one; Where thy dear Saviour's body glorified That body which for thee was crucified, Now reigneth with the Deity, In sovereign bliss and Majesty. That sacred head, which here was crowned with thorns A crown of heavenly glory now adorns; That hand, which here did hold the scornful reed, Now wields the Sceptre of all power and dread, Those feet once nailed unto the tree. Trample on death and hell in victory. ●he holy city, new jerusalem, Is there prepared for just and perfect men; With great high walls of jasper, built four square Whereof the length breadth depth all equal are, Of twelve foundations, precious stone, The twelve Apostles names thereon. In twelve gates of pearls a piece, on each side three▪ At which twelve Angels the attendants be: The streets pure gold, all shining like the Sun, Through which the crystal stream of life doth run, From out the throne of glory flowing, The Tree of life, on both sides growing. Within those gates of glorious habitation, None enter may, but heirs of salvation; The Lambs redeemed, his espoused wife, Whose names are written in his book of life▪ The Church triumphant, there set free Forever from mortality. There live those blessed troops of purest spirits, In such excess of joys and true delights, As neither ear can hear, nor eye perceive, Nor can the heart of mortal man conceive; Prepared by the Lord of bliss, Before all worlds, for all of his. Who living here the blessed life of grace, Are hence translated to that glorious place, Where thy dear Saviour keeps a room for thee; Then look, and long for immortality; Wait his good hour, and in waiting sin hallelujahs to heavens King. A Meditation of Man's mortality MAn unto whom each hour in changes preacheth That all this Globe, earth's glory, shall decay; Belieus that doom to mightier creatures reacheth, Yet dreams, it cannot hold in brittle clay; So dull and heavy is his heart in ease, To think of aught that may the flesh displease. Then nearer come, to his dull senses cry, All flesh is grass, wormeaten flowers man's pride; It's true, saith he, but tell him that himself shall die, He rather thinks it true in all beside, So (reason trained to be self-pleasures thrall) He thinks that fails in one, which holds in all, Thus he whose life should be death's meditation. Waiting for future immortality; Forgets the end of his divine creation, And fain would find on earth eternity. O man, look up; thou must this mortal leave, Before thou canst th'immortal robe receive. 1 Due thought of death and hell, Would sinful thoughts expel. Who so with careful thought Would ponder as he ought; How fearful 'tis to fl●t From bed to loathsome pit: From pit to easeless pain, For ever to remain. Among the damned sprights Whose mercy never lights; Would not commit one sin, Though it the world might win 2 As certain as it now is day, so sure it will be night anon; For time stands never at a stay, but now is here, and now is gone; Such is our life, whose minutes spend, and every minute wastes the store, Till all be out, and then an end; we cannot live one minute more. 3 What thing is that each man doth chief crave? Contentment in his fortune and his mind. What thing is that man here can never have? Contentment in his thoughts and state to find. What's cause of both? That man who heaven minds not May strive to seek that there, which here he finds not 4 Take from our life, these threefold parts of time First, what we idly spend, and nothing do; Then what we spend in evil, and heaven-h●ted crime Last what in things, that us belong not to: Alas! how small remain; how quickly told, Is left well spent; in doing what we should. Occasional Meditations. Upon a sad and unseasonable Rain translated out of Latin. WHence comes it, that this sad untimely showers Do choke the earth, and of our fruits bereave us? F●ther to show in heavens angry lours, That God hath left us as the Sun doth leave us: Or for that man his sins nor see, nor fears, The heavens for us powers out itself in tears. 2 Upon a LOOKING GLASS, Translated out of Latin. MAke this use of thy Looking-glass, that if thy face seem fair; With vicious manners, o do not the grace thereof impair; Or if thou find thy countenance. such gracefulness denied, Let that defect with inward grace, and virtues be supplied. 3 Concerning an extraordinary veil which covered my body, at my coming into the world. THere be some things which belong to every child in the infancy; whereof the certainty cannot be known but by relation of others, as the day or hour of our birth, who were our sureties at baptism, and the like, of which kind there was one special remarkable thing concerning myself, who being my parents first son, but their second child (they having a daughter before me) when I came into the world, my head, face, and fore parts of the body, were all covered over with a thin kell or skin, wrought like an artificial veil; as also my eldest son being likewise my second child was borne with the like extraordinary covering: our Midwives and Gossips holding such children as come so veiled into the world, to be very fortunate (as they call it) there being not one child amongst many hundreds that are so borne; and this to fall out in the same manner both to the father and the son, being much more rare. But whatsoever old wives observations are, let us (both father and son) with all humble thankfulness, look up to our heavenly father, (who made us and form us in the womb, and brought us from thence, and doth preserve and govern us from the cradle to the grave) to bless and praise his holy name, for the privilege of our birthright which his favour hath bestowed upon us, above the rest of our brothers, and to study and endeavour to walk worthy of that dignity in our care and endeavour to serve and please him, who hath singled us out, as fathers of the family in our several generations to that purpose; the first borne of the sons amongst the Israelites being to be given or consecrated to the Lord, Exod. 22.29. Numbers 3.13. Luke 2.23. And from those veils wherewithal we were borne, let us learn this Christian lesson, to veil our heads and our hearts and all our affections, from the witcheries and vanities of this world; and to look up, beyond the things here to our Saviour JESUS CHRIST within the veil in heaven, to long and wait for those blessed and unchangeable comforts which are there treasured up for us in him: Not as we came into this world hidden of nature, but as we are now born by his holy spirit, children of grace and election. O merciful Lord God, we bring nothing with us into this world, but that which might condemn us in the next, blessed be thy most holy name, by whose eternal mercies we are born again of the Holy Ghost, and our begun regeneration here shall be consummated in the world to come. o sanctify and establish us by thy free spirit, that being by our new birth made children of grace and adoption in Christ, we may mortify all our old corruptions of nature, and serve thee faithfully in new obedience in the short pilgrimage of this life, and be finally received in peace into thine everlasting kingdom, as thine own redeemed ones, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, Amen. 4. Upon an extraordinary accident which befell me, in my swaddling . WHen we come to years, we are commonly told of what befell us in our infancy, if the same were more than ordinary. Such an accident (by relation of others) befell me within few days after my birth, whilst my mother lay in of me being her second child, when I was taken out of the bed from her side, and by my sudden and fierce crying recovered again, being found sticking between the beds-head and the wall; and if I had not cried in that manner as I did, our gossips had a conceit that I had been quite carried away by the Fairies they know not whither, and some elf or changeling (as they call it) laid in my room. In the 12. Chap. of the Revelation we read of two great signs in heaven A woman clothed with the Sun, great with child ready to be delivered, and a great red dragon with seven heads standing before her, ready to devour the child assoon as it should be born, but the child being c●●ght up unto God, and the dragon disappointed of his prey, cast down into the earth, was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which kept the commandments of God and have the testimony of jesus Christ. By this woman I conceive the Church militant was prefigured, whom the Dragon hath persecuted and doth continually labour to destroy in all her members: that Dragon being there (vers. 9) expressly said to be that old serpent called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world, and (vers. 10.) is the accuser of our brethren, whom he accuseth before God day and night. But to our comfort it is added in the next verse, that they overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony. And certainly, that attempt of stealing me away as soon as I was born, (whatsoever the midwives talk of it) came from the malice of that arch-enemy of mankind, who is continually going about seeking whom he may betray and devour. But blessed be the Lord our most gracious God and merciful father, that disappointed them then, and hath ever since preserved and kept me from his manifold plots and stratagems of destruction: so as now in the seventieth year of mine age, I yet live to praise and magnify his wonderful mercies towards me in this behalf. O most blessed Lord jesus (our most gracious Saviour and Mediator) one part of thy Church redeemed by thy precious blood, have already fought the good fight of faith, and are translated hence into thine heavenly kingdom, with Abraham the father of the faithful, and the rest of the glorified Saints, to celebrate thy praises for evermore. The other part of this Church is militant here upon earth, striving against their own natural corruptions, and the wiles and power of thine and their enemies. (Good Lord) thou knowest the cunning, power, malice, and cruelty of the adversary, and the great weakness of ●●●e own children; and beholde● their daily fightings and failings, and how ●●●ble we are to stand in ourselves; O merciful Saviour, strengthen us with thy grace, and show thine almightiness in our weakness, that fight under thy banner, who hast already in our flesh and for us conquered all our enemies to our hands; we may be enabled to stand fast and unmoovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; that so in the end we may be more than conquerors through thee our glorious Captain and Saviour; and when we have fought here below so long as thou wouldst have us, we may (when thou shalt be pleased to call us hence) be translated unto the fellowship of thy Saints and Church triumphant in heaven, there to join with them in the new songs of thy redeemed ones, to magnify and praise thy most holy and blessed name, from everlasting to everlasting, Amen. 5 Upon my breeding up at School. IT was not my happiness to be bred up at the University, but all the learning I had was in the free Grammar School, called Christ's school in the City of Gloucester, yet even there it pleased God to give me an extraordinary help, by a new schoolmaster brought thither, one Master Gregory Downhale of Pembrook-Hal in Cambridge, after I had lost some time under his predecessor. This Master Downhale having very convenient lodgings over the school, took such liking to me, as he made me his bedfellow (my father's house being next of all to the school) This bedfellowship begat in him familiarity and gentleness towards me, and in me towards him, reverence and love; which made me also love my book, love being the most prevalent affection in nature to further our studies and endeavours in any profession, he came thither but Bachelor of Arts, a good scholar, and who wrote both the secretary and the Italian hands exquisitely well. But after a few years that he had proceeded Master of Arts, finding the schools entertainment not worthy of him, he left it, and betook himself to another course of being Secretary to some noble man, and at last became Secretary to the worthy Lord Chancellor Ellesmere and in that service (as I think) died. And myself his scholar following his steps, as near as I could, (though furnished with no more learning than he taught me in that Grammar School) came at last to be Secretary to the Lord Brooke, Chancellor of the Exchequer: and after that to my ●●●ch honoured Lord, the Earl of Middlesex, Lord high Treasurer of England: and lastly to the most worthy my most noble Lord, the Lord Coventry Lord-keepper of the great Seal, in whose service I expect to end my days. And this I note, that though I were no graduate of the University, yet (by God's blessing) I had so much learning as fitted me for the places whereunto the Lord advanced me, and (which I think to be very rare) had one that was after a Lord Chancellor's Secretary to be my Schoolmaster, whom (by God's blessing) I followed so close, that I became a successor to his successors in the like place of eminent service and employment. It is the almighty and al-governing hand of thy providence (O most glorious Lord God) whereby all things are disposed amongst the children of men, let my soul for ever praise thee, for this gracious work of thine towards me thine unworthy wretch; whom thou hast preserved and enabled from my weak and small beginnings for those places whereunto I have been called, and which (by thy grace) I have with credit and comfort discharged, O blessed Lord God, who hast led me from my youth up, forsake me not now in mine old age when I am grey headed, and my strength faileth me; but finish thy gracious work of mercy and grace in me, to the consummation of it in thy heavenly kingdom, whereunto thou hast ●lected me in JESUS CHRIST thine eternal Son, the promised Messiah, God in the flesh manifested, our most gracious Lord and Saviour: unto whom with thee (o father of glory and mercies) and God the Holy Ghost, the most blessed spirit of grace and adoption, most holy, glorious, and ever blessed Trinity, in the unity of one only true, immortal and everliving God of incomprehensible glory, and most adored and coeternal Majesty, be all praise, glory, dominion and thanksgiving for ever; Amen. 6 Upon an accident to me, when I was a Schoolboy. BEfore Master Downhale came to be our Master in Christ-school, an ancient Citizen of no great learning was our schoolmaster; whose manner was to give us out several lessons in the evening, by construing it to every form, and in the next morning to examine us thereupon; by making all the boys in the first form, to come from their seats and stand on the outsides of their desks, towards the middle of the school, and so the second form and the rest in order, whiles himself walked up and down by them and hearing them construe their lesson one after another; and then giving one of the words to one, and another to another (as he thought fit) for parsing of it. Now when the two highest forms were dispatched, some of them whom we called prompters would come and sit in our seats of the lower forms, and so being at our elbows would put into our mouths answers to our master's questions, as he walked up and down by us: and so by our prompters help, we made shift to escape correction; but understood little to profit by it; having this circular ●e ●o●, like the Mill-horse that travels all day; yet in the end finds himself not a yard further, then when he 〈◊〉. I being thus supported by my prompter, it fell out one day th●●●●e of the eldest schoolery 〈◊〉 one of the highest form, fell out with me upon occasion of some boyes-play abroad, and in his anger, to do me the greatest hurt h●e could (which then he thought to be, to fall under the rod) he dealt with all the prompters, that none of them should help me, and so (as he thought) I must necessarily be beaten. When I found myself at this straight, I gathered all my wits together (as we say) and listened the more carefully to my fellows that construed before me, and having also some easy word to my lot for parsing, I made hard shift to escape for that time. And when I observed my adversaries displeasure to continue against me, so as I could have no help from my prompters, I doubled my diligence and attention to our masters construing our next lesson to us, and observing carefully how in construction one word followed and depended upon another, which with heedful observing two or three lessons more, opened the way to show me how one word was governed of another in the parsing: so as I needed no prompter, but became able to be a prompter myself: and so the evil intended to me by my fellow scholar, turned to my great good. Let all those who have found the like gracious work towards themselves (as many have in matters of more moment, if they observe it) come join with me in praising the Lord for the same, whose providence governeth all things, and who doth powerfully declare himself to be the only true God, by such over ruling the powers of darkness, and the malicious and evil intentions of men, bringing light out of darkness, good out of evil, life out of death, and making all things work together for the good and comfort of them that fear him. O merciful Lord God, who even in my childhood didst show me this grace and favour, as thou hast often done since in many cases of extremity, give me grace to magnify thy blessed name therefore, and of thy free grace and unchangeable mercy, continue thy goodness to me thy unworthy servant, for my support in my last need, that death may not be death unto me, but a passage from temporal to eternal life, and a change of the one for the other, (as it is to all thine elect) according to the mighty working of our Saviour dying for us, whereby he hath purchased eternal life for every poor penitent soul that believes in him. Blessed be the Lord our strength and our redeemer for ever, Amen. 7 Upon six verses of the 12 Chapter of S. Luke, IN one of my paper-books which I had when I was a schoolboy, I find this short note written with mine own hand at that time, Lu. 12.35. to the 40. v. whether it was the text of some Sermon I then heard, or upon what other occasion I then wrote it, is forgotten (as all worldly things must shortly be with me.) But now turning to the place of that Gospel. I find it to be a part of our blessed Saviour's Sermon to his Disciples, not long before his passion, and to contain a most weighty and necessary duty enjoined to us all, for our timely preparation for death, and our Lords second coming in these words following, (Vers. 35.) Let your loins begirded about, and your lights burning. (Vers. 36.) And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. (Vers. 37.) Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily, I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve ●hem. (Vers. 38.) And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so; Blessed are those servants. (Vers. 39) And this know, that if the good man had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and n●t have suffered his house to be broken through. (Verse 40.) Be ye therefore ready also; for the son of man cometh at an hour, when you think not. In which word, our blessed Saviour requires of us, for our own good and final comfort an hourly watchfulness and preparation for the time of our change, that we may be ready when it cometh, telling us plainly that it will come at an hour we think not; and therefore to be expected and provided for that hour, if we will be safe: urging this most needful duty, by two examples or parables, the one, from the happy reward of so doing; twice pronouncing those servants blessed, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: the other from the danger of neglecting this watch, wherein we wilfully give the thief opportunity to break our house through, to our utter undoing. That if the former reason of reward and blessing will not move us, out of love and duty to see so gracious a Lord, and for our own final glory, to be ready with our loins girded (all carnal and worldly affections suppressed) and our lights burning (in bumble 〈◊〉, repentance and obedience) to open unto him at the first knock, yet the very fear of being surprised by that cruel murdering thief (our ghostly enemy) who every hour watcheth to take us at advantage, for bringing us to utter confusion, should awaken us, and make us careful to put this holy duty into serious and conti fall practice, for our own final safety and peace, and the glory of our most gracious God in our salvation; reckoning every day and hour to be our last, and so graciously employing our few remaining days of mortality here, as neither desiring nor needing any morrow: that so whensoever we shall be called hence, we may be ready and enter into the joy o● our blessed Lord and Saviour, and remain with him where he is in glory for ever and ever. Here this weak meditation of mine I will conclude with M George Withers, prayer and meditation, upon the 98. Psalm. O Almighty Son of God; we bless and praise thee for the manifestation of thy mercy to the whole world is the miraculous work of our redemption, thou didst come unto us, in despised weakness, yet hast thou therein shown such unresistable power, that it prevailed against the wisdom of the worldly wise, and magnified thy derided cross, above all the most renowned deities of the Gentiles. This thou didst by appearing in a contemptible state: oh how glorious and how powerful wilt thou be in thy second coming? It now draweth ni●h: O, let it not come upon us as a thief in the night, but as the travail upon a woman who keepeth a just reckoning, and joys in the hopes of her birth more than she fears the pains of her travelling; so according to the counsel of thy holy Spirit, we may expect and receive thee with praises, triumphs and rejoicings, Amen. Upon a Stage-play which I saw when I was a child. IN the City of Gloucester the manner is (as I think it is in other like corporations) that when Players of Interludes come to town, they first attend the Mayor to inform him what nobleman's servants they are, and so to get licence for their public playing; and if the Mayor like the Actors, or would show respect to their Lord and Master, he appoints them to play their first play before himself and the Aldermen and common Counsel of the City; and that is called the Mayor's play, where every one that will comes in without money, the Mayor giving the players a reward as he thinks fit to show respect unto them. At such a play, my father took me with him and made me stand between his legs, as he sat upon one of the benches where we saw and heard very well. The play was called (the Cradle of security,) wherein was personated a King or some great Prince with his Courtiers of several kinds amongst which three Ladies were in special grace with him; and they keeping him in delights and pleasures, drew him from his graver Counsellors, hearing of Sermons, and listening to good counsel, and admonitions, that in the end they got him to lie down in a cradle upon the stage, where these three Ladies joining in a sweet song rocked him asleep, that he snorted again, and in the mean time closely conveyed under the where withal he was covered, a vizard like a swine's snout upon his face, with three wire chains fastened thereunto, the other end whereof being holden severally by those three Ladies, who fall to singing again, and then discovered his face, that the spectators might see how they had transformed him, going on with their singing, whilst all this was acting, there came forth of another door at the farthest end of the stage, two old men, the one in blue with a Sergeant at Arms, his mace on his shoulder, the other in red with a drawn sword in his hand, and leaning with the other hand upon the others shoulder, and so they two went along in a soft pace round about by the skirt of the Stage, till at last they came to the Cradle, when all the Court was in greatest jollity, and then the foremost old man with his Mace struck a fearful blow upon the Cradle; whereat all the Courtiers with the three Ladies and the vizard all vanished; and the desolate Prince starting up bore faced, and finding himself thus sent for to judgement, made a lamentable complaint of his miserable case, and so was carried away by wicked spirits. This Prince did personate in the moral, the wicked of the world; the three Ladies, Pride, Covetousness, and Luxury, the two old men, the end of the world, and the last judgement. This sight took such impression in me, that when I came towards man's estate, it was as fresh in my memory, as if I had seen it newly acted. From whence I observe out of mine own experience, what great care should be had in the education of children, to keep them from seeing of spectacles of ill examples, and hearing of lascivious or scurrilous words: for that their young memories are like fair writing tables, wherein if the fair sentences or lessons of grace be written, they may (by God's blessing) keep them from many vicious blots of life, wherewithal they may otherwise be tainted; especially considering the general corruption of our nature, whose very memories are apt to receive evil then good, and that the well seasoning of the new Cask at the first, keeps it the better and sweeter ever after, and withal we may observe, how fare unlike the Plays and harmless morals of former times, are to those which have succeeded, many of which, (by report of others,) may be termed schoolmasters of vice, and provocations to corruptions: which our deprived nature is too prone unto: nature and grace being contraries. O blessed Lord God, grace is thine own free gift alone, the means of conferring it thine own, and the blessing of the means thine also, let all the glory and praise thereof be therefore thine own for ever: And let all the children of grace with humble thankfulness magnify thy holy name, for the measure they have, (be it never so little) and faithfully cherish it; for it is a pledge of thine eternal love, in freeing us from the cradle of security and the condemnation attending it, and an earnest penny of our eternal happiness, in and by Jesus Christ our Saviour, blessed for ever, Amen. 9 Upon the Dial of the Clock in the College Church of Gloucester. IN the horologue or dial of that Clock, in the four Angles of that square, which lie without those circles (wherein the hours are distinguished) are portrayed four Angels; each of them seeming to say something to those that look up to see what a clock it is, the whole written being two old Latin verses made up in rythme, in this manner. 1 An labour, an requies, 2 Sic transit gloria mundi: 3 Praeterit iste dies, 4 Nescitur origo secundi. Which may be thus englished. Whether we rest or labour; work or play, The world and glory of it pass away. This day is past, or near its period grown; The next succeeding is to us unknown. Out of which verses I conceive we may observe two necessary and profitable lessons: the one, that whether we do well or ill, live frugally or prodigally, our time with the whole world and glory of it is transitory, and continually wheeling about, like the minutes to the hour, or the hours to the day in the clock; the other, that the time past is gone from us, and past recalling, and the time to come unknown to us and uncertain: so as all the time we may reckon of, is the present, this very instant, and yet this moment is of so great moment and consequence to us, as whereupon dependeth eternity; either of glory to all the children of grace, or of endless horror to the rest. From whence we may learn, how much it concerns every one that would have comfort in the world to come, to be seriously careful of well using the time of visitation which God in mercy lends him, for his preparation here in this life, that when our hourglass shall be run out, we may be translated into those heavenly mansions which our blessed Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST hath provided for all the faithful who wait and long for his appearing. 10 Of good counsel given by a rude Country Painter in a homely verse. IN the mid way of the 24. foul miles between the City of Worcester and the Town of Ludlow in Shropshire, where the Lord President and Council of Wales do usually keep their residence, there is only one Inn, called the Hundred house, where it seems the justices and officers of that part of the shire do meet for the business of that hundred. In the fairest room whereof, being a low parlour, there was (when I traveled that way) no garnishing with wainsoot, or so much as stained , but the bare loom walls whited over, with a rude antic or flowery work in black, painted upon it; leaving at the upper end of the wall next the sealing a narrow white border, wherein was written in one continued line, round about the room these verses, Sith it is uncertain, where death shall us meet, And yet most certain that he follows our feet. In all our ways, let us be so wise and steady; That wheresoe'er he meet us, he may find us ready. Alas, how dull and slow are we to entertain this one most necessary Meditation of our own mortality, when in our beds and at our tables, in our restings at home, or travails abroad, whatsoever we do, whatsoever we see, in the clouds above, or the earth or sea below, we may observe such a vicissitude of changes and alterations in all creatures and things, as might make us expect in ourselus a change too: yet such is our strong forgetfulness, as the complaint of Cyprian▪ one of the ancient Fathers of the Church in his time, may be now justly verified against us. Nolumus agnoscere, quod ignorare non possumus. We will not acknowledge that, which we cannot possibly but know. O blessed Lord God, pardon we beseech thee our former negligences and manifold infirmities, and by thy grace sanctify and strengthen us to consider so seriously of our own frail condition; that since every day that goeth over our heads, may be our last, we may live so graciously prepared both at home and abroad, from day to day as needing no morrow; and then where or whensoever death shall meet us, our redeemed souls may welcome him, as the porter sent to open heaven gates for us, for our final and everlasting peace, through jesus Christ our most blessed Saviour and peacemaker▪ Amen. 11 Upon a pedigree found in a private man's house. GOing with one of mine honest neighbours in a Town within the Marches of Wales, to see a house which he had new built there; when we came into the parlour, as the best room, I observed a table hanging over the mantletree of the chimney, with two columns of Pedigrees crowned on either side one. The one column containing a pedigree or descent from the princes of south Wales, the other from the ancient princes of north Wales; and from both those descents, the pedigree was deduced, and concluded in the foot of the table, with the name of the good man of the house, as lineally descended from those two ancient Princes, the lines of their principalities being cut off two hundred years before. At the sight whereof, I bethought myself what a strange and poor brag it was, for this mean neighbour of mine to fetch his pedigree from Princes, when it might happen that the Smith, or the Shoemaker, should take place above him, in all the public meetings in the Town; till withal I considered, that there is not so contemptible a wretch in the world, but if he could deduce his pedigree high enough, would be found of kin to nobles: and the greatest Lord, if his pedigree were set forth in all the collateral lines and branches thereof, should be found to have mean or poor creatures of his kindred or alliance. It being certain that we all are one man's children, all sprung from Adam by nature; who was made of the clay or dust of the earth, Genesis 2.7. and he and his posterity to return to earth and dust again, Genesis 3.19. From hence we may observe the vanities of this transitory world, and the glory of it: which howsoever it differenceth between one and another whiles they are living; yet when we turn again into our dust, there is no such inequality (for there is no disparity in death) and no difference at all between the delicatest Lady and the foulest kitchen-stuff, when they lie both in their dust. Mors Sceptra ligonibus aequat. And it may be observed, that many gallants which have boasted of their great blood by many descents of gentry, have by their pride and foolery, wasted the great estate, which their frugal ancestors left them; and then may come to sit below the Smith or the Shoemaker, with this goodman, who could fetch his pedigree from Princes. Since therefore every man (none excepted) in his best estate is but vanity (Psa: 39.5.) this should teach us to be humble in ourselves; and as we know more wickedness and corruption in our selves than we can do in others; so in lowliness of mind to esteem others better than ourselves, as the Apostle requireth (Th●l. 2.3.) which would be a good mean to avoid contention and vain glory. O blessed Lord God have mercy upon us poor wretches, that have nothing in ourselves from nature, but dust and corruption, and give us a new birth and generation by thy holy spirit of grace, which only can truly enable us, making us thy children by adoption in Christ jesus, and heirs with him in the kingdom of heaven, Amen. 12. Upon a pedigree seen in a Nobleman's house. LVmley Castle in the County Palatine of Duresme, was built by that noble and worthy Lord, John Lord Lumley, after the manner of some Castles he had observed in his travails beyond the seas; with two fair passages into it, up two pair of stairs, large but short, both standing the one over against the other, at the lower end of the Hall; all the rest of the main rooms being of the same floor equal with the Hall: the most eminent room whereof at the upper end of the Hall, (being the great Chamber) was adorned with the pictures of all the Barons of that family in their robes at full length, beginning with the first, who was set forth kneeling before King Richard the second, and receiving his Writ or Patent of creation at his hands, and so from one to another, to that Nobleman himself that built the house; with the picture also of his Lordship's son and heir apparent, than a young man with a Hawk on his fist. In that fair chamber, at the upper end of it▪ in a Bay window, I observed a long Table hanging, fitting the one end of the window, containing a fair written or painted Pedigree, setting out not only how the Barons of that house succeeded one another, but also how the first Baron was lineally descended from Adam himself. But he that lived to build the house, and to adorn it with such Monuments of Noble Ancestors, from so high a descent as the very Creation of the World, and having a son then living like to have succeeded him in the barony, died himself childless in Queen Elizabeth's time, and so the Barony died with him, and there was no Lord Lumley to entertain King james there, at his first coming into England upon her Majesty's decease, and so that pedigree which (I know not by what heraldry) brought that worthy nobleman by many generations of Kings and Queens and other famous ancestors, by a lineal descent from Adam himself, could not deduce it one descent further, but it ends in him for whose honour itself was devised. And that noble Lord when he was at the highest of the pedigree, what could he find there of Nobility by it; when the meanest scullion o● his kitchen, and the poorest cripple at his gates, were thereby made their Lords Kinsmen, being all Adam's children as well as himself! And what pitch of honour had he gotten from that common ancestor of all mankind, but (what we, all his posterity, by woeful experience find to be pitch indeed) the guilt and infection of sin, and the fruit of it death? Objects proper for shame, sorrow and humiliation; no way for honour or vainglory: Adam himself being made but of red earth, and he and his posterity to return to earth again. O most blessed Lord God, blessed and magnified be thy most holy and glorious name, who after many generations hast raised up a mighty salvation for us in the Lord jesus the second Adam, son of thy servant David according to the flesh as thou didst speak by the mouth of all thy holy Prophets which have been since the world began, by whom we have redemption and deliverance from the guilt and punishment ●f the first Adam's rebellion, and from all the power and malice of that old wily serpent, who overthrew him in the terrestrial paradise, and are by the blessed promised seed of the woman, the Lord our righteousness, God manifested in the flesh for our redemption, restored to a better inheritance, even the Paradise of God, his own heavenly Kingdom. Let all the Monarches and States of the world fall down before thy glorious footstool (O most blessed Lord and Saviour) and worship and rejoice in thee, the only God of our salvation, and let no man glory in the antiquity of his noble ancestors; for no man can go higher than the Lord Lumleys Pedigree. But let every true Christian, (how mean soever or wretched here, and though by nature in the first Adam a child of wrath and perdition) lift up his head with joy unspeakable and glorious; being in and by this second Adam our blessed Saviour and his holy Spirit by adoption and grace, made the child of the most High, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and thereby become truly noble indeed. And let all the Potentates of the earth aspire to this spiritual honour by regeneration in CHRIST, then to all the pomp and glories of a thousand worlds, with the good Emperor Theodosius, who thanked GOD more for his being made a member of CHRIST, than the Emberour of the world, for the best and noblest nature amongst the children of men, brings forth nothing but corruption; only grace makes truly noble and everlastingly happy. 13. Of a Felon making of a comfortable end at his Execution. AMongst all other charitable deeds of that worthy man of God Master Perkins in the University of Cambridg●, his manner was (as I have heard) to visit the prisoners condemned at the Goal deliveries there, not only in the prison for their spiritual instruction and preparation before their execution, but to accompany them also at the place where they were to suffer; whither diverse scholars and others of good ●ancke also usually resorted: one of which spectators a fellow of Trinity College made relation to me, of a comfortable work upon one of the felons at one of the executions, more remarkable than the rest, to this e●●ect. The prisoner being a strong lusty fellow, in the vigour of his youth, in his going up the ladder, discovered an extraordinary lumpishness and dejection of spirit, and when he turned himself to sit upon an upper round, to speak to the people, looked with such a rueful and heavy countenance, as if he had been half dead already; where good Master Perkins standing at the foot of the ladder, laboured to cheer up his spirits, and finding him still in agony and distress of mind, called upon him in words to this purpose: what man? what is the matter with thee, art thou afraid of death? Ah no, (said the prisoner, shaking his head) but of a worse thing. Sayest thou so? said Master Perkins; come down again man, and thou shalt see what Gods grace will do to strengthen thee: whereupon the prisoner coming down, Master Perkins took him by the hand, and made him to kneel down with himself at the Ladder foot, hand in hand; when that blessed man of God made such an effectual prayer, in confession of sins, and aggravating the same in all circumstances, with the horrible and eternal punishment due for the same by God's justice; as made the poor prisoner burst out into abundance of ●●●●es, as the fervency of the prayer gave occasion; and when the blessed Preacher found that he had brought him low enough even to hell gates, he proceeding to the second work of his prayer to show him being truly humble and unfeignedly penitent, the Lord jesus (the Saviour of all penitent and believing sinners) stretching forth his blessed hand of mercy and power, to save him in that distressed estate, and to deliver him from all the powers of darkness; did so sweetly press the same with such heavenly art, and powerful words of grace upon the soul of the poor prisoner, as cheered him up again to look beyond death with the eyes of faith, to see how the black lines of all his sins and debts owing to Divine Justice were crossed and canceled with the red lines of his crucified Saviour's precious blood; so graciously applying it to the prisoners wounded conscience, as made him break out into new showers of tears for joy of the inward consolation which he found, and gave such expression thereof to the beholders, as made them lift up their hands and praise God to see such a blessed change in him, who upon the prayer ended rose up from his knees cheerfully, and went up the Ladder again so cheered, and took his death with such patience and alacrity of spirit, as if he actually saw himself delivered from the hell he feared before, and heaven opened for the receiving of his soul, to the great rejoicing of the beholders. Blessed be thy most holy and glorious name (O Lord our good God) for all those gracious endowments and abilities wherewithal thou hast and dost furnish thy Ministers of the Gospel of peace for the converting of sinners unto thee, and for bringing home the wand'ring ones, and rescuing their souls out of the Lion's mouth; not only amongst those many of the meaner sort that suffer in our ordinary Circuits and Goal deliveries; but also amongst our great men and Nobles (capital offenders) at the Tower; some of whom the spectators seeing their Christian and gracious preparative for death, and their behaviour in it, have adjudged more happy in their ends, then in all the glorious pomp of their greatness before. Good Lord, increase the number of thine able servants, furnished both with gifts and willing minds, to visit comfort and help those poor children of death, in that their greatest and last need; that they may then (by thy grace,) feel that which all thy children do in their greatest distresses●; that man's extremity is God's blessed opportunity for their final comfort and relief, Amen. 14. Upon the words (Hodie mihi, cras tibi▪) commonly used for an Emblem of our Mortality. I Have often seen painted and set out for an Emblem of our mortality; a naked boy with a dead skull in his hand sitting upon the ground, with this motto subscribed, (Hodie mihi, cras tibi.) To day for me, to morrow for thee. In which invention no doubt the Author intended well; and right good use▪ may be made of it by the sober and humble minded, that if we should expect death to morrow, we should be careful to spend to day well. But lately reading a Treatise entitled (Learn to die) written by that holy man of God, Doctor Sutton, and published Anno 1626. in the 3. Chap. and 28. page, I found these words▪ Thy neighbour's fire cannot but give warning of approaching flames (mihi heri, tibi hodie) yesterday for me, to day for thee; saith the wiseman, whose turn is next God only knows, who knows all. Whereupon finding those words differing from the motto of the old emblem, I turned to the place there vouched; (Eccl. 38.22.) and found the Doctor's words agree with the text, which faith: Remember my judgement, for thine also shall be so: yesterday for me, and to day for thee: which saying, brings the remembrance of death and judgement nearer home unto us; as to be thought upon to day, and not put off till to morrow; for it is the tempters suggestion that cries, Cras, cras, to have our conversation put off till to morrow; well knowing the old saying. Qui non est hodie, cras minus aptus erit: whereas the spirit of grace saith. (Heb. 3.7.) To day if if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, lest there be no after entering into his rest. O blessed Lord what a little distance of time is between to day and to morrow, and yet what weighty consequence depends upon it; when it may so fall out that if we use to day as the Holy Ghost requires, we may be in heaven, to morrow; if we defer till to morrow, we shall never come thither. O most gracious Lord God who callest upon us, to day not to harden our hearts, mollify them now, (even now O Lord) by thy powerful spirit of grace, that being truly converted unto thee in this our day, we may be for ever delivered from the law and bondage of sin, and from henceforth become the true and faithful servants of righteousness: and so daily waiting for thy blessed call, may be graciously fitted and prepared every day, with comfort and humble confidence and thankfulness, to deliver up our souls into thy blessed arms of peace, through jesus Christ our most glorious Saviour and only peacemaker, Amen. 15. Upon the observing of a Grave-stone in Paul's London. REading over a Christian meditation of death, in French, upon the 12. verse of the 90. Psalm (So teach us to number our days, etc.) written by Francis Lansberque, and reprinted the third time, (Anno 1624.) I observed a place (pag. 136.) where the Author reproving the vanity of some men, that even when they are a dying, take care of eternising their names by sumptuous tombs and pompous burials, instead of virtuous and honourable actions, in their life-time, hath a passage in these very words: Poor bones, and stinking prey of worms, what doth all this avail you? you seek to eternize your name in things of frailty, and in forgetfulness itself to preserve your perpetual memory. Think I pray you that the very stones, which cover your rotten bones have their old age that the brass and Iron of your graves will be eaten with rust, that the magnificent inscriptions are by little and little worn out, by the feet of those who walk over you: Believe you not this? go to the Church, and if you be not blind you shall see this made good. Which words pointing me (as it were) to Paul's, for the proof of that is there alleged,) it brings to my mind an observation of mine own concerning a grave-stone in that Church, as if it had been one of those very stones which the first author intended. For at my first coming to London, about fifty years since, I observed a very fair and large grave-stone of a brownish colour, in the pavement of the middle walk of the body of that Church between the two pillars next the stairs that go up into the chancel, wherein at the upper end thereof, was an inscription engraven in the stone, in old Latin letters, which I could then perfectly read, in these words, Non aspecies hominem ultra; and in the midst or heart of the stone, this one word, oblivio: engraven in much larger and deeper letters. About thirty years after, I found out the same stone removed into another place in the same walk, but the upper inscription so utterly worn out, that I should hardly have known it, but by that other word in the middle of the stone, the letters whereof were about seven or eight inches long, and that word oblivio was then to be read, though it may be worn out also by this time. This observation of mine, besides that it is a demonstrative proof of the French Authors proposition, touching the decay and wearing out of such kind of monuments, whereby we seek to perpetuate our memories, may also be the precedent of a strange kind of Epitaph; far differing from those large inscriptions approved by the Author: this serving every man's turn, and showing us all, what the greatest of us be, when we once are dead, covered with oblivion, and never in this world to be seen again. And this meditation doth properly join with that foreign author, in producing this use of instruction for us all; to leave those vain and pompous follies, and to draw near in time before we go hence, to get our names written in the Lamb's book of life in heaven, and then we shall be sure to have an eternal name indeed, amongst all the Saints and Angels for ever. O blessed Lord for thine holy names sake, guide us by thy spirit in that blessed way of grace whiles we live, that we may be assuredly thine, when we die: and then how mean soever our names or Tombs be here, we shall be sure to be raised again unto glory, to celebrate and praise thy holy and blessed name, in the land of the living for evermore, Amen. 16. Upon a short Inscription upon a great man's Tomb. I Observed upon a tomb where lay interred one in Barons robes, this short inscription (Fuimus) which puts every reader, noble, or of mean condition, (young or old) in mind, that howsoever we are yet declining (sum or sumus) in the present tense, ere long we must come to (fui or fuimus) the preterperfect tense, as well as those that are gone before us, and this gives us a proper lesson of our mortality: and if we inquire further what was the honour, high place, or dignity, of those that are gone to the grave, take but the least letter, the middlemost▪ the iota out of this one word, and the rest will answer (fumus) smoke, which also will teach us another lesson of the vanity of all earthly things, and these two lessons well conned will bring us from the consideration of the two former lessons, to bethink ourselves of the last, the future tense (Quid erimus) what we shall be hereafter: That like the children of grace and wisdom whiles we are yet in the first tense, (the time present) we may provide ourselves of spiritual comfort against we come to the following tenses, that when we are to say our last lesson, having learned our Christ's cross well afore hand in the present tense of this life, we may by his merits and mediation, be finally received into the blessed mansions of his heavenly kingdom, when time shall be no more, which the Lord of all grace, glory, and mercy, grant unto us all of his infinite goodness, through JESUS CHRIST our only Saviour and redeemer, Amen. 17. Upon three words written with a Coal in a great judge's house. THe noble Lord Chancellor Ellesmere, was wont every morning in term time, after the dispatching suitors of the better rank, in his great chamber and gallery in York-house, to come into the Chapel to public prayers, wherein the meanest suitors might accompany his Lordship: who upon ending of prayers, came through a waiting-roome down the stairs into the Hall, and so through it into his Coach, that all petitioners might take their oppertunities to put up their complaints or deliver their petitions to himself: Those stairs being made with several half paces wainescotted on every side to a man's height, with a fair white wall above it. In which wall in the most perspicuous place, obvious to every man's eyes that should come down the stairs, one morning against his Lordship should go to Westminster, there was written with a coal in fa●re large Italique letters, these three words, (Tanquam non reverturu●) which myself (having then occasion to attend his Lordship) did read, as himself and others di●, or could hardly forbear to do, they stood so in the eyes of all those that came down the stairs: wh ●her some scholar fearing oppression y some mighty adversary, wrote the s●me, to give his Lordship that necessary watchword, or upon what other occasion, or by whom the same was written, I know not. But I am sure that both his Lordship then, and all that did read it, or shall read this hereafter, may make good use o● such a memorandum (though but written with a coal) to make us the more wary and watchful of our words or actions, when we go abroad out of our houses, chambers, or closerts; even for this reason, because we may happen not to return again. How should such a meditation work in the Client's mind for peace and reconciliation, and the Lawyer's tongue for sincerity and truth; in the judge's conscience for justice and equity, in every man and woman's heart for avoiding of evil doing, if they would but think of these few words, and consider whether they would speak or do thus or thus, if they were presently to die, or whether thus or thus behave themselves, abroad, if they were not to return again to their homes? O merciful Lord God, have mercy upon us poor wretches of frailty, whose very memories are so depraved by our natural corruption, that what is indelebly written in our hearts and consciences, we wilfully suppress, when we are about any evil or mischief, how mischievous soever i● prove afterwards to ourselves or others. Pardon (good Lord) our former neglects of such useful meditations of our own mortality, and howsoever we neglect these and the like remembrances from mortal men; give us grace we beseech thee, to show our obedience to the Commandment of our Saviour, who must also be our judge, (Matthew 24 42) Watch, for you know not the hour. 18. Upon consideration of one Muscle of the eyes of man, more than of any other creature. IN the creation of man, Almighty God intending in that admirable and choice piece of all his works, to join an heavenly soul and an earthly body together, did even in the frame of that body, by that Muscle of the eye, give man to understand his own excellency above all other creatures; which having only muscles, for the use of their natures, his goodness added one to the eyes of man, that he might look up directly to Heaven from whence his better part came; the soul having especial use of that motion of the eye in prayer and meditation; that this power of lifting up the eyes without, might put us in mind of lifting up our hearts and souls within, to our good God, who gave our eyes that motion to that purpose; as also that the body was to look unto, and perform service to the Creator, as well as the soul, and to exercise that muscle in the works of grace, as the other are used for the necessary works of nature; and withal, to show us, that as when our eyes are intentively lifted up towards heaven, we cannot look downward or to any thing below; so our minds should be affected in all our spiritual duties to God, neglecting all worldly things therein, and keeping our souls to him alone. O merciful Lord God, pardon the errors of mine eyes forepast, and sanctify them to make these gracious uses for the time to come; and that both mine eyes and all other the members and faculties both of soul and body, may be consecrated to thy faithful service, in universal obedience; that when these eyes shall be shut up from this mortal light, my soul may be received into the glorious light of thy heavenly kingdom, through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. 19 Upon the name of God proclaimed. IN the 34. Chapter of Exodus it is thus written, (vers. 5) The Lord descended in the clouds and proclaimed the name of the Lord (vers. 6.) The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, (7) keeping mercy for thousands; forgiving iniquity, and transgressions and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children and children's children unto the third and fourth generation. In which words of our heavenly fathers own proclaiming, what blessed arguments of comfort are involved for the poor sinner; if he consider the several titles, that the Lord hath given himself, in this most gracious proclamation? For though the two first titles proclaim his sovereign dominion and supreme Majesty, for our most due and bounden humiliation before the Lord our maker, and the last title shows his just hatred of sin, and his unpartial justice, to work his true fear into our hearts: yet all the rest which M. Bolton (349.) reckons to seven times as many, proclaim nothing but his superaboundant mercy and goodness, to show us how transcendent he is in pity and compassion to the truly humbled and penitent sinner, for the strengthening of his faith and hope, to rely constantly and confidently upon his infinite mercies. O blessed Lord God of our Fathers, who even in the time of the law, under the covenant of works wert thus good and gracious towards sinners, before the manifestation of our blessed Saviour, thine eternal son, in the flesh, and salvation in him proclaimed to all nations, by the golden trumpet of the Gospel; mercifully sanctify and strengthen us poor sinful wretches by thy holy spirit, to lay fast hold upon those thine eternal mercies exhibited unto us by thy new covenant in Christ Jesus, and sealed up unto us, in his most precious blood, for the full and sure remission of all our sins in him: our perfect reconciliation with thy Majesty: and the assurance of thine unchangeable love, and our own final peace and salvation in him; whom thou of thine incomprehensible mercies towards poor penitent sinners, hast sealed and sent into the world to be relied upon for salvation; that so by humble and lively faith with true and hearty repentance, relying and resting upon those mercies of thine, which have been ever of old, unto the end and in the end; we may receive the end of our faith in the salvation of our souls; through the precious merits and blessed mediation of that prince of peace, our most gracious Saviour and eternal peacemaker, Amen. 20. Upon the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth, to breath. THis little word consisting but of two letters, the first and last of the Greek Alphabet, yet makes two syllables and gives a weighty signification, the english of it being, (I live or breath) which in my conceit may note unto us, the shortness of the life of man; and the nearness of death to every man breathing; when we cannot say (I breath) but the last letter must conclude it as the first began it; the one following the other as close as the shadow doth the body, or the night the day; without any other letter interposed between them, or so much as an aspiration to prolong the word; but no sooner Alpha gins, but Omega concludes, and if all the other twenty letters of the Alphabet should be interposed, and reckoned after the greatest computation of man's life, not by days but by years, (where how many be there that come not to so many months or weeks? (some, not to so many hours or minutes) yet must we all that read that Alphabet come to Omega at last. And if any be so strong as to read it over in the largest extent of years, there times and a half over; yet were his life but labour and sorrow, so soon passeth it away, and we are gone. O Lord my God; thou hast prolonged my life to the 69. year of mine age, which brings me to the confines of Moses his computation of the life of man; and therefore howsoever others may reckon the Omega to be far off from them (which no man can be sure of, for an hour,) yet must I continually expect it a● at hand. O most merciful Lord Jesus, who hast called thyself Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the f●●sh and the last, who art the author and finisher of our faith, the beginner of every good work of grace in us, and 〈◊〉 perfecter of it, have mercy upon me, and by thy holy spirit perfect that good work begun in me, for preparing my soul in true faith, repentance and obedience, all the days of mine appointed time, so to wait till my change cometh, that when that happy hour shall come, I may be found ready for heaven, and he finally received of thee in peace, into thine everlasting kingdom, Amen. 21. Upon the words of S. Paul, 1 COR. 9.24. So run that ye may obtain. IT is the saying of Theophylact, that o● the children of God, Quidam sun● in patria, quidam in via ad patriam; some are at home in their country, some in their way towards it: some have obtained the goal already, the rest are running their race towards it: some have finished their course, have fought the good fight of faith in grace here, and are now at rest in glory, some in the beginning of their course, and others (in our apprehension) more forward, but all tending to the end. And as it is with God's children, that they are not yet at home in their country, whiles they are in this world but are travelling thitherward; so also the wicked whiles they live here, are not where they must be hereafter▪ for they are runners too how well soever they think they have settled themselves in this world, and must of necessity leave it. when their turns comes. For there is one thing to be done by every man and woman living, high or low, good or bad, rich or poor, one with another; which it concerns every man, to be sure to do well, or else he can never come to heaven; it being not possible to do it more t●en once, and that is to die. If thou run well in the race of thy life, thou shalt be sure to dye well, and he that so doth, is safely gotten in patriam; but if death once surprise thee in an ill case, thou canst never come to dye again in a better. Therefore since the life of man, is a race to all men, and howsoever we run, or walk, or play by the way, we must all come to the goal at last: what an excellent caveat hath the Holy Ghost given us here by the Apostle: so to run, that we may obtain? It is not in our choice, whether we will run or no; for we are all runners; our life runs away like the sand in the hourglass, without staying the twinkling of an eye, whether we observe it or no: and it is no small matter that lies at stake: even no less than salvation or damnation: a crown of glory if we follow this gracious counsel or Commandment of God by the Apostle, of so running that we may obtain: everlasting horror and confusion, if we obtain not. Men that use to run a race for a wager, walk over that piece of ground often, where they are to perform their race at last: to observe on whether side the advantage lieth, at this down with or that rise of the way, and what be the impediments which may hinder them in their speed, that they may avoid them; and all to win the wager, which is but for a Nag or a suit of , or some other like trivial or transitory thing; how much more need have we then, that have our souls at stake, to take a daily view of our way, and of the short race whereupon eternity depends, not to be taken with the goodly buildings, fair flowers, sweet valleys, or pleasant fields, and other delights offered to our senses; but to mark seriously what dangerous letches, what thorny passages, what nets or g●●ns, what bogs or false ground lie in our way, that we may avoid them in our race, and run on without interruption in the strait paths of grace and virtue, unto eternal glory. And so much more need have we to look well to our way, and arm ourselves well for it, if we consider how dangerous a companion the soul carrieth with it, or rather is carried by, in this dangerous race, even our own sinful and sensual flesh; and withal how many ambushments of thiefs, murderers, and robbers, lie in the way, hunting for our souls as we pass by, and offering to the flesh any manner of sensual delights, to betray the precious soul, which it should carry strait to heaven, by getting it to turn aside into some other crooked and by-paths of sin and wickedness. Via una, multa de via. How many by-paths cross the way of grace, to draw the soul out of the way of life, by the allurements of honour, pleasure, profit, worldly-preferment, ease, good fellowship, and a thousand varieties, to make the soul neglect that unum necessarium, of walking in God's fear, and keeping constant in the way to heaven, we must not therefore think of sitting down, or standing still, or frisking out and in, up and down, at our own pleasure or leisure. But the pace he required is running, the most violent, earnest, and speedy pace of all; whereby we are put in mind, that as our life runs away without ceasing; so our labour speed and endeavour should be constant and perpetual, after that better life which shall never fade, and to contemn this, to obtain that. Notwithstanding every speedy or hasty running in the race of this life, brings not to heaven: but though we must run, yet we should so run, that we be sure to obtain. There is a special manner of running required, a singular and precise manner, which how contrary soever to flesh and blood, must be undertaken and pursued, or else all is amiss. For there is a headlong running down to hell; Facilis descensus Averni: and this is the way of good-fellowship (as it is called) wherein a man shall be sure of company enough, but of such as forget God: following the broad way of vanity which brings to destruction: And there is a sidelong running of the hypocrite, who runs bias, as if he would keep out of the broad way of destruction, but falls into it at the last. But our running should be upright towards Heaven, up the hill, in the narrow, strict and craggy way which leadeth unto life▪ we must run to obtain what we run for, and mind nothing else but to keep ourselves in that right way: which will bring us to that end, happy then is the soul, that declines the many by-paths of sin, and vanity, and keeps constantly and carefully that one strict way of holiness, righteousness and sobriety, which certainly leads to eternal peace. O merciful Lord Jesus, who are the way, the truth and the life, and knowest whereof we are made, and how unable to stand of ourselves, or to run the way of thy Commandments: assist and strengthen us by thy blessed Spirit of grace, to find out that gracious way of truth, which assuredly tendeth unto life; and then constantly to keep in it all the days of our pilgrimage; that living and dying in faith and obedience, we may finally obtain that crown of righteousness, which thine own blessed self hast purchased and prepared for us in thine heavenly kingdom, Amen. Eamus post Christum, quia veritas; per Christum, quia via; ad Christum, quia vita. Bernard. 22. Upon a worthy Divines Letter resolving me in a case of conscience. WHen it had pleased God to prolong my life beyond the great Climacterical year, as it is called; I thought it high time for me, to retire myself from worldly employments, that I might the better prepare myself for the time of my change; and thereupon imparted my mind for ghostly counsel therein, to a worthy and reverend Divine of my inward acquaintance, who returned me such a gracious and learned answer by Letter, for directing the Christian pilgrim into the right and safe way to eternal life, amongst the diverse opinions of th●se later and worst times; as I thought fit to register it amongst the private meditations of mine, that so pious a resolution in so weighty a case, (which in mine opinion might be of good use to God's Church) might not die with me, in a private Letter; the words whereof are here faithfully set down, as followeth. Sir, I sent you in a Letter by my brother, etc. In mean while, to your case of conscience, if I understand it aright, I think thus in few words. The Gospel is a doctrine of mercy, but not of liberty. The Moral law, though it cannot save, or condemn us who are in Christ; yet it still obligeth us (no less, if not more than others) to all acts of piety and justice. Our redeemer freed us, not from the obedience, but from the penalty of it, the rigorous sanction of it, is mitigated by the new covenant of grace, (for to us, is no condemnation, and if any man sin, we have an Advocate) But the new Covenant is so far from dissolving of any commandment, that it adds to them, the more of faith and repentance. And faith itself, though it assure us of comfort in Christ, yet it is under condition of our allegiance to God, not only in some feeble good purposes and desires, but in a constant, universal, actual obedience: For faith in the very nature of it, implies obedience, Romans 1.5. and 16.26. 1 Peter 1.14. and verse 22. It purifies the heart; Acts 15.9. It worketh by love, Galatians 5.6. And without doubt, the faith which is not thus obedient, purging, working, is but a fancy. 'tis true, the most holy Christian may sometimes by his frailty or negligence be surprised by a sudden temptation, or foiled y a violent: In that ease his comfort is in the merits of Christ. But 'tis withal his duty, speedily to recover himself, and to walk afterwards more warily with his God. Good will, or good wishes are not enough, where there is no more, I fear there is little grace, which where it is, enables us to overcome the world. 1 joh. 5.4.5. To resist the Devil. jam. 4.7. nay, to overcome him. 1 Io. 4.4. Ephes. 6.11.13. to do all actions of piety in good measure. Phil. 4.13. Mar. 9.23. Ephes. 3.20. jud. 24. verse. to mortify the deeds of the flesh. Romans 8.5.13. briefly, in spiritual conflicts to be more than conquerors, Rom. 8 37. 'tis true, the best of men, are but men at the best; now and then sinning, but then quickly repenting, and for the most part carefully and conscionably walking. And if you please to view and consider well these passages in God's book. Col. 3.9.10. Eph. 1.18, and 4.21.23.24. 2 Cor. 3. ●8. Galat. 2.20. and 15.24.25. and ● 14. Philip. 2.13. Romans 8.2. wherein the truly regenerate is described by his Characters and properties, you will fear that many (howsoever they seem to themselves and others) taking little care to walk exactly. Ephes. 5.15. in a holy life, have little store of that grace and little hold of that Saviour, whereof they presume so much. Shortly, as it is our great comfort that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8.) So that which follows must be our great care, to walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. That new and living way by the blood of Christ, will guide us straight to heaven between those two dangerous rocks of despair and presumption. Rec. 4. Nou. 1630. In the conclusion of this Letter I was encouraged to continue my honourable Lords service, which I did for the year following: and then (30. Novemb. 1631.) being suddenly taken with a disease called (vertigo capitis) which I doubted might turn to an Apoplexy, I withdrew myself home, and entered into a course of Physic, under which I was holden so long, as I was by GOD'S mercy taken off from my further worldly employments, and with my noble Lords extraordinary favour in my farewell, retired myself into Northamptonshire, since which time it hath pleased our most gracious Lord God to add some more years to my life, for my better preparation for the time of my change; blessed be his most holy name for it, and let his holy spirit of grace (I humbly beseech him) teach both myself and all others that shall read this worthy letter, to learn and practise that most necessary and blessed lesson, of joining faith and obedience, true belief, and holy life together, in the short race of our earthly pilgrimage; that so being true children of grace here, we may be assured to be heirs of glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour, Amen. 23. Upon the words revealed to S. Augustine. In te stas, & non stas. IT is written of Saint Augustine, that after his conversion to the faith, he was grievously vexed with inward conflicts against his corrupt affections: complaining of his inbred, hereditary, habitual, inveterate vices, and after long struggling with them, by purposing and vowing, strong resolution, watching, fasting, selfe-revenging, and other good means, finding still h●s own weakness, and the increasing violence of his own corruptions; as he was intentively musing and meditating what to do more, he heard a voice speaking to him these words, In te stas, & non stas. Whereupon rightly apprehending, that his own strength of wit, carnal I reason, and other powers and helps of nature, could not serve the turn, for effecting that which was the peculiar and proper work of grace; he betook himself to his Saviour, by humble, faithful, and fervent prayer, and at last found such inward assistance from the holy spirit of grace, as strengthened him to stand and make good his resolutions with more comfort than before. Whether the Lord in special favour to this gracious servant of his, did vouchsafe to give him this vocal instruction by words to his ears, or however the matter thereof was suggested or revealed to him by the Holy Ghost, I inquire not; but sure I am they are words of great use and warning to us all, not to trust to ourselves, or any strength or power of nature, for any spiritual work to be wrought in us, or by us▪ but to have our recourse to our Saviour, and to seek help from him and his grace, which cannot be had elsewhere how often it falls out, that self opinion of a man's own wit, makes his wit his own overthrow, and selfe-confidence of his own strength, in evil company instead of reclaiming others, to make himself worse than they? O blessed Lord jesus, (our most blessed Saviour) who knowest both the miserable infirmities and debilities of our depraved nature, and the subtle and advantageous power of our ghostly enemies, and having thyself in our flesh, and for us, overcome them in all their temptations, dost best know (Hebrews 2.18.) to secure them that be tempted: have mercy upon us thy weak and unworthy servants, and give us grace to learn that necessary lesson of self-deny all, and with humble faith to put our whole trust in thee for ever. (Esay 26.4.) For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength; and (jude 24.) thou only art able to keep us from falling: that so being weak in ourselves, we may be strong in thee, and in the power of thy grace be enabled to stand fast in the evil day, and in all things, (Romen 8.11.) through thee, who lovest us, to he more than conquerors; for (2 Timothy 4.18.) Thou O Lord hast delivered us, and dost deliver us, and we hope wilt deliver us from every evil work, and wilt preserve us unto thy heavenly kingdom, to thee be all glory and praise for ever, Amen. 24. Upon the building of Paul's Church in London. WHensoever that goodly monument of antiquity was built; it was evident to my understanding, that the Christian Church of those times did hold, that not Saint Peter, but the holy Christian faith was the rock or foundation whereupon the militant Church of CHRIST was to be founded: for under the Chancel of that mother Church of the chief City of England, there is an under-Church built with strong arches and pillars called Sancta Fides, usually called S. Faiths; which is indeed the proper foundation of the Church of Paul's. By which demonstrative argument it appears, that the good people in those days, did better understand the true meaning of our blessed Saviour, in the 16. Chapter, and 18. verse of Saint Matthew's Gospel, concerning the Rock, whereupon he would build his Church: then the Romanists of later times have done, who would make the world believe, that our Saviour did then appoint S. Peter, and after him his successors in the Cathedral Church of Rome, to be that rock of the Catholic Church of Christ, and the supreme Vicar and head of the Church, in whose breast all infallibility of judgement, and power of determining in all matters of the Church should be only resident, For certainly if there had been any such conceit broached at the building of Paul's, the fundamental Church of holy faith should have been named Saint Peter's, as if our Saviour had meant to build his Church upon Saint Peter's person, and not upon the Christian faith, which he (as the mouth of all the Disciples) professed that our Saviour was the true Messiah, Christ the son of the living God: our Saviour's question being made expressly to all the Disciples, verse 15. and he answering for them all. O most blessed Lord Jesus, who art the way, the truth, and the life, and seest into what miserable combustions the state of Christendom is brought, by these antichristian wasting of thine own blessed works for maintenance of private supremacy and Sovereignty here, as if thy kingdom were of this world, which thyself hast, (joh. 8.36) expressly disclaimed; have mercy upon thy poor distracted and distressed Church, and make up the breaches thereof against all the wicked plots and machinations of the adversary, by inclining the hearts of all that profess thy holy name, to agree in the truth of thy holy word, that we may all live in Christian unity, peace, and godly love, waiting for the accomplishment of the number of thine elect, that these days of sin, and dissension being finished, we may be received into thine everlasting peace, through thine own blessed merits and mediation for us, Amen. 25. Upon the reading of a paper casually taken out of an old bundle at my first coming to Stanwick. Upon my resolving to make Stanwick the place of my retiring myself from the business of this world, that I might with more freedom prepare myself for a better; amongst other necessaries sent thither from Westminster, there was certain bundles of old letters, notes and writings, sent thither upon my remove, which was in june, 1632. that I might there peruse them before they were laid aside for waste papers. And when I came thither, in the first bundle I took to look over, I lighted upon a sheet of paper folded up, and endorsed only with the name of a very worthy Preacher of mine old acquaintance: and having quite forgotten what it might con●erne▪ I opened it, and found it to be an abstract of one of his Sermons taken by myself about 40. years before upon this Text, (Deut. 32.29.) (O that they were wise, that they would understand this, and would consider that later end) wherein I found the necessity of that Christian duty of preparation for the time of our dissolution, so powerfully pressed by that man of God, as I was glad to light upon it so seasonably, for a gracious introduction to my further meditations of that necessary subject. O blessed Lord God, what just cause have I to condemn mine own dulness and corruption, that having so long before by mine own hand taken an abstract of such a precious instruction, did neglect the comfort and use thereof more than for the present, for many years not remembering that I had any such thing. But withal how infinitely bounden am I to thy Majesty (O most gracious and merciful Heavenly Father) by who●e special providence it was preser●●● in my many remooves to remote dwellings, and several alterations of 〈◊〉 fortunes, and now so season 〈◊〉 brought to my hands, in this last 〈◊〉 of my life, when I have most 〈◊〉 of holy preparation 〈◊〉 to teach me 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 in speedy and serious practice, that lesson which I took out so long a go. O Lord my God, bury (I belo●● thee) this neglect of mine with the re●● of the manifold sins of my youth in the bottomless seas of thy mercies▪ and by thy holy Spirit sanctify and strengthen me now at last, whiles it is yet called (to day) blessed be thy most blessed name for it▪ and apply myself wholly to this blessed learning of being wise to salvation, that by thy blessing and mercies, I may by humble and steadfast faith, fruitful repentance, and new obedience, be provide● of that Saviour, (besides whom there is no other) against my last ●eed, so to cover all my misdoings▪ and sins of all kinds, from being imputed unto me, and to me with his perfect righteousness, that when the hour of my change shall come, I may be found of thee, in peace, through his merits and mediation our eternal advocate and most blessed peacemaker, Amen. And although this paper of mine be but a brief or abstract of that which was largely delivered by that worthy messenger of God: yet as short and imperfect as it is, I conceive good use may be made thereof, by the humble minded and conscionable reader; and therefore being a relic of mine own hand for so many years preserved, I have thought fit to annex the original itself to this meditation: in hope some gracious use may be made thereof for our preparation for our later end, which cannot be far from any of us, for, Jnter breve vitae spatium nihil p●●cul diei potest. DEUT. 32.29. O that they were wise, that they would understand this, and would consider their later end. THese words are part of the last song of Moses the man of God, which he sung unto the people Swan like, at his being ready to leave the world. Dying men's words have deepest impression, let these as Moses dying words are repuire your attention: yea, and not as the words of Moses alone, but as the words of godly Moses; for (v. 20) The Lord said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end will be, etc. and in the first verse, Harken ye heavens and I will speak, and let the earth hear the voice of my mouth. (2.) My doctrine shall drop as the rain, and my speech shall still as the dew, and the shower upon the herbs, and as the great rain upon the grass. Harken with your earthly bodies, and with your heavenly souls, for you have all of you part o● heaven within you, that both soul and body as herbs watered with April showers, may bring forth fruit unto God that waters them; and wisheth here the best things unto you, wisdom and understanding, to provide for your later end: for all flesh is grass and must have an end, a withering as well as a growing, a harvest as well as a spring, happy is the soul that is so watered with grace here, that he shall reap glory in the Lords great harvest to come. This Text hath two parts; the things recommended to them, and the inducment or introduction thereunto. The wish, O that, The matter, that they would be, 1. Wise, 2. Understand, 3. Consider their later end. Here, when the Lord wisheth that all men would be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, I presume not to enter into the secret cabinet of God's eternal counsel and election, but humbly content myself with what he hath revealed, namely, that God offereth his grace to all and would have all men to be saved, desiring not the death but the conversion of a sinner, Why will ye lie O house of Israel? Perditio tua ex te. Now when God recommends any thing unto us, we may conclude it to be absolutely good and absolutely necessary for us▪ and therefore the greater shall our sin be▪ if we neglect the counsel of God. The matter recommended unto us is wisdom, to be wise to salvation; and this extends to poor as well as to rich, generally to all, for all have souls, and all are invited to be wise to save them. Doth any man want wisdom. let him ask of God▪ (james 5.) who giveth to all men liberally and repr ●●heth no man▪ and it shall be give● unto him. As there is a wi●dome●● which me● in the● several callings do govern themselves and their worldly occasions; so there is a wisdom whereby we are taught to govern our souls unto eternal life. And if we were as profound in policy as Machiavillians, and had all the wisdom of the learned for the managing of earthly things, yet all were nothing without this wisdom to salvation; which we are here exhorted unto. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, for this wisdom dwells not with wicked men. This is not every man's wish or desire. The most affect worse things; some worldly honour, some earthly riches, some sensual pleasure, but few that look after this heavenly Kingdom, all for the body, none for the soul, as if we had no souls to save; and therefore the Holy Ghost stirs us up to be wise, that we may understand; which is the next part of the matter propounded; understanding. What, do we not understand already? yes, but we understand not what belongs to our peace, and as we should understand unto salvation. It were a great step to grace, that we had so much understanding of GOD as the honest Heathen had, who by their understanding and reason kept themselves from gross sins, intemperance, injustice, anger, distempered passions, and kept themselves in just dealing with others, and a tranquillity of mind to themselves. But we come short of the fowls, for the Stork knows her appointed times, and of the beasts, for the Ox knows his Master, but we know not our maker, and even in the least of creeping things, the Ant provides in Summer, what must keep her in Winter, and we should be likewise to gather here what should be needful for us at our going hence. In every man and woman God hath infused a reasonable soul; and in every soul hath set up a Candle, the light of reason, to guide the understanding, and when we commit sin, this candle is for the time smothered between Satan and our own corruption, or else we should not sin with the greediness we do. How can ye say, that the man hath reason, that drinks himself into a beast, when no beast will be so intemperate? How doth the Gallant understand himself, when he lays his life to pawn, nay, his soul with his life, in a trivial quarrel? What reason hath the blasphemer for his swearing, or the adulterer for hunting the houses of death? Surely, if our understanding were clear, as God made it, we should never sinne, and therefore it is not without a cause, that God's children are wished here to be wise, and to understand, that so we may consider our later end, which is the object, aim, and end of all our wisdom, and understanding; and so we come to the last part. Is there then so great wisdom, and understanding, to know that we must all die, we all know that well enough. Oh, but to consider this, that is so well known, as we should, is a point of highest wisdom and deepest understanding to know it, so, as to consider it as it ought to be considered, is a point of absolute necessity to him that will have any care of his salvation. To consider our later end, is so to judge of earthly things that they may help us to a blessed end, for finis coronat opus: and he that remembers his later end as he should do, shall never sinne, as the wise man saith. It will be a scarecrow to him to keep him from sin, when he considers of it, and himself as he should do. Who is he amongst us all, that doth consider of God's blessings heaped upon us, as he ought to do? He might have made us insensible creatures, as stones in the wall, only vegetative creatures, as trees, or herbs, sensible creatures, as Toads or the like: But he hath made us reasonable creatures; and that not Indians and Turks to worship the Devil and the murderer Mahomet instead of GOD, but Christians; and amongst them, not Idolaters, and Schismatics, but bred up with the sincere milk of the Word of GOD, in the purest Church that God hath now in the whole world. O who is then a wise and understanding man, that will not consider this, to advance and magnify the goodness of the Lord unto him, who by so many steps of mercy and goodness hath advanced him above all the creatures of the world? And as this consideration should move us to thankfulness to GOD; so it would keep us in obedience towards him, for to what end have we all these preferments from God, but that we should remember to glorify him that hath bestowed them, and to fit ourselves for that future glory which he hath reserved for us at our later end. Oh than that they would be wise, and understand, and consider their later end: their later end, that is, their death; that they must die, consider it as well as know it, and so wisely provide for that which cannot be avoided. Death shall gnaw them as sheep, saith the Prophet David, as sheep doth the grass, some now, some anon, the whole pasture over in a while, and then as the fresh grass springs up, so death comes over again and crops it; yet still the root remains; there is a root of eternity, which death cannot take from us: but how soon we shall be cropped off by death no man knows, we may reckon of years, and perhaps not live a week, or a day, nay this night the sheet that covers thee, may be thy winding sheet before to morrow. What manner of men should we be in holiness and righteousness of life, if we did thus consider of death; and how much doth it concern us, to consider and prepare for our later end, which is so uncertain, unto us? All worldly things honour, riches, pleasures, nay, life itself hath an end, but that end is not the end of us: there is something else to be considered in that word, namely what followeth that end, and that is judgement, for the same day we die, are we brought to judgement, and called to the strictest account that can possibly be imagined, not to answer for our own sins alone, but for adam's, and for our corruption which came from him, and for the sins of those that shall come after us, whom our ill example, or neglect of instruction hath corrupted; and not for deeds alone, but for words also; and not for wicked and sinful words but for idle words, even for every idle word, and for our very thoughts. O Lord, what shall we sinful wretches do when we come to this account? who let us take as much care as we can of our words, even in our prayers and best devotions, yet we shall show our imperfections and weaknesses even then: how great then is the numberless number of our iniquities when they shall be gathered together into one total, how should we answer for one of a thousand? let us then consider seriously of this great and strict account, and provide ourselves of a Saviour that may cover our misdeeds, and the errors of our words and thoughts, that they may not be imputed unto us in that judgement. From which consideration of a judgement, there may be also further considered that there is a Hell, a place of torment, where the wicked shall have their particular being with the Devil and his Angels whom they served in this life, separated from the joyful presence of our glorified Saviour, in whose face, is perfect joy for evermore, and if there were no further pain of sense in hell, but this poena damni, only this deprivation of God's presence, that were a hell sufficient of itself, whereunto there is added pains of sense, fire eternal, utter darkness. But withal, this consideration of the Judgement, which shows such terrible things to the wicked, brings the faithful to another issue, the bliss and heaven and everlasting salvation; the comforts and joys whereof it lieth not in my power to declare, nor in the heart of any man to conceive; but there will be the full fruition of what we hope for here, and an absolute deliverance from all those things, which trouble or fear us here. And yet I have not done; one thing more this consderation of our end brings us to; namely, that we must not end when we come to our end: but there is an eternity that attends us afterwards, whether of life to salvation, or of eternal confusion. And this is a consideration of weight indeed. I read of a good Christian in time of persecution who being condemned to die for his conscience, his wife persuaded him to yield to the kings will, and save his life, why, (saith he) how long thinkest thou I may live if I should do so, she answered twenty or thirty years perhaps. Alas saith he, and if it were so many thousand years, what were that to eternity? O let us make use of this, and consider sadly and seriously of this main point, that this thor● lif● of ours is but a moment whereupon eternity depends: and therefore it much concerns us all to listen to this wish of th' Holy Ghost, and to labour to be wise, and understand, and consider our later end. 26. Upon the Turkeys coming duly to their roost at night. SEe how these silly fowls, which at their own liberty wander and feed abroad, in Gardens, Fields, and Orchards, all the day long, and many times fare off, from their usual roosting places; yet (notwithstanding the company of other fowls of their own kind met abroad, discovery of new places of better feeding, and other enticements or impediments) do ever towards Sunset, draw themselves homewards before it be dark, so to have time and daylight enough, to fly up to their perches of roost, where only they look for safety and quiet in the night approaching. This providence taught these silly creatures by instinct of nature; as it directly shames, and condemns some of us, who when we are got abroad, are easily drawn by ill company, good-fellowship, or other idle vanity, to defer our coming home till we are not able to come home, but must be led home like beasts, or lie in a ditch by the way, (to the hazard of soul and body) so it may be a necessary remembrance useful to us all; that in all our worldly occasions of this life, we bethink ourselves of the Sunsetting with us, I mean, the hour of death: which must as certainly come upon every one of us at one time or other, as the Sunsetting closeth up every day that goes over our heads; that like the sons and daughters of wisdom, we may everyday remember that our last night is at hand, and so provide to make our peace with God by jesus Christ (our only peacemaker) whiles it is called to day, that that night do not surprise us, or take us unprovided for it. O merciful Lord God, strengthen my feeble soul, by thy holy Spirit of grace, that with the humble wings of true repentance and a lively faith, I may before hand fly up into the Ark of my Saviour's perfect righteousness, that whensoever that night shall come upon me, I may be found there in safety, and so received into thine everlasting peace, Amen. 27. Upon the remove of household from one dwelling to another. THe day appointed for this remove, was set down many days ago, and most of the stuff packed up and made ready for carriage: yet see how full of trouble and perplexity the day itself is: by taking leave of old friends and neighbours, some things forgotten to be done before, some new interruptions falling out in the instant: so that many times the carriages are benighted, and fall short of getting to the new home in due time. We are all in this world but sojourners, and our home is not here, but in Heaven: for which we should be everyday so wise by preparing ourselves, that we might not be cumbered upon the day of our remoovall; but to have them nothing to do, but to lift up our souls unto our Saviour the Lord jesus, and so departed in peace: yet how contrary to this is the practice of many, who leave all their business to the very remoove-day, the day of death; not having so much as settled their outward estate, or made their wills before; whereby they grow so perplexed and distracted with thoughts of this world, care of wife and children, visitations of neighbours, pangs and distresses of sickness, fear of death inward horrors and temptations, a● makes their departure many times very uncomfortable. O most glorious Lord God, I know not how sufficiently (as I desire and aught) to praise thy most holy name, for thy great mercy towards me in this gentle visitation of sickness, which thy most gracious and tender hand hath laid upon me: whereby I am taken off from all worldly cares and thoughts; and have also (of thine infinite goodness) such gracious times and opportunities to prepare myself for my remove and change. O, let my soul for ever praise and magnify thy holy name therefore. And withal I most humbly beseech thee to stretch thy hand of mercy yet further upon me; that as my body shall decay, (wherein I most humbly submit myself to thy blessed good will and pleasure) my soul may be strengthened by thy powerful spirit of grace; and the good work begun in me, made more and more perfect, that when this earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved, my soul united by faith to my blessed Redeemer the Lord jesus may be then received of thee in peace, through his precious merits and mediation, who is our alone Saviour and peacemaker, Amen. 28. Upon the casual hearing of a verse in the new Testament read by a child. AS I was to pass through the room where my little grandchild was set by her Grandmother to read her morning's Chapter, which fell out to be the ninth of S. Matthews Gospel; just as I came in she was uttering those words in the second verse; Jesus said to the sick of the palsy; son, be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee. Which words sorting so fitly with my case, whose whole left side is taken with that kind of disease, and whose soul desires nothing so much as such a gracious word from my Saviour; I stood at a stand at the uttering of them, and could not but conceive some joy and comfort in those blessed words, though by the child's reading, as if the Lord by her had spoken them to myself, a paralytic and a sinner, as that sick-man was: who (for aught appears in the Text) expected only the cure of his bodily infirmity: when behold the gracious redeemer of the World, who is wont to give more unto us than we desire or deserve, gins first with the cure of the soul, by remitting his sins, and then cures the body afterwards. O most blessed Saviour, those words of grace which thou didst vouchsafe to that sick man, not desiring it; speak thou of thy rich mercy by thy holy Spirit to my sinne-sicke soul, which most humbly begs it at thy most merciful hands. My soul is grievously sick in the sight of my sins, sense of the wrath of my displeased God, and desert of hell and utter condemnation. But (Lord) speak these words only unto me, and my soul shall live, for (Lord) if thou wilt thou canst make me whole. O Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. As for my bodily infirmity, which thou (as the chastisement of a loving and merciful father) hast laid upon me, to wean me from the world, and for my better preparation against the time of my dissolution by it; I do with all humble thankfulness, and dutiful obedience submit myself thereunto, therein▪ But my humble and earnest suit is for mercy; mercy (good Lord) for the cure of my Soul, by the pardoning of my sins. O Blessed Saviour, speak those gracious words to me, one Paralyticke more; Son, be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee: that being absolved from them all by thee in this life, who hast already fully satisfied divine justice for them all, I may when that hour of my departure cometh, with comfort and cheerfulness deliver up my redeemed soul, into thy blessed arms of mercy in peace, Amen, Amen. 29. Upon the w●rds of a child, intimating the necessity of my timely preparation for death and heaven. IF notice were taken of the speeches, which sometimes f●ll from children, I am persuaded great use might be made thereof by those of ripe years, for their instruction and good▪ which I lately observed in a short discourse had with my little granddaughter, not yet seven years old, myself being entered into the seventieth year of my age, and my left side taken with a disease called the dead palsy; she seeing me to have my left hand rubbed after meals and my left leg rubbed at my going to bed, and at my uprising, said to me. Grandfather this you do, to make that side well▪ nay (child) said I, but to preserve it so long 〈◊〉 shall please God: but I look not to be well till I be in heaven: whereunto she replied in these very words, yea grandfather, you long to be there, and your leg would fain go to sleep in the grave. In which words, how directly doth the child teach me many things. 1. What I should do, long to be in heaven▪ 2. That there is no passage thither for the soul, but by the death of the body. 3. That when the body is ready for the grave▪ it is high time for the soul to be longing for heaven. 4. That the grave is bu● the body's bed to sleep in, for a time. 5. Intimating therewith th●● there shall be a time of waking. By which five particulars, how evident is it (Psal. 8.2.) out of the mouths of very babes and children, hath God ordained strength, to witness his grace and praises, to the confounding of the enemy who would suppress them. O most blessed Lord God, let my soul first praise thy holy name, for giving me those seasonable admonitions from one that comes in a second descent of mine own loins: beseeching thee to bless those seeds of grace sown in her heart in these her tender years, to make and preserve her thy child of grace all her life long; that finally she may be heir of thy glory. And then for myself, O good Lord, look graciously upon me thy most unworthy servant, who have longed for thy salvation: for thou (Lord) art the thing I long for (Psal. 71.4, 5, 8) thou art my hope even from my youth, through thee have I been holden up ever since I was borne, thou art he that tookest me out of my mother's womb; my praises shall be ever of thee. O cast me not away in the time of age, forsake me not, when my st●●●●th faileth, (10.) Go not far from me, O God; my God, ha●● thee to h●lp me▪ that as this earthly tabernacle d caie▪ daily through old age and infirmities, so thy grace may show itself powerful in my weakness, to enable me to hunger and thirst after thy righteousness, in a true desire after sanctification, and new obedience, for the remainder of my few days with hearty sorrow and unfeigned repentance for my sins past, and faithful relying upon thy mercies in Christ for the pardon of them; that when I shall leave this house of earth, thy blessed Angel● may convey my soul into the glorious mansion of peace, which I long for, and my Saviour hath prepared for me in thy heavenly kingdom, Amen 30. Upon a fight between two Cocks. AT Stanwick, my son had going with his Hens, a young Cock of a stout and large breed, with very large jollops hanging down on either side of his beak, and a friend of his giving him afterwards a Cock and a Hen of the game, as they call them (the Coxcomb and jollops being finely cut off, close to the head for advantage in fight) It fell out that the two Cocks meeting in the yard together, fell close to their fight; where the younger Cock fought stoutly a good while, till the old Cock taking advantage of his large jollops hanging so low, took hold thereof, for raising himself to wound the young Cock at every blow: which being observed by the spectators, they parted the fray for the present, and caused the young Cocks pendant jollops to be cut off, and his head trimmed for the fight, as the old Cocks was, who had at first so beaten the young Cock, that he durst not stay within his view: but after the sores of his jollops cut were healed, the young Cock coming abroad again, the old Cock ran presently upon him to have made him run away as he was wont to do before. But the young Cock turning again, and they falling to a new fight, very sharp and eager on both sides, at last the old Cock finding his old hold of the young Cocks jollops taken from him, was fain to cry creak, and to run away as fast from the young Cock as the young Cock did from him before; and ever after the young Cock was master of the field. In this fight of the two Cocks, me thinks I see represented by the old Cock, the old wily serpent, who by subtlety and advantage taking, overcoming our first parents in Paradise, as if he were then the Prince of the World, sets upon every one of their posterity to subdue them to his dominion, insomuch as he presumed to set upon the Lord Jesus, (God blessed for ever) finding him clothed in our flesh, though to his own utter overthrow in the combat; our Saviour the second Adam, becoming absolute conqueror, and that for us also that do believe in him who are thereby made partakers of his victory. In the young Cock, me thinks I see the natural and unregenerate man, overladen with his own original corruption; who endowed with many gifts of nature, and helps of good education, presumes of himself to stand against the old cock in fight. But the old murderer (who never shows fair play, but works upon any base or villainous advantage he can) laying hold upon his natural corruption, and by help thereof gives him many a wound, and is like to overcome and oppress him, through the treachery of his own flesh, by the m ltitude of his sins; when behold the Lord Jesus (the blessed spectator of all our fights and combats, and who is our only supporter and helper in them) seeing the poor soul his soldier in this distress and danger, giveth order by the work of his sanctifying spirit, to cut off that traitorous corruption 〈◊〉 nature, and by the supply of grace to renew his strength against the fiery assaults of the tempter: who missing his wont hold of corrupt flesh, and finding a new influence of grace from the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, which ever overcomes him wheresoever it meets him, turns the back and flies away: and so the man, (though but in part regenerate) becomes more than conqueror through him that loved us, Romans 8.37. Most blessed Saviour, (who seest our manifold weaknesses, and the enemies great advantage over us, in these spiritual combats, strengthen us thy poor weaklings, fight under thy banner: that by thy grace we may be enabled to stand fast and courageously in the evil day, and by the power of thy might put all temptations to flight; and so finally obtain the Crown of victory, to thy glory, and our everlasting peace, Amen. 31. Upon a child's ask blessing in the morning. WHiles I was busy one morning in writing, my little grand child came into the room where I was, falling down upon her knees, and desired me to pray to God to bless her: and having so done, knowing that I heard her, she (without expecting any verbal answer from me, out of the confidence of my fatherly love) riseth up, assureing herself of the blessing she desired, and so betaketh herself to the employments of the day. O blessed Lord God, our most gracious heavenly Father, thy love is the only Fountain of all true fatherly love and affection; and the dearest love of the tenderest parent, is but as a drop from that ocean: why then should not I with as much (or rather much more) confidence and assurance rely upon thy paternal love, as the child doth on mine? Why should any doubtings interrupt my prayers, when I kn●w I put th●m up to so gracious a Father, whose love is all infinite and unchangeable like thyself? why should my sins or unworthiness deter me from that duty, when I know thy love and grace is free, and freely bestowed out of thine own goodness, not for any merit of mine, nay, against my sinful deservings? O blessed Lord God, seal up unto my conscience by thy pacifying spirit, the assurance of mine adoption, and strengthen me by thy grace, in all my poor prayers, (howsoever accompanied with humane infirmities) to come unto thee with true filial confidence, and awful reverence, in the name of thine only natural and eternal Son, my blessed Saviour and only Mediator; and so shall I be sure of thy Fatherly acceptance of me in him. O then, let my soul for ever rejoice in this privilege of thy children; and cheerfully, thankfully and constantly put my whole trust and affiance both in life and death, in thine eternal and free love and mercy towards me in Christ Jesus, Amen. 32. Upon one word attributed to God thrice, in three verses together in one Chapter. IN the last Chapter of jonah, it is said (verse 6.) that the Lord God prepared a Gourd, (verse 7.) that the Lord prepared a worm, (vers. 8) and the Lord prepared a vehement east-wind: three works of Gods omnipotent power, as it were of three new creations; from thence to draw a most demonstrative argument, for convincing the Prophet's erroneous zeal, and to manifest the glories of his own infinite mercies above all his works. O most glorious Lord God, did the Prophet know indeed (verse 2.) that thou art a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness? and should he now be angry because thou wert slow to anger? and would he needs die of the sullens, because thou wouldst not destroy one hundred and twenty thousand infants, when their parents repent? what strange passions are these in a Prophet? had he forgotten so soon his own case, when so late before, for his rebellious flying from thee and thy word, he was justly, even by his own confession thrownover board into the sea, and yet of thine infinite mercy by a miraculous deliverance was after three days and three nights together lying in the deep, brought in life and safety to dry land again? was he glad and thankful then for thy mercies in sparing of one rebel, and hath he now so little pity upon so many thousand innocents? O blessed Lord God, how transcendent are thy thoughts (Esa. 558▪) above ours, and how contrary are our ways unto thine? Thine end in this Prophet's employment was for the Ninivites conversion, not for their destruction: And when by thy blessed summons of prevention, thou didst upon their repentance save them; greater was thy glory thereby and the success more pleasing to thy Majesty, than it would have been by their impenitency and destruction: let these two examples of thy mercy, upon the fugitive Prophet and the repentant Ninivites teach us, to put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercies, for blessed are all they that put their trust in thee, (Psalm 2.12. and 34.8.) O Lord strengthen us by thy grace, to depend upon thee and thy goodness, both in life and death, through jesus Christ our Saviour, Redeemer, and Mediator, Amen. And again O Lord God, didst thou here immediately prepare, both the refreshing Gourd, and the smiting worm, and fainting heat, for thine own gracious end with the Prophet; and doth any matter of comfort or affliction b●fall any of thy children, but by the hand of thine all governing providence? who in thine unsearchable wisdom knowest what is best for them, and in thine unchangeable mercy disposest thereof accordingly? O then (blessed Lord) give us grace withal meekness to humble ourselves under thy mighty hand, in all the occurrents of this mortal life; and in all our troubles to depend and rest upon thy mercies, for that blessed issue, which thou in thy boundless goodness shalt produce for thine own glory, in our final peace and salvation, Amen. 33. Upon the great Clock in Westminster Palace. THis Clock strikes four and twenty times a day, And every striking shows one hour is past: Thus hour by hour our days do wear away; And one those hours must shortly be our last: But which we know not: that poor sinners we In faith, repentance, and obedience, From hour to hour by grace prepared may be For our last hour, and happy going hence: When our dear Saviour shall call us home in peace And sin, death, sorrow, shall for ever cease. 34. Home. LOrd jesus, keep my heart, which by thy grace would fain keep thee, excluding all beside O let thy spirit sanctify the place, and by his sacred influence still rule and guide, My thoughts, words, actions, studies and desires To heaven-ward, whereto my soul aspires. For thence it came, I have no home but there, and thitherward am travelling as I may; A sojourner, and wearied pilgrim here, waiting my calling home from day to day; Till mine appointed time of change shall come, And thou (dear Lord) my soul shall welcome home Mean while, thy grace increase my faith in thee, with true repentance, and obedience; That these thy graces may abound in me, and I may die in them, when I go hence: And so by grace prepared as I should be, (Sweet Saviour) receive my Soul in peace to thee. 35. A Dialogue between an old sick man, and his neighbour visiting him. Q. HOw do you Sir? (A.) I praise God never better Because I never was so near my home▪ Q. What home mean yo●? nature to death is debtor And old or young, we all must thither come. A. True; de●th the common passage is, between This mortal life and that which lasts for ever: The body carries th'immortal soul unseen, Along with it so far: but their they sever: The body dies; the soul to heaven strait, From whence it came and where its dwelling is: And that's the home I mean; for which I wait; The glorious mansions of eternal bliss. Q But ere you can get thither you must die. A. My body must indeed, but that's not I. Q. And should the body's death so slighted be; The king of terror to all living things? A. I slight not death, God's messenger is he, And therefore welcome and good news he brings T'uncloath me of this body, that I may Be clothed upon with immortality; And so brought home, to dwell in heaven for ay● In glorious joys, and true felicity. And though death lays my body in the dust▪ As if I never should behold it more: Yet rise it shall, and he restore it must; In better plight then ere it was before. The sooner I get home the better then, Sweet jesus take me home in peace (Q.) Amen▪ 36. A Hymn for Christmas-day. Gloria in excelsis Deo. ALL glory be to God on high, and peace on earth, good will to men; This was the Chore of Angel's song, at jesus birth in Bethlehem; For then the eternal son of God became the blessed virgin's son; God manifested in the flesh, to save mankind else quite undone. Come let us magnify his name, with Angels and Archangels still, And sing, All glory be to God, and peace on earth, to men goodwill. For by this work of God made man, both th'heavens and earth have cause of joy; The heavens new glory have thereby; the earth doth heavenly peace enjoy: And both from God's good will to man, for lo, this blessed heavenly child Hath sinful Adam and his race redeemed, and to his Father reconciled. Come let us magnify his name, with Angels and Archangels then: And sing, all glory be to God, and peace on earth, good will to man. This babe though cradled in a cratch, was yet the King of glory borne: And came from heaven man to save, who otherwise had been forlorn; He is our only peace on earth, the conscience pacifier here: He is our glory in the heavens, our blessed glorifier there; Come then above all creatures we should sing this Angel's Anthem still; All glory be to God on high, and peace on earth, to men good will. But first from men on earth below, should glory mount to God on high: Then God from heaven would shower down peace to men on earth abundantly. For God being now at peace with man, through Christ the Lord both God and man, The heavens and earth are likewise friends, as 'twas when first the world began. Come let us magnify his name, with Angels and Archangels then: And sing, All glory be to God; and peace on earth, goodwill to men▪ O what transcendent love was this, of that great God to poor mankind▪ When men and Angels both were fall'n, God took man up, left them behind: And that man might be quit from hell, and brought to heavens glorious bliss, The Prince of heaven man became; was ever mercy like to this? Come then, and let us praise his name, with Angels and Archangels still, And give God glory in the highest, that showed to man such high goodwill. To thee (O most Almighty Lord) most holy, g●●●ious Trinity, The Father Go●●●d Holy Ghost, in ever blessed ne'er; From hearts and souls and all our powers, all glory, pr●●●e, thanksgiving be, As in beginning was, is now, and shall to all eternity, For Christ the Lord our jesus borne, at time prefixed in Bedlam; Let heaven and earth with all their hosts, come join with us and say Amen. A Prayer and Meditation for my wife and myself to join together, she being in the 67. year of her age, and I ●n the 74. of mine, and both full of bodily infirmities; for our daily waiting for the blessed hour of our dissolution. 1 HEre at thy footstool (blessed Lord) do we ●cal● Thy weak unworthy servants wait thy gracious Our work draws to an end and now we come to thee Whose blessed will is so declared, we shall. Bless this our waiting time; and by thy grace, Support us joyfully to end our race. 2 For thou already hast of thy good will In truth and mercy us espoused to thee, Although the marriage day must rest, until This mortal puts on immortality: Mean while, thou hast thy holy spirit us given, To guide us all along our way to heaven. 3 Whose sacred hand, within the first degree Of life eternal, hath already brought us ● Uniting us (renewed by grace) to thee (Most glorious Saviour) who haste dear bought us; And by this first degree assures the rest; To make us finally for ever blessed. 4. The second step to life's eternity, Is by death's passage which we now attend; Where laying down, all our mortality, Our souls by Angel's conduct shall ascend: Members of thy Church thine own espoused wife, Into thy palace of eternal life. 5. Where we, instead of flesh, that's transitory, And must be laid to sleep here in the grave; Shall have new robes of everlasting glory, As all our fellow members there shall have, O what a blessed glorious change is this, To leave this world for heavens endless bliss? 6. And yet there rests behind a third degree, When these frail bodies raised from death again Unto eternal life, rejoined shall be Unto our souls; and glorified with them: When all things shall receive their consummation; Our souls and bodies both, complete salvation. 7. Now whiles we wait in this our pilgrimage, When our appointed time of change shall come; (Lord jesus) help in this our life's last stage; And our redeemed souls bring safely home; To that safe home of thine: where all things be In perfect peace and true security. 8. For in this life such our corruptions are, As hinder when we any good intent; But headlong running into every snare, To make us our most gracious God offend: Under this bondage of corruption thus, Lie we till thou good Lord) deliver us. 9 Here then with panting long after thee, Most (glorious Saviour) for our final rest: With sighs of hope, and tears of joy, do we Attend thy blessed call to make us blessed. Call then (sweet jesus) when it shall thee please: Into thy hands receive our souls in peace, Amen. job 14.14. All the days of mine appointed time, will I wait till my change shall come.