Vpon a sad and unseasonable Raine translated out of Latine.

2 Vpon a LOOKING GLASSE, Translated out of Latine.

3 Concerning an extraordinary veile which covered my body, at my comming 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 houre of our birth, who were our sureties at baptism, and the like, of which kind ther was one spe­cial remarkable thing concerning my self, who being my parents first son, but their second child (they having [Page 90] 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 artificiall veile; as also my eldest sonne being likewise my second childe was borne with the like extraordinary covering: our Midwives and Gossips holding such children as come so veyled into the world, to be very fortunate (as they call it) there being not one childe amongst many hundreds that are so borne; and this to fall out in the same manner both to the father and the sonne, being much more rare. But whatsoever old wives ob­servations are, let us (both father and sonne) with all humble thank­fulnesse, look up to our heavenly fa­ther, (who made us and formed us in the wombe, and brought us from thence, and doth preserve and governe us from the cradle to the grave) to blesse and praise his holy name, for the priviledge of our birth-right which his favour hath bestow­ed [Page 91] upon us, above the rest of our bro­thers, and to studie and endeavour to walke worthy of that dignitie in our care and endeavour to serve and please him, who hath singled us out, as fathers of the family in our seve­rall generations to that purpose; the first borne of the sonnes amongst the Israelites being to be given or conse­crated to the Lord, Exod. 22.29. Numbers 3.13. Luke 2.23. And from those veiles wherewithall wee were borne, let us learne this Chri­stian lesson, to veile our heads and our hearts and all our affections, from the witcheries and vanities of this world; and to looke up, beyond the things here to our Saviour IESUS CHRIST within the veile in hea­ven, to long and wait for those bles­sed and unchangeable comforts which are there treasured up for us in him: Not as wee came into this world hidden of nature, but as wee are now born by his holy spirit, chil­dren of grace and election. O mer­cifull Lord God, we bring nothing [Page 92] with us into this world, but that which might condemne us in the next, blessed be thy most holy name, by whose eternall mercies wee are born again of the Holy Ghost, and our begun regeneration here shall be consummated in the world to come. ô sanctifie and establish us by thy free spirit, that being by our new birth made children of grace and a­doption in Christ, we may mortifie all our old corruptions of nature, and serve thee faithfully in new o­bedience in the short pilgrimage of this life, and bee finally received in peace into thine everlasting king­dome, as thine own redeemed ones, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, Amen.

4. Vpon an extraordinary accident which befell me, in my swad­ling cloaths.

WHen we come to years, we are commonly told of what befel us in our infancie, if the same were more than ordinary. Such an ac­cident [Page 93] (by relation of others) befell me within few daies 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 suddain and fierce crying recove­red again, being found sticking be­tween the beds-head and the wall; and if I had not cryed 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 elfe 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 cloathed with the Sunne, great with child ready to be deliver­ed, and a great red dragon with seven heads standing before her, ready to devoure 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 downe into the earth, was wroth with the wo­man, and went to make warre with the remnant of her seed, which kept [Page 94] the commandements of God and have the testimony of Iesus 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.) expres­ly said to bee that old serpent called the Divell and Sathan, which deceiv­eth the whole world, and (vers. 10.) is the accuser of our brethren, whom hee 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 soone 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 devoure. But blessed be the Lord our most gracious God and mercifull father, that disappointed them then, and hath ever since pre­served [Page 95] and kept mee from his mani­fold plots and stratagems of destru­ction: so as now in the seventieth yeare of mine age, I yet live to praise and magnifie his wonderfull mercies towards me in this behalfe.

O most blessed Lord Iesu (our most gracious Saviour and Media­tor) one part of thy Church redeem­ed by thy pretious blood, have al­ready fought the good fight of faith, and are translated hence into thine heavenly kingdome, with Abraham the father of the faithfull, 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 owne naturall corruptions, and the wiles and power of thine and their enemies. (Good Lord) thou know­est the cunning, power, malice, and crueltie of the adversary, and the great weaknesse of [...]e owne chil­dren; and beholde [...] their daily fight­ings and failings, and how [...]ble wee are to stand in our selves; O [Page 96] mercifull Saviour, strengthen us with thy grace, and shew thine al­mightinesse in our weaknesse, that fighting 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, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord; that so in the end we may bee more than conque­rors through thee our glorious Ca­ptaine and Saviour; and when wee have fought here below so long as thou wouldest have us, wee may (when thou shalt bee pleased to call us hence) be translated unto the fel­lowship of thy Saints and Church triumphant in heaven, there to joyne with them in the new songs of thy redeemed ones, to magnifie and praise thy most holy and blessed name, from everlasting to everlast­ing, Amen.

5 Vpon my breeding up at Schoole.

IT was not my happines to be bred up at the Vniversity, but all the learning I had was in the free Gram­mar Schoole, called Christs schoole in the City of Gloucester, yet even there it pleased God to give mee an extraordinary helpe, by a new schoolemaster 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, tooke such liking to me, as he made me his bedfellow (my fathers house being next of all to the schoole) This bedfellowship begat in him familiaritie and gentlenesse towards mee, and in mee towards him, reverence and love; which made me also love my book, love being the [Page 98] most prevalent affection in nature to further our studies and endeavors in any profession, hee came thither but Batchelour of Arts, a good schol­ler, and who wrote both the secre­tary and the Italian hands exquisit­ly well. But after a few yeares that hee had proceeded Master of Arts, finding the schooles entertainment not worthy of him, hee left it, and betook himselfe to another course of being Secretary to some noble man, and at last became Secretary to the worthy Lord Chancellour Ellesmere and in that service (as I think) dy­ed. And my selfe his scholler fol­lowing his steps, as neere as I could, (though furnished with no more learning then he taught mee in that Grammar Schoole) came at last to be Secretary to the Lord Brooke, Chan­cellor of the Excheq [...]er: and after that to my [...]ch honoured Lord, the Earle of Middlesex, Lord high Treasurer of England: and lastly to the most worthy my most noble Lord, the Lord Coventry Lord-keep­per [Page 99] of the great Seale, in whose ser­vice I expect to end my dayes. And this I note, that though I were no graduate of the Vniversity, yet (by Gods blessing) I had so much learn­ing as fitted me for the places wher­unto the Lord advanced mee, and (which I thinke to bee very rare) had one that was after a Lord Chan­cellors Secretary to be my Schoole­master, whom (by Gods 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 soule for ever praise thee, for this gracious work of thine towards me thine unworthy wretch; whom thou hast preserved and ena­bled from my weake and small be­ginnings for those places whereunto I have beene called, and which (by thy grace) I have with credit and [Page 100] comfort discharged, O blessed Lord God, who hast led mee from my youth up, forsake mee not now in mine old age when I am gray head­ed, and my strength faileth me; but finish thy gracious worke of mercy and grace in me, to the consummati­on of it in thy heavenly kingdome, whereunto thou hast [...]lected mee in IESUS CHRIST thine eternal Son, the promised Messias, God in the flesh manifested, our most gracious Lord and Saviour: unto whom with thee (ô father of glory and mercies) and God the Holy Ghost, the most blessed spirit of grace and adoption, most holy, glorious, and ever blessed Trinitie, in the unity of one onely true, immortall and everliving God of incomprehensible glory, and most adored and coeternall Majestie, be al praise, glory, dominion and thanks­giving for ever; Amen.

6 Vpon an accident to me, when I was a Schoole-boy.

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 severall lessons in the evening, by construing it to every forme, and in the next morning to examine us thereupon; by making all the boyes in the first forme, to come from their seates and stand on the outsides of their desks, towards the middle of the schoole, and so the second forme and the rest in order, whiles himself wal­ked up and down by them and hear­ing them construe their lesson one after onother; 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 formes were dispatched, some of them whom we called prompters [Page 102] would come and sit in our seates of the lower formes, and so being at our elbowes would put into our mouths answers to our masters que­stions, as he walked up and downe 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 Mil-horse that travel [...] all day; yet in the end finds hims [...] not a yard further, then when he [...]. I being thus supported by my prom­pter, it fell out one day th [...] [...]e of the eldest scho [...]ler [...] [...] one of the highest forme, fell out with mee up­on occasion of some boyes-play a­broad, and in his anger, to doe mee 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 helpe me, and so (as he thought) I must ne­cessarily be beaten. When I found my selfe at this strait, I gathered all my wits together (as we say) and listned the more carefully to my fel­lowes [Page 103] that construed before me, and having also some easie 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 helpe 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 heedfull obser­ving two or three lessons more, o­pened the way to shew me how one word was governed of another in the parsing: so as I needed no prom­pter, but became able to bee a prom­pter my selfe: and so the evill inten­ded to mee by my fellow scholler, turned to my great good. Let all those who have found the like graci­ous worke towards themselves (as many have in matters of more mo­ment, if they observe it) come joyne with me in praising the Lord for the same, whose providence governeth [Page 104] all things, and who doth powerful­ly declare himselfe to bee the only true God, by such over ruling the powers of darknesse, and the malici­ous and evill intentions of men, bringing light out of darknesse, good out of evill, life out of death, and making all things worke together for the good and comfort of them that feare him.

O mercifull Lord God, who even in my childhood didst shew mee this grace and favour, as thou hast often done since in many cases of extremi­tie, give mee grace to magnifie thy blessed name therefore, and of thy free grace and unchangeable mer­cie, continue thy goodnesse to mee thy unworthy servant, for my support in my last need, that death may not be death unto me, but a passage from temporall to eternall 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 [Page 105] dying for us, whereby he hath pur­chased eternall life for every poore pe­nitent soul that believes in him. Bles­sed be the Lord our strength and our redeemer for ever, Amen.

7 Vpon six verses of the 12 Chapter of S. Luke,

IN one of my paper-books which I had when I was a school-boy, 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 Sa­viours Sermon to his Disciples, not long before his passion, and to con­tain a most waighty and necessary du­ty enjoyned to us all, for our timely preparation for death, and our Lords [Page 106] second comming in these words fol­lowing, (Vers. 35.) Let your loynes begirded about, and your lights burn­ing. (Vers. 36.) And ye your selves like unto men that waite for their Lord when hee will returne from the wedding, that when he commeth and knocketh, they may open unto him im­mediately. (Vers. 37.) Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde watching: verily, I say unto you, that hee shall gird himselfe, and make them to sit downe 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 houre the thiefe would come, he would have watched, and n [...]t have suffered his house to be broken thorough. (Verse 40.) Be ye therefore ready also; for the sonne of man commeth at an houre, when you think not.

In which word, our blessed Savi­our [Page 107] requires of us, for our own good and finall comfort an hourely watchfulnesse and preparation for the time of our change, that we may be ready when it commeth, telling us plainly that it will come at an houre we thinke not; and therefore to be expected and provided for that houre, if we will be safe: urging this most needfull dutie, by two exam­ples or parables, the one, from the happie reward of so doing; twise pronouncing those servants blessed, whom the Lord when hee commeth shall find watching: the other from the danger of neglecting this watch, wherein we wilfully give the thiefe opportunity to breake our house tho­rough, to our utter undoing. That if the former reason of reward and blessing will not moove us, out of love and dutie to see so gracious a Lord, and for our owne finall glory, to be ready with our loines girded (all carnall and worldly affections suppressed) and our lights burning (in bumble [...], repentance and o­bedience) [Page 108] to open unto him at the first knock, yet the very feare of be­ing surprised by that cruell murther­ing thiefe (our ghostly enemy) who every houre 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 uall practise, for our owne finall safety and peace, and the glory of our most gra [...]ious God in our salvation; reckoning e­very day and houre to be our last, and so graciously imploying our few remaining daies of mortality here, as neither desiring nor needing any morrow: that so whensoever wee shall be called hence, we may be rea­dy and enter into the joy o [...] our bles­sed Lord and Saviour, and remaine with him where he is in glory for e­ver and ever. Here this weake medi­tation of mine I will conclude with M George Withers, prayer and medi­tation, upon the 98. Psalme.

O Almighty Son of God; we blesse 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 weaknesse, yet hast thou therein shewen such unresistable power, that it prevai­led against the wisdome of the worldly wise, and magnified thy derided crosse, above all the most renowned deities of the Gentiles. This thou didst by ap­pearing in a contemptible state: oh how glorious and how powerfull wilt thou be in thy second comming? It now draweth ni [...]h: O, let it not come upon us as a thief in the night, but as the travaile upon a woman who keep­eth a just reckoning, and joyes in the hopes of her birth more then she feares the paines of her tr [...]velling; so ac­cording to the counsell of thy holy Spi­rit, we may expect and receive thee with praises, triumphs and rejoycings, Amen.

Ʋpon 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 Enterludes come to towne, they first attend the Mayor to enforme him what noble-mans servants they are, and so to get licence for their pub­like playing; and if the May­or like the Actors, or would shew respect to their Lord and Master, he appoints them to play their first play before himselfe and the Aldermen and common Counsell of the City; and that is called the Mayors play, where every one that will comes in without money, the Mayor giving the players a reward as hee thinks fit to shew respect unto them. At such a play, my father tooke me with him and made mee stand betweene his leggs, as he sate upon one of the ben­ches [Page 111] where wee saw and heard very well. The play was called (the Cradle of security,) wherin was per­sonated a King or some great Prince with his Courtiers of severall kinds amongst which three Ladies were in speciall grace with him; and they keeping him in delights and plea­sures, drew him from his graver Counsellors, hearing of Sermons, and listning to good counsell, and admo­nitions, that in the end they got him to lye downe in a cradle upon the stage, where these three Ladies joyn­ing in a sweet song rocked him a­sleepe, that he snorted againe, and in the meane time closely conveyed un­der the cloaths where withall he was covered, a vizard like a swines snout upon his face, with three wire chaines fastned thereunto, the other end whereof being holden severally by those three Ladies, who fall to singing againe, and then discovered his face, that the spectators might see how they had transformed him, going on with their singing, whilst [Page 112] all this was acting, there came forth of another doore at the farthest end of the stage, two old men, the one in blew with a Serjeant at Armes, 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 stroke a fear­full blow upon the Cradle; where­at all the Courtiers with the three Ladies and the vizard all vanish­ed; and the desolate Prince starting up bare faced, and finding himselfe 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 morall, the wicked of the world; the three Ladies, Pride, Covetousnesse, and Luxury, the two old men, the end of [Page 113] the world, and the last judgement. This sight tooke such impression in me, that when I came towards mans estate, it was as fresh in my memory, as if I had seen it newly acted. From whence I observe out of mine owne experience, what great care should bee had in the education of chil­dren, to keepe them from seeing of spectacles of ill examples, and hearing of lascivious or scurrilous words: for that their young me­mories are like faire writing ta­bles, wherein if the faire senten­ces or lessons of grace bee written, they may (by Gods blessing) keepe them from many vicious blots of life, wherewithall they may other­wise bee tainted; especially con­sidering the generall corruption of our nature, whose very memories are apter to receive evill then good, and that the well season­ing of the new Caske at the first, keepes it the better and sweeter e­ver after, and withall wee may ob­serve, how farre unlike the Plaies [Page 114] and harmelesse morals of former times, are to those which have suc­ceeded, many of which, (by report of others,) may bee termed school-masters 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 owne free gift alone, the meanes of conferring it thine owne, and the bles­sing of the meanes thine also, let all the glory and praise thereof bee ther­fore thine owne for ever: And let all the children of grace with humble thankfulnesse magnifie thy holy name, for the measure they have, (be it ne­ver so little) and faithfully cherish it; for it is a pledg of thine eternall love, in freeing us from the cradle of secu­rity and the condemnation attending it, and an earnest pennie of our eter­nall happinesse, in and by Jesus Christ our Saviour, blessed for ever, Amen.

9. Ʋpon the Diall of the Clock in the Colledge Church of Gloucester.

IN the horologue or dyall of that Clock, in the foure Angles of that square, which lye without those cir­cles (wherein the houres are distin­guished) are pourtraied foure Angels; each of them seeming to say some­thing to those that looke up to see what a clock it is, the whole written being two old Latine verses made up in rythme, in this manner.

Which may be thus englished.

Out of which verses I conceive we may observe two necessary and pro­fitable lessons: the one, that whether we doe 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 wee 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 endlesse horrour to the rest. From whence we may learne, how much it concernes every one that would have comfort in the world to come, to be seriously care­full of well using the time of visita­tion which God in mercy lends him, for his preparation here in this life, that when our hour-glasse shal be run [Page 117] out, we may be translated into those heavenly mansions which our blessed Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST hath provided for all the faithfull who waite and long for his ap­pearing.

10 Of good counsell given by a rude Countrey Painter in a homely verse.

IN the mid way of the 24. foule miles betweene the Citie of Wor­cester and the Towne of Ludlow in Shropshire, where the Lord Presi­dent and Councell of Wales doe u­sually keep their residence, there is onely one Inne, called the Hundred house, where it seemes the Iusti­ces and officers of that part of the shire doe meet for the businesse of that hundred. In the fairest roome whereof, being a low parlour, there was (when I travelled that way) no garnishing with wainsoot, or so much as steyned cloaths, but the [Page 118] bare loom walles whited over, with a rude anticke or flowery worke in blacke, 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 roome these verses,

Alas, how dull and slow are wee to entertaine this one most necessary Meditation of our owne mortality, when in our beds and at our tables, in our restings at home, or travailes abroad, whatsoever we doe, what­soever we see, in the cloudes 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 ourselvs a change too: yet such is our strong forgetfulnes, as the complaint of Cyprian▪ one of the ancient Fa­thers [Page 119] 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 san­ctifie and strengthen us to consider so seriously of our owne fraile 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 soules may welcome him, as the porter sent to open heaven gates for us, for our finall and everlasting peace, through Iesus Christ our most blessed Saviour and peacemaker▪ Amen.

11 Vpon a pedegree found in a private mans house.

GOing with one of mine honest neighbours in a Towne within the Marches of Wales, to see a house which hee had new built there; when wee came into the par­lour, as the best roome, I observed a table hanging over the mantletree of the chimney, with two columnes of Pedegrees crowned on either side one. The one column containing a pe­degree or descent from the princes of south Wales, the other from the an­cient princes of north Wales; and from both those descents, the pede­gree 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 [Page 121] being cut off two hundred yeares before. At the sight where­of, I bethought my selfe what a strange and poore bragge it was, for this meane neighbour of mine to fetch his pedegree from Princes, when it might happen that the Smith, or the Shoomaker, should take place above him, in all the pub­like meetings in the Towne; till withall I considered, that there is not so contemptible a wretch in the world, but if he could deduce his pe­degree high enough, would bee found of kin to nobles: and the grea­test Lord, if his pedegree were set forth in all the collaterall lines and branches thereof, should be found to have meane or poore creatures of his kindred or allyance. It being cer­taine that wee all are one mans chil­dren, all sprung from Adam by na­ture; who was made of the clay or dust of the earth, Genesis 2.7. and hee and his posterity to returne to earth and dust againe, Genesis 3.19.

From hence wee may observe the vanities of this transitory world, and the glory of it: which howsoever it differenceth betweene one and an­other whiles they are living; yet when we turne againe into our dust, there is no such inequalitie (for there is no disparity in death) and no dif­ference at all betweene the delica­test Lady and the fowlest kitchin-stuffe, when they lye 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 gentrie, have by their pride and foo­lery, wasted the great estate, which their frugall ancestors left them; and then may come to sit below the Smith or the Shoomaker, with this goodman, who could fetch his pede­gree from Princes. Since therefore every man (none excepted) in his best estate is but vanitie (Psa: 39.5.) this should teach us to be humble in our selves; and as wee know more wickednesse and corruption in our [Page 123] selves then we can doe in others; so in lowlinesse of minde to esteeme o­thers better then our selves, as the Apostle requireth (Th [...]l. 2.3.) which would be a good meane to avoid con­tention and vain glory.

O blessed Lord God have mercy upon us poore wretches, that have no­thing in our selves from nature, but dust and corruption, and give us a new birth and generati [...]n by thy holy spirit of grace, which only can truly enable us, making us thy children by adoption in Christ Iesus, and heires with him in the kingdome of heaven, Amen.

12. Ʋpon a pedegree seene in a Noble-mans house.

LVmley Castle in the Countie Palatine of Duresme, was built by that noble and worthy Lord, John Lord Lumley, after the man­ner of some Castles hee had ob­served in his travailes beyond the seas; with two faire passages in­to it, up two paire of staires, large but short, both standing the one over against the other, at the lo­wer end of the Hall; all the rest of the maine roomes being of the same floare equall with the Hall: the most eminent roome 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 [Page 125] 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 Noble-man himselfe that built the house; with the picture also of his Lordships sonne and heire ap­parent, then a young man with a Hawke on his fist. In that faire 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 faire written or painted Pe­degree, setting out not onely how the Barons of that house succee­ded one another, but also how the first Baron was lineally descen­ded from Adam himselfe. But hee that lived to build the house, and to adorne it with such Mo­numents of Noble Ancestors, from so high a descent as the very Cre­ation of the World, and having a sonne then living like to have succeeded him in the Barronie, [Page 126] dyed himselfe childlesse in Queen Elizabeths time, and so the Barony dyed with him, and there was no Lord Lumley to entertaine King Iames there, at his first comming in­to England upon her Majesties de­cease, and so that pedegree which (I know not by what heraldry) brought that worthy nobleman by many ge­nerations of Kings and Queenes and other famous ancestors, by a lineall descent from Adam himself, could not deduce it one descent fur­ther, but it ends in him for whose honour it selfe was devised. And that noble Lord when he was at the highest of the pedegree, what could hee finde there of Nobility by it; when the meanest scullion o [...] his kitchin, and the poorest cripple at his gates, were therby made their Lords Kinsmen, being all Adams children as well as himselfe! And what pitch of honour had he gotten from that common ancestor of al mankind, but (what we, all his posterity, by wo­full experience finde to bee pitch in­deed) [Page 127] 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 himselfe being made but of red earth, and he and his po­sterity to returne to earth againe.

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 Iesus the second Adam, sonne of thy servant David according to the flesh as thou didest speake by the mouth of all thy holy Prophets which have beene since the world began, by whom we have redemption and deliverance from the guilt and punishment [...]f the first Adams rebellion, and from all the power and malice of that old wily serpent, who overthrew him in the terrestriall paradise, and are by the blessed promised seed of the wo­man, the Lord our righteousnesse, God manifested in the flesh for our redemption, restored to a better in­heritance, [Page 128] even the Paradise of God, his owne heavenly Kingdome. Let all the Monarchs and States of the world fall downe before thy glori­ous foot-stoole (O most blessed Lord and Saviour) and worship and rejoyce in thee, the only God of our salvation, and let no man glory in the antiquitie of his no­ble ancestors; for no man can goe higher then the Lord Lumleys Pe­degree. But let every true Chri­stian, (how meane 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 spirituall honour by re­generation in CHRIST, then to all the pompe and glories of a [Page 129] thousand worlds, with the good Emperour Theodosius, who thank­ed GOD more for his being made a member of CHRIST, then the Emberour of the world, for the best and noblest nature amongst the chil­dren of men, brings forth nothing but corruption; onely 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 Vniversi­tie of Cambridg [...], his manner was (as I have heard) to visit the prisoners condemned at the Goale deliveries [Page 130] there, not onely in the prison for their spirituall instruction and pre­paration before their execution, but to accompanie them also at the place where they were to suffer; whither divers schollers and others of good [...]ancke also usually resorted: one of which spectators a fellow of Trini­tie Colledge made relation to mee, of a comfortable worke upon one of the felons at one of the executions, more remarkable then the rest, to this e [...]ect. The prisoner being a strong lustie fellow, in the vigour of his youth, in his going up the ladder, discovered an extraordinary lum­pishnesse and dejection of spirit, and when he turned himselfe to sit upon an upper round, to speake to the peo­ple, looked with such a ruefull and heavie countenance, as if hee had beene halfe dead already; where good Master Perkins standing at the foot of the ladder, laboured to cheere up his spirits, and finding him still in agony and distresse of mind, cal­led upon him in words to this pur­pose: [Page 131] what man? what is the mat­ter with thee, art thou afraid of death? Ah no, (said the prisoner, shaking his head) but of a worser thing. Saist thou so? said Master Per­kins; come downe againe man, and thou shalt see what Gods grace will doe to strengthen thee: whereupon the prisoner comming downe, Ma­ster Perkins tooke him by the hand, and made him to kneele down with himselfe at the Ladder foot, hand in hand; when that blessed man of God made such an eff [...]tuall prayer, in confession of sins, and aggravating the same in all circumstances, with the horrible and eternall punishment due for the same by Gods justice; as made the poore prisoner burst out into aboundance of [...]es, as the fer­vencie of the prayer gave occasion; and when the blessed Preacher found that he had brought him low enough even to hell gates, hee proceeding to the second worke of his prayer to shew him being truly humble and unfainedly penitent, the Lord Iesus [Page 132] (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 darknesse; did so sweet­ly presse the same with such hea­venly art, and powerfull words of grace upon the soule of the poore prisoner, as cheered him up againe to looke beyond death with the eyes of faith, to see how the blacke lines of all his sinnes and debts owing to Divine Justice were crossed and cancelled with the red lines of his crucified Saviours preci­ous blood; so graciously applying it to the prisoners wounded consci­ence, as made him breake out in­to new showers of teares 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 cheerefully, [Page 133] and went up the Ladder againe so cheered, and tooke his death with such patience and alacritie of spirit, as if he actually saw himselfe delive­red from the hell hee feared before, and heaven opened for the receiving of his soule, to the great rejoycing of the beholders.

Blessed bee thy most holy and glo­rious name (O Lord our good God) for all those gracious endowments and abilities wherewithall thou hast and dost furnish thy Ministers of the Gos­pell of peace for the converting of sin­ners unto thee, and for bringing home the wandring ones, and rescuing their soules out of the Lions mouth; not on­ly amongst those many of the mea­ner sort that suffer in our ordinary Circuits and Goale deliveries; but also amongst our great men and No­bles (capitall offenders) at the Tower; some of whom the specta­tors seeing their Christian and gra­cious preparative for death, and [Page 134] their behaviour in it, have adjudged more happie in their ends, then in all the glorious pompe of their great­nesse before. Good Lord, increase the number of thine able servants, furnished both with gifts and willing mindes, to visit comfort and help those poore children of death, in that their greatest and last need; that they may then (by thy grace,) feele that which all thy children doe in their greatest distresses [...]; that mans extremity is Gods blessed opportunitie for their fi­nall comfort and reliefe, Amen.

14. Vpon the words (Hodie mihi, cras tibi▪) commonly used for an Embleme of our Mortality.

I Have often seene painted and set out for an Embleme of our morta­litie; 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 bee made of it by the sober and humble minded, that if wee should expect death to morrow, wee should bee carefull to spend to day well. But lately reading a Treatise intitled (Learne to Dye) 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 neighbours 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 knowes all. Wherupon finding those words differing from the mot­to of the old embleme, I turned to the place there vouched; (Eccl. 38.22.) and found the Doctors words agree with the text, which faith: Remember my judgement, for thine also shall bee so: yesterday for mee, and to day for thee: which saying, brings the remembrance of death and judgement neerer 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 heare his voice, harden not your hearts, least there be no after entring into his rest.

O blessed Lord what a little di­stance of time is between to day and to morrow, and yet what weightie consequence depends upon it; when it may so fall out that if wee 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, mollifie them now, (even now O Lord) by thy powerfull 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 faithfull servants of righteousnesse: and so daily waiting for thy blessed call, may be graciously fitted and prepared every day, with comfort and humble confidence and thankefulnes, to deliver up our soules into thy blessed arms of peace, through Iesus Christ our most glorious Savi­our and only peacemaker, Amen.

15. Vpon the observing of a Grave-stone in Pauls London.

REading over a Christian medi­tation of death, in French, up­on the 12. verse of the 90. Psalme (So teach us to number our dayes, &c.) written by Francis Lans­berque, and reprinted the third time, (Anno 1624) I observed a place (pag. 136.) where the Author re­prooving the vanity of some men, that even when they are a dying, take care of eternizing their names by sumptuous tombs and pompous burials, instead of vertuous and ho­nourable actions, in their life-time, hath a passage in these very words: Poore bones, and stinking prey of wormes, what doth all this availe you? you seek to eternize your name in things of frailtie, and in forget­fulnesse [Page 139] it selfe to preserve your per­petuall memorie. Thinke I pray you that the very stones, which cover your rotten bones have their old age that the brasse and Iron of your graves will be eaten with rust, that the magnificent inscriptions are by little and little worne out, by the feet of those who walke over you: Believe you not this? goe to the Church, and if you be not blinde you shall see this made good. Which words pointing me (as it were) to Pauls, for the proofe of that is there alleadged,) it brings to my minde an observation of mine owne con­cerning a grave-stone in that Church, as if it had beene one of those very stones which the first author inten­ded. For at my first comming to London, about fiftie yeares since, I observed a very faire and large grave-stone of a brownish colour, in the pavement of the middle walke of the body of that Church betweene the two pillars next the staires that goe up into the chancell, wherein at the [Page 140] upper end therof, was an inscription engraven in the stone, in old Latine letters, which I could then perfectly reade, 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 knowne 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 bee worne out also by this time. This observation of mine, besides that it is a demonstrative proof of the French Authors proposition, to [...]ch­ing the decay and wearing out of such kind of monuments, whereby wee seeke to perpetuate our memories, may also bee the precedent of a strange kinde of Epitaph; far differ­ing from those large inscriptions ap­proved [Page 141] by the Author: this serving every mans turne, and shewing us all, what the greatest of us be, when we once are dead, covered with ob­livion, and never in this world to be seene againe. And this meditation doth properly joyne with that for­reigne author, in producing this use of instruction for us all; to leave those vaine and pompous follies, and to draw neere in time before we go hence, to get our names written in the Lambs booke of life in heaven, and then we shall be sure to have an eternall 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 meane soever our names or Tombes be here, we shall be sure to be raised againe unto glory, to celebrate and praise thy holy and bles­sed name, in the land of the living for evermore, Amen.

16. Ʋpon a short Inscription upon a great mans Tombe.

I Observed upon a tombe where lay interred one in Barons robes, this short inscription (Fuimus) which puts every reader, noble, or of meane condition, (young or old) in minde, that howsoever wee 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 enquire further what was the honour, high place, or dignitie, 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) smoak, which also will teach us another [Page 143] lesson of the vanitie of all earthly things, and these two lessons well conned will bring us from the consi­deration of the two former lessons, to bethinke our selves of the last, the future tense (Quid erimus) what we shall bee hereafter: That like the children of grace and wisdome whiles we are yet in the first tense, (the time present) we may provide our selves of spirituall comfort a­gainst wee come to the following tenses, that when wee are to say our last lesson, having learned our Christs crosse well afore hand in the present tense of this life, wee may by his merits and mediation, be finally re­ceived into the blessed mansions of his heavenly kingdome, when time shall be no more, which the Lord of all grace, glory, and mercy, grant unto us all of his infinite goodnesse, through IESUS CHRIST our only Saviour and redeemer, Amen.

17. Ʋpon three words written with a Cole in a great Iudges house.

THe noble Lord Chancellour Elles­mere, was wont every morning in term time, after the dispatching sui­tors of the better ranck, in his great chamber and gallery in York-house, to come into the Chappell to pub­like prayers, wherein the meanest suitors might accompany his Lord­ship: who upon ending of prayers, came through a waiting-roome downe the staires into the Hall, and so through it into his Coach, that all petitioners might take their op­pertunities to put up their com­plaints or deliver their petitions to himselfe: Those staires being made with severall halfe paces wainescot­ted on every side to a mans height, [Page 145] with a faire white wall above it. In which wall in the most perspicuou [...] place, ob [...]ious to every mans eyes that should come downe the staires, one morning against his Lordship should goe to Westminster, there was written with a cole in fa [...]re large Italique letters, these three words, (Tanquam non reverturu [...]) which my selfe (having then occasi­on to att [...]nd his Lordship) did read, as himselfe and others di [...], or could hardly forbeare to doe, they stood so in the eyes of all those that came downe the staires: wh [...]her some scholler 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 reade this hereafter, may make good use o [...] such a memorandum (though but writ­ten with a cole) to make us the more warie and watchfull of our words [Page 146] or actions, when wee goe abroad out of our houses, chambers, or closets; even for this reason, be­cause we may happen not to returne againe. How should such a medi­tation worke in the Clyents mind for peace and reconciliation, and the Lawyers tongue for syncerity and truth; in the Iudges conscience for justice and equity, in every man and womans heart for avoiding of evill doing, if they would but thinke of these few words, and con­sider whether they would speake or doe thus or thus, if they were pre­sently to die, or whether thus or thus behave themselves, abroad, if they were not to returne againe to their homes?

O mercifull Lord God, have mer­cie upon us poore wretches of frailtie, whose very memories are so depraved by our naturall corruption, that what is indelebly written in our hearts and consciences, we wilfully suppresse, [Page 147] when wee are about any evill or mis­chiefe, how mischievous soever i [...] proove afterwards to our selves or others. Pardon (good Lord) our former neglects of such usefull meditations of our owne mortality, and howsoever wee neglect these and the like remembrances from mortall men; give us grace we beseech thee, to shew our obedience to the Com­mandement of our Saviour, who must also be our Iudge, (Matthew 24 42) Watch, for you know not the houre.

18. Vpon consideration of one Mus­cle of the eyes of man, more then of any other creature.

IN the creation of man, Almighty God intending in that admirable and choice peece of all his workes, to joyne an heavenly soul and an earth­ly body together, did even in the frame of that body, by that Muscle of the eye, give man to understand his owne excellencie above all other creatures; which having only mus­cles, for the use of their natures, his goodnesse added one to the eyes of man, that hee might looke up dire­ctly to Heaven from whence his better part came; the soule having especiall use of that motion of the eye in prayer and meditation; that this power of lifting up the eyes without, might put us in minde of [Page 149] lifting up our hearts and souls with­in, to our good God, who gave our eyes that motion to that purpose; as also that the body was to looke unto, and performe service to the Creator, as well as the soule, and to exercise that muscle in the works of grace, as the other are used for the necessary works of nature; and with­all, to shew us, that as when our eyes are intentively lifted up to­wards heaven, wee cannot looke downeward or to any thing below; so our minds should be affected in al our spirituall duties to God, neg­lecting all worldly things therein, and keeping our soules to him alone.

O mercifull Lord God, pardon the errours of mine eyes forepast, and san­ctifie them to make these gracious uses for the time to come; and that both mine eyes and all other the mem­bers and faculties both of soule and bodie, may be consecrated to thy faith­full service, in universall obedience; [Page 150] that when these eyes shall be shut up fr m this mortall light, my soule may be received into the glorious light of thy heavenly kingdome, through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

19. Vpon the name of God proclaimed.

IN the 34. Chapter of Exodus it is thus written, (vers. 5) The Lord descended in the clouds and proclai­med the name of the Lord (vers. 6.) The Lord, the Lord God, mercifull and gracious, long suffering, and a­bundant in goodnesse and truth, (7) keeping mercy for thousands; for­giving iniquitie, and transgressions and sin, and that will by no meanes cleer the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children and childrens children unto the third and fourth generation. In which words of our heavenly fathers own proclai­ming, [Page 151] what blessed arguments of comfort are involved for the poore sinner; if he consider the severall titles, that the Lord hath given him­selfe, in this most gracious proclama­tion? For though the two first titles proclaime his soveraign dominion and supreme Majestie, for our most due and bounden humiliation before the Lord our maker, and the last title shewes his just hatred of sin, and his unpartiall justice, to worke his true feare into our hearts: yet all the rest which M. Bolton (349.) reckons to seven times as many, proclaime nothing but his superaboundant mercy and goodnes, to shew us how transcendent he is in pitie and com­passion to the truly humbled and penitent sinner, for the strengthening of his faith and hope, to rely con­stantly and confidently upon his in­finite mercies.

O blessed Lord God of our Fathers, who even in the time of the law, un­der the covenant of workes wert thus [Page 152] good and gracious towards sinners, before the manifestation of our bles­sed Saviour, thine eternall sonne, in the flesh, and salvation in him pro­claimed to all nations, by the golden trumpet of the Gospell; mercifully sanctifie and strengthen us poore sin­full wretches by thy holy spirit, to lay fast hold upon those thine eternall mercies exhibited unto us by thy new covenant in Christ Jesus, and sealed up unto us, in his most precious blood, for the full and sure remission of all our sinnes in him: our perfect recon­ciliation with thy Majestie: and the assurance of thine unchangeable love, and our owne finall peace and salva­tion in him; whom thou of thine in­comprehensible mercies towards poore penitent sinners, hast sealed and sent into the world to bee relyed upon for salvation; that so by humble and lively faith with true and hearty re­pentance, relying and resting upon those mercies of thine, which have beene ever of old, unto the end and in the end; we may receive the end of our [Page] faith in the salvation of our soules; through the precious merits and bles­sed mediation of that prince of peace, our most gracious Saviour and eter­nall peacemaker, Amen.

20. Vpon the Greeke word [...], which signifieth, to breath.

THis little word consisting but of two letters, the first and last of the Greeke Alphabet, yet makes two syllables and gives a weighty signification, the english of it being, (I live or breath) which in my con­ceit may note unto us, the shortnes of the life of man; and the neernesse of death to every man breathing; when we cannot say (I breath) but the last letter must conclude it as the first began it; the one follow­ing the other as close as the shadow doth the body, or the night the day; [Page] without any other letter interposed betweene them, or so much as an as­piration to prolong the word; but no sooner Alpha begins, but Omega concludes, and if all the other twen­ty letters of the Alphabet should bee interposed, and reckoned after the greatest computation of mans life, not by dayes but by yeares, (where how many be there that come not to so many moneths or weekes? (some, not to so many houres or minutes) yet must we all that read that Alpha­bet come to Omega at last. And if a­ny be so strong as to read it over in the largest extent of yeares, there times and a halfe over; yet were his life but labour and sorrow, so soone passeth it away, and we are gone.

O Lord my God; thou hast pro­longed my life to the 69. yeare of mine age, which brings mee to the confines of Moses his computation of the life of man; and therfore how­soever others may reckon the Omega to be far off from them (which no man can bee sure of, for an houre,) [Page 155] yet must I continually expect it a [...] at hand.

O most mercifull Lord Jesus, who hast called thy selfe 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 worke of grace in us, and [...] perfecter of it, have mercy upon me, and by thy holy spirit perfect that good worke begun in me, for preparing my soule in true faith, repentance and obe­dience, all the dayes of mine appointed time, so to wait till my change com­meth, that when that happie houre shall come, J may be found ready for heaven, and hee finally received of thee in peace, into thine everlasting kingdome, Amen.

21. Vpon the words of S. Paul, 1 COR. 9.24. So run that ye may obtain.

IT is the saying of Theophylact, that o [...] the children of God, Quidam sun [...] in patria, quidam in via ad pa­triam; some are at home in their countrie, some in their way towards it: some have obtained the goale already, the rest are running their race towards it: some have finished their course, have fought the good fight of faith in grace here, and are now at rest in glory, some in the be­ginning of their course, and others (in our apprehension) more for­ward, but all tending to the end. And as it is with Gods children, that they are not yet at home in their country, whiles they are in this world but are travelling thither­ward; [Page 157] so also the wicked whiles they live here, are not where they must be hereafter▪ for they are run­ners too how well soever they think they have setled themselves in this world, and must of necessity leave it. when their turnes comes. For there is one thing to be done by eve­ry man and woman living, high or low, good or bad, rich or poore, one with another; which it con­cernes every man, to be sure to doe well, or else hee can never come to heaven; it being not possible to do it more t [...]en once, and that is to die. If thou runne well in the race of thy life, thou shalt bee sure to dye well, and he that so doth, is safely gotten in patriam; but if death once surprize thee in an ill case, thou canst never come to dye againe in a better.

Therefore since the life of man, is a race to all men, and howsoever we runne, or walke, or play by the way, we must all come to the goale at last: what an excellent caveat [Page 158] hath the Holy Ghost given us here by the Apostle: so to run, that wee may obtaine?

It is not in our choise, whether we will runne or no; for wee are all runners; our life runnes away like the sand in the houreglasse, with­out staying the twinckling of an eye, whether wee observe it or no: and it is no small matter that lies at stake: even no lesse then salvation or damnation: a crowne of glory if wee follow this gratious counsell or Commandement of God by the Apostle, of so running that wee may obtaine: everlasting hor­rour and confusion, if wee obtaine not.

Men that use to runne a race for a wager, walke over that peece of ground often, where they are to per­forme their race at last: to observe on whether side the advantage ly­eth, at this downe with or that rise of the way, and what bee the impediments which may hinder them in their speede, that they may [Page 159] avoid them; and all to win the wa­ger, which is but for a Nag or a suit of cloaths, or some other like triviall or transitory thing; how much more need have wee then, that have our soules at stake, to take a daily view of our way, and of the short race whereupon eternitie depends, not to bee taken with the goodly buil­dings, faire flowers, sweet valleys, or pleasant fields, and other de­lights offered to our senses; but to marke seriously what dangerous let­ches, what thornie passages, what nets or g [...]ns, what bogs or false ground lye in our way, that wee may avoid them in our race, and runne on without interruption in the straight paths of grace and ver­tue, unto eternall glory. And so much more need have wee to looke well to our way, and arme our selves well for it, if wee consider how dangerous a companion the soule carrieth with it, or rather is carried by, in this dangerous race, even our owne sinfull and sensuall [Page 160] flesh; and withall how many am­bushments of thieves, murtherers, and robbers, lye in the way, hun­ting for our soules as wee passe by, and offering to the flesh any man­ner of sensuall delights, to betray the precious soule, which it should carrie straight to heaven, by get­ting it to turne aside into some other crooked and by-paths of sinne and wickednesse. Via vna, multa de via. How many by-paths crosse 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 soule neglect that unum neces­sarium, of walking in Gods feare, and keeping constant in the way to heaven, wee must not therefore thinke of sitting downe, or standing still, or frisking out and in, up and downe, at our owne pleasure or lea­sure. But the pace hee required is running, the most violent, earnest, and speedy pace of all; whereby wee [Page 161] are put in mind, that as our li e runs away without ceasing; so our labour speed and endeavour should be con­stant and perpetuall, after that better life which shall never fade, and to contemne this, to obtaine that. Not­withstanding every speedy or hastie running in the race of this life, brings not to heaven: but though we must runne, yet wee should so run, that we bee sure to obtaine. There is a speciall manner of running re­quired, a singular and precise man­ner, which how contrary soever to flesh and blood, must bee underta­ken and pursued, or els all is amisse. For there is a headlong running downe to hell; Facilis descensus Averni: and this is the way of good-fellowship (as it is called) wherein a man shall bee sure of companie 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 runnes byas, as if hee would keepe out of the broad [Page 162] way of destruction, but falls into it at the last. But our running should bee upright towards Heaven, up the hill, in the narrow, strict and craggie way which leadeth unto life▪ wee must runne to obtaine what we runne for, and minde nothing else but to keepe our selves in that right way: which will bring us to that end, happie then is the soule, that declines the many by-paths of sinne, and vanitie, and keepes constant­ly and carefully that one strict way of holinesse, righteousnesse and so­brietie, which certainly leads to e­ternall peace.

O mercifull Lord Jesu, who are the way, the truth and the life, and knowest whereof wee are made, and how unable to stand of our selves, or to runne the way of thy Commande­ments: assist and strengthen us by thy blessed Spirit of grace, to finde out that gracious way of truth, which assuredly tendeth unto life; and then constantly to keepe in it all the daies of our pilgrimage; that living and dying in faith and obedience, wee may finally obtaine that crowne of righteousnesse, which thine owne bles­sed selfe hast purchased and prepa­red for us in thine heavenly kingdome, Amen.

Eamus post Christum, quia ve­ritas; per Christum, quia via; ad Christum, quia vita. Bernard.

22. Vpon a worthy Divines Letter resolving me in a case of conscience.

WHen it had pleased God to prolong my life beyond the great Climactericall yeare, as it is called; I thought it high time for mee, to retyre my selfe from world­ly employments, that I might the better prepare my selfe for the time of my change; and there­upon imparted my minde for ghostly counsell 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 eternall life, amongst the divers opinions of th [...]se later and worst times; as I thought fit to [Page 165] register it amongst the private me­ditations of mine, that so pious a resolution in so weightie a case, (which in mine opinion might bee of good use to Gods Church) might not die with me, in a private Letter; the words whereof are here faithful­ly set downe, as followeth.

In the conclusion of this Letter I was encouraged to continue my ho­nourable Lords service, which I did for the yeare following: and then (30. Novemb. 1631.) being sud­dainly taken with a disease called (vertigo capitis) which I doubted might turne to an Apoplexy, I with­drew my selfe home, and entred in­to a course of Physick, under which [Page 169] I was holden so long, as I was by GODS mercy taken off from my further worldly imployments, and with my noble Lords extraordi­nary favour in my farewell, retired my self into Northamptonshire, since which time it hath pleased our most gracious Lord God to adde some more yeares 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 my selfe and all others that shall read this worthy letter, to learne and pra­ctise that most necessary and blessed lesson, of joyning faith and obedi­ence, true beliefe, 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 bee heires of glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our on­ly Lord and Saviour, Amen.

23. Ʋpon 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, habituall, invete­rate vices, and after long strugling with them, by purposing and vow­ing, strong resolution, watching, fasting, selfe-revenging, and other good meanes, finding still h [...]s owne weaknesse, and the encreasing vio­lence of his owne corruptions; as he was intentively musing and medita­ting what to doe more, hee heard a voice speaking to him these words, Jn te stas, & non stas. Whereupon rightly apprehending, that his owne [Page 171] strength of wit, carnal I reason, and other powers and helpes of nature, could not serve the turne, for effect­ing that which was the peculiar and proper worke of grace; hee betooke himselfe to his Saviour, by humble, faithfull, 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 then before.

Whether the Lord in speciall fa­vour to this gracious servant of his, did vouchsafe to give him this vocall instruction by words to his eares, or howeve [...] the matter thereof was suggested or revealed to him by the Holy Ghost, I enquire not; but sure I am they are words of great use and warning to us all, not to trust to our selves, or any strength or power of nature, for any spirituall worke to be wrought in us, or by us▪ but to have our recourse to our Saviour, and to seeke helpe from him and his grace, which cannot bee had else­where [Page 172] how often it falls out, that selfe opinion of a mans owne wit, makes his wit his owne overthrow, and selfe-confidence of his owne strength, in evill company instead of reclaiming others, to make himselfe worse then they?

O blessed Lord Iesu, (our most blessed Saviour) who knowest both the miserable infirmities and debili­ties of our depraved nature, and the subtile and advantagious power of our ghostly enemies, and having thy selfe in our flesh, and for us, over­come them in all their temptations, dost best know (Hebrews 2.18.) to succour them that bee tempted: have mercie upon us thy weake and unworthy servants, and give us grace to learne that necessarie 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 (Iude 24.) thou only art able to [Page 173] keepe us from falling: that so being weake in our selves, wee may bee strong in thee, and in the power of thy grace be enabled to stand fast in the evill day, and in all things, (Romans 8.11.) through thee, who lovest us, to hee more then conque­rors; for (2 Timothie 4.18.) Thou O Lord hast delivered us, and dost deliver us, and we hope wilt deliver us from every evill worke, and wilt preserve us unto thy heavenly king­dome, to thee be all glory and praise for ever, Amen.

24. Ʋpon the building of Pauls 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 rocke or foundation whereupon the mili­tant [Page 174] Church of CHRIST was to be founded: for under the Chaun­cell of that mother Church of the chiefe Citie 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 de­mon [...]rative argument it appeares, that the good people in those dayes, did better understand the true mean­ing of our blessed Saviour, in the 16. Chapter, and 18. verse of Saint Matthew's Gospell, concerning the Rocke, whereupon hee 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 Cathedrall Church of Rome, to be that rocke of the Catholike Church of Christ, and the supreme Vicar and head of the Church, in whose breast all infallibilitie of judg­ment, and power of determining in [Page 175] all matters of the Church should bee only resident, For certainly if there had beene any such conceit broached at the building of Pauls, the funda­mentall Church of holy faith should have beene named Saint Peters, as if our Saviour had meant to build his Church upon Saint Peter's person, and not upon the Christian faith, which hee (as the mouth of all the Disciples) professed that our Savi­our was the true Messiah, Christ the sonne of the living God: our Savi­ours question being made expresly to all the Disciples, verse 15. and hee answering for them all.

O most blessed Lord Jesu, who art the way, the truth, and the life, and seest into what miserable combustions the state of Christendome is brought, by these antichristian wastings of thine owne blessed workes for main­tenance of private supremacie and Soveraigntie here, as if thy kingdome were of this world, which thy self hast, [Page 176] (Ioh. 8.36) expresly disclaimed; have mercy upon thy poore 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 professe thy holy name, to a­gree in the truth of thy holy word, that wee may all live in Christian unity, peace, and godly love, waiting for the accomplishment of the number of thine elect, that these daies of sin, and dissension being finished, we may bee received into thine everlasting peace, through thine owne blessed me­rits and mediation for us, Amen.

25. Vpon the reading of a paper casu­ally taken out of an old bundle at my first comming to Stanwick.

VPon my resolving to make Stanwick the place of my re­tiring my selfe from the businesse of this world, that I might with more freedom prepare my self for a better; amongst other necessaries sent thi­ther from Westminster, there was certaine bundles of old letters, notes and writings, sent thither upon my remoove, which was in Iune, 1632. that I might there peruse them before they were laid aside for wast papers. And when I came thither, in the first bundle I tooke to looke over, I ligh­ted upon a sheet of paper foulded 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▪ [Page 178] I opened it, and found it to be an ab­stract of one of his Sermons taken by my selfe about 40. yeares 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 condemne mine owne dulnes and corruption, that having so long before by mine owne hand taken an abstract of such a pretious instructi­on, did neglect the comfort and use th [...]reof more then for the present, for many yeares not remembring that J had any such thing. But withall how infinitely bounden am I to thy [Page 179] Majestie (O most gracious and mer­cifull Heavenly Father) by who [...]e speciall providence it was preser [...] in my many remooves to remote dwel­lings, and severall alterations of [...] fortunes, and now so season [...] brought to my hands, in this last [...] of my life, when I have most [...] of holy preparatio [...] [...] to teach me [...] to [...] in speedy and serious practise, that lesson which I took out so long a goe. O Lord my God, bury (J belo [...] thee) this neglect of mine with the re [...] of the manifold sinnes of my youth in the bottomlesse seas of thy mercies▪ and by thy holy Spirit sanctifi [...] and strengthen me now at last, whiles it is yet called (to day) blessed be thy most blessed name for it▪ and apply my selfe wholly to this blessed learning of be­ing wise to salvation, that by thy blessing and mercies, J may by hum­ble and stedfast faith, fruitfull 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▪ [Page 180] and sins of all kinds, from being impu­ted unto me, and to cloath me with his perfect righteousnesse, that when the houre of my change shall come, I may be found of thee, in peace, through his merits and mediation our eternall ad­vocate and most blessed peace-maker, Amen.

And although this paper of mine be but a briefe 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 relique of mine owne hand for so many yeares preserved, I have thought fit to annexe the originall it self 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.

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 readie to leave the world. Dying mens 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, &c. and in the first verse, Hearken yee heavens and I will speake, and let the earth heare the voice of my mouth. (2.) My doctrine shall dropp as the raine, and my speech shall still as the dew, and the shower up­on the herbes, and as the great raine upon the grasse. Hearken with [Page 182] your earthly bodies, and with your heavenly soules, for you have all of you part o [...] heaven within you, that both soule and body as herbs water­ed with Aprill showers, may bring forth fruit unto God that waters them; and wisheth here the best things unto you, wisdome and un­derstanding, to provide for your lat­er end: for all flesh is grasse and must have an end, a withering as well as a growing, a harvest as well as a spring, happie is the soule that is so watered with grace here, that hee shall reape glorie in the Lords great harvest to come.

This Text hath two parts; the things recommended to them, and the inducment or introduction ther­unto. The wish, O that, The matter, that they would be, 1. Wise, 2. Vn­derstand, 3. Consider their later end.

Here, when the Lord wisheth that all men would bee saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, I presume not to enter into the se­cret [Page 183] cabinet of Gods eternall coun­sell and election, but humbly con­tent my selfe with what hee hath re­vealed, namely, that God offer­eth his grace to all and would have all men to bee saved, desiring not the death but the conversion of a sinner, Why will yee lie O house of Israel? Perditio tua ex te.

Now when God recommends a­ny thing unto us, we may conclude it to bee absolutely good and abso­lutely necessary for us▪ and there­fore the greater shall our sinne bee▪ if wee neglect the counsell of God.

The matter recommended unto us is wisdome, to be wise to salvation; and this extends to poore as well as to rich, generally to all, for all have soules, and all are invited to be wise to save them. Doth any man want wisdome. let him aske of God▪ (Iames 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 [...] severall callings doe governe [Page 184] themselves and their worldly oc­casions; so there is a wisdome whereby wee are taught to governe our soules unto eternall life. And if wee were as profound in policie as Machiavillians, and had all the wisdome of the learned for the ma­naging of earthly things, yet all were nothing without this wis­dome to salvation; which wee are here exhorted unto. The feare of God is the beginning of wisdome, for this wisdome dwells not with wicked men. This is not every mans wish or desire. The most affect worser things; some world­ly honour, some earthly riches, some sensuall pleasure, but few that look after this heavenly Kingdome, all for the body, none for the soule, as if we had no soules to save; and therefore the Holy Ghost stirres us up to bee wise, that wee may un­derstand; which is the next part of the matter propounded; understan­ding. What, do we not understand already? yes, but wee understand [Page 185] not what belongs to our peace, and as wee should understand unto sal­vation. It were a great steppe to grace, that wee had so much un­derstanding of GOD as the honest Heathen had, who by their under­standing and reason kept them­selves from grosse sinnes, intem­perance, injustice, anger, distem­pered passions, and kept themselves in just dealing with others, and a tranquillitie of minde to them­selves. But wee come short of the fowles, for the Stork knowes her appointed times, and of the beasts, for the Oxe knowes his Master, but wee know not our maker, and even in the least of creeping things, the Ant provides in Summer, what must keepe her in Winter, and wee should bee likewise to gather here what should be needful for us at our going hence. In every man and woman God hath infused a reasonable soule; and in every soule hath set up a Can­dle, the light of reason, to guide the [Page 186] understanding, and when we commit sinne, this candle is for the time smothered betweene Sathan and our owne corruption, or else wee should not sinn with the greedines we doe. How can yee say, that the man hath reason, that drinkes himselfe into a beast, when no beast will be so in­temperate? How doth the Gallant understand himselfe, when he layes his life to pawne, nay, his soule with his life, in a triviall quarrell? What reason hath the blasphemer for his swearing, or the adulterer for hun­ting the houses of death? Surely, if our understanding were cleare, as God made it, we should never sinne, and therefore it is not without a cause, that Gods children are wish­ed here to bee wise, and to under­stand, that so wee may consider our later end, which is the object, aime, and end of all our wisdome, and understanding; and so we come to the last part.

Is there then so great wisdome, and understanding, to know that we [Page 187] 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 wisdome and deepest understanding to know it, so, as to consider it as it ought to bee 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 helpe us to a blessed end, for finis coronat opus: and hee that re­members his later end as hee should doe, shall never sinne, as the wise man saith. It will be a scar-crow to him to keepe him from sinne, when he considers of it, and himselfe as he should doe. Who is he amongst us all, that doth consider of Gods bles­sings heaped upon us, as he ought to doe? He might have made us insen­sible creatures, as stones in the wall, onely vegetative creatures, as trees, or herbes, sensible creatures, as Todes or the like: But he hath made us rea­sonable creatures; and that not In­dians [Page 188] and Turkes to worship the Divell and the murtherer Maho­met instead of GOD, but Chri­stians; and amongst them, not I­dolaters, and Schismaticks, but bred up with the sincere milke 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 magnifie the goodnesse of the Lord unto him, who by so many steps of mercy and goodnesse hath advan­ced him above all the creatures of the world? And as this considera­tion should moove us to thankful­nesse to GOD; so it would keepe us in obedience towards him, for to what end have wee all these prefer­ments from God, but that we should remember to glorifie him that hath bestowed them, and to fit our selves for that future glory which hee hath reserved for us at our later end.

Oh then that they would be wise, [Page 189] and understand, and consider their later end: their later end, that is, their death; that they must die, consi­der it as wel as know it, and so wise­ly provide for that which cannot be avoided. Death shall gnaw them as sheepe, saith the Prophet David, as sheep doth the grasse, some now, some anone, the whole pasture over in a while, and then as the fresh grass springs up, so death comes over a­gaine and crops it; yet still the root remaines; there is a root of eter­nitie, which death cannot take from us: but how soone we shall be cropt off by death no man knowes, we may reckon of years, and perhaps not live a weeke, 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 holines and righteousnes of life, if wee did thus consider of death; and how much doth it concerne us, to consider and prepare for our later end, which is so un­certaine, unto us? All worldly things [Page 190] honour, riches, pleasures, nay, life it selfe hath an end, but that end is not the end of us: there is some­thing else to bee considered in that word, namely what followeth that end, and that is judgement, for the same day wee dye, are wee brought to judgement, and called to the stri­ctest accompt that can possibly bee imagined, not to answer for our owne sinnes alone, but for Adams, and for our corruption which came from him, and for the sinnes 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 sinfull words but for idle words, even for every idle word, and for our very thoughts. O Lord, what shall wee sinfull wretches doe when we come to this accompt? who let us take as much care as wee can of our words, even in our pray­ers and best devotions, yet we shall shew our imperfections and weak­nesses even then: how great then is [Page 191] the numberlesse number of our ini­quities when they shall bee gathered together into one totall, how should wee answer for one of a thousand? let us then consider seriously of this great and strict accompt, and provide our selves of a Saviour that may co­ver our misdeeds, and the errours of our words and thoughts, that they may not bee 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 Divell and his Angels whom they served in this life, separated from the joyfull presence of our glo­rified Saviour, in whose face, is per­fect joy for evermore, and if there were no further paine of sense in hell, but this poena damni, only this deprivation of God's presence, that were a hell sufficient of it self, wher­unto there is added paines of sense, fire eternall, utter darknesse.

But withall, this consideration of the Judgement, which shewes such terrible things to the wicked, brings the faithfull to another issue, the blisse and heaven and everlasting sal­vation; the comforts and joyes wher­of it lyeth not in my power to de­clare, nor in the heart of any man to conceive; but there will bee the full fruition of what wee hope for here, and an absolute deliverance from all those things, which trouble or feare us here.

And yet I have not done; one thing more this consderation of our end brings us to; namely, that wee must not end when we come to our end: but there is an eternitie that attends us after-wards, whether of life to salvation, or of eternal confu­sion. And this is a consideration of weight indeed. I read of a good Christian in time of persecution who being condemned to die for his conscience, his wife perswaded him to yeeld to the kings will, and save his life, why, (saith hee) how long [Page 193] thinkest thou I may live if I should doe so, shee answered twentie or thirtie yeares perhaps. Alas saith hee, and if it were so many thousand yeares, what were that to eterni­tie? O let us make use of this, and consider sadly and seriously of this maine point, that this thor [...] lif [...] of ours is but a moment whereupon e­ternitie depends: and therefore it much concernes us all to listen to this wish of th Holy Ghost, and to labour to bee wise, and under­stand, and consider our later end.

26. Vpon the Turkies comming duly to their roost at night.

SEe how these silly fowles, which at their owne libertie wander and feed abroad, in Gardens, Fields, and Orchards, all the day long, and many times farre off, from their u­suall roosting places; yet (notwith­standing the company of other fowles of their owne kinde met a­broad, discovery of new places of better feeding, and other entice­ments or impediments) do ever to­wards Sunne-set, draw themselves homewards before it be darke, so to have time and daylight enough, to flie up to their perches of roost, where only they looke for safety and quiet in the night approaching. This providence taught these sillie crea­tures by instinct of nature; as it di­rectly [Page 195] shames, and condemnes some of us, who when we are got abroad, are easily drawne by ill company, good-fellowship, or other idle vani­tie, to deferre our comming home till we are not able to come home, but must be led home like beasts, or lie in a ditch by the way, (to the ha­zard of soule and body) so it may bee a necessary remembrance use­full to us all; that in all our worldly occasions of this life, wee bethinke our selves of the Sun-set­ting with us, I meane, the houre of death: which must as certainly come upon every one of us at one time or other, as the Sun-setting closeth up every day that goes over our heads; that like the sons and daugh­ters of wisdome, we may everyday remember that our last night is at hand, and so provide to make our peace with God by Iesus Christ (our only peace-maker) whiles it is cal­led to day, that that night doe not surprise us, or take us unprovided for it.

O mercifull Lord God, strengthen my feeble soule, by thy holy Spirit of grace, that with the humble wings of true repentance and a lively faith, J may before hand flie up into the Arke of my Saviours perfect righteousnes, that whensoever that night shall come upon me, I may bee found there in safetie, and so received into thine e­verlasting peace, Amen.

27. Vpon the remove of houshold from one dwelling to another.

THe day appointed for this re­moove, was set downe many daies agoe, and most of the stuffe packed up and made readie for carri­age: yet see how full of trouble and perplexitie the day it selfe is: by [Page 197] taking leave of old friends and neighbours, some things forgotten to bee done before, some new in­terruptions falling out in the in­stant: so that many times the car­riages are benighted, and fall short of getting to the new home in due time. Wee are all in this world but sojourners, and our home is not here, but in Heaven: for which wee should bee everyday so wise by preparing our selves, that wee might not bee combred upon the day of our remoovall; but to have them nothing to doe, but to lift up our soules unto our Saviour the Lord Iesus, and so depart in peace: yet how contrary to this is the practice of many, who leave all their busines to the very remoove-day, the day of death; not having so much as setled their outward estate, or made their wils before; wherby they grow so per­plexed and distracted with thoughts of this world, care of wife and chil­dren, visitations of neighbours, pangs and distresses of sicknes, fear of death [Page 198] inward horrours and temptations, a [...] makes their departure many times very discomfortable.

O most glorious Lord God, I know not how sufficiently (as I desire and ought) to praise thy most holy name, for thy great mercy towards me in this gentle visitation of sicknes, which thy most gracious and tender hand hath laid upon me: whereby I am ta­ken off from all worldly cares and thoughts; and have also (of thine in­finite goodnesse) such gracious times and opportunities to prepare my selfe for my remove and change. O, let my soule for ever praise and magnifie thy holy name therefore. And withall J most humbly beseech thee to stretch thy hand of mercy yet further upon me; that as my body shall decay, (wherein I most humbly submit my selfe to thy blessed good will and plea­sure) my soule may be strengthened by thy powerfull spirit of grace; and the good worke begun in me, made more [Page 199] and more perfect, that when this earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved, my soule united by faith to my blessed Redeemer the Lord Iesus may bee then received of thee in peace, through his precious merits and mediation, who is our alone Saviour and peace­maker, Amen.

28. Vpon the casuall hearing of a verse in the new Testament read by a child.

AS I was to passe through the roome where my little grand­childe was set by her Grandmo­ther to reade her mornings Cha­pter, which fell out to bee the ninth of S. Matthews Gospell; just as I came in shee was uttering those words in the second verse; Jesus said to the sicke of the palsie; sonne, bee of good comfort, thy sinnes are forgiven [Page 200] thee. Which words sorting so fitly with my case, whose whol left side is taken with that kinde of disease, and whose soule desires nothing so much as such a gracious word from my Sa­viour; I stood at a stand at the utter­ing of them, and could not but con­ceive some joy and comfort in those blessed words, though by the childes reading, as if the Lord by her had spoken them to my selfe, a para­lytick and a sinner, as that sicke-man was: who (for ought appeares in the Text) expected only the cure of his bodily infirmity: when be­hold the gracious redeemer of the World, who is wont to give more unto us then we desire or deserve, be­gins first with the cure of the soule, by remitting his sins, and then cures the body afterwards.

O most blessed Saviour, those words of grace which thou didst vouchsafe to that sicke man, not de­s [...]ring it; speake thou of thy rich mer­cy [Page 201] by thy holy Spirit to my sinne-sicke soule, which most humbly beggs it at thy most mercifull hands. My soule is grievously sicke in the sight of my sins, sence of the wrath of my displeas­ed God, and desert of hell and utter condemnation. But (Lord) speake these words only unto me, and my soule shall live, for (Lord) if thou wilt thou canst make me whole. O Lord, heale my soule, for I have sin­ned against thee. As for my bodily in­firmitie, which thou (as the chastise­ment of a loving and merciful father) hast laid upon me, to weane me from the world, and for my better prepa­ration against the time of my dissolu­tion by it; I do with all humble thank­fulnesse, and dutifull obedience submit my selfe thereunto, therein▪ But my humble and earnest suite is for mer­cy; mercie (good Lord) for the cure of my Soule, by the pardoning of my sinnes. O Blessed Saviour, speake those gracious words to mee, one Paralyticke more; Sonne, bee of good comfort, thy sinnes are [Page 202] forgiven thee: that being absolved from them all by thee in this life, who hast already fully satisfied divine justice for them all, J may when that houre of my departure commeth, with comfort and cherefulnes deliver up my redeemed soule, into thy bles­sed armes of mercy in peace, Amen, Amen.

29. Vpon the w [...]rds of a childe, inti­mating the necessitie of my timely preparation for death and heaven.

IF notice were taken of the spee­ches, which sometimes f [...]ll from children, I am perswaded great use might bee made thereof by those of ripe yeares, for their instruction and good▪ which I lately observed in a short discourse had with my little grand-daughter, not yet seven yeares [Page 203] old, my selfe being entred into the seventieth yeare of my age, and my left side taken with a disease called the dead palsie; shee seeing mee to have my left hand rubbed after meals and my left legg rubbed at my going to bed, and at my uprising, said to me. Grandfather this you doe, to make that side well▪ nay (child) said I, but to preserve it so long [...] shall please God: but I looke not to be well till I be in heaven: where­unto she replyed in these very words, yea grandfather, you long to bee there, and your leg would faine go to sleepe in the grave. In which words, how directly doth the childe teach me many things. 1. What I should doe, long to bee in heaven▪ 2. That there is no passage thither for the soule, but by the death of the body. 3. That when the body is ready for the grave▪ it is high time for the soule to be longing for heaven. 4. That the grave is bu [...] the bodies bed to sleepe in, for a time. 5. Intimating therewith th [...] [Page 204] there shall be a time of waking. By which five particulars, how evident is it (Psal. 8.2.) out of the mouths of very babes and children, hath God ordained strength, to witnesse his grace and praises, to the confounding of the enemy who would suppresse them.

O most blessed Lord God, let my soule first praise thy holy name, for giving me those seasonable admoniti­ons from one that comes in a second descent of mine owne loines: beseech­ing thee to blesse those seeds of grace sowen in her heart in these her tender yeares, to make and preserve her thy childe of grace all her life long; that finally she may be heire of thy glory. And then for my selfe, O good Lord, look graciously upon me thy most un­worthy servant, who have longed for thy salvation: for thou (Lord) art the thing J long for (Psal. 71.4, 5, 8) thou art my hope even from my youth, through thee have I been holden up e­ver [Page 205] since I was borne, thou art he that tookest me out of my mothers womb; my praises shall be ever of thee. O cast me not away in the time of age, for­sake me not, when my 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 shew it selfe power­full in my weaknesse, to enable me to hunger and thirst after thy righte­ousnesse, in a true desire after san­ctification, and new obedience, for the remainder of my few daies with hear­tie sorrow and unfained repentance for my sins past, and faithfull relying upon thy mercies in Christ for the par­don of them; that when I shall leave this house of earth, thy blessed An­gel [...] may [...]onvey my soul into the glo­rious mansion of peace, which I long for, and my Saviou [...] hath prepared for me in thy heavenly kingdome, Amen

30. Vpon a fight between two Cocks.

AT Stanwick, my son had going with his Hens, a young Cock of a stout and large breed, with ve­ry large Iollops hanging downe on either side of his beake, and a friend of his giving him afterwards a Cock and a Hen of the game, as they call them (the Cocks-combe and jollops being finely cut off, close to the head for advantage in fighting) It fell out that the two Cocks meeting in the yard together, fell close to their fight; where the younger Cock fought stoutly a good while, till the old Cocke taking advantage of his large Iollops hanging so low, tooke hold thereof, for raising himselfe to wound the young Cocke at every blow: which being observed by the spectators, they parted the fray for [Page 207] the present, and caused the young Cocks pendant Iollops to be cut off, and his head trim'd for the fight, as the old Cocks was, who had at first so beaten the young Cocke, that he durst not stay within his view: but after the sores of his Iollops cut were healed, the young Cocke comming abroad againe, the old Cock ran pre­sently upon him to have made him runne away as he was wont to doe before. But the young Cocke tur­ning againe, and they falling to a new fight, very sharpe and eager on both sides, at last the old Cocke fin­ding his old hold of the young Cocks Iollops taken from him, was faine to cry creake, and to runne a­way as fast from the young Cocke as the young Cock did from him be­fore; and ever after the young Cock was master of the field.

In this fight of the two Cockes, me thinkes I see represented by the old Cocke, the old wilie se [...]pent, who by subtiltie and advantage ta­king, overcomming our first parents [Page 208] in Paradise, as if he were then the Prince of the World, sets upon every one of their posteritie to subdue them to his dominion, insomuch as he presumed to set upon the Lord Jesus, (God blessed for ever) finding him cloathed in our flesh, though to his owne utter overthrow in the combate; our Saviour the second Adam, becomming absolute con­querour, and that for us also that doe believe in him who are thereby made partakers of his victorie. In the young Cock, me thinks I see the naturall and unregenerate man, o­verladen with his owne originall corruption; who endowed with many gifts of nature, and helpes of good education, presumes of himselfe to stand against the old cock in fight. But the old murtherer (who never shewes faire play, but workes upon any base or villanous advantage hee can) laying hold upon his naturall corruption, and by help thereof gives him many a wound, and is like to o­vercome and oppresse him, through [Page 209] the treachery of his own flesh, by the m ltitude of his sins; when behold the Lord Jesus (the blessed spectator of all our fights and combats, and who is our only supporter and helper in them) seeing the poore soule his souldier in this distresse and danger, gives order by the work of his sancti­fying spirit, to cut off that traiterous corruption [...] nature, and by the sup­ply of grace to renew his strength a­gainst the fiery assaults of the temp­ter: who missing his wonted hold of corrupt flesh, and finding a new influ­ence of grace from the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, which ever overcomes him wheresoever it meets him, turnes the backe and flies away: and so the man, (though but in part re­generate) becomes more then con­querour through him that loved us, Romans 8.37.

Most blessed Saviour, (who seest our manifold weaknesses, and the e­nemies great advantage over us, in these spirituall combats, streng­then us thy poore weaklings, fight­ing under thy banner: that by thy grace we may be enabled to stand fast and couragiously in the evill day, and by the power of thy might put all temptations to flight; and so finally obtaine the Crowne of victorie, to thy glory, and our everlasting peace, Amen.

31. Vpon a childes asking blessing in the morning.

WHiles I was busie one mor­ning in writing, my little grand child came into the roome where I was, falling downe upon her knees, and desired me to pray to God to blesse her: and having so done, knowing that I heard her, she (without expecting any verball an­swer from me, out of the confidence of my fatherly love) riseth up, as­sureing her selfe of the blessing shee desired, and so betaketh her selfe to the employments of the day.

O blessed Lord God, our most gra­cious heavenly Father, thy love is the only Fountaine of all true father­ly love and affection; and the deerest love of the tenderest parent, is but as [Page 212] a dropp from that ocean: why then should not I with as much (or ra­ther much more) confidence and assurance relie upon thy paternall love, as the childe doth on mine? Why should any doubtings inter­rupt my prayers, when I kn [...]w I put th [...]m up to so gracious a Fa­ther, whose love is all infinite and unchangeable like thy selfe? why should my sinnes or unworthinesse deterre me from that dutie, when J know thy love and grace is free, and freely bestowed out of thine owne goodnesse, not for any merit of mine, nay, against my sinfull deservings? O blessed Lord God, seale up unto my conscience by thy pacifying spirit, the assurance of mine adoption, and strengthen mee by thy grace, in all my poore prayers, (howsoever ac­companied with humane infirmities) to come unto thee with true filiall confidence, and awfull reverence, in the name of thine onely natu­rall and eternall Sonne, my bles­sed Saviour and onely Mediator; [Page 213] and so shall I be sure of thy Father­ly acceptance of me in him. O then, let my soule for ever rejoyce in this priviledge of thy children; and cheerefully, thankefully and constant­ly put my whole trust and affiance both in life and death, in thine eter­nall and free love and mercy towards me in Christ Jesus, Amen.

32. Vpon one word attributed to God thrice, in three verses together in one Chapter.

IN the last Chapter of Ionah, it is said (verse 6.) that the Lord God prepared a Gourd, (verse 7.) that the Lord prepared a worm, (vers. 8) and the Lord prepared a vehe­ment east-winde: three workes of Gods omnipotent power, as it were of three new creations; from thence to draw a most demonstrative argu­ment, for convincing the Prophets erronious zeale, and to manifest the glories of his owne infinite mercies above all his workes.

O most glorious Lord God, did the Prophet know indeed (verse 2.) that thou art a gracious God and mercifull, slow to anger and of great kindnesse? and should hee now bee [Page 215] angry because thou wert slow to an­ger? and would he needs die of the sullens, because thou wouldest not destroy one hundred and twentie thousand infants, when their pa­rents repented? what strange pas­sions are these in a Prophet? had he forgotten so soone his owne case, when so late before, for his rebel­lious flying from thee and thy word, he was justly, even by his own confes­sion thrownover board into the sea, and yet of thine infinite mercy by a miraculous deliverance was after three daies and three nights together lying in the deep, brought in life and safety to dry land againe? was hee glad and thankfull then for thy mer­cies in sparing of one rebell, and hath he now so little pitie upon so ma­ny thousand innocents?

O blessed Lord God, how tran­scendent are thy thoughts (Esa. 558▪) above ours, and how contrary are our wayes unto thine? Thine end in this Prophets employment was for the Ninivites conversion, not for their destruction: And when by thy bles­sed summons of prevention, thou didst upon their repentance save them; greater was thy glory there­by and the successe more pleasing to thy Majestie, then it would have beene by their impenitencie and de­struction: let these two examples of thy mercie, upon the fugitive Pro­phet and the repentant Ninivites teach us, to put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercies, for blessed are all they that put their trust in thee, (Psalme 2.12. and 34.8.) O Lord strengthen us by thy grace, to depend upon thee and thy goodnesse, both in life and death, through Iesus Christ our Saviour, Redeemer, and Mediator, Amen. And againe O Lord God, didst thou here immedi­ately [Page 217] prepare, both the refreshing Gourd, and the smiting worme, and fainting heat, for thine owne gracious end with the Prophet; and doth any matter of comfort or affliction b [...]fall any of thy [...]hildren, but by the hand of thine al governing providence? who in thine unsearchable wisdome know­est what is best for them, and in thine unchangeable mercy disposest there­of accordingly? O then (blessed Lord) give us grace withall meeknesse to humble our selves under thy mighty hand, in all the occurrents of this mor­tall life; and in all our troubles to depend and rest upon thy mercies, for that blessed issue, which thou in thy boundlesse goodnesse shalt produce for thine owne glory, in our finall peace and salvation, Amen.

33. Ʋpon the great Clock in Westminster Palace.

34. Home.

35. A Dialogue betweene an old sick man, and his neighbour visiting him.

36. A Hymne for Christmas-day. Gloria in excelsis Deo.

A Prayer and Meditation for my wife and my selfe to joyne 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 houre of our dissolution.