The Mount of Olives: or, Solitary devotions. By Henry Vaughan silurist. With an excellent discourse of the blessed state of man in glory, written by the most reverend and holy Father Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and now done into English.

The Mount of Olives: or, Solitary devotions. By Henry Vaughan silurist. With an excellent discourse of the blessed state of man in glory, written by the most reverend and holy Father Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and now done into English.

Table of contents

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Title page

TO THE Truly Noble and Religious Sr. CHARLES Egerton KNIGHT.

TO THE Peaceful, humble, and pious READER.

THE Table.

ADMONITIONS FOR Morning-Prayer.

When thou dost awake.

When thou dost arise.

As soone as thou art drest, before thou comest forth from thy Chamber, kneel down in some convenient place, and in this, or the like Prayer commend thy self for that day unto thy Creator's Protection.

Admonitions when we prepare for any farre Iourney.

Admonitions how to carry thy self in the Church.

A Prayer before thou goest to Church.

Another when thou art come home, or in the way if thou beest alone.

Admonitions for Evening-Prayer.

EIACULATIONS.

When the Clock strikes.

When thou intendest any businesse, or Journey.

When thou art persecuted.

Upon some suddaine fear.

Upon any disorderly thoughts.

Upon any occasions of sadnesse.

Upon any Diffidence.

When thou dost any good work.

When thou art provoked to anger.

For thine Enemies.

Upon any gracious deliverance, or other mercies conferr'd upon thee.

Upon any losses, or other adversities.

When thou hearest that any is dead.

Upon thought of thy sins.

When thou art weary of the cares and vanities of this world.

¶ Admonitions, with Meditations and Prayers to be used before we come to the Lords Supper.

A Prayer for the grace of repentance, together with a Confession of sins.

A Meditation before the receiving of the holy Communion.

A Prayer when thou art upon going to the Lords Table.

Immediately before the receiving, say,

¶ Admonitions after receiving the holy Communion.

A Prayer after you have received.

A Prayer in time of persecution and Heresie.

A Prayer in adversity, and troubles occasioned by our Enemies.

MAN IN Darkness, OR, A DISCOURSE OF DEATH.

A Prayer when thou findest thy self sickly, or when thou art visited with any Disease.

A Prayer in the hour of Death.

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Title page

To the Reader.

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Books Printed or sold by William Leake at the sign of the Crown in Fleet-street between the two Temple gates

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THE MOUNT of OLIVES: OR, SOLITARY DEVOTIONS.

By HENRY VAVGHAN Silurist.

With An excellent Discourse of the blessed state of MAN in GLORY, written by the most Reverend and holy Father ANSELM Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and now done into English.

LUKE 21. v. 39, 37.

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accompted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe, and to stand before the Sonne of Man.

And in the day time he was teaching in the Temple, and at night he went out, and abode in the Mount that is called the Mount of Olives.

LONDON, Printed for WILLIAM LEAKE at the Crown in Fleet-street between the two Temple-Gates. 1652.

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TO THE Truly Noble and Religious Sr. CHARLES Egerton KNIGHT.

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SIR,

THough I should have no other defence, that near relation by which my [Page] dearest friend laies claime to your person, might in some measure excuse this otherwise unhansome adventure of publishing these weake productions under the shelter of your name. But I was not so much induced to it by that Tye, though very deare unto me, as by your love to Religion and Learning, and the respects due from my selfe to your person, and those reverend years, which by a faire and virtuous disposal [Page] of your time you have happily attained to, and wherein you safely are, ‘— Coelo dignus canente senectâ Consilioque deûm, —’ I know, Sir, you will be pleased to accept of this poore Olive-leafe presented to you, so that I shall not be driven to put forth my hand to take in my Dove againe. And indeed (considering how fast and how soone men degenerate), It must be counted for a great blessing, that [Page] there is yet any left which dares look upon, and commiserate distressed Religion. Good men in bad times are very scarce; They are like the standing eares of Corne escaped out of the Reapers hands, or the Vine-dressers last gleanings after the first ripe fruits have been gathered. Such a precious generation are the Iust in the day of trouble, and their names are like to afflicted truth, like the shadow of a great rock in a[Page]weary land, or a way-faring mans lodge in the waste and howling Wildernesse. The Sonne of God himselfe (when he was here,) had no place to put his head in; And his Servants must not think the present measure too hard, seeing their Master himself took up his nights-lodging in the cold Mount of Olives.

By this time, Sir, you may see the reason which moved me to take Sanctuary [Page] at your name, and now I will acquaint you with my designe. To be short, Sir, It is no other, but that your name (like the royall stamp) may make current and commend this poore mite to posterity: And that the unfained lover of your Person may in these few and transitory sheets waite upon your memory in the ages to come; when your immortal and precious soule shall be bound up in the bundle [Page] of the living, in the ever-lasting book of life; which is devoutly desired by

Sir,

Your very affectionate and faithful Servant VAVGHAN.

Newton by Vsk this first of October. 1651.

TO THE Peaceful, humble, and pious READER.

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I Know the world abounds with these Manuals, and triumphs over them. It is not then their scarsity that call'd this forth, nor yet a desire to crosse the age, nor any in it. I envie not their frequent Extasies, and [Page] raptures to the third heaven; I onely wish them real, and that their actions did not tell the world, they are rapt into some other place. Nor should they, who assume to themselves the glorious stile of Saints, be uncharitably moved, if we that are yet in the body, and carry our treasure in earthen vessels, have need of these helps.

It is for thy good, and for his glory, who in the dayes of his flesh prayed here himselfe, and both taught and commanded us to pray, that I have published this. Thou hast here sound directions and wholsome words, and if thou wilt enquire of the [Page] Lord and say, If the Lord will, I shall live, and do this or that, thou mayest. Here are Morning and Evening sacrifices, with holy and apposite Ejaculations for most times and occasions. And lastly, here are very faithful and necessary Precepts and Meditations before we come to the Lords Table. To which last part I have added a short and plaine Discourse of Death, with a Prayer in the houre thereof. And for thy comfort after thou hast past through that Golgotha, I have annexed a Dissertation of the blessed state of the righteous after this life, written originally by [Page] holy Anselme sometimes Arch-Bishop of Canterbury.

I have purposely avoided to leade thee into this little Book with a large discourse of Devotion, what it is, with the severall Heads, Divisions, and sub-divisions of it, all these being but so many fruitlesse curiosities of Schoole-Divinity, Cui fumus est pro fundamento. Neither did I thinke it necessary that the ordinary Instructions for a regular life (of which theere are infinite Volumes already extant) should be inserted into this small Manuall, lest instead of Devotion, I should trouble thee with a peece of Ethies. [Page] Besides, thou hast them already as briefly delivered as possibly I could, in my Sacred Poems.

And thus, Christian Reader, do I commend it to thy practise, and the benefit thou shalt finde thereby. Onely I shall adde this short Exhortation: That thou wouldest not be discouraged in this way, because very many are gone out of it. Think not that thou art alone upon this Hill, there is an innumerable company both before and behinde thee. Those with their Palms in their hands, and these expecting them. If therefore the dust of this world [Page] chance to prick thine eyes, suffer it not to blinde them; but runniug thy race with patience, look to JESUS the Authour and finisher of thy faith, who when he was reviled, reviled not againe. Presse thou towards the mark, and let the people and their Seducers rage; be faithful unto the death, and he will give thee a Crowne of life. Look not upon transitorie, visible things, but upon him that is etern [...]l, and invisible. Choose the better part, yea, that part with Saint Hierome, who preferred the poore Coate of Paul the Hermite to the purple and [Page] pride of the world. Thus with my simple Advise unto thee, I bid thee farewel.

Thy Christian friend Henry Vaughan.

THE Table.

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ADmonitions for Morning Prayer.

page 1

A Prayer when thou dost awake.

p. 3

—When thou dost arise.

p. 5

—As soone as thou art drest.

p. 6

Preparations for a Iourney.

p. 9

—When thou goest from home.

p. 11

—Another for the same.

p. 12

How to carry thy self in the Church.

p. 14

[Page]A Prayer before thou goest to Church.

p 18

—When thou art come home; or in the way if thou beest alone.

p. 20

Admonitions for Evening Prayer.

p. 22

A Meditation at the setting of the Sunne.

p. 23

A Prayer for the Evening.

p. 26

—When thou art going into bed.

p. 28

Particular Ejaculations for all occasions.

p. 31

Admonitions with Prayers and Meditations before receiving the Lords Supper.

p. 36

A Prayer for the Grace of Repentance, with a Confession of sins.

p. 47

A particular Meditation before receiving the holy Communion.

p. 51

A Prayer when thou art upon going to the Lords Table.

p. 59

An Ejaculation immediately before the receiving.

p. 60

Admonitions after receiving the holy Communion.

p. 61

A Prayer after you have received.

p. 63

[Page]—In time of Persecution and Heresie.

p. 66

—In Troubles occasioned by our Enemies.

p. 68

MAN in DARKNESSE, or a Discourse of Death.

p. 71

A Prayer in time of sicknesse.

p. 127

A Prayer in the hour of Death.

p. 130

MAN in GLORY; or, a Discourse of the blessed estate of the Saints in Heaven.

p. 133

FINIS.

ADMONITIONS FOR Morning-Prayer.

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THe night (saith Chrysostome) was not therefore made, that either we should sleep it out, or passe it away idly; and Chiefly because we see many worldly persons to watch out whole nights for the Commodities of this life. In the Primitive Church also the Saints of God used to rise at midnight to praise the Rock of their salvation with Hymns and Spiritual Songs. In the same manner shouldst thou do now, and Contemplate the Order of the Stars, and how they all in their several stations [Page] praise their Creator. When all the world is asleep, thou shouldst watch, weep and pray and propose unto thy self that Practise of the Psalmist, I am weary of my groaning, every night wash I my bed, and water my Couch with my tears; for as the Dew which falls by night is most fructifying, and tempers the heat of the Sun; so the tears we shed in the night, make the soul fruitful, quench all Concupiscence, and supple the hardnesse we got in the day. Christ himself in the day-time taught and preach'd, but continued all night in prayer, sometimes in a Mountain apart, sometimes amongst the wild beasts, and sometimes in solitary places.

They, whose Age or Infirmity will not give them way to do thus, should use all Convenient means to be up before the Sun-rising, for we must prevent the Sunne to give God thanks, and at the day-spring pray unto him. Wisd. 16. It was in the morning that the Children of Israel gathered the Manna; [Page] and of the Just man it is said, That He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and will pray before the most high, Eccl. 39. So soon therefore as thou dost awake, shut thy door against all prophane and worldly thoughts, and before all things let thy God be first admitted, offer unto him thy first fruits for that day, and commune with him after this manner.

When thou dost awake.

O God the Father! who saidst in the beginning, Let there be light, and it was so; Inlighten my Eyes that I never sleepe in death: lest at any time my Enemy should say, I have prevailed against him.

O God the Sonne! light of light; the most true and perfect light, from whom this light of the Sun, and the day had their beginning; thou, that art the light shining in darknesse, Inlightning [Page] every one that cometh into this world, expell from me all Clouds of Ignorance, and give me true understanding, that in thee, and by thee I may know the Father; whom to know is to live, and to serve is to reigne.

O God the Holy Ghost! the fire that inlightens, and warms our hearts, shed into me thy most sacred light, that I may know the true Joyes of Heaven, and see to escape the illusions of this world. Ray thy selfe into my soul that I may see what an Exceeding weight of glory my Enemy would bereave me of for the meer shadowes and painting of this world. Grant that I may know those things which belong unto thee, and nothing else; Inflame me with thy divine love that with a true Christian Contempt I may tread upon all transitory Pleasures, and seek only those things which are eternal.

Most blessed Trinity! and one eternal God! as thou hast this day awaked me from this bodily sleep, so [Page] awake my soule from the sleep of sin, and as thou hast given me strength after sleep, now again to watch, so after death give me life, for what is death to me, is but sleep with thee, to whom be ascribed all glory, wisdome, majesty, dominion and praise now and for Ever, Amen.

When thou dost arise.

ARise O my soul that sleepest, arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Arise O daughter of Sion, O my soul redeemed with the blood of Christ! sit no more in the dust of thy sins, but arise, and rest in that peace which is purchas'd by thy Saviours merits.

Christ Iesus! my most merciful and dear Redeemer! as it is thy meer goodness that lifts up this mortal and burthensome body, so let thy grace lift up my soul to the true knowledge [Page] and love of thee; grant also that my body may this day be a helper and servant to my soul in all good works, that both body and soul may be partakers of those Endlesse Joyes, where thou livest and reignest with the Faher and the Holy Ghost, one true God world without End, Amen.

As soone as thou art drest, before thou comest forth from thy Chamber, kneel down in some convenient place, and in this, or the like Prayer commend thy self for that day unto thy Creator's Protection.

ALmighty, eternal God, the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, I blesse and praise thy holy name, and with my whole heart give thee all possible thanks, that out of thine infinite goodness thou wert pleased to watch over me this night, to resist my adversary, and to keep me from all perils [Page] of body and soul; O thou! that never slumbrest nor sleepest, how careful hast thou been of me! how hast thou protected me, and with thy holy angels, thy ministring spirits sent forth to minister for the heirs of salvation, incompast me about! yea, with what unmeasurable love hast thou restored unto me the light of the day, and rais'd me from sleep and the shadow of death, to look up to thy holy hill; Justly mighst thou, O God, have shut the gates of death upon me, and laid me for ever under the barres of the Earth, but thou hast redeemed me from Corruption, and with thy Everlasting armes enlarged my time of Repentance.

And now O Father of mercies, and God of all Consolation, hear the voyce of thy Supplicant, and let my cry be heard in thy highest heavens: As I do sincerely love thee, and beg for thy Protection, so receive thou me under the shadow of thy wings, watch [Page] over me with the Eyes of thy mercy, direct me in the wayes of thy Law, and enrich me with the gifts of thy Spirit, that I may passe through this day, to the glory of thy great name, the good of others, and the comfort of my own soul. Keep me, O my God, from the great offence; quench in me all vain Imaginations, and sensual desires; sanctifie and supple my heart with the dew of thy divine Spirit, refresh it with the streams of thy grace, that I may bring forth fruit in due season, and not cumber the ground, nor be cut off in thy anger. And to this end I do here resigne my body and my soul, with all the faculties thou hast bestowed upon both, into thy Almighty hands; Guide thou them in the works of thy Law, turne my eyes from all transitory objects, to the things which are eternal, and from the Cares and Pride of this world to the fowles of the aire; and the Lillies of the field And now, O my God, seeing [Page] I am but Dust and Ashes, and my Righteousnesse a filthy Rag, having no deserts in my self but what should draw Everlasting vengeance, and the Vials of thy bitter wrath upon my body and soul; behold, I have brought with me thy first-born and onely begotten, the propitiation for my sins, the Incense I offer up with my prayers, Rev. 8.3. my Redeemer and Mediatour in whom thou art well-pleased, hear thou him. O look not upon my Leprosie, but on his beauty and perfection! and for the righteousnesse of thy Son, forgive the sins of thy Servant. Grant this for his sake, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all glory and majesty, Dominion and power now and for ever. Amen.

Admonitions when we prepare for any farre Iourney.

WHen thou art to go from home, remember that thou art to [Page] come forth into the World, and to Converse with an Enemy; And what else is the World but a Wildernesse? A darksome, intricate wood full of Ambushes and dangers; A Forrest where spiritual hunters, principalities and powers spread their nets, and compasse it about; wouldst thou then escape these ghostly snares; this wickednes in high places, and return home if not better and holier, yet not worse then at thy setting out? Wouldst thou with Iacob passe over these Waters with thy staffe onely, and in thy return become two bands? Gen. 32.10. Why then, do as he did, begin thy Journey with prayer, and say, If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eate, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my fathers house in peace: then shall the Lord be my God, Gen. 28.20, 21. This was his practise, and the practise of his fathers; The Lord God of heaven (saith Abraham) who took me from my [Page]fathers house, and from the land of my kindred, &c. he shall send his Angel before thee. Nor must thou pray only at thy setting forth, but all the way, and at all times; Thus Eliezer prayed at the Well, Isaac in the field, and Elias (in his journey to Mount Horeb) under a Iuniper tree in the Wildernesse. This also (if thou wilt imitate these holy men) thou may'st do, and for that pious purpose thou hast here these following Prayers.

When we go from home.

ALmighty and everlasting God, who art the Way, the Life and the Truth; look down from heaven, and behold me now betwixt the Assaults of the Devil, the allurements of the World, and my own inclinations; I cannot look abroad, but these flock about me; But O thou that leadest Ioseph like a sheep, thou most faithful [Page] and Almighty guide, lend me thy hand, open mine Eyes, direct my steps, and cause me to walk in thy fear; Thou that didst go out with Iacob from Beershe-ba unto Padan-aran, guiding him in the waste plaines, and watching over him on his Pillow of stones, be not now farre from me; Leade me, O Lord, in thy righteousnesse, make my paths straight, and strengthen my goings, that having finished my Course here, I may sit down in thy Kingdome, an Inheritance undefiled, purchased for me with the blood of my Saviour, and thy beloved Son Iesus Christ, Amen.

II.

O Thou, that art every where! Thou that sittest upon the Circle of the Earth, and all the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers before thee! Whose Eyes discover the deep things of the night, before whom Hell is naked, and all the Devices of my spirituall Enemies! Thou [Page] that didst leade Abraham thy chosen from Vr of the Chaldees into a land flowing with milk and honey, favour I beseech thee the present harmlesse Enterprise and innocent purpose of thy servant, be unto me in my Journey a Comfort, in the heate a shadow, in stormes a shelter, and in adversity my protection; That having finished my intended course, I may return in peace full of thy praises, who art near to all those that call upon thee; Grant this for Christ Iesus his sake, Amen.

Meditate in the way upon the sojournings and travels of the Patriarchs and Prophets, the many weary journeys of Iesus Christ in the flesh, the travels of his Apostles by sea and land, with the pilgrimage and peregrinations of many other precious Saints that wandred in Deserts and Mountains, of whom the world was not worthy.

Admonitions how to carry thy self in the Church.

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HOlinesse (saith the Royall Prophet) becometh thy house for ever. When thou art going thither then, carry not the world with thee.

Let vain or busie thoughts have there no part,

Bring not thy Plough, thy Plots, thy Pleasures thither,

Christ purg'd his Temple; so must thou thy heart.

All worldly thoughts are but Theeves met together

To Cousin thee. Look to thy actions well,

For Churches are either our Heav'n or Hell.

These reverend and sacred buildings (however now vilified and shut up) have ever been, and amongst true Christians still are the solemne and publike places of meeting for Divine Worship: There the flocks feed at noonday, there the great Shepherd and Bishop of their souls is in the midst of them, and where he is, that Ground is holy; Put off thy shoes then, thy [Page] worldly and carnall affections, and when thou beginnest to enter in, say with Iacob, How dreadful is this place! sure this is none other then the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven! Such reverence and religious affection hath in all ages been shew'd towards these places, that the holy men of God detain'd either by Captivity, or other necessary occasions, when they could not remedy the distance, yet to testifie their desire and longing for the Courts of the Lord, Psal. 84. they would always worship towards them. Thus Daniel upon the Idolatrous Decree signed by Darius, goes into his house, and his windows being open in his Chamber towards Ierusalem, he kneeled upon his knees, and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore-time, Dan. 6.10. which fully proves it to have been his Constant manner of Devotion. And of Iudith we read that about the time that the Incense of that Evening was offered up in Hierusalem, she cried [Page]unto the Lord, Iud. 9.1. But above all, most pathetical and earnest is that crie of King David in the 85. Psalm.

How amiable are thy Tabernables O Lord of Hosts!

My soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the Lord, my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God.

Yea the Sparrow hath found an house, and the Swallow a nest for her selfe, where she may lay her young, even thine Altars, O Lord of Hosts, my God and my King!

Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will be still praising thee.

For one day in thy Courts is better than a thousand; I had rather be a doore-keeper in the House of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickednesse.

Let it be thy Care then, when thou art there present to carry thy self like a true worshipper; Give none offence, neither outwardly to thy Brethren, nor the Angels, 1 Cor. 11.10. Nor inwardly to thy God, whose Eyes shine [Page] within thee, and discern thy reins and thy heart. Look seriously about thee, and Consider with thy self how many beauteous, wittie, and hopeful personages in their time lie now under thy feet; thou canst not tell but thy turn may be next. Humble thy self in this dust, and all vain Imaginations will flie from thee. Consider that thou art now in the Cave of Macpelah, in a sacred Repositorie where the Bodies of Saints are asleep, expecting that hour, when those that are in the grave shall hear his voyce. Do not then stop thy eares against the Charmer, but give diligent attention, and hear him while it is yet to day, that in the day of thy death thou mayst rest there in the same hope When thy vessel is fill'd with this Manna, and thy soul satisfied, go not off without Thanksgiving; Be not like those nine Leapers who never returned to give glory to God; but come back with the thankfull Samaritane, and receive another blessing, Go in [Page]peace. Saint Luke in the Acts of the Apostles making mention of the Ethiopian Eunuch, who came up to Ierusalem for to worship, tells us, that in his returne he was reading in Isaiah the Prophet; This blessed Convert I would have thee to imitate: When thou hast fill'd thy Hin with this living water, leave it not behinde thee at the Fountain; spill not thy Milk and thy Wine, because thou hast it without money and without price, but carry it home and use it. Thou mayest have need of it in six dayes, and perhaps shalt not come to draw again, untill thou drinkest it anew with thy Saviour in his Fathers Kingdom.

A Prayer before thou goest to Church.

LOrd Iesus Christ, who out of thy Fathers bosome wert sent into this world to reveal his will unto sinners, and to instruct them in the [Page] way of salvation; behold, I am now going to hear thy blessed word, and these many yeers have so done, expecting still thy good pleasure and the Consummation of thy sacred will in me. I have come unto the bread of life, and yet am hungry; into the light, and yet am blind; unto the great Physician, and yet my Issue runs: The former and the later rain of thy heavenly Doctrine falls still without intermission upon my heart, but this bad ground yeelds nothing but Thornes and Briers. Many dayes, many moneths, and many yeers hast thou expected fruit, and found nothing but leaves. It is thy Infinite mercy, O Lord, that thou hast left unto us the seed of thy word, and sendest into thy harvest such upright and faithful labourers; but in vain, O Lord, shall they cry in our Ears, unlesse thou openest and renewest our hearts. Open then, I beseech thee (O blessed Jesu!) the eares of my heart, that not onely [Page] the outward hearing, but the inward also may be stirr'd up in me, and what I hear with the eare, I may understand with the spirit▪ O thou most mild and merciful Lamb of God! the onely, and the Almighty sower! grant, I beseech thee, that the seed which falls this day upon my heart, may never be choak'd with the Cares of this world, nor be devoured by the fowles of the aire, nor wither away in these times of persecution and triall: but so Cherish it with the Dew of thy divine spirit, that (as in a good and faithful ground) it may bring forth fruit unto eternal life, to the glory of thy great name, and the Comfort of my poor soul, which thou hast bought with thy most precious and saving blood. Amen.

Another when thou art come home, or in the way if thou beest alone.

LOrd Iesus Christ, my ever mercifull, and most loving Redeemer! [Page] I give unto thee most hearty thanks for this thy heavenly, spiritual provision wherewith thou hast fed and refreshed my soul. Grant I beseech thee that this Celestial seed may take root in me, and be effectual to my salvation; Watch over my heart, O Lord, and hedge it in with thy grace, that the fowles which descend in the shadows of the Evening may not pick it out; But so prepare and fit me for thy love, that I may never forget thy gracious words, thy blessed and saving advice, but may know in this my day what belongs unto my peace. It is thy promise by thy holy Prophet, That as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So thy word that goeth forth out of thy mouth, shall not return unto thee void, but shall accomplish that which thou pleasest, and prosper in the thing whereto thou sendest it, Isai. 55. [Page] 10, 11. Even so, Lord Iesus, let it be as thou hast promised. Let the words I have heard this day out of the mouth of thy servant, the Dispenser, and Steward of thy Mysteries prosper in me, and make my life answerable to his Doctrine; that I may not onely know what thy blessed will is, but performe also and fulfill it; so that at last by thy mediation and mercies I may attain to thy eternal and most glorious Kingdom. Amen.

Admonitions for Evening-Prayer.

REmember that in the Levitical Law there is a frequent Commemoration and Charge given of the two daily Sacrifices, the one to be offer'd up in the morning and the other in the Evening, Exod. 30.7, 8. These offerings by Incense, our holie, harmlesse and undefiled High-Priest hath taken away, and instead of them every [Page] devout Christian is at the appointed times to offer up a Spiritual Sacrifice, namely that of Prayer; for God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth, John 4.24. At these prescribed times (if thou wilt have thy Prayers to ascend up before God) thou must with-draw from all outward occupations to prepare for the inward and divine. To which end thou hast here this following Meditation, that thou maiest therewith season and invite thy soul from thy worldlie imployments to her proper vocation, and so come not altogether undrest into the presence of the King of glory.

A Meditation at the setting of the Sun, or the Souls Elevation to the true light.

THe path of the Just (O my God) is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto a perfect [Page] day of eternity, Prov. 4. But the wicked neither know, nor understand, they walk in darknesse, and from the inward darknesse of their minds passe at last into the outward, eternal darknesse. O most miserable and undone soul! to whom thy Sunne is set; that everlasting glorious Sun! which in thy holy Elects never setteth, but is alwaies at the height, full of brightnesse and Consolation. A heavie night sits in the noone-day upon those souls that have forsaken thee; They look for light, and behold darknesse; for brightnesse, and they walk in obscurity. They grope for the wall like the blind, as if they had no Eyes; They stumble at noone-day as in the night, they are in desolate places as dead men. But on those that walk with thee an everlasting day shines; This Sun of the firmament hath his Course; it riseth, setteth, comes up again, and again goes down: But thou Lord, knowest no vicissitudes, thou art the Ancient of dayes, thou art [Page] the Rock of ages from Everlasting to Everlasting. O thou, the same to day and yesterday, and for evermore! Thou bright and morning Starre springing from on high, illuminate me, who am now sitting in darknesse and in the shadow of death. O light of light, the brightnesse of thy Fathers glory, inlighten all inward obscurities in me, that after this life I may never be cast into the outward darknesse. O most blessed, most merciful, and Almighty Iesu! abide I beseech thee with me, for it is towards Evening, and the day is far spent, Luke 24. As long as thou art present with me, I am in the light, but when thou art gone, I am in the shadows of death, and amongst the stones of emptinesse. When thou art present, all is brightnesse, all is sweetnesse, I am in my Gods bosome, I discourse with him, watch with him, walk with him, live with him, and lie down with him. All these most dear and unmeasurable blessings I have with [Page] thee, and want them without thee. Abide then with me, O thou whom my soul loveth! Thou Sun of righteousnesse with healing under thy wings arise in my heart; refine, quicken, and cherish it; make thy light there to shine in darknesse, and a perfect day in the dead of night.

A Prayer for the Evening.

MOst gracious, Almighty God! full of loving kindnesse, and long-suffering, whose mercy is above all thy works, and thy glory above the heavens, whose truth reacheth unto the Clouds, and whose words shall never passe away, forgive me, I beseech thee, my transgressions this day, my vain thoughts, idle words, and loose conversation; my exceeding neglect and forgetfulnesse of thee, my headlong inclinations and lusting after the world, preferring this [Page] land of Cabul before the snow of Lebanon, and a broken Cistern before the Well of life. Justly, O Lord, might'st thou have shewed me thy back this day, and cut me off from amongst thy people, Ier. 18.17. but thou hast had mercy, and not sacrifice; thou hast shed upon me the light of thy Countenance, and removed my sins farre out of thy sight. I know, O my God, it is not in man to establish his own ways, it is thy Almighty arme must do it; It is thou alone that hast led me through this day, and kept me both from doing and from suffering evill. And now, O thou preserver of men! What shall I do unto thee? What shall I render unto my Lord for all the mercies and loving kindnesses shewed unto thy servant this day, and all the dayes of my life hitherto? I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will ever love thee, fear thee, praise thee, and trust [Page] in thee; My song shall be of thee in the night season, and in the day time I will be speaking of thy wondrous works, thy most merciful and liberal arme; I will make thee my Delight in the house of my pilgrim [...]ge, and I shall alwayes with all my strength, with all my heart, and with all my soul ascribe unto thee, all glory, wisdome, majesty, dominion, and honour this day and for evermore. Amen.

A Prayer when thou art going into bed.

MOst glorious, and onely wise God! to whom the light and the darknes are the same, whose dwellings are eternal, and in whose Kingdome there is no need of Candles, nor of the light of the Sunne; look, I beseech thee, upon thy servant, who tarries in this place all night, Gen. 28.11. And forasmuch as thou (out of thy tender love and Compassion on thy [Page] Creatures) hast ordained this time for their repose and refreshing, that having past through the Cares and dangers of the day, they might under the shadow of thy wings finde rest and security; keep me, I most humbly beseech thee, from the hours and the powers of darknesse; watch over me this night in thy Almighty providence, and scatter all the rebellions and devices of my Adversaries. Inlighten my soul, sanctifie my body, govern my affections, and guide my thoughts, that in the fastest closures of my eyelids my spirit may see thee, and in the depth of sleep be Conversant with thee. Suffer me not, O my God, to forget thee in the dark, or to say, The Lord seeth me not, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, Ezek. 8.12. but so keep me in thy fear, and sanctifie me with thy grace, that all the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart may be alwayes of thee. Make my soul to thirst for thee, and my flesh [Page] also to long after thee. And at what time soever thou shalt awake me from this bodily sleep, awake also my soul in me, make thy morning-star to arise in my heart, and let thy spirit blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Quicken me O Lord, according to thy wonted kindnesse, so shall I seek thee early, and make my prayer unto thee with joyful lips. And now O my most loving and faithful Creatour, take me, I beseech thee, into thy Almighty protection, stretch over me the Arme of thy mercy, let thine Eye be towards the work of thine own hands, and the purchased possession of thy onely begotten, and my most merciful Redeemer Iesus Christ, Amen.

¶ As often as thou dost awake in the night, be sure to lift up thy heart unto God in this or the like short Ejaculation. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabbath! heaven and earth are[Page]full of the majesty of thy glory. By resorting thus unto God, thou shalt finde a great furtherance and cheerfulnesse in thy spiritual exercises, and besides it will keep always about thee the savour of life. And because thou shalt not be unfurnished upon any incident occasions, I have strowed here this handful of savoury herbs, which thou mayest take up as thou findest them in thy way.

EIACULATIONS.

When the Clock strikes.

BLessed be the houre in which my Lord Iesus was borne, and the houre in which he died! O Lord Remember me in the houre of death!

When thou intendest any businesse, or Journey.

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O do well unto thy servant! that I may live and keep thy Word.

When thou art persecuted.

Haste thee, O God, to deliver me, make haste to help me, O Lord!

Upon some suddaine fear.

O set me upon the Rock that is higher then I, for thou art my hope, and a strong tower for me against my enemy.

Upon any disorderly thoughts.

Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Upon any occasions of sadnesse.

Thy rebuke hath broken my heart, I am full of heavinesse, but thou, O Lord shalt lift me up again.

Upon any Diffidence.

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Thou art my hope, O Lord, even from my youth, through thee have I been holden up ever since I was borne; though thou shouldst kill me, yet will I trust in thee.

When thou dost any good work.

Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but unto thy name give the praise.

When thou art provoked to anger.

Give thy peace unto thy servant, O God, let no man take away my Crown; In patience, O Lord, let me possesse my soul.

For thine Enemies.

Lord, lay not this sinne to their Charge; they know not what they do.

Upon any gracious deliverance, or other mercies conferr'd upon thee.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. [Page] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he leadeth me besides the still waters. He hath prevented me with the blessings of goodnesse, he hath granted me my hearts desire, and not with-holden the request of my lips. Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life: And I will dwell in the house of my God for ever.

Upon any losses, or other adversities.

Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evill? Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

When thou hearest that any is dead.

Teach me, O Lord, to number my dayes, that I may apply my heart unto wisdome.

Upon thought of thy sins.

Turn away thy face from my sins, O Lord, and blot out all mine offences.

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all thy sins, and [Page] healeth all thine Infirmities.

When thou art weary of the cares and vanities of this world.

Like as the Hart brayeth for the waterbrooks, so thirsteth my soul after thee O God.

O who will give me the wings of a Dove, that I may slie, and be at rest.

¶ Admonitions, with Meditations and Prayers to be used before we come to the Lords Supper.

ALl the Sacraments of the New Testament, in those that come to participate them, require a most Exquisite and sincere preparation. But this Sacrament of the Lords Table, because in Institution and Effect it is the highest of all, requires the most perfect and purest Accomplishments. Our preparation to this Sacrament is not perfected by Contrition onely and [Page] Confession of sins, (both which are unavoidably requisite) but if we will be worthy receivers and partake of those graces which are exhibited unto us in this heavenly banquet, there are many other duties we must necessarily performe, for this Sacrament is of an infinite vertue, having in it the Wel-spring of all graces, even Iesus Christ with all the merits of his most bitter passion, which admit neither number nor measure. Wherefore such as our pre-disposition is, such also shall our proportion be of this spiritual Manna; for as he that cometh to a Well to draw water, takes no more thence, then what his vessel contains; which yet he cannot impute unto the Well, but unto his Pitcher which could hold no more; so they that come unto this glorious Sacrament, receive onely so much grace as their preparation and holines makes them capable of. Now there are required of us, before we presume to lay hands upon this bread of life, three things.

1. Purity of Conscience.

2. Purity of Intention.

3. Fervent and effectual Devotion.

We must (as far as it lies in us) refrain from all actual sins in thought, word, and deed. Secondly, We must do it to a good end, not for any private benefit; not by compulsion, or for fear of Censure, or any other Ecclesiastical correction; not out of Custome, nor for any sensual devotion or joy because of the confluence and company at these love-feasts. Thirdly and lastly, we must watch over our owne souls, and take heed that no wind blows upon our garden but the spiritual and eternal; we must labour for an heavenly setlednesse, sanctified affections, holy hopes, new garments, a clean heart, and a right spirit. Cant. 2. The soul must be sick of love, she must long for the banqueting house, nothing now must appear but flowers, nothing [Page] must be heard but the singing of birds, and the voice of the Turtle. Lord God (saith S. Ambrose) with what contrition of heart, with what fountains of tears, with what reverence & fear, with what chastity of body and purity of mind should this divin mystery be celebrated! where thy flesh is the meat, where thy blood is the drink, where the creature feeds upon the Creatour, and the Creatour is united unto the creature, where Angels are spectators, and God himself both the Priest and the Sacrifice, what holinesse and humility should we bring thither? ‘O what pure things,, most pure, must those hands be which bring my God to me!’

As therefore some rich, odoriferous water is distill'd out of many and several sorts of fragrant herbs and flowers, so our devotion at this soveraigne Sacrament should be composed of many spiritual, acceptable affections with God, as (amongst others) are profound humility, unmeasurable reverence, [Page] ardent love, firme faith, actuall charity, impatient hunger, and an intollerable longing after this heavenly banquet.

And because we may not touch these white robes with dirty hands, nor come neer the Rose of Sharon with ill sents and offensive fumes, it hath been ever the Custom of Gods Church to injoyn and set apart a certain limited time of purification before this mysterious solemnity, wherein all religious and worthy Communicants addressed and prepared themselves in some measure for this unmeasurable mercy. Such was in our Church, that more strict and holy season, called Lent, and such still are the preparation-dayes before this glorious Sabbath in all true Churches. Two dayes were given the Israelites to sanctifie themselves, and to wash their clothes, that they might be ready against the third day, upon which the Lord was to come downe (in the sight of all the [Page] people) upon Mount Sinai; And this onely at the reception of the Law which was given by Angels; much more then ought we to wash and cleanse our vessels from all vaine affections, idle words and actions, and to separate our selves from the world for three dayes at least, that we may be ready against that great and blessed day, wherein we are to come, not to a mountain that might not be touched, nor to the sound of a Trumpet, nor to the voice of words spoken to us out of the midst of fire, but to the general assembly, and Church of the first-borne, which are written in heaven, and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant, and to [...]he blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things then that of Abel. See then that thou refuse not to come to this great marriage of the Kings Son with thy soul, and see withall, that thou comest not without a wedding garment, that is to say, unprepared. For, whosoever shall eate this bread, and [Page]drink this cup of the Lord unworth [...]ly, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord; But let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eate of that b [...]ead, and drink of that cup of the Lord, for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe, not discerning the Lords body, 1 Cor, 11.27, 28, 29. These are the words of a faithful witnesse, and thou maiest beleeve them.

When therefore thou doest intend to be a partaker of this merciful and mysterious Sacrament, be sure for three daies at least not to intermeddle with any worldly businesse, but all that time redeeme those many daies which were vainly spent by thee; enter into thine owne bosome, examine what thou hast there, and if thou findest any sons of darknesse lurking under those fig-leaves, conceal them not, but turne them out of doors, and wash their Couch with thy teares; have a care that in the Bridegroomes bed, instead of myrrhe and flowers, thou strowest not [Page] thornes and thistles. The Evening before thou art to communicate, feed but moderately, and after supper use no corrupt communication, but converse inwardly with thine own heart, and meditate what an Almighty guest thou art to entertaine there next day. Consider seriously thine own unworthinesse, and desire of him that he would sanctifie and furnish the roome where he is to eate the Passeover with thee. Intreat him to defend thee that night from all sinful Illusions and temptations, and to keep the house cleane and garnished for himself. When thou hast thus commended thy self into his hands, let thy sleep that night be shorter then usual, be up with the day, or rather with thy Saviour, who rose up early, while it was yet dark. Meditate with thy self what miracles of mercy he hath done for thee. Consider how he left his Fathers bosome to be lodged in a manger, and laid by his robes of glory to take upon him the seed of [Page] Abraham, that he might cloath thee with Immortality. Call to minde his wearisome journeys, continual afflictions, the malice and scorne he underwent, the persecutions and reproaches laid upon him, his strong cries and teares in the days of his flesh, his spiritual agony and sweating of blood, with the Implacable fury of his Enemies, and his own unspeakable humility, humbling himself to the death of the Crosse, a death accursed by Gods own mouth. Consider againe (if thou canst) of what unmeasurable love was he possessed, who having designed and spent his time of life here for thy salvation, did not onely leave thee those divine Oracles and Instructions to be guided by, but to seale up the summe and make heaven sure unto thee, did by his last Testament give himself with all the merits of his life and death to be wholly thine, and instead of them took upon him all thy transgressions, bore all thine iniquities, [Page] and to appease the anger, and satisfie the Justice of his Father, became the holy, harmlesse, and undefiled sacrifice and perfect satisfaction for the sins of the world, reconciling all things unto his Father, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

When thou hast thus considered him in his acts of love and humility, consider him again in his glory, take thine Eyes off from Bethlehem and Golgotha, and look up to the mount of Olives, yea, to heaven where he sits now upon the right hand of his Father, Angels, principalities and powers being made subject unto him. Call to minde his Joyful resurrection, his most accomplished conquest, and triumph over the world, death and hell; his most gracious and familiar conversation with his Apostles before his Ascension, with his most loving and comfortable carriage towards them at his departure, leading them out as farre as Bethanie, and lifting up his hands, and [Page]blessing them. Lastly, close up these thoughts with a serious and awful meditation of that great and joyful, though dreadful day of his second coming to judg [...]ment, promised by himself, and affirmed at the time of his Ascension by the two men in white apparel. Yemen of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Iesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Behold! he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall waile because of him. Amen! even so, come quickly, Lord Iesus!

¶ These are the duties req [...]ired of thee, and which thou must faithfully and punctually performe, if thou wouldst be a worthy Communicant, and receive those sacred and mystical Elements to that blessed end for which they were ordained. But when I speak [Page] of three dayes preparation, I do not impose that proportion of time, nor conclude it sufficient, as if it were enough for thee to recede from thy corrupt inclinations, and the myre of thy sins for such a terme, with an intention to returne and wallow in it again, when that holy season is over, for our whole life (had we the purity of Angels, and the innocence of infants,) bears no proportion at all, nor can it (without an immediate sanctification from God himself) any way qualifie, or make us fit for the reception of this unmeasurable mercy. But when I spoke of such a proportion of time, I did onely propose it to my Readers for the performing of those holy and necessary duties, which have particular relation to this solemne Feast, and which (indeed) are required then from every Christian. And as for a regular, sober, and holy life; we should in all places, and at all times labour for it, for without holinesse no man shall see the face [Page]of God, much lesse be partaker of his merits, and by this spiritual eating and drinking become a member of that body, whose life and head he is.

A Prayer for the grace of repentance, together with a Confession of sins.

O Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity! three persons, and one eternal God, have mercy upon me a miserable sinner.

O who will give mine head waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears! that I may weep night and day for my infinite transgressions, ingratitude and rebellion against my most milde and merciful Creatour! O God my God be not farre from me! hide not thy face from the work of thine hands, reject not my sighing and mournful spirit, nor the earnest endeavours and desires of mine undone and miserable [Page] soul! O thou that breakest not the bruised Reede, nor quenchest the smoking Flax, quench not in me these weak sparks, this dawne and beginnings of the promised earnest. Take away, O my God! this heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, renew a right spirit within me; cloath me with white raiment, and anoint mine Eyes with Eye-salve, that I may know and see how wretched, and miserable, and poore, and blinde, and naked I am and may be zealous therefore and repent! O thou that didst cause the waters to flow out of the stonie rock, and gavest to Magdalen such store of teares that she washed thy feet with them, give to me true remorse, and such a measure of repentance as may become a most miserable sinner! I confesse dear God, that I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies, much lesse to appear at this great and solemne Feast, this Feast of mercy and miracles, where none [Page] but with holy hands, pure intentions, crucified affections, and renewed spirits should presume to enter. But as for me I am all uncleannesse, a polluted, vile creature, and nothing belongs unto me at this great day, but confusion of face, and an utter separation from this glorions and saving Communion. I have wasted thy stock, consumed thy talents, and destroyed thy goods. I was restlesse, and unquiet till I had found out wayes to offend thee. I have broken thy Commandments, laid open thine Inclosures, and most grievously trespassed against thy truth, and against the light of mine own Conscience. I have preferred rottennesse and dust to the treasure of thy word, and mine own voluptuousnesse to thy revealed will. And now O thou preserver of men! What shall I do unto thee? Against thee onely have I sinned, and my transgressions are ever in thy sight. Lord God! I lay me down at thy footstoole, and if thou wilt be extreme to [Page]mark what is amisse, I shall from my very heart acknowledge and adore thy Justice. But O my dear Creatour, for Christ Jesus his sake have mercy upon me! look not on my deserts, but on thy glory; O Lord do not refuse me, but reforme and restore me! O Lord hearken, and do, and deferre not, but speak peace to my troubled soul, and send thy loving spirit to strengthen and confirme me in the way of holinesse, bring me home, O Lord, and leade me now unto these living waters, incorporate me into the saving vine, and purge me, that I may bear more fruit. O cast me not away like an abominable and withered branch, but make me to flourish in the Courts of thy house, where thy Children are like Olive-branches round about thy table! O Lord hear, and have mercy, and forgive me, and be reconciled unto me for Christ Iesus his sake! To whom with thee and the holy Ghost be glory in the Church through all ages world without end, Amen.

A Meditation before the receiving of the holy Communion.

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HOly, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory! Behold to the Moone, and it shineth not, and the Starres are darknesse in his sight. The Pillars of heaven do tremble, and are astonished at his reproof▪ O who then am I, that I should appear before thee, or what is man that thou shouldest regard him? O light of light, the all-seeing light that shineth in darknesse, and the darknesse comprehendeth it not, what will become of me, when I shall appear before thy glorious and searching Eye! What an habitation of darknesse and death wilt thou finde within me? What abominable desolations and emptinesse? What barrenesse and disorders wilt thou see there? Many a time hast thou knockt, and I have shut the [Page] doors against thee, thou hast often called, and I would not answer. Sleeping and waking, early and late, day and night have I refused instruction, and would not be healed. And now, O my God, after all this rebellion and uncleannesse, wilt thou come and lodge with me? O Lord, where shall I prepare, and make ready for thee? What communion can there be betwixt light and darknesse, purity and pollution, perfection and deformity? O Rose of Sharon! thou undefiled and everlasting flower, the glory of the fields, and the first fruits of the dead, shall the wilde Asses and the beasts of the wildernesse feed now upon thee? Wilt thou give the bread of life unto dogs, and cast thy pearls before swine? O Iesus Christ, the lover and the redeemer of all humble and penitent souls! Thou that feedest among the Lilies untill the day breaks and the shadows flee, what is there in my heart where onely tares and thistles grow, that thou canst feed [Page] upon? Thy blessed body was wrapt in fine and white linen, (which is the righteousnesse of the Saints.) It was laid in a new and undefiled grave, hewen out of a rock, wherein never man was laid before. But all my righteousnesse is a filthy rag, my heart neither new nor undefiled, but a nest of unclean birds, where they have not onely laine, but hatched and brought forth their viperous young ones.

I confesse, dear God, I confesse with all my heart mine own extrem unworthyness, my most shameful and deplorable condition. But with thee, O Lord, there is mercy and plenteous redemption. Thou dost not use to reject and cast off those that unfeignedly repent and return unto thee; the great design and end of thine Incarnation was to save sinners: Thou hadst never come into this world, but for thy love to thy lost sheep, and those thou didst then love, thou dost love still unto the end. Thou didst not come unto the whole, [Page] but to the sick. The first (had there been any such,) had no need of a Physician, and the last (hadst not thou come to restore them,) had perished for ever. It was thy gracious pleasure (while thou wert here in the world) to receive Publicans and sinners, and though thou art now ascended to thy Father, yet hast not thou changed thy nature. Thou art the same yesterday, to day, and for evermore. Thy life here was nothing else but a pilgrimage and laborious search after sinners, that thou mightst finde them out and make them whole. And how willingly (O blessed Jesus!) didst thou lay down thy robes of glory, and cloath thy self with flesh, that thou mightst afterwards lay down thy life a propitiation for our sins! How many scorching and wearisome journeys didst thou undergo for our sakes! How many cold and tedious nights didst thou watch and spend abroad in prayer, when the birds of the aire lay warme in their nests, [Page] and thou hadst not a place to put thy head in! In the day time I finde thee preaching in the Temple, and all night praying in the Mount of Olives; a little after on thine own Sabbath travelling for me in the corne-field; Another time (wearied with thy journey) sitting on the Well of Iacob, and begging a draught of that cold water from the woman of Samaria; Now again I meet thee on the Asse, made infinitely happy by so glorious a rider, by the God of Ieshurun who rideth on the heavens, and in his excellencie on the skies. Sure, it was his simplicity and ordinary contempt with man, that made him so acceptable in thy sight. But (Oh!) with what language shall I attempt thy passion? thy bloody sweat, thy deep and bitter agony, thy lingring peece-mealed death, with all the lively anguishments, and afflictions of thy martyr'd Spirit? O my most loving and merciful Saviour! It is onely thy own Spirit, that can fully character thy own sufferings.

[Page]These miracles of love and most comfortable circumstances encourage me (O my God) to draw neer unto thee: for it is not probable that thou wouldst have subjected thy self to such bitter reproaches, blasphemies, and torments, had not thy love to man (for whose redemption thou didst suffer them,) been as infinite as thy self; And greater love then this hath no man, that a man lay down his life for his friends. And lay it down thou didst, for no man could take it from thee. Thou couldst have commanded twelve legions of Angels from thy Father, and when thou wentest forth to meet thy murtherers, they went backwards and fell to the ground, and without thy permission (in whose hand their breath was) they could have done nothing. These merciful passages, together with thy own voice and frequent invitation much encourage me to draw neer unto thee.

Come unto me all ye that labour, and [Page]are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matth. 11.28.

If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink, John 7.37▪

These, with many more, are thy loving Invitations: This is the voyce of the great Shepherd, and thy sheep hear thy voyce. Thus thou didst cry, and these were the words thou didst speak while thou wert here upon earth, and shall I then turn away from thee, that speakest now from heaven? Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech, and thy preaching and Intercession shall last untill the heavens be no more, and woe unto them that refuse to hear thee.

Wherefore, most holy Iesus, seeing thou dost invite sinners to thee, and didst die to redeem them, and art able to save them to the uttermost, that come to God by thee, and dost live for ever to make intercession for them, Heb. 7.25, 26. I the most wretched and the [Page] worst of sinners in full assurance of thy mercies, and that thou art touched with the feeling of mine infirmities, Heb. 4.15. and wilt have compassion upon my penitent soul, draw neer to thy throne of grace, that I may obtaine mercy, and finde grace to help in time of need.

O Lord be merciful unto me, forgive all my sins, and heal all mine infirmities. Cleanse my heart, sanctifie my affections, renew my spirit, and strengthen my faith, that I may at this great Feast discerne thy blessed body, and eate and drink salvation to my self, to the glory of thy great name, and the comfort of my poor and sorrowful soul, Amen.

Now unto him that hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever, and ever. Amen.

A Prayer when thou art upon going to the Lords Table.

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IN the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the holy Ghost, Amen!

Iesus Christ, the Lamb, the Branch, the bright and morning-Starre, the bread of life that came down from heaven, have mercy upon me! It is thy promise, that whosoever eateth thy flesh, and drinketh thy blood, he shall have eternal life in him, and thou wilt raise him up at the last day. Behold, O God, I am now coming to thee; O thou fountain of purgation! thou Well of living waters wash me cleane! be unto me the bread of life to strengthen me in my pilgrimage towards heaven! grant that I may suck salvation from thy Cyprian de caenâ domini, Crucihaeremus, sanguinem, sugimus, & inter ipsa redemptoris nostri vulnera figimus linguam. heart, that spring of the blood of God, which flowes into all believers. Thy flesh is meat indeed, [Page] and thy blood is drink Indeed. O give me grace to receive both worthily, that I may never incurre thy anger, and eternal condemnation! Lord Iesus Christ! I beleeve all that thou hast said, and all that thou hast promised, helpe thou mine unbelief; thou art the Author, be thou the finisher of my faith; And for thy glories sake, for thine own names sake, leade me in the right way to this great mercy and mystery, Amen!

Immediately before the receiving, say,

O Lord! I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant, all my life long unto this very day; much lesse am I worthy thou shouldst come now under my roof but seeing it is thy institution and free mercy that will have it so, be jealous, O God, of the place of thine honour, cause me to remember whose [Page] Temple I am, and suffer not my last state to be worse then the first. Even so, Lord Iesus, come quickly, Amen!

¶ Admonitions after receiving the holy Communion.

WHen you have received the Sacred Elements, you should not presently after spit, nor eate and drink, but refraine untill they are perfectly digested and resolved. You must lay aside all worldly communication, and humane discourses, though never so serious; for judge of your self, what an uncivil part it will be in you, when you have received so great a guest as Iesus Christ with all his merits, to turne your back upon him presently, and neither to meditate of him, nor to discourse with him, and keep him company. Wherefore you should all that day be instant in prayer, meditations, thanksgiving, and good works; [Page] you should consider and think upon the love of God, who so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son to redeeme it. You should meditate upon his birth, life, doctrine and passion, his death and buriall, resurrection and ascension, and his second coming to judgement. You should pray, that you may be found blamelesse and without spot of him, and so much the more, because you see the day approaching. Tread not under foot the Son of God, and his precious blood wherewith you are sanctified and saved, by returning again to your former sins, like the dog to his vomit, but be sure that you walk warily, and fall not willfully into the myre. Be not regular and holy for a day or two, but all the dayes of thy life, and number thy dayes, that thou mayst apply thy heart unto wisdome. Cast thy bread upon the waters, (be merciful to the poor) and remember thy Creator, for the dayes of darknesse are many, [Page] but the outward darknesse is eternal, and from it there is no redemption.

Instead of printed Meditations which are usually prescribed after communicating, I would advise the pious receiver to read over all these following parcels of Scripture, Iohn 6.22▪ to the end, Iohn 17. Rom. 8.2 Cor. 5. Ephes. 1. & 4. Heb. 10.1 Pet. 1. Rev. 5.

A Prayer after you have received.

LOrd Jesus Christ, very God, and very man, made in all things like unto us, sin onely excepted; I blesse and praise thy holy name, and with all my heart, with all my strength, and with all my soul give thee all possible thanks for thy infinite love and pity towards lost man. Blessed be the hour in which thou wert born, and the hour in which thou didst die! Blessed and [Page] for ever hallowed be thy most comfortable and glorious name, the name JESUS CHRIST, at which every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; for thy name is above every name, and there is no other name by which we can be saved. O most holy, most humble and harmlesse Lamb! how didst thou make thy self of no reputation, and becamest obedient to the death of the Crosse for my sake! And when thou wert to drink the cup of thy Fathers anger due to my sins, didst instead of it ordain and bequeath to me the cup of life and everlasting salvation! O Lord give me a heart to understand, and eyes to see what thou hast done for me; O never suffer me to crucifie thee again by returning to my former iniquities and pollutions, but write thy sufferings and the price of my redemption in the tables of my heart, set them for a signet upon mine hand, and for a bracelet upon mine arme, that by [Page] a continual and careful remembrance of them, I may in the strength of this bread received to day at thy table travel to thy holy mountain, and that this drink which I drank out of the spiritual rock may become a Well of living waters, springing up in me to eternal life. Grant this, G God, for thy glories sake, and for that love and mercies sake which brought thee hither out of thy Fathers bosome to suffer so many things for his Elects sake, Amen!

Worthy is the Lamb that was slaine, to receive power, and riches, and wisdome, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing; for he hath redeemed us to God by his blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests, and we shall reigne on the earth.

Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead my Lord Iesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the[Page]blood of the everlasting Covenant,

Make me perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in me that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen!

A Prayer in time of persecution and Heresie.

MOst glorious and Immortall God, the Prince of peace, unity and order, which makest men to be of one mind in a house, heale I beseech thee these present sad breaches and distractions! Consider, O Lord, the teares of thy Spouse which are daily upon her cheeks, whose adversaries are grown mighty, and her enemies prosper. The wayes of Zion do mourne, our beautiful gates are shut up, and the Comforter that should relieve our souls is gone far from us. Thy Service and thy Sabbaths, thy own sacred Institutions [Page] and the pledges of thy love are denied unto us; Thy Ministers are trodden down, and the basest of the people are set up in thy holy place. O Lord holy and just! behold and consider, and have mercy upon us, for thy own names sake, for thy promise sake suffer not the gates of hell to prevaile against us; but return and restore us, that joy and gladnesse may be heard in our dwellings, and the voyce of the Turtle in all our land. Arise O God, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let those that hate thee flee before thee. Behold, the robbers are come into thy Sanctuary, and the persecuters are within thy walls. We drink our own waters for money, and our wood is sold unto us. Our necks are under persecution, we labour and have no rest. Yea, thine own Inheritance is given to strangers, and thine own portion unto aliens. Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us for so long a time? Turne thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned, renew our dayes as of old. O [Page]Lord hear, and have mercy, and be jealous for the beloved of thine own bosome, for thy truth, and for the words of thine own mouth. Help us, O God of our salvation, and for thine own honours sake deal Comfortably with us, Amen, Amen.

A Prayer in adversity, and troubles occasioned by our Enemies.

O Holy and almighty God, full of goodness and compassion, look I beseech thee with thine Eye of mercy upon my present sad sufferings and most bitter afflctions! Behold, O God, I put my mouth in the dust, and confess I have deserv'd them. I despise not thy Chastenings, but begge grace of thee that I may not faint, and that they may yeild the fruits of righteousnesse unto me, who am now exercised by them. Thou seest, O God, how furious and Implacable mine Enemies are, they have not only rob'd me of that portion [Page] and provision which thou hadst graciously given me, but they have also washed their hands in the blood of my friends, my dearest and nearest relatives. I know, O my God, and I am daily taught by that disciple whom thou did'st love, that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Keep me therefore, O my God, from the guilt of blood, and suffer me not to stain my soul with the thoughts of recompense and vengeance, which is a branch of thy great prerogative, and belongs wholly unto thee. Though they persecute me unto death, and pant after the very dust upon the heads of thy poore, though they have taken the bread out of the childrens mouth, and have made me a desolation, yet Lord, give me thy grace, and such a measure of charity as may fully forgive them. Suffer me not to open my mouth in Curses, but give me the spirit of my Saviour, who reviled not again, but was dumb like a Lamb before [Page] his shearers. O Lord, sanctifie all these afflictions unto thy servant, and let no man take away my crown. Remember those that are in troubles for thy truth, and put their tears into thy bottle. Grant this, O merciful Father, for my dear Saviours sake, and bring me quickly into thy Kingdom, where I shall have all these tears wiped away from mine eyes, Amen, Amen!

MAN IN Darkness, OR, A DISCOURSE OF DEATH.

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Eccles. 11.7, 8, 9, & 10.

TRuly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is to behold the Sun. But if a man live many dayes and rejoyce in them all, yet, let him remember the [Page] dayes of darknesse, for they are many.

Rejoyce, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth, and walk in the wayes of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes, but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement.

Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity.

Draw neer, fond man, and dresse thee by this glasse,

Mark how thy bravery and big looks must passe

Into corruption, rottennesse and dust;

The fraile Supporters which betray'd thy trust.

O weigh in time thy last and loathsome state,

To purchase heav'n for tears is no hard rate.

Our glory, greatnesse, wisdome, all we have,

If misimploy'd, but adde hell to the grave:

Onely a faire redemption of evill Times

Finds life in death, and buryes all our Crimes.

[Page]IT is an observation of some spirits, that A Proverb in Italy, La notte é madre de pensieri. the night is the mother of thoughts. And I shall adde, that those thoughts are Stars, the Scintillations and lightnings of the soul strugling with darknesse. This Antipathy in her is radical, for being descended from the house of light, she hates a contrary principle, and being at that time a prisoner in some measure to an enemy, she becomes pensive, and full of thoughts. Two great extremes there are, which she equally abhors, Darkness and Death. And 'tis observable, that in the second death, when she shall be wholly mancipated to her enemies, those two are united. For those furious and unquenchable burnings of hell (which the Scripture calls the lake of fire, &c.) though they be of such an insuperable intense heat, as to work upon spirits, and the most subtile Essences, yet do they give no light at all, but burn blacker then pitch, Cremationem habet, lumen verò [Page]non habet. (Greg. Mor. c. 46.) The Contemplatiō of death is an obscure, melancholy walk an Expatiation in shadows & solitude, but it leads unto life, & he that sets forth at midnight, will sooner meet the Sunne, then he that sleeps it out betwixt his curtains. Truly, when I consider, how I came first into this world, and in what condition I must once again go out of it, and compare my appointed time here with the portion preceding it, and the eternity to follow, I can conclude my present being or state (in respect of the time) to be nothing else but an apparition. The first man that appeared thus, came from the East, and the breath of life was received there. Though then we travel Westward, though we embrace thornes and swet for thistles, yet the businesse of a Pilgrim is to seek his Countrey. But the land of darknesse lies in our way, and how few are they that study this region, that like holy Macarius walk into the wildernesse, and discourse with the [Page] skull of a dead man? We run all after the present world, and the Primitive Angelical life is quite lost.

It is a sad perversnesse of man, to preferre warre to peace, cares to rest, grief to joy, and the vanities of this narrow Stage to the true and solid comforts in heaven. The friends of this world (saith a holy father) are so fearful to be separated from it, —Contempsit mori Qui non concupiscit — that nothing can be so grievous to them as to think of death. They put farre away the evill day, and cause the seate of violence to come neer; They lie upon beds of Ivory, and stretch themselves upon their Couches; they eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; They chant to the sound of the viol, they drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments; they account the life of the righteous to be madnesse, and his end to be without honour, Amos 6. In this desperate and senselesse state they cast away their precious souls, and make [Page] their brightest dayes but dayes of darknesse and gloominesse, dayes of clouds and of thick mists. They consider not the day that shall burne like an Oven, when the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the Elements shall melt with a fervent heat; when the wicked shall be stubble, and all the workers of iniquity shall be burnt up. Miserable men! that knowing their masters pleasure, will not do it, that refuse Oyle and balsame to make way for poyson and corrasives. And why will they call him Master, Master, whose precepts they trample on, and whose members they crucifie? It is a sad observation for true Christians to see these men who would seem to be Pillars, to prove but reeds and specious dissemblers. For what manner of livers should such professors be, seeing they expect and beleeve the dissolution of all things? With what constant holinesse, humility and devotion should they watch for it? How should they passe the time of their sojourning[Page]here in fear, and be diligent that they may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blamelesse? What preparation should they make against the evill day? What comforts and treasures should they lay up for that long voyage? For what a day of terrors and indignation is the day of death to the unprepared? How will they lie on their last beds, like wilde Buls in a net, full of the fury of the Lord? When their desolation shall come like a flood, and their destruction like a whirle-wind; How will they say in the morning, would God it were Even, and at night, would God it were Morning! for the fear of their heart wherwith they shal fear, and for the sight of their Eyes wherewith they shall see? This is a truth they will not believe, untill death tells it them, and then it will be too late; It is therefore much to be wished, that they would yet, while it is life-time with them, remember their last ends, and seriously question with [Page] themselves, what is there under the Sun, that can so justly challenge their thoughts as the contemplation of their own mortality? We could not have lived in an age of more instruction, had we been left to our own choice. We have seen such vicissitudes and examples of humane frailty, as the former world (had they happened in those ages) would have judged prodigies. We have seen Princes brought to their graves by a new way, and the highest order of humane honours trampled upon by the lowest. We have seene Judgement beginning at Gods Church, and (what hath beene never heard of, since it was redeem'd and established by his blessed Son,) There is extant a little book called Speculum Visionis printed at Norimberge 1508, wherein this fearful desolation and destruction of the Church by Lay-men is expressely foretold. we have seen his Ministers cast out of the Sanctuary, & barbarous persons without light or perfection, usurping holy offices. A [Page] day, an hour, a minute (saith Causabone) is sufficient to over-turn and extirpate the most settled Governments, which seemed to have been founded and rooted in Adamant. Suddenly do the high things of this world come to an end, and their delectable things passe away, for when they seem to be in their flowers and full strength, they perish to astonishment; And sure the ruine of the most goodly peeces seems to tell, that the dissolution of the whole is not far off. It is the observation of a known Statesman, (Sir Water Rawleigh) That to all dominions God hath set their periods, who though he hath given to man the knowlededge of those wayes, by which Kingdoms rise and fall, yet he hath left him subject unto the N. Marcellus de doctorum indagine. Potest fatum morum mutabilitate converti, ut exiis celeriùs vel tardiùs aut bonum fiat, aut pessimum. affections which draw on these fatal mutations in their appointed time. Vain therefore and deceitful is all the pomp of this world, which though it [Page] flatters us with a seeming permanency, will be sure to leave us even then, when we are most in chase of it. And what comfort then, or what security can poor man promise to himself? whose breath is in the hand of another, and whose few dayes are most commonly out-lived by every creature, and sometimes by a flower of his own setting. Or what benefit can these Non est, salleris, haec beata non est, Quam vos creditis esse, vita non est. Fulgentes manibus videre gemmas, Aut auro bibere, & cubare cocco: Qui vultus Acherontis atri, Qui Styga tristem non tristis videt, Audétque vitae ponere sinem, Parille regi, par superis erit. humane delights though blest with successe, and a large time of fruition, afford him at his death? for satisfaction in this point, let us but have recourse to the ages that are past, let us aske the Fathers, & they will tell us. If we insist upon eminent persons, the rulers of this world, & the Counsellors of the earth who built sumptuous Pallaces[Page]for themselvs and filled their houses with silver: we shall have no better account from them, then if we enquired of the prisoners & the oppressed. They are gone all the same way, their pomp & the noise of their viols is brought down to the grave, the worms cover them, and the worms are spread under them. Riches and power travel not beyond this life; they are like Iobs friends, deceitful as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they passe away, which vanish when it is hot, and are consumed out of their place. Hast thou found riches (saith one) then, thou hast lost thy rest. Distractions & cares come along with them, and they are seldome gotten without the worme of conscience. It was an act of Anacreon becoming the royalty of a Poets spirit: Policrates rewards him with five talents; but he, after he had been troubled with the keeping of them for two nights, carries them back to the owner, telling him, that, if he had been accustomed [Page]to such companions he had never made any verses. Certainly there is so much of Mammon and darknesse in them, as sufficeth to shew their parentage is low, and not very far from hell. Some such thing we may gather from that exclamation of S. Iames against the rich men; Your gold and your silver is canker'd, and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you, and shall eate your flesh as it were fire, you have heaped treasure together for the last dayes. But to return thither from whence we are digrest: What is become now of these great Merchants of the earth, and where is the fruit of all their labours under the Sun? Why, truly they are taken out of the way as all others, and they are cut off as the tops of the eares of corn. Their dwelling is in the dust, and as for their place here, it lies wast, & is not known: Nettles and Brambles come up in it, and the Owle and the Raven dwell in it. But if you will visit them at their long homes, and knock at those desolate doors, you [Page] shall find some remains of them, a heap of loathsomness and corruption. O miserable and sad mutations! (Petrarch. de otio Rel.) Where is now their pompous & shining train? Where are their triumphs, fire-works, and feasts, with all the ridiculous, tumults of a popular, predigious pride? Where is their purple and fine linen, their chains of massie gold, and sparkling ornaments of pearls? Where are their Cooks and Carvers, their Ingeniosa gula est: siculo scarus a quore mersus Ad mensam vivus perducitur, inde lucrinis Eruta littoribus vendunt conchylia caenas Ut renovent per damna famem. Jam Phasides unda, Orbata est avibus; mutoque in littore tantū. Solae desettis aspirant frondibus aurae. fowlers and fishers? Where are their curious Vtensils, their Cups of Agate, Chrystal, and China-earth? Where are their sumptuous Chambers, where they inclosed themselvs in Cedar, Ivory, and Ebeny? Where is their Musick, their soft and delicate dressings, pleasing motions, and excellency of looks? Where [Page] are their rich perfumes, costly Conserves, with their precious and various store of forreign and domestick wines? Where are their sons and their daughters fair as the flowers, strait as the Palm-trees, and polish'd as the corners of the Temple? O pittiful and astonishing transformations! all is gone, all is dust,—mors sola fatetur Quantula sunt hominū corpuscula.— deformity, and desolation. Their bones are scatter'd in the pit, and instead of well-set hair, there is baldnesse, and loathsomnesse instead of beauty. This is the state of their of their bodies, and (O blessed Iesus!) who knowes the state of their souls? To have a sad guesse at this, it will not be much out of our way, if we step and visit a Roman Emperour upon his death-bed. If you desire his name, it is Hadrianus, the most ingenious and learned that ever sate upon the throne of Caesar. You may beleeve, he was royally accommodated, and wanted nothing [Page] which this world could afford; but how farre he was from receiving any comfort in his death from that pompous and fruitlesse abundance, you shall learn from his own mouth, consider (I pray) what he speaks, for they are the words of a dying man, and spoken by him to his departing soul,

Animula vagula, blandula,

Hospes comésque corporis,

Quae nunc abibis in loca?

Pallidula, querula, nudula,

Nec, ut soles, dabis jocos.

My soul, my pleasant soul and witty,

The guest and consort of my body,

Into what place now all alone

Naked and sad wilt thou be gone?

No mirth, no wit, as heretofore,

Nor Iests wilt thou afford me more.

Certainly, this is the saddest poetrie, that ever I met with; and what he thought of his soul in that last agonie, when the pangs of death came thick upon him, is enough to draw tears and [Page] commiseration from a heart of flint. O happy then, yea Infinitly happy is that religious liver, who is ever meditating upon the houre of death before it comes, that when it is come, he may passe through it with joy, and speak to his soul in the language of old Hilarion, Egredere, quid times? egredere anima mea; Septuaginta propè annis Christo servisti, & mortem times? Hieron. in vitâ Hilar. Go forth, O my soul, go forth; what is it that thou art afraid of? Seventy yeers almost hast thou serv'd Christ, and art thou now afraid of death?

Alas! what is life if truly and throughly considered, that we should trust to it, and promise to our selves a multitude of years, as if we held time by the wings, and had the spirit of life in our own hands? Our present life (saith Chrystostome) is a meere apparition, and differs but very little from a dreame; therefore that minde which is proud of a shadow, and relies upon a dreame, is very idle and childish. Natural histories [Page] tell us of a bird called Hemerovios by the river Hypanis, which rceives his life in the morning, sings at noon, and dyes at night. This bird may very well signifie our life, and by the river we may understand time, upon whose brink we are always pearching. Time runs faster then any streame, and our life is swifter than any bird, and oft-times all the pomp of it comes to an end in one day, yea sometimes in an houre. There is no object we can look upon, but will do us the kindnesse to put us in minde of our mortality, if we would be so wise as to make use of it. The day dyes into night, the spring into winter, flowers have their rootes ever in their graves, leaves loose their greenenesse, and drop under our feete where they flye about and whisper unto us. The beasts run the Common lott with us and when they dye by our hands to give us nourishment, they are so kinde as to give us Instruction also. And if from these frailer objects we turne our Eyes to things [Page] that are more permanent, we may by the doctrine of contrarieties make them as useful as any of the former; And this is elegantly done by the poet, who was then serious and stayed enough, though somewhat passionate.

Nam mihi quid prodest quod longo flumina cursu

Semper inexhaustis prona feruntur aquis?

Ista manent: nostri sed non mansêre parentes,

Exigui vitam temporis hospes ago,

What is't to me that spacious rivers run

Whole ages, and their streams are never done?

Those still remain: but all my fathers di'd,

And I my self but for few dayes abide.

Thus he of the water-course, which he saw would out-run him, and will do so with all that come after him. But [Page] the quick tyde of mans life, when it is once turned and begin to ebbe, will never flow again. The Spring comes constantly once a yeere, and flowers, when the frosts are past, keep house no longer under ground, but feel the Sun, and come abroad. The leaves come again to whisper over our heads, and are as green and as gay as ever, but mau [...]dieth and wastesh away, yea man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? In these sad contemplations was the Brittish Bard, when he broke out into this Eloquent complaint.

Mis mawrddh rhyddhig Adar,

Pob peth y ddhaw trwr ddhayar,

Ond y marw maur vy garchar.

In March birds couple, a new birth

Of herbs and flowers breaks through the earth,

But in the grave none stirs his head;

Long is th' Impris'ment of the dead.

[Page]The dayes of darknesse are many, and he that goeth down to the grave shall not come up, his place shall not know him, nor shall he returne to his house; he shall not be awaked nor raised out of his sleep, untill the heavens be no more. These last words were put in for our comfort, and imply the resurrection or the time of restoring all things. This was manifested to Ezekiel by the vision of dry bones with a noise and a shaking amongst them, and they came together bone to bone, and were clothed with sinews, flesh and skin, and the breath of life entered into them, and they stood upon their feet an exceeding great army. We have it also confirmed out of the mouth of Iesus Christ himself, Iohn 5.28, 29. his words are these, Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the grave shall hear his voyce; And they shall come forth that have done good unto the resurrection of life; but they that have done evill unto the resurrection[Page]of condemnation. The Scripture is every where full of these proofs: But I shall insist only upon three.

1. For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the later day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. Whom I shall see for my self, and mine eyes shall behold and not another, though my reins be consumed within me. Job 19 25, 26, 27.

2. Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise; Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Isa 26.19.

3. Behold (O my people) I will open your graves; and cause you to come up out of your graves; And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and yee shall live. Ezek. 37.12, 13, 14.

And thus have we most full and absolute [Page] promises from the divine spirit, and from Iesus Christ, who is the life of the world, for the redemption of our bodies. Nor are we left destitute of very clear and inexcusable demonstrations of it in nature. We see mortal men when the body and substance of vegetables is consumed in the fire, out of their very ashes to make glasse, which is a very bright and noble body, how much more shall the Immortal and Almighty God (who created all things of nothing) out of dust and corruption, raise us up incorrupt and glorions bodies? Thou fool, (saith St. Paul) that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die first; and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body which shall be, but bare grain; but God giveth it a body as he pleaseth. There are in nature many creatures which at certain seasons, that their spirit is inconsistent with, fall into a dormition, or dead sleep which differs little from death, and convey themselves into secret places, as hollow trees, [Page] or some desolate ruines, where they may rest in safety during that season, as being taught by some secret informant that they shall awake again. Here have we a clear type of the resurrection, for what else is death but sleep, as the Apostle calls it? A great Philosopher and Secretary to nature discoursing of the resurrection of the dead, tells us, that he oftentimes lighted upon some of those creatures in that dark state of dormition, and did dissect some of them, and cut off the limbs of others, and yet (saith he) could I perceive no signe of life at all in them, their arteries and flesh being as hard and as dry as a stick, but casting them into a pot of seething water, they would soften by degrees, and shortly after stir about, and those very parts which were dissected, would give very clear and satisfactory Indications of life. This is so strong a Symboll of the resurrection, that I think it needlesse to make any application. Onely this I shall adde, that the curious observers [Page] of nature reckon these creatures amongst those of the lunar order; And indeed if we consider well the nature of that planet (whose sphere is the veil or Omne quod est suprà lunam aeternumque bonúmque. Esse scias nec triste aliquid coelestia tangit. Quippe ultra fines lunae illcetabile nil est; Cuncta mala in terris posuit Deus, illáque clausit In medio, & vetuit sacrum contingere coelum. Supra autem lunam lucis sunt omnia plena Nec non laetitiae & pacis; non tempus & error Et senium & mors est illîc, nec inutile quicquam. Mar. Pal. partition drawn betwixt us and Immortality) and whose relation to this lower world is more intimate, and of a greater tye then any of the other six, we shall finde that she exactly typifies and demonstrates unto us those two famous states of terrestrial bodies, viz. their state of darknesse and their state of glory, their dissolution and restoration; for she doth agonizare, and suffers a monethly recession of light, and in a short time becomes full again. [Page] And I pray, are not light and life compatriots? What else is death but the recession and absence of life? or darknesse but the absence of light?

Sic nostros casus solatur mundus in astris.

So our decays God comforts by

The Stars concurrent state on high.

Do not we see divets birds of this regiment such as are commonly known to us, with other meaner Creatures as silk-worms and the humble-bee, which yet are not so contemptible, but they may serve us for noble instances in this point, seeing there is in them a living spirit, and that creatures of the same rank with them are recorded in Gods own word, yea, and are own'd by him as memorable and select Instruments of his service, as Joshuah Cap. 24. ver. 12. And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites, but not with thy sword, nor with thy bowe. And Isaiah [Page] Chap. 6 ver. 18, 19. And it shall come to passe in that day, that the Lord shall hisse for the flye that is in the uttermost parts of the river of Egypt, and for the Bee that is in the land of Assyria; And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thornes, and upon all bushes. I say then, do not we see that these birds and inferiour creatures which in the spring and summer continue here very merry and musical, do on a sudden leave us, and all winter-long suffer a kind of death, and with the Suns warmth in the youth of the year awake again, and refresh the world with their reviv'd notes? For the singing of birds is naturalis musica mundi, to which all arted strains are but discord and hardnesse; How much more then shall Iesus Christ the Sun of righteousnesse rising with healing under his wings, awake those that sleep in him, and bring them again with a joyful resurrection?

[Page]Having then these prolusions and strong proofs of our restoration laid out in nature, besides the promise of the God of nature, who cannot faile, let us so dispose of this short time of our sojourning here, that we may with joy and sure comforts expect that day of refreshing. Let us number our dayes, and apply our hearts unto wisdome. What ever happens here under our feet, let it not draw down our eyes, from the hill, whence cometh our help. Let not these sudden and prodigious mutations (like violent earth-quakes) shake our foundation; let us hold fast the faith, and presse towards the mark, that whether absent or present we may be accepted of him; for many are already gone astray, and have slipt into the same damnable estate with those wretches, whom a very Heathen could reprove,

Sunt qui in fortunae jam casibus omnia ponunt,

[Page]Et nullo credunt mundum rectore moveri,

Naturâ volvente vices & lucis & anni.

There are that do believe all things succeed

By chance or fortune, & that nought's decreed

By a divine, wise will; but blindly call

Old time and nature rulers over all.

Let us consider him that is invisible, and those that are righteous, let them be righteous still; let them have respect unto the recompence of the reward, for he comes quickly, and his reward is with him. Let us endure unto ehe end, and overcome, that we may have right unto the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the City: for, Ex hoc momento pendet aeternitas. Upon our little inch of time in this life, depends the length and breadth, the height and depth of Immortality in the world to come: even two eternities, the one infinitely accursed, the other infinitely bless [...]d. I remember (saith a reverend Author) that I have read (and not without [Page] admiration) of some Primitive Christian, that considered with himself the eternity of the torments to be endured in hell, after this manner. ‘What man living (said he) that were in his right minde and reason, if he were offered the most spacious and flourishing Kingdoms of France, Spain and Polonia, onely for lying continually upon any one part of his body in a bed of roses for the space of forty yeers, would accept of them upon that condition? And though perhaps such a mad man could be found, as would accept of the offer, yet, it is a thing most certain, that before three pe [...]rs would come about, he would get him up, and beg to have the conditions cancell'd. And what madnesse then is it, for the enjoying of one minutes pleasure, for the satisfaction of our sensual, corrupt appetite, to lie for ever in a bed of burning brasse▪ in the lake of eternal and unquenchable fire? Suppose (saith the same Writer) that [Page] this whole Globe of earth were nothing else but a huge masse, or mountain of sand, and that a little Wren came but once in every thousand yeers to fetch away but one grain of that huge heap; what an innumerable number of yeers would be spent, before that world of sand could be so fetcht away? And yet (alas!) when the damned have laine in that siery lake so many yeers as all those would amount to, they are no nearer coming out, then the first houre they entered in.’ To the same purpose is this Hymne of the Ancients.

Ex quo poli sunt perfecti

Audet numero complecti

Stellas coeli, still as roris,

Vndas aquei fluoris,

Guttas imbris pluvialis,

Floccos vellerisni valis.

Quot sunt vere novo flores,

Quot odores, quot colores,

Quot vinacios Autumnus,

Poma legit & vertumnus;

[Page]Quot jam grana iulit aestas,

Frondes hyemis tempestas,

T [...]tus orbis animantes,

Aër atomos volantes,

Pilos ferae, pecus villos,

Vertex hominum capillos;

Adde littoris arenas,

Adde graminis verbenas,

Tot myriades Annorum,

Quot momenta saeculorum:

Heus adhuc aeternitatis

Portus fugit à damnatis!

AEternum, aeternum! quanta haec duratio, quanta!

Quàm speranda bonis, quámque tremenda malis!

From the first hour the heavn's were made

Unto the last, when all shall fade,

Count (if thou canst) the drops of dew,

The stars of heav'n and streams that flow;

The falling snow, the dropping showres,

And in the moneth of May the flowres,

Their sents and colours, and what store

Of grapes and apples Autumne bore;

How many grains the Summer beares,

[Page]What leaves the wind in Winter tears;

Count all the creatures in the world,

The motes which in the air are hurl'd,

The haires of beasts and mankind, and

The shores innumerable sand,

The blades of grasse, and to these last

Adde all the yeers which now are past,

With those whose course is yet to come,

And all their minutes in one summe.

When all is done, the damneds state

Out-runs them still, and knows no date.

O Eternity, eternity (saith a holy Father) whose strength is able to bear out thy torments! And the smoke of their torments ascēdeth up for ever & ever! & they have no rest day nor night! O what is this same for ever and ever! Gladly would I speak something of it, but I know not what to speak. All that I know, is this; That it is that, which onely the infinitenesse of the Almighty God doth compasse about and comprehend. Seeing then it is so, that eternal pleasures or eternal pains do inavoidably and immediately overtake us after our dissolution, with what unwearied care and watchfulnesse should [Page] we continue in well-doing, and work out our salvation with fear and trembling? How should we as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fl [...]shly lusts, which warre against the soul? What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse? With what Christian thrift and diligence should we dispose of every minute of our time that we might make our calling and election sure? It is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation; And with what confusion of face and horrour of spirit (if we die in that state,) shall we appear before the Iudge of all the world? when he shall come in the Clouds of heaven with his holy Angels, and all mankind from the first man created, unto the last that shall be borne upon the earth shall appear before his Judgement-seate. Me thinks I see the remisse, lukewarme professour, and the hypocritical, factious pretender of sanctity looking up to the Clouds, and crying out, O that [Page]throne! that flaming, white, and glorious throne! and he that sits thereon, with the sharp sickle in his hand and the crown of pure gold upon his head! Revel. 14.14, from whose face the heaven and the earth flye away, and the foundations of the world are brought to nothing. Oh! is he the Lamb that was slain whose blood was poured out like water upon the earth to save his people from their sins? Is he the Prince of life that was crown'd with thornes, scourged, spit upon, crucified, pierced through, and murthered, and comes he now to judge the world? Oh! It is he! It is he! miserable wretch that I am! What shall I do, or whither shall I go?

Such will be the dreadful agonies and concertations in that day betwixt the Hypocrite and his conscience, betwixt the enemies of Gods truth and their gasping undone souls. When the people that forget God shall go down quick into hell, and the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and laid open before Angels[Page]and men; For in that day all their dark and private lusts, their closet-sins, bosome-councels, specious pretences, and bloody machinations, which now (like so many foul spirits) lurk in their gloomy breasts, shall be forced out, and will appear as visible to all mankind, as if they were written with the beams of the Sun upon the pure and unclouded firmament. In the Est poena praesens consciae mentis pavor, Animusque culpâ plenus, & semet timens. Scelusal quis tutum, nullus securum tulit. mean while the very fowles of the aire, and their own horrid guilt either in time of distraction (which they are alwayes subiect to) or in their sleep (which is alwayes fraught with penal visions and spiritual tumults) may make a full discovery of their most secret villanies before the appointed time.

It was a blessed and a glorious age the Primitive Christians lived in, when the wildernesse and the solitary places were glad for them, and the desert rejoyced[Page]and blossom'd as the rose. When the blood of Christ was yet warme, and the memory of his miracles and live fresh and vigorous; what Zeale, what powerful faith, what perfect charity, hearty humility, and true holinesse was then to be found upon the earth? If we compare the shining and servent piety of those Saints, with the painted and illuding appearance of it in these of our times, we shall have just cause to fear that our Candlestick (which hath been now of a long time under a Cloud) is at this very instant upon removing. But I had rather you should be informed of their true holinesse and love to Christ, by an Eye-witnesse that was conversant with them, and went in and out amongst them, then by a bare relation from my pen. Heare therefore what he saith.Hieron. in vit. Pat. Vidi ego, & verè vidi the saurum Christi in humanis absconditum vasculis, &c. vidi enim apud eos multos Patres in terra positos[Page]coelestem vitam agentes, & novos quosdam Prophetas tam virtut, bus animi, quàm vaticinandi officio imbutos, &c. Nonnullos namque [...]orum ità ab omni malitia, cogitatione & suspicione vidimus alienos, ut nec si aliquid mali adhuc in seculo gereretur, meminissent, tanta in eis erat tranquillitas animi, tantúsque in eis inoleverat bonitatis affectus, &c. Commanent autem per cremum dispersi & separati cellulis, sed charitatis vinculo connexi. Ob huc autem dirimuntur habitaculis, ut silentii sui quietem & intentionem mentis nec vox aliqua, nec occursus ullus, aut sermo aliquis otiosus obturbet. Intentis ergo in suo quisque loco animis velut fideles servi adventantem dominum expectant. Omnes hi nullam cibi, aut indumenti, aut ullius horum sollicitudinem gerunt. Iustitiam & regnum Dei requirunt, armis orationum pugnant, & scuto fidei ab inimico insidiante protecti patriam sibi coelestem conquirunt. ‘I have seen (saith he,) and I was not deceived, [Page] the treasure of Christ laid up in earthen vessels; for amongst those Christians in Egypt I have seen many Fathers who had here upon earth already begun the heavenly life; and regenerate Prophets who were indued not onely with holy habits, but had received therewith the Spirit of promise: for I have known many of them that were so free from malice, perverse thoughtfulnesse and suspition, as if they had never known that there were such evill wayes to be followed in the world▪ Such a great tranquillity of mind, and such a powerful love or longing after goodnesse had wholly possessed them. They lived dispersed up and down the wildernesse, and separated from one another in several Cells or Cots, but knit all together in the perfect bond of Charity. The reason of their distinct and distant habitations, was, because they would not have the silence of their retirements disturbed, [Page] nor their minds diverted from the contemplation of heavenly things by any noyse, sudden occurrence, or idle discourse; for this cause they have every one their particular mansion, where with intentive or earnest minds they do (like faithful servants) expect and look for the coming of their Master. They take no thought for meat and drink and cloathing, nor for any such accommodations; they seek onely the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof, they fight with the weapons of prayer, & being guarded with the shield of faith from the devices of their spiritual enemies, so travel on towards their heavenly countrey.’ This was the old way, and whether we are in it, or out of it, is not hard to be decided. A pretended sanctity from the teeth outward, with the frequent mention of the Spirit, and a presumptuous assuming to our selves of the stile of Saints, when [Page] we are within full of subtilty, malice, oppression, lewd opinions, and diverse lusts, is (I am sure) a convincing argument that we are not onely out of it, but that we have no mind to returne into it. The way to heaven is wet and slippery, but it is made so with teares and not with blood; it is through the vale of miseries, and the raine filleth the pooles, Psal. 85. There is no voyce in those shades of Palme, but the voyce of the Turtle, which is alwayes groning, and Naturalists say, she hath no gall. It is ill coming to the Lamb of God in a Wolfes skin; They that do so, must be taught that he hath another attribute, and they shall finde him a Lion. It is strange that (after the experience of almost six thousand yeares) men will hazard so highly, as to purchase a few dayes false honours, with the losse of eternal and true glory. In what a horrid darknesse and agony will the pleasures of this world leave us, after we have cast away [Page] our bodies and souls in the acquisition of them? how suddenly must the rich man leave his barnes, and the oppressour his ill-gotten power? how do they labour under the load of their private guilt, and feele the flames of hell while they are yet alive? With what gloomy and despairing looks do they passe from hence, as if that eternal darknesse they are going into, were already in their faces? It was a sad and a dark reply that Henry the fourth made to his hasty son, when he had taken away the Crowne; God knowes (said he and sighed) what right I had unto it. Tyrants and oppressors may very well be compared to the Hyaena; while they prosper, and devoure the prey, there is nothing to be seene amongst them but mirth and triumphs; but when they have drank blood enough, when they are full and cloyed, Sinnes are not felt, till they are acted. then they weepe. The onely difference is this, that [Page] the Hyaena's teares are deceitful, but the teares of Tyrants springing from their inward guilt and horrour, are wofully true, though (like storms in harvest) they are unprofitable and prodigious.

The difference betwixt the righteous and the wicked is to be seen in their death. The good man goes hence like the Sunne in the summers evening chearful and unclouded, his memory is precious here with men, and his spirit is received into the joy of his Master. This Saint Hierome saw in the death of Paul the Heremite, whose coate of Palm-leaves he preferr'd to the purple robes of the proud. Let me now (saith he) aske the great men of this world, whose possessions, are numberlesse, and whose dwellings are of marble, what was it, that was ever wanting to this poor old man? They drink rich wines out of gold, and he drank clean water out of the fountains. They have silk and gold weav'd into their coates, and he had not so[Page]much as the coursest wooll. But then is he out of that simple habit carried into Paradise, and they out of their silk and gold into hell. Paul the Heremite hath no covering but the Coelo tegitur, qui non habeturnam. common earth; Their karkasses are laid up in Jam ruet & bustum, titulusque in marmore sectus, —tumulis autem morientibus, ipse Occumbes etiam, sic mors tibi tertia restat. costly Sepulchres of marble and brasse; but Paul shall be raised to glory, and they to condemnation. And presently after directing his speech to the Reader, he concludes thus: Who ever thou art, that shalt reade this Book, I beseech thee to remember Hieronymus the Non sanctum dixit, sed peccatorem. sinner, who (if God would grant him his desire) had rather be master of Paul the Heremites coate with his rewards, then of the purple robes of Princes with their punishments. —O quantum bonum est obstare nulli, carpere securas dapes! A dinner of [Page]herbes with a good conscience is heavenly fare, Humi ejacentemselera non intrant casam. and godlinesse is great gaine, if we would be contented therewith. I do not so much admire Apitius his feasts, and Cleopatra's banquets of dissolved pearles, as I do the Raven of Elias, and Hilarion's Crow. Neither can I in this place passe by that old Cilician and Countrey-man to Saint Paul, who (I verily beleeve,) for a reward of his contented and harmlesse life, had the honor and the happinesse to have it described and left for ever upon record to posterity, by that inimitable Prince and Patriarch of Poets;

Virg. lib. 4. Georgie.

Namque sub Oebaliae memini me turribus altis

Corycium vidisse senem: cui pauca relicti

Jugera ruris erant, nec fertilis illa juvencis,

Nec pecori opportuna seges, nec commoda Baccho.

Hic rarum tamen in dumis holus, albáque circum

Lilia, verbenásque premens, vescúmque papaver,

Regum aequabat opes animo, serâque revertens

Nocte domum, dapibus mensas onerabat inemptis.

[Page]Primus vere rosam, atque Autumno carpere poma:

Et cum tristis hyems etiamnum frigore saxa

Rumperet, & glacie cursus fraenaret aquarum,

Ille comam mollis jam tum tondebat Acanthi

AEstatem increpitans seram, Zephirósque morantes.

Englished thus.

I saw beneath Tarentum's stately towers

An old Cilician spend his peaceful houres:

Some few bad acres in a waste, wild field,

Which neither Grasse, nor Corne, nor Vines would yield,

He did possesse; There (amongst thorns and weeds)

Cheap Herbs and Coleworts, with the common Seeds

Of Chesboule or tame poppeys he did sowe,

And Verveyne with white Lilies caus'd to grow.

Content he was, as are successeful Kings,

And late at night come home (for long work brings

The night still home,) with unbought messes layd

On his low table, he his hunger stayd.

Roses he gather'd in the youthful Spring;

And Apples in the Autumn home did bring;

And when the sad, cold winter burst with frost

The stones, and the still streams in Ice were lost,

He would soft leaves of Beares-foot crop, and chide

The slow West-winds, and lingring Summer-tyde!

Saint Hierome in the life of Antonius, (who was nobly borne and as tenderly bred) tells us, that about the age of eighteen (his parents being then dead,) he gave away all his possessions, & resolving [Page] upon a strict, religious life betook himself to the wildernesse; where having erected for himself a poore narrow Cottage, he digg'd hard by it, and found a well, with whose streams he watered a small piece of ground, which he did sowe and set with some ordinary herbs for his own provision. To this place thus furnished by his industrie, the wild asses would in great numbers very often resort, and not contented to borrow of his water, they would some times trespasse upon his garden, and make bold with his sallads. But he upon a time comming amongst them, commanded the leader of them, which he had observed to guide the rest, to stand still, and beating him upon the sides with his hand, reproved him in these words, What is the reason that thou com'st to eat that which thou hast not sowen? Et exinde (saith my Author) acceptis aquis ad quas potandas ventitabant, nec arbusculam, nec holera unquam contigebant. We see by these Examples [Page] how safe it is to rely upon our Masters promise, and how needlesse and superfluous in the Christian state this worldly abundance is. This our Saviour himself hath admonished us of, and upraids our dffidence with the examples of the birds and the lilies of the field. Certainly it is dangerous medling with the world; It is like the A fish that (as soon as ever he is struck,) so benums the Anglet, that he dies. Arcanas hyemes & caeca papavera ponti Aldo sinu, & celerem frigida vincla necem. Torpedo, he that catcheth it, comes to lose his life by the bargain. Love not the world (saith St. Iohn) neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. We should therefore be very cautious how we deal with it, or with the followers and favourites of it. Condescend to men of low estate, saith the chosen vessel; This is good counsel, but it lies so low that most men tread upon it, & very few are they that will stoop to take it up. [Page] There is nothing can bring us sooner to it then the serious consideration of our own frailty. This is the Catharma that turns away the plague; and as Physicians say of fasting, that it cures almost all bodily diseases: So may I say of this, that it prevents (if timely applyed) all the depravations and diseases of the mind. It will bring down every high thought & set us upon even ground,Qui jacet in terra, non habet undè cadat. where we shall be in no danger of soul or body. Our Saviour was buried in a Rock, and he that builds upon his grave, he that mortifies his affections, and hides his life in him, needs feare no stormes. What beauty is there in a deaths-head crownd with roses? If we carry the one about us, we shall be safe enough from the temptations of the other. Let sensual natures judge as they please, but for my part, I shall hold it no Paradoxe to affirme, there are no pleasures in this world. Some coloured griefes and blushing woes there are, which look so clear as if they [Page] were true complexions; but it is a very sad and a tryed truth that they are but painted. To draw then to an end, let us looke alwayes upon this Day-Lilie of life,Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum. as if the Sun were already set. Though we blossome and open many mornings, we shall not do so always, Soles occidere & redire possunt; but man cannot. He hath his time appointed him upon earth, which he shall not passe, and his days are like the days of an hireling. Let us then so husband our time, that when the flower falls, the seed may be preserved. We have had many blessed Patterns of a holy life in the Brittish Church, though now trodden under foot, and branded with the title of Antichristian. I shall propose but Mr. George Herbert of blessed memory; See his incomparable prophetick Poems, and particularly these, Church-musick, Church-rents, and schisms. The Church militant. one to you, the most obedient Son that ever his Mother had, and yet a most glorious true Saint and a Seer. Heark how like a busie Bee [Page] he hymns it to the flowers, while in a handful of blossomes gather'd by himself, he foresees his own dissolution.

I made a Posie while the day ran by:

Here will I smell my remnant out, and tye

My life within this band,

But time did becken to the flowers, and they

By noon most cunningly did steal away,

And wither'd in my hand.

My hand was next to them, and then my heart▪

I took, without more thinking, in good part

Times gentle admonition;

Who did so sweetly death's sad taste convey,

Making my mind to smell my fatal day;

Yet sugring the suspition.

Farewel dear flowers! sweetly your time ye spent,

Fit, while ye liv'd, for smell or ornament,

And after death for cures.

I follow strait without complaint or grief,

Since if my sent be good, I care not if

It be as short as yours.

As often therefore as thou seest the full and ripe corne, to succeed the tender [Page] and flowery Spring, Petrar. de Contem mund [...]. the Autumne again to succeed the Summer, Immortalia ne speres monet annus, & almum Quae rapit hora diem. and the cold and snowie Winter to succeed the Autumne, Frigora mitescunt Zephyris, ver proterit aestas Interitura simul. say with thy self,Pomifer Autumnus fruges effuderit, & mox Bruma recurrit in [...]s. These seasons passe away, but will returne againe: but when I go, I shall returne no more.

When thou seest the Sun to set, and the melancholy shadowes to prevaile and increase, meditate with thy selfe, Thus when my life is done, will the shadowes of death be stretched over me; And yet this Sun which now leaves me, will be here againe to morrow: but when the Sun of my life sets, it shall not returne to me, until the heavens be no more.

When the night is drawn over thee, and the whole world lies slumbring under it, do not thou sleep it out; for as it is a portion of time much abused by wicked livers, so is it of all others the [Page] most powerful to excite thee to devotion; be stirring therefore, and make special use of that deepest and smoothest current of time, like that vigilunt Pilot who alwayes mistrusted the greatest calms,

Sydera cuncta notat tacito labentia coelo.And rising at midnight the Stars espi'd All posting Westward in a silent glide.

When thou also seest those various numberles, and beautiful luminaries of the night to move on in their watches, and some of them to vanish and set, while all the rest do follow after, consider that thou art carried on with them in the same motion, and that there is no hope of subsisting for thee, but in him who never moves, and never sets.

Consider thy own posterity (if thou hast any) or those that are younger then thy self, and say, These are travelling up [Page]the hill of life, but I am going head-long down. Consider thy own habitation, how many have been there before thy time, whom that place must never know again, and that there is no help, but thou must follow. Consider the works of thine own hands, the flowers, trees and arbours of thine own planting, for all those must survive thee; Nay, who knows but thou mayst be gone, before thou canst enjoy those pleasures thou dost expect from them; for the Poet in that point proves oftentimes a Prophet,

The trees, we set, grow slowly, and their shade

Stays for our sons, while (we the Planters) fade.

Virg. Georg. Tarda venit, sorisque futura nepotibus umbra.

To be short, acquit thee wisely and innocently in all thy Actions, live a Christian, and die a Saint. Let not [Page] the plurality of dayes, with the numerous distinctions and mincings of thy time into moneths, weeks, houres and minutes deceive thee, nor be a means to make thee misspend the smallest portion of it; let not the empty honours and pompous nothing of this world keep thee back from the grapes of the brook of Eshcol. Remember that we must account for every idle word, much more for our actions. If thou hast lost any dear friends, have them alwayes before thine eyes, visit their graves often, and be not unkind to a Ionathan though in the dust. Give eare to heaven, and forget not what is spoken to thee from thence. Behold, I come as a thief; blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. The time of life is short, and God (when he comes to see us) comes without a bell. Let us therefore gird up the loynes of our minds, and be sober, and hope to the end. Let us keep our[Page]selves in the love of God as obedient children, not grieving his holy Spirit, by which we are sealed unto the day of redemption. And let us not give place to the devil, nor be weary of well-doing; but let us be renewed daily in the spirit of our mind that when he comes (who will not tarry) we may be found faithful, and about our masters businesse.

Let us feare God, and forgive men, blesse those that persecute us, and lay up treasure for our selves in heaven, that where our treasures is, there our hearts may be also, and this (if God permits) will we do, and then

—We can go die as sleep, and trust

Half that we have

Vnto an honest, faithful grave

Making our pillows either down or dust.

Now unto him, who shall change our vile bodies, that they may be [Page] fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himselfe, even unto Iesus Christ the Prince of the Kings of the earth, and the first begotten of the dead, be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

A Prayer when thou findest thy self sickly, or when thou art visited with any Disease.

[Page]

MOst merciful, and wise God, who bringest light out of darknesse, and true comforts out of the greatest afflictions, I do in all humility and with all my soule resigne my selfe unto thy divine pleasure, and give thee most hearty and unfeined thanks for this thy present visitation, an infallible argument of thy fatherly love, and that tender care which thou hast of my salvation. Thou gavest me health, and I took no notice of thy gift, and but very little of the Giver: Thou gavest me dayes of gladnesse and I numberd them not. Wherefore with most true sorrow for my unthankfulnesse, and with all the sad Resentments of a most penitent heare I do acknowledge thy justice, adore thy providence, [Page] and beg thy mercy. O righteous Father! Though I have gone astray, do not thou cast me off: though I am no more worthy to be called thy son, yet have thou a minde to the work of thine own hands. Confirme my faith, sanctifie my affections, give me a lively and enduring hope, with an unwearied patience; And strengthen me in all my Agonies with the celestial assistance and inexpressible refreshments of thy overcoming spirit. Thou that didst give to thy blessed and faithful Martyrs such a glorious measure of thy Almighty spirit, as encouraged them for thy sake to be sawed asunder, to be burnt, stoned and beheaded, give unto me now such a gracious portion of the same Comforter as may leade me through death unto life. Or if thou wilt in mercy restore me again, and enlarge my time, give me, I beseech thee, a thankful heart, holy resolutions, and a stedfast spirit to performe them; And for Iesus Christ his sake never suffer [Page] me to forget thy tender and fatherly compassion, or to fall again into my old sins, and heap up for my self thy eternal anger and most just indignation.

For what end soever thou hast sent this present sicknesse, whether for my dissolution, or for a temporal correction of my sinful life, grant I beseech thee, that both may be for thy glory, and the salvation of my poore soule, purchased with the precious blood of thine only Sonne and my dear Redeemer, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be ascribed by Angels and men, all wisdome, dominion and majesty for ever and ever, Amen!

A Prayer in the hour of Death.

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O My most blessed and glorious Creatour that hast fed me all my life long, and redeemed me from all evil, seeing it is thy merciful pleasure to take me out of this fraile body, and to wipe away all teares from mine eyes, and all sorrowes from my heart, I do with all humility and willingnesse consent and submit my self wholly unto thy sacred will. I desire to be dissolved and to be with my Saviour. I blesse and praise thy holy name for all thy great mercies conferred upon me, from the first day of my life unto this present hour. I give thee all possible thanks for this gracious & kind visitation, in which thou art mercifully pleased to order this last act of thy poor creature to thy glory, and the fruition of those heavenly comforts which have already swallowed up my whole spirit. [Page] O let all that come after me speak of thy wondrous mercies, and the generations which are yet unborn give praise unto thy name.

Lord Iesus Christ my most loving Redeemer, into thy saving and everlasting Armes I commend my spirit, I am ready my dear Lord, and earnestly expect and long for thy good pleasure; Come quickly, and receive the soul of thy servant which trusteth in thee.

Blessing, and honour, and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb and to the holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen.

Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men!

Blessed be God alone!

Thrice blessed three in one!

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MAN IN Glory: OR, A Discourse of the blessed state of the Saints in the New JERUSALEM.

Written in Latin by the most Reverend and holy Father ANSELMUS Archbishop of Canterbury, and now done into English.

Printed Anno Dom. 1652.

To the Reader.

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Reader,

ANSELMUS Archbishop of Canterbury lived here in Britaine, in the reigne of Rufus, and striving to keep entire the Immunities of the Church, (which the spirit of Covetousnesse and Sacriledge did then begin to encroach upon,) he was twice banished, first by William the second called Rufus or red-hair'd, and after by Henry the first his youngest brother and successor. Men of fierce and unmanagable spirits they were, and by so much the fitter for the throne. The first was such an infamous lover of money, that the Neophyte-Iews were at a constant fee with him, for renouncing Christianity; and the later (like a true son of Ottoman,) caused his eldest [Page] Robert Duke of Normandy. brothers eyes to be pull'd out, who was then his prisoner in the Castle of Cardiffe. To avoid the fury of Rufus (who had thus banished him,) our Author here retired into France, and shelter'd himself in the Abbey of Clunie, where by way of discourse with that reverend family, he shed forth this Dissertation, which (at the same time it proceeded from him,) was exactly taken, and put into writing by Eadinerus, a Canon regular of the Church of Canterbury, and his Amanuensis in his banishment. Some brokages and disorderly parcels of it, are to be found in his book De similitud, but the entire and genuine discourse was first made publick at Paris 1639. where it took so well, that it was presently translated into French. This much I thought fit to acquaint thee with; and so I shall leave thee to [Page] thy owne affaires, which I wish to be such as may bring thee to the fruition of those joyes, which are showne thee here through a glasse darkly, and but in part; untill that which is perfect shall come, and this which is in part shall be done away.

Thy Friend HEN. VAUGHAN.

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Here holy Anselme lives in ev'ry page,

And sits Arch-bishop still, to vex the age.

Had he foreseen (and who knows but he did?)

This fatal wrack, which deep in time lay hid,

Had never (like Elias) driv'n him hence,

A sad retirer for a slight offence.

'Tis but just to believe, that little hand

Which clouded him, but now benights our land,

For were he now, like the returning year,

Restor'd to view these desolations here,

He would do penance for his old complaint,

And (weeping) say, That Rufus was a Saint.

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Revel. Chap. 7.

1. ANd after this I beheld, and lo a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds, and people, and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.

2. And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

3. And one of the Elders answered saying unto me, Who are these which are arayed in white robes? and whence came they?

4. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they [Page] which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

5. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his Temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

6. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the Sun light on them, nor any heate.

7. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall leade them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

[Page] MAny men, when a holy conversation and good works are proposed unto them, and when they are advised to exercise themselves therein, and not to follow after the vanities of this world, are wont to question for what end, reward, or retribution shall they do so? The answer to these men must be this: Because it is written, that Eye hath not seen, not eare heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2. Which words, because they cannot plainly understand what is meant by them, must be expounded to them by other circumstances, and it must be told them, that the reward which in the life to come shall be given unto those that serve God in this life, is, everlasting life, eternal happinesse, never-ending pleasures, and a fulnesse and sufficiency of all accommodations to their own desires [Page] without any scarcity, or want at all. When these things are thus told them, they seeme to be (as they are indeed) very great, and very good. But because, that neither by this expression they do perfectly apprehend, what those things are which they shall receive in the life to come; nor can they of a sudden rightly perceive what is meant by a sufficiency of all accommodations without any want at all, they continue still in a doubtful minde, and are not effectually drawn to take any relish or delight in the things so told them. What course then shall we take to render these eternal rewards more relishing and delightful to them? I hold that the best way is, to feed them as Nurses feed their little children; who, (if at any time they give them a large faire apple, which for the tendernesse of their teeth, and the narrownesse of their mouths they cannot feed upon) cut it (according to the capacity of the child) into several [Page] bits or parts, and so give it them to eate by peece-meales.

We shall therefore divide this great sufficiencie of all accommodations in the life to come, into several parts or portions, that (by so doing) they may with those things we shall deliver be fed to eternal life. And because they may appear more plainly to them, we shall consider what those things are, which the minde of man most affects in this life; and by those, (as farre as we may) we shall make it evident that they shall enjoy them after a more excellent manner in the life to come: if being placed here in the midst of dangers and worldly temptations, they stick fast to the precepts of Christ; and when they have kept them, they will of themselves quickly perceive, that by no meanes they shall lose, nor be deceived of the utmost of their desires. This Course we shall take in the Explication of this Doctrine, and beginning with the [Page] least, passe on to our desired end.

That we may then in the first place briefly summe up all those things which have reference to the body, I suppose them to be such things as are (indeed) desirable of themselves, and for whose service or use all other things are desired of men, and those are Beauty, Activity, Strength, Liberty, Health, Pleasure, & Long Life. But if amongst these we have reckoned, there are some things, which the servants of God have no respect to, but take special care to neglect and avoid them, as (for instance sake) beauty and pleasure are; yet do they not therefore despise them, because that naturally they affect them not, but because they would not offend God in them; for if they certainly knew that by caring for such things, they could not offend God, nor have their affections with-drawn from heavenly things, without doubt they would take more delight in the fruition of them, then in [Page] a contrary state. These things being now thus premised, I shall as briefly as I may treat of every one of them distinctly, or by it self, and labour to demonstrate unto you (as God shall enable me) after what manner they shall be enjoyed by us after the resurrection of the body.

To begin then, Beauty is a certaine good, which all men naturally desire to have. But in the life to come the beauty of the righteous shall shine equally with the Sunne, this the sacred Scripture testifies, Matth. 13. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father. Adde to this, that the body of our Lord Jesus Christ (which none I hope will deny) shall out-shine the brightnesse of the Sun. But by the testimony of the Apostle we shall be made like unto him, for he saith, He shall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, and this is the confession of that authority, [Page] which to contradict, is blasphemy. Now if any man would have this proved to him by reason, I beleeve it ought not to seeme incredible to any, that the righteous in that life which is to come, when this mortality shall be swallowed up of life, shall shine as bright as the Sun, seeing they are truly called, and truly are the temple and the seat of God himself, which (as I remember) is no where in sacred Scripture spoken of this visible Sun.

As for Activity, which is every way as desirable as Beauty, we shall be indued with such a measure of it, as shall render us equall for swiftnesse to the very Angels of God, which in a moment passe from the highest heaven unto the earth, and from the earth again into heaven; which swiftnesse, if it were necessary to prove it so in the Angels, we might for instance produce that place of Scripture, where it is written, that the Angel of the Lord took Habakkuk the Prophet by the [Page] haire of the head, and carried him through the vehemency of his spirit (when he was yet in the flesh) from Iury into Babylon, and having delivered the dinner unto Daniel, brought him again immediately to his own place. Therefore I say again, that a swiftnesse every way equal to that which is in them, shall be given to those, who labour in their lives here to be like unto them. The Apostle also, who affirms that our bodies shall in the twinkling of an eye be perfectly raised, notwithstanding that our limbs be separated or dispersed one from another, and the distance of place never so great, hath thereby sufficiently proved, that our very bodies which in that day shall be raised incorruptible, shall be gifted with the very lame swiftnesse; for he testifies that this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, 1 Cor. 15. An instance or demonstration of this swiftnesse we have in the beams of the [Page] Sunne, which as soone as ever the body of that Planet appears above the earth in the East, passe in a moment to the utmost West. By this consideration we may conclude that what hath been spoken touching our velocity in the life to come, is not impossible, especially because that animated bodies have in them a greater agility, then those which are inanimate. To this instance of the Sun-beams we may adde another of the like nature, which we have in our selves; for the beams or ray of the Eye, when we open our eye-lids passeth immediately to the utmost point of the Horizon or visible part of the sky, and when we shut them returnes wholly and unimpaired into it self. Again, it is a thing certainly known, that the souls of the Elect which are in the hand of the Lord, have not yet enjoyed the fulnesse of felicity, untill their bodies shall be restored unto them incorruptible; which when they shall enjoy, there will be [Page] nothing more left for them to wait for and desire. But these bodies whose redemption they long and grone for if they would retard of hinder their swiftnesse, they would rather abhorre their fellowship, then long for it; therefore it is certain that such a swiftnesse or agility as we have spoken of shall be given us of God in the life to come.

The next thing we are to treat of: is Fortitude or Strength, which most men affect, as it is opposite to imbecillity and faint-heartednesse. But they who shall be worthy to walk with the Citizens of the new Ierusalem, shall excell so much in strength, that nothing can have power to resist them: whether their desire be to remove, or over-turn any thing out of its station, or by any other way to divert it, nothing can hinder them; nor shall they in compassing their desire be put to any more trouble or pains, then we are put to at present when we move an Eye, or turne it towards any object we [Page] desire to look upon. But let us not in this place forget to instance in the Angels, to whom we labour in this life to assimilate our selves; for if in this branch, or in any of the rest which we are to handle, we can finde no other example or demonstration, we must apply to them. I suppose there is none will deny, but that the Angels excel so much in strength, as to be able to effect whatsoever shall be enjoyned them. But here some body may ask, of what use shall this fortitude or strength be unto us in that life; when all things shall be put in such perfect order, that there cannot be a better; when there shall be no need of mutations, eversions, or reformation wherein this fortitude or strength may be imployed? Whoever shall ask this question, let him attend a little to me, and consider what use we make at present of the faculties given us in this life; and he shall finde that we do not alwayes imploy some of those abilities [Page] with which we are now gifted in the body; as the faculty of seeing, our utmost strength, and our knowledge of some select things, with many more; In the like manner shall it be then with this fortitude we are now speaking of, for the onely possession of it will be an incredible pleasure and joy unto us, though we shall have no use for it, all things being (as it is said before) in the state of perfection. If this objection be made concerning velocity, or any of the other branches which are to follow in this discourse; I hold this solution (if we finde not a better) satisfactory enough.

We are now come to the fourth branch, which is Liberty, and is no lesse desired then any of the former. Whoever then shall leade and Angelical life here upon earth, shall without doubt be admitted into an equal liberty with the Angels in heaven. Therefore as nothing can resist, hinder, or confine the Angels, but that they may [Page] passe freely through all things according to their own desires; so shall there be no obstacle or restraint of the Elects: there shall be no inclosure that can hold us, nor any Element which shall not be pervious or passable for us, when, and how we please. An eminent and most certain example of this we have left us in the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, to which blessed body (Saint Paul affirms) that our vile bodies shall be fashioned and made like, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Now the Scripture beares record that he rose from the dead after the Sepulchre was made sure and sealed, and that he came in to his Disciples, the doors being shut upon them, and at the same time caused Thomas to thrust his hand into his side; all which (without doubt) was laid down for a strong and comfortable demonstration to us of the glorious liberty of the children of God, Rom. 8.

[Page]In this fifth place comes Health, which of all temporal blessings is the principal, and the most to be desired. And of this what can be better said, then that which hath been already spoken by the Psalmist, The salvation of the righteous cometh from the Lord, Psal. 37. What infirmity then can lay hold upon those, whose health or salvation is from the Lord? But what example or similitude to introduce, whereby you may perceive what manner of health that shall be which we are to enjoy in the world to come, I do not know; for neither I in my own body, nor the holiest man that ever lived in the flesh, can finde in himself any state of health which may be compared or liken'd to this eternal and incorruptible health. For in this life (when we finde our bodies without any paine or disturbance) we conclude that we are in health, and yet are we therein oftentimes deceived. For it happens very frequently that we are [Page] infirme or sickly in some particular member, which yet we can by no means discover, but by motion of the said member, or by touching the place affected. But to come to those that are not thus affected, but seeme to themselves to be in perfect health, what shall we judge of them, that they are in health, or that they are not? Propose to thy self some one of a most healthful constitution, and that thou shouldst enquire of him concerning the state of his body: he will tell thee, that in his own judgement he finds himself in perfect health. But let his body be examined and felt with a little rigidnesse more then ordinary, or wring him hard in any part of it, he will presently cry out, forbeare, you hurt me. What is this? Did not he a little before affirme himself found, and being now but moderately touched, doth he cry out of paine? Is this man thinkst thou in health? Truly I think not. It is not then such a health [Page] as this (which is but a meere remission) that they shall receive in the life to come, whose salvation is expresly promised to proceed from the Lord, Rev. 21. For God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes, and there shall he no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more paine, for the former things are past away, Rev. 7. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, nor shall the Sun light on them, nor any heate, for God shall cover them with his right hand, and with his holy arme shall be defend them. What then shall be able to hurt them whose covering and inclosure shall be the arme of God? But what manner of health that shall be, I know for a certain, that neither I, nor any man else, (either by my owne or anothers apprehension or experiment) can possibly expresse. If any man desires to know the qualities of Feavers and diverse other diseases, I can quickly satisfie him, as well by the [Page] experience I have had of them in my own body, as by relation from others; but that which neither by my own understanding nor sensation I have never perceived, nor received any knowledge of it from another, how can I say any thing of it? Onely this I shall absolutely assert (and I do verily beleeve it) that this health of the life to come shall fill the whole man with such an immutable, inviolable, and inexpressible sweetnesse and solace, as shall utterly repel and for ever drive away all thoughts of infirmities, their accessions, or revolutions. And let this suffice to have been spoken of our health in the world to come.

The next branch that comes in order to be now spoken of, is Pleasure, which by another name, or definition rather, we shall call the Delectation of the corporeal senses. And this (truly) most men are very much taken with, because the corporeal senses in every man delight in those things which are [Page] adjudged proper or peculiar to them, and withal beneficial or helpful. For (to instance in a few) the sense of smelling is much recreated or pleased with the variety of sweet and comfortable odours; the sense of tasting with the different relishes or gust of several meats, confections, and drinks. And all the rest (as every mans natural appetite carries him) have their several and different delights. But these delectations are not alwayes pleasing; na [...], they prove oftentimes distastful and troublesome to their greatest lovers, for they are (indeed) but transitory and bestial. But those delectations or pleasures which in the world to come shall be poured out upon the righteous are everlasting and rational. And for this cause I do not see how it is possible to expresse them so, as to make them intelligible, or subject to our understanding in this life, especially because we cannot find in the pleasures of this life; any example [Page] or similitude which hath in it any collation with them, or can give us the least light or manifestation of them; for those heavenly delights, the more we enjoy them, will be the more deare and acceptable to us, for the fulnesse of those joyes breeds no surfeit. And such delights as these are, I beleeve no man ever in this world did so far perceive or taste, as to be able to describe unto others the true state or favour of them. Two blessed and two miserable states of man we know to be, the greater and the lesser. His great or perfect state of blisse is in the Kingdome of God; his lesser is that which Adam forfeited, the joy of Paradise. As for his states of misery, his great and endlesse one is in the lake of fire and brimstone; and his lesser in the continual travels and afflictions of this present life. Now it is clear, that no man in this life (after Adam) did ever taste of either of those two states of blisse. But if we had tried or tasted [Page] of (onely) that lesser state of blisse which Adam enjoyed in Paradise, we might then perhaps by the mediation or means of the lesser conjucture or guesse at the greater. As now being borne and bred up in the lesser state of misery, we can give many plain and convincing demonstrations of our deplorable condition in the greater. Wherefore seeing the pleasure we speak of, is a branch or portion of that greater state of blisse, I cannot conceive of any possibility to expresse it, unlesse we may do it by some similitudes that are quite contrary to the greater state of misery, and drawne from the lesser. For example, or instance, let us suppose that there stood before us a naked man with hot and flaming irons thrust into the very apples of his eyes, and into every part and member of his body, his veines, nerves and muscles, so that neither his marrow, nor his entrails, nor any the most inward and tender parts were [Page] free from the anguish and immanity of the torment, and that he were as sensible of the paine in every member, as he must needs be in the very balls of his eyes. What shall I say now of this man? is he not miserably tormented? And who amongst these dispersed and ubiquitary paines thus inflicted will be so irrational as to think that he can have any ease or pleasure? In the same manner, but by a quite contrary consideration may we conjecture or guesse at the delectations and pleasures of the life to come; for as this man is filled and pained all over with torments, so shall ineffable and endlesse pleasures be poured upon, and over-flow the righteous. Their eyes, their eares, and their hearts, yea their very bones (as the Prophet David saith) shall be glad and rejoyce; every part and every member of them shall be crowned and replenished with the fulnesse and the life of pleasures. Yea their whole man shall be truly and abundantly [Page] satisfied with the fatnesse of Gods house, and he shall make them drink of the river of his pleasures; for with him is the fountain of life, and in his light shall we see light. Whosoever then is the happy man that shall be counted worthy to enjoy these heavenly pleasures, I cannot see (as to the comforts of the body) what more he can desire. The onely thing that (in order to what we are to treat of) shall be added to him, is long life. And this shall not be wanting there, for our Saviour testifies, that the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal, Matth. 25.

Having done now with these blessings bestowed upon the body, there remaine other more excellent gifts, which are every way as desirable, but these belong to the soul as the former did to the body. We shall reduce them all into seven principal heads, and here they follow, 1. Wisdome. 2. Friendship. 3. Peace. 4. Power. 5. Honour. [Page] 6. Security, and 7. Ioy. Our wisdome then, which in this life all men desire, and worthily too, shall be so great in the life to come, that nothing shall be hidden from us, that we have a minde to know; for we shall know all things, which God ordained to be known of man, as well those things which are past, as those which (in this world) are yet to come. There all men shall be known by every man, and every man shall be known by all men. Neither shall any one there be ignorant of what Countrey, Nation, stock or linage every one is descended; nay, he shall know all that ever we did in our life-time. Here some body perhaps may say, how is this? shall all men know the secret sins that I have committed? Is my confession of them come to this? Is it thus that they are blotted out, forgotten, and never more discovered? Well, this is thy objection. But when thou in that state of glory shalt stand in the presence of [Page] God, purged from all thy sins, canst thou be unthankful to him for that great mercy shewed thee in the remission of all thy offences? And how canst thou be thankful, if none of those sins for whose forgivenesse thou doest owe those thanks unto him, will be left in thy memory? That therefore thou mayest for ever take delight in the singing of his prayses, thou wilt (I beleeve) have alwayes in thy mind those great transgressions and eternal miseries from which he delivered thee. Seeing then that the consciences of all men shall (in that state) remaine entire to them, I dare affirme that those sinnes for whose remission thou doest then give thanks, shall likewise be openly known, not to thy confusion, but to the glory of God, and the mutual rejoycing of the Saints, for thou shalt be no more troubled then with the remembrance of thy sins, nor be any more ashamed of thy most secret transgressions, then any one is in [Page] this life with the memory of some dangerous wounds or loathsome disease that he is perfectly cured of; or then we are in the state of men of those inconveniences we were subject to when we were little infants in our cradles and swadling-bands; for in that life when we shall be blessed with inviolable health, perfect purity, a full remission and most certain impunity of all our sins, why should the memory or publike knowledge of them be any more grievous to us then his denying of Iesus Christ is now to Peter, or his persecution of him to Paul, or her sins which were many to that blessed Convert Mary Magdalen, with diverse others whose sins and infirmities are already in this world publikely known of all men? And besides all this, by this publike manifestation of sins, as of thy enormous and loathsome infirmities, the power and wisdome of the great Physician will by all the Elect be so much the more admired, [Page] praised and magnified; and the praise and magnificence of the divine glory (if rightly considered by thee) is thy glory. But thou wilt say, I consent indeed that the praise of God is my glory, but when from all parts of the earth such an exceeding number of innocent and righteous persons (if compared to me) shall appeare there, who considering the odious obscenity of my life, will (as it is most fit) abhorre me as a most abominable creature, what shall I say then, seeing there is a reward as well for unrighteousnesse as for righteousnesse? Thy feare in these circumstances is needlesse, for it will be otherwise there with thee then thou dost suppose; for thou shalt finde, that those Elects which (in comparison of thee) thou dost hold righteous and innocent, will have no such thoughts of thee, as thou at present dost suspect. For they upon the first sight of thee, will presently know and consider, that by committing [Page] those obscenities thou didst not sin against them, but against God. And when they see that God hath freely and fully forgiven thee, they will not so much as have a thought of abhorring, or judging thee in the smallest matter; for they know, that if they should any way contemne or censure thee in that state,What God hath cleansed, call not thou common, Acts 10.15. wherein thou shalt be perfectly reconciled to the Father and all thy transgressions blotted out, they would thereby sin grievously against the Lord. They will therefore be the more thankful, and have in greater admiration the infinite mercy of God both towards thee, and towards themselves. Towards thee, because he brought thee up out of hell, and saved thee from thy greivous and crying sins. Towards themselves, because it was his free grace that saved and held them up from falling into the like enormities. By praysing God thus they [Page] will magnifie and admire in thee after Gods goodnesse, his power and Constantiam. sure mercies by relying on which thou didst escape and get out of the pit of perdition; into which pit (had they been left to themselves) they would have fallen as well as thou didst; and here they will consider, that had they been in that dangerous state, they should (perhaps) have been utterly cast away, and not break the snare as thou didst. Thou seest now that a publike manifestation of thy sins will in the state of glory be no disgrace nor prejudice at all to thee, and how great a furtherance of divine praise and thanksgiving the knowne remission of them will prove. Yea, if the very Angels should reprove and censure thee (for the heynousnesse of thy sins) to be altogether unworthy of their society, yet hast thou left thee very just reasons wherewith to vindicate and defend thy self. And here [Page] perhaps thou wilt aske me, how this may be done? do but give attention, and I will tell thee. Suppose that any one of the Angels should rebuke, or upbraid thee in these words: This is onely proposed, not asserted, nor (indeed) can it be, for our Saviour himself tels us, That there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth, Luke 15.10. and their song is, good will towards men. dost thou a fraile and mortal creature, made of the dust of the earth, and whose doome was to returne into dust again, after thou hast rebelled against thy Maker, and wallowed in all manner of sins and pollutions, seek now to be like one of us, who never in any thing resisted the divine will? To this Charge thou mayst answer thus. If I (as you say) have been formed out of the dust, it is no wonder then that (being driven up and down by every wind of temptation) I fell at last into the mire of sin; but afterwards (having first acknowledged, and then believed in the mercies of [Page] Iesus Christ,) I did renounce and cast off all those courses which I knew to be contrary to his will, and exercised my self in all those wayes which I understood to be well-pleasing unto him. I fainted not, nor refused to under-go and suffer for his glory diverse tribulations and distresses, in hunger, in thirst, in watchings, persecutions, reproaches and manifold afflictions; And having utterly cast off and contemned all the pleasures of the world, I strongly endeavoured, and earnestly desired to be perfectly reconciled unto my Saviour. But you never suffered any of these things for his sake, you dwelt alwayes in glory, and the joyes of heaven; The arme of God alwayes sustained and defended you from being assaulted by any sinne, so that you were never stained with the least spot of it. Wherefore it is his owne free gift, whose hand with-held you from it, that hath kept you from falling away from his will. But because this way [Page] of reasoning may be onely used by those who have forcibly resisted their owne damnation, and taken the kingdome of heaven by violence; they that shall enter into it upon other conditions, must finde another reason by which they may claime a parity, or equal degree of glory with the Angels: And if they desire to know what manner of reason that is, it may be this which followes: They may tell them that the ground upon which they lay their just claime to an equality of blisse with them in the kingdome of God, is the free mercy and donation of Iesus Christ; who for that very end vouchsafed to be made man, and to suffer death upon the Crosse, that being saved from our sins, and justified through his blood, we might be with him where he is, and be partakers of his kingdome; consider you therefore, if the blood of Iesus Christ which was shed for us is not a sufficient price for our salvation, and for an equality of [Page] glory with you. What reply now can the Angels (who because they are good of themselves, will be therefore the sooner won with reason) make unto this? truly none at all, unlesse by way of Confession, that men redeemed with so high a price may justly claime and partake with them an equal glorification. When therefore both Angels and men, whom thou didst judge more righteous then thy self shall consent unto thy glory, and hold thee worthy in all things of those true and eternal honours conferred upon thee, consider (if thou canst) how acceptable and pleasing such a knowledge will be to thee, which shall make thee known to all men, and all men to be known of thee.

And shall not consequently out of that mutual and perfect knowledge arise a certaine inestimable and inviolable friendship? which shall so warm the hearts of every one towards another, that the love which every one [Page] shall have for another, shall be eviedent and convincing in the knowledge of all. Neither do I see how it can be otherwise, seeing that all in that kingdome are but one body, and Christ himself (who is very peace,) the head thereof; neither will they with lesse affection imbrace one anothtr, then the members of one natural body are united to one another. Thou wilt therefore in that state love all men as thy self, and every one will love thee as dearly as himself. O (now, thinkest thou,) how full of love shall I be towards all men, if I were in that happy state? But passe by that Meditation, and consider him, by whose mediation and grievous sufferings all these blessings were purchased for thee; and thou wilt then perceive that he will love thee incomparably more then any others; yea, more then thou canst love thy self; and so wilt thou with a certaine inward, inexpressible delight come to love him more then any others, [Page] yea infinitely more then thou canst love thy self.

But seeing it fals out very frequently amongst men, that those persons who continue in a reciprocal and unanimous love, do not in all circumstances accord and consist, but differ in opinion, and sometimes also in their passions, while that which seems right to the one, appears clean contrary to the other, and the one may affect something which the other hath no appetite at all unto; It follows of necessity that to this perfect friendship in the state of glory, we must adde perfect concord or agreement. There will be therefore such perfect agreement and unity there betwixt all, that none shall dissent from that which another desires. As many as shall be counted worthy of that kingdome, shall be one body, one Church, and one Spouse of Iesus Christ; and there shall be no more discord betwixt them, then there is betwixt the members now in the natural [Page] body. But as you see in the motion of the Eyes, that which way soever the one is turned, the other immediately followes, so whatsoever any one in that state shall delight in, he shall finde all the rest to consent to it. Here the Translatour omitted some passages which he conceived not necessary, and perhaps they might be spurious. Seeing then that God himself with all the Angels and Saints will be propitious and favourable to thy desires, it is cleare that thou wilt desire nothing which thou mayst not obtaine. So that in a modest sense it may be said, thou shalt be Almighty in respect of thy will, because the Almighty God will in all things consent to it, for thy will shall be then his will, and his will shall be thine.

Seeing then that they shall excell so much in power, there is no doubt to be made, but that an honour proportionable to that power shall be given unto them. Now what manner of honour that shall be, we shall labour [Page] to demonstrate by this following similitude. Let us suppose there were laid before our eyes, some poore begger destitute of all comfort, and smitten in every part with ulcerous biles, corrupt sores, and all manner of infirmities, and having not so much as a rag to cover or defend him from the cold: If some mighty and mercifull King passing by, should look upon this begger lying in so miserable a condition, and having compassion on him, should give command to heale his infirmities, and being afterwards recovered, should give order to have him cloathed with his own royal apparel, and being brought before him in that habit, should adopt him for his son, and give strict command that he should be received and acknowledged by all men for his son, and that he should be contradicted in nothing by any of his subjects, he having adopted him for his son, and made him coheire with his onely begotten, and calling [Page] him after his own name: You would easily grant that this were a great honour to be conferr'd upon so despicable and loathsome a begger. But all this and more will the merciful God most certainly confer upon his faithful servants; for of his own free mercy will he receive us, who being born of the corruption of the flesh are surrounded with many miseries; in which we are estated as it were, and destitute of all comforts, but alwayes subject to, & overcome by many noxious passions, which fill us up with foule and ulcerous sins, and most odious corruptions, from all which he will purge and heale us, and being restored to perfect health, he will cloath us with the ornaments of true righteousnesse and incorruption, and adopt us for his sons, making us his Consorts in his own kingdome, and coheires with his only begotten Son who is in every thing coequal with himself, changing our vile bodies, that they may be like unto his [Page]glorious body, and commanding every creature to be subject unto us in all things, calling us also by his own name, and making us gods; for he saith in the Scripture, I have said you are all gods, and the sons of the most high. But he himself is the God deifying, and we are but deified, or gods made by him. But perhaps thou wilt say, This reason of mine may stand good in the Apostles and other holy Martyrs, but with thee who art a wretched sinner, and desirest onely to be the least in the kingdome of heaven, thou canst not see how it can consist. Give eare and understand, for God in that recited Scripture, I have said you are all gods, &c. excepts none. But that thou mayst more clearly perceive, Consider the nature of fire and of all things that are put therein; if happily thou canst imagine with thy self after what manner, (in the degree appointed for thee) thou shalt be glorified. The fire (thou seest) is but [Page] one, and of nature hot; put into it either wood, or lead, or iron, or all these together; when the wood is turn'd into embers, so that nothing appears unto thee but fire, & the lead so melted, that it cannot admit of a greater degree of heat, yet can neither of them be equall to Iron for an intense burning heat, which perhaps hath not yet grown red with the fire. Now although every one of these doth exceed the other, & is of a more suparlative heat, yet every one of them (as we commonly say) is fire. So shall it be in that glorious society of the Elect, which we now speak of; For as those, who are neerer to the Divine Majesty, and therefore better then others, shall be called gods: So even those, who are inferiour to them, because they participate according to their capacity of the same Deity with those that are superiour, shall be likewise honoured with the same title of gods.

[Page]When therefore together with so much happinesse, thou hast attained to so much honour, I do not see with what reason thou canst desire a greater Preferment. Whiles then thou art blessed with the possession of those high Benefits, which we have mentioned, wilt thou not think thy selfe sufficiently happy? Yes verily, thou wilt say, well then! but if thou couldst really injoy all those things as we have described them, but for one short day, wouldst thou not rejoyce? No question, but thou wouldst. But if thou shouldst injoy them for a moneth, or one whole yeare thou wouldst rejoyce exceedingly: neither indeed do I thinke it possible to expresse thy manner of joy. Suppose then if thou shouldst possesse this happinesse all thy life-time, what thou wouldst do. What price wouldst thou give for so great a Blessing? Even willingly all that ever thou [Page] hadst: nay, thy very owne selfe, if thou couldst purchase it at no other Rate.

But if besides all this Fruition, thou wert certaine also of a perpetuall security, and that all thy life long no accident whatsoever could rob thee of thy happinesse, I will not determine, whether it were possible for thee to imagine, how great thy joy would be. Seeing then that in the life to come, thou shalt live for ever, and together with the possession of all these things, thou shalt also be eternally secured from all danger of losing them, I beseech thee, how dost thou thinke it will go with thee? I beleeve truly, that at the very name of security, there springs in thee a certaine joy of heart, and thou dost greedily desire to know, whether thou mayst with safety, and for ever injoy such great and extraordinary Blessings? I tell thee then, if thou art like to lose [Page] these things, thou must either voluntarily, and of thy owne accord relinquish them, or God must take them from thee whether thou wilt or no; or else another, who is more powerful then God, must rob thee of them in spite of God, and thy selfe. But certainly, neither wilt thou reject so great a Blessing, and relapse into those miseries from which thou hast beene graciously delivered; neither will God at any time take that away which his large and mercifull goodnesse hath bestowed upon thee; nor is there any stronger then God, who should be able to make thee miserablee against thy will, as long as God is thy Protector. Thou shalt therefore securely, and for ever injoy all these Benefits, nor shalt thou feare the attempts of any, who would willingly deprive thee of them.

What dost thou thinke then will thy condition be, when thou shalt [Page] eternally injoy all these things; namely, Beauty, Strength, Swiftnesse of motion, Liberty, Health, Pleasure, Length of life, Wisedome, Love, Peace, Power, Honour, and a Security of all, as we have described them: nay, above all humane Description or Conception, in a more glorious, and a more stately manner, then we can possibly expresse. Will not thy condition be all Joy, which is the End and Effect of these Blessings? Verily I cannot see how that man should not abound with inestimable Joy, who is compast about with all the riches of eternall happinesse. Thou shalt therefore most certainly attaine to such a Joy, because nothing can happen to thee, that should minister occasion of Grief. For if thou hadst any Friend, whom thou didst love as well as thy selfe, and in whose good thou wouldst rejoyce as in thy owne, and shouldst see this friend [Page] admitted to the same Heaven, and happinesse with thy selfe; wouldst thou not extremely rejoyce in his Felicity? But if thou hadst two or three, or more such friends, and shouldest see them all glorified with a state equal to thy own, would not thy joyes also exceed, and increase together with their number? And as formerly, when we discoursed of Love, we did there shew how all the Inhabitants of the world to come, should love thee as well as themselves, and thou on the contrary shouldst love them as thy owne soul: How is it therefore possible for any man to apprehend the manner of that mutual Ioy, seeing there are there above a thousand thousands and ten thousand times hundreds of thousands: nay, an innumerable compapany, and all of them injoying the same Beatitude; nor is there any one of them, who doth not as much rejoyce in the happinesse of another, [Page] as he doth in his owne. Moreover, they seeing God love them in a more excellent way then they love themselves, and againe perceiving themselves (after some inexpressible manner) to love God better then themselves, they do infinitly triumph in his Glory, and in his wonderful and inexpressible Joyes. They have Joy therefore within, and Joy without: Joy from above, and Joy beneath: In the Compasse, and Circuit of them there is Joy, and in a word every where.

And this (as we think, and as we have exprest our selves in the beginning of this Book) is that thing which God hath prepared for those that love him, namely Ioy. Therefore in my opinion, eternal Beatitude, or eternal felicity is nothing else but a sufficiency, or fulnesse of all good things, according to our own desire, and without any indigency, which felicity all the friends [Page] of God shall fully injoy in the life which is to come. For when we speake of good things, we do not say but that life eternal is farre more great and glorious then this temporal life, which we have mentioned onely by way of Manuduction. Seeing then that the Just shall be rewarded with so great a Felicity, it remaines on the contrary, that the unjust shall be visited with some extraordinary Infelicity. For as we have described the Elect according to those abilities which God gave us: namely that their Beauty, Swiftnesse, and Strength, their Liberty, Health and Pleasure should render them Cheerful and Triumphant: So on the other side a certaine horrible, inestimable deformity, a dulnesse of motion and spirit, together with their Impotencie, and Captivity in Chaines of Darknesse, as also their Melancholy, and paine shall make the Reprobate to mourne and howle. [Page] Verily that Length of Life, which the just shall most joyfully embrace, because it conduceth to their fruition of eternal happinesse, will be very odious, and a meere Curse to the unjust, because it exposeth them to an endlesse sense of ever-lasting tortures. If I look on their Wisdome, I know not what to speak of it, unlesse I say, that as to the just it will be great joy and honour, so in the unjust knowledge shall be turned into sadnesse and distraction of spirit. As for Love, whereby the Saints of God shall be link'd together with joy unspeakable: It shall be a meer Affliction to the Impious, for by how much the more they love one another, by so much will they be the more troubled one at anothers punishment. If it be question'd whether they may injoy any peace or concord? It is answered, they will be at discord with every creature, and every creature with them. Hence in opposition to the power of the Saints, [Page] the wicked shall be deprived of all power: They shall never be able to attaine to any thing they would have, and what they can have, even that is it which they would not have. The wicked then instead of the honour and eternal happinesse of the Saints shall receive to their portion eternal shame, and now what more shall we say for a Conclusion to these things? Truly, that as the friends of God shall alwayes triumph in the security of their everlasting Beatitude, so the Enemies and Adversaries of God shall utterly despaire of any redemption from their endlesse Miseries: But in lieu of the eternal ineffable joyes of the Blessed, they shall inherit unspeakable everlasting woes; especially such, who because of their impenitency for their sinnes, shall be condemned to passe into the society of Devils.

FINIS.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Books Printed or sold by William Leake at the sign of the Crown in Fleet-street between the two Temple gates

[Page]

A Bible of a very [...] Roman letter in 4o

A Tragedy written by the most learned Hugo. Grotius, called CHRISTVS PATIENS, and Translated into English by George Sandys in 8o.

Man become Guilty, or the Corruption of Nature by Sinne, By Iohn Francis Senault: and Englished by Henry Earle of Monmouth, in 4o.

The Fort Royall of holy Scriptures, or a new Concordance of the chief heads of Scripture, Common-Placed for such as would suddenly command all the Rarities in the Book of God, by I. H. in 8o.

The Idyot, in 8o. by Cardinal Cusanus in four Books, the 1 and 2 of Wisdome, the third of the Minde, the fourth of Statick Experiments, or Experiments of the Ballance; & Englished by Dr Everard.

Nosce te ipsum, in 8o. this Oracle Expounded [Page] in two Elegies, the first of Humane Knowledge, the second of the Soule of Man and the Immortality thereof, by Sir Iohn Davies.

Mayers Catechisme, in 8o.

Bishop Halls Old Religion.

Book of Martyrs in folio,

Bishop Andrewes Sermons in folio.

Bishop Babingtons works in folio.

Adams on Peter in folio,

Marburies Commentary on Habakkuk, 4o.

Pagets Christianography in 4o.

Boultons works in 4o.

Lattymers Sermons in 4o.

Speculum Mundi, or a discourse of the sixe-dayes Creation, in 4o.

King on the Lords Prayer, in 4o.

Sir Richard Baker on the Lords Prayer, 4o.

Barker on the Commandments.

Via Tuta, & Via Devia. in 12o. written by Sir Humphrey Lynde.

Catechistical Doctrine.

Dents Path-way to Heaven, in 8o.

Davids Blessed man.

Poesie of godly Prayers.

Gerards Meditations.

Croms of Comfort.

Hookers Souls preparation for Christ.

[Page]

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Information about this book

Title statement

The Mount of Olives: or, Solitary devotions. By Henry Vaughan silurist. With an excellent discourse of the blessed state of man in glory, written by the most reverend and holy Father Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and now done into English.

Vaughan, Henry, 1622-1695.

Edition statement

1652

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A64745

ID [STC]

Wing V122

ID [STC]

ESTC R203875

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99863671

ID [PROQUEST]

99863671

ID [VID]

115882

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A64745)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 115882)

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Source

— The Mount of Olives: or, Solitary devotions. By Henry Vaughan silurist. With an excellent discourse of the blessed state of man in glory, written by the most reverend and holy Father Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and now done into English., Vaughan, Henry, 1622-1695., Anselm, Saint, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1033-1109..

Extent

[24], 189, [3] p.

Printed for William Leake at the Crown in Fleet-street between the two Temple-Gates,. London :: 1652.. (The first leaf has a woodcut of a crown on verso.) ("Man in glory", a translation of an untraced work by Saint Anselm, has separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous.) (Annotation on Thomason copy: "ffebr. 16".) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.) (Final three pages are advertisements.)

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