.A Meditation of 'Death. --------~----~--~--~----~~------~-- A with many and !Iron a antidotts ofcomfort. The evill chat is ever in motion, is not fearcfull: That which both time and ccernicy finds {boding where it was, is worthy ofcerrour. Well may choletrembleac death, which find moredi!lrelfe within, cben without whofe confciencos are more licke,and neerer eo death, then their bodies. le wos chy'Fatherswrath thlt did fo terrific thy foul<, 0 my Saviour, ch~c it putthy body imo abloudy fweac.The mention and thought ot chy death ended ma Pfalme, butthis began in an agony. Then didll thou fweat out my feares. !he power of that agony doth more comfort all eh m~, then the Angds could comfort thee. That very vbicedefervedan eternal! feparauonofhorrour tram death, where thou fatdft, u1 G•a, "'1 ccd, ••hy hajlth••Jo.rfok"' mt?Thou hadll nor C?mpla!ned o_fbein~ left, ifthou wouldell have any o~ thme left dellltut< ofcomfort m rhetcparung. 1 know .ll not whom I can feare, while I knowwhom I havebdeeved;how can 1 bedifcouraraoed with the light ofmy lolfe, when I feefo ckere an advantage~ "what difcomfort Is this,to leave a fraile body,eo be joyned unto a glorious head ~ To for fake vaine pleafures,falfhoQours,bootleffe hopes,unfatisfying wealth,ftormy coorentments fill full men, perillous ,.,otations,a rea of troubles, a gailyoffcrvitude aod evill world, and a coofuming life; for Freedome, Refr, Happinelfe, Eternitiel And if thou werr fenrenced, 0 my !oule, to live a thoufaod yeares in this body, with chefe infirmities, how wouldell thou be wearie, nor o~beiog ontly, but ofcomplai . ning ~ Whiles, ere the firft hundred, I !hould be a chrld; <re the _fccond, a be~ it 1 a !lone, ere rhe third; and therefme !hould be fo farre from findmg pleafure to my cqminuance, that I lhould not have (cnfe enough left, to feele my fclfe miferable. And when 1 am uuce gone, what difference is there betwixt tbe agedll ofrhe firtt C Patriarchs,1nd me,aod the chlid that did bur .live tobe borne,fave onely inwhat was; and that which was, is not~ And if this body had no weaknelfe, to make my life tedious, yet what atorment is it, that while I live, I mutt finne ~ Alas my loulr, every one of thy knowne fins is not a difea!i:, but a death. What an enemie an thou to thy fclfe,ifthou canll nor be concent,that one bodily dearb lhould excufe thee from many fpiriruall ; to coil off thy body, that thou mayell be frripped of the rags, yea the letters of thy finne, and cloathedwith the Robes of glory~ Yet thefe termes aro too hard :Thou lhalr not be call otf, 0 my body; rarh<r thou !halt be putto making: tbischmge is no lelfe happy forrhee, then forthy partner. This very •kin of thine, which is now tawoie, and wrinkled, fnall once fi1inc; thi<emh fiu ll he heaven, this D dull fhall be glorious: Thefe eyes,that are nowwearie of being wirnclfes ofthy fins and miferies,lhall thtn neverbe weary offeeing the beauty ot thy Saviour, and thine owne in his: Thefe eares,that have be<ne no\~ tormented with the impious tonguos ofmen, lhall firll hear< the voiceofthe SonneofGod, and then the voices ofS:iints and Angels io their fongs of Aflti•J•h.- And this tongue, rhar now complaines ofmiferies, and fear<s,fltall then bearea part in that divine harmony. la the meane time, thou !haltbudleep in this bed ofear:h: he that hath tried rhe worll ofdeath,harh called it oo worfe;very Heathens have termed them coulins·and it is no unufuall thing for coufms ofblood, to carry both the fame names &feat~ res. Hall thou wont,O my body,when the day harh wearied thee,to lie down unwillin"- ly to thy·rell~ B<nold in this !leep there is more quiemclfe,more pleafure ofvifion~ E m?re certain!ie ofwaking, morochearefulnelfein 1iling: why then arc thou loth,; th_m~e oflaymg off thy rags, and repo!ing thy fe_lfe ~Why arr thou like a child, un. wtllmg ro goeto bed!Haft thou ever fe~ne. any b~td,which when the cage hath been opene~, would rather fir fttll and ling w;rhm her graces, then flie forrh umo her freedame m rh~ woods~ Hall thou ever feene any prifoaer, in love wirh his bolcs and fetters~ Dtdt.he Cbiefe ofthe Apoflles,;vhen the !\ngcl! ofGod ~tined in his Jayle, and ftrooke htrn on the fide, and loafed hiS two chames,and h•d : h1m, Arife quickly, and opened both the \yoodd<n, and Iron gate,fay,What, fo foone~yer,a little fieep! What madnelfe had 1t be~ne, rather to fiumber betwixt his two Keepers, then ro follow the Angel_! ofGod mto hberry ~ Hall thou ever frene any Mariner that hath falured theSea w•th fangs, ani! the Haven with !cares ~ What fitall I fay ro this diffidence,O my foule,that thQU an unwillmg eo thmk ofrefi after thy toi!e,offreedome after The compati· fons,
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