â—his Children utteâ—â—◠〈…〉 opportunity he usually helps when all other helps fail that we may â—he more strongly cleave to him and ground our selves upon him as knowing how infirm we are if he confirm us not When mans Cruse of Oyl is dry and fails can drop no more then is Gods time to prepare his Thus helpt he the Israelites at the Red Sea when all mans strength and wisdom was at a stand He loves to be seen in the Mount in extremities These are the truest glasses to shew Gods truth power wisdom goodness and to shew to man his own Nothingness Valeant humana praesidia quae nos deserunt modo in anima spes firma maâ—eat Deum nobis servatorem non de fore qui saepe gentem harc eripuit exitio Philo Iud. in Legat. ad Cajum Emptiness Vanity that he can do nothing with the strongest brawn of his own fleshly arm We should never learn rightly this Lesson of dependance upon God alone if he did not delay deliverance oft-times to the very failing of our Spirits 1. Art thou then in that shiâ— which is tossed and Christ sleepâ— and helps thee not doth thy spâ—rit fail in struggling with the stroâ— sense of inward misery want 〈◊〉 Grace or want of the joy 〈◊〉 Grace Learn at that time tâ— look on thy condition aright Looâ— not on thy self in thy self but looâ— upon thy self in the Saints seâ— thy case in the Saints commoâ— case Thou art not singular God sheep have commonly been thuâ— markt Thou thinkest God has forgotten thee yes he has forgot thee as he forgot his Children heretofore Thus he forgot David Job Paul they were brought to perplexity though not to despair we are cast down but not destroyed I intreat thee tell me if this â—hy comfortless estate shall bring thee the jocund offspring of the world whom conscience sleeping never troubles â— Cor. 4.8 9. Cain the Builder Jubaâ— the merry Musitian worldly Nabal carnal Ishmael temporizing Demas or any of that fleshly Tribe who never knew one sigh of a penitent heart nor ever came â—ear to the failing of their spiâ—it in waiting upon God O no â—hou sayest it is fearful to be sorâ—ed with these whose Candle God will put out who spend their days in jollity Job 11.13 and in a moment â—umble into the grave But now the Lord has dealt well with thee having joyned thee to the number of his own thus hath he scourged though not in the same degree every Son and Daughter he has received thus have they been taught to mourn before him Great joy ought it to be to us that we bear the same Livery and Badge upon earth which they once wore who are now the blest Courtiers of Heaven The Apostle was so far from troubling himself for it that he bids all others cease troubling him and take heed what they do to him for he carries in his body the noble marks of sufferings and wounds for Christ he gloried in it Gal. 6. Let no man henceforth trouble me for I bear in my body the marâ— of the Lord Jesus O high dignâ—tion to be like Christ in any 〈◊〉 state yea though it be in hâ— sweating suffering and sighiâ— out his My God my God why haâ— thou forsaken me 2 Cor. 4.10 For if we bear â—bout the dying of the Lord Jesus is for our future comfort that the liâ— of Jesus may be manifest in our moâ—tal bodies Remember we theâ— always that be our spirits neveâ— so low Gods dearest Childreâ— have been in the same pit yea anâ— lower than we and yet God aâ— length raised them up from thesâ— hopeless depths Psal 22.15 Psal 119.82 They cried tilâ— their tongues failed with long praying for deliverance theiâ— eyes failed with waiting theiâ— hands failed with being lifâ— up And yet which of these waited upon God in vain None of them tell us amongst all these failings that God failed and did not at length give them their hearts desire Meque istis potius societ quam congreget illis Prosper in Verse de Providentia Quos jam summoto permisit verbere cursu Ire voluntatis Use 2 Let the failing spirit be directed to take Davids course though he cried out of failing yet he failed not of crying to his God The weaker we are it should make us cry the faster So long as the Spirit of prayer fails not in us so long the Spirit of power will not fail to uphold us only cry we as men far cast down Lord if thou wilt forsake me yet Lord forsake me not long Psal 119.8 Defect enim Spiritus meus ut impleat me Spiritus tuus Prosper in Psalm Esai 40.29 30 31. My spirit now fails me that thy Spirit may help fill me for so some gloss upon this Verse For this is is the ground of the application of Gods Promise and for our encouragement Are we weak now is the time come he promised to help us He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength Even the youths shall faint and be wearâ— and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lorâ— shall renew their strength c. Anâ— again when we are thinking 〈◊〉 I shall never get out of this troublesome evil the Lord answers Fear not Esa 41.10 for I am with thee be nâ— dismayed for I am thy God Yeâ— but I have no more strength tâ— wait upon God then have wâ— Gods answer I will strengthe thee I will help thee O but thâ— Cross is so heavy I shall fail anâ— perish under it No saith he will uphold thee with the right hanâ— of my righteousness Here is 〈◊〉 large and liberal promise Thoâ— hast Gods Word Gods handâ— Gods help Gods strength thoâ— mayst utterly fail if his strengtâ— fail thee If thou criest on him tâ— look at his Promises and remember his Covenant with his Children he cannot finally neglecâ— thee unless Christ sleep in his seaâ— of intercession or his memory perish that he forgets his Children or he forget his own hands where his Childrens names and necessities are ingraven Esa 54.11 For this end in crying and calling upon him the failing spirit may plead with these two strengthening Arguments As first that it stands much for Gods glory that he do help us in respect of ungodly and impious men Thus may it be urged If thou suffer my spirit to fail and me to perish then Lord thou losest not only thy Creature but thy Glory also let none of thy glory be diminisht Psal 79 10. For why should the Heathen say where is now their God If God cast off his Children and give them not deliverance Religion would receive a great blow and ungodly men would speak evil of his ways and worship They whose service is sin when they see Gods devout Children are at a low ebb in a deep extremity then they throw dung in
him he is sometimes joyed with a sense of Gods love by and by in sorrow through some growing afflictions his months are sometimes watry as April sometimes mirthful as May and yet by all these varieties his field of sanctification becomes more fruitful All the months of Jobs years were not alike Job 29.2 O that I were saith he as in the months past What were those seasons lightsome days prosperous favourable Gods Candle burnt over my head all went with a sweet stream But now he possesses months of grief and darkness he goes mourning without the Sun Job 30. yet we know all these wrought for his good the glory of his patience the excellencie of his affiance the worthiness of his hope when the blind eye of man could espie nothing but what appeared hopeless These changes of joy sorrow are not because the Lord is changed for he is immutable and changes not but they signes of our changeableness When God bestows good things on us and his favour is towards us we are ready to change this into occasion of pride and security thereupon the Lord strips us of our consolations and sends some Messenger of Satan to buffet us lest we should be puft up or because we are puft up 2 Cor. 12â— 1. Lest we should for prevention And is not this for oâ—r good when the poyson is taken out 〈◊〉 our hands which we are ready tâ— drink 2. Because we already are foâ— our humiliation and is not this foâ— our good also that like Tenant we might acknowledge of whom we hold In a short time yoâ— shall see David both up and down Psal 30.6 by the Lords hand so setting him in prosperity up by his own security Ver. 7. I shall never be moved Presently he is down down by the Lords hiding his face as a pricking of this windy Bladder that his proud confidenec may fall and down in own sad apprehensions then I was troubled and saw how quickly the Lord can abase our highest thoughts and turn away his face from us We do not always finde God writing pleasant Epistles to his Children he sometimes writes bitter things Reason It must be thus to make good the difference 'twixt Earth and Heaven Earth is a place of change and variation in Heaven all things always continue alike The Sun if it rise with us in its very rising it is passing from us to the West In Heaven the glorious light rides always in the East there is no declination nor setting the Lord is an everlasting light Here all things are full of Transitions joy sits but while then sorrow takes the room Eccl. 1 4. One generation passeth and another cometh In our way to Heaven we must look for change of ways many turnings only at our journies end we finde a good and always remaining good estate durable and immutable When once we come in presence of that face of glory there is no Cloud can ever be interposed 'twixt us and it to hide it from us Earth would be too like Heaven if our good things did fasten their foot with us and we should know no change Reason 2 This sorts with the nature of man who cannot well coniinue and endure in any stayed estate to use it aright He cannot keep within his measure If he be full he will burst like a bottle unleâ—â— God give him some vent If 〈◊〉 be empty he will burst with impatience unless God put som meal into the barrel Mans hanâ— is paralytick cannot hold the ballance even one of the Scales goe too low by too much sorrow oâ— is lifted up by too much presumptuous and secure joys 2 Cor. 2. We cannot well grieve but over-grieve and when we joy we are subject to be over joyed Only we have a wise God that knows our temper and whereof we are made and so disposes of us that we shall sometimes have matter oâ— patience in our afflictions other times matter of praise and thanks in a condition more easie and prosperous Surely I think these two excellent vertues would scarcely be found were it not for the vicissitude and changes of sweet and bitter For where would God get his due thanks if he did not sometimes manifest his face and favour to his Children and what use had we for patience Heb. 10.36 if God suffered us not sometimes to wait for his countenance to shine on our persons and his accptance of our prayers and grant of our desires Here is now some work for that Grace Use Doth God work our good by such contrary means This should teach us to weigh Gods work with his own weights and to look into his dealings with us with better eyes than those of humane wisdom The wisdom of men is but foolishness with God it cannot give a true censure of his actions If God work not by visible and probable means and instruments such as man would imagine the fittest we then conclude our vain expectance of a good end from such strange proceedings We if we had seen Christ put clay and spittle in a mans eyes should be ready to shoot our bolts of folly and to think what fault has the man committed thus to have his eyes put out Alas weak wisdom Consider the workman it is Christ who can bring light out of darkness heal with wounding fetch water out of flints and beget good to be brought out of the womb of evil That God who made waters stand like a wall who quickned the dead and barren womb of Sarah that God who made a Maiden a Mother Was not the Virgin Mary meter anandros parthenos brephotrophos Joan. Euchaitens in Jambic Gen. 1.11 16. who raised the Prince of righteousness glory out of a Manger who made the earth bring forth fruit before there was a Sun to shine upon it that God I say who works by contrary means and without means why should we distrust him working by unlikely means He turns away his face from thee it is for thy good to strengthen thy faith in waiting and praying to bring thee to loath and distaste worldly comforts when thou findest so little health and help in them and to raise thy affections to run the faster him When we think God is so angry with us Psal 39. as no better end can be expected than that his sore strokes should consumes us and make an end of us then has the Lord worthy ends intended working for his own glory and his Childrens fuller consolation thereby for it is the priviledge of his Divine Power to effect matters far above all that we can either ask or think or conceive with the most quick eye of humane wisdom Ephes 3. What if we be cast into the dungeon with Joseph cannot God bring him through this room and make it the high way to seat him a Compeer with Pharaoh though cast out with Moses into the Bullrush-boat it may be God sees this the ready way
tell us of taking good heed to these two things which are the complex of the whole counsel of God Acts 20. 27. Repentance towards God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ Or lastly take his unum magnum his one great point of exercise To have always a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Men. Act. 24.16 Gen. 5.12 All comes to this one to imitate Enochs holy Peripateticks to walk with God continually Many things of beauty and novelty are lookt after in this World outwardly glorious and rich things are applauded men and great persons dote upon rarity and splendors of this World and think those men are in a kind of Heaven though they be very fairly forward in a way to Hell Plato in Tâ—aeâ— Thus the glorious Tent and Tabernacle of the great Persian Kings were called Ouranoi the Heavens you have learnt better to know Christ in the Soul and the Soul in Christ to be Heaven upon Earth He that believeth hath everlasting life What a glorious vanity was that of Kings of Cusco and Mexico one of them having a glorious Garden where all the Trees Fruits Lord St. Aug. Herbs Plants Flowers according to order and greatness they have in a Garden were curiously framed in Gold and in his Cabinet all the living Creatures were known in Earth or Sea curiously fashioned and cast in Gold A princely Heathenish vanity would make his life no better then a St. Augustine calls this life A shadow in Moonshine which is little more then shadow of a shadow I know you more study to have all the fair flowers of Heaven Faith Patience Humility Meekness Love of Christ Thankfulness c. cast in a sanctified model by Gods Spirit kept in your heart and life exceeding massy gold Carlo Boccomeo Bp. of Millain Canonised for a Saint said well A Bishop should have no Garden but the holy Scriptures Go you on still to make Prayer your Garden and Flowers and by holy glorifying of God as St. Chrysostome directs Give up your five spiritual senses to wait on God continually For the Soul has spiritual seeing smelling tasting touching hearing which in their way applyed to God and his manifestations you shall not only please God but give him Musick and be his Decachorda Cithara St. Chry. in op Imperfecto in cap. 22. S. Matth. Hom. 24. his ten stringed Harp to praise him No farther will I detain you but pray for you that you may have support of Gods Spirit in your great infirmities tryals and gravid years to answer them from Heaven with grace sufficient for you and very efficient in you that when your strength of flesh and heart fails you God may come in with fresh store and assure you of Holy Asaphs viaticum that he will be the strength of your heart your portion for ever He the Guide Faher of his Israel lead you till per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a right Christian comfortable death he bring you ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to an immortal life which all good Mortals wait for by Jesus Christ the blessed Purchaser and unfailing Preparer of it So prays your observant servant in the Lord. T. C. THE EPISTLE To the READER FAith and assurance the Christians Ourania is better worthy Wooing and fighting for then the Grecians Helena the one is but the subject of a worm-eaten beauty the other carries with it a decor and beauty that no old age no not Eternity it self can wrinkle or furrow with uncomeliness holy Souls find it hard in the getting and meet with 〈◊〉 task that makes them imploâ— all their shoulders and sinews foâ— the keeping of it The Labours of the Saints to fight with the Monsters that Satan sets on work against them 2 Cor. 2.11 Revel 2.24 the scruples doubts fears distempers temptations hellish methods noemata and depths of the Serpent do put a name of softness and facility upon all Hercules his labours Phil. 1.6 Phil. 4.13 sore tryals with Beasts and Men yet this is their comfort their help is more for Christ having begun his Grace will stand by them and work for them till all his Heavenly business be perfected and though the Serpent may rend the Skin and wound the flesh of the Heel yet Gods Servants shall end in capite in the Head both bruising the Head of the Serpent and being sure to have the benefit as members of Jesus Christ their Head of whom they hold The first of these Texts was addressed and dressed for the wounded Heel of a gracious Saint that was struck sick by the Serpent of which sore drinking up the moysture of her Spirits she was dangerously deeply and distressfully sick lying in the valley of the shadow of death 3 Quarters of a Year day and night combating with God about Ecclipses of his Face desertions manifestations of wrath apprehensions of hell which squeezed out frequent confessions and complaints of an estate worse then Cains an owning of the Sin against the Holy Ghost a challenging reprobation as its due portion And besides the sense of an angerful God there was continual combating with the spiteful Spiriâ— of Hell every day ready tâ— write its own Epitaph with the blackest letters of damnation and a lost Soul All these accompanied with solitude and secrecie with two three days together fasting praying and weeping till the eyes were turned into buckets and few spiritual comforters and legati pacis to be met withal save one spirit of Grace that had bound up the Soul in this Resolution Though God will not be my God yet I will die praying and seeking after him and a poor messenger of God who having but a little Oyl in his cruse by dayly dropping of it into the wound it both increased and healed with the dropping It pleased God at length to make the winter and sad weaâ—her of this storm-beaten â—â—â—l to be over end so as the flowers appeared singing of birds was come and the voice of the Turtle was heard a cheerful Soul began sweetly to sing in its Cage of Clay The sorrows were deep the comforts rose very high and as once wormwood waters were drunk in the Cellar of bitterness and the banner over the Soul seemed in â—reat letters to have it The Lord hath forsaken me Cant. 2. Isa 49.14 Now â—t is led into the Wine Cellar of of Gods promises the sweetest comforts are broached and drunk and the Lords banner of love is spread over Here Heaven out of Heaven and some of the masters joy descended down before the Soul ascended up to it After the Vesseâ— had been seasoned some months with this unknown and admirable new Wine of living comforts Largissimum quoddam caeli gremium Bernard in Cantic Ita mihi visus sim tanquam unus ex illis beatis esse O Si duresset Idem in cantic Ser. 23. the Lord by a Chariot of sickness and that a violent one
Spirit his power to sustain him his Grace to quicken him all earnestly desired these are the substance of this holy Psalm what the Father saith of that Verse Monachus qui non vigilat hunc versum non potest dicere Hieron in Psal 77. Psal 77 4. Thou holdest mine eyes waking c. a sleepy Monk cannot say that Verse the same may I say in another kinde a sleepy secure Christian that mourns not for his sins and by faith and patience not earnestly trusting and waiting upon God cannot truly say this The Psalm is a congress for a Combat or a pitched field 'twixt faith and distrust the old and new man in the Soul of a sanctified man distrust of the flesh arms it self with a multitude of sorrows and fainting with waiting for Gods delayed help Faith in the new man comes strengthened with a multitude of Gods mercies against the multitudes of miseries waiting to spie Gods face though he do for a while hide it yea as winning the Battel Ver. 9 10 stedfastly concluding Though thou hide thy face yet art thou my God and my hiding place Here about Gods help we have David requesting and reasoning with God The request are two the reasons two to move the Lord to grant his re-requests 1. Request is for audience and that speedily Hear me speedily O Lord. And that is backt with reason why What haste why begest thou for so speedy hearing He gives the reason My spirit fails I can hold out no longer 2. Request is for light of Gods countenance Hide not thy face from me 2. Reason for that is the present peril he is in even ready to die If thou hide thy face Lord I shall perish and accompany them that lie in the pit We may frame him to our understanding as if he thus pleaded with the Lord Sum and Sense How long O Lord wilt thou shut out my prayers look upon me and behold how low I am brought O hear me quickly lest my tired spirit give over lest my faint heart which has now no more strength to subsist without thy help do quite break off as drowned in the whirl pit of my deep sorrows Now at length O Lord after my long waiting send and let shine the light of thy countenance upon me which may glad my Soul shew me thy face which may raise me up again else if thou still delay what is there can keep me alive any longer from the company of them that are laid in the grave and sleep under the câ—oâ—s of death my life without sense of thy love being worse than death .. Doctr. First request Hear me speedily David he is in trouble and he betakes him to prayer Prayer is the sovereign Remedy the Godly flie to in all their extremities The Saints in sorrows have fled for comfort and healing unto Prayers and Supplications Heaven is a shop full of all good things there are stored up blessings and mercies this the Children of God know who flie to this shop in their troubles begging for help from this holy Sanctuary Psal 77.2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. When any vexation makes our life grievous unto us what should we seek but help of whom should we seek but of the Lord how should we seek Psal 116.3 4. but by prayer My sore saith he ran and ceased not so his Soul ran and ceased not to pray to the Lord. When the sorrows of death compassed him and the pains of hell got hold upon him what was his course then he got hold of the Lord and prayed unto him right humbly Then called I upon the name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my Soul We have to confirm this for a sure and saving way Precept Practice Promise Performance 1. Precept God commands us to pray at all times especially in sad times Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me He commands us to depend on him for deliverance and calling upon him is the best dependance 2. Practise the Godly have walked in this way which God has prescribed All Davids Psalms will witness that he coupled his troubles and prayers together Psa 6. Psal 38. So Hezekiah Esa 38.2 at hearing the message of death sent to the Lord a message of Prayers So Nehemiah in Jerusalems destruction Nehem. 1.4 5. sought succour to her distress by prayer 3. Promise the Lord hath armed us in our Petitions with hope Esa 65.24 John 16.23 which is made up of sure Promises we shall not pray to one that is deaf assoon as we can finde our tongue we shall finde his ear Every humble praying sinner shall have a hearing and helping Saviour 4. Performance all Saints are ready to subscribe We prayed the Lord has performed and delivered This poor man cried Psal 34.6 and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles This poor woman even Hannah prayed 1â— aâ— â— 19 2â— and the Lord heard her he gaver her Samuel the thing she asked of God as the name signifies All the Saints cry and by experience witness the Lords performance upon their prayers we have swimmed say they in all Seas of sorrows ready to sink but prayer hath held up our heads I was in the stocks I prayed and am delivered saith Joseph in the Lyons den by prayer I muzzeled those cruel Beasts that they did not bite saith Daniel our bed was made in the fire our coverings violent flames prayer prevailed with the Lord to cool all this heat say the three Children God has thus performed he will still perform our evils are no greater God is not deafer he can still deliver for he is as strong he will still deliver for he is as loving and gracious he must hear and deliver us for he is faithful and will not deny his Seal and Promise which he hath given us Use Away then with all broken reeds learn we not to lean on or to trust to vain confidences flying to carnal remedies in our evils Is there any evil which the Lord hath not wrought Are we in some trouble the arm of Heaven sent it the arm of flesh cannot remove it Has God wounded thee seek not then to the Devil or the Witch his Agent for a Plaister Art thou in poverty trust not to unlawful shifts they may raise thee up again in the world they cast thee twice as low in the world to come O the folly of worldly men who think with pleasures to drown their sorrows with mirth to stop the mouth of Conscience and to laugh away the burden of their evils Jer. 3.23 In vain is salvation hoped for from the mountains if God wound worldly comforts are but foolish Physick There is no way like this to fly to him by Prayer when we trust to earthly helps we take no notice of Gods hand Secondly 2 Use Lawful means
may not be neglected carnal and sinful means may not be used Better use none but prayer then use all without prayer As carnal and evil helps are to be avoided so let this give an exhortation for direction to the Sovereign means of help in all our necessities and exigencies to betake us unto prayer that even for the time we pray will mitigate and alleviate the evil and in Heavens appointed time will obtain a removal of it The voice of a good heart is that of the Prophets Hos 6 1â— Come let us return to the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us c. Tender before God your troubled spirits lay before him all your sorrows he will be overcome by fervent prayer to lay unto them an equal yea a far more surpassing weight of mercies in giving a gracious deliverance The Prophet knew the vertue of prayer to be so powerful that he falls a wondring why God can be angry with his people that prays Psal 80.4 For how can God be angry with a â—ruly praying heart unless he will be angry with his own Spirit which teaches to pray yea which frames the Petitions his Children put up unto him God cannot be displeased and continue his wrath if there continue in me his Spirit of prayer for then there should be discord 'twixt God the Father and the Holy Spirit when yet they are but one God If we pleaded with the bare spirit of man our Weapons were but Vitrea tela Weapons of Glass Austin as the Father calls Hereticks Arguments quickly broken of no force but being assisted by the Spirit of Grace what shall stand in our way not tribulation not anguish not sorrow of minde not temptations of Devil not malice of men not the failings of our own hearts for he that hath given us his Son to intercede above and his Spirit to intercede below for us and in us how shall he not wtth them give us all things else especially things concerning his Service If God have any marks for his sheep sure this is one that they call upon God and are accustomed in all their needs to shew their rent fleeces their weakness their evils to the eye and ear of the great Shepherd of their Souls by prayer If there be and so carnally foolish as will cavil at and seâ—m this Heavenly habit of prayer saying Who can shew us any good that comes from it many pray but where is their Cross removed and blessings conferred by it Zcch 12.10 to such this good we can shew that though their deliverance do not appear yet this appears a signe of their adoption and which shall certainly bring them peace at the last when all carnal men shall be accursed Psal 14.4 who have carried this mark of Goats that they loved not to call upon God Besides this good shall certainly come their afflictions are sanctified to them by prayer and a sweet communion and fellowship is maintained 'twixt God and the Soul which is the only Heaven to be had upon earth Verse Here are two errors about prayer would be avoided The first of wicked men who despise small evils and use not to fly to the remedy of prayer but at some sore plunge and last pinch when the Boat has tried all other Oars and cannot be brought safe into the Haven It is not the custom of them that are unaccostomed to Godliness not to betake themselves to prayer till worldly helps are out of joynt and cannot help them Then when worldly means will not delp our decayed estate the last refuge is to call on God When the Apothecaries pots cannot draw them out of the bed of sickness after all prayer chuses God for the Physition Mark 5. When 12 years Physick will do no good then the diseased woman cares not to ask Christ his counsel When death or the utmost end of any evil approaches then doth the worldly spirit turn to God because he cannot work it out himself an evil ordering when God must be put in the second and last place Thus justly doth God suffer men to despise small Crosses till they by neglect of prayer grow vehement and immense like waters from the ankle to the chin Well worth St. Austine who In Confess lib. 9. when his teeth did but ake did flie unto prayer and desired them that were present with him to pray for him and with him whereas we only foolishly ungodlily do desire the prayers of others and fly to our own prayers only when evils are grown great and ripe Be our evils never so small yet they may grow greater unless we take prayer the remedy for prevention Second error is of Godly men who by the greatness of their sins or afflictions are kept and affrighted from prayer as if it were only able to remove lighter burdens nay rather they should be more diligent in prayer by how much more vehement their anguish is If your evil be so great why do you encrease it Expectation of deliverance from the most leaden and heaviest weights is not hopeless unless we be prayerless This is as if some silly one should argue Strong ropes and good tacklings firm Masts and whole Sails are profitable in a calm Sea but in a storm and violent tempest nothing will hold all will be broken with the Winâ—s yea â—â—â—â—â—â—less if in our calm or evilâ—â—â—â—â—eâ— be profitable much more is it necessary when the winds blow the rain fall and the storms beat for this will underprop and stablish a Christian to keep him from falling But against prayer in those cases the Godly deeply afflicted have to shifts Fain would we pray 1 Shift but in our prayers we finde no delight no spiritual rellish in this duty and what shall we get in that if we go about it for which we are so unfit and indisposed so shall we rather provoke God than any way please him This is called driness and barrenness in spiritual exercises yet why should this hinder us be our hearts never so dry and barren this is the way to moisten them It may be through the trouble of our hearts we finde no delight in our devotions John 5. we know the Angel was in the Pool when the waters were stirred and troubled so though we think our troubled tumultuous thoughts unfit to meet and commune with God in prayer yet even then Gods Spirit can move in those troubled waters our unfitness cannot hinder the fitness of Gods Spirit whose best and most prevailing language is troublesome groans and sighs that cannot be exprest Rhm. 8. We may go to God unfit for prayer and yet be marvellously fitted by him that works upon hearts in the very act of prayer Yea surely a prayer which is put to God constrainedly not to please our selves for we find no tast pleasant in it but reemly to obey God because it is his will is very acceptable to him The more humble we are in
the reason in us is that to the Hebrews Heb. 12.11 all chastisement for the time is sharp and uncooâ—h some affliction is grievoâ—◠〈…〉 present to mankind◠〈…〉 â—mong some Priests 〈…〉 Baal thâ—◠〈…〉 â—e lancing of 〈…〉 foolish â—â—â—rs of the Romans Baal 〈◊〉 dâ—â—ght foâ— penance to lash and whip their own skins few or else none but they shrink at the Cross Or we may fetch the Reason Reason 2 from the common appetite and desire of the unreasonable Creatures the withered hand of meer sense leads the poorest Creature to seek for its own ease and quiet the simple Bird would have speedy deliverance from the Cage Use Take we heed that we do not so dote upon speedy help that for it we venture the loss of Gods love and the breach of his Commandments Never so affect speedy release unless it may come in at the right door Do we suffer hard things do we cry how long O where is he that shall deliver me yet take we heed that Gods wisdom be not thrust out of the Chair and carnal Policie put in the room of it There are such unlawful shifts and shifters that when they have waited a while and help comes not they bid farewel to dependance on God and as it were resolve we will tarry no longer come brains plod for release now Policie and arm of fleshly helps play thy part now carnal shifts invent a means of safety I do confess we may thus get a deliverance but it 's a deliverance with a vengeance when there is neither Gods Hand and Seal at it nor our faith in it it proceeds from an incredulous impatient heart to say when help is deferr'd with that impious King Why should I wait for the Lord any longer 2 King 6.33 If we love help and release let us cleave only to God that Rock of help and look for it only at his hand It comes soon enough and in a good time what time soever it come if it come from him Use 2 2. Let them that are in distress learn not only to call upon God but to call waiting and to tarry the Lords leisure lest we make too much speed God may love thee though he do not presently deliver thee and thou must learn to trust in God though with Simon of Cyrene thou travel a long way with an heavy Cross upon thy neck He that believeth maketh not haste for in too much haste we we may come to stumble in Gods service As the Prophet confesses his hastiness made him stumble being long afflicted Psal 116.11 He said in his haste all men were lyars that thought there were hopes of deliverance When we in passion cry out God has forgotten me do's not our patience stumble our confidence doth it not here cath a fall and cannot keep his feet Beware lest Satan give thee a reed instead of a staff and cause thee in thy weakness to think God is weak and I am now past remedy or his truth is weak he will not keep promise to deliver me Oftentimes Satan raises in the minds of Gods afflicted ones an hard conceit of God that he loves them not that he cares not for them and all is by dashing them upon this Rock because he delays and doth not speedily help them It is a point of precious wisdom to learn with Paul and Silas to sing in the stocks to be a Scholar in Jobs form praising God even upon the dunghil patiently expecting deliverance though it come with a slow foot Quod non verisimile scribit Joan Gerar. 1 Vossius de Orig. Idololat lib. 3. cap. 44. The Jews Hebrew Language 't is thought by some shall be used in Heaven but their words in the desart are the very Language of Hell to murmure grumble and repine at the Lords doings if the Salve be not as ready as the sore and meat as ready as their appetite This same speedy deliverance is good but to trust and depend upon the Lord in his Word of Truth when help lingers and is long a coming this is far better Gladly would I with good Jonathan shoot some Arrows 1 Sam. 20 55 36. to let David in his trouble know what to do and how to collect that we may have the Lords love and the Lords Rod both together and a long time to scourge us without ease and speedy help and thus I shoot them in these considerations it may be some instead of Jonathans Boy will gather them and take them up 1. Consider that the Lords reasons are for thy good though he do not speedily deliver thee now the Lord means to try what is in thee thou madest good shews in the day of prosperity and ease now he has brought thee to the proof to see if thou madest not false flourishes and gave the view of Clouds without any water in them Jude ver 12. He has brought thee into the field to see how thou canst clasp hold of him and wrastle with faith and patience There were fair promises as great as Peters in thy mouth he has brought thee into the High Priests Hall to try what is in thy heart 2 Chron. 32.31 thus he tried Hezekiah God loved Joseph though in the stocks yet he made not that haste he desired to help him he suffered the Butler to forget him this was harsh that both God and man should seem to fail him yet was it for his profit and proof all this while was the Lord a trying him in his affiance patient dependance and then he must be delivered and the Prince looses him and sets him free Psal 105.28 19 20. when the time of Gods Word is come and when the Word has tried him our time of deliverance is come when time of trial ends Thus is it with thee look to thy self the Lord is trying thee play thy part of confidence and hope in God well in thy troubles then for one blessing thou expectest thou shalt have two God will both release thee and praise thee Art thou not yet helpt why suffer a while longer thou art not yet tried the Lord knows well enough the way he takes with thee and when thou art tried Job 23.10 thou shalt not only come forth but thou shalt come forth as gold that is tried in the fire fitter by the fire to make a vessel of honour 2. Consider the great benefit that the Lord would bestow on us by deferring help the Lord by this means teaches thee an Art beyond all the seven liberal Sciences the Art of prayer In prayer we have special familiarity with God but prayer in deep affliction comes nearer him than at any other time and is more welcome to him We should never learn to beg right and soundly but by begging often and frequently Often visits breed stronger and dearer acquaintance 'twixt friends I will willingly be acquainted with troubles to get acquaintance with the Lord and his Court of mercy When we are
give warnings of it If love and favour sweeten the disposition of the Soul then a pleased look a chearful eye a gladsome contented countenance will declare the good pleasure and acceptation of the mind According to those variations of Gods face do the Saints vary their prayers one while praying the Lord to shew them his face and the light of his countenance to shine upon them that is to shew them his divine favour and fatherly good pleasure otherwhiles praying him to turn away his face that is his angry countenance and face of displeasure Reas Reason why the life of the faithful lies in Gods loving face is because it is the very life and happiness of the Saints in Heaven For those even in Heaven in the presence of all good things and want of all evils had but a miserable happiness if either God were not present with them or being present if they did not always behold his blessed face of â—ove and favour If this be the â—ife of Heaven much more must â—he comfort of it quicken the â—aints upon earth Use Here will be a fair trial of the â—incerity of a good Christian â—eart hereby may be known 2 Corintâ— 8.8 To â—nesion tes ' agapes the sincereness and genuineness of our love wheâ—her our service and obedience be grounded upon a right love to God or no. How are we affected to the Lord do we lay up all our treasure in his love and loving countenance can we content and â—uiet our hearts with this that God is well pleased with us in the midst of our calamities Canst thou say in the midst of ease riches friends honour and the fullest streams of wordly contentment Alas foolish vanities one glance of Gods face the perswasion of Gods favour do I delight in more than all you yea I had rather be the basest footstool of the world with Gods love than a glorious Monarch with a graceless Soul Wicked men always love Gods hand better than his face the gifts better than the giver Give them the worlds marrow and fatness let their Corn and Wine and Oyl increase let them walk in Sunshine of earthly prosperity and they never finde a want of inward assurance of Gods love in the Soul they want eyes to see the want of spiritual life and want Grace to long after Gods countenance to shine upon their Souls in sanctification and true peace The worlds voice is who will shew us any good that is gifts of Gods hand but the Godlies voice is Psal 4. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us If thou canst make it all thy care to keep the assurance of Gods love and all thy joy to rejoyce in his face when thou hast it and make it all thy grief that nothing can comfort thee when thou wantest it all thy labor for to regain it doubtless thy love to God is sincere and true you are reconciled ones for one friend cannot brook the absence of another Use 2 What esteem will this teach us to give to the life of a wicked man doth he live who wants the Spirit of life the face of Gods favour which is better than life No his life is a spiritual death he may live in the eyes of men but he is a dead stinking Carrion in the eyes of God Dead nay that is not enough he is thrice dead and pluckt up by the roots Jude ver 12. For first he is dead in sin next he is more miserably dead because Gods face is turned away from him he loves him not delights not in him and which is worse than death this wretched Soul perceives it not and is not grieved for it O man pray for an Heavenly light that thy eyes may be opened to see thy misery Thou art merry and jolly for all things fall out to thy wish Thou growest from weak to strong from young to old this is but the life of trees and plants Thou walkest eatest drinkest sleepest well this is but the sensual life of birds and beasts Thou buildest talkest reasonest this is but the life of men even Heathens and strangers to Christ thus thy life passes but alas among all these thou wantest the life of Grace the loving countenance of God in Christ the assurance of salvation by faith in him Thou yet wantest the seeds and principles of a true Christian life and therefore art a poor dead wretch before God and canst not but perish if thou seekest not for better comforts and a better life than these even that Christ may be thy life and visit thy dead Soul with his quickning Spirit Colos 3.4 and set his face of favour upon thee for his own chosen One. This is the misery of a senseless sensual Soul Ahab like to grieve for no wants but only of earthly things If the Children of the most High so hardly come to Heaven with faintings of spirit and approachings to the very grave and pit in seeking Gods face what shall become of them then that count Gods face not worth looking after sure against such the Lord hath set his face of wrath and displeasure for ever Use 3 This will discover the common spring whence these troubled waters arise which so often almost drown the godly Their anguish flows from a mistaking and misinterpretation of this face of favour Facìes hominis est speculum cordis Bernard ad sorot de modo bene viv cap. 65. Whensoever they fall into any temptations they pass an hard sentence against themselves that God has turned awy his face from them and is angry with them because their anguish continues and he doth not presently deliver them When Gods face is towards thee why dost thou deny it the Sun shines though there be a Cloud 'twixt it and me and even now Gods face shines upon thee though Satan hath placed some foggy vapours and clouds of distrust and temptations 'twixt thy Souls eye and it It is no difficulty to prove that we complain of Gods hiding his face when it is not hid from us The best parts of a mans face for comfort is the eye and the ear the one to see and look kindly on us the other to hear us willingly Dost thou though sore afflicted trust in God and wait on him are thy eyes to him then I am sure his eyes are upon thee his eye of pity of love of tender compassion he will not withdraw his eyes from the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayer What wouldst thou have more than an open ear and piteous eye what dost thou in this thy trouble thou callest on God by prayer thou mortifiest every known sin thou labourest to finde God in every promise who guides thee to do this not the tempter for this is the way to break in pieces all his Temptations not thy self for thou knowest not aright what course to take it is because Gods eye is upon thee for his eye guides thee to
these ways Job 36.7 Psal 34 14. Ignoras Agrippa me oculis non minus quam vâ—ce loqui solere Cajus Agrip Philo Iud de Legat. ad Câ—â—um Profecto in oculis animus habitat Plin. lib. 11. cap. 37. I will guide thee saith the Lord with mine eye And they say the seat of Love though it be in the face yet it is specially in the eye Again Gods ear is towards thee thou prayest and he hears thou beggest strength and comfort he gives the first he delays but the last he gives thee the comfort of strength makes thee able to hold out in thy trouble though he do not yet give thee the strength of comfort to get out of thy trouble Surely we want not his face and favour when we have thus his good eye and gracious ear and can say to to the Tempter Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall Psal 32.9 Vid. Guazzum de civil convers lib. 4. de oculorum vi in amore Sunt cordis fenestrae pedisse qui. but the Lord hath been my helper What wantest thou then of his face nothing but one word from his mouth that he would speak peace to thee and say within thee in the voice of his Spirit I am thy salvation This I know is that the Saints oft-times want Psal 118.13 Psal 35.3 Proverb 12.25 Cupiendi amoris visus est ansa Plutarch His mouth is most sweet Cant. 5.16 Cant. 2.14 that God is long silent speaks not comfort to them Heaviness having seized upon the heart of man makes it stoop but then a good word makes it glad One good word from God would build up thy Soul if he should but say Be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee And doubtless this thou hast also he speaks to thee in his promises only Satan and thy wrestling heart drown his voice that thou canst not hear his promises speaking particularly and distinctly to thee In the mean time call and pray unto God that is a seeking of his face and howsoever for a while he stand behind the wall thou seest him darkly but through the windows and he shew himself to thee but through the lattice Cant. 2.9 yet thou shalt in good time enjoy his face of comfort more fully and have a more compleat presence of him bringing sweet consolations to thy wearied Soul Thou hast already his countenance he will grant thee the joy of that countenance I conclude with that discourse of the Father concerning Gods face If God should come saith he and with his own voice speak to you though he is not silent but speaks by his Letters and should say to man Wilst thou sin sin on do what delights thee what ever thou lovest on earth let it be thine whom thou art angry at let him perish whom thou wouldst have taken away let him be taken away whom thou wouldst stay let him be slain whom condemned let him be condemned whom possess thou mayest possess him Let none resist thee none say to thee so much as What dost thou c. Take thee abundance of all earthly things thou desirest live in them and not for a time but for ever only upon this condition thou shalt never see my face Wherefore is your heart smitten if God should say Thou shalt never see my face Behold thou shalt be full of all earthly felicity of all things all temporal good things shall flow about thee thou losest them not never forsakest them what wouldest thou have more Surely chaste fear would weep and lament yea and say Rather let all these things and this felicity be taken from me so I may but see thy face chaste fear would cry out with the Psalmist August in Psal 127. Turn us again O Lord of Hosts let thy face shine on us and we shall be saved Psal 80.19 And One thing I have desired of the Lord that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple Psal 27.4 O Brethren would you know where Paradise is scituate and what Quarter Heaven lies in It lies in Gods countenance and in his reconciled face and the sorest torments of Hell lie in the everlasting hiding away of Gods face O Lord we are helpless Psal 42.5 give us the help of thy countenance When we are in darkness O lift thou upon us the light of thy countenance and our darkness shall be as Noon-day When we are full of sorrow thou shalt make us full of joy with thy countenance Turn thou unto us Act 2. â—8 Psal 80. O God of our salvation cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved The end of the first Book EYE-SALVE FOR The blind World OR An Excitation to the secure World to see and fear the Judgments of God are a coming upon it when God frequently calls his Rare Saints by death to go out of it By THO. CALVERT Mr. of Arts and Minister of Gods Word in York Luke 10.42 But one thing is needful Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her Foelix domus beata semper congregatio est ubi de Maria Martha conqueritur Bernard in Assumpt 6. Ma. Serm 3. London Printed by Fr. Leech for Th. Passenger at the Signe of the the three Bibles upon London-Bridge 1675. EYE-SALVE FOR The blind World ESAI 57.1 The Righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come THe preaching King hath put this among his golden Observations Eccl. 7.8 Constet finem praecipuum esse eo semper spectandum omnia propter illum patienter ferenda Mercer comment in Eccles 7 8. That the end of a thing is better than the beginning His intended purpose therein being to animate the faint-hearted not to start back at the first as afraid of enterprising weighty matters because of an harsh entrance into them Yet the beginning of this Chapter is much better than the end it begins with Christs Legacie Peace to the Righteous but the dregs are bitter at the bottom which the ungodly shall suck up 12 last ver There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Who cares for a blasted Rose or what verdict gives the world on a righteous man in his life but this which the Prophet gives of Christ for his humane base appearance Esa 58.3 there is no form or comliness in him and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him And yet these blind Balaams when they have done Satan all his work would willingly exchange their best wages of unrighteousness for the godly mans Vineyards penny Is it not a misery to see a Soul that hath all the days of this life been drunk with the wine of worldly â—usts the body now standing upon the brink of the
Soul-rusting pride and fashions strange Whose brood's Court Lunaticks in monthly change How many traps alluring baits do lie And rest in naked breasts for an adulterous Eye Tinctur'd by you not she knew not your toys Nor dieted her Soul with Dunghils joys Smells as foul earth your Sophistrie she fled Which makes a two-fac'd Monster with one Head An Act calls God Bungler Blush stars and Sun Art perfects that face Heaven had not well done Three things were deemed precious 〈…〉 Eye Time Faith Christs Blood for which her prayers did vie In first the second by second third she got 'Bove both Indie's treasures a surpassing lot Put to the Trial Temptations hotest flame She du'd endured stood withstood quencht orecame And from Whales belly out of sorrows Hell Of Gods supporting Grace could wonders tell O Heavenliest Art that sweet Experience She could decline Afflictions in each Tense What Present Past and future fruits they bring How Saints do sometimes sink then float and swim Yet here 's not all more Virtues could I pick To puzzle and gravel all Arithmetick Which makes me pity that poor Sâ—agyrite When he did his Ethnick Ethick Volumes write VVhere all the moral Virtues he could count The number of eleven did not surmount Our living Volum fair printed had far more Our little VVorld saith his great world was poor For whose dear sake Grammarians may define Virtue always of Gender femenine Thy death sham'd not thy life thy dearest friend On his day chose thee to him to ascend Thy green years promis'd life Virtue full grown Pronounc'd thy field was ripe fit to cut down Living each one had part of Joys in thee Dying like griefs as having from our Tree Best branch rent off O loved Spousess câ—ys one Dear Daughter another Sister Companion Kind Lady these all Friend boâ—â—â— tyed and true With love engrain'd that never chang'd the hew Thy Battel 's ended Lawrel decks thy brows Deaths livery ours the fadest Cypress boughs Had death spar'd thee a while and given leave ' Mongst us thy friends some legacies to leave Our griefs had lower ebb'd Lo I desire For Legacy some coals of thy hot fire Of Zeal to heat my freezing frigid heart Or else of thy Humility a part ' Gainst innate Pride O thou mightst well have given Thy Love divided amongst six or seven Thy worlds contempt had been an excellent gift That eight or nine amongst us might it shift And knowing our hasty spirits when thou slipt hence Why didst thou not bequeath thy Patience Thou knewst how many walk'd with that bad note Of busie scullers in anothers boat Couldst not thou say Friend take thee this bequest Handle thine own Oars that becomes the best I leave thee it ' cause I lov'd it Thus good heart Thou mighst have given us every one a part I see Death will engross say what we list He scorns our Laws will be a Monopolist I 'le not Chide fate nor curse dire destiny Nor challenge Death to field nor rage and cry O hateful Heavens when Providence will must Have the perledst Mortals once to kiss the dust Here Heart from sighs our Eyes from brackish tears Body from weakness Mind from horrid fears Can't be priviledged Earths Cushions pillows best Be stufft with thorns or life is stuck and drest VVith netles briars Blest be thy Pylat Death VVho hence from Pirats on these Seas beneath Sin Misery Vanity doth our Souls transport Into Heavens blessed Harbour Rests true Port. VVhere neither boistrous North West South or East Raises ambitious VVaves nor yet that Beast Leviathan below can Cables break Or with Temptations make our Pinnace leak VVhere we forget those Threnodies of grief VVeep watery Eyes and VVho can send relief For me Imparâ—dis'd Soul to thee once dear Assistant witness in thy assaults of fear And sore Soul-combates were Saints power to mind As mind here was I should not stay behind For reason and religion both this prove Heaven doubles Gr ce and so it doubles Love Some curious Eyes did look I should rehearse Some light-heel'd lines in a wit-woven verse VVisemen will think the match is very base To lay on cloth of Gold a Buck-rams lace Or motleys purls and edge The sobred Grave Hate feathred leightness and substantials crave Her aims o'rclimb'd the Stars who gravity Sleight neither know themselves nor her nor me Nor eare I what capriccious Judges think Who say here it flatteries mart and Oile for Ink I 'le glew these lines on envious slaunders barr And Twelve of Malice's Clients that would marr A VVorld of honesty shall empaneld be To vent galls verdict ' gainst this verity Truth fears no blasting breath come slander speak Or bite thy lips in anger till th' Heart break Had she no faults yes some thou more none 's free Adam fell once we often sometimes she VVhen Marbles moulder and pounded are to dust Yet fresh shall be the Memorial of the Just When in my Memory enrolled I find thee not Well may I doubt all virtue I hove forgot Sanctities pen writes such an Epicede Quaint'st brains mere Pernasian doth exceed Ermins are vermin base in Arms and Coat Where Grace powders not life with holy note Good Day thou hast gotten bidst us Good night Leaving thy virtuous pattern to guide us right An holy course chalks th' way to Heavenly light Let vain World dress its Carps spit spite fume laugh A Gracious life leaves fairest Epitaph The Epitaph on the Lady Mary Gryffith FRom mothers womb unto earths womb the grave Through th' Worlds desert some years I wandered have Nature gave being Grace well-being Death th' best Heavens happy Being to Soul to Body rest I lie here waiting till the last shrill-voic'd Trump Shall breath new life into this dead Clays lump Then shall be at once two Nuptials solemniz'd Of Body to Glorious Soul and both to Christ O Mortals learn of me make Christ your scope By Prayers and Tears I came to rest in Hope FINIS