much of my life is lavisht away Oh the Intricacies Windings Wandrings Turnings Tergiversations of my deceâ—full Youth I have lived in the middest of a crooked Generation * and with them have turned aside unto * crooked waâ—es High time it is now for mee to make Streight * Paths for my feet and to redeeme what is past by amending what is present and to come Flux Flux in the Germaâ—ne Tongue Quick Quick was a Motâ—o of Bâ—shop * Jewels presaging the approach of his Death May I make good use thereof Make haste Make haste God knows how little time is lâ—st me and may I bee a good Husband to improve the short remnant thereof VI Alwaies the Rising Sunne I Have wondred why the Romish Church do not pray to Saint Abraham Saint David Saint Hezekiah c. as well as to the Apostles and their Successors since Christs time For those antient Patriarks by the confession of Papists were long since relieved out of Lim bo soon out who were never in and admitted to the sight and presence of God especially Abraham being Father of the Faithfull as well Gentile as â—ew would according to their Principles bee a proper Patron for their Petitions But it seemes that moderne Saints rob the old ones of their honour a Garnet or late Bernard of Paris have severally more Prayers made unto them then many old Saints have together New Beesoms sweepe cleane new * Cisternes of fond mens owne hewing most likely to hold water Protestants in some kinde serve their living Ministers as Papists their dead Saâ—uts For aged Pastors who have borâ— the Heat of the Day in our Church are justled out of respect by young Preachers not having halfe their Age nor a quarter of their Learning and Religion Yet let not the former bee disheartened for thus it ever was and will be English-Athenians 〈◊〉 for Novelties new Sects new Schismes new Doctrines new Disciplines new Prayers new Preachers VII Charitie Charitie CHurch Storie reports of Saint John that being growne very Aged well nigh a hundred yeeres old wanting strength and voice to make a long Sermon hee was wont to goe up into the Pulpet and often repete these Words Babes k epe your selves from Idols Brethren Love one another Our Age may seeme suffiâ—iently to have provided against the growth of Idolatry in England O that some order were taken for the increase of Charity It were Liberty enough if for the next seaven yeeres all Sermons were bound to keepe Residence on this Text Brethren Love one another But would not some fall out with themselves if appointed to Preach Unity to Others Vindicative Sâ—irits if confined to this Text would confine the Text to their Passion by Brethren understanding only such of their own Party But O seeing other Monopolies are dissolved let not this remain against the fundamentall Law of Charity Let all bend their heads hearts and hands to make up the breaches in Church and State But too many now a daies are like Pharaohs Magicians who could conjure up * with their Charmes more new Frogs but could not remove or drive away those multitude of Frogs which were there before Unhappily happy in making more rents and discentions but unable or unwilling to compose our former differences VIII The Sensible Plant. I Heard much of a Sensible Plâ—nt and counted it a senselesse relation a rational Beast carrying as little contradiction untill beholding it mine Eyes ushered my Judgement into a beleef thereof My comprehension thereof is this God having made three great Staires Vegetable Seâ—sible and Reasonable Creatâ—res that men thereby might climbe up iâ—to the knowledge of a Deity hath placed somethings of a middle nature as halfe Paces betwixt the Staries so to make the Step lesse and the ascent more easie for our Meditations Thus this active Plant with visible motion doth border and confine on Sensible Creatures Thus in Affrick some most agil and intelligent Marmasits may seeme to shake fore feete shall I say or hands with the rudest Salvages of that Countrey as not much more then one remove from them in knowledg and civility But by the same proportion may not man by custome and improvement of Piety mount himselfe neere to an Angelicall nature Such was Enoch who whilest liveing on Earth * Walked with God O may our Conversation be in * Heaven For shall a Plant take a new degree proceâ—d Sensible and shall man have his Grace Stayed for want of sufficiency and not vvhilest living here Commence Angel in his holy and heavenly affections IX Christ my King I Reade how king Edward the first ingenuously surprized the Welch into subjection proferring them such a Prince as should be 1. The Son of a King 2. Borne in their owne Countrey 3. Whom none could taxe for any fault The Welch accepted the Conditions and the King tendred them his sonne Edward an Infant newly borne in the Castle of Carnarvan Doe not all these Qualifications mystically Center themselves in my Saviour 1. The King of Heaven saith unto him thou art my Sonne * this day have I begotten thee 2. Our true Countrey man Reall flesh whereas hee tooke not on him the nature of Angels 3. Without spot or blemish like to us in all things sin only excepted Away then with those wicked men who * Will not have this King to rule over them May he have Dominion in and over me Thy Kingdome come Heaven and Earth cannot afford a more proper Prince for the purpose exactly accomplished with all these comfortable qualifications X. Tribulation I Finde two sad Etymologies of Tribulation One from Tribulus a three forked Thorn which 〈◊〉 that such afflictions which are as full of Paine and Anguish unto the soule as a Thorn thrust into a tender part of the Flesh is unto the Body may properly be termed Tribulations The other from Tribulus the Head of a Flail or Flagell knaggie and knotty made commonly as I take it of a thick black-Thorne and then it imports that Afflictions falling upon us as heavie as the Flaile threshing the Corne are stiled Tribulations I am in a Streight which deduction to embrace from the sharpe or from the heavie Thorne But which is the worst though I may choose whence to derive the Word I cannot choose so as to decline the thing I must through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdome of God Therefore I will labor not to bee like a young Colt first set to Plough which more Tires himselfe out with his owne untowardnesse whipping himselfe with his mis-spent mettle then with the weight of what he drawes and will labour patiently to beare what is imposed upon me XI Beware I Saw a Cannon shot off The men at whom it was levelled fell flat on the ground and so escaped the Bullet Against such blowes falliug is all the fencing and Prostration all the Armour of proofe But that which gave them notice to fall downe
GOOD THOUGHTS In Worse TIMES Consisting of Personall Meditations Scripture Observations Meditations on the Times Meditations on all kind of Prayers Occasionall Meditations By THO. FULLER B. D. LONDON Printed by W. W. for John Williams at the Crowne in St Pauls Church-yard 1647. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER WHen I read the Description of the Tumult in Ephesus Acts 9. 32. wherein they would have their Diana to be Jure Divino that it fell down from Iupiter it appears to me the too Methodicall caracter of our present confusions Some therfore cryed one thing and some another for the assembly was confused and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together O the distractions of our age And how many thousand know as liâ—tle why the sword was drawn as when it will be sheathed Indeed thankes be to God we have no more house burnings but many heart burnings and though outward bleeding bee stanched it is to be feared that the broken vaine bleeds inwardswhich is more dangerous This being our sad condition I perceive controversiall writing sounding somewhat of Drums Trumpets doe but make the wound the wider Meditations are like the Ministrel the Prophet called for to pacifie his mindaâ—liscomposed with passion which moved mee to adventure on this Treatise as the most innocent and inoffensive manner of writeing I confesse a Volumn of another Subject and larger Size is expected from mee But in London I have learnt the difference betwixt downright breaking and craving time of their Creditors Many sufficient Merchants though not Soluable from the present make use of the latter whose example I follow And though I cannot pay the Principall yet I desire such small Treatises may be accepted from me as Interest or consideration mony untill I shal God willing be enabled to discharge the whole Debt If any wonder that this Treatise comes Patron-lesse into the World let such know that Dedications begin now adayes to grow out of fashion His Policy was commended by many and proved profitable unto himselfe who insted of Select Godfathers made all the Congregation Witnesses to his Child as I invite the World to this my Booke requesting each one would patronise therein such parts and passages thereof as please them so hoping that by severall persons the whole will be protected I have Christian Reader so far I dare goe not inquiring into the Syre-name of thy Side or Sect nothing more to â—urthen thy Patience with Onely I will add that I finde our Saviour in Turtullian and ancient Latine Fathers constantly stiled a * Sequestrator in the proper notion of the Word For God and man beeing at ods the difference was Sequestied or referred into Christs his hand to end and umpire it How it fareth with thine estate on earth I know not but I earnestly desire that in heaven both thou and I may ever bee under Sequestration in that Mediator for Gods glory and our good to whose protection thou art committed By Thy Brother in all Christian Offices THO. FULLER PERSONALL MEDITATIONS I. Curiosity Curbed OFTEN have I thought with my selfe what Disâ—ase I would be best conâ—ented to die of None please mee The Stone the Cholick terrible as expected intollerable when felt The Palsie is death before Death The Consumption a flattering Disease cozening men into Hope of long life at the last gaspe Some sicknesse besot others enrage men some are too swift and others too slow If I could as easily decline diseases as I could dislike them I should be immortall But away with these thoughts The Marke must not chuse what Arrow shall be shot against it What God sends I must receive May I not be so curious to know what weapon shall wound me as carefull to provide the Plaister of Patience against it Only thus much in generall commonly that sicknesse seiseth on men which they least suspect He that expects to be drown'd with a Dropsie may bee burnt with a Feâ—vour and she that feares to bee swâ—lne with a Tympany may be shriveled with a Consumption II. Deceiv'd not hurt HEaring a passing-Bell I prayed that the sick man might have through Christ a safe Voyage to his long home Afterwards I understood that the party was dead some houres before and it seemes in some places of London the Tolling of the Bell is but a Preface of course to the ringing it out Bells better silent then thus telling Lyes What is this but giving a false alarum to mens Devotions to make them to be ready armed with their Prayers for the assistance of such who have already fought the good sight yea and gotten the Conquest Not to say that mens Charityherein may be suspected of Superstition in Praying for the Dead However my Heart thus powred out was not spilt on the ground My prayers too late to doe him good â—ame soone enough to speake my good will What I freely tendred God â—airely tooke according to the integrity of my Intention The Partie I hope is in Abraham's and my prayers I am sure are returned into my owne â—osom III. Nor full nor fasting LIving in a Country Uillage where a Buriall was a rarity I never thought of Death it was so seldome presented unto me Comming to London where there is plenty of Funeralls so that Coffins crowd one-another corps in the grave justle for Elbow roome I slight and neglect death because grown an object so constant and common How foule is my stomach to turne all foode into bad humours Funeralls neither few nor frequent worke effectually upon mee London is a Library of Mortality Uolumes of all sorts and sizes rich poore infants children youth men old men daily die I see there is more required to make a good Scholler then onely the having of many bookes Lord be thou my Schoolemaster and teach mee to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto Wisedome IIII. Strange and True I Read in the * Revelatation of a Beast one of whose Heads was as it were wounded to Death I expected in the next verse that the Beast should die as the most probable consequence considering 1. It was not a scratch but a wound 2. Not a wound in a fleshly part or out-limbs of the body but in the very head the Throne of Reason 3. No light wound but in outward Apparition having no other Probe but St. Johns Eyes to seaâ—ch it it seemed deadly But marke what immediately followes and his deadly wound was healed Who would have suspected this inference â—rom these premises But 〈◊〉 not this the lively Emâ—lem of my naturall corâ—uption Sometimes I conceive that by Gods Grace I have conquered and kill'd subdued and â—laine maim'd and mortiâ—d the deedes of the â—sh never more shall I be molested or bufseted with such a bosom sinne when alas by the next â—eturne the news is it is râ—vived and recovered Thus Tenches though grievously gashed pâ—esently plaister themselves whole by that â—limie and unctious huâ—our they have in them
and thus the inherent Balsam of Badnesse quickly cures my corruption not a scarre to be seene I perceive I shall never finally kill it till first I be dead my selfe V. Blushing to be Blushed for A Person of great Quality was pleased to lodge a nigâ—t in my House I durst not invite him to my Family-Prayer and therefore for that time omitted it thereby making a breach in a good custome giving Sathan advantage to assault it Yea the loosening of such a Linke might have endangered the scattering of the Chaine Bold Bashfulnesse which durst offend God whil'st it did feare man Especially considering that though my Guest was never so high yet by the Lawes of Hospitality I was above him whilst he was under my Roofe Hereafter whosoever coÌ„meth within the Dores shall bee requested to come within the Discipline of my house If accepting my homely diet he will not refuse my home-devotion and sitting at my Table will be intreated to kneel downe by it VI Alash for Lazinesse SHamefull my sloath that havedeferred my Night-Prayer till I am in bed This lying along is an improper posture for piety Indeed there is no contrivance of our body but some good man in Scripture hath hanseled it with Prayer The Publican standing Iob * â—ting Hezekiâ—h lying on his bed * Eliâ—h with his face between his lâ—ggs But of all gestures give me St. Paules * For this cauâ—e I bow my knees to the Father of â—y Lâ— Jâ—sus Christ Knâ— whâ—n they may then they must be bâ—nded I have read a Copy of a grant of liberty from Queene Mary to Henry Râ—ffe Earle of Sussex giving him * leave to weare a Night-Cap or Coâ— in her Majâ—sties presence counted a great favour because of his Infirmity I know in case of necessity God would gratiously accept my devotion bound downe in a sicke dressing but now whilst I am in perfect health it is inexcusable Christ commanded some to take up their bed in token of their full recovery My lazinesse may suspect least thus my beaâ— taking me up prove a presage of my ensuing sicknesse But may God pardon my Idlenesse this once I will not againe offend in the same kind by his grace hereafter VII Roote Branch and Fruit A Poor man of Sevil in Spaine having a fair and fruitfull Peare-tree one of the Fathers of the Inquisition desired such Tyrants requests are commandes some of the fruit thereof The poore man not out of gladnesse to gratifie but feare to offend as if it were a sinne for him to have better fruit then his betters suspecting on his deniall the Tree might be made his owne Rod if not his Gallows plucked up tree roots and all and gave it unto him Allured with love to God and advised by my owne advantagâ— what he was frighted to doâ— I wil freely performe God calleth on mee to present hâ—m with * fruits meet for repentance yea let him take all soule and body powers and parts faculties and members of both I offer a sacrifice unto himselfe good reason for indeed the Tree was his before it was mine and I give him of his owne Besâ—des it was doubtfull whether the poore 〈◊〉 â—ateriall Tree beâ—ng removed would grow 〈◊〉 Some plants transplanted especially when old become sullen and do not enjoy themselves in a â—oile wherewith they were â—nacquainted But sure I am when I have given my selfe to God the movâ—ng of my soule shall be the â—ending of it he will dresse so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} so prune and purge mee that I shall bring forth â—ost fruit in my Age VIII God speed the Plow I Saw in seed-time an Husbandman at Plow in very raining day askinâ— him the reason why hâ— would not rather leavâ— off then labour in sucâ—foule weather his answeâ— was returned me in theâ— Country Rythme Sow Beanes in the Mud And they 'le come up like Wood This could not buâ— minde mee of * David expression They that soâ— inteares shall reape iâ— joy He that goeth fortâ— and weepeth bearing preâ—cious seed shall doubtlessâ— come againe with rejoyceing bringing his sheaveâ— with him These last five yeareâ— have been a wett and â—oeful Seeds time to me â—nd many of my afflicted Brethren Little hope have wee as yet to come â—gaine to our owne â—omes and in a literall sense now to bring our sheaves which wee see others dayly carry away on their shoulders But if we shall not share in the former or latter harvest here on Earth the third and last in Heaven wee hope undoubtedly â—o receive IX Cras Cras GReat was the Abundance and boldneâ— of the Frogs in * Egypt which went up and came into their Bedchambers and beds and kneadingtroughs and very Ovens Strange that those Fenndwellers should approach the siery Region But stranger that Pharoah should bee so back ward to have them removed and being demanded of Moses when hee would have them sent away answered to * Morrow Hee â—uld bee content with â—eir company one â—ght at bed and at bord â—ath belike to acknowâ—dge either Gods justice 〈◊〉 sending or power in â—emanding them but â—ill hoping that they caâ—ally came and might â—sually depart Leave I any longer to â—onder at Pharoah and â—en admire at my selfe â—hat are my sinnes but 〈◊〉 many Toades spitâ—g of venome spawnâ—ng of Poyson croaking 〈◊〉 my judgement creeâ—ing into my Will and â—rawling into my affections This I see and suffer and say with Pharoah tâ—Morrow to morrow I wâ— amend Thus as the Hâ—brew Tongue hath nâ— proper Present-tense buâ— two Future-tenses so aâ— the performances of mâ— reformation are onely iâ— promises for the time to come Grant Lord I may seosonably drowne this Pharoah-like procrastination in the Sea of repentance least it drowne me in the Pit of perdition X. Green when Gray â—N September I saw a tree bearing Roses â—hilst others of the same â—ind round about it were barren demanding the cause of the Gardiâ—er why that Tree was â—n exception from the â—ule of the rest this reason was rendred because that alone being clipt close in May was then hindred to spring and sprout and therefore tooke this advantage by it selfe to bud in Autumne Lord If I were curb'â— and Snip't in my younger yeares by feare oâ— my parents from those vicious excrescencies to which that age waâ— subject give mee to have a godly jealousie over my heart suspecting an 〈◊〉 Spring least corrupt nature which without thy râ—raining grace will have a Vent break forth in my reduced yeares into youthfull vanities XI Miserere THere goes a Tradition of Ovid that faâ—ous Poet receiving â—ome countenance from â—is owne co session * â—hat when his Father was â—bout to beate him for â—ollowing the pleaâ—ant â—ut profitlesâ—e study of â—etrie he uâ— correctâ—on promiss'd his Father â—ever more to make a â—erse and made a Verse â—n his very
Needfull for some Namely for such who as yet have not attained what all should endeavour to pray extempore by the Spirit But as little children to whom the plainest and evenest Roome at first is a Labarinth are so ambitious of going an-hye-lone that they scorne to take the guidance of a Forme or Bench to direct them but will adventure by themselves though often to the cost of a knock and a fall So many confesse their weaknes in denying to confesse it who refuseing to be beholden to a set-forme of Prayer preferre to fay non-sence rather then nothing in their extempore Expressions More modesty and no leâ—e Piety it had been for such men to have prayed longer with Set-formes that they might pray better without them XII The same againe IT is no base and beggerly shift arguing a narrow and necessitous heart but a peice of holy and heavenly Thrist often to use the same Prayer againe Christs Practice is my Directory herein who the third time said the same * words A good Prayer is not like a Stratagem in Warre to be used but once No the oftener the better The cloathes of the Israelites whilst they wandered fortie yeares in the Wildernesse never waxed old as if made of Perpetuano indeed So a good Prayer though often used is still fresh and faire in the Eares and Eyes of Heaven Despaire not then thou simple Soule who hast no exchange of Raiment whose Prayers cannot appeare every day at heavens Court in new cloaths Thou maist be as good a Subject though not so great a Gallant coming alwayes in the same sute Yea perchance the very same which was thy Fathers and Grand-Fathers before thee a well composed Prayer is a good Heire-toome in a family may hereditarily bedescended to many Generations But know thy comfort thy Prayer is well know to heâ—ven to it which it is a coâ—stant customer Onely adde new or new degrees of old affections thereunto and it will be acceptable to God thus repaired as if new erected XIII Mixt-Prayers MIxt-Prayers are a methodicall composition no casuall confusion of extempore and Premeditate Prayers put together Wherein the Standers still are the same and the essentiall Parts confession of sin begging of Pardon craving grace for the future thanking God for former Favours c. like the Bones of the Prayer remaine alwayes unaltered Whilst the moveable petitions like the flesh Colour of thy Prayers are added abridged or altered as Gods Spirit adviseth and enableth us according to the emergencies of present occasions In the Mid-land-Sea Galleys are found to be most usefull which partly runne on the Legges of Oares and partly flye with the Wings of Sailes whereby they become serviceable both in a wind and in a calme Such the conveniency of mixtprayer wherein infused and acquired graces meet together and men partly move with the brea the of the holy Spirit partly row on by their owne Industry Such medley prayers are most usefull as having the stedinesse of premeditate and the activity of extemporary prayer joyned together XIIII Take your company along IT is no disgrace for such who have the guift and grace of Extemporary prayer sometimes to use a set-forme for the benefit and behoof of others Iaacob though he could have marched on a man's pace yet was carefull not to over-drive the children and Eewes * big with young Let Ministers remember to bring up the Râ—re in their Congregations that the meanest may goe along with them in their Devotions God could have created the World ex tempore in a moment but was pleased as I may say ' to make it premediatly in a set-method of six dayes Not for his own Ease but our Instruction that our Heads and Hearts might the better keep pace with his Hands to behold and consider his Workmanship Let no man disdaine to set his owne nimblenesse backward that others may goe along with him Such degrading ones-selfe is the quickest proceeding in Piety when men preferre the edification of others before their owne credit and esteeme XV Prayer must be Quotidian AMongst other Arguments inforceing the necessity of Daily-Prayer this not the least that Christ injoynes us to petition for dayly Bread New-Bread we know is best and in a spirituall sense our Bread though in it selfe as stale and moldie as that of the Gibeonites is every day new because a new and hot blessing as I might say is dayly beg'd and bestowed of God upon it Manna must dayly be gathered not provisionally be hoorded up God expects that men every day addresse themselves unto him by petitioning him for sustenance How contrary is this to the Common-practice of many As Camells in Sandy-Countries are said to drink but once in seven dayes and then in praesens praeteritum futurum for time past present and to come so many fumble this last 〈◊〉 next Weekes devotion all in a prayer Yea some deferre all their praying till the last day Constantine had a conceite that because Baptisme wash't away all sinns he would not be baptized till his Death-bed that so his soule might never loose the purity thereof but immediately mount to Heaven But sudden Death preventing him he was not baptized at all as some say or onely by an Arrian Bishop as others aâ—irme If any erroniously on the same supposition put off their Prayers to the last let them take heed least long delayed at last they prove either none at all or none in effect XVI The Lords Prayer IN this age wee begin to think meanely of the Lords Prayer Oh how basely may the Lord think of our Prayers Some will not forgive the Lords prayer for that passage therein as we forgive them that trespasse against us Others play the witches on this prayer Witches are reported amongst many other hellish Observations whereby they oblige themselves to Satan to say the Lords prayer backwards Are there not many who though they doe not pronounce the syllables of the Lords prayer retrograde their discretion will not suffer them to be betraied to such a non-sence sin yet they transpose it in effect desiring their Dayly-Bread before Gods Kingdom come preferring temporall benefits before heavenly blessings Oh if every one by this marke should be tryed for a Witch how hard would it goe with all of us Lamiarum plena sunt omnia XVII All Best AT the siedge and takeing of New-Carthage in Spaine there was disâ—ention betwixt the Souldiers about the Crown Murall due to him who first footed the Walles of the City Two pretended to the Crown Parts were taken and the Roman Army siding in factions was likely to fall foule and mutually fight against it selfe Scipio the Generall prevented the danger by providing two Murall * Crownes giving one to each who claimed it affirming that on the examination of the prooffes both did appeare to him at the same instant to climb the wall O let us not set severall kinds of Prayers at varience betwixt themselves