gratias agamus ib. of surviving Friends Which hungry time (k) Imagines ingeniorum vera sunt aeterna monumenta St. Hieron 141 Exegi monumentum aere perennius regalique situ pyramidum altius quod non imber edax non Aquilo impotens possit diruere aut innumerabilis Annorum series fuga temporum Horat. lib. 3. carm ed. 30. that hath morseld many generations and yet gapes for more shall not be able hastily to seize on digest or murther as Caine his Brother and hide it in the Ground (l) Ex 360. statuis quae Demetrio Phalareo erectae erant omnes excepta una populi furore aut ruptae aut summersae aut venditae quod cum ille audisset at virtutem inquit cujus gratia illas erexerant minime everterunt Marianus in Schol. in St. Hieron Ep. 141. ex Plutarch Laertio FINIS A Prayer of Mr Fawcitt mentioned Page 123. * O Blessed Lord God what am I or what was my fathers house that thou shouldest continue unto me so many blessings of this life both for the soule and body in such a bountifull and liberall manner It is thy mercifull goodnesse without any desert in mee Who desire with all humble thankefulnesse as to take notice of thy great goodnesse unto mee in giving mee a liberall childs portion so to acknowledge my selfe unworthy the least of all thy mercies For Lord thou knowest I was borne in sinne and conceived in iniquity and according to my polluted birth so have I lived sinning against thy divine Majestie Not onely in the time of ignorance for thou wouldest in mercy have passed by that but in the receit of all thy goodnesse since I was called to the profession of thy name and made acquainted with thy good will and word I have more grievously sinned against thee In regard whereof I am not worthy to lift up mine eyes towards heaven the least of my sinnes being sufficient to cast me downe to hell if thou should enter into judgement with me In the remembrance whereof I desire to be humbled before thee And am sory from the bottome of my heart and soule that ever I did offend so good gratious mercifull and loving a God that hath preserved and kept me all the dayes of my life and not long since delivered me from going downe to the grave Good father of heaven I beseech thee for the Lord Iesus sake in whom thou art well peased to pardon and forgive all my sins and foolish behaviour against thy blessed majestie which is past and enable me for the time to come to walke before thee as becomes thy child servant That I may mortifie sinne dayly and bring it into a consumption in me and thy blessed spirit may ever rule and Lord it in me Fill me with all wisedome and understanding that I may labour by all meanes to be fruitfull in all good workes and please thee in all things That it may be alwayes my chiefe care to grow and increase in the favour and knowledge of thee and thy blessed Son my alone Saviour and redeemer the Lord Iesus and thy blessed spirit my comforter whom rightly to know and beleeve faithfully is eternall life Helpe hereunto good father from whom comes the will and deed And strengthen me unto all godly patience and long sufferance with cheerefulnesse giving alwayes thankes unto thee O father of heaven who hast alwayes assisted helped and comforted mee in all thy loving chastisements afflictions necessities and troubles of this life O my soule praise thou the Lord for he hath done great things for thee Thou hast of thy unspeakable goodnesse bestowed upon me a liberall portion of the outward things of this life increasing my store but all these things had been nothing if thou hadst not also given me the testimony of thy love in Iesus Christ sent into the world to redeeme my poore soule Grant Lord I may not set my heart upon these temporall mercies but make them unto me pledges of thy love and favour in Christ grant me the assistance of thy good spirit to direct mee in the conscionable use of them to thy glory make them as meanes furtherances for the doing of thy will that whatsoever I enjoy in this life I may employ to the advancement of thy praise and the good of them among whom I live As thou hast added to my outward estate so Lord increase thy graces in my soule without which my comfort in them will vanish all things comming alike to all men the difference being in the holy use of all thy mercies Wherefore make them so many bonds to lead mee to repentance and to take all opportunities whereby I may expresse how I prize that love of thine shewed unto me unto thy children as their necessities do require whilest I live before I go hence and be seene no more Loving thee for thy goodnesse and doing good to thy saints and servants for thy sake Lord what shall I render unto thee for all these great and unspeakeable blessings O that I could praise thee as I ought Lord helpe me to awaken and stirre up my dead drowsie and deceitfull heart awake my lute my harpe my glory my soule and all that is within me to praise and magnifie thy holy name I will praise the Lord whilest I have any being for his gratious favours towards mee Which I beg at thy most mercifull hands to continue unto mee even unto the end of my life And when thy pleasure shall be to take me from this world and the miseries thereof grant me to enjoy with thee O blessed father and thee O blessed Saviour and thy blessed Spirit that everlasting inheritance which thou hast laid up in heaven for mee and all them that love thee in truth of heart And seing next under thy Majesty the Majesty of Charles our most religious and dread Soveraigne is the channell and fountaine of all the happy peace plenty prosperitie wee enjoy together with the most peaceable pure and plentifull preaching of thy sacred word Lord powre upon him in the most abundant measure all spirituall eternall and temporall mercies that hee may be blessed in his person in our gratious Queene Mary and his most royall issue and this Church and Common wealth in him her and them so long as the Sunne and Moone endures All which blessing vouchsafe to grant for the Lord Iesus sake to whom with thy selfe and holy spirit be given of me all honour praise and glory now and for ever world without end In whose words and perfect platforme of prayer I humbly recommend my suits unto thee O father saying Our Father c. FINIS Menda Preli precariò emendanda Faults made faultlesse Page Line for Reade 8 26 here is There is nothing 9 1 Siloam Siloam 11 11 Nor doth it Reason 2. Nor doth it 28 10 twice have heard twice have I heard 50 16 ballance for ballance For 58 6 but it is but is 60 18 Christ Chest 80 15 exchange admit exchange Admit 93 25 tale taile 111 13 thousand thousands Margine Pag. Litera Lege 2 g mundi 6 e hominum liver 14 g Nam 21 b dijs suit fecit ibid. 59 c non 84 o Sancto 90 u germanus 99 ◠illi terrena 108 k miratur 117 x aeterna mutaret 119 r non lactescere
gods Ier. 2.28 begging Redemption Salvation r Grace and Glory from them which are treasures hid in God and from his goodnesse dispensed and disposed by the hand of Christ his Sonne unto his servants Pouring out even that sacred Prayer of our Lord (Å¿) Orationem Dominicam fundimus sanctis ut sancte Gereon Pater noster qui es in coelis Sed hanc debet habere sententiam quod cupimus Sanctorum manibus orationem illam ad Deum deferri in Censura Coloniensi Quod certe quantum malum sit intelligentiae potius dimitto tuae quam longo sermone moliar explicare S. Aug. tom 2. ep 6. unto them who are Servants which was composed by the Sonne (c) Reddere deb mus illis honorificentiam qui nobis salutem profusione sui sarguinis pepererunt qui tam sacrata hostia pro nostra propitiatione Domino sunt oblati S. Ambros Ser de Margarita loquens de morte Martyr Salua nos omnes qui te glorificant papistarum oratio ad Deiparam to the honour of the Father directing every petition portion and letter in it to Him who is our Father in heaven and his Father our God and his God Thus mingling heaven with earth earth with Heaven bringing both to confusion (t) Platarchus in vita Romuli Ethnici ex hominibus deos ex dijs facerent homines id in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nostri seculi competit We honour the Angels and Saints departed (u) Angeli nos mortales miseros ut immortales beatique simus miseâ—icorditer diligunt noluâ—t nos sibi sacrifiâ—are sed ei cujus ipsi nobiscum sacrificium se esse noverant S. Aug. Civit. lib. 10. cap. 7. but dare not to honour them rob God of his honour wherof he is so jealous that he wil not part with it to another God hath spoken once twice have heard this that power belongs unto God also unto thee O Lord belongeth mercy Psalm 62.11 Mercy and Power mans onely comfort belong both to God mercy to heare power to helpe mercy to pitie power to performe Till Heaven by Letters Patents convey away these Royall rights to Saints I charge thee O my Soule wait thou upon God for from him commeth my Salvation Psal 62.1 We honour thee O blessed Virgin as the Mother and Servant of Christ in earth and now a glorious Saint in heaven but wee dare not crowne her to make her a Goddesse and Queene of Heaven to mediate for us with her Saviour and Sonne It was a greater grace to bee the Daughter and Childe of God (x) Mat. 12.48 Quid aliud nos doceus nisi carnali câ—gnationi genus nostrum spirituale praeponere Beatior ergo Maria percipiendo fidem Christi quam concipiendo carnem Christi Materna propinquitas nihil Mariae profuisset nisi felicius Christum corde quam carne gestasset S. Aug. To 6. de Sancta virginit lib. c. 3. Hoc in Matre magnificavit filius quia fecit voluntatem patris non quia caro genuit carnem Mater mea quam appellâ—stis felicem inde felix quia verbum dei custodivit non quia in illa verâ—um caro factum est S. Aug. Tom. 9 in Ioh. tract 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sit in honore Maria sed pater filius spiritus Sanctus a toretur Mariam nemo adoret Deo debetur hoc mysterium neque angeli talem glorificationem accipiunt Epiphan haeres 79. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revera Sanctum erat corpus Mariae non tamen deus erat virgo honorata sed non ad adorationem nobis data sed ipsa adorans eum qui ex ipsa carne genitus est de coelis vero ex Sinibus paternis accessit Quid mihi tibi mulier mulierem appellavit velut prophetans quae futura essent in terra sectarum ac haeres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratia Epiphan haeres 79. then to be the Mother of Christ Wee honour the Martyrs (y) Qui illos contemnit qui pro Christo in Christo mortui sunt deum ipsum contemnit Sed neque Elias adorandus est neque Johannes neque Thecla neque quisquam Sanctus adoratur Epiphan ibid. who now shine like so many bright Starres in Heaven so farre as we have received a command but by praying unto them we dare not blaspheme God Remember theÌ„ which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their Conversation Heb. 13.7 Those matchlesse worthies Heb. 11. are recorded for our instruction consolation and imitation not for our invocation and adoration (z) Populus Christianus memorias Martyrum religiosa sanctitate concelebrat ad excitardam imitationem Colimus Martyres eo cultu dilectionis societatis quo in hac vita câ—luntur Sancti homines dei S. Aug. Tom. 6. adversus Paustum Manichaeum lib. 20. cap. 21. Sanctos Martyres nec deos esse dicimus neque adorare consuevimusâ— laudamus eos potius summis honoribus quod pro veritate strenuè certârunt proinde non est indignum imo etiam necessarium eos qui tam claris operibus gloriosi sunt perpetuis laudibus honorari Cyrill lib. 6 ad Julian Revel 12.11 Their memory is blessed (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed non decet colere Sanctos vltra decorum sed honorare ipsorum Dominum Epiphan lib 3. Tom. 2. Haeres 78. Honoramus eos charitate non servitute nec eis templa construimus nolunt enim se sic honorari a nobis quia nos ipsos cum boni sumus templa summi Dei esse noverunt S. Aug. Tom. 1 de vera religione cap. 55. their rest is glorious their death was honourable their portion is happinesse their repose in heavenly Mansions their companions Angels their Crowne Life their feasts at Christs owne table yet must wee not Deifie them to blemish him whom with covered faces they adore at whose glorious feet they cast downe their regall Diadems Wee honour them in Charitie but serve them not wee build not Temples to their honour nor make them Altars whereon to offer the Sacrifice of Prayer to God Wee put away all such will worship and flie unto the Living God from the dead (b) Non sit nobis religio cultus hominum mortuorum quia si pâ—e vixerunt non sic habentur ut tales quaerant honores sed illum à nobis coli volunt quo illuminante laetantur â—eriti sui nos esse consortes Honorandi sunt propter imitationem non adorandi propter religionem idem ibid. nor let the Idolatrix wipe her mouth with this conceit (c) Deus est quod Jmago docet sed non deus ipsa Hanc videas sed mente colas quod cernis in ipsa saying she is cleane seeing shee bowing downe to Saints doth not exclude and turne away from God that water could not wash
the Iews from a Curse who supposing they in the Idol honoured God whom they called Baal Hos 2.16 are branded when they worshipped Baalim to bee evill doers forsakers of God and followers of other gods to their owne destruction Iudges 2.11.12 Betwixt God and us wee know no Mediator (d) Religet ergo nos Religio uni omnipotenti deo quia inter mentem nostram qua illum intelligimus patrem veritatem id est lucem interiorem per quam illum intelligimus nulla interposita Creatura est S. Aug. Tom. 1. de vera religione cap. 55. but Iesus Christ wee acknowledge none we desire none we have none in heaven but Christ and we desire none in earth in comparison of Christ Vse 3. Those Curious and inquisitive heads who so much busie themselves to understand and finde out distinctly what cleare knowledge they shall have of their friends and acquaintance in Heaven seeme (e) Musculus in loc to come farre short of Davids holy affection to God expressed in this Text. The truth is 't is somewhat more then probable that we shall distinctly know our friends and other the glorified Saints in the Kingdome of Heaven Former ages have delivered this Opinion unto vs from the mouthes of venerable Sages whose Pietie and profound knowledge in the mysteries of Godlinesse have taught us to embrace their solid Iudgement with due reverence (f) Jd mihi credible facit credentium multitudo Vt docerem quod didicera nō à meipso id est praesumptione pessimo praeceptore sed ab illustribus ecclesiae viris S. Hieron Ep. 27. Quaerendo dicimus non sententiam praecipitamus S. Aug. Tom. 10. de vorbis domini Secund Math. Ser. 22. Nobis amici in coelo erunt quanto notiores tanto ubique chariores Cum venerit dominus illuminaverit abscondita tenebrarum tunc nihil latebit proximum in proximo nec erit quod fuis quisque aperiat abscondat alienis ubi nullus erit alienus S. Aug. Tom. 2. Ep. 6. Italicae viduae consolans illam super obitu mariti Putas me solam habeo pro te Mariam matrem domini multas hic video quas ante nesciebam O quanto melior est iste comitatus habeo Annam quondam in Evangelio prophetantem Sic inducit Blesillam filiam mortuam Matri Paulae lugenti de coelo loquentem per Prosopopoeiam S. Hieron Tom. 1. Ep. 25. Nihil notum in terra nihil ignotum in coelo Aug. And what those Monarkes and miracles of Learning did apprehend as probable judicious Moderns have laid downe for plaine conclusions (g) Recte hinc colligitur nos in vita aeterna depositis omnibus ignorantiae caecitatis nebulis etiam nos invicem omnes Sanctos quos nunquam vidimus agnituros Chymnitius in Mat. 7.4 Harmon cap. 87. Quod cogniti sint Moses Elias ab Apostolis ostendit vitae beatae perfectionem illud etiam habere ut Sanctise invicem agnoscant videbimus ergo de facie ad faciem Christum simul Sanctos omnes quos agnoscemus distincte quemadmodum hic Eliam a Mose Mosen ab Elia utrumque a Christo poluerunt discernere Aretius in Mat. 17.3.4 Sic nos in beatitudine cognoscemus omnes quos voluerimus quamvis antea non viderimus eos tuque qui nunquam vidisti patrem tuum quia antequam in lucem fuisses editus ◠vita migravit cum jucunde feliciterque in gloria conspicies atque probe cognosces Stella in Luke 9.30.31 The Trans-figuration of Iesus Christ upon that high mountaine when his face did shine as the Sunne and his rayment was white as the light (h) Mat. 17.1.2.3.4 was a very lively representation of his owne Glory which he now enjoyes at the right hand of his Father (i) Qualis futurus est tempore judicandi talis apparūit Apostolis S. Hieron Mat. 17.3 and of the condition of the Saints (k) Vt futurum Christi regnum ad vivum representaretur Maldonat in Mat. 17.4 after this life who shall be glorified with him and follow the Lambe whithersoever he goe And as Peter Iames and Iohn did know Moses and Elias who at the same time appeared in Glory and told of Christs departure and death which he should accomplish at Ierusalem Luk. 9.31 So shall we in the Kingdome of heaven be knowne and know one another And as the Apostles knew not Moses and Elias by their Pictures (l) Respondet Euthymius in antiquis hebraeorum libris eorum sormas fuisse descriptas vel extraditione cognitum fuisse vulgo qua forma fuissent Sed hoc improbat Tertullianus Nec enim Imagines eorum vel statuas populus habuisset similitudines lege prohibente Tertull. lib. 4. contra Marcion cap. 22. nor other Lineaments and descriptions but either by their Conference (m) Theophylactus vero ex colloquijs quae inter se miscebant ab Apostolis cognitos fuisse putat with Christ or by the Spirit and extraordinary revelation (n) Quomodo Mosen Eliam cognovisscet nisi in spiritu Tertull. contra Marcion lib. 4. cap. 22. Fieri potest ut interni dei inspiratione cognoverint Maldonat in Matt. 17.3 Sic Calv. in Matt. 17.3 so by the perfection of our Knowing Condition in heaven we shal know those glorious members of Christ unto whom before we were never knowne (o) Duxit Apostolos in montem ut ostenderet ipsis regnum suum ante mortem suam potentiam ac gloriam suam ante ignominiam c. Ephraem Syrus orat de Transfigurat Christi tom 3. In qua transfiguratione quid aliud quam resurrectionis ultimae gloria nunciatur Gregor Mag. lib. 32. Moral cap. 5. Tranfiguratio Christi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isiod Pelusiot lib. 1. epistolarum 239. ep Nor can wee so farre under-valew the blessed estate of the Saints as to conceive that knowledge shall be denied them as a blessing which shall bee granted and confer'd upon the Reprobate as a Curse and augmentation of their misery to see Abraham Isaak Iacob (p) Sancti erunt sicut Angeli in coelis Non natura substantia corporum tollitur sed gloriae magnitudo monstratur ubi similitudo promittitur veritas denegatur erunt similes angelorum ergo homines esse non definent ut Apostolus Apostolus sit Maria Maria. S. Hieron To. ep 29. Transfiguratus est ante eos nemo putet pristinam eam formam faciem perdidisse vel amisisse corporis veritatem ubi splendor faciei ostenditur candor describitur vestium non substantia tollitur sed gloria commutatur Transformatio splendorem addidit faciem non subtraxit Certe transformatus est Dominus in eam gloriam qua venturus est postea in regno suo S. Hieron in Matt. 17.3 and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God when they shall be themselves thrust out of doores Luke 13.28 As their sorrow is