secret Counsel of the wicked and Psal. 25.19 20. Consider mine Enemies for they are many and they hate me with cruell hatred O keep my Soul and deliver me St. Paul prayed earnestly that he might be freed from the Messenger of Satan whose buffets he felt and was answered with My Grace is sufficient for thee so he sues for all Gods Saints May the God of peace tread down Satan under your feet shortly 2 Cor. 12.9 Rom. 16.19 20. WHAT ever evil it be that presseth thy Soul have speedy recourse to the Throne of Grace pour out thy heart into the Ears of the Father of all Mercies and God of all Comfort and be sure if not of redress yet of ease We have his word for it that cannot fail us Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal. 50.15 Fashionable Supplicants may talk to God but be assur'd he that can truly pray can never be truly miserable Of our selves we lie open to evils our rescue is from above and what entercourse have we with Heaven but by Prayer Prayer can deliver us from Dangers avert Judgments prevent Mischiefs and procure Blessings it is an Antidote against Temptation and a Soveraign Balsom for afflicted Consciences It is the Instrument of fetching down all good things to us whether Spiritual or Temporal no Prayer that is qualified as it ought to be but is sure to bring down a Blessing according to that of the Wise Man Ecclus. 35.17 The prayer of the humble pierceth the Cloulds and will not turn away till the highest regard it It sanctifies all good things to us and sweetens the bitterness of our afflictions it opens the Windows of Heaven shuts up the Bars of Death and vanquishes the powers of Hell therefore let us not cease in making our addresses to him who is the Fountain of all Goodness and at whose right hand there is pleasures for evermore Psal. 16.11 And let us with all lowliness as well of Body as of Mind according to that of the Psalmist say O come let us Worship let us fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker Psal. 95.6 For he is our hope and strength and a very present help in trouble Ps. 46.1 A Conclusive Prayer BLESSED Lord who hast caused all Holy Scripture and good Literature to be written for my Learning grant that I may in such wise hear read mark learn and inwardly digest them that by Patience and Comfort of thy Holy Word I may embrace and even hold fast the blessed hope of Everlasting Life which thou hast given me in my Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen 2. Prevent me O Lord in all my doings with thy most gracious favour and further me with thy continual help that in all my Works begun continued and ended in thee I may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy Mercy obtain Everlasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 3. Almighty God who hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Son's Name I beseech thee mercifully to encline thine Ears unto me who have now made my Prayers and Supplications unto thee And grant that those things I have faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the relief of my Necessities and to the setting forth of thy Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Blessing THE Peace of God which passeth all Vnderstanding keep my Heart and Mind in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and the Blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost The Virtue of Christ's blessed Cross and Passion his Glorious Resurrection and Ascention and the Coming of the Holy Ghost be with me now and at the Hour of Death Amen FINIS ADVERTISEMENT THere is lately Published The Government of the Thoughts A Prefatory Discourse to the Government of the Tongue by the Author of the Whole Duty of Man Printed for Richard Cumberland at the Angel in St. Pauls-Church-Yard 1694. Bp. Hall 's Baâ—m of Gilead Senec. Eâ—ist 107. Senec. Epist. 76. * Here name the Particular Person Sir Walter Rawleigh Mr. Fisher of Trinity Colledge Lord Bacon 's Natural History Artimedor de insomniis Lib. 1. Cap. 6. Goul. Histoires Memorables Advancement of Learning Plato Phoedone
prove deform'd unnatural and wicked what a Corrosive is this to the Parents Rebecca thought it long to be twenty Years Childless her Husband at Sixty prays for Issue Gen. 25.20 21. his Devotion carried him to Moriah the place where his Life was miraculously preserved from the Knife of his Father hoping it might by the like Miracle be renew'd in his Posterity 6. GOD hears him Rebecca Conceives But when she felt that early Combat of her strugling Twins she can say If it be so why am I thus Gen. 25.22 And when she saw a Child Red all over like a hairy Garment Gen. 25.25 and saw his Conditions no less rough than his Hide Gen. 27.41 do we not think she wish'd that part of her Burden unborn Certainly Children are Blessings or Crosses Hast thou a Child well dispos'd well govern'd A wise Son maketh a glad Father Prov. 10.1 Prov. 19.13 Hast thou a Child disorderly and debauch'd A foolish Son is the Heaviness of his Mother and the Calamity of his Father Prov. 10.1 Chap. 19.13 Hast thou a Son stubborn and unnatural Then Solomon tells us He that wasteth his Father and chaseth away his Mother is a Son that causeth Shame and bringeth Reproach Prov. 19.26 And if such a Son live and die impenitent what can answer the Discomfort of that Parent 7. THOU hast no Children As thou hast less Joy thou hast less Trouble It is a continual Care that belongs to these Possessions Artimedorus observes that to dream of Children imports Cares As they are our greatest Cares many lesser ensues For thou hast many Mouths to feed and 't is thy Duty to provide for 'em For If any provide not for his own especially for those of his own House he hath denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel 1 Tim. 5.8 8. DOES not many Rivulets from the main Channel leave the Stream shallow So is it with thee But this Expence is not more necessary than comfortable A Great Man visited a Gentleman in the Country and seeing his Children placed according to their Age and Stature said These make Rich Men Poor But immediately he receiv'd this Answer Nay my Lord these make a Poor Man Rich For there is not one of these I would part with for all your Wealth 9. INDEED we receive to distribute and are but Farmers of those we leave behind If we freely lay out of our Substance before-hand so much of our Rent is happily clear'd It is observable none are so Covetous as the Childless For those who for maintenance of large Families are inur'd to frequent Disbursements find such Experience of Divine Providence in Prudent Managing of Affairs that they lay out with more Cheerfulness then they receive So that their Care must be abated when God takes it to himself 10. AND if not wanting to themselves Faith gives them Ease in casting their Burden upon him who hath more Power and Right to it since Children are more his than our own He that feedeth the Young Ravens Psal. 147.9 can he fail the best of his Creatures A worthy Divine tells us of a Gentlewoman coming to the Cottage of a poor Neighbour furnished with Children could say Here are the Mouths but where is the Meat But not long after was answer'd to that Question for the poor Woman after the Burial of her last Child inverted the Qustion upon her Here is the Meat but where is the Mouths 11. SURELY the Great Governour of the World will never leave any of his without the Bread of Sufficiency and who so fit to be his Purveyors as Parents for their Children Nature hath taught Birds to pick out the best of Grains for their Young Nature sends Moister out of the Root which gives Life to Branches and Blossoms Sometimes indeed it meets with a kind Retaliation some Stork-like Disposition repairs the loving Offices done by the Parents in a dutiful Retribution to their Age or Necessity 12. BUT how frequently proved often the contrary By an unsatiable Importunity of extracting from the Parents that Maintenance which is extravagant Sometimes an undutiful neglect in not owning the Meanness of their Parents or supporting their decay'd Estate by due Maintenance Ingratitude is odious in Man but in a Child monstrous 13. IT is thy Grief thou never hadst a Child There is not so much Comfort in having of Children as Sorrow in parting with 'em especially when their parts and Disposition have raised our Hopes and doubled our Affections towards 'em And according to the French Proverb He that hath not cannot lose so on the contrary he that hath must lose Our Meeting is not more certain than our Parting Either we must leave them and so their Grief doubles ours or they leave us and so our Grief will be no less than our Love was extended 14. IF thou wilt be truly wise set thy heart upon that only Good which is not capable of losing Divided Affections abate their Force and since no Objects of Dearness distracts thy Love place it wholly upon that Infinite Goodness which entertains it with Mercy and rewards it with Blessedness If Elkanah therefore could say to his Barren Wife Hannah 1 Sam. 1.8 Why weepest thou and why is thy Heart heavy Am not I better to thee than ten Sons How much more comfortably may'st thou hear the Father of Mercies say to thy Soul Why is thy Heart heavy Am not I better to thee than ten Thousand A Prayer of Comfort in Sterility O GOD the Great Creator and Redeemer of all the World who dist Command our first Parents to Encrease and Multiply Yet those Blessings thou thinkest not fit to dispence where thy Wisdom and Providence knows it not requisite O LORD thou hast been pleased to give me dry Breasts and shut up my Womb and hast kept me from that great pain and peril of Child-Birth which many have undergone which hath put a period to their Lives O let me Bless and Praise thy Holy Name that I am at this day a living Monument of thy Mercy And that thy Servant whom thou hast been pleased to ordain for my Husband is not yet Summoned by Death from me 2. LORD thy Omnipotency knows what is most necessary for me and the less Incumbrances and Cares I meet with in the World grant that I may the more attentively serve thee let me in every State O Lord submit to thy Holy Will and not murmure and repine at what thy good pleasure has allotted me Comfort me O Lord I beseech thee and increase my Love and Affection towards my Husband that I may say as Elkanah did to Hannah that he is more worth to me then ten Sons But O Lord grant that when thou shalt be pleased to call me out of this dark World into thy marvellous Light that I may be ready to leave all and follow thee who art my God and all things Amen SECT XIV Want of Repose 1. THOU are afflicted with that which is incident to distemper'd Bodies
when he hath once fastned he sooner leaveth his life then his hold Contrariety of Events Exercise not dismay him and when Crosses Afflict him he seeth a Divine Hand invisibly striking with those sensible scourges against which he dares not Murmur nor Rebel 9. HE troubleth not himself with Exciting Thoughts nor others with needless Suits He intermeddles not in others business nor adventures upon rash Attempts he offends none with provoking Terms not taketh offence at others Actions He lendeth not his Ear to idle Tales nor soweth discord or seeketh Revenge But hath a meek heart a contented mind and a charitable eye his Tongue is Affable hand Peaceable and his gesture sociable His Deportment is Neighbourly his Judgment charitable a loving Speaker and a friendly Converser He puts up all wrongs patiently and wrongs none willingly And such manner of Men ought we to be in all holy Conversation And I shall end with the words of the holy Apostle and desire of God that he would direct your hearts into his love and into the patient waiting for him 2 Thes. 3.5 I shall not think it improper to insert here a Relation of Sir Thomas Moore that excellent Pattern of Patience who wholly resigned himself to the will of the Divine Providence Sir Thomas returning from beyond Sea after his Embasy and being remote from his House with the King in the Month of August part of his dwelling House and all his Barns laden with Corn were by a sudden Fire consumed his Lady by a Letter certified him of this sad mischance to which he return'd her this Answer Madam All Health wished to you I do understand that all our Barns and Corn with some of our Neighbours likewise are wasted by a fire an heavy and lamentable loss but only that it was Gods will of such abundance of Wealth but because it so seemed good to God we must not only patiently but also willingly bear and submit to the hand of God so stretched out upon us God gave whatsoever we have lost and seeing it hath pleased him to take away what he gave his Divine Will be done Never let us repine at this but let us take it in good part we are bound to be thank-ful as well in Adversity as in Prosperity and if we cast up our Accounts well this which we esteem so great a loss is rather a great gain For what is necessary and conducing to our Salvation is better known to God than us I intreat you therefore to have a good heart and to take all your Family with you to the Church and there give thanks to God for all these things which he hath pleas'd to take away as well as for his blessings which he hath bestow'd on us and to praise him for that which is left It is an easie matter with God if he please to Augment what is yet left but if he shall see good to take away more even as it shall please him so let it be And let Enquiry be made what my Neighbours have lost and wish them not to be sorry For I will not that my Neighbours shall suffer any thing by my loss though I leave not my self any thing and though all should be taken away I pray thee O Alice be joyful in the Lord with my Children and all our Family all these things and we are in the hands of the Lord. Let us therefore wholly depend upon his good will and so no losses shall ever hurt us Farewel From the Court at Woodstock September 13th 1529. What a sincere Devotion was here to the Divine Will of God! What a Letter from a heart truly setled upon Heav'n This Master of the Family had learn'd his Lesson well and was grown a proficient in the Art of Patience This was a Man that by supporting himself upon God's Providence was able to bear all losses sweetly Behold an Ostrich able to digest Iron His Barns were burnt but his Mind was cool Patience kept him in his uprightness In a short space after God requited his Losses in September he received this heavy news In October he was promoted Lord Chancellor of England so that not only Honour but his Means also were mightily enlarged that now he needs not repair his Barns but may build new ones Certainly there is not in the World such a holy sort of Artifice so Divine a charm to unite God to us as this of resigning our selves to him We find the Gibeonites by yielding themselves Vassals to the Israelites had their whole Army at their back to rescue them in their danger Jos. 10.6 and can we think God is less considerate of his Homagers and Dependents No certainly his Honour as well as his Compassion is concern'd in the relief of those who have Surrendred themselves to him A Prayer for Patience O Most gracious God let not the Spirit of Impatience possess me whereby I may in any measure incur thy displeasure thou art my Maker O let me not strive with thee I am the Work of thy Hands and therefore with thee there is no contending if I provoke thee by strugling under the Yoke of Affliction the end thereof will be Gaul to my Neck and Bitterness to my Conscience But O Lord it is not my Punishment thou pursuest after but my Repentance and Amendment of Life and what thou art pleased to inflict upon me is but to chase me to my Duty which when I have perfectly learnt I know thou wilt fully Reward and Recompence my Patience that I may possess my own Soul in the day of the Lord Jesus 2. O thou that art the wise disposer of all Things both in Heaven and Earth let me look up to thee from whence cometh Affliction and then inspect into my own Heart where I shall find out the efficient Cause O let nothing then seem to perplex me which thou in thy good pleasure knoweth to be advantagious but let me ever be content to drink of the bitterest Cup of Affliction which thou hast allotted me O let thy good Spirit still strive with me and draw me unto thee with the Cords of thy Love it is of thy tender Mercies that I am not consumed but I know thy Compassion fails not towards poor and wretched Sinners Lord give me Grace to perform this Duty and say of my Affliction as thou O Jesu didst of thy bitter Cup and Passion Father if it be thy will let this Cup pass from me if not not my Will but thy Will be done Amen The CLOSE Consisting of Scriptural Ejaculations referring to the several Sections of the before-going Treatise 1. HAVING gone through this short Tract of the Art of Patience I shall now lay down these following Ejaculations as being most necessary and we have St. James 's Testimony for it Is any among you afflicted let him pray James 5.13 This is the Great and Soveraign Catholicon of the distressed Soul which is able to give relief to all the forementioned Complaints 2. FOR
THOU art pained with Sickness Consider seâ—iously from whence it comes and what makes it so bitter to thee Affliction cometh not out of the dust Job 5.6 Couldst thou but hear the Voice of thy Disease as thou now feelest the Stroke of it it hath proclaim'd loud enough Am I come up hither without the Lord to torment thee The Lord hath said to me Go up against this Man and afflict him 2 Kings 18.25 Couldst thou perceive the Hand that smites thee thou wouldst be eager to kiss it since it is the Father of all Mercies Comfort and Consolation that lays these Stripes upon thee He that made thee and bought thee at so dear a Price as his own Blood it is He that chastiseth thee And canst thou think He would scourge thee but for thine own Advantage For what tender Father is there but has Bowels of Compassion and never takes the Rod in hand out of a Pleasure to chasten that Flesh which is derived from his own Loyns Or is it any ease to him to make his Child smart and bleed But rather himself suffers more than he inflâ—cts and would be content to Redeem those Stripes with his own yet he sees the Chastisement proper not to spare him for his Frowardness and Tears but will plead he had not lov'd him if he had not been so kindly severe And Solomon gives us this advice Chasten thy Son while there is Hope and let not thy Soul spare for his Crying Prov. 19.18 And if we that are evil know how to give loving and beneficial Correction to our Children how much more shall our Father which is in Heaven know how to Chastise us for our Advantage So as we may sing under the Rod with the Blessed Psalmist I know O Lord that thy Judgments are right and that thou in Faithfulness hast afflicted me Psal. 119.75 Might a Child be made Arbiter of his Chastisement do we think he would adjudicate himself to be Corrected Yet the discreet Parent knows he shall wrong him if he give not due Correction as having learned of wise Solomon Prov. 23.14 Thou shalt beat him with the Rod and shalt deliver his Soul from Hell Love hath its Stroaks saith St. Ambrose which are the sweeter the harder they are inflicted 5. DOST thou not remember the Message the two Sisters sent to our Saviour John 11.3 Lord behold he whom thou lovest is Sick Were it so that Pain or Sickness or any of the Executioners of Divine Justice ere let loose to tyrannize over thee at Pleasure to render thee perfectly Miserable there were just Reason for thy utter Diffidence But they are stinted and march under Comission neither can they be allowed to have any other Limits than thy own Advantage Hadst thou rather be Good or be Healthful I know thou wouldst imbrace both and think thy self in a happy State For who is so little in his own favour as to imagine he can be the worse for faring well But he that made thee has a far greater Inspection into thee than thine own Eyes can have he sees thy Vigor is turning wanton and if thy Body be not sick thy Soul will If he therefore think it fit to take down thy worst part a little for the preventing of a Mortal Danger to the better what cause hast thou to complain yea rather not to be thankful When thou hast felt thy Body in a distemper of Fulness thou hast gone to Sea on purpose to create a Sickness yet thou knewest that turning of thy Head and Stomach would be more painful to thee than thy former Indisposition Why then should not thy All-wise Creator take Liberty to Cure thee with an Afflictious Remedy 7. THOU art now Sick Wert thou not a long time Healthful and canst thou not take that patiently which God hath allotted thee If thou hast enjoy'd more dayes of health than hours of sickness how canst thou think thou hadst cause to repine Had the Divine Wisdom thought fit to mitigate thy many days pain with the Ease of one hour it had been worthy of thy Thanks But now that he hath requited thy few painful hours with years of perfect health how unthankfully dost thou repine at thy Condition It was a gross mistake if thou didst not from all Earthly things expect a Vicissitude They cannot have their Being without a Change as well may Day be without a Succession of Night and Life without Death as a Mortal Body without Fits of Distemper And how much better are these momentary Changes than that last Change of a Misery unchangeable It was a deplorable Word that Father Abraham said to the Rich Glutton Son remember that thou in thy Life time receivest thy good things and Lazarus evil things but now he is Comforted and thou art Tormented Luke 16.25 How happy then are we that are here chastned of the Lord that We may not be Condemned of the World O then welcome Feavers and all other Diseases of the Body that may quit my Soul from Everlasting Burnings 8. THOU complainest of Sickness and many have effused Tears for their superfluity of Health condoling the fear and danger of losing God's Favour for their not being Afflicted Bromiard tells us of a Devout Man that complained at his Prosperity as no small Affliction whom God soon after accommodated with Pain enough according to his Desires The poor Man was joyful at this Change and look'd upon his Sickness as a Mercy for so it was intended by him that sent it Why are we too much dejected with that which others complain the want of Why should we find that so tedious to our selves which others have wish'd to enjoy There have been Medicinal Agues which the wise Physician have cast his Patient into for the Cure of a worse Distemper A secure and illegal Health however Nature takes it is the most dangerous Indisposition of the Soul If that be healed by some few bodily Pangs the advantage is unspeakable Look upon some vigorous Gallant that in the height of his Spirit and heat of Blood eagerly pursues his Carnal Delights thinking of no Heaven but the free delectation of his Sense and compare thy present Estate with his Here thou liest groaning and sighing panting and shifting thy weary Sides complaining of the slow motions of thy tedious Hours whilst he is frolicking with his jocund Companions Carousing his large Healths sporting himself with his wanton Delilah and bathing himself in all sensual Pleasures And tell mo whether of the two thou thinkst in the happier Condition If thou art not shrunk into nothing but Sense and hast not cast off all Thoughts of another World thou wouldst pity the Misery of that Atheistical Jollity and gratulate to thy self the advantage of thy humble and faithful suffering that which will at last make thee ample Satisfaction by yielding thee the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness Heb 12.11 9. THY Pain is grievous but dost thou not hear the great precedent of Patience crying out from his
the Seasons or Measures of his Bounty That most free and beneficent Agent will not be tyed to our Terms but will give us what he sees necessary Therefore humbly wait upon his Goodness and be confident that he who hath begun his good Work in thee will perform it until the Day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 14. IT is true thou say'st if God had began the Operation He would at last for his own Glory finish it But for me I am a Man dead in Trespasses and Sins and never had any true Contrition in me Some shew indeed I have made of a Christian Profession but I have only deceived the World with a fallacious Pretence and have not found in my self the Verity and Solidity of those Heavenly Vertues whereof I have made an Ostentation It were pity thou shouldst be so bad as thou representest thy self I have no tender Compassion in store for Hypocrisie nor no Disposition is more odious to the Almighty insomuch as when he expresses Vengeance against Sinners he uses those terms of Terror I will appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites Mat. 24.51 Were it thus with thee it were high time to work thy Repentance in Dust and Ashes and resign thy self into the hands of his Almighty Protection to be created anew by his Powerful Spirit and never to give thy self Peace till thou findest thy self Renewed in the Spirit of thy Mind Eph. 4.23 But in the mean while take heed of being guilty of mis-judging thine own Soul and misprising the Operation of God's Spirit God hath been better to thee than thou wilt acknowledge Thou hast a true Sense of Grace and perceiv'st it not There is no Cognisance to be taken of the Sentence thou passest upon thy self in the hour of Temptation When thy heart was free thou wert in another Mind and shalt upon better advice reasume thy former Thoughts 15. IT is with thee as with Eutychus that fell down from the third Story and was taken up for Dead when his Life remained in him We have known those in Trances without any perception of Life yea some as that subtil Johannes Duns Scotus laid in their Graves before their Souls had taken leave of their Bodies though unable to exert those Faculties which might Evince her hidden Presence Such perhaps art thou at the worst and wert thou in Charity with thy self thou wouldest be found in a better Condition There is the same reason of the Natural Life and the Spiritual Where it is discern'd by Breathings Sense and Motions where there is a breathing Motion there must be a Life that sends it forth If then the Soul breaths Holy Desires doubtless there is a Life whence they proceed Now deny if thou can'st that thou hast not these Spiritual Breathings of Holy Desires Internally Dost thou not many times sigh for thine own Insanity Is not thine heart perplexed with the Thoughts of thy Spiritual wants Dost thou not truly desire that God would Renew a right Spirit within thee Be cheerful This is the Operation of God's Spirit As well may a Man breath without Life as thou couldst be thus affected without Repentance Sense is a quick Discrier of Life Wound a dead Man he is not sensible but the Living perceiveth the easiest Touch. When thou hast heard the Judgments of God denounced against Sinners and laid to thy Conscience has thy heart been pierced with them Hast thou not secretly thought how shall I decline this dreadful Damnation When thou hast heard the Mercies of God to Penitent Sinners hath not thy heart said Oh that I had my share in ' em When thou hast heard God blasphem'd hast thou not felt a horror in thy Bosom All these are Symptoms of a Spiritual Life 16. MOTION is the perfectest Discoverer of Life He that stirs his Limbs is not dead The Feet of the Soul are the Affections Hast thou not found an hate and detestation of that Sin wherein thou hast been allured And discover'd Grief of heart for thy Indisposition to all good things Hast thou not found a Love to and Complacency in those who are truely Religious and Conscionable Without a Life of Repentance Penitence had vanisht Are not thine Eyes and Hands often lift up to implore mercy Canst thou deny thou hast a real though weak Appetite to the means and degrees of it This is that Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness to which Christ hath pronounc'd Blessedness Matth. 5.6 Discomfort not thy self with the disappearance of God's Spirit In the hour of Temptation it is with thee as with a Tree in Winter whose Sap is run to the Root where there is no Appearance of Vegetation by any Buds or Blossoms but appears motionless Yet when the Sun returns his comfortable Beams it sprouts forth afresh and bewrays that Vital Juice which lay in the Earth So thou must with Patience wait till the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with Healing in his Wings and Summon thy Humidity into thy Branches that that Grace may spring in thee which is able to save thy Soul Then thou wilt say of thine heart as Jacob of his hard Lodging Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not Gen. 28.16 Only use the means and wait patiently God's Leisure stay upon the Bank of this Bethesda till the Angel descend and move the Water 16. I could gladly thou repliest attend with Patience upon God in this happy Work of the Excitation of Grace were I but sure I had it or could be perswaded of the Verity of my Conversion But it is my unhappiness that here I am at an uncomfortable loss for I am inform'd that every Convert can design the Time Place means and manner of his Conversion and demonstrate how near he was to the Gates of Death nay to the Verge of Hell when God by a mighty Arm has snatcht him away from the Pit of Perdition and rescu'd him from everlasting Damnation placing him in a State of Eternal Salvation Which I cannot attain to not finding any such vehement Concussion hearty Contrition or such forcible and irresistable Operation of God's Spirit in me nor can I practice the Sermon design'd for my Conversion or those Approaches my Soul made towards an hardly-recovered Desperation To which I answer It is not safe for any Man to set Limits to the Almighty or to prescribe Rules to that Infinite Wisdom That most free and All-wise Agent will not be tyed to walk always in one Path but varies his Courses according to his Divine Will One he calls suddenly as St. Paul another by sweet Solicitations as Philip Nathanael Andrew Peter Matthew and other Apostles One he draws to Heaven with gracious Invitations another with a strong hand We have known those who having mispent their Juvenile Years in notorious debauch'd Courses living as without God and have been heart-stricken with some Denunciation of Judgment which hath so wrought upon 'em that it hath brought them within sight of Hell But after deep
the worse It is thy Weakness to suffer thy self to be blown over by the Air of some putrified Lungs which if thou dost but decline by not valuing it will soon vanish 5. THOU art under ill Tongues This is an Evil proper only to Man Other Creatures are subject to Diseases Death or outward Violence but they cannot be obnoxious to Detraction since they are not capable of Speech whereby a Slander can be form'd They have their several Sounds and Notes of Expression whereby they signifie their Dislike and Anger But only Man can cloath his angry Thoughts with Words of Offence so that Faculty which was given him for an Advantage is depraved to a further Mischief But the Liberal Hand of his Creator hath also endued him with a Property of Reason which as it directs his Tongue to others so it instructs him to make use of other Speeches to him And where he finds it unjust either to convince it by a just Apology or to contemn it If therefore thou understandest thy self to lye under an unjust Obloquy have so much of the Man as to confute or despise it 6. THOU art shamefully traduced But give me leave to enquire not what thou suffeâ—est but for what If for a good Cause I shall turn my Pity to Envy Truth it self hath told thee Thou art in the way to Blessedness who can pity thee for that wherein thou hast cause to rejoyce Blessed are ye when Men revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of Evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven Mat. 5.11 Rather pluck up thy Spirits and take up the Resolution of holy Job that Man of Patience If mine Adversary had written a Book against me surely I would take it upon my Shoulders and bind it as a Crown to me Job 31.35 36. And say with that gracious King of Israel I will be yet more vile for the Lord 2 Sam. 6.22 7. THOU art reproach'd by lewd Men Thank thy Vertue that thou art envyed Wert thou so bad as thy Detractors thou would'st sit quiet enough If we were of the World saith our Saviour the World would love his own But because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you John 15.19 Whil'st the Moon sets no Dogs bark at her it is her Shining that opens their Mouths Wert thou Obscure or Wicked thou mightest be safe but if thou wilt be eminently Good look for the Lashes of ill Tongues They think it strange that you run not with them into the same Excess of Riot speaking Evil of you saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.4 8. IT was not without Reason that a great Musician struck his Schollar because the Multitude applauded his Skill knowing that had he been true to his Art those misâ—judging Ears could not have approved him What more excellent Instruments had God in his Church than the Blessed Apostles And what Acceptation found they on the Earth Being defamed we intreat We are made as the Filth of the World and are the Off scouring of all things unto this Day We are made a Spectacle to the World to Angels and to Men 1 Cor. 4.9 13. Complain if thou canst of a worse Condition than these Ambassadors of God otherwise resolve with the Holy Apostle to pass cheerfully through Honor and Dishonor through evil Report and good Report towords the Goal of Immortality 9. THOU art disgraced through sland'rous Reports It is not Air we live by How many hast thou known that have blown over a just Infamy with a careless Neglect Pleasing themselves to think they are thriven under Curses And shall their Guiltiness be entertain'd with more Courage than thine Innocence Let those whose heart is as foul as their Names be troubled with deserved Censures Do not thou give way to Malice as to yield any Regard to her mis-raised Suggestions Thou canst not devise more to vex a Detractor than by Contempt Thus thou shalt force Spight as that wise Heathen truly said to drink of the greatest Part of her own Poyson 10. THOU art disgrac'd with an ill Fame What a poor matter is this How far dost thou think that Sound reacheth Perhaps to the next Village or Shire wherein thou dwellest It is like the next County never heard of thy Name And if thou look yet further off as soon may'st thou be discoursed amongst the Antipodes as in the Neighbouring Region And what a small Spot of Earth is this to which thy Shame is confined Did'st thou know the vast Extent of this great World thou would'st easily see into how narrow a Corner either our Glory or Dishonour can be shut up And should'st confess how little Reason we have to affect the One or be disheartned with the Other 11. THOU art wronged with an unjust disgrace Have Patience Slanders are not long-liv'd Truth is the Child of Time ere long she 'll appear and vindicate thee Wait upon the God of Truth who shall cause Thy Light to break forth as the Morning and thine Health to spring forth speedily Isa. 58.8 There is a Shame worthy of thy Fear which is both Universal before the Face of all the World of Angels and Men and beyond the reach of Time Eternal Fear This and contemn the Other 12. ON the contrary If Fame should be-friend thee so much as to strain her Cheeks in sounding thy Praises and should cry thee up for Vertuous and Eminent every way Alas how few shall hear her and how soon is that Noise stilled and forgotten Eccles. 9.16 Shortly Then let it be thy main Care to demean thy self holily and conscionably before God and Men leave the rest upon God who shall be sure to make his Word good in spight of Men and Devils The Memory of the Just shall be blessed but the Name of the Wicked shall rot Prov. 10.7 A Prayer upon loss of Reputation O Lord withdraw my heart I beseech thee daily more and more from the love of the World and the things thereof seeing they are Vain Transitory and full of Grief and Vexation not yielding that delight and Contentment which they promise by their fawning Allurements But on the Contrary much anguish and unquietness of Mind Witness the cause of such unexpected bitterness suffer me not to affect them as formerly nor let them seem so sweet and pleasant to me as they do to others who have not tasted of better things and therefore find such relish in these but grant that all the affections of my heart may be fixed upon thee alone 2. REPROACH and Shame O Lord hath now Encompassed me and it hath been thy Justice to make others behold the Weakness of thy Servant and to cause my wants Imperfections and Infirmities to be known and discerned of many Lord thou knowest how ready I am to fail if thy Grace doth not continually sustain me O let me not be overwhelm'd with
wish well to the Publick and make thine own Peace with God for thy particular Offences Renew the Covenant with God of a holy and strict Obedience and then pour out thy Prayers and Tears for an universal Mercy Then thou wilt not only pull away one Brand from this Consuming Fire but assist to quench the common Conslagration 11. THY Heart bleeds to see the woful Vastation of Civil Discord and the deadly fury of domestick Enemies Certainly there is nothing under Heaven more dreadful than the Face of an Intestine War nothing that so nearly resembles Hell Killing Dying Torturing Burning Shrieks Cries and Ejaculations fearful Sounds and furious Violences and whatsoever may increase Horror The present Calamity oppreâ—â—es one another Fear One is quivering in Death another trembles to expect it One begs for Life another will sell it dearer Heâ—e one would rescue one Life and loseth two another would hide himself where he finds a Merciless Death Here lies one bleeding groaning and grasping parting with his Soul inextremity of Anguish and another of a Vigorous Spirit kills and dies at once Here one wrings her Hands teaâ—s her Hair and seeks for some Instrument of a self-inflicted Death rather than yield her Chastity to a bloody Ravisher another clings to her Husband and takes part of the Murtherers Sword rather than let go her Embraces One is tortured for the Discovery of hid Treasure another dying upon the Rack out of Jealousie 12. IT is pity that Christians should be so bloodily Cruel to one another That he who bears the Image of God should thus turn Fiend to his own Flesh and Blood These are worthy of our bitterest Lamentations I love the Speculation of Seneca's Resolutely-Wise Man that could look upon the glittering Sword of an Executioner with undazled Eyes and makes it indifferent whether his Soul pass out of his Mouth or Throat But I should more admire the Practice Whilst we carry this Clay about us Nature in the best of us must shrink in at the sight of Death Yet these are the due Revenges of the Almighty's Punitive Justice so provok'd by our Sins that we cannot claim an easier Judgment 13. DOST thou not see Physicians when the Body is highly Distemper'd and the Blood Inflam'd to order the opening of a Vein and extracting out so many ounces as may leave the rest sit for Correction Why art thou over-troubled to see the great Physician of the World take this Course with sinful Mankind Certainly had not this great Body by wilful Disorder contracted these Spiritual Diseases and defiled the Blood that runs in these Vulgar Veins with Riots and Surfeits we had never been so Miserable as to see these Torrents of Christian Blood running down our Channels But could we bewail and abandon our former Wickednesses we might live in hope that at last this deadly Issue might stop and dry up and leave a Possibility of a Blessed Recovery 14. THOU art amaz'd with Grief to see the Pestilence raging in our Streets in so frequent a Mortality as breeds a question concerning the number of the Living and the Dead That which is wont to abate other Miseries heightens this the Company of Participants It was certainly a hard and sad Option that God gave to David after his numbring the People Chuse thee whether Seven Years Famine shall come unto thee in thy Land or three Months Flight before thine Enemies or two days Pestilence 2 Sam. 24.13 We may believe him when we hear him say I am in a great Strait but his wise Resolutions soon brought him out Let us fall now into the hands of the Lord for his Mercies are great And let me not fall into the hands of Man 2 Sam. 24.14 He that sent these Evils know their Value and the difference of their Malignity 15. YET he opposes three days Pestilence to seven Years Famine and three Months Vanquishment He knew there was advantage betwixt the dull Activity of Man and the quick Dispatch of an Angel It was a favour that the Angel who in One Night destroy'd an Hundred fourscore and five thousand Assyrians 2 King 19.35 should in three days cut off but Seventy thousand Israelites But the Almighty in his Judgments remembers Mercy We read of Grand Cairo wherein Eighteen hundred thousand were swept away in one Years Pestilence enough one would imagine to have De-Populated the whole Earth And in our Chronicles of so general a Mortality that the Living were hardly sufficient to Bury the Dead In the Year 1624 died of the Plague in one Week Four thousand four hundred sixty three and in our last Visitation 1665 was a larger Number In one Week Seven thousand one hundred sixty and five and in the whole Year Sixty eight thousand five hundred ninety six It was his tender Mercy that he spared any Alive But he Wounds that he may Heal and in wounding heals us for his Compassions fails not to us Sinners 16. THESE are dreadful demonstrations of God's Displeasure but there is this alleviation of our Misery that we suffer more immediately from a Holy Just and Merciful God The Kingly Prophet had never made that distinction in his Choice if he had not known a difference betwixt the Sword of an Angel and an Enemy betwixt God's more direct and immediate Infliction and the Malice of Men. It was but a poor Consolation given by a Victorious Enemy to dying Lausus Comfort thy self in thy Death with this that thou fallest by the Hand of Aeneas But surely we have just Reason to Comfort our Souls when a Pestilential Death compasses us about from the Thought and Intuition of that Gracious Hand under which we suffer So as we can say with good Eli It is the Lord. 17. IT is not amiss to nominate those Maâ—ks of Infection God's Tokens such they are and ought to Summon up our Eyes and Hearts to that Almighty Power that sends them with the Resolution of Holy Job Tho thou kill me yet will I trust in thee It is none of the least Miseries of Contagious Sickness for it bars us from the Comfortable Society and Attendance of Friends or else repays their Love and kind Visitation with Death Be not dismaid with this Solitude thou hast Company with thee whom no Infection can indanger or exclude There is an invisible Friend that will be sure to adhere to thee though thou art avoided by Neighbours and will make all thy Bed in thy Sickness and supply thee with those Cordials which thou in vain expect'st from earthly Visitants 18. INDEED justly do we stile this Sickness for the Mortalness and Generality of the Dispersion Yet there is a Remedy that can cure and confine it Let but every one inspect the Plague of his own heart and the Land is healed Can we with David see the Angel that smites us and erect an Altar and offer God the Sacrifices of our Prayers Penitence and Obedience we shall hear him say It is enough 2 Sam. 24.16 His
Fruits of Righteousness which thou hast laid up for all those who rest on thee Hear me O Lord and let my Cry come unto thee and have Mercy upon me Amen SECT XI In Exile 1. THOU art banish't thy Country Beware lest in Complaining thou censure thy self A wise Man's Country is every where What relation hath the Place of thy Nativity to thy present Station any more than the Time of thy Residing What Reason hast thou to be more affected to the Region where thou drewest thy first Breath than to the day of Week or the Hour of the Day in which thou salutest the Light What are Times and Places of our Birth but unconcerning Circumstances Where-ever thou enjoy'st thy self thou mayst make that thy Country 2. BUT thou say'st There is a secret Property in our Native Soyl that attracts our Affection and weds our Hearts to it not without a pleasing kind of Delight now no Reason can be granted why we affect the Place it is not because better than others but being our own we esteem it Ulysses doth no less value the Rocky Soyl of his barren Ithaca than Agamemnon the noble Walls of his rich and pleasant Mycenae I grant this Relation hath so powerful an Influence upon our hearts naturally as is pretended yet such a one as is easily check'd with a small unkindness How many upon an actual Affront have diverted their Respects from their Native Country and out of a strong Alenation of Mind have turn'd their Love into Hostility 3. WE shall not seek far for Histories our Times and Memories will furnish us sufficiently Some who have sucked the Breasts of our common Mother upon a little dislike have spit in her Face Others of our Domestick Compatriots have upon the disgust of some displeasing Laws fled their Country suborn'd Treasons and incited Forreign Princes to our Invasion That have endeavour'd to subvert the Government extirpate that Religion Establish't amongst us and to set up a piece of Pageantry of their own So this Natural Affection is not so ardent in many but may be quench'd with a mean Discontentment If there were no other ground of thine Affliction thy Sorrow is not so deep-rooted but it may easily be pluck'd up 4. PERHAPS it is not the Air or Earth thou insists upon but the Company from whom it is Death to part Thou arguest I shall leave all Acquaintance and Conversation and be cast upon strange Faces and Languages I understand not My best Entertainment will be Solitude and my Ordinary Inhospitality What do'st thou perplex thy self with these superfluous Terrors He is not worthy the Name of a Philosopher much less of a Christian that hath not attain'd to be absolute in himself and which way soever he is cast to stand upon his own Bottom that if there were no other Men left in the World was ignorant how to enjoy himself It is that within us whereby we must live and be happy Some Additions of Complacency may come from without Sociable Natures find Pleasure in Conversation but if that be deny'd Sanctify'd Spirits know how to converse comfortably with God and themselves 5. HOW many holy Ones of old have purposely withdrawn themselves from Worldly Company that they might be blessed with an invisible Society that have exchanged Cities for Deserts Houses for Caves the Sight of Men for Beasts that their Spiritual Eyes might be fixed upon those Objects which the World held from them And necessity puts thee into that Estate which their Piety affected But to be driven to forsake Parents Kinsfolk Friends how sad a Case must it needs be What is this but a perfect Distraction What are we but Off-springs of our Parents What are Friends but dear to us And what is the World without these Comforts 6. WHEN thou hast said all what is befaâ—n thee more than it pleased God to enjoyn the Father of the Faithful Get thee out of thy Country and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House into a Land that I will shew thee Gen. 13.1 The same God by the Command of Authority calls thee to this Separation If thou wilt shew thy self worthy the Son of such a Father do that in an humble Obedience to God which thou art urg'd to do by Compulsion of Men. 7. BUT is this so vexatious a Case Do'st thou think to find God where thou goest Or dost thou believe his Company will attend thee to the End of thy Journey Hath he not said who cannot fail I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Certainly he is not worthy to lay Claim to God that cannot find Parents Kindred and Friends in him alone Besides he that of Stones could raise up Children unto Abraham how easily can he of Inhospitable Men raise up Friends to the Sons of Abraham Only labour to inherit that Faith wherein he walked that alone shall free Denizen thee in the best of Foreign States and shall entertain thee in the wildest Desarts 8. THOU art cast upon a Foreign Nation Be of good Chear Flowers remov'd grow greater and some Plants which were unthriving and unwholsom in their own Soil have grown safe and flourishing in other Climates Had Joseph been great if not transplanted into Egypt Had Daniel and his three Companions of the Captivity ever attained honour in their Native Land Many have found that health in a Change of Air which they could not meet at home In Africa the South-Wind clears up and the North is Rainy Look still to that hand which translated thee wait his good Pleasure Be thou no Stranger to God it matters not who are Strangers to thee 9. THOU art banish't How canst thou be so when upon thy Fathers Ground The Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof the World and they that dwel therein Psal. 24.1 In his Right where-ever thou art thou may'st challenge a Spiritual Interest All things saith the Apostle are yours and you are Christ's and Christ is God's 1 Cor. 3.21 22 22. No Man can challenge thee for a Stranger that is not thy Father's Child 9. THINE Exile separates thee from Friends This were no small Affliction if it might not be remedied That was a true Word of Laurentius That where Two Faithful Friends are met God makes up a Third But is it no less true that where one Faithful Spirit is God makes up a Second One God can more than supply a thousand Friends 11. THY Banishment deprives thee of the Comfort of thy Companions Would not a voluntary Travel do as much Do not thousands willingly for many Years change their Country for Forreign Regions taking long Farewels of their dearest Friends and Acquaintance some out of Curiosity and a thirst after knowledge and some out of a covetous desire after a Gain What Difference is there betwixt thee and them but that their Travel is voluntary thy Exile constrain'd But who are there thou art so sorry to part with Remember what Crates the Philosopher said to a Young Man that was
Mar. 12.7 Luke 20.14 How sure work did they think they had mâ—de when they saw him through their subtil procurement nailed to the cross and dying upon that tree of shame and curse when they saw him laid under a Sealed and Guarded Gravestone And now begins their Confusion and his Triumph Now doth the Lord of Life trample upon Death and Hell and to perfect his own Glory and Man's Redemption by his most Glorious Resurrection 20. AND as it was with the Head so with the Members When Satan had done his worst they are zealouser upon their sins and happier upon their miscarriages God finds out a way to improve their evils to advantage and teaches them of Vipers to make Soveraign Treacles and safe and powerful Trochises The Temptations of Satan sent from his Power Malice and Subtilty are but fiery darts for their Suddenness Impetuosity and Penetration If we can hold the Shield of Faith before us Eph. 6.16 They shall not be quenched but retorted in the Face of him that sends them and we shall with the holy Apostle find and profess that In all things we are more then Conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 And in a bold defiance of all the Powers of Darkness say ver 38 39 I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. A Prayer in Spiritual Conflicts O Blessed Jesu the Lord of Life Prince of Glory and Captain of our Salvation the perplexing trouble of my destracting thoughts do by their sly insinuations and secret importunities disturb the quiet of my mind and make my holy duties become a weariness to my Soul They cool the heat they damp the Vigor and dead the Comfort of all my Devotions Yea even when I beseech God to forgive my sins I then sin whilst I am praying for forgiveness whether it be in the Church or the Closet so Frequently and so Violently do these vain thoughts withdraw my heart from thy service that I cannot have confidence thou hearest my Suit because I know by Experience my own deafness and therefore sure needs must thou O God be far off from my Prayers whilst my heart is so far out of thy presence and hurried away with a Crowd of vain Imaginations 2. But Lord keep my Faith fixt upon thy Mediation let me behold thy Incense when I offer my Sacrifice and though distractions have withdrawn me from my self yet let not distrust drive me from my Jesus O give me an encrease of Saving Knowledge which will prove a sure means of Sanctifying my thoughts Mortifie in me all vile Affections and Inordinate Passions and suppress all evil thoughts and vain Imaginations and by thy Special Grace Excite and Cherish in me Holy and Speritual Affections Thou who hast vanquisht Satan and all the powers of Darkness O give Victory to me and all languishing Souls in our Spiritual Conflicts guide us with thy Counsels sustain us with thy Grace refresh us with thy Comforts preserve us in thy Love and crown us with thy Glory Amen Amen Hallelujah SECT XIX The Character of Patience 1. PATIENCE is a peaceable disposition of the whole Man not troubled nor troublesome but abstaining from whatsoever may disturb himself or others In its Definition we may observe these five heads first the nature of Patiencâ— it is peaceable and quiet not subject to sudden Passion light Motions or short Affections towards it but an habitual Disposition and due Composure of a Mans self which may bear the impression of David's Motto Psal. 120.7 I am for Peace 2. SECONDLY the subject of Patience The whole Man not the external but the internal the heart and head the mind and manners must be dispos'd and compos'd towards it Principally indeed the Heart For out of it are the issues of Life Prov. 4.23 and unless there be a Meek and Quiet Spirit 1 Pet. 3.4 It is impossible to acquire it but withall there must be a quiet Hand Psal. 24.4 A quiet Eye Job 31.1 A quiet Ear Prov. 2.2 And a quiet Tongue Psal. 39.1 And all parts and faculties of the Soul disposed to Patience 3. THIRDLY the parts of Patience is not in being troubled or being troublesom neither actively impatient in displeasing others nor passively impatient in being disquieted by others Fourthly the practice of Patience is an abstinence from whatsoever may disturb for so the word Patience commonly Translated doth import And St. James doth thus describe it Jam. 1.21 A laying aside of all filthiness and superfluity of maliciousness 4. FIFTHLY The Object of Patience or Impatience either in our selves or others Men disquiet themselves either by Causeless conceit of offence offered when it is not By being too suspicious and Inventers of evil things Rom. 1.30 or by too much taking to heart an offence when it is offered by being too Furious 2 Tim. 3.3 Men disturb others either in offering occasion of offence by being Injurious and Disorderly 2 Thess. 3.11 or by bitter seeking Revenge being full of Maliciousness Rom. 1.29 So Men likewise disturb themselves and others when they continue in their sins and never think of Repentance As Elijah told Ahab 1 King 18.18 It is thou and thy Fathers house that trouble and disquiet Israel 5. BY this short view we have taken of Patience we may behold the true Character of a Patient Man He is one of a Mild Nature and true Christian Temper swift to hear slow to speak and slow to wrath 1 Pet. 3.4 Phil. 2.5 Jam. 1.19 His head is not over-laden with Cares of this Life nor his heart with Fears his eyes are not itching after Vanities nor his Ears after Novelties Luk. 21.34 Prov. 29.25 Jer. 22.17 Act. 17.21 6. His Hands are not intermeddling with impertinent business nor his Feet swift to run into Evil His Mouth is far from Cursing and Bitterness kept in as a Bridle that it should not Offend 1 Thes. 4.11 Prov. 4.26 Rom. 3.14 Psal. 39.1 Psal. 17.3 His whole body is fit for a Load of Injuries which he bears not out of baseness and cowardise because he dares not Revenge but out of Christian Fortitude because he will not Rom. 12.13 7. HIS Arms are strengthned by the Mighty God of Jacob his hands are washt in Innocency and his breast is the breast plate of Righteousness Gen. 49.24 Psal. 26.6 Eph. 6.4 The hid-man of his heart consisteth of A meâ—k and a quiet Spirit and his Bowels are Bowels of Mercy Meekness and Compassion 1 Pet. 3.4 Col. 3.12 His Loins are girt about with Truth his Knees are pliable to Bow his Legs to bear and his Foot standeth in an even place Eph. 6.14 Psal. 26.12 8. HE is one can moderate himself in Prosperity and content himself in Adversity His hopes are so strong they can insult over the greatest discouragements and his apprehensions so deep that
Meekness Humility and Patience hearken unto thy Saviour's Lesson Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls And St. Paul earnestly beseeches us Ephes. 4.1 2 3. To walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith we are called with all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love And David gives us this Comfort Psal. 25.8 Them that are meek shall he guide in judgment and such as are gentle them shall he learn his way And Psal. 9.18 For the poor shall not always be forgotten The patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever Psal. 37.9 Wicked doers shall be rooted out but they that patiently abide the Lord those shall inherit the land And then lastly thou mayst say to thy great joy and comfort I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my calling Psal. 40.1 3. WHEN thou art cast down on thy Bed of Sickness Call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray James 5.14 This was Hezekiah's Recipe when he was sick unto Death then he turned his Face to the Wall and prayed 2 King 20.1 2. Pray with David Psal. 6.2 Have mercy on me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed And take the Counsel of the wise Man Ecclus. 38.9 My Son in thy Sickness be not negligent but pray unto the Lord and he will make thee whole 4 IF thou art afflicted in Conscience pray with David Psal. 8.5 6. The sorrows of Hell compassed me about and the snares of Death prevented me In my distress I called upon the Lord and cryed unto my God 5. ART thou infested with importunate Temptations pray earnestly with St. Paul when the Messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him 2 Cor. 12.8 Thrice I besought the Lord that it might depart from me And Holy David he complains while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted thy fierce wrath goeth over me But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee Psal. 88.15 16 17. 6. IF thou art disheartned with imbecillity of Grace use David's Prayer I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart Lord all my desire is before thee Psal. 38.8 9. 7. WHEN thou aâ—t afflicted with loss of Reputation and Slander of Evil Tongues say with the Psalmist The mouâ—h of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me they have spoken against me with a lying Tongue Hold not thy peace O God of my praise Psal. 109.1 2. 8. IN time of publick Calamities of War Famine or Pestilence pray with good Jehosaphat who importun'd God with his Gracious Promise made to Solomon If when evil cometh upon us as the Sword Judgment or Pestilence or Famine we stand before this house and in thy presence and cry unto thee in our affliction then thou wilt hear and help And shuts up his zealous Supplication with neither know we what to do but our Eyes are upon thee 2 Chron. 9.12 9. AT loss of Friends in thy affliction pray and have recourse to God as Ezekiel when Peletiah the Son of Benajah died Ezek. 11 13. Then fell down upon my face and cryed with a loud voice and said ah Lord God! Wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel 10. IN time of Poverty pray with David Psal. 109.24 25 26. I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded within me I became also a reproach to them when they that looked upon me shaked their heads Help me O Lord my God Oh save me according to thy mercy 11. IN Confinement pray with Jonah when he was shut up within the Living-Waâ—ls of the Whale Jonah 2.1 2. I cryed by reason of my affliction unto the Lord and joyn with Asaph in prayer Psal. 79.11 Oh let the sorrowful sighing of the Prisoners come before thee and according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die 12. IN Exile use Solomons Prescription 2 Chr. 6.36 37 38 39. If thy people be carried away into a Land far off or near Yet if they bethink themselves in the Land whether they are carried and turn and pray to thee in the Land of their Captivity If they return to thee with all their hearts and pray towards the Land thou gavest to their fore-fathers c. then hear thou from Heaven even thy dwelling place their Prayer and their Supplication 13. HAST thou lost thy Seeing and Hearing make thy address to him that said Who hath made mans mouth or who maketh the Dumb and the Deaf or the Seeing or the Blind Have not I the Lord Exod. 4.11 Cry aloud to him with Bartimeus Mark 10.47 51. Lord that I may receive my sight And if thou be hopeless of thine outward sight yet pray with the Psalmist O Lord open thou mine Eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law Psal. 119.18 14. ART thou afflicted with Sterility pray with Isaac who intreated the Lord for his Wife because she was barren And the Lord was intreated of him and Rebekah his Wife conceived Gen 25.21 And Hannah she prayed in bitterness of Soul unto the Lord and wept sore and received a Gracious Answer 1 Sam. 1.10 15. ART thou troubled and weakened for want of repose pray with Asaph Psal. 77.3 4 1. I complained and my Spirit was overwhelmed thou holdest mine eyes waking I am sore troubled that I cannot speak I cryed to God with my voice even unto God with my voice and he gave ear unto me 16. DOST thou droop under Old Age Pray with David Oh cast me not off in the time of Old Age forsake me not when my strength faileth O God thou hast taught me from my Youth Now also when I am Old and Gray-headed O God forsake me not Psal. 71.9 17 18. 17. ART thou troubled and dismayed with fears of Death Pray with David Psal. 18.3 4 5 6 13. My Soul is full of troubles and my Life draweth nigh unto the Grave I am counted with them that down into the pit I am as a man that hath no strength free among the dead thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the deep But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee 18. DOST thou tremble at the thoughts of Judgment So did the man after Gods own heart Psal. 119.120 My flesh trembled for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments look up with Jeremiah and say to thy Saviour O Lord thou hast pleaded the causes of my Soul thou hast redeemed my Life O Lord judge thou my cause Lam. 3.58 59. 19. ART thou afraid of the Power Malice and Subtility of thy Spiritual Enemies Use Psal. 59.1 Deliver me from mine Enemies O my God defend me from them that rise up against me O hide me from the