will be quiet and will be noâ— more angry Ezek. 16.42 Who is a God like unto thee that pardons the iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Michaâ— 7.18 For our light afflictions which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall waight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 For like as a Father pittyeth his Children so the Lord pittyeth them that feare him for he knoweth our frame he remembreth we are but dust Psalme 103.13.14 Sing O heavens and be joyfull O earth and breake forth into singing O mountaines for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy on his afflicted but Sion said the Lord hath forgotten me Can a woman forget her sucking Childe that she should not have compassion on him yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee Esa 49.13 14 15. For the needy shall not alwaies be forâ—otten the expectation of the poore shall â—ot perish for ever Psal 9.18 In all their afflictions he was afflicted â—nd the Angell of his presence saved them 〈◊〉 his love and in his pitty he redeemed â—hem and he bare them and he carried â—hem all the dayes of old Esay 63.9 Behold happy is the man whom God â—orrecteth therefore despise not the chaâ—tening of the Almighty Job 5.17 Blessed is the man whom thou chasteâ—est O Lord and teachest him out of thy â—aw that thou mayest give him rest for â—he dayes of adversity untill the pit be â—igged for the wicked whom he loveth â—e correcteth even as the Father the Son 〈◊〉 whom he delighteth therefore despise â—ot the chastening of the Lord neither â—e weary of his correction for it is good â—or me that I have been afflicted that I â—ight learne thy Statutes Psalme 94. â—2 13. Who fed thee in the Wildernesse with Manna which thy Fathers knew not that â—e might humble thee and that he might â—rove thee to doe thee good at thy latter â—nd Deut. 8.16 For we know that all things worke together for good to them that love Goâ— to them that are called according to 〈◊〉 purpose Rom. 8.28 My brethren count it all joy when yâ— fall into divers temptations knowing thâ— that the trying of your faith worketh pâ—tienee James 2.3 Though he fall he shall not be utter cast downe for the Lord upholdeth hâ—â— with his hand Psal 37.24 God will lighten our darknesse he wâ— keep the feet of his Saints he will not foâ—sake them nor forget their complaint thâ— they shall not be confounded in time 〈◊〉 trouble he will hide them Psal 18.28 His Angels shall pitch about them 〈◊〉 will heale them and take all sicknesâ— from them they shall not feare their enemies but will make their enemies afraâ—â— of them be avenged of their enemies 〈◊〉 will repent him of the evill pronounced â—gainst them They cry and the Loâ—â— heareth them and delivereth them 〈◊〉 of all their troubles Many are the troâ—bles of the righteous but the Lord delâ—vereth them out of all Psal 34.7 But the salvation of the righteous is the Lord he is their strength in the tiâ—â— of trouble and the Lord shall help theâ— and deliver them he will deliver them â—om the wicked and save them because â—ey trust in him Psal 37.39 40. Comfortable Sentences concerning earthly Blessings FIrst seek the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all good things â—â—all be added unto you Mat. 6.33 O taste and see that the Lord is good â—lessed is the man that trusteth in him O â—eare the Lord yee his Saints for there is â—o want to them that feare him The Liâ—ns doe lack and suffer hunger but they â—hat seeke the Lord lack nothing Psal 4.8 9 10. The Lord is a sunne and shield and no â—ood thing will he with-hold from them â—hat walke uprightly Psal 84.12 Trust in the Lord and doe good so â—halt thou dwell in the Land and verily â—hou shalt be fed delight thy selfe in â—he Lord and he will give thee thy deâ—ires of thy heart Commit thy way unto â—he Lord trust also in him and he shall â—ring it to passe For the meeke shall inherit the earth and shall delight them selves in their abundance of peace a little that a righteous man hath is betteâ— then the riches of many wicked Psal 37 3 4 5. O how great is thy goodnesse whicâ— thou hast laid up for them that feare thee which thou hast wrought for them thaâ— trust in thee before the sonnes of men Psal 31.21 The Lord is good and his tender mercies is over all his workes for seeing godlinesse hath the promises of this life as welâ— as of the life to come He will dwell with his and not forsake them that he will love and blesse his people that he will be their God will rejoyce over them to doe them good will compasse them with favour as with a shield will keepe his Covenant with them that he will set peace in their borders and prosper them in all they goe about Psal 145.9 My Sonne forget not my Law but let thine heart keepe my Commandements for length of days and long life and peace shall they adde to thee length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that retaineth her Prov. 3 â— 2 16. If thou wilt diligently hearken to the â—oyce of the Lord thy God and wilt doe â—hat which is right in his sight and wilt give eare to his Commandements and keepe all his Statutes I will put none of these diseases upon thee which I put upon the Aegyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee Exod. 15.26 Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of thine increase so shall thy Barnes be filled with plenty and thy Presses shall burst with new wine Prov 3.9.16 He that soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully and God is able to make all grace to abound towards you that yee alwaies having all sufficiency in all things may attaine to every good worke 2 Cor. 9.6.8 So shalt thou finde favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man Prov. 3.4 And I will give peace in the Land and â—ee shall lye downe and none shall make â—ou afraid Levit 26.6 Behold my servants shall rejoyce but yee shall be ashamed Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but yee shall cry for sorrow of heart Esay 65.13 14. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Peace bâ— within thy walls and prosperity withiâ— thy pallaces Psal 122.6 7. Then shalt thou walke in thy way safely and thy foote shall not stumble Prov. 3.23 The name of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous run unto it and is safe Prov. 18.10 But who so hearkneth unto me shall dwell safely and be quiet from the feare
chant it as cheerfully in September the beginning of Winter as in March the approach of the Summer why should not we thinke I give as cheerfull entâ—rtainment to the hoary Haires of ouâ— ages Winter as to the Primroses of our youths spring why not to the declining Sunne in adversity as like Persians to the rising Sunne of prosperity I am sent to the Ant to learne industry to the Dove to learne innocencie to the Serpâ—nt to learne wisdome aâ—d why not to this Bird to lâ—arne Equanimity and patience aâ—â— to keep the same tenoâ— of my mindâ—â— qâ—â—etness as well at the appâ—â—acâ—â— of calamitous Winter as of the Spring of hâ—ppinâ—ssâ— And since the Romans constancâ—e is so commended who changed not his countenancâ— with his changed Fortunes why shâ—uld not I with a Christian resolution hold a steddy cou se in all weatâ—ers and though I be â—orced with crosse Winds â—o shift my Sayles and catch at side Winds yâ—t skilfully to steare and keep on my course by the Cape of good hope till I arrive at the haven of eternall happinesse And now to conclude Meditation is a busie search in the Store-house of Fantasie for some Ideas of matters to be cast in the moulds of resolution into some formes of words or actions in which search when I have used my greatest diligence I finde this in conclusion that to meditate on the best is the best of Meditations and a resolution to make a good end is a good end of my resolutions A Morning Prayer O Most gracious God and loving Father we heartily thanke thee for all thy loving kindnesses so abundantly shewed upon us for our Election Creation Redemption mercifull Vocation Justification Sanctification and continuall preservation and for our assured hope of our Glorification in the world to come We praise thy gracious goodnesse for so mercifully preserving us this night past and delivering us from all dangers both of soule and body for that thou hast given us so sweet and comfortable rest and hast brought us to the beginning of this day And as thou hast safely preserved us unto this present houre from all dangers of this life so we beseech thee to continue this thy favour towards us this day and the whole course of our life suffer us not by vaine alurements of this world to be drawne away into sinne and wickednesse assist us with thy Grace and holy Spirit that we spend not our times vainely or idely but that we may alwaies be diligently exercised in the duties of our Calling to the benefit of our Brethren and discharge of our Conscience Grant that in all our consultations words and workes we may ever have thee present before our eyes through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen An Evening Prayer O Most gracious Lord God and loving Father we heartily thanke thee for all thy mercies blessings benefits and preservations so abundantly shewed towards us We doe praise thy glorious goodnesse for so mercifully preserving us this day past and delivering us from all perills and dangers both of body and soule for prospering and preserving us in health and prosperity for giving us all things necessary for this present life as health food and apparrell and other convenient things needfull this gracious goodnesse of thine we beseech thee O Lord to continue towards us for ever And here O Lord God we offer up unto thee our selves and ours our soules our bodies we recommend our lives our meanes and all we have unto thy gracious preservation and protection in assurance that that cannot perish which is committed unto thee keep us this night in safety and grant good Lord that our bodies may sleep and ouâ— souâ—es may watch for the commiâ—g of our Saviour thy Son Jesus Christ thaâ— so our soules and bodies may be more apt and able to serve thee in that estate and Calling wherein thou hast thought good to place us we doe confesse and acknowledge O mercifull God that we are most miserable and wicked sinners as well by originall corruption of Nature as by the course of our evill and naughty life we have and doe daily breake and transgresse thy most holy Law and Commandements both in thought word and deed By the meanes of this sinne and corruption we doe continually deserve most just condemnation and to be for ever cast out of thy presence yet such is thy goodnesse towards us thou wouldest not suffer us thus to perish in our sins but hast sent thine owne deare Sonne Christ Jesus to take upon him whatsoever is due to us and to reconcile and makâ— us one with thee againe In him therefore and thorow him we come unto thee beseeching thee for his sake that we feeliâ—g the grievâ—usnesse of our siâ—nes and groaning under the burthen of them may finde the release and â—ase of them in that we through thy â—â—â—y Spirit stedfastly belâ—eve that Christ hath borne the burthen of them even for us Grant O Lord that we being assured hereof in our conscience may through thy holy Spirit be renewed with more graces and hate detest and abhorre all manner of sinne and study to live in all things according to thy blessed Will during our whole life Grant this O deare Father for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for remission of sins O Lord glorious ever-living loving everlasting Father I wretched sinner presume once againe after my sinne to returne home unto thee requesting begging praying and desiring of thy heavenly Majesty that thou wilâ— look downe upon me I confesse were it not for the hope of thy mercy anâ— the hold of thy comfort and the renewing graces which sometimes I feele from thee and that sweet taste and feeling of thy good gifts and thy heavenly Word I should sinke in despaire for my sinne is alwaies before me if I go they follow me if I run they fly after me if I look back they stare upon me if I go forward they meet me if I turne to the right hand they terrifie me if to the left hand they torment me If I look down to earth Hell is ready to devour me now have I no way but to look up to thee Lord be thou then hore ready to receive me help me good God save me deare Father succour me sweet Redeemer assist me mercifull Creator that my prayers may be so fervent so zealous so affectionate towards thee that they may draw down thy mercies upon me powre down thy blessings shower down thy graces open thy hand of mercy restore joy and comfort to my heavie and laden soule wash away my sins wipe away mine iniquity heale my infirmities purge my wicked minde of all evill thoughts pardon all misdeeds and wicked dealings renew the good Spirit of heâ—venly graces restore the joyes of thy holy comsorts upon me O Lord let me have some feeling some taste some scent some glimmering of thy glorious presence Let me feele some comfort finde some joy have some rest good Lord let
is the very nature of God and without end or measure as his Godhead is so also his justice is And these two are the two Armes as it were of God imbrasing and kissing one the other as the Scripture saith Therefore as in a man of this world if we had the measure of one arme we might easily conjâ—cture of the other so seeing the wonderfull examples dayly of Gods infinite mercy towards them that repent we may imagine by the same his severe justice towards them whom he reserveth to punishment in the next life and whâ—n for that cause he calleth in the Scriptuâ—es Vessels of his fury oâ— Vessels to shâ—w his fury upon A third reason to perswade us of the grâ—atâ—esse of these punishments may be the marvellous patience and long-suffering of God in this life As for example in that he suffereth divers men from one sin to another from one day to another from one year to another to spend all in dishonour and dispite of his Majestie adding offence to offence and refusing all perswasions allurements good inspirations or other means of friendship that his mercy can devise to offer for their amendments and what man in the world could suffer this or what mortall heart could shew such patience But now if all this should not be requited with severity of punishment in the world to come upon the obstinate it might seeme against the Law of Justice and equitie and one arme in God might seeme longer then the other Paul doth touch this reason in his Epistle to the Romans where hee saith Dost thou not know that the benignity of God is used to bring thee to repentance And thou by thy hard and impenitent heart dost hoord up vengeance unto thy selfe against the day of wrath and appearance of Gods just judgement which shall restore to every man according to his works He useth heare the words of hoording up of vengeance to signifie that even as the covetous man doth hoord up money to money dayly to make his heap great so the unrepentant sinner doth hoord up sinne to sinne and God on the contrary side hoordeth up vengeance to vengeance untill his measure be full to restore in the end measure against measure as the Prophet saith and to pay us home according to the multitude of our abominations This God meant when he said to Abraham that their iniquities was nâ—t yet full up Also in the Revelation of St. John when he used this conclusion of that Booâ—e He that doth evill let him doe yet more evill and he that lyâ—th in filth let him yet become more filthy for behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to render to every man according to his deeds By which words God signifieth that his bearing and tollerating with sinners in this life is an argument â—f his greater severity in the life to come Which the Prophet Dâ—vid also declareth when talking of a carelesse sinner he saith The Lord shall scoffe at hâ—m foreseeing that his day shall come This day no doubt is to be understood the day of account and punishment after this life for so doth God more at large declare himselfe in another place in these words And thou Son of man thus saith the Lord God The end is comâ— now I say the end is come upon thee and I will shew in thee my furie and I will judge thee according to thy wayes I will lay against thee all thy abominations and mâ—â—e eye shall not spare thee neither will I take any mercie upon thee but I will put thine own waies upon thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. Behold affliction commeth on the end is come the end I say is come that watched against thee and behold it is come crushing is come upon thee the time is come the day of slaughter is at hand shortly I will powre out my wrath upon thee and I will fill my fury in thee I wil judge thee according to thy waies and I will lay all thy wickednesse upon thee mine eye shall not pitty thee neither will I take any compâ—ssion upon thee but I will lay thy waies upon thee and thine abominations in the middest of thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord that striketh Hitherto is the speech of God himselfe Seeing then we nâ—w understand in generall that the punishments of God in the life to come are most certain to be great and severe tâ— all such as fall into them for which câ—â—se the Apostle saith It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living Gâ—â— Let us consider somewhat in particular what manner of pains and punishmens they shall be And first of all touching the place of punishment appointed for the damned commonly called Hell The Scripture in divers places and Languages used divers names but all tending to expresse the grivousness of punishment there suffered As in Latine it is called Infernus a place beneath or under ground as most of the old Fathers doe iâ—terpret But whether it be under ground or no most certaine it is that it is a place most opposite to heaven which is said to be above And this name is used for to signifie the miserable suppressing and â—urling down of the damned to be troden under the feet not only of God but also of good men for ever for so saith the Scripture Behold the day of the Lord cometh burning like a furnace and all proud and wicked men shall be straw to that furnace and you that feare my name shall tread them downe and they shall be as burnt Ashes under the soles of your feet in that day And this shall be one of the greatest miseries that can happen to the proud and stout Potentates of the world to be thrown down with such contempt and to be troden under feet of them whom they so much despised in this world The Hebrew word which the Scripture useth for Hell is Sheol which signifieth a great ditch or dungeon in which sence it is also called in the Apocalips Lacus irae Dei The Lake of the wrath of God And again A Poole burning with fire and brimston Also in the Gospel it is called utter darknesse And Job saith of iâ— there dwelleth no order but everlasting horror Having now in some part declared the names and thereby also in part the nature Iâ— remâ—ineth now that we consider what manner of paines men suffer there For declaration whereof we must noâ—e that as Heaven and Hell are contrary assigned to contrary persons for contrary causes so have they in all respects contrary properties conditions and â—ffâ—cts in such sort as whatsoever is spoken of the felicity of the one may seâ—ve to inferre the contrary of tâ—e other As when Saint Pâ—ul saith That no eye hath seen nor eare heard nor heart conceived the joyes that God haâ—h â—â—epareâ— fâ—r them that shalâ— be saved We may inferre that the paine of the damned must bâ— as great A
come if thou beleeve Christ himselfe wherein thou shalt have small cause to envie their felicity To conclude then this prize is set up for them that will strive for it For t is not every one that saith to Christ Lord Lord that shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but they onely which doe the will of Christ his Father in heaven Though this Kingdome of Christ be set out to all yet every man shall not come to raigne with Christ but such onely as shall be content to suffer with Christ Thou art therefore to sit down and consider according to thy Saviours councell what thou wilt doe whether thou have so much spirituall money as is sufficient to build this Towre or no That is whether thou have so much good will as to bestow the paines of suffering with Christ if it be rather to be called pain then pleasure that so thou maist raigne with him in his Kingdome This is the question that is the very whole issue of the matter that hath been spoken before either of thy particular end or of the Majestie bounty and justice of God and of the account he wil demand of thee Also of the punishment or reward laid up for thee All this is spoken to this end that thou wouldest finally resolve what thou shouldest doe and not to pass over thy t me in careless negligence as many doe never spying their owne errour untill it be too late to amend it For the love of God then deare brother and for the love that thou bearest to thine owne soule shake off this dangerous security which flesh and blood is wont to lull men in and make some earnest resolution for looking for thy soule in the life to come remember often that worthy sentence This life is but a moment of time whereof all eternity of life or death to come dependeth If it be a moment and a moment of so great importance how is it past over by worldly men with so little care as it is And if all this thatc hath been said gentle Reader will not prevaile with thee little hope is there that any other will doe thee good Wherefore here I end beseeching our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ which was content to pay his own blood for the purchasing this noble inheritance unto us give us his holy grace to esteeme of it as the great waight of the matter requireth and not by negligence to lose our portions therein Of the choise of Religion VAriety in any thing disturbeth the mind and leaves it waving in a dubious trouble and then how easie is it to sway the mind to either side But among all the diversities that wee meet with none troubles us more then those that are of Religion T is rare to finde two Kingdoms one as if every Nation had if not a God yet at least a way to God by it selfe This stumbles the unsetled soule that not knowing which way to take without danger of erring sticks to none so dyes ere he doe that for which he was made to live the service of the true Almighty We are borne as men set down in the middest of a Wood circled round with severall voyces calling us At first we see not which will lead us the right way out So divided in our selves we sit still and follow none remaining blind in a flat Atheisme which strickes deep at the Foundation both of our own the whole worlds happiness T is true if we let our dimmed understanding search in these varieties which yet is the onely meanes that we have in our selves to do it with we shall certainly lose our selves in our windings there being in every of them some thing to beleeve above that reason which leads us to the search Reason gives us the Annatomy of things and illustrates with a great deale of plaineness all the waies that shee goes but her line is too short to reach the depths of Religion Religion carries a confutation along with it and with a high hand of soveragnity awes the inquisitive tongue of nature and when shee would sometimes murmur privately she will not let her speake Reason like a milde Prince is content to shew his subjects the causes of his commands and rule Religion with a higher straine of Majestie bids doe it without inquiring further then the bare command which without doubt is a meanes of procuring mighty reverence What we know not we reverently admire what we doe know is in some sort subject to the triumphs of the soul that hath discovered it and this not knowing makes us not able to judge Every one tells us his own is the truest and there is none I thinke but hath been sealed with the blood of some nor can I see how we may more then proprobably prove any they being all set in such heights as they are not subject to the demonstrations of reason And as wee may easier say what a soule is not then what it is so we may more easily disproove a Religion for false then proove it for one that is true There being in the world farre more error then truth Yet is there besides another misery neere as great as this and that is that we cannot be our owne chousers but must take it upon trust from others Are we not oft befor we can discerne the true brought up and grounded in the false suckng Heresie with our milke in childhood Nay when we come to yeares of abler judgement wherein the mind is grown up compleate man we examine not the soundness but retaine it meerely because our Fathers taught it us what a lamentable weakness is this in man that he should build his eternall wellfare on the approbation of perhaps a weake and ignorant Parent Oh why is our neglect the most in that wherein our care should be greatest How few are there which fulfill that precept of trying all things and taking the best Assuredly though Faith be above Reason yet is there a reason to be given of our faith he is a foole that beleeves he knows not what nor why Among all the diversities of Religion that the world holds I think it may stand with most safety to take that which makes most for Gods glory and mans quiet I confess in all the Treatises of Religion that I ever saw I find none that I should so soone follow as that of the Church of England I never found so sound foundation so sure a direction for Religion as the Song of the Angels at the birth of Christ Glory be to God on high There is the honour the reverent obedience and the admiration and the adoration which we ought to give him On earth peace This is the effect of the former working in the hearts of men whereby the world appeares in his noblest beuty being an intire chaine of inter-mutuall amity And good will towards men This is Gods mercy to reconcile man to himselfe after his fearfull dissertion of his maker Search all
me be once truly renewed by thy grace and setled in thy service that I never slip nor slide back but grant unto me most mercifull Father a sure and setled dependance upon thee so that in all my wordt workâ— and deeds I may rejoyce in serving fearing and obeying thee and that I may spend all the residue of my dayes truly serving thee seeking to glorifie thy Name and magnifie thy goodnesse unto me so long as it shall please thâ—e to lend me breath to this fâ—aile body And mercifull Father favourably governe and guide help instruct and teach me in thy wiâ—dom to magnifie thy holy Name multiply and increaâ—e thy mercies on me O Lord preserve and prospâ—r me in all my waies and works and all about me remember thy poore flock build up thy Church renew Sion governe assist and blesse all pain ull Preachers and Pastors of thy Word teach them and us understanding rihgtly to know thee and truly to follow thee awake my drowsie soule defend it from evill imaginations keep me in holy and heavenly meditations grant me to observe thy waies so that I may walke in piety and peace set my sinnes so before mine eyes that when I look back on them I may with sorrow weep lament and repent my time past which hath been spent so wickedly or unprofitably O powerfull Preserver remember me restore me to joy and comfort and hasten in time thy salvation unto me Draw my lingring soule and it shall run after thee turne me unto thee with all williâ—gnesse come thou neare unto me gâ—â—d Lord and dâ—clare and shew thy mercies on me estâ—blish me in grace excite me to goodâ—â—sse Give me grace that I may alwaies grow stronger and â—â—â—â—â—ger to walke before thee weaker and weâ—ker to sinne faithfull and â—â—â—me in thy service Grant this deare Gâ—d and mercifull Father for Christ Ieâ—us his sake our Saviour and Redeâ—mer Amen A Prayer in time of Warre O Glorious Lord God and everlasting Father we intreat theâ— mercifully to looke downe upon us and hearken unto our complaintâ— and desires and grant we beseech thee our requests O gracious Father thou knowest nor sinnes and our iniquities are not hid from thee they lye open to thy Judgements yet we know that thy mercies are the cure of our miseries and when wâ— fly to thee thou drawest neare to us we beseech thee now to be favourable and spare us for all our sinneâ— past and be ready to deliver us from sinnes to come looke down in mercy upon us and as thou hast been ouâ— everlasting defence so now defenâ— us from the rage of our enemies goâ— in ond out O Lord before our Armies before our Generalls before ouâ— Fleets and Commanders And granâ— we may be thy Souldiers to fight under thy Banner stirre up our hearts and strength against the enemy defend thy afflicted Flock remember we beseech thee the burthen of misery laid upon thy Church in this time in these our Kingdomes and elsewhere and in thy due time restore them to their former glory Settle our hearts and affections to regaine and recover that which hath been lost and grant that we seeing their double dealing may no longer trust to them which have no truth they imagine mischief in their hearts and are set on fire to doe ill but breake thou the knot of their malice lay open their plots discover their devices weaken their Armies over-throw their Inventions confound their Councels and consume their numbers O Lord thou hast in times past made the Starres to fight in order the Sun to stand still the Seas to devoure the Winds to overthrow thy enemies So now O Lord cause these thy Creatures to assist and help us and our distressed Neighbours that all the world may know It is thou that fightest our Battels and undertakest our cause Finally O Lord blesse we beseech thee us and every one of us in what we shall take in hand for defence of thy Church and Truth blesse we intreat thee our King and Parliament our State and Clergy our Communalty and give thy blessing unto us all and last of all blesse we beseech thee all the worthy Companies of Souldiers in Cities and all other places in the Land blesse O Lord their inventions of Warre and make them expert by their practises prosper all their undertakings so that all the world may know that thou art the Guider of our Councells and Leader of our Armies Grant this deare Father and all other good things unto us for the good of the Church amongst us and the reliefe of others by us now and ever for Christ Jesus sake our only Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer for Gods protection of his Church in respect of the present troubles of it ALmighty God the Lord of Hosts and Governour of all things whose power no Creature is able to resist to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners and to be mercifull to them that truly repent Worke in us and in all thy people unfained and effectuall repentance that what thou seest amisse in us and amongst us or in any parts of thy Church may speedily and thorowly be reformed that which is righteous and good in thy sight may be established and maintained especially in this our Land and other places professing thy Truth and Gospell and in the meane time while we strive after that which may be most agreeable to thy holy Will as it is revealed in thy holy Word be mercifull unto us and bring us on as thou seest it needfull evermore supporting us in our most gracious Shepherd by thy staffe of comfort And thou Sonne of David that knowest the mercilesse condition of Satan and cruell men his cursed Instruments we humbly beseech thee never to deliver us over into their power but save and defend us and all thy people evermore from the hands of all our enemies both bodily and ghostly And more particularly at this time we earnestly beseech thee O heavenly Father by the mediation of thy Sonne Jesus our only Mediator to be mercifull to those that are joyned with us or stand out for thy Truth or any righteous Cause and give that issue to the present troubles of thy Church as may make most for thy glory the advancement of thy Truth and Gospell the reliefe of all thy distressed people in all those parts of thy troubled Church and for the establishing of truth and peace in this our Land May it please thee once to free all our Brethren from the dominion of that Mistery of Iniquity as also still to shield and secure us and all other professing thy Name and Truth from that cruell Faction which as if they delighted in bloud have already spoyled so many Nations Lord thou only art the Catholick King we can acknowledge no King over all the Earth but thy selfe nor any Universâ—ll Head over all thy Church but that only Arch-bishop of of our soules thy Sonne Jesus our blessed Saviour to whom all power is
given both in Heaven and Earth Arise then thou Lord to whom the Kingdomes doe belong and shew thy selfe and let not the man of the Earth any longer exalt himselfe least he be too proud and least he ascribe to himselfe or to his graven Images or vaine Idols the conquest that thou shalt see and suffer over thy people Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name be the praise For the honour of thy Name arise before Ephraim Benjamin and Manasses before Great Britaine Ireland and other Countries that call upon thy Name arise and shew thy selfe for us for on thee only doe we call We call on thee to save us and our Forces and thy people now in more danger how and in what manner and at what time fully to declare thy Salvation we referre to thy heavenly wisedome only in the meane time that it may please thee to sanctifie and save to preserâ—e and provide for them and us and all thine both in Field and City Protect and defend deliver us and ours at home and abroad And thou great Sheheard of Israel be pleased to take downe more and more that Man of Sinne that hath and would exalt himselfe against thee Asswage then the malice of those that are enemies to us or to any of thy people and evermore confound all their devices that we being armed with thy defence may ever more and more give praise to thee which art the only Author of our peace and Giver of all victory And all this good Lord for us for them and all thine not for our merits but for thy great Mercy sake and for the Truth sake of thy gracious Promises in Jesus Christ our Lord and only Advocate and Redeemer To whom with thee O Father and the holy Spirit be all praise and glory now and for ever-more Amen A Prayer before Sermon O Most gracious God assist me I humbly beseech thee in this my good purpose and zeale and give me grace at this present time godly to enter into thy service Deare Father assist me with thy holy Spirit and drive away all vain and idle cogitations out of my minde that I may heare thy Word to my Soules comfort grant that it may take deepe roote in my heart and bring forth plentifully to the honour of thy blessed Name to the comfort of my Soule and the good example of my Brethren who seeing my good workes may glorifie thee my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer before the receiving of the Sacrament O Most sweet lover of all Mankinde Lord and Saviour I beseech thee for thy bitter Passion sake to remove from me all pride envie and detraction wrath malice and impatience and all other sicknesses and diseases of the Soule and plant good Lord in my heart and minde true meeknesse charity temperance and modesty with all such other vertues and preservatives unto the Soule And mortifie in me good Lord all uncleane motions carnall desires and inordinate affections and revive in me the love of vertues and the perpetuall exercise thereof so that at this time and at all times I may worthily receive this holy and blessed Sacrament unto thine honour and glory and my soules endlesse joy and comfort Amen A Prayer after receiving of the Sacrament JN most humble and most hearty manner with most due reverence I thank thee good Lord most holy Father and everlasting God thaâ— by the bounty of thy mercifull grace wouldest vouchsafe thus to refresh and feed my Soule through faith with the benefit of the Death and Passion of thy Sonne our Lord God and Saviour Iesus Christ And I beseech thine infinite goodnesse that this the Sacrament of this thy Death and Passion which I most unworthy wretch have now received may never come hereafter in Iudgement and Condemnation unto me for mine evill merits and deservings but rather good Lord it may come to the profit and comfort of my body and to the salvation of my Soule unto the life everlasting Amen A Prayer at the houre of death O Heavenly Lord God wee poore wretches being overcome with griefe come all here attending thy good pleasure with this sick Servant of thine O Lord incline to heare our Prayers and his complaints unto thee be now O Lord present and send thy good Angels and Spirit to attend us be with us O Lord and comfort this sick person and now if the time be come of his departure grant O Lord he may depart with godly comfort and joy everlasting into thy Kingdome Ease O Lord his griefs mittigate his paines asswage his sorrowes anâ— give him a lively touch of thy heavenly comfort put by all worldly thoughts and beat downe all bad suggestions let nothing but good come in his minde and grant that he may to the last gaspe of breath breath out still some comfort of thy helpe and grant when he hath done his last to finish this mortall life then he may with Lazarus be carried into Abrahams bosome O Lord forgive him O Lord receive him O Lord protect him O Lord succour and save him and now and for ever grant he may rest with thee in eternall glory Heare us good Father for this our Brother and doe for him and us according to thy Fatherly mercy in Jesus Christ to whom we commend him with these our prayers for him and all his and our occasions in thaâ— prayer which thy blessed Sonne hath taught us Our Father which art c. FINIS Novemb. 29. 1648. Imprimatur John Downham
Religions the world through and you will find none that ascribes so much to God nor that constitutes so firm a love among men as does the establisht Doctrine of the Protestant Church among us All other either detract from God or infringe the peace of men The Jewes in their Talmod say before God made this he made many other worlds and mard them again to keepe himself from idleness The Turkes in their Alcaron bring him in discoursing with the Angels and they telling him of things which before he knew not and after they make him sweare by Mahomets pen and lines and by Figs and Olives The Papists portray him as an old man and by this meanes dis-deifie him derogating also from his Royalty by their odious interposing of merits and for the society of men what bloody tenents do they all hold as he deserves not the name of Rabby that hates not his enemy to death That 't is no sin to revenâ—e injuries that 't is meritorious to kill an Heritike with whom no faith is to be kept even to the ungluing of the whole worlds frame contexted only by comerse and contracts What abhor'd barbarisme did Selinus leave in precept to his Successour Soliman which though I am not certain they were ratified by their Mufties I am sure they are practiced by the Inheritors of the Empire By this taste learn to detest them all Think not thy kindreds murther ill t is none By thy slain brothers to secure thy Throne This is the way how kingly names may be In fast and from distructive terrors free In other Religions of the Heathen what fond opinions have they held of their gods reviling with unseemly threats wheÌ„ their affaires have thwarted them as if allowing them the name they would conserve the Numen to themselves In their sacrifices how bucherly cruell as if as t is said of them they thought by inhumanity to appease the wrath of an offended Deity The Religion which we now profess doth establish all in another strain what makes more for Gods glory what more for the mutuall love of man then the Gospel all our abilities of good we offer to God as the Fountain from whence they streame Can the day be light and that light not come from the Sun can a Clock go without a waight to move it or a keeper to set it as for man it teaches him to tread on Cotton milds his wilder temper and learnes him in his patience to affect his enemies and for that which doth partake on both it makes just God a friend to unjust man without being unjust either to himself or man Sure it could be no other then the invention of a Deity to find out a way how man that had justly made himselfe unhappy should with a full satisfaction to exactest justice be made again most happy I would wish no man that is able to trye to take his Religion upon others words but once resolved in it 't is dangerous to neglect where we know we do owe a service For God neglected plentiously Plagued mournfull Ittaly And this before Horrace his time when God is neglected of man man shall be condemned of God when man abridgeth God of his honour God will shorten man of his happiness It cannot but be best to give all to him of whom whatsoever we have we have received and we hold I believe it saftest for to take that Religion which most magnifies God and makes most for the peaceable conversation of men For as we cannot asscribe too much to him to whom we owe more then we can asscribe So I think the most splended estate of man is that which comes nearest to his first Creation wherein all things wrought together in the pleasant imbracements of mutuall love and Concord That Divinity does not crosse nature so much as exceede it THey that are Divines without Philosophy can hardly maintain the truth in their disputations 't is possible they may have an infused faith sufficient for themselves but if they have not reason too they will scarcely make others capable of their instruction certainly Divinity and morallity are not so averse but that they well may live together For if nature be rectified by Religion Religion is strengthned again by nature And as some hold of fate that there is nothing happens below but is writ above in the Starrs only we have not skill to find it So I beleeve there is nothing in Religion that is contrary to reason if we knew it rightly For conversation among men and the true happiness of man Philosophy hath agreed with Scripture Nay I think I may also adde for defining of God except the Trinity as neare as man can conceive him how exact hath he made Justice how busie to find out truth how rightly directed love exalting with much earnestness all those graces that are any way amiable He that seekes in Plato shall find him making God the solum summum bonum To which a pure and vertuous life is the way For defining God my opinion is that man neither by divinity nor Philosophy can as they say tell what he is It is fitter for man to adore and admire him then in vain to study to comprehend him God is for man to stand amazed wonder at The clogged and drossie soule can never sound him who is the unimaginable Fountain of spirits and from whom all things by a gradnate derivation have their light life and being In these things they agree But I find three other things wherein Divinity overtoureth nature In the Creation of the world in the redemption of man and in the way and rites wherein God will be worshipped In the Creation of the world no Philosophy could ever reach at that which Moses taught us Here the Humanists were all at a stand and far all their conjectures being rather witty and conceits then true and reall Some would have all things from fire some from Ayre some from water some from earth some from numbers some from attomies from simples some and some from compounds Aristottle came the nearest in finding out the truest materia prima but because he could not believe this made of nothing he is content to erre and think it was eternall Surely his conceit was as far from reason as the other his reason might have fled unto omnipotency as well as to eternity And so indeed when Philosophy hath gone as far as she is able she ariveth at Almightinesse and in that Abbi is lost where not knowing the way she goeth but by guesse and cannot tell when she is or right or wrong yet is she rather subordinate then contrary Nature is not crosse but runs into omnipotency and like a petty River is swallowed in that bondles Main For the redemption of man Even the Scripture calles it a mystery and all that humanity could ever reach of this was only a flying to the generall name of mercy by the urgins of the Conscience They all knew they had
failed and fallen their own bosomes would tell them thus but the way how they might be restored never fell into their heathen thoughts This was a worke that God declared onely to his own peculier by the immediate revelation of his Word Will For the manner how God would be worshipped no Naturalist could ever finde it out till he himself gave directions from his sacred Scripture In the first Chapter to the Romans St. Paul grants That they may know God through the visibilities of his works but for their ignorance in this he sayes The wrath of God is revealed against them because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God but turned the glory of the incomparable God to the similitude of the Image of a corruptible man and of birds and of foure-footed beasts and of creeping things And these three things the Scripture teacheth us which else we could never have learned from all the Books in the world Thus we see for Morality nature still is something peart and vigorous But in the things of God it is confirmed that shee is thick sighted and cannot see them Can a Flye comprehend man upon the top of a Monarchy no more can man comprehend God in the height of Omnâ—potencie There are as well misteries for Faith as causes for reasons This may guide me when I have to deale with man but in divine affaires reason shall wait on Faith and submit to her prerogative The Conscience is great but God is farre greater then it Of mans Imperfection .. OF my self what can I doe without the hazzard of erring nay what can I thinke nay what can I not doe or not thinke even my best business and my best vacancy are works of offence and errour uncomfortable constitution of man that canst not but be bad both in action and forbearance corruption mixeth with our purest devotions and not to performe them is neglect When we think not of God at all we are impious and ungratefull when we doe we are not able to think aright Imperfection swaies in all the weake dispatches of the Palsied soul If the Devill be absent our owne fraileties are his tempting Deputies If those forbeare the meritorious world claps our cheeks and fonds us to a cozening faile So which way soever we turne we are sure to be bitten with the one or the other head of this Cerberus To what can we intend our selves wherein there is not a Devill to entrap us If we pray how he casts in wandring thoughts or by our eyes steale away our hearts to some other object then God If we heare he hath the same policie and prejudicates our opinion with the man or part of his doctrine If we read he perswades to let reason judge as well as Faith So measuring by a false rule he would make us beleeve Divinity is much short of what it shewes for If we doe good works he doth poyson them with Pharaisisme and make us by overvaluing lose them If we doe ill he encourages us to a continuance and at last accuses us If nothing we neglect the good we should doe If we sleep he comes in dreames and wantonneth the ill inclining soule If we wake we mispend our time or at best doe good not well So by bad circumstances poyson a well intended principall Even actions of necessitie wee dispatch not without a staine We drinke to excess and the drowning of the braine We eat not to satisfie nature but to overcharge her and to venerate the unbridled spirits As a Mill wheele is continually turnd round and ever drenched with a new streame so are wee alwaies hurried with successions of various sinnes Like Arrowes shot in mighty windes wee wander from the Bow that sent us Sometimes we thinke we doe things well but when they are past we are sensible of the transgression We progress in the waies of vice and are constant in nothing but perpetuall offending You may see the thoughts of the whipping Satyrist how divine they are Nature is motive in the quest of ill Stated in mischiefe all our ablest skill Cannot know right from wrong till wrong be done Fixt nature will to condem'd customs run Vnchangeably who to his sins can set A certaine end when hath he ever met Blushes once from his hardned forehead throwne Who is it sins and is content with one Surely there will not a man be found that is able to answer to these quaeries Their soules have ceeled eyes that can see nothing but perfection in their own labours It is not to any man given absolutely to be absolute I will not be too forward in censuring the workes of others nor will I ever do any that I will not submit to judgement and correction yet so as I will be able to give a reason why I have ordered them as the world sees Of truth and bitternesse in jests JT is not good for a man to be too tart in his jests bitterness is for serious potions not for healths of meeriment and the jollities of a mirthfull feast An offensive man is the Devils bellowes wherewith he blowes up contentions and jarres But among all passages of this nature I find none more galling than an offencive truth for thereby we run into two great errors One is we childe that in a loose laughter which should be grave and savour both of love and pitty So we rub him with a poysoned oyle which spreads the more for being put in such a fleeting suppleness The other is we desend to particulars and by that meanes draw the whole Company to witness his disgrace we break it on The Souldier is not noble that makes himself sport with the wounds of his own Companion Whosoever will jest should be like him that flourishes at a show He may turne his weapon any way but not any more at one then at another In this case things like truth are better then truth it self nor is it lesse ill then unsafe to fling about this wormwood of the braine Some noses are too tender to indure the strength of the smell And though there be many like tiled houses that can admit a falling spark unwarm'd yet some again are covered with such light drye straw that with the east touch they will kindle and flame about your troubled eares and when the house is on fire it is no disputing with how small a matter it came it will quickly proceede to mischief Anger is but a step from rage and that is wildfire which will not be extinguished I know wise men are not too nimble at an injury For as with fire the light stuffe and rubbish kindles sooner then the solid and more compacted so anger sooner inflames a foole then a man composed in his resolutions But we are not sure alwayes to meete discreete ones nor can we hope it while we our selves are otherwise in giving the occasion Fooles are the greater number wise men are like Timber trees in a wood here and there one