do it with thy best exactness In examination call not only thy proceedings and deeds but thy intents and thoughts to account In humiliation condemn thy inward cogitations which appear vain as well as thy outward courses which appear violent In reformation omit not to purge thy soul from impious imaginations when thou meanest to cleanse thy life from ungodly conversation Oh there is no sin can be so small but it deserveth the anger of God and is too great to be cherished Nay the very entrance and being of any vile conceipt within us though we do not cherish it though neither deed follow nor heart consent is yet no less than a traitor to Gods Majestie 47. TRust not to thy trembling at the judgments of God to thy fear to commit sin to thy sorrow for it when thou hast committed it trust not to the contrition of thy heart to the cōfession of thy tongue to the repaiment of the ill gotten-goods which the common Papists make to be the three essentiall parts of true repentance For even the very reprobate may go so far in their profession and yet afterwards fall away All such qualities and practices might be found in some measure in Judas that betrayed his master [r] Matth. 27.34 but let thy repentance proceed with conversion to God with hope of mercy with prayer for pardon with bewailing whatsoever is amiss and labouring to amend whatsoever thou bewailest with hatred of sin with love of righteousness but let it proceed with turning thine eyes that were windows to let in iniquity into doors to let it out but let it persevere with a true turning of thy heart and a right reformation of thy life For that is the way that hath the promise He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy [ſ] Prov. 28.13 He that joynes with his acknowledgment of what he hath offended in a setled purpose to renounce and strive against the same yea and all corruptions els He it is whom God accepts He it is which shall find favour with the Lord He that confesseth his sins and would forsake his sins before the earthly Judge is many times condemned but he that confesseth his sins and forsaketh his sins before the heavenly Judge is alwayes acquitted 48. WHat though thou canst not attaine to loth sinsulness with so great a detestation and to follow righteousness with so great a desire as some other Saints have done yet be not maskered be not disanimated fear not the losing of thy reward if thou keep on still according to thy strength to flie the one truly and follow the other faithfully God useth not to charge any man with the evill which he alloweth not but hateth and striveth against though his seet be sometimes in a wrong path and he cannot thoroughly avoid it and how mercifully doth he approve every man for the good that he desireth indeavoureth to do though he now and then swarve from it and cannot perfectly effect it 49. IF thy soul be truly penitent with great grief and heaviness of heart for all thy sins If thou sincerely cry to God for mercy and forgiveness and bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life If thou renounce al merit of righteousness in thy self and flie to the merits and righteousness of Christ Never account thy estate and condition forlorn and desperat Never doubt of Gods mercy though thou hast sinned often and often shewed thy weakness in the same sins Darest thou set any bounds to Gods grace When the Apostle S. Peter asked Christ how often he should forgive his brother whether seven times Did not our Saviour answer Not seven times only but seventy times seven [t] Matth. 18.22 in the bare letter of the text but according to the true meaning of the same even so many times as he trespassed against him though they were times beyond speciall number [u] Toties quoties August serm 15. de verbis Domini Vicibus innumerabiliter innumer abilibus Maldonat in locum Species numeri magni pro numero magno in genere Piscator in loc O speech full of consolation how doth it ani mate us to repose on the Lords mercy Is not the Lord greater than man Is he not better than man If he require so great compassion in a man in a sinfull man to forgive his brother trespassing against him so often what compassion is in himself to forgive his own poor penitent creature that prostrates himself to his mercy The Lord who hath enjoyned us to forgive so often will much more freely do it himself whose mercy is infinite whose favour is incomprehensible whose loving kindness indureth for ever 50. LOok both behind thee to bewaile sins past and before thee to beware of sins to come He repents not heartily that amends not thoroughly refolveth not at least thoroughly to mend With a right deploration of sin there is ever a true detestation of sin Death may defeat the performance of thy purpose or God may permit Sathan to tempt thee afresh presently and powerfully but there must be in thine heart a resolution at least an intent of reformation or els it is no sincere but a seeming repentance 51. THinke it not enough to make conscience of some greater sins so long as thou neglectest smaller Neither yet make conscience of some petty sins neglecting greater Beware of limiting thy duty to God perform obedience to thy utmost power If when thou hast done thy best thou yet fail in fit measure Be not sowr in thy self where God is sweet vex not thy self out of measure God measureth not our work but out will He remitteth what is wanting He receaveth what what is well 52. NEver think it enough to believe only in generall that God is just and that Christ hath suffered to satisfie the justice of God For whatsoever some prime Papists teach [w] Bellar. lib. 1. de justific cap. 7. what can a confused and implicit faith profit how can that faith ever save thee when the ungodly and Sathan believe as much when the Devils believe and tremble but indevour by all good meanes to be able to apply Christ and his benefits unto thy self in particular The particular faith is the onely comfortable faith and by this the just man liveth [x] Habac. 2.4 As faith is the life of a Christian soul so an individuall application is the life of faith O God thou art my God saith David [y] Psal 63.1 and againe Deliver me O my God out of the hands of the wicked [z] Psal 71.4 and again Thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art my God I will exalt thee [a] Psal 118.28 and so in many other Psalmes My Lord and my God saith Thomas [b] John 20.28 being ravished with Christs assured presence and his having obtained victory over his doubting who hath loved me and given himself for me saith Paul [c] Galat. 2.20 apprehending and applying the merits
serve him to believe his truth and walk in his Commandments Him will God love most who shall winne most to the love of God (f) Is in amore Dei major erit qui plurimos ad ejus amorem trahit Greg. in hom wherefore hath God given thee light but that thou shouldst give light to others How canst thou be sure of thy own calling if thou hast no delight to call others Thou art not turned to God thy self if thou bear not that heart that thou wouldst even think thy self happy mightest thou be a means to turn another unto God The Prophet Isaiah that Evangelical Prophet and Prophetical Evangelist prophecying of the Kingdom of Christ bringeth in the people so full of zeal that they stir up one another saying Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in in his paths (g) Isaiah 2.3 And Zachariah saith They that dwell in one City shall go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts (h) Zachar. 8.21 74. BE not wise to thy self Be not a niggard of thy knowledge but communicate thy knowledge to others Cover not thy candle with a vessel neither put it under a bed but set it on a candlestick that they which enter in may see the light (i) Luke 8.16 So shalt thou perform the intent of thy stewardship so shalt thou be of the number of those who profiting teach and by teaching profit knowledge may fitly be resembled to the Widows oyl which the more it was powred out the more it increased knowledge may be well likened to the five loaves which the more they were distributed the more they multiplyed As contrariwise if knowledge be not imparted it will be impaired If we keep it private we shall be deprived of it 75. ARt thou learned and able to teach others yet disdain not that any should teach thee what mortal meer man ever attained to that depth of judgment as not to be yet ignorant in many profitable concernments Even in the same profession that may be hidden from one which is known to another to attend is no hinderance but that a man may speak to speak is no hinderance but that a man may hear therefore Job matcheth them together saying Let a man of understanding tell me there is he prepared to learn let a wise man harken to me (k) Job 34.34 there is he provided to speak speaking and hearing amongst all that are wise-hearted cannot be prejudicial one to another 76. ATtend as often and as carefully as thou mayest to all wholesome and convenient directions Be more desirous to harken to others than to hear thy self but especially when thou meetest with such as excell in knowledge as are filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisedom and spiritual understanding by whom in many things thou mayest exactly cure thy ignorance by learning in silence who are as profitable Well-springs plentifull and perpetual such as fail not nor can be drawn dry at any time whose hearts feed their mouths and thereout excellent observations in one usefull respect or other readily flow as a free stream from a full fountain 77. COntemn not neither lightly pass over such things as thou seest but seriously search and seek not only what temporal but especially what spiritual use thou canst draw from them that may enrich thy soul and help to build thee up in Christ Jesus learn wich the Bee to gather celestial honey as well from the weed as from the flower learn by the Dust thy baseness by the Grass thy frailty by the Ant diligence by the Sheep patience by the Oxe thankfulness by the Clouds bountifulnes learn by the Darknes the time of thy ignorance by the Light the time of the Gospel by every thing something that may wean thee from earth and win thee to Heaven 78. COmmune often with thy own heart and let thy spirit make diligent search wherein thou hast offended in thought word deed by sins of omission or commission against God thy neighbour and thy self stand not in thine own light be not partial but examin thy self earnestly thoroughly uprightly Neither only examin but upon examination condemn thy self fall at Gods feet and humbly cry for mercy Thus if thou judge thy self before thy self in this thy day thou shalt not be condemned in the last day before the Judgment Seat of Christ in the presence and audience of all the world 79. DIscover to thy Surgeon thy sores to thy Physician thy disease to Almighty God thy sins It is a good disgrace that procureth grace He preventeth his cure that doth not publish his cause (l) Ipse sibi denegat curam qui suam medico non publicat causam Aug. epist 188. The Lord indeed knoweth all things but yet requireth thy confession is acquainted with all thy wishes and all the volutations of thy mind but nevertheless expecteth thy words (m) Novit Deus omnia vocem tatamen tuam expectat Ambros de poenit l. 1. cap. 23. 80. THink not thy self immediately made clean from all thy iniquity transgression and sin if thou shed a few tears and bewail them but be sorrowful for them and sorrowful that thou canst be no more sorrowful considering that if a river were turned into tears flowing from thine eyes thou couldst never sufficiently be grieved for thy offences if God should in his Justice only require it and yet dispair not but take a true and comfortable and fast hold upon God by a lively faith who is gracious and abundant in mercy whose mercy hath neither bottom nor measure who will not the death of a sinner but rather that he should repent and live disliking himself for his manifold misdemeanors and cleaving to God for his manifold mercyes 81. BE not so cast down in the sight of thy own unworthyness as to think because thou deservest not Gods mercy therefore thou shalt never be partaker of it For how plentiful are his gracious promises every where of favour and compassion the which though there be no cause in thee why he should confirm yet is there cause enough in himself why he should perform who whatsoever he will he can and whatsoever he hath promised he will who alwayes useth to be as good as his word who is infinite in his mercy and infallible in his truth 82. IF thou wouldst repent truly and thoroughly pray earnestly to the Lord that it would please him of his infinite compassion to look upon thee with the eyes of his grace The most merciful God is the only giver of repentance unto life n (m) Act. 11.18 It is not in mans power to repent when he will but when God will It is not thy own or any others indeavour that can do any thing in this way till God put to his help untill Christ did
and their roomes rather than their company who have forsaken God and whom God hath forsaken with the which loathsom and despicable men more virulent and contagious than the breath of a Basilisk we may neither eat nor drink that is not familiarly converse Evill words corrupt good manners [w] 1 Cor. 15.33 and what then doth evill company do Oh what dangerous infection hath evill conversation often brought and wrought in those who had made no small progress in Christianity conversation breedeth that in continuance that is not beaten off in any continuance 69. ARe they onely now adayes held complete and furnished cap-a-pe that can sort themselves to all companies that can indifferently converse with all manner of persons yea though they know their ill qualities as well as if they were stamped in their foreheads yet consider with all diligence whom thou admittest into thy house or in whose house thou betakest thy self to dwell avoid all private and customary conversation with the wicked though not publick commerce [x] Malorum consortia fugere debemus quoad privatam consuetudinem non quo ad publicam conversationem Ambrosius offic lib. 1. cap. 18. Decline their very presence as much as thou mayest except thou be to discerne their diseases and minister medicines to cure them or necessity of some duty of religion or of thy vocation or love or humanity command thee to be with them What man in his right wits would wittingly and wilfully thrust himself into the hands of thieves having no less charge than the precious graces of Gods Spirit about him Enter not into the path of the wicked saith Salomon and go not in the way of evill men avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away [y] Prov. 4.14 15. what an heap of words doth he use and to what serve so many repetitions but to shew the exceeding danger of communicating with the wicked and how hardly we are drawn to leave them 70. BEtter others by thy company or by thy company better thy self Either alwayes learn some good of others or be teaching some good thing to others Hath thy neighbour any resplendent grace make it thine Hast thou any rare gift make it his what rather should be the center of all our conversation and conference than to help and further one another in knowledge and the practice thereof than to make those that are bad good and those which are good better 71. FLatter not thy self that any sin is the less the more commit it walk not on the bolder in any sin because thou seest a multitude of fellowes in it For what is an unregenerate and unsanctified company but a rout of Rebells and an heap of confederates conspiring together against God Even the learnedst heathen thought it not the least part of their glory to steer a course like the Antipodes clean opposite to the liking of the vulgar How much more though thou hast multitudes wilfully to go before thee shouldst thou know whom they follow before thou willingly follow and joyn thy self with them If thou offend with others thou shalt be punished with others and if thou sin with great troupes thou shalt suffer with great troupes canst thou think it will be any consolation unto thee in the end that as thou hast not sinned alone so thou shalt not be punished alone what profit hath the thief that is going to the place of execution to see a train of many others bear him company Is his judgment any whit the soster or is his comfort any whit the sounder 72. PUll up thy spirits and excite thy self not onely to do good but to be chief in doing good but to labour like S. Paul more abundantly than others (z) 1 Cor. 15.10 Hasten and strive in any good course to run before others to lead them the way that thou mayest have the greater and better reward in that great day The chief and principall in any good work that draw on and encourage others in the way of godlyness by their earnest example their reward no doubt shall be exceeding great they shall have a chief and principall compensation the wages shall be sure to be according to the works 73. ADmire not all the fayings and doings of worshipfull wealthy men Neither think that all that have power and titles are surely wise but rather more especially pray for them that they may be wise for it is good yea necessary for them who have gotten the greatest inheritances to get the greatest wisdom that will make their possessions yet better and that will bring them to a better use of their possessions that will incite them to prayer and thankfulness that will moove them to compassion and mercy and make them able and ready to exercise every good duty in their calling As on the other side their wealthyness without wisdom will be a ginne and temptation to lewdness and but as a sword in a madd mans hand 74. LEt not the dew of Heaven and the store of the Earth become snares unto thee and occasions of falling If thou be hedged about with outward blessings and God have given thee great abundance to enjoy If riches increase though by never so honest means though never so well gotten or well saved or well imployed yet trust not in them boast not of them set not thy heart upon them set thy eyes and hands and marks and seals upon them but not thy heart at least settle not thy heart upon them settle that wholy and soly upon God settle not the least piece of it upon any other delight whatsoever God loveth indeed a broken heart as the Psalmist saith (a) Psal 51.17 but not broken into pieces between him and the world but a wounded heart he meanes lanced and torn with anguish for sins because it is guilty of much undutifull and offensive carriage towards God 75. SEarch not so much after pedegrees as after piety which is the chiefest ornament of a Christian Neither respect so much first and noble birth in the world as second and new birth in Christ what is the best bloud worth without the best belief what boots it to be well descended if thou be ill disposed to be before others in greatness if thou be behind them in grace what avail ancient progenitors without answerable duties and goodness according what shall it profit thee to come of nobles according to the flesh if thou nothing resemble them in the Spirit He is Noble who is the Child of God who is born from above he is honorable being son to a King brother to a King Heb. 2.11 heire to a King Rom. 8.17 yea to the King of glory Psal 24.7 to the King of all Kings higher than the highest Ecclesiast 5.7 If thou esteem true nobility labour by faith to be engraffed into Christ and to be invested into the vertues of a Christian to have thy name written in the book of life and to be reckoned in the
of thy conscience or destroying of thy soul 86. WHat though the common conceit presume that if a man thrive in the world then God loves him and if he be crossed in outward things then God hates him yet measure not the favour and love of God towards thy self or others by prosperity or adversity If thou wouldst find comfort in thy heart and unfeigned testimonies of Gods speciall respect towards thee seek not for them in outward benefits or in want of outward benefits both which are common to the godly and ungodly but in joy in the holy Ghost in remission of sins in repentance from dead works in the Spirit of adoption in faith in Christ in peace of conscience which passeth all understanding As for other things place not thy heaven or happiness in them for they afford no such assurance If blessings come receive them thankfully If crosses happen indure them cheerfully 87. COnform thy fashions to thy fare thy manners to thy means our severall conditions require feverall carriages If thou be tryed with adversity bear it without stubborness or impatiency If thou be called to prosperity use it without insolency or ingratitude Debase thy self in the one as God hath debased thee and take no more stare upon thee in the other than he hath given thee Let not thy mind be so reflective upon thy degree in the world as upon thy conscience but especially remember always the Judge of thy conscience who as in his mercy he hath lifted thee up so in his wisedom can bring thee down or as in his wisedom he hath brought thee down so in his mercy can lift thee up 88. DIsable not thy self from being in the state of blessedness for the life to come because thou art in great misery in this life yea though thou be justly punished for thy sins for the which thou art not yet sufficiently penitent Thou shalt but add to thy sorrows and needlesly increase the weight of thy burden if thou condemn thy state of election because the Lord hath elected thee to chastise thee for thy faults if thou relinquish thy hope of happiness in heaven because thou art recompensed with judgments on earth yea therefore are not Gods Children free from all manner of temporall plagues that they may be free from everlasting perdition A man may be sealed by the holy Spirit of God unto the day of redemption [c] Ephes 4.30 A man may be as secure from hell as Sathan is secluded from heaven and yet his calamities may make him groan and cry and roar all the day long and yet day and night Gods hand may be heavy upon him [d] Psal 32.3 4. 89. BY deliverance from troubles past assure thy self of deliverance from dangers present and by former benefits never doubt of future favour in Gods good time so far forth as it may stand with thy spirituall good God loveth not as men do for a day or two and so farewell but it was it is and it will be alwayes true God is the Lord he changeth not whom he once loveth he loveth to the end and where he hath once shewed mercy he will persevere in kindness being yesterday to day and the same for ever [e] Heb. 13.8 Idem Objectivè Subjectivè Effectivè When Saul told David that he was but a youth and therefore too weak to combat with that strong Goliah the champion of the Philistins who had been a man of warr from his youth How soundly and comfortably did David reason from the experience he had in times past of Gods helping hand that he who had delivered him from the paw of the Bear and the jaw of the Lyon would also save him in that duell which he was to undertake with an uncircumcised Philistin that defied and oppressed the people of God [f] 1 Sam. 17.34 35 36. And how cheerfully did Saint Paul make the same argument that God did deliver him doth deliver him and hereafter will deliver him assuredly [g] 2 Tim. 4.17 18. 90. TAke up and bear the yoak of poverty with patience poverty is no sin nor alwayes onely the punishment of sin Even Christ the Lord of heaven and earth even the Lord of all hast lead of all and could say [h] Matth. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head shewing that as he was the Son of Man the beasts fowls were richer than he he was poorer than the beasts the birds Art thou without this worlds goods yet be not without Christian courage God oftentimes recompenseth compenseth the want of earthly blessings with great abundance of heavenly graces such gifts in the day of trouble and in the hour of temptation shall minister more comfort and more true peace unto thee than all things which begin with pleasure and end with corruption 91. HOwsoever thou canst chalenge nothing at Gods hands as due debt unto thee but calamities and sorrowes which are the fruit of thy sins yet know this that God often protecteth thee from much harm which thou knowest not of Cōsider often with all humbleness thankfulness that God not only foreseeth thy dangers before they can come neer thee but preserveth thee from many a mischief and much affliction which through blindness and ignorance thou neither do'st nor can'st perceive How much more then will he support thee when thou knowest thy self to be in trouble and powrest out thy earnest prayers unto him for deliverance out of trouble He that performeth the greater will alwayes be ready to accomplish the less He that keepeth thee back from the pit that was hidden will help thee to escape from that which lieth open He that is so forward to help thee when he is not requested will not be backward to succour thee when he is intreated 92. IN thy greatest affliction and most grievous extremity be thy wants never so great thy means of ease never so small be thy hopes in respect of outward helps never so few the difficulties through which thou must pass never so many Regard not so greatly the things that are seen which may work deadly discouragement and anguish as that which is not seeen with mortall ey namely Gods omnipotence Look not so much to the danger of death before thee as to the power of God above thee which is never at a stand never at a loss which then begins to shew it self when human help ends [i] ubi desinit humanum auxilium ibi incipit divinum when mens cases seem most desperate and help is thought to be furthest of then is Gods mercy greatest and his presence neerest then is his power made perfect through our weakness When doth the Devill and his children more insult than when they have men under but when men are most miserable then doth God shew most mercy when faith was enfeebled by long looking and hope began to faint with much
stedfast indurance against all weariness what though the Lord grant thee not at first yet he will at last what though he grant thee not at all that same thing which thou desirest He will give thee as good a blessing or a better 2. GIve not over thy prayers though not presently heard but with faith and perseverance crave and with hope and patience expect Gods grace and mercy to help in due and convenient time Be thy wound never so deep thou art not past help so long as thou art not past desire to be holpen who art thou or what merit canst thou allege that therefore thy sute ought to receive a present dispatch what knowest thou for what reasons God putteth thee off perhaps not intending utterly to deny thee but for sundry main and important causes we tarry mans pleasure and wait upon him after many petitions where then is Gods honour why not wait much longer and willinger upon God who both knoweth our need and when it is most meet to supply it better than our neerest friends better than we our selves and never faileth or forsaketh those who unfeignedly put their trust in him who will be sure to do in the end that which shall be most for our good and his own glory 3. NEglect not Prayer under any pretence though never so plausible no not under pretence of Gods knowing and understanding all things or of his power enabling thee to do all things or of his providence determining all things but know that Almighty God hath commanded prayer as an instrument of continuall use profitable for all things for the performance of all those things which he hath promised and appointed He hath ordained many other means to bring his purposes to passe but none more excellent than prayer which procureth a blessing upon all the rest and without the which the rest cannot prevail 4. WHen thou prayest for the forgiveness of thy sins as thou art daily bound to do thou plainely confessest that thou art not able to satisfie for them that there can be no satisfaction made to Gods Justice for sins by our works How then canst thou supererogate as some teach and believe How then can the worthiness of thy deserts be so great that doing God more service than can be sufficiently rewarded in thy own person thou canst deserve heaven not only to thy self but for others too How then canst thou have an overplus of works or the measure of thy works running over which may be disposed or sold if he will liberally come off with his coin to the spirituall benefit of another which may go for payment of thy fellowes transgressions when thou hast not enough to supply thy own necessity 5. HOw earnestly soever thou pray against the pride malice and all the devices of the wicked that God will not suffer their actions to prosper lest they more and more offend yet still pray for the offendors that God may open their eyes that they may come to see the truth love it and imbrace it yet without exception of persons remember still to pray for the love of God the grace of Christ and the working of the Spirit upon all upon the godly that they may be confirmed upon the ungodly that they may be converted 6. WHen thou art about to take rest and knowest not what a night or an houre may bring forth and knowest not whether thou shalt ever work or wake again or no ly not down in thy bed as a dog lyeth down in a kennell or a swine in his sty or an oxe in his stall without any prayer any ejaculation any good motion to God-ward but commit thy self thy soul thy body thy goods thy brethren into Gods hand as a most faithfull keeper but remember and consider that God is nigh thee both in his essence whereby he filleth heaven and earth and in his presence whereby he beholdeth thy heart and all thy courses watching what thou do'st He is about thy paths and about thy bed and spieth out all thy wayes [a] Psal 139.3 To him not onely the light is light but darkness is light both the light and the night to him are all one in clearness [b] Psal 139.11 12. He therefore that will rise in his favour must ly down in his feare 7. HOwsoever worldly men who savour nothing but of the eart who see nothing but with fleshly eyes are unable to behold the beauty of the Church and therfore account it no part of their happiness to live within the compass and bosome of it yet esteem it thou more excellent and precious than all other societies in the world and with humblest thankfulness consider how highly thou art bound to God that thou art made a free denizen of so glorious a Corporation yea prefer alwayes the good condition of Gods Church before all concernments of thine own In the welfare thereof most joy In the wrong thereof most grieve Let naturall affections move thee much but let spirituall affections sway thee more so many cogitations of the distressed estate of the Church so many teares and prayers for her Let thy zeal to her evidence thy right in her Thou canst not get a better argument or surer witness to thy own heart of being ingraffed into that body whereof Christ Jesus is the head of having the life of Christianity and being possessed with the love of godliness than the having a sensible feeling of the Churches distress and a sincere and zealous affection and respect to the common good of religion and the Churches prosperous estate 8. MArvell not if wicked men get advantage but too soon and prosper but too well if such as have no fear of God before their eyes have their projects in some degree performed and their presumptions in part pleased if the violent tread down the vertuous and might now then overcome right Be not dismayed if the publick enemies sometimes prevail and get the upper hand against the Church God giveth not alwayes victory for favour or overthrow for displeasure but for some other ends to raise the wicked that their fall may be the greater (c) tolluntur in altum ut lapsu graviore ruant Claudian to rowse his own that their faith may be the stronger 9. IF thou be not fit to profit the Church or Commonwealth by thy person yet seek the good of both of them by thy Prayer that they may indure and flourish and increase and not be overthrown and suppressed by those that so cruelly seek not their reformation and conversion but subversion and utter undoing that peace and plenteousness and holiness and righteousness may be alwayes with them and the free and publick use of the Gospell that such notable and rare men as are wise in politick affaires as are indued with all gifts and qualities fit for States-men may be put in place held in grace and have imployment and they which are so imployed may shew themselves faithfull and they which are