placed my affections upon the nasty Rubbish of this world and have slighted the inestimable Pearle of my salvation I have wallow'd in the mire of my inordinate desires and refused to bee washt in the streames of thy compassion I have put my confidence into the faithfulnesse of my servant and have doubted the providence of thee my gratious Father I have served unrighteous Mammon with greedinesse and have preferred drosse and dung before the Pearly gates of New Jerusalem Thou hast promised to bee all in all to those that feare thee and not to faile the soule that trusts in thee but I refused thy gratious offer and put my confidence in the vanity of the Creature But gratious God to whom Repentance never comes unseasonable that find ' â—t an â—are when sinnes finde a tongue regard the conâ—rition of a bleeding heart and withdraw not thy mercy from a pensive soule Give mee new thoughts O God and with thy holy Spirit new mould my desires Informe my will and sanctifie my affections that they may relish thy sweetnesse with a full delight Create in me O God a spirituall sense that I may take pleasure in things that are above Give mee a contented thankfulnesse for what I have that I may neither in povertie forsake thee nor in plentie forget thee Arme me with a continuall patience that I may cheerfully put my trust in thy providence Moderate my care for momentary things that I may use the world as if I used it not Let not the losse of any earthly good too much deject mee lest I should sinne with my lippes and charge thee foolishly Give mee a charitable hand O God and fill my heart with brotherly compassion that I may chearefully exchange the corruptible treasure of this world into the incorruptible riches of the world to come and proving a faithfull steward in thy spirituall houshold I may give up my account with joy and bee made partaker of thy eternall joy in the kingdome of thy glory The Self-lovers Self-fraud GOd hath required my heart and he shall have it God hath commanded truth in the inword parts and hee shall bee obeyed My soule shall praise the Lord and all that is within me and I will serve him in the strength of my desires And in common cases the tongues profession of his name is no lesse then necessary But when it lies upon a life upon the saving of a livelihood upon the flat undoing of a reputation the case is altered My life is deare my faire possessions pretious and my reputation is the very Apple of mine eye To save so great a slake mee thinks equivocation is but veniall if a sinne If the true loyaltie of mine heart stands sound to my Religion and my God my well-informed Conscience tels mee that in such extremities my frighted tongue may take the priviledge of a Sâ—â—â—â— or a mentall reservation if not in the expression of a faire compliances What shall the reall breach of a holy Sabbath dedicated to Gods highest glory bee tolerated for the welfare of an Oxe May that breach bee set upon the score of mâ—rcy and commended above sacrifice for the savegard of an Asse And may I not dispense with a bare lippe deniall of my urg'd Religion for the necessary preservation of the threatned life of a man for the saving of the whole livelihood and subsistence of a Christian What shall I perish for the want of food and die a Martâ—â— to that foolish conscience which forbids mee to rub the eares of a little standing Corne Iacoâ— could purchase his sick fathers blessing with a downe-right lye and may I not diâ—semble for a life The young mans great possessions taught his timerous tongue to shrinke from an decline his hearts profession and who could blame him Come if thou freely give thy house canst thou in conscience bee denied a hiding-roome for thy protection The Syrian Captaine hee whose heart was fixt on his now firme resolv'd and true devotion reserv'd the house of Rimmâ—n for his necessary attendance and yet went in peace Peter upon the rock of whose confession the Church was grounded to save his liberty with a false nay with a perjur'd tongue nay more at such a time when as the Lord of life in whose behalfe hee drew his Sword was question'd for his innocent life denied his Master and shall I bee so great an unthrist of my blood my life to lose it for a meere lippe-deniall of that Religion which now is setled and needs no blood to seale it BUt stay my Conscience checks me there 's a judgement thunders Harke He that denies me before men him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven Match 10. 33. 2 Tim. 3. 1 2. Know that in the latter dayes perillous times shall come For men shall be lovers of their owne selves Esay 45. 23. I have sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnâ—sse and shall not return that unto mee every knee shall bow and every tongue shall sweare Rom. 10. 10. with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Luke 9. 26. Whosoever shall bee ashamed of me and my words of him shall the Sonne of man bee ashamed when hee shall come in Glory August The love of God and the world are two different things if the love of this world dwell in thee the love of God forsakes thee renounce that and receive this it 's fit the more nobler love should have the best place and acceptance Theoph. It is not enough onely to beleeve with the heart for God will have us confesse with our mouth every one that confesses that Christ is God shall finde Christ professing to the Father that that man is a faithfull servant but those that deny Christ shall receive thâ—â— fearefull doome Nescio vos I know you 〈◊〉 MY soule in such a time as this when the civill Sword is warme with slaughter and the wasting kingdome welters in her blood wouldst thou not give thy life to ransome her from ruine Is not the God of heaven and earth worth many kingdomes Is thy welfare more considerable then his glory dar'st thou deny him for thy owne ends that denied thee nothing for thy good Is a poore clod of earth wee call Inheritance prizable with his greatnesse Or a puffe of breath wee call life valuable with his honour in comparison of whom the very Angels are impure Blush O my soule at thy owne guilt Hee that accounted his blood his life not worth the keeping to ransome thee a wretch lost by thy owne rebellion deserves hee not the abatement of a lust to keepe him from a new crueifying My soule if Religion bind thee not if judgements terrifie thee not if naturall affection inâ—line thee not yet let common reason perswade thee to love him above a trifle that loved thee above his life And thou that hast so often denied him deny thy self for ever and
most and blowne in thee O my lustfull soule O turne thine eare from the pleadings of Nature and make a Covenant with thine eyes Let not the language of Delilah inchant thee left the hands of the Philisâ—ims surprize thee Review thy past pleasures with the charge and paines thou hadst to compasse them and show mee where 's thy pennyworth Foresee what punishments are prepa'rd to meet thee and tell mee what 's thy purchase Thou hast barterd away thy God for a lust sold thy eternitie for a trifle If this bargaine may not bee recall'd by teares dissolve thee O my soule into a Spring of waters if not to be revers'd with price reduce thy whole estate into a Sackcloth and an Ashtub Thou whose Liver hath scorch't in the flames of lust humble thy heart in the Ashes of repentance And as with Esau thou hast sold thy Birthright for Broth so with Iacob wrestle by Prayer till thou get a blessing His Prayer O God before whose face the Angels are impure before whose cleare omniscience all Actions appeare to whom the very secrets of the hearts are open I here acknowledge to thy glory and my shame the filthinesse and vile impuritie of my Nature Lord I was filthy in my very conception and in filthiness my mothers wombe enclosed me brought forth in filthinesse and filthy in my very innocency filthy in the motions of my flesh and filthy in the apprehensions of my soule my words all cloath'd with filthinesse and in all my actions filthy and uncleane in my inclination filthy and in the whole course of my life nothing but a continued filthinesse Wash mee O God and make mee cleane cleanse me from the filthinesse of my corruption Purge me O Lord with Hyssop and create a cleane heart within mee Correct the vagrant motions of my flesh and quench the fiery darts of Satan Let not the Law of my corrupted members rule mee O let concupiscence have no dominion over mee Give mee courage to fight against my lusts and give my weakenesse strength to overcome make sharpe my sword against this body of sinne but most against my Delilah my bosome sinne Deliver mee from the tyranny of temptation or give mee power to subdue it Confine the libertie of my wanton appetite and give mee temperance in a sober diet Grant mee a heart to strive with thee in Prayer and hopefull patience to attend thy leisure Keepe mee from the habit of an idle life and close mine eares against corrupt communication Set thou a watch before my lippes that all my words may savour of sobrietie Preserve mee from the vanitie and pride of life that I may walke blamelesse in my conversation Protect mee from the fellowship of the uncleane and from all such as are of evill report Let thy Grace O God bee sufficient for mee to protect my soule from the buffetings of Satan Make mee industrious and diligent in my calling left the enemy get advantage over me In all my temptations let mee have recourse to thee Bee thou my refuge when I call upon thee Forgive O God the sinnes of my youth O pardon the multitudes of my secret sinnes Encrease my hatred to my former life and strengthen my resolution for the time future Heare mee O God and let the words of my mouth bee alwayes acceptable to â—hee O God my strength and my Redeemer The Sabbath-breakers profanation THe glittering Prince that sits upon his regall and imperiall Throne and the ignoble Pâ—sant that sleeps within his sordid house of Thatch are both alike to God An Ivory Temple and a Church of Clay are priz'd alike by him The flesh of Bulls and the perfumes of Merrh and Cassia smoake his Altars with an equall pleasure And does he make such difference of dayes ' Is hee that was so weary of the New-Moones so taken with the Sunne to tie his Sabbath to that onely day The tenth in tithes is any one in tenne and why the seventh day not any one in seaven We sanctifie the day the day not us But are we Iewes Are we still bound to keepe a legall Sabbath in the strictnesse of the Letter Have the Gentiles no priviledge by the vertue of Messiaâ—s comming or has the Evangelicall Sabbath no immunities The service done the day 's discharg'd my libertie restored And if I meet my profits or my pleasures then I 'le give them entertainment If businesse call mee to account I dare afford a carefull care Or if my sports invite me I 'le entertaine them with a cherefull heart I 'le goe to Mattens with as much devotion as my neighbour I 'le make as low obeysance and as just responds as any but soone as Evensong 's ended my Church-devotion and my Psalter shall sanctifie my Pue till the next Sabbath call Were it no more for an old custome sake then for the good I find in Sabbaths that Ceremony might as well bee spared It is a day of Rest And what 's a Rest A relaxation from the toyle of labour And what is labour but a painefull exercise of the fraile body But where the exercise admits no toyle there Relaxation makes no Rest What labour is it for the worldly man to compasse Sea and Land to accomplish his desires What labour is it for the impatient lover to measure Hellespont with his widened armes to hasten his delight What labour for the youth to number muâ—ick with their sprightly paces Where pleasure 's reconcil'd to labour labour is but an active rest Why should the Sabbath then a day of rest divorce thee from those delights that make thy Rest Afflict their soules that please my rest shall bee what most conduces to my hearts delight Two howers will vent more prayers then I shall need the rest remaines for pleasure COnscience why start'st thou A judgement strikes mee from the mouth of heaven and saith Whosoever doth any worke on my Sabbath his soule shall be cut off Exod. 31. 14. Exod. 20. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seventh day c. Exod. 31. 14. Ye shall keepe my Sabbath for it is holy unto you Exod. 31. 13. Verily my Sabbaths thou shalt keep for this is a signe betwixt mee and you throughout your Generations Luke 23. 56. And they returned and prepared spices and oyntments and rested on the Sabbath day according to the Commandement Gregor. Wee ought upon the Lords day to rest from bodily labour and wholly to addict our selves to prayers that what soever hath been done amisse the weeke before may upon the day of our Lords resurrection be expiated and purged by fervent prayers Cyr. Alex. Sinne is the storehouse of death and misery it kindles flames for it 's dearest friends Therefore whosoever when he should rest from sinne busieth himselfe in the dead and fruitlesse workes of wickednesse and renouncing all piety lusts after such things as will bring him into eternall destruction
rambles through all the Spheares and brings with it confusion and combustion my reeking sword shall vindicate my reputation and rectifie the injuries of my honorable name and quench it self in plenteous streames of blood Come tell not mee of Charitie conscience or transgression My Charitie reflects upon my self begins at home and guided by the justice of my passion is bound to labour for an honorable satisfaction My conscience is blood-proofe and I can broach a life with my illustrious weapon with as little reluctation as kill a Flea that sucks my blood without Commission and I can drinke a health in blood upon my bended knee to reputation BUt hark my soule I heare a languishing a dying voyce cry up to heaven for vengeance It cries aloud and thunders in my startling eare I tremble and my shivering bones are fill'd wâ—â—â—h horror It cries against me and heare what â—â—eaven replies All that take up the sword shall perish by the sword Matth. 26. 52. Levit. 19. 18. Thou shall not avenge or beare any grudge against the Children of my people but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe I am the Lord Deut. 32. 35. To me belongeth vengeance and recompence Ezek. 25. 12 13. Because that Edom hath delt against the house of Iudah by taking vengeance and bath greatly offended and reveng'd himselfe upon them Therefore thus saith the Lord God I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom and will cut off man and beast from it Matth. 5. 39. Resist not evill but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also Tertull. What 's the difference between one that doth an injury and another that out-ragiously suffers it except that the one is fiâ—st and the other second in the offence but both are guilty of mutuall injury in the sight of God who forbids every sinne and condemnes the offender Tertull. How can wee honouâ— God if wee revenge our selves Gloss. Every man is a murtherer and shall bee punished as Cain was if hee doe as Caindid either assâ—ult his brother with violence or pursue him with hatred REvenge is an Act of the Irascible affections deliberated with malice and executed without mercy How often O my soule hast thou cursed thy selfe in the perfectest of Prayers How often hast thou turn'd the spirituall bâ—dy of thy Saviour into thy dâ—mnation Can the Sunne rise to thy comfort that hath so often set in thy wrath So long as thy wrath is kindled against thy brother so long is the wrath of God burning against thee O wouldst thou offer a pleasing sacrifice to heaven Goe first and be reconciled to thy brother I but who shall right thy honor then Is thy honour wrong'd Forgive and it is vindicated I but this kind of heart-swelling can brooke no Powltresse but revenge Take heed my soule the remedy is worse then the disease If thy intricate distemper transcend thy power make choyce of a Physitian that can purge that humor that foments thy malady Rely upon him submit thy will to his directions hee hath a tender heart a skilfull hand a watchfull eye that makes thy welfare the price of all thy painâ—s expecting no reward no fee but prayses and Thanksgiving His Prayer O God that art the God of peace and the lover of unitie and concord that dost command all those that seeke forgivenesse to forgive that hatest the fâ—oward heart but shewest mercy to the mecke in spirit With what a face can I appeare before thy mercy-seate or with what countenance can I lift up these hands thus stained with my brothers blood How can my â—ippes that daily breath revenge against my brother presume to owne thee as my father or expect from thee thy blessing as thy child If thou forgive my trespasses O God as I forgive my trespassers in what a miserable estate am I that in my very prayers condemne my selfe and doe not onely limit thy compassion by my uncharitablenesse but draw thy judgements on my head for my rebellion That heart O God which thou requirest as a holy present is become a spring of malice These hands which I advance are ready instruments of base revenge My thoughts that should be sanctified are full of blood and how to compasse evill against my brother is my continuall meditation The course of all my life is wilfull disobedience and my whole pleasure Lord is to displease thee My conscience hath accused me and the voyce of blood hath cryed against mee But Lord the blood of Jesus cries louder then the blood of Abell and thy mercy is farre more infinite then my sinne The blood that was shed by me cries for vengeance but the blood that was shed for me sues for mercy Lord heare the language of this blood and by the merits of this voyce be reconciled unto mee That time which cannot be recalled O give mee power to redeeme and in the meane time a setled resolution to reforme Suppresse the violence of my headstrong passion and establish a meeke spirit within mee Let the sight of my owne vilenesse take from me the sense of all disgrace and let the Crowne of my reputation be thy honour Possesse my heart with a desire of unitie and concord and give mee patience to endure what my impenitence hath deserved Breath into my soule the spirit of love and direct my affections to their right object turne all my anger against that sinne that hath provoked thee and give me holy revenge that I may exercise it against my selfe Grant that I may love thee for thy selfe my self in thee and my neighbour as my selfe Assist me O God that I may subdue all evill in my selfe and suffer patiently all evill as a punishment from thee Give me a mercifull heart O God make it slow to wrath and ready to forgive Preserve me from the act of evill that I may be delivered from the feare of evill that living here in charity with men I may receive that sentence of Come ye blessed in the kingdom of glory The secure mans Triumph SO now my soule thy happinesse is entaild and thy illustrious name shall live in thy succeeding Generations Thy dwelling is establish'd in the fat of all the land thou hast what mortall heart can wish and wantest nothing but immortalitie The best of all the land is thine and thou art planted in the best of Lands A land whose Constitutions make the best of Government which Government is strengthned with the best of â—aws which Lawes are executed by the best of Princes whose Prinâ—e whose Lawes whose Government whose land makes us the happiest of all subjects makes us the happiest of all people A land of strength of plenty and a land of peace where every soule may sit beneath his Vine unfrighted at the horrid language of the hoarse Trumpet unstartled at the warlike summons of the roaring Cannon A land whose beautie hath surpriz'd the ambitious hearts of forraigne Princes and taught them by their martiall
Items to thy bedrid view when all diseases and the evils of age shall muster up their Forces in thy crazy bones where be thy comforts then COnsider O my soule and know that day will come and after that another wherein for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Eccles. 11. 9. Prov. 14. 13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heavinesse Eccles. 2. 2. I said in my heart Goe to now I will prove thee with mirth and therefore enjoy pleasure and behold this also is vanitie I said of laughter It is madde and of mirth What doth it St. James Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in the day of slaughter Eccles. 7. 4. The heart of the wise man is in the house of mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth Isid. in Synonymis Pleasure is an Inclination to the unlawfull objects of a corrupted mind allured with a momentary sweetnesse Hugo Sensuality is an immoderate indulgence of the flesh a sweet payson a strong plague a dangerous Potion which effeminates the body and enerves the soule Cass. Lib. 4. Ep. They are most sensible of the burthen of affliction that are most taken with the pleasures of the flesh VVHat hast thou now to say O my soule why this judgement seconded with divine proofes backt with the harmony of holy men should not proceed against thee Dally no longer with thy owne Salvation nor flatter thy owne Corruption Remember the wages of flesh are sinne and the wages of sinne death God hath threatned it whose judgements are terrible God hath witnessed it whose words are truth Consider then my soule and let not momentary pleasures flatter thee into eternitie of torments How many that have trod thy steps are now roaring in the flames of Hell and yet thou triflest away the time of thy Repentance O my poore deluded soule presume no longer Repent to day left to morrow come too late Or couldst thou ravell out thy dayes beyond Methusalem tell me alas what will Eternitie bee the shorter for the deduction of a thousand yeers Be wisely provident therefore O my soule and bid vanitie the common sorceresse of the world farewell life and death are yet before thee Chuse life and the God of life will seale thy â—boyee Prostrate thy selfe before him who delights not in the death of a sinner and present thy Petitions to him who can deny thee nothing in the name of a Saviour His Prayer O God in the beautie of whose holinesse is the true joy of those that love thee the full happinesse of those that feare thee and the onely rest of those that prize thee In respect of which the transitory pleasures of the world are lesse then nothing in comparison of which the greatest wisdome of the world is folly and the glory of the earth but drosse and dung How dare my boldnesse thus presume to presse into thy glorious presence What can my prayers expect but thy just wrath and heavy indignation O what returne can the tainted breath of my polluted lipps deserve but to bee bound hand and foot and cast into the flames of Hell But Lord the merits of my Saviour are greater then the offences of a sinner and the sweetnesse of thy mercy exceeds the sharpnesse of my misery The horrour of thy judgments have seized upon mee and I languish through the sense of thy displeasure I have forsaken thee the rest of my distressed soule and set my affections upon the vanitie of the deceitfull world I have taken pleasure in my foolishnesse and have vaunted my selfe in mine iniquitie I have flattered my soule with the hony of delights whereby I am made sensible of the sting of my affliction wherefore I loath and utterly abhorre my selfe and from the bottome of my heart repent in dust and ashes Behold O Lord I am impure and vile and have wallowed in the puddle of mine owne Corruptions The Sword of thy displeasure is drawne out against mee and what shall I plead O thou preserver of mankind Make mee a new Creature O my God and destroy the old man within mee Remove my affections from the love of transitory things that I may runne the way of the Commandements Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanitie and make thy Testimonies my whole delight Give me strength to discerne the emptinesse of the creature and inebriate my heart with the fulnesse of thy joyes Bee thou my portion O God at whose right hand stand pleasures for evermore Bee thou my refuge and my shield and suffer me not to sinke under the corruptions of my heart let not the house of mirth beguile mee but give mee a sense of the evill to come Accept the free-will offerings of my mouth and grant my petitions for the honour of thy Name then will I magnifie thy mercies O God and praise thy Name for ever and ever The vainâ— glorious mans Vaunt VVHat tell'st thou me of Conscience or a pious life They are good trades for a leaden spirit that can stand bent at every frowne and want the braines to make a higher Fortune or couâ—age to atchieve that honour which might glorifie their names and write their memories in the Chronicles of Fame T is true Humilitie is a needfull gift in those that have no Qualitie to exercise their pride and patience is a necessary Grace to keepe the world in peace and him that hath it in a whole skinne and often proves a vertue borne of meere necâ—ssiâ—ie And civill Honesty is a faire pretense for him that hath not wit to act the Knave and makes a man capable of a little higher stile then Foâ—le And blushing modesty is a pretty innocent qualitie and serves to vindicate an easie nature from the imputation of an ill-breeding These are inferiour Graces that have got a good opinion in the dull wisdome of the world and appeare like water among the Elements to moderate the body Poliâ—ique and keepe it from combustion nor doe they come into the worke of honour Virtue consists in Action and the reward of action is Glory Glory is the great soule of the little world and is the Crowne of all sublime attempts and the point whereto the crooked wayes of policy are all concentrick Honour consults not with a pious life Let those that are ambitious of a religious reputation abjure all honorable Titles and let their dough-bak'd spirits take a pride in sufferance the Anvile of all injuries and bee thankfully baffled into a quiet pilgrimage Rapes murâ—hers treasons dispossessions riots are veniall things to men of honour and oft co-incident in high pursuits Had my dull Conscience stood upon such nice points that little honour I have wonne had glorified some other arme and left mee begging Morsells at his Princely gates Come come my soule 1d factum juvat quod 〈◊〉 non licet Feare not to doe what crownes thee
all my friends forsake mee If to gaine a good estate out of nothing and to regaine a desperat debt which is as good as nothing bee the fruits and signe of a bad conscience God helpe the good Come tell not me of griping and Oppression The world is hard and hee that hopes to thrive must gripe as hard What I give I give and what I lend I lend If the way to heaven bee to turn begger upon earth let them take it that like it I know not what ye call Oppression The Law is my direction but of the two it is more profitable to oppresse then to bee opprest If debtors would bee honest and discharge our hands were bound but when their failing offends my bagges they touch the Apple of my eye and I must right them BUt hah what voyce is this that whispers in mine eare The Lord will spoile the soule of the Oppressors Prov. 22. 23. Prov. 21. 22. Robbe not the poore because hee is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in the gates for the Lord will plead their cause and spoile the soule of those that have spoled him Ezek. 22. 19. The people of the land have used oppression and exercised Robbery and have vexed the poors and needy yea they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath Zach. 7. 9. Execute true judgement and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother and oppresse not the widow nor the fatherlesse nor the stranger nor the poore and let none of you imagine evill in your hearts against his brother But they refused to hearken therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts Bernard p. 1691. Wee ought so to care for our selves as not to neglect the due regard of our neighbour Bern. ibiâ—â— He that is not mercifull to another shall not find mercy from God but if thou will'st bee mercifull and compassionate thou shalt bee a benâ—factor to thy owne soule IS it wisdome in thee O my soul to covet a happinesse or rather to account it so that is sought for with a judgement obtained with a Curse and punished with damnation And to neglect that good which is assured with a promise purchased with a blessing and rewarded with a Crowne of Glory Canst thou hold a full estate a good pennyworth which is bought with the deare price of thy Gods displeasure Tell mee what continuance can that Inheritance promise that is raised upon the ruines of thy Brother Or what mercy canst thou expect from heaven that hast denied all mercy to thy Neighbour O my hard-hearted soule consider and relent Build not an house whose posts are subject to bee rotted with a curse Consider what the God of truth hath threatned against thy crueltie Relent and turne compassionate that thou mayst bee capable of his compassion If the desire of Gold hath hardned thy heart let the teares of true Repentance mollifie it soften it with Aarons oyntment untill it become Wax to take the impression of that seale which must confirme thy Pardon His Prayer BUt will my God bee now entreated Is not my crying sinne too loud for Pardon Am I not sunke too deepe into the Jawes of Hell for thy strong arme to rescue Hath not the hardnesse of my heart made mee uncapable of thy compassion O if my teares might wash away my sinne my head should turne a living Spring Lord I have heard thee speake and am affraid the word is past and thy judgements have found mee out Fearefulnesse and trembling are come upon mee and the Jawes of Hell have overwhelmed mee I have oppressed thy poore and added affliction to the afflicted and the voyce of their misery is come before thee They besought mee with teares and in the anguish of their soules but I have stopt mine eares against the cry of their complaint But Lord thou walkest not the wayes of man and remembrest mercy in the middest of thy wrath for thou art good and gratious and ready to forgive and plenteous in compassion to all that shall call upon thee Forgive mee O God my sinnes that are past and deliver mee from the guilt of my Oppression Take from mee O God this heart of stone and create in my brest a heart of flesh Asswage the vehemency of my desires to the things below and satisfie my soule with the sufficiency of thy Grace Inflame my affections that I may love thee with a filiall love and incline mee to relie upon thy fatherly providence Let mee account godlinesse my greatest gaine and subdue in mee my lusts after filthy lucre Preserve mee O Lord from the vanitie of selfe-love and plant in my affections the true love of my neighbours Endue my heart with the bowels of compassion and then reward mee according to thy righteousnesse Direct mee O God in the wayes of my life and let a good Conscience bee my continuall comfort Give mee a willing heart to make resâ—itution of what I have wrongfully gotten by oppression Grant mee a lawfull use of all thy Creatures and a thankfull heart for all thy benefits Bee merciâ—ull to all those that groane under the burthen of their owne wants and give them patience to expect thy deliverance Give mee a heart that may acknowledge thy favours and fill my tongue with praise and thanksgiving that living here a new life I may become a new creature and being engraffed in thee by the power of thy grace I may bring forth fruit to thy honour and glory The Drunkards Iubile VVHat Complement will the severer world allow to the vacant houres of frolique-hearted youth How shall their free their joviall spirits entertaine their time their friends What Oyle shall bee infused into the Lampe of deare societie if they deny the priviledge of a civill rejoycing Cup It is the life the radicall humor of united soules whose love-digestive heate even ripens and ferments the greene materialls of a plighted faith without the helpe whereof new married friendship falls into divorce and joyn'd acquaintance soone resolves into the first Elements of strangenesse What meane these strict Reformers thus to spend their houâ—e-glasses and bawle against our harmelesse Cups to call our meetings Riots and brand our civill mirth with stiles of loose Intemperance where they can sit at a fisters Feast devoure and gurmundize beyond excesse and wipe the guilt from off their marrowed mouths and cloath their surfeits in the long fustain Robes of a tedious Grace Is it not much better in a faire friendly Round since youth must have a swing to steep our soule-afflicting sorrows in a chirping Cup then hazard our estates upon the abuse of providence in a folish cast at Dice Or at a Cockpit leave our doubtfull fortunes to the mercy of unmercifull contention Or spend our wanton dayes in sacrificing costly presents to a fleshly Idoll was not Wine given to exhilarate the drooping hearts and raise the drowzie spirits
of dejected soules Is not the liberall Cup the Sucking-bottle of the sonnes of Phaebus to solace and refresh their palats in the nights of sad Invention Let dry-brain'd Zelots spend their idle breaths my cups shall bee my cordialls to restore my care-befeebled heart to the true Temper of a well-complexioned mirth My solid Braines are potent and can beare enough without the least offence to my distempered Senses or interruption of my boone companions My tongue can in the very Zenith of my Cups deliver the expressions of my composed thoughts with better sense then these my grave Reformers can their best advised prayers My Constitution is pot-proof and strong enough to make a fierce encounter with the most stupendious vessell that ever failed upon the tides of Bacchus My Reasoâ— shrinkes not my passion burnes not O But my soule I heare a threatning voyce that interrupts my language Wee be to them that are mightie to drink Wine Esay 5. 22. Prov. 20. 1. Wine is a mocker strong drinke is raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise Esay 5. 11. Woe bee to them that rise up early in the morning to follow strong drinke that continue till night untill wine enflame them Prov. 23. 20. Bee not amongst wine-bibbers 1. Cor. 5. 1. Now I have written unto you not to keepe company if any that is called a Brother bee a drunkard with such a one no not to eate Aug. in lib. pen Whilst the drunkard swallowes wine wine swallowes him God disregards him Angels despise him Men deride him vertue declines him the devill destroyes him Aug. ad sac virg. Drunkennesse is the mother of all evill the matter of all mischiefe the well-spring of all vices the trouble of the senses the tempest of the tongue the shipwrack of chastitie the consumption of time a voluntary madnesse the corruption of manners the distemper of the body and the destruction of the soule MY soule It is the voyce of God digested into a judgement There is no kicking against Pricks or arguing against a divine Truth Pleadest thou Custome Custome in Sinne multiplies it Pleadest thou societie Societie in the offence aggravates the punishment Pleadest thou help to Invention Woe bee to that barrennesse that wants such showers Pleadest thou strength to beare much Wine Woe to those that are mightie to drinke strong drinke My soule thou hast sinned against thy Creator in abusing that creature he made to serve thee Thou hast sinned against the creature in turning it to the Creators dishonor Thou hast finned against thy selfe in making thy comfort thy confusion How many want that blessing thou hast turn'd into a curse How many thirst whilst thou surfeitest What satisfaction wilt thou give to the Creator to the creature to thy selfe against all whom thou hast transgrest To thy selfe by a sober life To the Creature by a right use To thy Creator by a true Repentance the way to all which is Prayer and Thanksgiving His Prayer HOw truely then O God this heavy woe belongs to this my boasted sinne How many judgements are comprisedâ— and abstracted in this woeâ— and all for mee even mee O God the miserable subject of thy eternall wrath Even mee O Lord the marke whereat the shafts of thy displeasure levell Lord I was a sinner in my first conception and in sinne hath my mother brought mee forth I was no sooner but I was a slave to sinne and all my life is nothing but the practise and the trade of high Rebellion I have turn'd thy blessings into thy dishonour and all thy graces into wantonnesse Yet hast thou been my God even from the very wombe and didst sustaine mee when I hung upon my mothers breast Thou hast washed mee O Lord from my pollution but like a Swine I have returned to my mire Thou hast glaunced into my breast the blessed motions of thy holy Spirit but I have quenched them with the springtides of my borne corruption I have vomited up my filthinesse before thee and like a dog have I returned to my vomit Bee mercifull O God unto mee Have mercy on mee O thou sonne of David I cannot O Lord expect the childrens bread yet suffer mee to lick the crummes that fall beneath their table I that have so oft abused the greatest of thy blessings am not worthy of the meanest of thy favours Look look upon me according to the goodnesse of thy mercy and not according to the greatnesse of my offences Give mee O God a sober heart and a lawfull moderation in the enjoyment of thy Creatures Reclaime my appetite from unseasonable delights lest I turne thy blessings into a curse In all my dejections bee thou my comfort and let my rejoycing bee onely in thee Propose to mine eyes the evilnesse of my dayes and make mee carefull to redeeme my time Weane mee from the pleasure of vaine societie and let my Companions bee such as feare thee Forgive all such as have been partners in my sinne and turne their hearts to the obedience of thy Lawes Open their eares to the reproofs of the wise and make them powerfull in reformation Allay that lust which my intemperance hath inflam'd and cleanse my affections with the grace of thy good spirit make mee thankfull for the strength of my body that I may for the time to come returne it to the advantage of thy glory The Swearers Apologie WIll Boanarges never cease And will these Plague-denouncers never leave to thunder judgements in my trembling eare Nothing but plagues Nothing but judgements Nothing but damnation What have I done to make my case desterate And what have they not done to make my soule despair Have I set up false Gods like the Egyptians Or have I bowed before them like the Israelites Have I violated the Sabbath like the Libertines Or like cursed Cham have I discovered my fathers nakednesse Have I embrued my hands in blood like Barabbas Or like Absolon defiled my fathers Bed Have I like Iacob supplanted my elder brother O like Ahab intruded into Nabottâ— Vineyard Have I borne false witnesse like the wanton Elders Or like David coveted Vriahs wife Have I not given Tithes of all I have Or hath my purse beene hidebound to my hungry brother Hath not my life been blamelesse before men And my demeanour unreprovable before the world Have I not hated Vice with a perfect hatred and countenanc'd vertue with a due respect What meane these strict observers of my life to ransack every Action to carpe at every word and with their sharpe censorious tongues to sentence every frailtie with damnation Is there no allowance to humanitie No Graines to flesh and blood Are wee all Angels Has mortalitie no priviledge to supersede it from the utmost punishment of a little necessary frailtie Come come my soule let not these judgement-thunderers fright thee Let not these Qualmes of their exuberous zeale disturbe thee Thou hast not cursed like Shemei nor rail'd like Rabshekah nor lied like Ananiâ—
nor slander'd like thy â—accusers They that censure thy Gnats swallow their owne Camels What if the luxuriant stile of thy discourse doe chance to strike upon an obvious Oath art thou straight hurried into the bosome of a Plague What if the custome of a harmelesse oath should captivate thy heedlesse tongue can nothing under sudden judgement seize upon thee What if anothers diffidence should force thy earnest lips into a hasty Oath in confirmation of a suffering Truth must thou be straightwayes branded with damnation Was Ioseph mark'd for everlasting death for swearing by the life of Egypts King Was Peter when hee so denied his master straight damn'd for swearing and for-swearingâ— O flatter not thy selfe my soule nor turne thou Advocate to so high a sinne Make not the slips of Saints a precedent for thee to fall IF the Rebukes of flesh may not prevaile heare then the threatning of the Spirit which saith The Plague shall not depart from the house of the swearer Exod. 20. 7. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord the God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine Zach. 5. 3. And every one that sweareth shall bee cut off Matth. 5. 34. Sweare not at all neither by heaven for it is Gods Throne nor by the earth for it is his footstoole But let your communication be Yea yea Nay nay for whatsoever is more then these commeth of evill Jer. 23. 10. Because of swearing the land mourneth Aug in Ser. The murtherer killeth the body of his brother but the swearer murthers his owne soule August in Psal. 88. It 's well that God hath forbidden man to sweare left by custome of swearing in as much as wee are apt to mistake wee commit perjury there 's none but God can safely sweare because there 's no other but may be deceived August de Mendacio I say unto you Sweare not at all lest by swearing ye come to a facilitie of swearing from a facilitie to a custome and from a custome ye fall into perjury O What a judgement is here How terrible How full of Execution The Plague the extract of all diseases none so mortall none so comfortlesse It makes our house a Prison our friends strangers No comfort but in the expectation of the months end I but this judgement excludes that comfort too The Plague shall never depart from the house of the swearer What never Death will give it a Period No but it shall bee entail'd upon his house his family O detestable O destructive sinne that leaves a Crosse upon the dores of Generations and layes whole families upon the dust A sinne whereto neither Profit incites nor Pleasure allures nor Necessitie compells nor Inclination of nature perswades a meere voluntary begun with a malignant imitation and continued with an habituall presumption Consider O my soule every Oath hath been a nayle to wound that Saviour whose blood O mercy above expression must save thee Bee sensible of thy Actions and his sufferings Abhorre thy selfe in dust and ashes and magnifie his Mercy that hath turn'd this judgement from thee Goe wash those wounds which thou hast made with teares and humble thy selfe with Prayer and true repentance His Prayer ETernall and omnipotent God before whose glorious name Angels and Archangels bow and hide their faces to which the blessed Spirits and Saints of thy triumphant Church sing forth perpetuall Hallelujahs I a poore Sprig of disobedient Adam doe here make bold to take that holy name into my sinne-polluted lippes I have hainously sinned O God against thee and against it I have disparaged it in my thoughts dishonoured it in my words profaned it in my actions and I know thou art a jealous God and a consuming fire as faithfull in thy promises so fearefull in thy judgements I therefore flie from the dreadfull Name of Jehovah which I have abused to that gratious Name of Jesus wherein thou art well pleased in that most sacred Name O God I fall before thee and for his beloved sake O Lord I come unto thee Cleanse thou my heart O God and then my tongue shall praise thee Wash thou my soule O Lord and then my lippes shall blesse thee Worke in my heart a feare of thy displeasure and give mee an awfull reverence of thy Name Set thou a Watch before my lips that I offend not with my tongue Let no respects entice mee to bee an instrument of thy dishonour and let thy attributes bee pretious in mine eyes teach mee the way of thy Precepts O Lord and make me sensible of all my offences Let not my sinfull custome in sinning against thy Name take from my guiltie soule the sense of my sinne Give mee a respect unto all thy Commandements but especially preserve mee from the danger of this my bosome sinne Mollifie my heart at the rebukes of thy servants and strike into my inward parts a feare of thy judgements Let all my communication bee order'd as in thy presence and let the words of my mouth bee governed by thy Spirit Avert those judgements from mee which thy Word hath threatned and my sinne hath deserved and strengthen my resolution for the time to come Worke in mee a true godly sorrow that it may bring forth in mee a newnesse of life Sanctifie my thoughts with the continuall meditation of thy Coâ—mandements and mortifie those passions which provoke mee to offend thee Let not the examples of others induce mee to this sinne nor let the frailties of my flesh seek Fig leaves to cover it Seale in my heart the full assurance of thy Reconciliation and looke upon mee in the bowells of compassion that crowning my weak desires with thy All-sufficient power I may escape this judgement which thy justice hath threatned here and obtaine that happinesse thy mercy hath promised hereafter The Procrastinators Remora's TEll mee no more of fasting prayer and death They fill my thoughts with dumps of Melancholy These are no subjects for a youthfull care no contemplations for an active soule Let them whom sullen Age hath weaned from aery pleasures whom wayward fortune hath condemn'd to sighes and groanes whom sad diseases have beslaved to drugs and diets let them consume the remnant of their wretched dayes in dull devotion Let them afflict their aking soules with the untunable discourses of mortalitie Let them contemplate on evill dayes and reade sharpe Lectures of their owne experience For me my bones are full of unctious marrow and my blood of sprightly Youth My faire and free estate secures me from the feares of fortunes frowne My strength of constitution hath the power to grapple with sorrow sicknesse nay the very pangs of death and overcome 'T is true God must bee sought What impious tongue dare be so basely bold to contradict so knowne a Truth And by repentance too What strange impietie dare deny it Or what presumptuous lips dare disavow it But there 's a time for all things yet none prefixt for
this no day designed but At what time soever If my unseasonable heart should seeke him now the worke would be too serious for so greene a seeker My thoughts are yet unsetled my fancy yet too too gamesome my judgement yet unsound my Will unsanctified To seeke him with an unprepared heart is the high way not to finde him or to finde him with unsetled resolution is the next way to lose him and indeed it wants but little of prophanenesse to bee unseasonably religious What is once to bee done is long to bee deliberated Let the boyling pleasures of the rebellious flesh evaporate a little and let mee drayn my boggy soule from those corrupted inbred humors of collapsed nature and when the tender blossomes of my youthfull vanitie shall begin to fade my setled understanding will begin to knot my solid judgement will begin to ripen my rightly guided will be resolved both what to seeke and when to find and how to prize till then my tender youth in her pursuit will bee disturb'd with every blast of honour diverted with every flash of pleasure misled by Counsell turned back with feare puzzl'd with doubt interupted by Passion withdrawne with prosperitie and discurag'd with adversitie TAke heed my soul when thou hast lost thy self in thy journey how wilt thou find thy God at thy journeys end Whom thou hast lost by too long delay thou wilt hardly find with too late â—diligence Take time while time shall serve that day may come wherein Thou shalt seek the Lord but shalt not finde himâ— Hos. 5. 6. Esay 55. 6. Seeke the Lord while he may bee found call upon him while he is neare Heb. 12. 17. He found no place for repentance though hee sought it with teares carefully Thou foole this night will I take thy soule from thee Revel. 2. 21. I gave her a space to repent but shee repented not Behold therefore I will cast her Greg. lib. Mor. Seeke God whilst thou canst not see him for when thou seest him thou canst not find him seeke him by hope and thou shalt finde him by faith In the day of grace hee is invisible but neare in the day of judgement he is visible but farre off Ber. Ser. 24. If wee would not seeke God in vaine let us seeke him in truth often and constantly Let us not seeke another thing in stead of him nor any other thing with him nor for any other thing leave him O My soule thou hast sought wealth and hast either not found it or cares with it thou hast sought for pleasure and hast found it but no comfort in it Thou soughtest honour and hast found it and perchance fallen with it Thou soughtest friendship and hast found it false societie and hast found it vaine And yet thy God the fountaine of all wealth pleasure honour friendship and societie thou hast slighted as a toy not worth the finding Be wise my soule and blush at thy owne folly Set thy desires on the right objâ—ct Seeke wisdome and thou shalt find knowledge and wealth and honour and length of dayes Seeke heaven and earth shall seeke thee and deferre not thy Inquest lest thou lose thy opportunitie To day thou maist find him whom to morrow thou mayst seek with teares and misse Yesterday is too late to morrow is uncertaine to day is onely thine I but my soule I feare my too long delay hath made this day too late feare not my soule hee that has given thee his Grace to day will forget thy neglect of yesterday seeke him therefore by true repentance and thou shalt find him in thy Prayer His Prayer O God that like thy pretious Word art hid to none but who are lost and yet art found by all that seek thee with an upright heart cast downe thy gratious eye upon a lost sheep of Israel strayed through the vanitie of his unbridled youth and wandred in the wildernesse of his owne invention Lord I have too much delighted in mine owne wayes and have put the evill day too farre from mee I have wallowed iâ— the pleasures of this deceitfull world which perish in the using and have neglected thee my God at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore I have drawne on iniquitie as with Cart-ropes and have committed evill with greedinesse I have quencht the motions of thy good spirit and have delayed to seeke thee by true and unfaigned repentance In stead of seeking thee whom I have lost I have withdrawne my selfe from thy presence when thou hast sought mee It were but justice therefore in thee to stop thine eares at my petitions or turne my Prayers as sinne into my bosome But Lord thou art a gratious God and full of pity and unwearied compassion and thy loving kindnesse is from generation to generation Lord in not seeking thee I have utterly lost my selfe and if-thou find mee not I am lost for ever and if thou find mee thou canst not but finde me in my sinnes and then thou find'st mee to my owne destruction How miserable O Lord is my condition How necessary is my confusion that have neglected to seeke thee and therefore am afraid to bee found of thee But Lord if thou looke upon the all-sufficient merits of thy Sonne thy justice will bee no loser in shewing mercy upon a sinner In his name therefore I present my selfe before thee in his merits I make my humble approach unto thee in his name I offer up my feeble Prayers for his merits grant mee my petitions Call not to mind the rebellions of my flesh and remember not O God the vanities of my youth Inflame my heart with the love of thy presence and reliâ—â— my meditations with the pleasure of thy sweetnesse Let not the consideration of thy justice overwhelm me in despaire nor the meditation oâ— thy mercy perswade mee to presume Sanctiâ—fie my will by the wisedome of thy Spirit thaâ— I may desire thee as the chiefest good Quickeâ— my desires with a servent zeale that I may seeke my Creator in the dayes of my youthâ— Teach mee to seeke thee according to thy wilâ— and then bee found according to thy promise that living in mee here by thy grace I may here after raigne with thee in glory The Hypocrites Prevarication THere is no such stuffe to make a cloake on as Religion nothing so fashionable nothing so profitable it is a Livery wherein a wise man may serve two masters God and the world and make a gainefull service by either I serve bâ—ah and in both my selfe in prevaricating with both Before man none serves his God with more severe devotion for which among the belt of men I work my own ends serve my self In private I serve the world not with so strict devotion but with more delight where fulfilling of her servants lusts I work my end and serve my self The house of Prayer who more frequents then I In all Christian duties who more forward then I I fast with those that fast that
mee and I can make my selfe no better so I cannot And as for serving God I am sure I goe to Church as well as the best in the Parish though I bee not so fine and I make no question if I had better cloathes but I should doe God as much credit as another man though I say it And as for doing Gods will I beshrew mee I leave that to them that are booke-learn'd and can doe it more wisely I beleeve the Vicar of our Parish can doe it and has done it too as well as any within five miles of his head and what need I trouble my selfe to doe what is so well done already I hope hee being so good a Churchmâ—n and so great a Schollard and can speake Latiâ—e too would not leave that to so simple man as I. It is enough for mee to know that God is a good man and that the ten Commandements are the best prayers in all the book unlesse it bee the Creede And that I must love my neighbour as well as he loves mee and for all other Quilicoms they shall never trouble my braines an gracâ— a God Let mee goe a sundays and serve God obey the King God blesse him doe no man no wrong say the Lords Prayer every morning and evening follow my worke give a Noble to the poore at my death and then say Lord have mercy upon mee and goe away like a Lambe I make no question but I shall deserve heaven as well as he that weares a gayer coate But yet I am not so ingrant neither nor have not gone so often to Church but I know Christ died for mee too as well as for any other man I 'de bee sorry else and that next to our Vicar I shall goe to heaven when I am dead as soone as another nay more I know there bee two Sacraments bread and wine and but two though the Papists say there bee six or seven and that I verily beleeve I shall be saved by those Sacraments that I love God above all or else 't were pitty of my life and that when I am dead and rotten as our Vicar told mee I shall rise againe and be the same man I was But for that hee must excuse mee till I have better sartifaction for all his learning he cannot make me such a foole unlesse hee shew mee a better reason for 't then yet hee has done BUt one thing hee told me now I thinke on 't troubles me woundly namely that God is my Master all which I confesse and that I must doe his will whether I know how to doe it or nor or else it will goe ill with me I le read it he said out of Gods Bible and I shall remember the words so long as I have a day to live which are these He that knoweth not his masters will and doth things worthy of stripes shall bee beaten with few stripes Luke 12. 48. 1 Cor. 14. 20. Brethren bee not children in understanding howbeit in malice be ye children but in understanding be men 1 Cor. 15. 34. Awake to righteousnesse and sin not for some have not â—the knowledge of God I speake it to your shame Ephes. 4. 18. Walke not in the vanitie of your minds having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the Ignorance which is in you because of the blindnesse of your hearts Levit. 5. 17. And if a soule sinne and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord though hee wist it not yet is hee guilty and shall beare his iniquitie 2 Thes. 1. 7. 8. The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mightie Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God Greg. Mag. Moral It is good to know much and to live well but if wee cannot attaine both it is better to desire piety then wisedome for knowledge makes no man happy nor doth blessednesse consist in intellectuals The onely brave thing is a religious life To sin against knowledge is so much the greater offence then an ignorant trespasse by how much the crime which is capable of no excuse is more hainous then the fault which admits a tolerable plea Iustin Mart. Resp. ad orthod. HOw well it had been for thee O my soule if I had bookelarnd Alas I cannot reade and what I heare I cannot understand I cannot profit as I should and therefore cannot be as good as I would for which I am right sorry That I cannot serve as well as my betters hath been often a great griefe to me and that I have been so ingranâ— in good things hath been a great heart-breaking to me I can say no prayers for want of knowledge to reade but Our Father and the Creede But the comfort is God knowes my heart but â— trust in God Our Father being made by Christ himselfe will bee enough for me that know not how to make a better I indeavour to doe all our Vicar bids me and when I receive the Communion I truely forgive all the world for a fortnight after or such a matter but then some old injury makes me forget my selfe but I cannot helpe it an my life should lie on t O my ingrant soule what shall I do to bee saved All that I can say is Lord have mercy upon me and all that I can doe is but to doe my good will and that I le doe with all my heart and say my prayers too as well as God will give mee leave an grace a God His Prayer O God the Father of heaven have mercy upon me miserable sinner I am as I must needs confesâ—e a sinfull man as my forefathers were before mee I have heard many Sermons and have had many good lessons from the mouths of painefull Ministers but through the dulnesse of my understanding and for want of learning I have not profited â—o much as else I should have done spare mee therefore O God spare mee whom thou hast redeemed with thy pretious blood and bee not angry for ever I must confesse the painefulnesse of my calling and the heavinesse of my owne nature hath taken from mee the delight of hearing thy Word and the ignorance of learning which I was never brought upto hath kept me from reading it that insomuch in stead of growing better I feare I have growne worse and worse and have been so far from doing thy will that I doe not understand what thy will is very well But thou O mercifull God that didst reveale thy selfe to poore Shepherds and Fishermen that had no more learning then I have mercy upon mee for Jesus Christ his sake Thou that hast promised to instruct the simple and to leade the ignorant into thy way beâ— good and mercifull to mee I beseech thee Thou that drawest the needy out of the dust and the poore out of the dunghill give me the knowledge of thy will and teach me how to serve thee Take
Hell If worldly pleasures had the promise of continuance prosperitie were some comfort but in this necessary vieissitude of good and evill the prolonging of adversitie sharpens it It is no common thing my soule to enjoy two heavens Dives found it in the present Lazarus in the future Hath thy encrease met with no damage thy reputation with no scandall thy pleasure with no crosse thy prosperitie with no adversitie Presume not Gods checks are symptomes of his mercy but his silence is the Harbinger of a judgement Bee circumspect and provident my soule Hast thou a faire Summer provide for a hard Winter The worlds River ebbes alone it flowes not Hee that goes merrily with the streame must hale up Flatter thy selfe therefore no longer in thy prosperous sinne O my deluded soule but be truly sensible of thy owne presumption Look seriously into thy approaching danger and humble thy selfe with true contrition If thou procure sowre Hearbs God will provide his Passeover His Prayer HOw weake is man O God when thou forsakest him How foolish are his Counsels when hee plots without thee How wilde his progresse when hee wanders from thee How miserable till hee returne unto thee How his wit failes How his wisedome falters How his wealth melts How his providence is befool'd and how his soule beslav'd Thou strik'st off the Chariot wheeles of his Inventions and hee is perplext Thou confoundest the Babel of his imaginations and he is troubled Thou crossest his designes that hee may feare thee and thou stop'st him in his wayes that he may know thee How mercifull art thou O God and in thy very judgements Lord how gracious Thou mightst have struck me into the lowest pit as easily as on these bended knees and yet been justified in my confusion But thou hast threatned like a gentle father as loath to punish thy ungracious childe Thou knowest the crooked thoughts of man are vaine still turning point to their contrivers ruin Thou saw'st me wandring in the maze of death whilst I with violence pursued my owne destruction But thou hast warn'd me by thy sacred Word and tooke me off that I might live to praise theâ— Thou art my confidence O God Thou art the rock the rock of my salvation Thy Word shall bee my guide for all thy paths are Mercy and Truth Lord when I looke upon my former worldlinesse I utterly abhorre my conversation strengthen mee with thy assistance that I may leade a new life make mee more and more sensible of my owne condition and perfect thou the good worke thou hast begun in mee In all my designes bee thou my Counsellour that I may prosper in my undertakings In all my actions bee thou my guide that I may keepe the path of thy Commandements Let all my owne devises come to nought lest I presume upon the Arme of flesh let not my wealth encrease without thy blessing lest I bee fatted up against the day of slaughter Have thou a hand in all my just imployments then prosper thou the worke of my hands O prosper thou my handy-worke That little I enjoy confirme it to me and make it mine who have no interest in it till thou owne mee as thy Child Then shall my soule rejoyce in thy favours and magnifie thy name for all thy mercies Then shall my lips proclaime thy loving kindnesse and sing thy praises for ever and for ever The Lascivious mans Heaven CAn flesh and blood bee so unnaturall to forget the Lawes of Nature Can blowing youth immure it selfe within the Icey walls of Vestall Chastitie Can lusty diet and mollicious rest bring forth no other fruits but faint desires rigid thoughts and Pblegmatick conceits should wee bee stockâ— and stones and having active soules turne altogether passives Must wee turne Anchâ—rites and spend our dayes in Caves and Hermitages and smother up our pretious houres in cloysterd folly and recluse devotion Can Rosie cheekes can Ruby lippes can snowy brests and sparkling eyes prescut their beauties and perfections to the sprightly view of young mortalitie and must wee stand like Statues without sense or motion Can strict Religion impose such cruell Taskes and even impossible commands upon the raging thoughts of her unhappy votaries as to withstand and contradict the instinct and very principles of Nature Can faire-pretending pictie be so barbarous to condemn us to the flames of our affections and make us Martyrs to our owne desires Is 't not enough to conquer the rebellious Actions of imperious flesh but must wee manacle her hands darken her eyes nay worse restraine the freedome of her very thoughts Can full perfection bee expected here Or can our worke be perfect in this vale of imperfection This were a life for Angels but a task too hard for fraile for transitory man Come come we are but men but flesh and blâ—od and our borne frailties cannot grapple with such potent tyranny What nature and necessitie requires us to doe is veniall being done Come strive no more against so strong a streame but take thy fill of beautie solace thy wanton heart with amorous contemplations cloathe all thy words with courtly Rhetorick and soften thy lips with dialects of love surfeit thy selfe with pleasure and 〈◊〉 thy passion into warme delights VValke into Natures universall Bower and pick what flower does most surprize thine eye drink of all waters but be tied to none Spare neither cost nor paines to compasse thy desires Enjoy varieties Emparadise thy soule in fresh delights The change of pleasure makes thy pleasure double Ravish thy senses with perpetuall choyce and glut thy soule with all the delicates of love BUt hold There is a voyce that whispers in my troubled eare a voyce that blanks my thoughts and stops the course of my resolves A voyce that chills the bosome of my soule and fills me with amazement Harke They which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God Gal. 5. 21. Exod. 20. 14. Thou shalt not commit Adultery Matth. 5. 28. Whosoever lookes upon a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart Rom. 13. 13. Let us walke honestly as in the day not in rioting nor in drunkennesse nor in chambering nor in wantonnesse 1 Pet. 2. 11. Abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule Nilus in Paraen Woe bee to the fornicator and adulterer for his garment is defiled and spotted and the heavenly Bridegroome casts him out from his chast nuptialls A world of presumptuous and hainous offences doe arise and spring from the filthy fountaine of adulterous lust whereby the gate of heaven is shut and poore man excluded from God S. Gregor. Mor. Hence the flesh lives in sensuall delights for a moment but the immortall soule perisheth for ever LUst is a Brand of originall fire rak'd up in the Embers of flesh and blood uncover'd by a naturall inclination blowne by corrupt communication quencht with fasting and humiliation It is rak'd up in the best uncovered in the
salve for many desperate sores BUt hark my soule there 's something rounds mine eare and calls my language to a recantation The Lord hath spoken it Liers shall have their part in the lake which burneth with â—ire and brimstone Revel. 2 1. 8. Exod. 20. Thou shalt not raise a false report Levit. 19. 11. â—e shall not deale falsly neither lie one to another Prov. 12. 22. Lying lips are abomination to the Lord but they that deale truly are his delight Prov. 19. 5. He that speaketh lies shall not escape Ephes. 4. 25. Put away lying and every one speake truth with his neighbour for we are members one of another Revel. There shall in no wise enter into the new Ierusalem any thing that worketh abomination or that maketh a lie St. August Whosoever thinkes there 's any kind of lie that is not a sinne shamefully deceives himselfe mistaking a lying or câ—usening knave for a square or honest man Gregor. Eschew and avoid all falshood though sometime certaine kind of untruths are lesse sinfull as to tell a lie to save a mans life yet because the Scripture saith The lyer slayeth his owne soule and God will destroy them that tell a lie therefore religious and honest men should alwayes avoyd even the best sort of lies neither ought another mans life be secured by our falshood or lying lest we destroy our own soule in labouring to secure another mans life VVHat a child O my soule hath thy false bosome harbord And what reward can thy indulgence expect from such a father What blessing canst thou hope from heaven that pleadest for the sonne of the devill and crucifyest the Sonne of God God is the Father of truth To secure thy estate thou denyest the truth by framing of a lie To save thy brothers life thou opposest the truth in justifying a lie Now tell me O my soul art thou worthy the name of a Christian that denyest and opposest the nature of Christ Art thou worthy of Christ that preferrest thy estate or thy brothers life before him O my unrighteous soul canst thou hold thy brother worthy of death for giving thee the lie and thy selfe guiltlesse that makest a lie I but in some cases truth destroyes thy life a lie preserves it My soule was God thy Creator then make not the devill thy preserver Wilt thou despaire to trust him with thy life that gave it and make him thy Protector that seeks to destroy it Reforme thee and repent thee O my soule hold not thy life on such conditions but trust thee to the hands that made thee His Prayer O God that art the God of truth whose word is truth that hatest lying lips and abominatest the deceitfull tongue that banishest thy presence all such as love or make a lie and lovest truth and requirest uprightnesse in the inward parts I the most wretched of the sonnes of men and most unworthy to bee called thy sonne make bold to cast my sinfull eyes to heaven Lord I have sinned against heaven and against truth and have turned thy grace into a lie I have renounced the wayes of righteousnesse and have harbour'd much iniquitie within me which hath turned thy wrath against me I have transgrest against the checks of my owne conscience and have vaunted of my transgression which way soever I turne mine eye I see no object but â—hame and confusion Lord when I look upon my self I find nothing there but fuell for thy wrath and matter for thine indignation and my condemnation And when I cast mine eyes to heaven I there behold an angry God and a severe revenger But Lord at thy right hand I see a Saviour and a sweet redeemer I see thy wounded sonne cloathd in my flesh and bearing mine infirmities and interceding for my numerous transgressions for which my soule doth magnifie thee O God and my spirit rejoyceth in him my Saviour Lord when thou lookest upon the vast score of my offences turne thine eyes upon the infinite merits of his satisfaction O when thy justice calls to minde my sinnes let not thy mercy forget his sufferings Wash mee O wash mee in his blood and thou shalt see me cloathed in his righteousnesse Let him that is all in all to mee be all in all for me make him to me sanctification justification redemption Inspire my heart with the spirit of thy truth and preserve me from the deceitfulnesse of double tongue Give mee an inward confidence to relie upon thy fatherly providence that neither feare may deterre mee nor any advantage may turne me from the wayes of thy truth Let not the specious goodnesse of the end encourage mee to the unlawfulnesse of the meanes but let thy Word bee the warrant to all my actions Guide my footsteps that I may walke uprightly and quicken my conscience that it may reprove my faylings Cause me to feele the burthen of this my habituall sinne that comming to thee by a true and serious repentance my sinnes may obtaine a full and a gratious forgivenesse Give me a heart to make a Covenant with my lips that both my heart and and tongue being sanctified by thy Spirit may bee both united in truth by thy mercy and magnifie thy name for ever and for ever The Revengefull mans rage O What a Iulâ—p to my scorching soule is the delicious blood of my offender and how it cooles the burning Fever of my boyling veynes It is the Quintessenee of pleasures the height of satisfaction and the very marrow of all delight to bath and paddle in the blood of such whose bold affronts have turn'd my wounded patience into fury How full of sweetnesse was his death who dying was reveng'd upon three thousâ—nd enemies How sweetly did the younger brothers blood allay the soule-consuming flames of the elder who tooke more pleasure in his last breath then heaven did in his first Sacrifice Yet had not heaven condemned his action nature had found an Advocate for his passion What sturdy spirit hath the power to rule his suffering thoughts or curbe the headstrong fury of his Irascible affections Or who but fooles that cannot taste an injury can moderate their high-bred spirits and stop their passion in her full carreire Let heavy Cynicks they whose leaden soules are taught by stupid reason to stand bent at every wrong that can digest an injury more easily then a complement that can protest against the Lawes of nature and cry all naturall affection downe let them be Andirons for the injurious world to work a Heate upon let them find shoulders to receive the painefull sâ—ripes of peevish Mortalls and to beare the wrongs of daring insolence Let them bee drawne like Calves prepar'd for slaughter and bow their servile necks to sharpe destruction let them submit their slavish bosomes to be trod and trampled under foot for every pleasure My Eagle spiriâ— flies a higher pitch and like ambitious Phaeton climbes into the fiery Chariot and drawne with fury scorne revenge and honor
Oratory to make their vaine attempts A land whose strength reades vanitie in the deceived hopes of Conquerours and crownes their enterprizes with a shamefull overthrow A land whose native plentie makes her the worlds Exchange supplying others able to subsist without supply from forraigne kingdomes in it selfe happy and abroad honorable A land that hath no vanitie but what by accident proceeds and issues from the sweetest of all blessings peace and plentie that hath no miâ—ery but what is propagated from that blindnesse which cannot see her owne felicitie A land that flowes with Milke and Hony and in briefe wants nothing to deserve the title of a Paradise The Curbe of Spaine the pride of Germany the â—yde of Belgia the scourge of France the Emperesse of the world and Queene of Nations She is begirt with walls whose builder was the hand of heaven whereon there daily rides a Navyâ— Royall whose unconquerable power proclaimes her Prince invincible and whispers sad despaire into the fainting hearts of forraigâ—e Majesty She is compact within her self in unitie not apt to civill discords or intestine broyles The envie of all nations the ambition of all Princes the terror of all enemies the security of all neighboring States Let timerous Pulpits threaten ruine let prophecying Church-men dote till I beleeve How often and how long have these loud sonnes of Thunder false prophesied her desolation and yet she stands the glory of the world Can Pride demolish the Towers that defend her Can drunkennes dry up the Sea that walls her Can flames of lust dissolve the Ordnance that protect her BEe well advis'd my soule there is a voyâ—â— from heaven roares louder then those Ordinance which saith Thus saith the Lord The whole land shall be desolate Jer. 4. 27. Esay 14. 7. The whole earth is at rest and at quiet they breake forth into singing Yea the Firre trees rejoyce at thee and the Cedars of Lebanon sing c. Yet shalt thou be brought downe to hell to the sides of the Pit Jer. 5. 12. They have bâ—lied the Lord and said It is not hee neither shall evill come upon us neither shall wee see sword or famine 1 Cor. 10. 12. Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Luke 17. 26. They did eate and drink and they married wives and were given in marriage untill the flood came and destroyed them all Gregor. Mor. A man may as some build a Castle upon the rowling waves as ground a solid comfort upon the uncertaine ebbs and fluxes of transient pleasures S. August Whilst Lot was exercised in suffering reproach and vilence he continued holy and pure even in the filth of Sodom but in the mount being in peace and safetie he was surprised by sensuall securitie and defiled himselfe with his owne daughters 〈◊〉 prosperous and happy state is often the occasion of more miserable ruine a long peace hath made many men both carelesse and cowardly and that 's the most fatall blow when an â—â—â—xpected enemy surprises us in a deep sleep of peace and security Greg. Mag. SEcuritie is an improvident carelesnesse casting out all feare of approaching danger It is like a great Calme at Sea that foreruns a storme How is this verified O my sad soule in this our bleeding nation VVer 't thou not but now for many yeares even nuzzl'd in the bosome of habituall peace Didst thou foresee this danger Or could'st thou have contrived a way to bee thus miserable Didst thou not laugh invasion to scorne or didst thou not lesse feare a Civill warreâ— Was not the Title of the Crowne unquestionable And was not our mixt government unapt to fall into diseases Did wee want good Lawes or did our Lawes want execution Did not our Prophets give lawfull warning or were wee moved at the sound of Judgments How hast thou liv'd O my uncarefull soule to see these prophesies fulfill'd and to behold the vialls of thy angry God pour'd forth Since mercies O my soule could not allure thee yet let these judgements now at length enforce thee to a true Repentance Quench the Firebrand which thou hast kindled turne thy mirth to a right mourning and thy feasts of joy to humiliation His Prayer O God by whom Kings raigne and kingdoms flourish that settest up where none can batter downe and pullest downe where none can countermand I a most humble Sutor at the Throne of Grace acknowledge my selfe unworthy of the least of all thy mercies nay worthy of the greatest of all thy judgements I have sinned against thee the Author of my beeing I have sinned against my conscience which thou hast made my accuser I have sinned against the peace of this Kingdome whereof thou hast made me a member If all should doe O God as I have done Sodom would appeare as righteous and Gomorraâ— would be a president to thy wratâ— upon this sinfull nation But Lord thy mercy is inscrutable or else my misery were unspeakable for that mercy sake be gratious to mee in the free pardoning of all my offences Blot them out of thy remembrance for his sake in whom thou art well pleased Make my head a fountaine of teares to quench that brand my sinnes have kindâ—ed towards the destruction of this flourishing kingdome Blesse this kingdome O God Establish it in pietie honour peace and plenty Forgive all her crying sinnes and remove thy judgements farre from her Blesse her governour thy servant our dread Soveraigne Endue his soule with all religious civill and princely vertues Preserve his royall person in health safetie and prosperitie prolong his dayes in honour peace or victory and crowne his death with everlasting glory Blesse him in his royall Consort unite their hearts in love and true Religion Blesse him in his Princely issue Season their youth with the feare of thy Name Direct thy Church in doctrine and in discipline and let her enemies bee converted or confounded Purge her of all superstition and heresie and root out from her whatsoever thy hand hath not planted Blesse the Nobilitie of this land endue their hearts with truth loyaltie and true policy Blesse the Tribe of Levi with pietie learning and humilitie Blesse the Magistrates of this kingdome give them religious and upright hearts hating covetousnesse Blesse the Gentry with sinceritie charitie and a good conscience Blesse the Commonaltie with loyall hearts painefull hands and plentifull encrease Blesse the two great Seminaries of this Kingdome make them fruitfull and faithfull nurseries both to the Church and Common-wealth Blesse all thy Saints every where especially those that have stood in the gappe betwixt this kingdome and thy judgements that being all members of that Body whereof thou Christ art head we may all joyne in humiliation for our sinnes and in the propagation of thy honor here and be made partakers of thy glory in the kingdome of glory The Presumptuous mans Felicities TEll bauling Babes of Bugbeares to fright them into quietnesse or terrifie youth with old wives sables to keep their wild
affections in owe Such Toyes may work upon their timerous apprehensions when wholesome precepts faile and find no audience in their youthfull eares Tell not mee of Hell Devills or of damned soules to enforce me from those pleasures which they nickname sinne What tell ye mee of Law My soule is sensible of Evangelicall precepts without the needlesse and uncorrected thunder of the killiug Letter or the terrible periphrase of roaring Boanarges the teadiousnesse of whose language still determines in damnation wherein I apprehend God farre more mercifull then his Ministers T is true I have not led my life according to the Pharisaicall squire of their opinions neither have I found judgements according to their prophecies whereby I must conclude that God is wonderfully mercifull or they wonderfully mistaken How often have they thundred â—orment against my voluptuous life And yet I feele no paine How bitterly have they threatned shame against the vaunts of my vaine-glory Yet find I honor How fiercely have they preach'd destruction against my cruelty and yet I live VVhat Plagues against my swearing yet not infected What diseases against my drunkennesse and yet sound What danger against procrastination yet how often hath God been found upon the deathbed What damnation to Hypocrites yet who more safe What stripes to the ignorant yet who more scotfree What povertie to the slothfull yet themselves prosper VVhat falls to the proud yet stand they surest VVhat curses to the Covetous yet who richer VVhat judgements to the lascivious yet who more pleasure VVhat vengeance to the prophane the censorious the revengefull yet none live more unscourg'd VVho deeper branded then the Lyerâ—â— yet who more favor'd Who more threatned then the presumptuous yet who lesse punished Thus are wee foold and kept in awe with the strict fancies of those Pulpit-men whose opinions have no ground but what they gaine from popularitie Thus are wee frighted from the libertie of Nature by the politick Chimeraes of Religion whereby we are necessitated to the observing of those Laws whereof we find a greater necessitie of breaking BUt stay my soule there is a voyce that darts into my troubled thoughts which saith Because thou hast not kept my Lawes all the curses in this booke shall overtake thee till thou be destraoed Deut. 29. Deut. 29. 27. And the anger of the Lord was kindâ—ed against the land to bring upon it all the Curses that are written in this book 2 Chron. 34. 24. Thus saith the Lord Behold I will bring will upon this place and upon the inhabitants thereof even all the curses that are written in the booke Deut. 28. 15. But if thou wilt not hearken unto the vâ—yee of the Lord thy God to observe and doe all his Commandements and his statutes which I command thee this day all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee Bernard It is certaine thou must die and uncertaine when how or where seeing death is alwayes at thy 〈◊〉 Thou must if thou be wise â—lwayes be ready to die Bernard To commit a sinne is an humane frailtie to persist in it is a devillish obstinacy Bernard There are some who hope in the Lord but yet in vaine because they onely smooth and flatter themselves that God is mercifull but repent not of their sinne such confidence is vaine and foolish and leads to destruction PResumption is a sinne whereby wee depend upon Gods mercies without any warrant from Gods Word It is as great a sinne O my soule to hope for Gods mercy without Repentance as to distrust Gods mercy upon Repentance In the first thou wrongst his Iustice In the last his mercy O my presumptuous soule let not thy prosperitie in sinning encourage thee to sinne lest climbing without Warrant into his mercy thou fall without mercy into his judgement Be not deceived a long Peace makes a bloody Warre and the abuse of continued mercies makes a sharpe judgement Patience when slighted turnes to fury but ill-requited starts to vengeance Thinke not that thy unpunisht sinne is hidden from the eye of heaven or that Gods judgements will delay for ever The stalled Oxe that wallowes in his plenty and waxes wanton with ease is not farre from slaughter The Ephod O my desperate soule is long a filling but once being full the leaden cover must goe on and then it hurries on the wings of the wind Advise thee then and whilst the Lampe of thy prosperity lasts provide thee for the evill day which being come repentance will bee out of date and all thy prayers will finde no eare His Prayer GRatious God whose mercy is unsearchable and whose goodnesse is unspeakable I the unthankfull object of thy continued favours and therefore the miserable subject of thy continuall wrath humbly present my self-made misery before thy sacred Majestie Lord when I look upon the horridnesse of my sin shame strikes me dumb But when I turne mine eie upon the infinitnesse of thy mercy I am emboldned to poure forth my soule before thee as in the one finding matter for confusion so in the other Arguments for compassion Lord I have sinned grievously but my Saviour hath satisfied abundantly I have trespassed continually but he hath suffered once for all Thou hast numbred my transgressions by the haires of my head but his mercies are innumerable like the starres of the skie My sinnes in greatnesse are like the mountaines of the earth 〈◊〉 his mercy is greater then the heavens Oh if his mercy were not greater then my sinnes my sinnes were impardonable for his therefore and â—â—y mercies sake cover my sinnes and pardon my transgressions make my head a fountain of â—â—eares and accept my contrition O thou Well-â—â—ring of all mercie strengthen my resolution â—â—at for the time to come I may detest all sinne â—â—crease a holy anger in me that I may revenge my selfe upon my selfe for displeasing so gratious a Father Fill my heart with a feare of thy judgments and sweeten my thoughts with the meditation of thy mercies Goe forwards O my God and perfect thy own work in me and take the glory of thy owne free goodnesse furnish my mouth with the prayses of thy name and replenish my tongue with continuall thanksgiving Thou haâ—â— promised pardon to those that repent behold I repent Lord quicken my Repentance Thou mightst have made me a terrible example of thy justice and struck â—â—ee into hell in the height of my presumption but thou hast made me capable of thy mercies and an object of thy 〈◊〉 for thou art a gratious God of long-suffering and â—low to anger thy name is wonderfull and thy mercies incomprehensible Thou art onely worthy to bee praised Let all the people praise thee O God O let all the people praise thee Let Angels and Archangels praise thee Let the Congregations of Saints praise thee Let thy works praise thee Let every thing that breath's praise thee for ever and for ever Amen FINIS