intents Without leave from above this truth we find Marke 5.12 Confirm'd by Scripture to confirme the mind Of all the faithfull how the divels were Not able of themselves once to draw neare The heard of swine for they of Christ besought Not only leave to goe as if they thought That of small force but to be sent that so They might be able into them to go What comfort may the soule from hence apply Unto its selfe in its extemity How may it reason with the Lord and say My God my guide my judge my staffe and stay Could not the divels go into those swine Without thy sufferance and leave divine Couldst thou oh Lord by thy almighty hand So mercilesse a creature so command As fire and such a fire in such a place That those three children through thy strength and grace Could walke i' th midst thereof Dan. 3.17 and not so much As have their garments smell was thy power such And shall I feare the face of mortall man Whose life is but a bubble blast or span I know oh God of might thou art the same Psal 75.2 Numb 1â— 23 Thou canst not change Jehovah is thy name Thou didst the Jsraelites with Manna feed And gav'st them quailes in their great want and need Thou brought'st forth streames from rockes both hard and high Thou mad'st great swelling rivers to be drie Bashan and Carmell are at thy command Great Princes at thy voice amazed stand The Cedars tall thy voice asunder rends At thy rebuke great-swelling Neptune bends Thou canst effect things opposite to nature To pleasant wine thou canst turne running water Saint Iohn th'Evangelist was put to boile Into a Cauldron full of scaulding oile Yet by thy hand of providence oh God He rather came annointed forth then sod I know thy hand hath wrought many a wonder Psal 89 5 6.7 to thâ— 19. Psal 74 14.15.16 17.18 Psal 136.4 Psal 78.13.21 Dividing seas and cleaving rocks asunder Slack in thy promise I thee never tooke Thou hast no time thy chosen flock forsooke At thy command I never tooke up armes But thou hast stood between me and my harmes 1. Sam. 17.35 3â— Then though my foes in campe against me lie And will in battle picht their forces trie I in thy name will be both strong and stout Because thy hand doth fence me round about For sure I am thy all supporting grace Will strengthen me my foes quite to deface Dan. 3. Had not those hungry lions so much power As Daniel thy deare servant to devoure Could they not hurt him with their griping pawes Nor teare his limbs asunder with their jawes Then give me blessed Lord true faith that I In time of triall may on thee relie Being assured that it is the rod Of a kind father and a loving God 1 Sam 3.18 It is the Lord saith Eli that doth smite Let him do what seems good in his owne sight I was as dumbe and would not speake a word Because I knew that it was thou oh Lord Iob. 1.21 The Lord doth give saith Iob and take away And blessed be his holy name for ay Lament 3.37.38 Amos 3.6 What evill's there in any place or land That is not wrought by my alworking hand A sea of comfort for the comfortlesse In times a of trouble sorrow and distresse Is this our father and our tender God Like children let us humbly kisse the rod How may this elevate our drooping hearts When Sathan with his sore-soule-wounding-darts And such as are his factors here below Our soules and bodies seeke to overthrow Anno 1588. Had not the Lord himselfe may England say Been on my side when mountaines high of prey And such as did delight to swim in blood Came in upon me as a swelling flood Their rageing streames had overwhelmed all My worthy cedars shrubs and bushes small Had not the Lord himselfe the soule may say Been on my side hell gates before this day Against me had prevail'd death and the grave Had made of me a bondman and a slave Simile How grievous to the child would it appeare If for a fault committed he should heare His tender father in his fury say Unto his servants take you him away Out of my sight and presence and for it Give him what punishment you shall thinke fit If this were our condition surely we Of all men should most miserable be But knowing that we neither can nor shall Thus in the hands of men or divells fall We may triumph and in our troubles sing Glory be to the Lord Our Supreme King Whose word a lion to a lambe can turne At whose command the fire shall cease to burne Mountaines shall dance the roofe of heaven shall shake Iob. 26.10.11 Earth like an asping leafe for feare shall quake The stars shall cease to shine the moone perforce Shall be compel'd to alter in her course Rocks shall grow moist great hils shall be made plaine Great swelling Neptune shall be cleft in twaine A raven shall Elias feed the flood Shall not hurt Noah nor such as be good The greedie whale shall Ionas cast on shore Whom she had swallowed downe three daies before The crowing of a cocke shall Peter bring Upon his knees a viper shall not sting A holy Paul a stone in Davids sling Shall bring Goliah to the dust the Sun Shall cease his swift and wonted course to run The fire of Sodom shall not hurt at all A holy Lot prison nor bonds a Paul A cruell Pharoh nor a bloodie Saul A Moses or a David no nor all The pollicie and might of divels in hell Or of their instruments which so excell In hellish subtletie a shall able be To hurt the godly in the least degree The Lord doth reigne oh let the earth rejoyce And let his Saints triumph with chearfull voice The third thought Rom 8.28.29 THough troubles grievous seeme to flesh and blood Yet all things worke c together for the good Of such as love the Lord whether they be Advanc'd to honour or in low degree Whether they be in sicknesse or in health 2. Reg. 6.27.30.33 Whether they be in poverty or wealth For nothing d happens to the just by chance But by the hand of divine providence And though God seeme to disregard our cries And mournfull teares and for a time e denies Our earnest suites yea in our greatest need And cause our troubles much more to exceed 1 Cor. 19.9 Yet he no time hath his forsooke nor will Because he will his promises fulfill A wise Physitian seekes not for to please The sicke mans fancie but looke what may ease And miâ—igate his paine he will apply Though for the present he encrease thereby The measure of his griefe and as it were Add sorrow unto sorrow feare to feare Yet in the end he cures him of his paine And to his former health restores againe Such is the weaknesse of our flesh that
Heaven to earth from Joy to sorrow from the Crowne to the crosse from his Fathers house where were many Mansions to lie in a manger from a Hall to a stall from eternall life to dye a shamefull death from glory to ignonimie For he that thought it no robbery to bee equall with God made himselfe of no reputation and came downe from Heaven and became man pro servis Dominus pro gregepaster obit propopulo Rex mactatur pro milite ductor and all this he hath done for us yea when we were his utter enemies He was wounded for our sins and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed Pharmaca sunt potius quam vulnera vulnera Christi Curat enim plagis vulnera nostra suit The serious and right consideration of these things will make us truly submissive humble and thankfull and to cry out with the Prophet David Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae tribuit mihi primo nihil eram fecit me pererar quaesivit me Psal 116.11 quaerens invenit me lapsum redemit emptum liberavit we deserve fratrem fecit me What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits c. he made me of nothing he sought me when I was lost and seeking mee he found me c. O bone Iesu quid tibi moris est nos debuimus tu solvis nos peccavimus tu luis opus sine exemplo gratia sine merito charitas sine moâ—o Bernard de pasâ— Christi O sweet Jesu what dost thou mean We owe and thou paiest we sinne thou pardonest a work without example grace without merit love without measure quid mirum erit si malus servus vitam deponet pro bonâ— Domino cum bonus Dominus vitam deposuit pro malo servo What wonder is it for an evill servant to lay downe his life for a good Master when a good Master hath first laid downe his life for an evill servant Fourthly consider why God afflicts his people as namely first Iam. 1.2 that those excellent graces of his Spirit in their hearts might appeare more famous and illustrious in the eies of the world Haector a quis noscet felix si troja fuisset How had the faith of Abraham the patience of Iob the meeknesse of Moses and fidelity of many of the Apostles been so illustrious if God had not proved them Stellae interdiu latent nocte micant virtus non apparet in prosper is micat in adversis Torches and Tapers shew dimme when the Sunne shines the Moone and Staâ—â— appeare not at noone our love zeale hope and fidelity is best seen in time of extremity Secondly that the edge of their affections might be taken off from the world the pomps and vanities thereof Thirdly for the subduing and quelling of some lust yet unmortified Zach. 13 9. Fourthly that we might prize and value his favours blessings and benefits at a higher rate â—ona magis carendo quam fruendo sentimus bona à terga fâ—rmosissima we never know the right worth of a thing untill we are sensible of the want of it meat is sweet to the hungry rest to the weary c. Fifthly that they might not be condemned with the wicked of the world hereafter the father suffers his childe to burne his finger in a candle to prevent the danger of a greater fire Sixtly to try the disposition of their hearts the father crosseth his child of his will to see of what humour and disposition he is to see whether he will grumble murmure or repine or no. Seventhly to discover the hypocrisie of many who in the time of peace and prosperity will make great shew of Religion and Piety when as indeed their chiefest holinesse towards God is to palliate and cover their foul injuries towards men saepe latet vitium proximitate boni it is the nature of hypocrisie to get as neare Religion as it can And it is not easily discovered the drosse can hardly bee distinguished from the silver till it come out of the furnace the Player hardly knowne untill he be unmaskt now times of trouble and persecution are Gods unmasking times times of discovery if the Player want his wonted auditory and applause he presently growes out of heart if these have not their wonted health peace and plenty they are ready to forsake their God and Religion and to say as Iorams prophane Pursevant did This evill is of the Lord 2 Kings 6.33 Esay 58.3 Mal. 3.14 1 Sam. 28.6 7. and why should we depend any longer on him Whereas the godly then cleave nearest unto the Lord. Bels keep their tune whether they ring for funeralls or festivalls they that are truly Religious will bee Religious as well in want as in wealth in adversity as well as in prosperity in solitudine as well as in theatro in private as well as in publicke Fifthly and lastly consider who corrects thee thou art under the hand of a wise God and pitifull Father who both can and will order all things for thy good prosperity adversity sicknesse health life death Rom. 8 28. omnia cooperantur and all things else shall worke together for the good of such as love the Lord for nothing happens to the godly by chance or fortune as many ignorantly suppose there 's not a sparrow falls to the ground without the providence of God there is not a haire upon our heads but it is numbred Eccles 2. usque 14. Esay 55.9 Rom. 11.33.34 Repine not then at the hand of God neither let thy heart be troubled at the continuance of trouble His waies are not as our waies he is infinitely wise knows what will make most for his glory our good our extremity is oftentimes his fittest opportunity In monte videbitur Deus In the mount will the Lord be seen and God usually affords the greatest comforts in greatest troubles first that we might bid his comforts more hartily welcome Secondly that his power providence wisdome and goodnes might be more evidently seen in the delivery Grudge not at the prosperity of the wicked wealth is not the badge but the baggage of vertue and according to the Roman word Impedimentum for it is as advantagious to him that travells towards heaven as a long cloak is to him that is to run a race therefore saith Christ it is a hard matter for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Secondly riches are but res mediae good or bad as they are used therefore true happinesse cannot consist in abundance they cannot deliver the soul from the power of death nor pains of hell the rich man died Luke 16. and was carried to hell Thirdly they are uncertain hodie Craesus cras Crodus he that is a King today may be a beggar to morrow and therefore no solid ground of felicity Stulte hà c nocte eripient animam tuâ—m Thou
slight the cries The teares nor sighs of one that groaning lies Vnder the weight of some soule-wounding crime If he repent and turne to him in time But barely tell such as are proud in minde That they are wretched naked poore and blinde Tell them the best may mend and that I know The worst must mend or to the divell goe Tell such as shall my person laugh to scorne Vnwisely they but spurne against a Thorne And tell them that revile what I have writ I doubt not but they have more haire then wit More wit then wisdome for if they were wise To know themselves they would not me despise To the Generall Reader With judgement read in reading judgement get To judge and read in reading ever let Thy heart be free from scorne For thou art told Iudgements for scorners are prepar'd of old Prov. 19.29 The Soules Solace WEE may like * Gen. 47 â— Psal 119.54 Heb. 11.13 1 Pet. 2.11 Heb. 13 1â— Pilgrimes wander in our race And be constrain'd to fly from place to place Wild beast may meet us in the way and make Their prey of us robbers and theeves may take All that we have briers may teare and rend Our credits and good name a flattering friend With sugar'd words may winn our hearts Impia sub dulâ— melle venena latent Naso that so He with more ease might worke our overthrow Sore-biting dogs may at us snarle and snatch Hunters with snafes may seeke our soules to catch Adders and subtile Serpents as we passe Over fresh meads and fields of pleasant grasse May spit their venom at us death may sease Upon our bodies by some ill disease Yet this our hearts may still revive and cheare That God will save the soules of such as * Psal 33 18. Psa 43 21 Psal 121.7 2 Tim. 4 1â— Psal 97.10 Psal 31. â— Simâ—s sine veste sed non sine side sine Domo sed non sine Dominâ— sine ci bo non sine Châ—isto salvatore nostro feare His holy name so that live they or die They die and live to live to eternally Skie threatning waves our crazy barks may tosse Unconstant winds may oft our voyage crosse Syrens may tempt us with their pleasant notes That they with guilded knives may cut our throats Rocks may lie in our waies some little chinke If not the sooner stopt our barks may sinke Pilot and Barke may faile both waxing old Our anchor may be cast and take no hold We may presume and hoist up sailes on high As if with Icarus we meant to fly And crosse these brinish waters with a blast And in this Sea at length be headlong cast But grant our barks be strong and that the wind May favour us and Neptune should prove kind And lead us home with plenty pompe and store Yet may a Pirat come and make us poore Yea poorer then before and thus we see That in this life there is no * Omnia hic mihi cadâ—â—t praeter perfectam plâ—ra praeter vâ—t mâ—sed tutum nihil Per. 33 Serm Cant. certaintie Still yet are we sure that neither (d) Ro 8 35 36.37.38 39 Col 3.3 4. Sâ—mel elâ—ct â— semper d lectus Ioh 13 1 Ioh 10.27 28.29 Amittamus divâ—tias Dei sed nâ—nquam Deum divitiatum quid si amitte mus omnia dum habemus habentem omnia change nor all The chances that us may or can befall Shall seperate our soules from Christ above Because he (e) Ioh 13 2. Psal 89 34 Ier 31 3. never alters in his love The tender lilly with the thornes may grow Wild beasts may crop Christs vineyard here below Amongst devouring (f) Psal 120.4.5 Heu mihi quia incolatus meus prolongatus Psal 57.4.5 Quaâ—â—â—u lucta bor influctibus mortalitatis meae clamans ad te Dom. non ex audis August lions tigers beares The Spouse may be wheat may be mixt with tares Yet to our endlesse comfort this we know That God will one day manifest and show To all the world and that in open view That he in (g) Psal 103 6. P al. 89.15 Psal 98.10 word and deed is just and true We may and must expect a winter here As well the worst as best part of the yeare As well great (h) Psal 107.25 stormes as calme the () Psal 30.5 night as day Sorrow as (k) 2 Cor. 6 1â— mirth (l) Psal 126.5 a March as well as May. Sowing before reaping Aprill showres To make our gardens flourish with May flowers Ebbing as well as flowing want as wealth Weaknesse as well as strength sicknesse as health Some doubts (m) Et timent iperant Bern. Egredere anima mea quid timeâ— egredere quid treâ—ida Hilar. in midst of hope some losse some gain Some (n) Habeâ—us lactum cum gaudio mixtum Pet. Martyr in 2. Sam. 24. griefe in joy some pastimes mixt with paine Some darknes mixt with light some drosse with gold In our new robes some patches of the old Grace in the soule as sap within a tree May for a time from man concealed (o) Vt decidetanti jucundior sit valid oris pretii 2. ut majore vigilantia timore gratâ—am adeptam custodiemus Quod lachrimanter agemus ademptum vigilanter servamus adeptum te docuit lapsus magis vestâ—ga firmes ate â—agiâ— Christo consociere tuoâ—mâ—lier fetum conceptum non semper molitantem sentit Semper felicitaâ—em pâ—isuam non intelligâ—nt Sâ—neca dob tatioâ—iâ— in pâ—â—â—aâ—iâ— ando cadâ—nt 1 Sam 27.1 ita sâ—â—lâ—ae aliquando o â—caranâ—â—â—â—t lâ—câ—t in coelo extent non 〈◊〉 nostra appa ent siâ—eâ—e alâ—quando vaâ—â—â— teâ—tâ—tionihaâ—ita obâ—â—â— antuâ— pâ—oriuâ— extinct idcanâ—ur Psa 51.10 mergituâ— in erdum sed non sâ—bmeâ—gitâ—r â—â—â—â—â—m be An Autumne in our soules we oft may find A deadnesse both of spirit soule and mind Yet sure we are this cannot alwaies last A springtide comes when winters gon and past The Sun of (p) Mal. â— 2. righteousnesse shall then appeare And with his beame of grace revive and cheare Those sprouts of grace which winter with cold rimes And bitter blasts of trouble oftentimes To humane reason and a carnall eie Had made appeare as barren dead and drie Thick fogs and stinking mists with their black streams May for a time obscure the Suns bright beames But let these vanish into aire and then We with his beames shall bee reviv'd agen The knowledge of the first our hearts may rue For we have found it too too late too true Our Sun for many a day yea moneth and yeare We have observ'd as in another sphere Yea in so much that this strange observation In many men hath wrought great admiration How they could be but let us cease to wonder Me thinke the aire with lightning and with thunder Begins to cleare apace some of our fogs Are gone to Callis some to 'th Irish bogs Some into Spaine and
LOrd thou art good as well as great and this Happy commixture is the ground of blisse What comfort would it be to us if thou O great Jehovah shouldst the heavens bow And come in majestie alas thy might Without thy goodnesse would but us affright If thou wer't only good and hadst not might When we were wrong'd where should we go for right If thou hadst onely might and wer 't not good Thy very name would frighten flesh and bloud But blessed be thy name O Lord of hosts Thy goodnesse is declar'd through all our coasts Yea we thy greatnesse and thy goodnesse find In Church and State in body soule and mind But we the greater oft the worser grow In doing ill we oft our greatnesse show Lord rather make us good then great what will Greatnesse availe us if our waies be ill Greatnesse without goodnesse Lord we know Will but procure our greater overthrow Therefore great God thy goodnesse we entreat To make us good how ere thou make us great If thou wilt grace us gratious God with might Give us grace with it for to use it right Amen Of the wisedome of God Meditati 2 THy wisedome is O Lord past finding out What man thinkes strange with ease thou bringst about But we are fooles and neither understand The words nor workes of thy almighty hand O blessed God we humbly thee desire Into our hearts true wisedome to inspire Make us to know thee and our selves aright Then shall our waies be pleasing in thy sight Amen Of the holinesse of God Meditati 3 LOrd thou art pure and holy we implore Thy holinesse to clense us more and more Each good and perfect gift must come from thee Lord make us such as thou wouldst have us be Amen Of the justice and wrath of God Meditati 4 WHat man Lord can abide thy wrath and ire Which being kindled burns as hot as fire O make us fearfull to offend thy Law Lest we before thee be as hay or straw Before a furnace grant that we may praise Thy holy name and serve thee all our daies Amen Of the truth of God Meditati 5 LOrd thou art true in all thy words and waies Justice and equity thy Scepter swayes We should be like thee but alas we finde Our hearts too much to fraud and guile inclin'd Lord breathe thy Spirit of truth into our hearts And write thy Laws within our inward parts Then shall our hearts be upright towards thee And eke our lives from foule offences free Amen Of the mercy of God Meditati 6 LOrd thou art mercifull as well as just Or else what would become of sinfull dust We should be like thee but our hearts are evill In cruelty we imitate the divell Lord make us kinde and pitifull that so In time of need thou maist us mercy show Amen Of the love and kindnesse of God Meditati 7 LOrd thou art kinde thy love endures for aye Upon good grounds we can with reverence say Thou seemest for to doat on man for when He went astray thou broughtst him home agen When he had from thy holy Precepts swerv'd And thereby thy displeasure had deserv'd The penalty of death then didst thou give Thy Son to suffer death that he might live O that our hearts could understand aright The greatnesse of this love that so we might With body soule and minde strive to adore Thy holy name both now and evermore Amen Short Meditations and Ejaculations upon the Lords Prayer Medita ∣ tion 1 LOrd we are sinfull in our purest works Much pride hypocrisie and evill lurks We cannot hallow thee it is our shame That we may in us Hallowed be thy name Amen Medita ∣ tion 2 I cannot but my misery condole My heart my minde my body and my soul Have been slaves to the world the flesh and divell Nimble and prompt to run into all evill But in thy service lame dead deafe and dumb My soule release Lord Let thy Kingdome come Amen Medita ∣ tion 3 A constant pure and cheerfull sacrifice We know Lord is wel-pleasing in thine eyes Quicken our hearts that are of life bereaven And let thy will be done here as in heaven Amen Medita ∣ tion 4 Thou art Our Father where then should we go But unto thee for what we want below All creatures by thy providence are fed Give us good God this day our daily bread Amen Medita ∣ tion 5 Lord thou art full of kindnesse and of pity Loath to destroy the meanest Towne or City If they repent O helpe us to confesse And leave our sins forgive our wickednesse Remit our faults unlose our chaines and fetters Forgive our debts as we forgive our debters Amen Medita ∣ tion 6 Lord thou art full of Majesty and might Able to put our greatest foes to flight Subdue those lusts that tend to reprobation And let us not be led into temptation Amen Medita ∣ tion 7 Thou art the God of Hosts the King of Kings And hast command within thee of all things Let not the world the flesh nor yet the divell Reigne over us Deliver us from evill Amen A few short Meditations or Eiaculations upon the ten Commâ—ndements Mediti ∣ tation 1 THou art the Lord our God the God of all Our souls and bodies thou hast brought from thral Grant we in word and deed may all agree To have no other God but only thee Amen 2. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 2 Thy goodnesse largely Lord hath been exprest To us and ours when we have been distrest Yet we like fooles have aid and succour sought From Idols vaine which our own hands have wrought Open our eyes O blessed God that we May leave our folly and returne to thee Amen 3. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 3 Most blessed God thy sacred will and minde Fully set forâ—h in sacred Writ we finde Thou wouldst noâ— have us take thy name in vaine We of our selves cannot O Lord refraine O give us grace thy name for to adore In word and deed both now and evermore And if we call thee witnesse for to beare Lord make us carefull that the truth we sweare Amen 4. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 4 Because that we are ready to forget To keep the day which thou apart hast set For thy owne selfe and service we may finde A memorandum to put us in minde Yet we must needs confesse unto our shame We are too prone to violate the same Incline our hearts to keep this Law that so We may escape thy wrath and endlesse woe And in thy holy place may ever sing Sweet songs of praise to thee our worthy King Amen 5. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 5 Lord thou wouldst have us honour and obey Our Parents Pastors and such as beare sway O grant we may withhold no honour due That happy dayes for ever may ensue Amen 6. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 6 Life is thy only gift therefore ought we To have our hearts and hands from murther free Keep us from bloudshed
Lord are not grievous Psal 119.40 and that his commandements are not burthensome for frst The regenerate are partakers of the divine nature of Christ whereby they are inabled to doe and suffer all things Credenti omnia sunt possibilia Iohn 1.5 all things are posible to them that beleeve Secondly they have spirits well qualified humble and meek minds loving and tractable dispositions towards Christ and love takes away difficulty leve fit quod bene fertur onus love makes a heavie burthen light Thirdly they have Christ the head of all the faithfull as fellow-members to sympathize with them in their sufferings solamen miseris socios hâ—buisse doloris they have the God of hosts within them the hosts of the Lord without them the God of hosts and all the hosts of God for them if men dare offend God will and can defend What need Mattheus care if an angry Peter cut off his eare if Christ be by to cure it againe What need Iob feare the roaving Sabbeans and robbing Chaldeans if Gods protection uphold him What need Lot feare to bee carried away captive if Abraham follow to redeem him What need a Christian feare to sustaine trouble sorrow need sicknesse or any other adversity since Christ the Son of God will make his yoake easie and God our tender Father will in his due time both ease release us Yea God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost are ever ready to apply their helping hands and wee commonly say multorum manibus grande levatur onus many hands make light worke Yet in the holy Scriptures we finde that many godly and Religious men through the imbecility of the flesh the extremity of paine and strong assaults of the Divell thereupon have been for a time so possessed with a spirit of heavinesse thâ—t they have appeared to themselves and others for a time as men utterly lost and forsaken and by this means have beene made unfit to serve God and scandalized their Religion to prevent this and such like evills which might hence arise I have in this small Treatise proposed to your serious consideration First the brevity of affliction or difference between the Crosse and the Crowne Secondly the benefit that comes to the soule by affliction Thirdly what Christ hath suffered for us Fourthly the ends why God afflicts his people Fifthly the author of affliction And these five thoughts as Davids five smooth stones being rightly placed in the sling of the heart and levelled by the steady hand of faith will be sufficiently able to beat down the great Goliah of our soules despaire first consider the difference between the Crosse and the Crowne the brevity of suffering the perpetuity of reigning afflictions are but for a short time during the time of this present life I count Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 12. saith the Apostle c. Therefore the time of affliction is sometime termed a day of triall sometimes a night of sorrow Heavinesse may endure for a night saith the Psalmist but joy comes in the morning sometimes to an houre of watching as Christ said to his three Disciples Matth 26.40 Can you not watch with me one houre Besides this the burthen of afflictions 2. Tim. 2 12. 2 Cor. 1.2 3 4 5. hath consolations qualifying As the sufferings of Christ doe abound so his consolations much more Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake Let Stephen have his eyes in prayer to see the heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and he shall nor be moved with the stones which the Jewes violently throw at him Let Moses see him which is invisible and he shall not feare Pharaoh but rejoyce rather to suffer with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Let Paul and Silas consider for whose sake they are imprisoned and they will sing and rejoyce in the midst of their sufferings Secondly the power of the oppressor is limited his daies are numbred I have said you are Gods but ye shall dye like men the rod of the wicked shall not alwaies rest on the backe of the godly God will either cut off the oppressor in his fury or take the oppressed to his mercy Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is appointed for all men once to dye Quicquid generatur corrumpitur omne ortum interit Here is our comfort then if we dye we shall live like Angells if we live we shall see our enemies dye like men post hac veâ—it judicium and then commeth judgement Christ our blessed Saviour God and Man will one day come to exercise a judiciall course against them otherwise God should be unjust in rewarding and the godly of all men most miserable Secondly Rom. 5.4 Luke 24 26. Rom. 8.17 Acts 14.21 Heb. 12.6 7. consider the benefit that comes by affliction Via crucis est via lucis the crosse is the high way to the Crowne we must goe through Rethshemesh to Betheden through many tribulations into the Kingdome of heaven Affliction to the soule is as physicke to the body more wholesome then toothsome for although simply in it selfe it be not good yet being prescribed directed and ordered by the wise hand of God it oftentimes proves very usefull and advantagious to the soul David speakes upon his owne experience Psal 119.71 that it was good for him and Paul affirmes the same There is no affliction for the present joyous but it brings forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse Adam in the garden of pleasure was overcome by the Serpent when Iob upon the dunghill of misery was more then a conquerer Affliction makes men mourne for their sins beati sunt qui lâ—gent Blessed are they which mourn Affliction makes men humble and humility makes the soule happy Deus resistit superbis dat gratiam hâ—nilibus God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble Afflictions make men meek beati sunt mites Blessed are the meek Psal 3.25 for they shal inherit the earth Dirigit mansuetes injudicio docebit mites in vias suas Affliction makes men hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Beati qui â—surium Blessed are they which hunger c. Affliction doth purge and purifie the soule beati mundo corde Blessed are the pure in heart c. Heb. 12.1 2 4. Thirdly Inspice vulnera pendentis Christi sanguinem morientis pretium redimentis cicatrices resurgentis capâ—t habet inclinatum ad osculandum cor aptum ad diligendum brachia extenta ad amplexandum totum denique corpus expositum ad redimendum Aug. de pas Christi Consider what Christ hath done and suffered for thee Multa dixit mira fecit durapassus est verba durlora verbera how he was incarned and assumeth the nature not of pure and immortall Angels but of sinfull mortall men how he came from Galilee to Nazaret from a Region to a hamlet from
foole this night shall they take away thy soule 4. Hab. 2.5 They cannot give content to the appetite of man much lesse able are they to satisfie the soule Lastly there must be a redde rationem villicationis tuae rich men must answer their receits thy must be called to account how they have used the talent given them In things transitorie and mutable keepe as neere as thou canst a just decorum and temper in thy soule miles Christi non divitiis tumet nec contrabitur paupertate sol non urit per diem neque luna per noctem Ambr. sup beat immaculat winde not up the pinnes of thy affections too high not let them downe too low In secundis nemo confidat in adversis nemo deficiat alterna sunt vices râ—rum Sence in Thyeste lib. 30. nat quaest let not peace and prosperity make thee so merry as to forget thy God nor adversity so sorrowfull as to forget thy selfe in seeking power some have lost libertie in obteining power over others many have lost power over themselves prosperity oftentimes slaies adversity somtime saves the soule riches and pleasure cast Dives into hell misery and affliction exalted Lazarus into heaven If thou art in poverty or any other calamity looke as well upon such as want what thou injoyest as on those which have what thou wantest In prosperity flatter not thy selfe with any certaine perpetuitie riches have wings in adversity Psal 27.16 promise not thy selfe a sudden delivery for this is as dangerous to the soule as predigestion is to the body Esay 28.16 sanctus non prafestinabit i. e. ex impatientia infedilitate non ad res praesontes confugiet nec festinatione praepostera Deum antevertet Iuven. God will deliver his people from their troubles and calamities whatsoever in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though not in our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let the waters of Mara be never so bitter God hath a tree to sweeten them Exod. 15.25 let the rivers of Iericho be never so unsavorie God hath a salt to season them let the sorrows of this life be never so sower God both can and will in his good time sweeten them When thou entrest into the way of christianity promise not thy selfe too much ease and securitie worldly honour and heavenly wisedome like the oake and the olive delight not to grow together and to seeke ease and tranquilitie in this world is to seeke Christ in Golgatha the living among the dead mandere qui panem jubet in sudore diurnum Non dabit aeternas absque labore dapes we must worke out our salvation with feare and trembling If Ionathan will surprise the garisons of the Philistines he must climbe up with hand and foot betweene two rocks if David will be sonne in law to King Saul 2 Sam. 14. hee must bring a hundred foreskins of the Philistines for a dowrie 1 Sam. 18. if Iacob wil have Rachel he must serve fourteene yeares if any man will be the Disciple of Christ hee must deny himselfe take up his crosse and follow him there must be no cyphers in Gods Arithmeticke no mures in his Grammer no dumbe shews on his Stage no loiterers in his Vineyard there is alwaies in Christianity a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a furthermore and the motto of Charles the fifth plus ultra our life must not bee like Nero his five first yeares full of peace and hope For we must worke out our salvation with feare and trembling Regard not the malicious oppositions of wicked men it was the case and condition of thy Saviour and therefore it may well be thine The disciple is not above his Master Secondly it is a signe that thou art of another world simile simili gaudet if ye were of the world saith Christ the world would love you Contraria se mutuo expellunt light and darknesse Christ and Beliall cannot agree together Non bene conveniunt nec in una sede morantur Sheep and Wolves cannot feed quietly together Lastly feare not the tyranny of men nor divells it is the advice of thy Saviour Be not afraid of him that can kill the body this is the worst they can doe nay they cannot doe this without divine permission Wild. 3.1 2 3 4. Quis ei de saeculo metus est cui in saeculo Deus tutor est non labefaciat mentem humana infestatio sed corroboret fidem divina protectio Cyp. de orat Dom. the Divell is chained up cannot reach thee the power and policy of his agents is limited and cannot hurt thee 1 Chron. 29 11 12 13. Balaam cannot curse the fire cannot burne the Lions cannot prey the Divells cannot enter into filthy swine without leave and permission Omne sub regno graviore regnum est Senec. Wicked instruments may happly being the nearer and soorner to thy Saviour but they shall never separate thee from him I am perswaded saith Saint Paul Rom. 8 38. that neither principalities nor powers c. All creatures both in heaven and earth are at the command of God Psal 97 9. the Stars shall fight against Sisera the Sun shall stand still in Gideon and the Moon in the valley of Ailon Iudg. 5.20 Iosh 10.13 if Ioshua fight against the Amorites 2 K ng 19. If Zenacherib come with an innumerable host against the people of Israel the Angels in heaven shall fight against them the red sea shall overwhelme Pharaoh and all his Host the sea and the fish in the sea fought against the superstitious Spaniard Anno 1588. enemie to God and his true Religion the winde and the water I say overcame that unvincible army prepared for our destruction the earth at the command of God opened her mouth and swallowed Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16 30. an army of frogs or lice sent from God is able to dismay Pharaoh and his host God is omnipotent and hath a liberty in the use of his creatures praeter naturam for of him and through him and for him are all things inferiour Magistrates have their authority from superiours God hath being primo quod primum est suo genere causa reliquorum all things are of him as maker or efficient cause all things are through him through his care providence power and goodnesse all things are maintained governed and ordered all things are for him for his use and service for the effecting of his good will and pleasure Rom. 11 35. and to him who is Lord over all God blessed for ever be glory and praise world without end Amen Amen To the inquisitive Reader Saepe sub agresti latitat sapientia veste INquire not what I am Gods gifts are free With able parts mean men adorn'd may be Sound braines may be within a rugged felt An honest heart within a leather belt Alwaies faire birds have not the sweetest noates Arts are not alwais deckt in velvet coates From highest trees
some to Rome in hope They shall obtaine a pardon from the Pope Some into France Bermoodes and Barbadoes Who here have vapour'd with such great bravadoes As if that they had meant the heavens to bring Under their feet and to disthrone the King But blessed be the Lord yea blessed be His holy name to all eternitie These strange polluting mists are blowne away And we behold the dawning of the day Our Sun we hope with splendor will appeare Our frozen hearts againe to thaw and cheare Now God which made the q) Psal 104.19 Sun to rule the day Grant such like mists may never beare like sway Great buzzards little birds may sore afright And with their talons wound them in the night But when the Sun shall shine forth in his hiew The little birds great buzzards will pursue An old devouring fox may hurt the sheepe In a darke night when Shepheards are asleepe But when the Sun to Horizon doth touch Hee takes his den nay oft his feare is such That all his life lies in his heeles his bed And den he leaves he dare not shew his head Where he hath made his prey and mischiefe done But will into some other Lordship run Yet oft he leaves so strong a sent behind him That by his foot-steps wee know where to find him Fat bulls of Basan with their hornes may gore And hurt the lesser bullocks but the more They doe sooner to 'th blocke their heads are brought Because they are oft better fed then taught He that Elias could so strangely feed When he was pincht with poverty and need As by a (r) 1 King 17. â— raven can what way seemes best To him our bodies and our soules opprest Releive and comfort yea (s) Rom. 11 33 34 35. Psal 7â— 14 15.16.17 18 19 20. 2 King 14.26 27. and that oft by Those waies and meanes which to a carnall eye Seemes most unlikely and not onely so But altogether (t) Mat. 19.26 Apud homines hoc mpossibile apud Deum autem omnia sunt possibilia planè Deo nihil d fficile Tertull. ad Prax. Cui voluisse fecisse est Psal 115.3 135.6 7. Qui dixit facta sunt Psal 148 5.33.6 Vbi definit humaâ—um ibi incipit divinum auxilium ler. 32.27 Gen. 18 14. opposite thereto Hee that a sonne the Shunamite could give And after raise him up from death to live Can give us grace the life of grace and when Our soules seeme dead give (v) sal 66.8 Psal 71.18.19 2â— 21 22. life to them agen He that made * 2 Kings 6 6. iron swim and could of stones Raise children up and by Elisha's bones Revive the dead (w) Psal 7 18 24. Iude 24. can if it may please him Our drooping soules command aloft to swim He that could make (x) Qui modo Saâ—lus eâ—as in verso homine Salvus Factus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qâ—i modo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eras a persecuting Saul A lover of his Saints a preaching Paul And could convert Manasses from these crimes Whereby he had so many waies and times Offended God can in what way seemes strange To carnall reason worke in us a change He that could cleanse the (y) Exod. 4.7 Mat 8.2 Lâ—c. 10 14. Leper of his sore And men borne (z) Luc. 4.18 blinde to perfect sight restore Can cleanse our (a) 1 Ioh 17. Psa 51.10 Ezek. 36.25 Ioh. 15.3 soules from sins foule blot and stain And to their former sight restore again He that could give b limbs to the lame to walke To (c) Exod. 4.11 deafe and dumb eares tongues to heare and talke Strength to the impotent health to the sicke A quiet mind unto the d lunaticke For each disease and sore a salve can find Whether paines of the body soule or mind That God which could the (e) 1 Kings 1â— 10.11.12 13.14 widowes oile augment And by his grace f five hundred men content With five small loaves and two little fishes As well as with five hundred costly dishes Can both (g) Ephes 3.20 increase that modicum we have And satisfie our soules with what we crave What though thy house and dwelling be but small Was not thy Lord contented with a stall He that with Nimrod thinks to raise his name By building Babels or enlarge his same By shewes and titles shewes himselfe but vaine For he and * Qu câ—uâ—d altum est haud diu tatum manet Apollod they must both to dust againe Where is brave (h) Iam cinis est detam magno restat Achil. Nelcio quid par vam quod non bene compleat uâ—nan Ovid met Hector and his glory where Are those nine worthies whose name once was deere And dreadfull too alas they and their glory Lie now intomb'd within a little story Where 's grave Mecaenas and divine Apollo Loe these are gone and we their steps must follow What though thou art not dect with rich array The sage Futrape lus right wise y â—ad his 〈◊〉 sâ—ould have the â—icheâ—t clâ—â—thes he had Think ng he did them harme himselfe much g od For it made him more humble them more pâ—cud Hor. Beggars and (i) Pallâ—da mors aequo pede pullat paâ—petum tabernas regume â—urres Qâ—id superbis pulvis cinâ— quâ—d veste nitida gloriaris subter testernitur tinea operimentum tuum erunt vermes hectua vestis crit Chrysist Entrapelus cuicunque nocere volebat vestimentâ— dabat pretiosa beatus enim jam pro pulcheris cunicam â—â—met concilia nora Kings must both returne to clay Besides gay clothes which fooles delight so in Wise men esteeme but as the badge of sin What though thou hast not choice of dainty dishes Christ fed on barly bread and little fishes Besides those (k) Ebrietas geâ—eâ—at multos in corpore morbos ergo nulla potest esse salute Salus Vivere natuâ—ae si convenienter aâ—aâ—ent mortales medica nil opus essâ—t â—pe Sine cereâ—e libeto friget Venuâ— venter mero estuans sâ—umat Hierom things which best the palate pleases Oft fils the body full of foule diseases Doe not we dayly see that drunkenesse And lust provoking (l) Multa sercula multoâ— moâ—boâ— Quae nâ—si divitibâ—s nequeunt cont ngere mensis Hor. lib. 2. Sa. vr 4. Nascitur libido conviv is nutritur deliclis vino accâ—nditur Vnde hoc Annagram salutare Opto tibi multam nullam tibi poto salutem Est potior poâ—a sicca salute Salus Iob 1.5 Lu. 2.12 Ioseph Mat. Christ amiserâ—nt conviviis Eccl. 31.16.17 18 37 C. 29. meats eat with excesse Make men more wanton and more seeble grow More prone to vice to pious deeds more slow If thou hast meat and drinke clothes for thy back And Gods good blessing here can be no lack Note those that are in greater want and need As well as those that doe in wealth
exceed Blessed be God thou hast no lack of bread Doves dung is little worth an Asses head Is not worth fourscore peeces thou art not Constrain'd to eate thy yong this was the lot Of some of whom we reade (m) 2 King 6 25. who maybe were As good as thou art and to God as deare Indeed to be * Peremtoria res estin gratitudo Bernad Ventus uâ—ens exiccans August ungratefull and repine May bring a famine upon thee and thine What man that is not voide of humane wit Will not confesse it to be meet and fit The * Matt 20. Master of the house and feast should be The chiefe disposer of his familie God is the great (n) Rom. 11.14.35 housholder we are all But as it were the ushers of his hall Beggars out of his service slaves to hell Bondmen to Sathan therefore may we well Give him free leave to doe what he thinks best And count our selves both happy and well blest If we have any part of what he carves He that hath (o) Gen 32 10. In paâ— suâ— omâ—ibus istis benisiciis tuis least hath more then he deserves What though in wealth thou dost not much abound Nor hast a penny to anothers pound Dost thou not know they are (p) Nam eum pos 〈◊〉 it plutima 〈◊〉 p aâ—t vela Tâ—â—â—lus 〈◊〉 plenitu d ncâ—â—mini 〈◊〉 siâ—â— Pessimâ—s non an e s tâ—aâ—ur coâ—â—oâ—i is auâ—o qâ—am corpus aura Bernard Hâ—b 2.5 Ecci 5 10. tormented more With scorching thirst and hunger then the poore They gape for more like to the grave or hell For in the midst of wealth they waâ—t as well That which they have as that they never had Which makes them discontented poore and sad With (q) D vit ae aâ—queâ—â—ctus coâ—â—â—es 〈◊〉 t. Omnem â—orâ— do â—omnolent â—â—cuâ—it â—on taâ—â—a est in mâ—lâ—is aâ—t magnis felicâ—asq an in parvis paucis securitas feares and cares their minds are so opprest That they must * watch whilst (r) Cantabit vacâ—â—s â—otam la 〈◊〉 vâ—ato Pâ—raâ—ae navigâ—â— vaâ—us non nâ—sidiantur mercibus onusta vi omni invidunt Chrysost poore men take their rest Their thoughts are ever troubled in this way How others may deceive them or how they May other men delude they live in feare Of theeves and robbers if perhaps they heare A doore but clatter with the wind their hearts Tremble and quake as struck with deadly darts Or else as if an ague had possest Their trembling bones they know not where to rest But by and by their cold fit 's gon and past And then they will begin to sweat as fast They thirst and thirst but for what do you think For bags of gold not for a cup of drinke They lie and thinke and thinking makes them sweat But would you know the cause of this their heate Doubtlesse their heart-distempering love of gold Makes them so out of temper hot and cold But would you thinke a miser should sweet so As to have need to shift from top to toe You may beleeve it for I have been told Their sheets have beene as yellow as their gold But more of this I will not speake a tittle It s good to heare and see and to say little Yet I confesse I cannot speake too much Because the vanity of men is such That for to purchase drosse muck mire and clay Which will condemne their soules another day They fondly will true joy and freedome sell And slaves become unto the pit of hell I wish with all my heart that such a miser Would leave his a folly and in time grow wiser That for the getting of a little pelfe He would not to the Divell give himselfe What though amongst great men thou art not known The b world we know respects and loves her owne I tell thee thou art happy in such wants For oftentimes they prove but Sycophants Make but inquirie of such as have tried them And they will say they are not semper idem Honour besides a c burthen is and who Knowes whether it be for his good or no For oftentimes it makes men prone to d lust Wanton forgetfull idle and unjust Inconstant cruell proud beyond all reason Apt against King and kingdome to plod treason On proose hereof I need no longer stand It is well knowne to most part of our land Beware then great ones by anothers e fall Unto remembrance your owne vices call Maugre the thirst of honour and renowne God from their seates the mighty will cast downe Show mercy follow peace doe poore men right Worship the Lord walke humbly in his sight For when man thinks to eternize his name He is most likely for to fall with shame Strive to be good not great the wise man knowes Honour in titles cannot long a repose This if you be not wise will in conclusion Bring soule and body both to sad confusion And for the arrogant how ere some deeme them As haire-brain'd fooles the wiser sort esteeme them What though thou hast not had such education As might beseeme thy kindred stock and nation T is not thy fault thy blemish blot or shame No no thy parents were too much to blame Who for to gather muck tooke so much care That they a penny scarce this way could spare Grieve not at this then for it is in vaine But rather b seeke true honour to obtaine In forme thy selfe well in Gods sacred word Which doth to man such waies and rules afford For course of life that if he marke the same Psal 21.5 6 7. Psal 112 6. He may obtaine an everlasting name What though thou art in prison when as some In sinfull pleasures swim their paine 's to come Didst thou those soule-tormenting paines but know That they eternally must undergoe Thou wouldst not judge so hardly of thy state Nor count thy selfe so much unfortunate Dispaire not in distresse thou dost not know What God intends wealth oft brings endlesse woe But let thy present state be alway such As not to be or'e joy'd or griev'd too much For let a man observe but in this kind His course of life and he shall sometimes find That looke what he hath most delighted in His greatest cause of griefe hath oft times beene And what he thought a crosse and to annoy Hath often been the ground of his best joy I must confesse although unto my shame That I have been herein to oft to blame I have been apt at each thing to repine That did but crosse this stubborne will of mine I sought preferment once and thought my selfe As fit as some that had more store of pelse I little thought preferment had been sold As I have found of late it is for gold I thought men had respected been for parts And honour had according to desarts But I have been deceiv'd the more 's the pity For it were better for each towne and city If it were
otherwise how can men deale In matters that concerne a Commonweale That have not discipline what makes a state More weake and poore then this unhappy sate What makes the Artist lay aside his art And take himselfe unto the plough and cart What makes our foes triumph our weakenesse sure What makes us weake contempt of literature What makes art despicable in the eies Of such as wont the meanest art to prize Cause gold is thought more worth then art for he That is best able to bestow a fee Shall have a place let him be knave or foole Or one perhaps that never went to schoole And here indeed I might my thoughts inlarge My over-loaden stomach to discharge And speake of many things though to small boot But I will onely at some gunners shoot Yet will I for some of my brethrens sake A Saker Minion or some smal piece take For loath I am their weaknesse to disclose But much more loath to make the world suppose That all are such no I would cut my tongue Out of my head before I 'de do thâ—â— wrong I know some are deserving for their parts Honest and able men of good desarts Well then my care must be to levell right That I may hit the black and misse the white The Gunner as some know wâ—nkes of an eie That he the marke the better might espie But there 's small hope that he should hit the marke That wants both eies or levels in the darke I durst let such a Gunner for a tester Shoot at my cap from Christmas day till Easter Some scarce know how if that to proofe it came To charge a Cannon and discharge the same Yet these are best thought of by some and why Cause they have gold and gold can credit buy I would to God that those to whom't belonges Would take a course for to redresse such wronges For what they meane I do not understand Unlesse it be to undermine the land Though a God in mercy hath remooved farre Great thunder-threatning stormes of civill warre And for these many yeares preserv'd our land We cannot tell what dangers are at hand Though we be now at peace with France and Spaine We are not sure how long this shall remaine As safe as we suppose our selves to be E're long we may great alterations see To crosse the proverbe here a heavie purse Upon a land in this kind bringes a curse Not a light heart needs must their spirits droope Whose safety rests upon faire Venus troope Need must that Kingdome in great danger be When those are blind which should the ill foresee But thus much by the way I come from hence To speake of things of greater consequence What though this night may prove a night of sorrow Psal 30.5 We shall have perfâ—ct joy and peace to b morrow He that sav'd Ionas without saile or oare 3. Ionah Can safely bring our crazie Barks to shore Let mirth and sadnesse of each other borrow So live to day as so to die to morrow For what know we but that e'ne in a trice Our paines and pangs mâ—y prove a paradise Those evills which we thinke will soon'â— betide us God if he please with ease can put beside us They that in trouble teares and sorrow sow Psal 1â— 6.5 6. Iohn 16.20 Esa 35 10 16.13 14. Psaâ— 3.11.27 Shall reap in joy their joyes shall overflow They that as Pilgrimes wander in this race Shall have at length with Christ a dwelling place They that saile in this sea and are opprest With waves and stormes at length shall find true rest Esay 64 9. Maâ— 3 17. Num. 14.13 They that are trod here underfoot one day Over those e tyrants shall the Scepter sway Ieâ—â— 30.20 They that go on now weeping in the way Luk. â— 21 And good seed beare forth doubtlesse shall one day Returne with gladnesse and have cause to sing For they with joy their sheaves with them shall bring 2 Tim. 2 12. 1 Pâ—t 5 10. 2 Cor 1.5 â— They that Christs crosse with perseverance beare His crowne of glory shall for ever weare Besides our troubles are but transitory But everlasting is the crowne of glory What though the way be difficult and hard Looke with the eye of faith on the reward Before thee set and thou wilt soone confesse Rom. 8.18 That all the troubles of this wildernesse May not a compare with that estate of blisse Which God our guide long since prepar'd for his Besides we need not doubt but that his grace Phil. 4.13 1 Cor. 10 13. 2 Cor. 3 5 2 Cor. 12.9 Iude 24. v. Heb. 2.18.7.24 Will mightily suppot us in our race For had we faith upon him to depend Unto our troubles he would put an end Or give us meekenesse humbly to submit And so much strength as he for us thought fit Simile The tender father willing for to try His childs obezance and humility Some heavie weight upon his shoulder laies The child submits and readily obeyes His father seeing then a willingnesse In him to beare that which would overpresse His tender backe his hand applieth so That under it with ease the child may goe If then the earthly parent be thus mild And carefull not to overload his child Psal 103.13 Iob 34 23. We need not feare at all but that our God Will give us meeknesse to endure his rod And so encrease our strength that still we may His Crosse upon our shoulders beare away He knowes our frailties and whereof we 're made He knowes we are but dust and apt to fade He knowes full well the cruelty of those That to our welfare are most deadly foes He knowes the world is subtile and how apt We are with golden baits to be intrapt He knowes that roring lyon which each houre 1 â—eâ—â—â— Our deare-bought-soules seekes closely to devoure Is mercilesse and how the flesh with guile Both soule and body labours to defile And how we are not able to withstand The least of them should he withdraw his hand Our tender father therefore for this end To us his holy Spirit of truth did send Rom 8 26. And when our soules are so perplext that we Through anguish of our paine and miserie In so good tearmes c cannot our mind reveale That man may understand to God appeale We with a mournefull sigh a sob a grone He will conceive for what we make our mone And in due time we shall such mercy finde 1 Cor. 3.4 5. As shall give ease to body soule and mind The Church of God in Egypts slavery Exod 2 23 24. Could not tell how to pray but with a sigh Exprest their minds to him who knew the thought Of each mans heart and suddenly he brought Them out of bondage by his mighty hand And after brought them to the blessed land Of promise where with freedome they his will And holy testimonies might fulfill Simile So great affection doth
mute He does not stand the matter to dispute He entertaines no malice in his brest But meekly dies with Consummâ—tum est In times of trouble then the Godly may Ponder these things well in their minds and say Unto their stubborne hearts why are you sad Why do we fret and fume as men halfe mad Didst thou sweet Jesu with such meeknesse beare The heavie weight of sinne for us who were Thy deadly foes didst thou not shun nor scorne O mighty King to be so meanely borne O blessed God Heb. 7.17 wert thou content to take On thee our humane shape and for a our sake Become a servant who art Lord of all Wouldst thou come from thy throne unto a stall To be so meanly lodg'd as in a manger To be scarce entertained as a stranger Wouldst thou oh great Law-giver subject be Unto the censure of the Law that we Might be set free didst thou oh Lord I say For us poore slaves so great a ransome pay Wouldst thou oh blessed God become accurst For such as were of all thy creaturrs worst Wouldst thou oh supreame Judge so farre submit As to be judg'd of men didst thou acquit Those that condemned thee yea didst thou pray To God for their b forgivenesse who did lay Their bloody hands on thee and shall not we In all estates and times contented be Didst thou such drops of blood and water sweat To cleanse our soules from sinnes so soule and great Wouldst thou be taken when thou mightst have fled That we to hell might not be captive led Wouldst thou by sinfull men be bound that so The twisted cords of sinnes thou mightst undoe Didst thou in meeknesse blessed Lord permit Those sinfull-shamelesse wretches for to spit Disgracefully upon thy blessed face To cleanse our faces from sinnes soule disgrace Wouldst thou be hoodwink'd with a vaile that wee Thy lovely face and countenance might see Wouldst thou be buffetted and beat with staves From strokes of hellish fiends to free such slaves Mat. 26 6â— Couldst thou sweet Lord of life contented be To suffer death for such as hated thee Hast thou done this all this and that for such As rebels were and now shall we thinke much To beare thy crosse who understand and know How thou such love didst manifest and show Freely and fully when we were both slaves To sin and sathan helfire and our graves Surely sweet Jesus did we understand This love of thine aright it would command Our stubborne wills and stony hearts constraine Before all things thee to affect againe And surely did we love a thee as we ought Our hearts to such a temper would be brought That at thy hand we should not so repine But chearfully submit our wills to thine Then God of love we humbly thee desire With this thy love our hearts so set on fire That in these evill daies we may submit To beare what punishment thou shalt thinke fit To lay upon us give us faith to stay Our selves upon thy promises alway The fift thought 1 Pet. 1.6.7 Prov. 17 3. Eceles 2. leg cap. â—ot Psal 119.176 VVE ought to count all trialls as the rod And favour of an over-loving God Who still corrects us when we goe b astray And erre like lost sheepe in an unknowne way Yet so corrects that he his c love might show And that the world may plainly see and know That he will not spare sin though in the best Of his deare Saints and servants truly blest That he from sin their hearts might purifie And prove their faith love zeale and constancie 1 Pet. 1.6 7. A tree well-rooted in the ground stands fast And is not shaken downe with every blast Silver and gold the furnace can endure The drosse consumes the gold remains more pure So by these trialls some are a purer made When others like to drosse consume and fade Who in the time of peace will make such show Of zeale and godlinesse that none can know Or judge by outward works but that they are Such as Gods holy will and word preferre Before all worldly profits yea before Their lives and liberties their pompe and store Although they reigne on earth as petty kings Fully possessed with all outward things They go to church twice on the Sabbath day As if they went to heare what God would say They heare they read they fast and daily pray And where their tythes are due they duly pay Out of their plenty great excesse and store They give unto the needy and the poore Yea in their lives such fruits they will expresse Of truth integrity and godlinesse That all the world would judge them pure in heart And such as would from Gods lawes never start Yet when the time of triall draweth nigh And God begins his Saints to prove and trie They are so danted 1 Kings 18.21 that they do not know Which way to take what in this case to doe For want of faith on Gods word to relie Meekenesse to waite and servent zeale to flie To him for aide who never failes the just Or such deceive as in his mercy trust They fall away from God and godlinesse And scoffe at what they did before professe They are not semper idem for their minds Are found to varie ofter then the winds And such as these would sooner shed their bloods If there were cause for saving of their goods Then for the Gospel such will lose their lives Undo themselves their children friends and wives Rather then want their wills or put up wrongs When in Gods cause they want both hearts and tongues Simile As when much water falls and westwinds blow Luke 8 13. And flouds come in so fast to overflow The wonted bounds or limits know we shall Whether our houses will stand firme or fall In times of triall some are constant found Others like seed cast into stony ground Wanting both root and moisture faith to lay Fast hold on God and meeknesse for to stay The leasure of the Lord cannot abide The scorching heat wherewith the just is tride The empty vessell makes the greatest sound Those that seeme best the worst are often found The fairest birds may have the foulest feet Mars for a time great Iove may friendly greet And promise weather faire and happy gales And make the Navigator hoist up sailes Yet in this case he dares not be too bold Because he feares it is too calme to hold For if Saturnus crosse him in his way He comes forth as a Lion for his prey Thus did the Lord proove in the wildernesse The Israelites whereby they did expresse What was in each mans heart for we may find How some adored Idols some repin'd At Gods just dealing how some were content Meekely to beare his plague and punishment How some grew worse and worse and did commit Offences fetched from th' infernall pit Thus God the faith of Abraham did try Gen. 22 1. Heb. 11 17 To manifest unto the world thereby
The same the child what hast it can doth make And so beginnes to suck as if it thought To fill its empty belly with a draught But it not liking of the tast dislikes And leaves the brest and it in anger strikes Our natures are alas too prone and apt With worldly vanities to be entrapt Besides the divell useth so much art To blind the mind and to delude the heart Of sinfull man with pleasures profits gaines Thereby to bring them to eternall paines That should not God through his abundant graces Somewhat their beauty and faire forme deface And sometimes crosse us in our pompe and wealth And sometimes in our vigour strength and health Our hearts would be to a Egypt so much wed That we for stincking leekes should shunne the bread Which came downe from above the bread of life For bread of sorrow discontent and strife Ecl 7.4 5. Esay 61.3 Ecl. 2.1 Againe in holy Scriptures we sh ll find Troubles and sorrow needfull in this kind For till we understand our b Christ-crosse rowe Unto our Father we can never goe For we are taught and that in sacred story â—eb 12.6 That God c corrects whom he receives to glory Sweet mercies bind the body and the soule To serve the Lord but crosses must enroule Us in the booke of life and make us sure His faithfull servants ever to endure For d were it not for this how should we know Whether we were adopted sonnes or no Should God not scourge us for our sinfull crimes We might well feare the plague of future times From pastimes great much bitternesse doth spring And sorrowes deepe their deep contentments bring The sweetest descants birds we know are taught When from the woods they to the cage are brought The choisest corne is alwaies cleanest drest The sweetest grape is ever hardest prest The sweetest fish in saltest waters live And cammomile trod under foot will give A fragrant smell the grape unprest will yeeld No sweet and pleasant wine a fruitfull field Will barren prove as husbandmen well know Unlesse they mucke and plow before they sow In troubles then let not our hearts despaire Let not our minds give way to needlesse care For sure I am he that his griefe extends Beyond the bounds of reason a God offends Does it not argue in us misbeliefe To have our soules ore-whelm'd with care and griefe As if we did conceive it was in vaine To hope we or our friends should rise againe Unto your conscience let me but appeale Does not this quench the heate of godly zeale Does not this grieve the Spirit of God and make Your hearts and minds unfit to unâ—ertake Religious duties Does not this offend Such as their minds to godly courses bend May not the world conceive it is in vaine To serve the Lord if this be all the gaine Of godlinesse Does not this scandalize And make Gods worship hatefull in mens eies Does not the skilfull archer rightly know That a too much bending breaks a brittle bow Does not the husbandman well understand That too much raine doth hurt upon the land We if we be not senselesse and starke blinde May see this hurt both body soule and minde Let hope support us then a showre of raine Oft laies great stormes and makes it calme againe And calmes as I have heard some Seaman say Have been more hurtfull then some stormes for they Finding great Neptune sometimes over kinde Have waited for some happy gales of winde Till they have been halfe starv'd and forc'd to eat That which some men on shore would scarce cal meat Thinke not that wealth then is the ground of joy Or that all troubles do the soule annoy For godly sorrow in times of distresse Shall bring forth fruits of peace and righteousnesse Seed cast into the bowels of the earth Becomes more fruitfull by a second brth That man from grace to grace may daily grow He must be truly humbled and brought low For daily sun-shine without timely showres Rather consumes then causes fruit or flowers 1 Cor. 11.31.32 Lastly b God strikes because we should not be Condemn'd unto eternall misery Hosea 2 6. Yea for this end God oft corrects his own When as the wicked scape as men unknown Psal 14.2.53.1 Which makes such fooles in heart to boast and say There is no God that we ought to obey Or if there be a God we are more blest Then those that are with want and need opprest In a safety in our houses we still dwell Iob 21. usque ad 14. v. Our stock encreaseth each thing prospers well That we both take in hand and goe about Our names grow famous all the world throughout We have more then we aske or what we crave Or would have come to passe we forthwith have Psal 10.3.5 6 Amo 6 4. Iob 21 4. Ev'n to our hearts content we softly lie Stretcht out upon our beds of Ivory We have the fairest objects for the eie That may be had from France or Italy The sweetest smelling odours for the nose Muske Civet powders and the damaske rose All sorts of musicke which may please the eare Revive our spirits and dull senses cheare We have our pleasant walks and summer bowers Our gardens deckt with strange-outlandish flowers For sustenance we take no thought or care For we have plenty of superfluous fare Twice in a day we have brought to our boards What b water earth and aire to man affords The Persian Kings for dainties we exceed On roots and herbs like swine we scorne to feed We have our jellies marrow pies rich sacke Oringo roots potatoes for the backe Poore John comes not within our cellar door No we have ale strong beer and wine great store Besides our March beer and a cup of Hum That'le make a Cat to speake a Cato dumbe And if our squeamish stomacks loath to eat Bacon or Beefe or any such grosse meat We can have Mutton Lambes young Kid and Veal Capon Duck Partridge Woodcocke Phesant Teaâ—e Our carkasses are deckt with rich attire As silke and sattins and what we desire Within the compasse of the sea or land Our purses or our persons may command We have both hawkes and hounds for our delight Cards dice and tables fit our humours right We eat and drinke our fill and rise to play With mirth and merriment we drive away The time we hunt we hawke we fowle we fish To please our appetite with some new dish When such who thinke themselves more pure perhaps Would be contented with our crusts and scraps But let these fooles this ponder well in minde That they a greater difference shall finde When the great Shepherd of the soul a appeares With all his company of noble Peers Matth. 24 31. His Angells Martyrs Saints for to divide The goats from sheep the impure from the tride Acts 17.32 When once the Judge of all the world shall come To passe that just and everlasting
sometimes giving leave Unto bloud thirsty tyrants to bereave Them of their lives and livings so that they Not without cause may with their Master say That foxes have their holes the bird her nest Luke 9.58 But we have not a place wherein to rest Or put our heads but are from place to place Toss'd like a tennis-ball with great disgrace When such as have their minds bent unto ill In honour and in wealth doe flourish still But now observe their ends well in thy minde Esay 65.13 14. And thou the godly mans estate shall finde More to be wish'd Psal 37 37. the wicked we may see A while to flourish like a laurell tree But so he dies and suddenly to hell Is drag'd by divells Luke 16 evermore to dwell In utter darkenesse and for aye to be In everlasting paines and misery Behold the world 's turn'd upside downe with him For he that did in worldly pleasure swim Must now sustaine an angry Judge his ire And ever burne in ever burning fire He that was wont to feed on dainty fare Now pines away with horror and despaire His dainty mouth that relish'd nought at all But what was sweet now nothing tastes but gall His throat that once did swallow down strong drink Is now more full of filth then any sinke He that had musick once to please the eare Can nothing now but hellish yellings heare He that had all things that might please the eye Sees nothing now but what may terrifie Him to behold he that was wont to have All pleasant odors that contentment gave Unto the sense of smelling now in hell Can nothing else but noysome savours smell He that was deckt with silks and crown'd with fame Is cloth'd with horrour and eternall shame He that had many friends and kinsfolke deare In time of sicknesse to revive and cheare His dying heart salves for his griefe and sore Shall weep and howle in hell for evermore And shall no comfort ease nor succour finde Nor any friend where to disclose his minde He that spent many dayes and nights in vaine Would give a world one minute to regaine He that was wont to brag and brave it out With big and daring words and valour stout With thunder threatning words can neither daunt Nor with faire speeches hellish fiends inchant His feet that nimble were to run and goe Cannot convey his soule from endlesse woe His hands that once were able to defend Himselfe his goods his neighbour and his friend Are now fast bound in everlasting chaines And cannot free his soule from endlesse paines And last of all he that did once possesse All pleasures and delights this wildernesse Could yeeld to man is now in such distresse That men nor Angells can the like expresse He that did once drinke wine and water strong A drop of water craves to coole his tongue Those pleasures which before he thought most deare As daily soule-tormenters now appeare Sweet meats require sowre sawce vain pastimes paine Mirth misery after fair weather raine Hot summers thunder lightnings and strange sights Cause in the aire faire dayes oft foulest nights The just shall this behold and feare the Lord Prov. 29.16 Psal 103.15 16 17 18. And laugh at him and say with one accord Behold the man that made not God his stay But trusted in his strength his muck and clay But now observe the upright and the just Psal 119.142 Which in the Lord at all times put their trust For sure the end of such is endlesse peace God in the end their comforts will encrease Behold poore Lazarus falls sicke and dies And ther 's an end of all his miseries The case is altred much for he that lay At Dives gate in want is now for aye Ev'n with an everlasting Crowne possest And ever shall in Abra'ms bosome rest He that at Dives gate beg'd crums of bread And such as from his table fell is fed With blessed Angells in that blessed place Where he beholds his Maker face to face He that a beggar was of petty things Is now advanc'd above all earthly Kings Then let us be content in a each estate And not esteem our selves unfortunate When we the wicked and ungodly see To flourish as it were a lawrell tree For sure the just mans poore estate 's a worth more Then the ungodly mans great pompe and store Yet ought we not in any case to be So far content with our estates that we Thereby grow carelesse if with plenty blest Or desperate in minde if long opprest With want and need for such unpleasant weeds Not from the spirit but the flesh proceeds If God then give us b peace and happy daies Deut. 6.10 11 12. Let us remember evermore to praise And blesse his holy name and humbly crave His blessing on our selves and what we have Or else our c health and wealth our strength peace Will our eternall misery encrease Simile He that hath been halfe pin'd for want of meat And comes unto a place where he may eat His fill may glut his feeble stomach so That he thereby more faint and sick shall grow So when we fading-false-conceived pleasures Honours preferment and all worldly treasures Embrace with too great and too deep content They often prove to us a punishment Or if the Lord afflict us any waies With sicknesse or diseases that our daies Grow wearisome to us yea if he send The plague so hot amongst us that one friend Dare not come to another if his hand Bring the devouring sword into our land And after that a famine if he smite Our soules with pangs of hell and so affright Our minds with honour of our sins that we Cannot tell where to rest still a let us be Gratefull and meek yet ought we not to stand Like stocks and stones when God shall lay his hand Upon us or our Kingdome as if we Did not discerne or feele our misery This is no true contentment but a kinde Of sottishnesse or wilfulnesse of minde 'T is not enough to say in God we trust Though we say well therein for so we must Such thoughts as these must not be entertain'd Without we use the meanes by God b ordain'd To set us free for this may prove a signe That we are such as tempt the powers divine Let 's not in anger then with God dispute Nor through despaire in minde grow resolute Iames 5.13 But take St. Iames his counsell whilst we may Are we affl cted Let us humbly pray We may in times of trouble and distresse Unto the throne of grace have free accesse We may with boldnesse to the Lord draw neare Heb. 10 19 cap. 4. v. 14 15 16. And crave as many things as we want here So that we crave them in that manner still Which is best pleasing to his holy will If grievous troubles long upon us lie And God seems for to slight our dolefull crie Let us reflect unto
preserve the health and cleanse the bloud And how they will both soule and body make More fit and ready for to undertake Pious and holy works but when men will Their extreame raging fleshly lusts fulfill And take no care whither their souls shall goe Needs must their pastimes end in endlesse woe Others there are vainer then these by ods The vanity and folly of idolaters And such are they that bow to senselesse gods To graven images of wood or brasse To carved stones to pictures wrought in glasse O foolish folke is this the sum and scope Of your religion confidence and hope Out of the a Scriptures were you ever taught Deut. 6.13 14. Deut. 8 1. Exod 20 5 â—l 96 5 6 7 8 9. To serve and worship what your hands have wrought So void of humane reason can you be As to conceive a senselesse stone or tree Subject to rottennesse should be a God When underfoot the same is daily trod Where is your warrant then faith is not sound Which is not built upon a steady ground You say you have it from your honest Friars Beleeve them not they have been alwaies liars What are their legends but a masse of lies Cobwebs for to intangle butterflies You may have many gods and many gawds You must use beads and so you may your bawds You may use murther theft yea and what not Sith all shall be forgiven and forgot If to your ghostly b father you confesse How where when and with whom you did transgresse Is this Religion true How can it be Falshood and truth could never yet agree Your ground is false you much mistake the marke Greaâ— is their fault who keep you in the darke The word of God the only ground of faith The perfect rule of true Religion faith Thou shaâ—t not kill Exod 20 4. attempt how dare you then To murther Kings you bloudy minded men Out of the Scriptures can you bring good reasons To justifie rebellions murthers treasons What rule or warrant have you there to pray To stocks and stones does not the a Scripture say Exod 2â— 1 Luke 5 21. 3 Kings 8.39 40. God is the Lord thy God and him alone Thou shalt adore no Saint no b stocke or stone Esay 19 20. Ps 50 15 76 11. Iude 24 25. 1 Sam. 25 34. Esay 64 6. In c merits why doe you such trust repose How oft he does offend his God who knowes Be not deluded by your silly Friars Let God be true d and let your Priests be liars Rom 83.4 And some bewitched with a hellish pride The yoake of government will cast aside And for this cause in part I feare the hand Of great Jehovah is upon our land Object But some may say it is not without cause As snares and scourges some inflict our lawes And it is time to stir for if these might But have their wills where should we seek for right Answ Unto the Lord of hosts who only can Asswage the rage and raging might of man For we are told in holy Writ Psal 103.6 Heb. 10.34 that when We seeke to vindicate our selves e we then Dishonour and affront the Lord therefore When tyrants rage let 's God for aid implore The misbehaviour and incivill cariage of women Yet I have one thing more to doe that 's this To shew wherein some women do amisse A taske too hard for me who only have So small an insight let the wife and grave Then speake in their behalfe as they have found them For open hear-say I am loath to wound them Much I have read and much I have been told But what I 've seen to speake I may be bold Women are rebells yet I meane not all But such as love to scold to fight and brawle Such as do strive the scepter for to sway Such as would have their husbands to obey But are these matrons monsters I thinke rather A brood of hell the Divell is their father I speake not this so much in their disgrace For I my selfe perhaps if in their place Should faulty be herein as for to shame Men that have been and are herein too blame For did not men on women so much doat They would not be so oft cast over boat For if they get a man upon the hip O they will goe neare to get the master-ship Men must doe this or that or they will brawle Men must be rul'd and they must governe all Men must as slaves be subject to their wives Or they will make them weary of their lives I would men wiser were for in conclusion This great disorder will bring great confusion Man ought to love the woman to obey Ephes 5 22. 1. Pet. 3.1 Man may command she should entreat and pray Man is as head the woman as the heart The head we grant to be the upper part Where is thy wit O head where are thy brains That as thy head thy heart thus rules and reignes Where is thy courage thou faint-hearted snaile That thou pluck'st in thy horns if heart but raile Abuse of mercy Some rather wormes then men conceited elves In hope of a mercy oft delude themselves It matters not say they what Prophets say We hope to morrow will be as to day Amos 6.3.4 The Lord is just yet mercifull and b good And one that takes no pleasure in our bloud Will he that made us damne us Surely no Wisd 11.24.25 He made us that he might us show O brutish man will not you understand Till you stand under his revenging hand Will you not feare untill you feel his rod Why doe you thinke so slenderly of God Be well advis'd Eccl. 12.13 Psal 50.22 Esay 27.21 and for a truth this know That God is sure although to anger slow And that abuse of mercy will augment Thy everlasting paines and punishment I cannot but much wonder for to see How some will stand upon their pedigree And to their predecessors worth lay claime When by foule vices they disgrace the same The charge of many soules some rashly take And after little or no conscience make How they are fed Slothfulnesse in Clergimen so they but feed the purse They care not though their flock grow worse worse They feast and powre downe wine in silver bowles And in the meane time starve the peoples soules Some thinke it once a month they can prepare Themselves to preach that it is very faire I wonder how this blockishnesse should be In such as should foresee see oversee It is against Religion sense and reason That such as should preach in and out of season Should thinke a Sermon once a quarter well When as a each day they teach the way to hell We oft Gods holy name and day prophane By idle words and works and pastime vaine In seaven daies the Lord requres but one We by our deeds replie he shall have none Our hearts are so bewitcht with gaine and
of heart thy crops grow lesse and lesse But stinking weeds encrease and flourish so That shortly they thy crop will overgrow Unlesse for honour of thy name with speed Thou wilt vouchsafe O Lord the same to weed O deale not with us after our deserts Nor after the uprightnesse of our hearts What would become of sinfull mortall man If thou his sinfull life shouldst strictly scan If thou shouldst marke what we have done amisse Who could expect to reape eternall blisse Psal 78.13 14. Thou that in Zoan by thy mighty hand Couldst so divide the seas that on drie land Our forefathers might passe canst also heale The breaches of our Church and Common-weale Our land 's divided and divided so That we amongst our selves can hardly know Whom we may safely trust which makes all those Which doe thee and thy word of truth oppose As chiefly Papists to rejoyce and say Ha ha so so there goes the game away Thou mightst in justice Lord we doe confesse Us of our lives and livings dispossesse Thou mightst deprive us of the meanes of grace And from beholding of thy blessed face And give us up into such Heathens hands For ever to remaine in cruell bands Of slavery and thraldome because we Have broke our covenant so oft with thee Yet Lord now in our need some pity take Ev'n for thy mercy truth and promise sake Thou hast we know been mercifull indeed To Israel yea thou hast Iacobs seed Restor'd from thraldome yea O God we finde In holy Writ thou blott'st out of thy minde All their misdeeds and heinous wickednesse Whereby they did thy holy Laws transgresse Thou didst asswage thy wrath and mitigate Thine anger towards them yea in a state Of happinesse didst seat them so that they Might be a people unto thee for aye O let thy people in this sinfull land Such mercies finde O Lord now at thy hand Turne us O God oâ— saving health from all Our evill waies which unto heaven call For vengeance on us let thine anger cease And from all hellish thraldome so release Our bodies and our soules that still we may With freedome magnifie thee day by day Vengeance O Lord doth properly belong Unto thy Majesty revenge the wrong That hath been and now is done unto thee By such as hate thy truth in sanctity O judge of all the world thy selfe exalt Against all such as would thy truth assault Let not the wicked and the worldly wise Over thy faithfull people tyrannize Let not false-hearted Papists who conspire The ruine of thy Church have their desire Let Superstition and Idolatry Like to a rotten hedge for ever be Trod underfoot let merit-mongers all Be like a rotten house and tottering wall Give not the soule Lord of thy Turtle Dove Unto the Beast remember in thy love And tender mercies such as are opprest By wicked men or any way distrest Thy faithfull covenant consider well For they are cruell that on earth now dwell The shepheard seeks to fleece his flock the lambe Growes ravenous and woolvish to her dam The bird the nest where she was hatcht bewraies Iudas his Master cunningly betraies Behold but how the wicked thee defame And how the foolish folke blaspheme thy name Arise arise and thine owne cause maintaine For thou hast said the helpe of man is vain Why dost thou sit as one that 's fast asleepe Why is thy wrath so hot against thy sheepe Thinke on thy congregations and behold Those places which thou hast possest of old But above all the rest remember well Mount Sion wherein thou was wont to dwell Let not the foolish laugh thy Saints to scorne Nor let the wicked man lift up his horne In sunder break their hornes but raise on high The horns of such as serve thee faithfully Confound them in their wicked plots with shame That daily labour to obscure thy name Cast downe those mighty mountaines which oppose Thee in thy waies but let O Lord all those That wish well unto Sion firmely stand As Cedar trees in this our realme and land O let thy Gospell flourish in despite Of such as most abhorre thy sacred light And for this end we humbly thee desire The hearts of all our rulers to inspire With so much wisedome and soule-saving grace That they may daily labour to deface All superstitious worship and advance Thy blessed word and sacred ordinance Thy jugdement Lord upon the King bestow Thy righteousnesse upon the Prince that so He may his loyall subjects rule aright And eke defend the poore against the might Of such as would them wrong without a cause Yea many times against his and thy lawes Let those high mountaines under him encrease In this his realme true zeale and godly peace And let the little hills their minds apply To punish vice and manage equitie Lord let thy Priests be clothed with thy truth And righteousnesse as Naomi and Ruth Make them to live in love that there may be In life and doctine a sweet harmonie Let Moses now and Aron Lord appeale Unto thy throne let Phineas with zeale True judgement execute without delay That they in time thine irefull hand may stay That so our God thou maist continew still And we a people ready to fulfill Thy holy lawes and all our sinfull daies Shew forth thy noble acts and worthie praise Thy whole and holy Church O Lord preserve In unity and peace let not them swerve Or be misled with errors that desire To worship thee with hearts and minds intire Those that are simple ignorant and blind And earnestly desire the way to find That leads to life eternall by thy grace Illuminate O Lord that they thy face And blessed countenance may clearely see And with this fight so much delighted be That they may dally labour to obtaine More knowledge of thy word and thereby gaine Assurance of thy goodnesse to the just And faithfulnesse to those that put their trust In thy sure promises those that are weake And yet through godly zeale desire to speake In behalfe of thy truth yea if need be To seale the truth thereof and sanctity Ev'n with their bloud enable with thy hand In midst of flames of fire upright to stand O strengthen them by thy al-working might Couragiously to fight the Lambs great fight Those that are borne of thine immortall seed And as new borne babes much desire to feed Upon the sincere milke of thy pure word Full streaming brests O Lord to them afford Lastly give peace in these unquiet daies Wherein pride guile and malice so much swayes For now O Lord great dangers are at hand As by thy frownes we clearly understand Thy ever-over and all ruling hand Hath brought astonishment upon our land Thou hast declared heavy things to thine And caused some of us to drinke the wine Of giddinesse so that we scarce can tell When we doe evill or when we do well O give a banner unto such as fear And worship thee with hearts and minds
wicked THe just and upright man shall joyfull be When he the vengeance of the Lord shall see For they shall wash their feet with triumph then Ev'n in the bloud of bloudy minded men And men shall say as cause they shall have just There is great fruit for such as in him trust Doubtlesse upon the earth a God there dwels That both in truth and righteousnesse excels Psal 58.10.11 As sheep go to the fold they to the grave And in that day the just shall Lordship have Their beauty shall consume when they shall goe From their owne dwellings to eternall woe But God will me preserve from endlesse paine Because he will receive my soule againe Psal 94.14.15 The just shall this behold and praise the Lord And laugh at him and say with one accord Behold the man that made not God his stay But trusted in his strength his mire and clay But I shall be like to an olive greene For in the Lord my trust hath ever beene Psal 52.7.8.9 Comfort for the godly in evill and dangerous times IN evill daies why should I feare though those That seek my life me cunningly inclose For they that put their trust in riches most And in the multitude thereof will boast Their brothers soule from hell can no way save Nor pay a price to free him from the grave Psal 49.5 6 7. Comfort for the godly against the conspiracy of the wicked AGainst the just the wicked may conspire And grash their teeth in madnesse and in ire But God shall laugh to scorne them and their way For why he sees the comming of his day They may draw out their swords and bend their bow The poore and needy man to overthrow But their owne swords shall pierce their wicked hearts Their bowes shall broken be in sundry parts He knowes the just mans daies and sees his way And his inheritance shall not decay Psal 37.12 13 14 15 18. The Lord will breake their counsells and disclose The plots wherein they do most trust repose Psal 33.10 Thou hast my table richly deckt although Mine enemies have sought my overthrow Psal 23.5 Comfort for captives strangers fatherlesse children and widowes THe Lord relieves the poore and fatherlesse The stranger and the widow in distresse He makes the solitary man to live In houses freedome he to slaves doth give Psal 146.9 Psal 68.5 6. Though godly men by tyrants are brought low And wanting harbor wander too and fro God raiseth them out of their troubles deep And makes them housholds like a flock of sheep Psal 107.39 When they did wander in the desart wide And found no place wherein they might abide Yea when their thirst and hunger was so great That death the faintnesse of their soules did threat Then did they crie to God in their distresse And he their grievances did soon redresse Psal 107.4 5 6. Though they were few their foes then to withstand Yea very few and strangers in the land And when they found no place for their abode But wandred too and fro the world abroad He suffered them no wrong at all to take But mighty Kings reproved for their sake Psal 105.12 13 14. Comfort for the godly in times of oppression OVer our heads thou hast made tyrants ride And us the raging fury to abide Of fire and water yet thou through thy grace Didst bring us forth unto a wealthy place Psal 66.12 13. The Lord 's with me I need not feare or doubt What man can doe though he be strong and stout Psal 118.6 Now for the great oppressures and the cries Of poore distressed men I will arise Saith God the living Lord and them restore Unto the liberties they had before Psal 12.5 I sought the Lord and he my suit did heare Yea he did free my soule from all my feare They shall both looke and run unto his name Their faces shall not be abash'd with shame But say this poore man to the Lord did call And he both heard and rid him out of thrall Psal 34.4 5 6. O praise the Lord his praise abroad display For he is good his mercy lasts for aye He thought on us yea in our base degree And from oppressors safely set us free Psal 136.1.23 I with my mouth will laud the Lord him I Amongst the multitude will magnifie For at the right hand of the poore he stands To save them from the bloudy tyrants hands Psal 109.30 31. God will avenge th' afflicted and the poore The just shall feare and praise him evermore Psal 140.12 Incline thine ears to me Lord when I pray And hearken to the words which I shall say For strangers up against me rise and they That pleasure take in blood seek to betray My soule with all the plots they can devise For God they have no time before their eyes Behold God is my helper straight at hand With them that stay my soule the Lord does stand Psal 54.2 3 4. Comfort for the godly in long affliction HIs chosen flocke he will not alwaies chide For ever they shall not his wrath abide For he knows well our molde and fashion just Our natures fraile and how we are but dust Psal 103.9.14 Though it for many yeares have been your lots To lie conceal'd amongst defiled pots Ye shall be like a dove whose wings like gold And silver shine when once she waxeth old Psal 63.13 For though the wicked ofttentimes by God To prove his Saints are used as his rod Yet shall it not their lot for ever be Lest they their hand put to iniquity Psal 125 3. The Lord himselfe hath chast'ned me full sore But never hath to death me given o're Psal 118.18 Comfort for the godly in any strait BLessed is he whom Iacobs God doth aid And he whose hope upon the Lord is staid Which did of nothing earth and heaven frame The sea and all pertaining to the same Which keeps his word and promises most sure From age to age for ever to endure Which doth proceed in justice to relieve His poore oppressed servants when they grieve Which gives bread to the hungry and sets free Such as are bound in chaines of misery Which does the blinde to sight and lame restore To limbs and loves the just man evermore Which helps the stranger in his great distresse And keeps the widow and the fatherlesse Psal 146.5 6 7 8 9. When as my parents deare did me forsake The Lord did me into his favour take Psal 27.12 When I in trouble am and heavinesse I 'le thinke on God my griefe I will expresse I will consider well the things of old And what in former times I have been told I will regard the workings of the Lord What he hath done long since I will record Yea whilst I live my tongue shall no time spare His counsells deep and wonders to declare Psal 77.3 5 11 12. The Lord hath mindfull been of our distresse And in his tender mercies will us blesse To Aarons house his blessings
lest with cursed Cain Our soules for ever burne in endlesse paine Amen 7. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 7 The pure in heart enricht with saving grace With joy shall see the glory of thy face To filthy lusts Lord we are much enclin'd O sanctifie both body soule and minde As we have faulty been herein so grant We may repent and leave this filthy haunt Amen 8. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 8 We know thy Law doth say thou shalt not steal Yet we both rob thy Church and Common-weal In both we are but drones we live to spend What others get and for no other end We in thy vineyard idle stand yea we Ev'n in our private callings sloathfull be Nay Lord we as if of all grace bereft Against thy majesty use fraud and theft Our conscience knowes it to bee very true Our practice shewes that we withhold thy due Thy due is honour glory laud and praise But we blaspheme thee by our evill waies Yea we might see were we not like blind moles Our theft toward our rulers bodies soules O Lord bow downe the heavens and behold Us in thy Son with mercies manifold Unto thy justice we dare not appeale Nor to our merits for if thou shouldst deale With us as we have dealt with thee we might Justly expect that thou shouldst us requite With everlasting woe O blessed God Rather correct us with thy tender rod Use us like children though we must confesse We have been rebells ready to transgresse Upon the least enticements of the divell The world the flesh to ought that hath been evill Make us in word and deed more just and true That we may give to God and man their due Amen 9. Precept THou lovest truth Lord in the inward parts But we have both deceitfull tongues and hearts Grant we may not for envie feare or gaine False witnesse beare dissemble lie or faigne Amen 10. Precept IT is thy will that we should be content With what in mercy thou to us hast sent But we are apt to murmur and repine And to accuse thy providence divine As if thou wert unjust or didst not know How upon men thy blessings to bestow We thinke some have too little some too much When others prosper we are apt to grutch To covet and desire those things which we In conscience know anothers right to be Lord make us for be content with what Thou hast appointed for to be our lot Have mercy Lord upon us and incline Our hearts to keepe all these thy laws divine Amen A few other short Ejaculations 1. Ejaculation WE cannot pray nor praise thee as we would Indeed we can do nothing as we should For when our minds are bent to do thy will Our adversaries tempt us most to ill O that our waies were so direct that we Might keepe they statutes O that we could be What thou wouldst have us be Lord we desire To worship thee with hearts and minds intire Lord let our sighes and groanes acceptance find For perfect deeds accept our willing mind Amen 2. Ejaculation OUr many slips our weaknesse do proclaime Yet we desire to love and feare thy name We have not faith we speake it Lord with griefe Yet we believe Lord helpe our unbeliefe Amen 3. Ejaculation LOrd we are Pilgrims apt to go astray To lose our selves or faulter by the way O let thy holy word and spirit guide And strengthen us that we may never slide Amen 4. Ejaculation LOrd in the world I am a silly sheepe Thou art the shepeheard of my soule oh keepe Me safely in thy sheepefold let me not Wander in by-waies as one quite forgot Rather then I should in such waies remaine Use any meanes to fetch me home againe Amen 5 Ejaculation LOrd I am deafe and dumbe yea lame and blind O by thy word illuminate my mind Make me the tidings of true joy to heare That thou again my broken bones mayst cheare Guide and direct my feet into thy waies Open my mouth and I shall shew thy praise My heart is hard I cannot turne to thee For Christ his sake in mercy turne to me Amen 6. Ejaculation MY foes are many mighty of great power Subtile and such as would my soule devoure But I am weake not able to withstand The least of them without thy helping hand O helpe thy servant Lord my God most just For in thee wholly do I put my trust Unlesse thou be my buckler and my shield I know my false and fainting heart will yield Me with thy holy armour arme that I May never shrinke nor from my colours fly Amen 7. Ejaculation HOw long O Lord how long wilt thou withhold Thy favour from me is thy love growne cold How long wilt thou reject me I am thine Unto my suite O Lord thine eare incline I sue for mercy let thy mercy save Me from the power of sin hell and the grave Then shall I sing thy praises and rejoyce Amongst thy Saints with heart and chearefull voice Amen 8. Ejaculation I Was conceiv'd brought forth and borne in sin And all my life and daies have spent therein And by this meanes that image quite defac'd Which through thy mercie once in me was plac'd Sin as a leprosie hath overspred Both soule and body so that from the head Unto the foot there is no part that we Knowing our selves aright can say is free Lord wash us in the bloud of Christ and so We shall be whiter then the driven snow Renew thy image in us once againe We are thy creatures do not us disdaine Of all faults past wipe out the totall sum And give us grace that for the time to come We may resist the world flesh and the divell Learne to doe well by ceasing to doe evill Amen 9. Ejaculation THou all my life hast beene my tender father Leave me not now but shew me mercy rather In my distresse the sorrowes of the grave Lay hold on me O for thy Sonnes sake save Me from her jawes receive me to thy glorie When thou shalt call me from things transitorie Amen Epilogus sive conclusio ad lectorem Lectores LIbrum hunc cui titulus est The Soules Solace in time of trouble or Soveraigne Remedies against Despaire in manus vestras humillime commendo aequo cum animo eum perlegite quamvis curtas abreviatas hasce in venietis meditationes de utilitate tamen his vobiscum bene digestis ne dubitetis obsecro Deum consolationis ut sint mihi vobisque omnibus solamen vitâ articulo mortis FINIS