the Kingdoms thereof but when it came to the push he could not enter into a very Hog without asking him leave and having leave given him hee presently carryed the whole heard headlong into the Sea Why did hee not so to the man possessed no thanks to him hee had leave for the one not so for the other and therefore a whole Legion of them were not able to destroy one poor simple man Matth. 8. ver 31. 32. So that all our enemies are curbed and restrained by the divine providence of our heavenly Father Satan may bee his Executioner but God is the Judge and the Executioner cannot lay on a stroke more than the Judge appoints I confess Satan is so strong comparatively and withall so crafty and malicious that wee may with reverence and love wonder at the mercy of God in our delivery But this is our comfort first that Spirit as wee have shewn can do nothing without the God of Spirits Secondly wee have the Angells aid as the Prophet Elisha against that bloody King 2 King 6. 17. Lot against the Sodomites Gen. 19. 10. Jacob against the fear of Esau Gen. 32. ver 24. 28. Hezekiah against Senacherib Isa. 37. 36. and England against that invicible Navie of the Spaniards in Eighty eight True they appear not ordinarily what then no more do the evill Angels but the Word of God assures us it is so the Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Psal. 34. 7. And do but thou get spirituall eyes whereby thou mai'st see as with Moses the invisible God so the invisible Angels do but pray as Elisha for his servant that thine eyes may bee opened and then thou shalt see more with thee than against thee 2 King 6. 16. 17. Yea had wicked men their eyes opened as Baâ—…aam once had they would at every torn see an Angel stand in their way ready to resist what they go about as hee did for this is one of the noble imploiments of those glorious spiâ—…its to give a strong though invisible opposition to lewd enterprises Many a treacherous act have they hindred without the knowledge of the Traytor Yea O! God many are the dangers which wee see and fear innumerable those wee neither see nor fear Therefore to take away all attribution to our selvs even when wee know not thou do'st deliver us Now if it bee fearfull to think how great things evill spirits can do with permission it is comfortable to think how they can do nothing without permission for if God must give him leave hee will never give him leave to do any harm to his chosen bee will never give him leave to do the least hurt to our souls Now as by way of concession every greater includes the less hee that can lift a Talent can easily lift a Pound so by way of denyall every greater excludes the less If Satan himself cannot hurt â—…s much less his instruments weak men but for proof of this see also an instance or two that a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without our heavenly Father and that without leave from him our enemies cannot diminish one hair of our heads wee have our Saviour's express testimony Matth. 10. 29. 30. Let the Powder-Traytors plot and contrive the â—…uine of our state never so cunningly and closey let them go on to the utmost as there wanted nothing but an actor to bring on that Catholick dooms-day yet before the match could bee brought to the Powder their artificiall fire-works were discovered their projection prodition deperdition all disclosed and seasonably returned on their own heads And the like of their invincible Navie And of Pope Alexander the sixth who prepared a feast for diverse Cardinalls and Senators purposing to poyson them but by the providence of God they escaped and hee alone was poysoned Let Jezabel fret her heart out and swear by her gods that Eliah shall die yet shee shall bee frustrate Eliah shall bee safe Let the red Dragon spout forth floods of venom against the Church the Church shall have wings given her to flie away she shal be delivered Rev. 12. Let the Scribes and Pharisces with their many false witnesses accuse Christ never so yet in spite of malice innocency shall find abbottors and rather than hee shall want witnesses the mouth of Piâ—…ate shall bee opened to his justification Yea let Joâ—…as through frailty run away from the execution and embassage of God's charge and thereupon bee cast into the Sea though the waves require him of the Ship and the Fish require him of the waves yet the Lord will require him of the Fish even the Sea and the Fish had as great a charge for the Prophet as the Prophet had a charge for Niniveh for this is a sure rule if in case God gives any of the creatures leave to afflict us yet hee will be sure to lay no more upon us than we are able or he will make â—…s able to bear yea than shall make for our good and his glory Hee hath a provident care over all the Creatures even Beasts and Plants and certainly wee are more precious than Fowls and Flowers yet the Lord cares for them Will the House-holder take care to water the herbs of his Garden or to fodder his Cattell and suffer his Men and Maids to famish through hunger and thirst Or wil hee provide for his Men and Maids and let his own children starve Surely if a man provide not for his own Hee hath denyed the faith and is worse than an Infidell 1 Tim. 5. 8. Far bee it then from the great Hous-holder and Judge of allthe earth not to provide for his dear Children and Servants what shall bee most necessary for them indeed wee may fear our own flesh as Saint Paul did but God is faithfull and will not suffer us to bee tempted above our strength but will even give the issue with the temptation and in the mean time support us with his grace 2 Cor. 12. 9. You have an excellent place to this purpose Jer. 15. 20 21. Section 2. Objection But wee see by experience that God gives wicked men power often times to take away the very lives of the godly Answ. What then If wee lose the lives of our bodies it is that wee may save the lives of our souls and attain the greater degree of glory Luk. 9. 24. and so wee are made gainers even by that loss Now if God takes away temporall and gives eternall life for it there is no hurt done us hee that promiseth ten pieces of silver and gives ten pieces of gold breaks no promise Peace bee unto this house was the Apostles salutation but it was not meant of an outward peace with men of the world and Christ faith you shall have rest Matth. 11. 28. but it is rest unto your souls Again thou hast merited a three-fold death if thou bee'st freed from the two worser spirituall and eternall and God deal
favourably with thee touching thy naturall death hee is mercifull if not thou must not think him unjust Though the Devill and the world can hurt us aswell as other men in our outward and bodily estates as the Devill had power over Job in his Ulcers over his children in their death over Mary Magdalen that was possessed and over that daughter of Abrahams Luk 13. whom hee kept bound 18. years ver 16. yet they can do us no hurt nor indanger our souls they shall lose nothing but their dross as in Zachary 13. 9. Isa. 12. Let them sluce out our blood our souls they cannot so much as strike let wild beasts tear the body from the soul yet neither body nor soul are thereby severed from Christ. Yea they can neither deprive us of our spirituall treasure here nor eternall hereafter which makes our Saviour say Fear yee not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Helt Matth. 10. 28. The body is but the Bark Cabinet Case or Instrument of the soul and say it falls in pieces there is but a pitcher broken the soul a glorious Ruby held more fit to bee set in the crown of glory than here to bee troden under foot by dirtie swine and therefore so soon as separated the Angels convey her hence to the place of everlasting bliss Alas what can they do they cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Rom 8. 38. 39. Yea they are so far from doing us harm as that contrariwise wee are much the better for them In all these these things wee are more than conquerours through him that loved us ver 37. Whatsoever then becoms of goods or lives happie are wee so long as like wise Souldiers wee guard the vitall parts while the soul is kept sound from impatience from distrust c. Our enemie may afflict us hee cannot hurt us Objection Nevertheless that which I suffer is exceeding grievous Answer Not so grievous as it might have been for hee that hath afflicted thee for a time could have held thee longer hee that toucheth thee in part could have stricken thee in whole hee that laid this upon thy body hath power to lay a greater Rod both upon thy body and soul. Again there is no chastisement not grievous the bone that was dis-jointed cannot bee set right without pain no potion can cure us if it work not and it works not except it make us sick Nay my very disease is not so painfull for the time as my remedy how doth it turn the stomack and wring the in trails and work a worse distemper than that whereof I formerly complained neither could it bee so wholesome if it were less unpleasing neither could it make mee whole if it did not first make mee sick But wee are contented with that sickness which is the way to health There is a vexation without hurt such is this wee are afflicted not overpressed needy not desperate persecuted not forsaken caâ—…t down but perish not how should wee when all the evill in a City coms from the providence of a good God which can neither bee impotent nor unme cifull It is the Lord let him do what hee will Woe worth us if evills could come by chance or were let loose to light where they lâ—…st now they are over-ruled wee are safe In the name of God then let not the tall stature of the Anakims nor the combination of the Edomites nor the politick counsels of all the Achitopels and Machivillians nor the proud looks not the big words of all the Amaziahs combining themselvs together deter or dismay you Let not the over-topping growth of the sons of Zerviah seem too hard for you for God is infinitely more strong and mighty to save us than all our enemies are todestroy us and he hath his Oar in their Boat he hath a speciall stroke in all actions whatsoever and can easily over-reach and make stark fools of the wisest by making their own counsels and endeavours like Hushai's to overthrow those intentions which they seem to support As touching the continuance of afflictions God so ordereth and tempereth the same in his merciful wisdom that either they be tolerable or short either our sorrows shall not be violent or they shal not last if they be not light they shal not be long grievous and sore trialls last but for a season Pet. 1. 6. A little while Joh. 16. 16. Yea but a moment 2 Cor. 4. 17. Hee endureth but a while in his anger saith the Psalmist but in his favour is life weeping may abide for a night but joy cometh in the morning Psal. 30. 5. And this had hee good experience of for if we mark it all those Psalms whose first lines contain sighs and broken complaints do end with delight and contentment he began them in fear but they end in joy you shal see terrible anguish fitting in the door irremediable sorrow looking in at the window despair bordering in the margent and offering to creep into the text yet after a sharp conflict nothing appears but joy and comfort God loves to send relief when wee least look for it as Elisha sent to the King of Israel when he was rending his cloaths 2 Kings 5. 8. Hear what the Lord thy Redeemer saith by Isaiah For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a a little season but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee Isa. 54. 8. It is but a little for a moment that his anger lasts his mercy is everlasting and I hid my face never turn'd my heart from thee Ioseph when hee lay down to sleep was full of care about his Wives being with child Matt. 1. 20. but hee awakened well satisfied ver 24 To day a measure of fine flower is lower rated in Samaria than yesterday of dung Although Christ's Star left the wise-men for a time yet instantly it appeared again and forsook them not till they had found Christ which was the mark they aimed at Matt. 2. 9. Afflictions are like running waters which make many grounds fruitfull but tarry with none of them Yea it is a rule in nature that violent things cannot last long The Philosophers could observe that no motion violent is wont to bee permanent and Seneca concludes That if the sickness bee tedious and lasting the paiâ—… is tolerable but if violent short and so of spirituall temptations the which were so vehement upon Luther that the very venom of them drank up his spirits and his body seemed dead so that neither speech sence blood or heat appeared in him but this sharp fit lasted but for one day so if wee suffer much it shall not bee long if wee suffer long it shall not bee much Some misery is like a Consumption gentle but of long continuance other like a Fever violent but soon over If our sorrows be long
A SOVEREIGN ANTIDOTE against all Grief Extracted out of the choisest Authors Ancient and Modern both Holy and Humane Necessary to be read of all that any way suffer Tribulation The Fourth Impression By R. YOUNGE Florilegus Imprimatur Thomas Gataker CHAP. 33. Use and Application of the former Reasons Use 1. THese latter Reasons being dispatcht return we to make use of the former for I may seem to have left them and be gone quite out of sight though indeed it cannot properly be call'd a digression seeing the last of the former reasons was That God suffers his Children to be persecuted and afflicted for the increase of their Patience First if God sends these afflictions either for our Instruction or Reformation to scoure away the rust of corruption or to try the truth of our sanctification either for the increase of our patience or the exercise of our saith or the improvement of our zeal or to provoke our importunity or for the doubling of our Obligation seeing true gold flies not the touchstone Let us examine whether we have thus husbanded our affliction to his glory and our own spiritual and everlasting good I know Gods fatherly chastisements for the time seem grievous to the best of his Children Yea at first they come upon us like Samsons Lion look terrible in shew as if they would devoure us and as Children are afraid of their friends when they see them masked so are we But tell me hath not this roaring Lion prevailed against thy best part Hast thou kept thy head whole I mean thy soul free For as Fencers will seem to fetch a blow at the leg when they intend it at the head so doth the Devil though he strike at thy name his aim is to slay thy soul. Now instead of being overcome doest thou overcome Hath this Lion yielded thee any Honey of Instruction or Reformation Hath thy sin died with thy fame or with thy health or with thy peace or with thy outward estate Doest thou perceive the graces of Gods Spirit to come up and flourish so much the more in the spring of thy recovery by how much more hard and bitter thy winter of adversity hath been Then thou hast approved thy self Christs faithful Souldier and a Citizen of that Jerusalem which is above Yea I dare boldly say of thee as Saint Paul of himself That noâ—…hing shall be able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 39. To finde this Honey in the Lion more then makes amends for all former fear and grief and in case any man by his humiliation under the hand of God is grown more faithful and conscionable there is Honey out of the Lion or is any man by his temptation or fall become more circumspect after it There is also Honey out of the Lion c. For there is no Samson to whom every Lion doth not yield some Honey for as affliction sanctified ever leaves some blessing behinde it like the River Nilus which by overflowing the Land of Egypt fattens and fils it with flowers and fruits so a fine wit and a Christian will makes use of any thing like the little Bee which will not off the meanest flower till she hath made somewhat of it Even Sauls malice shall serve to enhance Davids zeal and the likelihood of losing Isaac shall both evidence and improve Abrahams love to God or Hath the Lord made Hannah barren And doth her adversary vex her sore year by year and grievously upbraid her for it so that she is troubled in her minde why even that shall make her pray and weep sore unto the Lord and make vows yea and when God gives Samuel to her she will give Samuel back again to God Lastly Saint Paul in this School of Affliction will learn in what estate soever he is prosperous or adverse therewith to be content Phil. 4. 11. And thou mayest fouly suspect thy self if thou beest not the better for thy being the worse He is no true born Christian who is not the better for his evils whatsoever they be no price can buy of the true believer the gain of his sins Yea Satan himself in his exercise of Gods Children advantageth them And look to it if the malice and enmity of wicked men hath beaten thee off from thy profession thou wert at the best but a counterfeit and none of Christs own Band. A little faith even so much as a grain of Mustard-seed would be able to remove greater mountains of fear and distrust out of thy soul then these for know this that Good men are like Diamonds which will shine in the dirt yea they resemble Glow-wormes which shine most in the dark or Juniper which smels sweetest in the fire or Pomander which becomes more fragrant by chasing or Roses which are sweeter in the Still then on the stalk Use 2. 2 If the malice of our enemies as it is husbanded to our thrist by a divine and supream providence doth make so much for our advantage and benefit here and hereafter as namely that it opens our eyes no less then peace and prosperity had formerly shut them that nothing doth so powerfully call home the conscience as affliction and that we need no other art of memory for sin besides misery It commonly we are at variance with God when we are at peâ—…ce with our enemies and that it is both hard and happy not to be the worse with liberty as the sedentary life is most subject to diseases if vigour of body and infirmity of minde do for the most part lodge under one roof and that a wearish outside be a strong motive to mortification if God the All-wise Physician knows this the fittest medicine for our souls sickness and that we cannot otherwise be cured if our pride forceth God to do by us as Sâ—…rtorius did by his Army who perceiving his Souldiers puft up through many Victories and hearing them boast of their many Conquests led them of purpose into the lap of their Enemies to the end that stripes might learn them moderation If this above all will make us pray unto him with heat and fervency As whither should we flie but to our Joshua when the powers of darkness like mighty Aramites have besieged us If ever we will send up our prayers to him it will be when we are beleagur'd with evils If true and saving joy be onely the daughter of sorrow if the security of any people be the cause of their corruption as no soâ—…ner doth the Holy Ghost in sundry places say Israel had rest but it is added They committed wickedness Even as standing waters soon grow noisome and Vines that grow out at large become wilde and fruitless in a small time if it weans us from the love of worldly things and makes us no less enamoured with heavenly as Zeno having but one flie-boat lesâ—… him hearing news that both it and all therein was cast away said O Fortune thou
hast done well to send me again to our School of Philosophy whereas if we finde but a little pleasure in our life we are ready to do at upon it Every small contentment glues our affections to that we like neither can we so heartily think of our home above whilest we are furnished with these worldly contentments But when God strips us of them straightways our minde is homeward If this world may be compared to Athens of which a Philosopher said that it was a pleasant City to travel through but not safe to dwell in If by smarting in our bodies states or names we are saved from smarting in our souls If it was good for Naaman that he was a Leper good for David that he was in trouble good for Bartimeus that he was blinde if with that Athenian Captain we should have perished for ever in case we had not thus perished for a while if our peace would have lost us in case we had not a little lost our peace Then refuse not the chastening of the Lord neither be grieved with his correction as Solomon adviseth Prov. 3. 11. And so much the rather 1 First because our strugling may aggravate cannot redress our miseries 2 Secondly because the Lord will be sanctified either of us or on us one of the two as Saint Anstine speaks 3 Thirdly because that is little which thou sufferest in comparison of what thou deservest to suffer for thou hast deserved to be destroyed and he that hath deserved hanging may be glad if he scape with whipping Besides as David told Saul he could as easily have cut his throat as he had his coat or as Caesar boasted to Metellus he could as soon make him hop headlesse as bid it be done so the Lord may expostulate with thee and much more Wherefore be patient I say but not without sense be not of those Stoicks stocks rather you may stile them who like beasts or rather like blocks lie under their burthen and account it greatest valour to make least ado and lay it as little as may be to heart For if you mean to be the Kings sonnes you must bring him the fore-skins of an hundred Philistines shew him the fruit of your former sufferings But above all let us not resemble the wicked who if affliction comes to them receive the curse with cursing and if the Devil throw but one crossâ—… to them they will take their souls and throw them again to him for they presently break out either into some cursed rage or into the rage of cursing or into some cursed action An usual thing when men are crossed by the creatures I might say their own husbands or children to fall a cursing and blaspheming them to whom we may say as the Prophet did to Sennacherib 2 Kings 19. 22. Whom hast thou blasphemed And against whom hast thou exalted thy self Even against the Holy One of Israel Whom are you angry withal Doth the rain and waters or any other creature displease you Alas they are but servants if their Master bid smite they must not forbear they may say truly what Rabshakeh usurped Are we come without the Lord Isai. 36. 10. Yea are we not sent of the Lord in love and to do you good and to give you occasion of rejoycing afterward if you bear the Cross patiently and make that use of it which others do and the Lord intends Yea Saint Paul could rejoyce even in tribulation But alas these are so far from rejoycing with that blessed Apostle that they rave in tribulation and like some beasts grow mad with baiting or like frantick men wounded who finding ingredients prepared to dress them tear them all in pieces But let us not be like them if Satan robs us of a bag of silver let not us call after him and bid him take a bag of gold also If he afflict thee outwardly yet surrender not to him the inward rail not at the Hangman but run to the Judge fret not with Joash 2 Kings 6. 33. but submit with Hezekiah Isai. 39. 8. When Gods hand is on thy back let thy hand be on thy mouth If thou beest wronged call not thine adversary to account but thy self and let it trouble thee more to do ill then to hear of it be more sorry that it is true then that it is known Yea neither rage at the Chirurgion as mad-men nor swoun under his hand as Milk-sops but consider with whom thou hast to do The Lord the Lord strong merciful and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodness and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty but visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Exod. 34. 6 7. And this if any thing will do It was before the Lord saith David and therefore I will be yet more vile Reproach in Gods service is our best preferment the Lord so noble the servant cannot be too bumble even Bucephalus that disdained any other rider in all his trappings would kneel down to his Master Alexander and go away Proud of his burthen Yea to go yet further let us with good old Eli who was a good son to God though he had been an ill Father to his sons even kiss the very rod we smart withall and say It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good for whatsoever seemeth good to him cannot but be good howsoever it seems to us Yea let us receive his stripes with all humility patience piety and thankfulness resolving as that holy Martyr John Bradford who said to the Queen how much more did he mean it to the great King of Heaven and Earth If the Queen will give me life I will thank her if she will banish me I will thank her if she will burn me I will thank her if she will condemn me to perpetual imprisonment I will thank her A man will easily swallow a bitter Pil to gain health The stomach that is purged must be content to part with some good nourishment that it may deliver it self of more evil humours and the Physician knows what is best for the Patient the Nurse better then the Infant what is good and fit for it Now the Tenant is more noble then the House therefore why are we not more joyed in this then dejected in the other since the least grain of the increase of grace is more worth then can be equalled with whole pounds of bodily vexation Yea let us take them as tokens and pledges of Gods love and favour who loves his Children so as not to make wantons of them They that would tame pamper'd Horses do add to their travel and abate of their provender as Pharaoh served the Children of Israel Which of us shall see pieces of Timber cut and squared and plained by the Carpenter or Stones hewn and polished by the Mason but will collect and gather that
then conquerours through him that loved us and so goeth on even to a challenge of our worst enemies Death Angels Principalities and Powers things present and to come height depth and what other creature besides should stand in opposition What voluminous waves be here for number and Power and terrour yet they shall not separate the Ark from Christ nor a soul from the Ark nor a body from the soul nor an hair from the body to do us hurt What saith David Mark the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace Psal. 37. 37. Mark him in his setting out he hath many oppositions mark him in the journey he is full of tribulations but mark him in the conclusion and the end of that man is peace In Christ all things are ours 1 Cor. 3. 22. How is that Why we have all things because we have the Haver of all things And if we love Christ all things work together for our good yea for the best Rom. 8. 28. And if all things quoth Luther then even sin it self And indeed how many have we known the better for their sin Mary Magdalen had never loved so much if she had not so much sinned had not the incestuous person sinned so notoriously he had never been so happy God took the advantage of his humiliation for his conversion Had not one foot slipt into the mouth of Hell he had never been in this forwardness to Heaven Sin first wrought sorrow saith Saint Augustine and now godly sorrow kills sin the daughter destroyes the mother neither do our own sins onely advantage us but other mens sins work for our good also Objection But may some say Can any good come out of such a Nazarite Answer Yes The advantage we have by Christ is more then the loss we had by Adam If Arrius had not held a Trinity of Substances with a Trinity of Persons and Sabellius an Unity of Persons with an Unity of Essences the Mysteries of the Trinity had not been so clearly explâ—…ned by those great Lights of the Church If Rome had not so violently obtruded her Merits the doctrine of Justification onely by faith in Christ might have been less digested into mens hearts We may say here as Saint Augustine doth of Carthage and Rome if some enemies had not contested against the Church it might have gone worse with the Church Lastly suppose our enemies should kil us they shall not hurt but pleasure 〈◊〉 yea even death it self shall work our good That Red-sea shall put us over to the Land of Promise and we shall say to the praise of God we are delivered we are the better for our enemies the better for our sins the better for death yea better for the Davil and to think otherwise even for the present were not onely to derogate from the wisdom power and goodness of God but it would be against reason for in reason if he hath vouchsafed us that great mercy to make us his own he hath given the whole army of afflictions a more inviolable charge concerning us then David gave his Host concerning Absalom See ye do the youngman my son Absalom no harm Now if for the present thou lackest faith patience wisdom and true judgement how to bear and make this gain of the cross Ask it of God who giveth to all men liberally and reproacheâ—…h no man and it shall be given thee Jam. 1. 5. For every good giving and every perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights Verse 17. 6 use 6 Sixthly for this point calling more for practice then proof it behoves us to be larger here briefer there If that which is one mans meat proves another mans poison let it be acknowledged that the fault is not in the meat but in the stomach and that it is the wickedness of our hearts want of a sincere endevour to make good use of Gods corrections which causeth him to withdraw his blessing from them Wherefore let it provoke us as we love our selves as we love our souls through all the transitory temporary moment any passages of this World first to strive after and then to preserve the life of our lives and soul of our souls sincerity and integrity Again if afflictions which are in their own nature evil and unto others strong temptations to sin by the goodness of God do make so much for our advantage and benefit here and hereafter If our Heavenly Father turns all things even the malice of Satan and wicked men yea our own sins to our good Rom. 8. 28. If for our sakes and for his Names sake he even changeth the nature and property of each creature rather then they shall hurt us as it is the nature and property of fire to burn yet that vehement fire in Nebuchadnezzars Furnace did not burn the three servants of God It is proper to the Sea to drown those that be cast into it yet it did not drown the Prophet in the very depth of it It is proper for hungry ravenous Lions to kill and devoure yet they did Daniel no harm And the like when we need their help It is proper for the Sun to move yet it stood still at the prayer of Joshua proper for it to go from East to West yet for Hezekiahs confirmation it went from West to East It is proper for Iron to sink in the water yet it swom when the children of the Prophets 〈◊〉 need of it In like manner It is proper for affliction to harden and 〈◊〉 worse as well as for riches and prosperity to ensnare But as some Simples are by Art made medicinable which are by nature poisonable So afflictions which are in nature destructive by grace become preservative And as evil waters when the Unicorns born hath been in them are no longer poisonable but healthful or as a Wasp when her sting is out may awaken us by buzzing but cannot hurt us by stinging so fares it with affliction when God pleaseth to sanctifie the same as he doth to all that love him Rom. 8. 28. For of God it is without thanks to Affliction or our selves or our sins that we are bettered by them All the work is thine let thine be the glory But lastly for though we can never be thankful enough for this yet this is not all that we should finde him a Saviour whom our enemies sinde a just revenger That we should be loosed from the chains of our sins and they delivered into the chains of Plagues That the same Christ should with his precious blood free us that shall with his Word sentence them Again if we were by nature the Seed of the Serpent children of the Devil and Subjects to that Prince which ruleth in the air even that spirit which now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2. 2. We may learn by it to be humble and thankful if changed to be the womans seed children of God and members of Christ
thou and thy money perish Thou wouldest go the naturall Way to work What shall I do to inherit eternall life but it is impossible to inherit it by any thing that wee can do for all our righteousnesses are as filthy ragges Isa. 64. 6. Yea if our doings could have done it Christ dyed in vain whereas if Christ had not died wee had perished every mothers child of us 1 Cor. 15. 22. and 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Ephes. 2. 1. Colos. 2. 13. Ezek. 18. 4. Job 11. 50. Rom. 5. 6. 8. and 14. 9. 1 Cor. 15. 3. Matth. 18. 11. O fool dost thou not know that our sins are his sins and his righteousness our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. Psal. 4. 1. and that God esteems of Faith above all other graces deeds or acts of thine as what did our Saviour answer when the people asked him What shall wee do that wee might work the works of God The work of God is that yee beleeve on him whom hee hath sent Joh. 6. 28 29. and yet thou talkest of thy worthiness and thou takest this for humility too but it is pride for if thou wouldest deny thy self and bee nothing in thine own eyes renounce thine own righteousness and wholly and onely rest on thy Saviour Jesus Christ for thy salvation thou wouldest not hope the more in regard of thine own worthiness nor yet doubt in respect of thine own unworthiness But thou wouldest first bee worthy and deserve of God and then accept of Christ and deserve Christ at Gods hands by thy good works and graces which pride of thine and opinion of merit is a greater sin then all thy other sins which thou complainest of and except you do abandon it and wholly râ—…ly upon the grace and free mercy of God for salvation Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 2. 16. and 5. 1. to 7. Colos. 3. 11. for nothing is available to salvation but faith which worketh by love Gal. 5. 6. whence it is called righteousness through faith ver 5. Faith is the staffe whereupon wee stay our selvs in life and death by saith wee are blessed Gal. 3. 9. by faith wee rejoice in tribulation Rom. 5. 2. by faith wee have access unto God Ephes. 3. 12. by faith we overcome the world 1 Joh. 5. 4. the flesh Gal. 5. 24. and this is the shield whereby wee quench the fiery darts of Satan and resist his power Ephes. 6. 16. Yea whosoever seeks to bee justified by the Law they are abolished from Christ and â—…aln from grace Gal 5. 4. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and bee not tangled again with the yoke of bondage And say Lord wee are not worthy to bee servants and thou makest us sons nay heirs and co-heirs with thee of everlasting glory Objection I grant the Lord is mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodness and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sin but hee is just aswell as mercifull and therefore hee will not acquit the wicked Exod. 34. 6. 7. but reward them according to their works Revel 20. 12. 13. and 22. 12. Answer Hee will therefore pardon all thy sins if thou unfainedly â—…pent and wholly rely upon Christ for thy salvation by a lively saith because hee is just for as the Lord cannot in justice let sin go unpunished for the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. Death in the person if not in the surety and therefore hath punished the sins of all men either in his Son or will throughly punish them in the parties themselvs so the same justice will not admit that the same fins should be twice punished once in our Saviour and again in the faithful or that a debt once paid should be required the second time 1 Joh. 1. 9. Now that Christ hath sufficiently satisfied for all the sins of the faithful and paid our debt even to the utmost farthing it is evident by many places of Scripture as Isa. 53. 4. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Heb. 9. 26. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Rom. 3. 25. 26. 1 Joh. 1. 7. 9. and sundry others Are we bound to perform perfect obedience to the Law hee performed it for us were wee for disobedience subject to the sentence of condemnation the curse of the Law and death of body and soul hee was condemned for us and bore the curse of the law hee died in our stead an ignominious death did wee deserve the anger of God hee indured his fathers wrathfull displeasure that so he might reconcile us to his father and set us at liberty Hee that deserved no sorrow felt much that wee who deserved much might feel none and by his wounds wee are healed Isa. 53. 5. Adam eat the Apple Christ paid the price In a word whatsoever wee owed Christ discharged whatsoever we deserved he suffered if not in the self same punishments for hee being God could not suffer the eternall torments of Hell yet in proportion the dignity of his person being God and Man giving value unto his temporary punishments and making them of more value and worth than if all the world should have suffered the eternall torments of Hell for it is more for one that is eternall to die than for others to die eternall Therefore was the Son of God made the Son of man that the Sons of men might bee made the Sons of God and therefore was hee both God and man lest being in every respect God he had been too great to suffer for man or being in every respect man hee had been too weak to satisfie God Seeing therefore our Saviour Christ hath fully discharged our debt and made full satisfaction to his Fathers justice God cannot in equity exact of us a second paiment no more than the Creditor may justly require that his debt should bee twice paid once by the Surety and again by the Principall Again secondly it is the Lords Covenant made with his Church and committed to writing Jer. 31. 34. Heb. 10. 16 17. Psal. 32. 10 Isa. 55. 7. Ezek. 18. 21 22 23. and 33. 11. Mal. 3. 17. Confirmed and ratified by his seals the Sacraments together with his Oath that there might be no place left for doubting for God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of promise the stableness of his counsell bound himself by an oath that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie we might have strong consolation as the Apostle speaks Heb. 6. 17. 18. And â—…est the affâ—…icted conscience should object that hee entred into covenant and made these promises to the Prophets Apostles and holy men of God but not to such hainous and rebellious sinners who have most justly deserved that God should pour out upon them the Vialls of his wrath and those fearfull punishments threatned in the Law All the promises made in the Gospel are generall indefinite and universall excluding none that turn from their fins by unfained repentance and beleeve in Christ
and severall graces will one strengthen another as stones in an Arch. As for example Master Peacock Fellow of a House being afflicted in conscience as thou art and at the point of despair when some Ministers ask'd whether they should pray for him answered By no means do no so dishonour God as to pray for such a Reprobate as I am but his young Pupill standing by said with tears in his eyes Certainly a Reprobate could never bee so tender of Gods dishonour which hee well considering was thereby comforted and restored when neither hee with his learning nor any other Ministers with their sage advice could do any good Again secondly if ever thou hadst true faith wrought in thy heart bee not discouraged for as the former graces shew that thou hast with Mary made choice of that better part which shall never bee taken from thee So this grace of faith is Christ's wedding Ring and to whomsoever hee gives it hee gives himselfe with it wee may lose the sence but never the essence of it It may bee eclipsed not extinguished Fides concussa non excussa The gifts and calling of God are without repentance as it is Rom. 11. 29. Friends are unconstant riches honours pleasures are unconstant the world is unconstant and life it self is unconstant but. I the Lord change not Malachi 3. 6. In a swound the soul doth not excercise her functions a man neither hears nor sees nor feels yet shee is still in the body The Frantick man in his mad fits doth not exercise reason yet hee hath it â—…e loseth the use for a time not the habit Yea a sober man hath not always the use of his sences reason and understanding as in his sleep shal we therefore conclude that this man is senceless unreasonable and without understanding it were most absurd for if we have patience but a while our argument will appear manifestly false Trees and so wee are fitly called bee not dead in Winter which resembles the time of adversity because the sap is shut up in the root and confined thither by the cold frosts that they cannot shew themselvs in the production of leavs and fruits for by experience wee know that for the present they live and secretly suâ—… nourishment out of the earth which maketh them spring and revive again when Summer coms Yea even whiles they are grievously shaâ—…on with the winds and nipped with cold frosts they are not hurt thereby but contrarily they take deeper root have their worms and cankers kill'd by it and so are prepared made fit to bring forth more fruit when the comfortable Spring approaches and the sweet showres and warm Sun-beams fall and descend upon them Elementary bodies lighten and darken cool and warm die and revive as the Sun presents or absents it self from them And is not Christ to our souls the onely Sun of reghteousness and 〈◊〉 of all comfort so that if hee withdraw himself but a little wee become like plants in the Winter quite withered yea in appearance stark dead 〈◊〉 or like Trees void both of leavs and fruits though even then there remains faith in the heart as sap in the root or as pre raked up in the ashes Which faith though it bee not the â—…ie strong yet it is the like precious faith to that of Abrahams whereby to lay hold and put on the perfect righteousness of Christ. The Woman that was diseased with an issue did but touch and with a trembling hand and but the hem of his garment and yet went away both healed and comforted Well might I doubt of my salvation says Bradford feeling the weakness of my faith love hope c. if these were the causes of my salvation but there is no other cause of it or of his mercy but his mercy Wherefore hast thou but a touch of sorrow for sin a spark of hope a grain of faith in thy heart thou art safe enough The Anchor lyeth deep and is not seen yet is the stay of all The Bladder blown may float upon the flood But cannot sink nor stick in fi lt by mud But thou dreamest of a saith without doubling which some doungly boast they have but as no righteousness can bee perfect without sin so no assurance can bee perfect without doubting Take the evenest ballances and the most equall weights yet at the first putting in there will bee some in-equality though presently after they settle themselvs in a just poyse Sin is a cloud that often hinders the Sun from our eyes yet it is still a Sun the vision or feeling of this comfort may bee somtime suspended the Union with Christ is never dissolved An usuall thing with beleevers to have their ebbing and flowing waxing and waning Summer and Winter to bee somtimes so comfortable and couragious that wee can say with David Though I were in the valley of death yet would I fear none ill Psal. â—…3 4. otherwhiles again so deaded and dejected in our spirits that wee are like him when hee said One day I shall die by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27. 1. Somtimes so strong in faith that wee can overcome the greatest assaults and with Peter can walk upon the swelling waves by and by so faint and brought to so low an ebbe that wee fall down even in far less dangers as Peter began to 〈◊〉 at the rising of the winde Matth. 14. 29. 30. And indeed if the wings of our faith bee clipp'd either by our own sins or Satans temptations how should not our spirits lye groveling on the ground Sect. 9. But thirdly and lastly for I hasten suppose thou art at the last cast even at the very brink of despair and that thy conscience speaks nothing but bitter things of Gods Wrath bell and damnation and that thou hast no feeling of faith or grace yet know that it is Gods use and I wish wee could all take notice of it to worke in and by contraries For instance in creating of the world hee brought light out of darkness and made all things not of somthing but of nothing clean contrary to the course of Nature In his preserving of it hee hath given us the Rain-bow which is a signe of rain as a certain pledge that the world shall never the second time bee drowned Hee caused Elias his sacrifice to burn in the mid'st of water and fetcheth hard stones out of the mid'st of thin vapours When he meant to blesse Jacob hee wrestled with him as an Adversary even till he â—…amed him When he meant to preferr Joseph to the Throne hee threw him down into the Dungeon and to a golden chaine about his neck he laded him with â—…on ones about his legges Thus Christ opened the eyes of the blind by annointing them with clay and 〈◊〉 more likely to put them out And would not cure Laxarus till after hee was dead buried and stunk again no question to reach us that wee must bee cast down by the Law before wee can
bee raised up by the Gospell that wee must dye unto sin before wee can live unto righteousness and become fools before wee can bee truly wise In the work of Redemption hee gives life not by life but by death and that a most cursed death making that the best instrument of life which was the worst kind of death Optimum fecit instrumentum vitae quod erat pessimum mortis genus In our effectuall vocation hee calls us by the Gospell unto the Jews a stumbling-block and unto the world meer foolishness And when it is his pleasure that any should depend upon his goodness and providence hee makes them feel his anger and to bee nothing in themselvs that they may rely altogether upon him Thus God works joy out of fear light out of darkness and brings us to the Kingdom of heaven by the Gates of hell according to that 1 Sam. 2. ver 6. 7. And wherein does thy case differ Hee sends his Serjeant 〈◊〉 arrest thee for thy debt commands thee and all thou hast to bee 〈◊〉 But why onely to shew thee thy misery without Christ that so 〈◊〉 maist seek to him for merby for although hee hides his fatherly 〈◊〉 as Joseph onoe did his brotherly his meaning is in conclusion to forgive thee every farthing Matth. 18. 26 27. And dost thou make thy slight sufferings an argument of his displeasure for shame mutter not at the matter but bee silent It is not said God will not suffer us to bee tempted at all but that wee shall not bee tempted above that wee are able to bear 1 Cor. 10. 13. And assure thy self what ever thy sufferings bee thy saith shall not fail to get the victory as oil over-swims the greatest quantity of water you can powr upon it True let none presume no not the most righteous for hee shall scarcely bee saved 1 Pet. 4. 18. yet let him not despair for hee shall bee saved Rom. 8. 35. Onely accept with all thankfulness the mercy offered and apply the promises to thine own soul for the benefit of a good thing is in the use wisdom is good but not to us if it bee not exercised cloth is good but not to us except it be worn the light is comfortable but not to him that will live in darkness a preservative in our pocket never taken cannot yield us health nor baggs of money being ever sealed up do us any pleasure no more will the promises no nor Christ himself that onely summum bonum except they are applied Yea better there were no promises than not applied The Physician is more offended at the contempt of his Physick in the Patient than with the loathsomness of the disease And this I can assure thee if the blood of Christ bee applied to thy soul it will soon stanch the blood of thy conscience and keep thee from bleeding to death 1 Joh. 1. 7. But secondly instead of mourning continually as the tempter bids thee rather rejoice continually as the Apostle bids thee 1 Thes. 5. 16. Neither think it an indifferent thing to rejoice or not to rejoice but know that we are commanded to rejoice to shew that wee break a commandement if wee rejoice not Yea wee cannot beleeve if wee rejoice not for faith in the commandements breeds obedience in the threatnings fear in the promises comfort True thou thinkest thou dost well to mourn continually yea it is the common disease of the innocentest souls but thou dost very ill in it for when you forget to rejoice in the Lord then you begin to must and after to fear and after to distrust and at last to despair and then every thought seems to be a sin against the holy Ghost Yea howmany sins doth the afflicted conscience record against it selfe repenting for breaking this commandement and that commandement and never repenteth for breaking this commandement rejoice evermore But what 's the reason Ignorance thou thinkest thy self poor and miserable and onely therefore thinkest so because thou knowest not thy riches and happiness in Christ for else thou wouldest say with the Prophet Habbakuck in the want of all other things I will rejoice in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Habbak 3. 17 18. Thou wouldest rejoice that thy name is written in the book of life as our Saviour injoines Luk. 10. 20. though thou hadst nothing else to rejoice in But it is nothing to be blessed untill we understand ourselvs to be so wherefore Thirdly wait Gods leisure with patience and hold fast to him in all pressures Time saith Seneca is the best Physick for most diseases for the body and so likewise for the soul if it bee an afflicted conscience waiting Gods leisure for the assurance of his love is the best remedy and so in all other cases Section 10. Ob. But when will there bee an end of this long disease this tedious affliction this heavie yoake of bondage c. Answ. It is a signe of cold love scarce to have begun to suffer for Christ and presently to gape for an end It was a far better speech of one Lord give mee what thou wilt as much as thou wilt when thou wilt Thou art Gods Patient prescribe not thy Physiâ—…ian It is the Gold-Smiths skill to know how long his gold must bee in the Crusible neither takes hee it out of that hot bath till it bee sufficiently purified What if the Lord for a time forbear coming as Samuel did to Saul that hee may try what is in thee and what thou wilt do or suffer for him that hath done and suffered so much for thee as why did God set Noah about building the Ark an hundred and twenty years when a small time might have finished it It was for the triall of his patience Thus hee led the Israelites in the desarts of Arabia forty years whereas a man may travell from Ramesis in Egypt to any part of Canaan in forty days this God did to prove them that hee might know what was in their hearts Deu. 8. 2. Hee promised Abraham a son in whom hee should bee blessed this hee performed not in thirty years after Hee gave David the Kingdom and anointed him by Samuel yet was hee not possessed of it in many years in so much that hee said Mine eyes fail for thy Word Psal. 119. 123. Joseph hath a promise that the Sun and Moon should do him reverence but first hee must bee bound in the Dungeon This God doth to try us for in these exigents we shew our selvs and our dispositions What saith God to his people in their misery Psal. 75. When I see convenient time I will execute judgment ver 2. hee doth not say when you think the time convenient Let us tarry a little the Lords leisure deliverance will come peace will come joy will com in mean while to 〈◊〉 â—…nt in misery makes misery no misery Again secondly hee may delay his coming for other ends of greater consequence Martha and
in our Baptism when we took his presse-mony to be his Souldiers and serve him in the field of this world against his and our enemies that we have renounced our vow made â—…o him â—…dd fled from his standard yea fought for Satan and the World seeking to win all we could from Christ by tempting to sin and by persecuting such as were better then ourselves so that all our recompence of thy love unto us hath been to do that which thou hatest and to hate those whom thou lovest Yea we cannot deny but we have persecuted thee with Paul denied thee with Peter betraied thee with Judas and crucified thee with those cruel Jews And as wee have committed one sinne on the neck of another so we have multiplyed and many times repeated them by falling often into the same wickednesse whereby our sinnes are become for number as the sands of the Sea and as the Stars of Heaven Now Lord it being thus with us how can we expect that thou shouldest hear our praiers grant our requests yea how can wee look for other at thine hands then great and grievous yea then double damnation as most justly we have deserved Yet  Yet most most merciful Father being that thou hast given thy Son and thy Son himself for the ransome of so many as shall truly repent and unfainedly believ in him who hath for our sakes fulfilled all righteousness yet suffered on the Crosse and there made full satisfaction for the sins of all thine Elect. And seeing thou hast appointed Praier as one special means for the obtaining of thy grace unto which thou hast annexed this comfortable promise that where two or three be gathered together in thy Name thou wilt be in the midst of them and grant their requests and since our Redeemet hath assured 〈◊〉 that And likewise knowing that mercie pleaseath thee and that the sole perfection of a Christian is the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and the not-imputation of his own unrighteousnesse whatsoever we shall ask thee in his name thou wilt give it us  We are emboldened to sue unto thee our God for grace that we may be able to repent and believe Wherefore for thy promise sake for thy Sons sake and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee send down thy holy Spirit into our souls regenerate our hearts change and purifie our natures subdue our reason rectifie our judgments strengthen our wills renew our affections put a stop to our madding and straying fancies beat down in us whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Jesus Christ and enable us in some measure both to withstand that which is evil and perform that which is good and pleasing in thy sight Yea give us repentance never to be repented of and possess our souls with such a dreadfull awe of thy Majesty that we may fear as well to commit small sins as great ones considering that the least sin is mortall without our repentance thy mercy as wel fear to sin in secret as openly since there is nothing hid from thee as well condemne our selves for evill thoughts as evill deeds considering that the Law is spirituall binding the heart no lesse then the hands as well abstain from the occasions of fin as sin it self and consider that it is not enough to abstain from evill unlesse wee hate it also and do the contrary good And because every day which does not abate of our reckoning will increase it and that by procrastinating we shall but heap unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath Good Lord suffer us not we beseech thee to defer our repentance lest the custome of evill makes it altogether unalterable in us or lest we dye before we begin to live or lest thou resusest to hear us another day calling upon thee for mercy because we refuse to hear thee now calling to us for repentance And now O Lord since thou hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day we beseech the to defend and dierct us in the same and as thou hast blest us in our lying down and in our rising up so protect prosper us in our going forth in our coming home shield and deliver us from the snares of the Hunter who lieth in waite for our souls and is continually labouring our everlasting destruction And no lesse arm us against the allurements of the world wherein we shall meet with many provocations and temptations and that 〈◊〉 may not lead ourselvs nor be Wherefore if we be not yet converted let this be the happy hour of our conversion that as our bodies are risen by thy power and providence from sleep so our soules may daily bee raised from the sleep of sin and the darknesse of this world that so we may enjoy that everlasting light which thou hast prepared for thine and purchased with the bloud of thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.  Give unto us we beseech thee a true lively and justifying faith whereby we may lay hold upon those gracious promises which thou hast made unto us in him and wherewith we may vanquish all our spirituall adversaries Seal up unto us the assurance of our salvation by the testimony of thy blessed Spirit Give to led into temtation give us wisdome to beware of men even of associating our selves with the vitious like Joseph lest otherwise with David we be drawn to dissemble or with Peter to deny thee for sin is of a catching and infectious quality and our corrupt hearts are like tinder which will kindle with the least spark especially O Lord keep us from yeelding to their solicitations or following their customs of drink ing swearing slandering and making the worst construction of thinâ—…s of mocking and scoffing at religion or the religious let not custome and example any whit prevail with us without or against thy written Word lest we misse of the narrow way which alone leadeth unto life onely give us wisedome and grace to look upon thy Sons whole life see how he would speak and do before we speak or do anything then having thy word for our warrant and thy glory for our aime let no censures not flowts of anydiscourageus us thy servants that wisdome which descendeth from above that we may be wise unto our eternall salvation so shall our hearts instead of a Commentary help us to understand the Scriptures and our lives be an Exposition of the inward man Give us grace to account all things in this world even as drosse and dung that we may win Christ Jesus and Heaven and happinesse by means of him Give us single hearts and spirits without guile that wee may love goodnesse for it self and more seek the power of godlinesse then the shew of it and love the godly for thy sake and because they are godly Grant that in the whole course of our lives we may doe unto all others as we would that they should doe unto us considering that whether we
the Divel that we would abuse all thy gifts so fast as they come thy blessings make us proud thy riches covetous thy peace wanton thy meaâ—…s intemperate thy mercy secure and all thy benefits serve us but as weapons to rebell against thee We have prophaned thy daies contemned thy ordinances resisted thy Word grieved thy Spirit misused thy Messengers hated our Reprovers slandered and persecured thy people seduced our friends given ill example to our Neighbours opened the mouths of thine and our adversaries to blaspheme that glorious Name after which we are named and the truth we professe whereas meaner mercies and far weaker means have provoked others no lesse to honour thee and the Gospel who may justly rise up in judgmeâ—…t against us Besides which makes our case far more miserable we can scarce resolve to amend or if we do we put off our conversion to hereafter when we were children we deferred to repent till we were men now we are men we defer untill we be old men and when we be old men we shall defer it until death if thou prevent us not and yet we look for as much at thine hands as they which serve thee all their lives Thou might'st have said before we were formed let them be Toads Monsters Infidels Beggers Cripples or Bondslaves so long as they live and after that Cast-awaies for ever and ever but thou hast made us to the best likenesse and nursed us in the best Religion and placed us in the best Land and appointed us to the best and onely Inheritance even to remain in blisse with thee for ever so that thousands would think themselvs happy if they had but a piece of ouâ—… happinesse Perhaps we have a form of godlinesse but thou who searchâ—…st the heart and triest the reins knowest that too often we deny the power of it and that our Religion is much of it hypocrisie our zeal envie our wisedom policie our peace security Why shouldest thou give us thy Son for a ransome thy holy Spirit for a pledge thy Word for a guide thy Angels for our guard and reserve a Kingdom for our perpetual inheritance Why shouldest thou bestow health wealth rest liberty limbs senses food raiment friends and the means of salvation upon us more then upon others whom thou hast denied these things unto We can give no reason for it but that thou art merciful and if thou shouldest draw all back again we had nothing to say but that thou wert just which being considered why should any serve thee more then we who want nothing but thankfulnesse Why should we not hate the Way to Hell as much as Hell it self and  why should we not make every cogitation speech and action of ours as so many steps to Heaven yet 〈◊〉 thoâ— shouldst now ask us what lust is asswaged what affection qualified what passion expelled what sin repented of what good performed since we began to receive thy blessings to this day we must needs confesse against our selvs that all our thoughts words and works have been the service of the World the Flesh and the Dâ—vel yea it hath been the course of our whole life to leave that which thou commandest and to do that which thou forbiddest yet mâ—serable wretches that we are if we could give thee our bodies and souls they should bee saved by it but thou wert never the richer for them our life rebellion our devotion deadâ—esse and that we live so securely as if we had no souls to save Thus while we look upon our selvs we are ashamed to lift up our eies unto thee yea we are ready to despair wâ—th Cain yet when we think upon thy Son and the rich promises of the Gospel our fear is in some measure turned into joy while we consider that his righteousnesse for us is more then our wickednesse against our selvs onely give us faith we beseech thee and settle it in thy beloved that we may draw virtue from his death and resurrection whereby we may be enabled to die unto sin and live unto righteousnesse and it sufficeth for all our iniquities necessities and infirmities Indeed thy Word and Spirit may work in us some flashes of desire and purposes of better obedience but we are constant in nothing but in perpetual offending onely therein we cease not for when we are waking our flesh tempts us to wickednesse if wee are sleeping it sollicites us to filthinesse or perhaps when we have offended thee all the day at night we pray unto thee but what is the issue of our praying First we sin and then we pray thee to forgive it and then return to our sins again as if we came to thee for no other end but to crave leave to offend thee Or of thy granting our requests we even dishonor thee and blaspheme thy name while thou do'st support and relieve us run from thee while thou do'st call us and forget thee while thou art feeding us so thou sparest us we sleep and to morrow we sin again O how justly mightest thou forsake us as we forsake thee and condemne us whose consciences cannot but condemne our selvs But who can measure thy goodnesse who givest all and forgivest all Though we be sinful yet thou lovest us though we be miserably ingrateful yet thou most plentifully blessest us What should we have if we did serve thee who hast done all these things for thine enemies O that thou who hast so indeared us to serve thee wouldest also give us hearts and hands to serve thee with thine own gifts It is true O Lord as wee were made after thine own Image so by sin we have turned that Image of thine into the Image of Satan but turn thou us again and we shall bee turned into the Image and likenesse of thy Son And what though our  sins be great yet thy mercie is far greater then our sins either are or can be we cannot be so bad as thou art good nor so infinite in sinning as thou art in pardoning if we repent O that we could repent O that thou wouldest give us repentance for we are weak O Lord and can no more turn our selvs then we could at first make our selvs yea we are altogether dead in sin so that we cannot stir the least joint no not so much as feel our deadnesse nor desire life except thou be pleased to raise and restore our souls from the death of sin and grave of long custome to the life of grace Apt wee are to all evil but reprobate and indisposed to all grace and goodnesse yea to all the means thereof Wee are altogether of our selvs unable to resist the force of our mighty adversaries but do thou free our wills and set to thy helping hand in casting down by thy Spirit our raging lusts and by thy grace subdue our untamed affections and we shall henceforth as much honor thee as by our wickednesse we have formerly dishonored thee  Wherefore
of thy goodnesse and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee take away our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh enable us to repent what we have done and never more to do what we have once repented not fostering any one sin in our souls Reform and change our minds wills and affections which we have corrupted remove all impediments which hinder us from serving of thee and direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to thy glory as thou hast directed our eternal salvation thereunto Let not Satan any longer prevail in causing us to defer our repentance since we know that late repentance is seldom sincere and that sicknesse is no fit time for so And because infidelitie is the bitter root of all wickednesse and a lively faith the true mother of all grace and goodnesse nor are wee Christians indeed except we imitate Christ and square our lives according to the rule of thy Word Give us that faith which manifesteth it self by a godly life which purifieth the heart worketh by love and sanctifieth the whole man throughout Yea since if our faith be true and great a work as many have found that are now in Hell Neither is it reasonable thou shouldest accept of our feeble and decrepit old age when we have spent all the flower and strength of our youth in serving of Satan not once minding to leave sin until sin left us saving it can no more be severed from unfained repentance and sanctification then life can be without motion or the sun without light give us spiritual wisdom to try and examine our selvs whether we be in the faith or not that so we may not be deluded with opinion onely as thousands are Yea O Lord give us firmly to resolve speedily to begin and continually to persevere in doing and suffering thine holy will Inform and reform us so that we may neither mis-believe nor mis-live subdue our lusts to our wills submit our wills to reason our reason to faith our faith our reason our wills our selvs to thy blessed Word and Will Dispell the thick mists and clouds of our sins which corrupt our souls and darken our understandings separate them from us which would separate us from thee Yea remove them out of thy sight also we most humbly beseech thee as far as the East is from the West and in the merits of thy Son pardon and forgive us all those evils which either in thought word or deed we have this day or any time heretofore committed against thee whether they be the sins of our youth or of our age of omission or commission whether committed of ignorance of knowledge or against conscience and the many checks and motions of thy holy â—…pirit Discover unto us the emptinesse vanity and insufficiencie of the things here below to do our poor souls the least good that so we may be induced to set an higher price upon Jesus Christ who is the life of our lives and the soul of our souls considering that if we have him wee want nothing if we want him wee have nothing And now O Lord seeing thâ—… time approacheth which thou hast appointed for rest and because wee can neither wake nor sleep without thee who hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our souls and bodies beseeching thee to watch over us this night and preserve Finally O Lord give unto us and increase in us all spiritual graces inlighten our minds with the knowledge of thy truth and inflame our hearts with the love of whatsoever iâ—… good that we may esteem it our meat and drink to do thy blessed will Give us religious thoughts godly desires zealous affections holy endeavours assured perswasions of faith stedfast waiting through hope constancy in suffering through patience and hearty rejoicing from love regenerate our minds purifie our natures turn all our joies into the joy of the Holy Ghost and all our peace into the peace of conscience and all our fears into the fear of sin that we may love righteousnesse with as great good will as ever we loved wickednesse and go before others in thankfulnesse towards thee as far as thou goest in mercy towards us before them  Give us victory in temptation patience in sicknesse contentment in poverty joy in distresse hope in us from all our spiritual and bodily enemies from thievs fire and from all other dangers troubles confidence in the hour of death give us alwaies to think and meditate of the hour of death the day of judgment the joies of heaven and the pains of hell together with the ransome which thy Son paid to redeem us from the one and to purchase for us the other so shall neither thy benefits nor thy chastisements nor thy Word return ineffectual but accomplish that for which they were sent until we be wholly renewed to the image of thy Son These things we humbly beg at thy fatherly hands and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy divine wisdome to be needful and necessary for our souls or bodies or estates or names or friends or the whole Church better then we ourselvs can either ask or think and that for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for thy mercies sake for thy Sons sake who suffered for sin and sinned not and whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our unrighteousnesse in him it is that we come unto thee in him we call upon thee who is our Redeemer our Preserver and our Saviour to whom with Thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most due all honour glory praise power might majesty dominion and hearty thanksgiving the rest of this night following and for evermore Amen A Praier to be used at any time O Almighty Eternall most Glorious and onely wise God giver to them which want comforter of them which suffer and forgiver of them that repent whom truly to know is everlasting life Wee thy poor creatures acknowledge and confess unto thee who knowest the secrets and desires of all hearts that of our selvs we are not worthy to lift up our eyes to heaven much less to present our selves before thy Majesty with the least confidence that thou shouldest hear our praiers or accept of our services but rather that thou shouldest take these our confessions and accordingly condemne us to the lowest place in Hell for our continually we have used all our wisedom to commit the foolishness of sin our whole conversation hath been to serv Satan and fulfill the lusts of the flesh Wee even suck in iniquity like water and draw on sin as it were with cart-ropes  Neither is there any part power function or faculty either of our souls abusing thy mercy and those many means of grace which in â—…hy long suffering thou hast affoarded for our reclaiming Wee are the cursed seed of rebellious Parents wee were conceived in sin and born the children of wrath And whereas thou mightest have executed thy fierce displeasure upon us
other rebellions when we rightly consider them makes us even speechless like him in the Gospell as neither expecting mercy nor daring to ask it  Howbeit when wee call to mind thy manisold mercies shewed to Manasses Paul Mary Magdalen the Thief and the Prodigall Son with many others who were no less vile then wee and who notwithstanding found thee more ready to hear then they were to ask and to give above what they durst presume to beg wee stay our selves and receive some incouragement from the application of the merits of Christ Jesus which thou hast promised shall bee a sufficient satisfaction for all our sins and the rather for that then caâ—…est all that are weary and heavie laden with the burthen of their sins unto thee with promise that thou wilt ease them and hast promised that though our sins be as red as scarlet thou wilt make them white as snow and that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but that he turn from his wickedness and live and that if a sinner doth repent him of his sins from the bottom of his heart thou wilt blot out all his wickedness out of thy remembrance And lest wee should yet be discouraged thou who didst no less accept the will of David then the act of Solomon hast further promised that if there be but first a willing mind thou wilt accept of us according to that which we have and not according to that which wee bave not But forasmuch O Lord as thou knowest that is not in man to turn his own heart unless thou dost first give him grace to convert for thou O Lord must work in us both the will and the deed and being that it is as easie with thee to make us righteous and holy as to bid us bee such O our God give us ability and willingness to do what thou commandest and then command what thoâ—… wilt and thou shalt find us ready to do thy blessed will Wherefore give to us and increase in us all Christian graces that wee may know and believe and repent and amend and persevere in well doing Create in us O Lord a new heart and renew a right spirit within us take away from us our greedy desire of committing sin and enable us by the powerfull assistance of thy grace more willingly to obey thee in every of thy commandements then ever wee have the contrary Be favourable to thy people every where look down in much compassion upon thy Militant Church and every severall member thereof blesse it in all places with peace and truth hedge it about with thy providence defend it from the mischievous designs and attempts of â—…hine and her malitious enemie let thy Gospell go on and conquer maugre all opposition that Religion and uprightness of heart may bee highly set by with all and all prophaneness may be trod under foot More particularly be mercifull to this sinfull Land the civill Magistrates the painful Ministers the two Universities those people that sit yet in darkness all the afflicted members of thy Son Lord comfort the comfortless strengthen the weak bind up the broken hearted make the bed of the sick be a father to the fatherless and Yea let thy Spirit bear such rule in every one of our hearts that neither Satan that forrain enemy and roaring Lyon which seeketh to devour us may invade us nor our own concupiscence that home-bred traytor may by conspiring with the world work the ruine and overthrow of our poor souls but that all our wills which have been altogether rebellious our hearts which have been the receptacles of unclean spirits our affections which are altogether carnall may be wholyframed according to thy holy heavenly will and that we may the better know how to avoyd the evill and do the good let thy word as a light discover unto us all the sleights and snares of our spirituall adversaries yea make it unto us as the Star which led unto Christ and thy benefits like the Pillar which brought to the Land of Promise and an husband to the widdow cloath the naked feed the hungry visit the prisoners relieve the oppressed sanctifie unto them all their afflictions and turn all things to the best to them that fear thee thy Cross like the Messenger that compelled guests unto the Banquet Prosper the Armies that fight thy battells and shew a difference between thy servants and thine enemies as thou did'st between the Israelites and the Egyptians that the one may bee confirmed and the other reclaimed Give us O Lord to consider that although sin in the beginning seem never so sweet unto us yet in the end it will prove the bane and ruine both of body and soul and so assist us with thy grace that wee may willingly part with our right eyes of pleasure and our right hands of profit rather then sin against thee and wrong our own consciences considering that it would bee an hard bargain for us to win the whole world and lose our own souls These Blesse preserve and keep us from all the temptations of Satan the world and our wicked hearts from pride that Lucifer-like sin which is the fore-runner of destruction considering that thou resistest the proud and givest grace to the humble from covetousnesse which is the root of all evil being taught out of thy word that the love of money hath caused many to fall into diverse temptations and snares which drown them in perdition and destruction from cruelty that infernal evil of which thou hast said that there shall be judgment mercilesse to him that sheweth not mercie from hypocrisie that sin with two faces whose reward is double damnation and the rather because wickednesse doth most rankle the heart when it is kept in and dissembled and for that in all the Scriptures we read not of an hypocrites repentance from whoredom which is a sin against a man's own body and the most inexcusable considering the remedy which thou hast appointed against it for the punishment whereof the Law ordained death and the Gospel excludeth from the Kingdom of Heaven from prophanation of thyday considering thou hast said that whosoever  sanctifieth it not shall bee cut off from thy people and did'st command that he should be stoned to death who only gathered a sew sticks on that day from swearing which is the language of hell considering that because of oaths the Land doth mourn and thou hast threatned that thy curse shall never depart from the house of the swearer from drunkenness that monster with many heads and worse than beast like sin which in thy Word hath many fearfull woes denounced against it and the rather for that it is a sin like the pit of Hell out of which there is small hope of redemption  Finally O Lord give us strength to resist temptation patience to endure affliction and constancie to persevere unto the end in thy truth that so having passed our pilgrimage here according to thy will we
may be at rest with thee hereafter both in the night of death when our bodies shall sleep in the grave and in the day of our resurrection when they shall awake 〈◊〉 judgment and both bodies and souls enjoy everlasting blisse These and all other good things which for our blindnesse we cannot ask vouchsafe to give us thine unworthy servants not for our sakes but for thy mercies sake and for thy Son our Saâ—…iour Jesus Christs sake in whom thou art well-pleased and in whom thou wast fully satisfied upon the Crosse for our sins who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth ever one God world without end Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arm O Lord be still our defence thy mercie and loving kindnesse in Jesus Christ thy dear Son ouâ—… salvation thy true and holy word our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort consolation illumination and sanctification now and for ever Amen A Thanksgiving to be brought in to any or every one of them next before the Conclusion where the hand is placed ANd as we pray unto thee so we desire also to praise thee rendring unto thy Majestie upon the bended knees of our hearts all possible laud and thinksgiving for all thy mercies and favours spiritual and corporal temporal and eternal For that thou hast freely elected us to salvation from all eternity when thou hast passed by many millions of others both Men and Angels whereas we deserved to perish no lesse then they and thou mighâ—…est justly have chosen them and lest us for that thou hast created us Men and not Beasts in England not in AEthiopia or any other savage Nation in this clear and bright time of the Gospel not in the darknesse of Paganisme or Popery For thine unexpressible love in redeeming us out of Hell and from those unsufferable and endlesse torments by the pretious blood of thy dear Son who spared not himself that thou mightest spare us For calling us home to thee by the Ministry of thy Word and the work of thy good Spiriâ—… For the long continuance of thy Gospel with us the best of blessings For sparing us so long and giving us so large a time of repentance For justifying and in some measure sanctifying us and giving us ground for assured hope of being glorified in thy heavenly Kingdom For preserving us from so infinite many perils and dangers which might easily have befalne us every day to the taking away of either our estates our limbs or our lives For so plentifully and graciously blessing us all our life long with many and manifold good things both for necessity and delight For peace of conscience and content of minde For our health wealth limbs senses food raiment liberty prosperity For thy great mercie in correcting us and turning thy corrections to our good For preserving us in the night past from all dangers of body and soul and for infinite more mercies of which we could not well want any one and which are all greatned by being bestowed upon us who were so unworthy and have been so ungrateful for the same O that we could answer thee in our thankfulnesse and obedient walking one for a thousand Neither are we unmindful of those national blessings which thou hast vouchsafed unto our Land in general as namely that deliverance from the Spanish Invasion in 88 and from that divelish design of the Gunpowder-Treason for preserving us from the noisome and devouring Plague and Pestilence Lord grant that our great unthankfulnesse for these thy mercies may not cause thee to deliver us into the hands of our enemies and although we have justly thereby deserved the same yet we beseech thee give us not up unto their wills neither suffer Popery ever to bear rule over us nor thy blessed Word and Sacraments to be taken away from us but continue them unto us and to our posterity after us if it be thy good pleasure untill the coming of thy Christ. Babes that are inexpert in the Word of righteousnesse use milk but strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age Heb. 5. 13 14.