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
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
our selves and see Whether our hearts be humbled for till we Returne with contrite spirits Num. 21.5 1 Ioh 1.9 3 Kâ—â—g cap. 8.49 to 50. â—am 3.42 43 44. Psal 66.16 17 18. and confesse The vildnesse of our sin and wickednesse And c stedfastly resolve them to forsake God will not heare the prayers which we make Simile The father takes no pleasure or delight To scourge his tender childe Ier. 3 4 5. so that he might By faire meanes win him but if once he finde In him a stubborne and a wilfull minde He will correct him and correct him till He does submit himselfe unto his will Let not th' afflicted then much daunted be At the a prolonging of their misery Heb 12. 1 2.3.4 Exod. 1.12 Luke 24.26 Acts 14 11. But be assur'd that God intends by this To bring their soules unto eternall blisse What though thou art afflicted more then all Thy friends besides What if the Lord should call Thee out alone to suffer for his word If he a greater measure will afford Of strength to thee thou hast small cause to grudge Or of his justice rashly for to judge Simile The wise Physitian will not give the childe The purge the father takes but one that 's milde One that may with his tender yeares agree And to his nature correspondent be The great Physitian of our soules doth know What we are able best to undergoe Psal 119.72 Psal 7.10 Rom 8.25 Heb. 4.13 He knowes the frame and nature of our hearts He tries the reines and our most inward parts And will not lay his hand on all alike Neither at all times with the same rod strike One man is crossed in his reputation Another in his birth and education Parents sometimes are crossed with a childe That proves a prodigall and growes so wilde That he will not be rul'd doe what they can Standing in awe neither of God nor man The childe with an ill father and the wife With such a husband that her very life Seems as a hell on earth some in their health By daily sicknesses some in their wealth By losse of goods then a let not mortall men Dispute why where by whom what how and when They suffer at Gods hands But be content Sith they have sin'd to beare the punishment Simile The good Physitian will not seek so much To give his physicke as the cure of such As he shall take in hand and therefore tries One way at first if that serve he applies No more but leaves them off b but if he finde Much dregs and corrupt matter still behinde He useth launcing cupping letting bloud Yea any way whereby to doe them good And if at any time he intermit It is because his patients are not fit By reason of their weaknesse not that he Intends to leave them off and thus we see God deales with his owne people many times In purging them from soule-corrupting crimes For when the waies of God we are not taught Esay 50 â— Nor by the first c crosse profit as we ought He either lets it longer on us lie Or sends another though not presently Ier. 5.3.6 Esay 9.17.20 Hos 5.12 13 14. Amos 4.6 usque ad 13. Because we cannot beare it let 's then learne To profit by our troubles and discerne The hand of him that strikes and for what ends The Lord unto his children crosses sends And when at any time we see his hand Stretcht out against a City Towne or Land Lam. 3.40 Let us both search our hearts and waies to see Wherein we might offend his Majesty And so incense his wrath but we alas As if it were a trifle let it passe We sleep a securely on our sinfull beds Till vengeance be powr'd down upon our heads We wanting wisdome to discerne aright The evill b imminent Gods threatning slight Seldome or never doe we take to heart These sins which justly cause God to depart From his owne Saints we doe not understand Wherefore the Lord in justice plagues our land We all are c apt enough to blame the times But few or none record their bloudy crimes We say the times are bad and thinke them strange But where 's the fault what is' t that makes this change Esay 59.1.2.3.4 Lam. 3.42 43 44. Ie eâ— 5 25. usque ad finem Doubtlesse our crying sins our great backslidings Our scoffing of Religion and deridings Those that with fervent d zeale professe the same Though with the losse of life goods or good name Our high-aspiring minds our great excesse In e diet and attire our drunkennesse Our swine-like rooting in this muck and mire Our f whoredome and inordinate desire Our g worshipping false gods our adoration Of the true God after a strange fashion Our taking of Gods name so oft in vaine By sin-procuring words and oaths prophane Our stubbornnesse and disobedience â— Pet. 2.13 Exoâ— 2â— â—8 Rom. 13.1.2.7 To h governours whom with great reverence We freely ought t' obey in all commands That equall with Gods Law and Justice stands Our prophanation of that day of â—est Which chiefly God for his owne service blest Exod 16 2â— Deâ—t â— 12 Exod 20 10. Our sacriledge the wounding and the tearing Our neâ—ghbours credits by false witnesse bearing Hâ—â— 27 usque ad 13. Our inhumanity and great a oppressions Our getting with injustice great possessions Our grinding poore men as it were to dust For lucre of the world which mothes and rust Shall in the end consume our guile and fraud Our usury and theft our little laud Our great contempt of God and Christ in all His morall and Lawes Evangelicall Our tyrannizing o're Gods people here As if we were set in a higher sphere Or regiment a purpose for this end When as the God of Justice does intend That such as are advanc'd to high degree Carefull preservers of his flock should be That they should helpe the fatherlesse and weak And in the poore mans case uprightly speak Our b discontentment and ingratitude Towards the Lord for such a multitude Of undeserved blessings Esay 1.2.5 cap. 4 5 6. Ier. 2 5. usque ad 12. Rom. 1.21 usque ad finem which ofttimes We have repaid with most provoking crimes These are the locâ—sts daughters which St. Iohn Notes in his holy Revelation Revel 9 7.10 Who fâ—ces have as faire as men but beare Stings in their tailes O fly from them and feare With sweet embracements ivâ—e kills the tree With vaine delights thy lusts will murther thee As Iacob to his houshold so speake I Unto each City Countrey Family Away with those strange gods that are among you Zephan 1.8 9. Ierem. 5.7 8 9. Esay 5 11. â—2 Esay 28.1 2 3. Acts 12.21 22. Esay 6.3 4 5. And change your garments for these things wil wrong you Away with whoâ—edome drunkennes and pride Gods purity cannot such sins abide Away with all prophanenesse filthy talking Lust and uncleannesse
they aloft to swim Supported with bulrushes of vaine hope What great applause they should gaine from the Pope The divels Vicar and how much it might Enlarge their freedome but God that gives light In midst of darknesse did their plots disclose Unto the admiration of all those That were then present or should after heare By their forefathers how once England were So undermin'd that had not Gods right hand Upheld the props and pillars of the land Psal 124. False hearted Papists had soone brought us all Into great bondage servitude and thrall But blessed be the Lord may England say Which no time hath us given as a prey Unto their bloody teeth yea blessed be His holy name to all eternitie We as a bird escap'd the fowlers grin And they themselves were a justly caught therein Iob. 4.8 Psal 27.2 And yet we have not turn'd to him aright Nor done the thing that 's pleasing in his sight His bow against us hath b been lately bent Anno 1602. Into our chiefest Cities he hath sent The plague and pestilence and feares of dearth Of late strange inundations of the earth Anno 1640. Great threats of civill warrs which God above Prevent for his great mercy sake and love Anno 1641. 1642. I cannot tell what some wish think or say But I am sure this is the ready way To mangle overthrow and ruinate The good and welfare both of church and state For should such bloody times in England come We might well feare a dreadfull day of doome To us hath God his faithfull Prophets sent To give us warning of the punishment For which our bloudie sinnes aloud do crie For our offending of his Majestie But we not liking of their heavie newes Have not refrain'd them strangely to abuse Unto our shames we cannot but confesse We have been oft convinc'd of wickednesse As how our sins if we did not repent And turne in time would not alone prevent All hope of mercy and of future grace But bring our soules to that infernall place Where we should evermore tormented be In everlasting chaines of misery And yet the Lord we have not truly sought Nor hereby been instructed as we ought We therefore justly may expect the sword Amos 8.11 A famine not of bread but of the word Let it be our chiefe wisdome then betimes To meet the Lord let us confesse our crimes Unto his throne let us appeale this day With contrite hearts and in this manner pray Thou mighty God of Gods thou King of Kings The maker and disposer of all things Dispose so of our hearts mindes thoughts and waies That we may evermore set forth thy praise We must confesse O Lord unto our shame But to the glory of thy dreadfull name That we too often have provok'd thine ire And caus'd thy wrath to burne as hot as fire By our abuse of mercy and of grace That thou migthst justly make our dwelling place And chiefest Cities desolate and void And without mercy let us be destroi'd From off the earth yea thou mightst justly take Thy blessed Candlesticke away and make Us live in darkenesse because thou hast sent The light into the world with this intent That we the path and way might cleerly see That lead to life eternall but still we In ignorance have taken more delight Then in beholding of thy blessed light All things which thou hast made doe stand in awe Of thee their Maker and by natures law Observe their course and order yea and praise Thy holy name according to their waies But man whom thou hast made all things to rule Knowes not his Maker as the oxe or mule Their owner or their Masters crib therefore Thou might'st ev'n in thy fury give us o're To our owne waies and cause us to become Like stocks and stones which are both deaf and dumb We have receiv'd such mercies at thy hands As thou hast not bestow'd on other lands With Angells food we have been daily fed Unto thy selfe O Lord thou hast us wed But we like harlots have thee quite forsaken And for our guides our owne devices taken So that shouldst thou us suddenly divorce We must confesse thy justice upon force Great plenty thou hast giv'n us many years And freed our hearts from terrifying fears Of forraine and domestick enemies Yea thou hast slaine our foes before our eies But we hereby thinking our selves cock-sure Have grown so carelesse wanton and secure That we have quite forgotten thee our God So that shouldst thou now scourge us with the rod Of war and want we could not but confesse That we by reason of our wickednesse Have justly this deserv'd yea ten times more Should thou in justice Lord with us quit score So that our mouthes are stopt in our defence We cannot speake a word of consequence But to thy mercy we our selves betake And humbly thee beseech for Christ his sake Thy people whom thou hast redeem'd to spare That so thou maist unto the world declare That thou art good to Israel thy deare And faithfull Spouse and to all such as fear And worship thee let not wilde boares destroy Thine heritage let not the fox annoy Thy pasture-sheep let not the vineyard fade Or be laid waste which thy right hand hath made Let not fat Buls of Basan with their horns Nor ramping Lions Tygers Unicornes Have any leave from thee to hurt the same For honour of thy great and dreadfull name Refresh it with the dewes of thy good grace That it may fructifie and grow apace So underprop it by thy mighty hand That in the greatest storms it firme may stand Let thine own arme so fence it round about That it may flourish all the world throughout That Cedars strong and tall and mountaines high And such small shrubs which in the vallies lie In time of scorching heat when as the sun In Leo shall begin his course to run May shade themselves under thy well spred vine Till he to Virgo passe a milder signe Thou that upon the heavens high dost ride Thou that sits at the sterne our ship to guide Now in these last these worst and evill daies Guide thou our sliding feet into the waies Of peace and truth thou that in safety keepes Thy chosen flock O thou that never sleepes Nor slumbers now with speed thy truth defend And from thy holy hill some succour send All power is in thy hand declare the same That heathen men may magnifie thy name Let not O Lord those that seeke to betray Thy holy ones have any cause to say Where is the God become that should you save Who will deliver you now from the grave O thou that causest hills like wax to melt Defend thy Sion wherein thou hast dwelt So many yeares thou that dost dwell on high Against thy foes thy selfe now magnifie Let not the tares and weeds destroy the wheat Let not devouring catterpillars eate Thy pleasant fruite we cannot but confesse With griefe
he will show And to the house of Israel also Yea such as feare the Lord shall blessed be Both small and great of high and low degree To them the Lord will multiply his grace Yea unto them and to their stocke and race Psal 115.12 13. Our fathers have put confidence in thee And thou in mercy Lord hast set them free They were deliver'd when upon the name Of God they cal'd they were not put to shame That trusted in him Psal 22.4 5. God's just in all his waies his works are all Most pure he 's nigh to such as on him call Psal 145.17 18. Doubtlesse that man is blest whom God corrects And thereby in his holy law directs That he in evill daies may give him rest When sinners shall for ever be supprest For sure God will no time the just forsake Nor shun his chosen heritage to take Psal 95.12 13 14. Comfort for the godly in time of sicknesse VVHen we lie languishing upon our beds Of sorrow and of sicknesse God our heads And hearts doth hold he heals our griefes and sores And us at length to perfect health restores Pal. 41.5 When snares of Death me round about beset And paines of hell me caught as in a net Then on the name of God thus did I call Deliver thou my soule O Lord from thrall The Lord is mercifull unto the just And faithfull to all those that in him trust I was in wofull paine and misery And in his mercy he relieved me Psal 116.3 4 5 6. The foolish for by reason of their crimes Upon their heads great plagues heap oftentimes Their soules did loath all meats they wont before To hunger for they were brought to deaths door Than 〈◊〉 they crie to God for helpe and aid And he them heard according as they praid Psal 107.17 18 19 20. Though in the vale of death I walke I will No evill feare for thou art with me still Psal 23.4 Comfort for the weak ALL ye that trust in God be strong and bold Though ye be weak God will your hearts uphold Psal 31.24 The Lord your strength and courage will encrease The Lord will blesse you with eternall peace Psal 30.11 Hope in the Lord be strong and no way start And he will comfort and confirme thine heart Psal 27.16 My heart would faint should I not hope to see In life eternall thy felicity Psal 27.15 The fatnesse of the house the just shall feed To them thy pleasant rivers shall exceed Because the Well of life remaines with thee And in thy perfect light we light shall see Psal 36.8 9. The Lord hath bought the soules of all the just And none shall perish that in him do trust Psal 34.22 The Lord doth reigne then let the earth rejoyce And let his Saints triumph with pleasant voice Psal 97.1 I waited long and did with meeknesse beare And God at length to me inclin'd his eare He brought my feet out of the mire and clay Unto a rock he led me in his way Psal 40.1 2. The Lord upon the just doth fix his eyes His eares are alwaies open to their cries The godly crie and God in mercy hears And frees their soules from troubles pains and fears Unto the meeke the Lord is neare and kinde To save such as afflicted be in minde Great are the troubles which the good befall But God in mercy rids them out of all Psal 34.15 17 18 19. According to thy promises most just Thinke on thy servant for therein I trust In midst of troubles this my heart doth cheare This me revives when pains of death draw neare The proud of me have often made a scorne Yet shrinke I not from thee as one forlorn◠For I thy lasting judgements call to minde Therein O Lord I joy and comfort finde Psal 119.49 50 51 52. Such as trust in the Lord shall stand as sure As Sions mount for ever to endure And as the mighty mountains are about Jerusalem ev'n so without all doubt From henceforth and for ever God will those That trust in him with mercies great enclose Psal 125.1 2. Comfort for the penitent THe Lord is just and mercifull also Apt to forgive to wrath and anger slow Psal 103.8 We with our fathers Lord we must confesse Against thee have committed wickednesse The wonders thou didst work in Egypts land Our fathers did not rightly understand They did not call to minde the multitude Of thy great mercies to them but more rude And stubborne were yea in rebellion they Did rise and that at sea yea the red sea Yet didst thou save them for thine owne names sake That thou thy power to be known mightst make Still they provoked God to wrath and ire By their fond and inordinate desire Yet when he did behold their misery He heard in mercy their complaint and cry Psal 106.6 7 44. Thou hast O Lord been mercifull indeed To Israel yea thou hast Iacobs seed Restor'd from thraldome and O God we finde In holy Writ thou blott'st out of thy minde All their misdeeds and heynous wickednesse Whereby they did thy holy Laws transgresse My sins Lord I confesse with griefe of heart In this thy mercy let me have a part Psal 85.1 2. Of joy and gladnesse thou shalt make me heare That thou my broken bones O Lord maist cheare Psal 51.8 Give laud unto the Lord my soule let not The leaft of all his mercies be forgot That gave thee pardon and will give all times Pardon to such as will forsake their crimes After our sinnes with us he hath not dealt Nor forour sinnes have we his furie felt Psal 103.2.3.10 Comfort for the godly in time of dearth IN evill times they shall not danted be In times of dearth they shall Gods goodnesse see Psal 37.19 Behold the eies of God behold the just To helpe all such as in his mercy trust To free their soules while here they live on earth From the devouring jawes of death and dearth Psal 33.18.19 Comfort for the mariner in danger of shipwreck THey that in ships into great waters goe For and with merchandize both to and fro Observe and daily have Gods works in mind His wonders deep they in the deep do find For at his word the stormie winds arise Wherby the surges seeme to threat the skies They mount aloft and plunge the depth againe So that their soules consume with feare and paine They stagger like a drunkard to and fro Their skill is gone they know not what to doe Then did they cry to God for helpe and aide And he them heard according as they pray'd The boist'rous stormes he makes to cease the rage Of roaring waves his hand doth soone asswage Then are they glad then do they shout and sing When God doth them unto their haven bring Psal 107. from 23. to 30. A few short Meditations and ejaculations upon the ATTRIBVTES of God the Lords PRAYER and the ten COMMANDEMENTS Of the goodnesse and greatnesse of God Meditati 1
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
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
the father beare Unto his tender child his sonne most deare That seeing him lie sick upon his bed As if his soule were from his body fled That he both speakes and weepes the child alas As if it were a trifle lets it passe He takes him by the hand my child quoth he Knew I thy wants I soone would sucker thee The child not able to expresse a word Unto his tender father doth afford A smiling looke and fixing of his eye Full fast upon him striveth earnestly To make his mone to shew where lies his paine But wanting strength his striving is in vaine His father does the best he can to ease Him of his paine and what he thinks may please His mind or palate he forthwith takes care How to provide the same he does not spare His purse nor person but as one that were Out of his wits he without heed or feare Goes runs and rides and makes with spur and whip His horse o're vallies and high mountaines skip But finding still his labour to no end He makes what haste he may or can to send For its deare mother and his tender wife And bids the messenger run as for life And tell her that her child is growne so weake That for a world a word it cannot speake She hearing this sad newes makes no delay Her husband runs to meet her by the way And meeting her his mind doth thus unfold Deare-heart I doubt not but thou hast been told How that my sonne lies sick and cannot speake His heart with paine is ready for to breake And mine with griefe because I understand Not what he meanes when he with head and hand And other moving parts does what he can To shew his mind to me unhappy man I pray thee goe and see if thou canst find By any signes its meaning or his mind And though it cannot speake through griefe and paine Yet if thou canst imagine guesse or gaine By any signe what it desires of me Doubt not my love it shall soone granted be More tender mercies will God manifest Unto his children when they are opprest With waves of sorrow and in such distresse That how to pray aright or to expresse Their minds they known not a he accepts their sighes Their sobs their teares their grones and mournfull cries He takes their godly meaning for the deed In peeces he 'le not break the bruised reed Nor quench the smoking flax Mat. 12. Esay 42 1. Psal â—2 12.33.1 oh then be glad And much reioyce in God you that are sad In heart because you cannot pray draw near To him with boldnesse doubt not God will heare The chatt'ring of his Saints and their request Will grant or what in wisdome he sees best For we oft times for want of judgement crave And earnestly desire such things to have As are at best but losse drosse dung and durt And such as might both soule and body hurt The earthly parent will not give a stone Unto his child when he for bread makes mone Mat. 7.7 Not yet a serpent when he craves a fish Nor for an egge a scorpion nor a dish Of deadly poison if then parents know How on their children good things to bestow Much better can our heavenly Father tell What 's for our good who does so far excell In grace and wisdome parents whilst they live For want of judgement to their children give Such things as prove their bane yea oft such things As strange diseases on the bodie brings Psal 75 3 104 8.145.14 But God that did both earth and heaven frame And every thing perteining to the same Who governs all things by his mighty hand Their ends and natures well doth understand He knowes what 's pleasing unto flesh and blood And what may further our eternall good And therefore doth in mercy oft denie a Us what we aske with zeale and fervencie Yea when we aske for stones he gives us bread The food of life eternall yea in stead Of serpents fishes and for dung and drosse A weighty crowne of glory yea for losse Of life goods or good name eternall gaine In stead of pearles and jewells he a chaine Of his celestiall graces will bequeath Whose splendor will obscure all things beneath In stead of partridge woodcocks snipes and phesants Which now a daies are meats for clowns and peasants In stead I say of such like dainty fare Which many make their god God will prepare A table for his Saints deckt with such meate As shall them so suffice that thereof eate That they shall never thirst nor hunger more After those things they thirsted for before In stead of costly buildings and great places Which upstarts oft for want of grace disgraces We with the Angels shall in heaven sing Sweet songs of praise to our eternall King In stead of great attendance and respect Which many as some more then God affect We have the blessed Angels to attend Our persons and from harme us to defend In stead of high-borne kindred and great friends On which so many fooles too much depends God makes himselfe a father and a mother A wife to one a husband to another In stead of milke and hony wine and oyle Whereof too many prodigalls make spoile We have the sincere milke of his pure word Which doth both hony wine and oyle afford For rich attire whereby so proud some grow That they themselves or friends can hardly know With robes of sanctity he cloathes us here That we for aye his princely robes may weare In stead of musick for to please the eare A pleasing voice we shâ—ll from heaven heare Saying this is the way to life and light Deâ—tro 4.12 Ezek. 33 32. Turne neither to the left hand nor the right The second thought VVHo is' t that strikes us is' t a deadly foe Or one desirous of our overthrow No ti 's our best and dearest friend nay rather Psal 94.12.66.10 Laâ— 1.12 Our ever-loving God and tender father What comfort may this yeeld unto a soule That is constrain'd its weaknesse to condole Who can expresse what ease the grieved find When they this truth consider well in mind Troubles and sorrowes may the good befall But this will make them triumph over all Simile The sick man need not doubt distrust or feare His Doctors care who hath a father deare For his Physitian nor the least doubt make Whether those med'cines he may safely take Which he prescribes not onely with great care But with his owne hand likewise does prepare Lesse cause Gods people have to be afraid In time of triall or so much dismaid When they should suffer for the Gospells sake Which lies then bleeding as it were at stake If they consider well who doth them call Yea for what end and purpose and withall How by his mightie and all-ruling hand He governs all things both on sea and land So that the divell nor his instruments Can bring to any purpose their
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
we Thinke nothing good for us but what may be Pleasing to nature but the God of grace Oft from his dearest servants hides his face And makes them for a time in wants a to live That he to them eternall life may give Psal 94 12.13 14. He often suffers them to be perplext And by infernall spirits strangely vext That they might walke more humbly in his sight And feare to sin against his grace and might Yet in due time they b shall find ease and rest And with great gladnesse see their foes supprest For sure his mercies are and from above He loves them with an everlasting c love Simile A wise Physitian through his skill and art Cures many times a man by taking part Of that away which does by d nature feed The vitall spirits when they moisture need He can so temper poyson by his skill That it will prove a very wholesome pill And shall not God who by his power brings Light out of darknesse and doth call such things As never were shall he not able be To make his crosse our chiefe felicitie Psal 68 4â— Psal 103.19 He that could turne those waters into blood Can turne what we terme ill unto our e good He that could cause cleare water to be wine A barren tree to be a fruitfull vine Without all controversie if he please And see it for our good can with like ease Convert our sorrowes into joy our teares To sollid mirth yea our soul-wounding feares And doubting of his care and providence Unto well-grounded hope and confidence He can so order all our crosses here That to the world at length it may appeare That it was good for us to beare the rod And scourges of so mercifull a God If by affliction then thou hop'st to finde Good to thy soule peace to thy troubled minde Looke not so much upon the a Crosse to see What hope or likely-hood therein may bee As to the promise b which the Lord hath made Which shall stand good when earth and heaven fade Cast all thy soule-disturbing cares aside God can and will what 's for thy good provide Could we our hearts unto this temper bring And fully be perswaded of this thing We should not so much stagger as we doe When we the crosse of Christ should undergoe Simile What grievous tortures do the sick endure From time to time in waiting for a cure As launcing c searing cupping losse of blood Hoping all will at length bee for their good E'vn so this would correct the too much feare That is in us if we perswaded were That all the troubles of this present life As losse of friends of husband children wife Of goods good name yea and of life if we Be cal'd thereto much for our good will be Then thou oh mighty God of gods who art The framer and disposer of the heart Convince our minds and so our hearts perswade That in these brinish waters we may wade With chearfulnesse of spirit soule and mind Although we saile against both tide and wind For sure we are though stormes and waves may rore We safely shall at length be brought to shoare And when this pilgrimage shall have an end The noble peeres of heaven shall attend Upon our persons and with triumph bring Us to the city of our heavenly king Unto a city made of gold most pure Whose ground-worke shall for evermore endure Unto a city that shall neither have Need of the Sun or Moone Revel 21.43 for God that gave Them lifght and splendor at the first will be Our light and life to all eternitie O joy above all joyes what can annoy The soule that is possessed with this joy O light above all lights without whose light Man cannot judge the day time from the night What mists and fogs mans mind should so obscure That he should not discerne thy light so pure O light of all the world teach us the way That leads unto this light that so we may In despite of all lets behold at length Thy blessed face in vigour and full strength O blessed sight God in himselfe to see My selfe in God and God himselfe in me O soule-rejoycing-sight what shall I see My friends and kindred in felicitie O full and perfect light what a shall I so Enlightend be hereby as God to know As I am knowne what shall I understand The secret works of his alworking hand Shall I poore sylly wretch acquainted be With all the secrets of the Trinitie How shall my soule triumph when in this place I shall behold my Maker face to face How shall I shout for joy exult and sing When I shall reigne with my eternall king If in his mothers wombe Iohn Baptist were Constrain'd to leape for joy when Christ drew neare Unto his mother Mary how shall we Exult for joy when Christ himselfe will be Not onely with us but in us that so Our joy and peace might ever over flow If that the Israelites for joy did sing When Salomon the wise was crowned king What cause shall we have to rejoyce when we Shall Christ behold in pompe and Majestie The wisemen greatly did triumph when they Found out the babe which in a manger lay How then shall we rejoyce triumph and sing When on his throne we see him sit as king O happy sweetnesse and sweet happinesse Thy soule-rejoycing joyes who can expresse 1. Cor. 2.9 Here 's fulnesse without loathing strength and health Without decay or sicknesse gaine and wealth Without losse or deceit peace without feare Joy without griefe love without hatred here 1. Cor. 13.15 Is knowledge without error holinesse Without uncleannesse truth and godlynesse Without dissembling concord without strife Beauty without deformity Dan. 12. Esay 32. and life Without the feare of death or any fainting Fame without shame and feature without painting Rest without sloath or labour grace and glory Transcending a all things that are transitory O holy judgement seat shall I appeare Before a Judge Acts 10 23. Mat. 3 9 Ioh 8.34 that neither will for feare Nor favour partiall be what shall I see Those men condemn'd who have condemned me Without a cause how can they in this case Without amazement looke me in the face O blessed fellowship what shall I be By grace united to the Trinitie Shall I bee seated in the Angels row Who for my sins deserve to be below The worst of all the divells oh what heart Is able to conceive the hundred part Of those soul-chearing joyes which from this roote In great aboundance dayly spring and shoote O blessed feast of feasts here is indeed The true and perfect Manna which will feed And please the b eater so that he no longer After the world shall either thirst or hunger O reall royall feast who can relate What King did such a feast e're celebrate We reade in Esther of a feast Est 1.4 that were Kept by King Assuerus halfe a yeare But
That such as truly love and feare his name Will do his will thouhg to their losse and shame Sins nor sonnes though they be darlings deare Will they withhold that Gods law truly feare God Abraham commands to slay his sonne The word 's no sooner spoke but it is done Reason might seeme to put in ifs and ands And challenge God upon such harsh commands The flesh might reason thus What shall I slay My onely sonne the sonne might seeme to say O father deare can you find in your heart The head and shoulders of your sonne to part Your sonne your only sonne your sonne and heire Heire of the promise upon whom your care And love hath been so sixt what will you prove A murtherer of your child where is that love Which once did flame like fire is there no sparke Of thy good nature left a riddle darke For nature to conceive a thing most strange How in a fathers nature such a change So strangely should be wrought Oh let me pause A little with my selfe what might this cause What have I done wherein have I offended Cannot my fault by faire meanes be amended O spare a little and withhold thy hand And I will doe what thou shalt me command But he regarding God more then the crie And moan of Isaac seemes thus to replie My child my tender child my sonne most deare I have command to sacrifice thee here Or otherwise my love to thee is such That for a world thy life I would not touch Simile The file may take a way the rust and durt But rather does the weapon good then hurt The flaile may bruise the straw the chaffe great winds May blow a way but still the seedsman finds His corne more fit for use the furnace may Both wood and drosse with heate consume away The purge may drive ill humors from the heart And not hurt it or any other part Troubles oft purge our soules from some soule sin Or other which we have long lived in Before I was afflicted I astray Did goe saith David but now I obey And keepe thy statutes daily in my mind And more delight and comfort therein find Then can the rich man in his wine or oile Or the undanted victor in his spoile So stubborne is the will so crosse the mind The heart so hard and understanding blind That cords of mercy will not us withdraw 1 Sam. 6.20 1 Sam. 12.10 From the transgressing of Gods holy law Troubles and a sorrows oftentimes prevaile When admonitions and good counsell faile Troubles made David to refraine from sleepe Sicknesse King Ezekiah made to weepe Egypts burthen servitude and thrall Made Israel upon the Lord to call Judgements upon his knees proud Pharaoh brought The prodigall how to returne want taught Simile A tender father strives to win his child With gifts faire promises and speeches mild Using what meanes he can from time to time To make him see the vilenesse of his crime He talkes to him and oft in talking weepes And seemes to reason with him in his sleepes His yearning heart with griefe is so opprest That dainties will not downe he cannot rest In any place but goes from friend to friend To see if they can tell what course will mend A prodigall some tells him this some that Some bids him take no care for such a brat Some bids him keepe him short and others say To give him scope will be the onely way He listens to their counsells and first tries All faire and gentle meanes he can devise So loath is he his darling should be lost That he regards no labour care or cost Yet when he finds all this to be in vaine He sends him over sea to France or Spaine And to the Master of the ship gives way To keep him short and curbe him day by day Untill such time as he shall clearely find Him of another nature will and mind The dingthrift knowes not this but lives in hope That he shall have more liberty and scope He goes aboord the ship as one that were Void of all humane reason wit or feare He thinks to have the like or more command Upon the sea then he had upon land Luke 15 16. But when this prodigall is through great need Constrain'd on durtie husks with swine to feed And calls to mind upon what daintie fare His fathers servants feed he then takes care How to returne his folly to confesse Hâ—s great rebellion and unworthinesse To be his son and therefore much desires To be but as a servant which he hires For yearely wage so that he may obtaine His former love and countenance againe This course the Lord is forc'd oft times to take With his when they his holy waies forsake To follow their owne fancies and delight To satisfie their sinfull appetite Should God not sometimes strike us with his rod We should forget that there was any God Nay should not God oft strike we soone should grow So well conceited that we a should not know God or our selves aright but run on still The measure of iniquitie to fill Should we have all things at our hearts desire We should like swine so wallow in the mire Heb. 11.9.10 Of worldly pleasures that our hearts would be More bent to trash then true felicitie Had not the Israelites been in distresse And long perplexed in the wildernesse The land of promise had not welcome beene Neither had they Gods love so clearely seene Tidings of a peace unto the souldier brings More true contentment then all other things The wether beaten Marriner desires To be on shore the traveller aspires The top of some high hill hoping to see His journeys end the labourer would be Rather at b rest then roast the silly slave Expects a day to come when he might have His liberty the sick man prizeth c health And fortitude the poore and needy wealth The hungry food the naked cloathes the blind Their sight the cripple limbs the sick in mind And soul-afflicted joy and such as know The paines and miseries they undergo Who suffer in some sort the pangs of hell In soule and mind whilst upon earth they dwell Will heaven prize and ever thinke it best To be with Christ in his soule-easing rest Simile So dearely loves the child the mothers brest That quietly one houre it scarce will rest Without the same yet when the child is growne Unto some bignesse and begins alone To creepe about the mother much desires To weane it off and for that purpose hires One for to tend her child that so she may Keepe for a day or two out of the way The child growes mother-sick and is so wed Unto the brest that it will not be fed With any other food but roares and cries Both day and night as it i' th cradle lies She hearing this to be of so small boote With some unpleasant thing as 't might be soote Her brest besmeares to trie if it will take
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
all ungodly walking For these infect pollute and much defile Each house and Countrey City Towne and I le Psal 38.18 For what is past unfainedly be sorry And spend your time hereafter to his glory Boast not great Britaine of thy force and a might 1 Sam. 2 9. It 's God that does prepare the hands to fight If thou hast great Jehovah on thy side Thou need'st not fear thy foes ouâ—rageous pride But if he be against thee all thy powers Psal 127.1.2.3 Wel-fortified Cities Castles Towers Thy multitude of people store of weâ—lth Bulwarks and walls thy fortitude and health Thee cannot save thy Towers whose lofty roofe Threaten the Heavens are not vengeance proofe Thou by thy sins hast highly God offended And without doubt some evill is intended Unlesse thou b meet him by thy true repentance And thereby cause him for to change his sentence Thy forty dayes have been twice forty yeares And yet in mercy God to strike forbeares Thee in his bosome he had rather cherish 2 Pet. 3.9 1 Sam. 15 26. Then in thy sins thou should'st for ever perish Goe then with speed thy time no longer spend In vanities thy heart in pieces rend Thy antick-apish fashions lay aside Let sackcloth serve thy nakednesse to hide Unfift thy selfe reforme returne repent With brinish teares thy bloudy crimes lament Repent in dust and ashes pride must fall And if not here it doubtlesse elsewhere shall Thy forces which thou trustest in will faile thee Wealth in the houre of death will not availe thee About things needlesse trouble not thy braine Thy study turne into a better straine Wrestle with God a let not thy courage faile By earnest suites thou maist at length prevaile Goe sue and sue againe take no deniall Matth 7.7.8 Marke 11.24 Thou maist obtaine upon a further triall To stand upon b deserts it is in vaine Then crie for mercy crie and crie amaine Mercy sweet Lord good Lord what shall I doe For Jesus Christ his sake some mercy show My sins are great thy mercies Lord are greater Though I be sinfull Lord I am thy creature On thy sweet mercy all my hope relies To thee my only rock I bend my eies Knock at H aven gates as if thou wouldst all break Till God to thee a word of comfort speake Possesse him with thy sad complaint and griefe Give him no rest untill thou findst reliefe And if it please him for to heale thy sore Lest worse things happen to thee sin no more Iohn 5 14. But stâ—y my mâ—se hast thou made known thine errant According to the tenure of thy warrant Hâ—st thou not skipt the sins which are her bane Fâ—e thou art out and must begin againe Yet let prudentia be thy tutor still And let charissa moderate thy quill Let not thy passion make thee too austere In passing sentence be not too severe Choler hath often made me fume and swell But I have curb'd it as a fiend of hell I would not blaze abroad anothers shame In hel-hatcht libells that should want a name I never did affect to scold or brawle As many men have done to purpose small Will loftie spirits be out-braved No Reason their stubborne wills must overthrow And how shall wit or reason there be found Where haire-brain'd choller does so much abound Yet on the other side I blame as much All such as tongue-tide are and chiefly such As are in place and have command to tell Our Iuda of her sins our Israel Esay 58.1 Of her transgressions these are sicke and weake In soule and minde I mean they cannot speake A plaine or perfect word or else for feare They should discountenance the upper sphere They with the dog-star will lye hid at noone And when they barke it will be at the moone You know my meaning well I cannot stay To make it plaine but in conclusion say Were not their words so eaven we should see That many men by odds would better be Here 's a Scyllâ— and Charybdis shall I shun The danger of the one and headlong run Upon the other No it were far better That in my horn-booke I knew not a letter I 'le b looke before I leap yea and before I le run upon such rocks I 'le keep on shore Then my best way as I suppose will be To have recourse unto my Geometry And to this brain-sick study bend my minde Betweene these two extreams a meane to finde Which if I doe I 'le take my rule and square And compasse too and then I need not care What malice can invent nor need I feare To view the Zenith of the upper sphere Some for my a paines perhaps may call me foole And say it were more fit I went to schoole To learne my Accidence then to relate The misdemeanours of so high a State I must confesse full loath I am to enter And yet my vow compells me for to venture Yet I will have my rule and compasse by me That if in malice any should belie me Such demonstration I may draw at large As ever shall an honest minde discharge Yea by this rule I 'le draw my lines so squarely And cypher out these evill times so fairely That in conclusion they shall answer make It 's very true it is but our mistake Thus having made my way I will begin To name and to anâ—tomize each sin Injustice and oppression shall be first Injustice and Oppression For these alone will make a land accurst We were of late to such disorders growne That what we had we scarce could call our owne Monopolists and new found tricks in store To make the Common-wealth both bare and poore But blessed be the Lord we are befriended Herein we see the matter well amended Our hearts are growne luke-warme yea and stone cold There 's scarce a man alive that dare be bold To speake the truth for feare he should offend His noble Patron Parish or deare friend Some with the Gergesites their hogs prefer Before their sweet Redeemer others are With Demas too too prone Christ to forsake And for their part this present world to take This hellish charret tearmed avarice Covetousnesse Runs swiftly on foure wheels of sin and vice Faint courage greedy-griping churlishnesse Contempt of God of death forgetfulnesse The horses drawing it are chiefly two Greedy to catch and loath for to forgoe The carter driving it desire to have The whip held in one hand is called save The reine i' th other stoppage and the road Wherein he drives is pleasing a smooth and broad The footmen running by are chiefly three Envie deceit and grosse hypocrisie The journies end is everlasting woe For to the pit of hell we headlong goe Unlesse the Lord of his preventing grace Block up our way and crosse us in our race What is the cause the childe does so desire To see the death of his indulgent fire That he can neither wait on Gods good pleasure Nor yet
may be sould b e're long well to prevent Such doubts and feares let 's freely give consent To make our selves as merry as we can For what is life more then a blast or span And therefore will you sin rash youth take heed If life be fraile and brittle there 's more need Of watchfulnesse and care how can you hope For life eternall when you give such scope Unto your lawlesse lusts what do you thinke That at your follies God will ever winke Esay 30.13 14. 2 Pet. 39. No no besure c God will you call at last To give account for what is done and past And whil'st you strive d Charybdis for to shun You to your ruine upon Scylla run The melancholy humor For though your passage please you very well The haven at which you shall arrive is hell I cannot but admire to see how some As if no death or judgement were to come Will pawn their very soules the world to win As if they thought true blisse to be therein For want of understanding some a men thinke If they can eate good meate and drinke good drinke Afford to take tobacco drinke rich sacks And for to put rich raimenton their backs Then they are well and we say more then this When as we say such cannot doe amisse Alas poore silly men you in conclusion Will find the world to be a meere delusion When death appeares your wealth will not availe you Your stomacks and your palates both will faile you Those meats and drinks which pleas'd you best of all Will be as bitter to your taste as gall Your crazie bodies will be sore and tender Sicknesse will make your joynts so weake and slender That rich attire will then torment you more Then ever it did please you heretofore Some thinke if they can get a faire estate And put their wares off at a handsome rate Be it by lying b theft deceit or worse Then they are happy men although the curse Of God and man be upon them and theirs And to our view a c reason hence appeares Why many great and faire estates are brought So oft and soone to little or to nought Alas poore man I pitty much thy case And wish that God may give thee better grace What art thou better for a golden mine If that a d curse be upon thee and thine Leave off this evill course of life and pray God to forgive thy faults and not to lay This to thy childrens charge repent in time Of this thy crying crimson colour'd crime Hereafter let thy chiefest care be this To make thy selfe and them true heires of blisse Some place their happinesse in lofty Towers In walks and gardens deckt with dainty flowers The vanity of mens minds In orchards some and some in spatious grounds In cards and dice some some in hawks and hounds In horses some and some in cocks and bulls Some in their whores some in their drunken guls Some in a tennis Court and some in bowles And some to range abroad at night like owles To take the aire or else to seek their prey You know my meaning take it either way Some take delight in making foolish Plaies Others to act them some spend all their daies In foolish vanities untill at last The golden times of Gods free grace be past What comfort will it be to thee to thinke That thou hast eat good meat and drunke good drink That thou hast had the world as in a string And didst command thy tenants as a King To doe thee service Yea what comfort can All earthly pleasures yeeld to any man When pale and grim-fac'd death shall wound his heart And very soul with his al-slaying dart Thou tookest great delight in hawks and hounds To finde out sport to range about thy grounds The vanity of worldly pleasures But sicknesse now hath brought thy head so low That for a world one step thou canst not goe Thy head is weake and noise thy temples wounds What pleasure hast thou now in yelling hounds Alas I know they but torment thy minde Therein thou canst small ease or comfort finde But in what state now lies thy silly soule Alas I cannot but thy case condole Now thou hast ceas'd thy nimble hounds to follow And canst not heare thy huntsmen whoop or hollow Yea when thy paine through sicknesse most abounds Death will prevent thee with a packe of hounds I meane distracting cares thoughts doubts and feares Whose hellish yellings shall be in thy eares As long as thou hast life but is that all No still as if thy torments were too small Conscience as huntsman comes in with a crew Of cruell bloudy hounds which will pursue Thy fainting soule with so much force and might As if they had forgot to doe thee right No breathing space no law as huntsmen say Thou must expect and for to flie away It is in vaine for it hath been debated Whilst thou art living they will not be rated But will thy death give them content O no To judgement they with thee along will goe And never thinke themselves for to be well Till thou and they with hel-hounds meet in hell But will they let thee be at rest there No They daily will augment thy endlesse woe Those very dogs which thou hast choisely bred And at thy table plentifully fed Will surly grow and flie up at thy face Unto thy finall horrour and disgrace And as regardlesse of thy paines and groanes Will daily gnaw upon thy flesh and bones Object But some may say how should this come to passe We read in Judges how that Balaams Asse Did check his master and we know right well That dogs did lick the bloud of Iezabel When she was dead but that these dogs should strive To eat their master yea and that alive Yea and dogs that were daily fully fed And lodg'd with him upon a feather bed Of such a slaughter I have never heard That dogs their master should so ill reward Answ Their master dost thou say Had it been so They had not brought him to this shame and woe To all the world it might have been a wonder If he had sought in time to keep them under But seeing he permitted them to reigne It is not strange but you may say againe That they were still well kept 't is very true And hereupon this evill did ensue For had those dogs I mean his raging lusts Been as we say kept short with scraps and crusts Had they been kept but at an under rate They had not brought him unto this estate Of misery and woe well then from hence I may infer one use of consequence If earthly pleasures cannot long remaine And after end in everlasting paine If they have been abus'd let me advise You that have faulty been now to be wise From vaine delights your mindes and fancies weane From the extreame a excesse thereof I mean I know some pastimes b lawfull are and good Both to
sincere That it may now and ever be displaid Against all such as shall thy truth invade Returne O God let not thy wrath proceed Shew us some favour helpe us in our need So fill our hearts with mercy that thy praise We may extoll with gladnesse all our daies O let that peace of thine which passeth all Our understandings keep our soules from thrall Yea soules and bodies both let it preserve So in thy feare that we may never swerve From thee our onely God but through thy grace In godlinesse may finish this our race That when we yeeld up this life transitory We evermore may dwell with thee in glory These and what else O Lord thou knowest best In thy great wisdome for us we request Not as desert for nothing's due but shame And hel-fire unto us but in the name And for the sake of that Son of thy love Who for our sakes alone came from above To whom with thee O God of saving grace And to thy holy Spirit in the next place We give all honour and desire t' adore Thy holy Name both now and evermore Amen PARTICVLAR REMEDIES AGAINST DESPAIRE COLLECTED Out of DAVID his PSALMES And applied to the severall Conditions of men in this vale of Misery By F T. Psal 107.43 Hosea 14.10 He that is wise to record well in minde These things shall understand how kinde And good God is to such as meekly beare His rod and thereby learne his Name to fear Psal 34.8 Taste then and see how good God is and just Blessed are they which in his mercy trust LONDON Printed by THO HARPER MDCXLIII Remedies against despaire in times of warre THe Lord of hosts doth take our part his eie Prevents all harme on him our hope doth lie He causeth warres to cease he breaks the bow He cuts the speare and charrets burnes also Be still and know that I am God and I Throughout the earth my selfe will magnifie Psal 46.7.9.10 God breakes the arrowes of the bow the shield The sword the speare the battle in the field Thou art more bright and shalt remaine for aye More puissant then mountains high of prey Stout-harted men yea mountaines strong and steepe Through thee are spoiled and have slept their sleep The mighty men of warre great men of might Have found both hearts and hands unfit to fight At thy rebuke thou that dost Iacob keepe The charret and the horse are cast a sleepe Thou even thou art to be dred and who Shall able be thy wrath to undergoe When thou to judgement shalt O God arise To helpe the meeke and heare their dolefull cries Surely unto thy praise mans might and rage Shall turne and thou the remnant shalt asswage Psal 76.3.4.5.6.7 8.9.10 The speare-mens ranks the calves and bulls of might God will destroy and all that love to fight This is our God that saves us from all wrong Issues of life and death to him belong Psal 63.30.20 Ungodly men consult against the good And plot how to condemne the guiltlesse bloud But still my refuge is the Lord most just Yea my God is the rock in whom I trust Psal 94.21.22 The arrowes of the Lord are sharpe to sting The hearts of those that fight against the King Psal 45.5 Our eares have heard our fathers have us told The mighty workes which thou hast done of old How by thy might thou cast the heathen out And didst subdue such as were strong and stout And in their place didst plant them by thy hand That they in safety might possesse the land They did not conquer by the sword their arme Their strength could not O Lord them save from harm But thy right hand thine arme thy strength and might Because in them thou tookest great delight Through thee alone we have thrust back our foes And troad those downe that up against us rose Unto my bowe no confidence I gave Neither from danger could my sword me save Thou hast us sav'd for honour of thy name Thou hast our foes put to reproach and shame Psal 44.1.2.3.5.6.7 As we have heard of old and oft have beene Told of thy goodnesse we have also seene Ev'n in the city of our God that he Will it establish to eternitie Psal 48.8 God is our hope and strength our rock and aid Ready to helpe when we are much dismaid Then though the earth be mov'd and mountaines fall Into the sea we will not feare at all Though waters rage and troubled be though waves Beat downe high mountaines God his people saves For there a river is whose streames will cheare The City of the Lord his Saints most deare God in the midst thereof doth dwell for aye Therefore it shall not perish or decay Psal 46.1.2.3.4.5 An hoast of men Lord I discomfite shall In thee through thee I shall leap o're the wall Psal 18.29 Let God arise and manifest his might And then his foes shall put themselves to flight But godly men before him shall rejoyce Yea leap for joy and sing with pleasant voice Psal 68.1.3 God is my rock shall man make me dismaid God is my strength why should I be afraid Psal 27.1 O sing unto the Lord new songs of praise For he hath wrought great wonders in our daies His owne right hand and holy arme alone With great renowne his foes hath overthrowne The Lord declares his saving health and might His justice eke in all the heathens sight He calls to mind his mercy truth and grace To Israel and all his faithfull race That all the world might see and know right well The goodnesse of the Lord to Israel Remedies against despaire in case of want and poverty THe poore shall eat and be suffic'd and they That seeke God praise him and shall live for aye The poore and needy he will not despise Nor hide his face from their complaints and cries Psal 22.24.26 Although I be of meane degree and poore The Lord is mindfull of me evermore Psal 40.17 Delight your selves in God with hearts entire And he will give to you your hearts desire Psal 37.4 All wait on thee yea things void of all reason That thou their food maist give them in due season Psal 104.27 The needy God will raise out of the dust Out of the dung the poore that in him trust Psal 113.7 For want of food the lions may be pin'd But such as feare the Lord shall succour find Psal 34.9.10 I have been yong and now aâ— waâ—ed old And in this case to speake I dare be bold That I the godly man did never see Forsaken quite nor his posterity Through want constrained for to beg their bread But ever have been by Gods goodnesse fed Psal 37.25 Cast thou thy burthen on the Lord and he In times of dearth and want will nourish thee Psal 56.24 Trust in the Lord to do good give thy mind Dwell in the land and thou shalt succour find Psal 37.3 Comfort for the godly when vengeance is powred downe upon the