meet with this point againe in the following parts 10. Heare the Word of God diligently and attentiuely sit not at Church like those dease Adders which will not be charmed for as faith so hope is by hearing whatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Hopes grounded hereon are like trees planted by the water which spread out their roots by the Riuer O did the prophane and carelessâ— he arer but know what a sure hope in God were worth at the houre of death hee would not for all that wealth or pleasure which he now idoleth loose one word or sentence which falleth from the mouth of the Prophet Lastly Bee frequent in prayer These two excellent precepts are necessarily vnited Reioyce euermore and Pray continually We cannot haue any solid hope in which wee can reioyce except we come often into the presence of God by heartie prayer The God of hope fill you with all ioy and peace in beleeuing that yee may abound in hope It was Pauls prayer for the Romans it must bee ours for our selues Prayers must ascend that grace may descend Prayers like a thin vapour drawne vp by the power of the sunne fall downe in showres of blessings sweet issue of faithfull prayers Titus Vespasians Sonne was sayed neuer to send any man sad out of his presence surely God neuer dismisseth the humble and faithfull petitioner comfortlesse away Baal beeing called vpon could not answer for he was no God but a senselesse stocke but our GOD heareth his euen before they speake he seeth the desire in the heart euen before it breake out into the tongue hee helpeth our infirmities when we know not what to pray and knoweth the meaning of the Spirit Before they call I will answer saith hee and while they speake I will heare Diuine efficacie of zealous prayers Dauid sang he de profundis euen at the gates of death so did Ionah in the bellie of his liuing graue In feare and danger when my soule sainted within mee I remembred the Lord and my prayer came vnto thee in thy holy Temple Tell mee you that forsake your owne mercy by waiting vpon lying vanities what messenger could haue fetcht comfort so fur Giue me the vse of that word Quis ascendit in 〈◊〉 Send eloquence to pleade at the gate of Heauen send wisdome to sollicit send reason to negotiate for thee send riches which on earth goeth like the Angell thorow euery ward of the prison euery doore euen the gates of the Temple also send greatnesse send honour to complement nothing could bring thee hope only prayers finde accesse to his fauour through our Mediator Iesus Christ O blessed prayers ô blessed hope How dost thou carry men beyond reason beyond expectation beyond i themselues 〈◊〉 beyond thy selfe and pâ—acâ—st them in that estate which is not onely aboue thee but without thee For enioying entieth hope as hope beginneth eternall happinesse in our present assurance For I will yet praise him c. THe reason or cause of this hope with which he comforteth his soule is fetcht 1. From a strong perswasion for the future which God theâ— presently gaue him for I shall yet praise him Euen in affliction hee warranteth himselfe deliuerance â— as if he said Hope for now at the woost I haue comfort though it bee ill with mee now I am resolued I shall bee holpeâ— 2. From the experience of Gods fauours past whereby he hath beene the helpe of his countenance 3. That which implyeth past present and future Hee is my God by his Couenant made with me There are three supporters of hope 1. The promises of God sealed to the conscience by the Spirit of God For what else could giue assurance in afflictions 2. Experience of Gods fauours 3. The free couenant of God assured vs by his grace and holy Spirit of adoption whereby we claime an assured interest and call him our God our Father This repetition of the same sence importeth that Dauid had not absolutely vanquished his temptations at one encounter but that hee was compelled to re-inforce and strengthen his mind afresh This yet in my Text is an enforcing particle and of great waight Grieuous are my tryalls yet shall I praise him in his holy Temple yet I shall confesse to him It is put aduersatiuely importing a very difficult conquest ouer strong and many oppositions so Psalme 92. 15 he saith they shall still blossome and in their age shall bee lustie and greene implying a strength aboue and against the many weaknesses of that age which may seeme to end that vigour so Psalme 141. 5. For yet my prayer shall be in their miseries as if he had said Though their wilfulnesse bee such as that the greatest compassion can hardly ouercome it yet I shall pitty them in their destruction So doth he put the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he vseth six times in one Psalme as it were expressing a very hard victory ouer sundry kinds of tryals So hee expresseth a notable conflict heere Flesh and blood casteth downe faith erecteth faith hath no sooner comforted the soule with this inward parley but the wayward old man falleth againe to new complainings yet faith ouercoÌ„meth and triumpheth ouer despaire I shall yet praise him So Ionah said I am cast away out of thy sight yet will I looke againe toward thine holy Temple In that he saith hee shall praise him it sheweth hee was confident of deliuerance so that here are two things 1. Confidence 2. Resolution I shall yet praise him I beleeue and stand assured of helpe and vpon this supposition I resolue I will praise him We reioyce in hope saith the Apostle it is their confidence as I haue sayed were it not for hope I see not what comfort were in the world Hee that loueth an hopelesse estate knoweth not sorrow in a world of sorrow all but for this would be either a sad visage of helplesse misery or a foolish of vaine reioycers And what were hope without assurance but a painfull hanging betwixt ioy and sorrow What were hope without ground without reason though with all confidence but a blinde presumption a selfe-deceiuing and obstinate opinion of helpe Therfore he armeth his hope with reason assurance and resolution which like Dauids three Worthies breake thorow the enemies Campe for waters of Bethleem for a longing soule and run thorow an Army of sorrowes to fetch comfort Hope and Feare like the Spies sent into Canaan both râ—nnâ— before vs to discouer for vs Feare tâ—llâ—th of insuperable dangers ouergrowne difficulties calamities immured to heauen Hope bringeth from Escol a clustâ—r 1. of Grapes 2. Figs 3. Pomegranats that is hope 1. of pardon 2. of grace 3. of glory Oor pardon in the blood-sheddisg of jesus Christ the true Vine in whom we haue reconciliation and atonement hâ—ere
â—ersenesse of man to 〈◊〉 salutâ—rie things and to take the hurtfull willingly to desire rather to perish pleasantly then to be cured with pain to dye for feare of killing to these men medicine is meere cruâ—lty the searing Iron and Lancet are instruments of death yet because they bring profitable griefe and necessarily make sad they are vsed The effect excuseth the horrour of the worke and that same shrieker sigher and roarer vnder the Chirurgians wil after fill with rewards those once esteemed cruell hands he will commend them for excellent skill hee will denie that they are cruell So it is lawfull for God who as the rule is preseribeth not the sweetest but the wholesommest things to heale vs to eternall life by fire sword and what so euer is most bitter or is it lawfull for Physitians and not much more for God Doe we admire them when they so follow our disease that they cure by that which grieueth vs heates with heates the ouerflowings of the gall with bitter Portions fluxes of blood by opening of veines and wilt thou blame a icalous God if he striue with the causes and helpe as it were by emulating the euill if hee dissolue death by death if hee preuent killing by killing torments by tormen s punishments by punishments if be giue life by taking it away that which thou thinkest peruersenesse is reason and grace which thou esteemest cruelty therefore shall hee be queazie-stomacked to the antidote who was greedy of the poyson To conclude if we would not like way ward children cry because we will cry and like fooles pay with murmuring where wee owe thankes but duely wisely weigh what cause wee haue of impatience wee should in euery correction kisse the rod with Dauid and say it is good for mee that I haue been in trouble or at least in the words of my Text Why art thou cast dâ—wne my soule My soule IN the second place of the expostulation wee are to consider the party speaking and spoken to The Psalmist speaketh to himselfe which manner of a Treatie is a Soliloquie and parly of a solitaâ—y man whether the soole speake within it selfe in the spirituall language of thoughts whereby it recedeth from vsuall workes and imployments receined from things externall and commeth home to it selfe consideâ—eth suruayeth and examineth it owne condition according to which it either râ—ioyceth coÌ„forteth counsaileth bemoneth or reproueth it selfe or expresseth it selfe to it selfe by words spoken to stirre vp the affections and to leaue a more firme impression in the minde then those slender and vnuttered thoughts could haue done There is an inward speaking of the soule within it selfe for whosoeuer vnderstandeth in that he concciueth something proceedeth within him which is the conception of that which is vnderstood comming of of the intellectiue vertue which conception a word signifieth and it is called verbum cordis the word of the heart signified verbo vocis by the word of the voyce Primarily that inward conceit of the heart is called a word secondarily the voyce expressing that inward thought which was first pronounced in the heart So that thoughts are the minds words and words are the Messengers and Interpreters of the minde In the one the soule speaketh inwardly either to it selfe onely conscious of it owne senses which God alone knoweth with it or to God who because hee heareth not like man needeth not audible sounds hee knoweth the vnutterable groanes and sighes of the spirit yea when we know not what to pray as we ought he knoweth the meaning of his own spirit speaking in vs as a tender Nurse doeth the wants of a câ—ying Infant in this the soule after a wonderfull manner sendeth vp votes to God as it were by a priuate doâ—e not knowne of men or Angels themselues or more properly to speake talking with that Spirit which manifesteth to vs a secreâ— and awfull presence in vs. Moses why câ—yest then to mee said God yet we heare of no voyce In the other the soul sendeth out that which it hath framed within through that pâ—slage which openeth towards externall 〈◊〉 â—â—s making the thoughts sensible by the Ministrie of the 〈◊〉 vocall instruments framing such sounds as serue to conuâ—y them to the eares soules of others how else could a spirit which is not heard but through the tongue coÌ„uay it inward sense meaning to the soul of another but that both these spirits the one speaking the other hearing being now imprisoned in their bodies shut vp froÌ„ ech others interuiew do speake heare through those dores of the body which God hath set open in man for such entercourse These words of our Psalmist doe both discouer the soule to bee the part affected by some distâ—mper causing that immoderate griâ—f wherof he coÌ„plaineth and teach vs a way to the cure in the like distresses which is by such a â—â—cesse from all euill and worldly thoughts as that the soule may freely enioy examine and search it selfe without hinderance and distraction enter into consider and rectifie it selfe The ground of all is because the onely way to help a sick and troubled minde is to raise it vp to that soundnesse and integrity which it shall have in it vnion with God in whom alone consisteth all our blessednesse in whose fauour is life in whose loue happinesse in whose presence fulnesse of ioy Our vnion therefore with him his gracious presence in our soules and consciences our assurance of reconciliation with him in Christ and a true sense and feeling of the Kingdome of lesus established in vs is the foundation of all our comfort and this cannot stand with the Kingdome of Sathan in the soule for Christ will haue no vnion with Belial hee admitteth no partnership and it is for sinne for which the wrath of God comming on our disobedience aâ—â—â—â—cteth vs as hath beene shewed before lest then sin doe by stealth possesse the soule and wee seeke comfort in vaine we must seriously enter into our selues and search and try our wayes For the clearing my way into this and the following parts I will here lay downe these fiue conclusions following 1 There is a carnall security an enioying the pleasures of sinne for a season amongst the vnregenerate whose sinnes neuer cost them teaâ—e neuer brake them an houres rest therefore this point I speake of is a meâ—â—e riddle to such when they heare these discourses of comforting an afflicted soule by a fruitfull Solilâ—quie they think as the Eunuch said to Philip concerning the Prophesie of our Sauiours Passion Of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himselfe or of some other man I speake not now to these men they haue a spirituall lethargie vpon them a fearefull apoplexie of the minde their soules are rather dead then quiet Bernard obserueth that there is a conscience good and qui t and another good and disquiet Againe there is a conscience euill
expect me here againe Wee must not onely not opprâ—sse our hearts with cares but sometimes leaue our selues that wee may enioy our selues wee must leaue the outward man to conferre with the inward and to this purpose such places are to bee made choise of as will best serue vs to meditation Ierome aduiseth after this manner So haue thou care of thine house that yet thou afford thy soule some vocation choose some fit place a little remote from the noyse of thy family into which as into an Hauen thou maist goe from the great stormes of cares and in that priuate shelter maist thou compose the surges of thy minde which were moued without Surely there is danger in secure solitarinesse for tâ—e deuill doth most assaile those alone against whom hâ—e can â—east preuaile in compâ—ny Hence tooke he courage and when our Sauiour was led out into the wildernesse that hee might ouercome for vs. Then came to him the tempter God who made man a sociable creature said It is not good the man should bee by himselfe alone and such is man as that there is no pleasant possession no not of a Paradise yet there is an admirable vse of wellgarded and moderate solitaâ—inesse to some mindes That they may call themselues to account that they may emptie their hearts of those cares which weaâ—ied them thus cloyed with company it is a sweet rest to be alone But much more is that for which our Sauiour bad vs to enter into our Chamber and shut the dore for which himselfe left the multitudes and went into the mountaine in the euening that was that he might fit himselfe to prayer for the same purpose Isaack chose the still fields and silent euenings Yet it is true which Basil obserueth the rowling and vnsteadie eye cannot see a thing at hand neither can a minde distorted with a thousand cares perceiue the trueth of things Idle and vnsetled thoughts euen in solitude are like the stragling beasts in the silent and quiet Groues easily entoyled therefore if our secesse bee not as well of minde as body what shall any solitarinesse auaile vs What profiteth it to shut thy Chamber dore if thou leaue thine heart open It is good no doubt sometimes to bee alone that wee may haue conuenience for holy Solilo quies but wee must know they are not solitarie Groues silent walkes a desolate Cell or melancholly Hermitage which can shut our selues from our selues shew mee that holy recluse that mortified Anachorete whose walls can keepe out cares sinfull and tumultuous thoughts shew mee that little Zoar those secure mountaines whither sinne cannot follow an holy Lot Shew mee that Eden into with the Serpent cannot come I left said Basil a thousand occasions of euill my selfe I could not leaue and Ierome confesseth when hee was inuironed with deserts hee yet had euill thoughts incentiues of vice following him to change our place is not to change our minde Moderate solitudes are excellent helpes to a retyred minde yet the solitarie man as the prouerb goeth is either a Saint or Deuill as a man may enioy himselfe and bee spiritually alone in the midst of multitudes so hee may bee neuer lesse alone then when alone the minde is so actiue that it cannot be idle it will bee euer working vpon something when thou art withdrawne from company except thou art cautious a thousand wicked thoughts or at the best headlesse â—antasies barren streames of idle imaginations will runne through thy minde all such conceptions proue â—ither vipers or embriâ—es mere abortiues of the soule thou must therefore as carefully auoyde these inward as those outward tumults and spend thy time to good purpose when thou art alone thou must thinke and meditate of some dâ—finite thing and that tending to Gods honour and thy soules health An holy thought in meditation as Dauid said vpon discouery of the first running messenger If hee bee alone there is good tydings in his mouth Multitudes of vaine thoughts are but the foolish Chimarae's of the minde Therefore suffer not thine heart to runne the paces of those night-rouing fires whither euery breath of winde leadeth them nor Martha-like to bee cumbred about many friuolous things with the neglect of the one necessarie Fasten vpon some course for the reliefe of the minde and giue it not ouer till thou hast brought it to some good perfection as this happy sequestration of thy soule to repentance recesse from euill thoughts euill men to the inward Temple of Gods Spirit where thou maist with a secret liberty call vpon him then shalt thou not onely ease thy minde but finde an happy issue of thy sorrowes they shall bee a Bethesda to heale thy minde of some other languor if thou canst wisely descend into those troubled waters I know how willingly wee thinke of our businesses and things of the world Cares pleasure and desire are like the teeth of the flesh-hooke which Sathan thrusteth into our hearts as importunately as those vngodly Impes who woont to say to the Sacrificers in Elies time No but thou shalt giue it now and if thou wilt not I will take it by force How many houres doe these take from our sleepe and wee consenting to the theft are pleased that our soule should entertaine the robbers with long parleys when alas all these proiections are but as visions of the night and as a dreame when one awaketh Sweet and excellent is the contemplation of things diuine and heauenly wherby the minde is carried vp on high a man is rauished in Spirit illuminated with knowledge enflamed with desire of goodnesse all inordinate affections wandring thoughts and fluctuation of the minde eâ—agations of the spirit and distractions of the soule are recollected into one and the whole desire fastened in that fountaine of blessednesse when the soule commeth to a neerer view of GOD wee may see him in his creatures the heauens declare the glorie of GOD and the â—irmament sheweth the worke of his hands as wee see the power actions publicke and gouernment of a King in euery poore Hamlet of his dominions but by meditation as by prayer wee are let into his presence but though wee could see the heauens open and Iesus standing at the right hand of GOD though the soule and all it affections and faculties were filled with a sweet vision of caelestiall things though wee should bee rapt vp into the third heauen and heare the vnutterable secrets of that place yet if wee haue not a Cherubs wing to couer the feete as well as to five if for all our high-flying knowledge our soules infirmity bee neglected what were all that which wee could know better then glorious obiects to sore eyes which helpe not but greaten the paine by the intensions of the disaffected sensorie Let euery one then improoue some houres to deale with his soule pure and sequestred from all distractions that hee may
wee continue grounded and established in the faith and bee not mooued away from the hope of the Gospell We are Christs if wee hold fast the confidence and the reioycing of the hope vnto the end It is not hard to conceiue hope for a time the danger is in the delay When we consider what wee haue hoped for and amongst many secular cares and present trials loose sight of our hope and cannot tell what is become of it when it tarrieth long like Moses in the Mount with God then the danger is the mutinous thoughts will fall to some idolarrie But if hope continue and endure the fierie triall it is pure If when thou hast receiued the sentence of death in thy body thou canst hope in God thy hope is sound 4. A fourth adiunct of hope is loue of God and of our brethren Hope is as it were the breath of loue which may gaspe and retaine the pangs of a dying passion for a little time it cannot liue without it We cannot be happie except we loue God nor loue him except wee can truely hope and trust in him and it is impossible though some suppose they can doe it to loue God and hate thy brother therefore Saint Peter hauing spoken of brotherly kindnesse and loue saith Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure for if yee doe these things ye shall neuer fall 5. To these may bee added many more as boldnes in professing the name of Christ meekenesse temperance alacritie and the like and with these a good conscience of which the Apostle saith Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwayes to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is iâ— you with meekenesse and reâ—erence hauing a good conscience By these and such like adiuncts and effects of hope examine and iudge of thy condition and do not blindly trust to that which may deceiue thee all are not good hopes which promise much good thou shalt meet with many wrangling Labans often changing the couenant which howsoeuer surely the wicked make with the graue and hell yet the wages of sinne is death To trust in any but God is to leane to a falling wall To these rules of examination and that which may be gathered from that which hath beene formerly said concerning the examination reformation of the soule and sequestration to an holy soliloquie let a man also put these following rules in practice for the obraining and strengthening of a sound hope 1. In euery affliction which shaketh thy hope consider the iustice and mercy of God it much abateth the violence of griefe to consider the equitie of him that striketh whose iudgements though they are often secret yet they are alwayes iust The Emperour Mauriciâ—s expressed the greatnes of his afflicted minde when to aggrauate his own death now imminent at Phocas command his wife and children being butchered before his face he onely said Iust art then O Lord and right is thy indgement It would easily stop out complaints 〈◊〉 we could truly consider what wee haue deserued how much greater and more frequent out sinnes are then our punishments Herein if we learnt patience we must looke for hope in the issue of our tryals considering that God correcteth vs to saue vs and that all things must be good which come froÌ„ him who as God is merciâ—ull aswell as powerfull and cannot but be good This well vnderstood shall make thee know that estate which thou so much abhorrest thinking thy selfe vnhappie in it is best for thee I but thou vrgest thy present enduring many things not only inconuenient but intolerable I answer in this one saying of my text hope in God Doest thou not hope in him I can giue thee no comfort Doest thou indeed hope in him Why art thou disconsolate Thou saiest Because my present estate is calamitous and euill I say so too if thy hope bee in riches pleasures or any thing which thou doest now or canst want hereafter but if it be in God how can it bee buâ— good which he giueth those that depend on him Namâ— me that man who trusted in the Lord perished Sayst thou It is euill for me which I suffer Whether can best judge what is good for thee the patient or the Phisicion God or thy selfe Thou wilt say God knoweth I returne to my ground if then thou doe hope in him doest thou not hope he is a good gracious God and will doe the best forthee Doest thou not think him omnipotent and not to be preuented Doest thou not think him omniscient not to be deceiued Doest thou not think hee loueth thee most tenderly therfore in his loue and mercy wil make all things euen afflictions work for the best 〈◊〉 thee Learne therefore to â—â—â—cerne know the work of God in thy correctioÌ„ and thou shalt haue hope They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for then Lord hast not forsaken theÌ„ that seeke thee 2. Learne to liue within thy selfe and set not thy hopes on things externall for as they change they â—â—rment He that maketh the testimony of Gods Spirit which is within him his ioy his hope his delight shall be cheerefull and constantly resolued when hee shall heare the ambitious crying out for the wheeles vnconstancy in which hee trusted and great Fauorites whilest they liue dead of the falling sicknesse Call home thy thoughts thy desires thy hopes from the tumultuous world and teach them 〈◊〉 â—iue within◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them wait in that liuing temple where the glorious and blessed Spirit of God manifesteth his gracious presence to the secrets of thy soule thinke there is no beauty strength health 〈◊〉 pleasures or 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 consideriâ— thou shalâ— free thy soule from a thousand 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 which thou 〈◊〉 not auoide 〈◊〉 thou will depend vpon any thing externall or of the world whose inâ—essand changes will neuer suffer thy 〈…〉 3. Leaue thy false and seeke confidence in God that is leane not to thy fâ—lse but to him we must forsake our selues to follow Christ it is so in hoping also Wouldst thou not haue thine heart troubled saith Augustine remaine not in thy selfe Hope in the soule was like the â—ree of life in Eden but since we haue sinned we are as it were cast out from it and it is kâ—pt by feare as with a fiery sword whose blandishing bâ—rreth vs from an euill confidence in our selues that we might seek a better eud than tree of life in the holy City where shall bee no more ourse no more feare Dauid cryâ—â—h in his affliction O that I had 〈…〉 then would 〈…〉 Whither wouldest thou 〈◊〉 awav blessed man of God Where is that wildernesse From God Thou canst not From the World What is the worst thereof if thou hurt not thy selfe from himselfe to God is the securest flight So long as we depend
DAVIDS SOLILOQVIE CONTEINING MANY COMFORTS FOR AFFLICTED MINDS As they were delivered in Sundry Sermons at St. MARIES in Dover By IOHN READING LONDON Printed for Robert Allot at the signe of the gray hound in Pauls church yard 1627. Dauids Soliloquie CONTAINING many comforts for afflicted mindes As they were deliuered in sundry Sermons at Saint Maries in Douer By Io READING 2 Cor. 1. 3. 4 Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God LONDON Printed for Robert Allot and are to be sold at his Shop in Saint Pauls Church-yeard at the Signe of the Grey-hound 1627. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE and most vertuous Lady the Lady Sara Hastings RIGHT HONORABLE THE rods of the almightie wherewith hee smiteth to heale are so many and diuers and consequently the smarts and griefes which affect the minde so variable both by reason of our sinnes multiplicity causing and our apprehensions entertaining them that I can neither reasonably hope this spiritual electuarie which I intend for the helpe of afflicted mindes can serue for euery malady nor iustly despaire of it meeting with some Readers who shall by the assistance of the same Spirit which gaue it being finde comfort in it and that in diuers kinds the indispositions of the soule being so complicate and mixed that there neede not as the Aegyptians were woont to haue a Physitian proper to euery disease hee that hath acquaintance with one grief of minde cannot but knowe many But forasmuch as their causes differ some proceeding of grosse melancholy others of darke vapours dulling the vnderstanding and disturbing the eluded phaÌ„tasie others of other causes the consideration wher of is peculiar to the Physitian my present addresse is to those onely who are capable of the Ministers aduice and the comfort of Gods VVord Truely the ancient Sages seemd to writ many things learnedly to helpe the perturbations of minde some labouring to ground it on a supposed constancie not yeelding to calamities some to bring it to a kind of stupidity not feeling them like those Artlesse Physitians killing by too much correcting some abounding humor others inuenting some pleasing lenitiues and diuersions of all I may say in a word as Ambrose of Pythagoras euening musicke which hee vsed to refresh his heart wearied with cares in vaine did they desire to remoue secular griefes with secular remedies for they more defiled disordred the minde by seeking ease in pleasures But euery Christian may by the true touch-stone the holy Scripture presently discouer them all to be adulterate counterfet neuer any of theÌ„ so much as mentioning the name of Christ and through him comming to this caelestiall Catholiâ—on of Dauid HOPE IN GOD in which is the only sound cure of a troubled minde wher in the most illiterate Christian excelleth the most bookish Philosopher Seeing therefore by the good prouideÌ„ce of God I haue become acquainted with the vsage lineaments of a troubled soule not onely by the view of others malady but also by the sense of mine owne as Protogenes the Painter hauing his owne countenance set by an half-famishing dyet was thereby enabled to take the true aspect poutrait of meagre Lalysus to life And seeing I haue not onely gotten some knowledge of the disease the beginning of euery cure but experience which begat the Art of Physicke hath made mee so much an Empiric herein that I may at least as they woont to doe before the rules of healing were improued to an Art tell others by what meanes the Lord hath comforted me I haue therefore aduentured this Benoni the issue of mine experience into the publicke that those Sermons which in their deliuery were receiued with holy attention and good fruites of many Auditors might not like those Hebrew masculine bookes liue onely the houre of their birthes and presently bee cast away but remaine longer to Gods honour and the vse of his yet can I not probably excuse my presuming to tender your Honour this homely piece except I pleade your accustomed zeale to Religion and fauour to learning that you vouchsafed to honour our congregation with your presence while most of these meditations were deliuering The God of all consolation make them effectually profitable to the Reader and your Honour compleatly happy with all temporall and spirituall blessings in Christ Jesus in whom Irest Your Honours humblest seruant Jo. Reading DAVIDS SOLILOQVIE Pâ—AL 42. 11. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within mee Hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countinance and my God THE summe of Christianity is that which Paul giueth in charge to Timothy Warre a good warfare holding saith and a good conscience The life of a Christian is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a trucelesse fight against the spirituall enemie to him that ouercommeth is appointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incorruptible crowne We must therefore take vnto vs the whole armour of God a principall part thereof is the sword of the Spirit the word of God and whereas all that being giuen by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction and for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may bee perfect thorowly furnished vnto all good workes and therefore is the wholsome physicke for the soule common to all a promptuarie and store-house of spirituall receipts to cure all maladies of the minde a perfect directorie to all those holy duties required of man this one booke of Psalmes doth especially and most comfortably meet with the perâ—urbations and sicknesses of â— distempered minde It was penned by those holy men of God who in â—undry conditions of the Church prosperous and â—duerse in seuerall distresses of their owne did either â—ccoÌ„modate those-hymnes â—o the publike vse or powâ—ed out their soules to God â—pening the priuaties of â—heir owne hearts to him The matter and subiect â—câ—reof is singular For whereas the other Prophesies were their Ambassies from God to the people or at least the abstracts thereof these are for the most part their Colloquies and secret Conferences with God concerning the inward senses of their spirits Soliloquies expostulations demoÌ„strations of the minds estate the spirituall language of the soule to it selfe and God the searcher of hearts concerning it owne griefe So like are the things which are to those which haue beene that as they were not written for one time or age but for the Churches vse to the end of time euery man may apply something hereof to himselfe this booke is so compleatly furnished with all varieties that some part or other hereof draweth euery man to a priuate
and peculiar examination of himselfe There is no infirmity among those multitudes to which the fraile minde and life of man are subiect which may not here be fitted with sure direction for that cure Besides the many enemies which drawe our hearts from God our owne affections doe not lightly hurt vs Sathan making his aduantage vpon vs through them diuerting some to a wrong obiect as when wee delight or trust in euill exasperating and sharpning some to a dangerous excesse as when wee sorrow immoderatly retunding and abating others to an euill defect as when wee cannot raise our hopes to fetch comfort from the promises of God to omit the rest of which wee shall not be occasioned to speak of how many comforts are we made insensible and so enioy not what we haue iâ— our hands and possessions with how many vselesse and vnsufferable burthens doâ— wee oppresse our soules thereby making the life itself irksome vncomfortable for want of knowledge to improue or strength to moderate our sorrowes and vnrests of minde what feares what cares what impatience what murmurings what desperate resolutions what vnhappy distractions what infaust affrightments what hideous phantasies doth not this sad Erinnys worldly sorrow present the minde withall when all this while we foolishly cause that affliction which wee wickedly complaine of when we fâ—ede this bitter humour with our painefull indulgence this insatiable Vulture with our owne liuers when possessed of this melancholly deuill wee wound wee tare wee cast our selues into this fire wee plunge our selues into these Marahs of desperate sorrow There cannot be a good life without afflictions nor these without sorrow and as rarely sorrow without excesse or defect against all these here are remedies follow them you who are interessed you shall finde a certaine clew to helpe you out of those intricate labyrinths of discontent in which you found no rest out of which you discouered no way Neither can that bee in vaine which the wisedome of God hath done he saw it good that this excellent matter should bee cast and digested into such a forme of words not let fall with the vulgar liberty of speaking but taught to runne in smooth numbers ordered feete of diuine PoeÌ„sie composed and set to musicall tunes there are many songs left by the Prophets to the Churches vse there is besides this one booke of Songs the Canticles there are many Songs intermixed in the other Scriptures some seruing for solâ—mnities either on particular occasions as their victoriall Psalmes when they had passed the red Sea by a new and vnheard manner of transportation Then sang Moses and the children of Israeâ—this Song vnto the Lord So when GOD brougâ—t downe Iabin King of Canaan Then sang Deborah and Barak the sonne of Abinoam or a generall song for posterities as God commaunded Moses to record a Song of remembrance Recite yee this song for you and teach it the children of Israel a Psalm for the common and publick seruice of GOD to which certain Leuites were assigned so Dauid and the Captaine of the Armie seperated for the ministrie the sonnes of Asaph and Heman and Ieduthun to sing Prophesies with Harpes and Psalteries and with Cymbals there were of these cunning singers 288 who were deuided into 24 courses in which they serued 12 in a course to giue thanks and praise the Lord some for priuate vse and application the sweet singer of Israel endited Psalmes to bee sung not onely in the publick seruice of God but in priuate also with singular profit For as by other obiects of externall senses certaine phantasies are begotten which presenting themselues to the inward faculties of the soule doe according â—o their seuerall natures and the lâ—abiliâ—ies of the receiuer make impressions stirre vp the affections and moue the reason and will to their operations so especially those Species which enter the soule through this serse of discipline the hearing melodies and sweet harmonies which are a musicall sound or consent of sundry duly proportioned notes varied according to diuers measures of time with rising and falling of tunes for the Analogie they haue with the soule it selfe and sympathie with the affections which they doe both outwardly expresse or resemble and inwardly moue like some friendly guest welcome to the Master of the house finde a free cheerefull and ready passage both through cares and affections which are as diligent seruants to conuay them to the inward presence of the soule where they haue an admirable power to bring to a beâ—ter temper whatsoeuer is there troubled to qualifie and allay that which is too eager to quicken and awaken that which is too dull and heauy to moderate that which some ill gouerned thoughts had exasperated to sweeten that which is too sharpe and all this with such facility as if those querulous strings passionate notes excellent straines of descant which we heare did familiarly speake to the soule some spirituall language Doubtlesse instrumentall Musicke hath an admirable power with the affections as may appeare in the vse and experience of those serious Consorts martial musiâ—kâ—d which wise Commanders haue inuented to quicken and put life into their Souldiers knowing how those inanimate sounds doe rowse and quicken the dull languishing and heauie spirits as softer notes doe finde but the thoughts in their most secret recesses subduing them with so sweet a violence that the most fierce and sauage among them are contented to be touched and cares most vnquiet to forget themselues Antiquity was not so mad to thinke there euer liued that Orpheus who would goe to rake hell for a wife that could inchant Beares Lyons and other beasts oâ— charm their cares that Sisyphus forgot his labour bloodlesse ghosts wept moody Pluto became passionate to heare him sing and touch his Harpe they had true morralls which were to shew how deepely and mouingly musicke entreth into the soule But as humane well gouerned voyces excell all other notes or sounds so when those become articu late and we heare not onely voyces but words and those spirituall and heauenly I know not how the affections reason and deepest senses of the soule are so moued as that there appeareth the most excellent vse of Psalmes and singing 1 To pacifie calme vngouerned affections to quiet the fiercenesse of raging thoughts and like some gentle gust from a contrary quarter to smooth and asswage the tumultuous surges of a troubled minde Therefore Dauid whose Harpe gaue Saul rest from the vncleane spirit which vexed him those mad fits ceasing and hee enioying lucid internalls whilst hee played woont to tune his owne complaints to swectest kayes and teach his sorrowes to sing endited this excellent ditty to allay passions and bring them to such a temper as might make him capable of comfort which no minde is in violence of passion wherein all counsaile seemeth peruerse and mispent breath as in troubled water the most beauteous
face appeareth distort and wreathed Experience hath shewed the vse of Psalmes herein by the silent teares of mad men and the deeply melancholly sodainly falling at the hearing some graue musicke and it is not without good reason because as the deuill marketh and maketh vse to his aduantage of euery temper and condition especially our immoderate fits of passion and ioyneth himselfe thereto hurting the distempred and lunatick not more by their owne hands then by adding violence to theiâ— affections which misgouern them so his power must needes be more or lesse to hurt them by how much more or lesse their owne affections beare a part and serue the euill spirit thereto these being therefore tempered by that harmonic which naturally giueth refection to the thoughts anâ— as it were gently handletâ— them leading them away from the view and inwarâ— apprehension of obiects iâ—ksome and such as firsâ— caused their mindes to faileâ— and findeth lesse aduantagâ— to force them to outrages 2 To stirâ—e vp and awaken the affections to carriâ— vp the minde to an highâ— flight The soule of man is not onely clogged with an earthy prison but with many busie phantasies cares feares distractions with which it cannot easily ascend it hath therefore need of such meanes as can greaten and giue more vigour to good passions make the minde more actine and quicke to which what euer some Stoically superstitious doe thinke who like blinde men imagine no excellency in colours or like deafe in sounds this spirituall melody of Psalmes is most apt What were our prayers better then the sacrifice of fooles without the fire of zeale wherein they must ascend like the Angell in the flame of Manaohs Altar What were our hearing with drowzie vnmoued affections better then formall and dissembled attention what fruit could wee expect from deuotion so colde Therefore Beda speaking of their frequent praying and singing in Nehemiahs time saith they vsed it foure times a day that their prayer might ascend more purely and deuoutly Whence he supposeth grew the custome of singing in the Church before prayer because a Psalm sequestreth the mind from the earth lifteth vp the thoughts and maketh them light and high flying And Augustine confesseth How much haue I wept in thy Hymnes and Songs vehemently moued with the voyce of thy sweet-sounding Church those voyces flowed into mine eares thy truth was distilled into mine heart thereupon the affection of piety was feruent and my teares ranne downe Christ and his Disciples sang Psalmes the Church in her purest ages vsed it yea when persecution hindred the more publicke seruice of GOD they sung Psalmes before day the Church of Christ to this day before praying prophecying in diuine Seruice and vse of the holy Sacraments doth sing It is not written in vaine that the Prophet commaunded the Minstrell to play and when he played the hand of the Lord came vpon Elisha and hee prophesied Humane frailties in things most diuine haue neede of helps among which wee may rightly number the Queeres of many Saints singing and making melody to God with hearts and voyces they rap the minde into a kind of diuine extasie they carrie it vp from the worlds grosse and obstreperous clamours set it out of and aboue it selfe and on a suddaine take a man vp by the care as it were into the third heauen to conceiue the singing of glorious Queeres in the presence of God 3 To conuay thinges more deepely to the heart which dilating it selfe to that which doth delight and please it easily admitâ—eth them and herein the wisedome and goodnesse of God appeareth hee seeing mankinde prone to pleasure but vertue irksome and difficult for the paines in 〈◊〉 to be taken inuiteth vs to â—olinesse with pleasing alâ—urements musicall preâ—epts folding vp that which â—hould cure our soules with â—hat which delighteth our â—ares and as it were by â—ealth conuaying it into our mindes after the manâ—er of a wise Physitian who â—ining children medicine somewhat sharpe and vnpleasant to auoyde nauseousnesse and distast sweetneth the cup all precepts of veÌ„rtue are bitter to the distempred palats of euill liuers therefore hee wrappeth vp those Pills in delights that he might heale and profit vs with pleasure This also helpeth an vnfaithfull and weake memorie we often thinke of that which delighteth vs but that which by force and difficulty is beaten into our mindes wee easily cast out againe those things which we receiue and retaine with loue and fauour firmely reside stick in the memory 4 To vnite the Saints of God in heart and voyce to the seruice of God who so loueth vnanimity that there hee appointed the blessing and life for euermore and promised that where two or three were gathered together in his name there hee would with his most gracious presence be in the midst of them Now in this exercise â—here is but one vnited voyce of the Church 5 To refresh vs wearied with cares oppressed with sorrowes how zealously doth a sorrowfull heart sing when the Psalme sui teth with his condition when it fitteth his sorrow Wee doe not so well vnderstand these things when we formerly sing them â—s when wee impropriate the sense to our owne condition when wee are feelingly interessed in them They are thought happy men who haue vse for Psalmes of Thanksgiuing but wheras it cannot bee but they must suffer aduersities who are humane they also haue a true taste of comfort who in afflictions can with experience and deepe sense vse these heauenly Songs which the spirit of GOD hath endited for the same purpose the prosperous man may sing why art thou cast downe my soule and the afflicted his venite exultemus an Hebrew Son by the riuers of Babylon but neither with that godly passion as if the minde were parallelled with the Song the affection with the Ditty how moouingly doe men sing their owne griefe true sorrowes how passionately doth the disconsolate man sing in Dauids words My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Turne thy face from mine iniquity or the like And by such emptying the heart the afflicted man is comforted when following the dearest Saints of God in their conditions and in their words he thinketh and is resolued no tentation hath ouertaken him but such as belongeth to the beloued â—onnes of GOD with Psalmes Dauid comforted himselfe in afflictions Paul and Silas in prison Psalms cheere the heart reuiue the tyred spirits because this exultation is begotten in the hearts of zealous singers out of an hope of future ioy they being like weary trauellers easing their longsome Pilgrimages with songs and hope of arriuall Chrysostome making a question why this Scripture was written in Psalmes answereth to this purpose when God saw men lazie and vnwillingly comming to reade spirituall things hee vouchsafed to sweeten that labour and make the paine move pleasing heâ— mingled Prophesie with melodie that it
and quiet and a conscience euill and diâ—quiet The first is when the spirit of God testifieth to a mans soule that hee is the Sonne of GOD in which assurance it restâ—th and such a man hath peace towards God The second is when God doâ—h exercise a man with sundry feaâ—es to cause him more zealously to call vpon him the third is when a man sleepeth in so deepe a security that hâ—e hath no sense of his owne misery The last is when affrighted at the sense and memory of his sinne a man can resâ—lue of nothing but to dispaire 2 There are in the regenerate such remainds of the old man that their consciences doe sometimes sleepe like Ionas in the storme so hard it is absolutely to put off the man and cease to be what wee were borne but that rest causeth their further vnrest and disquiet of minde to awaken them 3 As we haue in this life no absolute freedome from sinne so no absolute immunity from disquiet of mind which though it be the Caananite left to exercise vs in a continuall and carefull watch against sinne and therefore the Psalmist here speaketh as it were to one within him like a man consisting of two opposite parts one casting downe and the other raising vp and comforting yet wee haue such assurance of the death of sinne faith in Iesus and the dayly decaying of Sathans Kingdome by the power of Gods holy Spirit dwelling in vs such peace of conscience and â—oy of the holy Ghost as that we are not vtterly ouercome of sorrowes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee are perplexed doubting but not despairing 4 The more the soule is freed from sinne the more it feeleth in it selfe the life of Iesus the more assured quiet and peace it hath and therefore is the lesse subiect to those spirituall tyrants which vexe and torment the soule Sinne is euer to be auoyded but the assaults and charges of sinne are to bee receiued diuersly some by flying some by resisting by flying when the serpents presence is infectious when thinking encreaseth the incentiue as in luxurie and wantonnesse and the like therefore hee commeth with his Heâ— fuge nate Dei Flee fornication Flee from the lusts of youth It is a serpent there is no surer way then flight wee must Parthian-like fight flying So hee saith of couetousnesse â— man of GOD she these thinges because the more we lookâ— vpon the world the more wee are â—nâ—mouâ—â—d Sometimes wee must resâ—t when Satâ—an commeth vpon vs with his scarâ—e crowes or wher continuall meditation discoâ—ereth the sinâ—e and breakreth the power of it so in sorrow â—nd impatience wee shall ouâ—â—â—ome if wee wisely and valiantly resist the 〈◊〉 by meditating on all the circumstances causes and effects thereof till by finding our errour wee findâ— cure These things layed down it appeareth farther that to the attaining that quiet which is the health of a sound minde we must deale with the part affected which is the soule foure things may perswade vs to an especiall care hereof First the worth and excellency of the soule which besides it being eternall and incorruptible is so diuine that it was created to the most holy image of God in sanctity and righteousnesse endued with that admirable light of reason that it is not onely apprehensiue of the creatures but of it selfe and some knowledge of the Creatour of it selfe by the booke of Scripture and the booke of grace wherein he hath reuealed himselfe Augustine vpon this Pfalme expostulateth after this manner What shall I doc to finde my God I will consider the earth the earth was made there is great beauty of the earth but it had a maker Great are the wonders of seedes and things which bring forth but all these haue a Creator I see the vastnesse of the broad sea I am amazed I admire I seeke for the Author I see the heauens the beauty of the starres I wonder at the sunnes brightnesse seruing to our dayly labour the Moone comforting the vnked shades of night these things are wonderfull and to be praised these things I doe admire and praise but I long for him who made all these I came to my selfe I search what I am who enquire after such things I finde I haue a boâ—y and a soule one to bee goâ—â—â—ned one to gouâ—â—ne my body to serue my soule to rule I â—iscerne my soule is something better then my body I perceiue that which eâ—quiâ—eth after these things is not my body but my soule and vâ—t the things which I haue behold on euery side I know I see them through my body I praised the earth I know it by mine eyes I praised the sea I knew it by mine eyes the Heauen the Sunne the Moone I knew them by mine eyes these are windowes of the minde there is one with in who seeth through them when hee by some other thought is absent they are open in vaine My GOD which made al these things which I see with mine eyes is not to be found with these eyes something the minde â—pprehendeth of it selfe whether it be that which it â—â—rceiueth not through the eiâ—s as it doâ—h colour and light nor through the caâ—e as sounds there is somthing within which is neither colour nor sound Let any tell me what colour wisedome hath yet it is within it is beautifull iâ— is commended and when these eyes are shut or in darknesse the soule enioyed the light thereof hee conâ—lâ—deth therefore It seeth it selfe by it selfe as it knoweth it selfe it seeth it selfe it requireth not the helpe of the bodies eyes to see it selfe yea rather it withdraweth it selfe from it selfe that it might see it selfe in it selfe it recedeth from all the senses of the body as it were obsâ—â—â—perous distractiue but is Goâ— any such thing as the soule truely wee cannot see GOD but with the soule yet hee cannot be seene as the soule And a little after he saith Therefore seeking God in things visible and bodily and not finding him seeking his substance in my selfe I finde hee is something aboue my soule that I may therefore apprehend him by my vnderstanding I meditated on these things when should my soule come neere that which is aboue my soule except my soule should ascend aboue it selfe What are these things which are seene with the eyes how beautifnll are they These are not seene without the soule how much more excellent is the soule then these Yet neither is the soule satisfied with the contemplation of these nor of it selfe send it to the earth sea ayre heauens busie it vpon the reflexes of it selfe it will not rest here it must come to a glorious Creatour of all these then as those holy beasts in Ezekiels vision when there was a voyce as the voyce of the Almighty in the firmament aboue them it standeth still and letteth fall the wings Since then the life and felicity of man is
then were those hired mourners for Tamuz but true sorrow affecteth the soule and thither must be followed to the cure Or if wee speake of sinne the cause of all sorrowes except wee pull it vp by the roote it is nothing worth which wee doe out of the heart come adulteries murthers and all other siâ—nes for which God smiteth there is the fountain if we could reach a blâ—sphemous tongue not to exceed his yea and nay if the minâ—e be full of blasphemy wee haue but taught him to sin more inwardly if a lasciuious speaker learne a better and more gracefull language then that which wont to defile and embace an obscene tongue if yet these nasty deuils lost and vncleanenesse possesse his heart if he whose eyes were full of adulteric now shew their whites to heauen in prayers yet hath sworne allâ—ageanâ—â— with opportunity and darknes to sâ—rue this â—in his caâ—â—â— without a caste is nothing worth before the seaâ—â—hâ—r of hearts teach a man the laguage of Canaan that his worâ—s may administâ—r grace to the hearets teach him to 〈◊〉 mâ—râ—ifull to giue all his goods to the poore teach him till his actions seene to say for him as Saul said for himselfe I haue performed the word of the Lord yet if hee haue not charity he is nothing If malice pride enuie or couetousnesse cry in the soule like wilde beasts of the Desert and dolefull creatures if vnchaste thoughts reuell there like the Satyrs in the ruines of Babylon I may say as the Prophet of the bleating of those Amalckitish cattell Quid ergo vox pecudum istarum How euer a man learne to personate how holy so euer he seeme except he be such within he is no better then a Pharise How euer to the world Religion may be like a picture where that is most commended which most neerely resembleth life but is not liuing yet God is not deceiued with disguises shadowes colours or representations he condemneth sinne in the heart in the secrets of the soule What euer reformation bee in words or outward actions the soule not amended it is but a false cure a whole skinne ouer-huâ—ts inwardly festring a palliatiue wound healed without before it is sound within which except it breake out againe and admit of cure more sincere is mortall Sinne and griefe begin at the heart which first coâ—â—iâ—â—â—h them and there must finde helpe They are much deceined who thinke to ease the soules griefe with secular mirth so oft the poore Deere shifteth from brake to brake before his liuing passing-bells whiles the messenger of death sticketh in his side and he slyeth the danger which hee carrieth with him all teÌ„poral mirth to a grieued soule is but as Dauids Harp to a distressed Saul the vexing spirit departing for a time presently returneth again it is not Musicke merry company change of place encrease of riches friends or the like though some of these may haue a part caÌ„ cure a deiected soule it must be somthing which can enter into the soul powerfully work vpoÌ„ the cause of sorow that must certifie comfort it They are also deceiued who think that any means any words any counsell can redresse that man whose heart and inward powers of his soule are not both moued reformed with that hee heareth till the soule attend and let in the word the lowdest sonnes of thunder cannot awaken A third reason is the necessary method of curing this euill which is by searching examining iudging correcting or reforming and comsorting the soule As it is a vain inquest which is made after sinnes in generall except wee come home and examine the witnesses of our owne conscience so if we finde not the secrets of our soule sinne will easily auoyde our examination some thinke it an easie matter to bee acquainted with our owne minds but God who made it saith The heart is deceitfull aboue all things How farre doth the wisedome of man search What corner of this great vninerse hath it left vnâ—â—rnayâ—d High are the starry oâ—bes yet Art hath found out many of their motions secret are the vnseene pathes of the deepes yet they are sounded darke and hidden are the deepe veines of the earth yet Art hath found a way into her bowels to ransack her treasuries But amongst all Arts that Art of Arts is not inuented to hold the heart it is easie to finde thy words others can tell thee of them it is easie to find thine actions others obserue them it is not much to know the secrets of thy family though sometimes wee are the last that know those disorders wee are ignorant of those vices of our wiues and children which are in our neighbours songs but with what light wilt thou search the inward house of thy seule this is wrapt vp in suel cloudes and obscurity of spirituall blindnesse that the hardest taske is to finde thy selfe in thy selfe if there be any good thing in thine heart how readily doeth it oft eate that not like the Citie Shop-men the worst first that the better may seeme best but all appearance of good first and at once is cast vpon thine heart like the ground Corne ouer the Well at Bahurim that thou maist not search deeper for the spies The Pharise found what he seemed hee could not finde what he was Let vs search and trie our wayes Our workes doe sometimes deceiue vs when erring we thinke we goe right or going once right we think we doe so alwayes our hearts oftner when he who knoweth he sinneth thinketh in his heart and intention hee is more sound and meaneth better things but let vs search and trie our wayes the vsuall passages of our thoughts and actions their beaten pathes will best lead thee to thy selfe Thou art not such as thou sometimes seemest but as vsually thou art Saul had bin much deceiued in taking himselfe for an holy man because he was once among the Prophets Herod could not haue found himselfe among the obedient hearers because sometimes hee heard Iohn gladly and did many things The wicked maÌ„ strayeth is not in his own way when hee strayeth not from the Lords good thoughts words or actions are no more proper to him then truth to the deuill who speaketh it not but for aduantage When hee speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne The tempter laboureth in nothing more then to hide a man from himselfe and to keepe from him the knowledge of his own corruptions till it bee too late and there be no more time for repentance to which end he that is the accuser of the brethren hee that durst calumniate holy Iob before God who iustified him will tell the wicked they are holy the deuill is the greatest flatâ—erer and all other Sycophants what euer they stile themselues are but his Pupils hee holdeth false glasses before men and they appeare not to themselues such as they are To this may
relieue and comfort it neither let any man thinke this practise concerneth him not hee that hath not sorrow should haue because hee hath sinnes to repent You humane Parrats whose eares haue runne out into tongues whose braines labour with a dangerous flux leaue your much vselesse talke and learne a godly Soliloquie it is more requisite you should enforme your owne soules then tire others eares You prophane and lasciuions speakers learne to talke chastly in your hearts and your tongues shall not so offend God and good eares You punctuall Orators know that the sure rule Recté et benê loquendi is the word of God which biddeth you Commune with your owne hearts You powerfull Oracles whose deep senses testifie a watchfull conference with your sweet friends your learned Authors who can eftsoone make as Paul his Faelix your happy Auditors tremble who can with patheticall discourses pull vp the double slâ—ces of their soules for teares sometimes of ioy sometimes of sorrow giue mee leaue to remember you if you speake not to your owne soules what you speake to others eares if you haue not let downe into your bowels that rowle of Gods word whose contents you deliuer to the people your curious lines shall nothing profit you your labour shall bee to build an Arke for others not your selues you shall be as that wise man said of the Phylosophers Schoole like a well sounding Harpe which heareth not it selfe You externall men who in your obseruance to others liue so much out of your selues as that you must speake their thoughts act their inuentions goe with paces and as if their fauour animated you you breathed their breath as if you had no soule or that you haue a vassall to the world where your desires haue placed your heauen you neuer looke home come hither see the excellencie of the soule which can euery moment bring you into the presence of the King of Kings you that are in loue with your stately Piles come see this liuing Temple of the Lord you that are enamoured of pleasures seeke them in your soules these only as Iaakob said of his Asher shall giue pleasures of a King Laughter is a pleasure for a foole delights and sinnes are pleasures for Sathans slaues riches are pleasant to vnhappiest vassals but heere onely are those pleasures which none but they enioy who are admitted into the glorious freedome of the Sonnes of God who are Kings and a royall Priesthood You that would be rich be assured it is not laying house to house and land to land it is not extending your Fathers bounds by the purchase of the next Tenements for how miserably poore is a couetous man but heere are true riches heere is that better part which shall neuer bee taken away heere is the vnvaluable treasure of knowledge vertue faith heere God manifesteth the riches of his grace and mercy here hee layeth vp the assurance of our eternall inheritance and the seales of our redemption You heartlesse worldlings and outsides of men consider and vnderstand that the vaine Idoll which you adore doth euer finally torment and crucifie those who doe most zealously worship it Ambition is an Hamans Gibbet how high soeuer it is a torment to the proud Auarice a Iaels tent-nayle to fasten the rich man to the earth Gluttonie and Ehud which vnder pretence of secret messages striketh into the bowels Wine a Serpent which biteth as it pleaseth Lust an vncleane and lightlesse fire through whose Moloch-flames blind libertines ambitious of their owne destruction are sacrificed to the Deuill Surely her house tendeth to death and her paths vnto the dead All sins to which so many sacrifice their thoughts and times are like Egyptian taske-masters adding stripes to heauie burdens and their wages is death I neede not say more then this With how many cares feares griefes vnrests and perplexities doth the world or sinne racke the braines presse and wring the very heart of a man that hee may serue them All this while how happily doth that man liuâ— who enioyeth and conferreth daily with GOD in a contented soule What madnesse is it then to seeke that happines abroad which is only to be found at home to looke for that in others which is onely to bee found and enioyed in our selues There is more sound content in one houres wise and holy enioying a mans owne soule then in an ages succesfull pursuit of the ambitious mans deluding dreames The world fauoureth mee not only let GOD assure my soule of his fauour This one thing haue I desired of the Lord only let him say to my soule I am thy salâ—ation it shall be a sanctuarie to me against all sorrowes Why art thou cast downe c IN the third place wee are to consider the disaffection which is the matter of this reprehension and this is necessary to bee handled that the pensiue minde may be helped for how can we cure except we acquaint vs with the passions of the sicke This maladie is not simply one but double that is dejection and disquietnesse the effects of immoderate sorrow and care they seeme extreame and contrarie fits the first a dull and heauie stupidity a kind of hopelesse apoplexie of the minde yeelding it selfe to the requests of despaire as if there were no hope no helpe The second is a restlesse selfe-vexing impatience as if the minde could helpe it selfe without God There is no estate without some complaint discontent cannot be confined with any limits but the fruition of the chiefe good therefore it reigneth ouer all that haue lost their interest therein till they doe eyther actually or in firme hope re-obtaine it There hath an vniuersal distemper for mans sake infected the world and euery creature groaneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine together vntâ— this present and not only the creature but we also which haue receiued the first fruites of the Spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption the redemption of our bodie Meane time the soule of man is exercised like Israel in the way to the holy Land with continuall disturbances that wee may know that in this life is not our rest for as Moses told them in the wildernesse we are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance which the Lord will giue vs therefore the mind can not bee absolutely contented it is satisfied with nothing lest it being satisfied with this nothing which it loueth should rest and settle heere and so not aspiring to better bee depriued of the best object of desire in which is happinesse so compleate and full as that out of it there is nothing happy or good whence it commeth to passe that all that can desire or wish doe naturally wish and desire some other estate then that they haue all present desire being but a continued motion to that which is finally desired and therefore there can bee in this life no absolute content
and nimis vtilis very cruell but very profitable without it the mind is in danger of taking by security impenitency and presumption the Diuels great Generals who say to him of such as Ioab of Rabbah I haue taken the Citie of waters come now and smite it How easily is that heart surprized which can haue no remorse therefore he saith not Why art thou sorrowfull for God made that affection to fortifie the soule that hee that could not reioyce in doing iustly might yet sorrow foâ— that he did vniustly but he saith Why art thou cast downe There is a naturall affection warranting some sorrow euen for things temporall neither vnseasonable nor vnlawfull Ioseph mourned Dauid mourned Iesus wept which proueth that sorrow may be without sinne But Why art thou cast downe Sorrow may be intense Christ's soule was heauie to the death hee sorrowed the greatest sorrow yet not excessiuely for hee was not ouercome of it and so it became him to sorrow who was to beare all our sorrowes at once This sheweth that sorrow may preuaile very farre without sinne and therfore we may perceiue that these two things especially a wrong obiect and excesse make sorrow dangerous and euill That this may the better appeare we must consider that the proper obiect of sorrow is euill and that our owne and also present whence an extraneous obiect is sometimes deriued as when we sorrow for some euill which is not our owne but anothers and only esteemed ours so the coÌ„passionat sorrow or when we sorrow for that which is neither euill nor ours but is indeed anothers good which wee thinke is euill to vs so the enuious man pineth and is grieued This being layed downe wee shall perceiue that sundry kinds of sorrow are euill in as much as they haue a wrong and vniustifiable obiect as the enuious mans griefe is deuillish when it is conceiued of that prosperity which hurteth or endangereth him not for if he grieue at that prosperitie of another man which hurteth him hee is angry not enuious if hee grieue for that prosperitie which he feareth may hurt him it is feare not enuie if hee grieue because the vnworthy prosper it is indignation if hee grieue that another enioyeth what he desired it is emulation if emulation be of vertue and wee grieue that wee cannot bee is holy or good as they whose deportments we propose to our selues as patterns for imitation it is a commendable sorrow but if it bee because others obtaine that good opinion of the world which we desire but deserue not or that excellency and approbation with God which wee would haue but not endeuour for this is a Cain-like griefe which was because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good Also that griefe which the compassionate haue may haue a wrong obiect and so prooue dangerous and euill as when Saul will saue in pitty where God said spare them not All foolish pitty hath euill sorrow in that dolefull Hag which haunteth vnhappie houses Iealousie there may bee ill-grounded suspitions bringing forth sorrowes no more reasonable then their cause to these may be added those sorrowes which are conceiued because a man hath not or cannot obtaine or doe that euill which he desireth or which arise from some light and friuolous matter All these are to be auoided for as the people cryed at Maximinus death we must not saue a whelpe of so bad a race Secondly excesse denominateth sorrow euill as appeareth in that bitter griefe which so oppresseth the minde that it is vnfit for any good office which is vsually accompanied with a drawzie lazinesse dulnesse and heauinesse of the spirits a torpor of the soule and euagation of the minde which being inuested of the soules most excellent faculties draweth them to a thousand headlesse resolutions which like mad mens inuentions are but framed and dasht againe at the euening morning is wished in the morning euening summer in winter winter in summer in one place wee thinke another better and in that another no present condition is liked for that dedolent sorrow which vexeth and disquieteth the soule suffereth it not to rest in any place or estate The like is to be seene in extreme anxiety and sollicitous cares and as we shall see anon in despaire all which and their like whether they be effects or concomitants of excessiue griefe are very euill and dangerous There are sorrowes with which God casteth a man downe to exalt him more in which wee must bee contented to put our mouth in the dust and beare quietly and with a holy silence as Aaron did when his sonnes were deuoured with a fire from the Lord But why doest thou cast downe thy selfe Eliah would dye Ieremie and Iob will haue the day of their natiuity perish Why this excesse this discouereth a great frailetie in the Saints of GOD when they say in their haste as our Psalmist I am cut off from before thine eyes when they will fall downe vnder the burden teare open their owne wounds and adde more waight then God layed vpon them Moderate sorrow belongeth to the good disposition of the minde according to our present condition but excessiue sorrow is a sicknesse of the soule it is good to grieue for sinne the contrarie concludeth want of sense or iudgement to know how hurtfull they are this sorrow as the Rain-bow is both a signe of euill and of good iudgement and mercy or as they say a good signe of a bad cause euill in respect of the euill affecting good in regard of the part feeling and labouring to abandon the euill felt for this supposeth a knowledge and hate of the euill that must bee good which lamenteth the losse of good God commandeth sympathy and sense of others miserie Weepe with them that weepe and sorrow for our own Turne ye euen vnto mee with all your heart and with fasting and with mourning and rent your hearts c. not that God delighteth in our misery but as Physicians prescribe bitter Pills cauterizing and cutting hee is the patients friend who is his diseases enemie so God will haue vs sorrow because he hateth and would haue vs hate our sinnes as the greatest obiect of griefe Some thinke it an incomparable miserie to diet the soule as Dauid who saith his teares were his meate day and night and that hee mingled his drinke with weeping but the teares of the faithfull for their sinnes are excellent signes and GOD regardeth them though they seeme to perish And Christ saith Blessed are yee that weepe now for yee shall laugh GOD will appoint vnto them that mourne in Sion to giâ—e vnto them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse so that I may say of such as that reuerend man answered Monacha Augustines 〈◊〉 lamenting for her Sonne who was then a Maniche
tender-eyed and cannot look beyond things present those impatient Esan's who for their present supplies make so base an estimate What profit shall this birth-right doâ— to me haue not hope whose proper obiect is future Lastly it must be possible it standeth on the reueiled will of God to whom all things are possible which he will doe by which not by humane reason this possibilitie is to be valued Abraham beleeued against hope vnder hope against hope if wee respect the reason of man wherein there appeared no argument but all things contrary to that he hoped but vnder hope in respect of Gods all-sufficiency because hee was fully assured that he which had promised was able to doe it Such is our hope that except it take wing and mount aboue our senses it shall euer bee carnall and fraile It is true that which is impossible to man may be and is sometimes an obiect of true hope because it is possible with God but that which is impossible with God can neuer be apprehended by any sound hope how possible soeuer it seeme to a deceiued man Hence it appeareth that the hope which expecteth Gods conniuence in point of iustice his iniustice in the obstinate sinners impunitie is wicked and desperate when the wicked will blesse himselfe in his rebellion and thinke by crying Lord Lord howeuer he will enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season yet to find mercy when the adulterer oppressour drunkard or malicious man shall continue in their sinne and yet pray in hope when theeues or deceiuers keepe another mans goods in their hands and will not Zache like restore or at least so much as they can but if they can giue an holocaust of a rapine and couer the Altar with teares if with vndoing and depopulating whole Lordships they build a poore Almes-house and can but pray God to forgiue them that sinne which they committed by fraud and rapine and in tend still to commit by retaining those goods and possessions making the very bread which they pulled out of Orphans mouthes serue their pride and Iusts do not these men when they say Lord bee mereifull in effect desire God to be vnâ—ust Do they not pray him to winke at their sinnes Such men would faine bee saued but being wicked faine goe to heauen but not â—â—ore they would driue God to impossibilities but because hee cannot be vniust therefore it is impossible for such men to haue any comfort or sound hope To shut vp this point then hope not vnworthily nor for things vnworthy What are present honours to the future What riches fields houses to heauen and heauenly things Because wee repose not our hopes on a right ground God often taketh away that we trust in and withholdeth that which would truely comfort vs. How iniurious are we to our soules when wee set our hopes Egypâ—ian taskes workes of seruitude when desiring it should â—â—ie cheerefully into the presence of God we yet either impe its wings with bastard feathers trusting in others or our selues or load its Angell quilles with dirt hoping for triples or impious impossibilities When God made this affection to sustaine the drooping soule to fetch tastes of the heauenly Paradise-fruites by such madnesse they come home like Salomons That shish merchants with A pes and Peacockes among their precious lading This mans hope is for fauour anothers for full barnes anothers for prosperous flocks anothers for some maintenance for pride and lust anothers for food and raiment Iacobs words without Iacobs meaning giue him but that poore obiect of his ambition hee careth for no more Are these the hopes which can relieue a distressed soule Shall Cain's Henoch or Iubals Organs comfort where there is no hope of Heauen Howeuer the present world say I will not purchase hope with a price a graine of pleasure is better then any spirituall Iewell yet the wise Merchant sold all to buy that of which this hope gaue him intelligence because he found the worth of it there is no comfort without it no miserie with it Lastly we must examine our hopes by its effects and adiuncts the effects are many It giueth a man the true ground of Religion by teaching him to thinke more humbly of his owne works and not to depend vpon himselfe This is the cause why God doth sometimes giue trials Wee receiued the sentence of death in our selues because wee should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead It will bee a perpetuall comfort euen in afflictions which he beareth not only patiently but with ioy and reioycing because he hopeth assuredly through the merits of Christ Iesus that after hee hath glorified God in his sufferings he shal bee glorified in the Kingdome of God and that as his sufferings abound so also his consolation shall abound by Christ The adiuncts of hope are many 1. Preparation and alacritie of mind lest any thing should hinder vs in that we hope for Hope keepeth vs with our loynes girt like Eliah before the storme therefore the Apostle saith Let vs also seeing we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses cast away euery thing that presseth downe Let vs run with patience the race that is set before vs. He that hath a firme hope shall so prepare for it that if need require hee shall part with â—hings pleasing and necessatie so Abraham parted from his natiue soile to the Disciples as the necessities of those times required sold and gaue away as Alexander all his goods and houshold vtensils because he was confident of supply in the spoile of Darius If a man haue this hope hee can forgoe whatsoeuer hindreth it and if neede bee hee can lessen his mind pull in the â—ailes of that opinion of vaine reputation which dangerously greatneth many minds and when â—ee is become poore and indigent thinke any estate good enough in which hee hath a firme hope of a better life 2. An holy life is an adâ—â—nct as certaine a Bee sobâ—r and trust perfectly on the grâ—â—â— that is brought vnto 〈◊〉 saith Saint Peter euery man that hath this hope in him pargeth himselfe as he is pâ—re It is a dangerous hope which the wicked haue either resolue to bee holy or be assured whateuer hope thou conceiuest it is deâ—â—ifull and damnable True hope like Aarons Miter beareth this golden inscription fastned to it with that â—itta â—yacinâ—hina the blood of Iesus â—olâ—nesse to the Lord. 3. Another adiunct of sound hope is constancy for the Spirit of God will still follow it with fresh vigour and secretly dictate ioyfull things to the soule so that is shal be like a watred garden trust or hope perfectly or to the end for that is the perfection of hope if hopes bee fleeting and wauering they are weake but if they once faile they were neuer sound they must bee therefore certain and permanent Wee shall bee holy and vnblameable if
vpon our selues we shall neuer haue a found hope and therefore neuer be quiet within our selues except a man leaue himselfe he can neuer aspire to that which is aboue himselfe in himselfe hee hath a thousand arguments of despaire none of hope and at the best hee is full of inconstancy and change 4. Learne meekenes and humilities Remembring mine affliction and my miserie the wormewood and the gall my soule hath them stil in remembrance and is humbled in me this I call to my mind therefore I haue hope The rich man trusted in his increase and said This will I doe I will pull downe my barnes and build greater and I will say to my soule Thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres take thine ease But he was deceiued in that hope the surest way is to learne meeknesse and lowlines of Christ for so wee shall find rest for our soules the rest we hope for the hope we rest in 5. Labor for the peace and testimony of a good conscience by submitting thy self to the gouernmeÌ„t of his holy spirit a careful and constant abandoning those fins which by a strict examination thou findest most reigning in thee for the kingdome of God is in rightcousnesse peace and ioy of the holy Ghost the ground is layed downe Rom. 5. 1 2. and S. Iohn saith If our bea rt condemne vs not then haue wee boldnesse toward God But there is no peace to the wicked nor any true hope but in the death of sinne by the Spirit of Iesus working newnesse of life and giuing witnesse to our spirits that wee are his In the multitude of my thoughts in mine be art thy comforts haue reâ—oyced my soule saith the Psalmist But how should he bee comforted who hath no hope or hope in God whose conscience flyeth him â—asâ—a seueâ—â— reuenger Be not deceiued it is not an easie thing to hope in God the cries of a guilty conscienâ—o will easily preuaile against thy vaine hopes 6. Loue God delight in him and his lawes learne to liue to him that which wee loue and doe not yet enioy wee hope for Lone suffereth all things it beleeneth all things it hopeth all things it endureth all things Hereby is loue perfect in vs that wee should haue boldnesse in the day of iudgement There is xo feare in loue but perfect loue casteth out feare Faith must giue thee an assâ—red interest in God or thou canst neuer delight in him The best things delight vs not except they be some waies ours the euill man who delighteth in wickednesse cannot delight in God nor his lawes but like aguish palats all things euen the best distaste them so rellisheth he as his hart is affected to those who loue God his commandements are not grituous Nay saith the Psalmist vnlesse thy lawes had bin my delight I should haue perished in mine affliction Againe hee saith Delight thy selfe in the Lord and hee shall giue thee thine hearts desire He saith not Loue nothing delight in nothing God forbid if yee should loue nothing yee should bee dull dead loathsome miserable Loue and delight but not in the world not in sin if any man loue the world the loue of God is not in him but in him whose loue shall make thee happy and giue thee firme hope against all miserie Thou must loue him without measure because he hath loued thee infinitely this loue of God is an infallible argument that God loâ—eth thee for no man can loue him first which is the most blessed possession It giueth health to the sicke light to the blinde pardon to sinners life to the dead ioy to the sad heauen to the earthly hope to the disconsolate assurance to the fearefull it is the fountaine of blessednesse it is that sweet and vnspeakeable goodnesse of God which disuested Satan of his possession in vs and of enemies made vs the sonnes of God it is that soueraigne and diuine antidote which turneth the poison of the old Dragon the Deuils malice into cordials and maketh all that he doth against vs in spite turne to the best for vs. There is but one sure way to an inuincible hope to liue to this good God and to haue our conuersation in heauen to heare and seuerence him in his lawes and reioyce in his works the world smileth wee are not taken thereby because our indiuisible loue is to God one and to one It frowneth Wee depend not on her brow wee serue her not we liue to God it sufficeth vs that hee loueth vs and his seruice is our maine care his power our refuge his mercy our hope 7. Learne a Christian moderation in prosperitie moderate thy ioyes allay thy hopes let neither bee too great in things temporall and thou hast subdued thy sorrowes Climbe not too high or to such place as hath neither securitie of standing nor safetie of comming downe Keepe thy mind low hope not for things greater then necessary vse Vndertake not things too great for thy managing but deale in thine owne calling and according to thine owne strength Mans hopes are like the Moones borrowed light the more they are towards heauen the lesse they shew towards earth the more towards the earth the lesse vpward The â—ouetous and ambitious can neuer bee truly contented or haue a sound hope because their desires are either ouergrowne or euer growing and aspiring to things aboue their reach 8. Learne constancy in the practices of Religion many men would faine find helpe for their distresses of mind and to this end they are contented to heare or reade good aduice which they take as drunkards phisicke the obseruation of whose strait rules for a day or two they follow with a moneths ill dyet and so not mending vpon it they blame that good medicine which could not enable them to be more euill Hee that will learne patience to sustaine his hopes must accustome himself to beare small crosses patiently that by them winning vpon himselfe and insensibly subduing his own naturall frowardnesse hee may gather strength to vndergoe the greatest Wee must not thinke that good habits grow vp like Ionahs Gourd in a night or ripen like the Gâ—â—pes in the Butlers dreame it is not so easie a thing to learne that true gouernmentâ— of thy minde in which a Christian hope can liue the Prophet saith The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him the Lord is good vnto them that hope iâ— him and to the soule that seekâ—â—h him It is good both to trust and to wait for the saluation of the Lord. I but how shall I gaine this patienceâ— Vse is a good teacher It is good for a man to beare the yoke in his youth hee sitteth alone and keepeth silence because â—ee hath borne it vpon him hee pâ—iteth his mouth in dust of there may be hope 9. Passe by none of Gods benefits without due regard and thankfulnes I shall
giuing sanctification and holinesse while we â—ye in sinne we can haue uâ— peace of conscience therefore no health of countenance The wicked may haue confident faces foâ—eheads of brasse a whores forehead impudent and such as cannot blâ—â—h yet follow them to their ends you shall know they haue a doloroâ—s wound in the conscience When the world smileth they are in their heiâ—ht of countenance at least they can 〈◊〉 vâ—ltu simulare but their hearts tell them what they are iâ— aduersinie and inâ—uitable death approach marke these daring spirits Hâ—mâ—n was of so proud a countenance when hee had the Kings fauour that the least neglect of him seemed a capitall crime when â— bâ—t was clouded hee hâ—sted home mourning and his head couered Ahiâ—hâ—pâ—el was a great Statesman when his oracles were hâ—d in honour but looke after the wretch you shall sâ—e what was the helpe of his countenance not God but popularity David was not discountenanced when Princes did sit and speake against him neither the Apostles when they were scorned reuiled and threatned Paul had discouragements enow of men yet he was not ashamed of his sufferings The holy are bold as Lyons because they are led by the Spirit of God they say Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victorâ—e Zophar aduised well If 〈◊〉 bee in thine hand put it faâ—â—e away and let no wickednesse dwell in thy 〈◊〉 theâ— shall thou â—â—ft vp thy face without spot and shalt bee stable and shalt not feare 4. In giuing victory against all our enemies in all these we are more then conquerers in giuing vs defence against the insulting aduersaries therefore when hee had said Why goe I mâ—urning while the enemie oppreâ—â—eth me He inferreth presently I shall yet giue him thankes 5. In giuing supplies by his euer-present and all-seeing Prouidence The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want How-euer the Saints crie in their distresses as the Disciples in the storme Master carest thou not that â—e perish yet they are assured of his assistance he is with Israel in the Desart with Iacob in his iourney with Eliah at Chebar with the widow at Sarephat with the Children in the fornace it is easier to say all in one word then much lesse in many he is euery where ready to supply his Such experience doth God giue hereof to his that hee is their countenance experience is the cause of that hope which maketh them not ashamed I was saith Paul deliuered out of the mouth of the Lyon and The Lord will deliuer me from euery euill worke and will preserue mee vnto his heauenly kingdome And againe I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued It is an vsuall argument of comfort with the Saints of God Afflictions begin fiercely but they end mildely and comfortably they come vpon vs like Samsons yelling Lyon at Timnah with open mouth but being ouercome they feedeâ— out hopes with sweet experience of Gods mercies the greater our sufferings the greater our experience of his goodnesse therefore goâ— backe to the carkas look backe to thy former deliuerances and thou shalt haue the better hope for the future Forget not all his benefits and hee will appeare to bee the health of thy countenance looke backe to thine infancy how hee hath fed thee clothed thee preserued thee relieued thee called thee to the knowledge of Iesus Christ taken thee out of the Kingdome of Satan and made thee his sonne consider how he hath giuen thee assurance of a glorious inheritance with the Saints and thou shalt find good cause to say in thy particular as the multitude of Iesus he hath done all things well And thou shalt be more and more assured hee that saued sinners will not condemne the iust he that spared his enemies will not cast away a sonne none but the forgetfull and ingratefull want these arguments And my God MY God by that free couenant which he hath made with me and my feed that hee will bee our God here is further exptessed the ground of his assurance had his trust been in riches they could not haue deliuered him had it been in Princes though they are called gods they must dye like men had it been in humane policie that is subiect to errour had it been in strength youth that must yeeld to sicknesse this to age both to death but they that trust in this Lord shall haue hope in death They that trust in lying vanities forsake their owne mercy The portion of Iacob is not like them for he is maker of all things the Lord of hostes is his name This is Dauids God Doth any aske of his Power it is infinite of his Mercy it is infinite of his Goodnesse it is infinite of his Loue Maiesty Glory Dominion all is infinite of which wee can speake or thinke and so much passing all vnderstanding as that in speaking and thinking of him wee must vaile our hearts for hee dwelleth in the inaccessible light and though he appeare most glorious in his workes yet he is knowne perfectly to none but himselfe though he be one yet is he in all things and being euery where omnipresent hee is in no place included and limited he is the Almighty Maker and Preseruer of all things hee gouerneth ouer all the creatures hee onely is eternall and vnchangeable he onely can doe whatsoeuer he will doe he doth whatsoeuer he pleaseth without any let labour or difficulty When Hierâ— asked the prudent Heathen Simonides what God is he required a dayes respit to answer the second day being asked what God is hee required two dayes study more and so as oft as his resolution was desired he still doubled the number of the dayes till in the end he answered The longer I consider the harder the matter seemeth vnto me Surely such is his glorious Beeing as that it is vnspeakable Moses saw but his back-parts as Moses saw so he speaketh of his seeing to mans capacitie such is he as that it is not the least part of our knowledge to know what hee is not which in a word is to know that hee is nothing of all that which we know This is perfect knowledge so to know God as that thou knowest him to be knowne and yet ineffable therefore wee must alwayes thinke of him of whom we cannot worthily thinke for he is to be beleeued to bee knowne and to be worshipped It is life euerlasting to know him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ and they only know what he hath reueiled of himself to whom by his Word holy Spirit he hath reueiled himself he hath reueiled himselfe One Eternall Almighty Al-wise God this is Dauids GOD three most glorious Persons of infinite Maiestie an holy Trinitie in Vnitie neither confounded nor diuided but one God-head one God most gracious most iust most louing most mercifull most holy most wise the sole
it is â—ne thing to grieue or bee â—isquieted another to bee â—â—st downe and comfortâ—â—sse If thou beleeuest God 〈◊〉 thy God be confident he will comfort thee in due â—ime Lastly how vaine are all 〈◊〉 hopes of worldly men How doe they like vnskilfull swimmers drown themselues with too much plunâ—ing and want of confiâ—â—â—â—â— Heere onely is the 〈…〉 of a troubled â—ind here the only meane 〈…〉 the violence of 〈◊〉 passions here the onely 〈◊〉 where the tyred soule 〈◊〉 rest in the deluge of sorâ—â—wâ—â— the couenant of God in Christ Pray heare labor for faith that will bring thee assurance that God 〈◊〉 thy God and teach thee with Thomas that man of desires to put thy hand 〈◊〉 his wounds that thou mayâ— say My God and my Lord Here is that elixer 〈◊〉 will change and refine 〈◊〉 before thou findest this 〈◊〉 art nothing but droffe 〈◊〉 the leaden talent of sinne thy hopes are 〈…〉 thy feares despaire thy mirth security thy 〈◊〉 row repining thy 〈◊〉 workes but shining 〈◊〉 for whatsoeuer is not 〈◊〉 faith is sinne whateuer 〈◊〉 â—periâ—iâ—s thou 〈◊〉 est they 〈…〉 speciosa 〈◊〉 faire punishments but in Christ those actions and affections beginne to change their nature their veines turne more pure and precious thy workes will expresse some fruites of the Spirit thy hopes shall be holy perswasions Anchors of the soule thy mirth sound reioycing thy feares sanctified thy condition blessed thy sorrowes happy exercises of thy faith and patience and afflictions themselues shal be comfortable because GOD is thy GOD. FINIS Lam. 3. 1. Deut. 32. 39 Deut. 28. 61. 65. Deut. 29. 24. 25. Psai 40. 12 Lam. 3. 42. Heroâ—â—tus saith Among theÌ„ Singulos morbos suos habuâ—sse mâ—dâ—coâ— Queritaeâ—us â—alleth them Fu ligniosos â—apores Diaret Poâ—â—hist â—ap 1. As Plato Aristot Zenophon Plut arch Seneca and others Lib. 3. de Virginibus At quiuis Christâ—inus c. primo statim occursu adultâ—rina falsa â—llorum documenta ex Lydio Scrpturae sacrae lapide deâ—egit Quercitan de perturbat anim â—nâ—tâ—â— cap. 1. Aâ— Augustine saith of Ciceros booke intituled Hortensius which so much tooke him Nec solum me c. reâ—â— ingebat quod â—omeÌ„ Christs noâ— erat â—bâ— Couf li. 3. c. 4. Plin lib 3 5 cap. 10. Huius inuentionis principâ—um est ipsius morbâ— cognitio LacuÌ„ epitom Galen de meth medend lib 2 fine Initium medicae artis dedâ—t experientiae â—â—urn in-stitut med lib. 1. â— 1. The sicke wont to be carried out into the high waies that they might à prateriun tibus remedia sciscitâ—ri Heurn q. s Exod. 1. 1 Tim. 18. 19. Gal. 5 17. Reu. 2. 10. Reu 3. 21. 1 Cor. 9. 24 25. Eph. 6. 13 â—7 2 Tim. 3. 16 Basil praefat in Psal 1. The Author 2. The matteâ— 3. The necessary vse of the Psalmes 4. The forme Origen s Iud. 50. 6. Orig. ib. Exod. 15. 1. Iud. 4. 2â— Iud. 5. â— Deut. 31. 19 30. Deut. 32. 1. CaÌ„tores c qui Psal mos dulci modulamiâ—e râ—sonabant quod leuitas in templo dei inter sacrificia quotidiana â—acere solitos c. 2 Câ—ro 1â— c. Beda caposâ—â—n â—sram l. 1â— 2 2 Sam 23. 1 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist de anim l. 1. c. 4. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ib. Vera sunt ergo qua loquâ—ntur Poëta sed obtentu aliquo specieque velata Lactan. l. 1 c. 11. Et sicubi quis quamvis fero ac rabâ—dissim furore captatur si fortc fuerit psalmi carminibus incantatus continuô omn is rabies ferocitatis eius abscedit Psalmes tranquiâ—itas animarum est perturbationes vel yiuctâ—s cogitationuin cohibens iraâ—undiam repâ—â—â—ous c. Aug. â—â—oem in Psalm * 1 Sam. 16 24. Iud. 13. 20. Chrysoâ—t in Psal 146. Lib. 9. Conf. 6. 6. Hymnâ—s ante lueanos c. Plâ—n Ep. 2 King 3. 15. Id enim quaerunt quod sensâ— demulceat persuadet autem quic quid suaâ—e est et animo penitâ—â— duÌ„ delectat infidet Lactant Basâ—â— Amaresunt male viuentibus praecepta iustitiâ— Lactaâ— O diuinam sapientiam quae noâ— spoâ—te ac cum animi alacritate canentee docuit quae diutius nostris essent animis duratura Basil quâ— s Aug. â—ro â—m in Ps Psal 133. 3. Diâ—orsum populum vnius chori per concordiam â—onsona modulatione coÌ„socians totiuâ— ecclâ—sâ—e vox vna Aug. quo s Si ergo quâ— priâ—â— forte câ—nentes percurâ—imus et leuiter tantum et in superficie attingâ—mus cum in necessitates et aâ—flictiones inciderimus tunc sciâ—â—uâ— et cognoscimus ipsâ—re quâ— est in nobis conueniens medicamentum Chrys proëm in Psal Act 1â— Do spe futuri gaudii Cantiois satigationem itineris consolantur ac subleuant Bed in Iob. In Psal 42. A â—niscuit prâ—phet tam melodia Vt vel Infantes ab vberibus matris pendentes si fleant et afflict antur ea ratione sopiantur Chrysoft qua s Viatores itineris molestiam illis canticis consolantes Chrys 1. s Valde cognatum et familiare Ib. Vse Fâ—râ— in omnibus â—emplis vhi colebantur Isis et Serapis erat etiaâ— simulachruÌ„ quod digito labiiâ— impresse admonere videretur vt silentium fieret Aug. de ciu dei l. 18. â— 5. Psal 47. 1 6 7. Psal 66. 2. Psal â—1 1. 8â— 1. â—2 1. 95. 1. 2 96. 1. 98. 1. 8. 100. 1. 105. 2. 134 2. 135. 3. 147. 1. 149 1. 150. 6. Non dulcedo â—ocis sâ—d mentis affectise quaeritur ler l. â—2 â—p Lact an l. 1. c. 21. Luk. 2. Reâ— 5. 9. 11 1 Thes 5. 16 Phil. 3. 1. Phil. 4. 4. Iam. 5. 13. Ephes 4. 29 Ephes 5. 19 Col. 3. 16. Aduolet spiritus gratia Câ—rys 1 Co. 14. 15 Luk. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt quid trâ—stis es Aug. Lyra. c. Quid deiicis te Iun. Cur te dâ—primis Montan. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Incuruatus est c. Pro 12. â—5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Vt quid â—oÌ„ turbâ—â— me Aug. â— c. Quid persâ—re pis Iun Cur tâ—onultuaberis Montan. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signific as anatâ— se◠〈◊〉 expect are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—3 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confiâ—ebâ—r Aug ad â—â—c 〈…〉 sâ—m eum Mont. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salutes facierum Montanus 1. Why Luk. 16. 21 Gen. â—1 19. 1 Reg. 17. 12. Math. 26. 15. Gen. 28. Isai 57. 2â— Requiem in se non poterit haebere quoni am â—llum dereliquit in quo habitare et requiesâ—ere debuit Ber nard de censes l. c. â— Rom. 14 17. Doct. Math. 4. Iud. 9. Non eaâ—sas pro â—aâ—sis Iosh 8. 22. Iudg. 15. 12 2 Sam. 19. 2 Act. 12. 7. Exod. 33. 3. 4 c Iosh 7. 6. Deut 28. 65 66 67. Ver. 58. Causa mâ—r bâ— primium excidâ—nda guam morbus lo. Heurn institut med l.