all my friends forsake mee If to gaine a good estate out of nothing and to regaine a desperat debt which is as good as nothing bee the fruits and signe of a bad conscience God helpe the good Come tell not me of griping and Oppression The world is hard and hee that hopes to thrive must gripe as hard What I give I give and what I lend I lend If the way to heaven bee to turn begger upon earth let them take it that like it I know not what ye call Oppression The Law is my direction but of the two it is more profitable to oppresse then to bee opprest If debtors would bee honest and discharge our hands were bound but when their failing offends my bagges they touch the Apple of my eye and I must right them BUt hah what voyce is this that whispers in mine eare The Lord will spoile the soule of the Oppressors Prov. 22. 23. Prov. 21. 22. Robbe not the poore because hee is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in the gates for the Lord will plead their cause and spoile the soule of those that have spoled him Ezek. 22. 19. The people of the land have used oppression and exercised Robbery and have vexed the poors and needy yea they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath Zach. 7. 9. Execute true judgement and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother and oppresse not the widow nor the fatherlesse nor the stranger nor the poore and let none of you imagine evill in your hearts against his brother But they refused to hearken therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts Bernard p. 1691. Wee ought so to care for our selves as not to neglect the due regard of our neighbour Bern. ibiâ—â— He that is not mercifull to another shall not find mercy from God but if thou will'st bee mercifull and compassionate thou shalt bee a benâ—factor to thy owne soule IS it wisdome in thee O my soul to covet a happinesse or rather to account it so that is sought for with a judgement obtained with a Curse and punished with damnation And to neglect that good which is assured with a promise purchased with a blessing and rewarded with a Crowne of Glory Canst thou hold a full estate a good pennyworth which is bought with the deare price of thy Gods displeasure Tell mee what continuance can that Inheritance promise that is raised upon the ruines of thy Brother Or what mercy canst thou expect from heaven that hast denied all mercy to thy Neighbour O my hard-hearted soule consider and relent Build not an house whose posts are subject to bee rotted with a curse Consider what the God of truth hath threatned against thy crueltie Relent and turne compassionate that thou mayst bee capable of his compassion If the desire of Gold hath hardned thy heart let the teares of true Repentance mollifie it soften it with Aarons oyntment untill it become Wax to take the impression of that seale which must confirme thy Pardon His Prayer BUt will my God bee now entreated Is not my crying sinne too loud for Pardon Am I not sunke too deepe into the Jawes of Hell for thy strong arme to rescue Hath not the hardnesse of my heart made mee uncapable of thy compassion O if my teares might wash away my sinne my head should turne a living Spring Lord I have heard thee speake and am affraid the word is past and thy judgements have found mee out Fearefulnesse and trembling are come upon mee and the Jawes of Hell have overwhelmed mee I have oppressed thy poore and added affliction to the afflicted and the voyce of their misery is come before thee They besought mee with teares and in the anguish of their soules but I have stopt mine eares against the cry of their complaint But Lord thou walkest not the wayes of man and remembrest mercy in the middest of thy wrath for thou art good and gratious and ready to forgive and plenteous in compassion to all that shall call upon thee Forgive mee O God my sinnes that are past and deliver mee from the guilt of my Oppression Take from mee O God this heart of stone and create in my brest a heart of flesh Asswage the vehemency of my desires to the things below and satisfie my soule with the sufficiency of thy Grace Inflame my affections that I may love thee with a filiall love and incline mee to relie upon thy fatherly providence Let mee account godlinesse my greatest gaine and subdue in mee my lusts after filthy lucre Preserve mee O Lord from the vanitie of selfe-love and plant in my affections the true love of my neighbours Endue my heart with the bowels of compassion and then reward mee according to thy righteousnesse Direct mee O God in the wayes of my life and let a good Conscience bee my continuall comfort Give mee a willing heart to make resâ—itution of what I have wrongfully gotten by oppression Grant mee a lawfull use of all thy Creatures and a thankfull heart for all thy benefits Bee merciâ—ull to all those that groane under the burthen of their owne wants and give them patience to expect thy deliverance Give mee a heart that may acknowledge thy favours and fill my tongue with praise and thanksgiving that living here a new life I may become a new creature and being engraffed in thee by the power of thy grace I may bring forth fruit to thy honour and glory The Drunkards Iubile VVHat Complement will the severer world allow to the vacant houres of frolique-hearted youth How shall their free their joviall spirits entertaine their time their friends What Oyle shall bee infused into the Lampe of deare societie if they deny the priviledge of a civill rejoycing Cup It is the life the radicall humor of united soules whose love-digestive heate even ripens and ferments the greene materialls of a plighted faith without the helpe whereof new married friendship falls into divorce and joyn'd acquaintance soone resolves into the first Elements of strangenesse What meane these strict Reformers thus to spend their houâ—e-glasses and bawle against our harmelesse Cups to call our meetings Riots and brand our civill mirth with stiles of loose Intemperance where they can sit at a fisters Feast devoure and gurmundize beyond excesse and wipe the guilt from off their marrowed mouths and cloath their surfeits in the long fustain Robes of a tedious Grace Is it not much better in a faire friendly Round since youth must have a swing to steep our soule-afflicting sorrows in a chirping Cup then hazard our estates upon the abuse of providence in a folish cast at Dice Or at a Cockpit leave our doubtfull fortunes to the mercy of unmercifull contention Or spend our wanton dayes in sacrificing costly presents to a fleshly Idoll was not Wine given to exhilarate the drooping hearts and raise the drowzie spirits
being done Ride on with thy Honour and create a name to live with faire Eternitie Enjoy thy purchas'd Glory as the merit of thy renowned Actions and let thy memory entaile it to succeeding Generations Make thy owne game and if thy conscience check thee correct thy saucy Conscience till shee stand as mute as metamorphos'd Niobe Feare not the frownes of Princes or the imperious hand of various Fortune Thou art too bright for the one to obscure and too great for the other to cry downe BUt harke my soule I heare a voyce that thunders in mine eare I will change their glory into shame Hos. 4. 7 Psal. 49. 20. Man that is borne in honour and understandeth not is like the beasts that perish Prov. 25. 27. It is not good to eate too much Hony so for men to search their owne glory is not glory Jer. 9. 23. Thus saith the Lord Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome neither let the mightie man glory in his might nor let the rich man glory in his ricâ—es But let him that glorieth glory in this that hee understandeth and knoweth mee that I am the Lord Gal. 5. 26. Let us not bee desirous of vain-glory c. St. August The vaine glory of the world is a deceitfull sweetnesse an unfruitfull labour a perpetuall feare a dangerous bravery begun without providence and finished not without repentance St. Greg. He that makes transitory honour the reward of a good worke sets eternall glory at a low rate VAine-glory is a Froth which blowne off discovers a great want of measure Canst thou O my soule bee guiltie of such an emptinesse and note bee challeng'd Canst thou appeare in the searching eye of heaven and not expect to be cast away deceive not thy selfe O my soule nor flatter thy selfe with thy owne greatnesse Search thy selfe to the bottome and thou shalt find enough to humble thee Dost thou glory in the â—avour of a Prince The frowne of a Prince determines it Dost thou glory in thy strength A poore Ague betraies it Dost thou glory in thy wealth The hand of a theefe extinguishes it Dost thou glory in thy Friends One cloud of adversitie darkens it Dost thou glory in thy parts Thy owne pride obscures it Behold my soule how like a Bubble thou appearest and with a Sigh breake into sorrow The gate of heaven is strait canst thou hope to enter without breaking The Bubble that would passe the Floodgates must first dissolve My soule melt then in teares and emptie thy selfe of all thy vanity and thou shalt finde divine Repletion evaporate in thy Devotion and thou shalt recâ—ute thy greatnesse to eternall Glory His Prayer ANd can I choose O God but tremble at thy judgements Oâ— can my stony heart not stand amazed at thy Threatnings It is thy voyce O God and thou hast spoken it It is thy voyce O God and I have heard it Hadst thou so dealt by mee as thou didâ—â— by Babels proud King and driven mee from the sonnes of men thou hadst but done according to thy righteousnesse and rewarded mee according to my deservings What couldst thou see in mee lesse worthy of thy vengeance then in him the example of thy justice or Lord wherein am I more uncapable of thy indignation There is nothing in mee to move thy mercy but in misery Thy goodnesse is thy selfe and hath no ground but what proceedeth from it selfe yet have I sinned against that goodnesse and have thereby heaped up wrath against the day of wrath that insomuch had not thy Grace abounded with my sinne I had long since been confounded in my sinne and swallow-lowed up in the Gulph of thy displeasure But Lord thou takest no delight to punish and with thee is no respect of persons Thou takest no pleasure in the confusion of thy creature but rejoycest rather in the conversion of a sinner Convert mee therfore O God I shall bee then converted Make mee sensible of my owne corruptions that I may see the vilenesse of my owne condition Pull downe the pride of my ambitious heart humble me thou O God and I shall bee humbled Weane mee from the thirst of transitory honour and let my whole delight bee to glory in thee Touch thou my conscience with the feare of thy name that in all my actions I may feare to offend thee Endue mee O Lord with the spirit of meeknesse and teach mee to overcome evill with a patient heart moderate and curb the exorbitances of my passion and give mee temperate use of all thy creatures Replenish my heart with the Graces of thy Spirit that in all my wayes I may bee acceptable in thy sight In all conditions give mee a contented minde and upon all occasions grant mee a gratefull heart that honoring thee here in the Church militant before men I may bee glorified hereafter in the Church Triumphant before thee and Angells where filled with true glory according to the measure of Grace thou shalt bee pleased to give mee here I may with Angels and Archangels praise thy Name for ever and ever The Oppressors Plea I Seeke but what 's my owne by Law It was his owne free Act and Deed The execution lies for goods or body and goods or body I will have or else my money What if his beggerly children pine or his proud wife perish They perish at their owne charge not mine and what is that to mee I must be paid or hee lie by it untill I have my utmost farthing or his bones The Law is just and good and being ruled by that how can my faire proceedings bee unjust what 's thirty in the hundred to a man of Trade Are we borne to thrum Caps or pick strawes and sell our livelihood for a few teares and a whining face I thanke God they move mee not so much as a bowling dog at midnight I 'le give no day if heaven it selfe would bee securitâ—e I must have present money or his bones The Commodity was good enough as wares went then and had hee had but a thriving wit with the necessary helpe of a good marchantable conscience he might have gained perchance as much as now hee lost but howsoever gaine or not gaine I must have my money Two teadious Tearmes my dearest gold hath laine in his unprofitable hands The â—oft of Suit hath made mee bleed above a score of Royals besides my Interest travell halfe pints and bribes all which does but encrease my beggerly defendants damages and sets him deeper on my score but right 's right and I will have my money or his bones Fifteene shillings in the pound composition I le hang first Come tell not mee of a good conscience a good conscience is no parcell of my trade it hath made more Bankrupts then all the loose wives in the universall Citie My conscience is no foole It tells mee that my owne 's my owne and that a well cramm'd bagge is no deceitfull friend but will stick close to mee when
I may eate with those that eate I mourne with those that mourne No hand more open to the cause then mine and in their families none prayes longer and with louder zeale Thus when the opinion of a holy life hath cryed the goodnesse of my conscience up my trade can lack no custome my wares can want no price my words can need no credit my actions can lack no praise If I am covetous it is interpreted providence if miserable it is counted temperance if mâ—lancholly it is construed godly sorrow if merry it is voted spirituall joy if I be rich t is thought the blessing of a godly life if poor supposed the fruit of conscionable dealing if I be well spoken of it is the merit â—f holy conversation if ill it is the malice of Malignants thus I saile with every winde and have my end in all conditions This Cloake in Summer keepes mee coole in winter warme and hides the nasty Bag of all my secret lusts Under this Cloake I walke in publique fairely with applause and in private sinne securely without offence and officiate wisely without discovery I compasse Sea and land to make a Proselyte and no sooner made but he makes mee At a Fast I cry Geneva and at a Feast I cry Rome If I bee poore I counterfeit abundance to save my credit if rich I dissemble povertie to save charges I most frequent Schismaticall Lectures which I find most profitable from whence learning to divulge and maintaine new doctrines they maintaine mee in suppers thrice a weeke I use the helpe of a lie sometimes as a Religious Stratagem to uphold the Gospell and I colour oppression with Gods judgement executed upon the wicked Charity I hold an extraordinary dutie therefore not ordinarily to bee performed VVhat I openly reprove abroad for my owne profit that I secretly act at home for my owne pleasure BUt stay I see a hand-writing in my heart lamps my soule 't is characterd in these saâ— words Wâ—e hee to you Hypoerites Match 23. 13. Job 20. 5. The triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment Job 15. 34. The Congregation of the hypocrites shall bee desolate Psal. 11. 9. An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour but through knowledge shall the just bee delivered Luke 12. 1. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie Job 36. 13. The hypocrites in heart heape up wrath they die in their youth and their life is amongst the uncleane Salvian de Gubern Dei l. 4. The hypocrites love not those things they professe and what they pretend in words they disclaime in practise their sinne is the more damnable because ushered in with pretence of pietie having the greater guilt because it obtaines a godly repute Hieron. Ep. Endeavour rather to be then to be thought holy for what profits it thee to bee thought to be what thou art not and that man doubles his guilt who is not so holy as the world thinkes him and counterseits that holinesse which be bath not HOw like a living Sepulcher did I appeare without beautified with gold and rich invention within nothing but a loathed corruption So long as this faire Sepulcher was clos'd it past for a curious Monument of the Builders Art but being opened by these spirituall Keyes 't is nothing but a Receptacle of offensive putrefaction In what a nasty dungeon hast thou my soule so long remain'd unstifled How wert thou wedded to thy owne corruptions that could'st endure thy unsavory filthinesse The world hated mee because I seemed good God hated mee because I onely seemed good I had no friend but my selfe and this friend was my bosome enemy O my soule is there water enough in Jordan to cleanse thee Hath Gilead Balme enough to heale thy superannuated sores I have finned I am convinced I am convicted Gods mercy is above Dimensions when sinners have not sinn'd beyond Repentance Art thou my soule truly penitent for thy 〈◊〉 Thou hast free Interest in his mercy fall then my soule before his Mercy seate and he will crown thy Pemitence with his pardon His Prayer O God before the brightnesse of whose All-discerning eye the secrets of my heart appeare before whose cleare omniscience the very entralls of my soule lie open who art a God of righteousnesse and truth and lovest uprightnesse in the inward parts How can I choose but feare to thrust into thy glorious presence or move my sinfull lips to call upon that Name which I so often have dishonored and made a Cloake to hide the basenesse of my close transgressions Lord when I look into the progresse of my filthy life my guilty conscience calls mee to so strict account and reflects to mee so large an Inventory of my presumptuous sinnes that I commit a greater sinne in thinking them more infinite then thy mercy But Lord thy mercies have no date nor is thy goodnesse circumscribed The gates of thy compassion are alwayes open to a broken heart and promise entertainement to a contrite spirit the burthen of my sinnes is grievous and the remembrance of my hypocrisie is intolerable I have finned against thy Majesty with a high hand but I repent mee from the bottome of an humble heart As thou hast therefore given mee sorrow for my sinnes so crowne that gift in the freenesse of remission Bee fully reconcil'd to mee through the all-sufficient merits of thy Sonne my Saviour and seale in my afflicted heart the full assurance of thy gratious favour Bee thou exalted O God above the heavens and let mee praise thee with a single heart cleanse thou my inward parts O God and purifie the closet of my polluted soule Fix thou my heart O thou searcher of all secrets and keepe my affections wholly to thee Remove from mee all by and base respects that I may serve thee with an upright spirit Take not the word of truth out of my mouth nor give mee over to deceitfull lips Give mee an inward reverence of thy Majestie that I might openly confesse thee in the truth of my sinceritie Bee thou the onely object and end of all my actions and let thy honour bee my great râ—ward Let not the hopes of filthy lucre or the praise of men incline me to thee neither let the pleasures of the world nor the feares of any losse entice mee from thee Keepe from mee those judgements my hypocrisie hath deserved and strengthen my resolution to abhorre my former life Give me strength O God to serve thee with a perfect heart in the newnesse of life that I may bee delivered from the old man and the snares of death Then shall I praise thee with my entire affections and glorifie thy name for ever and everâ— The Ignorant mans faltering YOu tell mee and you tell me that I must bee a good man and serve God and doe his will and so I doe for ought I know I am sure I am as good as God has made
and everlasting flames justly deserves to die perish with the damned because when he might have enjoyed a pious rest he laboured to run headlong to his own destruction MY soul how hast thou profaned that day thy God hath sanctified How hast thou encroach'd on that which heaven hath set apart If thy impatience cannot act a Sabbath twelve houres what happinesse canst thou expect in a perpetuall Sabbath Is six dayes too little for thy selfe and two houres too much for thy God O my soule how dost thou prize temporalls beyond eternalls Is it equall that God who gave thee a body and six dayes to provide for it should demand one day of thee and bee denied it How liberall a receiver art thou and how miserable a Requiter But know my soule his Sabbaths are the Apple of his eye Hee that hath power to vindicate the breach of it hath threatned judgements to the breaker of it The God of mercy that hath mitigated the rigor of it for charity sake will not diminish the honour of it for profanenesse sake forget not then my soule to remember his Sabbaths and remember not to forget his judgements lest hee forget to remember thee in Mercy What thou hast neglected bewaile with contrition and what thou hast repented forsake with resolution and what thou hast resolved strengthen with devotion His Prayer O Eternall just and all-discerning Judge in thy selfe glorious in thy Sonne gracious who tryest without a witnesse and condemnest without a Jury O! I confesse my very actions have betray'd me thy word hath brought in evidence against mee my owne conscience hath witnessed against me and thy judgement hath past sentence against mee And what have I now to pleade but mine owne misery and whither should that misery flee but to the God of mercy And since O Lord the way to mercy is to leave my selfe I here disclaime all interest in my self and utterly renounce my selfe I that was created for thy glory have dishonored thy Name I that was made for thy service have profaned thy Sabbaths I have sleighted thy Ordinances turned my back upon thy Sanctuary I have neglected thy Sacraments abused thy Word despis'd thy Ministers and despis'd their ministery I have come into thy Courts with an unprovided heart and have drawne neare with uncircumcised lippes And Lord I know thou art a jealous God and most severe against all such as violate thy â—est The glory of thy Name is pretious to thee and thine honour is as the Apple of thine eye But thou O God that art the God of Hosts hast published and declared thy self the Lord of mercy The constitution of thy Sabbath was a worke of time but Lord thy mercy is from all eternitie I that have broke thy Sabbaths doe here present thee with a broken heart thy hand is not shortned that thou canst not heale nor thy eare deafned that thou canst not heare Stretch forth thy hand O God and heale my wounds Bow downe thine eare O Lordâ— and heare my Prayers Alter the fabrick of my sinfull heart and make it tender of thy glory Make mee ambitious of thy service and let thy Sabbaths bee my whole delight Give mee a holy reverence of thy Word that it may prove a light to my steppes and a Lanthorne to my feet Endue my heart with Charity and Faith that I may finde a comfort in thy Sacraments Blesse thou the Ministers of thy sacred Word and make them holy in their lifes sound in their doctrine and laborious in their callings Preserve the universall Church in these distracted times give her peace unitie and uniformity purge her of all Schisme error and superstition Let the Kings daughter be all glorious within and let thine eyes take pleasure in her beautie that being honor'd here to bee a member of her Militant I may be glorified with her triumphant The censorious mans Crimination I Know there is much of the seed of the Serpent in him by his very lookes if his words betray'd him not He hath eaten the Egge of the Cockatrice and surely hee remaineth in the state of perdition He is not within the Covenant and abideth in the Gall of bitternesse His studied Prayers show him to bee a high Malignant and his Iesu-worship concludes him popishly affected Hee comes not to our private meetings nor contributes a penny to the cause Hee cries up learning and the booke of Common-Prayer and takes no armes to hasten Reformation Hee feares God for his owne ends for the spirit of Antichrist is in him His eyes are full of Adulteries and goes a whoring after his owne inventions Hee can heare an oath from his superiors without reproof and the heathenish Gods named without spitting in his face Wherefore my soule detesteth him and I will have no conversation with him for what fellowship hath light with darknesse or the pure in heart with the uncleane Sometimes hee is a Publican sometimes a Pharisee and alwayes an Hypocrite Hee railes against the Altar as loud as we and yet he cringes and makes an Idol of the name of Iesus hee is quick-sighted to the infirmities of the Saints and in his heart rejoyceth at our failings hee honours not a preaching ministery and too much leanes to a Church-government hee paints devotion on his face whilst pride is stampt within his heart hee places sanctitie in the walls of a Steeple-house and adores the Sacrament with his popish knee His Religion is a Weathercock and turnes brest to every blast of wind With the pure hee seemes pure and with the wicked hee will joyne in fellowship A sober language is in his mouth but the poyson of Aspes is under his tongue His workes conduce not to edification nor are the motions of his heart sanctified Hee adores great ones for preferment and speakes too partially of authority Hee is a Laâ—dicean in his faith a Nicolaitane in his workes a Pharisee in his disguise a rank Papist in his heart and I thanke my God I am not as this man BUt stay my soule take heed whilst thou judgest another lest God judge thee how com'st thou so expert in anothers heart being so often deceived in thy owne A Sâ—ul to day may prove a Paul to morrow Take heed whilst thou wouldst seeme religious thou appeare not uncharitable and whilst thou judgest man thou be not judg'd of God who saith Iudge not lest yee bee judged Matth. 7. 1. John 7. 24. Iudge not according to appearance but judge righteous judgement Rom. 14. 10. But why dost thou judge thy brother or why dost thou set at naught thy brother Wee shall all stand before the judgement seate of Christ 1 Cor. 4. 5. hudge nothing before the time untill the Lord who will both bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsell of the heart Rom. 14. 13. Let us not therefore judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an accusation to fall
in his brothers way Psal. 50. 6. God is Iudge himselfe St. August Apparent and notorious iniquities ought both to bee reproved and condemned but wee should never judge such things as we understand not nor can certainly know whether they be done with a good or evill intent S. August When thou knowest not apparently judge charitably because it 's better to thinkâ— well of the wicked then by frequent censuring to suspect an innocent man guilty of an offence S. Aug. The unrighteous Iudge shall bee justly condemned HAs thy brother O my soule a beame in his eye And haâ—t thou no mâ—â—te in thine Cleare thine own and thou wilt see the better to cleanse his Iâ— a Theese bee in his Candle blow it not out leâ—t thou wrong the flame but if thy snuffers bee of Gold snuffe it Has hee offended thee Forgive him Hath hee srespass'd against the Congregation Reprove him Hath hee sinned against God Pray for him O my soule how uncharitable hast thou been How Pharisaically hast thou judg'd Being sick of the Iaundies how hast thou censur'd another yellow And with blotted fingers made his blurre the greater How has the pride of thy owne heart blinded thee toward thy selfe How quick-sighted to another Thy brother has slipt but thou hast fallen and hast blancht thy owne impiety with the publishing his sinne Like a Flie thou stingest his fores and feed'st on his corruptions Jesus came eating and drinking and was judg'd a glutton Iohn came fasting and was challeng'd with a devill Judge not my soule lest thou bee judged maligne not thy brother lest God laugh at thy destruction Wouldst thou escape the punishment judge thy selfe Wouldst thou avoyd the sinne humble thy selfe His Prayer O God that art the onely searcher of the Reines to whom the secrets of the heart of man are onely known to whom alone the judgement of our thoughts our words and deeds belong and to whose sentence wee must stand or fall I a presumptuous sinner that have thrust into thy place and boldly have presumed to execute thy office doe here as humbly confesse the insolence of mine attempt and with a sorrowfull heart repent me of my doings and though my convinced conscience can look for nothing from thy wrathfull hand but the same measure which I measured to another yet in the confidence of that mercy which thou hast promised to all those that truely and unfeignedly beleeve I am become an humble suitor for thy gratious pardon Lord if thou search mee but with a favourable eye I shall appeare much more unrighteous in thy sight then this my uncharitably condemned brother did in mine O looke not therefore Lord upon mee as I am lest thou abhor me but through the merits of my blessed Saviour cast a gratious eye upon mee Let his humilitie satisfie for my presumption and let his meritorious sufferings answer for my vile uncharitablenesse let not the voyce of my offence provoke thee with a stronger cry then the language of his Intercession Remove from mee O God all spirituall pride and make me little in my owne conceite Lord light mee to my selfe that by thy light I may discerne how dark I am Lighten that darkenesse by thy holy Spirit that I may search into my owne corruptions And since O God all gifts and graces are but nothing and nothing can bee acceptable in thy sight without charity quicken the dulnesse of my faint affections that I may love my brother as I ought Soften my marble heart that it may melt at his infirmities Make me carefull in the examination of my owne wayes and most severe against my owne offences Pull out the beame out of mine owne eye that I may see clearely and reprove wisely Take from mee O Lord all grudging envy and malice that my seasonable reproofes may winne my brother Preserve my heart from all censorious thoughts and keepe my tongue from striking at his name Grant that I make right use of his Infirmities and reade good Lessons in his failings that loving him in thee and thee in him according to thy command wee may both bee united in thee as members of thee that thou mayst receive honour from our communion here and wee eternal glory from thee hereafter in the world to come The Liars Fallacies NAy if Religion bee so strict a Law to bind my tongue to the necessitie of a truth on all occasions at all times and in all places the gate â—â—too strait for me to enter Or if the generall â—â—les of downeright truth will admit no few exâ—â—ptions farewell all honest mirth farewell all trading farewell the whole converse betwixt man and man If alwayes to speake punctuall truth bee the true Symptomes of a blessed soule Tom Tell troth has a happy time and fooles children are the onely men If truth sit Regent in what faithfull brest shall secrets finde repose What kingdome can be safe What Commonwealth can be secure What warre can be succesfull What Straâ—â—â— can prosper if bloody times should force Religion to shâ—oud it selfe beneath my roofe upon demand shall my false truth betrâ—y it Or shall my brothers life or shall my owne be seis'd upon through the cruell truth of my downe-right confession or rather not be secured by a faire officious life shall the righteous Favorite of Egypts Tyrant by vertue of a loud lie sweeten out his joy and heighten up his soft affection with the Antiperistasâ—s of teares and may I not prevariâ—â—ate with a sullen truth to save a brothers life from a bloodthirsty hand Shall Iacob and his â—â—oo indulgent mother conspire in a lie to purchase a paternall blessing in the false name and habit of a supplanted brother and shall I questiâ—â—ion to preserve the granted blessing of a life or livelihood with a harmelesse lie Come come my soule let not thy timerous conscienâ—e check at such poore things as these So long as thy officious tongue aymes at a just end a lie is no offence So long as thy perjurious lippes confirme not thy untruth with an audacious bâ—ow thou needst not feare The weight of the cause releeves the burthen of the Crime Is thy Center good No matter how crooked the lines of the circumference bee Policy allowes it If thy journies end be heaven it matters not how full of Hell thy journey be Divinitie allowes it Wiâ—t thou condemne the Egyptian Midwives for saving the infant Israelites by so mercifull a lie When Martiall execution is to bee done wilt thou feare to kill When hunger drives thee to the gates of death wilt thou bee affraid to steale When civill warres divide a kingdome will Mercuries decline a lie No circumstances excuse as well as make the lie Had Caesar Sâ—ioio or Alexander been regulated by such strict Divinitie their names had been as silent as their dust A lie is but a faire put-off the sâ—nctuary of a secret the riddle of a lover the stragem of a Souldier the policy of a Statesman and a
salve for many desperate sores BUt hark my soule there 's something rounds mine eare and calls my language to a recantation The Lord hath spoken it Liers shall have their part in the lake which burneth with â—ire and brimstone Revel. 2 1. 8. Exod. 20. Thou shalt not raise a false report Levit. 19. 11. â—e shall not deale falsly neither lie one to another Prov. 12. 22. Lying lips are abomination to the Lord but they that deale truly are his delight Prov. 19. 5. He that speaketh lies shall not escape Ephes. 4. 25. Put away lying and every one speake truth with his neighbour for we are members one of another Revel. There shall in no wise enter into the new Ierusalem any thing that worketh abomination or that maketh a lie St. August Whosoever thinkes there 's any kind of lie that is not a sinne shamefully deceives himselfe mistaking a lying or câ—usening knave for a square or honest man Gregor. Eschew and avoid all falshood though sometime certaine kind of untruths are lesse sinfull as to tell a lie to save a mans life yet because the Scripture saith The lyer slayeth his owne soule and God will destroy them that tell a lie therefore religious and honest men should alwayes avoyd even the best sort of lies neither ought another mans life be secured by our falshood or lying lest we destroy our own soule in labouring to secure another mans life VVHat a child O my soule hath thy false bosome harbord And what reward can thy indulgence expect from such a father What blessing canst thou hope from heaven that pleadest for the sonne of the devill and crucifyest the Sonne of God God is the Father of truth To secure thy estate thou denyest the truth by framing of a lie To save thy brothers life thou opposest the truth in justifying a lie Now tell me O my soul art thou worthy the name of a Christian that denyest and opposest the nature of Christ Art thou worthy of Christ that preferrest thy estate or thy brothers life before him O my unrighteous soul canst thou hold thy brother worthy of death for giving thee the lie and thy selfe guiltlesse that makest a lie I but in some cases truth destroyes thy life a lie preserves it My soule was God thy Creator then make not the devill thy preserver Wilt thou despaire to trust him with thy life that gave it and make him thy Protector that seeks to destroy it Reforme thee and repent thee O my soule hold not thy life on such conditions but trust thee to the hands that made thee His Prayer O God that art the God of truth whose word is truth that hatest lying lips and abominatest the deceitfull tongue that banishest thy presence all such as love or make a lie and lovest truth and requirest uprightnesse in the inward parts I the most wretched of the sonnes of men and most unworthy to bee called thy sonne make bold to cast my sinfull eyes to heaven Lord I have sinned against heaven and against truth and have turned thy grace into a lie I have renounced the wayes of righteousnesse and have harbour'd much iniquitie within me which hath turned thy wrath against me I have transgrest against the checks of my owne conscience and have vaunted of my transgression which way soever I turne mine eye I see no object but â—hame and confusion Lord when I look upon my self I find nothing there but fuell for thy wrath and matter for thine indignation and my condemnation And when I cast mine eyes to heaven I there behold an angry God and a severe revenger But Lord at thy right hand I see a Saviour and a sweet redeemer I see thy wounded sonne cloathd in my flesh and bearing mine infirmities and interceding for my numerous transgressions for which my soule doth magnifie thee O God and my spirit rejoyceth in him my Saviour Lord when thou lookest upon the vast score of my offences turne thine eyes upon the infinite merits of his satisfaction O when thy justice calls to minde my sinnes let not thy mercy forget his sufferings Wash mee O wash mee in his blood and thou shalt see me cloathed in his righteousnesse Let him that is all in all to mee be all in all for me make him to me sanctification justification redemption Inspire my heart with the spirit of thy truth and preserve me from the deceitfulnesse of double tongue Give mee an inward confidence to relie upon thy fatherly providence that neither feare may deterre mee nor any advantage may turne me from the wayes of thy truth Let not the specious goodnesse of the end encourage mee to the unlawfulnesse of the meanes but let thy Word bee the warrant to all my actions Guide my footsteps that I may walke uprightly and quicken my conscience that it may reprove my faylings Cause me to feele the burthen of this my habituall sinne that comming to thee by a true and serious repentance my sinnes may obtaine a full and a gratious forgivenesse Give me a heart to make a Covenant with my lips that both my heart and and tongue being sanctified by thy Spirit may bee both united in truth by thy mercy and magnifie thy name for ever and for ever The Revengefull mans rage O What a Iulâ—p to my scorching soule is the delicious blood of my offender and how it cooles the burning Fever of my boyling veynes It is the Quintessenee of pleasures the height of satisfaction and the very marrow of all delight to bath and paddle in the blood of such whose bold affronts have turn'd my wounded patience into fury How full of sweetnesse was his death who dying was reveng'd upon three thousâ—nd enemies How sweetly did the younger brothers blood allay the soule-consuming flames of the elder who tooke more pleasure in his last breath then heaven did in his first Sacrifice Yet had not heaven condemned his action nature had found an Advocate for his passion What sturdy spirit hath the power to rule his suffering thoughts or curbe the headstrong fury of his Irascible affections Or who but fooles that cannot taste an injury can moderate their high-bred spirits and stop their passion in her full carreire Let heavy Cynicks they whose leaden soules are taught by stupid reason to stand bent at every wrong that can digest an injury more easily then a complement that can protest against the Lawes of nature and cry all naturall affection downe let them be Andirons for the injurious world to work a Heate upon let them find shoulders to receive the painefull sâ—ripes of peevish Mortalls and to beare the wrongs of daring insolence Let them bee drawne like Calves prepar'd for slaughter and bow their servile necks to sharpe destruction let them submit their slavish bosomes to be trod and trampled under foot for every pleasure My Eagle spiriâ— flies a higher pitch and like ambitious Phaeton climbes into the fiery Chariot and drawne with fury scorne revenge and honor
rambles through all the Spheares and brings with it confusion and combustion my reeking sword shall vindicate my reputation and rectifie the injuries of my honorable name and quench it self in plenteous streames of blood Come tell not mee of Charitie conscience or transgression My Charitie reflects upon my self begins at home and guided by the justice of my passion is bound to labour for an honorable satisfaction My conscience is blood-proofe and I can broach a life with my illustrious weapon with as little reluctation as kill a Flea that sucks my blood without Commission and I can drinke a health in blood upon my bended knee to reputation BUt hark my soule I heare a languishing a dying voyce cry up to heaven for vengeance It cries aloud and thunders in my startling eare I tremble and my shivering bones are fill'd wâ—â—â—h horror It cries against me and heare what â—â—eaven replies All that take up the sword shall perish by the sword Matth. 26. 52. Levit. 19. 18. Thou shall not avenge or beare any grudge against the Children of my people but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe I am the Lord Deut. 32. 35. To me belongeth vengeance and recompence Ezek. 25. 12 13. Because that Edom hath delt against the house of Iudah by taking vengeance and bath greatly offended and reveng'd himselfe upon them Therefore thus saith the Lord God I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom and will cut off man and beast from it Matth. 5. 39. Resist not evill but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also Tertull. What 's the difference between one that doth an injury and another that out-ragiously suffers it except that the one is fiâ—st and the other second in the offence but both are guilty of mutuall injury in the sight of God who forbids every sinne and condemnes the offender Tertull. How can wee honouâ— God if wee revenge our selves Gloss. Every man is a murtherer and shall bee punished as Cain was if hee doe as Caindid either assâ—ult his brother with violence or pursue him with hatred REvenge is an Act of the Irascible affections deliberated with malice and executed without mercy How often O my soule hast thou cursed thy selfe in the perfectest of Prayers How often hast thou turn'd the spirituall bâ—dy of thy Saviour into thy dâ—mnation Can the Sunne rise to thy comfort that hath so often set in thy wrath So long as thy wrath is kindled against thy brother so long is the wrath of God burning against thee O wouldst thou offer a pleasing sacrifice to heaven Goe first and be reconciled to thy brother I but who shall right thy honor then Is thy honour wrong'd Forgive and it is vindicated I but this kind of heart-swelling can brooke no Powltresse but revenge Take heed my soule the remedy is worse then the disease If thy intricate distemper transcend thy power make choyce of a Physitian that can purge that humor that foments thy malady Rely upon him submit thy will to his directions hee hath a tender heart a skilfull hand a watchfull eye that makes thy welfare the price of all thy painâ—s expecting no reward no fee but prayses and Thanksgiving His Prayer O God that art the God of peace and the lover of unitie and concord that dost command all those that seeke forgivenesse to forgive that hatest the fâ—oward heart but shewest mercy to the mecke in spirit With what a face can I appeare before thy mercy-seate or with what countenance can I lift up these hands thus stained with my brothers blood How can my â—ippes that daily breath revenge against my brother presume to owne thee as my father or expect from thee thy blessing as thy child If thou forgive my trespasses O God as I forgive my trespassers in what a miserable estate am I that in my very prayers condemne my selfe and doe not onely limit thy compassion by my uncharitablenesse but draw thy judgements on my head for my rebellion That heart O God which thou requirest as a holy present is become a spring of malice These hands which I advance are ready instruments of base revenge My thoughts that should be sanctified are full of blood and how to compasse evill against my brother is my continuall meditation The course of all my life is wilfull disobedience and my whole pleasure Lord is to displease thee My conscience hath accused me and the voyce of blood hath cryed against mee But Lord the blood of Jesus cries louder then the blood of Abell and thy mercy is farre more infinite then my sinne The blood that was shed by me cries for vengeance but the blood that was shed for me sues for mercy Lord heare the language of this blood and by the merits of this voyce be reconciled unto mee That time which cannot be recalled O give mee power to redeeme and in the meane time a setled resolution to reforme Suppresse the violence of my headstrong passion and establish a meeke spirit within mee Let the sight of my owne vilenesse take from me the sense of all disgrace and let the Crowne of my reputation be thy honour Possesse my heart with a desire of unitie and concord and give mee patience to endure what my impenitence hath deserved Breath into my soule the spirit of love and direct my affections to their right object turne all my anger against that sinne that hath provoked thee and give me holy revenge that I may exercise it against my selfe Grant that I may love thee for thy selfe my self in thee and my neighbour as my selfe Assist me O God that I may subdue all evill in my selfe and suffer patiently all evill as a punishment from thee Give me a mercifull heart O God make it slow to wrath and ready to forgive Preserve me from the act of evill that I may be delivered from the feare of evill that living here in charity with men I may receive that sentence of Come ye blessed in the kingdom of glory The secure mans Triumph SO now my soule thy happinesse is entaild and thy illustrious name shall live in thy succeeding Generations Thy dwelling is establish'd in the fat of all the land thou hast what mortall heart can wish and wantest nothing but immortalitie The best of all the land is thine and thou art planted in the best of Lands A land whose Constitutions make the best of Government which Government is strengthned with the best of â—aws which Lawes are executed by the best of Princes whose Prinâ—e whose Lawes whose Government whose land makes us the happiest of all subjects makes us the happiest of all people A land of strength of plenty and a land of peace where every soule may sit beneath his Vine unfrighted at the horrid language of the hoarse Trumpet unstartled at the warlike summons of the roaring Cannon A land whose beautie hath surpriz'd the ambitious hearts of forraigne Princes and taught them by their martiall