most and blowne in thee O my lustfull soule O turne thine eare from the pleadings of Nature and make a Covenant with thine eyes Let not the language of Delilah inchant thee left the hands of the Philisâ—ims surprize thee Review thy past pleasures with the charge and paines thou hadst to compasse them and show mee where 's thy pennyworth Foresee what punishments are prepa'rd to meet thee and tell mee what 's thy purchase Thou hast barterd away thy God for a lust sold thy eternitie for a trifle If this bargaine may not bee recall'd by teares dissolve thee O my soule into a Spring of waters if not to be revers'd with price reduce thy whole estate into a Sackcloth and an Ashtub Thou whose Liver hath scorch't in the flames of lust humble thy heart in the Ashes of repentance And as with Esau thou hast sold thy Birthright for Broth so with Iacob wrestle by Prayer till thou get a blessing His Prayer O God before whose face the Angels are impure before whose cleare omniscience all Actions appeare to whom the very secrets of the hearts are open I here acknowledge to thy glory and my shame the filthinesse and vile impuritie of my Nature Lord I was filthy in my very conception and in filthiness my mothers wombe enclosed me brought forth in filthinesse and filthy in my very innocency filthy in the motions of my flesh and filthy in the apprehensions of my soule my words all cloath'd with filthinesse and in all my actions filthy and uncleane in my inclination filthy and in the whole course of my life nothing but a continued filthinesse Wash mee O God and make mee cleane cleanse me from the filthinesse of my corruption Purge me O Lord with Hyssop and create a cleane heart within mee Correct the vagrant motions of my flesh and quench the fiery darts of Satan Let not the Law of my corrupted members rule mee O let concupiscence have no dominion over mee Give mee courage to fight against my lusts and give my weakenesse strength to overcome make sharpe my sword against this body of sinne but most against my Delilah my bosome sinne Deliver mee from the tyranny of temptation or give mee power to subdue it Confine the libertie of my wanton appetite and give mee temperance in a sober diet Grant mee a heart to strive with thee in Prayer and hopefull patience to attend thy leisure Keepe mee from the habit of an idle life and close mine eares against corrupt communication Set thou a watch before my lippes that all my words may savour of sobrietie Preserve mee from the vanitie and pride of life that I may walke blamelesse in my conversation Protect mee from the fellowship of the uncleane and from all such as are of evill report Let thy Grace O God bee sufficient for mee to protect my soule from the buffetings of Satan Make mee industrious and diligent in my calling left the enemy get advantage over me In all my temptations let mee have recourse to thee Bee thou my refuge when I call upon thee Forgive O God the sinnes of my youth O pardon the multitudes of my secret sinnes Encrease my hatred to my former life and strengthen my resolution for the time future Heare mee O God and let the words of my mouth bee alwayes acceptable to â—hee O God my strength and my Redeemer The Sabbath-breakers profanation THe glittering Prince that sits upon his regall and imperiall Throne and the ignoble Pâ—sant that sleeps within his sordid house of Thatch are both alike to God An Ivory Temple and a Church of Clay are priz'd alike by him The flesh of Bulls and the perfumes of Merrh and Cassia smoake his Altars with an equall pleasure And does he make such difference of dayes ' Is hee that was so weary of the New-Moones so taken with the Sunne to tie his Sabbath to that onely day The tenth in tithes is any one in tenne and why the seventh day not any one in seaven We sanctifie the day the day not us But are we Iewes Are we still bound to keepe a legall Sabbath in the strictnesse of the Letter Have the Gentiles no priviledge by the vertue of Messiaâ—s comming or has the Evangelicall Sabbath no immunities The service done the day 's discharg'd my libertie restored And if I meet my profits or my pleasures then I 'le give them entertainment If businesse call mee to account I dare afford a carefull care Or if my sports invite me I 'le entertaine them with a cherefull heart I 'le goe to Mattens with as much devotion as my neighbour I 'le make as low obeysance and as just responds as any but soone as Evensong 's ended my Church-devotion and my Psalter shall sanctifie my Pue till the next Sabbath call Were it no more for an old custome sake then for the good I find in Sabbaths that Ceremony might as well bee spared It is a day of Rest And what 's a Rest A relaxation from the toyle of labour And what is labour but a painefull exercise of the fraile body But where the exercise admits no toyle there Relaxation makes no Rest What labour is it for the worldly man to compasse Sea and Land to accomplish his desires What labour is it for the impatient lover to measure Hellespont with his widened armes to hasten his delight What labour for the youth to number muâ—ick with their sprightly paces Where pleasure 's reconcil'd to labour labour is but an active rest Why should the Sabbath then a day of rest divorce thee from those delights that make thy Rest Afflict their soules that please my rest shall bee what most conduces to my hearts delight Two howers will vent more prayers then I shall need the rest remaines for pleasure COnscience why start'st thou A judgement strikes mee from the mouth of heaven and saith Whosoever doth any worke on my Sabbath his soule shall be cut off Exod. 31. 14. Exod. 20. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seventh day c. Exod. 31. 14. Ye shall keepe my Sabbath for it is holy unto you Exod. 31. 13. Verily my Sabbaths thou shalt keep for this is a signe betwixt mee and you throughout your Generations Luke 23. 56. And they returned and prepared spices and oyntments and rested on the Sabbath day according to the Commandement Gregor. Wee ought upon the Lords day to rest from bodily labour and wholly to addict our selves to prayers that what soever hath been done amisse the weeke before may upon the day of our Lords resurrection be expiated and purged by fervent prayers Cyr. Alex. Sinne is the storehouse of death and misery it kindles flames for it 's dearest friends Therefore whosoever when he should rest from sinne busieth himselfe in the dead and fruitlesse workes of wickednesse and renouncing all piety lusts after such things as will bring him into eternall destruction
placed my affections upon the nasty Rubbish of this world and have slighted the inestimable Pearle of my salvation I have wallow'd in the mire of my inordinate desires and refused to bee washt in the streames of thy compassion I have put my confidence into the faithfulnesse of my servant and have doubted the providence of thee my gratious Father I have served unrighteous Mammon with greedinesse and have preferred drosse and dung before the Pearly gates of New Jerusalem Thou hast promised to bee all in all to those that feare thee and not to faile the soule that trusts in thee but I refused thy gratious offer and put my confidence in the vanity of the Creature But gratious God to whom Repentance never comes unseasonable that find ' â—t an â—are when sinnes finde a tongue regard the conâ—rition of a bleeding heart and withdraw not thy mercy from a pensive soule Give mee new thoughts O God and with thy holy Spirit new mould my desires Informe my will and sanctifie my affections that they may relish thy sweetnesse with a full delight Create in me O God a spirituall sense that I may take pleasure in things that are above Give mee a contented thankfulnesse for what I have that I may neither in povertie forsake thee nor in plentie forget thee Arme me with a continuall patience that I may cheerfully put my trust in thy providence Moderate my care for momentary things that I may use the world as if I used it not Let not the losse of any earthly good too much deject mee lest I should sinne with my lippes and charge thee foolishly Give mee a charitable hand O God and fill my heart with brotherly compassion that I may chearefully exchange the corruptible treasure of this world into the incorruptible riches of the world to come and proving a faithfull steward in thy spirituall houshold I may give up my account with joy and bee made partaker of thy eternall joy in the kingdome of thy glory The Self-lovers Self-fraud GOd hath required my heart and he shall have it God hath commanded truth in the inword parts and hee shall bee obeyed My soule shall praise the Lord and all that is within me and I will serve him in the strength of my desires And in common cases the tongues profession of his name is no lesse then necessary But when it lies upon a life upon the saving of a livelihood upon the flat undoing of a reputation the case is altered My life is deare my faire possessions pretious and my reputation is the very Apple of mine eye To save so great a slake mee thinks equivocation is but veniall if a sinne If the true loyaltie of mine heart stands sound to my Religion and my God my well-informed Conscience tels mee that in such extremities my frighted tongue may take the priviledge of a Sâ—â—â—â— or a mentall reservation if not in the expression of a faire compliances What shall the reall breach of a holy Sabbath dedicated to Gods highest glory bee tolerated for the welfare of an Oxe May that breach bee set upon the score of mâ—rcy and commended above sacrifice for the savegard of an Asse And may I not dispense with a bare lippe deniall of my urg'd Religion for the necessary preservation of the threatned life of a man for the saving of the whole livelihood and subsistence of a Christian What shall I perish for the want of food and die a Martâ—â— to that foolish conscience which forbids mee to rub the eares of a little standing Corne Iacoâ— could purchase his sick fathers blessing with a downe-right lye and may I not diâ—semble for a life The young mans great possessions taught his timerous tongue to shrinke from an decline his hearts profession and who could blame him Come if thou freely give thy house canst thou in conscience bee denied a hiding-roome for thy protection The Syrian Captaine hee whose heart was fixt on his now firme resolv'd and true devotion reserv'd the house of Rimmâ—n for his necessary attendance and yet went in peace Peter upon the rock of whose confession the Church was grounded to save his liberty with a false nay with a perjur'd tongue nay more at such a time when as the Lord of life in whose behalfe hee drew his Sword was question'd for his innocent life denied his Master and shall I bee so great an unthrist of my blood my life to lose it for a meere lippe-deniall of that Religion which now is setled and needs no blood to seale it BUt stay my Conscience checks me there 's a judgement thunders Harke He that denies me before men him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven Match 10. 33. 2 Tim. 3. 1 2. Know that in the latter dayes perillous times shall come For men shall be lovers of their owne selves Esay 45. 23. I have sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnâ—sse and shall not return that unto mee every knee shall bow and every tongue shall sweare Rom. 10. 10. with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Luke 9. 26. Whosoever shall bee ashamed of me and my words of him shall the Sonne of man bee ashamed when hee shall come in Glory August The love of God and the world are two different things if the love of this world dwell in thee the love of God forsakes thee renounce that and receive this it 's fit the more nobler love should have the best place and acceptance Theoph. It is not enough onely to beleeve with the heart for God will have us confesse with our mouth every one that confesses that Christ is God shall finde Christ professing to the Father that that man is a faithfull servant but those that deny Christ shall receive thâ—â— fearefull doome Nescio vos I know you 〈◊〉 MY soule in such a time as this when the civill Sword is warme with slaughter and the wasting kingdome welters in her blood wouldst thou not give thy life to ransome her from ruine Is not the God of heaven and earth worth many kingdomes Is thy welfare more considerable then his glory dar'st thou deny him for thy owne ends that denied thee nothing for thy good Is a poore clod of earth wee call Inheritance prizable with his greatnesse Or a puffe of breath wee call life valuable with his honour in comparison of whom the very Angels are impure Blush O my soule at thy owne guilt Hee that accounted his blood his life not worth the keeping to ransome thee a wretch lost by thy owne rebellion deserves hee not the abatement of a lust to keepe him from a new crueifying My soule if Religion bind thee not if judgements terrifie thee not if naturall affection inâ—line thee not yet let common reason perswade thee to love him above a trifle that loved thee above his life And thou that hast so often denied him deny thy self for ever and
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
upon the hony of Bees If thou O God shouldst bee extreame to search my wayes with too severe an eye thou couldst not choose but wheâ— thy indignation and powre the vialls of thy wrath upon mee looke therefore not upon my sinnes O Lord but through the merits of my Saviour who hath made a full satisfaction for all my sinnes What through my weaknesse I have fail'd to doe the fulnesse of his sufferings hath most exactly done In Him O God in whom thou art well pleased and for his sake bee gracious to my finne Alter my heart and make it willing to please thee that in my life I may adorne my profession Give me a care and a conscience in my calling and grant thy blessing to the lawfull labours of my hand Let the fidelitie of my vocation improve my Talent that I may enter into my Masters joy Rouze up the dulnesse and deadnesse of my heart and quench those flames of lust within mee Assist mee O God in the redemption of my time and deliver my soule from the evilnesse of my dayes Let thy providence accompany my moderate endeavours and let all my imployments depend upon thy providence that when the labours of this sinfull world shall cease I may feele and enjoy the benefit of a good conscience and obtaine the rest of new Jerusalem in the Eternity of glory The proud mans Ostentation I ' Le make him feele the weight of displeasure and teach him to repent his saucy boldnesse How dare his basenesse once presume to breathe so neare my person much more to take my name into his dunghill mouth me thinks the lustre of my sparkling eye might have had the power to astonish him into good manners and sent him back to cast his mind into a faire Petition humbly presented with his trembling hand But thus to presse into my presence to presse so neare my face and then to spâ—ake and speake to me as if I were his equall is more then sufferable The way to be contemn'd is to digest contempt but he that would be honour'd by the vulgar sort must wisely keepe a distance A countenance that 's reserv'd breeds feare and observation but affâ—bility and too easie an accesse makes fooles too bold and reputation cheape What price I set upon my owne deserts instructs opinion how to prize me That which base ignorance miscalls thy pride is but a conscious knowledge of thy meriâ—s dejected soules craven'd with their owne disâ—rusts are the worlds Footballs to be kickt spurnd but brave and true heroick spirits that know the strength of their owne worth shall baffold basenesse and presumption into a reverentiall silence and spite of envie flourish in an honorable repute Come then my soule advance thy noble thy sublimer thoughts and prize thy self according to those parts which all may wonder at few imitate but none can equall Let not the insolent affronts of vassals interrupt thy Peace nor seeme one sâ—ruple lesse then what thon art Bee thou thy selfe Respect thy selfe receive thou honour from thy selfe Rejoyce thy selfe in thy self and prize thy selfe for thy selfe Like Caesar admit no equall and like Pompey acknowledge no superior Be covetous of thine owne Honour and hold anothers glory as thy injury Renounce humilitie as an Heresie in reputation and meeknesse as the worst disease of a true-bred noble Spirit Disparage worth in all but in thy selfe and make anothers infamy a foyl to magnifie thy glory Let such as have no reason to bee proud be humbled of necessitie and let them that have no parts to value be despondent But as for thee thy Cards are good and having skill enough to play thy hopefull Game vie boldly conquer and triumph BUt stay my soule the Trump is yet unturn'd boast not too soon nor call it a faire day till night the turning of a hand may make such alterations in thy flat'ring fortunes that all thy glorious expectations may chance to end in losse and unsuspected ruine That God which thrust that Babylonian Prince from his Imperiall Throne to graze with beasts hath said The Lord will destroy the house of the proud Prov. Prov. 11. When pride commeth then commeth shame but with the lowly is wisdome Jer. 11. 15. Heare ye and give eare and be not proud for the Lord hath spoken Esay 2. 12. The day of the Lord of Hosts shall bee upon every one that is proud and loftie and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low Prov. 16. 5. Every one that is proud in heart is abomination to the Lord St. James God rejecteth the proud and giveth grace to the simple Isidor Hispal Pride mâ—de Satan fall from the highest heaven therefore they that pride themselves in their virtues imitate the Devill and faâ—l more dangerously because they aspire and climbe to the highest pitch from whence is the greatest fall Greg. Mor. Pride growes stronger in the root whilst it braves it selfe with presumptuous advances yet the higher it climes the lower it fals for he that heightens himselfe by his owne pride is always destroyed by the judgement of God HOw wert thou muffled O my soule How were thine eyes blinded with the corruption of thine owne heart When I beheld my selfe by my owne light I seem'd a glorious thing My sanne knew no eclipse and all my imperfections were gilded over with vaine-glory But now the day-spring from above hath shin'd upon my heart and the diviner light hath driven away those foggy mists I finde my selfe another thing My Diamonds are all turn'd Pebbles and my glory is turn'd to shame O my deceived foule how great a darknesse was thy light The thing that seem'd so glorious and sparkled in the night by day appeares but rotten wood and that bright Ghâ—-worme that in darkenesse out-shined the Chrysolite is by this new-found light no better then a crawling worme How inseparable O my soule is pride and folly which like Hippocrates â—winnes still live and die together It blinds the eye befooles the judgement knowes no superiours hates equals disdaines inferiors the wise mans scorne and the fooles Idol Renounce it O my soule lest thy God renounce thee Hee that hath threatned to resist the proud hath promised to give Grace to the humble and what true Repentance speakes free mercy heares and crownes His Prayer O God the fountaine of all true Glory and the griver of all free grace whose Name is onely honorable and whose workes are onely glorious that shewest thy wayes to bee meeke and takest compassion upon an humble spirit that hatest the presence of a loftie eye and destroyest the proud in the imaginations of their hearts vouchsafe O Lord thy gratious eare and heare the sighing of a contrite heart I know O God the qualitie of my sinne can look for nothing but the extremitie of thy wrath I know the crookednesse of my condition can expect nothing but the Fornace of thy indignation I know the insolence of my corrupted nature can
hope for nothing but the execution of thy judgements Yet Lord know withall thou art a gracious God of evill repenting thee and slow to wrath I know thy nature and propertie is to show compaâ—â—ion apt to conceive but readier to forgive I know thou takest no pleasure in destruction of a sinner but rather that hee should repent and live In confidence and full assurance whereof I am here prostrate on my bended knees and with an humble heart Nor doe I presse into thy holy presence truâ—ing in my owne merits leâ—t thou shouldest deale by me as I have dealt by others but being encouraged by thy gracious invitation and heavy laden with the burthen of my sinnes I come to thee O God who art the refuge of a wounded soule and the Sanctuary of a broken spirit Forgive O God forgive me what is past recalling and make mee circumspect for the time to come Open mine eyes that I may see how vaine a thing I am and how polluted from my very birth Give me an insight of my owne corruptions that I may truely know and loath my selfe Take from me all vaine-glory and selfe-love and make mee carelesse of the worlds applause Endue mee with an humble heart and take this haughty spirit from me Give me a true discovery of my owne merits that I may truely feare and tremble at thy judgements Let not the worlds contempt deject me nor the disrespects of man dismay mee Take from mee O God a scornefull eye and curbe my tongue that speakes presumptuous things Plant in my heart a brotherly love and cherish in me a charitable affection Possesse my soule with patience O God and establish my heart in the feare of thy name that being humbled before thee in the meeknesse of my spirit I may bee exalted by thee through the freenesse of thy Grace and crowned with thee in the kingdome of glory The covetous mans care BEleeve mee the Times are hard and dangerous Charitie is growne cold and friends uncomfortable an emptie Purse is full of sorrow and hollow Bagges make a heavy heart Povertie is a civill Pestilence which frights away both friends and kindred and leaves us to a Lord have mercy upon us It is a sicknesse very catching and infectious and more commonly abhord then cured The best Antidote against it is Angelicâ— and Providence and the best Cordiall is Aurumpotabile Gold-taking fasting is an approved soveraigne Debts are ill humors and turne at last to dangerous obstructions Lending is a meere consumption of the radicall humour and if consumed brings a patient to nothing Let others trust to Courtiers promises to friends performances to Princes favours Give me a Toy call'd Gold give me a thing call'd Mony O blessed Mammon how extreamely sweet is thy all-commanding presence to my thriving soule In banishment thou art my deare companion In captivitie thou art my pretious ransome In trouble and vexation thou art my daintie rest In sicknesse thou art my health in griefe my onely joy in all extremitie my onely trust Vertue must vaile to thee Nay Grace it selfe not relisht with thy sweetnesse would even displease the righteous palates of the sonnes of men Come then my soule advise contrive project Goe compasse Sea and Land leave no exploit untryed no path untrod no time unspent afford thine eyes no sleepe thy head no reâ—t Neglect thy ravenous belly uncloathe thy backe deceive betray sweare and forsweare to compasse such a friend If thou bee base in birth 't will make thee honorable If weak in power it will make thee formidable Are thy friends few 'T will make them numerous Is thy cause bad 'T will make thee Advocates True wisedome is an excellent helpe in case it bend this way and learning is a gentile Ornament if not too chargeable yet by your leave they are but estates for â—earme of life But everlasting Gold if well advantag'd will not onely blesse thy dayes but thy surviving children from generation to generation Come come let others fill their braines with deare bought wit turne their pence into expencefull chariâ—e and store their bosomes with unprofitable pietie let them lose all to save their imaginary consciences and begger themselves at home to be thought honest abroad Fill thou thy baggs and barnes and lay up for many yeers and take thy rest BUt O my soule what follows wounds my heart and strikes me on my knees Thou foole this night will I take thy soâ—k from thee Luk. 12. 20. St. Matth. 6. 24. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Job 20. 15. Heâ— hath swallowed downe riches and he shall vomit them up againe God shall cast them out of his belly Prov. 15. 17. He that is greedy of gaine troubles his owne house but he that hateth gifts shall live 2 Pet. 2. 3. Through covetousnesse they shall with feigned words make marchandize of you whose judgement now of a long time lingreth not and whose damnation slumbreth not Nilus in Paraenes Wâ—e to the covetous for his riches forsake him and hell fire takes him S. August O thou covetous man why dost thou treasure up such hidden mischiefe why dost thou dote on the Image of the King stamped on coyne and hateâ—t the Image of God that shines in men August The riches which thou treasurest up are lost those thou charitably bestoâ—est is truely thine VVHat think'st thou now my soule If the judgment of holy men may not informe thee let the judgements of thy angry God enforce thee Weigh thy owne carnall affections with the sacred Oracles of heaven and light and darknesse are not more contrary What thou approvest thy God condemnes What thou desirest thy God forbids Now my soule if Mammon be God follow him if God be God adherâ— to him Thou canst not serve God and Mammon If thy conscience feele the hooke nibble no longer Many sinnes leave thee in the way this followes thee to thy lives end the roote of evill the canker of all goodnesse It blinds Justice poysons Charity strangles Conscience be slaves the affections betrayes friendship breakes all relations It is a roote of the Devills owne planting Pluck it up Thinke not that a pleasure which God hath threatned nor that a blessing which heaven hath cursed Devoure not that which thou or thy heyre must vomit up Bee no longer posseâ— with such a Devill but cast him out and if hee bee too strong weaken him by Fasting and exorcise him by Prayer His Prayer O God that art the fulnesse of all riches and the Magazeen of all treasure in the enjoyment of whose favour the smallest morsell is a rich inheritance and the coursest Pulse is a large portion without whose blessing the greatest plenty enriches not and the highest diet nourishes not how have I an earthworm and no man fixt my whole heart upon this trasitory world and neglected thee the onely desiderable good I blush O Lord to confesse the basenesse of my life and am utterly asham'd of mine owne foolishnesse I have