Items to thy bedrid view when all diseases and the evils of age shall muster up their Forces in thy crazy bones where be thy comforts then COnsider O my soule and know that day will come and after that another wherein for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Eccles. 11. 9. Prov. 14. 13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heavinesse Eccles. 2. 2. I said in my heart Goe to now I will prove thee with mirth and therefore enjoy pleasure and behold this also is vanitie I said of laughter It is madde and of mirth What doth it St. James Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in the day of slaughter Eccles. 7. 4. The heart of the wise man is in the house of mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth Isid. in Synonymis Pleasure is an Inclination to the unlawfull objects of a corrupted mind allured with a momentary sweetnesse Hugo Sensuality is an immoderate indulgence of the flesh a sweet payson a strong plague a dangerous Potion which effeminates the body and enerves the soule Cass. Lib. 4. Ep. They are most sensible of the burthen of affliction that are most taken with the pleasures of the flesh VVHat hast thou now to say O my soule why this judgement seconded with divine proofes backt with the harmony of holy men should not proceed against thee Dally no longer with thy owne Salvation nor flatter thy owne Corruption Remember the wages of flesh are sinne and the wages of sinne death God hath threatned it whose judgements are terrible God hath witnessed it whose words are truth Consider then my soule and let not momentary pleasures flatter thee into eternitie of torments How many that have trod thy steps are now roaring in the flames of Hell and yet thou triflest away the time of thy Repentance O my poore deluded soule presume no longer Repent to day left to morrow come too late Or couldst thou ravell out thy dayes beyond Methusalem tell me alas what will Eternitie bee the shorter for the deduction of a thousand yeers Be wisely provident therefore O my soule and bid vanitie the common sorceresse of the world farewell life and death are yet before thee Chuse life and the God of life will seale thy â—boyee Prostrate thy selfe before him who delights not in the death of a sinner and present thy Petitions to him who can deny thee nothing in the name of a Saviour His Prayer O God in the beautie of whose holinesse is the true joy of those that love thee the full happinesse of those that feare thee and the onely rest of those that prize thee In respect of which the transitory pleasures of the world are lesse then nothing in comparison of which the greatest wisdome of the world is folly and the glory of the earth but drosse and dung How dare my boldnesse thus presume to presse into thy glorious presence What can my prayers expect but thy just wrath and heavy indignation O what returne can the tainted breath of my polluted lipps deserve but to bee bound hand and foot and cast into the flames of Hell But Lord the merits of my Saviour are greater then the offences of a sinner and the sweetnesse of thy mercy exceeds the sharpnesse of my misery The horrour of thy judgments have seized upon mee and I languish through the sense of thy displeasure I have forsaken thee the rest of my distressed soule and set my affections upon the vanitie of the deceitfull world I have taken pleasure in my foolishnesse and have vaunted my selfe in mine iniquitie I have flattered my soule with the hony of delights whereby I am made sensible of the sting of my affliction wherefore I loath and utterly abhorre my selfe and from the bottome of my heart repent in dust and ashes Behold O Lord I am impure and vile and have wallowed in the puddle of mine owne Corruptions The Sword of thy displeasure is drawne out against mee and what shall I plead O thou preserver of mankind Make mee a new Creature O my God and destroy the old man within mee Remove my affections from the love of transitory things that I may runne the way of the Commandements Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanitie and make thy Testimonies my whole delight Give me strength to discerne the emptinesse of the creature and inebriate my heart with the fulnesse of thy joyes Bee thou my portion O God at whose right hand stand pleasures for evermore Bee thou my refuge and my shield and suffer me not to sinke under the corruptions of my heart let not the house of mirth beguile mee but give mee a sense of the evill to come Accept the free-will offerings of my mouth and grant my petitions for the honour of thy Name then will I magnifie thy mercies O God and praise thy Name for ever and ever The vainâ— glorious mans Vaunt VVHat tell'st thou me of Conscience or a pious life They are good trades for a leaden spirit that can stand bent at every frowne and want the braines to make a higher Fortune or couâ—age to atchieve that honour which might glorifie their names and write their memories in the Chronicles of Fame T is true Humilitie is a needfull gift in those that have no Qualitie to exercise their pride and patience is a necessary Grace to keepe the world in peace and him that hath it in a whole skinne and often proves a vertue borne of meere necâ—ssiâ—ie And civill Honesty is a faire pretense for him that hath not wit to act the Knave and makes a man capable of a little higher stile then Foâ—le And blushing modesty is a pretty innocent qualitie and serves to vindicate an easie nature from the imputation of an ill-breeding These are inferiour Graces that have got a good opinion in the dull wisdome of the world and appeare like water among the Elements to moderate the body Poliâ—ique and keepe it from combustion nor doe they come into the worke of honour Virtue consists in Action and the reward of action is Glory Glory is the great soule of the little world and is the Crowne of all sublime attempts and the point whereto the crooked wayes of policy are all concentrick Honour consults not with a pious life Let those that are ambitious of a religious reputation abjure all honorable Titles and let their dough-bak'd spirits take a pride in sufferance the Anvile of all injuries and bee thankfully baffled into a quiet pilgrimage Rapes murâ—hers treasons dispossessions riots are veniall things to men of honour and oft co-incident in high pursuits Had my dull Conscience stood upon such nice points that little honour I have wonne had glorified some other arme and left mee begging Morsells at his Princely gates Come come my soule 1d factum juvat quod 〈◊〉 non licet Feare not to doe what crownes thee
Oratory to make their vaine attempts A land whose strength reades vanitie in the deceived hopes of Conquerours and crownes their enterprizes with a shamefull overthrow A land whose native plentie makes her the worlds Exchange supplying others able to subsist without supply from forraigne kingdomes in it selfe happy and abroad honorable A land that hath no vanitie but what by accident proceeds and issues from the sweetest of all blessings peace and plentie that hath no miâ—ery but what is propagated from that blindnesse which cannot see her owne felicitie A land that flowes with Milke and Hony and in briefe wants nothing to deserve the title of a Paradise The Curbe of Spaine the pride of Germany the â—yde of Belgia the scourge of France the Emperesse of the world and Queene of Nations She is begirt with walls whose builder was the hand of heaven whereon there daily rides a Navyâ— Royall whose unconquerable power proclaimes her Prince invincible and whispers sad despaire into the fainting hearts of forraigâ—e Majesty She is compact within her self in unitie not apt to civill discords or intestine broyles The envie of all nations the ambition of all Princes the terror of all enemies the security of all neighboring States Let timerous Pulpits threaten ruine let prophecying Church-men dote till I beleeve How often and how long have these loud sonnes of Thunder false prophesied her desolation and yet she stands the glory of the world Can Pride demolish the Towers that defend her Can drunkennes dry up the Sea that walls her Can flames of lust dissolve the Ordnance that protect her BEe well advis'd my soule there is a voyâ—â— from heaven roares louder then those Ordinance which saith Thus saith the Lord The whole land shall be desolate Jer. 4. 27. Esay 14. 7. The whole earth is at rest and at quiet they breake forth into singing Yea the Firre trees rejoyce at thee and the Cedars of Lebanon sing c. Yet shalt thou be brought downe to hell to the sides of the Pit Jer. 5. 12. They have bâ—lied the Lord and said It is not hee neither shall evill come upon us neither shall wee see sword or famine 1 Cor. 10. 12. Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Luke 17. 26. They did eate and drink and they married wives and were given in marriage untill the flood came and destroyed them all Gregor. Mor. A man may as some build a Castle upon the rowling waves as ground a solid comfort upon the uncertaine ebbs and fluxes of transient pleasures S. August Whilst Lot was exercised in suffering reproach and vilence he continued holy and pure even in the filth of Sodom but in the mount being in peace and safetie he was surprised by sensuall securitie and defiled himselfe with his owne daughters 〈◊〉 prosperous and happy state is often the occasion of more miserable ruine a long peace hath made many men both carelesse and cowardly and that 's the most fatall blow when an â—â—â—xpected enemy surprises us in a deep sleep of peace and security Greg. Mag. SEcuritie is an improvident carelesnesse casting out all feare of approaching danger It is like a great Calme at Sea that foreruns a storme How is this verified O my sad soule in this our bleeding nation VVer 't thou not but now for many yeares even nuzzl'd in the bosome of habituall peace Didst thou foresee this danger Or could'st thou have contrived a way to bee thus miserable Didst thou not laugh invasion to scorne or didst thou not lesse feare a Civill warreâ— Was not the Title of the Crowne unquestionable And was not our mixt government unapt to fall into diseases Did wee want good Lawes or did our Lawes want execution Did not our Prophets give lawfull warning or were wee moved at the sound of Judgments How hast thou liv'd O my uncarefull soule to see these prophesies fulfill'd and to behold the vialls of thy angry God pour'd forth Since mercies O my soule could not allure thee yet let these judgements now at length enforce thee to a true Repentance Quench the Firebrand which thou hast kindled turne thy mirth to a right mourning and thy feasts of joy to humiliation His Prayer O God by whom Kings raigne and kingdoms flourish that settest up where none can batter downe and pullest downe where none can countermand I a most humble Sutor at the Throne of Grace acknowledge my selfe unworthy of the least of all thy mercies nay worthy of the greatest of all thy judgements I have sinned against thee the Author of my beeing I have sinned against my conscience which thou hast made my accuser I have sinned against the peace of this Kingdome whereof thou hast made me a member If all should doe O God as I have done Sodom would appeare as righteous and Gomorraâ— would be a president to thy wratâ— upon this sinfull nation But Lord thy mercy is inscrutable or else my misery were unspeakable for that mercy sake be gratious to mee in the free pardoning of all my offences Blot them out of thy remembrance for his sake in whom thou art well pleased Make my head a fountaine of teares to quench that brand my sinnes have kindâ—ed towards the destruction of this flourishing kingdome Blesse this kingdome O God Establish it in pietie honour peace and plenty Forgive all her crying sinnes and remove thy judgements farre from her Blesse her governour thy servant our dread Soveraigne Endue his soule with all religious civill and princely vertues Preserve his royall person in health safetie and prosperitie prolong his dayes in honour peace or victory and crowne his death with everlasting glory Blesse him in his royall Consort unite their hearts in love and true Religion Blesse him in his Princely issue Season their youth with the feare of thy Name Direct thy Church in doctrine and in discipline and let her enemies bee converted or confounded Purge her of all superstition and heresie and root out from her whatsoever thy hand hath not planted Blesse the Nobilitie of this land endue their hearts with truth loyaltie and true policy Blesse the Tribe of Levi with pietie learning and humilitie Blesse the Magistrates of this kingdome give them religious and upright hearts hating covetousnesse Blesse the Gentry with sinceritie charitie and a good conscience Blesse the Commonaltie with loyall hearts painefull hands and plentifull encrease Blesse the two great Seminaries of this Kingdome make them fruitfull and faithfull nurseries both to the Church and Common-wealth Blesse all thy Saints every where especially those that have stood in the gappe betwixt this kingdome and thy judgements that being all members of that Body whereof thou Christ art head we may all joyne in humiliation for our sinnes and in the propagation of thy honor here and be made partakers of thy glory in the kingdome of glory The Presumptuous mans Felicities TEll bauling Babes of Bugbeares to fright them into quietnesse or terrifie youth with old wives sables to keep their wild
from me the drowzinesse of my heart open mine eyes that I may see the truth and mine eares that I may understand thy Word and strengthen my memory that I may lay it up in my heart and show it in my life and vocation to thy glory and my comfort and the comfort of my friends Lord write thy will in my heart that when I know it I may doe it willingly O teach me what thy pleasure is that I may doe my best to performe it Give mee faith to lay hold of Christ Jesus who died for mee that after I am dead I may riâ—e againe and live with him Give mee a good heart that I may deale honestly with all men and doe as I would be done to Blesse mee in my calling and prosper the labour of my hands that I may have enough to feed mee and cloathe me and to give to the poore Mend all that is amisse in me and expect from me according to the measure thou hast given me Forgive me all my sinnes and make mee willing to please thee that living a good life I may make a gratious death and so at last I may come to heaven and live for ever for Jesus Christ his sake Amen The sloathfull mans slumber O What a world of Curses the eating of the forbidden fruit hath brought upon mankinde and unavoydably entail'd upon the sonnes of men Among all which no one appeares to me more terrible and full of sorrow and bewraying greater wrath then that insufferable that horrible punishment of labour and to purchase Bread with so extreame a price as sweat But O what happe what happinesse have they whose dying Parents have procured a quieâ— fortune for their unmolested Children and conveigh'd descended Rents to their succeeding heirs whose easie and contented lives may sit and suck the sweetnesse of their cumberlesse estates and with their folded hands enjoy the delicates of this toylsome world How blessed how delicious are those easie morsells that can finde the way to my soft palat and then attend upon the wanton Leasure of my silken slumbers without the painefull practise of my bosome folded hands or sad contrivement of my studious and contracted Browes Why should I tire my tender youth and â—orture out my groaning dayes in â—oyle and travell and discompose the happy peace of my harmonious thoughts with painefull grinding in the common mill of dull mortalitie Why should I rob my craving eyelids of their delightfull Rest to cark and care and purvey for that Bread which every work-abhorring vagaboâ—d can finde of Almes at every good mans doore Why should I leave the warme protection of my care-beguiling Doune to play the droyling drudge for daily food when the young empty Râ—vens that have no hands to worke nor providence but heaven can call and be supplied The pale fac'd Lilly and the blushing Rose neither spinnes nor sâ—wes yet princely Solomon was never robed with so much glory And shall I then afflict my body and beslave my heaven-borne soule to purchase Rags to cloathe my nakednesse Is my condition worse then Sheepe ordain'd for slaughter that crop the springing Grasse cloath'd warme in soft Arrayment purchac'd without their Providence or paines Or shall the pamper'd Beast that shines with fatnesse and growes wanton through his carefull Groomes indulgence find better measure at the worlds too partiall hands then I Come come let those take paines that love to leave their names enroll'd in memorable monuments of Parchment The day has griefe enough without my helpe and let Tomorrowâ—â— shoulders beare to morrows burthens BUt stay my soule O stay thy rash resolves take heed whilst thou avoyd the punishment of sinne labour thou meet not the reward of idleâ—esse a judgement The idle soule shall suffer hunger Prov. 19. 15. Eccles. 10. 18. By much slothfulnesse the building decayeth and through idlenesse of the hands the house droppeth thorough Exod. 16. 49. Behold this was the iniquitie of thy sâ—ster Sodome pride fulnesse of Bread and abundance of idlenesse was in her and in her daughters neither did shee strengthen the band of the poore and needy Prov. 6. 6 7 8. Goe to the Pismire O sluggard behold her wayes and be wise For she having no guide governour nor ruler prepareth her meat in Summer and gathereth her food in harvest Nilus in Paraenes Idlenesse is the wombe or fountaine of all wickednesse for it consumes and wastes the riches and vermes which wee have already and disinables us to get those we have not Nilus in Paraen Was bee to the idle soulâ— for he shall hunger after that which his riot consumed HOw presumptuously hast thou my soule transgrest the expresse Commandement of thy God! How hast thou dasht thy selfe against his judgements How hath thy undeserving hand usurpt thy diet and wearest on thy back the wages of the painefull soule Art thou not condemned to Rags to Famine by him whose Law commanded thee to labour And yet thou pamper'st up thy sides with stollen food and yet thou deck'st thy wanton body with unearn'd ornaments whiles they that spend their daily strength in their commanded callings whose labour gives them interest in them want Bread to feed and Rags to cloathe them Thou art no young Ravâ—n my soule no Lilly Where abilitie to labour is there Providence meets action and crownes it Hee that forbids to cark for to morrow denies Bread to the Idlenesse of to day Consider O my soule thy owne delinquency and let imployment make thee capable of thy Gods protection The Bird that sits is a faire mark for the Fowler while they that use the wing escape the danger follow thy calling and heaven will follow thee with his Blessing What thou hast formerly omitted present repentance may redeeme and what judgements God hath threatned early Peâ—itions may avert His Prayer MOst great and most glorious God who for the sinne of our first parents hast condemned our fraile bodies to the punishment of labour and hast commanded every one a Calling and a Trade of life that hatest idlenesse as the root of evill and threatnest povertie to the slothfull hand I thy poore suppliant convicted by thy judgements and conscious of my own transgression flie from my selfe to Thee and humbly appeale from the high Tribunall of thy Justice and seeke for refuge in the Sanctuary of thy Mercy Lord I have led a life displeasing to thee and have been a scandall to my profession I have slighted those Blessings which thy goodnesse hath promised to a conscionable calling and have swallowed downe the Bread of idlenesse I have impaired the Talent thou gavest me and have lost the opportunity of doing much good I have filled my heart with idle imaginations and have layd my felse open to the lusts of the flesh I have abused thy favours in the misexpending of my pretious time and have taken no delight in thy Sabbaths I have doted too much on the pleasures of this world and like a Droane have fed
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