forc'd to with-draw himself they likewise with-drew their Loyalty This shews that times of Affliction are times of Trial by which God proves the Truth of our Love to him and our Zeal for him And by which we also may come to know the Deceitfulness of our own Hearts which is also the Design of God in our Afflictions as the holy Ghost testifies 2 Chron. xxxii 31. where speaking of Hezekiah we have these words Howbeit in the business of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the Land God left him to try him that he i. e. Hezekiah might know all that was in his Heart 6 Another Benefit that we receive by Afflictions is That they make us run to God Fulness and Prosperity oft makes us forget God and run away from him but Afflictions generally drive us to him and indeed is the only way to reclaim us This the Prophet Hosea tells us where God speaking of his People that had gone away from him and follow'd Idols threatens to bring Afflictions upon 'em I will be as a Lyon and as a Young Lyon to the House of Judah I will tear and go away I will take away and none shall rescue Would you know God's design herein I will go says he and return to my Place till they acknowledge their offences and seek my Face But when will that be O says God In their Affliction they will seek me Early When we are walking abroad in the Fields and the Weather is good we are not solicitous about a Place of shelter but if a Storm arises and a Shower comes then we look out for a Shelter and make haste unto it God is call'd in the Scripture A Covert from the Storm and from the Rain Isa. iv 6. And therefore when the Tempest of God's Wrath arises and the Storm of his Anger is pour'd upon the World whither shall we run for safety but to Him who is a Covert from the storm and from the rain At such times especially we run to God as to our great Assylum and Refuge knowing that under the shadow of his Wings we shall be safe Thus it was in the Wilderness with the Israelites a stiff-necked generation continually provoking God by their unbelief and this they did to that degree that God often sent his Judgments amongst them by which many of them were destroyed and these Afflictions made them seek after and run to God for so the Psalmist tells Psal. lxxviii 34. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God And tho' the Psalmist tells us that they did but flatter him with their Mouth and lied unto him with their Tongue and that their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant yet this running of theirs to him in the time of their affliction did so far prevail with God that he being full of Compassion destroyed them not but turned his Anger away and did not stir up all his Wrath. And David himself frequently professes that God was his Refuge in time of Trouble whereto he did continually resort So that this is certainly a great Advantage that we gain by Afflictions that they drive us to God to whom we fly for Refuge and where we find Security 7. There is also this Advantage in Afflictions That by means of them we come to live in the daily exercise of all Vertues which without Afflictions we could not do This St. Paul affirms Rom. v. 3. We glory in Tribulations also knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed This is the natural Consequence of Afflictions for then we live in the Exercise of Faith by believing Gods Promise that all things shall work together for our Good and relying upon him for our Deliverance We live in the Exercise of Hope by an assured Expectation of the Reward promised to them that suffer And in the Exercise of Charity by having our hearts inflam'd with the love of Christ who gave himself for us whereby we are made willing to offer up our selves a Free-will-Offering to him both in Life and Death Our Patience is Exercis'd in suffering the Will of God with Quietness and Resignation of Soul and our Humility by abasing our selves in the sight of God and being willing to suffer shame for his sake 8. ANOTHER Advantage that we reap by Afflictions which is the last I shall mention because I affect brevity is That when they have brought forth in us the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness our Mouths and our Hearts too shall be filled with Songs of Deliverance Thus David rejoyc'd in God Psal. LIX 16. I will sing of thy Power yea I will sing aloud of thy Mercy in the Morning for thou hast been my Defence and Refuge in the Day of my Trouble The Children of Israel had been kept a long time in the House of Bondage in the Land of Egypt where they were made to serve with Rigor But with what Songs of Praise were their Mouths filled upon their Deliverance How did they exult in the Lord and glory in the God of their Salvation There had been no occasion for those Songs of Deliverance had they not been kept in Bondage Nor had they seen the Power of God so wonderfully display'd on their behalf which made them cry out Who is like unto thee O Lord among the gods Who is like unto thee Glorious in Holiness Fearful in Praises doing Wonders Had King David come to the Crown without meeting with those Troubles that preceded it he had not been so sensibly affected with God's Mercy in Delivering him as he was nor in all probability have writ that excellent Song of Praise recited both in 2 Sam. xxii and in Psal. xviii Intituled A Psalm of David the Servant of the LORD who spake unto the LORD the words of this Song in the Day that the LORD Deliver'd him from the hand of all his Enemies and from the hand of Saul In which he first gives an Account of his great Distresses for says he The Sorrows of Death compassed me and the floods of ungodly Men made me afraid nay he goes further than this and tells us The sorrows of Hell compassed him about and the snares of Death prevented him And then exults in GOD for his great Deliverance The Lord was my stay By Thee have I run through a Troop by my GOD have I leaped over a Wall As for GOD his way is perfect The Word of the LORD is tried He is a Buckler to all those that trust in Him For who is GOD save the LORD Or who is a Rock save our GOD The LORD liveth and blessed be my Rock and let the GOD of my Salvation be exalted It is GOD that avengeth me and subdueth the People under me He delivereth me from mine Enemies Yea Thou liftest me up above those that rise up
in Oblivion and the Voice of True Peace and Joy be heard again in our Land Lord let us have that Religion which may make us happy in Heaven and that True Peace which may give Time and Leave to Enjoy that Religion And to that end let Power be Establish'd upon Righteousness and Employ'd for the Preservation of thy Church and People and then maintain that Power and them O Thou by whom Kings Reign who hast promised to make them Nursing Fathers to thy Church Grant us these Blessings to the Glory of thy Name the Quiet of our Lives and the Saving of our Souls Even for thy dear Son our Saviour's Sake Amen A Prayer for Mercy to the Nation O Lord we are a Nation not to be beloved a Nation ready to be ruined for our Iniquities and for our Sins thou may'st justly destroy us both Prince and People But spare us good Lord spare us for thy Mercy sake Let the Blood of Jesus Expiate all our Guilts and the Spirit of Jesus amend our Misdoings O thou who wouldst not have one Sinner Dye suffer not Millions of poor Souls to perish Be reconciled to us in a Meditators Blood and be the Reconciler of us in a firm and blessed Peace God of Pity and Peace be at Peace with us and make it for us Even that Peace which none can take from us do thou make us Partakers of O thou holy One of God who camest into the World to take away the Sins of it O thou Prince of Peace pity a poor Church and Nation ready to Perish Pity that Church that hath so long maintain'd thy Truth and Worship in the Nation Pity them who are ready to perish for seeking to maintain thy holy Truth and Worship in thy Church And do thou from Heaven Preserve It and Us and Them O thou that hast the Power of Heaven and Earth in thy hand who stillest the raging of the Sea when the Waves thereof roar and lift up themselves make bare thy holy Arm for our Deliverance O God make haste to help us for we are brought very low stir up thy strength and come and save us and make no long tarying O our God but deliver us for thy Mercy sake Amen A Prayer for those that are in great Distress and Danger O God of Power and Pity who hast promis'd to regard the Prayer of the destitute and not to despise their Cry Look down O Lord from thy Sanctuary from the Heavens do thou behold the Earth to hear the groaning of the Prisoners and to loose those that are in danger of Death Rescue them from the rage of Violence and shew thy self Merciful to them in this time of their distress O thou Preserver of Men And grant them all Graces and Mercies needful for the saving of their Souls And let them glorifie thee both in Life and Death and do thou glorifie them with Life Eternal through the Merits and Righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord. In whose blessed Name I further beg for Mercy for all that suffer in these Times of Trouble Chiefly for those that are Destitute for the Widows and the Fatherless Let thy Mercy be extended to them in the daily supplying of their several Wants and Necessities Take them into thy peculiar Care O thou Father of the Fatherless and Judge of the Widow And be thou their Comfort Help and Succour for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Collect for Grace O God I can ask no greater Gift than thy Glory and therefore beg no better Gift than thy Grace yea even this perfect is nothing else but that Nor can I come at it but by the way of Grace I do therefore for Jesus Christ his sake beseech thee bestow on me this blessed Gift Grace to do thee Service on Earth that thou may'st give me thy Salvation in Heaven through the Merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Collect for Peace O God my poor Soul is an humble Suitor for Peace the Blood of Jesus is my Plea thy Spirit my Advocate I deserve by my Sins Eternal Enmity but for thy dear Sons sake have Favour for me By whom the World is Attoned O let me be Reconciled to thee I know not how to pray this as I ought but thy Spirit can make Effectual Intercession for me Lord let thy Spirit move and thy Son make my Peace Subdue my Lusts Conquer Satan for me that my Conscience may have Peace with thee and I in it by thy Grace through the Mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Collect for Health O Lord when I am Sick let me think I may Die when I am in Health that I may be Sick that I may not mis-spend the stock of my Life but do thee Honour with my Health and thou mayst give me Comfort for it in my Sickness Even this that Sin hath not bound me to my Bed but thy Providence hath cast me down which can and will lift me up or to Health in this World or to Happiness in a better Such an Enjoyment of Health give me I beseech Thee for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Collect for Safety O Lord so many days as I live so many Lives I owe Thee Thou renewest my Lease every day A poor Tenant at thy Will I am and a frail Cottage of Clay by thy Power I keep Lord thou hast hitherto spar'd me still preserve me and let me pay as I can what I owe of Service the only Rent thou requiest for Tenement and Appurtenances Life Health Wealth and all the good things I have of thee for which thou both grantest Term of Life and givest Eternity This to that continue I beseech thee for his sake who was Surety and is sole Purchaser for me Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Collect for Friends O Lord graciously accept my Prayers for all my Kindred and Friends Do thou good unto them all O God To those that Err shew thy Truth and those that see it keep from Error To those that do amiss give Grace to do better and those that do well continue in so doing To those that are Afflicted give Comfort and Deliverance to those that Prosper Humility and Temperance Bless the Sick with Health and the Healthy from Sickness Supply those that want and let those that want not give Supply To all grant thy Grace O God and shew thy Mercy Let Love bind us one to another and Religion knit us all to Thee that all who are of Natural Kindred may meet in Heavenly Consanguinity Even so Lord let the Blood of Jesus run through all the Veins and the Spirit of Jesus go along with the Blood that the Glory of Jesus may be the End of us all And that hower we suffer and scatter on Earth we may Live and Joy together in the Bliss and Felicity of Heaven by the Union of that holy Spirit and Communion of that blessed Blood Amen and Amen A Collect for the Catholick Church O God of Peace send Unity
that Caution and Prudence which the Duty of his Place requir'd Which besides the Injustice and Oppression of it was a great disservice to the King in disquieting the Minds of his good Subjects who began to grow doubtful whereto such things might tend and many of 'em as the Event too sadly shew'd began to entertain such thoughts of his Majesty as was inconsistent with their Duty and might have forewarn'd the Authors of those Irregular Actings that that which was their Sin wou'd quickly be their Punishment THE Declaration for Liberty of Conscience tho' it might indeed shew the Kings Lenity to Dissenters was certainly a false step in the Advisers both as it put too great a Power into the Dissenters hands who had been lately so severely Prosecuted as also because it was expresly against Law For tho' the Dissenters might have been conniv'd at in their different Way of Worship which wou'd have satisfy'd them and have been serviceable to the Government in making them easie and so keeping them quiet Yet to make 'em capable of holding Offices in Corporations and setting 'em upon an Equal Foot with the Church of England or rather above it was too bold a stroke at once and made the People too much inclin'd to think it was design'd to serve another Interest rather than that of Protestant Dissenters And tho' in this I am Verily perswaded of the King's Sincerity aud Uprightness I cannot be so of some that were very near him and to whom he cou'd scarce deny any thing THERE was also another false step in the putting out of this Declaration and which was a great piece both of Injustice and Oppression and that was The Enjoyning it to be sent to the Bishops of every See to be by them ordered to be read by their Respective Ministers in each Diocess Why should the Bishops be deny'd Liberty of Conscience when it was granted to Dissenters And why could not the Dissenters enjoy the Liberty of their Consciences without the Bishops being enjoyn'd to read the Declaration which they knew to be contrary to the Law and therefore illegal Not that the Bishops were against Indulgence to Dissenters when it should be propos'd in Parliament but they then saw there was latet in Anguis a Snake in the Grass which many were not aware of And that the Bishops shou'd be Imprison'd in the Tower for Refusing to do that which was against their Consciences was certainly a very false step in the Advisers besides a great piece of Injustice And I am very sorry that the fatal Consequence thereof was no more perceiv'd by the King and his Ministers I have however this Consolation in my Self That what I acted at that time was out of Duty both to God and the King and that I am no way to be charg'd with what afterwards follow'd thereupon and if I was at all mistaken or acted beyond what I ought to have done I humbly beg Pardon both of God and the King being well assur'd in my own Integrity and that it was without any Evil Design I did indeed soon perceive of what ill Consequence it would be to his Majesty and what Improvement his Enemies wou'd make of it but it was not in my power to help it THE Violent Proceedings against the President and Fellows of Magdalen-Colledge in Oxford was also very Unjust and Oppressive and a very false step both in the Advisers and Actors And what I cannot remember when I consider what effect it had upon the People without great Compassion to his Majesty who by the Violent Passions of some hot and fiery Spirits was precipated into such fatal Counsels where all the Profit would redound to others but all the Odium rest upon the King As to the Fellows I must own they did but their Duty and they could not chuse otherways then according to the Statutes of the Colledge And indeed to compel them to do it was both against Law and against the Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience which surely extended to them as well as to others they having the same Plea IT is not without cause that I have so largely insisted on these several Instances of Injustice and Oppression For these things carry'd the Evident Tokens of Divine Displeasure along with 'em and were afterwards made the chief Motives for Introducing the late Revolution Which tho' it was too wide a stretch and very unreasonably urg'd so far for a Chimney that smoaks may be mended without any danger of the House being pull'd down yet was it such a Rebuke to the Authors of those precipitate Counsels that as I said before they might easily see their Sin in their Punishment nor shou'd I have at all mourn'd their Fate had they not involv'd my Royal Master in the same Ruine with them UPON a serious Reflection on the fore-mentioned Sins and our own guilt therein we may plainly discern that it is not without very great Cause that it has pleas'd God to bring these Afflictions upon us And that we have reason to joyn in that Confession of the Church in the Lamentations The Lord is Righteous for we have rebelled against his Commandments Thou hast made us as the off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the People For we have transgressed and rebelled and thou hast not pardoned but hast covered us with Anger and Persecuted us yea thou hast covered thy self with a Cloud that our Prayer should not pass through The Lord hath accomplished his Fury he hath poured upon us his fierce anger for the Sins of her Prophets and the Iniquity of her Priests WHAT then remains but that knowing the cause of our Afflictions we endeavour to remove them by humbling our selves under the mighty hand of God and by searching and trying our Ways and turning again to the Lord For the Lord will not cast off for ever but if we repent of our sins and turn unfainedly to him tho' he cause grief yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his Mercies for he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men to turn aside the right of a Man before the face of the most High to subvert a Man in his Cause the Lord approveth not Let us therefore in good Earnest set about this Work of Repentance and Reformation for were we once but a Reformed People we should soon be a happy People Our Losses would soon be made up and strangers should no more rule over us But whilst we are going on in our old Sins we must still expect that GOD will follow us with his Judgments until we be consumed For if we do wickedly we shall be destroyed both we and our King NEITHER let our Hearts fret against the Lord but submit to his Will for 't is he that hath done it and 't is our duty to be patient under it and wait his Time for our Deliverance To go about to deliver our selves is but to make our Bonds the stronger and to entangle
our selves more Our Strength is to sit still and to wait for the Salvation of God For when he works there 's none can let it and till he does arise and work all we can do will be in vain And this many have found to their cost Let us learn to be wise by other mens harms There are many Devices in the heart of Man but the Counsel of the Lord that shall stand And whoever goes about to resist it will find him self sadly deceiv'd I will always maintain my Loyalty to the King and quietly submit to the Power that Protects me That so I may keep a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards Man And it is the grief of my heart to see any otherwise minded For if we must not Speak wickedly for God nor Talk deceitfully for him much less must we Act wickedly for him And yet I would be found doing too I mean I would be found in the daily Exercise of Faith and Repentance and endeavour to get a broken and a contrite Heart for my past Sins because God has assur'd me that with such Sacrifices he is well pleased The Soul's Expostulation AND now O my Soul consider with thy self If Sin be the procuring Cause of all thy Troubles hast thou not greater Reason to be troubled for thy Sins than for thy Sufferings Afflictions may make thee better but Sin always makes thee worse It may be necessary sometimes to chuse Sorrow but it never can be so to chuse Sin 'T is God alone is that Wise Alchymist that can Extract Good from Evil and make even the Sins of his People turn to his Glory Thus through the working of God's Grace thy Pride may tend to humble thee and a due sence of thy Passion may produce Patience But this is alone the Effect of God's Grace for the Nature of Sin is only Evil. What reason then O my Soul hast thou to bless God who has made thy Outward Losses prove thy Inward Gain by taking thee off from the Pursuit of Sin and Training thee up in the School of Affliction Sure O my Soul it concerns thee to see what good Lessons thou hast learn'd there for if thou art not the better for 't thou wilt certainly be the worse Affliction is a Furnace and if thou comest not forth purified like Gold thy dross will appear the more But if thou canst say with David It has been good for me that I have been afflicted thou hast great cause to bless God for it If these Trials have done thee good what hast thou to complain of And if by the light of Affliction thou hast seen the greatness of thy Sin and that sight of Sin has humbled thee and brought thee to Repentance thou art hereby become a greater Gainer than all the outward Prosperity in the World could make thee For there is no Comparison between Temporal Losses and Spiritual Gains For all the things that are seen are but Temporal but the things that are not seen are Eternal How blessed a thing is it O my Soul to be afflicted Seeing these light Afflictions that are but for a moment work out for thee a far more Exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory T his O my Soul is enough not only to make them rejoyce but even glory in Tribulations since they have so blessed an effect See then O my Soul that thy Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope even that Hope which maketh not ashamed and so shalt thou have rejoycing in thy self and not in another A PRAYER O Almighty and merciful Lord God who madest all things for thy own Glory and canst Over-rule all Events so as to bring glory to thy Name and good to thy People out of the darkest of thy Dispensations towards them Grant I beseech Thee that these Afflictions with which thou hast been pleased to Exercise me may by thy gracious Ordination bring forth the Peaceable fruits of Righteousness unto me that I may be Enabled to say It is good for me that I have been Afflicted And suffer me not O Lord neither to despise thy chastening by going on in those Ways of Sin and Rebellion against thee which have brought thy Iudgments down upon this Nation nor to defer my Repentance for those Iniquities which I have been guilty of And since thou hast declared in thy Word That he which hideth his Sins shall not prosper but that those who confess 'em and forsake 'em shall find Mercy Help me I humbly beseech thee with all thy People to make our Confession unto thee and to acknowledge that we have sinned and have committed Iniquity and have rebelled by departing from thy Precepts and thy Iudgments neither have we hearken'd to thy Servants the Ministers which spoke in thy Name to our Kings our Princes and our Fathers and to all the People of the Land And therefore O Lord Righteousness belongs unto thee but unto us Confusion of face as at this day to our King our Princes and our Iudges because we have sinned against thee And have added this Evil unto all the rest that yet we have not made our Prayer before the Lord our God that we might turn from our Iniquities and understand thy Truth O Lord our God we pray thee hear encline thine Ear and open thine Eyes and behold our low Estate For we do not present these our Supplications before thee for our Righteousness sake but for thy great Mercies through Iesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Our Father c. Meditation V. Of the Benefit and Advantage of Afflictions WE have in the former Meditation Enquir'd into the Nature of Afflictions they are Evils in themselves not joyous but grievous and into the Causes of them which generally is Sin and what some of those Sins are we have also examin'd and found our selves to be concern'd in them which calls for our hearty Sorrow and Repentance But as a wife Physician will so temper Poyson as not only to allay its Venom but turn it into an Antidote so does the great Physician of our Souls do with Afflictions making them work together for our Good and bring forth for us the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness And here I will a little Meditate upon the reasons why it pleases God to Afflict his Children and what the Benefits are that we reap thereby 1. Because we might shew our Conformity to our Blessed Redeemer who first Suffered and then Entered into his Glory In like manner we are told that if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him And the greater Tryals we endure here the brighter will our Crown of Glory shine hereafter The Author to the Hebrews having given a large account of the sufferings of the People of God in former Ages and of their not accepting Deliverance gives this as the reason that they expected a better Resurrection Agreeable to which our Lord tells us That those that are persecuted here for Righteousness sake
House of his Precious Things the Silver and the Gold and the Spices and the Precious Ointment and all the House of his Armour and all that was found in his Treasure But this thing was displeasing to the Lord who saw Hezekiah had his heart lifted up thereby and therefore he sends the Prophet Isaiah to him with this heavy Message Behold the days come that all that is in thine House and that which thy Fathers have laid up in store until this day shall be carried to Babylon nothing shall be left saith the Lord And of thy Sons that shall Issue from thee which thou shalt beget shall they take away and they shall be Eunuchs in the Palace of the King of Babylon Wou'd we know now how Hezekiah took this doleful Message Why instead of fretting against God or going about to excuse himself he resigns himself up to the good pleasure of God saying to the Prophet Isaiah Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast spoken For there shall be Peace and Truth in my Days THE Fourth and last Instance I shall mention shall be that Illustrious One of our Blessed Saviour Who being under a sense of Divine Wrath in that bitter Agony and Bloody Sweat which he underwent for our Sins in the Garden and which none but himself could have born for it would have crush'd all Mankind into Nothing and all the Angels too to have lain under it he prayed to his Father saying If it be possible let this Cup Pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as Thou wilt Matth. xxvi 39. And in the 42d vers he went away again praying the second time and said O my Father if this Cup may not pass away except I drink it Thy Will be done And in vers 44. He prayed again the third time saying the same words THIS is indeed the greatest Instance of Resignation to the Divine Will that can be given And after such an Instance sure none can deny that it is a Christians Duty Nor is it more our Duty than it is our Priviledge For when our Wills are thus resigned to the Will of God there is no cross Accident that can surprize us nor no Affliction trouble us because we have given our selves up to his Disposal who best knows how to order all things for us and are secur'd in so doing that all things shall work together for our good THIS Resignation of Soul to the Will of God consists principally in an absolute Acquiescence to the Divine Pleasure in every State and Condition of Life whereby we are willing that God should chuse that Condition which he sees best for us whether it be Sickness or Health Life or Death Poverty or Riches Honour or Disgrace And this without Murmuring or Repining or Thinking we are not well dealt with or that we cou'd have provided better for our selves but on the contrary we ought to think our present Condition the best for us be it what it will because it is the Result of Divine Providence and this requires or supposes in us a stedfast belief of God's Governing the World and ordering all Affairs in it according to the Counsel of his own Will And he that by a stedfast Faith in God believing him to be the most Wise most Powerful most Just most Merciful and Beneficent Being has resign'd himself up to his Disposal is prepar'd for all Events and tho' he may lose Crowns Kingdoms Riches Honours Friends Relations and all things else which are look'd upon as outward Blessings yet he can never lose that inward Peace of Conscience and Satisfaction of Mind which the World can neither give nor take away The Soul's Expostulation CONSIDER O my Soul if thy Resignation to the Divine Will be so absolute a Duty what progress thou hast made therein and whether thou hast so given up thy self to the Will of God to be absolutely at his Disposal That thou art so is indeed unquestionable and so are the Devils too for notwithstanding all their Rage and all their Malice they cannot break those Chains of Darkness wherein they are bound to the Judgment of the great Day But they have not resign'd their Wills unto his but on the contrary do whatever they can to oppose it tho in Vain But O my Soul is thy being at the Disposal of Divine Providence the effect of thy Choice as well as of God's Power If it be so 't is what it ought to be But then what means this bleating of the Sheep and lowing of the Oxen as Samuel said to Saul in another case What means all this murmuring and repining at thy present Condition What means that hankering after those Honours Riches and Pleasures that thou Enjoyedst heretofore And thy present Uneasiness under the want of them Do'st thou believe that thy present Circumstances are the Result of the Divine Providence and what God thinks best for thee Then let thy Mouth be stopt for ever For nothing can be more unreasonable than to complain How preposterous is it O my Soul to pray to God Thy Will be done and yet when it is done to murmur This seems strongly to insinuate that thou art no further willing God's Will should be done than as it suits with thine which is the Reverse of what thou hast pray'd for Therefore O my Soul either leave off Praying Thy Will be done or cease to let thy Practice thus contradict thy Prayers Remember O my Soul that it is the foolishness of Man that perverteth his way and makes his heart to fret against the Lord. And take heed lest thy repining makes thee appear to be such a one Is it not far better to give up thy self to his Conduct by an intire Resignation of thy Will to his who better knows how to order thy Affairs than thou thy self do'st So may the bitter Draught of Affliction be made a wholesome Potion to thee whereby thou may'st Experience the Truth of Sampson's Riddle Out of the Eater comes forth Meat and out of the Strong comes forth Sweetness A PRAYER O Almighty and Eternal God who workest all things according to the Counsel of thy own blessed Will and whose Will is the Rule of all Righteousness Look down in Mercy upon a poor and worthless Sinner before thee whose heart was lifted up and forgot God in the time of my Prosperity and therefore thou hast justly depriv'd me of those Mercies which I did not Improve to thy Praise And since I would not serve thee in the fulness of all things it is but just I shou'd serve thee in the want of them And yet such is the Vainty and Deceitfulness of my heart that I am now apt to repine against thy Providence and fret against thee for what thou hast done instead of Kissing thy Rod and Submitting to thy Fatherly Chastisements O therefore be thou pleased to subdue this Rebellious heart of mine and by an intire Resignation of my Soul to thy Soveraign Disposal cause me to rest
if I do Thine O Lord is the Sword of Vengeance and thine is the sharpest Sword O let me not dare to take it out of thy hand Lest while I strike others I fall justly by thy Sword Tho' Flesh and Blood provoke me to it let thy holy Spirit withhold me from it And cast and keep out of me that Evil Spirit by thy Power O good God and Saviour for thy infinite Mercies sake Amen A Collect or Prayer against Malice O Thou Divine Goodness that wouldst not have me be of a Revengeful Spirit neither wouldst thou have me be of a Malicious Spirit and therefore O Lord be pleased to keep me from Malice which is the very Soul of Satan and Sin of the Devil Thou O God art Love but he is Hatred And if Malice be in me I shall be as he is even one whom unless thou hatest thy self thou canst not love Thou hast commanded that I should love my Enemies and wouldst not have me be malicious against them nor bear them ill will for what they have done to me but rather to pray for them yea tho' they use me despitefully thou wouldst not have me be despiteful towards them And therefore from such a hateful and damning Disposition O Lord Deliver me Let not Satan's Brand be on my Brest and his Soul in my Body lest being marked for him he seiz me as his own But O Lord do thou stamp me as thy own and set the Seal of thy Love on my heart that I may be owned by thee and have thy Badge continually upon me which is That we love one another O let me not wear the Devils Badge in a visible or secret Malice to any Make me O Lord a Child of thy Family a Dove of thy Flock without any Gaul or Rancor a Lamb of thy Fold harmless to all and not doing Mischief to any but delighting like thy Blessed Self to do good unto all Even for his sake who is holy harmless and undefiled who did good to all and Evil to none even Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Collect for Grace O Thou that hast promised thy holy Spirit to them that ask it give me thy Grace O God that being strengthened thereby I may with Courage and Constancy Engage all my Spiritual Enemies and subdue them That I may pass my Pilgrimage here in thy fear and at last receive my Triumphs in thy Glory Through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Collect for Peace O God of Peace which art incomprehensible give me Thy Peace which passeth all understanding Let me so live according to thy Rule that I may have Peace with my Conscience and let me be so ruled by thy Will and Word that my Conscience may have Peace with Thee Lord make an Everlasting Peace with me and let me never do that which has any Tendency to break that League Dear Jesus Let it be Ratified and Confirmed in thy Blood and maintain it in me by thy holy Spirit Amen Amen A Collect for Health IT is the wonder of thy Providence O Lord that a Body subject to thousands of Frailties and Casualties every Day should Enjoy Health or Life an Hour yet through thy Mercy I have both at this instant Lord continue to me what I have and let me so improve it to thy Honour that thou mayst continue it and suffer me not by any Sin to provoke thee to take it away from me and to Smite me with Sickness Hear me I beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Collect for Friends O Lord it is Ioyful for Friends to love and live together on Earth but the Ioy of all Ioys to live with thee in Heaven I beseech thee let this happiness be the Portion of all whom thou hast made more Nearly and Dearly to be Mine Let us so live in thy Service that we may die in thy Salvation In the mean while what we want of any Earthly Good necessary for us Give us What is amiss and offensive to thy Heavenly Majesty in any of us Forgive us What is requisite to make us so to serve thee now that thou mayst save us then in thy Bounty bestom upon us Even Truth and Grace aright to See and Seek thy Face in Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for the Kingdom O Lord Our Distractions threaten Desolations to us Preserve us Our sins cry aloud for thy Vengeance upon us Pardon us Thy Mercies have been great to this Nation O Lord remember them Thy Deliverances of us have been many O Lord Renew them That Iniquity be not our utter Ruine give us Repentance The Guilt and Blood upon us Forgive Our Breaches Repair The Order which may bring Peace Establish The Government thou hast Establish'd maintain What is Iust and Right in thine Eyes set up What thou seest Evil cast down What makes the Nation miserable Remove What may make it happy Restore Lord for thy Mercies sake say We have been miserable enough and make us more happy Let the Light of thy Countenance shine again upon us and grant us thy Peace The Power and Authority which may procure it Preserve and those to whom thou hast given that Power Bless them to us and us in them and all in thee For Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Collect for the Church Catholick BEhold O God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ I a Christian and Child of his True Catholick Church Pray thy Mercies on my Good and great Mother and all my Brethren and her Children in thee and thy Son For Errors amongst them send them Truth For Schism Vnity For Superstition Warrantable Worship For Confusion Order For Prophaness Piety For Variance Concord for War Peace That all may as one Body with one Mind and Heart and Mouth and Knee Believe Love Confess Adore and so serve Thee and Him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ the Great Lord and Common Saviour of us all as thou mayst save us all in the World to come O Thou Head of the Church Save thy Body By thy Blood Cleanse it by thy Spirit Sanctifie it by thy Power Preserve it and every Limb of it dear Iesus Amen A Collect for the Church O Christ Head of thy Body the Church let not this poor Member of it amongst us Perish What it is Thou seest Lord with Pity behold us What it was thou knowest O Lord in Mercy Restore us Thy Primitive Order in Christian Truth and Worship for the saving of Souls which is cast down set up The Present Confusions Distractions Innovations Errors which are got up cast down Set up thy Glory O Lord amongst us And what is set apart to support it do Thou maintain and continue to us and our Posterities after us for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Collect for Safety FORGIVE O Lord the Forfeitures I have made of thy Protection by the Wanderings of my Life And tho I have not been as I should a Dutiful Child yet be Thou O Lord as
Thou ever art a Merciful Father Forget not thy Fatherly Goodness to me who pray thy Pardon for offending Thee Thy Grace to serve Thee and Thy Providence to preserve me this Night and Evermore through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for one in Affliction O Lord That Affliction which is now my Lot is the Result of thy good Pleasure and as such let me Eye it and improve it to Reclaim me from Evil Ways and to direct my course into those that are Good If it be so grievous to bear it for a Time what is it O God to suffer it and ten thousand times more misery than it for Ever Then if it be ill let it be thy Rod to reclaim me and if Good thy Staff to make me stand better in Grace and advance me to thy Glory Thy Fan to Purge me Thy Furnace to Prove me So Adversity to my Body be the Prosperity of my Soul let it come and Welcome O Lord that my Soul may at last everlastingly Prosper with Thee in that Day of Bliss which knows no Cloud of Ill nor end of Good to Eternity Since Affliction is a sign of thy Mercy a Badge of thy Favour and a means of Glory let me not be Impatient under it lest I perpetuate my Woes to two Worlds and whom Thou hast but for a Time make my self miserable for ever Blessed Jesus who didst go from a Cross to a Crown and doest Cross me to Crown me let me carry mine Patiently that I may come to thy Throne and not cast my self from a Cross of Woe into a Gulph of Confusion From such Miscarriages under my Present Afflictions O Lord deliver me Dear Jesus By the Merits and Example of thy holy Cross and by the Vertues and Works of thy holy Spirit Do it for me and Sanctifie it to me Amen A Concluding Prayer BEhold O Lord what I have Prayed unto thee for and grant I humbly beseech thee the Requests that I have put up unto Thee this Evening and hear the Petitions of thy Servant And do for me for the Nation for thy Church and for all Estates and Conditions therein not only according to what I have Prayed but according to what I should and ought to have Prayed and what any else have prayed with me for Jesus Christ his sake in whose Name I have presented them with whose Words I desire to Perfume and Perfect my Prayers Beseeching Thee That his Spirit may breathe in those Words in which I know I Pray both what and as I ought And therefore as Devoutly Confidently say Our Father which art in Heaven c. The Blessing BLESSED are the Afflicted and Troubled and those that mourn under those Calamities we feel and fear The Blessing and Comfort of God the Father and the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Consolations of the holy Spirit be upon me and upon all such sad and sorrowful Souls with me this Night and Evermore Amen Meditations and Prayers FOR THE NOLY COMMUNION BOTH Before At and After Receiving A Meditation before the Receiving the holy Communion O My dear Lord Thy Passion makes me full of all Passions I am in Love and yet I Hate I have my Longings and my Loathings I both Rejoyce and Grieve and Cherish Hope and Fear I am Incens'd and Ravish'd I am in Love with Thee O blessed Jesus I am Enamour'd of thy Person O Thou God-Man The Son of God! The Beauty of Heaven and Earth The Center of all Created and Uncreated Excellency The Mirror of the Godhead The Wonder of Angels The Glory of Mankind I am Inflamed with thy Love Thou mad'st thy Love to Lazarus legible in thy Tears See how he loved him said the Jews and shall not I read it in thy Wounds They saw Love in thy driping Eye and shall not I in thy Bleeding Side They in the Hot-water thou didst bestow on his Dead Body and shall not I see it in that reaking Blood thou sheddest for my lost and Dying Soul O let not my heart be so hard to see those Wounds of so great Love to me and yet to have no Woundings of Affection for Thee For thee Lord Yes and all in Heaven and Earth that have Relation to Thee I am also in Love with the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ who would give his Son his only Son the Son of his Love so to suffer on Earth for a Time that I might not suffer for Ever in Hell I am also in Love with Thee O Thou Blessed and Holy Spirit of GOD who didst anoint Jesus to be my Christ and thereby Inaugurate him to his Crown of Thorns and Blessed tho' most Bloody Passion which he suffered for me I am in Love with the whole Blessed Trinity whose glorious Essence and Ineffable Unity I Adore tho' I cannot comprehend and whose Counsels fill my Soul with the highest Admiration tho' I am never able to search out their Unfathomable depth I have also Love for the Sons of Men for them especially for whom my Lord Jesus shed his precious Blood thereby to make them the Sons of God and Brothers of Christ Thy Cross O Jesus shall make all Mankind my Friends for where thou gavest thy Blood why shou'd not I give my Heart THUS Lord I love all for thee and thee in all And now I will love my self for thy sake amongst them O Lord I am one in whom is thy Flesh a Man I am one in whom is thy Spirit a Christian I am one for whom thou didst shed thy Blood on whom thou hast shed thy Spirit A redeemed esteemed Man by Thee and shall I be so poor as to Value Dirt to thy Blood Shall I be tempted to give my self from Thee to the Flesh and to the World O Lord I will Value thy Blood more I will keep the Spirit better I will set a higher price on my self than to sell thy Blessed Purchase to the Devil for a base Piece of Flesh and a small portion of the World So am I and let me ever be in love with Thee O Lord. BUT O Sin I am in Hate with Thee for my own and for my Saviour's sake O thou Enemy of God and Man how execrable art thou More than heart can think That madest him lamentable more than Eye saw AND O Devil I hate Thee who didst tempt Man out of Paradise and so draw Christ to a Cross And could thy Temptations have prevail'd and thy Power been equal to thy Malice wouldst have cast the second Adam out too that so nor the First nor his Seed might ever have come in again AND O World I abhor thee as the Imp of the Devil who of his Jews and Gentiles couldst find hands for such horrid Acts and Sins that made those Bloody Passions So Sin Devil World for the Death of my King and Lord and Christ you have my Hate I have also my Longings too I Long for the Lord My Soul Longeth for God even the
Cities of Refuge for Sins To see thy Passion made the Nurse of Presumption and thy Mercy the Milk of all Abominations When Indignation kindles in thy poor Servants Soul at so great Indignities how is it that Wrath flames not out in Thine How is it Even so it is because thou art Jesus Lovest to save and art loth to destroy Waitest our Repentance and Wavest thy Vengeance I am Ravish'd with that good Spirit of thine O Christ Thou hadst it on the Cross and keepest it on the Throne Where it appears it doth Ravish me In thy Lips Thou Prayest their Pardons that are shedding thy Blood And thirstest for their Salvation that are Butchering thy Body In thy Arms Stretch'd out to Embrace all on Earth and therefore strike not tho' in all the Power of Heaven In thy Eyes As Thou wast with one of my Mothers I am with one of Thine Thy Fury frights me O Lord Thy Favour is that One The Eye with which thou didst look at the poor Thief and give him both thy Pardon and thy Paradise The Eye by which thou didst look at thy dear Mother and amidst all thy Wounds chuse her a Guardian and have her in thy Cares The Eye with which thou did'st look at the dear Disciple and Adopt him of thy Servant thy Mothers Son The Eye by which thou didst look at poor Sinners to be saved a Church to be bought and World to be Ransom'd But in thy Heart O Lord O what an Apparition see I there Through the bloody Door of thy Wounded Breast a House full of Nothing but Goodness Pity Patience Mercy O what a Perspective is there by the way of the Spear To see the Prospect of a poor Sinners sole delight a Heart full of Grace and Favour in the Brest of a Jesus A Saviours Heart From that Heart with that Eye O Christ behold the Afflicted Mother thy Church and thy dear Disciple her Child Breathe Comfort to her for whom thou gavest Blood And to him who is the Son of her Comfort Make Peace between Mother and Children where there should be Love Let them live by one Spirit that are bought with one Blood And no longer be one anothers Cross but bear one anothers Burdens Dart Lord from that blessed Eye of Pity these Favours on the Face of that bleeding Body and with thy Arms Nail'd once to a Cross now extended on a Throne Embrace her and uphold her in Life Advance her Throne for whom thou did'st endure thy Cross O Thou who didst with thy Fingers work Heaven and Earth and upholdest all things by the Word of thy Power those whom the World treads under foot take thou into thy Arms In thy blessed Arms O thou Omnipotent and All Merciful Maker and Saviour of the World in thy blessed Arms I leave the Wounded Mother and at thy Feet I lay the bleeding Child JESUS nourish these holy Passions in me which my Heart hath conceived and my Tongue now brought forth before Thee Let thy holy Passion ever breed them in me and thy Spirit Nurse them for thee even by the Merits of thy bloody Passion I beseech Thee Amen! Amen A Prayer before Coming to the holy Communion Acknowledging and Deprecating our Vnworthiness O Lord I am every where in thy Presence and under thy Eye and therefore shou'd be prophane no where but thy special Presence and Face is in thy Temple There therefore I should be more holy and thy Chair and Seat is at thy Table and therefore there I should be yet more so Even the Angels are not pure enough for such a Heavenly Presence how then shall a poor mortal Man appear at so high and holy a Service How shall I dare to Communicate with Thee that deserve not to come before Thee Lord since I cannot come as I should pure I will endeavour by thy Grace to come as I may Penitent I will be more humble because less holy and more Wash'd because so Filthy And O Lord give me Grace so to come Let me look over my Life in the Glass of thy Law and make me wash with my Tears what is polluted in my Ways and Cleanse in Christ's Blood what I wash with my Tears O Lord in a Bath of this Water warm'd in that Blood flowing from a Sinners bleeding heart and Saviour's bloody side shall I not be clean if I wash Pierce my heart O Lord that I may repent open my heart that I may believe that so I may wash and be clean Tho' I did not live let me believe aright and let me love whom I do believe even thee O God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who didst send thy Son to shed his Blood and Redeem me and Thee O Son of God who didst come and shed thy Blood to make a Bath and heal me and also Thee O holy Spirit of God by whose Grace and Work upon my heart I come to have the Benefits of that Blood And whom I love let me not grieve Lord let me no more offend thee Let my heart be set to serve thee resolved to please thee And do thou accept me Father Son and holy Ghost Amen A Prayer before the holy Communion to be Pardon'd and Prepar'd for it DEAR Saviour that hast given thy Flesh and Blood to be my Meat and Drink and now invitest me to those Heavenly Dainties Who am I woful and wicked Wretch that I am that I should dare with my unworthy hands to receive those high and holy Mysteries Originally Vnclean Actually Defiled and even since my last Coming and Communicating for all my Vows and Protestations before thee again and again polluted In these straits and stresses of Spirit how shall my Soul be satisfied If I come not at thy call I rebel against thy Mercy If I come I trespass upon thy Purity O my God I will not stand out a Rebel but rather fall down an humble Suppliant before thee I am guilty Lord Pardon me I am polluted Lord purge me Tho' guilty tho' polluted I am thy Ransomed Soul Dear Redeemer save me Let the Merits of thy precious Blood cleanse me from the guilts upon me Let the Graces of thy holy Spirit Sanctifie me from the stains within me Let the Sighs and Tears which come from my bleeding Heart wash off those Blots by Vertue of that Pretious Blood Let the Cries and Prayers which now come from my Believing Soul obtain those Graces from thy holy Spirit True Repentance and Humility a lively Faith and Charity with all those holy and heavenly Thoughts and Affections which may dispose and prepare me for Thee By these fit my Soul for thy Self and my Body with my Soul to be an holy House and Habitation for thee Let thy holy Spirit and Body enter into me Come dear Redemer come to the price of thy Blood seiz thine own and save me Possess my Soul Feed me and Preserve me Hereafter let me have more Grace than to grieve thee Give me care to keep my
up your heart to God and pray Lord keep me from all Sin and danger this day for Iesus Christ his sake WHEN you are up kneel down and say this Prayer Almighty God who hast touched my heart with a sense of thy fear and holy dread of thy Majesty I beseech thee give me thy grace so to govern my thoughts and look to my Words and Ways this day that I may avoid all Sins especially those to which I am most inclin'd or may be most provoked That so my Soul and Body may be kept pure and unspotted before Thee and whensoever the hour of their Separation shall come may be ready and prepared for Thee through the Merits and Mercies of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen WHEN you are ready for your Morning Prayers you may use the Service before recited for the Morning Rules for the Evening AFTER you have Used the foregoing Prayers for Evening Service and before you go into your Bed kneel down and say this short Prayer O God who hast made the Day for Labour and the Night for Rest let thy Sons Blood cleanse me from this Days guilt that I may sleep in thy Peace and rise again refreshed and preserved by thy Favour through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen AND this Thanksgiving and Prayer Almighty God who hast preserved me this day from many Sins and Dangers I do humbly magnifie thy Name for thy Grace and Goodness towards me beseeching Thee to forgive me all the Errors of this day whereof my Conscience doth or may accuse me And grant that those sins which by my frailty I have Committed may by the help of thy Spirit be more carefully avoided that I may ever stand in thy Favour Walk under thy Protection and now rest and lie down in thy Peace and at last come to thy heavenly Kingdom through the Merits and Mediation of Iesus Christ. Amen When you lie down say I will lay down my head in Peace and take my Rest for thou only O Lord makest me to dwell in safety Then Pray thus LIGHTEN mine Eyes O Lord that I sleep not in Death I commit my Soul and Body to thee keep me for thy Mercies sake Amen Some General Rules for our Daily Practice 1. REmember That tho' Knowledge especially the Knowledge of God be an excellent thing yet it will be no farther available to thee than as thou puttest it into Practice For Knowledge without Practice is like Light without Heat which never ripens any Fruit to the Glory of God or Good of thy own Soul Be sure therefore to labour after the Knowledge of Gods Will and to put that Knowledge into Practice 2. Let the Worship of God have the first place in thy Affections and Actions And tho' Private Prayer and secret Ejaculations be necessary yet let not Publick Prayers in the House of God be Omitted 3. Neglect not the Common Prayers and other Publick Duties of Devotion but say with holy David I was glad when they said unto me We will go into the House of the Lord. 4. Be careful that Divine Service be performed aright as it ought to be and delight thy self in the Beauty of Gods House 5. In all the Various Changes that befal thee especially in Afflictions and Distresses make Prayer thy Refuge 6. Set aside appointed times for thy Private Devotions and observe them not only out of Custom but of fervency of Spirit to increase thy Piety 7. The Pious Rites and Ceremonies of the Church esteem highly of I mean those which are not repugnant ot Gods Word and on the other side fly Superstition 8. Use constantly the Prayers for the Church and by name for all those for whom thou art bound to pray especially the Royal Family 9. If thou art a Father of a Family govern all under thy Care piously and religiously Let all resort to Morning and Evening Prayer either Privately or Publickly if it may be And let this be a Law to thy Family Whosoever comes within this House let him be Sober Just Religious and Honest in all things Lye not Swear not Forswear nor Blaspheme not Detract not from others mind not Cups and Revels offend not any Bodies Ears or Eyes or Mind either by Words or Deeds Whoso doth otherwise let him depart hence 10. Discipline thy Children betimes and Train them up in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it 11. Rule thy Wife with Prudence and provoke her to the Love of Vertue and good Works by thy Example 12. If thou hast Daughters be solicitous about the Preservation of their Chastity the Age is corrupted and full of Debauchery and if they come to be defiled they are in danger of Eternal Ruine and therefore this requires thy utmost Care for thou hast no Treasure so much expos'd as these And to this End keep with a double-Lock their Ears and Tongue from Obscenity and Scurrility let none come near them that use impudent Jests or Gestures for shameless Companions and evil Conversation Corrupts good Manners and ought to be avoided as so many Serpents and Vipers 13. Be careful to avoid all known Sins To which End be sure thou commit not the least fault wittingly or willingly for the dearest Friends sake It is better to renounce all Friendship with Men than to endanger the breaking of thy Friendship with God And nothing will break this Friendship sooner than Sin 14. Use not thy self unto Swearing I mean not only Vain and Prophane Swearing but also Promisory Oaths But if thou hast made any such take care to perform 'em tho' it may be to thy own outward hurt 15. Vow nothing rashly but upon great Deliberation and what thou hast Vowed pay 16. Imitate the Life of thy blessed Saviour and follow the steps of his Saints in all things wherein they ought to be imitated 17. Next after thy Duty to God consider what thou owest to thy Neighbour and do it whilst it is in the Power of thy hand 18. Do good to all according to thy Ability Feed the Hungry give drink to the Thirsty Entertain the Stranger Cloath the Naked Visit the Sick Redeem the Prisoners and Bury the Dead This Charity belongs to the Body 19. There is likewise a Charity due to the Soul which is To instruct the Ignorant Correct the Sinner Counsel the Doubtful Comfort the Afflicted indure Injuries forgive Wrongs pray for Others yea for thy Enemies 20. Observe Friendship with Constancy fasten that knot and if it be loosed tie it again Reconcile those that are fallen out Strifes and Contentions which are the Bane of Charity Extinguish and Wipe away 21. Interpret all things from others in the best sense scorn none nor detract from any neither provoke 'em by Railing or Opprobrious Terms but give to all that honour that belongs to ' em 22. Let thy gesture be without Affectation yet not Phantastical and let thy Countenance be Free but not Lofty and Chearful but not Lowring let thy Speech be Sober Simple and Harmless without Deceit or Flattery and without Mimical Actions like a Stage-play 23. Be sensible of the hand of God under all Afflictions and think with thy self that he does nothing without a Cause and let that keep thee humble and put thee upon a serious Reflection on thy past Actions 24. If Reproaches Revilings and other Injuries be thrown upon thee strengthen thy Soul in God and under-go them both with Courage and Constancey and as far as thou art Innocent with Rejoycing 25. Under all Afflictions be silent let the Causes be what they Will for it argues Impatience to Complain Beware therefore that thou accuse neither Heaven nor Men for none is more injurious to thee than thou to thy self if thou be Impatient Righteous is the Lord and true are his Judgments 26. Be sure take heed least under thy Afflictions thou forgettest thy Creator and seekest Deliverance by indirect means For many have stumbled upon this Rock and been broken to pieces by it For such men wou'd prescribe to God and have him directed by their foolish Fancies But who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord Or being his Counsellour have taught Him 'T is a vain thing to attempt it Therefore to be willing to tarry till God sees good to deliver is the way to hasten our Deliverance but to go about to deliver our selves and throw off the Burden that God has laid upon us is the only way to bind it on the faster and to keep back that deliverance which for ought we know may be at the Door And therefore 27. If the Times compel thee to suffer for Righteousness sake be not afraid The three Children lost nothing by being in the fiery Furnace so long as there was a Fourth there with them which was the Son of God 28. In times of Affliction especially throw away all vain desire of Riches despise the World and all the Allurements of it whether they be Honours Pleasures Friends and Acquaintance or whatever else That which keeps down thy Affections from mounting to Heaven and soaring Above is a dead weight which thou hadst better be without 29. Whatever thou losest take care to keep thy Innocence If thou losest all the World and keepest thy Innocence thou mayst yet be a Gainer But if thou losest thy Innocence then indeed thou losest All and thy Loss becomes truly Unvaluable 30. If thou wouldest preserve thy Innocence make Gods Word thy Rule and humbly implore the gracious Conduct and Guidance of his holy Spirit For he it is that leads in the way of Righteousness and in the midst of the Paths of Judgment and he has assur'd us in his Word That if in all our Ways we acknowledge him he will direct our Paths FINIS