he will show And to the house of Israel also Yea such as feare the Lord shall blessed be Both small and great of high and low degree To them the Lord will multiply his grace Yea unto them and to their stocke and race Psal 115.12 13. Our fathers have put confidence in thee And thou in mercy Lord hast set them free They were deliver'd when upon the name Of God they cal'd they were not put to shame That trusted in him Psal 22.4 5. God's just in all his waies his works are all Most pure he 's nigh to such as on him call Psal 145.17 18. Doubtlesse that man is blest whom God corrects And thereby in his holy law directs That he in evill daies may give him rest When sinners shall for ever be supprest For sure God will no time the just forsake Nor shun his chosen heritage to take Psal 95.12 13 14. Comfort for the godly in time of sicknesse VVHen we lie languishing upon our beds Of sorrow and of sicknesse God our heads And hearts doth hold he heals our griefes and sores And us at length to perfect health restores Pal. 41.5 When snares of Death me round about beset And paines of hell me caught as in a net Then on the name of God thus did I call Deliver thou my soule O Lord from thrall The Lord is mercifull unto the just And faithfull to all those that in him trust I was in wofull paine and misery And in his mercy he relieved me Psal 116.3 4 5 6. The foolish for by reason of their crimes Upon their heads great plagues heap oftentimes Their soules did loath all meats they wont before To hunger for they were brought to deaths door Than 〈◊〉 they crie to God for helpe and aid And he them heard according as they praid Psal 107.17 18 19 20. Though in the vale of death I walke I will No evill feare for thou art with me still Psal 23.4 Comfort for the weak ALL ye that trust in God be strong and bold Though ye be weak God will your hearts uphold Psal 31.24 The Lord your strength and courage will encrease The Lord will blesse you with eternall peace Psal 30.11 Hope in the Lord be strong and no way start And he will comfort and confirme thine heart Psal 27.16 My heart would faint should I not hope to see In life eternall thy felicity Psal 27.15 The fatnesse of the house the just shall feed To them thy pleasant rivers shall exceed Because the Well of life remaines with thee And in thy perfect light we light shall see Psal 36.8 9. The Lord hath bought the soules of all the just And none shall perish that in him do trust Psal 34.22 The Lord doth reigne then let the earth rejoyce And let his Saints triumph with pleasant voice Psal 97.1 I waited long and did with meeknesse beare And God at length to me inclin'd his eare He brought my feet out of the mire and clay Unto a rock he led me in his way Psal 40.1 2. The Lord upon the just doth fix his eyes His eares are alwaies open to their cries The godly crie and God in mercy hears And frees their soules from troubles pains and fears Unto the meeke the Lord is neare and kinde To save such as afflicted be in minde Great are the troubles which the good befall But God in mercy rids them out of all Psal 34.15 17 18 19. According to thy promises most just Thinke on thy servant for therein I trust In midst of troubles this my heart doth cheare This me revives when pains of death draw neare The proud of me have often made a scorne Yet shrinke I not from thee as one forlorn◠For I thy lasting judgements call to minde Therein O Lord I joy and comfort finde Psal 119.49 50 51 52. Such as trust in the Lord shall stand as sure As Sions mount for ever to endure And as the mighty mountains are about Jerusalem ev'n so without all doubt From henceforth and for ever God will those That trust in him with mercies great enclose Psal 125.1 2. Comfort for the penitent THe Lord is just and mercifull also Apt to forgive to wrath and anger slow Psal 103.8 We with our fathers Lord we must confesse Against thee have committed wickednesse The wonders thou didst work in Egypts land Our fathers did not rightly understand They did not call to minde the multitude Of thy great mercies to them but more rude And stubborne were yea in rebellion they Did rise and that at sea yea the red sea Yet didst thou save them for thine owne names sake That thou thy power to be known mightst make Still they provoked God to wrath and ire By their fond and inordinate desire Yet when he did behold their misery He heard in mercy their complaint and cry Psal 106.6 7 44. Thou hast O Lord been mercifull indeed To Israel yea thou hast Iacobs seed Restor'd from thraldome and O God we finde In holy Writ thou blott'st out of thy minde All their misdeeds and heynous wickednesse Whereby they did thy holy Laws transgresse My sins Lord I confesse with griefe of heart In this thy mercy let me have a part Psal 85.1 2. Of joy and gladnesse thou shalt make me heare That thou my broken bones O Lord maist cheare Psal 51.8 Give laud unto the Lord my soule let not The leaft of all his mercies be forgot That gave thee pardon and will give all times Pardon to such as will forsake their crimes After our sinnes with us he hath not dealt Nor forour sinnes have we his furie felt Psal 103.2.3.10 Comfort for the godly in time of dearth IN evill times they shall not danted be In times of dearth they shall Gods goodnesse see Psal 37.19 Behold the eies of God behold the just To helpe all such as in his mercy trust To free their soules while here they live on earth From the devouring jawes of death and dearth Psal 33.18.19 Comfort for the mariner in danger of shipwreck THey that in ships into great waters goe For and with merchandize both to and fro Observe and daily have Gods works in mind His wonders deep they in the deep do find For at his word the stormie winds arise Wherby the surges seeme to threat the skies They mount aloft and plunge the depth againe So that their soules consume with feare and paine They stagger like a drunkard to and fro Their skill is gone they know not what to doe Then did they cry to God for helpe and aide And he them heard according as they pray'd The boist'rous stormes he makes to cease the rage Of roaring waves his hand doth soone asswage Then are they glad then do they shout and sing When God doth them unto their haven bring Psal 107. from 23. to 30. A few short Meditations and ejaculations upon the ATTRIBVTES of God the Lords PRAYER and the ten COMMANDEMENTS Of the goodnesse and greatnesse of God Meditati 1
of heart thy crops grow lesse and lesse But stinking weeds encrease and flourish so That shortly they thy crop will overgrow Unlesse for honour of thy name with speed Thou wilt vouchsafe O Lord the same to weed O deale not with us after our deserts Nor after the uprightnesse of our hearts What would become of sinfull mortall man If thou his sinfull life shouldst strictly scan If thou shouldst marke what we have done amisse Who could expect to reape eternall blisse Psal 78.13 14. Thou that in Zoan by thy mighty hand Couldst so divide the seas that on drie land Our forefathers might passe canst also heale The breaches of our Church and Common-weale Our land 's divided and divided so That we amongst our selves can hardly know Whom we may safely trust which makes all those Which doe thee and thy word of truth oppose As chiefly Papists to rejoyce and say Ha ha so so there goes the game away Thou mightst in justice Lord we doe confesse Us of our lives and livings dispossesse Thou mightst deprive us of the meanes of grace And from beholding of thy blessed face And give us up into such Heathens hands For ever to remaine in cruell bands Of slavery and thraldome because we Have broke our covenant so oft with thee Yet Lord now in our need some pity take Ev'n for thy mercy truth and promise sake Thou hast we know been mercifull indeed To Israel yea thou hast Iacobs seed Restor'd from thraldome yea O God we finde In holy Writ thou blott'st out of thy minde All their misdeeds and heinous wickednesse Whereby they did thy holy Laws transgresse Thou didst asswage thy wrath and mitigate Thine anger towards them yea in a state Of happinesse didst seat them so that they Might be a people unto thee for aye O let thy people in this sinfull land Such mercies finde O Lord now at thy hand Turne us O God oâ— saving health from all Our evill waies which unto heaven call For vengeance on us let thine anger cease And from all hellish thraldome so release Our bodies and our soules that still we may With freedome magnifie thee day by day Vengeance O Lord doth properly belong Unto thy Majesty revenge the wrong That hath been and now is done unto thee By such as hate thy truth in sanctity O judge of all the world thy selfe exalt Against all such as would thy truth assault Let not the wicked and the worldly wise Over thy faithfull people tyrannize Let not false-hearted Papists who conspire The ruine of thy Church have their desire Let Superstition and Idolatry Like to a rotten hedge for ever be Trod underfoot let merit-mongers all Be like a rotten house and tottering wall Give not the soule Lord of thy Turtle Dove Unto the Beast remember in thy love And tender mercies such as are opprest By wicked men or any way distrest Thy faithfull covenant consider well For they are cruell that on earth now dwell The shepheard seeks to fleece his flock the lambe Growes ravenous and woolvish to her dam The bird the nest where she was hatcht bewraies Iudas his Master cunningly betraies Behold but how the wicked thee defame And how the foolish folke blaspheme thy name Arise arise and thine owne cause maintaine For thou hast said the helpe of man is vain Why dost thou sit as one that 's fast asleepe Why is thy wrath so hot against thy sheepe Thinke on thy congregations and behold Those places which thou hast possest of old But above all the rest remember well Mount Sion wherein thou was wont to dwell Let not the foolish laugh thy Saints to scorne Nor let the wicked man lift up his horne In sunder break their hornes but raise on high The horns of such as serve thee faithfully Confound them in their wicked plots with shame That daily labour to obscure thy name Cast downe those mighty mountaines which oppose Thee in thy waies but let O Lord all those That wish well unto Sion firmely stand As Cedar trees in this our realme and land O let thy Gospell flourish in despite Of such as most abhorre thy sacred light And for this end we humbly thee desire The hearts of all our rulers to inspire With so much wisedome and soule-saving grace That they may daily labour to deface All superstitious worship and advance Thy blessed word and sacred ordinance Thy jugdement Lord upon the King bestow Thy righteousnesse upon the Prince that so He may his loyall subjects rule aright And eke defend the poore against the might Of such as would them wrong without a cause Yea many times against his and thy lawes Let those high mountaines under him encrease In this his realme true zeale and godly peace And let the little hills their minds apply To punish vice and manage equitie Lord let thy Priests be clothed with thy truth And righteousnesse as Naomi and Ruth Make them to live in love that there may be In life and doctine a sweet harmonie Let Moses now and Aron Lord appeale Unto thy throne let Phineas with zeale True judgement execute without delay That they in time thine irefull hand may stay That so our God thou maist continew still And we a people ready to fulfill Thy holy lawes and all our sinfull daies Shew forth thy noble acts and worthie praise Thy whole and holy Church O Lord preserve In unity and peace let not them swerve Or be misled with errors that desire To worship thee with hearts and minds intire Those that are simple ignorant and blind And earnestly desire the way to find That leads to life eternall by thy grace Illuminate O Lord that they thy face And blessed countenance may clearely see And with this fight so much delighted be That they may dally labour to obtaine More knowledge of thy word and thereby gaine Assurance of thy goodnesse to the just And faithfulnesse to those that put their trust In thy sure promises those that are weake And yet through godly zeale desire to speake In behalfe of thy truth yea if need be To seale the truth thereof and sanctity Ev'n with their bloud enable with thy hand In midst of flames of fire upright to stand O strengthen them by thy al-working might Couragiously to fight the Lambs great fight Those that are borne of thine immortall seed And as new borne babes much desire to feed Upon the sincere milke of thy pure word Full streaming brests O Lord to them afford Lastly give peace in these unquiet daies Wherein pride guile and malice so much swayes For now O Lord great dangers are at hand As by thy frownes we clearly understand Thy ever-over and all ruling hand Hath brought astonishment upon our land Thou hast declared heavy things to thine And caused some of us to drinke the wine Of giddinesse so that we scarce can tell When we doe evill or when we do well O give a banner unto such as fear And worship thee with hearts and minds
wicked THe just and upright man shall joyfull be When he the vengeance of the Lord shall see For they shall wash their feet with triumph then Ev'n in the bloud of bloudy minded men And men shall say as cause they shall have just There is great fruit for such as in him trust Doubtlesse upon the earth a God there dwels That both in truth and righteousnesse excels Psal 58.10.11 As sheep go to the fold they to the grave And in that day the just shall Lordship have Their beauty shall consume when they shall goe From their owne dwellings to eternall woe But God will me preserve from endlesse paine Because he will receive my soule againe Psal 94.14.15 The just shall this behold and praise the Lord And laugh at him and say with one accord Behold the man that made not God his stay But trusted in his strength his mire and clay But I shall be like to an olive greene For in the Lord my trust hath ever beene Psal 52.7.8.9 Comfort for the godly in evill and dangerous times IN evill daies why should I feare though those That seek my life me cunningly inclose For they that put their trust in riches most And in the multitude thereof will boast Their brothers soule from hell can no way save Nor pay a price to free him from the grave Psal 49.5 6 7. Comfort for the godly against the conspiracy of the wicked AGainst the just the wicked may conspire And grash their teeth in madnesse and in ire But God shall laugh to scorne them and their way For why he sees the comming of his day They may draw out their swords and bend their bow The poore and needy man to overthrow But their owne swords shall pierce their wicked hearts Their bowes shall broken be in sundry parts He knowes the just mans daies and sees his way And his inheritance shall not decay Psal 37.12 13 14 15 18. The Lord will breake their counsells and disclose The plots wherein they do most trust repose Psal 33.10 Thou hast my table richly deckt although Mine enemies have sought my overthrow Psal 23.5 Comfort for captives strangers fatherlesse children and widowes THe Lord relieves the poore and fatherlesse The stranger and the widow in distresse He makes the solitary man to live In houses freedome he to slaves doth give Psal 146.9 Psal 68.5 6. Though godly men by tyrants are brought low And wanting harbor wander too and fro God raiseth them out of their troubles deep And makes them housholds like a flock of sheep Psal 107.39 When they did wander in the desart wide And found no place wherein they might abide Yea when their thirst and hunger was so great That death the faintnesse of their soules did threat Then did they crie to God in their distresse And he their grievances did soon redresse Psal 107.4 5 6. Though they were few their foes then to withstand Yea very few and strangers in the land And when they found no place for their abode But wandred too and fro the world abroad He suffered them no wrong at all to take But mighty Kings reproved for their sake Psal 105.12 13 14. Comfort for the godly in times of oppression OVer our heads thou hast made tyrants ride And us the raging fury to abide Of fire and water yet thou through thy grace Didst bring us forth unto a wealthy place Psal 66.12 13. The Lord 's with me I need not feare or doubt What man can doe though he be strong and stout Psal 118.6 Now for the great oppressures and the cries Of poore distressed men I will arise Saith God the living Lord and them restore Unto the liberties they had before Psal 12.5 I sought the Lord and he my suit did heare Yea he did free my soule from all my feare They shall both looke and run unto his name Their faces shall not be abash'd with shame But say this poore man to the Lord did call And he both heard and rid him out of thrall Psal 34.4 5 6. O praise the Lord his praise abroad display For he is good his mercy lasts for aye He thought on us yea in our base degree And from oppressors safely set us free Psal 136.1.23 I with my mouth will laud the Lord him I Amongst the multitude will magnifie For at the right hand of the poore he stands To save them from the bloudy tyrants hands Psal 109.30 31. God will avenge th' afflicted and the poore The just shall feare and praise him evermore Psal 140.12 Incline thine ears to me Lord when I pray And hearken to the words which I shall say For strangers up against me rise and they That pleasure take in blood seek to betray My soule with all the plots they can devise For God they have no time before their eyes Behold God is my helper straight at hand With them that stay my soule the Lord does stand Psal 54.2 3 4. Comfort for the godly in long affliction HIs chosen flocke he will not alwaies chide For ever they shall not his wrath abide For he knows well our molde and fashion just Our natures fraile and how we are but dust Psal 103.9.14 Though it for many yeares have been your lots To lie conceal'd amongst defiled pots Ye shall be like a dove whose wings like gold And silver shine when once she waxeth old Psal 63.13 For though the wicked ofttentimes by God To prove his Saints are used as his rod Yet shall it not their lot for ever be Lest they their hand put to iniquity Psal 125 3. The Lord himselfe hath chast'ned me full sore But never hath to death me given o're Psal 118.18 Comfort for the godly in any strait BLessed is he whom Iacobs God doth aid And he whose hope upon the Lord is staid Which did of nothing earth and heaven frame The sea and all pertaining to the same Which keeps his word and promises most sure From age to age for ever to endure Which doth proceed in justice to relieve His poore oppressed servants when they grieve Which gives bread to the hungry and sets free Such as are bound in chaines of misery Which does the blinde to sight and lame restore To limbs and loves the just man evermore Which helps the stranger in his great distresse And keeps the widow and the fatherlesse Psal 146.5 6 7 8 9. When as my parents deare did me forsake The Lord did me into his favour take Psal 27.12 When I in trouble am and heavinesse I 'le thinke on God my griefe I will expresse I will consider well the things of old And what in former times I have been told I will regard the workings of the Lord What he hath done long since I will record Yea whilst I live my tongue shall no time spare His counsells deep and wonders to declare Psal 77.3 5 11 12. The Lord hath mindfull been of our distresse And in his tender mercies will us blesse To Aarons house his blessings
LOrd thou art good as well as great and this Happy commixture is the ground of blisse What comfort would it be to us if thou O great Jehovah shouldst the heavens bow And come in majestie alas thy might Without thy goodnesse would but us affright If thou wer't only good and hadst not might When we were wrong'd where should we go for right If thou hadst onely might and wer 't not good Thy very name would frighten flesh and bloud But blessed be thy name O Lord of hosts Thy goodnesse is declar'd through all our coasts Yea we thy greatnesse and thy goodnesse find In Church and State in body soule and mind But we the greater oft the worser grow In doing ill we oft our greatnesse show Lord rather make us good then great what will Greatnesse availe us if our waies be ill Greatnesse without goodnesse Lord we know Will but procure our greater overthrow Therefore great God thy goodnesse we entreat To make us good how ere thou make us great If thou wilt grace us gratious God with might Give us grace with it for to use it right Amen Of the wisedome of God Meditati 2 THy wisedome is O Lord past finding out What man thinkes strange with ease thou bringst about But we are fooles and neither understand The words nor workes of thy almighty hand O blessed God we humbly thee desire Into our hearts true wisedome to inspire Make us to know thee and our selves aright Then shall our waies be pleasing in thy sight Amen Of the holinesse of God Meditati 3 LOrd thou art pure and holy we implore Thy holinesse to clense us more and more Each good and perfect gift must come from thee Lord make us such as thou wouldst have us be Amen Of the justice and wrath of God Meditati 4 WHat man Lord can abide thy wrath and ire Which being kindled burns as hot as fire O make us fearfull to offend thy Law Lest we before thee be as hay or straw Before a furnace grant that we may praise Thy holy name and serve thee all our daies Amen Of the truth of God Meditati 5 LOrd thou art true in all thy words and waies Justice and equity thy Scepter swayes We should be like thee but alas we finde Our hearts too much to fraud and guile inclin'd Lord breathe thy Spirit of truth into our hearts And write thy Laws within our inward parts Then shall our hearts be upright towards thee And eke our lives from foule offences free Amen Of the mercy of God Meditati 6 LOrd thou art mercifull as well as just Or else what would become of sinfull dust We should be like thee but our hearts are evill In cruelty we imitate the divell Lord make us kinde and pitifull that so In time of need thou maist us mercy show Amen Of the love and kindnesse of God Meditati 7 LOrd thou art kinde thy love endures for aye Upon good grounds we can with reverence say Thou seemest for to doat on man for when He went astray thou broughtst him home agen When he had from thy holy Precepts swerv'd And thereby thy displeasure had deserv'd The penalty of death then didst thou give Thy Son to suffer death that he might live O that our hearts could understand aright The greatnesse of this love that so we might With body soule and minde strive to adore Thy holy name both now and evermore Amen Short Meditations and Ejaculations upon the Lords Prayer Medita ∣ tion 1 LOrd we are sinfull in our purest works Much pride hypocrisie and evill lurks We cannot hallow thee it is our shame That we may in us Hallowed be thy name Amen Medita ∣ tion 2 I cannot but my misery condole My heart my minde my body and my soul Have been slaves to the world the flesh and divell Nimble and prompt to run into all evill But in thy service lame dead deafe and dumb My soule release Lord Let thy Kingdome come Amen Medita ∣ tion 3 A constant pure and cheerfull sacrifice We know Lord is wel-pleasing in thine eyes Quicken our hearts that are of life bereaven And let thy will be done here as in heaven Amen Medita ∣ tion 4 Thou art Our Father where then should we go But unto thee for what we want below All creatures by thy providence are fed Give us good God this day our daily bread Amen Medita ∣ tion 5 Lord thou art full of kindnesse and of pity Loath to destroy the meanest Towne or City If they repent O helpe us to confesse And leave our sins forgive our wickednesse Remit our faults unlose our chaines and fetters Forgive our debts as we forgive our debters Amen Medita ∣ tion 6 Lord thou art full of Majesty and might Able to put our greatest foes to flight Subdue those lusts that tend to reprobation And let us not be led into temptation Amen Medita ∣ tion 7 Thou art the God of Hosts the King of Kings And hast command within thee of all things Let not the world the flesh nor yet the divell Reigne over us Deliver us from evill Amen A few short Meditations or Eiaculations upon the ten Commâ—ndements Mediti ∣ tation 1 THou art the Lord our God the God of all Our souls and bodies thou hast brought from thral Grant we in word and deed may all agree To have no other God but only thee Amen 2. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 2 Thy goodnesse largely Lord hath been exprest To us and ours when we have been distrest Yet we like fooles have aid and succour sought From Idols vaine which our own hands have wrought Open our eyes O blessed God that we May leave our folly and returne to thee Amen 3. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 3 Most blessed God thy sacred will and minde Fully set forâ—h in sacred Writ we finde Thou wouldst noâ— have us take thy name in vaine We of our selves cannot O Lord refraine O give us grace thy name for to adore In word and deed both now and evermore And if we call thee witnesse for to beare Lord make us carefull that the truth we sweare Amen 4. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 4 Because that we are ready to forget To keep the day which thou apart hast set For thy owne selfe and service we may finde A memorandum to put us in minde Yet we must needs confesse unto our shame We are too prone to violate the same Incline our hearts to keep this Law that so We may escape thy wrath and endlesse woe And in thy holy place may ever sing Sweet songs of praise to thee our worthy King Amen 5. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 5 Lord thou wouldst have us honour and obey Our Parents Pastors and such as beare sway O grant we may withhold no honour due That happy dayes for ever may ensue Amen 6. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 6 Life is thy only gift therefore ought we To have our hearts and hands from murther free Keep us from bloudshed
Heaven to earth from Joy to sorrow from the Crowne to the crosse from his Fathers house where were many Mansions to lie in a manger from a Hall to a stall from eternall life to dye a shamefull death from glory to ignonimie For he that thought it no robbery to bee equall with God made himselfe of no reputation and came downe from Heaven and became man pro servis Dominus pro gregepaster obit propopulo Rex mactatur pro milite ductor and all this he hath done for us yea when we were his utter enemies He was wounded for our sins and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed Pharmaca sunt potius quam vulnera vulnera Christi Curat enim plagis vulnera nostra suit The serious and right consideration of these things will make us truly submissive humble and thankfull and to cry out with the Prophet David Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae tribuit mihi primo nihil eram fecit me pererar quaesivit me Psal 116.11 quaerens invenit me lapsum redemit emptum liberavit we deserve fratrem fecit me What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits c. he made me of nothing he sought me when I was lost and seeking mee he found me c. O bone Iesu quid tibi moris est nos debuimus tu solvis nos peccavimus tu luis opus sine exemplo gratia sine merito charitas sine moâ—o Bernard de pasâ— Christi O sweet Jesu what dost thou mean We owe and thou paiest we sinne thou pardonest a work without example grace without merit love without measure quid mirum erit si malus servus vitam deponet pro bonâ— Domino cum bonus Dominus vitam deposuit pro malo servo What wonder is it for an evill servant to lay downe his life for a good Master when a good Master hath first laid downe his life for an evill servant Fourthly consider why God afflicts his people as namely first Iam. 1.2 that those excellent graces of his Spirit in their hearts might appeare more famous and illustrious in the eies of the world Haector a quis noscet felix si troja fuisset How had the faith of Abraham the patience of Iob the meeknesse of Moses and fidelity of many of the Apostles been so illustrious if God had not proved them Stellae interdiu latent nocte micant virtus non apparet in prosper is micat in adversis Torches and Tapers shew dimme when the Sunne shines the Moone and Staâ—â— appeare not at noone our love zeale hope and fidelity is best seen in time of extremity Secondly that the edge of their affections might be taken off from the world the pomps and vanities thereof Thirdly for the subduing and quelling of some lust yet unmortified Zach. 13 9. Fourthly that we might prize and value his favours blessings and benefits at a higher rate â—ona magis carendo quam fruendo sentimus bona à terga fâ—rmosissima we never know the right worth of a thing untill we are sensible of the want of it meat is sweet to the hungry rest to the weary c. Fifthly that they might not be condemned with the wicked of the world hereafter the father suffers his childe to burne his finger in a candle to prevent the danger of a greater fire Sixtly to try the disposition of their hearts the father crosseth his child of his will to see of what humour and disposition he is to see whether he will grumble murmure or repine or no. Seventhly to discover the hypocrisie of many who in the time of peace and prosperity will make great shew of Religion and Piety when as indeed their chiefest holinesse towards God is to palliate and cover their foul injuries towards men saepe latet vitium proximitate boni it is the nature of hypocrisie to get as neare Religion as it can And it is not easily discovered the drosse can hardly bee distinguished from the silver till it come out of the furnace the Player hardly knowne untill he be unmaskt now times of trouble and persecution are Gods unmasking times times of discovery if the Player want his wonted auditory and applause he presently growes out of heart if these have not their wonted health peace and plenty they are ready to forsake their God and Religion and to say as Iorams prophane Pursevant did This evill is of the Lord 2 Kings 6.33 Esay 58.3 Mal. 3.14 1 Sam. 28.6 7. and why should we depend any longer on him Whereas the godly then cleave nearest unto the Lord. Bels keep their tune whether they ring for funeralls or festivalls they that are truly Religious will bee Religious as well in want as in wealth in adversity as well as in prosperity in solitudine as well as in theatro in private as well as in publicke Fifthly and lastly consider who corrects thee thou art under the hand of a wise God and pitifull Father who both can and will order all things for thy good prosperity adversity sicknesse health life death Rom. 8 28. omnia cooperantur and all things else shall worke together for the good of such as love the Lord for nothing happens to the godly by chance or fortune as many ignorantly suppose there 's not a sparrow falls to the ground without the providence of God there is not a haire upon our heads but it is numbred Eccles 2. usque 14. Esay 55.9 Rom. 11.33.34 Repine not then at the hand of God neither let thy heart be troubled at the continuance of trouble His waies are not as our waies he is infinitely wise knows what will make most for his glory our good our extremity is oftentimes his fittest opportunity In monte videbitur Deus In the mount will the Lord be seen and God usually affords the greatest comforts in greatest troubles first that we might bid his comforts more hartily welcome Secondly that his power providence wisdome and goodnes might be more evidently seen in the delivery Grudge not at the prosperity of the wicked wealth is not the badge but the baggage of vertue and according to the Roman word Impedimentum for it is as advantagious to him that travells towards heaven as a long cloak is to him that is to run a race therefore saith Christ it is a hard matter for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Secondly riches are but res mediae good or bad as they are used therefore true happinesse cannot consist in abundance they cannot deliver the soul from the power of death nor pains of hell the rich man died Luke 16. and was carried to hell Thirdly they are uncertain hodie Craesus cras Crodus he that is a King today may be a beggar to morrow and therefore no solid ground of felicity Stulte hà c nocte eripient animam tuâ—m Thou
mute He does not stand the matter to dispute He entertaines no malice in his brest But meekly dies with Consummâ—tum est In times of trouble then the Godly may Ponder these things well in their minds and say Unto their stubborne hearts why are you sad Why do we fret and fume as men halfe mad Didst thou sweet Jesu with such meeknesse beare The heavie weight of sinne for us who were Thy deadly foes didst thou not shun nor scorne O mighty King to be so meanely borne O blessed God Heb. 7.17 wert thou content to take On thee our humane shape and for a our sake Become a servant who art Lord of all Wouldst thou come from thy throne unto a stall To be so meanly lodg'd as in a manger To be scarce entertained as a stranger Wouldst thou oh great Law-giver subject be Unto the censure of the Law that we Might be set free didst thou oh Lord I say For us poore slaves so great a ransome pay Wouldst thou oh blessed God become accurst For such as were of all thy creaturrs worst Wouldst thou oh supreame Judge so farre submit As to be judg'd of men didst thou acquit Those that condemned thee yea didst thou pray To God for their b forgivenesse who did lay Their bloody hands on thee and shall not we In all estates and times contented be Didst thou such drops of blood and water sweat To cleanse our soules from sinnes so soule and great Wouldst thou be taken when thou mightst have fled That we to hell might not be captive led Wouldst thou by sinfull men be bound that so The twisted cords of sinnes thou mightst undoe Didst thou in meeknesse blessed Lord permit Those sinfull-shamelesse wretches for to spit Disgracefully upon thy blessed face To cleanse our faces from sinnes soule disgrace Wouldst thou be hoodwink'd with a vaile that wee Thy lovely face and countenance might see Wouldst thou be buffetted and beat with staves From strokes of hellish fiends to free such slaves Mat. 26 6â— Couldst thou sweet Lord of life contented be To suffer death for such as hated thee Hast thou done this all this and that for such As rebels were and now shall we thinke much To beare thy crosse who understand and know How thou such love didst manifest and show Freely and fully when we were both slaves To sin and sathan helfire and our graves Surely sweet Jesus did we understand This love of thine aright it would command Our stubborne wills and stony hearts constraine Before all things thee to affect againe And surely did we love a thee as we ought Our hearts to such a temper would be brought That at thy hand we should not so repine But chearfully submit our wills to thine Then God of love we humbly thee desire With this thy love our hearts so set on fire That in these evill daies we may submit To beare what punishment thou shalt thinke fit To lay upon us give us faith to stay Our selves upon thy promises alway The fift thought 1 Pet. 1.6.7 Prov. 17 3. Eceles 2. leg cap. â—ot Psal 119.176 VVE ought to count all trialls as the rod And favour of an over-loving God Who still corrects us when we goe b astray And erre like lost sheepe in an unknowne way Yet so corrects that he his c love might show And that the world may plainly see and know That he will not spare sin though in the best Of his deare Saints and servants truly blest That he from sin their hearts might purifie And prove their faith love zeale and constancie 1 Pet. 1.6 7. A tree well-rooted in the ground stands fast And is not shaken downe with every blast Silver and gold the furnace can endure The drosse consumes the gold remains more pure So by these trialls some are a purer made When others like to drosse consume and fade Who in the time of peace will make such show Of zeale and godlinesse that none can know Or judge by outward works but that they are Such as Gods holy will and word preferre Before all worldly profits yea before Their lives and liberties their pompe and store Although they reigne on earth as petty kings Fully possessed with all outward things They go to church twice on the Sabbath day As if they went to heare what God would say They heare they read they fast and daily pray And where their tythes are due they duly pay Out of their plenty great excesse and store They give unto the needy and the poore Yea in their lives such fruits they will expresse Of truth integrity and godlinesse That all the world would judge them pure in heart And such as would from Gods lawes never start Yet when the time of triall draweth nigh And God begins his Saints to prove and trie They are so danted 1 Kings 18.21 that they do not know Which way to take what in this case to doe For want of faith on Gods word to relie Meekenesse to waite and servent zeale to flie To him for aide who never failes the just Or such deceive as in his mercy trust They fall away from God and godlinesse And scoffe at what they did before professe They are not semper idem for their minds Are found to varie ofter then the winds And such as these would sooner shed their bloods If there were cause for saving of their goods Then for the Gospel such will lose their lives Undo themselves their children friends and wives Rather then want their wills or put up wrongs When in Gods cause they want both hearts and tongues Simile As when much water falls and westwinds blow Luke 8 13. And flouds come in so fast to overflow The wonted bounds or limits know we shall Whether our houses will stand firme or fall In times of triall some are constant found Others like seed cast into stony ground Wanting both root and moisture faith to lay Fast hold on God and meeknesse for to stay The leasure of the Lord cannot abide The scorching heat wherewith the just is tride The empty vessell makes the greatest sound Those that seeme best the worst are often found The fairest birds may have the foulest feet Mars for a time great Iove may friendly greet And promise weather faire and happy gales And make the Navigator hoist up sailes Yet in this case he dares not be too bold Because he feares it is too calme to hold For if Saturnus crosse him in his way He comes forth as a Lion for his prey Thus did the Lord proove in the wildernesse The Israelites whereby they did expresse What was in each mans heart for we may find How some adored Idols some repin'd At Gods just dealing how some were content Meekely to beare his plague and punishment How some grew worse and worse and did commit Offences fetched from th' infernall pit Thus God the faith of Abraham did try Gen. 22 1. Heb. 11 17 To manifest unto the world thereby
The same the child what hast it can doth make And so beginnes to suck as if it thought To fill its empty belly with a draught But it not liking of the tast dislikes And leaves the brest and it in anger strikes Our natures are alas too prone and apt With worldly vanities to be entrapt Besides the divell useth so much art To blind the mind and to delude the heart Of sinfull man with pleasures profits gaines Thereby to bring them to eternall paines That should not God through his abundant graces Somewhat their beauty and faire forme deface And sometimes crosse us in our pompe and wealth And sometimes in our vigour strength and health Our hearts would be to a Egypt so much wed That we for stincking leekes should shunne the bread Which came downe from above the bread of life For bread of sorrow discontent and strife Ecl 7.4 5. Esay 61.3 Ecl. 2.1 Againe in holy Scriptures we sh ll find Troubles and sorrow needfull in this kind For till we understand our b Christ-crosse rowe Unto our Father we can never goe For we are taught and that in sacred story â—eb 12.6 That God c corrects whom he receives to glory Sweet mercies bind the body and the soule To serve the Lord but crosses must enroule Us in the booke of life and make us sure His faithfull servants ever to endure For d were it not for this how should we know Whether we were adopted sonnes or no Should God not scourge us for our sinfull crimes We might well feare the plague of future times From pastimes great much bitternesse doth spring And sorrowes deepe their deep contentments bring The sweetest descants birds we know are taught When from the woods they to the cage are brought The choisest corne is alwaies cleanest drest The sweetest grape is ever hardest prest The sweetest fish in saltest waters live And cammomile trod under foot will give A fragrant smell the grape unprest will yeeld No sweet and pleasant wine a fruitfull field Will barren prove as husbandmen well know Unlesse they mucke and plow before they sow In troubles then let not our hearts despaire Let not our minds give way to needlesse care For sure I am he that his griefe extends Beyond the bounds of reason a God offends Does it not argue in us misbeliefe To have our soules ore-whelm'd with care and griefe As if we did conceive it was in vaine To hope we or our friends should rise againe Unto your conscience let me but appeale Does not this quench the heate of godly zeale Does not this grieve the Spirit of God and make Your hearts and minds unfit to unâ—ertake Religious duties Does not this offend Such as their minds to godly courses bend May not the world conceive it is in vaine To serve the Lord if this be all the gaine Of godlinesse Does not this scandalize And make Gods worship hatefull in mens eies Does not the skilfull archer rightly know That a too much bending breaks a brittle bow Does not the husbandman well understand That too much raine doth hurt upon the land We if we be not senselesse and starke blinde May see this hurt both body soule and minde Let hope support us then a showre of raine Oft laies great stormes and makes it calme againe And calmes as I have heard some Seaman say Have been more hurtfull then some stormes for they Finding great Neptune sometimes over kinde Have waited for some happy gales of winde Till they have been halfe starv'd and forc'd to eat That which some men on shore would scarce cal meat Thinke not that wealth then is the ground of joy Or that all troubles do the soule annoy For godly sorrow in times of distresse Shall bring forth fruits of peace and righteousnesse Seed cast into the bowels of the earth Becomes more fruitfull by a second brth That man from grace to grace may daily grow He must be truly humbled and brought low For daily sun-shine without timely showres Rather consumes then causes fruit or flowers 1 Cor. 11.31.32 Lastly b God strikes because we should not be Condemn'd unto eternall misery Hosea 2 6. Yea for this end God oft corrects his own When as the wicked scape as men unknown Psal 14.2.53.1 Which makes such fooles in heart to boast and say There is no God that we ought to obey Or if there be a God we are more blest Then those that are with want and need opprest In a safety in our houses we still dwell Iob 21. usque ad 14. v. Our stock encreaseth each thing prospers well That we both take in hand and goe about Our names grow famous all the world throughout We have more then we aske or what we crave Or would have come to passe we forthwith have Psal 10.3.5 6 Amo 6 4. Iob 21 4. Ev'n to our hearts content we softly lie Stretcht out upon our beds of Ivory We have the fairest objects for the eie That may be had from France or Italy The sweetest smelling odours for the nose Muske Civet powders and the damaske rose All sorts of musicke which may please the eare Revive our spirits and dull senses cheare We have our pleasant walks and summer bowers Our gardens deckt with strange-outlandish flowers For sustenance we take no thought or care For we have plenty of superfluous fare Twice in a day we have brought to our boards What b water earth and aire to man affords The Persian Kings for dainties we exceed On roots and herbs like swine we scorne to feed We have our jellies marrow pies rich sacke Oringo roots potatoes for the backe Poore John comes not within our cellar door No we have ale strong beer and wine great store Besides our March beer and a cup of Hum That'le make a Cat to speake a Cato dumbe And if our squeamish stomacks loath to eat Bacon or Beefe or any such grosse meat We can have Mutton Lambes young Kid and Veal Capon Duck Partridge Woodcocke Phesant Teaâ—e Our carkasses are deckt with rich attire As silke and sattins and what we desire Within the compasse of the sea or land Our purses or our persons may command We have both hawkes and hounds for our delight Cards dice and tables fit our humours right We eat and drinke our fill and rise to play With mirth and merriment we drive away The time we hunt we hawke we fowle we fish To please our appetite with some new dish When such who thinke themselves more pure perhaps Would be contented with our crusts and scraps But let these fooles this ponder well in minde That they a greater difference shall finde When the great Shepherd of the soul a appeares With all his company of noble Peers Matth. 24 31. His Angells Martyrs Saints for to divide The goats from sheep the impure from the tride Acts 17.32 When once the Judge of all the world shall come To passe that just and everlasting
sincere That it may now and ever be displaid Against all such as shall thy truth invade Returne O God let not thy wrath proceed Shew us some favour helpe us in our need So fill our hearts with mercy that thy praise We may extoll with gladnesse all our daies O let that peace of thine which passeth all Our understandings keep our soules from thrall Yea soules and bodies both let it preserve So in thy feare that we may never swerve From thee our onely God but through thy grace In godlinesse may finish this our race That when we yeeld up this life transitory We evermore may dwell with thee in glory These and what else O Lord thou knowest best In thy great wisdome for us we request Not as desert for nothing's due but shame And hel-fire unto us but in the name And for the sake of that Son of thy love Who for our sakes alone came from above To whom with thee O God of saving grace And to thy holy Spirit in the next place We give all honour and desire t' adore Thy holy Name both now and evermore Amen PARTICVLAR REMEDIES AGAINST DESPAIRE COLLECTED Out of DAVID his PSALMES And applied to the severall Conditions of men in this vale of Misery By F T. Psal 107.43 Hosea 14.10 He that is wise to record well in minde These things shall understand how kinde And good God is to such as meekly beare His rod and thereby learne his Name to fear Psal 34.8 Taste then and see how good God is and just Blessed are they which in his mercy trust LONDON Printed by THO HARPER MDCXLIII Remedies against despaire in times of warre THe Lord of hosts doth take our part his eie Prevents all harme on him our hope doth lie He causeth warres to cease he breaks the bow He cuts the speare and charrets burnes also Be still and know that I am God and I Throughout the earth my selfe will magnifie Psal 46.7.9.10 God breakes the arrowes of the bow the shield The sword the speare the battle in the field Thou art more bright and shalt remaine for aye More puissant then mountains high of prey Stout-harted men yea mountaines strong and steepe Through thee are spoiled and have slept their sleep The mighty men of warre great men of might Have found both hearts and hands unfit to fight At thy rebuke thou that dost Iacob keepe The charret and the horse are cast a sleepe Thou even thou art to be dred and who Shall able be thy wrath to undergoe When thou to judgement shalt O God arise To helpe the meeke and heare their dolefull cries Surely unto thy praise mans might and rage Shall turne and thou the remnant shalt asswage Psal 76.3.4.5.6.7 8.9.10 The speare-mens ranks the calves and bulls of might God will destroy and all that love to fight This is our God that saves us from all wrong Issues of life and death to him belong Psal 63.30.20 Ungodly men consult against the good And plot how to condemne the guiltlesse bloud But still my refuge is the Lord most just Yea my God is the rock in whom I trust Psal 94.21.22 The arrowes of the Lord are sharpe to sting The hearts of those that fight against the King Psal 45.5 Our eares have heard our fathers have us told The mighty workes which thou hast done of old How by thy might thou cast the heathen out And didst subdue such as were strong and stout And in their place didst plant them by thy hand That they in safety might possesse the land They did not conquer by the sword their arme Their strength could not O Lord them save from harm But thy right hand thine arme thy strength and might Because in them thou tookest great delight Through thee alone we have thrust back our foes And troad those downe that up against us rose Unto my bowe no confidence I gave Neither from danger could my sword me save Thou hast us sav'd for honour of thy name Thou hast our foes put to reproach and shame Psal 44.1.2.3.5.6.7 As we have heard of old and oft have beene Told of thy goodnesse we have also seene Ev'n in the city of our God that he Will it establish to eternitie Psal 48.8 God is our hope and strength our rock and aid Ready to helpe when we are much dismaid Then though the earth be mov'd and mountaines fall Into the sea we will not feare at all Though waters rage and troubled be though waves Beat downe high mountaines God his people saves For there a river is whose streames will cheare The City of the Lord his Saints most deare God in the midst thereof doth dwell for aye Therefore it shall not perish or decay Psal 46.1.2.3.4.5 An hoast of men Lord I discomfite shall In thee through thee I shall leap o're the wall Psal 18.29 Let God arise and manifest his might And then his foes shall put themselves to flight But godly men before him shall rejoyce Yea leap for joy and sing with pleasant voice Psal 68.1.3 God is my rock shall man make me dismaid God is my strength why should I be afraid Psal 27.1 O sing unto the Lord new songs of praise For he hath wrought great wonders in our daies His owne right hand and holy arme alone With great renowne his foes hath overthrowne The Lord declares his saving health and might His justice eke in all the heathens sight He calls to mind his mercy truth and grace To Israel and all his faithfull race That all the world might see and know right well The goodnesse of the Lord to Israel Remedies against despaire in case of want and poverty THe poore shall eat and be suffic'd and they That seeke God praise him and shall live for aye The poore and needy he will not despise Nor hide his face from their complaints and cries Psal 22.24.26 Although I be of meane degree and poore The Lord is mindfull of me evermore Psal 40.17 Delight your selves in God with hearts entire And he will give to you your hearts desire Psal 37.4 All wait on thee yea things void of all reason That thou their food maist give them in due season Psal 104.27 The needy God will raise out of the dust Out of the dung the poore that in him trust Psal 113.7 For want of food the lions may be pin'd But such as feare the Lord shall succour find Psal 34.9.10 I have been yong and now aâ— waâ—ed old And in this case to speake I dare be bold That I the godly man did never see Forsaken quite nor his posterity Through want constrained for to beg their bread But ever have been by Gods goodnesse fed Psal 37.25 Cast thou thy burthen on the Lord and he In times of dearth and want will nourish thee Psal 56.24 Trust in the Lord to do good give thy mind Dwell in the land and thou shalt succour find Psal 37.3 Comfort for the godly when vengeance is powred downe upon the