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
intents Without leave from above this truth we find Marke 5.12 Confirm'd by Scripture to confirme the mind Of all the faithfull how the divels were Not able of themselves once to draw neare The heard of swine for they of Christ besought Not only leave to goe as if they thought That of small force but to be sent that so They might be able into them to go What comfort may the soule from hence apply Unto its selfe in its extemity How may it reason with the Lord and say My God my guide my judge my staffe and stay Could not the divels go into those swine Without thy sufferance and leave divine Couldst thou oh Lord by thy almighty hand So mercilesse a creature so command As fire and such a fire in such a place That those three children through thy strength and grace Could walke i' th midst thereof Dan. 3.17 and not so much As have their garments smell was thy power such And shall I feare the face of mortall man Whose life is but a bubble blast or span I know oh God of might thou art the same Psal 75.2 Numb 1â— 23 Thou canst not change Jehovah is thy name Thou didst the Jsraelites with Manna feed And gav'st them quailes in their great want and need Thou brought'st forth streames from rockes both hard and high Thou mad'st great swelling rivers to be drie Bashan and Carmell are at thy command Great Princes at thy voice amazed stand The Cedars tall thy voice asunder rends At thy rebuke great-swelling Neptune bends Thou canst effect things opposite to nature To pleasant wine thou canst turne running water Saint Iohn th'Evangelist was put to boile Into a Cauldron full of scaulding oile Yet by thy hand of providence oh God He rather came annointed forth then sod I know thy hand hath wrought many a wonder Psal 89 5 6.7 to thâ— 19. Psal 74 14.15.16 17.18 Psal 136.4 Psal 78.13.21 Dividing seas and cleaving rocks asunder Slack in thy promise I thee never tooke Thou hast no time thy chosen flock forsooke At thy command I never tooke up armes But thou hast stood between me and my harmes 1. Sam. 17.35 3â— Then though my foes in campe against me lie And will in battle picht their forces trie I in thy name will be both strong and stout Because thy hand doth fence me round about For sure I am thy all supporting grace Will strengthen me my foes quite to deface Dan. 3. Had not those hungry lions so much power As Daniel thy deare servant to devoure Could they not hurt him with their griping pawes Nor teare his limbs asunder with their jawes Then give me blessed Lord true faith that I In time of triall may on thee relie Being assured that it is the rod Of a kind father and a loving God 1 Sam 3.18 It is the Lord saith Eli that doth smite Let him do what seems good in his owne sight I was as dumbe and would not speake a word Because I knew that it was thou oh Lord Iob. 1.21 The Lord doth give saith Iob and take away And blessed be his holy name for ay Lament 3.37.38 Amos 3.6 What evill's there in any place or land That is not wrought by my alworking hand A sea of comfort for the comfortlesse In times a of trouble sorrow and distresse Is this our father and our tender God Like children let us humbly kisse the rod How may this elevate our drooping hearts When Sathan with his sore-soule-wounding-darts And such as are his factors here below Our soules and bodies seeke to overthrow Anno 1588. Had not the Lord himselfe may England say Been on my side when mountaines high of prey And such as did delight to swim in blood Came in upon me as a swelling flood Their rageing streames had overwhelmed all My worthy cedars shrubs and bushes small Had not the Lord himselfe the soule may say Been on my side hell gates before this day Against me had prevail'd death and the grave Had made of me a bondman and a slave Simile How grievous to the child would it appeare If for a fault committed he should heare His tender father in his fury say Unto his servants take you him away Out of my sight and presence and for it Give him what punishment you shall thinke fit If this were our condition surely we Of all men should most miserable be But knowing that we neither can nor shall Thus in the hands of men or divells fall We may triumph and in our troubles sing Glory be to the Lord Our Supreme King Whose word a lion to a lambe can turne At whose command the fire shall cease to burne Mountaines shall dance the roofe of heaven shall shake Iob. 26.10.11 Earth like an asping leafe for feare shall quake The stars shall cease to shine the moone perforce Shall be compel'd to alter in her course Rocks shall grow moist great hils shall be made plaine Great swelling Neptune shall be cleft in twaine A raven shall Elias feed the flood Shall not hurt Noah nor such as be good The greedie whale shall Ionas cast on shore Whom she had swallowed downe three daies before The crowing of a cocke shall Peter bring Upon his knees a viper shall not sting A holy Paul a stone in Davids sling Shall bring Goliah to the dust the Sun Shall cease his swift and wonted course to run The fire of Sodom shall not hurt at all A holy Lot prison nor bonds a Paul A cruell Pharoh nor a bloodie Saul A Moses or a David no nor all The pollicie and might of divels in hell Or of their instruments which so excell In hellish subtletie a shall able be To hurt the godly in the least degree The Lord doth reigne oh let the earth rejoyce And let his Saints triumph with chearfull voice The third thought Rom 8.28.29 THough troubles grievous seeme to flesh and blood Yet all things worke c together for the good Of such as love the Lord whether they be Advanc'd to honour or in low degree Whether they be in sicknesse or in health 2. Reg. 6.27.30.33 Whether they be in poverty or wealth For nothing d happens to the just by chance But by the hand of divine providence And though God seeme to disregard our cries And mournfull teares and for a time e denies Our earnest suites yea in our greatest need And cause our troubles much more to exceed 1 Cor. 19.9 Yet he no time hath his forsooke nor will Because he will his promises fulfill A wise Physitian seekes not for to please The sicke mans fancie but looke what may ease And miâ—igate his paine he will apply Though for the present he encrease thereby The measure of his griefe and as it were Add sorrow unto sorrow feare to feare Yet in the end he cures him of his paine And to his former health restores againe Such is the weaknesse of our flesh that
where is now the meat the mirth the men That was in so great estimation then Doubtlesse like to a bubble poste or blast Iob 9.25 They all are vanished gone by and past We have our wakes our meetings and our feasts At which too many make themselves like beasts Drinking and swilling without wit or reason Till they disgrace themselves their friends and season But at this holy feast where none appeare Except such as the wedding garment weare Of sanctity of life we in excesse Cannot in any kind sin or transgresse Heb. 11.25 And what 's the a pleasure we can here obtaine More then an itching humor mixt with paine For in the midst of mirth for ought wee know We to the pit of hell may headlong goe When overcome with drinke we lie asleep We may fall downe into the dungeon deep When we are singing filthy ale-house songs God justly may deprive us of our tongues When we are piping peeping in the cup To see our fellow drunkards drink all up God may in justice take away our sight Because we know not how to use it right Before the hand can get the cup to 'th head For ought we know we may be strucken dead When we are mâ—rrie drinking of some health Sicknesse may come into our roome by stealth And one arrest in great Jehovahs name On paine of death to go from whence he came The party struck growes ill and sicke at heart Yet with good fellowes he 's full loath to part Some wishes him to stay some not to shrinke Some tells him he was hang'd that left his drinke But what saies he alas I know his mind He with his mates had rather stay behind I cannot blame him for the truth is this Without repentance there 's small hope of blisse The way is narrow how then shall the blind And staring-staggering drunkard it e're find Or having found it keep in it sith he Hath all his life been vs'd to haufe and ree Beware then drunkards and grow wise in time Hate and forsake this soul-condemning crime Watch and be sober pray and fast and pray That thou maist feast with Christ another day We have our Ember weekes and in a yeare A hundred daies at least we should forbeare Eating of flesh according to command For the encrease of cattle in the laâ—d But this eternall feast shall ever last Here is no Lent no need to pray or fast O soule-contenting rest what shall I bee From cares feares doubts and molestations free O peace a past understanding who can dive Into the depth hereof what man alive With all his cunning policie and art The b worth hereof is able to impart Shall I with blessed Angels sit and sing Sweet Hallelujahs to my God and King When these transcending joyes I call to mind I grow forgetfull of what is behind And forward c presse with all my force and might As one that covets for to have a sight Of what we never saw and when I mount With such high and surpassing thoughts I count The troubles of this present life to be But as a trifle to eternitie These soul-contenting a thoughts oft make my soule With restlesse-longing wish to kisse this goale As if possessed with a holy pride It scorn'd within me longer to abide Man what is God that thou should disregard him Lord what is man that thou shouldst thus reward him Man thou art dust wormes meat a lumpe of clay Lord thou art just and great our rocke and stay Man thou art b dust and must to dust againe Lord thou art just and dost not dust disdaine Man thou art fraile thy substance is of earth A slave to hell without a second birth Man what is God that thou shouldst then neglect him Lord what is man that thou shouldst then respect him The fourth thought THe common souldier must not looke to have More favour shew'd him then his Captaine brave Our Captaine c hath drunk freely of the cup His father gave him to the brim fil'd up He hath endur'd the Crosse despis'd the shame And shall we d shun to pledge him in the same It is our soules health shall wee then refuse Shall we our soules so horribly abuse No rather let us willingly b embrace It as a favour dignity and grace That sinfull men should be so worthy thought As for to pledge him in this healthfull draught In some well govern'd family we see Each one observes his ranke place and degree The wife unto her husband will submit Unto their parents what respect is fit Good children give and as discretion steeres Their minds each one according to his yeares Without constraint do give respect to other Such priviledges hath the eldest brother That none may goe beyond them no nor all Be equall with him and if any shall Attaine so great a dowrie and estate On such like termes or upon such a rate The same conditions they must not refuse Unlesse they will their priviledge abuse And through their pride of heart will so far erre As before him their persons to preferre Christ is our noble Master and shall we Ioh. 15.20 That openly professe our selves to be His faithfull souldiers be a asham'd to beare His crosse with us and livery to weare He is our supreme King and moderator The mighty Prince of peace our great Creator b And shall we that aloud our selves proclaime His loyall subjects reckon it a shame Or blemish to our names to do the thing Which hath been done by our eternall King Shall we that are but younger brethren scorne To be brought up that way Heb. 2.10 Rom. 8 29. Psal 89.17 that the first borne Hath beene before us shall we as it were Disdainfully tell Christ we c will not beaâ—e The burthen of his Crosse nor undergoe What he hath undergon for friend nor foe O let us not his glory thus obscure Nor staine his honour with such deeds impure For if we be asham'd to owne him heare He will not owne us when we shall appeare Before his judgement seate oh let us then That are the sonnes of fraile and sinfull men Confesse his holy name his truth and word And humbly beare his a Crosse with one accord Upon good grounds the Captive or the slave Cannot expect more liberty to have Then hath his Lord b why then poore slaves shall we When God afflicts so discontented be Why should we so repine when as Gods hand Corrects us for our sins why should we stand On tearmes with God the matter to dispute As if he were mistaken in the sute Or any thing should rashly undertake For which he could not a good answer make As if we had forgot that we are dust Or did conceive the waies of God unjust Surely this lesson we were never taught By Christ our master for when he was brought Before ungodly Rulers and did heare Their unjust judgements yet we â—ead he were Like to a harmelesse sheep both dumbe and
preserve the health and cleanse the bloud And how they will both soule and body make More fit and ready for to undertake Pious and holy works but when men will Their extreame raging fleshly lusts fulfill And take no care whither their souls shall goe Needs must their pastimes end in endlesse woe Others there are vainer then these by ods The vanity and folly of idolaters And such are they that bow to senselesse gods To graven images of wood or brasse To carved stones to pictures wrought in glasse O foolish folke is this the sum and scope Of your religion confidence and hope Out of the a Scriptures were you ever taught Deut. 6.13 14. Deut. 8 1. Exod 20 5 â—l 96 5 6 7 8 9. To serve and worship what your hands have wrought So void of humane reason can you be As to conceive a senselesse stone or tree Subject to rottennesse should be a God When underfoot the same is daily trod Where is your warrant then faith is not sound Which is not built upon a steady ground You say you have it from your honest Friars Beleeve them not they have been alwaies liars What are their legends but a masse of lies Cobwebs for to intangle butterflies You may have many gods and many gawds You must use beads and so you may your bawds You may use murther theft yea and what not Sith all shall be forgiven and forgot If to your ghostly b father you confesse How where when and with whom you did transgresse Is this Religion true How can it be Falshood and truth could never yet agree Your ground is false you much mistake the marke Greaâ— is their fault who keep you in the darke The word of God the only ground of faith The perfect rule of true Religion faith Thou shaâ—t not kill Exod 20 4. attempt how dare you then To murther Kings you bloudy minded men Out of the Scriptures can you bring good reasons To justifie rebellions murthers treasons What rule or warrant have you there to pray To stocks and stones does not the a Scripture say Exod 2â— 1 Luke 5 21. 3 Kings 8.39 40. God is the Lord thy God and him alone Thou shalt adore no Saint no b stocke or stone Esay 19 20. Ps 50 15 76 11. Iude 24 25. 1 Sam. 25 34. Esay 64 6. In c merits why doe you such trust repose How oft he does offend his God who knowes Be not deluded by your silly Friars Let God be true d and let your Priests be liars Rom 83.4 And some bewitched with a hellish pride The yoake of government will cast aside And for this cause in part I feare the hand Of great Jehovah is upon our land Object But some may say it is not without cause As snares and scourges some inflict our lawes And it is time to stir for if these might But have their wills where should we seek for right Answ Unto the Lord of hosts who only can Asswage the rage and raging might of man For we are told in holy Writ Psal 103.6 Heb. 10.34 that when We seeke to vindicate our selves e we then Dishonour and affront the Lord therefore When tyrants rage let 's God for aid implore The misbehaviour and incivill cariage of women Yet I have one thing more to doe that 's this To shew wherein some women do amisse A taske too hard for me who only have So small an insight let the wife and grave Then speake in their behalfe as they have found them For open hear-say I am loath to wound them Much I have read and much I have been told But what I 've seen to speake I may be bold Women are rebells yet I meane not all But such as love to scold to fight and brawle Such as do strive the scepter for to sway Such as would have their husbands to obey But are these matrons monsters I thinke rather A brood of hell the Divell is their father I speake not this so much in their disgrace For I my selfe perhaps if in their place Should faulty be herein as for to shame Men that have been and are herein too blame For did not men on women so much doat They would not be so oft cast over boat For if they get a man upon the hip O they will goe neare to get the master-ship Men must doe this or that or they will brawle Men must be rul'd and they must governe all Men must as slaves be subject to their wives Or they will make them weary of their lives I would men wiser were for in conclusion This great disorder will bring great confusion Man ought to love the woman to obey Ephes 5 22. 1. Pet. 3.1 Man may command she should entreat and pray Man is as head the woman as the heart The head we grant to be the upper part Where is thy wit O head where are thy brains That as thy head thy heart thus rules and reignes Where is thy courage thou faint-hearted snaile That thou pluck'st in thy horns if heart but raile Abuse of mercy Some rather wormes then men conceited elves In hope of a mercy oft delude themselves It matters not say they what Prophets say We hope to morrow will be as to day Amos 6.3.4 The Lord is just yet mercifull and b good And one that takes no pleasure in our bloud Will he that made us damne us Surely no Wisd 11.24.25 He made us that he might us show O brutish man will not you understand Till you stand under his revenging hand Will you not feare untill you feel his rod Why doe you thinke so slenderly of God Be well advis'd Eccl. 12.13 Psal 50.22 Esay 27.21 and for a truth this know That God is sure although to anger slow And that abuse of mercy will augment Thy everlasting paines and punishment I cannot but much wonder for to see How some will stand upon their pedigree And to their predecessors worth lay claime When by foule vices they disgrace the same The charge of many soules some rashly take And after little or no conscience make How they are fed Slothfulnesse in Clergimen so they but feed the purse They care not though their flock grow worse worse They feast and powre downe wine in silver bowles And in the meane time starve the peoples soules Some thinke it once a month they can prepare Themselves to preach that it is very faire I wonder how this blockishnesse should be In such as should foresee see oversee It is against Religion sense and reason That such as should preach in and out of season Should thinke a Sermon once a quarter well When as a each day they teach the way to hell We oft Gods holy name and day prophane By idle words and works and pastime vaine In seaven daies the Lord requres but one We by our deeds replie he shall have none Our hearts are so bewitcht with gaine and
they aloft to swim Supported with bulrushes of vaine hope What great applause they should gaine from the Pope The divels Vicar and how much it might Enlarge their freedome but God that gives light In midst of darknesse did their plots disclose Unto the admiration of all those That were then present or should after heare By their forefathers how once England were So undermin'd that had not Gods right hand Upheld the props and pillars of the land Psal 124. False hearted Papists had soone brought us all Into great bondage servitude and thrall But blessed be the Lord may England say Which no time hath us given as a prey Unto their bloody teeth yea blessed be His holy name to all eternitie We as a bird escap'd the fowlers grin And they themselves were a justly caught therein Iob. 4.8 Psal 27.2 And yet we have not turn'd to him aright Nor done the thing that 's pleasing in his sight His bow against us hath b been lately bent Anno 1602. Into our chiefest Cities he hath sent The plague and pestilence and feares of dearth Of late strange inundations of the earth Anno 1640. Great threats of civill warrs which God above Prevent for his great mercy sake and love Anno 1641. 1642. I cannot tell what some wish think or say But I am sure this is the ready way To mangle overthrow and ruinate The good and welfare both of church and state For should such bloody times in England come We might well feare a dreadfull day of doome To us hath God his faithfull Prophets sent To give us warning of the punishment For which our bloudie sinnes aloud do crie For our offending of his Majestie But we not liking of their heavie newes Have not refrain'd them strangely to abuse Unto our shames we cannot but confesse We have been oft convinc'd of wickednesse As how our sins if we did not repent And turne in time would not alone prevent All hope of mercy and of future grace But bring our soules to that infernall place Where we should evermore tormented be In everlasting chaines of misery And yet the Lord we have not truly sought Nor hereby been instructed as we ought We therefore justly may expect the sword Amos 8.11 A famine not of bread but of the word Let it be our chiefe wisdome then betimes To meet the Lord let us confesse our crimes Unto his throne let us appeale this day With contrite hearts and in this manner pray Thou mighty God of Gods thou King of Kings The maker and disposer of all things Dispose so of our hearts mindes thoughts and waies That we may evermore set forth thy praise We must confesse O Lord unto our shame But to the glory of thy dreadfull name That we too often have provok'd thine ire And caus'd thy wrath to burne as hot as fire By our abuse of mercy and of grace That thou migthst justly make our dwelling place And chiefest Cities desolate and void And without mercy let us be destroi'd From off the earth yea thou mightst justly take Thy blessed Candlesticke away and make Us live in darkenesse because thou hast sent The light into the world with this intent That we the path and way might cleerly see That lead to life eternall but still we In ignorance have taken more delight Then in beholding of thy blessed light All things which thou hast made doe stand in awe Of thee their Maker and by natures law Observe their course and order yea and praise Thy holy name according to their waies But man whom thou hast made all things to rule Knowes not his Maker as the oxe or mule Their owner or their Masters crib therefore Thou might'st ev'n in thy fury give us o're To our owne waies and cause us to become Like stocks and stones which are both deaf and dumb We have receiv'd such mercies at thy hands As thou hast not bestow'd on other lands With Angells food we have been daily fed Unto thy selfe O Lord thou hast us wed But we like harlots have thee quite forsaken And for our guides our owne devices taken So that shouldst thou us suddenly divorce We must confesse thy justice upon force Great plenty thou hast giv'n us many years And freed our hearts from terrifying fears Of forraine and domestick enemies Yea thou hast slaine our foes before our eies But we hereby thinking our selves cock-sure Have grown so carelesse wanton and secure That we have quite forgotten thee our God So that shouldst thou now scourge us with the rod Of war and want we could not but confesse That we by reason of our wickednesse Have justly this deserv'd yea ten times more Should thou in justice Lord with us quit score So that our mouthes are stopt in our defence We cannot speake a word of consequence But to thy mercy we our selves betake And humbly thee beseech for Christ his sake Thy people whom thou hast redeem'd to spare That so thou maist unto the world declare That thou art good to Israel thy deare And faithfull Spouse and to all such as fear And worship thee let not wilde boares destroy Thine heritage let not the fox annoy Thy pasture-sheep let not the vineyard fade Or be laid waste which thy right hand hath made Let not fat Buls of Basan with their horns Nor ramping Lions Tygers Unicornes Have any leave from thee to hurt the same For honour of thy great and dreadfull name Refresh it with the dewes of thy good grace That it may fructifie and grow apace So underprop it by thy mighty hand That in the greatest storms it firme may stand Let thine own arme so fence it round about That it may flourish all the world throughout That Cedars strong and tall and mountaines high And such small shrubs which in the vallies lie In time of scorching heat when as the sun In Leo shall begin his course to run May shade themselves under thy well spred vine Till he to Virgo passe a milder signe Thou that upon the heavens high dost ride Thou that sits at the sterne our ship to guide Now in these last these worst and evill daies Guide thou our sliding feet into the waies Of peace and truth thou that in safety keepes Thy chosen flock O thou that never sleepes Nor slumbers now with speed thy truth defend And from thy holy hill some succour send All power is in thy hand declare the same That heathen men may magnifie thy name Let not O Lord those that seeke to betray Thy holy ones have any cause to say Where is the God become that should you save Who will deliver you now from the grave O thou that causest hills like wax to melt Defend thy Sion wherein thou hast dwelt So many yeares thou that dost dwell on high Against thy foes thy selfe now magnifie Let not the tares and weeds destroy the wheat Let not devouring catterpillars eate Thy pleasant fruite we cannot but confesse With griefe
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
lest with cursed Cain Our soules for ever burne in endlesse paine Amen 7. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 7 The pure in heart enricht with saving grace With joy shall see the glory of thy face To filthy lusts Lord we are much enclin'd O sanctifie both body soule and minde As we have faulty been herein so grant We may repent and leave this filthy haunt Amen 8. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 8 We know thy Law doth say thou shalt not steal Yet we both rob thy Church and Common-weal In both we are but drones we live to spend What others get and for no other end We in thy vineyard idle stand yea we Ev'n in our private callings sloathfull be Nay Lord we as if of all grace bereft Against thy majesty use fraud and theft Our conscience knowes it to bee very true Our practice shewes that we withhold thy due Thy due is honour glory laud and praise But we blaspheme thee by our evill waies Yea we might see were we not like blind moles Our theft toward our rulers bodies soules O Lord bow downe the heavens and behold Us in thy Son with mercies manifold Unto thy justice we dare not appeale Nor to our merits for if thou shouldst deale With us as we have dealt with thee we might Justly expect that thou shouldst us requite With everlasting woe O blessed God Rather correct us with thy tender rod Use us like children though we must confesse We have been rebells ready to transgresse Upon the least enticements of the divell The world the flesh to ought that hath been evill Make us in word and deed more just and true That we may give to God and man their due Amen 9. Precept THou lovest truth Lord in the inward parts But we have both deceitfull tongues and hearts Grant we may not for envie feare or gaine False witnesse beare dissemble lie or faigne Amen 10. Precept IT is thy will that we should be content With what in mercy thou to us hast sent But we are apt to murmur and repine And to accuse thy providence divine As if thou wert unjust or didst not know How upon men thy blessings to bestow We thinke some have too little some too much When others prosper we are apt to grutch To covet and desire those things which we In conscience know anothers right to be Lord make us for be content with what Thou hast appointed for to be our lot Have mercy Lord upon us and incline Our hearts to keepe all these thy laws divine Amen A few other short Ejaculations 1. Ejaculation WE cannot pray nor praise thee as we would Indeed we can do nothing as we should For when our minds are bent to do thy will Our adversaries tempt us most to ill O that our waies were so direct that we Might keepe they statutes O that we could be What thou wouldst have us be Lord we desire To worship thee with hearts and minds intire Lord let our sighes and groanes acceptance find For perfect deeds accept our willing mind Amen 2. Ejaculation OUr many slips our weaknesse do proclaime Yet we desire to love and feare thy name We have not faith we speake it Lord with griefe Yet we believe Lord helpe our unbeliefe Amen 3. Ejaculation LOrd we are Pilgrims apt to go astray To lose our selves or faulter by the way O let thy holy word and spirit guide And strengthen us that we may never slide Amen 4. Ejaculation LOrd in the world I am a silly sheepe Thou art the shepeheard of my soule oh keepe Me safely in thy sheepefold let me not Wander in by-waies as one quite forgot Rather then I should in such waies remaine Use any meanes to fetch me home againe Amen 5 Ejaculation LOrd I am deafe and dumbe yea lame and blind O by thy word illuminate my mind Make me the tidings of true joy to heare That thou again my broken bones mayst cheare Guide and direct my feet into thy waies Open my mouth and I shall shew thy praise My heart is hard I cannot turne to thee For Christ his sake in mercy turne to me Amen 6. Ejaculation MY foes are many mighty of great power Subtile and such as would my soule devoure But I am weake not able to withstand The least of them without thy helping hand O helpe thy servant Lord my God most just For in thee wholly do I put my trust Unlesse thou be my buckler and my shield I know my false and fainting heart will yield Me with thy holy armour arme that I May never shrinke nor from my colours fly Amen 7. Ejaculation HOw long O Lord how long wilt thou withhold Thy favour from me is thy love growne cold How long wilt thou reject me I am thine Unto my suite O Lord thine eare incline I sue for mercy let thy mercy save Me from the power of sin hell and the grave Then shall I sing thy praises and rejoyce Amongst thy Saints with heart and chearefull voice Amen 8. Ejaculation I Was conceiv'd brought forth and borne in sin And all my life and daies have spent therein And by this meanes that image quite defac'd Which through thy mercie once in me was plac'd Sin as a leprosie hath overspred Both soule and body so that from the head Unto the foot there is no part that we Knowing our selves aright can say is free Lord wash us in the bloud of Christ and so We shall be whiter then the driven snow Renew thy image in us once againe We are thy creatures do not us disdaine Of all faults past wipe out the totall sum And give us grace that for the time to come We may resist the world flesh and the divell Learne to doe well by ceasing to doe evill Amen 9. Ejaculation THou all my life hast beene my tender father Leave me not now but shew me mercy rather In my distresse the sorrowes of the grave Lay hold on me O for thy Sonnes sake save Me from her jawes receive me to thy glorie When thou shalt call me from things transitorie Amen Epilogus sive conclusio ad lectorem Lectores LIbrum hunc cui titulus est The Soules Solace in time of trouble or Soveraigne Remedies against Despaire in manus vestras humillime commendo aequo cum animo eum perlegite quamvis curtas abreviatas hasce in venietis meditationes de utilitate tamen his vobiscum bene digestis ne dubitetis obsecro Deum consolationis ut sint mihi vobisque omnibus solamen vitâ articulo mortis FINIS