but a sufficiency or fulnesse of all good things according to our own desire and without any indigency which felicity all the friends of God shall fully injoy in the life which is to come For when we speake of good things we do not say but that life eternal is farre more great and glorious then this temporal life which we have mentioned onely by way of Manuduction Seeing then that the Just shall be rewarded with so great a Felicity it remaines on the contrary that the unjust shall be visited with some extraordinary Infelicity For as we have described the Elect according to those abilities which God gave us namely that their Beauty Swiftnesse and Strength their Liberty Health and Pleasure should render them Cheerful and Triumphant So on the other side a certaine horrible inestimable deformity a dulnesse of motion and spirit together with their Impotencie and Captivity in Chaines of Darknesse as also their Melancholy and paine shall make the Reprobate to mourne and howle Verily that Length of Life which the just shall most joyfully embrace because it conduceth to their fruition of eternal happinesse will be very odious and a meere Curse to the unjust because it exposeth them to an endlesse sense of ever-lasting tortures If I look on their Wisdome I know not what to speak of it unlesse I say that as to the just it will be great joy and honour so in the unjust knowledge shall be turned into sadnesse and distraction of spirit As for Love whereby the Saints of God shall be link'd together with joy unspeakable It shall be a meer Affliction to the Impious for by how much the more they love one another by so much will they be the more troubled one at anothers punishment If it be question'd whether they may injoy any peace or concord It is answered they will be at discord with every creature and every creature with them Hence in opposition to the power of the Saints the wicked shall be deprived of all power They shall never be able to attaine to any thing they would have and what they can have even that is it which they would not have The wicked then instead of the honour and eternal happinesse of the Saints shall receive to their portion eternal shame and now what more shall we say for a Conclusion to these things Truly that as the friends of God shall alwayes triumph in the security of their everlasting Beatitude so the Enemies and Adversaries of God shall utterly despaire of any redemption from their endlesse Miseries But in lieu of the eternal ineffable joyes of the Blessed they shall inherit unspeakable everlasting woes especially such who because of their impenitency for their sinnes shall be condemned to passe into the society of Devils FINIS Soli Deo Gloria Books Printed or sold by William Leake at the sign of the Crown in Fleet-street between the two Temple gates A Bible of a very 〈…〉 Roman letter in 4 o A Tragedy written by the most learned Hugo Grotius called CHRISTVS PATIENS and Translated into English by George Sandys in 8o. Man become Guilty or the Corruption of Nature by Sinne By Iohn Francis Senault and Englished by Henry Earle of Monmouth in 4o. The Fort Royall of holy Scriptures or a new Concordance of the chief heads of Scripture Common-Placed for such as would suddenly command all the Rarities in the Book of God by I. H. in 8o. The Idyot in 8o. by Cardinal Cusanus in four Books the 1 and 2 of Wisdome the third of the Minde the fourth of Statick Experiments or Experiments of the Ballance Englished by D r Everard Nosce te ipsum in 8o. this Oracle Expounded in two Elegies the first of Humane Knowledge the second of the Soule of Man and the Immortality thereof by Sir Iohn Davies Mayers Catechisme in 8o. Bishop Halls Old Religion Book of Martyrs in folio Bishop Andrewes Sermons in folio Bishop Babingtons works in folio Adams on Peter in folio Marburies Commentary on Habakkuk 4o. Pagets Christianography in 4o. Boultons works in 4o. Lattymers Sermons in 4o. Speculum Mundi or a discourse of the sixe-dayes Creation in 4o. King on the Lords Prayer in 4o. Sir Richard Baker on the Lords Prayer 4o. Barker on the Commandments Via Tuta Via Devia in 12o. written by Sir Humphrey Lynde Catechistical Doctrine Dents Path-way to Heaven in 8o. Davids Blessed man Poesie of godly Prayers Gerards Meditations Croms of Comfort Hookers Souls preparation for Christ. * Cyprian de caenâ domini Crucihaeremus sanguinem sugimus inter ipsa redemptoris nostri vulnera figimus linguam * A Proverb in Italy La notte é madre de pensieri Contempsit mori Qui non concupiscit * There is extant a little book called Speculum Visionis printed at Norimberge 1508 wherein this fearful desolation and destruction of the Church by Lay-men is expressely foretold * N. Marcellus de doctorum indagine Potest fatum morum mutabilitate converti ut exiis celeriùs vel tardiùs aut bonum fiat aut pessimum * Non est salleris haec beata non est Quam vos creditis esse vita non est Fulgentes manibus videre gemmas Aut auro bibere cubare cocco Qui vultus Acherontis atri Qui Styga tristem non tristis videt Audétque vitae ponere sinem Parille regi par superis erit * Ingeniosa gula est siculo scarus a quore mersus Ad mensam vivus perducitur inde lucrinis Eruta littoribus vendunt conchylia caenas Ut renovent per damna famem Jam Phasides unda Orbata est avibus mutoque in littore tantuÌ„ Solae desettis aspirant frondibus aurae mors sola fatetur Quantula sunt hominuÌ„ corpuscula * Egredere quid times egredere anima mea Septuaginta propè annis Christo servisti mortem times Hieron in vitâ Hilar. * Omne quod est suprà lunam aeternumque bonúmque Esse scias nec triste aliquid coelestia tangit Quippe ultra fines lunae illcetabile nil est Cuncta mala in terris posuit Deus illáque clausit In medio vetuit sacrum contingere coelum Supra autem lunam lucis sunt omnia plena Nec non laetitiae pacis non tempus error Et senium mors est illîc nec inutile quicquam Mar. Pal. * Est poena praesens consciae mentis pavor Animusque culpâ plenus semet timens Scelusal quis tutum nullus securum tulit Hieron in vit Pat. * Sinnes are not felt till they are acted * Coelo tegitur qui non habeturnam ¶ Jam ruet bustum titulusque in marmore sectus tumulis autem morientibus ipse Occumbes etiam sic mors tibi tertia restat * Non sanctum dixit sed peccatorem O quantum bonum est obstare nulli carpere securas dapes Humi ejacentemselera non intrant casam * A fish that as soon as ever he is struck so benums the Anglet that he dies Arcanas hyemes caeca papavera ponti Aldo sinu celerem frigida vincla necem Qui jacet in terra non habet undè cadat Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum * Mr. George Herbert of blessed memory See his incomparable prophetick Poems and particularly these Church-musick Church-rents and schisms The Church militant Petrar de Contem mundâ— Immortalia ne speres monet annus almum Quae rapit hora diem Frigora mitescunt Zephyris ver proterit aestas Interitura simul Pomifer Autumnus fruges effuderit mox Bruma recurrit inâ—â—s And rising at midnight the Stars espi'd All posting Westward in a silent glide Robert Duke of Normandy What God hath cleansed call not thou common Acts 10.15 * Constantiam * This is onely proposed not asserted nor indeed can it be for our Saviour himself tels us That there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luke 15.10 and their song is good will towards men * Here the Translatour omitted some passages which he conceived not necessary and perhaps they might be spurious
THE MOUNT of OLIVES OR SOLITARY DEVOTIONS By HENRY VAVGHAN Silurist With An excellent Discourse of the blessed state of MAN in GLORY written by the most Reverend and holy Father ANSELM Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and now done into English LUKE 21. v. 39 37. Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accompted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and to stand before the Sonne of Man And in the day time he was teaching in the Temple and at night he went out and abode in the Mount that is called the Mount of Olives LONDON Printed for WILLIAM LEAKE at the Crown in Fleet-street between the two Temple-Gates 1652. TO THE Truly Noble and Religious S r. CHARLES Egerton KNIGHT SIR THough I should have no other defence that near relation by which my dearest friend laies claime to your person might in some measure excuse this otherwise unhansome adventure of publishing these weake productions under the shelter of your name But I was not so much induced to it by that Tye though very deare unto me as by your love to Religion and Learning and the respects due from my selfe to your person and those reverend years which by a faire and virtuous disposal of your time you have happily attained to and wherein you safely are Coelo dignus canente senectâ Consilioque deûm I know Sir you will be pleased to accept of this poore Olive-leafe presented to you so that I shall not be driven to put forth my hand to take in my Dove againe And indeed considering how fast and how soone men degenerate It must be counted for a great blessing that there is yet any left which dares look upon and commiserate distressed Religion Good men in bad times are very scarce They are like the standing eares of Corne escaped out of the Reapers hands or the Vine-dressers last gleanings after the first ripe fruits have been gathered Such a precious generation are the Iust in the day of trouble and their names are like to afflicted truth like the shadow of a great rock in a weary land or a way-faring mans lodge in the waste and howling Wildernesse The Sonne of God himselfe when he was here had no place to put his head in And his Servants must not think the present measure too hard seeing their Master himself took up his nights-lodging in the cold Mount of Olives By this time Sir you may see the reason which moved me to take Sanctuary at your name and now I will acquaint you with my designe To be short Sir It is no other but that your name like the royall stamp may make current and commend this poore mite to posterity And that the unfained lover of your Person may in these few and transitory sheets waite upon your memory in the ages to come when your immortal and precious soule shall be bound up in the bundle of the living in the ever-lasting book of life which is devoutly desired by Sir Your very affectionate and faithful Servant VAVGHAN Newton by Vsk this first of October 1651. TO THE Peaceful humble and pious READER I Know the world abounds with these Manuals and triumphs over them It is not then their scarsity that call'd this forth nor yet a desire to crosse the age nor any in it I envie not their frequent Extasies and raptures to the third heaven I onely wish them real and that their actions did not tell the world they are rapt into some other place Nor should they who assume to themselves the glorious stile of Saints be uncharitably moved if we that are yet in the body and carry our treasure in earthen vessels have need of these helps It is for thy good and for his glory who in the dayes of his flesh prayed here himselfe and both taught and commanded us to pray that I have published this Thou hast here sound directions and wholsome words and if thou wilt enquire of the Lord and say If the Lord will I shall live and do this or that thou mayest Here are Morning and Evening sacrifices with holy and apposite Ejaculations for most times and occasions And lastly here are very faithful and necessary Precepts and Meditations before we come to the Lords Table To which last part I have added a short and plaine Discourse of Death with a Prayer in the houre thereof And for thy comfort after thou hast past through that Golgotha I have annexed a Dissertation of the blessed state of the righteous after this life written originally by holy Anselme sometimes Arch-Bishop of Canterbury I have purposely avoided to leade thee into this little Book with a large discourse of Devotion what it is with the severall Heads Divisions and sub-divisions of it all these being but so many fruitlesse curiosities of Schoole-Divinity Cui fumus est pro fundamento Neither did I thinke it necessary that the ordinary Instructions for a regular life of which theere are infinite Volumes already extant should be inserted into this small Manuall lest instead of Devotion I should trouble thee with a peece of Ethies Besides thou hast them already as briefly delivered as possibly I could in my Sacred Poems And thus Christian Reader do I commend it to thy practise and the benefit thou shalt finde thereby Onely I shall adde this short Exhortation That thou wouldest not be discouraged in this way because very many are gone out of it Think not that thou art alone upon this Hill there is an innumerable company both before and behinde thee Those with their Palms in their hands and these expecting them If therefore the dust of this world chance to prick thine eyes suffer it not to blinde them but runniug thy race with patience look to JESUS the Authour and finisher of thy faith who when he was reviled reviled not againe Presse thou towards the mark and let the people and their Seducers rage be faithful unto the death and he will give thee a Crowne of life Look not upon transitorie visible things but upon him that is eternâ—l and invisible Choose the better part yea that part with Saint Hierome who preferred the poore Coate of Paul the Hermite to the purple and pride of the world Thus with my simple Advise unto thee I bid thee farewel Thy Christian friend Henry Vaughan THE Table ADmonitions for Morning Prayer page 1 A Prayer when thou dost awake p. 3 When thou dost arise p. 5 As soone as thou art drest p. 6 Preparations for a Iourney p. 9 When thou goest from home p. 11 Another for the same p. 12 How to carry thy self in the Church p. 14 A Prayer before thou goest to Church p 18 When thou art come home or in the way if thou beest alone p. 20 Admonitions for Evening Prayer p. 22 A Meditation at the setting of the Sunne p. 23 A Prayer for the Evening p. 26 When thou art going into bed p. 28 Particular Ejaculations for all occasions p. 31 Admonitions with
and from the inward darknesse of their minds passe at last into the outward eternal darknesse O most miserable and undone soul to whom thy Sunne is set that everlasting glorious Sun which in thy holy Elects never setteth but is alwaies at the height full of brightnesse and Consolation A heavie night sits in the noone-day upon those souls that have forsaken thee They look for light and behold darknesse for brightnesse and they walk in obscurity They grope for the wall like the blind as if they had no Eyes They stumble at noone-day as in the night they are in desolate places as dead men But on those that walk with thee an everlasting day shines This Sun of the firmament hath his Course it riseth setteth comes up again and again goes down But thou Lord knowest no vicissitudes thou art the Ancient of dayes thou art the Rock of ages from Everlasting to Everlasting O thou the same to day and yesterday and for evermore Thou bright and morning Starre springing from on high illuminate me who am now sitting in darknesse and in the shadow of death O light of light the brightnesse of thy Fathers glory inlighten all inward obscurities in me that after this life I may never be cast into the outward darknesse O most blessed most merciful and Almighty Iesu abide I beseech thee with me for it is towards Evening and the day is far spent Luke 24. As long as thou art present with me I am in the light but when thou art gone I am in the shadows of death and amongst the stones of emptinesse When thou art present all is brightnesse all is sweetnesse I am in my Gods bosome I discourse with him watch with him walk with him live with him and lie down with him All these most dear and unmeasurable blessings I have with thee and want them without thee Abide then with me O thou whom my soul loveth Thou Sun of righteousnesse with healing under thy wings arise in my heart refine quicken and cherish it make thy light there to shine in darknesse and a perfect day in the dead of night A Prayer for the Evening MOst gracious Almighty God! full of loving kindnesse and long-suffering whose mercy is above all thy works and thy glory above the heavens whose truth reacheth unto the Clouds and whose words shall never passe away forgive me I beseech thee my transgressions this day my vain thoughts idle words and loose conversation my exceeding neglect and forgetfulnesse of thee my headlong inclinations and lusting after the world preferring this land of Cabul before the snow of Lebanon and a broken Cistern before the Well of life Justly O Lord might'st thou have shewed me thy back this day and cut me off from amongst thy people Ier. 18.17 but thou hast had mercy and not sacrifice thou hast shed upon me the light of thy Countenance and removed my sins farre out of thy sight I know O my God it is not in man to establish his own ways it is thy Almighty arme must do it It is thou alone that hast led me through this day and kept me both from doing and from suffering evill And now O thou preserver of men What shall I do unto thee What shall I render unto my Lord for all the mercies and loving kindnesses shewed unto thy servant this day and all the dayes of my life hitherto I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon the name of the Lord. I will ever love thee fear thee praise thee and trust in thee My song shall be of thee in the night season and in the day time I will be speaking of thy wondrous works thy most merciful and liberal arme I will make thee my Delight in the house of my pilgrimâ—ge and I shall alwayes with all my strength with all my heart and with all my soul ascribe unto thee all glory wisdome majesty dominion and honour this day and for evermore Amen A Prayer when thou art going into bed MOst glorious and onely wise God! to whom the light and the darknes are the same whose dwellings are eternal and in whose Kingdome there is no need of Candles nor of the light of the Sunne look I beseech thee upon thy servant who tarries in this place all night Gen. 28.11 And forasmuch as thou out of thy tender love and Compassion on thy Creatures hast ordained this time for their repose and refreshing that having past through the Cares and dangers of the day they might under the shadow of thy wings finde rest and security keep me I most humbly beseech thee from the hours and the powers of darknesse watch over me this night in thy Almighty providence and scatter all the rebellions and devices of my Adversaries Inlighten my soul sanctifie my body govern my affections and guide my thoughts that in the fastest closures of my eye-lids my spirit may see thee and in the depth of sleep be Conversant with thee Suffer me not O my God to forget thee in the dark or to say The Lord seeth me not The Lord hath forsaken the earth Ezek. 8.12 but so keep me in thy fear and sanctifie me with thy grace that all the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart may be alwayes of thee Make my soul to thirst for thee and my flesh also to long after thee And at what time soever thou shalt awake me from this bodily sleep awake also my soul in me make thy morning-star to arise in my heart and let thy spirit blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out Quicken me O Lord according to thy wonted kindnesse so shall I seek thee early and make my prayer unto thee with joyful lips And now O my most loving and faithful Creatour take me I beseech thee into thy Almighty protection stretch over me the Arme of thy mercy let thine Eye be towards the work of thine own hands and the purchased possession of thy onely begotten and my most merciful Redeemer Iesus Christ Amen ¶ As often as thou dost awake in the night be sure to lift up thy heart unto God in this or the like short Ejaculation Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory By resorting thus unto God thou shalt finde a great furtherance and cheerfulnesse in thy spiritual exercises and besides it will keep always about thee the savour of life And because thou shalt not be unfurnished upon any incident occasions I have strowed here this handful of savoury herbs which thou mayest take up as thou findest them in thy way EIACULATIONS When the Clock strikes BLessed be the houre in which my Lord Iesus was borne and the houre in which he died O Lord Remember me in the houre of death When thou intendest any businesse or Journey O do well unto thy servant that I may live and keep thy Word When thou art persecuted Haste thee O God to deliver me
make haste to help me O Lord Upon some suddaine fear O set me upon the Rock that is higher then I for thou art my hope and a strong tower for me against my enemy Upon any disorderly thoughts Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Upon any occasions of sadnesse Thy rebuke hath broken my heart I am full of heavinesse but thou O Lord shalt lift me up again Upon any Diffidence Thou art my hope O Lord even from my youth through thee have I been holden up ever since I was borne though thou shouldst kill me yet will I trust in thee When thou dost any good work Not unto me O Lord not unto me but unto thy name give the praise When thou art provoked to anger Give thy peace unto thy servant O God let no man take away my Crown In patience O Lord let me possesse my soul. For thine Enemies Lord lay not this sinne to their Charge they know not what they do Upon any gracious deliverance or other mercies conferr'd upon thee The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want He maketh me to lie down in green pastures he leadeth me besides the still waters He hath prevented me with the blessings of goodnesse he hath granted me my hearts desire and not with-holden the request of my lips Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life And I will dwell in the house of my God for ever Upon any losses or other adversities Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evill Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. When thou hearest that any is dead Teach me O Lord to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisdome Upon thought of thy sins Turn away thy face from my sins O Lord and blot out all mine offences Praise the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thy sins and healeth all thine Infirmities When thou art weary of the cares and vanities of this world Like as the Hart brayeth for the water-brooks so thirsteth my soul after thee O God O who will give me the wings of a Dove that I may slie and be at rest ¶ Admonitions with Meditations and Prayers to be used before we come to the Lords Supper ALl the Sacraments of the New Testament in those that come to participate them require a most Exquisite and sincere preparation But this Sacrament of the Lords Table because in Institution and Effect it is the highest of all requires the most perfect and purest Accomplishments Our preparation to this Sacrament is not perfected by Contrition onely and Confession of sins both which are unavoidably requisite but if we will be worthy receivers and partake of those graces which are exhibited unto us in this heavenly banquet there are many other duties we must necessarily performe for this Sacrament is of an infinite vertue having in it the Wel-spring of all graces even Iesus Christ with all the merits of his most bitter passion which admit neither number nor measure Wherefore such as our pre-disposition is such also shall our proportion be of this spiritual Manna for as he that cometh to a Well to draw water takes no more thence then what his vessel contains which yet he cannot impute unto the Well but unto his Pitcher which could hold no more so they that come unto this glorious Sacrament receive onely so much grace as their preparation and holines makes them capable of Now there are required of us before we presume to lay hands upon this bread of life three things 1. Purity of Conscience 2. Purity of Intention 3. Fervent and effectual Devotion We must as far as it lies in us refrain from all actual sins in thought word and deed Secondly We must do it to a good end not for any private benefit not by compulsion or for fear of Censure or any other Ecclesiastical correction not out of Custome nor for any sensual devotion or joy because of the confluence and company at these love-feasts Thirdly and lastly we must watch over our owne souls and take heed that no wind blows upon our garden but the spiritual and eternal we must labour for an heavenly setlednesse sanctified affections holy hopes new garments a clean heart and a right spirit Cant. 2. The soul must be sick of love she must long for the banqueting house nothing now must appear but flowers nothing must be heard but the singing of birds and the voice of the Turtle Lord God saith S. Ambrose with what contrition of heart with what fountains of tears with what reverence fear with what chastity of body and purity of mind should this divin mystery be celebrated where thy flesh is the meat where thy blood is the drink where the creature feeds upon the Creatour and the Creatour is united unto the creature where Angels are spectators and God himself both the Priest and the Sacrifice what holinesse and humility should we bring thither O what pure things most pure must those hands be which bring my God to me As therefore some rich odoriferous water is distill'd out of many and several sorts of fragrant herbs and flowers so our devotion at this soveraigne Sacrament should be composed of many spiritual acceptable affections with God as amongst others are profound humility unmeasurable reverence ardent love firme faith actuall charity impatient hunger and an intollerable longing after this heavenly banquet And because we may not touch these white robes with dirty hands nor come neer the Rose of Sharon with ill sents and offensive fumes it hath been ever the Custom of Gods Church to injoyn and set apart a certain limited time of purification before this mysterious solemnity wherein all religious and worthy Communicants addressed and prepared themselves in some measure for this unmeasurable mercy Such was in our Church that more strict and holy season called Lent and such still are the preparation-dayes before this glorious Sabbath in all true Churches Two dayes were given the Israelites to sanctifie themselves and to wash their clothes that they might be ready against the third day upon which the Lord was to come downe in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai And this onely at the reception of the Law which was given by Angels much more then ought we to wash and cleanse our vessels from all vaine affections idle words and actions and to separate our selves from the world for three dayes at least that we may be ready against that great and blessed day wherein we are to come not to a mountain that might not be touched nor to the sound of a Trumpet nor to the voice of words spoken to us out of the midst of fire but to the general assembly and Church of the first-borne which are written in
lost man Blessed be the hour in which thou wert born and the hour in which thou didst die Blessed and for ever hallowed be thy most comfortable and glorious name the name JESUS CHRIST at which every knee shall bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth for thy name is above every name and there is no other name by which we can be saved O most holy most humble and harmlesse Lamb how didst thou make thy self of no reputation and becamest obedient to the death of the Crosse for my sake And when thou wert to drink the cup of thy Fathers anger due to my sins didst instead of it ordain and bequeath to me the cup of life and everlasting salvation O Lord give me a heart to understand and eyes to see what thou hast done for me O never suffer me to crucifie thee again by returning to my former iniquities and pollutions but write thy sufferings and the price of my redemption in the tables of my heart set them for a signet upon mine hand and for a bracelet upon mine arme that by a continual and careful remembrance of them I may in the strength of this bread received to day at thy table travel to thy holy mountain and that this drink which I drank out of the spiritual rock may become a Well of living waters springing up in me to eternal life Grant this G God for thy glories sake and for that love and mercies sake which brought thee hither out of thy Fathers bosome to suffer so many things for his Elects sake Amen! Worthy is the Lamb that was slaine to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing for he hath redeemed us to God by his blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reigne on the earth Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead my Lord Iesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant Make me perfect in every good work to do his will working in me that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen! A Prayer in time of persecution and Heresie MOst glorious and Immortall God the Prince of peace unity and order which makest men to be of one mind in a house heale I beseech thee these present sad breaches and distractions Consider O Lord the teares of thy Spouse which are daily upon her cheeks whose adversaries are grown mighty and her enemies prosper The wayes of Zion do mourne our beautiful gates are shut up and the Comforter that should relieve our souls is gone far from us Thy Service and thy Sabbaths thy own sacred Institutions and the pledges of thy love are denied unto us Thy Ministers are trodden down and the basest of the people are set up in thy holy place O Lord holy and just behold and consider and have mercy upon us for thy own names sake for thy promise sake suffer not the gates of hell to prevaile against us but return and restore us that joy and gladnesse may be heard in our dwellings and the voyce of the Turtle in all our land Arise O God and let thine enemies be scattered and let those that hate thee flee before thee Behold the robbers are come into thy Sanctuary and the persecuters are within thy walls We drink our own waters for money and our wood is sold unto us Our necks are under persecution we labour and have no rest Yea thine own Inheritance is given to strangers and thine own portion unto aliens Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever and forsake us for so long a time Turne thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old O Lord hear and have mercy and be jealous for the beloved of thine own bosome for thy truth and for the words of thine own mouth Help us O God of our salvation and for thine own honours sake deal Comfortably with us Amen Amen A Prayer in adversity and troubles occasioned by our Enemies O Holy and almighty God full of goodness and compassion look I beseech thee with thine Eye of mercy upon my present sad sufferings and most bitter afflctions Behold O God I put my mouth in the dust and confess I have deserv'd them I despise not thy Chastenings but begge grace of thee that I may not faint and that they may yeild the fruits of righteousnesse unto me who am now exercised by them Thou seest O God how furious and Implacable mine Enemies are they have not only rob'd me of that portion and provision which thou hadst graciously given me but they have also washed their hands in the blood of my friends my dearest and nearest relatives I know O my God and I am daily taught by that disciple whom thou did'st love that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him Keep me therefore O my God from the guilt of blood and suffer me not to stain my soul with the thoughts of recompense and vengeance which is a branch of thy great prerogative and belongs wholly unto thee Though they persecute me unto death and pant after the very dust upon the heads of thy poore though they have taken the bread out of the childrens mouth and have made me a desolation yet Lord give me thy grace and such a measure of charity as may fully forgive them Suffer me not to open my mouth in Curses but give me the spirit of my Saviour who reviled not again but was dumb like a Lamb before his shearers O Lord sanctifie all these afflictions unto thy servant and let no man take away my crown Remember those that are in troubles for thy truth and put their tears into thy bottle Grant this O merciful Father for my dear Saviours sake and bring me quickly into thy Kingdom where I shall have all these tears wiped away from mine eyes Amen Amen! MAN IN Darkness OR A DISCOURSE OF DEATH Eccles. 11.7 8 9 10. TRuly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is to behold the Sun But if a man live many dayes and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the dayes of darknesse for they are many Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh for childhood and youth are vanity Draw neer fond man and dresse thee by this glasse Mark how thy bravery and big looks must passe Into corruption rottennesse and dust The fraile Supporters which betray'd thy trust O weigh in time thy last and loathsome state To purchase heav'n for tears is no hard