Israel Who saith that to Him the Porter openeth and the Sheep hear his voice that he calleth his own Sheep by name and leadeth them out Is it the duty of a King to protect his subjects to reward them as well as to restrain and overcome their Enemies And is not this true of our good Shepward Who giveth his life for his Sheep being not like the hireling who seeing the Wolf coming flieth and leaveth the Sheep Yea all blessings temporal and spiritual abound to them that are admitted into his Fold For he promises that if any enter therein he shall be saved and shall go in and out and finde pasture Lastly is it the office of a King to see and judge of the actions of inferiours to give dignity and honour to the well-meriting and obedient and to inflict punishment and death upon rebellious offenders See this also made good by Gods promise unto us under the rule of our only Shepward Christ Jesus Saying Behold even I will judge betwixt the fat Cattle and the lean and I will cause the evil Beasts to cease out of the Land And I will make with them a Covenant of Peace And I will make them and the places round about them a blessing And I will cause the showers to come down in his season there shall be showers of blessings And as concerning the last and General Judgment our Saviour speaking of the ordering of Persons before his Trybunal and the parting of his true Subjects from Rebels the good from the bad still alludes to the office of a Shepward and saith that he will separate them one from another as the Shepward divideth the Sheep from the Goats Having for the better and more comfortable illustration of our Saviours Kingly Office thus far traced this similitude let us now O my Soul by faith take a nearer and more serious view of this his glorious function as it manifests it self in the excellency of his Person and in the uprightness and perfection of his Laws as also in all those gratious effects which flow from so divine a dispensation That from them God assisting in the application thou maist reap that saving fruit which grace offers and thou expectest As the Basis and Pillar of Peace and tranquility in a Common-wealth is good Government consisting of upright Magistrates and just Laws So the defect of either ushers-in present ruine and destruction This position is not only verified in civil estates but in the spiritual Regiment of the visible Church Which whilst it was governed by the Spirit of Christ and was obedient to his injunctions attained to a Meridional height of quiet and glory witness the times of Solomon Hezechiah and Josiah But on the other side when that there was no King in Israel and every Man did what was right in his own Eyes how was their Land and Church filled with blood-shed Idolatry and vanity witness the Book of the Judges O let their miseries make us beware and let us learn wisdome from their destruction â—et their ill-succeeding rebellions incite and hasten us to do Homage at his Foot-stool whom the Lord hath set King upon his holy Hill of Sion And to kiss him with the kiss of reverence obedience and worship Let us meditate of him all the day long and let our Mouths be filled with his praises O how truly are we happy in thee O Lord Jesus according to that of the wise Man blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles Is there any Nobility like unto thine will any boast of or derive his Pedigree with thee who art the ancient of days the dew of the Morning the Morning-star and in a word â—he Fountain of honour what are the greatest of earthly Princes but thy Vice-roys Conduit-Pipes to convey â—ny favours unto the Children of Men For By thee Kings Reign and Princes Decree justice And from thee proâ—â—eds the sentence which makes poor and makes rich â—rings lowe and lifteth up For thou art that only begotten Son of the Father before all beginnings who then can declare thy generation for thy Birth is hid in Eternity Nor art thou not only glorious in thy Father but in thy self also for thou art God of God equal with God and therefore art not only a wise mercifull just and holy King over us But wisdome mercy justice and holiness it self unto us Witness this in that thy gratious invitation to thy spiritual Feast where wisdome hath builded her an House As also in the former Chapter I am understanding I am strength Further thy Spirit in the Mouth of thy beloved Apostle testifies that thou our God art love And thy Prophet Jeremy foretold to us that the Name whereby thou shouldst be called is the Lord our righteousness As for the last the Prophet David stiles thee so in many of his Psalmes singing thus O yee Saints of his give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness To whom the Saints in the Revelation answer and second with this triple acclamation Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath O my Saviour my King my beloved let me feed a while here amongst these Lillies Let me sit down under this thy shadow and let thy fruit be sweet unto my taste O stay me with Flagons comfort me with Apples for I am sick of love Who is like the Lord our King on all the Earth Is there any People or Nation alike happy with us Christians whose God and King is the Lord I should now proceed to view and admire that golden Scepter those his righteous Statutes by which he governs and directs us his People But that my Soul possest with a holy fear lest any thing should nullifie my right unto my Soveraigns protection stops me with these objections As that I am not only the Son of rebellious Adam but also an Alien to the Common-wealth of Israel as being not sprung from the loynes of Abraham nor from any of the Sons of Jacob but from the unbelieving Gentiles Lastly that I am out-lawed by my own actual transgressions and therefore may rather expect punishment than any favour happiness or priviledge by his Government As to these I answer with the Apostle The Jews because the Seed of Abraham are not all Children But the Children of the promise are counted for the Seed Wherefore Abraham is called the Father of the faithfull Neither is he a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit not in the letter Also he is a light to enlighten the Gentiles as well as the glory of the People Israel Again my being a sinner is so far from disabling my right to the Lord Jesus that by the hearty and penitent confession thereof I am intitled unto his pardon and mercy witness his
not less loving But O merciful Creator thy love met with hatred the very object of thy favour was thy Enemy whom thou didst not reconcile with a gift as fearing his power or ability to resist thee since he was thy Creature thy Prisoner thy just sentence of Condemnation waiting but the watch-word of thy will to execute him O unexhausted Fountain of wisdome there was no weakness or deficiency in thee which Man destroyed might any whit disable or diminish thy workmanship in a second Creation since all thy works keep time with thy Word What caused thee then O powerful Maker to give Life where Death was due Heaven where Hell was deserved Pleasure and Joy where Pain and Torment was incurred Why didst thou give mercy and forgiveness to Man and denyedst it to Angels honouring the Humanity with a Personal Union which in Adam was a Traytor by Rebellion Lastly Why gavest thou thy only begotten Son to Death that we might be thy Adopted Sons in Life Lord my Soul shall answer with St. Paul God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved Vs even when we were dead in Sin hath quickened Vs together in Christ by Grace we are saved O only begotten Son of the Father the Word by which all things were made O light of the World God equal with the Father in Majesty why from such a height of Glory didst thou descend to this Vale of Misery forsaking Heaven for Earth making thy Foot-stool thy Throne being included in the Virgins Womb though the vast Universe cannot comprehend thee Lord thy own Spirit can best express the reason of this thy wonderful humiliation Jesus Christ came into this World to save Sinners Behold here God made Man Lord how low is the Foundation of thy Mercy laid although the height reach above the Clouds gracious Saviour who doth not in this Mirrour of thy Love perceive the powerfulness of thy Divinity as being the first and self-mover in this work of compassion thy mercy having its first motion from thy self according to that thy own protestation made unto thy Children I will love them freely But O my Soul now thou hast viewed this beautiful Gate of the Temple with admiration reverence and affection proceed for the birth of thy Saviour is but the beginning of his mercies All Princes are but Vice-Royes God only is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Yet who amongst them is not welcomed into his Kingdome with joyful Acclamations and royal Solemnities But loe here not only the King of Israel but the great Emperor of Heaven and Earth born in Bethelem the least of the Cities of Judah a City and yet affords no place but a Stable to lodge and entertain the Worlds Monarch Heaven must point him out by a Star Angels must preach him before any of his own acknowledge him and then Shepheards are his Heralds to Proclaim him The sequel and after-story of his Life is no less reproachfully miserable than this Prologue of his birth Poverty clothes Him with obscurity and affliction 30. Years in which space his very Infancy is not free from Persecution by Herod witness those Innocents of Bethelem who suffered for him who came to dye for them he flying into Aegypt from the wrath of Man that he might undergo the anger of God preserving himself not from pain but for pain O Lord had thy Loves Foundation been laid in Earth the hatred and ungratefulness of Man might have ruined thy proceedings and induc'd thee to have retrograded from thy purposed design but behold the Root of thy Mercy was in thy Self which brought forth the fruits of thy sufferings thy love being natural therefore immutable none of thy grievous pressures were obscured from thy view for thy praescience beheld as present all fore-past actions and future events so that thou wert not ignorantly or contrary to thy will overtaken by them no necessity did enforce thee to undergo so difficult a Task since constraint is only prevalent in a finite nature but thou art infinite comprehending all things circumscribed by nothing Lord Jesus let me admire since I cannot express this thy love and make me to love thee again in some measure that thus hast loved me without measure Here whilest my Soul full of wonder desires to stay and meditate thy goodness leads me still forwards and as it were reproves my lingring thus O Man bound not thy thoughts progress with the first mercies of thy Saviour to wit that Light shined in Darkness The Word became Flesh yea that the life of all things received life and the Son of God became the Son of Man behold more misteries of love not regarded the Creator rejected of his Creature He came unto his own and his own received him not He who ordained Holes for the Foxes Nests for the Birds of the Aire he who measured the Earth as with a span and clothes the Heavens as with a Garment he who is a self-moving Sphear whose Centre is every where whose circumference is no where He even the Saviour and Creator of Man hath not amongst Men whereon to rest his Head O admirable and unconceivable humiliation of greater force because not enforced freely not reciprocally undertaken being therefore of infinite merit before God and worthy of Man's eternal acknowledgment what could Man suffer which the Son of Man did not undergo nay what anger torment punishment or affliction could an infinitely inraged Deity inflict which God made Man did not endure for behold no sooner doth this Son of Righteousness whose light is in himself arise to be a light unto the Gentiles dissipating the mists of Superstition and Ignorance the morning of the Gospel succeeding the Evening of Idolatry no sooner did he appear to the glory of his People Israel dispersing those Clouds of Ceremonies which Vail'd the mercy Seat but that present Generation prefering Darkness before Light interposed unbelief to Eclipse his splendour witness John 3.19 And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men loved Darkness rather than Light Also they retorted the beames of his Priestly Office saying None but God hath Power to forgive Sins They shuned the Light of his Gospel-Prophesie and Teaching witness that loving Lamentation O Jerusalem Jerusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen her Brood under her Wings but ye would not Lastly they denyed and rejected his Dominion with that abnegation We have no King but Caesar. Lord were the Children of Israel so severely punished for repining against Aaron though but a â—igure of Thee Was Heliodorus so suddenly and fearfully tormented for resisting the High Priest And doest thou who thus revengedst and defendest thy substitutes whilest thou wert in Heaven as being the summe of all Figures the substance of all shadows and an Eternal High-Priest according to the
of God for thy Salvation and the voice of God for thy acceptation Who but an experienced Christian can express the sweet of these yet how far short are his expressions of these streams of comforts which flow through the Priestly Office to every true Believer from the unexhaustible Fountain of Gods mercy What spots doth not this wash off What soares doth not this Jordan heal Yea what lameness and imperfection doth not this Bethesda cure O the consolation of Christs intercession in this imperfect state of grace Is my love weak and unstable as Water This love O Saviour is stronger than Death Is my obedience imperfect By thy obedience many are made righteous Is my zeal defective Lord Thy zeal of thy House hath eaten thee up Is my Faith small and subject to doubting O Saviour thou wilt give a blessing even to a grain of Faith as of Mustard-Seed And hast promised not to quench the smoaking Flax nor to break the bruised Reed Is my Prayer full of weakness ignorance and imperfection Thy Spirit it self maketh request for us with sighs which cannot be expressed Yea thou art entred into the very Heaven of Heavens to appear now in the sight of God ever living there to make Intercession for us To conclude Is my inherent righteousness imperfect And am I a transgressor of the Law Thy imputative righteousness is perfect and thou art a fulfiller of the Law For thou art the end of the Law for righteousness unto every one that believeth Yea that all further objections may be answered that all other defects may appear supplied behold here a gift as large as Mans wants and as full of mercy as he of sin Christ Jesus of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousness and sanctification and redemption Our Saviour Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life that Jacob's Ladder whose foot as expressing his humanity toucheth the Earth and whose top as respecting his Divinity reacheth unto Heaven This threefold office may be considered as the parts of this Heavenly ascent Upon whose first degree my faith which is the eye the hand and the foot of the Soul hath begun to ascend It remains now that I mount the next staff belonging to his Priestly office which is satisfaction the inseparable consequent of which is Justification The parts of which forgiveness of sins and imputation of righteousness do necessarily follow the former Our mercifull High Priest and Redeemer satisfying by suffering that our sins for which he suffered might be forgiven fulfilling the Law is continually interceding that his righteousness might be to us imputed So that to our comfort and confirmation be it spoken that when faith hath gaind footing upon satisfaction and intercession it must needs have hand-hold on remission and imputation Can the Lord be less righteous than Man Doth not the cancelling of the Bond succeed the absolving of the debt The satisfaction and releasement of the Prisoner follow the not guilty of the Jury O the perfection of all the ways of God especially of this his great work towards the Children of Men wherein mercy and justice do sweetly kiss each other He being just towards Man in his fall into Death that he might be mercifull in raising him to life And that he might spare his adopted Sons he spares not his only begotten Son O what is Man that thou art mindfull of him or the Son of Man that thou visitest him To proceed Justification by some Divines made an act of Christs Kingly office is that mercifull and yet just sentential act of God the Father whereby a believer is absolved from sin and death and the inherent righteousness of Christ is imputed unto the faithfull applyer for the attaining of life everlasting Hereby waving our debt and supplying our want at once delivering us from guilt and corruption Behold here is an Olive Branch which faith the Dove of the Soul brings home unto it in the time of Gods vengeance and in the midst of the great Waters of Sin Here 's a Golden Scepter held forth by the incensed King of Kings to every faithfull and humbled Esther Now I may say to my Soul as once the multitude to the blind Man See he calls thee Not in his strong Wind by which he rents the Mountains of pride Not in his Earth-quake by which he shakes secure and presumptuous sinners No nor yet in his consuming Fire with which he devours unexcusable Hypocrites But in his mercy even with a still small voice of compassion and pardon O my Soul Thou art not come unto the Mount that burnd with Fire and that might be touched nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest nor to hear the voice of those words which voice they that heard entreated that the Word should not be spoken to them any more But thou art come to Mount Sion and to an innumerable company of Angels and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of Sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel and to God the Judge of all whom thou maist hear with comfort proclaiming Himself unto thee as once before Moses thus The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Forgiving sin O what good news is this unto my Soul How truly is this called the glad tidings of the Gospel Tell me yee which shall hereafter read my thoughts even from the testimony of your own Souls For only experience can make you fit Judges in this case If there be any joy like to the joy of a justified sinner Any blessing like that of David Can I consider into how fearfull an estate sin hath cast me and unto what punishment Justice hath condemned me and not from thence proportion out and acknowledge the greatness of this deliverance Doth not the truth-speaking Word of God which is neither cruel nor partial tell me that I am a sinner For there is no Man that sinneth not That I am a debtor Since we must all pray forgive us our debts That I am a condemned Person For by the offence of one judgment came upon all Men to condemnation That I am a bond-slave to death and to him that hath the Power of Death the Devil all my life time being subject to bondage That I am a dead Man For We are all dead in sins and trespasses That I am an enemy to God and Christ and lastly by nature a Child of Wrath And shall I account remission of all my offences Satisfaction of all my arrearages Liberty from servitude Life in stead of death Nay more resurrection from death no mercy Can my powerfull Enemy be made my friend and Father my irefull Judge become my Mediator and Saviour and I not highly favoured gratiously yea
prime Of wit in Sonnets or such Rhime As leaves behind The Savour of a tainted mind Maâ—gre their Witts I tell you true I enjoy none but such as you Not that I know your Birth and Blood Springs high but that I see a good That sets you off Beyond the bitter reach or scoffe Of those loose Tongues Which blast it in their drunken Songs Think no work lovely sweet or witty That is not tun'd to Cupids Ditty On Lovely Sir I speak the truth From Him you think on in your Youth Hee 'l not forget This Labour or Essay but set A mark of note Vpon those Hours which you devote Vnto his Service and will Pay Richly at All-Saints Holy-Day Mean while he pawns his Word to be A Friend unto your hopes and he That never Rights The meanest of his Favourites Will raise your Stock And prove your Sun your Shield your Rock Perfume your Name and make 't as dear As his that dyed the Hopeful Peire Long may the Noble Paire to whom You own your Breath next God become Sutors for you That labour to repay the due You owe to them From whom you Sprang a hopeful stemm To which you have the Heart and Hand Of him that rests Yours to Command W. Mewes MEDITATIONS UPON THE CREATION MANS Fall and Redemption BY CHRIST Presented to his Parents in the XXI Year of his Age. Anno Dom. 1627. London Printed in the Year 1669. Prayer and Meditation are Twins therefore A Preparative Prayer O Almighty God and most gracious Father from thy goodness I acknowledge all good gifts do proceed therefore I humbly and earnestly do beseech thee to illuminate my Soul by thy Spirit that my Vnderstanding being raised above all Earthly Cogitations may through thy merciful assistance so meditate of thee and thy wonderful Works that contemâ—â—ng all Worldly Vanities my delight may only consist in beholding of thy Majesty The Consideration of it being best able both to humble my proud Heart and create in it a love and fear to all thy Precepts that so I beginning although in weakness to live the life of grace here I may through thy favour in Christ live the Life of Glory with thee hereafter Amen DIVINE MEDITATIONS OF GOD'S Majesty IN THE CREATION ALL sublunary things tend and press towards their Centre The Sea-man's Needle always points North and South Nature thereby as it were Lecturing our Souls to behold and move towards none but thee O God our North-Star our Centre Lord I confess it had been a vain presumption in Mortality being defiled with sin to have once conceived a thought of thy Holiness had not thy mercy in Jesus Christ revealed unto us in thy word and promises not only to give us leave but commanded us to know thee that conceiving of thee aright we might love thee with all our hearts fear thee in all our actions and serve thee with our best endeavours Why madest thou Man with his Face erected towards the Heavens when Beasts walk groveling upon the Ground unless thou hast ordained that all Eyes contemning Earth as tramled under Feet should stand open towards the Skies that our Souls through those Casements might behold the Starry out-side of the â—irmament though but a dark reflexion of thy brightness and might view in the Suâ—s splendour a petty Embleme to lead us to the Infiniteness of thy Glory and beautifulness of that new Jerusalem in which thou crownest the Inhabitants with a perpetual Day of Happiness These Objects O Lord damme up the Mâ—uth of Wickâ—dness being sufficient though dumb Witnesses to condemn the wilful ignorance of Senceless Atheists Who behold much Art in a costly Fabrick and applaud not the skill of the Architector Who sees exquisitness in any work and is not forc'd to acknowledge the Work-mans perfection and what Eyes can be so purblinded with folly and perverseness as not to spell out in each Leaf of Natures Book thy Divinity Open thou my Lips O Lord and my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise Of the Creation THe beginning of all Created Substances was nothing who but thou O Lord Infinite in Power of no Materials could frame so vast a Chaos Before each particulars composure darkness as a Canopy covered the confused Lump of intermixed Bodies when by thy Word O Father of Light was light created the happy Morning to so great a Night the huge Concave of the Firmament being the purest extraction of that gross heap is made to Circle the Earth separating the Waters above from those below by thy Command Where was the naked Earth visible when the Waters covered the Face thereof untill thy will gave them both name and bounds How rude an object were the Towring Hillâ— and humble Valleys then destitute of thy Livery their Ornament until Grass Herbs and fruit-bearing Trees clothed them by thy Ordinance When the Heavens wanted their Ornament the Times and Seasons their Order and distinguishments thou madest two great Lights the Sun to Rule by Day the Moon and Stars to Rule by Night For thy Mercy endureth for ever Were the waste Places of the deep inhabited or the Regions of the Aire fathâ—med before thy Power made the Seas bring forth all manner of Fowles and Fish even that Leviathan whose Scales are his Pride shut up together as with a close Seal which by his neesing a Light doth shine and his Eyes are like the Eye-lids of the Morning upon Earth there is none his like who is made without fear Did not thy Wisdome O God fill the Desarts with wilde Beasts the Earth with creeping things Who made Behemoth which moveth his Tayl like a Cedar His Bones are as strong Pieces of Brass his â—â—â—es are like Barres of Iron he is the chief of thy ways O God thou that madest him canst make thy Sword approach unto him What shall I say Who can express thee which art far beyond expression I will conclude with the conclusion of thy Works the â—â—â—ation of Man In his Body rightly termed a little World as â—â—ing a mixture of the four Elements who can 〈…〉 â—â—e symmetry and proportion of each Member and comâ—linâ—ss of â—â—ch part so â—urious a structure being only a â—iâ— manâ—â—on 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Tenant as the Soul in whose praise which speakâ— thy pâ—â—ise I will only say two words calling it according to thy Word thy â—â—â—ge What is Man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of â—â—an that thou visitest him Thou hast made him little lower â—â—an the Angels and hast Crowâ—â—d him with glory and honour â—â—ou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands â—â—ou hast put all things under his Feet Therefore bless the Loâ—d O my Soul all that is within mâ—â—less his holy name bless the â—ord in all his works in all places of his Dominion bless the Lord O my Soul Of Man's Fall and of God's Mercy and Goodness in our Redemption THe
Order of Melchizedeck I say dost thou now being on Earth neerer to their reproaches and yet not further off from thy power pass over their iniquities suffering thy self to be crucified by them whom thy Justice should have crucified to be sacrificed by the wrath of them whom thy anger hadst thou come to destroy not to save should have sacrificed Was Noah Lot Moses Elisha all Prophets all Types of Thee by thee aided and made victorious over their unbelieving and insulting adversaries and why dost not thou O Lord of all Prophets being now thine own Orator and yet despised demolish Corazin or Bethsaida with other Cities of Judea either by Water or Fire O Lord thou art still the same God then thy Justice was manifested but now thy mercy is magnified as appears by that Deploration over Jerusalem where the Floods of Waters are now converted to an Inundation of Teares the Fire and Brimstone to love-burning and pittying sighes though some murmuring ask From whence hast thou this Authority others blaspheming make thee a Sabbath-breaker and esteem thee as a Conjurer a Glutton a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners yet hast thou not now a devouring Gulf for such Repiners Teeth of wilde Beasts for such calumniating Blasphemers unless we behold that one alone bottomless Gulf of thy mercy most extended and most deep even to Man in the depth of his misery Father forgive them for they know not what they do O Christ Did fear dead thy revenge due to those Sinners against their own Souls No fear is a duty of the Creature ruled by thee not over-ruling thee Passion is incident to inferiours and therefore below thee which hast no Superior Did want of ability smother thy anger No thy Power is not extinguished no less than â—nfinite although in thy humiliation clouded during thy pleasure Lord why did those many Legions of Heavenly Souldiers suffer thy Enemies to carry thee their General away Captive those Bonds which could not resist Sampson's force fetter the Armes of thee the Almighty who gave him strength those Nailes fasten thee to the Cross who wert as able to deliver thy self as thou wert willing to suffer O Saviour my thankful Soul by way of confession replies thus The unmeasurableness of thy love patiently swallowed up all these contumelies and reproaches for love instead of revenge thou forgavest thine Enemies instead of calling for power to destroy Man thou proclamedst his Salvation crying out It is finished the Angels when thou wert attached by Judas although within thy Call must only be admiring Witnesses of thy Patience not Executors of those Traytors Lastly thy Mercy only manacled thy hands and nailed thee to thy Cross making Thee a Transgressor by the bearing of our Sins that we might become righteous through the Imputation of thy Merits according to that of Peter Who his own Self bare our Sins in his Body on the Tree that we being dead to Sin should live in Righteousness by whose Stripes we are healed These things gracious Saviour yea infinitely more hast thou done for us which since we cannot apprehend let us with reverence admire rejoycing that we have view'd thee in thy Birth to be our Kinsman in thy Life our Example in thy Death our Saviour after Death our Resurrection and Glory Lord what art thou not unto us a Balme for our Wounds a Laver for our Souls a Sacrifice for our Sins and the Life of our Death What hast thou not suffered for us Wert thou not humbled in thy Birth persecuted all thy Life and though innocent adjudged to Death that our Nature might be exalted our Life enlarged our Guilt acquitted Wert thou not scourged disrobed Crowned with Thorns lifted upon the Cross derided athirst forsaken and slain that we might be delivered from the Judgments of thy Father clothed with thy Righteousness Crowned with thy Glory lifted up into Heaven freed from the mocks of Sathan satisfied with the sweet draughts of thy Love received of thee for ever to Live Eternally What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon his Name saying Glory be to God in the Highest Peace on Earth good Will towards Men Praise and Honour and Glory and Power be unto Him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for evermore Soli Deo Gloria A Concluding Prayer O Eternal Infinite and Everlasting God by whom all things were Created that are made and in whom we Live Move and have our Beeing I thy poor Creature humbly beseech Thee to deal graciously with me thy Servant pardoning all my Offences and passing by all the errors wants and imperfections committed in these my feeble Meditations O Lord I praise Thee for thy favourable assistance of my weakness ever confessing thy gâ—eat Goodness in my Creation the Pride Incredulity and Weakness of my Nature in Man's Fall and thy Infinite Mercy in my Redemption O let the one rejoyce me the other humble me and the last make me obediently thankful in the observant performance of all thy Commands that so I may glorifie Thee which is the end of my Beeing repent and believe in Thee who art the Resurrection of my Fall and live with Thee Eternally which is the Compleatment of my Salvation and fulfilling of my Hope which is fixt in Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all possible Praise Obedience and Thanksgiving now and for ever Amen Vpon several temporal Mercies Providences and Deliverances Graciously Vouchsafed By the Lord Infinite in Goodness To the most unworthy Author And to many also of his neer Relations EBENEZER HETHERTO hath GOD helped me 1 Sa. 7.12 Bethel the House of God Gen. 28.19 A Pillar of PRAISE Erected by An English JACOB unto the onely Infinite Eternal and Almighty JEHOVAH in all Sincerity Humility Reverence and filial fear Hallelujah Eternal FATHER Glorious SON and Holy GHOST Three Persons but One GOD in Essence who the HOST Of Heaven and Earth did'st make and art Goodness Power Justice Truth Love Wisdome Holiness To Thee with JACOB SAMUEL A PILLAR I ERECT to tell All Future AGES to thy PRAISE Thy MERCIES to Me all my DAYES Their 's like their Faith was of firm Stone Mine weak like Me a PAPER One O let thy Strength made Perfect be In my Great IMBECILITY Two Mites Goats Hair from Hearts most free Are JEWELS in Thy TREASURY LORD had I Men and Angels Tongues That KEY would be below the SONGS Of THANKS-GIVING I owe to THEE For what in CHRIST thou did'st for MEE From which Eternal Love forth Springs The Temporal Mercies which these Hymns Commemorate O let Free GRACE Be Adamantine and my BASE And IRON-HEART to THEE attract Seal'd by Thy SACRAMENTAL Act So shall my Person and these Sheets Which I prostrate at THY blest FEET Received be as being PERFVM'D By thy sweet SPIRIT and only
Tun'd Unto thy Praise and thy Great NAME Be blest by ALL that read the same Who shall by Favours shew'd to MEE Be mov'd to Love and Trust in THEE Accept dear Lord in Goodness what 's here Thine And in Thy MERCY Pardon what is Mine Yea Let this Humble Work a future BASIS be For SAINTS to raise Colums of Glory unto Thee Place this afore Occasional Meditations at Folio 347 AN EXHORTATORY EPISTLE TO THE Nobility and Gentry of Great Britain Right Honorable NOble and generous Spirits of this famous Island Whose Persons I truly love and honour both as Christians and of the same Nation with me as also for your excellent wits parts and gifts who equallize Tully and Virgil in Eloquence and Poetry Witness your many Romances Comedies Tragedies and amorous Works now extant O consider all you that are thus rarely accomplisht both by Art and Nature that you must shortly give an account of these deposited Talents and of your mis-spent time and stewardships at the neer approaching Sessions and Goal-delivery of your Souls out of the Prison of your Bodies and at the great Assize the dreadful Day of Judgment to our great God and to the Lord Jesus the Judge of the quick and the dead Who hath made all things for his Glory and the wicked for the Day of his Wrath. O will you not then blush for shame and be confounded at what you now pride your selves in when Sathan your Maecenas shall then be your Accuser and produce as evidence against you Item so many precious Hours lost such high strains and Veines of Witrun wast such excellent Language defiled and abused and such and such a happy Muse ravisht and debaucht in the compiling and publishing so many false and unhallowed Legions to stir up and inflame your own Lusts and the sleeping passions and corruptions of the Youth of both Sexes in these Nations So many Stage-Playes the Scoffers of goodness and holiness of conversation the Consumers of useful time and of the innate Virtue Modesty and Estates of all kindes of Persons as also so many Frothy and Airy amorous Verses Ditties and Songs the Nurses and Panders of all manner of loosness and uncleanness in all sorts of People Had these precious Stones and Gems these sparkling Diadems I mean your choice Indowments been set in Aaron's Brest-plate or been offered up as a gift to God who gave you them to be for the Ornament and praise of his Church his Temple How brightly would they have shin'd as in their proper Sphear for which he created them Whereas they are now by their fall from their Heavenly Orbe to this vile Earth of sin and vanity become like so many sliding Stars which whilst they pass through the darkned Aire of corrupted and deceived Observers give forth a false Light and suddenly are extinct leaving behind them nothing but a corrupting Belly and a Hellish and sulphurious stink to the view and in the Nostrils of all Divine Astronomers Is it your highest honour to be stiled Christians have you at your Installment in Baptisme vowed and promis'd to resist the Devil the World and the Flesh And will you by your wanton Poems and vain Sonnets offer Sacrifices to Sathan the God of this World and to his Idol the World and blot and blur your sacred and glorious Title and dishonour and prophane that holy Name by which you are called Hath the Lord Jehovah your gracious God and Almighty Saviour who was the first great Orator and Poet that wrote upon Earth given you an unparallel'd Example by the Pen of Moses in the whole Book of Deuteronomy the very Marrow of Divine Eloquence Deut. chap. 1. vers 3. and in that Elixar of Poesie that Song of the Lord 's own composing Deut. 32. to the end of the 43. vers Hath his choicest Saints lest you sublime patterns of Heavenly Poesie Witness the Songs of Moses and Meriam Exod. 15. unto the 22. vers and Psal. 90. Of Deborath and Barak Jud. 5. to the end Of King David 2 Sam. 22. from Vers. 2. to the end Besides his Book of Psalms upon divers subjects witness also the 11. Psalmes of Asaph beginning with the 73. Psal. and ending with the 82. Psal The Psalmes of Heman and Ethan the Ezrahites Psal. 88. and 89. The Canticles or Song of Songs written by King Solomon besides One Thousand and Five other Songs 1 Kings 4.32 The Songs written by the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 5.1 and Chap. 26.1 the Song of Habakkuk Chap. 3. to the end And in the New Testament the Song of the blessed Virgin and of Simeon and the many Angelical and Heavenly Hymnes wherewith the mysterious Book of the Revelations is gloriously imbroidered Besides these excellent Presidents and Examples the sacred Scriptures are full of Precepts enjoyning and commanding this thankfull chearfull and singing temper to be in all his Saints in these words and the like Whosoever offereth praise glorifieth me Psal. 50.23 O come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our Salvation Psal. 95.1 The like Psal. 96.1 98.1 Praise the Lord for it is good to sing praises unto our God for it is pleasant and praise is comely Psal. 147.1 In the New Testament we are commanded to rejoice ever-more 1 Thes. 51.6 and to sing with Grace in our hearts Psalmes and Hymnes and Spiritual Songs Col. 3.16 In which holy exercise our blessed Saviour hath given us his Example after his last Supper Math. 26.30 And that blessed Poet and singer of Israel that Man after God's own heart King David Who upon divers gracious providences deliverances and mercies as well private as publick penned many Psalmes As upon the occasion of his flight from his Son Absolon the slanderous words and treacherous actings of Cush the Benjamite the Psalm of thanksgiving before mentioned for his many deliverances from Saul and all his Enemies And at the Dedication of his House To these I shall add the Psalm penned by him when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech alias Achish King of Gath His Song of loves or commendation of Solomon's Queen the Egyptian The Tipe of the Gentile Church his penitential Psalm when Nathan had been with him after he had gone into Bathsheba his Poem concerning Doeg's false accusation of Abimelech the High Priest his Psalm upon the Ziphims discovery of him to Saul another when the Philistims took him in Gath Also his two thankful Memorials of his deliverance from Saul in the Cave and another for his preservation when Saul sent and they watched his House to kill him A third upon his Victory over Aram Naharaim Aram Zobath and against the Edomites A fourth concerning his abode in the Wilderness of Judah to these may yet further be observed the Song written for his Son Solomon and his Psalm for the Sabbath Day To these Scripture examples which are indeed the very sacred Rhetorick and Poesie of the
Then to Heaven thy Marriage â—ed ARGUMENT Vpon God's goâ—dness and gracious Providence to me in his choice and gift of a rich beautiful fruitful and which is above all faithful and religious Wife Soliloquium or Discourse HAving expended above the third part of my life in a single condition both God and Nature taught me that it was not good for Man to be alone no not in innocency much less in a state of corruption and temptation Wherefore after many motions interviews and disappointments the good and all-wise ordering Providence of my most gracious God and Father chose for and gave to me as a fit loving and helpful consort and yoke fellow The eldest Daughter and Co-heir of a worthy Person that was a Knight Alderman and Lord-Major of London a Wife not only fruitful in Children but in many other blessings As being a builder up of my Family by a large Portion One of Natures best Pieces for beauty and proportion The Psalmists Olive and Vine for fruitfulness And which is above all and the rarest perfection of that Sex a Person chast faithful and religious For favor is deceitful and beauty is vain but a Woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Of whom as far as my Observation reaches at this Day I can truly say with Solomon Many Daugâ—ters have done virtuously but she hath excelled them all An eminent Witness of this her Vertue was her publick spirit care and love to me and her family In her voluntary sale and parting with her Jointure and own Land yielding a considerable Revenue and an unparallel'd House and Seat for the payment of Debts and making provision for our Children yea which is much more to her perpetual honour she was blessed be God to be his great and chiefest Instrument for the restoring part of the estate to the Heir and for the maintenance of the Family to which during my above Eight Years separation she remains to be under God a most careful Supportress Which great blessing O Lord continue to me and the Family in giving her health and long life that she may eat the labour of her hands and see her Childrens Children and peace upon Israel And as my thankful and perpetual acknowledgment and remembrance of such a plenitude of blessings Accept this my humble Hymn of Praise in the hand of my dear Saviour in whom thou hast given me these and all other Mercies Amen The Good WIFE Ejaculation or Hymn upon the former Subject O Lord that out of Man the Woman made And in blest Marriage her to him repaid Making two one a new That he and she Might be one Cabinet of Chastity A choice Elixar of Society And fruitful Seed plot of Posterity I bless thy Name that dost me dignifie Not only to declare and testifie Thy gracious wisdome in this mysterie Of Wedlock But me Tenant made in Fee To these rich blessings by thy choice and lone Of all these Mercies Treasur'd up in one When in this Worlds couzening Lottery Where for one Prize a hundred Blanks do lie My self I ventur'd Thou O Lord draw'st out For me a Ring of Gold set all about With precious Stones One was a Diamond Of Chastity next it in the same round Saphires of Faith and Hope with the Onyx Stone Of Sun-like Charity divinely shone A fift was a fair Rubie of sweet modesty Joyn'd with a Jasper of Fidelity An Emrauld next was set of Constancy With a rich Topaz of true Prudency Sweet Ametists of Loves which loyal are Incircled this Ring and Jewel rare And for to give a splendor to each Eye All those were fill'd with much Humility With this thou didst me Wed givest me to wear Till now neer Six and Thirty Year Blest be thy Grace no Hearts dividing far Disturbing Vs by a Domestick War She is O Lord that blessed Vine by which Thou dost o're-spread my House and it inrich With Sixteen hopeful Branches unto whom Drie Breasts thou gavest not nor miscarrying Womb Yea thou allaidst to her the curse of Sin The pains of births and breeding she was in And which doth much exceed all Earthly wealth Thou gavest Vs both a great degree of health Pelican-like thy Instrument of good Did feed her young ones thrice with her own Blood When others lessen portions through expence She made hers greater by her Providence And was thy help during my happy faâ—e To more than double our Patern Estate And when thou mouldrest it to nought her pains Was thy blest means for to restore again A part of what was lost that she might be Mother and Father to her Family To Vs from Parents Lord descends our Land But prudent Wives are gifts from thy own Hand What 's wanting here to her perfection View in her Picture drawn by Solomon Lord hast thou multiplied thy loves And thus By doubling Vnits caus'd an Overplus Of blessings Let me not divide by Sin Thy Mercies nor substract them in And by Ingratitude Let my sum be Addition of Praises unto Thee And pious fruits so shall my Tongue and Life Be one like Soul and Body Man and Wife A living Sacrifice of Thankfulness A free-will Offering till I thee possess And in that Vnion there most clearly see Of holy Marriage the great Mystery Amen ARGUMENT Vpon the great and Holy Mystery held forth to Vs by God in Marriage Soliloquium or Discourse MArriage is honourable amongst all Men and the Bed undefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge Wherefore Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands as unto the Lord For the Husband is the Head of the Wife as Christ is the Head of the Church Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let Wives be unto their own Husbands in every thing Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it so ought Men to love their Wives as their own Bodies For no Man ever hated his own Flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church For we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones For this cause shall a Man leave his Father and Mother and be joyned unto his Wife and they two shall be one Flesh. This is a great mystery but I speak of Christ and his Church Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his Wife even as himself and let the Wife see that she reverence her Husband Thus far the Apostle Eph. chap. 5. vers 22 23 24 25 28 29 30 31 32 33. From whose words especially his conclusion This is a great mystery I infer that Marriage although not in a strict and Popish sence yet as to a larger meaning and construction of the Word may be called a Sacrament as holding forth by outward and visible signes and things spiritual mysteries and instructions Of this nature in Scripture and many instances as the Ark Rain-bow Red Sea Rock Manna
thy free Grace who delightest to do good as being full of Bowels of pitty and compassion and shews Mercy to whom thou wilt shew mercy Wherefore O Lord since thou art not like to ill-natur'd Man but givest without grudging yea hast promised more to them to whom thou hast already given much Add I beseech thee this Grace that I may exceed others in real thankfulness as thou hast made me to precede many others in this and the like favours In testimony of which great and special Mercy to me and mine in our preservation I humbly present to thee this Cordial acknowledgment in this and the following Psalm of Praise Amen The PROTECTION Ejaculation or Hymn upon the former Subject WHen Sin becomes Vniversal No wonder Epedemical Diseases answer Justice call Making each House an Hospital Such was unhappy England's fate When a Vsurper Rul'd our State Then Lord unto my Family Thou wast a healthful Sanctu'ry Thy Mercies great Indulgency Freed us from this Mortality Made Vs to Goshen-like when fear Sickness and Death Triumphant elswhere Sad was these times whon Corn and Grass Like to their owners withered was For want of help to Inn alas And tend them yea to such a pass Were many Housholds brought before It ceast three parts were sick or more Good God! how free 's thy Grace how great Thy Love how sinful uncompleat Am I the Subject Stage and Seat Of Favours which I here repeat With Praise since thou protection grants To worst of Sinners least of Saints Feavers O Lord of Luxury Tumors of Pride and Vanity Dropsies of swelling Gluttony Agues of sad Apostacy Most Families do now infect Make Sick O do thou mine protect And let not an Egyptian Night Of Error now Eclipse the Light Of Goshen but let thy might Preserve their Families upright So shall our Houses Churches be And give all Glory unto Thee Amen ARGUMENT Vpon God's gracious Preservation of my Horses and other Cattle from dying in the time of a great Murrain under Oliver Cromwell's Government when many of my Neighbours were very much damnified Soliloquium or Discourse AS Achan's sin let Israel blood So Saul's guilt of blood made Israel fast perforce in three Years of Famine David's pride in Numeration concludes in Israel's humiliation and Pestilential substraction And the High presumption of the Princes of the Philistines in the captivating God's Ark ends in the shame and reproach Plague and destruction of the People of their principal Cities Ekron and Ashdod to all which Examples the Poet bears witness Delirent Reges plectuntur Achivi As Israel suffered for Korah Dathan's and Abiram's Rebellion So England was punished with several Judgments as I humbly conceive for Cromwel's unfaithfulness and ambition witness the great and strange Plague amongst Horses and other Cattle and which was very remarkable it raged most amongst his Troops the Pillars of his Pride Not but that in all these Inflictions the Peoples Sins was the principal cause and the Princes offence as it were the shooing-horn to pull them on them as the Holy Spirit witnesses as to Israels Plague The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he moved David against them saying go and number Israel and Judah That is he permited Sathan to stand up against Israel and to provoke David to number Israel as it is clearly held forth in the first of the Chronicles Chapter the 21. Vers. 1. But to return This Plague or Murrain was so contagious that it cleaved unto the very Walls Planks and Mangers of Stables insomuch that the fresh and untainted Horses brought and placed in them to supply the former loss were presently infected and dyed alike Mortality was also amongst other Cattle So that it is hard to say whether the dying groans of Beasts and Horses or the Cryes of the Husband-men and Carriers and those whose livelyhood was swept away by this Beasom of destruction was the greater O most gracious God who in the midst of these general Losses and Complaints preserved my Stock untoucht and intire not for my righteousness sake which is as filthy Rags but for thy mercy sake Accept I beseech thee this my thankful acknowledgment of thy singular goodness and Fatherly providence amongst the rest of thy mercies which according to thy own example and thy Saints my duty and thy command I desire to record and declare to my Childrens Children and to all future Generations that when through the Redemption of my Saviour Jesus Christ thou shalt translate me to praise thee in the Heavenly Chore of glorious Saints and Angels They and thy People in succeeding Ages may continue to praise and bless thy Name here upon Earth and be incouraged by thy manifold favours to me thy poor Servant to fear love and trust in thee for ever Lord since thy Glory and the good of my own Soul and others is my only end in this Work Let it receive a blessing from thee Amen The SHAMBLES A Corolary Poem on the former Subject WHence is it that the stately Stalls for Horse Of Noble Men are empty And perforce The Grooms do idly wait bewaile the fate Of their dead Steeds who seem to lie in state Like some in our proud Age yea Gentry fear No course at Brackly will be run this Year For want of raceing Barbes And that their Hounds Will surfeit with much Horse-flesh be unsound For want of Exercise and Troopers cry Old pay will not suffice new Horse to buy Why are our Fields Vntill'd why doth our Grain Now sow it self before brought home again For want of Teames to Inn it And the Road Through Carriers loss of Horse so thinly's troad Yea Dairy-men and Graziers throw up Ground Because their Sheep and Cattle die unsound Our Oracle God's Word gives answer Thus All Plagues are fruits of sin And the first curse Which like the Jewish Leprosie infects All that is ours though Creatures innocent As be'ng on Vs in part a Punishment Thus Rulers righteously do confiscate Not only Rebels Lives but their Estate And Princes use for faults in the Non-age Of a beloved Son to whip his Page O let our sinless Brutes sad dying moanes Stir up in Vs Offenders hearty groanes For all our sins their Plague so shall this loss To Vs become a blessing not a Cross. Lord though my fault did greatly contribute Vnto this common harm yet at thy suite This Judgment thou on others laid Let fall Sparing my goods who was a principal Preserving unto Admiration My Stock in this so great Contagion Lord as thy Mercy here was singular So let my praise the common pitch as far Transcend That so thy favours magnitude May not bring forth make great ingratitude In Me Who for thy Preservation Offer my self for an Oblation Amen ARGUMENT Vpon God's gracious Providence in the seasonable quenching and preserving Eleven times four of my Houses then in my possession from being burnt
one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all I beseech you by the mercies of God by the excellent effects of charity by the fruits of the spirit by the examples and commands of the Lord Jesus and the Character of his Disciples be meek and lowly and love one another So shall the Plots of Rome and Hell be prevented and all Sectaries shut their Mouths Why should it be spoken to our shame that there is not a wise Man amongst us No not one that is able to judge between his brethren But Brother asperses and declaims against Brother and that before the Antichristians Now therefore there is utterly a fault amongst you Know ye not that Revilers shall not inherit the Kingdom of God But some will answer that they have received a new light O be cautious that novelty Eclipse not truth since the last Days foretold and forewarn'd of by our Saviour are at hand wherein iniquity abounds and the love of many waxes cold hence Father against Son and Son against Father betraying one another and hating one another hence the Judgments of Famine and Pestilence Nation rising up against Nation So that the whole World seems to be on Fire before its time These Days not I but the Lord Jesus the great Prophet of his Church dictates and points out to be the time when many false Christs and Prophets or Teachers of Christianity shall arise who by their applause or excellency of parts and external holiness by which they shall shew forth as it were signs and wonders and gather a Multitude of Disciples Declaring that in such a Meeting be it in Woods or Deserts or in secret Chambers the true way of Christ is to be found deceiving as it were if possible the very Elect. Our Lord teaching us from hence how neer a similitude these new Doctrines shall have to truth and true holiness But be they as Paul or Cephas in the Church or as Angels from Heaven believe them not for as the Lightning comes out of the East and shines even to the West so shall also the glorious coming of the Son of Man be that is as I humbly conceive that his Gospel which at first broke out like Lightning in the East shall in this last Age upon the ruines and through the Clouds of spiritual Babylon dart it self and shine gloriously in our Western Churches even to the Indies that the other parallel Prophesie may be fulfilled by the subjecting and uniting Kingdomes of the Earth unto the Kingdome of the Lord and of his Christ. Let us not then be carried about with every mind of Doctrine but hold fast the Gospel delivered to us by Christ and his Apostles in the Unity of his Spirit and the bond of peace since other Foundation can no Man lay it being a sin so much as to doubt much more to defend that the Fundamentals of our Religion some of which are mentioned by the Author to the Hebrews and received by the Churches in all Ages are not to bind as de futuro as having a possibility upon new notions to be null'd or chang'd which is to make God a lyar to undermine his Church and to pull down the Pillars thereof For if the Foundations be destroyed What shall Nay what can the righteous do Wherefore my humble suit unto our Master-builders is to keep the Foundation unmoveable not permitting a Resurrection to ancient Hereticks before the time that so whatsoever Men build thereon whether it be Gold or Stubble may be brought to the Test in this Fiery Tryal Stand fast therefore Brethren in that liberty wherein Christ hath made us free not making your liberty a Cloak for maliciousness not for an occasion to the Flesh but by love serve one another judging thus of one another that he that loves his brother abides in the light but he that hates his brother whatsoever he may boast of new discoveries walks in darkness and knows not whether he goes Because that darkness hath blinded his eyes and that whatsoever seems to be religious and yet bridles not his Tongue he deceives his own heart and his Religion is vain But that I may not only perswade but offer my Mite I shall in all humility propose a medium which if found agreeable to the Word of God may through the blessing of the Almighty make up the breach and reconcile your greatest difference I conceive you both agree in these particulars That all shall be Members and have right to vote in your Churches from which Votes Women are excepted shall not only be free from just scandal that is prophaness and the impenitent practice of any known Sin but be indowed with a sufficiency of knowledge to which end since your accord in the principles of Religion I hope there will be speedily set forth and establisht one short Catechisme for Information and Examination Next in condescention to the impediments I hear it is mutually resolved that the Government of their respective Members reconciling of inferiour differences and ordering their Conversations even as far as Ordination and the Censure of Excommunication respect being had in Appeals to the Advice and Results of the Classes and Provincial Synods and saving to the Presbyterians their right be ordered by their particular Congregations Thus far we are knit together in one spiritual building and Temple of God The great difference if I understand it is the Tegument and Covering which is indeed the Ornament coupling and strength of the whole Aedifice as where shall rest as to us under the same Scepter the determinative and concluding Power the end of Appeals the regulation of that unlimited Plea and over-much extended liberty of Conscience that so we may be one as Christ and his Father are one this some of you fix in a general Assembly others limit to a particular Congregation The first pleads not only Scripture analogically but prudence for preserving union and preventing of Tumults as also antiquity from the parallel in general Counsels and Parliaments affirming that the other way hath no Grounds in Scripture since Churches were necessarily independant no State being then Christian that this way by reason that our corrupt Nature hath no check is destructive to the Unity of Religion Since according to the number of the Congregations will their Opinions as also pernicious to Common-wealths there being no Fewds so bloody and irreconcileable as those that break out about points of Faith instance in the Warres between Turke and Persian Papists and Protestants in the Lutheran Contestations and Arian Persecutions Lastly They conclude an inconsistency in this way with Relations and Callings disaffection and departure from Bed Board Families and Imployments being experimental consequences of Religious differences On the other side the contracting party affirm
7.14 Act. 16.15.1.33 1 Cor. 1.16 Act. 1.3 Luk. 24.15 Joh. 20.19.26 Act. 2.1 1 Cor. 16.2 Act. 20.7 Rev. 1.10 13. Against those who deny propriety of Goods and Estates Num. 26.52 53. 54. Exod. 10.15.17 Mat. 5.43 Mat. 26.11 1 Tim. 6.17 18. Act. 4.34 35. Act. 5.3 4. 1 Cor. 10.14 2 Thes. 3.11 12. Eph. 4.28 14. Against Reâ—â—tization Rev. 18.4 Heb. 10.29 Joh. 3.4 Luk. 7.30 Heb. 3.12 Mat. 28.19 Gal. 3 2. 3. Gal. 5.19 20 21 22. Gal. 5.15 1 Joh. â— 1â— 2 Tim. 3.13 15. Against Schism and uncharitable Separation from the Church Heb. 10.24 25. Eph. 4.3 4. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 12.27 25 1 Cor. 11.18 19. Jude 17. 18. 19. 1 Cor. 1.10 1 Cor. 3.4 1 Cor. 1.12 13. 1 Cor. 3.5 6. 11. Rom. 16.17 18. Phil. 4.8 The Conclusion of the Speech of the Lord Jesus 9. Joh. 16.27 Phil. 4 8. The Prayer of the Lord Jesus for â—ll his Elect. Joh. 17.11 Joh. 11.42 Joh. 17.3 Joh. 17.11 21. 22. 23. 24. 8. 9. 10. 15.13.17 The Fathers concluding Exhortation and Prayer for his Wife and Children 2 Cor. 13.11 Mal. 2.14 Eph. 5.1 Eph. 3.14 15 16. 17. 18. 19. Heb 13.20 21. Eph. 3.20 21. Heb. 1.1 Rev. 22.6 Luk. 16.31 Act. 20.18 20. 21. 24. 22. Rom. 8.35 38 39. 1 Jo. 4.19 2 Tim. 4.8 Phil. 4.1 3. 1 Tim. 4.8 13. 14. 15. 1 Tim. 4.12 16. 2 Cor. 6.11 12. 13. 2 Cor. 5.16 Act. 20.32 Eph. 1.16 17. 18. 19. Gen. 1.1 Verse 2. Verse 3. Verse 6. Verse 7. Verse 9. Vers. 11. 12. Gen. 1.16 Psal 136.8 Gen. 1.26 Job 41.15 Job 40. Psal. 8.4 Psal. 103.12 Revel 7. Mans misery by his Fall The Souls Created Happiness Psal. 136.2 Acts 17.28 The Divine Gifts of the Soul Gen. 1.26 Of the Body in the Creation Of Mans Fall Gen. 2.8 Gen. 2.16 17. Jude 1.6 The fearful effects of Mans Fall Psal. 51.5 Mat. 6.16 Rom. 7.24 Psal 57.10 Col. 1.16 Eph. 2.4 The Mercies of God the Son in our Redemption John 1.3 Mark 10.45 Hosea 14.4 John 1.5 John 1.11 Mat. 8.20 Luke 2.32 Luke 5.21 Luke 13.34 Joh. 19 15. Num. 16.47 2 Mach. Chap. 3. Heb. 5.10 Luk. 9.56 2 Pet. 2.5 6 7. Numb 16.32 2 King 21.24 Luke 13.34 Luke 20.2 John 9.16 Luke 11.15 Mat. 11.9 Luke 23.34 John 19.30 1 Pet. 2.24 Psal. 116.12 Luk. 2 14. Rev. 5.13 Psal. 3. Psal. 7. Psal 18. Psal. 30. Psal. 34. Psal. 45. Psal. 51. Psal. 52. Psal. 54. Psal. 56. Psal. 57. Psal. 142. Psal. 59. Psal. 60. Psal. 63. Psal. 72. Psal. 92. 1 Pet. 1.2 Rom. 15.16 Rom. 5â— 1 9. 1 Pet. 1.3 Col. 1.6 8. â—â— 27 Rom. 3. â—â— Rom. â— 32 Rom. 5.18 Rom. 8.4 1 Cor. 1.30 Rom. 5.10 Joh. 1.1.25.14 Heb. 1.23 Luk. 2.14 Mat. 22.13 Rom. 13.12 Eph. 5.8.16 Psal. 66.17 Rom. 12.15 1 Cor. 12. Vers. 18. until 28. Ezek. 16.6 1 Cor. 1.30 Heb. 1.14 Psal. 91.11 12. Psal. 107.8 Psal. 148.8 Exod. 14 21. Dan. 3.25.27 Luk 15.21 Psal. 35.10 Psal. 19.2 Gen. 2.18 Psal. 143.7 Rev. 9.1 Psal. 40.3 Isa. 24.17 18. Pro. 23.27 Isa. 30.21 Heb. 12.29 1 King 20.28 2 Cor. 11.26 Psal. 124.4 Job 2.4 Psal. 51.15 Gen. 6.14 15 16. Mat. 8.24 25 26 27. Joh. 3.8 1 Pet. 5.9 Heb. 6.19 Gal. 5.6 Mat. 13.45 46. Psal. 148.7 8. 2 King 20.10 Mat. 14.19 Psal. 36.6 Rom. 6 23. Exod. 16.35 1 Cor. 11.14 Gen. 19.11 2 King 6.18 2 King 7.6 7. Gen. 47.9 Eccles. 6.12 Jam. 4.6 Eph. 6.17 Rom 8.37 Eccl. 1.14 the 12. 8. Psal. 119.96 Mat. 3.16 17. Mat. 4.8 9. Psal. 124.7 Psal. 119.142 â—ccl 11.10 â—osh 9.3 4 5.6 Verse 21.17 Psal. 51.17 Gen. 3.6 Gen. 6.5 Rev. 2.13 Psal 22.22 Cant. 7.12 Cant. 5. â— Cant. 6 9· Cant. 2.6 Cant. 5.1 Cant. 5.1 Psal. 68.13 Jerem. 13.23 Gen. 2.18 Psal. 128. â— Pro. 31.30 Pro. 31.29 Psal. 128.2 6. Gen. 2.21.22 23 24. Psal. 128.3 Hos. 9.14 Gen. 3.16 1 Tim. 2.15 Prov. 19.14 Prov. 18.22 Prov. 31.10 to the end of that Chap. Ephes. 5.32 Gen. 2.22 Joh. 6 44. Rom. 8.28 29 30. 1 Cor. 11.8 9. Joh. 19.34 Eph. 5.32 Eph. 3.18 19. Col. 2.9 10 11 12 13 14 15. Verses Act. 11.26 Jer. 3.24 Dan. 9.14 Tim. 4.8 1 Cor. 1.30 Jer. 23.6 Joh. 10.28 Heb. 8.5 Eph. 5.30 31 32. Gen. 2.21 22 23. Eph. 5 26 27. Gen. 2.21 22 23. 1 Cor. 6.15.10 chap. 12.12 13. Cant. 7.12 1 Joh 4.19 Cant. 1.2 Joh. 6.63 Cant. 2.6 Cant 4.9 Heb. 11.27 Psal. 119.24.103 Cant. 5.16 Cant. 2.2 Cant. 5.1 Cant. 1.12 14. Psal. 25 8. Cant. 3.6 Cant. 1.3 Cant. 3.10 2 Pet. 1 23. Tit. 3.4 5 6. Jam. 1.18 Joh 5.1 Gal. 4.19 Rom. 8.20 2 Cor. 3.10 Eccl. 15.10 2 Pet. 1.4 Joh. 1.12.13 1 Cor. 6.15 16 17. chap. 12.12 13. Eph. 5 30 31. Psal. 45.11 1 Joh. 4.12 15 16. Psal. 84.11 Psal 45 1 3. 1 Cor. 1.30 Zac. 10.20 21. Rom. 6.19.22 2 Tim. 4.8 2 Pet. 1 3. 1 Pet. 5.4 Revel 2.20 Revel 3 21. Cant. 2.16 Revel 5.10 Revel 20.6 Mat 13.43 1 Cor. 15.24 John 4.19 2 Cor. 1.10 Rom. 8.28 Gen. 3. Mat. 12.25 1 Cor. 13 7· Rom. 8.28 Rom. 5.20 Psal. 107.34 Gen. 3.27 Deut. 28.23 Ezek. 14.21 Luk. 13.7 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 1.7 1 Joh. 5.8 John 7.38 Gen. 1.2 Psal. 65.2 Soul A Dialogue between the Soul and Mercy Mercies Answer Gen. 9.12 13 14 15 16 17. vers Gen. 7.11 This Drought was continued three Summers and was every Summer relieved with Rain Act 27.24 Rev 12.10 Hes. 2.14 15. Col. 1.20.2.14 Heb. 7.25 Chap. 10.22 Rom. 5.17 18. 2 Cor. 5.21 1 Cor. 1.30 Col. 3.3 Joh. 10.28 Col. 3.4 Sing this to the Tune of the 100. Psalm Isa. 28.1 Jonah 4.6 7. Gen. 3.17 Gen. 6.5 6 7. Mat. 24.7 Luk. 5 31. 1 Joh. 1.7 1 Cor. 15.26 54 55 56. Joh. 10.28 Joh. 11.25 26. 1 Cor. 10.4 Gen. 2.17 Rom 5.12 17. Heb. 9.27 Psal. 65 2. Jer. 8.22 Dan. 3.25 Exod. 31.2 Isay 27.9 Psal. 119.75 Deut. 15.21 Exod. 28.38 Mat. 3.17 Mat. 9.12 Isa. 35.6 Psal. 8.4 Cant. 2.6 Rom. 5.8 Meditation upon my Surfet Meditation upon my inclination to a Consumption Meditation upon my Plurisie The Night before my Cure was a Night of Thunder and Lightning 1 Joh. 1.7 Meditation upon his two Agues Mat. 8.12 Psal. 34.6 Jonah 2.2 Phil. 2.12 Psal. 69.9 1 Cor. 15.5 4. Eccl â— 2 Heb. 9.27 1 Cor. 15.31 Luk. 16 22 23. Rev. 2.17 Mat. 22.11 12. Luk. 15.22 1 Cor. 15.54 1 Cor. 15.54 Judg 14.8 1 Cor. 15.53 Psal. 93.3 4. Gen. 41.12 3 4. Psal. 93.1 2. Deut. 32 39. Psal. 68.20 Psal. 148.23.8.11 12. Exod. 9.8 Exo. 12.29 30. Exod. 34.6 7. Exod. 33.19 Jam. 1.5 Mark 4.25 Esay 8.14 Exod. 8 22. Chap. 9.26 Exod. 10.23 Colos. 4.15 Josh. 7.1 5. 2 Sam. 21.1 2 Sam. â—4 1â— 15. 1 Sam. 5.1 3 5. Numb 16.1.31 32 46 47 48 49. 2 Sam. 24 1. Isa. 5.1 Deut. 31. 19 21 22. Exod. 15.1 Jud. 5.12 2 Sa. 22.1 Psal. 28.7 Psal. 33.3 Caâ—t 1.1 Rev. 9.9 Rev. 14.3 1 King 4.32 Eph. 5.19 Colos. 3.16 Gen. 3.39 Gen. 3.17 Gen. 3 1â— Numb 16.31.32 33. Gen. 7.20.21 22 23. Numb 25.9 Gen. 19.24 25. Isa. 30.33 2 Pet. 3.7 10. 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Chro. 5.13 14. Act. 6.15 Phil. 3.21 Col. 3.4 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Cor. 6.16 Rom. 7.24 Psal. 19.2 Psal. 91.10 11 12. Heb. 1.14 Eccl. 1.7.3 Chap. 2.23 Chap. 1.3 10. Chap 4 4. Gen. 3.10 Heb. 9.27 Gen. 3.12 1 Tim. 2.14 Mat. 17.21 Rom 6.21 23. Rom. 6.22 23. Col. 1.27 Dan. 9.8 9. Psal. 91.2 Mat. 25.24 Rom. 8.32 Ja. 1.5 Psal. 23 3. Ezek. 20.9 Dan. 6 22. Dan 4 27. Jon 2 10. Exo. 14.21 22. Job 5.7 2 Sam. 16.3 4. 2 Sam. 4.5 6. 2 Sam. 3.27 2 Kin. 8.15 2 Sa. 20.9 10. 2 Sa. 13.28 29. Judg. 4.21 Esth. 1.19 Chap. 3.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Chap. 7.10 Esth. 9.26 Rom. 8.28 Joh. 8.7 Deut. 15.17 Psal. 34.10 Isa. 3.18 Vers. 19 20 21 22 23. Dan. 4.30 31 32 33 34. Act. 12.23 Luk 2.1 1 King 9.30 Mar. 6.17 18 19 Jud. 16.5 18. Act. 25.23 2 Sam. 14.26 Mat. 25.14 15 19. Rom. 6.23 2 King 4.40 Wiâ—d 17.12 1 Cor. 1.24 30. Psal. 45.7 1 Joh. 2.27 Mat. 9.12 Psal. 66.16 Joh. 8.44 Gen. 3.17 Gen. 4.7 Gen 3.5 Pro. 11.24 Judg. 5.25 Judg. 4.21 2 Sa. 13 28 29. Esth 7.9 1â—8 Rev. 17.4 2 Kin. 4.40 41. Act. 2â— 3 4. Mar. 16.18 Cant. 5.2 Exod. 25.6 Exod. 30.25 Psal. 45.7 Simson's Church Histo. page 394. 2 King 19 37. 2 King 11.20 1 King 2.29 30 34. Psal. 6.43 Psal. 141.3 Mat. 10.29 30. Esth. 2.16 17. 1 Sam. 19.13 Judg. 10.4 Judg. 8.30 Isa 56.3 Hos. 9 14. 1 Sam. 1.7 10. Gen. 30.1 Gen. 15.1 2. Gen. 15.5 Gen. 22.17 Gen. 46.8 Vnto Vers. 28. Ruth 4.11 Psal 14.12 Psal. 128.3 4. Gen. 17.7 Psal. 116.12 Act. 2.27 Act. 3.14 Rev. 7.4 Psal. 87.5 6. Mat. 16.26 Gen. 1.26 27. Col. 1.12 Cor. 3.18 Rev. 2.17 Act. 11.26 Isay 8.18 Col. 4.15 Psal. 90.1 Gen 15.2 Psal. 127.4 5. Psal. 11.3 6. Psal. 127.3 Joh. 8.36 2 Cor. 4.16 Eph. 4.23 Rom. 6.4 Job 1.21 Eccl 9.1 2. Mat. 7 1 2. Job 43.7 8. Psal. 35.11 16. 1 Sam. 22.8 1 Cor. 4 5. Psal. 37.6 1 Tim. 6.17 Prov. 2.3 5. Job â— 1â— Psal. 119.75 Mat. 16.26 1 Sam. 24.7 8. Dan. 6.23 Dan. 3.27 1 King 17.6 Joh. 4.8 Deut. 19.1 Isa. 43.2 Job 5.9 Psal. 91. throughout Psal. 126.13 Gen. â— throughout Gen. 3.17 Psal. 148.6 Eccl. 1.14 2 King 6.14 15 16 17. Rom. 8.15 Gal. 5.1 Mar. 10.30 2 Cor. 4.1 17. 2 Cor. 5.1 2. 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Luke 12.32 Psal. 113.5 Mar. 10.30 Job 14.14 Gen. 25.22 Mal. 1.3 Gen. 45.24 Eph. 4.6 Rom. 12.1 1 Cor. 13.4 Gal. 5.22 mat 11.29 Joh. 13.34 35. 1 Cor. 6.5 6. 7. 10. mat 24.12 Vers. 7.10 Vers. 11. 24. Vers. 26. 24. Verse 27. Gal. 1. â— 2 Cor. 11.13 Rev. 11.15 Eph. 4.14 Eph. 4.3 1 Cor. 3.11 Rom. 14.23 Heb. 6.1 Psal. 12.3 1 Cor. 3.12 Gal. 5.1.13 1 Joh. 2.9.1 Jam. 1.16 1 Cor. 14.34 2 Tim. 2.11 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Cor. 6.14 17 Eph. 2.21 Joh 17.21 Exod. 2.13 Gen. 13 8 Mat. 11.25 Col. 4.15 Rom. 16.5 Compare Rom. 16.16 with the Postscript of that Epistle Act. 1.15.23 Act. 21.22 Mat. 28.20 2 Cor. 15. v. 12 13 14. Mat. 18.17
own Proclamation He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance as also that Prophesie of his Office That he should be a light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide their erring Feet into the ways of peace Since then my Lord the King I have ten parts in thee and thou art Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh. Since thou tookest not on thee the nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham that thou mightest be as a mercifull High Priest so a true and natural head of thy Body the Church that King that shall reign in righteousness and whom God hath set upon his holy Hill of Zion Let me finde favour in thy sight and be inrolled as one of thy Servants Let thy glorious Scepter moderate me and let me be acknowledged one of thy Subjects Then shall I sit under my own Vine and my own Fig-tree then shall I be truly happy yea my Soul shall be filled as with marrow and fatness for what King is like unto thee in all the Earth The Walls and Rampiers of a Common-wealth are good Laws by which as by a fortified horn-work or Cyttadel the good are preserved and the enemy hindered and repulsed Is this an approved truth How happy and how safe then is the Flock of Christ the Monarchie of the Messias the Common-wealth of Christians the spiritual Jerusalem to whom that promise is made good as signifying the presence and righteous government of our Emanuel That the Lord will be unto her a Wall of Fire round about and will be the glory in the middest of her The Statutes of other People are but the weak inventions of Men. But the Ordinances by which we are swayed are the words of holiness of wisdome even of the Lord himself So that no desirable quality can be wanting in such Laws wherein exact justice and religious policy kiss each other So that to us now made one Church with the believing Jews may those gracious speeches of Moses be applyed Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding People For what Nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as his Laws which he hath set before us or who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Yea he loved his People all his Saints are in his hand they sate down at his feet every one shall receive of his words For the Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from Mount Paran and he came with ten thousand of Saints from his right hand went a firery Law for them The Heathen gave no small honour to Antiquity as supposing it had something in it of Divinity and therefore they would willingly forget the Original both of themselves and of their Laws that to after Ages they might set upon them the stamp of a Deity What they affected vainly we must affirm truly both of our selves and Laws For the proof of the first we have not only a sure word viz. that God made Man of the dust of the Earth after his own Image and breathed into his Nostrils the breath of life But also the witness of their own Poets honourably backt by an Apostle In Him we live move and have our beeing for we are his off-spring For the other I will not only say what Laws but what Learning exprest in characters can be voucht so ancient as the Penteteuch of Moses Wherein observe not only our Laws of venerable Antiquity but also most clear manifest and undeniable proofs and demonstrations of their Divine fluence and constitution As the burning and quaking of the Mount Sinai the summons of the Heavenly Trumpet the visible presence of the Lord God like consuming Fire on the top of the Mount But above all the audible voice of God pronouncing those ten words by which we are governed as containing his whole will and our whole duty Lastly all these wonders are not confirmed unto us by the bare witness of Moses only although he being Gods Pen-man had been sufficient but as then six hundred thousand souls were Auditors and Spectators so ever since that whole Nation and now the Universal Church do receive believe and reverently obey them as the undoubted truth of God and rule of holiness Now that these happy Laws recorded in the whole Book of God are not only the first ancientest and therefore the foundation original and fountain of all other constitutions but also the best and holiest as being the lively Oracles of prudence and sanctifie it self appears first by the matter which is perfect according to that sweet Psalmist The Law of the Lord that is the whole Word of God is perfect If perfect then free from all carnal imperfections Here 's no Political winking at the least or at some commodious offences nor hiding places for any sinner nor exception and prerogative for Kings and Princes The wilely head of Man cannot invent sins without its precinct neither can the critical wits of Atheists or worldly wretches blemish it with the least aspersion of injustice or severity So that as there is in them no defect so no redundancy being profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness That the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good works Further as they are perfect so are they sure so that holy Singer The Testimonies of the Lord are sure makeing wise the simple The Ordinances of the World are subject to change as being the inventions of unconstant Man and not only in their frame and substance but also in their number construction and execution So that true experimental wisdome can never be learned from them But the Laws of God as flowing from an everlasting and wise essence who is without change or shadow of change admits of no alteration mis-interpretation sleeping or repeal And therefore teaches a Man wisdome a priori in the cause of punishment Sin So Solomon A prudent Man fore-sees the evil and hides himself Again The Commandement is a Lamp and the Law is light and reproofs of instruction the way of life In the last place let holy David as he began to prove this truth so conclude it even upon his own experience Through thy Commandements thou hast made me wiser than my Enemies for they are ever with me I have more understanding than all my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my Meditation Again as the Laws of God are sure and perfect so they are right as sings the same Prophet The Statutes of the Lord are right And can there be a greater excellency since the justice of a Law is the sinnues thereof they binding but so far forth as they are righteous Who is there then amongst the Rulers of the Earth that in
an Apprehension of Death The Reprieve folio 389 Vpon God's great Goodness and Bounty in giving him Sixteen Children by one and his only Wife The Bee-Hive folio 428 D Drowning Drought Dead Corps Câ—ncerning this Deliverance Three several times from Drowning The Tempest folio 359 The Angler folio 360 Vpon a great Drought and the Answer of Prayer in the Removal thereof Three Teaâ—â—â— successively viz. in the Teares 1637 1638 1639. The Lamentation folio 384 The Application and Petition folio 385 The Shower of Mercy folio 386 Vpon his sight of a dead Corps Earth's Jubilee folio 386 The Thanksgiving folio 387 The Tryumph folio 398 The Circle folio 399 E Evils of Diseases Viz. Surfeit Consumption Coughs Plurisie Agues c. Vpon his Recovery from a Surfeit from a Consumption from a Cough from a Plurisie and from Two dangerous Agues and other Diseases The Bethesda folio 393 F Fire Vpon God's preservation of his Houses Eleven times when aâ— Fire from being burnt or much dammaged The Extinguisher folio 406 G Gift Gain Vpon God's 〈…〉 goodness in giving him an Estate of above 3000. Pounds a Year and upon his Mercy in ordering the loss thereof to his much greater gain The Royal Exchange folio 432 H Horse Concerning his Recovery from several Hurts received by a Fall from his Horse in his Youth Youths Embleme folio 352 Concerning his Preservation from any harm by Eight other several Falls from his Horse The Octonary folio 353 I Infection Vpon God's gracious Preservation of his Horses and Stock from Infection in Years of a great Rot and Murrane The Shambles folio 403 K Killing Vpon GOD's Preserving him from Killing or being Kill'd in his Lodgings in Sommerset-House through a mistake The Invisible Guard folio 414 L Life Vpon God's gracious Preservation of him and his Families Life and Health in Years of great Sickness and Mortality The Protection folio 400 M Marriage Mistery Concerning the great and holy Mistery held forth in God's Ordinance of Marriage Epithelamium folio 378 N Noctious Disease of the small Pox. Vpon God's gracious deliverance of Him and his Wife Ten times from the Danger and Infection of that noctious Disease the small Pox when it broke out in their respective Families The House of Correction folio 418 O Oversight Vpon God's gracious preserving many Persons of his Family from being hurt or kill'd by the careless oversight of a Servant discharging a Gun laden with Bullets in the Room Providence folio 425 P Plague 〈…〉 from the Infection of the Plague The Antidote folio 351 Q Quarry-Pit Concerning his being preserved from falling Horse and Man into a deep Quarry-Pit in the Night The Pitt folio 357 R Robbers Concerning his deliverance from Robbers when Way-laid by them The Rescue folio 365 S Spider Vpon God's preservation of Him and his Wife from poisoning by a great Spider found at the bottom of their Cup. The Preservative folio 421 T Travel Concerning his deliverance in his Travel and Return to his House from being Smothered as others then were in a great Snow The Snowy Land-Skip folio 362 V Vices Concerning God's gracious preservation of Him from the Vices of the Times when left young without an Over-seer in the City of London The Metropolis folio 370 W Wife Concerning God's gracious providence and goodness to Him in the gift of a good Wife The good Wife folio 374 AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE Of the Significant Titles prefixt to the several Poems with their respective Folioes for the more ready finding and turning to any of them A folio 351 THe Antidote folio 360 The Angler· B folio 333 The Bethesda C folio 399 The Circle folio 418 The House of Correction D folio 410 The Deliverance E folio 378 The Epithelamium folio 406 The Extinguisher folio 432 The Royal Exchange F  G folio 414 The Invisible Guard H folio 355 The Hurricane folio 428 The Bee-Hive I folio 386 Earths Jubilee K  L folio 362 The Snowy Landskip folio 384 The Lamentation M folio 370 The Metropolis N folio 348 The New-Birth O The Octonary folio 353 P The Pit folio 357 The Petition folio 385 The Protection folio 400 The Preservative folio 421 The Providence folio 425 Q  R The Remembrancer folio 349 The Rescue folio 365 The Reprieve folio 389 S The Shower of Mercy folio 386 The Shambles folio 403 T The Tempest folio 359 The Tipe and Anti-Tipe folio 379 The Thanksgiving folio 386 The Triumph folio 387 V folio 398 The Vmphire folio 381 W The good Wife folio 374 X  Y Youths Emblem folio 352 The ERRATAES of the Press which the Courteous Reader is desired to amend PAge 357. Line 26 for went wert p. 361. l. 23. f. in into p. 364. l. 11. f. Temple Tempe p. 366. Mar. f. Eclet Ephes. p. 368. l. 4. f. Meadoes Meanders l. 26. f and subjects of fit subjects for p. 369. l. 30. f. time true p. 372. l. 7. f. by but. l. 35. f. comfort consort p. 373. l. 28. f. be by p. 374. l. 33. f. fild foild p. 376. l. 26. f. and Ar. p. 379. l. 6. f. t was twins p. 381. l. 24. f. commenting Cementing p. 382. l. 22. f. draugt drought l. 25. f. Affection Affliction l. 33. f. this his p. 364. l. 33. f. for or l. 34. f. Hive Huwe p. 386. l. 5. f. wings winds l. 11. f. World would l. 31. f. morning mourning p. 387. l 6. f. feaversh feaverish l. 16. f. Health Heath p. 388. l. 16. f. preluge prelude p. 390. l. 23. f. disasters distempers p. 399. l. 3â— f. Chinicke Chimicke p. 403. Mar. f. Gen. Lamon p. 406. l. 4. f. varest rarest l. 31. f. downe downie p. 410. Maâ— f. Ecletias 1.7.3.1.3.7.8 f. Genes 10 Genes 19. p. 411. l. 28. leave out O. p. 416. l. 30. f. shakes shales p. 419. l. 5. f. your you p. 424. Mar. f. Psal. 6.43 Psal. 64.3 p. 427. Mar. f. Gen 15. â—7 Gen. 15.5 f. Gen. 22. p. Gen. 22.17 f. Gen. 46. Gen. 16. â— p. 430. Mar. f. Job 43. Job 42. p. 432. l. 14. f thinges Changes NOAH'S Dove OR AN EPISTLE OF PEACE Directed to his Intirely affected Brethren The PRESBYTERIAN AND CONGREGATIONAL MEN As a Probable means for their Agreement and Union IMPRIMAT Joseph Carill LONDON Printed for T. W. for Ed. Husband Printer for the House of Commons 1645. NOAH'S Dove OR AN EPISTLE OF PEACE Directed to his Entirely affected Brethren the Presbiterians and Congregational-men as a probable means for their Agreement and Union Sincerely Beloved I Have read of Two Children contending in the Womb of their Mother the one beloved the other hated but ye are both Jacob's both the Israel of God O far be it from such Brethren to rend and lacerate their Mothers bowels or to fall out in the way Are we not one Body and have we not all one spirit