ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Strive by a Holy imitation to follow the Example of thy Lord and Master who was meek and lowly in Heart and envied no Man Matt. 11.29 Christ loved all respectively For Love envieth not 1 Cor. 13.4 If we love for the sake of him who first loved us we shall never be perplexed for any competent Blessings he in his good pleasure bestows but should rather wish them greater We shall wash off that guilt of undervaluing others and abandon that presumption of over-rating our selves and this sort of Ambition which acts contrary to these Remedies reigns only in the Dominion of the Envious 2. THE Meek Moses was so free from Pride and Ambition that he reprehended those that Envied for his sake and wisht that all God's People could Prophesie and besought the Lord that he would put His Spirit upon them Num. 11.29 Discipline thy self in God's School for there is the best and safest cure of Emulation It was a Paradox to David Psal. 73.16 Vntil saith he I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end There thou mayst learn not to value Transitory things too much to consider well his Hand which setteth up and pulleth down To refer all thy Desires to the advancement of his Glory and humbly to acknowledge and in a high manner express thy thankfulness for those favours of Providence he hath conferred on thee having the possession of these thoughts thou mayest quite Banish Envy 3. NEXT consider where thou placest thy Enmity The Psalmist found in the Sanctuary that his Enemies were not to be Envyed Surely said he thou didst set them in slippery places Thou castedst them down to Destruction Psal. 73.18 Let not this Memento flip out of thy Mind That God mixeth Bitter with Sweetness to all in this Life One hath great Riches but no Child to enjoy it nor perhaps a generous Heart to make use of those goods of Fortune God hath been pleased to bestow upon him Another is in perfect Bodily Health but his Soul may be sick unto Death Others contrive and hoard up Wealth but with such a seared Conscience that the poorest Saint is incomparably more happy Another is advanced to Honours perhaps only to make his Fall the greater Another in divers respects may be very Prosperous in the Eye of the World but may resemble the Moon who is most tenebrous towards Heaven when she Illuminates the Earth So it is with Man very observable that the greater Lustre they shine with in the Eye of the World the more despicable they are in the sight of Heaven for God abhorreth all those Pomps and Vanities and layeth up such severe Judgments for the Owners that a Soul in the midst of Torments is as proper an Object of Envy as the glittering Shadows who are hasting thither 4. O let us not forget then that we are Brethren Members of one Body whereof Christ Jesus is the Head therefore let us with all Gentleness and Meekness take St. Paul's advice Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a Man be over-taken in a Fault restore such a one in the Spirit of Meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Let us support one another through Love and mutually rejoice at each others Happiness and by these means we shall cast away the works of Darkness Strife and Envy CHAP. XIII Of Impatience IMPATIENCE is a Distemper of the Mind proceeding from several Causes as Indignation Anger Envy Sorrow apprehension of Injuries Affliction deluded Hopes and the like As the diseased Body cannot endure Heat or Cold so an impatient and discontented Mind cannot comply with Prosperity or Adversity Every present Estate seemeth uneasie wanting a true relish to make it palatable it is not only a Guilt but a Punishment of the Sin of Ingratitude against God Therefore the Almighty threatned to send them trembling Hearts Sorrow of Mind and pendulous Thoughts and Fears Deut. 28.65 66 67. In the Morning thou shalt say would God it were Evening and at Even thou shalt say would God it were Morning 2. SICK of this wayward Distemper was he who being at Rome lik'd Tyber best but when at Tyber gave Rome the Preference the sick Person shifteth Rooms and Beds as the wounded Hart flieth from Brake to Brake but can find no ease whilst the fatal Arrow that Messenger of Death sticks fast in his side So it is observable Malecontents waver between contempt of the present and vain hopes of the future But Coelum non animum mut at he transmueth the Air not his Mind that crosseth the Ocean Wherever thy Progress is thy Mind bears thee company and according to its Malignancy a proportionable Remedy must be applied 3. TRIVIAL matters doth not perturb the the Healthy but a small Accident discomposeth the Sick The sound and strong Man can rest any where but to the infirm a Bed of Gold or Wood produces the same ease and a rich Palace or a poor Cottage affords him equality of rest So it is observable a fixed and stable Mind will rest contented any where he is become a Proficient and can say with St. Paul I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be Content Phil. 4.11 And a Mind so serene and calm is Health to the Sick Enlargement to the Prisoner and far excells a Kingdom to the Possessor whereas the impeteous Mind is troubled and discomposed with every trifle I do well said pievish Jonah to be angry even unto death Jonah 4.9 And all this Morosety was but for a poor Gourd when at that juncture he ought to have been more concerned at so many thousand Lives which were near Destruction 4. TO cure this no Cataplasm Externally applyed can afford any Operation but it must be a Catholicon Internally used which must purge the Mind of these Malignant Perturbations which disaffect it and to strengthen it by a right Informatioâ— of the Understanding and rectifying thâ— distempered Affections untill the Mind enjoy a Calm of Patience And indeed Patience is a Magnanimous Vertue and attended with a Train of â—piritual Qualifications First It is Afflictions Cordial and Despair Antidote the Daughter and Nurse of Hope Rom. 8.25 And the Saints Communioâ— with Christ Rev. 1.9 It is the way to thâ— Inheritance Heb. 12.1 The Seal of Salvâ—tion 2 Pet. 1.10 A Symptome of Faitâ— and Hope in Christ 1 Thess. 1.3 Patiencâ— is an Equanimity in bearing Adversity anâ— a Fruit of Charity And the Apostle giâ—â— you this Certificate That the Fruit of thâ— Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gaâ— 5.22 And Charity suffereth long 1 Cor. 13.4 5. IMPATIENCE is a Perturbation of the Mind a Self-corroding Tormenting bitterness of the Soul proceeding from Impotency or Levity of Mind A secret contest with and repining at the Providence of God It is the absurdity of Rich Men and the vexation of the Poor The Mother of Despair and sad fury of the Internal
our promised Rest Exod. 14.21 22. CHAP. VIII Of Anger and Malice ANGER is an Appetite of punishing any Injuries Received or Conceived The product is Malice which is inveterate Anger The Fruit of it is Revenge or at least a well-wisher to it but being weak it becomes vain The Accomplices are Hatred and Envy which shews an abhorrency to any thing which displeases our querulous Palate for we think every thing though good and never so well performed to be evil because we may have an Antipathy to the party that transacts them 2. ANGER is an Amarulency embittering the Soul A turbulent Passion an usurped Power deposing the Sovereignty of right Reason It is a Spiritual infernal Fire the Souls Tyrant the seed of Malice and an Enemy to good Council It s Rage is a Precursor of Destruction Ruin and Desolation a Companion of Misery and the Souls Precipice This Affection is of so high a concernment that some have writ whole Tracts upon this Subject But my design in this Treatise is only to consider the Government of the Mind and Thought in relation to the service of God With some Rules of practice for the better performance of it 3. THERE is an impious and fooolish Anger whereof Christ said Mat. 5.22 Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment And St. Paul advises us Col. 3.8 with this friendly Exhortation But now put off all these anger wrath malice c. And the Wise man Philosophically informs you that a stone is heavy and the sand weighty but a fools wrath is heavier than both And he gives you further notice that wrath is cruel and anger outragious Prov. 27.3 4. An Example of which we have in Gen. 4.5 When Cain committed that Fratricide upon Abel Furthermore Solomon the chief Anatomizer of Anger and Dissecter of that Passion affirms that an angry man stirreth up strife and a foolish man aboundeth in transgressions Prov. 29.22 And Eliphaz the Temanite when he reproved Job for Cursing the day of his Birth admonish'd him in this Phrase that Wrath killeth the foolish man and Envy slayeth the Silly one 4. THERE is a good Anger such as was in Moses Exod. 16.20 Phinehas Numb 25.7 And Nehemiah Nehem. 5.6 Without which there can be no Zeal For Stoical Apathie agreeth not with true Religion Observe what a Bee is without is sting nothing but a Drone even such is man which cannot or will not be angry Some anger is necessary which the holy Spirit mentions Ephes. 4.26 Be ye angry and sin not let not the Sun go down upon your wrath There is such use of this Souls Fire that the inward man cannot subsist without it But the skill is how to reduce it to practice It must be as the Celestial Fire wherewith the Sacrifice was to be offered which we may discern by these Three Distinctions First It is Incensed only against Sin and that which any way displeaseth God and Obstructeth his Service Secondly It Launcheth out only upon some particular Causes and Occasions but not Unadvisedly Thirdly It goeth like that Burning Lamp between the pieces of Abraham's divided Sacrifice Gen. 15.17 That is between the Person and the Offence proportionably loving the one and hating the other This being without Gall and Bitterness but zealous in opposition to evil For it is sin not to be angry with Sin 5. THIS Affection is an Excellent Subservant to the Mind exciting the Faculties it is Fortitudes Incentive and Zeals Natural heat it is Modesties Centinel and Temperances Guardian And doth by an Excellent Allay of Pleasure Contract the Dilated Heart and Mind with some unpleasing but profitable Austerities which otherwise would be exposed to dangerous and wicked Temptations CHAP. IX Rules of Practice concerning Anger and Malice IN every Apprehension of injury look up to God and say with David when Shimei cursed him Let him Curse for the Lord hath bidden him 2 Sam. 16.11 Consider if thou hast not offended thy Maker and provoked him to Excite Enemies against thee if upon thy Inquest thou findest out the Sin thou standest guilty of hasten and make thy Peace betimes with him Think not thy self Competent for greater Matters and all others Inferiour to thee That Pride is like Tinder in the Heart where every Spark is apt to foment Indignation and kindle Anger 's Fire Be ever Composed rather to bear an Injury than to Retaliate it Indeed it is grievous to suffer but it is dangerous to requite it Seeing God saith Vengeance is mine Deut. 32.35 2. MAKE a right use of all injuries Let them be as so many Exercises to thy Wisdom Meekness and Patience And then thine Enemy shall study to be thy Friend So that thou mayst express that with Verity which Demosthenes affirmed but Ironically at his sentence of Banishment Thy Enemies are so Courteous that it is a very hard task to find anywhere so good Friends Be angry with Evil and imitate the Example of Moses the meekest man who was so provoked with the Idolaters that he expos'd many of them to the Sword Exod. 32.19 Basil fitly compared this anger to a Dog which Barks at Strangers chases away Wolves and other Instruments of Evil but forgets not to fawn on his Master 3. SUFFER not Anger to be of a long Duration lest it Engender into Malice but take St. Paul's advise Eph. 4.26 Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give place to the Devil As he must do who sleeps with his Anger which indeed is the Devils Anvil on which he Forgeth his Mischiefs When we compose our Bodies to rest we commonly secure our Fire from doing any harm and why should we be so Negligent of that Precious Part the Soul as to sleep with this fire of Hell in our Bosoms We are ignorant when we close our Eyes whether we shall ever open 'em in this World or have any time to agree with our Adversary before we appear at the great Tribunal 4. ACT nothing in furious Anger but endeavour to allay it A Prudent Man will not put to Sea in a Storm but will wait in Expectation of fair Weather So in Anger we must expect Calm Affections before we can act any thing prudently We have a frequent Proverb and not unfit here to be used that a hasty man can never want Wo And Solomon furnishes us with many pertinent to our Purpose Eccles. 7.9 Be not hasty in thy Spirit to be angry And Prov. 12. 16. A Fools wrath is presently known and he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife Prov. 15.18 And St. James gives this candid advice in his Epistle Chap. 1.19 That we should be slow to speak slow to wrath 5. THAT Advice was good which the Philosopher Prescribed to Caesar When you are angry answer not untill you have first Repeated the Letters of the Alphabet By that time the Choler being a little digested his Judgment might be Recollected whose suddain Excursion out
thy heavy Displeasure lest I am utterly Consumed Let thy Corrections work in me a true sense and detestation of all my Sins a filial fear to offend thee and a fixed resolution to love and serve thee more carefully for the future To this end I humbly beseech thee give me assurance of my Justification by Christs Righteousness my attonement with thee and such a peace of Conscience as the world can never give nor take from me that I may adore thee above all and render thee a sincere thankfulness for all thy Mercies Temporal and Eternal Entertaining always in my Heart that assurance of my Saviour who suffered such great great things for me that he will not suffer me to fall under any of Satans Conflicts 3. LORD Sanctifie all my Afflictions to me by thy good Spirit Cast out of my Soul all those Sins and Corruptions which lye lurking to betray me to Ruin Let the sum and height of my Ambition be only to be thine give me a prudent and contented Heart in every estate and condition a faithful dependance on thy Good Providence in assurance that thou who hast promised will never fail me nor forsake me that in every Affliction I may expect thy gracious Deliverance Give me Patience and meekness of Spirit that I may in the midst of all my troubles find rest to my Soul Let not my Heart be fixed on Transitory things but on things which are above where Christ my Peace sitteth at thy right hand making Intercession for me 4. CHASE from me all Impatience bitterness of Spirit Diffidence and the secret Murmurings of Flesh and Blood Let thy Holy Spirit the Comforter dwell in me to keep and counsel me in all affairs and interests Spiritual and Temporal Let his joyful Presence so sweeten all those Marahs of Affliction which thy Providence shall appoint in my way to the Promised rest O let me ever rejoice in thee and in every Estate live cheerfully before thee untill thou in thy good pleasure bring me unto the fulness of eternal Joys in thy blessed Presence where thou wilt wipe away all Tears from my Eyes Make me glad with the light of thy Countenance and unite me to that Triumphant Society of Saints and Angels which in perfect Harmony Sing their Halelujahs to thee Eternally through Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen CHAP. XVI Of Hope HE is not living in the World that is void of Hope The Child hopes to arrive to Manhood the Aged to linger out a Year longer The Poor hopes for Wealth the Sick for Health The Imprisoned for Liberty And the Afflicted that Joy may be the Scene of the Morning Hope induces the Husband-Man to Sow and Manure his Ground the weary Traveller to endure his tedious Ways and the Experienced Swimmer to spread his tyred Arms upon the Death-threatning Waves Thus is the whole Span of Man's Life Employed in Suffering and Hoping 2. BUT in Hopes there 's a vast difference As for Example the Human vain Hope is of all others the most pernicious Such a Hope is but the Denomination of an uncertain Good 't is a treacherous Guide leading to desperate Precipices the Ignis fatuus of the Mind and the Waking Man's Dream It was the Tempters Artifice first to assail Man's Innocency with vain hope grounded on a lying Promise without this flash of Vanity Satan had never gain'd so many Vassals Imprimis He sheweth the forbidden Fruit and in a wicked Elegancy Preached this Doctrin In the day ye Eat thereof ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 Thus was unhappy man caught by this alluring Bait. 3. SO he Accosted the Second Adam the Lord of Glory when he represented to him the Kingdoms and Glory of the World Matth. 4.8 Satan still makes it is his Business to give us a Prospect of false Heavens to precipitate us into a true Hell suggesting vain hopes that he might deprive us of the real There is none commits the least sin but a Train of vain Hopes attends it Several instances we have as in Cain's Murder Amnons Lust Judas's Treason or Achitophel's Despair The Sinner many times hopes for some other product of his Resolutions than from the Sin he transacts 4. THE worst have not lost their hopes of some good but all their wishes are in vain For the hopes of the Wicked are often frustrated but the Justice of the most just Judge cannot We must expect from Reason's Providence and when Time's Glass is fully run there must be something future all which carries the face of Goodness yet so flattering a Liberty is Self-hopes that every man especially the Juvenile who are least acquainted with Fascination and Constant Inconstancy of the World relying much on hope and depending little on Memory promise themselves great things But when the Malignants Sing Requiems to their Souls sudden Destruction is the more terrible in its assault by Reason it poured upon them unsuspectedly The Hypocrites hope shall perish their hope shall be Sorrow of Mind Job 11.20 5. AND truly such is Worldly Confidence in an Evil Conscience However it may appear to have purchased thee A Covenant with death and an Agreement with Hell Isai. 28.15 yet it will deceive thee However it fawns and promises long Life and vigour in an Arm of Flesh and the vain Councels of Men raising thy Hopes to high Flights yet they are but Phantasms of deluded Men and create an Eruption in the midst of their full Career delivering up their Mind to dangerous Convulsions and by the Ascent is cast down from so high a Pinacle as renders the Fall the more desperate How often do despairing Wretches wish they had never hoped when the vanity of it is plainly Demonstrated like Pharoah's Chariot-Wheels they fall off where they are most deeply engaged between Floods of returning Miseries Exod. 14.25 6. NOW I come to shew you there is a hope of the Righteous which never fails this is a prudent Expectation of future Happiness fulfilling of his Promises who is Yea and Amen both in this Life and that which is to come This is a Vertue infused into our Hearts by Gods Holy Spirit who cannot deceive as the Psalmist confirms it Psal. 31.24 Be of good Courage and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord. The Eye of the Lord is upon them Psal. 33.18 And they trust in him who will certainly perform his Promise And thrice happy are they in whom the Lord taketh pleasure their Expectation shall be Gladness 7. SOLOMON says They have hope in death Prov. 14.33 And the Apostle tells you they are saved thereby Rom. 8.24 Hopes in any Creature may be frustrated but hope in God maketh not ashamed for he is good to all them that trust in him Lam. 3.24 25. This hope is not Humane or Conjectural liable to Fraudulency but Theologically grounded on the infallible Word of God in whom is only our Confidence Psal. 119.81 Now the Object of this Hope is what
occasion to vex at the Levity and Vanity of thy own Mind If it be just what is the monstrous Object of thy Hatred and Malice Assure thy self the Adulteress is unhappy enough and there is no Creature on Earth more despicable and odious nor no Sin in this Life accompanied with so many varieties of Plagues and Judgments so that indeed they are great Objects of Pity if all these wretched Ingredients can render them to be so as a wounded Conscience the Devil 's Earnest to the Impenitent and assurance of Hell and Damnation 8. IN the next place my address shall be to those in whom there is occasion of Suspicion And first Let Man himself consider how odious Adultery is and out of all measure sinful for he sinneth against his own Body defileth the Temple of the Holy Ghost Cor. 6.18 19. and pierceth through his own Bowels with a Dart of Rottenness Prov. 7.23 And that which will render him in the end mournful But beyond all this in case of Impenitency which the stubborn Presumer may justly suspect it is that whereby he excludeth himself from the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 10. And in the Adulteresses Crime some Aggravations are appertaining to it as robbing her Husband of his Posterity obtruding a base and adulterous Issue and so stealing away his Estate and Inheritance by giving it to a Stranger and fixing on an indelible Character of Dishonor and Bastardy upon her Child who but for her impotent and ungovern'd Lust might have proved noble and legitimate An Injury which she can never expiate nor repair to the innocuous Son with Rivers of Tears and streams of her infected Blood This multiplied Sin is sometimes conceal'd from Men but never from the All-seeing God who is a severe Revenger of all Iniquity 9 OTHER Sins are grievous and pernicious yet neither Lying Stealing Idolatry Murder nor Witchcraft can of it self dissolve the Sacred Bond of Wedlock as this only base act of Adultery doth Therefore our Saviour admits of no Divorce but upon that occasion And it is remarkable that when God would display the loathsomness of Idolatry which most displeased him he styl'd it Whoredom and himself a jealous God and certainly though that be abolished of the bitter Water causing the Curse and rotting of the Thigh with swelling which attended that antiquated Ceremony yet the bitter Moral and Substance are not quite extinguish'd Numb 5.18 10. AVOID what you are sensible of hath created your Suspicion otherwise you are guilty if not of Adultery yet of a just Cause of Jealousie Lysander punished one of his Soldiers for going out of his Quarters resolving that he would have none of his look or go out like a Plunderer Dinah's idle visits Gen. 34.1 2. proved her dishonor effusion of guiltless Blood her Father's Trouble and her Brother's Curse The wisest of Men recordeth it as the mark of an Harlot Prov. 7.11 12. Her feet abide not in the house now she is without now in the streets lying in wait at every corner 11. IT was an Italian Severity in Sulpitius and a Diposition to part with his Wife who divorced her for going out of doors bare-headed The Law said he confined thee to mine Eyes and Approbation and not to please others The common Law noted any going out unvail'd with the odious brand of Adultery So careful were they to avoid all occasions or suspicions of that Sin However foolishly strict they were I am sure Jerom's Rules fore-noted is good Whatsoever saith he may probably be feigned be thou cautious it may not be feigned Thou owest this to thy Husband's Love thine own Indemnity and Honor and the Right and Credit of thy Children The PRAYER O Eternal and Almighty God Father of Lights and of the First-born who are written in Heaven and of the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect Thou art the Searcher of all Hearts and Reins to whose All-seeing Eye every Creature is manifest and every thought of the Heart naked and open We humbly beseech thee to take from us our stony Hearts and to give us Hearts of flesh to subdue in us by thy omnipotent Spirit the miserable remainders of the First Adam that native inclination to Sin which continually carrieth us away Captive to the Laws thereof even to that Evil which we would not commit but utterly detest and in bitterness of Soul repent of 2. LORD create clean Hearts and renew right Spirits within us root out that raging Spirit of Jealousie that infernal Fire which lies scorching in our bosoms and enlighten our Vnderstandings with a sound Knowledge of all the Mysteries of Eternal Life and Salvation Sanctifie our Wills and Affections and according to thine own gracious promise six thy Law in our inward Parts and write it deeply in our Hearts that we may know thee from the least to the greatest Heal up those Wounds which our Sins have made so wide that none but thine own Hands can close them and forgive our Iniquity and remember our Sins no more 3. O Lord thou didst by thy holy Word so heal the fountains that death and barrenness was no more therein heal we humbly beseech thee the wretched Corruptions of our hearts cleanse and sanctifie all the thoughts thereof by the sweet and blessed influence of thy Holy Spirit and so quide govern and direct us in the way which thou wilt have us to walk in as that we may in all our Thoughts Words and Actions be acceptable to thee Mortifie and subdue all our evil Desires and Thoughts and bring them all into Subjection to thy Holy Will and Pleasure that we may constantly resist all Temptations to Sin and Wickedness 4. KEEP us and Counsel us in all our Affairs Spiritual and Temporal that we may be filled with the holy Fruits of the Spirit of Sanctification appearing in new and hallowed Thoughts Words and Actions to thy glory and our farther assurance before thee so that in our Bodies and in our Spirits we may be kept blameless in this sinful and miserable World unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ To whom with thee O Father of Mercy and the Holy Spirit the Comforter of the Elect be rendred all Honor and Glory in Heaven and in Earth from this time forth and to all Eternity Amen CHAP. XXIII Of External Actions THE External Actions of Men are the product and fruit of their Thoughts and as we owe Sanctimony to God and our own Consciences within so do we good Examples to our Neighbors in things External And our blessed Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount excites us with this Doctrin Mat. 5.16 Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven 2. GOOD Actions proceed from a sound Credence without which they cannot be good nor pleasing in the Sight of Heaven For whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Rom. 14.23 For Faith apprehending Christ to our Justification renders our Works
that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth Rom. 14.22 Lastly In all thy undertakings beseech and humbly implore the Almighty to Direct Counsel and Bless thee and according to the Apostle's Direction In every thing by Prayer and Supplication let your requests be made known unto God Phil. 4.6 For he is unworthy to receive a Blessing who omits the duty of Asking A Prayer for Directions in all our Actions MOST Merciful Father who hast promised that if the Wicked turns from his Sins that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right he shall live and his Transgressions shall not be remembred In humble acknowledgment of our manifold sins the equity of thy Judgments to give us over to our own unhappy Ways who have so long refused to be guided by thy holy Word and our own helpless Impotency to stay our selves turn unto thee or fix our selves in any good way to Serve and Please thee 2. WE humbly beseech thee O Father for the sake of thy dear Son to pardon all our Offences and to vouchsafe to lead us in thy Paths and the way thou appointest us to walk in We have long gone astray like lost Sheep and thou best knowest O our God how dangerous Satan's Snares are to us how many the Distractions of a deceitful vain World how frail and infirm sinful Flesh and Blood and how many our Errors But O Lord thy Wisdom cannot Err which is immutable therefore renouncing our own Conduct we render our selves into thy Gracious Hands humbly beseeching thee who freely givest Wisdom to all that ask and upbraidest no Man hold thou up our goings in thy Paths that our Footsteps slide not direct all our ways that we neither incline to the right nor to the left hand to offend thee but give us the Shield of our Salvation and let thy Right hand uphold us 3. O thou that hearest the Prayers of them that call upon thee hear us for our Souls wait on thee direct and guide us keep us and counsel us in all our Actions that we neither design nor perform any thing but that which is pleasing to thee and which thou wilt bless unto us that we may walk unblamably and prudently towards all Men and in Sanctity before thee And grant that in all our actions we may Glorifie thee and adorn the Gospel of Christ by our holy Conversations give good Examples to our Neighbours and stop the Mouths of all malicious Adversaries so that when these days of Sin are ended that we rest from our Labours we may enter into that promised Rest which remaineth for thy People where shall be no more Sin Error nor Curse Hear us O Lord in these and all other things necessary for our Bodies or Souls for Jesus Christ his sake Amen CHAP. XXV Of a Wounded Spirit what it is SOLOMON tells you Prov. 18.14 The Spirit of a Man will sustain his Infirmities but a wounded Spirit who can bear The word signifies a smitten contrite or broken Spirit It is a kind of Speech borrowed from corporal Affliction by Stripes Contusions Bruises or Wounds wherein by Incision and Launcing the Sinews and Veins the Body is debilitated and endangered to Death and Disabled so that it is void of Supportation it is liable to Inflamations and Distempers that every slight touch prejudices it It depriveth a Man of Rest so that he is impatient of this present Posture and more perplexed at a Mutation To express it further it is the intense sorrow of the Soul a weak Confidence and an infeebled life of the Spirit so that God may well nominate it A wounded Spirit 2. THIS Affliction is of that Magnitude that it exceeds all other Temporal Sorrows And none can truly give their Verdict of it but they who can join and say with David The sorrows of Death compassed me and the pains of Hell gat hold upon me Psal. 116.3 Other Sorrows may be Mitigated by administring to the Afflicted something equivalent to the loss sustained as where one Treasure is lost another may be found or by some compensation or repair may be Retaliated as Job had a second Posterity and encrease of Wealth And Elkanah declared such a Medium of Consolation to Afflicted Hannah when he said to her Am I not better to thee than ten Sons Sam. 1 1.8 3. BUT these Comforts are no ways conducive to an afflicted Spirit for furnish him with Riches the company of the dearest Friends or that which might afford Relief Refreshment and Delight to others yet to him it procures no Ease no more than if you put on a rich Purple Robe upon broken Bones No no the Grief is internal and no external means can Cure it In other Crosses time will asswage by Prudence and persuasive Arguments excellent lenitives of Sorrow In some cases to divert Wine merry Society Musick or the like means may bear some part which the Wise Man accords to Give strong Drink to him that is ready to perish and Wine to those that be of heavy Heart Let him drink and forget his Poverty and remember his Misery no more Prov. 31.6 7. 4. DAVID'S Harp did for the time refresh Saul and Charm the Evil Spirit But this grief admits of no Efficacy in such Comforts In other Pressures we may receive Ease or be conducted from the Evil as St. Paul was from the Jews Conspiracy Acts 23.31 and David from Saul 1 Sam. 19.12 But there is no flying from a wounded Spirit Where ever we go our Affliction attends us even our secret Tormentor in our own Bosoms In short as it is in one sense a Separation from God so no Creature in Heaven or Earth can Cure it There is no Sanctuary for a troubled Soul but only Gods favourable Presence No other Expedient can be used till he return and Comfort it 5. SO Horrid in the mean time is this Affliction that the desperate Traytor Judas took Death for his Sanctuary as an Antidote against his guilty Conscience â— but with what ponderosity it sits upon the Hearts of God's Servants may appear by the Complaints of Job and others Wherefore is light given to him that is in Misery and Life unto the bitter in Soul which long for Death but it cometh not and dig for it more than for hid Treasures which rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they can find the Grave Job 3 2O 21 22. This was Job's Complaint And the Prophet complained of his Birth Jer. 20.14 15 16 17 18. And the Prophet Elijah being threatned by Jezebel at Beer-sheba poured out himself It is enough now O Lord take away my Life for I am not better than my Fathers 1 Kings 19.4 And Jonah at the loss of his Gourd expressed himself saying It is better for me to die than live Jonah 4.8 CHAP. XXVI What the Conscience is and the Tranquility of it THE Conscience is the Cognition of the Heart and is a divine internal Light which we cannot Extinguish a
of his not hearing our Prayers It was no small tryal when David cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why art thou so far from helping me and from the Words of my Roaring Psal. 22.1 But the Acclamation on the Cross carryed a louder sound Mat. 27.46 Moses was denied entrance into Canaan but was received into Heaven The Cup did not pass away from Christ but God's Will was perform'd in the operation of Man's Redemption and so he was heard Heb. 5.7 15. DOTH thy Faith endure many sharp encounters of the Tempter Then observe the Almighty by this means doth more confirm it Is not every Temptation as the shaking of Trees which loosing the ground Engrafts them the deeper Thou art sensible of thy great defects in Sanctity and of many dubious conflicts between the Flesh and the Spirit provoking thy Soul to cry with Rebecca when perplex'd with her wrestling Twins Why am I thus Gen. 25.22 Despond not but consider the work of him with whom we have to do Thus he chaseth thee often to fly to him and to Consult his Oracles Thus he exerciseth thee to humility without which the most Excellent Graces could not save thee He that Prayed for St. Peter's falling could have prevented him from falling into that Sin But in so doing he kept him from presumption and fitted him to confirm his Brethren 16. IN all Humility beg Holiness of God who hath expresly said ask and ye shall have And to consider that God is perfect Holiness is a vehement Motive conducing to it and certainly he cannot chuse but love his own Image in us and freely give us that which he loveth It pleased the Author of our Being that Solomon before Riches Revenge and Life it self should petition him for Wisdom upon which he did not only grant his request but additionally gave him Riches and Honour And undoubtedly it doth so much please God that any of his Servants doth in the sense of their wants before all things give Grace the Preferrence and they that in the sincerity of their heart Petition to him for Sanctity of Life he will not deny them but will insert to their grant more than we are able to ask or think of The Prayer O Almighty God Infinite in Mercy and perfect Verity who delightest not in the destruction of Wretched Creatures nor despisest the Groans of a Troubled Spirit Lord I am poor and afflicted and do in bitterness of Soul acknowledge my vileness and vacancy of Grace the Corruption of my sinful nature the misery which I have procured my self by my wilful disobedience to thy Holy Laws and my Impotency to any thing that is good Lord I am as that wretched Traveller wounded and cast down only sensible of my Wounds but utterly unable to move or help my self The Priest and Levite pass by and afford me no relief neither is it in the power of the Creature to assist me Nay even thy just and holy Law which wholsomely instructs Do this and live is so far from aiding me or administring Comfort that my sins make it appear to me a killing Letter or at best resembling the Prophets Staff sent before by the Ministry of thy Servant not able to give Life but a Prospect of my Sins and rendring me guilty before thy dreadful Tribunal and at the Bar of my terrified Conscience 2. BUT O Lord let the good Samaritan the Prophet himself Christ Jesus thy dear Son and my alone Saviour inspire me with his Holy Spirit for he only can bind up my wounded Soul and heal it Thou hast wounded me by an heavy apprehension of thy Justice O now heal me by the assurance of thy Mercy Strengthen my Faith in Christ who freely justifieth Sinners And as thou hast in thine Eternal Love given him to Death for my Redemption so give me an infallible assurance that he is my Saviour and Deliverer That according to thine own Gracious Promise in him I may live with thee 3. AND O thou who art the Saviour of all the World who sentest the Holy Ghost the Comforter of all thy Servants to thy Afflicted Disciples to strengthen them send him to my Enervated and Wretched Soul It is neither of him that Willeth nor of him that Runneth but of thine own Infinite Goodness shewing Mercy Thy Omnipotence is effectual in the Operation of thy good Will and Pleasure O be Graciously pleased to Sanctifie my Corrupted will and affections And as thou hast freely given me a will and a hearts desire to serve and please thee that I might be saved so perfect thine own work in me and establish what thou hast begun Give me O Lord true Holiness and repair thine own Image in me that thou mayst own me for thine and then manifest thine own work in me and unto me 4. LET not the good Spirit which has possession of me remain any longer in obscurity but blessed Lord manifest thy self unto my Soul And let the Illumination of thy Spirit break out in full assurance of Faith that I may no more doubt of thy Mercies Grant me an entire Victory over Sin and Despair by the apparent presence of the Comforter My afflicted Soul O Lord knoweth no Sanctuary to flie unto but thy infinite mercy Unto thee alone it Gaspeth as a thirsty Land O shower down such a plentiful Dew of thy Grace which may refresh my wearied Spirit and fill me with the Fruits of Righteousness which may evidently appear in my Life and Conversation to thy Glory and the assurance of my Election Vocation Sanctification Perseverance and Salvation in thy beloved Son and my alone Saviour to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit Three Persons one Immortal Incomprehensible Omnipotent only Wise God be rendred all Honour and Glory in Heaven and Earth now and to all Eternity Amen CHAP. XXXIV Fear of Temptations NEXT We are to Consider the Conscience afflicted with Fear of Temptations and a defection through them enclining it to a despair of Grace sufficient to resist them by this means the Soul is immerst with heaviness through manifold Temptations 1 Pet. 1.6 In which case it is necessary to consider That first A Temptation is a Tryal or taking an Experiment of something or other The Devil who cannot compel tryeth men whether he can allure them to Sin and this is apprehensively Temptation 2. THERE is a Temptation of Tryal which you see Acts 20.19 1 Cor. 10.13 Rev. 3.20 and St. James saith My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers Temptations And Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation For when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that Love him St. James 1.2 12. God is said to tempt no man that is to Evil Evidently implying as there is no Sin in him so neither is there any occasioned by him yet tried Abraham to manifest him openly to others and himself For no man knoweth himself which is untried
God and resolution to Repent maketh Inquest after Sin that which is in Word or Action is more easily and frequently found But the sin of the Mind like Jonathan and Ahimaaz at Bahurim is let down into the depth of the Heart whose secret Enemies are like those Ligurian Mountainers whom the Roman's Chased more hardly found than Vanquished Moreover Man's innate Self-Love and natural Complacency makes him unapt and loth to Condemn himself in any thing wherein he conjectures others cannot 7. LASTLY The restless machination of Satan is to suggest Self-delusions as he doth Temptations to Sin whereby his Baits may be swallowed His policy is to keep the Heart for his Retreat and if any reproof happily chase away Prophaneness Anger Obscenity or Calumny out of the Tongue or Adultery Theft Murther or the like from the outward Man yet if he can but foment and maintain any of these in the impure Heart he will find opportunity and diabolical Suggestions to make an Eruption Or if not he knoweth where he has Possession be the Words and Actions never so well framed that God hath no part there which brings me to the next Consideration CHAP. IV. The necessity of Governing our Thoughts THERE is great necessity of Regulating our Thoughts and Heart without which as the Prophet says Isa. 29.13 It is in vain to draw near to God with our Lips And the art of governing the Affections and Thoughts must be performed by Wisdom and Ingtegrity Wisdom is as a Mistress to tumultuous Servants at whose Presence the most Disorderly are suddenly Composed and Silenced An understanding Heart is the inward illumination of the Soul which God beholds without which all External appearances of Sanctity make formal Hypocrites no better than Aegyptian Temples grave and decent outwardly but within very ridiculous setting up for Gods Apes Serpents Cats and Crocodiles 2. SOLOMON to whom God granted a free choice of any thing he would request desired an Vnderstanding Heart 1 Kings 3.5.9.12 This was more estimable to him than Riches or Life and he whom God was pleased to make the Wisest of Men of all the Holy Pen-men gave most Precepts concerning the Heart and Mind and we are commanded for our further directions to search the Scriptures which as the Apostle tells us are only able to make us wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 And St. James requires us to ask Wisdom of God that giveth to all Men liberally and Vpbraideth not James 1.5 He that trusteth in his own Heart is a Fool Prov. 28.26 Again the Wise Man like a true Prognostick tells you That the Heart of the Sons of Men is full of Evil and madness is in their Heart while they live Eccl. 9.3 Unhappy is he who goeth on perversely in the way of his own Heart or walks contrary to the Apostle's Rule 1 Cor. 3.19 persuing the Wisdom of this World which is foolishness with God 3. WE must so compose our Hearts that they may be upright and sincere in the sight of God Without this our best actions as Prayer Hearing Repentance Alms and what-ever else we do is worth nothing O Jerusalem saith the Lord wash thy Heart from wickedness that thou mayest be Saved How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge in thee Jer. 4.14 It is but folly to labour the Cure in the outward part while the Contagion and Venom of Sin invades the inward or to wash the Eyes with floods of Tears where the sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and graven with the point of a Diamond upon the Table of the Heart Jer. 17.1 4. THE Psalmist tells us Psal. 84.5 Blessed are they in whose Heart are the ways of God And that he is good unto such as are of a clean Heart Psal. 73.1 And the Prophet tells you Jer. 29.13 They shall find him who seek him with all their Heart And they that know righteousness have the Law of God in their Heart Isa. 51.7 And Psal. 37.31 Their steps shall not slide they delight to do God's Will Psal. 40.8 And Psal. 119.11 They hide up the Law of God in their heart that they might not sin against him The knowledge of God is pleasant unto their Soul Prov. 2.10 and Prov. 3.2 They shall have length of days and Peace and when they go it shall lead them when they sleep it shall keep them when they wake it shall talk with them Prov. 6.22 It is a Lamp and Light to direct them in the ways of Life to preserve them from Sin 5. NOW however the ways of an Hypocrite may seem clean in his own Eyes yet seeing the God of Justice Weigheth the Spirits Prov. 16.2 it highly concerneth every Man to look to the ordering of this inward House that it may be a clean Temple for God's Spirit to dwell in without whose guidance Man runs to Destruction both Body and Soul If we govern our Thoughts aright we have our conversation in Heaven we walk with God And in our many dangerous sicknesses of Mind sundry Distempers and Perturbations of fluctuant Thoughts the wearied Soul shall ever have recourse unto this Ark for Rest. 6. THERE are troublesome Errors of sick minds which see false Comforts instead of true There is Anxiety Impatience and Grief which devoureth the Heart There is the fire of Anger to inflame Envy and Malice to transport vain Hopes and Fears whose vicissitudes do miserably afflict the disquiet Mind There are many Perturbations which if not prudently managed will master Reason and violently carry Men into the most dangerous Precipices from whence they cannot when they would retrieve themselves All which to a wise and good Man shall prove but Exercises to make his Victory over his own Passions more Glorious 7. NOR is he less Honourable who is victor over himself than he that conquereth others The great Conquerors of Kingdoms have been overcome of their own Affections whereby they have foolishly eclipsed all the Glory of their Victories The Strong may vanquish others but only the Good can over-come themselves I shall conclude with the Saying of a Pious Man I had rather over-come my own Mind than all my Enemies and I would I were secure of my self All the Powers of Hell cannot over-come me nor make me unhappy if my own Affections betray me not CHAP. V. Rules of Practice FOR the right composure of Mind and Thoughts it is very requisite to consider those Rules of Practice which concern the same in general and then that which appertaineth to some particular Passions of the Mind First Have a care of thy Soul as thy greatest Interest and that which surpasseth all things in the World Next have a care of thy Mind which if well composed is prudently Content in every Estate without which Even Temper nothing can prove good or comfortable What is Strength Sickness may anticipate but Age must bow down to the Grave What is Beauty Why those Flowers quickly fade and many times become the Snare and Destruction of
thereof 2. JOY and Rejoicing in God in things Divine and Spiritual we are secure and happy The end of Temporal Rejoicing is many times clouded in sudden and unexpected Sorrow Such was Belshazzar's Feast with a thousand of his Princes Dan. 5.1 5 6. The scene of Joy was changed into sudden Astonishment at the sight of that dreadful Hand which decypher'd his doom upon the Palace Wall Secular Joy entertaineth deluded Men as that old lying Prophet of Bethel did the Man of God first feeding then afflicting with the sad Intimation of ensuing Destruction 1 Kings 13.11 22. Acquaint thy self with true good that thou mayst rejoice securely They most delight in Secular things who are ignorant of Eternal 3. LET not thy Heart be too much transported with Secular Joy they that superabound in Mirth and Joy in Prosperity are too much cast down and dejected in Adversity For both Extreams proceed from impotency of Mind In every Exultation look with a thankful Heart on the Lord that gave it and with a prudent Heart on that which may quickly change this Scene of Mirth into Heaviness Taste thy Joy as the Israelites did their Passover with bitter Herbs and prepared to be gone Exod. 12.8 Let the thoughts of Sorrow season all thy Mirth lest a sudden Surprizal astonish and vanquish thee For foreseen Dangers least prejudice the Wise. 4. KEEP Innocency and a good Conscience These shall Comfort thee as Lamech said of his Son Noah Gen. 5.29 The Wise Man tells you Prov. 15.15 All the days of the afflicted are Evil but he that is of a Merry heart that is a good Conscience hath a continual Feast Wicked Mirth Sardonick Laughter and foolish Jesting as they demonstrate much Levity so do they dangerous Uncomposedness Vanity and weakness of Mind In such Laughter the heart is Sorrowful says Solomon Prov. 14.13 And the end of that mirth is heaviness And Eccl. 2.1 Behold this also is Vanity Again The heart of the wise is in the House of Moorning But the Heart of Fools is in the House of Mirth Eccl. 7.4 5. WE read that Christ Wept over Jerusalem Luke 19.41 and over Lazarus John 11.35 But we never read of his Laughter 'T is a rare Government of the Mind to have Mirth season'd with Wisdom wherein a prudent Cheerfulness commendeth Mirth well regulated in an holy thankful use of that we enjoy as the best of things meerly Secular To imitate the Austerity of Cato or the Sullenness of Crassus who is reported to have Laughed but once in his Life or to be an ever Weeping Heraclite or an ever Laughing Democritus is to launch out into vain and unsafe Extreams Indeed of the two Tears are to be preferred before excessive Laughter For too much Mirth is a symptom of Folly which fluctuates from the Heart and a true Signet of Forgetfulness or ignorance of this mutable Life 6. AND indeed Voluptuousness is Satan's Hook which produces to Destruction it is the Mother of Sin and the Nurse of the never dying Worm And as Oil killeth Insects but Vinegar restores them so Joy and Pleasure destroy incautious Sinners but sharp Afflictions safely Cure them So that they at last arrive to that apprehensive sense of understanding That it is good for them to be Afflicted Psal. 119.71 Never rejoice at anothers Affliction for it is Odious to the Almighty and seldom evadeth such Revenge as pointeth out the Sin 7. IT is a Maxim of Wisdom to weigh the Joy which will prove an excellent Gage for thy Heart For the Prophet Jeremy tells you Chap. 17.9 That The Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it If thou rejoicest in Evil thy Heart must be agreeable to it but if thou delightest in Goodness then a secret Power and Spirit of Sanctity ruleth in thee Observe in Musical Instruments how some Strings sound at the Moving of others and accord very Harmoniously So it is with the Strings of thy Heart which internally Assenteth to any wicked external Action The uncircumcised Heart rejoiceth at that Obscenity that vexed Righteous Lot The Holy are cheerful and glad like the wise Merchant Matt. 13.44 45 56. Who when they find the treasure of God's inestimable Mercy opened to them go away rejoicing with that happy Convert Acts 8.39 While he that hath no interest therein sitteth numbring the Minutes and thinking every Divine Exercise long goeth away either as Ahab with Indignation or with Sorrow like the rich young Man in the Gospel Matt. 19.22 8. DANGEROUS Perturbations of the Mind are in the dominion of Sorrows and there is as much occasion of prudent Rules to be used as of a Rudder in a Storm In every affliction examine well thy Heart for the Cause Wherefore is the living Man Sorrowful Man suffereth for his Sin Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord Lam 3.39 40. It is a vain attempt and a high presumption to seek for any Relief from Affliction but by this means all other Lenitives are as Draughts of Cold Water in a hectick Fit it is more Inflaming like David's Harp to a moody Saul where the vexing Spirit returneth with greater Violence 9. PLACE thy Sorrow upon Sin which is the right Object It is the vulgar Error and danger of many to be dejected for that loss which indeed cannot prejudice their Bodies but take a delight in Sin which woundeth the Soul and may make them for ever Unhappy We many times grieve for that which should occasion us to Rejoice And St. Paul tells us Rom. 8.26 That all things work together for good and whom the Lord loveth he Chasteneth Heb. 12.6 Next let us consider the comfortable effects of God's Chastisements It yieldeth the peaceable fruit of Righteousness unto them which are Exercised thereby Heb. 12.11 We are impatient and roar out as Men under the hands of a skillful Chirurgeon when he exerciseth the Lancet or Cauterie to Cure us It was David's Complaint who said I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my Heart Psal. 38.8 Yet in the issue confessed It is good for me that I have been Afflicted and declares this Experience Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy Word Psal. 119.67 71. 10. GIVE not thy Heart over to excessive Sorrow for there is a Worldly Sorrow to Death and a Sorrow to Repentance not to be Repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 Exorbitant Grief is like the immoderate Overflowing of Nilus a presager of dangerous Sterility Stand ready prepared for sharp Encounters Ships are built to endure Storms and raging Seas And prudent Minds are composed to endure and make good use of Sorrows Let every Distress awaken thy mind to fly to thy Redeemer And then Afflictions will appear like that Rain which fell on the Ark the more it poured down the more that was lifted up and saved from the fury of the Waves Or like Moses Rod to open a way through the briny Floods to
of its Seat of Passion leaveth a Man an Incompetent Judge for it is natural to frail Mortality to think them evil whom they have any Antipathy against Architas Considered well when he said to his offending Servant 'T is well for you that I am angry And Socrates who in like case said I would beat thee but that I am angry Other Passions in Extreams discompose the Mind but anger Precipitateth it To be a Master of other Affections demonstrateth him very Moderate but to gain a Conquest over Anger declares him to be Prudent 6. IN no Passion do we more lose our Friends our Advantages our Judgment our Selves nor give an Enemy more Advantage than in Anger He is a Fool that can be angry at nothing and he Wise who will not at every thing It is as great a Vertue to Conquer thy Self as it is to encounter with the fiercest Lyon He made a good choice who chose rather the Meekness of Moses than the strength of Sampson He that hath vanquished his Anger hath gain'd the Victory over a dangerous Enemy Allay and overcome thine Anger with Reason that chasing it with due Revenge it may prove Justice 's Hand-maid not its Mistress 7. DID we Consider the dangerous Effects it brings we would hasten and wean our selves from it I shall Endeavour to give you a Catalogue of some of the accomplices of Anger and then tell me whether it be not a Passion of a Pernicious Consequence To begin it is a short madness differing from it only in point of time it distorts the Countenance precipitates the Mind and so disturbeth the Reason that for the time it converts Man to a Beast From hence prceed the Unguarded Mouths Unbridled Tongues Reproaches Calumnies Contumelies Conflicts and Fruits of Fury spring from that Fountain This whets the Sword and breaks the Sacred Bands of Nature and Religion provoking men at that height by their Assasinations to be Butchers of Men. 7. OBSERVE how a sudden Deluge sweeps along the Verdant Fields and destroys the Husband-mans most flourishing Hopes even so rusheth the most impious deluge of Anger into the Mind covering dangerously for the time if not drowning the fairest Plants of Vertue Wisdom and Temperance under that bitterness of Mind and breathing of Revenge leaving neither Venerable Age Tender Youth nor any thing Sacred or Unspar'd It depriveth thee of Councel rendreth thee Obnoxious to thy Friends exposeth thee to thine Enemies and maketh thee altogether Fruitless when Patience and Mildness would leave better Impression and Root then the best Precepts sowed in Storms In short it makes thee assume the shape of an Unjust Judge who Correctest thy Child or Servants Fault with a greater fault of thine own Intemperance 8. DESIRE and Anger are the worst Counsellers they not only disturb the Soul but deform the whole Frame of the outward Man Could the angry man but take a Prospect of himself and stedfastly behold what change that Passion worketh in his Countenance its impossible he could be Enamoured with that Distemper He would find it as much altered from its Native Beauty as the Face of the Thundring Skie differs from the lovely Serene or the Enraging Boysterous Sea does from a Pleasant Calm Plato advised his Scholars when they were Angry to look into a Glass And if ever the Odious Spirit of Satan looked out of the Windows of Man's Face 't is in his Exhorbitant Anger What a Deformity does it Operate in the Divine Soul Obvious to the Eye of God It brings along with it the same disadvantage as those Dogs of the Prophane Donatists whom they fed with the Bread of the Holy Eucharist for which they escaped not without an evident Sign of Gods Justice for the Dogs were so Inflamed with Raging Madness that they fastened upon their own Masters as Strangers and Enemies Tearing them with Revenging Teeth Even so it often comes to pass that impious Anger destroyeth the Angry 9. HE that can by a Regular Reason Bridle his Anger reaps great Advantage First In Point of Pacification according to Solomons Counsel Prov. 15.1 A soft Answer turneth away Wrath. Secondly In respect of Victory for as the Patient Man enclineth the Prudent as Witnesses to his Party So that shall more Foil the Outragious and Violent with Meekness than by Retaliation of Injuries and Contumelies In which Sense what Solomon says confirms it for a Truth A soft Tongue breaketh the Bone Prov. 25.15 Next thy Councel better recovereth its Seat by thy forbearance and thou losest nothing of thy Interest by delaying that which thou once must express or act To conclude in the most just Occasions of Anger remember God's indulgence with thee Be not like that Evil Servant who having found much Mercy would shew none lest thy Judgment be equivolent Matth. 18.34 10. MALICE is the Venom of the Old Dragon Satan's bitter Influence on the Wicked and his lively Image in them It is the Fire of Hell breaking out on the Men of this World It is the Mother of Revenge and Symptome of an Unregenerate Heart the Affection of a Reprobate Mind the Devils Leaven which must be purged out of those who will Communicate with Christ our Passover Malice is the Fuel of God's Anger and an Obstruction to his Mercy who cannot justifie the Malicious for what he has said is just and true Mat. 6.15 If ye forgive not Men their Trespasses neither will your Father forgive you And seeing it is wholly disagreeable with the Love of God therefore it is impossible as St. John says To Love God and hate thy Brother 1 John 4.20 Concerning which I need prescribe no other Rule than this If Malice possess thy Heart then desert all Pretences and immediately cast it out if ever thou hopest to enter into that Kingdom where inhabits all Love Peace and Tranquility with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory CHAP. X. Of Envy ENVY is an inveterate Grief at others Welfare and Prosperity and an Evil Perturbation of the Mind so odious that to expose it to View is a Motive sufficient to make us loath and detest it It is a Tare of the Wicked 's sowing and worthy of Divine Revenge and Punishment it is an impediment to Piety a path to Hell and a secluder from the Kingdom of Heaven It is a Pernicious Attendant to Posterity A Vanity and Vexation of Spirit Eccles. 4.4 A Fruit of Unregeneration Rom. 1.29 It is the Daughter of Self-Love and Pride the Result of Carnal Minds 1 Cor. 3.3 A Work of the Flesh Gal. 5.21 It is an Obstruction of Edification and Growth by the sincere Milk of Gods Word 1 Pet. 2.1 2. 2. IT is a Blasphemous Censure of the Most High whose Judgment it dissalloweth secretly Murmuring and Repining at his Providence who Wisely Disposeth of all things in Heaven and Earth Setting up and pulling down and distributing to every one according to his good Pleasure Dan. 4.25 To display it farther it is a Diabolical Wisdom a Companion
of Confusion and every evil Work James 3.14 15 16. It is the mischievous Canker which nippeth the choicest Buds of Vertue attempting either to cloud them with Incredulity by reason the Envious cannot attain thereto or labouring to blast them with impious Calumnies 3. I need not here cite the Example of Antigones and Teutamus Conspiring against the truly Noble Eumenes or of Philip's Sycophants against Aratus Nor of Domitians envying Agricola his worth Nor Saul's envying David Cain Abel Rachel her Sister the Patriarchs Joseph Seeing it is manifest that Christ Jesus in whom were all Perfections was envyed There 's nothing so little but stimulateth it Nothing so Sacred or High but this Hellish Fury will flie at Joseph's Party-Coloured Coat awaken'd it and it was vigilant to strike at the Saviour of the World The Natals hereof were in Lucifer envying God's Monarchy and ambitious to share in his Sovereignty 4. NATURAL Historians acquaint us of some Countries free from Serpents but who can inform me of any barren of Envy I doubt it is the common Plague that visits all places Like those Croaking Plagues of Egypt which did not spare Pharoahs Bed-Chamber it deludeth the Country with False Opticks thinking our Neighbours Fields more Fruitful than our own 'T is a Monster not of Gods making but born of depraved Affections as Anger Fear Jealousie Self-Love which creates Indignation if another attain to a Happy and Prosperous Condition Envy thinks all the World too little for its own Orifice All this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the Kings Gate said ambitious Haman in his Envy Esth. 5.13 And again To whom would the King delight to do Honour more than to my self Chap. 6.6 CHAP. XI Arguments to be Considered by way of Dissuasion against Envy THAT Envy hurteth the Invidious most is apparent that there is not a greater Torment invented by the worst of Tyrants Nothing can be more unjust to others nor nothing more just to themselves The Serpent's Poyson infecteth not himself but Envy proves fatal to them that embrace it For as the Moth eateth the Garment which breeds it and as the Rust consumes the Iron so Envy preys upon the Mind that entertains it It is more Miserable that can be expressed for it is not only afflicted with its own Misfortune but it is disquieted at others Exhiliration Whatever is a Pleasure to others is but a Torment to him Another Man's Store is the Envious Man's Want another Man's Health is his Sickness and another Man's Praises his reputed Dishonour 2. OTHER Sins have some Remisness Anger will waste it self in time Hatred may be extinguished in the end but Envy never ceaseth Fierce Lyons are Tamed and become Tractable but the Envious grow worse and worse The more Christ did good to the Jews curing their Sick healing their Infirm and bestowing the words of Eternal Life upon them the more destructively did they Envy him It is the Canker that blasteth Friendship The corruption of Life and plague of Nature It is the Devil 's incentive to Rebellion who when he could not in his Malice hurt God assailed Man For it instigated Cain to Murder his Brother Abel and the Jews to Crucifie the Saviour of the World 3. BESIDES it hath irrational Effects It would stop up the Fountains and vail the Sun-beams It regardeth neither bounds of natural Civility or Religion Rachel Envied her Sister Gen. 31. Jacob's Sons their Brother Joseph Gen. 37.11 The Jews the very Preaching and Hearing the Gospel Acts 13.45 It is the rottenness of the Bones Prov. 14.30 It slayeth the Silly Job 5.2 And lastly it excludeth from Heaven for what should Envy lay claim to so bless'd a Habitation where there is nothing but love and rejoicing in each other's Happiness 4. FURTHERMORE it is a perverse Distemper of a diseased Mind rendring the Envious his viewing of the good of others as it were with sore Eyes grieved with seeing It delighteth and triumpheth in Men's Miseries As Flies feed themselves upon others Ulcers so the Envious propose to themselves a pleasant Entertainment by Discoursing upon others Misfortunes and Afflictions And to set a gloss upon their Hypocrisie they will sometimes personate the Compassionate and Merciful and like subtil Alchymists pretend to Extract Pity when indeed it is only to stretch their Malice to a larger Extent by which means it might not be acquainted with any Limitations 5. SOMETIMES Proteus like they will pretendedly act on the Theatre of Justice then will they seem zealous of Laws and due Punishment of Delinquents when indeed they do but pervert Judgment into Wormwood and Kill or Rob by Authority whom they durst not Assassinate or Assault by the Sword or open Violence Sometimes they will assume larget pretences of Sanctity appearing like the Devil at Endor in the Prophet Samuel's Mantle performing some things externally good whereby they may atchieve some greater Evil. Even so the false Apostles Preached Christ of meer Envy to St. Paul that they might add more affliction to his Bonds Phil. 1.15 16. 6. IT is at best but a fruit of the Flesh Gal. 5.21 Meer Folly Tit. 3.3 Devilish Sensual Earthly St. James 3.14 15. A dangerous Signal of a Reprobate Mind given up to Destruction Rom. 1.28 29. The most that Envy can acquire towards its own Satisfaction is to Mourn when others Rejoice and possibly to hurt Temporally with its own external Destruction of Body and Soul To define it further It is no better than the Spirit of Satan reigning in the Envious 7. THIS Mischief sometimes craftily steals on incautious good Men As Joshua was Envied for Moses's sake Num. 11.28 29. And the Psalmist confesseth My feet saith he were almost gone for I was Envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the Wicked Psal. 73.2 3. The Prophet Jeremiah and Habakkuk were a little infected with this Contagion which the Scripture as a Monitor admonisheth all Men to beware of that Snare which entrapped such good Men. 8. THE acts thereof are inconsistent with right Reason if we respect the Supream Giver of that which stimulateth Envy for how irrational a presumption is it in Man to controll the providence of God If Jacob's Eyes wax dim with Age and would not permit his dear Joseph to alter the Imposition of his Hands or to transpose the Blessing at his pleasure how much less will the all-seeing God permit the Envious Man to pervert his Hands Next we must respect the quality of the Envied Is he Evil whom thou Enviest Then thy Compassion is summon'd to pity him because his Sin represents him more Wretched than all the World can do Is he Good How guilty then must thou be in Envying his Felicity CHAP. XII Remedies against Envy ENDEAVOUR to put on Christ and then thou art sure to chase away Envy It is the Apostle's Rule Rom. 13.13 14. Let us walk honestly as in the day not in Strife and Envying but put
habitation every Room and Recess thereof it disturbeth with hideous Cries like Ziim and Ohim doleful Beasts in the Desolations of Babylon Isai. 13.21 6. IT is a folly and sober distraction wherein the deseased Mind rejecteth all wholesome Prescriptions it Rebelleth against the Physician and lacerateth open its own Wounds it is an Heart-corroding canker the internal Man's Woolf which devoureth that which feedeth it the Worm which gnaweth the Soul which Prometheus-like cherisheth the Vulture which afflicteth it and delighteth in that which grieves it Nor is the best of Men free from this Distemper for David with his Soul made this inquest Why art thou so sad O my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Psal. 43.5 7. OUR Blessed Saviour who was free from Sin who bare all our Sorrows in the sense of his Father's wrath acknowledged that his Soul was heavy to the death And wrestling with that most unknown Passion cryed out upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He could no otherwise be sensible of Hell Torments due to us in his Humane Soul than by losing the present sense of the Deities Assistance which wheresoever it is makes Eternal Happiness He lost in that Agony a present sense not an Indeficient Interest For even then he called God his God which Demonstrated a vast distance between the Impatience of Desperate and Irrecoverable Sinners and the Estate of those Good Men who are under Tribulation for the Infirmity of their Souls The just Man may be compared to the Israelites marching with the Egyptians through the Red-Sea where there is a way opened to their Promised Rest but the Waters return with a full force and drown the Enemy 8. AS to this Malady we must not plead ignorance but be sensible that it groweth Gradually First In unadvised Anger mixâ— with Sorrow which are the Seminaries of Impatience Next it goes forward to a dislike of every Accident and Estate from thence to an internal Repining So like a Gangren it invadeth the Souls Vitals Hope Content and a Cheerful dependance upon God's Providence and then marches forward to violent Despair so that it behoves a Man highly to prevent this danger by checking its Primitive Motions and learning to make a Prudent use of every Affliction and to Expel all those discomposed Thoughts which nourish it likewise to practise in the whole Course of Life that Christian Patience and Moderation which becometh those who depend on the Providence of God Some Motives to it I shall shew in the next Chapter CHAP. XIV Motives to Patience and Contentedness FIRST God Commandeth us by his Holy Apostle in several places as Rom. 12.12 1 Thess. 5.8 1 Tim. 6.8 Heb. 13.5 And David earnestly perswades us to this duty Psal. 37. from the first to the fourteenth Verse Secondly Consider well the disadvantages of Impatience and the Advantages of Patience Seneca was of that good Opinion that no man could be happy who did not think himself so It imports not what thy Condition is if thou thinkest it evil The Patient Man is happy in every Estate because God will hear him Psal. 40.1 And the Wise Man gives this Result Eccles. 7.8 The Patient in Spirit is better than the Proud in Spirit And the Apostle gives us this assurance Rom. 2.7 That the Lord will give him Eternal Life And the Evangelist gives us this Encouragement by Patience a Man possesseth his own Soul Luke 21.19 All Affliction to him is but a wholesome Bitter Potion which he freely swalloweth as being prescribed to Operate his Cure and to produce him the quiet Fruits of Righteousness Heb. 12.11 The Apostle likewise tells you 1 Tim. 6.6 That Godliness with Contentment is great gain 2. PATIENCE allays a ponderous burden and makes it easie and therein defeateth the adverse Party the product of whose Injury is the Perplexity and Impatience of the injured When Job Exercised his Affliction with Patience Satan was foiled at his own Weapon As Ballast if it be well placed that it cannot move or shoot the Sailing Ship Rides secure but if otherwise she is Foundred Even so it is with Patience in the Soul It was a Blessed Victory obtained at Job's first encounter at which the Angels of Heaven could do no less than give a Plaudite for when Satan had fully charged him with all his Machinations and Job had received all those fierce Blows on his Shield of Patience he made this meek Reply The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the Name of the Lord And the Holy Ghost thus testifieth In all this Job sinned not Job 1.21 22. And Job was happy in being so great a Victor and happy are all they who imitate that invincible Patience in their sufferings 3. THOSE who are Impatient must submit to that Term of being Evil and the Almighty will not lend an Ear to them They are by every Condition made worse being Authors of their own misery and make their own Burdens intollerable by striving under that which no violence can cast off They are Satan's Captives introducing their Fretful Impatience only to adorn his Triumphs they prove scorns to Men who can no less than deride if not loath that Morosity and peevish Waywardness which causeth the Impatient malecontent neither to enjoy Friends nor himself An Example we have of that Mirror of Impatience Diogenes the Cynick who being Asked by Alexandâ—r the Great if he lacked any thing to which he Morosely Replyed Yea I do Stand out of my Light Now whether he embraced this Churlish Humour to profess himself a Votary to his own Passions or to lay Claim to an equal Capacity and Right of Contemning his Friends Greatness as much as he slighted his Poverty that I cannot Expostulate But he chose rather to Inhabit in a Tub than expect the delayed Beneficence of him that promised to build him a House And certainly by this his Impatience he reaped no Advantage 4. CONSIDER that Momentary Afflictions are of no Duration If all the World Men and Devils Conspired to vex and molest thee they could not long make thee an Object of their Fury and Malice The Apostle like a good Prognostick foretells our Necessities Heb. 10.37 Ye have need of Patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promises For yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Then Blessed are all they who with meekness and a patient Confidence expect him Be therefore Patient Stablish your hearts For the coming of the Lord draweth nigh James 5.8 Heaviness may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Psal. 30.5 However the longest day as its due must accept of a period And the most tedious misery of a good Christian shall have such a Counsumation as may render him happy 5. CONSIDER the extent of thy suffering Perhaps thou art envied without Cause Thou owest thanks to God for that Conformity to his
and no Constancy to be found among the Sons and Daughters of Men. Prosperity is like a Fair Morning quickly overcast with hideous Storms like the Morning Dew soon vanishing or like a pleasant Flower or a Jonah's Gourd such are all Humane Enjoyments So that there is no sure Hope but in the Almighty who is immutable neither deceiveth those that trust in him therefore beware of vain Hopes especially those which are Irrational lest thou tempt the Lord for they are fraudulent to Men. Such is their Reliance who contemn the ordinary means in Expectation of Miracles and act contrary to the express Word of the most High in vain hope of obtaining a Pardon 4. PROPOSE not too great things to thy self for we are frequently the evident Authors of our own Misfortunes when we promise Peace Health and Prosperity to our selves This soaring Ambition's Wings are sometimes deplumed and we fall into bitterness when we come short of that which to our selves we so vainly promised So that it were much better never to climb too high than put our selves in so much danger as falling from so great a Precipice but rather let us invoke the Great Being who is the Author of our Hope and the Donor of all Consolation to infuse a sure Hope and a stedfast Confidence by a Divine Inspiration into our Souls A Prayer for Hope O Almighty God my earnest Expectation and Hope my Fortress Helper and Deliverer though my numberless Sins have deserved thy Wrath insomuch as thou mayst justly cast me off into hopeless Despair and final Destruction yet look upon me with thy Eye of Mercy through the Wounds of a bleeding Jesus in whom thou hast commanded me to believe and hast promised Remission of my Sins and Eternal Life For his sake alone I humbly beseech thee give me that assurance that in the end I may obtain my hope even the Salvation of my Soul And though thou dost now fill my wounded Spirit with Bitterness and remove from me Peace and Comfort so that I forget my Prosperity and go mourning all the day long 2. YET O Lord though thou humblest my dejected Soul with ponderosity of Sorrows and makest my Eyes fountains of Tears driving me to Solitude and Silence with them that mourn in Zion Yet thou dost extend thy Goodness to them that wait for thee and to the Soul which seeketh thee Thy Mercies are renewed every Morning and thy Compassions fail not to frail Dust and Ashes Thou hast opened unto me the rich treasure of thy transcendent Mercies and enabled me to trust in thee Thou hast according to thy stupendious Mercy begotten me again to a lively Hope by the Resurrection of thy dear Son from the dead of an Inheritance Incorruptible For all these Blessings my Soul hath acknowledged thee to be my Portion therefore will I trust in thee 3. O Lord I know that the Hopes of the Hills are vain and so is all Confidence in frail Mortality and no hope can be happy which is not fixed in thee But in defiance to all Satan's devices thrice blessed must he be whose hope thou art He shall be like a Tree planted by the Waters of Life which shall never wither but prosper for thou art Truth it self And O thou God of all Consolation now speak Peace to my afflicted Soul and let me not be disappointed of my Hope Thou art pleased to wean me from the Allurements of an unkind and diffident World by suffering me to endure such Grief and Sorrow yet seeing thou art my Hope from my Youth let me not be ashamed of my Confidence let thy Mercy be still my Hope and thy Grace my Strength amidst all the Storms and Surges of Affliction fasten my Soul's Anchor on the Land of the Living my Rock who is entred within the Vail to make requests for me 4. INVRE me with Patience untill the time of Comfort and refreshing shall return from thy gracious Presence Give me the Helmet of Salvation and an Assurance of what thou hast graciously promised in thy Word and laid up for me in Heaven Let the Experience of thy former Goodness in many Deliverances give me a Door of Hope for the future that I may more and more trust in thee And O thou who art the God of Hope fill me with Joy and Peace in Believing that I may abound in Hope through the Power of thy holy Spirit Give me a strong Consolation and full assurance of thy Mercy that continuing grounded and established in a stedfast Hope of my Resurrection to a Life of Glory at the appointed hour my Flesh may rest in Hope and my Soul be cheerfully rendred into thy Gracious Hands to rest with thee through Jesus Christ my ever blessed Lord and Saviour Amen CHAP. XVIII Of Fear FEAR is a pensive and anxious Expectation of some danger approaching either Imminent or a Supposition of appearing so We are timerous at any Malevolency which is real or apparent and many times at that which proves not so Fear is opposite to Fortitude as one extream of Participation and as it allayeth too much Presumption by its limitation it becomes beneficial but when it exceeds its Extent it grows Pernicious Vertue is absent when Fortitude is not present And he can never express his Duty towards God well or demonstrate his Justice to the World who acts contrary for Satan is vigilant in his diabolical Operations upon the Timerous offering to his View continual Objects of imposterous and vain Fears like Hunters Suels to chase the fearful Deer from the safe ways So Satan driving through Pusilanimity and Timidity that he maketh them Evil for fear of Men whom the fear of God cannot make Good 2. TO omit many acceptations of the Word I shall only handle some few First there is a natural Fear and that of two sorts in respect of the Object First Concerning the avoidance of Sin for the love of him who knew no Sin It happen'd so with Adam in his state of Innocency who having heard the Threatning feared to Sin signalizing he would not be guilty of offending his Creator whom he loved above all But however Adam in the Temptation lost this Fear and so Sinned yet in the rectitude of his Mind he reassumed it Secondly In relation to the avoidance of Sorrow in apprehension of God's Anger against Sin commited In this Christ Feared Matt. 26.38 Heb. 5.7 He that knew no Sin 3. THE nearest to this is the filial fear of the Regenerate who tho through Infirmity they frequently Sin and fear to displease God by any Offence as Solomon declares Prov. 8.13 The fear of the Lord is to hate Evil. This is the beginning of Wisdom and it is principally demonstrated in four things First That we place God ever before our Eyes moving as always in his Presence Secondly That we acknowledg him as the Omniscient Witness and supream Judge of all our Thoughts Words and Actions Thirdly That we fear not the Creatures as we do
them singly may prove pernicious but both linked together may compleat thy Happiness 4. LABOUR for true Faith in Christ who is the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.2 Whose Blood cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 And holding Faith and a good Conscience That we may avoid being Shipwrack'd 1 Tim. 1.19 1 Tim. 3.9 There was no cure for a wounded Israelite against the venome of Fiery Serpents but to look up to the Brazen Serpent which Prefigured Christ apprehensible by Faith the only Medicament for Sin-wounded-Consciences Permit but this very sense and apprehension of God's Wrath which now appaleth thee to induce thee the more arduously to detest all Sin and thou shalt thereby be ascertain'd that God hath wounded thee only to heal thee 5. REMEMBER that what the Law averrs it declares only to them who are under the Law not under Grace Rom. 3.19 They are under the Law who plead Not guilty and insist upon their Justification by works of the Law We are under Grace who perceiving our Sin and Misery by the Law fly wholly to him for Mercy who freely justifieth the Sinner Rom. 3.24 The Imprecations and Menaces of the Law are not to break the bruised Reed nor quench the Smoaking Flax but to depress the heart that is elevated with an opinion of self merit who safely go on to undo themselves after a presumptuous manner 6. LET thy Repentance be speedy that Sin take no root in thy heart Neither let thy Wound putrifie before thou apply the Remedy But ascend with all diligence to the Throne of Grace to implore Mercy before Wrath is gone out against thee Rely on this Second Table Repentance who hast lost the first of Innocency Condemn thy self and Christ will Justifie thee He only expects thy voice to give thee audience When thou comest with thy Accusation and confessest thou hast sinned then Christ he readily receiveth the Humble Penitent and Proclaims thy Sins are forgiven thee Observe how quickly the Pardon followed David's Confession no sooner had he acknowledged I have sinned against the Lord but Omnipotency declares by the Prophet The Lord also hath put away thy Sin 2 Sam. 12.13 St. Peter quickly Repented and as quickly found Mercy Esau stayed too long and so found no place for Repentance though He sought it carefully with Tears Heb. 12.17 If the Granado fired be suddenly retorted it proves prejudicial to the Assailant Such are the product of Satan's Fire-Works if thou cast out his Temptations and heartily repent thee where any of his Darts pierce thee 7. GIVE not thy self up to pensive Dedolency mundane Sorrow and fruitless Solitariness that will but animate the bitterness of Spirit Think not too much of thy Afflictions but dulcifie them with remembrance of God's Mercy towards thee Assume not to thy self a Worldly Sorrow that is unto death 1 Cor. 7.10 But comfort up thy self in God as David did Psal. 43.5 Why art thou so sad O my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Trust in God for I shall yet praise him And Solomon tells ye A merry heart doth good like a Medicine but a broken Spirit drieth the Bones Prov. 17.22 And again a merry heart maketh a Cheerful Countenance but by the Sorrow of the heart the Spirit is broken Prov. 15.13 8. BE very attentive to God's Word For he is the God of all Consolation and the Word is his Mind and Revealed Will for the benefit of our Salvation It is a full Magazine and there is no Affliction incident to frail Mortality but may there meet with a proper Antidote There thou shalt find Rules to guide thee and preserve thee from sin There thou shalt have a prospect of the Divine Mercy of God in Christ Jesus to wash away the guilt of all thy Transgressions But then appear not only to be a hearer but a doer of the Word and Treasure up those Gracious Promises in thy heart so shalt thou in due season feel the Operation of the Holy Spirit distilling the former and the Latter-Rain upon the seed whereby it may take root and be fruitful 9. LASTLY Add Zealous and Frequent Prayer as God's Servants have practised in all their distresses Psal. 6.9 And be ascertain'd that he will not leave thee Comfortless but will at length appear with great assurance of thy Salvation and will infinitely recompence thy Patience in suffering and perseverance in invocating for pardon Satan is never more baffled and infatuated in his own Stratagems than when he gains a License to wound the hearts of those who are precious in the sight of the Almighty For as Romanus the Martyr told the Tormentor Look how many Wounds thou givest so many Mouths thou settest open to cry to God for help and indeed these Jewels cannot arrive to their Glorious Lustre without being Ground hard by Affliction The Prayer O MOST Gracious and Merciful Lord God rebuke me not in thine Anger neither chasten me in thy hot Displeasure My Soul is sore vexed but Lord how long wilt thou punish me Have Mercy upon me for I am weak Lord heal my Soul and deliver it for I have sinned against thee O save me for thy never failing Mercies sake I am weary of my continual Groaning mine Eyes are consumed with my grief of Tears But Lord hear thou my Supplication and receive my Prayer 2. O Lord I am sorely afflicted but quicken me in thy Righteousness according to thy word In thy loving kindness and multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my transgressions wash O wash me and purge me throughly from my sins and cleanse me from all my iniquities the magnitude and number being of that Extent that my guilt flyeth in my Face and I am afraid of thy Blessed Presence I acknowledge my self unworthy to look up to Heaven to appear before thee with a Petition of Mercy who have so incessantly provoked thy Justice The filthy Leprosie of my sins stink and are corrupt that they stop my own mouth but my heart readily answereth that I am of all men most unworthy of this thy Condescention in inclining thy Gracious Ear unto so wretched a Creature as I am 3. THESE Terrors of Conscience wherewith thou hast now afflicted my Soul are thy just Judgments The fears of Hell and eternal Condemnation wherewith thou hast wounded me are incomparably less than my sins have deserved But Lord remember them not who canst not forget the sufferings of thy blessed Son Jesus for them all Lord I am not able to answer thee one word of a thousand nor can thy Justice require that of me for which my Saviour and Redeemer hath satisfied Therefore I renounce my self that I may be found in a bleeding Jesus not having on my own Righteousness according to the Condemning Letter of the Law but that I may be Clothed in his Righteousness who hath long since Cancelled the Hand-writing of Ordinances that were against me and hath payed the debt for me 4. O Lord for