we Thinke nothing good for us but what may be Pleasing to nature but the God of grace Oft from his dearest servants hides his face And makes them for a time in wants a to live That he to them eternall life may give Psal 94 12.13 14. He often suffers them to be perplext And by infernall spirits strangely vext That they might walke more humbly in his sight And feare to sin against his grace and might Yet in due time they b shall find ease and rest And with great gladnesse see their foes supprest For sure his mercies are and from above He loves them with an everlasting c love Simile A wise Physitian through his skill and art Cures many times a man by taking part Of that away which does by d nature feed The vitall spirits when they moisture need He can so temper poyson by his skill That it will prove a very wholesome pill And shall not God who by his power brings Light out of darknesse and doth call such things As never were shall he not able be To make his crosse our chiefe felicitie Psal 68 4â— Psal 103.19 He that could turne those waters into blood Can turne what we terme ill unto our e good He that could cause cleare water to be wine A barren tree to be a fruitfull vine Without all controversie if he please And see it for our good can with like ease Convert our sorrowes into joy our teares To sollid mirth yea our soul-wounding feares And doubting of his care and providence Unto well-grounded hope and confidence He can so order all our crosses here That to the world at length it may appeare That it was good for us to beare the rod And scourges of so mercifull a God If by affliction then thou hop'st to finde Good to thy soule peace to thy troubled minde Looke not so much upon the a Crosse to see What hope or likely-hood therein may bee As to the promise b which the Lord hath made Which shall stand good when earth and heaven fade Cast all thy soule-disturbing cares aside God can and will what 's for thy good provide Could we our hearts unto this temper bring And fully be perswaded of this thing We should not so much stagger as we doe When we the crosse of Christ should undergoe Simile What grievous tortures do the sick endure From time to time in waiting for a cure As launcing c searing cupping losse of blood Hoping all will at length bee for their good E'vn so this would correct the too much feare That is in us if we perswaded were That all the troubles of this present life As losse of friends of husband children wife Of goods good name yea and of life if we Be cal'd thereto much for our good will be Then thou oh mighty God of gods who art The framer and disposer of the heart Convince our minds and so our hearts perswade That in these brinish waters we may wade With chearfulnesse of spirit soule and mind Although we saile against both tide and wind For sure we are though stormes and waves may rore We safely shall at length be brought to shoare And when this pilgrimage shall have an end The noble peeres of heaven shall attend Upon our persons and with triumph bring Us to the city of our heavenly king Unto a city made of gold most pure Whose ground-worke shall for evermore endure Unto a city that shall neither have Need of the Sun or Moone Revel 21.43 for God that gave Them lifght and splendor at the first will be Our light and life to all eternitie O joy above all joyes what can annoy The soule that is possessed with this joy O light above all lights without whose light Man cannot judge the day time from the night What mists and fogs mans mind should so obscure That he should not discerne thy light so pure O light of all the world teach us the way That leads unto this light that so we may In despite of all lets behold at length Thy blessed face in vigour and full strength O blessed sight God in himselfe to see My selfe in God and God himselfe in me O soule-rejoycing-sight what shall I see My friends and kindred in felicitie O full and perfect light what a shall I so Enlightend be hereby as God to know As I am knowne what shall I understand The secret works of his alworking hand Shall I poore sylly wretch acquainted be With all the secrets of the Trinitie How shall my soule triumph when in this place I shall behold my Maker face to face How shall I shout for joy exult and sing When I shall reigne with my eternall king If in his mothers wombe Iohn Baptist were Constrain'd to leape for joy when Christ drew neare Unto his mother Mary how shall we Exult for joy when Christ himselfe will be Not onely with us but in us that so Our joy and peace might ever over flow If that the Israelites for joy did sing When Salomon the wise was crowned king What cause shall we have to rejoyce when we Shall Christ behold in pompe and Majestie The wisemen greatly did triumph when they Found out the babe which in a manger lay How then shall we rejoyce triumph and sing When on his throne we see him sit as king O happy sweetnesse and sweet happinesse Thy soule-rejoycing joyes who can expresse 1. Cor. 2.9 Here 's fulnesse without loathing strength and health Without decay or sicknesse gaine and wealth Without losse or deceit peace without feare Joy without griefe love without hatred here 1. Cor. 13.15 Is knowledge without error holinesse Without uncleannesse truth and godlynesse Without dissembling concord without strife Beauty without deformity Dan. 12. Esay 32. and life Without the feare of death or any fainting Fame without shame and feature without painting Rest without sloath or labour grace and glory Transcending a all things that are transitory O holy judgement seat shall I appeare Before a Judge Acts 10 23. Mat. 3 9 Ioh 8.34 that neither will for feare Nor favour partiall be what shall I see Those men condemn'd who have condemned me Without a cause how can they in this case Without amazement looke me in the face O blessed fellowship what shall I be By grace united to the Trinitie Shall I bee seated in the Angels row Who for my sins deserve to be below The worst of all the divells oh what heart Is able to conceive the hundred part Of those soul-chearing joyes which from this roote In great aboundance dayly spring and shoote O blessed feast of feasts here is indeed The true and perfect Manna which will feed And please the b eater so that he no longer After the world shall either thirst or hunger O reall royall feast who can relate What King did such a feast e're celebrate We reade in Esther of a feast Est 1.4 that were Kept by King Assuerus halfe a yeare But
THE SOULES SOLACE In times of trouble With severall particular remedies against DESPAIRE collected out of the Psalmes of DAVID And some short Meditations and Ejaculations upon the Attributes of God the Lords Prayer and the tenne Commandements Written for the comfort of all the afflicted By F. THORNE Gent. Psal 92.5.6 O Lord how glorious are thy workes and thy thoughts are very deepe An unwise man doth not well consider this and a foole doth not understand it LONDON Printed by THO HARPER and are to be sold by Philip Nevil at the signe of the Gun in Ivie Lane MDCXLIII The PRINTER to the READER Judicious Reader THe Learned Author of these insuing Divine Poems The soules Solace in times of trouble having with great paines care and industrie perused divers Authors for the furtherance of this his Worke as thou maist perceive by the first printed sheet thereof and leaving the same to my dispose I finding the said quotations so far to exceed the place against which they ought to stand that according to divers printed Bookes I resolved for thy ease and benefit without my Authors consent to place them at the end of the said Poems in a faire Character with reference to each page and line marked with severall letters of the Alphabet as thus a c. where thou maist easilie find them And so I commend them with the whole unto thee resting Thine T. H. To the indifferent Reader REaders you I meane thâ—e are led by reason not by affection when this or any other Booke presents it selfe to your view or censure read not to contradict nor to believe but weigh and consider despise not the matter for the meannesse of the stile solid and sober natures have more of the ballast then of the saile decaying Merchants have many tricks to uphold the credit of their wealth and ability empty and barren braines fine glistering phrases and flourishes to mâ—intaine the credit of their sufficiency discretion of speech is more then eloquence and to speake agreeably to those with whom we deale is more then to speak in learned words Christ for the good of the towne where he was brought up a patterne imitable went nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 travelled from Galilee to Nazaret from a Village to a Hamlet from a great City to a small Village Sic vacat exiguis rebus adesse Jovi I for the good and benefit as well of the rude and unlearned as otherwise have layd aside Poetical Additions Allegories and Illusions darke and obscure Parables Phrases and flourishes wherewith some mens writings are unreasonably stuft and observ'd though perhaps with more difficulty and paines this plainnesse of writing that so I might be understood of the meanest capacity Charge me not with arrogancie nor presumption for as I know that facultie and ability ought to goe before practice because the object cannot bee received without the instrument so I also know that where these are bestowed they either are or should bee operative because the object is ordained for the facultie unumquodq est propter operationem suam I spâ—ake not this to animate and encourage those who only out of a diabolicall spirit of pride envie or arrogancie will undertake that functâ—on which they are neither called to nor qualified for here I cannot but admire at the abominable impudencie of many proud Iesabels in these times who imitate their Grandmother Eve in usurping the office of teaching and their sister Miriam in grudging and murmuring against Moses and Aaron None might presume to enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum but the high Priest the Egyptians had their mysteries in Hyeroglyphick letters lest the vulgar should dive into them Sutor ne ultra crepidam let not the Shoemaker goe beyond his last let the Cobler attend his boote the Water man his boat the Fisherman his bait and the Scholer his books an hammer is for the Smith a Homer for the Schoole We may justly take up that complaint which St. Hierom made against some in his time Quod medicorum est promittant medici tractant fabria fabri sola scripturarum ars est quam sibi omnes vendicant hanc garrula anus hanc delirus senex hanc sophista verbosus hanc universi praesumunt lacerant But I will say to such as Basil once did to an Emperors Coâ—k who thought himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and was foolishly and arrogantly prating about matters of faith and religion tuum est pulmenta curare non divina eloqui à decoquere it belongs to thee to mind thy cookeries and not to meddle with points of divinity O imprudent impudent men and women put chaines and fetters upon your hands and feet your actions and affections not those wherewith Venus Morpho was bound among the Lacedemonians but fetters of reason and civilitie put a ring upon your lips not of brasse according to the custome of the Egiptian women but of prudence and modestie but this by the way I returne to the Reader Out of an overweening opinion of your owne worthinesse and ability undervalue not another the more ignorant many times the more impudent if you have better parts you should have better manners the most eloquent may learn humility and he that thinks himself the wisest may discourse at large of his uowe folly Censure not the plainnesse of my writing nam haec animis non auribus scripsi If any thing appeare childish and upon further triall be so imputeâ—t the tendernesse of my years if not so to the slendernesse of your judgements If any thing may be variously taken let charitie move you to make the best construction therof if you say it is in the accusative case I answer it is also in the plurall number and therefore none needs be offended Lastly your favourable acceptance of the first fruits of these my unvarnished labours for the present will not onely encourage but engage me to the like respective service to you for the future Valete Fran. Thorne To all the afflicted Iob 5.6 7. Iob 7. usuque ad 6. vers MAN and sorrow are like Hypocrates his twins two inseparable adjuncts and his life may fitly be resembled to Ezekiels rool full of lamentations to the moones of Aprill spent in continuall showers of griefe ubi finis unius mali gradus futuri where clouds of adversity are ever breeding and the farewell of one sorrow is but a welcome to another yet the godly man as if he were the sole-borne heire to sufferings hath for the most part the largest possessions in this field of sorrow in this vale of misery so that the profession of Christ Psal 79 4 5. in respect of outward calamities which are many the contrarieties between the Flesh and the Spirit which are implacable the assaults of the Divell strong oppositions and corrupt conversation of wicked men may seem a burthen insupportable yet truth it self and the testimonies of godly men sufficiently declare That the waies of the
Lord are not grievous Psal 119.40 and that his commandements are not burthensome for frst The regenerate are partakers of the divine nature of Christ whereby they are inabled to doe and suffer all things Credenti omnia sunt possibilia Iohn 1.5 all things are posible to them that beleeve Secondly they have spirits well qualified humble and meek minds loving and tractable dispositions towards Christ and love takes away difficulty leve fit quod bene fertur onus love makes a heavie burthen light Thirdly they have Christ the head of all the faithfull as fellow-members to sympathize with them in their sufferings solamen miseris socios hâ—buisse doloris they have the God of hosts within them the hosts of the Lord without them the God of hosts and all the hosts of God for them if men dare offend God will and can defend What need Mattheus care if an angry Peter cut off his eare if Christ be by to cure it againe What need Iob feare the roaving Sabbeans and robbing Chaldeans if Gods protection uphold him What need Lot feare to bee carried away captive if Abraham follow to redeem him What need a Christian feare to sustaine trouble sorrow need sicknesse or any other adversity since Christ the Son of God will make his yoake easie and God our tender Father will in his due time both ease release us Yea God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost are ever ready to apply their helping hands and wee commonly say multorum manibus grande levatur onus many hands make light worke Yet in the holy Scriptures we finde that many godly and Religious men through the imbecility of the flesh the extremity of paine and strong assaults of the Divell thereupon have been for a time so possessed with a spirit of heavinesse thâ—t they have appeared to themselves and others for a time as men utterly lost and forsaken and by this means have beene made unfit to serve God and scandalized their Religion to prevent this and such like evills which might hence arise I have in this small Treatise proposed to your serious consideration First the brevity of affliction or difference between the Crosse and the Crowne Secondly the benefit that comes to the soule by affliction Thirdly what Christ hath suffered for us Fourthly the ends why God afflicts his people Fifthly the author of affliction And these five thoughts as Davids five smooth stones being rightly placed in the sling of the heart and levelled by the steady hand of faith will be sufficiently able to beat down the great Goliah of our soules despaire first consider the difference between the Crosse and the Crowne the brevity of suffering the perpetuity of reigning afflictions are but for a short time during the time of this present life I count Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 12. saith the Apostle c. Therefore the time of affliction is sometime termed a day of triall sometimes a night of sorrow Heavinesse may endure for a night saith the Psalmist but joy comes in the morning sometimes to an houre of watching as Christ said to his three Disciples Matth 26.40 Can you not watch with me one houre Besides this the burthen of afflictions 2. Tim. 2 12. 2 Cor. 1.2 3 4 5. hath consolations qualifying As the sufferings of Christ doe abound so his consolations much more Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake Let Stephen have his eyes in prayer to see the heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and he shall nor be moved with the stones which the Jewes violently throw at him Let Moses see him which is invisible and he shall not feare Pharaoh but rejoyce rather to suffer with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Let Paul and Silas consider for whose sake they are imprisoned and they will sing and rejoyce in the midst of their sufferings Secondly the power of the oppressor is limited his daies are numbred I have said you are Gods but ye shall dye like men the rod of the wicked shall not alwaies rest on the backe of the godly God will either cut off the oppressor in his fury or take the oppressed to his mercy Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is appointed for all men once to dye Quicquid generatur corrumpitur omne ortum interit Here is our comfort then if we dye we shall live like Angells if we live we shall see our enemies dye like men post hac veâ—it judicium and then commeth judgement Christ our blessed Saviour God and Man will one day come to exercise a judiciall course against them otherwise God should be unjust in rewarding and the godly of all men most miserable Secondly Rom. 5.4 Luke 24 26. Rom. 8.17 Acts 14.21 Heb. 12.6 7. consider the benefit that comes by affliction Via crucis est via lucis the crosse is the high way to the Crowne we must goe through Rethshemesh to Betheden through many tribulations into the Kingdome of heaven Affliction to the soule is as physicke to the body more wholesome then toothsome for although simply in it selfe it be not good yet being prescribed directed and ordered by the wise hand of God it oftentimes proves very usefull and advantagious to the soul David speakes upon his owne experience Psal 119.71 that it was good for him and Paul affirmes the same There is no affliction for the present joyous but it brings forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse Adam in the garden of pleasure was overcome by the Serpent when Iob upon the dunghill of misery was more then a conquerer Affliction makes men mourne for their sins beati sunt qui lâ—gent Blessed are they which mourn Affliction makes men humble and humility makes the soule happy Deus resistit superbis dat gratiam hâ—nilibus God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble Afflictions make men meek beati sunt mites Blessed are the meek Psal 3.25 for they shal inherit the earth Dirigit mansuetes injudicio docebit mites in vias suas Affliction makes men hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Beati qui â—surium Blessed are they which hunger c. Affliction doth purge and purifie the soule beati mundo corde Blessed are the pure in heart c. Heb. 12.1 2 4. Thirdly Inspice vulnera pendentis Christi sanguinem morientis pretium redimentis cicatrices resurgentis capâ—t habet inclinatum ad osculandum cor aptum ad diligendum brachia extenta ad amplexandum totum denique corpus expositum ad redimendum Aug. de pas Christi Consider what Christ hath done and suffered for thee Multa dixit mira fecit durapassus est verba durlora verbera how he was incarned and assumeth the nature not of pure and immortall Angels but of sinfull mortall men how he came from Galilee to Nazaret from a Region to a hamlet from
are croaking ravens borne When the sweet nightingale sits on a Thorne Arguments moving the Author to write upon this subject I Can say for my conscience witnesse beares That I have taken notice many yeares Of these backsliding and declining times Wherein so many crimson colour'd crimes Have beene predominant I also have Seen honest dealing used as a slave Vertue suppressed and foule vices swarme Them most oppressed that have done lest harme In Church and Commonweale truth out of date Dissembling prised at too high a rate Knowledge disdain'd by some earthly moles As if that it were fatall to their soules And discipline both morall and divine Thought worth as much with men as pearls with swine Shepheards grow fearfull wolves and foxes bold Poore silly sheepe affrighted from the fold And how both in the Country and at Court Too many men have made their sins their sport I have observed how a golden Asse Hath got preferment when as some alasse Better for parts by manifold degrees Have gone without for want of bribes and fees Under the Sun an evill I have seene But stay under or over hath it beene Under thanke God though it did seeme of late Above the sun it selfe to elevate It is no wonder for to see the sun Eclips'd obscur'd by mists for that 's oft done It is not strange to see some vapours mount Up to the skies as if they made account To darken all the world it is not strange To see false-blazing-starres and comets range About the lower sphears but that those foggs Vapours and mists which rise from noisome bogs Should not alone strive to obscure the light But to extinguish it that so they might Have their designes this oft hath made me wonder And feare they would not be dispers'd asunder Without some claps of lightning and of thunder These and such observations with some other Which upon force I am constrein'd to smother Have ofttimes made me sad and I to cheare My drooping mind perplext with daily feare Of what in justice might ensue began To call to mind the miseries of man Gods tender mercies and exceeding love The ever-over-flowing joyes above To which good God us in thy mercy bring That we for aie may Halelujahs sing Arguments mooving the Author to publish it I Cannot say as many will pretend That at the earnest sute of some deare friend I have this little Book brought to your view Because my conscience knowes it is not true No no I kept it close within my brest Till conscience it no longer could digest For when I with my selfe consider'd well What curse upon that idle servant fell Who did interre his talent in the ground No quiet rest within my selfe I found Vntill I had resolv'd to make that knowne Which I intended for my selfe alone Non nobis natisumus Nec sibi nec patriae nec amicis commodus esse Qui studet huic vivo mortua vita placet In the defence of Poesie NOne I suppose but men in judgement weake In the dispraise of poesie will speak For howso'ere some censure of this art It is by God inspir'd into the heart And upon further triall will be found To be most antique and the very ground Of many other arts and to disclose As worthy things as eare was writ in prose Objection answered True some for want of grace more then of wit Divulge those things in rimes which are not fit As hell-hacht-libells ballads foolish songs To vent their malice or avenge some wrongs Done unto them as they conceive or friend And such as these I much more discommend Yea such if I might have my wish or will Should walke up Holborne not Pernassus hill For by their meanes this evill oft doth follow Men slight the Muses and despise Apollo Proximus est oratori poeta The Author to his Muse MY drowsie Muse I muse and musing rest As one amaz'd to see thee so opprest With sluggish thoughts behold the day awake Stir up thy selfe and off thy slumber shake Dost know thy taske To whom to dedicate This little booke which I have writ of late Prepare thy selfe then to be gone with speed Declare thy message but withall take heed Thou dost not so far erre as to mistake The parties herein meant and thereby make Thy selfe and booke a laughing stocke to those That of thee or the message nothing knowes That better thou this error maist prevent First understand to whom thou art not sent Not to the lofty high and haughty minde But to the contrite and to such as finde Through doubts feares horrors and distrustfull care Their soules oft wel-neare drowned with despaire Not unto such as covet or delight To satisfie their fleshly appetite Not to the worldly wise which far surmount In subtile plots but unto such as count Themselves as fooles so that they may obtain That wisdome which makes wise that perfect gaine Vnto the soule-sicke and all such as finde The want hereof in body and in minde Not to the selfe-conceited Pharisee Or merit mongers though of high degree Who of their seemâ—ng-good deeds make great brags When God esteems them but as filthy rags But to the Publican who through the sight Of his foule nature and Gods glory bright Dare not approach unto the throne of grace Being asham'd to looke him in the face Whom he unjustly many waies and times Hath so disgrac'd by such reproachfull crimes Not unto libertines who will give scope Vnto their raging lusts and live in hope To make the Lord amends before they die With some dissembling tear sob groan or sigh Not unto such as mercy and free grace Turne into wantonnesse for they the face And countenance of God shall never see Which is the height of true felicity And now my Muse go and thy charge attend And if thou know'st for what my book commend To all afflicted Saints and let them know I wish that everlasting joyes may flow Vpon them as a streame and so revive Their fainting soules when Sathan seeks to drive Them with what might he can to blacke despaire And to distrust Gods providence and care That then and all times else yea in all Assaults into this gulph they never fall Goe tell the weak in faith and such as finde Themselves poore sinfull simple wretched blinde That Gods right handwill helpe them that want might He saves the arme that hath no strength to fight He fils the empty with good things and sends The rich without his eare and heart attends Vnto a sinners suit his eyes behold The sorrowes of his Saints his mercies old He cals to minde he gives grace to the pure His counsels to the simple and obscure Declare thy comforts to the smoaking flax And bruised reed whose spirits melt like wax Whose mindes are so affrighted with the sight Of their most loathsome sins that day nor night They cannot rest tell them the Lord is near Vnto the meeke in heart and such as feare His holy name he will not
otherwise how can men deale In matters that concerne a Commonweale That have not discipline what makes a state More weake and poore then this unhappy sate What makes the Artist lay aside his art And take himselfe unto the plough and cart What makes our foes triumph our weakenesse sure What makes us weake contempt of literature What makes art despicable in the eies Of such as wont the meanest art to prize Cause gold is thought more worth then art for he That is best able to bestow a fee Shall have a place let him be knave or foole Or one perhaps that never went to schoole And here indeed I might my thoughts inlarge My over-loaden stomach to discharge And speake of many things though to small boot But I will onely at some gunners shoot Yet will I for some of my brethrens sake A Saker Minion or some smal piece take For loath I am their weaknesse to disclose But much more loath to make the world suppose That all are such no I would cut my tongue Out of my head before I 'de do thâ—â— wrong I know some are deserving for their parts Honest and able men of good desarts Well then my care must be to levell right That I may hit the black and misse the white The Gunner as some know wâ—nkes of an eie That he the marke the better might espie But there 's small hope that he should hit the marke That wants both eies or levels in the darke I durst let such a Gunner for a tester Shoot at my cap from Christmas day till Easter Some scarce know how if that to proofe it came To charge a Cannon and discharge the same Yet these are best thought of by some and why Cause they have gold and gold can credit buy I would to God that those to whom't belonges Would take a course for to redresse such wronges For what they meane I do not understand Unlesse it be to undermine the land Though a God in mercy hath remooved farre Great thunder-threatning stormes of civill warre And for these many yeares preserv'd our land We cannot tell what dangers are at hand Though we be now at peace with France and Spaine We are not sure how long this shall remaine As safe as we suppose our selves to be E're long we may great alterations see To crosse the proverbe here a heavie purse Upon a land in this kind bringes a curse Not a light heart needs must their spirits droope Whose safety rests upon faire Venus troope Need must that Kingdome in great danger be When those are blind which should the ill foresee But thus much by the way I come from hence To speake of things of greater consequence What though this night may prove a night of sorrow Psal 30.5 We shall have perfâ—ct joy and peace to b morrow He that sav'd Ionas without saile or oare 3. Ionah Can safely bring our crazie Barks to shore Let mirth and sadnesse of each other borrow So live to day as so to die to morrow For what know we but that e'ne in a trice Our paines and pangs mâ—y prove a paradise Those evills which we thinke will soon'â— betide us God if he please with ease can put beside us They that in trouble teares and sorrow sow Psal 1â— 6.5 6. Iohn 16.20 Esa 35 10 16.13 14. Psaâ— 3.11.27 Shall reap in joy their joyes shall overflow They that as Pilgrimes wander in this race Shall have at length with Christ a dwelling place They that saile in this sea and are opprest With waves and stormes at length shall find true rest Esay 64 9. Maâ— 3 17. Num. 14.13 They that are trod here underfoot one day Over those e tyrants shall the Scepter sway Ieâ—â— 30.20 They that go on now weeping in the way Luk. â— 21 And good seed beare forth doubtlesse shall one day Returne with gladnesse and have cause to sing For they with joy their sheaves with them shall bring 2 Tim. 2 12. 1 Pâ—t 5 10. 2 Cor 1.5 â— They that Christs crosse with perseverance beare His crowne of glory shall for ever weare Besides our troubles are but transitory But everlasting is the crowne of glory What though the way be difficult and hard Looke with the eye of faith on the reward Before thee set and thou wilt soone confesse Rom. 8.18 That all the troubles of this wildernesse May not a compare with that estate of blisse Which God our guide long since prepar'd for his Besides we need not doubt but that his grace Phil. 4.13 1 Cor. 10 13. 2 Cor. 3 5 2 Cor. 12.9 Iude 24. v. Heb. 2.18.7.24 Will mightily suppot us in our race For had we faith upon him to depend Unto our troubles he would put an end Or give us meekenesse humbly to submit And so much strength as he for us thought fit Simile The tender father willing for to try His childs obezance and humility Some heavie weight upon his shoulder laies The child submits and readily obeyes His father seeing then a willingnesse In him to beare that which would overpresse His tender backe his hand applieth so That under it with ease the child may goe If then the earthly parent be thus mild And carefull not to overload his child Psal 103.13 Iob 34 23. We need not feare at all but that our God Will give us meeknesse to endure his rod And so encrease our strength that still we may His Crosse upon our shoulders beare away He knowes our frailties and whereof we 're made He knowes we are but dust and apt to fade He knowes full well the cruelty of those That to our welfare are most deadly foes He knowes the world is subtile and how apt We are with golden baits to be intrapt He knowes that roring lyon which each houre 1 â—eâ—â—â— Our deare-bought-soules seekes closely to devoure Is mercilesse and how the flesh with guile Both soule and body labours to defile And how we are not able to withstand The least of them should he withdraw his hand Our tender father therefore for this end To us his holy Spirit of truth did send Rom 8 26. And when our soules are so perplext that we Through anguish of our paine and miserie In so good tearmes c cannot our mind reveale That man may understand to God appeale We with a mournefull sigh a sob a grone He will conceive for what we make our mone And in due time we shall such mercy finde 1 Cor. 3.4 5. As shall give ease to body soule and mind The Church of God in Egypts slavery Exod 2 23 24. Could not tell how to pray but with a sigh Exprest their minds to him who knew the thought Of each mans heart and suddenly he brought Them out of bondage by his mighty hand And after brought them to the blessed land Of promise where with freedome they his will And holy testimonies might fulfill Simile So great affection doth
our selves and see Whether our hearts be humbled for till we Returne with contrite spirits Num. 21.5 1 Ioh 1.9 3 Kâ—â—g cap. 8.49 to 50. â—am 3.42 43 44. Psal 66.16 17 18. and confesse The vildnesse of our sin and wickednesse And c stedfastly resolve them to forsake God will not heare the prayers which we make Simile The father takes no pleasure or delight To scourge his tender childe Ier. 3 4 5. so that he might By faire meanes win him but if once he finde In him a stubborne and a wilfull minde He will correct him and correct him till He does submit himselfe unto his will Let not th' afflicted then much daunted be At the a prolonging of their misery Heb 12. 1 2.3.4 Exod. 1.12 Luke 24.26 Acts 14 11. But be assur'd that God intends by this To bring their soules unto eternall blisse What though thou art afflicted more then all Thy friends besides What if the Lord should call Thee out alone to suffer for his word If he a greater measure will afford Of strength to thee thou hast small cause to grudge Or of his justice rashly for to judge Simile The wise Physitian will not give the childe The purge the father takes but one that 's milde One that may with his tender yeares agree And to his nature correspondent be The great Physitian of our soules doth know What we are able best to undergoe Psal 119.72 Psal 7.10 Rom 8.25 Heb. 4.13 He knowes the frame and nature of our hearts He tries the reines and our most inward parts And will not lay his hand on all alike Neither at all times with the same rod strike One man is crossed in his reputation Another in his birth and education Parents sometimes are crossed with a childe That proves a prodigall and growes so wilde That he will not be rul'd doe what they can Standing in awe neither of God nor man The childe with an ill father and the wife With such a husband that her very life Seems as a hell on earth some in their health By daily sicknesses some in their wealth By losse of goods then a let not mortall men Dispute why where by whom what how and when They suffer at Gods hands But be content Sith they have sin'd to beare the punishment Simile The good Physitian will not seek so much To give his physicke as the cure of such As he shall take in hand and therefore tries One way at first if that serve he applies No more but leaves them off b but if he finde Much dregs and corrupt matter still behinde He useth launcing cupping letting bloud Yea any way whereby to doe them good And if at any time he intermit It is because his patients are not fit By reason of their weaknesse not that he Intends to leave them off and thus we see God deales with his owne people many times In purging them from soule-corrupting crimes For when the waies of God we are not taught Esay 50 â— Nor by the first c crosse profit as we ought He either lets it longer on us lie Or sends another though not presently Ier. 5.3.6 Esay 9.17.20 Hos 5.12 13 14. Amos 4.6 usque ad 13. Because we cannot beare it let 's then learne To profit by our troubles and discerne The hand of him that strikes and for what ends The Lord unto his children crosses sends And when at any time we see his hand Stretcht out against a City Towne or Land Lam. 3.40 Let us both search our hearts and waies to see Wherein we might offend his Majesty And so incense his wrath but we alas As if it were a trifle let it passe We sleep a securely on our sinfull beds Till vengeance be powr'd down upon our heads We wanting wisdome to discerne aright The evill b imminent Gods threatning slight Seldome or never doe we take to heart These sins which justly cause God to depart From his owne Saints we doe not understand Wherefore the Lord in justice plagues our land We all are c apt enough to blame the times But few or none record their bloudy crimes We say the times are bad and thinke them strange But where 's the fault what is' t that makes this change Esay 59.1.2.3.4 Lam. 3.42 43 44. Ie eâ— 5 25. usque ad finem Doubtlesse our crying sins our great backslidings Our scoffing of Religion and deridings Those that with fervent d zeale professe the same Though with the losse of life goods or good name Our high-aspiring minds our great excesse In e diet and attire our drunkennesse Our swine-like rooting in this muck and mire Our f whoredome and inordinate desire Our g worshipping false gods our adoration Of the true God after a strange fashion Our taking of Gods name so oft in vaine By sin-procuring words and oaths prophane Our stubbornnesse and disobedience â— Pet. 2.13 Exoâ— 2â— â—8 Rom. 13.1.2.7 To h governours whom with great reverence We freely ought t' obey in all commands That equall with Gods Law and Justice stands Our prophanation of that day of â—est Which chiefly God for his owne service blest Exod 16 2â— Deâ—t â— 12 Exod 20 10. Our sacriledge the wounding and the tearing Our neâ—ghbours credits by false witnesse bearing Hâ—â— 27 usque ad 13. Our inhumanity and great a oppressions Our getting with injustice great possessions Our grinding poore men as it were to dust For lucre of the world which mothes and rust Shall in the end consume our guile and fraud Our usury and theft our little laud Our great contempt of God and Christ in all His morall and Lawes Evangelicall Our tyrannizing o're Gods people here As if we were set in a higher sphere Or regiment a purpose for this end When as the God of Justice does intend That such as are advanc'd to high degree Carefull preservers of his flock should be That they should helpe the fatherlesse and weak And in the poore mans case uprightly speak Our b discontentment and ingratitude Towards the Lord for such a multitude Of undeserved blessings Esay 1.2.5 cap. 4 5 6. Ier. 2 5. usque ad 12. Rom. 1.21 usque ad finem which ofttimes We have repaid with most provoking crimes These are the locâ—sts daughters which St. Iohn Notes in his holy Revelation Revel 9 7.10 Who fâ—ces have as faire as men but beare Stings in their tailes O fly from them and feare With sweet embracements ivâ—e kills the tree With vaine delights thy lusts will murther thee As Iacob to his houshold so speake I Unto each City Countrey Family Away with those strange gods that are among you Zephan 1.8 9. Ierem. 5.7 8 9. Esay 5 11. â—2 Esay 28.1 2 3. Acts 12.21 22. Esay 6.3 4 5. And change your garments for these things wil wrong you Away with whoâ—edome drunkennes and pride Gods purity cannot such sins abide Away with all prophanenesse filthy talking Lust and uncleannesse
intents Without leave from above this truth we find Marke 5.12 Confirm'd by Scripture to confirme the mind Of all the faithfull how the divels were Not able of themselves once to draw neare The heard of swine for they of Christ besought Not only leave to goe as if they thought That of small force but to be sent that so They might be able into them to go What comfort may the soule from hence apply Unto its selfe in its extemity How may it reason with the Lord and say My God my guide my judge my staffe and stay Could not the divels go into those swine Without thy sufferance and leave divine Couldst thou oh Lord by thy almighty hand So mercilesse a creature so command As fire and such a fire in such a place That those three children through thy strength and grace Could walke i' th midst thereof Dan. 3.17 and not so much As have their garments smell was thy power such And shall I feare the face of mortall man Whose life is but a bubble blast or span I know oh God of might thou art the same Psal 75.2 Numb 1â— 23 Thou canst not change Jehovah is thy name Thou didst the Jsraelites with Manna feed And gav'st them quailes in their great want and need Thou brought'st forth streames from rockes both hard and high Thou mad'st great swelling rivers to be drie Bashan and Carmell are at thy command Great Princes at thy voice amazed stand The Cedars tall thy voice asunder rends At thy rebuke great-swelling Neptune bends Thou canst effect things opposite to nature To pleasant wine thou canst turne running water Saint Iohn th'Evangelist was put to boile Into a Cauldron full of scaulding oile Yet by thy hand of providence oh God He rather came annointed forth then sod I know thy hand hath wrought many a wonder Psal 89 5 6.7 to thâ— 19. Psal 74 14.15.16 17.18 Psal 136.4 Psal 78.13.21 Dividing seas and cleaving rocks asunder Slack in thy promise I thee never tooke Thou hast no time thy chosen flock forsooke At thy command I never tooke up armes But thou hast stood between me and my harmes 1. Sam. 17.35 3â— Then though my foes in campe against me lie And will in battle picht their forces trie I in thy name will be both strong and stout Because thy hand doth fence me round about For sure I am thy all supporting grace Will strengthen me my foes quite to deface Dan. 3. Had not those hungry lions so much power As Daniel thy deare servant to devoure Could they not hurt him with their griping pawes Nor teare his limbs asunder with their jawes Then give me blessed Lord true faith that I In time of triall may on thee relie Being assured that it is the rod Of a kind father and a loving God 1 Sam 3.18 It is the Lord saith Eli that doth smite Let him do what seems good in his owne sight I was as dumbe and would not speake a word Because I knew that it was thou oh Lord Iob. 1.21 The Lord doth give saith Iob and take away And blessed be his holy name for ay Lament 3.37.38 Amos 3.6 What evill's there in any place or land That is not wrought by my alworking hand A sea of comfort for the comfortlesse In times a of trouble sorrow and distresse Is this our father and our tender God Like children let us humbly kisse the rod How may this elevate our drooping hearts When Sathan with his sore-soule-wounding-darts And such as are his factors here below Our soules and bodies seeke to overthrow Anno 1588. Had not the Lord himselfe may England say Been on my side when mountaines high of prey And such as did delight to swim in blood Came in upon me as a swelling flood Their rageing streames had overwhelmed all My worthy cedars shrubs and bushes small Had not the Lord himselfe the soule may say Been on my side hell gates before this day Against me had prevail'd death and the grave Had made of me a bondman and a slave Simile How grievous to the child would it appeare If for a fault committed he should heare His tender father in his fury say Unto his servants take you him away Out of my sight and presence and for it Give him what punishment you shall thinke fit If this were our condition surely we Of all men should most miserable be But knowing that we neither can nor shall Thus in the hands of men or divells fall We may triumph and in our troubles sing Glory be to the Lord Our Supreme King Whose word a lion to a lambe can turne At whose command the fire shall cease to burne Mountaines shall dance the roofe of heaven shall shake Iob. 26.10.11 Earth like an asping leafe for feare shall quake The stars shall cease to shine the moone perforce Shall be compel'd to alter in her course Rocks shall grow moist great hils shall be made plaine Great swelling Neptune shall be cleft in twaine A raven shall Elias feed the flood Shall not hurt Noah nor such as be good The greedie whale shall Ionas cast on shore Whom she had swallowed downe three daies before The crowing of a cocke shall Peter bring Upon his knees a viper shall not sting A holy Paul a stone in Davids sling Shall bring Goliah to the dust the Sun Shall cease his swift and wonted course to run The fire of Sodom shall not hurt at all A holy Lot prison nor bonds a Paul A cruell Pharoh nor a bloodie Saul A Moses or a David no nor all The pollicie and might of divels in hell Or of their instruments which so excell In hellish subtletie a shall able be To hurt the godly in the least degree The Lord doth reigne oh let the earth rejoyce And let his Saints triumph with chearfull voice The third thought Rom 8.28.29 THough troubles grievous seeme to flesh and blood Yet all things worke c together for the good Of such as love the Lord whether they be Advanc'd to honour or in low degree Whether they be in sicknesse or in health 2. Reg. 6.27.30.33 Whether they be in poverty or wealth For nothing d happens to the just by chance But by the hand of divine providence And though God seeme to disregard our cries And mournfull teares and for a time e denies Our earnest suites yea in our greatest need And cause our troubles much more to exceed 1 Cor. 19.9 Yet he no time hath his forsooke nor will Because he will his promises fulfill A wise Physitian seekes not for to please The sicke mans fancie but looke what may ease And miâ—igate his paine he will apply Though for the present he encrease thereby The measure of his griefe and as it were Add sorrow unto sorrow feare to feare Yet in the end he cures him of his paine And to his former health restores againe Such is the weaknesse of our flesh that