HISTORICAL Applications AND OCCASIONAL Meditations UPON Several Subjects Written by A Person of Honour LONDON Printed by J. Flesher for R. Royston Bookseller to His most Sacred MAJESTY 1667. BOld is the man that dares ingage For Piety in such an Age. Who can presume to find a Guard From Scorn when Heaven 's so little spar'd Divines are pardon'd they defend Altars on which their Lives depend But the Prophane impatient are When Nobler Pens make this their care For why should these let in a Beam Of Divine Light to trouble them And call in doubt their pleasing Thought That none believes what we are taught High Birth and Fortune warrant give That such men write what they believe And feeling first what they indite New credit give to Ancient Light Amongst these few our Authour brings His well-known pedegree from Kings This Book the Image of his Mind Will make his Name not hard to find I wish the Throng of Great and Good Made it less eas'ly understood WALLER To the Lady HARMONIA MADAM YOur Ladyship was pleased to incourage me to write Religious Meditations therefore to you I dedicate the First-fruits of my obedience to your Commands in this particular Your Ladyship can experimentally say what high advantages pious Contemplations afford Some of which are a just Divertisement from both worldly and sinful Imployments a great Complacency and Delight in the present Composure besides the satisfaction to our Consciences the Improvement of the Divine Graces in us and a rendring our Souls alwaies in an Harmonious sweet temper in which your Ladyship does so eminently excell being alwaies in a praying capacity having a willingness to resign our Wills to God's in all things whether in Life or Death If this way of applying all our Discourses and Conceptions to a Religious sense were made more generally practical the Power of Godliness as well as the Form would so govern us in all our actions that in this present Age neither the Speculative nor the Practicall Atheists would dare with so much impudence to shew their faces nor maintain their detestable Principles so horridly and dis-ingenuously as now they do the Age would then be reformed and we should be good Company to our selves for when we converse with God we are never less alone then when alone Next to pious Meditations Godly Friends are to be made choice of for our Conversation such as is your Ladyship who without the least suspicion of Flattery I dare affirm it may justly be styled the Beauty of Society and Harmony of Friendship your Civility being so great and Carriage so gaining that you are able to convert a Barbarian into good manners and make a man of a reprobate nature become a good Christian. Your Example I confess is easier to be admired then imitated Your Precepts adequate and proportionable to so great a Pattern and those delivered to your Friends and Servants with such winning mildness and Concern as if it were your duty to be more ingaged for the welfare of our Souls and good Names then we ought to be our selves Madam I need say no more but pray for you that God would multiply upon you who are both Good and Great and upon yours all Temporal and Eternal Blessings increase the number of such Excellent Saints as is your Ladyship Then we should injoy a part of Heaven out of Heaven while we had our beings upon the Earth I had taken the freedome to have named you by a Title you are more known by but that I feared your so nice and scrupulous Modesty would have reprehended me disowning my celebration of this just Character And should I have given an account of my own Name it would not be difficult for very many to conjecture to whom I presumed to make this Address I am Madam Your greatest Honourer and most obedient Servant who as an admirer of your Vertues am ambitious to deserve of your Ladyship the Appellation of CONSTANS A Prayer O Lord God I confesse mine iniquities and my sins are ever before thee secret as well as known sins Create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me Cleanse the wicked and damnable thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit forgive my wicked thoughts as well as my evil vile words and actions Give me thy Grace that I may not onely leave sin for a time but that I may loath sin that I may look upon Jesus Christ not onely as a Saviour which the very worst of men would be glad to do at their Deaths but as a Sovereign to rule and reign in my heart It may be in vain for me with wicked Balaam to desire to die the death of the righteous if I do not live the life of the righteous While I live in the World let me not be of the World but be pleased to indue me with so great a measure of thy Spirit that I may make it the great pleasure of my life to doe thee service whose service is perfect freedome Make me humble charitable and obedient willing to doe good not onely to my friends but to my very enemies heartily forgiving them as I desire to be forgiven and returning to them good for evil But Lord to my Relations Friends return their kindness double into their own bosomes Take from me good Lord both in my health and sicknesse all that sinfull misbecoming Impatience which so much prevails over me Let not the fear of Death so much terrifie and discompose my spirits but so moderate my Affections that I may willingly and entirely submit to thy Divine will and pleasure whether in Life or Death natural or violent But I most humbly beseech thee Heavenly Father to prepare me for a better World before thou takest me out of this So prepare me O Lord by sealing to me a Pardon for all my sins past and giving me such an assured well-grounded Faith in Christ Jesus and such an application of his imputative Righteousnesse that when I come to die I may have nothing else to doe but to die and to surrender though a sinful yet a penitent Soul into the hands of a gracious Redeemer While I live here give me Grace that I may have dying thoughts that when I come to die I may have living hopes Grant I may live here in thy fear die in thy favour and at the end of my days attain the end of my hopes even the Salvation of my Soul in and through Christ Jesus my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Amen Amen Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost Our Father c. Historical Applications AND Occasional Meditations I. THE Society of Gresham Colledge is composed of very ingenious and eminent Persons whose Conversation is desirable in many respects their endeavours to improve Arts and Sciences Mechanical and Liberal their inquisition into the works of Nature may be both delightfull and profitable to themselves and others If this
Faithful to have God to be his Friend and to be called the Friend of God I pray God we may have the like felicity that following Abraham's example we may rest in his bosome which God of his infinite mercy grant for Christ Jesus his sake Amen VIII THere was a great contest between Apelles a famous Painter and another which should appear the better Artist and as a trial of skill Apelles drew Grapes which were so naturally done that the Birds pecked at them supposing them to be real Grapes The other drew onely the lively picture of a Curtain and bringing it to Apelles for his approbation he was desired to draw away the Curtain that his Picture might be judged of He then concluded himself the better-Artist For says he Apelles deceived the Birds but I deceived Apelles Thus with Art and cunning we may deceive birds beasts and men nay our selves but we cannot deceive God Let us therefore so behave our selves in our words gestures thoughts actions as considering we are alwaies in God's presence to whom we must be accountable at our Death and at the day of Judgment and therefore let us not dare to commit sin unlesse we can conceal our actions from his all-seeing Eye IX I Have heard of a Jury of twelve men who being asked by the Judg whether the Prisoner at the Barre were Guilty or Not guilty before the Fore-man could conveniently make answer another person who stood by said Not guilty to whom the Fore-man looking with indignation repeated his words Not guilty adding I say my Lord he is Guilty but before he expressed the latter his two first words were recorded according to Law and by this mistake the Offender escaped But at the day of Judgment the Guilty have no advantage by any possibility of a mistake or accident for the Judge is infallible and righteous and the Conscience which is both Jury and Witnesse Conscientia mille Testes will certainly deliver true evidence not being deceived in the least tittle At this Barre voluble Oratorie prevails not neither can subtile Law-distinctions any waies avail but Judgment shall be given to every one in Righteousnesse and in Truth by him who is Truth it self and cannot lie whose mercy we had need implore in our lives and at our Deaths that he may not be severe to mark what is done amisse but forgive and pardon us for Christ his sake X. THe Dog in the Fable having meat in his mouth by the water side and perceiving the shadow of it reflect which he erroneously mistook for real flesh opened his mouth greedily in hopes to get it and by this means lost the true substance Thus it fares with many worldly men to whom God hath given meat in their Mouths his blessings in a liberal proportion Eccles. 6. 2. Riches wealth and honour so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof but they not satisfied therewith seek to increase their wealth per fas nefas ravenously coveting the shadow which is vexation and vanity and neglecting to improve their Talents to God's glory and their own good and by this means lose the true substance their hopes of eternal welfare XI A Scholar of Socrates observing that many of his fellow-Pupills had presented their Master with great and rich presents which he was uncapable of doing by reason of his poverty came to Socrates and told him he freely gave him what was in his power Himself devoted to his service The most acceptable Gift to the God of Heaven is our selves our hearts and affections My son give me thy heart says Solomon Without this Present all others are vain Oblations Sacrifices which are an abomination to the Lord He will despise us and our Offerings if they are not tendred with an intire humble dutiful and obedient heart which I beseech God to give us that we may retribute the same to him again Amen XII A Story is told of the same Socrates that one day being in his School a Physiognomist came to visit him and taking great remark of his face plainly averred that Socrates was guilty of such and such notorious Vices which Accusation his Disciples heard with much impatience and could hardly forbear striking him declaring that he was a silly fellow and that he had done their Master injurie for what he had said was very false upon their knowledge Socrates interposes and assures them that what this Artist had delivered concerning him was well grounded and therefore they had no such reason to blame him for says he I have a great natural propensity and inclination to those Crimes which certainly would have had a great predominancy over me had not my Reason and my Philosophie prevailed over them which was no small difficulty Thanks be given to Almighty God for his restraining Grace that we have not been actually guilty of those sins to which our particular natures do so much incline us that every single offence hath not been the unhappy parent of many more and this is wholly to be imputed to God's goodnesse to us for our resolutions may fail us of doing good and avoiding evil our Reason may be blinded and deceived Philosophie both as to the Theorie and as to the Practick part may be vain and unprofitable but if we are indued with God's Grace this cannot fail us He giveth us to will and to doe of his good pleasure but the more we rely upon him and pray for his blessed assistance the surer we are to find the happy influence and benefit of his good Spirit which will teach us to walk holily penitently soberly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the daies are evill XIII IT was said of a good man that he should confesse he had been undone unlesse he had been undone meaning that if God had not awakened his Conscience with temporal losses and afflictions and caused him to look into himself Prosperity and inconsideration had swallowed him up God many times grants our requests in denying of them when to his Majestie these appear inconsistent with his Glory and our Good for he onely knows what is best for us In a prosperous condition we seldome take up the complaint of that good Heathen who sadly said O Amici diem perdidi O my friends I have lost a day because he could not call to mind any good he had done that day but lose day after day for many years together untill at last we have not a day left to repent in though many a misspent day to repent of and then we must know though true Repentance is never too late yet late Repentance is seldome true XIV ALL Societies and Compaines of men as well Merchants as others who are sober industirous wise and well-governed conduce much to the advantage and benefit of that Kingdome or Common-wealth in which they live Rich Merchants make a Rich Kingdome But let the great Traders have a
hath demonstrated to delude the people under specious pretences and upon this Maxime no Kingdome or Common-wealth is safe XXII A Painter who was esteemed a good Artist being asked why he painted so slowly he answered Pingo aeternitati I paint for eternity If we did consider our Eternity of happinesse or miserie depends upon the well or ill spending our time here we should then take greater care of our actions and not hastily doe amisse XXIII WE are not naturally apt to content our selves here in this World with any one constant place or the same company We find no perfect contentment in any of our setled affairs and therefore we indeavour to find it in variety but all in vain Onely this use we may make of it Let us consider with our selves the things of this World may satiate us cannot satisfie what appertains to a better life may satisfie us and not satiate Therefore being our Souls are of such immortal capacities as not to be contented with nor confined to terrestrial things let us make it our great design to provide for the eternal Felicity of our Souls XXIV EDe bibe lude post mortem nulla voluptas inquit Epicurus This is the vulgar Tradition concerning Epicurus and yet it cannot be proved that he ever said or writ any such thing totidem verbis onely in effect he said it for he denied the Immortality of the Soul and consequently every one is by that Position left at liberty to doe as he pleases si post mortem nulla voluptas Thus if many of us were to be judged of by our practices many abominable Principles would be layd to our charge which in words and outward profession we wholly disown and detest But what a deplorable thing is it that there should be such contrariety between our Opinions and our Actions that the latter should give the first the lie which we account a word of greatest disgrace and reproach to us if given by another and yet contentedly and frequently we give it our selves XXV PRaedicat vivâ voce qui praedicat vitâ voce He preaches with a loud voice who preaches with his Life and Voice That Minister whose Life is in good measure proportionable to his Doctrine prevails much with his Auditory and converts many Souls otherwise the people are apt to say 'T is true he preaches well but why should I believe him who does not appear to credit himself for he says one thing and practises another And if we condemn this in a Preacher we must not approve it in our selves The moral Heathens will rise up in judgment against us at the great Day if we shall rely upon a bare Form and outward profession of Godlinesse but deny the Power of it in our lives and conversations for to whom much is given of them much is required It was a wise saying of a natural Fool when he lay upon his Death-bed Lord require no more of me then thou hast given me Let this be remembred to humble the wise men Many have been the wise sayings of Fools but not so many as the foolish actions of Wise men XXVI IT is reported in storie of a great Emperor who had made large promises that when his faith was suspected because his Predecessors had broke theirs so frequently he replied That if faith and truth were no-where else to be found but in his breast there they should remain This I am well assured may without flattery be justly applied to our gracious Sovereign CHARLES the Second whom I beseech God to blesse with a long and happy Reign His sweet obliging mild disposition is more agreeable to the English temper then to any Nation whatsoever our Climate being so justly famed for producing in all Ages so many good-natured people What the Emperor said of himself every one in particular ought to make applicable and not to follow the Generality who constantly doe amisse and thus argue Tell not me what vain fashions or customes others follow how perfidious they are in their promises I will keep my word and doe my duty leaving the successe to the wise Disposer of all things endeavouring to walk unblameably both in the sight of God and men XXVII IT is reported of the Lacedemonians that they had this fond Ceremony at the Death of their Kings That all both men and women mangled their Foreheads and in their Lamentations cried out that their deceased King how wicked soever he were was the best Prince they ever had In all times there want not some or other who will praise those that are great and in power giving them high applauses for their Vertues and deserts though they be never so deformed with the Leprosy of Vicious enormities but such servile spirits will be despised by good men nay at last abominated even by those they so unworthily flatter and shall receive one of the Punishments of Liars which is Not to be believed when they speak truth XXVIII HOnesty is the best Policy it is simple and innocent like a true Story or Narrative natural and easy that needs no defence and a good Conscience is a continual Feast He that in all his actions deals plainly and honestly gains such a reputation that all persons both believe him and believe well of him and therefore in all the affairs of the World he meets with many friends and chearful assistances whereas those that have used great artifices to deceive and undermine are soon found out seldome trusted We have an English Proverb to this purpose Once a Knave and alwaies suspected If any of the most vertuous gentlest mildest and fairest Sex shall by any act of great Immodesty and Indiscretion expose themselves to the just censure of the World it will be difficult to recover their fame lost by after-acts of Sobriety and Modesty but this should not discourage any to attempt it but the best way is to preserve a good Conscience which is a Feast prepared for us by the God of Heaven to be fed on at all times and in all conditions it is introductive of the Peace of God which is an happinesse so great that it passeth humane under standing and is a blessing of a vast magnitude such as the World can neither give to us nor take from us when God in mercy has afforded it to us When a man's ways please God he makes his very enemies to be at peace with him so that many times their hearts being turned they perform offices of friendship and great kindnesse to us XXIX OUr Christian Charity which consisteth partly in forgiving our Enemies returning good for evil and partly in giving to all who are the objects of Charity more especially to those of the houshold of Faith is not onely a Charity to them but our selves too The first part being devested from any vindicative spirit is the most lawfull and most politick way of Revenge the Holy Writ saies it is an heaping Coals of Fire upon their heads so justly
whenas in the matters of greatest importance they are so carelesse and remisse even in the Salvation of their Souls For all wise men in difficult cases will doe that which is safest Now to live as believing there is a God and truly to fear and serve him is certainly most secure for though there be many Arguments besides the conviction of every mans Conscience to prove there is a God yet no man can demonstrate the contrary that 's impossible and if there were none no person would repent after death that he in his life-time believed there was one but disbelieving the Deity in his life he may by that God whose Essence he durst so impudently deny be punished in Hell eternally XXXVIII IT is safest and best for us to believe as God in his Word has revealed to us and not to be guilty of carnal arguings as not to think it reasonable that Man should be punished infinitely for finite sinning or to seem to incline to Origen's Opinion which most would be willing to embrace if there were any Religious ground for it That all men at the last day shall be saved even the very Devils themselves But thus consider In this World the wisest men know but in part and see but in part in the next World the mist will be taken from our eyes and we shall see clearly the most ignorant persons here shall know more in the other world then the greatest Clerk upon Earth But here it is our duty to acquiesce in what we suppose is God's will we should believe or practise his Will is the highest Reason and ought to be esteemed so by us XXXIX WE account an ungrateful man the worst of men Ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris and yet we little consider how ungratefull we have been to the God of Heaven who has given us our Being and Well-being who hath done such great things for us by whom we live and move and have our being What great Dangers do we daily esâ—ape by his mercy A Preserving Providence is no lesse then a Creating one What cause have we to be ashamed and repent of our Ingratitude and perfidious Promises If we once break a solemn promise and engagement to men we cannot expect to be trusted any more and yet how many Promises of more strict and circumspect walking have we broke with the great God of Heaven and earth either upon our Sick-beds or upon our receiving the blessed Sacrament and many such like serious occasions How many times have we said O Lord spare me yet but this once and I will live and amend and when we have recovered our Vows have fallen off like cords of vanity How dangerous is such breach of Vows and how justly may we upbraid ourselves for it abhorring our selves by reason of our Iniquities and repenting in dust and ashes as holy Job did XL. SUnday is the Lord's day which ought more particularly to be devoted to God's Service For though it is our duty in our several Callings every day to serve God and endeavour to advance his Glory yet on that day the Weekly Holy-day we should not think our own Thoughts nor do our own Actions but what necessity requires and therefore 't is most fit then to refrain from playing at Cards or such Recreations which may administer Scandal to many good people If it be a measuring cast whether any particular thing be lawful or unlawful 't is safest and best to resolve on the Negative for this is an infallible Maxime They that in all things will do the utmost that is lawfull will be tempted in many cases to doe that which is unlawfull XLI VVHen we are tempted to any sin let us say with Joseph Shall I doe this wickednesse and sin against God God forbid Shall we sin that Grace may abound God forbid XLII IN this world as good Christians we are engaged in a Spiritual Warfare the Flesh warring against the Spirit sometimes one prevails sometimes the other But let us comfort our selves We fight under Christ's Banner he is the Captain of our Salvation and therefore in such a War we may joyfully hope to obtain Victory over the Lusts of the Flesh by the assistance of God's gracious Spirit if we valiantly contend to the end of our lives being not weary of well doing for which we shall reap if we faint not the Crown of life Let us consider then how blame-worthy those are who are so far from contending that they willingly yield and are so far from Fighting in a good Cause that they basely deliver themselves up Prisoners without striking one stroak so far from Resisting that they tempt Temptations to tempt them in this supplying the place of the Great Tempter the Devil untill they are justly given over to a reprobate sense sinning with delight and greedinesse drinking Iniquity like water and living and dying with obdurate Hearts and seared Consciences From which sad Judgment Good Lord deliver us Amen XLIII FRiendship is a noble thing Worthy Doctour Hammond used to say he pitied him that was destitute of a Friend as a very unhappy person By conversing with a Friend and communicating our secret affairs to him our Joyes are by Sympathy increased and our Griefs lessened Two dear Friends seem to have one Soul in two Bodies they are like Twins when one dies the other pines away there is but one Propriety between them both all their Goods are in common Friends are to Friends like little Gods whilst they Honour and Friendship to each other pay Mr Herbert worthily says in his Poems All worldly Ioys goe lesse To that of doing kindnesses This being so Good God let Hatred cease And Friends and Neighbours love and live in peace Some very curious scrupulous persons have made Inquiries whether Friendship between those of different Sexes may be innocent To this I answer affirmatively without the least scruple or dispute but he that truly values the honour and reputation of his Female Friend will be very cautious lest by any act of his indiscreet affection he should lessen her good opinion in the world and as that Learned and Pious Doctour Taylor says in his Tract of Friendship which is worthy the perusing A man ought to lose much of his Satisfaction rather then she any thing of her Honour XLIV NEither the Ambitious nor Covetous man can ever be satisfied for their thirsty desires after Honour and Wealth increase by their obtaining what at present they so greedily covet like one in a Burning Fever the giving him Drink does but increase in him a desire still to have more and his Thirst is but little quenched He that will not religiously frame his mind to content himself in what-ever station God has placed him will scarcely be satisfied and easy in any Condition for if we cannot proportion our Fortunes to our Minds we should our Minds to our Fortunes rendring thanks to God Almighty who has done such great things for us and then we are happy as to this World To make our Felicity here the more conspicuous we ought to compare our temporal state to those beneath us our Inferiors and not to our Superiors If Riches increase set not your heart upon them but look upwards and say Vanity of vanities all is vanity and vexation of spirit There is no end of writing many Books and much study is a wearinesse to the flesh But observe Solomon's conclusion who was best experienced in the Trial of humane Delights and affairs After he had said There is a season for all things and that Time and Chance happens alike to all to the wise as well as foolish and advised all persons to make use of God's Blessings with a contented thankful mind for we know not who shall be after us then he adds Fear God and obey his Commands for this is the whole Duty of Man A Prayer for the KING and the Royal Family O Lord our God let the choicest of thy Blessings fall down upon thy Vice-gerent our Sovereign Lord the KING on the QUEEN Queen-Mother the Illustrious Duke of YORK and all the Royal Family O Thou who art the King of Kings who hast in thine hands the Hearts of Kings and canst turn them as Rivers of water be pleased to send down the Light of thy Countenance so to shine upon His MAIESTY that He may be as holy valiant and prosperous as King David wise and rich like Solomon zealous in thy service as Josiah that He may alwayes govern the People committed to his charge in thy fear And as thou hast indued Him with a mild gracious and merciful disposition suffer not O Lord any of his Subjects to abuse his Clemency and deprive themselves of the continuance of it by a necessary Severity upon them but be pleased so to dispose the hearts of Prince and People that in their several Stations and Callings they may esteem it their greatest honour and satisfaction to do thee Service And after a long and happy Reign let Him attain the end of his hopes at the period of his days even the Salvation of his Soul for Christ his sake Amen The END * The most ingenious and Religious Mr Boyl worthy Sr Robert Murray the famous and eminently learned Dean Wilkins cum multis aliis * This was alwaies the constant worthy Principle of those Ministers of the Profession of our Church of England * The Female * If goods increase they are increased that eat them c. Eccl. 5. 11.