protection Where are my hopes If hee be my God and I deny him what hee requireth where then is my duty Or how performed If hee be my God and I render him what hee requireth and yet hee accepteth not what I render what then shall become of mee This heart is too had for him to accept of who is goodnesse it selfe It is too uncleane for him who is purity it selfe It is too base for him who is excellency it selfe Lord how I doe waver in my thoughts and what staggering doubts doe arise in my graoelesse heart What course can I take what meanes must I use to get a heast for him which may be any way acceptable Mine owne is too bad and if I thinke to mend it of my selfe I shall but botch it I shall but make it worse There is noe other way but a new one I must have and where or how to get it I know not Nay I have noe heart at all to seeke it If the ould one would be good for any thing I would willingly give that in part of payment in exchange for a new one But alasse that will never be worth any thing while it is a heart Surely if I would have a new one a good one that is worth having I must goe unto God for it for hee alone is the creatour there of To him therfore will I repaire and humbly I will beseech him to create in mee a new heart Ps 51.10 a cleane heart and renew a right spirit within mee If hee requireth a pledg for it seeing that I have formerly falsified my promise what shall I doe I have nothing worth it to leave in the place of it but I will howsoëver faithfully promise him that hee shall have it againe and with that very heart I will promise which hee shall spare mee I will desire onely to borrow it and but for a litle time even for noe longer time then hee of his owne accord shall be willingly pleased to spare it Nay I will not so much as desire to call it mine it shall be his still I will begge that it may goe under his name and if yet hee will not believe mee I will put him in securitie the best securitie that ever was or is or shall be even his onely beloved Son Why then should I not s◠to him to graunt my desires since neither my request is unreasonable nor my securitie questionable It is noe new thing to sue to him for a new heart Hee hath beene pleased to vouchsafe it to others Thus hee promised to Israel by the mouth of his prophet Ez. 11.19 C. 36. saying I will put a new spirit within you And in another place A new heart allso will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh I will give you an heart of flesh Such ô such a heart doe I begge of thee ô my God Such a new heart such a fire new one I beseech thee to graunt unto mee as may burne with zeale for the honour of thy name But what if I should not prevaile with my God for a new heart It is all one with him to create a new or to revive an ould one and to mee it will allso prove of equall vallew I will howsoever submitt to his pleasure If hee give mee my dead one againe restored to life 1. King 17.20 as hee restored the sonne of the widow at the prayer of Elijah I shall be as well contented as if hee created a new one for mee for all will be one This allso hee can doe if hee please Is 57.17 for it is his custome to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones But if it be re-vived it must be washed before it will be fitt to be presented unto him And it must be washed by mee the paines must be taken by my selfe Ier. 4.14 for what hee sayd to Ierusalem hee speaketh unto mee O Ierusalem wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou mayst be saved how long shall thy vaine thoughts lodg within thee But when it is walhed 2. pet 2 22. it must not return againe with the sow that is washed to wallow in the mire Noe noe it must goe forward in goodnesse that so I may be able to speake as doeth the psalmist and say My heart is not turned back Ps 44.8 neither have my stepps declined from thy way And when I shall have such a heart such a new heart such a revived heart such a washed heart a heart so forward to goodnes then I resolve it shall be ordered constantly to looke up-wards to the donour to the re-viver there of If mine eyes looke upwards surely mine heart shall not stoope downe-wards The very herbs and flowers teach mee this lesson for they are noe sooner delivered from the wombe of the earth but up-wards they grow and aspire upwards they open as if nature had dispatched them into the world upon this very condition that they should gratefully looke upward towards the God of nature This new heart I would have wholly devoted to the feare of the donour Deu. 5 29. Oh that there were such a heart in mee that I would feare him and keepe all his commandements allways that it might be well with mee for ever I would have it both feare and likewise love him too 2. Thes 3.5 Prov. 16.1 I would have it directed to the love of him and into a patient wayting for his sonne And for as much as the preparations or disposing of the heart in man is from the Lord I will begge of him so much of his grace as that therewith I may sanctifie him in my heart 1. Pet. 3.15 Ps 86.11 even in that very heart I would have it united unto him that I might beare his name Then shall this new heart thus fearing and loving my Creatour be disposed by him it shall sanctifie him and being united unto him it shall ever be with him and allways be protected and preserved by him I would have my new heart to be a chamber of presence a privie chamber a bed chamber for the King of glory 1. Pet. 3 4. Gal. 4.6 Ps 27.8 that so hee may be hidden in mine heart I would have the spirit of his sonne be sent into it to teach mee to cry unto him Abba father for this new heart this infant heart must be able to speake and not onely able but ready allso to speake willing to answer that so when God shall say Seeke yee my face Ps 51.10 my heart with David's may be ready to answer Thy face Lord will I seeke I would have it to be cleane cleane washed from the filthinesse of former offences and purified Act. 15 9. as were the hearts of the Gentiles I would have it freed from the fowle opinions thoughts and desires which hung
give mee a sight of and a sorrow for the offences thereof Breake thou my hard and stonie heart with the knowledg of my sinne and my due consideration of thy heavy wrath Psal 5.4 Eze. 11 19. Psal 51.10 Deut. 4 9.10.17.17 Ps 107.35 Thou art a God that delightest not in wickednesse remove therfore from mee this heart of obstinacie and give mee a heart of flesh Create in mee a cleane heart ô God and renew a right spirit within mee Let not thy commandements depart from it all the dayes of my life Speake but the word ô God and it shall be done Sanctifie it in thy trueth thy word is trueth O thou that didst turne the wildernesse into a standing water and drie ground into water springs be pleased to shew thy mercy now in the depth of my distresse Lord heare my desires behould my necessities Without a heart I cannot serve thee without a new heart I cannot praise thee Lord give mee a heart to feare thee Is 66.2 Ps 38.18 to tremble at thy word to listen to thy promises to confesse my sinnes and to be sorrie for mine offences Give mee ô my God Ps 119.80 fuch a heart as thou requirest that so it may be allways sound in thy statutes Give mee a heart that may mourne in secret for all my sinns both secret and open that may be zealous for thine honour that may be tender of thy displeasure and that may shun both the inclination to and the desire of offending thee my greate Creatour Heare mee ô God Io. 19.34 Mat. 26 38. for thy mercies are greate Heare mee ô Christ whose side was pierced whose soule was sorrowfull and all to purchase new hearts for all that are penitent sinners Heare mee ô blessed spirit and assist mee in my petitions with sighes Rom. 8 26. Can. 8.6 and groanes that cannot be expressed Give mee a heart for thy service and then set mee ô Lord as a seale upon thine â—rme O Lord give O Lord forgive Forgive my sinnes and give mee the blessing of a righteous heart that so I may feare thee as long as I shall remaine in this vallie of teares and then receave mee ô my father into thy celestiall Kingdome that I may live with thee in glorie for ever and ever through Iesus Christ my onely mediatour and redeemer Amen THE THIRD SUBJECT Teares of Time The Soliloquie consisting of three parts viz 1 A re-view of the time past 2 A consideration of the time present 3 A resolution for the time to come The First part A re-view of the time past THE EjACULATION Psal 5. vers 1. Give eare to my words o Lord consider my meditation vers 2. Hearken unto the voice of my cry my king and my God for unto thee will I pray THe fower beasts in the Apocalyps that were full of eyes before behind and within sitting upon the throne which was set in heaven rested not day and night saying Rev. 4.8 Holy holy holy Lord God Allmighty which was and is and is to come What a high description is here of the sacred Trinitie The Father holy the Sonne holy and the Spirit holy and yet not three holies but one holy The Father Lord the Sonne Lord and the Holy Ghost Lord. The Father God the Sonne God and the Holy Ghost God The Father All mighty the Sonne All mighty and the Holy Ghost All mighty The Father Eternall the Sonne Eternall and the Holy Ghost Etemall and yet not three Lords nor three Gods nor three Allmighties not three Eternalls but one Lord one God one All mighty and one Eternall Eternall What 's that The text saith which was not as if hee had beene but is not therfore it is added which is yet not so is as if hee should be no more therfore it is farther added and is to come Surely hee that was without beginning which is immutable and which shall be the judg both of the quick and the dead even the same God was is and shall be Holy in his essency Lord in his dominion God in his excellency Allmighty in his power and Eternall in all When I reade these deepe mysteries of my God ô how I am divided mee think's in my selfe How doe I varie in my thoughts and meditations The singing of those heavenly beasts make's mee rejoyce but their song it selfe drive's mee into a sadnesse for they tell mee that holinesse and righteousnesse and glory and power and eternitie is the very nature of God in none whereof I can find my selfe to be like unto him Lord I wish that I were with the beasts upon the throne that I might be a litle more cheerfull then I am here at the foote stoole But alasse my wishes cannot be purchases for none can come to God but those alone who are like unto God 1 Cor. 29. Before I can come to sitt upon that throne I must certainly be holy for hee is holy I must be righteous for hee is righteous and then though I shall not have such power nor glory as hee hath yet I shall have my share I shall have my proportion I shall have such power to magnifie my God as that nothing shall be able either to oppose or divert mee I shall have such glory as neither eye hath seene 1 Pet. 1 15. nor eare hath heard nor yet can enter into the heart of man to conceave yea and I shall have eternitie too for though I cannot be sayd to be perfectly eternall because I had a beginning yet I shall be certainly eternall in that I shall have noe end But how shall I gaine this holinesse that I may come to that eternitie Surely I must looke upon the three distinctions or parts of time and if I consider them as limitted I must find my selfe in them if as unlimitted I must find my God in them For God is not so sayd which was which is and which is to come as if this description did any way come neere a full expression of his eternitie but rather submitt's as it were onely to our capacitie that so by this I may partly conjecture at what I cannot yet possibly comprehend Noe time can properly be asscribed unto God for each part thereof hath a bound and limitation which God can not have The time past is gone allready from us the time present is goeing and the time to come is not yet ours But when wee say God was wee intimate his perfection in being without a beginning of being When wee say God is wee expresse his vigour and readinesse and power to effect his purposes and when wee say God shall be wee undoubtedly acknowledg and confesse his perpetuitie The time was when I was not and I againe shall be when time shall not I shall be indeede but where shall I be Eternitie hath but two mansions heaven hell If I doe not take heede I may be tormented for ever Lord how I tremble at the thought of it
lips or with a double heart And though thus single was my heart 1 King 4.29 yet was it noe small one it was large God had given unto mee as unto Solomon both wisedome Ps 119.32 Ps 17.3 and understanding and largnesse of heart and like David I did runne the way of his commandements when hee had thus enlarged it This large heart was a proved one too for God had proved it and Visited mee and tryed mee when I was purposed that my mouth should not transgresse Ps 7.9 1. Chr 29.17 Ps 26.2 It was tryed tryed by my God by my righteous God which tryeth the hearts and reines even by him who tryeth the heart and hath pleasure in uprightnesse the very selfe same God did examine mee and prove mee hee tryed my reines my heart And this loving heart this broken yet whole heart this sound and single heart Ps 101.2 1. King 8.61 Act 16.14 this large and tryed heart was found perfect I did walke with in my house with a perfect heart it was perfect with the Lord my God to walke in his statutes to keepe his commandements It was an open heart it was opened lke Lydia's that I could attend to the things that were spoken by our Pauls It opened so wide or at least with sorrow it was so filled that at length it broke Ier 23.9 Mine heart within mee like unto Ieremiah's was broken all my bones did shake I was like a drunken man and like a man whom wine hath overcome O full well too it thē was with mee even when my heart was broken for it had beene stone nothing but stone before when neither promises nor mercies neither menaces nor judgments could worke upon it It had beene a stone a three-cornerd stone untill it pleased him to breake it who is the head-stone in the corner the head-stone Mat 21 42. because the strongest in the whole building sustaining the fabrick The head-stone in the corner knitting cimenting and uniting together both the Iewes and the Gentiles 1. Pet 2 8. The head-stone in the corner who is a stone of stumbling unto many and a rock of offence at which the Iewes tooke such offence that they hurt them selves against this stone in the corner Yet hee that was reiected by the Iewes and scornfully under-vallewed was unto mee a most skillfull excellent lapidarie hee knew the stone of my heart and at mine intreatie hee broke it hee broke it in pieces Yea hee wrought so powerfully in mee that through the helpe of him I had learned to rent it to rent my heart Ioel 2.13 and not my garments and turne to the Lord my God It was made an acceptable sacrifice to my God for I had a broken spirit a broken Ps 51.17 a contrite heart which hee will noe despise Hee hee is that great Iehouah who is high Ies 57.15 and excellent who inhabiteth eternitie whose name is holy who dwelleth in the high and holy place yet with him all so that is of a contrite humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Hee it is who hath promised that hee will not breake a bruised reede Is 42.3 nor quench the smoaking flaxe but on the contrarie Ps 147 3. will heale the broken in heart and bind up their wounds By him who is thus high and excellent by him who is thus full of compassion as not to bruise the reede nor quench the flaxe by him who is thus infinite in mercy that hee healeth those that are broken in heart even by the same God in testimonie of his love was my stony heart broken O it had beene an uncircumcised heart Deut. 30.6 but afterwards the Lord my God did circumcise it to love himselfe with all my heart and with all my soule that I might live So open so broken so rent so contrite so circumcised it was Act 7.51 that I resisted not the Holy Ghost Lord what happie dayes did I then enioy when my heart was thus qualified with goodnesse When it was thus acceptable to my God! But now alasse 't is quite otherwise That heart that good heart of mine is gone is lost is polluted Peradventure some anger had beene seated in my gall but I laboured that it should not increase into a sin Peradventure some joy was placed in my splene but that joy howsoëver was chiefly in the Lord and in my heart was carefully preserved the feare of his name That heart was then the cabinet the store house the treasurie of wisedome wherein were two with-drawing chambers divided but by a partition in which were placed the fountaines of lively blood of life it selfe even the life of grace given by the liberall hand of the God of my life But now oh my poore heart it hath forsaken this breast this breast of a distressed forlorne woman and in the roome thereof is crept into my bosome a heart so hard that when I sinite my breast in my deepest sorrow my very hand re-bound's by reason of the hardnesse of this rockie heart Often have I heard people complaine of the stone in the kidnies or the bladder but I am enforced to a new complaint even of the stone in the heart O that my God would cutt it and take this stone out of it or else give mee such a potion of sorrow and contrition that it might prove the most soveraigne saxafrage to break this stone A stone here is wich I can feele both by the weight and the hardnesse there of but what kind of stone I cannot determine Surely it can be noe pomoise none of that stone which in some sort may be sayd to be even heavier then it selfe because though when it is whole it is full of pores full of holes very hollow even as hollow as my heart yet when it is broken in pieces when it is stamped and beaten to powder it seemes to be more ponderous then when it was whole If such a one be in my heart ô that my God would breake this heart ô that hee would grind it or beate it to powder then peradventure it would be heavy for my sinns and ponder mine iniquities Or it may be that such a stone is in it as those were which the Lord did promise that the Israelites should find in the land of Canaan Deut. 8 9. even stones that were iron for surely my heart is as hard as iron And yet though it be so the patient Iob assureth mee that euen waters weare the stones Iob 14.19 O that my God would cause the trickling of my teares to weare away the stone of my heart Or if it be iron ô that hee would cause it to swimme in the Iordane of my sorrowes as once Elisha caused the iron and steele to doe 2. King 6.6 which were tempered together in the head of the are When I feele for my good heart oh
poore for thy sake allways considering that the vanities of earth are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed 1. Pet. 5 1. Heb. 4.13 1. Tim. 2.9 vers 10 O thou to whose eyes even all things are naked and open graunt that I may adorne my selfe in modest apparell with shamefastnesse and sâ—brietie not so much with gold or pearles or costly aray as with good workes becomeing a professour of godlinesse Make mee labour for the ornaments of the hidden man in the heart in that which is not corruptible 1. Pet. 3 4. Luc. 12 21. 2. Cor. 9.11 1. Tim. 6.18 Iam. 2.5 Reu 3.18 even the ornament of a meeke quiet spirit which is in thy sight of greatest price Make mee ô heavenly father rich in thy selfe rich unto liberalitie rich in good workes in faith Make mee buy of thee gold tryed in the fire that I may berich and white raiment that I may be cloathed and that the shame of my nakednesse doe not appeare Let mee allways remember that greate accompt which one day I must render to thee the Lord of heaven and earth that so I may serve thee here with my substance in my body and my soule with zeale and devotion and hereafter be receaved to thine ever-lasting glory through the merits of thy sonne in thy bosome Iesus Christ my onely Lord and Saviour Amen subject 7 THE SEAVENTH SUBjECT Teares in want or in the time of adversitie In foure severall Soliloquies treating of 1 A decayed est ate or plentie turned into povertie 2 Hunger both corporall and spirituall 3 Thirst both bodily and ghostly 4 Nakednesse both of the out-ward and the in-ward man The first Soliloquie Treating of a decayed estate or Plenty turned into povertie THE EjACULATION Psal 5. vers 1. Give eare to my words o Lord consider my meditation vers 2. Hearken unto the voice of my cry my king and my God for unto thee will I pray VVHen Mary had powred her precious oyntment on the head of my Redeemer Mat 26 7. his disciples were filled with indignation vers 8. vers 9. said To what purpose is this wast For this oyntment might have beene sould for much and given to the poore vers 10 But when Iesus understood it hee said why trouble yee the woman For shee hath wrought a good worke upon mee vers 11 For yee have the poore allways with you but mee yee have not allways O mee think's the words of my Saviour doe more afflict mee then the povertie which I suffer I thought hee had beene allways conversant with the poore because hee so often commandeth their reliefe But now hee seemeth to leave us in our miserie when hee determineth that wee shall continue upon earth but himselfe resolveth to leave the earth But did hee not promise in Saint Mathew say Mat. 28 20. Loe I am with you allway even unto the end of the world How can his promise be fullfilled if wee have him not allway Will hee be at the same time both present with us and absent from us Or doeth hee disdaine our poverty and for that very reason deny us his presence Cease cease ô my soule these doubts questions which savour too much of ignorance Rom. 3 4. or infidelitie Let God be true and every man a lyer What hee spake to his disciples before his suffering hee spake of his flesh but what hee said when hee was risen hee affirmed of his Spirit True it is ô my Iesus that thy bodily presence I expect not upon earth Ps 144 5. nor may I desire thee to how the heavens and come downe from thy glory â—t is thy Spirit ô Christ which I humbly sue â—or even that Comforter who may strengthen â—…ee in the depth of my calamities Never â—ad I more neede of comfort from God then â—ow when the goods of the world forsake mee Now doe I find that I am hated Prov. 14.20 c 18.23 c 19.4 even of mine owne neighbours but the rich hath many friends I am enforced to use intreaties c 18.23 but the rich answereth mee roughly c 19.4 Wealth did make many friends but now I am poore I am seperated from my neighbours vers 7. All my brethren doe hate mee and much more doe my friends goe farre from mee I pursue them with words yet they are wanting unto mee Vaine world where are thy promises Deceitfull riches where is your friendship I who so lately was dandled in the lappe of pleasure and plenty am now exposed to paines and penury So litle did I dreame of this tempestuous storme that with David I said in my prosperitie Psa 30.6 I shall never be removed thou Lord of thy goodnesse hadst made my hill so strong But where are now those ensignes of pride my Rings and my Iewells Where are those factours of lasciviousnesse my favours and my fashions Where are those robbers of time my sports my games Where are those moths wormes of plenty my flattering society and my discursive companions Where are those pamperers of the body my severall dishes and daintie cookeries Where be those golden pictures that often yeelded mee leggs and the courtsies Alasse all 's gone all 's flowen The Sun is hidden and muffled in a clowde and by that meanes those atomes those motes are obscured Now must I expect noe more honour or respect My fingers and my wrists and my neck must forget that ever they were adorned with the treasure of the seas and the riches of the earth My back must forget that ever it was dressed in the fashion of strangers Mine eares must forget that ever they were delighted with the musick of discourses My palet must forget that ever it was coy and nice in the choyce of various meates My mind must forget that ever I was honoured with the respect of inferiours And my purse must forget that ever it was acquainted with the idoll of the world O what wonder and misery happen's in this change All things are altered as if I had slept out my time and onely dreamed of the pleÌ„tie which formerly I enjoyed Mee think's I am but just newly borne Nay I am worse for now I have neither nurse to suckle mee nor mother to dandle mee Yet am I still as if I were borne but a day or two since allthough I am growne to bignesse beyond the time for I am as ignorant of a way to live in the world as the sucking infant that 's nourished at the breast And now what shall I doe Nor acquaintance nor friends nor kindred nor any will remember that ever they knew mee or if they doe they will be moreready to taunt mee then afford mee reliefe Was ever miserie like unto mine Was ever distressed soule so destitute so forlorne as I am Whither shall I goe To whom shall I complaine Either my tougue hath forgotten to speake or my friends to heare
am cloathed indeede Zech 3 3. but it is with ragges and filthy garments as bad or worse then was Ioshua when once hee stood before the Angel Such an Angel I want vers 4. as was hee who spake unto them that were before him and said Take away the filthy garments from him The cause of my shame is sinne the cause of my poverty is mine iniquity O that the Angell of the covenant would say unto mee Behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee and I will cloath thee with change of raiment Mee think's I looke like the counterfeiting Gibeonites when by craft they obtained a league with Ioshua Ios 9.4 for they tooke old sacks upon their asses and wine bottells old and rent and bound up vers 5. And old shooes and clowted upon their feete and old garments upon them and all the bread of their provision was drie and mouldie Ierusalem's curse is fallen upon mee as God threatned her so am I punished Eze 16 39. I will give thee saith the Lord into thine enemies hand and they shall throw downe thine eminent place and shall breake downe thine high places they shall strippe thee allso of thy cloathes and shall take thy faire jewells and leave thee naked and bare It is thus with mee too Poverty is mine enemie into whose hands I am fallen It hath throwne downe mine eminent place it hath dejected my countenance My high places it hath broken downe my loftie thoughts and prowd imaginations It hath allso stripped mee of my clothes and tooke away my faire jewells and thus hath it left mee naked and bare The curse which David wished to his enemies hath seized on mee Ps 109 29. for I am cloathed with shame and covered with confusion as with a mantle And yet if I truely consider the state I am in I cannot deny but my sufferance is just for apt I have beene to wish evill to others and the same is fallen now upon my selfe In my passion I have beene ready to cloath my selfe with cursing vers 18 like as with a garment and it is now come into my bowells like water and like oyle into my bones O that I could bemoane my selfe of my former prosperitie as Iob did him selfe and that I could as truely say of my selfe that I put on righteousnesse and it cloathed mee Iob. 29.14 my judgment was a robe and a diadem But for want of that robe of righteousnesse I am cloathed now with the ragges of poverty in so much that I am allmost as much ashamed of the cover of my nakednesse as I am to appeare naked without a covering Where ô where is that courteous Saul 2. Sam 1.24 at whose death King David lamenting sang this Elegie Yee daughters of Israël weepe over Saul who cloathed you in scarlet with other delights who put on ornaments of gold upon your appearell Alasse here is neither scarlet nor ornaments noe nor a Saul to bestow them on mee Mat 11 8. Luc 16 19. They that weare soft cloathing are in Kings houses It is for such as Dives was to be cloathed in purple and fine linnen I can expect noe such costly coverings But is not my heart desirous of the gayest robes Is not my mind imployed in wishes for such vanities Let mee not deceave my selfe When I see another sumptously arayed doe's not the sight thereof incline mee to pride Could I not dispence with the vanity of silkes and colours and fashions if I had but meanes to purchase or procure them Doe not I honour the person for the borrowed habit and vallew more the richnesse of the cloathes then the vertue of the person I feare that my heart is not truely humbled for if I long for that which now I am denyed if my mind submitt not to the weakenesse of my fortunes it is much to be feared I am poore in habit but not in spirit But whence proceede my murmurings and discontents Why am I so desirous of sumptuous apparell Doe colours adde any thing at all to the heate Or doe onely silkes and costly stuffs preserve the body from the view of spectatours Certainly the coursest wooll which groweth on the sheepe hath power enough both to cover and to warme From whence then proceedeth the ground of my discontent Is it not from pride yea such pride as standeth not either with religion or reason Religion forbiddeth it Iam 4.6 for God resisteth the proude but giveth grace to the humble Reason contradicteth it for why should wee strive for a pompous covering and to out-vye each other in the glory of our garments when as all of us have beene equally naked at our births and shall equally returne to the earth our mother Those silkes which so highly are vallewed in our esteeme are but the intrails of a very worme which seemeth to lye as an agent for the tempter Shee seeing how vainely wee magnifie her esteeme preserveth her vallew by losse of her bowells and all to maintaine the pride of fooles But why should it reteine such respect among us as if the carkenet were much more worth then the jewell or the labour of a worme were of more account then the skinne of a Christian If wee prize the colour that 's sett on the silkes wee doate upon that which is fondly made and quickly decayed Some borrow of the tree the berrie that dye's and some of the fields the herâ—s that colour's and some of the earth that which fitt's for a tincture and yet when the choycest colours are sett on our silkes wee cannot deny them all to be staines Mee think 's the very flowers chide our madnesse for our esteeme of colours The Lillie is afraid lest wee should adore its whitenesse and the feare thereof enforceth a palenesse The Tulip blusheth at the simplnesse of our opinions and to teach us our vanity it withereth in a day Our coverings are onely remembrancers of our fall yet to increase the number of our sinnes wee have added pride to the necessitie of apparell Wee magnifie our selves in these emblemes of our disobedience and render them such honour as if wee rejoyced at our miserie Nothing upon earth offended the Creatour but onely our parents and nothing therfore save onely their off-spring doth borrow a covering It is true indeede that the wretchednesse of our condition was the parent of a vertue for modestie had noe name in the time of innocency This vertue is since become a duety but wee out-doe our commands in the excesse of our apparell But what can wee weare which properly and truely may be termed ours Or how long can that continue which wee borrow of the creatures The Parrat the Finch and the bird of Paradise all these outshine us in the varietie of colours and in their naturall glory teach us the vanitie of our imitating art Those colours which wee have are not properly ours nor can their beauty long continue for they dye
to day are and to morrow are cast into the oven extend thy mercy to thy distressed servant O my God thou seest the nakednesse which I suffer and thou feelest the cold which my body endures for of thee ô Christ I am a part of thy mysticall body I am a member These meane and ragged coverings doe speake at once both my wants and my desires What shall I doe ô father Shall I noe longer believe thy providence Or shall I despaire of thy power O I dare not doe either for I know that thou canst and wilt relieve mee when thou in thy wisedome shalt see it requisite Blessed Lord subdue my heart as thou hast humbled my body and forgive the sinnes of pride and discontent which harbour therein Many of thy Saints have wanted the things of the outward man yet hast thou enriched their soules with the graces of thy Spirit I know Lord that thou delightest not in the ornaments of the body Thou canst give what thou wilt and withhold what thou pleasest Lu 16.22 Distressed Lazarus who for a while did lye at the gate of gorgeous Dives was caried by Angells into Abraham's bosome Enable mee with patience to suffer my wants and willingly to submitt to thy heavenly pleasure Ps 104 1. O thou that art cloathed with Majestie and honour vouchsafe to cover my naked soule Through the merits of thy Christ let it be presented to thee both cleane and unspotted Make mee to labour the purifying thereof with a flood of my teares Io. 11.33 and accept of my groanes through the righteousnesse of him who groaned in spirit when hee beheld the teares of lamenting Marie Holy father adorne thou my inward man with righteousnesse and holinesse that it may be acceptable unto thee when it shall come to thy tribunall Nothing can hide it from thy wrath ô father but the garment of the righteousnesse of Christ my brother Wrappe mee ô Iesus in that sacred mantle that I may be hid from the wrath of the reveng-full judg Is 50 3 O thou that cloathest the heavens with blacknesse and makest sack-cloth their covering doe thou apparell my soule with the blacknesse of sorrow and the sackcloth of mourning for my crying offences And so accept of my contrition that I may hereafter appeare in a long white robe with thy holy Saints Reu 7.9 and be admitted a member of thy church tryumphant there to reigne with thee world without end through Iesus Christ my onely Lord and Saviour Amen subject 8 THE EIGHTH SUBJECT A Virgin 's teares The Soliloquie Treating of the virginitie both of the body and the soule THE EjACULATION Psal 5. vers 1. Give eare to my words ô Lord consider my meditation vers 2. Hearken unto the voyce of my cry my king and my God for unto thee will I pray THe un-maried woman saith the faithfull Apostle careth for the things of the Lord 1. Cor. 7.25 vers 34 that shee may be holy both in body and spirit Such a one am I unmaried I am but am I such a one allso in my care Doe I care for the things of the Lord that I may be holy both in body and spirit This is a question not easily resolved it is a duety not ordinarily performed The externall forme doeth commonly borrow the howers of virgins the dresses and the ornaments of the fading body imploy our minuits and our care is generally more for the day of our mariage then the time of our account Seldome doe wee vallew religion above our dresses or the service of God above the ornaments of our selves But neither is the beauty of the countenance prevalent with the All-mighty nor the neatenesse of attire vallewed in his eyes Hee love's not that care which ariseth from pride but that which discovereth a zeale for his honour The most admired beauty shall be shriveled in the flames of eternall horrour unlesse the soule be more comely by farre then the countenance The exactest features of the outward man doe illest suite with a lascivious tongue or an immodest thought Devoutest virgins are allways fairest and borrow so much of the flowers of the spring as to weare a maidens blush in the seate of beauty My God hath given mee the honour of virginitie and expecteth to be honoured both in it and by it If my soule be as un-spotted as my body is un-defiled I may hope for a seate with the tryumphant virgins Reu 14.1 With the Lamb saith Saint Iohn were a hundred fortie and foure thousand having his fathers name written in their fore-heads vers 4. These are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever hee goeth That Lamb is Christ those hundred fortie and foure thousand virgins are the elect his name in their foreheads is their adoption by grace they follow the Lamb in the puritie of their soules and in their chast spirituall virginitie they are preserved from the pollutions and uncleanesse of the seducing tempter With these virgins I desire to sing my part for my sexe cannot hinder the hope of immortalitie With those saints which defiled not themselves with women shall accord those women not defiled with men It was an honour to our sexe and my present condition that my Saviour was borne of the virgin Mary But I must know that virginitie consisteth not so much in the chastitie of the body as the puritie of the soule Even those that are maried may have virgin soules and wee that are virgins may be spirituall adulteresses 1. Thes 4.4 Shee that preserve's her vessell in holinesse performeth a duety required by our maker but unlesse to this be added the chastitie of the soule both body and soule may suffer eternally The purest virgin is the loyallest wife for though wee never were engaged by mariage to a man yet all of us ought to be maried to Christ 2. Cor 11.2 Saint Paul saith that hee had espoused the Corinthians to one husband that hee might present them as a chast virgin unto Christ This husband is mine for to him am I espoused to him am I wedded But am I a loyall wife to this indulgent husband Doe I love him Doe I honour him Doe I obey him Have I beene allways true and faithfull unto him If every sinne be a spirituall adulterie if every transgression be a dishonour unto him ô then my conscience will write mee guilty O my sweete husband ô my Iesus what shall I say or pleade for my selfe I have forsaken my redeemer to sinne with the tempter I have declined my husband to committ un-cleanesse with that ugly serpent for hee enticed and I consented Lev 20.10 By the ould law an adulteresse was to suffer death That law doeth still remaine in force for death eternall is decreed as a punishment for those that dishonour my patient husband O what then shall I doe when hee shall question my disloyaltie
and my petitions to God must be likewise upon conditions when I begge of him but temporall blessings His blessings descend not unlesse they be called downe by my religious obedience nor may I pray for the blessings which concerne this life but with this condition If they may stand with his pleasure In his power it is to graunt the suite which so earnestly I make I wish it may be his pleasure to fullfill my desires Barren Sarai was promised a sonne and Isaak was borne Gen. 21 2.3 Lu 1.7 vers 57 Gen. 29 31. c 30.22 vers 23 Though Zacharias and Elizabeth were stricken in yeeres and Elizabeth was barren yet they were blessed with Iohn the Baptist. Though Leah was hated by reason of her barrennesse yet wee reade that the Lord did open her wombe God remembred Rachel and hearkened unto her and opened her wombe and shee conceaved and bare a sonne and sayd God hath taken away my reproach The wife of Manoah the Danite was barren Iud. 13.2 vers 3. vers 14 yet the Angel of the Lord appeared unto her and sayd unto her Behold now thou art barren and bearest not but thou shalt conceave and beare a sonne And the woman bare a sonne called his name Samson and the child grew and the Lord blessed him 1. Sam. 1.10 Barren Hannah was in bitternesse of soule for want of a child when Peninnah her fruitfull rivall provoked her sore to make her fret vers 6. vers 20 because the Lord had shut up her wombe and shee had a sonne whom shee named Samuel Thus may God if hee please looke upon my reproach and send mee a child which I may dedicate to his service I will therfore follow the stepps of Hannah the devout vers 15 I will weepe with her and I will fast with her and with her will I powre out my soule before the Lord. Who knoweth but my teares may prevayle through the merits of my Redeemer and my sobbs and sighes may draw downe a blessing Ps 30.8 On my knees therfore will I goe unto the Lord and gett mee unto my Lord right humbly I will weepe and pray and mourne and pray and sigh and pray and praying I will say The Prayer HEeavenly King father of mercies Ps 72.5 thou who tookest mee out of my mother's wombe but hast denyed unto mee the fruit of mine vouchsafe to looke upon the reproach of thy servant I know that my sinnes doe stoppe the current of thy mercies but it is thine honour that thou art a forgiver of offences Forgive my sinnes the cause of thy curse and heale the barrennesse of thy despised hand-mayd 1. Sam. 1.11 O Lord of hosts if thou wilt indeede looke upon the affliction of thine hand-mayd and remember mee and not forget thine hand-mayd but wilt give unto thine hand-mayd a man-child then I will give him unto thee all the dayes of his life Thou knowest that I am a woman of a sorrowfull spirit and out of the aboundance of my complaint vers 16 and griefe doe I pray unto thee Send mee I beseech thee a Samuël even such a child as I have asked of thee if it may stand with the pleasure of thee my Lord and King that may bring honour unto thee and comfort unto thy petitioner I shall never bee satisfied untill thou hearest my supplications Pro. 30 15. Either graunt my desires or arme mee with patience that in all things I may serve thee with quietnesse Mat 4.28 and content The earth thou hast made to bring forth fruit of her selfe and it is as easie for thee to blesse mee with increase But if thou hast otherwise determined in thy secret will howsoever graunt that I may never conceave wickednesse in my heart Act 5.4 to whom thou denyest the conception of a child Iam. 1.15 Let not lust conceave in mee lest it bring forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bring forth death Say unto my heart as effectually as once thou didst unto the fig-tree Mat 21 19. Gal 5.22 vers 23 Heb. 12 11. let noe such fruit grow on thee hence forth for ever but let mee allways produce the fruits of the spirit against which thine Apostle assureth mee that there is noe law Let this thy chastening yeeld unto mee the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse since I am exercised therein so shall I willingly submit to thy pleasure and beseech thee to graunt mee comfort and joy in that blessed sonne of a happie woman even Iesus Christ my onely Lord and Saviour Amen THE TWELFTH SUBjECT Teares of a child-bearing woman 1 At the time when she beginneth to fall in travell 2 After her deliverie I st Her teares when she beginneth to fall in travell The Soliloquie consisting of three parts viz 1 The cause of the sorrow and the confidence of the sorrowing 2 The greatenesse of the pangs hazards and feares of a travelling woman 3 Consolation and comfort for a woman in the bitternesse of her travell The first part of the Soliloquie treating of the cause of the sorrow and the confidence of the sorrowing THE EjACULATION Psal 5. vers 1. Give eare to my words ô Lord consider my meditation vers 2. Hearken unto the voyce of my cry my King and my God for unto the will I pray VVHen David confessed his actuall crimes hee forgot not the guilt of originall corruption therfore he professed saying Behold I was shapen in iniquitie vers 5. and in sinne did my mother conceave mee By the corruption of nature even Saint Paul himselfe was not without sinne that dwelled in him That which is borne of the flesh is flesh Rom 7 17. Io. 3.6 as my Saviour himselfe did tell Nicoden us and this flesh concludeth us all to be carnall Rom 7 14. and sold under sinne This originall stayne is the ground of all our actuall impieties justly therfore is the birth of a child accompanied with the torments and sorrowes of the mother left women should forget the tast of the apple I will greatly multiply thy sorrow Gen 3.16 and thy conception sayd the Lord unto Eve in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children O this heavie chastisement doth now approach to make mee sensible of my sinfull beginning As I caused the teares to flow from the eyes of my groaning mother so now even in mine eyes doe they likewise arise through the pangs which doe seize on mee by reason of my babe Lord what a trembling possesseth every joynt of mee and when I hope for ease by changing my seate or lying on my Couch or attempting to walke even in every place doeth the sharpnesse of the paine increase its strength and though I multiply my cryes yet mine anguish ceaseth not O what miserable perplexities are wee weake and sinfull women involved in Wee who can worst endure are most afflicted and allthough our tempers and constitutions conclude us weaker by farre then our husbands
greater them all these the feare of displeasing my gratious protectour bring mee back againe and keepe mee at home I would not be un-charitable but I must not be desperate Well then I am resolved what I will doe I will with Solomon goe to the houses of mourning the houses of the visited yet not in body but in mind and in purse I will pittie them and I will send reliefe unto them I dare not goe in person but I will goe in affection and for my neighbours groaning under the evill of punishment and for my selfe burdened with the evill of sinne I will feede upon my teares day and night I must grieve for my selfe in particular and yet I must not be so unkindly coveteous as to keepe my teares onely for my selfe In publike calamities those who shed noe teares may be justly suspected to have noe bowells I find my selfe not un-apt to weepe for I am prompted to that by the weakenesse of my disposition And yet I suspect my selfe I am jealous of my selfe that my teares doe rather flow from my feare of infection then from a fellow-feeling of the miseries which the infected suffer To heighten therfore my mourning and to justifie it by my compassion I will propose to my selfe the examples of others such as I find recorded in the word of my God example 1 When the destruction of the Iewes was neere at hand the Lord called upon them by the mouth of his Prophet saying Consider yee Ier 9.17 and call for the mourning women that they may come and send for cunning women that they may come And let them make hast vers 18 and take up a wayling for us that our eyes may runne downe with teares and our eye-lids gush out with waters vers 19 for a voyce of wayling is heard out of Zion How are wee spoyled c. The women were commanded to heare the word of the Lord vers 20 and their eares to receave the word of his mouth they were to teach their daughters wayling and every one her neighbour lamentation vers 21 For death was come up into their windowes and entered into their pallaces to cutt off the children from without and the young men from their streetes vers 22 Even the carkeises of men did fall as dung upon the field and as the handfull after the harvest-man and none did gather them The case is now with us as it was then with the Iewes Alasse how are wee spoyled too How is death come up into our windowes by the infectious aire How doe our children dye and our young men fall Our children which know not the cause and our young men that trusted in the strength of their youth O how doe the carkeises of men fall as dung upon the open field as the hand-full after the harvest man and yet there are none to gather them up They perish without because either there is not roome enough left with in doores for them or not people alive to attend them in their sicknesse or not people of strength enough to un-lock the doores or not meanes for their sustenance if they enter in Thus necessitie driveth them into the fields and there mortalitie seizeth upon them where noe person is found to burie their bodies noe bearers to carie them to the surfeited earth noe friends to bewayle the losse of their lives and noe Christians to cover them from their gazing spectatours the verie fowles of the aire and the beastes of the field What heart would not breake what eye would not weepe what soule would not lament for this sad visitation Lam 1.16 For these things with Ieremiah will I weepe mine eye mine eye shall runne downe with water because the comforter which should relieve our soules is farre from us example 2 The Lord hath throwne downe Ierusalem saith the Prophet and hath not pittied Lam 2.17 and hee hath caused their enemie to rejoyce over them hee hath sett up the horne of their adversarie vers 18 Their heart cryed unto the Lord O wall of the daughter of Zion let teares runne downe like a river day and night give thy selfe noe rest let not the apples of thine eyes cease Arise vers 19 cry out in the night in the beginning of the watches powre out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord lift up thy hands towards him for the life of thy young children that faint in the topp of every streate vers 1. Even thus hath the Lord covered us allso with a clowde in his anger as then hee did the daughter of Zion and cast downe from heaven unto the earth the beautie of our Israël and remembred not his foote stoole in the day of his anger An enemie destroyeth and rejoyceth over us but such an enemie it is as neither can heare nor will spare The verie aire which was created to coole the flames of our scorching hearts is so poisoned with the infection that the more wee make of it the lesse wee our selves are made by it the closer wee seate it even to and in our hearts the neerer doth the infection approach our spirits The corrupted aire shall be therfore cleansed by the thick groanes that shall flye from my heavy heart and be purified with the thunder of my lowdest cryes With Moab in the prophesie Is 15.2 vers 3. I will howle over Nebo and over Medeba In the streetes let every one gird himselfe with sack-cloth on all their heads let there be baldnesse on the toppes of our houses and in our streetes let every one howle â—er 48.4 weeping aboundantly for wee are destroyed for our litle ones have caused a cry to be heard Oh our sucklings that cry for milke from the breast suck in destruction when they expect their nourishment For these things with Ierusalem I will weepe sore in the night in this night of a generall affliction Lam 1.2 my teares shall be on my cheekes because among all our lovers there is none to comfort us example 3 At the finall desolation of the house of Israël Eze 7.16 the Prophet tould them that They that fled away of them should escape and should be on the mountaines like Doves of the valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquitie All hands should be feeble vers 17 and all knees should be weake as water vers 18 They should allso gird themselves with sack-cloth and horrour should cover them and shame should be upon all their faces and baldnesse upon their heads Lord what a time of mourning should here be What a time of horrour Destruction is threatned and whom destruction missed mourning should over-take feeblenesse should follow weakenesse should pursue horrour should cover Oh that verie time is come now upon us that prophesie is fullfilled in our Israel Here is noe sword to slay us noe fierie engines of a hellish invention to murder us noe men to take us captives
desert Peraduenture to corect my pride this thorne in my flesh may be a messenger of Satan sent to buffet mee 2 Cor. 12.7 as once Saint Paul had one sent unto him for who of all our sexe is not guilty of this follie Among us are the tender and the delicate women such as were among the Israelites who will not aduenture to set the sole of the foote upon the ground Deut. 28.56 for delicatenesse and tendernesse and not to flatter or deceave my selfe I may peradventure be one of them Or if I have not had power to put in practise what I desired yet it may be that my desire hath beene to be as delicate as the chiefest and finest of our sexe Satan is sayd to have gone forth from the presence of the Lord Iob 2.7 and to have smote Iob with sore boyles from the sole of the foote to the crowne of his head O that I were but halfe so righteous as was holy Iob of whom God himselfe beareth witnesse that There was none like him in the earth c. 1.8 a perfect and an upright man one that feared God and eschewed evill But alas I am noe such person for I have by my wickednesse as it were taught the serpent to goe forth from the presence of the Lord and to smite mee with this sicknesse this rising this swelling worse then those boyles which infested Iob. David had a sore too 1 Sam. 13.14 a running sore allithough hee was a man after God's owne heart Psa 77.2 for so hee complained saying My sore ranne in the night and ceased not my soule refused comfort But his Sore was not like unto mine for his was in the fierce combat which hee had with distrust and it may as well be meant that his hand by night reached out in prayer and ceased not or by that sore may be meant the running of his eyes which dropped in the night for his grievous crimes and ceased not as well as an impostume or ulceration But mine is not such it is a sore indeede a carbuncle a pestilentiall sore allthough as yet it is not come to such maturitie as to doe as David spake of his It is yet but a swelling a hard swelling a rising and for its swelling and for its hardnesse it may either be my very heart removed from the seate appointed it by nature or else it may be sent to put mee in mind of the proud swelling and the malitious hardnesse of mine impenitent heart Alas if I doe but seriously consider of that litle morsell of proude flesh or rather stone hard stone then flesh that Adamantine heart what have I not deserved for that wicked heart which others were ever punished with Worse farre worse doe I deserve then ever did Iudah I onely want a Prophet to lament mine estate as Isaiah did hers for the judgements of God inflicted upon her for her rebellion Is 1.5 and to cry The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint from the sole of the foote even to the head there is noe soundnesse in it vers 6. but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores they have not beene closed neither bound up neither mollified with oyntment But what shall I doe in this distresse May not these poisoned humours that have conspired together in this present tumour as well be some other disease as the infectious Pestelence Lord how faine would sinners live in ignorance and never either understand the offences which they have committed or know the manner and the kind of their punishments How faine would the sick delude themselves with a conceipt of health and hoping for life cozen their knowledg with the falsehood of opinion I cannot deny but it is the sicknesse which I am stricken with the infectious sicknesse the dreadfull Pestilence and I can have noe hope of life if once it seizeth on my trembling heart To prevent that danger therfore since my heart hath hitherto beene so stonie so hard to entertaine the motions of the blessed Spirit I will request it now to continue its obduracie not against my greate God but against this sad and deadly sicknesse What it hath usually reteined allmost to the utter un-doeing and destruction of my soule I will intreate it to continue now for the preservation of my body Or if that will not doe if it resolue to yeeld in this time of distresse farre rather then I will seeke to that I will humbly besiech my offended Lord to take possession of my heart and if hee will vouchsafe to graunt my petition then come what can come I am sure I shall have comfort because I shal have the societie of my God But what if my heart be preserved from these malignant humours Have I â—hen any assurance that my disease is not mortall Alas noe but I must use the meanes and besiech my God to give them his blessing I must apply those things which will mollifie this swelling it must be softened be broken be drawne before it can be healed Thus even thus must I deale with my heart too The malitious humours of sinne and corruption have allready assembled there and caused it to swell I will hasten therfore to Iob 's Physitian Iob. 23.16 who softened his heart and troubled him and I will besiech him for Christ's sake to mollifie mine for there are more then the seaven abominations of a dissembler in it Prov. 26.25 Ioël 2.13 Hos 10.12 Psa 69.20 Ier. 4.4 I will pray him to rent it to breake it to breake up the fallow ground of it for hee better can breake mine then the miserie of repreach could breake the heart of the Prophet David I will intreate him to take away the foreskinne of it and to wash it from wickednesse that so I may be saved and that noe vaine thought may lodge in it vers 14. c. 17.10 I will request him to search it that hee will lay some-thing to it Is 47.7 Ps 147 3. even all the wickednesses that ever I have committed Then when hee hath broken it I know that hee will heale it and bind up the Wounds of it for to this purpose hee sent his sonne his onely-begotten sonne my Redeemer my Iesus even to bind up the broken hearted Is 61.1 But when this greate cure shall be wrought for mee what have I to render unto him by way of thankfullnesse Alas nothing even just nothing at all unlesse hee will accept of that broken yet therein that whole and cured heart That then shall be his and I know that hee wil accept of it for so saith David that man after his owne heart A broken Act. 13.22 Ps 51.17 and a contrite heart ô God thou wilt not despise from the mallice of this heart doeth proceede the malignitie of this my disease for sinne is the cause of every sicknesse But all this while I doe but talke of this maladie I sieke not for a remedie Alas
order unto him and in obedience to his commands I will love my neighbour as my selfe I will love him with the same affection as my selfe For his sake for whom I love my selfe even for God's For the same reason as my selfe even for grace conferred in this life present and for a certaine hope of eternall glory in the life to come In the same order as my selfe which shall be above the world but inferiour to my God Vpon the same ground as myselfe even because of the image of God imprinted in him and because hee is capable of immortall happinesse lastly as long as myselfe even from the beginning unto the end untill this fraile flesh shall be forsaken by my pensive my sad and sorrowfull soule And that my brethren my neighbours may be the better assured of my love which cannot be firme unlesse I accord with them in the same beliefe Heb 4.14 and that it may be knowne that through the grace of my God I hold fast the profession of my faith wherein I have lived even the same which was taught by my Saviour and his Apostles according to the trueth and puritie of the same without leaning either to prophanesse atheisme superstition or any other errour or heresie and to the intent that they may joyne with mee in thanksgiving to my God for preserving mee in the same and in prayer unto God that I may continue in the same both to the end in the end I will therfore cheerefully faithfully and confidently rehearse the articles of my beliefe and say I beleeve in God the Father Allmighty Maker of heaven and earth and in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceived by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell the third day hee rose againe from the dead hee ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father All-mighty from thence hee shall come to judg the quick and the dead I beleeve in the holy Ghost the holy Catholike Church the Communion of Saints the forgivenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting Amen Thus I believe Lord helpe my un-beliefe Mar. 9.24 Eph. 4.14 and graunt that I may not be tossed to and fro and caried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wayt to deceave vers 15 but that speaking and believing this trueth in love I may grow up unto him in all things which is the head even Christ my Redeemer And that I may thus repent mee of my sinnes and continue in love and persevere in the faith and submit to his good pleasure I will with a bended heart and a sorrowfull spirit and weeping eyes pray unto him and say exercise 3 3. The Prayer of the sick FAther of mercies Lord of life thou God which art a refuge in the time of trouble Ps 6.2 have mercy upon mee Ps 143.4 for I am weake and my heart with in mee is desolate A sinner I am I must confesse it not deserving thy mercy a fowle a grievous sinner I am who have disobeyed thy statutes and broken all thy commandements and never have I set my selfe in any good way to seeke my peace and reconciliation with thee My conscience check's mee and my sinnes testifie against mee and mine adversarie the devill strjveth to pluck from mee my considence in thee O Lord be thou my protectour and my gracious father Be reconciled unto mee in Iesus Christ in whom alone thou art well pleased Io 16.23 and in whose name whatsoëver I shall aske of thee I am sure thou wilt give it unto mee Heavenly Father doe thou assist mee doe thou comfort mee in these my trpâ—… and afflictions Ps 60.11 o be thou my helpe in trouble for vaine is the helpe of man To thee I cry to thee I come with a panting heart with a sorrowfull soule with an humble spirit I have sinned ô I have sinned and done amisse and my portion might be justly therfore in the land of darknesse there to be tormented with the devill and his angells forever But ô thou who hast promised to heale all those that are broken in heart Ps 147 3. and to bind up their wounds be reconciled unto mee in the wounds of my Redeemer Speake peace unto my conscience in this agony Ps 143.6 in this sorrowfull and deepe sighing for my skarlet sinnes To thee Ps 143.6 and to thee alone I stretch forth my hands to thee my soule gaspeth as a thirstie land vers 7. Heare mee ô Lord that soone for my spirit waxeth faint hide not thy face from mee lest I be like unto them that goe downe to destruction O let not these teares be refused nor these groanes be sighed and sobbed in vaine but by the power of his passion out of whose pretious side did issue both water and blood be thou reconciled unto mee the unworthiest of thy creatures Though my soule be deepely stained with the pollutions of my transgressions yet his blood hath power to make it white as snow On that remission of sinnes by his torments and sufferings doe I wholly rely My selfe I abhorre Iob 42.6 and repent in dust and ashes my workes I disclaine for I know their unworthinesse on thee alone ô my Iesus I wholly depend and by thee alone I hope for remission Be thou my Iesus be thou my Saviour Cure mee by thy wounds heale mee by thy stripes ease mee by thy torments comfort mee by thine agonie refresh my fainting soule by thy bluodie sweat revive mee by thy death and ô Sonne of God and Saviour of the world present mee to thy father in the robe of thy righteousnesse Ps 94.13 Give mee patience in this time of adversitie that I may quietly and contentedly submit to thy good pleasure rely upon thy mercy be thankfull for thy chastisement and in all things so looke up unto thee in this time of my sicknesse that I may hereafter be raised to glory by the power of thy resurrection This sicknesse for ought I know may be unto death but in thee I trust it shall be a passage unto life If thou hast passed the sentence of the first death upon mee decreeing to execute it by this my sicknesse to lay mee in the dust by this present visitation howsoever be pleased ô my father for the worthinesse of thy sonne to free met from the horrour of the second death Let mee be found of thee in peace 2. Pet 3 14. Hab 3.2 Is 9.13 Iob. 3.25 Mich 6 13. 1. Pet 4 19. Ps 119.175 that it may clearely appeare to mee that thou art a God of trueth and in the midst of judgment remembrest mercy Vnto thee I turne for thou hast smitten mee and the thing that I so greatly feared is fallen upon mee My body thou
vers 8. The way of peace wee know not and there is noe judgment in our goeings wee have made us crooked paths whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace Therfore is judgment farre from us neither doth justice over-take us True it is wee have our frequent fastings and our dayes of humiliation but doe wee not fast for strife and debate vers 9. c 58.4 and to smite with the fist of wickednesse What doth the Lord require of us but to doe justly and love mercy and to walke humbly with our God But wee ah sinfull wee insteed of doeing justly doe many times labour by a new way to execute Iustice to kill it to destroy it with its owne sword noe merveile therfore that when judgment is looked for Mich. 6.8 behould oppression and when righteousnesse behold a cry The God of mercy requireth us to love mercy but wee on the contrarie are ready to lay hold on our bowes and speares Isa 5.7 wee are cruell and have noe mercy our voices roare like the sea and wee ride upon borses set in aray as men for warre and that against our owne acquaintance and neighbours and friends and allyes Ier. 6.23 Prov. 12.10 Ps 35 13. Is 58.5 yea and our very tender mercies are cruell Hee requireth us to walke humbly with him and wee pretend to put on sackcloth and to humble our soules with fasting but alasse is this such a fast as God hath chosen A day for a man to affâ—ict his soule Is it for a man to bow downe his head as a bull-rush and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him Will hee call this a fast vers 6. and an acceptable daâ— unto him Noe noe Is not this the fast that hee hath chosen To loose the bands of wickednesse to undoe the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed goe free and that wee breake every yoke vers 7. Is it not to deale our bread to the hungry and that wee bring the poore that is cast out to our houses When wee see the naked that wee cover him and that wee hide not our selves from our owne flesh But doe wee thus fast Doe wee thus humble our selves I feare wee doe not therfore for peace wee have greate bitternesse c 38.17 Lam. 3.15 Reu 8.10 wee are filled with bitternesse and are made drunken with wormewood The great starre which fell from heaven upon the third part of rivers and upon the fountaines of waters when the third Angel sounded is found among us vers 11 for our waters are become wormwood our teares are teares of bitternesse Prov 11.14 Solomon telleth mee that where noe counsell is the people fall but in the multitude of counsellers there is safety That multitude of counsellers wee have gave wise and honourable counsellers wee have and yet for all that mee think's wee doe not find that safety which Solomon speaketh of 2. Cor. 7.5 1. Chr. 26.14 Mar 15.43 for wee have noe rest but wee are troubled on every side without are fightings and within are feares Wee have Zechariahs wise counsellers wee have Iosephs honourable counsellers which allso waite for the Kingdome of God 1. Chr. 27.32 Prov 12.20 cap 15.22 and wee have Ionathans to be counsellers wise men and scribes and yet there is but litle joy to the counsellers of peace nor are purposes yet so established by this multitude of counsellers as hath beene long hoped they would have beene What is the cause What is the reason hereof Ah Lord God wee are ready to take counsell but not of thee Ier 30.1 Luc 7.30 Ps 107 11. Is 19.17 to reject thy counsell against our selves to contemne thy counsell and therfore wee are every one afraid in himselfe because of the counsell of thee the Lord of hosts which thou hast determined against us The noise of the drumms and the trumpets still sounds in our eares and noe Dove comes yet with the olive branch of peace into our poore distressed land O my God my God how is thy sword filled with blood c 34.6 and made fat with fatnesse and with the bloud of the lamb's goates with the fat of the kidnyes of ramms because thou hast a sacrifice in Borrah and a great slaughter in Idumea vers 7. Our land is soaked with blood and our dust is made fat with fatnesse Our dust is turned into brimstone vers 9. Deut 28.24 the raine of our land is made pounder dust yea and our very water is turned into fire The water that is drained through the earth of our Cellars and vaults is turned into salt-peter and that and the coales and the brimstone kindle their furie together in chambers of iron and in brasse and then belch oâ— fire and destruction From hence come thoâ—… dreadfull wonders which wee see in the heavenâ— and in the earth Ioel. 2.30 blood and fire and pillars of smoke The black-mouth'd Canons spitt the fire of wrath at us and the tokens of their mallice which they send unto us are balls of iron fitted for our confusion Yea and the more to terrifie us they roare and thundeâ— out their defiances even to the astonishment of all that heare them Wee feede them with powder and they thank us in thunder and lightning wee crambe them with iron and they discharge themselves of it to the slaying of Christians Yet mee thinks even these engins of iron in dumb lectures doe seeme to teach us relenting by their owne examples by their shaking their reversing their ruaning when they are discharged as if they trembled and were afraid themselves of the mischiefe they doe and were glad when they had libertie to take their ease upon their beds Is 66.15 Thus the Lord cometh with fire among us and with his charets like a whirle-wind to render his anger with fury and his rebukes with flames of fire vers 16 for by fire and by sword the Lord pleadeth with us and the slaine of the Land are many Lam 1.20 Behold ô Lord for by reason hereof I am in distresse my bowells are troubled and mine heart is turned within mee for wee have grievously rebelled Abroad the sword bereaveth and at home there is as death The Lord is against us Eze 21 3. and hath drawne forth his sword out of his sheath and doth cut off from us the rightious and the wicked Therfore it is vers 6. that now I sigh with the breaking of my loines and with bitternesse doe I sigh vers 7. even for the sad tidings which I dayly heare because the sword cometh every heart melteth and all hands are feeble and every spirit doth faint and all knees are weake â—s water A sword oh A sword is sharpned vers 9. allso fourbished it is sharpned to make a sore slaughter it is fourbished that it may glitter vers 10 cap 38.21 The allmighty hath called for a sword against us thorow
commandements and his statutes vers 25 the Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies thou shalt goe out one way against them and flee seaven wayes before them and thy carkeise shall be meate unto all fowles of the aire and unto the beasts of the earth vers 26 and noe man shall fray them away Iud. 2.13 Thus when Israel forsooke thee their Lord and served Baalim and Ashahroth vers 14 then thine anger was hot against them and thou didst deliver them into the hands of spoilers that spoyled them and didst sell them into the hands of their enemies round about so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies c. 3.7 Thus againe when they did evill in thy sight and forgat thee their Lord and their God and served Baalim and the groves then thine anger was hot against Israel vers 8. and thou didst sell them into the hands of Chusan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia and they served him eight yeeres vers 9. But yet when they cryed unto thee thou didst raise up a deliverer to them who delivered them Thus allso when they did evill in thy sight c. 6.1 thou didst deliver them into the hands of Midian seaven yeeres And thus at another time when they did evill againe in thy sight and served Baalim and Ashtaroth c. 10.6 and forsooke thee and served thee not vers 7. then thine anger was hot against them and thou didst sell them into the hands of the Philistines into the hands of the children of Ammon c 13.1 Yea and thus when they allso did likewise evill in thy sight thou didst deliver them into the hands of the Philistines fortie yeeres If then Lord thou sparedst not thine owne deere people when they thus sinned Ps 106.29 and provoked thee to wrath through their owne inventions how can wee the most abhominable of all thy creatures have the least hope of the cessation of thy judgments who still doe multiply and increase our unsufferable abhominations Neither terrour nor consumption nor any other of thy corrections formerly sent us have prevailed with us to search and try our wayes and to turne unto thee our dreadfull Lord. Iustly therfore doest thou walke contrarie unto us and causest the sword to avenge the quarrell of thy covenant Wee are smitten before our enemies yea even such enemieâ— who have beene and should have continued our friends for religion countrie neigbourhood affinitie and consanguinitie had tyed us together with the bonds of love But now alasse wee goe out one way against them and flee seaven wayes before them Wee have in many places had those among us who served Baalim and Ashtaroth and the groves and wee have had those too who allthough they have professed with Naaman that they would offer neither burnt offerings 2. King 5.17 nor sacrifice unto other Gods but onely unto thee the true Lord yet with Naaman allso they have bowed in the house of Rimmon vers 8. Iustly therfore ô most justly is thine anger hot against us and wee are delivered into the hands of spoylers Confesse wee must ô God that wee are a sinfull nation Is 1.4 a people laden with iniquity a seede of evill doers children that are corrupters wee have forsaken thee our Lord wee have provoked thee the Holy-one to anger wee have gone away backward vers 5. The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint vers 6. from the sole of the foote even to the head there is noe soundnesse but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores they have not beene closed neither bound up neither mollified with oyntment Wee have indeede with our tongues called thee our father and our master yet thou mayst justly question us as thou didst the Israelites by the mouth of thy holy Prophet If I be a father Mal 1.6 where is mine honour And if I be a master where is my feare Ah Lord wee must confesse that wee are all as an uncleane thing Is 64.6 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs wee all doe fade as a leafe our iniquities as the wind doe take us away vers 7. There is none among us that calleth upon thy name as he ought to doe that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee for thou hast hid thy face from us and hast consumed us because of our iniquities vers 8. But now ô Lord thou art our father wee are the clay and thou our potter and wee all are the worke of thine hand vers 9. Be not wroth very sore ô Lord neither remember iniquity for ever behould see I beseech thee wee are all thy people True it is c 28.3 ô eternall Purity that thoâ— didst threaten by thy Prophet that the drunkards of Ephraim should be trodden under feete and by thy servant Solomon thou hast warned us Prov. 23.20 vers 21 saying Be not amongst wine bibbers amongst riotous eaters of flesh for the drunkarâ— and the glutton shall come to povertie and drowzinesse shall cloath them with raggs And yet as if thy words were not true or thy judgments not to be feared and trembled at thâ—… is among us a roote that beareth gall and wormewood Deut. 29 18. to adde drunkennesse to thirst Wee hart Vriah's 1. Sam. 11.13 1. King 16.9 1. Sam. 25.36 made drunke and wee have Elah's Nabals drinking themselves drunke and making Kingly feasts where the end of their mirth is drunkennesse Seeing therfore theâ— is this guilt among us how can wee expect other but that thou shouldest tread downe to people in thine anger Is 63.6 and make them drunke is thy furie and bring downe our strength to the earth It was thy judgment upon Moab the he should be made drunken and should wallâ—… in his vomit be in derision Ier. 48.26 Is 51.17 Wee ô Lord are now made drunke with the cup of thy furie and drinke the dreggs of the cup of trembling and wring them out and that because of the cupps of drunkennesse and madnesse which have over flowed in our land Ier. 10.24 But ô heavenly father correct us but with judgment and not in thine anger lest thou bring us to nothing Luc 21 34. Make every one of us of this nation Take heede lest at any time our hearts be over-charged with surfeiting drunkennesse and cares of this life so that day the day of judgment come upon us unawares By King Solomon ô thou glorious Essence Frov 16.18 thou hast tould us that pride goeth before destruction an haughty spirit before a fall and the Apostle telleth us Iam. 4.6 Eze 16 49. that thou resistest the proude but givest grace to the humble and the Prophet telleth that pride was one of the iniquities of Sodome as well as fullnesse of bread and aboundance of idlenesse Yet ô Lord God all-mighty in our pride wee have neither remembred the
have mercy upon us Ps 30.11 Ps 65.2 Ps 69.34 â—ord be thou our helper O thou that hearest â—rayer thou that hearest the poore and despisest â—ot the prisoners cause thou us to fast and â—ay and reade and weepe and repent as thou â—equirest Is 58.8 that our light may breake forth as the â—orning our health may spring forth speedily â—o our righteousnesse shall goe forth before us â—he glory of thee our Lord shall be our reward Mat 2.18 Oh how dolefull is this voyce which is heard in â—ur Rama this lamentation and weeping and great mourning Rachel weeping for her children â—nd will not be comforted because they are not Al-mighty God everlasting father Is 9.6 prince of â—eace thou who didst comfort thy disciples that in thee they might have peace Io. 16.33 Gen 8.11 because in the world they should have tribulation be pleased I beseech thee in mercy to send thy dove with the olive leafe of peace into this our distressed Kingdome When thy servant Solomon dedicated his temple to thy holy worship he prayed unto thee and sayd 1 King 8.33 When thy people Israel shall be smitten downe before the enemie because they have sinned against thee and shall turne againe to thee and confesse thy name and pray vers 34 and make supplication unto thee Then heare thou in heaven and forgive the sinne of thy people Israel and bring them againe to the land which thou gavest to their fathers Heavenly father wâ— are smitten downe before our enemies anâ— that because wee have sinned against thee but by thy grace wee turne againe to the and confesse thy name and pray and makâ— our supplications to thee in thy templesâ— Heare thou us in heaven and forgive thâ— sinns of thy distressed and back-sliding Israel compose our grievous divisions and destructions Mercifull father bow downe thine eare to mee the worst of all this thine Israel who in the name of our whole nation doe here beseech thee to be pacified with this broken Kingdome smitten downe with its owne bloody and sharpest sword Make us all 〈◊〉 turne againe unto thee and pray and maâ—… our supplications unto thee more frequentâ— and more fervently then formerly wee haâ—… done that thou mayst heare us and he alt our land O thou sword of the Lord hoâ— long will it be ere thou be quiet Ier 47.6 Put up thy sell into thy skabbard rest and be still O God of peace ô Prince of peace thou and thoâ— onely it is who makest warrs to cease in all the world Ps 46.9 when so thou pleasest who breakest the bowe and knappest the speare iâ— sunder and burnest the chariots in the fire O give thou unto us thy wounded people such rest on every side 1. King 5.4 c 8.57 that wee may have neither adversarie nor evill occurrent Doe thou o Lord our God be with us as thou wert with our fathers doe not leave us nor forâ—ke us Make us incline our hearts to thee vers 58 â—d walke in thy wayes and keepe thy comâ—andements and thy statutes and thy judgâ—ents which thou commandedst our fathers Thou o God art the God of peace thou Rom 15.33 〈◊〉 Christ art the Prince of peace thou o heaâ—enly and blessed Spirit art the Dove of â—eace o thou united Trinitie give peace in his our land that wee may lie downe Lev 26 6. and â—one may make us afraid O let not the â—word any longer goe through our land but doe â—hou walke among us and be our God vers 12 and let â—s be thy people Give peace in our time 〈◊〉 Lord let the righteous flourish Ps 72.7 yea and â—boundance of peace so long as the moone endureth Give the King thy judgments vers 1. 〈◊〉 God and thy righteousnesse unto the Kings Sonnes Let the mountaines bring forth peace vers 3. and the litle hills righteousnesse unto thy people O King of Kings and Lord of Lords doe thou in mercy direct and continue our Soveraigne Lord the King in the truth and purity of our religion without inclining either to the right hand or to the left Make him allways a Royall protectour a zealous professour and a constant practiser of the same Blesse him o thou God of blessings in his Royall Person blesse him in his Consort blesse him in his Issue blesse him in his Counsellers and blesse him in all his People even froÌ„ Dan to Beersheba Be propitious ô thou wonderfull Counsellâ— in an especiall and peculiar manner unto thâ— head and members of our high and most honâ—…rable Parliament Doe thou knitt and unâ— them doe thou guide and direct them in aâ— their counsells and consultations that they maâ— unanimously joyntly conclude upon such who some lawes as may tend to the suppression oâ— wickednesse and vice and the maintenance of thy true religion and vertue rooting up all atheisne and profanenesse all herefie and superstition all schisme and faction that both church and common wealth may be religiously and firmely knitted and tyed together in the unitie of the spirit Ps 85.11 by the bond of peace Let thy truth o Goâ— of truth flourish out of the earth and righteounesse looke downe from heaven Doe thou Loâ— shew thy loving kindnesse unto thy people vers 12 〈◊〉 let our land give it's increase Let thy peopâ—… dwell in peaceable habitations Isa 32.18 and in suâ— dwellings and in quiet resting places Cauâ—… thou us to beate our swords into ploâ— shares c 2.4 and our speares into pruning-hookesâ— and suffer us not to learne such civill warâ— any more c 11.5 Let righteousnesse be the girdâ— of our loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of our reines vers 6. Let the wolfe allso dwell with tâ— lamb and the leopard lie downe with the kiâ— and the calfe and the young lyon and the fatling together and let a litle child leadâ— them vers 8. Let a sucking child play on the hole of â—he aspe and a weaned child put his hand on the â—ockatrice denne Breake thou the bowe Hos 2.18 and the sword and the battell out of the earth and make us to lie downe safely vers 19 Betroth us unto thee for ever in righteousnesse and in judgment and in loving kindnesse and in mercies O let us sit downe every one under our vines Mic 4.4 and under our fig trees let there be none en make us afraid Glory be to thee ô God in the highest Luc 2.14 Io 14.27 1. Sam. 25.6 2. Thes 3.16 Rom 5.1 Eph. 2.14 and on earth peace and good will towards men Suffer not ô eternall peace the hearts of us to be troubled neither let us be afraid Peace be both to us and peace be to our houses and peace be to all that wee have and that in and through him who is the Lord of peace Iustifie us all by faith that wee may have peace with thee