sincere That it may now and ever be displaid Against all such as shall thy truth invade Returne O God let not thy wrath proceed Shew us some favour helpe us in our need So fill our hearts with mercy that thy praise We may extoll with gladnesse all our daies O let that peace of thine which passeth all Our understandings keep our soules from thrall Yea soules and bodies both let it preserve So in thy feare that we may never swerve From thee our onely God but through thy grace In godlinesse may finish this our race That when we yeeld up this life transitory We evermore may dwell with thee in glory These and what else O Lord thou knowest best In thy great wisdome for us we request Not as desert for nothing's due but shame And hel-fire unto us but in the name And for the sake of that Son of thy love Who for our sakes alone came from above To whom with thee O God of saving grace And to thy holy Spirit in the next place We give all honour and desire t' adore Thy holy Name both now and evermore Amen PARTICVLAR REMEDIES AGAINST DESPAIRE COLLECTED Out of DAVID his PSALMES And applied to the severall Conditions of men in this vale of Misery By F T. Psal 107.43 Hosea 14.10 He that is wise to record well in minde These things shall understand how kinde And good God is to such as meekly beare His rod and thereby learne his Name to fear Psal 34.8 Taste then and see how good God is and just Blessed are they which in his mercy trust LONDON Printed by THO HARPER MDCXLIII Remedies against despaire in times of warre THe Lord of hosts doth take our part his eie Prevents all harme on him our hope doth lie He causeth warres to cease he breaks the bow He cuts the speare and charrets burnes also Be still and know that I am God and I Throughout the earth my selfe will magnifie Psal 46.7.9.10 God breakes the arrowes of the bow the shield The sword the speare the battle in the field Thou art more bright and shalt remaine for aye More puissant then mountains high of prey Stout-harted men yea mountaines strong and steepe Through thee are spoiled and have slept their sleep The mighty men of warre great men of might Have found both hearts and hands unfit to fight At thy rebuke thou that dost Iacob keepe The charret and the horse are cast a sleepe Thou even thou art to be dred and who Shall able be thy wrath to undergoe When thou to judgement shalt O God arise To helpe the meeke and heare their dolefull cries Surely unto thy praise mans might and rage Shall turne and thou the remnant shalt asswage Psal 76.3.4.5.6.7 8.9.10 The speare-mens ranks the calves and bulls of might God will destroy and all that love to fight This is our God that saves us from all wrong Issues of life and death to him belong Psal 63.30.20 Ungodly men consult against the good And plot how to condemne the guiltlesse bloud But still my refuge is the Lord most just Yea my God is the rock in whom I trust Psal 94.21.22 The arrowes of the Lord are sharpe to sting The hearts of those that fight against the King Psal 45.5 Our eares have heard our fathers have us told The mighty workes which thou hast done of old How by thy might thou cast the heathen out And didst subdue such as were strong and stout And in their place didst plant them by thy hand That they in safety might possesse the land They did not conquer by the sword their arme Their strength could not O Lord them save from harm But thy right hand thine arme thy strength and might Because in them thou tookest great delight Through thee alone we have thrust back our foes And troad those downe that up against us rose Unto my bowe no confidence I gave Neither from danger could my sword me save Thou hast us sav'd for honour of thy name Thou hast our foes put to reproach and shame Psal 44.1.2.3.5.6.7 As we have heard of old and oft have beene Told of thy goodnesse we have also seene Ev'n in the city of our God that he Will it establish to eternitie Psal 48.8 God is our hope and strength our rock and aid Ready to helpe when we are much dismaid Then though the earth be mov'd and mountaines fall Into the sea we will not feare at all Though waters rage and troubled be though waves Beat downe high mountaines God his people saves For there a river is whose streames will cheare The City of the Lord his Saints most deare God in the midst thereof doth dwell for aye Therefore it shall not perish or decay Psal 46.1.2.3.4.5 An hoast of men Lord I discomfite shall In thee through thee I shall leap o're the wall Psal 18.29 Let God arise and manifest his might And then his foes shall put themselves to flight But godly men before him shall rejoyce Yea leap for joy and sing with pleasant voice Psal 68.1.3 God is my rock shall man make me dismaid God is my strength why should I be afraid Psal 27.1 O sing unto the Lord new songs of praise For he hath wrought great wonders in our daies His owne right hand and holy arme alone With great renowne his foes hath overthrowne The Lord declares his saving health and might His justice eke in all the heathens sight He calls to mind his mercy truth and grace To Israel and all his faithfull race That all the world might see and know right well The goodnesse of the Lord to Israel Remedies against despaire in case of want and poverty THe poore shall eat and be suffic'd and they That seeke God praise him and shall live for aye The poore and needy he will not despise Nor hide his face from their complaints and cries Psal 22.24.26 Although I be of meane degree and poore The Lord is mindfull of me evermore Psal 40.17 Delight your selves in God with hearts entire And he will give to you your hearts desire Psal 37.4 All wait on thee yea things void of all reason That thou their food maist give them in due season Psal 104.27 The needy God will raise out of the dust Out of the dung the poore that in him trust Psal 113.7 For want of food the lions may be pin'd But such as feare the Lord shall succour find Psal 34.9.10 I have been yong and now aâ— waâ—ed old And in this case to speake I dare be bold That I the godly man did never see Forsaken quite nor his posterity Through want constrained for to beg their bread But ever have been by Gods goodnesse fed Psal 37.25 Cast thou thy burthen on the Lord and he In times of dearth and want will nourish thee Psal 56.24 Trust in the Lord to do good give thy mind Dwell in the land and thou shalt succour find Psal 37.3 Comfort for the godly when vengeance is powred downe upon the
Lord are not grievous Psal 119.40 and that his commandements are not burthensome for frst The regenerate are partakers of the divine nature of Christ whereby they are inabled to doe and suffer all things Credenti omnia sunt possibilia Iohn 1.5 all things are posible to them that beleeve Secondly they have spirits well qualified humble and meek minds loving and tractable dispositions towards Christ and love takes away difficulty leve fit quod bene fertur onus love makes a heavie burthen light Thirdly they have Christ the head of all the faithfull as fellow-members to sympathize with them in their sufferings solamen miseris socios hâ—buisse doloris they have the God of hosts within them the hosts of the Lord without them the God of hosts and all the hosts of God for them if men dare offend God will and can defend What need Mattheus care if an angry Peter cut off his eare if Christ be by to cure it againe What need Iob feare the roaving Sabbeans and robbing Chaldeans if Gods protection uphold him What need Lot feare to bee carried away captive if Abraham follow to redeem him What need a Christian feare to sustaine trouble sorrow need sicknesse or any other adversity since Christ the Son of God will make his yoake easie and God our tender Father will in his due time both ease release us Yea God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost are ever ready to apply their helping hands and wee commonly say multorum manibus grande levatur onus many hands make light worke Yet in the holy Scriptures we finde that many godly and Religious men through the imbecility of the flesh the extremity of paine and strong assaults of the Divell thereupon have been for a time so possessed with a spirit of heavinesse thâ—t they have appeared to themselves and others for a time as men utterly lost and forsaken and by this means have beene made unfit to serve God and scandalized their Religion to prevent this and such like evills which might hence arise I have in this small Treatise proposed to your serious consideration First the brevity of affliction or difference between the Crosse and the Crowne Secondly the benefit that comes to the soule by affliction Thirdly what Christ hath suffered for us Fourthly the ends why God afflicts his people Fifthly the author of affliction And these five thoughts as Davids five smooth stones being rightly placed in the sling of the heart and levelled by the steady hand of faith will be sufficiently able to beat down the great Goliah of our soules despaire first consider the difference between the Crosse and the Crowne the brevity of suffering the perpetuity of reigning afflictions are but for a short time during the time of this present life I count Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 12. saith the Apostle c. Therefore the time of affliction is sometime termed a day of triall sometimes a night of sorrow Heavinesse may endure for a night saith the Psalmist but joy comes in the morning sometimes to an houre of watching as Christ said to his three Disciples Matth 26.40 Can you not watch with me one houre Besides this the burthen of afflictions 2. Tim. 2 12. 2 Cor. 1.2 3 4 5. hath consolations qualifying As the sufferings of Christ doe abound so his consolations much more Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnesse sake Let Stephen have his eyes in prayer to see the heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and he shall nor be moved with the stones which the Jewes violently throw at him Let Moses see him which is invisible and he shall not feare Pharaoh but rejoyce rather to suffer with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Let Paul and Silas consider for whose sake they are imprisoned and they will sing and rejoyce in the midst of their sufferings Secondly the power of the oppressor is limited his daies are numbred I have said you are Gods but ye shall dye like men the rod of the wicked shall not alwaies rest on the backe of the godly God will either cut off the oppressor in his fury or take the oppressed to his mercy Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is appointed for all men once to dye Quicquid generatur corrumpitur omne ortum interit Here is our comfort then if we dye we shall live like Angells if we live we shall see our enemies dye like men post hac veâ—it judicium and then commeth judgement Christ our blessed Saviour God and Man will one day come to exercise a judiciall course against them otherwise God should be unjust in rewarding and the godly of all men most miserable Secondly Rom. 5.4 Luke 24 26. Rom. 8.17 Acts 14.21 Heb. 12.6 7. consider the benefit that comes by affliction Via crucis est via lucis the crosse is the high way to the Crowne we must goe through Rethshemesh to Betheden through many tribulations into the Kingdome of heaven Affliction to the soule is as physicke to the body more wholesome then toothsome for although simply in it selfe it be not good yet being prescribed directed and ordered by the wise hand of God it oftentimes proves very usefull and advantagious to the soul David speakes upon his owne experience Psal 119.71 that it was good for him and Paul affirmes the same There is no affliction for the present joyous but it brings forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse Adam in the garden of pleasure was overcome by the Serpent when Iob upon the dunghill of misery was more then a conquerer Affliction makes men mourne for their sins beati sunt qui lâ—gent Blessed are they which mourn Affliction makes men humble and humility makes the soule happy Deus resistit superbis dat gratiam hâ—nilibus God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble Afflictions make men meek beati sunt mites Blessed are the meek Psal 3.25 for they shal inherit the earth Dirigit mansuetes injudicio docebit mites in vias suas Affliction makes men hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Beati qui â—surium Blessed are they which hunger c. Affliction doth purge and purifie the soule beati mundo corde Blessed are the pure in heart c. Heb. 12.1 2 4. Thirdly Inspice vulnera pendentis Christi sanguinem morientis pretium redimentis cicatrices resurgentis capâ—t habet inclinatum ad osculandum cor aptum ad diligendum brachia extenta ad amplexandum totum denique corpus expositum ad redimendum Aug. de pas Christi Consider what Christ hath done and suffered for thee Multa dixit mira fecit durapassus est verba durlora verbera how he was incarned and assumeth the nature not of pure and immortall Angels but of sinfull mortall men how he came from Galilee to Nazaret from a Region to a hamlet from
otherwise how can men deale In matters that concerne a Commonweale That have not discipline what makes a state More weake and poore then this unhappy sate What makes the Artist lay aside his art And take himselfe unto the plough and cart What makes our foes triumph our weakenesse sure What makes us weake contempt of literature What makes art despicable in the eies Of such as wont the meanest art to prize Cause gold is thought more worth then art for he That is best able to bestow a fee Shall have a place let him be knave or foole Or one perhaps that never went to schoole And here indeed I might my thoughts inlarge My over-loaden stomach to discharge And speake of many things though to small boot But I will onely at some gunners shoot Yet will I for some of my brethrens sake A Saker Minion or some smal piece take For loath I am their weaknesse to disclose But much more loath to make the world suppose That all are such no I would cut my tongue Out of my head before I 'de do thâ—â— wrong I know some are deserving for their parts Honest and able men of good desarts Well then my care must be to levell right That I may hit the black and misse the white The Gunner as some know wâ—nkes of an eie That he the marke the better might espie But there 's small hope that he should hit the marke That wants both eies or levels in the darke I durst let such a Gunner for a tester Shoot at my cap from Christmas day till Easter Some scarce know how if that to proofe it came To charge a Cannon and discharge the same Yet these are best thought of by some and why Cause they have gold and gold can credit buy I would to God that those to whom't belonges Would take a course for to redresse such wronges For what they meane I do not understand Unlesse it be to undermine the land Though a God in mercy hath remooved farre Great thunder-threatning stormes of civill warre And for these many yeares preserv'd our land We cannot tell what dangers are at hand Though we be now at peace with France and Spaine We are not sure how long this shall remaine As safe as we suppose our selves to be E're long we may great alterations see To crosse the proverbe here a heavie purse Upon a land in this kind bringes a curse Not a light heart needs must their spirits droope Whose safety rests upon faire Venus troope Need must that Kingdome in great danger be When those are blind which should the ill foresee But thus much by the way I come from hence To speake of things of greater consequence What though this night may prove a night of sorrow Psal 30.5 We shall have perfâ—ct joy and peace to b morrow He that sav'd Ionas without saile or oare 3. Ionah Can safely bring our crazie Barks to shore Let mirth and sadnesse of each other borrow So live to day as so to die to morrow For what know we but that e'ne in a trice Our paines and pangs mâ—y prove a paradise Those evills which we thinke will soon'â— betide us God if he please with ease can put beside us They that in trouble teares and sorrow sow Psal 1â— 6.5 6. Iohn 16.20 Esa 35 10 16.13 14. Psaâ— 3.11.27 Shall reap in joy their joyes shall overflow They that as Pilgrimes wander in this race Shall have at length with Christ a dwelling place They that saile in this sea and are opprest With waves and stormes at length shall find true rest Esay 64 9. Maâ— 3 17. Num. 14.13 They that are trod here underfoot one day Over those e tyrants shall the Scepter sway Ieâ—â— 30.20 They that go on now weeping in the way Luk. â— 21 And good seed beare forth doubtlesse shall one day Returne with gladnesse and have cause to sing For they with joy their sheaves with them shall bring 2 Tim. 2 12. 1 Pâ—t 5 10. 2 Cor 1.5 â— They that Christs crosse with perseverance beare His crowne of glory shall for ever weare Besides our troubles are but transitory But everlasting is the crowne of glory What though the way be difficult and hard Looke with the eye of faith on the reward Before thee set and thou wilt soone confesse Rom. 8.18 That all the troubles of this wildernesse May not a compare with that estate of blisse Which God our guide long since prepar'd for his Besides we need not doubt but that his grace Phil. 4.13 1 Cor. 10 13. 2 Cor. 3 5 2 Cor. 12.9 Iude 24. v. Heb. 2.18.7.24 Will mightily suppot us in our race For had we faith upon him to depend Unto our troubles he would put an end Or give us meekenesse humbly to submit And so much strength as he for us thought fit Simile The tender father willing for to try His childs obezance and humility Some heavie weight upon his shoulder laies The child submits and readily obeyes His father seeing then a willingnesse In him to beare that which would overpresse His tender backe his hand applieth so That under it with ease the child may goe If then the earthly parent be thus mild And carefull not to overload his child Psal 103.13 Iob 34 23. We need not feare at all but that our God Will give us meeknesse to endure his rod And so encrease our strength that still we may His Crosse upon our shoulders beare away He knowes our frailties and whereof we 're made He knowes we are but dust and apt to fade He knowes full well the cruelty of those That to our welfare are most deadly foes He knowes the world is subtile and how apt We are with golden baits to be intrapt He knowes that roring lyon which each houre 1 â—eâ—â—â— Our deare-bought-soules seekes closely to devoure Is mercilesse and how the flesh with guile Both soule and body labours to defile And how we are not able to withstand The least of them should he withdraw his hand Our tender father therefore for this end To us his holy Spirit of truth did send Rom 8 26. And when our soules are so perplext that we Through anguish of our paine and miserie In so good tearmes c cannot our mind reveale That man may understand to God appeale We with a mournefull sigh a sob a grone He will conceive for what we make our mone And in due time we shall such mercy finde 1 Cor. 3.4 5. As shall give ease to body soule and mind The Church of God in Egypts slavery Exod 2 23 24. Could not tell how to pray but with a sigh Exprest their minds to him who knew the thought Of each mans heart and suddenly he brought Them out of bondage by his mighty hand And after brought them to the blessed land Of promise where with freedome they his will And holy testimonies might fulfill Simile So great affection doth
lest with cursed Cain Our soules for ever burne in endlesse paine Amen 7. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 7 The pure in heart enricht with saving grace With joy shall see the glory of thy face To filthy lusts Lord we are much enclin'd O sanctifie both body soule and minde As we have faulty been herein so grant We may repent and leave this filthy haunt Amen 8. Precept Mediti ∣ tation 8 We know thy Law doth say thou shalt not steal Yet we both rob thy Church and Common-weal In both we are but drones we live to spend What others get and for no other end We in thy vineyard idle stand yea we Ev'n in our private callings sloathfull be Nay Lord we as if of all grace bereft Against thy majesty use fraud and theft Our conscience knowes it to bee very true Our practice shewes that we withhold thy due Thy due is honour glory laud and praise But we blaspheme thee by our evill waies Yea we might see were we not like blind moles Our theft toward our rulers bodies soules O Lord bow downe the heavens and behold Us in thy Son with mercies manifold Unto thy justice we dare not appeale Nor to our merits for if thou shouldst deale With us as we have dealt with thee we might Justly expect that thou shouldst us requite With everlasting woe O blessed God Rather correct us with thy tender rod Use us like children though we must confesse We have been rebells ready to transgresse Upon the least enticements of the divell The world the flesh to ought that hath been evill Make us in word and deed more just and true That we may give to God and man their due Amen 9. Precept THou lovest truth Lord in the inward parts But we have both deceitfull tongues and hearts Grant we may not for envie feare or gaine False witnesse beare dissemble lie or faigne Amen 10. Precept IT is thy will that we should be content With what in mercy thou to us hast sent But we are apt to murmur and repine And to accuse thy providence divine As if thou wert unjust or didst not know How upon men thy blessings to bestow We thinke some have too little some too much When others prosper we are apt to grutch To covet and desire those things which we In conscience know anothers right to be Lord make us for be content with what Thou hast appointed for to be our lot Have mercy Lord upon us and incline Our hearts to keepe all these thy laws divine Amen A few other short Ejaculations 1. Ejaculation WE cannot pray nor praise thee as we would Indeed we can do nothing as we should For when our minds are bent to do thy will Our adversaries tempt us most to ill O that our waies were so direct that we Might keepe they statutes O that we could be What thou wouldst have us be Lord we desire To worship thee with hearts and minds intire Lord let our sighes and groanes acceptance find For perfect deeds accept our willing mind Amen 2. Ejaculation OUr many slips our weaknesse do proclaime Yet we desire to love and feare thy name We have not faith we speake it Lord with griefe Yet we believe Lord helpe our unbeliefe Amen 3. Ejaculation LOrd we are Pilgrims apt to go astray To lose our selves or faulter by the way O let thy holy word and spirit guide And strengthen us that we may never slide Amen 4. Ejaculation LOrd in the world I am a silly sheepe Thou art the shepeheard of my soule oh keepe Me safely in thy sheepefold let me not Wander in by-waies as one quite forgot Rather then I should in such waies remaine Use any meanes to fetch me home againe Amen 5 Ejaculation LOrd I am deafe and dumbe yea lame and blind O by thy word illuminate my mind Make me the tidings of true joy to heare That thou again my broken bones mayst cheare Guide and direct my feet into thy waies Open my mouth and I shall shew thy praise My heart is hard I cannot turne to thee For Christ his sake in mercy turne to me Amen 6. Ejaculation MY foes are many mighty of great power Subtile and such as would my soule devoure But I am weake not able to withstand The least of them without thy helping hand O helpe thy servant Lord my God most just For in thee wholly do I put my trust Unlesse thou be my buckler and my shield I know my false and fainting heart will yield Me with thy holy armour arme that I May never shrinke nor from my colours fly Amen 7. Ejaculation HOw long O Lord how long wilt thou withhold Thy favour from me is thy love growne cold How long wilt thou reject me I am thine Unto my suite O Lord thine eare incline I sue for mercy let thy mercy save Me from the power of sin hell and the grave Then shall I sing thy praises and rejoyce Amongst thy Saints with heart and chearefull voice Amen 8. Ejaculation I Was conceiv'd brought forth and borne in sin And all my life and daies have spent therein And by this meanes that image quite defac'd Which through thy mercie once in me was plac'd Sin as a leprosie hath overspred Both soule and body so that from the head Unto the foot there is no part that we Knowing our selves aright can say is free Lord wash us in the bloud of Christ and so We shall be whiter then the driven snow Renew thy image in us once againe We are thy creatures do not us disdaine Of all faults past wipe out the totall sum And give us grace that for the time to come We may resist the world flesh and the divell Learne to doe well by ceasing to doe evill Amen 9. Ejaculation THou all my life hast beene my tender father Leave me not now but shew me mercy rather In my distresse the sorrowes of the grave Lay hold on me O for thy Sonnes sake save Me from her jawes receive me to thy glorie When thou shalt call me from things transitorie Amen Epilogus sive conclusio ad lectorem Lectores LIbrum hunc cui titulus est The Soules Solace in time of trouble or Soveraigne Remedies against Despaire in manus vestras humillime commendo aequo cum animo eum perlegite quamvis curtas abreviatas hasce in venietis meditationes de utilitate tamen his vobiscum bene digestis ne dubitetis obsecro Deum consolationis ut sint mihi vobisque omnibus solamen vitâ articulo mortis FINIS
sometimes giving leave Unto bloud thirsty tyrants to bereave Them of their lives and livings so that they Not without cause may with their Master say That foxes have their holes the bird her nest Luke 9.58 But we have not a place wherein to rest Or put our heads but are from place to place Toss'd like a tennis-ball with great disgrace When such as have their minds bent unto ill In honour and in wealth doe flourish still But now observe their ends well in thy minde Esay 65.13 14. And thou the godly mans estate shall finde More to be wish'd Psal 37 37. the wicked we may see A while to flourish like a laurell tree But so he dies and suddenly to hell Is drag'd by divells Luke 16 evermore to dwell In utter darkenesse and for aye to be In everlasting paines and misery Behold the world 's turn'd upside downe with him For he that did in worldly pleasure swim Must now sustaine an angry Judge his ire And ever burne in ever burning fire He that was wont to feed on dainty fare Now pines away with horror and despaire His dainty mouth that relish'd nought at all But what was sweet now nothing tastes but gall His throat that once did swallow down strong drink Is now more full of filth then any sinke He that had musick once to please the eare Can nothing now but hellish yellings heare He that had all things that might please the eye Sees nothing now but what may terrifie Him to behold he that was wont to have All pleasant odors that contentment gave Unto the sense of smelling now in hell Can nothing else but noysome savours smell He that was deckt with silks and crown'd with fame Is cloth'd with horrour and eternall shame He that had many friends and kinsfolke deare In time of sicknesse to revive and cheare His dying heart salves for his griefe and sore Shall weep and howle in hell for evermore And shall no comfort ease nor succour finde Nor any friend where to disclose his minde He that spent many dayes and nights in vaine Would give a world one minute to regaine He that was wont to brag and brave it out With big and daring words and valour stout With thunder threatning words can neither daunt Nor with faire speeches hellish fiends inchant His feet that nimble were to run and goe Cannot convey his soule from endlesse woe His hands that once were able to defend Himselfe his goods his neighbour and his friend Are now fast bound in everlasting chaines And cannot free his soule from endlesse paines And last of all he that did once possesse All pleasures and delights this wildernesse Could yeeld to man is now in such distresse That men nor Angells can the like expresse He that did once drinke wine and water strong A drop of water craves to coole his tongue Those pleasures which before he thought most deare As daily soule-tormenters now appeare Sweet meats require sowre sawce vain pastimes paine Mirth misery after fair weather raine Hot summers thunder lightnings and strange sights Cause in the aire faire dayes oft foulest nights The just shall this behold and feare the Lord Prov. 29.16 Psal 103.15 16 17 18. And laugh at him and say with one accord Behold the man that made not God his stay But trusted in his strength his muck and clay But now observe the upright and the just Psal 119.142 Which in the Lord at all times put their trust For sure the end of such is endlesse peace God in the end their comforts will encrease Behold poore Lazarus falls sicke and dies And ther 's an end of all his miseries The case is altred much for he that lay At Dives gate in want is now for aye Ev'n with an everlasting Crowne possest And ever shall in Abra'ms bosome rest He that at Dives gate beg'd crums of bread And such as from his table fell is fed With blessed Angells in that blessed place Where he beholds his Maker face to face He that a beggar was of petty things Is now advanc'd above all earthly Kings Then let us be content in a each estate And not esteem our selves unfortunate When we the wicked and ungodly see To flourish as it were a lawrell tree For sure the just mans poore estate 's a worth more Then the ungodly mans great pompe and store Yet ought we not in any case to be So far content with our estates that we Thereby grow carelesse if with plenty blest Or desperate in minde if long opprest With want and need for such unpleasant weeds Not from the spirit but the flesh proceeds If God then give us b peace and happy daies Deut. 6.10 11 12. Let us remember evermore to praise And blesse his holy name and humbly crave His blessing on our selves and what we have Or else our c health and wealth our strength peace Will our eternall misery encrease Simile He that hath been halfe pin'd for want of meat And comes unto a place where he may eat His fill may glut his feeble stomach so That he thereby more faint and sick shall grow So when we fading-false-conceived pleasures Honours preferment and all worldly treasures Embrace with too great and too deep content They often prove to us a punishment Or if the Lord afflict us any waies With sicknesse or diseases that our daies Grow wearisome to us yea if he send The plague so hot amongst us that one friend Dare not come to another if his hand Bring the devouring sword into our land And after that a famine if he smite Our soules with pangs of hell and so affright Our minds with honour of our sins that we Cannot tell where to rest still a let us be Gratefull and meek yet ought we not to stand Like stocks and stones when God shall lay his hand Upon us or our Kingdome as if we Did not discerne or feele our misery This is no true contentment but a kinde Of sottishnesse or wilfulnesse of minde 'T is not enough to say in God we trust Though we say well therein for so we must Such thoughts as these must not be entertain'd Without we use the meanes by God b ordain'd To set us free for this may prove a signe That we are such as tempt the powers divine Let 's not in anger then with God dispute Nor through despaire in minde grow resolute Iames 5.13 But take St. Iames his counsell whilst we may Are we affl cted Let us humbly pray We may in times of trouble and distresse Unto the throne of grace have free accesse We may with boldnesse to the Lord draw neare Heb. 10 19 cap. 4. v. 14 15 16. And crave as many things as we want here So that we crave them in that manner still Which is best pleasing to his holy will If grievous troubles long upon us lie And God seems for to slight our dolefull crie Let us reflect unto
our selves and see Whether our hearts be humbled for till we Returne with contrite spirits Num. 21.5 1 Ioh 1.9 3 Kâ—â—g cap. 8.49 to 50. â—am 3.42 43 44. Psal 66.16 17 18. and confesse The vildnesse of our sin and wickednesse And c stedfastly resolve them to forsake God will not heare the prayers which we make Simile The father takes no pleasure or delight To scourge his tender childe Ier. 3 4 5. so that he might By faire meanes win him but if once he finde In him a stubborne and a wilfull minde He will correct him and correct him till He does submit himselfe unto his will Let not th' afflicted then much daunted be At the a prolonging of their misery Heb 12. 1 2.3.4 Exod. 1.12 Luke 24.26 Acts 14 11. But be assur'd that God intends by this To bring their soules unto eternall blisse What though thou art afflicted more then all Thy friends besides What if the Lord should call Thee out alone to suffer for his word If he a greater measure will afford Of strength to thee thou hast small cause to grudge Or of his justice rashly for to judge Simile The wise Physitian will not give the childe The purge the father takes but one that 's milde One that may with his tender yeares agree And to his nature correspondent be The great Physitian of our soules doth know What we are able best to undergoe Psal 119.72 Psal 7.10 Rom 8.25 Heb. 4.13 He knowes the frame and nature of our hearts He tries the reines and our most inward parts And will not lay his hand on all alike Neither at all times with the same rod strike One man is crossed in his reputation Another in his birth and education Parents sometimes are crossed with a childe That proves a prodigall and growes so wilde That he will not be rul'd doe what they can Standing in awe neither of God nor man The childe with an ill father and the wife With such a husband that her very life Seems as a hell on earth some in their health By daily sicknesses some in their wealth By losse of goods then a let not mortall men Dispute why where by whom what how and when They suffer at Gods hands But be content Sith they have sin'd to beare the punishment Simile The good Physitian will not seek so much To give his physicke as the cure of such As he shall take in hand and therefore tries One way at first if that serve he applies No more but leaves them off b but if he finde Much dregs and corrupt matter still behinde He useth launcing cupping letting bloud Yea any way whereby to doe them good And if at any time he intermit It is because his patients are not fit By reason of their weaknesse not that he Intends to leave them off and thus we see God deales with his owne people many times In purging them from soule-corrupting crimes For when the waies of God we are not taught Esay 50 â— Nor by the first c crosse profit as we ought He either lets it longer on us lie Or sends another though not presently Ier. 5.3.6 Esay 9.17.20 Hos 5.12 13 14. Amos 4.6 usque ad 13. Because we cannot beare it let 's then learne To profit by our troubles and discerne The hand of him that strikes and for what ends The Lord unto his children crosses sends And when at any time we see his hand Stretcht out against a City Towne or Land Lam. 3.40 Let us both search our hearts and waies to see Wherein we might offend his Majesty And so incense his wrath but we alas As if it were a trifle let it passe We sleep a securely on our sinfull beds Till vengeance be powr'd down upon our heads We wanting wisdome to discerne aright The evill b imminent Gods threatning slight Seldome or never doe we take to heart These sins which justly cause God to depart From his owne Saints we doe not understand Wherefore the Lord in justice plagues our land We all are c apt enough to blame the times But few or none record their bloudy crimes We say the times are bad and thinke them strange But where 's the fault what is' t that makes this change Esay 59.1.2.3.4 Lam. 3.42 43 44. Ie eâ— 5 25. usque ad finem Doubtlesse our crying sins our great backslidings Our scoffing of Religion and deridings Those that with fervent d zeale professe the same Though with the losse of life goods or good name Our high-aspiring minds our great excesse In e diet and attire our drunkennesse Our swine-like rooting in this muck and mire Our f whoredome and inordinate desire Our g worshipping false gods our adoration Of the true God after a strange fashion Our taking of Gods name so oft in vaine By sin-procuring words and oaths prophane Our stubbornnesse and disobedience â— Pet. 2.13 Exoâ— 2â— â—8 Rom. 13.1.2.7 To h governours whom with great reverence We freely ought t' obey in all commands That equall with Gods Law and Justice stands Our prophanation of that day of â—est Which chiefly God for his owne service blest Exod 16 2â— Deâ—t â— 12 Exod 20 10. Our sacriledge the wounding and the tearing Our neâ—ghbours credits by false witnesse bearing Hâ—â— 27 usque ad 13. Our inhumanity and great a oppressions Our getting with injustice great possessions Our grinding poore men as it were to dust For lucre of the world which mothes and rust Shall in the end consume our guile and fraud Our usury and theft our little laud Our great contempt of God and Christ in all His morall and Lawes Evangelicall Our tyrannizing o're Gods people here As if we were set in a higher sphere Or regiment a purpose for this end When as the God of Justice does intend That such as are advanc'd to high degree Carefull preservers of his flock should be That they should helpe the fatherlesse and weak And in the poore mans case uprightly speak Our b discontentment and ingratitude Towards the Lord for such a multitude Of undeserved blessings Esay 1.2.5 cap. 4 5 6. Ier. 2 5. usque ad 12. Rom. 1.21 usque ad finem which ofttimes We have repaid with most provoking crimes These are the locâ—sts daughters which St. Iohn Notes in his holy Revelation Revel 9 7.10 Who fâ—ces have as faire as men but beare Stings in their tailes O fly from them and feare With sweet embracements ivâ—e kills the tree With vaine delights thy lusts will murther thee As Iacob to his houshold so speake I Unto each City Countrey Family Away with those strange gods that are among you Zephan 1.8 9. Ierem. 5.7 8 9. Esay 5 11. â—2 Esay 28.1 2 3. Acts 12.21 22. Esay 6.3 4 5. And change your garments for these things wil wrong you Away with whoâ—edome drunkennes and pride Gods purity cannot such sins abide Away with all prophanenesse filthy talking Lust and uncleannesse