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truth_n	according_a	holy_a	scripture_n	2,400	5	5.5262	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45776	Levamen infirmi: or, cordial counsel to the sick and diseased Containing I. Advice concerning physick, and what a physician ought to be; with an account of the author's remedies, and how to take them. II. Concerning melancholy, frensie, and madness; in which, amongst other things, is shew'd, how far they differ from a conscience opprest with the sense of sin, and likewise how they differ among themselves. III. A miscellany of pious discourses, concerning the attributes of God; with ejaculations and prayers, according to scripture rule. Likewise an account of many things which have happen'd since the creation. To which are added several predictions of what may happen to the end of the world. The whole being enrich'd with physical, pious, moral & historical observations, delightful to read, & necessary to know. By D. Irish, practitioner in physick and surgery, now dwelling at Stoke, near Guilford in Surry, where he is ready to serve any person, to the utmost of his skill.	Irish, David.	1700 (1700)	Wing I1036; ESTC R221621	80,143	149

Experience Practice and the con 〈◊〉 of Sacred Writers whose Example I purpose to ●low that with them I may enterprise every thing 〈◊〉 proceed orderly and produce an end to the ●onour of God and the good of my self and fellow ●●eatures The Scriptures contain the profound Misterie● of ●od's Excellence and Man's Salvation they are as ●earned Father saith So folded up by God that unless 〈◊〉 be re●d with that Spirit by which they were Written 〈◊〉 that with humility and a hearty desire to know and gove●n'd by them they cannot be understood unless 〈◊〉 Spirit quicken our understanding they are as a dead ●etter They have inde●d in them such a miraculous ●ight and depth that they may exercise the Wisdom 〈◊〉 of the most Learned yet do they also contain 〈◊〉 ●asiness and plainness that the most simple may understand them to t●eir Comfort and Instructio● The difficulties couch'd in profound Mysteries 〈◊〉 abate the Insolence of the Proud while the comf●●table Promises raise up the drooping Spirits of hu●ble Believers to the hopes of Eternal Salvation 〈◊〉 Sacred Volume is that wonderful River which alone both shallow and deep in the same pla●● wherein the Lamb may wade and the Elephant Swi● 'T is only disbelief and Sin that make them 〈◊〉 while Faith and good Works render them easie 〈◊〉 sinful vails of our hearts shade from us their meani●● nor can we open their difficulties but by the Key David which opens where no Man shuts and 〈◊〉 where no Man opens which only can open that Sea●● Book This considered it was not without Reas●● that Moses called God wonderful since he found his Words and Works to be so even past Mans fin●ing out and discovering A certain old Doctor 〈◊〉 the Ch●rch compar'd the Old Testament to 〈◊〉 Moon and the New One to the Sun for that 〈◊〉 Old Testament borrows its light from the New the Moon does hers from the Sun The Truth 〈◊〉 the New is contain'd in the Old and the Old revea● in the New In a word they both contain rich 〈◊〉 precious Comforts profound Learning grave Adm●nitions desirable Promises and dreadful Threatning all which are powerful Motives to Faith and go●● Works The Bible is the Word of God the Writers wher●of Writ after the dictates of the Holy Ghost and 〈◊〉 they Writ it even so it was and even so it is at 〈◊〉 present day and even so it will remain full and inti●● for he th●t caus'd it to be Writ for our Instr●ctio● and Rule will ever preserve ●t for us The Writings of Aristotle that Prince of Philoso●hers are Ancient and Profitable as also are many ●ther Books but in comparison of the Holy Bible ●hey a●e nothing to be regarded And here since I think an Historical Account of ●he Bible and its Translations will be well received ●ake ●he following Account Two Hundred Forty and One Y●ars before the Hu●anity of Christ the Five Books of Moses were Translated out of Hebrew into Greek at the charge of Pt●lemeus Philadelphus King of Egypt by Seventy Do●tors or Learned Men at Ierusalem in the time of ●Eliazer the High Priest by which we may un●erstand ●heir Antiquity and the great Value they obtain'd ●ven amongst the Heathens Then ●24 years after the Birth of Christ the Old T●stament was Translated out of Hebrew into Greek ●y a Iew named Aquila who was Converted to the Christian Faith in the time of Adrian the Emperor And 53 years after this Aquila the Bible was also Tr●nslated by Theodosius And 33 years after Theodosius it was Translated by Symmachus under the Emperor Severus And 8 years after Symmachus the Bible was Translated by one whose Name I have not but this Translation was call'd the Fifth Translation After this it was Translated by St. Hieronymus who mended and Corrected the Seventy Interpreters and Transl●ted it out of Hebrew into Latin which Translation with the Amendments of Beza is now used in ●he Church for the upholding of the Protestant ●eligion while the Roman Catholicks zealously stick to the Vulg●r Latin Translation which tho' very Ancient is not counted to be very Correct One Lyra is noted above others to be the best Hebrician and a diligent Translator of the Old and New Testaments The Bible is full of Divine things 't is the best and highest Book of God full of Comfort in all manner of Tryals and Temptations it teacheth Faith nourisheth Hope preserves Love and in fine Teacheth that after this poor miserab●e and precarious Life there is another which is Eternal and Everlasting We ought not to measure and censure the Scriptures according to our Sense and Reason as being byass'd by Passions and Errors but by diligent Prayer and Humility search after the Truth and by often putting this in Practice the Spirit of God will direct our Understanding to their true sense and meaning 't is the Holy Ghost that alone can Teach us here As well the Divi●e as the Disciple may without shame learn of such a Tutor if they intend to confound Heresies reduce Schisms and root out Errors observe ●he Scriptures saith Christ and thou shalt live Luk. 10. He 's only a good Pastor that is arm'd at all points with the Text and sufficiently Learned that is well grounded in the Bible but those that come to this Perfection have hearts prepared by God To those that he Reveals his Word to them he giveth Mouths to utter it God's Word is a Fiery Shield which is of proof against all the fury of Satan false Zeal and Error this Shield cannot be batter'd or crush'd by the greatest Violence God's Word remaineth for ever Protecteth all those that put their trust therein this is the Weapon that the Author of the Epistle to the H●brews calls a Two Edged Sword for it cuts through all opposition of Carnal and Diabolical Weapons The New Testament was written by Iews as well as the Old for the Apostles themselves were Iews and Paul was an Hebrew of the Hebrews yet by the Power of the Word they not only became Christians but Converted thousands to the same Faith for which in the End most of them laid down their Lives 'T is observ'd that in the Books of Moses nothing is so oft Rehearsed as this I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt the cause thereof perh●ps was that they should not soon forget what God had done for them Then let us not now forget what Christ has done for us in Redeeming us at once from the Tyranny of the Law and Sin In the Apostles time the Gospel was Preached and ●he Believers were but a little Flock but now it is further spread abroad Christ himself said to his Disciples Ye shall do greater things or works than I. As if be should have said I have Preached in the Corn●rs in the Land of Judea but ye shall Preach openly ●n the house Tops that is Through the whole Vniversal World and shall make the Gospel

known to all Men in all Nations But here I desire and earnestly admonish every good Christian that he slight not the plain and simpl● manner of Stile in many places found in the Bible ●ince they are Evidences of Truth and not Patterns of Rhetorick There is no doubt but what we find ●n the holy Scripture is true though sometimes it ap●ears in a mean dress which indeed is one of the Pri●iledges of Truth when Falsities covet the flowers ●f Eloquence to hide their Shame The Bible con●ains the Words Works Acts and Judgments of the ●ost High 't is a Book that makes Fools of the crafty ●nd wise of the World when yet it is understood by ●he plain and simple as our Saviour saith The ●criptures are most high and precious Relicks a ●ountain which can never be Exhausted in them ●hou findest the Swadling-Cloaths wherein Christ lyeth to which the Angels directed the poor and simple Shepheards Indeed they seem to be mean silly Clouts but dear and precious is the Treasure in them for we have in them many Promises and God is faithful in fulfilling them in Christ from whom we have forgiveness of Sins and are delivered from everlasting Death God's Word is a Light that Shines in Dark places so that those that are shadowed by the greatest Cloud of Sin and Ignorance cannot miss being found out by its penetrating Beams and by them directed to the paths of Glory We see in the Example of Adams eating the forbidden Fruit how easie it is to be drawn into Sin and to forget God's Word and how hard a work it is to get hearts of Repentance by the long and hard task our Saviour had to make a Reconciliation with God for our Offences and if we were to be sav'd by our own Deeds and not by the Works of Christ we ●hould never attain Salvation Therefore Christ makes our task more easie saying Whosoever relies on me and believes in my Word shall have everlasting Life Some may ask what is here meant by his Word I Answer It 's Christus est Spiritualiter in Sacramen●●● The same that he spake at his Administring his last Supper when he said The words which I spake are Spirit and Life the flesh profiteth nothing whosoever eats thereof shall live for ever He Seal'd it with his Blood therefore it must be Truth Some may say How can we Eat this his Word Answer By laying it up with Faith in our hearts and leading our Lives answerable thereto which done after this life is ended we shall neve● Hunger no● Thirst more but shall Live and Reign with him fo● Ever The same is to be understood in Baptism but the Administring of the Sacrament of the las● Supper doth shew forth his Death till he comes again at which time he will Judge the World then happy will those be who hear his Welcome With a well done true and faithful Servant enter into thy Masters Ioy And now let us cry out Come Lord Iesus come quickly The Holy Scripture makes mention of sundry things done at certain hours of the day not agreeing with the hours of our Account as in Iohn 't is said The Rulers Son being healed of his Sickness at the Seventh hour his Ague le●t him And the Labourers that came into the Vineyard came at the Eleventh hour And in the Passion of Christ 't is Recorded That at the Sixth hour there was darkness over all the whole Earth And about the Ninth hour he cried with a loud Voice and so gave up the Ghost In which is couch'd some think a Mystery for Adam was Created as 't is supposed on a Friday about the same hour of the day as our Saviour Suffer'd Now to understand what hours these were know that the Iews divided their Artifici●l days into four quarters allowing to every quarter 3 hours and so began the first hour of the first quarter at the rising of the Sun and as they followed in order they call each hour of each quarter the first second or third hour so that the third hour of the first quarter they ca●led the third hour and the third hour of the second quarter they called the sixth hour whi●h was Mid-day called by us Twelve a Clock and the third hour of the third quarter they called the Ninth hour and the second hour of the fourth quarter they called the Eleventh hour and they called the Twelfth and last hour Eventide So that the Rulers Son healed at the Seventh hour with us called One of the Clock in the Afternoon and the Sixth hou● when Darkness was over the whole Earth was Mid-day called by us Twelve a Clock and their Ninth hour when Christ yielded up the Ghost is called with us Three a Clock in the Afternoon The Labourers that came into the Vineyard came at the Elenth hour about five a Clock in the Afternoon or an hour before Sun-set Likewise they divided each Night into four quarters called by them the four Watches of the Night the first three hours was the ●irst Watch during which time all the Soldiers both Young and Old of any fortified Town or Garrison were us'd to Watch. The Second three hours t●ey call'd the second Watch which was about Mid●ight at which time the young Soldiers only Watched And the third quarter of the Night containing also three hours was called the third Watch in it the middle aged Soldiers kept Watch. And the last three hours called the fourth Watch was about break of day in which the old Soldiers only Watched The day is accounted with us for payment of Money between Sun and Sun but for Indictments of Murder the day is accounted from Midnight to Midnight and so are Fasting days and Festival days as Sundays c. I will now give you after this Digression some Examples which fully prove the Omnipotence the Wisdom and Mercy and some other Attributes of God The first shall be an Instance of three most famous Conjunctions which the Scripture relate and which are all worthily wonderfully wondred at the like shall never happen again all being occasioned by the second Person of the Blessed Trinity his assuming Humanity which is a mystery wonderfully singular and singularly wonderful even to that degree that the very Angels saw it with Amazement The first Conjunction is of God and Man in Christ The second of a Mother and a Virgin in the Blessed Virgin Mary The third of Faith and the heart of Ma● in every Christian who truly Believe that a Virgin brought forth and became a Mother and though ● Mother yet that she notwithstanding remain'd a Virgin Another instance is God's fourfold bringing forth of Man as Learned Anselmus a holy Bishop of Canterb●ry Notes First he brought forth Man without the help either of Man or Woman in Creating Adam Secondly a Woman out of Man without the help of a Woman in making Eve Thirdly By the help of Man and Woman seen in the natural Production of Man Fourthly and lastly

Levamen Infirmi Or Cordial Counsel to the Sick and Diseased CONTAINING I. Advice concerning Physick and what a ●hysician ought to be with an Account of the Author's Remedies and how to take them II. Concerning Melancholy Frensie and Madness in which among●t other things is shew'd how far they differ from a Conscience opprest with the Sense of Sin and likewise how ●hey differ among themselves III. A Miscellany of Pious Discourses concerning the Attributes of God with Ejaculations and Prayers according to Scripture Rule Likewise an Account of many things which have happen'd since the Creation To which are added Several Predictions of what may happen to the End of the World The whole b●ing enrich'd with Phys●●al Pious Moral Historical Observation● delightful ●o read necessary ●o know By D. IRISH Practitioner in Physick and Surgery now Dwelling at Stoke near Guilford in Surry where he is ready to Serve any Person to the utmost of his Skill LONDON Printed for the Author And are to be Sold by Isaac Walker Bookseller in Guilford 1700. To the Worshipful and much Esteemed Mr. Robert Berry Mayor of the Ancient Corporation of Guilford in Surry And to all my Loving Neighbours and Friends Worthy Friends THat I might pay a more than Momentary acknowledgment for the many Tes●●●●●ies of Love and Honour I have daily receiv'd at your hands ever since Providence brought me amongst You I humbly lay at your feet this little Book And since Friendship is best preserv'd and cultivated by mutual Obligations I will which indeed is all I can do on my part in Return of Your many good Offices when ever any of You or your Friends are pleased to call for my Assistance make it my sole care and design to Administer proper Medicines as the Patients necessity shall require Another Reason of my Dedication arises from the knowledge I have of Your Zeal ●or Godliness and the Propagation of the true Religion to which I hope this my little Book will in some measure Contribute I need no● stimulate You to the encouraging of Virtue and curbing of Vice since I know that You according to the Power God has invested You with will take care to punish Iniquity and maintain the Purity of the Christian Religion which has suffer'd so long by the Remisness of many of its Professors insomuch that Atheistical Principles and Practices have strangely gotten ground of Gospel Truths to the Spiritual Grief of all the Godly And now since I consider'd that Spiritual and Corporeal Maladies are the two grand Misfortunes of Mankind I have in these sheets endeavour'd to Remedy both Physick is chiefly what I Profess nor am I asham'd since it is of such Intrinsick worth that it even adds honour to the most honourable Practitioner That it is profitable to the Natural Body and consequently to the Body Politick since the latter consists of the former as a Whole do's of its Parts must be acknowledg'd by every one that is Sanae Mentis and needs not Helebore Hence the Wise Gre●ians did not without Reason highly commend Hypocrates and the Latines their Corne●ius Celsus for their Courage in first Ven●uring and Wisdom in wading into the Depth ●f this Mystery and for their transmitting in ●heir Works this Noble Art to Posterity This Art was anciently Valu'd at so high 〈◊〉 Rate that Apollo and Aesculapius steemed by some the first Founders of Physick ●ere adored as Gods for the Excellence of their ●●vention Besides the Word of God which ●ndeniably Warrants our Esteem for whatso●ver it Extolls mentioneth Phisitians by way ●f Honour before the giving of the Law ●e which doth not only implicitly allow but ●xpresly Commands if the Old English Tran●ation be credited the use of Physick see ●en 50.2 Psal. 147.3 Exod. 15.26 ●od giveth Medicines to heal Health is the ●rince the first Born as Life is the King of ●utward Blessings The Widow in the Gos●●l disesteemed all her substance in comparison 〈◊〉 this Iewel And Job said Skin for Skin and all that a Man hath to save his Life The Phisitian who is Manus Dei brings ●his precious Pearl Health to the oppressed Sick where God sees it n●cessary for their futur● good God and Nature qui nihil frustra agunt have appointed Herbs not only for Meat but also for Medicines the virtue and value of which would never be found out no● made serviceable to their right Ends if some did not employ their time and tallants in search thereof tho' 't is a task full of difficulties for the natures or effects of Simples alter according to the difference of places in which they grow and according to the Constitution of the Persons to whom they are given How miserable then are those places where nothing but ignorant Pretenders abound whose Medicines are usually worse than Ineffectual an● such as take them are deliver'd up to th● Mercy I should rather say Cruelty and Execution of Ignorant Pretenders On the othe● hand what a great felicity and happiness is i● when the Sick and Diseased meet with Persons both of much Science and Conscience wh● ●nderstand and consider the Cause of Diseases 〈◊〉 Nature of Ingredients the Constitution of ●atients the difference of Climates and the ●roper Seasons of Administring Physick and ●aithfully according to these Circumstances Prescribe and Apply it Yet dear Countrymen all this without God●iness is not enough which as the Diamond to ●he Ring addeth real Value to all natural and ●cquir'd Accomplishments and which is the ●nly Ark for the Soul to be shelter'd in when a Deluge overfloweth O! how glad would ●●sanctified Schollars be who are now cry'd up for sublime Wits for the Quintessence of Learning for living Libraries and Divine Eagles for Magistri Sententiarum Doctores Angelici Seraphici Subtiles and what not if they could pass at the great Day for the greatest Ignorants and most illiterate Innocents that ever were in the World ' Tho' my Practice is Physick yet have I presum'd to Write of Holy and Spiritual things because Religion is absolutely necessary in all and also to beget in all Men diligent endeavours after true Piety as the onl● means to arrive at a right management o● their Parts The Lord grant that what I have written may be apply'd as Medicinal to the health o● my own and the Souls and Bodies of others which is the hearty Prayer of Honoured Sir And dear Countrymen Your true Friend and Humble Servant D. Irish. David Irish Practitioner in Physick His Advice concerning Physick PHysicians are called by Herophilus Man●● Dei the Hands of God and not very improperly since they are the Instruments he often uses in restoring Health and repairing decayed Nature they ought with no less Cheerfulness and Diligence help the Poor in their Extremity for nothing or at most for a very small Reward as the Rich for great Sums since it is not the Physician but GOD that cures for in Exod. 15.26 God saith He will put away their

Creatures which if I may so speak people the Elements are the handy works of God Man tho' the chief yet perhaps to teach him Humility was made of the mould of the Earth and as some think Adam the first Man was made on a Friday about 3 of the Clock in the After●oon and out of him Eve his Wife who bare several Children and here I cannot but observe that the first War was about Religion for Cain slew his Brother Abel by reason of his more acceptable Sacrifice Thus we may see that in the Worlds Infancy as well as now Goodness the Mark that Envy aim'd at and Innocence Persecuted by the greatest Guilt and Religio● suffer by the hand of Hypocrisie and Cruelty from which Good Lord deliver Vs. Tho' as you have heard God at first made all thing● good yet besides the mighty defection among th● Angels there grew also great Iniquity amongst Men so that God resolving to wash away the abominations of the World by W●ter commanded Noah t● build an Ark into which according to God's appointment all living Creatures entred by Couple● to replenish the Earth anew but note ●ere that 〈◊〉 some sorts there entred more than two that No●● might not want proper Sacrifices to offer to the Lord And thus much of Noahs Flood The Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament plainly and copiously declare the uncommunicable Attributes of the Lord being the Heraulds of his Truth and the Witnesses of his Mercies the Instances they exhibit of his ample performing the Tenure of his comfortable Promises are as sufficie●● Testimonies of his Infallible Truth as the sending o● his only Son is of his Mercy who as his last Prophet Sealed up all the written Verities and Command●we are Bound to Believe and observe This is the Son of Righteousness whose refreshing Beams 〈◊〉 Mercy shine upon our Souls to eternal Happiness Here it will not be amiss to give an Idea or Notion of God as far as the weakness of our understanding 〈◊〉 able to perform for none can say what the Essence of God is or which is the same give a true and adequate Definition of this infinitely perfect Essen●e because he is in all his Perfections In●inite ● Spiritual Entity whose Exis●ence is Eternally of him●elf independent of all other Beings dwelling in Orbs 〈◊〉 inaccessable Light hence the Message which we have heard of God in the first Epistle of ●ohn Chap. 1. v. 5. tells us That he is of a most Pure Simple Holy Perfect and glorious Nature resembled by no Creature ●o much as by Exquisite Light in which there is nothing but clear and exact Brightness without any ●he least mixture of Darkness He is Incomprehensible therefore none but himself can give an Account what he is He had no Beginning nor can he ever have an End all times and things whether past or to come are ever present to him so that as I often inculcate it is impossible to speak him fully yet so far as it hath pleased his Divine Majesty out of his unspeakable Goodness to Reveal himself in his Word to us we may to the utmost of our capacity express as that he is a glorious Spirit full of Truth and must therefore be Worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Now there is no way but by consulting his Written Word to know in what particular manner we ought to Honour and Serve him Though as is said whatsoever we can say or conceive of God comes far short of his Excellency yet it is lawful as far as our weakness can reach to say or rather lisp what he is still regulating our discourse by the Line of his Word therefore I say he is an Independent Being existing of himself Ego sum qui sum Exod. I am that I am saith the Lord that is he is alone of himself for all other things are not but by him nay in him we live move and have our Being saith St. Paul He is most Perfect because he is the Fountain and Origin of all Perfection Be ye Perfect saith Christ even as your heavenly Father is Perfect He is One. See saith the Lord that I am alone nor is there any other besides me And again Thou shalt have no other Gods but me according to which we say in the Belief I Believe in one God He is simple ●or Ioh. 4.24 He is called a Spirit now a Spirit is a simple Being or a Being void of Material Composition therefore God who is in all that he is Superlative is consequently most Simple He is Eternal for saith the Lord Vivo ego in aeternum I live for ever Deut. 22. And the Kingly Prophet cries out Thou art the v●ry same and thy years have no end He is Immutable as he speaks in Malachy 3. I am God and not changed which is agreeable to Reason thus That is Immutable which neither can be augmented nor diminished but God cannot be augmented because most Perfect nor diminished because most Simple Therefore he is most Immutablé He is Immense as the Wise Man speaks Wisdom 1. The Spirit of the Lord hath filled all the World He is Infinite for that is Infinite which has no Bounds according to David The Lord is great and of his greatness there is no End besides he must needs be Infinite whose Perfections are all Vnlimited He is Omniscient as appears from that of the Psalmist Thou hast understood my Cogitations afar off and hast foreseen all my ways and knowest all things before they are done He is Iust according to that of David Iust is the Lord and he hath-loved Iustice. He is most Merciful for the Mercies of the Lord ar● above all his Works Psalm He is most Good because the Fountain of all Goodness He is most True because the first Truth He is Omnipotent because he can do all that is possible and from him is all Power both in Heaven and Earth by me Kings Reign Wisdom He is lastly most Blessed because he is the Felicity of himself and of all things whatsoever 'T is from the consideration of these Divine Attrites that multitudes of Reasons may be drawn to courage us in our Duties For Example The con●ering of God's Justice and Power will stir up-in us ●ear of offending a Being both Iust and Omnipotent 〈◊〉 this fear will prove the beginning of the best of ●isdom I mean of an indefatigable endeavour to 〈◊〉 his Written Laws and Commandments and ●●ese Attributes will make us know that from and in 〈◊〉 by him we enjoy Health Live Move and have 〈◊〉 Being and that all we Possess descends from the ●ther of Light see Iam. 1.17 Hence we ●ie under obligation of giving him hearty and frequent ●hanks for the daily benefits we receive from his ●●unty Begin therefore every work in God that ●●ereby it may by him be Perfected and for his Ho●●ur and Glory ended Rely on Jesus Christ as the 〈◊〉 Foundation that can be laid for us to Build upon testi●ieth both

unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets by the due observation of these words we may obtain the Peace of God which passeth all Vnderstanding Now to be out of Peace with God is sad and deplorable beyond the Power of words to express Humanity makes us justly grieve at the loss of a Friend a good Neighbour a loving Wife kind Husband or obedient Child These are indeed great losses but ought to be moderately Lamented but the loss of Christ is so great that no Sorrow is sufficient to set forth the sadness of such a State Other afflictions as to see Christian Families scatter'd by the violence of some grievous Visitation is to be Lamented but is capable of a Comfort from the hopes we have of a gracions meeting with ample retributions in Christ but the very thoughts of being out of God's favour is enough to shut the door against all Consolation did not his Goodness promise That at what time soever a Sinner repents and turns from his wickedness he would receive him with stretch'd forth Arms of Mercy Therefore let us timely grieve for our Sins and take care never to offend him who is able to cast Soul and Body into Hell and Christ will as when he heard Mary weeping at the Sepulcher no longer absent himself Mary said Christ she answered Rabbi then her heart full of Love and Joy cleaved to him her Arms circled him about and she hears that Golden Message Go to my Brethren and tell them I go to my Father and to your Father Thus were her Sorrows turned into Joy and Gladness No Christian 't is observ'd rises so high in Divine Consolation as he that is lowest cast down in Evangelical Humiliation Mary was a great Mourner we seldom have a view of her in Scripture without Dew on her Face and Tears in her Eyes Luk. 7.38 and 23 27. Ioh. 19.25 and 20.11.15 And she had the special honour and favour to see her Lord even our Blessed Redeemer before all others in the very Ingress as I may call it of his Exaltation for he appeared first to Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seven Devils Mark 16.9 As Mary had sinned greatly so she sorrowed greatly which sorrow you see was of great value with God Peter wept bitterly therefore Christ took care to bind up his broken heart by pouring the saving oyl of Repentance into his Wounded Conscience Nay he 's prefer'd too for when a Messenger is dispatch'● from Heaven to acquaint the World with the joyful News of its Saviours Resurrection no Name is particularly mention'd in his Commission but Peters●punc Go your way saith the Angel to the two Women and tell his Disciples and Peter that he is Risen and goeth before you into Galilee there they shall see him Now Peter was in an Afflicted condition because he had forSworn Christ least Christ should forget him but lo his Penitent Tears had so Reconciled him to Christ that our Saviour ordered That if but one in the World besides the two Women at the Sepulchre had notice of his Resurrection Penitent and Weeping Peter should be the Person O! the powerful Rhetorick of unfeigned Tears Repentance hath more prevalency with God than all the Riches costly Robes Crowns and Diadems of the greatest Potentates in the World True Repentanc● is an aversion from Sin If they saith the Lord will humble themselves and turn from their Evil ways God will have Mercy on them 2 Cor. 7.14 We are so subject to Sin to Offend to Err and to conceive a miss of God that we all stand in need of Council and of props to help us The general misery of Mankind is threefold we are easie to be Seduced almost unable to do Well and weak to Resist for if we would discern between Good and Evil we are deceiv'd in doing good we quickly faint and our greatest endeavours to resist Evil are not so strong but that we are easily overcome The consideration of this frailty of our corrupt Nature made our Saviour Christ graciously to admonish his Disciples saying Watch and Pray least you enter into Temptation What shall I say of the Tyranny of the Mighty of the Misery of the Poor of the abundance of Wickedness and of the spreading Contagion of Heresies all which by variety of Methods draw or fright us from our Duties Can I say better than what Nestro did to his Children Pray for unless God help us we all Perish Finally the fear of Perishing the shortness and uncertainty of Life and the suddenness of Christs Coming his Justice in Judging and many other Reasons should one would think make us not lightly over-pass and neglect his Divine Service and Commands for what availeth it here to abound in Wealth excell in Honours and have all that the Vanity of our desires prompts us to Covet if when Christ shall come we are found unready and so lose our precious Souls Mat. 16.26 Happy therefore is that Servant whom the Lord at his coming shall find Watching and Praying expecting the Bridgroom with the oyl of Faith in his Heart Mat. 25.4 and 24.25.10 Be therefore constant in the Duties of Watching and Prayer for all will be excluded the Presence of our Lord who are found in them negligent With I ●now you not Mark 13.33 Colos. 4.2 Watch and Pray continue in Prayer and Thanksgiving Luk. 11.19 Ioh. 6.23 There were never wanting powerful Motives to stir up the faithful to daily Prayer but I perswade my self it was never more nee●ful than now in this last and as I may call it old Age of the Doating world wherein there do's more grievous and woful Wickedness Reign than ever heretofore Hence it may ye fear'd that in the Church will arise more horrible Heresies and in Common-wealths more miserable Confusions than ever did except these impending Evils be averted by daily and fervent Prayer The Fountain of all true Wisdom and Learning God the Father of Mercy continue amongst us for his Sons sake the purity of his Word and the light of the Gospel may he encrease the study of Virtue maintain Peace and Concord in his Church stimulate our desires continually to advance his Glory both in Deed and Word and to keep his Commandments to the utmost of our Power that living always in his Fear we may Die in his Favour and rise again to Everlasting Blessedness with him to Reign for all Eternity Amen Of Prayer and Meditation I May call the following Meditations Divine pa●●ly because they are of Divine matters and concern the Glory of God and partly because they are taken out of the pure Fountain of Divine Truth the Scriptures and partly because they are collected in part out of the Writings of several Eminent Divines whose Volumes are too big and of too great a price to be in the hands of many Pious people They are in a word such as are not to be found in common Authors As to the necessity of the Duty of Prayer

refreshment may they freely come unto thee by hearing thy Word to Repentance that the Angels in Heaven may continually have occasion to rejoyce at their happy Conversion Luk. 15.7 Amen See Iames 5.16 Mat. 6.14 and Esa. 66.2 where you may Read what you ought to do if you would have God forgive you your Sins hear your Prayers and grant your Requests Prayer is a vehement desire of the heart to obtain something at the hand of God who look●● not upon the Face as man doth but beholdeth the 〈◊〉 neither doth he listen to the sound of the ●outh but ●o the fervency of the Mind Therefore Christians Praying have their affections bent towards God they ●lways hunger and thirst after Righteousness The ●rayer of him who humbleth himself is accepted as appear'd by the Publican Luk. 18.19 Psal. 50 1● Mark 13.3.3 Coloss. 4.2 Luk. 11.9 Ioh. 6.23 How excellent a thing it is for Man to converse with God! this joyns Man in Society with Angels thro' ascribing with them due Praise and Glory unto the Almighty Let nothing dismay a Christian from Praying unto God for the Prayer of the Righteous is the Key of Heaven the Prayer of the Godly doth ascend and the Mercy of God doth thereby come down therefore we will Sing Praise unto Thee O Lord for as thou hast been our Defence in the day of our trouble even so I beseech Thee to protect and save us everlastingly Amen Let us with St. Paul Heb. 4.16 come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy That is let us in confident assurance of God's readiness to help us make our Addresses boldly and chearfully to the Throne of his Grace upon all occasions suing to our bountiful God for the Relief of all our Necessities and let us consider when we are about to offer up our Petitions to God by Prayer what ou● necessities and wants are before we ask least throug● temerity we ask amiss His freeness to give ma● well make us bold to ask his power to supply us may give us hopes to obtain what is necessary for us and his greatness ought to make us temper our Addresses with Humility as for choice of Words and Elegant long Harangues let us not be too solicitous for God regards not Eloquence and long Harangues so much as the sincerity of those that invocate his Majesty Men chiefly mind the neatness of expression God the Truth and fervency of what is exprest We are commanded to Pray without ceasing which is best done according to Scripture Rules because no Method is comparable to that which God has laid down for us and Christ taught us When we groan under the weight of any Affliction we shall ever find help by calling upon God desiring the assistance of the Righteous to be joyned with us in Prayer For the Prayers of the Faithful availeth much their help we are admonish'd to desire by the Example of St. Paul who said to the Romans I beseech you Brethren for the Lord Iesus Christ's sake and for the love of the Spirit that you strive together wi●h me in your Endeavours and Prayers to God for me ●or the light of ●is Countenance and for assisting in every Duty Rom. 15.20 Some define Prayer thus An humble lifting up of the Heart or a pouring out of the Soul to God in the Name of Christ it is crying Abba Father As Scrip●ure is God's Letter wherein he openeth his Mind to Man so Prayer is Man's Letter wherein he expresses ●is Mind to God A thought can fly speedily to the utmost part of the Earth but Prayer in a Moment ascends to the highest Heavens 't is as it were a speaking Trumpet one end of which being fastened to Man's mouth it carryeth the Petitioning voice to God's Ear tho' spoken near so softly Prayer hath a twofold advantage of some other Duties in regard its Influence is Universal and to ●ts Exercise an opportunity is never wanting A Christian cannot always hear or read God's Word out he may Pray continually Every Saint is God's Temple and he that carries a Temple about him ●ay go to Prayer when he pleaseth A good Chri●tian need not be very nice in chusing a place for De●otion since to him every house is a house of Prayer ●nd every place he comes to an Altar whereon he ●ay offer up to God a Sacrifice of Prayer yet De●ency is not to be forgotten as far as circumstance ●ill allow since even by it we express a kind of Devotion to our God but many alass are so far from being curious in this point that they forget to pay at all this Duty tho' most necessary to the obtaining their Eternal Salvation If we are in doubts about our Spiritual Estate let us in Prayer go to God who is marvellous in Council are we in Affliction let us call upon him for help and he will not only hear us but also in his good time deliver us Do's any affliction seize our Bodies which endangers our lives or disturb our tranquility let us by Prayer call upon him at Midnight and he will make hast to help us tho' we are troubled exceedingly in a Moment he can give us quiet and rest nay tho' we should be encompassed with Enemies driven to the greatest of Necessities perplex'd with Doubts threatned with Dangers or like Peter falsly Imprisoned and watched narrowly Night and Day lest we should make an Escape yet Prayer as another Moses will go before us and so engage God on our side that he will vanquish our Enemies relieve ou● Necessities unfold our Doubts prevent our Dangers convert our Bondage into Liberty and guide us all the way thro' the Wilderness of this World 'till we arrive at the Spiritual Land of Canaan and be Enroled Citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem where Christ is infinitely exceeding that Ierusalem where Christ was and whither the Devout Iews went once a year to Worship And here it will not be amiss nor I believe unacceptable to my Reader to give him some account of the Earthly Ierusalem and its many Revolutions so much spoken of in Scripture and other Histories This Ierusalem by some called the Holy City and Throne of God was antiently a Fort of the Iebusites upon Mount Sion not conquer'd by the valiant Ioshua but was fully subdu'd by the victorious Arm of David who Built thereon the City unto which was adjoyn'd Mount Moriah and therefore call'd the Daughter of Sion where Abraham would have offer'd his Son Isaac where David built his Altar and Solomon his Beauti●ul Temple of which great things are by all Histori●ns Recorded 'T is Scituate in the midst of Nations ●t was the place of Holy Worship from this Moun●ain which for many things is justly prefer'd before ●ll others did flow those Salutiferous Waters that gave Life where ever they ran from hence Christ ●ent his Apostles as so many Spiritual Fishermen to ●atch the Souls of Men. In this famous City stood ●he Throne of David