Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A24695
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Considerations and exhortations to the serious and religious observation of the Lent-fast, enjoined by authority humbly proposed in tendency to promote a reformation of manners in the debauched age we live in / by P. A., Gent.
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P. A., Gent.
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1700
(1700)
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Wing A23; ESTC R19145
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9,433
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18
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common Man can skill of well enough needs never ask St. John or St. Paul what he should do but knows what he should do as well as St. Paul or St. John either and that it is not rather a matter wherein we need the Counsel and Direction of such as are professed that way Truly it is neither the least nor the last part of our Learning to be able to give an Answer and Direction in this Point but therefore laid aside and neglected by us because not sought after by you and therefore not studied but by very few because Nemo nos Interrogat i. e. No body asks us the Question because it grows quite out of request We have learned I know not where a new and shorter course which Flesh and Blood better like of viz. in the whole course of our Life not to be able to set down where or when or what we did when we did that which we call Repenting and what Fruits there came of it what those Fruits might be worth but even a little before death and that as little as may be not till the World hath given us over Lo then to come to our Quid faciemus i. e. to ask what shall we do when we are able to do nothing and then one must come and as we call it speak comfortably to us that is to say minister unto us a little Divinity Laudanum rather stupefactive for the present than doing any sound good and so take our leaves to go meet with Ira ventura i. e. the Wrath to come This way this fashion of Repenting St. John knew it not it is far from his Fructus dignus i. e. worthy Fruit. St. Paul knew it not it is far from his Opera digna i. e. worthy Works And I can say little to it but I pray God it do not deceive us for it is not good trying Conclusions about our Souls Now saith the Author This excellent Discourse is so fair an Item to a tender pious Christian from diverting him and thereby deferring the making of his Accounts even with Heaven till the Cross or Bed of Sickness call upon him sure that 's no Time or Place to contest with two such Enemies as Infirmity of Bodies and of Sins Unto which another worthy Author adds his Advice which is To renounce the Errors and Neglects of the Age we live in and imitate the Piety of those Christians who lived in the first Ages of the Christian Church if we will fight well in our Christian Combat And indeed the Truth of our Repentance is our All for as it hath been said we must have Innocency or true Repentance to make us acceptable to God As for the first no Man hath it and therefore we must trust wholly upon the latter I need say no more of this Subject of Repentance but to advise us all to hearken diligently to what our Mother the Church speaketh to us and adviseth in her Excellent Liturgy for this Time of Lent An APPENDIX to the preceding Discourse IN my Essay for the Promoting the Religious Observation of the Fast-Day January the 30th last past being streightned in Time I could not then fully express my Thoughts and have therefore annex'd them here viz. That in truth King Charles I. his greatest Crime was his managing a War against his Rebellious Subjects to uphold the Church of England and maintain Episcopacy according to his Coronation Oaâ—h and accordingly I have heard even that great Presbyterian Divine Doctor Cornelius Burgess in those times in his Pulpit term that Civil War Bellam Episcopale the Episcopal War which it truly was And may I recommend to the perusal of all ingenuous Persons that excellent Printed Sermon of Dr. Burnet now Lord Bishop of Salisbury which he preach'd at the Savoy Church January 30. Anno 1674. wherein they will find a sufficient Proof of the great Abilities of Mind of the Royal Martyr King Charles I. To which if they please to add his Disputation at Newcastle with Mr. Henderson as also his managing the Personal Treaty at Newport in the Isle of Wight Anno 1648. they may be fully satisfy'd of the little need he had of Dr. Gauden's or Dr. Bailey's Assistance who was also said to be the Compiler of the King's Book in former times and how then at last it should fall upon Dr. Gauden I cannot imagine when he had no need of any one to assist him and more especially of Dr. Gauden who had taken the Covenant as is affirmed and was also a Stranger to him when it is well known the said Prince had such an Antipathy against such as had taken the Covenant that he could not be persuaded at the Isle of Wight so much as to hear one of those Presbyterian Divines that attended the Parliaments Commissioners there to Preach before him although very great and celebrated Preachers viz. Mr. Marshall Mr. Vines Mr. Caryll and Mr. Seaman and he never all the time of the Treaty went to Church but heard his own Bishops and Doctors who preach'd to him in the Presence-Chamber all which I my self knew very well who was there all the Time of the said Treaty and some Days after it ended Which I humbly conceive makes it incredible that the King should admit of Dr. Gauden to be a Guide of his Conscience But to say no more but to end this Controversie What can be the meaning of the great Bustle about it and those concerned therein except it be to blacken the Royal Martyr and his Sacred Memory that they may whiten Bradshaw and the rest of the wicked Regicides which if so let them take the glory of it to themselves who delight in it God grant that all good and honest Christians may be free from having a Hand in the same For he that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord Prov. xvii 15. Considering also that excellent Observation of a worthy Author That Innocency hath the nearest Resemblance of God and therefore to injure Innocence is more-especially to injure God himself FINIS
make us the more to love God and our Neighbour and to have a greater Fervency and Zeal for all Christian Duties especially those of this Time of Lent and herein to exceed our Adversaries the Romanists for else they with their more corrupted Christianity will condemn us for our Abuse of our better Christianity we enjoy Now let us say to our selves every one of us O what a blessed and hapyy Advantage have I by this Opportunity now offer'd unto me by the Care of my Indulgent Mother the Church of England in appointing and constituting this Holy Fast of Lent for the Consideration and Examination of my Heart and all my Ways repenting of and confessing my Sins and obtaining Pardon for them and making of my Peace with God of renewing my Vows and Resolutions of Amendment of pouring forth my fervent and frequent Prayers and therein may endeavour after the mortifying my Passions Appetites and Lusts of quickening my Graces of consulting a Spiritual Guide of my Soul and that I may be conformed to the Image of the Blessed Jesus in Holiness and thereby to be insured of my Eternal Happiness by participating of the Holy Sacrament of his Body and Blood at the end of this Holy Fast How unworthy shall I be if I neglect to perform those Christian Duties required of me I will not slight or neglect them I will religiously spend my Time in diligent Examination of all my Sins repenting of them confessing and bewailing them and so make my firm Resolutions of Amendment I will certainly cast them off with abhorrence and detestation I will be serious and wise I will Fast and learn now to deny my sensual Appetites and Lusts and then pray earnestly to God for his Grace and Spirit which he hath promised to them that earnestly beg it of him to enable me in my Christian Combat against all my Enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil I will dispense my Alms liberally according to my Ability I will use my utmost endeavour to lay a Foundation in my Soul of the Fear and Love of God of solid Peace to my Soul and Mind and Conscience of sincere Piety and Vertue And by this means making this Holy Time of Lent a time of Traffick for my Souls Concerns and Necessities and thus answering the End of this Holy Fast for which it was design'd by the Church and then ply my Devotions and make use among others of that Prayer of a worthy Divine most excellent and comprehensive viz. GRant me most merciful God a fervent Zeal to desire such things as are most acceptable to thee and a faithful diligence to search after them give me wisdom to find them and thy grace to accomplish them to the praise and glory of thy holy Name Direct thou my Life that I may have both knowledge will and power always to do that which is most pleasing to thee and most expedient for my own soul Let my way to thee O Lord be sure streight and perfect that neither adversity nor prosperity make me fall away from thee that I be not puft up with pride with the one nor driven down into despair with the other but for the one give thanks and be with the other armed with patience that I may rejoyce in nothing but that which approacheth near to thee my blessed Jesus nor sorry for any thing but that which withdraweth me from thee that I desire to please or displease none but thee and for thee that all transitory things may for thy sake be of no reputation with me and whatsoever is agreeable to thy will may be delightful to mine and thou my God above all things that I may have no joy besides thee nor desireof any thing but thee Let all labour delight me that is taken for thee and all ease be unpleasant that is without thee make me lift up my heart often to thee and when I forget thee give me grace to call to mind my sins with sorrow and full purpose of amendment Grant that I may be obedient without contradiction patient without murmuring pure without corruption humble without counterfeiting chearful without levity sad without dejection true without doubleness fearing thee without despair To do good works but not to presume telling my neighbour his fault without flattery instructing him both by word and example without scorning or taunting Grant me most loving Lord a watchful mind which no worldly thought may divert from thee a constant spirit which no evil affection or wicked suggestion may withdraw from thee a heart so stable that no trouble may overcome me and so free from vice that sin may challenge no place in me Grant me O Lord understanding to know thee wisdom to find thee conversation to please thee that I may faithfully persevere in loving thee to the end and finally ever enjoy thee And in respect of thy most grievous Pains suffered upon the Cross for me that I may willingly suffer penance and all tribulation for thee Give me O Lord thy grace in this transitory life and in the world to come make me partaker of the reward and heavenly joy through the precious Blood of that Immaculate Lamb our only Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost Three Persons and One God be all Honour and glory World without end Amen And considering we live in an Age that the World is become so much Knave as one speaks that it is a Crime to be Honest although the wise Heathens accounted Honesty the greatest Good and the only Good and that Truth and Honesty seems to be fled to Heaven and that Interest and Profit governs all let us not forget in our Prayers earnestly to beg of God that they may return among us and that Old England's Honesty may come once again in repute among us which caused Men to think that Sola honesta utilia i. e. That only honest things are profitable So that one Ounce of Honesty was of more worth than a Pound of Cunning And let us cry out with that wise Heathen Seneca O quantum mali est nimium subtilitatis O what a great mischief is too much Cunning And may I make this further Addition to the former Discourse being very pertinent to it and what a worthy Author discourses to us viz. That the great Erâ—and of our coming into the World is but to prepare our selves for a better and that all the Business of a Parish Priest or Minister is not confined to the Pulpit but that there is other Business if the People would think of it wherein to employ Men of that Profession To tell you what I mean saith he not in mine own but his expressions who knew better what belong'd to the Court of Conscience meaning the worthy Prelate Bishop Andrews who in his Eighth Sermon of Repentance and Fasting saith I take it to be a great Error to think the Fruits of Repentance and the worth of them to be a matter any