of his wrath and shalt Judge amongst the Heathen and shall fill the places with the dead Bodies and wound the Heads over many Countries When thou shalt put a two-edged Sword into the Hand of thy Saints to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishment upon the People to bind their Kings with Chains and their Nobles with Fetters of Iron to execute the Judgment written this honour have all the Saints Yea is this thy victorious Kingdome and Government wherein righteousness peace holiness and purity shall be so greatly exercised and exalted by and under thy Saints upon Earth confirmed by thee in a Vision to thy Apostle John who declares that after Sathan was bound by thee a thousand years He saw Thrones and they to wit thy Saints sate upon them and Judgment was given unto them The Prodromus to which Sessions he saw Revelations the 19. from Verse the 11. unto the end of that Chapter And shall not both my Tongue and Heart in the certain belief that these wonderfull prophetical promises shall yea are now at the point to be made good unto thy Church and to be fulfilled praise and glorifie thee in the joyfull expectation thereof in those words which thy own Spirit Indicted on this subject and for this purpose O clap your Hands all yee People shout unto God with the voice of Tryumph for the Lord most High is terrible he is a great King over all the Earth He shall subdue the People under us and the Nations under our Feet he shall choose our Inheritance for us the excellency of Jacob whom he loved For God is the King of all the Earth sing yee praises with understanding God raigneth over the Heathen God sitteth upon the Throne of his Holiness The Princes of the People are gathered together even the People of the God of Abraham for the Shields of the Earth belongeth unto God he is greatly exalted O blessed Saviour who art that great Prophet promised by Moses yea the Lord God of the Prophets Hast thou foretold to us by them that after the binding and sealing up Sathan and all the Powers of Darkness in Hell the bottomless Pit thy Saints thy Church shall enjoy a Sabatisme a thousand years of rest and peace upon this Earth which I humbly expect when their six thousand years of trouble labour and persecution shall be expired typified and prefigured as I in all humility conceive in the Arks resting the 17. Day of the 7. Month as a Type of this rest in the six Days Creation and thy seventh Days rest and in thy appointing us a laborious Week and six Days of Work and every seventh Day to be a Sabbath a Day of rest to us and the Creatures And in the seventh Years rest to the Field and release to Servants the righteousness and holiness peace plenty and happiness of which their raign and Kingdome I but lately mentioned and evidenced by a few Scriptures of many that clearly hold it forth to us O let my Heart and Tongue in the assured faith of thy accomplishing this great work sing with joy the seventy-second Psalme The lively Prophesie of this thy peaceable Kingdome under thy Saints upon Earth under the Type of Solomon concluding with the Holy Psalmist Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who only doth wonderous works And blessed be his glorious Name for ever And let the whole Earth be filled with his Glory Amen O Lord the Judge of all the Earth hast thou promised to come unto us the second time without Sin unto Salvation but in flaming Fire to take vengeance of all that know thee not Hereby destroying them and Hypocrites together with the Apostatizing Nations called Gog and Magog as Sprung from a Scythian Root seduced from the true Faith by the deceits of Sathan at his loosing for a season The number of whom is as the Sand of the Sea and by him gathered together to incompass the Camp of thy Saints and the holy City thy true Church made up of Gentiles and Israelites Hast thou then promised a Resurrection of the Just even of all thine Elect ones and Martyrs and that They shall be Priests of God and of thee O Christ and that they shall raign with thee a thousand years For thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raign upon Earth Even in that new Heaven and new Earth which thou wilt create shall our Salvation be then perfected and compleated in that first Resurrection the Redemption of our Bodies now sowen in Corruption but then raised in Incorruption sowen in dishonour but raised in Glory sowen in weakness but raised in Power sowen a natural Body but raised a spiritual Body and glorious like unto thee O Lord. For ever blessed Redeemer shall I according to Scripture-Chronology probably about twelve hundred and thirteen years hence with holy Daniel stand in the Lot at the end of the Days and in my glorified Body with the many myriades of Angels and glorious Saints upon the renewed Earth behold and enjoy thee personally a thousand years shall my Tongue then declare thy Acts and the wonders of thy love mercy and truth and praise thee with them for this thy great salvation as being in a sure possession of Glory O let my Heart and Tongue now praise thee in faith and assurance thereof Since Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Yea let me with thy Prophet and Apostle Tryumph over that last Enemy Death and singing say O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory The Sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law Death is swallowed up in Victory Thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory through thee our Lord Jesus Christ. O thou whose Name is called the Word of God who art the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the only Potentate to whom all Judgment is committed by the Father and who art ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and of the dead we must therefore all appear before thy Judgment Seat when thy righteousness shall shine forth as the Light and thy Judgment as the Noon-Day in giving to every one according to their works And to all thine Elect called thy Sheep at thy right hand who are freely justified by thy righteousness according to the goodness of their thoughts words and deeds which and not any of their sins as being fully satisfied for and blotted out by thy Death and Merits shall then be remembred as being the fruits of thy own Grace That so thy Saints may be gradually rewarded according to their works not for their works both in the new Earth and highest Heavens with Eternal Life and Glory And inherit the Kingdome prepared for them before the Foundation of
Redemption finished upon this Day of the Lord's Resurrection was by no less than by Divine Authority because the keeping of one Day in Seven as a Sabboth to God was not only sanctified and set apart by God's own example in the Creation Gen. 2. Ver. 2 and accordingly observed by the Israelites many Weeks before the Law was given Exod. 16.23 But is One of the Ten Commandments delivered by God's own mouth in Mount Sinay written by his own Finger in Tables of Stone commanded by himself to be put into the Ark of the Covenant which Decalogue or Ten Commandments are also by our blessed Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount declared to be the rule of his Peoples moral obedience unto the end of the World Math. 5.17 and in the following part of that Sermon wherein he vindicates the Law from the corrupt Glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees he instances only in moral duties and moral Laws From all which Divines generally infer that the Decalogue is to continue in force unto the Worlds end and therefore it seems most apparent that no Authority that is inferiour to that which appointed the Seventh Day from the Creation to be the Sabboth could abrogate that Day and appoint an other Day to be used instead of it because neither the Law of Nature nor the Holy Scripture doth any where give the least intimation that any humane Power may change any of the Commandments of God and indeed so many absurdities would follow upon such an assertion as I am confident your Majesty will not own it It remains therefore that the change of the Day must be the work of Christ himself or of his Apostles who were divinely inspired Acts 15. 21. And to prove that it was so Viz. That the Lords Day by Divine Institution now succeeds in the room of the Jewish Sabboth I shall use no other Arguments than these which I finde in â—â—rned Bishop Andrews his Speech in the Star-Chamber at the â—â—â—sure of Mr. Traske who expresly saith that it hath ever been the Churches Doctrine That Christ made an end of all Sabboths by his Sabboth in the grave and that presently the Lords Day came in the place of it And that according to Austin's judgment the Lord's Day is declared to be the Christian Sabboth by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ which the said Bishop not only saith but proveth by these Arguments 1. Because he then began the new World Heb. 1.2 By whom â—e made the Worlds The first World which ended with his â—â—rial The second World or new Creation which began with his Resurrection 2. Because all the four Evangelists say Christ rose Vna Sabâ—ttorum that is the first Day of the Week 3. The Apostles kept their holy Meetings on that Day to Preach and Pray and Celebrate the Lord's Supper Acts 20.7 4. The Day is called the Lord's Day not only in the Apostles times but by the Apostle John himself Rev. 1.10 And he further adds that this Epithite Dominicum in the Scripture is only applyed to these two The Lord's Day and the Lord's Supper To shew that they are both to be taken alike in Scripture 5. He saith we have not only example but express precept for it 1 Cor. 16.2 That upon the first Day of the Week which was the Day of their Assembly then Collections or Oblations would be made 6. And lastly He affirms that in all Ages of the Church this Day was observed To this I may add our Saviour's rest upon that Day from his Works Heb. 4.10 His often visiting the Apostles during the Forty Days after his Resurrection upon that Day speaking of the things appertaining to the Kingdom of God Acts 1.3 Now what more material thing was there to be declared to them than this The change of the Sabboth and the appointing a set time for his Worship he accordingly appearing thrice on the first Day of the Week besides his being seen of the Women to teach and instruct his Disciples First to the two Disciples that went to Emmaus Luke 24.15 c. to the Apostles when Thomas was absent John 20.19 And the third time when Thomas was present John 20.26 As also observe that those wonderful and extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were poured out according to his promise upon the Apostles and Church then met together Acts 2.1 The Day of Penticost being the Morrow after the Seventh Sabboth to be accounted from the Day of the Sheaf-Offering Lev. 23.15 By all which he seems to have honoured and set apart that Day above others for his service Lastly this being a principal Institution might probably be one of those Decrees ordained by the Apostles as well as that concerning the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.34 delivered by Paul to the Churches in all the Cities through which he passed Acts 16.4 But for the Observation of Easter to be an Annual Festival to Christians I find not any thing in the Holy Scriptures And your Majesty is pleased to place it only upon the Churches Authority And although I will not contend about the Churches Power in the Institution of such things as are simply indifferent yet I suppose I may boldly assert that such things as are only Instituted by Ecclesiastical Authority having no footstep in the Scripture may by Ecclesiastical Authority be laid aside Your Majesties most Loyal Subject and Humble Servant H. J. AN EPISTLE DEDICATORY To the the truly Noble Paire and my most Religious Parents MOst Honoured and best beloved Parents Three Sabbaths of Years the third part of Mans life is already Cyphered in my Youths Accompts and who knows how soon the Divine number of our dayes after my times last addition may conclude the Numeration of my life thus Haec summa totalis Wherefore lest Death should proclaime me Bankrupt before I had paid the due Debt of gratefulness which I owe you next to my Heavenly Father for my Life Education and Preservation I here presume to present you with this disordered and weak Meditations the Fruits of some few hours destinated for the Lord's dayes Preparation as a testimonial of my thankfulness for those your numberless Merits which are as far beyond requital as expression Let them I beseech you obtain a favorable Acceptance a patient Perusal and a Fatherly Censure glorifying God who with his Grace hath assisted my Weakness and shall supply the deficiency of all our Meditations with the fruition of himself till which Imperfection of Happiness I rest Yours in the Lord and in all filial Obedience J. H. To the Worthy AUTHOR OF THIS Divine Meditation The Unworthy Peruser wisheth all Health and Happiness ON Worthy Sir and live to view The like done by your Heire to you There 's one will bless With Int'rests this your gratefulness Sweetning your Budd Both to your own and Parents good Blessing the feet which I suppose Would highly grace a full-blown Rose Oft have I seen those Budds that prove Worm-eaten by that Canker Love Spending their
Vew here his face from the Jngravers mint And in his workes his life and Soule in Print The True Effigies of Sir James Harington Knight and Baronet HORAE CONSECRATAE OR Spiritual Pastime CONCERNING Divine Meditations Upon the great Mysteries of our Faith and Salvation Occasional MEDITATIONS and Gratulatory Reflexions upon particular Providences and Deliverances vouchsafed to the Author and his Family ALSO A SCRIPTURE-CATECHISME Dedicated to the Service of his Wife and Children AND NOW Published together with other Treatises mentioned in the following Page for Common Use. By Sir JAMES HARRINGTON Kt. and Baronet London Printed for the Author 1682. The Contents of the Six Treatises I. Treatise THe Vision Exercise and Triumph of Faith In which is discovered from the Elevated and Holy Mount of Divine Contemplation 1. The shadows of Faith 2ly The true Faith and its Object God in Christ more particularly The Lord Jesus Christ in his Incarnation Life Death Passion Resurrection Ascension and coming to Judgment with the Benefits accruing from them to every true Believer 3dly The lost and miserable condition of every man by Nature 4ly The Restauration of man by Grace considered as accomplish'd by Christ in and by his Priestly Prophetical and Kingly Offices 5ly A Prospect of Eternal Life considered in the Glorification of the Soul and Body particularly as to the Faculties and Affections of the Soul and as to the Senses and Members of the Body in the new Heaven and new Earth during Christs personal Reign upon Earth for a thousand years 6ly A Prophetical Vision of Faith holding forth twelve great works of God which will shortly begin to appear and shall be fulfilled in their Respective Seasons and to be ended in the Translation of the Saints to Heaven The Compleatment of Scripture Prophesies the particulars of which Twelve Magnalia Dei View in the next page all which is intermixt with Holy Soliloquies and Divine Ejaculations applicable and profitable to every true Believer II. Treatise A Scripture-Catechisme contained in an Epistle sent by the Authour in the Name and Person of the Lord Jesus Christ to his Wife and Children wherein in Scripture-phrases only is held forth the Doctrine and Duty of a true Christian A work of excellent use for private Families as an Appendix to Catechising III. Treatise Divine Meditations upon the Creation Mans Fall and Redemption by Christ presented by the Author to his Parents in the one and twentieth year of his Age. IV. Treatise A Pillar of Praise or Occasional Meditations upon many Remarkable Mercies and Deliverances vouchsafed by the Lord to the Author and his nearest Relations V. Treatise The Lords days Preeminence above all other days held forth in an humble answer to a paper or Quere given to the Author by King Charles the First concerning the Observation of the Lords day and Easter day VI. Noahs Dove or an Epistle of peace directed by the Author to his Fatherly affected Brethren the Presbyterians and Independents as a probable means for their Agreement and Union TWELVE MAGNALIA DEI Or Heads of the wonderful Works and Actings of God on Earth by the Lord Jesus Christ during his Mediatorie Kingdome not yet Accomplisht All which are Treated of in three Tracts of this Volume I. THe Raising of the Witnesses Rev. 11.3 unto the 13th II. The Victorious Kingdom of Christ appearing in the Burning of the City of Rome Rev. 18.8 9. III. The Total and Final Ruine of the Papacie and of the Papal Kings of the Earth her Popish Supporter Rev. 19.19 20 21. IV. The Return to Canan of the Ten Tribes and the Jews and their Conversion Rom. 11.25 to the end V. The total Overthrow of the Turkish Empire by the Israelites and the subduing of all open Enemies of the Saints by the reformed Nations Ezek. 38 39. Chapters Dan. 2.44 45. VI. The Binding and Casting of Satan and his Angels into the Bottomless Pit the Local Hell for one thousand years to begin as I humbly conceive about the six thousand year of the world according to a true Chronology and Account Rev. 20.1 2 3. VII The Conversion of the whole World to the profession of Christianity Psal. 67. to the end Rev. 11.15 VIII The Peaceable Kingdome of Christ to be exercised by his Saints in this World for one thousand years the time of Satans Imprisonment which will begin as I humbly conceive in the year of the World six thousand and one being Daniels first Monarchy Rev. 2.44 45. Chap. 7.17 18.26 27. Rev. 20.4 And the Churches Sabbatisme upon this Earth Heb. 4.9 IX The Loosing and the Re-casting Satan and his Angels into Hell after the destruction of Gog and Magog by Fire Rev. 20.7 8 9 10. Together with the Consuming and Renewing of the whole Elementary World at our Lords coming the second time to Judgment by the same Fire 2 Thes. 2.7 8 9. X. Christs coming to Judgment under which is comprehended the Change or Resurrection of all the Elect to Glory 1 Thes. chap. 3. v. 13. to the end And Christs Remunerative Act of Justice to them in their Reigning with him upon the Renewed Earth a thousand years Rev. 2.4 5 6. XI The Raising of all the Wicked to Judgment a thousand years after the Elect Rev. 20.5 and the Sentenceing them and the Wicked Angels Rev. 20.11 XII The Translation of all the Elect to Heaven 2 Cor. 5.1 and the delivering of Christs Mediator Kingdome to his Father 1 Cor. 15.24.28 A Synopsis of the General Heads of this Treatise THe Definition of Faith Page 3 Diverse sorts of Faith viz Historical 4 Temporary 8 Miraculous 15 The Means of Faith 21 The Object of Faith Christ 22 Christ Born of the Virgin Mary 24 Persecuted by Herod ibid. His Agony 27 His Condemnation by Pilate 28 Crucified 30 His Death 33 His Burial 34 His Victory over Hell 35 His Resurrection 36 His Ascension 38 I. Man by Nature miserable in his Soul viz. in his Mind in general 41 Understanding 42 Conscience ibid. Will 44 Affections 45 The disorder in them namely in Joy which cannot be in Riches 48 Honours ibid. Pleasures ibid. Wisdom 49 Fear 50 II. Mans misery in body In general 51 In particular the sinfulness in his Eyes 53 Ears 54 Smell ibid. Taste 55 Touch ibid. Christs Priests Office in general 57 Intercession in particular 60 Satisfaction by both 61 Of Justification 62 Forgiveness of sins 63 Imputative Righteousness 63 The Definition thereof 64 Proofs of our right to Christs Imputative Righteousness by Scripture Demonstrations 65 General Questions and Objections answered 67 A Dialogue between Christ and the soul 74 The souls particular eompalint Against the mind and understanding 74 Christ answ 75 Against the Conscience 75 Christ answ 75 Against hardness of heart 76 Christ answ 77 Against the memories 78 Christ answ 79 Against the will 80 Christ answ 80 Against the affections viz. Love 81 Joy 81 Christ answ 83 Her general complaint of her Vniversal unworthyness 84 Christ
Millions of glorified Saints and Angels to sound forth and speak of to one another the wonderfull works and providences of God past present and to come divulged in the large Mapps of our Creation Redemption and Glorification to his continual and everlasting praise and glory Shall it be a principal Engine and Actor as to that Office and Government thou shalt be placed in amongst thy fellow Saints in this glorious and universal Empire of the Lord Jesus raigning Personally as King and Mediator in this his Mediatory Kingdome upon the renewed Earth Yea lastly shall it be the Expressor of all thy Orders and Commands in the Execution of thy restored Dominion over the terrene and inferiour Creatures O with holy David that now glorified Saint Set a watch over thy Lips that thou offend not with thy Tongue and remember that authentick Declaration of thy Judge Lord and Saviour By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned and that of every idle word thou shalt give an accompt at the Day of Judgment Because out of the abundance of wickedness that is within the Heart the Mouth speaketh If any Man saith St. James offend not in word the same is a perfect Man and able also to bridle the whole Body Behold saith the same Apostle we put Bits into the Horses mouths that they may obey us and we turn about their whole Body Behold also the Ships which though they 〈◊〉 so great and are driven of fierce Winds yet are they twined about with a very small Helme whether so ever the Governor listeth Even so the Tongue is a little member and boasteth great things Behold how great a matter a little Fire kindleth And the Tongue is a Fire a World of iniquity so is the Tongue amongst our Members that it defileth the whole Body and setteth on Fire the course of nature And it is set on Fire of Hell For every kind of Beasts and of Birds and of Serpents and the things in the Sea is tamed and hath been tamed of Mankinde But the Tongue can no Man tame it is an unruly evil full of deadly poyson Therewith bless we God even the Father and therewith curse we Men which are made after the similitude of God shall out of the same Mouth proceed blessing and cursing O my Soul these things ought not so to be Doth a Fountain send forth at the same place sweet and bitter Can the Figg-Tree O my Soul bear Olive-Berries either a Vine Figgs so can no Fountain both yield salt Water and fresh Therefore If any Man seem to be religious and bridleth not his Tongue but deceiveth his own Heart this Mans Religion is vain Speak evil of no Man Let no corrupt communication proceed out of thy Mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace to the Hearers Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks Since evil Communications corrupt good Manners O my Soul is cursing swearing vain wanton and evil-speaking the Rant and Garb of the wicked yâ—â— the Language of Hell And is holy and a religious discourse and communication the Character and Dialâ—â—t of Saints upon Earth and praises and thanksgiving the exercise of the Spirits of just Men made perfect and of the glorious Angels Yea the Language of Heaven O let not thy Tongue learn or speak the Language of Ashdod but of Canaan not the blasphemous roaringâ— of the Devils and the damned but the sweet Anthemâ— of the Saints and Angels Yea begin thy Heaven upon Earth and be warbling and tuning this blessed and usefull Instrument thy Tongue to Psalmes Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in thy Heart to the Lord For it is good to sing praises to our God For it is pleasant and praise is comely O bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth theâ— with loving kindness and tender mercies who satisfyeth thy Mouth with good things so that thy Youth is renewed like the Eagles O my Soul shall thy Tongue in the next glorious Life be thy Chronologer and Orator to Gods praise before and to thy fellow Saints of Gods works and providences past present and to come O be exercising and conning over thy Lesson in this Life And inâ—uâ—e it here to what it shall do hereafter Say to my friends relations and fellow Christians Come and hear all yee that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul Yea let thy Tongue be thy glory and as the Tongue of a ready Writer Let thy Mouth speak of wisdome and the Meditation of thy Heart of understanding Remember the Days of old meditate of all Gods works muse on the works of his Hands speak of the might of his terrible acts and declare his greatness Abundantly utter the memory of his great goodness and sing of his righteousness whilst thou livest â—raise the Lord yea sing praises unto thy God whilst thou hast any Beeing O my Soul shall the Saints in this glorious Empire of Christ in the new Heaven and new Earth be all Kings and yet as one â—tar differs from another in glory so they there shall have different degrees of gifts and graces offices and imployments every Vessel being full of grace and glory although of different measures and capacities not ruling or lording it over one another and yet of necessary and excellent use by reason of their various and different gifts manifestations and employments to add an encrease of happiness blessedness and glory to each other a pattern and resemblance of which joynt Kingship under one Head and King the Lord Jesus as was mentioned before is seen 〈◊〉 the natural Body and in the militant and mystical body of Christ The Saints glorified being like so many precious Stones which although of different bigness and value yet being judiciously set by a skilfull 〈◊〉 to radiate one upon other that they add luster each 〈◊〉 other and without any diminution to the worth of any individual Stone serve necessarily to the greater and fuller perfection of the Jewel Will it be thus O my Soul and will thy Tongue be then a principal Actor in this thy most honourable station and vocation Serve thy God with David in thy Generation not hiding any Talent God hath given thee with the slothfull Servant in the Earth Set not thy Candle under a Bushel but upon a Table that it may enlighten the whole House thy Family thy Friends thy fellow-Members yea all except Dogs or Swine that thou conversest with speaking unto them as the Saints no doubt shall do to one another in Glory to edification exhortation and
The Saints peaceable Reign for a Thousand years Page 243 The Translation of the Saints to Heaven Page 246 U. Christs answer to the poor soul complaining of his Understanding Page 7â— A Contemplation upon our Victory by Christ over Honours Covetousness Voluptuousness persecution Page 129 Of the Understanding glorified Page 148 Of Christs Victorious Kingdom Page 242 W. The excellency of the Word Page 1â— The great dependance of the Will on other faculties Page 4â— Against free Will Page 45 The souls complaint against the Will answered by Christ Page 8â— Christs victory over the World Page 11â— The Worlds darts by which it wounds souls Page 11â— Of the Will glorified Page 14â— A Watch to be set upon the Lips Page 238 Twelve Wonderful Works of God to be fulfilled Page 239 Of the raising of the Witnesses Page 23â— X.  Y. The binding of the Devil for a thousand Years Page 241 The Saints peaceable reign for a thousand Years Page â—43 Z. Of Zeal glorified Page 15â— Zeal not a simple grace but the intense degree of every gracâ— Page 156 A soliloquium on glorified Zeal Page 159 An ejaculation and commendation of glorified Zeal Page 159 FINIS Place this before the Scripture-Catechisme at Folio 259 THE EPISTLE TO HIS Entirely beloved Wife and Twelve dear Children and to their Childrens Children until the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. MOst affectionately indeared Wife and Children one with me by Nature and by Grace who therefore may challenge and lay claim to my especial care love and respects besides the discharge of my duty to God who hath placed you under my circumspection and government and commands my constâ—â—t utmost and unwearied endeavours in order to your Eternal Salvation What my continued pains and frequent watching over you have been whilst I was present with you your selves and the rest of my Family will witness as to Weekly Catechizing Morning and Evening expounding the Holy Scriptures and praying with you besides my constant Repetition of Sermons preparation and particular examination of you on the Lord's Day and Monthly Sacraments and often remembrance of you 〈◊〉 to your Daily exercise of private Prayers reading of the Scriptures and the Works of God's faithful Ministers O let not my above Twenty Years labours be in vain to any one of you â—ay which is far worse be a great aggrevation both of your sin and punishment should ye offend and rebel against so much light and means and neglect so great salvation But most dearly beloved I believe and hope better things of you and things that accompany Salvation although I thus speak And therefore during my above Seven Tears Exile and separation from you I have not ceased to put you in remembrance of your duty to God and to stir you up by Letters to the continuance in well doing since you shall reap Glory and Eternal Life if you faint not but persevere and continue therein constant to the end Witness that large Epistle sent unto you dated from Antwerp January the first 1665. Wherein from the Mouth of our most blessed Saviour as being in a manner all his words you are exhorted to and instructed in what things you are to believe and to practise what you are to imbrace and what to eschew as to grace and vertue and as to vice and error which I earnestly desire you yea charge you as a Husband and a Father to read often over or at least once a Quarter Which were it not all Scripture and through the grace and mercy of God skimmed and digested for your edification I should not by this recommendation have presumed to put so high a value upon it Since which time having by God's gracious assistance finished this Treatise of Faith being destitute of Worldly gifts to bestow up on you That in discharge of my duty to God and to you I may still continue and express my conjugal and paternal affection respectively to the Souls of you all I have directed and dedicated it to you and yours desiring and requiring your frequent and serious perusal of it as being for the subject matter the most sublime and holding forth the glorious knowledge of the only Infinite and most high God and the wonderful and high Mysteries of Man's Salvation as they are manifested in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ who is here lively represented both to the eye and to the exercise of your faith begining with the promise to Adam and Man's fall and misery and proceeding to his Incarnation Life Death and Passion Resurrection and Assension and the exercise of his Three-fold Office as Priest and the Prophet and King with all benefits from them with his Kingdom considered in its several degrees and administrations first as it was legal and spiritual under the Law Secondly purely spiritual under the Gospel Thirdly as it shall be victorious over Sathan and Worldly enemies in this latter Age of the World Fourthly peaceable holy and righteous during the Sabbatisms the Saints Reign a thousand years upon Earth Fifthly glorious after the Resurrection of the Elect and their Reign with Christ personally a Thousand Years upon the renewed Earth Sixthly Judicial begining at Christ's second coming under which the Saints are rewarded and all the wicked raised judged condemned and cast into the Local Hell together with the evil Angels Seventhly Eternally glorious when Christ's Mediatory Kingdom being expired delivered up to the Father that God may be all in all the Saints shall be translated into the highest Heavens that they may there Reign live with God and Christ the Head of the Saints and Angels for ever and for ever As the subject matter hath a preheminence as being a discourse of things most excellent above others the knowledge beliefe and saving application thereof to your souls is of all exercises the most excellent profitable and delightful since without faith and the true knowledge of God in Christ there is no light joy peace rest happiness to your souls here nor in the life to come salvation And to have revealed to you the great misteries and secret counsel of God together with their wonderful products to the end of the World and Scripture-manifestation which are bid from the ungodly but discovered by the light of his Word in the Prophets in and by his spirit to those that fear him is of all speculative knowledge to Christians the most pleasant useful and encouraging as being through an assured hope that Helmet of Salvation which will carry you victoriously through all difficulties and opposition to triumph in endless glory together with what I have â—â—re sum'd up as the substance and body of this Treatise I have â—lso intermixt methodically many Soliloquies and Ejaculatory Peâ—â—tions as necessary to conclude several principal heads in these Meditations which I earnestly desire you to make a frequent and sinâ—â—re use and application of praying you to make them yours as well as mine and beseech the Lord that
my words Faith without works is dead therefore follow peace with all Men and holiness without which no Man shall see God And be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves Ye know the Commandments I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other Gods before me 2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or that is in the Earth beneath or that is in the Water under the Earth thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them c. 3. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain c. 4. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy six Days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. 6. Thou shalt not kill 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour 10. Thou shall not covet thy Neighbours House c. This is the great Commandment That you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul with all your mind and with all your strength and your Neighbour as your self Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Verily verily I say unto you except you be born again of Water and the Spirit you cannot enter into the Kingdome of God For that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me I am the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven not as the Fathers did eat and are dead He that eateth this Bread shall live for ever What though I am ascended where I was before It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you are spirit and they are life I the Lord Jesus took Bread and blessed it and gave it to my Disciples and said Take eat this is my body And I took the Cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it For this is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins This do in remembrance of me For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup you shew my Death till I come Lay up my word in your heart and in your soul And you shall teach them your Children speaking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way when you lye down and when you rise up And you shall write them upon the Door-posts of your houses and upon your Gates That your days may be prolonged and the days of your Children in the Land as the dayes of Heaven upon Earth Blessed are ye that read and hear my words my Sheep hear my voice Yea blessed are they that hear my word and keep it Let every one of you be swift to hear slow to wrath If any of you hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Wherefore he that hath Eares to hear let him hear My Mother and Brethren are ye that hear the Word of God and do it Be ye that good ground who with honest and good hearts having heard my word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience Let not the Book of my Law my Word depart out of your mouth but you shall meditate therein day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein for then shall you make your way prosperous then shall you have good success Meditate also of all my works Pray without ceasing And when you pray say Our Father which art in Heaven c. Also after this manner pray ye Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall finde Knock and it shall be opened unto you Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my Name according to his will he will give it unto you Therefore be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God But ask in faith nothing wavering And when you pray enter into your Closet and when you have shut your Door pray to the Father which is in secret and your Father who seeth in secret shall reward you openly Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Moreover if your Brother shall trespass against any of you go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man and a Publican Verily I say unto you whatsoever my Church shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever they shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven I gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of my Body Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of your double honour especially they that labour in word and doctrine Also they that have used the Office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in me Repent ye and be converted that your sins may be blotted out Be afflicted and mourn and weep humble your selves in my sight and I will lift you up Can Man
with thy Neighbours Wife to defile thy self with her The Adulterer and Adulteress shall surely be put to death Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with Man-kind shall inherit the Kingdome of God Mortifie your Members which are upon the Earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the Children of disobedience And commit not Fornication as some of the Israelites committed and fell in one Day three and twenty thousand Without the new Jerusalem are Whoremongers who shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire which is the second Death Out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts which are an abomination to the Lord. Wherefore hate all vain thoughts Let them not lodg within you for the thought of foolishness is sin I understand your thoughts afar off and am a discerner of the thoughts and intents of your hearts Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers But fornication and all uncleanness let it not be once named amongst you as becometh Saints Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks For because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience Be not therefore partakers with them I say unto you every idle word that Men shall speak they shall give account thereof at the Day of Judgment For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Whosoever looketh upon a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart Wherefore with holy Job make a Covenant with thine Eyes that thou think not upon a Maid to lust after her For when thy Eye is evil thy Body also is full of darkness The Eyes of the wicked shall faile But chiefly them that walk after the Flesh in the lust of uncleanness Having Eyes full of Adultery and that cannot cease from sin and are reserved to the Day of Judgment to be punished and to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever The Night is far spent the Day is at hand therefore cast ye off the works of Darkness and put on the Armour of Light walking honestly as in the Day not in rioting and drunkenness not in Chambering and wantonness But put ye on me the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Let not Sathan who is a lyar from the beginning and the Father of lyes fill your hearts to sin against the Holy Ghost who is the Spirit of truth that ye be not strucken with sudden Death as was Ananias and Saphira Ye shall not lye one unto another but every one speak the truth with his Neighbour For ye are Members one of another For I will destroy them that speak leasing and the mouth that speaketh lies shall be stopped The Earth mourneth and fadeth away the World languisheth and fadeth away the haughty People of the Earth do languish the Earth also is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the Laws changed the Ordinance broken the everlasting Covenant I am the Mediator of the new Covenant sealed unto you in my Sacraments of Baptisme and my Supper Tread not then under foot the Son of God nor count the blood of my Covenant wherewith ye are sanctified an unholy thing nor do despight unto my Spirit of grace For vengeance is mine I will recompence yea I will judge my people It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in fools Pay that which thou hast vowed The Lord thy God will surely require it of thee and it would be sin in thee That which is gone out of thy Lips thou shalt keep and perform to God and to Men lest thou be excluded my holy Hill and suffer alike Judgement with King Zedekiah for shall he escape that doth such things Or shalâ— he break the Covenant and be delivered Surely where the King dwelleth that made him King whose Oath he despised and whosâ— Covenant he break even with him in the midest of Babilon shall he die Thou shalt not desire thy Neighbours Wife neither shalt thou covet thy Neighbours House his Field or his Man servant or his Maid-servant his Oxe or his Ass or any thing that iâ— thy Neighbours Woe unto him that covered an evil covetousness to his House that he maâ— set his Nest on high that he may be delivereâ— from the power of evil He that maketh haâ— to be rich shall not be innocent No covetouâ— Man who is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Take heed and beware of Covetousness For woe unto him that buildeth his House by unrighteousness and his Chambers by wrong Beware of Ahab's sin and his punishment No Man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Therefore I say unto you take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on Is not the life more than meat and the body than rayment For after all these things the Gentiles seek for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things Wherefore having food and rayment be therewith content for I have said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown Men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows Wherefore love not the World nor the things that are in the World if any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him There is that scattereth and yet increaseth and there is that with-holdeth more than is meet and yet tendeth to poverty The liberal Soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself There is an evil which I have seen under the Sun and
it is common among Men A Man to whom God hath given riches wealth and honour so that he wanted nothing for his Soul of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof but a stranger eateth it this is vanity and it is an evil disease Let every Man abide in the same Calling in which he was called Let none stand idle all the Day For an idle Soul shall suffer hunger And by much sloathfulness the building decayeth and through idleness of the hands the House droppeth through Behold this was the iniquity of Sodom abundance of idleness Avoid ye therefore their sin lest ye be consumed as was that City upon which the Lord rained Brimstone and Fire from the Lord out of Heaven Seest thou a Man diligent in his business he shall stand before Kings he shall not stand before mean Men But drowsiness shall cloath a Man with rags Wherefore be not sloathful in business as private Persons Let him that Ruleth do it with diligence lest when I come and reckon with you the sloathful and unprofitable Servant be cast into utter Darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth Be ye angry but sin not let not the Sun go down upon your wrath Like Simeon and Levy Instruments of Cruelty are in their habitations for in their anger they slew a Man and in their self-will they digged down a wall Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruel I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Therefore be not hasty in Spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosome of fools Whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause shall be in danger of the Judgment One of the works of the Flesh is hatred therefore thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart They that hate the righteous shall be desolate He that faith he is in the Light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even until now Whosoever hateth his Brother is a Murderer and ye know that no Murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him Woe to them that hate good and love evil All they that hate me love death Use not your liberty for a Cloke of maliciousness But let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil-speaking be put away from you with all malice and be ye kinde one to another tender-hearted forgiving one to another even as God for my sake hath forgiven you The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out Water therefore leave off contention before it be medled with Walk honestly as in the Day not in strife and envying Let nothing be done through strife For where strife and envying is there is confusion and every evil work The Spirit that is in you lusteth to envy which slayeth the silly one and is the rottenness of the bones Charity suffereth long envyeth not Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speaking as new born babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay it saith the Lord. Therefore if thine Enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap Coals of Fire on his head Be not over-come of evil but overcome evil with good Pride and arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate Only by pride cometh contention and where it cometh there cometh shame But with the lowly is wisdom Wherefore let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Be not high-minded but fear For who maketh thee to differ from another And what hast thou that thou hast not received Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as though thou hadst not received it Thus saith the Lord let not the wise Man glory in his wisdome neither let the mighty Man glory in his might let not the rich Man glory in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord that exercise loving kindness Judgment and righteousness in the Earth For in these things I delight saith the Lord. Pride cast the Angels out of Heaven Your first Parents out of Paradice and the wicked World into Hell For the wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God Behold that which I have built I will break down and that which I have planted will I pluck up And seekest thou great things for thy self seek them not For behold I will bring evil upon all flesh How can ye believe who receive honour one of another and seek not the honour which comes from God only He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord for not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest to your Souls Whosoever shall humble himself as a little Child the same is greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven Whosoever exalts himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted Be ye not ambitious like Absalon and Adonijah least ye partake of their Judgments and violent deaths Give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in my Name For it is good to sing praise unto our God for it is pleasant and praise is comely Be ye not therefore guilty of the great sin of ingratitude with Hezekiah and the nine Lepers who rendered not again according to the benefits done unto them In these last times Men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blaspheamers disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy without natural affection despisers of those that are good Traytors from such turn away Whoso rewardeth evil for good evil shall not depart from his House Example in King Joash who remembred not the kindness which Jehojada the Father of Zacharias had done unto him but slew his Son Therefore his Servants conspired against him for the blood of the Son of Jehojada the Priest and slew him on his Bed Whoso loveth pleasure shall be a poor man he that loveth Wine and Oyl shall not be rich Woe unto the Land whose Princes eat in the morning But blessed is the Land whose Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness Woe unto you that are full for ye shall hunger Woe unto you
not as Fools but as Wise Redeeming the time Eat not the Bread of Idleness for the idle Soul shall suffer hunger And through idleness of the hands the House droppeth through Shun prophane and vain babling for they will increase to more ungodliness And let no corrupt communication come out of your Mouths but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister Grace to the hearers For by your words you shall be justified and by your words you shall be condemned And of every idle word that you shall speak you shall give an account thereof at the Day of Judgment Swear not at all But let your Communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil Let your light so shine before Men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Love not sleep lest you come to poverty You shall not hate your Brother in your heart you shall in any wise rebuke your Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Let the righteous reprove you for it shall be an excellent Oyl that shall not break your heads As you have opportunity do good to all Men especially to them who are of the houshold of faith Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfeiting and drunkenness Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God Give thanks alwayes for all things for every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving Let every one of you abide with God in the same Calling wherein he was called Being not slothfull in business serving the Lord. For he that is slothfull in his work is Brother to him that is a great waster Go not beyond and defraud your Brother in any matter for I am the avenger of all such neither lie one unto another Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right Honour your Father and Mother which is the first Commandement with promise That it may be well with you and you may live long on the Earth Parents provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Husbands drink Waters out of your own Cistern Rejoyce with the Wise of your Youth Embrace not the bosome of a stranger Love your Wives as I also loved my Church and gave my self for it So ought you to love your Wives even as your own Bodies He that loveth his Wife loveth himself for they two are one Flesh. Dwelling with them according to knowledge and honouring them as the weaker Vessels and as being Heirs together of the grace of Life Wives let your adorning be not that which is outward but that of the hidden Man of the heart See that you reverence your Husbands submitting your selves unto them as unto the Lord and as to your head For as my Church is subject unto Me as its Head so be you to your own Husbands in every thing Love your Husbands love your Children be discreet chast and keepers at home And of a quiet and meek Spirit Servants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the Flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your hearts as unto Me not answering again nor purloyning but shewing all good fidelity Not with Eye-service as Men-pleasers but as my Servants doing the will of God from the heart with good-will doing service as to Me not to Men. Knowing that whatsoever any good thing any of you doth the same shall ye receive of Me whether ye be bond or free Masters do the same things unto your Servants forbearing threatning knowing that your Master is in Heaven neither is there respect of Persons with him Walk in wisdome towards them that are without And let your speech be always with grace seasoned with Salt that you may know how to answer every Man That if any Man obey not the Word they may without the Word be won by your Conversation And that they of the contrary part may be ashamed as having no evil thing to say of you Behave your selves wisely in a perfect way Keep your Mouths as with a Bridle while the wicked are before you Cast not your Pearl before Swine nor give that which is holy unto Dogs lest they trample them under their Feet and turn again and rent you Follow not a Multitude to do evil If Sinners entice you consent you not walk you not in the way with them Refrain your Feet from their Path. Judge not one another nor put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in your Brothers way It is impossible but that offences will come but woe unto them through whom they come Be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another love as Brethren be pittiful be courteous not rendering evil for evil nor rayling for rayling but contrariwise blessing Remember my works and wonders of old and forget not all my benefits Meditate also and talk of my doings who hath forgiven your iniquities and healed all your Diseases and redeemed your lives from destruction who crowneth you with loving kindness and tender mercies who satisfieth your Mouths with good things so that your Youth is renewed like the Eagles who hath heard your supplications and received your Prayers Stand continually on your Watch-Tower and hearken what I the Lord that heareth Prayer will say unto you You shall call upon Me and I will answer Yea before you call I will answer My Children despise not my chastning nor faint when you are rebuked of Me For whom I love I chasten and scourge every Son whom I receive If you endure chastning I deal with you as with Sons For what Son is he whom the Father chastneth not But if ye be with out Chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye Bastards and not Sons Your Fathers chasten you after their own pleasure but I for your profit that you may be partakers of my Holiness No chastning for the present seems to be joyous but grievous Nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them that are exercifed thereby All that will live godly in me shall suffer persecution But as my sufferings abound in you so your Consolations abound by Me. For the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you And your light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for you a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory For if you suffer with
take away his part out of the Book of Life In Vain therefore do they worship Me who teach for Doctrines the Commandments of men drawing neer unto Me with their mouths and Honouring Me with their Lips but their Hearts is Farr from Me Ful-well they reject the Commandments of God that they may keep their own Traditions Let no man therefore Judge you in meat or drink or in respect of an Holy-day for you are dead with Me from the Rudiments of the World Neither be you subject to Ordinances such as these Touch not Taste not Handle not which things indeed have a shew of Wisdome in Will-worship and Humility and neglecting of the body not in any Honour to the satisfying of the Flesh For the Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And ye are built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles I my self being the Cheif corner Stone No man can come unto Me except the Father which hath sent Me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day All that the Father giveth Me shall come unto Me and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out My Father which gave them Me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand VVoe then to the Idol Shepheards that leaveth the Flock and hath the Instruments of a Foolish Shepheard in whom now is fulfilled what I foretold by my Prophet For I will raise up a Shepheard in the Land which shall not visit those that be cut off neither shall seek the young One nor heal that which is broken nor Feed that that standeth still but he shall eat the flesh of the Fat and tear their Claws in pieces The Sword shall be upon his Arme and upon his right Eye his Arme shall be dried up and his right Eye shall be utterly darkened VVherefore rejoyce because your Names are written in Heaven And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the Soul But rather fear Mee who am able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell The Foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth who are his It is I only that giveth to him that overcometh to eate of the hidden Manna and a white Stone and in the Stone a new Name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it But this Diotrepsiâ— who loveth to have the Preheminence amongst them receiveth Me not neither doeth he receive the Brethren and forbideth them that would and casteth them by his own power out of the Church But he shall proceed no further for his folly shall be manifest to all Men. A Bishop then must be blameless not given to Wine no striker not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a Brawler not covetous Even when Peter drew his Sword in a far better quarrel then his pretended Successor fights for I said unto him put up again thy Sword into his place for all they that thus without Commission from Me take the Sword shall perish with the Sword He that leadeth into Captivity must go into Captivity and he that thus killeth with the Sword must be killed with the Sword For I am righteous who have judged thus That they that have shed the blood of the Saints and Prophets shall have given them blood to drink for they are worthy This is that evil Servant which hath said in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming and doth begin to smite his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with the drunken I the Lord of this Servant will come in a Day when he looketh not for me and in an Hour that he is not aware of and will cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with Hypocrites there shall be wailing and gnashing of Teeth I am he that died unto sin once And by my own blood entred in once into the holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for you who need not Daily as those High Priests to offer up Sacrifice for my own sins and then for the Peoples For this I did once when I offered up my self Woe to the bloody City that is filthy and polluted Mistery Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the Earth That saith to the wood of my Cross awake to the dumb Stone and wafer Cake it shall teach Behold it is laid over with Gold and Silver and there is no breath at all in the midst of it For although I took Bread saying This is my Body and the Cup and said This is my Blood Do this in remembrance of me And my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed I explained my self and added Doth this offend you What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascended up where he was before It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you are spirit and they are life Every Priest therefore of that Apostate Church which daily minister and offer up often-times the same Sacrifices which can never take away sins But after I had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever I sat down at the right hand of God I am the Propitiation for your sins I by my self have purged your sins and by one Offering have perfected for ever those that are sanctified Yea this is the Covenant that I have made with you your sins and iniquities will I remember no more Now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sin Much-less is there need of a Purgatory-Fire to purge the Souls of any redeemed ones Enoch was translated that he should not see Death Elijah went up by a Whirl-wind into Heaven Lazarus the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosome The Thief dying was that Day with Me in Paradice And blessed are they that dye in the Lord that they may rest from their Labours and their works follow them But the wicked shall be turned into Hell Where is then to be found in God's Word this third place for the tormenting and purifying of the Saints I am he that heareth Prayer unto me shall all flesh come unto me shall the Vow be performed Wait you therefore only upon God for your Expectation is from him You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve Then not Saints and Angels as doth the Romane Whore The Woman arrayed in Purple and Scarlet colour and decked with Gold and precious Stones and Pearl having a Golden Cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her Fornication Further consider
back-sliding 2 Branch Apostacy 3 Branch is the sin against the holy Ghost P 292 C P 294 B The Preface to the Counsels of the Lord Jesus 1 To diligence in our Calling 2 To holy walking with God 3 Against sin P 295 B P 296 A Counsel against Temptation Ead. B Counsel against evil company To set God always before Vs and to have an eye to Eternity Ead. B C Counsel to watch over our hearts As to the keeping of a good Conscience not to offend a Brothers conscience P 297 A Counsel as to the well ordering of our tongues and as to the right using of our estates gifts and talents Ead. C Counsel as to the well improving of our time P 290 A Ead. C Counsel against sinful and unprofitable discourses Against prophane swearing Counsel against sluggishness Ead. C Counsel to watch over and reprove our Neighbour and patiently to receive reproofs Counsel to charity Counsel concerning your Tables Concerning your callings Ead. C 299 A Counsel concerning your Relations 1. Of Children to their Parents 2 Of Parents to their children 3 Of Husbands to their Wives 4 Of Wives 5 Of Servants 6 Of Masters Ead. C Counsel concerning our carriage towards those without P 300 Counsel as to the observation of God's mercies works and providences Ead. C Counsel to attend the answer and return of Prayer Ead. C Counsel as to our behaviour under afflictions and persecutions P 301 C ACounsel as to the right use of our Christian liberty against the abusing of grace Ead. B C Counsel as to the duties of Prayer self denial bearing the cross and perseverance Counsel to our growing in grace P 302 A The Preface to the Antidotes Ead. C P 305 A Ead. B Antidotes given by the Lord Jesus against several Heresies and Errors 1 Against the Pope's Supremacy 2 Against the Pope's Infallibility Ead. C 3 Against the Pope's Power to forgive sins 4 Against the Pope's Power to absolve from oaths vows and promises P 304 A 5 Against the Pope's Power to add to the Scriptures or to bend conscience by his Cannons and Decretals P 305 A Against the Pope's Power to canonize Saints or to excommunicate any from being Saints P 306 A Against the Pope's Power to exercise the civil Sword against those that will not receive his Doctrines Eadem C Antidotes given by the Lord Jesus Christ against several heresies and errors of the Apostate Roman Church 307 A Ead. C 1 Against the Idolatry of the Mass. 2 Against the false Doctrine of Purgatory Ead. C 308 A 3 Against the praying to and worship 1 Of Saints 2 Of Angels 4 Against the worshping of Pictures and Images Eadem C. 5 Against the false Doctrine of freedome from Original sin P. 309 C. 6 Against their false Doctrine concerning Free will P. 310 C. 7 Against their false Doctrine of Justification by works Eadem C. The Preface of the Lord Jesus to his Antidotes against several other Heresies and Errors of the last times P. 111 B· Antidotes 1. Against Atheisme Eadem C. 2 Against the Heresie of Arianisme P. 312 A. 3. Against the Heresie of denying the Holy Ghost to be God Eadem C. 4. Against the Heresie of community of Women 113 B. C. 5. Against Poligamy 6. Against the forsaking and casting off of Gospel Ordinances Eadem C. 7. Against those who lay aside and make useless the Moral Law p 314 A 8. Against those who cast off and despise civil Government Eadem B. 9. Against those who prefer a light within them before besides and against the Scriptures P. 315 A. 10. Against Enthusiasmes Eadem B. 11. Against Anti-scripturists Eadem C. 12. Against those who deny Infant Baptisme and the Lord's Day to be the Christian Sabbath Eadem C. p 316 A 13. Against those who deny propriety of Goods and Estates Eadem C 14. Against Rebaptization P. 317 B· 15. Against Schisme and uncharitable separation from the Church The conclusion of the speech of the Lord Jesus The Prayer of the Lord Jesus for all his Elect. P. 318 A. P. 55. B. The Fathers concluding Exhortation and Prayer for his Wife and Children P. 56 A. A Post-script of the Father to his Wife and Children concerning the foregoing Epistle with some further Exhortations to the practice thereof Eadem C. P. 57 58 59. ERRATA Of the Printer FOlio 265 Line 27 Add And brake it Folio 269 Line 28 Add Do good to them that hate you Fol. 276 in the Margent for Polutheims put Polutheismes For Cap. Proverbs the 22 put Chap. the 20. Fol. 279. Line 31. for from put for Fol. 282 Line 21 put Thy after of Fol. 293 Line 38 for Brances put Branches Fol. 294 Line 42 Add He after shall Fol. 297. Mar. for Mat. the 5 make it the 25. Fol. 203. Line 22 Add after was So Marg. for Mathew Mark Fol. 305. Line 40. for Diotropses put Diotrephes Fol. 306. Line 31 for after Sacrifice add First Fol. 313. Marg. for Joh. the 17. put the 7. An Humble ANSWER to a PAPER or QVERY Given to the Author by King CHARLES the First at Hombey concerning the Observations of Easter-Day A. D. 1647. By the KING I desire to be resolved of this Question Why the new Reformers discharge the keeping of Easter The Reason for this Query is I Conceive the Celebration of this Feast was Instituted by the same Authority which changed the Jewish Sabboth into the Lord's Day or Sunday for it will not be found in Scripture where Saturday is discharged to be kept or turned into the Sunday wherefore it must be the Churches Authority that changed the one and instituted the other Therefore my Opinion is that those who will not keep this Feast may as well return to the Observation of Saturday and refuse the Weekly Sunday When any Body can shew me that herein I am in an error I shall not be ashamed to confess and mend it till when you know my mind C. R. My Answer to his Majesties Query May it please your Majesty I Cannot but from the blessed example of our Saviour who was in his Age a new Reformer of old Errors Viz. the false glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees Math. 5.20 but account all such Reformers in our times blessed also But for the keeping of Easter although I know not any Ordinance of Parliament discharging it yet with submission to better judgments I in all dutifulness conceive That your Majesties reason upon which your Query is built hath a great mistake even in the foundation of it you being pleased to lay this for a ground That the change of the Sabboth and the Institution of Easter are by one and the same equal Authority and Ecclesiastical Decree which with your Majesties favour I cannot yield to for I humbly conceive that the change of the Jewish Sabboth the commemoration of the Work of the Creation unto the Lords day the remembrance of that great Work the Work of
prime Of wit in Sonnets or such Rhime As leaves behind The Savour of a tainted mind Maâ—gre their Witts I tell you true I enjoy none but such as you Not that I know your Birth and Blood Springs high but that I see a good That sets you off Beyond the bitter reach or scoffe Of those loose Tongues Which blast it in their drunken Songs Think no work lovely sweet or witty That is not tun'd to Cupids Ditty On Lovely Sir I speak the truth From Him you think on in your Youth Hee 'l not forget This Labour or Essay but set A mark of note Vpon those Hours which you devote Vnto his Service and will Pay Richly at All-Saints Holy-Day Mean while he pawns his Word to be A Friend unto your hopes and he That never Rights The meanest of his Favourites Will raise your Stock And prove your Sun your Shield your Rock Perfume your Name and make 't as dear As his that dyed the Hopeful Peire Long may the Noble Paire to whom You own your Breath next God become Sutors for you That labour to repay the due You owe to them From whom you Sprang a hopeful stemm To which you have the Heart and Hand Of him that rests Yours to Command W. Mewes MEDITATIONS UPON THE CREATION MANS Fall and Redemption BY CHRIST Presented to his Parents in the XXI Year of his Age. Anno Dom. 1627. London Printed in the Year 1669. Prayer and Meditation are Twins therefore A Preparative Prayer O Almighty God and most gracious Father from thy goodness I acknowledge all good gifts do proceed therefore I humbly and earnestly do beseech thee to illuminate my Soul by thy Spirit that my Vnderstanding being raised above all Earthly Cogitations may through thy merciful assistance so meditate of thee and thy wonderful Works that contemâ—â—ng all Worldly Vanities my delight may only consist in beholding of thy Majesty The Consideration of it being best able both to humble my proud Heart and create in it a love and fear to all thy Precepts that so I beginning although in weakness to live the life of grace here I may through thy favour in Christ live the Life of Glory with thee hereafter Amen DIVINE MEDITATIONS OF GOD'S Majesty IN THE CREATION ALL sublunary things tend and press towards their Centre The Sea-man's Needle always points North and South Nature thereby as it were Lecturing our Souls to behold and move towards none but thee O God our North-Star our Centre Lord I confess it had been a vain presumption in Mortality being defiled with sin to have once conceived a thought of thy Holiness had not thy mercy in Jesus Christ revealed unto us in thy word and promises not only to give us leave but commanded us to know thee that conceiving of thee aright we might love thee with all our hearts fear thee in all our actions and serve thee with our best endeavours Why madest thou Man with his Face erected towards the Heavens when Beasts walk groveling upon the Ground unless thou hast ordained that all Eyes contemning Earth as tramled under Feet should stand open towards the Skies that our Souls through those Casements might behold the Starry out-side of the â—irmament though but a dark reflexion of thy brightness and might view in the Suâ—s splendour a petty Embleme to lead us to the Infiniteness of thy Glory and beautifulness of that new Jerusalem in which thou crownest the Inhabitants with a perpetual Day of Happiness These Objects O Lord damme up the Mâ—uth of Wickâ—dness being sufficient though dumb Witnesses to condemn the wilful ignorance of Senceless Atheists Who behold much Art in a costly Fabrick and applaud not the skill of the Architector Who sees exquisitness in any work and is not forc'd to acknowledge the Work-mans perfection and what Eyes can be so purblinded with folly and perverseness as not to spell out in each Leaf of Natures Book thy Divinity Open thou my Lips O Lord and my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise Of the Creation THe beginning of all Created Substances was nothing who but thou O Lord Infinite in Power of no Materials could frame so vast a Chaos Before each particulars composure darkness as a Canopy covered the confused Lump of intermixed Bodies when by thy Word O Father of Light was light created the happy Morning to so great a Night the huge Concave of the Firmament being the purest extraction of that gross heap is made to Circle the Earth separating the Waters above from those below by thy Command Where was the naked Earth visible when the Waters covered the Face thereof untill thy will gave them both name and bounds How rude an object were the Towring Hillâ— and humble Valleys then destitute of thy Livery their Ornament until Grass Herbs and fruit-bearing Trees clothed them by thy Ordinance When the Heavens wanted their Ornament the Times and Seasons their Order and distinguishments thou madest two great Lights the Sun to Rule by Day the Moon and Stars to Rule by Night For thy Mercy endureth for ever Were the waste Places of the deep inhabited or the Regions of the Aire fathâ—med before thy Power made the Seas bring forth all manner of Fowles and Fish even that Leviathan whose Scales are his Pride shut up together as with a close Seal which by his neesing a Light doth shine and his Eyes are like the Eye-lids of the Morning upon Earth there is none his like who is made without fear Did not thy Wisdome O God fill the Desarts with wilde Beasts the Earth with creeping things Who made Behemoth which moveth his Tayl like a Cedar His Bones are as strong Pieces of Brass his â—â—â—es are like Barres of Iron he is the chief of thy ways O God thou that madest him canst make thy Sword approach unto him What shall I say Who can express thee which art far beyond expression I will conclude with the conclusion of thy Works the â—â—â—ation of Man In his Body rightly termed a little World as â—â—ing a mixture of the four Elements who can 〈…〉 â—â—e symmetry and proportion of each Member and comâ—linâ—ss of â—â—ch part so â—urious a structure being only a â—iâ— manâ—â—on 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Tenant as the Soul in whose praise which speakâ— thy pâ—â—ise I will only say two words calling it according to thy Word thy â—â—â—ge What is Man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of â—â—an that thou visitest him Thou hast made him little lower â—â—an the Angels and hast Crowâ—â—d him with glory and honour â—â—ou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands â—â—ou hast put all things under his Feet Therefore bless the Loâ—d O my Soul all that is within mâ—â—less his holy name bless the â—ord in all his works in all places of his Dominion bless the Lord O my Soul Of Man's Fall and of God's Mercy and Goodness in our Redemption THe
Eternal God the Holy Ghost lest you should think it too high presumption to write after so rare a Copy Let me remember you of and set before you also â—s so many laudable and excellent Patterns a few of the many famous Works of our own Country-men such as the divine and eloquent Contemplations and occasional Meditations of Doctor Hall Spencer's Fairy Queen Deveout Hâ—rberts sweet guards and honest Wither's Poems which are as so many eminent Piramides of white and black Marble whose tops point towards Heaven as glorifying God as their chief aime and end and whose substance and Basis shall as their living Monuments stand fixt and undemolish upon Earth to their perpetual honour and as â—eaching Pillars to Posterity for ever Here possibly some of you may object that you are to seek of subjects to imploy our parts and giftâ— upon to the glory of God and the good and Instruction of your Brethren To whom I answer View and contemplate the wonderful Works of our Almighty and most wise Creator in the vast Canony of the Heavens and the large Globe of the Earth and Seas and you shall finde matter enough for all the Tongues Pens and gifts of Men and Angels Be not like the bruit Beasts that remain sensual and dumb in the midst of wonders Are you professedly Christians and shall that great and glorious subject the admirable and stupendious work of your Redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ God-Man the Saviour anointed the Mysterious work of the Incomprehensible Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost the Eternal God blessed for ever a work above all expressions and conceptions yea above the praises of holy Saints made perfect and glorious Angels wherein is held forth if ever you hope to be saved from Hell and endless torments your free and eternal Election by God the Father to everlasting Life and Glory your effectual calling and sanctification by the holy Spirit your free Justification by the alone righteousness of Christ and ravishing lively hope of a never ending happy and blessed state in the highest Heavens The blessed fruit and effect of the infinite and free love of God of the unvaluable Righteousness Merit Death Passion Satisfaction and continued Mediation of Christ our Lord that Person who is God in our Nature the eternal begotten and beloved Son of the Father the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his Person I say shall this Miracle of divine love this wonder of wonders these your chief and greatest concerns together with its most beautiful attendants Faith Hope Love and the rest of the holy Image of God in you be slighted forgotten and not thought worthy to be the subject of your choicest Oratory and Poetry and of the best of your gifts wit and parts O Jewish Ingratitude shall a Heavenly Host of Angels much less concern'd than you begin give and leave you a pattern in that short but full Anthem at our Saviour's Birth Glory be to God on High on Earth peace good will towards Men And will you be still wickedly yea brutishly unthankful and not follow their holy example shall not the French Druids and our own British Bards stand up in Judgment against you at the last Day But possible some of you will say you are as yet but Babes in Christ and your Muse cannot as yet mount so high as these sublime Misteries to whom I answer Is not the large Mapp of God's great constant and marvellous providences actings and deliverances towards his Church in all Ages even from the beginning of the World until this Day spread before your Eyes in the sacred Scriptures of truth and in Ecclesiastical and other Histories Yea in your own Nation in this our Age of wonders All which in honour and gratitude to God and the edification and encouragement of his Church calls for from you in Imitation of God's Saints in former times as hath been afore declared many Triumphant Arches Pillars and Monuments of praise both in Prose and Verse never to be worn out by time or thrown down by the Malice and slanders of traducing Persons But probably some of you may be Politicians and time-servers and therefore although convins't of your duty think it neither prudent nor safe to discover either your Religion Judgment or affection To such that like Naman to the Prophet Elisha say God be merciful to me in this I cannot say go in peace but this I will say that Ingratitude includes all other sins against God and Man Si ingratum dixeris Omnia dixeris Wherefore that all such may convince and Judge themselves notwithstanding all these Excuses and subter fuges Let me ask them this question Have you from your birth until now received no mercies nor blessings from God to your Souls to your Bodies or to your Relations No recovery from spiritual or bodily Diseases nor deliverances from spiritual and corporal enemies and dangers no blessings temporal spiritual and eternal no gracious and extraordinary providences to you or yours If then you cannot deny but must acknowledge to have received from the Lord many favours of this Nature O may I not say of the most of the English Nobility and Gentry as once our Saviour of the Ten Leapers Were there not Ten cleansed where are the Nine Only One returning to give thanks Wherefore lest your unthankfulness mud and stop up the stream of God's mercy to you and the Nation for the future and since it is God's commands the practise of God's Saints and your duty as Creatures and Christians to be Praisefull Yea lest your Talents be taken from you and given to others and you receive that most terrible Sentence declared by our Lord at his return to the unprofitable Servant that hid his Talent in a Napkin Bind him Hand and Foot and cast him into everlasting Fire O let that fearful Declaration like a Thunder-clap rouse and awaken you out of your sleepy sloathfulness the Night is far spent the Day is at hand even of your Judgment and mine Wherefore walk as Children of the Light and Husband that Inch of your Life which is behind redeeming the time because the Days you live in are evil Stir up the Grace that is in you meditate of and contemplate the ineffable excellencies and attributes of our Incomprehensible God as they are manifested in his glorious actings and the fore-mentioned particulars Pen Publish Print to this and future Generations his wonderful works and praises So shall you be Angelical Heralds of his Glory Grandize and Ennobilize your Nobility dignifie and hononourably perpetuate your Gentility And not like most of the preceding Peers and Gentry of this Nation which is worth your observation have like them your Names written in the Dust and buried in oblivion O joyn then with Angels and Ark-Angels and all the Triumphant and glorified Saints in Heaven in spiritual and divine Hallelujahs here and you shall certainly sing your part with them in the blessed
Ejaculation or Hymn upon the foregoing Subject O Blest Creator let my first Birth be A Figure of my second Birth to thee Sooner than many others 'T was thy grace That fir'd my heart during my youthful race And caus'd me seek the free refreshing Gales Of thy blest Spirit to cool and fill the Sailes Of its desires That from the noisome Wombe And dark some Jaile of Sin I might become A free-born Son to thee and change my place This Earth for Heaven the Birth of Sin for Grace 'T was thy free-love which did desire to see Blest Parent thy own Image born in Me. That pour'd clean Water on me washt away My Natures Blood and stench and didst allay My shivering doubts and feares by putting on Thy Lambs warm Skin the Imputation Of thy Sons righteousness that from that heat A life of grace might spring and be compleat Lord since thou mightest have made my Grave in Wombe Or by miscarrying cloâ—'d me in my Tombe Or made my life through sin a living Death A treasury of wrath Let my new Birth And life bring forth to thee the thankful fruit Of holiness So shall I Retribute Thy own in my poor Mite and to thy praise Live thankfulness sincerely all my Days Amen ARGUMENT The REMEMBRANCER A Psalm for the Lord's Day Being my thankful acknowledgment of the Lord 's many Mercies to me in my Formation and Beeing LOrd who giv'st in mercy great A seventh Day to meditate On thy works of Creation Give me grace to think upon Thy great goodness unto me Who didst bring From a nothing Me a something for to be Next that me thou hast not made As frail Flowers which quickly fade Nor a Toad a Dog a Swine Or a Creature Serpentine But a Beeing rational Fit to see And to know thee Great Creator of us all That I was no Innocent Organ-less Deficient Nor a Monster from my Birth Void of shape a shame to Earth Thus and worser had I been But thy love Was far above Such thy just reward of sin Thou art he that gav'st me light In a Land made free from night Of dark Antichristian Mists Pagans and Mahometists Where poor Infants with their breath Sucking are Infectious Air Live a Life far worse than Death Here thou didst unto me give In thy life new life to live Where so many love the Night And with Owles do hate the Light Yea like Fish in Jordan's streams Swim with ease Into dead Seas Sleep and perish in false Dreams Wherefore Lord upon thy Day I will praise thy Name for aye Till thy second Sabbath blest Gives to me Eternal Rest Where from World Sin Sathan free I shall ring And sweetly sing Hallelujah's out to thee ARGUMENT Vpon God's gracious deliverance of me from the Infection of the Plague when being a Childe I was present in my Nurses Hand at the Bed-side of one that was sick and dyed thereof whereby many of that Town were infected and dyed Soliloquium or Discourse CHaritable Visits to our Neighbours many times prove uncharitable to our selves such proved this of my self Nurse and others to the sick Bed of the Vicar of the Town by which the Inhabitants were infected and many of his Parishioners followed him not only to but into the Grave whereof many were Children Plants of my Age and standing Cruel Death as an Enemy to time and Man-kinde Saturn-like delighting to devour tender Babes as well as aged Men which his enmity our good God converts to our good that so being fore-warn'd we might be fore-arm'd and alwayes prepared to encounter him as being both the most certain and the uncertain Adversaâ—y O my Soul hath Death often by sickness and danger shaken thy Glass and lest Summons and Suppenaes at thy Door and hath the great Numberer of thy Sands and Days from time to time sent thee Repreeves with King Phillip's Motto written on the back-side of them Mortalis es Is more than three Quarters of thy Years of Life posted away in Childhood Youth Man-hood sin and vanity O let the small remainder with Solomon be thy Ecclesiastes to preach this his experimental truth to thy Children and all following Generations Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity and vexation of Spirit that so thou despising all things under the Sun mayst soar aloft and enjoy that only chief good that is above the Sun thy God in Christ blessed for ever to whom in a thankful remembrance of this great signal and primitive mercy and deliverance I humbly present this following Ejaculation and thanks-giving The ANTIDOTE Ejaculation or Hymn upon the former Subject FIâ— lazie Soul shall the Idolaters give Vnto dead Marbles praise and wilt thou live Vnthankful Shall God's Instrument thy Tongue Be tun'd to folly not unto his Song When in thy Youth an ignorant charity Led thee into Death's ambush He stood bie Could else one and the same infectious breath Preserâ—e thy Life which brought to others Death O in this mercy greater mercies see Death swallowing others swallow'd up of thee Lord since in dangers thou new life didst give Let Souls anew as well as Bodies live That fill'd with praise faith hope and fervent love Heart Tongue may bless thee here my Soul above Amen ARGUMENT Vpon a dangerous fall from a Horse when I was a Childe whereby I received three hurts one in the Head another in the Arme and a third in the Leg and upon God's mercy in my recovery thereof Soliloquium or Discourse SInful falls are a just cause of falls under Judgments my first fall in Adam could my Childhood have pleaded innocency as to all other deserved not only this but that which is infinitely worse a remediless fall into Hell The indulgency of my Parents in satisfying my childish desires and my too early venturousness together with the much mettle and ill qualities of my Horse were the external occasion of this my sad disaster which left me not only on the ground and cruelly hurt but for a time senseless and only fit to be carried in a Coach unto my Fathers House whose loving care prepared not only one to set my dislocated Bones but applyed Balsomes unto my wounds by which means through God's mercy I obtained health strength and a perfect recovery YOVTHS EMBLEME Ejaculation or Hymn upon the former Subject O Gracious God and Father let my sense Be spiritualiz'd and from each Providence As Bees from Flowers suck sweetness then I shall Praise thee for greater mercies by this Fall Which was from thee a milde Correction For Adam's and my own Transgression For hadst thou judg'd severely I had fell Not only from my Horse but into Hell O Lord me thinks by this sad fall and fate Thou mind'st me of my Vnregenerate State When I indulg'd my will and rid upon A wanton Steed my loose affection Which gave me many falls wounded my Head My Reason-Faculties yea left me Dead And hurt in Arm and Leg senceless and mad Vnfit to act or walk