Boanarges and Barnabas, or, Judgment and mercy for afflicted soules containing of [brace] meditations, soliloquies, and prayers / by Francis Quarles. Boanerges and Barnabas Quarles, Francis, 1592-1644. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A56943 of text R39728 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing Q51). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. 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A56943) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 107815) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1642:10) Boanarges and Barnabas, or, Judgment and mercy for afflicted soules containing of [brace] meditations, soliloquies, and prayers / by Francis Quarles. Boanerges and Barnabas Quarles, Francis, 1592-1644. [10], 226 [i.e. 218] p. Printed by Rich. Cotes for Richard Royston, and Richard Lownes, and are to bee sold at the Vnicorn ..., London : 1646. Added engraved t.p. Errors in paging: p. 19 misnumbered 15, p. 101-108 omitted in numbering, p. 206-207 misnumbered 196-197. Reproduction of original in the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign Campus). Library. eng Devotional literature. Meditations. A56943 R39728 (Wing Q51). civilwar no Boanarges and Barnabas: or Judgement and mercy for afflicted soules. Consisting of meditations. Soliloquies. and prayers. By Francis Quarles Quarles, Francis 1646 31244 136 0 0 0 0 0 44 D The rate of 44 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2005-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-06 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-07 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2005-07 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion I Will sing of Iudgment and Mercy Ps : 101 : 1. BOANERGES & BARNABAS Or Iudgment & Mercy for afflicted Soules Printed for R : Lowndes at the Vnicorne on Ludgat hill ouer against Bell Sauage 1646 BOANARGES AND BARNABAS : OR Judgement and Mercy for afflicted Soules . Consisting of Meditations . Soliloquies . and Prayers . By FRANCIS QUARLES . London , Printed by Rich. Cotes for Richard Royston , and Richard Lownes , and are to bee sold at the Vnicorn on Ludgate-hill over against . Bel savage , 1646. TO My most Gracious SOVERAIGN King CHARLES . SIR , I Beleeve you to bee such Patron of Vertue , that if this Treatise had the least probability of cherishing Vice , my Conscience durst not admit a thought of this Dedication to your Majesty . But my own Reason ( seconded by better approbations ) assures mee these Disquisitions and Prayers are like to beget grace in those where it was not , and confirm it where it was . And being so usefull , I dare not doubt your Patronage of this child , which survives a Father whose utmost abilities were ( till death darkened that great light in his soule ) sacrificed to your service . But , if I could question your willing protection of it , I might strengthen my Petition for it , by an unquestionable commendation of the Authors publisht Meditations , in most of which ( even those of Poetry begun in his youth ) there are such tinctures of Piety , and Pictures of devout Passions , as gain'd him much love , and many Noble Friends . One of that number ( which is not to bee numbred ) was the Religious , Learned , Peaceable , Humble Bishop of Armagh ; whom I beseech God to blesse , and make your Majesty and him , in these bad , sad times , instruments of Good to this distracted , distemper'd Church and State . This is my unfained Prayer ; and I doubt not but all that wish well to Sion , will seale it with their Amen . Your Majesties Poor and most Faithfull Subject , RICHARD ROYSTON . The Preface . Reader , IT is thought fit to say this little , and but this little , of the Author and his Book . He was , ( for I speake to those that are strangers to his extraction & breeding ) a branch of a deserving family , and the son of a worthy father : his education was in the Universities , and Innes of Court , but his inclination was rather to divine studyes then the law . This appears in most of his publisht books , ( which are many ) but I thinke in none more then this , which was finisht with his life . Wherein the Reader may behold ( according to the arguments undertaken by the Author ) what passions , and in what degrees those passions have possest his soul , and whether , grace have yet allayed , or expel'd them , ( those that are inconsistible with vertue ) from the strong hold of his affections . Such this Treatise is , & being such , I commend it to the Reader , and this wish with it , that those many ( too many ) writers who mistake malice for zeal , and ( being transported ) speak evill of government , and meddle with things they understand not , Iud 8 , 10. forgetting there is such sinnes as sedition and heresie , ( sins which Saint Paul , Gal. 5. 20. 21 parallels with murther and witchcraft ) would change their disputes into devout meditations , such as these be ; in which the pious man shall see vertue adorned with beautifull language , and vice so presented as 't is not like to infect the minde , nor corrupt the conscience . The method , the arguments , the stile , all speak M. Quarles the Author of the Book , and the book speaks his commendations so much , that I need not commend it ▪ but I do thee to God . Farewell The Table . Meditation I. The Sensuall mans Solace . Pag. 9. His Sentence . 12 His Proofs . 13 His Soliloquie . 14 His Prayer . 16 Meditation II. The Vain-glorious mans Vaunt , &c. 19 Meditation III. The Oppressors Plea , &c. 29 Meditation IV. The Drunkards Jubile , &c. 40 Meditation V. The Swearers Apologie , &c. 50 Meditation VI . The Procrastinat●rs Remora's , &c. 60 Meditation VII . The Hypocrites Prevarication , &c. 70 Meditation VIII . The ignorant mans Faultering , &c. 80 Meditation IX . The Slothfull mans slumber , &c. 90 Meditation X. The proud mans Ostentation , &c. 109 Meditation XI . The Covetous mans Care , &c. 119 Meditation XII . The Self-lovers Self-fraud , &c. 130 Meditation XIII . The Worldly mans Verdour , &c. 141 Meditation XIIII . The Lascivious mans Heaven , &c. 151 Meditation XV . The Sabbath-breakers Profanation , &c. 161 Meditation XVI . The Censorious mans Crimination , &c. 172 Meditation XVII . The Liers fallacies , &c. 182 Meditation XVIII . The Revengeful mans rage , &c. 193 Meditation XIX . The Secure mans Triumph , &c. 204 Meditation XX . The Presumptuous mans Felicities , &c. 215 The sensuall Mans solace . COme , let 's be merry , and rejoyce our souls in frolick and in fresh delights : Let 's skrue our pamper'd hearts a pitch beyond the reach of dulbrowd sorrow : Let 's passe the slow-pac'd time in melancholy-charming mirth , and take the advantage of our youthfull dayes : Let 's banish care to the dead Sea of Phlegmatick old age : Let a deep sigh be high Treason , and let a solemne looke bee adjudg'd a Crime too great for Pardon . My serious studies shall bee to draw mirth into a Body , to analyse laughter , and to paraphrase upon the various Texts of all delights . My recreations shall bee to still pleasure into a Quintessence , to reduce Beautie to her first principles , and to extract a perfect innocence from the milk-white Doves of Venus . Why should I spend my precious minutes in the sullen and dejected shades of sadnesse ? or ravell out my short liv'd dayes in solemn and heart-breaking Care ? Houres have Eagles wings , and when their hasty flight shall put a period to our numbred dayes , the world is gone with us , and all our forgotten joyes are left to be enjoyed by the succeeding generations , and we are snatcht we know not how , we know not whither ; and wrapt in the dark bosome of eternall night . Come then my soule ; be wise , make use of that which gone , is past recalling , and lost , is past redemption : Eate thy bread with a merry heart , and gulp down care in frolique cups of liberall wine . Beguile the tedious nights with dalliance , and steepe thy stupid senses in unctious , in delightfull sports . 'T is , all the portion that this transitory world can give thee : Let Musick , Voices , Masques and midnight Revels , and all that melancholy wisdome censures vaine , bee thy delights . And let thy care-abjuring soul cleare up and sweeten the short dayes of thy consuming youth . Follow the ways of thy owne heart , and take the freedome of thy sweet desires : Leave not delight untryed , and spare no cost to heighten up thy lusts . Take pleasure in the choice of pleasures , and please thy curious eyes with all varieties , to satisfie thy soule in all things which thy heart desires . I , but my soule , when those evill dayes shall come wherein thy wasting pleasures shall present their Items to thy bedrid view , when all diseases and the evils of age shall muster up their Forces in thy crazie bones , where be thy comforts then ? His Sentence . COnsider O my soule , and know that the day will come , and after that another , wherein for all these things God will bring thee to judgment , Eccles. 11. 9. Prov. 14. ●3 . Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull , and the end of that mirth is heavinesse . Eccles. 2. 2. I said in my heart , Goe to now , I will prove thee with mirth , and therefore enjoy pleasure , and behold this also is vanity ; I said of laughter , it is mad ; and of mirth , what doth it ? St. James . Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton ; ye have nourished your hearts as in the day of slaughter . Eccles. 7. 4. The heart of the wise man is in the house of mourning ; but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth . His Proofes . Isid. in Synonymis . Pleasure is an inclination to the unlawful objects of a corrupted mind , allured with a momentary sweetnes . Hugo . Sensuality is an immoderate indulgence of the flesh , a sweet poyson , a strong plague , a dangerous potion which effeminates the body , and enerves the soule . Cass. Lib. 4. Ep. They are more sensible of the burthen of affliction , that are most taken with the pleasures of the flesh . His Soliloquy . VVHat hast thou now to say O my soule , why this judgment , seconded with divine proofes , backt with the harmony of holy men , should not proceed against thee ? Dally no longer with thy owne salvation , nor flatter thy owne corruption : Remember , the wages of flesh are sin , and the wages of sinne , death : God hath threatned it , whose judgements are terrible ; God hath witnessed it , whose words are Truth . Consider then my soul , and let not momentarie pleasures flatter thee into eternity of torments : How many , that have trod thy steps , are now roaring in the flames of hell ! and yet thou triflest away the time of thy repentance . O my poor deluded soul , presume no longer , repent to day , lest to morow come too late : Or couldst thou ravell out thy dayes beyond Methusalem , tell me alas , what will eternity be the shorter for the deduction of a thousand yeers ? Be wisely provident therefore O my soul , and bid vanity , the common sorceresse of the world farewell ; life and death are yet before thee : Chuse life , and the God of life will seal thy choice . Prostrate thy self before him who delights not in the death of a sinner , and present thy petitions to him who can deny thee nothing in the name of a Saviour . His Prayer . O God , in the beauty of whose holinesse is the true joy of those that love thee , the full happinesse of those that fear thee , and the onely rest of those that prize thee ; In respect of which , the transitory pleasures of the world are lesse then nothing , in comparison of which the greatest wisdom of the world is folly , and the glory of the earth but drosse and dung ; How dare my boldnesse thus presume to presse into thy glorious presence ? What can my prayers expect but thy just wrath and heavie indignation ? O what return can the tainted breath of my polluted lips deserve , but to bee bound hand and foot , and cast into the flames of Hell ? But Lord the merits of my Saviour are greater then the offences of a sinner , and the sweetnesse of thy mercy exceeds the sharpnesse of my misery : The horrour of thy judgments have seized upon me , and I languish through the sense of thy displeasure ; I have forsaken thee the rest of my distressed soule , and set my affections upon the vanity of the deceitfull world . I have taken pleasure in my foolishnesse , and have vaunted my self in mine iniquity , I have flattered my soule with the hony of delights , whereby I am made sensible of the stink of my affliction ; wherefore I loath , and utterly abhor my self , and from the bottom of my heart repent in dust & ashes . Behold O Lord , I am impure and vile , and have wallowed in the puddle of mine own Corruptions ; The Sword of thy displeasure is drawn out against me , and what shal I plead O thou preserver of mankind ? Make me a new Creature O my God , and destroy the Old man within me . Remove my affections from the love of transitory things , that I may run the way of thy Commandements . Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity , and make thy testimonies my whole delight . Give mee strength to discern the emptiness of the creature , and inebriate my heart with the fulness of thy joyes . Bee thou my portion O God , at whose right hand stand pleasures for ever more . Be thou my refuge and my shield , and suffer mee not to sinke under the corruptions of my heart ; let not the house of mirth beguile me , but give me a sense of the evil to come . Accept the free-will offerings of my mouth , and grant my petitions for the honour of thy Name , then will I magnifie thy mercies O God , and praise thy name for ever and ever . The Vain-glorious mans vaunt . VVHat tell'st thou me of Conscience , or a pious life ? They are good trades for a leaden spirit that can stand bent at every frown , and want the braines to make a higher Fortune , or courage to atchieve that honour which might glorifie their names , and write their memories in the Chronicles of Fame . 'T is true , Humility is a needfull gift in those that have no quality to exercise their pride ; and patience is a necessary grace to keep the world in peace , and him that hath it , in a whole skin , and often proves a vertue born of meer necessity . And civil honesty is a fair pretence for him that hath not wit to act the Knave , and makes a man capable of a little higher stile then Foole . And blushing modesty is a pretty innocent quality , and serves to vindicate an easie nature from the imputation of an il-breeding . These are inferiour Graces that have got a good opinion in the dull wisdome of the world , and appeare like water among the elements to moderate the body Politique , and keep it from combustion , nor doe they come into the work of honour . Virtue consists in Action , and the reward of action is Glory . Glory is the great soule of the little world , and is the Crowne of all sublime attempts , and the point whereto the crooked wayes of policy are all concentrick . Honour consults not with a pious life . Let those that are ambitious of a Religious reputation , abjure all honorable Titles , and let their dough-bak'd spirits take a pride in suf-ferance , ( the Anvile of all injuries ) and bee thankfully baffled into a quiet pilgrimage . Rapes , murthers , treasons , dispossessions , riots , are veniall things to men of honour , and oft co-incident in high pursuits . Had my dull Conscience stood upon such nice points ; that little honour I have wonne had glorified some other arme , and left me begging Morsells at his Princely gates . Come , come , my soule , Id factum juvat quod fieri non licet . Fear not to doe , what crownes thee being done . Ride on with thy Honour , and create a name to live with faire Eternity . Enjoy thy purchas'd Glory as the merit of thy renowned Actions , and let thy memory entaile it to succeeding Generations . Make thy owne game , and if thy conscience correct thee , check thy saucy Conscience , till shee stand as mute as metamorphos'd Niobe . Feare not the frownes of Princes , or the imperious hands of various Fortune . Thou art too bright for the one to obscure , and too great for the other to cry downe . His Verdict . BUt harke my soule , I heare a voice that thunders in mine eare I will change their glory into shame , Hos. 4. 7. Psal. 49. 20. Man that is born in honour , and understandeth not , is like the beasts that perish . Prov. 25. 27. It is not good for to eate too much boney , so for men to search their own glory , is not glory . Jer. 9. 23. Thus saith the Lord : Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom , neither let the mighty man glory in his might , nor let the rich man glory in his riches : But let him that glorieth , glory in this , that he understandeth and knoweth mee that I am the Lord . Gal. 5. 26. Let us not bee desirous of vain-glory , &c. His Proofes . St. August . The vain glory of the world is a deceitfull sweetness , an unfruitfull labour , a perpetuall fear , a dangerous bravery , begun without providence , and finished not without repentance S. Greg. He that makes transitory honour the reward of a good worke , sets eternall glory at low rate . His Soliloquie . VAin-glory is a Froth , which blowne off , discovers a great want of measure : Canst thou O my soul , be guilty of such an emptinesse , and not bee challeng'd ? Canst thou appeare in the searching eye of heaven , and not expect to be cast away ? deceive not thy self O my soul , nor flatter thy self with thy own greatnesse . Search thy self to the bottome , and thou shalt find enough to humble thee : Dost thou glory in the favour of a Prince ? The frown of a Prince determines it . Dost thou glory in thy strength ? A poor Ague betrayes it . Dost thou glory in thy wealth ? the hand of a thiefe extinguishes it . Dost thou glory in thy friends ? One cloud of adversity darkens it . Dost thou glory in thy parts ? thy own pride obscures it . Behold my soul , how like a Bubble thou appearest , and with a sigh break into sorrow ; the gate of heaven is strait ; canst thou hope to enter without breaking ? The Bubble that would passe the Floodgates must first dissolve : My soule melt then in tears , and empty thy self of all thy vanity , and thou shalt find divine repletion ; evaporate in thy Devotion , and thou shalt recruit thy greatnesse to eternall Glory . His Prayer . ANd can I choose O God but tremble at thy judgements , or can my stony heart not stand amazed at thy threatnings ? It is thy voice O God , and thou hast spoken it : It is thy voice O God , and I have heard 〈◊〉 Hadst thou so dealt by me , as thou didst by Babels proud King , and driven me from the sons of Men , thou hadst but done according to thy righteousnesse , and rewarded mee according to my deservings : What couldst thou see in mee lesse worthy of thy vengeance then in him , the example of thy justice ? Or Lord , wherein am I more uncapable of thy indignation ? There is nothing in me to move thy mercy but in misery . Thy goodness is thy selfe , and hath no ground but what proceedeth from it self , yet have I sinned against that goodnesse , and have thereby heaped up wrath against the day of wrath ; that insomuch , had not thy Grace abounded with my sin , I had long since bin confounded in my sin , and swallowed up in the gulph of thy displeasure . But Lord , thou takest no delight to punish , & with thee is no respect of persons : thou takest no pleasure in the confusion of thy creature , but rejoycest rather in the conversion of a sinner . Convert mee therefore O God , I shall be then converted : make me sensible of my own corruptions , that I may see the vilenesse of my own condition . Pull downe the pride of my ambitious heart ; humble mee thou O God , and I shall bee humbled : Weane mee from the thirst of transitory honour , and let my whole delight bee to glory in thee : Touch thou my conscience with the feare of thy name , that in all my actions I may fear to offend thee : endue me O Lord with the spirit of meeknesse , and teach me to overcome evill with a patient heart : moderate and curb the exorbitances of my passion , and give me temperate use of all thy creatures . Replenish my heart with the graces of thy Spirit , that in al my ways I may be acceptable in thy sight . In all conditions give me a contented minde , and upon all occasions grant me a gratefull heart , that honouring thee here in the Church militant before men , I may be glorified hereafter in the Church triumphant before thee & Angels , where filled with true glory according to the measure of grace thou shalt be pleased to give me here , I may with Angels and Archangels praise thy Name for ever and ever . The Oppressors Plea . I Seeke but what 's my owne by Law : It was his owne free Act and Deed : The execution lies ● for goods or body , and goods or body I will have , or else my money . What if his beggerly children pine , or his proud wife perish ? They perish at their own charge , not mine , and what is that to mee ? I must be paid , or he lie by it untill I have my utmost farthing , or his bones . The Law is just and good , and being ruled by that , how can my faire proceedings bee unjust ? What 's thirty in the hundred to a man of Trade ? Are we born to thrum Caps , or pick straws ? and sell our livelihood for a few teares , and a whining face ? I thanke God they move mee not so much as a howling Dog at midnight : I 'le give no day , if heaven it selfe would bee security ; I must have present money , or his bones . The Commodities were good enough , as wares went then , and had he had but a thriving wit , with the necessary help of a good merchantable Conscience , hee might have gained perchance as much as now hee lost ; but howsoever , gaine , or not gaine , I must have my mony . Two tedious Termes my dearest gold hath laine in his unprofitable hands . The cost of Suit , hath made me bleed above a score of Royals , besides my Interest , travel , half pints , and bribes ; all which does but encrease my beggerly defendants damages , and sets him deeper on my score ; but right 's right , and I will have my money , or his bones . Fifteen shillings in the pound composition ? I le hang first . Come , tell not mee of a good Conscience , a good conscience is no parcell of my Trade ; it hath made more Bankrupts , then all the loose wives in the universall City . My conscience is no foole . It tells mee that my owne 's my owne , and that a well-cramm'd bagge is no deceitfull friend , but will stick close to mee , when all my friends forsake mee : If to gaine a good Estate out of nothing , and to regaine a desperate debt , which is as good as nothing , be the fruits and sign of a bad conence , God help the good . Come , tell not mee of griping and Oppression . The world is hard , and he that hopes to thrive , must gripe as hard : What I give , I give ; and what I lend , I lend : If the way to heaven bee to turne begger upon earth , let them take it that like it , I know not what ye call Oppression . The Law is my direction ; but of the two , it is more profitable to oppresse , then to bee opprest . If debtors would bee honest and discharge , our hands were bound ; but when their failing offends my bags , they touch the Apple of my eye , and I must right them . His Punishment . BUt hah ! what voice is this that whispers in mine eare , The Lord will spoil the soul of the Oppressors , Prov. 22. 23. Pro. 21. 22. Rob not the poor , because he is poore , neither oppresse the afflicted in the gates , for the Lord wil plead their cause , and spoile the soule of those that have spoyled him . Ezek. 22. 19. The people of the land have used oppression , and exercised Robbery , and have vexed the poor and needy ; yea , they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully . Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them , I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath . Zach. 7. 9. Execute true judgement , and shew mercy & camp●ssion on every man to his brother , and oppresse not the widow nor the fatherlesse , nor the stranger , nor the poore , and let none of you imagine evill in your hearts against his brother . But they refused to hearken ; therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts . His Proofes . Bernard , p. 1691. We ought so to care for our selves , as not to neglect the due regard of our neighbour . Bern. ibid. He that is not mercifull to another , shall not find mercy from God ; but if thou wil'st bee mercifull and compassionate , thou shalt bee a benefactor to thy owne soule . His Soliloquy . IS it wisdom in thee O my soul to covet a happinesse , or rather to account it so , that is sought for with a judgement , obtained with a Curse , and punished with damnation ; And to neglect that good which is assured with a promise , purchased with a blessing , and rewarded with a Crowne of Glory ? Canst thou hold a full estate , a good pennyworth , which is bought with the deare price of thy Gods displeasure ? Tell mee , what continuance can that Inheritance promise that is raised upon the ruines of thy Brother ? Or what mercy canst thou expect from heaven , that hast denyed all mercy to thy Neighbour O my hard-hearted soul consider , and relent : Build not an house whose posts are subject to be rotted with a curse : Consider what the God of truth hath threatned against thy cruelty ; Relent , and turn compassionate , that thou mayst be capable of his compassion on . If the desire of Gold hath hardened thy heart , let the tears of true Repentance mollifie it ; soften it with Aarons oyntment , untill it become wax to take the impression of that seale which must confirme thy Pardon . His Prayer . BUt will my God bee now entreated ? Is not my crying sin too loud for pardon ? am I not sunk too deep into the jaws of Hell , for thy strong arme to rescue ? Hath not the hardnesse of my heart made me uncapable of thy compassion ? O if my teares might wash away my sin , my head should turne a living Spring : Lord I have heard thee speake and am affraid ; the word is past , and thy judgements have found me out . Fearfulnesse and trembling are come upon mee , and the Jaws of hell have overwhelmed mee : I have oppressed thy poore , and added affliction to the afflicted , and the voyce of their misery is come before thee . They besought mee with teares , and in the anguish of their souls , but I have stopt mine ears against the cry of their complaint . But Lord , thou walkest not the ways of man , and remembrest mercy in the middest of thy wrath , for thou art good and gracious , and ready to forgive , and plenteous in compassion to all that shall call upon thee . Forgive mee O God my sins that are past , and deliver me from the guilt of my Oppression : Take from mee O God this heart of stone , and create in my breast a heart of flesh : Asswage the vehemency of my desires to the things below , and satisfie my soul with the sufficiency of thy Grace . Inflame my affections , that I may love thee with a filiall love , and incline me to relie upon thy fatherly providence : Let me account godlinesse my greatest gaine , and subdue in me my lusts after filthy lucre . Preserve me O Lord from the vanity of self-love , and plant in my affections the true love of my neighbours : Endue my heart with the bowells of compassion , and then reward me according to thy righteousnesse : Direct mee O God in the wayes of my life , and let a good Conscience be my continuall comfort . Give me a willing heart to make restitution of what I have wrongfully gotten by oppression . Grant me a lawfull use of all thy Creatures , and a thankfull heart for all thy benefits . Be mercifull to all those that groan under the burden of their owne wants , and give them patience to expect thy deliverance : Give me a heart that may acknowledge thy favours , and fill my tongue with praise and thanksgiving , that living here a new life , I may become a new creature , and being ingraffed in thee by the power of thy grace , I may bring forth fruit to thy honour and glory . The Drunkards Jubile . VVHat Complement will the severer world allow to the vacant houres of frolique-hearted youth ! How shall their free , their joviall spirits entertain their time , their friends ! What Oyle shall bee infused into the lampe of deare society , if they deny the priviledge of a civill rejoycing Cup ? It is the life , the radicall humour of united soules , whose love-digested heat even ripens and ferments the greene materialls of a plighted faith ; without the help whereof new married friendship fals into divorce , and joyn'd acquaintance soon resolves into the first Elements of strangenesse . What mean these strict Reformers thus to spend their hou●e-glasses , and bawle against our harmless Cups ? to call our meetings Riots , and brand our civil mirth with stiles of loose Intemperance ? where they can sit at a sisters Feast , devoure and gurmundize beyond excesse , and wipe the guilt from off their marrowed mouths , and cloath their surfeits in the long fustian robes of a tedious Grace : Is it not much better in a faire friendly Round ( since youth must have a swing ) to steep our soule-afflicting sorrows in a chirping Cup , then hazard our estates upon the abuse of providence in a foolish cast at Dice ? Or at a Cockpit leave our doubtfull fortunes to the mercy of unmercifull contention ? Or spend our wanton dayes in sacrificing costly presents to a fleshly Idoll ? Was not Wine given to exhilarate the drooping hearts , and raise the drowzie spirits of dejected souls ? Is not the liberall Cup the Sucking-bottle of the sons of Phebus , to solace and refresh their palats in the nights of sad Invention ? Let dry-brain'd Zelots spend their idle breaths , my cups shall be my cordialls to restore my care-befeebled heart to the true Temper of a well-complexioned mirth : My solid Braines are potent , and can beare enough , without the least offence to my distempered Senses , or interruption of my boon companions : My tongue can in the very Zenith of my Cups deliver the expressions of my composed thoughts with better sense , then these my grave Reformers , can their best advised prayers , My Constitution is potproofe , and strong enough to make a fierce encounter with the most stupendious vessell that ever sailed upon the tides of Bacchus . My reason shrinks not ; my passion burns not . His Judgement . O But my soule , I heare a threatning voyce that interrupts my language , Woe bee to them that are mighty to drinke Wine , Esa. 5. 22. Prov. 20. 1. Wine is a mocker , strong drink is raging , and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise . Esay 5. 11. Woe be to them that rise up early in the morning to follow strong drink that continue till night , untill wine enflame them . Prov. 23. 20. Be not amongst wine-bibbers . 1 Cor. 5. 1. Now I have written unto you , not to keep company , if any that is called a brother be a drunkard , with such a one , no not to eate . His Proofs . Aug. in lib. pen . Whilst the drunkard swallows wine , wine swallowes him ; God disregards him , Angels despise him , Men deride him , vertue declines him , the devill destroyes him . Aug. ad sac . virg. Drunkennesse is the mother of all evill , the matter of all mischiefe , the wel-spring of all vices , the trouble of the senses , the tempest of the tongue , the shipwracke of chastity , the consumption of time , a voluntary madnesse , the corruption of manners , the distemper of the body , and the destruction of the soul , His Soliloquy . MY soule , it is the voice of God digested into a judgment : There is no kicking against Pricks , or arguing against a divine Truth : Pleadest thou Custome ? Custome in finne multiplies it : Pleadest thou society ? Society in the offence , aggravates the punishment : Pleadest thou help to invention ? Woe be to that barennesse that wants such shouers : Pleadest thou strength to beare much wine Woe to those that are mighty to drinke strong drinke : My soule , thou hast sinned against thy Creator in abusing that creature hee made to serve thee : Thou hast sinned against the creature , in turning it to the Creators dishonour : Thou hast sinned against thy self , in making thy comfort thy confusion . How many want that blessing thou hast turn'd into a curse ? How many thirst , whilst thou surfeitest ? What satisfaction wilt thou give to the Creator , to the Creature , to thy selfe ; against all whom thou hast transgrest ? To thy selfe , by a sober life ; to the Creature , by a right use ; to thy Creator , by a true repentance ; the way to all which , is Prayer and Thanksgiving . His Prayer . HOw truly then , O God , this heavie woe belongs to this my boasted sin ? How many judgments are comprised and abstracted in this woe , and all for mee , even me O God , the miserable subject of thy eternall wrath ; Even mee O Lord , the marke whereat the shafts of thy displeasure levell ? Lord , I was a sinner in my first conception , and in sinne hath my mother brought me forth ; I was no sooner , but I was a slave to sin , and all my life is nothing but the practise and the trade of high rebellion : I have turn'd thy blessings into thy dishonor , and all thy graces into wantonnesse : Yet hast thou been my God even from the very wombe , and didst sustaine mee when I hung upon my mothers breast : Thou hast washed mee O Lord from my pollution , but like a Swine I have returned to my mire . Thou hast glaunced into my breast the blessed motions of thy holy Spirit , but I have quenched them with the springtides of my born corruption . I have vomited up my filthinesse before thee , and like a dog have I returned to my vomit . Be mercifull O God unto me , have mercy on me O thou son of David ; I cannot O Lord expect the childrens bread , yet suffer mee to lick the crums that fall beneath their table ; I that have so oft abused the greatest of thy blessings am not worthy of the meanest of thy favors . Look , look upon me according to the goodnesse of thy mercy , and not according to the greatnesse of my offences . Give me O God a sober heart , and a lawfull moderation in the enjoyment of thy Creatures . Reclaim my appetite from unseasonable delights , lest I turn thy blessings into a curse : In all my dejections be thou my comfort , and let my rejoycing be onely in thee . Propose to mine eyes the evilnesse of my days , and make mee carefull to redeem my time : Wean me from the pleasure of vain society , and let my companions bee such as feare thee ; Forgive all such as have been partners in my sinne , and turn their hearts to the obedience of thy laws . Open their eares to the reproofs of the wise , and make them powerfull in reformation . Allay that lust which my intemperance hath inflam'd , and cleanse my affections with the grace of thy good Spirit ; make me thankfull for the strength of my body , that I may for the time to come return it to the advantage of thy glory . The Swearers Apologie . VVIll Boanarges never cease ? And will these Plague-denouncers never leave to thunder judgements in my trembling eare ? Nothing but plagues ? Nothing but judgements ? Nothing but damnation ? What have I done to make my case desperate ? And what have they not done to make my soul despaire ? Have I set up false Gods like the Egyptians ? or have I bowed before them like the Israelites ? Have I violated the Sabbath like the Libertines ? Or like cursed Cham , have I discovered my Fathers nakednesse ? Have I imbrued my hands in blood like Barabbas ? Or like Absolon defiled my fathers bed ? Have I like Jacob supplanted my elder brother ? Or like Ahab intruded into Nabals vineyard ? Have I born false witnesse like the wanton Elders ? Or like David coveted Vriahs wife ? Have I not given tithes of all I have ? Or hath my purse been hidebound to my hungry brother ? Hath not my life beene blamelesse before men ? and my demeanor unreprovable before the world ? Have I not hated Vice with a perfect hatred ? and countenanc'd Vertue with a due respect ? What meane these strict observers of my life , to ransack every action , to carp at every word , and with their sharp censorious tongues to sentence every frailty with damnation ? Is there no allowance to humanity ? No grains to flesh and blood ? Are we all Angels ? Has mortality no priviledge to supersede it from the utmost punishment of a little necessary frailty ? Come , come , my soul , let not these judgement-thunderers fright thee : Let not these qualmes of their exuberous zeal disturbe thee : Thou hast not cursed like Shimei , nor rail'd like Rabshekah , nor lied like Ananias , nor slander'd like thy accusers . They that censure thy gnats swallow their own camels . what if the luxuriant stile of thy discourse doe chance to strike upon an obvious Oath , art thou straight hurried into the bosome of a Plague ? What if the custome of a harmlesse oath should captivate thy heedlesse tongue , can nothing under sudden judgment seiz upon the ? what if anothers diffidence should force thy earnest lips into a hasty oath , in confirmation of a suffering truth , must thou be straight ways branded with damnation ? was Ioseph mark'd for everlasting death , for swearing by the life of Egypts King ? was Peter when he so denyed his master , straight damn'd for swearing , and forswearing ? O flatter not thy self my soul , nor turn thou Advocate to so high a sin : Make not the slops of Saints a precedent for thee to fall . His Arraignment . IF the rebukes of flesh may not prevail , heare then the threatening of the Spirit which saith , The Plague shalt not depart from the house of the swearer . Exod. 20. 7. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain , for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse , that taketh his name in vain . Zach. 5. 3. And every one that sweareth shal be 〈◊〉 off . Swear not at all , neither by heaven , for it is Gods throne , nor by the earth , for it is his foot stoole : But let your communication be yea , yea , nay nay , for whatsoever is more then these , commeth of evill , Mat. 5. 34. Jer. 23. 10. Because of swearing the Land mourneth . His Proofes . Aug. in Ser. The murtherer killeth the body of his brother , but the swearer murthers his own soule . Aug. in Psal. 88. It 's well that God hath forbidden man to sweare , lest by custome of swearing ( in as much as wee are apt to mistake ) we commit perjury : there 's none but God can safely sweare , because there 's no other but may be deceived . August , de Mendacio . I say unto you , Sweare not at all , lest by swearing ye come to a facility of swearing ; from a facility to a custome , and from a custome ye fell into perjury . His Soliloquie . OWhat a judgement is here ▪ How terrible ! How full of Execution ! The Plague ? the extract of all diseases ? none so mortall , none so comfortlesse ! It makes our house a Prison , our friends strangers ; No comfort but in the expectation of the moneths end : I , but this judgement excludes that comfort too , The plague shal ne'r depart from the house of the swearer ; What never ? death will give it a period : No , but it shall bee intail'd upon his house , his family : O detestable ! O destructive sin ! that leaves a Crosse upon the dores of Generations , and layes whole families upon the dust : A fin whereto , neither profit incites , nor pleasure allures , nor necessity compels , nor inclination of nature perswades ; a meer voluntary , begun with a malignant imitation , and continued with an habituall presumption . Consider O my soul , every Oath hath been a naile to wound that Saviour , whose blood ( O mercy above expression ! ) must save thee : Be sensible of thy Actions , and his sufferings : Abhor thy self in dust and ashes , and magnifie his mercy that hath turn'd this judgment from thee . Goe wash those wounds which thou hast made , with teares , and humble thy self with prayer & true repentance . His Prayer . ETernall and omnipotent God , before whose glorious name Angels , and Archangels bow and hide their faces , to which the blessed Spirits and Saints of thy triumphant church sing forth perpetuall Hallelujah's , I a poor Sprig of disobedient Adam doe here make bold to take that holy name into my sin-polluted lips : I have hainously sinned O God against thee , and against it ; I have disparaged it in my thoughts , dishonoured it in my words , profaned it in my actions , and I know thou art a jealous God , and a consuming fire , as faithfull in thy promises , so fearfull in thy judgements , I therefore fly from the dreadfufll Name of Jehovah , which I have abused , to that gracious name of Jesus , wherein thou art well pleased ; in that most sacred name O God , I fall before thee , and for his beloved sake O Lord I come unto thee . Cleanse thou my heart O God , and then my tongue shall praise thee : Wash thou my soule , O Lord , and then my lips shall blesse thee . Work in my heart a feare of thy displeasure , and give me an awfull reverence of thy Name . Set thou a watch before my lips , that I offend not with my tongue ; Let no respects intice me to be an instrument of thy dishonour ; and let thy attributes be precious in mine eyes , teach me the way of thy Precepts , O Lord , and make me sensible of all my offences : let not my sinful custome in finning against thy Name take from my guilty soule the sense of my sin : Give mee a respect unto all thy Commandements , but especially preserve me from the danger of this my bosome sin . Mollifie my heart at the rebukes of thy servants , and strike into my inward parts a feare of thy judgements : Let all my communication bee order'd as in thy presence , and let the words of my mouth bee governed by thy Spirit . Avert those judgments from me which thy Word hath threatned , and my sin hath deserved , and strengthen my resolution for the time to come ; Work in me a true godly sorow , that it may bring forth in me a newnesse of life . Sanctifie my thoughts with the continual meditation of thy Commandements , and mortifie those passions which provoke mee to offend thee . Let not the examples of others induce me to this sin , nor let the frailties of my flesh seek figleaves to cover it . Seal in my heart the full assurance of thy reconciliation , and look upon me in the bowells of compassion , that crowning my weak desires with thy all-sufficient power , I may escape this judgement which thy justice hath threatned here , and obtaine that happinesse thy mercy hath promised hereafter . The Procrastinators Remora's . TEll me no more of fasting , prayer , and death ; they fill my thoughts with dumps of Melancholy . These are no subjects for a youthful ear , no contemplation for an active soul : Let them whom sullen Age hath weaned from aery pleasures , whom wayward fortun● hath condemn'd to sighs and groanes , whom sad diseases have beslaved to drugs and diets ; let them consume the remnant of their wretched dayes in dull devotion : Let them afflict their aking soules with the untunable discourses of mortality ; Let them contemplate on evill dayes , and read sharp Lectures of their own experience : For me , my bones are full of unctious marrow , and my blood of sprightly youth : My faire and free estate secures me from the feares of fortunes frowne . My strength of constitution hath the power to grapple with sorrow , sicknesse , nay , the very pangs of death , and overcome . 'T is true , God must bee sought ; What impious tongue dare be so basely bold to contradict so known a truth ? and by repentance too : What strange impiety dare deny it ? Or what presumptuous lips dare disavow it ? But there 's a time for all things , yet none p●efixt for this , no day designed , but , At what time soever : If my unseasonable heart should seek him now , the work would bee too serious for so green a seeker . My thoughts are yet unsetled , my fancy yet too too gamesome , my judgment yet unsound , my Will unsanctified ; to seeke him with an unprepared heart is the high way not to find him , or to find him with unsetled resolution is the next way to lose him ; and indeed it wants but little of profanenesse , to bee unseasonably religious . What is once to bee done , is long to bee deliberated . Let the boyling pleasures of the rebellious flesh evaporate a little , and let me draine my boggy soul from those corrupted , inbred humors of collapsed nature , and when the tender blossomes of my youthfull vanity shall begin to fade , my setled understanding will begin to knot , my solid judgement will begin to ripen , my rightly guided will be resolved , both what to seek , and when to find , and how to prize : till then , my tender youth , in her pursuit , will bee disturb'd with every blast of honour , diverted with every f●ash of pleasure , misled by Counsell , turned back with feare , puzled with doubt , interrupted by passion , withdrawne with prosperity , and discourag'd with adversity . His Repulse . TAke heed my soule , when thou hast lost thy self in thy journey , how wilt thou finde thy God at thy journeys end ? Whom thou hast lost by too long delay , thou wilt hardly find with too late a diligence . Take time while time shall serve , that day may come wherein Thou shalt seek the Lord , but shalt not finde him , Hos. 5. 6. Esay 55. 6. Seek the Lord while he may be found , call upon him while ne is neare . Heb. 12. 17. Hee found no place for repentance , though he sought it with tears carefully . Thou fool , this night will I take thy soule from thee . Revel. 2. 21. I gave her a space to repent , but shee repented not ; Behold therefore I will cast her . His Proofs . Greg. lib. Mor. Seek God whilst thou canst not see him , for when thou seest him , thou canst not find him ; seek him by hope , and thou shalt finde him by faith : In the day of grace hee is invisible , but neare ; in the day of judgement he is visible , but far off . Ber. Ser. 24. If we would not se●k God in vaine , l●t us seek him in truth , often , and constantly , let us not seeke another in stead of him , nor any other thing with him , nor for any other thing , leave him . His Soliloquie . O My soul , thou hast sought wealth , and hast either not found it , or cares with it ; thou hast sought for pleasure , and hast found it , but no comfort in it : Thou soughtest honour and hast found it , and perchance fallen with it ; Thou soughtest friendship , and hast found it false ; society , and hast found it vaine ; And yet thy God , the fountaine of all wealth , pleasure , honour , friendship and society , thou hast slighted as a toy not worth the finding : Be wise my soule , and blush at thy own folly . Set thy desires on the right obj●ct : Seek wisdom , and thou shalt find knowledge , and wealth , and honour , and length of days : Seek heaven , and earth shall seek thee ; and deferre not thy Inquest , lest thou lose thy opportunity : to day thou maist find him , whom to morrow thou mayst seek with teares and misse : Yesterday is too late , to morrow is uncertain , to day is onely thine : I , but my soule , I feare my too long delay hath made this day too late ; fear not my soul , he that has given thee his Grace to day , will forget thy neglect of yesterday , seek him therefore by true repentance , and thou shalt finde him in thy Prayer . His Prayer . O God , that like thy precious Word art hid to none , but who are lost , and yet art found by all that seek thee with an upright heart , cast downe thy gracious eye upon a lost sheep of Israel , strayed through the vanity of his unbridled youth , and wandred in the wildernesse of his own invention . Lord , I have too much delighted in mine own ways , and have put the evil day too far from me ; I have wallowed in the pleasures of this deceitfull world , which perish in the using , & have neglected thee my God , at whose right hand are pleasures for ●vermore : I have drawn on iniquity , as with cart-ropes , and have committed evill with greedinesse : I have quencht the motions of thy good spirit ; and have delayed to seek thee by true and unfained repentance : In stead of seeking thee whom I have lost , I have withdrawne my self from thy presence when thou hast sought me . It were but justice therefore in thee to stop thine eares at my petitions , or turn my Prayers as sin into my bosome : But Lord , thou art a gracious God , and full of pity and unwearyed compassion , and thy loving kindnes is from generation to generation : Lord , in not seeking thee , I have utterly lost my self , and if thou find me not , I am lost for ever , and if thou find me , thou canst not but find me in my sins , and then thou find'st me to my owne destruction . How miserable O Lord is my condition ! How necessary is my confusion ! that have neglected to seek thee , and therefore am afraid to bee found of thee . But Lord , if thou look upon the all-sufficient merits of thy Son , thy justice will bee no loser in shewing mercy upon a sinner ; In his name therefore I present my self before thee ; in his merits I make my humble approach unto thee ; in his name I offer up my feeble Prayers ; for his merits grant me my petitions . Call not to minde the rebellions of my flesh , and remember not O God the vanities of my youth ; Inflame my heart with the love of thy presence , and relish my meditations with the pleasure of thy sweetnesse . Let not the consideration of thy justice overwhelm me in despaire , nor the meditation of thy mercy perswade mee to presume . Sanctifie my will by the wifdome of thy Spirit , that I may desire thee as the chiefest good . Quicken my desires with a fervent zeale , that I may seeke my Creator in the dayes of my youth ; ●each mee to seeke thee according to thy will , and then bee found according to thy promise , that living in mee here by thy grace , I may hereafter raign with thee in glory . The Hypocrites prevarication . THere is no such stuffe to make a cloake on as Religion ; nothing so fashionable , nothing so profitable ; it is a Livery , wherein a wise man may serve two Masters , God and the world , and make a gainefull service by either : I serve both , and in both my selfe , in prevaricating with both . Before man none serves his God with more severe devotion , for which , among the best of men I work my own ends , and serve my self . In private I serve the world , not with so strict devotion , but with more delight , where fulfilling of her servants lusts I work my end , and serve my self ; The house of Prayer who more frequents then I ? in all Christian duties who more forward then I ? I fast with those that fast , that I may eat with those that eat : I mourne with those that mourne : No hand more open to the Cause then mine ; and in their families none prayes longer and with louder zeale : Thus when the opinion of a holy life hath cryed the goodnesse of my Conscience up , my trade can lack no custome , my wares can want no price , my words can need no credit , my actions can lack no praise . If I am covetous , it is interpreted providence ; if miserable , it is counted temperance ; if melancholy , it is construed godly sorrow ; if merry , it is voted spirituall joy ; if I bee rich , 't is thought the blessing of a godly life ; if poor , supposed the fruit of conscionable dealing ; if I be well spoken of , it is the merit of holy conversation ; if ill , it is the malice of Malignants ; thus I sail with every winde , and have my end in all conditions . This Cloake in Summer keepes mee cool , in winter warm , and hides the nasty Bag of all my secret lusts : Under this Cloake I walk in publik fairly , with applause , and in private sin-securely , without offence , and officiate wisely without discovery ; I compasse sea and land to make a Proselyte , and no sooner made , but hee makes me . At a Fast I cry Geneva , and at a Feast I cry Rome . If I be poor , I counterfeit abundance to save my credit ; if rich , I dissemble poverty to save charges . I most frequent Schismaticall Lectures , which I find most profitable , from whence learning to divulge and maintaine new doctrines , they maintaine mee in suppers thrice a weeke ; I use the help of a lie , sometimes as a Religious stratagem to uphold the Gospel , and I colour oppression with Gods judgement executed upon the wicked . Charity I hold an extraordinary duty , therefore not ordinarily to be performed . What I openly reprove abroad for my own profit , that I secretly act at home , for my owne pleasure . His Woe . BUt stay , I see a handwriting in my heart damps my soul , 't is charactered in these sad words , Woe be to you hypocrites , Mat. 23. 13. The triumphing of the wicked is short , and the joy of the bypocrite is but for a moment , Job 20. 5. Job 15. 34. The congregation of the hypocrites shall be desolate . Psal. 11. 9. An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor , but through knowledge shall the just be delivered . Luke 12. 1. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisc●s , which is hypocrisie . Job 36. 13. The hypocrites in heart heape up wrath , they die in their youth , and their life is amongst the unclean . His Proofes . Salvian . de Gubern . Dei . l. 4. The hypocrites love not those thing ▪ they professe , and what they pretend in words , they disclaime in practise ; their sin is the more damnable , because ushered in with pretence of piety , having the greater guilt , because it obtaines a goodly repute . Hieron. Ep. Endeavour rather to be , then to be● thought holy ; for what profits i● thee to be thought to be what th●● art not ? and that man doubles hi● guilt , who is not so holy as the world thinks him , and counterfeit● that holinesse which he hath not . His Soliloquie . HOw like a living Sepulcher did I appeare ! without , beautified with gold and rich inventions ; within , nothing but a loathed corruption ; so long as this fair Sepulcher was clos'd , it past for a curious Monument of the Builders Art , but being opened by these spirituall Keyes , 't is nothing but a Recepta●le of offensive putrefaction : In what a nasty dungeon hast thou my soule , so long remain'd unstifled ? How wer 't thou wedded to thy owne corruptions , that couldst endure thy unsavoury filthinesse ? The world hated me , because I seemed good ; God hated mee , because I onely seemed good : I had no friend but my self , and this friend was my bosome enemy : O my soul , is there water enough in Iordan to clense thee ? Hath Gilead Balme enough to heale thy superannuated sores ? I have sinned , I am convinced , I am convicted ; Gods mercy is above Dimensions , when sinners have not sinned beyond repentance : art thou my soule truly penitent for thy sin ? Thou hast free interest in his mercy ; fall then my soule before his Mercy seat , and he will crown thy penitence with his pardon . His Prayer . O God! before the brightnes of whose All-discerning eye , the secrets of my hearts appeare , before whose cleare omniscience the very entralls of my soul lie open , who art a God of righteousnesse and truth , and lovest uprightnesse in the inward parts : How can I chuse but feare to thrust into thy glorious presence , or move my sinfull lips to call upon that Name which I so often have dishonoured , and made a Cloake to hide the basenesse of my close transgressions ? Lord , when I look into the progresse of my filthy life , my guilty conscience calls mee to so strict account , and reflects to mee so large an Inventory of my presumptuous sins , that I commit a greater sinne in thinking them more infinite then thy mercy . But Lord , thy mercies have no date , nor is thy goodnesse circumscribed . The gates of thy compassion are alwayes open to a broken heart , and promise entertainment to a contrite spirit ; the burthen of my sinnes is grievous , and the remembrance of my hypocrisie is intolerable : I have sinned against thy Majesty with a high hand , but I repent mee from the bottome of an humble heart : As thou hast therefore given mee sorrow for my sinnes , so crowne that gift in the freenesse of remission : Bee fully reconcil'd to me , through the all-sufficient merits of thy Sonne my Saviour , and seal in my afflicted heart the full assurance of thy gratious favour : Be thou exalted O God above the heavens , and let mee praise thee with a single heart ; cleanse thou my inward parts O God , and purifie the closet of my polluted soul ; fix thou my heart O thou searcher of all secrets , and keep my affections wholly to thee . Remove from mee all by and base respects , that I may serve thee with an upright spirit : take not the word of trueth out of my mouth , nor give me over to deceitfull lips : Give mee an inward reverence of thy Majesty , that I might openly confesse thee in the truth of my sincerity . Be thou the only object , and end of all my actions , and let thy honour be my great reward : Let not the hopes of filthy lucre , or the praise of men incline mee to thee , neither let the pleasures of the world , nor the feares of any losse entice me from thee . Keep from mee those judgements my hypocrisie hath deserved , and strengthen my resolution to abhorre my former life : Give mee strength O God to serve thee with a perfect heart in the newnesse of life , that I may bee dellvered from the old man , and the snares of death : then shall I praise thee with my entire affections , & glorifie thy name for ever and e●r . The Ignorant mans faltering . YOu tell mee , and you tell me that I must be a good man , and serve God , and doe his will ; and so I doe for ought I know : I am sure I am as good as God has made mee , and I can make my self no better , so I cannot : And as for serving God , I am sure I go to Church as well as the best in the Parish , though I bee not so fine ; and I make no question , if I had better cloathes , but I should doe God as much credit as another man , though I say it : And as for doing Gods will , I befhrew mee , I leave that to them that are booke-learn'd , and can doe it more wisely : I beleeve the Vicar of our Parish can doe it , and has done it too , as well as any within five miles of his head , and what need I trouble my selfe to doe what is so well done already ? I hope hee being so good a Churchman , and so great a Schollard , and can speake Latine too , would not leave that to so simple a man as I. It is enough for mee to know , that God is a good man ; and that the ten Commandements are the best prayers in all the book , unlesse it be the Creede . And that I must love my neighbour as well as he loves mee , and for all other Quilicoms , they shall never trouble my braines , an grace a God . Let mee goe a sundayes and serve God , obey the King , ( God blesse him ) doe no man no wrong , say the Lords Prayer every morning and evening ; follow my worke , give a Noble to the poore at my death , and then say Lord have mercy upon mee , & go away like a Lambe , I make no question but I shall deserve heaven as well as hee that weares a gayer coate : But yet I am not so ingrant neither , nor have not gone so often to Church , but I know Christ died for mee too , as well as for any other man : I 'de bee sorry else ; and that , next to our Vicar , I shall goe to heaven when a I am dead as soone as another ; nay more , I know there bee two Sacraments , bread and wine , and but two , ( though the Papists say there be six or seven ) and that I verily beleeve I shall be saved by those Sacraments , and that I love God above all , or else 't were pity of my life , and that when I am dead and rotten ( as our Vicar told mee ) I shall rise again and be the same man I was . But for that , hee must excuse mee , till I have better sartifaction ; for all his learning , hee cannot make me such a fool , unlesse he shew me a better reason for 't , then yet he has done . His Award . BUt one thing hee told mee , now I think on 't , troubles me woundly , namely , that God is my Master , all which I confesse ; and that I must do his will ( whether I know how to doe it or no ) or else it will goe ill with me : I le read it ( he said ) out of Gods Bible , and I shall remember the words so long as I have a day to live , which are these , Hee that knoweth not his masters will , and doth things worthy of stripes , shall be beaten with few stripes , Luke 12. 48. 1 Cor. 14. 20. Brethren be not children in understanding , howbeit in malice be ye children , but in understanding be men . His Proofs . 1 Cor. 15. 34. Awake to righteousnesse and sin not , for some have not the knowledge of God , I speak it to your shame . Ephes 4. 18. Walk not in the vanity of your minds having the understanding darkened , being alienated from the life of God , through the Ignorance which is in you , because of the blindnesse of your hearts . Levit. 5. 17. And if a soule sin and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the Commandments of the Lord , though be wis● it not , yet is hee guilty , and shall beare his iniquity . 2 Thes. 1. 7 , 8. The Lord Jesus shall bee revealed from heaven , with his mighty Angels , in flaming fire , taking vengeance on them that know not God . Greg. Mag. Moral . It is good to know much , and to live well ; but if we cannot attain both , it is better to desire piety then wisdome , for knowledge makes no man happy , nor doth blessednesse consist in intellectuals . The onely brave thing is a religious life . Just . Mart. Resp. ad orthod. To sin against knowledge , is so much the greater offence then an ignorant trespasse , by how much the crime which is capable of no excuse ▪ is more hainous then the fault which admits a tolerable plea . His Soliloquie . HOw wel it had been for thee O my soule , if I had bookelarnd ; Alas I cannot read , and what I heare , I cannot understand ; I cannot profit as I should ; and therefore cannot be as good as I would , for which I am right sorry : That I cannot serve as wel as my betters , hath bin often a great griefe to mee , and that I have beene so ignorant in good things , hath been a great heart-breaking unto mee : I can say no prayers for want of knowledge to read , but Our Father , and the Creed : But the comfort is , God knows my heart , but I trust in God [ Our Father ] being made by Christ himselfe , will be enough for mee that know not how to make a better . I endeavour to doe all our Vicar bids me ; and when I receive the Communion , I truly forgive all the world for a fortnight after , or such a matter , but then some old injury makes mee forget my selfe , but I cannot help it , an my life should lie on t . O my ingrant soule , what shall I doe to bee saved ? All that I can say , is , Lord have mercy upon me ; and all that I can doe , is , but to doe my good will , and that I le doe with all my heart , and say my prayers too as well as God will give me leave , an grace a God . His Prayer . O God the Father of heaven have mercy upon me miserable sinner ; I am , as I must needs confesse , a sinfull man , as my forefathers were before mee : I have heard many Sermons , and have had many good lessons from the mouths of painfull Ministers , but through the dulnesse of my understanding , and for want of learning I have not profited so much as else I should have done : spare me therefore O God , spare me whom thou hast redeemed with thy pretious blood , and bee not angry for ever : I must confesse the painfulnesse of my calling , and the heavinesse of my own nature hath taken from mee the delight of hearing thy Word , and the ignorance of learning which I was never brought up to , hath kept me from reading it , that insomuch , in stead of growing better I feare I have grown worse and worse ; and have bin so far from doing thy will , that I doe not understand what thy will is very well . But thou O mercifull God that didst reveale thy self to poore Shepherds and Fishermen that had no more learning then I , have mercy upon me for Jesus Christ his sake . Thou that hast promised to instruct the simple , and to lead the ignorant into thy way , be good and mercifull to mee I beseech thee ; Thou that drawest the needy out of the dust , and the poore out of the dunghill , give me the knowledge of thy will , and teach me how to serve thee : Take from me the drowzinesse of my heart , open mine eyes that I may see the truth , and mine eares that I may understand thy Word , and strengthen my memory that I may lay it up in my heart , and shew it in my life and vocation , to thy glory and my comfort , and the comfort of my friends . Lord write thy wil in my heart , that when I know it , I may doe it willingly : O teach mee what thy pleasure is , that I may doe my best to performe it . Give mee faith to lay hold of Christ , who died for me , that after I am dead , I may arise againe , and live with him . Give me a good heart that I may deale honestly with all men , and do as I would be done to . Blesse me in my calling , and prosper the labour of my hands , that I may have enough to feed me and cloath me , and to give to the poore . Mend all that is amisse in mee , and expect from me according to the measure thou hast given mee . Forgive mee all my sins , and make mee willing to please thee , that living a good life , I may make a gratious death , and so at last I may come to heaven and live for ever , for Jesus Christ his sake , Amen . The slothfull mans slumber . O What a world of Curses , the eating of the forbidden fruit hath brought upon mankind ! and unavoidably entail'd upon the sons of men ! Among all which no one appeares to mee more terrible and full of sorrow , and bewraying greater wrath , then that insufferable , that horrible punishment of labour , and to purchase Bread with so extreame a price as sweat : But O what hap , what happinesse have they , whose dying Parents have procured a quiet fortune for their unmolested Children , and conveigh'd descended rents to their succeeding heirs , whose easie and contented lives may sit and suck the sweetnesse of their cumberless estates , and with their folded hands enjoy the delicates of this toilsome world ! How blessed , how delicious are those easie morsells , that can finde the way to my soft palat , and then attend upon the wanton leasure of my silken slumbers , without the painfull practise of my bosome-folded hands , or sad contrivement of my studious and contracted Brows ! Why should I tire my tender youth , and torture out my groaning dayes in toyle and travell ? and discompose the happy peace of my harmonious thoughts with painfull grinding in the common mill of dull mortality ? Why should I rob my craving eyelids of their delightfull rest , to cark and care and purvey for that Bread which every work-abhorring vagabond can finde of Almes at every good mans doore ? Why should I leave the warm protection of my care-beguiling Doune , to play the droyling drudge for daily food , when the young empty Ravens ( that have no hands to worke , nor providence , but heaven ) can call and be supplyed ? The pale fac'd Lilly , and the blushing Rose , neither spinnes nor sows , yet Princely Solomon was never robed with so much glory . And shall I then afflict my body , and beslave my heaven-born soule to purchase Rags to cloath my nakednesse ? Is my condition worse then Sheep , ordain'd for slaughter , that crop the springing grasse , cloath'd warme in soft Arrayment , purchas'd without their Providence or pains ? Or shall the Pamper'd Beast that shines with fatnesse , and grows wanton through his carefull Groomes indulgence , find better measure at the worlds too partiall hands then I ? Come , come , let those take pains that love to leave their names inrol'd in memorablemonuments of parchment ; the day has grief enough without my helpe ; and let To morrowes shoulders beare to morrows burthens . BUt stay my soule , O stay thy rash resolves , take heed whilst thou avoid the punishment of sin , labour , thou meet not the reward of idlenesse , a judgement ; The idle foule shall suffer hunger , Prov. 19. 15. Eccles. 10. 18. By much slothfulnes the building decayeth , and through idlenesse of the hands the house droppeth thorough . Exod. 16. 49. Behold , this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodome , pride , fulnesse of Bread , and abundance of idleness was in her , and in her daughters , neither did shee strengthen the hand of the poore and needy . Prov. 6. 6 , 7 , 8. Go to the Pismire O sluggard , behold her wayes , and be wise . For she having no guide , governour , nor ruler , prepareth her meat in Summer , and gathereth her food in harvest . His Proofes . Nilus in Paraenes . Idlenesse is the wombe or fountain of all wickednesse ; for it consumes and wasts the riches and vertues which we have already , and disinables us to get those we have not . Nilus in Paraen . Woe be to the idle soule , for he shall hunger after that which his riot consumed . His Soliloquy . HOw presumptuously hast thou my soul , transgrest the expresse Commandement of thy God! How hast thou dasht thy self against his judgements ! How hath thy undeserving hand usurpt thy diet , and wearest on thy back the wages of the painefull soule ! Art thou not condemned to Rags , to Famine , by him whose law commanded thee to labour ? And yet thou pamper'st up thy sides with stollen food , and yet thou deck'st thy wanton body with unearn'd ornaments ; whiles they that spend their daily strength in their commanded callings ( whose labour gives them interest in them ) want Bread to feed , and Rags to cloath them . Thou art no young Raven my soule , no Lilly : Where ability to labour is , there providence meets action , and crowns it : He that forbids to cark for to morrow , denies Bread to the Idlenesse of to day : Consider , O my soule thy owne delinquency , and let imployment make thee capable of thy Gods protection : The Bird that sits , is a faire mark for the Fowler , while they that use the wing escape the danger ; follow thy calling , and heaven will follow thee with his Blessing : What thou hast formerly omitted , present repentance may redeeme , and what judgements God hath threatned , early Petitions may avert . His Prayer . MOst great and most glorious God , who for the sin of our first parents hast condemned our fraile bodies to the punishment of labour , and hast commanded every one a Calling and a Trade of life , that hatest idlenesse as the root of evill , and threatnest poverty to the slothfull hand ; I thy poore suppliant convicted by thy judgments and conscious of my own transgression , fly from my self to Thee , and humbly appeale from the high Tribunall of thy Justice , and seek for refuge in the Sanctuary of thy Mercy : Lord , I have led a life displeasing to thee , and have been a scandall to my profession ; I have slighted those Blessings which thy goodnesse hath promised to a conscionable calling , and have swallowed downe the Bread of idlenesse ; I have impaired the Talent thou gavest me , and have lost the opportunity of doing much good● I have filled my heart with idle imaginations , and have laid my selfe open to the lusts of the flesh● I have abused thy favours in the misexpending of my precious time , and have taken no delight in thy Sabbaths ; I have doted too much on the pleasures of this world , and like a Droane have fed upon the hony of Bees . If thou O God shouldst be extreme to search my wayes with too severe an eye , thou couldst not choose but whet thy indignation , and powre the vialls of thy wrath upon me : look therefore not upon my sins , O Lord , but through the merits of my Saviour , who hath made a full satisfaction for all my sins : what through my weaknesse I have fail'd to doe , the fulnesse of his sufferings hath most exactly done ; In him O God in whom thou art well pleased , and for his sake bee gracious to my sin ; Alter my heart and make it willing to please thee , that in my life I may adorne my profession : Give me a care and a conscience in my calling , and grant thy blessing to the lawfull labours of my hand ; Let the fidelity of my vocation improve my Talent , that I may enter into my Masters joy ; Rouze up the dulnesse and deadnesse of my heart , and quench those flames of lust within mee . Assist mee O God in the redemption of my time , and deliver my soule from the evilnesse of my dayes ; Let thy Providence accompany my moderate endeavours , and let all my employments depend upon thy Providence , that when the labours of this sinfull world shall cease , I may feel and enjoy the benefit of a good conscience , and obtain the rest of new Jerusalem in the Eternity of glory . The proud mans Ostentation . I 'Le make him feel the weight of displeasure , and teach him to repent his saucy boldnesse : How dare his basenesse once presume to breath so near my person , much more to take my name into his dunghill mouth ? me thinks the lustre of my sparkling eye might have had the power to astonish him into good manners , and sent him backe to cast his minde into a fair Petition , humbly presented with his trembling hand . But thus to presse into my presence , to presse so neer my face , and then to speake , and speake to me , as if I were his equall , is more then sufferable : The way to be contemn'd is to digest contempt , but he that would be honour'd by the vulgar must wisely keep a distance : A countenance that 's reserv'd breeds fear and observation : but affability and too easie an accesse makes fooles too bold , and reputation cheap : What price I set upon my owne deserts , instructs opinion how to prize me : That which base ignorance miscalls thy pride , is but a conscious knowledge of thy merits : dejected soules craven'd with their own distrusts , are the worlds Footballs to be kickt and spurnd ; but brave and true heroick spirits , that know the strength of their owne worth , shall baffold basenesse , and presumption into a reverentiall silen●e , and spi●e of envie flourish in an honourable repute Come then my soule advance thy noble , thy ub●imer thoughts , and prize thy ●elf according to tho●e parts , which all may wonder at , ●ew imitate , but none can equall : Let not the insolent affronts of vassals interrupt thy Peace , nor seem one scruple lesse then what thou art : Be thou thy selfe , respect thy selfe , receive thou honour from thy selfe , Rejoyce thy self in thy self , and prize thy selfe for thy selfe ; Like Cesar admit no equall and like Pompey acknowledge no superiour . Be covetous of thine owne Honour , and hold anothers glory as thy injury . Renounce humilitie as an Heresie in reputation , and meeknesse as the worst disease of a true-bred noble Spirit ; Disparage worth in all but in thy selfe , and make anothers infamy a foyl to magnifie thy glory . Let such as have no reason to be proud , be humbled of necessity , and let them that have no parts to value , be despondent . But as for thee , thy Cards are good , and having skill enough to play thy hopefull Game , vie boldly , conquer and triumph . His Desolation . BUt stay my soule , the Trump is yet unturn'd , boast not too soon , nor call it a faire day till night , the turning of a hand may make such alterations , in thy flattering fortunes , that all thy glorious expectations may chance to end in losse , and unsuspected ruine . That God which thrust that Babylonian Prince from his Imperiall Throne , to graze with beasts , hath said , The Lord will destroy the house of the proud , Prov. 15. 25. Prov. 11. When pride cometh , then cometh shame , but with the lowly is wisedome . Ier. 11. 15. Heare ye , and give eare , and be not proud , for the Lord hath spoken . Esay 2. 12. The day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud , and lofty , and upon every one that is lifted up , and he shall be brought low . Prov. 16. 5. Every one that is proud in heart is abomination to the Lord . St. James . God rejecteth the proud , and giveth grace to the simple . His Proofs . Isidor . Hispal . Pride made Satan fall from the highest heaven , therefore they that pride themselvs in their virtues , imitate the Devill ; and fall more dangerously , because they aspire and climbe to the highest pitch , from whence is the greatest fall . Greg. Mor. Pride grows stronger in the root whilst it braves it selfe with presumptuous advances , yet the higher it climbes the lower it fals : for he that heightens himselfe by his owne pride , is alwaies destroyed by the judgement of God . His Soliloquy . HOw wert thou muffled O my soule ! How were thine eies blinded with the corruption of thine owne heart ! When I beheld my selfe by my own light , I seem'd a glorious thing ; My sunne knew no eclipse . and all my imperfections were gilded over with vain-glory : But now the day-spring from above hath shind upon my heart , and the diviner light hath driven away those foggy mists ; I finde my selfe another thing : My Diamonds are all turn'd Pebbles , and my glory is turnd to shame . O my deceived soule , how great a darknesse was thy light ? The thing that seemd so glorious , and sparkled in the night , by day appeares but rotten wood : and that bright Glow-worme , that in darknesse out shined the Chrysolue , is by this new-found light no better then a crawling worm : How inseparable O my soule is pride and f●lly which like Hippocrates twins still live and die together ? It blinds the eye , befools the judgement , knows no superiours , hates equals , disdaines inferiours , the wisemans scorne , and the fooles Idoll ; Renounce it O my soule , lest thy God renounce thee ; He that hath threatned to resist the proud , hath promised to give grace to the humble and what true Repentance speaks , free mercy heares and crownes . His Prayer . O God the fountain of all true Glory , and the giver of all free grace , whose Name is onely honourable , and whose workes are onely glorious , that shewest thy wayes to be meek , and takest compassion upon an humble spirit , that hatest the presence of a lofty eye , and destroyest the proud in the imaginations of their hearts , vouchsate , O Lord , thy gracious eare and hear the sighing of a contrite heart : I know O God the quality of my sin can look for nothing but the extremity of thy wrath : I know , the crookednesse of my condition can expect nothing but the Fornace of thy indignation ; I know , the insolence of my corrupted nature can hope for nothing but the execution of thy judgements : Yet Lord , I know withall , thou art a gracious God , of evill repenting thee , and slow to wrath ; I know thy nature and property is to shew compassion ; apt to conceive but readier to forgive : I know thou takest no pleasure in destruction of a sinner , but rather that hee should repent and live : In confidence and full assurance whereof I am here prostrate on my bended knees , and with an humbleheart : Nor doe I presse into thy holy presence , trusting in my own merits , lest thou shouldest deale by me as I have dealt by others , but being encouraged by thy gracious invitation , and heavy laden with the burthen of my sinnes , I come to thee O God , who art the refuge of a wounded soule , and the Sanctuary of a broken spirit : Forgive , O God , forgive me , what is past recalling , and make me circumspect for the time to come : Open mine eyes that I may see how vaine a thing I am , and how polluted from my very birth : Give me an insight of my owne corruptions , that I may truly know , and loath my selfe . Take from me all vaine-glory , and self love , and make me carelesse of the worlds applause : Endue me with an humble heart , and take this haughty spirit from me ; Give me a true di●covery of my owne merits , that I may truely fear and tremb●e at thy judgements . Let not the worlds contempt deject me , nor the disrespects of man dismay me . Take from mee O God a scornfull eye and curb my tongue that speaks presumptuous things : Plant in my heart a brotherly love , and cherish in me a charitable affection ; Possesse my my soule with patience O God . and establish my heart in the feare of thy name , that being humbled before thee in the meeknesse of my spirit , I may be exalted by thee through the freenesse of thy Grace , and crowned with thee in the Kingdome of Glory . The Covetous Mans care . BEleive me , the Times a●e hard and dangerous : Charity is grown cold , and friends uncomfortable ; an empty Purse is full of sorrow , and hollow Bags make a heavy heart : Poverty is a civill Pestilence , which frights away both friends and kindred , and leaves us to a Lord have mercy upon us : It is a sicknes very catching and infectious , and more commonly abhord then cured : The best Antidote against it is Angelico , and Providence , and the best Cordiall is Aurum potabile . Gold-taking fasting is an approved soveraigne . Debts are all humours , and turne at last to dangerous obstructions ; Lending is a meer consumption of the radicall humour , and if consumed , brings a patient to nothing . Let others trust to Courtiers promises , to friends performances , to Princes favours ; Give me a Toy call'd Gold give me a thing call'd Mony . O blessed Mammon , how extreamly sweet is thy all-commanding presence to my thriving soule ! In banishment thou art my deare companion ; In captivity , thou art my precious ransome . In trouble and vexation thou art my dainty rest . In sicknes , thou art my health ; In griefe , my only joy ; in all extremity , my only trust : Vertue must vaile to thee ; Nay Grace it self not relisht with thy sweetnes would even displeas the righteous palates of the sons of men . Come then my soul , advise , contrive , project : Go , compasse Sea , and Land : leave no exploit untryed , no path untrod , no time unspent ; afford thine eyes no sleep , thy head no rest : Neglect thy ravenous belly , uncloath thy backe ; deceive , betray , sweare and forsweare to compasse such a friend , If thou be base in birth , 't will make thee honorable ; If weak in power , it will make thee formidable : Are thy friends few ? It will make them numerous . Is thy cause bad ? It wi●l make thee Advocates . True wisedom is an excellent help , in case it bend this way ; and learning is a gentile Ornament if not too chargeable : yet by your leave they are but estates for term of life : But everlasting Gold , if well advantag'd will not onely blesse thy da●es , but thy surviving children from generation to g●neration . Come come et others fill their br●ines with deare bought wit , turn their pence in●o expence●ull charity , and store their bosomes with unprofitable p●ety , let them lose all to save their ●maginary consciences , and begger them●elves at home to be thought honest abroad ; Fill thou thy ●agg●s and barnes , and ay up for many ye●rs and take thy rest . His Proofs . BUt O my soule , what follows , wounds my heart and strikes me on my knees . Thou foole , this night will I take thy soul from thee , Luk. 12 , 20. Matth. 6. 24. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon . Job 20. 15. He hath swallowed down riches , and he shall vomit them up again : God shall cast them out of his belly . Prov. 15. 17. He that is greedy of gaine troubles his own house , but he that hateth gifts shall live . 2 Pet. 2. 3. Through covetousnesse they shall with feigned wo●ds make merchandize of you , whose judgement now of a long time ling●eth not , and whose damnation slumbreth not . Nilus in Paraenes . Woe to the covetous , for his riches forsake him , and hell fire takes him . Augustine O thou covetous man , why dost thou treasure up such hidden mischiefe ? why dost thou dote on the Image of the King stamped on coine , and hatest the Image of God that shines in men ? Augustine . The riches which thou treasurest up are lost , those thou charitably bestowest , are truly thine . His Soliloquy . VVHat thinkst thou now my soule ? If the judgement of holy men may not inform thee , let the judgements of thy angry God en●orce thee : Weigh thy owne carnall effections with the sacred Oracles of heaven , and light and darknesse are not more contrary . What thou approvest , thy God condemnes ; What thou desirest , thy God forbids : Now my soul , if Mammon be God , follow him ; if God be God , adhere to him ; Thou canst not serve God and Mammon . If thy conscience feele the hook , nibble no longer . Many sinnes leave thee in the way , this followes thee to thy lives end ; the root of evill , the canker of all goodnesse : It blinds Justice , poysons Charity , strangles Conscience , beslave● the affections , betrayes friendship , breaks all relations : It is a root of the Devils owne planting ; pluck it up : Think not that a pleasure which God hath threatned ; nor that a blessing which heaven hath cursed : Devoure not that which thou or thy heire must vomit up : Be no longer possest with such a Devill , but cast him out : and if he be too strong , weaken him by Fasting , and exorcize him by Prayer . His Prayer . O God that art the fulnesse of all riches , and the magazeen of all treasure in the enjoyment of whose favour the smalest morsell is a rich inheritance , and the coursest poulse is a large portion ; without whose blessing the greatest plenty enriches not , and the highest diet nourishes not : How have I ( an earthworm and no man ) fixt my whole heart upon this transitory world , and neglected thee the only desirable good ! I blush O Lord , to confesse the basenesse of my life , and am utterly asham'd of my own foolishnesse : I have placed my affections upon the nasty Rubbish of this world , and have slighted the inestimable Pearl of my Salvation ; I have wallowed in the mire of my inordinate desires , and refused to bee washt in the streams of thy compassion ; I have put my confidence in the faithfulnesse of my servant , and have doubted the providence of thee my gratious Father ; I have served unrighteous Mammon with greedinesse , and have preferred drosse and dung before the pearly gates of New Jerusalem . Thou hast promised to be all in all to those that fear thee , and not to fail the soul that trusts in thee ; but I refused thy gratious offer , and put my confidence in the vanity of the Creature : But gratious God ▪ to whom true Repentance never comes unseasonable , that findest an eare when sinners finde a tongue regard the contrition of a bleeding heart , and withdraw not thy mercy from a pensive soule . Give mee new thoughts O God , and with thy holy Spirit new mould my desires : inform my will and sanctify my affections , that they may rellish thy sweetnesse with a full delight : Create in me O God a spirituall sense , that I may take pleasure in things that are above : Give mee a contented thankfulnesse for what I have , that I may neither in poverty forsake thee , nor in plenty forget thee ; Arm me with a continuall patience , that I may chearfully put my trust in thy providence : Moderate my care for momentary things , that I may use the world as if I used it not : Let not the losse of any earthly good too much deject me , lest I should sinne with my lips , and charge thee foolishly : Give me a charitable hand O God , and fill my heart with brotherly compassion , that I may chearfully exchange the corruptible treasure of this world into the incorruptible riches of the world to come , and proving a faithfull steward in thy spirituall houshold , I may give up my account with joy , and be made partaker of thy eternall joy in the Kingdome of thy glory . The Self-lovers Self-fraud . GOd hath required my heart , and he shall have it : God hath commanded truth in the inward parts , and he shall be obeyed : My soule shall prayse the Lord , and all that is within me , and I will serve him in the strength of my desires . And in common Cases the tongues profession of his Name is no lesse then necessary : But when it lies upon a life , upon the saving of a livelyhood , upon the flat undoing of a reputation , the case is altered : My life is deare , my faire possessions pretious , and my reputation is the very Apple of mine eye . To save so great a stake , me thinks equivocation is but veniall , if a sinne . ●f the true loyalty of mine heart stands sound to my Religion and my God ; my well-informed Conscience tels me that in such extremities my frighted tongue may take the priviledge of a Salvo or a mentall reservation , if not in the expression of a faire compliance . What ? shall the reall breach of a holy Sabbath , dedicated to Gods highest glory , be tolerated for the welfare of an Oxe ? May that breach be set upon the score of mercy , and commended above sacrifice for the savegard of an Asse ? And may I not dispence with a bare lippe deniall of my urg'd Religion for the necessary preservation of the threatned life of a man ? for the saving of the whole livelyhood and subsistence of a Christian ? What ? shall I perish for the want of ●ood , and die a Martyr to that foolish conscience which forbids me to rub the eares of a little standing Corne ? Iacob could purchase his sick fathers blessing with a down-right lie , and may I not dissemble for a life ? The young mans great possessions taught his timerous tongue to shrink from and decline his hearts profession , and who could blame him ? Come , if thou freely give thy house , canst thou in conscience be denied a hiding room for thy protection ? The Syrian Captain ( he whose heart was fixt on his now firme resolv'd , and true devotion ) reserved the house of Rimmon for his necessary attendance , and yet went in peace . Peter ( upon the rock of whose confession , the Church was grounded ) to save his liberty , with a false , nay with a perjur'd tongue ; nay more , at such a time when as the Lord of life ( in whose behalf he drew his sword ) was questioned for his innocent life , denied his Master ; and shall I be so great an unthrift of my blood , my life , to lose it for a meere lippe-deniall of that Religion which now is setled and needs no blood to seale it ? His Retribution . BUt stay ! my conscience checks me , there 's a judgement thunders ; Hark ; He that denies me before men , him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven , Matth. 10. 33. 2 Tim. 3. 1 , 2. Know that in the latter dayes perillous times shall come : For men shall be lovers of their owne selves . Isai. 45. 23. I have sworn by my selfe , the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse , and shall not returne , that unto me every knee shall bow , and every tongue shall sweare . Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse , and with the mouth confession is made to salvation . Luke 9. 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words , of him shall the Son of man be ashamed , when he shall come in Glory . His Proofs . Augustine . The love of God and the world are two different things ▪ if the love of this world dwell in thee , the love of God forsakes thee ; renounce that , and receive this , it 's fit the more noble love should have the best place and acceptance . Theoph. It is n●t enough onely to beleeve with the heart , for God will have us confess with our mouth ; every one that confesses Christ is God , shall finde Christ professing to the Father that that man is a faithfull servant ; but those that deny Christ shall receive ( that fearful doom Nescio vos ) I know you not . His Soliloquy . MY soule , in such a time as this when the civill Sword is warme with slaughter , and the wasting kingdom welters in her blood , wouldst thou not give thy life to ransome her from ruine ? Is not the God of heaven and earth worth many kingdomes ? Is thy welfare more considerable then his glory ? dar'st thou deny him for thy owne owne ends , that denied thee nothing for thy good ? Is a poore clod of earth we call Inheritance , prizable with his greatnesse ? Or a puffe of breath we call life , valuable with his honour , in comparison of whom the very Angels are impure ? Blush O my soule at thy owne guilt : He that accounted his blood , his life not worth the keeping to ransome thee a wretch , lost by thy own rebellion , deserves he not the abatement of a lust , to keep him from a new crucifying ? My soule , if Religion binde thee not , if judgements terrifie thee not , if naturall affection incline thee not , yet let common reason perswade thee to love him above a trifle , that loved thee above his life : And thou that hast so often denied him , denie thy selfe for ever , and he will own thee ; repent and hee 'l pardon thee , pray to him and he will heare thee His Prayer . O God , whose glory is the end of my creation , and whose free mercy is the cause of my redemption , that gavest thy Sonne , thy onely Sonne to die for me , who else had perished in the common deluge of thy wrath ; What shall I render for so great a mercy ? What thankfulnesse shall I returne ●or so infinite a love ? Alas the most that I can do is nothing , the best that I can present is worse then nothing , sinne : Lord , if I yeeld my body for a sacrifice , I offer nothing but a lumpe of filth , and loathsome putrefaction ; or if I give my soul in contribution , I yeeld thee nothing but thy Image quite defaced and polluted with my lusts ; or if I spend the strength of the whole man , and with both heart and tongue confesse and magnifie thy Name ; how can the praises of my sinfull lips , that breath from such a sink , be pleasing to thee ? But Lord , since thou art pleased in thy well-pleasing Son to accept the poverty of my weak endeavours , send downe thy holy Spirit into my heart , clense it from the filth of my corruptions , and make it fit to praise thee : Lord open thou my mouth , and my lips shall shew forth thy praise Put a new song into my mouth , and I will praise thee and confesse thee all day long ; I will not hide thy goodnesse in my mouth , but will be showing forth thy truth , and thy salvation ; Let thy praises be my honour , and let thy goodnesse be the subject of my undaunted Song . Let neither reputation , wealth nor life be pretious to me in comparison with thee : Let not the worlds derision daunt mee nor examples of infirmity deject me : Give mee courage and wisedome to stand for thy honour ; O make mee worthy , able and willing to suffer for thy Name . Lord teach me to deny my selfe , and to resist the motions of my owne corruptions ; create in mee O God a single heart , that I may love the Lord Jesus in sincerity ; remember not O Lord the sinnes of my feare , and pardon the hypocrisie of my self-love . Wash me from the staines and guilt of this my hainous offence , and deliver me from this fearfull judgement thou hast threatned in thy Word : Convince all the Arguments of my unsanctified wit , whereby I have become an advocate to my sinne . Grant that my life may ador●e my profession , and make my tongue an instrument of thy glory . Assist me O God that I may praise thy goodnesse , and declare thy wonders among the children of men : Strengthen my faith that it may trust Thee ; and let my works so shine that men may praise thee ; That my heart beleeving unto righteousnesse , and my tongue confessing to salvation , I may be acknowledg'd by thee here , and glorified by thee in the Kingdome of glory . The Worldly Mans Verdour . FOr ought J see the case is even the same with him that prayes , and him that does not pray ; with him that sweares and him that feares an o●th : I see no difference ; if any , those that they call the wicked have the advantage . Their crops are even as faire , their flocks as numerous as theirs that weare the ground with their religious knees , and fast their bodies to a skelliton ; nay in the use of blessings ( which only makes them so ) they farre exceed ; they terme me reprobate , and stile me unregenerate : 'T is true , I eate my labours with a jolly heart ; drinke frolick cups ; sweeten my paines with time-beguiling sports , make the best advantage of my owne , pray when I thinke on 't , sweare when they urge me , hear Sermons at my leasure ; follow the lusts of my owne eyes , and take the pleasure of my own wayes ; and yet , God be thanked , my Barnes are furnisht , my sheep stand sound , my Cattle strong for labour , my pastures rich and flourishing my body healthfull , and my bags are full : whilst they that are so pure , and make such conscience of their wayes , that run to Sermons , figge to Lectures , pray thrice a day by the houre , hold faith and tr●th prophane , and drinking healths a sinne , do often finde leane harvests , easie flocks , and emptie purses : Let them be godly that can live on Aire and Faith ; and eaten up by Zeale , can whine themselves into an Hospi●all , or blesse their lips with charitable scrapps . If godlinesse have this reward , to have short meals for long prayers , weake estates for strong faiths , and good consciences upon such bad conditions , let them boast of their pennyworths , and let me be wicked still , and take my chance as falls . Let me have judgement to discover a profitable Farme , and wit to take it at an easie Rent , and Gold to stock it in a liberall manner , and skill to manage it to my best advantage , and luck to finde a good encrease , and providence to husband wisely what I gaine , I seek no further , and I wish no more . Husbandry and Religion are two severall occupations , and look two severall wayes , and he is the onely wise man can reconcile them . His Withering . BUt stay , my soule , I fear thy reckoning failes thee ; If thou hast judgement to discover ; wit , to bargaine ; Gold , to employ ; skill , to manage ; providence to dispose ; canst thou command the Clouds to drop ? or if a wet season meet thy Harvest , and with open sluces overwhelme thy hopes ; canst thou let downe the floodgates , and stop the watry Flux ? Canst thou command the Sunne to shine ? Canst thou forbid the Mildewes , or controll the breath of the Malignant East ? Is not this Gods sole Prerogative ? And hath not that God said , When the workers of iniquity doe flourish , it is that they shall bee destroyed for ever , Psal. 92. 13. Job . 21. 7. Wherefore do the wicked live , become old , ye are mighty in power ? 8. Their seed is establisht in their sight , and their off-spring before their eyes . 9. Their houses are safe from fear , neither is the wrath of God upon them . 10. Their Bull gendereth , and faileth not , their Cow calveth , and casteth not her Calfe . 21. They send forth their little ones like a flock , and their children daunce . 12. They take the Timbrell , and the Harp , and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ . 13. They spend their dayes in wealth , and in a moment they go downe to the Grave . His Proofs . Nil . in Paraenes . Wee be to him that pursues empty and fading pleasures : because in a short time he fats , and pampers himself as a Calf to the slaughter . Bernard . There is no misery more true and reall , then false and counterfeit pleasure . Hierom. It 's not onely difficult , but impossible to have heaven here and hereafter : To live in sensuall lusts , and to attain spirituall blisse ; to passe from one paradise to another , to be a mirrour of felicity in both worlds , to shine with glorious rayes both in this globe of earth , and the orbe of heaven . His Soliloquy . HOw sweet a feast is , till the reckoning come ! A fair day ends often in a cold night , and the road that 's pleasant , ends in Hell : If worldly pleasures had the promise of continuance , prosperity were some comfort ; but in this necessary vicissitude of good and evill , the prolonging of adversity sharpens it : It is no common thing , my soule , to enjoy two heavens : Dives found it in the present , Lazarus in the future : Hath thy encrease met with no damage ? thy reputation with no scandall ? thy pleasure , with no crosse ? thy prosperity , with no adversity ? Presume not : Gods checks are symptomes of his mercy : but his silence is the Harbinger of a judgement . Be circumspect , and provident my soule : Hast thou a faire Summer ? provide for a hard Winter : The worlds River ebbes alone ; it flowes not : Hee that goes merrily with the stream must hale up : Flatter thy selfe therefore no longer in thy prosperous sin , O my deluded soule ! but be truly sensible of thy own presumption : Look seriously into thy approaching danger , and humble thy self with true contrition : If thou procure sowre Herbs , God will provide his Passeover . His Prayer . HOw weake is man O God , when thou forsakest him ! How foolish are his Counsels , when he plots without thee ! How wild his progresse , when he wanders from thee ! How miserable till he returne unto thee ! How his wit failes ! How his wisedome falters ! How his wealth melts ! How his providence is befool'd ! and how his soule beslav'd ! Thou strik'st off the Chariot wheeles of his Inventions , and he is perplext : Thou confoundest the Babel of his imaginations , and he is troubled : Thou crossest his designes that he may feare thee , and thou stopst him in his wayes that he may know thee . How mercifull art thou O God , and in thy very judgements Lord how gracious ! Thou mightst have struck me into the lowest pit as easily as on these bended knees , and yet been justified in my confusion : But thou hast threatned like a gentle father , as loth to punish thy ungracious childe . Thou knowest the crooked thoughts of man are vaine , still turning point to their contrivers ruine ; Thou saw'st me wandring in the maze of death , whilst I with violence pursued my owne destruction : But thou hast warn'd me by thy sacred Word , and took me off that I might live to praise thee . Thou art my confidence O God ; Thou art the rock , the rocke of my salvation . Thy Word shall be my guide , for all thy paths are Mercy and Truth : Lord when I look upon my former worldlinesse , I utterly abhorre my conversation : strengthen mee with thy assistance , that I may lead a new life ; make me more and more sensible of my own condition , and perfect thou the good worke thou hast begun in me : In all my designes be thou my Counsellour , that I may prosper in my undertakings . In all my actions be thou my guide , that I may keep the path of thy Cōmandements , Let all my own devises come to nought , lest I presume upon the arme of flesh ; let not my wealth encrease without thy blessing , lest I be fatted up against the day of slaughter : Have thou a hand in all my just imployments , then prosper thou the worke of my hands , O prosper thou my handy-worke : That little I enjoy , confirme it to me , and make it mine , who have no interest in it till thou owne me as thy Child : Then shall my soule rejoyce in thy favours , and magnifie thy name for all thy mercies : Then shall my lips proclaim thy loving kindnesse , and sing thy praises for ever and ever . The lascivious mans Heaven . CAn flesh and blood bee so unnaturall to forget the Lawes of Nature ? Can blowing youth immure it selfe within the Icey walls of Vestall Chastity ? Can lusty diet , and mollicious rest bring forth no other fruits , but faint desires , rigid thoughts , and Phlegmatick , conceits ? should we be stocks and stones and ( having active souls ) turne altogether passives ? Must we turne Ancherites and spend our dayes in Caves , and Hermitages , and smother up our pretious hours in cloysterd folly , and recluse devotion ? Can rosy cheeks , can ruby lips , can snowy brests and sparkling eyes , present their beauties and perfections to the sprightly view of young mortality , and must we stand like Statues without sense or motion ? Can strict Religion impose such cruell tasks and even impossible commands upon the raging thoughts of her unhappy votaries , as to withstand and contradict the instinct , and very principles of Nature ? Can faire-pretending Piety be so barbarous to condemn us to the flames of our affections , and make us Martyrs to our own desires ? Is 't not enough to conquer the rebellious actions of imperious flesh , but wee must manacle her hands , darken her eyes ; nay worse , restrain the freedom of her very thoughts ? Can full perfection be expected here ? Or can our work bee perfect in this vale of imperfection ? This were a life for Angels , but a task too hard for frail , for transitory man . Come , come , wee are but men , but flesh and blood , and our born frailties cannot grapple with such potent tyranny . What Nature and Necessity requires us to doe , is veniall , being done . Come , strive no more against so strong a stream , but take thy fill of beauty ; solace thy wanton heart with amorous contemplations , cloathe all thy words with courtly Rhetorick , and soften thy lips with Dialects of Love ; Surfet thy selfe with pleasure , and melt thy passion into warm delights ; Walk into Natures universall Bower , and pick what Flower does most surprize thine eye ; drink of all waters , but bee tied to none . Spare neither cost nor paines , to compasse thy Desires : Enjoy varieties ; emparadise thy soule in fresh Delights . The change of pleasure makes thy pleasure double : Ravish thy senses with perpetuall choyce , and glut thy soule with all the delicates of Love . BUt hold ! there is a voyce that whispers in my troubled eare , a voyce that blanks my thoughts , and stops the course of my resolves ; a voyce that chils the bosom of my soul , and fils me with amazement : Hark , They which doe such things , shall not inherit the kingdom of God , Gal. 5. 21. Exodus 20 14 Thou shalt not commit Adultery . Matthew 5. 28. Whosoever looks upon a woman to lust after her , hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart Rom. 13. 13 Let us walk honestly as in the day , not in rioting , nor in drunkennesse , nor in chambering , nor in wantonnesse 1 Peter 2. 11. Abstain from fleshly lusts , which warre against the soule His Proofes . Nilus in Paraen . Woe be to the fornicator and adulterer , for his garment is defiled and spotted , and the heavenly Bridegroom casts him out from his chast nuptials . A world of presumptuous and haynous offences do arise and spring from the filthy fountain of adulterous lust , whereby the gate of heaven is shut , and poore man excluded from God . S Gregor. Mor. Hence the flesh lives in sensuall delights for a moment , but the immortall soule perisheth for ever His Soliloquy , LUst is a Brand of originall fire , raked up in the Embers of flesh and blood ; uncoverd by a naturall inclination , blown by corrupt communication , quencht with fasting and humiliation : It is raked up in the best , uncovered in the most , and blown in thee , O my lustfull soule ; O turn thy eare from the pleadings of Nature , and make a Covenant with thine eyes : Let not the language of D●lilah inchant thee , lest the hands of the Philistims surprize thee : Review thy past pleasures , with the charge and paines thou hadst to compasse them , and shew me , where 's thy pennyworth ? Foresee what punishments are prepar'd to meet thee , and tell mee , what 's thy purchase ? Thou hast batterd away thy God for a lust ; sold thy Eternity for a Trifle ; If this bargain may not bee r●cald by teares , dissolve thee O my soule into a Spring of waters : If not to bee reverst with price , reduce thy whole estate into a Sack cloth , and an Ash tub . Thou whose ●iver hath scorcht in the flames of lust , humble thy heart in the ashes of Repentance : and as with Esau thou hast sold thy Birthright for Broth , so with Jacob wrestle by prayer till thou get a blessing . His Prayer . O God , before whose face the Angels are impure ; before whose clear omniscience all Actions appear , to whom the very secrets of the hearts are open ; I here acknowledge to thy glory and my shame , the filthinesse and vile impurity of my nature : Lord I was filthy in my very conception , and in filthines my mothers wombe enclosed me , brought forth in filthinesse , and filthy in my very innocency , filthy in the motions of my flesh , and filthy in the apprehensions of my soul : my words all cloath'd with filthinesse , and in all my actions filthy and unclean , in my inclination filthy , and in the whole course of my life nothing but a continued filthinesse . Wash me O God , and make me clean , cleanse me from the filthinesse of my corruption ; Purge me O Lord with Hyssop , and create a clean heart within me : Correct the vagrant motions of my flesh , and quench the fiery darts of Satan ; Let not the Law of my corrupted members rule mee ; O let concupiscence have no dominion over me : Give me courage to fight against my lusts , and give my weaknesse strength to overc●me ; make sharpe my sword against this body of sinne , but most against my Dalilah , my bosome sin . Deliver me from the tyranny of temptation , or give me power to subdue it : Confine the liberty of my wanton appetite , and give me temperance in a sober diet ; Grant me a heart to strive with thee in Prayer , and hopefull patience to attend thy leisure ; Keep me from the habit of an idle life , and close mine eares against corrupt communication ; Set thou a watch before my lips , that all my words may savour of sobriety : Preserve me from the vanity and pride of life , that I may walke blamelesse in my conversation ; Protect me from the fellowship of the unclean , an● from all such as are of evill report . Let thy grace O God be sufficient for me , to protect my s●ule from the buffetings of Sata● ; Make me industrious and diligent in my calling , lest the enemy get advantage over mee : In all my temptations let mee have recourse to thee . Be thou my refuge when I call upon thee ; Forgive O God the sinnes of my youth , O pardon the multitudes of my secret sinnes : Encrease my hatred to my former life , and strengthen my resolution for the time future ; Hear me O God , and let the words of my mouth be alwaies acceptable to thee , O God my strength and my Redeemer . The Sabbath-breakers Prophanation . THe glittering Prince that sits upon his regall , and imperiall Throne , and the ignoble Peasant that sleeps within his sordid house of Thatch are both alike to God : An Ivory Temple and a Church of Clay are priz'd alike by him : The flesh of Buls , and the perfumes of My he and ●assia smoak his Altars with an equall pleasure : And does he make such difference of dayes ? Is he that was so weary of the New-Moones , so taken with the Sun to tie his Sabbath to that only day ? The tenth in tithes is any one in ten , and why the seventh day not any one in seven ? We sanctifie the day , the day not us : But are we Jewes ? Are we still bound to keepe a legall Sabbath in the strictnesse of the Letter ? Have the Gentiles no priviledge by vertue of Messiahs comming , or has the Evangelicall Sabbath no immunities ? The service done the day 's discharged , my libertie restored ; And if I meet my profits , or my pleasurer then ▪ I 'le give them entertainment . If businesse call me to account , I dare afford a carefull eare . Or if my sports invite me , I 'le entertaine them with a cheerfull heart : I 'le goe to Mattens with as much devotion as my neighbour , I 'le make as low obeysance , and as just responds as any ; but as soon as Evensong 's ended , my Church-devotion and my Psalter shall sanetifie my Pue till the next Sabbath call ; Were it no more for an old custome sake , then for the good I finde in Sabbaths , that Ceremony might as well be spared . It is a day of Rest : And what 's a Rest ? A relaxation from the toile of labour : And what is labour but a painfull exercise of the fraile body ? But where the exercise admits no toile , there Relaxation makes no Rest : What labour is it for the worldly man to compasse Sea and Land to accomplish his desires ? What labour is it for the impatient lover to measure Hellespont with his widened armes to hasten his del●ght ? What labour for the youth to number musick with their sprightly paces ? Where pleasure 's reconcil'd to labour , labour is but an active rest ; Why should the Sabbath then , a day of rest , divorce thee from those delights that make thy Rest ? Afflict their soules that please , my rest shall be what most conduces to my hearts delight . Two houres will vent more prayers then I shal need , the rest remaines for pleasure . His extirpation . COnscience , why start'st thou ? A judgement strikes me from the mouth of heaven , and saith , Whosoever doth any worke on my Sabbath , his soule shall be cut off , Exod. 31. 14. Exod. 20. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day ; six dayes shalt thou labour , and doe all that thou hast to do , but the seventh day , &c. Exod. 31. 14. Ye shall keep my Sabbath , for it is holy unto you . Exod. 31. 13. Verily my Sabbaths thou shalt keep , for this is a sign betwixt me and you , throughout your Generations . Luke 23. 56. And they returned and prepared spices , and oyntments , and rested on the Sabbath day according to the Commandement . His Proofs . Gregor. Wee ought upon the Lords day to rest from bodily labour , and wholly to addict our selves to prayers , that whatsoever hath been done amisse the weeke before , may upon the day of our Lords resurrection be expiated and purged by fervent prayers . Cyr. Alex. Sin is the storehouse of death and misery , it kindles flames for it 's dearest friends . Therefore whosoever when he should rest from sin , busieth himselfe in the dead and fruitlesse workes of wickednesse , and renouncing all piety , lusts after such things as will bring him into eternall destruction , and everlasting flames , justly deserves to die and perish with the damned , because when he might have enjoyed a pious rest , he laboured to run headlong to his own destruction . His Soliloquy . MY soul , how hast thou prophaned that day thy God hath sanctified ! How hast thou encroach'd on that which heaven hath set apart ! If thy impatience cannot act a Sabbath twelve hours , what happinesse canst thou expect in a perpetuall Sabbath ? Is sixe dayes too little for thy selfe , and two hours too much for thy God ? O my soule , how dost thou prize temporalls beyond eternalls ? Is it equall that God who gave thee a body , and sixe dayes to provide for it , should demand one day of of thee , and be denied it ? How liberall a receiver art thou , and how miserable a Requiter ! But know my soule , his Sabbaths are the Apple of his eye : He that hath power to vindicate the breach of it , hath threatned judgements to the breaker of it . The God of mercy that hath mitigated the rigour of it for charity sake , will not diminish the honour of it for prophanesse sake : sorget not then my soule to remember his Sabbaths , and remember not to forget his judgements , lest he forget to remember thee in Mercy : What thou hast neglected , bewaile with con●●ition , ●nd what thou hast repen●ed , forsake with resolution , and what thou hast resolved strengthen with devotion , His Prayer . O Eternall , just , and all discerning Judge ; in thy selfe , glorious ; in thy Son , gracious ; who ●●yest without a witnesse , and condemnest without a jury ; O! I confesse my very actions have betrayed me , thy word hath brought in evidence against me , my own conscience hath witnessed against me , and thy judgement hath past sentence against me : And what have I now to plead but mine owne misery , and whether should that misery flee but to the God of mercy ? And since O Lord the way to mercy is to leave my selfe , I here disclaim all interest in my selfe , and utterly renounce my selfe : I that was created for thy glory , have dishonoured thy Name ; I that was made for thy service , have prophaned thy Sabbaths ; I have sleighted thy Ordinances , and turned my back upon thy Sanctuary ; I have neglected thy Sacraments , abused thy Word , despis'd thy Ministers and despis'd their ministery ; I have come into thy Courts with an unprovided heart , and have drawn near with uncircumcised lips ; And Lord I know thou art a jealous God , and most severe against all such as violate thy Rest ; The glory of thy Name is pretious to thee , and thine honour is as the Apple of thine eye ; But thou O God that art the God of Hosts , hast published and declared thy selfe the Lord of mercy ; The constitution of thy Sabbath was a work of time , but Lord thy mercy is from all eternity ; I that have broke thy Sabbaths , do here present thee with a broken heart ; thy hand is not shortned that thou canst not heale , no● thy ear deafned that thou canst not hear ; St●etch forth thy hand O God and heal my wounds . Bow down thine eare O Lord , and heare my Prayers ; Alter the fabrick of my sinfull heart , and make it tender of thy glory ; Make me ambitious of thy service , and let thy Sabbaths be my whole delight ; Give me a holy reverence of thy Word , that it may prove a light to my steps and a Lanthorn to my feet . Endue my heart with Charity and Faith that I may finde a comfort in thy Sacraments . Blesse thou the Ministers of thy sacred Word , and make them holy in their lives , sound in their doctrine & laborious in their callings . Preserve the universall Church in these distracted times ; give her peace , unity , & uniformity , purge her of all Schisme , error and superstition ; Let the Kings daughter be all glorious within , and let thine eyes take pleasure in her beauty , that being honor'd here to be a member of her Militant , I may bee glorified with her triumphant . The Censorious mans Crimination . I Know there is much of the seed of the Serpent in him by his very lookes , if his words betray'd him not ; He hath eaten the Egge of the Cock●trice , and surely he remaineth in the state of perdition ; He is not within the Covenant , and abideth in the Gall of bitternesse ; His studied Prayers show him to be a high Malignant , and his Jesu worship concludes him popishly affected ; He comes not to our private meetings , nor contributes a penny to the cause ▪ He cries up learning , and the book of Common-prayer , and takes no armes to hasten Reformation ; He feares God for his owne ends , for the spirit of Antichrist is in him . His eyes are full of Adulteries , and goes a whoring after his owne inventions : He can hear an oath from his superiours without reproof , and the heathenish Gods named without spitting in his face : Wherefore my soule detesteth him , and I will have no conversation with him ; for what fellowship hath light with darknesse , or the pure in heart with the unclean ? Sometimes he is a Publican , somtimes a Pharisee , and alwayes an Hypocrite ; He railes against the Altar as loud as we , and yet he cringes and makes an Idol of the name of Jesus ; he is quick-sighted to the infirmities of the Saints , and in his heart rejoyceth at our failings ▪ he honours not a preaching ministery , and too much leans to a Church-government ; hee paints devotton on his face , whilst pride is stampt within his heart : he places sanctity in the walls of a Steeple-house , and adores the Sacrament with his popish knee ; His Religion is a Weathercock , and turns brest to every blast of wind . With the pure he seems pure , and with the wicked he will joyne in fellowship ; A sober language is in his mouth but the poyson of Aspes is under his tongue : His workes conduce not to edification , nor are the motions of his heart sanctified ; He adores great ones for preferment , and speaks too partially of authority : He is a Laodicean in his faith , a Nicolaitane in his workes , a Pharisee in his disguise , a rank Papist in his heart , and I thanke my God I am not as this man . His Commination . BUt stay my soule , take heed whilst thou judgest another , lest God judge thee ; how com'st thou so expert in anothers heart , being so often deceived in thy own ? A Saul to day , may prove a Paul to morrow ; Take heed whilst thou wouldst seem religious thou appear not uncharitable ; and whilst thou judgest man , thou be not judg'd of God , who saith , Iudge not , lest ye be judged , Mat. 7. 1. Iohn 7. 24. Iudge not according to appearance , but judge righteous judgement . Rom. 14. 10. But why dost thou judge thy brother ? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother ? We shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ . 1 Cor 4. 5. Iudge nothing before the time , untill the Lord come who will both bring to light the hidden things of darknesse , and wil make manifest the counsell of the heart . Rom. 14. 13. Let us not therefore judge one another any more , but judge this rather , that no man put a stumbling , blocke or an accusation to fall in his brothers way : Psal. 50. 6. God is judge himselfe . His Proofs . St. Augustine . Apparant and notorious iniquities ought both to be reproved and condemned , but we should never judge such things as we understand not , nor can certainly know whether they be done with a good or evill intent . St. Augustine . When thou knowest not apparantly , judge charitably ; because it 's better to thinke well of the wicked then by frequent censuring to suspect an innocent man guilty of an offence . St. Augustine . The vnrighteous Iudge shall bee justly condemned . His Soliloquy . HAs thy brother , O my soul , a beam in his eye ? And hast thou no moat in thine ? Clear thy owne , and thou wilt see the better to cleanse his : If a Theife bee in his Candle , blow it no● out , lest thou wrong the flame , but if thy snuffers be of Gold , snuffe it : Has he offended thee ? Forgive him : Hath he trespass●d against the Congregation ? Reprove him : Hath he sinned against God ? Pray for him . O my soule , how uncharitable hast thou been ? How Pharisaically hast thou judg'd ? Being sick of the Iaundies , how hast thou censur'd another yellow ? And with blotted fingers made his blurre the greater ? How has the pride of thine owne heart blinded thee toward thy selfe ? How quick sighted to another ! Thy brother has slipt , but thou hast fallen , and hast blancht thy owne impiety with the publishing his sin : Like a Flie , thou stingest his sores and feed'st on his corruptions ; Iesus came eating and drinking , and was judg'd a glutton ; Iohn came fasting , and was challeng●d with a devill ; Iudge not my soule , lest thou be judged ; maligne not thy brother , lest God laugh at thy destruction : Wouldst thou escape the punishment ? judge thy selfe : Wouldst thou avoid the sin ? humble thy selfe . His Prayer . O God that art the onely searcher of the Reines , to whom the secre●s of the heart of man are only known , to whom alone the judgement of our thoughts , our words & deeds belong , and to whose sentence we must stand or fall , I a presumptuous sinner that have thrust into thy place and boldly have presumed to execute thy office , do here as humbly confesse the insolence of mine attempt , and with a sorrowfull heart repent me of my doings ; and though my convinced conscience can look for nothing from thy wrathfull hand but the same measure which I measured to another , yet in the confidence of that mercy which thou hast promised to all those that truly and unfainedly beleeve , I am become an humble sutor for thy gratious pardon : Lord , if thou search me but with a favourable eye , I shall appeare much more unrighteous in thy sight , then this my uncharitably condemned brother did in mine ▪ O looke not therefore , Lord , upon me as I am , lest thou abhor me ; but through the merits of my blessed Saviour , cast a gratious eye upon me ; Let his humilitie satisfie for my presumption , and let his meritorious sufferings answer for my vile uncharitablenesse ; let not the voice of my offence provoke thee with a stronger cry , then the language of his Intercession . Remove from me O God all spirituall pride , and make me little in my own conceit ; Lord light me to my selfe , that by thy light I may discerne how dark I am ; Lighten that darknesse by thy holy Spirit , that I may search into my own corruptions : And since O God all gifts and graces are but nothing , and nothing can be acceptable in thy sight without charity ; quicken the dulnesse of my faint affections , that I may love my brother as I ought ; Soften my marble heart that it may melt at his infirmities ; Make me carefull in the examination of my owne wayes , and most severe against my owne offences : Pull out the beam out of mine owne eye , that I may see clearly , and reprove wisely ▪ Take from me O Lord , all grudging , envy , and malice , that my seasonable reproofs may win my brother . Preserve my heart from all censorious thoughts , and keep my tongue from striking at his name : Grant that I make right use of his Infirmities , and read good Lessons in his failings , that loving him in thee , and thee in him according to thy command , wee may both bee united in thee as members of thee , that thou mayest receive honour from our communion here , and we eternall glory from thee hereafter in the world to come . The Liars Fallacies . NAy if Religion be so strict a Law to binde my tongue to the necessity of a truth on all occasions , at all times , and in all places , the gate is too strait for me to enter : Or if the generall rules of down-right truth will admit no ●ew exceptions , farewell all honest mirth farewell all trading , farewell the whole converse betwixt man and man : If alwayes to speak punctuall truth bee the true Symptomes of a blessed soule ; Tom Tell troth has a happy time , and fooles and children are the only men . If truth sit Regent , in what faithfull breast shall secrets finde repose ? What kingdome can be safe ? What Common wealth can be secure ? What warre can be successefull ? What Stratagem can prosper ? if bloody times should force Religion , to shroud it selfe beneath my roo●e ; upon demand , shall my false truth betray it . Or shall my brothers life , or shall my owne be seis'd upon through the cruell truth of my down-right confession ? or rather not be secured by a faire officious lie ? shall the righteous Favorite of Egypts Tyrant , by vertue of a loud lie , sweeten out his joy and heigthen up his soft affection with the Antiperistasis of teares , and may I not prevaricate with a sullen truth to save a brothers life , from a bloodthirsty hand ? shall Iacob and his too indulgent mother , conspire in a lie to purchase a paternall blessing in the false name , and habit of a supplanted brother , and shall I question to preserve the granted blessing of a life , or livelihood , with a harmelesse lie ? Come , come , my soul , let not thy timerous conscience check at such poor things as these : So long as thy officious tongue aymes at a just end ▪ a lie is no offence : So long as thy perjurious lips confirme not thy untruth with an aud●ci●us brow , thou n●edst not feare : The weight of the cause releeves the burthen of the Crime : Is thy Center good ? No matter how crooked the lines of the circumference be : Policie allowes it : If thy journies end be heaven , it matters not how full of Hell thy journey be , Divinity allowes it : Wilt thou condemn the Egyptian Midwives for saving the infant Israelites by so merciful a lie ? When martial execution is to be done ▪ wilt thou fear to kill ? When hunger drives thee to the gates of death , wilt thou be afraid to steale ? When civill warres divide a Kingdome , will Mercuries decline a lie ? No , circumstances excuse , as well as make the lie ; Had Caesar , Scipio , or Alexander been regulated by such strict Divinity , their names had been as silent as their dust ; A lie is but a faire put off , the sanctuary of a secret , the riddle of a lover , the stratagem of a Souldier , the policy of a Statesman , and a salve for many desperate sores . His Flames . BUt hark , my soule , there 's something rounds mine eare , and calls my language to a rec●ntation ; The Lord hath spoken it , Liers shall have their part in the lake which bur●eth with fire and brimstone , Revel. 21. 8. Exod. 20. Thou shalt not raise a false report . Levit. 19. 11. Ye shall not deal falsely , neither lie one to another . Prov. 12. 22. Lying lips are abomination to the Lord , but they that deal truely are his delight . Prov. 19. 5. He that speaketh lies shall not escape . Ephes. 4. 5. Put away lying , and every one speak truth with his neighbour , for we are members one of another . Revel. 21. 27. There shall in no wise enter into the new Ierusalem any thing that worketh abomination , or that maketh a lie . His Proofes . S. Augustine . Whosoever thinkes there is any kind of lie that is not a sin , shamefully deceives himself , mistaking a lying or cousening knave for a square or honest man . Gregor. Eschew and avoid all falshood , though sometimes certain kind of untruths are lesse sinfull , as to tell a lie to save a mans life : yet because the Scripture saith , The lyer slayeth his own soul , and God will destroy them that tell a lie ; therefore , religious and honest men should alwayes avoid even the best sort of lies , neither ought another mans life be secured by our falsehood or lying , lest we destroy our owne soule ▪ in labouring to secure another mans life . His Soliloquy . WHat a child O my soule , hath thy false bosome harb●rd ▪ And what reward can thy indulgence expect from such a father ? What blessing canst thou hope for from heaven , that pleadest for the son of the devill , and crucifyest the Son of God ? God is the Father of truth ; To secure thy estate thou deniest the truth , by framing o● a lie : To save thy brothers life , thou opposest the truth in justifying a lie . Now tell me O my soul , art thou worthy the name of a Christian , that denyest and opposest the nature of Christ ? Art thou worthy of Christ that preferrest thy estate , or thy brothers life before him ? O my unrighteous soule , canst thou hold thy brother worthy of death for giving thee the lie , and thy selfe guiltlesse that makest a lie ? 〈◊〉 , but in some cases truth destroyes thy life ; a lie preserves it : My soule , was God thy Creator ? then make not the devill thy preserver : Wilt thou despair to trust him with thy life that gave it , and make him thy Protector that seeks to destroy it ? Reforme thee and repent thee , O my soul ; hold not thy life on such conditions , but trust thee to the hands that made thee . His Prayer . O God , that art the God of truth , whose word is truth , that hatest lying lips , and abominatest the deceitfull tongue , that banishest thy presence all such as love or make a ly , and lovest truth , and requirest uprightnesse in the inward parts , I the most wretched of the sonnes of men , and most unworthy to be called thy son , make bold to cast my sinfull● eies to heaven ; Lord I have sinned against heaven and against truth , and have turned thy grace into a lie ; I have renounced the wayes of righteousnesse , and harbour'd much iniquity within me which hath turned thy wrath , against me ; I have transgrest against the checks of my own conscience , and have vaunted of my transgression : which way soever I turne mine eye , I see no object but shame and confusion : Lord , when I look upon my selfe , I finde nothing there but fuell for thy wrath and matter for thine indignation , and my condemnation . And when I cast mine eyes to heaven , I there behold an angry God , and a severe revenger ; But Lord at thy right hand I see a Saviour , and a sweet Redeemer ; I see thy wounded Son cloathd in my flesh , and bearing mine infirmities , and interceding for my numerous transgressions ; for which my soule doth magnifie thee O God , and my spirit rejoyceth in him my Saviour ; Lord , when thou lookest upon the vast score of my offences , turne thine eyes upon the infinite merits of his satisfaction ; O when thy justice calls to mind my sinnes , let not thy mercy forget his sufferings ; Wash mee , O wash me in his blood , and thou shalt see me cloathed in his righteousnesse : Let him that is all in all to me , be all in all for me ; make him to me sanctification , justification and redemption : Inspire my heart with the spirit of thy truth , and preserve me from the deceitfulnesse of a double tongue : Give me an inward confidence to relie upon thy fatherly providence , that neither fear may deterre me , nor any advantage may turne me from the wayes of thy truth : Let not the specious goodnesse of the end encourage me to the unlawfulnesse of the meanes , but let thy Word be the warrant to all my actions ; Guide my footsteps that I may walke uprightly , and quicken my conscience , that it may reprove my failings : Cause me to feel the burthen of this my habituall sin , that comming to thee by a true and serious repentance , my sins may obtaine a full and a gratious forgivenesse : Give me a heart to make a Covenant with my lips , that both my heart and tongue being sanctified by thy Spirit , may be both united in truth by thy mercy , and magnifie thy name for ever , and for ever . The revengefull mans rage . O What a Julip to my scorching soul is the delicious blood of my Offend●r ! and how it cooles the burning F●ver of my boyling veynes ! It is the Quintessence of pleasures , the height of satisfaction , and the very marrow of all delight , to bathe and paddle in the blood of such , whose bold affronts have turn'd my wounded pat●ence into fury ? How full of sweetnesse was his death , who dying was reveng'd upon three thousand enemies ? How sweetly did the younger brothers blood allay the soul-consuming flame of the elder , who took more pleasure in his last breath , then heaven d●d in his first Sacrifice ? Yet had not heaven to demned his action , nature h●d found an Advocate for his passion : What sturdy spirit hath the power to rule his suffer●ng thoughts , or curbe the headstrong ●u●y of his Irascible affections ? Or who but fooles ( that cannot taste anjnjury ) can moderate their high-bred spirits ; and stop their passion in her full carrier ? Let heavy Cynicks , they whose leaden soules are taught by stupid reason to stand bent at every wrong , that can digest an injury more easily then a complement , that can protest against the Lawes of nature , and cry all naturall affection downe , let them be Andirons for the in●urious world to worke a Heat upon : let them finde shoulders to receive the paineful stripes of peevish Mortal●s , and to bear the wrongs of daring insolence : Let them be drawne like Calves p●epar'd for slaughter , and bow t●e●r servile necks to sharp destruction : let them submit their slavish bosomes to be trod and tr●mpled under ●oot for every pleasure : My Eagle spirit flies a higher pitch , and like ambitious Phaeton climbes into the fiery Chariot , and drawne with fury , scorne , revenge , and honor ; rambles through all the Spheares , and brings with it confusion and combustion ; my reeking sword shall vindicate my reputation , and rectifie the injuries of my honorable name , and quench it selfe in plenteous streames of blood Come tell not mee of Charity , conscience , ●r transgression ; My Charity reflects upon my self , begins at home , and guides by the justice of my passion , is bound to labour for an honourable satisfaction : My conscience is blood-proofe , and I can broach a life with my illustrious weapon with as little ●eluctation , as kill a Flea that ●ucks my blood without Commission , and I can drinke a health in blood upon my bended knee , to reputation . His Retaliation . BUt hark my soule I heare a languishing , a dying voyce cry up to heaven for vengeance ; It cries aloud , and thunders in my startling eare , I tremble and my shive●ing bones are filled with ho●ror ; ●t cries again ●m● , and heare what heaven replies , All that take up the sword shall perish by the sword , M●t●h 26. 52. Levit. 10. 18. Thou shalt not avenge , or bear any grudge against the Children of my people , but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe : I am the Lord . Deut. 32. 35. To me belongeth vengeance and recompence . Ezek. 25. 12 , 13. Because that Edom hath delt against the house of Iudah , by taking vengeance , and hath greatly offended , and revenged himselfe upon them : Therefore thus saith the Lord God , I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom , and will cut off man and beast from it . Matth 5. 39. Resist not evill , but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek , turn to him the other also . His Proofs . Tertull. What 's the difference between one that doth an injury ▪ and another that outragiously suffers it , except that the one it first and the other second in the o●ence ? but both are guilty of mutuall inju●y in the sight of God ; who forbids every sinne , and condemnes the offender . Tertull. How can we honour God if we revenge our selves ? Gloss. Every man is a murtherer , and shall be punished as Cain was if he doe ( as Cain did ) either assault his brother with violence , or pursue him with hatred . His Soliloquy . REvenge is an Act of the Iras●●ble affections , deliberated with malice , and executed without mercy : How often O my soule hast thou cursed thy selfe in the perfectest of Prayers ? How often hast thou turn'd the spirituall body of thy Saviour into thy damnation ? Can the Sun rise to thy comfort , that hath so often set in thy wrath ? So long as thy wrath is kindled against thy brother , so long is the wrath of God burning against thee ? O , wouldst thou offer a pleasing sacr● fice to heaven ? Goe first and be reconciled to thy brother . I , but who shall right thy honour then ? Is thy honour wrong'd ? Forgive , and it is vindicated , I , but this kinde of heart-swelling , c●n brook no Powltesse but revenge . Take heed , my soule , the remedy is worse then the disease : If thy intricate distemper transcend thy power , make choyce of a Physitian that can purge that humour that foments thy malady : Rely upon him ; submit thy will to his directions ; he hath a tender heart , a skilfull hand , a watchfull eye , that makes thy welfare the price of all thy paines , expecting no reward , no fee , but prayses , and Thanksgiving . His Prayer . O God , that art the God of peace , and the lover of unity and concord , that dost command all those that seek forgivenesse , to forgive ; that hatest the froward heart , but shewest mercy to the meek in spirit : With what a face can I appeare before thy mercy-seat , or with what countenance can I lift up these hands thus stained with my brothers blood ? How can my lips , that daily breathe revenge against my brother , presume to own thee as my father , or expect from thee thy blessing , as thy childe ? If thou forgive my trespasses O God as I forgive my trespassers , in what a miserable estate am I , that in my very prayers condemn my selfe , and doe not only limit thy compassion by my uncharitablenesse , but draw thy judgements on my head for my rebellion ? That heart O God which thou requirest as a holy present , is become a spring of malice ; These hands which I advance , are ready instruments of base revenge . My thoughts , that should be sanctified , are full of blood , and how to compasse evill against my brother is my continuall meditation : The course of all my life is wilfull disobedience , and my whole pleasure , Lord , is to displease thee : My conscience hath accused me , and the voyce of blood hath cryed against me : But Lord , the blood of Jesus cryes louder then the blood of Abell , and thy mercy is farre more infinite then my sinne . The blood that was shed by me cryes for vengeance , but the blood that was shed for me sues for mercy ; Lord heare the language o● this blood , and by the merits of this voyce be reconciled unto me . That time which cannot be recalled , O give me power to redeem , and in the meane time a setled resolution to reform . Suppresse the violence of my head-strong passion , and establish a meek spirit within me . Let the sight of my own vilenesse take from me the sense of all disgrace , and let the Crown of my reputation be thy honour ; Possesse my heart with a desire of unity and concord , and give me patience to endure what my impenitence hath deserved ● Breath into my soule the spirit of love , and direct my affe●●ions to their right object ; turn all my anger against that sinne that hath provoked thee , and give me holy revenge , that I may exercise it against my selfe . Grant that I may love thee for thy selfe , my selfe in thee , and my neighbour as my selfe ; Assist me O God , that I may subdue all evill in my selfe , and suffer patiently all evill as a punishment from thee . Give me a mercifull heart , O God ; make it ●low to wrath , and ready to forgive ; Preserve me from the act of evill , that I may be delivered from the feare of evill ; that living here in charity with men , I may receive that sentence of , Come ye blessed , in the kingdom of glory . The secure mans Triumph . SO , now my soule thy happinesse is entaild and thy illustrious n●me shall live in thy succeeding Generations ; Thy dwelling is establish'd in the fat of all the land : thou hast what mortall heart can wish , and wantest nothing but immortalitie : The best of all the land is thine , and thou art planted in the best of Lands : A land whose Constitutions make the best of Government , which Government is strengthened with the best of Laws , which Lawes are executed by the best of Princes , whose Prince , whose Lawes , whose Government , whose land makes us the happiest of all subjects , makes us the happiest of all people . A land of strength , of plenty , and a land of peace , where every soule may sit beneath his Vine , unfrighted at the horrid language of the hoarse Trumpet , unstartled at the warlike summons of the roaring Cannon . A land whose beauty hath surpriz'd the ambitious hearts of forrain Princes , and taught them by their martiall Oratory to make their vaine attempts . A land whose strength reades vanity in the deceived hopes of Conquerours , and crowns their enterprizes with a shamefull overthrow . A land whose native plenty makes her the worlds Exchange , supplying others able to subsist without supply from forraigne Kingdomes ; in it selfe happy ; and abroad honorable . A land that hath no vanity , but what by accident proceeds and issues from the sweetest of all blessings , peace and plenty ; that hath no misery but what is propagated from that blindness which cannot see her own felicitie . A land that flowes with Milk and Honey , and in briefe , wants nothing to deserve the title of a Paradise , the Curbe of Spaine , the pride of Germany , the ayde of Belgia , the scourge of France , the Empresse of the world , and Queene of Nations : She is begirt with walls , whose builder was the hand of heaven , whereon there daily rides a Navy Royall , whose unconquerable power proclaimes her Prince invincible , and whispers sad despaire into the fainting hearts of forraigne Majesty : She is compact within her selfe , in unity , not apt to civill discords or intestine broyles ; The envie of all nations , the ambition of all Princes ; the terror of all enemies , the security of all neighbouring States . Let timerous Pulpits threaten ruine , let prophecying Church-men dote till I beleeve : How often and how long have these loud sonnes of Thunder false prophesied her desolation ? and yet she stands the glory of the world : Can pride demolish the Towers that defend her ? Can drunkennesse dry up the Sea that walls her ? Can flames of lust dissolve the Ordnance that protect her ? His overthrow . BEe well advised my soule ; there is a voyee from heaven roare louder then those Ordnance , which saith , Thus saith the Lord , The whole land shall be desolate , Jer. 4. 27. Esay 14. 7. The whole earth it at rest , and at quiet , they break forth into singing . Yea the Firee trees rejoyee at thee , and the Cedars of Lebanon sing , &c. Yet shalt thou be brought down to hell , to the sides of the Pit. Ier. 5. 12. They have belied the Lord , and said , it is not he , neither shall evill come upon us , neither shall we see sword , or famine . 1 Cor. 10. 12. Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall . Luke 17. 26. They did eat and drink , and they married wives and were given in marriage , untill the flood came and destroyed them all . His Proofs . Greg. Mor. A man may as soon build a Castle upon the rouling waves , as ground a solid comfort upon the unceriaine ebbs and fluxes of transient pleasures . St. Augustine . Whilst Lot was exercised in s●ffering reproach and violence , he continued holy and pure , even in the filth of Sodom : but in the mount being in peace and safety , he was surprised by sensuall security , and defiled himselfe with his owne daughters . Our prosperous and happy state is often the occasion of more miserabl ruine , a long peace hath made many men both carelesse and cowardly ; and that 's the most fatall blow when an unexpected enemy surprises us in a deep sleep of peace and security , Greg. Mag. His Soliloquy . SEcurity is an improvident carelesnesse , casting out all fear of approaching danger ; It is like a great Calme at Sea , that sore-runs a storme : How is this verified O my sad soule in this our bleeding nation ! Wer 't thou not but now for many yeares even nuzzl●d in the bosome of habituall peace ? Didst thou foresee this danger ? Or couldst thou have contrived a way to be thus miserable ? Didst thou not laugh invasion to scorne ? or didst thou not lesse feare a Civill war ? Was not the Title of the Crown unquestionable ? And was not our mixt government unapt to fall into diseases ? Did we want good Lawes ? or did our Lawes want execution ? Did not our Prophets give lawfull warning ? or were we moved at the sound of judgements ? How hast thou liv'd O my uncarefull soule to see these prophesies fulfill'd , and to behold the vials of thy angry God pour'd forth ! Since mercies O my soule could not allure thee , yet let these judgements now at length enforce thee to a true Repentance . Quench the Firebrand which thou hast kindled ; turne thy mirth to a right mourning ▪ and thy feasts of joy to humiliation . His Prayer . O God by whom kings reign , and kingdoms flourish , that settest up where none can batter down , and pullest down where none can countermand , I a most humble Sutor at the Throne of Grace , acknowledge my selfe unworthy of the least of all thy mercies , nay worthy of the greatest of all thy judgements : I have sinned against thee the author of my being , I have sinned against my conscience , which thou hast made my accuser , I have sinned against the peace of this Kingdom , wherof thou hast made mee a member : If all should doe , O God , as I have done , Sodom would appeare as righteous , and Gomorrah would be a president to thy wrath upon this sinfull Nation . But Lord thy mercy is inscrutable , or else my misery were unspeakable , for that mercy sake bee gratious to me in the free pardoning of all my offences . Blot them out of thy remembrance for his sake in whom thou art well pleased : Make my head a fountaine of teares to quench that brand my sinnes have kindled towards the destruction of this flourishing kingdome ; Blesse this kingdom O God , establish it in piety , honour , peace , and plenty . Forgive all her crying sinnes , and remove thy judgements farre from her . Blesse her Governour , thy servant , our dread Soveraign , endue his soule with all religious , civill , and princely vertues ; Preserve his royall person in health , safety , and prosperity ; prolong his days in honour , peace , or victory , and crown his death with everlasting glory . Blesse him in his royall Consort , unite their hearts in love and true Religion . Blesse him in his princely issue ; Season their youth with the feare of thy Name . Direct thy Church in doctrine and in discipline , and let her enemies bee converted , or confounded ; purge her of all superstition and heresie , and root out from her , whatsoever thy hand hath not planted . Blesse the Nobility of this Land , endue their hearts with truth , loyalty , and true policy . Blesse the Tribe of Levi , with piety , learning , and humility . Blesse the Magistrates of this kingdome , give them religious & upright hearts , hating covetousnesse . Blesse the Gentry with sincetity , charity , and a good conscience . Blesse the Commonalty with loyall hearts , painfull hands , and plentifull encrease . Blesse the two great Seminaries of this kingdom , make them fruitfull and faithfull Nurseries both to the Church and Common-wealth . Blesse all thy Saints every where , especially those that have stood in the gap betwixt this kingdom and thy judgements , that being all members of that Body wherof thou Christ art head , we may all joyn in humiliation for our sinnes , and in the propagation of thy honour here , and bee made partakers of thy glory in the kingdom of glory . The Presumptuous mans Felicities . TEll bauling Babes of Bugbeares , to fright them into quietnesse , or terrify youth with old wives fables , to keep their wilde affections in awe ; Such Toyes may work upon their timerous apprehensions , when wholsom precepts fayl , and finde no audience in their youthfull cares : Tell not me of Hell , Devils , or of damned soules to enforce mee from those pleasures which they nick-name Sinne : What tell ye me of Law ? my soule is sensible of Evangelicall precepts , without the needlesse and uncorrected thunder of the killing Letter , or the terrible paraphrase of roaring Boanarges , the tediousnesse of whose language still determines in damnation ; wherein I apprehend God farre more mercifull then his Ministers . T is true , I have not led my life according to the pharisaicall Square of their opinions , neither have I found judgements according to their Prophecies , whereby I must conclude that God is wonderfully mercifull , or they wonderfully mistaken . How often have they thundred torment against my voluptuous life , and yet I feele no pain : How bitterly have they threatned shame against the vaunts of my vain-glory ? yet finde I honour : How fiercely have they preacht destruction against my cruelty ? and yet I live : What plagues against my swearing ? yet not infected : What diseases against my drunkennesse ? and yet sound ; What danger against procrastination ? yet how often hath God been found upon the death-bed ? What damnation to Hypocrites ? yet who more safe ? What stripes to the ignorant ? yet who more Scotfree ? What poverty to the slothfull ? yet themselvs prosper : What fals to the proud ? yet they stand surest : What curses to the covetous ? yet who richer ? What judgements to the lascivious ? yet who more pleasure ? What vengeance to the prophane , the censorious , the revengefull ? yet none live more unscourg'd : Who deeper branded then the Lyar ? yet who more favourd ? Who more threatend then the presumptuous ? yet who lesse punisht ? Thus are wee foold and kept in awe with the strict fancies of those Pulpit-men , whose opinions have no ground but what they gaine from popularity : Thus are wee frighted from the liberty of Nature by the politick Chimeraes of Religion ; whereby wee are necessitated to the observing of those Lawes whereof wee finde a greater necessity of breaking . His Anathemaes . BUt stay my soule , there is a voyce that darts into my troubled thoughts , which saith , Because thou hast not kept my Lawes , all the curses in this Book shall overtake thee , till thou be destroyed , Deut. 29 Deut. 29. 27 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against the land , to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this Book . 2 Chron. 34. 24 Thus saith the Lord , behold I will bring evill upon this place , and upon the inhabitants thereof , even all the curses that are written in the book Deut. 28. 15 But if thou wilt not hearken unto the voyce of the Lord thy God to observe and doe all his commandements , and his statues which I command thee this day , all these curses shall come upon thee , and overtake thee . His Proofs . Bernard . It is certain thou must die , and uncertaine when , how or where ; seeing death is alwayes at thy heeles ; Thou must ( if thou bee wise ) alwayes be ready to die . Bernard . To commit a sin is an humane frailty , to persist in it is a divelish obstinacy . Bernard . There are some who hope in the Lord , but yet in vaine , because they onely smooth and flatter themselves , that God is mercifull , but repent not of their sin ; such confidence is vain and foolish , and leads to destruction . His Soliloquy . PResumption is a sin wherby we depend upon Gods mercies without any warrant from Gods Word : It is as great a sin , O my soule , to hope for Gods mercy , without Repentance , as to distrust Gods mercy upon Repentance : In the first thou wrongst his justice ; In the last , his mercy : O my presumptuous soule , let not thy prosperity in sinning encourage thee to sinne ; lest , climbing without warrant into his mercy , thou fall without mercy into his judgement : Be not deceived ; a long Peace makes a bloody Warre , and the abuse of continued mercies makes a sharpe judgement : Patience , when slighted , turnes to fury , but ill-requited , starts to vengeance : Thinke not , that thy uupunisht sin is hidden from the eye of heaven , or that Gods judgements will delay for ever : The stalled Oxe that wallowes in his plenty , and waxes wanton with ease , is not farre from slaughter : The Ephod O mydesperate soule , is long a filling , but once being full , the leaden cover must goe on ; and then , it hurries on the wings of the wind : Advise thee then , and whilst the Lampe of thy prosperity lasts , provide thee for the evill day , which being come repentance will bee out of date , and all thy prayers will finde no eare . His Prayer . GRatious God , whose mercy is unsearchable , and whose goodnesse is unspeakable , I the unthankfull object of thy continued favours , and therefore the miserable subject of thy continuall wrath , humbly present myself-made misery before thy sacred Majestie ; Lord when I look upon the horridnesse of my sin , shame strikes me dumbe : But when I turne mine eie upon the infinitenesse of thy mercy , I am emboldned to pour forth my soule before thee ; as in the one , finding matter for confusion ; so in the other arguments for compassion : Lord I have sinned grievously , but my Saviour hath satisfied abundantly ; I have trepassed continually , but he hath suffered once for all : Thou hast numbred my transgressions by the haires of my head , but his mercies are innumerable like the starres of the skie : My sinnes in greatnesse are like the mountaines of the earth , but his mercy is greater then the heavens : Oh if his mercy were not greater then my sins , my sins were impardonable ; for his therefore and thy mercies sake cover my sins , and pardon my transgressions : make my head a fountain of teares , and accept my contrition O thou Well-spring of all mercy : strengthen my resolution , that for the time to come I may detest all sin : Encrease a holy anger in me that I may revenge my selfe upon my selfe , for displeasing so gracious a Father ; Fill my heart with a feare of thy judgements , and sweeten my thoughts with the meditation of thy mercies : Go forwards O my God , and perfect thy own work in mee , and take the glory of thy own free goodnesse ; furnish my mouth with the prayses of thy name , and replenish my tongue with continuall thanksgiving ; Thou hast promised pardon to those that repent ; behold I repent , Lord quicken my Repentance . Thou mightst have made me a terrible example of thy justice , and struck me into hell in the heigth of my presumption ; but thou hast made me capable of thy mercies , and an object of thy commiseration ; for thou art a gracious God , of long-suffering and slow to anger , thy name is wonderfull , and thy mercies incomprehensible : Thou art onely worthy to be praised : Let all the people praise thee O God : O let all the people praise thee : Let Angels and Archangels praise thee , Let the Congregations of Saints praise thee , let thy works prayse thee , let every thing that breathes prayse thee for ever , and for ever , Amen . FINIS .