The Parliament of instrvctjons; for, the relief of afflicted, persecuted, and plundered Christians. / Written by H.T. one of the Parliaments soldiers, who hath since lost his life in the service. H. T. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A94378 of text R210221 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E1189_4). 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. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 22 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A94378 Wing T13 Thomason E1189_4 ESTC R210221 99869039 99869039 170690 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A94378) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 170690) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 256:E1189[4]) The Parliament of instrvctjons; for, the relief of afflicted, persecuted, and plundered Christians. / Written by H.T. one of the Parliaments soldiers, who hath since lost his life in the service. H. T. [2], 14 p. Printed by Jane Coe, London : 1645. Annotation on Thomason copy: "march. 8 1644"; the 5 in the imprint date has been crossed out. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng God -- Worship and love -- Early works to 1800. Christian life -- Meditations -- Early works to 1800. A94378 R210221 (Thomason E1189_4). civilwar no The Parliament of instrvctjons;: for, the relief of afflicted, persecuted, and plundered Christians. / Written by H.T. one of the Parliamen H. T. 1645 4499 17 0 0 0 0 0 38 D The rate of 38 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-12 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-12 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-01 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2008-01 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE PARLIAMENT OF JNSTRVCTJONS ; FOR , The relief of afflicted , persecuted , and plundered Christians . Written by H. T. one of the Parliaments Soldiers , who hath since lost his life in the service . PSAL. 55. 22. Cast thy Burthen upon the Lord , and he shall nourish thee , he will not suffer the Righteous to fall for ever . LONDON , Printed by JANE COE . 1645. The Parliament of Instructions , for the relief of afflicted , persecuted , and plundered Christians . THe Ship of this Kingdome being now tossed with the Waves and Tempests of a Civill and unnaturall Warre , ( the sharpest and sorest of all Gods Arrowes ) It is no time for any man ( like Ionas ) to lie snorting in the bottome of the Ship , but we must all indeavour to use some means for to stop the current of this inundation , and overflowing of Gods judgements upon us , and as by our many great and crying sins we have provoked God to wrath and indignation against us ; so by our humiliation , prayer , and reformation , we ought to seek to appease his offended Majestie : Which that every perticular man may the better put in execution , I have collected these considerations and Meditations following , out of the word of God , which may serve as directions unto all sorts of people , how to behave and dispose of themselves in the most sad and disconsolate times . 1 Let a man examine himself , whether he be in the estate of grace or not ? Let us try our faith and repentance ; if we will not try our selves , we shall be tried , it is therefore our duty to do it before hand : Let us look that we lay a good foundation , and build upon the sure and immoveable rock Christ Jesus , and then let the flouds of affliction beate . ( Lam. 3 40. ) Let the Stormes and Tempests of persecution blow never so , yet we shall stand firm and sure . Mariners , you know it s enough for them almost , that they know their ships good , however they be tossed , they know the nature of the Seas , I am well imbarqued ; why so may you in the middest of all your tossings who are right with him ; say , I am in a good vessell , I am in Christ , here is my Ark ; let the world rage , let what will come , I am in Christ , I am in a very blessed Ark . ( Math. 3. 26 , 27 , 28. Mar. 5. 37. Luk. 8. 28. Rom. 13. 14. ) 2 We should wean our mindes from the love of the world . A thing hanged on a pin is easily heaved off , but the things that are glewed or cemented together , are hardly surrendred or divided . David loved Absalom too much , which made him so much lament for the losse of him . Excessive love to the world makes the crosse the harder to be indured . ( 2 Sam 18. 33. ) 3 We should be twice as much exercised in religious duties , as in other more peaceable times . When Iudas was plotting , Christ went to the passeover ; when Almighty God comes to visit , let him finde us well imployed ; let us be moved with reverence and diligence to use means to save our selves , and our families , & all that belong unto us . Mat. 26. 14. Lu. 22. 4. 4 We should labor to keep a good conscience , that when we have troubles without , we may have peace within . For ( saith Salomon ) a good conscience is a continuall Feast . ( Acts 24. 16. 1 Cor. 1 3. Gal. 1. 3. ) 5 We should inure our selves to some hardnesse , a delicate person will hardly suffer . We should deny our selves something in meat , something in apparell . Let us abase our selves lest God abase us . God threatens a severe curse by the mouth of his Prophet , unto those that humble not themselves in times of common calamitie . ( Joel 2. 1. 12. Zeph. 1. 12. ) 6 Pray and sue and intreat evermore , for the favour of God ; it wil be intolerable to apprehend the wrath of God and the wrath of man both at once ; God hath promised , that if we cal upon him in the time of trouble , he wil hear . ( Psa. 50. 15. Jam. 5 13. Jer. 29. 12. ) 7 Let us make much of the promises , they being up , wil be as strong waters to keep us from fainting . Amongst other precious promises of God in Scripture , meditate upon these Texts following : Psa. 125. 1 , 2. They which trust in the Lord , shal be as M. Sion which cannot be moved , but abideth for ever . As the mountains are round about Jerusalem , so the Lord is about his people , from henceforth even for ever . 1 Sam ● . 9. The Lord will keep the feet of his Saints . Prov. 1. 33. Who so hearkneth unto me , shall dwell safely , and shall be quiet for fear of evill . Psal. 91. 4. He will cover thee under his wings , and thou shalt be sure under his feathers , his Truth shall be thy sword and buckler . Psal. 121. 3 , 4 , 5. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved , he that keepeth thee will not slumber : Behold , he that keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleep . The Lord is thy Keeper , the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand . Seeing the Lord is our Keeper , we need not fear the greatest dangers in the most dangerous times . ( See also , Job . 11. 18 , 19. Matth. 10. 39. Chap. 19. 24. Psal. 125. 3. 1 Sam. 2. 20. Deut. 28. 7. Deut. 30. 7. Prov. 21. 18. ) 8 Get into thy heart , sound and experimentall knowledge of the truth , as also the love of it . It is the truth we are likely to suffer for , we cannot suffer for that we do not know , much lesse for that we do not love . ( Joh. 17. 3. Tit. 1. 16. Joh. 18. 37. ) 9 We should labour to incourage and comfort one another in these evill times ; God hath a Book of remembrance of them that speak often one to another . Mal. 3. When men do ask what news ? we should question with them , what shall we do to escape Gods judgments ? shall we pray and humble our selves ? shall we fast ? shall we become new men , and binde our selves to God with an everlasting covenant ? Many good friends oftentimes in the world shake hands at parting , therefore when we keep our solemn Assemblies , which should be now more often then ordinary , we should keep them with the more reverence and devotion , for we know not whether we shall make them any more . ( Mal. 3. 17. Luk. 21. 38. Joel 1. 14. Pr. 27. 12. Isa. 45. 20. Ezr. 6. 23. Neh. 8. 30. 1 Pe. 5. 6. ) When we make our humble repentance unto God ▪ we had need do it sincerely indeed , it may be our last ▪ It is said of certain Hawkes in colder Countries , that they are most earnest and eager to take their prey , when the day light there is of least continuance . Let us not care so much what shall be after us in the World , but let us care what will become of us when we are departed , in the World to come . Hear good counsell ( saith Austin ) do that before death , which may do thee good when thou art dead . When the Church in Hesters time , was sold to be destroyed by wicked counsell ( as we now are ) Hester and Mordecai and all the Jews , they fasted , and humbled themselves before the Lord , and had a glorious deliverance . ( Esth. 4 15. 16. ) We should labour to make good our interest in God , to clear up our evidence for heaven , our assurance of God in Christ ; when David was driven from home and harbour , he incouraged himself in the Lord his God : Tolle meum , & tolle Deum , saith Augustine . If a man knowes , that God is his in Christ , his friend , his God , his habitation , his Rock , unto whom he may continually resort ; he will soon believe himself in the losse of all outward things thus : Well , though I have lost my house , yet I have kept my God , he is such an habitation as cannot be plundered , such an habitation as cannot be plundered , such an habitation , as winde , and rain , and weather , cannot beat through ; such an habitation , as I may carry about the World with me . ( Psal. 73. 23. Psal. 18. 1 , 2. 1 Sam. 2. 2. Prov. 10. 29. Isa. 49. 8. 9. ) There is a story of a King , that when he had destroyed a Countrey , in his destroying fell in Love with a beautifull woman , whom he brought away with him and married , and afterwards much lamenting to her that he had slain her father , that hee had killed her husband , massacred her friends , and destroyed her Countrey , she answers him sweetly again with a great deal of affection : My husband , my father , my friends and Countrey are now in thee O King ; This is that Love which God would fain have from you , and this is that language which would expresse a great deal of Peace and comfort in your Soules , and which the hand of God now leads you to , at this time , when God threatens your Countrey , when he brings confusion upon your estates , when he destroys your armies , if he should go further , if he should turne your Countrey absolutely into a wildernesse , if he should take away all your deare Relations from you ; Then do you comfort your selves after this manner : What 's my countrey ? Which are my children ? and where is my estate ? My countrey , my children and my estate , They are in thee oh my God . Be sure of this therefore that you cleere your interest in God himselfe . 10. We should learn now before the rainy day come to be dead unto all the world . The Man that is dying is sencelesse , not affected with the cries of his Children , wife and friends , that stand round about him , though they weep and wring their hands he is not stirred , Why ? Because being a dying man he is dead to them ; and if you be dead to your houses , Liberties and Estates aforehand , you will be able to buckle and grapple with that condition , So it was with Paul , who died daily , 2 Cor. 5. 4. Phil. 1. 21. 11. Have ever sweet thoughts of Death from this consideration , this world , this life is a stage of sorrow : Death is but your Exit , by it you go off the Stage , why then death puts an end to your part of sorrow ; t is a strange darkenesse that lies upon our apprehensions , that makes death fearfull to us , indeed t is this life that 's dreadfull , all the sufferings of a saint they are contained within the compasse of this life ; and life is nothing else but a Tract of sufferings , and death cuts the thread of all our sorrws , by cutting the thread of life : He that writes the life of Saint Austin , tells a story of him ; An holy man was upon the point of dying , but was very unwilling to die , a couple of young men , clothed with a beauty and majesty more then earthly , appeared to his bedside and spake thus : O vaine men , what shall I do with you , you cannot indure miseries , and yet you are unwilling to goe hence , you cannot indure pain , and yet you desire to live . Let me say this to you all , why are you afraid to die ? Doe you love sorrowes ? Are you unable to beare misery , and are you unwilling to go off from this stage of suffering ? In this life we are as it were in a dark cave , beyond which is a glorious habitation , why are you afraid of passing the flame , the flame is at the very mouth of the Cave , and you are no sooner in it , but you are out of it . Live in grief , these your griefs are as the glory of your God upon you ; Die cheerefully when you die , because with the losse of life , you enter into glory . 12. Let us set before our eyes the joyes of heaven , as Christ did . Heb. 12. That man that doth not minde the things of this life is never likely to be rich , ( if he do not minde them in a moderate way ) so that man that doth not minde the joyes of Heaven shall never come thither . Where should the Members bee but where the Head raigneth ? Where should the heart be but where our Heavenly treasure is ? Christ who is our Treasure is in heaven , whither our affections first ascend and then we follow after . ( Heb. 12. 2. Mat. 6. 19. 20. Luk. 12. 33. 1 Tim. 6. 19. ) 13. Let us consider the uncertainty of all earthly treasures or comforts : they are like Absaloms Mule , they will go away from under us when wee have most need of them , and leave us hanging by the hair of the head . When night comes we willingly lay off our clothing , and then make ready to rest . A night of Affliction and destruction is now coming upon the Kingdome , let us be willing to depart as we came into the world , naked . A great Conquerour of the world would have his Ensigne-bearer carry forth a sorry cloth or shrowding sheet , saying : Lo here is all of his conquests , that a worthy Captain doth carry with him . ( Saladin . Asiae Dominator . Job 14. 1. Job . 17. 14. Eccles. 1. 8. and 12 8. Jam. 5. 1 , 2 3. ) 14. Let us often meditate upon the fire of Hell . The Scripture calls it , A Bottomlesse Pit , Tophet , a Dungeon , large and deepe , the burning whereof is fire and brimstone ; The Lake of the second death . If a man cannot indure a little fire in one part of his body ( as on his little finger ) but one hour , how intollerable shall the paine of the damned be when they shall burne within and without ! Who can dwell with everlasting burning ( saith the Prophet Esay ) And yet our fire here is but a picture and shadow of that unquenchable fire there in Hell , where one drop of cold water will be more worth then all the Jewels of the World , though only to coole the tongue . ( Reve. 9. 1 & 20. 15. Mat. 22. 13. ) 15. Let us set before our eyes the example of the Saints which have suffered , for the truth we professe . Examples shew us it is novelty , nor impossibility to suffer for Christs sake and the Gospels . Who would not follow having such a cloud of witnesses . He. 12. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 16. 17. 18. 16. Spare not one sin unmortified , keep not beloloved Dalilah , for it will make us more woe then we think for , and will make us have inward fears and doubtings , when others shall have consolation . Christ when he arose , he arose early ; Lazarus that lay four dayes , began to savour , If we lie long in our sins we shall wax unsavoury too . We see by experience , that the longer we defere the curing of wounds , the harder is their rocovery at the last . Jer. 8. 11. 1 Kin. 17. 13 17. We should cast away all confidence in our selves , & in our own strength , Peter trusted ●o himself and fel , In his own might shall no man boast . 1 Sam. 2. Let us be strong in the Lord , and in the power of his might , Ephes. 6. 10. Mat. 26. 33. 1 Sam. 2. 9. Deu. 3. 39. 18. We should redeem the time because the daies are evill , especially from idle talking and speaking of those things which do not concern us , for that speaking may indanger us . The Prudent should keep silence in an evill time . Amo. 5. The Advarsary may intrap us in our words . Therfore let us take heed before whom and what we speak . 19. Let us labour to have true faith in God , this weapon where ever God hath put it in any hand , hath done glorious things for the Church of God , if thou canst but get this weapon into thy hand & heart , it will cause thee to live comfortably in the worst times thou canst meet withall , and make thee say with the Prophet , Hab. 3. Though the figtree should not blossome nor no fruit bee left in the Vine , though the Labour of the Olive should faile , and the Fields not yeeld their increase , yet will I rejoce in the Lord , and joy in the God of my Salvation . ( Heb. 11. 11 , &c. Mat. 21. 21. ) 20. Let us bee often conversant with God , we should enter into Chambers ; shut the door upon us , and hide our selves till this jndignation be passed over . Isa. 26. 20. Let the stream of our thoughts be for Heaven . Let us get under our Fathers wings and say to him : Thou art my hinding place , Psal. 32. We must run to God , not fly from him , if we will be safe in the evill day : Oh happy and comfortable shelter that alone can defend us from the scorching heat of persecution , Pro. 27. 12. Psal. 32. 7. Act. 8. 21 , 22. 21. We should often exercise workes of Mercy , & charity towards our poor Brethren : visite the sick , releeve the wounded and distressed servants of Christ , Give a portion to seven and to eight , for thou knowest not what evill the Lord will bring on the earth . Eccles. 11. 2. Mat. 25. 45. 1 John 3. 18. and 24. 22. Meditate Terrour , conceive the worst before hand . To be forewarned is to be forearmed , get hope , get submission , get patience . Let us prepare and set our selves in a readinesse : Thinke of the Judgement comming upon us . All the faithfull Ministers of God admonish us ; The sword is now amongst us , and God is now riding upon his Red Horse through England to chastise us for our former sins . Meditate as if the enemie had overcome our Armies , and that a famine and siege should insue , The things that I feared saith Iob , are come upon me . ( 1 Pet. 4. 12. ) 23. Let us take heed of these things now , that may make our condition uncomfortable then . There are three things , that will make that condition very uncomfortabe : Pride , wanton abuse of your creature Comforts , and unwillingnesse to lay them out in the cause of God . If you have house , Lands , estates , friends , or good clothes , and be now proud of them , when they are taken from you , your hearts will smite you and say : Ah , this was because I was so proud thereof , and lifted up my self above my Brethren , and therefore I am now made even with them , as poor as they : ( Esay 3. from the 16. to the 25. M●● 10. 37. Luk. 14. 26. 1 Cor. 7. 30. ) If you do wantonly abuse the creature in Drunkennesse , Chambering , Wantonnenesse , &c. When ●hey are taken away , your heart will upbraid you and ●ay : Ah , This you may thank your wantonnesse for , ●ou used these creatures so basely , that they groaned ●nder your hand , and so now they be got from you . ●f you be not willing to lay them out in any good cause , your heart will reproach you in the evill day ; Ah , it is even just with God to take all from me , I would not lay out my money and estate for his ●ruth , his Ordinance , his cause , and now he hath ●iven me and all into the hands of spoilers . 24. In the last place I shall conclude with some ●sefull directions unto those , that have or shall fall in●o the hands of the enemie , and thereby suffer the ●osse of their Estates or goods ; If it shall please the Lord to bring any into that condition ; Let them first humble themselves , and accept of the punishment of their iniquitie , and say ; The Lord is righteous in all that is come upon them : So did Daniel , Dan. 9. 7. O Lord , righteousnesse belongeth unto thee , but unto us confusion of face , as at this day . ( 1 Pet. 5. 6. Isa. 2. 11. Deut. 8. 16. Ier. 13. 18 ) 2 Be sure to blesse and praise the Lord for that little you have left , and if nothing be left , praise God for others that are free from your condition . If a man be in prosperitie , and grieve for others in adversitie , it is the onely way to keep him in prosperitie ; if a man be in adversitie , and can praise God for others , and rejoyce in their prosperitie , it is the onely way to have his own adversitie changed into prosperitie . 3 Be carefull to keep Gods promise in your full view . The promise is very full and clear , what condition is there enriched with more promises ? Are you afraid when you are driven out of your Houses , that you shall faint and fall in the streets , that you shall die in the Fields , or some Ditch ? Remember that promise where God hath said ; ( Matth. 19. 29. ) Those that forsake house and land , shall receive an hundred fold . Then remember the 100 fold promise . But would you return to your own house , and are you afraid you shall not do so ? Then remember that promise , Micah 4. 6. 7. In that day ( saith the Lord ) will I assemble her that halteth , and gather her that is driven out . and her that I have afflicted . In the interim , are you afraid of misery , povertie , beggerie ? Then remember that promise which hath 5 seales upon it , I will never leave you nor forsake you : Where in the Originall there are 5 negatives , as if he should say thus ; I will never , never , never , never , never , leave you , or forsake you . ( Heb. 1. 3. 5. Jos. 1. 5. ) Luther insists much upon that promise of our Saviour Christ unto his Disciples , ( Matth. 10. 33. ) You shall not have gone over all the Cities of Judea , untill the Sonne of man shall come : The sonne of man was already come ( saith Luther ) whe● he did speak these words , and therefore the promise belongs not onely to the Disciples , but to all the Disciples of Jesus Christ that shall be , the promise speaking thus much ; that though they be persecuted and driven from one place to another , yet there shall be alwayes some place open to receive them ▪ When persecution is in one place , another shall be free from it , and there shall be alwayes some place free untill the Sonne of Man shall come . Stock and store your selves with many such promises , that when this misery spoken of shall come ; keep them in your full view . Think on all these things ( I say ) for the present , and in the future if such a condition fall . And the Lord give us understanding in all things . FINIS . Published according to Order .