TIME Complaining, giueth a most godly admonition, and very profitable Instruction to England in this our dangerous Tyme.
Whereunto is added a comfortable prayer to be vsed in this Tyme. By IOHN CARPENTER.
I W
Imprinted at London by Thomas Orwin,
To the Worshipfull mine especiall good friends, John VValrond of Bouy Esquire, & to Mistris Iane W. his wife the blessing of of God be multiplied and continued.
THE great desire and godlie delight, which J knowe to be in you both, to heare, reade and meditate in the Law of GOD, with that blessed man, whom Dauid describeth: the bringing vp of your children with Abraham in the way of the Lord, and the exercising of your family in godlines, with your worthie examples vnto others, and vertues thereunto correspondent (besides your manifolde friendshippes towards me, your poore neighbour): [Page] haue often times moued me to praise GOD for you, and to commend your happie lot: And at this time to vnfold some parte of my gratefull good will, by sending vnto you this little token (the complaint of Tyme). I beseech you to accept it gladly at my handes, in regarde of my good will, chiefly in respect of the thing itselfe, which (though as briefe a Jonas Sermon to Niniue) expresseth greate matter for instruction, admonition, exhortation, commination, and consolation, in all pietie. The Lord make vs thankefull for his gratious benefites, and so to vse the happie Time of our peace, that our great prosperitie, beyond other Nations, may rather further vs, than hinder vs in that good [Page] course of godlines which we haue begonne, to the attaining of eternall life in Christ Iesu. And that howsoeuer all the world be affected, we may fully resolue to serue the Lorde as Josua did, with our families: and not forget to pray vnto GOD with Hester and her Maidens. Then shall wee enioy the benefite of our blessed time with Hezekias, and obtaine that safete iagainst our enemies, which other godlie haue obtayned by the mercie and louing kindnes of our good GOD. To whose blessed protection I commend you and yours. London, this last of June, 1582.
To all true English heartes: faith, peace, thankefulnes, and all godlinesse is wished in the Lord our Sauiour.
THE greater your benefites are, which ye haue receiued from the Lord (deere brethren) the more shoulde bee your thankfulnes vnto him: and hauing much forgeuen you, ye should with Mary also loue much, ye haue enioyed a most blessed & long time of peace and prosperitie, vnder our most gratious, godlie and soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth, whom GOD long preserue: and through her Christian gouerment, such excellent blessings, both for the bodie and the Soule, as the like no nation vnder Heauen at this day doeth enioy, for which the Lord expecteth your thankful heartes and faithfull loue towards him. But alas, your long peace & prosperitie hath brought too [Page] many men into such a carelesse security & contempt of the true Religiō so long vsed amongst you, that thereby the opportunitie of so blessed a time is iustlie occasioned to lament, and to wishe rather an ende of her course, than that her continuance should yeeld long Libertie to such men, so to abuse the Lord & his creatures, by their horrible sinnes and iniquities. As the old Israelites recompenced their long peace with al kinde of vngodlines: so haue Englishe men rewarded the Lorde euill for good, to the great griefe of his Soule, the sorow of the true Englishe heartes, and abuse of his blessings. The benefit of their time also they either doe not knowe, or haue forgotten it: for they endeuour not to vse her, but euery way to abuse her, and wast out the time in their worldlie vanities, which being once let gon, is neuer recalled againe. Neyther may you thinke, that only the Lorde is greued, your selues are sory, and Time lamenteth: but that also all the Creatures of GOD (as Paule testifieth) Ro. 8. [Page] which senie for mans vse, feeling how monstruously they are abused by thē which shoulde in godlines vse them with thankfulnes, doe altogether in one harmony & consent grone & sigh for speedy deliuerance, not willing, as it were, to serue any longer to the benefite of ingratefull men. And that, were it not, for your sakes which trust in your Lorde (as in Iosua his house vnder so gratious a princesse) which praie heartely to the Lorde euen in the night when others sleep, which performe true fidelitie and obedience to GOD and your Soueraigne: it coulde not otherwise bee, but that the treacheries conspired, and horrible plagues threatned against vs would take effect: which yet the vngodly consider not, and therefore they endeuour neither repentance nor holines of life, nor vse time, nor to take time therunto. Howbeit, I beseech you, for the tender mercies of Christ, that you hold on, as ye haue begonne in faithfulnes and true obedience to GOD and your Queene, to liue in vnitie [Page] and loue within your selues, and to fight against your enemies with that Spirituall Armor which Saint Paule hath appointed you. Then shal ye be stronger than your enemies, Eph. 6. be they neuer so manie, and be able to beate downe the verie hammer of the earth to his shame & confusion. Then shall Goliath fall downe before Dauid, & Senacherib before Hezekias yea Sisara shall perish before Deborah, Haman before Hester, and proud Holofernes shalbe slaine by a womans hand. The Lord giue vs his grace, to redeeme the time because the dayes are euill, to know the time of our visitation, and what belongeth to our peace, to seeke the Lord, whiles he may be found, and praie vnto him now whiles he is neare: that wee may thereby enioy the benefite of our happie time, that the true hearted may reioyce in spirite, that the Creatures may be willing to serue for our comfort; and that the Lorde may bee moued thereby the sooner to lead vs to his euerlasting peace through Christ Iesus our Lord Amen.
Tyme complaineth, for that she is so vainely consumed of worldly men, as wearie of continuance.
[...]. Here followeth a very profitable dialogue betweene Tyme and England: mouing all persons within this land to esteeme of Gods mercies thankefully, to repent, and tend to the end of their deliuerance, by seruing God in holinesse & righteousnesse before him, without delaie.
Amen.
❧ That Praier is necessarie in this our dangerous time.
WHen that proud Senacherib had sent to blaspheme the God of Israell, to the greate discomfort and horror of godly king Hezekias and his people: Hezekias, notwithstanding the ordinary meane of defence by the calling of his strong men together, and fortifieng the walles of Jerusalem, knowing that the strength of the Lord is farre aboue the might of man, and hee guideth euerie battell, as pleaseth himself, repaireth vnto the Lord, humbleth himselfe, proclaimeth a fast, and praieth before the Lord with a faithfull heart, and hereby hee found the shining beames of Gods mercie on himself [Page] and his people. By this example, let vs bee moued in this time of extremitie, when all our enemies conspire together against vs, to runne vnto our good God and craue the ayde of his hand to help and defend vs. For as he was to Hezekias, so to the godly now: as hee might say then, so wee say now: the Lord is our God, our rock, our defender in whom wee trust, by whome we escape death: And turning vnto him with faithfull hearts and repentance let vs pray vnto him in this maner.
❧ A Godlie and comfortable Praier.
O Most gratious God and merciful Sauior, we pray and beseech thee to bee mercifull to our sinnes, according to thy greate mercie, as thou hast forgeuen vs euen from our bondage in Egipt vntill now. Geue vs not ouer, O Lord, our most gratious father, leaste the heathen which despise thee, behold our miserie, and say in derision: loe where is now their God in whome they trust? And although when a man putteth away his wife, and she goeth from him and marieth with another, then the question is: should he resort to her any more after that? And [Page] the land is vnpure and defiled, committing fornication with many louers: yet Ier. [...]1. turne vs againe (O GOD) and we shalbe turned. And because thou art mercifull and of long suffring, louing and gentle to them that offende, not willing the death of a sinner, but rather that hee should conuerte and liue, represse the vehement heate of thy fire with godly pitie, stay thine hand from our destruction, and looke fauourably vnto our Soueraigne Princesse, Elizabeth thy seruant, as thou diddest vnto Dauid, Hezekias and Iosia, and so to the whole land. And send vs peace, yea an happie peace. Blesse vs al with thy spirite, defend vs with thy right hand, shrowd vs vnder thy wings against our enemies, that so we may serue thee in holines and righteousnes al the daies of our liues. Let it not be sayed: how long shall the land mourne, and all the herbs of the fielde perish for the wickednes of them that dwell therein: let not the creatures haue such cause for vs to desire to leaue vs: let not Time say of [Page] vs: these be they that greue me, waste mee out riotouslie, make me complaine and wish to rest and rise no more. But let it bee saied: beholde the Lorde liueth for euer worthie of praise, because hee hath bin mercifull vnto sinners, causing them to beleeue, repent, and turne vnto him and be saued. And though thou once spakest to Ier. 15. 1. Ieremie against thy owne people being disobedient vnto thee, saying: Though Moses and Samuel stoode before mee, yet haue I no heart vnto this people, driue them away, that they may goe out of my sight, some vnto death, some to the sword, some to hunger and some to captiuitie: yet we knowe (O our good Lord) that when Ephraim was heard lamenting & praying Ier. 31. 18. of 6. 1. Io. 2. 10. heartilie vnto them in his distresse thou thoughtest vpon mercy, as a father pitying his owne children. And though Ionas cried out, destruction destruction against Niniuie: yet seeing them to turne from their euill waies, thou didst repent, & layed not that euill vppon them. Let vs therefore [Page] presume on GOD, to call for mercie vppon repentaunce, and let vs heare that sounding in our eares, which Hezekias proclaymed in all his prouinces saieng: be not you stiffnecked like as were your fathers: but yeld your selues vnto the Lord, 2. Chro. 30 8. and enter into his holy place which hee hath sanctified for euer: & serue the Lord your God, & the fearcenesse of his wrath shalbe turned away from you. Let vs not only heare this, but obey this, that we may find the comfortable commoditie thereof. Graunt vs grace (O father) to forsake our euill waies, & our own imaginations, Isa. 55. and turne hartilie vnto thee. Oh graunt, it that wee may put displeasure betimes Eccles. 1 and. 12. out of our hearts, and in season remoue euill from our bodies, that we may not any longer delight in Childhood and youth, which are vanities: that we may fruitfully remember thee in these our tender yeres, while we haue libertie to goe where wee list, before the Time of trouble come, and the dayes approach wherein wee shall crie [Page] out: oh these daies be euill: they doe not delight vs. Graunt (O good Lord) that thy grace may guide vs, that we may not contemne, but most gratefullie entertaine our faithfull Iacob: if for nothing els, yet in regard of these our present commodities, whereof his departure wil shortlie depriue vs, if we continue vnthankfull. That wee may reteine him as good Abraham and Lot did the Angels, as Rahab did the Spies of Iosuah, as the widows did the prophets, Elias & Elizeus as Zacheus and Martha did our sauiour Christ, and as Lidia did the Apostles: that so wee may obtaine thy mercy, enioy thy fauour, abound with blessings, bee encreased in our treasures, defended in thy faith: and preserued from our enemies, whome, wee beseeche thee, either to conuert and bring home to thee, or else to cast downe before vs: that wee being in peace vnder our vines, and 1 King [...]. 25. 2. 2. King. 17. figge trees may freelie serue thee to thy glorie. Graunt wee pray thee (O good Lord) that though the ramping Lyons of [Page] Samaria seeke to spoile vs, wee may not haue any iust cause to feare, because by faith in thee we shall sodainly resist them: thy feare (O father) shall shield vs and their treacheries and deuelish pretences shall fall on their owne heads. Though the flies Isa. 7. 8. that swarme about the water of Egipt, and the Bees that be in the Assyrians land flie together, and light in al the desolate valleyes, in the hoales of the stones, and vpon all thorny and bushye places: yet we may not then feare, nor bee discouraged, because they haue conspired wickedlie against vs thy people: against our gratious Soueraigne Ladie, thine anoynted, yea against thee our GOD, whom we serue, whom we honour, on whom we depend for whose cause we bee persecuted, vnder whose banner wee fight, and through whom we stand: which in mercie to vs, & in iustice to them, haste promised vppon our repentance, and hope in thee, and thou wilt surelie performe (if our sinnes hinder it not, and prouoke thee to wrath against [Page] vs) that it shall not so goe forth & come to passe, as they haue imagined. And so long as thou art pleased with vs, wee shall not bee deliuered into the hand of bragging Holofernes. Though the great red Dragon Iud 2. 5. Reu. 12 and 20. 2. with seauen heads and tenne hornes bend his force against vs, though with his taile he draw downe the third part of the starres of heauen, though he persecute the woman and her child; though the kings of Psal 2. 2 and. 99. the Earth and the mightie Potentats of the world rise vp and take counsell together against thee, and thine annoynted: though the people tremble, the Earth bee moued, the heauens bend, the Sea do rage, and all the Creatures looke sower, and cry for deliuerance: yet shal we not be dismaid we shal not tremble, nor be shaken, as long as we trust in thee, leane vnto thee, and rest vpon thee and the Rock of thy trueth: for thou art our God for euer, mighty, strong, terrible and glorious, which sittest betweene the Cherubins: thou art greate in the middest of Sion, & high aboue all the [Page] Nations of the earth: thou hearest them, thou rulest them, thou sendest them forth and restraynest the furie of Leuiathan in Iob 40. 1 and 41. 1 the Sea, and of Behemoth in the wildernesse: Be thou with vs continually, hold vs by thy right hand strongly; guide vs by thy counsell wiselie, and receiue vs into glorie victoriouslie. And if thou be with vs, who dare bee against vs▪ For thou arte stronger then al they that be in the world. Therefore with a true faith, and heartie repentance we come vnto thee. Blesse vs (O father) both without and within. Be thou our gard: thy word our guide, thy spirite our comfort, thy Sonne our Sauiour, and thy seruant our Soueraigne Lady Elizabeth our louing Mother in Israel. Giue vs grace (O heauenlie King) to accompte the Time of grace pretiouse, to redeeme the Time, because the dayes are euil: to vse the Creatures gratefully, to entertayne faithe hope and charitie, and grant, that we may no longer by meanes of our transgressions constraine Iacob to departe, Ieremie t [...] ment, [Page] Ioseph to be aflicted, the Creatures to grone, & the peereles Time to sighe and crie for perpetuall rest. But rather that we our selues may bewaile our sinnes & the miseries of this life, with the godly, with the Creatures, with Time, and to crie out vnto thee Lord in heartie and humble desires: O come good Lorde, come Lord Iesus, Reu. 22. 20. how long shall the vngodlie triumph? The iust be afflicted? the creatures groane for deliuerance? Finish soone these sinfull dayes: cast downe the Dragon, the old serpent, Antichrist and all thine enemies into the bottomles pit of euerlasting torment, & receiue thine holy elected Saintes into thy sweet bosome, with this comfortable call: come yee blessed, receiue the kingdome Mat. 25. 34. prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Into the which Kingdome we beseech thee, O louing father to receiue vs, for the sake of thy deare sonne Iesus, to whom with thee and the holie ghost, three distinct persons, and one eternall God, bee all honour, glorie power and dominion, now & for euermore Amen.