TO THE NOBILITY AND GENTRY.
NObility and Riches are not absolutely good; For they are given to the Bad, as well as to the Good. Esau was a Noble man and a Rich ma [...], as well as Jacob; Dives as well as James: and therefore [Page 2]I have no reason to put my confidence in them, or to think my self the more in Gods favour, because I have more of the worlds Treasure.
Neither yet are Riches and Nobility absolutely bad; For they are given to the Good, as well as to the Bad. David was Noble and Rich, as well as Saul; and so was Nicademus, as well as Caiaphas: and therefore I have no reason to be diffident of my self, because I am Rich and Noble, or to think my self out of Gods favour, [Page 3]because I have so much of the worlds. Nobility and Riches are onely bad, when they are badly obtained, or retained worse; and then onely good, when they are sent by Gods blessing, either by way of inheritance, from my Parents; or by way of industry, from my Pains; and again distributed and used to Gods glory, and the good of his servants.
Achan by an ill obtention of Riches, purchased an ignominious death: and if others
Knew what it were [Page 4]to kill, and then possesse,
They would aspire still, but to be lesse. Dives by an ill detention of Riches, purchased the torments of Hell: and if others
Knew what it were to deny poor men food,
They would covet still, but covet to be good. Job with his humble Nobility, with his large possessions, obtained Gods favours: And Zacheus, by his munificent distributions, possessed the Joyes of Heaven. I fear not [Page 5]my self therefore, because I am Noble, because I am Rich; all that I fear is, That I may use my Riches and Nobility ill; and, that I may not, I ask my self these Cases of Conscience.
1 Whether I abate of mine own superfluities, to relieve the poor's necessities? Else I am Dives like, Luk. 16.
2 Whether I consider the Poor and Needy, and save them the pains and shame of begging at my dore and elbow? Then I am David like Ps. 4.
3 Whether I look contemptuously upon them that are poor and needy? Sam That is, Nabal-like.
4 Whether I have not resolved to deny relief to them that want? This is Devillike. And when these Cases are resolved to the comfort of my soul, I may humbly and confidently addresse my self to Almighty God.
O most gracious God! thou hast dealt largely with me in thy Outward blessings; I beseech thee also, give [Page 7]me a large portion of thy Inward grace. My heart is full of corruption, and even with these thy blessings, of a Noble blood, and a full purse, I shall pride my self, and despise others, and scorn the Poor, and forget thee; unlesse with this Nobility in my blood, and this plenty in my purse thou give me the Poverty of thy spirit; It is not a poor spirit I desire, but to be poor in spirit, that while others highly conceit of me, I may be humble in mine own conceit; remembring, [Page 8]the more I have of thee, the more thou wilt require from me; and the greater my charge is by thy trust, the greater must be my discharge by my truth: Else my Nobility will puff me with security, and my wealth will be a thorn to choak and wither the seed of thy word in me, and make it unfruitfull to me. Let me therefore take more delight in thy word, than in all manner of Riches, that in this slippery place (for Riches and Nobility are but slippery, they either [Page 9] thaw from us, or we melt from them) I may keep an even step, and walk with a right foot. Let not mine eye be dazled with the glory, nor heart bewitched with the delicacy of those Treasures; lest, e're I am aware, They be taken from me, or I from them. Let my chief delight be upon that durable wealth and eternal Nobility, which is better than Gold and Coronets, that my heart may be enriched with the dew of thy spirit, my soul filled with the [Page 10] knowledge, and my hands enabled with the practise of thy will. Oh! let me remember, That these Riches, these Titles are not my Lordship, but my Stewardship, that the bowels of the Saints may be refreshed, and the hearts of the widows rejoyced, and the loins of the Naked warned by the fruits of my faith, my good works; and thereby others provoked to glorifie thee. Let that be the Emd of my charity, To glorifie thee; not any thought of merit, or [Page 11]to glorifie my self. Let every Mite I give, be a fruit of faith, not a gift of fortune; and every mercy I shew to others upon this ground, assure me, it is a beam of thy love unto my self; and while I have no other aime but thy glory, no other ground but my obedience, let me in the End find it a good ground-work against the time to come, and so attain the End of my faith, even the salvation of my soul; not for these works-sake, but for that Promise sake, Psal 41.2.Blessed is [Page 12]he that considereth the poor and needy, the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble. Deliver me, ô Lord! in the trouble of my life, from worldly care; and deliver me, ô Lord! in the trouble of my death from sinfull guilt, through Jesus Christ. Amen. In whose most blessed Name and words, I further call upon thee, as he hath taught me in his holy Gospel: ‘Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name, &c.’
The Noblemans Character.
HE is endowed with the four cardinal vertues; and is a man, neither covetous, nor prodigal, but temperate; he knows how to give charitably, and to gather providently. He is a man neither foolish, nor craf [...]y, but prudent; and knows when to speak plainly, when politickly, never falsly. He is a man neither indulgent, nor cruel, but just; and [Page 14]knows how to punish Iniquity, and to reward Honesty. He is a man neither timorous, nor temerous, but magnanimous; and knows how to bridle precipitancy, to spur pusillanimitie, and dares scarlet his sword in an Honourable cause.
To the Gentlemen of the Law.
MY Calling is lawful, I question it not; no wise man doth question it; or if any man doth question it, yet God being the antient Law-maker, and the eternal Law giver, would soon decide it, and determine my Calling to be lawful: All my fear is, whether I use not my lawful Calling unlawfully? That I may [Page 16]not, I propose these Cases of Conscience to my s [...]f:
1 Whether Gods glory or mine own gain, moved me to make choice of this Calling?
2 Whether I take Fees in right or wrong Causes?
3 Whether I afford a Tenth or a Tantamount of my abundant Fees to the relief of the poor?
And when these are resolved I acknowledge it my duty, as it is every mans duty, to pray God to direct [Page 17]me in my lawful Calling; and so I doe.
O most just and righteous God! who to preserve Peace amongst men, and to prevent men from wronging one another, hast ordained the Profession of the Law, and hast appointed me to that Profession; I beseech thee, give me grace so to execute my Profession, that I may doe right to all men; sanctifie my Tongue that my words be not deceiptful; and sanctifie my Heart, that equity not opulency, be the [Page 18]chiefest mark I aime at: keep my Hands from taking Fees, to plead in, or maintain an unjust cause; and when I shall take a Fee in a just Cause, and doe not deserve it, either by my neglect, or multiplicity of other Imployments, give me grace to restore it: While I am busied to obtain earthly Goods for my Clrents, let me not forget to make Thee my Advocate for obtaining the Eternal good of mine own Soul: In all my pleading before an earthly [Page 19]Judge, give me grace to remember that great and last day, when I, and all men besides, must appear before Thee, the Judge of Heaven and Earth. And because then, not subtle words, but a pure heart, a good conscience, and not a full purse shall speed, so direct me by thy Spirit in this Calling of the Law, that in my whole Practice, I may endeavour to execute Justice, and maintain Truth, and then receive, as thou hast promised, to them [Page 20]that walk uprightly, glory and immortality, Ps. 80 11. through the merits of Him, that is the Advocate of Sinners, and the propitiation for our sins, Jesus Christ the righteous. Amen. In whose most blessed name and words, &c.
The Lawyers Character.
NO wife man sees him, but he thinks upon his Estate, and is glad there are such men, without whom, themselves cannot live in peace, nor their Estates be secure: [Page 21]None but fools grudge at their abundance, since by their diligence, we possesse such abundance as we have tranquillously: Be as rich as you can, so you be honest, and though your Law cannot, yet the Gospel will find a way to cut off the entayl of difficulty to Heaven from Riches: Else
The Physicians Devotion.
NO man that hath pulse in his Body, or pastion in his heart, or brain in his head, or urine in his bladder, but will confesse the lawfulness of my Profession; or if any man be so mad, or malicious, yet Asa's preposterousness in seeking to the Physician, before the Divine, and Hezechias his application of a Figg to his Plaguesore, [Page 23]will confute him, and tel the whole world,
That the Physicians Profession is lawful and honourable, because not a wise man sees him, but he thinks of death; not a fool, but sends for him in sicknesse; and therefore a happy man he is in the mean time, that is welcome to fools in extremity, and to wise men at every opportunity.
He is indeed as happy as any man living, if he ascribe not too much to second causes; [Page 24]If he make God his, as God hath made him other mens, Physician; If he shew God his tears, as he looks upon his Patients urine, he may then as well prognosticate his own health, as his Patients death. The sight of him shall ever put me in mind of death, that I may not be afraid of death, when I cannot have the sight of him, the Physician; To whom I propose this one Case of Conscience.
Whether his Prescriptions and Aimes are more for his Patients recovery, [Page 25]or his own Gains? And then let him pray thus, or otherwise as it pleaseth him.
O most wise, most powerfull, and most gracious God! who hast created Man for thy self, and service, and all other things for the service of Man; and amongst men hast or [...]ained, several Professions, and amongst them the Profession of Physick, to repair the Health, and to recover the Sicknesse of Men; The seech thee to give me grace to remember, [Page 26]that I must one day answer, for what I doe all the dayes of my life; and therefore withall I beseech thee for a blessing upon all those Prescriptions I shall direct for my Patients, and to trust in and expect onely from thee, the First cause, a vertuous operation upon the second cause, for the good and benefit of my Patients; and as I feel for the evennesse or unevennesse of their pulse, I may keep the pulse of mine own soul in an even and just temper before [Page 27] thee, that as I behold their urines, thou mayest behold my tears, that as I prescribe their Diets, I may alwaies keep a temperate Diet my self; and so keep my body under, that my soul may continually have recourse to Thee, until thou take me to thy self through Jesus Christ. Amen. In whose most blessed Name and words, &c.
Physician his Character.
HE is Natures best friend, as [Page 28]alwaies following her dictates and directions. He is a good friend to Grace; for when he sees Nature spent, he bids his Patient send for the Divine; nor doe I blame him for it, that he puts Divinity after Physick, since I know, Men are more sensible of flesh and blood, than they are of soul and spirit; nor doe you blame me, if I highly prise that piece of Apocrypha, ‘Honora Medicum honore debito.’
The Sea-mans Devotion.
THat my Calling is lawfull, honourable, & ancient, Noahs Ark, Genes.Davids wonder in the deep, Psal.Solomons sending ships to Ophir for Gold, and St. Act 27.Pauls escaping danger at Sea, by the help of the Shipmaster, Pilots, and Mariners, doe abundantly satisfie and confirm; Yet before I goe to Sea, I shall propose to my self this Case [Page 30]of Conscience.
Whether I have taken this Calling by the direction of my Parents, the guidance of Providence, or the love of money, and desire of seeing Fashions? And being resolved, I am lawfully called, I pray:
O God! who hast appointed me to goe down into the Sea in ships, and to doe my businesse in great waters, ‘Have mercy upon me.’
O God! who doest whatsoever I thou pleasest in Heaven, in Earth, and in all [Page 31] deep places, ‘Have mercy upon me.’
O God! I am now ready to commit my self unto the waters, I am now floating upon the bottomlesse Sea; and that my sins may not goe along with me, nor provoke thee to vex me with thy storms, ‘Have mercy upon me.’
The Ship that I am now in, is but a vain thing to save a man; and that Pyrates may not board us, that windes and waves may not drown us, that Infidels may not [Page 32]captivate us, ‘Have mercy upon us.’
That th [...] Devil may not infect us, That we may be constant in our Religion, That we may be true and just in our dealings, That in all places, we may demean our selves as the Professors of Christ, and give no occasion to the Adversary to speak evil.
That the great Leviathan may not seize upon our souls, as the Whale did upon Jonas his body for sins we stand guilty of, [Page 33] ‘Have mercy upon us, and blot out all our offences.’
In a Storm.
O God! who didst save Noah and his Family in the A [...]k from perishing by water, ‘Help us, or else we perish.’
O God! who didst hear the prayer of thy Prophet from the bottom of the Sea, and our of the belly of Hell, ‘Hear us and help us, else we perish.’
O God! who hast [Page 34]commanded, and raised the stormy winde, which lifteth up the waves of the Sea, ‘Help us, else we perish,’
O God! these winds and these waves mount us up to Heaven, and bring us down again to the depth, and melt our souls, ‘Help us, else we perish.’
O God! we reel to and fro, and stagger like drunken men, and are at our wits end, ‘Help us else we perish.’
Our sins have raised thy Anger, O God! and thy Anger hath raised these storms; [Page 35]In justice thou mayest deal with us, as thou didst with Pharaoh and the Egyptians; but we beseech thee to deal with us in mercy, as with Moses and the Israelites in the red Sea: Cast our sins into the bottomlesse Sea of thy mercy; Drown them in the red Sea of Jesus Christs blood; and as he did rebuke the waves and the Sea, so doe Thou turn this Sea into a Calme, and bring us to our desired Haven: Spare us a little longer before we goe hence, and be no [Page 36]more seen Guide us in this whole voyage by thy Power; Govern is with thy Mercy, Return us with thy Grace, that we may give up our lives in the Land where we received them: Or if thou hast [...] appointed us unto death [...] prepare us for death, in the full remission of our Sins, in the free justification about Persons, in the frui [...]full sanctification of our remaining Dai [...]s, and in the future glor [...]fication of our Souls, through Jesus Christ. Amen. [Page 37]In whose Name, &c.
After the Storm.
That thou hast heard us from above, and drawn us out of many waters, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee; ô Lord!’
That thou hast delivered us from all our Fea [...]s, and hast not suffered the water-floods to over whelm us, nor the deeps to swallow us up, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
That thou [...]ast shewn us thy w [...] [Page 38]in the deep, and [...] delivered us from death, by preserving us in the ship, and commanding the waves to be quiet, and the winds to be still, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
That [...] hast brought me [...] to the shoar, & comforted me with the sight, and life, & health if my friends ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
At thy Return.
And now, what shall I render unto thee, ô Lord! for all thy benefits? [Page 39]My soul and body I dedicate unto thee, and beseech thee to consecrate them unto thy self: They have been washt in the waters of the Sea; oh, now wash them in the laver of Regeneration: They have tasted the saltness of the Sea; oh, let them now taste the Merits of my Saviour; and then my soul shall never consent again to sin, my body shall never again commit sin: And that this may not prove presumption, but that I may bring my promise into performance, [Page 40]Be [...] O God! with the earnestnesse of my soul, upon the k [...]ees of my body I beg thy assistance, [...]nd th [...] graces of [...] holy Spirit, that I m [...]y conq [...]s;in; he commanding power of sin, and never again obey it, the condemning guilt of sin and never despair under it: And this for the bitter Agony and precious death [...]f my Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ Amen. In whose blessed Name and words I further call upon thee saying, ‘Our Father, &c.’
The Sea-mans Character.
IN him I see a warrantable, a dangerous, a gainful, and an honourable Calling; so warrantable, that Christ of his twelve Apostles chose four Sea-men, Andrew, Peter, James, and John; so dangerous, that there is never above a foot and half betwixt him and death; which made one Poet say, Ille robur, &c. He had an heart of oake that first adventured to Sea: [Page 42]and another; Aut insanit, &c. He is either a mad-man, or a begger, or desirous to die that goes to Sea; onely they are so happy in this danger, that they see Gods wonders in the deep, and give him thanks, when they are by him brought unto the haven; so gainful, that Solemons good huswife is compared to a Merchants Ship that brings riches from a far Countrey; so honourable, that of old the merchants of Tyre were called Princes; and of late years, [Page 43]those of Genoa, Venice, and the Low-Countries are arrived so high, that a great part of the world envies them, the rest admires them: to them we are beholding for Balme from Gilead, for Incense from Sheba, for Gold from Ophir, for Cedar and Firr from Tyre, for Gumms and Spices, from India; and somewhat more than ordinary there is in this Calling, since Christ hath graced it with the immaterial letters of his own name.
The Travailer.
I Am now taking a journey by land; whether for the necessity of businesse, or the visiting of my friends, or the wooing of a wife, I need not scruple my self; so I am sure, it is not for vanity or sin; I may pray God for his protection; and thus I addresse my self to his Throne of Grace:
O most gracious God! who didst protect thy servants; Abraham, [Page 45]Isaac, and Jacob in their several journeys; and gavest thy servant Tobias a convoy of Angels to conduct and bring him back again; conduct me also in this my journey by thy Angels, that I may be safe from the violence of Thieves, and guide me by thy spirit, that I may be safe from the assaults of those great Thieves of my Soul, the Flesh, the World, and the Devil: against the World give me the staffe of faith; against the Devil give [Page 46]me the bag of charity; against the Flesh, give me the bottle of tears, that as a Pilgrime, I may not be cumbred with any thing of impediment, but only furthered with all things of emolument; and in every step of this journey, remember my great journey from Earth to Heaven, and keep such an even pace in the path of Grace, that thou mayest return me back from this journey to my home; receive me at the end of that journey to thy City of Glory, [Page 47]for his sake, who is the way, the Truth, and the life, Jesus Christ. In whose blessed name and words, I further call upon thee, &c.
At thy Return.
O most mercifull God! That many have miscarried in their travails, I hear and know; some in their purses, some in their lives; that I am returned safe in both, and injured in neither, I feel and know; and know no cause of it, but thy providence; [Page 48]and therefore know my self bound to acknowledge the duty of my thankfulnesse to that providence of thine; which I doe and ever will blesse, not onely for this, but for all the preservations of my whole life; and consecrate the remainder of my whole life to thy service; wherein I beseech thee so to blesse me in my whole race upon earth, that I may blesse thee in the long race of eternity in heaven, for his sake who took his journey from [Page 49] heaven to earth, and returned again from earth to heaven, to prepare a place for me, and now sits at thy right hand to intercede for me, Jesus Christ my Saviour. Amen. In whose blessed name and words, &c.
The Travailers Character.
HE is an honest, and a wise man; h [...] never goes on foot, but when he wants an horse; nor doth he ever ride, but when he [Page 50]hath businesse: he spends like himself, little, or much; nor doth he make much account of his expences; for he laies up that before he finds, or is forc'd occasions to use it; if he travails with safety, and returns without danger, his first salutation is, ‘Gratias De [...].’
The Soldier.
SOme Phanaticks in the world have questioned the lawfulness of my calling: But I have Gods word for my warrant, and Gods servants for my pattern.
1 Gods word sayes, when thou goest out with thin [...] Host, Deut. 23 or when thou goest to war; and that very word when, doth suppose it; and sure I am, Gods word doth not suppose any thing which is unlawful.
As Gods word, so his servants too warrant it; yea, and his choicest servants; Abraham, Joshua, Debora, Sampson, Gideon, David; they were all warriers; they waged war; some of them offensive; some of them defensive; and therefore I need not doubt of the lawfulness of my Calling: all the doubt is, in resolving these Cases of Conscience;
1 Whether I am lawfully called to this lawful Calling?
2 How I may be assured that I am lawfully called, [Page 53]and may with a safe conscience take up, and make use of these weapons?
And that being done I thus addresse my self to Jehovah the Lord of Hosts.
O Almighty God! who hast styled thy self a man of war, and hast now called me to be a man of war, I beseech thee, teach my Hands to War; and my Fingers to Fight; give unto me, and to every one of my Fellow Soldiers the strength of Sampson, the courage of David, and the wisedome [Page 54]of Solomon, that we may undermine all the attempts, and overthrow all the plots, and overcome all the Gyants, that fight against thy Truth; yet even in the heat of Fury give us pity that we may rather spare than spoile, and while we gird our selves with Armour to resist these Enemies of ours, doe thou put upon us thy whole armour that we may resist that enemy of mankind, and quench all the fiery darts of the Devil; goe thou forth with us against them, [Page 55]that are come without thee against us; animate our, and abate their courage; confound their devices, but convert their souls: and because death is before our eyes, give us grace to be mindful of it, and prepared for it, that while we fight against them, we may also fight the good fight against all our ghostly enemies, and receive a Crown of righteousnesse: Take our Bodies into thy protection, and defend us; take out souls into thy tuition, and sanctifie [Page 56]us; that though we return not home, we may be received into heaven, through Jesus Christ. Amen. In whose most blessed name, &c.
The Soldiers Character.
HE is the Father of Peace, and Mother of Patience; his subtilty begets peace; his magnanimity nurses patiences; in both he is the founder and supporter of Kingdomes: If he be conquered, he sowes patience; if he conquer, [Page 57]he reaps peace; in That he founds, in This he supports the Kingdome; if he be able to second the peace of victory, with the grace of humility, he is the breeder of all virtue, and the bane of all vice; for then good lawes are put in execution, and bad men in the house of correction; so necessary he is in peace, that else we lose it; so necessary in war, that else we have no hope of it; so necessary in both, that no Kingdome can subsist long without him: if you [Page 58]chance to see him, you see a head quick of wit, a tongue full of eloquence, an eye of vigilance, a face of curtesie, a hand of bounty, and an heart of valour, and for his good parts, say, God blesse him, so that he remember and practise his lesson, ‘Neminem concutit ene (que) calumniamini.’
The Trades-mans Devotion.
THis Calling is of a large extent: For the extent of Trades is very large; so many several Trades as there are, so many several callings to those Trades there are too. The best marke whereby to know the lawfulness of a Trade, is, To find a ground for it in Scripture; or, if humane Inventions have found [Page 60]out some Trades, that the Scipture gives no ground for; yet if the Scripture forbids it not the Trade is lawfull, and a man may lawfully make use of it; v.g. There is no mention made of a Chimneysweeper in the word of God, yet though there were nothing conducing to this Trade, This Trade notwithstanding is lawfull, because it is not forbidden; whereas on the other side, The Trades of Usury, and Pawn taking, are directly forbidden in the word of God, especially [Page 61]the latter, The taking of such things to pawn as are necessary for livelyhood and subsistence.
But I thank God my Profession is not forbidden; (for I am a Merchant, I am a Mercer, I am a Taylor, I am a Carpenter, &c.) and therefore I may safely use it: and that I may use it honestly, I pray:
O God! who for the sin of Adam hast appointed, that every man shall earn his living by the sweat of his brows, and shall eate his bread in the sweat of [Page 62]his face, and hast also forbidden that man to eate, who will not work; and to this end hast ordained several Callings, to some whereof every particular man should apply himself, whereby, with thy blessing, he should provide for his family and posterity; and amongst all hast called me to this Trade and course of life ( [...] ) and herein hast promised to bless my honest labours and endeavors; I beseech thee that I may comfortably and contentedly undergoe [Page 63]it, without grudging thereat, as at some uneasie burthen, driving not onely at mine own private gain, but also at the publique good; not seeking Riches by wronging of others, by false weights, short measures, or deceitfull work, (Be such thoughts and things, ô God! ever far from me) but onely seeking a competency and honest encrease, doing to, and dealing by others, as I would others should do to, and deal by me; and that I may so doe and deal, I beseech [Page 64]thee let me ever remember, That the wages of unrighteousnesse, and Riches gotten by wrong and Robbery, are put into a broken bag, and shall soon diminish and be devoured; or if they do continue, they shall be for my greater hurt, and such prosperity shall destroy me; That a little with thy blessing is better than great Revenues, with thy curse; That thy all-seeing eye is ever beholding me in all my doings; and all my doings, however close from the world, [Page 65]are naked in thy sight; Add to this grace of remembrance, the grace of holy care, whereby I may walk uprightly, and approve my self before thee in an even behaviour toward all men; and if it shall please thee to blesse my labours, and increase my store, by my honest industry; ô let me not set my heart upon that increase and make those Riches my strong City, lest such deceitfulnesse choak the seeds of thy graces in me, & steal my heart from thee, from the Poor, [Page 66]from my Calling; but let me follow my Calling in an holy measure, not wholly ingulphing my self into, nor wholly sequestring my self from the businesse of it; but giving my self all convenient opportunities to serve thee in piety, and to relieve the Poor in charity; that when thou shalt put an end to these dayes of labour, thou mayest say unto me, Well done good and faithfull servant, enter into thy Masters rest. All which, and all other things needfull for me, I beg of thee [Page 67]in the Name, and for the sake of Jesus Christ, saying as he hath taught me,
The Trades-mans Character.
HE is a good Commonwealths-man, but a bad Statesman; and then the best, when he meddles least with it: The ware in his Shop, next to the care of his soul, should take up his time and tongue: for if he make no conscience how he spends his time, he [Page 68]hath no care for eternity; and if he care not to guide his tongue, he sets the Greater and the Lesser, himself and the whole world, on fire and combustion: Happie he, if he praies aright, and endeavors to doe as he praies, without injuring his Customer by false weights and measures. These and many more instructions are given him from the name of his Trade, whatsoever it is, since all Trades are called, ‘Instituta, Rationes, Mores, Disciplinae.’
To the Magistracy.
MY Calling is lawfull, whether I be supreme or subordinate; because God made David supreme, and Moses appointed the subordinate, both Justice of Peace, and Judge, and Lord Chief Justice, and Lord Keeper: onely if I am a Justice of Peace, I must resolve these Queries.
1 Whether ambition or virtue set me on this Bench?
2 Whether I sit upon this Bench, with an eye of fear to my Superiors, with an eye of favour to my Equals, with an eye of scorn to my Inferiors, or with an eye of impartiality to them all?
If I am a Judge, I must resolve these Quaeries.
1 Whether I imitate Christ in his scarlet Gown and Minivere Hood?
2 Whether as his Garments were red with the spoyle of his Enemies onely; so mine be red onely [Page 71]with the spoyle of malefactors?
3 Whether as his hood was white by a holy conception, by a sinlesse life, and a saving death; so mine be white by an unspotted conversation, without taking bribes to turn the stream of Justice into a strange and contrary channell?
If I so live, I may then assure my self, when I come to his Judgement Seat, I shall find him not Judex to condemn me, but Jesus to save me; and so I shall live, if I will [Page 72]remember, ‘Judicium non mei, sed Dei.’
If I am a Lord Chief Justice, I must then resolve these queries truly:
1 Whether I compound the Ark of God with nothing but the Law of God?
2 Whether from that Arke, I tell no man lesse than his duty, I give no man more than his due; condemnation if he be a transgressor, without taunts; absolution, if he be an observer of the Law, without bribes?
If I doe so, I may then assure my self, the incorruptible Lawgiver will not condemn me, though a corruptible Law-expounder, because I was not wilfully corrupted; and so I shall doe, if I remember, ‘Hoc fac, & vives; sin aliter, peribis.’
If I am a Lord Keeper, I must resolve these Queries truly;
1 Whether I behave my self answerably to the Propitiatory upon the Arke?
2 Whether I, like that covering, keep the [Page 74] Law from a too severe pleading against the poor Client?
3 Whether I doe moderate the extremity of Jus summum, for the maintenance of Aequum bonum?
And this I shall doe, if I command my cursitory Angels to become Dii tutelares of several Shires; if I prohibit the sending out of Fines, without the spunge of Repentance, to wash out the transgressions of the Law.
If I doe so, I shall find Christ as Christ [Page 75]hath placed me, The poor mans Advocate, my Advocate with the Father, to plead his merits against my demerites.
If I be Supreme, The Kings, I must then resolve these Queries truly,
1 Whether like the Sun, I give grace to Saturn, gravity to my Councellors?
2 Whether I give might to Jupiter, respect unto my Nobles?
3 Whether I give fortitude to Mars, magnanimity to my Soldiers?
4 Whether I allow benevolence to Venus, beauty to my Ladies?
5 Whether I allow pyth to Mercury, Rhethorick and reward to my Scholars?
6 Whether I give constancy to the Moon, stedfastness and stability to the Commons?
Or if the Sun teaches me not my duty sufficiently; I will take it higher; and because I am like God in all, only that I am a King of Men, and God is the King of Kings, I must resolve these Cases of Conscience, because [Page 77]my Conscience must answer for them to God;
1 Whether my Throne be cloathed with Majesty? else my Subjects will not respect me.
2 Whether my Scepter be full of Mercy? else my Subjects will not love me.
3 Whether my Chair be fathom'd with Justice? else my Subjects will not fear me.
4 Whether my sword be armed with Power? else my Soldiers will not obey me.
And because God dwels in absconditis, I must be careful that my Majesty be not lookt upon by every eye.
And because Gods justice is upright, I must secure my justice from being staind by a [...]y bribes.
And because Gods mercy is not denyed to any sinner, I must not deny my mercy to any Delinquent.
And because God will not suffer his Power to be disputed by any Tongue, I must preserve my Power from the quarrel of [Page 79]any Rebel; and when it is thus, I may pray with confidence.
But now I think upon it, I shall not be so sawcy, as to set down a Prayer for these great persons; because Justices, and Judges, and Lord Chief Justices, and Lord Keepers, and Kings, know better how to pray, than I to inform them; only I hope without offence, I may pray for them, and the whole world thus,
From pestilence, famine, and war; from [Page 80] earth-quakes, inundations, and great fires, from the plagues of immoderate rains, and droughts; from corrupting winds, and blastings; from thunder, lightning, and tempests; from epidemicall and sharp diseases, and from suddain death, ‘Deliver the whole world, good Lord!’
From private interpretations of Scriptures; from innovations in holy things from strange doctrines, from doating about questions, from heresies, schisms, and scandals, publick and [Page 81] private, ‘Deliver thy whole Church, good Lord!’
From the Priesthood of Micah and Jeroboam, from the combination of Judas Iscariot, and Simon Magus, from the doctrins of the unstable, and the unlearned, from the pride of novices, and from people that strive with the Priest, ‘Deliver this Church, good Lord!’
From forain invasion, and civil insurrection, from displacing good Magistrates, and exalting bad, from the [Page 82] massacre of Athaliah, and from the bloodinesse of Herod.
From the Anarchy of Corah, and Dathan, from the tyranny of Ashur, and Achab, from the dangerous counsil of Achitopel, and the foolish counsil of Zoan, from the Statutes of Omri, and the Judgements of Jesabel; from the floods of Belial, and from the plagues of Peor.
From the pride of the Amorite, from the envy of the Hittite, from the anger of the Perizzite, from the gluttony of the Gergashite, from the wantonnesse of the Hivite, from the worldlinesse of the Cananite, and lukewarmnesse of the Jebusite, ‘Deliver this City, good Lord! for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.’
In whose blessed name and words. &c.
To the condemned to dye.
YOur time is short, & therefore my discourse to you shall not be long; not many dayes betwixt you and death, and therefore not many words, lest I keep you from the thought of death. I dare not be so unchristian, as to think you prepare not your selves for the last fatal stroak; and therefore [Page 85]one onely prayer for you from me, if you have not a better from others for your selves.
O God! most powerfull, yet most pitifull; by thy Power preserve them that are appointed to dye, and redeem them from the sentence of death, which is past upon them, if it may stand with thy Goodnesse.
But if thy Providence hath appointed this time for their period, and this way for their dissolution, yet by thy pity save their souls from eternal death, and [Page 86]grant them all those graces which are necessary for their salvation.
Remember not their ignorances, Forget the sins of their youth, and Forgive the sins of their age; Give them a sight of all their sins, Give them a sense of all their sins, and true repentance to bewail; them; Give them a sight of all thy Promises, Give them a sense of all thy Promises, and true faith to apply them.
Suffer not their Ghostly enemies to assault [Page 87]them to any present desperation, for their former presumptions against thy Justice.
Send thy holy Angels to take their souls, as they did the soul of Lazarus, and carry them into Abrahams bosome; and let thy everlasting Gates be open to receive them, for his sake, who by overcoming the sharpnesse hath opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all Beleevers.
Make & keep their senses intire, their understandings right, their [Page 88] penitence unfeigned, their hope well grounded, their faith firm, and their charity perfect.
Give them, ô give them a quiet and joyfull departure, by carrying their eyes back unto Jesus, who died for them, and forward to those Joyes, which are purchased for them, by the life and death of Jesus Christ. Amen. In whose most blessed Name and words I further call upon thee, as he hath taught me, saying,
Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.
Or if any sin lies heavy upon thy soul, and thou canst not have those assistances thou desirest, then confess thy sins, and comfort thy soul in this, or such a kind of Devotion as this.
Behold, ô God! I was conceived in sin, Psal. 51. and brought forth in iniquity; and therefore I pray, ‘God be mercifull to me a sinner.’
And mercy I hope to have, Because my Saviour was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Luc. 1. and born in innocency, [Page 90]not for himself, but me; for which, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
But I have discoursed with the Devil, Gen. 3. and at his temptations have tasted the forbidden fruit; and therefore I pray, ‘God be mercifull to me a sinner.’
And mercy I hope to have, Because my Saviour wrestled with, and overcame the Devil for me; Mat. 4. for which, ‘My soul, doth magnifie thee, O Lord!’
But I have committed all sin, and kept the [Page 91] poyson of Asps under my lips; Psal. and therefore I pray, ‘God be mercifull to me a sinner.’
And mercy I hope to have, Because my Saviour did no sin, 1 Petr. neither was any guile found in his lips; for which, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
But I have fulfilled the will of the flesh too, Psal. and done no good; and therefore I pray, ‘God be mercifull to me a sinner.’
And mercy I hope to have, Because my [Page 92] Saviour fulfilled thy will, Joh. and did all good for me; for which, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
But I have defiled my body, Gen. as Onan by Pollution, if not as Judah by Fornication, Gen. if not as David by Adultery, 1 Sam. 11. if not as Ammon by Incest, if not as the Sodomites by Bestiality; and therefore I pray, ‘God be mercifull to me a sinner.’
And mercy yet I hope to have, Because my Saviour offered his Body to the knife of Luc. 2.[Page 93]Circumcision, to the water of Baptisme, Mat. 3. to the Curse of the Tree, to the Death of the Crosse; and all this to expiate the sins of my body; for which, Philip 2. ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
But mine hands have been lifted up against Heaven; and therefore I pray, ‘God be mercifull to me a sinner.’
And mercy yet I hope to have, Because my Saviours hands in Heaven are, as upon the Crosse they were, stretched out to [Page 94]embrace me; for which, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, O Lord!’
But my feet, my very feet have been swift to shed the blood of Revenge; and therefore I pray, ‘God be mercifull to me a sinner.’
And mercy yet I hope to have, Because my Saviours feet were nail'd, to shed the blood of Attonement for me; for which, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
But my heart, my inmost and remotest [Page 95] heart, hath been filled with evil imaginations, and that continually; and therefore I dare not but continue to pray, ‘God be mercifull to me a sinner.’
And mercy yet I hope to have, Because my Saviours Heart was pierced, to offer up the blood of satisfaction for the sins of my heart; for which, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
But my soul, my once most precious soul, I have defaced by all manner of ungodlinesse; [Page 96]and therefore I pray, ‘God he mercifull to me a sinner.’
And mercy I yet hope to have, Because my Saviours soul descended victoriously, to trample upon the enemies of my soul; for which, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
But yet in my Body I can see nothing but wounds, in my soul, nothing but soars, in my life, nothing but sins, and therefore I pray, ‘God be mercifull to me a sinner.’
And mercy I yet hope to have, Because in my Jesus I see balme enough to cure my wounds; in thy Christ I see unction enough to heale my soares; In his life obedience, and in that obedience, merit enough to pardon my sins: In his death patience; and in that patience, redemption enough to save my soul; In his blood innocence, and in that innocence, satisfaction enough to cure my wounds, to heal my sears, to pardon my sins, to save my soul; [Page 98]in his Descent, Humility; in his Resurrection and Ascension, Hope; in his Intercession, Comfort; for he is now at thy right hand to make intercession for me; and for which, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
But yet, but yet, I have trampled that blood under foot, I have crucified my Jesus afresh; and therefore dare not but pray afresh, ‘God be mercifull to me a sinner.’
But yet, but yet, but yet, I am the greatest [Page 99]sinner upon the face of the whole Earth; for who, or what man, or devil, durst to doe what I have done? I have broke all thy commandements, I have broken all my vows; for better obedience, and that even to this moment of my life, the very last moment of my life, and therefore will pray so long as life doth last, ‘God be mercifull to me a sinner.’
And mercy yet I hope to have, Because that saying which is worthy of all acceptation, [Page 100]is believed by me, and I desire I may believe it, to the very last minute, Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, even my self the chiefest of sinners; for which, ‘My soul doth magnifie thee, ô Lord!’
And now most gracious God! I beseech thee to accept of my resolutions, and to accomplish them in my true, though weak, and late endeavours; and look upon me, nor as I am in my self, but as I am in thy Sen, [Page 101]washed, washed in his Baptism, as well from my actuall trangressions I have committed since, as from my original corruption, I stood guilty of before I was baptized; look upon me, ô my God! as I am in thy Son, clothed, clothed with his righteousnesse; for his love clothed himself with the imputation of my wickednesse; and doth not thy gift of faith cloth me with the imputation of his righteousnesse? I doe believe the one, That he came into the world; and I [Page 102]desire to believe the other, That he came into the world to save me; for I am a sinner, the chief of sinners; look upon me, ô my God! as I am in thy Son, healed; healed by his stripes; for the bled to save the whole Body, the Church; and of that body, I am a member; and doe not, ô God! doe not suffer any member of thy Sons body to perish; look upon me ô my God! as I am in thy Son, reconciled, and at peac with thee; Rom 5.1 for being just fied by faith, I have peace [Page 103]with God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Look upon me so, ô God! and thy baptism shall cleanse me, cleanse me as well from future filth, as from passed guilt; look upon me so, ô God! and thy other blessed Sacrament, which I have now (or shall by and by receive) received, shall preserve me unto everlasting life; otherwise I dare not look upon thee, but in the Face of Jesus Christ; and otherwise, I beseech thee, look not upon me, but [Page 104]through the merits of Jesus Christ; in whose blessed name and presence, I promise thee new and better obedience, (if I live) and for whose blessed sake and merits, I beg thy assistance, that I may have victory over sin, victory over the commanding power of it, and never again obey it in the lusts of my mortal body, while I live, nor never despaire under the condemning guilt of it when I dye, but now while I live, and then when I dye, be cured of all the [Page 105] stings I have received from the fiery Serpents, of the World, the Devil, and mine own flesh, by fixing the eyes of my faith upon the true brasen Serpent, Jesus Christ. Amen. In whose blessed name and words I conclude my prayer and life, in that most perfect form of prayer, which he hath taught me in his holy Gospel, saying, when yee pray, say, ‘Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.’
To my Benefactors.
YOu are blessed men, so the Psalmist tells you; Psal 41.1. Blessed is the man that considers the poor and needy: So my saviour tels you, Come ye blessed of my Father; For yee gave me meat when I was hungry; Mat 25.ye visited me when I was in p [...]ison: So St. Paul tells you; It is a better thing to give, than to receive.
Such blessed men I have hitherto met with in my hunger, in my thirst, in my mprisonment, in my nakednesse; Their blessednesse hath blessed me; and they have made themselves more blessed, by the law of beneficence, which is, they forget their charity: But I may not make my self cursed, by forgetting my duety, in the law of gratitude; No, I will remember my Duty, by remembring God, not to forget their labor of love, because they have not [Page 98] [...] [Page 99] [...] [Page 100] [...] [Page 101] [...] [Page 102] [...] [Page 103] [...] [Page 104] [...] [Page 105] [...] [Page 106] [...] [Page 107] [...] [Page 108]forgot to doe good to them that are in bonds, and particularly to my self, the worst and unworthiest of the rest.
To you, my Benefactors, I say, Be not weary of well doing; You shall reap, if you faint not.
To God I pray, Reward them sevenfold, ô God! with Grace and Plenty here, with Glory and Eternity hereafter.
From Him, I assure you of both, if you add but your own Faith, to the Devotion [Page 109]of your Beadsman, with whom