Of Religion: and how this Manuall is made to serve the Soule in it.
REligion is the Worship or Service of God. Joh. 9. 31.
The parts of it are two. Faith, and Life Act. 24. 14.; or the Knowledge and Practice of it 1. Chron. 28. 9..
1. There is a three-fold Knowledge of Religion. Of Foundations, or Grounds of it: Of Superstructions, or what's built on those Grounds: Or of Pinacles or Punctilio's, high and curious points in the building.
The first of these is necessary for a Christian Pro. 19. 2 Luc. 12. 47.: the second, for a Divine Tit. 1. 9.: the third for no man 1 Tim. 6. 20.. The first, is necessary and profitable: the second profitable, not necessary: The third is neither. The first is the minds life Prov. 3. 18. 22., the second health 2 Tim. 1. 7., the third, the souls disease or itch Tim. 4. 3..
The Grounds of Religion necessary to be knowne: See pag. 2. And what profits may be made of those Grounds, pag. 4.
2. The Practice of Religion consists in three things.
1. Invocation Gen. 4. 26.. For that see the Prayers.
2. Mortification Gal. 5. 24. Col. 3. 5.. For that see the weekly Services against Vanities and Sins, and their Remedies. And the Soliloquies.
3. Celebration of the Holy Eucharist. For that see the Particular Directions, pag. 12. and Meditations in the Service for it.
The Grounds of Christian Religion.
Qu. WHat is the End for which Eccl. 7. 29. God made Man in this world?
Ans. To live happy with himself in Ro. 6. 22. 1 Pet. 1. 9. another world.
Qu. What is the Means to be so happy?
Ans. To serve God according to Heb. 11. 16. true Religion.
Qu. Which Religion is the True?
Ans. The Christian. Joh. 17. 3.
Qu. What is required of the true Christian?
Ans. To Believe, Doe, and Pray aright Joh. 6. 29. 1 Pet. 3. 6. Mat. 6. 9. according to the Rules of his Religion.
Qu. 1. What is it to Believe aright?
Ans. Largely, all which God sayes in his Word, briefly summ'd up in the Apostles Creed, which all Christians receive as the Rule of their Faith.
Qu. 2. What is it to Doe aright?
Ans. All which God wills in his Law, summed up in the Decalogue: by whose ten Commands we are to governe all our actions, as the great Rule of our life.
Qu. How are we to understand and observe those Commandements?
Ans. We must understand, 1. That Mat. 5. 28. they binde our hearts and thoughts, as well as our hands and tongues in outward workes and words. 2. To doe 1 Pet. 3. 11. the contrary good to what they forbid for ill, and to shun the contrary ill where they command good. 3. And Mat. 5. 22, 1 Thes. 5. 22. to shun all kindes and causes, and occasions of ill, and to use all meanes and opportunities of good. And,
2. We may, and must observe all this. Eccl. 7. 29 Heb. 4. 15 Jam. 3. 2 1 John 3. 4 Ro. 6. 12 Heb. 13. 18 Act. 24. 16 Jer. 8. 6 Ro. 13. 8 Luke 1. 6. Heb. 12. 28 Not Exactly and Absolutely, as Adam might, and Christ did; for we offend and sinne all, and so break the Law: but yet Ʋprightly and Evangelically; that is, We must keep our selves from greater sinnes, and heartily endeavour, and pray against all, and grieve and repent when we doe any. And thus by Gods grace we may doe, and this for Christs merits, God accepts, and accounts for keeping of the Law, without which we cannot do aright.
Qu. 3. What is it to Pray aright? Mat. 6. 9
Ans. According to the Patterne of Devotion summ'd up in the Lords Prayer, the Rule of our D [...]sires.
1. For Gods glory before our good; the Churches before my own; and my soul before my body (for matter and order.) And this in love and lowliness, with faith and assurance, for the manner.
2. And that either to the Sense, or according to the Words of the Patterne.
Qu. What assurances hath the true Christian, that believing, doing, and praying aright in this world, he shall be happy in another?
Ans. Two great Assurances, Gods Tit. 1. 2. Mar. 16. 16. Joh. 3. 15. Heb. 5. 9. Rom. 2. 7. Act. 2. 21. Heb. 6. 17. 18. Heb. 8. 6. Heb. 9. 15. Heb. 9. 18. 26. Heb. 10. 20. Word and Seal.
1. Besides Gods Word, his Bond, (which by his power he can, and for his truth, he will make good.)
It is in a Covenant confirmed with Gods Oath, which cannot change; by Testament ratified in Christ bloud, which must not alter. And to this Covenant and Testament are put,
2. Gods Broad Seales of mans Salvation, the Two Sacraments of Christ; Baptisme, the Seal of my Birthright to Heaven, and the Holy Eucharist, the Seal of my Inheritance in it.
Qu. Are the Sacraments onely Signes and Seales?
Ans. No. As they are Christs Assurances, so they are his Conveyances Rom. 4. 11. Tit. 4. 5. Joh. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 10. 16. too, and Meanes as well as Signes of grace: Baptisme, of my Spirituall Birth and life; and the Holy Eucharist, of my Growth, and nourishment to that which is eternall.
Qu. What is to be gathered from all these Grounds?
Ans. Two Good Resolves for two Important Inquiries.
1. Who is the best Christian? He that most carefully keeps his Rules and Seales.
2. Which is the Best Church? That which is made up of such Christians.
MAT. 18. 20.
Where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there I am in the midst amongst them.
[There then Devout Soul be thou One, in Christs Name, and rest confident to be saved since thy Saviour is with thee there.]
Grounds of Protestant Religion: How a devout Christian Soul in the midst of the manifold Distractions, and Divisions about Religion, and Pretensions, and Claimes to the Church, may upon These Grounds, against all seruples, rest satisfied, and setled in minde, and cheerfully goe on in Gods Service, to Salvation?
1. IF he that Believes, Lives, and Prayes according to Christs Rules be the True Christian, and by all Gods Assurances shall be the Happy Man; [Page 7] The next way to Heaven, is not to look after Controversie, but Conscience; and to spend my Zeale and Time, not in being Contentious, but Religious: Since, wheresoever I live, or am in the Christian World (West or East, in what Church or Country soever) it is not my being a Good Scholler that must save me; but a Good Christian; Not a learned Disputant for Christ, but a Devout Servant to him: Nor being of such or such a Party or Side in the Church, but a true Member of his Body.
And even upon These Grounds I may see and discerne enough about the present Controversies and Debates, in and concerning the Church. For,
1. I would aske this;
Whether I, being borne againe, and made a Christian by true Baptisme,
1. Believing the Scriptures, shall be damn'd for not equally believing Traditions? Whether believing the Apostels Creed, I shall be damn'd for not believing as my Creed, the Popes to be as infallible as the Apostles?
2. Whether making conscience to serve and worship God, I shall be damned for not worshiping Images?
3. Whether praying to God as Christ taught, Our Father; I shall be damned for not Invocating Saints and Angels, and saying, Our Friend which art in Heaven?
4. Whether Receiving the Holy Sacrament in both kindes, confessedly according to Christs Institution, I shall be damned because the Cup is taken away by a Councell? And whether, if the Bloud be said to be in the Body, it be not so to the Priest too; and so by that reason neither People nor Priest are to have the Cup?
These being Points of Chiefest Difference in Religion betwixt Protetants and Papists, an ordinary and indifferent understanding may easily judge by the evidence of Those Christian Grounds, whether the Protestant is a damnable Christian.
2. Nay, secondly, I would aske further,
1. Whether to give an equall faith to Tradition as Scripture, & to a Pope, as Christ or an Apostle of Christ, be not to incurre the great Curse for Additions? Rev. 22. 18
2. Whether Worshiping of Crucifixes [Page 9] and Images be not Idolatry damn'd in Scripture, against Gods Second Commandement? Whether the doing it but Relatively; save it according to the Distinction of the Schoole, in the ignorant people? Or learned either, if the Israelites Exod. 32. 4, 5, 8. were Idolaters for worshiping God in and before the Golden Calfe, which was but a Relative worship?
3. Whether Praying to Saints (confessed to be an Unstatutable worship) be not a sinne of Superstition against God? and praying to be heard and help't for their Merits sake, a Great injury to Christ?
4. Whether to give the Sacrament without the Cup, be not (as Pope Gelasius said) A grand Sacriledge; and so to take it, to receive but halfe the Communion. And whether the people may not justly doubt; and feare, they Receive None, if but Halfe?
These being the Points and practises of the Romane Church, the unprejudic'd may judge whether the Papists, be not the more dangerous Religion.
2. If it be said there is but One, Ancient, Visible, Catholique Church of [Page 10] Christ, out of which to depart by Schisme, is to goe from Salvation: And that is the now-Romane Church; and this now doth the Reformed: I satisfie my selfe on my former grounds thus;
1. Out of the Catholique Church is Universa [...]ity. no salvation, because that's the Congregation of Christian men all over the World, and none can be saved but a Christian: But, Is the West all the World? Are there not Christians in the East? Or doe Papists take up all the West? Are there no Christians there but Papists? I aske then; Can I not be saved, because I am not of such a Particular Church in the West? Nor a Papist then; because He is not of the Church of the East. I may be saved then, if I be a Christan-Catholique, though not a Romane; because, I am saved by being of the Catholique Church of Christ; that is, by being a Christian.
2. If they say my Church is New; I Antiquity. aske, what makes One Old? Are not the Apostles more ancient then their Successors? And the Bishops of Rome of the 400 yeares next after [Page 11] them, then those who came some 100 years after those Bishops? And is that Church then New, which professeth Christian Religion according to the Apostles Doctrine and Primitive Times? And particularly I aske, if these be not New points in the Romane Church:
Is not worshipping Images New established Concil. [...]. Nic. 2. Ann. 787. Conc. Later Ann. 1215. Conc. Flor. 1438. v. [...] Conc. Const. An. Conc. Trid. Ann. 1563. about 800 years ago? And Transubstantiation New, defined about 400? And Purgatory New which came in a little after? And Communion in one kind more New, decreed about 200? And all that most New, which came in but about 100?
Yea and for the great point of Supremacy, was not Gregory L. 4. Epist. 36. the First who proclaimed it Anti-Christian at Constantinople; (Ann. 600.) And all the Bishops before him, of whom not one ever challenged it, before the Succeeding Popes in the last thousand yeares, who laid claime to it after them?
3. If they say, We are but lately Visible? Visibility. I aske; Whether As a Man, So, a Church may not be visible in severall formes, foule and faire? [Page 12] And whether a Church be worse for growing visibly faire, that was foule? Then I demand, Whether, if the Romane Church should Reforme, what many of themselves as well as we confesse to be foule, it should be said thenceforth to be a Visible Church? And why then others who have done so, are denied before to be visible? And whether visibility of the Church of Rome may not as well be denied, because, as now it appeares, it was not allwaies visible?
4. And since, if another teare my Schisme. Coate, it is not I, but He that maketh the Rent; I aske, whether are they the Schismaticks, that cause, or suffer the Schisme? Whether Dangerous Corruptions being discovered, and a Reformation desired and sought to prevent, and cure a growing Schisme; they which Decline, and Detest, and oppose all Reformation, or they who Protest thereupon against them for it, are more the cause? And againe, May the Romane Church depart from the purity of the Primitive Church to corruptions and Innovations without [Page 13] Schisme? And cannot the Reformed return from those corruptions and Innovations to that Ancient puriety, but with it?
5. And since Ʋnity in Opinion, is the Unity. priviledge of Minds Triumphant above, of which the Churches of the Apostles themselves on earth were not free; but some of Paul, some of Apollos, and some of Cephas; Is not Ʋnity in Foundation, in the Reformed as well as the Romane? And Diversity and Contrariety of opinions in the Roman, as well as the Reformed? Yea in high points of their faith as well as opinions? I ask then
1. Touching the Immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin,
Whether the Dominicans be not as hot against it as the Franciscans are for it? (both famous Orders of Romane Catholicks.)
2. Touching the Aids Operations of Grace, &c.
Whether the Lutheran be more fiery against the Calvinist, then the Jesuite is against Dominican? And whether even in the horrid point of Absolute Reprobation it self, Bannes [Page 14] doe not outgoe Calvin, and Lessius goe along with Luther? (Both Famous Roman Catholicks of their orders.)
3. Touching the Popes Supremacy.
Whether the Doctors of Sorbon stand not as much against it, as the Doctors of Lovaine are for it? (Both Romane-Catholick Universities and Schooles.) Whether Venice be as much for the Popes power and Prerogative as Rome? (Both Romane Catholick Cities and States) Whether the French Papist professe and give as much Subjection to the Pope as the Spanish, (Both Romane Catholick Countries and Churches.) Nay, whether Gregory the first (the Saint) was not as fierce to condemne, as Gregory the 7. was furious to maintain it? (Both Romane Catholick Bishops and Popes.)
4. Touching the Popes Infallibility.
Whether some place it, Not in a Councell, but the Pope; some not in the Pope, but a Councell; Some in both Councell and Pope? All Catholicks, Doctors, and Champions in their severall Countries.
5. Touching the Bible it self of the Vulgar Translation;
Whether Sixtus the fift having damned all that use other, or vary but a syllable from his: Gregory the 8. did not put out another, and curse all that use any other but it? So that according to their Rules of Infallibility in the Pope, the Papist must be damn'd that makes use of any Bible: For both these were Bishops of Rome, and Popes?
2. And for Unitie in affection and Spirit. Doe our foulest-mouth'd Sectaries raile more at Church-men and Orders, than the Secular Priests at the Jesuites, and they at the Seculars? both of them Papists? did ever, or doe the Cruellest of their Faction, shew more inhumane rage against their Opposites, then Sergius As Luitprandus, Baronius sayes Beniface. did against his Predecessour Formosus, Damning all that he had done before, (as he did by Stephanus) and raising him out of his Grave, and setting him up in his Pontificall habit to damne him, and wreak his barbarous spight and malice upon him Cut off his three fingers, & cast him into Tyber, &c. See Baronius,, and these also were Popes of Rome. Are these signes [Page 16] of all Unity amongst them?
3. If they trouble me lastly with their trivial and frighting argument to weak and tender Soules, saying, By our Confession some may be saved in their Church; but say they, None can be saved in Ours. Theirs therefore is the safer Religion; I aske, whether they mistake not us, and know, what themselves say: For all ours say not so; and did they all, it were nothing. For
1. When we say, some of them may be saved holding to the Christianity, amongst them, and groaning under the Corruption (as no doubt some doe:) Is not this in effect to say, None are saved in the Romane Church but Protestants in heart? For sure, He that is Detestant of the corruption in it, had he liberty, would be Protestant against it? Do we say that any are saved by or for their Corruptions; that is, as merepure-Papists holding and doing all things in opposition to us, and not because of the Common Christianity betwixt us? Doe we not say of those Corruptions, that Salvation is absolutely impossible by them, [Page 17] and exceedingly difficult and dangerous for them, because the Christianity which should Save, is so incorporated and mixt with the Corruptions that Destroy: But with us no such danger and difficulty, because our Christianity is purged from such corruptions? Then I aske, If he be mad, that being to passe over a deepe River, will leave a Bridge for a narrow Planke; Is he wise, that in the Great Case of Eternall life and Salvation, will put his Soule on a perplext and perillous way, when he may goe a plaine and a safe one?
2. And by that Argument, should not every Papist turne Protestant? Believe, Worship, Pray, Come to Service, and Sacrament with us? For
1. They confesse with us, Scripture is infallible, but we say, not the Pope. The Rule of Faith say both, but not Tradition say we. Safe to believe the Old Creed, both grant; but, a New One, we deny. To trust to Christs Merits, sure with both; but not to ours, with us. Both believe Heaven [Page 18] and Hell, but we have no faith for Purgatory. The Protestants then is the safer Faith.
2. And to worship God they say (with us) is safe and profitable piety; but to worship Images we say, is damnable Idolatry: Ours therefore is the safer Worshipping.
3. And to pray to God in Christs Name, both grant good Religion; but to call to Saints for helpe, or to God in their Name, we say, grosse Superstition. That therefore is the safer Praying.
4. And in the Sacrament of the Eucharist a Sacrifice Commemorative both grant; but a Propitiatory, we disclaime. A Reall Presence, both allow, but the way of Transubstantiation we reject. The Cup by Institution and Primitive Observation, we and they confesse; A power of Alienation we abhorre. This therefore is the safer Receiving.
5. Lastly, in our Liturgy is no errour (some of them say;) but in their Missall are many, say we. Service in a Knowne Tongue is [Page 19] not sinfull (with them) but in an unknowne, unwarantable and against Scripture, with us. Therefore it's best to come to our Church to Service and Prayers. And so ours, by their Confession and Reason, is the best Religion.
To conclude. Upon my Grounds before, I build all this. The True Christian hath Gods Word and Seale for his Salvation: He that Believes, Does, and Praies aright, is the True Christian. 1. Such a one is a member in, and of the Catholike Church, though not of the Romane. 2. Such Christians the Primitive Times had, therefore he is no new, but an ancient Christian. 3. Where Gods Word and Sacraments are professed and used, by such there's a Church of Christ, and visible Christianity. 4. And from any Church in the world that is such, I will not; From the Romane as such, I doe not separate: So I am no Schismaticall Christian. 5. And in these Grounds all agree, and so there is Unity. And this is the onely plaine Christian way to Heaven, and so it's safest to be Reformed, not Corrupted; a Catholike [Page 20] Christian, not a Particular Romane.
‘GAL. 6. 16. And as many as walk according to this Rule, Peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel os God.’
Rules of Devotion for Morning.
IN the Morning when you first awake, What to doe when you awake. lift up your eyes to God, and say,
I lift up mine eyes to the Hils, from whence cometh my help.
Then lift up your heart to God and pray.
Lord keep me from all sin and danger this day for Jesus Christ his sake!
When you are up, kneel down and say What to doe when you are first up. this prayer.
Almighty God, who hast touched my heart with a sense of thy fear, and holy dread of thy Majesty: I beseech Let this never be omitted. thee give me thy grace so to governe my thoughts, and look to my words and wayes this day, that I may avoid all sinnes; Especially those to which I am most inclined, or may be most provoked: That so my soul and body may [Page 21] be kept pure and unspotted before thee; and whensoever the houre of their separation shall come, may be ready and prepared for thee; through the merits and mercies of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
When you are ready for your Morning Prayers, use every day one of the following Services.
Rules for the Evening.
BEfore you goe into your Bed, kneel and say this short Prayer,
O God, who hast made the day for labor, and the night for rest, let thy Sons Bloud cleanse me from this days guilt, that I may sleep in thy peace, and rise againe refreshed, and preserved by thy favour, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
And this Thanks-giving and Prayer.
Almighty God, who hast preserved me this day from many sinnes and dangers: I doe humbly magnifie thy Name for thy Grace and Goodnesse towards me. Beseeching thee to forgive me all the errours of this day, whereof my conscience doth, or may [Page 22] accuse me. And grant that those sins which by my frailty I have committed, may by the help of thy Spirit, be more carefully avoided; That I may ever stand in thy favour, walk under thy protection, and now rest and lie down in thy peace, and at last come to thy heavenly Kingdom: through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ. Amen!
When you lie down, say,
I will lay downe my [...]head in peace and take my rest, for thou onely O Lord makest me to dwell in safety.
Then pray thus:
Lighten mine eyes O Lord, that I sleep not in death! I commit my soule and body to thee, Keep me for thy mercies sake!
‘PSAL. 55. 18. In the Evening and Morning, and at Noone day will I pray, and that instantly; and he shall heare my voyce.’
Prayer of a Husband for a Wife.
O Lord! Thou hast made the 1 Pet. 3. 2. Wife the weaker Vessel, yet a necessary one: Man the nobler Gen. 2. 18. 1 Cor. 11. 3, 9. Prov. 12. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 7. of the two, yet the Woman next the Man. He is her Head, but she is his Crowne! let me then tender her as weaker, and honour her as a Vessell of worth. So weak let me never be, as to give her my Power: nor so wicked, as to make her the Mistris of my Conscience. So tyrannous 1 Kings 21. 9. Col. 2. 19. Gen. 21. 12. let me never be, as to make her my Slave: nor so imperious, as not to allow her of my Counsell. Let me value her well, but my self better; and love her much, but thee more! If she Mat. 19. 21. play Eve, let not me be Adam, (take the forbidden fruit from her hand) lest I give her ruine for respect: let me not make her my Foot, nor let her be [Page 46] my Head: Thine Authority in me, let me maintaine with love, and (hers under me) with zeale; that the yoke 1 Cor. 6. 14. which lies on both, may be carryed with more comfort, & drawn on with more bliss, to me, and her, & all that is ours. As thou lovest thy Spouse, Lord Ephes. 29. 22. let me love mine! And as thy Church doth, love, reverence, and obey thee; let her love, honour and observe me; in thee, and for thee, Deare Jesus! Amen.
Prayer of a Wife, for her Husband.
FOr him I pray, to thee O God, Gen. 2. 23, 24. whom thou by thy providence and Ordinance, hast made most mine, of all mankind (my Husband and Head) That, I may pay him the Duty, which (by thy command) I owe him with such conscience as thou maist acquit me: and he behold me not as his Crosse, but his Crown. That he may Ephes. 5. 22, 25. return me that love and respect which by thy Law is due from him to me, that I may embrace him as my Refuge (not my storme.) Lord let me study, by all 1 Pet. 3. 1. love and lowlinesse, to make him mine; and let him seek in all wisdome and kindnesse to make me his: And let both unite Prayers and endeavours [Page 47] to make our selves, and all ours, thine. That being espoused to thee on Earth, we may at last be Married with thee in Heaven, and dwell together in those mansions of blisse; where is neither sin, nor sorrow, nor care, nor discontent, nor any distresse: but a dower of Immortality and Joy, and Glory for Body and Soul: with felicity, to all eternity, even for ever, and ever: So be it dear Jesus! Amen, Amen.
Prayer of a Parent, for Children.
O Lord! who by thy favour, hast given me Issue; and in thy name, Gen. 27. 4. 29. 1. power to blesse my Children: Set thy seal, I beseech thee, to my Blessing! Blesse them with grace to be thy Children, & me with grace by good example and education, to keep them thine. Blesse them with health, and long, and good life, (if thy blessed will) and me with providence, and due care, by all right wayes to advance their good! let me not allow my Children to be thy rebels, and abhorre to make them so! Let me not so distract my soul with care for them, or load my Conscience with guilt, as to convey thy Curse on me and them! Let my care be Fatherly for their Lives, and Christian [Page 48] for their Soules. Believing, all Psal. 127. care to be vaine without thy blessing, and Carking the way unto thy curse! All blessings of this world so far good, as they serve, and help on to a better, and unreasonable coveting of them, a barre to that blisse. O Lord! my Children are more thine than mine: (Thou art Father of their Spirits, I Heb. 12. 9. but of their Flesh) Let me therefore trust thee for them as their best Father, and my self with them (as thy good Child) taking care to doe our duty to 1 Pet. 5. 7. thee, and casting all farther care upon thee: So be it dear Father, for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer of a Child for Parents.
O Lord, who hast made my Parents as Gods in thy stead, (under thee) the Makers and Preservers of my life; let me look at thy power and goodnesse in them, and (as thee) love, serve, and obey them; that I may give, die Ephes. 6. 1. to their life, and length to their dayes! And Lord, who hast given them power to convey blessing on me, give me leave from thee (the Father of all) to pray blessing on them! And (to my power) to be ever dutifull, and helpfull [Page 49] to them. That so I may be (as the Child of their love, so the Heir of their blessing, (the blessing thou hast promised to loving and obedient Children (theirs and thine) give it me good Lord; for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.
Prayer for a Family.
THat I have a Family to governe, it is thy mercy O God; but rule it aright, I shall not without thy grace. That grace Lord give me! Wisdome to know what I am to doe; and ability to do according to my knowledge, by my instruction to lead it in thy fear, Gen. 19. Deut. 6. 4. by my example to draw it, by my Admonition to drive it on: By my Providence to doe it right, by my Protection to keep it from wrong: As carefull to give to all their dues, as to receive their duty: Let me remember, Ephes. 6. 7. 9. Job. 31. 13. 14. Col. 4. 1. that (as my selfe) my Servants are thine, fashioned by thy hands, and bought alike by thy Bloud, that I may not despise them, lest I despise thee: Let me consider, that my Children (as mine) are thine; made after thine Image, and born againe of thy Spirit; that I may not neglect them, lest I neglect thee. And let them remember [Page 50] and consider, that I stand in thy stead, that (as thy self) they may serve and obey me, and thine Authority in me: And let me, and them both be mindfull, that I am thy Deputy. I, that I must account for my Charge; and they, that they must come to a reckning for their carriage; both to thee, the Soveraigne Judge, and Lord of all. That so I may so rule, and they obey, as all may be done in thee, and for thee; and all may reign at last in thee, through the merits of him, of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named, the great & gracious Master of us all Jesus Christ our Lord. Ephes. 3. 13 Amen.
A Prayer for Issue.
O Lord, who hast ordained Mariage, the meanes to propagate Mankind, and mak'st it fruitfull to that purpose, by thy providence, at thy pleasure: I beseech thee, as that is my state, let this be my blisse. Give me the blessings of the Womb, a healthy and holy seed; which may be Heires of thy blessings on earth after us, and at last inheritance of thy eternall blessednesse in heaven with us: even for the sake of thy onely begotten Sonne [Page 51] my deare and onely Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
1. Prayer, for a Woman with Child.
LOrd! who hast blessed me with a hopefull Conception, crowne thy mercy in mee with a happy Deliverance: From all frights and harmes which may cause miscarriage to me, let thy providence shield me: From all errors and ills which may draw thy displeasure upon me, let thy grace preserve me: And for all my faults and failings past, let thy mercy pardon me: And Lord! let not the Child for the Parents sake be any way unhappy: The blessing of shape, and perfectnesse of Body and mind be upon it I beseech thee: so shall the Church have a Child, and thou a Servant; my Family a pillar, and thy kingdome an heire: mine shall be the comfort, but thine shall be the gaine. O thou that thy selfe wast once enclosed in a Mothers womb, conceived, bred, and born; shew this mercy to me: doe it for me deare Iesus thou holy Sonne of God. Amen, Amen.
Prayer against Miscarriage.
LOrd keep me from all harmes and frights this day, At Evening, say, this Night. and that my Womb by no ill acccident may miscarry within me, let not my heart by any ill act miscarry before thee: Body and Soule, let thy mercy & grace preserve me, now and ever deare Iesus. Amen, Amen.
Prayer for a Woman in Travaile.
LOe! this is the fruit of the forbidden Tree: our first Mother brought forth sin, and we bring forth in paine for it: justly O Lord! for I am the Daughter of my Mother: as I sinned in her loynes, so since I came into the world I have justified often what she did once. I have sinned, O Lord! I have sinned! O how often have I coveted, what thou hast forbidden! done ill in thy eyes, to doe what was pleasing to my owne: and been both tempted and Tempter unto evill.
By inheritance therefore and purchase wrath is my due, misery my portion, and this paine my proper lot: and thy great mercy it is in Christ my Saviour that the pangs of everlasting death, are not my! but O thou Judge [Page 53] of the world, remember that thou art the Preserver of men, preserve me in it, support me under it; make haste, make haste good Lord to deliver me from it, and comfort me after it. O remember not what the first Adam hath done, but the second suffered! and by his immaculate Conception, and holy Birth and Life; by the bitter passion, and pangs, and death of the holy Child Jesus; deliver me deare Father, in this my extremity. Let the paines of my Travaile end in the joies of a blessed Birth, that may (to the comfort of my soule) live and be made an Heire of thy kingdome. Amen, Amen.
Prayer, after Deliverance of Child.
LOrd! that hast look'd downe on thy poore hand maid in her great distresse, I looke up unto thee and blesse thy Name for my happy deliverance, that thou hast made me the joyfull Mother of a hopefull Child, without visible infirmity or deformity, which might take from my joy! Goe on good God in mercy to me and it. Support me on my bed of weaknesse, and in thy due time raise me from it with strength. Let my Child live till thou by holy Baptisme hast made it [Page 54] thy Heire, and in that holy and happy state of soule preserve it to thy kingdome: and let it be my continuall care by all good meanes to preserve it. And good Lord! from the pangs of eternall death and paines of Hell keep me and it for ever. And whatsoever burden of woe I shall travaile under on earth, let me not despaire of mercifull deliverance, whom thou hast so graciously eased of my late paine and burden.
Thy power & mercy is the same for ever, O Lord let it be shewed to thy Servant in all her extremity, according as her hope and trust is in thee, by the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer after Christening the Child.
WHat an honour hast thou done unto thy Servant, O Lord▪ thou hast given me a naturall birth, and my Child a new one: what came polluted into the world, is washed cleane in thy laver; for the raggs of Adam, thou hast put on it thy Sonnes robes. My Child is made thy heire, and what was borne by me to a Crosse, thou hast begotten againe to a Crown of glory. O Lord! let it be my care [Page 55] to keep my Child thine; thy Sonnes righteousnesse on him, and Spirit in him: and my ambition so to be thy Child, that I may with it, be Inheritor of thy Crowne. By the merits of him, who is the first-borne of his Brethren, thy Son, and Heire of all things, Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer and Thanksgiving for our Birth-day.
I Thank thee O Lord for my Birth this day, but especially for my newbirth: By that I was made a Man, by this a Christian; from that I have a naturall life, from this a spirituall: that was to live on earth, this in heaven, (nor was that to live for ever, but a time on earth.) Lord! let me not frustrate the end of my Birth, nor apostate from the blisse of my Baptisme. The state of grace in which this set me, let me ever maintaine: And if by sinne I ever fall from it, let me by a true and timely repentance rise againe and recover it; that when I shall go from earth, I may come to heaven; and when leave to live with men, live with thee and thy Angels for ever, for which end I am created, redeem'd, and preserved in this world. Lord that gavest my life [Page 56] this day to begin; let it so end, for his sake, whose birth, life, and death, makes all ours blessed, who is the beginning and end, Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for New-years-day.
GOd of my life, who hast given me this day to see a New-yeare begin, let me live to see it at a happy end: and thou who hast a New-heart in thy gift, O give that to me, that according to all the good purposes of my soule I may walke in good conscience before thee, and have thy peace within me, and thy blessing all the yeare upon me, even for his sake who was content to be borne at this time, and this day to be circumcised, and shed his just blood for me, Iesus Christ thy Son my deare Saviour and Lord. Amen.
Prayer for a Widow.
O Lord, that hast taken my Head from me, be thou Husband to me; thou that boughtest my Soule by thy bloud, to be thy Spouse, doe not lose me, doe not leave me: guide and governe in me in all my waies, in all my wants and straits supply me: thou that art better than Friend, than Father, [Page 57] than Husband, than all; be unto thy poore Child and Spouse who desires to love thee, O be thou unto me all, yea more than all unto me: and that I may ever have thy love and care, have thou mine ever I beseech thee, and let neither world wooe, nor Devill tempt, nor flesh yeild it from thee: let no lust defile my heart (thy bed) nor sinne blemish my body (thy members:) let both be (as thine) undefiled before thee. Where I have failed in either for time past, Lord forgive me! that for time to come I may keep more truly thine, Lord strengthen me! Behold the desires of my soule are after thee, deare Jesus accept me! let me live espoused by thy grace, and at last be married to thy glory: to that blessed day deare Saviour bring me, and for it fit me and ever keep me deare Lord Jesus. Amen, Amen.
A Prayer for Fatherlesse-Children.
THou that art the Widowes Iudge and Orphans Father, I commend to thy fatherly care my selfe, and the Children thou hast given me: Lord keep us from the evill of this world, and bring us to the blisse of a better, I beseech thee.
Holy Father! take my Children to thy care, and teach them thy feare: be thou Tutor to their soules, and Protector of their lives, that by thy grace and mercy they may miscarry in neither: let me serve thee in them, and nurse them up in both for thee.
Assist me with wisdome, and grace, and power to doe it, and give them grace in all duty and good obedience to suffer it: let not my affections be too fiery or fond, let me not neglect them, nor distrust thee; the love and care which is just let me give them, and so expect thy blessing upon them. And good Lord, give it to them! let the Fathers blessing be on them who is dead; let a poore Mothers blessing be on them who lives, let the blessing of their Friends be on them even all that pray it for them; but above all, let thy Blessing, which is above all, be upon them all, I beseech thee: Father of mercies, Helper of the Fatherlesse, blesse them: Sonne of God that hadst little ones in thy armes on earth, lay thy hands on them and blesse them: Holy Spirit, that didst appeare in the shape of a Dove, behold their innocency, and blesse them. Holy Father, [Page 59] Son, and Spirit, blesse them with thy grace, and bring them to thy glory; and me with them, I beseech thee; even for thy mercies sake, for thy merits sake, for thy goodnesse sake, thou deare Maker, Redeemer, and Sanctifier of us all now and ever: say Amen to the humble prayers which I put up unto thee, in such words as thou hast taught me to say, Our Father, &c.
Prayer against sudden Death.
IF my repentance be daily, no Death can be sudden to my Soule, O Lord! to make my Soule therefore surely thine, let me be every day at a certaine with repentance. And because the summes of my sinnes are vast, and I may forget my debt and duty, in the daily discharges of my sinnes, and not repent for all, or not enough; O therefore give me a faire summons to my last end, that I may die with a cleare soule, and make so good an account as thou mayest acquit me of all my sins, for his sake who paid the price of all in his blood; even for the deare merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayers for one going to Sea.
1. Prayer, for a Voyage.
SEal thou my Passe, O Lord! and then I shal go safe; yea, do thou according to thy wonted goodnesse, goe with me, good God! guide me, prosper me, & return me: O let not my failings follow me, but thy mercy put them from me; and thy grace in Iesus Christ accept me. And now save me and mine I beseech thee, and all that by Land or Sea are in any extremity; for his sake who is the Saviour of us all, Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
2. Prayer, Gratulatory, after a Voyage.
SAlvation is thine, O Lord! thine therefore be the glory; that the flouds have not swallowed me up, and the Deep shut her mouth upon me!
And now Lord! who in thy great mercy and goodnesse hast been my Saviour [Page 61] at Sea, be my Guide at Land: lead me, and shield me, and blesse me, that as I desire, I may doe; and in thy due time returne to live and serve thee in the place and way thou hast appointed for me on earth, till I come to the place prepared in heaven for all that love thee, through the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
3. Prayer, at returne to Sea.
I Doe againe cast my selfe into thy armes; deare Father embrace me for thy mercies sake, hold my life in thy hand till thou hast brought me to the Haven where I would be; and thence conduct me to the home where I should be: there let me preserve the memory of thy mercies, that thou mayest continue the possessions of thy goodnesse to me and mine, till thou shalt please to translate us from our earthly Tabernacles, to thy everlasting Habitations, through the merits of Iesus Christ the blessed Purchaser of both; for which ever fit us, and prepare us by thy grace, O God! Amen, Amen.
A Prayer, after returne home from Sea.
O God, that hast been with me in my going out, and comming in; my Pilot by Sea, & Conduct by Land; receive therefore the humble praises of my gratefull soule, most sensible of thy goodnesse: And still, O Lord! blesse me and mine; and let thy holy Spirit so steare our course in the Sea of this sublunary world, that we may escape those lusts which drowne souls in perdition; and by the blessed guidance and assistance of thy grace, arrive at last at the Land of everlasting life, to live, and dwell, and love, and laud, adore, joy in thee, and enjoy thee for ever, by the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thanksgiving for deliverance from a Storme.
O Lord! thou hast made me to see the great dreads and dangers of the Deep; and I am alive at this day by thy gracious deliverance: O let this mercy be ever in my memory! and let me never forget the service which I vowed, and owe unto thee for that mercy. Make me so mindfull of that Passe-over of the floods, that I [Page 61] may better passe the time of my Pilgrimage in thy feare, till at last I come to have a happy Passe-over to thy glory, even for his sake who is passed to heaven before me and for me, Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
2. Thanksgiving for deliverance from a Storme. With a holy Meditation against perills.
O Lord! thy providence is above all perils, thy power above all stormes, thy mercy above all sins! I have seen, I have seen at once thy Greatnesse and Goodnesse, O God! thou wast my Anchor, and I am saved; thou wast my Pilot, and I am preserved: when no hope but to perish for wants, then I had it; and am help'd from heaven: praised for ever be thou the God of my help. Praised for ever & every way be the God of my salvation; yea whilst I live wil I praise thee in this manner. For thy mercy, O Lord! thine infinite mercy it is, that I am preserved and live! Lord, let those dangers never depart from my mind, that thy deliverance may never go out of my heart, but that I may ever be mindfull and carefull of thee, and thy service for it, all the daies of my life.
O let me keep with joy the memory of those waves which came over, but went off my head, as the great passeover of my life. And let thy tempest be made a Temple to me, to call me to pray unto thee and praise thee, the God of my life; to teach me to feare, obey, and trust & serve thee better every where, whilst thou shalt continue to me those daies.
1. Even thy Creatures, how terrible are they, O Lord! all hearts are afraid of thy tempests, and melt at thy stormes: O let me in this glasse of their terror see the dreadfull face of thy angried Majestie! at which the depths themselves doe tremble, and the foundations of the world are discovered, even as the blast of the breath of thy nostrils, O Lord! And let me never presume to exalt my selfe against thee, but ever tremble before thy face.
2. At thy word the stormes did cease their rage and lie still, O God! if any tempest shall arise in my passions through my frailty, let it cease at thy command: let not the Seas obey thee, and my Soule rebell against thee!
3. Thou hast presented the horror of [Page 65] a tempest to my eyes and eares, O Lord keep me that I never feele a tempest in my Conscience! let the raging Sea never run in my Soule to raise up stormes in me, more dreadfull than death: And that I may never be drowned in the depths of despaire, Lord keep me from the overflowing of wickednesse. Let not presumptuous sinnes have any dominion over me; let the conversation of the wicked never cleave unto me.
4. Thou hast in this great extremity of danger manifested to my Soule thy ready and mighty help for deliverance: even when the waves were about to overwhelme me, then, even then, O blessed God, did thy goodnesse save me! O let this experience of thy mercifull power and aide, make me to trust and stay my Soule upon thee in all distresses and dangers whatsoever shall hereafter befall me!
5. O let not any temptations of the vanities of the Land drowne in me the memory of thy mercies at Sea! but against all temptings to offend thee, let this tempest thus arme me: Had I bin in that hower tempted to sinne, O God, would I, durst I then have offended thee? And now that I am by thy mercy delivered, shall I yeild upon any temptation to sinne [Page 64] against thee? and breake my great obligation and vow to serve thee?
6. O let those waters which did fright, but not drowne me in the deep, be apprehended as a new Baptisme, in which thy hand was pleased at once to sprinkle, and teach me, that my cheeks are to be wet daily with the brinish teares of repentance for my sins, and the fresh springs of joy are to flow from my eyes for the goodnesse of thy deliverance. Thy waters came over me, but confusion did not cover me: my face felt the danger, but thou hast saved my head, O Lord my God!
O Lord I beseech thee, doe thou thus sanctifie these great passages of thy providence to me; that whilst I live, thou mayest have from me a better service; and when I die I may receive from thee a better salvation, even for Iesus Christ's sake my deare and onely Saviour. Amen.
Prayer before, or in a Journey.
O Lord, who hast set thy Angels to keep us in all our Psal. 91. 11, Psal. 94. 5. waies; charge that Convoy with me, in whose heart they are: forgive me that I have gone astray from thee, and give me grace to goe no more astray; and be not extreame to marke all errors and wandrings Ps. 130. 3. from thee (who then, O Lord, shall be preserved on earth, or saved in heaven?) let thy holy Spirit guide me this day and ever in the waies which please thee; and thy blessed protection be over me, and all with me, for his sake who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, even for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.
Prayer (Gratulatory) after a Journey.
LOrd, thou hast been with me in my Journey; and (as I prayed) I have passed the perils of the way, by the conduct of thy providence; and where I would be, I am by the favour [Page 68] of thy conduct: blessed be thy holy name, O Lord, for all thy goodnesse!
How many have miscarried, and doe daily many waies? and even so might I have done, had it not been for thy favour; Blessed be thy name for it; yea, for all the preservations of my life, and the mercy to which I owe those preservations; Blessed for ever be thy holy name.
And still, O Lord! so magnifie thy mercy in my protection on earth, that thou mayest ever be blessed of me, till I am blessed with thee in Heaven; through the merits of him, who by his blood bought that blessednesse for us, and in our flesh sits at the right hand to save us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayers for a Souldier in a just Warre.
1. Morning Prayer, for one in Warre.
O LORD! in daies of blood Read Psal. 140. there be many howres of Death, (what minute may not be that hower?) O let me then thinke of mine! thinke of it, and prepare for it!
Thy grace give me so to doe this day, and thy mercy for what hath been misdone before it; that when my life shall end on earth, it may begin where it shall never have an end: Meane while, let me live to doe thee more honour, (if it may stand with thy pleasure) and see a happy peace to be the purchase of this warre, that I may so live, to my Prince, Nation, Church, Religion, me, mine, every way happy. And doe thou therefore guide my Soule this day, and guard my life from all evill and danger, for Jesus Christ [Page 68] his sake, in whose words I pray it, saying, Our Father, &c.
2. Evening Prayer, for one in Warre.
LOrd! who hast been my shield this Read Psal. 91. day, be my watch this night; that I may be safe from the swords and hands of all Enemies, and by the guard of thy goodnesse preserv'd to blesse and serve thee the next day; for, and in thy mercy, through the merits of Jesus Christ, in whose words I pray it, saying, Our Father, &c.
3. Prayer, before Bataile.
O Thou shield of those that put Read Psal. 143. 21, & 23. their trust in thee! be his shield, whose hope is onely in thee, and in thy mercy onely: Mercy Lord grant me for all my sinnes past, and pardon me! Mercy grant me in my present perils, and preserve me! Mercy grant me good God in my attempts this day, and prosper me.
O blessed Captaine of my salvation, deare Jesus, who didst shed thy blood for me, shield me now that am to fight for thee, and all engaged with me: Have mercy on us all, deare Jesus, and give us victory. Amen, Amen.
Our Father, &c.
4. Thanksgiving after Fight.
LOrd! that hast been the shield of Ps. 28. 30. 124. 128. After Victory, 26. 98. thy Servant, I give thee the glory of thy goodnesse: And still Lord, in all dangers be my shield, that I may give thee yet more glory; for that thou hast given me to see many fall, and my selfe stand: that thou hast shewed me this day many wounded, and kept me safe: Glory be to thee O Lord, for thy mercy for ever, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Father, &c.
5. Prayer for one wounded in Warre.
O Lord! thou woundest and healest, 1 Sam. 2. 6. thou killest and thou makest alive! I doe beseech thee therefore to heale him in thy mercy, who is not wounded without thy providence.
Lord Jesu! thou good and great Physitian of wounded bodies & souls; who never failest to cure whom thou pleasest to recover: take him to thy care who is wounded in thy cause: and even for thy tender mercies sake I beseech thee, heale his Soule of his sins, and his Body of his wounds.
O thou that thy self was wounded, and sheddest thy blood for him, and us all; in this bleeding condition of his, let thy blood be his cordiall; and thy wounds, his remedies. And thou Lord of life, who on earth with thy Word made the sick and wounded to recover; yea, the dead to live: say unto him from Heaven, Live and Recover, that he may serve thee more, and better on Earth. And now and ever fit and prepare him with thy grace, that when he dies, he may live and reigne with thee, in Heaven: through the blessed merits and mediation, who wast wounded and slaine, to heale and save us all; O Jesus Christ, our Lord, our life, and onely hope, and succour and Saviour, in life and death. Amen.
Prayers for the Sick.
1. A Confession and Prayer for mercy and Deliverance.
O Lord! I do humbly confesse to the glory of thy justice, that the sicknesse which I suffer, is the fruit of my sin; the Root of Mankind was poysoned with it, and I am a branch of it; yea, and am much and many waies polluted by it, and so am (like my Root) a poysoned branch.
I am therefore a Child of Death, Rom. 5. 12. and Heire of the Grave (the issue of his sin) and sicknesse is my portion as I am his Child.
But Lord! I am the seed of a second Adam, looke at me not as I am in the first, but thy Christ; a graft of that Isaiah. holy stock, the root of Jesse, the branch of righteousnesse, the Holy One of God; for his pretious merits sake, forgive me my sin, and have mercy on me in my sicknesse: And, O deare Iesus, Joh. 5. 14. [Page 74] that didst take flesh and blood for me, pity me poore flesh and blood groaning before thee; comfort me, and succour me, help me and heale me, even by the merits of thy pretious blood, I beseech thee. Amen, Amen.
Prayer for Patience in Sicknesse.
I Am thy Prisoner, O Lord! chained by infirmity to a bed of paine; but let me not fret, even because I am thine: Thine, whose chaine I cannot breake! Thine, who dost draw me to thee, by this chaine! Thine, who for my sinne, dost justly bind me! Thine, who knowest when it's best to loose me! Thine, who seest what lies upon me! Thine, who hearest every groane within me! Thine, who for my sinnes might [...]st bind me in everlasting chains, and sendest this sicknesse to save me!
O Lord! since I am so many waies thine, let me submit to thy chaine, and lie (as thy prisoner, so) thy Patient before thee: and let thy pity in thy good time release me, and charge not the errors of my infirmity upon me, for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.
A Thanksgiving for Recovery of Sicknesse.
WHat shall I render unto the Psal. 116. Lord for all his benefits done to me? the snares of death compassed me, and the paines of Hell tooke hold upon me: I found woe and misery, then called I on the name of the Lord, and he heard me; yea, thou Lord wast he that helped me! Thou art my God, and I wil praise thee: It was not Man, it was thou that healed me: All Physitians are of no value, all Medicines vaine without thee: Thy Mercy, O Lord, was my Balme, and I will magnifie it: Thou wast my Physitian, and I will praise thee: My heart in all extremity shall therefore trust in thee: My lips shall speake of thy praise, and my life honour thee.
I will not be so wretched as to offend thee with the healthinesse thou hast given me; with the life anew bestowed on me. O Lord! keep that wretchednesse for ever from me, thy grace therefore ever give me to have in all my waies, this mercy, and thy glory before me, even so be it I beseech thee, O Lord, for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen, Amen.
Prayer against the Plague.
O Lord! Pestilence is thy Arrow, and my sins have made mee thy marke; nor canst thou misse me in thy justice: But spare me, Lord spare me in thy mercy! Though I deserve the stroke for my selfe, spare me for my Saviours sake; let his innocency be my shield, and his blood my antidote: (O Lord, I have, I wish no other antidote or shield!) By the soveraigne and all-saving merits of his I beseech thee, pardon my sinne, and spare my life.
Spare my soule, that it may better serve thee: spare my body that it may better serve my soule: spare my heart, that I may keepe it more carefully for thee: spare my blood, that my spirits may be more active to serve thee.
And as I pray Pestilence from my body, so I beseech thee keep it from my soule. Preserve me from the house, and shield me from the chaire of pestilence. [Page 77] As from infected Bodies, so from Spirits, which breath errors and vices, pests and plagues of souls: From all mutuall diseases defend me, Body and Soule; but from those fearfull ones, above all, I beseech thee. And all those thou hast made neare and deare unto me, deare Saviour doe it for thy mercies sake. Amen.
Prayer for one infected with the Plague.
I Am struck, O God, and by thy hand! I beseech thee let me bleed in thy Armes; in thy Armes of mercy, let me depart if I must die; but Lord, embrace me with thy favour, that I may live! live out this danger, and see thy deliverance; out-live my sins, and doe thee more service. Meane while, mercy, Lord, for Jesus his sake; mercy to thy poore Servant: pardon to my sinne, comfort to my spirit, acceptance to my repentance, strength to my faith, life to my charity, salvation to my soule; that whether I live, or die, I may be thine, O Lord! who to redeem and save me, didst both live, and die: in virtue of thy blood, that sole and soveraigne antidote and sanctuary of [Page 78] bleeding Sinners, thy deare and pretious blood, let my soule live, if my body die: but (if thy blessed will) both live, to praise thy goodnesse to both. Lord cast my sins behind thy back, and hold me in thy Armes. Into thy Armes of mercy I cast my self (Body & Soul) my onely hope, and refuge, and rock of my salvation, is in thy blessed merits, and blood deare Jesus! take me, and keep me in thy Armes, now and ever, and especially in my last hower and agonie, have mercy on me I beseech thee. Amen, Amen.
Thanksgiving for one recovered of the Plague.
THou hast smitten, and thou hast healed me, O my God! the blow was grievous, thy help is greater: the blow was just, thy help more gracious: my sinnes deserved death, thy mercy hath spared my life. O Lord, with an humble, thankfull soule, I doe acknowledge (as ever, so now especially) from thy good hand my present life and health. And now I humbly beseech thee that my heart may smite me that I have ever rebelled against so good a Majestie; and thy grace keep me, that [Page 79] I never more lift up my hand against so great a goodnesse. O let not the pestilence goe from my body, to my soule! let not Satan and corruption poyson & perswade my spirit, to sit in the chaire or stay in the house of pestilence: Let not others be infected with sinne by me, nor me by them, lest thou be more provoked; and the plague gone, returne in a greater judgment. My God, my help, my health, my hope, my life and comfort, be thy Name ever blessed that hast spared my soule and life: O let it be no more dishonoured by me! that keeping from the infection of an evill world, I may live in the blisse of a better; where is neither sinne nor sicknesse to infect soule or body, but perfect health, strength, grace, and glory in thee and with thee to all eternity: O Jesus, my onely refuge, and the horne of my salvation! So be it, Amen, Amen,
Prayer for one at the Hower of Death, to be said by the Sick; or some for him, altering the Person.
1. Prayer of one at the point of Death.
GOd the Father, his mercies be about me! God the Sonne, his merits be upon me! God the Holy Ghost, his comforts be within me! Holy Trinitie, preserve, strengthen and support me; that my Death may be pretious in the sight of the Lord, and my Soule live with thee to all eternity. Amen, Amen.
2. Prayer for one at the point of Death.
FAther of mercies, let thy love be to him! Saviour of the world, let thy merits be on him! Comforter of departing Souls, let thy peace be in him! Father, Sonne, and Holy Spirit, defend a Child of thy Family: save a Lamb of thy Flock, keep a member of thy [Page 81] Church; O thou One and onely Lord God of Heaven, command thy holy Angels to tender him, and forbid evill ones to trouble him! Deliver his soul, discharge his sinne, seale his pardon, heavenly Father, by thy Holy Spirit in the blood of Jesus. Amen, Amen.
3. Prayer for one at the point of Death.
LOrd Jesus! Succour this Dying Soule, make passage for him by death, to a better life; purge his sins in thy Blood; and prepare his Soule by thy Spirit, and receive it to the glory of thy Father: Jesus, that didst so deerly purchase it, make haste to receive it, from the pangs of present, and paines of everlasting death: Good Lord deliver it, deliver it for thy mercies sake. Amen, Amen.
Thanksgiving after Death, for one Departed.
¶ Say this Scripture,
Psal. 116. 7, 15. Returne unto thy rest, ô my Soule! for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
Pretious in the sight of the Lord, is the Death of the Saints.
Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord: even so saith the Spirit, that they rest from their labours.
¶ Then Pray thus,
THou that hast sent for this Soul, out of the Prison of his Bodie, to come to the Palace of thy Blisse, receive our praises O Lord, for his happy deliverance, from pangs to joyes, from Tryalls to Triumphs, from Earth to Heaven: O Lord, we beseech thee, admit our humble lauds to attend him [Page 83] into thy presence, and with them let our prayers enter before thee; that as he, so we in thy good time, may come and present our Halleluja's with our selves, in thy sight. And meane time, lead a godly life, to have a blessed death.
Lord, let us not forsake thee now, that thou mayest not leave us then! in that last and great hower (upon which followes an Eternitie of weale, or woe) Lord have mercy on us and doe not forsake us, and therefore let us have the feare of it and thee, now and ever before us; that as we believed our Brother departed, is, we may be blessed in and by our death: grant we may deare Iesus. Amen, Amen.
A generall Thanksgiving for Gods mercies.
O Thou high Majestie of Heaven! how hast thou filled me with the favours of thy bounty? how great hast thou been in thy goodnesse and mercy? how gracious in thy providence to me? thou hast poured the blessings of heaven and earth upon my head. Thou hast loaden me with thy gifts bestowed upon me, in Creating, Redeeming, and in Preserving me.
In my Creation, thou gavest me thine Image, and madest me more noble than all the Creatures of the earth. In my Redemption, thou gav'st me thy Sonne, and madest me more glorious than the Angels of Heaven. In my Baptisme, and Regeneration, thou gavest me thy Spirit, and hast made me more happy than millions of men in the world.
Thou hast given thy self to me, Lord! what could'st thou doe more for me? thrice blessed, yea for ever be thy glorious Name, for thine infinite grace, mercy, and goodnesse to me.
And in thy providence for this life, how abundantly hast thou blessed me! in [health, wealth, body, mind, &c. and] many and many mercies, vouchsafed me. In my weaknesse, thou hast strengthened me: in my dangers, thou hast delivered me: in my distresses, thou hast comforted me: in my prayers, thou hast heard me: in thy judgments, thou hast spared me, to this day, preserving my life, and making it many waies joyfull to me.
And not for any good in me, O Lord, hast thou been thus gracious towards me! My ills on earth hath been many, my ingratitudes great against thee. For them thou mightest for ever banish me from heaven, and with my sinnes cast me into hell, amongst those that offend thee: for thy owne goodnesse, and great Names sake, hast thou been thus bountifull and mercifull to me: O fill my heart with thy love, that my mouth may poure ou [...] praises to thee! Ravish my soule with thy goodnesse, that my heart may ever love thee: Fill my life with thy feare, that as my lips, my thoughts & deeds, may ever honour thee: let me not be so wretched, as to forget thy mercy; [Page 86] so wicked, as to abuse thy blessings: let all that I am, and have, serve thee, mind, body, state, health, friends, none be abused to vanity in any way of sin to reproach thee; but all made to extoll my Makers praises, and my Redeemers glory.
Since I owe my selfe by so many bonds of blessings to thee (yea thousand lives and soules, had I so many to serve thee) let me not deny the service of one poore soule & body unto thee: O blessed Maker and Redeemer, and Preserver of both! I have no more to give thee, my self therefore made of both, I present unto thee: I give thee my self on earth, O Lord accept me, and receive me to thy selfe in heaven! where, with thy Angels I shal give thee perfect praises, singing Hallelujahs day and night, giving everlasting lauds unto thee; my great Maker, my deare Redeemer, my holy Comforter, my good Preserver; O God, Father, Son, and holy Ghost! O blessed and adored Trinity! to thee, and to thy goodness alone; for what I am, and have, & hope of bliss, in this or a better world, be all honour, praise, thanksgiving and glory for ever and ever. Amen, Amen.
A Gratulatory Commemoration of Gods mercies and deliverances.
REceive the sacrifice of my thankfull soule, O Lord, for all thy mercies Here think of particular▪ and mercifull deliverances of me and mine, from diseases and dangers; by Land, or Water; in Warre, or Peace; of old, or late; for soule, or body.
O! what great dangers hast thou shewed me, and them, and yet hast delivered us from all our feares! they live, and I live, and all live; and why? but to praise thee the God of our salvation and life: thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, and I will worship thee; yea, whilst I live, will I magnifie thee on this manner. And, O give me grace to give thee more, & better glory. Glory from my lips, and glory from my life! Glory in my mind, by a just sense and Meditation of thy mercy. And glory from my heart, in a true love and joy of thy goodnesse: till thou dost give me thy glory in heaven, Lord let me ever give [Page 88] thee this glory on earth! even so Lord for all thy benefits and blessings from any ill, or of any good, to me or any more nearly mine from the hower of my birth to this day of my life, glory be to thee now and ever by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thanksgiving for a preserved [Friend] or others formerly Prayed for.
MY Heart is full of thy goodness O God! thou hast delivered thy Servant from his dangers, and me from my fears: O, what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits to me! O my God! I give thee a thankfull heart, and beseech thee to give me a thankfull life! Grace so to live, that my deeds as well as words, may speak me thankfull! O let me not pay thee with neglects for thy favours, lest thou returne me plagues for thy mercies! let me have care to serve thee in & for thy goodnesse, that I may still rejoice in and for thy salvation; of him, and me, and all who are more dearly mine, even so be it for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.
Prayers for every day in the Week.
SUNDAY. A Prayer against the flesh.
O Lord! deliver me from my selfe, my sinfull, sensuall, and carnall selfe; ready to joyne with my foes, to ruine my soule by yeilding it up to the temptations of sinne. Let me watch it as my most mortall enemy, without which all the Devils in hell cannot force, nor all the powers on earth fasten a sin upon me! and yet a foe so inbred and Naturall to me, as will lodge in me whilest I live, and never leave me! Make me see what cause I have to keepe a strict and continuall watch, and pray thy aide, when the Devill and the World without beset me, and lead on Armies of Temptations against me; and the flesh within is false and ever ready to betray me, and let them in upon me! From such Enemies and Traytors, Lord deliver me! and as I love the eternall salvation of my soule, let me not sleepe [Page 90] in security, that have to doe with such Enemies!
And since the flesh is my foe, let me not cherish it, and satisfie it, and provide for it, and entertaine it as a friend: but according to thy will and the necessity of my soule, let me not spare to crucifie and kill it as my Enemy: which will torture me if I be not crucified, and kill me if I doe not kill it. And grant me Good God, the power of thy Spirit, to doe thy will in mortifying of the flesh, to the saving of my soule!
Let my life be a continuall fight against the corruptions of my flesh, and succour me with wisdome and grace to maintaine that fight; let me watch, and fast, and use all due meanes to beat downe my body, if that give it strength. Let me meditate and heare, and reade, and pray, and weep, in all good wayes seeking to beare up my soule, to beat downe that sinfull body, and bring it to death.
And because, though now beaten downe, a new Temptation will raise it up; and struck dead, it will revive againe. Hasten my soule O Lord, out of these endlesse Warres, where I may [Page 91] keep the triumphs of an eternall peace from earth to heaven, and strengthen my soule to get those daily victories over my lusts, that they bring me to those triumphs! O Christ, that hadst flesh and no corruption, pitty me that have both! Succour my double frailty, thou that knowest the infirmity of the flesh! Assist me with thy holy Spirit, to stand: Recover me when I fall, in these holy fights. Relieve my wants, forgive my weakness [...]s close up my wounds by thy bloud! Blessed Saviour, the Captaine of my Salvation, who didst fight and conquer all my foes, and now sittest on thy Throne in triumph in heaven; make me so to fight, that I may conquer on earth; and having subdued the flesh, may sit with thee on the Throne. From their shame keepe me, that prefer the Subject before the Soveraigne, Flesh before the Spirit! From their losse keep me, that prefer a Toy to a Crowne, a Lust to a Kingdome! From their Cowardise keepe me, that dare not fight for a Crowne, but yeild their souls up to lust! From their woe ever keep me, that buy delights with their death, for a little life after the flesh, dying eternally [Page 92] bodies and soules! From such folly and misery, deare Jesus deliver me! Amen! Amen!
MONDAY. A Prayer against the Devill.
O Lord! how shall my poore soule stand against Temptation, it thou doe not assist me, who have as many Ghostly Enemies as Devils to tempt me; malicious, crafty, busie, and mighty, all of them hating my soule to death, watching my weaknesses, and continually seeking occasion to devour me! O my God without thy strength I cannot stand, and by thy strength I shall not fall. For thou O God art above the Devill, of more goodnesse, wisdome, care, and power to save, then he is able to destroy. Thou canst send more succours to me, then he can bring forces against me; more holy Angels, then he hath wicked Spirits; Lord give me that strength! Lord send me those succours! Put upon me the [Page 93] armour of light, to fight with the Rulers of darknesse! Let the Helmet of hope be on my head, and the brestplate of faith and love on my heart, that I be not mortally wounded in the fight! In my extremity send thy Angels to succour me! And let thy holy Spirit be my Leader, that the evill one may not be my Conquerour.
Lord Jesus that knowest what it was to be tempted, and didst overcome the Tempter for me, relieve my frailty when I am tempted, and suffer not Satan to overcome me! And let me be sober and watch and pray that I enter not into Temptation, that thou mayest relieve me! O Lord! How shall I not fall into the hand of Hell, if I throw my selfe into Temptation! From such presumptions, O Christ preserve me! How many soules have beene left and lost in those bold adventures of their strength, make me sadly to consider, that such a daring Spirit may never possesse me! Let me remember with feare and trembling, what great Saints have falne, that I may with an humble and holy care and feare, seeke for thy strength to stand, and being upheld by thy right hand, [Page 94] may never fall. But let me not cast my self out of thine, into Satans hand; for if thou Lord doe not uphold, and he pull downe, how shall I stand? And let me keepe my wayes, that I cast not my selfe out; for thou wilt not protect me but in thy wayes! And let me not runne my selfe into temptation, for that is out of my wayes, and thy protection. Thou great Shepheard of the sheep, keepe me, a poore Lambe of thy fold! Thou Lion of the Tribe of Juda that hast prevailed, save me from the roaring Lion that he may never prevaile! And in and from all his Temptations deliver me in thy mercy, that he may not devour my soule for all his roaring. Rescue me, thou that didst redeeme me; Preserve me, thou that didst create me, my Lord and my God, my strength & hope, deare Jesus! Amen.
TUESDAY. A Prayer against the World.
O Lord! The World is a strong Enemy to conquer, (The great Conquerors of the powers, were Captives [Page 95] to the vanities of the World) yet by thy strength it may be conquered, for thou art greater then he that is the world: Thou didst O Saviour, conquer it for me; and by thy aide I may conquer it for my selfe. And by thy will I must conquer it with thee on earth, if I will triumph with thee in Heaven; O then, let me resolutely set and fit my selfe for the conquest of the world! And to the forces of reason, Lord give me the powers of grace, by which I may make a conquest.
This world is but for a time, and will end at last, and how soone to me, thou Lord onely knowest: and did it endure, what comfort or contentment can my immortall soule receive in any, or all the good of the world? O let me not lose my eternall inheritance in the world to come, for a poore portion in this present world! Thou Lord hast made me in it, but me for thy self, and it for me. O then, let me never be of it, let my Spirit alwayes be above it! Let me not make my Servant my Soveraigne good. Assist me by thy grace, that I may not, O God! And because my senses are so naturall and neare unto me, and the world takes [Page 96] my soule captive, by the power of my senses; O let me watch those gates against the entries of Temptations! and looke well to my sense, that I lose not my soule. That I doe not, Lord keepe me from all evill, from the men, and from the things of the world! From Companies and Counsels, and examples of the ill, set on by the Devill, to wooe for the world. Lord keep me as so many foes and fiends to my soule, and let me rather suffer them as my sorrowes, then take solace in such men! From the Vanities of the world that they doe not allure me, and the miseries of it, that they may not deject me; The great powers by which the world assaults me, defend me O Lord, that they doe not overcome me, and let me looke well to my soule, because I am never free from such assaults! From the Vanities of Riches, Honours, Pleasures, the prevailing goods of the world (the Heaven she brings;) And from the miseries of wants, scornes, ignominies, injuries, tortures, the powerfull ills of the world (the Hell she hath;) Lord keep me, that they lead not my soule into the Captivitie of sin, lest I feele a worser Hell, and lose a [Page 97] better Heaven! Let me not lose thy favour for the smiles, nor incurre thy displeasure for the frownes of this world. Let neither her Sorceries bewitch me to ill, nor her Tyrannies fright me from good. Let my love and feare be both on thee, & the good and ill, not of this, but another life! On that be my heart, on this my foot! Let me love and value and use this world, onely as it may helpe me to that! Not for the Throne of my Spirit, but the footstoole of my soule. By whose good my body may be better enabled to serve my Spirit, and both to serve Thee, and come to the good of a better world! For such a Conquest, Lord strengthen me, and to these Triumphs above bring me, even for his sake, who hath overcome the flesh, the Devill, and the World for me, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
WEDNESDAY. A Prayer against sudden Death.
O Thou great Judge of the world, I am a child of death by the sentence of the Law for Adams sinne, and [Page 98] have deserved it at the hands of thy Justice for my owne; yet in thy mercy thou hast not executed that sentence upon me, but to this day hast continued my life. Yea, most mercifull God, when the feares and snares of Death and Hell tooke hold on me, and my provocations were great against thee; in those great distresses I called upon thee, and thou didst heare me and deliver me!
Lord! make me ever thankfull for thy goodnesse, and take not away thy loving kindnesse from me, though since I have not walked worthy of thy mercy. Save my soule from the sins that trouble me! Save my body from the sicknesses that feare me! And save my life from all ill accidents and disasters that may befall me! If thou speak the word O Lord, I shall be safe, body and soule, and no ill can touch me; Good Lord, speake that word, and save me? Pardon my sins that they doe not destroy me, and lengthen my dayes that I may better serve thee. For a sudden death by a present repentance, and good life, Lord ever prepare me. And from a sudden death, by thy good providence deliver me. That I may have [Page 99] time with more comfort and contentment, and setlement of minde, to yeild up my life and soule unto thee.
Deare Saviour heare me, that sheddest thy bloud to save me, and sittest in Heaven, to preserve me! For my last houre fit me. From sudden surprizall of it, keep me. To it, and in it, ever save me; and by thy grace and holy merits make it a happie houre unto me, that I may then die in thy armes, and at the day of Judgment rise and stand joyfull before thee. Lord Jesus for thy mercies sake grant all this to me. Amen! Amen!
THURSDAY. A Prayer against Hypocrisie.
O Lord! Make me abhorre to be prophane, and feare to be an Hypocrite! If I be a notorious sinner, the world will condemne me; and if a close offender, Thou wilt not justifie me: Let me therefore be a Saint in sinceritie, that God and man may approve and blesse me!
O Lord God of truth that searchest the heart, what will it availe me to have the world accquit me, when my conscience shall be a thousand witnesses against me, and Thy selfe more then ten thousand consciences to condemne me! Keepe me therefore from the blot and follie of Hypocrisie.
And since Hypocrites are the firstborne of the damned, let me have no part in that sinne, that I may have no portion with such sinners! Let me be the same wheresoever I am, in the Closet and Church, in secret and publike, in the darke and day; and let me be alwayes what I should be, studying ever to approve my heart and wayes before thee, that thou who seest in secret, mayest reward me openly. O let me set Thee every where before my eyes, and my selfe before thine; and accordingly walk uprightly before thee, till I come to rest eternally with thee!
O Lord, since thou requirest no more, to have thy favour on Earth and glory in Heaven, but a heart true unto thee, and doest pardon and passe by many infirmities, where thou seest such a heart; Let me not give thee lesse, [Page 101] then a sinceritie in thy service. God of Truth, give me a single heart to serve thee, and accept it from me: and a Monster of a double heart let Satan never make me. From Hypocrisie and lyes of life, Lord deliver me! Thou that hadst no gaule in thy heart, nor guile in thy mouth, Blessed Sonne and Truth of God, let me be Thine in truth sweet Jesus. Amen!
FRIDAY. Prayer against Inconstancie in good.
O Lord! Thou art immutable what thou art, let me be unchangeable what I should be! never ceasing to be thy good Child and Servant, who ever continuest to be my good Father and Lord!
O Lord! There is not one moment, in which I can be or live without thy goodnesse, and shall there be many dayes wherein thou art without my service? The glory with which thou [Page 102] rewardest it, is to all eternity, and shall the duties of it faile and fall short of constancy? O my God! had I the age of Angels to live, I owe the service of all that life unto thee; and now that I have but a span of time, shall I keepe away a great part of that from thee? O Lord, let me not so much forget thee and my selfe, as to doe thus by thee!
And should I so farre forget my duty, let me remember my necessity. It is constancie gets the Crown to thy service, and shall I fall off from it, and lose my Crowne? O Lord! In what a fearefull condition would my soule be, if death should seize me when I am faln off, and take me away in that time of sin? and have I any assurance this howre, the next not to see death? And were I sure of life & time, should I so live, and divide it, best yeares to the devill, and worst to my God? Months to vanity, & minute to piety? Day and night looke to this world, and not spare an houre for a better? Lord! Let not the Devill and the World divide my time with thee, lest not giving thee all, thou takest none from me; or giving thee the least [Page 103] share, thou throwest it backe upon me.
Fix my heart on thy feare, that no temptation of Devill or man may remove mee; Bind my soule with such resolutions to thee, that no strength of the flesh may loose me. Since I cannot for my bodies frailty, serve thee as an Angell without intermission, continually; let me as a Saint, without failing, constantly be devoted to thee; not as a retainer, but daily servant attending upon thee. Keeping carefully my howres of devotion, and consecrating all my dayes unto thee, in a conscionable and constant endeavour in all places [...]nd things, and at all times to shun all evill, and doe what may please thee. O thou that art without shadow of change, ever the same; settle my fickle soule in thy feare, and establish thy holy Spirit in me, that I may serve thee on earth with constancie, and in heaven to all eternity! By the grace and merits of him who finished the work of Eternall Redemption for me, living and dying, to save me, and now sits at thy right hand to uphold and keepe me, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SATURDAY. Prayer against impenitence in ill.
LOrd keepe me from the fearfull sinne and judgment of an impenitent heart: Since repentance for sinne is the onely remedy appointed to save me, let me not neglect it lest I die for it irrecoverably.
O Lord what shall become of my guilty soule, if thou doe not pardon me? And how should I hope thy pardon, if I goe on to provoke thee? Give me therefore a sorrow for my sinnes past, wherein I have offended thee, and if I fall by frailty into sin, let me not lye without remorse, but rise by repentance, that I may returne againe into favour with thee.
O my God, if now I will not, I shall repent in Hell, if not on Earth: if not with timely teares in hope, in fires with everlasting horrour. O let me weep for a time, that I may not [Page 105] waile them for ever! Let me mourne for them unto comfort; rather then rejoyce into confusion.
From a heart hardned in sin, and a conscience seared with guilt, Lord keep me as from the threshold of hell. And from continuance and custome in sin, keep me, that I grow not senselesse of it, and seared. And from multiplying, and reiterating the acts of sin, keep me that I get not a custome. If I sin, let my heart smite me, that thy hand of vengeance may not touch me.
And for that hardnesse and habit of ill which I have already got by any acts of sin, Deare Saviour help me, and heale me. Melt my heart in the fire of thy love, to a tendernesse of offending thee: and (O blessed scape-goat Levi [...] 16. 21. Goates blood melts Adamant, Such is an hard heart, Zach. 7. 12.) mollifie my hardnesse by the vertue of thy blood, that I may not stand stubborne against thee. Bow me with thy mercies, break me with thy judgments, wound me with thy Word, move me with thy Spirit, and by all meanes mould me and make my heart of that temper, that the least touch of sin may trouble me, that I may not obstinately goe on in a course of Rebellion against thee. Mercifull Father, let all thy [Page 106] crosses come rather upon me, then this curse befall me. That I may rather grieve and groane with hope on earth, then waile and houle in hell without remedie. A heart of flesh for stone, Lord give me, let thy holy Spirit work and keep it in me. Doe it deare Saviour for me, I beseech the, in thy mercy. Amen, Amen.
Animadversion to the Devout Reader touching these Services.
THe Author in these Services tenders thee some things new, and nothing (he hopes) naught. There are extant, Books of Prayers, and Meditations, and Directions apart, and those who joyne some of these together; but all (as in his way) he knowes none.
He conceives that the Soul engaged in a particular duty, will be much assisted by so manie helps at hand, and come off better with the Service. Vicissitudes of Devotions (like changes of clothes) as they please the mind, because they clog lesse; so they will advance her piety the more, when all (though they goe severall waies) meet in one study, and care to work her Spirituall preferment.
Thy Spirit will not be lesse devoted to thy Prayers, for having breathed it in holy Scriptures: Nor wilt thou take in that Holy aire with lesse advantage to thy Soules health, for going to it from thy Prayers: Nor will those Heavenly refreshments [Page 108] profit or last less, for plying the Soul (at present) well-devoted with proper & pious Meditations, & Instructions set & suteing to her particular purposes. This will be as a Word in due season, fit, and good; and serve as a little Sermon to nourish Holy Spirit so Divinely begot, which else may starve before it can come to a greater; and perhaps, not have her particular state, and case, much reached, and relieved neither, if she come.
The Closet, (the good mans Daily Sanctuary alwayes Ezek. 11 16., and in persecution often his onely Church) as it never wants Gods Spirituall Altar, (a Devout heart) nor his Garden, (Gods Holy Book) in it; nor Gods Holy Service (an Holy Prayer-Book) for it: By this, shall have a little Pulpit too. Necessary for those who have no other, and profitable for those who may want a better.
And surely, the Soule which keeps her daily walkes betwixt Gods Altar and Garden (her Prayers, and his Scriptures) must needs grow, and goe on in Godlinesse. And faster, and firmer both for hearing every day a Sermon, when Her selfe is the Preacher, Her state the Text, and God and Conscience the Auditory.
Reader, He that is not for a Pulpit in the Chamber, would have this in thy Closet, and thinkes he shall doe God and thee good Service in these devote-lesse times, to furnish thy Closet with such a Pulpit. His Aime thou seest, His patterne thou maist easily aime at, especially if a Child of that Mother, whose wisdome taught him such Prayers; Though some things in the Services be new, there are no novelties in them; but for thy singular use compiled, and made a Handfull of little Homilies and Prayers.
Rules for every Sundayes Devotion.
Sunday-morning.
When you awake, lift up your heart, and say,
O Sun of Righteousness, which this day didst rise for me, shine now, and ever, with thy Grace, and Mercy upon me! Amen.
When you are up, kneel, and say this Prayer.
O Lord, Holynesse becometh thy House; & Dutifulness becometh me to go to thy Courts, & wait upon Thee: And this is the great day of thy Service. Thou that hast given me to see the light of this day, make me carefull to do the duty of it, timely to Present my selfe unto Thee; and reverently to behave my self before Thee, that I may come with fruit, and favour from thee, for Jesus Christ His sake. Amen.
Before you goe to Church, say (if you have time) the Sunday-Service following: Omit not to say the Collect for it, howsoever in the Afternoone say the Evening-Service.
Sunday-night.
When you goe to Bed, kneel, and say,
O Sun of Righteousnesse, keep me from utter darknesse, let me so sleep in thy Peace, that I may be every ready to arise, and meet thee in thy Glory. Amen, Amen.
Seven SOLILOQUIES SACRED. Set to the Seven Dayes of the Week, by so many secret Sermons and Calls to Conscience; Inviting, and Directing the Soul to Mind, and Do what wil make Blessed. Not to pretend, but practise Piety, and to be (not seeme) Religious.
The Materialls of the Soliloquies.
- 1. The Nobility of Piety. For Sunday.
- 2. Domesticall Devotion. For Munday.
- 3. Church-Duty, For Tuesday.
- 4. Perpetuall Service. For Wednesday.
- 5. Remora's in Religion. For Thursday.
- 6. Helps to Heaven and Happinesse. For Friday.
- 7. Remedies of Humane frailty. For Sarurday.
‘PSAL. 4. 4. Stand in awe, and sinne not, Commune with your own Heart, and in your Chamber, and be still.’
The same, (altering their Number, and Order) may serve for two Weekes thus,
- 1st. Week.
- 1. Church-Duty 1. part. For Sunday.
- 2. Domesticall Devotion. For Munday.
- 3. Perpetuall Service. For Tuesday.
- 4. Remora's Religion, 1. p. For Wednesday
- 5. Remora's, 2d. part. For Thursday.
- 6. Helps to Heaven, first division. For Friday.
- 7. Helps to Heaven 2d. div. For Saturday.
- 2d. Week.
- 1. Church-Duty, 2d. part. For Sunday.
- 2. Helps to Heaven. 3. div. For Munday.
- 3. Helps to Heaven, 4. div. For Tuesday.
- 4. Remedies of Frailty, first part. For Wednesday.
- 5. Remedies, &c. 2. part. For Thursday.
- 6. Remedies, &c. 3. part. For Friday.
- 7. Nobility of Piety. For Saturday.
Animadversions touching the use of the Soliloquies.
SOliloquies are of Antient and Excellent Ʋse. With them the Fathers fed their Soules high; and ours, at this Day, fare much better for them. They must be ill Writ, and worse Read, if we thrive not in Piety, by such Holy Fare. Devotion feeding more on one single Dish of those Wholesome, Home-selfe-Conferences, than at many Feasts, and Gluts, of sha [...]per and nicer Disputations and Discourses.
Reader, Thou hast here, that which (the Author thinkes) was never seene before: All Divinity in Soliloquie; or (at least) the most Materialls of all. And sure, thy Appetite is not good to Heaven, if none of the Meat relish thee; and thy Stomack ill, if Godlinesse digest worse with thee. Provision is here made thee of Meales for Seven Dayes, sufficient to keep thy Soul in Health, if Spirituall life be in thee, and Gods Blessing begged of thee; without which, Preaching, Hearing, Writing, Reading, all, is but Breath, and Labour lost, and [Page 310] doth not solidly nourish, but vanish into aire and emptinesse.
The Author would have thy Soul Fed, not Cloid; and therefore breakes into parts his longer Soliloquies, to prevent such Surfeits. D [...]votions please God better by being quick, then long, and so by Man should be measured more by their Spirit, then Length. Barre Idlenesse then, and he leaves thee (who knowest thy strength best) to thy owne measure. And when thou dost Feed, and ruminate on these Holy Repasts, He prayes Gods Blessing on the Meat, and thy Soul. Much Heavenly good may it doe thee!
Sunday-Soliloquie. The Nobility of Piety: OR, A Soliloquie Discovering to the Soul, How much Sin sets Her below, and besides Her self, and gives Ten deadly Wounds to her Life and Honour.
O My Soule! Thou art Spirit Heb. 12. 23., thy Body is Flesh. Wilt thou then make Flesh of thy Spirit? Feeding on corrupt lusts, turnes it into the basest Flesh Rom. 7. 5 Rom. 8. 6.. That of the Body is Naturall and good; but this of the Soul, unnaturall, and ill Rom. 8. 7.. O! Doe not make thy selfe a Monster, whom God hath made his most Goodly creature Gen. 1. 26. Psal. 8. 5! He that did so Dignifie thee in thy Begining, did it to Glorifie thee in the End. But Carnality makes thee fall off, from thy Dignity; and short, of thy Glory Psal. 49. 12.. With it, God will not [Page 312] owne thee for his Jer. 2. 21., and then, tremble to think who will take thee! O! Doe not commit so grosse on Apostacy! Maintaine Primitive Spirit in thee, if thou hast sense of honour, or welfare; If it be lost by lust, let Grace make a Recovery Eph. 4. 15.
O My Soule! The Immortall piece of Man Mat. 22. 32., why is the Mortall Gen. 4. 19 part preferred before thee? The Body will die, thou canst not Eccles. 12 7. Canst thou not die, and carest not how to live? Hath that which will die (must die) all thy care? What a folly is this, to preferre a Lease to a Perpetuity? a Moment to Eternitie! The Satisfactions of a Body, to the Salvation of a Soule! Nay, by Seeking for it, an unreasonable Welfare to bring on both an Eternall ruine! For so the Immortall is made damnably Mortall, Ezek. 18. 4, and dies to blisse; and the Mortall, Miserably Isa. 66. 24., Immortall ever living in woe! Be wiser and better O my Soule to thee and it! Doe thou so waite on God, and let it so wait on thee, in his Service, that when thou shalt be rewarded, it may share with thee, in his Salvation! By thee let it be made Immortall in Glory Job. 6. 29.! Be not thou by it, Immortall in Misery! For [Page 313] thy own sake suffer not this; For thy Mark. 9. 48. Bodies sake do that. If thou dost love it indeed, Promote it to Heaven (to raise it from a Grave to a Throne, is a friendly Promotion!) But doe not kill thy selfe for love of it! O what a Murder is this? O what a Murderer art thou Pro. 6. 32 & 8. 38.? My Soul! if thou beest Murdered of eternall Life, the Body is both Rom. 13. 14. Gal. 5. 21. Quarrel and Sword, but thy selfe (wretched Spirit!) thy selfe art the Murderer Hos. 13. 9! O do not commit so Horrid an Homicide; look to thy Body as thy Life, and fight against Sensuality, as for Eternity!
3. O my Soul! The Noble part of Humane nature; Remember thy Nobility! To love Earth, and Earthly things, is infinitely below thee! Thy Mind and Will (thy Armes) are made to imbrace the Soveraign Truth, and Goodnesse of Heaven! Set thy Foot (O my Soul!) Set thy Foot upon Earth Psal. 8. Thy Foot? yea let thy Servant and Subject, (the Body) set Foot on it. It doth by Nature set it Foot, to teach thee, not to set thy Heart upon it Psal. 62. 10.! O my Soul! if thou dost, thou art not a Sinner more against Grace, than very Nature; and art not lesse a Prodigie [Page 314] to Earth, than Heaven! O thou Noble of the Almighties Making, be not so base a Creature of the Devills Joh. 8. 44, as by him to be made at once a Miscreant, and the Abomination of the World.
4. O my Soul! Gods Image is in thee! What then doth the Similitude of Beast upon thee? Why doth not Reason, but Sense governe thee Psal. 49. 12.? Why doth not Rationall will, but Brutish Appetite rule thee? This is to outdoe the Devill in thy undoing! He took Shape of a Serpent for an ill turn, and time; and thou appearest, and continuest in thy bestiall Shape. Nay, not the Figure of Beast, but the very Forme is in thee! Ʋnreasonable Creature that thou art, worse then the Brute that hath no Ʋnderstanding, because with Reason, and against it. My Soul! Heaven hath in it neither Beastly Bodies, nor Soules Apoc. 21 27.! And therefore, Act like Man, Appear like God, if thou wouldst be there. If then Ephes. 4. 24. Deform'd by Wicked Spirit, be Transform'd Ro. 12. 2. by Holy one. Child of God, Maintaine thy Fathers likenesse, that thou maist inherit his happinesse! Acts of Lust, and Brutishnesse 1 Joh. 2. 16 Ephes. 5. 5. blot it out of thee, and thee out of Heaven!
5. O my Soul! Thou art the Spouse of God, no Creature is thy Match, or Mate, (Thy Creatour is thy Husband. Isa. 54. 5) Where then is thy Honour, if the World have thy Love, and Earth thy Embraces? O thou that hatest Adultery with Man, how darest thou be Adulteresse Jam. 4. 4. to God? May not a Strumpet-Body stand in thy sight? and must a Whorish Ezek. 6. 9 heart lie in thy Bosome? Must not Man Court thee, and shall the Devil Wooe thee? Is thy Bed Clean, and God's Defiled? Instead of thy Lord, thy Slave (the World) taken into his Bed? What is Gods Bed, but Mans Heart? Setting it on other then him, but Strumpetting Ezek. 16. 30. his Bed Consensisti, in corde tuo, concubuisti. Aug.. And the Baser the good which steales Affections from him, the more Abonable the Whorishnesse? O thou Beloved above all Creatures Prov. 8. 31. that hast God for thy Husband, Heaven for t [...]y Dower, and Earth for thy Service! Let not Hell be thy Pander, to take the World for thy Love, have not lesse in thy Heart, then thy God, and his Heaven!
6. O my Soul! Thou art the Bodies, Lord! Take then her Homage. Let her serve thee, not undoe thee! Doe [Page 316] thou Act Gods Will, and let it execute thine Rom. 6. 19.. But do not thou its; (the Will of thy Handmaid, the Lust of the Flesh;) Let not Her Senses wooe thee to Vanities; To doe pleasure to the Body, bring not Paine on the Soul: Make not thy Body, thy God Phil. 3. 19., lest thou make thy Self a Devill; Damn'd for ever for not doing thy duty better to Almighty God, and thy Selfe. O my Soul! An Angels Peere Psal. 8. 5., make not thy self a Devills Fellow Joh. 6. 70! Sell not thy Lordship for Slavery and Misery to Boot. If thou be not Lord, but serve thy Servant, never Earth saw, none but Hell will harbour such a Slave!
7. O My Soule! Thou art Soveraigne i Rom. 6. 12. & 23. in Man. Under God Supreme, over all that is in him! Wilt thou be thy Subjects Subject? Shall the Law of the Members, be the Minds Law? Rom. 6. 23 The Senses are thy handmaids, (O thou Princess of Heaven!) Shall they be the Chiefe Commanders of thy Life? Wilt thou only move, goe, run, refuse, chuse, (as they Command?) O what a basnesse is this, to be so unworthy to thy Maker and Nature? And yet say (O my Soule!) Speak out of Conscience, and [Page 317] say; Is not Sense the great Leader,, and Appetite Rom. 8. 1 the Ruler of thy Life? whilest Reason and Diviner Ʋnderstanding Lackie after their Desires, and the Members are mere Drudges for them? O my Soule! The Soveraigne of God, be not so much Subject to the Devill, as to be led at his lust Tim. 2. 26., by the Lure of Sense, to satisfie the Flesh against Gods Law, and thy Reason! To a life which he himselfe (though most wicked) doth not lead; For though Spirituall wickednesse abound in him Ephes. 6. 12., the Bodily is below him. If thou wi [...]t be so base, be not more then the Devill.
8. O My Soule! Thou Free-borne Child of Eternity, Heire of Immensity, Daughter of Him who is beyond all bounds of Time and Being! The Body, is but thy Prison. Thou art shut up in o 1 Cor. 4. 2. 4. Walls of mud within the Gates of sense, why then dost thou delight in a Prison before thy Palace? And chuse a Bodily restraint before a Spirits Rom. 8. 21. Liberty? Is it blisse to be in bondage? Are Chaines of Iron better then Gold? Fetters, before Freedome? Even Earth is but a Gaole to Heaven Rom. 8. 23.! What a Little ease then doth the Spirit finde in so little a spot of Earth! O doe not destroy [Page 318] thy Spirituall Liberty Rom. 6. 16. Tit. 3. 2., by a Bodily Licentiousnesse! Love not thy Gaole before thy Delivery; lest thou be cast into that Gaole, whence none is Delivered Mat. 5. 25.. It's just with God (most just) that the Soule which chuseth the Devills Chaine before Gods Liberty, should have the Devils Prison for Gods Palace. And be his slave in Hell for ever, that would not for a time, be Gods servant on Earth. Dove of God, fly to Heaven: Spiritus quisque ales est Tert. Cant. 2. 14 Amor temporalium, viseus Spiritualium. Belime not thy Spiritual wings in slime, and mud. Doe not Crow-like, feed on Carrion, and like a blind Beetle place thy blisse in dirt. Sell not thy Selfe to buy a Gaole, when thou givest a Palace for the Purchase, and thy selfe to the bargaine, Mat. 16. 26. and hast nothing but Shackles, and Tortures to boot!
9. O My Soule! Thou art Gods Jewel Mal. 3. 17., the Body, thy Casket! Why then dost thou prefer her good to thy welfare? Must the jewell be burnt to Save the Casket from the Fire? Nay, w Mat. 5. 30. it's not so much. It is at once to Fire casket and jewel (to cast both together into Hel Fire) Sardanapalus-like, with all his bundles and heaps of worldly Treasures, to make up one funerall pile, and perish together for ever, (Body and [Page 319] Soule!) O Bright Diamond of Heaven, Divinae particulam aurae. (Sparke of the Divinity) Ray of Divinest Glory, Set in the foile of Flesh, for a Time, till taken up, and kept in Gods owne Cabinet for ever,) what dost thou on the Devills Finger! Why dost thou doe him, honour, and worke Joh. 8. 44. What dost thou under the Bodies Foot?
O my Soule, looke better to thy selfe! Burne the Casket if need be, to Save the Jewell (the Body to save the Soule!) So Holy Martyrs Dan. 3. 28. Heb. 11. 34. did. But not the Jewel to save the Casket (the Soule to save the Body) that filthy Epicures doe Luk. 12. 19.: And thy end (O my Soule) be a Saints, not an Epicures!
10. O My Soule! The Purchase of Christ Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 19. Bought with no lesse then Gods owne Bloud (the Bloud of the Son of God!) Why dost thou Sell that so cheap Isa. 55. 2. which cost thy Saviour so Deare? For the World (which is Nothing Pro. 23. 5▪) for vanity which is lesse Psa. 39. 7. Eccl. 1. 2.? For a litle of that vanity, which is lesse yet, then what is lesse, then that nothing Isa. 40. 17.
Why hath that which cost more 1 Tim. 2. 6. then Ten Thousand worlds are worth, least [Page 320] of thy care and cost! If thy Body be Sick, thou wilt have Physick; if wounded, Salve; if naked, Cloths; if hungry, bread; no rate, no paine, is spared for it: But the pretious Soule may lie Sick of Sin Psa. 41. 4, wounded by guilt Pro. 78. 14., stript of innocence Ezek. 16. 22., starv'd for grace Amos 8. 11.; and nothing is given or done, to helpe it. For my Soul! What is Gods price for his helpe but mans Labour? Two mites worth of paines Due mi [...]uta carc & anima. Ber. is all (thy l Isa. 55. 2 owne and thy Bodies) and yet thou wilt bate one, if not keep both from him? Wouldst thou lose a life that wilt not quit a state, an honour, a friendship for him? Dost thou give him thy Soul that wilt not leave a bad custome, or base lust to serve him?
But O my Soule, no more of these neglects! I charge thee, by thy Heavenly Birth and Parentage, by thy Immortall Substance, and Durance; by thy Pretious Ransome, the Deare Bloud of God: Value thy welfare more, Seek the Bodies lesse; thinke not Gods price too great (mans Labour) for his happinesse; when the Son of God thought not his Sweat too much, his Bloud for the Price! O thou deare and Pretious Peice and Purchase of Divinest [Page 321] Architect, and device, Detect this Serpentine Policy of the Devill, who, because he once got Eternity for an Apple, thinkes to Tempt away thy Salvation for nothing! And therefore would have thee all for the Body, that nothing may be done for the Salvation of the Soul! Dear one, thou wast not Ransom'd, be not Ruin'd for nothing!
And now, O my Soul! Spirituall, Immortall, Intellectuall; The lively Image, The Dear Spouse of God; Lord Paramount, and Soveraigne Power in Man; The Free and High-borne Child, and Heire of Eternity, Delight, and Darling-Gemme of Heaven, Most precious Purchase and Inheritance of the Sonne of God; Doe not, O doe not abuse, and lose thy selfe in Bodily Sensualities, and for Half a satisfaction, (scarce to the half of Man) and but a Moment on Earth, sell away Salvation in full, of Soul and Body in Heaven for ever. For,
What shall it profit a man to gaine the whole World, and lose his owne Mat. 16. 27 Soul? or,
What shall a man give in exchange for his Soul.
The Summe of this Soliloquie is,
- The Soule is Spirit, Sinne turnes it Flesh.
- The Soule is Immortall, Sin makes it Die.
- The Soule is Noble, Sinne makes it Base.
- The Soule is Lord, Sinne makes it Slave.
- The Soule is Soveraigne, Sin makes it Subject.
- The Soule is God-like, Sinne make it Beast.
- The Soule is Gods Spouse, Sin makes it Strumpet.
- The Soule is Gods Jewell, Sinne casts it in Fire.
- The Soule is Free-borne, Sinne keeps it in Prison.
- The Soule is Gods Purchase, Sinne m [...]kes it away,
Animadversion to the Devout Reader, Touching the second and third Soliloquies.
IF some things in them seeme to be set more sutable for a Court, then Cotage; and possible, in setled, then troubled times: (as supposing a greatnesse which thou (perhaps) hast not, and requiring a Church-Duty, which thou canst not doe:) thou dost not guesse amisse at the Authors aime; nor doth he thinke thee to move and make thy Scruple amisse. For removall of which, (that no barre may be from him betwixt thee, and thy Benefit) receive this satisfaction for both.
1. What is not proper, may be profitable for thee, and (if not directly) concerne thee by consequent. If the Great be disputed out of all their Excuses and Customes, which are pleaded and practised, to the neglect, or injury of Gods Private, or Publique Service; the mean, are thereby concluded (if so faulty) to fail their Duty without all Apologie o [...] Plea.
2. What is not possible, doth not concern thee: And what is unjustifiable, should [Page 324] be impossible. Such is sometimes the Publick Id possumus quod jure possunus. use of Religion in the Church. Take heed of the Principle (as both false and perrilous) that whatsoever is in the Church, thou must be at it: So in Aegypt, thou mightest Worship a Crocodile, and at Rome must goe to Masse. If without Sinne then I cannot, I must 1 Cor. 10. 20. 21. not goe. So to Separate, is not to be a Separatist, nor can such absence be impious. Provided that the Judgement of Sinne, and the Service be right, and hate 2 Cor. 6. 17. (not love) of Schisme make the Separation.
Thus caution'd, thou maist read even those Soliloquies without Scruples; and for the rest, there is no cause of any, as fit (without Dispute) for all. Nor dost thou more in this, then in Reading King. Davids Psalmes, or Saint Austins Soliloquies, Psal. 42. wherein all things are profitable; though not pertinent to every one. For one particular Soliloquie will no more fit every Soul, then one Shoe any Foot. So then, where it fits thy Soul, make it thy Soliloquie; where it doth not, thy History.
Monday-Soliloquie. Domesticall-Devotion. OR, A Soliloquie Inviting, and Enabling the Soule to a Privacy of Piety, and Discharge of Daily Duty in Secret and Closet Prayers.
HEare O my Soule! What is required to the Service of God. For, as thou dost know Joh. 13. 17 it in vaine, if thou dost not doe it, So thou canst not doe it aright, Prov. 19. 2 if thou dost not know it. Know then O my Soule,
As Thou art of thy selfe, One and One of the World, thou dost owe, and must pay Almighty God, the Maker of Thee and It, a Private, and a Publike Service. In the Closet God must see it, In the Church Man must behold it. There, Deare Child! Speake freely for thy Selfe, to God, be thy owne [Page 326] Priest and Mouth in Secret; and doubt not but thy Heavenly Father will grant and Seale thy Suits: But Here, let thy Mother The Church. Mal. 2. 7. Speake for thee, and Her Priest (Gods lips) be thy Mouth unto Almighty God. The Closet, is thy Particular Church, but the Church the Common Sanctuary. For Gods Sake then be Reverend there; but here, both for Mans, and Gods.
Neglect not Deare Soule, neglect not thy Daily Sacrifice. Morning and Evening offer up thy Service to Allmighty God.
Open the Day with this Holy Key, that the blessing of the light may be upon thee; shut up the Night with the same Key, that the curse of Darknesse doe not seize thee! Dare not to eat, nor stir, till thou hast Prayed thy Passe from Heaven, lest Mischiefe meet thee before night, and hale thee to thy Grave: Doe not dare to rest or sleep, till thou hast beg'd thy Pardon for the guilts of the day, least Judgewent surprize thy Soule before the Luk. 12. 20 Morrow.
My Soul! These are thy Visits, and Entertainments of Almighty God; and doe not (O doe not) to give Man [Page 327] his, neglect Gods Visits. He is the Greatest Person, serve him therefore first. Be not guilty of that rudenesse to thy Heavenly Father, which thou abhorrest as uncivill to a Noble Person; Let Him stay and waite for thee, whilst thou entertainest thy selfe, with some Sorry one.
Leave not a Prince to goe to a Peasant. (Thy Prayers and Addresses to Almighty God, to Entertaine any earthly one whatsoever:) Alas! my Soul! In Comparison of the Mighty God, the Greatest Man is not so much Isay 40. 17. Job 34. 19 Psal. 91. 11. as a Peasant to the Mightyest Prince!
When thou art with God, Angels are with thee (O my Soul!) And doe not turne thy back on Angels to goe to Men, though Saints; and much lesse to such as appeare in sinfull shape, like Devills!
And though thou be no Priest, nor Professed Recluse, bound by Canons to set Houres; yet my Soul, thou shalt do God and thy selfe but right, to set keep some set times of Devotion.
Thou canst doe so much for thy Bodily Health, thou shouldst for thy Soules! Observing that Rule, brings better health for a Time; but keeping [Page 328] this Order makes healthy and happy for ever! And if thou dost (as thou maist) observe thy Physitians Prescripts, my Soul, thou must not neglect Diviner Directions. Their best end is, that the Body may be more Serviceable to the Soul; But the aime of those better, that the Soul may be most Serviceable to Almighty God.
And, if thou dost resolutely set and observe thy Howers, who will disturb thee? Even the most profane; will not for Civilities sake, and the Religious will not be so Profane. And if any should offer such an Irreligious incivib [...]ty to thee, doe not thou, by suffering it, doe as much to thy God! Cursed is he that makes thee neglect thy Maker; Cursed thou, if any Person or Thing whatsoever, make thee guilty of that neglect!
My Soul! For Honesties sake, thou will not break thy promised Time with Man; For Religion sake, doe not break thy Set-houres with God.
And though God tie thee not precisely to such set Houres of the Day, yet shalt thou doe well to let Religion bind thee to the best times of his Service: And the Morning, when thy [Page 329] Spirits are most Fresh, & unsullied with Worldly thoughts and Affaires, (as for Studies, so) for Devotions, is doubtlesse Psal. 63. 1. best. And the more Early, the more Acceptably, dost thou make thy Devout Appearance before Almighty Psa. 130. 6 God.
But not so, if most Late at Night. Mal. 1. 14. That, is to give God the Prime; this, the Dreg of the Day; if when thou art sleepy, and shouldst be in sleep, and hast no more wayes to spend and passe thy Time, thou dost give the Relikes to thy Ptayers, and bestow thy Broken Minutes on thy God.
My Soul! The Religious King did rise at Midnight to say his Prayers to God; But not did sit up till Midnight Psal. 119. 62. Rom. 13. 13. ravelling out his Time on Toyes, which should be wound up in his Prayers. To be on thy Knees when others are in their Beds, to break Sleep for Devotion Luk. 2. 37. is Pious; but (if not so) it's good when others are, to be on thy Knees, that thou maist take strength to thine, by a concurrence of other Prayers! Extraordinarily that, but Ordinarily, thou must doe this. In the Evening, and Morning, and at Noone will I Pray, and Psal. 55. 17. that instantly. Observe it my Soul! He [Page 330] doth not make his Morning-Prayers at Noone, and his Evening at Midnight; and instantly alwayes, sleepily never: the Time which God and Nature have set out for Bodily rest, is best for Sleep. Thou stealest from it, if (due time neglected) thou take of that for Devotion.
Yea, thou dost commit a double Robbery on God and Nature! Him thou robbest of his Devotion in due Job 17. 12. time; and Her, of her due time of rest, to pay God what thou owest Him. And the Coine is scarce current in which thou makest thy payment; because it wants both Metall of Spirit, and Stamp of Gods allowed Time.
Be then Devout daily (Dear Soul!) and observe due Seasons and Houres for thy Prayers to Him, to whom thou owest thy Selfe, and Life, every Act. 17. 28. moment: and so thy Private Duty is Discharged to God. And the better the more Private. Some affect Ostentation, and their Prayers in the Closet, look as Publique as a Pharisees in the Mat. 6. 5. Market-place; as if they did rather act, then say their Prayers; and rather played, then performed a Part of Devotion: But so God see thine, no matter [Page 331] if no Man know it. It lookes more Sincere, if it be more Secret; and so much more pretious, as it is more sincere. What thou canst then avoid that, let those, who would have Man reward them, have Man see them,
But thou, when thou prayest, enter inter Mat. 6. 6. into thy Closet, and when thou hast shut thy doore, pray to thy Father, which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
The summe of this Soliloquie.
Tuesday-Soliloquie. Church-Duty: OR, A Soliloquie, shewing, that all owe a Publike Service to Almighty God, and where, and when, and how they are to pay it.
MY Soul! Though one, and 1. Part. entire of thy self, thou art but a Part of the Church; and (as a Member of it) must do Rom. 12. 12 Duty with the Body; In whose Common w [...]e and Welfare thou hast thy proper interest and part. Thou must be Jer. 29. 5. One therefore at Common-Prayers, when it is sought; and make One at Publique-praises, when it is found; and (as in Private) must Attend God in [...] Publick. For since he is God of All, as well as One; He must be serv'd by All, as well as thee, and by thee. as much as 2 Sam. 12. 7, 8, 9. any; and more, if thou be a Greater▪ One. For dost thou my Soul, look for least respect, where thou dost most favour? Or, to receive lesse Rents, where [Page 333] thou lettest most Lands? O my Soul! be not thou (of all, be not thou) ingratefull to thy God, who hath done thee favour above many Millions, in making thee both One, and Great, and Deut. 10 12 Psal. 116. 11 yet requires no more but thy Duty for his Rent? My Soul! obliged by so many Bonds unto thy Maker, Detract not a Single Service, where thou Lev. 5. 6, 7 owest a Double Duty.
Upon thy solemne [...] occasions thou wilt not excuse thy greatest Servants from Attendance, because the greater they are, the greater is thy honour.
Thou canst not excuse thy self to God, if thy Service Fail, when it is most for his Glory.
And can any Service be Solemne without a Publike Place? or Meeting in it without an Appointed Time? Can any Place be so convenient as what is Consecrate to his Honour? Or Time so fit, as what is Devoted to his Service? The Temple then (the Lords House) that's the Place; and Sunday [...]. (the Lords Day) that's the Time. And what Dayes else Holy Church by Law and Leave, from God, sets a part to his Worship.
Content not thy selfe (my Soul!) with a Common place, if thou canst goe to a Consecrate. Where shouldst thou Waite on the King but in his Court? The Church is Gods Court, (my Soul!) Psa. 100. 3. Psal. 65. 1. Psal. 89. 5. There Heavenly Majesty lookes to be Waited on, and ever was by his Saints. For the Body of them to be in one place, and thou in another, is Schisme. Heb. 10. 25. Be not thou at the Devills Chappell, when others are at Gods Church. A Separatist, Jude v. 19. how much Saint soever he seemes, is no better then one of his Servants. To be so out of a Mind, that all Places are alike (even the most Common as good as the most Sacred) for Gods Service, is bestiall Heresie. The Devill himselfe will not allow such a Chappell; Though he chose Swine for a House, yet never a Stie to Mat. 8. 31. be serv'd in.
Nor let it suffice to keep Conscience quiet, that thou dost serve God at home, when others Worship him at Church! That's good in it time (O my Soul!) when Sicknesse, or Necessity confines thee to a House, a Sacrifice acceptable to God; but else, an offering of an ill and offensive Savour to God and man, like meat out of Season. At other [Page 235] timies, it looks like an Integrity and Holinesse, but now like a Singularity and boldnesse. Be not thou, no not in thy Closet (Gods little Chappell) when others are at his Greater (the Church) Thou must not put him to a Private Audience, when he hath appointed thee a Publick. But for him to see thee in thy Bed, when he looks for thee in his Court? To Spie thee at thy Glasse, when thou shouldst be looking in His Word? To be found at thy Jam. 1. 23. Dresses, when thou shouldst be at thy Prayers? To be taking or giving Addresses to man, when thou shouldst be making them to God? O My Soule! When thou wouldst have God to loath thee, let such postures of Profanenesse appeare in thee!
My Soule, My Soule! Believest thou God hath his Day of Doome? I know thou believest, I charge thee then (as thou wilt answer it at that Dreadfull day) by no means (unless the plea be just Heb. 10. 25 before God) by no meanes (for these or any such like ends) be bestowed in thy Chamber, when others are assembled at Church. All excuses set aside which Conscience dare not avow at that great Audit, behave thy selfe more like [Page 336] a Saint and Servant of God; be found and seen, where they are, in the Sanctuarie!
Deare Soul, If thou dost otherwaies, where canst thou be better found? Are there better Companions, then Saints and Angels? Is any Greater then God? Any Nobler Employment, then to wait on Divine Majesty? Any happier place, then Heaven? Any weightier businesse, then Happinesse? Loe! They, and This, are here. Saints, Ministring; Psal. 74. 7. House of Glory. Isay 6. 8. Gen. 28. 17. Regia Dei ipsum coelii Chrys. Ezek. 46. 10. 2 Chro. 23 13. 2 Chro. 6. 13. Angels, Assisting; God, Residing, Heaven, Appearing; Happinesse, Working. Heaven in figure is before thee, the Gate by thee; and where is happinesse but in Heaven?
What then? Thinkest thou any too great to serve God? I know thou art too good to thinke it, too wise to believe it. The Prince hath his Pillar in Gods Temple. There Great Solomon, Kneeles Eccl. Hist. Eus. de V. C. l. 4 c. 33. Stans concionem audit alit [...]r renuit rogatus licet.; Constantine, Stands before Him. Wert thou Prince, King, Emperour, (never so great a Man) Nay, Cherubim, Seraphim, Throne (never so great an Angell) it would be thy Honour to be his Minister. And dost thou, a Man, (no Angel) a Worm, (no Man) dost thou distaine on Earth [Page 337] what they doe in Heaven? Dost thou Dan. 7. 10. Apoc. 4. 10 Job. 4. 18, 19. Psal. 2 [...]. 6. despise what the greatest have done on Earth? Or dost thou pretend affairs when Crowns are noe Excuses? Nay therefore, My Soule, wait on God the rather, that he (without whose blessing all Designes are vaine) may Psal. 127. 1. Prov. 19. 21. Prov. 16. 3. speed thy Dispatches, and Prosper thy Affaires.!
But, If thou hast either sense of thy Makers Honour, or thy own Salvation; If any love to God or man be in thee; If any care of Piety or Prosperity; If not given up to an utter neglect of thy owne and others, wordly and heavenly welfare; I charge thee, O My Soule, and recharge thee, Take heed and tremble to keepe others from Church, (unnecessarily) to wait upon thee at home, when thou and they should be waiting on God in his Sanctuarie. Art thou their God, that to attend thy Will, they must neglect His Worship? Or art thou the Greater God, that thou must be served before Him? An Idoll thou maist be, sure a God thou art not. So Hic fur est & l [...]ro, qui furari voluit gloriam [...]uam. Deu [...]. 14. 26. thou Robbest God of his Honour, and drawest thine into the Robbery. O my Soule! Be not such a Theife to Heaven. Doe but consider it, and thou [Page 338] wilt condemne it, and never more be Guilty of such high dishonesty. Thou must have care that thou, and thine Jos. 24. 15 House serve the Lord, not take course to keep thee, and them from his Service. The King after Gods owne Psal. 42. 4. Heart Went with a multitude into the House of God, (held not many from it.) Was one of the Holy Round and Ring of Worshippers; not sitting in a Chaire Psal. 26. 6. when he should be standing before the Altar; not with them about him, that should be with him about God! Dear Soul! Bring all to Heaven thou canst, hinder none from it. And though Atheisme sit in the doore of some Lips that dare say, Religion is but Policy; let it not lurk in any corner of thy Mal. 3. 14. Heart so much, as to think Piety an Impertinency. A Ceremony to be Exod. 5. 17 done when there is nothing else to doe. No my Soul! There is no other Rom 6. 22 way to Heaven; and the Church is Isa. 35. 8. Gods High way. What is done, and not in Religion, or Order to it, is Impertinent Eccles. 5. 6 all. And the Lord keep thee, and thine, from their Death and Misery, whose 1 Cor. 10. 7 1 Pet. 1. 17. Conversation is a meer Pastime, and their Life an Impertinency.
As therefore Philip had his Morning-Memento [Page 339] to tell him he was a Man, to keep him from Pride, have thou some Evening-Remembrancer to minde thee, the Night before, the next day is for God, to prevent such Profanenesse. That by disposing thy self to a Timely rest that Night, thou maist have better time and Spirit to serve God on his day. Look at late Companies then, as Vipers, and shake them off as such. Wasts of time (especially Holy) work stings of Conscience. It is thy Mothers Counsell, (The Churches use) Saturday is half Holy-day, that Sunday may be whole And sure, the Devout Mother, that would have God thought on that Afternoone, would not have him forgot that After-night; much lesse neglected on the After-day. No my Soul! If thou dost honour thy Lord and Saviour thou must not despise His Day, The day of the Lord.
Nay, if thou hast any love to Religion, thou canst not. For what is that, but the Service of the Lord, and this but his Day? Nay, if thou hast any care of happinesse: For what is this but thy Saviours Day? and how that, but because set apart to seek Salvation? Thy Ld Christ rose this day out of his Grave [Page 340] to save thee; and wilt not thou rise out of thy Bed to serve Him? Is that the way to uphold an House, to pull down the Piller? My Soul! If Piety have no set day for her P [...]actise, Religion will soone fall to ruine. Without that, it will not be visible, but vanish to nothing; and thy Bli [...]se with it. For surely, if thou seek God no Day, thou wilt find him no where. And in Heaven every day is a like Sabbath; on Earth, to make each day alike, is to seek God no day. Thou canst not be (as in Heaven) every day Holy; thou must not be (as in Hell) every day, Profane, alike. One Day therefore in the Week is set, that Religion, and (with it) thy Salvation be not lost. And the first of the Week is that One. As Ancient as Apoc. 1. 10 the Apostles; as Catholick as the Church of Christ. Reverend for that, and to be kept holy by thee, because observed by all; All that ever professed the Name of Christ: And, my Soul, thou wilt not renounce him! not be Refractory to Apostolike Order; not Contradictory to Christian Custom; not Singular to all the Saints in the Catholick Christian World! This Day was ever kept by all. And so let it be kept. And [Page 341] as they did, so do thou keep it. For (my Soul!) many do not so. Not caring, or knowing how to keep the Day of the Lord. For
Some Observe it with great Superstition; Second. part. Col. 2. 16. Others, shun that with grosse Profanation: Some bind themselvs to such a strictnesse, as they neither doe, nor can, nor need observe, because what God requires not; Others leave themselves to such a loosnesse, as they take not like Liberty, on another day. Betwixt these two Extremes, must thou walke warily (O my Soul!) Keep it not, as the Jew, a Sabbath; nor as the Exod. 16. 23. Exod. 35. 3. 1 Pet. 4. 5. 2 Pet. 2. 13. Heathen, [...] Bacchanal. Observe the Day with Devotion; Keep it, from Superstition. Fly from an uncommanded strictnesse; but run not to an unjustified loosnesse. Take this Rule for thy Guide. Let Church duties be duly paid; and let not the House defrau [...] the Church. Those are the Maine Service, those must be Serviceable to the maine. For it is absurd (My Soul) to thinke that on one and the same day, thou maist appeare Saint in Gods house, and in thy owne, a Devil. Be not Privately (though piously) employed when thou [Page 342] shouldest be at Publike Service, but when publikely will-disposed, be not privately-ill: This being more holy then another day, must not have lesse of thy Service. House and Church then both looke to this. What others daies confine to the House, this doth in it; and what others do not, in Church.
So then, My Soule! In the Church (Gods House) on Sunday the Lords day; Where, and when the King of heaven keeps his Court, and commands thy Attendance, faile not upon any terms, (save just and necessarie) fail not to present thy selfe in the Holy Equipage of a Servant and Suppliant to the Majestie of Heaven. Believe thy absence else an Offense to God thy Father; A Neglect to Christ thy Saviour; An Ʋndutifulnesse to the Church thy Deare Mother; A Scandall to man thy Christian Brother; And to those that know Thee, and it, an Example of ill, and Encouragement to ungodliness.
But when God by his Ministers sends out summons to call thee to his House and Table too; not onely to Serve but Sup with thy Lord, O my 1 Cor. 11. 20. Soule! How wilt thou answer it or to thy Selfe, or thy God, if thou dost not [Page 343] come? Lovest thou Eternitie, and hast no appetite to the Bread of Life? Can Joh. 6. 48. thou and Satan be too much two? Thou and thy Saviour, too much One? And is not this thy Communion with 1 Cor. 10. 16. 2 Cor. 8. 15. 1 Cor. 10. 21. Christ? That thy Separation from Sin? And it, thy Dis-union with Satan? Can thy Pardon from Hell be so sure; or thy Assurance for Heaven too strong? And is not this blessed Sacrament Sensum in minimis minuit, i [...] gravoribus peccatis consensum tollit. Bern. 1 Cor. 11. 31. Mat. 26. 28. [...]. Damasc. Luk. 22. 9. the Seale of thy Pardon, and that Assurance? Canst thou doe thy Saviour too much Honour? Is a Commanded Commemoration of His love, too much? Is not a neglect of that, a scorne? A signe of his vile neglect? Wilt thou shed thy Bloud for his sake, that wilt not drinke His, to thy Salvation? Wilt thou drinke his Cup of gall, that dost refuse his Wine? Wilt thou climb his Crosse, that dost shun his Board? Die for him, that wilt not Sup with him? Be his Sacrifice, that dost decline his Sacrament? O My Soul! Where is thy love and Duty to thy Christ, if at his call thou dost not come? And what is it keeps thee away? Doth Malice glut thy Holie Appetite? 1 Cor. 10. 21. 1 Joh. 3. 12. This is to leave Gods, for the Devills Table! Is thy Stomack for some carnall [Page 344] lusts and pleasures; and the Preparations for it slack that? This is to preferre mans bread, to Angels. Nay, Psal. 78. 25. 1 Pet. 1. 12 Cant. 5. 1. a Sinners, which is worse, to the most Heavenly, which is better. O my Soul! When God and the Devil, or God and Man at once invite thee to their Board, give not Man (much lesse the Devill) thy Presence, and deny God thy Appearance. No my Soul, without good Warrant from God under Seal of thy Conscience, Refuse not his Invitations Luk. 14. 17 to thy Eternall welfare, lest he Banish thee his Beatificall vision for such inexcusable negligence; And keep thee Apoc. 19. 9 from the Supper of the Lamb, that hast kept thy self from the Supper of the Lord. O! woe to thee, my Soul, for ever, if he once say (as for like neglect) he did; Thou shalt not eat of Mat. 22. 8. Luk. 14. 22 Psal. 118. 19 Prov. 9. 2. my Supper.
On Gods day then, when his Doore is open, be with him, but especially when his Table is Spread. Gods Ordinary is better then the Worlds Feast, because it feeds to a better Life; But Joh. 6. 27. here my Soul! are the Dainties of Heaven Omnium carnalium saporum & dulcedinum voluptates exup [...]rat. Cypr. de C. D. Prov. 9. 2. 5. What Infinite wisdome voluptates exuperat. Cypr. de C. D. Prov. [Page 345] and goodnesse can provide to Feast thee, till thou art satisfied with his Psa. 17. 15. Glory in his Presence, where is fulness of joy for Eternity. O my Soul! where Chrys. Ubi omnes angeli cum sacerdoto. &c. Joh. 6. 51. Joh. 6. 41. [...]. Damasc. Animae vis, spes, salus, lux nostra. Chrys. Psa. 42. 1. 2. Psal. 93. 6. 1 Cor. 11. 22. Eccl. 5. 1. Hab. 2. 20. Psa. 46. 10. Angels are Ministers, be thou one of Gods Guests. Where Heaven is on the Table, Kneel thou at the Board. Where Life is in the Bread, be thou at the Table. Think it Death and Exile from God, and Heaven, to be kept from the House, and Table, of the Lord.
But Presence is not enough, if Carriage be not Christian; Holinesse becomes Gods House, (Rudenesse is unsutable) Veile thy Eyes here with Holy Modesty! Tie thy Lips with humble silence! shut thy Eares to all Earthly Audience. Fix thy Feet to lowly quietnesse. Cover thy Body all over with Religious Reverence. Yes, and shroud thy self under it too. For God sees thee, as well as Man sees it. Here then thy thoughts must mind Heaven, and thy Affections not move Earthward. On these Wings must Devotion Mount thee to the things above. Those below are the businesse of Worldlings, not Ezek. 33. 31. 1 Tim. 5. 8. Eccl. 5▪ 1. Saints. Admitted into the House, but banished the Church. Look to thy foot [Page 346] When thou comest to the House of God. Set it right towards Heaven, yea, and keep it so, when thou art in the House; (let it not wander when it is well set.) What is thy Foot (my Soul!) Sure thy self art one, the Body Gressum 1. mentis, 2. Corporis. Olymp. per Synecd. partis. is the other foot: Thou must look to both. Thoughts, and Gestures; Affections, and Actions; Dispositions, and Demeanours; both must be look'd to.
How dreadfull is this place! If reverend, Gen. 28. 17. dread to make it Ridiculous. Dare not Laugh in Gods Face. Doe not then in Gods Church. Doe not 2 Chro. 7. 14. Psal. 100. 1 2 Chro. 7. 16. Jer. 7. 10. Jam. 4. 8. Chat in his Presence. Dare not then talk there. Dare not Gaze before Gods Eye. Let not thine rove in his House. If vaine thoughts, and foul lusts do come, bid them be gone, They are no Objects for Gods Eye.
Here thy Eares must be shut to all Words but Gods. Thy Lips watcht from all speech but Prayers! Thy Eyes open to no fights but Angels. Thy Mind left to no motions but for Heaven! God, and that, and they, are there, and thou must doe all reverence before the Majesty Levit. 19. 30. 1 Cor. 11. 10. of Heaven. Reverence my Sanctuary. Yes, because thy self, O God! And thy Angels are there with thy self O [Page 347] Lord! Rudenesse is fitter for Ruffians then Angels; no Demeanour for Saints. A rude Presence is worse then a plaine Absence: for that (my Soul!) is a neglect of God; this a Scorne upon Him. That to Man seemes an Offence, 1 Cor. 11. 17. 1 Cor. 14. 23. 25. 1 Cor. 14. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 32. this is a Visible Scandall. Yea, to a Multitude. As many as be Congregated to serve God, and see that Sauciness before Him! Better then, my Soul, not attend God, then Affront him; and be out of Mans sight when he is before God, then a Moat in his Eye, and when he is on his way to Heaven to lay a stumbling block before him. Plead not Custome in Excuse! Saints Levit. 18. 30. 1 Cor. 10. 3 [...]. Jud. ver. 6. never had it, and thou must not use the Haunts of Sinners. Gods Dues must not be paid to the Devils Customes. Not keeping Order in Heaven made Angels Devils. Not keeping Decorum in the Church will not make Men Angels. Before God they Adore, and Tremble; Where shall they be that are so Bold before him? My Soul! Isay 6. 2. Apoc. 4. 10. & 5. 14. were it possible for thee to be a Saint, (an Angel) and Rude; thou shouldst either never come to, or never keep in Heaven.
Break then the Bands of such Customes [Page 348] as the Chains of Death. Go Prov. 5. 22 to Church. as to Heaven, and carry thy selfe there, as thou wouldst keep in it. Be Reverent, as thou wi [...]t be blest. No Recusant to it, nor Miscreant in it. If others be, have no more Fellowship with them that have no more fear of God. That when they Psal. 5. 7. Ezek. 28. 16. go whither the Spirit of Profaneness leads them, thou maist go to Heaven.
And when to appear at the Holy Eucharist, O my Soul, Array thy self 1 Cor. 10. 28, 29. with all possible Reverence then! Bodie and Heart, let both Kneel, not to Adora & Communica. Aug. 2 Sam. 9. 7, 8. the Holy Elements, but thy Maker. For (my Soul) when thou, a poor miserable wretched-sinfull Creature, art admitted to Communion; so near Communion with the Eternall God, thy Almighty, and All holy Creatour, canst Psal. 99. 5. thou be too Humble? Did thy Face kisse the Earth, when thy Knee doth touch it, couldst thou go too low to a Majesty so High? And yet in this Holy Mysterie as low in Condescending 1 King. 7. 27. Goodnesse to thee, as high above thee in infinite and incomprehensible Greatness! My Soul! they are mad, who making themselves Coheires with [Page 349] Christ, will therefore sit to keep Coequalls with Him. At lowest he is thy Lord. Man, thy Brother; but Godman, thy Maker, and thy Father. Every Communicant is thy Peer, but he 1 Cor. 10. 17. Apoc. 15. 3 1 Cor. 10. 21. King of all. And his Table, not thy Fellowes but the Lords. Worship, not Fellowship, is fit for Gods Board. In his House, thou art in his Presence; but here, before his Chair of Estate, the Mercy-seat of Almighty Majesty. Psa. 132. 7 What? a Man of Earth, and bold, so bold before the King of Heaven? Even Celestial Spirits cast their Crowns Apoc. 4. 10 down before his Throne: shall Dust and Ashes car [...]y up his Crest before Gen. 18. 27. Him? my Soul! Thou art better taught by an undoubted Divine.
God is greatly to be feared in the Psal. 89. 8. Councel of his Saints; and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
O come, let us, worship, and fall down, Psal. 95. 6. and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
The Summe of this Soliloquie is,
- God, our Common Maker, must have a Publique Service in Common-Prayers and Worship.
- Every Man must pay God this Homage, and the Greater he is, the greater his Obligation to it.
- There must be a place set apart for that Service; and the Church, for it is a sacred place.
- As for Holy Duty most fit, so for Heavenly regards, no place out of Heaven is so lovely, and desirable as the Church.
- There must be a time set for Holy Assemblies in it, and by Ancient and Ʋ versall use, that with Christians is the Lords Day.
- As Profanation, so Superstition must be shun'd in the due Observation of that Holy time.
- It's ill to keep our selves from Church, (unnecessarily) and worse to keep away others.
- If rude, and irreverent there, as good keep away our selves.
- At Communion-times above all we should be neither absent, nor rude.
VVednesd-Soliloquie. Perpetuall-Service. OR, A Soliloquie directing the Soul in those Duties, which must never cease whilst we Live, if we will be happy when we Die.
SEt Houres of Devotion do well (O my Soule) but that Service is not all. To give God two a day, and Spend Ten at thy pleasure. The truth is, Two are set apart to pray, that we may Spend all in his Service. Which if we doe not as well Endeavour, as pray, to do, we do but Mat. 7. 7. Prov. 28. 9 mispend those two. For, my Soul! Thy Prayers, are but Mockeries of Almighty God, if thou hast not care as well to Do, as Say thy Prayers! Observe then some hours for thy Devotion, but all Time in thy Conversation. The Eternitie which God will give, and the [Page 352] Goodnesse which preserves thee every Psal. 104. 13. moment, will not abate a Minute of all; for this, thou owest him Service, all Luk. 1. 75. the daies of thy Life, every houre of the Act. 28. 7. day, every Minute of the hour. Thou must doe him Homage at Some Times; Deut. 19. 9. Injurie, at none. Kneel at Times before him, and pray, but Offend and provoke Deut. 6. 13. & 10. 12. 2 Tim. 1. 5. Act. 24. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Rom. 12. 1 Deut. 8. 6. Psal. 119. 5. Prov. 3. 6. Heb. 9. 14. Psal. 119. 5. 6. him never. My Soule! Keeping a good Conscience is doing Him this Service. In all thy waies then studie thou to keep a good Conscience; That is, a Conformitie betwixt his, and thy waies; His Will, and thy Life; His Laws, and thy Cou [...]ses.
And since thy Thoughts, Words, and Deeds, are the Three Courses of thy Life, how they are to be run, take Direction by his Lawes.
And let Solomon (that great and Wise King) teach The Government of thy Thoughts.
Keep thy Heart with all diligence.] Prov. 4. 23 A litle will not serve: All is litle enough. For thou canst not keep hand, or Tongue without this. Their courses being rivers that Spring in the Mat. 15. 19 Heart. Out of the Heart proceed evill thoughts, Murders, Adulteries, Fornications, Thefts, False-witnesse, Blasphemies. [Page 353] Ill words, deeds, thoughts, all flow from the heart; The Womb of Job. 15. 35 Psal. 7. 14. Isa. 59. 4. wickednesse, the Nest of evill; No birth, no bird without it. With all diligence then look to it. Since the Triplicitie of all ill is from it, a Double, a Treble Watch be ever over it. Watch then My Soule that no ill thoughts lodge in it. Come they may, they will, Jer. 4. 14. (by force of Temptation or Corruption) but stay they must not. If the Gates of Sense let them in upon thee, doe not Board them, do not Bed them, Consent not to them, Delight not in them. Thoughts are like Birds, they come as swift, and fly as high; their hovering thou canst not hinder. But their nestling thou maist; If of an ill feather, thou must. Suffer them, and Deut. 14. 11, 12. they will hatch, fledge, and flie abroad out of tongue or hand, in words, or deeds, of wickednesse.
If then Flesh or Devill bring an ill thought into thy heart, Wandring or wicked, to God, or Man (any way ill) doe thou forthwith frowne and turne it out. Bid it not Welcome, but Avant. And if that will not put it, pray it away. Groane to God under it that He may remove it. And if yet it will not goe, [Page 354] call in Help from God against it, seeke Job. 33. 23 Ghostly Counsell about it. My Soule! If an Infant Thought grow too strong for thee, if it grow man, how wil it Master thee? Crie out then at first, and call in more strength then thy own, to drive it from thee.
And because it is so hardly got out, if once let in, therefore watch what thou canst to keep it out. See to the Cinque-ports, and at every Gate of sense Mark. 13. 37. Psal. 119. 37. Job. 31. 1. 7. Prov. 4. 25 & 17. 4. 2 Sam. 11. 8 Prov. 7. 21 Gen. 3. 1. 6 Nec potestarx mentis capi, nisi per portas bostiles irruat exercitus. set a Watch: And the Eyes and Eares, especially, as the Principall Gates. David had never had so much as the thought of Adulterie, had he looked better to his Eyes. Nor would the Whorish woman have come into the Young mans heart, had he kept her out of his Eares. At these two gates Adam was taken and Mankind lost. Nor is the fort of the Heart (almost) Dow got till we give up those Outwarks. Gazing on Temptation, and listning to the Devill is the over-throw of Man. For if heart be gone all is lost. As the first thing which lives, it's the last which dies, as well in Spirituall as Naturall life. If that then be departed, thou art a Child of death. For out of it are the issues of Life. Above all keeping then Prov. 4. 23 Keep thy Heart.
Yes, and keep thy Tongue too. As thy Life, look to thy Tongue. It is S. Peters Transcript of King Davids Proclamation, Who is the man that Psal. 34. 13 1 Pet. 3. 10. wouldlive long, and see good Dayes, let him keep his tongue from evill, and his lips, that they speak no guile.
It is unruly, and apt to run to Evill; Jac. 3. 2. Jac. 1. 26. a Bridle therefore thou must have for it. And what is that? Surely Gods Law is a Bit; his Threat a Curb, thy Resolution a Rein, (all make a good Bridle.) The Bit is in every Mouth, Prov. 4. 24 Psal. 12. 3. the Curb in every Ear, the Rein should be in every Heart. If the Tongue go against Law, it must come unto Judgment. Even Words must be accounted Jude v. 15, 16. for. If Vain, thou must answer for their Idlenesse. The Judg assures it. If Vile, Mat. 12. 36 then thou must look to answer for their Ilness. The Judg pronounceth it. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, Mat. 12. 37. Job 6. 26. and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Though but wind (as they blow from Holy or unholy Spirit) they waft to Heaven, or Hel. My Soul look to it: Life and Death are in the power of the Tongue. This made David rein his in. I said I will look to my wayes, I Pro. 18. 21. Psal. 39. 1. will take heed that I offend not with my [Page 356] Tongue. He will keep it as with a Bridle. He said he would, he resolved it should be so. He did not bite it out, as the * Apud Hier. Young man did his tongue, to save his Conscience, but in he did, and so must thou. My Soul, thou needest not be so severe. It's the Trumpet of Gods Psa. 51. 15 Psal. 71. 8. honour; the Organ of his Praise; (his Servant and Sanctuary must not be mute) do not then ruine, but rule thy Psal. 29. 9. tongue. Bite it then in; and (if need be) bite it, but not out. And the Rein wil be more easie, if the Heart be wel Rul'd. For out of the abundance of the Mat. 12. 34, 35. heart the mouth speaketh [good or ill, as it is restored with grace or wickedness.] Where no Restraint of ill thoughts, there will be liberty for ill words. For what are words but born thoughts? and what are thoughts but conceived words? Misconceptions make mis-shapen Births?
Seest thou not, O my Soul! How unchaste 2. Pet. 2. 18. hearts have tongues ful of Filthiness? And a stewes is in the mouth when a Whore is in the Heart? Have Jude v. 13. not Prophane Hearts tongues full of Ʋngodlinesse? A Hell in the Mouth, when the Devil in the Heart? Have not Ʋncharitable Hearts Tongues full [Page 357] of Slanders, and Censoriousnesse? A Knife in the Mouth, when a Butcher in Pro. 30. 14. Pro. 24. 2. the Heart? Do not False Hearts fill Tongues with Lies, and Deceitfulness? A Snare in the Mouth, when a Fowler Hos. 9. 8. Jer. 9. 5. 8. is in the Heart? Do not Proud Hearts fraught Tongues with Scoffs, and Disdainfulness? Isa. 57. 4. An Ishmael in the Mouth, when Lucifer in the Mind.
No ruling thy Tongue then, without governing thy Heart. Yet thou art ruin'd if it be not rul'd. Wickedness Gen. 6. 12. 13. Jam. 3. 6. Psal. 73. 9. was the ruine of the World. And the Tongue (unrul'd) is a World of wickednesse. They set their mouth against Heaven, and their tongue walketh through the Earth. But do not thou thine. Blaspheme not, Curse not, Swear not, Speak not what is ill, or mean, of God: that's to set thy Mouth against Heaven! And thy Darts against it do 2 King. 19 22. but fal on thy Head. Nor give thy Lips leave to doe all Mischiefe to man Psal. 52. 5. That's for thy Tongue like the Devill to run through the Earth. Mischieve Ezek. 22. 8 not his Good Name; It's to Murder more then his Life. Dost thou cry out of a wound in thine, that dost Murder Prov. 18. another? Doth not that very Outcry condemne thee of that Murder? And [Page 358] is it not justice (both Gods and Mans) that thou shouldest suffer slander that dost so much? and for thy Murder goe away with some wound? Murder not Jam. 4. 12. anothers Soule, more deare then his Name. An unjust Condemnation makes a Murder of the Execution. Keep Mat. 7. 2. Ro. 2. 1. 8. then from Censure that thou commit not Murder. Be not thy Brothers Judge, lest thou give thy owne Doome. For (my Soule) if thou dost the same or like to what thou Condemnest, his Doome is thine. Nor wilt thou escape Rom. 2. 3. mans more then Gods. For observe it; Great Censurers are greatly censured. Have then thy selfe to the Barre, before thou Sentence another; and thou wilt acquit him to save thy self, or forbear him that thou maist escape the Bar.
But doe not Murder Mankinde (if thou wilt man) Communication is the Band of it, Truth the Tie; lies loose it: Lies are great wounds to Conscience Act. 5. 4. (they rise directly against it) and the very Death of Society, They doe plainly overthrow it. The Bane and Blot of Hos. 4. 1, 2 Joh. 8. 44. man. They make his Mind Sermo concipitur in adulterio. Adulteress. and his words Illegitimate; Bastards begot by the Devill, upon the heart of man. He is their Father. Speech from [Page 359] the minde is the Naturall issue of words (Minde and Tongue are as Man and Wife for that issue) but against, is a Child without a Husband, out of Marriage, Spurious. And therefore no heirs Apoc. 22. 15. & 21. 8 (cast out of the Citie) except the Devills, to a Portion in his lake of fire.
And rightly that; In the fire, because a Fire-brand. Yea, so my Soul, every Jam. 3. 6. ill tongue is, A fire-brand of Satan in Mans Mouth, which sets all the Body Psal. 120. 3 on fire, and burns the Soul with it sets the little world on fire, yea, and great one too. Kindled from Hell, and burning for it, and to it.
Dear Soul! save thy self from this Psal. 41. 3 fire. Pray Gods watch over thee; Set a watch O Lord before the doore of my Lips! And doe thou set a lock upon it, Hold it in. It will trip and fall if it Psal. 39. 12 doe run out. Impossible it is, to Speak much, and well. A man full of words Psal. 140. 8 Prov. 10. 19 cannot prosper, because he will Erre. If Dinah gad without wit she will not return without shame. For the Tongue to be vagabond is the way to prove Prostitute. Besides therefore Natures Barrs, (Lips and Teeth) put on it the lock of reason, and shut it up in Jam. 1. 19. Silence. So shall it be kept from much [Page 360] ill; and let Grace keep the Key so it will be kept from all. That will [...]ac. 3. 2. make it, and thee both perfect; Because, thy Tongues Rule argues thy Heart in Obedience; and that, thee. The hand being more easie to rule, then the tongue. And those three are all, Hand, Heart, and Tongue.
Hand then is One. My Soule! Thou must look to it too. And canst Psal. 37. 27. Act. 24. 16 Mat. 22. 37, 38, 39, 40. Rom. 13 10 Mat. 25. 45. Mat. 23. 25. Mat. 22. 21. Psal. 50. 14. 16. Mat. 7. 23. Rom. 2. 22 Jac. 2. 11. Heb. 13. 18. Act. 23. 1 Ezek. 18. 6. 8. Prov. 23. 29. not better, then as David directs it; and that is, Eschew evill, and doe good, and dwell for evermore.
Doe no impiety to God, nor injurie to man; and thou dost no ill: Doe what he Commands for himselfe first, and for man, next; And thou dost good. Observe it (my Soule) as a plausible, but damnable deceit; An innocence from ill will not serve with a negligence of good. As thou maist not be wicked, thou must be godly. As no wrong, thou must doe all right. And yet a Diligence in good will not discharge without an Innocence to ill; A [...] thou must be just and Religious, thou must not be intemperate and Sacrilegious! Indeed thou art neither; if not both. For the Law (Gods way) is for both; and Conscience (thy guide) [Page 361] looks at his Law. Thou maist no more steale thy Neighbours Bed, then his Cloke; nor take away his Goods, then his Life,; Thou maist no more kill thy self at a Table, then a Duell; and main Plures necat crapul [...]. as well kill, as starve thy selfe. Nor maist thou more eat out of Time then Measure; nor deny thy self due Repose then Repast; nor do it to others more then thy self. For, this is all one, to distemper the Body, and to destroy it. And though the Body be but thy Servant, it's too good for thee to kill it. Indeed thou dost so much wound thy self, and Lame thy businesse, as thou dost hurt it. Away then my Soul! Away, as with a Gluttons Board, and wantons Bed; so with untimely foods and sleeps, if thou lovest either Health or Heaven: thy Diseases become thy vices, by a wilfull negligence, and Soul and Body, both full of Diseases.
Nor maist thou use God worse then thy self. Thou must no more rob him Mal. 3. 9. Psal. 29. 2. of his goods then his Glory; nor of his Service, then his Goods. Nor shouldst thou more Spaul on his Name, then Exod 20. 7 Lev. 24. 16 Spit in his Face! In a word, To love, is to doe all thy workes. For then, thou [Page 362] wilt doe God right first, and thy self Rom. 13. 8 1 Tim. 1. 5 next; and thy Neighbour, next thy self, and that's all. All that either Law or Gospell askes. For all is but,
To live godly, and righteously, and soberly Tit. 2. 12. in this present world. And as love is (in summe) all that; so Charity is Mic. 6. 8. Rom. 13. 10. Mat. 9. 13. Mat. 5. 23, 24. Heb. 13. 16. (in short) all love. God himself makes it chief of all; He will have mercy, and not Sacrifice. He gives it Place before Piety. He loves thy Almes before his Offerings, and had rather see an Empty Altar, then an unreconciled Brother. Nay, for Gods sake, to doe man good, is to make a Sacrifice of mercy. A most sweet and acceptable Sacrifice, Phil. 4. 18. and most honoured Piety. No marvaile then, if it take place of justice.
The truth is, it is a Piece of it, and Prov. 3. 27 Deut. 15. 7 Psa. 112. 9. so principall, that in the Holy Tongue, one word speakes both. Almes are debts to the needy, by his Law who is Lord of thee and thine; and the payment [...] Mat. 5. 7. Luk. 11. 41. Dan. 4. 27. Mat. 25. 34, 35. Prov. 19. 17. Mat. 25. 40 so good, as procures from him a generall Acquittance, though but a particular Duty. Nay, not a Cancell onely of the debt, but a Crown to the Debtour. And wonder not at it, O my Soul, since it makes thee Creditour to thy God, and Benefactour to thy [Page 363] Saviour. As if (as all is nothing without) 1 Cor. 13. 23. 1 Joh. 3. 17 nothing were all with charity, the chief of all.
As then it is in thy power, shew it: 1 Cor. 16. 2 Abate something of Back and Belly, rather then have nothing in thy power. With thy Superfluities provide the poor of necessaries Superflua divitū necessaria pauperum. Eph. 4. 28. Ex. 32. 3. Job 31. 9.. Did they give their Ear-rings to make a God? wilt thou quit nothing to save a Man? shall all be Lavished away, that should Ezek. 16. 49. be so laid out? All to Vanity, nothing for Mercy? O My Soul! Tremble to think how such accounts will passe at the great Audit-Day. If thou canst at Phil. 4. 17. Luke 16. 2 once Discharge thy self, and oblige thy God; why dost thou bind over thy self by such actions of wast, to answer Mat. 19. 21 Mat. 25. 42. Divine Justice, at the Dreadfull Day of Judgement? Dear Soul! Read, and avert the Doome, thou canst not answer it. Yea, see it in Execution, and quake to see it. Dives, that would Luk. 16. 21 24, 25. not give a Crumb of Bread, hath not a Drop of Comfort. How much better had it been to have fed Lazarus, then fared so deliciously? To have given Almes, then received Torments? not to have spent so much on the Flesh, rather then end in Fire? Dear [Page 364] Soul, be thou more devoted to charity, let that never be thy End! look to all, but to that above all thy workes; as thou dost unto thy words and thoughts.
This, my Soul, makes thy Conscience Luk. 1. 6. good, and thy Service great, when it takes care to keep all thy wayes right. Indeed it is that (then which nothing is more pretious) to give thy self a holy 1 Sam. 15. Rom. 2. 12 Psa. 50. 23 Sacrifice unto his Service, nothing is desired more.
I beseech you therefore, by the mercies Rom. 12. 1 of God, that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable ervice.
The summe of this Soliloquie.
- God being our God even unto death, must be served all our life.
Psal. 48. 13
- Our Conscience of all our wayes, is his perpetuall Service.
- To look to our thougbts, words, and deeds, is to have care of all our wayes.
- 1. The Heart must be strictly kept, because the Spring of all ill is in the Heart.
- First Motions must be repell'd, and the Senses well watcht, if we will keep the Heart.
- Eyes and Eares must be chiefly watcht, of all the Senses.
- 2. The Tongue must be bridled, as we love our life.
- Gods Law and Threat, and Mans Resolution make a strong Bridle.
- The Tongue will be easily rein'd, if the Heart be rul'd; and hardly else.
- [Page 366]It will flie out if God keep not the Door of the lips.
- Taciturnity is a good lock to keep it in.
- 3. The Hand must be bound from ill, to good.
- To God and Man it must doe no
Act. 24. 16
evill, but all good. - True love performes all.
- Charity to Man, is by God accounted as the Principall and totall of Love.
- If we have to spare, we must spend; if not, pinch rather then want to lay out on workes of Charity.
Thursday-Soliloquie. Remora's in Religion. OR, A Soliloquie shewing the Soule the Errors and Dangers in the waies of Godlinesse, and how to avoid them.
MY Soule! To keep thy selfe continually Serviceable to thy God, is a great and hard Government! More to Rule thy litle, then the Greater, world: but Prov. 16. 32. & 25 28. will be easied by some Helps which are to be had; If thou wilt Avoid what Hinders, and Observe what Furthers thee in the way to Heaven. And if thou dost survey all, thou wilt see, that false Principles, Bad Customes, Vile Companies, Vaine Scruples, and Ghostly Negligences are Principall Bars and Hinderances. Conscience is Gods clock, to teach thee how to know and Spend [Page 368] thy Time in his Service, but given thee to Keep: If then the wheels be ill that move it; or Dialls false that guide it; or it kept foule or thou forgetfull of it, how should the motion possibly be rectified, and it goe right? And (My Soule) Principles and Habits, are the Wheels; Examples, Dialls; Scruples, Dusts; Rests, forgettings of it.
Minde and Will are the Wheels on which Humane Actions move; ill Principles, and Habits Spoile the Wheels. And (of many) as the very Pests and Perversions of all Regular life eye these: as,
1. Ill Principles.
To thinke thy selfe good, because thou seest others worse. For so there shall be but One man Bad in the world, to wit, the worst. Nay not One, because be he never so bad, the Devill is worse. Ephes. 3. 8 Rather, Judge thy selfe bad whilest thou [...]eest a better, because, by the grace of God, didst thou equally pray and endeavour it alike, thou mightest be as good: By leave of that thou maist be very naught. That Principle therefore is bad. And no better,
2. To thinke thy selfe not bad, because Particularly good.] So Abimelech had [Page 369] beene as good as Abraham. God Gen. 20. 6 Psal. 119. 6 knowes, he did not Adulterate Sarah, (act or thought) For that his heart was upright. Yea but if it encline or leane to any ill, the heart is not upright: for then (since there is some Sin which every 2 Kings. 10 31. one hates, because a contrariety of Sins, and some he loves) the World (which hath many) would not have One Hypocrite: And since no man is universally ill, there should not be one Sinner. I may walke in the darke by Mat. 5 46. that, and therefore it is false light. So is it,
3. To thinke my life good, If my heart be honest. (If my life be not according to my heart) Saul then needed not be 1 Tim. [...]. 13. Act. 26. 9. 2 Chron. 13. 9, 10. converted, for he did Blaspheme and Persecute from an honest heart. And Ʋzza should not have beene Smitten, for he meant well, when he did ill, in staying the Arke. A wrong meaning mars a good Action; a Right, makes Isa. 10. 7. not a good Conversation. Not to be Hypocrite, is good; and so is it, not to be prophane. Not to shew more good then I am, is good; but not to be lesse good then I should be, better. So then, if I thinke as I should, I must doe as I thinke. Else as doing contrary, [Page 370] is damnable Hypocrisie; so doing lesse, is inexcusable negligence. Yea, a bad tongue or hand, where minde is good, Jam. 4. 17. becomes more inexcusable. So then to think, is error. And so it is,
4. To thinke my selfe good, because Godly by fits. Why? Every man is So; When the fit is on him, Pharaoh Exod. 8. 8. & 9. 27. & 10. 16. Exod. 14. 4 himselfe, is a Saint; will, confesse, pray, promise any thing. Whilest the plague is warme, his iron-heart melts; but if that be over, as hard iron as ever. A 1 Pet. 1. 7. Saint is gold for Substance, the same in, and out, of the fire. A Miscreant sometimes wil be Saint; a Saint, never Miscreant. Under the Crosse, he may 2 Cor. 11. [...]5. be more tender; at a Communion, more devout; never debaucht and obstinate. A Habite of strength (not a fit) makes a healthy man; a constancy of good carriage (not an act now and then) makes a Holy one. We shall be judged by Act. 24. 16 Ezek. 7. 3. our waies (not our steps) So to think then and doe, is damnable error. And
5. To thinke my selfe good, because my Beliefe is Right. If so, the Devill will not be wrong. He believs there is Jam. 2. 19. Luc. 4. 41. Mar 5. 7. Act. 16, 17 a God, and Christ his Son, and the Saviour of the world, (so far a Christian, most Orthodox in his faith) but hath [Page 371] hate to God, and rage to Christ, and so 2 Pet. 2. 4 in an ever damned condition, because inveterate-ill in his course. A good beliefe Apoc. 12. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 5. 19. Job. 1. 8. 2 Cor. 11. 14. and life, both, make man good. A Rightnesse in Religion and Conversation, perfect a good man. Believe my selfe a Cherubin, and live not a Saint, I am but a Devill; to my Phancie an Angell, but in Gods Eye, a fiend. My owne Elect, but Gods Reprobate. The Principle Tit. 1. 16. is damn'd which cheats the Soule of Heaven (if believed) And so it doth Thousands,
6. To thinke, the Soule well, if Absolv'd of her Sins. If I Sin in hope of Pardon, and after fall againe to Sinne. My Soule! Where Confession is most used, Souls are thus much abused. But blesse thy selfe. from that error. Doe not thou so much abuse thy self. To Sin in a Presumption of mercy, is not the way Deut. 29. 19. to Pardon, but Judgment, Nay, cuts of all hopes of Pardon, because to be left to the Judg without the plea of an Advocate. For that is mercie, which thou hast abus'd, and so thou wilt have justice without mercy to extremity; for Offended Justice will punish nothing more, then abused Mercy. And if God doe not give the Pardon, the Priest [Page 372] cannot Seale it. For what he doth is in the Name, and by the Order of God, Joh. 20. 22 23. Mat. 16. 19 whose Keies he carries, not to doe what he will, but should, in His House. My Soul! When Gods Minister duely absolves thee, Himselfe pardons thee; but if thou steale thy Pardon, thou gettest it not duely; and if thou Cancell it after it is got, as good not get it. And to pretend [...]enitence to such a purpose, and presume to offend, before and after such a purchase, is first to steal a pardon, and then Cancell it. To make Gods Pardon a Patent for Sin is ill. And
7. To thinke practice of Piety belongs to the Cloister and Clergie. Their Obligations may be more, but thy Dueties are no lesse. If a man, who ever, or how or wherever thou [...]livest, thou owest thy God the essentiall Duties of B [...]ety (as thy Maker, Preserver, and Redeemer too) by the greatest Obligations. And for this (whosoever thou Apoc. 1. [...]. [...] Per. 2. 5 [...]. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Act. 2. 24. Joh. 17. 15, 16. Joh 15. 19 Psal. 3. 18. 20. art) must be a Priest, (A Priest to offer God that Sacrifice:) And wherever thou art, must have a Cloister, (Place and time to Sequester thy selfe) from the World, to his Service. Though not Religious Votaries, all must be Religious. [Page 373] That belongs to all. My Soul! Thou hast seene Seaven Guides which mislead millions out of the way to Heaven. As thou hopest to be there, Know them all, and shun them. For if Error Psal. 95. 10 Mat. 15. 14. be thy Leader, thou canst not be in the right way. And as Principles,
2. Ill Habits,
They are to be avoided, My Soule! For these will carry thee wrong, though thy guide be right. And this will wheele thy Heart, as the other doe thy Minde wrong. But the Soule goes wofully away, that is misled by both. An ill custome, is a Second Nature. And that Gen. 6. 12. was depraved enough at first to doe ill (it needs not a Second.) An Inveterate disease it is, which to keep is death; and to leave, impossible. O my Soule! Sin is thy blacknesse, and vices thy Spots; but by continuance become not accidentall, but Naturall; and what Laver will wash of an Aethiopian blacknesse? Jer. 3. 23. or Fuller, take out a Leopards Spots? Why cannot some Speake, but Sweare? Why doe not some talke, but Lie? Why cannot some live more without drinke, then breath? And others, no more want their lust, then sleep? But because their Tongues have got the [Page 374] custome to Speake; and these Bodies the habite, to doe evill? Live not then Rom. 6. 6. Joh. 8. 21. in Sin, as thou wouldest not die in it. Naturalize it not, if thou wilt not die for it. Reiterate not the acts of it, if Heb. 3. 11. 12. thou wouldest not naturalize it, What thou canst, Commit not the first acts, and thou shalt not reiterate it. If thou hast been overtaken with the first, run Gal. 6. 1. away from a Second, lest a Third overrun thee, and leave thee in the way of death. Yea, at the very Doore. For my Soule!
Hardnesse of heart, is the Threshold of Hell. And many strokes of guilt wil Obduratio animi, limen inferni anvile it to hardnesse. And then as much Sense in that, as will be in thy Conscience. And then, as much blushing Jer. 5. 3. Zach. 7. 12. 1 Tim. 4. 2 Jer. 8. 12. & 6. 15. Jer. 3. 3. Prov. 7. 21 Jer. 9. 12. in brasse, as will be in thy countenance. Entrance teares of the veile of shame; but continuance whores the forhead; And so my Soule. it is with all Sin as that One. Entrance conceives Continuance; This begets Custome; And That, Impudence; And It, Vengeance. Say then my Soule! Say and doe with Humble and Holy Job,
Once have I Spoken, but I will not answer, Job. 40. 4. 5. Yea twice, but I will proceed no further. No: Thrice may carry thee so [Page 375] far from God, that either thou carest 2 Tim. 3. 3. Prov. 1. 24. 31. Apoc. 22. 11. not, or canst not Returne, and so must on and Proceed. Proceed for want of a Timely pause, till thou come to a fatall Period. Beware then of Bad Customs. And so doe by
3. Lewd Companies.
Indeed the way not to be struck with those, is to fence against these. For they will both instill the one, and induce the other. That, as they are Schools of Prov. 4. 14 error; and This, as they be forges of wickednesse. Those within, these without, both lead to Leudnesse. According Hos. 7. 6. 7. to the Dialls next us, our Watches goe; and wrong, if they be set to wickednesse. When David therefore would have his goe right, he bids these be gone; Away from me ye wicked, for Psal. 6. 8. I will Keep the Commandements of my God. That is, His Conscience cannot Prov. 1. 10 goe right, if their Company be not away. How should we goe right, and be with Mat. 26. 69. them that are wrong? Saint Peter (though fully resolv'd and warn'd against it) thus fell into his fearfull error. The way of Christ lay not through the High-Priests hall; nor will Devotion kindle but coole, at such a fire. A Spark amongst live-coales holds its heat; amongst [Page 376] dead, it dies; My Soule! If thou canst not decline evill livers, delight not in them, they will damp and Prov. 13. 20. Prov. 6. 27. Col. 3. 12. 1 Cor. 5. 10. Ephes. 5. 11. Mat. 8. 28. Ephes. 2. 1. Mazentius. dead thy Sparke. Civility with all is good, Familiarity, dangerous. Thou maist live amonst Gods rebells, thou must not love them. If thou dost, thou wilt in time be like them. Dead (as they are) to all good; (As the living Bodies chain'd by the Tyrant, to the Dead:) And Buried (as they are) in all ill; (As sound Bodies living with the Pestilent catch their death.) And (without the Preservative of Gods great mercy and grace) damn'd with them: for both (As those that are found with Rioters) incurre the same Doome: how Luc. 6. 25. Num. 16. 24. Apoc. 18. 4 dost thou feare their Condemnation, and love their Company? How canst thou laugh with them in this World with whom thou wouldst not houle in that other? Why dost thou dread a Plaguie Body, and sit with a Pestilent Psal. 1. 4. Cathedra Pestilentiae. 2 Cor. 11. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 3. Prov. 4. 15. Act. 2. 40. Soule? Surely the Soule is better then thy Body, and her Plague, worse, and that infection greater. Read, Lord have mercy on them, writ on a Sinners Doore, When thou dost see in their lives, a Crosse to all Gods Commandements. And my Soule, say, Lord have mercy [Page 377] on thee, for dareing so much in Spirituall dangers, and Lord have mercy on thee, that thou doe not further dare so much. Shun profane Companies: And as not goe the way with these; So doe not give way to,
4. Vaine Scruples.
My Soule! Two things God desires, Thy Joy in his Service, and His Comfort in thy Life; The Devill a friend to neither seekes to rob thee of both; And thy Scruples are his Theeves. If they overtake and overcome thee, they will bind thee from the One, and beat thee out of the other; Taking both thy heart from all Duty, and all joy from thy heart! Believe it, they will give thy Spirit no Freedome, and thy Conscience no rest.
For when thou shouldst be doing good, thou wilt be disputing it; when at Gods work, questioning thy Warrant; when acting and waiting on his Service, entertaining arguments about it. Thus, when others are well on their journey, thou art quarrelling thy Passe; and dost, either with Balaams asse, stand, Judg. 22. 27. Exod. 14 and not move at all; or with Pharaohs Chariots drive on heavily. And no wonder; for the Wheels are of. The [Page 378] minde becomes darke, the heart dull, the Spirit dead, the Conscience dared: nothing but weaknesse and wavering, and trembling, and chilnesse, and confusion in the powers of action, and so either none at all, or a stupid, trepid, troubled motion. These be the first fruits of thy Scruples (fetters and Snares.)
And what then the Second, but Heart-gaules and Gripes? They will beat thee, till they leave not one sound part of comfort in thee: Scourge thee with thoughts, Saw thee with doubts, Rack thee with feares, Torture thee with perplexities; till thou hast neither joy of Duty, nor Life. Leaving thee in a labyrinth of woe, dolefull, dismall; full of nothing but Damps of joy, Dumps of Spirit, and Distresses of Conscience.
And here My Soule! Take view and heed, of the Devils boundless craft, 1 Pet. 5. 8. and rage. When he cannot make thee quick to ill, he will make thee dead to goodnesse.
If not dissolute, irresolute; If not Debauch'd for Hell, Distracted Heaven-ward. If loose of life, then Conscience it selfe is a Scruple: if strict, then every Scruple, is a Conscience. First, he [Page 379] would have thee have no conscience; and if not, It to be all Scruple. With the profane, even Carefull Piety goes for Holy lunacy; and Motions of holy Spirit, for fits of Ghostly Phrensie. But to the Religious he perswades, what he can, what they doe, and are; all to be profane. So when he cannot make our hearts hard as flint, to bad purposes, he makes them weak as water, to better.
And this is the Malice of the Devill. When he cannot have us in Hel, to have it in us. To Torture us with our Scruples, when he cannot with his Torments. Now, to have us without the Comfort of Heaven, because not ever without the joyes of it. He would have all like himselfe, if they will not goe to it, carry Hell with them.
But, Dear Soul, do thou defeat his 2 Cor. 2. 12 Devices! A Scrupulous Conscience is as unsafe as sad. Thy Scruples, as they are thy Clogs, and Rods, so they will be his Skrewes, if they continue so. Skrewes to winde thy thoughts up through doubts and feares, to the utmost pin of Despaire, and either leave thee there, or let thee downe againe, to as ill (though a more merry Pin) [Page 380] of thy first estate in Presumption. They will hoist thee up from Atheisme, till they have thee to Superstition, and then let thee fall to Atheisme againe. So niceness of life ends often in retchlesnesse of Conversation. When Satan cannot make our hearts tough enough, he makes them tender too much; and from that excesse brings them againe, and so makes them to be tough.
My Soul! If wel, and with wisdom, thou canst not be enough; but if vaine, and ill, Conscience may be too much tender. And abundance of doubts and scruples will make, and prove it so Vaine; that's the Devils Designe. But how then wilt thou Defeat him?
Sure, never without the Aids of God; and therefore thou must pray his help. And often, not without the help of Man, and therefore thou must take his Aide. If the Clock of Conscience stand, or goe not even; it may be, because the Wheels are foul, dust disorders the wheeles. My Soul! what are thy Scruples but those piles of dust (scarce visible to the Eye, yet hurtfull to the Clock) and who then must direct thee, Job 33. 29 Isay 50. 9. but some skifull Master in the Art of Soules? some upright Judge in the [Page 381] Cases of Conscience. If thou then canst not (without danger to hurt it) let him clean thy Watch, and clear thy Dust. Or goe to some of Experience, Gal. 6. 1. Heb. 5. 14. if thou wantest one of that Skill: But not to one Subject to like niceties, for their Advice will but confirme and multiply thy Scruples. And thy selfe maist concurre with thy Prayers, and their Counsels.
In the Name of God goe on in thy good way, and against Common Errours and frailties, Encourage thy selfe with Christs merits, and Gods mercies. Act. 15. 11. Psa. 42. 14. 1 Kings 15. 5. Job. 42. 7. Phil. 3. 15. Let known good be done, and ill shun'd from an upright heart; and if any thing fail, it will be pardoned, and (if necessary) shall be known. Kill Goliah with his owne Sword, Scruples by Scruples, make Satans Scrues Gods Engines: Scrue up thy self to a better, and greater care of Godlinesse, by the force of thy Scruples. What they pretend, make them be Movers and Sollicitours for Gods Service; And with one Scruple kill all: Have them in jealousie for naught; Bauds of Satan, though in Virgins attire, and entertain none but one, to Scruple all Scruples. Make not shie, (nay, make Conscience) [Page 382] of this; its the way to clear all out of Conscience. Harder for the Soul, where the Body doth assist; and the humour of it is (as in Melancholike Tempers) to raise jealousies and feares: (For that is to empty a Po [...]le when a Spring feeds it:) yet even so, it may, and must be done; and because with greater difficulty, with better acceptance. Look to thy self then, O my Soul! and cherish not, but banish Scruples. And so thou must,
5. Ghostly Negligences.
Temptation and Corruptions are the Parents of mans Sinne and Bane, (Father and Mother of all mischief.) And Idlenesse is the Mother of both. It is Chrys. 1 Tim. 5. 13. Pulvinar Satanae. the Sewer that takes in all Temptation, and the Pool that holds in all Corruption. The Devils Pillow where he lies, and Sinnes Bed were she conceives, and brings forth all Wickednesse. O my Soul, lay not him a Pillow, that comes for thy Death, and make not her a Bed that stayes for thy Destruction! Believe it, where thou dost place the Bed of ease, he will set up the chaire of Psal. 1. 1. S. Hierome. Pestilence. The Devout Saint did; Ever finding something to doe, that the Devill might never finde him at leisure [Page 383] for his Service. If he doe, even David himself, he will put him on desperate and damnable employment. It's said, Better be idle then doe nothing. But 2 Sam. 11. 2 surely, better be doing any thing (if not naught) then be Idle. Thou canst not Nihil agendo malè agere discis. Praestat nihil quàm malè agere. be idle, and do no ill. It puts thee into the Schoole of vice, and the Devil wil be sure to teach thee. Better indeed do nothing then naught; for that's worse then nothing, the worst of any thing: But as impossible for Waters to stand, and not to stink; so it is, not to doe Luk 12. 43 naught, if nothing. To be found then at the last day doing well, be seen in this ever doing something. If not alwayes Act. 9. 39. at Spirituall work, at some Civill, and innocent employment. Though thou needst not work (as most) for thy Psa. 69. 33 Momentum a quo pendet aeteruitas. Living, thou hast as much to doe as any for thy Life. Eternity (my Soul) that's thy Life; And thy life, that's the time to work for Eternity. Thou camest, and continuest in the world to doe that work. How then darest thou ravell away that pretious thre [...]d? Trifle away that Time? O that God should set so great a price upon it, and Man so meane! Man? Yes my Soule! But not every man: Man in hell doth [Page 384] not. O! If they had as many worlds as Shriekes, (ten thousand thousand Worlds of Worlds) how willingly would they give them all, for a little Time! Time on earth, to Repent, and escape the Damnation of hell: The depth of whose woe, is wailing and wringing their hands, and hearts, for God lost eternally, because time irrecoverably Luc. 13. 28. gone, which well laid out in life, might have saved that losse. And O man on earth wilt thou not be wise till in Hell? My Soule! Be not thou Psal. 90. 12. Psal. 34. 5. the man. Number thy daies and apply thy heart unto wisdome. Pray God thou maist. Thou wilt not set it on follie; if thou number them, Thou wilt finde them few, and none to be Spared. Thou wilt find many Spent (Yea and mispent) of those few. Thou wilt find Eternity to depend on those poore Remaines; Thou wilt finde, as Ro. 2. 7, 8. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Act. 26. 18 Psal. 89. 29. those are past well or ill, a happy, or a miserable, Eternity, Thou wilt find, that all ill-spent are the Devills (none of thy) daies. And canst thou looke that the Daies of Heaven should be thine, when thine on earth are the Devills? The Totall is, Time is as pretious as Blisse. He neither values God [Page 385] nor himselfe, that accounts not of his time. He that will not lose Eternity, must number his dayes. And so wilt thou, if wise, my Soul. Redeeme what Eph. 5. 16. 2 Pet. 4. 3. is lost, by a better thrift with what is left. Now lay out no more on vanity, all for Eternity. Isa. 35. 2, 3
Doth not thy Clock of Conscience tell this? Though Wheeles good, Diall goe right, all kept clean, yet if not kept going, not daily wound up, but oft hung by, and forgotten, will it Rom. 12. 14. strike just? so sloth distimes the Conscience.
It is good, and goes well, when, as Gods Law sets it, it keeps due time for good, and none for ill; (doth this Gnomō ejus Decalogus. Heb. 13. 18 never, that in season:) As the point of that; there are not twelve, but ten houres in this Clock.
And when it keeps Conformity with Luk. 1. 6. them, it points and strikes right; but without care to see, and have it goe 2 Pet. 1. 10 right, it will not keep it. And that must be the more, because no clock so soone out of Tune, if the care be not much. My Soul then, if thou wouldst not have Conscience ill, be not thou idle. Let the clock in thy Eares mind thee of the Clock in thy [Page 386] Breast; as the Devout Man did, who was wont to say, O Lord God! another Granat. De. peccat. hour of my life is now past, and what account can I give thee of it? So said he, (so say thou) so oft as thou hearest the Clock.
And so, my Soul, thou seest the stops, and stumbling-blocks in Gods service; shun them, and thou wilt better walk on in his wayes.
Wherefore lift up the hands that hang Heb. 12. 12. down, and the feeble knees, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way. And
Take he [...]d, lest there be in you an evill Heb. 3. 12. heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.
The summe of this Soliloquie.
- That God be duly and daily served, what hinders must be carefully shun'd.
- There be five great Impediments to true Piety, and the constant service of God.
- 1. Ill-Principles are great Impediments, viz. That I am good, and in good state towards God.
- 1. Because others are worse.
- 2. Because particularly good.
- 3. Because my Heart is honest, though not my life.
- 4. Because I am Godly by fits.
- 5. Because of right Religion, and Belief.
- 6. Because Ministerially absolv'd, if not Penitent.
- 7. Because it is for Cloister'd and Church-men onely, to be what others need not, strictly Religious.
- [Page 388]2. Bad Habits are great Bars to Religion, because they turne and confirme the Soule against it.
- 3. Leud Companies. Inconsistent with good Courses. Pests of Souls, and to be shund as Plagues.
- 4. Vaine Scruples, great Prejudices to Pious Action, and Consolation. Acts of Satans endlesse Artifice and malice to be avoided, much, and how.
- 5. Ghostly Negligences, Mothers of Sin; Nurses of Temptation; Satans Advantages, & Agents; Under-values of pretious Time; Sellers-away of Eternity, which no Treasure else can redeem, and it selfe (if gone on earth) past redemption in Hell, where Worlds would be given for a litle Time.
Friday-Soliloquie. Helps to Heaven and Happinesse. OR, A Soliloquie, Acquainting the Soule with such Holy Reliefs and Aides, as will much facilitate and further Her Course and Progresse in the waies of Piety: in Two Parts. First Part. Holy Meditations and Motions, Great helps to Piety.
MY Soule! As those Avoidances 1. Division. observ'd, thou canst hardly be bad; so some Releifs being had, thou wilt be [Page 390] more easily good. And, by the Grace of God, thou maist receive all those releifs. Thy owne Thoughts and Endeavours may contribute all. If thou wilt employ thy Mind and Parts to thinke and doe, what may advance thee most. The Aides are not small which may be brought in by both. And first Improve thy Mind, for that may doe much, by
Meditations, great Promoters of Piety.
A Power that can daily mount to Heaven, whither the Body, till the last day, cannot come. And how that, but by Holy Motions? And what are they, but such as either goe to, or come from Heaven. When we Muse of it, they goe; When moved from it, they come. What are our Motions to it, but Heavenly Meditations? And how so? But when some good thing of God or Christ, is and keeps in mind. Four are made famous for that. Death, and Judgment; Heaven, and Hell. For, My Soul, Remember thy end, and thou shalt never doe amisse.
And Death is thy first; Judgment Eccles. 7. 36. Quatour Novissima. thy next; Heaven or Hel thy last end. These four, are thy last.
Nor will sin be in heart, whilest they are in minde. Nor any thing more move to Duty then to have these in memory. Muse then often of those, O my Soule. And of that first, which comes first; and how soone, who knows?
1. Death.
O Death! How bitter is thy Remembrance! Ecclus. 41. 1. Yes to a Sinner, but most wholsome against Sin. My Soul! Die thou must. And when thou shalt, what will be thy Comfort? To have wallowed in worldly wealth? Swome in sensuall Solaces? Arrived at earthly Honors? Alas! No, This will be thy Corrasive. Then all these gauds are gone. The flowers of thy Paradise all fade, and nothing remaines but the snake under them, guilt and woe. Luk. 16. 26 manet turpitudo. Psal. 17. 14 Saladini funus. Alex. Philosophus. Job 14. 17 & 24. 20. Joh. 11. 43 Woe to thee then, if that was thy Heaven, Death casts thee out of it. If thy Hell, to want these, it throwes thee into it: Then, a Sheet is all thy Goods; a Grave all thy Land; a Coffin all thy House; Wormes thy Companions; Corruption all thy Kindred; Stench thy Perfumes; and thy Robes, rags of Rottennesse. No, the onely Comfort then, is to have liv'd well; to have Isay 38. 3. [Page 392] shun'd ill, and so want the sting of the 1 Cor. 15. 56. 2 Pet. 3. 14. Luk. 2. 29. Psal. 119. 103. S. Ambros. Job. 19. 26. Breast; To have done good, and so have the Peace of the Bosome. So to have lived, as not to be ashamed to die. So to die, as to be assured for ever to live. O my Soul! that wouldst give Worlds to have a little such Comfort at that houre, neglect not the provisions of Luk. 19. 42. that Peace in thy day. Believe it, to entertaine Death with a Smile, and Damnation without dread, is the sole effect and fruit of a life well led in Gods fear according to good Conscience. Phil. 1. 23. Heb. 11. 35.
And canst thou think of this, and not so live? That knowest (as surely as thou liv'st) thou shalt Die, and yet Eccl. 8. 8. no more, where, or when, or how, then Eccl. 9. 12. if thou didst never live? That knowest, the time is past of doing good, if not done before thou die; and thy Salvation gone, if that time be past? O dear soul, Joh. 9. 4. Eccl. 9. 10. look to the Body, that Death doth not surprize both: look thou to thy God, let it not look after the World, that, when its Death comes, thy Life may begin, and it not fear the Prison 2 Cor. 5. 5. of the grave, because it shall come out to a joyfull day of Judgement. And Joh. 5. 58. of that, my Soul, have a serious Meditation, of
2. Judgement.
Sinne will not be in thy hand, if that be in thy Eye. It is the Bridle of vanity, and Curb of lust. Rejoyce O Eccl. 11. 9. young man in thy youth, and let thy heart chear thee in the dayes of thy youth, and walk in the wayes of thine heart, and in the sight of thy eyes: but know, that for all these things God will bring thee unto Judgement. Seest thou not, my Soul, how this is Solomons Bridle? To curb, and keep in the most Head strong Age (youth) in his fullest Careere (the Heart) on his quickest spur (the eye) Thou shalt come to Judgement? Away Act. 17. 30, 31. then with Sin to present execution. For how will guilt stand before it, and it be without guilt? or thou without both? Canst thou Cancel it, my Soul? Calcine Jer. 17. 1. Rom. 2. 15. thy self sooner; and Conscience, which is the very Quintessence of thy self? couldst thou anihilate it, thou canst not Providence; the everlasting Monuments and Records of all thy Sinnes. Apoc. 20. 12. Thou must come to Triall for all. For all these things? Spare no Sinne then, away with all. All is book'd for the Barre. To an act, word, thought, all Inroll'd, though never so secret, all is Eccl. 12. 14. Rom. 2. 16 1 Cor. 4. 5 seene, writ, kept; and for all these [Page 394] things God will bring thee to judgement. God will? Away then, and away againe with all Sin. Thou maist shift, thou maist shuffle for thy selfe with man (bribe him, bleare him, move, make the Judge) but God (the Allwise, and All-just God) thou canst not delude nor deprave. My Soule! Methinks 2 Cor. I. 11. thou shouldst not heare Solomon speake but Thunder and quake to Sin. Dan. 5. 6. In the midst of all thy frolikes (like Belshazzars Hand-writing) this should make thee quake.
O Innocence! How pretious wilt thou appeare at that day! O the blisse Luc. 6. 23. & 21. 18. Mal. 3. 16. Mat. 25. 35. of that breast, where thou art found! When all thy guilts are cancelled, and thy good deeds chronicled, and all shall be read before men and Angels to thy endlesse Glory, at those great Assizaes. O blessed Soule, that hast the Acquittance of thy ill deeds, and Assurance Act. 3. 19. Ephes. 4. 30. of thy good, now Sealed, and allowed then at that Dreadfull day!
But Guilt! Where wilt thou hide Apoc. 6. 16. Apoc. 20. 13. 2 Cor. 5. 10. thy head? Rocks are no shelters, they cleave; Nor Hills, they move; Nor Hell, it opens before him. Appeare thou must, endure thou canst not. O the Dreadfull Sound, that gives the Summons! [Page 395] And Sights that usher in His Judgement, and thy sad Apparence! 1 Thes. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 15. 52. 2 Pet. 3. 10 2 Thes. 1. 7 Mat. 25. 31 When his Trump shall blow, Earth burne, Heaven fould, Angels wait on him, and Devils wait for thee, Hell gape, Paradise shut upon thee: And (which is the woe of woes) besides all these Dreads that are without thee, the worst Devil and fire shal be within, Conscience crying out upon thee, and condemning thee.
My Soule! If mans barre fright Apo. 6. 16. from Capitall Crimes, shall not Gods from Sinfull courses? It should, it must, 2 Pet. 3. 11 Eccl. 12. 13 Joh. 12. 48 it will, make thee look to his Law, and thy life. For, if the end of all is that we must be Judged, the Summe of all is to see that we be not condemned. Let us heare the Summe of the whole matter, feare God and keep his Commandements, for this is the whole Duety of man. For God will bring every worke into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evill.
For My Soule! As thy works are now, thou wilt be found then, Acquitted Psal. 50. 16. Mat. 25. 34. Rom. 2. 6, 7, 8. Col. 1. 12. or Condemned. Proclaimed Heir of Heaven or Hell. Blessed or Accursed for ever. A Mate for Angels or Devils. In Light or Fire. And though it exexceed [Page 396] all, entertain thy thoughts a little Ma [...]. 25. 41 what it is to be in
3. Heaven.
Surely my Soul! If thy thoughts be 2 Pet. 3. 14 in it, thy Endeavours will be after it. And all thy works on earth, but studies for it. What thou seekest here (Honour, Eccl. 1. 13, 14. Isay 55. 2. Amos 5. 6. Prov. 1. 28. 32. Pleasure, Wealth, or whatever good) and Iosest thy self in the seeking, is to be found all, and onely in Heaven. There's Honour, To be a Grandee in Gods Court Mat. 5. 19.. To Sit on Christs Throne Apoc. 3. 21.: There's Glory to shine as the Sun Mat. 13. 43.. A Brother to all Saints, a Peere to all Angels Mat. 22. 30., a Spouse of the Son of God Apoc. 19. 9. Eph. 2. 6. 2 Cor. 11. 4. f 1 Cor. 13 4. g 2 Cor. 4. 15. h Heb. 12. 28.. Honour and no envie; Glory and no vanitie: State, and no change: O my Soule! What Robe to Immortality 1 Cor. 15. 53.? What Crowne to Eternity 1 Cor. 9. 25.? What Glory to Heaven 2 Thes. 1. 10.. There's Treasure Luk. 18. 22. Heb. 10. 34., Substan [...]e indeed, and Supersufficient I [...]ay 64. 4.. All good Mat 24. 47., and Superexcellent 2 Cor. 4. 17. 2 Pet. 1. 17., and Enduring ever. To which Gold is dirt; Gems pebles; Tissues rags; Lands, Bogs; Palaces, piles of mud; Indies, beggeries; Goods which Scorne fire, and theef, [Page 397] and moth, and rust Luk. 11. 33., and those Millions of Misfortunes, and humane Casual [...]ies. There's Pleasure. At the Spring, Pure Psal. 16. 12.; In the River, abundant Psa. 36. 8, Nay in the Ocean infinite Mat. 25. 21.. Not as that on earth, momentanie Job 20. 5, mixt (as of mans) nay foule (as of w Pro. 14. 13. beasts 2 Pet. 2. 12, 13.) but Eternall, Incomprehensible, cleare in the Soveraigne Beatificall good, The joy of the Lord. All, onely, rightly, and ever joy. There's Company. y 1 Pet. 1. 8. The worst Saints, Angels Heb. 12. 22.; The best, the Trinities, Gods 1 Thes. 4 7. Society, The Fathers, Sons, Holy Ghosts, in mutuall, c 1 Cor. 1. 9 Phil. 2. 1. 1 Joh. 1. 3. Individuall, ineffable Joh. 17. 22., indivisible Joh. 16. 20. concord, and the Contentments of most intimate affections and unity Apoc. 15 3. Apoc. 5. 8. & 14. 2. & 18. 22.. There's Melody. The Songs of Saints to the Harps of Angels. A Quire of both, chaunting Everlasting Anthems, with all heavenly harmony, to their Makers, and thy Redeemers glory Apoc. 5. 9. 13. 2 Cor. r 2. 4 1 Cor. 2. 9. O My Soule! If tongue cannot tell, what St. Paul heard, when but rapt into this Paradise; how should mortall mind conceive the delights of Beatificall Vision?
Deare Soule! Made, and Redeem'd for those delights! Why dost thou deigne Earth any? Anie but such as [Page 398] are Akin, or not Strange, to these? Phil. 4. 4. Why seems any Duty difficult, that Heb. 12. 2. Jam. 1. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 14 brings to them? Canst thou doe? Canst thou Suffer too much for them? Is it possible to be too much Saint, or Martyr, to get them? If thou give Skin, flesh, bloud, head, heart, life; to the Knife, Fire, Sword, Axe, Gibbet, Heb. 11. 34 35, 36, 37. Saw, Rack, Caldron or what ever torture; comes it not cheap? If for a lustfull eye, or hand, or foot of offense Rom. 8. 13 Mat. 5. 29. Heb. 11. 25 then, or deniall of any Pleasure, is it then, Deare?
My Soule! The Saints and Martyrs Pro hac emendâ Bartholomoeus propriā pellem dedit. Aug. Longo tempore tolerare. Aug. Gal. 5. 24. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Heb. 12. 3. 2 Cor. 4. 17 1 Cor. 10. 13 Heb. 2. 18. 1 Pet. 4. 14. Heb. 1. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 10. thought themselves good Merchants, that bought them at these rates. Nay, if thou shouldest daily Suffer torments on earth, yea for a long time endure the torments of Hell, the price would not be great for the purchase of Heaven. My Soul! he that said so to his was a Saint. Be content then to Crosse a lust, or Carry a Crosse for Heaven: For this thy Christ endured his Great Crosse; wilt not thou thy little one? That hast his Shoulders to help thee to bear it too, his Grace, his Spirit, his Angels for thy help?
My Soul, let not the Difficulties conceived in a Course of Religion discourage [Page 399] thee from, or in the way: It is Mans Calumny, and the Devils Policy. To him that loves God (as thou shouldst) that hath his Grace (as thou maist) and his Favour (as thou mightest:) all his Commands are easie, and 1 Joh. 4. 3. Mat. 11. 29. 30. his Yoke but light. For to him is given the staff of Peace Psal. 119 165. Phil. 4. 7., and stay of Hope Ro 15. 13, and strength of Comfort Heb. 6. 18. Heb. 3. 6., which (besides the outward) are great helps to the carrying of that Yoke. And (blind thoughts and affections set aside) the Sinner toiles more then the Saint Ec. 2. 23. Joh. 6. 27. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Apoc. 14. 13. Aeterua quies aeterno labore meritò paratur., and drudges more for Hell, then he workes for Heaven.
And did the Saint droile more; Heaven makes all nothing. For what are Moments of paine and labour to Eternity of Joy and Rest, which were worth the while, if attained with eternall work and labour? It's a Slander then cast on the wayes of God. Yes my Soul, and a Stratagem too. A Flie from Belzebub Deus muscae. Prov. 26. 13. Rom. 12. 11, 12. Heb. 6. 10. 11. Heb. 12. 3. buzzing this into thy Eares, that he may keep Heaven better out of thy Eyes. And hold thy foot (when he hath thus slackt thy heart) from going, or from comming thither.
My Soul, against all such fainting, take Saint Pauls Cordiall, Whilest we [Page 400] not at the things which are seen, but not 2 Cor. 4. 16. 18. seen; for the things which are seen are temporall, but the things which are not seen are eternall.
And so there be Paines, as well as Joyes: Think of that, O my Soul! For to foresee, is the way to avoid those paines; and to Muse on it, the means to escape
4. Hell.
Thou art not in love with Paine My Heb. 12. 11 Soule! Who is? All shun it. Why not then that most, which is greatest? Why in Earth, more then Hell? Is Mat. 25. 30. Mat. 18. 34. Mar. 5. 43, 44. Apoc. 6. 16 17. & Apoc. 14. 10. Mat. 16. 25, 26. Mat. 25. 31. 41. Mat. 8. 12. Apoc. 14. 10, 11. any Gaole like that Dungeon? Any Keepers to Fiends? Any Burning like that Fire? Any Biting like that worme? Any shame of face, to the Confusion before men and Angels? Can any losse on earth, equall the losse of Heaven? Or Exile from friends, a Banishment from God and Angels? To dwell in utter darknesse (no light) Amidst Infinite Tortures (and no ease) to all Eternity (no end?) Tortures which make the Wheele a Sport; the Furnace, a Bower; and the Rack a very Recreation?
My Soule! Are these but Godly frauds to fright tender hearts from [Page 401] wickednesse? If thou beest a Christian thou dost not believe so; nay if 2 Pet. 3. 3. Plato, Plut, &c. but a Heathen, thou wilt not. Endlesse and Extreme pains for evill deeds after this life, even they beleive. The very Devils doe, though their torture Jam. 2. 19. Mat. 8. 29. Rom. 2. 15, 16. to doe it. Conscience (which is in all men) is an Apostle of this to all Nations. The joyfull deaths of innocent men, and Dreads of Guilty ones in death Preach it all the world over. For what are these but summons to the great Barre, where according to their works all shall r [...]ceive the Sentence of Judgement. O my Soule ponder this. Is it grievous to endure extreme paine for an houre? Is it nothing to suffer Extremity for ever? So long as Omnipotency can preserve; so much as Omniscience can devise, what infinite Justice doth require (Soul and body) to suffer for ever and ever? O My Soule! Could thy Mind measure, nay, but sadly consider the length of Eternity! How millions of Ages are not a Span to that time; not all since the World, an Inch of a Span: And yet all the Tortures that Earth ever had, or wits of men and Angels could imagine to have, are but ease to [Page 402] those paines, which are to endure to that Eternall length; thou wouldest as soone burne as lust, and take up a Serpent as Sin. My Soule! To save Ecclus. 21. 2. thy selfe, be serious and consider it. The greatest Temptation will not take, if thou doe but remember it. Thou wilt refuse the Apple for the worme in it; The Sweets of Sin for the fire after it. The hardest Duty will downe if thou thinke of it. Thy Deare friend O my Soule! That gave his blood to save thee from that death, His Counsell is, thus to avoid it: If thine eye offend Mar. 9. 43. thee, pluck it out, &c. It's better for thee having one eye, to goe to Heaven, then having both to be cast into hell, where the worme doth not die, and the fire is not quenched. Better a litle paine for a Time, then all to Eternity.
My Soule! These four are Cordiall 2. Division. Isay 17. Verbum Incarnatum, est verbum ad hominis naturam usque abbreviatum. Bern. Phil. 3. 14. Considerations to carry thee to all Duety, from all ill; But the Royall one remains. Thy Christ to be thy studie, and thy Iesus to be thy Booke; The Word Abbreviate; Bible in Body; Scripture in flesh. Consider him, and all good is done, for he did it; all ill is gone, for he fled it. All his Actions are [Page 403] thy lessons, but my Soule! His Birth, Life, and Death, are the Chapters, I would have thee Read. For the whole World of wickednesse, is conquer'd by those three. Pride, Avarice, and Luxury, 1 Joh. 2. 16 the three parts of that world.
1. His Birth, is the Death of pride; Luk. 2. 7. His stable, the Grave. For if that was there, why is this any where? Or wherefore this? For cloths, His clouts Purpurae mea panni Salvaetoris. Bern. are best purple. For wealth, It's his straw. For Retinue, Beasts are his. For State, his Palace is an Inne. His bed a Manger. His Throne a Cratch. His Canopy, none but Webbs which Spiders spin him. Is it for strength? then the Oxe is better. For Beauty? He lies in Soile and dust. For wit? It falls down at his feet. Lo! whom a Star, and Angels, Mat. 2. 11. Mat. 2. 2. Luc. 2. 8, 9 2 Cor. 8. 9 and Sages proclaim Lord & King of Heaven and Earth, he is born thus poor that thou shouldst not be proud.
2. His life is like his Birth, to kill thy Covetousnesse; He had no Lands to Lord, but to walk in. No Mounts to climb, but to kneel on. Mount Olivet Luc. 22. 39. Mat. 14. 13. 19. was his Closet, and the Desert his House. His Table, the Grasse; no Covering but Heaven. His Provisions, not the purchase of Monies, but Miracles; [Page 404] By them, and Loanes he lives. If he ride, if he rest, if he feast with his Friends. Beast, Bed, Roome, all are borrowed. Birds and Beasts were provided Mat. 21. 3. Luk. 22. 11 better, they had their Nests and Holes. He not where to lay his Head. Mat. 8. 20. Mat. 27. 60. Mat. 3. 16, 17. Mat. 17. 5. Joh. 12. 29 Mat. 25. 14. 15. Luk. 16. 2. Nor House, nor Tomb, Dead, or Living. Not He! He whom Heaven own'd by Voice and Signe for the Beloved Sonne of God; the Lord of all would have nothing, that thou shouldst not gape for much, and Grasp at all. Thou that by his favour dost borrow all of Gods, and must account for all not laid out for him. And can his Passion revive, and lust live? No, for
3. His Death is the Crucifixion of lust 1 Pet. 4. 1. & 2. 24. Rom. 6. 16. Gal. 2. 20.. It crucified him as the cause Rom. 4. 25. 1 Pet. 2. 22; and thou must crucifie it Gal. 5. 24 (that's the Consequent.) And as they him, thou it, that's the Patterne 2 Cor. 13. 4.. And as he it, so thou, that's the Power Rom. 6. 11.. Come lustfull thoughts? Clap his thorns to thy Head. Rise wanton Lusts? Thrust his Speare to thy heart. Tempt fleshly Deeds? Strike his nailes into thy hands, and into thy feet, at such Motions. If to Drunkennesse, put his Spunge to thy mouth; If to Gluttony, bring his Gall to thy Palate. In short, whatever [Page 405] the flesh lusts for, for his Deaths sake denie it; At Bed or Board let it no where Obtaine, let his Crosse crucifie it, Golgotha burie it. Let it not live, the Lord of Life suffered Death for it. And for thee, that thou shouldst not let it Live, That thou die not for 1 Pet. 2. 14 Rom. 8. 13 ever for it. Alas my Soul! If thy lust struck him (who had none of his own) Dead; how shouldst thou who hast all, 2 Cor. 5. 21 Isa. 53. 45. and of thy owne, Live? How not be D [...]om'd, and damn'd, to eternall Death? Gal. 5. 21.
My Soule! If thou sadly thinke of God in those foure and of Christ in these three, these will be like wisdoms Seaven Prov. 9. 1. Pillers, to build up thy heart to all Godlinesse, And though such thoughts be the Epicures Dreads, and Atheists follies, Beleive thou God, who loves not thy griefe, and wisheth thee no better wisdome. And despise not the Inspirations of the Almighty, which are Gods Aids to advance that blessed worke. My Soule! Make much of them if they be Gods. For
2. Holy Motions are great helps to Pietie.
Indeed when Holy Motions and Meditations meet (as most what they doe) as they make a blessed mixture [Page 406] and union of Holy Spirits (Gods and mans) So they give a great strength by the juncture and concurrence of two such Holy Hands in one and the same Soule (mans and Gods.) And the worke will goe on, that's undertaken by such two. 1 Joh. 4. 1. Ezek. 13. 3 Jer. 31. 33. Ezek. 11. 19.
But My Soul, It is as necessary, as worthy thy knowledg to discern, which be, and which be not the Motions of the Holy Spirit. For, if another to it, Delusion leads thee; and if it guide thou wilt follow it. The Tryall of Spirits is; That is not Gods which is not Holy, nor the Motions His, which are not Heavenly.
For Gods Law is the way, when his Spirit is the Guide. Which did dictate, and therefore will never drive Isa. 8. 20. Joh. 16. 13, 14, 15. Gal. 1. 8. 2 Joh. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 6 from that way. As being ever the same, and never contrary to it selfe. Even Gods Spirit in his Word makes this Tryall.
And when the Spirit is found Right, make much of the Motions. They are Rom. 8. 14 1 Cor. 11. 1. from an High, my Soule! Thou must not bring and bow them to thy Mind, but it to them. When God is leader, thou must not goe before, but keep the place of a follower. And follow after, [Page 407] in Gods name, for it Leads ro Heaven. It is no worse, nor lesse. A Messenger from it, a Guide to it.
All good and regular Motion, is from the first, and Best Mover. It is an Angell, sent from Heaven; for Mal. 2. 1. [...] Angelus nuncius. what's that more, then a Heavenly Messenger? Take heed then, Deare Soule! Thou doe not entertaine bad, and neglect good motions (That's to observe a Devill before an Angell.) Give not Audience to the Devils Messenger before Gods Embassadour. That is to be tyed in too strict a league with Hell; too loose, with Heaven! Beleive it, there is as much difference betwixt a good and a bad Motion, as a Cherub and a Fiend; and betwixt their Isa. 8. 19. entertainments, as an Angels, and a Devils. And in their ends too. For the one weighes to the Center below, the other lifts up, to the Circumference above. A Seraphim, to fire the heart, and carry it up in the flame. That is a Hellish Firebrand; this, the Heavenly Isa. 6. 6. coale. Thou art in some errour, and the light of this, is to lead thee right. At a stand, and coole in good, and the heat of this, is to wa [...]me thee, and lead thee on. Under a fall of grace, dead [Page 408] under the ashes of prevailing frailty; 1 Thes. 5. 19. And this is to quicken thy sparke, and stir it up. O my Soule! then Kindle not the Hellish, Quench not the Heavenly coale. Quench not the Spirit. Cast not water and Earth upon it: Drown not the Motions in Sensuall and secular pleasures and affaires. Thy heart is the hearth where it is to burne; but if good acceptance and endeavours Ephes. 4. 30. 2 Tim. 1. 6 doe not blow and stir it up, it will goe out. They make the Bellowes for this Holy fire.
O my Soule! Have dread of this. The Messenger oft refus'd, will come Act. 13. 46. Luc. 13. 35. Cant. 5. 23 6, 7. Rom. 1. 28 2 Thes. 2. 3 1 Sam. 16. 14. Luc. 12. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 1. Luc. 11. 26. Apoc. 3. 10. no more; The Guide not followed, will be gone; The coale not kindled, wil not warme. And woe to thee, if the good Spirit leave thee, for then the Ill one will lead thee. In stead of good Angels, ill thoughts will haunt thee. And thou knowest, whither they goe, whom he doth lead. When God knock [...] at thy heart, let him not stay at the doore, when his Enemy at the first Motion, is let in; Doe not that for shame: If so, know that to keep out Gods Spirit, is to shut dore on thy Blisse; and doe not that for feare No My Soule! In Prosperity or Adversity; [Page 409] At thy Devotions or other occasions; In Church or Closet; By Day or night; Well, or Sick; If thy minde be moved to some knowne good, or against some evill; God knocks, doe thou open; His Angel is at dore, take him in; His Spirit would enter, bid him welcome. Welcome blessed Spirit that Luc. 13. 36. Mat. 21. 19. comes to carry me to Heaven: Welcome Holy Comforter, that comest to keep me from Hell. O come, and never goe from me, Holy Spirit of God.
My Soul, thou hast seen what Heavenly Helpers, Holy Meditations and Motions be. Hear the God of all help, and he will assure thee so. If others Amos. 6. 3. put off the evil day, it's wisdome for thee to have it before thee; If others Act. 24. 25 put by good motions, it will be thy happinesse to entertaine them, believe him, who sayes both.
O that they were wise, that they understood Deut. 32. 29. this, that they would consider their latter end.
Wherefore Holy Brethren, Partakers Heb. 3. 1. of the Heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession, Christ Jesus.
For consider him that endured such Heb. 12. 3. contradiction of Sinners, lest ye be wearied [Page 410] and faint in your minds. And, Behold, I stand at the doore and knock, Apoc. 3. 20. if any man heare my voyce, and open the dore, I will come to him, and Sup with him, and he with me.
The Summe of this Part is,
Saturday-Soliloquie. Remedies of Humane Frailtie. OR, A Soliloquie shewing the Soul, What Provisions of Grace and Mercy God hath made, to support her weakness in the way of Piety.
MY Soul! For all thy Cares 1. Part. and Helps, thou wilt fail in Eph. 5. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 8. thy Perpetuall Service, so long as Flesh and Devil cease not their Perpetuall Motion. God Ez. 18. 23. Gal. 3. 11. Col. 2. 12. Rom. 6. 19. Jam. 2. 26. Psal. 41. 4. therefore, in tendernesse of mercy, hath provided for thee Remedies of Grace. Repentance, that thou do not die: Faith, to make thee, and it live: And New Obedience to keep all alive.
Sin, my Soul! is ill humour to Heaven, a disorder of Holy Spirit, and just temper in thee. For this Disease
Repentance is Gods Remedy Tert. de. paenit. [...]. Naz.
And very sufficient to heal thee. For it will Bleed Act. 2. 37 thee in Contrition; Vomit thee in Confession Ezek. 18. 31. Orig.; Purge thee by Conversion 1 Cor. 5. 9.; Sweat thee with Guilt Act. 9. 10; Bath thee in Teares Joel 2. 12.; Diet thee from occasions of ill 2 Cor. 7. 11.; Cauterize the corrupt part with Threats Jona. 3. 4, 5.; and foment the weak with Promises Joel. 2. 13; And Exercise all in Almes Dan. 4. 27., Fasts Joel 2. 12, and Prayers Luk. 18. 13..
And, of the healing vertues of all these, Penitent Soules have had Blest Experiments. For that Bleeding cured the Barbarous Jewes Act. 2. 38.. Vomiting, David 2 Sam. 12. 13.. Purging, Ephraim Hos. 14. 8. The Sweat did the Jailer good Act. 16. 29.. The Bath helpt Magdalen Luk. 7. 38.. The Cautery, Saul Act. 9. 16.. Fomenting Hos. 6. 1, 2., Israel. The Exercise did Zacheus Luk. 19. 8., Ahab 1 King. 21. 19., even the Publican Luk. 18. 13., Ease.
O my Soul! Admire and Adore that Great and Good Physitian that Isa. 57. 18. Prescribes thee so faire, and yet so Soveraigne Jer. 8. 6. Peccata commssa plang [...]re, plangenda non committere. a Medicine. To Grieve thou hast done ill, and desire thou maist doe better. To be sorry for what was amisse, and not doe again what will make thee Sorry. When I have wandred, to [Page 413] returne: When I have been fool'd, to Jer. 3. 22. [...], Mat. 3. 2. Joh. 12. 40 Isa. 1. 16. Paenitens ferè innocens est. Eccl. 7. 29. Hos. 14. 4. Isa. 1. 18. Luk. 15. 17 Ezek. 18. 30, 31. Luk. 15. 22 24. 2 Cor. 7. 10 Luk. 4. 18. Act. 11. 18. grow wise: When I am sick, to be well: When I am foul, to wash: When I cannot be a Saint (as good as Adam was) fully Innocent, to be as well as Enoch may be, truly Penitent. Was ever Prescript so faire?
And, yet my Soul! this Heales Sin, (Guilt and Staine) Returnes thee both to God and thy self Recovers both Fall, and Wit. Restores both Tainted Bloud and Spirit. Reduces to a Paradise both of Joy and Innocence. Saves thee from Death, sets thee in Health, Disposeth thee to long, even everlasting life. Can any Medicine be more Soveraigne?
Take it then my Soul, if thou lovest thy self. And how, and when thy Physitian gives it. Not half, (for he appoints the whole.) Nor this hereafter, for he wills it Now,
To Grieve for Sin, and do no more, Joel 2. 12. is to see, not to lose thy Sicknesse. And to amend what is not first griev'd, to recover before thou art Sick. To be Compunct, and not Confesse, is to bleed inwardly. To Confess, but not be Contrite, to Vomit wantonly. To Confesse, and Pro. 28. 13 not Amend, to cast, and lick up the Vomit. To be Frighted for Sin, and not 2 Pet. 2. 22 [Page 414] bettered, is to Sweat, and take cold Joh. 5. 14. after it. To weep for it, and commit it, 2 Pet. 2. 22 is, with the Sow, to wash, and wallow. To Abstain occasions, and not acts, is to fast it into a better Stomack. To be Threatned into Despaire, is, instead of Gen. 4. 13. Sin, to burne thy self. And to be fed with Promises unto Presumption, is not to Cherish thy self, but thy Sicknesse. 2 Cor. 7. 1 To Renounce evill, and entertaine occasions, is to send it away, and call it again.
To Pray to God, and yet provoke Isa. 1. 12. 14. 1 Cor. 13. 3 him, is to make a play of our Prayers. To give Almes, and do ill, is to give Sin not a Divorce, but a Licence. To fast from meat, and fall to Sin, is to whet the knife, not to kill it, but feast Isa. 58. 4. Luk. 18. 12 it. To pray, give, fast, and then take liberty to swear, and Sin, and Erre again, is not to make Health, but a Disease of the Exercise.
My Soule! This is to take the Medicine by halfes, and so thou shalt never Recover thy selfe, whole.
And if thou Delay it, that's the way never to recover. That takes strength from the Medicine, and gives it to the Disease; for, so, it grows Inveterate, and the Cure more Difficult, if not Desperate. Mat. 13. 15 More hard to be; A Sow is washed [Page 415] white, not a Blackamore. A young Profligate, sooner then an old Obdurate Jer. 13. 23. Mat. 26. 73. Act. 8. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 4 Psal. 7. 12. Jer. 4. 22. Sinner. Simon Peter quickly, Simon Magus never. It's more hard to doe; Sin hath more efficacie, the Devill more Interest, God more Anger; Nature is vanquisht, Her Powers depraved, Her faculties infirm'd, decayed, deprived of virtue for it. It's more hard to Suffer. Sin is incorporate, the Humours irradicate, Habituate and Naturaliz'd; As soone pluck up an old tree, as Sin, by the roots. As easily teare out thy heart as thy lust, and vomit bowels as customs, Mat. 5. 29. and quit Limbs as such vices. O My Soule! If Delay of Physick hath killed thousands of Bodies, it hath ten thousands of Spirits. Defer not then thy help, Delay not thy time. And especially, by the love thou hast to Heaven,
Deferre it not till Death. For what Inducias usque ad mane. apud Greg. if that be Suddaine, and give thee no Time? Or Distracted, and take away Wit? Or cursed, and keep away Grace? And if it allow thee Space, and Sense, and Succour, where will be thy Comfort? Backward? Ther's nothing to be seene but the sad Survey of a life full of Guilts, and staines. Forward? There's the Horrid Prospect of Hell [Page 416] and all Hideous Tortures of Damned Ghosts, the due Deserts of those Guilts. Thou hast no power to undoe ill, no Time to doe better. What then? Wilt thou repent here, and Amend in the World to come? For halfe thy worke looke for all thy wages? No, Thou dost not halfe, if no more repent. Wilt thou then looke upward? Will a Miserere mei Deus! serve God, or a Peccavi satisfie? All the three volumes of thy Sins, (Thoughts, Words and Deeds) all the Scroles of thy Guilts be cancelled and blowne away with a breath of three Words or Syllables? Will a Groane expiate a Lifefull of Quantam lacrymarū vim expendemus, ut cum Baptismi fonte exaequari possit? Naz. guilt? A Teare (a Drop) wash a Heart full of filthinesse? The Irkings of a Moment undo the ills of all thy ages? Cast thou expect this from Him that is Just, when thy whole life hath been but an Abuse of his Grace; and Mercy? Canst thou promise it thy Selfe, and looke Inward? That this is the feare of God, not Death; not out of Selfelove, but Gods? Not for hate of Paine, but Sin? Not by a Force on Conscience, but Free? And if not thy Selfe; dost thou look Outward, who shall assure thee? Some Comforter may pronounce [Page 417] Mercy to thee, as favourable Judgment, hath been given of many, that have lived ill, and yet died penitently. O my Soul [...]! In this case it's better to give then receive a favourable Judgement. It's my Charity, not thy Felicity, that it doth suppose thee happy, whom it knowes not miserable; 1 Cor. 13. 5, 7. but if it do not find thee, doth not leave thee happy. What thou art, the Judge of Hearts knowes; what thou shouldst be, the Judge of Charity hopes. Because, when he sees not evidence to the contrary, he believes the best of thee, with thy Great Judg. O my Soul then, leave not all to the last hour; when thou art Isa. 38. 9. Psa. 126. 5 Luk. 23. 43. Mat. 20. 9. Ezek. 18. 21, 22. to reap, be not to sow thy Comfort.
Hast thou President, Parable, Promise of Hope? The Converted Thief? The Eleaventh Hours Call? In Liturgiâ sic vertitur. At what time soever? O be not such a Spider'd Spirit, to suck Poison out of sacred Flowers. Let not Antidotes of mercy be made Cordials for Presumption. If thou dost out of Gods Word draw ill Spirit, thou robbest it of its Holy Sense, and wilt finde no Promise of pardon. Nor Hope in any Parable, or President for such a Thief. My Soul! then,
Look at the Thief on the Crosse, as a 2 Pet [Page 418] Child at the Font; Baptized from Sin, Confirmed by Christ, so Dying, and Saved. What's that to thee, who, as Copronymus Eccl. Hist. in his Baptisme, ever since thine, hast done nothing but defile thy Font? A Renegado in thy life to the 2 Pet. 2. 20 Heb. 6. 4. Profession of thy Baptisme?
Look at the Thief on the Crosse, as a Martyr at the Stake; A Believer, a Saint, a Confessour. All on holy flame Luk. 23. 40, 41, 42. for Christ. The New Disciple that hanged for Him, when none of the Old stood to him. Senslesse of paine, to spend his Breath, and serve him. As ready to Die for him, as with him, and spend his Bloud, as Breath, to honour him.
Look at the Theif on the Crosse, as a Jonah in the Sea. A Miracle of Grace, Jonah 2. 10. A Prod [...]gie of Providence. Wilt thou therefore cast thy self into the Sea in hope to be saved? Gods Mercy is an Ocean; yet if thou so leap into it, thou Mic. 7. 19. Eccl. 8. 11, 12. Ro. 2. 4. 5 1 Tim. 1. 19 maist be drown'd. Thou that hast left the ship of good life (the ordinary way) how canst thou look to be preserved by singular Priviledge? A Monster of life, to be saved in Death by a Miracle of mercy?
Look at the Thief on the Crosse, as a [Page 419] Saint in Heaven. Make him not encourage thee to rob God of his honor, and thy self of thy happinesse, lest thou make him to be a Thief in Paradise too. Canonize not thy self Saint by his Example, lest thou stigmatize him Sinner for the President, and prove thy self a Reprobate by the Presumption.
Think not then when thou hast liv'd 2. Part. Mat. 20. 9. Ita patres aliqui. It [...] alii. ill in the world, and art Crucified to leave it, by the staffe of a good hope to leap into Paradise, though before an utter stranger to Christ, with whom thou hast not the blisse to be Crucified. There is no Parity of reason to argue, from his singular, thy same condition.
Nor from the Parable of the Eleaventh hour to thy Call at the last: For, what if those Hours be the Ages of the world? then from Christs first comming to his second is the Eleventh. And what if the Ages of Man? Mind my Soul, who Mat. 20. 7. was called? He that was not before Hired: But how oft hast thou had offers and refused? Think then of the five Mat. 25. 12 Mat. 22. 7. Virgins, as well as the five Labourers. And of the Kings Supper, as of the Lords Penny. And for thy daily Recusancy, Luk. 14. 28 look more to be excluded, then [Page 420] admitted Heaven. And to what? To work till the time of wages? My Soul, death is the time to take the Penny. The night, in which no man can, and Joh. 9. 4. when it should end, hast thou not begun thy work? And Whither? but into the Vineyard of the Church? out of the Market-place of the world? and thou dost nothing but stand idle, or doe ill, in the Vineyard, ever since by Baptisme taken in? And Who calls but the Lord? And if thou dost all thy life time refuse his work, will he at death call thee to his Wages? The Eleventh hour of the day then may be as well the Morn or Noon, as Night of thy life. No hope then, if when called betimes, 'tis late ere thou wilt come.
Nor is that so Promising, At what Ezek, 18. 21. Aug. time soever. It is that the Penitent shall have Pardon; but where, that tho Sinner shall be Penitent? It is, If he be, it's not, that if he shall. And must be from the bottome of the heart, not from Ita versio Liturgica. a frighted Phansie, or quavering lip. My Soul! it is a great way from the Top of the Heart to the Bottome: Jer. 17. 9. Psal. 64. 6. And is a turning from wickednesse, not against it. That reacheth to the life from the Heart, but that the Death-Bed [Page 421] cannot doe. And though it be, when, it is not howsoever: yea, and for all that, there are bounds to that when. A set Place for Jezebel, a Day for Jerusalem, Apoc. 2. 21. Luk. 19. 42 Gen. 6. 3. a time for the world. Too late thou maist repent, too soon thou canst not. If the Glasse be run, the Sun Heb. 12. 17. Amos 8. 9 Eccl. 8. 12. Eccl. 9. 10. Luk. 13. 25, Pro. 1. 28. set, (though Noon naturall) woe to thee, it is too late. The Door of mercy, though it stand long open, will at last be shut. Wisdom it self shuts the Door. All these then plead little for thee. Nay doth not every one much against thee? For, my Soul! if of two Thieves one was damned, is it not an Eaven lay whether thou be saved? whether thou shalt die Repenting, or Blaspheming; the Right-hand, or the Lefthand Thief? Is it not so by the President? If some be called at the Eleaventh hour, but all before from the first to that; Is it not ten to one ods, if ever thou be called, if thou neglect the work of thy Salvation till the Eleaventh? Is it not so by the Parable? If when (and not till when) I repent▪ I shall live; Is it not a hundred to one, nay, a hundred thousand to one ods, if I defer it, I shall die? Is not this the straight gate, which for want of mind. Mat. 7. 13. [Page 422] or time, or grace, few find, because they seek it with Sin, which they are loath Isa. 55. 6. to lose, till life and Soul, and all be lost? S. Jerome sayes, my Soul! There E centum millibus vix benè moritur malè qui vivit. Hier. dies well, that lives ill, not one of a Hundred thousand. And to prove his summe. From Adam to Christ, that have so lived and died, we read but of one, but one of many Thousands of Millions. Without delay therefore, Ioel 2. 12. now also turne even to him with all thy Heart, with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, and Rent thy Heart and not thy Garment, and turne to the Lord. The Lord sayes it, who delights not in thy death, poor Sinner, whosoever Ez. 33. 11. thou art. And therefore would have thee, by a true and timely Repentance Act. 3. 19. to recover thy health and life. For from Soul-sicknesse, that's Gods Recovery. 2 Tim. 2. 25. Recovery.
My Soul! That may be a wholsome, but a wearisome course to plow up thy Jer. 4. 3. Hos. 10. 12. Heart, and Harrow thy whole man with daily, and continuall duty; will make thee apt to faints, and perhaps some ground will passe untouch'd, and some clod unbroke; & when all is done, Psal. 19. 12 there will be failings, and need to repent 1 Joh. 3. 20 thy very repenting; To Comfort [Page 423] and Confirme thee therefore against this, provision is made by the mercy of God. And
Faith is the Cordiall.
And for Materialls and vertues (if 1 Tim. 1. 5 Job 28. 25 28. true) a most Rare one; Gold, and Pearle, and Corall, are not Comparable to it. Manus Christi is not, Sanguis Christi makes it. Nay, Bloud and Spirit; Godhead and Manhood, Vertues and Merits; what He did doe, say, Suffer, all Christ, and all Christs, is it. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Mat. 11. 28 1 Joh. 2. 1. Phil. 2. 9. Joh. 6. 50. Gal. 3. 27. Joh. 8. 36. 2 Cor. 8. 9. Phil. 4. 13. Isa 61. 1. 1 Thes. 1. 10. Christ, the Onely Cordiall to a Sinfull Soule. None to Him, None but Christ. And Jesus. None to that. The Name above all names. Bread to the starv'd, Cloth to the Naked, Freedome to the fetter'd, Wealth to the begger'd, Strength to the Faint, Light to the darke, Life to the dead, Deliverance to the damn'd; all's in Jesus. My Soule! Christ is a Name of Medicine Anointed. Heb. 1. 9. Jesus of Health Saviour. Mat. 1. 21. Mal. 4. 1. 1. Tim. 1. 15. Heb. 9. 11, 12.. There's His Oyle, but here thy Salvation. Gladnesse that thou hast a Christ, but thy happinesse in Jesus. Healing is in his wings, Saving his Worke, Health in his Name, Redemption his Office: Against Sin, Hell, Guilt, Wrath, Devill, Death, Woundings, Faintings, Swounings, no Remedies to Jesus.
And Faith makes the application *. [...] Chrys. Joh. 3. 14, 15. Joh. 6. 37. Joh. 1. 12. Rom. 7. 4. 2 Cor. 11. 12 Eph. 3. 17. Joh. 6. 47. Heb. 3. 18. Rom. 13. 14 Gal. 2. 20. Joh. 14. 16 The eye by which I see Him. The foot, on which I come to Him. The hand, by which I take Him. The Ring, by which I Marry Him. The House, in which I dwell with Him. The Board, at which I feed on Him. The Bed, on which I rest in Him. The Vest in which I weare Him. The Soule, by which I live in Him. The Body by which he lives in me. What doth thus unite to the Allsaving Comforter, must needs be Cordiall. And thence are in it those Spirits of Comfort. Hope against the Heb. 11. 1. Rom. 5. 1. Rom. 15. 13. faints of feare. Peace, against the troubles of Guilt, and Joy against the Droopings of Spirit. My Soule! If with hard toyle and abstinence, like Jonathan, thy eyes begin to faile, and thy strength to faint, Joy is Hony to cleare them, 1 Sam. 14. 29. 2 Cor. 4. 16 and revive thee. If with Israel in this Wildernesse of want and woe, thou art ready to Sinke and perish, Peace is Manna to feed and Sustaine thee. If Apoc. 2. 15. with David thy Bones are dried with heavinesse of heart, this Joy is Marrow to moysten them, and Strengthen Psal. 63. 5. Isa. 66. 14. thee.
But, if not True, thy Faith is none of this. And my Soule since all thy Comfort [Page 425] depends on this, looke to it, for All have not Faith, and few what is true. Counterfeits of Faith, are not true Cordialls to Conscience. And there 2 Thes. 3. 2 1 Tim. 1. 5 be many Counterfeits.
1. A Vaine Delusion. When what thou believest, is thy Phansie, not Gods Word. Or a Revelation (as thou thinkest) Isa. 8. 20. Ephes. 1. 8. New, but contrary to the Old. For if Faith be not Wedded to the Word Luth. 2 Thes. 2. 11., the Comfort it bears is Bastard. Delusion all,
2. A Blind Resignation is deceit too. Indeed to give up the Mind in absolute Rom. 4. 18, 19. Mal. 2. 7. beliefe to what he sayes, be it above or against thy reason or sense, is right; And to see Superfluities to Salvation (though Revealed Truths) with the Churches eyes not ill. But Necessaries, Isa. 53. 11. Rom. 1. 17 thou must see with thy owne. And know what thou dost believe, and not live by anothers faith, If not have thy joy in anothers heart.
3. An Idle Speculation, it is not neither. It undertakes a great Worke, and employes at it, a great Workeman. That Augean-stable to clense, the Heart; Act. 15. 19 1 Cor. 7. 19 Gal. 5. 6. and Labour for the strength of Paradise, to Keep Gods Commandements, this it undertakes. And which abhors [Page 426] no toyle which wit can imagine possible, Cant. 8. 7. Love, that it employes. It is but an idle Comfort, that's brought by a Loytering Faith. And
4. A Great Confidence doth not ever Mr. Banes in Eph. c 7 Helps, 93. Bifield in 2 Pet. Rom. 14. 1 [...]. make it good; for Assurance of Salvation may be without True Faith; and it true without that assurance. That's the effect of a strong one, not the essence of all. Every man is not strong. Some points of wind may serve to make the way, Every ship hath not Saile-full. And if the ballast be not waighed and fraught, with an humble and good Conscience, may as soone everturne 1 Tim. 1. 19. as arrive the ship. If tender, it Sinks it in despaire; if tough, Splits it on Presumption; No comfort for many, but as a gulfe and rock to the Mariner, if full perswasion be, or there is no faith. And
A Good Opinion is lesse; Though others Apoc. 3. 17 18. concurrent with my owne, of my Selfe. What would I not be, could I be what I would? I am not in Happy condition, because I thinke it; but must first be so, and then I may beleive it. If Groundlesse, if Word-lesse, A good beleife is an ill faith: Because thou wouldest seeke to have a better, didst Mat. 25. 3. [Page 427] thou not presume it to be so good. Apoc. 3. 17 18. But
6. A Bad Dispensation (that's worst 2 Pet. 1. 10. Phil. 2. 12. Ro. 11. 20. Rom. 5. 1, 2 of all) To grow bold to Sin, because Sure of Heaven. As Faith is never without hope, a Spur to good: So nor without feare, the Bridle of ill. Noah Heb. 11. 7. was saved by Faith, but built an arke for feare. If thou plunge thy selfe into Heb. 4. 1. Seas of Sin, thou maist perish for all thy Faith. If perfect, it hath two eyes; one for Promises, another for Precepts, Jonah 3. 5. Act. 24. 14 (Divine Word and Witnesse both:) An ill life can no more stand with good Faith, then a great Sicknesse be with good health. Act. 15. 9.
None of those then, it is. No, A Trusting in God for Salvation by Christ, Act. 15. 11. according to his Word, that's the Substantiall Soveraigne, Cordiall-Healing-Saving Faith.
That there is none but by Christ, is Mar. 5. 7. Luk. 4. 41. Act. 16. 17 Apoc. 13. 10. the Devills; That none by Christ, but as he conditions, and wills, the Saints.
My Soul, though thy Repentance be right, and Faith sound, and both set thee well, all will be but the worse, if thou dost not keep so: For this Mercy hath made Remedy. And
New obedience is the Preservative.
In. Adam, my Soul, the Covenant 3. Part. was, Doe, or Die Gal. 3. 12; All, or None Deut. 27 26.; Exactly, or Nothing Gal. 3. 10 Jam. 2. 10. & 3. 2.: but in Christ, who doth consider Heb. 4. 15 & 2. 18., and succour thy frailties, with his Meritorious and Gracious Reliefs, the Tenure runs Heb. 8. 6. & 9. 14, 15, Endeavour to do all Act. 24. 16., be upright in thy Endeavour 1 Tim. 1. 5. Heb. 13. 18. 21.. Hate great Sin, love none. Flie the worst, follow not any Rom. 16 18. 2 Joh. 9. 11. Detest En [...]rmities Eph. 5. 3. 1 Cor. 6. 9. & 2 Cor. 7. 1. Rom. 6. 12, Delight not in Infirmities. This would not passe for Obedience of old, and therefore it's called New Heb. 8. 13.
And thy Health is happily maintained and preserved by it. It preserves thy Repentance, and proves it sound Mat. 3. 8. 2 Cor. 7. 11: It preserves thy Faith, and makes it saving Jam. 2. 14.: It preserves thy self in both, and keeps thee living Ephes. 2. 1. 2.. S. John Baptist, S. James, S. Paul his Preservative. It preserves thee from Apostasie, that thou fall not wide from God Psal. 87. 38. Luc. 8. 13. 15.: and from Despair Job. 8. 13. & 27. 8., that thou fall not short of Him; for sincerity is the Mother of Constancy Jer. 32. 40. Act. 24. 14, 15., and the Nurse of Hope Isa. 33. 14. Gilt wears off, Gold endures; the Guilty fears Judgement, the Honest heart hopes 1 Joh. 3. 21.. S. Lukes, and S. Johns Preservative.
It preserves thee, under the Crosse Job 13. 15., the Burden of thy flesh Heb. 12. 11.; and against Temptation Gen. 39. 10. Luk. 8. 13., (the trouble of thy Spirit) the naturall womb of Patience, and Step-mother to the Devils issue. Guilt gaules the back, Innocence gives strength to bear a Crosse. Shallow Dan. 6. 22 1 Pet. 4. 16 2 Thes 2. 10 Psal. 1. 4. Gen. 39. 10 Job 27. 6. Trees are blown up with bitter Blasts; well-rooted stand against all Winds; yea by them better rooted, and more strong to stand, Holy Jobes and Holy Josephs Preservative.
It Preserves against High Censure Rom. 2. 13 2 Cor. 2. 7. Luk. 18. 11. Mat. 26. 25. Job. 42. 7. 2 Chro. 28 10. 2 Chro. 30 18, 19. 1 Joh. 3. 20, 21. Luc. 8. 15. Psal. 66. 16. Prov. 4. 4. Luc. 2. 51. Prov. 2. 1. 2. of others Infirmities (a great Block) and too deep a Sense of thy owne (a sore Rub) in the way to Heaven. Hypocrisie Judgeth others, Integrity it Selfe. It Keeps the Heart against Maine Offences, and God imputes not meaner trespasses. The Sister of Charity, and Daughter of Mercy; Obeds and Hezekiahs Preservative. It Preserv's Prayer in favour, and the Word in fruitfulnesse (The Key, and Doore of heaven.) That, clean; T [...]is, open. It gaines that Audience of Gods Eare, and gives this Entrance into mans heart. Gets prayer good respect; and Provides the word Due entertainment; Prayers Advocate, and the Words [Page 430] Treasurer. King Davids, and King 1 Pet. 2. 1. 2 Luc. 2. 19. Solomons Preservative.
It Preserves against Sin (the Gate of Hell) and against the World (the Mat. 7. 13. Ephes. 2. 2. Psal. 23. 6. Job 31. 27 Ibi pecca, ubi Deus non videt. Bern. Psal. 119. 168. Gen. 29. 10. Rom. 8. 35. Gen. 17. 1. Dan. 6. 5 10, 11. Hinge of Sin) The Hollow-heart will not, in open; the upright, not in Secret. He looks at mans eye, this at Gods. And therefore dare Sin no where, because he sees God every where. The Chast Body will neither be Courted, nor frighted to ill. The Heart which hath Singlenesse for God, looks at the World as the Devills Wanton; and neither Lures, nor shackles, Bracelets nor Manicles, Golden nor Iron-chaines, Gaines nor Losses, Pleasures nor Tortures, Honours nor Disgraces, can tempt it to be naught. Holy Abrahams and Holy Daniels Preservative.
My Soule canst thou perish and have such a Preservative? No, if it be of Gods making. But for His Sugar, take not Satans Mercury. 1. To be True to thy Side, and Trusty to thy way with all thy heart and Soule; that's nothing, if it be not right. Nay to owne Act. 26. 10 truth and goodnesse; wheresoever thou seest; and like, and love it, with thy mind and heart, that's to be true to 2 King. 9. 32. God, whosoever is on, or against the [Page 431] Side. If not thou art more for thy Side then God. 2. To desire from thy 2 King. 10 30, 31. heart to be what thou should'st, but yet not contribute more to it, then Prov. 21. 25. mere desire, that's Somewhat of it in Conception, but nothing in Birth. Though for Christs sake thy Doing well, be abated to Endeavour, it comes Act. 24. 26. Phil. 2. 13. Isa. 26. 8. not to so litle as Desire. If not effectuall (which is all one with it) what goes no further in thy account may come to much, but with God comes to Nothing. 3. Nor will hearty Endeavour, NUm. 23 10. and Deed too, passe for it, if onely to Some good and against Some ill; or Gen. 20. 3. Mar. 6. 20. Psal. 119. 6. for much, but not all. True Obedience will not give Dispensation from any Law. Loyall Integrity dare never aske or take leave, and Licence at any Place 1 Sam. 26. 8, 9. to rebell.
My Soule feed not Corrupted Nature with such Sweets as these. Though Job. 20. 12. Ezek. 13. 19. they seeme Sugars, they are meere Mercuries. Made not for thy health, but bane; not Medicines, but Poysons of thy Life; not Preservative to it, but Destructive; the wayes to Hell and Death. As thou dreadest them, then looke well to thy Selfe. Mistake not Poyson for thy Preservative. A Sound [Page 432] Heart (in tru [...]h not errour) is that whch Maintaines thy Life.
And now my Soule, See at once all wht is required for thy Health. How to Try, How to Take, How to Valew all. One, by another, is their best way of Tryall. Forward, Repentance without Faith, is Desperate Sorrow. Faith 2 Cor. 7. 10. 2 Cor. 2. 7 Jam. 2. 14. 2 Pet. 1. 5. Rom. 18. 23. without Obedience, Blod Presumption. Backward, Obedience without Faith, Blind and unjustified Service. Faith without Repentance, Weake and unwarranted Beleife.
To Repent and not Beleive, is to 1 Tim. 1. 5 Heb. 6. 1. Jude 20. Luk. 14. 20 Heb. 3. 6. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Mat. 3. 8, 9 lay a foundation, and not build. To Beleive and not Obey, is to build without a Roofe. To obey, and not Beleive, is to clap the roofe on the Ground-worke. To Beleive, and not Repent, is to build without foundation. Repentance alone is Recovery without strength. Faith alone, strength without use. Obedience alone, Darknesse with strength. Turne then and take them as you will, this is the just Tryall. That's Right Repentance, that hath Faith and Obedience after it Act. 20. 21. & 26. 20. That's Sound Obedience, that hath Faith and Repentance before it Rom. 16. 26. Heb. 6. 1. That's True Faith, that hath Repentance before, and Obedience after it. [Page 433] My Soule then, thou for thy health Mar. 1. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 5 must have all, if thou wilt have it true, sound and right.
And wouldst thou know, how thou art to take all? Sure, til thou art in Heaven with perfect cure, thou must use, on 1 Cor. 13. 9 Phil. 3. 13. earth, continuall Remedy. Repent every day, Believe every hour, Obey every Moment. There is no day wherein thou dost not Sin; no night therfore in whichthou Mat. 6. 12. 2 Cor. 7. 1. must not Repent. If foul, thou must wash; If guilty, ask pardon; If sick, seek cure daily. Thou dost never Sin, but need a Saviour: Never well, but hast need of Ro. 6. 23. Neh. 13. 22. favour: Of Bloud to clense the guilts of thy ill: Of a Robe to cover the blemishes of thy good. What Bloud but Phil. 3. 9. from his Side? What Robe but on his Rom. 3. 25 Ephes. 1. 7. Back? Where else, my Soul! canst thou heal thy wounds, or hide thy skars, but under the Righteousness of his Innocent life, Purpled in his most pretious Apoc. 7. 14 Jer. 33. 16. Isa. 53. 11. Bloud? If thou then art not without Sin a day, thou canst not be without Christ an Hour; lest for want of a Savior thou be lost in the very minute Rom. 6. 23 Heb. 4. 16. Phil. 3. 9. of Sinne. In his Bloud then thou must wash; take Sanctuary in his Merits, shroud thy self under his Robe, seek mercy for his sake, that is, Beleive every hour; And Obey him every moment. [Page 434] For sure, my Soul, of whom thou hast continuall need, thou must offend him never. Finde a Minute when thou wouldst not be in Hell without him, and take that time to offend him. Eternall deliverance deserves continuall gratitude. Ʋnto him that hath loved Apoc. 1. 5. us, and washed us from our sinnes in his owne Blood, and (of vassals and slaves of Satan) hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father. To him be Glory, and Dominion (and therefore from us Duty and Obedience) for ever and ever. Amen.
3. So then, My Soule! Take them. And Canst thou valew them enough? Never too much. Thy Bodies Health is worth all the World; but thy owne worth more then Ten Thousands of Worlds Ten Millions of Bodies. It's worth as much as Salvation, as Eternity comes to, beyond all valew. As much as thy Christ, thy Saviour, thy God is worth: above Myriads of Salvation.
For Repentance Recovers thy Sickness Gods salve for every sore. Latimer. Tit. 1. 13. Col. 1. 11. Joh. 3. 15. Act. 16. 31 Faith sets thee Sound, Obedience keeps thee strong; all give a state of good and perfect health; and so save from death. And my Soule! valew faith above all. So God doth, and therfore ascribes thy health to it alone, [Page 435] to shew it the Cheife: And so it is. Repentance is but a Preparative to it; Obedience a Preservative of it: Faith is the Royall Grace, Repentance the Latimer Ser. 7. before K. Ed, Ʋsher that goes before, Obedience that bears up the Train after it. The Queen Mother of this, the Mistresse to that, Regent to both.
O My Soule! The Cordiall is above all, because Christ is all in all. The Quintessence of Heavenly vertue, Col. 3. 11. the Elixar of all Grace, the very Sp [...]rit of Goodnesse and the perfection of all Col. 2. 9. Eph. 1. 23. Col. 1. 15. Perfections both in Heaven, and Earth. Beare no Heart in thy Body, then not this in thy heart. O let that pretious Viall never want this Holy Essence. Count worldly good grease to this Oyle. All Delights death to this Glad Psal. 4. 6. Phil. 3. 8. Col. 1. 27. Apoc. 2. 10 Apoc. 3. 11 nesse. All Honours shames to this Glory. Keep thy Christ as thy Crowne, thy Life, (as the Crowne of Life) thy Immortall Crown, and Keep thy Faith as Him, for thou hast and holdest Him in it. Keep Him as thy Saviour and it as thy Salvation. Him as thine Heb. 10 19 1 Pet. 1. 3, 4 Eph. 2. 18. Jam. 3. 2. Inheritance, and this as thine Interest. Him as the onely Sanctuary of a troubled Spirit, and this as the only Accesse to Him. If Defects be in thy Repentance, Errors in thy Obedience (as [Page 436] there may, there will be in both) fly by Faith unto thy Sanctuary. Hide thy Selfe in his wounds; Hold by the Hornes of the Altar; Creep under his wings; Die within his Armes; goe, run from the Pursuer of blood, to this Heb. 3. 18. 19. City of Refuge; Enter in by thy Faith.
And, My Soul! Keep the viall clean, that the Elixar goe not out. Wash it with Repentance, and Dry it with Obedience, that it be so kept; let them doe that Duty to it, that doth so much good and help for them. And then, My Soul! thou shalt be healthy and strong, and happy in them all.
Of old all was not enough for thy health; but Christ hath Mediated thy Covenant thus New. And to doe this Heb. 8. 6. Duty, God for his sake will give thee Ability. Ability of Grace to doe him acceptable Service. Take his Word for it, he Promiseth, he will. And his Command with it, for he Saies thou must.
A New heart will I give you, and a Ezek. 36. 26. new Spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walke in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgements to doe them.
Therefore saith the Lord God, Repent Ezek. 18. 31, 32. [Page 437] and turne your Selves from all your transgressions; So iniquity shall not be your ruine.
Cast away all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new Spirit: For will yee die O House of Israel?
For, I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: Wherefore turne your selves and live.
The Summe of this Soliloquie.
- God hath appointed Remedies against our failings in His Service.
- 2. Repentance, is the Sinners first Remedie. And a most faire, and Soveraigne Remedie. Experiments of it.
- Taking it by Halves, or Deferring it too long, makes it not to be Saving.
- To Delay it to future is dangerous; till death, Desperate,
- 2. Faith is a Sinners Cordiall, Most pretious, because Christ is cheife, yea onely Ingredient of it, and taken by it.
- Excellent Spirits begot by the Cordiall of true faith.
- Six counterfeits of faith, not truly cordiall.
- 3. Obedience in the New Covenant, the Souls Preservative in [...]ealth.
- Why it is called New? and how it is Preservative of it? Some take Poison, instead of this Preservative.
- The Proofs of these three Remedies, and Prescripts how and when to take them, and Pretiousnesse of all, and of Faith in Cheife.
Helps to Heaven and Happinesse. OR, A Soliloquie acquainting the Soul with such Reliefs and Aids as will facilitate and further her Course and Progresse in the wayes of Godlinesse. The second Part.
Holy Actions and Cautions, great Assistants to Piety.
MY Soul! If good Meditations 3. Division. and Motions live in thee, the mind may do much. But when all that is done, there must be more. And thy Ear, Eye, Heart, Hand, Mouth, every one must doe his Part: Hear, Read, Resolve, Practice, Pray, (all must be in Action) And Conscience must keep a particular watch too, and have some things in Holy Caution. This will compleat [Page 439] all. And the Good is not meane which may be done by
The Eare.
For, my Soul! by this Dore Gods Act. 14. 2 [...] & 16. 14. Joh. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Joh. 10. 27 Joh. 13. 17 Psal. 109. 105. Jer. 23. 29. 2 Cor. 4. 45. Luk. 24 42. 2 Tim. 4. 2 & 3. 16. Luk. 11. 28. Heb. 5. 11. Isa. 28. 10. Heb. 6. 1, 2 Heb. 4. 12. Word is received in. Baptisme first sets thee, Preaching keeps thee on thy feet. For what are they but to know and do? And in Gods Word is both light, and heat; and both are Communicated by good Preaching. And observe that, my Soul! to avoid common Errour, The work of it is both on minde and heart, to informe and enflame; Til thou dost as well doe good as know it, the Preacher hath not done his, nor thou thy work. He may tell thee that in an hour, which he can scarce teach thee to doe in a life. The Principles of Christianity are easie, but the Practise is hard. And Efficacy, as well as Instruction, is the work of the Word.
Even the Preached Word; So it be duly Preached. For that, my Soul! thou shalt doe well to eye, as another prevailing but most pestilent error. The Pulpit doth not make the Word; nor Speaking from it, Preaching. But a Reverend handling of Holy Scripture according to the Truth of Gods Sense, and to the aimes of Gods Spirit a, thats 2 Tim. 1. 19 [Page 440] the true Preaching of the Word. Tit. 1. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Neh. 8. 8. 2 Chr [...]. 18. 21. 1 Tim. 4. 1 Joh. 4. 1. 2 Pet. 2. 1. 10, 11. Mar. 4. 24. Apoc. 2. 11. Act. 17. 11 Jam. 1. 21. Act. 10. 33 Mat. 13. 22 Heb. 4. 2. Errour, and Ill, are from the Devill, though out of a Pulpit. And if thou take heed how thou hearest this, and have care to harken to that, with an humble, honest Heart prepossest with neither Errour, nor Lust; thou canst not chuse but be of better life, because well taught by Gods Word.
Nor wilt thou be worse, for giving thy self to Read it; For therefore it is Writing, as wel as Word, to have it in thy
Eye.
But, my Soul, avoid extremities. Theirs who forbid it as a Mote in the Mat. 22. 29. Peoples Eye; And theirs, who abuse it as Dust under their Foot. What is Sacred, must not be too Common; and Deat. 29. 9 2 Pet. 3. 16 Heb. 5. 12. Joh. 5. 39. 1 Joh. 5. 13 Gal. 3. 2. what is Secret, must not be Enquired. Mysteries are Labyrinths which every Foot may not (must not) Tread: Necessaries, every mind ought, and may know. If thou wouldst not lose thy self then, walk not in the Woods, but Plaines: If thou wilt not drown thy 2 Pet. 1. 10 Heb. 5. 14. Pontifex [...]nter Deū & homines [...]ons cst. [...]ern. self, Foard the shallowes, not the Deeps. And if thou canst not give thy selfe, take direction how, and where to goe and walk: And so thou maist advance much in all Holy wayes. The Pavement [Page 441] to Heaven is made there by Gods Phil. 2. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Act. 18. 26. Act. 16. 17. Hand; and thy Foot will not goe more wrong, because thy Eye sees the pavement. Nay, of that thou art more sure, when thou dost Read then Hear: Mans Breath comes in with Gods Word into 1 Joh. 4. 1. the Ear, but Gods Pure Word and Spirit into the Eye. Into the Eye? yes, and to the Heart too, from it; and to the Life, from that. For, my Soul, as many Saints have been made better, so some have been made Saints by the meer Reading of the Word. And the Desk, as well as the Pulpit, hath begot Converts; And sure it is a good Nurse, if a happy Mother of Spirituall life. Tolle, lege, made Saint Augustine Saint. Mat. 19. 2 [...] Athanas. And a Text read, turn'd Saint Antony Angel. My Soul, I would not have thee make a Chapter keep thee from a Sermon; nor a Sermon make thee slight a Chapter: Use both right, and thou wilt be much bettered by both. And if with Eyes on Heaven, and Knees on Earth C. Boromaeus. sic, &c., and Heart on Book, thou dost (at due times) turne the Sacred Volumes, thy Reading will be right. Yea, though leaves not inspiredly Sacred. For when thy self readest Scriptures, the flowers of Grace, thou art [Page 440] [...] [Page 441] [...] [Page 442] the Bee that gettest the Hony by thy own Hand: but in Good and Godly Bookes, another hath Gathered, and thou hast but, to Eat the Hony. Yea, what is far sweeter, and wholsomer to Holy and Heavenly Taste, O my Soul! be given to read Gods, and Godly Comparate vobis Biblia animae pharmaca. Chrys. Bookes: Good Aire breeds good Spirit; and Gods Aire, Holy Breath. Where Flowers of Grace, and Plants of Paradise grow, (as on Holy Grounds) the Aire is good. Nor is it ill to smell a Posie made of no worse Flowers. Gods Bible is a Garden; a good Book a Posie. Take pleasure then, and take Psal. 1. 2. profit in both. And so thou wilt, if thou dost digest what thou dost see and hear. For, my Soul, they bring meat into thy Mouth; but that doth Prepare, 1 Pet. 2. 2. and Distribute it to thy Nourishment. They Convey Gods Word to the Dores Rom. 6. 17. Col. 3. 16. of thy House, but thou must not let it lie there, but lodge it in thy Heart, and make it Commander of thy life. And to entertain and observe it so, is the work, which, without serious, and strong Resolutions will never be done, the proper act of
The Heart.
It must resolve upon action, for [Page 443] which thou seest reason, and determine a Practice, when it knowes Gods Will Act. 10. 30. and Word. The Counsels of the minde do nothing without the Decrees of the wil. And Ear, and Eye can do no more in the Word of God, but furnish the minde with good Counsels. Execution must come from the Heart, the Great Governour of the little world of Man. To it therefore is given the power to make such Decrees. And, my Soul, there is nothing which thou canst not doe by virtue of that power. Its wonderful what hath been done by a Romane Resolution: Miraculous, if any thing were impossible to a Christian; not only to Scaevola. Dan. 3. 28 burne the Hand, and not shrink; but to set the Body on flames, and Smile at it. And much more to quench the fire of burning lusts. Resolutions are Cords, if then weake, Temptation, if Num. 30. 13. Judg. 15. 13 strong as Sampson, breaks them like Tow. But if well twist and made, will bind, and hold any, though never so strong. It did David to a Regular life, Psal. 119 116. to Gods Law, because so stedfastly purposed. Joshua from strange Gods. The Jos. 24. 15 Dan. 3. 28 Three Children from the Image-worship. There is no good, or ill, which thou maist not doe or shun, if thou resolve [Page 444] for, or against it. Have not some suffered their Bodies to be Cut, their Limbs to be sawne, their Throats to be parcht with thirst, and their Stomacks Gnawn with hunger, when no meanes else were left for saving of their Lives? And might not the Intemperate doe as much for Sobriety and Abstinence? and the Incontinent against his lusts, if they did see, and resolve this as necessary to save their Souls? Vowes (my Soul) may be snares, Eccles. 5. 2 if not considerately made; but Holy Purposes are innocent Bonds, into which thou maist more commonly enter; And bind thy self to better behaviour with them as wel as vowes; & in Psal. 76. 11 Deut. 12. 11. some cases with both. And surely God hath given thee that power of will, and thy will that power, that thou shouldst (as a man made for God) move by it to Godlinesse; and if dull, quicken thy self, and strengthen it more fastly and firmly to move.
But when so set, it must goe. Thou sal. 66. 12 sal. 116. 6. must determine and doe. Put to Practice what thou hast in Purpose, and what thy heart doth resolve, that must be done by thy Hand.
My Soul, Experiments confirme Precepts [Page 445] much: and want of good Attempts, makes brave Exploits be thought impossible and left, when else they might be done. Of the Christian it is most true: what glorious Conquests might be got over our lusts were they not thought Invincible? To what heights of Holy Perfection might Flesh and Blood attain, were it not believ'd impossible? And why? Practise begets experience, and that a mighty strength. Thus doth he come to draw the strongest So the Martyr puts his finger into the Candle, & after, his Body in the Fire. Acts. Mon. 1 John 2. 12, 13. bow, that began with a weaker; and carry an Oxe at last, that hath it of a Calf on his shoulders. Thou hast as many Presidents for this, as there be Great Saints; which from an Infancy of goodnesse have grown by degrees to be fo Great. Even the Gyants of grace, were once no taller then Dwarfes in goodnesse. Say not then My Soul, there's a Lyon in the way: Thy Phansie is the Lyon. Enter, goe Pro. 22. 13 on in the wayes of God, thou shalt finde the Lyon slaine, and hony in the Judg. 14. 1 Belly of the Lyon. Even, what was bitter, will be sweet, what was hard will be easie; what was terrible will be amiable, what was strange familiar, to Phil. 3. 7, 8. him that being well-resolv'd, betakes [Page 446] himself to a good and righteous way. But my Soul, thou canst not stirre, unlesse God strengthen; pray then his Ability, that thou maist goe on, and let the hand have help from
The Mouth.
To speak (as it doth to Man for the Body, so) to God for thee, for help. If Psal. 36. 9. Mat. 21. 22 1 Joh. 4. 21 Ezek. 31. 39. it speak from the Heart, much may be done by the Mouth. For as God is the Fountaine of Grace, Prayer is the Bucket of the Well. If then thou wouldst have it, thou must down, or rather (since the Well is above) up Joh. 14. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 3 Ezek. 36. 27. Rom. 8. 4. 11. 14. Ezek. 16. 37. Luk. 11. 13. with the Bucket. My Soul, thou canst no more do right without Gods Spirit, then the Body live without thine: If that Holy Spirit lead thee, thou wilt not goe wrong. I will put my Spirit into you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my Judgements and doe them. Lo, there's the Power to doe right: And shall not your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those that ask it? (That's the way to come by that power.) And, if thou Isa. 61. 3. Dan. 9. 9. Isa. 38. 3. Dan. 9. 3. Psal. 6. 8. dost, for thy better speed and haste, mix thy Prayers with ashes and teares; and weep and fast for their better fervency, thou wilt sooner get to the end [Page 447] of that way. And if thou wilt for thy better progresse, provide thy self with more strength and store, be sure to be one at an Eucharist, if it come fairly John 6. 57 [...]. Damasc. Viaticum. Joh. 6. 58. Jam. 5. 16. Luk. 18. 1. to thy hand. For, my Soul, nothing doth more nourish Holy Spirit then an Eucharist. The bread of life from Heaven, that thou faint not in the way.
And then Prayers must prevail, when we wax not weary, and grow faint.
My Soul, thou hast been taught many helpes to doe well, but by two things wilt be Cautioned to doe yet better. If thou look to thy Christian Credit, and Innocence, well. To keep that, without just blot; this, without greater guilt. Lessons that are not commonly taught; and therefore to be more Singularly learnt. Impaire not thy Credit, Encrease not thy guilt. Watch against both with strict Conscience. Such
Holy Cautions help to Heaven much.
My Soule, there is a Reputation 4. Division. Phil. 4. 8. 3 Joh. 12. Christian; and if thou value the worldly before life, the Heavenly should be dearer. It is, when thou givest no just Scandall, and appearest, without due blame and blemish in the Eye of the world. I say, scandall that's just, for if the Offence be causlesse in thee, its [Page 448] taken, not given. And I say, appearing without blemish, for thou must look as that it be not, that it doe not appear. Abstain from all appearance of Evill. 1 Thes. 5. 22. Thy Conversation must have neither ill Heart, nor Face: Nor ill Prospect for 1 Cor. 10. 32. Heaven, nor Aspect to Earth; Give no offence to any. That is, hurt not an Honest Eye with a Glass of foul behaviour; Heb. 12. 13 stumble not an upright foot, with a visible block of offence. Providing for honest 2 Cor. 6. 3 2 Cor. 8. 21 Rom. 12. 17. Mat. 18. 16 things, not onely in the sight of the Lord, but in the sight of men; And of the Good above all. For better a Milstone tyed about thy Neck, and thou throwne into the bottome of the Sea, then offend one of those little ones. What ever they Seeme, thy Sin is great. O then My Soule, shall they be scandalized, Phil. 1. 27. Phil. 4. 8. Ephes. 4. 1. Col. 1. 10. Rom. 15. 2 rather then great ones, bad ones be offended? This will hang about thy neck a guilt heavier then a Milstone. Have Sense then (as of thy earthly) of thy Christian Honour, my Soule; Say, doe, nothing unworthy that Noblenesse, thy Goodnesse. Have care (as of thy Selfe) of anothers Satisfaction; and wound no more thy Credit, then thy Conscience Qui conscientiam negligit crudelis est in seipsum; qui famam negligit crudelis in proximum. Aug.. Let not thy Brothers heart, more then thy owne, take thy [Page 449] wound. Ill looks wound good hearts; and if they infect, kill like the Basiliske. A good name is a pretious oyntment; but an ill, a Deadly Perfume. And if thy Eccles. 7. 1 Carriage want a good Countenance, that's a dead fly, and makes it ill. Away then with an Atheists heart, and looke. Away with unchast deeds and shewes. Away with Prophane thoughts, and Signes. Away with an Epicures Spirit and Habit: Away with a liars Soule, and Suspition. What is ill, or looks ill, doe all away. For, Beleive it, The way for thee to goe to heaven, is not to lay a stumbling-block in thy Rom. 14. 13. Psal. 2. 15. Heb. 3. 12. 13. 2 Thes. 3. 15. Gal. 6. 1. 2 Sam. 9. 12. Brothers way. Build him a Bridge by thy good Example; and, by thy Counsell, lead, and help him over; but, doe not block up and Barricado his passage, and by an ill Spectacle of Life (like Amasiahs bloudy corps) stop his better course. Thou canst not bring others on their way, and thy selfe be out for heaven. No, but Company comming Jam. 5. 19. 20. Dan. 12. 3. after thee, thou wilt be let sooner and higher in. Most doe not mind this; but doe thou, my Soul! And Keep clear of others Guilts; Be sure to mind that. The reason is as great as thine, and their Salvation.
My Soule! Is not thy owne Proper guilt great enough, that thou must pile on heaps of other mens to make the Psal. 38. 8. fire greater? Davids Sins went over his head, and were a burden too heavy for him to beare. My Soule! Dost thou not shrinke at this? He that had so good shoulders, so great a strength to Act. 13. 22 1 King. 11 38. beare, So little a load to carry; yet was his too heavy for him? And is thine so light, to take others on? Art thou confounded to consider the vast sum of thy Single Trespasses (though but Dan. 9. 8. a Daniels debt) and will not the Scores of other mens Sins, bring on the overwhelming Confusion? Art thou Principall to Innumerable ills, and wilt thou Psal. 40. 12. be Accessory to Millions? My Soule! We must bear one anothers burdens: Gal. 6. 2. But their Miseries, not their Sins. By charity not Copartnership. A fellowship and feeling doth well in woes, but wofully Heb. 13. 3. Ephel. 5. 7. 2 Cor. 6. 14 Act. 2. 40. in Sin. Atlas was feigned to beare up Heaven; but none, Hell.
And couldest thou make shift for thy Selfe to be saved, wouldst thou have others by thy Default, to perish? Have the Curses of Hell with the joyes of Heaven? My Soule! So many Rom. 14. 15 Ezek. 33. 6 as Sin by thee, are damned for thee: [Page 451] And can'st thou number how many? Number then all that by thy Acts have beene made Sinners, and by Gods Grace not made Penitents. Thus when thou art dead, thy Errors may live, and thy guilts for many ages lie. unburied like Cursed Parents, propagating ill 2 King. 13 2. Issues Successively to Souls, throughout many Generations. And though thy Naturall Sins die with thee, the Adopted 2 King. 17 22. 2 King. 14 24. 1 Tim. 5. 22. may live for ever.
My Soul, then, doe what the Apostle saies, Be not partaker of other mens Sins; But more, then he means. He would have no hands laid on unworthy Persons; doe thou keepe thine from unworthy actions. By any Deed of thine to Bane anothers Soule, is of all most Apoc. 18. 4 unworthy; or by anothers to bane thine. And there are many waies to do both. Nine are numbred. And very naught all. When thou canst, not to hinder it; for so thou art Assistant to it, and thy Hand doth it helpe: When thou shouldest, not to Reprove it, for so thou art Advocate for it, and thy Tongue gives it License. To Counsell Sin, for that's to conceive it in another, to give it womb and be its Mother. To Command it; for that's to beget it, to give [Page 452] it Seed, and be as Naturall Father. To Consent to it; for that's to owne and 2 Joh. 11. maintaine it, and be Adopting Father to it, if not Naturall. To Commend it; for that's to give it dug and Suck, and to be Nurse to it at least, if not a Mother. To Entertaine the Actor of it, for that's to give it shoulders and Support it; or Refuge, and to be Patron and Protectour; and so Brother, if not Parent to it: To Keep Silence, and be Mute at it; for that's, to give it hand, and heart, and to be a friend, if not a Brother to it. To partake of it, for that's to give it arme and face, and to be both Sworne Brother and friend, and loving Benefactour of it.
In the Instance of one Sin, see all this, O My Soul! Let Bloud be it, and behold, how another may shed it and thou be guilty of the Bloud. Joab 2 Sam. 18. 9 2 Sam. 16. 21. kill'd Absalom; but Ahitophel Murdered him; Because his Counsell brought him to his death. The Ammonite slew 2 Sam. 12. 9 Uriah; but David killed him; because he fell by his Command. The Jews Act. 7. 59. Act. 22. 20 stoned Stephen, Saul did not touch him, yet had hand in his death, because with his Consent. Sons of Belial stoned Naboth, 1 King. 21 13. 19. yet Ahab slew him, because, as [Page 453] he gave Countenance to the doing it with his Seale, so he had Complacence in the deed, and so commended what was done. All Benjamin did not ravish the Jud. 19. 22 & 20. 5. 13, 14. Levites Concubin to death, but gave shield and shelter, to them that did, and so the Bloudy Rape became theirs, by Patronage. The Jews in Christs time did not s [...]ay the Prophets which were kill'd many hundred yeares before, yet by Participation with their Fathers, Mat. 23. 31. Luc. 11. 48, 49. Pro. 31. 9. became Heirs of their Murders. And if King Solomon open not his mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed for destruction, They may be the Children, but he shall be the Father of it.
Scrangers cut of Jacob, Esau Sate still and lookt but on, and he destroyed, because he did not save. Though Ob. 1. 12. 1 Sam. 2. 22. 29. 33, 34. Levit. 19. 17. Elies Sons fell by the Philistims, His hand gave them the fatall blow, because he did not sufficiently reprehend that which was their ruine, their Sins.
O My Soule! Be for the Communion of Saints, not Sinners. Nor in blood, nor any guilt doe thou Communicate in anothers Sin. Advise from it, Forbid it, Dissent, Dispraise, Disrespect, Disclaime, Proclaime against it, Resist [Page 454] it, Rebuke it. Thou hast guilts enough of thy owne to multiply, thou needest not adde any others to it.
My Soule, then, giving others Scandall, and partaking others guilt, are thy Enemies, against which Conscience must be Charg'd to keep a strict watch: And is thy great friend if it doe. For surely not to hinder others from Heaven is to further thy Selfe; not to be Laden with much guilt, gives an easier Passage to heaven. And to be free of such blocks and fetters, makes the course of Piety more easie. More easie, though to craz'd and corrupted Nature hard, and not to be compassed without our best thoughts and endeavours, even all that Mind, or Man can doe, though eare, and eye, and heart, and hand, and mouth, and Conscience, improve all their arts and faculties to the full, and with united forces, set on the good and great Employment of Gods Service, and our Godlinesse. But so it wil be. For my Soul wisdom assures thee Prov. 2. 1. 2, 3, 4, 5.
If thou wilt receive my Words, and hide my Commandements within thee, So that thou encline thine eare unto wisdome, and apply thy heart to understanding: If thou criest after knowledge, [Page 455] and liftest up thy voice for understanding: If thou seekest her as Silver, and Searchest for her, as for hid treasures. Then shalt thou understand the Feare of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
The Summe of this Part is.
- 1. Some Acts are great Assistances to Pious Life which by Gods blessing we may doe.
- 2. Hearing Gods Word, Reading, Resolving, Attempting Practice and Praying, are those Acts.
- 3. Holy Cautions help much, as well as Actions.
- 4. It will advance much to Heaven, to looke carefully to a Christian Credit, and Innocence on earth.
- 5. To have great Caution to avoyd just Scandall and keep cleare of other mens guilt, is the way to maintaine that good Credit and Innocence.