A BRIEF APOLOGY FOR THE Lords Prayer.

I Have selected two Texts out of the New Testament; one is in the 6 ^th Chap. of S ^t Mat­thew, the beginning of the 9 ^th verse; [...], After this manner therefore pray ye, &c. the other is in the eleventh of S ^t Luke at the second verse, [...], And he said unto them, when you pray, say, Our Father. Which two places of Scripture will administer a redun­dancy of argument to prove what I [Page 2] have undertaken, namely, That it is the duty of every Christian to use the Lords Prayer constantly, both at his publick and private Devotions. As to the integrality, and exact compo­sure of this Prayer, every man will readily acknowledge it, because it were sacrilegious impudence to say otherwise: notwithstanding this, you shall hear the most moderate of its opposers say, that the assiduous use of it is not necessary; and many since our late dissensions began, have de­clared by their continued omission of it, that it is not requisite at all, not allowing it entertainment (although the Lords Prayer) within the walls of the Church, stiled by our Saviour himself, the House of Prayer; nor into their own houses at their Family Du­ties, and I have much reason to fear, not into the most recluse corners, when they have been at their pri­vate devotions: Thus did they in effect teach Assemblies, that prayer as effectual as that, might be made out of new molds of their own, and [Page 3] entertained them with nothing else, but their own belches and eruptions. On the contrary, I do assert the ne­cessity of its use, both at all times of prayer, and by all persons; first from the primitive practice, and the high esteem that all the Eminent Fathers of the Church had of it: And next I shall endeavour to prove it by Lo­gicall deductions from the letter of the Scripture, in one text, and by unavoidable consequence from the other, shewing that the place cited out of S ^t Matthew, must of necessity hold Analogie with that of S ^t Luke: I will begin with that of S ^t Luke, [...], in the original is an adverb, compound­ed of [...] adverbium primarium, and [...] conjunctio potentialis; sometimes it signifies postquam, after that, as S ^t John, chap. 16. vers. 21. [...], postquam aut pepererit; sometimes quamdiu, as long as, so S ^t John 9. 5. [...], quamdiu in mun­do fuero; here it signifies quum, or quando, and being indefinite compre­hendeth [Page 4] all the times of Prayer: but if you should put it thus, as a solu­tion to a question, namely, as if I should ask a man when will you do such a kindness for me? [...]; and the answer be made, [...], Isidor. when you re­turn, here supposing I had told him before when I would return, [...] is not indefinite, but joyn'd with [...], is an answer to the precedent question, and points at some hour, or day in the which I said I would re­turn; but in the Text it must of ne­cessity comprehend all the times of prayer: and therefore this injunction, When you pray, say, Our Father, is, and must of necessity be as much as if our Saviour had said, whensoever you pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, &c. Nor will it enter in­to my apprehension, how this can possibly admit of any other explica­tion. But to this they will object, if so, that our Saviour enjoyns us when­soever we pray, to say, Our Father; the consequence will be, that we must [Page 5] say no other prayer: for when we pray in another form, we pray; how is this command then fulfilled, when you pray, say, Our Father, if we take a liberty to vary from it? I answer, that by these words, when you pray, is not to be understood all the con­tinued time of prayer, but some part of that occasional, or assiduous pray­ing, so that it is not spoken exclusive­ly of all other prayers; for S ^t Paul, Ephes, 1. 16. tells them he ceaseth not to pray for them; and verse the 17 ^th tells them in what manner, namely, in words of his own, as you may there read; and in another place, Acts 2. 42. it is said, And they continued in the Apostles doctrine, and fellowship, and breaking of bread, and prayers, in the plural; so that it is much more probable that they did use occasional prayers, and not make a continued repetition of the Lords Prayer: be­sides, we find that S ^t Chrysostome, S ^t Augustine, S ^t Bernard, and all the Fa­thers took that liberty, neither was it ever questioned; but however, if [Page 6] the Text did restrain us to it, those that use it not at all would be the more strongly refuted. From the pre­mises then it will appear, that this in­dividual prayer, these very words (for they are the immediate subject of that command) must be used by every Christian, whensoever he ap­plyeth himself to God in prayer: But to this they will object, That the Text in S ^t Matthew gives a dispensa­tion from using these very words, be­cause it saith. pray after this manner, [...], thus. To this I answer, If our Saviour commandeth us in this Text to pray after this Prayer, then he doth implicitely, though not ex­presly enjoyn these very words; but if it be supposed to be spoken exclu­sively of the Lords Prayer, that is, as if our Saviour had said, You need not say my Prayer, or you need not use it alwayes, but set it as a pattern, and rest alwayes, or for the most part, upon your own methods, which you make in imitation of mine; what would the consequence be, but a hor­rid [Page 7] one? namely, that our Saviour did set a greater estimate upon those subsequent prayers, which we were afterwards to make in imitation of his, than he did upon his own, which will inevitably follow if we reflect upon the ends of prayer. The chief subordinate ends of prayer (for there are many others inferiour to them) are these, to prevail with God for the communicating of Grace to the soul, that so by faith and repentance we may be interested in Christ, and then by the application of his merits to our souls, we are put into an estate of salvation, which is the last of those intermediate or subordinate ends of prayer; for if we continue in that, the next remove, we shall ar­rive at eternal salvation, which is the ultimate end of prayer, and of all the Ordinances of God. Thus then I argue, If these be the ends of prayer, then the best composed prayer must needs be the most efficacious for the procurement of these ends; but if our Saviour commands us to make [Page 8] prayers after his, and gives a dispen­sation to omit his own (though but sometimes) the forementioned conse­quence will follow, that he prefers our prayers before his own: for he doth most certainly desire the salva­tion of our souls, and doing so, hath as certainly appointed the most con­ducible means thereunto; but if he dispenseth with the continued use of his own prayer, and enjoyns us to make others after it, and those to be our daily prayers, it will inevitably follow, that he looks upon ours as more efficacious than his own, which is a most blasphemous consequence. But again, suppose this Text, after this manner pray ye, did not so ne­cessarily enjoyn the use of the Lords Prayer; yet the other doth, for it saith, when you pray, say, Our Father, &c. This admits of no evasion, as I suppose my self to have already pro­ved, since these very words are the immediate subject of the command, whereupon I offer this argument; If one place of Scripture do ipsis termi­nis, [Page 9] and expresly command any one Duty, and any other place of Scri­pture seem to dispense with it, the ambiguous Text must be accommo­dated to that which is conspicuous, and clearly intelligible; for otherwise we shall make the word of God re­pugnant to it self: then if my judge­ment fail me not, it is evident, that the Text in S ^t Luke admits of no ca­vil, and the other carries but a seem­ing occasion of one, but this seem­ingness (if there be such) must vail to the other, which is so nervous and evincing: as for that ridiculous cau­tion, that they omit the use of it in publick, lest men should idolize a form; they may as well say, that the Scriptures may be taken away from them, because they may idolize the mechanick part of it, namely, the pa­per, and the binding, or the letters, and not look at the system of Truth, which is comprized in it. But besides this, the Lords Prayer can no more be accounted indifferent, as to its pe­culiar use (which is to be offer'd up [Page 10] to God in praying) than any other places of Scripture, as to their proper and peculiar uses; because the Lords Prayer is a part of Scripture: Now the Historical part of Scripture is to be believed, the Doctrinal part is to be believed, and practised, and urged in polemical discourses, the supplica­tory part is to be pray'd; and there­fore my Opinion is, That when men do vary from this prayer (which un­doubtedly is lawfull, prvided they do not exclude it) their prayers should be composed as near as they can of sentences collected out of Scri­pture. To dispense with the use of this Prayer is in the general, repug­nant to Theologie, which enjoyns the greatest reverence, and esteem that possibly can be for matters of Divine Institution; and especially a command which issued immediately, and with so much clearness out of the blessed mouth of Christ himself, doth certainly call for our ready and constant obedience; and it is con­trary to all Christian practice, it hav­ing [Page 11] ever been magnified in the Church of God, and inconsistent w ^th the Prin­ciples of Reason, if we take but a moral view of it; for in all actions the medium, or instrumental cause, must be fitly proportion'd for the at­tainment of what we design, and by all requirable circumstances accom­modated to that end; or else we have no certain grounds to expect the pro­curement of what we would have: but here it is otherwise, if we sue for blessings in our own deficient lan­guage, and indigested petitions, vo­luntarily omitting this most accurate form, which was composed by him, who is the wisdom of the Father, by which he made the world, the first of S ^t John and the tenth verse: Who­soever therefore doth it, despiseth the very wisdom of God, he is guilty lesae Divinae Majestatis, of high treason a­gainst the King of heaven: and there­fore it is not strange, that during the late eclipse of our Church, rebellion did rouze up her self more and more, till at last, with a bare and impudent [Page 12] face, she laught at the tenderness of Allegiance; for there is great reason to think, that the deliberate omission of the Lords Prayer, was the sudden admission of rebellion; for he that dares despise the wisdom of God, and by that means commit the highest treason, and speak the greatest blas­phemy against God, will easily slide into a conspiracy of treason against his Temporal Prince: and although I am induced to believe, that there was a fomes of rebellion and spleen lodged, and lurking in the hearts of many these late wars, which gave the first spring to our dissensions; yet, that by the neglect of this prayer, joyntly with the discontinuance of communicating in the Lords Supper, and the removal of Orthodox Di­vines, and many other causes, I have great reason to believe they were very much promoted. As there is a reason in Divinity, why the neglect of this Prayer was a great inlet to rebellion; so is there likewise in Mo­ral Philosophy, for he that slights [Page 13] this most accurate form, will most cer­tainly not stick to oppose all other forms in the Church, by an argument à majore ad minus: and he that op­poseth Set Forms, and Ecclesiastical Constitutions, hath a principle of li­centiousness, and independency in him, which will be still administring arguments to him (dato uno absurdis­simo) by a series of moral, or rather immoral consequences against all co­ercive power, first in the Church, and then in the State, which truth hath been (though very deplorably) yet evincingly laid down before us in the late rebellion: concerning which truth our dread Soveraign Charles the second, having been with­out doubt along time satisfied, is well prepared with instructions for his own security; though I believe his Piety more than his Regal Inter­est will cement him to the Church of England, which is the repository of primitive discipline and order. Whether these arguments may be pre­valent with many others, I know not, [Page 14] but they are so much with me, that I was exceedingly scandalized at the publick omission of it, and am well assured that a very great body of Christians in England were so with my self; and that it was not scanda­lum acceptum on our side, but scan­dalum datum on theirs who did re­ject it: And I would very fain be sa­tisfied how the Dissenters from Ec­clesiastical Ceremonies can quarrel with the Church of England for im­posing things in their own nature in­different, that is, not prohibited by God in his revealed will; how they can, I say, except against the impo­sition of such lawfull things, and plead it is for this reason, to avoid giving offence to tender consciences, which consciences cry out before they are hurt, and yet maintain that them­selves may publickly omit this great duty of saying the Lords Prayer, and that to the offence of so many well-grounded consciences, who can by no means dispense with it. The Church of England out of her prudent care [Page 15] to preserve Order and Uniformity in the exteriour part of Gods worship, imposeth a lawfull thing or action, and that's a sin; the Presbyterian dis­penseth with the not performing of a necessary duty, and that's no sin. The Church of England magnifies Christs Prayer, and that's idolizing a Form; the Presbyterian despiseth it, and that's good Religion: The Par­liament of England, of which the Fa­thers of the Church are a very con­siderable part, do cause the illegiti­mate Covenant to be burnt, and that's a great wickedness; the Presbyterian slights the Divine Energy of the Lords Prayer (legitimate, as Tertul­lian calls it) which is far worse than the bare action of burning the paper wherein it is printed or written, and that's not ill at all. But it may be they will say to me, you make a dis­course concerning the excellency of the Lords Prayer, we may ask you the same question that one was asked, who insisted long upon the praise of Hercules, Quis unquam vituperavit [Page 16] Herculem? which of us ever spoke against the excellency of the prayer? It is true, I never heard any man in terminis do it, as I said in the begin­ning of my discourse (for that were open blasphemy, and persistence in it would merit excommunication from the society of Christians) but you do implicitely, and inclusively, or other­wise why do you not use it? Actions speak more than words, and cry aloud in the ears of God either for reward or judgment: But some of them do object, that they do use it sometimes, but they are not bound to use it al­wayes. To this I answer, that the intermitting of its use, doth imply the setting of but a gradual esteem upon it, and that they do not ac­knowledge its supereminency above all other prayers. If a man that is prescribed an excellent dyet-drink, which never sail'd the cure of some disease which he labours with, and is ordered by his Physician to take it every day; if he intermit but one day it will argue that he doth not so high­ly [Page 17] approve of it, that is, that he doth disapprove of it, in a degree propor­tionable to the discontinuance of it: So if any man do make use of the Lords Prayer sometimes, and some­times useth it not; what doth this omission of his (unless it be through forgetfulness) but secretly whisper to the understanding that he doth not intensively and absolutely approve of it, but partially and in gradibus re­missis. For to say the Lords Prayer is the best prayer, and yet to say, it is not requisite to use it at all times of prayer, is a most absurd asserti­on, and to be exploded by all judi­cious men; for if it be the best, and that most transcendently, why should any other prayer justle it out? It is true, that many times there is incum­bent upon the soul the guilt of so many great and often repeated sins, that the deep apprehension of the spirit at such a time requires more room, and a greater field of language to rove up and down in, and to unbo­some her remorse to God whom she [Page 18] hath offended; she would come to a more particular repentance, and in­sist upon all the circumstances which may aggravate her guilt, and be ar­gument of sorrow to her in her self-condemning, that by her timely sen­tence, upon her self she may avoid that irrevocable sentence which Christ at the last day will pronounce against those who justifie themselves, and therefore is not satisfied in her deep recesses of grief, with that petition in our Lords Prayer, Forgive us our tres­passes, as we forgive them that trespass against us: and therefore other prayers are allowable, because the soul doth by them as it were divide her repentance into smaller parcels, and make it more fine by sifting it in­to single circumstances; but when this penitent Soul hath recollected all she can for the accusation of her self, and finds that in her memory she can discover no more, being troubled she cannot; now let her make a sure conclusion with this perfect prayer, which is a summary of all her wants, [Page 19] in which she confesseth all her sins, and asketh forgiveness for all; and not for her own sins only, but for the sins of the whole Church, by which Petition of the Lords Prayer we are most sweetly taught how diffusive our Charity should be: and now ha­ving confessed all her sins, and beg­ged pardon of God for all her own, and others sins, she can strain at no more, but finding in this prayer a sweet repository of all her scruples, commits her self to God, till the next time that he shall honour her so high­ly, as to let her enter again into that near Communion with himself which Prayer gives us. So that to con­clude, though the Lords Prayer do not exclude the use of other Prayers, especially when they are collected out of Scripture; yet it comes with full commission for the use of it self: E­specially at the conclusion of our de­votions. For then all other forms of Prayer, which are like rivulets and little streams, should retire into this Prayer, as they into the Ocean to co­ver [Page 20] their imperfections. One thing I shall add more, and that concerning the brevity of it: for although vari­ous expressions are allowed to the Soul in her passions for sin, which when they are found in the concerns of repentance, are most exceeding ac­ceptable to God in Christ; yet that is caused by the unaptitude of the body to answer readily to the first motions of the soul. And therefore the soul cannot communicate her no­tions but by a longer successiveness of discourse; but those that have most evaded their passions, and are advan­ced nearer to a ready use of their noble faculties, may with the Lords Prayer, perform the act of repen­tance thoroughly, and obtain pardon for their sins, with all temporal bles­sings, without a fear, or groan, or any farther enlargements of themselves, and rise up as much advanced as any others, in all the concernments of their salvation.

A DEHORTATION FROM ALL SIN, BUT Particularly the Sin OF DRINKING.

IF thou hast been hitherto care­full to lead a good life, accord­ing to the rule of Gods Word, I entreat thee to persevere for the Lords [Page 22] sake unto the end, that thou mayest receive the end of thy hope, even the salvation of thy soul; which upon thy continuance in well-doing, thou shalt most certainly accomplish, to thy unspeakable comfort: but if thou art a captive to the false, and deceit­full pleasures of sin, as I have been; hearken unto me, who can upon too too long an experience (Lord par­don my many relapses) assure thee, that what fair appearances soever sin presents thee with in its first ap­proaches, it will leave a sting behind, and after the commission of every sinfull act, thou wilt most certainly be so far removed from God as the greatness of thy sin was; and as the testimonies of a good conscience de­cay, so will the accusations of an evil one come in their room, till insensi­bly thou fall into horror and despon­dencies of spirit, one of the least of which is far too dear a price for all the pleasures the world can afford thee. These are the entrances of Hell into thy soul, upon the withdraw­ings [Page 23] of God, and spiritual consolati­ons; without which the soul lan­guisheth, as the body fainteth upon a decay of the animal, or vital spi­rits: this must thou look for after the continuance in any known, and presumptuous sin, but if thou find it not, thy condition is dangerous, for the obduration, or hardening of the heart is the threshold of Hell: look quickly then and seriously into thy soul; labour to get a sight of thy sins in the Book of Conscience, whiles they may be blotted out; pray earn­estly to God for a true sense of them, (for Prayer is the Key of Heaven;) consider often of Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell; think how odious the sin of ingratitude is between man and man, and that unthankfulness for the Blood of Christ is the highest of that kind: think of the shortness of mans life, and the great business is to be done in that little life: that thy short life is posting to an end; O the folly, and madness of sin! it is a continual acting against reason, a trea­suring [Page 24] up of wrath with the God of all Power, a providing for the socie­ty of Devils, and damned souls, who will be cursing their Maker, and one another to all eternity; 'tis that which only is dishonourable to man, a disturbance to Commonwealths; it is the satisfaction of Devils (if they could have any,) the trouble of An­gels, and blessed souls, nay, the grie­ving of the Holy Ghost, and the con­tinual murthering of the Son of God. I have no design in this short Dis­course, but the Glory of God, the conversion of souls, and the dischar­ging of my own Conscience, by te­stifying to as many as I can, the dete­station of my former life, that so the ill consequences of my example may be in some measure repaired by this publication of my self: and therefore wish to that end that all may see this, that saw my debauchery: and I be­seech God to give me boldness in the confession of my faults, and to make me only shamefull of recommitting them. Above all things I advise men [Page 25] to beware of immoderate drinking, which dulls the understanding, and makes the soul impatient of contem­plation: it disposeth vehemently to the pleasures of sense, and to a gig­ling impertinent mirth; it precipita­teth to the acts of uncleanness, and exciteth all the passions, exposing men to many and daily hazards both of soul and body, and rendring them unfit for any employment, either in Ecclesiastical or Civil Affairs. And since it is so, that some mens bodies by their temperament do require strong drinks more than others, it is not a total abstinence but a moderate use of it which is expected: for which end, I think it a very good rule, by which to set some observable bounds to drinking; that men would drink so far as to cherish the stomach, but not to the least elevation of the brain; and the stomach is satisfied with a small quantity, unless a man lie under the cheat of a habit: but when the spirits of the wine, or any strong liquor, begin to mount up to [Page 26] the brain, from whence the soul doth principally, and most immediately act; the contemplative power begins to be disquieted, and unfixt, and the soul now to fluctuating, as it were, and wavering in her motion, (her best, and steady operations being hin­dred) pleases her self with being con­versant about outward things, and trivial objects, and lies more expo­sed to the danger of frequent tem­ptations: this which I speak of is but the first change of the brain, when it is altered from its usual tone and composure; and although a man may drink to this pitch, and yet carry ci­vility about him, and a favourable correspondence with men, because his tongue doth not falter, neither is his understanding so obscured, as to fail, at least in matters of common con­verse; yet this person who hath done nothing unacceptable to the world, hath so changed the Scene within himself, that he is now more at the command of his sensual appetite, than before, and his noble faculties begin [Page 27] to lean towards the world, and stag­ger in the sight of God, though his legs stand firm before the eyes of them that see him: I appeal to the con­sciences of any such plausible drink­ers, whether they do not find them­selves more cold in acts of devotion, more fond of outward pleasures, more affected with the thoughts of tempo­ral honours, and the favour of great men, more than the love of Jesus. Whether the contemplation of eter­nity, and the estate of their souls in reference to that being, doth so well relish with them at that time? If they did so, why do they not wave a Stage-play, and go to publick pray­ers, which are at that time? Why, instead of going to a wrangling Ga­ming-house, do they not study the game of Christianity, that they may beat that experienced Gamester the Devil, and win their souls, which lye continually at stake, and are in imminent danger of being lost? What a sad thing is it that so noble a Crea­ture as man, should rest in, and be [Page 28] contented with trifles, for whom are prepared the glories of eternity, if here he will take upon him the easie yoke, and light burden of Christ? Now although many men that drink not, may, and do often these things, and far worse; yet drink betrayes them more easily to vanities, and idle pastimes; therefore be carefull to a­void this degree of drinking, and thou wilt then be secure from the scandalous sin of visible drunkenness, which is the beastly consummation of the former. I do not speak this to perswade men from society, and chearfulness; as if Religion, and Mirth were things inconsistent; since I know that true Mirth is found no where else: But we do for the most part mistake Mirth the most of any thing, accounting that it consists in laughter only; whereas properly a man may be most truly merry when he laugheth least: For none laugh more than Idiots, and men of weak understanding, and sensualists; while men advanced in knowledge, and [Page 29] quieted in mind, by serious and due reflections on themselves, do it but seldom: but none will deny but the latter sort have the greater cause for mirth, and consequently must needs be more truly merry: for true mirth is a complacency of the mind, arising from the apprehension of our perso­nal happiness; yet while we are in the body, laughter is natural, and if it be kept within its bounds, and placed upon right subjects, is both al­lowable, and conducing to health; but is not tyed to the Glass, or Bowl. This caution against drinking, con­cerns those chiefly whose bodies re­quire strong drinks in some small pro­portion, (for none do much) since those who are of another tempera­ment, will abstain without any mans counsel, or any virtue of their own, which is only seen where there are propensities to the contrary; though some men of this sort may contract habits to themselves, contrary to the first requisites of nature. I cannot methinks disswade men enough from [Page 30] this sin, because I have so often drawn others into it, and therefore hope to make some reparation for the spiri­tual hurt I may have done them who are yet living, whiles for those of my associates who are departed this life, I hope the mercies of God did over­take them: and I wish from my soul that the spiritual dangers which I have experimented, and do know to be in that which we call good fel­lowship, or a chirping Cup (two se­ducing terms) and the great scandal, besides the sin it self, which is in stag­gering drunkenness, may have such an influence upon those who have no account to make for any thing that they have yet done as to this sin, that they may never commit it; and for those who have, and do yet con­tinue in it, that considering the great dangers attending upon it, which (though now drown'd in the lavers of the Grape) will one day rise up and shew themselves to their terrour, they may start from it with as ter­rible apprehensions, while they may [Page 31] prevent the danger, as the reprobate will do at Hell when time is past, and he cannot escape it. For my own particular, I have habituated my self to this vice from my youth, and of later years have continued in it up­on a misapprehension, that the pre­dominancy of my temperament being Melancholy, which is cold, and dry, it did require the supply of some ac­cidental heat to correct it: but I do now think I have mistaken my self all this while, since looking back up­on my beginning, I do not find I was so when I was under tutelage; and therefore do impute it to a habit contracted since, and some interve­ning causes of discontent: but since it is so easie a thing to be cheated in­to an ill custom, and so dangerous to be under it, it behoves us to be very vigilant against this adversary, which comes in the shape of nature, and hath such great advantages upon us. Custom hath an interest in the actions of the whole world; in good men it disposeth them to goodness, [Page 32] though the first Principle that moves in them is a Principle of Grace; but when the sanctified Soul hath made some progress in a good life, custom comes in, and promotes it, and faci­litates our perseverance: in bad men likewise it disposeth, and enclines them the more strongly to vice; and you shall find, that men who accu­stom themselves to a constant after­noons-draught in the week dayes, seldomest go to an afternoons Sermon upon the Sunday, if they go at all; because the ill habit prevails so strong­ly, that the vitiated stomach must have its false wants supplyed, though the soul miss of her spiritual repast.

To prevent the contracting of this habit upon such as are yet free, and to set those at liberty who are ensla­ved by it, I shall propose this general remedy; be alwayes employed in lawfull exercises: It is an Epidemical disease amongst the Nobility and Gentry of this Nation, to be sick of their time; which is such a burthen to them, that being tired with the te­diousness [Page 33] of the day, they must either drink or trifle it away to avoid a sur­feit; this as it is a disparagement to their judgments, so it is an exceed­ing detriment to their souls: for since man hath a soul which must be eter­nally sav'd or damn'd, he is a fool that thinks he wants employment, and he doth every minute draw nearer to the ruine of himself; therefore let none of us ever pretend that we want business. If I have no accounts to take concerning my estate, no Law-suits to follow; though I am not a Magistrate, or a Divine, though I have no Office at Court, though I have the Gout and cannot walk; though I am blind, or shut up in a dungeon from conversing either with Men or Books, or whatsoever can be­fall me; yet still I have a soul which is in her militant estate, and in the worst of these conditions, I can do acts of repentance, reflecting with sor­row and detestation upon my sins past, and renewing my purposes of amendment: I can meditate upon [Page 34] Gods Mercies and all his Attributes; I can perform acts of Praise to him: and for those publick actions which I cannot do if I am denied the liberty of my body, and the society of men, yet I can have them in voto, and desi­ring to do what I am denied, and so I can keep on my journey to Heaven, though I lie shakled in a dungeon. But indeed employment is as general­ly mistaken as mirth; for most men think they want it, if their time be not spent in some bodily exercise, or upon some slight or common subject; but for meditation upon God and the Soul, the concernments of it, that's accounted a symptom of Melancho­ly, and reading, writing, or discour­sing of any thing that is serious, or profitable, which comes the nearest to it. A great cause of this evil ariseth, either from the carelesness of Parents in not giving their Children a literate education, or their own neglect of improving it, when they are at liber­ty from their Tutors, or Parents, or whoever had the charge of them: [Page 35] for as the Principles of Learning and Knowledge do wear out, so the de­light in superficial things grows more strong and prevalent; because the knowledge of any one thing, and the delight in it, alwayes go, and come together; since we cannot take plea­sure in any thing which we are igno­rant of: therefore Hawking, Hunt­ing, Horse-matches, Gaming, Stage­plays, and the like, are made the bu­siness of our time, in which our de­lights do terminate, which should on­ly be used to unbend the mind, and give it relief after serious employ­ments; and to exercise the body for the preservation of health, being al­together subordinate to greater ends: and this is one reason why Taverns are so much frequented; because Li­braries are out of request, and holy, learned, or serious communications do not relish with us. But this is not sufficient to excuse them; for though men either want education, or stifle it, yet they cannot extinguish Reason, and lose the Principles of Religion, [Page 36] which they have in their Catechisms, in their Bibles, and by Preaching; and therefore upon that account it is ex­pected by God, that they yield obe­dience to him proportionably to this common, and general Knowledge; which if any man fails to do, want of education will not be a sufficient plea, because it will be found to be an act of his will, running contrary to these degrees of Knowledge: if any man shall say at the Tribunal of Christ, that he spent his time in drinking, and idle pastimes, because he was not brought up to Learning, what will that avail him, who did live under the means of Grace, which were suf­ficient for his salvation? for though he had no knowledge in Tongues, and Sciences, yet he knew the Com­mandments of God, and could not plead ignorance in presumptuous sins: and though he that cannot read and understand Greek, or Latin; yet if he can read English, let him spend a part of his time in reading the Bible, and other good Books: and though [Page 37] he cannot discourse in Natural or Mo­ral Philosophy, or in the Metaphy­sicks, nor much in practical Divinity; yet let him speak within the limits of his knowledge, let him reprove com­mon sins, and give all encouragement to the generals of a holy life, both by word and example: and if he be sooner tired with discourse, than men of greater knowledge would be; then let him betake himself (as I advised before) to some honest divertise­ments; but not to any thing that hath the least appearance of evil in it; the result of this is, that whether a man be literate, or illiterate, he may serve God: and those Gentle­men of our Nation that are not mem­bers of the Commonwealth of Learn­ing, may yet be members of the My­stical Body of Christ: and though their delight in great Studies, in Po­lemical Discourses and Meditations are lost, proportionably to the decay of their Knowledge; yet their time may be the more spent in the Agen­da of Religion, and they may be al­lowed [Page 38] a more frequent use of lawfull recreations, but not of drinking, though but to good fellowship; which though the word sounds finely, a man can hardly do it and secure his innocence: but since the remedy of continual em­ployment is not sufficient for an accu­stomed drinker, he must unravel the habit by little and little, to which the shunning of idleness will very much help him. To conclude, Let us be care­full to resist all the species and kinds of sin whatsoever; for it is only sin which can deprive us of the favour of God, which if once we are excluded from, we are eternally lost; but espe­cially the sin of Drinking, which is the unhappy Parent of all other sins, and therfore the more carefully to be with­stood; which care if this short Admo­nition may but stir up in one soul, I should more rejoyce to know, than to have the greatest honour of the Nati­on conferred upon me. Now to God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy Ghost, be all honour, glory, praise and a­doration, given by me, and by all his crea­tures, from hence forth to all eternity Amen.

AN ENQUIRY INTO THE Sinfulness of my Life: Composed of Confessions and Supplications FOR PARDON.