Boanarges and Barnabas, or, Judgment and mercy for afflicted soules containing of [brace] meditations, soliloquies, and prayers / by Francis Quarles.

The Worldly Mans Verdour.

FOr ought J see the case is e∣ven the same with him that prayes, and him that does not pray; with him that sweares and him that feares an o••th: I see no difference; if any, those that they call the wicked have the ad∣vantage. Their crops are even as faire, their flocks as numerous as theirs that weare the ground with their religious knees, and fast their bodies to a skelliton; nay in the use of blessings (which only makes them so) they farre ex∣ceed; they terme me reprobate, and stile me unregenerate: 'Tis true, I eate my labours with a jolly heart; drinke frolick cups; sweeten my paines with time-beguiling sports, make the best ad∣vantage

of my owne, pray when I thinke on't, sweare when they urge me, hear Ser∣mons at my leasure; follow the lusts of my owne eyes, and take the pleasure of my own wayes; and yet, God be thanked, my Barnes are furnisht, my sheep stand sound, my Cattle strong for labour, my pastures rich and flou∣rishing my body healthfull, and my bags are full: whilst they that are so pure, and make such consci∣ence of their wayes, that run to Sermons, figge to Lectures, pray thrice a day by the houre, hold faith and tr••th prophane, and drinking healths a sinne, do often finde leane harvests, easie flocks, and emptie purses: Let them be godly that can live on Aire and Faith; and eaten up by Zeale, can whine themselves into an Hospi∣••all, or blesse their lips with cha∣ritable

scrapps. If godlinesse have this reward, to have short meals for long prayers, weake estates for strong faiths, and good conscien∣ces upon such bad conditions, let them boast of their pennyworths, and let me be wicked still, and take my chance as falls. Let me have judgement to discover a pro∣fitable Farme, and wit to take it at an easie Rent, and Gold to stock it in a liberall manner, and skill to manage it to my best advantage, and luck to finde a good encrease, and providence to husband wisely what I gaine, I seek no further, and I wish no more. Husbandry and Religion are two severall occupations, and look two severall wayes, and he is the onely wise man can reconcile them.

His Withering.

BUt stay, my soule, I fear thy reckoning failes thee; If thou hast judgement to discover; wit, to bargaine; Gold, to employ; skill, to manage; providence to dispose; canst thou command the Clouds to drop? or if a wet sea∣son meet thy Harvest, and with open sluces overwhelme thy hopes; canst thou let downe the floodgates, and stop the watry Flux? Canst thou command the Sunne to shine? Canst thou for∣bid the Mildewes, or controll the breath of the Malignant East? Is not this Gods sole Prerogative? And hath not that God said,

When the workers of iniquity doe flourish, it is that they shall bee destroyed for ever,

Psal. 92. 13. Job. 21. 7.

Wherefore do the wicked live, be∣come

old, ye are mighty in power?

8. Their seed is establisht in their sight, and their off-spring before their eyes.

9. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the wrath of God upon them.

10. Their Bull gendereth, and fai∣leth not, their Cow calveth, and casteth not her Calfe.

21. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their chil∣dren daunce.

12. They take the Timbrell, and the Harp, and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ.

13. They spend their dayes in wealth, and in a moment they go downe to the Grave.

His Proofs.

Nil. in Paraenes.

Wee be to him that pursues empty

and fading pleasures: because in a short time he fats, and pampers himself as a Calf to the slaughter.

Bernard.

There is no misery more true and reall, then false and counterfeit pleasure.

Hierom.

It's not onely difficult, but impossible to have heaven here and hereaf∣ter: To live in sensuall lusts, and to attain spirituall blisse; to passe from one paradise to ano∣ther, to be a mirrour of felicity in both worlds, to shine with glorious rayes both in this globe of earth, and the orbe of heaven.

His Soliloquy.

HOw sweet a feast is, till the reckoning come! A fair day ends often in a cold night, and the

road that's pleasant, ends in Hell: If worldly pleasures had the pro∣mise of continuance, prosperity were some comfort; but in this necessary vicissitude of good and evill, the prolonging of ad∣versity sharpens it: It is no com∣mon thing, my soule, to enjoy two heavens: Dives found it in the present, Lazarus in the fu∣ture: Hath thy encrease met with no damage? thy reputation with no scandall? thy pleasure, with no crosse? thy prosperity, with no adversity? Presume not: Gods checks are symptomes of his mercy: but his silence is the Harbinger of a judgement. Be circumspect, and provident my soule: Hast thou a faire Summer? provide for a hard Winter: The worlds River ebbes alone; it flowes not: Hee that goes merrily with the stream must hale up: Flatter thy selfe

therefore no longer in thy pros∣perous sin, O my deluded soule! but be truly sensible of thy own presumption: Look seriously into thy approaching danger, and humble thy self with true contri∣tion: If thou procure sowre Herbs, God will provide his Passeover.

His Prayer.

HOw weake is man O God, when thou forsakest him! How foolish are his Counsels, when he plots without thee! How wild his progresse, when he wan∣ders from thee! How miserable till he returne unto thee! How his wit failes! How his wisedome falters! How his wealth melts! How his providence is befool'd! and how his soule beslav'd! Thou strik'st off the Chariot wheeles

of his Inventions, and he is per∣plext: Thou confoundest the Babel of his imaginations, and he is troubled: Thou crossest his de∣signes that he may feare thee, and thou stopst him in his wayes that he may know thee. How merci∣full art thou O God, and in thy very judgements Lord how gra∣cious! Thou mightst have struck me into the lowest pit as easily as on these bended knees, and yet been justified in my confusion: But thou hast threatned like a gentle father, as loth to punish thy ungracious childe. Thou knowest the crooked thoughts of man are vaine, still turning point to their contrivers ruine; Thou saw'st me wandring in the maze of death, whilst I wi••h vio∣lence pursued my owne destru∣ction: But thou hast warn'd me by thy sacred Word, and took me

off that I might live to praise thee. Thou art my confidence O God; Thou art the rock, the rocke of my salvation. Thy Word shall be my guide, for all thy paths are Mercy and Truth: Lord when I look upon my for∣mer worldlinesse, I utterly ab∣horre my conversation: strength∣en mee with thy assistance, that I may lead a new life; make me more and more sensible of my own condition, and perfect thou the good worke thou hast begun in me: In all my designes be thou my Counsellour, that I may pro∣sper in my undertakings. In all my actions be thou my guide, that I may keep the path of thy Cōmandements, Let all my own devises come to nought, lest I presume upon the arme of flesh; let not my wealth encrease with∣out thy blessing, lest I be fatted

up against the day of slaughter: Have thou a hand in all my just imployments, then prosper thou the worke of my hands, O pros∣per thou my handy-worke: That little I enjoy, confirme it to me, and make it mine, who have no interest in it till thou owne me as thy Child: Then shall my soule rejoyce in thy favours, and mag∣nifie thy name for all thy mer∣cies: Then shall my lips proclaim thy loving kindnesse, and sing thy praises for ever and ever.