A guide to the Holy City, or, Directions and helps to an holy life containing rules of religious advice, with prayers in sundry cases, and estates ... / by Iohn Reading ...

A Prayer for Hope.

O Lord God my earnest expectation and my hope, my fortresse hel∣per and deliverer; though my numberlesse sinnes have deserved thy wrath, so that thou maist justly cast me off into hopelesse despaire and finall destruction, yet look upon me in mercy through thy Christ, in whom thou hast commanded me to beleeve, and promised remission of my sinnes and eternall life: for his sake assure me thereof, that there may be hope in my end. Though thou now fill my wounded spirit with bitter∣nesse, removing me from peace and comfort, so that forgetting prosperity, I goe mourning all the day long: though thou humblest my dejected soule with grievous weights of sorrowes, and makest my eyes fountains of teares, driving me to solitude and silence with them that mourne in Zi∣on yet art thou good to them that waite for thee, and to the soule that seeketh thee. thy mercies are renewed every morning, thy compassions ••aile not. thou hast opened unto me the riches of thy mercies in Christ, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 caused me to trust in thee, thou hast, according to thine abundant 〈◊〉〈◊〉, begotten me againe to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Christ ••om the dead, of an inheritance incorruptible; therefore my soule hath ••id, thou art my portion, therefore will I trust in thee. Truth it is, ô Lord, that the hopes of the hills are vaine, so is all confidence in man: unhappy is that hope which is not in thee: but, in spight of Satans ma∣lice, blessed must he be, whose hope thou art: he shall be like a tree planted by the waters of life, which cannot faile, because thou canst not deceive trust: ô God of all consolation, therefore now at last speake peace to my afflicted soule, let me not be disappointed of my hope: though thou please to weane me from the love of an unkind and trustlesse World, by permitting me to such griefe and sorrow, yet (seeing thou art my trust, from my youth) let me not be ashamed of my confidence: let thy mercy be still my hope, and thy grace my strength: amidst all the stormes, and sur∣ges of afflictions, fasten my soules Anchor on the land of the living, my rock who is entred within the vaile, to make requests for me. give me patience to beare untill the time of comfort and refreshing shall come from thy gracious presence: give me the helmet of salvation, assurance of all that which thou hast promised in thy word, and layed up for me in heaven, let the experience of thy former goodnesse in many deliverances, give me a doore of hope for the future, that I may more and more trust in

thee. Thou who art the God of hope, fill me with joy and peace in beleeving, that I may abound in hope, through the power of thy holy spi∣rit. Give me strong consolation and full assurance of thy mercy, that con∣tinuing grounded and established in a stedfast hope of my resurrection to a life of glory, at the appointed houre, my flesh may rest in hope, and my soule be cheerfully rendred into thy gracious hands, to rest with thee, through Jesus Christ my ever-blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.

1. Feare is a pensive and sorrowfull expectation of some evill to come,a imminent, or so supposed: wee feare any thing which is evil, reall or apparent, many times that which is not: feare is opposite to fortitude, as one extream of par∣ticipation; and as it allayeth too much daring, limits it, and so is good; but as it exceedeth in it extream, pernicious. There can be no vertue where there is no fortitude: hee can never be holy toward God, or honest toward men, who da∣reth not to be so: because Satan will be sure to work upo•• the timerous, putting before him continual (though 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and vaine) feares (like hunters Suells to put the fearfull 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from the safe wayes) so driving through pusillanimity 〈◊〉〈◊〉 timidity, that he maketh them evill for feare of men, whom the true feare of God cannot make good.

2. To omit many acceptations of the word: 1. There is a natural feare, and that of two sorts, in respect of the ob∣ject, first, concerning the avoidance of sinne, for the love of God: so Adam in his innocency (having heard the threat∣ning) feared to sin, because he would not offend God whom he loved above all: for however Adam in the temptation lost this feare, and so sinned, yet in the rectitude of his minde, he had it before the temptation prevailed upon him: and se∣condly concerning the avoidance of sorrow in apprehension of God's anger against sinne committed: so Christ feared, Matth. 26. 38. Heb. 5. 7. both without sinne: neerest to this cometh the filial fear of the regenerate, who, though through infirmity, they often sinne, and feare to displease God by any offence; as it is said, The ••ear of the Lord is to hate evil: This

is the beginning of wisedome, and it is principally in foure things: 1. That wee set God ever before our eies, living as in his sight and presence. 2. That we know and acknowledg him, as the omniscient witnesse and just Judge of all our thoughts, words and actions. 3. That wee feare not crea∣tures in respect of him. 4. That wee ever do that which is just and acceptable to him, though none other can witnesse against us (so did goodc Joseph) and who ever is offended with us for the same: so didd Daniel and thosee other servants of God.

2. There is a feare of unbeleefe in them that love the sin, but feare the punishment thereof: this is that servile fear which affecteth the wicked; which though it sometimes re∣straine them from the externall acts of sinne, yet is it not f master of any constant duety: so soone as their feare is over, they are asg bad, or worse then ever; as wee see in Pharoah. This feare becometh not the children of God (be∣cause it is ever with a guilty conscience, unbeleefe, and expe∣ctation of God's just judgment on their sinnes, without hope in Christ)h wherefore should I feare in the daies of evil—? said the Psalmist: for God is with them:i I will feare none evill, for thou art with mee.k The Lord is my light, and my salvation, whom shall I feare? the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? the wicked feare, where no feare is: they feare not God for love of God, but for self-love, and feare of punish∣ment (asl the Grecians worshiped their false gods: and poor men the great Lords) which is a symptom ofm a base and impious minde, prohibited to the children of God, to whom it is said,n Be not afraid of sudden fear—for the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thee from being taken.o Feare thou not (saith the Lord) for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee and I will helpe thee—p Feare not for I have redeemed thee. All which Precepts are to be understood of servile feare; which is to despaire of God's mercy, ren∣dring men desperate, not provident to avoid danger, neither more earnest to flie to God for helpe: The first may appeare inq Jehoram's message; Behold (said that wreeth) this evill cometh of the Lord, should I any longer wait on the Lord? and in that

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precipitate counsell, Job 2. 9. Curse God and die. The second effect we read in Jacob, in danger of his life, instantly pray∣ing, and sending presents to appease his revengefull bro∣ther: not to be afraid of God's judgements on sinne, is car∣nal security, and stupid carelesnesse ofr feared consciences: not to feare imminent dangers is improvident torpor of minde: not to feare the dreadfull presence of God, must needs be (in sinfull man) ignorance of God, and a mans own selfe; Moses and Daniel ••eared this. On the other part, to be a timerouss Antemon, for feare keeping home continually with his two servants ever guarding his head, with a brasse shield held over it, is not only an impious but a ridicu∣lous fear. To feare men more then God (as Saul did, 1 Sam. 15. 24.) is the feare of Hypocrites: to feare without confi∣dence in God, for the diversion of evill (ast Belshazzar, when seeing the hand writing upon the wall, his knees trem∣bled, and the joints of his loines were loosed; or asu Saul at Endor) is the fear of those who feare not God aright. This fear is the perpetual torment of the wicked conscience: an imperious mischief: an anticipation of evill not yet come, making a man unhappy, not onely with present evills, but with future, which, but for ••ear, could no way reach him: as that feare of inevitable death, which maketh men conti∣nually die, for feare of dying once. But to feare God with a filiall feare, proceeding of love to him, is as the fountain of wisedome so of true happinesse: Godx regardeth such: hey will deliver them, and fulfill their desire: heez will teach them the way of righteousnesse:a they shall want nothing that is good: when they seeme most to lack, they shall have supply of that, or something better: it shall be b health and strength to them.c Understanding,d tempo∣ral blessings, and eternal, and a minde to doe good and deale uprightly with men; as appeared in Obadiah, 1 King. 18. 3, 12, 13. and Joseph, Gen. 42. 10. This feare makethe every little, more then great riches to the wicked: it is thef souls Angel-guardian,g Innocencies keeper,h Securities anti∣dote,

the mindes centinel to awaken it, and give the alarme against the assaults of the subtile enemie. This giveth a man ••••ue and un••ailing confidence: 'tis the summe of that which God requireth of us, Deut. 10. 12. the whole duety of a man, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 12. 14. of this only is that saying true;i the mother o•• the fearfull useth not to cry: because such are truely bles∣sed.

3. Now because we are men, not yet perfect in love, and so subject to many fears, and subject to many sinnes, fail∣ings, and hazzards, and therein to some dangerous groavings of servile feare (by God's mercy turned, in the issue, to our good; for if we are so prone to sinne under so much feare, k what would wee be, if wee were secure from all?) these like rules are necessary to the ordering of our thoughts in feares:

1. For God's glory and thy salvation, contemne any danger: It was Christ's precept, Feare them not who are able to destroy the body only; for they cannot make thee unhappy, they may adde to thy blessednesse if thou bearest injuries well. These objects are only terrible (like that Cumane asse in the Lions skinne) to those that know them not (or thel Croco∣dile, fierce against the fearfull, fearfull of the daring) or to the impatient, who cannot stoop to take up the crosse, which like Moses rod, thrown down, became a dreadfull serpent; but at God's command, resumed, an harmless rod, to divide the bitter floods, and open a way into the promised rest: ma∣ny men great ••n their owne feares, deluding fancy making that monstrous, which right reason would discover, hurt∣lesse, in a constant and prudent resolution to meet with dif∣ficulties.

2. Fear God, andm be not ••aint-hearted: endeavour to set thy minde upon such a stay of moderation, that thy resolution neither rise to temerity, nor fall to timidity, nei∣ther to dare, nor to be afraid of all things, nor of nothing; but between both, beare such a temper, as that wisedom may have place to sit at the helme witho••t the interruption of ei∣ther extream.n Sanctifie the Lord of hosts, and let him be your feare, and your dread, and hee shall be your Sanctuary: but feare

not their feare who say, a confederacy. Theo present feare of God createth us an eternall security: fear him and thou shalt not be afraid of man: though I walke in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear none evil, for thou art with mee, Psalm 23. 4. p The Lord is on my side, I will not feare, &c. Psal. 71. 1. The feare of the Lord (like Moses serpent, devoureth all the in∣chanters serpents) swalloweth up all other fears.

3. In every danger lay to heart the omnipotency of God, and learne to trust in him: hee that so doth,q shall be safe: when the fiery fornace was threatnedr Shadrah, Meshach, and Abednego, they answered the incensed King, Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us:s his Angels pitch round about his, to deliver them; and when we seem most over∣matcht, t they are more with us then can be against us, as that fearfull servant saw at last. It made David so confident, u In the Lord put I my trust, how say yee then to my soul, Flee, as a bird to your mountaine? all confidence in men, their counsels, or an arme of flesh, is unhappy, and must faile, (beeingw under the curse) God cannot, si fractus illabatur orbis: thereforex will we not fear, though the earth be removed: and though the mountaines be carried into the midst of the sea.

4. Hearken unto the Word of God:y whoso heark∣neth unto mee shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil— z thou shalt walke in the way safely—when thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid herein thou shalt know God's power, trueth, providence, mercy and justice; and so trust in him, as it is written,a They that know thy name, will put their trust in thee, for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

5. Love the Lord sincerely: the more thou lovest him, the more thou wilt rest assured of his love and protection: the more perfect thy love is, theb more it casteth out fear.

6.c Depart from evill: asd the Princes of the Phili∣stines said of David, Let him not go down with us to the battle, le••t in the battle he be an adversary to us. Set thy selfe to seek the Lord, ase Jehoshaphat did, when many enemies were upon the march against him, and atcheived a glorious vi∣ctory against them. Keep a good conscience, it shall be a wall of brasse unto thee: when that is safe, a man is bold

f as a lion: but if we see the smoke of hell ascend there, wee must needs faint, like the men ofg Ai, when they saw their City on fire. Sinne in the conscience maketh men coward∣ly: they may possibly speak glorious words, who have time∣rous consciences, but as one said, of the fearfull dogg,h ve∣hementiùs latrat quàm mordet: hee must needs feare, who hath no peace in himselfe.

7. Consider thei end of the ••aints sufferings which hath ever been happy, in that they are the morek partakers of Christ's glory, by how much more of his sufferings: con∣sider how long they have suffered, or thou canst: fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer,l Behold the Devil shall cast s••me of you into prison, that yee may be tryed—be thou faithfull unto the death, and I will give thee them crown of life. It is true flesh and blood must have it allowance for its infirmity, but the more wee can lay to heart the end of the saints, (so hap∣py thatn even the wicked affect it) and the quiet fruits of o righteousness, to them that are exercised; the lesse we must needs feare the malice of any creature.

8. Labour for peace with God: give him no rest till he speak it to thy conscience: resolve not to let him go untill he blesse thee, and assure thee of thy remission in Christ. What hath he to feare whose sins are forgiven? thep sting of death p••lled out, who would not dare it? therefore the Apostle did, because he could say, Thanks be unto God who giveth us victory through Jesus Christ: this isq Faith's victo∣ry over the world.

9. In thy greatest feares pray more fervently:r so did our Saviour being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly: so dids Jacob in fear of his brothers long-studied revenge: pray that God would open thine eies to see his saving health. God many times terrifieth, to awaken our drouzie souls, and open our mouths to earnest prayer, which in prosperity are too prone to the spirit of slumber and coldnesse: feare hath many tongues, and can open the mouth of the dumb. Even t Jonah's mariners, in their feare will pray, and instigate o∣thers thereto: that one example ofu Croesus sonne, Athis

(before dumb) crying out, O Cyrus spare my father, and by our misfortunes learne that thou also art but a man; sheweth what the violence of feare can do.

Notes

• §. II.
• a

  Timor est metus mali impendentis, Cic. Tus▪ q. l. 4.

  Est expecta∣tio mali. Arist. Eth. l. c. 4.

  Timor est hu∣••••anae imbecil∣litatis trepida∣tio, metuentis id perpeti, quod sibi nol∣let accidere: existit autem & commove∣tur in nobis, de reatus consci∣antiâ, de iure potioris, de im∣petu fortioris, &c. Hilar. in Psal. 127.
• Pro▪ 8. 13.
• c

  Gen 39. 9.
• d

  Dan. 6. ••••▪
• e

  Dan. 3. 18.
• Ti••or ser∣vilis, ut nota•• Cl. Alex. paed. l. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• f

  N••n diu∣turni magister officii, Cicer. Phil. 2.
• g

  Antiquum obtinent.
• h

  Psal. 49. 5.
• i

  Psal. 23. 4.
• k

  Psal. 27. 1. Psal. 3. 7.
• l

  Graecia co∣leb••t De••s, &c ••lio•• u•• prosint: alio•• nè noceant, Lact. l. 1. c. 20.
• m

  Degeneret animos timor arguit.

  Deut. 28. 66, 67.

  Rev. 21. 8.
• n

  Pro. 3. 25▪ 26.
• o

  Isai. 41. 10.
• p

  Isai 43. 1, 2.
• q

  2 King. 6.
• r

  1 Tim. 4 2.
• s

  Plutar vit. P••ri••.
• Pi•••• ergo timor est, ••um quae non ti∣menda sunt, time••tur, & quae timenda sunt, non ti∣mentur, H••a••. in Psal. 52.
• t

  Dan 5 6.
• u

  1 Sam. 28. 20.
• R••s est im∣••••••iosa timor. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. xen.〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. l. 3.
• x

  Isai. 68. 2.
• y

  Psal. •• 4 5. 19.
• z

  Psal. 25 12.
• a

  Psal. 34. 10.
• b

  Prov. 3. 8.
• c

  Psal •• 11 10 Prov. 1 7.
• d

  Psal 128▪ &c.
• Psal. 115. 13.
• e

  Pro. 15. 26.
• f

  Animae cu∣••••os, &c. Cre.
• g

  Si•• tantum timor in nobis innocentiae cu∣stos—nè
• h

  accepta fe∣••uritas indili∣gentiam pariat, & verus denuò hostis obrepat, Cypr l. 2. ep. 2.
• i

  Matrem ti∣midi fl••re non solere, Ae••••l. Pro••.
• k

  —cum Cleanthi pro∣bro. reaetur quòd esset ti∣midus, inquit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Diog. Lasrt. l. 7. Cleanth.—〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Cl. Alex. Paed, l. 1
• l

  Terribilis in fugaces, fu∣gax contra in∣sequentes, Plin. nat. hist. l. 8. cap. 25.
• m

  Iosh. ••. 9.
• n

  Isai. 8. 13.
• o

  Timor prae∣sens securita∣tem generat a ternam, &c. Aug••in Psalm.
• p

  Psal. 118. 6.
• q

  Prov. 29. 25
• r

  Dan. 3. 1••▪
• s

  Psal. 34. 7.
• t

  2 King. 6. 16
• u

  Psal. 11. 1.
• w

  Ier. 17. 5.
• x

  Psal. 46. 2.
• y

  Pro. 1. 33.
• z

  Pro. 3. 21, 24
• a

  Psal. 9. 10.
• b

  1 Joh. 4. 18.
• c

  See lob 22, 23, &c, Pro. 3. 7.
• d

  1 Sam. 29. 4
• e

  2 Chr. 20. 3.
• f

  Prov. 28. 1.
• g

  Iosh. 8. 20.
• h

  Q. Curt. I.••
• i

  Psal. 37. 37.
• k

  Rom 8. 17. 2 Cor. 1. 7.
• l

  Rev. 2. 10.
• m

  Pericula despicit qui tendit ad re∣gnum: victo∣riae cupidus, nescit timere, Petr. Chrysol. serm. 22.
• n

  Num. 23. 10
• o

  Heb. 12. 11▪
• p

  1 Cor. 15. 56▪
• q

  1 Ioh. 5. 4.
• r

  Luk. 22. 44.
• s

  Gen. 32. 9.
• t

  Ionah 1. 6.
• u

  In vocem erupit vi ti∣moris, &c. Solm. Polyh. cap. 7.