London: Thomas Mabb, 1660.

The Preface.

OUr Saviour Compares the Kingdome of Heaven, to a Merchant Man: And Merchants when they send out a Ship observe their Returnes We have been Long Adventurers to Heaven, and God hath been pleased at last to give us a gracious returne; to answer our Prayers even beyond our expectation and hopes.

When we were with the Disciples in the storme, at Lord save us, We perish: Then did our saviour who before seemed to sleep (being awakened by the continued and faithfull prayers of the seven thousands who had not bowed their knees to Baal) rebuke the winds and the waves still the raging of the Sea, and the madnesse of the people. And We trust now (as then) there will follow a great happy calme.

Hereupon As the very Heathen, When they had suffered shipwrack and got safe to land, were wont [appendere votivam Tabulam] to consecrate a votive table, and bang it up to the honour of their preserver Neptune.

As David after the slaughter of Goliath dedicated the Sword wherewith he had slain him, and had it kept behind the Ephod in the Tabernacle.

As God Commanded that a Pot of Manna should be kept for the Generations to come; that their Posterity might see how he fed their Fathers in the wildernesse.

As even in the Land of Canaan, the bitter herbs were still reserved in the eating of the passeover, in memory of that bitter servitude, they underwent in the House of Bondage.

So are these Prayers here, like the bitter herbes, or a bundle of Myrrhe, collected, reserved and consecrated,

To him, to whom they were devoutly offered up, the Father of mercies, and God of all Consolation.

To him, who accepts a little Frankincense piously offered, no lesse then a Hecatombe.

To him who heareth Prayers, and hath not rejected ours.

To him, who hath turned our captivity, not his mercies from us.

It is of thy Goodness O Lord, that we were not utterly consumed, It is because thy Compassions faile not.

Not unto Us, O Lord, not unto Us, but unto thy name give the Praise.

And the same gracious God, who hath so happily begun, so wonderfully carried on, and done so great things for us already, whereof we deservedly rejoyce;

He in his own time, perfect his own work, his own way, and make us a happy Church and Nation.

May, O may those black dayes never returne, which at first extorted these mournfull Threnodies, which are here presented for thy Consolation, (in looking back upon that which is past;) not thy use with respect to the future, of which may there never be any more occasion.

But for the time to come, may these Prayers be turned into Praises, this Euchologium into Doxologies, our Elegies into Hosanna's, and our Lamentations into Hallelujah's. And let all the People say

Amen.

Project Canterbury