KING SOLOMON'S DIRECTORY: OR, The REFORMED CATHOLICS RUBRIC: Showing a Christian how to demean and behave himself both in Prosperity and Adversity: As it was set forth in a SERMON at St. Peter's Pauls-wharf, London, July the 8. 1649.  
By FRAN: RIDDINGTON, a loyal Subject, and long Sufferer for fearing GOD, and honouring the KING.  Prov. 24. v. 21, & 22. 
My Son, fear thou the Lord, and the King: and meddle not with them that are given to change.  
For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruin of them both?  
LONDON. Printed in the Year, 1649.   
ECCLES. 7. former part of ver. 14. 
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider.  
TO every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven: saith our Author the preacher at the 3 Chap. and first ver. of this his Book styled Ecclesiastes. And amongst other times, for other things, he tells us at the 4 ver. of that Chap. how that there are proper and peculiar times for Mirth and mourning; Joy and Grief; Sorrow and solace. There is a time, saith he, to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to Dance. And both these times for both these purposes, are apart expressed, and particularly applied in the words of my Text.  
The time of Mirth and Music, of gladness and rejoicing, is the time of Gods revealing his Mercies unto us, and bestowing his blessings favours, and benefits upon us; the Day of prosperity as it is here termed in the Text, wherein we are admonished and exhorted to be joyful. In the Day of prosperity be joyful.  
The time of weeping and mourning, of lamentation and sorrow, is the time of Gods denouncing his Judgements against us, or executing them upon us, and afflicting us with Wars, Famine, Pestilence, or such like Calamities; the Day of Adversity as it is here also termed, wherein we are commanded to consider; In the Day of adversity consider. In the day of prosperity etc.  
In the words there is no such great difficulty as that I should need to trouble you with much variety of senses and expositions: yet are they not so very facile and easy neither to every capacity as that they may fully be understood without, as well as with, this short paraphrase and explanation.  
In the day of prosperity be joyful] that is, enjoy thy portion of blessings with cheerfulness.  
In the day of Adversity consider] that is, be well advised, fall not to impatient murmuring, or ungodly shifting, but stay thyself in expectation on God.  
In the day of prosperity] when thy affairs be prosperous, thy success (in just undertake) happy: when it goes well with thee, thy King, and Country, be joyful and merry. But in the day of Adversity] in the time of any private or common calamity consider, bethink thyself of the cause, and of the cure of that disaster. Consider wherefore it is inflicted, and how it may be removed.  
Use prosperity and adversity to the ends appointed by God unto thee: and be thou a constant and conscionable observer of the Churches both Feasts and Fasts. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. 12.15. Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep.  
In the day of Prosperity send up joyful acclamations to the high Court of heaven, in testimony of thy thankfulness for those free and undeserved favours and blessings which thou dost enjoy.  
In the day of Adversity send up strong cries, and present thy Supplications before the mercy-seat of Gods offended Majesty, in token of thy repentance and contrition. In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider.  
So that my Text, I may term the School of a religious deportment. In it, that great Master of all Arts and Sciences, that learned Doctor in all Professions, Sol hominum Solomon, that Mirror of Men, Wisdoms eldest son, reads all his Scholars a Lecture of Divine Morality, or Moral Divinity, (if I may so say) teaching and instructing them, what their manner of behaviour must be at all times, and so what it must and aught to be at this present: how we ought to demean and behave ourselves now and always.  
In it we have 

Oppositio & mutatio temporum.  
Oppositio & mutatio tonorum.    

An opposition and change of Times.  
An opposition and change of Tunes.   
And this latter fitted to the former, the tune to the time, the duty and ditty to the day.  
Weeping, Mourning, Sighing, Sobbing, and the like sad expressions of a sorrowful spirit, are as unseasonable, and unseemly at a Feast, and on the day of prosperity, as unnecessary eating drinking, laughing, playing, dycing, dancing, and their like are at a Past, and in the day of adversity. And therefore our Author the Preacher, the wisest of men, King Solomon, where he tells us of different times, there also he tells us of the different tunes that we are to observe and keep in those times. As in my Text.  
Where we have two several and opposite days; The day of prosperity, and the day of adversity.  
There also we have the several and Apposite business of them both.  
Joy of the former, Consideration of the latter. In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider.  
Which of these days, This day is, is easy (you will not deny) to determine. It is well known far and near, that we of this Nation have nothing to do this day, with the first day in the Text, the day of prosperity; these are not days and times wherein it goes well with us, our King, and Country, and therefore not days and times wherein to be so frolic, joyful and merry. We, as if we had lived too long, have ourlived that day; and God he only knows, whether we shall ever see it again before we die. O if we had known, even we, at least in that our day, the things which belonged unto our peace! but now, ah now, Quid nisi vota supersunt? what remains saving only prayers, that they be not hid from our eyes? As our Saviour said of Jerusalem, bemoaning, and prophesying its destruction. Luk. 19.42.  
This day, every day that now goes over our heads, is Hezekiahs' day, such another day as that day. 2. Kings. 19.3. A day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the Children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. Such are the pangs of this Sin-sick-land, as of a woman in travail, where the poor Infant is altogether unable to deliver itself, and the pained Mother to be delivered of it. Such another day as the Prophet Ezekiell sets forth with an Ecce at the 7 Chap. and 10. ver. of that his prophecy. Behold the day, behold, it is come, the morning is gone forth, the rod hath blosomed, pride hath budded, violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness. Or such a day as the Prophet Zephaniah speaks of at the first Chap. of his prophecy, 15. and following verses, A day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wastuesse and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. A day of the Trumpet and Alarm etc. Wherein the Lord hath brought distress upon us, that we walk like blind men, because we have sinned against the Lord, and our blood is poured out as dust, and our flesh as the dung etc. A day wherein we may take up the Prophet Jeremiahs' wish, and cry out with him, Oh that our head were waters, and our eyes a fountain of tears, that we might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of our people. Jer. 9.1. and make use of his Lamentations as too suitable to our times, with some alterations, but more aggravations: Our JOSIAH, the breath of our Nostrils, the Anointed of the Lord, being taken in the pit of his own sworn Subjects, who ought to have filled it up with their own Carcases, (had they known any such to have been dug for him) rather than he should have fallen into it. But his Counselors turned Conspirators, and THEY, THEY took away his life, who for its preservation OUGHT both by the Laws of God and man to have Sacrificed their own. Such a Viperous brood the Sun never before saw, neither did the Earth ever bear. jugratitude sublimated, and Barbarity spun to the finest thread of Cruelty, 
Lam. 4.20.  that ever Mortality was guilty of. The breath of our Nostrils, the Anointed of the Lord was taken in their pits, of whom we said, under his shadow we shall live.  
— Ct jam maerentia tecta 
Lucan.   
Caesar habet vacuásque domos, legésque silentes.  
Yes, and now Servants rule over us; nay more, our Servants; and yet more, our confessed and professed Servants at the same time that they rule over us: THEY, THEY rule over us, and there is none that doth deliver us out of their hands. 
Lam. 5.3.  Such is our present condition, and worse, and worse indeed than I am able in words to express. Such a day is this day, and every day that we now add unto our days: A dismal, doleful day; a day of distress, and of perplexity, and of treading down: the last day in the Text, the day of adversity, A day to consider in. In the day of adversity consider.  
Consideration is never out of season, and yet never more in then now. We may, or we might have made use of it at other times for the prevention of Judgements threatened. Now at this time we may make use of it for the removal of Judgements inflicted: yea, we may at present make use of it for both purposes, both for the prevention of those we fear, as the extirpation of God's true Religion, the subversion of the English Monarchy, a famine both of soul and body. In a word utter desolation, and destruction of these late famous and renowned Kingdoms. As also for the removal of those innumerable and insupportable evils which we feel by means of this horrid, unnatural, and accursed Rebellion.  
Now these Judgements of God, both present, and imminent, both these that we feel, and those that we fear, speak aloud, and tell us in plain terms, that it is high time for us to be advised and Consider.  
To Consider what may be the Cause, and what the Cure of the great and many distempers, that make us thus miserable as we are. And in the search of the several kinds of causes we may find, that the Efficient cause is God, the Material fin, the Final repentance, as for the Formal we wave it.  
They proceed from God, procured by sin, and inflicted to the end we should repent and amend.  
And so this consideration affords us this point of instruction, this doctrinal conclusion, that  
God's indignation moved against sin calls for our repentance.  
In the second place, after we have considered the cause of these spreading evils, we are to bethink ourselves of the cure, and the remedy we may find upon easy enquiry to be Humiliation; and Reformation.  
Humiliation under the mighty hand of God, Reformation of our evil lives, and corrupt Conversations.  
And from hence ariseth this observation, that  
Humiliation and Reformation are the only means to pacify God's indignation, and to remove our afflictions. Thus in this day of adversity are we to consider:  
But before I proceed to treat of these Considerations; give me leave to interpose, and put in one by the way, 'tis this, and not altogether (I hope) unworthy of your observation:  
That neither Prosperity, nor Adversity, are for perpetuity; No, not of any considerable permanency, duration, or continuance. They last both of them but a very little while, they are but for a day, the day of Prosperity, and the day of Adversity, or time short as a day, so short are they.  
What would not man do should he always prosper? And what would he do if never? What an elated meteor would he grow, did prosperity always besprinkle him with her sweetening dews? what a dejected clod of clay would he turn to, should she never smile upon him, but adversity continually frown in his face? 'tis no small abatement to the sweetness of prosperity, and bitterness of adversity to Consider, they are but for a moment.  
Was I to day happy, I might be miserable before to morrow! and indeed how happy were we but the other day, when all things were at peace and quiet to what we now are? or how happy are many of us yet to what we might have been, may be, yea shall be, if these times continue? Pax est omne bonum, saith Saint Austin: and if so, what can we expect from division and dissension? if peace be so sovereign a blessing, what a cross, or rather curse is War? especially such a War as this of ours, a most uncivil Civil War, the worst of all Wars. A most unnatural War, a War betwixt the Head and the Members, a War of the Members against the Head, a War wherein, and whereby the Members have cut off their Head. Cham's Curse, and cain's Mark be all the reward of the Authors; let this branded Character remain upon them and their posterity for ever, Vagi & profugi in terris, Gen. 4.12. Fugitives and Vagabonds let them be in the earth. S. Bernard distinguisheth of Pacidices and Pacifices; such as in the Psalmists expression in words spoke of peace, but in deed make ready to battle: Which speak friendly to their neighbours, but imagine mischief in their hearts, Psal. 28.3. and have we not many such firebrands of contention in these Kingdoms? When Catiline had fired the City of Room with his Conspiracies, he had no better Comfort than this,  Incendium meum ruinâ extinguam! 
I will quench the fire I have kindled with a final ruin; I will add worse to evil, and leave the success of my mischievous and ungracious actions to the extremest adventures I and have we not some of his brood, who have fired 3. of the most peaceable Kingdoms in Christendom? Imò habemus tales Catulos Catilinarios: We have but too many whelps of that litter, and you know where. Yet these wars, no more than this warfare of our life can last always, dabit Deus his quoque finem, God in his good time will put a period to them, and there will (we may hope) ere long come a day of refreshing: for the Lord will not cast off for ever, Lam. 3.31. But though he cause grief, yet will be have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.  
Adversity no more than prosperity is everlasting; were either of them so, there would be no heaven or no hell hereafter; if both, there would be neither: but there is both, both a heaven and a hell, Mat. 25. at the latter end, and prosperity and adversity are here both but for a while, for a day or so and away; In the day of prosperity, and in the day of adversity.  
And this Consideration, that Neither prosperity nor adversity, are for perpetuity, nor of any Considerable permanency, duration or Continuance; that they are both but for a very little while, for a day, or time short as a day, may humble us, and may Comfort us.  
Consider first, That Prosperity is but for a day, and be humbled. Consider secondly That Adversity is but for a day, and be comforted.  
Why should prosperity which is but for a day make any one Proud, Lordly, and Stately? Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? saith Solomon. Who had more to boast of then any man, either before or since his time, as you may read Eccles. 2.9. wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for Riches certainly make themselves wings, they flee away as an Eagle towards heaven, Prov. 23.5. he that is this day, thy and my inferior, may to Morrow or next day be our Superior; for both he may rise and we may Fall; either will suffice to set him above us, and bring it to who would have thought this? the examples and instances of this nature are so many and ready at hand, that it is a business for me to make choice of them: only in the Lump, let me ask, have you not of late seen many and strange alterations in divers ancient and Noble Families, yea of Towns also and Cities? have you not seen Folly set in great Dignity, and the rich sit in low place, Servants upon Horses, and Princes walking as Servants upon the Earth! Solomon observed it in his time, Ecclesiastes 10.16. and 17. ver. and we may (if we please) much more in ours.  
Quos dies vidit veniens superbes,  
Hos dies vidit fugiens jacentes.  
One Day the Valiant brood of Brutus sent to fight;  
Thus sent, one Day did see them all lie dead  night.  
And how many brave and hopeful branches, have in some one Day been lopped off by preposterous, and bloody hands, since the breaking forth of this intestine and detestable rebellion? Yea and how many more may possibly be destroyed by the undistinguishing bullet, and non-sparing sword, before this alldevouring war be ended, and a firm peace in these yet bleeding Kingdoms settled? Oh I tremble to speak it! How have some amongst us in one day stopped their own breath, and taken off his head who was ours? Like the fool in the Emblem, who being in a tree, sawed off the bow on the which he sat. And are not men's fortunes, and estates, in as much hazard and as little security, as their lives and Liberties? The Grounds, Houses, Lands, Leases, Live, and the like, which now many of you call yours (if there be any such things as meum & tuum, as property left) they (you know) have had many a one, and many another which called them theirs; and may be soon again rend from you or your Posterity, by some concussion, change, or prodigal heirs. Yea how many men's estates and revenues, are at this present by force, and fraud detained from them, so that they reap little or no benefit by them? When Croesus glorying in his great riches, led Solon into his treasury, and shown him all his wealth, thinking thereby to extort not only a bare applause and Commendation, but even wonder and admiration; the wise man slighted, what the fond King so much adored, and (if my memory fail me not) to this purpose replied. He that hath better Iron, will soon be Master of all thy Gold. And it was not very long after, that this rich King proved his poor friends words true by woeful experience, another King being a better Warrior, or more fortunate Soldier, taking from him all his treasure. And who will not subscribe this with a probatum est, that knows the proceed of these times? Wherein not He that hath most right, but they that have most might carry the prize away. See Nebuchadnezar proudly walking and vaunting in his stately and new erected palace, and in the height of his Pride puffed up with Prosperity, demanding, is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdom, by the Might of my power, and for the honour of my Majesty? Dan. 4.30. And see him once within an hour expelled thence, yea Driven from the society of men, and made a companion for beasts, and then tell me (if you know) what a Day may bring forth? Such strange alterations may one day produce, that he who is this Day the highest in this world's blandishments, may or ever the Sun salute the East again, be as low, as low may be, in another world's torments. Thou fool, this Night shall thy soul be required of thee, and then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? Was, besides the exprobration, and objurgation, an unwelcome intimation, and prediction, of a most strange and sudden change; and must needs strike cold to his heart (you will say) who was at this with himself; Soul, thou hast much good laid up for many years, take thine ease, Eat, Drink and be Merry, Luke 12.19.  
O Consider then of this all ye that are troubled with the tympany of pride, through a little worldly Prosperity; all ye that are therefore proud because ye prosper in this world, and as some Translations read my Text, Use well the time of Prosperity, and remember the time of Misfortune.  
— Scilicet ultima semper  
Expectanda dies homini est: diciquebeatus  
Ante obitum nemo, supremaque funera debet.  
You know not what may happen before the night of your life come, some that have been borne in a palace have died in a dungeon. Hear ye and give ear, be not proud, for the Lord hath spoken. Jer. 13.15. For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low. 
Esay 2.12.  Prosperity is but for a day, let this therefore even in the height of thy Prosperity humble thee.  
Neither secondly is adversity for any more, for any longer than a Day, and this may comfort us in our misery.  Saeva noverca dies nunc est, nunc mater amica. 
Heaviness may endure for a night, but Joy cometh in the Morning, Psal. 30.5. and a good Day may make amends for an ill night; I may after an ill fit be the better for it: Why then should I sit disconsolate under so short a vexation?  Nubecula est & transibit! 
It is but a little shower, it will soon blow over; though it wet me a little, it cannot drown me. Many a fair afternoon follows a foul morning. There is a certain and continual vicissitude, and interchange of day and night, of light and darkness; and shall I in adversity despair of ever being happy? It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord, Lam. 3.26. and shall I choose the evil, and refuse the good? not hope, not wait for the salvation of my God? The same that brings down high looks, will save the afflicted people, Psal. 18.27.  
O carry then the Lords leisure, be strong, and he shall comfort thine heart, and put thou thy trust in the Lord, Psal. 27 last. Was I in the dust, or which is worse, on the Dunghill; there was no reason I should count myself a castaway; some that have been taken from thence have been set among Princes, and made to inherit the throne of glory, 1 Sam. 2.8. and if it be not my fortune here, it will be, if it be not my fault, hereafter. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a fare more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. for which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Adversity is but for a day; let this therefore comfort thee in the depth of misery.  
These things premised; we come now to handle the two main things considerable in this day of adversity; namely, the cause, and the cure of the great and many distempers that make us thus miserable as we are.  
And as for the cause, the efficient (I have showed you) is God: the material, Sin: the final, repentance: as for the formal, I told you, we would wave it for the present.  
The evils which we feel proceed from God, procured by Sin, and inflicted to the end we should repent and amend. And so this consideration affords us this point of Instruction, That God's indignation moved against sin, calls for our Repentance.  
In the second place, the cure, we have found upon enquiry to be Humiliation and Reformation.  
Humiliation under the mighty hand of God.  
Reformation of our evil lives, and corrupt conversations.  
And from hence ariseth this Observation, That  
Humiliation and Reformation are the only means to pacify God's indignation, and to remove our afflictions.  
And these are the things which we are chief in this day of adversity to consider. Of which in their order, as briefly and plainly as possibly may be: and first of the first, the cause of the evils under which we now suffer. God, Sin, Repentance, God the efficient, sin the material, repentance the final, they proceed from God, procured by sin, and inflicted to the end we should repent and amend.  
God's indignation moved against sin, calls for our Repentance.  
Micah 6.9. The Lord's voice cryeth unto the City, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it. As our sins cry to God for Judgements, so his Judgements cry to us for repentance. Thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Jer. 18.11. behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you, return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your do good. Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so Iniquity shall not be your ruin, Ezek. 18.30.  
What ever evils we suffer under, God is the author of them all, Lam. 3.37. Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not? out of the mouth of the most high preproceedeth not evil and good? yes doubtless, evil as well as good proceeds from God. But here we must distinguish of Malum poena, and Malum culpae, the former is from God, and the latter from Man. No evil of punishment but from him, nor any but for the evil of Sin. Sin is the procurer of all our woe. Woe, woe unto us, but why? because we have finned, Lam. 5.16. Woe unto us that we have sinned; for this our heart is faint, for these things our eyes are dim, ver. 17. All would be well without us, were all well within us: From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Jam. 4.1. cast but these with Jonah overboard, and the sea of our world which now worketh, and is tempestuous, will forth with cease her raging, and be calm. Sin with Acha● is it that troubles all, let us but take away this accursed thing from amongst us, and God will turn from the fierceness of his anger, and return in mercy to the many thousands of his people. The REBELLIONS are strengthened against us, yea, triumph over us, but how? by our multiplied rebellions against our God; let us but make our peace with him, and he will soon make them to be at peace with us. When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him, Prov. 16.7. We have transgressed, and we have rebelled, and the Lord hath not pardoned, but punished us with many and sore evils; yet (we must believe) all for our good, for our conversion, not for our confusion; for he hath no pleasure at all that the wicked should die, but that he should return from his ways and live, Ezek. 18.23. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should return from his ways and live? No, the Lord our God desires rather our life and salvation, than our death and damnation; he hath no pleasure at all in this latter, but delights much in the former: yea, there is joy amongst his Angels in Heaven, over one sinner that repenteth, Luke 15.10.  
Give me leave then (I beseech you) to apply this that I have spoken, with the words of Tertullian in his tract of repentance. Bonum est poenitere, an non? quid revolvis? Deus precipit. At enim ille non precipit tantum, sed etiam hortatur. Invitat praemio salutem, jurans, etiam vivo dicens, cupit credi sibi. Tell me, is it good to repent or not? what dost thou study of? God commands thee so to do; nay more, he doth not only command, but persuades, and exhorts thee also: he invites thee to Heaven with a promise of a reward, swearing as he lives, that he desires thy salvation, and he would have thee to believe him. As I live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die O ye house of Israel? Ezek. 33.11.  
O beatos nos quorum causa Deus jurat. O miserrimos fi●nec juranti Domino credimus: as the Father beforenamed hath it in the place before cited. O happy and blessed are we, for whose sake God swears; O most miserable and wretched if we will not believe him swearing: and if we do believe him, then let us repent ourselves of our sins, and return unto him. Every sin is an error, Nun errand omnes? Prov. 14.22. Do they not err that devise evil? We fall and stray, peceardo, by sinning; we must rise and return poenitend●, by repenting. It is not the falling, but the not rising, not our sinning, but our not repenting that undoes us. Perpetuity and impenitency in sin makes sin out of measure sinful, and renders the actors uncapable of a pardon. As all God's promises pass sub conditione obedientiae, on condition of obedience; so all his threaten, Sub condititione impenitentia, under the condition of impenitency. If a righteous man revolt, he shall die for it, notwithstanding all God's promises: and if a wicked man repent he shall live, notwithstanding all God's menaces: You may see this clearly evidenced in that 33. Chapter of the Prophecy of Ezekiel, at the 13. and following Verses. When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if be trust to his own righteousness and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed he shall die for it. Again, when I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die, if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right, be shall surely live, he shall not die. What can be said more fully, more plainly, or more punctually? wherefore if we desire rather to live then to die, to prosper then to perish, let us repent ourselves of our iniquities, and return unto the Lord our God. who is ready to receive and embrace us in the arms of his mercy. Esa. 55.7. Let the wicked, etc.  
Repentance is nothing else but redire ad principia, to return to him whom we have left by sin. And the practice of this duty consisteth in these two things. Humiliation and reformation; humiliation under the mighty hand of God, reformation of our evil lives and corrupt conversations, which are the cure of the great and many distempers that make us thus miserable as we are.  
Humiliation and reformation are the only means to pacify God's indignation, and to remove our afflictions; and this is the thing which we are in this day of adversity to consider; and my last observation, which I shall dispatch in a word.  
Humiliation and Reformation have for these eight years and upward been the common talk of the times. But what hath been done in them? why indeed si verbis audacia detur, such things as never were done before. That hath been done, Quod nulla posteritas probet, quod nulla taceat; Which posterity can neither approve, nor conceal; no nor all Antiquity parallel. I'll give you cases as near as I can to ours; we have had days of Humiliation wherein many men have fasted, but as we read Isa. 58.4. For strife, and debate; and to smite with the fist of wickedness, etc. and humbled themselves, but as it is Psal. 10.10. That the poor might fall by their strong ones. And such a Reformation we have as Nebuzaradan Captain of the guard to Nebuchadnezer made at Jerusalem, 2 Kings. 25. When he threw down the walls both of City and Temple, and took away all the vessels of Gold and Silver, etc. And how should it be better when the Devil of Rebellion hath turned himself into this Angel of Reformation? and the old Serpent held out new lights, to lead his followers into outer Darkness. But to have done with these, who have undone us All.  
The Humiliation which I am to speak to, and of, is a true self dejection, joined with the confession of sin, contrition for sin, and an earnest desire of pardon.  
And as for Reformation, it is a conversion from sin, a change of all bad actions into good.  
The former duty is thus performed. A man touched with the sense of his misery, humbly casteth himself down before the mercy seat of Gods offended Majesty, confesseth from a sorrowful heart his forepast sins, condemneth himself for the same, and earnestly entreateth pardon, and forgiveness of them at the hands of God for the merits of Christ.  
The latter thus. A man perceiving his error and folly, corrects and amends what ever is amiss in him; sets himself in the right way, and proceeds, and goes on in all virtue, of godliness of living.  
And let every one of us but thus humble, and thus reform himself, and surely then the controversy which God hath with us all is ended, and a peace concluded: for confirmation of which assertion the whole current of Scripture is so clear, and the Character so obvious, that he that runs may read. I shall therefore quote but two to avoid prolixity; and what need I more? when In Scriptures non saepius dicta, sed tantum dicta sufficiant. Any one material Text will serve to prove any one tenet to them that believe the Scripture. 1. Then for Humiliation, take that of Saint James, at his 4. Chapter, and 10. Verse, Humble yourselves in the fight of the Lord, and he shall life you up: do you but perform the duty of Humiliation, and God will confer upon you the dignity of exaltation.  
And as for Reformation, see thee 1. of Esay, at the 16. Verse, where we have this document no less consolatory than consonant. Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your do from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well, etc. and then come, and let us reason together saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the Land: If ye will reform yourselves you shall be received to mercy, no question to the contrary! but if ye will not, if ye refuse and rebel, ye may read your destiny in the next Verse, the 20. of that 1. of Esay, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And if the mouth of the Lord hath said it, the hand of the Lord will do it. For nec verbum ab intentione quia veritas, nec factum à verbo quia virtus, saith Saint Bernard. With God neither doth his Word disagree, etc.  
Let then so many of us as believe in God, as believe his Word, obey him, and do as we are commanded. Humble, and Reform ourselves; confess, and forsake our sins, correct and amend what ever is amiss in us; redeem the time we have vainly spent, and work out our salvation with fear and trembling: Fear God, honour our King, and love as Brethren, and then we need never fear what man can do unto us, Luke 12.4, 5.  
Let all of us in the fear of God in this day, the latter day: the day of Adversity thus consider, and God, it may be, may be entreated, and once again restore unto us the former day, the day of Prosperity, wherein we may lawfully, yea must, and aught, thankfully to be joyful and merry. To which purpose let us pray.  

This Prayer was omitted, because the Glass was run, and the Season then almost as hot as these 8. years' persecution; but being it was really intended, it is therefore here verbatim inserted.  O Lord God of Hosts, God of the spirits of all Flesh, who for a long time hast sorely afflicted us with the devouring scourge of a most unnatural War: And in the depth of thy displeasure hast suffered us to proceed to that height of impiety, as unsatisfied with the blood of our fellow-members, to cut off Him who was our Head; and to take away His Life, for the preservation whereof, we ought all of us both by the Laws of God and Man to have sacrificed our own. O Lord, we do confess that we be even astonished, and confounded with the apprehension of our most sinful, and most miserable condition. O who can lay his hands on the Lords Anointed, and be guiltless? Had He been a Saul, and His Subjects david's! Had He been rejected, and they elected! They Righteous, and He Wicked! yet had they sinned against their own Souls, and been guilty of the highest Treason for defiling their hands with the Blood of their Sovereign. Of how much greater condemnation doth this sinful Land stand guilty, who have laid hands upon a David, and are themselves Shimeas and Shebaes'; who have slain a most pious, prudent, and peaceable Prince, and are themselves a most perfidious, rebellious, and wicked People. Yea, and to fill up the measure of our iniquity, that their might be nothing wanting to make our sin complete; we have usurped thy Authority, who art the only Judge of Kings, and committed this horrid Murder under the specious colour of Justice. We have (if we may make use of His own Expressions) added the mockery of Justice, to the cruelty of Malice: So that, now we may seem even ripe for destruction, and thou mayest justly thrust in thy sickle, and cut us down, destroy us, root and branch as in one day, and lay our Land waste into a Wilderness, or give it unto Strangers to be inhabited. Thou mayst sweep us away with the besom of Destruction, and give us our portion with the Devil and his Angels, as the worst of Hypocrites, in the hottest place of that Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone.  
But Lord in Judgement, we humbly beseech thee, to remember mercy; and thou that takest no delight in the Death of one single sinner, spare merciful Lord, spare a great, though most sinful Nation. Pity a despised Church and distracted State; heal up those Wounds which our sins have made so wide, that none but thine own hands can close them; and in the tenderness of thy unspeakable compassion, set up the Sun in his Father's Throne, that he may restore thy worship, settle Peace, and purge the Land of the Gild of that innocent, Loyal, yea ROYAL blood, wherewith it is Defiled, which cries aloud for Vengeance in thine ears. O Lay not this sin of blood-guiltiness, unto the charge of this whole Nation, which is committed by the hands of a handful, in comparison, to the whole! Neither let the Cry of that horrid murder committed upon the Person of thine Anointed, by those who have grasped all power into their hands, outcry the cry of their prayers whose Loyal hearts abhor the very thought of such a Heinous, Treasonable, Damnable fact, and mourn in secret for it. O Let it pity thee to see so flourishing a Church and State, as this but lately was, to be thus rend and torn in pieces by a rude rabble of Seditious, Sacrilegious, Rebellious, Traitorous Men, who have embrued their hands in the blood of King, Priest, and People: Who have Usurped all authority, trampled upon all Religion, Violated all our Laws, infringed all our liberties, and destroyed our properties, and Father all their impieties upon thee, because for our sins thou sufferest success to attend their actions, which have neither warrant, nor precedent in thy Word. But Lord we beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake to be reconciled unto us, to pardon our sins, and heal our Land, which for its transgressions hath many Princes, yea Servants that rule over it: And give us Him thy Servant, our true, and rightful Sovereign CHARLES, Son and Heir to his deceased Father, to be our King, maugre all the power, and malice, of thine, his, and our inhuman, barbarous, and blood thirsty enemies; Arise O Lord, maintain thine own cause, Remember how the Adversary hath blasphemed thy Name, profaned thy holy places, Murdered thine Anointed, butchered his Subjects, and now give about to disinherit his posterity, and convert a well-tempered Monarchy, into a popular Anarchy. This thou hast seen O Lord, and because thou holdest thy tongue, they think wickedly, that thou art even such a one as their selves, but do thou reprove them, and see before them the things which they have done. That thou mayst take the matter into thy hands, the poor committeth himself unto thee, O be thou the helper of the friendless, and break the power of the ungodly and malicious.  
Infatuate their Counsels and divide them; Enfeeble their forces and Disperse them; Impale their hearts, weaken their hands, and command Salvation and deliverance for thy Church, the King, and his people; That thy worship may be restored, Thine ANOINTED enthroned, and Truth, and Peace reestablished in all our Borders; and that for his sake, who is the Prince of peace, and that shed his most precious blood to purchase our peace, even Jesus Christ the righteous, To whom with thee, and the blessed Spirit, be ascribed as is most due, All Honour, Power, Praise, might, Majesty, Dominion and thanksgiving, for ever, and for ever, Amen.  
FINIS.