TO THE HIGH AND mighty Prince CHARLES Prince of WALES CHRIST IESVS the PRINCE of Princes blesse your Highnesse with length of dayes and an increase of all Graces which may make you truely prosperous in this life and eternally happy in that which is to come Ionathan shot three Arrowes to driue Dauid further off from Sauls furie and this is the third Epistle which I haue written to draw your Highnesse neerer to Gods fauour by directing your heart to beginne like Iosiah in your youth to seeke after the GOD of DAVID and of IACOB your Father Not but that I know that your Highnesse doth this without mine admonition but because I would with the Apostle haue you to abound in euery Grace in faith and knowledge and in all diligence and in your loue to Gods Seruice and true Religion Neuer was there more neede of plaine and vnfained Admonitions for the Comicke in that saying seemes but to haue prophesied of our times Obsequium amicos veritas odium parit And no maruell seeing that wee are fallen into the dregges of Time which being the last must needes be the worst dayes And how can there be worse seeing Vanitie knowes not how to be vainer nor Wickednesse how to be more wicked And whereas heretofore those haue beene counted most holy who haue shewed themselues most zealous in their Religion they are now reputed most discreet who can make the least profession of their Faith And that these are the last daies appeares euidently because that Securitie of mens eternall state hath so ouerwhelmed as CHRIST fore-told it should all sorts that most who now liue are become louers of pleasures more then louers of God And of those who pretend to loue GOD. O GOD what sanctified hart can but bleede to beholde how seldome they come to prayers how irreuerently they heare Gods Word what strangers they are at the Lords Table what assiduous spectators they are at Stage-playes where being Christians they can sport themselues to heare the Vassals of the Diuell scoffing Religion and blasphemously abusing phrases of holy Scripture on their Stages as familiarly as they vse their Tabacco-pipes in their bibbing-houses So that he who would now adayes seeke in most Christians for the power shall scarse almost finde the very shew of godlinesse Neuer was there more sinning neuer lesse remorse for sinne Neuer was the Iudge neerer to come neuer was there so little preparation for his comming And if the Bride-groome should now come how many who thinke themselues wise enough and full of all knowledge would be found foolish Virgines without one droppe of the Oyle of sauing Faith in their lamps For the greatest wisedome of most men in this age consists in being wise first to deceiue others and in the end to deceiue themselues And if sometimes some good Booke haps into their hands or some good motion comes into their heads whereby they are put in minde to consider the vncertaintie of this life present or how weake assurance they haue of eternall life if this were ended and how they haue some secret sinnes for which they must needes repent here or be punished for them in Hell hereafter Securitie then forthwith whispers the Hypocrite in the Eare that though it be fit to thinke of these things yet It is not yet time and that hee is yet young enough though hee cannot but know that many millions as young as himselfe are already in hell for want of timely Repentance Presumption warrants him in the other Eare that hee may haue time hereafter at his leasure to repent and that howsoeuer others dye yet hee is farre enough from death and therefore may boldly take yet a longer time to enioy his sweete pleasures and to encrease his vvealth and greatnesse And hereupon like Salomons Sluggard he yeelds himselfe to a little more sleepe a little more slumber a little more folding of the hands to sleepe in his former sinnes till at last Despayre Securities ougly hand-maide comes in vnlooked for shewes him his Houre-glasse dolefully telling him that his time is past and that nothing now remaines but to dye and be damn'd Let not this seeme strange to any for too many haue found it too true more without more grace are like to be thus soothed to their end and in the end snared to their endlesse perdition In my desire therefore of the common saluation but especially of your Highnesse euerlasting Welfare I haue endeuoured to extract out of the Chaos of endlesse Controuersies the olde Practise of true PIETIE which flourished before these Controuersies were hatched which my poore labours in a short while comes now forth againe the third time vnder the gracious protection of your Highnesse fauour and by their entertainment seeme not to be altogether vnwelcome to the Church of Christ. If to be pious hath in all ages beene held true honour how much more honourable is it in so impious an age to be the true Patrone and Patterne of Pietie Pietie made Dauid Salomon Iehosaphat Ezechias Iosias Zerubbabel Constantine Theodosidus Edward the 6. Queene Elizabeth Prince Henry and other religious Princes to be so honoured that their names since their deaths smels in the Church of GOD like a precious oyntment and their remembrance is sweet as Hony in all mouthes and as Musicke at a banquet of Wine when as the liues of others who haue beene godlesse and irreligious Princes doe rot and stinke in the memory of Gods people And what honour is it for great men to haue great titles on earth when God counts their Names vnworthy to be written in his Booke of life in heauen It is Pietie that enbalmes a Prince his good name and make his face to shine before men and glorifieth his Soule among Angels For as Moses face by often talking with GOD shined in the eyes of the People so by frequent praying which is our talking with God and hearing the Word which is Gods speaking vnto vs we shall be changed from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord to the Image of the Lord. And seeing this life is vncertaine to all especially to Princes What argument is more fit both for Princes and People to study then that which teacheth sinfull man to deny himselfe by mortifying his corruption that hee may enioy Christ the Author of his saluation To renounce these false and momentanie pleasures of the world that he may attaine to the true and eternall ioyes of Heauen to make them truely honourable before God in Piety who are now onely honourable before men in vanitie What charges soeuer wee spend in earthly vanities for the most part they eyther dye before vs or wee shortly die after them but what we spend like Mary in the Practise of Pietie shall remaine our true memoriall for euer For Pietie hath the promise of this life and of that which shall neuer
end But without Pietie there is no internal comfort to be found in Conscience nor externall peace to be looked for in the World nor any eternall happinesse to be hoped for in Heauen How can Pietie but promise to her selfe a zealous Patrone of your Highnesse being the sole Sonne and Heyre of so gracious and great a Monarch who is not onely the defender of the faith by Title but also a defender of the Faith in truth as the Christian World hath taken notice by his learned confuting of Bellarmines ouer-spreading Heresies and his suppressing in the blade of Vorstius Athean blasphemies And how easie it is for your Highnesse to equall if not to exceede all that went before you in Grace and greatnesse if you doe but set your heart to seeke and to serue God considering how religiously your Highnesse hath beene educated by godly and vertuous Gouernours and Tutors as also that you liue in such a time wherin Gods prouidence and the Kings religious care haue placed ouer this Church to the vnspeakeable comfort thereof another venerable Iehoiada that doth good in our Israel both towards God and towards his house of whom your Highnesse at all times in all doubts may learne the sinceritie of Religion for the Saluation of your inward Soule and the vvisest counsell for the direction of your outward state And let that Exhortation of Dauid to his Sonne Salomon be euer in your Princely minde And thou Salomon my Sonne know thou the GOD of thy Father and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde for the LORD searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seeke him hee will be found of thee but if thou forsake him hee vvill cast thee off for euer To helpe you the better to seeke and to serue this GOD Almightie who must be your chiefe Protector in life and onely Comfort in death I here once againe on my bended knees offer my olde Mite new stampt into your Highnesse hands daily for your Highnesse offering vp vnto the most HIGH my humblest prayers that as you grow in age and stature so you may like your Master encrease in Wisedome and fauour with God and all good men This suite will I neuer cease In all other matters I will euer rest Your Highnesse humble Seruant during life to be commanded Lewes Bayly Ad CAROLVM Principem TOlle Malos extolle Pios cognosce Teipsum Sacra tene Paci consule disce pati To the deuout READER I Had not purposed to enlarge the last Edition saue that the importunitie of many deuoutly disposed preuailed with mee to adde some points and to amplifie others To satisfie whose godly requests I haue done my best indeuour and with all finished all that I entend in this argument If thou shalt hereby reape any more profit giue God the more praise and remember him in thy Prayers who hath vowed both his life and his labours to further thy saluation as his owne Farewell in the Lord Iesus The chiefe Contents of this BOOKE 1 A Plaine description of God in respect of his Essence Persons and Attributes so farre as euery Christian should competently endeuour to learne and know with sundry sweet obseruations and meditations therupon page 5 2 Meditations setting forth the miseries of a man in life and death that is not reconciled to God in Christ. page 75 3 Meditations of the blessed state both in life and death of a man that is reconciled to GOD in Christ wherein thou shalt finde not a few things worthy the reading and obseruation page 131 4 Meditations on 7. hinderances which keepe back a sinner from the Practise of Pietie necessary to be read of all but especially of carnall Gospellers in this age 222 5 How to begin the morning with piouâ— Mâ—ditations and prayers 300 6 How to reade the Bible with profit ease once ouer euery yeere 310 7 A Morning prayer 320 Another shorter Prayer for the Morning 343 Another briefe Morning Prayer 352 8 Meditations how to walk with God al the day 355 Especially how to guide thy thoughts ibid. Thy words 368 Thy Actions 379 9 Meditations for the Euening 397 10 An Euening Prayer 405 Another shorter euening Prayer 420 11 Things to be meditated vpon as thou art going to bed 426 12 Meditations for a godly Householder 430 13 A morning prayer for a Familie 438 14 Holy Meditations and Graces before and after dinner and supper 450 15 Rules to be obserued in singing of Psalmes 464 16 Euening Prayer for a Familie 468 17 A religious discourse of the Sabbath day wherein is proued that the Sabbath was altered from the seauenth to the first day of the weeke not by humane ordinance but by Christ himselfe his Apostles that the fourth Commandement is perpetuall and Morall vnder the new Testament as well as vnder the old And the true manner of sanctifying the Sabbath day is described out of the word of God 481 18 A Morning Prayer for the Sabbath day 581 19 An Euening Prayer for the Sabbath day 614 20 Meditations of the true manner of Fasting and giuing of Almes out of the word of God 625 21 The right manner of holy Feasting 661 22 Holy and deuout Meditations of the worthy reuerent receiuing of the Lords Supper 664 23 An humble Confession of sinnes before the holy Communion 748 24 A sweet Soliloquie to be said a little before the receiuing of the holy Sacrament 753 25 A Prayer to be said after the receiuing of the holy Sacrament 773 26 Meditations how to behaue thy selfe in the time of sicknesse 794 27 A Prayer when one beginnes to be sicke 797 28 Directions for making thy Will and setting thy house in order 809 29 A Prayer before taking of Physicke 818 30 Meditations for one that is recouered from sicknesse 842 And a thanksgiuing 847 31 Meditations for the sick taken from the ends of Gods chastisements 822 32 Meditations for one that is like to dye 856 33 A Prayer to be said of one that is like to die 872 34 Comfortable Meditations against despaire 879 35 Directions for those who come to visite the sicke 909 36 A Prayer to be said for the sicke 916 And choise scriptures to be read vnto him 924 37 Consolations against impatiencie in sicknes 926 38 Consolations against the feare of death 933 39 7. sanctified thoughts and so many spirituall sighes fit for a sicke man that is like to dye 942 40 Of the comfortable vse of true Absolution and receiuing of the Lords Supper to the faithfull and penitent before they depart this life if they may conueniently be had 956 41 The last speech of a godly man dying 976 42 Meditations of Martyrdome wherein is proued that those who dye for Popery cannot be Christs Martyrs 979 43 A diuine Colloquie twixt Christ and the Soule concerning the vertue and efficacie of his dolorous passion 995 44 The Soules Soliloquie vnto
worke should carie the honour of the day Neither doth the honourable title of the Lords day diminish the glory of the Sabbath but rather being added augments the dignity thereof as the name Israel added vnto Iacob made the Patriarch the more renowned The reason taken from the example of Gods resting from the worke of the creation of the world continued in force till the Sonne of God ceased from the worke of the Redemption of the world and then the former gaue place to the latter 4 Because it was foretold in the olde Testament that the Sabath should be kept vnder the New Testament on the first day of the weeke For first in the 110. Psalme which is a Prophesie of Christ and his kingdome it is plainely foretold that there should be a solemne day of Assembling wherein all Christs people should willingly come together in the beauty of holinesse Insomuch that no raine of peace shall be vpon those Families that in that feast will not goe vp to Ierusalem the Church to worship the King the Lord of Hoasts Now on what day this holy feast and assembly should bee kept Dauid sheweth plainlie in Psal. 118. which was a prophesie of Christ as appeares Matth. 21.42 Act. 4.11 Ephes. 2.20 as also by the consent of all the Iewes as Ierome witnesseth For shewing how Christ by his ignominious death should be as a stone reiected of the builders or chiefe rulers of Iudea and yet by this glorious resurrection should become the chiefe stone of the corner hee wisheth the whole Church to keepe holy that day wherupon Christ should effect this wonderful worke saying This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce be glad in it And seeing that vpon this day that which Peter saith of Christ appeareth to be true That God made him both Lord and and Christ. Acts 2.36 And therefore the whole Church vnder the New Testament must celebrate the day of Christs resurrection Rabbi Bachay also saw by the fall of Adam on the 6. day that on the same day Messias should finish the worke of mans redemption And alluding to the speech of Boaz to Ruth Sleepe vnto the morning that Messias should rest in his graue all their Sabbath day And he gathereth from that Speech Gen. 1. on the first day Let there be light that the Messias should rise on the First day of the weeke from death to life and cause the spirituall light of the Gospell to enlighten the world that lay in the shadow of darkenesse and death The Hebrew author of the Booke called Sedar Olam Rabba cap. 7. recordeth many memorable things which were done vpon the first day of the weeke as so many types that the chiefe worship of God should vnder the New Testament be celebrated vpon this day As That on this day the cloude of Gods Maiesty first sate vpon his people Aaron and his children first executed their Priesthood God first solemnly blessed his people The Princes of his people first offered publikely vnto God The first day wherein fire descended from heauen The first day of the world of the yeere of moneths of the weeke c. All shadowing that it should be first and chiefe holy-day of the New Testament Saint Austen prooueth by diuers places and reasons out of the holy Scripture that the Fathers and all the holy Prophets vnder the Old Testament did foresee and know that our Lords day was shadowed by their 8. day of Circumcision And that the Sabath should be changed from the 7. day to the 8. or first day of the weeke And Iunius out of Cyprian saith that Circumcision was commanded on the 8. day as a Sacrament of the 8. day when Christ should arise from the dead The Councell Foro Iuliense affirmes that Esay Prophesied of the keeping of the Sabath vpon the first day of the weeke If this mystery was so clearely seene by the Fathers vnder the shaddowes of the Old Testament sure the God of this world hath deepely blinded their mindes who cannot see the truth thereof vnder the shining light of the Gospell Therefore this change of the Sabath day vnder the New was nothing but a fulfilling of that which was prefigured and foreprophesied vnder the old Testament 5 According to their Lords minde and commandement and the derection of the holy Ghost which alway assisted them in their Ministeriall office the Apostles in all the Christian Churches which they planted ordained that the Christians should keepe the holy Sabath vpon that seauenth day which is the first day of the weeke Concerning the gathering for the Saints as I haue ordained in the Churches of Galatia so doe yee also Euery first day of the weeke c. When ye come together in the Church being the Lords day to eate the Lord Supper to remember and shew the Lords death till he come c. In which words note 1 That the Apostle ordained this day to bee kept holy therefore a diuine Institution 2 That the day is named the first day of the weeke therefore not the Iewish seauenth or any other 3 Euery first day of the weeke which sheweth a perpetuity 4 That it was ordained in the Churches of Galatia as well as of Corinth and hee setled one vniforme order in all the Churches of the Saints therefore it was vniuersall 5 That the exercises of this day were collections for the poore which appeares by Act. 2.42 and Iustine Martyrs testimony Apolog. 2. were gathered in the holy Assembly after Prayers Preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments therefore it was spirituall 6 That he will haue the collection though necessary remoued against his comming lest it should hinider his preaching but not their holy meeting on the Lords day for it vvas the time ordained for the publike worship of the Lord which argueth a necessity And in the same Epistle Saint Paul protesteth that he deliuered them none other ordinance or doctrine but what hee had receiued of the Lord. Insomuch that hee chargeth them that If any man thinke himselfe to bee a Prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge that the things that I write vnto you are the commandements of the Lord. But he wrote vnto them and ordained among them to keepe their Sabbath on the first day of the weeke therefore to keepe the Sabbath on that day is the very commandement of the Lord. And how can hee be eyther a true Prophet or haue any grace of Gods Spirit in his heart who seeing so clearely the Lords day to haue beene instituted and ordained by the Apostles vvill not acknowledge the keeping holy of the Lords day to be a Commandement of the Lord The Iewes confesse this change of the Sabbath to haue beene made by the Apostles Pet. Alphons in Dialog contr Iudaeos tit 12. they are therefore more blinde and sottish then the Iewes who prophanely denie it At Troas likewise
temptation is ready to betray the soule By death the soule shall be deliuered from this thraldome and this corruptible body shall put on incorruption and this mortall immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 Oh blessed thrice blessed be that death in the Lord which deliuers vs out of so euill a world and freeth vs from such a body of bondage and corruption The 3. sort of Meditations to consider what good death will bring vnto thee 1 DEath bringeth the godly mans soule to enioy an immediate communion with the blessed Trinitie in euerlasting blisse and glorie 2 It translates his soule from the miseries of this world the contagion of sinne and society of sinners to the Citie of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels And to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in Heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the soules of iust men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Couenant 3 Death putteth the soule into the actuall and full possession of all the inheritance and happinesse which Christ hath either promised vnto thee in his word or purchased for thee by his bloud This is the good and happinesse whereunto a blessed death will bring thee And what truly religious Christian that is young would not wish himselfe olde that his appointed time might the sooner approach to enter into this celestiall Paradise where thou maiest exchange thy brasse for gold thy vanity for felicity thy vilenesse for honour thy bondage for freedome thy lease for an inheritance and thy mortall statâ— for an immortall life Hee that doth not daily desire this blessednesse aboue all things of all others he is lesse worthy to enioy it If Cato Vticensis and Cleombrotus two heathen men reading Platoes booke of the Immortality of the soule did voluntarily the one breake his necke the other runne vpon his sword that they might the sooner as they thought haue enioyed those ioyes What a shame is it for Christians knowing those things in a more excellent measure and manner out of Gods owne booke not to bee willing to enter into these heauenly ioyes especially when their Master cals for them thither If therefore there be in thee any loue of God or desire of thine owne happinesse or saluation when the time of thy departing draweth neere that time I say and manner of death which GOD in his vnchangeable counsell hath appointed and determined before thou wast borne yeeld and surrender vp willingly and cheerefully thy soule into the mercifull hand of Iesus Christ thy Sauiour And to this ende when thine end is come as the Angell in the sight of Manoah and his wife ascended from the Altar vp to heauen in the flame of the sacrifice so endeauour thou that thy Soule in the sight of thy friends may from the Altar of a contrite heart ascend vp to heauen in the sweete perfume of this or the like spirituall sacrifice of Praier A Prayer for a sicke man when he is tolde that he is not a man for this world but must prepare himselfe to goe vnto GOD. O Heauenly Father who art the Lord God of the spirits of all flesh and hast made vs these soules and hast appointed vs the time as to come into this world so hauing finished our course to goe out of the same The number of my daies vvhich thou hast determined are now expired and I am come to that vtmost bound which thou hast appointed beyond which I cannot passe I know O Lord that if thou entrest into iudgement no flesh can bee iustifyed in thy sight And I O Lord of all others should appeare most impure and vniust for I haue not fought that good fight for the defence of thy faith and religion with that zeal and constancy that I should but for feare of displeasing the world I haue giuen â—ay vnto sinnes and errours and for desire to please my flesh I haue broken all thy commandements in thought word and deede so that my sinnes haue taken such hold on me that I am not able to looke vp and they are moe in number then the haires of my head If thou wilt straightly marke mine iniquitiâ—s O Lord where shall I stand If thou waighest me in the ballance I shall be found too light For I am voide of all righteousnesse that might merit thy mercy and loaden with all iniquities that most iustly deserue thy heauiest wrath But O my Lord and my GOD for Iesus Christ thy Sonnes sake in whom only thou art wel pleased with all penitent and beleeuing sinners take pitty and compassion vpon mee who am the chiefe of sinners blot out all my sinnes out of thy remembrance and wash away all my transgressions out of thy sight with the pretious bloud of thy Sonne which I beleeue that he as an vndefiled Lambe hath shed for the clensing of my sinnes In this faith I liued in this faith I die beleeuing that Iesus Christ died for my sinnes and rose againe for my iustification And seeing that he hath endured that death and borne the burthen of that Iudgement which was due vnto my sinnes O Father for his death and passions sake now that I am comming to appeare before thy Iudgement seat acquite and deliuer me from that fearfull Iudgement which my sinnes haue iustly deserued And performe with me that gracious and comfortable promise which thou hast made in thy Gospell That whosoeuer beleeueth in thee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into Iudgement but shall passe from death vnto life Strengthen O CHRIST my faith that I may put the whole confidence of my saluation in the merits of thy obedience and blood Encrease O holy Spirit my patience lay no more vpon me then I am able to beare and enable mee to beare so much as shall stand with thy blessed will and pleasure O blessed Trinity in vnity my Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier vouchsafe that as my outward man doth decay so my inward man may more more by thy grace and consolation encrease and gather strength O Sauiour put my soule in a readinesse that like a wise Virgin hauing the wedding Garment of thy righteousnesse and holinesse shee may be ready to meete thee at thy comming with oyle in her lampe Marrie her vnto thy selfe that shee may bee one with thee in euerlasting loue and fellowship O Lord reproue Sathan and chase him away Deliuer my soule from the power of the dogge Saue me from the Lions mouth I thanke thee O Lord for all thy blessings both spirituall and temporall bestowed vpon me especially for my Redemption by the death of my Sauiour Christ. I thanke thee that thou hast protected me with thy holy Angelâ— from my youth vp vntil now Lord I beseech thee giue them a charge to attend