that Almighty God is about thy bed and seeth thy down-lying and thy up-rising understandeth thy thoughts and is acquainted with all thy ways Remember likewise that his Holy Angels who guarded and watched over thee all night do also behold how thou wakest and risest Do all things therefore as in the awful presence of God and in the sight of his holy Angels 5. As thou art putting on thine apparel remember that they were first given as coverings of shame being the filthy effect of sin and that they were made but of the offails and excrements of dead Beasts Therefore whether thou respect the stuff or the first institution thou hast so little cause to be proud of them that thou hast great cause to be humbled at the sight and wearing of them seeing the richest apparel are but fine covers of the foulest shame Meditate rather That as thine apparel serves to cover thy shame and to fence thy body from cold so thou shouldest be as careful to cover thy soul with that wedding-garment which is the righteousness of Christ and because apprehended by our faith called the righteousness of the Saints Lest whilest we are richly apparalled in the sight of Men we be not found to walk naked so that all our filthiness be seen in â—he sight of God But that with his righteousness as with a Robe we may cover our selves from perpetual shame and shield our Souls from that fiery cold that will procure eternal weeping and gnashing of Teeth And withal consider how blessed a people were our Nation if every silken suit did cover a sanctified Soul And yet a Man would think that on whom God bestowed most of these outward blessings of them he shâ—uld receive greatest inward thanks But if it prove otherwise their reckoning will prove the heavier in the day of their accounts 6. Consider how God's Mercy is renewed unto thee every Morning in giving thee as it were a new life and in causing the Sun after his uncessant Race to rise again to give thee light Let not then his glorious light burn in vain but prevent rather as often as thou canst the Sun-rising to give God thanks and kneeling down at thy bed-side salute him at the day-spring with some devout Antelucanum or Morning Soliloqui containing an humble confession of thy sins the pardon of all thy faults a thanksgiving for all his benefits and a craving of his gracious protection to his Church thy self and all that do belong unto thee Brief directions how to read the Holy Scriptures once every year over with ease profit and reverence BUt for as much that as faith is the soul so reading and meditating of the Word of God are the Parents of Prayers therefore before thou prayest in the Morning first read a Chapter in the word of God then meditate a while with thy self how many excellent things thou canst remember out of it As first what good counsels or exhortations to good works and to holy life Second what threatnings of judgments against such and such a sin and what fearful examples of Gods punishment or vengeance upon such and such sinners Thirdly what blessings God promiseth to patience chastity mercy alms-deed zeal in his service charity faith and trust in God and such like Christian vertues Fourthly what gracious deliverances God hath wrought and what spâ—cial blessings he hath bestowed upon them who were his true and zealous servants Fifthly Apply these things to thine own heart and read not these Chapters as matters of Historical discourse but as if they were so many Letters or Epistles sent down from God out of Heaven unto thee for whatsoever is wâ—itten is written for our learning Rom 15. 4. Sixthly Read them therefore with that reverence as if God himself stood by and spake these words unto thee to excite thee to those virtues to dissuade thee from those vices assuring thy self that if such sins as thou readest there be found in thee without repentance the like plagues will fall upon thee but if thou doest practise the like piet and vertuous deeds the like blessiâ—gs shall come unto thee and thine In a word apply all that thou readest in H Scripture to one of these two heads chiefly either to confirm thy faith or to increase thy repentance for as Sustine Abstine bear and forbear was the Epitome of a good Philosopher's life so Crede Resipisee believe and repent is the whole sum of a true Christian's profession One Chapter thus read with understanding and meditated with application will better feed and comfort thy soul than five read and run over without marking their scope or sense or making any use thereof to thine own self If in this manner thou shalt read three Chapters every day one in the Morning and another at Noon and the third at Night reading so many Psalms instead of a Chapter as our Church Liturgy appoints for morning or evening Prayers thou shalt read over all the Canonical Scripture in a year except six Chapters which thou maist add to the task of the last day of the year The reading of the Bible in order will help thee the better to understand both the History and scope of the H. Scripture And as for the Apocrypha being but penned by Man's spirit thou maist read them at thy pleasure but believe them so far as they agree with the Canonical Scripture which is indited by the Holy Ghost But it may be thou wilt say that thy business will not permit thee so much time as to read every morning a Chapter c. O Man remember that thy life is but short and that all this business is but for the use of this short life but salvation or damnation is everlasting Rise up therefore every morning by so much time the earlier defraud thy foggy flesh of so much sleep but rob not thy soul of her food nor God of his service and serve the Almighty duly whilst thou hast time and health Having thus read thy Chapter as thou art about to pray remember that God is a God of holiness whereof he warneth us by repeating so often Be ye holy for I am holy And when he devoured with a sudden fire Nadab and Abihu for offering unto him incense with strange fire like those now-a-days who offer Prayers from hearts fraught with the fire of lust and malice the Lord would give no other reason of his judgment but this I will be sanctified in them that come near me As if he should have said If I cannot be sanctified by them who are my servants in serving me with that holiness that they should I will be sanctified on them by confounding them with my just judgments which their lewdness doth deserve God therefore cannot abide any wilful uncleanness or filthiness in them who serve him insomuch that he commanded the Israelites That when they were in
blessed â—eath Say cheerfully Come Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 thy Servant cometh unto thee I am willing Lord help my weakness Seven sanctified Thoughts and mournful Sighs of a sick Man ready to die NOW forasmuch as God of his infinite mercy doth so temper ouâ— pain and sickness that we are not always oppressed with extremity but gives us in the midst of our extremities some â—espite to ease and refresh our selves thou mâ—st have an espâ—cial caâ—e considâ—ring how short a 〈◊〉 thou hast either for ever to lose or to obtain Heaven to make use of every breathing time which God doth afford thâ— and during that 〈…〉 time of ease 〈…〉 roweth with all his force to arrive at the wished Port and that the Traveller never resteth till he come to his Journeys end we fear to descry our Port and therefore would put back our Bark to be longer tossed in this continual tempest We weep to see our jorneys end and therefore desire our journey to be lengthened that we might be more tired with a foul and cumbersome way The Spiritual Sigh thereupon O Lord this life is but a troublesome pilgrimage few in days but full in evils and I am weary of it by reason of my sins Let me therefore O Lord intreat thy Majesty in this my bed of sickness as Elias did under the Juniper tree in his affliction It is now enough O Lord that I have lived so long in this vale of misery take my soul into thy merciful hands for I am no better than my Fathers The Second Thought THink with what a body of sin thou art loaden what great civil wars are contained in a little world the flesh fighting against the Spirit Passion against Reason Earth against Heaven and the World within thee bending it self for the World without thee and that but 〈◊〉 only means remains to end this conflictâ— death which in God's appointed time will separate thy spirit from thy flesh the pure and regenerate part of thy Soul from that part which is impure and unregenerated The spiritual Sigh upon the second Thought OWretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death O my sweet Saviour Jesus Christ thou hast redeemed me with thy precious blood And be cause thou hast delivered my soul from sin minâ— eyes from tears and my feet from falling I do here from the very bottom of my heart ascribe the whole praise and glory of my salvation to thy only grace and mercy saying with the holy Apostle Thanks be unto God which hath given me the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Third Thought THink how it behoves thee to be assured that thy soul is Christ's for death hath taken sufficient gages to assure himself of thy bodâ— in that all thy senses be all ready to die save only the sense of pain but sith the beginning of thy being began with pâ—in marvel the less it thy end conclude with dolours But if these temporal dolours which only afflict the body be so painful O Lord who can endure the devouring fire who can abide the everlasting burning The spiritual Sigh upon the third Thought O Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the living God who art the only Physician that caâ—st ease my body from pain and restore my soul to life eternal put thy 〈◊〉 Cross and Death betwixt my 〈◊〉 and thy Judgments and let the merits of thy obedience stand betwixt thy Father's justice and my disobedience and from these bodily pains receive my Soul iâ—to thine everlasting peace for I cry unto thee with Stephen Lord Jesus receive my Spirit The Fourth Thought THink that the worst that Death can do is but to send thy Soul sooner than thy flesh would be willing to Christ and his heavenly Joys remember that that Christ is thy best hope â—he worst therefore of death is rather a help than a harm The spiritual Sigh upon the Fourth Thought O Lord Jesus Christ the Saviour of all them that put their trust in thee fâ—rsake â—or him that in misery flâ—â—â—h unto thy graceâ— fâ—â— succour and mercy Oh sound that sweet Voice in the ears of my Soul which thou spakest unto the penitent thief on the cross This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise For I O Lord do with the Apostle from my Soul speak unto thee I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. The Fifth Thought THiâ—k if thou fearest to die That in Mount Sâ—on there is no Death for â—e that believeth in Christ shall never die And if thou desirest to live without 〈◊〉 the life eternal whereunto this 〈…〉 their miseries live with Christ in joys and thither shall all the godly which survive be gathered out of their troubles to enjoy with him eternal rest The Spiritual Sigh on the Fifth Thought O Lord thou seest the malice of Satan who not contenting himself like a roaring Lion all the days and nights of our life to seek our destruction shews himself busiest when thy Children are weakest and nearest to their end O Lord reprove him and preserve my Soul He seeks to terrifie me with death which my sins have deserved but let thy Holy Spirit comâ—ort my Soul with the assurance of eternal life which thy Blood hath purchased Asswage my pain increase my patience and if it be thy blessed will end my troubles for my Soul beseecheth thee with old blessed Simeon Lord now let me thy servant depart in peace according to thy word The Sixth Thought THink with thy self what a blessing God hath bestowed upon thee above many millions in the world that whereas they are either Pagans who worship not the true God or Idolaters who worship the true God falsly thou hast lived in a true Christian Church and hast grace to die in the true Christian Faith and to be buried in the Sepulchre of God's Servants who all wait for the hope of Israel and raising of their Bodies in the resurrection of the Just. The spiritual Sigh upon the sixth Thought O Lord Jesus Christ who art the Resurrection and the life in whom whosoever believeth shall live tho' he were dead I believe that whosover liveth and believeth in thee shall never die I know that I shall rise again in the Resurrection of the last day for I am sure that thou my Redeemer livest And tho' that after my death worms destroy this body yet I shall see thee my Lord and my God in this flesh Grant therefore O Christ for thy bitter death and passions sake that at that day I may be one of them to whom thou wilt pronounce that joyful sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world The Seventh Thought THink with thy self how Christ endured for thee a cursed death and the wrath of God which was due unto thy sins and what
and the Son by proceeding These are incommunicable Actions and â—o make not an essential accidental or â—ational but a real distinction betwixt the â—hree persons So that he who is the Father â—n the Trinity is not the Son He who â—s the Son in the Trinity is not the Faâ—her He who is the holy Ghost in the Triâ—ity is neither the Son nor the Father â—ut the Spirit proceeding from both â—hough there is but one and the same Essence common to all three As thereâ—ore we believe that the Father is God he Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God â—o we likewise believe that God is the Faâ—her God is the Son and God is the Holy Ghost But by reason of this real distinction the Person of the one is not nor ever can be the Person of the other The three Persons therefore of the Godhead do not differ from the Essence but formally but they differ really one from another aâ—d so are distinguished by their hypostatical proprieties As the Father is God begetting God the Son the Son is God begotten of God the Father and the holy Ghost is God proceeding from both God the Father and God the Son Hence it is that the Scriptures use the name of God two manner of ways Either Essentially and then it signifieth the three Persons conjointly or Personally and then by a Synecdoche it signifieth but one of the three Persons in the God-head As the Father 1 Tim. 2. 5. or the Son Act. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 16. or the holy Ghost Acts 5. 4. 2 Cor. 6. 16. And because the Divine Essence common to all the three Persons is but one we call the same Vnity But because there be three distinct Persons in this one indivisible Essence we call the same Trinity So that this Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity is a holy Mystery rather to be religiously adored by faith than curiously searched by reason further than God hath revealed in his Word Thus far of the diverse manner of being in the Divine Essence now of the Attributes thereof ATtributes are certain descriptions of the Divine Essence delivered in the Scriptures according to the weakness of of our capacity to help us the better to understand the nature of God's Essence and to discern it from all other Essences The Attributes of God are of two sorts either nominal or real The Nominal Attributes are of Three sorts 1. Those which signifie God's Essence 2. The Persons in the Essence 3. Those which signifie his Essential works Of the first sort is the Name Jehovah or rather Jehueh which signifieth eternal being of himself in whom being without all beginning and end all other beings both begin and end Isa. 42 8. Psal 83. 18. God tells Moses Exod. 6. 3. That he was not known to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by his Name Jehovah Not but that they knew this to be the Name of God for they used it in all their Prayers but because they lived not to see God effecting indeed that which he promised them in graciously delivering their â—eed out of Egypt and in giving them the real possession of Canaan's Land and so to be not only God Almighty by whom all things were made but also performing indeed to the Children that which he promised in his word to the Fathers which this Name Jehovah especially signifieth And for this cause Moses calls God first Jehovah when the universal creation had its absolute being Gen. 2. 4. And this Admirable Name is graven on the Decalogues forehead which was pronounced upon the Israelites deliverance to be the Rule of Righteousness after which they should serve their Deliverer in the promised Land This Name is so full of Divine Mysteries that the Jews hold it a sin to pronounce it but if it be no sin to write it why should it be unlawful to pronounce it This holy Name of God teacheth us First What God is in himself namely an eternal being of himself Secondly How he is unto others because that from him all other Creatures have received their being Thirdly That we may confidently believe his promises for he is named Jehovah not only in respect of being and causing all things to be but especially in respect of his gracious promises which without fail he will fulfil in his appointed time and so cause that to be which was not before And so this Name is a golden pledge unto us that because he hath promised he will surely upon our repentance forgive us all our sins at the time oâ— death receive our Souls and in the resurrection raise up our Bodies in glory to life everlasting The second Name denoting God's Essence is Ehejeh but once read Exod. 3. 14 of the same root that JEHOVAH is and signifieth I AM or I WILL BE for when Moses asked God by what Name he should call him God then named himself Ehejeh Asher Ehejeh I am thaâ— I am or I will be that I will be signifying that he is an eternal unchangeable Being for seeing every Creature is temporary and mutable no Creature can say Ero qui ero I will be that I will be This name in the New Testament is given to our Lord Christ when he is called Alpha and Omega The beginning and the ending which is which was and which is to come The Almighty Apoc. 1. 8. For all time past and to come is aye present before God And to this name Christ himself alludeth Joh 8. 58. Before Abraham was I AM. This Name should teach us likewise to have always present in our minds our first Creation present Corruption and future Glorification and not content our selves with I was good or I will be good but to be good presently that when ever God sends for us he may find us prepared for him The third name is Jah which as it comes of the same root so is it the contract of Jehovah and signifieth Lord because he is the beginning and Being of Beings It is a name for the most part ascribed unto God when some notable deliverance or benefit comes to pass according to his former promise and therefore all Creatures in Heaven and Earth are commanded to celebrate and praise God in this Name Jah The fourth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord used often in the New Testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth I am Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the first Essence of a thing or authority when it is absolutely given to God it answereth to the Hebrew name Jehovah and is so translated by the seventy Interpreters for God is so a Lord that he is of himself Lord of all This Name should always put us in remembrance to obey his Commandments and to fear his Judgments and submit our selves to his blessed Will and Pleasure saying with Eli It is the Lord let
and receiving of the Sacrament to the knowledge of thy saving grace and obedience of thy blessed will for that thou hast bought and redeemed me with the blood of thine only begotten Son from the torments of Hell amd thrall of Satan for that thou hast by faith in Christ freely justified me who am by nature the Child of wrath for that thou hast in good measure sanctified me by thy holy Spirit and given me so large a time to repent together with the means of repentance I thank thee likewise good Lord for my life health wealth food raiment peace prosperity and plenty and for that thou hast preserved me this night from all perils and dangers of body and soul and hast brought me lafe to the beginning of this day And as thou hast now wakned my body from sleep so I beseech thee waken my soul from sin and carnal security and as thou hast caused the light of the day to shine in my bodily eyes so good Lord cause the light of thy Word and holy Spirit to illuminate my heart and give me grace as one of thy children of light to walk in all holy obedience before thy face this day and that I may endeavour to keep faith and a clear conscience towards thee and towards all men in all my thoughts words and dealings And so good Lord bless all my studies and actions which I shall take in hand this day as that they may tend to thy glory the good of others and the comfort of mine own Soul and Conscience in that day when I shall make my final accounts unto thee for them Oh my God keep thy servant that I do no evil unto any man this day and let it be thy blessed will not to suffer the Devil nor his wicked Angels nor any of his evil Members or any malicious enemies to have any power to do me any hurt or violence But let the eye of thy holy providence watch over me for good and not for evil and command thy holy Angels to pitch their Tents round about me for my defence and safety in me going out and coming in as thou hast promised they should do about them that fear thy Name For into thy hands O Father I do here commend my soul and body my actions and all that ever I have to be guided defended and protected by thee being assured that whatsoever thou takest into thy custody cannot perish nor suffer any hurt or harm And if I at any time this day shall through frailty forget thee yet Lord I beseech thee do thou in mercy remember me And I pray not unto thee O Father for my self alone but I beseech thee also be merciful unto thy whole Church and chosen people wheresoever they live upon the face of the earth Defend them from the Rage and Tyranny of the Devil the World and Antichrist Give thy Gospel a free and a joyful passage through the world for the conversion of those who belong to thine Election and Kingdom Bless the Churches and Kingdoms wherein we live with the continuance of Peace Justice and true Religion Defend the King's Majesty from all his Enemies and grant him a long life in health and all happiness to reign over us Bless our gracious Queen Mary Prince Charles the Lady Mary the Lady Elizabeth and her Princely Issue Increase in them all heroical gifts and spiritual graces which may make them fit for those places for which thou hast ordained them Direct all the Nobility Bishops Ministers and Magistrates of this Church and Common-wealth to govern the Commons in true religion justice obedience and tranquility Be merciful unto all the Brethren which fear thee and call upon thy name and comfort as many among them as are sick and comfortless in body or mind especially be favourable to all such as suffer any trouble or persecution for the testimony of thy truth and holy Gospel And give them a gracious deliverance out of all their troubles which way it shall seem best to thy Wisdom for the glory of thy Name the further enlarging of the truth and the more ample increase of their own Comfort and Consolation Hasten thy coming O blessed Saviour and end these sinful days And give me grace that like a wife Virgin I may be prepared with oil in my Lamp to meet thee the sweet Bridegroom of my Soul at thy coming whether it be by the day of Death or of Judgment and then Lord Jesus come when thou wilt even Lord Jesus come quickly These and all other graces which thou knowest needful and necessary for me this day and evermore I humbly beg and crave at thy hands O Father giving thee thy glory in that form of Prayer which Christ himself hath taught me to say unto thee Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name c. Meditations to stir us up to Morning Prayer IF when thou art about to pray Satan shall suggest that thy Prayers are too long and that therefore it were better either to omit Prayers or else to cut them shorter meditate that Prayer is thy spiritual sacrifice wherewith God is well pleased and therefore it is so displeasing to the Devil and so irksome to thy Flesh. Bend therefore thy Affections will they nill thy to so holy an exercise assuring thy self that it doth by so much the more please God by how much the more it is unpleasing to thy flesh 2. Forget not how the Holy Ghost puts at down as a special note of reprobates they call not upon the Lord they call not upon God And when Eliphaz supposed that Job had cast off the fear of God and tha◠God had cast Job out of his favour he chargeth him that he restrained prayer 〈◊〉 God making that a sure none of the 〈◊〉 and a sufficient cause of the other On the other side that God hath promised that whosoever shall call on his name shall be saved It is certain that he who maketh no conscience of the duty of Prayer hath no grace of the holy Spirit in him For the spirit of grace and of prayer are one And therefore Grace and Prayer go together But he that can from a penitent heart morning and evening pray unto God it is sure that he hath his measure of grace in this world and he shall have his portion of glory in the life which is to come 3. Remember that as loathing of meat and painfulness of speaking are two symptoms of a sick body So irkesomness of praying when thou talkest with God and carelesness in hearing when God by his Word speaks unto thee are two sure signs of a sick Soul 4. Call to mind the zealous devotions of the Christians in the Primitive Church who spent many whole nights and vigils in watching and praying for the forgiveness of
man to travel in and the night for him to take his rest so I beseech thee sanctifie unto me this night's rest and sleep that I may enjoy the same as thy sweet blessing and benefit That so this dull and wearied body of mine being refreshed with moderate sleep and rest I may be the better enabled to walk before thee doing all such good works as thou hast appointed when it shall please thee by thy divine Power to waken me the next morning And whilst I sleep do thou O Lord who art the keeper of Israel that neither slamberest nor sleepest watch over me in thy holy providence to protect me from all dangers so that neither the evil Angels of Satan nor any wicked enemy may have any power to do me any harm or evil And to this end give a charge unto thy holy Angels that they at thine appointment may pitch their tents round about me for my defence and safety as thou hast promised that they should do about them that fear thy name And knowing that thy name is a strong Tower of defence unto all those that trust therein I here recommend my self and all that do belong unto me unto thy holy protection and custody If it be thy blessed will to call for me in my sleep O Lord for Christ his sake have mercy upon me and receive my soul into thy heavenly kingdom And if it be thy blessed pleasure to add more days unto my Life O Lord add more amendment unto my days and wean my mind from the love of the world and worldly vanities and cause me more and more to settle my conversation on heaven and heavenly things And perfect daily in me that good work which thou hast begun to the glory of thy Name and the salvation of my sinful soul. O Lord I beseech thee likewise save and defend from all evil and danger thy whole Church our King Charles Queen Mary the noble and hopeful Prince Charles with the rest of the Royal Progeny the religious Lady Elizabeth the King 's only Sister and her Princely Issue keep them all in the sincerity of thy Truth and prosper them in all grace and happiness Bless the Nobility Ministers and Magistrates of these Churches and Kingdoms each of them with those graces which are expedient for their place and calling And be thou O Lord a comfort and consolation to all thy people whom thou hast thought meet to visit with any kind of sickness cross or calamity Hasten O Father the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Make me ever mindful of my last end and of the reckoning that I am to make unto thee therein and in the mean while careful so to foâ—â—ow Christ in the regeneration during this life as that with Christ I may have a portion in the resurrection of the just when this mortal life is ended These graces and all other blessings which thou O Father knowest to be requisite and necessary for me I humbly beg and crave at thy hands in the name and meditation of Jesus Christ thy Son and in that form of Prayer which he himself hath taught me to say unto thee Our Father which art in Heaven c. Another short Evening Prayer O Eternal God and heavenly Father if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy Gospel and the examples of Peter Mary Magdalen the Publican the Prodigal child and many other penitent sinners that thou art so full of Compassion and so ready to forgive the greatest sinners who are heaviest laden with sin at what time soever they return unto thee with penitent hearts lamenting their sins and imploring thy grace I should despair for mine own sins and be utterly discouraged from presuming to come into thy presence considering the hardness of my heart the unruliness of my affections and the uncleanness of my conversation by means whereof I have trangressed all thy laws and deserved thy curse which might cause my body to be smitten with some fearful disease my soul to languish with the death of sin my good name to be traduced with scandalous reproaches and make mine estate liable to all manner of crosses and casualties And I confess O Lord that thy mercy is the cause that I have not been long ago confounded But O my God as thy mercy only staied thy judgment from falling upon me hitherto so I humbly beseech thee in the bowels of the mercy of Jesus Christ in whom only thou art well pleased that thou wilt not deal with me according to my deserts but that thou wouldst freely and fully remit unto me all my sins and transgressions and that thou wouldst wash them clean from me with the vertue of that most precious blood which thy Son Jesus Christ hath shed for me For he alone is the Phâ—sician and his blood only is the medicine that ean heal my sickness And he is the true brazen Serpent that can cure that poison wherewith the fiery Serpent of my sins have stung and poisoned my sick and wounded soul. And give me I beseech thee thine holy Spirit which may assure me of mine adoption and that may confirm my faith encrease my repentance enlighten my understanding purifie my heart rectifie my will and affections and so sanctifie me â—hroughout that my whole body soul and spiâ—it may be kept unblameable until the glorious â—oming of my Lord Jesus Christ. And now O Lord I give thee most hearty thanks â—nd praise for that thou hast this day preserved me from all harms and perils notwithstanding all my sins and ill deserts And I beseech thee likewise defend me â—his night from the roaring Lyon which â—ight and day seeketh to devour me Watch â—hou O Lord over me this night to keep â—e from his temptations and tyranny and â—et thy mercy shield me from his unappeaâ—ble rage and malice And to this end I â—ommend my self into thy hands and proâ—ection beseeching thee O my Lord and God not to suffer Satan nor any of his eâ—il members to have power to do unto me â—ny hurt or violence this night And grant â—ood Lord that whether I sleep or wake â—ve or die I may sleep wake live and die â—nto thee and to the glory of thy name â—nd the salvation of my soul. Lord bless â—nd defend all thy chosen People every â—here Grant our King a long and happy â—eign over us Bless our gracious Queen Mary with their Princely Progeny the â—ady Elizabeth the King 's only Sister and â—er Princely Issue together with all our â—agistrates and Ministers comfort them â—ho are in misery need or sickness good â—ord give me grace to be one of those â—ise Virgins which may have my heart â—repared like a Lamp furnished with the 〈◊〉 of faith and light of good works to meet the Lord Jesus the sweet Bridegroom of my soul
Not that Christ is brought down from Heaven to the Sacrament but that the holy Spirit by the Sacrament lifts up his mind unto Christ not by any local mutation but by a devout affection so that in the holy contemplation of Faith he is at that present with Christ and Christ with him And thus believing and meditating how Christ his Body was crucified and his precious blood shed for the remission of his sins and the reconciliation of his Soul unto God his Soul is hereby more effectually fed in the assurance of eternal Life than Bread and Wine can nourish his Body to this Temporal life There must be therefore of necessity in the Sacrament both the outward signs to be visibly seen with the eyes of the Body and the Body and Blood of Christ to be spiritually discerned with the Eye of Faith But the form how the Holy Ghost makes the Body of Christ being absent from us in place to be present with us by our union S. Paul terms a great mystery such as our understanding cannot worthily comprehend The Sacramental Bread and Wine therefore are not bare signifying signs but such as wherewith Christ doth indeed exhibite and give to every worthy Receiver not only his divine virtue and efficacy but also his very Body and Blood as verily as he gave to his Disciples the Holy Ghost by the sign of his sacred breath or health to the diseased by the Word of his mouth or touch of his hand or garment And the apprehension by faith is more forcible than the exquisitest comprehension of Sense or Reason To conclude this point this holy Sacrament is that blessed Bread which being eaten opened the eyes of the Emauites that they knew Christ. This is that Lordly Cup by which we are all made to drink into one Spirit This is that Rock flowing with honey that reviveth the fainting spirits of every true Jonathan that tasts it with the mouth of Faith This is that barley loaf which tumbling from above strikes down the tents of the Midianites of infernal darkness Elias's Angelical Cake and Water preserved him forty days in Horeb and Manna Angels food fed the Israelites forty years in the wilderness but this is that true Bread of life and heavenly Manna which if we shall duely eat will nourish our souls for ever unto life eternal How should then our Souls make unto Christ thâ—t request from a spiritual desire which the Capernaites did from a carnal motion Lord evermore give us this bread The fifth end of the Lords Supper 5. To be an assured pledge unto us of our Resurrection The Resurrection of a Christian is Twofold First the spiritual Resurrection of our Souls in this life from the death of sin called the first Resurrection because that by the Trumpet-voice of Christ in the preaching of the Gospel we are raised from the death of sin to the life of Grace Blessed and holy is he saith St. John who hath part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death hath no power The Lord's Supper is both a mean and a pledge unto us of this spiritual and first Resurrection He that eateth me even he shall live by me And then we are fit guests to sit at the table with Christ when like Lazarus we are raised from the death of sin to newness of life The truth of this first Resurrection will appear by the motion wherewith they are internally moved for if when thou art moved to the duties of Religion and practice of Piety thy heart answereth with Samuel Here I am speak Lord for thy servant heareth and with David O God my heart is ready And with Paul Lord what wilt thou have me to do Then surely thou art raised from the death of sin and hast thy part in the first Resurrection but if thou remainest ignorant of the true grounds of Religion and findest in thy self a kind of secret loathing of the exercises thereof and must be drawn as it were against thy will to do the works of Piety c. then surely thou hast but a name that thou livest but thou art dead as Christ told the Angel of the Church of Sardis and thy soul is but as salt to keep thy body from stinking 2. The corporal resurrection of our bodies at the last day which is called the second resurrection which freeth us from the first death He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eterraâ— life and I â—id raise him up at the last day For this Sacrament signifieth and fealeth unto us that Christ died and rose again for us and that his flesh quickeneth and nourisheth us unto eternal life and that therefore our bodies shall surely be raised to eternal life at the last day For seeing our head is risen all the members of the body shall likewise surely rise again For how can those bodies which being thâ— weapons of righteousness Rom. 16. 13. Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19 and members of Christ have been fed and nourished with the Body and Blood of the Lord of life but be raised up again at the last day And this is the cause that the bodies of the Saints being dead are so reverently buried and laid to sleep in the Lord. And their burial places are termed the beds and dormitories of the Saints The Reprobates shall arise at the last day but by the Almighty Power of Christ as he is Judge bringing them as malefactors out of the Gaol to receive their sentence and deserved execution but the Elect shall arise by virtue of Christ's Resurrection and of the Communion which they have with him as with their Head And his Resurrection is the cause and assurance of ours The Resurrection of Christ is a Christian 's particular faith the Resurrection of the dead is the Child of God's chiefest confidence Therefore Christians in the Primitive Church were wont to salute one another in the Morning with these Phrases The Lord is risen and the other would answer True the Lord is risen indeed The sixth end of the Lord's Supper 6. To seal unto us the assurance of everlasting Life Oh what more wished or loved than life Or what do all men naturally more either fear or abhor than death Yet is this first death nothing if it be compared with the second death neither is this Life any thing worth in comparison of the Life to come If therefore thou desirest to be assured of eternal life prepare thy self to be a worthy receiver of this blessed Sacrament For our Saviour assureth us That if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world He therefore who duly eateth of this holy Sacrament may truly say not only Credo vitam eternam I
Journey towards God 2. If thou hast Children give to every one of them a Portion according to thy ability in thy life-time that thy life may seem an ease and not a yoak unto them yet so give as that thy Children may still be beholden unto thee and noâ— thou unto them But if thou keep all iâ— thy hands whilst thou livest they may thank Death and not thee for the portion that thou leavest them If thou hast nâ— Children and the Lord hath blest theâ— with a great portion of the goods of thiâ— World and if thou meanest to bestow them upon any charitable or pious uses put not over that good work to the trusâ— of others seeing thou seest how most oâ— other mens Executors prove almost Exeâ—cutioners And if Friends be so unfaithfuâ—â— in a man's life how much greater causâ— hast thou to distrust their fidelity afteâ— thy death Lamentable experience sheweth how many dead men's Wills have of laâ— either been quite concealed utterly overthrown or by cavils and quirks of Law frustrated or altered whereas by the Law of God the will of the dead should not be violated but all his godly intentions conscionably performed and fulfilled as in the sight of God who in the Day of the Resurrection will be just Judge both of the quick and dead And if any thing should hap in his Will to be ambiguous or doubtful it should be construed as it might come nearest to the Honour of God and the honest Intention of the Testator But let the vengeance due to such unchristian Deeds light on the Actors that do them not on the Kingdom wherein they are suffered to be done And let other rich Men be warned by such wretched examples not so to marry their Minds to their Money as that they will do no good with their Goods till Death divorceth them Considering therefore the shortness of thine own life and the uncertainty of others just dealing after thy death in these unjust days let me advise thee whom God hath blessed with ability and an intent to do good to become in thy life time thine own Administrator make thine own Hands thine Executors and thine own Eyes thy Over-seers cause thy Lanthorn to give her light before thee and not behind thee give God the Glory and thou shalt receive of him in due time the reward which of his grace and mercy he hath promised to thy good works 4. Having thus set thy House and Soul in order if the determined number of thy days be not expired God will either have mercy upon thee and say Spare him O killing Malady that he go not down into the pit for I have received a reconciliation Or else his Fatherly providence will direct thee to such a Physician and to such means as that by his blessing upon their endeavours thou shalt recover and be restored to thy former Health again But in any wise take heed that thou nor none for thee send unto Sorcerers Wizards Charmers or Inchanters for help for this were to leave the God of Israel and to go to Baal-zebub the God of Ekron for help as did wicked Ahaziah and to break thy Vow which thou hast made with the blessed Trinity in thy Baptism and be sure that God will never give a Blessing by those means which he hath accursed but if he permit Satan to cure thy Body fear lest it tend to the damnation of thy Soul Thou art tried beware 5. When thou hast sent for the Physician take heed that thou put not thy trust rather in the Physician than in the Lord as Asa did of whom it is said that he sought not to the Lord in his Disease but to the Physician which is a kind of Idolatry that will increase the Lord's anger and make the Physick received uneffectual Use therefore the Physician as God's Instrument and Physick as God's Means And seeing it is not lawful without Prayer to use ordinary food 1 Tim. 4. 4. much less extraordinary Physick whose good effect depends upon the blessing of God before thou takest thy Physick pray therefore heartily unto God to bless it unto thy use in these or the like words A Prayer before taking of Physick O Merciful Father who art the Lord of health and of sickness of life and of death who killest and makest alive who bringest down to the grave and raisest up again I come unto thee as to the only Physician who canst cure my Soul from sin and my Body from sickness I desire neither life nor death but refer my self to thy most holy Will For tho' we must needs die and being dead our lives are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gather'd up again yet hath thy gracious Providence whilst liâ—â— remaineth appointed means which thou wilt have thy Children to use and by the lawful use thereof to expect thy blessing upon thine own means to the curing of their sickness and restitution of their health Aâ—d now O Lord in this my necessity I have according to thine Ordinance seâ—t for thy Servant the Physician who hath prepared for me this Physick which I receive as means sent from thy fatherly hand I beseech thee therefore that as by thy blessing on a lâ—â—p of dry Figs thou didst heal Hezekiah's sore that he recovered and by seven times washing in the river of Jordan didst cleanse Naaman the Syrian of his Leprosie and didst restore the Man that was blind from his birth by anointing his Eyes with Clay and Spittle and sending him to wash in the Pool of Siloam and by touching the hand of Peter's Wife's Mother didst cure her of her Fever and didst restore the Woman that touched the hem of thy Garment from her bloody Issue So it would please thee of thine infinite goodness and mercy to sanctifie this Physick to my use and to give such a blessing unto it that it may if it be thy Will and Pleasure remove this my sickness and â—ain and restore me to health and strength again But if the number of those days which thou hast appointed for me to live in this Vale of misery be at an end and that thou hast sent this sickness as thy Messenger to call me out of this mortal life then Lord let thy blessed will be done for I submit my will to thy most holy Pleasure Only I beseech thee increase my faith and patience and let thy grace and mercy be never wanting unto me but in the midst of all extremities assist me with thy Holy Spirit that I may willingly and chearfully resign up my Soul the price of thine own Blood into thy most gracious hands and custody Grant this O Father for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory both now and evermore Amen Meditations for the sick WHilst thy sickness remaineth use often for thy comfort these
true believing Christian may in this life be assured of his salvation Rom. 8. 9 16 35 c. 18. That no man in this life since Adam's fall can perfectly fulfil the Commandments of God Rom. 7. 10 c. Rom. 3. 19 c. Rom. 11. 32. 19. That to place Religion in the difference of meats and days is superstition Rom. 14. 3. 5 6 17 23. 20. That the imputed righteousness of Christ is that only that makes us just before God Rom. 4. 9 17 23. 21. That Christ's flesh was made of the Seed of David by Incaâ—nation not of a Wafer Cake by Transubstantiation Rom. 1. 3. 22. That all true Christians are Saints and not those whom the Pope only doth Canonize Rom. 1. 7. Rom 8. 27. Rom. 15. 31. Rom. 16. 2. and 15. Rom. 15. 25. 23. That Ipse Christ the God of Peace and not Ipsa the Woman should bruise the Serpent's Head Rom. 16. 20. 24. That every soul must of conscience be subject and pay Tribute to the higher powers that is the magistrates which bear the Sword Rom. 13. 1 2. c. and therefore the Pope and all Prelates must be subject to their Emperors Kings and Magistrates unless they will bring damnation upon their souls as Traitors that resist God and his Ordinance Rom. 13. 2. 25. That Paul not Peter was ordained by the grace of God to be the chief Apostle of the Gentiles and consequently of Rome the chief City of the Gentiles Rom. 15. 15 16 19 20 c. Rom 11. 14. Rom. 16. 4. 26. That the Church of Rome may err and fall away from the true Faith as well as the Church of Jerusalem or any other particular Church Rom. 11. 20 21 22. And seeing the new upstart Church of Rome teacheth in all these and in innumerable other points clean contrary to that which the Apostle taught the Primitive Romans let God and this Epistle judge betwixt them and us whether of us both stands in the true ancient Catholick Faith which the Apostle taught the old Romans And whether we have not done well to depart from them so far as they have departed from the Apostles Doctrine And whether it be not better to return to St. Paul's Truth than still to continue in Rome's Error And if this be true then let Jesuites and Seminary Priests take heed and fear lest it be not faith but faction not truth but treason not Religion but Rebellion beginning at Tiber and ending at Tyburn which is the cause of their deaths And being sent from a troublesome Apostatical See rather than from a peaceable Apostolical Seat because they cannot be suffered to perswade Subjects to break their Oaths and to withdraw their Allegiance from their Sovereign to raise Rebellion to move Invasion to stab and poison Queens to kill and murther Kings to blow up whole States with Gun powder they desperately cast away their own bodies to be hanged quartered and their souls saved if they belong to God I wish such honour to all his Saints that sends them And I have just cause to fear that the miracles of Lipsius's Two Ladies Blunstone's Boy Garnet's Straw and the Maid's fiery Apron will not suffice to clear that these men are not Murtherers of themselves rather than Martyrs of Christ. And with what conscience can any Papist count Garnet a Martyr when his own conscience forced him to conâ—ess that it was for Treason and not for Religion that he died But if the Priests of such a Gunpowder Gospel be Martyrs I marvel who are Murtherers if they be Saints who are Scythians who are Canibals if they be Catholicks But leaving these if they will be filthy to their filthiness still let us to whose fidelity the Lord hath committed his true faith as a precious depositum pray unto God that we 〈◊〉 lead a holy life answerable to our holy faith in piety to Christ and obedience to oâ—r King that if our Saviour shall ever count us worthy that honour to suffer Martyrdom for his Gospel's sake be it by open burning at the stake as in Q. Mary's days or by secret murthering as in the Inquisition-house or by outragious massacring as in the Parisians Mattens in being blown up with Gun-powder as was intended in the Parliament-House we may have grace to pray for the assistance of his holy Spirit so to strengthen our frailty and to defend his cause as that we may seal with our deaths the evangelical truth which we have professed in our lives That in the days of our lives we may be blessed by his word in the day of Death be blessed in the Lord and in the day of judgment be the blessed of his Father Even so grant Lord Jesus Amen A Divine Colloquy betwixt the Soul and her Saviour concerning the effectual merits of his dolorous Passion Soul LOrd wherefore didst thou wash thy Disciples feet Christ To teach thee how thou shouldest prepare thy self to come to my Supper S. Lord why would'st thou wash them thy self C. To teach thee humility if thou wilt be my Disciple S. Lord wherefore didst thou before thy death institute thy last Supper C. That thou mightest the better remember my death and be assured that all the merits thereof are thine S. Lord wherefore would'st thou go to such a place where Judas knew to find thee C. That thou mightest know that I went as willingly to suffer for thy sin as ever thou wentest to any place to commit a sin S. Lord wherefore would'st thou begin thy passion in a Garden C. Because that in a Garden thy sin took first beginning S. Lord wherefore did thy three select Disciples fall so fast asleep when thou beganst to fall into thy agony C. To shew that I alone wrought the work of thy Redemption S. Lord why were there so many plots and snares laid for thee C. That I might make thee to escape all the snares of thy Ghostly Hunter S. Lord why would'st thou suffer Judas betraying thee to kiss thee C. That by enduring the words of dissembling Lips I might there begin to expiate sin where 〈◊〉 find brought it into the world S. Lord why would'st thee be sold for thiâ—ty pieces of Silver C. That I might free thee from perpetual bondage S. Lord why didst thou pray with such strâ—ng crying and tears C. That I might 〈◊〉 the fury of God's Justice which was so fiercely kindled against thee S. Lord why wast thou so afraid and cast â—nto such an Aâ—â—ny C. That 〈◊〉 the â—rath due to thy sins thou mightest be more secure in thy deâ—â—h and 〈◊〉 more comfort in thy crosse S. Lord wherâ—fâ—re 〈…〉 and so earnestly 〈…〉 〈◊〉 thee C. That 〈…〉 the horrour of that curseâ—◠〈…〉 being due to thy sin I was 〈…〉 and endure for thee S. Lord wherefore didst thou after 〈◊〉 wish submit thy will unto
the compass of thy calling distrust not God's Providence tho' thou see the means either wanting or weak And if means do offer themselves be sure that they be lawful and having gotten lawful means take heed that thou rely not more upon them than upon God himself Labour in a lawful calling is God's ordinary means by which he blesseth his children with outwards things Pray therefore for God's blessing upon his own means In earthly business bear an heavenly mind do thou thy best endeavour and commit the whole success to the fore-ordaining wisdom of Almighty God Never think to thrive by those means which God hath accursed That will not in the end prove gain which is gotten with the loss of thy Soul In all therefore both actions and means endeavour with Paul to have alway a clear conscience towards God and towards men Look to your selves what conscience ye have For conscience shall damn and conscience shall save 4. Love all good things for God's sake but God for his own sake Whilst thou holdest God thy friend thou needest not fear who is thine enemy for either God will make thine enemy to become thy friend or will bridle him that he cannot hurt thee No man is overthrown by his enemy unless that first his sin have prevailed over him and God hath left him to himself he that would therefore be safe from the fear of his enemies and live still in the favour of his God let him redeem the folly of the time past with serious repentance look to the time present with religious diligence and take heed to the time to come with careful providence 5. Give every man the honour due to his place but honour a man more for his goodness than for his greatness And of whomsoever thou hast received a benefit unto him as God shall enable thee remember to be thankful Acknowledge it lovingly unto Men and pray for him heartily unto God and count every blessing received from God as a pledge of his eternal love and a spur to a godly life 6. Be not proud for any external worldly goods nor for any internal spiritual gifts Not for external goods because that as they came lately so they will shortly be gone again their loss therefore is the less to be grieved at Not for any internal gifts for as God gave them so will he likewise take them away if forgetting the giver thou shalt abuse his gifts to puff up thine heart with a pride of thine own worth and contemn others for whose good Almighty God bestowed those gifts upon thee Hast thou any one vertus that moves thee to be self-conceited thou hast twenty vices that may better vilisie thee in thine own eyes Be the same in the sight of God who beholds thy heart that thou seemest to be in the eyes of Men that see thy face Content not thy self with an outward good nâ—mè when thy Conscience shall inwardly tell thee it is undeserved and therefore none of thine A deserved good name for any thing but for godliness lasts little and is less worth In all the holy Scriptures I never read of an Hypocrite's repentance and no wonder for whereas after sin conversion is left as a means to cure all other sinners what means remain to recover him who hath converted conversion it self into sin Wo therefore unto the Soul that is not and yet still seemeth religious 7. Mark the fearful ends of notorious evil Men to abhor their wicked actions mark the life of the godly that thou maist imitate it and his blessed end that it may comfort thee Obey thy betters observe the wise accompany the honest and love the religious And seeing the corrupt nature of man is prone to hypocrisie beware that thou use not the exercise of Religion as matters of course and custom without care and conscience to grow more holy and devout thereby Observe therefore how by the continual use of God's means thou feelest thy special corruptions weakened and thy sanctification more and more encreased and make no more shew of holiness outwardly to the world than thou hast in the sight of God inwardly in thine heart 8. Endeavour to rule those who live under thine authority rather by love than by fear for to rule by love is easie and safe but tyranny is ever accompanied with care and terror Oppression will force the oppressed to take any advantage to shake off the Yoke that they are not able to bear neither will God's Justice suffer the sway that is grounded on Tyranny long to continue Remember that tho' by humane ordinance they serve thee yet by a more peculiar right they are God's servants Yea now being Christians not as thy servants but above servants brethren beloved in the Lord. Rule therefore over Christians being a Christian in love and mercy like Christ thy Master 9. Remember that of all actions none makes a Magistrate more like God whose Vice-gerent he is than doing Justice justly For the due execution whereof First have ever an open ear to the just complaints of unjust dealings Secondly so lend one ear to the Accuser as that thou keep the other for the accused for he that decreeth for either part before both be heard the decree may be just but himself is unjust Thirdly in hearing both parts incline not to the right-hand of affection or to the left of hatred as to believe arguments of perswasion for a friend before arguments concluding for a foe Fourthly deny not Justice which is Regia mensura to the meanest Subject but let the Cause of the poor and needy come in equal balance with the rich and mighty If thou perceivest on the one side in a cause the high hills of cunning advantage powerful combination and violent prosecution and on the other side the low valleys of poverty simplicity and desolation prepare thy way as God doth to judgment by raising Valleys and taking down Hills equally inequality that so thou maist lay the Foundation of thy sentence upon an even ground In matters of right and wrong 'twixt party and party let thy Conscience be careful rather Jus dicere to pronounce the Law that is made secundùm allegata probata than Jus dare to make a Law of thine own upon the authority of sic volo si jubeo fearing that fearful Malediction Cursed be he that removeth his Neighbour's Land-Mark In Trials of Life and Death let Judges like Elohim in justice remember mercy and so cast the severe Eye of Justice upon the Fact as that they look with the pitiful eye of Mercy upon the Malefactor wresting the favour of Law to the favour of Life where Grace promiseth amendment but if Justice requireth that one rather than unity must perish and that a rotten member must be cut off to save the whole body from putrefying
fiat Justitia But whilst thou art pronouncing the sentence of judgment on another remember that thine own judgment hangs over thy head In all causes therefore judge aright for thou shalt be sure to find a righteous Judge before whom thou must shortly appear to be judged thy self at what time thou maist leave to thy friend this for thine Epitaph Nuper eram Judex jam judicis ante tribunal Subsistens paveo judicor ipse modo Many I know not upon what grounds seem to be much aggrieved with the Laws of the Land but wiser men may answer them with the Apostle Nos scimus bonam esse legem modo Judex eâ legitimè utatur We know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully And he shall be unto me a righteous Judge whose heart neither corruption of bribes fear of foes nor favour of friends can withdraw from the conscionable practice of these precepts And to that rare and venerable Judge I say with Jehoshaphat Be of courage and do justice and the Lord will be with the good 10. Lastly Make not an occupation of any recreation The longest use of pleasure is but short but the pains of pleasure abused are eternal Use therefore lawful recreation so far forth as it makes thee the fitter in body and mind to do more chearfully the service of God and the duties of thy calling Thy work is great thy time is but short And he who will recompence every man according to his works standeth at the door Think how much work is behind how slow thou hast wrought in the time which is past and what a reckoning thou should'st make if thy master should call thee this day to thine accounts Be therefore careful henceforth to make the most advantage of thy short time that remains as a man would of an old lease that were near expiring and when thou disposest to recreate thy self remember how small a time is allotted for thy life and that therefore much of that is not to be consumed in idleness sports plays and toyish vanities seeing the whole is but a short while though it be all spent in doing the best good that thou canst for Man was not created for sports plays and recreation but zealously to serve God in Religion and conscionably to serve his neighbour in his vocation and by both to ascertain himself of eternal salvation Esteem therefore the loss of time one of the greatest losses Redeem it carefully to spend it wisely that when that time cometh that thou mayest be no longer a Steward on earth thy master may welcome thee with an Euge bone serve and give thee a better in heaven where thou shalt joyfully enjoy thy Master's joy for evermore Meditations for the Evening At Evening when thou preparest thy self to take thy rest meditate on these few points 1. THat seeing thy days are numbred there is one more of thy number spent and thou art now the nearer to thy end by a day 2. Sit down a while before thou goest to bed and consider with thy self what memorable thing thou hast seen heard or read that day more than thou sawest heard'st or knewest before and make thy best use of them but especially call to mind what sin thou hast committed that day against God or Man and what good thou hast omitted and humble thy self for both If thou findest that thou hast done any goodness acknowledge it to be God's grace and give him the glory and count that day lost wherein thou hast not done some good 3. If by frailty or strong tentation thou shalt perceive that thou hast committed any grievous sin or fault presume not to sleep till thou hast upon thy knees made a particular reconciliation with God in Christ for the same both by confessing the fault and by fervent praying for the pardon of the same Thus making thy score even with Christ every night thou shalt have the less to account for when thou art to make thy final reckoning before his Majesty in the Judgment day 4. If thou hast fallen out with any in the day let not the Sun go down in thine anger that night If thy conscience tells thee that thou hast wronged him acknowledge thine offence and entreat him to forgive thee If he have wronged thee offer him reconciliation and if he will not be reconciled yet do thou from thy heart forgive him Mat. 5. 23. But in any case presume not to be thine own revenger For in so doing thou do'st God a double injury First in offering to take the Sword of Justice out of his hand as though he were not just having reserved the execution of vengeance to himself Secondly in usurping authority over his servant without referring the cause to his hearing and censure being his and thy Master Besides thou art too partial to be a Revenger For if thou be to execute revenge on thy self thou wilt do it too lightly if on thy enemy too heavily It belongeth therefore to God to revenge to thee to forgive And in testimony that thou hast freely forgiven him pray unto God for the forgiveness of his fault and the amendment of his life and the next time that occasion is offered and it lies in thy power do him good and rejoyce in doing it for he that doth good to his enemies shews himself the child of God and his reward is with God his Father 5. Use not sleep as a means to satiate the foggy litherness of thy flesh but as a medicine to refresh thy tired Senses and Members sufficient sleep quickneth the mind and reviveth the body but immoderate sleep dulleth the one and fatneth the other 6. Remember that many go to bed and never rise again till they be wakened aâ—d raised up by the fearful sound of the last trumpet But he that sleepeth and wakeneth with prayer sleepeth and wakeneth with Christ. If therefore thou desirest to sleep securely and safely yield up thy self into the hands of God whilst thou art waking and so go to bed with a reverence of God's Majesty and consideration of thine own misery which thou maist imprint in thy heart in some measure by these and the like meditations Read a Chapter in the same order as was prescribed in the morning and when thou hast done kneel down on both thy knees at thy bed-side or some other convenient place in thy Chamber and lifting up thy heart thine eyes and hands to thy heavenly Father in the name and mediation of his holy Son Jesus pray unto him if thou hast the gift of Prayer 1. Confessing thy sins especially those which thou hast committed that day 2. Craving most earnestly for Christ his sake pardon and forgiveness for them 3. Requesting the assistance of his Holy Spirit for amendment of life 4. In Giving thanks for benefits received especially for thy preservation that