of late either beene quite concealed vtterly ouerthrowne or by cauils and quirckes 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 bee a iust Iudge both of the quicke and dead And if any thing should hap in his Will to be ambiguous or doubtfull it should be construed as it might come neerest to the honour of GOD and the honest intention of the Testator But let the vengeance due to such vnchristian deedes light on the Actors that doe them not on the kingdome wherein they are suffered to be done And let other Rich men bee warned by such wretched examples not to marry their mindes to their money as that they will doe no good with their goodes till death diuorceth them Considering therefore the shortnesse of thine owne life and the vncertainety of others iust dealings after thy death in these vniust daies Let me aduise thee whom GOD hath blessed with ability and an intent to doe good to become in thy life time thine owne Administrator make thine owne handes thine Executors and thine owne eies thy ouerseers cause thy lanthorne to giue her light before thee and not behinde thee giue God the glory and thou shalt receiue of him in due time the reward which of his grace mercy he hath promised to thy good workes 4 Hauing thus set thy house and soule in order if the determined number of thy daies be not expired God will either haue mercy vpon thee and say Spare him O killing malady that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation Or els his Fatherly prouidence will direct thee to such a Physitian and to such meanes as that by his blessing vpon their endeauours thou shalt recouer and bee restored to thy former health againe But in any wise take heede that thou nor none for thee send vnto sorcerers wisards â—harmers or enchaunters for helpe for this were to leaue the God of Israel and to goe to Baalzebub the God of Ekron for helpe as did wicked Ahaziah and to breake thy vow which thou hast made with the blessed Trinity in thy Baptisme and bee sure that GOD will neuer giue a blessing by those meanes which he hath accursed But if hee permits Satan to cure thy body feare lest it tend to the damnation of thy soule thou art tried beware 5 When thou hast sent for the Physitian take heede that thou put not thy trust rather in the Physitian then in the Lord as Aza did of whom it is said that hee sought not the Lord in his disease but to the Physitians which is a kinde of Idolatrie that will increase the Lords anger and make the Physicke receiued vneffectuall Vse therefore the Physitian as Gods Instrument and Physicke as Gods meanes And seeing it is not lawfull without Prayer to vse ordinarie foode 1 Tim. 4.4 much lesse extraordinary Physicke whose good effect depends vpon the blessing of GOD. Before thou takest thy Physicke pray therefore heartily vnto GOD to blesse it vnto thy vse in these or the like vvords A Prayer before taking of Physicke O Mercifull Father who art the Lord of health and of sickenesse of life and of death who killest and makest aliue who bringest downe to the graue and raisest vp againe I come vnto thee as to the onely Physitian who canst cure my soule from sinne and my body from sicknesse I desire neither life nor death but referre my selfe to thy most holy will For though wee must needes dye and bring dead our liues are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe Yet hath thy gratious prouidence whilest life remaineth appointed meanes vvhich thou vvilt haue thy children to vse and by the lawfull vse thereof to expect thy blessing vpon thine owne meanes to the curing of their sicknesse and restitution of their health And now O Lord in this my necessitie I haue according to thine ordinance sent for thy seruant the Physitian vvho hath prepared for mee this Physicke which I receiue as meanes sent from thy fatherly hand I beseech thee therefore that as by thy blessing on a lumpe of dry figs thou didst heale Ezekias sore that he recouered and by seauen times washing in the Riuer of Iordane didst clense Naaman the Syrian of his Leprosie and diddest restore the man that was blinde from his birth by annoynting his eyes with clay and spittle and sending him to wash in the poole of Siloam and by touching the hand of Peters wiues mother didst cure her of her Feauer and didst restore the Woman that touched the hemme of thy Garment from her bloudy issue So it would please thee of thine infinite goodnesse and mercy to sanctifie this Physicke to my vse and to giue such a blessing vnto it that it may if it be thy will and pleasure remoue this my sickenesse and paine and restore mee to health and strength againe But if the number of those dayes vvhich thou hast appointed for me to liue in this vale of misery be at an end and that thou hast sent this sickenesse as thy Messenger to call for mee out of this mortall life then Lord let thy blessed will be done for I submit my will to thy most holy pleasure Onely I beseech thee encrease my Faith and patience and let thy graâ—e and mercy be neuer wanting vnto mee but in the midst of all extremities assist mee with thy holy Spirit that I may willingly and chearefully resigne vp my Soule the price of thine owne bloud into thy most gracious hands and custodie Grant this O Father for Iesus Christ his sake to whom vvith thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory both now and euermore Amen Meditations for the sicke WHilest thy sicknes remaineth vse often for thy comfort these few Meditations taken from the ends wherefore GOD sendeth afflictions to his children Those are tenne 1 That by afflictions God may not onely correct our sinnes past but also vvorke in vs a deeper loathing of our naturall corruption and so preuent vs from falling into many other sins which otherwise vvee would commit like a good Father vvho suffers his tender Babe to scorch his finger in a candle that hee may the rather learne to beware of falling into a greater fire So that the childe of God may say with Dauid It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy Statutes for before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy Word And indeede saith S. Paul wee are chastened of the Lord because wee should not be condemned with the World With one Crosse God maketh two cures the chastisement of sinnes past the preuention of
of Moses depart this life as if thou knewest none but Christ and him crucified Presume not if thou wilt not perish Repent if thou wilt be saued The fift hinderance of Pietie 5 Euill company commonly termed Good fellowes but indeede the Diuels chiefe instruments to hinder a wretched sinner from repentance and pietie The first signe of Gods fauour to a sinner is to giue him grace to forsake euill companions such who wilfully continue in sin contemne the meanes of their calling gibing at the sincerity of profession in others and shaming Christian religion by their owne prophane liues These sit in the seate of the Scorners For as soone as God admits a sinner to be one of his people he bids him Come out of Babylon Euery lewde company is a Babylon Out of which let euery child of God either keepe himselfe or if hee be in thinke that hee heares his fathers voice sounding in his eare Come out of Babylon my childe As soone as Christ looked in mercy vpon Peter hee went out of the company that was in the high Priests Hall and wept bitterly for his offence Dauid vowing vpon recouery a new life said Away from me all you workers of iniquity c. As if it were vnpossible to become a new man till he he had shaken of all old ill companions The truest proofe of a mans religion is the quallity of his companions Profane companions are the chiefe enemies of Piety and quellers of holy motions Many a time is poore Christ offering to bee new borne in thee thrust into the stable when these lewde companions by their drinking playes and iests take vp all the best roomes in the Inne of thy heart Oh let not the company of earthly sinners hinder thee from the societie of heauenly Saints and Angels The sixt hinderance of Pietie 6. A conceited feare least the practise of Pietie should make a man especially a yong man to waxe too sad and pensiue whereas indeed none can better ioy nor haue more cause to reioyce then the pious and religious Christian. For as soone as they are iustified by faith they haue peace with God then which there can be no greater ioy Besides they haue already the Kingdâ—me of grace descended into their hearts as an assurance that in Gods good time they shall ascend into his Kingdome of glory This kingdome of grace consists in three things First Righteousnesse for hauing Christs righteousnesse to iustifie them before GOD they endeuour to liue righteously before Men Secondly Peace for the peace of conscience inseparably followeth a righteous conuersation Thirdly the ioy of the holy Ghost which ioy is onely felt in the Peace of a good Conscience and is so great that it passeth all vnderstanding no tongue can expresse it no heart can conceiue it but onely hee that feeles it This is that fulnesse of ioy which CHRIST promised his Disciples in the middest of their troubles a ioy that no man could take from them the feeling of this ioy Dauid vpon his repentance begged so earnestly at the hands of GOD Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation And if Angels in Heauen reioyce so much at the conuersion of a sinner the ioy of a sinner conuerted must needes be exceeding great in his owne heart It is worldly sorrow that snowes so timely vpon mens heads and fils the furrowes of their hearts with the sorrowes of death The godly sorrow of the godly vvhen GOD thinkes it meete to try them causeth in them Repentance not to be repented of for it doth but further their saluation And in all such tribulation they shall be sure to haue the Holy Ghost to be their Comforter who vvill make our consolations to abound through Christ as the suffrings of Christ shall abound in vs. But whilest a man liueth in impietie he hath no peace saith Isay his laughter is but madnesse saith Salomon his riches are but clay saith Abakkuk nay the Apostle esteemes them no better then dung in comparison of the pious mans treasure all his ioyes shall end in woes saith Christ. Let not therefore this false feare hinder thee from the practise of pietie Better it is to goe sickly with Lazarus to Heauen then full of mirth and pleasure with Diues to Hell Better is it to mourne for a time with men then to be tormented for euer with Diuels The seauenth hinderance of Pietie 7. And lastly The hope of long life for were it possible that a wicked liuer thought this yeere to be his last yeere this moueth his last moneth this weeke his last weeke but that hee would change and amend his wicked life no verely he would vse the best meanes to repent and to become a new man But as the rich man in the Gospell promised himselfe many yeeres to liue in ease mirth and fulnesse when hee had not one night to liue longer so many wicked Epicures falsely promise themselues the age of many yeeres when the thread of their life is already almost drawne out to an end So Ieremie ascribes the cause of the Iewes sinnes and calamities to this that she remembred not her last end The longest space twixt a mans comming by the wombe and going by the graue is but short for man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue Hee hath but a few dayes those full of nothing but troubles And except the practise of Pietie how much better is the state of the childe that yesterday vvas baptised and to day is buried then Methusalems who liued nine hundred sixtie nine yeeres and then dyed of the two happier the Babe because hee had lesse sinne and fewer sorrowes And what now remaines of both but a bare remembrance What trust should a man repose in long life seeing the whole life of man is nothing but a lingring death so that as the Apostle protests a man dyeth daily Hearke in thine eare O secure fellow thy life is but a puffe of breath in thy nostrels trust not to it thy Soule dwels in a house of clay that will fall ere it be long as may appeare by the dimnesse of thy eyes the deafenesse of thy eares the wrinckles in thy cheekes the rottennesse of thy teeth the weakenesse of thy sinewes the trembling of thy hands the Kalender in thy bones the shortnesse of thy sleepe and euery gray haire as so many Summoners bids thee prepare for thy long home Come let vs in the meane while vvalke to thy fathers Coffin breake open the lidde see here how that Corruption is thy Father and the Worme thy Mother and Sister seest thou how these are so must thou be ere long foole thou knowest not how soone Thy Houre-glasse runneth apace and in all places death in the meane while wayteth for thee The whole life of man saue what is spent in Gods seruice is
minde is resolued through the assistance of his grace to amend thy faults And then hauing washed thy selfe and adorned thy body with apparell which beseemeth thy calling and the Image of GOD which thou bearest shut thy chamber-doore and kneele downe at thy bed-side or some other conuenient place and in reuerent manner lifting vp thy heart together with thy hands and eyes as in the presence of GOD who seeth the inward intention of thy soule offer vp vnto God from the Altar of a contrite heart thy Prayer as a Morning Sacrifice through the mediation of Christ in these or the like wordes A Prayer for the Morning O Most mighty and glorious GOD full of incomprehensible power and Maiestie whose glory the very Heauen of Heauens is not able to containe looke downe from heauen vpon me thine vnworthy Seruant who here prostate my selfe at the foote-stoole of thy Throne of Grace But looke vpon mee O Father through the merits and mediation of Iesus Christ thy beloued Sonne in whom onely thou art well pleased For of my selfe I am not worthy to stand in thy presence or to speake with mine vncleane lips to so holy a God as thou art For thou knowest that in sin I was conceiued and borne and that I haue liued euer since in iniquitie so that I haue broken all thy holy Commandements by sinfull motions vncleane thoughts euill wordes wicked workes omitting many of those duties of pietie which thou requirest for thy seruice and committing many of those vices which thou vnder the penaltie of thy displeasure hast forbidden Here thou maist confesse vnto God thy secret sinnes which doe most burden thy conscience with the circumstances of the time place person and manner how it was committed saying But more especially O Lord I doe here with griefe of heart confesse vnto thee c. And for these my sinnes O Lord I stand here guiltie of thy curse with all the miseries of this life and euerlasting torments in hell fire when this wretched life is ended if thou shouldest deale vvith mee according to my deserts Yea Lord I confesse that it is thy mercy which endureth for euer and thy compassion which neuer failes that is the cause that I haue not beene long agoe consumed But with thee O Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption In the multitude therefore of thy mercy and confidence in Christs merits I entreate thy diuine Maiestie that thou wouldest not enter into iudgement with thy Seruant neyther be extreame to marke what I haue hitherto done amisse for if thou doest then no flesh can be iustified in thy sight nor any liuing stand in thy presence But be thou mercifull vnto mee and wash away all the vncleannesse of my sinne with the merits of that precious bloud which Iesus Christ hath shed for me And seeing that hee hath borne the burden of that curse which was due to my transgressions O LORD deliuer me from my sinnes and from all those Iudgements which hang ouer my head as due vnto mee for them And separate them as farre from thy presence as the East is from the West burie them in the buriall of Christ that they may neuer haue power to rise vp against mee to shame me in this life or to condemne me in the world which is to come And I beseech thee O Lord not onely to wash away my sinnes with the bloud of thine immaculate Lambe but also to purge my heart by thy holy spirit from the drosse of my natural corruption that I may feele thy spirit more and more killing my sinne in the power and practise thereof so that I may with more freedome of minde and liberty of will serue thee the euerliuing God in righteousnesse and holinesse this day And giue me grace that by the direction and assistance of the same thy holie spirit I may perseuere to be thy faithfull and vnfained seruant vnto my liues ende that when this mortall life is ended I may be made a partaker of immortality and euerlasting happinesse in thy heauenly kingdome In the meane time O Lord whilest it is thy blessed will and pleasure that I may continue to spend and end that small number and remnant of daies which thou hast appointed for me to liue in this vale of misery Teach mee so to number my daies that I may apply my heart vnto wisdome and as thou dost adde daies vnto my life so good Lord I beseech thee adde repentance and amendment to my daies that as I growe in yeeres so I may encrease in grace and fauour with thee and all thy people And to this end giue vnto me a supply of all those graces which thou knowest to be wanting in me and necessary for me with an increase of all those good gifts whervvith thou hast already endued me that so I may be the better enabled to leade such a godly life and honest conuersation as that thy name may thereby be gloryfied others may take good example by me and my soule may more cheerefully feed on the peace of a good conscience and bee more replenished with the ioy of the holy Ghost And heere O Lord according to my bounden duty I giue thee most humble and hearty thankes for all those blessings which of thy goodnesse thou hast bestowed vpon mee And namely for that thou hast of thy free loue according to thine eternall purpose elected me before the foundation of the world was laid vnto saluation in Iesus Christ for that thou hast created mee after thine owne Image and hast begunne to restore that in mee vvhich vvas lost in our first Parents for that thou hast effectually called me by the working of thy spirit in the preaching of the Gospell and the receiuing of thy Sacraments to the knowledge of thy sauing grace and obedience of thy blessed will for that thou hast bought and redeemed me vvith the blood of thine onely begotten Sonne from the torments of Hell and thrall of Satan for that thou hast by faith in Christ freely iustified me vvho am by nature the childe of wrath for that thou hast in good measure sanctified mee by thy holy spirit and giuest me so large a time to repent together with the meanes of repentance I thanke thee likewise good Lord for my life health wealth foode raiment peace prosperity and plenty and for that thou hast preserued me this night from all perils and dangers of body and soule and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day And as thou hast now vvakened my body from sleepe so I beseech thee waken my soule from sinne and carnall security and as thou hast caused the light of the day to shine in my bodily eies so good Lord cause the light of thy word and holy spirit to illuminate my heart and giue me grace
liue vnder the discipline of others rather then at the disposition of thine owne will No tired Horse was euer more willing to be rid of his burthen than thou wast to get out of the seruile state of this bondage A state not worth the description 3 Meditations of the miseries of Man-hood WHat is Mans-state but a Sea wherein as waues one trouble ariseth in the necke of another the latter worse then the former No sooner diddest thou enter into the affaires of this world but thou wast enwrapped about with a cloud of miseries Thy Flesh prouokes thee to lust the World allures thee to pleasures and the Diuell tempts thee to all kinde of sinnes feares of enemies affrights thee suites in Law doe vexe thee wrongs of ill neighbours do oppresse thee cares for Wife and Children doe consume thee and disquietnesse twixt open foes and false friends doe in a manner confound thee Sinne stings thee within Sathan layes snares before thee Conscience of sinnes past dogges behinde thee Now aduersitie on thy left hand frets thee anone prosperitie on thy right hand flatters thee ouer thy head Gods vengeance due to thy sinnes is ready to fall vpon thee and vnder thy feete Hell-mouth is ready to swallow thee vp And in this miserable estate whither wilt thou goe for rest and comfort the house is full of cares the field full of toyle the country of rudenesse the citie of factions the Court of enuy the Church of sects the Sea of pirates the Land of robbers Or in what state wilt thou liue seeing wealth is enuied and pouertie is contemned wit is distrusted and simplicitie is derided Superstition is mocked and Religion is suspected vice is aduanced and vertue is disgraced Oh with what a body of sinne art thou compassed about in a world of wickednesse What are thine Eyes but windowes to behold vanities What are thine Eares but floud-gates to let in the streame of iniquitie what are thy Senses but matches to giue fire to thy lusts what is thine Heart but the Anuill whereon Sathan hath forged the ougly shape of all lewde affections Art thou nobly descended thou must put thy selfe in peril of forraine wars to get the reputation of earthly Honour oft times hazard thy life in a desperate combate to auoid the aspersion of a Coward Art thou borne in meane estate Lord I what paines and druggerie must thou endure at home and abroad to get maintenance and all perhaps scarce sufficient to serue thy necessitie and when after much seruice and labour a man hath got something how litttle certaintie is there in that which is gotten seeing thou seest by daily experience that he who was rich yesterday is to day a begger hee that yesterday was in health to day is sicke he that yesterday was merry and laughed hath cause to day to mourne and weepe hee that yesterday vvas in fauour to day is in disgrace and he who yesterday was aliue to day is dead and thou knowest not how soone nor in what manner thou shalt die thy selfe And who can enumerate the losses crosses griefes disgraces sicknesses and calamities which are incident to sinfull man To speake nothing of the death of friends and children which oft times seemes to be vnto vs farre more bitter then present death it selfe 4 Meditations of the misery of old age WHat is old age but the receptacle of all maladies for if thy lot be to draw thy dayes to a long date in comes olde-bald-headed age stooping vnder dotage with his wrinckled face rotten teeth and stinking breath iesty with choler withered with drynesse dimmed vvith blindnesse absurded with deafenesse ouerwhelmed with sicknesse and bowed together with weaknesse hauing no vse of any sense but of the sense of paine which so racketh euery member of his body that it neuer easeth him of griefe till hee hath throwne him downe to his graue Thus farre of the miseries which accompanie the body Now of the miseries which accompany chiefly the soule in this life Meditations of the miserie of the soule in this life THe miserie of thy Soule will more euidently appeare if thou wilt but consider 1 The felicitie shee hath lost 2 The misery which shee hath pulled vpon her selfe by sinne 1 The Felicitie lost was first the fruition of the Image of God whereby the soule was like vnto GOD in knowledge enabling her perfectly to vnderstand the reuealed will of GOD. Secondly true Holinesse by which shee was free from all prophane errour Thirdly Righteousnes whereby she was able to incline all her naturall powers and to frame vprightly all her actions proceeding from those powers With the losse of this diuine Image shee lost the Loue of GOD and the blessed communion which she had with his Maiestie wherein consisted her life and happinesse If the losse of earthly riches vexe thee so much how should the losse of this diuine treasure perplexe thee much more 2 The Misery which shee pulled vpon her selfe consists in two things 1 Sinfulnesse 2 Cursednesse 1 Sinfulnesse is an vniuersall corruption both of her Nature and Actions for her Nature is infected with a pronenesse to euery sinne continually the Minde is stuffed with vanitie the Vnderstanding is darkened with ignorance the Will affecteth nothing but vile vaine things All her Actions are euill yea this deformitie is so violent that oftentimes in the regenerated soule the Appetite will not obey the gouernment of Reason and the Will wandreth after and yeelds consent to sinfull motions How great then is the violence of the Appetite and Will in the reprobate Soule which still remaines in her naturall corruption Hence it is that thy wretched Soule is so deformed with sinne defiled with lust polluted with filthinesse outraged with passions ouer-carryed with affections pining with Enuy ouercharged with gluttony surquedred with drunkennes boyling with reuenge transported with rage and the glorious Image of GOD transformed to the ougly shape of the Diuell so farre as it once repented the Lord that euer he made man From the former flowes the other part of the Soules misery called cursednesse wherof there are two degrees 1 In part 2 In the fulnesse thereof 1 Cursednesse in part is that which is inflicted vpon the Soule in life and death and is common to her with the body The Cursednesse of the soule in life is the wrath of God which lyeth vpon such a creature so farre as that all things not onely calamities but also very blessings and graces turne to ruine Terrour of Conscience driues him from from GOD and his seruice that he dares not come to his presence and ordinances but is giuen vp to the slauerie of Sathan and to his owne lusts and vile affections This is the Cursednesse of the Soule in life now followes the Cursednesse of the Soule and body in death Meditations of the misery of the body and soule in death AFter that the aged
as one of thy children of light to walke in all holy obedience before thy face this day and that I may endeauour to keepe faith and a cleere conscience towards thee and towards all men in all my thoughts words and dealings And so good Lord blesse 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 owne soule and conscience in that day when I shall make my finall accounts vnto thee for them O my God keepe thy seruant that I doe no euill vnto any man this day and let it be thy blessed will not to suffer the Diuell nor his wicked Angels nor any of his euill members or my malicious enemies to haue any power to doe mee hurt or violence But let the eye of thy holy prouidence watch ouer me for good and not for euill and command thy holy Angels to pitch their tents round about me for my defence and safetie in my going out and comming in as thou hast promised they should doe about them that feare thy name for into thy hands O Father I doe heere commend my soule and body my actions and all that euer I haue to bee guided defended and protected by thee being assured that whatsoeuer thou takest into thy custody cannot perish nor suffer any hurt or harme And if I at any time this day shall through frailtie forget thee yet Lord I beseech thee doe thou in mercy remember me And I pray not vnto thee O Father for my selfe alone but I beseech thee also be merciful vnto thy whole Church and chosen people wheresoeuer they liue vpon the face of the earth Defend them from the rage and tyranny of the Diuel the world and Antichrist Giue thy Gospell a free and a ioyfull passage through the world for the conuersion of those who belong to thine election and kingdome Blesse the Churches and kingdomes wherein wee liue with the continuance of peace iustice and true Religion Defend the Kings Maiesty from all his enemies and grant him a long life in health and all happinesse to raigne ouer vs. Blesse the Queene Prince Charles the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the Gratious Lady Elizabeth his Wife Increase in them all heroycall gifts and spirituall graces which may make them fit for those places for which thou hast ordained them Direct all the Nobilitie Bishops Ministers and Magistrats of this Church common-wealth to gouerne the commons in true Religion iustice obedience and tranquillity Be mercifull vnto all the Brethren which feare thee and call vpon thy name And comfort as many among them as are sicke and comfortlesse in body or in minde especially be fauourable to all such as suffer any trouble or persecution for the testimonie of thy truth and holy Gospell And giue them a gracious deliuerance out of al their troubles which way it shall seeme best to thy wisdome for the glory of thy Name the further enlarging of the truth and the more ample encrease of their owne comfort and consolation Hasten thy comming O blessed Sauiour and end these sinnefull daies and giue me grace that like a wise Virgin I may be prepared with oyle in my Lampe to meete thee the sweet Bride-groome of my Soule at thy comming whether it be by the day of death or of iudgement And then Lord Iesus come when thou wilt euen Lord Iesus come quickelie These and all other graces which thou knowest needefull and necessary for me this day and euermore I humbly beg and craue at thy hands O father giuing thee thy glory in that forme of Praier which Christ himselfe hath taught me to say vnto thee Our Father which art in heauen Hallowed be thy name c. Meditations IF when thou art about to pray Satan shall suggest that thy praiers are too long and that therefore it were better either to omit praiers or else to cut them shorter meditate that praier is thy spirituall sacrifice wherewith God is wel pleased And therefore it is so displeasing to the Diuel and so irkesome to thy flesh Bend therefore thy Affections will they nill they to so holy an exercise assuring thy selfe that it doth by so much the more please God by how much the more it is vnpleasing to thy flesh 2 Forget not how the holy Ghost puts it downe as a speciall note of reprobates They call not vpon the Lord They call not vpon God And when Eliphaz supposed that Iob had cast off the feare of God and that God had cast Iob out of his fauour hee chargeth him that hee restrained prayer before God making that a sure note of the one and a sufficient cause of the other On the other side that GOD hath promised that whosoeuer shall call on his Name shall be saued It is certaine that hee who maketh no conscience of the dutie 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 goe together But he that can from a penitent heart morning and euening pray vnto GOD it is sure that he hath his measure of grace in this world and he shall haue his portion of glory in the life which is to come 3 Remember that as loathing of meate and painefulnesse of speaking are two Symptomes of a sicke body so irkesomnesse of praying when thou talkest with GOD and carelesnesse in hearing when GOD by his Word speakes vnto thee are two sure signes of a sicke soule 4 Call to minde the zealous deuotion of the Christians in the Primitiue Church who spent many vvhole nights and vigils in watching and praying for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and that they might be found readie at the comming of Christ. And how that Dauid vvas not content to pray at morning at euening and at noone but hee would also rise vp at mid-night to pray vnto GOD. And if CHRIST did chide his Disciples because they would not watch vvith him one houre in praying vvhat chiding dost thou deserue who thinkest it too long to continue in Prayer but one quarter of an houre If thou hast spent diuers houres in seeing a vaine Maske or a Play yea whole dayes and nights in carding and dicing to please thy flesh be ashamed to thinke a Prayer of a quarter of an houre long to be too long an exercise for the seruice of GOD. 5 Consider that if the Papists in their blinde superstition doe in an vnknowne and therefore vnedifying Tongue fit onely for the children of mysticall Babylon mutter ouer vpon their Beades euery morning and euening so many scores of Aue-Maries Pater-nosters and Idolatrous Prayers how shall they in their superstitious deuotion rise vp in Iudgement against thee professing thy selfe to be a true Worshipper of Christ If
sake Whilest thou holdest GOD thy friend thou needest not feare who is thine enemy for either God will make thine enemy to become thy friend or will bridle him that hee cannot hurt thee No man is ouerthrown by his enemy vnlesse that first his sinne haue preuailed ouer him and God hath left him to himselfe Hee that would therefore be safe from the feare of his enemies and liue still in the fauour of his God let him redeem the folly of the time past with serious Repentance looke to the time present with religious diligeÌ„ce and take heede to the time to come with carefull prouidence 5 Giue euery man the honour due to his place but honour a man more for his goodnesse then for his greatnes And of whomsoeuer thou hast receiued a benefit vnto him as GOD shall enable thee remember to be thankfull Acknowledge it louingly vnto men and pray for him heartily vnto God and count euery blessing receiued from God as a pledge of his eternall loue and a spur to a godly life 6 Be not proud for any externall vvorldly goods nor for any internall spirituall gifts Not for externall goods because that as they came lately so they will shortly be gone againe their losse therefore is the lesse to be grieued at Not for any internall gifts for as GOD gaue them so will hee likewise take them away If forgetting the giuer thou shalt abuse his gifts to puffe vp thine heart with a pride of thine owne worth and to contemne others for whose good Almightie God bestowed those gifts vpon thee Hast thou any one vertue that moues thee to be selfe-conceited thou hast twenty vices that may better vilifie thee in thine owne eies 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 selfe with an outward good name when thy Conscience shall inwardly tell thee it is vndeserued and therefore none of thine A deserued good name for any thing but for godlinesse lasts little and is lesse worth In all the holy Scriptures I neuer read of an Hypocrites repentance and no wonder for whereas after sinne conuersion is left as a meanes to cure all other sinners what meanâ—â— remaines to recouer him who hath conuerted conuersion it selfe into sinne Woe therefore vnto the Soule that is not yet stil seeme religious 7 Marke the fearefull ends of notorious euill men to abhorre their vvicked actions marke the life of the godly that thou maist imitate it and his blessed end that it may comfort thee Obey thy betters obserue the wise accompany the honest and loue the religious And seeing the corrupt nature of man is prone to hypocrisie beware that thou vse not the exercise of religion as matters of course and custome without care and conscience to grow more holy and deâ—out thereby Obserue therefore how by the continuall vse of Gods meanes thou feelest thy speciall corruptions weakened and thy sanctification more and more increased and make no more shew of holinesse outwardly to the world then thou hast in the sight of God inwardly in thine heart 8 Endeuour to rule those who liue vnder thine authoritie rather by loue then by feare for to rule by loue is easie and safe but tyranny is euer accompanied vvith care and terror Oppression will force the oppressed to take any aduantage to shake off the yoake that they are not able to beare neyther will Gods iustice suffer the sway that grounded on Tyrannie long to continue Remember that though by humane ordinance they serue thee yet by a more peculiar right they are Gods Seruants Yea now being Christians not as thy Seruants but aboue Seruants brethren beloued in the Lord. Rule therefore ouer Christians being a Christian in loue and mercy like Christ thy Master 9 Remember that of all actions none makes a Magistrate more like God whose vice-gerent hee is then in doing Iustice iustly for the due execution whereof First haue euer an open eare to the iust complaints of vniust dealings Secondly so lend one eare to the accuser as that thou keepe the other for the accused for hee that decreeth for eyther part before both be heard the decree may be iust but himselfe is vniust Thirdly in hearing both parts incline not to the right hand of affection or to the left of hatred as to beleeue arguments of perswasion for a friend before arguments concluding for a foe Fourthly denie not Iustice which is Regia mensura to the meanest Subiect but let the cause of the poore and needy come in equal ballance with the rich and mightie If thou perceiuest on the one side in a cause the high hils of cunning aduantages powerfull combination and violent prosecution and on the other side the low valleyes of pouertie simplicitie and desolation prepare thy way as GOD doth to iudgement by raising valleyes and taking downe hils equalling in equalitie that so thou maist lay the foundation of thy sentence vpon an â—euen ground In matters of right and wrong twixt party and party let thy conscience be carefull rather Ius dicere to pronounce the Law that is made secundum allegata probata rather then Ius dare to make a Law of thine owne vpon the authoritie of sic volo sic iubeo fearing that fearefull malediction Cursed be hee that remoueth his neighbours land-marke In tryals of life and death let Iudges like Elohim in Iustice remember mercy and so cast the seuere eye of Iustice vpon the fact as that they looke with the pittifull eye of Mercy vpon the Malefactor wresting the fauour of Law to the fauour of life where grace promiseth amendment but if Iustice requireth that one rather then vnitie must perish and that a rotten member must be cut off to saue the whole body from putrifiing fiat Iustitia But whilest thou art pronouncing the sentence of Iudgement on another remember that thine owne iudgement hangs ouer thine head In all causes therfore iudge aright for thou shalt be sure to finde a righteous Iudge before vvhom thou must shortly appeare to be iudged thy selfe at what time thou maist leaue to thy Friend this for thine Epitaph Nuper eram Iudex iam Iudicis ante Tribunal Subsistens paueo iudicor ipse modò Many I know not vpon what grounds seeme to be much agrieued vvith the Lawes of the Land but wiser men may answere them with the Apostle nos scimus bonam esse Legem modò Iudex ea legitimè vtatur Wee know that the Law is good if a man vse it lawfully And he shall be vnto me a righteous Iudge whose heart neyther corruption of bribes feare of foes nor fauour of friends can with-draw from the conscionable practise of these precepts And to that rare and venerable Iudge I say with Iehosaphat Be of courage and doe Iustice
Saint Paul together with seauen of the chiefe Euangelists of the Church Sopater Aristarchus Secundus Gayus Timotheus Tichicus and Trophimus and all the Christians that were there kept the holy Sabbath on the first day of the weeke in praying preaching and receiuing the Lords Supper And as it is a thing to be noted that Luke saith not that the Disciples were sent for to heare Paul preach but the Disciples being come together to breake bread vpon the first day of the weeke that is to be partakers of the holy Communion at what time the Lords death vvas by the preaching of the word shewed 1 Cor. 11.26 Paul preached vnto them c. And that none kept these meetings but Christians who onely are called Disciples Act. 11.26 But at Philippi vvhere as yet there were no Disciples Paul is said to goe on their Sabbath day to the place where the Iewes and their Proselites were wont to pray and there preached vnto them Acts 16.12.13 so that it is as cleare as the Sun that it vvas the Christians vsuall manner to passe ouer the Iewish seauenth day and to keepe the Sabbath and their holy meetings on the first day of the vveeke And why doth S. Iohn call this the Lords day but because it was a day knowne to be generally kept holy to the honour of the Lord Iesus who rose from death to life vpon that day throughout all the Churches which the Apostles planted Which Saint Iohn calleth the Lords day the rather to stirre vp Christians to a thankefull remembrance of their Redemption by Christ his Resurrection from the dead And vvith the day the blessing of the Sabbath is likewise translated to the Lords day because that all the sanctification belonging to this new world is in CHRIST and from him conuayed to Christians And because there cannot come a greater authoritie then that of Christ and his Apostles nor the like cause as the new creation of the vvorld therefore the Sabbath can neuer be altered from this day to any other vvhilest this vvorld lasteth Adde hereunto how the Scripture noteth that in the first planting setling of the Church nothing was done but by the speciall order and direction of the Apostles 1 Cor. 11.34 1 Cor. 14.36.37 Tit. 1.5 Acts 15.6.24 and the Apostles did nothing but what they had vvarrant for from Christ 1 Cor. 11.23 To sanctifie then the Sabboth on the seauenth day is not a ceremoniall Law abrogated but the morall and perpetuall Law of God perfected So that the same perpetuall Commaundement which bound the Iewes to keepe the Sabbath on that seauenth day to celebrate the worlds creation bindes Christians to solemnize the Sabbath on this seauenth day in memoriall of the worlds Redemption for the fourth Commandement being a Morall Law requireth a seauenth day to be kept holy for euer And the Moralitie of this as of the rest of the Commandements is more religiously to be kept of vs vnder the Gospel then of the Iewes vnder the Law by how much we in Baptisme haue made a more speciall Couenant vvith God to keepe his Commandements and God hath couenanted vvith vs to free vs from the Curse and to assist vs vvith his spirit to keepe his Lawes And that this Commandement of the Sabbath as vvell as the other nine is Morall and perpetuall may plainely appeare by these reasons Tenne Reasons demonstrating the commandement of the Sabbath to be Morall 1 BEcause all the reasons of this Commandement are morall and perpetuall And God hath bound vs to the obedience of this Commandement with more forcible reasons then to any of the rest First because he did fore-see that irreligious men vvould eyther more carelesly neglect or more boldly breake this Commandement then any other Secondly because that in the practise of this Commandement the keeping of all the other consisteth vvhich makes GOD so often complaine that all his worship is neglected or ouer-throwne when the Sabbath is eyther neglected or transgressed It vvould make a man amazed saith Mr. Caluin to consider how eft and vvith what zeale protestation God requireth all that will be his people to sanctifie the seauenth day Yea how the God of mercy mercilesly punisheth the breach of this Commandement with cruell death as though it were the summe of his vvhole honour and seruice And it is certaine that hee who makes no conscience to breake the Sabbath will not to serue his turne make any conscience to breake any of the other Commandements so hee may doe it without discredit of his reputation or danger of mans law Therefore God placed this Commandement in the middest of the two Tables because the keeping of it is the best helpe to the keeping of all the rest The conscionable keeping of the Sabbath is the Mother of all Religion and good discipline in the Church Take away the Sabbath and let euery man serue God when hee listeth and vvhat vvill shortly become of Religion and that peace and order which God will haue to be kept in his Church The Sabbath day is Gods Market day for the weekes prouision wherein hee vvill haue vs to come vnto him and buy of him without siluer or money the Bread of Angels and Water of life the Wine of the Sacraments and Milke of the Word to feede our Soules tryed Gold to enrich our Faith precious eye-salue to heale our spirituall blindenesse and the white rayment of Christs righteousnesse to couer our filthy nakednesse Hee is not farre from true Pietie who makes conscience to keepe the Sabbath day but he who can dispense with his conscience to breake the Sabbath for his owne profit or pleasure his heart neuer yet felt what eyther the feare of God or true Religion meaneth For of this Commandement may that speech of S. Iames be verified he that faileth in one is guiltie of all Seeing therefore that GOD hath fenced this Commandement vvith so many morall reasons it is euident that the Commandement it selfe is morall 2 Because it vvas commanded of GOD to Adam in his Innocencie vvhilest holding his happinesse not by Faith in Christs Merits but by Obedience to Gods Law hee needed no Ceremonie shadowing the Redemption of Christ. A Sabbath therefore of a seauenth day cannot be simply a Ceremonie but an essentiall part of Gods worship enioyned vnto man vvhen there vvas but one condition of all men And if it was necessary for our first Parents to haue a Sabbath day to serue GOD in their perfection much more neede their Posteritie to keepe the Sabbath in the state of their corruption And seeing God himselfe kept this day holy how can that man be holy that doth wilfully prophane it 3 Because it is one of the commandements which God spake with his owne mouth and twice vvrote with his owne Fingers in Tables of stone to signifie their authoritie and perpetuitie All that God wrote were morall and perpetuall commandements and
in the Church euer since the Apostles time Ignatius Bishop of Antioch liuing in S. Iohns time saith Let euery one that loueth Christ keepe holy the Lords day renowned by his Resurrection which is the Queene of dayes in which death is ouercome and life is sprung vp in Christ. Iustine Martyr vvho liued not long after him sheweth how the Christians kept their Sabbath on the Lords day as we doe Origen who liued about 180. yeeres after Christ shewes the reason why the Sabbath is translated to the Lords day Augustine saith that the Lords day was declared vnto the Church by the Resurrection of the Lord vpon that day Et ex illo caepit habere festiuitatem suam and by Christ it was first ordained to be kept holy And in another place that the Apostles appointed the Lords day to be kept with all religious solemnitie because that vpon that day our Redeemer rose from the dead which also is therefore called the Lords day As therefore Dauid said of the Citie of God so may I say of the Lords day Glorious things are spoken of the day of the Lord for it vvas the birth-day of the vvorld the first day vvherein all Creatures beganne to haue being In it Light was drawne out of darknesse In it the Law vvas giuen on Mount Sinai In it the Lord rose from death to life In it the Saints came out of their graues assuring that on it Christians should rise to newnesse of life In it the Holy Ghost descended vpon the Apostles And it is very probable that on the seauenth day when the 7. Trumpets haue blowne the cursed Iericho of this world shall fall and our true Iesus shall giue vs the promised possession of the heauenly Canaan He that would see the vniforme consent of Antiquity and practise of the Primitiue Church in this point let him reade Eusebius Ecclesisticall history Lib. 4. cap. 23. Tertullian lib. de Idololatria cap. 14. Chrysost. Serm. 5. de resurrectione Constiâ—â—â— Apost lib. 7. cap. 37. Cyrill in Iohan. lib. 12. cap. 58. Of this iudgement are all the sound new writers see Fox on the Apoc. 1.10 Bucer in Mat 12.11 Gualt in Malach. 3. hom 23. Fulke on the Rhemish Test. Apo. 1.10 Chem. Exam. Conc. Trid. par 4. de diebus festis Wolph Chronol lib. 2. cap. 1. Armin Thes. in 4. precept and innumerable others Learned Iunius shal speake for al. Quamobrâ—m cum dies dominicus c. Wherefore seeing the Lords day is both by the fact of Christ viz. his resurrection and of often appearing to his Disciples vpon that day by the example and institution of the Apostles and by the continuall practise of the Ancient Church and by the testimony of the Scripture obserued and substituted into the place of the Iewish Sabbath Inepté faciunt they doe foolishly who say that the obseruation of the Lords day is of Tradition and not from the Scripture that by this meanes they might establish the traditions of men And againe The cause of this change is the resurrection of Christ and the benefit of the restoring of the Church by Christ the remembrance of which benefit did succeede into the place of the memory of the creation Non humana traditione sed Christi ipsius obseruatione instituto not by the tradition of man but by the obseruation and appointment of Christ who both on the day of his resurrection and on euery eight day after vnto his ascention into heauen did appeare vnto his Disciples and came into their assemblies 9 Because that the Lord himselfe expoundeth the end of the Sabath to bee a signe and document for euer betwixt him and his people that he is Iehouah by whom they are sanctified and therefore must only of theÌ„ be worshipped and vpon the paine of death chargeth his people for euer to keep this memoriall vnuiolated But this end is morall and perpetuall Therefore the Sabath is morall and perpetuall What God hath perpetually sanctified Let â—â— man euer presume to make common or prophane Vpon this ground it is that the Commandement termes this day the Sabbath of the Lord thy God And GOD himselfe cals it his holy day And vpon the same ground likewise the oldâ— Testament consecrated all their Sabaths and Holy daies to the worship and honour of God alone To dedicate therefore a Sabbath to the honour of any creature is grosse Idolatry For the first Table makes it a part of Gods worship to haue a Sabbath to his honour So doth Leuit. 23.3.37.38 c. and Ezek. 20.20 Neh. 9.14 the Sabbath is put for the whole worship of GOD. And our Sauiour teacheth that We must worship the Lord God onely Matth. 4. and therefore keep a Sabbath to the onely honour of GOD. The holy Ghost notes it as one of Ieroboams greatest sinnes That he ordained a feast from the deuise of his owne heart 1 King 12.33 And God threatneth to visit Israel for keeping the daies of Baalim That is of Lords as Papists doe of Saints Hos. 2.13 but saith that such forget him And so indeede none are lesse carefull in keeping the Lords Sabbath then they who are most superstitious obseruers of mens holy daies The Church of Rome therefore commits grosse Idolatry First in taking vpon her to ordayne Sabbaths which belongs onely vnto the Lord of the Sabbath to doe Secondly in dedicating those Holy-daies to the honour of Creatures which in effect is to make them sanctifying Gods Thirdly in tying to these daies Gods worship Praiers fasting and merit Fourthly in exacting on these daies of mens inuention a greater measure of solemnity and sanctification then vpon the Lords day which is Gods commandement which in effect is to preferre Antichrist before Christ. Our Church hath iustly abolished all superstitious and Idolatrous Feasts and onely retaines a few holy dayes to the honour of God alone and easing of seruants Deut 5.14 though long custome forceth to vse the olde names for ciuill distinction as Luke vsed the profane names of Castor and Pollux Act. 28.11 and Christians of Fortunatus 1 Cor. 16.17 Mercurius Rom. 16.14 and Iewes of Mardocheus day 2 Macab 15.37 10 Lastly the examples of Gods Iudgements on Sabbath-breakers may sufficiently seale vnto them whose hearts are not seared how wrathfully Almighty God is displeased with them who are wilfull profaners of the Lords day The Lord who is otherwise the GOD of mercy commanded Moses to stone to death the man who of a presumptuous minde would openly goe to gather sticks on the Sabbath day The fact was small True but his sinne was the greater that for so small an occasion would presume to breake so great a commandement Nichanor offering to fight against the Iewes on the Sabath day was slaine himselfe and 35000. of his men A husband man grinding Corne vpon the Lords day had his Meale burned to ashes Another carrying Corne on this
Wine therefore are not bare signifying Signes but such as vvherewith Christ doth indeede exhibite and giue to euery worthy Receiâ—er not onely his diuine vertue and efficacie but also his very Body and Bloud as verely as hee gaue to his Disciples the Holy Ghost by the signe 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 then the exquisitest comprehension of Sense or Reason To conclude this point this holy Sacrament is that Blessed Bread vvhich being eaten opened the Eyes of the Emauites that they knew Christ. This is that Lordly Cup by vvhich wee are all made to drinke into one Spirit This is that Rocke flowing with hony that reuiueth the fainting spirits of euery true Ionathan that tastes it vvith the mouth of Faith This is that Barly Loafe vvhich tumbling from aboue strikes downe the Tents of the Midianites of infernall darkenesse Elias Angelicall Cake and Water preserued him fortie dayes in Horeb and Manna Angels foode fed the Israelites forty yeeres in the Wildernesse but this is that True Bread of life and heauenly Manna which if vvee shall duely eate will nourish our Soules for euer vnto life eternall How should then our Soules make vnto Christ that request from a spirituall desire which the Capernaites did from a carnall motion Lord euermore giue vs this Bread The fift end of the Lords Supper 5 To be an assured pledge vnto vs of our Resurrection The Resurrection of a Christian is two-folde first the spirituall Resurrection of our Soules in this life from the death of Sinne called the first Resurrection because that by the Trumpet-voyce of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell we are raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace Blessed and holy is he saith Saint Iohn who hath part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death hath no power The Lords Supper is both a meane and a pledge vnto vs of this spiâ—rituall and first Resurrection Hee that eateth mee euen hee shall liue by mee And then are we fit Guests to sit at the Table with Christ when like Lazarus wee are raysed from the death of sinne to newnesse of life The truth of this first resurrection vvill appeare by the motion vvherewith they are internally moued for if when thou art moued to the duties of Religion and practise of Pietie thy heart answereth vvith Samuell Here I am Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth And vvith Dauid O God my heart is ready And vvith Paul Lord what wilt thou haue mee to doe Then surely thou art raysed from the death of sinne and hast thy part in the first Resurrection but if thou remainest ignorant of the true grounds of Religion and findest in thy selfe a kinde of secret loathing of the exercises thereof and must be drawne as it were against thy will to doe the workes of Pietie c. then surely thou hast but a name that thou liuest but thou art dead as Christ tolde the Angell of the Church of Sardis and thy Soule is but as salt to keepe thy body from stincking Secondly the corporall Resurrection of our bodies at the last day which is called the second resurrection which freeth vs from the first death Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day For this Sacrament signifieth and sealeth vnto vs that Christ died and rose againe for vs and that his flesh quickneth and nourisheth vs vnto eternall life and that therefore our bodies shall surely be raised to eternall life at the last day For seeing our head is risen all the members of the body shall likewise surely rise againe For how can those bodies which being the weapons of Righteousnesse Rom. 16 13. Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 and Members of Christ. haue bin fedde and nourished vvith the body and blood of the Lord of life but be raised vp againe at the last day And this is the cause that the bodies of the Saints being dead are so reuerently buried and laid to sleepe in the Lord. And their buriall places are termed the beddes and dormitories of the Saints The reprobates shall arise at the last day But by the Almighty power of Christ as he is Iudge bringing them as malefactors out of the goale to receiue their sentence and deserued execution but the Elect shall arise by vertue of Christs resurrectiâ—n and of the Communion which they haue with him as with their head And his resurrection is the cause and assurance of ours The Resurrection of Christ is a Christians particuler faith the Resurrection of the dead is the childe of Gods chiefest confidence Therefore Christians in the Primitiue Church were wont to salute one another in the morning with these phrases The Lord is risen and the other would answere True The Lord is risen indeede The sixt end of the Lords Supper 6 To seale vnto vs the assurance of euerlasting life Oh what more wished or loued then life Or what doe all men more either feare or abhorre then 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 eternall life prepare thy selfe to be a worthy receiuer of this blessed Sacrament For our Sauiour assureth vs That if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Hee therefore who duely eateth of this holy Sacrament may truely say not onely Credo vitam aeternam I beleeue the life euerlasting but also Edo vitam aeternam I eate life euerlasting And indeed this is the true tree of life which GOD hath planted in the middest of the Paradise of the Church And whereof hee hath promised to giue euery one that ouercommeth to eate And this tree of life by infinite degrees excelleth the tree of life that grew in the Paradise of Eden for that had his roote in the earth this from heauen that gaue but life to the body this to the soule that did but preserue the life of the liuing this restoreth life to the dead The leaues of this tree healeth the Nation of beleeuers and it yeelds euery moneth a new manner of fruit which nourisheth them to life euerlasting Oh blessed are they who often eate of this Sacrament at lest once euery moneth taste anew of this renewing fruit which Christ hath prepared for vs at his Table to heale our infirmities and to confirme our beleefe of life euerlasting The seauenth end of the Lords Supper 7 To binde all Christians as it were by an
life When therefore thou perceiuest thy soule departing from thy body pray with thy tongue if thou canst else pray in thy heart and minde these words fixing the eyes of thy soule vpon Iesus Christ thy Sauiour A Prayer at the yeelding vp of the Ghost O Lambe of God which by thy blood hast taken away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon me a sinner Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Amen When the sicke party is departing Let the faithfull that are present kneele downe and commend his Soule to God in these or the like words O Gratious God and mercifull father who art our refuge and strength and a very present helpe in trouble lift vp the light of thy fauorable countenance at this instant vpon thy seruant that now commeth to appeare in thy presence Wash away good Lord all his sinnes by the merits of Christ Iesus blood that â—hoâ— may neuer bee laide to his charge Increase his faith preserue and keepe safe his soule from the danger of the Diuell and his wicked Angels Comfort him with thy holy spirit cause him now to feele that thou art his louing Father and that hee is thy childe by Adoption and Grace Saue O Christ the price of thine owne blood and suffer him not to be lost whom thou hast bought so dearely Receiue his Soule as thou didst the penitent theefe into thy heauenly Paradise Let thy blessed Angels conduct him thither as they carried the soule of Lazarus and grant vnto him a ioyfull resurrection at the last day O 〈◊〉 heare vs for him and heare thine owne Sonne our onely Mediator that sits at thy right hand for him and vs all euen for the merits of that bitter death and passion which he hath suffered for vs In confidence whereof we now recommend his soule into thy fatherly hands in that blessed prayer which our Sauiour hath taught vs in all times of our troubles to say vnto thee Our Father c. Thus farre of the Practise of Piety in dying in the Lord. Now followeth the Practise of Piety in dying for the Lord. THE Practise of Piety in dying for the Lord is termed Martyrdome Martyrdome is the testimony which a Christian beareth to the doctrine of the Gospell by enduring any kinde of death to inuite many and to confirme all to embrace the truth thereof To this kinde of death Christ hath promised a crowne Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life Which promise the Church so firmely beleeued that they termed Martyrdome it selfe a crowne and God to animate Christians to this excellent prize would by a prediction that Stephen the first Christian Martyr should haue his name of a crowne Of Martyrdome there are three kindes First Sola voluntate in will onely as Iohn the Euangelist who being boyled in a Cauldron of oyle came out rather annointed then sod and dyed of old age at Ephesus Secondly Solo opere in deede onely as the innocents of Bethleem Thirdly Voluntate opere both in will and deede as in the Primitiue Church Stephen Polycarpus Ignatius Laurentius Romanus Aâ—tiochianus and thousands And in our daies Cranmer Latimer Hoâ—per Ridley Farrar Bradford Philpot Sanders Glouer Tailor and others innumerable whose fierie zeale to Gods truth brought them to the flames of Martyrdome to seale Christs faith It is not the cruelty of the death but the innocency and holinesse of the cause that maketh a Martyr neither is an erronious conscience a sufficient warrant to suffer Martyrdome because Science in Gods word must direct conscience in mans heart for they who killed the Apostles in their erronious consciences thought they did God good seruice And Paul of zeale breathed out slaughters against the Lords Saints Now whether the cause of our Seminary Priests and Iesuits be so holy true and innocent as that it may warrant their conscience to suffer death to hazzard their eternall saluation thereon let Pauls Epistle written to the Ancient Christian Romans but against our new Antichristian Romanes bee iudge And it will plainely appeare that the doctrine which Saint Paul taught to the ancient Church of Rome is ex diametro opposite in â—6 fundamentall points of true Religion to that which the new Church of Rome teacheth and maintaineth For Saint Paul taught the Primitiue Church of Rome 1 That our election is of Gods free grace and not ex operibus praeuisit Rom. 9.11 Rom. 11.5.6 2 That we are iustified by faith only without good works Rom. 3.20.28 Rom. 4.2 c. Rom. 1.17 3 That the good works of the Regenerate are not of their owne condignity meritorious nor such as can deserue heauen Rom. 8.18 Rom. 11.6 Rom. 6.23 4 That those bookes onely are Gods Oracles and Canonicall Scripture which were committed to the custody and credit of the Iewes Rom. 3.2 Rom. 1.2 Rom. 16.16 such were neuer the Apocrypha 5 That the holy Scriptures haue Gods authority Rom. 9.17 Rom. 4.3 Rom. conferd Rom. 11.3.2 conferd with Gal. 3.22 Therefore aboue the authority of the Church 6 That all aswell Laity as Clergy that will be saued must familiarly read or know the holy scriptures Rom. 15.4 Rom. 10.1.2.8 Rom. 16.26 7 That all Images made of the true God are very Idols Rom. 1.23 and Rom. 2.22 conferd 8 That to bowe the knee religiously to an Image or to vvorship any Creature is meere Idolatry Rom. 11.4 and a lying seruicâ— Rom. 1.25 9 That we must not pray vnto any but to GOD onely in vvhom we beleeue Rom. 10.13.14 Rom. 8.15.27 therefore not to Saints and Angels 10 That Christ is our onely Intercessor in Heauen Rom. 8.34 Rom. 5.2 Rom. 16.27 11 That the onely Sacrifice of Christians is nothing but the spirituall sacrificing of their Soules and Bodies to serue GOD in holinesse and righteousnesse Rom. 12.1 Rom. 15.16 Therefore no reall sacrificing of Christ in the Masse 12 That the religious worship called dulia as well as lâ—tâ—iâ— belongeth to God alone Rom. 1.9 Rom. 12.11 Rom. 16.18 conferd 13 That all Christians are to pray vnto God in their owne natiue language Rom. 14.11 14 That wee haue not of our selues in the state of corruption freewill vnto good Rom. 7.18 c. Rom. 9.16 15 That Concupiscence in the Regenerate is sinne Rom. 7.7.8.10 16 That the Sacraments doe not conferre grace ex opere operato but signe and seale that it is conferred already vnto vs. Rom. 4.11.12 Rom. 2.28.29 17 That euery true beleeuing Christian may in this life be assured of his saluation Rom. 8.9.16.35 c. 18 That no man in this life since Adams Fall can perfectly fulfill the Commandements of God Rom. 7.10 c. Rom. 3.19 c. Rom. 11.32 19 That to place Religion in the difference of meates and dayes is superstition Rom. 14 3.5.6.17 23. 20 That the imputed righteousnesse of Christ is that onely that makes vs iust
before God Rom. 4.9.17.23 21 That Christs flesh was made of the Seede of Dauid by Incarnation not of a wafer-cake by Transubstantiation Rom. 1.3 22 That all true Christians are Saints and not those whom the Pope onely doth canonize Rom. 1.7 Rom. 8.27 Rom. 15.31 Rom. 16.2 and 15. Rom. 15.25 c. 23 That Ipse Christ the God of Peace and not Ipsâ— the Woman should bruise the Serpents head Rom. 16.20 24 That euery Soule must of conscience be subiect and pay Tribute to the Higher Powers that is the Magistrates which beare the sword Rom. 13 1.2 c. and therefore the Pope and all Prelates must be subiect to their Emperour Kings Magistrates vnlesse they will bring damnation vpon their Soules as Traitors that resist God and his Ordinance Rom. 13.2 25 That Paul not Peter vvas ordayned by the grace of God to be the chiefe Apostle of the Gentiles and consequently of Rome the chiefe Citie of the Gentiles Rom. 15.15.16.19.20 c. Rom. 11.13 Rom. 16.4 26 That the Church of Rome may erre and fall away from the true Faith as well as the Church of Ierusalem or any other particular Church Rom. 11.20.21.22 And seeing the new vpstart Church of Rome teacheth in all these and in innumerable other points cleane contrary to that which the Apostles taught the Primitiue Romanes let GOD and this Epistle iudge betwixt them and vs whether of vs both standâ— in the true auncient Catholike Faith which the Apostle taught the old Romanes And whether wee haue not done well to depart from them so farre as they haue departed from the Apostles doctrine and whether it be not better to returne to S. Pauls truth then still to continue in Romes error And if this be true then let Iesuites and Seminary Priests take heede and feare least it be not faith but faction not truth but treason not religion but rebellion beginning at Tyber and ending at Tyburne vvhich is the cause of their deaths And being sent from a troublesome Apostaticall See rather then from a peaceable Apostolicall Seate because they cannot be suffered to perswade Subiect to breake their Oathes and to with-draw their Alleageance from their Soueraigne to raise rebellion to moue inuasion to stab and poyson Queenes to kill and murther Kings to blow vp whole States with Gun-powder they desperately cast away their owne bodies to be hanged and quartered and their soules saued if they belong to GOD I wish such honour to all his Saints that sends them And I haue iust cause to feare that the miracles of Lypsius two Ladyes Bluntstones Boy Garnets Straw and the Maides fiery Apron will not suffice to cleare that these men are not murtherers of themselues rather then Martyrs of Christ. And with what Conscience can any Papist count Garnet a Martyr vvhen his owne Conscience forced him to confesse that it was for treason and not for Religion that hee dyed But if the Priests of such a Gun-powder Gospell be Martyrs I maruell who are Murtherers If they be Saints who are Scythians and who are Canibals if they be Catholikes But leauing these let vs to whose fidelitie the Lord hath committed his true faith as a precious depositâ—â— pray vnto GOD that vvee may leade a holy life answerable to our holy Faith in Pietie to Christ and obedience to our King that if our Sauiour shall euer count vs worthy that honour to suffer martyrdome for his Gospels sake be it by open burning at the Stake as in Queene Maries dayes or by secret murthering as in the Inquisition house or by outragious massacring as in the Parrisian Matâ—ens we may haue Grace to pray for the assistance of his holy Spirit so to strengthen our frailty and to defend his cause as that vvee may seale vvith our deaths the Euangelicall truth which wee haue professed in our liues That in the dayes of our liues we may be blessed by his Word In the day of death be blessed in the Lord and in the day of Iudgement be the blessed of his Father Euen so grant Lord IESVS Amen A diuine Colloquie betweene the Soule and her Sauiour concerning the effectuall merits of his dolorous passion Soule LORD wherefore didst thou wash thy Disciples feet Chr. To teach thee how thou shouldest prepare thy selfe to come to my Supper S. Lord why wouldest thou wash them thy selfe C. To teach thee Humilitie 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 wherfore wouldest thou goe tâ— such a place where Iudas knew to finde thee C. That thou mightest know that I went as willingly to suffer for thy sinne as euer thou went est to any place to commit a sinne S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou beginne thy Passion in a Garden C. Because that in a Garden thy sinne tooke first beginning S. Lord wherefore did thy three select Disciples fall so fast a sleepe when thou beganst to fall into thy agony C. To shew that I alone wrought the worke of thy Redemption S. Lord why were there so many plots and snares layed for thee C. That I might make thee to escape all the snares of thy ghostly hunter S. Lord why wouldest thou suffer Iudas betraying thee to kisse thee C. That by enduring the words of dissembling lips I might there begin to expiate sin where Satan first brought it into the world S. Lord why wouldest thou be sold for 30. peeces of siluer C. That I might free thee from perpetuall bondage S. Lord why didst thou pray with such strong crying and teares C. That I might quench the furie of Gods iustice which was so fiercely kindled against thee S. Lord why wast thou so afraid and cast into such an agony C. That suffering the wrath due to thy sinnes thou mightest be more secure in thy death and finde more comfort in thy crosses S. Lord wherefore didst thou pray so oft and so earnest that the Cup might passe from thee C. That thou mightest perceiue the horror of that curse and wrath which being due to thy sinnes I was then to drinke and endure for thee S. Lord wherefore didst thou after thy wish submit thy will to the will of thy father C. To teach thee what thou shouldest doe in all thy afflictions and how willingly thou shouldest yeeld to beare with patience that crosse which thou seest to come from the iust hand of thy heauenly Father S. Lord wherefore diddest thou sweat such drops of water and bloud C. That I might cleanse thee from thy staines and bloudy spots S. Lord why wouldest thou be taken when thou mightest haue escaped thine enemies C. That thy spirituall enemies should not take thee and cast thee into the