Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	good_a	pure_a	unfeigned_a	2,187	5	10.9762	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10824	The anatomie of a distressed soule Wherein, the faults of the elect,are discerned from the sinnes of the wicked, spirituall defections cured, confused consciences resolued, all meanes of presumption and desperation remoued, the sicknesse, dulnesse, and deadnesse of the spirit releeued, crosses and temptations inward, and afflictions outward remedied, for the benefite of all that groane vnder the burthen of sinne, and feeling of Gods anger, thirsting for the sense of reconciliation in the blood of the lambe.	Robertson, Bartholomew, fl. 1620.	1619 (1619)	STC 21096; ESTC S100444	64,335	297

fulnesse of ioy immediate fruition of and coniunction with mee perfect loue triumph ouer all enemies where I shall be all in all crowning thee and all the elect with eternall happinesse blisse for enermore Soule And the Lord shall deliuer mee from euery euill worke and will preserue me vnto his heauenly kingdome to whom be glory for euer and euer Amen A HEAVENLY AND comfortable Mould of Prayers Full of feeling tending to the calming of the conscience for sinne and all other incidents in this wretched life for the benefit of all estates and degrees of people whether by Land or Sea IAM 3. If any man be afflicted let him pray LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Daniell Speed and are to bee sold at his Shop vnder S. Mildreds Church in the Poultry 1618 A Prayer for Munday at Morning The houshold being assembled the Master thereof or he that shall be made the mouth to God-ward shall with all holy behauiour say Come let vs worship fall downe kneele before the Lord our Maker The houshold beeing assembled shall pray as followeth O LORD our God true iust and merciful who can vnderstand his faults wee come confessing and mourning in the sense of them pouring out our whol desire before thee with plentie of teares and bitter lamentations and our sighing is not hid from thee for wee were borne in iniquity and in sinne haue our mothers conceiued vs how corrupt are our faults our thoughts vaine our words idle actions prophane O what good haue wee omitted and what euill haue we committed how foolish and ignorant are wee yea beasts before thee and while we know thy wil we prepared not our selues neither did according vnto vnto it O Lord how many sinnes and punishments haue wee beene heretofore subiect too how grieuous and heauie are they we presently groane vnder Oh keepe vs deare Fathe from presumtpuous sins let them not raigne ouer vs we and our fathers behaued our selues proudely and hardned our necks but thou O God of mercies gracious and full of compassion of long suffering and of great mercy yet forsookest thē not our Kings Princes and people haue sinned against thee yet compassion and forgiuenesse is in thee O Lord our God albeit wee haue rebelled against thee and now our God what shall we say after this for wee haue forsaken thy commandements therefore abhorre wee our selues and acknowledge vs worthy to bee cut off for euer wee yeeld our selues to thy chastisement for our iniquities are gon ouer our heads and as a weighty burthen they are too heauy for vs wee are pricked in our hearts therefore and what shall we doe O Lord our God most deare Father our onely refuge is to fly vnto thee in Christ hungring and thirsting after the least drop of mercy which wee doe preferre before all earthly comforts in the world intreating thee boldly and constantly in faith to grant it wating diligently and patiently vntill thou answer vs and raise some measure of sense and feeling thereof in our hearts and senses wee call thy mercies of olde to memory how often grace hath been shewed vs from thee our God whē thou didst lighten our eyes and giue vs a reuiuing from our sinnes wherefore most holy father we begge most earnestly thou wouldst giue vs now also strength in Christ to forsake sinne in time to come for in heart we thoroughly purpose neuer to commit the like sins againe bnt thorough thy grace to be changed by the renewing of our mindes to be fearefull of all occasions of sinne and wisely hereafter to decline from sinne and to bend all our strength specially against our beloued sinnes O wee heauily complaine of our weakenesse dulnesse deadnesse and inability to any Christian vertue yet will we by thy power be strengthened to loue out of a pure heart of a good conscience and of faith vnfained and constantly endeauoure to bee found in thy Sonne Iesus Christ and to feele the power of his death and resurrection in sub duing of all our sinnes and wickednesse that the life Christ our Sauiour may appeare in our mortall bodies and that not we but Christ may liue wholly in vs that wee may liue by faith in thy Son who hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs for his sake grant O deare Father that wee may practisc these Christian vertues to the which wee finde our selues most aduerse and contrarie that by thy grace wee may obtaine such victory and conquest ouer our most grieuous temptations and perturbations and violence of sinne as that wee neuer fall into them againe and that albeit we finde in our selues pronenesse and aptnesse to fall into some of these transgressiōs yet work in vs a godly resolution holy strife against them groaning and panting vnder the loathsome burthen of vitious corruptions for this cause O heauenly Father inspire in vs humble and submissiue mindes to the power of thy worde that wee may out of it haue our hereditary pollution discouered and our corruptions more and more purged thereby euer sighing for the day of our dissolution and looking for the day of our Lord Iesus Christ to our immortality to whom with the Father and holy Ghost wee render glory praise and dominion now and euermore On Munday Euening Prayer O Lord God deare Father in Iesus Christ repentance is thy proper peculiar gift which thou giuest to all them that aske it of thee in faith for as by nature wee haue it not and therefore doe renounce our selues seeing euery good gift is from aboue from thee the father of lights so the time of repentance is in this life and here while we may it must bee obtained with all speedy diligence for alas the longer we delay and deferre the harder it is to bee got and more doubtfull it doth proue to be had the fittest time O Lord is immediately after the sinne is committed and while it is called to day least wee be hardened thorough the deceitfulnesse of sinne our time here is as a thought it is cut off and quickly doe wee flie away wherefore deare father we confesse the greatnesse of our sinnes committed by vs this day how infinite in number how dangerous and deadly to our soules how offensiue to them that are without and to them also that are in Iesus Christ wee acknowledge them thou art faithfull and iust to forgiue vs them and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse wee submit our selues O Lord our God willingly to thy rebukes chastisements which iustly thou mayest lay vpon vs for the taming and subduing of our sinnes wee sorrow and weep for them our laughter is turned into mourning and our ioy into heauines we cast downe our selues before thee O God that thou mayest lift vs vp and open our eares by our corrections that our vncircumsied hearts may be humbled and

of this naturall remorse to them that account that vertue which I condemne for a crime though it seem little to thee in committing sinne it was very great in my Sonne in suffering for it if sinnes were not so vsuall they would seeme more palpeable and prodigious and therefore the senses which are oceasions of sinne ought to be well ordered to make a couenant with thy eyes with thy mouth and eares that thy heart walke not after them that thy step turne not out of the way and any blot cleaue to thy hands he that seeth his corruptions truely will bee affraid of the least shew of euill the oftner sin is to haue the more griefe is a note of my children search then the bottome of thy thoughts feele thy grief where it lyeth finde out the cause seek for remedy least it proue incurable if thou take it not in time it will fester more and more and infect all Soule O how truely is my body called a body of death thou shouldest take vp and haue to thy glory all my cogitations but idle thoughts imaginations and discourses come in my ninde to the which alas I yeeld my affection and doe not strike at my conscience in the first motion while reason is on my side and wound it before it receiue a perfect shape O that I might cherish and intertaine good motions and change them into prayer not to smother them by other rouing cogitations making them either die presently or quikly fall away and thus alas I make a mocke of sinne yea I make a God of sinne and serue it in thy steed neglecting thy bountifulnesse which leadeth me to repentance if thou shouldest Lord suffer my conscience checke me and Satan burden mee with the least sinne it would bee so heauy and grieuous that a thousand worlds could not abide it how could I then endure the greatest Adam for eating of an apple was throwne out of Paradise Moses for speaking of an angry worde died in the wildernesse and was not suffered to goe into Canaan Ezekiah did but shew his treasures and for that he all were carried to Babell Iosiah did war against thine and his enemies yet because hee asked not counsel of thee was slaine in battell these for what sinnes are lesse hast thou punished in thy deare children O what shall become of mee in my great sinnes if the iust shal scarcely bee saued where shall the wicked appeare if this shall bee done vnto the greene tree what shall bee done to the dry the least offence commeth not alone but brings a legion of transgressions with it yea the least made thy Son smart and accursed and to say my God my God ctc. and O that no sinne could escape mee without true godly sorrow for the lesse I fauour sinne the nearer I am to thy fauour small meanes doe prouoke me to it but great meanes cannot reuoke me from it the spirit is quickly quenched the tender conscience is soone bruised olde sinnes doe retire new sinnes easily assault and doe depriue mee of the company of a good conscience Lord. Thou must deare soule beware of all sinne generally and must looke narrowly vnto some speciall sinnes whereunto thy nature is most inclinable and subiect for one dead slye will corrupt a whole boxe of oyntment Oftentimes meditate of thy secret sins which are hidden as it were in the darke corners of thy heart which I can reueale when I will in making my creatures bring vnto light thy friends to open them thy owne mouth to testifie them thy dreames to make them knowne in sicknesse to raue on them or in frensie to vomit them out the sharpe torment of conscience make thee cōfesse one priuie sinne vnrepented for if the Israelites made the Beniaminites fewer in number and maintaining an euill cause twice to preuaile It is not light that is heauier then all the world I esteem one iot of my lawe more then heauen and earth secret corruptions be light as Baltasar was in Daniels interpretation which is the losse not of an earthly kingdome such as his was but of the kingdome of heauen the maladies of the soule are contrarie to those of the body for these the greater they be the more we seele them the other the lesse while thy sinne is as a more and may bee as it were blowen out make thee free of it when it shall bee a beame it shall scarce be haled out with horses it shold be thy earely and morning worke to cast out sinnes tarry not while thy sinne be great but pray with feeling of wants and sorrowe for sinne else sinne will deceiue thee and deceiuing thee will harme thee make fatte thy heart thou shalt not perceiue it blinde thy minde thou shalt not see it for when wickednesse is at the ripest then destruction is nearest at hand wherefore while sinne is yet in the sprout and hauing but a little course is vnable to make any great breach keepe it vnder and stay it is is hard to get vnto the way of goodnesse harder to continue in it but hardest of all when thou art out of the way to come in again when sinne breaketh out without controulement and beareth the sway with delight to the breaking of the peace with the conscience it is very dangerous thou oughtest of ten to say direct my steps in thy worde and let no iniquity haue dominion ouer mee keepe mee from presumtuous sins let them not raigne ouer mee tarrie not I say vntill the dead blow commeth but resist the first stroakes of sinne for then thou maiest be easily hardened thorough the deceitfulnesse of sinne to day if thou heare my voyce harden not thy heart the violence of sinne is so impetuous that thou mayest soone slip but hardly rise blessed therefore is the man that feareth alway but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill without sinne thou shalt not be but pray it may be forgiuen neither voyd of tentations for of all tentations not to bee tempted is the greatest but that thou bee not ouercome of them Soule I perceiue sweet Lord there is difference betwixt slumbering and dead sleeping betweene slippes and falles betwixt infirmities and running headlong to vngodlinesse betwixt error with griefe and desire to be freed from it and ignorance wherein the wicked lie still gladly and haue no care to be rid of it I will with my whole minde leaue my sins from hence forth suspect the corruptions and motions of my heart Lord. It is not sufficient poor soule for thee to learne thy sinne for thou maiest fall into it againe and into worse if it bee possible but thou must weep mourne vntil thou com to som grief and such as is answerable to the measure of thy sinnes as it is saide cleanse your hands you sinners and pufie your hearts you double minded bee afflicted and mourne and weep let your

feare before affliction commeth and then it ceaseth but the wicked fear not vntill it come and then they feare too much for piety trembleth in prosperity and triumpheth in aduersity I am alwaies God and am to bee feared of thee for thou art a creature and also sinfull an iron rod can easily break an earthen pot if the commandement onely keepe thee in obedience thou hast not receiued my spirit for my feare causeth obedience and the lawe was not giuen to the iust but to the vniust and therefore learne to say with thy heart I am a man that feare God thou canst not reioyce in mee alwaies faith is often faint loue and little ioy is dead feeling is fallen asleepe yet if thou continue in my feare thou wilt bee zealous of thy selfe least thou displease me mourn vntill these graces shine in thee againe the godly feare sinne more then exernall crosses they that feare least when my iudgements are threatned doe feare most when they are executed a good conscience breedeth true boldnesse sinne breedeth a spirit of feare in the wicked of euills to come the godly say my flesh trēbleth for feare of thee I am affraide of thy iudgements for where feare is not there is security security breedeth hardnesse of heart hardnesse of heart bringeth Gods wrath Soule Wee must haue feare to prepare vs to grace loue to continue vs in that grace this feare not that seruile and excessiue bringeth vs vnto thee helpeth our praiers causeth vs waite continue on our duties I must not bee without feare neither trust in my selfe for when my assistance is weakest sinne and Sathan is strongest neither yet must I haue a cowardly feare fainting of heart to yeelde to tētations but haue a moderate and not a scrupulous feare alawies being strong in thee the Lord my strength the ioy of the Saints may bee temporally interrupted but not finally eternaly absent they haue a iust and royall right in thy Sonne Christ and must maintaine it against all the staines and falls that they feare of the aduersary thus Satan would weare to a dulnesse the edge of our prayers and draw to tedidiousnesse the fruite of our faith and therefore they trust in the Lord with all their heart and leane not vnto their owne wisedome in all their waies acknowledge him and hee doth direct their waies they are not wise in their owne eies but feare thee and departe from euill so health shall bee vnto their nauell and marow vnto their bones they reioyce in his holy name the hearts of them that feele thee O Lord reioyceth they seek the Lord and his strength they seeke his face continually for surely their heart shall reioyce in him because they haue trusted in his holy name they I say doe serue the Lord in feare and reloyce in trembling oh thy louing kindnesse O Lord is better then life truely life is sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart but alas good Lord I doe euer feele within mee such procliuity and bentnesse to sinne it is as thou saidst of my corruption whose remnants will follow mee to the graue I am ouer-mastered ouerruled at all times by my actuall impieties against thee and my neighbours offensiue and scandalous to all without any Christian consideration or holy remorse Lord. The cause thereof besides those I haue spoken are first because thou findest not after thy sinne a present controulement of sinne thou thinkest thou hast not offended I oft suffer the spirit of slumber to ouertake trangressors that I may by my spirit more perfectly waken my Saints then doe the wicked take courage and transgresse and doe wickedly but I wil search them with light and visite them that are frosen in their dregges and say in their hearts they Lord wil neither doe good nor euill so because the wicked are not taken in their sin they stretch out their hand to more wickednesse their houses are safe from feare neither is my rodde vpon them they say vnto me depart from vs for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes but they shall bee as stubble before the winde and as chaffe which the storme carrieth suddenly away I shall lay vp his iniquity for his children doth the way of the wicked prosper yet are they prepared for the day of slaughter and the worlde counteth the proude blessed and they that tempt me are deliuered but I haue a booke of remembrance of them that feare me and the armes of the wicked shall be broken but the Lorde vpholdeth the iust man The second cause is because thou resteth in my vniuersal promises which although they be true and comfortable yet they can minister no true consolation to thee except thou make a particuler application of them to thy selfe by the word thou seest thy sinnes pardonable yet it is another thing to haue sinnes remissible and another to assure thy selfe that they are already remitted for then thou wouldest search thy selfe more narrowly and purge thy selfe from inwarde sinne as from outward and bee wholly transformed vnto a new holy righteous life therefore the loue of righteousnesse departeth from thee and thou retirest to thy olde sins againe which will breed much sorrowe of heart to remember thy former sinnes to see the greatnesse of them to apply my iudgements to them and to prouoke thy selfe to sorrow for them The third cause is thy slacknes in not espying thy mother speciall and predominant sinne in thee by marking the most checks of thy conscience and the reproaches of thy enemies whereof thou maiest easily bee shortly conquerour if thou labour for the contrarie vertue for a man of vnderstanding knoweth when hee slippeth yea all the dayes of the afflicted are euill but hee that is of a merry heart hath a continuall feast yea and a scorner loueth not one that reproueth him neither will he goe vnto the wise then learne to acknowledge thy speciall secret and seuerall sinnes for the greatest hypocrite will generally complaine of sinne but beeing dealt with in particular points and application of them to their conscience they are not able to distinguish one sinne from another for thus indistinct knowledge cannot auayle in any terrestriall matter much lesse in the businesse of the soule Soule And I poore wretch in any perplexity of minde cannot seperate the blinde and confused cause thereof from the distinct known neither can eschew confusion of minde by bringing my soule to some certaine obiect and matter of my troubled heart good God whence commeth this and how shall it bee amended in mee Lord. The righteous heart knoweth the bitternesse of his soule and the stranger shall not meddle with thy ioy for a sound heart is the life of the flesh and by the sorrow of the heart the minde is heauie giue not ouer they minde to heauinesse and vexe not thy selfe in

what young men did in Sampsons daies in their feasting and how hee reuealeth to the woman which he had concealed from father and mother and Boas commendation of Ruth that shee had not followed young men whether they were poore or rich for childe-hood and youth are vanity and secondly there is in them weakenesse the way to strong vanities and so Dauid as for me saith hee my feet were almost gone my steps had well-neere slipt Thus Abraham made his his wife say shee was his sister so the godly haue spent the time past of their life in the lusts of the Gentiles walking in lasciousnesse lusts reuellings c. And thirdly euen my Saints haue walked in wantonnes in the door to open wickednesse as gluttony drunkennesse and abhominable idolatries which though they breake not forth at all times yet make them lesse carefull to glorifie me for I keepe them that they shal not sinne against mee and doe not suffer them to end their designements other mens harmes may teach the blessed wisedome labour not onely to leaue sinne which one may do for profit feare praise or wearisomenesse but also to repent of it for conscience sake Soule The grieuousnesse of my sinnes filleth mee with feare of iudgement and this feare I hope will cause the power of sinne abate in me thou Lord can giue me victory ouer sin and make it as loathsome vnto mee as euer it hath been pleasant to reioyce in the Lord to vse the meanes of my saluation diligently and to seale vp the pardon of my sinnes in my heart O God when shall it bee If thou wouldest haue destroyed mee for my by-past sinnes thou wouldest neuer haue giuen mee vnfained hatred of thē I consider thy mercy that striueth with mee to bring mee to repentance and thy iustice that will confound such as resist thy mercie hath giuen mee the meanes which thou hast denied to others thou afflictest mee lightly but confoundest others thou gauest mercie when thou mightest iustly haue punished wherin thou doest as it were hire mee from sins and shall I prouoke thee and adde rebellion to sinne O my God I know there is a secret curse vpon euery sinner which will consume him if he doe not repent it hath gone out of thy mouth thy word cānot change because thou art vnchangeable Lord. I haue tolde thee that youth the flower of thy age is of great consideration all this haue I done saith the yong man in the gospel the prodigall maketh his foure stations he hath his portion his fathers ouer-fight euill cōpany but youth worse thē all for youth hath a bundle of folly bound close in his heart which best men haue had neither could flee for as a young man sets his way hee will not departe from it when hee is olde vnlesse by my spirit hee is restrained him that God will haue his roabe must bee a branch of the Almond that is the tree that first blossomes the first fruites was Abels sacrifice so much acceptable to me Soule O God I am like the possessed that was found after sitting in a good mind that sweet wind hath come to me that happened to Elisha I haue felt that gentle calme after the stormie tempest of my heart now may I heare the golden trumpets sounding that ioyfull retrait blessed are the meeke in spirit Lord teach me thy commandements I will run them I shall haue encrease of strength vntill I come to the mount of God while I was in my element of sinne I felt not the weight of it as nothing is heauie in his owne element but now I by thy grace will lay aside euery waight and the sin which doth so easily beset mee runne with patience to the race that is set before mee I finde my selfe within the fadome of thy mercie and compasse of things recouerable the first worke of thy spirit at his comming is to conuince the worlde of sinne that is to make men knowe that without thy sonne Christ there is nothing but sinne and then to rebuke the worlde of righteousnes to make man see that Christ died not for his owne for the prince of this worlde found nothing in him but for our sinnes that so we may see him in the lawe with the wages thereof and the summe in the gospell discharged but good Lord how shall I be assured that I am not vnder the curse but vnder grace for yet I finde such hardnesse in my heart vnquietnesse and troubles in my spirit my sins rebounded vpon mee with terrible fights and fearfull visions which euer amazeth my vnsettled and wauering mind Lord. The examination of thy sinnes is that which first thou must begin with and partly those thou hast committed before thy calling and partly those that were done after thy calling for these sinnes of knowledge of all bite sorest for sinne is most sinfull when thou art intelligenced with my grace in the truth sin after knowledge workes either hardnesse of heart or a troubled spirit and therefore vnderstand that commonly men before knowledge take the trouble of minde very heauily and standing as if neuer any one had it before but they and after knowledge Satan is readie to accuse them of sinne against the holy Ghost as if euery sin of knowledge was a sinne of presumption but learne thou that when tentation ariseth to trie whether thou hast done that sinne or such like already for these tentations are either corrections for some sinnes past or punishment for sinne present or as warning of sinnes to come as thou may bee tempted to adultery and not doe it yet it commeth to thee againe because thou repentest not for this same or the like in thy youth cōmitted again when man will not bee admonished by publique or priuate meane there falleth tentation to sinne differing from that wherein thou doest and presently my iustice punishing one sinne with another as the not repenting couetous to fall into adultery theft or blood and last there may tentation come vpon that neither hee before nor presently doth like of to aduertise he may fall therein hereafter and to signifie that mans standing is not of himselfe none standeth but by my grace Fo as the girdle cleaueth vnto the loynes of man so haue I tyed my children to mee Soule Beside these inward trouarising in my heart which afflicteth mee most the fruite of my corruption I am pinched with sundry diuerse outward afflictions which agrauates and augments my sorrowe Lord thou knowest them well I cannot finde the cause of them for I liue as honest and quiet as any and iniurious to my knowledge to no man in my calling Lord. Vnder any crosse endeauour to haue a cleane conscience to comfort thee with that there is no spirituall cause of these afflictions in thee but that thy sufferings are either for the triall of thy faith beeing assured that thou hast a good conscience in all things blessed

crowne of glory which is promised them that growe in grace in the knowledge of our Lord Sauior Iesur Christ to him be glory both now and for euermore Amen A Prayer for Tuseday at Euening O Most louing and mercifull Father if the beauty and flower of all our best actions which is prayer bee so sinfully stained with our naturall corruption alas how odious and abhominable are the rest of our sinnefull workes thou findest no stedfastnesse euen in thy seruants and layest folly upon thy Angels how much more on them that dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust thou hast no need that any should testifie of vs for thou knowest what is in man thou lightenest things that are hid in darknesse makest the counsell of their hearts manifest our hearts are deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know it and if our hearts condemne vs thou art greater then our hearts and knowest all things O what boldnesse might wee haue towards thee if our hearts condemned vs not O what treachery is in this our flesh O the continuall readinesse that is in Satan that goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking to deuoure vs and thou O Lord lookest down from heauen and beholdest all the children of men frō the habitation of thy dwelling place thou beholdest vs all that dwell in the earth thou fashionest the hearts of euery one and vnderstandest our works O Lord aboue all things giue vs an earnest striuing against our corruptions a tendernesse of conscience in all our actions a lowlinesse and humility in all our carriage making conscience of the least sinnes keeping our selues from the occasions and all appearances thereof and because O Lord thou hast not appointed vs to wrath but to obtaine saluation by the means of our Lord Iesus Christ which died for vs that whether wee wake or sleep we shold liue together with him grant we beseech thee that we may entertain stirre vp thy gifts which is in vs and the good motions thereof let not thy spirit lye a sleep in vs keep vs from terrors in conscience from loathing coldnesse and deadnesse in Christian duties and exercises discontentment and blindnesse of minde aptnesse to fall into those sinnes again which wee either abhorre or by thy spirit haue heretofore conquered that we may rouse vp thy spirit and labour more and more to be quickned in the inward man euer making warre against some chiefe lust of the heart to get the maistery ouer it that by experimentall conquest of our owne wee may learne in time to conquer all the rest and because our heart lyeth open to all temptations grant wee beseech thee O deare Father that casting downe the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of thee our God and bringing in captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ that we may follow after righteousnesse godlinesse faith loue patience and meckenesse that fighting the good fight of faith wee may lay holde on eternall life and now O Lord thou art in this darknesse of night our saluation and light wee will beholde thy face in righteousnesse and when wee awake wee shall bee satisfied with thy image wherefore our heart is glad and our tongue reioyceth and our flesh also doth rest in hope and now the Lord deliuer vs from euery euill worke this night and euer preserue vs vnto his heauenly kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour to whom bee praise for euer and euer Amen A Prayer for Wednesday at Morning VVEE confesse O Lord God most mercifull Father that in vs that is in this our flesh there is no godnes in such bondage are we vnto sinne that while wee are about any good as very seldome alas wee are euill is present with vs and wee are led captiue thereto yet Lorde by thy grace wee striue against that slauery in very great weakenesse and wee thank our God througe Iesus Christ our Lord that wee in our minde in some small measure doe serue thy lawe but in our flesh the law of sinne for it is thou O God which workest in vs both the will and the deede euen of thy owne good pleasure wee haue had our conuersation in times past so miserable was our case in the lusts of our owne flesh in fulfilling of the flesh and of the minde and wee are by nature the children of wrath walking after the course of this world and after the Prince that raigneth in the ayre euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience but thou O God who art rich in mercie through thy great loue whereby thou louedst vs euen when wee were deade by sinnes hah quickned vs together in Christ thy deare Son our Lord grant good God vnto vs a rectified iudgement proceeding frō an enlightned and sanctified vnderstanding wrought by a liuely faith thorough thy worde that wee may meet together vnto a perfect man and to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ vouchsafe gracious Father according to the riches of thy glory that we may be strenthened by thy spirit and comforted in all the faculties of our soules that wee may know and proue the loue of thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ that wee may be filled with all the fulnesse of thee our God giue vnto vs a sanctified conscience keeping it sensible of the least euill desiring to liue honestly with a continull cheerfulnesse of well doing and holy ordering and disposing of our affections that we may set them on things that are aboue and not on things which are vnder the earth for crucifying of the flesh and natiue corruption therof and in building more more forward the new man that wee may wake a most gracious conquest ouer our most vnruly thoughts in fitting and conforming our outwarde actions to thy most holy acceptable and perfect will and serue thee the Lord our God with ioyfulnesse with a good heart for all thy blessings bestowed vpon vs both spirituall and temporall that as wee haue receiued Iesus Christ our Lord so wee may walke rooted and built in him and stab lisht in the faith abounding therein with thanksgiuing to preuent security and giue thy grace alwaies O deare Father that wee may ioyne with this our faith vertue with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and with brotherly kindenesse loue that we be not idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ that as this same very day wee beginne heere with thee directing our prayers as incense before thee so by these means an entry may be ministered vnto vs aboundantly vnto the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ that when we shall lay downe these our

all kinde of seruile actions and outward imployments with all froward affections and lusts that we may study to enter into that rest with thy people and cease from our owne works as thou O Lord didst vnto thine blessed God strike in our hearts in time of praier a reuerent esteemation of thy glorious Maiestie a feeling of our defects and giue constant faith in thy sweete promises faithfull remembrance of thy receiued blessings louing and charitable affections towardes our neighbours and grant vnto vs mercifull Father while wee heare a wide and open heart to receiue and holy ludgement to discerne lowlinesse in minde feeling in the inward man and stability in the memory and euermore in thy seruice bestow on vs an humble soule an hungring and thirsting heart that the blood of the Lord Iesus Christ which thorough the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to thee our God may purge our consciences frō dead works to serue thee the Lord vouchsafe on vs an vnfained loue to thy word that wee may lay it vp and hide it in our soules and euer sanctifie our thoughts that our whole meditations may be thereon and practise the same in life and conuersation that all men seeing our good workes may glorifie thee our heauenly Father to thee therefore with the Sonne and the holy Ghost we render all glory praise and dominion both now for euermore Amen A Prayer for Sunday Euening GLory praise and honour bee vnto thee most mercifull and heauenly Father who hast appointed this speciall day and ministry of thy word for our instruction O Lord grant wee may feele our knowledge increased our faith strengthened our soules mindes and consciences aboundantly thereby refreshed good God thou hast promised that if any lacke wisedome thou wilt giue it him yea all other things in and with thy Christ we beseech thee therfore make thy holy worde a power of life vnto life vnto vs yea a power of saluation vnto vs that beleeue in parte yea Lord wee beleeue we pray thee helpe our vnbeliefe for wee are fraught with blindesse and error our affections frowarde peruerse and disordered and reprobate to any good worke by nature make vs good Lord new creatures that as new borne babes we may desire the sincere milk of thy word that we may grow thereby annoynt our eyes with the eye-salue of thy holy spirit Lord ioine to thy word that penetratiue vertue to pierce and finde out our so pregnant corruptions for it is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two-edged sword and entereth through euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioynts and marow is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart which we beseech thee by thy word to discouer rip vp and ransacke to the bottome giue vs a lowly heart to make a lowly vse of reprehensions out of thy worde and apply them earnestly to our selues that the righteous may smite vs which is a benefit and reproue vs which is as pretious oyle that shall not breake our heads that by them wee may be reclaimed from our froward backwarde wills and because good Lord our remembrance of good things is very short and faileable and doth reserue very few good things against the houre of temptation day of death make vs good Lord carefull euer to heare meditate pray and conferre giuing alwaies thankes with a plyable obediēce to thy lawes that in spirituall discretion and heauenly wisdome we may consummate our perigrination here and worke out our saluation with feare trembling by thy grace establish our hearts in thy truth that wee be not carried about with euery light winde of doctrine but that wee may lay holde on the good labouring daily to be led on to perfection and most gracious Father make vs not onely to see and feele our owne defects but giue vs a heart to lament them Lord freely and finally pardon them for Iesus Christ thy deare Sonne sake moisten and water our hard dry hearts with the dew of thy heauēly blessings shoure them downe vpon vs for lightning of our minds setling of our iudgements cōforting of our soules and reformation of our mis-behauiours grant we may yeeld a full assent to the truth of thy word not measuring it after the crooked rule of our mis-leading affections that wee be not of those which make a show of religion but deny the power thereof and wee beseech thee for thy tender mercies sake this night to subdue the flesh which lusteth against the spirit confound Satan aduersary to our saluation and keep vs against the example of the worlde which is set in euill that we may neuer be wearie to beginne where wee left off in well-doing neither yet breake off where thou requirest continuance of obedience but goe from faith to faith like the way of the righteous which as the light shineth more and more vnto perfect day so shall wee glorifie thy name and our owne soules be strengtheded the weake ones by our example bee confirmed and edified the vnruly admonished the feeble-minded comforted and be patient toward all men and shall dissolue from hence in thy fauour whilst now we liue in thy feare hauing in our mouthes a new song of thanksgiuing occasioned by thy new blessings day by day heauenly graces be-bestowed vpon vs in Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy spirit be praise and glory for euermore Amen A MEDITATION of the Mercy and Iustice of God Against declining either to the left or right hand in presumption or despaire that wee may leade an euen course in Christianity LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Daniel Speed and are to be sold at his Shop vnder S. Mildreds Church in the Poultry 1618. To the Right Worshipfull Sir William Alexander Knight Secretarie and one of his Maiesties most honerable priuy Councell in Scotland MEn to make themselues as it were eternall they write their names on their houses Absolon reared a piller is not this said one Niniuie which I builded for my glory Ninus to immortalise his father Belus made for him an Idoll in whose dominions while Terrah Abrahams father did dwell he became with the rest an Idolater these would haue their fame time ending together but they haue shot short of the seauen wonders of the world nothing but naked names remaine all these are mutilate inuentions to the Iew departed his brother or nearest kinsman must raise seed to continue his name in Israell but children beeing the Lords gift could not bee had when as they would books with time that eates all doth often smoother may successiuely by concatenation of ages in the Presse as a new Phoenix reuiue but all these to perpetuity are set apart as faulty For as they all monuments children and bookes are of this below so shall with the same although neuer so olde bee dissolued