for the Spirit rather then for the flesh Rom. 13. 14. By putting on the whole Armour of God without which we cannot fight so manfully under Christs banner as in our Baptisme we undertook In this armour we may be able to stand against all the wiles of the Devil Ephes 6. 11. If we would have a particular note of what is so to be put on St Paul insaâ—…ces In the breast-plate of faith and love and for a hâ—…lmet the hope of salvation 1 Thes. 5. 8. which will inable us with patience to bear off many a shrowd blow And again Putting on as the elect of God bowels of mercie Col. 3. 12. and charity the bond of perfection And to avoid spiritual pride too after all these we may take another Item from St Peter Be sure to be clothed with humility for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humâ—…ble 1 Pet. 3. 5. 3. In the time of Washing When we are thus one would thinke attired and armed cap à pè yet there is something more to acquaint our thoughts withall In the time of Washing to confirme our former meditations and resolutions before we ventet againe into the world which is wholly set upon mischiefe in that sense totus positus in maligno and where we way quickly walke upon nets and snares and fall upon many unexpected hazards if we looke not well about us First in the washing of our hands let us be put in mind of that Preparation to ouâ—… Morning Prayers to wash our hands in Innocency Psal. 26. 6. before we approach nearer and presume to make our humble addresses to the Majestie of God And when we applie the water toward our eyes Let us not forget how many times our eyes should have sent out other water and been turned into fountaines of teares to wash away the sins of our former neglects Then when we wash and swill our mouths let that put a short confession into our mouths of the excesse in eating and drinking and of the evill and unsavory language that hath often polluted them and therefore should have a time of cleansing and of those Secrets which might better have been suffered to rot in our mouths then to have passed that hedge of the teeth which nature hath set as the memorandum of our bounds and limits in that kind 4. While we make use of the Looking-Glasse If through our dulness or somewhat worse we have neglected to prompt our Inventions and Memories with such pious Ejaculations as might easily be drawn out of the former or other like pieces of Sacred Scripture and be made seasonably reducible and appliable to our godly Morning thoughts which should first season us and make us the apter to be in the residue of the day as Vessels of Honour If this be neglected from our first waking till we are up and ready Yet then at least when we informe our selves by the looking-Glasse how fit we are to appear abroad Let us admonish our selves of studying for the inwardbeauty If we appear young and chearful let us perswade our selves to spend that vigour in the service of God while it will be accepted If our looks begin to bear the Characters of old Age let us ask our selves what we have done to make that Age honourable If our gray hairs appear here and there let us take them as the blossomes of the grave the arrows of admonition like those of Jonathan the feathers of the Swan that come when we are neare our last song of nunc dimittu the sensible Alteration of the chiefest and most declining parts of the bodie unto that colour which if it come from the cares of our Calling deserves double reverence If we look all white to the Harvest let us be assured that Death is coming with his sytheâ—… and it is high time to be provided of an other mansion when the soul is chased out of this And lastly If our looks be never so young let us hear with patience that All flesh 〈◊〉 grasse and the glorie of it as the flower of the grasse which may quickly fade away and 〈◊〉 no more seen And what need I thus enlarge my self in these particulars When necessary occasions do not otherwise take up our thoughts 〈◊〉 may from the very kembing of our hair 〈◊〉 excrement wherein some place so much 〈◊〉 their pride and curiosity and from what else we do in the dressing and composing of our selves from all those we might borrow the rise of some good Meditation that would advance our thoughts and be a meanes to keep off those idle phancies which will else be ready enough to encroach upon us V. Preparation to our set-devotions as soon as we are ready WE are then fiâ—…test for devotion when the mind hath not been yet seiz'd upon and possessed with any worldly thoughts And in it self there is no reason that we should meddle with any such thoughts and much lesse with any servile work and businesse of our own till first we have served God Therefore it was generally said of old A Jove principium The light of Nature beside the practice of the Church can direct us that it should be our first task to worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker i. e. to serve God before we serve our selves The first fruits of every day should be his the first opening of our mouths the blessing of his holy name and the first cast of our eyes and posture of our hands directed to his holy Throne Holy David was of that mind when he said My voice shalt thou hear betimes O Lord. Early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up Ps. 5. 3. And accordingly let it be our resolution in the morning as soon as we can be composed for it to present our prayers before Him like the Incense that should sweeten our thoughts for the whole day VI. A previous Consideration of Prayer in general and the best Motives to the use of it BEfore we come to give direction for particular Devotions and Prayers it is fit we should say somewhat that may bring us in love with Prayer the Sanctuary of a penitent Soul and the key that opens the way to all Goâ—…'s blessings and favours and admits us into the nearer presence and audience of Almighty God and somewhat that may move and induce us to the constant and right use of it Which I hope will be no hard matter to gain from any man For he that will consider the power and virtue of prayer which may easily be seen in the speedy and wonderful effect of the prayers of Moses Josuah Samuel and many other devout Servants of God He that is conscious of his own ignorance and backwardnesse to foresee and procure what is best in the midst of daily wants and necessities beside the necessities of other men which the law of Charity binds him to regard especially of those men which are members of the
is better then life it self Ps. 63. 2. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there 's none upon earth thaâ—… desire in comparison of thee Ps. 73. 24. Anthem Above the Stars my Saviour dwels I love I care for nothing else Dear Saviour raise my duller eyne To see some of thy beams divine And wondering let me often say Come Lord Jesu come away O fit me for thy coming and then make no long tarrying O my God Psal. 40. 21. and in the mean time Give me Grace to continue in the number of those that wait and long for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 13. 4. Such a short Morning task will quickly set us at liberty for our daily occasions but when publick Prayer time comes on let us listen to the Bells that invite us to God's House the place of his special presence Whither let us not come without due Preparation and before we enter in let us look to our feet our affections that bring us in and admonish our selves not to offer the sacrifice of fools in God's house For while we are there we are made a spectacle to God to Angels and to Men. Therefore we should hoc agere and use such good heed reverâ—…nce attention and devotion that we may end with a blessing and so go out better then we came in 5. After our return from publick Service a few hours well spent may produce a chearful heart all day and a sweet rest at night Especially if we begin or end the night with a short Scrutiny and examination of our selves what we have done well in the day time to thank God for it and what we have done ill to ask pardon and resolve by the grace of God to do better next day After our Scrutiny when we draw neer toward bed-time let us remember the affinitie betwixt Death and Sleep how soon one may be chang'd into the other That will oblige us to take order that as the body is to rest so the soul also may rest upon her proper pillow the Peace of God that passeth all understanding and rely upon the custody of Him that neither slumbers nor sleeps This being done doubt not but if we live a sweet sleep shall render us chearful and vigorous the next day and if we be carried from the bed to the grave as perhaps we may thence God will raise us to a better life and change our vile bodies to the likenesse of his glorious Body and from our Mother-earth bring us to our Heavenly Father whom none can see and not be everlastingly happy A few daies thus ordered may be an Introduction to all the rest according to this good Beginning But what 's all the rest Who knows what the rest of our Dayes may prove whether few or none Live well a few dayes and your life will be at an end as the Emperour Antoninus was wont to say The longest life is but a few daies Few and evil saith the Patriarch Jacob of his for with us good daies are prosperous daies all other are counted evil daies or nights of affliction rather then dayes Put all together Dayes and Nights Good and Evil they will all be quickly ended and we shall begin our Eternitie Le ts every day strive to make that happy Ab hoc momento pendet Aeternitas MORE PARTICVLAR ADVICE for times of Retirement Meditation and Devotion I. The need we have of several holy retirements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christianity is the conformitie of a Christian unto Christ saith Gregory Nyssen in Profess Chr He is the pattern and the way and the Truth and the Life The Rule of all our actions we have from Him who is the word of God and the Son of God whom by a voice from Heaven at his Baptism God commanded us to hear and obey Now will a little care and a little time be sufficient to fit us for the knowledg and practice of all this Will there not be need of several returns to our reading and studying and soliloquies and meditations how to facilitate these duties Must we not watch and mistrust our selves and be our own Remembrancers to keep us close to our task For that which sets us on work and hath most power to draw us one way or other is not any external thing it is rather in our own Apprehensions and Affections Thence is the Rhetorick that prevailes with us and hath all the Instruments and Operations of the Body and Mind at her command To compasse and effect this all the Helps and all the Vigilance that can be used will prove little enough For whatsoever is our talk and speculation and intention I doubt not but in the practice we do all of us find it a difficult matter to disintangle our selves from those natural or habitual and bosome sins that are apt to enâ—…are and enthrall us again if our best endeavours provide not for good heed and ready use of the compleat armour of a Christian. Nay if Sin could be avoided with ease yet there are so many Circumstances or Requisites that go to the piecing up of good Actions that the best of men need not be loth or ashamed to be made virtuous by the Book our Practice easily running counter to our Theory and some things as easily perswading us to slack that pace of which we were once as confident as we were fully resolved And no wonder For we have in us somewhat of the Beast as well as of the Man and are not so ready to hear Reason and Religion as to be lead by some Senses To which we may adde that when we are not endangered by inward frailties and corruptions we may have cause enough to fear danger from the contagion of commerce without us Therefore in the close of our Secessions and Retirements we should often pray that when we venter abroad we may be delivered not onely from our selves and our own inclinations but from our friends and enemies and oppositions and temptations of all sorts And we should as often admonish our selves that we walk upon snares and may suddenly and dangerously be surprized in our greatest security To say nothing that the World which at the best is but our Inne may by some accident be quickly turned to our Hospital and we thence summoned to the last and highest Tribunal before we are well advised of it II. The Frequency and Constancy of this holy Employment THis holy retirement that I plead for should be put in practice at least twice or thrice every day least the mind insensibly begin to flag and sink for want of such a help and support As we see our Clocks and Watches though we wind them up in the morning yet they will fail in their motion if we do not wind them up at night again And after
hath moved us I know not But shall we recall to memory what we have read of our Saviour himself Jesus rising up before day went into a solitary place and there prayed Marc. 1. 35 So he did to preach too and the people flocked as early together to hear Him Luc. 21. 37. If he rose so early to pray for us and teach us shall not we sometime rise as early to pray for our selves and read and meditate upon that which he hath taught Nor must we forget that he hath done more then so For we find him Luc. 26. 23. continuing all night in prayer in our behalf That is more then our rising early in the morning to do it for our selves But without such a high Pattern may not even this of it self prevaile with us Now and then to see the beauty of the rising Sun which declares the glory of the Creator or to heare the Birds of the Aire betimes in the Morning melodiously chanting his praise While we then looke upon the Sun going forth as a gyâ—…nt to run his race it might prompt us with the memory of our race who run here for a crowne of Immortality And while we are taken with the melody of the chearfull Birds our selves might be provoked to call upon God that He would open our lips that our mouthes that are filled with more blessings may shew forth his praise IV. The entertainment of our selves at our waking looking up attiring washing c. IT were well done of us if we would se order our thoughts that every day they might first be initiated with some divine Meditation some ejaculation or expression of our Love and Service to God Upon that first good tincture and seasoning they might be the better preserved the whole day after And we may take a hint of good Meditations from some such passages as these 1. When we wake and looke up How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard A little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep c. Prov 6. 9. As a dore turneth upon the hinges so doth the slothfull upon his bed Prov 26. 14. Awake Arisâ—… be Enlightned Isai. 60. 1. For the true light is come the knowledge of thy Saviour the Sun of Righteousnesse that enlightens every man and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Ephes 5. 14. before thou couldest wake and beg his grace to raise thee from death in sinne by the light of his countenance graciously shining upon thy dull and drousie Soule Arise for thou hast a great journey to goe I Kings 19. 7. and many obstacles in the way It is high time to awake out of our sleepe in sin For now since we have received the light of the Gospell our salvation is nearer then when we first believed Rom 13. 11. The Night is farre spent the Day is at Hand Let us therefore cast off the workes of darknesse and put on the armour of Light 1 Thess 5. 5. For we are all Children of the Light and Children of the Day We have free liberty to make our addresses to the Father of Lights and as great encouragement to expect help and succour from the power of darkness Yet a little while is the Light with us Let us walk while we have the Light Joh. 12. 35. Otherwise This will adde much to our sin and heavy punishment that Light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evil But Open thou mine eyes O Lord that I may see the wonders of thy Law Ps. 119. 18. And love him that said I am the light of the world He that follows me shall not walk in darknesse but shall have the light of life Joh 8. 12. Open thou mine eyes O Lord that I sleep not in Death Ps. 13. 3. Let not ease and security flatter me into a dangerous sleep again nor any thing else be interposed betwixt me and the true light Rather Anoint thou mine eyes with that eye-salve that will make me see clearly Rev. 3. 18. Above all shew me the light of thy countenance and be merciful to me Ps. 67. 1. and remove from me the hazard of that blindnesse which I am apt to bring upon my self Shew me the true light which is the light and life of men The light that shineth in darknesse though the darknesse comprehend it not Joh. 1. 4. The Lord blesse me and keep me The Lord make his face to shine upon me and be gratious unto me The Lord lift up his countenance upon me and give me peace Num. 6 24. That is The Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity three Persons and one Lord and God blesse me be favourable and merciful unto me and preserve me in his Peace the peace of God that passeth all understanding 2. When we put on our apparrel we may take some hints of holy ejaculations from these following places of Scripture Take not much thought for rayment but consider the Lilies of the field how they grow they toyl not neither do they spin and yet Solomon in all his glory which cost him dear is not arrayed like one of these in their natural attire saith our Saviour Mat. 6. 28. Therefore at least let us take no thought how to make that an Instrument or Accesse to our Pride which had no other end at first then to cover our shame after the discovery of our sin as the Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may put us in mind that carry a memorandum of them both That may put us in mind to follow the advice of John the Divine Rev. 3. 8. to purchase the white Robe belonging to them that are willing to lay down their lives for Christ as he did his for them that so in that cloathing the shame of our nakednesse may not appear Then should we be secure though our Saviour himself should come suddenly upon us like a thief in the night Rev. 16. 15. that we should not be found naked to the discoverie of our shame This should be our chief aim for apparrell that apparell that will hide our fin rather then show it as pride doth So far should we be from too much adorning the bodie that may this day be committed to putrefaction And so much it concerns us to labour for the hope of being clothed hereafter with Immortalitie 2 Cor. 5. 2. To that end Let us endeavour more and more to put off the old man with his deeds and put on the nâ—…w man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him saith St Paul Col. 3. 9. And St Peter speakes to the same purpose Our adorning let it not be that outward adorning but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible We that have been baptized into Christ let us every day put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. put on our Lord Jesus Christ with Him all Christian vertues making provision
this it is a high virtue to coeceed to be sick with love to be in Raptures and Ecstafies of Love As we may see the Church is in the Canticles and is still loved the better for it 2. Then for Delight What greater delight can you conceive then David took in his divine love when He set his Harp and his Heart to the tune of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 116. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I love thee dearly O Lord As the Hart longeth after the Water-brook Ps. 18. Ps. 42. Such were holy David's loves and delights The like had St. John the beloved Disciple who in every Epistle in every Chapter pleaseth himself to descant upon holy Love And St. Peter being woed with our Saviours question lovest thou Me was able to say Tu nôsti Thou knowest O Lord that I love thee Saint Paul was of his mind accounting all but losse for the love of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip. 3. 8. And after them thousand of Martyrs and holy Saints that apprehended more delight in those coelestiall flames that kindled this fire within them then the fear of other material flames that turned their bodies into ashes and so delivered them from the assaults of those dangerous Loves without them that were ad oppositum unto this To all those blessed Souls the Love of God was sweeter then life it self and in some stronger then ever lasting death if so we may understand the love of Moses and St. Paul who it seemes could have been content to have been blotted out of the book of Life and made Anathema from Christ if that might any way promote their Loves and the Honor and Glory of Him they Loved Here 's a Love that may take the Kingdom of Heaven by violence and prevail for any thing For what can be denied to such a Love 3. And this brings us to the Third Motive the Profit and the Advantage that accrues to this Divine Love to which all things are pervious For bring as great a sinner as Mary Magdalene that had been a City-sinner peccatrix in Civitate and the unclean Cage of Seaven Devils yet if his Repentance bring with it Mary Magdalene's Love he need not doubt of the same happy success that she had quia ditexit multum This Hope we gather out of the Gospel And before we came to it in the Gospel the body of the Law it self carried so much Hope in those Tables of Stone as might break our Stony Hearts in this Love For how read we there He visites sin to the Third and Fourth Generation of them that Hate Him But what doth He for them that Love Him He shewes mercy to thousands in them that Love Him And this Love reacheth further yet Not only to shew Mercy but all manner of Blessings All are to be had for the price of Love For What else doth God require of you saith Moses Deut. 10 12. that is Lay down that and â—…e all Dii omnia Laboribus vendunt the Heathen were wont to say That God would sell all for Labour We rather say God will part with any thing for Love Wisdome for Love Sapientiam praebet diligentibus Joy for Love Thou hast loved Righteousness or to Love what God loves and Hate what He hates therefore will the Lord Annoint thee with the Oyle of gladness above thy fellowes Protection for Love Because he hath set his Love upon Me therefore will I deliver him saith the Psalmist Psal. 91 14. 16. And He concludes as we would have Him With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my Salvation that 's compleat deliverance indeed And when He comes to shew that what shall we then see but the rewards of our Love That which neither eye hath seen nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man that hath he prepared for whom think you for them that love Him This high reward should elevate our Love as high as toto Corde to love him above all that is to love Him as much as we can and as some others that have gone before us in this Love I will name only the Royal Prophet to whom God himself gave this Testimony My Servant David followed me with all his heart to doe that only which was right in mine eyes 1 Reg. 23. 3. Which is the same that was undertaken by Good King Josiah and his people to walke after the Lord with all their hearts and all their souls Such as these had the habit of Divine Love and that is all we can hope for here For to have a heart ever in actual elevation of it self to God that is not for us below that is the perfection we hope for in heaven The nearer we come to it here the better And to that end to our best endeavour we must adde our fervent Prayers that God would shed this love in our heart by the Holy Ghost and keep us in the same Love For he that abides in Love abides in God and God in him Will all this that hath been said advance our desire and delight in this Divine Love All that hath been said of the Security Solace and Advantage added to the Dignity and Value of it God grant it may be so Amen Let that be the Rule of our Honor and Respect to us Let that captivate all the faculties of our bodies and souls and command all our Affections In that bright flame let our foolish wandring desires perish as the silly Flies doe that hover about the clear flame of a Candle Let this be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While we live Let it be the touchstone of our Actions The Solace of our Hearts The Fire to warm our Affections And when we dye Let it be the Fiery Charriot to mount us up into Heaven Let us breath out the Soul in some Ejaculation of this Divine Love and so pass to the Blessed Fruition of Him Which Happiness may He grant in whom our best love is accepted In whose Presence is Fullness of Joy and to whom we therefore desire to ascribe all Honor and Glory The Peace of God which passeth all understanding keep our Hearts and Minds in the knowledge and love of God and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. A Transition to what followes in the Appendix THese Meditations were primarily intended for such as live a Collegiate and speculative kind of life freest for Retirements Out of which commonly are taken the fittest Spies and Intelligencers for the Kingdom of Heaven In such men rather then others we expect as hearty desires and serious resolutions of a constant progress in Piety as appeared in Caeleb and Josuah towards the Land of Promise For they being in a more Regular course of life begin every Morning in via Sacra that is in the way that leades to Gods House where they are daily furnished with excellent Sermons and Prayers I mean with the Lessons duly read out of the word
of God and with the Common Prayers of the Church the best expressions of our daily wants Who would not think such men in a fair way in due time to be received into the Promised Land with Joy and Blessedness while many other straglers in the Common Road demurre so long upon it that they often loose themselves at last by diverting into some Wilderness of Trouble and vexation Those of the first ranck in a better Retired course in some other employment so frequently found in viis Domini are or should be most of them of David's mind and men after Gods own Heart first seeking the Kingdome of God and the Righteousness thereof resolving to follow David rather then Saul in hope they shall not end like Saul but as David did For Saul began with seeking and following after Asses though he quickly stumbled upon a higher employment then he knew well how to manage but David's walking so much in lege Domini proved to be the better choice and got him at last as good a Title as Saul's was upon better tearmes and with a better blessing and seconded with a Heavenly crown Indeed a man might guess that Saul dreamed of some such Happiness sometimes because we read of some of his Enthusiasms and some of his accidentall employments in good company Though it was so seldome alas that all wondered at it and it begat a Proverb is Saul also among the Prophets But when he fell once to the purpose upon worse courses and followed the bias of his own inclinations his punishment followed as hard after them like a Fury and haunted him to death as appeares by his own last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a costly-embroidered Coat hath laid fast hold on me and will doe so while my life and soul is within me which in the force and weight of the original words seemes to bear this meaning My enemies doe now compass me about and which way soever I look I see nothing but the grim picture of Death But my greatest anguish is from my guilty Conscience which represents unto me the likeness of such an Embroidered Coat as I have seen the High Preist wear upon his Ephod That puts me in mind of my rashly Murdering of many innocent Preists whose Coat I should have somewhat regarded and doing it upon a vain and slender pretence by the hand of Doeg the Edomite who after he had slain no less then 85 persons of that Holy Order then smote the whole City of the Preists c. The sad memory of this is now the worst sword that can goe through mee Therefore any Sword in this extremitie shall have leave to rid me if it can from this ghastly fight Thus ended Saul in the face of his Prophane Enemies without any Preist to assist him which is enough to fright all others out of his careless waies After his Death the Crown was set upon David's head Whose constant Pious Life and Holy Devotions in Hymnes Psalms and Spiritual Songs are left as the best Patterns Directions and Encouragements to all Posterity And we are sure enough that he himself after his own use of them to shew the difference betwixt His end and Saul's was happily assured to be one of the Heavenly Quire above and there Crowned again with an immortal Crown of Glory David is an ancient Pattern a Royal Prophet and Grand Guide to such as are willing to fight the Battles of the Lord in their Pilgrimage towards the true Land of Promise If we would have another an Eminent Holy Person of our Time and Profession and Country whose memory is yet fresh amongst us In the Appendix I will endeavour to represent Him unto you and withall to acquaint you with somthing that may be useful to your Evening-Devotions AN APPENDIX To the Directions For Private DEVOTIONS And Retirements By DAVID STOKES D. D. and Fellow of Eaton Colledge Isai. 26. 20. Come my people enter thou into thy Chamber and shut thy doors about thee Amos 4. 12. Prepare to meet thy God O Israel Psal. 4. 4 Stand in awe and sin not commune with your own hearts and in your Chamber and be still Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed O man what is good OXFORD Printed by A. L. LICHFIELD Printers to the University for R. DAVIS 1668. An APPENDIX To the Directions for PRIVATE DEVOTIONS And RETIREMENTS BEFORE I remove my Pen far from my Paper I desire a word or two with Scholars apart with those especially of our Profession that have most need of daily Prayers and Devotions to draw down the continual blessings and assistance of Almighty God For I would recall to their memories an extraordinary remarkable Person that besides his common observance of the hours of Publick Divine Service was wont every day to pick out some hours also for Private Meditations and retiredness to God and his soul nor only in occasionall Soliloquies and short Ejaculations which exceed all waies of premeditation but beside them too in Penitentiall Eucharisticall and other-like Formulae's and set expressions of a good heart as in a daily Sacrifice pleasing and acceptable unto God Why should I keep you any longer from the Pretious Perfume of his sweet Name Such a one was the most Learned and Reverend Lord Bishop Andrews that singular Linguist Incomparable Preacher and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the greatest and most remarkable Divine of that age It is not long since he appeared amongst us as a burning and shining light or a Starre of so great a magnitude and in so high a Sphere that he could not but be taken notice of yet was he more or less locked up every day in some Private Holy Retiredness in the midst of his great and publick employments Being Bishop of Winchester Lord Almoner Dean of the Chappel and Privy Counsellour to King James after he had been first Dean of Westminster then Bishop of Chichester then Bishop of Elie. His Charitable and every way exemplary life and his Pious and Learned works speak him best and loudest as you may be better informed by that R. R. and Worthy Prelate the Lord Bishop Buckeridge in his Funeral Sermon which is Printed at the end of Bishop Andrews his Sermons in folio I have the more reason with all thankfulness to make Honorable mention of Him because he was pleased to make himself the cheifest Guide and encourager of my Studies and put me into the happiest Method and order of them But what speak I of my poor self or the helpes that I had from that walking Library and Miracle of Learning and Goodness He was a rare Pattern of true Piety and constant Religious Devotion to this whole Church Therefore we may the easier be perswaded to follow and make use of such choice Papers of his as may be found out which is as good as the observing the light of his Candle and treading in the foot-steps of his blessed and holy waies