frame our premises as we would finde our conclusion endeauouring to liue as we are desirous to dye let vs not offer the maine crâ—p to the Diuell and set God to gleane the reproofe of his haruest let vs not gorge the Diuell with our fairest fruits and turne God to the filthy scâ—aps of his leauings but let vs truely dedicate both soule and body to his seruice whose right they are and whose seruice they owe that so in the euening of our life we may retire to a Christian rest closing vp the day of our life with a cleare sunne-set that leauing all darknesse behinde vs we may carry in our consciences the light of grace and so escaping the horrour of an eternall night passe from a mortall day to an euerlasting morrow Thine in Christ Iesus Samuell Rowland STrike saile poore soule in sins tempestuous tide That runst to ruine and eternall wracke Thy course from heauen is exceeding wide Hels gulfe thou ent rest if grace guide not backe Sathan is Pilot in this nauigation The Ocean Vanity The Rocke damnation Warre with the Dragon and his whole alliance Renounce his league intends thy vtter losse Take in sinnes flag of truce set out defiance Display Christs ensigne with the bloudy crosse Against a Faith proofe armed Christian Knight The hellish coward dares not mannage fight Resist him then if thou wilt victor be For so he flies and is disanimate His fiery darts can haue no force at thee The shield of faith doth all their points rebate He conquers none to his infernall den But yeelding slaues that wage not fight like men Those in the dungeon of eternall darke He hath enthralled euerlasting date Branded with Reprobations cole-blacke marke Within the neueropening ramd vp gâ—â—e Where Diues rates one drop of water more Than any crowne that euer Monarch wore Where furies haunt the harttorne wretch despaire Where clamours cease not teeth are euer gnashing Where wrath and vengeance sit in horrors chaire Where quenchlesse flames of sulphur fire be flashing Where damned soules blaspheme God in despight Where vtter darknesse stands remou'd from light Where plaâ—ues inâ—iron torments compasse round Where anguish rores in neuer stinted sorrow Where woe woe woe is euery voices sound Where night eternall neuer yeelds to morrow Where damned tortures dreadfulâ— shall perseuer So long as God is God so long is euer WHo loues this life from loue his loue doth erre And chusing drosse rich treasure doth denie Leauing the pearle Christs connsels to preferre With selling all we haue the same to buy O happy soule that doth disburse a summe To gaine a kingdome in the life to come Such trafficke may be termed heauenly thrift Such venter hath no hazard to disswade Immortall purchase with a mortall gift The greatest gaine that euer Merchant made To get a crowne where Saints and Angels sing For laying out a base and earthly thing To taste the ioyes no humane knowledge knowes To heare the tunes of the coelest all quires T' attaine heau'ns sweet and mildest calme repose To see Gods face the summe of good desires Which by his glorious Saints is howerly eyde Yet sight with seeing neuer satisfide God as he is sight beyond estimate VVhich Angel tongues are vntaught to discouer VVhose splendor doth The heauenâ— illustrate Vnto which sight each sight becomes a louer VVhom all the glorious court of heauen land VVith praises of eternities applaâ—d There where no teares are to interpret griefes Nor any sighes heart dâ—lours to expound There where no treasure is surpris'd by theeues Nor any voice that speakes with sorrowes sound No vse of passions no distempered thought No spot of sinne no deed of error wrought The natiue home of pilgrime soules abode Rest's habitation ioyes true residence Ierusalem's new Citie built by God Form'd by the hands of his owne excellence VVith gold pau'd streets the wals of precious stone VVhere all sound praise to him sits on the throne HEAVENS Glory Earths Vanitie and Hels Torments Of the Glory of the bles sed Saints in Heauen TO the end there might want nothing to stirre vp our mindes to vertue after the paines which Almighty God threateneth to the wicked he doth also set before vs the reward of the good which is that glory and euerlasting life which the blessed Saints doe enjoy in heauen whereby hee doth very mightily allure vs to the loue of the same But what manner of thing this reward and what this life is there is no tongue neither of Angels nor of nen that is sufficient to expresse it Howbeit that wee may haue some kinde of â—auour and knowledge thereof I intend here to rehearse euen word for word what S. Augustine saith in one of his meditations speaking of the life euerlasting ensuing this transitoâ—ie time and of the joyes of the blessed Saints in heauen O life saith he prepared by Almighty God for his friends a blessed life a secure life a quiâ—t life a beautifull life a cleane life a chast life a holy life a life that knoweth on death a life without sadnesse without labour without griefe without trouble without corruption without feare without variety without alteration a life replenished with all beautie and dignity where there is neither enemy that can offend nor delight that can annoy where loue is perfect and no feare at all where the day is euerlasting and the spirit of all is one where Almighty God is seene face to face who is the onely meate whereupon they feed without loathsomenesse it delighteth mee to consider thy brightnesse and thy treasures doe reioyce my longing heart The more I consider thee the more I am striken in loue with thee The great desire I haue of thee doth wonderfully delight me and no lesse pleasure is it to me to keepe thee in my remembrance O life most happy O kingdome truely blessed wherin there is no death nor â—nd neither yet succession of time where the day continuing euermore without night knoweth not any mutation where the victorious conqueror beeing ioyned with those euerlasting quires of Angels and hauing his head crowned with a garland of glory singeth vnto Al mighty God one of the songs of Syon Oh happy yea and most happy should my soule be if when the race of this my pilgrimage is ended I might bee worthy to see thy glory thy blessednesse thy beautie the wals and gates of thy Citie thy streets thy lodgings thy noble Citizens and thine omnipotent King in his most glorious Maiestie The stones of thy wals are precious thy gates are adorned with bright pearles thy streets are of very fine excellent gold in which there neuer faile perpetuall praises thy houses are paved with rich stones wrought throughout with Zaphirs and couered aboue with massie gold where no vncleane thing may enter neither doth any abide there that is defiled Faire and beautifull in thy delights art thou O Ierusalem our mother none of those things are suffered in thee that are suffered here There is
deere Son that my desire may manifestly appeare to be set for the encrease of thy Kingdome Vouchsafe so to order my affections to bring them in obedience vnto thee that if it shold be thy pleasure either now or hereafter to take this Infant froÌ„ me I may as willingly part with it as thou freely gane it me And now O God perfect in mee that strength which thou hast begun make me to grow in care to serue thee faithfully both in the duties of pietie and in other businesse of my place and calling that I may be a comfort to my husband and example to my neighbours a grace to my profession and a meanes of glorie to thy Name through Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour Amen FINIS THE Common Cals Cryes and Sounds of the Bell-man OR Diuers Verses to put vs in minde of our mortalitie Which may serue as warnings to be prepared at all times for the day of our death Printed at London for M. S. 1628. For Christmas day REmember all that on this morne Our blessed Sauior Christ was borne Who issued from a Virgin pure Our soules from Sathan to secure And patronise our feeble spirit That we through him may heauen inherit For Saint Stephens night THis blessed time beare in your minde How that blest Martyr Stephen dyed In whom was all that good confinde That might with flesh and bloud abide In doctrine and example he Taught what to doe and what to flee Full of the spirit he would preach Against opinions false and naught Confute them too and boldly teach What Christ himselfe to him had taught For which at last he lost his breath Ston'd by the stony hearts to death Let vs then learn by this blest Martyrs end To see our â—oliies and our liues amend For Saint Johns day THis man the word did boldly teach Saw Christ transformed and did preach The glory in that Mount he saw And by that glory stroue to draw The soule of man to sinne a thrall To heauen to which God send vs all For Innocents day THe swords of Herods seruants tooke Such sweet yong things as with a look Might make a heart of Marble melt But they nor grace nor pittie felt Some from the cradle some awake Some sweetly sleeping some they take Dandled vpon their mothers lap Some from their armes some from the pap For New-yeares day ALL you that doe the Bell-man heare The first day of this hopefull yeare I doe in loue admonish you To bid your old sins all adue And walke as Gods iust Law requires In holy deeds and good desires Which if to doe you le doe your best God will in Christ forgiue the rest For Saint Dauids day I Am no Welchman but yet to show The loue I to the Countrey owe I call this morning and be seeke Each man prepare him for his Leeke For as I heare some men say The first of March is Saint Dauids day That worthy Britaine valiant wise Withstood his Countries enemies And caused his Souldiers there to choose Leekes for to know them from his foes Wâ—o brauely fought and conquest won And so the custome first begun Then weare your Leeks and doe not shame To memorize your worthies name So noble Britaines all adew Loue still King Charles for he loues you For the 5. of Nouemb. Awake Britaines subiects with one accord Extoll and praise and magnifie the Lord Humble your hearts and with deuotion sing Praises of thanks to God for our most gracious King This was the night when in a dark some Cell Treason was found in earth it hatcht in hell And had it tooke effect what would auail'd our sorrow The traine being laid to haue blowne vs vp o th' morrow Yet God our guide reueal'd the damned plot And they themselues destroy'd and we were not Then let vs not forget him thankes to render That hath preseru'd and kept our saiths desender For Good Fryday ALL you that now in bed doe lye Know Iesus Christ this night did dye Our soules most sinfull for to saue That we eternall life might haue His whips his grones his crown of thornes Would make vs weepe lament and mourn For Sunday LEt labour passe let prayer be This day the chiefest worke for thee Thy selfe and seruants more and lesse This day must let all labour passe All hale to you that sleepe and rest Repent awake your sinnes detest Call to your minde the day of doome For then our Sauiour Christ will come Accompt to haue be hath decreed Of euery thought word worke and deede And as we haue our times here past So shall our Iudgements be at last AS darke some night vnto thy thoughts present What 't is to want the dayes bright Element So let thy soule descend through contemplation Where vtter darknesse keepes her habitation Where endlesse easelesse pines remedilesse Attend to torture sinnes curst wilfulnesse O then remember whilst thou yet hast time To call for mercy for each forepast crime And with good Dauid wash thy bed with teares That so repentance may subdue hels feares Then shall thy soule more purer then the Sunne Ioy as a Gyant her best race to runne And in vnspotted robes her selfe addresse To meet her Lord that Sonne of righteousnesse To whom with God the Father and the Spirit Be all due praise where all true ioyes inherit THe Belman like the wakefull morning Cocke Doth warne you to be vigilant and wise Looke to your fire your candle and your locke Preuent what may through negligence arise So may you sleepe with peace and wake with ioy And no mischances shall your state annoy YOur beds compare vnto the graue Then thinke what sepulcher you haue For though you lay you downe to sleepe The Belman wakes your peace to keepe And nightly walkes the round about To see if fire and light be out But when the morne dayes light appeares Be you as ready for your prayers So shall your labours thriue each day That you the Belman well may pay Like to the Seaman is our life Tost by the waues of sinfull strife Finding no ground whereon to stand Vncertaine death is still at hand If that our liues so vainlesse be Then all the world is vanitie THose that liue in wrath and ire And goe to rest in any sinne They are worse vnto their house the fire Or violent theeues that would breake in Then seeke to shun with all your might That Hidr as head that monstrous sin That God may blesse your goods abroad And eke also your selues within SLeepe on in peace yet waking be And dread his powerfull Maiestie Who can translate the irkesome night From darknesse to that glorious light Whose radient beames when once they rise With winged speed the darknesse flyes THou God that art our helpe at hand Preserue and keepe our King land Frem forraigne and domesticke foes Such as the word and truth depose And euer prosper those of pittie That loue the peace of this our Citie
AWake from sleepe awake from sin With voyce and heart to call on him Who from aboue pleas'd to dâ—scend From Sathans malice to desend Our forfeit soules to that â—ich grace Where we may still behold his face LEt vs repare and God implore That henceforth we transgres no more And that our ioy be at this tide That we in him be satisfide Then shall we all for his deare sake Be blest asleepe be blest awake SIth neither men nor Angels know When as the dreadful trump shal blow Nor when our Sauiour Christ shall come To giue the world a wofull doome Thinke then but what a case you 're in That sleepe in vnrepented sinne O wake O wake O watch and pray And thinke vpon this dreadfull day SLeepe not so sound rest not secure Marke well my words of this be sure The waking Virgins past the gate When those that slept came all too late Wherefore be watchfull in your center That you may with the Bridegrome enter IF wicked impes make day and night And keepe their candle alwayes light And all their skill and practise bend To bring their damned plots to end Let vs not sleepe but laud his skill That frustrates all their proiects still THe night well spent the day drawes nigh Awake from sleepe and sinne deâ—ie All sluggish sloath expell away Haue still in minde the iudgement day When dead shall rise at trumpets call The graues shall open wide with all ARise from sinne awake from sleepe The earth doth mourne The heauens weepe The winds and Seas distempered bin And all by reason of mans sin Wherefore arise â—ay sleepe aside And call on God to be your guide From raging sword and arrowes flight And from the terrours of the night From fires flame from sin and sorrow God blesse you all and so good morrow ALL you which in your beds doe lye Vnto the Lord ye ought to cry That he would pardon all your sinnes And thus the Belmans prayer begins Lord giue vs grace our sinful life to mend And at the last to send a ioyfull end Hauing put out your fire and your light For to conclude I bid you all good night MAns life is like a warfare on the earth Whose time is spent with troubles toyles and cares Subiect to all temptations from his birth In woe he liues and dyes at vnawares The surest signe true fortitude to show Is in his life all vice to ouerthrow O Harke O harke my Masters all To your poore seruants cry and call And know all you that lye at ease That our great God may if he please Depriue you of your vitall breath Then sleeping thinke your sleep is death LEt true repentance cleanse your sin And then your soules coÌ„mend to him That by his death hath rais'd and cur'd The dead the blinde and them assured To giue to them eternall rest To liue in heauen among the blest Confesse thy sinnes to God on hie Who pardons sinners when they cry Bewray thy faults to him in time Who will in Christ forgiue thy crime HE that on the crosse hath dyed And for our sinnes was crucisied Be you euer blest in him And cleane reâ—itted from your sinne Be it granted as I haue praid And so the Belman resteth paid ALL you that in bed doe lye Harken well to what I cry Leaue of your sinnes repentance craue It is the onely way your soules to saue REpent in time while ye haue breath RepentaÌ„ce commeth not after death He therefore that will liue for aye Must leaue his sinnes and to God pray O Gracious God and blessed Preserue all ye that be in bed So that your quiet rest may take Vntill the morning that yee wake Then may ye all with praises sing To thee O God our heauenly King REmember man thou art but dust There is none aliue but dye he must To day a man to morrow none So soone our life is past and gone Mans life is like a withered flower Aliue and dead all in an houre Leaue of thy sins therefore in time And Christ will rid thee from thy crime O Mortall man that is made of dust In worldly riches put not thy trust Remember how thy time doth passe Euen like the sand that from the Glasse Hath spent the time and there remaines Neuer canst thou call that time againe SIcke men complaine they cannot sleepe The Bel-man such a noise doth keepe Others that doe win at play Saies he too soone proclaimes the day Yet to the sicke that drawes short breath It puts them in the minde of death And saies the gamster makes good stake If he for heauen so long would wake And all this while like silly worme He doth his office but performe Then if his duety breed disease Hee le go to bed and none displease FINIS
present or of the time to come or of any other meanes The damned soules thinke that all men are shooting darts at them and that all creatures haue conspired against them that euen they themselues are cruell against themselues This is that distresse whereof the sinners doe lament by the Prophet saying The sorrowes of hell haue compassed me round about and the snares of death haue besieged me For on which side so â—uâ—r they looke or turne their eyes they doe continually behold occasions of sorrow and griefe and none at all of any ease or comfort The wise Virgins saith the Euange list that stood ready prepared at the gate of the Bridegrome entred in and the gate was forthwith locked fast O locking euerlasting O enclosure immortal O gate of all goodnesse which shal neuer anâ— more be opened againe As if he had said more plainly the gate of pardon of mercy of comfort of grace oâ— intercession of hope and of all other goodnesse is shut vp for euer and euer Six dayes and no more was Manna to be gathered but the seuenth day which was the Saâ—â—bath day was there none to be found and therefore shall he fast for euer that hath not in due â—â—me made his prouision aforehand The sluggâ—rd saith he wise man will not till his ground for feare of cold and therefore shall he beg his bread in summer and no man shall giue him to eat And in another place he saith He that gathereth in summer is a wise sonne but he that giueth himselfe to sleeping at that season is the sonne of confusion For what confusion can be greater then that which that miserable couetous rich man suffereth who with a few crâ—ms of bread that fell from his table might haue purchased to himselfe abundance of euerlasting felicitie and glory in the kingdome of heauen But because he would not giue so small a thing he came to such an extreame necessity that he begged yea and shall for euer beg in vaine onely one drop of water and shall neuer obtaine it Who is not moued with that request of that vnfortunate damned person who cried O father Abraham haue compassion on me and send downe Lazarus vnto me that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and touch my tongue for these horrible flames doe torment me exceedingly What smaller request could there be desired than this He durst not request so much as one cup of water neither that Lazarus should put his whole hand into the water nor yet which is more to be wondered at did he request so much as the whole finger but onely the tip of it that it might but touch his tongue and yet euen this alone would not be granted vnto him Whereby thou maiest perceiue how fast the gate of all consolation is shut vp and how vniuersall that interdict â—d excommunication is that iâ— there laid vpon the damned siâ—h this rich Glutton could not obtaine so much as this small request So that wheresoeuer the damned persons doe turne their eyes and on which sid soeuer they stretch their hands they shall nor finde any manner of comfort â—e it neuer so small And as he that is in the Sâ—a choaked and almost drowned vnder the water not finding any stâ—y whereupon to â—â—t his foâ—t stretcheth forth his hands oftentimes on euery side in vain because all that he graspeth after is thin and liquid water which deceiues him euen so shall it fare with the damned persons when they shall be drowned in that deepe Sea of so many miseries where they shall striue and struggle alwaies with death without finding any succour or place of stay whereupon they may rest themselues Now this is one of the greatest paines wherewith they be tormented in that cursed place for if thâ—se torments should haue their continuance limited but for a certaine time though it were for a thousand yea a hundred thousand millions of yeares yet euen this would be some little comfort vnto them for nothing is perfectly great in case it haue an end But alas they haue not so much as this poore and miserable comfort but contrariwise their paines are equall in continuance with the eternity of almighty God and the lâ—sting of their misery with the eternity of Gods glory As long as almighty God shall liue so long shall they dye and when almighty God shall cease to be God then shall they also cease to be as they are O deadly life O immortall death I know not whether I may truely tearme thee either life or death for if thou be life why dost thou kil And if thou be death why doest thou endure Wherefore I will call thee neither the one nor the other for so much as in both of them there is contained something that is good as in life there is rest and in death there is an end which is a great comfort to the afflicted but thou hast neither rest nor end What art thou then Marry thou art the worst of life and the worst of death for of death thou hast the torment without any end and of life thou hast the continuance without any rest O bitter composition O vnsauory purgation of our Lords cup of the which all the sinners of the earth shall drinke their part Now in this continuance in this eternity I would wish that thou my deare Christian brother wouldst fixe the eyes of thy consideration a little while and that as the cleane beast cheweth the cud euen so thou wouldest weigh this point within thy selfe with great deliberation And to the intent thou maiest doe it the better consider a little the paines that a sicke man abideth in one euill night especially if he be vexed with any vehement griefe or sharpe disease Marke how oft he tumbleth and tossâ—th in his bed what disquietnesse he hath how long tedious one night seemeth vnto him how duâ—ly he counteth all the houres of the clocke and how long he deemeth each houre of them to be how he passeth the time in wishing for the dawning of the day which notwithstanding is like to helpe him little towards the curing of his disease If this then be accounted so great a torment what torment shall that be thinke you in that euerlasting night in hell which hath no morning nor so much as any hope of any dawning of the day O darknesse most obscure O night euerlasting O night accuâ—sed euen by the mouth of almighty God and all his Saints That one shall wish for light and shall neuer see it neither shall the brightnesse of the morning arise any more Consider then what a kinde of torment shall that be to liue euerlastingly in such a night as this is lying not in a soft bed as the sicke man doth but in a hot burning furnace feming out such terrible raging flames What shoulders shall be able to abide those horrible heats If it seeme to vs as a thing intollerable to haue onely some part of our feet
will in any one thing neither from carnall pleasures not from backbiting and slandering thy neighbours nor yet from fulfilling thine inordinate lusts and desires in case thine ability serued thee thereunto Oh what doth the worme of thy conscience say vnto thee whiles thou art in such a fond securitie and confidence continuing in such a dissolute and wicked life as thou doest Where is now become the vnderstanding iudgement and reason which thou hast of a man Why art thou not afraid of so horrible so certaine and so assured perils and dangers If there were a dish of meat set before thee some man albeit he were a lyer should say vnto thee refraine to touch and eat thereof for it is poysoned durst thou once aduenture to stretch out thy hand to take a taste thereof though the meat were neuer so sauorie and delicate and he neuer so great a lyer that should beare thee thus in hand If then the Prophets if the Apostles if the Euangelists yea if Almighty God himselfe doe cry out vnto thee and say Take heede thou miserable man for death is in that kind of meat and death doth lye lurking in that gluttonous morsell which the diuell hath set before thee How darest thou reach for euerlasting death with thine owne hands and drinke thine owne damnation Where is the applying of thy wits thy iudgement and the discourse and reason which thou lâ—â—st of a spirituall man Where is their light where is their force Sith that none of them doâ— bridle thee any whit from thy common vsuall vices Oh thou wretched and carelesse creature bewitched by the common enemy Satan adiâ—dged to euerlasting darknesse both inward and outward and so doest goe from one darknesse to the other Thou art blinde to see thine owne misery insensible to vnderstand thine owne perdition and harder than any Adamant to feele the hammer of Gods word Oh a thousand times most miserable thou art worthy to be lâ—mented with none other teares than with those wheâ— with thy damnation was lamented when it was said Luke 19. Oh that thou knewest this day the peace quietnesse and treasures which Al mighty God hath offered vnto thee that doe now lye hidden from thine eyes Oh miserable is the day of thy natiuitie and much more miserable the day of thy death forsomuch as that shall be the beginning of thine euerlasting damnation Oh how much better had it beene for thee neuer to haue beene born if thou shalt be damned in the horrible pit of hell for euer where the torments are perpetually durable How much better had it beene for thee neuer to haue beene baptised not yet to haue receiued the Christian faith if through the abusing thereof by thy wicked life thy damnation shall thereby be the greater For if the light of reason onely sufficeth to make the Heathen Phylosophers inexcuseable because they knowing God in some degree did not glorisie him nor serue him as the Apostle saith in the first to the Romans how much lesse shall hee be excused that hath receiued the light of faith and the water of Baptisme yea and the holy Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hearing daily the doctrine of the Gospell if hee doe nothing more than those Pâ—gan Phylosophers haue done Now what other thing may we inferre of the premisses but briefly to conclude That there is none other vnderstanding none other wisedome none other counsell in the world but that setting aside all the impediments and combersome dangerous wayes of this life wee follow that onely true and certaine way where by true peace and euerlasting life is obtained Hereunto are we called by reason by wisedome by law by heauen by earth by hell and by the life death iustice and mercy of Almighty God Hereunto are we also very notaâ—ly iâ—uited by the holy Ghost peaking by the mouth of Ecclesiasticus in the sixt chapter in this 〈…〉 My sonne harken â—o instruction euen from the first yeares of thy youth and in thy latter dayes thou shalt enioy the sweet fruit of wisdome Approach vnto it as one that pâ—â—weâ—h and soweth and with patience expect the fruitful â—ncrease which it shall yeeld vnto thee The paines that thou shâ—lt take shall be but little and the benefits that thou shalt speedily enioy shall be great My sonne hearken to my words and neglect not this my counsell which I shall giue thee put thy feet willingly into her fetters and thy necke into her chaines bow downe thy shoulders and carry her vpon thee and be not displeased with her bonds approach neere vnto her with all thy heart and follow her wayes with all thy strength seeke for her with all thy diligence and she will make her selfe knowne vnto thee and after that thou hast found her neuer forsake her for by her shalt thou finde rest in thy latter dayes and that which before did seeme so painfull vnto thee will afterwards become very pleasant Her fetters shall be a defence of thy strength and a foundation of vertue and her chaine shall be a robe of glory for in her is the beauty of life and her bonds are the bonds of health Hetherto Ecclesiasticus Whereby thou maiest vnderstand in some degree how great the beauty the delights the liberty and riches of true wisdome are which is vertue it selfe and the knowledge of Almighty God wherof we doe intreat But if all this be insufficient to mollifie our stony hearts lift vp thine eyes and fix thy thoughts constantly to behold our omnipotent God in his mercy and loue towards sinners vpon his dying crosse where he made full satisfaction for thy sinnes There shalt thou behold him in this forâ—e his feet nailed fast looking for thee his â—rmes spread abroad to receiue thee and his head bowing downe to giue thâ—e as to â—noâ—â—er prodigall sonne nâ—w kâ—ssâ— of pâ—ace and attâ—â—â—ment From thence hee calleth thee if thou wouldest â—eare with so many callings and cries as there be wounds in his whole body Hearken thou therefore vnto these voyces and consider well with thy sâ—lfe that if his prayer he not heard that hearkeneth not vnto the cries of the poore how much lesse shall he be heaâ—d that maketh himselfe deafe to such cries as these being the most mercifull cryings of our louing sauiour and intended for our soules saluation Who is he that hath not cause to resolue himselfe whoâ—ly into teares to weepe and bewâ—ile his manifold offences Who is he that can lament and will not lament at this vnlesse he be such a one as seeth not nor careth not what great shipwracke waste and hauocke he maketh of all the riches and treasures of his soule FINIS GODLY PRAYERS NECESSARY AND VSEFVLL for Christian Families vpon seuerall occasions Therefore I say vnto you What things soeuer yee desire when yee pray beleeue that ye receiue them and ye shall haue them Printed at London for M. S. 1628. Godly Christian PRAYERS A
houshold Prayer for priuate Families in the Morning MOst mighty and glorious God the onely Craator and Gouernour of heauen and earth and all things therein contained we miserable sinners here met together by thy grace doe in thy feare prostrate our selues before thy throne of Maiesty and glory desiring in some measure to shew our vnfained thankfulnesse for thy innumerable mercies multiplied vpon vs from the first houre of our birth yea before our birth and before time was Before the foundations of the world were laid thou out of thy free loue and meere mercy didst elect vs to eternall life when thou didst reiect others Thou didst create vs after thine owne image engrauing vpon vs the characters of spirituall wisedome righteousnesse and true holinesse when it was in thy power to haue made vs like vnto the beasts that perish yea to haue equalled vs to the basest of thy creatures And when through our owne default we lost that dignity thou dist so pittie vs as to send from thine owne bosome thine onely begotten Son to recouer it for vs and to restore it to vs and that with no lesse price then his owne heart-bloud Besides it hath pleased thee continually to spread the wings of thy gracious protection ouer vs to ward and guard vs by thy prouidence to open thy hand and to replenish vs with good things to continue our life health strength food raiment peace and liberty to this very houre Thou hast euen loaded vs with thy benefits if we had hearts rightly to consider it thou renewest thy mercy toward vs euery morning and the night past hast giuen vs a testimony of thy loue For whereas for the sinnes committed the day before thou mightest euen in the dead of sleepe haue giuen vs a sodaine call out of this world and so presently haue brought vs to that great account which wee must make before thee thou vouchsafest yet to spare vs yea which is more to refresh vs with comfortable rest to preserue vs from all dangers that might haue befallen our soules or bodies and to bring vs in safety to the beginning of this day Heauenly father grant that we may not be vnmindfull of thy manifold mercies but that wee may often thinke of them and speake of them to thy glory and that the consideration thereof may stirre vs vp to deuote all the powers of our soules and members of our bodies to thy seruice Forgiue vs our former vnthankfulnesse for thy mercies and our seueral abuses of them yea pardon all our sinnes past we most humbly beseech thee for thy owne mercies sake and for thy sonnes merits Our sinnes are great and grieuous for in sinne we were borne and euer since haue we gone on in a course of sinne and rebellion against thee we doe daily breake thy holy precepts and that against the light of our owne knowledge albeit we know that thou art our Creatour who hast made vs our Redeemer who hast bought vs with the precious bloud of thy onely begotten Sonne and our Comforter who bestowest vpon vs all things needfull for our being and well-being for this life and for a better life Yea euen thee thee O Lord haue we presumed to offend that hast beene thus abundantly mercifull vnto vs. For this our vnthankefulnesse and wickednesse enter not into iudgement with vs wee most humbly beseech thee from the bottome of our hearts but haue mercy vpon vs haue mercy vpon vs most mercifull Father and in mercy wash away all our sinnes with the bloud of Iesus Christ that so they may neuer be laid to our charge nor haue power to rise vp in iudgement against vs. Pierce our hearts with a feeling of our sinnes that wee may mourne for them as wee ought to doe make vs to loath and abhorre them that we may leaue and auoid them that we may be watchfull against all occasions of sinne and circumspect ouer our owne wayes Poure thy spirit and put thy grace into our hearts that thereby we may be inabled for thy seruice and both in body and soule may glorifie thee heere that wee may be glorified of thee and with thee hereafter And as a speciall meanes to keepe vs in subiection before thee worke in vs holy Father a continuall and effectuall remembrance of this earths vanity of our owne mortality of that great and terrible iudgement to come of the paines of hell and ioyes of heauen which follow after O let the remembrance of these things be a spur to prouoke vs vnto vertue and a bridle to hold vs in from gallopping after vice and wickednesse We know not â—ow soone thou wilt set a period to our liues and call for our soules to appeare before thee whether this day or not before the euening O prepare vs therefore for the houre of death that we may then neither feare nor faint but may with ioy yeeld vp our soules into thy mercifull hands and doe thou O Father of mercy receiue them Let thy mercifull eye looke vpon vs this day shield vs from the temptations of the diuell and grant vs the custody of thy holy Angels to defend vs in all our wayes enable vs with diligence and conscience to discharge the duties of our callings and crowne all our endeauours with thy blessing without thy blessing all mans labour is but vaine doe thou therefore blesse vs in our seuerall places oh prosper thou our handy-worke Prouide for vs all things which thou knowest to be needful for euery one of vs this day Giue vs a sanctified vse of thy creatures a godly iealousie ouer ourselues a continual remembrance of thy omniscience and omnipresence that we may labour to approue our very thoughts vnto thee weane vs from the loue of this world and rauish our soules with the loue of our home and thine euerlasting Kingdome Defend the vniuersall Church the Churches of this Land especially our gracious King Charles our illustrious Queene Mary together with Prince Palatine Electour the Princesse Elizabeth his wife and their Princely issue crowne them with thy graces here and with thy glory hereafter Be with the Magistracie and Ministerie of the Realme make thy Gospell to flourish amongst vs by the labors of those whom thou hast appointed to this great seruice Comfort thine afflicted seruants in what place or case soeuer they be giue vs a fellow feeling of their miseries and wisedome to prepare our selues against the euill day Heare vs in these things and grant what else thou knowest needfull for vs not for our worthinesse but for thy Sons sake our alone Sauiour in whose name and words we conclude our imperfect prayers saying Our Father c. A houshold Prayer for priuate Families in the Euening O Glorious God in Iesus Christ our gracious Father wee wretched creatures by nature but by thy grace thy seruants and children doe here make bold to appeare before thee in the humility of our soules to performe some part of that dutie which wee owe vnto thee And