humilitie and payedst the price of our raunsome by thy most bitter death and passion for the which I most hartely geue thankes to thee so of the same thy loue towardes vs in thy good time thou wilt come againe in the cloudes of heauen with power and great glory with flaming fire with thousandes of saintes with angels of thy power with a mighty cry shoute of an Archangell and blast of a trumpe sodenly as a lightning which shineth from the East c. when men thinke least euen as a thiefe in the night when mē be a slepe thou wilt so come I say thus sodainly in the twincklyng of an eie all men that euer haue bene be and shall be with women and children appearyng before thy tribunall iudgemēt seat to render an accompt of all thinges which they haue thought spoken and done against thy law openly and before all Aungels saintes and Deuils and so to receiue the iust reward of thy vengeaunce if that they haue not repented obeyed the gospell and so depart from thee to the Deuill his angels and all the wicked which euer haue bene be or shall be into hell fire which is vnquencheable and of paynes intolerable easeles endeles hopeles euen from the feare of thy glorious mighty power But if they haue repented and beleued thy gospel if they be found watching with their lampes oyle in their handes if they be found ready appareled with the wedding garmēt of innocency if they haue not hardened their hartes hourded vp the treasure of thy vengeaunce in the day of wrath to be reuealed but haue vsed the tyme of grace the acceptable tyme the time of saluatiō that is the time of this lyfe in the which thou stretchest out thy hande and spreadest thine armes calling and crying vnto vs to come vnto thee which art meeke in hart and lowly for thou wilt ease all that labour and are heauy loden if they haue visited the sicke and prisoners comforted the comfortlesse fedde the hungry clothed the naked lodged the harbourles if they haue not loden their hartes with glotony and surfeting and carefulnes of this life if they haue not digged and hid their talent in the ground doing no good therwith but haue bene faithfull to occupy thy gifts to thy glory and here washed their garmentes in thy bloud by harty repentance then shal thy aungels gather them together not as the wicked which shall be collected as fagots cast into the fire but as the good wheate that is gathered into thy barne then shall they be caught vp to meete thee in the clouds then shall their corruptible body put on incorruption then shall they be indued with immortality and glory then shall they be with thee and goe whether thou goest then shal they heare Come blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning c. then shall they be set on seates of maiestie iudging the whole worlde then shall they raigne with thee for euer then shall God be all in all with them and to them thē shal they enter and enherite the heauenly Jerusalem and the glorious restfull land of Canaan where is alwayes day and neuer night where is no maner of weping teares infirmitie hunger colde sickenes enuy malice nor sinne but alwayes ioy wtout sorow mirth without measure pleasure wtout paine heauenly harmony most pleasant melody saying and singing holy holy Lorde God of hostes c. Finally the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the harte of man that they shall then enherite and most surely enioy althogh here they be tormented prisoned burned sollicited of Sathan tempted of the flesh and entangled with the worlde wherethrough they are enforced to cry Thy kingdome come Come Lord Iesu c. How amiable are thy tabernacles Lyke as the harte desireth the water brookes c. Now let thy seruaunt departe in peace I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ We mourne in our selues wayting for the deliueraunce of our bodies c. Oh gracious Lord when shall I find such mercy with thee that I may repent beleue hope and looke for these thinges with the full fruition of those heauenly ioyes which thou hast prepared for all thē that feare thee and so rest with thee for euermore ⧠A meditation concerning the lyfe euerlastyng the place where it is and the incomparable ioyes therof THat there is an enerlasting life none wil deny but such as wil deny God For if he be true iust which he must needes be or els he is not God then can there not be but an eternall life That he hath both spoken it and promised it in Math. 25. 1. Cor. 16. Hebr. 4. 11. 13. 1. Petr. 1. it plainly appeareth and els where in very many places So that to deny an euerlasting lyfe is to deny God to deny Christ and all that euer he did also to deny all pietie religion to condemne of foolishnes all good men martyrs confessors Euangelistes Prophetes Patriarckes Finally the deniall of eternal life is no thing els but a deniall of the immortalitie of the soule and so a plaine making of man no thing better then beastes If it be so let vs then eate and drinke for to morow we shall die Lord preserue vs frō this Saduceal and Epicureall impietie and graunt vs for thy mercies sake deare God that we may be assuredly perswaded that there is in deede an eternall life and blisse wyth thee for them that put their trust in thee amongst whome accompt me for thy mercies sake Agayne this eternall lyfe and the place appoynted for them that be thy seruauntes all men do graunt to be wyth thee Albeit they do not think that because thou art euery where therfore eternall life is euery where For they by thy worde do know that in as much as no man can see thee and liue this eternall lyfe and thy blessed presence is most pleasant and had in fruition after in an other world wher unto by corporall death they do depart and are translated to a place aboue them where thou dwellest in a light whervnto no man can approche Abrahams bosome they read was aboue as the place for the wicked was a lowe and beneath Helias was caught vp into heauen and thy sonne our deare sauiour prayed that where he is those also might be which thou hadst geuē him and might se his glory Now he deare father we learne by thy spirite was ascended and taken vp in his very body into heauen whether Steuen loked vp and sawe thy Christ standing on thy right hand to whom he prayed Oh Lorde Iesu receiue my spirite Graunt I beseche thee gracious god and father that I may haue a cleane hart more more to see thee and so in spirite to see and loke often vpō this place whether bring me at the length in body also I humbly pray thee Now what a thyng this
plainly see our saluation past recouerie Shew vs the way wherein we may safely go and teach vs the manner how to performe thy wyll and with thy holy spirit that procedeth from thee gouerne all our doings thoughts through Iesus Christ our lord Amen * §§* ⧠Here beginneth the Letany and Suffrages O God the father of heauen haue mercy vpon vs miserable sinners O God the father of hea c. O God the sonne redemer of the world haue mercy vpon vs miserable sinners O God the sonne redemer of c. O God the holy Ghost proceding from the father and the sonne haue mercy vpō vs miserable sinners O God the holy Ghost proceding c. O holy blessed and glorious Trinity thre persons and one God haue mercy vpon vs miserable sinners O holy blessed and glorious c. Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers neyther take thou vengeance of our sins Spare vs good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redemed with thy most precious bloud and be not angry with vs for euer Spare vs good Lord. From all euill and mischiefe from sinne from the craftes and assaultes of the deuill frō thy wrath and from euerlasting damnation Good Lord deliuer vs. From all blindnes of hart frō pride vayne glory and hipocrisy from enuy hatred and malice all vncharitablenes Good Lord deliuer vs. From fornicatiō and all other deadly sinne and from all the deceites of the world the flesh and the Deuill Good Lord deliuer vs. From lightninges and tempestes from plague pestilence and famine from battaile and murder from sodaine death Good Lord deliuer vs. From all sedition and priuie conspiracie from all false doctrine and heresy frō all hardnes of hart and contempt of thy word commaundement Good Lord deliuer vs. By the mistery of thy holy incarnation by thy holy Natiuitie and circumcision by thy Baptisme fasting and temptation Good Lord deliuer vs. By thyne agony and bloudy sweat by thy crosse and passion by thy precious death and buriall by thy glorious resurrection and ascension and by the comming of the holy Ghost Good Lord deliuer vs. In al time of our tribulation in all tyme of our wealth in the houre of death and in the day of iudgement Good Lord deliuer vs. Me sinners do beseche thee to heare vs O Lorde God and that it may please thee to rule and gouerne thy holy Church vniuersally in the right way We beseech thee to heare vs good Lord. That it may please thee to keepe and strengthen in the true worshipping of thee in righteousnes and holynes of life thy seruant Elizabeth our most gracious Queene and gouernour We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to rule her hart in thy faith feare and loue that she may euermore haue affiaunce in thee and euer seeke thy honor and glory We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to be her defender and keeper geuing her the victory ouer all her enemyes We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishoppes Pastoures and ministers of the Church wyth true knowledge vnderstanding of thy word and that both by their preachyng and lyuyng they may set it forth and shew it accordingly We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to indue the Lordes of the Counsell and all the nobility with grace wisdome and vnderstanding We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to blesse and keepe the Maiestrates geuing them grace to execute iustice and to mayntayne truth We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to blesse and keepe all thy people We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to geue to al nations vnity peace and concord We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to geue all thy people encrease of grace to heare meekely thy worde and to receiue it with pure affection and to bring forth the fruites of the spirit We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as haue erred and are deceaued We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to strenghthen such as do stand and to comfort and helpe the weake harted and to rayse vp them that fall and finally to beate downe Sathan vnder our feete We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to succour helpe and comfort all that be in daunger necessitie and tribulation We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to preserue all that trauell by land or by water all women labouring with childe al sicke persons and yong children and to shew thy pitie vpon all prisoners and captiues We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to defend and prouide for the fatherles children and widowes and all that be desolate and oppressed We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to haue mercy vpon all men We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to forgeue our enemyes persecutors and slaunderers and to turne their hartes We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to geue and preserue to our vse the kindly fruites of the earth so as in due tyme we may enioy them We beseech thee to heare vs. c. That it may please thee to geue vs true repentance to forgeue vs al our sinnes negligēces and ignorances and to endue vs with the grace of thy holy spirite to amend our liues according to thy holy worde We beseech thee to heare vs. c. ¶ Sonne of God we beseche thee to heare vs. Sonne of God we beseech thee to heare vs. O lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world Graunt vs thy peace O lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world Haue mercy vpon vs. O Christ heare vs. O Christ heare vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Christ haue mercy vpon vs. Christ haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. ¶ Our father which art c. And lead vs not into tēptatiō But deliuer vs from euill Amen ¶ The virsicle O Lord deale not with vs after our sinnes Aunswere Neither reward vs after our iniquities Let vs pray O God mercifull father that dispisest not the sighing of a contrite hart nor the desire of such as be sorowfull mercfully assist our prayers that we make before thee in al our troubles aduersities whensoeuer they oppresse vs and gratiously heare vs that those euils which the craft and subtiltie of the Deuil or mā worketh agaynst vs may be brought to nought by the prouidence of thy goodnes they may be dispersed that we thy seruauntes
in Christ and by Christ O father of glory geue vnto vs the spirite of wisdom and bryng vs into the true knowledge of this thy beloued sonne Jesus Christ and the knowledge of thy selfe Open and lighten the eyes of our myndes and vnderstandyng that we may know what the hope is whereunto thou hast called vs and how riche the glory of thine enheritance is vpon thy saintes and the excedyng greatnes of thy power towards vs that by true faith by vnderstanding and knowledge of thine eternal wisdom which is Jesus Christ we may be in dede as we are called true christians and vnfeyned professoures of thy holy name to worship thee in spirite and truth and to set forth the glory of thy grace geuen vnto vs in Christ Jesus our Lord Amen O deare Father wryte in our hartes loue of thy law hate to all sinne thankfulnes of hart and continuall heat of thy holy spirite for thy sonne Jesus christes sake To whom with thee and thy holy spirit be all honour maiestie glory thankes rule empire and dominion for euermore ⧠A forme of thanks-geuing for our redemption and prayer for strength and encrease of faith ETernal praise thanks bee geuen vnto thee deare God father of our Lord Jesus Christ which hast blessed vs with all spirituall blessinges in heauenly thinges by Christ in that thou hast chosen vs in hym before the foundation of the worlde was layd that we should be wythout blame before thee through him by whome we haue redemption through hys bloud euen the forgeuenes of our sinnes In whom after we heard the worde of truth the Gospell of our saluation wherein we beleued we were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance which spirite hath and doth beare witnes vnto our spirites that we are thy children and therefore cryeth in our hartes Abba Father And thus most gracious father when thou hast once geuen the earnest peny of our saluatiō into our hartes thou doost not repent of thy gift calling neither wilt thou at any time breake thy couenant of grace and mercy in Christ thy sonnes merites confirmed in vs by that seale and loue token For what though we be weake in our beliefe shall our vnbeliefe make thy promise of no effect No thou wilt alwayes be found true but all men be liers And yet Lorde thou doost most graciously behold and accept be it neuer so little a sparke of fayth We say therefore cry vnto thee with one that wept and said I beleue Lord helpe my vnbeliefe Yea that little be it neuer so little is thy mere gift also The which as thou hast begon so most merciful Lord encrease the same more and more to the peace and comfort of our conscience and the glory of thy name through Jesus Christ Amen ⧠A meditation for the exercise of true mortification HE that wil be ready in waighty matters to deny hys owne will and to be obedient to the will of God the same had neede to accustome himselfe to deny his desires in matters of lesse waight and to exercise the mortificatiō of his owne wil in trifles For if that our affections by this daily custome be not as it were halfe slaine surely surely whē the plunge shall come we shall finde the more to do If we cannot watch with Christ one houre as he sayth to Peter we vndoutedly can much lesse go to death with him Wherfore that in great temptatiōs we may be ready to say wyth Christ Not my wyll but thyne be done in that this commonly commeth not to passe but where the rootes of our lustes by thy grace deare father are almost rotten and rooted out by a daily deniall of that they desire I humbly beseche thee for Christes sake to helpe meherein First pardon me my cherishing and as it were watering of mine affectiōs obeying them in their deuises and superfluous desires wherethrough in that they haue taken deepe roote and are to liuely in me I secondly do beseche thee to pull them vp by the rootes out of my hart and so henceforthe to order me that I may continually accustome my self to weaken the principall roote that they by rootes and braunches may loose all their power Graunt me I beseche thee that thy grace may daily mortify my concupiscence of pleasure in thinges that is of wealth riches glory liberty fauour of mē meates drinkes apparel ease yea and life it selfe that the horror and impaciency of more greuous things may be weakened and I made more pacient in aduersitie Wherunto I further desire and pray thy goodnes dere father that thou wilt adde this namely that I may for euer become obedient and ready to do thy good will in all things hartely and willingly to serue thee and do whatsoeuer may pleà se thee For doubtles although we accustome our selues in the pleasaunt thinges of this life to a mortification and deniall of our selues yet we shal finde enough to do when more bitter and weighty crosses come For if thy sonne our Sauiour euer wont to obey thy good will prayed so hartely and often Not my will but thy will be done wherby he declareth him selfe to be very man how can it be but we whose nature is corrupt not only in natiuitie but in the rest of our whole life also shal find both our handes full in great and greuous temtations wholy to resigne our selues vnto thee Graunt therfore deare father for thy christes sake I most hartely beseche thee thy grace and holy spirite to be effectuall in me that daily I may accustome my selfe to deny my will in more easy and pleasant things of this lyfe that when neede shal be I may come vnto thee with a resigned will alwayes stedfastly expecting thy mercy and in the meane season cōtinually obeying thee with readines and willïngnes doing whatsoeuer may most please thee through Christ our lord which liueth with thee c ¶ A meditation of the comming of Christ to iudgement and of the rewarde both of the faithful vnfaithful OH Lord Jesus Christ the sonne of the euerliuing God by whō all thinges were made are ruled and gouerned as of thy loue for our redemption thou didst not disdaine to be our mediatour and to take vppon thee our nature in the wombe of a virgine purely and without sinne by the operation of the holy spirite that both thou mightest in thine owne person wōderfully beautifie and exalte our nature and worke the same in vs also first abolishing the giltines of sinne by remission then sinne it selfe by death and last of all death by raysing vp againe these our bodies that they may be like vnto thyne owne glorious and immortall body according to the power wherewith thou art able to subiect all thinges vnto thee as I say of thy loue for our redemption thou becamest man and that most poore and afflicted vpon earth by the space of xxxiii yeres at the least in most
awaked thē thou wentest agayne to pray but thou foundest no comfort at all therfore didst returne agayne for some comforte at thy dearest frendes handes But yet againe alas they are fast a sleepe Wherupon thou art enforced to go agayne to thy heauenly father for some sparckle of comfort in these thy wonderfull crosses agonies Now here thou wast so discouraged and so comfortles that euē streames of bloud came runnyng from thine eies and eares and other partes of thy body But who is able to expresse the infinitenes of thy crosses euen at thy beyng in the garden All which thou sufferedst for my sake as well to satisfy thy fathers wrath for my sinnes as also to sanctify all my sufferinges the more gladly to be susteyned of me After thy bloudy prayer thou camest and yet agayne foundest thy disciples a sleepe and before thou canst well awake them loe Judas cōmeth with a great bande of men to apprehend thee as a theefe and so doth leadyng thee away bound to that hie Bishops house Annas so from him to Cayphas Here now to augment this thy misery behold thy disciples flie from thee false witnesses be brought against thee thou art accused and condemned of blasphemy Peter euen in thy sight forsweareth thee thou art vniustly striken for answering lawfully thou art blindefield striken and buffeted all the whole nyght in the bishop Cayphas house of their cruell seruauntes In the mornyng betymes thou art condemned agayne of the priestes of blasphemy therfore they bring thee before the secular power to Pilate by whom thou art openly arrayned as other theeues and malefactors were and when he saw that thou wast accused of malice yet he did not dismisse thee but did sende thee to Herode where thou wast derided shamefully in commyng and goyng to hym and from hym all the way especially after Herode had appareled thee as a foole Afore Pilate agayne therfore thou wast brought and accused falsly no mā did take thy part or speak a good word for thee Pilate caused thee to be whipped and scourged and to be handled most pitifully to se if any pitie might apeare with the Prelates but no man at all pitied thee Barrabas was preferred before thee all the people head and taile was against thee cryed hang thee vp vniustly to death wast thou iudged thou wast crowned with thornes that pearced thy braines thou wast made a mocking stocke thou wast reuiled beaten and most miserably handled Thou wentst through Jerusalem to the place of execution euen to the mount Caluery a great crosse to hange thee on was layde vppon thy backe to beare and drawe as long as thou wast able Thy body was racked to be nayled to the tree thy hāds were bored thorow thy feete also nayles were put thorow them to fasten thee thereon thou wast hanged betwene heauen earth as one spewed out of heauē and vomited out of the earth vnworthy of any place the high priest laughed thee to scorne the elders blasphemed thee and sayd God hath no care for thee the common people laughed and cried out vpon thee thrist oppressed thee but vineger onely gall was geuen thee to drinke heauen shined not on thee the Sunne gaue thee no lyght the earth was afrayd to beare thee Sathan tempted thee and thine owne senses caused thee to cry out My God my GOD why hast thou forsaken me Oh wonderfull passions which thou suffredst In them thou teachest me in them thou comfortest me for by thē God is my father my sinnes are forgeuen By thē I should learne to feare God to loue God to hope in God to hate synne to be patient to call vppon God and neuer to leaue hym for any temptations but with thee to cry Father into thy handes I commende my spirite A meditation of Gods power beautie goodnes c. BEcause thou lord woul dest haue vs to loue thee not onely doost thou will entice allure prouoke vs but also doost commaund vs so to do promisyng thy self vnto such as loue thee and threatning vs with damnation if we doo otherwyse wherby we may see both our great corruption and noughtines and also thine excedyng great mercy towardes vs. First concerning our corruptiō and noughtines what a thing is it that power riches authoritie beautie goodnes liberalitie truth iustice which all thou art good lord cannot moue vs to loue thee Whatsoeuer thynges we see fayre good wyse mighty are but euen sparkles of that power beautie goodnes wisdom which thou art For to the end thou mightst declare thy riches beuty power wisdom thou hast not only made but still doost conserue all creatures to be as Dauid sayth of the heauens declarers and setters forth of thy glory and as a booke to teach vs to know thee How fayre thou art the beautie of the Sunne Moone Stars light flowers riuers fieldes hils birdes beastes men and all creatures yea the goodly shape and forme of the whole world doth declare How mighty thou art we are taught by the creation of this world euen of nought by gouerning the same by punishing the wicked mighty Giants therof by ouerthrowing their deuises by repressing the rages of the sea wtin her bounds by stormes by tempestes by fires these and such lyke declare vnto vs thine inuisible almighty and terrible power whereby thou subduest all thinges vnto thee How riche thou art thys worlde thy great and infinite treasurehouse doth well declare What plenty is there not onely of thinges but also of euery kinde of things Yea how doost thou yearely and daily multiply these kyndes How many seedes doost thou make of one seede yea what great increse doost thou bring it vnto These cannot but put vs in remembraunce of the exceedyng riches that thou hast For if to thyne enemies which loue thee not as the most part in this world be if to thē thou geuest so plentifully thy riches here what shal we thinke that with thy selfe thou hast layde vp for thy frendes How good thou art all creatures generally and perticularly do teach What creature is there in the worlde which thou hast not made for our cōmoditie I will not say how that thou mightst haue made vs creatures without sense or reason if thou haddest would But amongst al things none doth teach vs so thy great loue towardes vs as doth the death of thy most dearely beloued sonne who suffred the paynes and terrours thereof yea and hell it selfe for our sakes If this thy loue had bene but a smal loue it would neuer haue lasted so long nor Christ shold neuer haue died ⧠A prayer to Christ crucified AS thou O Lord wast crucified for me so I beseeche thee crucify me with thee that I may ryse agayne with thee to euerlasting lyfe Thy flesh was crucified for me crucifie with thee O Christ the kingdom of the flesh which hath dominion in me that I may put of the olde Adam and by newnes of lyfe may be transformed
¶ The King With rulers kinges I end all thinges As Emperors and kings we did raigne But now the earth doth vs detayne ¶ The Duke Duke Prince I do conuince ¶ The Marques Marques or state I am thy mate Lordes and rulers haue bene But what we are is to be sene ¶ The Baron Baron lord To me must accord ¶ The Vicount High low with me must go Tyme to lyue and tyme to dye God graunt vs life eternally ¶ The Lord. Galaunt or gay Then must away ¶ The Knight Stout and braue I must thee haue Behold me here as in a glasse For as thou art so I was ¶ The Esquire For all thy lust Thou shalt to dust ¶ The Gentleman Graue or sad Thou must be had As the houres of the day So our lyues passe away ¶ The Capitaine In peace and warre I make and marre ¶ The Souldier Of foe frend I make an end As we were so are ye And as we are so shall ye be ¶ The Dromme Cease thy dromme For all is done ¶ The Fife Cease thy play And come away Tymes do passe and tyme it is To vse well tyme least tyme do misse ¶ The Iudge Come on iudge With me to trudge ¶ The Iustice. Justice I say Come on thy way From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ Sergeant at law Leaue the lawes heare my cause ¶ The Attorney Plead as thou lust With me thou must Christ for thy bitter passion Graunt vs a ioyfull resurrection ¶ The Mayor Though Mayor thou be Come go with me ¶ The Shirife Sir Shirife stand and geue me thy hand From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ The Bailife Thou Baily also With me shalt go ¶ The Constable Constable be prest For I thee arest Behold me here as in a glasse For as thou art so I was ¶ The Phisician Let Phisike alone And go with me home The Astronomer Looke not so hie I am thee by Tyme to lyue and tyme to dye God graunt vs life eternally ¶ The Marchant Neither craft nor trade Can me perswade ¶ The Citizen Of toune nor citie I haue no pitie Behold me here as in a glasse For as thou art so I was ¶ The Riche man Siluer nor golde cannot thee holde ¶ The aged man Youth and age Must be my page As the houres of the day So our lyues passe away ¶ The Atrificer Leaue thine arte And take my parte The Husbandman Labour no more For I haue store As we were so are ye And as we are so shall ye be ¶ The Beggar Begging is done For I am come ¶ The Roge. Thinke I am best For I bring rest From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ The Shepeheard Leaue thy shepe And with me crepe ¶ The Foole. Of foolish and fonde I breake the bonde Christ for thy bitter passion Graunt vs a ioyfull resurrection ¶ Of Youth Young olde Come to my folde ¶ Of Infancy Feare not me though I grisly be Tyme to lyue and tyme to dye God graunt vs life eternally ¶ The Emperour Emperour or king I must thee bring ¶ The King With rulers kinges I ende all thinges As Emperors and kings we did raigne But now the earth doth vs detayne ¶ The Duke Duke Prince I do conuince ¶ The Marques Marques or state I am thy mate Lordes and rulers we haueÌ„ bene But what we are is to be sene ¶ The baron Baron lord To me must accord ¶ The Vicount High low with me must go Tymes do passe and tyme it is To vse well tyme least tyme do misse ¶ The Lord. Galaunt or gay Thou must away ¶ The Knight Stout and braue I must thee haue As the houres of the day So our lyues passe away ¶ The Esquire For all thy lust Thou shalt to dust ¶ The Gentleman Graue or sad Thou must be had Behold me here as in a glasse For as thou art so I was ¶ The Capitaine In peace and warre I make and marre ¶ The Souldior Of foe frend I make an end From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ The Dromme Cease thy dromme For all is done ¶ The Fife Cease thy play And come away As we were so are ye And as we are so shall ye be ¶ The Iudge Come on iudge With me to trudge ¶ The Iustice. Justice I say Come on thy way As the houres of the day So our lyues passe away ¶ Sergeant at law Leaue the lawes heare my cause ¶ The Attorney Plead as thou lust With me thou must Behold me here as in a glasse For as thou art so I was ¶ The Mayor Thogh Mayor thou be Come with me ¶ The Shirife Sir Shirife stand and geue me thy hand Tyme to lyue and tyme to dye God graunt vs life eternally ¶ The Bailife Thou Baily also With me shalt go ¶ The Constable Constable be prest For I thee arest From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ The Phisician Let Phisike alone And go with me home The Astronomer Looke not so hie I am thee by Tymes do passe and tyme it is To vse well tyme least tyme do misse ¶ The Marchant Neither craft nor trade Can me perswade ¶ The Citizen Of toune nor citie I haue no pitie Christ for thy bitter passion Graunt vs a ioyfull resurrection ¶ The Riche man Siluer nor golde Cannot thee holde ¶ The aged man Youth and age Must be my page Christ for thy bitter passion Graunt vs a ioyfull resurrection ¶ The Atrificer Leaue thine arte And take my parte The Husbandman Labour no more For I haue store As we were so are ye And as we are so shall ye be ¶ The Beggar Begging is done For I am come ¶ The Roge. Thinke I am best For I bring rest Tymes do passe and tyme it is To vse well tyme least tyme do misse ¶ The Shepeheard Leaue thy shepe And with me â—â—epe ¶ The Foole. Of foolish and fonde I breake the bonde From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ Of Youth Young olde Come to my folde ¶ Of Infancy Feare not me though I grisly be Tyme to lyue and tyme to dye God graunt vs life eternally ¶ The Empresse Empresse thogh thou be Thou must away with me ¶ The Queene Queene also thou doost see As I am so shalt thou be We that were of highest degree Lye dead here now as ye do see ¶ The Princes Princes of hie estate coÌ„teÌ„t you I am your mate ¶ The Duchesse Duches princes Death daily conuinces We that sate in the highest seate Are layd here now for wormes meate ¶ The Countesse Countesse or what thou art I strike thee with my dart ¶ The Vicountesse Vicountes I do not spare For of them I haue no care Beauty honour and riches auayle no whit For death when he commeth spoyleth it ¶ The Baronnesse Baronnesse braue and hie Prepare thy selfe to dye ¶ The Lady Ladies gay faire To you I do repaire No state no might neither yong nor olde To resist death dare be bolde ¶ The Iudges wife Madame or iustice wife I am come to ende thy life The Lawyers wife Beware thy husbands gain Reward thee not with paine Death by his might doth conuince Expresse Queene Duches and Prince The Gentlewomaâ— Gentles braue fine Daunce after my line Aldermans wife Thou art clothed in skarlet And yet art but my varlet Behold vs here that sometyme were gay How now we lye here all lapped in clay Merchantes wife Braue neuer so nice Daunce after my deuice ¶ Citizens wife Tricke trim put of your hood I am come to do you good Riches nor treasure auayle nothing For death to earth all doth bring Riche mans wiâ—â— Though thou haue silâ—â—â— and golde Yet art thou within my holde ¶ Yong woman Fine prety in the wast Come with me in hast From earth we came and to earth we shall For sinne by death hath made vs thrall ¶ The Mayde Fresh galant gay All must with me away ¶ The Damosell Fine proper neate And all is but wormes meate O death how bitter is thy sting That poore and riche to earth doth bring ¶ Farmers wife Cease thy labour and paine For I am thy riches and gaine HusbandmaÌ„s wife Toyle no more I say For heÌ„ce I must away The wise the simple and euery degree Are by force compelled to obey vnto thee Countreywoman Away with butter chese For thy life thou must now leese The Nurse Geue sucke no more For I am at the dore Learne by vs that here do lye For to liue well and learne to die Shepeheardes wife Be thou young or olde Thou must enter into my folde ¶ Aged woman Be the day neuer so long At last commeth Euensong As death to the iust bringeth aduantage So he to the wicked doth great dammage The Creeple Be thou poore or disesed Thou must with me be pleased The poore woman Be thou neuer so poore Thou must enter at my dore As death in this world hath the victory So by death we hope to enter Gods glory Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you Math. 25. Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for c. Math. 21.
euerlasting life is no man is able to conceiue much lesse able to vtter For the peace of god which is eternall life passeth all vnderstanding The eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither can mans harte conceiue those thinges which thou deare God hast prepared for them that loue thee Whatsoeuer therfore can be spoken or imagined of thy kingdom of the clearenes ioy and felicitie of the same is nothyng in comparison as we may see by the Prophets which because they could not otherwise vnder corporall things haue shadowed the same So that the confidence of eternall life what a thing it is can in no wise be told Howbeit some what we may be brought into some sight of it by earthly thinges to thinke on this sort If God hath geuē here so many thinges in a strange place how many are the great good thinges that be at home If in a prison are so many mercies how many are they in the palace If the wicked haue so many benefites what is the store prepared for thy seruāts O Lord If thy children finde such comfortes in the day of teares and mournyng what shall they finde in the day of the mariage If with beastes men beyng haue the vse of so innumerable blessings oh how many are the blessinges whiche they shall enioy with thy Angels and with thee thy selfe O dere God when they shal see thee and haue the fruition of thee in whome is fulnes without lothing of all good faire thinges so that nothyng can be more desired and that for euermore This thy children do not so see as they now beleue it I say that euen in their bodies they shal see it for euer as Job sayd They heleue that they shall see thee and their owne eyes beholde thee when these our corporall eyes our bodies beyng raised shall do their duties Such a knowledge of thee they beleue to haue as shall not be onely intellectuall and by faith as now it is but euen a full sight and fruition yea a comunction and felowship with thee Now they see but in a glasse euen in a darke speaking but thē they shal see face to face For faith though it be the substaunce of thinges hoped for and a certain darke sight of thee yet it may not be compared to the rewarde of faith glorious sight which we shall see in the life to come when fayth hope shall cease Now thy children know that they be thy children though it yet appeare not what they shall be We know say they that whē our Christ God and man shall appeare then shall we be lyke vnto hym for we shall see him euen as he is Oh great prerogatiue to see Christ as he is Which is not to be considered so much for the māhoode as for the Godhead it self as Paule doth also write that when all thinges are subiect vnto the sonne then shall he be subiect vnto thee deare Father also that God may be all in all And therfore Christ our sauiour praied for vs that we might know thee the onely true God Not that our Christ thy sonne is not with thee the true coequal and substanciall god but that we might know how that after the iudgement such a mystery of hys mediatourship shall not be in heauē as is now in earth Then thou blessed trinitie God the Father God the sonne and God the holy ghost shalt be all in all thou shalt be the end of our desires thou shalt be loked vpon without ende thou shalt be loued without lothyng thou shalt bee praysed without wearinesse Althoughe lothsomues be wont to folow fulnes yet our fulnes in the contemplatiō of thy pleasures shall bring with it no kinde at all of lothsomnes Sacietie of ioyes shall be in the beholding of thee Pleasures are on thy right hand for euer We shal be satiffied when we arise after thyne image I meane in the resurrection Oh deare father shew thy self vnto vs and we aske no more Oh graunt vs with thy Saintes in euerlasting lyfe to prayse wyth perpetual prayses thy holy name Happy then and happy again wer we if that day wer come that we myght sing wyth thy aungels elders and innumerable thousandes a new song say thou Christ Jesu which wast slayne art worthy to receyue power and riches and wisdome and strength honour and glory and blessyng In thys blessed lyfe all kynde of maladies griefes sorrowes and euils be farre away and all ful of all kinde of mirth ioy pleasure Oh that we might see now a litle with S. John that holy Citie new Jerusalē descending frō heauen prepared of god as a bride trimmed for her husbande Oh that we might now somethyng heare the great voyce speakyng out of the throne behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be hys people and he shal be vnto them their god he will wipe away all teares from their eies and death shal be no more nor wepyng nor crying nor sorrow for the former thinges are gone ¶ An other meditation of the blessed state and felicitie of the life to come THis body is but a prison wherein the soule is kept and that verely not beautifull nor bright but most foule and darke disquiet fraile and filled vp with much vermine and venemous vipers I meane it cōcerning our affections standing in an ayre most vnwholesome and prospect most lothsome if a man consider the excrementes of it by the eyes nose mouth eares hands feete and all the other partes So that no Bocardo no Little ease no Dungeon no Bishops prison no gatehouse no sincke no pit may be cōpared in any point to be so euill a prison for the body as the body is for and of the soule wherethrough the children of God haue bene occasioned to cry lament their long being in it Oh saith Dauid how long shall I lye in this prison Oh wretch that I am sayth Paule who shall deliuer me out of this body of sinne which is an heauie burden vnto the soule as the wise man sayth And therefore the godly cry now let thy seruant depart in peace Oh that I were dissolued and had put of this earthly and fraile tabernacle Take me vnto thee and bring my soule out of thys prison that it may geue thankes vnto thee O Lord. For so long as we be in thys body we can not see the Lord yea it is as an heauy habitation and depresseth downe sore the spirite fro the familiaritie which it els should haue with God This world life is an exile a vale of misery a wildernes of it self being voide of all vertues and necessaryes for eternall life full of ennemies sorrowes sighings sobbings gronings miseries c In daunger to hūger cold heate thirst sores sicknes tentations trouble death and innumerable calamities being momentanye short vnstable and nothing but vaine and therfore is cōpared to a warfare a womās trauaile a
shadow a smoke a vapour a worde a storme a tempest in the which Gods people feele great molestations greefes troubles now of Sathan him selfe now of the world now of their owne flesh and that so wonderfully diuersly daungerously contrarily that they are enforced to cry Oh Lorde when shall we come and appeare before thee when shall this misery end when shall we be deliuered out of this vale of miserye out of thys wildernes out of thys continuall affliction and most perilousseas But where thou art Lorde and deare father of mercy there is not only no prison no dolours no sorow no sighinges no teares no sicknes no hūger no heate no colde no paine no temtations no displeasure no malice no pride no vncleannes no cōtention no tormentes no horrour no sin no filth no stinch no dearth no death no weeping no teares no misery nor mischiefe there is I say not onely no such thing or any e-euill noysome or displeasaunt thing but all libertie all light all pleasauntnes all ioy reioysing mirth pleasure pastime health wealth riches glory power treasure honour triumph comfort solace loue vnitie peace concord wisdome vertue melody meekenes felicitie beatitude and all that euer can bee wished or desired in most securitie eternitie and perpetuitie that may be thought not onely of man but of Angels and Archangels yea aboue all thoughtes The eye hath not seene the like the eare hath not heard it nor no hart is able to conceaue in any poynt any part of the blisfull beatitude which is with thee most deare God and Father most deare Lorde and Sauiour most gratious good God and comforter Where thou art O blessed God the Archaungels Aungels Thrones powers dominations Cherubins Ceraphins Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs Virgins Confessors and righteous spirites cease not to sing night and day Holy Holy Holy Lorde God of hostes honor maiestie glory power empire and dominion be vnto thee oh God the creator oh Lord Jesu the redemer oh holy spirite the comforter In recordation of thys Oh how thy childrē reioyce how contemne they the pleasures of thys worlde how litle esteme they any corporall greefe or shame how desire they to bee with thee How amiable are thy tabernacles Oh Lorde God of hostes say they my soule hath a desire to enter into the courtes of the Lorde my hart and my soule reioyceth in the lyuyng God Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they that may alwayes be praysing thee For one day in thy courtes is better then a thousand els where I had rather be a doore keper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tentes of vngodlines for the Lord God is a light defence And againe lyke as the Hart desireth the water brookes so longeth my soule after thee Oh God my soule is a thyrst for God yea euen for the liuing God When shall I come to appeare before the presence of God My soule thirsteth for thee my flesh also longeth after thee in a barren and dry land where no water is They thy childrē I meane O Lord desire the day of that their redemption stil they cry let thy kingdō come they cry Come Lord Jesu they lift vp their heades lookyng for thy appearing Oh Lorde which will make their vile body lyke to thine owne glorious immortall body for when thou shalt appeare they shall be like vnto thee Thy Aungels will gather them together they shall meete thee in the cloudes and bee alwayes with thee They shall heare thys ioyfull voyce Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning Then shall they be like to thy Aungells Then shall they be like vnto the Sunne in thy kyngdome Then shall they haue crownes of glory and be endued with white garmentes of innocēcie and righteousnes and Palmes of victory in their handes Oh happy is he that may but see that immortall and incorruptible inheritance which they shall enioy for euermore Amen ¶ A Meditation of the presence of God THere is nothyng that maketh more to true godlines of life then the perswasion of thy presēce deare father and that nothyng is hyd from thee but all to thee is open and naked euē the very thoughtes which one day thou wilt reueale and open either to our praise or punishment in thys life as thou diddest Dauids faultes which he dyd secretly 2. Reg. 12. or in the lyfe to come Math. 25. for nothyng is so hid that shall not be reuealed Therfore doth the Prophet say Woe to thē that keepe secrete their thoughtes to hide theyr counsell from the Lorde and do their workes in darknes saying who seeth vs Graunt to me therefore deare God mercy for all my sinnes especially my hid and close sinnes Enter not into iudgement with me I humbly besech thee Geue me to beleue truely in thy Christ that I neuer come into iudgement for thē that with Dauid I might so reueale them and confesse them vnto thee that thou wouldest couer thē And graunt further that hence forth I alwayes thinke myself cōtinually cōuer saunt before thee so that if I do well I passe not of the publishing of it as hypocrites doe If I do or thinke any euill I may forthwith know that the same shall not alwayes be hid from men Graunt me that I may alwayes haue in minde that day wherin hyd workes of darknes shall be illumined and also that sentence of thy sonne that nothing is so secret which shall not bee reuealed So in trouble and wrong I shall finde comfort and otherwise be kept through thy grace frō euil which do thou worke I humbly besech thee for Christes sake Amen ⧠A Meditation of death and the commodities it bringeth WHat other thing do we dayly in thys present life then heape sinne vppon sinne and hourde vp trespasse vpon trespasse so that thys day is worse alwayes then yesterday by encreasing as dayes so sinnes and therefore thy indignation good Lorde agaynst vs but when we shall be let goe out of the prison of thys body and so taken into thy blessed company then shall we be in most safety of immortalitie and saluation thē shall come vnto vs no sicknes no nede no paine no kind of euill to soule or body but what soeuer good we cā wish that shall we haue and what soeuer we loth shall be farre from vs. O deare father that we had fayth to beholde these thinges accordingly Oh that our hartes were perswaded therof and our affections enflamed with the desire of them Then should we liue in longing for that which now we most loth O helpe vs and graūt that we being ignorant of thinges to come and of the tyme of our death which to thee is certain may so liue and finishe our iourney here that we may be ready and then depart when our departing may make most to thy glory our comfort through Christ What is thys lyfe but a smoke a vapour