memorie or of sense performe it Some haue long and lingring sicknes looking as it were euery day to dye and yet can hardly finde time to set their house and liues in order Suddaine death preuents men of setting their houses in order SOme also are taken suddainly not only in the time of common infection wherein all sorts are in most and equall danger but in time of seeming greatest safetie and of least cause of feare which we haue seene by the suddaine death of many which haue taken no time at all to settle their estates but haue been inforced to leaue their houses in the same order they were in whē they liued cleane out of order And few there be that prouidently and timely set and wisely keep and continue their houses and liues in such order as by Gods command they ought to doe by reason of their worldly cares And that is the reason that many goe disorderly to their graues how pompously soeuer they be attended on at their funerall solemnities Many inconueniences grow by the neglect of setting mens houses in order before they dye THe neglect of this commanded dutie of setting their worldly estates in order a dutie in humane discretion and Christian policie fit to be remembred and performed of all men is also the cause that many quarrells contentions sutes in law enmities sinister vngodly and malitious practices sometimes tending to bloud doe arise not only betweene strangers but betweene brethren betweene brethren and sisters wife and children and dearest neerest kinsfolks and friends contending especially for lands and goods of such as dye without orderly disposing of that they are constrained to leaue behind them when they dye All men are bound to this duty of setting their houses in order ALL men therefore are bound to this dutie but especially such as haue great possessions to dispose and much goods to be queath and to set in order aboue other times when any common plague or sicknesse raigneth to set their houses in order for there is no man or woman priuiledged at such a time And there is commonly no man but hath either issue or some neere of bloud lawfully to inherite his lands and friends to enioy his goods yet if he dispose them not in his lifetime but leaues them to catch that catch may it cannot be but sutes and quarrells will arise betweene such as will contend for the right of inheritance left doubtfull The like about Administrations of goods of an intestate dead partie causing many times more monie to be spent in law than the lands or goods are worth they contend for thus vncertainly left And therefore better it were for a man to dye not seized of a foote of land nor possest of more goods than will bring him decently to his graue than by the greatnes of his possessions and his much wealth vndisposed and not duly ordered to breede vncharitable and vnchristian quarrells among kinred and friends to the offence of God for the pelfe he leaues behinde him when he dyes And perhaps sinisterly and corruptly gotten which seldom prosper long to them that shall enioy them Aduertisements to the rich men RIch men therefore aboue all other haue neede to remember to set their houses and estates in order in time knowing their time is short and vncertaine and the greater possessions and the more abundance of wealth they haue the more circumspect ought they to be to liue in the feare of God and to set their houses in order before they dye for the more they haue the greater will be their accompt and the more haue they to answere for when they are dead for howsoeuer men either borne to inherite or haue gotten and purchased as they will say with their owne monies and haue heaped vp great abundance of riches and possessions by their owne industries policies and worldly wisdome They must not yet thinke as many doe that these possessions and goods are so theres as to vse them at their owne pleasures to the fulfilling of their owne carnall delight or to hoord them vp and as it were to wrap them in a napkin that none may be the better for them vntill they be inforced to leaue them whether they will or not assuming vnto themselues that lawlesse libertie and abusing that speech Js it not lawfull for me to doe with mine owne what I list no they are not so simply thine that thou shouldest abuse them but to vse them to his glory that gaue them or rather lent them vnto thee Though peraduenture to thine owne vexation thou gettest them to thy more care thou keepest them and to thy most griefe thou must leaue them which last approueth that they are not thine as thou reputest them thine for thou must leaue them and they will leaue thee whether thou wilt or not yet if in the meane time thou vse not thy possessions and wealth to the good of Gods children howsoeuer thou dispose them to be inioyed after thy death it wil not profit thee giue them to whom or to what vse thou wilt for if thou labor not in thy life time to be assured that thy name is written in the booke of life good deedes to be done by a deputie after thy death cannot auayle thee while therefore thou hast time doe good and while thou hast power ouer the lands and goods that God hath lent thee to be vsed by thee to Gods glory and comfort of his needy members Leaue not that duty required euen of thy selfe to be performed thou knowest not by whom after thy death Rich men must answere according as they haue receiued and bestowed HAst thou many talents put them to good vse and thou shalt haue a good reward for if he that receiued but one talent was cast into vtter darkenes for not applying it to the good of Gods children what will become of them that haue great possessions and many talents of siluer and gold layd vp in their chests doing no good with them to the poore children of God when they shall suddainly be called before the high and seuere Iudge Will their answere be sufficient to say I haue appointed mine heire to giue such and such lands and mine executor such and such Legacies to good and pious vses But may it not to be said rather vnto him Thou foole couldest not thou thy selfe haue done it better in thy life time and not to haue left the doing of it in trust to an vncertaine Attorny after thy death who is as mortal as thy selfe The cause why rich men will not part with any their wealth before they dye THou mayst say as many men thinke if I should giue or dispose my lands or goods while I am in perfect headth how could I maintaine mine estate according to my ranke I was the Son of a worshipfull or honorable Father whose lands descended vnto me 〈…〉 I not to make the best of it and increase it if I can Why should I giue away that
in the bed put mee in minde of my resting in the graue and my rising from thence of my resurrection that both in life and death I may continue thine through Iesus Christ. Amen Wednesday A Morning Prayer O Eternall and all-seeing God who art of infinite maiesty looke downe from heauen the habitation of thy holinesse vpon me thy poore and vnworthy seruant lying groueling and groning vnder my sinfull misery Thou art a God of power and canst relieue me of goodnesse and wilt in thy good time mercifully helpe mee Vnto thee therefore upon the bended knee of my soule doe I come humbly beseeching thee to cure my sinfull corruptions and by that bloud which my blessed Sauiour out of his gashy wounds did shed for mee to wash away my sinfull staynes O Lord the fountaine of thy mercy can neuer bee drawne dry nor the merits of my blessed Sauiour emptied O therefore bathe my soule in them that being sanctified and iustified I may appeare in thy sight more pure and white then the snow in Salmon And because it is a pleasant thing vnto thee to giue thanks I blesse thy name for keeping mee this night past and bringing of me to the beginning of this day Defend me gracious father in the same let thy eyes alwayes attend vpon mee prosper preserue cheere vp and cherish guide and gouerne instruct and direct mee in all my studies labours actions imployments and duties of my calling that I may spend and imploy this day and the remainder of my life according to thy blessed wil setting thee alwaies before mine eyes and liuing in thy feare euer working that which may be found acceptable in thy sight to the glory of thy most holy name the peace of my conscience and the saluation of my owne soule and the edification by my good example of all those that attend and depend vpon mee To this end be thou O Lord my God and my guide my protector and defender keep me vnspotted of the world teach mee to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly towards my selfe righteously towards my neighbour and piously towards thee my God repenting me of my sinnes and seruing thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all my daies that in life thou maist bee my God in death my deliuerer after death my eternall rewarder Amen Wednesday An Euening Prayer O Most glorious and gracious God who ouerflowest in thy bountifull goodnes vnto the sons daughters of men that endeauour to serue thee and glorifie thy name I doe here at this time with that good Samaritane returne to giue thee thanks for al thy merciful blessings bestowed vpon my soule and body in things spirituall and temporall for mine election before all time my creation in the beginning of time my redemption in the fulnesse of time my iustification by faith in Christ for my sanctification begun and hope of eternall glory to bee reuealed I praise and glorifie thee most holy father for preseruing me hitherto for prospering me this day past in my vocation and calling and for that thou hast yet spared me and giuen me liberty and a gracious opportunity once more to inuocate thy holy name O Lord I acknowledge and confesse that thou mightest haue taken mee away in the middest of my sinnes and in the very act of committing of them but thou hast dealt more mercifully with me continue good Lord this thy mercy and gracious fauour towards mee this night and let thy blessing rest vpon me keepe mee from feare and danger and from all noysome dreames and from all other hinderances of sweet repose and comfortable rest which thou hast appointed for the recreating and refreshing of mankind But because sinne is that which may with-hold good things from mee and deny thy gracious blessing of protection therefore I most humbly and heartily intreate thee for Iesus Christ his sake to seale vnto me a free pardon of all my sinnes of what nature or quality so euer they be whether they be sinnes of omission or commission of knowledge or ignorance of weakenesse or wilfulnesse O Lord deale not with mee according to the magnitude and multitude of them but for thine infinite mercies and sons merits speake peace vnto my soule assuring me of thy gracious pardon and reconciliation in Iesus Christ. Adde them not vnto my account but blot them out of thy booke of remembrance and cast them out of thy sight into the bottome of the sea that they may neuer rise in this life to shame mee nor in the life to come to condemne mee worke in mee an vnfained sorrow for sinne which may occasion my repentance vnto saluation neuer to be repented of Make me to bewaile my sinnes committed and giue mee grace neuer againe to commit my sinnes bewayled but proceed from one degree of holinesse vnto another from faith to faith grace to grace vntill I appeare before thee the God of Gods in Sion Amen Thursday A Morning Prayer O Lord God great and glorious which inhabitest in the highest heauens and dwellest in that light which no mortall man can approach vnto yet beholdest in much mercy and compassion the sonnes and daughters of men not onely lightning euery one that comes into the world but making the out-goings of the morning to be full of glory causing the sunne to shine vpon the iust and vniust mercifully driuing away the darkenesse of the night and shadow of death I praise thy holy Name and thanke thee most humbly that thou hast vouchsafed mee to passe this night in comfortable sleepe and to be brought againe safe and sound vnto this morning light Now I beseech thee by the holy incarnation and blessed natiuity of thy Son Iesus Christ the thrice happy day-starre that appeared to the world let thy mercy this day rest vpon me and let the bright beames of thy light shine into mine heart that I bee not transported either through the corruption of my nature or power of darkenesse to spend this day after mine owne minde and pleasure but that I may carefully follow the heauenly light of thy word to performe thy holy will willingly without murmuring speedily without delaying constantly without ceasing and vniuersally without omitting of that which thou commendest vnto me in thy word Increase in me O Lord the gift of Faith and Hope that I may beleeue in thee and trust to thy mercifull promises made vnto me in Iesus Christ and labour to finde in my soule those graces to which thou hast annexed the promises and grant that neither by mine owne negligence nor the infirmity of the flesh nor the grieuousnesse of temptation I be drawn or driuen away from a sure confidence of thy gracious acceptance with thee in the merit of his sacred bloud dispell these mists and clouds of my sinfull life which blemish my soule and darken mine vnderstanding wash away all my pollutions and staines in the bloud of his passion that I may be acknowledged for one of thine when I
bones which thou hast broken may reioyce and seeing we haue neede of patience send this our brother or sister such competency of patience and constancy that he may continue thy faithfull souldier and seruant vnto his liues end worke in him a sense and feeling of sinne and true sorrow for the same which may cause repentance vnto saluation neuer to bee repented of If it be not thy good pleasure to raise him from his bed of languishing and set him vpon his feet againe prepare his heart for death and his soule for heauen washing away his sinnes in the bloud of Christ and imputing vnto him the righteousnesse of Christ that he appearing before thee without either spot or wrinkle may haue confidence of seeing his euer-liuing and euer-louing redeemer not with other but with â—hese his eyes weane his affections from the loue of this world and set them on those things which are aboue that being absent from the body hee may inioy thy presence of glory for euer Repaire in this thy seruant thine owne Image and renue it in knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse that thou maiest know and acknowledge him for thine owne and raise him vp from the graue vnto the resurrection of life and for euer satisfie him with thine Image and change him into the same from glory to glory Amen A thanksgiuing for recouery from sicknesse OMnipotent Lord God the author of life who bringest downe vnto the graue and raisest vp againe I doe here confesse to the glory of thine infinite mercy that if thou haddest not blessâ—d and sustained mee in my sickenesse I should haue gone the way of all flesh but it was thy goodnesse to spare mee and deliuer mee from dangers thy name bee glorified for this thine vnualuable fauour and mercifull kindnesse And I humbly beseech thee to giue me grace to expresse my reall thankfullnesse by my sincere obedience and to serue thee more carefully and conscionably then heretofore I haue done and the shorter my dayes are the more â—o redeeme the time that by repenting me truely of my sinnes and calling on thee for grace by eschewing euill and doing good more especially vnto the household of faith I may haue the testimony within my selfe that thou hast not ordayned mee vnto wrath but to obtaine eternall life and saluation through Iesus Christ my Lord and only Sauiour Amen A morning prayer for a family O Eternall and all-seeing God who art iust in thy iudgements true in thy promises wonderfull in thy maiesty and infinite in thy mercy who hast the heauens for thy throne and the earth for thy foot-stoole and the creatures of both at thy becke The heauens are full of the maiesty of thy glory and cannot containe the same looke downe therefore from thence vpon vs thy seruants who now prostrate our selues before the footstoole of thy throne of grace humbly beseeching thee for Iesus Christ his sake to be mercifull vnto vs miserable sinners One deepe calleth vnto another the depth of misery vnto the depth of mercy haue mercy therefore vpon vs O Lord and in the multitude of thy mercies doe away all our offences Wee confesse that we are not worthy to speake of thee much lesse to speake vnto thee wee being so vile and miserable thou so glorious and admirable yet being assured that in forgiuing sinnes and helping poore afflicted soules the neuer drawne dry fountaine of thy mercy doth appeare we thine vnprofitable seruants are emboldened to present our selues this morning before thee to offer vp vnto thee a liuely sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiuing who diddest offer vp thy Sonne vpon the Crosse to be a propitiation for our sinnes O let this lifting vp of our hearts and hands bee a morning sacrifice pure and acceptable in thy sight Let not the greatnesse of our sinnes with-hold thy implored mercy but wash vs from all vncleannesse and remoue thy iudgements due vnto vs for them as farre from thy presence as is the East from the West Bury them in the graue with Christ raise vs vp by the power of thy Spirit vnto newnesse of life that we may walke in all holy obedience before thee this day and that endeuouring to keepe our faith and a good conscience voide of offence wee may now and in the houre of death be and remaine alwaies thine Defend vs from all euill and sense vs against the assaults of Satan watch ouer vs by the eye of thy good prouidence and cause thy Angels to pitch their tents about vs for our safety and continuall preseruation Into thy hands we here commit our soules and bodies our cogitations and actions to be guided by thee forgetting thee at any time doe thou in mercy remember vs and forgiue our trespasses make vs to see our sinnes in the glasse of thy Law to mourne for them in the closets of our hearts and confesse them in the bitternesse of our soules Teach vs to cast off the ragges of iniquity and by faith to put on the robes of righteousnesse helpe vs to manage the sword of the Spirit the shield of faith the helmet of saluation that wee may bee able to fight against the wiles of the deuill the vanities of the world the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life Be fauourable to Sion build vp the walls of Ierusalem more particularly preserue and enlarge these Churches of great Britaine France and Ireland feed them as thy flocke foster them as thy family dresse them as thy vineyard and decke them as thy spouse Defend the Kings maiesty from all enemies preserue his body in health his soule in soundnesse his heart in truth his life in honour his honour from vnderminers Blesse our gracious Queene Mary and grant that with Mary shee may chuse the better part which can neuer be taken from her Let thy good Spirit be with our hopefull Prince Charles and the Lady Mary sanctifie and season them with grace and make them thy darlings and beloued ones Blesse the Lady Elizabeth and her children and for the daies wherein they haue suffered aduersity send them abundance of peace and prosperity Blesse the counsellors of state all schooles of good Learning all thy ministers and maiestrates with all our kindsfolke in the flesh and friends in the Spirit to whom thou hast any wayes made vs bounden O Lord enable vs to requite them or lay it on thine owne account to restore it vnto them and their posterities And here we yeeld thee from the Altar of our hearts all possible thanks for that thou hast created vs when we were nothing predestinated vs vnto the Adoption and chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world and hast called vs by the working of thy spirit in the preaching of the Gospel hast freely iustified vs by Faith in Christ we thanke thee likewise for our preseruation this night past and for bringing of vs this day to see the light Now Lord awake our soules from sinne and carnall security that we
The ways of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Pleasure for evermoâ—â— A GOOD Companion For A CHRISTIAN Derecting him in the way to God being Meditations Prayers for every day in the Weeke and Graces before after meate London Printed by G.P. for Rich Collins 〈◊〉 his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at y e 3 Kingâ— 1634 A GOOD COMPANION FOR A CHRISTIAN Directing him in the way to God being Meditations and Prayers for euery day in the weeke and Graces before and after meate Call vpon me in the day of Trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt praise me Psal. 50. LONDON Printed by G. P. for Richard Collins and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Three Kings 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE EDWARD LORD GORGE Baron of Dondaulk MOST noble my good Lord My deceased Father very ofteÌ„ suruaied the Kings Lands but now by me he humbly tenders himselfe to be suruaied by you This small Treatise the issue not of his body but his braine he left with vs his children to assure vs and al men that himselfe chiefly studied and shaped his courses so to dye that he might neuer dye that he prepared himselfe so to depart froÌ„ the earth that when he did leaue the Earth he had no other busines but to leaue the Earth for his actions were but an example of his precepts Now my very noble Lord my poore selfe being a dependant vpon your honored House hauing nothing in me to expresse my obliged duty no not so much as aduise or wishes since your being good performance of goodnesse makes all my wishes vaine I beseech you but to read and suruay not what you should doe but what you haue done that your sanctified discreetnesse may be a mirror to others and an inforcement to me euer to remaine Your vertuous honorâ— humbly deuoted seruant I. NORDEN To the Reader IT is the word of the Word One thing is necessary many are troubled about many things but did any euer repent that he had set his house in order Did euer any liue the worse in that they were euer prepared to dye Indeed in our Age desperate Security makes many foole-hardy but those which are so much men that they know they haue a Soule and so far Christian men that they belieue they must giue an account of their steward-ship will entertaine this Treatise as right vsefull The world knowes my Father in his life time wrot many Meditations but God only knoweth that this he composed at his end for his death time for before he could bring it into the world himselfe went out of the world In naturall duty therefore to the memory of my deceased Father and in a Christian Charity to the common good J haue set forth this Booke with my hearty prayers to God that we may so set our house in order that whensoeuer the Bridegrome shall call we may not only haue lamps in our hands but oyle in our Lamps and Lights in our oyle that is not only a profession but a perseuering expression of true Christianity I. NORDEN A COMPANION FOR A CHRISTIAN to guide him in the way to God Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye Isay 38.1 No difference in the naturall substance of poore and rich HEZECHIAH that good King of Judah being sick supposed of a plague sore was commanded by God To set his house in order for he should die wherby it appeareth that as all men are borne to dye so are they subiect to that pestilent infirmitie To show that there is no difference of men in respect of their naturall bodies Kings Princes and Poorest people are all made of one and the same substance and subiect to all like and the same infirmities and therefore none but such as forget wherof they are made will scorne as many doe such as are in respect of themselues basely attired or poore in substance as the rich man in the Gospell did poore Lazarus No cause why the rich should disdaine the poore ANd as the rich proud amongst vs at this day doe foolishly conceiuing an opinion of theÌ„selues that in regard of their riches and reuenues their outward attire and vaine brauerie they are made of a more delicate matter than the poor and that the meanely attired are not fit to come neere them much lesse to touch them But let the richest and the brauest robed be rest of his riches and the poore man enioy it and let the poore man be attired with his glorious garments and then it will appeare that the difference is only in riches and pouertie not in the beautie or basenesse of either Poore and rich incident to equall infirmities AND as touching their infirmities what sicknes is it that befalls the poore that is not incident to the rich And what priuiledge hath the rich to preuent death more than the poore man hath Only the means of physicke which preuaileth not when the time set by the almightie is come And the like set time hath the poore before which time though he take no physicke though necessarie he shall not dye Rich and poore must dye and come to iudgement BVt it is appointed equally to rich and poore that they shall dye and come to iudgment And therfore it is a dutie required by God And fit in Christian discretion and policie not only that Kings and men of great estates the rich and wealthy Men are to set their house in order while they are in health BVt that all men of what estate condition or degree soeuer they be not only in the time of my common plague or infectious disease yet then especially and when they be sicke but rather in their best health and strength should not only haue continually in their mindes that they must dye but at all times to set keep and continue their houses hearts and senses and members of their bodies in order knowing they must dye yet not knowing the time that when the time commeth be it neuer so sudden they may dye in peace with God and with all men in a good conscience Men of meanes are so to settle their possessions and goods as may reserue peace after their deaths ANd as much as in them is so to dispose and settle their worldly possessions and goods as peace may be preserued and continued amongst such as they intend shall enioy them when they are dead for although all men know that it is appointed that they must dye yet are not all men of like watchfulnes or preparation against the time of death Many are slacke in setting their houses in order SOme liue long and many years and become not bodily sicke at all and therefore it seldome or neuer commeth into their mindes that they must dye and so put off the setting of their houses in order and to reforme their liues vntill many of them be preuented And when they would they cannot either for want of time or of
stead of thine atteÌ„dants men seruants maid seruants c. thou shalt haue for thine attendants Iobs sisters brothers wormes to attend and affect thee euen as friends affect friends as long as they can be each to other friendly So as long as the wormes can find in thy dead flesh wheron to feede they wil be thy companions But when the substance of thy body is spent they will leaue thy bare bones to thy mother Rottenesse the end of all flesh And therefore set thine house in order for this must be the certaine end of thine vncertaine mortall life Many perplexe themselues to make them they know not rich MAke not thy selfe more miserable then by striuing to aduance thy posterity to greatnesse and so expose thy selfe to the losse of heauen And flatter not thy selfe with a vaine conceit that it is thy glory to get riches and possessions for thy children with the losse of an eternall inheritance to thy selfe Who are chiefly to be cared for and how far THou art no further bound than to haue a fatherly care of thy family Among the rest thy wife and children are most to be respected for whom thou oughtest to prouide things necessary to maintaine and to sustaine them otherwise indeed thou art to be condemned as an vnbeleeuer But to couet and to vse forbidden nay too solicitous meanes to make thy children great or thy friends after thee rich is not commanded but forbidden Many seeke to secure their posterities in their possession more than their owne assurance of heauen MAny seeke to purchace and to set and settle lands as surely as can be deuised by grauest counsell for the more security of their children after their death to the end they should remaine in their names from one generation to another and lawfull yet not laudable retaining least assurance or security in the meane time vnto themselues of an inheritance immortall after their deaths Notwithstanding their great and spacious possessions here which were a good meane to enable a man to doe the works of charity commanded by God lawfully gotten which the poore haue not Euill gotten goods seldome continue to many generations IF they haue been ill gotten or ill kept they seldome continue to the third generation sometimes not to the second And yet many men couet in their worldly wisedome to preâ—ent if it were possible the very counsel of God himselfe by limiting and entailing their lands and possessions sometimes to ten sâ—cceeding generations intending to perpetualize their names and estates to the end of the world And yet it is seene and daily obserued that as humane policy hath found out this vncertaine deuice of limiting their possessions to such as perchance may be vnborne a hundred yeares after such a deuice is made So like policy hath found out a meane to frustrate the same euen by the same Law by which it was in conceit made strong and irreuocable And sometimes God in his wisedome and secret iudgement alters and turnes the deuices of men cleane contrary to their intentions God disposeth of all earthly inheritance WHen Iosephâ— intended to haue preferred Manasses his first borne to whom by course of inheritance the first place belong'd before Ephraim his secoÌ„d sonne God so directed the heart and the hand of Iaakob in blessing them which then had great force working with the will of God he preferred Ephraim his second before Manasses the first borne So God gaue Isaaks inheritance to Iaakob the younger before Esau the the elder shewing how vncertaine the issue is of the purpose of man touching the making of his heire though it be a part of the setting of thy house in order before thou dye No counsell against the Lord. THere is no counsell against oâ— without the Lord man may purpose this or that child shal be his heire and inherite his Land or this or that friend shall enioy his goods but the disposition is in God who alters the purpose of man euen as he will to shew that the wisedome of man is indeed but foolishnesse without God How men ought to guide their affections in preferring their children or friends IT is not yet vnlawfull for men to respect one sonne or one child or one friend before and aboue another and to haue a desire to preferre one before another to enioy their Lands and goods after them So they respect the preferring the glory of God and that with prayer before their owne naturall affection Namely where they find one more inclinable to vertue to the feare and seruice of God than another to preferre such before them that haue only naturall endowmeÌ„ts as feature as beauty priority of birth wit and comlinesse like Absalom and meere carnall inclinations for the more fauour fathers shew and the more meanes they heape vpon such in making them great or rich the more they will run into riot as is obserued in too many in this corrupt age which breeds scaÌ„dal to the father in so disposing his wealth when he is in his graue And the more dishonor vnto God that lent the meanes and argues no direct setting of his house in a Christian order before he dyed Many rather couet to aduance their posterities to wealth here than themselues to glory heereafter MANY men plainely shew that they loue the world their vncertaine posterity and their owne vaine glory more deerely than they loue their owne soules By so abundantly prouiding to make their posterity great themselues famous some rather infamous after their deaths Can a man be thought to loue his owne soule when he aduentures it in getting superfluous and forbidden meanes to inrich and to make them great whom he knowes not whether they wil be good or euill And to that vncertaine end to hoord vp and to keep riches doing good to none vntill they must needes leaue them Esau more to be excused than some miserable rich men ESau sold his birth right indeed for a messe of potage only to refresh the necessity of his fainting spirit and is more to be excused than they that sell their soules more precious than all the Kingdomes that Sathan tempted Christ withall for the superfluous aduaÌ„cement of them whom they truly know not And yet when they haue gotten much and disposed it to whom they list before they dye they are farre from the setting of their houses much lesse of their souls in good order before they die Jt is lawfull to possesse lands and goods IT is not denied neither doth any scripture inhibite men to haue and enioy possessions lands and goods be they by descent gift or purchace and to leaue them to their children For God hath from the beginning lent these inferior things of the earth to the sonnes of men and alloweth the vse of them lawfully gotten so they be godly vsed and rightly disposed for he that disposeth them without good warrant runs before the counsell of of God as in worldly wisedome or vaineglorious desires many doe to
impious and vngodly vses while they liue setting neither house nor heart nor soule nor body in order before they dye Many neuer thinke of Death till they be sicke AND when the summons of death beginne to seize vpon them then they beginne to bestirre them saying as some haue done and must I dye making an vnwilling will giuing and bequeathing what they could no longer keepe Yet when a mans will is made and all things disposed if he can get but a little breathing time a yeare or two ten or more they to whom he hath assigned his lands and bequeathed his goods shal be neuer the better for his gifts vntill he die and that were it possible not till doomes day And they that would haue seemed to haue mourned at his funerall for the losse of so good a benefactor will turne their mourning which should haue been for his death into sorrow and sadnesse for the recouery of his health and will be euen sick to thinke they shal be longer preuented by his recouery of that they were in hope presently to haue enioyed Jf men could see the fruits of their gifts in their posterities in their graues they would repent that euer they were rich HE that flatters not himselfe in the greatnesse of his means to 〈◊〉 what fame will flie of him when he is dead for his bounty distributed not to the needy members of Christ when he was aliue if he could but looke out of his graue and see the gallants that he hath made to ruffle in their riot and lasciuiously commonly to consume what he so long and laboriously scraped together he would wish himselfe rather to haue been a man of farre inferior meanes than to haue been the meanes to increase the sinne of them whom he seemed to loue and would no doubt haue been more carefull in setting his house his soule his body conscience and affections in better order than he had done by giuing it rather to the poore Delay not to set thy life lands and goods in order BE wise therfore thou that hast houses lands possessions and much goods to dispose Set them in order in time and obserue well how and to whom and to what vses thou meanest to dispose them and delay not till thou be sick For thou knowest not when nor where nor how thou shalt end thy life and thinke not that the abrupt making of thy will can bring a disordered house suddainly into such order as God requireth while thou art therfore in thy perfect health set thy house in order against the time of thine vncertaine death and see thou haue well gotten that which thou hast heaped together and if thy conscience strictly examined tell thee that thou hast gotten any part of it by wrong shew thy selfe a good Zacheus restore it fourefold before thou dye that thou maist dye in the fauour of God in Christ otherwise it had been better for thee to haue dyed a begger Fit euery man to make their wills IT is a very religious and Christian duty in euery man possessing any lands or goods in the world to make his will and to settle his estate in good order be it neuer so meane before he dye which is in part meant by Gods command to set thy house in order namely thy houshold lands and goods but that is not all the orderly setling of thy house before thou dye Whereof a family consisteth A Houshold or family consisteth of husband and wife parents and children master and seruants among whom if a godly order be not set continued and kept before thou be constrained through sicknesse to make thy will thou wilt hardly set it in order before thou dye How a family ought to be ordered IF loue and amity haue not been and maintained in the feare of God between man and wife If parents haue not instructed their children in the knowledge of exercised them in the true seruice of God if children haue not obeyed their parents if masters haue not wisely gouerned their seruants giuing them their salaries and necessaries if seruants haue not done their duties faithfully to their masters and all mutually together and sometimes man and wife in priuate serued the Lord in faithfull prayer during their perfect healths that house is out of order head and members and cannot in a moment by a will written in an houre or two be brought into order Therefore deceiue not thy selfe by delaying to set thy house in order and euery part and person thereof and thinke it not sufficient to settle thy worldly goods and lands by thy last will as thou dost imagine thou hast made thy will for whether thou dispose thy lands or giue thy goods while thou art aliue neither shall thy lands nor goods want owners when thou art dead Parents ought to prouide for their children the chiefe hope of children IT is a duty also ioyned with a care in parents to lay vp and prouide for their children and a fatherly dutie it is and a duty that children for the most part take greater hold of than of care to performe their duties to their parents And therefore it is hard to iudge whether he that layes vp little and giues only education vnto his children to liue futurely by some lawfull calling or he that is solicitous and ouer-carefull to prouide for the present maintenance of his children in idlenesse before and in wantonesse through the hope of great portions after his death be most to be condemned if the 〈◊〉 be not more blameable he is more superstitious than the former too much care argues least faith He that cares not for his family i◠an infidel and he that is too solicitous for them is no lesse HE shewes not himselfe a Christian in deed that cares not for his family but spends his time in idlenesse and his meanes in vnthriftinesse but rather an infidel But he that exceeds in coueting which in it selfe is sinne and striues against the streame of Gods direction getting by right or wrong spending superfluously vpon his family or hoording and laying vp for his posterity as is said before hauing little or no regard to help releeue and comfort the poore that haue an interest in the superfluity of his abundance as if the Lord could not prouide for his children if they feare and serue God aswell as he hath done for himselfe this man shewes himselfe as neere an infidel as the former Parents should leaue behind them good examples for their children to imitate THE best portion thou canst leaue behind thee is a manifest example and paterne of a godly life for thy children and friends to imitate and to giue them if conueniently nothing else some necessary manuall trade or lawfull profession to liue by when thou art dead Great patrimonies oftentimes soone spent IF thou haue lands and possessions and great stocks of money to leaue to thy children thou thinkest them richly prouided for and thy house in good order and yet we see
shall thy tongue sauour of the same and if thou wilt auoid the slanderous tongue of another walke innocently if yet it follow thee sit downe by it and take it as a crosse sent of God for thy patience How to vse the tongue to profit SPeake therefore at all times and in all companies as in the presence and hearing of the great God of heauen and earth speake as becommeth a sober man a ciuill man as a religious and faithfull Christian man that thy words being seasoned with the salt of grace may be profitable also to others for by thy words thou maist disorder and by thy words thou maist well order thy house The example of an euill tongue iâ— parents dangerous for their children and seruants IF thou leaue an euill and contagious sent behind thee by breathing out vngodlinesse cursing and bitternesse wherby thine owne house thy wife children and family may be infected and retaine thy filthy disease when thou art dead doe what otherwise thou canst doe in setling thy lands and disposing thy goods they may profit them to whom thou leauest them as touching their temporall estate but as touching their well ordering in godlinesse it shall hinder preiudice them more than their patrimonies can aduance them An euill tongue is infectious AN euill tongue infecteth all that are neere it if it haue its naâ—â— all course of talking wherefore auoid such as delight their tongues in scurâ—ility and filthy communicaâ—ion and exhort thy children seruants and familiars to vse their tongues in praises of and prayers to God for to this end hath God giuen thee and them tongues to speake and be not like them that honour God with their lipps and dishonour him with their conuersatioâ—s It were better thou hadst no tongue at all than to vse it to Gods dishonor and to the hurt and â—â—ander of his innocent children Froward language breeds strife BEware that thou stirre not vp quarrells and contentions among thy neighbours by a peruerse tongue froward language breeds strife in a family betweene husband and wife parents and children c. And especially griefe and sorrow many timeâ— punishments and sometimes death for capitall slanders to them that offend in their tongues Slander and flattery two vices of the tongue AS slander is an abuse of the tongue so is flattery and of the two flattery is the most dangerous If thou flatter thou vsest thy tongue to deceiue if thou delight to be flattered thou longest to be deceiued Therefore neither flatter nor hearken vnto flatterers for if they come vnder colour of friendship to see thee they will speake faire when yet their hearts are full of malice 〈◊〉 deceit As the disciples of the Pharisies and the Herodians came in flattery to entangle Christ flattery makes some men proud as the people showting at Herods oratioÌ„ crying the voice of God and not of man Absalom stale the hearts of the people from Dauid by flattery Flattery is deceitfull and dangerous SO deeply doth the tongue of a flatterer pierce that his words goe downe as it were into the bottome of the belly of the flattered for he will so subtilly insinuate by protestations of loue and coloured zeale of true affection as vnlesse a man be the better armed with diuine discretion he cannot auoid the snare A flatterer may be suspected by too glorious and ouer-painted words for he that meanes plainly seeketh no such glosing far-fetch termes Aâ— plaine meaning man is soonest deceiued by flattery and therefore better are bitter reproofes of a friend than the fawnes of a secret enemy Abandon flattery and take heed to the faire words of a flatterer How to vse the tongue to Gods glory VSE thy tongue in the setting forth of Gods glory in prayer vnto and praising of him exhorting thy houshold and family in the knowledge feare and obedience to God And when thou speakest vnto God vse not many words noâ— much babling for few words proceeding from a feeling and faithfull heart are more acceptable to God than many words without inward zeale and zeale can continue no longer than the heart is feruent through the spirit of God And when it waxeth cold and dull it seemeth the heart becomes faint and the hands feeble as appeared euen by faithfull Moses who at the first was feruent yet at length became feeble Exod. 17. Fit to meditate before we speake especially to God in prayer BE not therefore rash to offer the sacrifice of prayer in a faint and vnfeeling heart but meditate before thou open thy mouth and vtter not vnaduisedly whatsoeuer comes into thy mouth Let not thy tongue go before thine vnderstaÌ„ding especially in thy prayers to God speak not to nor of God but with highest humility and reuerence and take not his name into thy mouth in vaine speake well or speake nothing for euen a foole when he holdeth his peace is accompted a wise man among men The tongue well gouerned is aâ— necessary instrument IF then thou gouerne this member aright vnto the end it shall proue a necessary instrument towards the setling of all the rest of thy house in order before thou dye If it continue contaminate and polluted it well be such a blemish vnto thy Christian profession and such a hindrance to the establishing of the house of thy soule and consequently of thy soule it selfe in order as thou canst not but die suspected either of Atheisme or Infidelity Fit to try thy senses HAuing thus examined thy tongue it behoueth likewise to make tryall of thy fiue senses which haue their imperfections also And first of the eyes The examination of the Eyes the first of the fiue senses IF thou canst now temper thy tongue and so discreetly order thy speech as becommeth a man of vnderstanding fearing God thou shalt the better learne how to carry thine eyes which are the organs and instruments of seeing and by which doe enter into the heart many obiects and motiues tending more commonly to the disorder than to the well-ordering of the affections By the eye enter diuers dangerous motiues to the heart THe eye moues the heart to many vaâ—ities as to the lust of flesh to the pride of life and to the delights and pleasures of the world All which fight against the Soule By this organ entred Eues desire to taste of that beautifull forbidden fruite that purchased her owne her husbands and the death of all their posterity The Eye indeed is the light of the body but many times and by many means brings darkenes vnto the soule which being deluded and betrayed by the inticements of the eye and the rest of the outward senses cannot but be much oppressed and euen groane vnder the burden of the infirmities and sinnes of the body which although it be mortall and shall perish yet for as much as it shall rise againe and become immortall with the soule The soule grieues at the sinnes of the body THe Soule cannot but grieue to feele the
comforteth the heart so too much oppresseth the whole body And as some light perfume passing by this sense may comfort the braine So too much will infect the same and turne the swetnesse into putrifaction to the hurt of the body and offence to God Dangers incident to the sense of Smelling IF this sense had or were capable of as many offensiue obiects as the eye it would bee as vnruly and soone bring bane vnto the body But though it haue not so many meanes of prouocation as the taâ—â—â— yet in as great danger for as poysonous meates descending into the stomacke may kill the body So may infected fumes putrifie the braine to the like confusion of the bodie The abuse of sweets perfumes AS this sense hath as other senses haue a vertue to comfort so hath it a vice to offend in the too much wanton delight in pleasing it selfe for many haue a pride not onely to perfume their garments to sweeten or to be smelt sweet in the streetes but their very haire to perfume their Ladies lips in their chambers that they may seeme amiable or rather more amorous indeed too effeminate for becomes it a man that is or would seeme valorous to change his vertues which should appeare in his Wisedome Magnanimitie and Iudgement for the vices that onely are imbraced by Curtesans Light-women and Fooles If we well considered what wee are wee would not perfume us IF thou wilt be womanlike thou mayest as well paint thy face to make thee faire as to vse perfumes to make thee sweet Consider what thou art and whereof thou art made Thou art but dust and diddest thou well obserue what comes of thy perfumed carkasse thou wouldest bee ashamed bee thou man or woman either to paint or perfume so vile a peece of flesh that will putrifie and stinke within foure dayes that thy breath is out of thy body These are they that sauour of the flesh fleshly of vanitie and pleasure euen of death vnto death Seeming faire without but filthy within sweet in shew indeed stinking and corrupt How a man ought truely to perfume himselfe IF thou wilt smell well indeed and desirest thy selfe to bee a good sauour to God consider that as there is a corporall and carnall so is there a spirituall and heauenly sense of smelling with which the soule of the Regenerate man smelleth with inward delight the sweete odours wherewith the garments of the spouse of Christ are perfumed with Myrrh Alo's and Cassia of Mercie Wisedome and Truth Endeauour then to smell of Faith Hope of the Loue of God and of like Loue to thy Neighbour as to thy selfe How to become sweet to God SMell thou of a holy and godly life of heauenly Meditations and godly Prayers Then shalt thou bee vnto God a sweet sauour in Christ and of Christ who shall smell in thee a sacrifice acceptable and shall haue pleasure in thy beauty and sweetnesse And thou shalt smell the sauour of life vnto life eternall And in the meane time thou shalt learne and be able to set not onely thy worldly goods but also the house of thy soule thy body and the members and all the senses thereof and aboue all thy soule in perfect order before thou dye Thus of the sense of Smelling followes the sense of Touching The Examination of the sense of Touching IT may be thought meerely superfluous indeede to speake any thing against the sense of Touching or Feeling because it is onely most sensible of hurt and least hurtfull The sense of touching or feeling is disperst through the whole body IT is a sense not set in one locall place of the body alone as the rest of the senses are as Seeing Hearing Tasting and Smelling all placed in the head the Eye to see the Eare to heare the Tongue to taste and the Nose to smell and neither partakes of the others office But this sense of touching or feeling is distributed through the whole and euery part of the body And euery part is sensible of others hurt from the sole of the foot to the Crowne of the head And cannot bee conceived to rest more in the head than in the foot nor more in the Foot than in the Finger Though the Head and Heart are the most apprehensiue parts And the Hand the common instrument and most imployed in the ayde and defence of this sense as if any part or member of the body bee striken or hurt though all parts feele it yet is the hand most ready to helpe it And the hand is most commonly the most offensiue member by touching to hurt And the most vsefull for the choyce of many necessary commodities the goodnesse substance softnesse and supplenes wherof are best knowne by the sense of Feeling neither the Eare nor the Eye are vsed therein If one member be hurt all the body feeles it IF the head or the most inferiour part be it the finger or the little toe suffer iniury this sense suddenly informes the head the head the heart which summons all the members instantly to yeeld commiseration or ayde vnto the offended part and all consult how to ease and releeue that one grieued member The abuse of the taste procures most hurt to the body THis sense is most abused and feeles greatest hurts by the abuse of the taste which ingrossing al delicate meats drinks to pamper the body with replention procureth the gout whereof one cryes out of his Feete another of his Hands it fils another with the Dropsie whereby one cryes out of his body filled with water another of the swelling of his legges another cryes out of the Stone and many other maladies when either of these seise vpon the body it is felt painefull and grieuous euen to the heart As touch but the Gout and the party will bee ready to rore oppresse or dresse but a wound or sore in any part of the body or let the tooth but ake the sense thereof goes from the place grieued to all other parts of the body The abuse of this Sense of Feeling or Touching THis sense of Touching is likewise abused by too much nicenesse in apparell obserued in those that thinke their garments neuer delicate and fine enough to bee felt Cloth of the wooll of sheepe is too base they must haue them as it were of the dainty and thinne Spiders webbe of the very excrements of filthy wormes soft supple and delightfull to bee felt vnlike to holy Iohn Baptists attire who had his garments of Camels Haire vnpleasant to be felt yet is not soft rayment and fine linnen vnfit for Kings and their followers and great men and women But now a Lord can hardly bee distinguished from a man of no meanes A Courtier from a Countrey-man c. Let vs be sensible of the feeling of the wrath of God for our sinnes IF wee well considered the present times of danger wherein we liue and did but consider how God showes his displeasure for our sinnes and
come vnto thee in my need giue me a will to worke truely and daily in my vocation and to order my skill by the rule of thy wisdome that I be not vnfruitfull Blesse my body and soule that no euill or harme come vnto them and keepe my memory and senses that they passe not the limits of reason and vnderstanding wherewith thou hast endewed me O Lord lighten my minde to looke vpon good things only inflame my heart with the loue of them and conduct mee with thy grace that as thou hast awaked my body from sleepe so my soule may daily be raised from sinne and soule and body and spirit may be renued in righteousnes to serue thee the liuing God to the praise and glory of thy great Name the credit of the Gospell of grace and finally to the saluation of my poore soule in the day of the glorious appearing of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen Thursday An Euening Prayer O Lord God my most louing and mercifull Father great in mercie and constant in truth I doe acknowledge my bounden duty of thankefullnes vnto thee for thy manifold graces and benefits imparted vnto mee and although I bee vnable to recount them and farre more vnworthy to be partaker of them neuertheles in full assurance and confidence of thy loue to mee in Iesus Christ I presume to come vnto thee and now againe commit into thy hands this night my soule and body withall my senses and faculties thoughts and affections words and deeds my heart and soule and all that is within mee and without mee my Faith and the continuance of the same beseeching thee to keepe me and them day and night blameles and vndefiled against the day of thy comming O Lord pardon and forgiue me all the sins which I haue either wretchedly effected oâ— wickedly imagined against thine honour and the good of my neighbour Lay not the faults and frailties of my younger yeares vnto my charge forget them Lord and forgiue them and for the better confirmation of thy gracious pardon I humbly intreat thee O Lord to annex vnto thy grant the power of thy grace to attend vpon me that I may not doe mine owne will but thine and eschewing euill and doing good strike mine heart with thy feare O Lord that in fearing thee I may labour to escape those things which thou threatnest and giue me the comfort of thy saluatition that in louing thee I may bee thought worthy to obtaine those things which thou promisest Be fauourable vnto me O Lord that I may this night quietly take my rest vnder the shadow of thy wings voide of all feare spirituall darkenesse dangers bodily or ghostly finall despaire and the like and when the darke end of this mortall life like the shutting in of this day shall come grant mee O Lord a watchfull heart willingly disposed and thereby inabled with thy grace to abandon these transitory nights and dayes and depart hence in the peace of a good conscience into thine euerlasting rest through Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour In whose name and words I conclude these my imperfect prayers saying as he himselfe hath taught me in the Lords prayer Our Father c. Fryday A Morning Prayer O Holy Lord God maker and gouernour of all things both in heauen aboue and the earth beneath vnto thee doe I come with a broken and contrite heart sorrowing for my sinnes seeking to find comfort at thy hands Thou O Lord my God knowest my griefe mine anxiety and care oh let me feele and finde thy comforts to refresh my soule and reioyce my heart Bee with me this day in all my worldly businesse and affaires and let thy grace and holy Spirit euermore defend me and preserue my innocency and integrity that I may bee knowne and acknowledged for thine owne at the last day I thanke thee gracious Father for keeping me this night past and for that thou hast safely brought me to see the glistering light of the day O Lord stirre me vp that I may expresse my thankfulnesse by my serviceable obedience preserue and keepe me from sinne and all annoyances of both soule and body Make mee this day as abstinent from flesh prohibited and forbidden by the Church so from all filthinesse of both soule and Spirit that perfecting my beginnings of holinesse in the feare of God I may bee assured of an inheritance with the Saints in light Strengthen me against the vanityes of the world the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life and renue whatsoeuer is decayed in mee through the malice of Satan or mine owne corruptions and that approuing what is thy good and acceptable will I may endeauour to doe the same and so worke out my owne saluation with feare and trembling Giue me grace to spend this day and the remainder of my dayes in all peace and purity sanctity and sobriety to thy glory the good example of others and finally the salvation of my owne soule for Iesus Christ his sake the Son of thy loue to whom with thee O Father and thy holy Spirit one God in vnity and three persons in trinity be ascribed of me and thy whole Church all honour and glory world without end Amen Fryday An Euening Prayer MErcifull Lord God and my gracious Father in Iesus Christ I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy handmaid O leaue me not nor forsake mee but euer bee thou my God and my guide leade me into all truth and in the end let me see thy saluation Wash away all my sinnes in the bloud of thy Sonne sanctifie my nature abolish my corruptions guide mee here by thy councell and after that receiue mee to glory Keepe mee now and euer send mee this night quiet rest and grant that lying downe to sleepe I may rise againe in thy peace walke in thy feare the day following and for euer glorifie thee Infuse into mee O Lord the Spirit of sweet consolation and although my sleepe be a death and my bed as the graue yet suffer me not to perish suddenly or vnprepared but watch ouer me for good guide me now and euermore let no affrightments fall vpon me keepe me from fire storms tempests theeues sudden death and danger and be vnto me a gracious protector and director Cause thine Angels to pitch their tents round about me my house and habitation Remember thy Church and euery member thereof to preserue and keepe it especially the poore afflicted protestants in all parts beyond the seas and at home in our owne land send them helpe from thy holy place and euermore mightily defend them Be vnto them a sun and a shield a sun to comfort and a shield to safeguard and protect them in all assaults dangers and difficulties trialls temptations and tribulations Put an end and period vnto all their griefes and afflictions and in thy good time vouchsafe them a happy deliuerance out of all their troubles for thou neuer failest in thy compassions towards such
according to thy good pleasure and shewest thy selfe in nothing more omnipotent then in the conceiuing forming and bringing forth of mankinde into this world which alâ—â—ough it was in the beginning ordayned most easily yet by the subtilty of our continuall enemy Satan in causing our first parents to transgresse thy commandement and breake thy will by tasting the forbidden fruit it is now most painefull and dangerous grieuous and perillous insomuch O sweet Lord as without thine especiall grace and assistance fauour and mercy it is altogether impossible for vs fraile women a weake sex to beare and abide the same our imperfection and feeblenesse is such as of our selues we are not able to indure the least of all the sorrowes and sufferings that accompany this kinde of trauaile wherefore sweet Lord and louing Father my humble desire vnto thy maiesty is for Iesus Christ his sake that thou wouldest vouchsafe to extend vnto me and to all women thy mercy and louing fauour to mitigate the paines thereof that we may be able patiently to indure the paines of our trauaile at the howre appointed and make that easie and light vnto vs which our defects haue made heauy and burdensome sweeten that which our deserts haue made sowre that the burden wherewith I am now laden may graciously be deliuered from my weake body Send vs all good Lord happy and gracious deliuerance that wee may bee made ioyfull and happy mothers And vouchsafe vnto me to al that haue conceued and be with childe strength to bring forth that which thine omnipotency hath so wonderfully wrought within vs. In our troubles O Lord helpe vs thou most mighty and mercifull God mightily deliuer vs. Let thy power might and loue be no lesse manifest in the deliuery then in the forming of thy creature that being through thy goodnesse made a ioyfull mother I may obtaine my perfect strength againe and liue to praise and please thee for euermore Amen Another short and most necessary prayer to be said of one with Childe O Lord whose goodnesse wee haue offended and by our sins deserued infinite paines looke with the eye of pitty and compassion vpon me lay aside thy Iustice and shew me thy mercifull fauour and louing kindnesse Let me inioy the benefit of thy helping hand and not feele the weight of thy heauy displeasure fauourably lighten me of this heauy burden in thy good and gracious time and in the howre and instant of my deliuery be present with me O Lord and tender my safety through Iesus Christ. Amen A thanksgiuing after the woman is deliuered of the Childe FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee Almighty God of thy gracious goodnesse to ease me of my paines and deliuer me of my burden and from the pangs and throwes of Child-bearing I doe here humbly prostrate my soule and body before thy sacred maiesty to be vnto thee a reasonable liuely and liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable in thy sight giuing thine omnipotent maiesty infinite and vnfained thanks for this thy gracious preseruation of me and deliuering me out of this great danger of death wherein I was and vnder which I might soon haue perished had not thy mercy sustained me and thy goodnesse imbraced me on euery side To thee therefore O holy and heauenly Father be giuen and ascribed all possible praise and thanksgiuing from this time forth for euermore As thou hast beene gracious vnto me in giuing me a childe so Lord giue me grace to deuote and consecrate it vnto thee and thy seruice To this end worke mightily in it by thy holy Spirit sanctifie it from the wombe that it may bee thine not only whil'st it hangs vpon the mothers brests but so long as it shall breath in the land of the liuing and vntill thou translate it hence to raigne with thee in glory Amen A short Prayer for Wisdome O Lord most great and glorious I confesse that whilst I beare about with me this body of sinne imprisoning the soule my nature corrupted and depraued with sinnes originall and actuall seekes by all meanes possible to oppose the spirit and doe those things which are dissonant and contrary to the motions inspirations and gracious influence and working thereof My flesh lusteth against the spirit so that the things which I would doe I cannot and the things which I suppose to be done in much knowledge and wisdome will bee found not only ignorances and errors but sinnefull wickednesse in thy fight Wherefore I humbly beseech thee O Holy Father to send out thy light and truth thy Spirit of wisdome and reuelation to teach and instruct mee to bee my God and guide to leade mee into all truth Lord send downe that wisdome which waiteth about thy throne and plant the same in my heart that all my sayings doings and devises being alwayes ordered by this wisdome from on high I may intend and doe that which is pleasing in thy sight and profitable for mine owne saluation and shun the contrary in all things through Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour Amen A short Prayer for defence against our Enemies O Lord my God bee not farre from me in trouble and in all dangers bodily or ghostly draw neere and make haste to helpe me I am I confesse a most sinfull creature and haue iustly deserued thy wrath and indignation against me the sorest and seuerest of thy punishments yea that all thy blessings should become curses vnto me and that I should either be destroyed by thine and the churches enemies or that I should bee ruinated by mine owne prosperity Yet Lord for thy mercy sake turne thee vnto me and haue compassion on me let not mine enimies preuaile in their mischieuous devises lest they be to proud in thy mercy conuert them or in thy iustice confound them make them as the stubble before the winde and thine Angell scattering of them Lord I am in thine hand and they are within the compasse of thy power stay and allay their fury let them not take effect in their mischieuous Imaginations and attempts against me but put them to confusion rid me and deliuer me in thy righteousnesse Be thou a son and a shield vnto me to comfort and protect me To this end cause thine Angels to pitch their tents round about mee that being defended vnder the shadow of thy wings and armed with the power of thy might I may not feare what man can doe vnto me Lord regard me with the eye of thy grace and guard me with the hand of thy power that being preserued in both soule and body I may liue in piety peace and godlinesse vnto my liues end Amen A Prayer to be said before the receiving of the Lords Supper O Lord Iesus the Sonne of the liuing God who freely and of thine owne accord offeredst thy most sacred Body to bee broken and thy blood to bee shed for my sinnes that thou mightest ransome me from hell and deliver me from wrath eternal condemnation O sweet
in this one thing that I may count it all ioy when I fall into diuers temptations Let not my heart bee hardned by them as were the Israelites prouoking thee in the wildernesse but sanctifie all thy visitations vnto me that I may be bettered and reformed by them that my faith being tryed patience may bee wrought in mee and that patience hauing her perfect worke I may be perfect and intire lacking nothing Lord I know that in all thy temptations thou euer hast one end and Satan another thou triest me to the end that I being found faithfull thou mightest giue vnto mee the Crowne of Life Satan searcheth to seduce and sifteth to dispoyle and bereaue me of that which is vertuous and good in me Wherefore O Holy Ghost thou preseruer of men keepe mee by thy grace and strengthen mee by thy mighty power and out-stretched arme O blessed Iesu bee not farre from me but present with me and president in mee as thy sufferings abound in me so let thy consolation much more abound In the middest of all mine agonies and terrors of minde let thy comforts reioyce my soule that I being made glad by thee I may bee confirmed vnto the end and alwayes in all dangers of life or death in all tribulations and temptations abide by thee that thou mayest appoynt vnto mee a kingdome as thy Father hath appointed unto thee Grant this not for any worth of mine but thine owne merit and goodnesse sake Amen O Lord let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arme bee now and alwaies my defence thy mercy and louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ thy deare Sonne my saluation thy true and holy word my instruction thy grace and holy Spirit my comfort and consolation Amen The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding keepe my heart and minde in the Loue of God and of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and the blessing of God almighty the Father Sonne and holy Ghost be with me and remaine with mee and mine and with the whole church of God from this time forth and for euermore Amen God bee mercifull vnto me and blesse me The Lord lift vp the light of his gracious countenance vpon mee bee mercifull vnto mee and grant mee his euerlasting peace Amen A Prayer for the troubled in minde afflicted in conscience groaning vnder the insupportable burden of a wounded Spirit O Father of mercy and God of all consolation vouchsafe I beseech thee succour and reliefe vnto me that am troubled in mind and afflicted in conscience for feare of thy Iudgements and the terrible things which thou writest against mee by reason of my sinnes Lord breake not the bruised reede nor quench the smoaking flax wound not mine humble and contrite heart but reuiue the spirit of mee that goe mourning all the day long Though Satan presume that thou hast smitten and forsaken mee yet frustrate his hopes and expectations leaue mee not destitute of thy grace as a prey vnto him the enemy of my soule but mightily preserue and defend mee that I may neuer bee lost but that in life and death I may bee alwayes thine And albeit my conscience accuse mee my memory giues euidence against mee my reason condemne me though I bee deepely plunged in discomfort and haue lost the voice of ioy and gladnes and haue neither worth to appease thy wrath nor patience to endure thy tryall yet send me deare Father the comfort of thine holy Spirit againe into my heart that I may not be swallowed vp of ouermuch heauinesse but may reioyce in thee with ioy glorious and vnspeakeable Open and set open the gate of thy mercy to the greatnesse of my misery for my deiected countenance witnesseth my distressed and distracted minde my minde is sorrowfull mine heart heauy my Spirit is oppressed my words are stopt with sighes and my complaints watered with teares In execution of thy iudgements Lord remember mercy try not the Law with mee lest I come into iudgement and bee condemned weigh not my merits but pardon mine offences Sanctifie vnto me all these good meanes wherein I seeke reliefe as prayer conference meditation reading and hearing of thy word receiuing the Sacrament of the body and bloud of thy Sonne and my most blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ. Mittigate mine extremities abate my feares moderate miâ—e afflictions and remoue farre from me the vexatious of the night dreames and fantasies let not the visions of mine head like Nebuchadnezzars make mee afraid when I awake stay me with flagons and comfort mee with apples thy most sweet and delightsome promises which are pleasing to the pallate of my soule Rectifie my iudgement and vnderstanding as in the daies of old and drinke no longer vnto me in the Cuppe of affliction but in the chalice of refreshing that I may pledge thee a sauing health pay my vowes vnto thee and call vpon thy name with thanksgiuing in the sight of all thy congregation If it bee thy good pleasure to try me and not take away this Cuppe from me confirme my faith continuing unto me that hope of glory which is to be reuealed To this end cause mee with the eye of faith to looke vp vnto thee who smitest me and waite for the appointed time of my recouery and deliuery out of all my troubles Lord suffer mee not to bee swallowed vp of fearefâ—ll despaire but vouchsafe mee a full perswasion of thy mercy that thou wilt neuer leaue me nor forsake me but wilt be in life my God in death my deliuerer after death mine eternall rewarder Lord hearken and incline thine eare vnto these my requests and grant mee not my deserts but my desires and that for Iesus Christ his sake Amen Our Father which art in heauen c. The grace of our Lord Iâ—sus Christ the loue of God the Father and the most comfortable fellowship of God the Holy Ghost be with mee blesse preserue and keepe mee both in soule and body in goods and good name in life health wealth peace and godlinesse together with thâ— whole church and all that pertaine vnto me now and for euermore Amen A prayer to be said by the sicke O God my creator and preseruer thou madest me in thine owne image in knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse but deare Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy childe for I haue defaced this Image and superscription of thine in me and hereby mine vnderstanding is filled with ignorance my will with stubbornenesse mine affections with peruersnesse mine heart with sinnefullnesse and my whole life with disobedience and disorderlinesse euer since I drew in my breath I haue drunke in iniquity like water so that I can looke for nothing but death which raigneth ouer all to arraigne me at the barre of thy Iustice to receiue an irreuocable doome I haue no worth to appease thy wrath yet for thy Sons sake doe away all my sinne and be thou pleased to be reconciled vnto me And now
deare Father I confesse my weakenesse is such that I want patience to endure thy tryall take from me thy heauy hand or lay no more vpon mee then I can beare giue an issue vnto all temptations and make a way for mee to escape and in the end grant me a finall deliuerance As thou madest me of dust so thou canst take from me my breath againe and cause me soone to returne vnto my originall earth againe yet spare mee a little that I may recouer my health and strength before I goe hence and be no more seene There is I confesse no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger nor rest in my bones because of my sinnes my heart panteth my strength faileth my beauty and liuely-hood consumeth like a moth-eater-garment O Lord if it be thy will remoue thy stroake away from mee and consume mee not by the blow of thy hand Ease mine agonies mittigate mine extremities be mindfull of my sorrowes and mercifull vnto my sinnes redeeme my life from destruction strengthen my weakenes heale my disease and cause mee againe to walke before thee in the land of the liuing But if thou hast otherwise determined of me to translate mee hence thy will be done grant me patience vnder thy correcting hand and a liuely faith in the all sufficient and efficacious merit of Christ my Sauiour If thou wilt not heale my disease yet forgiue me mine iniquity seale vnto mee a free pardon of all my sinnes in the bloud of thy Sonne say vnto my soule that thou wilt be my saluation In affiance of thy mercifull absolution cause me to declare mine iniquities and be filled with godly sorrow which may worke repentance vnto saluation neuer to be repented of Sprinkle mee with the bloud of Christ and puriâ—â—e me from my dayly pollutions that being washed iustified and sanctified I may be presented vnto thee without spot or wrinkle Let nothing separate mee from thy loue but giue me perseveing grâ—ce to hold out vnto the end that dying thine Angels may conuey my soule into Abrahams bosome there to raigne with thee world without end Amen A Prayer to bee vsed by the friends of the sicke c. O Lord our God and most gracious Creator thou madest vs immortall creatures but by sinne we haue brought death and destruction vpon our selues for we haue profaned thy Sabbaths contemned thine ordinances cast thy word behinde our backs liued in all sinne and sensuality spirituall slumber and security so that thou mightest iustly cut vs off from the land of the liuing and giue vs our portion which hypocrites where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth But Lord for thy mercy sake and for the merits of thy Sonne spare vs a little and giue vs space of amendment before we goe hence and bee no more seene and grace whereby we may draw neare vnto thee to seeke thy fauour in Iesus Christ. Correct vs in thy mercy and not in thy Iustice lest wee should be consumed and brought to nothing If thou giue ouer our bodies vnto sickenesse let it be to the destruction of the body of sin that being aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ we may grow in grace and bee more fruitfull in all good workes And whilest wee liue teach vs to dye dayly mortifying the deeds of the flesh contemning the world with the vanities thereof Weane vs from inordinate selfe-loue that wee may not endeare our selues too much to these transitory liues of ours but may bee ready to depart when it shall please thee to call for vs knowing that we cannot liue euer with thee vnlesse we be willing to dye and be with thee Wherefore we pray thee take away the bitternesse of death and sweeten by the wood of Christs Crosse these waters of Marah that we may sigh and groane in our selues desiring to be deliue-from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Worke in vs a willingnesse to depart but yet we humbly intreat thee let our liues and the life of this thy sicke seruant bee now and euer precious in thy sight looke mercifully vpon him that is grieued with sicknesse Lord if thou wilt thou canst make him whole Send him therefore helpe and health from thy holy place and euermore mightily defend him Let the enemy haue no aduantage against him nor the wicked approach to hurt him but bee thou present with him and strengthen his faith increase his patience vnder thy correcting hand Lift vp by the hand of thy mercy and Fatherly indulgence this thy seruant from the bedde of his sorrowes If thou wilt longer exercise him lend him strength to endure thy tryall and in the end bee bettered by it If thou hast determined to take him hence certify him how long he hath to liue make him to know his end and the measure of his daies that by prayer and repentance of faith hee may prouide wisely for his last end and bee found of thee in peace and inioy euerlasting happinesse dispose his â—editations aright for death and in the howre of death and alwayes make him to deny himselfe in renouncing iustification by any inherent worth or righteousnesse In all sorrowes and sufferings let thy comforts reioyce his soule To this end mortifie in him the corruption of nature quicken him with the soule of new life and establish him with thy free Spirit purge his heart from worldly thoughts and his minde from carnall desires motions and affections Wash his soule and body with the blood of Christ and sanctifie him throughout both in Spirit soule and body with the grace of thy Holy Spirit that departing in the true faith not casting away his confidence nor hope of reioycing in full assurance of a blessed resurrection he may haue boldnesse in the day of Christ and passe from death to life and bee euer with thee to behold thy glory grant this for Iesus Christ his sake Amen Another Prayer to be vsed by those that are about the sicke O Lord our God great and glorious thou that art the Iudge of all the earth we dust and ashes vile and miserable sinners doe here most humbly cast downe our selues before thee for our sinnes which are the causers of all the euils of punishment which thou inflictest on the sonnes and daughters of men Deare Father heare vs and forgiue whatsoeuer is past and grant that wee may euer hereafter serue and please thee through newnesse of life walking before thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all our dayes And because the dayes are evill giue vs grace to redeeme the time and numbring our dayes aright apply our hearts vnto wisdome Cause vs constantly to eschew euill and doe good to seeke peace and ensue it Looke mercifully on this thy seruant grieued with sickenesse and sanctifie this visitation vnto him that those graces which thou hast begun to worke in him may be strengthened increased and by degrees perfected Restore vnto him the voice of ioy and health that the
may be prepared like wise virgins with oyle in our lamps to meet the sweet bride-groome of our soules whether at the day of our death or Iudgement These and all other graces which for blindnesse we cannot and for our vnworthynesse we dare not aske we beseech thee to giue vnto vs for the worthinesse of thy deare Sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Our Father c. An Euening Prayer for a Family O God the God of the spirits of all flesh the high and lofty one that inhabitest eternity who hast made the earth by thy power established the world by thy wisdome and stretched out the heauens by thy discretion the Father of eternity and fountaine of mercy the giuer of all good things the forgiuer of all sinnes and the comforter of all such as fly vnto thee Seeing we are here present before thee be thou present with vs and president in vs and appealing from the seate of thy iustice to the throne of thy mercy we pray thee giue vs a sense of our owne miseries and an assurance of thy mercies that we may not be daunted with ouermuch feare but confident of thy goodnesse may with ioy appeare in thy presence in an humble acknowledgement of our sins To this end we confâ—sse that we haue sinned against heauen and before thee and are no more worthy to be called thy children for we haue transgressed thy holy lawes and commandements not only by our thoughts and words but by our deeds and continuall actions our iniquities are more then the haires of our heads and doe make vs seeme vile in our owne eies how much more in thy sight Lord vnto thee doe wee confesse our sinnes O grant vs pardon and absolution for the same open vnto vs penitents that euer streaming fountaine of thy Sonnes bloud that my sinnes being bathed therein we may appeare without blemish in thy fight by his death mortifie our sinfull corruptions hide them in his wounds and bury them in his graue that they may neither rise in this life to shame vs nor in the world to come to condemne vs. Giue vs thy holy Spirit let him purge our consciences heale our corruptions illuminate our vnderstandings confirme our memories consecrate our soules and bodies that they may be the temples of the holy Ghost to dwell in Bee mercifull to thy Church enlarge the borders thereof Blesse our gracious Soueraigne Lord King Charles with long life and abundance of grace here and his royall consort Queene Mary with a zealous and religious affection that she may follow after that which will bring her to euerlasting ioy and peace hereafter Bee with our hopefull Prince Charles and the Lady Mary put thy feare into their hearts that they may neuer depart from thee Prosper the most illustrious Princesse the Lady Elizabeth with her hopefull issue Blesse the Nobility Gentry Ministry Magistracy and Commonalty our kind folkes in the flesh and friends in the Spirit Protect all those that stand vp for thy truth but as for thy foes let them be ashamed and confounded And now seeing thou hast brought the night vpon vs wherein thou hadst ordayned man to take his rest we humbly beseech thee who art the keeper of thy Israell who neuer slumbrest nor sleepest to watch ouer vs by thy good prouidence Cause thine holy Angels to pitch their tents round about vs that being freed from the terrors of the night and refreshed with moderate rest and sleepe we may the better be inabled to praise thy name and to walke before thee in all good workes and holinesse of conuersation all the daies of our liues Let our bed O Lord put vs in minde of our graue and our rising from thence of our resurrection that whether we wake or sleepe we may be alwayes thine And knowing that thy name O Lord is a strong towre of defence wee here commend our selues this night vnto thy most holy protection If it be thy will to call for any of vs in our sleepe O Lord for Christ his sake haue mercy vpon vs and receiue our soules into thy most blessed kingdome but if it be thy heauenly pleasure to adde more daies unto our liues adde more amendment vnto our dayes that liuing we may liue in thy feare and dying may dye in thy fauour and in the end raigne with thee in Glory Amen A forme of Thanksgiuing WEE blesse and magnifie thy great and glorious name for all thy mercies both spirituall and temporall concerning this life and that which is to come for our creation after thine Image redemption by thy Sonne sanctifitation by thy Spirit for our preseruation by thy prouidence for our life health wealth peace and prosperity for sparing vs so long and giâ—ing vs so large a time of repentance for deliuering our King and state from that horrible plot of the gunne-powder treason we thanke thee for that thou hast giuen vs thy messengers to be admonishers thy word to bee our instructor thy Spirit to bee our counsellour our God and guide to leade vs into all truth Blessed bee God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of merciâ—s and God of all consolation who when we were sometimes alienes and enemies in our mindes by wicked works and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others out of his rich mercy for the great loue where with he loued vs euen when wee were dead in trespasses and sins and the vncircumcision of our flesh hath quickned vs together with Christ hauing forgiuen vs all our trespasses blotting out the hand writing of ordinances that was against vs taking it out of the way nailing it vnto the Crosse. Wee thanke and praise thy glorious Name for blessing vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places in Christ for deliuering vs from the power of darkenesse and translating vs into the kingdome of thy deare Sonne making vs meet to bee pertakers of the inheritance with thy Saints in light Thy hands haue made and fashioned vs. Thou hast deliuered our soules from death our eyes from teares and our feete from falling Thou hast deliuered vs from dangers extended peace vnto vs like a riuer and prosperity like a flowing streame we drinke waters out of our own wels Thou hast strengthned the bars of our gates and blessed our children within vs. Thou hast giuen vs bread to eate and raiment to put on yea our bread like Ashurs is fat and we haue pleasures which euen kings doe want Thou hast not dealt so with any nation oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he hath done for the children of men Wherefore blessing honour glory and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the lambe for euer and euer Amen A Collect for the Day LOrd blesse vs and make thy face to shine vpon vs keepe vs from sinne and Satan and from sickenesse and sorrow shame and seruitude losse of goods and good