⧠A Godlye Medytacyon composed by the faithfull and constant seruant of God I. B. ãâ¦ã lastlye was burnte in ãâ¦ã for the testimonie of Iesus Christe by the tyrannye of Antechriste in his fylâââ members ¶ Psalme lxxix O Lorde let the vengeaunce of thy seruauntes bloude that is shedde be openlye showed vpon the vngodlye in oure sight O let the sorowful lighting of the prisoners come before thee ⪠and accordinge to the greatnes of thy power preserue thou those that are appoynted to dye O Almightye and euerlasting Lord god the deer father of our sauiour Iesus Christ which haste made heaueÌ earth the sea and al that therin is whiche art the onely ruler gouernor conseruor keper of all thinges together with thy deerly beloued sonne Christ Iesus our lord and with thy holy ghoste the coÌforter O holy Righteous and wyse O stroÌg terrible mighty and ferfull Lorde god iudge of all men and gouernour of al the whole world O exorable pacieÌt and most gracious father whose eyes ar vppoÌ the wayes of all men and are so cleane they cannot a byede impitye thou searchest the hartes and tryest the verye thaughtes and raynes of all men thou hatest sin and abhorrest iniquitie for syns sake thou haste greuously punisshed mankind thy most dere creature as thou haste declared by the penalty of death layed vpoÌ al the children of Adam by the castyng out of Adam his of spring forth of Paradice by the cursing of the earthe by the drowninge of the world by the burning vp of Sodom and gomor by the hardning the harte of Pharao so that no miracle could coÌuert him by the drowning of hym and his people with him in the red sea by the ouerthrowing of the Israhelytes in the wildernes so that of syx hundreth thousand all onely but two did enter into the land of promis by reiecting kinge Saule by the greate ponishmentes vppon thy seruauÌt dauid not withstanding his harty repeÌtance by greuously affâcting Salamon in him selfe and in his posteritie by the captiuitie of the ten tribes and by the thraldom of the Iewes wherein vntill this present daye they continue a notable spectacle of they wrath to the worlde agaynst and for sinne but of all spectacles of thy angre agaynst sin the greatest and moste notable is the death bloudy passion of thy deerly beloued son Ihesus Christ Greate is thine angre agaynst syn when in heauen and earth nothing could befouÌd which might appease thy wrath saue the bloudsheading of thyne onely moste deerly beloued son in whome was and is al thy delight great is the sore of sin that needed suche a salue myghty was the mallady that needed suche a medicine Yf in Christe in whome was no synne thy wrath was so ferce for our sinne that he was constreyned to crye my god my god why haste thou forsaken me howe greate and importable then is thyne angre agaynste vs whiche are nothinge but sinfull They that ar thy childreÌ through the contemplation of thyne angre against sinne set forthe most euidently in the death of Christ Do tremble ar affraide lamenting them selues vppon him and hartely cryeng for mercy Where as the wicked ar altogether careles contemptuous nothing lamenting their iniquities or crying to the hartely for mercy and pardoÌ amongst whome we ar rather to be placed then amongst thy children for that we ar so shamelesse for our syn and carelesse for thy wrathe which we may wel say to be most greuous against vs and euidently set forthe in the taking awaye of our good King and thy true religion in thexiel of thy seruauÌtes prysonmeÌt of thy people mysery of thy children and death of thy sainctes Also by the placinge ouer vs in Aucthoritie thy enemies by the successe thou geuest them in all they take in hande by the returninge agayne in to our countrey of Antechrist the pope All these as they do preache vnto all the worlde but specially vnto vs thy greuous wrath so do they set before our eyes our iniquities and sinnes which haue deserued the same for thou arte Iuste and holy in all thy workes thy iudgementes ar righteous altogether it is we it is we that haue sinned procured these plages we haue ben vnthankfull wretches and moste carnall gosspelers therfore to vs parteyneth shame and nothinge else is due but confusion For we haue don very wickedly we haue heaped sinne vpoÌ sinne so that the measure hath ouer flowed and Ascendâd vp to heauen and brought these plages which are but earnest for greater to ensue yet alas we are altogether caerlesse in maner what shall we doe What shall we say Who can geue vs penâeÌt hartes Who can open our lips that our mouthes might make acceptable coÌfession vnto thee Alas of our selues we cannot thinke any good muche lesse wishe it and leaste of all do it as for Angelles or anye other creatures they haue nothing but that which they haue receaued they ar made to minister vnto vs so that where it passeth the powre of the master she minister muste nedes want Alas then what shal we doe Thou arte holy we vnholye thou arte good and we nothynge but euill thou arte pure we all together impure thou arte light and we moste darke darkenes how then can ther be any conueniency or agremeÌt betwixt vs O what nowe may we doe Dispayre no for thou art god therfore good thou art mercyfull and therfore thou forgeuest sinnes with thee is mercye and propiciation and therefore thou arte worshipped when Adam had sinned thou gauest him mercy before he desyred it wilt thou denye vs mercye whiche nowe desyer the same Adam excused his faulte and accused that but we accuse our selues and excuse thee shall we be sent emptye awaye Noye founde fauor when thy fury a bouÌdyd and shal we seking grace be frustrate Abraham was pulled oute of ydolatrye when the worlde was drowned therin and art thou his god onelye Israell in captiuitie in Egipt was gratiouslye visited and deliuered and deer God the same good lord shall we alwaies be forgotten Howe often in the wildernes diddest thou defer and spar thy plages at the request of Moyses when the people them selues made no petition to thee And seynge we not onelye nowe make our petitioÌs vnto the throughe thy goodnesse but also haue a mediator for vs now far aboue Moyses euen Ihesus Christe should we I saye deere lorde departe ashamed So soone as Dauid said I haue sinned thou diddest forthe wyth answer to hym that he should not dye thou haddest taken away his sinnes And gracious god euen the selfe same god shal not we which now with Dauid gladlye confesse that we haue sinned shall we I saye not heare by thy good sprite that our synnes be pardoned O graunte that with Manasses we maye finde fauor and mercye remember that thou hast not spared thyne owne onely deresone Iesus Christ but geuen hym for vs all to dye for our sinnes to
the bakars the browers the butchers the cookes c. Se therfore that thou be not adroen bee but rather such a one as may help the hyeue yf god haue thus fed thy body which he leueth not but for thy soules sake how can it be theÌ but that he wil be much more ready to fede thy soul Therfore take a courrage to the and go to hym for grace accordinglye ¶ Cogytations for about the midday tyme. AS the body is now enuiroÌned on al sides with light so See that thy mynde maye be As god geuethe the thus plentifully this corporall light so praye him that he wyl geue the the spiritual light thinke that as the son is now most cleere so shall our bodies be in the day of iudgement As now the son is cum to the highest and therfore wil be gyn to draw downwarde so is there nothinge in the worlde so parfect and glorious which when it is at the full wyll not decrease so wear awaye ¶ When you cum home agayne Praye THer is nothing O Lord more lyke to thy holy nature theÌ a quyet minde thou hast called vs oute of the troublesome disquietnes of the world into that thy quiet reste peace whiche the world cannot geue being suche a peace as passeth all mens vnderstaÌding Howses ar ordeyned for vs that we mighte get vs in to them froÌ the iniury of wether from the crewelty of beastes froÌ dysquietnes of people from the toyls of the world O gratious father grauÌt that through thy great mercy my body maye enter into this howse from outward actioÌs but so that it may become buxom obedieÌt to the soule make no resistauÌce there agaynst That in soule and body I may haue a godly quietnes peace to prayse the. Amen Peace be to this howse and to all that dwell in the same Thinke what a returne how merry a returne it wil be to come to our eternal moste quiet and moste happy home then wil be all grefe gon awaye what so euer heare is pleasauÌt ioyful the same is nothing but a very shadow in coÌparisoÌ c. ¶ At the son goyng downe pray O Howe vnhappye ar they O Lorde on whome thy sonne goeth downe geueth no light I mean thy grace which is always cleer as the midday darke night vnto them is the midday whiche departe from the in the is neuer night but always day light most cleer This corporal son hath his courses now vp now downe but thou deere lord if we doe loue the art alwais one O that this block and vaile of syn were takeÌ away froÌ me that thear might be always cleere day in my mind Thinke that as we ar not sory wheÌ the son goeth down by cause we knowe it wyll rise agayn eueÌ so let vs not sorow for death wher through the soule body doe paââe a sonder for they shall eftsones return cum together agayne So long as the son is vp wild beastes kepe their deÌnes Foxes their borows Owls their hoals c. but when the son is down then cum they abroade So wicked meÌ and hypocrites kepe their denns in the gospel but it beynge taken awaye then swarme they oute of their hoals lyke bees as this day doeth teach ¶ When the candles be light pray MOste thycke darke cloudes doe Couer our myndes except thy lyght O Lord do dyspell them Thy son O most wise worker is as it were a fyer brande to the worlde thy wysdome wherby light commeth bothe to soule and bodye is a fyer brand to the spirituall world After daye when the night commeth thou haste geuen for the remedy of darknes a caÌdle After syn for the remedy of ignorance thou hast geueÌ thy doctrine which thy dere son hathe brought vnto vs O thou whiche art the Author and master of all truethe make vs to se by both the lightes so that the dymnes of our mindes be dryiuen cleane awaye lyft vpoÌ vs thy myrthe in our hartes Thy worde is a lanterne to my feete a lyght vnto my pathes Thinke that the knowledge and wisdom that god hathe geuen vnto vs by the caÌdles of this night wherby we se those thinges in this night of our bodies whiche are expedient for vs maketh vs to wishe muche more for this doctrine of God and when we gette yt the more to esteme and diligeÌtly embrace it that as al would be horror without candeles so is thear nothinge but mere coÌfucion whear gods worde taketh not place ¶ When you make your self vnredy Praye THis our lyfe and weake knit body by reason of synne by a lytle and litle wil by dyssolued and so shal be restored to the earth whence it was taken then wil be an ende of this vanyty which by our folishnes we haue wroughte to our selues O moste meke father so do thou vnty vnlose and lose me for thou haste knyt me together that I maye perceaue my selffe to be made vnredy and dissolued and so maye remeÌber both of whome I was made and also whyether I go least I be had vnprepared vnto thy trybunall and Iudgement seate Put of tholde man with his lustes concupiscens Be content with Iosephe to put of thy pryson Apparel that thou mayst put on newe Thinke that we doe willingly put of our garmentes which in the morninge we shall put on agayne and therfore in the after the night of the worlde we shall receaue on out bodies agayne let vs not vnwillingly put them of when god by deathe shall call ¶ WheÌ you enter in to your bed Praye THe daye nowe endyd men geue them selues to rest in the night and so this life fyneshed we shal rest in death Nothinge is more lyke this lyfe then euery daye nothing more lyke deathe then sleape nothing more lyke to our graeue then our bed O lord our keper defendor graunt the I nowe layeng me downe to reste beinge vnable to kepe my selfe may be preserued froÌ the craftes Assaultes of the wicked enemy graunt father that wheÌ I haue run the race of this liffe thowe woldest of thy mercy call me vnto the that I may alwais liue watch with the now good god giue me to take my rest in the bring to passe that thy gracious goodnes may be euen in sleape before mine eys that sleaping I be not absent froÌ the but may haue my dreams to drawe me vnto the so bothe soule bodye maye bee kept pure and holye for euer I wil lay me downe in peace take my rest Thinke that as this troblesum daye is now past night cuÌ so rest bed and plesaunt sleape which maketh most exelent princis most poore pesauÌtes a like eueÌ so after the tumultes troubles teÌptationes tempestes of this life they that beleue in Christe haue prepared for theÌ an heauen and rest most pleasaunte and ioyfull As you ar not a fraied to enter in to
ryse for our righteousnes to assend for our possessioÌ taking in heauen and to appere before thee for vs for euer a high prieste after the order of Melchisadech that throughe hym we might haue fre accesse to come to thy throane now rather of grace then of Iustice Remember that thou by him hast biddeÌ aske and promised that we should receaue saying aske and ye shal haue seke and ye shall finde knocke and it shal be opened vnto you O thou Dere god and moste meke and mercifull father we hartely beseche the to be mercifull vnto vs for this thy Christis sake for his Deathes sake for thy promisse truethe and mercyes sake haue mercy vpon vs pardon forgeue vs al our Sinnes iniquites and trespacis what so euer we coÌmitted agaynst the in thought word or Dede euer or at any tyme hetherto by any means Der father haue mercy vpon vs thoughe we be pore yt our christ is Riche thoughe we be Sinners yet he is righteous though we be fools yet is he wise thoughe we be Inpure yet he is pure and holye for his sake therefore be mercyfull vnto vs Cal to mynde how thou haste promised that thou wilte powre out of thy cleane waters and washe vs from our fylth clence vs from our euilles forget not that thou hast promysed to take from vs our stony hartes Doest promis to geue vs sauft hartes newe hartes to put into the middes of vs right Sprites Remember thy couenate namely howe thou wilt be our god and we shall be thy people forgette not the partes of it that is to put owte of thy memory for euer all vnrighteousnes and to write in our myndes and hartes thy lawe and testymonyes RemeÌber that thou doest streightly charg vs to haue none other godes but the saying that thou art the lord our gad O theÌ declare the same to vs all we hartelye nowe beseche the forgeue vs our sinnes forget our iniquitis clence vs froÌ our filthines washe vs froÌ our wickednes powre out thy holy sprite vpoÌ vs take froÌ vs our harde harts our stony harts our impeniteÌt harts oure distrustinge and doubtfull harts our carnal our secure our ydle our beastlye hartes our impure malicious arrogant enuious wrathfull impatient couetous hipocriticall and epicuriall hartes in place thereof geue vs newe hartes saft hartes faithful hartes mercifull hartes louing obedieÌt chaest pure holy righteous trewe simple lowly and patient hartes to feare thee to loue thee truste in thee for euer write thy lawe in our hartes graue it in our mindes we hertely beseche the geue vs that sprite of prayer make vs diligent happy in the workes of our vocation take in to thy custody and gouernaunce for euer our soules and bodyes oure lyues and all that euer we haue tempt vs neuer further theÌ thou wilt make vs able to beare what so euer thou knowest we haue nede of in soul or body deer god and gracious father vouchsafe to geue vs that same in thy good tyme and alwayes as thy children guide vs so that our life maye please the and our deathes prayse the through Iesus Christ our lorde for whose sake we hartely praye the to grauÌt these thinges thus asked al other things necessary for soule and bodye not only to vs but to all others also for whome thou woldest that we shoulde praye speciallye for they children that be in thraldom in exyel in prison misery heauines pouertye sycknes Be mercifull to al the whole realme of EnglaÌd graunte vs al trewe repentauÌce mitigation of our myserye and yf it be thy good will thy holye worde and Religion amongst vs once agayne pardoÌ our enemies persecutors and slaunderers and yf it be thy pleasure turne their hartes be mercyful vnto our parentes Brethern and Sisters frendes kinsfolkes and famelis neighbours and suche as by any meanes thou haste coupled and lincked vs by loue or otherwyse and vnto vs pore sinners here gathered together in thy holy name graunt vs thy blessing and holy sprite to sanctify vs and dwel in vs as thy dere childreÌ to kepe vs this day and for euer from all euill to thy eternal glory and our euerlasting comfort and the profet of thy churche which mercyfullye maynteyne thereshe and comforte strengthning them that stonde so that they neuer fall liftinge vp them that be falne and kepe vs from fallynge from thy truthe throughe the merites of thy deerly beloued sonne Iesus Christ our onely sauiour which lyueth and Reigneth with the the holy ghost to whom be all praise and honor both nowe and for euer Amen ¶ When you awake out of your slepe pray thus OH moste dere father of our Sauioure Iesus Christe whome none doeth know but of thy gift graunt that to the manyfolde greate benefytes of thy goodnes geuen to me this whiche of all other is moste mââ be added that like as thou haste awaked my body from slepe so thou woldest throughlye awake yea deliuer mi soule froÌ the slepe of sin and darknes of this world and that whiche now is awaked out of slepe thou wouldest after deathe restore to lyfe for that is but slepe to the whiche is death to vs Deere god I moste hartely beseche and humbly pray thy goodnes to make my body such a companioÌ or rather a minister of godlynes to my soule in this present lyfe that iÌ the life to cum it may parte take with the same euerlastinge happines by Iesus Christ our Lorde Awake thou that sleepest and arise frome the deed and Christ shal shewe light vnto thee Ephesians v. ¶ Occasions to meditate HEre call to minde the great myrth and blissednes of the euerlastynge resurrection Also remembre to muse vpoÌ that mooste cleare lyght and brighte morenynge and new clearenes of oure bodyes after the longe darkenes it hath ben in all then shal be full of ioye ⧠So soone as you beholde the daye lyght pray O Lorde thou greatest and moste trewe light whence this lyght of the day and sunne dothe sprynge O lyght whiche doest lyghten euery manne that commeth in to this worlde Oh lyght whiche knowest no nyght nor eueninge but art alwayes a midday most cleere fayre with out whom al is most darke darknes bi whoÌ albe most spleÌdent O thou wisdome of the eternall father of mercis lighten my mind that I maye onely se those thinges that please the and maye be blinded to all other thinges Graunte that I maye walke in thy wayes and that nothing els may be light and pleasaunt vnto me Lighten mine eies Oh lord that I slepe not in deathe leaste myne enemies saye I haue preuayled agaynst him ¶ Occasions to meditate MVse a little how much the light and eye of the minde and soule is better then of the bodye Also that we care more for the soule to se well then for the body Thinke that beastes haue bodely eies and therwith se but men haue eies of the minde and
teach me thy pathes Consider how vainli the most part of men be occupied how thei do troble and comber theÌ selues dyuersly how thei meddle with many thinges therby much alienating thir mindes froÌ the knoledg and cogytacyon of that whyche they shoulde most esteme so becum a let and an offence to others As in goynge abrode you wyll se that your Apparel be semelye in the syght of menne so see how semelye you Appere in the sygt of god â When you are goynge any Iorney Pray THy soure lyfe ys a pylgrymage froÌ the lord we came and to the lorde we make oure iorney howe be yt through thenyshe placys and paynefull yea perrilous waies whiche our cruell enemyes haue and doe prepare for vs nowe more theÌ stark blinde by reason of sinne O Christ whiche art a moste true lodes man and guide and therto most experte faithful and freÌdly do thou put out thine hande open mine eyes make thy hyghe wais knoweÌ vnto me which wai thou diddest first eÌter into out of this corruptible life hast feÌced the same for vs to immortalytye Thou art the waye lead vs vnto the father by thy selfe that all we mai be one with him as thou and he together be one Showe me the way that I should walke in for I lyfte vp my soule vnto thee Psal 144. ¶ Or Pray thus MErcyfull father thou art wont to send to thy seruaÌts meÌ of simple hartes thyn angells to be their kepers as it were guides as elder bretherne to watch vpoÌ thi weake childreÌ so diddest thou to youÌg Tobias to Iacob to AbrahaÌs seruaÌt to Iosua c. O good god thogh we be much vnlike vnto theÌ so many ar our sins yet for thyn owne goodnes sake seÌd thin holi angels to pitch thir tentes about vs froÌ sathaÌ his slaues to hyde and deffende to carry vs in there handes that we come not into furder dauÌger theÌ thou through out wilt deliuer vs for theyn owne sake His Angelles or ministers for them that be heirs of saluation sathan sleapeth not but seekethe alwayes to destroy vs. Hebr. i. Thynke somthing how we ar strauÌgers from our contrey from our home from our original I meane from god Agayne thinke vpoÌ your madnes that doe lyngar loyter so gladly in this our Iorneye and pilgrimadge Also how folishe we ar to fantazye things whiche we caÌnot carry with vs and to contempe conscience which will always be acompanyon to vs to our ioye yf it be good but to our shame and sorrowe yf it be euyl and corrupt finally howe vnnaturall we ar that so lytle desyer to be at our home to be with our onely father master fellowes and frendes c. ¶ WheÌ you ar aboute to receaue your meat praye THis is a wonderful mistery of thy worke O maker and gouernor of the world that thou doest susteyne the lyues of meÌ beastes with this meates suerlye this power is neither in the bread nor foode but in thy wil worde by whiche worde all thinges doe lyeue and haue their beinges Again how great a thing is it that thou art able yearly to geue sustinauÌce to so many creatures this is spoken of by thy prophet in thy prayses All things loke vp to the thou geuest theÌ meat in due ceason thou openest thyen haÌde fillest with thy blessing euery liuing thing thes dowtles are woÌderful workes of thyne almightines I therfore hertely pray the O most liberal lord faithful father that as thou by meate through thy word doest minister life to thes our bodies eueÌ so by the same worde with thy grace doe thou quicken our soules that bothe in soule body we may pleas the til this our mortall carcas shall put on immortalitie we shall nede no more anye other foode but the onely whiche theÌ wilt be al in all taste se how good the lord is blesse the lord O my soul which tedeth and filleth thy mouthe with good thinges Thinke a litle howe greate gods power is that made vs. Also thinke how great his wisdome is to preserue vs. But moste of all thinke how many things ar geueÌ to our vse how woÌderful it is to geue vs lyfe but moste of al to propagate to immortalytye the lyfe of the soule by his onely becke Laste of all thinke that god by his prouidence for thy body wold haue the to confirme thy fayth of gods prouidence for thy soule ¶ In the meale time pray O Moste liberall dystributor of thy gyftes which geuest vs all kinde of good thinges to vse thou beynge pure geuest pure thinges graunt to me thy grace that I myse vse not thes thy gracious giftes geuen to our vse and profites Let vs not loue them because thou doeste geue vs these things but rather let vs loue the bycause thou geuest them and for that they be necessary for vs for a ceason tyll we come vnto thee Graunt vs to be conuersaunte amoÌgst thy giftes soberly purely temperatlye holely because thou arte suche a one so shall not we turne that to the poyson of oure souls which thou haste geuen for the medicine of our bodies but vsing thy benefites thankfully we shall finde them profitable bothe to soule and body thinke that the meates drinkes set before you ar geuen to you to vse and not to abuse thinke they ar geuen to profit and not to hurte you Thinke that they are not geuen to you alone but vnto others also by you in eatinge and drinkinge thinke that you do but fede the wormes remember the poore prysoners sicke c. as though you were in their case thinke vpoÌ the foode of your soule Christ body broken his bloud shed Desyer the meate that lasteth for euer IohnÌ vi work for it Christ meate was to do his fathers will IohnÌ the fowrthe ¶ After your meate pray thus BY corporal meates thou doest susteyne our corporal daylye life redy otherwise to perish the which surely is a great worke but yet this is much greater more profitable more holy that thy grace O Iesu Christ doeth kepe awaye froÌ vs the death of the soule for this life we ought much to thaÌke the because thou doest prolong it with thy good giftes we moste hartely prayse the howe be it this life is but the way to eternal life which we besech the for thy deaths sake that thou wilt geue vs so shal we not onely geue the as we caÌ thaÌkes in time for teÌporal things but also eternal thankes for eternal thinges O graunt to vs thes our desyers for thy mercies sake AmeÌ Thinke now that god hath geueÌ the this his blessing of meat c. and therto tyme that thou mightest as repent so seke his glory the commodytie of thy brotherne therfore go ther aboutes but first pray for grace well to begyn agayne coÌsider how thou hast byn partaker of other mens labors as of the husband mans the millers