sore pressed oure consciences moste fovvly defiled burdened depely galled and vvounded the iudgementes of the highest not vvayed oure invvard senses benummed oure hartes hardened all diuine graces contemned and so vvith the plages of God the more svviftly by his iustice confounded heaping in the vvhile vēgeance vpō our selues against the day of his vvrathe and publike declaration of his proclaimed and iust iudgement and to be dampned vvith the vvorld vvith the Diuell and his Angels for euer vnto vvhom by vvhose custome and importune knocking at the doores of our gracelesse very vaine and most frutelesse hearts the knocking of the Lorde Christ vvilfully neglected vvee haue subiected oure selues and opened vvide vnto him to let in both him self his conioyned companions and vvith them all abhomination and vnrightuouseneste to quicken vvith more hast the flames of Gods furie to make ponderous and ouer heauie the svvitfe descending ballance of his very terrible irrcuokeable iustice To the ende therefore this small and moste simple volume may vnder youre godly protection gather the rather some estimation and credite passe forth for good to the vse of the godly I moste humbly beseeche youre vvorship so to accepte it in the simplicitie thereof and graunt thereunto your Christian furtherance that some good for Goddes glory may grovve thereby to some that some liues at the least may be somevvhat amended the furies of God the sooner preuented and the bright lighte of the sonne of god shine with more povver amongste vs to ouerthrovve vs in his feare to beate flatte to the earth our carthie and proude fleshe and to vvaste soone or consume for good and most happie chaunge our most damnable vvorks of darknesse I shall as of bounden duetie for this and for other the like causes deserued most humbly pray for you that God in mercie may euer blesse both you your moste vvorthy beloued in Christe your ofspring and vvhole familie Your humble and daily Oratoure THOMAS Paulfreyman An exhortation to the christen Reader BEing mindful de uout christian of god thine heauēly father and as best beseemeth thee an earthly creature always to remember thy maker that by a quickning spirite in the inwarde and newe man commended vnto thee from aboue thorough the free grace of election in Iesus Christ by whom thou art new borne to whom thou art coupled a quick and a lyuely member with whom thou art partaker of the Heauenly and diuine nature euen the nature of God thine eternall father In whom thine harte is prepared towardes him by whome thou seekest most truly to knowe him most earnestly to loue him diligently to seeke him faythfully to serue hym most lowly to honour him reuerently to feare and obey him and so foorth as his only worde of truth most straightly prescribeth and precisely requireth of thee of all people and in all estates thoroughout all generations In his hygh magnificence almightynesse etermtie great power and maiestie to loue him in his benignitie in his myldenesse tendernesse faithfulnesse truth and greate mercie to feare him in his lordly dignitie princely gouernment statelinesse rough countenance wrathefulnesse seuere iustice and iudgement and to offer daily vnto him the acceptable sacrifice of faithfull and hartie prayers in the name of his sonne Iesus Christe as hee himselfe most healthfully taughte thee and for whose onely sake promyse is made to heare thee that his myghtye hande may ener preserue thee vphold thee keepe thee safe norishe thee directe strengthen defende and deliuer thee in all places at all tymes and in al cases of necessitie bothe of bodge and soule and to giue thee also thorough Christ his holy spirite as a seale of assurance to certifie thee that thou arte the chyld of God inwardly to inflame and comforte thee to warke true faith into thee to dispose with cherefulnesse the frutes of true charitie to quiet thee in al tempests of aduersitie yea and to leade thee still on by the hande for the tyme and from time to tyme vnto the place of rest the cheerefull and safe porte the restfull hauen or moste sure rode of eternalioy and felicitie If thou desire to enioy all these and suche lyke blessings as are moste needefull for thee both for body and soul from the hand of God and according to the measure of the gift of Christ O hearken then vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God Incline bubly thine eare prepare thine hart sike him early in holinesse turne thee vnto him without delay receyue him with most pure affection and lift vp sone thy sickely soule to beholde the glory of his countenaunce O bond thy body of earth downe to the face of the earthe Grone in thy selfe to God with greefe and lay open simply before him the felt secretes of thy sinful hart Call daily vppon him and so aduisedly trie him as thou hast assured trust in him And before thou duetifully at temptest thy godly contemplatiōs prayers praises and thanks giuing to God prepare thee earnestly a sitte soule for the presence of so high and great a God. Forget not before whome thou presentest thy selfe and vnto whome thou doste minde to talke Be not vainly or wiekedly presumptuous in thine high and great attempt before him Abase thy selfe tremble in his presence Remember god beholdeth al disorders in thee with a piercing sharpe and reuenging eye 1 Examine therfore thy selfe before with indgemente Descende deepely into thine owne bowells and see there whether thou be as of ryghte thou oughtest truely penitent for thy former sinnes and wickednesse 2 Whether thou determinest thence forth from thine hearte not to tourne againe vnto them as dothe a cleane washed swine which newly defiles hir selfe in the lothsome and foule stinking mire 3 Whether thou bee in his sighte a louble faced or deepe dissembling hipotrite touching thy dealings with him and the worlde as thy booke in thee of records moste playnely witnesseth vnto thee 4 Whether thou bee as by name thou professest a zelouse fauorer of the word of life 5 Whether thou with the Prophet Dauid vnseinedly hatest all supersticiouse vanities contrary to the word of life 6 Whether thou with the said prophete feelest in thy selfe to be grieued with the enemies of God and with all such as rise vp ageinst him or to suppresse the word of life 7 Whether thou weyest wyth thy selfe that like as thy body being but of an earthy and corporall substaunce cannot possiblie liue without the vsual nourishmente of materiall bread and meate so the soule in the spirituall state therof cannot liue but be sterued and dye euen the eternall and euerlasting deathe withoute the spirituall nutriment and heauenly sweete tast of the woorde of God whiche to the soule is the onely breade of lyse and whereafter thou shouldest hunger too vpholde thy lyfe 8 Whether thou stedfastly beleue to be saued by the only merites death and bloudshed of Christ crucified vpon the crosse withoute thyne owne and other mens
hearing apte receiuing keeping and continuing of the vvoorde of God amongst vs. COnsidering o thou God of al holinesse that the certainetie of oure Christian faithe standeth by the Scryptures or immoueable woorde of thy truthe which as thy messenger procéedeth from thee by thy gratious inspiration or secreate brething wherunto as vnto a seast royal euery man of al nations vnder heauen are called but are of thy Church only receiued and deuoutly vsed to the instruction confirmation strengthening and establishing of thine only faithfull true flocke and be as thy blessed Apostle calleth them sacred and holy birause they be heauenly moste precious diuine healthfull and comfortable to the soule excelling all the wisedom of Philosophers and the vainly wise of this world and be therefore in their high power and maiestie woorthily aboue all aduanced segregate and put aparte by them selues from all other wrytings of prophane matters and the flitting descriptions of men not onely pertaining to this present worlde and for the vse of this temporal life but also from all Ethnicke superstitians salse woorshippings wicked sacrifices and erronious opinions vsed contrary to thy woord against thée the only eternal and true God which by lying custome and crueltie are corruptly crepte into thy Church to the foule féeding filling defiling and poisonning therof and is yet daily occasioned therby wout thy grace to be sinisterly drawne and seduced straying frō the right way and haled to death by will in oure selues from the life that is in thée euen to eternall death and destruction we beséeche thée moste humbly O thou gracious God to enspire vs with thy holy spirite of truthe to kindle in all our hartes the fire of thy loue light and truth that by thy power in them oure faithes may be strengthened oure soules also humbled rightly ledde and instructed in thy word of loue light truthe and of eternall life by vertue wherof at our first entrāce to Christ our high Pastor we may truely vnderstande our profession and promisse in holy baptisme and haue it accordingly wrytten with thy finger of grace in our hartes to the true knowledge of thy law and the spiritual vnderstanding therof to loue thée moste woorthily aboue all and our neighbor as our selues as also to knowe the promisses of thy mercie in thy sonne oure Sauiour Iesus Christ most soundly and purely as thy holy word expresseth therein whereby we may be well vpholden and zealously staide in our profession to treade our pathes right to be guided by the true light to heare gladly the voice of oure shepheard Iesus Christe to testifie his name to folowe him the onely true lighte and not to feare the powers of darknesse but to ouercome them by thy mighte although euen with the losse of our liues not only the dalyings dimme deuises and vanities of the wicked and to shun all suche hatefull enemics as are vsuall mockers daily deprauers sinnefull despisers wilfull impugners wicked seducers double dealers backe sliders pluckers back from thy word but also the sleights of their father Sathan the enticements of the worlde and the filthie motions of the fleshe And to that happie ende O Lorde we may be constant and thy woorde euer abide in vs stirre vs vp to continuall and hartie prayer quicken our zeale woorke in vs a true liuely quicke and frutefull faithe that it being a bright shining light in our hartes to the expelling of all Hipocrisie cloudinesse darknesse and erroure and also our conuersation being answerable to our profession the continuance of thy grace may stil comfortably shine vppon vs thy holy woorde may continue amongste vs may be truely preached vnto vs diligently boldly and zealously vttered ouer al and by al the ministers thereof by what occasion time and place so euer it be for vnto vs that shall be saued it is a thing moste precious and holy It is the woorde of life the woorde of reconciliation the lanterne vnto oure féete and a light vnto our pathes the fountaine of wisedome the breade of life the foode of the soule thy mightie power and swoorde of the spirite And for as much O heauenly father as thy woordes thus to vswarde come from heauen are spirite and life and are not to be wayed with the vaine imagination policie wisedome or witte of man nor yet to be applied vnto the hurtfull pleasures of this sinnefull worlde but to be moste holily and highly estéemed moste humbly had in credite reuerently thought vppon gladly inclined vnto heard with silence and receiued with all modestie ghostly gréedinesse we humbly beséeche thée that as thou haste euer heeretofore ben the only gratious director instructor and teacher of thy holy Patriarks and Prophets Apostles and holy fathers from time to time from the beginning and amongste al men for thine electes sake in Iesus Christe continuest yet so still vntill this day O traine vs vp also in thine heauenly knowledge we pray thée prepare our harts teach vs thy law and wryte thy woordes of life in the tables of oure heartes that in these our monstrous dayes of moste wilfull vanitie which in their strangenesse crieth oute by plagues to be punished we may aforehande be warned we may be yet better schooled thy wrath thereby preuented our soules more spiritually nourished filled with thy fauoure more mortified daily from the vanities of this brickel life guided to more thristian modestie and temperāce affected solie to the way of holinesse comforted in all troubles and aduersities boldned manfully against the face of the enemies stayed well armed and strengthened against all temptations stirred vp to the encrease of all vertues that thy woordes which shal iudge vs in the last day being by thy ministers truely preached and of vs also as zealously embraced and by any meanes not to be despised or slandered but on all partes surely holden and to shewe for the accordingly the true frutes of rightuousnesse we may be called of thée thy holy disciples auoide I say the sal of thy vēgeāce amōgst vs thy iudgement also to eternal condemnation be receiued in time to euerlasting saluation throughe thy grace the only merites of thy sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen IIII. For Fayth BY reading or hearing thy holy worde O blessed sauiour we are taught that true fayth which is thine onely gifte is onely therby attayned and that by the power of thine heauenly spirite it is breathed into the onely hearts of all thine electe who receiue it by measure and quantitie according to the will and power of the same spirite and with thine eyes beholding it in them thou gloriest in them thou daily blessest them thou encreasest it in them thy countenance shineth vppon them thou amiably appearest and she west thy selfe vnto them yea so acceptable it is in thy sighte O swéete sauiour that thou béeing the king of eternall glory and maiestie art espoused to the soules of the faithfull
of all our affences and be depely tormonted in vnsufferable anguishes 〈◊〉 forowes yelling lauguistying and the auinosse for our carelesse most gracelesse negligence bicause 〈◊〉 our health and tune of felicitie we 〈◊〉 forgetful of thée vs we caued not to tēpte thée we feared not thy threatned vengeance neither thy Preachers and Prophetes we were vnmindefull of the ende we considered not the way of all fleshe we remembred not deathe neither readily prepared for his sodaine comming whose ensigne by thy iustice is openly all blacke displayed most ougly issuing out of his darke sepulcher to the spéedie destruction of all fleshe Therefore O Lord as oure liues are wholely in thyne onely hande and are by thée when we call vppon thée most graciously directed quicken our harts to prayer endue vs thorowe thy grace wyth thine heauenly wisdome teache vs thereby to number our dayes to applie oure hartes vnto wisedome to be mindefull of thée our God not to be forgetfull of oure wretched and wicked state and to remember alwayes thy rightful iustice in iudgemente that we may endeuor to be suche in déede in oure liues as we woulde wishe moste gladly to be founde at our deathes O heauenly father so strengthen vs with thy vsuall and woonted grace that as we may haue this worlde in most earnest contempte so we may also as effectually craue at thine holy hād the daily prospering and going forwards in vertue pray that our loue may abounde towardes godly discipline for the fourme of good liuing yéelde fréely forth the frutes of earnest and true repentāce haue ready and prest wils to shewe true obedience bothe in body and soule to be humble and méeke in spirite not to stay at any time the deniall of oure selues to subiecte our selues to thy holy will and commaundements and so to leane gladly to the suffering of this worldes calamities not for oure selues but for the loue of Iesus Christe for our brethren for so shal we be knowne to be the children of god All which if we happely possesse vse and put in daily practise great shall be the cause of oure ioy to haue good affiaunce in thy mercy a swéete tast of good life and a sure hope by happie death becomming in the meane while parient Pilgrims in spirituall pouertie and not regarding the pleasures of this life that oure soules may possesse the felicitie of thy freedome be daily lifted vp vnto thée in this our short race that we may continually praie with sorowfull sighings déepe sobbings inwarde gronings and shedding salte teares in our accustomed and moste humble sutes bewayling oure miserable state mourning the delay of this bodyes dissolution and yéeld with pacience to abide the stroke of deathe that when it which is the laste enemie shall be destroyed our spirites may haue rest in thine eternall life therow the only merites of thy sonne our Lord and sauior Iesus Christe Amen Amen XVII To haue in remembrance the secrete iudgementes of God and to feare the withdrawing of his grace HAuing good experyence by thyne holy scriptures O thou rightuous God that as thou arte moste high most glorious most holy wise and mighty and a great God aboue all Gods eternal and from euerlasting so arte thou also a Lord a ruler a master an ouerscer a iudge ouer all the dooings of men yea a seuere iudge a straighte examiner an vpright iust rewarder against whome no man may once rowse or aduaunce him selfe stande in his owne conceite or shewe before thée any proude or hautie countinance for it is thou onely O Lorde that art omnipotent whose mighty arm reacheth ouer all which aduancest and bringest lowe which strykest and healest which woundest and makest whole which liftest vp and throwest downe againe which dealest in thy iudgement not after the manner of men wickedly winking at the sinnes generally committed of all or of a few but vsest vprightnesse vnto all withoute respecte of persons generally particularly to many to a fewe and to some one alone when their sinnes before thée are ful and waxeth ripe vnto iudgement apte to fall and ready to féele from thy wrathfull hande the sodaine stroke of thy vengeance for vengeance annexed to thy power is only thine and thy iust rewarde whose iudgementes for sinne are very terrible fierce a flaming and consuming fire to licke vp catche burne and deuonre all or some as the cause shal require and as by thy iustice in iudgement thou finedest thē for so in all ages we haue both truly heard and knowne which examples of thine in sundry wise are all wrytten for our vnderstanding and learning always to be remembred of vs to put vs in good mind to terrifie vs to bridle oure affections to feare thy maiestie to séeke the true knowledge of thy will reuerently therein to obey thée and to escape aptly therby thy iust rigor vengeance for vengeance is thine thou wilt reward O holy and iust god which also artmost gracious which sparest whē we deserue punishmēt in thy wrath thinkest vpon mercy and haste vowed compassion vpon the poore penitent haue mercy vppon me moste wretched sinner O forgéeue me all my wickednesse past let thy tender mercie preuent my sinnes cast them al behinde thy backe and shewe me againe thy cōfortable countinance for my sinnes sore trouble me they iustly accuse me thy iudgementes terribly thunder against me they sore shake my limmes with feare and trembling and terrifie out of measure my sore vexed and contrite heart And if by thine heauenly motion O Lorde I yet wade further in thy iudgemēts and consider the very heauens not to be cleane in thy sight but expecte the day of their renouation for further cleerenesse and puritie O how am I occasioned to be the more amazed and to bewail my wretched state in the lothsomnesse of my corruption And if in the Angels them selues thou haste founde sinne and the desert of eternall death therefore not spared thy iudgemēts ouer them O what shall become of me earthie fraile and moste sinnefull wretche And if also the gloryous starres themselues haue in the excellencie of their outwarde clearenesse and beautie falne down from heauen abide likewise thy iudgement what shall I a masse of darknesse stime and filthe of the earthe looke for at thy wrathfull hand hauing my very secrete sinnes not hid from thee in their moste horrible lothsome and poysoned apperance But yet I beséeche thée O heauenly father althoughe thou be a straighte iudge ouer all thy creatures for sin whether of heauen or of earth celestiall terrestriall or infernall subiecte to thy will and to abide iustly thy iudgement for thine approued clemencies sake and tender pity towardes me imprinted stil freshe in my memorie and boldened thereby to approche thy presence so to extēd vpō me thy great mercy and grace that as I nowe craue the continual good motion inward stirring vp of my mind
Of whiche truth the Apostle thus wryteth vnto thee that without al contradiction she must nedes be vnto thee either the sanoure of life vnto life or the sauoure of death vnto death Such iudgemēt will truth haue ouer thee and stand in full effect there will be no meane but to be either with thee or else flatly againste thee as it shall truely finde thee at thy fal frō this life there wil be no daliāce it will for euer saue thee or eternally damne thee how so euer thereof thou makest thine account or leanst of will to the contrary with thy very blinde wicked and peruerse hart Feare therfore harken to the truth in time haue sure confidence in truthe thine helper is at hand be and the truth are one he is grateful he is faithful dout thou not double not nor wilfully withstand not the offred graces of thy mylde master thy iust Lord and moste louing God and be not before him and in the presence of his holy Angels vnprepared or a dallier a man indifferent a slacke Simme a drousie one a lyngrer a double deaier a wanton or a carelesse one among the reiectes and wretches of this worlde that in their coldenesse darkenesse hopelesse houeryng vayne deuising wilfulnesse tolitie forgeifulnesse contempte of God and Godlynesse tempteth so hygh so magnificent terrible great God of maiestie most deadlily to danger them elues who diuersly in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye is able by his iustice to destroy thee to cracke sodainely in sunder the thred of thy life to twine strōgly the cordes of thy perdurable eternal death Therfore as he ought in his mightinesse of euery wighte to be feared so he shold not of any one either presumptuously or vainely be tempted But for thy part obey him in his will and suffer him with all pacience to try thee through aduersitie cōmitting thy selfe wholely vnto his only wil mercy for surely he will beholding in thee the power of saithe not suffer thee to be tempted aboue thy strengthe or yeelde thee so farre to fall but with his owne right hand will raise thee quickly vp againe And I exhorte thee also to take heede that thou possesse not in his sight at any time an vnstayed ofte wauering and winde shaken hart through Sathans blustrings stormie and tempestuous blastes stirred vppe daily and hourely againste thee and that by Goddes permission for good least by thine impaciencie diffidente trembling and sore shakes of thine vnchristen inconstancie thou be sodainly turned to thy shiftes put to thy faultie flight and so be dispossessed of thy verie healthful safe and most sure holde or else spoiled with reproche of thy christen armor or be occasioned by desperate pursute to starte from the face of the ennimie to stacker fearfully at his offered blowes and in hazarde to take hurt by some dangerous and sodain fal◠greatly to dishonor thee before Christe thy captaine and with him infinite armies of heauēly soldiors whose tents to encourage thee are pitched round about thee I say therefore vnto thee O Christian stand thou cherefully to thy charge in all things and defende manfully thine owne dismaie thee not J say for the Lorde God him selfe will be thy defender and keeper and wil stand by thee to strengthen thee and to deliuer thee from all daungers And if legions of diuels should copasse thee trench thee in round about plant their power and bēd forcibly their shot agaynst thee well may they threatningly thunder far frō thee rore rattle and rumble in the aire ouer thee tumble terribly about thee parche something thy tender skin and wonderfully in such sort amase thee yet shall they not preuayle agaynst thee hurte any member of thee or once remoue thy fast fixed soote but shalt stād sure fer euer euen as the highe mightie steadie and strong mounte Sion for Gods arme stayeth thee who by his power hathe ouercome the diuell euen the great diuell Sathanas him selfe he holdeth him at will by his infernall chaynes his whole cursed armie also hell gates and al the powers of hell O praise therfore thine almightie God exalt his glorious name for euermore watche and pray continually pray with vnderstāding pray at al times and in al places as his holy spirite shall moue thee for the vpholding of thee and for the auoyding of the engins sleights and tēptations of the enimies that God himselfe may be pleased thy soule strēgthned the diuels chased vāquished or put to flight And when thou prayest deceiue not vaynly thy selfe be not blinded with the proud Pharisie in thine owne conceite boasting of thy righteousnesse in the presence of God neither glorying in any thing for he throughly beholdeth thee and seeth that truely in thee euen thy secrete and hidde sinnes a masse of all abhomination as thou oughtest chiefly therein to be thine owne iudge But humble thy self before him with the penitent and poore wretched Publicane confessing thy sinnes and wickednesse and feare not then to attayne grace through suche true faith hūblenesse Moreouer forget not that as God is a moste highe heauenly and diuine substance and a spirite of al goodnesse and truth so wil he also of thee be spiritually worshipped praysed and prayed vnto euē in the truth by the word of truth and frō the depth and bocome of thine hart This also I put thee in remēbrāce of a thing greatly requisite that in the tyme of thy prayers which thou daily consecratest to god be they more or lesse long or short thou be not withdrawen with the snarling suggestions secret twitches inward motions or wylie sleightes of the enimie Sathan thorough the abuse of thy senses and outwarde bodily members as thine eyes thine eares and suche like that whilest thy tongue onely oft babbleth and vaynely wastest muche breath thine hearte whiche God chiefely respecteth and dothe very gladly desire bee fardest off and bee moste vaynely turned another way gretly to displease him to vexe sore thine owne conscience and to make vtterly frustrate al thine attempts or importune sutes of greate necessitie This I say also vnto thee If thou desire to be the child of God and voyde of al doubts so in dede to be fauour frō thy hart Christ thy forerunner and sauiour by whose onely grace thou arte adopted the childe of god Make not towards him thy fidelitie crased mingled or patched let it goe soundly and al whole togither both frō thy body thy soule Let him alwayes enioy frō thee the whole perfect mā the man regenerate new borne and made by his spirit the child of light ful of agilitie and liuelinesse whose soule mounting with felicitie still vp to the heauens is there resident with Chryst the sauiour and alwayes conuersant in heauenly things And let him also bee euermore vnto thee thine onely whole ful perfect and sufficient redemer ear nest petitioner and ready pacifier of the diuine fury against thee for al causes who with
rest of the .v. Cities and their whole countrey with firie flames sulpher and Brimstone from heauen were destroyed with suche other like the terror of thy vengeance by sharpe plages punishments vpon others cléerly mentioned in thy holy scriptures plainly approued in other histories and daily both knowne and felt amongst vs O most gratious louing father create therfore in vs we beséeche thée hunble contrite clean harts renue within our bowels right spirites and turne all voluptuousnesse away from vs that neither in thought word nor déede we willingly offend the sight of thy maiestie And graunt that whether we liue vnmattried or in the holy state of Matrimonie we may leade our liues in puritie true holinesse and chastitie And when at any time we féele in our selues to be assalted with temtation or stirred by euil luste to cōmit obhomination we may then haue strengthe of thy grace to sette before oure eyes thy iustice the rewarde of sinne the terror of deathe the day and end of this life the gnawing worme of our conscience thy terrible doome the chalenge of the Deuill the euerlasting tormentes and the horrible paines of hell And that we liuing in oure christian calling and holy profession in all puritie hothe of bodie and soule all the dayes of our liues we may receiue in the ende the rewarde of euerlasting felicitie sée thée face to face in thine eternall and most glorious kingdome thorow thy sonne Iesus Christe Amen XIIII A Prayer against svvearing and blasphemie WHen we O holy eternall God haue in remembraunce as we be charged thy precise wil and cōmaundementes giuen generally vnto vs all and binding vs all from euil namely amōg the rest not to take the name of thée our god in vain nor in any wise to abuse it as doth the wicked Ethuieke that knoweth not thy name irreligiously vainly and falsoly but at all times to consider well of it highly to extoll it and haue it in dureuerence as behooneth the faithful louers and professors of the same least we be 〈◊〉 of thee accurssed and guiltie and sustaine as thou hast threatned thy moste iuste and sharpe reuenge we are héere greatly occasioned to consider our present and moste daungerous state howe vnperfecte wretched and dampnable it is in thy sighte throughe oure deadly fal from thy will in this holy precept and are nowe driuen cyther to séeke remedie at thine onely mercifull hande or to perishe in hel eternally we beséethe thée moste humbly O thou God of all grace that as thou beholdest in vs the erroure of oure liues and oure corrupted inclination to all sinne and vanitie contrary to the prescripte rule of thy holy lawe and to séeke thereby as muche as ut vs lyeth the disglory of thy name to worke our owne shame and vtter confusiou so to graunt nowe vnto vs that oure soules in their vnclenlinesse horriblenesse blasphemous state may be truly purged of al infectiōs deadly darknesse wilfull malice ignorāce and the sights of them refreshed quickened made liuely and perfecte by the bright light and true faith in thy holy woorde that they may cléerely and comfortably see know and beholde the true glory of thy maiestie thereby also inwardly féele the swéete promisses of thine heauēly grace the frée pardone also of all our sinnes and the receiuing of vs into thy grace fauor not for any thing at all in our selues but for thy sonne Christe Iesus sake throughe which only mercy and great goodnesse graunted vnto vs in him thou arte and of righte euer oughtest to be only estomed of vs only praised magnified and highly reuerenced as thy name in heauen in earth moste condignely of all requireth which is from vs euen so muche in euery respect as we in déede truely know thée in thy sonne Christe by whome only and throughe grace in him we are stirred most woorthily to extol thy most glorious and holy name but not so lightly by custome to prophane it and vnreuerently abuse it whether by cruell blasphemie contempte of thine heauenly woorde true religion doctrine or otherwise in our sinneful conuersation or euill maner of liuing Take vs therefore we pray thée to thy mercie O Lord and that soone for great is our sinne and iniquitie in this accustomed sinne of blasphemie O set thy feare spéedely before our eyes and shut not vp from vs the knowledge of thy truthe our director to rightuousnesse but kindle inwardly into oure soules the lighte thereof leaste in the deadly darkenesse pride and great peruersitie of our wicked harts we do daily degenerate turne from our profession fall willingly from thée become ingratefull vaine proude and high minded contumelious spitefull shamelesse open enimies and very blasphemous againste thée as the only possessors of the deuill and falling like reprobates from iniquitie to iniquitie Who for theyr horrible abuses sake and prophanation of thy name how they shall be woorthily plaged thine hande of iustice not being shortned is plainely euident in thy most sacred and heauenly woord of truthe For thou thy selfe haste saide that what so euer he be that is a blasphemer vseth thy name vainly and vnprofitably shall not escape thy scurges and punishments And in an other place it is also wrytten that who so euer vseth muche to sweare shall be filled with curssings and iniquity and the plage which is the iuste bengeance of thy wrath shall neuer depart frō his house but shal in time consume it and all the inhabitantes thereof Again we read out of thy Prophet Zacharie that thou shewedst vnto him flying in the air a maruellous large and a great booke euen .xx. cubites in length .x. in bredth wherin was contained the horrible plages that are prepared for all thē which contemptuously malitiously vainly falsly or rashely sweare by thy blessed and holy name O Lorde of infinite mercies and long suffering God that art to be blessed for euer whose mercyes reacheth vnto the heauens if thou in these our dayes of great abhomination curssed blaspheming taking thy holy name in vaine so carelessy vsually and by custome for euery smal trifle bisides other deadly and dampnable sinnes daily committed amōgst vs shouldest in the iudgement of thine owne cause flersly rise vp againste vs or as thy Prophet Dauid sayth extréemely marke what is done amisse O Lord how shuld we abide it How should we moste sinnefull wretches in these dayes abide the terror of thy vengeance that by thy iustice hangeth ouer vs or should in a moment consume vs all like stubble But thou rewardest vs not according to our sinnes thy mercie endureth for euer and therefore to auoide the terror of thy iustice due vnto vs most disobediēt sinners we appeale to the déep fountains of thy mercy humbling our selues before thy mercies seat with penitent harts for the remission of our sins that thou wilt not impute thē now vnto vs
but for the glory of thy name to mollifie to cleanse and alwayes to kéepe cleane oure harde stonie and euill stuffed hartes with the déepe piercing deawe of thine heauenly grace that where all those terrible punishmentes and moste gréeuous plagues before mentioned are already deuised prepared threatned and at an instant appoynted to fall vpon vs we may yet by thy mercie escape them extoll thée in thine vnspeakeable goodnesse and magnifie thine holy name from our hartes and with our tongs and voices and feare to prophane or abuse it no neither yet thy creatures in heauen or in earth but most humbly with al ioyfulnesse to attend to thy sōnes most holy precept which is not to sweare at all by any thing but in our communication to vse yea yea nay nay euen from hart and mouth simply truly and without dissimulation and to passe forthe our liues and conuersation in our calling reuerently sincerely and vncorruptly as becommeth faithfull and vnfained Christians the true louers and professoures of thine only holy name which is to be blessed for euer Amen XV. For the possessyng of a peaceable and quiet conscience SEing thy kingdome O GOD as thou sayest is within vs and that it behooueth as thou haste taught vs to haue outward things of this world and the world it selfe in contempt and to embrace only with good affecte all inwarde things to the beautifying of the inwarde man whereby we shall the more aptly féele in déede thine holy kingdome to come into vs which kingdome is thine most high most glorious holy eternall and euerlasting a kingdome of ioy and peace in the holy ghost whereof the wicked hathe no parte in possession but only thine holy electe and precious redéemed inheritaunce Graunt vnto vs all we humbly pray thée such loue towardes thée and thine heauenly kingdome that for thy sake and for the loue therof we may cōtenine our selues estéeme but light of this life and set all this world at naughte And being lifted vp in spirite aboue oure selues and voide of all inordinate desires excelling in oure liues in all heauenly vertues and be suche in déede inwardly as we séeme to the worlde outwardly our soules may be made fit habitacles to enioy thy glorious presence with most happy felicitie extolling thy grace glorying in the woorkes of true holynesse and in the testimonie of a peaceable and quiette conscience which is in all menne a secrete knowledge a priuie opener inwarde accuser a ioyfull quieter of their myndes in all their dooings and a witnesse bearer of the truthe euen vnto the presence and precise iudgement of thée oure God. O graunt therfore vnto vs most gratious God so to be directed by thy holy spirite that oure consciences may be vnto vs vnstained and pure euen as a very perfecte and cleare glasse speedely to be looked into and plainely to sée in tyme with a true and perfecte sighte not onely the moste filthy foule spottes and enormious blemishes of oure sinnefull and sicke soules but also the very smallest or beginnings of diseases by soone quicke touche or sharpe pricke of remorse whereby feare may be conceiued of imminet daunger and by humble sute to flée fast vnto thée the moste readie perfecte and heauenly Phisition that we may be soone salued wyth the oyntment of thy diuine grace and not to be as the wicked whose consciences are moste déepely corrupted inwardly rankeled deade and benummed throughe carelesnesse and the custome of sinne that they cannot once féele sée nor perceyue their owne most lothsome sicknesse and deformitie of soule vntill thou O God by the stroke of thy deadly darte layest them open before theyr faces to their own confusion sodaine and swifte destruction and so their consciences being now foūd most déepely wounded the worm therof terribly gnawing biting and accusing them they fall most damnably into desperation without regard of thy maiestie or any hope at all of thy tender mercie O heauenly father and the only fountaine of all grace tourne thy face from oure sinnes deliuer vs from thy wrathfull indignation and so strengthen vs by the power and lighte of thine eternal spirit that we may be trained to the true knowledge and perfecte obedience of thy will that we may in all oure doings remember our profession and promisse possesse firme faithe which truely quieteth and setteth at rest the conscience of man feare thy iudgementes liue vprightly and worthily before thée glory in the testimonie of a good conscience sprinkled and cleansed with the bloud of thy sonne Christ enioy peace and true gladnesse not troubled inwardly but sléepe quietly not glorying in the praises of men but reioyce only in thée oure God in thy mercy and grace in thy holy truthe in the price of oure redemption and in the onely moste happie state of eternall felicitie which thou haste faithfully promised which thy sonne hathe purchased which vnto vs shall be performed most happely and in due time thorowe thine onely frée grace and loue towardes vs in the precious deathe and bloud shed of thine only sonne our alone sauiour only aduocate and mediator Iesus Christe Amen XVI To haue in remembrance the houre of death CAlling to mynde O eternall god the fickle state of humain felicitie the swifte passage of this brickle life how man standeth héere in a vaine shadowe freshly florishing like a floure to day and can to morowe no where be founde and as quickely forgotten as he is gone and yéeldeth then vp by the dint of death his swifte passage to God or to the Deuill O how it behooueth vs to startle sodainely to bestirre vs to looke aboute vs and to prepare spéedely for so sodayne assaulte But howe shall we Lorde standing in déede in such infelicitie slumbring in suche securitie so infected with frailetie so compassed with flatterie cloked in hipoerisie and ouerwhelmed with vanitie neither yet féele in oure selues any fighte or trouble of conscience prepare vs as we oughte for so conueniente a tyme Thou knowest O Lorde as by thy wrathe we iustly also féele howe sedainly vnwares death cruelly assaileth vs and strippeth vs from our pleasures vayne delectations and delusious of this deceitfull worlde We regarde nothing at all the sodaine comming of the sonne of man by whose mighty arme in our forgot fulnesse we he woorthily stricken to the death and to our mother the earth againe in whose entrails we were once brod and oute of whose moste ponsoned pappes we haue suckt the milke of all our deadly delites and with the brusting draught of our most beastly excesse we haue sodainely ouerthrowne our selues and haue very willingly faln vpon thy mercilesse swoorde of deathe Throughe which iudgement wort and terrible time we shall begin then to thinke with late wailing and wo far otherwise of our formen liues than we did before in the lulling dayes of our carnall delices we shall then conswer the greatnesse and granitie
thée and take me to thy mercy sometune one of thy great enimies very wicked very faithlesse obstinate headie and rebellious but nowe thy louing brother thy faythfull frende thyne obediente louer and a sounde member of thy body O saue me then I say comforte my soule guyde mée in thy wayes strengthen mée and let not thy spirite departe from mee that I may hencefoorthe ioyfully please thée and render alwayes vnto thy father through thée all due prayse honour and glory here in thys vale of myserie and in the euerlasting world which is to come Amen FINIS Whervnto the eternal spirite stirreth the hearts of gods electe A preparation to Prayer Certaine special cautes folowing that are to be coÌ„sidied by gods childreÌ„ wherof they examin the selues before prayer and receyning of the holy sacramintes to auoid his heauy iudgemeÌ„ts The diffrence to be considered betweene the true christians fayth the faith of the diuell and the reprobate The true christiaÌ„ at earnest defiance with the diuel and she weth vnto him for his discoâ—â—gemeÌ„t the power of his fayth The mercy grace of God â—n the hearts of his elect to cosider in this life their dangerous and miserable state for sinne CoÌ„cupiscence and the malice therof The diuell the onely author of concupiscence and sin The soules de formitie thorowe sinne True faith in the abouÌ„ding mercies of God. The miserable state of the sicke Soule without true faith in the fre mercy of god The feeling of the grace of god The humble submission confession of the faythfull Soule A calling vnto God for comfort and strength The fighte of the faythfull Soule What danger they fall into that forsake god and leane to the worlde and the pleasures thereof The seruice of God what it is The worlde a deepe dongeon wherin the children of vanitie are enclosed Armoure of rightuousenesse Christian chiualrie The sight of a christian 〈…〉 in the seruice of god must be continuall and couragious Palone of victorie Crowne of glorie Hid Manna And a White stone The scriptures of God only receyued of the faithfull Superstitions false worship pings c. Our professioÌ„ in holy Baptisme Enemies of Gods word Hartie prayer to God maketh vs constante in the word of God. The worde of God what it is and how of the godly to be considted God the only instructour of all in all ages An apt Prayer for these oure dayes Faithe only breathed into the hartes of Gods elect True faithe in Christe Faithe iustifieth The power of Faith. The miserable state of man in thys life Man posses seth in himself two powers and of sundly inclinations The serpent cause of discorde Prince of sedition The meane to knowe the good motions from the bad The inconuenience of care lesnesse or not to receiue in time the good motions of God. The power of the spirite of light and truthe The way and mene to plese God in this life Holy discipline Exercises of the crosse The inconuenieuce that commeth by sufferance and cuill custome He is happie that humbleth him selfe to discipline MaÌ„ in present danger God at hand to deliuer Pynches to the proude flesh are somtime necessarie Man for a time is but an exile from his home and a pilgrime The Iustice of God and sinne are not clerely seuered in this life amoÌ„g the children of God. Man but a worme duste and ashes Man moste vayne and naught Mans humble subiection before God attayneth the grace mercy and peace of God. Man a thing of nothing It is better for a man to obey than to leane to his owne sway The inconuenience that commeth by disobedieÌ„ce The iudgements of God ouer seditious rebelles Princes and Magistrates are the most apte InstrumeÌ„ts stirred of God to further his glory here vppon earth What it is to imitate christ How we shold for the greate loue of God lone hym agayne Humilitie God threatneth the world for sinne The Canker couetousnesse how it reigneth Conetousnes how it worketh Couetousnes the woorshipping of Idols Couetousnesse he we it hathe preuayled Children of diffidence Abac. 2. Constancie in chastitie Sole life Matrimonie a fountayne in Gods church The corruptioÌ„ of fleshe and bloud The power of flesh and blud and what they worke The pumishe ments of God for vnclennes of lyse To bee a blasphemer of Gods name is rather the propertie of an ethnik than a Christian The errour of our liues The power of Gods word The mercy of God in Christ The inconue niece that foloweth the want of Gods worde The punishe ments and plages of God for taking his name in vaine The necessitie of Gods mercie Sute for mercie The sanctifying of Gods holy name The kingdom of heauen A quiet conscience The nature of a mans conscience Wicked consciences The con modity of a quiet conscience Mans life fickle and but a vayne shadow The damnable state of mankinde in thys frayle life In what case we shal stande at the houre of death The blacke enfine of deth displayed Discipline worketh the fourme of good liuing The sweete frutes of good lyfe agaynst the comming of death Paciente abyding of death bringeth the soule to rest The maiestie and great power of God ouer al flesh God a God of vengeance Gods iudgements are to be remebred and why Gods iudgements are terable and thuÌ„ dring The heauens the Angelles theÌ„ selues and the stars falne from heauen are all subject to the iudgements of god God at the last day by his iust iudgemeÌ„t rendereth full payment vnto all wicked sinners God freely by his grace dyrecteth to good life Christ is chalenged and why Christes obedience to hys father for hys flocke The cause of christs death The bonde of the wealthy in this world Christ aboundeth in heaueÌ„ly riches chatitie power and loyes in comparable The distressed loule Christ humbly chalenged Chryst bound to helpe and why Chryste the head and cow foâ—â—er of hys members Store remayneth of Gods grace The assured fayth of the thirsten soule Fayth in Christes bloud Scabde shepe Chryst the phisitian Christ humbly chalenged Strong faythe in Chryste Rom. 15. Chrysts incarnation natiuitie so forth are al chalenged of the faithfull soule as his owne Rom. 8. Math. 20. Chryst a seruaunt Chryst a conquerour Paradise purchased by Christe Experience of Christes good nature and his mercie Math. xj xxij Iohn 6 Ioho 12. Math. 5. Roma 1. Christes payment and howe Ezech 16. Ezech. 16. Math 18. Sinne of Gods electe Iohn 15. Chryste the onely sauiour the onely adâ—ocate Sinne of the reprobate The bloud of Abel cried for vengeance Chrystes bloud calleth to saluation ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman for William Norton ANNO. 1572.