at least God made me Man I make my selfe a Beast How swelt I with hard travell through the Dale That leads to Prophanations irkesome cell But freeze by softly pacing up the skale Where burning zeale and her bright sisters dwell Thus sweat I in the shadow shake i' th shine And by free choice from good to ill decline Sweet Saviour cleanse my leprous loathsome soule In that depurpled Fount which forth thy side Gurgling did twixt two Lilly-mountaines roule To rinse Mans tainted Race Sin soylifide Wash it more white than the triumphant Swan That rides o' th silver brest of Eridan Suffer my prayers harmony to rise Into thine eares while th' Angels beare a part Accept my Sighs as smelling Sacrifice Sent from the Altar of my bleeding heart Vp to thy nostrils sweet as th' Oyle of Aaron Or th' odoriferous Rose of flowrie Sharon The Hart ne're long'd more for the purling brookes Nor did the lustfull Goate with more pursuit After the blossom'd Tritisolie looke Then do's my panting Soule t' enjoy the fruit Of thy Life-waâ—er which if I attaine To taste of once I ne're shall thirst againe Even as the chapped ground in Summers heat Cals to the clouds and gapes at every showre Whose thirstie Casma's greedily intreat As tho they would th' whole house of heav'n deuour So do's my riven Soule be parcht with sin Yawne wide to let moyst drops of Mercie in Earths Vanitie VAnitie of vanities and all is but vanitie saith the wisest Preacher that ever wrote One generation passeth and another commeth and all is but vexation of spirit Which divine theorem that we may the better perceive let us set our selves to the serious meditation of it for the more we search the more we shall see all things to be vanity nothing constant nothing for our eternall good but our soules salvation Mans life on earth doth no sooner begin but his end approacheth his death hasteneth Some come upon the stage of this world but to have a breathing and are presently gone others stay a while longer it may be a day perhaps a weeke perhaps a month peradventure a yeare or it may bee some few yeares but alas the longer they stay the greater their griefe care feare and anxietie of minde Even in the infancy of age man is oft times left as Moses sometime was in the flouds of misery but as age increaseth sorrow increaseth because sinne increaseth when youth runnes most at randome and thinketh it selfe most safe it is then hemm'd in with greatest dangers then the rashfoole-hardy minde of man hurrieth him headlong to hell except the irresistible power of Gods preventing grace doth speedily stay him then his wits are even intoxicated with a frenzie of iniquity and wholly bent upon riotousnesse rashnesse luxury jollitie superfluity and excesse in carnall pleasures Hee then devoteth his time and addicteth himselfe to all manner of evill drinking dancing revelling swaggering swearing whoring gaming quarreling fighting and in the meane while never thinkes on Heaven nor feareth hell His head is frought with vanities his heart with fallacies where by his soule is brought into â— labyrinth of inextricable miseries So great is the temerity oâ— his unadvised minde that nâ— consideration of Gods judgements either past or present or to come can set a stop to his wickednesse His youthfullnesse damps at no bogges quagmires hils or mountaines but wingeth him over all impediments mounts him over all motives that might way-lay his sinnes He sticks not to offenâ— his maker to recrucifie his Redeemer to resist shall I say his Sanctifier no but the Spirit whom God hath given to be his sanctifier and if hee so carry himselfe toward these no mervaile that he derideth his Tutor scornes the Minister like the little children that mock'd Elisha oppresseth his poore brother as Pharaoh did the Israelites spareth not Infants no more then Herod did regardeth not parents no more then Hophni and Phinias did Let the mother direct him the father correct him his ancients instruct him alas all is in vaine youth makes men head-strong selfe-conceited and proud so that they swell with an overweening opinion of their owne worth they thinke themselves the onely wits of the time the onely men of the world more fit to teach others then to learne themselves more able to give then to take advice If they go on a while in their lewd courses without the restraining and renewing Grace of God they get a habit of evill are hardned through the custome of sinne none may resist them none compare with them no law of God or man can restraine them They take counsell together against the Lord and against his annointed saying Let us breake their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us Whereupon oftentimes the ripenesse of sinnâ— being hastened by outragiousnesse of sinning God suddenly cuts them off in their intemperancy luxury quarrels and disorders which shewes theâ— vainenesse to be meere vanity Suppose they grow as great as Tamberlaine yet a Gunne Pike Arrow nay a Fly Flea or Gnat a dram nay a drop of poyson proves them to bee vaine men one of these silly creatures may send him presently to his Creator to receive his finall doome Yet alas what doe these most minde The bum-basted silken Gallants of our time that come forth like a May morning decked with all the glory of Art the Epicurean Cormerants the gusâ—ing and tipling tosse-pots the dainty painting Dames the dedicate mincing Ladies the sweet-singing Syrens the dancing Damsels the finicall youths the couzening Shop-keeper the crafty Crafts-man I say what doe all these but set their minds upon vanitie upon glory honour pride drosse and such like trash which weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary prove lighter then vanity Doe we not sometime see more spent upon one suite in Law then would keepe a poore Country towne with the inhabitants for a whole yeare See wee not more spent upon one suite of apparell for one proud carkasse then would build Free-schoole So that the cloathes on many a Gallant backe exceeds his Rent-day See wee not more spent upon Feast to satisfie the curiosity oâ— a few then would satisfie thâ— necessity of a hundred poore wretches almost famished to death See wee not more drunke in a Taverne at one sitting by a small company then would serve a troope of sturdy Souldiers in the field Many goe daily to the Tavern where they sticke not to spend their twelve pence who would grudge to give one penny nay one farthing to a hungry begger Againe is there not now more spent upon a Ladies feather then would pay a meane mans tythes Is there not more spent upon one paire of sleeves then would cloath sixe bodies and more spent at a Whitsun-ale then would keepe the poore of the Parish for a yeare Have wee not amongst our Gentry some of the female sexe who will spend more upon a Glasse and a pot of complexion then they will give a
sorrowes of hell have compassed me round about and the snares of death have besieged me For on which side soever they looke or turne their eyes they doe continually behold occasions of sorrow and griefe and none at all of any ease or comfort The wise Virgins saith the Evangelist that stood ready prepared at the gate of the Bridegroome entred in and the gate was forthwith locked fast O locking everlasting O enclosure immortall O gate of all goodnesse which shal never any more be opened againe As if he had said more plainely the gate of pardon of mercy of comfort of grace of intercession of hope and of all other goodnesse is shut up for ever and ever Six daies and no more was Manna to be gathered but the seventh day which was the Sabbath day was there none to bee found and therefore shall he fast for ever that hath not in due time made his provision aforehand The sluggard saith the Wise man will not till his ground for feare of cold and therefore shall he beg his bread in summer and no man shall give him to eat And in another place he saith He that gathereth in summer is a wise sonne but hee that giveth himselfe to sleeping at that season is the sonne of confusion For what confusion can be greater then that which that miserable covetous rich man suffereth who with a few crums of bread that fell from his table might have purchased to himselfe abundance of everlasting felicity and glory in the kingdome of Heaven But because he would not give so small a thing he came to such an extreame necessity that he begged yea and shall for ever beg in vaine onely one drop of water and shall never obtaine it Who is not moved with that request of that unfortunate damned person who cried O father Abraham have compassion on me and send downe Lazarus unto me that hee may dip the tip of his finger in water and touch my tongue for these horrible flames doe torment me exceedingly What smaller request could there be desired than this He durst not request so much as one cup of water neither that Lazarus should put his whole hand into the water nor yet which is more to be wondered at did he request so much as the whole finger but onely the tip of it that it might but touch his tongue and yet even this alone would not be granted unto him Whereby thou maiest perceive how fast the gate of all consolation is shut up and how universall that interdict and excommunication is that is there laid upon the damned sith this rich Glutton could not obtaine so much as this small request So that wheresoever the damned persons doe turne their eyes and on which side soever they stretch their hands they shall not finde any manner of comfort be it never so small And as he that is in the Sea choaked and almost drowned under the water not finding any stay whereupon to set his foot stretcheth forth his hands oftentimes on every side in vaine because all that he graspeth after is thin and liquid water which deceives him even so shall it fare with the damned persons when they shall be drowned in that deepe Sea of so many miseries where they shall strive and struggle alwaies with death without finding any succour or place of stay whereupon they may rest themselves Now this is one of the greatest paines wherewith they be tormented in that cursed place for if these torments should have their continuance limited but for a certaine time though it were for a thousand yea a hundred thousand millions of yeares yet even this would be some little comfort unto them for nothing is perfectly great in case it have an end But alas they have not so much as this poore and miserable comfort but contrariwise their paines are equall in continuance with the eternity of Almighty God and the lasting of their misery with the eternity of Gods glory As long as Almighty God shall live so long shall they die and when Almighty God shall cease to be God then shall they also cease to be as they are O deadly life O immortall death I know not whether I may truely tearme thee either life or death for if thou be life why dost thou kill And if thou be death why doest thou endure Wherefore I will call thee neither the one nor the other for so much as in both of them there is contained something that is good as in life there is rest and in death there is an end which is a great comfort to the afflicted but thou hast neither rest nor end What art thou then Marry thou art the worst of life and the worst of death for of death thou hast the torment without any end and of life thou hast the continuance without any rest O bitter composition O unsavory purgation of our Lords cup of the which all the sinners of the earth shall drinke their part Now in this continuance in this eternity I would wish that thou my deare Christian brother wouldst fixe the eyes of thy consideration a little while and that as the cleane beast cheweth the cud even so thou wouldest weigh this point within thy selfe with great deliberation And to the intent thou maiest doe it the better consider a little the paines that a sicke man abideth in one evill night especially if he be vexed with any vehement griefe or sharpe disease Marke how oft he tumbleth and tosseth in his bed what disquietnesse he hath how long and tedious one night seemeth unto him how duely he counteth all the houres of the clocke and how long hee deemeth each houre of them to be how he passeth the time in wishing for the dawning of the day which notwithstanding is like to helpe him little towards the curing of his disease If this then be accounted so great a torment what torment shall that be thinke you in that everlasting night in hell which hath no morning nor so much as any hope of any dawning of the day O darknesse most obscure O night everlasting O night accursed even by the mouth of Almighty God and all his Saints That one shall wish for light and shall never see it neither shall the brightnesse of the morning arise any more Consider then what a kinde of torment shall that bee to live everlastingly in such a night as this is lying not in a soft bed as the sicke man doth but in a hot burning furnace foming out such terrible raging flames What shoulders shall be able to abide those horrible heats If it seeme to us as a thing intollerable to have onely some part of our feet standing upon a pan of burning coales for the space of repeating the Lords prayer What shall it be thinke you to stand body and soule burning in the midst of those everlasting hot raging fires in hell in comparison of which the fires of this world are but painted fires Is there any wit or judgement in this
this thy Syon crowne her with plenty prosperity and victory Let not her enemies rejoyce in her subversion nor triumph in her destruction Hide not thy face from her in the day of trouble stoppe not thine eares at our prayers Be unto us all a horne of salvation a rocke of safety a wall of brasse a strong tower and fortresse against the face and force of our enemies divert their designes frustrate their envie abate their fury asswage their pride restraine their power and in thy name let us tread them under that maliciously and mischievously rise up against us Suffer not the light of thy Gospel to be ecâ—lipsed nor the splendor of thy glory to be obscured let not thy name be dishonoured nor thy Sanctuary defiled nor thy truth slandered but now and ever defend and deliver as thou hast formerly done this Church and State from Plague Pestilence and above all that most terrible vengeance the devouring sword and that for his sake who hath led captivity captive and like a victorious Conqueror hath triumphed over all his enemies even Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and Holy Ghost be all honour and glory Amen A Prayer for them that are about the Sicke HEare us Almighty and most mercifull God and Saviour extend thine accustomed goodâ—esse to this thy servant which â—s grieved with sicknes visit him O Lord as thou didst Peters wives mother and the Captains â—ervant restore unto this sicke â—ody his former health if it be â—hy will or else give him grace â—o take this thy visitation patiently that after this painfull life ended he may dwell with thee in everlasting life O Lord behold we bend our knees yea the knees of our hearts with unfained prayers and lift up our eyes to the throne of thy mercie seat to hearken to these our petitions according to thy promises therefore O Lord grant our requests we are gathered here together in thy name in the behalfe of this thy servant deliver him we humbly beseech thee from these his languishing paines and miseries of sicknesse and as it hath pleased thee to lay thine hand upon him so O Lord restore him to his former health keepe him O Lord from fearefull and terrible assaults and despightfull â—â—mptations of the Divell sinne â—â—d hell deliver him O Lord 〈◊〉 thou deliveredst Noah from â—e raging waves of the floods 〈◊〉 from the destruction of Soâ—me Abraham from the feare â—â— the Caldeans the children of â—â—rael from the tyranny of Phaâ—â—oh David from the hands of â—â—liah the three men from the â—lence of the fiery furnace in â—â—bylon Daniell from the mouth 〈◊〉 the Lyons Ionas from the â—â—lly of the Whale and Peter â—m the prison of Herod Even â— O gratious Lord deliver the â—â—le of this person both now 〈◊〉 whensoever he shall depart â—â—ce from all perill and danâ—â—r open unto him at the houre of death the doore of Paradice the gates of heaven and the entry of everlasting life O Lord Jesus Christ forgive him all his sinnes and lead him with joy into the kingdome of thy heavenly Father even unto the bosome of Abraham and appoint him his everlasting rest that hee may rejoyce with thee and all the elect children of God to whom be all honour glory power and dominion Amen The sicke persons Prayer LOrd hearken to my prayer and give eare to my humble request Lord be mercifull unto mee and give mee grace patiently to beare the crosse and in the midst of this my sicknesse alwaies to say thy will O heavenly Father be done and not mine forgive and forget most gracious Father all 〈…〉 quities bloâ— them out of thy remembrance and cast them from thy sight O Lord as farre as the East is from the West the North from the South they are many and innumerable let them not rise up in judgement against me neither enter thou into thy narrow judgement with thy servant O Lord for no flesh is righteous before thee handle me not according to my deserts deale not with me after my wickednesse neither reward me after mine iniquities O Lord my God looke not into my enormious nor incestious life I am ashamed of my sinnes and aske pardon for my faults even with a repenting heart and sorrowfull mind a bleeding soule with hidden teares of a true and unfained repentance for my misdeeds yea my wounded breast surcharged with oppressing griefes doth sigh groane and lament under the burthen of my hainous crimes wherefore O Lord wash them away with thy bloud which thou hast shed for my sinnes and I shall be clean and pure without spot purge me O Lord with those precious drops that distilled from thy tormented heart and I shall be whiter then the snow burie mine offences in the sepulcher of thy death and cloath me with the garment of righteousnesse O Lord for thine infinite goodnesse and mercy sake receive me into thy tuition and favour pardon O Lord and remit my sins as thou forgavest David his murther and adultery with Barsheba Saul his persecutions of thy people Peter his deniall Mary Magdalen her lascivious life and the Publican in the Temple with striking his breast craved thy gracious pardon saying Lord have mercy upon me a sinner and although my sinnes and offences are farre greater and more grievous then these yet O Lord thy mercies exceede and are far more compassionate then our sinnes manifold I justifie not my selfe O my God by the offences of these but declare thy righteousnesse and mercifull clemencies in forgetting and forgiving our abhominable trespasses and transgressions of thy will which though we are froward yet thou art gentle though we are stubborne yet thou art meeke and though we run headlong to the pits brinke and to the gates of hell yet thou of thy goodnesse callest us backe and remittest all that wee have done amisse O Lord I have acknowledged my faults that they are best knowne unto thee wherefore O Lord I aske forgivenes for the same send me the comfort of thy holy Spirit that if thou give me my former health and strength of body I may amend my life according to thy sacred will and walke worthily in thy Lawes and Commandements if it be thy pleasure to take mee hence out of this transitory life O Lord grant that I may rest and live with thee forever world without end O Lord hearken unto these my petitions for Jesus Christ his sake I aske them and all other things which thou shalt think meet both for my soule and bodie in the same forme of prayer as he himself hath taught me saying Our Father c. A Prayer at the houre of death O Lord Jesus Christ which art the only health of all men living the everlasting life of them which dye in thy faith I wretched sinner give and submit my selfe wholly to thy most blessed will being sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed unto thy mercy I most humbly beseech thee O Lord to give me
serve thee faithfully both in the duties of piety and in other businesse of my place and calling that I may be a comfort to my husband aâ— example to my neighbours â— grace to my profession and â— meanes of glory to thy Name through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen FINIS THE COMMON CALLES CRIES and Sounds of the BEL-MAN OR Divers verses to put us in minde of our mortality Which serve as warnings to be prepared at all times for the day of death LONDON Printed by G. M. for M. S. Junior at the Blew Bible in Green-Arbour 1639. THE BEL-MANS SOVNDS For Christmas day REmember all that on this Morne Our blesseds aviour Christ was borne Who issued from a Virgin pure Our soules from Satan to secure And patronise our feeble spirit That we through him may heaven inherit For Saint Stephens day THis blessed time beare in your mind How that blest Martyr Stephen died In whom was all that good confinde That might with flesh and blood abide In Doctrine and example he Taught what to doe and what to flee Full of the Spirit he would preach Against opinions false and naught Confute them to and bouldly teach What Christ himselfe to him had taught For which at last he lost his breath Ston'd by the stonie hearts to death Let us then learne by this blest Martyrs end To see our follies and our lives amend For Saint Iohns day THis man the Word did bouldly teach Saw Christ transform'd and did preach The glory in that Mount he saw And by that glory strove to draw The soule of man from sinfull thrall To heaven to which God send us all For Innocents day THe swords of Herods servants tooke Such sweet yong things as with a look Might make a heart of Marble melt But they no grace nor pittie felt Some from the cradle some awake Some sweetly sleeping some they take Dandled upon their mothers lap Some from their armes some from the pap For New-yeares day ALL you that doe the Bell-man heere The first day of this hopefull yeare â—oe in love admonish you So bid your old sins all adue And walk as Gods just Law requires In holy deeds and good desires Which if to doe you le doe your best God will in Christ forgive the rest For Saint Davids day I Am no Welchman but yet to show The love I to the Countrey owe I call this morning and be seeke Each man prepare him for his Leeke For as I heare some men say The first of March is Saint Davids day That worthy Britaine valiant wise Withstood his countries enemies And caused his Souldiers there to choose Leekes for to know them from his foes Who bravely fought and conquest wone And so the custome first begun Then weare your Lecks and doe not shame To memorize your worthies name So noble Britaines all adew Love stil King Charles for he loves you For the 5. of Novemb. AWake Britaines subjects with one accord Extoll and praise and magnifie the Lord Humble your hearts and with devotion sing Praises of thanks to God for our most gratious King This was the night when in a darkesome Cell Treason was found in earth it hatcht in hell And had it tooke effect what would avail'd our sorrow The traine being laid to have blowne us up o' th' morrow Yet God our guide reveal'd the damned plot And they themselves destroy'd and we were not Then let us not forget him thanks to render That hath preserv'd and kept our faiths Defender For Good Friday ALL you that now in bed do lie Know Iesus Christ this night did die â—â—r soules most sinfull for to save That we eternall life might have His whips his grones his crown of thorns Would make us weep lament and mourn For Sunday LEt labour passe let prayer be This day the chiefest worke for thee Thy selfe and servants more and lesse This day must let all labour passe ALL hale to you that sleepe and rest Repent awake your sins detest Call to your mind the day of doome For then our Saviour Christ will come Accompt to have he hath decreed Of every thought word worke and deed And as we have our times here past So shall our judgements be at last AS darke some night unto thy thoughts present What 't is to want the daies bright Element So let thy soule descend through contemplation Where utter darknesse keepes her habitation Where endlesse easelesse paines remedilesse Attend to torture sins curst wilfulnesse O then remember whilst thou yet hast time To call for mercy for each forepast crime And with good David wash thy bed with teares That so repentance may subdue hels feares Then shall thy sovle more purer then the Sunne Ioy as a Gyant her best race to run And in unspotted robes her selfe addresse To meet her Lord that Sonne of righteousnesse To whom with God the Father and the Spirit Be all due praise where all true joyes inherit THe Belman like tho wakefull morning Cocke Doth warne you to be vigilant and wise Looke to your fire your candle and your locke Prevent what may through negligence arise So may you sleepe with peace and wake with joy And no mischances shall your state annoy YOur beds compare unto the grave Then think what sepulcher you have For though you lay you downe to sleepe The Bell-man wakes your peace to keepe Andnightly walks the round about To see if fire and light be out But when the morne daies light appeares Be you as ready for your prayers So shall your labours thrive each day That you the Bel-man well may pay LIke to the Seaman is our life Tost by the waves of sinfull strife Finding no ground whereon to stand Vncertaine death is still at hand If that our lives so vainelesse be Then all the world is vanitie THose that live in wrathfull ire And goe to rest in any sinne They are worse unto their house then fire Or violent theeves that would breake in Then seek to shun with all your might That Hidras head that monstrous sin That God may blesse your goods abroad And eke also your selves within SLeepe on in peace yet waking be And dread his powerfull Majestie Who can translate the irkesome night rom darknesse to that glorious light Whose radient beames when once they rise With winged speed the darkenesse flies THou God that art our helpe at hand Preserve and keep our King and land â—rom forraigne and domesticke foes â—uch as the word and truth depose And ever prosper those of pittie That love the peace of this our Citie AWake from sleepe awake from sin With voice and heart to call on him VVho from above pleas'd to descend From Sathans malice to defend Our forfeit soules to that rich grace Where we may still behold his face LEt us repare and God implore That henceforth we transgres no more And that our joy be at this tide That we in him be satisfide Then shall we all for his deare sake
whole yeare at their gate they must be menders of that which God makes makers of that which God marres turning themselves like the Camelion into all shapes though never so grisly and ougly and being never well till they be most ill never as they conceit in fashion till indeede they be out of all fashion If this be not a vanity of vanities who can tell what is vanity Every man is an eye-witnesse of this vanity the more is the pittie that it should bee so common your Lady the Merchants wife the trades mans wife nay all of all sorts are a degree above their estate Your Gallant is no man unlesse his haire bee of the womans fashion dangling and waving over his shoulders your woman no body except contrary to the modesty of her sexe shee be halfe at least of the mans fashion shee jets she cuts shee rides she sweares she games she smoakes shee drinkes and what not that is evill Shee is in the universall portraiture of her behaviour as well as in her accoutrements more then halfe a man the man on the other side no lesse womanish We may well admire and exclaime with the Poet O tempora O mores O the times O the manners of these times O quantum est in rebus mane O how great a nothing is there in all things What a vanity of vanity hath overspread the age we live in Were our forefathers now alive to be spectators of this vanity it would strike them into amazement In their dayes the Pike the Speare the Sword the Bowe the Arrow Musket and Caliever with the warlike Horse were the object of exercise and recreation Now the Pot the Pipe Dice and Cards and such like vanities indeed worse then the quintessence of the extreamest vanity We are now all for ease wee must lye soft fare deliciously goe sumptuously drinke Wine in bowles carowse healths till health bee quite drunke away nay we must kneele to our drinke when we will not kneele to him that gave us our drinke we doe homage to that which takes away the use of our legges nay of our braines our hearts wits sence reason when we refuse homage to him that gave us all these O vaine man that dost thus forget thy God and abuse thy selfe why dost thou thus suffer thy selfe to be swallowed up in the gulfe of vanity which hath no bottome but misery Why sufferest thou the Divell thus to take thee on the hip that he may cast thee downe into the Abisse of hell Art thou so bewitched with that which will have an end a sudden end a wretched end Thy honey will prove Gall in the end and thy Wine Vinegar In these faire roses of vanity the Divell hides his pins that shall pricke thee when thou lookest to be refreshed with their sweet smels These vanities we purchase at no easie rate it is with the procurement of punishment and losse of happinesse As the bird that accepts of the Fowlers meat buyes it full dearely with the losse of her owne life so when we accept these vanities from the Divell it is with the losse of better things in price above the whole world In these contracts with Satan we make Esau's penniworth sell Heaven for a messe of pottage Glaucus exchange Gold for Copper Now thou art pompering thy corruptible flesh but let pale death step in and clap thee on the shoulder wher 's thy mirth wher 's thy felicity thy voluptuous vanity doth presently expire There is a banquet set before thee in which are all varieties of delicacies but alas every one poysoned darest thou touch or taste any one of them by sin thou poysonest all those outward blessings of God which in themselves are wholesome and good and wilt thou ingurgitate that which is poyson to thy soule Tell me when all is done two or three hundred yeares hence what thou wilt be the better for all thy dainties more then the poore man that never tasted them Nay how much better in the day of triall and at the houre of death Then all thy pride pompe and pleasure shall be turned into squaled deformity irrecoverable calamity then vanity shewes it selfe in the proper colours then death and knell and hell doe all conspire to aggravate thy sorrow yea then hell begins to come to thee before thou come to it thy eyes sleepe not thy senses rest not thy perplexed heart burnes within thee thy wounded conscience bleeds within thee thou seest nothing but terror thou feelest nothing but horror thou thinkest thy selfe to be haunted with sprights ghosts and hellish furies stinging thee with Adders pursuing thee with Torches and fire-brand That saying of the Heathen man is then if not before verified Suae quemque exagitant furiae every man is tormented with his owne fury which is his conscience Besides thy wife children or other friends to the exasperating of thy griefe doe stand about thee weeping as loath to part from thee whereas thy sinnes follow thee and will follow thee doe what thou canst hell gapes before thee with a wide mouth as ready to devoure thee destruction on both sides attends thee backe thou canst not goe for a dead corps followes thee so neere that thou canst not part from it it is tied unto thee with an indissolveable knot besides conscience followes thee and cries out against thee and will not leave thee continually it presents thee with the dreadfull spectacle of thy dolefull and wofull sinnes If this were now seriously considered how would it make thy heart to ake with grieving thy eyes to swell with weeping thy hands to bee alwaies lifted up thy knees ever bended How wouldest thou strive to subdue thy flesh to the spirit sensuality to reason reason to faith and faith to the service of God But thou dost not now consider this that thy sinne is so fast linkt to thy conscience that at the last albeit not before it will pull and hale thee and rack and prick thy conscience which wil accuse convict condemne thee all thy vanities all thy iniquities will then pursue thee like so many furious ghosts Then ex ore tuo out of thy own mouth shalt thou be judged thou evill servant thy owne mouth shall confesse that thou hast followed nothing but vanity What a vanity was it for me to make earth my heaven and so to admire and even adore this earth that it is a hell to forsake it What a wofull bargaine have I made to sell my soule for vanity I was borne in vanity I have lived in vanity and it is my feare that I shall dye in vanity Oh how griefe followeth griefe my heart is terrified my thoughts hurried my conscience tortured I fry in anguish I freeze in paine I stand agast and know not which way to turne me my friends must forsake me my foes wil deride me my earthly joyes and comforts I should call them vanities have betraid me Indeed my friends may goe with me to the grave
gift which God hath â—â—en me contrived a great picture in a little ring set forth the â—eat vanity of this world in a â—â—tle Map Let us now learne the lesson â—f Saint Iohn the beloved Disâ—â—ple of Christ who wrote so â—uch of love doth yet dehort â— from loving the world 1 Iohn â— 15. Love not the world neither â—e things that are in the world Why not the world for three â—asons 1. If any man love the â—orld the love of the Father is not â— him 2. All that is in the world â—e lust of the flesh the lust of the â—â—s and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world 3. The World passeth away and the lust thereof that is it is vain and vanishing yea in the abstract Vanity For these reason we must not suffer our hearts tâ— cleave to the best things in thâ— world as if happinesse were tâ— be found in them Follow thâ— counsell of the Holy Ghosâ— 1 Cor. 7. 31. Use this world 〈◊〉 though thou used it not for thâ— fashion of this world goeth 〈◊〉 way Use the things of thâ— world as helpes to thee in thâ— travell to heaven-ward but 〈◊〉 them not steale away thy heaâ—â— from better things from Goâ— and Christ and Heaven anâ— peace of conscience and joy the Holy Ghost these must dâ—light the heart of a Christian who was redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Jesus Christ in comparison of whom all the things of the world must seeme losse and drosse and dung and whatsoever is most despicable in the eyes of man If riches increase set not thy heart upon them no â—reasure no pleasure no honour nor gold nor plate nor jewels nor house nor land nor apparell nor friends must steale away thy heart We must be â—ffected to these things as Theodoricke the good King of Aâ—â—taine was with his play * In good casts he was silent in ill merâ—y in neither angry in both a Phylosopher or a wise man We must not make these a rivall unto God we must not leaue upon these by our confidence for they are a reed that shall quickly breake and the shivers will run into our hand Death is the most terrible of all things that are terrible said the Philosopher Aristotle it is terrible both to man and beast but most terrible to a wicked man that is worse then a beast when he remembers his sinfull life past the complexion of his flesh the palenesse of his face the dissolution of his members the rottennesse of his bones the obscurenesse of his grave the solitarinesse of his sepulcher the gnawing of wormes and the like But alas albeit these are terrible yet these are nothing without the consideration of sin which is the sting of death the strength and victory of the grave Thinke upon thy sinnes whereof thou art guilty and for which thou must dye as the condemned malefactor that after sentence pronounced is hurried to the fatall place of execution to suffer deserved punishment Remember yea againe and againe I say remember how miserably how violently how suddainely others have suffered death that were guilty of those sins which are more predominant in thee then they were in them Art thou a thiefe which thou maist be though thou wert never attached for theft by the lawes of men for covetousnesse is a Pick-purse before God read and remember how Achan dyed Iosh 7. Art thou a whoremaster which thou maist bee as well in thy minde as in thy body then read and remember how Hophni and Phineas dyed how Zimri and Cesbi were slaine in the very act of their uncleannesse And Iezabel an impudent strumpet dyed a sodaine and shamefull death Art thou a blasphemous swearer that dost rend grinde the sacred name of God betweene thy teeth Remember him under the Law that was stoned to death for his blasphemy Art thou an Idolatrous impe of the Popish Church that dost leave our Lord to worship our Lady and give that honour to Saints nay to stockes and stones which is proper to God alone call to minde how Sennacherib was slaine in the midst of his Idolatry Art thou an intemperate drunkard that dost sacrifice thy time and state nay soule and body unto Bacchus rising early to drinke strong drinke and sitting up late till Wine inflame thee thinke upon Belshazzar that was slaine in the midst of his cups whilst he was drinking in that Wine which the swords of his insulting enemies drew out of him together with his latest blood Art thou a covetous Usurer that dost let out thy money to men thy time to Mammon and thy soule to Satan that like a common Hackney jade wilt not beare thy debtors one houre past thy day or art thou a griping oppressor that dost racke thy poore tenants and exact upon thy neighbour to gaine a little transitory trash Remember Nabal and remember that Miser in the Gospell who being asleep in security and dreaming of enlarged barns and plentifull harvests was sodainly bereft of all and being awaked upon the hearing of his Soule-knell perceived himself to be forever wrerched Consider whether these and the like sinners that have made their souls the slaves of vanity have not in the end made themselves the slaves of misery Have they prospered or have they perished if they have prospered then follow them if perished as indeed they have then in the feare of God retire out of their paths left thou bee speedily cut off having no information of the danger till thine own eyes amazed with the sodainnesse behold it in the shape of inevitable damnation Be thou warned by their examples for God hath punished sinne in them to prevent sinne in thee Vt exempla sint omnium torment a paucorum that the torments of some few may be terrours unto all like as thunderbolts fall Paucorum periculo sed omnium metu to the hurt but of few though not without the horror of all That ship which sees another ship sinke before her lookes about her puls downe her saile turneth her course and escapes the sands which else would swallow her up as they did the other When the earth swallowed up Corah and his confederates all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said Lest the earth swallow us up also Num. 16. 34. The Bird will not light on the lime-bush nor into the net if shee see another insnared before her the Horse will not follow another whom he sees to sticke fast in the mire oh be not lesse wise then bird or beast nor more brutish then Horse and Mule that hath no understanding If thou seest another fall into the fire thou wilt not willingly follow him then follow not sinners to the fire of hell lest thou be constrained at last when it shall bee too late to bewaile thy folly to cry out with those that have
grace that I may now willingly leave this fraile and wicked flesh in hope of the resurrection which in better manner shall restore it to me againe grant me O Lord God that thou wilt by thy grace make strong my soule against all temptations and that thou wilt cover and defend me with the buckler of thy mercy against the assaults of Satan I acknowledge that there is in my selfe no hope of salvation but all my hope and trust is in thy most mercifull goodnesse I have no merits nor good workes which I may alleadge before thee of sinnes and evill works alas I see a great heape but through thy mercy I trust to be of the number of them to whom thou wilt not impute their sins but take and impute mee for righteous and just and to be the inheritor of everlasting glory Thou O most mercifull Lord wert borne for my sake thou didst suffer both hunger and thirst thou didst preach teach pray and fast for my sake thou didst all good works and sufferedst most grievous pangs and torments for my sake and finally thou gavest thy most precious body to dye and thy blessed bloud to bee shed on the Crosse for my sake wherefore most mercifull Saviour let all these things profit me which thou hast freely given mee which hast given thy selfe for me let thy bloud cleanse and wash away the spots and foulenesse of my sinnes let thy righteousnesse hide and cover my unrighteousnesse let the merits of thy bitter sufferings be a sufficient and propitiatory sacrifice and satisfaction for my sinnes give me O Lord thy grace that my faith and beleefe of thy true and grievous death waver not in me but ever be firme and constant that the hope of thy mercy life everlasting never decay in me that charity waxe not cold in me and finally that the weaknesse of my flesh be not overcome with the feare of death grant me also O most mercifull Saviour that when death hath shut up the eyes of my body yet the eyes of my soule may still behold and look upon thee and that when death hath taken away the use of my tongue and speech yet my heart may cry and say unto thee O Lord into thy hands I give and commit my soule Lord Jesus receive my spirit and take me to thy mercies Amen A Prayer for a Woman in time of her travaile RIghteous and holy Lord God I doe now finde by experience the fruit of my sinne that I must travaile in sorrow and bring forth in paine and I unfainedly adore the truth of thy sacred Word as certifying unto me that sorrow must be in the Evening so comforting me also against the Morning that a Childe shall be borne Willingly I doe desire to submit my selfe in hope unto this thy chastisement and to learne the desert of my sinnes horrible in themselves that these temporall paines are forerunners of eternall and yet by thy mercy may be so sanctified unto me as not onely to prevent eternall vengeance but also prepare for eternall comforts even to be saved by bearing of Children Grant me therefore gracious Father true repentance and pardon for my sinnes past that they may not stand at this time in this my need betweene mee and thy mercy Give mee a comfortable feeling of thy love in Christ which may sweeten all other pangs though never so violent or extreame make me still to lift up my soule unto thee in my greatest agonies knowing that thou alone must give a blessing to the ordinary meanes for my safe deliverance Lay no more upon me then I am able to endure strengthen my weake body to the bearing of what sorrowsoever by which it shall seeme good unto thee to make triall of me Grant mee to consider that howsoever it be with me yet I am alwaies at thine hand whose mercies faile not who wilt bee found in the Mount and greatest extremitie and to whom belong the issues of death so prepare me therefore to death that I may be fit for life even to yeeld fruit alive unto the world and to be renewed and enabled to nourish the same And when thou hast safely given mee the expected fruit of my wombe make me with a thankfull heart to consecrate both it and my selfe wholly to thy service all the daies of my life through Jesus Christ mine onely Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Thankesgiving after safe deliverance O Blessed for ever bee thy great and glorious Name most deere and loving Father for thy great mercy to me most weake and sinfull woman Wonderfull art thou in all thy workes O Lord the riches of thy mercies are past finding out thou hast plunged me with great afflictions and yet thou hast returned and refreshed me againe thou hast brought mee to the feare of the grave and yet thou hast raised me up again to life O how hast thou shewed thy power in my weaknesse How hath thy loving kindnesse prevailed against my unworthinesse Thou mightest for my sinnes have left me to perish in mine extremities but thou hast compassed me about with joyfull deliverance thou mightest have made my wombe a grave to bury the dead or in affoording life to another thou mightest have procured my death but yet thou hast not onely made my wombe a well-spring of life but restored life unto me also for the cherishing thereof Marveilous O Lord are thy workes infinite are thy mercies my soule by present experience knoweth it well O my soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name My soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits Thou hast heard my prayers and looked upon my sorrow thou hast redeemed my life from death and healed mine infirmities and crowned me with thine everlasting compassions O give me I humbly pray thee a thankfull heart not onely now while the memory and sense of thy favour is fresh before me but continually even so long as I have any being Grant that I may learne by his lively evidence of thy power and mercy for ever hereafter â—o depend only on thee Quicâ—en me also to all holy duties â—hat my thankfullnesse may appeare in my pure and Christian â—arriage Make me a kind and carefull â—nother willing to undergoe the â—aine and trouble of education â—et no nicenesse or curiositie â—inder me from those services â—o whom both nature and reliâ—ion hath appointed me let me â—â—so be carefull when time reâ—uireth to season the fruit thou â—ast given me with the saving â—nowledge of thee thy deere on that my desire may manifestly appeare to be set for the â—ncrease of thy Kingdome Vouchsafe so to order my affections and to bring them in obedience unto thee that if it should bee thy pleasure either now oâ— hereafter to take this infant from me I may as willingly part with it as thou freely gave it me And now O God perfect in mee that strength which thou hast begun make me to grow in care to
Be blest a sleepe be blest awake SIth neither men nor Angels know When as the dreadful trump shal blow Nor when our Saviour Christ shall come To give the world a wofull doome Thinke then but what a case you 're in That sleepe in unrepented sinne O wake O wake O watch and pray And think upon this dreadfull day SLeepe not so sound rest not secure Marke well my words of this be sure The waking Virgins past the gate When those that slept came al too late Wherefore be watchfull in your center That you may with the bridegroome enter IF wicked impes wake day and night And keep their candle alwayes light And all their skill and practise bend To bring their damned plots to end Let us not sleepe but laud his skill That frustrates all their projects still THe night well spent the day drawes night Awake from sleep and sin defie All sluggish sloath expell away Have still in mind the judgement day When dead shall rise at trumpets call The graves shall open wide with all ARise from sin awake from sleepe The earth doth mourne The Heavens weepe The winds and Seas distempered bin And all by reason of mans sin Wherefore arise lay sleepe aside And call on God to be your guide From raging sword and arrowes flight And from the terrours of the night From fires flame from sin and sorrow God blesse you all and so good morrow ALL you which in your beds doe lie Vnto the Lord ye ought to cry â—hat he would pardon all your sins And thus the Belâ—mans prayer begins Lord give us grace our sinful life to mend And at the last to send a joyfull end â—aving put out your fire and your light â—or to conclude I bid you all good night MAns life is like a warfare on the earth Whose time is spent with troubles toyles and cares Subject to all temptations from his birth In woe he lives and dies at unnawares The surest signe true fortitude to show Is in his life all vice to overthrow O Harke O harke my Masters all To your poore servants cry and call And know all you that lie at ease That our great God may if he please Deprive you of your vitall breath Then sleeping thinke your sleepe is death LEt true repentance cleanse your sin And then your soules coÌ„mend to him That by his death hath rais'd and cur'd The dead the blind and them assured To give to them eternall rest To live in Heaven among the blest Confesse thy sins to God on hie Who pardons sinners when they cry Bewray thy faults to him in time Who will in Christ forgive thy crime HE that on the Crosse hath died And for our sins was crucified Be you ever blest in him And cleane remitted from your sin Be it granted as I have praid And so the Bel-man resteth paid ALL you that in bed doe lye Harken well to what I cry Leave off your sins repentance crave It is the onely way your soules to save REpent in time while ye have breath RepentaÌ„ce commeth not after death He therefore that will live for aye Must leave his sins and to God pray O Gratious God and blessed Preserve all ye that be in bed So that your quiet rest may take Vntill the morning that ye wake Then may ye all with praises sing To thee O God our heavenly King REmember man thou art but dust There is none alive but dye he must To day a man to morrow none So soone our life is past and gone Mans life is like a withered flower Alive and dead all in an houre Leave of thy sins therefore in time And Christ will rid thee from thy crime O Mortall man that is made of dust In worldly riches put not thy trust Remember how thy time doth passe Even like the sand that from the Glasse â—ath spent the time and there remaines â—ever canst thou call that time againe SIcke men complaine they cannot sleepe The Bel-man such a noise doth keepe Others that doe win at play Sayes he too soone proclaimes the day Yet to the sicke that drawes short breath It puts them in the mind of death And saies the gamster makes good stake If he for Heaven so long would wake And all this while like silly worme He doth his office but performe Then if his duty breed disease Hee le goe to bed and none displease FINIS Psal 2. 2 3. Nequities vitae non siniâ— esse senem Rom. 6. 12. * * Conventum terrarioÌ„ orbis Justin l. 2. Dan. 5. Dan. 4. 2 King 25. Eccl. â— Eccl 1. 2. Ps 102 26. 1 Pet. 1 19. Ps 26. 10. In 〈◊〉 iâ—ctibâ—â— tacet in maâ—â— rides in utrisque Philosophatur 2 Sam. 3. Numb 25. 8. Isa 37. ult Dan. â— ult Lut. 12 Cyprian ser 5. de Laps Thus Franciâ— Spira cried out after hee had renounced the profession of true pietie for the possession of earths vanity Rev. 2â—