it more grieuous vnto me lest I fainted vnder it The liues of the Saints of old and men now a daies how different they are O What differēce is there betweene our liues and the liues of the Saints and holie men of God recorded in scriptures and other writings wherin their examples are commended vnto vs as paterns and presidents to follow in so many rare and excellent vertues as they haue gone before vs and left the memorie of them behinde them as a light to shine vnto vs who walke in the darknes of this world in the middest of such a peruerse and crooked generation among whom we should shine as they haue done Sure when I lay our examples vnto theirs and compare our liues with theirs me thinkes that many euen of those who are esteemed as the best Christians deserue little more then the name of halfe Christians or at least but of weake ones and nouices in this holy profession so farre doe they come short of that which wee see to haue been in them and ought to be in our selues Oh where is the holy and religious conuersation of Enoch whose whole life was a continuall walking in the presence of the glorious God and a daily conuersing familiar acquainting himselfe with him in the carefull and conscionable discharge of all those duties which he required of him Where is the faith of Abraham by which as he well deserued to be accounted the father of vs all that are true beleeuers so also he obteined this as a singular prerogatiue and euidence of the extraordinarie grace and fauour of God towards him to be called and reputed in an especiall maner the friend of God Where is the meeknesse of Moses where is the patience and constancie of Iob in the middest of so many and that so fiery trialls for which the Lord did so plētifully reward him when there seemed almost to be no hope for him and caused his example to be famous among all them that should heare of him Where is the holy zeale of Dauid whose eyes did not drop but euen gush forth as it were riuers of teares and his heart euen consume within him whiles he sawe the wicked trāsgresse the Lawes of God whom he loued so dearely and euen with iust Lot vexed his righteous soule from day to day whiles he beheld the vnlawfull deeds and wicked abominations whereby the Lord was prouoked euerie day Where is his vprightnes and sinceritie in the worship and seruice of God for which the Lord graced him with this title that he was a man after Gods own heart Where is the delight that he tooke in the commandements of God wherin he found such sweetnes that all things els were nothing so pleasing vnto him nor so much desired of him Where is that holy deuotion which proceeded from his pure minde his sanctified heart and his heauenly affections in such sort that night and day continually vpon al occasions he breathed foorth those sweete hymnes and most pleasant songs and ditties of laud and praise vnto the Lord for all his benefits as to himselfe in particular so to the whole Church and all the Saints in generall prouoking them likewise and all creatures to do the same with the same affection Where is the integritie and vprightnes of Iosiah and Ezekiah who walked before the Lord in truth and with a perfect heart doing that alwaies which was good in his sight without all guile dissimulation Where is that conscionable practise of a godly and of a Christian life that was in Paul whose desire and endeuour was to haue alwaies a cleere conscience towards God and towards men and to haue his conuersation in the world in simplicitie and godly purenes Or where is the heauenly mindednes of the same Apostle who whiles hee liued in the world yet carried himselfe as one that was of another world hauing his conuersation in heauen from thence expecting and looking for continually the glorious appearance of our blessed Sauiour for the accomplishment of his redemption Or where is there that earnest desire of the conuersion and saluation of others which so manifestly shewed foorth it selfe in him in that it was not only the prayer of his heart but that which he aimed at in all his actions and sought for by all meanes and which that hee might attaine vnto hee thought no labour no trauell painfull or grieuous no nor yet esteemed his life it selfe deare vnto him euen that he might win many vnto Christ bringing thē vnto the knowledge and obedience of the truth that so their soules might bee saued in the day of iudgement Or where is the pietie and deuotion of that religious Gentill who although he wanted the meanes which wee now haue in more plentifull manner yet hath this commendation giuen vnto him that he was a man fearing God himselfe and carefull to haue his whole household and all those that belonged vnto him acquainted with true religion and godlinesse and withal that he caused his prayers and his almes to ascend continually into the presence of God so that the Lord tooke pleasure and delight in him and reuealed himselfe more cleerely and euidently vnto him by the ministerie of his messenger which hee sent vnto him for that purpose Or where is the forwardnes of those noble Beroeans in receiuing the word with all readines and enquiring and searching into the Scriptures from day to day that they might know embrace the truth preached and being well grounded and setled in it continue stedfast and vnmoueable in the profession of it notwithstanding the opposition of all false Teachers and seducing aduersaries Or where is there one like the first Martyr S. Stephen a man full of faith and of the holie Ghost and of that vnfained loue and charitie as to continue praying for his deadly enemies vnto the last breath Or where bee there any that haue that entire and louing affection vnto all the brethrē euen to all the Saints which that beloued Disciple of Christ and fatherly Apostle S. Iohn breathes foorth as it were thoroughout all his Epistles and whereof no doubt he had receiued so great a measure that he desired nothing more then that as hee did so others also might abound in the same grace and thereby vpon good ground be well assured that they were borne of God and translated from death to life In briefe where are they that with the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and other holie men and faithfull seruants of God in former times addresse themselues with all readines willingnes and cheerfulnes to serue the Lord both day and night in watchings in fasting and praier in diuine and heauenly meditations and in the daily exercise of al the duties of a holie and religious course being content if the will of God bee so to passe thorough that fierie triall with patience and perseuerance to bee reuiled disgraced hated persecuted made a gazing stocke to the world yea euen as the filth of the world
THE EXERCISE OF TRVE SPIRItuall Deuotion Consisting of diuers holy Meditations and Prayers Seruing for the inflaming of mens benummed affections the quickening and increase of sauing grace and the better ordering of the whole course of the life of a Christian in a manner acceptable to God profitable vnto others and comfortable vnto his own soule The first Part. AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man 1610. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR EDVVARD LEVVKENOR Knight grace and happines SIR I here offer vnto you a small present yet my first fruites in this kinde and therefore such as I hope will find some acceptance with you That which moued me to the bringing of them to open light was not any priuate or sinister respect but mature and aduised deliberation First I obserued the great neglect of those two maine duties of meditation and prayer how farre most were from the daily practise thereof how much vnacquainted therewith then which notwithstanding nothing should bee more ordinary with Christians I heard oft complaints of the scantnes of writings of this nature as much as of superfluitie in others yea euen our aduersaries haue not spared to fasten this as a reproch vnto our profession and religion though indeede they haue least cause to complaine of vs what colour soeuer they may seem to haue seeing the greatest part of their labours herein is farre from that holy exercise of true deuotion sauouring in many things too much of superstition and carnall affectation and not that onely but also as may easily appeare to those that are of sound iudgement right discerning exceeding defectiue in the main points and maimed in the principall parts euen in those which should bee the very life of deuotion I considered also how necessarie it was for men to haue many helps and furtherances at hand whereby they might bee inured to the due and frequent performance of this dutie so requisite for the taking away of that drines of hart and that deadnes of affection which is oftentimes in the best and for the remedying of that spirituall distemper which not seldome doth preuaile too much with them who otherwise are well disposed desire to approoue theÌ„selues vnto the Lord in truth and sinceritie as also for the quickening of the fainting soule and languishing spirits which without the daily exercise of this and other holy duties are soone ouertaken with a kinde of chilnesse and want of spirituall life and motioÌ„ Besides that which more nearly concerned me I remembred how God hath placed all men in the world for a time not to be idle and vnprofitable but to be helpful and seruiceable vnto others whiles they liue by what meanes they can yea how straitly euery one is bound to imploy any talent that God hath betrusted him withall during his life here vpon earth vnto his glorie and to the benefite of others lest when the day of accounts shall come he be found blame-worthie and so depriued of the ioy of his master euen the glorie of that celestiall Kingdome the losse whereof can neuer be recompensed with the greatest abundance of the fading pleasures and fruitles vanities of this alluring and deceitfull world I saw also how fast my dayes did slide away with a swift foot and how the harbingers of death had oft summoned me to my last end giuen me warning to prepare for his comming yea how my candle was much spent whiles I had giuen but little light vnto others Eccle. 9.10 Psalm 115.17.18 and thought vpon that of the wiseman that there is neither worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither I was going and making hast euery houre and therefore considering oft and seriously with my selfe the shortnes vncertaintie of my fading life the line wherof God of his mercie and goodnes hath drawen out longer then I either did or could promise vnto my selfe I was desirous that this short course of mine might not be without profite but that according vnto that poore talent which the Lord hath giueÌ„ vnto me I might in any sort be beneficiall vnto the least of the saints of God and be a meanes of spiritual good vnto any though not in such maner as those whom God hath inabled for greater performances This it was that preuailed with me and at length moued me beeing also moued thereunto by some who hauing interest in me made me more forward in this businesse to publish that for the benefite of others which I had first vndertaken for mine owne priuate exercise the exercise I meane of my minde in the duties of true spirituall deuotion The reasons why I haue made choice of you among others vnder whose name to communicat vnto others these slender labours of mine are these especially First that knowing you haue bin so well seasoned in your younger yeares by meanes of the religious and godly care of your worthie parents who as while they liued they were lights vnto others so now being dead and at rest with the Lord their example may well be a paterne and president vnto those of that ranke and order I might hereby stirre vp your pure minde in this your riper age vnto the daily exercise of those duties which were so vsuall and ordinarie with theÌ„ as doubtlesse they haue left few behinde them who deserue the like praise herein As the remembrance hereof may be a ioy and comfort vnto you so the imitation of the same wil be comfortable and exceeding profitable both vnto your selfe and others Againe I was drawen hereunto in priuate respects both in regard of that ancient frieÌ„dship first begun whiles we liued in the same Colledge vnder the same gouernment as also of that kindnes which you haue since shewed me and which being desirous to make acknowledgement of I thought good to take this occasion Accept therfore I pray this as a testimonie of the vnfained loue Christian affectioÌ„ which I deseruedly beare towards you in many respects And if it please you at your vacant houres to bestow some time in the perusing of it I hope you shall finde that which maybe some waies profitable which is the only thing I desire and aime at The Lord increase his graces in you and multiply his blessings vpon you and vpon that whole familie that it may be as it hath bin a light vnto others in this darke and sinfull age wherin the examples of those that should goe before others in the practise of pietie and godlinesse are so rare and precious Your Worships in all christian dutie and affection I. ALLISTON Emman Coll. in Cambridge August 30. 1610. The Preface MEditation praier these ought to be the daily exercise of euery true Christian. Ne ther can I see how he should deserue the name of a Christian who dâ—th altogether neglect either or both of them Both of them are necessarie as seuerally in themselues so especially iointly together although indeede the one neither may nor can be well
seuered or separated from the other but that there will be a want found of the benefite which should be receiued thereby Meditation is a preparatiue to praier Praier the end of meditation If thou wouldest pray effectually thou must begin with meditation if thou wouldest meditate profitably and fruitfully thou must end with praier Vse both these duty as thou shalt haue occasion as if thy heart be wel ordered and rightly affected as it ought thou canst seldome or neuer want it and withall pray vnto God for a blessing vpon them and doubt not but that thou shalt finde much sweetnes and comfort in them and reape no small benefite by them MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies Psalm 119.15 Teach mee to doe the thing that pleaseth thee for thou art my God Psalm 143.10 If I regard wickednes in mine heart the Lord will not heare me Psal 66.18 The Lord is neere vnto all that call vpon him euen to all that call vpon him in truth Psal 145.18 Enemies to deuotion first sinfull lusts HE that hath an aguish fitte vpon him can taste nothing well but all things euen the most sweete and wholesome meats are vnsauorie to him he can find no relish in them So it is with the man whose soule is disteÌ„pered through sinne He findes no sweetnes no sauour in the things of God yea his soule doth loath and abhorre them though they be sweeter then Manna it selfe O Lord keepe me from this spiritual distemperature which of all others is most dangerous and grant that I may alwaies delight in those things which are pleasing vnto thee yea that I may finde much sweetnes in them euen in meditation praier and all other holy exercises which thou hast prescribed in thy word that so my soule may liue for euer 2 Worldly Cares THe cares of this world and the desire of these earthly vanities oh what snares they are to the soule and to the spirit of a man How many are taken in them and so brought into a kinde of thraldome bondage What incumbrances are they vnto them in the performance of good actions How doe they coole yea quench the holy motions the godly desires and purposes of the heart and hinder it from diuine and heauenly meditations which otherwise it would relish farre better and finde much more sweetnes and delight therein then now it doth O my God preserue thou mee both now and alwaies from the inordinate and immoderate cares of this euill world and from the excessiue and vnlawfull desire and affection of all vaine and transitorie things Let me not be insnared and intangled with them as others are Let them not be any let or hindrance vnto my soule to withdraw it from the more serious meditation of spirituall and heauenly things or in any sort to coole my affection towards them or to cause me to take the lesse pleasure and delight in them or to be the more vnfit to be conuersant about them Let them not so oppresse my minde that I should finde lesse libertie and freedome of spirit in good things or become more vnapt for the performance of any dutie of thy worship and seruice any holy or religious exercise which thou requirest of me but grant I beseech thee that seeing how deceitfull this world is how vaine all things here below are I may daily be more and more weaned from the loue and desire of them yea may haue thy loue so shed into my heart that all my delight may be in thee all my affections set vpon thee in such sort that all carnall and earthly things which would withdraw me from thee and from the loue of spirituall and heauenly things may be bitter and vnpleasant vnto me and that I may serue thee with more chearefulnes and alacritie all my daies to thy glorie and to the increase of my happines in thy kingdome 3 Sathans suggestions THat euil and enuious spirit the enemie of al mankinde neuer resteth but seeketh vncessantly to cast ill motions and suggestions into the hearts of men and to draw away their minds from euery good thing which they enterprise and take in hand He vseth all meanes to make them faint in the seruice of God to coole their zeale to quench their spirituall deuotion to hinder them in the performance of all good duties and religious exercises which might make for the increase of grace in them and to cause them if it be possible to fall from that purpose of heart and godly resolution which heretofore they haue had to continue in the Lord and to walke in the waies which he hath commanded yea no sooner shall the good spirit inspire into them any good motions any holy desires but that wicked and envious one standing readie at hand will labour presentlie to strangle them so that they shal neuer come to any effect but vanish away and leaue the hearte more heardened and lesse capable of goodnes and of any spirituall and heauenly grace then euer it was before Oh how closely and how slily doth he insinuate himselfe into the minds of men and deceiue and delude them in this maner when they think little he is so neare them or so busie in working them so great a mischiefe euen that which if it be not carefully preuented in time wil be their vtter ruine in the end O Lord let me neuer giue eare vnto the deceitfull inchantments and to the enticing dangerous charmes of that subtile and wilie serpent who is alwaies hissing about me Let me not once listen vnto him nor yeeld vnto any of his suggestions but alwaies resist him in the first motions vnto euery sinne wherunto he shall tempt me And whensoeuer that good spirit of thine shall speake inwardly and secretlie vnto my soule and inspire any good thought any holie affection or desire into my heart let me hearken thereunto as vnto thy voice Let me carefullie vse the meanes to foster and cherish such beginnings of grace as it shall please thee in mercie and goodnes to infuse into me that so I may not fall away from any good thing which thou hast wrought in me heretofore nor finde my selfe more vnfit or vnto ward vnto any dutie or spirituall exercise wherein heretofore thou hast caused me to take much ioy and great delight but graunt that I may daily increase in grace and goe forward cheerefully constantly in the wayes of pietie and true holines and with full purpose of heart cleaue fast vnto thee to the end of my daies neuer forsaking thee nor being forsaken of thee who art the God of my hope my strength my saluation WORKES OF CREAtion ALl the workes of God are excellent and glorious if we stand to consider them â—b 40.10 from Behemoth whom the scripture mentioneth and setteth forth as one of the cheifest of them to the Ostrich from the great Whale in the middest of the seas to the least fish that moueth in the waters
blessed Lord either send me a calme after those stormes which haue gone ouer me or else which I rather desire cause me speedily to arriue at that hauen which I hope and long for and where I shall enioy perfect and perpetuall rest and peace without anie trouble or disquietnesse yea without the scare of any of those perils and dangers vnto which I am now continually subiect The Ancre of the soule in afflictions A Shippe that is on the sea in stormie tempestuous weather if it hath not an ancre which being cast forth may hold and stay it is carried vp and downe and tossed to and fro with much violence and so at length either driuen vpon the sands or dashed against the rocks In like maner it is with all those that in the troublesome sea of this dangerous world where there are so many stormes tempests continually arising want the ancre of their soules euen true faith in Christ and an assured hope of the promises made by him they are tossed to and fro continually hauing no rest no comfort no confidence they are carried away violently with the raging waters and in the end either fall vpon some quicke sands which swallow them vp and cause them to sink into the bottome of that great deepe or else rush against some stony and craggy rocke which beateth them to pieces bringeth them to ruine O my God thou seest the great perils and dangers I am subiect vnto and shall be as long as I liue in this world which is a sea of miseries and manifold calamities The windes blow the deepe wateres lift vp their swelling waues and the stormie tempests threaten me with shipwracke to the ruine and destruction both of my soule bodie O therefore let me neuer want that assured hope which being as the ancre of my soule both sure and stedfast may enter into that which is within the vaile and clasp fast hold of those gracious promises which thou hast made vnto me in thy Christ my blessed Sauiour so shall I not onely be safe and confident in the middest of those dangers which are round about me but also in the end hauing escaped out of them all arriue at that pleasant hauen of true felicitie and endlesse blisse and happinesse vnto which the desire and praier of my heart is that thou wouldest shortly bring me that so I may rest with thee and sing praises vnto thee in thy kingdome vncessantly euen for euer Great danger in yeelding to the least motion of any sinne IN euery sinne that any one yeelds vnto he laies himselfe open vnto the Diuell giues him power of him how carefull therefore should men be to auoide all sinnes and not willingly to admit the least sith thereby they giue Sathan so great aduantage against them O Lord giue me grace alwaies to resist Sathan in the entrance of his suggestions and temptations euen in the first motions vnto euill wherewith he shall at any time assaile me that so he may neuer be able to preuaile against me or to get the dominion ouer me Grace to be increased daily by all meanes GRace if it be not continually nourished and increased by all good meanes which God hath appointed it will quickly waste and decay exceedingly How many haue we seene that of strong haue become weak feeble that hauing for a time flourished with many excellent graces and been as greene Oliues or fruitfull plants in the house of God haue afterwards appeared as seare trees and as withered branches as though they had almost no iuice or sap left in thē which might cause them to budde forth and to become fruitfull O mercifull God as it pleaseth thee to giue me thy grace in any measure so grant that I maybe carefull alwaies to vse all meanes whereby it may be preserued and daily strengthned and increased in me that thus the longer I liue in this world the more fruitfull I may be abounding in euery good worke my last daies maybe my best daies the inward man of my soule maybe renued the more that this outward man shall perish and decay and hauing in my life time caused thy grace to shine forth vnto others I may after this life shine as a starre in the brightnesse of glory in thy kingdome for euermore Amen Sathans guilefull temptations WHo knoweth the power the craft malice of Sathan the wilie serpent that roaring Lyon he walketh about the earth continually and compasseth it to and fro on euery side looking for his prey yea he seeketh by all meanes to insinuate himselfe into vs by many suggestions and diuers kinds of temptations and thereby to sting vs vnto death he waites his time watches the occasion fittest for his purpose and whereby he may easiliest preuaile and as hee is warie in choosing his time and taking his occasion and opportunitie so is he as cunning in making choice of the means obseruing the inclinations the natures and seuerall dispositions of men both in regard of mind of bodie Thus he deceiued the perfectest that euer were on earth euen our first parents in Paradise and that in the time of their innocencie and integritie before sin had made man so subiect vnto Sathan as now all are thus also since the fall he hath deceiued and beguiled the wisest that euer was among men as he did Salomon the strongest as he did Sampson the holiest as he did Dauid c. There is no place so holy no excercise so good which can quaile his courage or restraine the boldnesse of his attempts yea euen the best things will he seeke to make serue for his purpose out of the best duties and actions which we doe or can performe he will take his aduantage against vs and cause vs to sinne against God when we desire endeuour most to approue our selues vnto him O Lord sith that euil one is alwaies tēpting let me alwaies in al things be vigilant and watchfull let my eies be open my heart waking continually lest that enuious malitious spirit sow his tares whiles I sleepe in carelesnesse and securitie yea sith that enemie of thy grace and of the saluation of thy children is so mightie so subtile and malitious grant that I may not be secure at anie time but alwaies keep a sure guarde ouer my heart and all the affections of the same and because I am weake of my selfe be thou faithfull according vnto thy promise to assist me in all those temptations wherewith Sathan shall at any time assaile me so shall I praise the for euer who art my strength my saluation euen the God through whom I am able to doe all things by whom all mine enemies are subdued vnto me Christians are to estrange themselues from this world and to aspire vnto heauen WE are all of vs heere pilgrimes and strangers heauen is our country God our father Christ our elder brother all the Saints and Angels our neerest kinsfolke and