rouse from sleepe so deepe and long God wak'ned hath the Eccho of this Song W. D. ON THE SEVEN DAYES THe glorious God the First Day made the Light Next stretcht the Firmament in bredth hight The Third dryde Earth and it with Plants He stor'd The Fourth the Heauens with Lamps of light decor'd Fift th' Aire with Fowls with Fishes filde each Flood The Sixt made Beasts and Man and all were good On the Seuenth Day the Lord from worke did rest Therefore that Day Hee sanctifi'd and blest I. A. AN ANTIPHONE or EPODE For VV. D. his Heptachordon TO THE AVTHOR THis seuen string'd Lute as shewes the sacred Storie GOD made to shew the brightnesse of his Glorie On which by diuerse Handes sixe thousand Springs Beene playde and all to prayse that King of Kings Now last the Sonne of that sweet Swan-like Singer Who Christ in Armes embracing would not linger Longer on Earth harmoniouslie doth rayse On it Notes fit the furious fits t' appease Of Soules Saule-like and of their franticke follie Them charme to sound his prayse who 's only holie Therefore my Brother deare well mayst thou thinke Employde thy Paines thy Paper Penne and Inke Whereby poore Soules are sav'd Gods Name 's extoll'd And thine 'mongst neuer-dying names enroll'd M. I. ADAMSON THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKE AN humble Confession of sinnes Pag. 1 A Meditation on the first days work Pag. 19 A Prayer on the first Day Pag. 22 A Meditation on the second Day Pag. 27 A Prayer on the second Day Pag. 30 A Meditation on the third Day Pag. 36 A Prayer on the third Day Pag. 38 A Medit. on the fourth Day Pag. 50 A Prayer on the fourth Day Pag. 62 A Med. on the fifth Day Pag. 68 A Pr. on the fâ—fth Day Pag. 74 A Meditat. on the sixth Day Pag. 79 A Prayer on the sixth Day Pag. 85 A Meditation on the seuenth Day Pag. 91 A Prayer on the seuenth Day Pag. 102 Morning Prayer Pag. 108 Euening Prayer Pag. 114 A Meditation on the Church Pag. 120 A prayer for the Church Pag. 125 A meditation on the holie Communion Pag. 133 A prayer before the Communion Pag. 139 A thankesgiuing after the Communion Pag. 141 A Medit. of the trouble of Conscience Pag. 143 A prayer for a troubled Conscience Pag. 149 A meditation of Kinges Pag. 155 A Prayer for the King c. Pag. 158 A Meditation of Sicknesse Pag. 161 A prayer for a sicke person Pag 163 A prayer for a Woman in trauell Pag. 169 A meditation of Persecution Pag. 173 A prayer for one persecuted Pag. 177 A meditation of Famine Pag. 182 A prayer in time of Famine Pag. 184 A meditation of Pestilence Pag. 187 A prayer in time of pestilence Pag. 189 A Meditation of the Sword Pag. 191 A prayer in time of the Sword Pag. 194 A Meditation of Death Pag. 197 A Prayer at the houre of Death Pag. 200 FINIS AN HVMBLE CONFESSION OF SINNES OEternall God and moste mercifull Father I confesse and acknowledge before thine heauenly Majestie that I am a moste miserable sinner first Sinne by nature because I was conceiued in sinne and borne in iniquitie next by reason I haue added to the sinnes of my nature the sinnes of a damnable life For there iâ— no Precept of thy Law which I haue not broken neither is there any judgemeÌ„t which I haue not deserued Insensible But yet this increaseth my woe that wheÌ„ I am thus wounded I feele not my wound but doe lie sleeping as Ionas did when the tempest of thy judgements doeth assault mee But alace this is moste grieuous of all Ionah 1.5 that when thy Majestie by the sweete voyce of thy worde Against knowledge hast called mee to repentance I closed mine cares to thy warninges If those who transgressed the law of Moses Deu. 19.15 vnder two or three witnesses died without mercy much more I who haue troden vnder my feete the blood of the New Testament Heb. 10.29 and haue accounted light of the offers of thy grace and by the testimonie of mine owne conscience am worthie of condemnation And seeing I am arraigned before thy Tribunall I flee to thy selfe as to a Citie of refuge Deut. 19.3 where I will pleade my cause by an humble Confession Therefore I sall downe vpon the knees of mine heart before the portes of thy mercie begging of thee the spirit of vnsained repentance that acknowledging my sinne I may finde grace in thine eyes But because the beginning of repentance is to see my sinne open mine eyes O Lord that I may see my nakednesse bewaile the dayes of my sinne I will giue vp dittie against my selfe I will giue out doome against my soule I will condemne my selfe that thou mayst absolue me I wil haue my sinnes before mine eyes that thou mayst cast them behinde thy backe I wil remember them that thou mayst forget them I wil repent them thou wilt forgiue them I acknowledge my sins Psal 51.3 mine iniquitie is euer before mee O Lord thou louest the trueth in the inward affections Ibid. 6. I am content that shame be to mee if honour come thereby to thee that thou mayest be just when thou speakest Ibid. 4. and pure when thou judgest First I confesse that I was created to thy Image but sinne hath so disgraced and defaced it in me that there appeareth no print thereof in my nature I was white as the snowe Ier. 13.23 but am become blacke as the More my righteousnesse is as a menstruous garment Esa 64.6 Restore thine Image in me and repare thy ruinous building Thine honour shall bee greatter in reforming than in forming me as in my resurrection thy glorie shall kythe more than in my creation The liberalitie of thy goodnesse appeared when as thou stamped such graces in my nature but thy mercies which indure for euer may bee seene when thou renewest those gifts which I haue prodigallie wasted and spent vpon sinne Transforme mee O Lord to thy similitude that as thou art holy wise mercifull patient bountifull c. so I may represent thee in some measure in them all As for mine infancie Mans state in infancie I knowe not what I was a poore Suckling vpon my Mothers Breastes I could no wayes helpe my selfe but by weeping I was casten vpon thee from the wombe by thy prouidence I was kept and thine Angels guarded mee But this I know that an Infant of one day is not cleane before thee haue mercy vpon mee therefore O my God and by the holy infancie of my Sauiour I beseech thee abolish whatsoeuer guiltinesse I haue contracted in my Childhood euen from my birth Childhood Then I grew a Childe which I doe well remember the poysonable roote of sinne which lay hid in mine infancie sprang foorth in my childhood And then for as little as I was I began to disdaine yea to snite
signifie Some Planets but each one of them hath a seuerall office and compleateth his course in his appointed time as the Sunne and Moone doe and haue their particular operations vpon the inferiour creatures As for the Comets they take their name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comets which is called the haire because they seeme to carrie as it were haire about them of whom Plinius maketh mention in his second Booke of his naturall historie and twentie fiue Chapter The ends of their creation Simil. As for the ends of their creation First the Sunne was created to rule the Day the Moone the Night So this darke and blinde world is ruled by the light of Christ and of his Church which is illuminated and directed by him But I maruell how the Church of Rome can call her selfe the Sunne and the Princes of the world the Moone for if she be the Spouse of Christ then must she be the Moone of whom is spoken in the Scripture and Christ must be her Sunne So in comparison of her the secular persons are the Earth I maruell likewise of these against whom Ieremie and the rest of the Prophets so oft speaketh who thinke that their life and the events thereof still depend vpon the Starres or Plannets which is a manifest idolatrie putting them in Gods place NOTA. But let vs learne that the superiour creatures haue so power ouer the inferriour bodies that wee leaue all the euent of them to God Against the curiositie in searching our euents 1. Sam. 28.18 the maker and guider of all let vs seeke his fauour depende on his prouidence without any curious searching of our euent lest wee receiue the answere of Saul A PRAYER Vpon the LORDES fourth Dayes Worke. GRACIOVS GOD and mercifull Father who hast filled the Heauens with such infinite Lightes vpon this fourth Day inlighten mine vnderstanding I beseech thee that I may see thy power and thy glorie in these thy good creatures and through them as through spectacles let me look in to the Father of Lights Thou hast created the Sunne who by his beautie and bountie hath adorned the whole Earth As the Sun shineth on the bodie pray that Christ may shine on the soule hee ariseth each morning on my bodie so I pray thee that the Sunne of Righteousnesse the Sunne Iesus Christ may shine vpon my darkened minde euerie daye and houre and chase away the cloudes of ignorance and of sinne from my soule that thou mayest shine brightly in me Woe is mee my Lord howe manie times hath the Sunne shined vpon mee and as Absolom before the Sunne committed wickednesse 2. Sam. 16 22. so I before the Sunne in the pride of my wicked heart haue often times sinned against thee O my Father and therefore I confesse that I am not woorthie that the Sunne should shine vpon mee O Lord Iesu spreade thy Mantle ouer mee that thy Father beholde not my wickednesse Thou puttest light in the Sunne that hee may shine therefore Lord put knowledge and vnderstanding in mee Thou hast put hotnesse in the Sunne Oh warme mine hart with thy loue that through the loue I beare to thee I may also breake foorth in the loue of my Neighboures And as the Sunne runneth constantlie in his course at thy commaundement so Lord let mee run all my dayes in the path of thy Law for hitherto I haue run as a wylde Asse in the broade way of destruction yea I brayed after the desires of sinne psal 42.1 as the Hart doeth after the Riuers of Waters and nothing could haue satisfied mee vnlesse I had obtained my sinfull desire Now Lord haue mercie vpon me draw my feet out of the vnhappie way of sinne let me runne with as speedie a course in the way of thy seruice Let vs bee more diligēt to serue God than wee were before to sin against him that as Sainct Paul thy seruaunt was more diligent in thy employment than he was in the destruction of thy Church so I may be more busied in thy honourable seruice than I was in seruing mine owne affections and in the seruice of Sathan Alace O Lord howe slow am I to doe thy seruice But if thou wilt drawe mee I will run after thee Oh drawe mee by the Cordes of thy loue Cantic 1.3 yea rather than I should lie behinde force mee with the Cordes and Whippes of thy visitation that I may learne to runne a quicker swifter pace than I haue done heeretofore But alace NOTA. that the Sunne which is a senselesse creature should neuer bee wearie and that I should so soone bee tyred in seruing of thee The Sunne constant in its course O louing Father stirre vp a constant zeale of thine honour in mine heart I beseech thee that as I goe forwarde in yeeres so I may make greater progresse in godlinesse O LORD when I see the Sunne and the Moone and the Starres c. which are the workes of thine owne hands O then I thinke with my selfe What is Man that thou shouldest visit him or the sonne of man that thou shouldest magnifie him For albeit the Sunne were in the highest top of its beautie glorie yet it is but my seruant and likewise the Moone The Sunne serueth vs let vs serue GOD. and the Starres Then fye vpon mee if I shall not in whatsoeuer estate I am serue thee O my gracious God who hast made so glorious creatures for my vse LORD I pray thee let my light so shine before men that all who beholde my conuersation may take occasion to glorifie thine holie Name O Father of Lightes lighten thou my Candle that it may shine clearelie and furnish it with the Oyle of thine holie Spirite and Worde that it may shine euen as a bright Morning Starre in thy Kingdome Thy seruant Paul O Lord 1. Cor. 15.41 sayeth that there is one glorie of the Sunne and another of the Moone and another of the Starres It is true there is great diuersitie amongst the Sainctes heere on Earth and likewise great difference of glorie in the Life to come But O my God let mee shine but as the least of thy Starres that I may bee fixed in thy Firmament and giue out my light of knowledge and good life vnto this darke Age. The Moone knoweth the time of her change and as shee changeth so doe all the inferior creatures with her for all men are grasse and there is no steadfast abiding for them heere But O Lord heerein is my comfort The Moone changeth but God can not change Ps 90. ◠6 Psal 90.2 Luke 1.5 that there is no shadowe of changing with thee Thou art from euerlasting to euerlasting yea my God thy kindnesse and trueth abideth from generation to generation euen vnto such as feare thee and attende vpon thy mercies and goodnesse O vnchangeable God I finde none alteration with thee for although men runne
benefires O Lord and I haue beene a great abuser of the same Thou didst make the Light vpon the first Day I haue abused it yea when thou sent mee a better Light for my soule I continued still in the workes of darknesse Thou vpon the second Day didst create the Heauens but I haue sinned against the Heauens Luk 15.18 and against thee and am not woorthie to looke vpwardes Thou didst make the Earth vpon the thirde Day but I am an vnprofitable burthen vnto it Thou didst make the Sunne and Moone vpon the fourth Day to shine but whilest they were shâ—ning I was sinning as though those glorious Vessels were appointed to carrie light to let mee see to commit iniquitie And nowe vpon the firth Daye thou furnishest two extraordinarie great Commodities for mans vse the Sea is prepared with Fishes and the Aire with Fowles and Birdes vnto my necessitie O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisedome hast thou made them all the Earth is full of thy Riches thou hast commaunded the Sea to giue mee Fishes and the Aire Fowles thou hast put life into them and they are appointed to die for the maintenance of my life God letteth his creaturs die that we may liue Is not then my life precious vnto thee who makest so manie to die that I may liue But I am not onelie fed with them but am the price of thy Sonnes Bloode O Lord what am I that thou shouldest haue made them al to die that I might liue Then I beseech thee let my life serue to thine honour yea if my death might honour thee I desire to liue no longer Thou giuest me daylie Fishes out of the Seas and out of the Râ—uers Manie are steruing with Hunger and yet thou feedest mee Oh forgiue mee that sometimes I haue loathed those thy good creatures and abstract them not from mee although I haue contemned them heeretofore O Lord what prooues of thy deliuerie haue I had Thou broughtest mee to the Hauen and I forgot the Vowes which I promised vnto thee in the bitternesse of mine heart Nowe Lord I prayse thee for thy notable deliueries whereby thou hast kept mee and hencefoorth let me not doe what I will but what thou wilt and commaund mee as long as I liue Thou mightest haue made mee a baite and foode for the Fishes but yet thou hast made them foode for mee Let it bee O God to thy glorie and for the good of thy people for thou sendest them to the Nette of thy prouidence Let me therefore depende vpon thee I cast me ouer vpon the knees of thy fauour The Lyon shall be hungrie Ps 34.10 but those that feare thee shall lacke nothing which is good for them Oh that if I could be allured by these thy loue-tokens to praise thee aright and that I might bee stirred vp vnto a duetie to the Poore who are in necessitie O liberall God why should I receiue so aboundantlie and giue backe so niggardly and sparingly Open enlarge mine heart O Lord Psal 119. that mine hand may distribute these thy creatures to the hungrie poore and needie as a sure token which thou requirest of my thankfulnesse towardes thee Faythfull Fishers O Lord sende foorth vnto the Sea of this Worlde faythfull Fishers who may drawe manie soules from it vnto thine heauenlie kingdome Purge thine holie Church O God from all Hyrelinges and such as are not fishers of men And againe O Lord as thou hast prepared the Fishes in the Seas for my sustenance so hast thou likewise commanded the Aire to furnish all manner of feathered Fowles to my vse Therefore I giue thee thanks with my whole heart that thou sacrificest thy creatures out of al places for me beseeching thee that I may sacrifice the corruptions of my nature Further O Lord I learn by the Fowles that they flie in the Firmament but they feed on the earth Simil. Lord howsoeuer that I must seeke my foode here yet let my conuersation be in the Heauens When that in the Sommer I heare the sweet voyce of these Birdes which by their Angelicall Harmonie may justlie bee called the Ministers of Musicke I beseech thee to haue mercie vpon me thy poore creature and open my Lips and loose my Tongue that I may sound foorth thy praises and that by these thy creatures I may still finde newe prouocations to bee stirred vp to proclaime thy goodnesse that I being initiate entered into thy praise here may glorifie thee eternallie in Heauen through Christ my Lord and Sauiour Amen A MEDITATION Vpon the LORDES Sixth Dayes Worke. VPon the sixth Day the LORD openeth the Earth and maketh it to bring foorth his Treasures and bringeth foorth Beastes of all sorts for Mans vse and last of all hee made Man Gods power out of the dead Earth bringeth Man and Beast First yee see the power of the worde of God which of that dead and colde bodie of ehe Earth brought foorth so manie liuing creatures which were not before This is a great Argument for the affirmance of the resurrection of our dead bodies Argument for the resurrection of the body for if hee brought out of the bosome of the Earth and gaue life which was not how easie is it then for him to raise out of the Earth the bodies which were liuing and to cause the Sea the Aire and the Earth render an account of the Bodies consumed in them The Lord created Kyne and Sheepe for his Rayment the Oxen to labour his Ground and the Horses for Carriage yea and the Worme to decore him with Silke As for the Lyon and other wylde Beastes which are enemies to Man it is to bee vnderstoode that it was not so at the beginning for at the first the Lyon the Tyger c. were as obedieÌ„t to Man as the Lambe Sinne hath inaâ—med MaÌ„ aganst God the Beastes aganst Man 1. King 13 24. 2. King 2.23 Nota. Creeping thinges not created in vaine Exod. 8.6 but alace sinne stirred vp and inarmed Man against God and the Beastes against Man as the Lyon against the young Prophet and the Beares against the young Children which mocked Elisha Therefore when wee get anie injurie by the creatures let vs call to minde that it is for our sinnes studie to bee reconciled to our Creator As for the innumerable creeping thinges let vs not thinke that God hath created them in vaine for he hath vsed them as great Hostes to punish his aduersaries whensoeuer he pleased as the Frogges for Pharoah and the little Vermine for Herod yea Act. 12.23 the Worms to sease vpon the Bodies of all Flesh which although neuer so daintilie fedde must bee a Prey vnto them And againe Men are compared to Beasies whâ—se nature is beastlie Psal 10.9 Psa 17.12 Psa 22.12 13.16.20.21 c. Isa 56.10.11 Gen. 49.14 16. let vs remember that Men are often times in the Scripture compared vnto diuerse
nourish it within thy Sanctuarie that I beeing brought through this shaddowe of the darke worlde by thine externall and internall light may come to that place where there shall bee no night and where there needeth no Candle Rev. 21.23 neither the Sunne nor the Moone to giue light euen where thy glorie shineth and where the Lambe himselfe giueth light To whome with thee O Father and the holie Spirit bee all honour praise power and dominion now and euermore So bee it A MEDITATION VPON THE LORDES second dayes vvorke THE Heauens were created the seconde Daye The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the natiue language is taken frō the Waters because the Waters are there and descende from thence The Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato takes as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conspicable because it is objected to the sight of all men The Latine Coelum because it is Coelatum carued with goodlie Ornaments and Firmamentum from the surenesse of it and Expansum because GOD hath spred it foorth as a Curtaine Ps 104.2 The Heauens haue three significations in the Scriptures First it is taken for the Aire wherein the Fowles and Birdes doe flie Mat. 6.26 Heauen hath three significatiōs Secondlie for the Firmament And thirdlie for the Seate of the Angels and blessed Soules Paradise the Bosome of Abraham the third Heauens wherevnto the Apostle Paul was rauished These three were made this day God created a faire Theatre to himselfe this daye wherein there should bee innumerable Quiristers neare vnto his Throne of pure Seraphims and Cherubims euerie one prouoking other to his prayse and saying Holie Revel 4.8 holie holie LORD GOD Almightie c. And againe there are infinite Aëriall Quiristers who fill the ears of men with their pleasant Songs by their example prouoking men to laude their Creatour And there is a Parpane and middle inter-stise which is the sole and grounde of his vpper House and the Roofe of his neather House to couer the Worlde by an admirable manner I marke three thinges in the Creation of the Heauens Thre things obserued First the order which GOD vseth in the making of them for seeing Man was to bee made of an Heauenlie Soule and an Earthlie Bodie and was to dwell in Heauen for euer and on the Earth onlie for a little time hee maketh the Heauen first If Heauen was first made then seeke it first setting it aboue the Earth and making Man to bow vpwardes looke vnto it and not downward towards the Earth as the Beasts doe being the place of his abode perpetuall remaining The consideration wherof should make vs to vse that same order in our actions which God did in his Albeit our bodies be on the Earth let our hart bee in Heauen Let vs put Heauen in our heart before the Earth let vs looke vnto it and haue our conuersation in it albeit our bodies be captiuate in the earth let our hearts be in our owne Countrey where wee shall dwell for euer Next God grounded the Heauens vpon the second day and perfected them vpon the fourth day God worketh by degrees This is his common forme both in his Spirituall works and in his naturall he worketh by degrees he layeth the foundation of his benefit and after he finisheth it Therfore let vs not hasten nor precipitate but attend Gods will who will perfect our earthly and heauenlie comfort in his owne time Last yee see he bindeth vp the Cloudes in the Aire that they cannot drowne the Earth as he wardes the Seas by the sands By weake meanes God preserueth man to teach vs how God by these weake meanes doeth preserue Mankinde Which if he doe to his enemies what should his Elect Children looke for at his hands A PRAYER Vpon the LORDES second Dayes Worke. O Almightie GOD Thou who created the Heauens the second day inspire my soule I beseech three with heauenlie Meditations inlarge mine heart and loose my tongue to thy praise Ouer-shadow mine heart with thy grace as thou couerest the Eearth with the Heauens that I may consider thy power and goodnesse towards me in this thy workmanship Thou needest not the Heauens O Lord for before the Heauens were thou wast the Heauen of Heauens cannot containe thee 1. King 8.27 but thou madest them for me Therefore lift vp my minde by a spirituall meditation that with heart and minde I may seeke for thee in them and loue them for thee who is in them Thou dwellest in a light vnaccessable I cannot enter into thy Throne to see but I prostrate my soule before the gates of thy grace wrapped in the beggersie clouts of my sinne and at thy commandement I knock Long for Heauen where thou mayest see God Cant. 5.12 Cast the crumms of thy mercie to me that I faint not in this wildernesse Looke with the eyes of the Doue out of thine holie Temple Heare the voyce of my prayer and gather my teares into thy Bottle who am in a strange countrey and so long absent from my Lord and Husband who is now dwelling with thee Looke foorth at the grates of thy Fathers window Cantic 2.9 O thou whom my soule loueth and cure the griefe of mine heart by thy gracious countenance Should wee dwell sundrie so fare I here thou in the heauens hasten thy comming in the Cloudes or hasten my departure by death that I may enjoye the sight of him whome my soule loueth O Lord the Heauen is full of thy glorie when thou commest out of thine Yourie Palaces Psal 45.8 and out of the moste holie places and shewest the signes of thy presence amongst thy Sainctes then the foundations of the Heauens shake then the innumerable legions of the Coelestiall Spirites rayse vp their voyces Psal 18.7 sounding thy prayses they fill al thy Temple speak words which cannot bee expressed Thine holie Armie of twentie thousand thousandes of Angels Revel 7.4 9. and of euerie Tribe of Israel twelue thousand and of all the Nations vnder the Heauens innumerable thousandes Their voyces are like the sound of the Thunder Rev. 14.2 or as the noyse of manie Waters O our God howe glorious art thou in thine holie Temple O that Spirituall Musicke and the Harpes of God wherevpon thy Sainctes doe play both daye and night The twentie and foure Elders Rev. 7.14 15. and the rest who made their long Robes white in the bloode of the Lambe thou leadest them to the pure Fountaines of Waters thou hast wyped away all teares from their eyes They sing Prayse Glorie and Wisedome Thankes Honour Power and Might bee vnto our GOD for euermore The foundation of that Citie is of precious Stones The Iasper the Saphyr Rev. 21.19 20.21 27 and the Emarald the Topaz and the Hiacinth The twelue Gates are twelue Pearles The Streete of the Citie is pure Golde as shyning Glasse There is none vncleane thing
in that Citie but those who are written in the Lambes Booke of Life O that Water of Life Rev. 22.1.2 cleare as Crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God! There is the Tree of Life which beareth twelue manner of Fruites and rendereth Fruite euerie Moneth O! that is the true Land of CANAAN Exod. 3.17 which floweth with Milke and Honey which is promised to the Elect Children O how blessed are those who stand before thee O Lord 1. king 8.8 and heare thee and see the beautie of thine House O howe amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord God of Hostes It is better to bee a Doore-keeper in thine House than to bee a Monarch of the whole Worlde Psal 84.1 As the Hart brayeth after the Riuers of Waters Psal 42.1 so doeth my soule pant after thee my liuing Lord. O my GOD when shall I appeare before thee in Sion Nowe my soule returne vnto thy rest for the Lord will pittie thee and will deliuer thee from this Prison and from these wylde Beastes which vexe thee on euerie side and from sinne which daylie troubleth thee and will bring thee to the sight and fruition of the Eternall Ioye which is in the Heauens O glorious GOD I haue not yet seen the HeaueÌ„s where thâ— Saints are but in the myrrour of the Gospell But I see daylie these viâ—â—ble creatures and the Firmament NOTA. If there be such beauty in the outward part of the heauens what is within which are euen the workes of thine owne hand Then if there bee such beautie in the outwarde partes of thy Palace O LORD what will wee looke for in thy Gabinet O my GOD as often as I beholde these outward Heauens then let mine heart inward affections be mounted vp by an holie desire and meditation that the eye of my soule may pierce thorow these thy visible workes euen to the companie of my Brethren the First-borne and to that innumerable number of Angels and Sainctes Oh bee thou my Guide O my LORD and bring mee through the perils of this Wildernesse vnto thine heauenlie Palace euen for the merites and blood of IESVS CHRIST thy well-beloued Sonne our Sauiour AMEN A MEDITATION Vpon the LORDES thirde Dayes Werke IN the Creation of the third Day there bee two principall thinges to bee obserued First The manner of the Creation by separation of the Waters whereby were created two Elementes the Water and the Earth Next The Blessing of GOD. Since there is no difficultie in the wordes I will obserue foure thinges First That so long as those two Elementes were in the confused Chaos so long they were both vnprofitable and each one hindered other but assoone as they were separated Confusion is vnprofitable they were both fruitfull Euen so is it yet where Anarchie hath place either in Church or Policie there shall bee no Blessing in neither of them But happie is that Church and Common-wealth where all thinges are ruled by order and no place is left to confusion Gods blessing inricheth Next the Earth was created barren God spake the worde and it fructified If this was the estate thereof before Sinne howe much lesse nowe beeing subject to a curse will it bring foorth anie good thing without GODS Blessing God prouided for his creatures before they were Thirdlie yee see that God blessed it with Cornes Trees and Fruites for the sustenance of Man and Grasse for Beastes before he made anie of them He prouideth the Milke in the Breast of the Woman as a liuelie fountaine before the Childe be borne Then if he was so prouident before Man was made will he neglect vs Much more when they are when wee are made to his owne Image Let vs seeke him truelie and doubt not Fourthlie there is a treasure which God hath hidden in the Earth for Man Golde and Siluer to inrich him Coales Wood and other firing for his heate Stones for his Building c. and on the face of the Earth Gods hidden treasures should prouoke vs to thankefulnesse Cornes Hearbes Trees Wines Oyles and varietie of crearures both for his pleasure and profit When wee behold daylie these good benefits let vs be drawne by each one of them to thankfulnesse of our Creator Let vs seeke the right vse of them that wee spende them not vpon sinne Finallie by these earthlie blessings call to minde the spirituall Riches Seeke spiritual riches and Foode of our soules that wee may not labour for the foode that perisheth but for that Foode which doth endure for euer Iohn 6.27 A PRAYER Vpon the LORDES thirde Dayes Worke. ETernall God and most louing Father as thou increasedst this thy hudge workmanship of the Worlde and hast created the Earth vpon this third Day so I beseech thee to increase thy Spirit within me and create in my barren colde and earthly heart fruitfull considerations to thy Majesties Glorie O Lord as thou preparedst in the seconde Daye the Heauens to bee the Citie of our remaining so hast thou ordained and established the Earth to bee the place of our Pilgrimage and wandering as the people of Israel were in the Wildernesse fourtie yeares before they came to the land of Promise Similitude Yet O Lord the Earth is thine and the fulnesse thereof There is no constant abiding to me in this Earth I lodge heere in tents I wander now heere now there helpe me poore Pilgrime in this desart place that I may finde thee a Pillar of Cloude in the day to couer me Exod. 13.21.22 and a Pillar of fire in the night and darknesse of this world to illuminate me to see the way to Canaaâ— Thou openedst a fountaine to Hagar the Bond-woman and her childe Gen. 21.19 when they were steruing for thirst I am not the childe of the Bond-woman but of the free-woman Open the fountaine of the House of Dauid and giue me of the water of life and satisfie my soule with the fatnesse of thine house Ezech. 13.1 Iohn 7.38 Psa 39.12 I am a Stranger heere on Earth as my Fathers were before me Let me not walke then as a stranger among the Philistims and Babilonians If I were a citizen and a man of their owne Ioh. 15.19 they would loue me But because I am not of them neither follow them nor their manners therefore they hate me My Mothers sonnes and familiar friends count me a stranger they stand farre from me Psal 69.8 in the day of trouble Draw thou nigh vnto me when they goe farre from me Iob 19.14 Wilt thou leaue a poore Suckling to die him alone in this wildernesse Though my Father and Mother forsake me yet thou wilt gather mee vp I am a Widow for my Lord and Husband is with thee Psa 27.10 I am his Turtle Doue lamenting mine alone till I see him Bring me thorow the straits of this Pilgrimage Psal 42.7 I steppe out of one deepe to
another I goe through Fire Water carie me therefore from strength to strēgth Psal 84 7 till I appeare before God in Sion There are heere innumberable wylde Beastes young Lyons and fyrie Serpents to sting me but I looke to thy Iesus that Serpent of Brasse Men in danger of the serpents of this world Iohn 3.14 Of the thornie cares of this worlde Of the tentations of Sathan mouing to desperation or presumptiō Similitude 2. Sam. 3.39 who was erected vpon the Tree of the Crosse that he might cure remede me And again I walke vpon Thornes euen the thornie cares of this earth euery morning mine heart is vexed and pricked with them They vnquiet me so that they disturbe that peace which my soule shoulde haue with my God And whiles I am scarce fred of these thoughts Sathan with the temptation of sinne assaulteth mee hee buffetteth mee hee setteth my sinne in order before me and letteth mee see in a Glasse my whole iniquities O Lord bee mine helper my comforter and a strong Tower vnto mee for the sonnes of Zerviah are too strong for mee but I will not feare them if thou bee with mee Thy Rod and Shepheardes Staffe Psal 23.4 will comfort mee though I were walking through the shadowe of darknesse and in the valley of death But O Lord I haue yet farther to complaine that when I haue escaped these stormie tempestes and waues which inuaded me vpon the left hand then Sathan riseth vp on my right hand as an Angell of light and taketh mee vp to the Mountaine and offereth mee Riches Honoures Pleasures c. if I will walke in his wayes and worship him Luke 4.6 as hee did vnto Christ Iesus Lord let mee not taste of these Delicates or of the poysonable Cuppe of sinne Let mee not bee allured with the fruites of sinne albeit they present-faire thinges Let mee not run as a foolish Fish vpon the alluring baite of vnrighteousnesse Similitude I am more contented through pouertie 2. Cor. 6.8 and reproaches through a good report and an euill report to walke in this Earth in a good conscience with thy fauour than to possesse all the Treasures of Babel and to haue the losse of thy countenance Let the Earth bee soure vnto mee that the Heauens may bee sweete to mee Although the Earth smyle vpon mee vet it is but the smyle of mine enemie But albeit thou wouldest cast down thy coūtenance vpō me yet it is the downe-looking of my Father who will gladden my soule at last O my God thou hast commaunded the Earth which of its owne nature is dry and barren to yeelde Foode for my necessitie Thou hast commaunded mee to craue my daylie Bread at thine hand with a promise that if I aske Mat. 6.11 Matt. 7.7 it shall bee giuen mee Therefore O Father giue I beseech thee a blessing to the Earth and my labours therein that I may prosper Giue mee such a measure of thy creatures whereby I may not bee chargeable but rather helpfull vnto others Thou diddest feede thy People with the MANNA in the Desart Ex. 16.13 17.6 1. King 17 4.9 and broughtest them the Water out of the Rocke Thou fedst Eliah by the Rauen and likewise the Widow of Sareptah by thy secret blessing O Lord of Hostes thou art no lesse carefull of thy people whom thou hast redeemed by thy Sonnes bloode than thou wast of the seede of Abraham thy seruant Hos 2.19 Sende therefore to the Earth the first raine Marrie me to thee in mercie and compassion that thou mayest heare the Heauens and the Heauens may heare the Earth and the Earth may heare vs thy people Lord let me take them out of thine hands as tokens of thy fauour and earnest-pennies of better things prepared for me in Heauen O Lord the Earth is defyled with cruelties and filthinesse and casteth vp horrible cryes to thy Majestie against the inhabitans thereof it is ladened with a burthen of sinfull creatures Rom. 8.23 it lifteth vp its head cryeth and groaneth as traueling with childe waiting for the day of our redemption for then it shall be deliuered from the burthen O Lord take away the burthen of sinne from the Earth and purge by thy blood the transgressions of vs thy people Sanctifie vs O Lord that the creatures may be sanctefied to our vse and we to thy seruie through Christ Thou hast hidde in the Earth thy great treasures of Golde Siluer Yron Brasse and Coales c. and the world is set on fire in presute of those things yea for Golde they wil renounce their God forsweare their Father perish their soule and their life their King countrey and their Parents O Lord this is a couetous people whose heart is set vpon these perishing and vncertaine things But O Lord thou art better to me than thousands of Golde and Siluer All say Psal 119.72 Psal 4.6 Who will shew vs any good thing but Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon me Their treasures are hid in the depths of the Earth and they treade vpon them but thou O my treasure art hid in the height of the Heauens The Theife diggeth Mar. 6.20 and the Roust doeth consume their treasures but thou art incorruptible Their treasures are stollen from them but nothing can separate thee from vs neither death nor life neither things present nor things to come Rom. 8.35 Let mine heart be with thee where thou art for thou art my treasure Let me finde mercie with thee Gen 33.11 and then I haue all these things for thy loue is better than Golde Thy seruant Salomon made choyce thereof 1. king 3.9 and it was Dauids his fathers choyce who for loue of thee craued one thing That he might dwell in thine House all the dayes of his life Psal 27.4 Luk. 10.42 And Marie the sister of Martha desired that one thing Golde is not able to saue me from the Graue but my God thou wilt raise me vp at the last day What pleasure hath man of Golde when he dieth but he casteth it away and calleth himselfe a foole that he should haue taken pleasure in it he biddeth distribute to the Poore whom he spoyled all his dayes But when I die then I possesse my treasure which I longed for death which separateth me from the Earth conjoyneth me to thee and filleth vp my joye when I haue receiued my treasure Further O Lord as thou hast hidden these treasures vnder the Earth so thou hast decored the face of the Earth with thy great blessinges O when I looke vnder my feete and beholde euerie one of thy creatures I see in them thy power and thy glorie yea I see thou hast appointed the Worme to beate downe my pride In the basest creature may be seen Gods glorie Thou hast painted the face of the Earth with all sortes of colours delectable to the sight yea the Lillie passeth
the glorie of Salomon What Flowres for the smel Mat. 6.28 what Hearbes with such rare vertues for the preseruation of man yea there is not the basest weed wherein there is not inclosed some speciall vertue for the maintenance of mans nature All thinges on earth created fo◠mans vse Psal 105.16 Ibid. 104.15 NOTA. The Cornes are againe brought foorth which are the staffe of bread to strengthen him and the wynes which doe glad mans heart and the Oyle which maketh him to shyne the Figges which are sweet to the taste Then Lord if thy creatures doe yeelde such comforts to me is there not much more consolation in thee Thou hast giuen me a large portion of all these benefits which thou hast withholden from others Giue me thy selfe with them or else take them all from me Three things I doe aske at thy Majestie Three requests 1. first let not these benefits which I receiue daylie become snares to me to draw me from thee Giue me no moe of them than may further me to thy seruice When thou giuest me any new earthlie gift then presentlie with it giue me a newe remembrance of thee that it may bee a Loue-token of my Lord whereby I may bee kindeled to loue thee the more Next I beseech thee that whatsoeuer earthlie gift I get thou wilt put some secret blessing therein that it may bee profitable vnto me Thou giuest thy benefits to manie and blowest vpon them so O Lord likewise blow vpon me with the blast of thine owne Spirit and bid thy creatures increase and multiplie And last of all let mee not bee taken with an excessiue desire of them but that with an open heart and hand I may bee comfortable vnto others O Lord let my Cup ouer-flow and let not my left hand knowe what my right hand doeth psal 23.5 Matt. 6.3 but as thou giuest liberrallie and freelie so with a free heart I may giue to thy Sainctes who are of the Familie of Faith psal 16.3 Let me bee a seruant of them and wash their feete And seeing thou art wise in the dispensation of thy benefits to me sometimes thou wilt haue me to abound sometimes to want in the one to haue a proofe of thy liberality in the other of thy chastisements learne mee in euerie estate to be content Pray for contentmēt and giue mee that heauenlie benefite of contentation the Note and Marke of thy Children And sith I brought nothing into the world Iob 1.21 I will carrie nothing out of it Giue me Meat Rayment with contentment And giue mee thy poore creature the assistance of thy principall Spirit that when I shall depart from these creatures and they from mee euen as thou gauest them vnto mee so I may bee heartilie content that I by the separation from them may perfectlie be vnited vnto thee for thou art my portion my lot and euerlasting inheritance So bee it A MEDITATION Vpon the LORDES fourth Dayes Worke. GOD made the azury Heauens vppon the second Day and now hee carueth them vppon the fourth Day and decoreth them with a multitude of Coelestiall Lights as is wonderfulll to beholde such glorious Tortches so infinit in number and powerfull in operation Notwithstanding Pharoahs daughter brought vp Moses in the Sciences of the Aegyptians and namely in Astronomie as some Writers testifie wherein they with the Caldeans were most curious Yet the Spirit of God by his Penne To auoyde curiositie describeth the Starres simplie without any curiositie Whereby God would teach vs to be wise with sobrietie and search no deeper in these profound actions of God than it doeth please him to reueale vnto vs or that may be to his glorie lest through our deepe searching our wit be dazeled and so befall vs as it did to the Astronomer who in a Winter Night searching the Starres fell into a Well Similitude and died He curiously seeking the knowledge of the Starres forgot the Earth and so lost both Heauen and Earth In the TREATISE of the fourth Day Moses first setteth down the creation of the Sunne Moone and Starres Next the ends for which they were made which were three First for Dominion the Sunne should rule the Day the Moone the Night Secondly for Distinction that they might separate the Day from the Night And thirdlie to be significations for signes and seasons First hee setteth the Sunne in his Tabernacle who commeth foorth daylie like a Bridgroome psal 19.5 or like a valiant man readie to runne a race God hath put into the Sunne such beautie and such wonderful operations which are but sparks of that Majestie and wonderfull operation power which is in himselfe The majestie which is in the creatures is but a sparke of that which is in the Creator Ezech. 8.16 Ier. 7.18 2. King 23 5. The admiration whereof made not only the ignorant Gentiles to adore them as Gods in consecrating the dayes of the weeke to the seauen Planets but also the superstitious Iewes did adore the Sunne and Moone as the King and Queene of Heauen and did maintaine that they did waile against Ieremie Ezechiel I will speake first of the Sunne by Gods helpe without curiositie seeking only out those things of him by which wee may praise God I obserue then in him three things to wit his qualities his courses and his defects His name is Sol quasi solus alone domining ouer the rest to whom he imparteth his light Sol quasi solus And againe by the brightnesse of his appearance he obscureth them all 1. The Sunne giueth light Now I would yee considered that if a created Sunne containeth such measure of light as illuminateth all the world yea the Heauen also who will not thinke but Iesus Christ If one created Sun can giue light to all may not Christ giue light vnto all who is God himselfe Sol justitiae the Sunne of Righteousnesse is able to giue life and light to all the world without the helpe of the light of these halfepennie Candles the merits of men For a thing vnperfect may be made more perfect by addition augmentation as one Candle by another Similitude but a thing perfect is disgraced by addition as if yee would bring a pot of water to the Sea or light a Candle to the Sunne Thinges perfect are disgraced by addition or breath in the Aire So to augment or adde any thing to him is to dishonour him and pulleth his glorie from him as though hee were not sufficient I am the Lord saith he and none besides me And againe if the Starres dare not appeare before the Sunne what madnesse is it to present the filthie and menstruous clouts of mens merits before God Iob 4.18 who did finde follie in his Angels and the Heauen it selfe is not cleane before him 2. The Sunne giueth life The other qualitie of the Sunne is hote by which he reuiueth
Beastes and get the names of such Beastes whose fashions and conditions they are moste addicted to followe They are called Lyons Rauens Beares Bulles of Da-shan Swyne Dogges Vipers c. The couetous Pastours are called dumbe greedie Dogges who cannot barke and neuer are satisfied Issachar is compared vnto a wylde Asse which concheth betwixt two Burdens and Dan vnto a Serpent and there are manie of the Trybe of Dan which byteth the Horse heeles and the ryder also And albeit there bee manie Adulterers and Murderers of the Trybe of Dan which shall enter into Heauen yet the Serpent-kynde of the Trybe of Dan shall not come there Plinius sayeth that there are three kyndes of Serpentes One which killeth all Strangers and spareth Countrey folks Plin. lib. 8. cap. 59. another which killeth Countrey folkes and spareth Strangers and the third which spareth none of them and there are people of all these sortes But I marke one thing in the Serpent wherein it differeth in crueltie from all other Beasts A remarkable marke of the Serpit against Man for the Lyon and Wolfe seeke after Mens Blood for the loue of the Bloode wherevpon they feede but the Serpent which feedeth vpon the Dust out of an hatefull desire of naturall reuenge thirsteth after Mans Bloode albeeit it getteth none other gaine thereby but onelie the satisfaction of her cruell minde representing manie deuilish and serpent-like people Nota. who albeit they get none other commoditie by the destruction of godlie persons yet they holde their selues satisfied that they haue gotten the malicious intent of their wicked heartes brought to passe Man of greaâ—est price is made last Now when the Lord had furnished his House with store of al good things as a louing and carefull Father hee builded an House to his Sonne and he â—illed it with all plenishing Simil. and then hee putteth his Sonne into it as God placed Man Hee maketh Man with aduisement Let vs make Man sayde the Father to the Sonne and to the Spirit Gen. 1.26 For this aduisement telleth vs that the Creation of Man is more than the Creation of the whole Worlde for Man is called a little Worlde because in him is comprehended a worlde of wonders in his Bodie and Soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When hee sayeth To our Image then hee clearlie designeth the Trinitie of the persons Trinitie by the worde plurall And when hee sayeth Image in the singular Vnitie then he noteth the Vnitie of the substance The Image of GOD standeth not in the bodilie representation Wherein Gods Image standeth Isa 40.18.20 c. but in the giftes of the mynde therefore it is a grosse Idolatrie for Christians who knowe God to bee an infinite Spirite to close him within the compasse of a finite Image or to picture him with coloures who is capable of no qualitie Levit. 26.1 and which hee himselfe dischargeth by his Lawes For his Image standeth in Righteousnesse and Holinesse Mercie and Loue. GOD made Man and Beast of one substance The substaÌ„ce wherof wee are made should teach vs humilitie euen to teach vs humilitie and if wee had not soules wee differ verie little from Beastes But the power of God appeared so much the more who could produce out of so base a Subject such a glorious Workemanship As the cunning of the Artificer is much more admired Simil. who out of a base matter can worke fynelie than of a strong Mettall Then Mans bodie being so artificiallie made he breathed in him an heauenlie substance which is a spirit as God is who can neyther bee seene nor felt As the Heauens are more excellent than the Earth The wonderfull vnioÌ„ betwixt the Soule the Bodie and could worke without it which the Earth could not doe without the Heauens so can the Soule without the Bodie prayse God as it doeth in Heauen which the Bodie could not doe without the Soule In this life they haue mutuall operations the Soule directeth and the Bodie is directed the Bodie is blinde without the Soule and the Soule would bee creeple without the Bodie Let the Soule therefore commaund the Bodie in those thinges which are lawfull and let the Bodie obey the good direction of the Soule which both being made vp to the Image of GOD they may represent Him in all their actions A PRAYER Vpon the LORDES sixth Dayes Worke. O Lord God Father of Mercies and God of all consolation looke downe vpon mee I beseech thee with the Eyes of thy mercie and sithence thou hast created Man vpon the sixth Day create mine heart anewe and anoint it with a fresh remenberance of thy power and goodnesse that I may become a newe creature Vpon the fifth day thou plenishedst the Aire with Birdes and the Sea with Fishes innumerable Genes 1.21 and now the Earth yeeldeth all sortes of Beastes likewise euen to mans vse and they are brought vnder subjectioÌ„ that I might bee free they lay downe their liues for mee that I may liue by them and albeit both I and they bee made of one substance yet thou hast preferred mee aboue them all and hast put them vnder my feete Psal 8.6 so deare am I vnto thee I thanke thee O Lord that thou of thine vndeserued mercie and loue hast made thy choyse of mee Nota. God made choyse of â—s let vs â—herefore make choyse of God Genes 2.20 Oh Lord cause mee to make mine onelie choyse of thee Amongst thy creatures there is none like vnto thee Adam could not finde one equall to himselfe amongst all thy creatures till out of himselfe thou madest one like vnto himselfe O Lord there is nothing in Heauen nor in the Earth can satisfie my soule thou art the perfection of beautie thou hast giuen me the rest giue me thy selfe without whom neither the creatures visible nor inuisible will content mee Yet seeing it pleaseth thee that they should be appointed to feede cloathe and ease me make me the more able by them to goe forwarde in thy seruice let not that malediction and curse fall vpon mee Let vs beware that wee fight not against the Lord with his owne benefites that I should fight against the God of my life with his owne benefits to whom I am so infinitly oblished for his gracious gifts bestowed on me O Lord I haue receiued some new comfort in the day of my tryall when for my humiliation it pleaseth thee to punish me with pouertie then Sathan biddeth me turne the stones into bread as he did vnto Christ and seeke vnlawfull meanes for my reliefe But Matth. 4.3 Lord augment thou my fayth and let me depende vpon thy promises that I may build vpon them as vpon a sure Holde and speake boldlie with thy seruant Dauid The Lord is my sheepheard I shall not want Psal 23.1 No Prince of the Earth can say this word Nota. but a poore christian depending vpon thee may
hast nurtured me by thy Rod and that thou hast not suffered my spirituall enemies to triumph ouer mee and forsooke me not neither left me to my selfe nor to be a prey to them O Lord pardon me all the sinnes of this day and purge me from my secret sinnes euen those which are hidden from my selfe Who can know or vnderstand them no doubt I haue sinned this day My conscience may erre and deceiue me but thou searchest the depth of the heart But I praise thee that thou kepedst me from presumptuous sinnes this day Psa 19.13 Forget O Lord my negligence in thy seruice Alace I haue beene wearied of thy worship And seeing thou art and hast begun to bring darknesse vpon the face of the earth breake in O Lord with the glorious beames of thy presence and illuminate my darknesse Psal 16.7 When the bodie is at rest let the soul be busie with God Instruct my reines in the night season and speake familarlie vnto my soule when I sleepe in my bed then open mine eares when my senses are asleepe then let my soule enjoy thy presence without interruption Let thy Spirite teach my spirit and informe her ignorance rebuke my spirit correct her sinfulnesse strengthen my spirite and help her weaknesse comfort my spirit and cure her sorrowes Giue me sleepe and rest to my bodie if it may make me the more able to serue thee But if it may stay thine honour Nota. I will be content to want it And if thou hast appointed this night that I shall awake Lord hold the eyes of my soul waking that I may repent for the abuse of that great rest which I haue receiued alreadie without rendering thankesgiuing vnto thee Lord let mee lie with a peacable minde vnder the hand of a reconciled God Suffer not my soule this night to bee disquieted with the cares of this world which bereaueth worldlings of their rest but I cast my burthen vpon thee all mine affaires vnto the bosome of thy prouidence for thou wilt beare them Why art thou troubled my soule Psal 42.5 and 43.5 and why art thou disquieted within me trust yet in thy God and he will be thy reliefe Ly downe in peace and sleepe Psal 4.8 for he will care for thee And againe O Lord deliuer my soule from the fearfull terrours of this night Giue me faith with Dauid Psal 3.6 and I shall not be affrayde of ten thousand for thy presēce is a sufficient defence to me against all mine enemies But O Lord especially deliuer mee from the feares of thy wrath when Sathan laieth my sinnes in order before me and that they stand in the sight of thy countenance then thou makest me to mourne like a Doue Isa 38.14 and chatter like a Swallow Mine eyes were lifted vp on high I reckoned till the morning Psal 58.6 but thou brake my bones like a Lyon From day to night thou wilt make an ende of me Then I cryed My sinnes haue opressed me cōfort me O Lord remoue the clowd of my sinnes which interueaneth betwixt thy mercie and me let me see thee this night sitting vpon thy mercie seate stretching out the poynt of the golden Scepter Hest 5.2 and retreating the sentence of death giuen out by thy justice against me Cast my sins behind thy back drown them in the bottome of the Sea of thine obliuion that this night I may lodge in the Fort of thy grace as in a Citie of refuge and finde rest to my soule Keepe me O Lord from the curse threatned by thy Prophet against such as in the night are plotting euil things against their neighbours Mica 2.1 Let me remember O Lord that darknesse is to thee as light Psal 139.12 and thou hast an eye of fire whose light can pierce the most hard places Where can I hide any thought from thee for thou who plantedst the eye doest not thou see most clearly Psal 94.9 Therefore keepe my soule this night that I admit no purpose therein whereof thou wilt not be content Be thou my Counseller my Witnesse and Judge that by thy presence my soule may be kept in that holy reuerence to thee that it consent to no vncleane or injust action to offende thee Thou hast tryed and proued mine heart in the night and hast found nothing for I was purposed not to displease thee And because my Lord wil come as a thiefe in the night and I doe not knowe what houre he commeth let me watch and pray 1 Thess 5.2 Matth. 24.43 and 25.13 that at the voyce of thine Angel I may be watching with mine oyle in my lampe Let me praise thee in the night with feruencie Keepe me from the Arrow which flyeth in darknesse and from the temptations of the Prince of darknesse Preserue me O Lord and my familie euerie thing which thou hast giuen me I doe resigne all to thy keeping who art a faithfull keeper of all things which are committed to thy custodie Thou wilt suffer nothing to be taken out of thine hand O GOD be thou a pillar of fire to giue light to me this night and carrie thy child in the armes of thy mercie through all perils of bodie and soule I leaue my soule into thine hand and when I awake I will seeke my soule in thee And finallie O Lord this bodily sleepe teacheth me to die and when I lie downe in my Bed I remēber that I shall once be casten into the bed of my graue that I may sleep there til the day dawne and the Sunne of Righteousnesse arise that then I may arise also and praise thee O my God together with the Sonne and the holie Ghost for euermore AMEN A MEDITATION VPON THE CHVRCH VNIVERSALL EVen as it is necessarie vnto Saluation to belieue in GOD our Father so it is necessarie to belieue the holie Church our Mother Belieue the Church but not in the Church that she is the Queen the Spouse of Iesus Christ Wee must belieue in God put our whole trust and confidence him Wee must belieue also that the Church is his Spouse and belieue whatsoeuer shee speaketh vnto vs of him out of his own mouth for if shee bee his Spouse shee will not adulterate inuert or corrupt her Lords speaches And if an Angel taught another Gospel let him bee accursed Gal. 1.8 In the Nicene Councell and in Athanasius his Symbole the particle In is added But yee must vnderstand that the Apostolicke Symbole which is called the Creede must bee a Rule of perfection and antiquitie vnto all the rest Then God willing I shall define the Vniuersall Church vnto you that yee may know her The Vniuersall Church is the Members of the Elect whom God hath called by his word vnto Life euerlasting What the Church vniuersallis Shee taketh not her name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to elect but from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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