unto thee and thereby found ease and comfort I may never wittingly nor willingly relapse and fall back again into those my sins that have so much dishonoured thee and wronged my own soul LXXI Upon the sight of a mother putting mustard on her nipples to wean her child and to keep it from sucking LOrd I have long sucked at the breasts of this world and have drawn from them much sweet and pleasing milk of sin fensualness and other vanities whereby I am grown a greater child of disobedience yea even of wrath and utter perdirion too without thy great mercy in Jesus Christ Oh therefore wean me I beseech thee and mine affections from all such worldly vanities and if nothing else will do it Lord embitter the nipples thereof with such a measure of thy fatherly chastisements that I may in thy good time be so weaned from them LXXII Upon the hearing of a wayfaring man enquiring after his way OH that I could be as carefull to stand in thy wayes and to enquire after the old way that I might walk therein and that I may be the better enabled to do so Lord Jesus do thou which art the Way the Truth and the Life make me every day more and more willing to seek after it and having found it assist me with thy grace that I may walk therein as thy child should do LXXIII Upon the sight of a Souldiers putting on of his armes LOrd this man I see will not venture to fight against his bodily enemies without his armes and shall I venture to fight against sin and Satan and the other spirituall enemies of my salvation unarmed Oh that I might have thy grace therefore to do as thou commandest and to put on the whole armour of God that like a good Souldier of Jesus Christ I may be able to fight the good fight of faith against them all and in the end overcome them LXXIV Upon the sight of two walking together CAn two walk together except they be agreed Lord then how shall I ever look to walk with thee in white in another world except I be reconciled unto thee by the bloud of thy Son here in this world which that I may the better be and have the better assurance thereof let the Ministery of reconciliation to whom thou hast committed the word of reconciliation be every day more and more powerfull towards me for the effecting of it and let thy blessed Spirit bear witness more and more unto my soul and conscience that it is thus effected for me LXXV Upon the sight of one paying workmen their wages HEre I see none but those that have laboured called to receive wages Oh that I might therefore have thy grace so to labour in thy Vineyard here that when the evening of my life shall come I may receive the penny of eternal bliss with the rest of thy labourers in heaven LXXVI Upon the sight of one vomiting after the taking of luke-warm water LOrd this man shews me what I must expect from thee if Laodicea-like I am neither hot nor cold but luke-warm in the profession of thy true Religion his stomach lothing this luke-warm water doth not with more readinesse cast and vomit up that then I must look to be spued out of thy mouth if I am such a luke-warm person Oh therefore give me the grace that I may be truly zealous for the time to come and may carefully and conscionably amend what is past LXXVII Upon the sight of one that was very carefull not to spot or stain a new suit LOrd give me the grace to keep my self unspotted of the world and to hate even the garment spotted by the flesh and not to have either spot or wrinkle in me that may be displeasing in thy sight but that I may be found of thee in peace without spot and blameless LXXVIII Upon the sight of a roome furnished with all variety of utensills LOrd here I see vessells not onely of Gold and silver but also of wood and of stone and some for honour and some for dishonour and such are men in the visible Church But Lord give me the grace that I may be so purged from my sins that I may be a vessell to honour sanctified and meet for thee my Masters use and prepared unto every good work LXXIX Upon the sight of a mist rising out of the earth LOrd this sheweth me what my life is for what is it else but even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Oh give me the grace therefore to make the best use of it whilst I have it LXXX Upon the sight of a Vine pruned MY Saviour Jesus Christ thou art the Vine and I hope that through thy grace I am a branch thereof Oh that thy Father who is the husbandman of it would so prune and purge me that I may bring forth more fruit then heretofore I have done LXXXI Vpon the sight of a dried Neats-tongue served in at a table OH that my speech might be alwaies with grace seasoned with the salt of wisdom and discretion that I might know how I ought to answer every man which whom I have to do LXXXII Vpon the sight of one breaking up fallow ground OH that I might have thy grace O Lord to break up the fallow ground of my heart that the seed of thy word might be no longer sown amongst the thorny cares of this world lest they do as hitherunto they have done grow up with it and choak it LXXXIII Vpon the sight of one smiting himself upon the thigh as being sorry and ashamed for something which he had done OH that I might have thy grace O Lord so to smite upon my thigh that being ashamed of that which I have done amiss I may unfeignedly repent of it and turn unto thee LXXXIV Vpon the sight of a freath'd hedge of Thornes LOrd I am apt to go astray and to wander from the waies of thy commandements and rather then I should continue so to do Lord do thou stop my waies with thornes and make an hedge thereof that I may not be able to find my sinfull waies and courses again LXXXV Vpon the hearing of an house broken up and goods carried away LOrd I see by this how vain and transitory the goods of this world are Oh give me therefore thy grace that I may not seek to lay up treasure for my self here on earth where the moth and rust do corrupt and theeves break through and steal but that I may lay up treasure for my self in Heaven where neither moth nor rust do corrupt nor theeves break through and steal LXXXVI Upon the hearing of one telling a tale LOrd suffer me not to spend my years as a tale that is told which commonly are idle and of little use and profit and many times do much hurt LXXXVII Upon the
field LOrd let not the fire of thy wrath and fierce indignation devoure me as this fire doth the stubble that is cast into it but in wrath remember mercy CCLXV. Upon the sight of Rookes in a corn-field newly sown LOrd these fowls are not more desirous to eat up and devour this newly sown corn then is the Devil that master-fowl of the aire to catch away that precious seed of thy word sown in my heart by the ministers and preachers thereof Lord give the grace therefore that I may not be like the ground by the high-way side on which whatsoever seed was sown the fowles presently devoured it because it was not covered with earth but that I may rather be like the good ground wherein the seed sown was so hid and covered that it brought forth fruit in abundance CCLXVI. Vpon the hearing of a strong castle or fort taken by force LOrd my heart the Devil hath for a long time fortified hoping to keep it for himself for ever But Lord thou art stronger then he oh do thou therefore overcome him for me and take me out of his possession that I may live to glorifie thee for this thy wonderfull deliverance of me and for all thy other mercies which thou hast shewed towards me in Jesus Christ CCLXVII Vpon the sight of one that trode in the steps of another that went before him LOrd Jesus thou hast suffered for me and in thy sufferings hast left me an example that I should follow thy steps Oh that I might have thy grace so to do it that following thee here in this world I may in the next attain to that happinesse in Heaven which thou hast promised to all those that follow thee in sincerity and truth CCLXVIII Vpon the sight of one that was sent to reconcile two that were at variance LOrd thou and I have been long at variance by reason of my many and manifold sins committed against thee yet thou art willing I see to have me reconciled unto thee again and for that end hast sent the ministers of thy word as thy Ambassadours to pray me in Christs stead to be reconciled unto thee Lord let not their paines taken herein be fruitlesse and to none effect but give me the grace to accept of the conditions offered and to blesse thy name for the mercy vouchsafed me therein CCLXIX Vpon the sight of chaffe driven away with the wind when one was winnowing LOrd let thine and thy Churches enemies be as chaffe before the wind and let thine Angel scatter them CCLXX. Vpon the sight of one dipping a sop in wine and eating it LOrd grant that after the taking of thy holy Sacrament I may not be like Judas into whom after the taking of the sop Sathan entred lest being filled with iniquity I be brought to destruction both of body and soul as he was CCLXXI. Upon the hearing of some that had suffered shipwrack LOrd keep me from making shipwrack of faith and a good conscience CCLXXII Upon the hearing of a shepherd that watcht his flock by night LOrd be thou my shepherd and do thou which never slumbrest nor sleepest watch over me with the eye of thy fatherly providence that neither the Devil which goeth up and down like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour nor any of his wicked instruments may be able to hurt me CCLXXIII Vpon the sight of a mastive lying before a door LOrd here I see in this mastive lying before this door what I must expect if I shall boldly enter into any known sin for as this mastive lying before the door of this house is ready to fly upon those that shall enter therein so will my conscience fly upon me if I shall enter into the waies of sinne Oh help me therefore with thy grace and keep me by thy power from all such courses that I may neither offend thee my God nor draw upon my self any such sad inconvenience CCLXXIV Upon the sight of a crab-stock grafted with good fruit which yet sent forth many shoots of his own kind LOrd here I see what I am and what I must expect to be as long as I live in this world I may have thy word engrafted in me and may seem thereby to grow in grace and goodnesse but yet still do what I can there will some shoots of my naturall corruption be sprouting forth savouring of the old stock Adams sinfull loines from whence we all came Oh do thou therefore so assist me with thy grace that though such sins may be in me yet they may not reign in me but do thou like a good husband cut and prune them off so as that they may not hinder the growth of thy word in me nor make me unfruitfull in the acknowledging of our Lord Jesus Christ CCLXXV Upon the sight of one that sheltred himself under a tree in the time of a storm LOrd the times wherein we live are stormy times and we know not whether to run for shelter in these sad times but onely unto thee who hast promised to be a place of refuge and a covert from the storm to all those that be thine Oh be thou then such a shelter for us and we will glorifie thy name for this thy mercifull deliverance of us CCLXXVI Upon the sight of divers mens sheep put into one and the same sheep-fold LOrd Jesus thou hast other sheep which are not yet of this thy fold wherein we are Oh do thou then which art the good sheph erd in thy good time bring these also into this thy fold that so there may be one sheep-fold and one shepherd CCLXXVII Vpon the washing of mine own hands LOrd give me the grace that I may be as carefull to wash my hands in innocency before I do approch unto thine Altar there to receive the body and bloud of my Saviour Jesus Christ CCLXXVIII Upon the sight of a cart laden with corn LOrd I have by my many and manifold sins often pressed thee as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves Oh be mercifull unto me for what is past and give me thy grace that I may never do so again hereafter CCLXXIX Vpon the sight of one taking larks in a field HEre I see nets spread here I see larks flittering up and down with their wings though tied by their legs here I see a turning glasse against the Sun with the radiant and shining brightnesse whereof those silly birds are so taken that without fear they hasten to the place here I also see the bird-catcher himself sitting a good way off watching to cast his net over them when he thinks they are within the reach of them And Lord what is this but a lively representation of the Devils that grand fowlers dealing with me For where can I go in this wide field of the world where he hath
sight of a traveller wearing a sword OH that I were as carefull in my journey to Heaven-wards to put on the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God to defend me from my spirituall enemies as I see this traveller is careful to put on his materiall sword ro defend him from his bodily enemies LXXXVIII Upon the sight of a Sparrow lighting on the ground LOrd thy word doth assure me that this sparrow doth not light or fall on the ground without thy providence Oh give me the grace therefore that I may not fear to fall from an higher to a lower estate if thy will be to have it so seeing I am more worth then many sparrowes LXXXIX Vpon the hearing of one that was gone to sojourn at another mans house LOrd this mans estate and mine are much alike he is a sojourner with man but I with thee my God for I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were Oh give me the grace therefore that I may passe the time of this my sojourning here in fear XC Upon the sight of a snare baited LOrd I cannot passe through any place in this world where the Devil hath not his snares laid and baited for me with some pleasure or profit pretended Oh give me the grace therefore to be alwaies vigilant and watchfull over him and his designes and enterprises that for any worldly respect I may not fall into any of his snares XCI Vpon the sight of one smitten for his faults LOrd let the righreous smite me and and it shall be a kindnesse and let him reprove me and it shall be an excellent Oyle which shall not break mine head XCII Vpon the sight of a Blackmoore LOrd this Blackmoore cannot change his skin no more can he do good that is accustomed to do evil Oh keep me therefore by thy grace that I may not get any evil custom or delight in the practise of any known sin XCIII Vpon the sight of a waiting Gentlewoman BEhold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistresse so Lord grant that mine eyes may wait upon thee untill thou have mercy on me XCIV Upon the sight of a grain of mustard-seed LOrd this seed is the least of all seeds yet when it is grown it is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree so that the birds of the aire come and lodge in the branches of it So Lord grant that that little measure of grace which is yet to be seen in me may in thy good time increase and by thy blessing and gracious assistance become so great that thou thereby maist be glorified others edified and my own soul more and more comforted XCV Upon the sight of the Sea roaring and beating with his waves against the shore in a great storm LOrd Isee in this the truth of thy word which tels me that thou hast set bars and doors to the Sea and hast said unto it hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed Lord deal so with the rage and fury of thine and mine enemies and suffer it not to proceed any further then it may make for thy glory and for the good both of my self and others XCVI Upon the sight of a most loving fathers correction of his child I Know that there cannot be a more loving and tender-hearted father towards a child then this father is and yet for the amendment of something that he knoweth to be amiss in him see how severely he doth correct him Lord therefore keep me from doubting of the love towards me when thou shalt be pleased in never so grievous a manner at any time to afflict me XCVII Upon the sight of footmen running a Race LOrd enlarge my heart that I may run the way of thy commandement and that with that patience confidence and perseverance that I may in the end obtain the incorruptible crown of glory XCVIII Upon the sight of water running out of a rock LOrd strike my hard and stony heart with due remorse for my sinnes that my head may be as waters and mine eyes as a fountain of tears to weep mourn and lament for them as thy child should do XCIX Upon the sight of a Snakes or Adders skin LOrd I see that nature hath taught this Serpent to renew his age by casting his old skin Oh that grace might teach me in like manner to put off the old man that I might be renewed in the spirit of my mind and become a new man in thy sight C. Upon the sight of one starting back at the sudden sight of a Serpent OH that I might have the grace to flee from sin as I see this man to flee from this Serpent CI. Upon the sight of an old weak man leaning on and going by a staff THis staff I see is this old mans stay without which he can neither stand nor go Lord I am as weak in spirituall strength as this old man is in bodily Oh be thou therefore my stay that I fall not and keep thou me in perfect peace because my mind is stayed on thee CII Vpon the sight of the Day-star LOrd this Star assures me that it is not far to day and that ere long the Sun will arise Oh that the day of Salvation would dawn unto me and that the day-star of saving knowledge would arise in my heart to assure me that the day-spring from on high will shortly visit me and that the Sun of righteousness Jesus Christ will arise unto me CIII Vpon the sight of one sowing his ground when it rained LOrd give me the grace to sow to the Spirit though it be in tears that I may one day reap in joy CIV. Vpon the sight of one slinging a stone out of a sling LOrd do thou thus sling the souls of thine enemies as out of the middle of a sling but do thou bind up the souls of thy servants in the bundle of life with thee the Lord their God CV Vpon the hearing of a master calling up his servants LOrd it is as high time for me to awake out of the sleep of my sins as it is for these servants to awake out of their bodily sleep Oh therefore call me by thy Word blessed Spirit that I which have so long slept in sin may at last awake and arise out of the bed of my carnall security CVI. Upon the hearing of a Countrey-mans joy for his good crop of corn I Confesse Lord that the Husbandmans joy in harvest for his good crop of corn is great but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me and then shall I have more gladnesse in my heart then such men have when their corn and wine and oyl encreaseth CVII Vpon the sight of one running