the Holighost whom thou hast giuen vs and thy Sonne Iesus is the mean and fulnesse according as in him doth remaine all that is beautifull delectable peaceable rich permanent and glorious aboue in Heauen which thou hast promised vs. Of which treasure of inestimable valew thou doest thus euen already graunt mee the vse by the effects of thy diuine vertues which make mee to pierce through the heauens with my imagination and to establish my soule in thy peace as if in my bosome I kept the full fruit of thy promise and did alreadie liue there aboue in like estate as the Angells For O eternall God thy mercy is vpon me as I doe trust in thee And therfore albeit I creepe here vp and downe through manie infirmities Yet will I in patience abide the appearing of thy glorie in the daie of the comming of thy Sonne to iudge the quicke and the dead as being thorowly assured through thy grace in the end of my course to obtain the diadem wherewith thou crownest thine and at the last day and euer in my flesh to behold that great Sauiour of the elect who liueth with thee and the Holyghost one god eternally Amen The fourteenth Prayer To obtaine the vertue of Loue. God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him The end of the Law is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Tim. 1. O Eternall who art al loue and who according to the infinite vertue thereof hast loued vs before we wer as also since the time that wee were thy enemies vnthankefull sinners adiudged to death and to the paines of hell thou hast I say freely so loued vs that thou hast giuen thy onely sonne to the world to redeeme vs with the price of his blood and for vs to purchase righteousnesse and a blessed life This being so O Lord the original and fountaine of loue make it with efficacy reflection to shine into al places whither the knowledge of thy grace shall come likewise that where thou doest more neerely communicate thy selfe by making the flames of thy loue to bee more liuely felt graunt also that there by the effects of thy spirit the greater loue towardes thee may appeare I beseech thee make mee more and more to meditate and comprehend this thy admirable loue that I may accordingly frame my selfe to that loue thou requirst of thy children truely faithfull which is also the end of the whole law and precepts of the gospell So that in purenesse of heart with an vpright conscience and with a true and liuely faith I may attaine to the knowledge of thy truth and will to the end in all through al to obey thee with a quiet conscience the same being the chiefest the highest and the most perfect degree of loue that we can testifie vnto thee O our God and that which leadeth vs to the perfection of Christian life which of mortall men maketh vs as it were Angels which albeit wee liue vppon earth maketh vs Cittizens of heauen to bee briefe it is that which in the secret of our hearts giueth vs a sweet feeling of thy peace which surmounteth all the reason of our vnderstanding That also thereby I may learne that there is none that can loue thee perfectly vntill he hath bin preuented by the sweetnesse of thy vnmeasurable loue and kindled with the flame That we loue thee because thou first louedst vs like as also through thy grace thou makest thy selfe thy benefites knowne vnto vs. The more therefore that wee finde our selues disposed to loue thee the more shuld we beleeue that thou makest thy selfe to be felt in the inwarde partes of our soules to bee our God and our Father and that therefore wee haue the greater cause to confirme and comfort our selues in the loue that thou bearest vs. O Lord make me also to vnderstand that as Christian charitie doth especially regard and looke vppon thy holy deitie Father Son and Holy-ghost one onely God that we may loue thee with our whole hearts mindes and strengths so hath shee a like regard to her neighbour that in thee and for thy sake because he beareth thy image we may loue him as our selues for in these conioyned and reciprocall things also Christ teacheth vs the bond of perfection euen that wee shall indeede be his disciples if we loue one another because he so shal fullfill his loue in our hearts But being O Lord very true that the faith which thou giuest vs doth singularly vnite thy familie together graunt me the spirite of loue which leading me to doe well to all men doth teach me principally to loue the houshold of thy Church that I may with a ready will yeelde them all helpe in their necessities In asmuch also as our redeemer the perfect pattern of charitie hath loued his enemies procuring them good for euill and blessing for iniurie I beseech thee my GOD giue me grace to extend my loue to those that hate mee that without hypocrisie or vaine glory I may to my power help forward their good and saluation And so that I may beare an vpright and lowly heart to all men whereby all the faithfull may be edefied and comforted and others seeing my good works rather thine than mine may be constraind to glorifie thee O our father which art in heauen c. The fifteenth Prayer That we may well vse afflictions If any man will follow me let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me By manie tribulations wee must enter into the Kingdome of heauen Hee chastizeth him whom he loueth and scourgeth euerie childe that hee receiueth Mat. 16. Act. 14. Heb. 12. O Lord my GOD and my father I learne in thy worde that none be true Disciples of Iesus Christ but they that followe his steppes wherof he hath deliuered vs a sure marke in these two chief points the renouncing of our selues and the voluntarie enduring of the crosse For naturallie we are inueagled with a disorderly loue to our selues and doe presume too much of our owne persons It is therefore necessarie for vs to renounce our own nature and reason and to abandon our owne affections to suffer thee thy loue O our God to liue raigne in vs. Then must we proceede to the other point that is cheerefully to beare out the afflictions and miseries of this life wherein it pleaseth thee especially to exercise thine vpon diuerse good considerations namely to make them conformeable to the image of thy Sonne to the end that suffering with him they may also raigne in his glory For it is very true that al men by sinne doe eate the fruites of the earth in labour and bread in the sweate of their browes that they all liue in a sea tossed with many stormes crossed with many anguishes But all haue not the gift of thy spirit to learne by his doctrine that the
sufficiently preach forth the infinite power of thy hand which had created him such a one I wil not neither can I ascend higher then thy word teacheth me to enquire wherefore thou wouldest not so establish the blessed being of this the greatest and chiefest of thy visible workes that he might not fall I haue matter enough to occupy the strength of my soule to meditate vpon to haue in detestation yea euen before thy Maiestie to accuse the pride of our nature which thought not it selfe in honor sufficient vnlesse it were equall with thy deitie freeing it selfe from all feare and obedience vnto thee and by that rash ingratitude cast himselfe headlong from innocency into sinne from life into temporall and eternall death To thee O Lord belongeth righteousnesse and to man confusion shame and thou after thy good pleasure shewest mercy to whom thou wilt shew mercy The vaine Philosophie and foolish curiositie which is not content with the simplicitie of Christian faith retained within the limits of thy sacred Oracles shal make much enquiry about this fall of Adam to the end if she could to penetrate into thy secret counsaile about the creation and end of thy workes yea euen in that which toucheth the election and reprobation of mankind shee dareth in this bottomlesse pit to dicourse of thy infinite iustice the argument of thy incomprehensible glory measuring both the one and the other with her terrestiall conceits for to declare in her imaginations thy grace to the elect and thy iudgement against the reprobate daring to pleade their cause as also she will resolue of their estate after this life and of the qualitie of their punishments But thy children O heauenly Father instructed by thy doctrine through the light of thy spirit will in their hearts humblie reuerence thy decrees which are alwayes iust euen in the first condemnation of al mankinde and will be content to magnifie thy goodnesse for the grace that it hath pleased thee to bestow vpon them in Iesus Christ adopting them by him of thy free mercy into thy family For they haue learned in thy schoole that the inaccessible brightnesse of thy iudgements dazleth the best sighted mindes and spirits yea wasteth and consumeth them when they presume to approach to enquire the secret causes This doe I know neither will I know any more that all things doe worke for the best in thy elect because that hauing known them before all ages thou hast also predestinated them to be made conformable to the image of thy Son called and iustified them to be glorified The vessels of wrath prepared to perdition do feele none of these free mercies and celestiall riches whereof it comes that when they thinke vpon death they see nothing but feareful horrible damnable all intollerable paine without diminution or end an infernall diuelish and endlesse torment a gnashing of teeth with blasphemy and dispaire a perpetuall disquiet both in body and soule an eternity to their woe and damnation and which is worse a most merciful God whom they shall know to be in heauen and yet not to bee their God but their aduersary soueraigne Iudge to be as seuere and rigorous to them as he shall be gentle and fauorable to his children This is in summe all that the reprobate may expect or hope for in death This also maketh that when they find they are vtterly destitute of the pledge of their fredome which thy elect O Lord doe carry with them in this sinne of nature namely faith in Christ dead for their sinnes and risen againe for their righteousnesse these miserable men departe this their earthly habitation with great griefe and trembling vsually at the hower of death casting forth many woeful sobbes infallible fore-runners of their misery at hand As in truth they want no more thereof but the proofe that they are going to make of the eternall torments with the diuells in the burning lake of fire and brimstone which is neuer quenched giuen to the soule presently vpon the temporall death and to both body and soule in the day of the resurrection of all flesh I say in the second eternall death a death which continueth without dying and without consuming or destroying that which it makes to languish for euer in a furnace always burning deuouring and consuming amongest which vnspeakeable torments yea such as mans thought is not able to conceiue this paine is not the least to the damned but rather an other cruell death that they neuer haue any motion of the spirit to repent or conuert vnto thee the onely and true God I beseech thee therefore O Lord that as thou hast giuen me grace to belieue that by thy grace I am made a vessell of mercy I may liue in the life of the righteous sanctified by the spirit of Christ to depart happily in him and so to ascend vnto thee into thy new Sion and there to receiue the price of the victorious crown which this great Sauior of the elect hath purchased for the perfection of their glory So be it The one and twentieth Prayer For the Morning O Lord euen in the morning heare my voice Earlie in the morning will I direct my praier vnto thee and will looke vp O Lord I crie vnto thee and earlie shall my praier come before thee Let my helpe and beginning be in the name of god Father Sonne and holi-ghost who hath made heauen and earth Psal 5. 88. O Lord my God eternal and almightie to whom I owe all glory and obedience I doe humbly prostrate my selfe before thy face and lift vp my heart and voice to thee my Father which art in heauen to sanctifie thy name to craue thy mercy and to giue thee thankes for thy benefits I acknowledge of thy prouidence and benignitie that hauing passed this night vnder thy gard and protection I may yet see the light of the day in the workes of thy hands contemplate the greatnesse of thy power and here below enioy those temporall benefites that thou powrest plentifully or largely vppon thy creatures But because of thy vnmeasurable bountie thou makest earthlie things common to all men and that the effects of the Sonne doe stand vs no steede but for the life of the bodie I beeseech thee merciful Father more and more to raise vpon my heart thy eternall light our Lord Iesus Christ and by the vertue of thy spirit so to scatter the darkenesse of my vnderstanding and to breake the hardnesse of my heart that so farre as it may suffize for my saluation I may apprehend the glorie of thy Kingdome and the mysteries of christian faith together with the dutie of my calling that I may constantly walke in the same in a good conscience and as before thee the searcher of our harts with all my thoughtes worshipping and louing thee in spirit and trueth according to thy word louing also in thee my neighboures as my selfe to pleasure them so farre forth as I may by
al quiet obedience Receiue him into thy heauenly Hierusalem for hee hath his whole recourse vnto thee by one onelie mediatour Iesus Christ and all his confidence is in thy mercy In steade of bodilie death graunt him the life of his soule amongest thy Angels vntil that by the resurrection of all flesh in the great day of the LORD he may liue a whole man in the contemplation of thy glory And to vs all heere present likewise graunt thy grace that we may as we ought beholde in this myrror the shortnesse and vncertainetie of our dayes that hereafter we may not desire anie thing so much as to employ them carefully to thy honour and seruice For all these thinges doe we pray vnto thee in the name of thy Sonne in that Prayer which himselfe hath taught vs Our father which art in heauen c. The eight and twentieth Prayer For him that feeleth his death at hand Wee knowe that if this earthly tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building giuen of God that is a house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens The body is sowen in corruption it shall rise againe in incorruption 2. Cor. 5. 1. Cor. 15. O GOD my God and FATHER iustly was man thy creature when by sinne he had turned from thee who art the life cast headlong into the curse both of temporall and eternall death for thy Maiestie being infinitely offended ought also in iustice to require a punishment without end which beginneth euen in this life in many miseries and is perpetuated hell whereto death is as it were the gate O Lord The cause of so lamentable a mishap is in our nature But in thee is pittie and compassion O mercifull Father who after thy vnspeakeable goodnesse makest the temporall death which to all men is ineuitable and to the reprobate an entry into hel to change his qualitie concerning the Elect beeing vnto them a ioyfull passage to that happinesse which is in heauen For Iesus Christ thy eternall Son to purchase vs this benefit did put on our flesh and therein healed the wound of sinne by his righteousnesse and by his oblation satisfied for our debt triumphing by his resurrection ouer Death Sathan and Hel for the saluation of those to whome thou giuest grace to belieue in his name Now then my God sith it hath pleased thee of thy great loue thus to accomplish the high mysterie of our redemption I beseeche thee grant mee to feele the fruite and efficacy thereof through the vertue of thy spirit euen to the last gaspe of my life that then I may render to thee my soule in peace For I am baptized in the name of Christ I belieue his holy gospel and am fed with his body and blood in the holy Church True it is O Lord that the remembrance of my sins whereof my conscience doeth accuse mee doeth greatly trouble me for the darkenesse of my vnderstanding hath kept me from knowing thee aright and the corruption of my heart from worshipping thee in spirit and truth according to thy word I haue neglected this pretious treasure euen the voice of my Redeemer and by my slackenesse made the seede therof vnfruitfull in my soule many times preferring the loue of my selfe and the vanities of the world before the loue that I owe vnto thee my Creator and my neighbour for thy sake I haue not affected the crosse of thy Sonne that I might cheerefully carry mine after him in renouncing all my concupiscences neyther haue I applied thy chastizement to an vpright amendment of life I haue beene weake in faith slow in hope cold in charitie vnpatient in tribulation and more stiffe in retaining other mens offences against mee then ready to pardon them what more shal I say my God Also many other sins which I cannot expresse which being euen at this day hidden from mee in my infirmities doe ouerwhelme my soule were it not for the repentance that thou grauntest mee and the trust that I haue in thy mercy through the righteousnesse of my Sauiour Iesus Christ which it pleaseth thee in thy Fatherly loue to make mine I see nothing but matter of dispaire His sacrifice giueth mee peace with thee his blod cleanseth me his obedience absolueth me his woundes doe cure mee In his torments my soule findeth her rest for of all these benefites doe I feele thy promise sealed in my heart by thy spirit which maketh me to crie vnto thee Abba Father and assureth me that thou wilt of thy free mercy in the name of thy Sonne and for his sake giue mee remission of my sinnes and eternal life being illuminated therefore by this celestiall light I doe with the eies of my mind behold the ship that shall carry me ouer from earth to heauen no farther off from the presence of my Redeemer then was that of his Disciples when they rowed against the tempest to whom he said feare not for it is I. For in like maner commeth hee to meete mee to say vnto me Feare not assure thy selfe be constant It is I not the death which thou maist peraduenture feare but hee that hath broken the sting thereof that hath led it in triumph that hath broken the barres and bonds euen in hell and who therefore doeth make thee to ascend from the graue into the Pallace of my glorie Thus my God strengthened by thy grace with Christian hope which is not confounded and couered vnder the buckler of Faith which the darts of the diuell cannot wound I am able with a strong motion to paâ—â—e in peace from this prison of nature with these last words of Iesus Christ vpon the crosse Into thy hands O LORD I commend my spirit and the same Christ saying vnto me as to the poore theefe that was dying Sonne reioyce this day thou shalt be with me in Paradice FINIS