CHRISTIAN Prayers and Meditations in English French Italian Spanish Greeke and Latine IMPRINTED at London by Iohn Daye An. 1569. IESSE DAVID SALOMŌ ABIA 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IORAM OSIAS IOATAM AHAS ESECHIA Manss◠E R HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE Elizabeth Regina 2. PARALIPOM 6. Domine Deus Israel non est similis tui Deus in coelo in terra qui pacta custodis misericordiam cum seruis tuis qui ambulant coram te in toto corde suo ⧠Prayers to be sayd in the mornyng and first when you awake out of your sleepe pray thus MOste mercifull God and father of our Sauior Jesus Christ I moste humbly thanke thee for the sweete sleepe and comfortable rest which thou hast geuen me this night past besechyng thee that lyke as thou hast now awaked my body from sleepe so thou wouldest awake my soule from the slepe of sinne and darkenes of thys world and that which thou hast now awaked out of slepe thou wouldest after deathe wherof this sleepe is but an image restore rayse agayne to life euerlasting Oh gracious God make my body I hartely pray thee such a companion or rather a minister of godlines to my soule this day and all the tyme of this present lyfe that in the lyfe to come it may be pertaker with the same of euerlasting happines thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. * Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall shew light vnto thee Eph. 5 ¶ Occasions to meditate HEre call to mynd the great mirth and blessednes of the euerlasting resurrectiō Also remember to muse vpō that most clere light that bright mornyng and new clearenes of our bodies after the long darknes which they haue bene in All then shall be ful of vnspeakable ioyes and felicitie ⧠When you behold the day light pray O Lord God thou most glorious true lyght from whēce this light of the day sunne doth spring and shyne vnto vs O lyght which lightnest euery mā that commeth into this world O light which knowst no night nor euening but art alway a midday most cleare and fayre without whome all is most horrible darknes and by whō all things are most splendent O thou wisdome of the eternall father of mercies lighten my mynd that I may see those thynges onely which please thee and may be blynded to all other thynges Graunt me so to walke in thy wayes by the light of thy holy worde that nothing els may be lyght and pleasaunt vnto me * Lighten mine eyes O Lorde that I sleepe not in death least mine enemies say I haue preuailed against him Psal 30. ¶ Occasions to meditate MVse a while how much the light and eye of the mynde and soule is better then of the body Also how much more we ought to care for the soule that it may see wel then for the body Moreouer that beastes haue bodely eyes as well as men but men only haue eies of the mind and that such as are godly wise ⧠When you arise pray OVr first parentes cast downe themselues from a most excellent high honorable estate in to shame and misery and in to the deepe sea of all wickednesse and mischiefe but oh Christ thou puttyng forth thy hande didst rayse them vp agayne Euen so we except we be raysed vp by thee shall lye still for euer O good Christ our most gracious redemer as thou doost mercifully rayse vp now this my body euen so I beseeche thee rayse vp my mynde and harte to the true knowledge and loue of thee that my conversation may be in heauen where thou art * If you be risen with Christ thinke vpon those thinges that be aboue Colloss 3. ¶ Occasions to meditate THinke how foule the fall of Adam was by reason of sinne and so of euery one of vs from the height of gods grace Againe thinke vppon the inestimable benefite of Christ by whose helpe we daily arise agayne from our fallynges ⧠When you are made redy to begin the day withall pray O Almighty God most mercifull father thou knowest hast taught vs also somethyng to knowe that the weaknes of man and woman is great that without thy grace they can neither do nor thinke any good thing Haue mercy vpon me I hūbly beseche thee thy most weake fraile and vnworthy chylde Lighten my mynde that I may with pleasure looke vpon good thinges onely Enflame my hart with the loue therof that I may carefully couete them and at the last by thy gracious cōducting may happely attayne them thorough Jesus Christ our Lorde I distrustyng altogether myne owne weakenes commende and offer my selfe both soule and body into thy handes * Thy louyng spirite leade me forth into the lande of righteousnes Psal 143. ⧠Cogitations meete to begin the day withall THinke first that man consisteth of soule body and that the soule is from heauen heauenly firme and immortall but the body is from the earth earthly fraile and mortall Agayne thinke that though by reason of sinne wherein you are conceyued and borne the partes of the soule which do vnderstand and desire be so corrupte that without speciall grace to both partes you can neither know nor loue any good thyng in gods sight much lesse then do that is good yet this notwithstandyng thynke that you are regenerate by Christes resurrection which your baptisme requireth you to beleue and therefore to do also some good in the sight of God through Christ for whose sake our poore doynges are accepted for good the euill and infirmitie cleauing therunto not beyng imputed through faith Thinke that by fayth which is gods séede for they which beleue are of God and made Gods children geuen to those that be ordeyned to eternall life thinke I say that by fayth you receiue more and more the spirit of sanctification through the vse of Gods worde and sacramentes and earnest prayer to illuminate your minde vnderstanding iudgement and reason and to bow forme frame and inflame your affections with loue and power to do that that good is and therfore vse you the means aforesaid accordingly Thinke that by this spirite you are thorough faith coupled to Christ as a liuely member and so to God and as it were made one with hym and by loue which springeth out of this faith you are made one also with all that be of God and so you haue fellowship with God and all good men that euer were or shall be in all the good that God and all his saintes haue or shall haue Thinke that as by faith and loue through the spirite of God you are now entred into this communion the blessednes whereof no tounge can expresse so after thys lyfe you shall first in soule and in the last day in body also enioy for euer the same societie most perfectly which now is but begonne in you Thinke in consideration of your heauenly estate how your body is the temple of
a shadow a warfare a bubble of water a worde grasse a flower That we shall die it is most certaine but the time no mā can tell when The longer in this life we do remaine the more wee synne which will turne to our further paine By cogitation of death our mindes be often in a maner oppressed with darkenes because we do but remember the nyght of the body forgetting the light of the mynde and of the resurrection Hereto remember the good thinges that after thys life shall ensue in certaintie of faith without wauering and so shall the passage of death be more desired It is like a sayling ouer the sea to your home and countrey it is like a medicine or purgation to the health of soule and body it is the best Phisicion it is lyke a womās trauaile For as the chylde beyng deliuered commeth into a more large place then the wombe wherin it did lye before so the soule beyng deliuered out of the body commeth into a much more larger and fayrer place euen into heauen ⧠A meditation concerning the sober vsage of the body and pleasures in this life THe beginning of all euill in our kynde of liuyng springeth out of the deprauation and corruptnes of our iudgement because our will alwayes followeth that which reason iudgeth to be folowed Now that which euery man taketh to be frendly and agreyng to his nature the same doth he iudge necessarily to be good for hym and to be desired This is meate drinke apparel riches fauour dignitie rule knowledge and such lyke because they are thought good agreeyng either to the body or to the mind or to both for they helpe either to the conseruation or to the pleasure of man accompted of euery one amongest good thinges Howbeit such is the weaknes of our witte on the one parte and the blindnes and too much rage of our lustes on the other part that we beyng left to our selues can not but in the desire of thynges which we iudge good and agreeyng to our nature by the iudgement of our senses and reason we cannot I say but ouerpasse the boundes wherby they myght be profitable vnto vs and so we make them hurtfull to vs which of themselues are ordayned for our health What is more necessary then meate and drynke or more agreeyng to nature but yet how few be there which do not hurt themselues by thē In lyke maner it goeth with riches estimation frends learning c. Yea although we be in these most temperate yet when there wanteth the spirit our regeneratour we are so drowned in them that we vtterly neglect to lift vp our myndes to the good pleasure of God to the ende we might imitate and follow God our maker by yelding our selues ouer duly to vse his gyftes to the common and priuate vtility of our neighbours But now God onely is life and eternity and cannot but demaunde of vs hys handiworke that we should render our selues and all we haue to the ende wherefore we were made that is to resemble for our portion his goodnes as those which be nothing els but witnesses instrumēts of his mercy So that when we wholy do naturally striue against that kind of life wherto he hath create vs by seking alwayes our selues what other thing ought to ensue but that he should againe destroy vs take away his notable giftes wherwith he therfore indued vs that by all kinde of wel doyng we should resemble his image yea what other thyng may ensue but that he should leaue vs that eternally that we might feele and by experience proue how bitter a thing it is to leaue the lord in whom is all goodnes Oh that I might therfore find such fauor in thy sight deare father that thou wouldest worke in me by thy holy spirite a true knowledge of all good thynges and harty loue to the same through Christ Jesus our lord and only Sauiour Amen ⧠A meditation vpon the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. OH Lord Jesus Christ the sonne of the almighand euerliuyng God by whome all thynges were made and be ruled and gouerned thou the liuely image of the substaunce of the Father the eternall wisedom of God the brightnes of his glory god of God light of light coequal coeternall and consubstancial with the father thou which of the loue thou hadst to mankynde when he was fallen from the felowship of God into the societie of Sathan and all euil didst vouchsafe for our redemption to become a Mediatour betwene God man taking to the Godhead our nature as concerning the substaunce of it and so becamest man also the heire of all and most merciful Messias which by the power of thy Godhead merites of thy manhode hast made purgatiō of our synnes euē by thine owne self whilest thou wast here on earth being now set on the right hand of thy father for vs euen concernyng our nature in maiesty glory and power infinite I pray and humbly besech thy mercy to graunt me at thys present to rehearse some of thy passions and suffringes for me the last night that thou wast here before thy death that thy good spirite myght therby be effectual to worke in me faith as well of the pardon of my synnes by them as mortification of myne affections comfort in my crosses and paciēce in afflictions Amen In the midst of thy last supper with thy deare Apostles these thynges could not but be before thee namely that they all would leaue thee the most earnest would forsweare thee and one of the xij should most traitrously betray thee which were no small crosses vnto thee Judas was admonished of thee to beware but when he tooke no heede but wilfully went out to finish his work contemnyng thy admonition and counsell he could not but vexe thy most louyng hart After supper there was contention amongs thy disciples who should be greatest after ter thee yet dreamyng carnally of thee and thy kyngdome and hauyng this affection of pryde and ambition busie amonges them notwithstandyng thy diligence in reprouyng and teachyng them After thy admonition to thē of the crosse that would come therby to make them more vigilant so grosse wer they that they thought they could wyth their two swordes put away all perils which was no little griefe vnto thee After thy cōmyng to Gethsemane heauines oppressed thee therfore thou wouldest thy disciples to pray Thou didst tell to Peter and his fellowes that thy hart was heauy to death Thou didst wyll them to pray being carefull for them also lest they should fall into tēptation After this thou wentest a stones cast from thē and didst pray thy selfe falling flat and groueling vppon the earth but alas thou feltest no comfort and therfore thou camest to thy disciples which of all others were most sweete deare vnto thee but lo to thy further discomfort they passe neither of thy perils nor of their owne and therfore sleepe apace After thou hadst
the holy ghost your mēbers of Christ the whole worlde and all thinges therein are your owne Therfore say vnto your soule O my soule arise follow God contemne this world purpose well and pursue it long for the Lordes commyng be ready and watch that he come not vpon thée vnwares And forsomuch as you must liue to Gods pleasure sée the vocation and state of your life wherunto God hath called you and pray to god for grace knowlege and habilitie to take the most profitable thinges in hand well to begin better to go on and best of all to ende the same to Gods glory and the profite of others and thinke that tyme lost wherin you speake not or do not or at tho least thinke not something to Gods glory and the commoditie of his children ⧠At the sunne going downe pray HOw vnhappy are they O Lorde on whō thy Sunne goeth downe and geueth no lyght I meane thy grace which is always cleare as the midday Darke night vnto thē is the midday which depart from thee In thee is neuer night but alwayes day light most cleare This corporall Sunne hath his courses now vp now down but thou deare Lord if we loue thee art alwayes one O that thys blocke and veile of sinne were taken away frō me that there might be alwayes cleare day in my mynde ¶ Occasion to meditate THinke that as we are not sory when the sunne goeth downe because we know it will rise agayne euen so we should not sorrow for death wherwith the soule and body do parte asunder for they shall eftsones returne and come together agayne in most glorious wise ⧠When the candels be light pray MOst thicke and darke cloudes do couer our myndes excepte thy light O Lord do driue them away Thy Sunne O most wise worker is as it were a firebrand to this worlde Thy wisdome whereby light commeth to both soule and body is a firebrand to the spirituall world After day when the night commeth thou hast geuen for the remedy of darknes a candell After sinne for the remedy of ignoraunce thou hast geuen thy doctrine which thy deare sonne hath brought vnto vs. O thou that art the author and maister of al truth and art the true lyght make vs so to see that the dimnes of our myndes may be driuen cleane away * Thy worde is a lanterne to my feete a light vnto my pathes Psal 4. * Lift thou vp the light of thy countenaunce vpon vs and send ioy and gladnes into our hartes ¶ Occasions to meditate THinke that the knowledge which God geueth vnto vs by the candel light wherby we see those thyngs in this night of our bodies which are expedient for vs should make vs to wishe much more for this spirituall light of our soules this doctrine of our saluation and when we gette it the more to esteme it and diligently to embrace it Agayne that as all would be horrour without candell light so there is nothing but meere confusion where Gods worde taketh not place ⧠When you make your selfe vnready pray THys our lyfe and weake knit body by reason of sinne by little and little shall be dissolued and so shall be restored to the earth from whence it was taken then will be an ende of this vanitie which by our folly we haue wrought to our selues O most meke father so do thou vntie loose me for thou art he that hast knit these my weak members together that I may perceiue my selfe to be loosed and dissolued so may remember both of whome I was made and also whether I must go least I be had vnprouided vnto thy tribunall seate * Put of the olde man with hys lustes and concupiscences Col. 3 Ephe. 4. ¶ Occasion to meditate THinke that as we do willingly put of our garmentes because we shall receiue them againe when the night is past so we should not vnwillingly forsake our bodies when God by death shal call vs because we shall receyue them againe in the resurrection of the iust ⧠When you enter into your bed pray THe day now ended men geue thēselues to rest in the nyght and so this lyfe finished we shall rest in death Nothing is more like this life thē euery day nothing more lyke death thē slepe nothyng more like to our graue then our bed O Lord our keper and defender graunt that I now laying me downe to rest beyng vnable to keepe my selfe may be preserued from the crafts and assaultes of the wicked enemy And graunt further that when I haue runne the race of this lyfe thou wouldest of thy mercy call me vnto thee that I may lyue and watche with thee for euermore And now gracious God geue me to take my rest in thee and bring to passe that thy goodnes may be euen in sleepe before mine eyes that slepyng I be not absent from thee but may haue my dreams to draw me vnto thee so both soule and body may be kept pure and holy for euer * I will lay me downe in peace and take my rest Psal 4. ⧠An other prayer O Lord Jesus Christ my watchman and keper take me to thy care graunt that my body slepyng my minde may watch in thee and be made mery by some sight of that celestiall and heauenly life wherin thou art the king prince together with the father and the holy ghost where the Aungels and holy spirits be most happy citizens Oh purify my soule keepe cleane my body that in both I may please thee sleping waking for euer Amen ¶ Occasion to meditate THinke that as this troublesome day is now past and night come and so rest quietnes and pleasant sléepe which maketh most excellent princes and poore wretches alike euen so after the tumultes troubles temptations and tempestes of thys life they that beleue in Christ haue prepared for them an hauen and rest most pleasant and ioyfull As you are not afraid to enter into your bedde and to dispose your selfe to sléepe so be not afraid to die but rather cherefully prepare your selfe therunto Thinke that now you are néerer your ende by one dayes iourney then you were in the morning ⧠A prayer to God the Father for the true knowledge of the mystery of our redemption in Christ. O Almighty God Father of our Lorde Jesus Christ and by him also our father the father of all mercy and God of all consolation haue mercy vpon vs and heare our prayers We most humbly beseche thee for thy deare sonne Jesus Christes sake for his merites and cruell death which he suffred to deliuer vs from eternall death and the power of darknes send into our hartes thy spirite of truth to worke in vs a true liuely and stedfast faith that the cleare light and brightnes of thy gospell the glory of Christ may shine vnto vs lighten our mindes that we may learne vnderstand the wonderfull vnspeakable riches of the mystery of our redemption
euerlasting life is no man is able to conceiue much lesse able to vtter For the peace of god which is eternall life passeth all vnderstanding The eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither can mans harte conceiue those thinges which thou deare God hast prepared for them that loue thee Whatsoeuer therfore can be spoken or imagined of thy kingdom of the clearenes ioy and felicitie of the same is nothyng in comparison as we may see by the Prophets which because they could not otherwise vnder corporall things haue shadowed the same So that the confidence of eternall life what a thing it is can in no wise be told Howbeit some what we may be brought into some sight of it by earthly thinges to thinke on this sort If God hath geuē here so many thinges in a strange place how many are the great good thinges that be at home If in a prison are so many mercies how many are they in the palace If the wicked haue so many benefites what is the store prepared for thy seruāts O Lord If thy children finde such comfortes in the day of teares and mournyng what shall they finde in the day of the mariage If with beastes men beyng haue the vse of so innumerable blessings oh how many are the blessinges whiche they shall enioy with thy Angels and with thee thy selfe O dere God when they shal see thee and haue the fruition of thee in whome is fulnes without lothing of all good faire thinges so that nothyng can be more desired and that for euermore This thy children do not so see as they now beleue it I say that euen in their bodies they shal see it for euer as Job sayd They heleue that they shall see thee and their owne eyes beholde thee when these our corporall eyes our bodies beyng raised shall do their duties Such a knowledge of thee they beleue to haue as shall not be onely intellectuall and by faith as now it is but euen a full sight and fruition yea a comunction and felowship with thee Now they see but in a glasse euen in a darke speaking but thē they shal see face to face For faith though it be the substaunce of thinges hoped for and a certain darke sight of thee yet it may not be compared to the rewarde of faith glorious sight which we shall see in the life to come when fayth hope shall cease Now thy children know that they be thy children though it yet appeare not what they shall be We know say they that whē our Christ God and man shall appeare then shall we be lyke vnto hym for we shall see him euen as he is Oh great prerogatiue to see Christ as he is Which is not to be considered so much for the māhoode as for the Godhead it self as Paule doth also write that when all thinges are subiect vnto the sonne then shall he be subiect vnto thee deare Father also that God may be all in all And therfore Christ our sauiour praied for vs that we might know thee the onely true God Not that our Christ thy sonne is not with thee the true coequal and substanciall god but that we might know how that after the iudgement such a mystery of hys mediatourship shall not be in heauē as is now in earth Then thou blessed trinitie God the Father God the sonne and God the holy ghost shalt be all in all thou shalt be the end of our desires thou shalt be loked vpon without ende thou shalt be loued without lothyng thou shalt bee praysed without wearinesse Althoughe lothsomues be wont to folow fulnes yet our fulnes in the contemplatiō of thy pleasures shall bring with it no kinde at all of lothsomnes Sacietie of ioyes shall be in the beholding of thee Pleasures are on thy right hand for euer We shal be satiffied when we arise after thyne image I meane in the resurrection Oh deare father shew thy self vnto vs and we aske no more Oh graunt vs with thy Saintes in euerlasting lyfe to prayse wyth perpetual prayses thy holy name Happy then and happy again wer we if that day wer come that we myght sing wyth thy aungels elders and innumerable thousandes a new song say thou Christ Jesu which wast slayne art worthy to receyue power and riches and wisdome and strength honour and glory and blessyng In thys blessed lyfe all kynde of maladies griefes sorrowes and euils be farre away and all ful of all kinde of mirth ioy pleasure Oh that we might see now a litle with S. John that holy Citie new Jerusalē descending frō heauen prepared of god as a bride trimmed for her husbande Oh that we might now somethyng heare the great voyce speakyng out of the throne behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be hys people and he shal be vnto them their god he will wipe away all teares from their eies and death shal be no more nor wepyng nor crying nor sorrow for the former thinges are gone ¶ An other meditation of the blessed state and felicitie of the life to come THis body is but a prison wherein the soule is kept and that verely not beautifull nor bright but most foule and darke disquiet fraile and filled vp with much vermine and venemous vipers I meane it cōcerning our affections standing in an ayre most vnwholesome and prospect most lothsome if a man consider the excrementes of it by the eyes nose mouth eares hands feete and all the other partes So that no Bocardo no Little ease no Dungeon no Bishops prison no gatehouse no sincke no pit may be cōpared in any point to be so euill a prison for the body as the body is for and of the soule wherethrough the children of God haue bene occasioned to cry lament their long being in it Oh saith Dauid how long shall I lye in this prison Oh wretch that I am sayth Paule who shall deliuer me out of this body of sinne which is an heauie burden vnto the soule as the wise man sayth And therefore the godly cry now let thy seruant depart in peace Oh that I were dissolued and had put of this earthly and fraile tabernacle Take me vnto thee and bring my soule out of thys prison that it may geue thankes vnto thee O Lord. For so long as we be in thys body we can not see the Lord yea it is as an heauy habitation and depresseth downe sore the spirite fro the familiaritie which it els should haue with God This world life is an exile a vale of misery a wildernes of it self being voide of all vertues and necessaryes for eternall life full of ennemies sorrowes sighings sobbings gronings miseries c In daunger to hūger cold heate thirst sores sicknes tentations trouble death and innumerable calamities being momentanye short vnstable and nothing but vaine and therfore is cōpared to a warfare a womās trauaile a
to reuerence magnifie thy godly maiestie First for that thou hast created vs to thine owne Image and similitude but chiefly because thou hast deliuered vs frō that euerlasting death and damnation into the which Sathan drew mankind by the meanes of sinne from the bondage wherof neyther man nor Angell was able to make vs free but thou O Lorde riche in mercy and infinite in goodnes hast prouided our redemption to stand in thine onely and welbeloued sonne whom of very loue thou didst geue to be made man like vnto vs in all thinges sinne excepted that in hys body he might receaue the punishment of our transgression by hys death to make satisfaction to thy iustice and by hys resurrection to destroy him that was author of death and so to bring againe life to the worlde from which the whole ofspring of Adam was most iustly exiled O Lord we acknowledge that no creature was able to comprehend the length and breadth the deepenes and height of that thy most excellent loue which moued thee to shewe mercy where none was deserued to promise and geue lyfe where death had gotten victory to receaue vs into thy grace when we could doe nothing but rebell against thy maiestie O Lord the blind dulnes of our corrupt nature will not suffer vs sufficiently to weigh these thy most ample benefites yet neuertheles at the commaundement of Jesus Christ our Lorde we present our selues to thys hys table which he hath left to be vsed in remembraunce of hys death vntill hys comming agayne to declare and witnes before the world that by hym alone we haue receaued libertie and life that by hym alone thou doest acknowledge vs to bee thy children and heyres that by hym alone we haue entrance to the throne of thy grace that by him alone we are possessed in our spirituall kingdome to eate and drinke at his table with whom we haue our conuersation presently in heauen and by whom our bodyes shall be raised vp agayne from the duste and shall bee placed with hym in that endles ioy which thou O father of mercy hast prepared for thine elect before the foundation of the world was layde And these most inestimable benefites we acknowledge and confesse to haue receaued of thy free mercy and grace by thine onely beloued sonne Jesus Christ For the which therfore we thy congregation moued by thy holy spirite render to thee all thankes praise and glory for euer and euer ¶ A thankesgeuing after the receauiug of the holy Communion TOst mercifull father we render vnto thee all prayse thankes honour glory for that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercies to graunt vs miserable sinners so excellent a gift and treasure as to receaue vs into the fellowship company of thy deare sonne Jesus Christ our Lord whom thou hast deliuered to death for vs hast geuen hym vnto vs as a necessary foode and nourishment vnto euerlasting lyfe And now we besech thee also O heauenly father to graunt vs thys request that thou neuer suffer vs to become so vnkind as to forget so worthy benefites but rather imprint and fasten them sure in our hartes that we may grow encrease dayly more and more in true fayth which continually is exercised in all maner of good workes and so much the rather O Lord confirme vs in these perillous dayes and rages of Sathan that we may constantly stand and continue in the confession of the same to the aduauncemēt of thy glory which art God ouer al things blessed for euer So be it ¶ A Prayer for wisedome to gouerne the Realme ALmightie God King of all Kinges Lorde of heauē earth by whose ordinaunce Princes haue gouernance of mortal mē wheras the wisest King Salomon plainly confesseth him self vnable to gouerne his kingdome without thy helpe assistance how much lesse shall I thy handmaide being by kinde a weake womā haue sufficient abilitie to rule these thy kingdomes of England and Ireland an innumerable warlike nation or how shall I possibly be able to beare the infinite weight of so great a burden vnlesse thou O most mercifull father as thou hast of thine own liberalitie without my deseruing and agaynst the expectation of many geuen me a kingdome and made me to reigne doe also in my reigning endue and helpe me with thy heauenly grace without which none euen the wisest among the childrē of men can once thinke a right thought Thou therefore O endlesse foūtaine of all wisedome send downe from thy holy heauen and frō the soueraigne throne of thy maiestie thy wisedome to be euer with me and alway to assist me to watch and labour with me in gouerning the common weale and that it may so teach and instruct me thy hādmaide that I may discerne betwene good euill and betwene right wronge that I may euer haue willingnes boldnes power to geue deserued punishment to the giltie louingly to defend the innocent liberally to cherish the painefull and profitable members of the common weale finally without regard of persons wtout accompt of worldly respectes take in hand execute and performe that which I shall know to please thee alone that when thou the rightfull iudge that shalt require many great thynges at their handes to whom many and great thinges are committed shalt call vs all to a straite reckening I be not condemned as giltie of euill gouernaunce but if I thy handmaide by naturall frailtie weaknes and want of cōsideration shall in any thing haue swarued from the right way it may please thee of thy great mercy most soueraigne king and most louing father for Jesus Christ thy sonnes sake to pardon me and graunt that after this earthly kingdome expired I may with thee enioy the heauenly and euerlasting kingdome through the same Jesus Christ thy sonne our Lorde and Mediator to whom with thee and with the holy ghost the only king of all worldes immortall inuisible onely wise God be all honour and glory for euer ⸫ Domine ne in furore PSALME VI. ¶ When Dauid by his sinnes had prouoked Gods wrath and now felte not onely his hand against him but also conceyued the horrors of death euerlasting he desireth forgeuenes bewailing that if God tooke him away in his indignation he should lacke occasion to prayse him as he was wont to do whiles he was among mē Then sodenly feeling Gods mercy he sharply rebuketh his enemies which reioyced in his affliction O Lorde rebuke me not in thine indignatiō neither chasten me in thy displeasure My soule is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me Turne thee O Lord and deliuer my soule Oh saue me for thy mercies sake For in death no man remēbreth thee and who will geue thee thankes in the pit I am wery of my groning euery night wash I my bedde and water my couch with teares My beautie is gone for very trouble and worne away because of all mine
gates of death and yet reducing backe againe I besech thee that as thou hast with thy sharpe visitation and greuous sicknes already corrected me thy disobedient seruaunt so thou wilt also after thys thy fatherly correction mercifully relieue and restore me if it may so stand with thy gratious goodnes euen as thy beloued sonne our Sauiour Jesus Christ vppon earnest sute and prayer as in hys holy Gospell is mentioned relieued and restored vnto health the rulers sonne being in extreme sicknes and at the very poynt of death which my most humble sute I likewise entirely make vnto thee most mercifull father in the name of the same thy dearlybeloued sonne our Sauiour Jesus Christ who liueth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost world without end Amen ¶ In time of sicknes O Most mightie most mercifull Sauior Jesu Christ the onely sonne of the liuing God who being here vpon the earth amongest mortall men by the healing of all diseases and pardoning of the sinnes of such as put theyr trust in thee diddest declare vnto the world that thou art that onely heauenly and perfect Physition as well of our soules as of our bodyes and when such as trusted in theyr owne righteousnes did lay it to thy charge as a fault that thou diddest keepe company with sinners thou diddest expressely testifie that not such as were in health but such as were sicke had nede of the Physitian Beholde O heauenly Physitian here in me a matter most worthy of thy diuine cure most meete to shew both thy power and mercy vppon Behold a person sore oppressed both with the sickenes of my soule and body Beholde me thy handmaiden vpon whom from my tender yeares vnto thys day thou hast heaped so great so many and almost infinite benefites of thy gratious goodnes whom being borne of a king and Queene thou hast not onely endued with giftes of grace meete for a kingdome but also hast deliuered me from many great daungers out of the handes of my enemies from the snares of death which they had set for my life hast exalted me vnto the dignitie of a Queene and placed me in the high estate of honour amongest mortall persons and that not through any my deseruyng but onely of thy free goodnes and mere liberalitie But now O Lord either lest too much worldly prosperitie should cary my minde astray and cause me to forget my selfe and my boūden dutie towardes thee or els for that I being by thee made a Queene ouer thy people haue neuer as I ought to doe from my hart acknowledged and confessed my self to be the subiecte and handmaiden of thy Maiestie neither behaued my selfe towardes thee accordingly as became thy bond maiden neither being thankfull towardes thee as my most gratious Sauiour nor obedient vnto thee as my most dreadfull Lord or els for other causes vnto thy diuine wisedome best knowen now I say eyther wholesomly to admonish or most iustly to punishe thy disobedient seruant and so gratiously to correcte and amend me thou hast stricken me with a greuous sicknes of my body and very daūgerous vnto my life and also troubled abashed my minde with terrours and anguishes of my soule and withall thou hast by my daunger sore flighted and amased thy people of England whose safetie quietnes next after thee seemeth to stay vppon me aboue all other worldly creatures and vpon my life and continuance amongest them Wherfore as well I as thy people cōmitted ▪ vnto me bowing the knees of our hartes before thy maiestie do hūbly besech thee most gratious Sauiour in thy iudgement to remember thy mercy and according to thy accustomed goodnes to deliuer me thy handmaiden from thys present perill of daungerous sicknes And first O heauenly Physitian I besech thee heale my soule pardoning my vnkindnes towardes thee forgeuing my forgetfulnes of thee and of my selfe vtterly blotting out and putting cleane away all other my sinnes committed agaynst thy Maiestie Heale my minde reforming and instructing me with thy heauenly grace that I may take thys sicknes which thou hast most iustly punished me withall contentedly and paciently as a bitter but wholesome medicine of all the diseases of my minde offered vnto me by thee as it were by the handes of the best Physician And withall heale my body also making it sound and pure frō all infirmities remnantes of sicknes that I may be throughly cured by the hauing of a whole minde in a whole body and that I hauing obteyned perfect health of both by thy only benefite not onely my self but also all thy people of England with me may both be taught by the perill past hereafter to geue due reuerence and obedience vnto thy maiestie and for the deliuerie from so great a daunger and benefite of perfect health may magnifie thy goodnes and mercy with perpetuall prayses and continuall thankesgeuing who with thy heauenly father and the holy Ghost are one immortall and most glorious God to whom belongeth all Empyre power and maiestie worlde without end Amen ¶ A Prayer to be sayd after sicknes or any other kinde of crosse or affliction ALmightie most mercifull father I thy poore creature worke of thyne handes acknowledge and confesse vnto thee my manifolde sinnes and offences which I frō my youth vp vnto thys day haue cōmitted agaynst thee in thought word and deede am taught and moued by thy worde and grace to be hartely sory for the same beseching thee for Jesus Christ thy deare sonnes sake to haue mercy vpon me and to forgeue me all these myne offences according to thy great mercy and promise which hast sayd At what time so euer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne frō the bottome of hys hart I will put all hys wickednes out of my remembraunce Ezech. xviij O Lord I confesse that I was borne in sinne and conceaued in wickednes and am by nature a childe of wrath for in my fleshe dwelleth no good thyng and of my selfe I am not able to thinke a good thought much lesse to do that thou in thy lawe requirest of me which hast sayd Cursed is he that continueth not in all thinges that are written in the lawe to doe them Again thy law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne Therfore O Lorde I come vnto thee for grace which hast sayd Aske ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you to preuent and draw my will vnto all goodnes for none can come vnto thee except he bee drawen and except we bee borne from aboue we can not see the kingdome of God Therfore O Lorde renue in me a right spirite that I may receaue strength and ablenes to do thy righteous will Assist me with thy grace that I may be strengthened with power in the inward man and be armed with thy holy armour which is the brestplate of righteousnes the shield of fayth the hope of
¶ The King With rulers kinges I end all thinges As Emperors and kings we did raigne But now the earth doth vs detayne ¶ The Duke Duke Prince I do conuince ¶ The Marques Marques or state I am thy mate Lordes and rulers haue bene But what we are is to be sene ¶ The Baron Baron lord To me must accord ¶ The Vicount High low with me must go Tyme to lyue and tyme to dye God graunt vs life eternally ¶ The Lord. Galaunt or gay Then must away ¶ The Knight Stout and braue I must thee haue Behold me here as in a glasse For as thou art so I was ¶ The Esquire For all thy lust Thou shalt to dust ¶ The Gentleman Graue or sad Thou must be had As the houres of the day So our lyues passe away ¶ The Capitaine In peace and warre I make and marre ¶ The Souldier Of foe frend I make an end As we were so are ye And as we are so shall ye be ¶ The Dromme Cease thy dromme For all is done ¶ The Fife Cease thy play And come away Tymes do passe and tyme it is To vse well tyme least tyme do misse ¶ The Iudge Come on iudge With me to trudge ¶ The Iustice. Justice I say Come on thy way From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ Sergeant at law Leaue the lawes heare my cause ¶ The Attorney Plead as thou lust With me thou must Christ for thy bitter passion Graunt vs a ioyfull resurrection ¶ The Mayor Though Mayor thou be Come go with me ¶ The Shirife Sir Shirife stand and geue me thy hand From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ The Bailife Thou Baily also With me shalt go ¶ The Constable Constable be prest For I thee arest Behold me here as in a glasse For as thou art so I was ¶ The Phisician Let Phisike alone And go with me home The Astronomer Looke not so hie I am thee by Tyme to lyue and tyme to dye God graunt vs life eternally ¶ The Marchant Neither craft nor trade Can me perswade ¶ The Citizen Of toune nor citie I haue no pitie Behold me here as in a glasse For as thou art so I was ¶ The Riche man Siluer nor golde cannot thee holde ¶ The aged man Youth and age Must be my page As the houres of the day So our lyues passe away ¶ The Atrificer Leaue thine arte And take my parte The Husbandman Labour no more For I haue store As we were so are ye And as we are so shall ye be ¶ The Beggar Begging is done For I am come ¶ The Roge. Thinke I am best For I bring rest From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ The Shepeheard Leaue thy shepe And with me crepe ¶ The Foole. Of foolish and fonde I breake the bonde Christ for thy bitter passion Graunt vs a ioyfull resurrection ¶ Of Youth Young olde Come to my folde ¶ Of Infancy Feare not me though I grisly be Tyme to lyue and tyme to dye God graunt vs life eternally ¶ The Emperour Emperour or king I must thee bring ¶ The King With rulers kinges I ende all thinges As Emperors and kings we did raigne But now the earth doth vs detayne ¶ The Duke Duke Prince I do conuince ¶ The Marques Marques or state I am thy mate Lordes and rulers we haueÌ„ bene But what we are is to be sene ¶ The baron Baron lord To me must accord ¶ The Vicount High low with me must go Tymes do passe and tyme it is To vse well tyme least tyme do misse ¶ The Lord. Galaunt or gay Thou must away ¶ The Knight Stout and braue I must thee haue As the houres of the day So our lyues passe away ¶ The Esquire For all thy lust Thou shalt to dust ¶ The Gentleman Graue or sad Thou must be had Behold me here as in a glasse For as thou art so I was ¶ The Capitaine In peace and warre I make and marre ¶ The Souldior Of foe frend I make an end From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ The Dromme Cease thy dromme For all is done ¶ The Fife Cease thy play And come away As we were so are ye And as we are so shall ye be ¶ The Iudge Come on iudge With me to trudge ¶ The Iustice. Justice I say Come on thy way As the houres of the day So our lyues passe away ¶ Sergeant at law Leaue the lawes heare my cause ¶ The Attorney Plead as thou lust With me thou must Behold me here as in a glasse For as thou art so I was ¶ The Mayor Thogh Mayor thou be Come with me ¶ The Shirife Sir Shirife stand and geue me thy hand Tyme to lyue and tyme to dye God graunt vs life eternally ¶ The Bailife Thou Baily also With me shalt go ¶ The Constable Constable be prest For I thee arest From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ The Phisician Let Phisike alone And go with me home The Astronomer Looke not so hie I am thee by Tymes do passe and tyme it is To vse well tyme least tyme do misse ¶ The Marchant Neither craft nor trade Can me perswade ¶ The Citizen Of toune nor citie I haue no pitie Christ for thy bitter passion Graunt vs a ioyfull resurrection ¶ The Riche man Siluer nor golde Cannot thee holde ¶ The aged man Youth and age Must be my page Christ for thy bitter passion Graunt vs a ioyfull resurrection ¶ The Atrificer Leaue thine arte And take my parte The Husbandman Labour no more For I haue store As we were so are ye And as we are so shall ye be ¶ The Beggar Begging is done For I am come ¶ The Roge. Thinke I am best For I bring rest Tymes do passe and tyme it is To vse well tyme least tyme do misse ¶ The Shepeheard Leaue thy shepe And with me â—â—epe ¶ The Foole. Of foolish and fonde I breake the bonde From earth to earth so must it be From lyfe to death as thou doost see ¶ Of Youth Young olde Come to my folde ¶ Of Infancy Feare not me though I grisly be Tyme to lyue and tyme to dye God graunt vs life eternally ¶ The Empresse Empresse thogh thou be Thou must away with me ¶ The Queene Queene also thou doost see As I am so shalt thou be We that were of highest degree Lye dead here now as ye do see ¶ The Princes Princes of hie estate coÌ„teÌ„t you I am your mate ¶ The Duchesse Duches princes Death daily conuinces We that sate in the highest seate Are layd here now for wormes meate ¶ The Countesse Countesse or what thou art I strike thee with my dart ¶ The Vicountesse Vicountes I do not spare For of them I haue no care Beauty honour and riches auayle no whit For death when he commeth spoyleth it ¶ The Baronnesse Baronnesse braue and hie Prepare thy selfe to dye ¶ The Lady Ladies gay faire To you I do repaire No state no might neither yong nor olde To resist death dare be bolde ¶ The Iudges wife Madame or iustice wife I am come to ende thy life The Lawyers wife Beware thy husbands gain Reward thee not with paine Death by his might doth conuince Expresse Queene Duches and Prince The Gentlewomaâ— Gentles braue fine Daunce after my line Aldermans wife Thou art clothed in skarlet And yet art but my varlet Behold vs here that sometyme were gay How now we lye here all lapped in clay Merchantes wife Braue neuer so nice Daunce after my deuice ¶ Citizens wife Tricke trim put of your hood I am come to do you good Riches nor treasure auayle nothing For death to earth all doth bring Riche mans wiâ—â— Though thou haue silâ—â—â— and golde Yet art thou within my holde ¶ Yong woman Fine prety in the wast Come with me in hast From earth we came and to earth we shall For sinne by death hath made vs thrall ¶ The Mayde Fresh galant gay All must with me away ¶ The Damosell Fine proper neate And all is but wormes meate O death how bitter is thy sting That poore and riche to earth doth bring ¶ Farmers wife Cease thy labour and paine For I am thy riches and gaine HusbandmaÌ„s wife Toyle no more I say For heÌ„ce I must away The wise the simple and euery degree Are by force compelled to obey vnto thee Countreywoman Away with butter chese For thy life thou must now leese The Nurse Geue sucke no more For I am at the dore Learne by vs that here do lye For to liue well and learne to die Shepeheardes wife Be thou young or olde Thou must enter into my folde ¶ Aged woman Be the day neuer so long At last commeth Euensong As death to the iust bringeth aduantage So he to the wicked doth great dammage The Creeple Be thou poore or disesed Thou must with me be pleased The poore woman Be thou neuer so poore Thou must enter at my dore As death in this world hath the victory So by death we hope to enter Gods glory Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you Math. 25. Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for c. Math. 21.
humilitie and payedst the price of our raunsome by thy most bitter death and passion for the which I most hartely geue thankes to thee so of the same thy loue towardes vs in thy good time thou wilt come againe in the cloudes of heauen with power and great glory with flaming fire with thousandes of saintes with angels of thy power with a mighty cry shoute of an Archangell and blast of a trumpe sodenly as a lightning which shineth from the East c. when men thinke least euen as a thiefe in the night when mē be a slepe thou wilt so come I say thus sodainly in the twincklyng of an eie all men that euer haue bene be and shall be with women and children appearyng before thy tribunall iudgemēt seat to render an accompt of all thinges which they haue thought spoken and done against thy law openly and before all Aungels saintes and Deuils and so to receiue the iust reward of thy vengeaunce if that they haue not repented obeyed the gospell and so depart from thee to the Deuill his angels and all the wicked which euer haue bene be or shall be into hell fire which is vnquencheable and of paynes intolerable easeles endeles hopeles euen from the feare of thy glorious mighty power But if they haue repented and beleued thy gospel if they be found watching with their lampes oyle in their handes if they be found ready appareled with the wedding garmēt of innocency if they haue not hardened their hartes hourded vp the treasure of thy vengeaunce in the day of wrath to be reuealed but haue vsed the tyme of grace the acceptable tyme the time of saluatiō that is the time of this lyfe in the which thou stretchest out thy hande and spreadest thine armes calling and crying vnto vs to come vnto thee which art meeke in hart and lowly for thou wilt ease all that labour and are heauy loden if they haue visited the sicke and prisoners comforted the comfortlesse fedde the hungry clothed the naked lodged the harbourles if they haue not loden their hartes with glotony and surfeting and carefulnes of this life if they haue not digged and hid their talent in the ground doing no good therwith but haue bene faithfull to occupy thy gifts to thy glory and here washed their garmentes in thy bloud by harty repentance then shal thy aungels gather them together not as the wicked which shall be collected as fagots cast into the fire but as the good wheate that is gathered into thy barne then shall they be caught vp to meete thee in the clouds then shall their corruptible body put on incorruption then shall they be indued with immortality and glory then shall they be with thee and goe whether thou goest then shal they heare Come blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning c. then shall they be set on seates of maiestie iudging the whole worlde then shall they raigne with thee for euer then shall God be all in all with them and to them thē shal they enter and enherite the heauenly Jerusalem and the glorious restfull land of Canaan where is alwayes day and neuer night where is no maner of weping teares infirmitie hunger colde sickenes enuy malice nor sinne but alwayes ioy wtout sorow mirth without measure pleasure wtout paine heauenly harmony most pleasant melody saying and singing holy holy Lorde God of hostes c. Finally the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the harte of man that they shall then enherite and most surely enioy althogh here they be tormented prisoned burned sollicited of Sathan tempted of the flesh and entangled with the worlde wherethrough they are enforced to cry Thy kingdome come Come Lord Iesu c. How amiable are thy tabernacles Lyke as the harte desireth the water brookes c. Now let thy seruaunt departe in peace I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ We mourne in our selues wayting for the deliueraunce of our bodies c. Oh gracious Lord when shall I find such mercy with thee that I may repent beleue hope and looke for these thinges with the full fruition of those heauenly ioyes which thou hast prepared for all thē that feare thee and so rest with thee for euermore ⧠A meditation concerning the lyfe euerlastyng the place where it is and the incomparable ioyes therof THat there is an enerlasting life none wil deny but such as wil deny God For if he be true iust which he must needes be or els he is not God then can there not be but an eternall life That he hath both spoken it and promised it in Math. 25. 1. Cor. 16. Hebr. 4. 11. 13. 1. Petr. 1. it plainly appeareth and els where in very many places So that to deny an euerlasting lyfe is to deny God to deny Christ and all that euer he did also to deny all pietie religion to condemne of foolishnes all good men martyrs confessors Euangelistes Prophetes Patriarckes Finally the deniall of eternal life is no thing els but a deniall of the immortalitie of the soule and so a plaine making of man no thing better then beastes If it be so let vs then eate and drinke for to morow we shall die Lord preserue vs frō this Saduceal and Epicureall impietie and graunt vs for thy mercies sake deare God that we may be assuredly perswaded that there is in deede an eternall life and blisse wyth thee for them that put their trust in thee amongst whome accompt me for thy mercies sake Agayne this eternall lyfe and the place appoynted for them that be thy seruauntes all men do graunt to be wyth thee Albeit they do not think that because thou art euery where therfore eternall life is euery where For they by thy worde do know that in as much as no man can see thee and liue this eternall lyfe and thy blessed presence is most pleasant and had in fruition after in an other world wher unto by corporall death they do depart and are translated to a place aboue them where thou dwellest in a light whervnto no man can approche Abrahams bosome they read was aboue as the place for the wicked was a lowe and beneath Helias was caught vp into heauen and thy sonne our deare sauiour prayed that where he is those also might be which thou hadst geuē him and might se his glory Now he deare father we learne by thy spirite was ascended and taken vp in his very body into heauen whether Steuen loked vp and sawe thy Christ standing on thy right hand to whom he prayed Oh Lorde Iesu receiue my spirite Graunt I beseche thee gracious god and father that I may haue a cleane hart more more to see thee and so in spirite to see and loke often vpō this place whether bring me at the length in body also I humbly pray thee Now what a thyng this