commandements not so much in outward conformitie as in soundnes of heart And when we haue done thée the best seruice wee can teach vs to say in humilitie We are vnprofitable seruants And séeing it is not sufficient to do good but it is also our dutie to auoid euill make vs to abhorre al appearance of euill knowing out of thy word that it defileth the soule may be committed in thought is of omission as well as commission and if we commit but the least sinne we offend the puritie of thine excellencie and are guiltie of the whole law Make vs therefore euer to remember that sin is filthie and lothsome euen in the greatest pleasure and act thereof that the end thereof is bitter and the inward parts most abominable Teach vs O thou Master of Israel to kéep a continual watch ouer our inner and outward man to feare our selues euen then when thou art most mercifull to vs to walke alwaies as in thy presence to meditate of thy iudgements inflicted vpon thy dearest children for sin and in faith patience diligence and humilitie to be euer laboring in our vocation Make vs to mourne for our delight in sinne to know that we carrie this traytor about vs that we can neuer subdue him but by prayer to thée and practising vertues contrary to his assaults But because all is in vaine without perseuerance wee intreate thée that wee may continue in the practise of all holy duties to thée euen vnto our liues end Wee thanke thée O Lord for all thy benefits this day past in our whole life thou hast giuen thy Son for a ransome thy Spirit for a pledge thy word for a guide and reseruest a kingdome for our perpetuall inheritance Thou mightest haue said before we were formed let them be monsters let them be Infidels or let them be beggers or cripples or bondslaues as long as they liue But thou hast made vs in the best likenesse and nurced vs in the best religion and placed vs in the best land so that thousands would thinke themselues happie if they had but a piece of our happinesse We want nothing but thankfulnesse to thée make vs more thankefull then euer we haue béene heretofore and because wee know not how long wee shall enioy these blessings of thine by reason of our sins fit and prepare vs for harder times that wee may bee contented with whatsoeuer thou shalt send Blesse thy Church and children this night and for euer according to their seueral necessities be merciful vnto them Blesse this Land wherein we doe liue the gouernment and Gouernours of the same from the highest to the lowest And because we are now to rest in our beds watch ouer vs in this rest of ours giue vnto vs comfortable and swéet sleepe fit vs for all seruices of the day following make our soules to watch for the comming of Christ let our beds put vs in minde of our graues and our rising from thence of the last resurrection so that whether we wake or sléepe we being thine may waite for thée Forgiue vs the sinnes of this day past this houre present and our whole life before not for our merits but for Christs mercies in whom alone thou art well pleased and in whose name and whose words we further call vpon thee and thanke thée saying Our father which art c. NOw the very God of peace sanctifie vs throughout and hee grant that our whole spirit and soule and bodie may bee kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God the Father the blessing of God the Sonne and the comfort of God the holy Ghost be with vs and all the seruants of Christ Iesus to preserue our bodies from sicknesse our soules from sin and our estates from ruine this night and for euer more Amen A PRAYER TO BE VSED by a mans selfe or with others changing the number O Lord my God mercifull and louing to all thy seruants pitifull and patient to mee thy child I with that poore Publican cast my selfe downe at the foot-stoole of thy Maiestie and with an vnfained sorrow for all my sinnes do as he did crie vnto thée for fauour saying Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner One déepe calleth to an other the depth of miserie to the depth of mercie Haue mercy vpon me O Lord according to thy great goodnesse and in the multitude of thy mercies doe away al mine offences Lord I acknowledge confesse my sins and mine iniquities are not hid from thée By creation I confesse thou diddest make me good in righteousnesse and true holinesse I was like vnto thée if my first Parents had not defaced that image I should haue serued thée in truth all the daies of my life But they falling from thée I fel with them and they sinning against thée I sinned with them And as when a great man is a traitor his blood is stained so by Adams transgression his posteritie is tainted Thus O Lord I was conceiued in sin and brought foorth in iniquitie and now I know that in mee that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing yea I am by nature the child of wrath if I haue none other but my first birth I may curse the day that euer I was borne I féele O Lord but it is thy spirit that giueth me this féeling that mine vnderstanding is darkened conscience seared memorie decaied will bewitched heart hardened affections disordered conuersation corrupted my thoughts desires and best actions are abominable sinnes in thy sight Mine eyes cannot sée thée in thy creatures mine eares cannot heare thée in thy word my mouth cannot praise thée in thy workes mine hands and féete cannot serue thée in my calling destruction and calamitie are in all my waies and the way of peace I haue not knowne For these sinnes of mine I am subiect to the curse for cursed are they that erre from thy statutes Cursed is the earth with briers and barrennesse and cursed is the heauen with often droughts and moistnesse And for my selfe what am I not subiect to by reason of sinne My bodie is subiect to all diseases my soule to all her sicknesses my name to all reproches mine estate to all casualties I deserue iustly to bee deliuered ouer to the illusions of Satan allurements of the world corruptions of my flesh hardnesse of heart desperation of thy goodnesse calamities in my calling and to eternall destruction after I am dead Vnto whom now shall I come for comfort vnto whom now shall I sue for succour I am stung with a Serpent I will looke vp to the brasen Serpent I am sicke of sinne I will goe to the Physician of my soule I lie dead in the graue of corruption who shall raise mee vp but he that is the resurrection and the life O bountifull Iesu O swéet Sauiour O thou Lambe of God that takest away the sins of the world haue mercie vpon mee Lord giue vnto me
banket Giue mee grace to put on my wedding garment that the Bridegrome of this feast neuer say vnto me Frind how camest thou hither not hauing on thy wedding garment Hast thou now commanded me to examin my selfe let me now trie and examine mine heart and looke how I stand in thy sight The Iewes would not eate with vnwashen hands dare I eat with an vnwashen heart they would not drink but their vessels must be purified and dare I now drinke and my soule not purified Before the passeouer they sanctified themselues and before this sacrament shall not I now sanctifie my self I desire to doe it Lord helpe my desire lest eating and drinking vnworthily I eate and drinke mine owne damnation I therefore being now readie to come to thy Table doe acknowledge and confesse mine owne vnworthinesse I haue sinned against thée many waies and that since I last receiued this Sacrament I haue not knowne thée in thy word beheld thée in thy workes apprehended thée in thy Sonne serued thée in the spirit applied thee by faith feared thée for thy iustice nor admired thée as I ought for thy great mercies I haue not frequented thine house heard thy word laid it vp in mine heart nor practised it in my life as I should I euen I by the lusts of mine eyes the lusts of my flesh and the pride of life haue dishonoured thy great and glorious name And when thou hast forgiuen me ten thousand talents I would not forgiue my brother and hundred pence What shall I say vnto my selfe I haue sinned I will doe so no more I haue sinned Lord forgiue me all my sins and grant that in the whole course of my life hereafter I may liue to the honour of thy great name Giue vnto me now a broken heart a contrite spirit a sorrowfull soule and a minde hungring and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnes Giue me now grace to know thée the only true God the Creator and preseruer of mankinde Giue me grace now to féele the burden of my sinnes and that I am eased of them by the blood of Christ Iesus I doe beléeue in him helpe my vnbeléefe I am sorrie for my sins make me to be heartily and vnfainedly sorrowfull I promise now to liue neerer to thée then euer I haue done giue mee power to performe my promise I forgiue all that haue wronged me euen as thou for Christs sake hast forgiuen me Let this forgiuenesse of mine be without dissimulation And because I am now to taste of bread and wine make mee to consider the vse of them I know O Lord that this sacramentall bread is not the body of thy Son this sacramentall wine is not the blood of thy Sonne but this I know out of thy holy word that they are seales of his bodie and blood Teach me therefore now most gracious God that I seeing bread and wine on the table may behold Christ vpon the crosse and obseruing the bread broken to me may consider of Christs body crucified for mee looking vpon the wine powred out of the vessell may thinke how Christs blood was powred out for my sinnes And as I receiue this bread wine into my stomack for bodily sustenance so cause me to féede on the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ that it may be nourishment for my soule Grant O Lord that I may so now come to thy holy table that hereafter I may bee partaker of thy heauenly Table through Christ my Lord and only Sauiour Amen Our Father which art c. A THANKESGIVING after the Communion ALL glorie honour and praise be giuen to thée most glorious God for all thy mercies bestowed vpon mee for mine election in thy loue my redemption by thy Sonne my sanctification by thy spirit in this life and hope of glorification in the life to come I thank thée for thy word in which I beare of thy goodnesse and I thanke thee for this Sacrament in which I behold thy fauour I haue now béene partaker of bread and wine Lord make mee partaker of Christs bodie and blood Those they will turne to the nourishment of my body let these turne to the nourishment of my soule By those I féele some refreshing for a while by these let mee feele refreshing for euer O let not Christs blood be shed in vaine for me but by it cleanse me from all my sinnes I haue now cast vp all the poyson of impietie suffer me not hereafter to licke it vp againe I haue now disgorged my selfe of reuenge let me neuer returne to my vomit againe I am now washed from all my pollution make me to remember that it is the part of a swine to wallow againe in mud or mire I haue promised now to liue better than before make the latter part of my life better than the former I am a liuing stone in thy building knit me fast to the corner stone I am a branch of the vine set mee fast in that roote I am a member of Christs body kéepe mee that I neuer bee cut off I haue renued this day my couenant with thée grant that I may kéep it to my liues end I haue this day béen put in mind of the benefit by Christs death let me euery day thinke often of his death that therby I may learn to die vnto sin And grant that euer hereafter I may so walk before thee that all such as know that I haue béen at thy table may see that I am become a new creature As for the rest of this day in which thou hast thus shewed thy selfe vnto mee grant that I may spend the same not in surfetting and drunkennesse not in chambring and wantonnesse not in sporting and idlenesse but in hearing of thy word calling on thy name meditation of thy mercies and in holy conference about heauenly things Vnto thee O Father my Creator and preseruer vnto thee O Christ my Redéemer and Iustifier vnto thee O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier and Instructor bee ascribed of mee and thy whole Church all praise and power might and Maiestie glorie and dominion both now whilest we doe liue and for euer whilest we shal liue Amen Our Father which art c. NOw the very God of peace sanctifie me throughout and I pray God that my whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen Amen A THANKESGIVING FOR our late Deliuerance from that vnnaturall conspiracie against our King and State ALmightie Lord God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our most gracious and mercifull Father many are thy mercies towards vs and that our soules know right well And as we cannot be ignorant of them vnlesse wee bee senselesse so we may not be forgetfull vnlesse we be thanklesse By thée our lot is fallen into a good soile and by thée wée haue a goodly inheritance by thée are our bodies deliuered from sicknesse and by thée are our soules
Gods will Phil. The reuealed will of God is done by voluntarie f 1. Thes 5.3 obeying or patient suffering that which God commandeth g Mat. 26.39 The secret will is done of vs by praying that Christ Iesus may come to iudgment h Reuel 22.20 that Antichrist may more and more be reuealed and that we may patiently beare all future afflictions Euch. Why doe you pray that this will of God may be done Phil. Because 1. It is euer Iust Holy Good and Safe yea the very rule of all goodnesse 2 It is most profitable to such as doe it 3 All calamities come from disobedience Gen. 3. Deut. 28. Leuit. 26. 4 If I be regenerate it will not be grieuous vnto me to doe his will Matth. 11.30 1. Ioh. 5.3 5 Sathan the World and mine owne flesh hinder me 6 I cannot doe it vnlesse God assist mée and direct mée by his Holy Word and Spirit Euch. But must I pray euer to doe Gods will Phil. You must yet in regard of Gods secret will you may with a good will without sinne dissent from it Samuels wil was good when hee wept for Saul whom God would not haue him to bewaile 1. Sam. 26. besides you may with the like good wil wil that which God will not so a Childe may be vnwilling of his Fathers death whom notwithstanding Gods will is shall not recouer and so Christ said Father If it bee possible let this cuppe passe from mee but when we once know the will of God be it for vs or against vs we must then say with Dauid Here am I let him doe to mée as séemeth good in his eyes 2. Sam. 15.26 and with Hezechiah The word of the Lord is good Isay 39.8 and with Paul The will of the Lord be done Acts 21.14 Euch. What meane you by Earth and Heauen in this petition Phil. I doe not meane by Earth my bodie and Heauen my soule as Tertullian thought nor by Earth Earthly men and Heauen Heauenly men or by Heauen Christ and Earth his Church as others thought but in these words I pray that as the Angels in Heauen are readie to doe Gods will so men on Earth may be readie to doe it Euch. How doe Angels the will of God Phil. They doe it chearefully without murmuring speedily without delaying generally without omitting sincerely without dissembling constantly without forbearing and perfectly without halting Euch. Are there none in Heauen which do Gods will besides Angels Phil. You may also if you will looke vnto Christ the Saints and all Creatures in Heauen and Earth Euch. How I pray you Phil. 1 Christ personall in Heauen hath done Gods will for hee came not to doe his own wil but the will of him that sent him Iohn 6.38 Christs Mysticall that is the Church as his bodie 1. Cor. 12.12 must doe it euen as Christ the head of that bodie hath done it 2. In Heauen is the Congregation of the first borne Hebr. 12.23 that is the Saints departed there did and doe carefully performe Gods will so must we 13. In the starrie Heauen the Sunne and Moone in the Ayrie Heauen the Frost Snow Raine c. fulfill his Word so must wée Euch. Is it then enough to doe Gods will Phil. No verily but we must regard also how it should be done we must not only doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his pleasure but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his good pleasure When wee serue God wee doe his pleasure when wee serue him with our best endeauours wee doe his good pleasure Euch. But is it possible for man to doe perfectly Gods will Phil. It will bee possible in the life to come it is impossible whilest wee liue in this World for The good which wee would doe we doe not and the euill that we would not that doe we Rom. 7.19 Euch. How many kindes then of perfections are there Phil. There is first a perfection of sinceritie which was in Hezekias obedience a Esa 38.3 Secondly a perfection of all parts which was in Zacharie and Elizabeths obedience b. Luk. 1.6 Thirdly a perfection of degrées which was only in the first and second Adam and is now only in the Holy Angels who onely can perfectly obey Gods will Euch. If this obedience bee impossible to be performed why then doe wee pray for it Phil. Because I must with Paul striue for this perfection c Philip. 3. and pray vnto God that I may come to this perfection d 1. Thes 5 25. without whose will I shall neuer bee able to doe his will Ioh. 15.5 Euch. What then is it that God wils Phil. He willeth 1. Our saluation by Christ Act. 4.12 Ioh. 6.40 2 The knowledge of his will Ioh 17.3 3 Faith in Christ Iesus Ioh. 6.40 4 Obedience to his Commandements both in doing and suffering Psal 143. Rom. 8.28 Matth. 26.39 Act. 21.1.41 Sam. 3.18 5 Holinesse of life Eph. 1.4 1. Thes 4.3.4 Rom. 12.1.2.3.4 6 Loue to our brethren Ioh. 13.34.15 That we may doe these things we pray in this petition Euch. What then is required that I may doe Gods will Phil. 1 That you doe lay aside your owne will which indeede is hard euen to the godly the flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Law in their members leading them vnto the Law of Sinne and of Death 2 You must be possessed with a base conceipt of your owne will that we must not leane vpon it but know that euerie man is a Beast in his owne knowledge 3 You must estéeme highly of Gods will be it neuer so contrarie to reason so Abraham did Gen. 22.3 Take to thée Gods will be assured of Heauen take away thine own will and feare not Hell 4 You must pray that God will giue power to performe and then let him command what he list Euch. What wants doe you here bewaile Phil. 1 I bewaile mine owne and others rebellious natures in that wee are as prone to receiue sinne as a match or tinder is to receiue fire 2 I bewaile the sinnes of the World as Ignorance Sorceries Schismes Hypocrisie Pride Ambition Couetousnesse Negligence in procuring others good with all contempt and disobedience to the word of God and that all Creatures being so obedient to God Ier. 7 8. man onely is most disobedient 3 Our impatience that when God layeth any crosses vpon vs we cannot as wée ought endure them patiently 4 Our slacke and imperfect obedience yea priuie pride proude presumption deadnesse of Spirit secret hypocrisie and all other weaknesse which breaketh either into or out vpon vs in our best seruice to our Heauenly Father Euch. What thinges doe you pray for in this Petition Phil. 1 I pray that I and all people may in true humiliation and hatred of sinne bée conuerted to God by putting off the old man and putting on the new that we may obey his Commandements in our general and particular callings and in al afflictions submit our selues to the
and smell to euery flower in this poesie is the fairest flower in your owne Garden You haue I confesse great honour vpon earth being descended of a Royall familie Allied to the greatest Peeres of the Land Espoused to an honourable Knight blessed with hopefull children and graced as I heare with rare gifts of nature but that Christs Religion is so precious vnto you your greatest honour is reserued in Heauen If it please you to entertaine this poore present which before now I was afraide to offer to any I doubt not but as you shall receiue comfort by it so it shall receiue such fauour by you that this spirituall nose-gay comming from you into the hands of others will not bee vsed as other flowers are this morning in the bosome the next to the beesome But it will bee often in the hand frequent in the sight and comfortable to the sent of each sauourie soule The God of heauen who hath planted you as one of his fairest flowers in his Garden the Church Militant so water you with the dew of Heauen and heauenly Graces that after you haue long flourished here you hereafter may with your Honourable two Sisters Elizabeth the vertuous Countesse of Huntingdon and Anne that worthie Ladie Chandoyes bee transplanted into that Garden of Eden the Church Triumphant and for euer flourish in the Courts of your God London St. Martins in the fields Iune the 16. Anno 1613. At the seruice of your Honor. ROBERT HILL A PITHIE DISCOVRSE OF OVR COMMVNION WITH CHRIST THough the word of life in it self causeth peace yet by the malice of Satan it occasioneth warre and though the Sacrament of life shew our commumunion with Christ yet by the corruption of man it is made an instrument of combustion The Vbiquiterian Lutheran is zealous on the one side for his consubstantiation and with the bread and wine he will chap vp his sauiour The Artolatrian Romanist is as zealous on the other for his transubstantiation and after the repetition of fiue Latine words will deuoure his creator And if varieties of opinion concerning the Lords Supper should but heere be repeated as a great ship would not hold the the Reliquian pieces which the Papists haue of Christs crosse so a large volume would but hold the opinions which are about Christs Sacrament Is it the falt of this blessed banquet that so many are distracted about feeding vpon it no it is not It is reported that one in a lightsome house being stricken blinde complained exceedingly of the darknesse of the chamber where as the salt was in the want of his sight When the eye is diuine it must not complaine of the sunne if it see not when stomake is corrupt it must not complaine of the meate if it digest not and when the fantasticall wit of man is wedded to reason no meruaile if it perceiue not the things of God The preaching of Christs crosse was a scandale to the Iewes their owne corrupt heart caused it to bee offensiue The administoation of Christs Sacrament is a stumbling block to the curious their owne carnall conceit makes them to fall If wee could in our iudgements subscribe vnto the written word of God and of spirituall things conceit after a spirituall manner our Capernaiticall aduersaries would not looke heere for a breaden God and our carnal gospellers would look for more heere than common bread It is euen to the wicked the bread of the Lord and to the godly that bread which is the Lord. By comming to the Lordes table if wee come as wee should wee reape much good for heere we may behold the loue of Christ to vs who as a louing friend by this remembrancer desires euer to liue in our mindes and memories and the prouidence of Christ for his beloued friends that his benefits bestowed might truly profit being kept in memorie might enioy their end euer to shew forth his death till he come Yea by thus comming we testifie our spirituall nourishment by his body and blood we seale to our selues the pardon of our sinnes Christ couenants with vs to receiue vs gratiously we condition with him to obey him principally and if we desire either to testifie our desire of the first resurrection out of the graue of sinne or our hope of the second out of the graue of death wee shall do both these so often as we come to the holy communion In a word it is a testimonie of our profession and consent to Gods Religion a token of our separation from all the tents of Satan an obligation of our constancie in the profession of the Gospel a sinew and conseruation of publique meetings a caueat to take heede of relapse into sinne a comforter in the middest of any Temptation and a seale of that communion which is betwixt Christ and Christians The cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ and the bread which we breake i. Cor. 10.6 is it not the Communion of the body of Christ as the preaching of the Gospell is Gods powerfull instrument to signe our saluation so the sacrament of the Lords Supper is an effectuall instrument to seale this coniunction Now that wee may more frequently communicate with Christians I am bolde to entreate of our communion with Christ In the first Adams innocencie there was an act of assotiation betwixt God and man but with condition of mans loyaltie to God The condition is broken man is exiled from Gods presence and becomes an enemie both to God and man Gods iustice can not admit sinfull man into fauor mans infidelitie hinders him from suing to God for fauor Christ our Sauiour the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuine Sonne of God and humane Son of man satisfieth Gods Iustice acquaints man with Gods mercie and in the fulnesse of time this seede of the woman breakes the Serpents head But vnlesse man haue communion with Christ his al sufficient satisfaction will do him no good What then may this communion be it is a spirituall societie of mutuall loue betwixt Christ and his Church A societie like vnto that of Adam and Heuah when they twaine became one flesh spirituall like vnto that of the soule and the bodie where they by the spirites become one man of mutuall loue like a paire of Turtle Doues who neuer know any other but one mate of Christ and his Church like that of the head and the members when they by certaine iunctures become one body Christ communicated with our nature in his incarnation when hee tooke vnto him the seede of Abraham hence comes that vnion which we call Hypostaticall and he is become Flesh of our Flesh We communicate with the person of Christ when we are incorporated into him Hence comes that vnion which wee call mysticall wee now become Flesh of his Flesh If we consider the things vnited together this vnion is substantiall and essentiall if the bond by which they are vnited it
you bound to come fasting to this Sacrament Answ It is not absolutely necessary 1 Because the Paschal Lambe was not so eaten 2 Because Christ did it after supper 3 Because in the Primitiue Church many places obserued Christs time to communicate at the euening especially at Easter and Whitsontide as Cassander prooueth 4 Because some are so weake that they cannot stay so long fasting 5 Because many abstained in superstition as thinking that they eate the very body and drinke the very bloud of Christ 6 Because our preparation standeth rather in the purifying of the heart then purging of the stomacke Quest What thinke you of the conuenience of it Answ I thinke it fit to come rather fasting then feasting to this banquet and if we cannot fast so long to vse as little refreshing as may be and that for these reasons 1 Because we must doe it for the better hearing of the Word 2 That wee may better meditate of Christ and his benefits 3 That we féeling some hunger for want of foode may better be put in minde to hunger after Christ 4 That feeling comfort by Bread and Wine wee may the more bethinke our selues of our comfort in Christ 5 Because abstinence and taming of the body maketh vs more fit for all spirituall exercises belonging to Communicants 9 Because euen Paul condemneth the Corinthians for abusing themselues at their loue-feasts with this Sacrament 7 We must euer be sober in diet and why not then at this time 8 This was one ende why it hath been for many yeeres taken in the morning as Drachmarius testifieth who liued in the yeere 800. But in this abstinence as we may doe it for our better preparation so must wee auoid the opinion of necessity as though it were sinne to eate or drinke and merit as if thereby wee should deserue at Gods hands For the Councell of Constance admitteth some refreshing in case of necessity to women with childe aged and sicke persons and such as dwelt farre from their Parish Churches Quest Is there nothing to doe for you after you haue receiued this holy Sacrament Answ Yes I must obserue these thrée things 1 I must giue God thankes for so great a benefit 1. Cor. 11.26 2 I must looke to receiue by it increase of faith and repentance to rise from sinne and to receiue power against the Diuell 3 If I feele this present comfort to bée thankefull for it if not I must know that it is because I haue not prepared my selfe or because my faith is weake or because I liue in some secret sinne wherefore I must goe to God acknowledge my fault and desire pardon and comfort for the same Now the Lord grant me this grace so to be partaker of his Sacramentall Table that I may be partaker of his heauenly Table through Iesus Christ my Lord and alone blessed Sauiour Amen THE CONFESSION of Master Zanchius in his Miscellenea touching the Supper of the LORD CHAP. I. Of those things which are giuen vnto vs in the Supper 1 I Beléeue these three things to be offered vnto all men in the Supper and to be receiued of the faithfull The signes the bread and the wine being ioyned with the words of Christ For the word is not to be separated from the signes nor the signes from the word or else the Sacraments were no Sacraments For the word is added to the element and so the Sacrament is made 2 The bodie and bloud of the Lord that is the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe For as in very truth the Diuinitie is not separated from the humanitie neither the humanitie from the Diuinitie euen so vnto vs the one is not offered without the other Wherefore neither are they to bee separated of vs euen in thought but as whole Christ is offered so whole Christ is also to be receiued 3 The New Couenant or Testament I meane that which is renued and confirmed in Christ For this is that thing forwhose cause chiefely the Supper is instituted and administred to wit that we being incorporated more and more into the person of Christ might haue the couenant more and more confirmed vnto vs. Now the bodie and bloud of Christ and the new Testament made in Christ are that Spirituall but the Elements of Bread and Wine are those Earthly thinges whereof Irenaeus speaketh CHAP. II. Of the vse of these three things and first of the vse of the Word of the Bread and of the Wine I Beleeue these thrée thinges to be offered and giuen for those certaine and proper vses whereunto among themselues they were ordained The first Position And first I beléeue the Elements of Bread and Wine together with the Word to bee offered and giuen that by this Word and those Elements as it were instruments of Gods Spirit working in the heartes of the Elect their faith might bee more and more stirred vp and confirmed by which faith wee beléeue that the matter is so indéede as the Word of Christ doth sound in our eares and doth represent the Elements to our eyes and other senses to wit that the Heauenly Bread which is the Bodie of Christ hath béene broken that is killed and died for vs. And the Heauenly Wine that is the bloud of Christ to haue béene shed for vs and for many more euen all the Elect for the remission of their sins and so the New Testament to haue beene confirmed in the bodie of Christ and sealed in his bloud and that this Heauenly Bread Christ with the New Testament and the Heauenly Wine with the remission of sins to be offered vnto vs by the Earthly bread and by the Earthly Wine yea further that we are commanded to receiue them in these wordes Take eate I beléeue the Bread and the Wine to bee giuen vnto vs for this end For this is the proper and immediate vse of all spéech and of all signes especially of those signes which are vsed for confirmation of our spéech not only simply to signifie this or that but also that by signifying they may make beléefe that is may stirre vp faith in the hearers and séers whereby they are perswaded that the thing it selfe is euen so as the words of the speaker doe signifie vnto the cares and as the signes doe represent vnto the eyes Paul also in the tenth Chapter to the Romans speaking of the Word of God and of the preaching of the Gospell saith that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Therefore the proper and immediate vse of the Word is to beget faith in the hearer Signes also and Sacraments are visible wordes I conclude then that Bread and Wine together with the Word are giuen for this vse and immediate end that faith may bee more and more increased in vs whereby we beléeue that the thing is so as the Word signifies and as the Elements doe represent and in this manner signifying doe offer and represent vnto vs. OF the vse of Faith being wrought in
saith it is a Synecdoche so that both part agrée in this that it is the true and naturall bodie of Christ as the Euangelists and the Apostle doe plainly teach that it is spoken of the true bread and so that the Articles of faith bee kept on both sides in their plaine meaning pure and vncorrupt As that the naturall bodie of Christ is one is finite is humane is in Heauen doth no more die is not consumed not broken And yet indéed as the Scriptures teach is offered vnto all is communicated to all the faithfull but in a mysterie and after a Spirituall manner Euen as the faithfull themselues doe grow vp into one bodie and are incorporated with their head Christ and with the whole Catholike Church not after a Carnall but after a Spirituall manner And therefore as in the Sprituall and Mysticall fellowship with Christ and the Church wicked Hypocrites haue no part séeing they want faith but are only in the outward and Visible societie so I beléeue that those Hypocrites are Partakers not of the true and naturall and truly Heauenly flesh and bloud of Christ but only of the externall and outward signes the which also are termed by the name of the flesh and bloud of Christ euen by Christ-himselfe Wherefore wheras the Apostle saith They who eate vnworthily are guiltie of the bodie of the Lord if it bee vnderstood of the wicked which certainly and not without a cause Bucer denieth I interpret that in this sense wherein the same Apostle saith vnto the Hebrewes that some doe tread vnder foot the Son of God and account the bloud of the Testament a prophane thing to wit not because they doe truely eate the flesh of Christ and drinke the bloud but because they doe it vnworthily but rather because reiecting by their vngodlinesse the bodie and bloud the Bread and Wine being offered they drinke and eate the Bread and Wine vnworthily This thing good Christian assure thy selfe of that I am not so wicked as to doubt of the truth of Christs wordes in the Supper as some too impudently doe accuse me of neither that I dispute of the simple vnderstanding of euery word in this proposition This is my bodie For by this Article This that the Bread is declared besides that the text doth teach Paul also doth so interprete it 1. Cor. 10. 11. Neither this word is doth signifie any other thing as I thinke then to bee and I take this word bodie for the true bodie of Christ as Christ himselfe doth interpret who addeth which is giuen for you And therefore there is no controuersie among vs whether in the lawfull vse of the Supper the Bread bee truly the bodie of Christ but wee dispute only of the manner by which the Bread is the bodie of Christ And moreouer neither part call into question that the bread is after that manner the body of Christ after which Christ would then haue it will now haue it to be for it must be according to his will And whereas in the words of the Supper the wil of Christ is not expressed cōcerning the maner I think it is to be gathered out of the like places to wit Sacramentall kinde of spéeches Moreouer this foundation being laid that Christ then would not and now will not that the bread should bee his body after any of the manners of those men who take away the truth of his true humane body or else doe disagree from the analogy of faith and ouerturne some article of the faith from his simple meaning So the manner of Christs being in the Sacrament by Transubstantiation is excluded both because neither in the Sacrament of Baptisme the substance of the water is changed as also because straight way many bodies héere vpon earth should bee faigned vpon Christ besides that body which he hath in heauen and lastly because the substance of bread neither before neither after the conuersion was deliuered to death for vs I adde moreouer that according to Saint Marke the substance of wine was in the belly of the Apostles when he said This is the bloud The manner also of Consubstantiation is excluded both because neither in the water of Baptisme the bloud of Christ is locally included whereby we are washed from our sinnes as also because this maner doth take away the nature of the true humane body and doth Diametrically repugne with the article of the ascention into heauen and of the sitting at the right hand For the same causes that manner also is to be taken away which is not much vnlike vnto this which is imagined by a real and local adherency or coniunction not to speake that not one word can be read for the proofe of this that after some of these thrée manners Christ would haue the bread to be his body After what manner then is it probable that Christ would haue the bread to bee his body Verily after this manner as all other Sacraments are said to be that thing whereof they are Sacraments to wit by a Sacramental and so a Mystical vnion For that which we call a Sacrament the Grecians cal a Mystery Wherefore this spéech is vsuall with the Fathers that the bread is the body of Christ euen the present body and that it is eaten in a mystery Now a mystery is said to be when visible things doe lead vs to the true vnderstanding and receiuing of inuisible things and earthly things of heauenly things corporall things of spirituall things In which sense the Apostle to the Ephesians calleth the carnall marriage of Adam and Eue a great mystery because of the spiritual marriage which is contracted betweene Christ and his Church and to which that other marriage doth leade vs. But carnall men destitute of the spirit of God and of faith cannot be brought by earthly things vnto heauenly things or by the participation of those earthly vnto the communion of these heauenly seeing they cannot so much as vnderstand them as the Apostle saith Which is the cause why I iudge and beleeue that the flesh and bloud of Christ being heauenly and spirituall things cannot in deede and truth be receiued of wicked men no not by the mouth of their body which also was Bucers opinion Therefore hee said that the body of Christ was both present and eaten of vs in the Supper not after any worldly manner but onely after a spirituall and heauenly manner The which what is it else then to say that it is eaten of vs by the spirit of Christ For by Christ heauenly things are ioined vnto earthly things and by him they are receiued of them And this is my beleefe and iudgement for the meaning of the words of the Supper which I will constantly hold till that a better a truer and more agreeable to the Scriptures shall by other men bee offered and plainely prooued unto me Ille non edit corpus Christi qui non est de corpore Christi August He cannot eat the
That though it bee a sharpe sicknesse yet is it also a short sicknesse and more tolerable then the Stone Dropsie Gout Palsey or the French disease 4 That Dauid desired it before either famine or warre 5 That very many who die of this disease haue their senses and memories till the last houre 6 That the tokens which come out vpon you are Gods tokens so that before you die you haue a good time to call vpon God 7 That many Noble Personages Godly Preachers Expert Physitians Skilfull Lawyers and most Christian people haue died of it 8 That by it God taketh you from many miseries of this life 9 That Iob was grieued for manie Moneths with a more fearefull disease 10 That it hinders not the saluation of your soule though you die of such a sickenesse 11 If you bee sicke of it God may recouer you 12 If it please him to recouer you againe you are like to bee after far more healthfull Quest O but my friendes will not come at mee Ans O but God will neuer forsake you and especially in Cities you shall haue so manie as can doe you any good the fewer you haue to gaze vpon you the fitter you are to looke vp to God Quest But alas I shall want my solemne funerall Answ What is that to the saluation of your soule and resurrection of your body comfort your selfe in Christian not costly buriall Quest I see then that as there is no antidote against death so there is no perfume against the plague I may die of it but good Lord deliuer me and mine and all good people from it But now when I am sicke of any disease as I must reconcile my selfe to God so ought I not to reconcile my selfe to my neighbour An. If you haue wronged him in his bodie by striking soule by seducing person by imprisoning goods by stealing name by slandering or any other way haue done him hurt you must seeke to bee reconciled vnto him Math. 5.25 Qu. What if I be so diseased that he dares not come to me or be so farre absent that hee cannot come to me what am I now to doe Answ In this case 1 God accepteth the will for the deede 2 You must testifie your desire to friends present Quest You said that a Minister must exhort sicke persons to dispose their goods Is this necessary to be done Answ Of goods yea and offices too Magistrates must be carefull of their godly successors and Ministers of their fellow-labourers Deut. 31.1 Iosh 23. Quest As for my goods is it fit to make my will in sickenesse An. Nay rather you should euer haue it ready in your health if you haue not it is néedefull in sickenesse to make it for these reasons though many thinke they must die if their Will be made 1 In regard of your own credit that others may thinke you a wise man 2 Of your own conscience that hauing set all in good order you may more fréely depart in peace 3 Of your louing wife for whom you ought to prouide 4 Of your children that each of them may haue a conuenient portion of your goods 5 Of your seruants that they may not depart empty away 6 Of your friends that some legacies may be allotted to them 7 Of the Church that you may as you are able remember it 8 Of the Common wealth that you may doe good to such societies as you haue liued in 9 Of the poore that by giuing to them you may send that portion of wealth before you to heauen 10 Of your possessions and goods themselues that they may know their owners after you are gone Quest How ought I to make my Will Ans It must bee made according to the Law 1 Of Nature by which you are borne 2 Of that Nation in wich you liue 3 Of God by whom you haue liued and to whom you die And thâ—s you must doe in few plaine and significant words Qu. Say that I haue gotten my goods badlie what must I doe Ans You must make restitution to the true owners if you know them if not the poore are the best inheritors of such goods Quest Who is the fittest to be Executors of my Will Answ That person whom thou hast tried to bee faithfull to God sincere in his conuersation wise in his owne businesse and who is like to be louing to thine and trusty to accomplish the whole intent of thy Testament Qu. As I am about my Will many friends will perhaps come and visit mee how shall I know who are my best friends Ans Surely they who giue you good aduice for your soules health who haue a fellow-feeling of your sickenesse and who wish rather your life to doe good then your death to haue goods especially your best friend is a good conscience for that wil neuer leaue you nor forsake you Quest Can you illustrate this by any storie Answ I haue read of a man going to execution for Treason against his Prince Hee meetes with three of his old friends hee desires them all to sue for his pardon the first saith I dare not but heere is money to buy you a Coffin and a shéete the second saith I may not but I will bring you to your ende and there leaue you the third saith O I will run and sue vpon my knees for you I will neuer leaue you To apply this Our first friend is money it can doe no more but performe our funerals the second is our acquaintance they will but attend vs to the graue and so leaue vs the last friend is a good conscience and it will neuer leaue vs till we are assured that God hath pardoned all our sinnes Quest But when my friends come to visite me am I to performe no duty to them Answ You are to will them 1 To serue God heartily 2 To obey Gouernours faithfully 3 To continue in the truth zealously 4 To be louing one to another 5 To be kind to your suruiuing aliance 6 To meditat of death by your example 7 To pray that you may die Christs faithfull seruant 8 To comfort you against the feare of death 9 Not to be ouer sorrowfull at your dissolution 10 To bee carefull that your goods bee disposed according to the true intent of your will And lastly to speake such good words vnto them that they may haue hope that you die in Gods fauour Quest I remember that you told me that though death be masked in the time of health yet it will shew it selfe vgly at the last gaâ—pe what comforts can you giue me against the feare of death when it commeth An. If I were a worldling I would say vnto you neuer thinke of it till it come but that it may not affright you when it comes but you may encounter with it in its owne den I wil giue vnto you certaine comforts Quest Which are they I pray you Answ I remember many and it is necessary you should know them For the day
learn all our life to die and this is the principall office of life To be briefe by this you shall purchase libertie to your conscience you shall feare nothing you will liue well contentedly and peaceably and without this knowledge there is no more pleasure in life than in the fruition of that which a man feareth alwaies to lose Quest To draw to an end and to come to my end when the pangs of death come vpon me and the wormes of the earth wait for me if God giue mee then mine vnderstanding what I pray you may bee my fittest meditation Answ Say now inwardly to your sicke soule Now my pilgrimage is ended mine haruest is inned my iourney is finished my race is run my glasse is spent my candle is in the socket many of the godly are gone before and I am now to follow them now thinke that you are come out of prison gotten out of Babylon and are going to Ierusalem Now thinke that the Angels stand at your beds head to carrie your soule into Abrahams bosome where you shall see God the Father behold God the Sonne and enioy God the holy Ghost where you shall enioy the societie of Angels the companie of the Saints and the knowledge of them whom you neuer knew héere where you shall liue eternally reigne triumphantly and obey God perfectly Meditate now that you must not bee loth to leaue this world because you go to that which is to come to leaue your house because you are going to Gods house to leaue your temporall riches because you are going to eternal riches to leaue your earthly preferments because God will set a crowne of pure gold vpon your head and to leaue your friends and acquaintance heere because you shall see them in glorie hereafter These and such like must be your meditations Quest Now it may be and I pray God it may be that I may haue speech vnto the last gaspe what words are fit for me to vtter Answ If God giue you that blessing say now with Dauid Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth With Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation With Paul Christ is to me life and death is to mee aduantage I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for mee the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to mee only but to all them that loue that appearing of his Say How sweet is my Sauiour vnto mee sweeter then the hony and the hony combe Say Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Say Lord I haue sinned against thee thou hast promised to forgiue me my sinnes I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Say with Steuen Lord into thine hands I commend my soule Say with the Saints Come Lord Iesus come quickly Say Lord keepe thy Church and people in thy trueth and peace for euermore now Lord dissolue in me the cursed workes of the diuell Say I am sicke be thou my Physitian I am to die Lord giue me life eternall Say Lord bee good vnto my kinsfolks in the flesh and my friends in the Spirit that they may liue in thy feare and die in thy fauour Say with Ambrose I haue not so led my life that I was ashamed to liue neither doe I feare death because I haue a good Lord. Say to thy friends with S. Bernard O ground the anchor of your faith and hope in the safe and sure port of Gods mercie Say with Oecolampadius to all that come to thée I will tell you newes I shall shortly be with the Lord. Say with Luther I pray thee Lord Iesus receiue my poore soule my heauenly Father though I be taken from this life and this body of mine is to be laied downe yet I know certainly that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shal any be able to pul me out of thine hands Say with Annas Burgius Forsake me not O Lord lest I forsake thee Say with Melancthon If it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will grant me a ioyfull departure Say with M. Caluine I held my tongue because thou Lord hast done it I mourned as a a doue Lord thou grindest me to powder but it sufficeth mee because it was thine hand Say with Peter Martyr My bodie is weake but my minde is well There is no saluation but onely by Christ who was giuen of the Father to bee a Redeemer of mankinde This is my faith in which I die and God will destroy them that teach otherwise Farewell my brethren and deare friends Say with Babylas Martyr of Antioch Returne O my soule vnto thy rest because the Lord hath blessed thee Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my foote from falling I shall walke before thee in the land of the liuing Say Blessed is God in all his waies and holie in all his workes Naked I came out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed bee the name of the Lord. I know that my Redeemer liueth and he shall stand the last on the earth And though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet I shall see God in my flesh Whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall cehold and none other for mee though my reines are consumed within me Say in a word Lord I thanke thee that I am a Christian that I liued in a Christian Church that I die amongst a Christian people that I goe to a Christian societie Lord Iesu sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me and receiue my soule Euen so Come Lord Iesu come quickly Amen Quest If I haue time these are fit both meditations and speeches but I may die vpon the sudden what instructions can you giue me against sudden death Answ You may indéed die suddenly either by fire in your house or water in your ship or earth falling into some pit or casualtie in your way or impostumation and an apoplexi in your body or by trauel in child-birth if you be a woman or the sword in warre if you bee a man Therefore thinke 1 That death may come vpon you vnawares wherefore as you would doe for a suspected enemie waite so for it that it may neuer surprize you 2 Know that many worthie men haue died suddenly Iulius Caesar disputing the night before of the good of sudden death was the next day by Brutus and Cassius slain suddenly in the Senate Ioannes Mathesius hauing preached a Sermon of the raising againe of the widow of Nains sonne and therein handling the knowledge that one
content our selues with a profession of piety and labour not for the power of godlinesse And as for our liues they abound with actuall transgression against euery one of thy ten Commandements hauing broken the same ten thousand tims We Lord haue liued in contempt of thy prouidence committing idolatry with thy creatures taking thy glorious name in vaine and profaning of thy most holy Sabbaths We euen we who should haue been vpright haue not regarded our betters but enuied our brethrē defiled our soules with vnchaste desires laboured to be rich by vnlawfull meanes disgraced our neighbours and longed after that which was none of ours Wee haue heard thy word O Lord but we haue not beleeued it we haue known the word but haue not practised it Wee haue come to thine house without reuerence approched to thy Table without repentance and practised many sins without remorse Doe we any good wee please our selues too much Doe we any euil we feare thée too little we are wearie of praying when we talke with thée we are carelesse in hearing when thou speakest to vs. If we reade thy Sacred and Holy Word it is not swéete vnto vs as the hony combe but wee delight more euen in vngodly bookes Yea O Lord the pampering of our bellies the pride of our apparel the negligence in our calling the mispending of our time our vaine conference at table our wandring eyes our wanton lusts our ambitious minds our couetous desires our vngodly spéeches our lasciuious eares our censuring of our brethren our sinne in recreations our vnwillingnesse to labour our vnfaithfulnesse in life our forgetfulnesse of death and our abuse of thy mercies especially in Christ doe testifie against vs that wée haue sinned against Heauen and against thee and are no more worthie to be called thy children Are wee ashamed at this and reclaimed from it no Lord wee are not ashamed but howsoeuer it hath pleased thee to vse many meanes as partly by thy Word and partly by thy Spirit and partly by thy mercies partly by thy iudgments to the end we might bee reclaimed from our crooked wayes yet we haue contemned thy Word the Ministerie of saluation greiued thy spirit the earnest of our inheritance abused thy mercies the pledges of thy loue and forgotten thy iudgments the messengers of thy wrath Enter not into iudgement with vs thy seruants O Lord for then shall no flesh liuing bee iustified in thy sight Be mercifull vnto vs in forgiuing sinnes past and be gracious vnto vs in preuenting sinnes to come Correct vs O Lord but with mercie not in thy iudgement for then shall we be consumed and brought to nought Open our blind eyes that we may come to a particular knowledge of our particular sinnes especially such as wee are most giuen vnto Soften our hard and stonie hearts that wee may sigh and grone vnder the burden of them make vs good God displeased with our selues because by sinne wee haue dishonoured thy Maiestie Stirre vp our dead and dul hearts that we may hunger after Christ and his righteousnesse and after euery drop of his precious bloud In that Sonne of thine looke on vs thy seruants and for his merits and righteousnesse vouchsafe good God mercifully and fréely to do away al our offences Wash them away in his blood and by the purity of his spirit clense our hearts from the pollution and impurity of them all say vnto our soules thou art our saluation let thy spirit in our hearts crie Abba Father Teach vs. O Lord thy way we shal walk in thy truth O knit our hearts vnto thée that we may feare thy Name And because through corruption in our hearts and sinne in our liues our faith is féeble and our confidence small wée doe humbly beséech thée to strengthen our faith by the daily meditation and particular application of thy mercifull promises made vnto vs in thy Sonne Christ that neither in the dangers of this world nor in the troubles of conscience nor in the houre of death we may fall from thée Gracious Father expell out of our hearts al carnal confidence the vnderminer of our faith teach vs in the spirit of true humilitie to denie our selues and to relie only vpon thée and the merit of Christ in the matter of our saluation And because it is not enough to come vnto thée by prayer and to sue vnto thée for pardon but all that are in Christ must be new creatures therefore we call vpon thée for the spirit of regeneration mortifie therby the corruptions of our flesh quicken vs thereby in the inner man By the power of Christs death let vs die vnto sinne and by the power of his resurrection let vs rise to righteousnesse and newnes of life let the one as a corrasiue eate vp the dead flesh of vngodlinesse and the other as a spur stir vs vp to holinesse Illuminate our mindes that wee may know thy will giue vs spirituall vnderstanding to discerne good and euill Sanctifie our memories to treasure vp good things purifie our consciences to haue peace in thée reforme our willes to doe thy will and let all our affections be ordered aright Teach vs to feare thée continually wheresoeuer wee are to neglect all things in regard of Christ to loue thée and our brethren for thy sake to be zealous of thy glorie to bée grieued at our owne and others sinnes and ioyfull when we can please thée Let our bodies the instruments of sinne be euer hereafter clensed by thy spirit that they may bee temples for that spirit to dwell in keepe our eyes from beholding vanitie our eares from hearkening to variety our mouthes from speaking blasphemie our hands from committing of iniquitie and our bodies from the action of adulterie Let our light so shine before men that they séeing our good workes may glorifie thee our heauenly Father Make vs to remember that as we are sonnes we must depend vpon thée as wee are seruants we must obey thée and as wee are Christians we ought to walke worthy of our vocation calling And because we haue all some particular calling either of rule or seruice or trust or fauour make vs from the highest to the lowest faithfull in our callings and to remember that a day will come in which wee must giue an account vnto thée of all our actions done in this flesh whether they bée good or euill Take away from vs all opportunitie of sinning and make vs euer thankfull that wee liue so as wée want allurements to many sinnes Cause vs to sée how deformed sinne is in it selfe and to what confusion it is like to bring vs Lord make vs to flie the very occasions of sinne and to resist the beginnings of all temptatition let not a night passe ouer our heads in which wee examine not how wée haue spent the day neuer let vs come into any companie wherein wee may not doe or receiue some good Keepe vs that wee fashion not
to preserue vs from despaire and vpon thy threatnings that wee doe not presume Blesse them that fight thy battels by land or sea whether they incounter with Mahomet or Antichrist And blesse them thou God of hosts in such a sort that the Hâ—athen in the end may bee constrained to say Doubtlesse there is a reward for the righteous verely there is a God that iudgeth the earth And séeing only we heare of rumours of wars and liue in such libertie as neuer any nation hath done so long make vs thankfull vnto thée that we are in such a case that wée are not led into captiuitie neither is there complaining in our stréets And teach vs to build thy Church in our rest as Salomon built the Temple in his peace We haue O Lord béene long in prosperitie be mercifull to this sinfull nation which hath surfetted and is sicke of too too much ease Let not thy blessings rise vp against vs but make vs as rich in goodnesse as in goods in pietie as in plentie that as we go before all nations in prosperitie so wee may labour to excéede them in sinceritie Blesse this familie from the greatest to the least blesse it O Lord with thy grace and peace so that superiours may rule it according to thy word seruants may obey as the seruants of Christ and that euery one in the same may be loued of thée Thou séest O Lord how bold we are we haue called vpon thée for our selues and others but many other things should wee haue begged of thée because we want them and thanked thée for because we haue receiued them Our vnderstanding is shallow our memorie short and wee are vnworthy to pray vnto thée and most vnworthie to receiue the things which we haue prayed for therefore we commend our persons prayers actions and endeuours this day to thy most gratious and mercifull protection and that in the name of Christ thy Sonne and our Sauiour in whose name and in whose words we further call vpon thée and thank thée saying Our Father c. LEt thy mightie hand and outstretched arme O Lord be still our defence thy mercie louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ our saluation thy true and holy word our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end and let all héere present say Amen AN EVENING PRAYER FOR PRIVATE families O Lord prepare our hearts to praier MOst High and Mightie God father of eternitie and fountaine of mercie wee acknowledge and confesse this fauour of thine that thou giuest vnto vs these blessed opportunities publikely in thy Temple to méete together priuately in our Families to méet together especially we acknowledge now this worke of thy grace that we dare not commit our bodies to rest before we haue coÌ„mended our selues to thée Thou hast not dealt so with euery familie neither haue the wicked a desire to praise thée wee are now present before thée O Lord be thou president amongst vs grant vnto vs all such a portion of thy Spirit that in feare of thy Maiesty reuerence of thy name a sense of our miseries and an assurance of thy mercie we may come now before thée as before that God who séest our behauiour searchest our hearts knowest our wants art able to grant more then we can desire We acknowledge confesse before thy great Maiestie that in the loynes of our first parents thou diddest make vs to thine image but in them we fell away from that blessed estate and are plunged into a most wofull and desperate condition being able to doe nothing but displease thée Our forefathers haue eaten sowre grapes and their childrens téeth are set on edge By the transgression of one wee all haue sinned and are depriued of thy glorious image and as an hereditarie disease it hath infected all the powers of our soules and bodies Our vnderstandings are filled with blindnesse and darknesse not sauouring the things of saluation our consciences are wounded seared defiled and neuer soundly at peace in themselues our memories are fit to retaine euill and to forget euery thing that is good our willes run headlong to all iniquitie but are auerse to all goodnesse our affections are with violence carried after the sway of our willes our thoughts are vnsatiable and infinite in euill our best actions are great abominations and our whole conuersation is lothsome to God and man By this meanes O Lord we are odious to thy Maiestie execrable to thine Angels detestable to thy Saints slaues to Satan worthie to be accursed in this life and for euer By this means our bodies are subiect in each member to diseases and our soules are subiect in each facultie to disorder we by this means haue lost thy fauour are cast out of Paradise haue sold our birth-right and exchanged heauen for the pit of hell And héerein we are most miserable that we feele not our miserie feare not thy wrath desire not thy fauour and consider not what we lost when we fell from thée Yet thou art our Father and wée thy children thou art our God and we thy people thou art our shepheard and we the sheep of thy pasture And when no creature in heauen or in earth was able to reconcile vs vnto thy Maiesty thou in thy loue diddest send thy Son to be the propitiation for our sinnes In him therefore we come vnto thée in whom alone thou art well pleased with vs and since hee is that Lambe that taketh away our sinnes in him we beséech thée to looke vpon vs. Let the puritie of his nature answere the impuritie of ours the perfection of his obedience satisfie for our imperfection and the sufficiencie of his sufferings frée vs from all torments which wee deserued to suffer for our sins He hath conquered Satan by his glorious resurrection from the dead and by it hath triumphed ouer sinne and death And now we are restored into thy grace againe grant that wee may feele the fruits of that grace especially such faith in thy promises peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost zeale to good workes in this life present and assurance of happinesse in the life to come that we neuer hereafter doe fall from thee But because we cannot either stand vnlesse thou vphold vs nor walke vnlesse thou lead vs nor liue vnlesse thou quicken vs nor raigne vnlesse thou crowne vs therefore we entreate thee to vphold vs by thy hand that we fall not direct vs by thy word that we erre not quicken vs by thy Spirit that we die not and crowne vs with glorie that we lose not our inheritance Sanctifie vs al in thy truth thy word is that truth Sanctifie vs by the Law that by it we may see our miserie feele the want of Christ bee sorrowfull for our sinnes aduise what to do desire pardon resolue to come to thée confesse our iniquities and renounce al things in the world to get saluation in
thy Sonne Sanctifie vs by thy Gospell that we may haue spirituall contentation in the possession of Christ extraordinary sweetnesse in the fruits of thy Spirit an holy admiration of these workes of mercy tendernesse of conscience in allour actions boldnesse to approch to the throne of grace a minde estranged from the loue of this world readinesse and patience to endure the crosse and a desire to be dissolued and to be with thée Wee must one day O Lord leaue this world yet it is thy pleasure that we should serue thee in it so long as we liue and why should we not serue thee all the daies of our life thou requirest it at our hands wee haue thy Spirit to that purpose it was the practise of thy Saints we were redeemed to this end and Christ prayeth that we may doe it Doth Satan daily tempt vs wee must daily resist him Is our life vncertaine we must euer be ready are we strangers in this world we must each day set one foote forward towards our countrey O therfore grant vnto vs thy grace that we may know we haue no time allotted to sin but al must be spent in thy seruice and this seruice of ours euer to bee harty without hypocrisie generall without partiality continuall without vncertainty conscionable without indifferency cheerefull without difficâ—â—ty and spirituall without carnality that by this way of obedience we may be assured of our saluation get the mastery of inconstancy performe holy duties more easily haue sweeter fellowship with thy Spirit and preuent many noysome lusts which otherwise would fasten vpon vs. We confesse O Lord that vnlesse we as watchmen doe looke vnto our selues and séeke to please thée in all things we cannot bee freed from many temporall iudgements our score wil be the greater in the day of account our couersation cannot be in heauen we cannot be armed against temptation nor weaned from the loue of this wrethed world We must euer be readie to meete our Sauiour let vs euer haue this oyle in our lamps we must sée our vnsufficiency to serue thee let vs labour to please thee that wee may see it wée must winne others to the knowledge of thée let our light of good life euer shine before them we must grow forward toward perfection leade vs forward in a constant course that we may obtaine the end of our faith which is the saluation of our soules Now because our best seruice must bee sanctified by repentance giue vs true and vnfained repentance for all our sins make vs to see them in the glasse of thy Law to mourne for them in the clossets of our harts and to confesse them in the bitternesse of our soules We haue O Lord we haue sinned against thée yea our forefathers did our people haue and wee all doe transgresse thy commandements We haue omitted much good and committed much euill partly of ignorance partly of infirmity and partly of knowledge and if we did but know our vnknowne sinnes wee would bee ashamed of our selues When we consider the excellencie our selues When wee consider the excellencie of thy Maiestie whom wee haue offended the vilenesse of our selues who durst offend the danger wee are in by reason of our offence and the greatnesse of the price which was paid for our offences we begin O Lord to abhorre our selues for our vnthankfulnesse against the blood of thy couenant that we haue grieued thy good Spirit quenched thy graces and done as much as we could to make the blood of Christ of none effect Giue vs O Lord what wilt thou giue vs giue vs a true and a liuely faith to apprehend and applie all the promises of saluation to our sinfull soules giue vs hope of pardon by thy mercies in Christ an hungring and thirsting after him his merits let vs prise it aboue all treasure ioy in it aboue all other comfort sue for it as our best acquittance and take hold on it against the curse of the law And because that liuely faith hath her life in the heart giue vnto vs wee beséech thée a pure heart which is the delight of thy Maiestie and the fountaine of all actions Awaken it O Lord that it sléepe not in death so that neither by ignorance of it selfe neglect of the meanes ceasing of thy Spirit committing of sin or securitie in prosperitie and sin or presumption of thy mercies or stupiditie after iudgements or spirituall blindnesse and hardnesse therof it be at any time in a dead fléepe Make vs euer to watch ouer it that neither the terrors of conscience nor loathing of holy duties nor loue of any one sin nor vnwillingnesse to depart this life do cast our hearts into a spirituall slumber We do know good God and often times by wofull experience doe know that our hearts lie open to all temptations and many are our enemies who doe assault vs teach vs therfore to put on thine appointed armor Giue vnto vs a rectified iudgemeÌ„t to know soundly thy truth not obstinate in error but desirous to bee reformed in what it mistaketh Sanctifie our consciences that they may witnes our adoption checke vs for sin approue our vprightnes procure our peace make vs euer content cheerefull in seruice couragious in the truth victorious in troubles and willing to die Rectifie our willes that they may be cheerfull in well doing resisting of all the occasions of sinne yeelding to no sinne without griefe and rising by repentance out of the same Order in such sort euery one of our affections that by the benefit thereof we may subdue our most vnruly thoughts bee comforted and contented in our Christian callings more readie prest to all good actions deliuered from many noisome temptations and better enabled for the conuersion of our brethren And because thou hast afforded vs the benefit of speech which thou hast denied to all other creatures we desire that we may euer speake as in thy presence considering that wee haue no libertie giuen vs for idle talke but that all our spéech must be to edification and that one day wee must giue an account of our words Are we to take thy name into our mouthes let it only be vpon weightie occasions and in all reuerence and loue to thy Maiestie Are wee to speake at any time of our neighbours good make vs to doe it cheerefully without repining wisely without dissembling indifferently without part-taking constantly without recalling truly without deluding and chartablie to the preseruing of his good name Is he fallen let vs restore him doth hee stand let vs comfort him make thou our spéeches euer gracious to others Wee desire also to please thée in all our actions O let them euer proceed from a good ground bee performed in an holie manner and aime at the best end which is the glorie of thy great name Principally let vs aiâ— at the duties of the first table consequently at the duties of the second let vs haue a respect to all thy
before I shooke it off but it will come againe make me in prosperitie to thinke on aduersitie in health to thinke on sicknesse in sicknesse to thinke on death and at all times to thinke so on iudgement that whether I wake or sleep eate or drinke or whatsoeuer I do els I may euer haue this voice sounding in mine eares Arise yee dead and come vnto iudgement I will sing vnto the Lord all my life as long as I haue any being I will sing praises vnto my God O my soule praise thou the Lord. Praise yee the Lord. Praised bee the Lord God of Israel from this time forth and for euermore and let all people say Amen Are there not ten clensed where are the nine there is none returned to giue thanks but this one and he is a Samaritan Luk. 17.17.18 Behold thou art now whole sin no more lest a worse thing happen vnto thée A PRAYER FOR A SICK person man or woman changing the sexe O Almightie euer-liuing and euer-louing God and in Christ Iesus our most gracious and mercifull father thou hast taught vs out of thine holy word that Man which is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue and is full of miserie his life is a shadow his daies are vanitie his yeeres are nothing in comparison of thée and in the end hee fadeth as a flower of the field and neuer continueth in one stay Experience we haue of the frailtie of our life in beholding this diseased and distressed feruant of thine whom thou hast cast downe vpon the bed of sicknesse He was as we thought of late in good health and now we sée him at the point of death In him let vs behold our fraile estate and truly to consider that all flesh is grasse And because we are now in this house of mourning let vs be admonished of our later end and behold what afterward shall become of vs. Make vs truly to mourne with them that mourne and to weepe with them that weepe And grant vnto vs all the forgiuenesse of our sinnes â—he assistance of thy Spirit assurance to be heard and a fellow feeling of our brothers miseries that we may the better call vpon thy name and pray to thée for him who standeth in néede to be prayed for Thou art O Lord the conduit of comfort bee a God of comfort and consolation vnto him thou art the forgiuer of all our sinnes blot all his sinnes out of thy remembrance thou art the Physitian to cure all sores looke fauourably vpon him in this sicknesse of his And as thou art the God of patience mitigate his paines of hope assure his heart of mercie confirme his faith of iustice looke vpon thy Sonne and as thou art the resurrection and the life be vnto him both life and resurrection It is true O Lord that he hath deserued a farre greater punishment and that thou shouldest scourge him with all thy rods hee feeleth his sinne he feareth thy iustice he is affrighted at death hee trembleth at thy iudgements and vnlesse thy law were his delight he should haue perished in this his trouble He appealeth from thy iustice vnto thy mercie and in consideration of thine abundant goodnesse doth say vnto thee in the bitternesse of his soule Lord bee mercifull vnto me a sinner Haue mercie vpon him O Lord haue mercie vpon him and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away all his offences Grant him thy grace to beare willingly this crosse the crosse of sicknesse to drinke heartily of this cup the cup of affliction to endure patiently this yoke the yoke of tribulation and to suffer meekely this rod the rod of correction Naked hee came out of his mothers womb and naked shall he returne againe O Let him now say with thy seruant Iob The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed bee the name of the Lord. He hath receiued good things of thée make him to receiue euill also and as heretofore he reioyced in his health so teach him now to reioyce in sicknesse and as hee was not ashamed to liue so let him not bee afraid to die because his life is hid with Christ in heauen Teach him O Lord by thy holy Spirit that hee cannot suffer more for thee than Christ his Sauiour suffered for him and though thou hast now powred into the wounds of his corruption the sharpe wine of grieuous tribulation yet after the example of the good Samaritan instill also the suppling oyle of comfort whereby hee may bee able to endure these troubles which otherwise would bee intollerable vnto him As his paine encreaseth so increase his patience and as it decreaseth so increase his thankfulnesse Turne this visitation to the good of his soule lay no more vpon him than hee is able to beare and as hee feeleth thy iustice in suffering for his sinnes so let him feele thy mercie in correcting him for them and as thou now triest whe her he will loue thée or no so make him now most to loue thee when thou correctest him as thy sonne Let his heart be glad his tongue reioyce and his flesh also rest in hope because thou wilt not suffer his soule in the graue nor his flesh through thine Holy one to sée corruption Remember not Lord his or our iniquities spare him good Lord spare thy seruant whom Christ hath redeemed with his most pretious blood and bee not angrie with vs for euer Lord saue thy seruant which putteth his trust in thée send him helpe from thy holy place and euermore mightily defend him let the enemie haue none aduantage against him nor the wicked approch neere vnto him be vnto him a strong tower against the face of his enemie O Lord heare our prayers and let our crie come vnto thée Wée crie and call vnto thee alone for him visite him as thou diddest visite Peters wiues mother comfort him as thou diddest comfort the sick of the palsie chéere him as thou diddest cheere that godly man Simeon that hée now seeing his Sauiour in heauen may ioyfully say Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation In the meane time strengthen him against all temptations defend him against all assaults relieue him in all his weakenesse and deliuer him from all his feares O Lord Iesu Christ who for his and our sakes camest into the World obeyedst the law sufferedst reproch baredst our sinnes and gauest ouer for vs thy pretious life to death looke thou vpon this thy patient let thy blood wash away the spots of his sinnes let thy righteousnesse couer his vnrighteousnesse and let thy satisfaction bee his merit O holie Ghost the comforter of all that want comfort send downe thy grace into the heart of thy seruant call to his minde whatsoeuer consolation he hath before learned cut of thy word especially that by Christ he shall inherit heauen giue him now such a portion of thy grace that he neither
their death Quest Now then of all men that die in this World whose death is most miserable Ans The death of sinners for them we must mourne most and their death is most miserable Their birth is bad their life is worse their departure is worst of all their death is without death their end is without end and their want is without want But precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Quest Can you giue mee any example to proue this Ans I can One at the houre of his death féeling alreadie the torments of hell cried out after this sort O lamentable destinie O infinite calamitie O death without death O those continuall cryings which shall neuer be harkened vnto Our eyes can see nothing but sorrowfull spectacles and intolerable torments Our eares can heare nothing but woe woe without end wofull O thou earth why doest thou not swallow vs O yee mountaines why doe you not couer vs from the presence of the Iudge How farre doe the torments of Hell exceede all the tortures of this life O you bewitching pleasures of this VVorld how haue you ledde vs blindfold to the horrors of Hell Woe woe for euer vnto vs who without hope are cast from the fauour of God O that after tenne thousand yeares we might bee deliuered O that in any time we might haue an end But it cannot be our temporall pleasures haue eternall paines our mirth it is now turned into mourning and we are cast into eternall fire A King said O that I had neuer beene a King Quest Shew mee also some examples of good men who haue vttered things comfortable at their death Answ Christ said Father into thine hands I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 Steuen said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Acts 7.59 Simeon said Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word Saint Augustine said as Hierom reporteth Nature compels me to be dissolued I according to the Scripture phrase am to goe the way of my forefathers Now Christ inuiteth me now I desire to see celestiall fights O keepe you the faith thinke you also that you are mortall men Let this be your care to keepe the commandements of God that when you die all the Saints may receiue you as their familiars and friends into the euerlasting tabernacles If you regard mee or keepe any remembrance of me your Father thinke of these things sauour these things do these things Saint Iohn said My little children loue one another my little children loue one another and being demaunded why he did ingeminate so often this spéech He said My Lord and Master taught it vs in his life preached it before his death and if yee doe this it sufficeth Holy Effrem said O Lord God receiue preserue saue and be mercifull to vs by thy grace Tobiah said to his sonne Keepe thou the Law and the Commandements and shew thy selfe mercifull and iust that it may goe well with thee Chap. 14. 9. Mauritius the Emperour said when Phocas caused his children and wife to be slaine before his eyes and lastly himselfe The Lord is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes Psal 145. Antonius surnamed Pius that is the godly King said Why do you mourne for mee and not rather thinke of that common both death and pestilence And when his friends were readie to leaue him he said If you now leaue me fare yee well I but go before you And being demanded to whom he would leaue his sonne To God saith hée and you if he deserue well Master Deering a little before his death being by his friends raised vp in his bed séeing the Sunne shine and being desired to speake said There is but one Sun that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Iakob for they were excellent men in the world yet must we all confesse that we are great sinners and that there is no saluation but in the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus and wee haue all need of the grace of God And for my part as concerning death I feele such ioy of spirit that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather chuse a thousand times seeing God hath appointed the separation the sentence of death than the sentence of life The Earle of Essex said O God Creator of all things and Iudge of all men thou hast let mee know by warrant out of thy word that Satan is then most busie when our end is neerest and that Satan being resisted will flie I humblie beseech thee to assist mee in this my last combat and seeing thou acceptest euen of our desires as of our acts accept I beseech thee of my desires to resist him as of true resistance and perfect by thy grace what thou seest in my flesh to bee fraile and weake giue mee patience to beare as becommeth mee this iust punishment inflicted vpon mee by so honorable a triall Grant mee the inward comfort of thy Spirit let thy Spirit seale vnto my soule an assurance of thy mercies lift my soule aboue all earthly cogitations and when my life and bodie shall part send thy blessed Angels which may receiue my soule and conuey it to the ioyes in heauen Then concluding his prayer for all estates of the Realme hee shut vp all with the Lords Prayer reiterating this Petition Lord Iesus forgiue vs our trespasses Lord Iesus receiue my soule King Edward the sixt said Lord God deliuer mee out of this miserable and wretched life and take me among thy chosen Howbeit not my wil but thy wil be done Lord I commit my spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest how happie it were for mee to bee with thee yet for thy chosens sake send me life health that I may truly serue thee O my Lord God blesse thy people and saue thine inheritance O Lord saue thy chosen people of England O my Lord defend this Realme from Papistrie and maintaine thy true Religion that I and my people may pâ—aise thy holy Name for thy Sonne Iesus Christs sake I am faint Lord haue mercie vpon me and take my spirit And manie of the like you may reade in the book of Martyrs Quest Are not they most happy that die in this sort and sing these Cygnean songs as funerall hymnes Answ O happie and thrice happy are they whose life is a continuall praysing of God and whose death is an vncessant prayer to God Quest Yet if it please God I would not die in my youth and the flower of mine age Answ Why are you of so couetous a disposition that you would measure all things by the ell Is nothing precious but that which is durable think you the tallest person the comliest person the greatest picture the best picture
liuing that they take héed of such sinnes I will deliuer vnto you a rare example I knew a Gentleman of good sort who seldome came to the Church in the time of his health I was sent for to him in the time of his sicknesse and after many instructions deliuered vnto him he vttered vnto me this speech Sir I am beholding to you for this paines and thanke God for this comfort But if God had now denied this fauour vnto mee hee should haue dealt with me but according to iustice I haue liued a good time in this Parish I haue beene inuited by my friends called by the Bel mooued by the good report I heard of you and others to come to this Church but I made many excuses as of sicknesse and going to other places and did not come And though I haue many sinnes which I must answere for yet none at this time grieueth mee more then that I haue liued vnder a painfull Ministerie and yet was neuer partaker of it so that you and the whole Parish may iudge that I am either of no Religion or of a contrarie Religion to that which is professed in this Kingdome pray for mee that this sinne may bee pardoned heare me make a confession of my faith and that I die in the faith of Christ and am heartily sorrie for this mine offence I pray you therefore make it knowne when I am dead An. This I did and thus must we do ye◠in discretion that we may not be thought biters of the dead if either for crownes or gownes we doe otherwise it is a sinne Quest You propounded in the beginning fiue thinges which I ought euer to meditate on The first is expounded to my great comfort concerning the second which is Christs passion and death what ought I especially to thinke of Answ It is necessarie indéed you should thinke often of it for nothing will make you more willing to die then to be perswaded that Christ by his death hath washed you from sinnes and by his resurrection hath giuen vnto you eternall life I remember that Hierome complaining much of the people of his time that they had little féeling of the passion of Christ crieth out after this sort Euery Creature suffereth together with Christ at his suffering the Sun is darkened the Earth is mooued the Rockes cleaue a sunder the Vaile of the Temple is diuided the graues are opened only miserable man suffereth not with Christ for whom alone Christ suffered And Saint Bernard complaining of himselfe saith I went on securely knowing nothing of that fearefull iudgement of God which was in heauen denounced against mee and behold the Sonne of a Virgin the Sonne of the most high God is sent and commanded to be slaine that by the precious balme of his blood hee might heale all my wounds Consider O man how great are those wounds for the curing of which the Lord Christ must needs be wounded If these wounds had not beene deadly yea and to eternall death the Sonne of God would neuer haue dyed that he might cure them And that Augustine meditating on the passion of Christ saith The Crosse of Christ it to vs the cause of all happinesse it hath deliuered vs from the blindnesse of error it hath restored vs from darknesse to light it hath conioyned vs being aliens to God wee were farre from him it hath brought vs to his presence wee were pilgrime Citizens it shewed vs to him his crosse is the cutting off of discord the foundation of peace aboundance and largesse of all gifts Quest What then is the passion of Christ Answ It is that al-sufficient sacrifice of the Sonne of God whereby he offered himselfe to the Father that he might merit for all that beléeue in him iustification by this obedience sanctification by his Spirit redemption by his death and eternall life by his resurrection from the dead Quest What moued Christ thus to suffer Answ 1 The good will and pleasure of the Father 2 The misery of mankinde 3 Gods infinite and vnspeakeable loue 4 The voluntary obedience of Christ himselfe Quest Of what continuance was this passion of his An. From the day of his birth till the houre of his resurrection Quest Tell me what he suffered from his birth till his death Answ He suffered in his body circumcision hunger weeping and wearinesse in his soule temptation and heauinesse in his estate pouerty and needinesse in his name ignominy and contemptuousnesse in person persecution and weakenesse and in his whole life miserie and wretchednesse and to this end onely that he thus freeing vs from deserued ignominy might bring vs in the ende vnto eternall glory Quest But because his greatest suffering was about and at his death shew mee first what he suffered not long before he died Ans When Dauid considered by the spirit of prophecie of this point he saith The sorrowes of the graue haue compassed mee the troubles of hel haue taken hold vpon me And when Ieremy did consider it by the same Spirit he crieth out in the person of Christ Lament 1.12 Haue you no regard all yee that passe by this way Behold and 〈◊〉 if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto mee wherewith the Lord hath afflicted mee in the day of his fierce wrath from aboue he hath sent fire into my bones which preuaileth against them hee hath spread a net for my feet and turned mee backe hee hath made mee desolate and daily in heauinesse He was in a Garden where Adam transgressed his soule was heauy vnto death hee sweat drops or rather cloddes of bloud trickling downe vnto the ground and was constrained to cry Father if it bee possible let this cup passe from mee There hee was assaulted by Satan betrayed by Iudas apprehended by Souldiers and forsaken of all his professed Disciples Quest And why thinke you was his soule thus perplexed Ans Not for the feare of a bodily death for that he might if he would haue auoided But 1 The meditation of sinnes tyranny deaths victory and Satans malice al which had made hauocke of mankinde 2 The consideration of those cursed contumelies and that damnable death which he was to vndergoe in his blessed body 3 The thoughts he had of mans ingratitude who was not thankefull nor mindeful of so great saluation 4 The sense and féeling of Gods wrath which hee susteined and satisfied for our sinnes Quest When he was apprehended and brought vnto Caiphas surely the high Priest would vse him well Ans Nay hee is by him arraigned as a theefe mocked as a foole accused as an incendiary stricken as one contemptible and spit vpon as an execrable person and all this to frée vs from that shamefull execration Qu. Was he no better vsed when he came before Pilate Answ Not a whit for 1 Hee was accused as a seducer of the people a seditious person a conspiratour against the State a subuerter of the Nation an enemy to Caesar
sinne and crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts 1. Pet. 2.24 Rō 6.6 Gal. 5.24 10 In a word by it you haue remission of sinnes sanctification of spirit and euerlasting life after death Quest What must I heere meditate of An. You must meditate 1 Of the fearefull wrath of God against sinners which could not be appeased by any other meanes 2 Of Gods great mercy who to saue mankind would haue his Sonne killed 3 Of Christs great humility who thus abased himselfe to exalt vs. 4 Of the vglinesse of sinne which could by no other meanes be purged 5 Of the estate of the members of Christ who in this world must bee conformable to his passion 6 That wee hate all sinne and iniquity for which Christ suffered and by which we crucifie him againe Augustines meditation is fit to bee thought on The life of Christ saith he is to me a rule of my life his death is my redemption from death That instructeth my life this hath for mee destroyed death And againe Looke vpon his wounds when he hanged on the tree his blood when he died the price wherewith hee redeemed vs. He hath his body so placed on the crosse as if hee bowed it downe to kisse thee his armes spred out ready to embrace thee and his whole body giuen to redeeme thee Consider how great things these are weigh them in the ballance of thine heart that he may be wholly fastened in thine heart who for thee wholly was fastened to the crosse And againe meditate thus with that holy Father in his Soliloquies and say O Christ the saluation of my soule I hartily thanke thee for all thy benefits bestowed vpon mee from my youth till this mine olde age I pray thee by thy selfe forsake mee not Thou didst create me when I was nothing thou didst redeeme me when I was worse then nothing I was dead and when I was dead thou camest down vnto me and tookest vpon thee mortality for my sake Thou a King camest to a subiect to redeeme a subiect Thou didst die and ouercome death that I might liue I was exalted by thee when thou wast humbled for me such was thy loue towards mee that thou gauest thy blood to be shed for me O my Lord thou didst loue me more then thy self because thou wouldest die for me By such a meanes by so deare a price thou hast restored me from exile redeemed me from thraldome preserued me from punishment called me by thy name signed me by thy bloud annointed mee with that oile wherewith thy selfe wast annointed that of thee ô Christ I am named a Christian Thus thy mercy and grace hath euer preuented me Thus thou my Deliuerer hast deliuered me from many great and grieuous dangers Did I wander thou broughtest mee againe into the way Was I ignorant thou instructedst mee Did I sinne thou correctedst mee Was I sorrowfull thou comfortedst mee Did I despaire thou strengthnedst mee Did I fall thou didst helpe mee vp Did I goe thou didst leade me Did I come thou didst receiue me Did I sleepe thou didst watch ouer me Did I cry thou heardst the voice of my complaints Grant good Lord that it may bee euer pleasant vnto me to thinke often of these thy benefits to speake often of them often to giue thee thankes for them and to praise thee for euer and euer Amen Quest But because I cannot thus meditate of Christs passion vnlesse I bee able to apply it to my selfe how shall I make this application Answ 1 By the word 2. by faith 3. by the Sacraments of Baptisme the Lords Supper By the word Christ is offered as by the hand of God by faith he is receiued as by the hand of man by the sacraments he is sealed vp vnto vs as the Kings letters patents are by his Broad seale For as by the word of God his fauour is signed vnto vs so the same fauour is by the sacraments as a Broad seale ratified vnto vs and by the spirit as a Priuy seale confirmed vnto vs. Qu. Am I now bounden to follow Christ in his crosse Answ You are assuredly For 1 You are a member of his body will you not be like to your head 2 You are a branch of him that true vine will you not follow the roote 3 You desire to haue heauen do you not know that by many tribulations you must goe thither 4 You are one of Christs grapes Christ was pressed in Gods wine-presse and would you giue out your swéet liquor without the like pressing which he endured Augustine said well When thou beginnest to liue godly in Christ thou art put into the wine-presse prepare thy selfe that thy wine may be pressed out 5 It is an argument that God loues you not if you endure no afflictions you are a bastard and no sonne Heb. 12.14 An Heathen man could say thus much No man is more miserable then he who endureth no miserie it is a signe that hee is contemned of God as an idle and cowardly person And if saith Augustine you will goe to Canaan Nihil infelicius felicitate peccantium you must goe as it were by fire and water thorow the wildernesse of this world No creature is more vnhappy then hee that is happy in sinning 6 You must follow him also in his death and know that as he died so you must also be willing to die especially since nothing can free you from it If Wisdome could Salomon had not died if strength Sampson had not died if Riches Diues had not died if beauty Absalom had not died Wheresoeuer we goe if wée carrie with vs not the vgly picture of death as some Romanists doe but the true picture of Christs death in our hearts we shall neuer bee too fearefull of death Qu. I trust I shall thus meditate of Christs death and passion but is it not my duty at all times especially in sickenesse to thinke often of his resurrection Answ The Apostle Paul did account all things but losse and dung for this excellent knowledge of Christs death and the vertue of his resurrection Phil. 3.10 Quest What is the vertue of his resurrection Ans It is nothing else but the power of his Godhead or the power of his Spirit whereby he raised himselfe mightily from the dead and that on our behalfe For know this to your comfort that he did rise againe from the dead not as a priuate but as a publike person so that all the elect haue and are by his resurrection raised out of the graue of sinne by regeneration in this life and shall one day by it be raised out of the graue of death to eternal glorie in the life to come Qu. What vse may I make of this Answ By it 1 You may bee comforted against the feare of all your spirituall enemies and say thus to your sicke soule Christ is risen againe from the dead and so hath subdued all mine enemies vnder me will daily more and more
spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darknesse to be kept vnto damnation Matth. 22.13 Binde him hand and foote take him away cast him into vtter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Esai 30 33. Tophet is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the king hee hath made it deepe and large the burning thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it Chap. 34.14 The sinners in Zion are afraid feare is come vpon the hypocrites Who shall dwell with the deuouring fire Who shall dwell with the consuming burnings Quest And what say the Fathers of it Answ Chrysostome wisheth that men in tauernes and all places would dispute of hell for the remembrance of hell will not suffer a man to fall into hell Augustine saith From hell there is no redemption for hee that is damned and drowend there shall neuer come out From hell there is no redemption because there neither can the father helpe the sonne nor the sonne his father There can bee found no friend or kinsman which can giue a ransome of gold or siluer which now like couetous persons they heape vp suffering the poore to pine by pouertie and perish for hunger and cold But these miserable men shall be constrained to crie What hath our gold profited vs c. Wisd 5. From hell there is no redemption there is weeping and wailing and none to pitie them there is dolor and horror and crying out and none to heare them Gregorie saith After a most fearefull sort the wicked haue a death without death an end without end ceasing without ceasing Because that death euer liueth that end euer beginneth and that ceasing knoweth not how to cease Againe In hell there is vntollerable cold vnquenchable fire the worme that neuer dieth an intollerable sauour palpable darknesse and scourgings by whippers the most fearefull vision of Diuels the confusion of sinners and desperation of any good There shall be a double hell the one of intollerable heate the other of surpassing cold Chrysostome saith Let a man imagine ten thousand hels all is nothing to this Of being seperated from Christ to heare this voice Depart from me yee workers of iniquitie to be accused that thou hast not fed the hungrie clothed the naked c. Bernard saith Wee haue deserued hell where there is no meate no comfort none end where the rich glutton begged but a cup of cold water and could not obtaine it Quest Are all thinke you tormented there alike Answ The least torment shall be endlesse comfortlesse and remedilesse yea Gregory saith That as the same Sunne shineth vpon al but yet heateth not al alike so the same fire of hell burneth all the wicked yet it doth not burne all alike As heauen hath many mansions of glory so hell hath many places of horror According vnto the manner of the sinne is the manner of the punishment The which if it be true ought to keepe vs from abominable sinnes that at the least there might bee a mitigation of torments For mighty sinners shall bee mightily punished and hee that knowes his Masters will and doth it not bee shall be beaten with many stripes These are the lessons my good Auditor which I haue shortly giuen you as a direction to die and the Lord so sanctifie them vnto your soule that whether you liue you may liue to him or whether you die you may die to him so that whether you liue or die you may be his Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A CONSOLATORIE EPISTLE Against all Crosses CHristian Reader as before I haue armed thee against the feare of death so in the ende of this booke I would faine arme thee against the feare of all dangers I cannot doe it better then by recalling to thy mind the temptations of Christ set downe in that Epistle which once I presented to an Honorable person in this Kingdome The Lord Russell Satans sophistries Master Perkins who had the vse onely of his left hand Matth. 3. Mat. 4.1 And the rather because I feare that a new Dedication of that booke vnto him will put out mine from that worthy mans workes who hath done more good by his one hand in this Church then the most haue done by both theirs For thy comfort therefore vnderstand with me that as Iohn the Baptist was in one desert so our Sauiour Christ hee was in another but as these two differed in their being in the world so did they not accord in their being in the wildernesse Iohn was with some men Christ with none Iohn was with wild men Christ with wild beasts Iohn was preaching Christ praying Iohn was baptising Christ fighting Iohn was feeding Christ fasting Iohn was encountring with Diuels incarnate Christ did encounter with the Prince of those diuels From Iohn preaching in the desert learne we diligence in our calling from Christ tempted in the desert sée we troubles in our calling a Ps 34.19 Manie are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all If it please you but to reade the story of the Gospell amongst many other things you shall see set downe that monomachy or single combate which was hand to hand betwixt Christ and the Diuell And as for Christ Iesus you shall sée him fasting fighting conquering Fasting and an hungrie to shew he was man fighting and encountring to shew hee was Messiah and conquering and triumphing to shew hee was God And as for the Diuell you shall see him obeiecting answering flying Obiecting that b Mat. 4.3 Christ might despaire c Mat. 4.6 answering that hee might presume and flying d Mat. 4.11 when he could not ouercome In Christs temptations we see the estate of the e 1. Pet. 2.21 Church in Satans assault we sée his malice to the f 1. Pet. 5.8 Church Is Christ tempted thinke it not strange if wee fall into g Io. 15.20 temptations For the griefe of the head is the griefe of the h 1. Cor. 12 26. members and the temptation of Christ sheweth the temptations of i Io. 15.20 Christians It is true of Christ that k Act. 14.21 by many tribulations hee did enter into the kingdome of God that l He. 2 1◠our High Priest was consecrated by afflictions that so hee must suffer and enter into his m Luk. 24.26 glory He is no sooner borne into the world but hée is a Mat 2.14 hunted by Herod baptized at Iordan b Matth. 3.16.4.1 but Sathan sets on him a Preacher of repentance but the c Ioh. 7.1 Scribes proscribe him to d Lu. 11.15 worke miracles but the Pharisees slander him Hee is no sooner to suffer but e Io. 12.27 the Diuell assaults him apprehended but the f Io. 18.28 Iewes deliuer him deliuered but g Luk. 23.11 Herod derides him i
a true and liuely faith to apprehend and applie all the promises of saluation to my sinfull soule and to this purpose illuminate mine vnderstanding confirme my memorie purifie my conscience inlarge mine heart rectifie my will order al the members of my body and so sanctifie me throughout that my whole bodie soule and spirit may be kept blamelesse till the glorious appearance of my Sauiour Christ Grant me I beséech thée knowledge of thy truth faith in thy promises feare of thy Maiestie zeale of thy glorie obedience to thy statutes faithfulnesse in my calling patience in troubles hungring after righteousnesse and a tender affection towards all my brethren Grant me I beséech thée the gift of Regeneration to become thy childe of faith to beléeue thy promises of obedience to doe thy will of prayer to séeke thy presence of comfort to endure thy trials and of strength to continue thy seruant to my liues end Grant me again and grant it I intreate thée the sauing knowledge of thy word let it bee in my minde by vnderstanding memorie by remembring thought by meditating heart by affecting tongue by speaking and mine actions by performing it to my dying day Mine heart O Lord is deceitfull let mée watch ouer it my will is vnwilling to all goodnesse let it run the way to thy commandements Many behold my life conuersation let it I beséech thée be ordered aright To this end teach mee to sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome doe thy will Thou hast placed me in a calling make me painfull in it that thereby from thée I may haue my daily bread If I haue it kéepe me from pride if not kéepe me from despaire And forgiue mee the abuse of all thy good blessings And howsoeuer I must néeds liue in this world yet let me vse it as though I vsed it not let my conuersation be in heauen mine eyes on thy presence my trust in thy prouidence my delight in thy word and the communion of Saints Make me thinke often of heauen that I may loue it of hel that I may feare it of death that I may exspect it of iudgement that I may escape it and of the vanitie of this present world that thereby I may learne to contemne it I liue by thy prouidence a life of nature I desire by thy spirit to liue the life of grace put on this desire O my God by thy spirit and draw me from good desires to delights from delights to actions from actions to continuance in dooing that which is good And because Satan the aduersarie of thine elect goeth about as a roring lion séeking whom he may deuoure let mee not be ignorant of all his enterprises Make mee wise to foresée his stratagems vigilant to beware his pitfals circumspect to preuent his practises couragious to resist his temptations and constant to ouercome his suggestions He is strong be thou stronger in me he is wise be thou wiser for me hee is watchfull be thou more watchfull about mee hee is malitious bee thou mercifull vnto me Let him neuer finde me idle for then he will allure nor carelesse for then he will surprise nor sinning for then hee will subdue O Iesu be thou Iesus vnto me saue me O Lord from this enemie of mine that this Dragon neuer infect mee with his poyson this Serpent neuer kill mee with his sting this Lion neuer teare mee with his teeth and this aduersarie neuer haue power to ouerthrow me O Christ bee thou Christ vnto mee and anoint mee so with the oile of thy Spirit that of thy fulnesse I may bee filled with grace euen that grace which may further my saluation By it I acknowledge my misery by it let mee féele thy mercie giue mee by it a broken heart a contrite spirit a sorrowfull soule an humble minde a liuely faith that by humbling my selfe I may bee lifted vp by thée and by beléeuing thy promises I may come vnto thée and that as by the one I may mourne for my sinnes so by the other I may beléeue they are pardoned I durst not bee so bold as craue this thy fauour but that I am incouraged by confidence of thy mercie Doe the simple beg wisdome thou giuest it doe the afflicted beg deliuerance thou grantest it doth he that is troubled with his sinnes come vnto thée thou séest him a farre off thou embracest him in thine armes receiuest him into thy grace againe Thou commandest why should I not obey thou promisest why should I not beléeue thou hearest why should I not speake I speake vnto thée in the language of Canaan kéepe not silence at these my prayers Thou O my Sauiour hast died for my sinnes let the power of thy death make me die vnto sin especially to my beloued sins and such as I can hardly get the mastery of Thou O Lord Christ art risen from the dead let the power of thy resurrection make mee to rise vnto newnesse of life And that which is impossible to flesh and blood make it possible by the vertue of thy blood Thou hast redéemed me suffer me not to be in sinnes captiuitie thou hast triumphed ouer Satan for me suffer mee not to be vnder his tyrannie Thou hast couered mee with the robes of righteousnesse teach mee to cast off the rags of iniquitie Thou hast washed me and I am cleane kéepe me that I return not with the swine to my wallow Thou hast begun thy good work in me performe the worke that thou hast begun and strengthen mee in the workes which I doe haue or shall take in hand Kéepe mée good Lord in my old age forsake mee not when I am gray-headed And when it shall please thée to cast me vpon my sicke bed as what man liueth who shall not sée death grant that I may take my sicknesse patiently and at the last gaspe let not either sinne or Satan take such hold vpon me that I depart this life with crying and scrichings and words of despaire but that beleeuing thy word and yéelding to thine ordinance my last houre may bee my best houre and I may say with the Psalmist Lord into thine hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Thus I still crie vnto thée for mercie because my sins crie against mee for iustice Preserue me O Lord for I trust in thée and let me in all things see that I am preserued by thee let me see it in the health of my body the peace of my conscience the gifts of my minde the credit of my name the works of my calling and vpon all such as are neere and deare vnto me Thou hast beene good vnto me in times past O that I could depend vpon thee for the time to come Thou hast by thy mercie kept mee from grosse sinnes cleanse mee I pray thée from my secret sinnes especially such as put forth their heads when I am but a little moued Am I prouoked stay mine anger is my enemy
aduaÌ„ced â—sswage mine enuie haue I abundance temper mine intemperance am I in want mitigate my feares doest thou exalt me keepe me from pride doest thou humble me kéep me from impatience doest thou withdraw thy selfe from mee let mee euer say Vp Lord why sleepest thou doth Satan assault mee because I am rich in grace preserue me O Lord that I lose not thy grace For woe is mee if I fall from thée I haue promised that I will not fall thou hast promised I shall not fall leade mee by thine hand that I do not fall Finally because thou hast been good vnto me many waies Lord make me thankful for all thy fauours Thou hast made mee a man not a beast a Christian not an Heathen a Protestant not a Papist Whilest many are ignorant I haue knowledge whilest many are profane I haue been obedient to thy will whilest many want the ordinarie meanes of saluation thou affordest me meanes for saluation of my soule Many are bound I am free in prison I haue libertie in want I haue sufficiencie They liue in warres I in peace they in persecution I in free profession of the truth they in sicknesse I in health And although by my sinnes I deserue to bee consumed yet thou hast spared me a great while and giuen me a long time of repentance What shall I giue vnto thee for all these mercies and fauours of thine I will take the cup of saluation praise thy great and glorious name and most humblie entreate thée that as thou neuer ceasest to bee good vnto me so I may neuer cease to be thankfull vnto thée Pardon good God my losse of time my abuse of thy creatures my negligence in my calling my vnthankfulnesse for thy kindnesse and whatsoeuer is wanting in my person practise prayer or thanksgiuing make a supplie of it in the merit of Christ Iesus to whom with thée and thy blessed spirit be all praise and glorie now and for euermore Amen A PRAIER TO BE SAID by a sick person or for him changing my vnto vs c. ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull and all-sufficient Sauiour I thy sicke and sinfull seruant diseassed in my bodie and distressed in my soule doe flie vnto thée yea to thée alone for succour I haue liued heretofore in the health of my bodie I acknowledge that thou wast the author of my health I am cast downe vpon my sicke bed thou hast by thy prouidence sent this Herauld to arrest me It is O Lord the messenger of death preaching vnto mee that vndoubted doctrine which I haue beene learning euer since I was borne namely That it is appointed that all must die and after death commeth iudgement My spirit is willing and would faine say Come Lord Iesus come quickly my flesh is fraile and in weaknesse doth say Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me And as in mine health I did nothing but sinne when I was not assisted by thy good Spirit so now in my sicknesse I shall doe nothing but sorrow vnlesse I bee comforted by the same Spirit O Lord comfort me in this agonie of mine and say vnto my soule I am thy saluation Thou art the Physitian heale me thou art that Samaritan pitie me thou art the resurrection and the life quicken me and quicken mee so in the inner man that neither the loue of this world nor the losseÌ„ of this light nor the consideration of thy Iustice nor the feare of death nor the terror of hell may make me vnwilling to depart this life Thou alone knowest the sorrowes of mine heart take them away thou beholdest my feare of death deliuer me out of al my feares couer my sores with the righteousnesse of thy Son heale them by the blood of thy Son and though thou launce them with the knife of the law yet bind them vp againe with the bands of the Gospell I know that my Physitian dwelleth in heauen yet he sendeth his medicines downe vpon the earth Besides thee none in heauen can helpe me and there is none in earth in comparison of thée to do me any good I am weake strengthen me I am sick cure me I am faint comfort me I must die quicken me I am assaulted defend me I am full of feare encourage mee I haue desired to liue the life of the righteous O let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last houre be like vnto his Into thine hands doe I commend my soule for thou hast redeemed it ô Lord God of truth My conscience doth tell mee that I haue sinned against thee and whatsoeuer I now suffer it is for my sinnes they are like an heauie burden vpon my soule they presse me downe to the graue of death and Satan doth lay them now especially before me to make me despaire of thy mercies in Christ Lord assure mee of the pardon of them all perswade my soule by the Spirit of my Sauiour that they are nailed to his crosse washed in his blood couered in his righteousnesse acquited by his death buried in his graue and fully discharged by his alone satisfaction Now now I stand in néed of thy Spirit let it crie in mine heart Abba Father I desire none Angell from heauen to comfort me I desire the Spirit of adoption to assure me to assure me o Lord that thou art my Father and I thy son thou my shepheard and I thy sheepe thou my king and I one of those subiects who shall shortly waite vpon thée in the kingdome of heauen to which I must passe by the gates of death O though I haue now a sick body yet grant me I pray thée a sound soule In thy hands are life and death thou hast the keyes of the graue and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest back again my mother bare mee a mortall man I came into this world to leaue it at thy pleasure it pleaseth thee now to forewarne me of mine end which might haue come vpon mee before this time I might haue perished either in the womb or in my cradle or in my childhood or before I had knowne thée or suddenly might I haue béen taken away and I deserued to die so soone as I was borne I owe thée a death as Christ Iesus died for me I haue béene salling to this hauen euer since I was borne be thou my Pilot that I sinck not in the hauens mouth but that I may land at the port of paradise I haue done I confesse little seruice vnto thée and if thou shouldest now take mee away I should die before I haue begun to liue Thou knowest what is best for me Conuert me O Lord and I shall be conuerted O Lord turne me and in a moment I shall bee turned vnto thee Therefore déere Father giue me that mind which a sick man should haue faith in thy promises hope of eternall life patience with my paine a desire to bee loosed and to bee with Christ and
all those benefits which from my cradle thou hast heaped vpon mee till this present houre When I was nothing I was created by thée when I was worse than nothing I was redeemed by thee When I was worthie nothing I was sanctified by thee and when I shall returne to nothing I shall bee glorified by thée And though I neuer knew thee as I ought loued thee as I should obeyed thee as thou commandest nor thanked thée as thou deseruest for all thy fauours yet hast thou loaded mee so with thine abundant fauours as if I had euer done thy will Experience haue I had of thy goodnesse many times but neuer more then in my late last visitation I acknowledge O Lord that at that time I chattered like a swallow I mourned like a doue I panted like an hart all ioy and gladnesse was parted from my soule I looked vpon my friends they could not reliue mee I sent to the Physitians they could not recouer mee I vsed all meanes no meanes would helpe mee I sought vnto thée yea to thée alone in my trouble and thou hast deliuered mee from all my distresse My mourning is turned into mirth my sorrow into solace my sicknesse into health and my death into life O thou that art the welspring of life the fountaine of health and the alone preseruer of al mankind what shal I render vnto thee for all those mercies that I haue receiued and for all those iudgements that I haue escaped aske of mee and I will giue it command mee and I will performe it tell mee and I will do it A thankfull heart is a sacrifice to thée a gratefull minde is well pleasing vnto thée and therefore in the sight of thy sacred Maiestie and in the eyes of all thy people I will take the cup of saluation and magnifie praise thy holy name that thou hast dealt so fauorablie with me The pangs of death had seized vpon mee thou hast restored me from death to life the sorrowes of the graue had taken hold vpon mee thou hast deliuered my soule from the graue Thou diddest hide the face of thy louing kindnesse from me now the light of thy countenance hath shined vpon mee And I who heard of late this message with Hezechiah Set thy soule in order for thou shalt die and not liue do now sée and féele this ioyfull promise I haue added to thy life yet a number of daies Teach mee so to number these my daies aright that I may applie mine hart vnto wisedome and that howsoeuer I liue heere for a while yet that thou hast appointed that I shall once die And because this meditation ought to be the meditation of all Christians and will teach vs to contemne this present euill world grant me that I euer may thinke of mine end and that exact account which I must giue vnto thée of euerie action I doe in this flesh whether it bee good or euill To this purpose grant me the assistance of thy Spirit that I may so liue hereafter before thee in this life that I may liue with thée eternally in the life to come Teach mee O Lord thy way and I will walke in thy truth knit mine heart vnto thee that I may feare thy name teach mee to do thy will for thou art my God let thy good Spirit leade me into the land of righteousnesse Create in mee a new heart renue a right spirit within mee and establish me with thy free Spirit I asked of thee life and thou gauest it mee I called for thy saluation and thou heardest me I will praise thee O Lord with all mine heart and I will magnifie thy name for euer For many are thy mercies towards mee and thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest graue If thou desiredst burnt offrings I would giue it thée if all that I haue I would bestow it on thee but a thankfull heart an obedient life a zealous profession a godly conuersation is the only sacrifice thou delightest in make me therefore euer hereafter to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lustes and to liue soberly and godly and righteously in this world that others séeing my godly behauiour may glorifie thée in the day of visitation Make me to repent of my sinnes the causes of my sicknesse to beleeue in Christ the author of my health and to depend vpon thée the doer and giuer of all good things And now I am whole giue me thy grace not to sinne againe lest a worse thing happen vnto mee To this end rectifie my iudgement strengthen my memorie purifie my conscience whet on mine affections order my will and put on all the faculties of my soule and bodie that I may loue thee for thy mercies vnfainedly feare thée for thy iudgements vncessantly praise thee for thy fauours continually pray vnto thee for thy goodnesse daily and obey thee according to thy will dutifully Make me to know thee as thou hast reuealed thy selfe in thy Word to acknowledge thee as thou hast opened thy selfe in thy Sonne to thinke on thee as the solace of my soule to cleaue vnto thee as the authour of saluation and to speake of thee as thou art wonderfull in all thy workes My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within mee praise his holy name my soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefits which forgiueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities which redeemeth thy life from the graue and crowneth thee with mercy and louing kindnesse which satisfieth thy mouth with good things and renueth thy youth like the Eagles Thou art full of compassion and mercie slow to anger and great kindnesse Thou wilt not alway chide neither keepest thou thine anger for euer Thou hast not dealt with me according to my sinnes nor rewarded me according to mine iniquities For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is thy mercie towards them that feare thee As farre as the East is from the West so farre thou remouest my sinnes from me As a Father hath compassion on his children so hast thou compassion on them that feare thee Thou knowest whereof we be made thou remembrest that we are but dust I will praise thee O Lord among the people I will sing vnto thoe in the congregation of the Saints For thy mercie is great aboue the heauens and thy truth aboue the clouds Let my soule liue and it shall praise thee and thy iudgements shall helpe mee Helpe mee they shall to loue thee more zealously to feare thee more reuerently and to obey thee more carefully all the daies of my life I confesse O Lord that before I was afflicted I went astray but now I haue learned thy precepts It is good for mee that I was afflicted for I sought vnto thee in my troubles I was in mine health an vntamed heifer it was thy goodnesse to lay thy yoke vpon mee and to giue mee courage to beare it patiently Thou hast taken it from mee
deliuered from sinne by thée our names are not a reproch vnto our enemies and by thée our estates are not a prey vnto the Idolatrous Thou euen thou hast done great things in our land and thy right hand amongst vs hath brought mightie things to passe What is it O Lord that thou hast not done vnto this vine of thine English Israel and what couldest thou doe more for it then thou hast Thou hast planted it by thy hand placed it in thy vineyard hedged it by thy prouidence garded it by thine Angels watred it by thy Spirit pruned it by thy rods supported it by thy power committed it to thy husbandmen beautified it by thy mercies and fructified it by thine abundance not of sowre but swéete grapes The wilde Boare of the woods can neuer roote it vp the beasts of the forrest shall neuer deuoure it Lord continue stil to visit this vine which without thy visitation must be fruitlesse and strengthlesse Thou hast cast out the heathen and planted vs in thou hast subdued our enemies and made vs the mirror of the whole world Thou hast giuen vs thy Sonne to be our Sauiour thy word to bee our instructor thy Spirit to be our sanctifier thy Preachers to be our monitors thy Sacraments to be our seales and Kings to be our nursing Fathers 1588. Q. Elizabeth K. Iames. 1603. and Quéenes to be our nursing Mothers When our enemies came against vs thou subduedst them when our light was extinguished thou diddest set vp a greater when the Plague was amongst vs thou calmedst it and when our Countrie was to bee betraied then wast our deliuerer What shall wee render vnto thée for all these fauours or what can we render for all these mercies O our soules praise the Lord and all that is within vs praise his holie Name O our soules praise the Lord and let vs neuer forget his benefits We Lord had béene blowen vp with the powder of rebellion had not the power of thy prouidence watched ouer vs. We therefore our Princes Nobles Clergie Commons our Wiues Children Seruants and all are heere before thy Maiestie this day now render vnto thée for more we cannot and more thou desirest not the sacrifice of praise the calues of our lips for this wonderfull deliuerance shewed vnto our gracious King and Countrie Lord teach vs thereby to bee thankfull vnto thée obedient to our Gouernours frequent in prayer feruent in the spirit and zealous in good workes lest a worse thing hereafter happen vnto vs. Make vs to detest Poperie the poyson of Authoritie Iesuites the bellowes of sedition Papists the plotters of rebellion to thinke better of our Christian Brethren this not new but most ancient Religiō of ours by which we are taught pietie to God loyaltie to Gouernors peace to the Church reuerence of superiority charitie to our inferiours amitie to our equals loue to our enemies patiēce in tribulation thankfulnesse in prosperitie faithfulnesse in our calling and honestie to all And séeing of late thou hast deliuered our backes from whipping our libertie from seruing our soules from dying our country from consuming our King and State from a sudden blowing vp Lord wee pray thée that the meditation of this mercy may neuer depart out of our mindes but that wée may bee thankfull vnto thée for mercies receiued and feareful of thée for iudgements escaped Teach vs to pray vnto thée alone who canst heare and grant our requests to kéepe our Countrey from inuasion our Church from dissension our houses from infection our State from alteration and people from the cruell mercies of the Italian Popedome whose faith is fancie whose force is fraud whose trust is treason whose obedience is hypocrisie whose lawes are traditions whose pardoners are Priests whose sauiour is the Pope whose god is an idoll whose seruice is ceremonies whose glorie is their shame and whose end is damnation except they repent Let the Sunne of the Gospell be neuer eclipsed the light of thine Israel neuer bee extinguished the hope of our happinesse neuer be subuerted nor the branches of our vine euer cut off Thus we thy people and shéepe of thy pasture shall haue iust occasion to prayse thy great Name in the face of thy Congregation from this time forth for euermore Lord kéepe in our King the spirit of Maiestie in our Quéene the spirit of Chastitie in our Prince the spirit of Pietie in our Nobles the spirit of loyaltie in our Counsellers the spirit of Prudencie in our Clergie the spirit of Vigilancie and in vs all the spirit of Fidelitie And as for such as wish euill to this Sion of ours the Honor of thy Name the Palace of thy pleasure the Place of thy protection and the wonder of the world if they belong to thée giue them hearts to repent and to returne to vs if not or euer their pots be hot with thornes let indignation vexe them as a thing that is rawe Euen so let all thine enemies perish O Lord. And vnlesse their Children be better than the Parents as the Prophet prayeth deliuer them vp to famine let them drop by the force of the sword let their wiues be robbed of their children and be widowes and let their husbands bee put to death let their confederate yong men be slain by the sword let them be ouerthrowne in the day of thine anger and let none be left to make lamentation for them and to say O my brother O my sister Lord roote all Cananites out of this land of the liuing that such as feare thée may dwell safely Blessed be the Lord God of our saluation for euer and euer and let all the people say Amen Amen 1. Sam. 12.24.25 Now therefore feare yee the Lord and serue him in the truth with all your hearts and consider how great things hee hath done for you But if yee doe wickedly yee shall perish both yee and your King GRACES He that eateth and drinketh and letteth Grace passe Sitteh downe like an Oxe and riseth like an Asse Grace before meate WE acknowledge and confesse this fauour of thine eternal God and gracious Father that it pleaseth thy Maiestie to giue vnto vs so many opportunities to méet together we beséech thée to blesse vs our méeting at this time all thy good creatures prouided for vs and grant that we may vse them soberly as in thy presence and receiue them thankfull as from thine hand to the glory of thy Name the good of our bodies the future saluation of our soules through Christ our Lord and alone blessed Sauiour Amen Grace before meate ALmightie Lord God our mercifull Father we beséech thy Maiestie to bee good vnto vs in the pardon and forgiuenesse of our sinne past and by the assistance of thy good and holy Spirit to preuent all them that are to come to watch ouer vs as thou hast done by thy speciall prouidence to direct vs continually by thy holy word to blesse vs in thy vse of all thy good creatures that now wee shall receiue from thy bountifull hand giuing strength to them to nourish vs and giuing hearts vnto vs to bee thankfull vnto thée for the same And grant that whether we eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we do else we may do all to the glorie of thy most holy Name through Christ thy Sonne and our only Sauiour Amen Grace after meate WE beséech thy Maiestie eternall God gracious Father to make vs truly and vnfainedly thankfull vnto thée for all those mercies that we haue receiued and for all those iudgements that we haue escaped both temporall concerning this life eternall concerning that life to come for thy gratious prouidence this day past for our comfortable and peaceable chéerefull méeting together in thy feare at this time and for all thy good creatures bestowed vpon vs for the comforting refreshing of these feeble and weake bodies of ours Now we humbly intreate thée that as thou hast fed them with that foode which is conuenient and necessarie for the same so it would please thée to féede our soules with that foode which perisheth not but endureth to eternall and euerlasting saluation so as we may séek so to passe through these things temporall that finally we lose not things eternall Blesse with vs thine vniuersall Church our Kings Quéenes Maiestie the Prince and their Realmes O Lord continue thy truth and peace amongst vs with the pardon and forgiuenesse of all our sinnes this day at this time and héeretofore committed against thée through Christ our Lord and blessed Sauiour Amen Another after meate O Lord of eternall glorie who hast elected vs in the loue of a Father redeemed vs by the obedience of thy Son sanctified vs by the operation of thy Spirit preserued vs hitherto by thy gracious prouidence instructed vs many times by thy good and holy word and now at this present and often heeretofore most gratiously and bountifully refreshed comforted vs with thy good creatures and with the mutuall societie and comfort one of another and hast bestowed many other good blessings and benefits vpon vs as health of bodie peace of conscience and abundance of thy good creatures which thou hast denied to many of thy seruants and déere children which deserue the same as well as our selues thy Maiesties Name be blessed and praised of vs and thy whole Church both now and for euer-more Amen FINIS