neither be deceiued nor deceiue vs. For the King and the Royall Issue I Humbly beseech thee G. Cass Almighty God to preuent with all blessings of goodnesse our King and his Royall issue Increase vpon them day by day all thy fauours vanquish with thy mighty hand all open enemies and priuie Conspirators who oppugne their religion life diademe or dignitie Crowne each of them with all vertues these vertues with long liues and their liues at the last with eternall glory Amen For Charitie or the workes of Mercie August Meditat. O Lord of mercie and compassion I beseech thee by the tender bowels of thy Sonne Christ Iesus to mooue my stonie heart to the workes of mercie that I may keepe my howers of prayers mourne with them that mourne counsell them that are amisse helpe them that are in miserie releeue the poore comfort the sorrowfull helpe the oppressed forgiue them that trespasse against me pray for them that hate mee requite good for euil despise no man or woman reuerence my betters respect my equals be humble and courteous to my inferiors imitate those that are good shunne those that are bad embrace vertue eschew vice Be patient in aduersitie modest in prosperitie thankfull in either Keepe a watch ouer my tongue Scorne this world and thirst after heauen Amen For the receiuing of the B. Sacrament O Lord Iesus Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God G. Cass thorough whom onely is granted forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting who diddest iustifie the Publican when he confessed the woman of Chanaan when shee prayed Peter when hee repented and the thiefe vpon the Crosse when hee called vpon thee grant vnto me a most miserable and wretched sinner pardon and forgiuenesse of all my transgressions which I most humbly confesse I haue committed against thee that I may receiue this Communion of thy body and blood not to my iudgement and condemnation but to my euerlasting comfort and saluation who liuest and raignest with the Father and the holy Ghost one God world without end Amen Meditation When you haue newly receiued O Lord encrease my faith O Lord G. Cass let the body and blood of Christ be fixed in my soule to my comfort in this life and eternall saluation in the life to come Amen For that day you expect to heare a Sermon or when you reade vpon your Bible G. Cass ALlmighty and euerlasting God whose Word is a lanterne to our feete and a light vnto our pathes open and enlighten my vnderstanding that I may learne the mysteries of thy Word so farre foorth as is necessary to my saluation purely and syncerely and bee so transfigured in my life and conuersation vnto that which I shall learne as to please thee in will and deede through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen For sicknesse and all other vses you haue excellent Prayers in the Booke of Common prayers PRINCIPLES Few Notes for the priuate vse of my L. M. B. A Prayer to be said vpon your knees before the reading ouer of these Notes ALmightie God the Fountaine of true Wisedome and knowledge send thy holy Spirit into my heart that I may sufficiently vnderstand and stedfastly beleeue all the doctrines necessary to my Saluation and adde such practise and obedience to this Faith thorough the whole course of my life and conuersation as I may so serue thee in thy kingdome of Grace that hereafter I may be made partaker of thy kingdom of Glory through the onely merit and mediation of thy deare Sonne and my deare Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen I. MAn sithence his fall in Adam hath no hope of saluation but by the Couenant of Grace betwixt God and Man Whereby God promiseth vnto man Mercie and Forgiuenesse of Sinnes and man vnto God true Faith in Christ and holines of life and conuersation II. ALl men haue not interest in this Couenant of Grace but they onely that are of Gods Church Now the Church of God is Any Company or Congregation of men wheresoeuer liuing called by God through the sound of the Gospel vnto the Faith of Christ and distinguished from other Societies by these fiue Marks especially 1. hearing and reading the Word 2. Faith thereunto 3. the vse of the Sacraments 4. Prayer and 5. Sanctity of life Where these fiue things are there is euer a Church of God and sufficient means of saluation III. THe Word must be read often vpon your Bible with modesty and short desires of the heart vnto God to giue you grace to vnderstand it to beleeue it and to practise it It must bee heard vpon all conuenient occasions especially in those two houres of the Sabbath day appointed by the Church and the State for that Diuine worship and then you must obserue foure Rules 1 Obserue the Preacher with attention modestie 2. Secondly apply vnto your selfe in particular the Doctrines and Vses which are deliuered in generall 3. Examine your conscience if you be guilty of the sinnes there reproued and presently call to God for grace to amend them 4. Thinke vpon these things againe when you come to your Chamber IIII. THis outward hearing and reading of the Word together with the inward working of the holy Ghost in your heart doeth beget a true liuely and sauing faith which is A certaine knowledge and assurance of the heart that all is true which God hath spoken or promised in the Scripture and that you rest wholly and confidently vpon God that he hath granted vnto your selfe in particular forgiuenes of sinnes and true righteousnesse in Christ Iesus This is the maine point you are seriously to meditate vpon and therefore obserue these precepts 1. If you doe not beleeue or if you doe doubt of any thing in Scripture presently pray vnto God to strengthen and enlighten you 2. If you doubt whether you may haue any particular interest in those generall promises of grace in Christ propounded in the Gospel fall againe to your prayers for an increase of Faith 3. If you doubt and yet can finde in your heart to pray for more faith Let your conscience neuer bee troubled with such a doubting 4. Marke well when the Creed is in reading and giue an assent with your heart to euery Article And as I doubt not you haue learned it so keepe it still in memorie V. NOw as this faith of remission of sinnes and righteousnesse in Christ is wrought in vs by the reading and hearing of the Word ioyned with Prayer so is it signed and sealed in our hearts by the two Blessed Sacraments Baptisme The Lords Supper Obserue in either Sacrament two parts A visible signe Water in Baptisme Bread Wine in the Supper An inuisible grace Remission of sinnes in Baptisme The benefite of Christs passion in the Supper VI. BAptisme is the first Sacrament of the new Testament to wit An outward washing of Water appointed by Christ in his Church with this promise that vpon your being Baptized you were
as certainely washed from your sinnes Original being an infant and actuall if you had beene of yeeres by the holy Ghost and the Blood of Christ as you were rinsed outwardly in body by this Element of Water Marke then these vses of Baptisme 1. It assures vs wee are washed from our sinnes by the Holy Ghost and the Blood of Christ 2. It keeps vs from despaire because it assures vs our sinnes are washed away 3. It keepes vs from sinne for it is a shame for one washed to soile himselfe againe 4. It giues an entrance into the Church 5. It hath a visible signe Water Grace inuisible Forgiuenesse of sinnes by the blood of Christ VII THe Lords Supper is a distribution of Bread and Wine which seales signes and exhibits or giues vnto you Christs true Body offered and his true Blood poured out vpon the Crosse for your sinnes as certainely as the Priests exhibite vnto your hands the Bread and the Wine And withall the Supper assures your heart that Christs Body and Blood nourish your soule to perpetual life as surely as Bread and Wine doth nourish your body to the offices of this temporall life Marke then the vses of this Sacrament of the Supper 1. It assures you of all the benefit that is to be expected from the Bodie and blood of Christ 2. It puts you continually in minde that Christ dyed for you 3. It strengthens and ascertaines your faith if it be receiued worthily And therefore you must not neglect twice in the yeere at the least to approch with all reuerence this heauenly Table VIII THat this Sacrament may be receiued worthily you must examin your selfe before the receiuing Pray vnto God for Faith in the receiuing and take heed of grosse and premeditated sinnes after the receiuing of this Sacrament IX BEfore the receiuing you must examine foure things 1. You must examin your knowledge 1. Whether you know how you ought to liue To this end read ouer the 10. Commandements 2. Whether you know how to beleeue Read ouer attentiuely your Creed 3. Whether you know how to Pray Say ouer aduisedly the Lords Prayer Without this little knowledge at the least you are not fit to Receiue 2. You must examine your faith Whether you are assured in your heart that Christ hath fully satisfied for your sins and perfectly reconciled you vnto God not others only but your selfe also Without this assurance in some measure you may not receiue 3. You must examine your Repentance 1. Whether you are sory for your sinnes 2. Whether you hate sinne 3. Whether you resolue to indeauour to sinne no more Without this Repentance you cannot receiue worthily 4. You must examine your Charitie 1. Whether you forgiue all the world 2. Whether you are free from malice and hatred When you haue examined these foure points you may receiue worthily X. NOw your faith in Christ which you haue gotten in Gods Church being thus hatched by the holy Ghost in your heart brought foorth by your hearing cherished by your reading of the word sealed by your Baptism and strongly confirmed and strengthened by your partaking of the blessed Sacrament of the Supper must be continually maintained and preserued by these two meanes Prayer vnto God him only And Good works or holines of life And this is the summe of all your notes which I recommend vnto you for this time 1. Saluation is only by faith in Christ 2. Faith onely in Gods Church 3. Where by the Word read or heard Faith is nourished 4. By the Sacrament of Baptisme assured 5. By the Sacrament of the Supper ratified and confirmed 6. By Prayer and Good workes for euer established A Prayer after the reading of these few Notes O Lord God that I may be partaker of thy couenant of Grace make me a beleeuing member of thy Church send thy holy Spirit into my heart to beget there a confidence and full assurance of the remission of all my sinnes in Christ Iesus let this assurance bee still nourished with my hearing and reading of the Word let it be sealed vnto mee by my Baptisme confirmed by the Sacrament of the Supper and fully established by my seruing of thee in Prayer and Good workes to the glory of thy Name and the endlesse comfort and saluation of mine owne soule through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ A SHORT CATECHISME concerning Faith and good Workes to be read and meditated vpon once euery weeke at the least which may be well called The Catechisme of the Conscience Question WHy hath GOD made me a reasonable Creature and not as well hee might of a meaner kinde Answ That with your whole heart that is with your will and vnderstanding you might serue him and loue him which creatures only indued with reason can doe Q. How is God principally serued and loued of mee A. By your faith and good workes which God commaunds you in his Word And these good workes of yours are twofold Prayers to God Charitie to men Q. What is Faith A. A full beliefe assurance and perswasion of your heart whereby you are vnmoueably resolued of these three points 1. That there is one onely God one Essence three Persons The Father who created you Sonne who redeemed you Holy Ghost who sanctified you 2. That God the Sonne came into the world to doe all that was to bee performed and to suffer all that was to be endured by you for your sinnes actuall and originall And hereby obtained for you perfect forgiuenesse of all your sinnes and hath bestowed vpon you his owne perfect righteousnesse by the meanes whereof you stand iust and guiltlesse before the throne of God 3. That God hath prompted with his holy Spirit the Pen-men of the Scriptures to teach you all this faith and beleefe as also all the course of his worship And that euery thing contained in these Scriptures is true Q. Why doeth God so much require of mee Faith and beleefe A. Because without beleeuing in him you cannot loue him nor reuerence him As if you did not beleeue your father to be your father you would not loue him or reuerence him as your father Q. How is this Faith first wrought A. By your hearing of Gods word and vsing those two Sacraments appointed by Christ in his Church Baptisme and the Lordes Supper And withall by praying continually vnto God and doing of good workes Q. How shall I know that I beginne to haue Faith A. If you finde in your selfe these alterations 1. If you finde that you haue gotten more knowledge of God and of Religion are glad therof 2. If you doe desire more then you did to haue the Sonne of God to become your Sauiour and to stand betwixt you and Gods wrath for the sinnes you haue committed against God 3. If you take more delight then you did in Reading and hearing the Word of God Receiuing the Sacrament 4. If you finde doubtings in your minde and can pray vnto God to strengthen your
THREE SMALL AND plaine Treatises 1. Of Prayers or Actiue Diuinitie 2. Of Principles or Positiue Diuinitie 3. Resolutions or Oppositiue Diuinitie Translated and collected out of the Auncient Writers for the priuate vse of a most Noble Ladie By an old PRAEBENDARY of the Church of Lincolne CERTAINE PRAYERS AND short MEDITATIONS translated out of the Writings of S. Augustine S. Gregorie S. Bernard Ioannes Picus Mirandula Ludouicus Viues Georgius Cassander Charolus Paschalius and others for the priuate Vse of the L. M. B. Morning Prayer MY Soule fleeth vnto the Lord before the morning Watch Psal 130.6 I say before the morning Watch. O let me heare thy louing kindnesse betimes in the morning Psal 143.8 for in thee is my trust shew thou mee the way that I should walke in for I lift vp my soule vnto thee O Lord assist mee with thy holy Spirit in my prayers And let my cry come vnto thee Our Father which art c. A Prayer for Confession of sins S. Greg. Homil 33. in Iob. REceiue O Lord in the armes of thy mercie thy distressed handmaiden who in remorse and contrition returnes vnto thee from her sinnes Because the life of that sinner is not abhorred of thee which is accompanied with sighes and repentance Pardon then O Lord all my offences for thy deare Sons sake Amen A Prayer for the Morning ALmighty God Georg. Cassander Pres. Eccles our heauenly Father which hast brought me thy handmaiden to this present morning protect mee still with thy mighty power that this ensuing day I may fall into no sinne nor run into any kinde of danger but that my thoughts wordes and deedes may tend to the honor and glory of thy name and the eternall comfort and saluation of mine own soule through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Another Viues O Most syncere and pure Light from whence this light of the day and of the Sunne fetcheth his beginning Thou which enlightenest euery man that commeth into the world Thou Light whome no night or euening can obscure but continuest euer in thy High-noone brightnesse Thou Word and Wisedome of so great a Father enlighten this morning my soule and vnderstanding that thy weake handmaiden may be this day as blinded to the Vanities of the world and quick-sighted only to those things which are pleasing vnto thee and leading to the wayes of thy Commandements Amen For the Mediation of Christ LOrd Iesus Greg. Hom. 7. in Ezech. that art not onely righteous but righteousnesse it selfe and art my Aduocate with God the Father iustifie thou me thy hand-maiden in the day of iudgement because I acknowledge and accuse my self as full of vniustice and pollution For it is not vpon any action or contrition of mine owne that my soule relies but only vpon a faith assurance and bolde confidence in thee mine Aduocate who liuest and raignest with the Father and the holy Ghost one God world without end Amen Against Temptations GIue me thy grace O Almighty God so to vanquish Aug. Serm. 86. de verbis Domini and ouercome the lusts and temptations of this world that I may triumph with thee ouer the Diuell and his wicked angels in the world to come Amen For Piety I Humbly beseech thee O Almighty God that this desire of reading Aug. Serm. 82. and hearing thy sacred Word which by thy holy Spirit thou hast planted in my heart may by thy grace and mercie be daily renued and augmented vnto a perfect fire of zeale and deuotion to the honor of thy Name and saluation of mine owne soule in Christ Iesu Amen A Prayer for a Noble-woman Carolus Paschalius O Lord Iesus Christ that art so far from contemning Nobilitie of birth that thy Euangelists haue diligently searched out and recorded thine owne genealogie giue me thy vnworthy handmayden the grace that I abuse not by ingratitude this thy fauour and mercie But rather as it was first acquired in my Auncestors let it still be preserued in my person by my continuall seruing of thee and doing as it shall lie in my power all workes of Charity to my neighbours Giue me grace that as thou hast plac't mee in Birth and rancke so I may be found in deuotion pietie lowlinesse of minde meeknesse and a religious care of thy worship conspicuous aboue others And if it bee â—hy gracious will to make me a mother of children and a mistresse of a family let me appeare a patterne and ensample of deuotion and pietie to all that are about mee And make mee and them so to liue in thy feare that we may die in thy fauour through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen A Prayer for a Wife Charolus Paschal ALmighty God which haste giuen me to be a comforter and an helper vnto my husband endue my soule with those heauenly Graces wherwith I may be most enabled to serue thee and please him Knit our mindes as well as our bodies in an indissoluble band of syncere affection Giue either of vs sanctified hearts zealous towards thee thankefull towards our Soueraigne syncere and louing one towards another Crowne withal if it be thy will these chaste intentions with thy fructifying Grace that wee may become the happy Parents of such Oliue branches as may one day aduance thy glory in this Church and Commonwealth In a word so incorporate vs both by faith in Christ vnto thy kingdom of Grace that we may at the last attaine vnto thy kingdome of glorie Amen A prayer for one attendant neere the person of a Prince Carolus Paschal ALmighty God by whose gracious prouidence it commeth that my Lord and Husband is thus employed in that neernesse of attendance vpon his Royall Maiestie giue him grace so to serue thee that hee may the better serue him and by making him thy Saint continue him his seruant Fill his mind with all wisedome knowledge and other vertues befitting his ranck and calling that he may seeme no more elected by the King then selected by thee for these employments Make him vigilant carefull and industrious in his Masters afaires Make him to accompt it his onely happinesse to serue thee his onely vertue to obserue him and all the rest as glittering vanity That after a troublesome but long life in a Kings Court his soule may bee carried by the Angels vnto thy Court where one day is better then a thousand Grant this for thy deare Sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Meditation Count MIRANDVLA his twelue Thoughts or weapons against all the temptations of Sinne. Thinke Io. Pici Mirandulae Doctr. Salutif 1 THe pleasure thou art tempted vnto but short and momentarie 2 And euen this is attended with loathing and anxietie 3 And yet that for this thou must loose Heauen 4 That thy life is but as a dreame and shadow 5 Thy death is suddaine and at thy doore 6 Thy time of repentance casuall and vncertaine 7 Thy
reward or punishment endlesse and eternall 8 That thou art a creature of an excellent worth and made to serue God 9 That thou hast no happinesse to the peace of Conscience 10 Thinke how good thy God hath bin vnto thee 11 Thinke of the Crosse and of Christ who there died for thee 12 Of examples of holy men and Saints who liued before thee Walke about your chamber a turne or two after your prayers and meditate vpon these points seriously and you shall finde that temptations to sinne will vanish away and leaue to assault you The 4. last things to bee first thought vpon by all good Christians Bern. Bonauent Dionys Carthus 1 The day of thy death thou knowest not how suddenly 2 The day of iudgement that will come certainely 3 The ioyes of heauen if thou liue religiously 4 The paines of hell if thou continuest to doe wickedly The end of Morning prayer Euening Prayer to bed-ward O Lord heare my prayer And let my cry come vnto thee Our Father which art c. A Prayer for Euening O LORD Carolâ—â— Paschal I doe confesse to my shame and confusion that this day hath beene spent by me with lesse puritie and pietie then it should haue bin I haue augmented sithence this morning the score of my sinnes My thoughts haue beene polluted my wit prophane and vnsanctified my tongue more rash and vnbridled then became any one of that rancke and calling wherein thou hast set me I haue sinned through idlenesse ignorance slouthfulnesse and malice And this darknesse of the night puts mee in minde of that eternall darknesse my sinnes haue deserued Pardon and forgiue me all my transgressions Let this darkenesse bee a fit time vnto mee of rest and sleepe and no opportunitie of snares and temptations Send thy holy Ghost into my heart to free and purifie the same from all rolling motions and suggestions of Sathan and from the vsuall terrours and affrightments of the night Preserue this house in safety O Lord and all the people that are therein Let my prayer ascend vp vnto thy presence as the incense and let this lifting vp of mine hands be as an Euening sacrifice through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen Another HAuing spent the day Viues wee betake our selues to our repose in the night So after the troubles of this present life wee shall rest our selues in death Nothing doth more resemble our life then the day our death then sleepe our graue then the bed and our resurrection then our awaking in the morning Doe thou then O God my protectour and defender preserue me in my sleepe from the incursions and temptations of the diuell and in my death from the guilt and punishments of my sinnes I haue no strength to resist in the one nor merits of mine owne to display in the other Looke only vpon the merits of my Lord and Sauiour and giue mee a strong and stedfast faith to apply his righteousnesse to mine owne soule In confidence and full assurance of whose satisfactions for all my sins I doe for this night lie mee downe in peace and take my rest for it is that Lord onely that maketh mee to continue in safetie Amen Another ALmighty G. Cass and euerlasting God who makest the light to succeed the darknesse giue mee the grace to spend this night freed from the snares of sinne and Sathan and to bee here againe vpon my knees in the morning to giue thee thankes for the same through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen MEDITATIONS When your mayd is getting you to bed Viues HEe that willingly goes to bed should as willingly goe to his graue We willingly put off our cloathes being to put them on againe in the morning and should as willingly put off our bodies beeing to put them on againe in the Resurrection 2 After the troubles of the day comes the quietnes of the night Viues in the which the King and the swaine differ nothing so after this life comes death where poore and rich are alike and equall 3 Here is a fit time especially layd in your bed to fall to your Audite for the day past The practise of the Kings Maiesty as I haue heard What euill you haue committed by 1. Swearing 2. Lying 3. Taunting 4. Beeing too angry 5. Vaine talking especially of Religion 6. Exceeding in fare or apparell 7. Iniuring of another Repent of it Detest it Resolue to doe it no more What good you haue omitted as Saying grace when you eate Praying Releeuing of a poore bodie Respecting your husband parents Spending some time vpon Meditations Works of charitie Desire Gods grace to be more warie What good you haue performed If you haue learned any thing that day If you haue done any man good that day If you haue kept your priuate and publike prayers that day If you haue giuen any almes that day If you haue heard the Word or receiued the Sacrament that day If you haue spent any time vpon your MeditatioÌ„s that day Reioyce in it and giue God thankes for it When you haue runne ouer these accompts and finde sleepe comming say Into thy hands I commit my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth Amen The end of Euening prayer Some other Collects For Faith MAn is blinded by sin Viues but thou O Christ by the goodnes and mercie of God the Father art become our guide in the way of saluation And yet such is our wretchednesse and miserie that we stagger for all this sometimes not vnderstanding sometimes not beleeuing many times not applying to our soules with a sure confidence thy promises of saluation set downe in the Gospell O miserably blind that we are that can neither see our selues nor beleeue our guider and instructer O thou eternall and pure veritie vouchsafe so to slide into our hearts that we may be more certainely perswaded of thee and thy Truth then of those things wee see with our eyes heare with our eares and handle with our handes the weake apprehensions of our bodily senses vpon which this flesh and blood doeth so much depend Appease and asswage those rolling thoughts and wandring motions of the flesh that make vs to doubt and stagger in those high mysteries of the which wee ought most firmely to bee fixed and resolued Faith is thy gift and therefore worke it by the holy Ghost in my heart that all my senses and imaginations may become slaues and captiues to the same Lord I beleeue helpe thou mine vnbeleefe O Lord increase my faith Amen MEDITATION Viues 1 How easily wee beleeue a lewd and lying man and yet how scrupulous we are to beleeue God himselfe 2 We beleeue a man in things which nothing concerne vs we beleeue not God in matters of our saluation Man is impotent God omnipotent 3 We beleeue our senses which often delude vs as in all trickes of Legeyr-demaine we distrust Christ who can