for he lift vp his eyes vppon his disciples saieth the text when he spake these thinges as knowing what store of stormes shoulde arise vnto them by reason of their calling And therefore let them take it in the name of God as it is offered to them and claspe it in their armes so harde to their heart as all the woes in the world may not loose their houlde from it For the trueth hath saide it and experience trieth it they shall loue and not be loued they shall labour and not be liked they shall serue at the altar but poorely liue of the altar Their pietie shall be hypocrisie their zeale choler their heat youth their praiers shall not profite their watchings wast their fastings doe no good but sinne shall still reigne iniquitie abounde the greater part remaine vnreformed and they for al their loue labour and true faithfulnesse be reiected and contemned in the ende Whereupon what woe doth growe to the soul that sauored anie truth of meaning loue to God or goodwill to men let them iudge that haue felt or whose wisedomes can weigh what the Lorde hath not giuen them triall of in themselues Surely such it is as is able to make the méekest Moses pleade with y e Lord and aske why he so vexeth his seruant with an vnthankeful charge and commandeth to carie in his bosome as a nurse the suckling child so peruerse a people as though he had conceiued thē or begotten them all himselfe Such as is able to make Ieremie cry in the twitching torment of his minde Wo is mee my mother that euer thou bare mee a contentious man a man that striueth with the whole earth I haue neither lent vpon vsurie nor men haue lent me vpon vsury and yet euery one doth curse me O Lord thou hast deceiued mee and I amdeceiued thou arte stronger than I and hast preuailed I am in derision daily euerie one mocketh mee For since I spake and cried out of wrong the word of the Lord was made a reproch vnto me and therefore I will make mention no more of thee nor speake anie more in thy name But here is a comforte to stay all impaciencie and to continue their course in seruing of the Lorde in their callings stil Blessed are they that mourne for the want of the feare of God in men for their sorrow shall haue ioie and they shall be comforted at the last And in the meane time Elie his spéech is méete for euerie one It is the Lorde let him doe what seemeth good vnto him And Beholde here am I be it vnto me as my God will Thus may the ministers apply this promise And for you Frailtie or anie one in your case I pray you also cōsider how it fitteth you For what can you saie nowe groning vnder this griefe of yours traueling heauie loaden with your sins what can you say I saie if you saie your worst but euen crie out vpon the fulnesse and foulenesse of your iniquitie vppon the ripenesse and rottennesse of your sinne saying your life is losse vnto you and there is no ioy vnder the sunne that you can conceiue of anie thing by reasō of your sinne For you haue béene an Jdolater a blasphemous swearer a Sabaoth breaker a disobedient child to parentes and subiect to Prince a murtherer malicious and spitefull an adulterer wanton and light a thiefe deceitful and vniust a false witnesse an euill thinker and what not And therefore though for manie sinnes you could hope of mercie yet for so many you cannot but a heape togither beateth you down when many single ones could not do it This is the worst you can saie and this is ill ynough if God giue not faith Yet sée howe all this is nothing where this promise is marked For euē this sorrowe this mourning this discomfort and griefe that you haue conceiued by ruing of your life is a sure token that you are the Lordes and that he hath mercie for you if you will not stand in defiance of him but be of good hope he séeth you And my proofe is no worse than the Lords owne words Blessed are they that mourne for their sins and transgressions for their wants and weaknesse and for their loose course in the waies of so good a God for they shall be comforted Shall he say blessed and you say cursed shal he promise comfort and you say you are cast a way God forbid Remember what the spirit saith in the 1. Iohn 5. 10. Hee that beleeueth not God hath made him a lier And therefore conclude with your selfe and be chéered with it were there no more promises which yet are many besides of mercie vnto sinners yet were this sufficient to stay the weakenesse of anie if the Lorde be in them to giue them faith in it that the God of trueth hath pronounced happinesse to this wo and intailed surely a certaine comforte in time to descende vnto this sorrowe Manie moe I saie are the promises of God and manie moe are the places of comfort in this your case but my leasure serueth not now to make a treatise of a conference and when ynough is saide why shoulde you not be satisfied God hath spoken it the power of Hell cānot disprooue it you should beléeue it and I doe end with it happy are you or anie man or woman in the worlde if you féele your sinne and sorrowe for it so that you wil beléeue For you are not cast away but you shall be comforted you wéepe nowe but you shall laugh and you shall féele the performance of the wordes of Dauid Psalme 126. 5. They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy and they that go weeping and carie pretious seed shall returne with ioy and bring their sheaues with thē Wheras y t same god saith with a thundring sound woe be to them that laugh nowe for they shall wéepe Woe be to them that in this life stretch themselues vppon beds of Juorie sing to the sound of the Uiole and drinke their wine in bowles of golde without sense and sorrowe for their sinnes for the daie wil come when this swéet shall want and what hath not earst béene felt shall smarte and sting and burne no lesse than the fire of hell and strongest venome of destruction that euer was or may be God therefore giue vs faith and what féeling of sinne it pleaseth him For this fleshly peace and securitie within vs is no token of loue and the contrarie wakening griefe and woe is nothing euer to dismay vs. Amen Strength against heat of affections the third temptation YOur third assault ariseth of the diuers iniuries sundry wrōgs that you sustain abroad without redresse or reuenge togither with the vndutifulnesse either knowne or imagined in your own houshold and family wherby you are driuen to greater impaciencie often than may stande with the liking of your God whom you serue and whereby indéede as you saie
doe not then as mightilie ministreth it an argument againe of woe alas and endlesse woe vnto vs. Secondlie to be méeke is a true imitation of Christ for Learne of me saieth he I am meeke and lowly in hoart But he that treadeth the steps of this Lorde and God shall neuer die and therefore blessed are the méeke Contrariwise to be hastie furious and intemperate is to followe Caine Esau and all reprobates which whoso followeth shal neuer liue and therefore cursed is the contrarie Thirdlie the Lorde careth for vs if wée be méeke and watcheth ouer our wronges séeing all the wordes déedes and verie thoughtes conceiued against vs and the Lorde will pay our debtes if we leaue it to him and iustle him not out of his throne sitting downe our selues therein as iudges and reuengers of our owne causes He knoweth our vprising and downe lying he is about our bed and about our pathes and spieth out all our goinges and séeth hée not when we are wronged He hath taken a reckoning of the verie heyres of our heads he putteth our teares into his bottle and are not our wronges thinke we noted in his booke O therefore how should we our selues learne to be méeke to forgiue and to referre our selues euer to him since we haue such a iudge The wife whilest her husbande liueth quieteth her selfe from forren toyles and leaueth all incumbrances to him for he careth for them but if he by death depart from her then she her selfe because she hath lost her aide Nowe we if we be indéede as wee thinke wee are the children of the Lorde we are the spouse of an husbande that neuer dieth but in life is permanent in power sufficient in care still vigilant and therefore how should this consideration kill our affections mortifie our hastie heartes and handes and altar vs daily to an heauenly temperance patience and méekenes The Lorde is our aduocate to put vp our sute the Lorde is also iudge to giue sentence of our wrong and Frailtie then howe can any escape that hurteth vs if we would be méeke and leaue it vnto him Me thinke me thinke I could euen dwel continually in this consideration it is so comfortable What madnesse should moue vs to harbour our hurt to hatch vp our harme and to kéepe matters boyling and festring within vs vnforgiuen and vnforgotten when wee haue such a Judge God strengthen vs and giue vs victorie of our selues But why Frailtie standest thou yet so mute Beléeuest thou not all this If thou dost yet hang in the bryers of thy vnreformed passions adde hereunto some further proofe of passed practise and experience let that as mightie to perswade confirme and comfort thée to this vertue if it be the Lordes will The Israelites in AEgypt oppressed and harmed could not with right counternaile might but as patiently and méekely as God made them able abid it and cried vnto the Lord and what folowed The Lorde heard them Moses was sent they were deliuered and Pharaoh with all his host drowned in the sea Sée with your own eies the reward of méekenesse Dauid oppressed by Saul his father in lawe whom at home and abroade hee truely serued and honored sought no reuenge but euen refused it when it laie before him and with all méekenesse mildnesse and patience committed it to the Lorde and Saul had his punishment Dauid the kingdome Iacob being threatned destruction by his brother conceiued not by and by the like towardes him againe but leaueth his countrie and fathers house putteth vp the wrong possesseth his spirit in patience and meeknesse and what insued The Lorde was with him both daie and night the Angels of heauen are his seruantes the Lord giueth him wiues and wealth comfort strength euerie where and Esau liueth to die for euer as the fatted oxe is prepared for the slaughter Ioseph horribly slaundered for his faithful seruice bare his grieuous crosse méekely and honour is his ende euen great and rare honour O harts of ours then where are they What a God serue we whose mercie vppon méekenesse hath thus shewed it selfe beside in numbers moe Shall it not mooue vs Shall it not pierce vs Nay shall it not change vs God forbid wée shoulde be senselesse and therefore you sée Frailtie what must be done and what soueraigne helpe the Lorde laieth downe for your infirmitie be your occasion publike or priuate at home or abroad with manie or few affections certainely must be brideled and euen fought withall till they yéeld and become more quiet otherwise we run vpon our ruine both in heauen and earth For the one thus as you sée is prooued and truly the other is as true For what gouernment are they worthy that wil not gouerne as they possibly can themselues well What trueth can they know that can not abide to heare indifferently both parties No euery man shal frame him selfe to their humours till his turne be serued and truth shall neuer dare to appeare before them What daunger can be preuented or what guilefull guest cā be discouered when heate doth thunder out threates ere the time serue to take knowledge of the matter The enimie is armed the friend is discouraged and iudge your selfe then howe strength is impaired What seruant if God rule not in him mightily will truly serue where comfortable countenance either giueth not hope of conuenient rewarde or at least presently accepteth what is done in fauour What one that hath anie gifts friends or abilitie will euer abide with a louing and true hart where reproches and discomforts are his daily death No no it will neuer be nor it cannot be Well may a worldlie minde in regard of passed time and charge make men rubbe out and carie coales till they can do better or may get a cheate but the heart being alienated and the true faithfull kinde affection that is aboue golde worne away with oftē rebukes which being not digested send vp at times as tokens of their remaining a bitter tast all is but hollowe all is but in regarde of themselues and if time shoulde serue to néede them God knowes howe their snubbed harts would call their snubbes to remembraunce whereas méekenesse gentlenesse comfort and countenaunce maketh a seruant true in his dealings painefull willing constant in his place and readie euen to die in the seruice of them whose louing vsage hath pierced his soule with a permanēt affection if he be of any good nature and if he be not the same vertue of méekenesse watcheth loketh heareth and considereth all things wisely not bewraying himselfe till he haue found indéede a hollow seruant and then wéedeth out iustly so ill a member Therefore I saie againe whatsoeuer your occasiōs be of disorder in your affections be they at home or abroade truely Frailtie fight with your selfe and neuer suffer your infirmitie to preuaile For God requires it and euen worldlie wisedome requires it and the verie hardest things are made easie by some
vse Nowe you haue a God to helpe you beside vse who with his blessed mouth hath promised help and with his mightie spirit shall assist you if you praie Frailtie Yea but the course of the worlde serueth not for this counsel For I tell you nowe adaies who suffereth a little shall suffer more and who putteth vp one wrong shall put vp 20. Men can not liue nowe and either get or keepe if they be so gentle as you woulde haue them Faith O Frailtie howe are you deceiued And howe still sauour all your spéeches of your nature I pray you tell mée if God would saie to you be méeke and I would confirme thée in this world both with sufficient maintenaunce and continuance in the same be the practises neuer so péeuish against thée would you not beléeue him Frailtie Yes for I knowe he is able to doe it if he saie he will do it and I am not yet so weake to doubt his power Faith Uerie well and I pray you what followeth in this verse of Christ which now we handle Is it not a flatte promise that the méeke shall inherite the earth If you will then stande to your speech and beléeue the Lorde vppon his worde doe it nowe then and euer hereafter for here you see his promise The whole world may rage against vs and yet shal we inherite the earth in dispite of them all if we will be méeke That is we shall both get and kéepe that portion which the Lord thinketh méet for vs will they nill they that doe trouble vs neither euer shal the force of foe further preuaile against vs than shall be good one waie or other for vs. Blessed father of heauē what a promise is this and how contrarie to mans reason and sense yet repeated ouer and ouer in the scripture for further assuraunce as you may sée if you reade but that one psalm the 37. confirmed to vs by Paul who saith he had nothing and yet possessed al things and by the experience of all the godlie that euer was Therefore euen a thousande times marke it Frailtie and laie it vp The worlde pitieth these méeke ones and calleth them Gods fooles but the Lord blesseth them and his blessing maketh wise The worlde iudgeth méekenesse the verie high way to beggerie and yet you heare the Lord euen flatly say they shall inherite the land that haue the same were all the worlde against them Therefore to go no further conclude nowe with your heart Frailtie to vse this remedy of the Lordes laid downe to bridle fraile affections and trust his worde Certaine now you sée it is for the Lord hath said it Blessed are the meeke And euen by that holde that I for my parte haue taken of this promise I pronounce vnto you againe that the very day and houre of your birth you may blesse if the Lorde giue you victory ouer your affections and make you méeke and so I leaue you to his mercie The fourth temptation arising of want of iustice in our causes c. Frailtie I Cannot denie but your perswasions are vpon true warrant they ought greatly to mooue yet me thinke you doe not fullie marke my case For if I sought anie thing either at home in my house of my familie or abroade in the worlde of others which were not bothe meete for a Christian to demaunde and in trueth mine owne flat right I could see mine anger to be faultie patiently learne to put vp the matter I trust in time But I tell you Faith I doe not so I seeke nothing but as I haue saide mine owne due what I ought to haue and what I truely pay for and therefore I tell you in this case my choler hath more warrant than you well marke For it woulde touch anie bodie to loose his right And a man were better out of this worlde than to bee robbed thus of iustice and lawfull fauour as I am It makes mee wearie of my life and I tell you I feele it stirre within mee euen to strike handes with the wicked and to doe as men may like me that I may be quiet Faith Softlie Frailtie softlie your tongue tumbleth too fast and your nature I tell you plaine breaketh out too much Shall I loose my labor with you and preuaile nothing with either spéech or good will Are you not ashamed with this affirmation that if you sought anie thing vnlawefull you could beare in méekenesse the deniall Why no thankes to you Thus could a Turke or Heathen doe and almost the Diuell common reason woulde make them But I tell you except your méekenesse excéede this you shall neuer be saued For the scripture is plaine there is no praise to bee patient when a man deserues of mā his paine but if when we doe well wee suffer wrong and yet be méeke patient this is acceptable to God saieth the Apostle And euen in your verie case of sutes and demaundes that are but right if iustice be not had yet must this vertue of méekenesse remaine in vs as may euidentlie appeare in the verie next verse of Matthewe For there the Lord knowing the nature of fraile flesh how it would startle and storme at this matter and be tempted by it to forsake his trueth as it were of purpose hitteth your obiection on the mouth with his hande and biddeth it stande backe as not worthie to appeare and be hearde For Blessed saith he are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall bee satisfied That is blessed are they that notwithstanding they so moderate their desires as neuer they seeke or wish but what is iust and right and their owne due debt yet as hungrie and thirstie liue in patience cannot be satisfied with recept of iustice for their owne Blessed I say are these and they shalbe satisfied Where you sée euē with both your eyes except you wil winke y e euen in our owne right we must want right somtimes in this world yet must be méeke and godly and faithful stil And in the ende we shalbe satisfied either of man or God or both as surelie as wee liue Therefore Frailtie if it bee possible cease to be Frailtie and gouerne affections by these swéete promises of eternall trueth No want of iustice no wrongfull oppression no crosse and vnconscionable dealing of men must make vs fall out with our God or strike handes with the wicked God forbid Shall we serue God no longer than hee will rule his wisedome by our wisedome and serue our desires fitly But wordes bee but wordes and yet I tell you these wordes are true reason Notwithstanding consider you for your confirmation what godly men in the scriptures haue euer done and if God will haue mercie vpon you reform your nature to their alowed course I pray you if a man serue at the altar is it not reason that he liue of the altar that is if a man spende himselfe his bodie his minde his goods
argument of fauour and succour and holowe smoothing glauerie a note of reprooch and an argument to perswade the contrarie Nowe therefore let vs gather vppe all these againe together and if heathens hate it Christians loath it and the God of life and death abhor it what strength should anie cause in the earth haue to tempt you vnto it Nay Frailtie howe dare you for anie fauour or gaine vnder the sunne oppose your practise to his alowance whose disliking killeth and casteth into hell for euermore Therefore I pray you be warned and wipe off that mist of earthlie couetousnesse and ambition that bleareth your eyes looke with an other sight vppon these thinges and be assured if the trueth of God be assured that since honest hearts and plaine dealing hath a blessing promised the gaine of flatterie glosing and halting is not the best wealth nor the best wisedome But his little is more whose heart is pure than mountaines of goulde and all honored state that is crept vnto by déepe dissembling and so will the ende prooue in them or theirs if God be God For they are accursed if the pure in heart be blessed as I haue often nowe repeated And iudge if the curse of God will want his effect at one time or other at first or at last But nowe if all this should not yet fully strengthen you which God forbid then procéede with the sentence in Matthewe and ponder well the other part also of it For they shall see God saith it What is this But the Lorde shall reueile vnto them dayly more and more as a rewarde of their sinceritie and honest walking his will his mercie his fauour his comfortes his ioyes prepared and all his goodnesse in Iesus Christ towarde them Which in déede is to sée God as man is able to sée him in this life and therefore is called blessednesse because the ende of such knowledge and sight is blessednesse as woe and miserie is of the contrarie Where by the way we are notablie taught what is necessarie in either man or woman that shall euer profite by reading or hearing the worde of God namely a pure heart that is euen a syncere minde and vpright purpose to learne of the Lorde and not to doe what they doe either for one cause or other whatsoeuer beside that a subtill minde can laie downe Which woordes of Christ include a strong comfort to honest simplicitie and as touching a terrour against smoothing hypocrisie For the one shall sée God the other shall neuer beholde him to their comfort but all their reading all their hearing all their knowledge if the Lord bestowe any shalbe to death and not to life to woe and not to wel a sauour sending them bodie and soule to euerlasting miserie as by necessarie consequence followeth of the place Yet doe I not meane in all this that a man should all be open to euerie one and in euerie matter for that were as great an extremitie the other way and full of inconueniences And I remember well what good counsell wise experienced Syrach giueth in this point Namely that we should not open our heartes to euerie one least they be vnthankefull to vs and put vs to reproofe And in an other place Be not too humble in thy wisedome And I remember Chrysostome confesseth of himselfe without feare of blame for it that he vsed a little subtiltie to make S. Basil accept his Bishopricke and charge which otherwise he would not Therefore I say againe vnder the praise of honest simplicitie and puritie of heart I doe not shrowde or bolster anie plaine foolishnes and vndiscréet séelinesse but my spéech tendeth to the pressing of that euen to hell if I can which you Frailtie are tempted to namely to lie flatter cogge halt glose sooth smooth croutch créepe sigh sorow sawne and fall downe at ones féete sweare and protest liking loue faithfull seruice and friendshippe and what not that may allure for credite and fauour lucre and gaine when there is no more truth of good meaning in you than is in the diuell but onelie for your turne This is that that I inueigh against and this is that God and all good mē haue euer hated as I haue proued To carie two faces vnder an hoode for commoditie and mine owne safety To serue God with lips and outwarde shewe because the law so presseth me if I will liue in accompt and inwardly to be a déepe dissembling hypocrite and a secret scoffer at his truth To salute with a kisse the ministers of the worde as Iudas did his Maister and yet in hidden soule to abhorre them and their counsell as I doe a tode and euery way to remaine a beastly man vnreformed in worde déede and thought vtterly and to care more in the verie trueth of my heart for one secret houre amongst my mates where my thrice damnable desire and vnregenerated humor may be satisfied than I doe for a thousand daies in anie minister or mans companie in the worlde whose tongue rebuketh countenaunce frowneth or heart misliketh my sinne To saie as Ioab saide with a fléering face Howe doest thou my brother Amasa And to stabbe him presently with his dagger or as we saie commonly many an one of vs God giue you good morrowe sir and so foorth when vitter gaule in a festred heart biddeth the Diuell fetch you sir and worse too if I coulde tell howe To prate and speake as a faithfull subiect and yet to be a longing foe to worke a ruine to my will And what should I say to ride and run to watch and wait and performe all dueties as if I were the truest seruant that draweth breath and yet is my heart onlie bent vpon my maisters preferments and not one iote at all of faithfull dutie and affection in me to his person This this abhominable and euen more than diuelish nature if more may be is that I meane and that the worlde too much liketh of that you are tempted to Frailtie and that Iesus Christ in this verse nowe named armeth his children and chosen againste Wherefore my companion Frailtie weigh my drift and marke my proofes consider what you desire and by what meanes you incline to get your desire You desire but the world to speake in a worde and for the worlde to loose your soule what againe is it But if you take this course you shall as certainely loose both bodie and soule as you now liue and heare me for it is cursed of the Lorde and they that vse it shall neuer sée God His nature is all trueth and simplicitie and therefore what feloweship can euer he haue with a false gloser But if you set the Lorde before your eies hang vppon his mercie and trust to his prouidence dealing with all the world sincerely honestly plainely and vprightly bestowing not face and forme but euen all the loue and dutie of your heart where it is due be it to God or man you heare the Lorde you
A briefe Conference betwixt mans Frailtie and Faith VVherein is declared the true vse and comfort of those blessings pronounced by Christ in the fifth of Matthew that euery Christian man and woman ought to make and take hold of in their seuerall tentations and conflicts Laide downe in this plaine order of Dialogue to helpe if it please God the conceit and feeling of the simplest By Geruase Babington PSALME 119. O hovve svveete-are thy vvordes vnto my throte yea svveeter than honie vnto my mouth AT LONDON Printed by Henry Midleton for Thomas Charde 1584. The Contentes of this Booke Strength and comfort out of the worde of God against Pouertie and want pag. 4 Vncheerefulnesse pag. 22 Heat of affections pag. 34 Want of Iustice pag. 52 Vnmercifulnesse pag. 60 Dissimulation pa. 79 Doscoragement to make peace pag. 97 The crosse persecution pag. 113 To the Right Honorable and vertuous Ladie the Ladie Marie Countesse of Penbrooke his verie singular good Ladie and Mistrisse G. B. wisheth al mercy and comfort in Christ Iesus both here novv and for euer IT is sayde of Salomon euen in outwarde matters Right Honorable and my verie singular good Lady that if a man haue riches treasure and honour wanting nothing for his soule of all that it desireth and yet haue not an heart both to feele in comfort the goodnesse of his God therein towardes him and also to vse the sayde blessinges liberally to his owne good and others helpe it is but a vanitie and an euill sickenes yea a price in the hand of a foole as it is saide in an other place that hath no heart That is it is a mercie of God which hee hath no right and true vse of So necessarie in verie outward things is both feeling and faith the one to conceiue the other to applie and both of them to yeeld vs the true profit comfort and good intended into vs in the same by the Lord. Much more Madame in spirituall matters respecting the life of bodie and soule for euer And by name much more in the worde of God which we now so freely and so plentifully vnder the gratious gouernement of our most gracious Prince enioye For if wee reade it ouer ten thousand times our selues heare it of others carefully continually and yet feele not the sweete spirite of the Lorde by it secret power as it were with a dropping dewe piercing and mollifying shaking and comforting our soules by the same assuredly we want what we seeme to haue and for all our reading or hearing of it neuerthelesse it remaineth a sealed booke vnto vs. This proueth Caine that cursed caytise both heere and euer who though he knew the promise of certaine safetie by the seede of the woman hearing it no doubt often in wordes tould and seeing it by sacrifices shadowed out vnto him yet wanting a heart to feele and faith to applie vnto himselfe the benefite of the same wanted also to his woe what he so inioyed So did Esau Saul Achitophell and others all whatsoeuer they were who together with the worde receiued not a touch a tast a very rent as it were in their heartes to feele as also piercing eyes a clasping faith to see and take hould of the hidden sweete comprised in the same Which weying often with my selfe my verie good Ladie together with the place where I spend my time and the burning desire which both his honorable Lo. and your selfe haue that I should doe good amongest them I bowe the knee both of bodie and heart vnto the Lorde for them and I often begge that in that bottomelesse heape of his mercie wherein he euen swalloweth vp himselfe it might please him to see it good to ioine vnto the outward ministerie of his worde which he nowe voutsafeth them that inward touch power and might of his spirite that maketh it both a mortifying sworde and a comforting grace vnto his children For so shall my labours be life vnto them and euer as I speake deliuering but the word their consciences shall approoue and confesse within them that it is a truth Yea further I haue often secretly in my selfe intended to ioyne vnto prayer some further indeuour and according to that measure of mercie which the Lorde should voutsafe me to make some plaine applications of such portions of scripture as I shoulde iudge in vse practise fittest for thē That seeing in them by example the true vse of the worde of God and howe to sucke out strength in their seuerall needes from it they might from one place to manie and from many euen to all without any further guide than the guide of guides Gods mercifull spirit passe with feeling comfort and true concept of the good therin contained intended to vs all And falling by course of reading at last vpon that notable Chapter the 5. of Mathewe and seeing by some further meditation vpon those blessings therin contained such wisedome taught such faultes reprooued such comfort ministred and such matter handled as for thē and all the world is most necessarie I resolued with my selfe euen there to beginne to put in practise my named purpose and to make a tryall if by such indeuour I might profit any Which Inowe haue done presenting the same vnto the Lord with humble prayer for his blessing to mine owne and others with hartie request of Christian acceptance to your honorable L. as to a meanes that shall make it more acceptable to all and especially to them that I chiefely intende it vnto so greatly honoring with all dutie and liking the manifoulde mercies of God in you I am not able Madame to doe with content what ten thousande times I am bounde to doe with all care namely to shew my selfe mindfull and thankefull as I ought for all your La. honourable dealings with me But this I protest in the eies of the Lorde that I would if I could and in witnesse thereof I deliuer vnto the worlde this affirmation and to your selfe these fewepapers most humblie beseeching your Honour that since my want is in abilitie and not in will this small testimonie of the same may according to your accustomed clemencie be accepted of and finde a supplie therein of any want wherewith it may be charged So cease I to adde any further thing leauing your La. to the Lord of heauen to strengthen you still in that happie course of the studie of his worde and all other good learning of the practise of duty to your God of cheereful incouragement to your seruants and of honorable clemencie to all men which is at this daie a crowne vpon your head aboue manie others and a glorious ornament about your necke in the eies eares and tongues of all men that either see you heare of you or speake of you and my selfe remaine to perfourme all dueties that euer I shall be inabled vnto euen with all the power both of bodie and minde as I am most bounde The Lorde open the
woman in the world euen in the midst of al their worldly wantes be they neuer so great Yet hath it annexed for our further ioie the consent of other places manie and experiences of the same in knowne examples not a fewe As If thou lend to my people that is to the poore I wil blesse the saieth the Lorde The Lorde deliuereth the poore in al his afflictions The Lord wil be a defence vnto the poore euen a refuge in due time of trouble He remembreth and forgetteth not the complaint of the poore when he maketh inquisitiō for bloud The poore shall not alwaies be forgotten neither the hope of the afflicted perish for euer Lorde thou hast heard the desire of the poore thou preparest their heart and thine care hearkeneth thereunto He hath not despised the lowe estate of y e poore but they shal eate and be satisfied I am poore and in miserie but the Lorde careth for mee Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse than he that peruerteth his waies though hee be rich That which is to be desired in a man is his goodnes and better is such a poore man than a lier God regardeth the poore and is their strength And vnto whom againe saieth the Lorde shall I looke and haue regarde but vnto him that is poore and of a contrite spirite and trembleth at my wordes The spirite of the Lorde is vppon mee and hath annointed mee to preach the gospell to the poore And the poore do receiue the glad tidings of the Gospell Call the halt and lame poore to the Supper And hath not God chosen the poore of this world saith Iames c. with a number such like testimonies The comfort whereof if they be rightly considered and the blessing of them vnto our heart by humble praier begged at the Lordes hands no tongue of man is able to expresse For the Lord our God is not a man that hée should repent nor as the son of man that he should change but if hée loued the poore when these things were spoken he loueth them still and to the end he will loue them and if he regarded them he forgetteth not vs and euen amongst our selues if he sée you he beholdeth also me and if he comfort mée hée will doe no lesse for you for there is no respect of persons in his eies Yet adde vnto these the experience of examples and they wil be more swéete Naomi and her daughter Ruth how did the Lorde regarde blesse comfort and prouide for The poore widow of Sareptha whose meale and oile were at an ende and yet the dearth foretolde much to come howe regarded he and fedde during all y e time The other pore widow also helped by Elisha to pay her debts and to liue afterward with comfort of the rest how sheweth it the care of the Lord ouer the poore that are godlie and howe mightily shoulde it encrease our faith What an example is old Tobiah and his familie and what a spéech of faith was that to his sonne Feare not my Sonne because we are made poore for thou hast manie things if thou feare GOD and flie from sinne and do that thing which is acceptable vnto hym Howe loued the Lord the offering of the poore widowe that cast in but two mites How chose he Disciples and folowers of his trueth euer of the poorer sort Howe chose he his parents of the very meanest certainly of a multitude and howe himselfe hath he honored the estate of godlie pouerty for our eternal comfort hauing not so much in this world as the Foxes and Birdes borne in a stable wrapped in ragges laide in the manger and yet the God and Lord of heauen and earth and the disposer of all the glorie in them both O my heart and hand howe is the one too narrowe to conceiue this heauenly swéet and the other vnable to laie downe but euen that little that I doe féele Shall anie worldlie want make vs thinke God loueth vs lesse when wée sée the most loued that euer was in the greatest want shall anie discountenaunce dissauour discredite causelesse shall any snubbes checkes taunts scorne contempt rumours or the very power of y e spite of hel driue vs out of hope in our gratious father when we sée examples in his dearest of them all O Frailtie Frailtie open thine eies looke vpon thy God weigh his nature marke his dealings with his dearest heare his promises make him no liar but gather strength increase in hope and the Lord in mercie graunt it to vs euer Lette the changes and chances of this worlde be what they will or rather what it pleaseth God let our orderly walking in our places with true paines heart and meaning with due carefulnesse with no vnthriftinesse vp early downe late and whatsoeuer meanes that good are to liue and laie vp by for our selues and ours yet want their ende of such reasonable store as we desire let vs neuerthelesse trust in our God and hang vpon his hand and neuer measure his fauour towardes vs by these things for they are no iudges of it being as we sée oft graunted to the wicked and restrained greatly from the most beloued Onelie let our pouertie make poore our spirites and breake the secrete pride of our hearts and then feare not we haue a warrant of truth Blessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen And a broken and contrite hart O God thou shalt neuer despise The contrarie now might as greatly be amplified to our comforte if I thought it néedefull For as his mercifull promises are manie and swéete as we haue heard to the poore so are his fearefull threatnings to the rich not a fewe and as great is the good that is wrought in the childe of God by this crosse of want so feareful are the faults that are giuen vnto the soules of many by their store of wealth Let it suffice to marke what this same our Sauiour saith by the mouth of Luke and opposeth ouer against the promise spoken of nowe alreadie Woe be to you that are rich for you haue receiued your consolation saith he and after him his apostle Iames again Go to now ye rich men weepe and houle for your miseries which shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt and your garments motheaten your golde and siluer is cankred the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shal eate your flesh as if it were fire c. And Paul againe Gaine is not godlinesse but godlinesse is great gaine if a man be content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine that we can carie nothing out Therefore when wee haue foode and rayment let vs be therewith content for they that will be rich fall into temptation and snares and into many foolish and noysome lustes which drowne men in
written to confirme our heartes in an vnfained loathing of it séeme it neuer such wisedome in a wicked worlde and bring it neuer such gaine to the vsers of it Now on the contrarie side consider againe what a lasting praise is giuen to the contrarie namely to sincere faithfull true and plaine honest dealing with all men So shall it still appeare vnto you cléerer that detestable in the eies of god is a glosing tōgue with an holow halting and dissembling heart What man is he saith y e prophet Dauid that listeth to liue and would faine see good daies let him keep his tongue frō euil and his lips that they speake no guile As if he should say halters will be halted withall one waie or other let them doe what they can and so euill a nature shall finde either with God or man or with both at last a deserued recompence and therefore be simple Againe in an other place Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile And againe Lorde who shall dwell in thy tabernacle or who shall rest vpon thy holie hill Euen the man saith the Lorde that amongest other vertues hath this by name to speake the trueth when hée speaketh from his heart And what a spéech is that of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians Our reioicing is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godlie purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome we haue had our conuersatiō in the worlde His conscience bore him witnes of plaine dealing euer it ioyed him Ours crie within vs our dissembling is monstrous shall it neuer thinke we bring sorrowe to vs Reade at your leasure the first of Syrach from the 33. verse to the ende Neuer forget also the commendation that Christ giueth to Nathaniel But what should I heape vp anie moe testimonies May I not still referre you to the fifth of Matthewe and you there sée euen this tēptation also as one that should assault the godlie prouided for in these wordes Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Consider then of it well Frailtie and be assured where there is a blessing set vpon the head of the vertue there is also a curse set vppon the heade of the vice euer If they bee blessed of the Lorde that reserue in themselues notwithstanding all temptations to the contrarie an honest faithfull simple true dealing and meaning heart towarde all men and in whose spirites there is no guile then as you liue you may assure your soule the contrarie are cursed before the face of him that is truth it selfe and neuer any thing but trueth And whatsoeuer they gaine and get in the worlde they gaine and get the Diuell and all with it vnlesse the Lorde turne their heartes But let this suffice a while touching God and his worde howe they doe allowe this vice whereunto you féele your selfe so greatly tempted And a little also weigh his childrens iudgement of it the auncient graue and godlie fathers of his Church S. Chrysostome writing vpon the 7. of Matthewe and considering this slie nature of men and women so faithfull in shewe and so faithlesse in proofe breaketh out into this detestation of it Fie fie saith he what a course is this If it be a shame to seeme to be false and nought is it not more shame to be so in deede Therefore either be as thou seemest or seeme as thou art euer Where you plainely sée the true loathing that this godlie father lodged of this vice in his heart S. Austine speaking vppon the wordes of Christ to Nathaniel concludeth this glorious glosse that manie make and this déepe dissembling that manie vse to be a speciall of the generall heade fraude and deceite the verie naming whereof wee all abhorre And vppon these wordes againe of the Psalme Keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lippes that they speake no guile Then saith he is it treacherous Fraud Cum aliud in pectore clausum habetur aliud promittitur aut verbo aut actione When one thing is hidden in heart and an other thing promised either by worde or action Nowe of the contrarie vertue openlie and expresselie hee affirmeth that the simple God heartily loueth and an other sheweth who they be euen they whose dealings are without pleites and fouldes wrinckles euerie way Againe that simplicitie and plaine open honestie that is contrarie to fraude and subtiltie euer is commended saieth Lactantius And simplicitie is euer ioyned with true wisedom saith Tertullian No vertue so necessarie betwixt man and man as humble simplicitie and modest grauitie saieth an other And to conclude if wee regarde the sentences and iudgementes of anie but our selues certainely mee thinke it should neuer bee forgotten what S. Hierome so heartily speaketh Haue euer such a regarde of trueth in all thy doings as if once thou hast spoken it all one thou takest thy selfe pressed with it as if thou hadst sworne it a thousande times Thus sée you secondlie then the iudgement of true Christian teachers touching the vice you are so stronglie tempted to staine your selfe withall Thirdlie nowe viewe the opinion of the heathen concerning the same and if nature taught them verie heartilie euen to abhorre it what will bee the ende Frailtie can you suppose either of your selfe or any other in whom neither nature nor the renued light strength thereof the blessed word of God can kéepe vpright in y e Christian course of plaine true faithfull honest meaning speaking thinking and dealing with all men What is horrible deceite and fraude saith one of them a famous Councellour but when one thing is doone and an other presented in outwarde shewe Therefore like of the one and like of the other hate the former and abhorre the latter thought this man sée you plainely in this place And in an other place he hath this reason against it Suspition saith he of others was neuer good but the more any man or woman vse dissembling and halting themselues the more euer they will stande in a suspicious feare of others that they likewise vse it therefore neuer was it nor euer shalbe any commendable course in any Againe how soundeth it still vnto all posterities the discredite and shame of those cauilling glosing Thracians who hauing taken truce for 30. dayes spoyled their enemies in the night with this shameful shift that they named no truce to be kept on the night but onely on the day And howe liueth still and will doe long on the contrarie side the praise of M. Regulus amongest these heathens because he rather chose to die a cruell death than once to breake the faith he had truely plighted and any way by fraude subtiltie and dissembling treacherie to take the course that others did But I staie my selfe and assure you of this that in al crations and spéeches in all pleas and actions for and against any man amongst them honest plainenesse was euer an
mans liking vnlesse it haue further warrant nor cast downe with his disliking vnlesse wee knowe hee so déemeth iustly And therefore againe I say consider of this comfort Consider of this worlde and consider of the world to come the one is transitorie the other permanent the one full of woe and secret sorowe in the verie middest of pompe the other ful of ioy comfort and solace and that without all ending Then whether is here good to be happie and there vnhappie here iudged miserable and there founde most blessed iudge your selfe euen with verie reason Certainly therefore it is a comfort sufficient so knowne to be by Christ that gaue it and euer hath and shall comfort the children of god against worldly conceit blessed are they that for a good cause suffer persecution for theirs is the kingdome of heauen That is all comfort possible to be thought of and tenne thousand times more This was Paules comfort in the middest of all his miserie and therefore he boldly and chéerefully saith he neuer counted the afflictions of the world worthie the ioy that should be reuealed This comforted Dauid also that he perished not in his affliction as himself witnesseth and as that spéech by comparisō may shew I should vtterly haue fainted but that I beleeue verily to see the Lorde in the lande of the liuing And what should I name them this euer hath comforted first or last lesse or more yet euer sufficiently anie that were the Lords But sée further how not onelie thus in generalitie against persecution it pleased Christ to strengthen our weakenes but euen in specialitie also against those kinds which most bitterly tast vnto vs and shake vs sore if we be not strong to wit reproch and report For Blessed are you saith he when men reuile you and shall falsely say all manner of euill saying by you for my name sake reioice and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen a saying neuer to be forgotten of vs whilest the life is in vs. For the gaule of these Crosses is not little and the power of this assault hath appeared not as féeble in great Prophets and members of the Church The verie words also of Christ his comfort insinuate a secrete force aboue manie others of this temptation For hée biddeth them reioice and promiseth great reward in heauen as forséeing a great downefall both of heart and countenance in man when he is once touched either with reuiling spéeches to his face or false reportes behinde his backe Wherfore to conclude and leaue you nowe to your other readings of this matter I praie you Frailtie open your eies or rather desire the Lorde to open them that you may both nowe in the day of peace and whensoeuer also it shall please the Lorde further to trie you sée with your eie heare with your eare and beléeue with your heart your offered comfort in the worde both against al other and against this temptatiō by name of persecutiō The word teacheth and we know it is decréede by the Lord to be the lotte of his déere ones euer in this worlde and therefore welcome be it The worde teacheth it and we knowe it much good is wrought in vs by it therefore welcome be it The worde teacheth it and we knowe it no chance nor fortune but the will of our heauenly father laieth it vpon vs and therefore welcome be it We knowe it is no new thing or vnséene before but the old portion of the godly that haue euer béen before vs therefore welcome be it The cause is not ours whē it is a truth but his that made vs and therefore welcome be it We haue a promise wée shall not be oppressed with more than we may beare and therefore welcome be it Wée knowe wée are children if as children we be corrected and therefore welcome be it Wée are told we are bastards if we be without it and therefore welcome be it And all our forefathers haue patiently carried it and nowe are rewarded therefore welcome be it Welcom I say the crosse in generall and persecution for truth all or part as it pleaseth God and welcome in particular this kinde of crosse if so our God will reuilings reprochings reportings false and vniust For we knowe our case the plea is ended and sentence is giuen neuer to be reuoked blessed are we good cause wée haue to reioice and be glad for great is our rewarde in heauen O the God of heauen and father of mercy strengthen vs that these swéete promises may preuaile with vs and that our eies may sée the comfortes of his worde What should feare vs Frailtie that haue such a God and that stande in such a state I pray you looke vp and clasp your God in your armes embrace his mercie beléeue his truth and as you liue though you be afflicted on euerie side yet shall you not be in distresse though you be in doubt yet shal you not dispaire though you be persecuted yet shall you not be forsaken though you be caste downe yet shall you not perish and though euerie where you beare about in your bodie the dying of the Lord Jesus yet shall the life of Jesus appeare in your body and there is neither life nor death Angelles Principalities nor powers things present or to come height or depth or anie other creature that euer shall be able to separate you from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Frailtie The Lorde chaunge me and I shall be chaunged and greatly both ought I and doe I thanke you Faith for this conference beseeching you still to praie for me as for one whose name and nature you knowe but too well I can promise nothing but seeing what I woulde doe I leaue my selfe to his mercie that is able to make me doe both what I ought and would doe And so the Lorde keepe vs both Faith Amen Frailtie Amen And the Lord giue vs eies to sée what it is to haue a true heart to God and to imbrace true religion Is it not to stand in possession of all these heauenlie promises whatsoeuer befalleth to vs in this worlde to be happie and blessed in it and by it Be it pouertie be it sorrowe be it oppression or whatsoeuer And contrariwise what it also is to be of a prophane heart of an vncircumcised life Surely euen to stand as depriued of all these comfortes and if we be poore to be also accursed in our pouertie in our sorow and whatsoeuer befalleth vnto vs gréeuous in this world The Lorde I saie giue vs eies to sée it and harts to thinke of it For full well wée knowe that were euerie one of vs a Monarch of a whole worlde by himselfe they béeing as this world is the glorie both of them and vs must passe away like a shippe in the water whose tract cannot be séene againe like an arrow through the aire or a weauers shuttle through his work like a
fading flower soudenlie plucked vp and withered like grasse like smoke and like the bubble of the water Wee shall be forgotten with all our pompe as the trauailer is that tarrieth but a night our honour shall come to an ende as the players part vpon the stage our doinges sayinges lookes gestures states and maiesties shall be rowled vp as a screule and cast into the office of forgetfulnesse where nothing can bee founde againe And then what remaineth I say what remaineth any thing but woe and wormes if we haue contemned religion and liued disobediently against the Lorde anie thing but vexation and torment both of the bodie and soule in hell fire Will then swearing be liked or drunkennesse or whoring or tipling tauerning sporting in vanity lasciuious talking writing or looking carding and dising roisting and rouing pride and excesse or anie kinde of sinne detested of the Lorde Will then a dissembling time-seruer not be vncased Will then an vniust seruant not be found out Will then an vnfaithfull wife not be discouered or a beastlie furious franticke husbande not be rewarded Will then anie thing abide the face that commeth in the cloudes with thousandes of Angels but onelie a religious heart and soule that hath labored to know and indeuored to liue trusting onelie to the mercie of God in Christ for all wantes to be pardoned Alas we knowe it euen as we knowe we liue it wil not but destruction and death shal then be to the man or woman for euer that lewdly hath liued in this world and comfort endlesse to the contrarie Therfore once againe I saie the Lorde giue vs eies to discrie betimes the rewarde and ende of true religion and of a reformed mind and life in that day euen for his Christes sake our blessed Lord and Sauiour Amen FINIS ¶ A prayer for a familie in the Morning O Most gratious God louing Father the verie comfort that anie sinfull soule can haue when we miserable sinners here met together do consider of the great mercy goodnes that we haue euer since we were borne and before founde and dayly do finde at thy Maiesties handes together with our great vnkindnes shewed euerie way to thée again for y e same we must néedes confesse and euen doe from the bottome of our heartes acknowledge that maruellous is thy mercie in sparing vs still to liue and in not consuming vs away from the earth from before thée For hast not thou O déere God of thy frée mercy before y e foundations of the world were laide chosen and elected vs for thy children when others as good as we by nature shall burne in hell eternally being reiected of thée in that hidden counsell of thine Hast not thou to our endles comfort certified and made known vnto our spirits the same Hast thou not created vs neither beastes todes wormes or any such like ouglie creatures but in thine own image according to thy likenesse to rule ouer the fishes in the sea ouer the foules of heauen and ouer euerie thing that mooueth vppon the earth And when being thus created innocēt yet we persisted not in the same but fell into the curse that bringeth eternall death didst thou not so pitie vs as that for our redemption and safetie thou grudgest not vnto vs and for vs to bée powred out the heart bloud of Jesus Christ thy onelie son our sauiour no other meanes being whereby we coulde be saued Hast thou not by thy holie spirit wrought faith in our heartes to beléeue by him and for him to be iustified before thée Hast thou not in some measure begunne the death of sinne in vs and wrought our sanctification Enioie we not the benefites of thy worde the freedome of conscience great peace and plentie in outward things with manie and infinite benefites moe waking and sléeping at home and abroad in our selues and our friendes For all which O good Lorde what doe wee Are we thankefull vnto thée for them Doe we often thinke of them and labour to knowe thée and to serue thée with a perfect heart and a willing mind for them No no déere God we do not we doe not as we ought to doe But with pleasure or profite with vanitie or selfe loue we are carried away spende our dayes in iniquitie carelesse and vnféeling of our sinne and there is no goodnesse in vs yet is there mercie with thée O Lord and pardon to repentance Wherefore we all héere met together at this time before thy maiestie humblie confessing our wantes most intirelie beséech thée for Jesus Christ his sake to haue mercie vppon vs haue mercie vppon vs most mercifull Father and forgiue vs all that is past strengthen vs hereafter that dailie both in bodie and soule we may glorifie thée more than we haue doone yéelding thankes daily for daylie benefites and striuing in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life But because we cannot but offend and fall diuers wayes good Lorde for thy mercie sake pearce our heartes with a féeling of the same and neuer suffer vs to goe on with dull and dead soules not séeing or sighing for our offences As a speciall meanes to kéepe vs in obedience before thée O déere Father worke in vs a continuall an effectuall remembraunce that wee shall not alwayes liue héere in the shewe of this wretched worlde that doeth so please vs now but that a day will come when the trumpe shall sounde the dead shall arise and all wee shall appeare before thy tribunall seate of iudgement there to receiue according to our déedes without respect of persons O good Lorde giue vs a remembrance and a féeling of the vnspeakeable comfort and eternall weight of glorie which in that day shall be giuen vnto vs if in this life we serue and please thée And contrariwise euen terrifie our consciences and let vs as it were sée before our faces the dreadfull iudgementes and the fearefull tormentes that both in body and soule they shal be sure to haue for euer more in the pitte of hell which in this life doe not serue and please thée but followe their owne fancies and wicked delights Giue vs an hatred of sinne and a true loue of righteousnesse Blesse thy worde euer more with fruite vnto our soules when we doe heare it giue vs a desire to heare it often Remoue O Lorde in thy good time such hinderances of the fruit thereof as are amongst vs giue it full course and sende foorth labourers into thy haruest which not for filthie lucre and gaine but of loue and zeale to thée and thy people may preach thy worde sincerely Blesse vs O Lorde from all hypocrisie glosing and halting before thée And because we little know how soone thou shalt sende this pampered flesh of ours to the wormes stoppe our breath and call away for our soules to come vnto thée whether this day or no before the euening blessed Father for Jesus Christ his sake prepare make vs readie
for thée that when the hower commeth we may neither feare nor faint in faith but ioyfully without anie skrikes and cries of desperation and of a troubled and vexed conscience passe away in full hope and assuraunce that all our sinnes are wiped away in the bloud of Jesus Christ and we to thée in him so reconciled that life for euermore is certaine vnto vs. Last of all good father with most humble and heartie thankes for thy goodnes to vs this night let thy mercifull eye looke vpon vs this day and so kéepe vs bodie and soule that being occupied in our seuerall callinges we may be safe by thée from al our enemies liue to thée or die to thée as it best shal please thy gratious goodnes These thinges O Lorde and whatsoeuer else we haue néede of graunt vs for Christ his sake in whose name we aske them saying as he hath taught vs OUr Father which art in heauen halowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be doone in earth as it is in heauen giue vs this day our dailie bread and forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs and lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill Amen Let thy mightie hand out stretched arme O Lorde be still our defence thy mercy louing kindnes in Jesus Christ our saluation thy true and holy worde our instruction thy grace and holy spirite our comfort and consolation vnto the ende and in the end Amen The Lorde blesse vs and saue vs the Lord make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs the Lorde turne his fauourable countenance towarde vs and this day and euermore vouchsafe to sende vs his peace Amen The blessing of God alminghtie the father the sonne and the holie Ghost be amongst vs and remaine with vs both nowe and for euer Amen ¶ An other for the same at night O Immortall God creatour of heauen and earth before whome all creatures feare and tremble were it not that thou hast commaunded vs neuer durst we appeare before thée so corrupt is our nature and so manie are our sinnes But good Lorde thou doest bid and therefore we obey thou doest call and therefore we come giue vs spirites to pray aright First then héere met together déere father we yéelde thy maiestie most humble and heartie thankes for all the mercies that euer thou hast bestowed vpon vs in bodie or minde in our selues or in ours priuate or common temporall or eternall Manie and meruelous haue they béene and still are vpon vs yea euen good Lorde past finding out This day what thou hast done for vs which of vs knoweth or is able to expresse Father of heauen forgiue vs that wée cannot acknowledge them or praise thée for them as we ought and quicken vs in this duety more and more Pardon and forgiue vs whatsoeuer wée haue offended thée withal this daie or euer before either in thought worde or déede yea euen our secret sinnes such as we haue committed and knowe not of remit them vnto vs for Christs sake Change vs O Lorde and wee shal be changed Create in vs cleane hearts and renew a right spirite within vs. Breake the strength of sinne that would subdue vs more and more And O mercifull father so frame these harts of ours within vs that we may more delight to liue according to thy will than to enioy all the worlde and all the pleasures therein Laie it often good Lorde before our eies by thy remembring spirite that thou hast not breathed the breath of life into vs that we should liue as wée list but that in holinesse and righteousnesse wée shoulde walke before thée all our daies Laie it before vs O Lorde that the time will come when the trumpe shall sounde the dead shall rise and we euen wée here mette together at this time all and euerie one of vs shall most assuredly stand before thy iudgement seate with naked hearts with open and vnfolded consciences there to giue an accompt howe wée haue so doone In which daie O the ioie O the endlesse ioie that they shall haue who waining themselues from the glistering shew of this wretched world in heart trueth haue sought serued thée Come come ye blessed of my father to their comfort shal they beare possesse the kingdom prepared for you But woe woe to all carelesse liuers in that flerie daie they shall drinke the wine of the wrath of God be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holie Angels and before the lambe they shall haue no rest daie nor night and the smoke of their torment shall ascende for euermore Father of hauen haue mercie vpon vs knit these hearts of ours fast vnto thée and now whil we haue time giue vs grace rightly to thinke of these things O continue thy worde of truth amongest vs euer to our comfort Let the séede thereof nowe sowen in our hearts take such déepe roote that neither the burning heat of persecution cause it to wither nor the thornie cares of this worlde riches or voluptuous liuing choke it but as séede sowen in good grounde it may bring foorth fruite according to thy pleasure O father giue grace that whē we heare or finde by thy word anie sinne that is in vs touched we maie striue and study without delay willingly to reforme it Kéepe vs good God y t wée neuer swarue for the feare of man from our own true knowledge becōming seruers of time and deniers of thée Kéepe vs from all hardnes of hart contempt of thy word and from all dissembling of sinceritie increase true loue amongst vs more and more stay our heady wrathful and wicked affections more and more And euerie waie good Lorde renew vs to thy liking Blesse thy whole Church O God with graces necessarie this parcel of it our natiue land and countrey déere father blesse it still with continuance of thy truth Lessen in it daily the number of blinde and wilfull Papists prophane Atheists increase the number of thy true children O presse vs not déere God with the weight of our ingratitude whose liues and knowledge answeare not the daies that we haue had worke with vs hence forward for thy mercies sake Preserue vnto vs long aliue good Lord our gracious prince gouernour multiplie thy spirite vpon her that still more and more she may séeke and sette out kéepe and maintaine that which pleaseth thée Giue to her honourable counsell graces necessarie for so high a calling Blesse all other Nobles Magistrates and the whole bodie of this realme with true heartes to thée and this country Increase in Israel the number of true watchmen whose harts may séeke thée and thy people and not their owne glorie or commoditie Bring to thy tolde by them such wandring remnants as are thine and O Lorde be gracious to our kinred and friendes in the flesh lighten their heartes with the sunne of vnderstanding that they and we acknowledging
one truth may glorify thée in the true and constant profession of the same all the daies of our life Comfort O Christ thy afflicted members wheresoeuer or howsoeuer troubled and graunt vs peace if it be thy pleasure in our daies Finally because the night is now vpon vs and we readie to take our rest let the bed O Lord strike into our hearts that the graue is almost readie for vs. Which of vs can tell whether these eies of ours once closed vp shall euer open anie more againe or no Lorde therefore receiue vs into thy handes wée all here nowe commend our selues bodie and soul we bequeath vnto thée kéepe vs this night and euermore ready for thée when thou shalt call for vs. Heare vs O Lorde O God and father mercifull in these our petitions for thy sonne Christ Jesus sake our Sauiour in whose name we al together beg these mercies saying O Our father which arte in heauen halowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be doone in earth as it is in heauē giue vs this day our daily bread and forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs and leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill Amen Let thy mightie hand and outstretched arme be still our defence thy mercie and louing kindnes in Jesus Christ our saluation thy true and holie word our instruction thy grace and holy spirite our comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end The Lorde blesse vs and saue vs the Lorde make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs. The Lorde turne his fauourable countenance towarde vs and sende vs euer his peace Amen The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the loue of God the Father the most comfortable felowshippe of the holie Ghost be with vs all blesse vs and kéepe vs this night and for euermore AMEN Iob. 3. Syrach 13. 16. Luke 6 20. Non magnum est sua sed se relinquere Exo. 22. 25. Deu 15. 10. Iob 26 15. Psal 9. 9. verse 12. verse 18. Psal 10. 17. Psal 21. 24. Psal 107. 22. Prouerb 28. 6. 22. Esay 25. 4. 66. 2. Luke 4. 18. Matth. 11. Luke 4. Iames 2. 5. Ruth 1. Kings 17. 2 Kings 4. Tobias 4 21. 1. Tim. 4. 6. Gen. 4. 5. verse 11. 12. 1. Sam. last 2. Sam. 17. 23 Acts. 1. Psal 6. 6. Rom. 15. 4. Luke 19. Rom. 9. Psalm 74. 9. Mich. 7. 2. Micheas 7. 2. Luke 6. Numb 11. 12. Ierem. 15. 10. Ierem. 20. 7. 1. Sam. 3. Luke 1. 38. 2. Timot. 2. 25. Psal 25. 9. Galat. 5. Math. 11. 29. That we hurt our selues also in earth by heat of affections Chap. 5. 1. Cor. 4. 11. 2. Cor. 11. Mat. 13 38. Verse 5. 37. 25. 112. 5. 31. 20. Prou. 11. 26. Mich. 6. 6. Colos 3. 12. Note Luke 6. Math. 18. Marke 6. Luke 10. Matth. 6. Matth. 3. 1. Cor. 11. 29. Rom. 12. Cor. 15. Howe mercifulnesse is wrought in men Experience Heb. 2. 17. 4. 15. Sight a worker of mercifulnesse Exod 2. Matth. 14. Marke 6. Luke 7. Luke 10. Luke 18. Iames 2. 13. Scripture against it Esay 2◠Psalme 12. 1. Pet. 2. 1. ◠Sam. 18. 21. ◠Sam. 20. 16. Psalme 34. Psalme 32. Psalme 15. Fathers against it Simplices qua si sine plicatione Anselm in Rom. 9. Lib. 1. Ad Caelant Heathen against it Cic. Offic. 2. Syrac 8. 19. 13. 9. De Sacerdotio lib. 1. Scriptures teach vnitie Psalm 133. 1. 2. 3. 4. Iohn 34. Ephes 4. 1. Thinges in nature teach vnitie Hose 2. 22. Deuter. 28. 32. 1. Tim. 5. 23. Actes 14. Apoc. 4. Psalme 119. Psalme 27.