sight of a traveller wearing a sword OH that I were as carefull in my journey to Heaven-wards to put on the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God to defend me from my spirituall enemies as I see this traveller is careful to put on his materiall sword ro defend him from his bodily enemies LXXXVIII Upon the sight of a Sparrow lighting on the ground LOrd thy word doth assure me that this sparrow doth not light or fall on the ground without thy providence Oh give me the grace therefore that I may not fear to fall from an higher to a lower estate if thy will be to have it so seeing I am more worth then many sparrowes LXXXIX Vpon the hearing of one that was gone to sojourn at another mans house LOrd this mans estate and mine are much alike he is a sojourner with man but I with thee my God for I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were Oh give me the grace therefore that I may passe the time of this my sojourning here in fear XC Upon the sight of a snare baited LOrd I cannot passe through any place in this world where the Devil hath not his snares laid and baited for me with some pleasure or profit pretended Oh give me the grace therefore to be alwaies vigilant and watchfull over him and his designes and enterprises that for any worldly respect I may not fall into any of his snares XCI Vpon the sight of one smitten for his faults LOrd let the righreous smite me and and it shall be a kindnesse and let him reprove me and it shall be an excellent Oyle which shall not break mine head XCII Vpon the sight of a Blackmoore LOrd this Blackmoore cannot change his skin no more can he do good that is accustomed to do evil Oh keep me therefore by thy grace that I may not get any evil custom or delight in the practise of any known sin XCIII Vpon the sight of a waiting Gentlewoman BEhold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistresse so Lord grant that mine eyes may wait upon thee untill thou have mercy on me XCIV Upon the sight of a grain of mustard-seed LOrd this seed is the least of all seeds yet when it is grown it is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree so that the birds of the aire come and lodge in the branches of it So Lord grant that that little measure of grace which is yet to be seen in me may in thy good time increase and by thy blessing and gracious assistance become so great that thou thereby maist be glorified others edified and my own soul more and more comforted XCV Upon the sight of the Sea roaring and beating with his waves against the shore in a great storm LOrd Isee in this the truth of thy word which tels me that thou hast set bars and doors to the Sea and hast said unto it hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed Lord deal so with the rage and fury of thine and mine enemies and suffer it not to proceed any further then it may make for thy glory and for the good both of my self and others XCVI Upon the sight of a most loving fathers correction of his child I Know that there cannot be a more loving and tender-hearted father towards a child then this father is and yet for the amendment of something that he knoweth to be amiss in him see how severely he doth correct him Lord therefore keep me from doubting of the love towards me when thou shalt be pleased in never so grievous a manner at any time to afflict me XCVII Upon the sight of footmen running a Race LOrd enlarge my heart that I may run the way of thy commandement and that with that patience confidence and perseverance that I may in the end obtain the incorruptible crown of glory XCVIII Upon the sight of water running out of a rock LOrd strike my hard and stony heart with due remorse for my sinnes that my head may be as waters and mine eyes as a fountain of tears to weep mourn and lament for them as thy child should do XCIX Upon the sight of a Snakes or Adders skin LOrd I see that nature hath taught this Serpent to renew his age by casting his old skin Oh that grace might teach me in like manner to put off the old man that I might be renewed in the spirit of my mind and become a new man in thy sight C. Upon the sight of one starting back at the sudden sight of a Serpent OH that I might have the grace to flee from sin as I see this man to flee from this Serpent CI. Upon the sight of an old weak man leaning on and going by a staff THis staff I see is this old mans stay without which he can neither stand nor go Lord I am as weak in spirituall strength as this old man is in bodily Oh be thou therefore my stay that I fall not and keep thou me in perfect peace because my mind is stayed on thee CII Vpon the sight of the Day-star LOrd this Star assures me that it is not far to day and that ere long the Sun will arise Oh that the day of Salvation would dawn unto me and that the day-star of saving knowledge would arise in my heart to assure me that the day-spring from on high will shortly visit me and that the Sun of righteousness Jesus Christ will arise unto me CIII Vpon the sight of one sowing his ground when it rained LOrd give me the grace to sow to the Spirit though it be in tears that I may one day reap in joy CIV. Vpon the sight of one slinging a stone out of a sling LOrd do thou thus sling the souls of thine enemies as out of the middle of a sling but do thou bind up the souls of thy servants in the bundle of life with thee the Lord their God CV Vpon the hearing of a master calling up his servants LOrd it is as high time for me to awake out of the sleep of my sins as it is for these servants to awake out of their bodily sleep Oh therefore call me by thy Word blessed Spirit that I which have so long slept in sin may at last awake and arise out of the bed of my carnall security CVI. Upon the hearing of a Countrey-mans joy for his good crop of corn I Confesse Lord that the Husbandmans joy in harvest for his good crop of corn is great but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me and then shall I have more gladnesse in my heart then such men have when their corn and wine and oyl encreaseth CVII Vpon the sight of one running
that the way to heaven is not like an easie stair-case on which a man may go up with his hands in his hose but I see by this that he that will come thither must make use of his hands as well as of his feet Lord give me the grace therefore that I may by the hand of faith lay hold on the merits of my crucified Saviour and stretch forth my hands to the doing of good works as well as have the feet of my soul my affections carrying me forward in the way that leads unto thee and to thy heavenly kingdom CCXXI Upon the sight of one whom another did uphold as he went LOrd do thou which upholdest all things by thy mighty word uphold me with thy free spirit with the right hand of thy righteousness in all my going that my foot-steps slip not and I fall into some dangerous temptation and from thence into condemnation CCXXII Vpon the sight of an empty house swept and garnished LOrd this house shews me what I have been in thy sight when I have heretofore received the holy Communion of the blessed body and bloud of my Saviour Jesus Christ I have I must confesse been like this house emptied of all good works swept with an overly repentance and garnished with an outward shew of a seeming sanctity which was not in me in deed and in truth Lord keep me from being ever so again lest Sathan take unto him seven devils worse then himself and enter into me and so make my last estate far worse then was my first CCXXIII. Upon the sight of fire seising upon an house which could not be quenched LOrd keep me from that fire of Hell which shall never be quenched CCXXIV. Upon the sight of two coales lying together whereof the one kindled the other LOrd here I see the benefit of unity and concord for where that is one I see may do much good unto another either by enkindling the graces of Gods Spirit in him or by preserving them already enkindled Oh give me therefore the grace that I may keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace CCXXV. Vpon the sight of one that came to visit his friend that was in great perplexity LOrd I am grievously perplexed oh visit me with thy salvation CCXXVI Vpon the sight of one that by violence took something from another LOrd thy word doth tell me that the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and that the violent take it by force Oh that I might have thy grace to use this holy violence that in the end I might obtain thy heavenly Kingdome CCXXVII Vpon the sight of one writing very swiftly LOrd make me a Scribe prompt in the law of thee my God and let my tongue be as the pen of a ready writer to express the comforts that I find therein CCXXVIII Vpon the sight of vapours rising out of the earth LOrd these vapours shew what my life is for what indeed is my life but a vapour that appeareth for a little time and afterward vanisheth away Oh that I might therefore have the grace so to redeem this short time of my life and to improve it to such holy and sanctified uses that when this short life of mine shall have its end I may live with thee in life everlasting CCXXIX Vpon the sight of one binding of sheaves in a corn-field LOrd the work that this man is now about shewes me what will be my case in the great and generall harvest of the world at the worlds end for then I shall be found either to be of the number of the tares which must be bound in sheaves to be burnt or be good wheat which must also be bound in sheaves to be carried into thine everlasting barn in Heaven Oh give me therefore the grace that whilest I am in this field of the world I may spring up and bring forth fruit unto thee in holinesse like the good seed which thou thy self sowedst that so I may have some comfortable assurance that after this life I shall enjoy life everlasting in heaven and not be like the tares of the Devils sowing which must be burnt in hell-fire for ever CCXXXI Upon the sight of an Ewe that brought two Lambs LOrd thou hast been pleased in thy Word to compare thy people to a flock of sheep every one of which bringeth forth twins that I may then have the more comfortable assurance that I am one of thy sheep and of this thy flock Lord give me the grace to bring forth those blessed twins of holinesse and righteousnesse which thy word requireth in all those that are thine CCXXXII Upon the coming on of the twilight LOrd this is the time that the Adulterer waiteth for and the Adultresse maketh use of for the accomplishing of their uncleannesse thinking now that no eye shall see them Lord keep me from having any fellowship with these unfruitfull works but give me grace rather to reprove them CCXXXIII Upon the sight of two Turtle-doves kept tame in a house LOrd thou wert pleased of thy gracious goodnesse and mercy under the law to accept of two turtle Doves or two young Pigeons from the poor that were not of ability to bring a Sheep for a sin-offering Oh be thou as gracious a God to my poor soul and accept at my hands what I am able to doe though much lesse than that others do do or I should do CCXXXIII Upon the sight of a brand taken out of the fire LOrd this brand shewes me the estate wherein I was and wherein I might have been had not thy mercy prevented it I was in the very midst of the fire of affliction and therein I was likely to have continued till I had been utterly consumed hadst not thou in thy mercy prevented it Oh be thou still my gracious God as to deliver me from the danger wherein I am at present so to keep me from the like danger in the time to come lest I be consumed in thy wrath CCXXXIV Vpon the hearing of a little boy that crope in at a window and opened the doores to let in greater theeves LOrd this little theefs entrance and making way for greater theeves shews into what danger my soul may come by wanton looks for if I let but these once into my heart through the windowes of mine eies they will quickly let in many another foul sin that will wholly rob me of thy grace Oh turn away therefore mine eies from such vanities and give me the grace to make a covenant with mine eies that they may not admit any such lustfull objects CCXXXVI Upon the sight of one going up a slippery hill where though he had many slips and some falls yet recovered the top of the hill at last LOrd Heaven is thy holy hill and the way thither is very slippery and none can ascend thither without many
a slip and fall in his passage yet he that hath slipt oftenest and most grievously fallen may in thy mercy recover thither at last Lord vouchsafe this thy mercy then unto me and though I cannot but slip and fall in my passage towards Heaven which is thy holy hill yet by the grace of true repentance rising again I may at last through thy mercy and thy Sons merits recover thither CCXXXVII Upon the hearing of an horse neighing after a mare LOrd keep me from neighing after my neighbours wife like a fed horse in the morning CCXXXVIII Upon the turning of the wind from North-east to North-west HEre I see a sensible turning of the wind from one point of the North unto another and yet is the wind still in the North as far from the South as before And such is the course of many a man in his repentance he turns from one sin to another as from covetousnesse to prodigality from Atheism or Judaism to Popery or the like remaining still as much under the power of sin and as far from God as before From which course Lord evermore keep me by thy grace and make my repentance more perfect than so for thy greater glory and my souls greater comfort CCXXXIX Vpon the sight of one whose face being toward the West turned himself toward the North THis is also a lively resemblance of a false and feigned penitent who turns from his sins just as if a man whose face is towards the West should turn to the North for of turning he may look both wayes both to the West whereon his face was set and to the East whereon his back was turned so many turn from their sins not directly but side-wayes so that with one eye they may look to God and with the other to some sin from which false and feigned kind of repentance good Lord do thou also deliver me CCXL Upon the hearing of a Trumpet in the night to call Souldiers to horse LOrd this trumpet puts me in mind of the trumpet that shall sound at the last day to call me with all mankind to judgement Oh give me therefore the grace that whether I eat or drink sleep or wake or whatsoever else I am doing I may alwaies think that I hear this trumpet sounding in mine eare and calling me to judgement and that therefore I may still be in a readinesse to make my appearance with comfort when that time shall come CCXLI. Upon the sight of one pouring oile into a lamp and trimming of it LOrd grant me the grace to be of the number of those wise Virgins which had oile in their lamps and were ready and prepared for the coming of the Bridegroom that so I may enter into the Bride-chamber of Heaven with him when he cometh and not be like those foolish Virgins which never thinking of providing oile for their lamps till the Bridegroom was coming were for want of it shut out of Heaven CCXLII. Upon the sight of one that sued his neighbour upon an action of Trespass LOrd if he did remember how often he hath trespassed against thee he would not thus sue his neighbour for trespassing against him for the wrong that his neighbour hath done to him is but as an hundred pence to those ten thousand talents which he oweth thee Lord therefore open his eies and mine that we both taking notice of our trespasses against thee may learn to shew that mercy to others which we our selves hope for from thee CCXLIII Upon the sight of a great deal of treasure which one had laid up LOrd give me the grace that I may not treasure up unto my self wrath against the day of wrath CCXLIV Vpon the hearing of a woman that fell in travail before she looked for it LOrd grant that when I shall say peace and safety sudden destruction may not come upon me as travail upon a woman with child CCXLV Upon the sight of one that trampled another under his feet LOrd trample me not in thy fury as my sins have deserved but deale with me in mercy for thy Son Christ Jesus sake CCXLVI Upon the sight of a strong Tower LOrd thy name is a strong Tower and thou hast promised that whatsoever righteous person shall run into it he shall be safe Oh that I might have thy grace to be one of those righteous persons that running with them thither I might be safe also from the rage and fury of thine and mine enemies CCXLVII. Upon the hearing of one that brought glad tidings LOrd what joy is there here upon the hearing of the glad tidings which this messenger hath brought though it be but for a temporall blessing Oh how much more thankfull and joyfull should I be for that blessing of blessings the birth of my Saviour Christ the joyfullest tidings that ever any heard And that I may be so indeed Lord give me the grace to remember it and to ponder it aright CCXLVIII Upon the hearing of a fearfull clap of thunder LOrd this is thy great and terrible voice which I now hear and if this be so full of terrour oh then how fearfull will thy presence be when thou comest in thy glory shewing thy self from heaven with thy mighty Angels in flaming fire Lord give me therefore the grace that what I now hear may by thy blessing work in me such an awe of thy Maj. that I may by it admire thy mercy feare thy power and prepare for thy coming as thy child should do CCXLIX Vpon the sight of one asking his Fathers blessing LOrd thy word tells me and experience sheweth how powerfull and prevalent the Fathers blessing hath been and if the blessing of an earthly Father hath been so how much more powerful prevalent will thy blessing be O heavenly Father which givest a blessing to all other blessings Oh blesse me even me then O Father I beseech thee and then shall I be blessed CCL Vpon the sight of two cocks set together to fight to know which was of the hardest kind LOrd here I see the policy of my subtile Adversary the Devil who sets me and my neighbours at discord of purpose that he may have our souls when in this world and Cock-pit of contention we have made him pastime and sport Lord keep me therefore by thy grace that to pleasure the Devil I may not be so in hatred or contention with any that thereby I may endanger mine own or any other mans soul CCLI Upon the sight of one that died suddenly LOrd here I see in this man what what might have betided me if thou hadst not been the more mercifull unto me for my breath was in my nostrils as well as his and thou mightest as well have taken away my breath as his and have caused me as suddenly to have returned to the earth from whence I came as he hath done Oh give