my minde in heauenly meditations from vncleane vnquiet and foolish dreames and so refresh me by the quiet benefit of sweet sleepe that I may arise more chearfully comfortably in the morning to the labours of my particular calling While I doe sleepe watch I beseech thee ouer me cause thy holy Angels to pitch their tents about me that so I may rest and also arise in safety and therby be moued to laud and praise thee still renewing my thankes as thou doest renew thy mercies daily And now Lord going to my bed I commend my selfe my soule and body into the hands of thy fatherey protection for thou art awake when I sleepe and thou onely art able to preserue mee If it so please thee now this night to take my life from me and to remoue me out of this vale of miserie this doe O Lord of thy great mercy pardon me all my sins wilfull transgressions negligences and ignorances euils committed and duties omitted in any measure manner or any way displeasing to thy Maiesty and that for the death and passion the righteousnesse the merits and intercession of Iesus Christ thy Sonne and our blessed Sauiour I humbly beseech thee and for his sake take vp my soule to thy heauenly habitation there to rest vntill I come wholly body and soule vnto thee in that great day of the resurrection But if it yet please thee stil further to prolong my life then I hartily pray thee good God of thy tender mercy herein to heare mee that as dayes be added to the time of life so graces may bee encreased that as I grow in yeeres so may I also bee fruitfull in good workes encreasing in grace to thy praise my better preparednesse to death and to my eternall comfort at the last day the time of my perfect redemption through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and that blessed Spirit bee giuen all honour glory and praise of me and all thy people as is most due for all thy louing mercies past and present for the future hope of eternall blisse this night and for euermore Amen Gaius Now if it please thee my Father proceed to the next point and shew vnto me what meditatiōs I should haue in the night season if it happen that then I should awake Iohn Let it 1. put thee Meditations vpon our awaking in the night in mind of awaking from sinne as thou hast awaked frō sleep that thou perish not by death 2. Thinke also how God can make men which are dead in the graue to liue againe as easily as hee hath made thee to awake out of thy sleepe 3. By thy sudden awaking to consider how suddenly thou mayest bee raised vp and summoned to iudgement Secondly by the darknes Of darknesse of the night first thinke of the spirituall darknesse in which natural men sinfully and desperately doe sleepe to pray that God would open their eyes to see the wonders of his law then of the vtter darknesse into which all such impenitent sleepers shall bee cast to moue thee to mourne for them aliue that they may not bee damned when they bee dead further by this darknesse so comfortlesse behold also their comfortles estate for as they cannot which are in darknes see either themselues or others or their way or house or friends or enemies no more can men in spirituall darknesse know thēselues nor the Church of God nor discerne the godly from the vngodly nor the way of life from the way of death nor foresee perils or the pit prepared for them no more then men which remaine in darknesse can see to auoide the dangers which they may fall into vntill the light doe againe shine vpon them Thirdly if thou canst Of dreames cal thy dreames to remembrance by their vanitie iudge of thy leuity by their vncleannesse thy filthinesse by their idlenes thy foolishnesse by the furie in them thy madnes by their much vncertainty thy wauering and inconstancie the delight in their deceits thy easinesse to bee led by delusions the fearfulnesse in them thy timorous heart the seldome thoughts of goodnes thy much delight in wickednesse and little care of godlinesse Fourthly in the silent night vpon thy bed it is good to fall into an examination of thine owne heart it is the time freest from disturbance in respect of outward impediments thou mayest haue with thy soule free and peaceable conference By a true and serious search thou mayest finde out thy selfe and so bee better knowne to thy selfe and the more thou art acquainted with thy owne corruption the more wilt thou bewaile thy wants and seeke after the grace of sanctification Fifthly in thine inclination to sleepe againe note thereby how a man may awake from sin through Gods mercy and yet bee readie to sleepe againe in sinne by his owne infirmitie Sixthly before thou sleepe againe commend thy selfe in some short prayer to God according to the former meditations and so asleepe for refreshment taking so much as may suffice nature for more strength of labour but not to satisfie the flesh to grow thereby lazie and lustfull Gaius Oh what conceited Laodiceans are we wee out of an ordinarie profession in any measure aboue our brethren hold our selues full of deuotion wee iudge our selues goodly Christians rich in graces flowing in goodnesse lacking little to perfection but alas now I see by the neglect of these things that we are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked I confesse that the Lord hath cause to rebuke and chasten vs except wee speedily grow more zealous and amend Iohn Indeed Gaius men are too wickedly carelesse of a holy conuersation and how to keepe a good cōscience towards God man Men seeme to hate so very much popish superstition as they neglect altogether Christian deuotiō it is iudged enough to bee no Papist though otherwise a man bee little better then a very Atheist in all his courses Gaius Right so my father such as see it may lament it but not remedie it I pray for better vnto him that can reforme it But leauing this proceed on I beseech thee with mee as thou hast begun and come to the last particular how I may make my selfe readie for the sanctifying of the Sabbath Iohn I perceiue that thy heart thirsteth after grace the Lord more and more perfect the same so happily begun in thee First besides these things Directions for a preparation to the Sabbath before mentioned carefully haue in remēbrance euery day the Lords day to keepe it holy when it commeth therefore foresee thy businesse neglect no ordinarie labour order thy worldly affaires so as that day bee set apart for the speciall and publike worship of God that so thy deuotion bee not hindered nor the day prophaned hee hath vtterly lost the power of religion that is carelesse of the Sabbaths sanctification Secondly in the end of the weeke iudge by this holy course of thy growth in religion of
how contrary heereunto are the most and how defectiue are the best I may mourne heauily for the multitude and much lament my own wants but as I heare now my dutie so will I endeauour to performe by Gods grace more carefully hereafter the present desire of my heart and therefore proceed thou best beloued Apostle of the Lord to teach me what to do when the publike seruice to God is ended Iohn 1. Preuent al present occasions of worldly vnnecessarie communication 2. Betake thy selfe a Our duty after publike seruice of God while to some priuate place for priuate meditation and prayer vpon that which thou hast heard remembrest 3. Receiue that day so much nourishment only as may satisfie for necessitie auoiding superfluitie arising of variety which may cause drousines dulnesse of spirit and hinder thy meditation 4. Vse conference with other and occasion them to holy speeches if thou doest doubt thou mayest perhaps bee resolued if thou hast forgot the memories of other may help thee as also giue thee vnderstanding in that thou thy selfe knowest not 5. Being disposed to be merrie sing Psalms abandon foolish and leaud sports and vaine companie 6. Forget not this day to shew forth workes of mercy to visit the sicke to relieue the poore and to comfort the afflicted Lastly in the end of the day praise God for the comforts thereof remember what thou hast heard and that which especially concerned thy selfe make some vse of all but forget not that pray for a blessing resolue to put what thou learnest into daily practise and then before thy rest fall to thy daily deuotion and in all good things bee euer constant vnto the end Gaius O Lord grant me so great mercy how happie were I if thus I could doe I earnestly desire it Oh that I could attaine vnto it This were indeed a blessednesse here a heauen vpon earth a celestiall felicity in a terrestriall place in this wretched state of miserie This pearle if I could purchase I offer willingly to giue away all my carnal pleasures al my worldly profits all vaine honour and my selfe wholly for the loue of it For what am I if I had all the world without the effectuall sauing power and grace of the word if I had all pleasure and had no portion in the heauenly Paradise If I had all honour without certaine hope of heauen Woe would bee to mee endlesse woes would seaze vpon mee I will therefore now resolue to walke with God seek fellowship with the faithfull and abandon the waies of wickednesse whatsoeuer befalleth mee in this present world Iohn A most blessed resolution sweet soule go on and prosper looke for ioyfull fruits of thy blessed labour by well doing thou shalt haue assured hope of Gods fauour boldnesse in Christ to go vnto God who will be to thee a Father the Spirit a Comforter as Christ thy Redeemer and Iustifier Feare not death dread not hell heauen is thine inheritance The godly pray for thee Angels accompanie thee the Law will not curse thee the Gospel is for thy comfort and thy conscience will speake peace vnto thee Satan dare not claime thee God doth acknowledge thee for his owne and hath thee in his safe keeping to bring thee to heauen Gaius Blessed man of God thou beloued of the Lord thou hast comforted me and spoken comfortably vnto thy seruant the Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward bee giuen thee of the Lord God of Israel and now behold thy seruant and the seruant of the Lord bee it vnto mee according to all these thy words Yet good Sir before I end I must needs craue a little more helpe I was aduised to pray vpon the Sabbath day in the morning before I goe vnto the publike congregation and in the euening when the day is ended vouchsafe I beseech thee to help my weaknesse heerein also and to set me downe how to pray morning euening on the Sabbath Iohn Friend Gaius I am ready to further thy gracious desires in al good things much reioycing in thy vnfained loue to the Lord and to the holy exercises of religion I heartily wish thee heerein all happie successe such feruencie such growth such constancie as thy example may moue many to imitate thy vertues and to ioyne with thee in the way to eternitie Thus therefore mayest thou or to the like effect pray in the morning O Lord our God whose A Prayer for the Sabbath day in the morning will and commandement it is that wee should keepe holy this day as set apart for the publike worship and seruice of thy most holy name Now I do heartily beseech thee in thy tender compassion and mercy so to looke vpon me in Christ Iesus that my sinnes may not be a wall of separation betweene thee and me but that of thy gracious goodnesse through my blessed Sauiour I may obtaine ful remission of all my sinnes and by him the gift of thy most holy spirit which may happily prepare and make ready my heart that I may goe to the holy assembly of thy Saints as well prepared ground fit to receiue the good seed of thy most holy word Oh Lord open mine eyes to see thy truth mine eares encline to harken attentiuely bend my will to follow what I shall heare that I may not be a bare hearer but a doer of thy word Giue me wisdome to iudge of the truth humility to receiue it faith to beleeue it conscience to practise it make it vnto me the Sauiour of life vnto life a word of reconciliation that I may for euer by it be wonne vnto thee Withdraw my mind and affections wholly from euery thing that may hinder mee from the performance of my duty this day in thy diuine seruice Take from me blindnesse of mind dulnesse of wit disorderlines of affections deadnesse of spirit hardnesse of heart vnbeleefe pride selfe-conceit presumption of mercy and wicked prophanenes that so I may not contemne nor yet make light account of thy holy ordinances the word read and preached the administration of the Sacramēts prayer and thankes giuing with the whole congregation Being set to heare good Father blesse me from wandring thoughts vaine imaginations Satans suggestions drowsinesse of the flesh and whatsoeuer is an enemie to the sauing hearing of thy blessed word Sanctifie my vnderstanding rightly to conceiue my memory to retaine and keepe and my heart truly to affect what thy seruant shall speake vnto mee and to the rest of thy people this day O Lord open his mouth that hee may speake onely thy truth enforme his vnderstanding settle his iudgement enflame his affections with that truth which he shal deliuer vnto vs and guide so his tongue that he may speak wisely seasonably aptly and also with great power of thy spirit to the heart and consciences of euery of vs his hearers so as we may liuely feele the power of thine owne ordinance and may also truly say of him that
thou Lord art most assuredly with him Giue mee and the rest of thy flocke this grace O Lord God of heauen I doe humbly beseech thee that as hee shall teach soundly aptly and powerfully so wee may all most humbly submit our selues vnto his ministery as well when hee conuinceth our errours rebuketh vs of sinne and threatneth Gods fearfull plagues for the same as when he preacheth peace to the penitent and comforteth the sorrowfull spirit Oh let vs not make exceptions against any thing commanded him to speake but rather iudge him the more faithfull and so to loue him more for the truth sake and for his sincere handling of the same Qualifie him euery way for vs as he may go wisely in and out before vs in soundnesse of doctrine in holinesse of life in humility in godly grauity with wisedome and authority familiarly conuersing among vs. And for his encouragement make vs willing to frequent diligently the Church to heare attentiuely to abide reuerently and to learne of him gladly not to looke vpon his humaine frailties but in true loue to passe them by to make much of him lest wee stumble at his doctrine Make vs conscionable towards him in his maintenance to deale vprightly and liberally that hee may doe the worke of his ministery cheerfully And when we haue heard thy word blesse vs O Lord with conscience of holy meditation and prayer suffer not me nor any of thy seruants as the common custome is to be content onely to heare and to remaine still in ignorance and errour to come and goe and yet neuer the better let not thy word so be the sauour of death vnto death to our deeper condemnation O Lord pardon my former negligence and forgiue vs all this wretched prophanenesse and carelesnesse of our saluation as if we were either soul-lesse or senseles Lay not this sin O Lord vnto our charge but afford vs thy grace to heare in hearing to learn and in learning to beleeue so to professe constantly and practise religiously euery day more more till we become perfect in Christ Iesus Giue mee grace O Lord to auoid all occasions of prophaning this day keepe mee from ill companie and from all vaine carnall worldly minded people which may withdraw my heart and thoughts from better things Cause me to make conscience of my whole carriage of my thoughts words and deeds that by vaine talke leaud sports light behauior vnnecessary businesses of the world I may not my selfe bee guiltie of prophanenesse neither by example may moue others to doe amisse Let my thoughts be vpon that which I haue heard and other heauenly things my words vttered to tend to edification Let my mirth be that heauenly melody singing Psalmes to thee O Lord in my heart and my companie such as I may either learne good from them or doe some good vnto them that so the day thus set apart wholly to thee and diuine exercises wee thereby may the better be furnished and made able in the weeke following to do the duties of our calling conscionably in all truth and equitie to thy glory and our owne cōforts that for Iesus Christ his sake our only Lord Sauiour in whose name for my selfe for this congregation and thy holy Church vniuersall I call vpon thee further saying Our Father c. Gaius By the helpe of my God I will surely make more conscience of this dutie then I haue hitherto done I well perceiue the necessity of praier before for indeed Paul may plant with his profound learning Apollos may water by his powerfull eloquence but all is nothing except God giue the encrease except hee giue eyes to see eares to heare and hearts to vnderstand the Teacher shall teach in vaine and we also heare in vaine Iohn Thy resolution Gaius is very good and thou hast also well considered of the necessity of prayer before thou doest go to Gods house Verily the neglect of this holy dutie and the comming of people so prophanely to Gods worship as thou formerly hast complained without due preparation is the very cause why men reape so small fruit by the meanes Cursed is their irreligious cōming their cursed customarie seruing of God their hellish luke-warmenesse their presumptuous prophanesse without any feare of God estimation of Gods ordinances reuerēt respect of his ministers or care at all truly of their owne saluation Oh daies without pure deuotion O times for temporizers But goe thou on good Gaius as thou doest and as thou stil resoluest to do he that is filthie let him be filthy stil follow thou not their guise pray continually and the Lord deliuer his people from the tentations of the times of luke-warmenes and carnall securitie in a worldly peace which is the blūter of zeale the death of true deuotion the very prison of sincere piety the breeder of Atheisme the cause of the contempt of religion the nurse of proud presumption of mercy of vanity wantonnesse with all kind of wickednesse Gaius Sir wofull experience hath proued this for truth in many ages I haue learned it but by your words I haue more reason to consider of it And therefore the Lord directing mee and in his mercy making good these fatherly aduisements vpon me that I may haue the grace to follow the same I hope hereafter to auoid better the occasions of euill and the intrapments of Satā this seducing wicked world which I will daily pray for and in mercy I hope the Lord will heare me But reuerend Sir lest I be too tedious let it please you to finish this work in adding that one thing remaining which is a forme of prayer vpon the Sabbath day in the euening Iohn Hauing meditated somewhat before of the doctrines vses and instructions deliuered of the benefit of the Sacraments of the excellency of religion as also of the publike worship of the diuine exercises and of the fellowship of the godly and in like manner hauing considered what good thou hast receiued thereby wherein informed for rectifying of iudgement wherein instructed to follow vertue wherin reproued for amendmēt of life wherein conuinced of errour wherein comforted concerning affliction and strengthened against tentation thou mayest thus or after such a like maner both heartily praise God and humbly pray vnto him as followeth O Lord God most gracious Euening Prayer for the Sabbath and mercifull Father I doe render vnto thy heauenly maiesty all humble hearty thanks praising and lauding thy most holy name for that of thy great compassion thou hast affoorded vnto mee and thy people the preaching of thy word the effectual means of saluation to as many as truly beleeue Oh how pleasant is thy dwelling place to all that delight in goodnesse better is one day in thy house then a thousand yeeres elsewhere right ioyfull are the feete of thy faithful messengers bringing to vs poore soules the glad tidings of peace Oh that I might dwell in thy house for