paines I beganne to distaste them all I grew out of loue with this life and entertained death in my most serious thoughts and I perswaded my selfe that those thoughts of death shall neuer dye in me but still liue in my memory and vpon euery good occasion bee stirred vp and reuiued to prepare and dispose mee to my last end that so I may see that Basyliske first and kill it before it see and kill mee O death how bitter is thy remembrance in the pride of health O life how bitter is thy remembrance in the misery of sicknesse Verily I had vtterly fainted vnder my Crosse and my soule had bin put to silence I had sowned and giuen vp not onely my Ghost but thy holy Spirit of comfort if thou hadst not stayed me with flagons and comforted mee with apples and in my hottest fits cooled me with the sweete gales of thy grace I had fallen not onely with Iob to curse the day of my birth but to question the truth of thy Promises But euerlasting thanks bee vnto thee who gauest me victorie ouer that fearefull tentation and by thy holy Spirit didst call to my mind all those sweet promises of thy Gospell whereby I receiued comfort and recouered strength And now I am assured and more then euer before perswaded that neither height nor depth nor principality nor power nor paine nor pleasure nor sicknes nor health nor life nor death nor things present nor things to come shall euer be able to separate me from thy loue in CHRIST IESVS The close out of Scripture I Said in the cutting off of my dayes I shall goe to the gate of the graue I am depriued of the residue of my yeeres Isa. 38. 10. I sayd I shall not see the Lord in the land of the liuing I shall behold man no more with the Inhabitants of the world ver 11. Behold for peace I had great bitternesse but thou hast in loue to my soule deliuered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast my sins behind thy backe ver 17. For the graue cannot praise thee death cannot confess thee they that goe downe to the pit cannot hope for thy truth ver 18. The liuing the liuing hee shall prayse thee as I doe this day verse 19. The dying-mans deuotion Suppart vlt. The Admonitions The man that is breathing out his last gaspe needeth◠1 MEeke patience to endure God's good pleasure Of which see the Admonitions for Good-Fridaie for Thursday Euening and for the sicke before 2 Godly sorrow for all the sinnes of his life wherby he hath grieuously displeased his heauenly Father Of which see the Admonition for Tuesday morning 3 Assured confidence to commit his Soule to God as a faithfull Creator Of which see the Admonition for the Child-bearing woman after her deliuery 4 Constant perseuerance to hold on to the end Of which see the Admonition for Saturday morning 5 Liuely apprehension of the ioyes of heauen and powers of the world to come Of which see the Meditation for the Sabbath Euening 6 Christian resolution cheerfully to lay downe his Tabernacle and go willingly to the Father of spirits Of which see the Admonition for Saturday Euening 7 A peaceable disposition to forgiue all his enemies and depart in peace as with God so also with all men Of which see the Admonition for Thursday Morning 8 A charitable and compassionate aflection to consider the poore and destitute according to his estate and wealth to help and succour them that so by their prayers he may be receiued into euerlasting habitations Of which see the Exhortation for Wednesday morning In the extremity of bitter pangs consider ô deuout Christian 1 Thy sins deserue a sharper scourge yet 2 All thou sufferest is nothing to what Christ endured for thee 3 Other Saints and holy Martyrs haue abided a harder tryall and more grieuous afflictions many more terrible conflicts and yet haue been more then Conquerours through Christ. 4 It is a thousand times better to be corrected here though neuer so seuerely then eternally tormented in hell 5 God wil not lay more vpō thee thē he will giue thee ability to beare therfore will vndoubtedly asswage thy paine or increase thy patience 6 The extremity of thy paines wil be but a short time for God wil either take them from thee by recouering thee or thee from them by deliuering thee out of the body 7 The more grieuous thy paines are the greater thy reward shall be if thou patiently endure them THE TEXTS IT is the Lords mercy that wee are not vtterly consumed because his compassion fails not Lam. 3. 20. If thou Lord shalt marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand or who may abide it Psalm 130. 3. He hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs after our iniquities Psal. 103. 10. Like as a Father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him ver 13. For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are but dust ver 14. The sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulnes hath surprized the hypocrites who shall dwell with the deuouring fire who among vs shall dwel with euerlasting burning I◠33. Topheth is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared Hee hath made it deep and large the pile therof is fire and much wood the breath of the LORD like a streame of Brimstone doth kindle it Isa. 30. 33. A fire is kindled in mine anger and it shall burne to the lowest hell Deut. 32. 22. The Sonne of man shall send his Angells and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and them which doe iniquity Mat. 13. 41. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth verse 42. Whose fan is in his hand and hee will throughly purge his floore and gather his wheat into his garner but burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire Mat. 3. 12. Suffering the vengeance of eternall fire Iud. 7. Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame Luk. 16. 24. Where the worme dyeth not and the fire is not quenched Mar. 9. 44. 46. In flaming fire taking vengeance of them that knowe not God 2. Thes. 1. 8. Binde him hand and foot cast him into vtter darknes there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 22. 13. To whom the mist of darknes is reserued for euer 2. Pet. 2. He hath reserued in euerlasting chaines of darknes vnto the iudgement of the great day Iud. 6. 〈◊〉 same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lambe Reu. 14. 10. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth vp for euer and euer ver 12. These both were
to fit prayers and deâ—â—tions to seuerall seasons and speciall occasions baulked the Christian faste and feasts For albeit the Saints dayes might fare the worse with them because Popish superstitioÌ„ ouer cloyed them Which yet is an abuse of arguing to argue from the abuse to the abolishing the right vse By this meanes they might take from vs the vse of all Gods creatures because they haue beene superstitiously or profanely abused some way or other But admit there might be a legall caueat put in against the Saints Plea what haue the feasts of our Lord and Sauiour deserued that they should be struck out of their Callender or sleightly passed without the honour of a meditation Hymnes or Prayer on them They cannot pleade want of president authoritie or direction for they haue Coppies faire written in golden characters by Chrysostome in his Homilies Chrysologus Leo Augustine Bernard other deuout Fathers in their Sermons vpon these dayes If they saw not them why did they not follow the excellent patterne in the booke of Common Prayer Which laying before me I haue drawne formes of exhortations hymnes and prayers carying throughout a manifest impression of the feast to which they are dedicated And before them I haue prefixed a Paralell of the Prophesie of the old and the Historie of the new Testament compared together that thou mightest haue an ocular demonstration of that which S. Austine writeth concerning both The new Testament is vailed in the old and the old is reuealed in the new After the feasts or before as preparatiues to them the Church fasts should haue beene ranked But there being in their Deuotions no spirituall dainties allowed for the festiuals I nothing maruelled at it that Christian fastes were vtterly vnprouided for and if I may so speake fast with them Extraordinarie fasts of humiliâ—tion to auert some fearefull Plague or imâ—inent iudgement they take notice of but the ordinarie fasts of Deuotion they mention not at all Yet certainely the deuoute soule out of a sympathie with her Sauiour cannot 〈◊〉 weepe with him as well as reâ—oyce with him in some measure Fast with him on good-friday as well as feast with him and for him on Easter day If any teares of a sinner are the wine of Angels I am perswaded they are those teares of Deuotion which after much fasting and Prayer and meditation spring out of the serious apprehension of Christs infinite loue testified to man-kinde by his fasting watching praying weeping bleeding and dying for vs on the Crosse. But they wil say these are the sacred fewell of euery dayes deuotion Yet it is more proper to remember the â—orke of the day in the day wherein it was wrought And albeit the Iewes were bound alwayes to remember Gods wonderfull deliuerances yet more stricktly were they bound on the very day for that end appointed to be kept solemne What though we finde no expresse commandement for them The practise of the ancient Church and the religious constitutions of the present ratified by Supreme authoritie should sway in a matter of this nature according to that golden rule of S. Bernard Obey him as God who is in the place of God in those things that are not against God These fasts therefore should not haue bene forgotten I come now in the last place to the weekely Deuotions wherein I finde Prayers for each seuerall day of the weeke Yet as it is noted by the learned of S. Gregories Comment vppon Iob that It is an excellent Commentarie fraught with rich learning especially in matter of moralitie But it might haue beene wrote almost as well vppon any parcell of Scripture as vpon Iob. So you shall finde that the Prayers for each day may serue for any day as well as that to which they are intituled For example Munday's Prayer well fits Tuesday and Tuesday's Wednesday and all three Thursday Friday and Saturday No day hath more interest in the Deuotion for it then another When Timothie found fault with ALEXANDER for striking a stroke amisse vpon the Harpe and Alexander demanded of him Is it not all one whether I strike it this way or that way with these fingers or these True answered Timothie It is all one to an Emperour but not to a Musitian It is no error in stale to strike as you doe but it is an error in art I confesse in like manner it is no error in Religion â— set a godly Prayer for the day which hath no interest or relation at all to the day yet it is an indecorum and blurre in Art It is all one as if they should set a marke before them and shoote no more towards it then any other white To auoid this improprietie if not incongruitie in the Morning Hymne and Prayer I haue an eye to some worke of God the Father in the Creation wrought on that day In the Euening Hymne and Prayer to some worke of God the Sonne wrought or by the Church remembred on that day in the Passion weeke For the admonitions and exhortations wherewith the Deuotions are interlaced I tooke my patterne of them from S. CYPRIAN De agno per quem redempti viuificati sumus lanam ipsam purpuram misi quam cum acceperis toâ—icam tibi pro voluntate conficies In exhortatione â—am necessaria amputandae sunt verborum nostrorum morae ambages sermonis humani sâ—btrahendae ponenda illa sola quae DEVS loquitur Wâ—th whose words I will not cloathe mine owne I haue sent thee cloth saith he made of the fleece of that Lamb by whose bloud we are all redeemed Take as much as will serue thy turne and fashion and fit thy garment to thine owne minde All inferences and discourses of mine owne I omit because in so needfull exhortations the delayes and lingering protractions of mens words are to be cut off and onely Gods owne words to bee set downe To summe vp all in a word I haue brought thee into the Spouse garden of flowers and spices I haue gathered some out almost of euery bed and layed by them a thread in the Analysis or Method to binde them vp together Make thou thy Posie as thou likest best and breathe out with mee that sweete Prayer of the Spouse cut in one of her knots Arise ô North and blow ô South winde thaâ—â—he sent of our Spices flowers may flow and the beloued may come into his Garden GEntle Reader the lesser escapes I intreat thee to mend with thy pen and to set some marginall notes at the right place which thou shalt find here and there a little misplaced A Generall Table representing the Method of this Worke. This Manuell hath in it described a plat of holy ground diuided into 1 A garden of spirituall flowers 1 For ornament to decke and dresse vp the inner roome to entertaine the Spouse as preÌ„parations to religious duties In generall Prayer Hearing the Word In speciall to Receiuing § Sacrament 2. For sent to
make nose-gayes according to the seasons of the yeere as formes of hymnes prayers and thanksgiuings Ordinarie for the weeke dayes Extraordinary for Christian Feasts Fasts 3 For medicine to cure strengthen as Admonitions out of Scripture Prayers for Men in sicknesse Women in childbearing ThaÌ„ksgiuing for Recouerie of men Deliuery of women 2 The nursery thereof which is set with 52. plants of Paradise agreeable to the weekes in the yeere digested into a Catechisme in which are set downe Rules according to which Graces by which Blessings for which wee ought to pray and giue thaks A TABLE OF THE particular Contents 1. The Preparation to religious exercise in generall p. 1. 1. Of Deuotion p. 2. 2. Of Preparation and the seuerall kinds thereof p. 9. 1. Purgation p. 11. 2. Sequestration of the mind p. 12. 3. Preconsideration p. 14. 2. The Preparation to Prayer p. 18. 1. A preparatory Exhortation p. 27. 2. A preparatorie Hymne p. 56. 3. A preparatorie Prayer p. 58. 3. The preparation to bearing the Word p. 59. 1. A preparatory Admonition p. 69. 2. A preparatorie Hymne p. 74. 3. A preparatorie Prayer p. 76. 4. The preparation to the receiuing of the Sacrament p. 79. 1. The admonition before the Communion p. 85. 2. The Hymne before the Communion p. 87. 3. The Prayer before the Communion p 88. 5. Religious Duties to be performed and affections to be stirred vp in the time of receiuing the Communion p. 91. 6. Short Prayers to be vsed at the receiuing of the Communion p. 97. 7. Short Formes of thanksgiuing to be vsed after the Communion p. 98. 8 A larger Forme of thanks giuing after the Communion p. 102. 9. The practise of priuate Deuotions both ordinarie and extraordinarie p. 106. 10. The Mornings Deuotion 1. An admonitioÌ„ for the Morning p. 116 2. A Hymne for the Morning p. 117. 3. A Prayer for the Morning p. 119. The Close out of Scripture p. 128. 11. The Euening Deuotion 1. An admonitioÌ„ for the Euening p. 128. 2. An Hymne for the Euening 131. 3. A Prayer for the Euening p. 133. The Close out of Scripture p. 137. 12. The Christian Sabbath or Lords day's Deuotion p. 138. 1. The admonition for the Sabbath Morning p. 139. 2. The Hymne for the Sabbath Morning p. 148. 3. The Prayer for the Sabbath Morning p. 147. 1. The admonition for the Sabbath Euening p. 153. 2. The Hymne for the Sabbath Euening p. 160. 3. The Prayer for the Sabbath Euening p. 162. The Close out of Scripture p. 166 13. The Feast 〈◊〉 the Birth of our Lord 1. The ground of the Feast p. 167. 2. The admonition for it p. 171. 3. The Hymne for it p. 174. 4. The Prayer for it p. 178. 14. The Feasts of our Lord's circumcision 1. The ground of it p. 183. 2. The admonition for it p. 184. 3. The Psalme for it p. 187. 4. The Prayer for it p. 190. 15. The Feast of the Epiphanie 1. The ground of it p. 197. 2. The admonition for it p. 200. 3. The Psalme for it p. 204. 4 The Prayer for it p. 206. 16. The Feast of our Lord's resurrection 1. The ground of it p. 212. 2. The Psalme for it p. 216. 3. The admonition for it p. 219. 4. The Prayer for it p. 222. 17. The Feast of our Lord's Ascension 1. The ground of it p. 228. 2. The Hymne for it p. 230. 3. The Admonition for it p. 233. 4. The Prayer for it p. 237. 18. The Feast of the coming downe of the holy Ghost 1. The ground of it p 243. 2. The Hymne for it p. 245. 3. The exhortation for it p. 248. 4. The Prayer for it p. 252. 19. The Christian fast's Deuotion p. 257. Of the Lent Fast. p. 261. The ground of it p. 266. 1. A Psalme for Ash wednesday p. 270. 2. An admonition for it p. 274. 3. A Prayer for it p. 278. 20. Good Friday's Deuotion p. 284. 1. The ground of this Fast. p. 284. 2. The admonition for it p. 288. 3. The Hymne for it p. 295. 4. The Prayer for it p. 300. 21. The Weeke day's Deuotion p. 310. 1. Munday's Deuotion The ground of it p. 311. 1. The Hymne for the Morning p. 312. 2. The admonition for the Morning p 317. 3. The Prayer for the Morning p. 322. The close out of Scripture p. 325. 1. The Hymne for the Euening 2. The admonition for the Euening p. 329. 3. The Prayer for the Euening p. 335. The Close out of Scripture Ibid. 2. Tuesday's Deuotion The ground of it p. 339. 1. The Mornings Deuotion 1. The Hymne for the Morning p. 343. 2. The admonition for the Morning p. 346. 3. The Prayer for the Morning p. 342. The Close out of Scripture p. 355. 2. The Euening's Deuotion 1. The Hymne for the Euening p. 356. 2. The admonition for Euening p. 359. 3. The Prayer for the Euening p. 363. The Close out of Scripture p. 368. 3. Wednesday's Deuotion The ground of it p. 369. 1. The Morning's Deuotion 1. The Hymne for it p. 37â— 2. The admonition for it p. 376. 3. The Prayer for it p. 382. The Close out of Scripture p. 388. 2. The Euenings Deuotion 1. The Hymne for it p. 389. 2. The admonition for it p. 391. 3. The Prayer for it p. 395. The Close out of Scripture p 405. 4. Thursday's Deuotion The ground of it p. 406. 1. The Mornings Deuotion 1. The Hymne for it p. 410. 2. The admonition for it p. â—14 3. The Prayer for it p. 418. The Close out of Scripture p. 422. 2. The Euening's Deuotion 1. The Hymne for it p. 423. 2. The admonition for it p 427. 3. The Prayer for it p. 435. The Close out of Scripture p. 440. 5. Friday's Deuotion The ground of it p. 441. 1. The Morning's Deuotion 1. The Hymne for it p. 444. 2. The admonition for it p. 445. 3. The prayer for it p. 451. The Close out of Scripture p. 455. 2. Euening's Deuotion 1. The Hymne for it p 456. 2. The admonition for it 460. 3. The Prayer for it 471. The Close out of Scripture 481. 6. Saturday's Deuotion The ground of it 481. 1. The Morning's Deuotion 1. The Hymne for it 485. 2. The admonition for it 448. 3. The Prayer for it 469. The Close out of Scripture 474. 2. The Euening's Deuotion 1. The Hâ—mne for it p. 474. 2. The admonition for it p. 477. â— The Prayer for it p. 487. The Close out of Scripture p. 491. 22. The Child-bearing Woman's Deuotion 1. In her trauaile 1. The admonitioÌ„ 493. 2. The Hymne p. 495. 3. The Prayer 497. 2. After her trauaile The admonitioÌ„ 50â— The Hymne The Prayer 510. The sicke man's deuotion when there is hope of recouerie p. 515. A Psalme for the sicke p. 518. An admonition to the sicke p. 523. A Prayer for the sicke p. 530. The sicke man's deuotion after his recouerie p. 537. The exhortation to thanksgiuing p. 538. A Psalme
vnto you good measure pressed downe and running ouer Luke 6. 38. Whosoeuer shall giue to drink vnto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple verily he shall not lose his reward THE PRAYER FOR Wednesday morning composed of 1. Petitions sutable to the worke of the day 2. Motiues to workes of mercy agreeable to the precedent exhortation O Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him Thou madest so much of him that thou madest all creatures for him the Fowles of the Aire Fish in the Sea and Beasts of the Field to furnish his Table and clothe his nakednesse and serue his vse The earth thou createdst to sustaine him the water to wash and coole him the aire to breath him the fire to warme him the Flowers to refresh him the Herbes to cure him the Fruits and Graines to nourish him the Mines to inrich him the precious Stones to adorne him yea the glorious Lamps of Heauen The Sunne and Moone to light him the one in the Day the other in the Night and both to measure his time to direct his husbandry to recreate him in his trauells to ripen his fruits and increase his store Nay which farre surpasseth the glorious beames of the Sunne and his comfortable light thou gauest him a sure light of prophecy before the day dawne and the day-starre arose in the Firmament of the Church and afterwards causedst the Sunne of righteousnesse to arise vpon him to shine in his heart in this life by grace and in Heauen by glory for euermore Shall I not reioyce in this light Shall I not open all the Casements of my soule to let it in Shall I not account their feet beautifull and the ground happy on which they tread who bring me tidings of this wonderfull Light Shall I not loue thee aboue all things who hast preferred mee aboue all things Shall I not serue thee with all the faculties of my body and soule who makest all thy Creatures serue me What pretext can I haue for my ingratitude and disobedience to thee so gracious a Lord and Master I cannot pleade ignorance of thy Deity for the Heauens declare thy glory and the Firmament sheweth thy handy-worke I cannot pretend ignorance of thy Law for thou hast put thy Word into my mouth and written thy Law in my heart I cannot alledge that I neuer heard of or saw the Light of thy Gospell for the light came into the world and shined in the darkenesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not Neuer had any Nation a more bright Sun-shine of the Gospell then ours But we loue darkenesse more then light because our deeds are euill And because we loue darkenesse more then light thou mightest most iustly haue already cast vs into outward darkenesse But there is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared there is Balme in Gilead to cure cur deadly wounds there is Vnctim in Christ there is saluation in Iesus there is redemption in his bloud there is satisfaction in his death there is merit in his perfect obedience there is hope in his resurrection and ascension and euerlasting comfort in his sitting at the right hand of his Father to make intercession for vs. O Eternall Aduocate pleade my muse Thou who out of thy pierced side openedst to all the inhabitants of the earth a Fountaine for sinne and vncleannesse wash mee from my wickednesse and clense me from my sinne grant me thy peace which thou promisest thy chosen that my heart bee not troubled Make an atonement for mee and bring me into fauour with thy Father and my Father thy God and my God And because all my hope is in thy mercy Lord let me imitate that vertue in thee which I implore Let mee patterne that grace in my life which saueth my life Let mee from my heart forgiue my brethren their trespasses compassionate their infirmities relieue their necessities ease their crosses and beare their burthens Let the hungry haue neuer a iust action against me at thy Barre for not giuing them meate nor the thirsty for not giuing them drinke nor the naked for not clothing them nor the sicke and imprisoned for not visiting them nor the fatherlesse and widowes for not protecting defending them Let me who need abundant mercy shew abundant mercy Let me mete such measure to my brethren as I expect from thee As a good childe let mee follow the example of my heauenly Father who as on this day caused the Sunne to rise vpon the Iust and the vniust So let the light of my knowledge and heat of my loue be extended to all but especially to those of the houshold of faith And as the Sun shineth vpon my body so make thy countenance shine vpon my soule As the Sunne draweth vp exhalations from the earth so raise thou my thoughts and desires from earthy comforts to heauenly obiects As the Sunne melteth Snow and Ice so melt thou my heart frozen in the dregs of sinne As the Snnne dispelleth all mists of darkenesse and cleereth the Aire from all Fogs and noysome Vapours so let thy Spirit disped all errors of my vnderstanding and cleere my will from all fogs and fumes of noysome lusts Giue mee grace to keepe a regular constant and vnwearied course vpon earth as the Sunne doth in Heauen and to grow in grace and increase in heauenly wisdome as the Sunne ascendeth higher and shineth still brighter till it bee high Noone Lastly the Sunne reioyceth as a Gyant to runne his course So grant that I may cheerefully runne and finish my race and after I haue finished it receiue the reward of the Righteous who shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdome of the Father for euermore Amen The close out of Scripture Grant Lord that I may bee filled with the knowledge of thy Will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding Col. 1. 9. That I may walke worthy of thee please thee in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of thee ver 10. Strengthened with all might through thy glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse ver 11. The Deuotion for Wednesdayes Euening THE HYMNE O Giue thankes vnto the Lord for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for euer Psal. 136. 1. Which onely doth wonders for his mercy indureth for euer ver 4. Which by his excellent wisedome made the Heauens for his mercy endureth for euer ver 5. Which made great lights for his mercy endureth for euer ver 7. The Sunne to rule the day for his mercy endureth for euer ver 8. The Moone and the Stars to gouerne the night for his mercy endureth for euer ver 9. He telleth the number of the Starres and calleth them by their names Psal. 147. 4. He appointed the Moone for certaine seasons and the Sun knoweth his going downe Psal. 104. 19. Thou makest darknesse that
discipline mentioned by Saint Paul are most necessarie exercises of religion yet cannot be so safely done nor so decently nor so effectually in publike as in priuate These parts are not to be acted on the stage but within the hangings He that actes these on the stage will haue the person of an hypocrite put vpon him for it Where was our Sauiour in his agonie but alone in Gethsemaine Where was hee transfigured in his prayer but on the holy Mount alone Moses his face shined after he came from his secret parlie with God and our soules shall shine with all spirituall graces if we haue often priuate conference with him by prayer but alwayes with due reuerence and preparation before PARAG. 2. Of Preparation Preparation to religious exercises is twofold 1 Extraordinarie as watching fasting and the like of which see the admonition for ash-Ash-wednesday 2 Ordinary which consisteth in 1 Clensing our conscience from the guilt and staine of foule sinnes especially grosse actuall sins newly committed 2 Sequestring our thoughts from worldly cares businesses 3 Considering before hand what the RELIGIOVS worke is wee are about and how we ought to performe it and carrie our selues in it Moses put off his shooes and Dauid washed his hands before he drew neare to God The Iewes and Turkes at this day wash themselues before they enter their Temples and the ancient Pagans vsed many ablutions and lustrations before they durst come in sight of their faigned gods The vncleane Spirit in the Gospell had a cleane lodging and shall we entertaine the most pure and holy Spirit of God in an vncleane roome in our soules What Courtier presumeth to come into the Kings presence in stinking and nastie cloathes or with his hands and face all besmeared with dirt or spotted with inke How dare we then appeare before God with a foule and nastie conscience with a heart full of malice eyes full of adulterie hands full of the treasures of wickednesse mouthes full of deadly poyson of Aspes When wee haue defiled our eyes with vnchast lookes shall we presently cast them vp to heauen and confidently looke God in the face who is a God of most pure eyes and cannot endure the least spot of impuritie when we haue defiled our hands with bloud or vncleannesse or telling our vse money shall we presently lift them vp in supplication to God when wee haue defiled our tongues with corrupt and rotten communication shall we presently employ them in diuine prayer when we haue defiled our bodies with beastly lusts and wallowed in the mire of swinish pleasures shall wee presently present our selues as a sacrifice vnto God in priuate or publike deuotion God by his holy Prophet teacheth vs another lesson wash you make you cleane put away the euill of your doings from before mine eyes Cease to do euill learne to do well Come now let vs conferre and reason together Secondly he that will consecrate his thoughts and affections by priuate Deuotion vnto God must remoue and sequester them from earthly affaires and worldly negotiations For the cares of this life as they choake the seedes of the word so they stifle deuout meditation in the wombe that conceiueth them It is not more difficult to cast vp one eye to heauen and the other downe on the earth at the same instant then to fixe our cogitations and intentions at once on God and the world Holinesse in the Greeke implyeth a direct contradiction to earthlinesse Hagios is deriued from A the priuatiue particle and Ge signifying earth as if you would say vnearthlinesse God is a Spirit and cannot be otherwise seene of vs then in spirit Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God The soule of man is the glasse most truly representing Gods image If a glasse be furd or soyled with dust or dirt it reflecteth no shape or proportion aright but wipe the dust from the glasse and you shall see clearely So saith Saint Bernard rub thy glasse wipe away all dustie earthlinesse from thy mind and thou shalt see God in thy soule and conceiue cleare and diuine imaginations of him Thirdly he that desireth that God should haue respect to him and to his spirituall offerings must bee more readie to heare the wise man and looke to his foote then to make hast to offer the sacrifice of fooles What is it to offer the sacrifice of fooles but rashly and vnaduisedly not to bring and lay downe but to throw his gifts on Gods Altar without considering what he offereth or 〈◊〉 or to whom He that makes no more of prayers to God then of speaking with one of his companions nor of perusing inspired Scriptures then reading a peice of Aristotle or Liuie nor of participating of the blessed Sacrament then taking a morsell of bread or drinking a cup of wine can expect no blessing for the vse but rather ought to feare a curse for the abuse of these meanes of saluation These ordinances of God sanctifie not such but they rather prophane them Numa Pomphilius forbad any man vnder a great penaltie to salute his gods in the high way or to pray or bow or to do any reuerence to their temples or images as they walked by them in the streets and Wouer yeelds a reason of this law better then the law it selfe Diuine Maiestie sayes hee must not be sleighted holy duties must not bee suddenly slâ—bbered ouer but performed with reuerent regard 〈◊〉 religious cunctation or delay to frame and compose the mind vnto them But men haue forgotten the feare of the Lord euen in his presence and vnder his eye The holy name of God is made so common in mens mouthes and his dreadfull Maiestie so cheape in their estimamation that as they speake of him without reuerence so also they speake to him without aduised premeditation They are farre from Dauids modestie who went step by step and fetched a compasse to come to Gods altar I will wash my hands in innocencie and so I will compasse thine altar but these make but one step to it They suddenly and rudely rush vpon Almightie God neuer thinking that he is a consuming fire Augustus being inuited by a priuate Gentleman to his house entertained but slenderly below the maiestie of so great an Emperour in stead of thanking him gaue him a secret but smart checke for it I knew not said he before that we were such familiars But hath not the King of heauen and Monarke of the whole world more iust cause to censure in the like manner or more seuerely those among vs that seeme most forward to inuite and entertaine him who runne into his presence without shewing any reuerence speake vnto him without bowing their knee heare him in the Ministry of the Word without vncouering their heads participate of the dreadfull Mysteries as the Fathers call them of his
7. Purge me with Hysope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Psal. 51. 7. I will purge away thy drosse and take away all thy Tinnâ— Isa. 1. 25. For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that they also may be sanctified Iohn 17. 19. Being sanctified by the holy Ghost Rom. 15. 16. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified 1. Cor. 6. 11. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word Eph. 5. 26. For by one offering he hath perfected them for euer that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. To them that are sanctified by God the Father c. Iude 1. 1. I know that my redeemer liueth c. Iob 19. 25. Though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God ver 26. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsell and afterwards receiue me to glorie Psal. 73. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast giuen me bee with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me Ioh. 17. 24. Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Math. 25. 34. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome Luke 12. 32. If so be we suffer with him we shall also bee glorified together with him Rom. 8. 17. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glorie that shall be reuealed in vs ver 18. Whom he iustifieth them also he glorifieth ver 30. Who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned to his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith 2. Tim. 4. 7. Henceforth there is layed vp for me a crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not to me onely but vnto them also that loue his appearing ver 8. Blesse the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefits Psal. 103. 2. Which forgiueth all thy sinne and healeth all thy diseases ver 3. O Lord thou hast brought vp my soule from the graue thou hast kept me aliue that I should not go downe to the pit Psal. 30. 3. The Lord killeth and maketh aliue c. 1. Sam. 2 6. It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect Psal. 18. 32. He teacheth my hands to warre so that a bow of steele is broken by mine armes ver 34. Which satisfieth thy mouth with good things and maketh thee young and lustie as an Eagle Psal. 103. 5. Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord for he hath torne and he will heale vs he hath smitten and he will bind vs vp Hos. 6. 1. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant for with my staffe I passed ouer this Iordan and now I am become two bands Genes 32. 10. Also the Lord gaue Iob twise as much as he had before Iob 42. 10. Charge the rich in this world that they bee not high minded nor trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs richly all things to enioy 1. Ti. 6. 17. Thou hast set me at libertie when I was in thrall Psal 4. 1. Cornelius a iust man and of good report Acts 10. 22. And these all hauing obtained a good report through faith receiued not the promises Hebrewes 11. 39. Oyntment and perfume reioyce the heart so doth the sweetnes of a mans friend by heartie counsell Prou. 27â—9 Then came to Iob all his brethren and all his sisters and all they that had bene of his acquaintance c. Iob 42. 11. Thou Lord onely makest mee dwell in safetie Psal. 4. 8. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide vnder the shadow of the Almightie Psal. 91. 1. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe Psal. 121. 4. The Lord shall preserue thee from all euill he shall preserue thy soule A preparatorie Hymne collected out of diuerse Psalmes where in the deuout soule desireth Accessea. Audienceb. Assistancec. Acceptanced. a Thou sayest seeke ye my face my heart said vnto thee thy face Lord will I seeke Psal. 27. 8. Hide not thy face farre from mee nor put thy seruant away in anger ver 9. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal. 51. 11. b Heare ô Lord when I crie vnto thee haue mercy also vpon me and answer me Psal. 27. 7. Ponder my words ô Lord consider my meditation Psal. 5. 1. My heart is enditing a good matter my tongue is the pen of a ready writer Psal. 45. 1. c O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal. 51. 15. Let my prayer bee set forth before thee as incense and the lifting vp of my hands as an euening sacrifice Psal. 141. 2. Set a watch ô Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips ver 3. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart bee acceptable in thy sight ô Lord my strength and my redeemer Psal. 19. 14. A preparatorie Prayer wherein all the conditions requisite in Prayer are expressed and prayed for HEauenly Father whose gift it is that I can aske any good gift at thy hands without whose grace I cannot desire thy healthfull and sauing grace Infuse into my heart the Spirit of supplication that in an awfull reuerence of thy Maiestie out of a true sence and feeling of my wants and infirmities and a liuely faith in thy promises I may with chearefulnesse of mind and feruencie of Deuotion and constant perseuerance lift vp a pure and plaine heart vnto thee at all times humbly intreating thy souereigne bountie for such things onely as thou in thy eternall wisdome hast pre-ordained to giue and calling vpon thee in such order and manner as thou hast prescribed me to aske in that absolute patterne of all prayer set downe in the Gospell by my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. In whose name mediation and words I crie Abba Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy Name c. A preparation to the hearing of the word GOd in his infinite wisedome hath so disposed the meanes of our saluation that the soueraigne Antidote against sinne death is conueyed into the soule through the same passage whereby the deadly poyson first entered Death stole in at the eare by suggestion of the euill spirit and now life in the hearing of the word passeth in at the same gate of the soule by the operation of the holy Spirit Hast thou an eare ô Christian by thy profession for the diuell and none for God An eare to receiue poyson dropped in and not to
of thy mysticall bodie and when the head reigneth in eternall glorie the members must needs participate of glorious eternitie What shall I offer vnto thee for these so singular benefits which I receiue by the Sacrament My body is vile my soule sinfull and worse then nothing in respect of thy glorious and sacred flesh and bloud One drop of thy bloud is more to be valued then a thousand worlds which yet to testifie the aboundance of thy loue thou pouredst out and offeredst plentifully for me vpon the crosse and now affordest to me in the cup. Shall I not spend my dearest hearts bloud in thy seruice who hast shed thine for me Shall I not willingly seale thy truth if need bee with my bloud who haue now receiued the pardon of all my sinnes signed with it What shall I render to thee for all thy louing mercies contained in this conduit of thy grace I will take this cup of saluation and I will not refuse the cup of trembling for thy sake by the helpe of thy grace I will more strictly keepe my holy vowes which I haue heretofore made and now renew I will seeke to carrie my selfe as a guest of so holy a table Hauing eaten Angels meate I will endeauour my selfe to leade an Angels life Hauing supped with thee I will rest with thee haue my conuersation in heauen and dwell with thee for euer Amen THE PRACTICE OF PRIVATE DEVOtion both ordinarie and extraordinarie in health and sicknesse and at the houre of death The scope of the Author and reason of his method and order CHRISTIAN READER IN these Deuotions which I first offered for the greater part to God for my selfe and now offer to the presse for thy vse all that I intend affect and labour for is to expresâ—e in the matter pious affection in the forme Scripture phrase and elocution For it seemeth to mee most agreeable to speake to God as neare as wee can in the same language he speakes to vs which is the sanctified language of the Bible As for affected humane eloquence consisting instreined conceits of wit and swelling words of vanitie which as it is puffed vp it selfe so it puffeth vp those that vse it I hold it altogether vnfit for a Minister of the Gospell especially in meditations or exercises of this nature For in these we ought most of all to denie our selues and to captiuate not onely our thoughts to the conceptions but our tongs to the words and phrases of the inspired Oracles of God As Menander said of women that they were fairest who were not painted at all and Tullie of Atticus his booke that the grauitie of the stile and neglect of light ornaments was a graâ—e and ornament vnto it So it may be most truly auouched of holy vowes meditations and prayers that sinceritie is best art and simplicitie their garbe modesty their trimming and zeale their glorie when they are so conceiued and vttered that they shew most affection and least affectation of art wit or language Sighs are the figures that moue Almightie God and teares the fluent and most current Rhetoricke before him for he that made the mouth is not taken with words vnlesse they be such as proceed from his owne mouth and are warranted by his word such as carrie in them a manifest print of that patterne of sound or wholesome words set before vs by the Apostles Now a swelling member is not sound neither is blowne meate wholesome The wisest among the heathen could distinguish betweene a Matrons and a Curtizans attire and ornaments a loftie and a turgent stile the Asiaticke Superfluitie and Attick knife and modesty which pruned the luxuriancy of pregnant wits flourishing styles running out into superfluous stemmes that the presses of eloquence might abound not with leaues of words but iuyce sap of Sentences as it were grapes pressed together Thus eloquently Saint Ierom declareth that Athenian eloquence and singularly approued it to whose iudgement I submit onely I would adde this that euen this iuycie kinde of sententious eloquence relisheth not of a deuout soule vnlesse it haue in it the taste and tincture of the vines of Engaddy Draw me saith the Spowse we will runne after thee say her honourable attendants because of the sweete sauour of thy oyntments The spowse of Christ delighteth not in exoticall perfumes though neuer so costly because howsoeuer they please thy smell yet they corrupt the braine and oftentimes poyson the spirits But the smell of Christs oyntments who was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all his brethren is the sauour of life vnto life Therefore both the Spowse her selfe and all her maides of honour i. e. Virgins and chaste soules runne after it And this my hand-maid also followeth after them yet as Peter followed Christ a farre off The path in which shee treads is this From the generall she passeth to particular from extraordinary to ordinary from the chamber and Closet to the sicke and death-bedds Deuotion Haec erit admissa met a terendarota 1 BEcause the morning and euening were euery day in the weeke I beginne with the dayes Deuotion in generall and for morning and euening I frame such Admonitions Hymnes and Prayers as may serue for any day Sabboth or weeke day festiuall or common 2. Next I furnish the Christian Sabboth because as Ignatius styleth it it is the chiefe and soueraigne day and the Queene of all dayes and may rightly challenge the precedency of all festiualls both in regard of Gods strict command for the religious obseruing it and for that it is the sampler of them they being cut as it were out of the dayes of the weeke otherwise dayes of labour according to the patterne of the Sabboths rest 3. The feasts peculiarly dedicated to our Sauiour and the holy Ghost succeede the Sabboth and precede the weeke dayes For whatsoeuer scruple hath bin made of Saints dayes the whole world as farre as it is or euer was Christian hath obserued religiously these feasts as Monuments and a kinde of Sacraments to refresh the memory of the chiefe workes of our Lord and mysteries of our faith to checke and controle whose vniuersall and vniforme practice especially in a matter of this nature is most insolent madnesse God saith Paulinus hath garnished the Church Calender with festiuall dayes as the heauen with Starres or a garlaÌ„d with roses Is not Christ the rose of Sharon and the bright morning Starre Doubtles then the festiualls in speciall consecrated to him ought to bee as the fairest flowrs in the round garland of the yeere and brightest Starres in the Church firmament Wee neuer reade of any saith Caluin that were blamed for drawing too much water out of the well of life Neither can wee possibly giue too much honour to the King of glory Saint Bernards consequence is as sound as it is pious If we celebrate the Saints solemnities how much more ought wee to keepe
Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine owne wayes nor finding thine owne pleasure nor speaking thine owne words Isa. 58. 13. Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride vpon the high places of the earth and feede thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it ver 14. When the first day of the weeke began Marie Magdalen and the other Marie came to the sepulcher Math. 28. 1. Marke 16. 1. Iohn 20. 1. And behold there was a great earth-quake for the Angell of the Lord descended from heauen and rolled backe the stone from the doore and sate vpon it Math. 28. 2. And the Angell answered and said to the woman Feare yee not for I know that ye seeke Iesus that was crucified Math. 28. 6. He is not here for he is risen ver 7. And when the day of Pentecost was come they were all with one accord in one place Acts 2. 1. And suddenly there came a sound from heauen as of a rushing mightie wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting ver 2. And they were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speake with other tongues as the Spirit gaue them vtterance ver 4. Euery first day of the weeke let euerie one lay aside as God hath prospered him c. 1. Corinth 16. 2. And the first day of the weeke the disciples being met together to breake bread Paul preached vnto them Acts 20. 7. And I was in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behind me a great voice as it had bene of a trumpet Reu. 1. 10. THE MORNING HYMNE for the Sabbath or the Lords day Wherein the deuout soule expresseth her performance at least in desire of all holy duties requisite on the Sabbath which are 1 Priuate as a 1. Premeditation b 2. Early rising or watchfulnesse c 3. The soules examination of her selfe d 4. Prayer at home consisting of 1. Confession of sinne e Originall f Actuall g 2. Profession of faith 3. Supplication for h 1. The Church i 2. The King k 3. The Minister l 4. Our selues 2 Publike as m 1. Going to the Church n 2. Ioyning in publike prayers and thankesgiuing with the congregation o 3. Hearing the word p 4. Contributing to the poore a I haue thought vpon thy Name in the night season and haue kept thy Law Psal. 119. 55. b Early in the morning do I cry vnto thee for in thy word is my trust ver 147. c I called mine owne wayes to remembrance and turned my foote to thy testimonies ver 59. d I will make my supplication in thy presence with my whole heart be mercifull vnto me according to thy word ver 58. e Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sin hath my mother conceiued me Psal. 51. 3. f Who can tell how oft hee offendeth O cleanse thou mee from my secret faults Psal. 19. 12. g I said I will confesse my sin and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne Psal. 32. 6. h O be fauourable and gracious vnto Sion build thou the walls of Ierusalem Psal. 51. 19. Thou shalt arise ô Lord and haue mercie vpon Sion for it is time that thou haue mercie vppon her yea the time is come Psal. 102. 13. For why thy seruants thinke vpon her stones and it grieueth them to see her in the dust ver 14. i Giue the King thy iudgements ô Lord and thy righteousnesse to the Kings sonne Psal. 72. 1. Then shall hee iudge the people according vnto right and defend the poore ver 2. Hee shall keepe the simple by the right and punish the wrong doer ver 4. k Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousnesse and let thy Saints sing with ioyfulnesse Psal. 132. 9. l O send out thy light and thy truth that they may leade mee and bring mee to thy holy hill and to thy dwelling Psal. 43. 3. m I was glad when they said vnto me Let vs go into the house of the Lord. Open me the gates of righteousnesse that I may go in and giue thanks to the Lord. Psal. 118. 19. n O magnifie the Lord our God and let vs fall downe before his footestoole for he is holy Psal. 99. 5. o The Lord gaue the word great was the companie of the Preachers Psal. 68. 11. I will hearken what the Lord God will say concerning me for hee shall speake peace vnto his people and to his Saints that they turne not againe Psal. 85. 8. For his saluation is nigh them that feare him that glorie may dwell in our land ver 9. p O my soule thou hast said vnto the Lord Thou art my God my goods are nothing vnto thee Psal. 16. 2. All my delight is vpon the Saints and such as excell in vertue ver 3. An offering of a free heart will I giue thee and praise thy name because it is so comfortable Psal. 58. 7. A Prayer for the Sabbath Morning BLessed Creator and Author and finisher of the saluation of man-kind who in memorie of thy glorious rest from both thy noble workes hast blessed and sanctified a day of holy rest vnto thy selfe sanctifie me for it that laying aside my accustomed businesse and sequestring my thoughts from all worldly cares I may keepe it and my selfe holy to thee by dedicating it and deuoting my selfe wholly to thy peculiar worship and immediate seruice And to the end that this my religious seruice may bee more acceptable to thee quicken me with thy Spirit that I may performe it with all alacritie and chearefulnesse and may make thy Sabbath my delight Touch my heart and tongue with a coale from thine Altar that from the sweet incense of my meditations hymnes prayers and thanksgiuing thou mayest smell a sauour of rest O holy Lord God of Sabbath sanctifie thy rest vnto me let thy Spirit rest in me that I may find rest to my soule from all tentations troubles and feares and may rest from my owne workes which are painefull and sinfull trauels and may employ this day all the powers and faculties of my soule and bodie in doing and considering thy workes in adoring thy Maiestie and admiring thy wisdome and acknowledgeing thy power and embracing thy loue and magnifying thy goodnesse and reioycing in thy mercies trembling at thy iudgements In visiting thy holy Temple and praising thee with thy Saints and offering vp the calues of my lips In diligently reading thy Scriptures attentiuely hearing thy word reuerently celebrating thy mysteries charitably relieuing thy members and zealously practising all holy duties both publike and priuate O let me this whole day walke with thee as Enoch did and talke with thee as Moses did and seeke thy face as Dauid did And grant that beholding thine image in thine holy word as in a cleare and cristall mirrour I may bee changed into the same image euen from glorie to glorie Let this Sabbath put
come then that which is in part shall be abolished 1 Cor. 13. 10. Loue doth neuer fall away though that prophecying be abolished or that tongues cease c. ver 8. I pray that they all may be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee euen that they may be also one in vs c. Ioh. 17. 21. An Hymne for the Sabbath Euening REturne to thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath dealt graciously with thee Psal. 116. 7. In Gods Word will I reioyce in the Lords Word will I comfort me Psal. 56. 10. The words of the Lord are pure words like as siluer which from the earth is tryed and purified seauen times in the fire Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will bee alway praysing thee They will goe from strength to strength and to the God of Gods appeareth euery one of them in Sion Psal. 84. 47. I will giue thankes to the Lord in the Congregation from the ground of the heart Psal. 68 26. Vnto thee ô God I will pay my vowes vnto thee will I giue thanks Psal. 56. 12. Shew the light of thy countenance vpon thy seruant and teach me thy Statutes Psalme 119. An Euening Prayer for the Sabbath HOly holy holy Lord God Almighty which was which art and which art to come hallow my nature that I may hallow thy Name As thou impartest thy goodnes to me whereby I liue and moue in thee so I beseech thee communicate to mee some measure of thy holinesse that I may liue and moue to thee Let thy Spirit of grace possesse my body and soule that the desires of my minde and thoughts of my heart and words of my lipps may be holinesse vnto thee Sanctifie me that I may glorifie thee And first with ioy and thankfulnesse I acknowledge it a special testimony of thy loue that thou hast giuen me liberty and meanes to keepe a holy Sabbath vnto thee to meete in thy House to offer vp my ioynt-prayers and thanks-giuing with thy holy congregation to confesse my sinnes to professe my faith to lay open my wants to cheere vp my selfe by singing the sweete songs of Sion to heare thy sacred Word read and Preached whereby my faith hath beene strengthened in the misteries of saluation my hope established in the promises of thy Gospell and my life set forward in a setled course of holinesse and righteousnesse whereby the Kingdome of sinne and Satan is beate down and destroyed and the Kingdome of Christ built vp in me By this thy Word the carelesse sinner is admonished the ignorant instructed the presumptuous terrified and the penitent comforted the power of sinne is abated the force of temptations weakned the motions of the spirit quickned grace reuined and my Election assured by these insallible Marks and tokens thereof set before me in holy Scriptures Blessed bee thy Name for it this day thy Word hath dwelt with me richly in all wisedome The dispenser of thy misteries hath scattered many Doctrines like so many pearles among thy people Lord grant that with Mary I keepe these and all thy sayings in my heart and make vse of them in my life and receiue comfort from them at my death And here I would proceed to intreate at thy hands the continuance and increase of thy spiritual and temporall blessings vpon mee but my sinnes lye at the doore of my conscience and affright mee My heart smites mee for my failings in the performance of the duties of thy Sabbath My deuout Meditations haue bin stefled in the wombe that bare them my prayers haue not beene without distractions my hearing without wearisomenesse nor my almes-deeds without grudging Pardon deare Father my want of preparation before I come to thine house of intention and Zeale at thy seruice and want of Meditation and Application of those things which I heard there since I came thence Bury I beseech thee these slips and all other my sins especially of this weeke and day in the night of eternall obliuion Ease me of the burden of them that I may more securely repose my body and soule vpon thy gracious protection to take their naturall refreshing by sleepe whereby I may bee enabled and strengthened to doe thee better seruice the next day in walking carefully diligently conscionably and constantly in the waies of thy commandements and the duties of my calling The close out of Scripture Now the very God of peace sanctify mee throughout and I pray God that my whole spirit and soule and body may bee kept blamelesse vnto the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ Amen THE PRACTICE of Extraordinarie DEVOTION In the Religious obseruation of Christian Feasts as namely our Lords Birth Circumcision Epiphanie Resurrection Ascension Sending downe the Holy Ghost Fasts as namely Ashwednesday Good friday By Daniel Featly Doctor in Diuinity LONDON Printed by G. M. and R. B. for Nicholas Bourne and are to be sold at his shop at the South Entrance of the Royall Exchange 1626. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE and Religious Ladie the Countesse of DENBIGH May it please your Honour YOur conference with me about my conference with the Iesuites and your gracious acceptation of the relation and defence thereof left in me such an impression of the Character of your Noble and Religious disposition that I euer since desired the aduantage of some good opportunitie to testifie my dutifull respect to your Honour The truth of God receiueth not onely support but great honour from the patronage and countenance of great Personages and she much glorieth in finding so strong a Champion euen in the weaker sexe Albeit the Sun-beames are alwayes most bright in themselues yet they neuer appeare so glorious to vs as when they fall vpon crystall glasse or pretious stones In like sort Religion and vertue the raies of diuine light in the soule although they shine alwayes brightly in themselues yet they neuer seeme so conspicuous and resplendent as when they receiue some luster from the subiect when Nobilitie of birth and minde concurre when ornaments of bodie and soule meete when eminencie of grace eminency of conditions toyne in one and reflect mutually each on the other And verily if your more then or dinarie fauour and respect to the Ministers of the Gospell and to my selfe in particular had not made this my voluntarie oblation a necessarie obligation to your Ladiship yet your constancie in the truth and loue to Sion and her solemne and sacred assemblies might iustly challenge to your Honour the Dedication of this part of my HAND-MAIDES Taske which is to furnish Christian fastes and feasts with proper MEDITATIONS HYMNES and PRAYERS As our bodie liues to the soule by which it liueth so our soule should liue to God by whom it liueth And no otherwise is the life of the bodie preserued by heate and moisture then the life of the soule is maintained and kept by the heate of diuine loue and radicall moisture of teares bedewing the heart
of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made mee free from the Law of sinne and of death Romans 8. 2. Yee haue not receiued the Spirit of bondage againe to feare but the Spirit of Adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father verse 15. They despight the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. The Spirit maketh Intercession for vs with sighs and grones that cannot be expressed Romans 9. 29. To one is giuen the Spirit of the Word of Wisedome to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit 1 Corinthians 12. 8. All these worketh one and the same Spirit verse 11. The Father of Glory giue vnto vs the Spirit of Wisedome and reuelation in the Knowledge of him Ephes. 1. 17. The Spirit of Glory and of GOD resteth in vs. 1 Peter 4. 14. When the Spirit of Truth is come hee will leade you into all Truth Ioh. 16. 13. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 1 Corinthians 3. 17. He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life euerlasting Gal. 6. 8. Walke in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16. The fruits of the Spirit are loue peace ioy c. verse 17. If yee be led by the Spirit yee are not vnder the Law verse 18. Whosoeuer speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not bee forgiuen him neither in this world nor in the world to come Mat. 12. 32. Of how much sorer punishment shall hee bee thought worthy who hath troden vnder foot the Sonne of GOD and hath accounted the blood of the couenant wherewith hee was sanctified an vnholy thing and hath done despight to the Spirit of God Hebrewes 10. 29. A Prayer for Whit sunday INcomprehēsible Spirit the third Person in the blessed and glorious Trinity who after the Father had manifested himselfe to the world in the works of Creation and the Sonne in the works of Redemption finished in the flesh diddest manifest thy selfe on this day in a wonderfull manner by the sound of a rushing winde and the light of fiery tongues Manifest thy selfe most powerfully and gloriously in the vniuerfall Church by enlarging her bounds and making vp her breaches and hallowing her Assemblies and furnishing her Pastors and knitting the hearts of all her members in true loue the bond of perfection Perfect the work of sanctification in all thine Elect manifest thy selfe also graciously this day and declare thy gifts in the tongues of the Preachers and eares of the hearers and the hearts of all the Congregation Direct the mouthes of the Preachers that they may skilfully sowe the Seede and open the eares and mollify the hearts of the hearers that they may receiue it profitably and bring forth the fruits of the Spirit abundantly which are loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance c. O Eternall and infinite holy Ghost the loue of the Father and the Sonne who diddest descend vpon our Sauiour in the likenesse of a Doue without gall purge out of my conscience all gall of malice and bitternesse and grant that with meeknesse I may receiue the ingraffed Word which is able to saue my soule O holyest Spirit eternall breath of the Father and the Son and former of the Word in the wombe who camest with a sound come down vpon me in the sound of thy Word Preached though not in the extraordinary gifts of Prophecy tongues and healing yet in the ordinary graces of faith hope and charity the Spirit of supplication and Prayer of wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding of power and ghostly comfort O heauenly Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Sonne who descendedst from heauen like a mighty rushing winde throw mee downe to the ground in humility and prostrate my heart and soule before thee Beate downe all strong holds of carnall imaginations and worldly thoughts resisting thy grace Chase away all cloudes of error out of my vnderstanding cleare my will of all foggs of noysome desires coole and refresh me in the heate of persecution fill the sailes of my affections and driue mee speedily into the faire hauen where I would bee O diuine fire burning continually in the hearts of the faithfull and consuming all our spirituall sacrifices who this day diddest descend and appeare in the likenesse of fiery tongues bee a fire in my heart and tongue that I may be feruent in my Meditations and Prayers and Zealous in the profession and defence of thy Truth Inlighten the darknesse of my vnderstanding inflame the coldnesse of my affections purge out the drosse of my corruptions direct me in all the affaires of this life assist mee in all the exercises of Deuotion strengthen me in al the assaults of temptation comfort me in all the miseries and afflictions seale all thy gracious promises of thy Gospell vnto mee and seale mee to the day of redemption So bee it Amen Into my minde descend ô Doue Purge gall cleane out of me With siluer wings raise me aboue My Sauiour Christ to see PART 1. SVPPART 4. The Christian FAST'S Deuotion Of FAST'S in generall There is a 3-old fast 1 Fast from sinne 2 Fast for sinne 3 Fast against sin THe fast from sinne ought to bee perpetuall The fast for sinne is extraordinarie vpon speciall occasions to auert some dreadfull iudgement or auoide som imminent danger The fasts against sinne ought to be more frequent and according to the customes of the ancient Church and the present practise of the Church of England They are Weekly on the Fridaies Monethly on the Holy-day Eeues Quarterly in the Ember weekes Yeerely in the Lent THe Doctrine of fasting hath met with errors and superstitions on both hands Some ascribing too much to it and placing the immediate and principall worship of God in it some ascribing too little and making it no matter of Religion at all Some superstitiously obseruing and others out of a contrary superstition scrupulously declining the obseruation of all Fasts appointed by the Church To steere the iudgement in a middle course betweene these rocks on both sides conceiue thus of the nature of Religious acts the seuerall kindes of Fasts and the vse thereof A Religious act or work may be taken 1 In a larger sence for any work commanded by Christian Religion in vvhich sence all the duties of the second Table may be called Religious acts or workes as well as the first 2 In a more restrained acception for such workes and acts in which Religion properly taken for the worship of God consists And these are of two sorts 1 Principall as Believing in God Praying the like 2 Accessarie seruing as helps or preparations to the princi pall as Watching Fasting and the like FAsting is not to be esteemed such an act of religion as wherein principally and immediatly we worship God for the Kingdome of God as the Apostle reacheth consisteth not in meates and
as a miraculous demonstration of his Diuinity or an euidence that hee was the true Messias because hee accomplished the Types foregoing in Moses and Eliah and in this regard it is to bee admired of vs but no way to be imitated And in this sence Caluin Videlius's words mayâ—passe and Saint Chrisostome must bee taken vnlesse thy will haue him contradict himselfe Secondly as a morall remedy against tentation or rather a spirituall Armour which Christ tooke vpon him when he was to buckle with the Diuell and thus wee may and ought to imitate Christ's Fast in the kinde though not in the degree As we cannot fast as Christ fasted so neither can we pray as Christ prayed whole nights and with strong cries and a bloody sweat yet no Christians euer doubted but that we may and must follow Christ in all religious exercises though not with euen paces yet as wee are able And because they appeale to S. Chrysostome let him be the Vmpire Our Lord Iesus Christ wheÌ„ he entred into the lists with Sathan fasted forty days giuing vs an example how wee ought to arme our selues against the Diuel Certainely if the Learned Bishops afterwards Martyrs that penned our Booke of Common Prayers had thought Christ's Fast of forty dayes no way to belong to our Fast they would neuer haue appointed the Story of Christ's Fast for the Gospell the first Sunday in Lent nor touched vpon it in the Collects For thine instruction meditate on Christ's Fast. For thy comfort apply the benefit of it to thy soule For thy correction condemne thy luxury and consider what great cause thou hast to humble thy soule with fasting Quicken Thy repentance by the Psalme Thy fasting by the exhortation Thy Deuotion by the prayer ensuing The Psalme for ash-Ash-wednesday PVt mee not to rebuke ô Lord in thine anger neither chasten mee in thy heauy displeasure Psal 38. 1. For thine arrowes stick fast in mee and thy hand presseth me sore verse 2. There is no life in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne verse 3. For my wickednesses are gone ouer my head they are like a sore burden too heauy for me to beare verse 4. Lord thou knowest all my desires and my groaning is not hid from thee verse 9. Heare my Prayer ô Lord consider my desire ô hearken vnto mee for thy Truth and righteousnesse sake Psal. 43. 1. And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified verse 2. My spirit is vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate verse 4. I stretch forth my hands vnto thee my soule gaspeth vnto thee as a thirsty land verse 6. Lord be mercifull vnto me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee Psal. 41. 9. O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercy thinke vpon me ô Lord for thy goodnesse Psal. 21. 6. I haue eaten ashes as it were bread and mingled my drinke with weeping Psal. 102. 9. And that because of thine indignation and wrath for thou hast taken me vp and cast me downe verse 10. My dayes are gone like a shadow and I am withered like grasse verse 11. When thou with rebuke doest chasten man for sinne thou makest his beauty to consume away like as it were a moth fretting a garment euery man therefore is but vanity Psal. 39 12. What man is he that liueth shall not see death and shal deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue Psal. 89. 47. When the breath of man goeth forth he shall turne againe to his earth and then all his thoughts perish Psal. 146. 3. What profit is there in my blood when I goe downe to the pit Psal. 30. 9. Shall the dust giue thanks to thee Or shall it declare thy Truth verse 10. Heare Lord and haue mercy vpon me Lord be thou my help verse 11. Here my Prayer ô Lord and let thine eares consider my colling hold not thy peace at my teares Psal. 39. 13. For I am a stranger vpon earth and a soiourner as all my Fathers were verse 14. O spare me a little that I may recouer my strength before I go hence and bee no more seene verse 15. AN ADMONITION FOR ASH-WEDNESDAY OR Exhortation to Fasting THE ANALSYS A deuout Christian ought to Fast because 1 God commandeth it 2 Christ commendeth it by Precept Example 3 The Saints practised it Vnder the Law Vnder the Gospell 4 It expelleth the Diuell 5 It quickens Prayer 6 It humbleth the Spirit 7 It tameth the flesh 8 It auerteth God's Iudgements 9 It obtaineth blessings Temporall Spirituall THE TEXTS BLow the Trumpet in Zion sanctifie a Fast call a solemne Assemblie Ioh. 2. 16. Is this the Fast which the Lord requireth c. Isa. 58. 5. The Bridegroome shall be taken away and then they shall Fast. Mat. 9. 15. When yee Fast bee not as the hypocrites c. Mat. 6. 16. Giue your selues to Fasting 1 Cor. 7. 5. And when he had fasted forty dayes and forty nights afterward he was an hungry Mat. 5. 2. Moses fasted Exod. 34 28. Fliah Fasted 1 King 19. 8. I ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth Dan. 10. 3. Hanna serued God with Fasting and Prayer Luk. 2. 37. About this howre I Fasted Acts 10. 30. As they Ministred to the Lord and Fasted Acts 13. 2. Then Fasted they and Prayed verse 3. In Fasting often 2 Cor. 11. 27. And Prayed and Fasted Acts 14. 23. This kinde of Diuell goeth not out but by Fasting and Prayer Mat. 17. 21. I humbled my soule with Fasting Psal. 35. 13. I beate downe my body 1 Cor. 9. 27. And hee proclaimed through Nineueh Let neither man nor beast taste any thing neither feede nor drinke water Ionah 3. 7. And God saw their workes and God repented him of the euill which hee said he would doe vnto them and hee did it not verse 10. Go and assemble all the Iewes that are found in Shushan and Fast ye for me and eate not nor drinke in three dayes I also and my Maides will Fast likewise Ester 4. 16. And the Posts went forth with speede to exe cute the Kings decrees Ester 8. 14. Mordecay went out in a crowne of gold and to the Iewes was come Ioy and gladnesse verse 15. I Fasted Acts 10. 30. Peter sayd Of a trueth I see c. ver 34. The holy Ghost fell on them verse 4. 4. A Prayer for ash-Ash-wednesday O Let not my Lord be angry that I who am but dust and ashes dare speake vnto him for my sinnes cry for vengeance and shall I be silent for pardon Gracious God either silence them or heare mee If thou wilt not heare the voice of my words heare the voice of my teares if thou wilt not heare them heare the voice of thy sons blood which
To couer their infirmities 7. To comfort them by their vertuous disposition and towardlinesse 8. To aide them according to their power if they stand in néede of their helpe or reliefe SECT 44. DOMIN 44. Of the speciall duties of Masters Q. What are the speciall duties of Masters A. 1. To take speciall care that their seruant serue God and liue in good order 2. To prouide for them as parts of their family such things as are néedefull and fit 3. To vse their power ouer them moderately knowing that they also haue a Master in heauen 4. To reward them agréeably to their deserts paying them their wages in due season and otherwise gratifying them as it shall séeme fit and they deserue SECT 45. DOMIN 45. Of the speciall duties of Seruants Q. What are the speciall duties of Seruants A. 1. To doe their Masters true and faithfull seruice 2. To obey them and submit themselues vnto them though they are froward 3. To pray for their Masters safetie wealth and happinesse SECT 46. DOMIN 46. Of the duties of married folke Q. What are the duties of married folke A. They are of two sorts Common to both Proper Q. What are the common duties A. 1. To dwell together 2. To expresse all entire and loyall affection one to another 3. To bend their endeuours to helpe each other and both to ioyne for the good of the familie SECT 47. DOMIN 47. Of the duties of the Husband Q. What are the proper duties of the Husband A. 1. Wisely to gouerne his Wife as béeing her head 2. To nourish and cherish her as his owne flesh 3. To instruct her in the points of Religion 4. To protect and defend her from iniurie and wrong SECT 48. DOMIN 48. Of the duties of the Wife Q. What are the proper duties of the Wife A. 1. To yéeld reuerent respect to her Husband of what condition soeuer he be 2. To obey as a Wife in all things submitting her selfe to her Husband SECT 49. DOMIN 49. Of the duties of Pastors Q. What are the duties of godly Pastors A. 1. To increase their Talent of knowledge by the study of the holy Scriptures that they may the more sufficiently discharge their dutie to their Flock 2. To conceiue and deliuer holy formes of Prayers and thanksgiuing in the name of the whole Congregation 3. To preach the Word of God Sincerely Faithfully Diligently Discréetly Zealously 4. To administer the Sacraments rightly and duly 5. To exercise such ecclesiasticall discipline as appertaineth to them according to Gods Word and the Canons of the Church 6. To conforme themseluâ—â— to the holy and decent orders of the Church performing all rites and ceremonies enioyned by it as reading the Litturgie marrying burying c. 7. To leadâ— a strickt and exemplary life SECT 50. DOMIN 50. Of the duties of the flock toward their Pastor Q. What are the duties of the flocke towards their Pastor A. 1. To pray with and for their Pastour that his Ministery may be effectuall among them 2. To heare their owne Pastor diligently 3. To obey him in the Lord. 4. To haue him in reuerent account and estimation for his works sake 5. To yéeld him sufficient and comfortable maintenance by paying duly and willingly their Tithes and offerings where the Church hath so well prouided according to Gods Law and where it hath not to supply the defect by voluntarie contributions 6. To ayde and assist him against such as oppose his Ministerie SECT 51. DOMIN 51. Of the speciall duties of men in respect of personall callings Q. What are the speciall duties of men in respect of their personall callings A. 1. To prepare and fit themselues for some lawfull calling most agréeable to their gifts meanes and inclinations 2. To enter into it lawfully and discreetly not vnaduisedly nor by indirect meanes 3. To walke in it worthily viz 1. Religiously in all workes of their calling hauing a reference to God 2. Wisely spending their time in necessary and profitable workes of their calling not curious or superfluous 3. Diligently and assiduously not liuing idely vpon other mens labours 4. Uprightly vsing no vnlawfull meanes of gaining 5. Ingenuously frée from couetousnesse and basenesse 6. Decently within the compasse of their calling not excéeding in apparell retinue their table or other expense 7. In-offensiuely giuing no scandall to their calling by their vicious life and conuersation 4. To leaue if willingly when either God calls them to an higher or more necessary or profitable calling or disableth them for this or authority remoues them Otherwise to hold it constantly to the end SECT 52. DOMIN 52. Of the speciall Antidotes or preseruatiues against sinne Q. What are the speciall preseruatiues against sinne and meanes to increase sanctifying grace A. 1. Frequent and feruent Prayer with thanksgiuing 2. The exercising our selues in reading and hearing the holy Scriptures and meditating vpon them day and night 3. Often receiuing the blessed Sacrament with due preparation before and holy vowes after 4. Conferring with godly Pastors and other Religious Diuines touching our spirituall estate and following their holy counsells and directions 5. Conuersing with the best sort of Christians and imitating them in the best things 6. Often visiting the sicke lying vpon their death beds and making vse of their godly speeches and behauiour at their departure 7. Reading or if we are not able to reade hearing read deuout Treatises or discourses Sermons Meditations Histories c. 8. Euery night examining Our faith by the Créede Our desires by the Lords Prayer Our thoughts words déeds by the Decalogue 9. Obseruing what temptations wee are most subiect to and arming our selues against them 10. Auoiding all occasions of sinne especially flying cuill company 11. Resisting the first motions to sinne and killing the Cockatrice in the egge 12. Employing our selues continually about some lawfull work that the Deuill finde vs not idle 13. The consideration of the dreadfull Maiesty of GOD in whose presence and eye wee are alwaies 14. The consideration of the infinite goodnesse of God whom we grieuously offend by the least sin 15. The consideration of God's fearefull iudgements vpon sinners in former times and in our memory 16. The pricking our conscience with the remembrance of our former sinnes especially such as haue layen heauiest vpon vs saying to our selues in the words of the Apostle or the like What fruit had we in those things whereof wee are now ashamed 17. The consideration of the certainty of our death and the vncertainty of the time 18. The consideration of the strickt account we are to make at the day of Iudgement 19. The consideration of the euerlasting and vnsufferable torments of the wicked in hell 20. The consideration of the eternall and vnconceiueable ioyes of the godly in heauen Who so doeth these things shall neuer fall HEB. 13. VERSE 20. 21. 20. The God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through