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
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
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
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
his who made them Saints In the Deuotion fitted to these dayes first I lay the ground out of Scripture and then descant vpon it in the Admonition Hymne and Prayer all which allude to the History of that feast 4. After these feasts the week-dayes come in their order The Saints Martyrs and Arch-angels dayes I haue purposely omitted not that I dislike the keeping of them for I haue euer and will iustify and maintaine the obseruation of them according to that godly institution and practice of our Church But I desired to keepe my book within the compasse of the title which is a Manuell And albeit wee honour Saints and Martyrs yet religious Deuotion which is my Theame is restrained to God by holy Dauid Whom haue I in heauen but thee ô Lord. In the Church of Rome there are many Deuotionâ— to Saints and more to our Lady then to Christ but wee acknowledge no religious Deuotions but to him who charmed the old Serpent with that voice of his Father Him onely shalt thou serue In the weeke daies Deuotion those words of our Sauiour were my loadestarre My father worketh and I worke For all the morning prayers haue relation to some worke of God the Father in the sixe dayes of Creation and all the euening to some worke of God the Sonne in the sixe dayes immediately before his glorious resurrection The admonitions for morning and euening containe 12 beatitudes or blessednes 8 mentioned by our Sauiour Mathew 5. and the rest out of other choice Texts of Scripture All which blessednesses I wish thee from my heart desiring thee to afford me one Prayer who haue stored thee with many Thine in the Lord Iesus D. F. THE MORNINGS DEVOTION An admonition for the Morning VVEE haue a more sure word of Prophecie whereunto ye do well that yee take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place vntill the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts 1 Pet. 1. 19. I am the roote and the off-spring of Dauid saith Christ and I am the bright morning Starre Reu. 22. 16. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Ephes. 5. 14. It is now time to awake out of sleepe for now our saluation is neerer then when wee belieued Rom. 13. 11. The night is past the day is at hand therfore cast off the works of darknesse and put on the armour of light verse 12. See that ye walk circumspectly redeeming the time because the dayes are euill Eph 5. 15. Walke honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonesse not in strife and enuying but put on the Lord Iesus and make no prouision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 13. 14. A Hymne for the Morning O Lord thou art my God earely will I seeke thee my soule thirsteth for thee I will sing alowd of thy power and mercy in the morning Psal. 63. 1. 2. Psal. 59. 10. My tongue shall speake of thy righteousnesse and thy praise all the day long Psal. 35. 28. I layd mee downe and slept for thou Lord sustainedst me Psal. 3. 5. I haue dwelt in the secret place of the most High abode vnder the shadow of the Almighty Psal. 91. 1. 4 He shall couer me with his feathers and vnder his wings will I trust his faithfulnesse and truth shall bee my shield and buckler ver 4. Lord arise and lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon me Ps. 4. 7. Teach me to number my dayes that I may apply my heart vnto wisedome Instruct mee in the way which I shall go and guide me with thine eye Psal. 90. 12. Psal. 32. 9. Teach mee thy way ô Lord and I will walke in thy truth ô knit my heart to thee that I may feare thy Name Psal. 86. 11. Hold vp my goings in thy path that my footsteps slip not Psal. 17 5. O satisfie mee earlie with thy mercy and that soone that I may reioyce and be glad al my dayes Psal. 143. 8. Let the beauty of the Lord my God be vpon mee establish thou the worke of my hands vpon me ô prosper thou my handie worke Psal. 90. 17. A Prayer for the Morning GRacious Father rich in mercy to all thy children that call vpon thee accept I beseech thee this my morning Sacrifice of praise thanks giuing which with a willing heart and deuout affection I offer vnto thee in confidence of thy sonnes infinite merits and acknowledgement of thine euerlasting loue and those inestimable benefits which by him and for him and with him thou conferredst vpon me and all thine Elect in him How deare are the thoughts of thy mercies vnto me how great is the â—umme of them Who can value the precious Pearle of thy Word and treasure of thy grace Who can raise his thoughts and desires to the high price of our â—aling an incorruptâ—ble crowne of glory layd vp for vs in heauen Lord fit me with thy grace that I may abound in thanksgiuing and praises for it Enlarge my heart with thy loue that I may in some sort comprehend with al Saints the measure of thine infinite â—oue mâ—nifested to me in the faith of Iesus Christ and abundantly testified by writing my name in the booke of life before I was and engrauing me as a signet with thine owne image at my creation and when I had defaced and in a manner quite raced it out by renuing it in me againe and redeeming mee that had sold my selfe as a bondslaue vnder sinne and death not with corruptible things as gold siluer or pretious stones but with the inualuable and incorruptible blood of thine onely begotten son who gaue his life for my ransome and by his suffering and death hath purchased for me a crowne of life To whom therefore with thee and thy spirit which sealeth all thy mercies vnto me and me vnto the day of redemption bee ascribed the whole glory of my creation redemption sanctification and saluation For vnto me nothing belongeth but shame and confusion who insteede of embracing any mercy and answering thy loue prouoke thy iustice and incense thy wrath and grieue thy spirit and despight thy grace and as much as in me lyeth crucifie againe to my selfe the Lord of life and trample the blood of the New Testament vnder foot Such is my peruerse nature and vngratious disposition that the better thou art to me the worse I proue to thee What couldest thou haue done vnto mee that thou hast not done Thou hast planted me in a fruitfull country thou hast fenced mee with thy prouidence watered me with the former and latter raine of thy Word pruned me with milde and seasonable afflictions and thou castest continually the hot and bright beames of thy fauour vpon me and thou lookest for grapes but behold nothing but wilde grapes What remaineth therefore but that thou shouldest roote mee out of thy vineard and plant another in my
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
the earth and of them that remaine in the broad Sea ver 5. Thou stillest the raging of the Sea and the noise of the waues and the madnesse of his people ver 7. They that dwell in the vttermost parts of the earth shall bee afraid of thy tokens thou that makest the our goings of the Morning and Euening to praise thee ver 8. Thou visitest the earth and blessest it thou makest it very plenteous ver 9. Thou waterest her furrowes thou sendest raine into the little Vallies thereof thou makest it sofi with the drops of raine and blessest the encrease of it ver 11. Thou crownest thy yeeres with thy goodnesse and thy clouds drop fatnesse ver 12. They shall drop vpon the dwellings of the wildernesse and the little hils shall reioyce on euery side ver 13. Hee gathereth the waters of the Sea together and layeth vp the deepe as in a Treasure-house Psal. 33. 7. O praise the Lord of Heauen praise him in the height Psal. 148. 1. Praise him all ye Heauens and ye waters that bee aboue the Heauens ver 4. Praise the Lord vpon earth yee Dragons and all deepes ver 7. Fire and Haile Snow and vapours wind and storme fulfilling his Word ver 8. Sing vnto God ò ye Kingdomes of the earth ô sing praises vnto the Lord Psal. 68. 32. Which sitteth in the Heauens ouer all from the beginning loe he doth send out his voice yea and that a mighty voice ver 33. Ascribe ye power vnto God his worship and strength are in the Clouds ver 34. The Admonition for Munday being an Exhortation to humility or pouerty in Spirit Wherunto our Sauiour ascribeth the first BEATITVDE THE ANALYSIS The speciall motiues to humility set down in the Scriptures are 1 God's infinite Majestie puritie perfection 2 Mans vilenesse sinfulnesse wretchednesse wants of vvhich before See the Preparation to Prayer 3 Diuine Precepts 4 Holy patterns of this vertue in God the Father Christ. The Saints vnder the Lawe Gospell 5 Gratious promises made to the humble of 1 Neerenesse societie with God 2 Sauing knowledge 3 Sanctifying grace 4 Honour and preferment 5 Eternal blessednes in heauen THE TEXTS TAke my Yoake vpon you and learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart and you shall finde rest to your soules Mat. 11. 29. Vnlesse yee become as one of these little ones yee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Mat. 18. 23. Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp Iam. 4. 10. Decke your selues inwardly with lowlinesse of minde 1. Pet. 5. 5. Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God that he may raise you in due time verse 6. Who is like to the Lord our God that hath his dwelling on high and yet humbleth himselfe to behold the things that are in heauen and in earth Psal. 113. 5. I am among you as hee that ministreth Luke 22. 17. And he began to wash his Disciples feet and to wipe them with the towell wherewith hee was girded Iohn 13. 5. He emptied himselfe or made himselfe of no reputation Phil. 2. 7. He humbled himselfe and became obedient to death euen the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 8. I will speake vnto the Lord who am but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 17. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and of all thy truth which thou hast shewed to thy seruant Gen. 32. 10. And he said wherewith shall I saue Israel Behold my Father is poore in Manasseth and I am the least in my fathers house Iude 6. 15. Lord I am not high-minded c. Psal. 131. 1. And Dauid said vnto Saul who am I and what is my life and my father's family in Israel that I shall bee sonne in Law to a King 1. Sam. 18. 18. And now O Lord my God thou hast made thy seruant King in stead of Dauid my father and I am but a little child I know not how to goe in and out 1. King 3. 7. Notwithstanding Ezekiah humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart both hee and the inhabitants of Ierusalem so that the wrath of the Lord came not vp them 2. Chron. 32. 20. Then Iob arose and rent his Mantle and shaued his head and fell downe vpon the ground and worshipped Iob 1. 20. O Lord God righteousnesse belongeth to thee but to vs confusion of face at this day Dan. 9. 7. He that commeth after me is greater then I whose shoo-latchet I am not worthy to vnloose Math. 3. 11. When hee was not farre from the house the Centurian sent vnto him saying Master trouble not thy selfe I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder the roofe of my house Luke 7. 6. When Simon Peter saw it hee fell downe on his knees saying Goe from me Lord for I am a sinfull man Luke 5. 8. The Publicane standing a farre off would not lift vp his eyes to heauen but striking his breast said Lord be mercifull to mee a sinner Luke â—8 15. I am the least of the Apostles not worthy to be called an Apostle c. 1. Cor. 11. 9. Iesus Christ came to saue sinners whereof I am chiefe 1. Tim. 1. 15. I am the Rose of the field and the Lilly of the valleys Cant. 2. 1. I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of an humble contrite heart to reuiue the spirit of the humble Is. 57. 15 To this man will I look euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Isa. 66. 2. When pride commeth then commeth shame but with the lowly is wisedome Prou. 11. 2. Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and reuealed them vnto babes Math. 11. 21. Hee giueth more grace wherefore hee saith God resisteth the proud but giueth grace to the humble Iam. 4. 6. Before destruction the heart of man is haughty but before honour is humilitie Pro. 18. 1â— Hee that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Luke 14. 11. He raiseth the poore out of the mire and lifteth the needie out of the dunghill Psal. 113. 7. That he may set him with Princes euen with the Princes of his people verse 8. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 5. 3. THE PRAYER FOR Munday morning composed of 1. Petitions sutable to the worke of the day 2. Motiues to humilitie agreeable to the precedent exhortation The Prayer it selfe The second dayes Deuotion FAther Almighty maker of heauen and earth who createdst the Euening and the Morning the second day as wel as the first Continue I beseech thee vnto mee as well the comfortable rest of the Euening to refresh mee after my labour and trauaile as the most needfull light of the Morning to manage my affaires and businesses But especially perpetuatt vnto mee the repose of a quieâ—
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