vndefiled as the Temple of the Holy Ghost and that our Soules may be defended cherished and tendered as the apple of thine Eye Keepe vs Lord this Night from all euill which may happen eyther to our Bodyes or our Soules extend thy Goodnesse toward all those that depend vpon vs or wee on them Giue vs quiet sleepe and rest and when wee shall awake let all our thoughts and cogitations be holy Meditations on thee and thy Law Blesse vs O Lord all the Nights and Dayes of our Life and at the end thereof send vs a blessed departure and afterward a ioyfull resurrection vnto Life eternall Graunt vs these good things most mercifull Father and all other needfull Graces not onely vnto vs but vnto all thy deare Children throughout the whole World euen for Iesus Christ his sake in whose Name we further call vpon thee as hee hath taught vs in his Gospell saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. ¶ A priuate Morning Prayer O Blessed Lord God great in Power fearefull in Iudgement and rich in Mercy which bindest and no man looseth and looseth and no man bindeth I yeeld thee most humble and heartie thankes for that of thy fatherly Goodnesse thou hast vouchsafed me this last Nights sleepe in peace and rest and againe loosing the bands wherewith I was tyed hast giuen me power to see this Morning Light Now O Lord I beseech thee powre vpon me this Day the Dew of thy Blessing that through the operation of thy gracious Beames I may bud forth and beare the fruits of true Faith in my life and conuersation Continue this goodnesse and mercie towards me and by thy power rayse me from the deepe sleepe of all vnrighteousnesse Discharge me from the works of Darknesse and cloath me with the armour of Light that I may walke honestly as in the Day and liue soberly righteously and godlily in this present World Mortifie O my God all corrupt affections in me pardon my innumerable sinnes Fill mee this day with thy grace that I may spend it to the honour of thy Name Set a watch before my mouth and order my lips that I may vtter nothing vnaduisedly eyther before thee or men Keepe my senses within their limits direct my will to that which is good and order my iudgement for the accomplishing of those things that appertaine to my Vocation O Lord I beseech thee preserue and keepe my senses safe and sound that I be neyther corrupted by prosperitie nor cast downe by aduersitie nor be too fearefull of thy Iudgements or too bold vpon thy mercy but graunt me grace O mercifull Lord that I may apprehend all things that come from thee with a Religious contented Minde and in the end of my dayes by a liuely Faith may ioyfully arriue in the Land of Promise the Kingdome of Heauen through the merites of Iesus Christ my onely Sauiour and Redeemer Amen Amen ¶ A priuate Euening Prayer O Most holy Father and my gracious God which giuest vnto all sorts of men the chearefull light of the Day that in thine assistance they may follow their honest Vocations and likewise sendest the silent Night that then they may rest their wearied Limbes and busied Mindes and so returne their due thankes for thy Goodnesse I sinfull Creature adore and prayse thee for the totall summe of all thy Mercies whereof I haue beene this Day partaker O Lord I am vile looke not vpon mine vnworthynesse folly and wickednesse but appease thy anger iustly conceiued against me and forgiue what hath beene amisse in me this day or at any other time euen for his sake who is thy welbeloued Sonne and my deare Aduocate Pardon the sinnes and offences which I haue committed this Day in thought word and deede eyther against thee or my Neighbour Giue me grace to water my Couch with Teares in vnfayned Repentance for all my former sinnes and grant that I may so passe the residue of my life as that in regard of thy Iustice I may retaine a holy feare to stand alwayes in awe of thee and in regard of thy Mercy conceiue sure hope neuer to despayre or distrust in thee O Lord keepe me this Night both in Soule and Body that I may with the next Light ioyfully rise againe bee thankefull vnto thee and carefully walke in my Vocation and Calling to the glory of thy holy Name and the good of my Brethren amongst whom I liue for Iesus Christ his sake in whose Name I further pray vnto thee saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. FINIS A TABLE DIRECTING where to finde the chiefe Matters contayned in this Booke A. ACcesse The godly haue free accesse to the King of Heauen when they please Pag. 322 Accomplishment Wee must looke as well to the accomplishment and end as the beginning of Gods workes 392 Aduersarie See Enemie Aduersitie See Trouble Afflictions Turne to the good of the godly 97. They humble vs for Sinne 99. Gods Name a Sanctuarie for vs in them 115. The fruits of them 122. They are but short 190 196 355. God hath set a time how long they shal last 192. which should worke patience in vs 193. Impatience in them dangerous 198. We must endure them constantly 199. Our Nature abhorreth them 326. They are no testimonies of Gods anger 334. Comfort against inward affliction 340. and outward 341 Amendment The amending of our liues brings endlesse comfort 131 Apparrell The vanitie of Brauerie gay Attyre and Apparrell 78. Fashion followers therein taxed 80 B. BAckward It is dangerous to goe backward in matters of Religion 204 Baptisme What a solemne Vow we haue made in it 10. wherein wee are made sworne Seruants of God 10 11. And haue receiued Wages aforehand of seruices to bee done 12. which God will require at our hand 14 Beginning A godly beginning without going forward auayles vs nothing 202. The end of a Christian better then his beginning 330 Beleeue The endlesse comfort of those that beleeue in Christ 131. The separation Christ will make betweene Beleeuers and Vnbeleeuers 143. Where a few true Beleeuers are for their sake all the multitude are called Gods people 155 Blessing The way to true blessednesse 152. They are blessed that keepe Gods Commandements 224. The godly make least esteeme of outward Blessings 170 Body See Preseruation Brauerie See Apparrell C. CHild of God neuer at one stay 210 Christ a powerfull Sauiour 56 Christian Different courses of the Christian and Worldling worth noting 329 Church The Rage of the Churches Enemies described 45. To what the Church may be compared 46. Gods prouidence limitteth the time in which it shal suffer and no longer 113. None can hurt it 159. What the state thereof is 161. since the Apostles time there haue been deceiuers in it 241. The troublesome estate of the Church causeth mourning in the godly 370 Cittie See Beleeue Commandements They are blest that keepe Gods Commandements 224 Come The wicked come farre different from the godly
for vs in Heauen Let vs not be like the foolish Iewes who loued the place of their banishment in Babel better then their Home Now our life is hid with God in Christ and wee know not yet what wee shall be but wee know when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him The Lord shall carry vs by his Mercie and bring vs by his Strength into the holy Habitation He shall plant vs in the Mountaine of his Inheritance euen the Place which hee hath prepared and Sanctuarie which hee hath established Then euerlasting ioy shall be vpon our head and sorrow mourning shall flie from vs for euer The Lord strengthen our Faith that through these mystie clouds of Affliction which now compasse vs wee may see that comfortable end which God in his Word hath discouered vnto vs. So that this Seâ—d thus prolonged and carryed for a long season is nothing else but Tentations continuing and succeeding one after another one still following vpon another But what is the end of this continuance euen this that they shall possesse eternall ioy and felicitie As the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth notably declare Now no chastising for the present seemeth to be ioyous Heb. 12.11 but grieuous here you heare of Teares neuerthelesse afterwards it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of Righteousnesse vnto them that are exercised thereby Here you heare that they shall returne with ioy Albeit then that this Seed is prolonged and deferred yet it is not so for euer but the ioy that shall follow is euerlasting Thus the Kingdome of Christ consisteth not in the power and riches of the World but in eternall Redemption which wee must attayne vnto through great Afflictions and infinite Crosses wherein notwithstanding wee are supported by the Word and Prayer vntill we come to the fulnesse of our saluation in the Kingdome of Heauen Therefore euery day should we gird vp our Loynes remembring that Warning which the Angell gaue to Eliah as most pertinent vnto vs Arise and walke thou hast yet a great Iourney to goe 1. Kin. 19.7 Of the children of God sayth Theophilactus some are at home in their owne Countrey some are in the Iourney homeward but woe vnto them who are neyther in their owne Countrey neyther in the way vnto it We are not therefore to settle our selues here as if wee had no â—urther to goe but must walke forward through this valley of teares from strength to strength till at last we appeare before the face of God in Sion Wee are still detayned in Egypt wee haue not yet obtayned the Land of Promise Psal 84.7 How then shall I sing the Songs of the Lord in a strange Land Wee are not yet past the Red Sea nor the waste Wildernesse nor the fierie Serpents what shall we doe but water our Couch night and day with teares and with feare and trembling walke on the rest of the way which yet is before vs Seeing our life is walking take heed wee keepe the right way And seeing we are in a Iourney let vs take heed that wee keepe the way otherwise our life shall be a wandring from God not a walking toward God The way is Christ I am the way Iohn 14.6 if we abide in it we shall walke with God as Enoch did before God as Abraham did toward God as Dauid did O happy turne wherein Christ is both the End the Way and the Guide Let vs walke after Christ Bernard because hee is the Truth let vs walke toward Christ because hee is the Life If yee looke to the companies of men in the World yee shall see some in stead of following Christ flying from him for he who doth euill hateth the Light Others where they should follow him runne before him not waiting vpon his Light and Direction in matters of his Worship but follow their owne Spirit doing that which is good in their owne eyes they runne with zeale but not in the right way And we haue so much the more to take heede vnto the way For he that walketh after the flesh shall at length encounter with death Gal. 6.8 because euery mans course declareth what kinde of man hee is whether carnall or spirituall and what will be his End Hee that soweth to the Flesh of the Flesh shall reape corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life euerlasting I am perswaded there is no man among vs who will not say hee would be at the best end which is eternall Life But here is the wonderfull folly of Men the proposed end of their Pilgrimage whereat they would be is Heauen but the way wherein they walke is the way that leadeth close to Hell Who will not esteeme him a Foole who in word sayth his Iourney is toward the South and yet for no mans warning will refraine his feet from walking toward the North but more foolish is hee who professing himselfe a Pilgrim trauelling towards heauenly Ierusalem keepes notwithstanding a contrarie course hauing his backe vpon Heauen and his face toward Hell walking not after the Spirit but after the Flesh O pittifull Blindnesse and Folly How many Witnesses of God haue forewarned thee in thy life all crying to thee with a lowd voyce This way wherein thou walkest O sinfull man is the way of Death Hee who liues after the Flesh shall die assuredly Yet wilt thou not returne nor change the course of thy life to walke after the liuing God that thou mayest be saued And hauing once found the right way Three profitable helps of a godly life which may leade vs vnto God let vs strengthen our selues to walke in it by those three most notable helpes of a godly Life deliuered vnto vs by the Prophet Dauid in three Verses of the 119. Psalme Psal 119. Verse 57. O Lord I haue determined to keepe thy Word 58. I haue made my Supplication in thy presence with my whole heart 59. I haue considered my wayes and turned my feet vnto thy Testimonies 1. Determination Determination is the first It is a good thing by settled resolution to conclude with thy selfe that thou wilt liue godly 2. Supplication Supplication is the second Except by continuall Prayer our Determination bee confirmed and strengthened by grace from God our conclusion which wee take to day shall vanish tomorrow 3. Consideration Consideration is the third and it is profitable to reduce vs againe into the way of God so often as of weakenesse we wander from it contrarie to our first determination These are the three helpes to keepe our heart in the way of God so necessarie that if without them wee doe any worke it is not possible but wee shall be snared And therefore as in a Ship which is readie to sayle so soone as the Sayles are hoysed vp presently some skilfull Mariner starts to the Rudder so euery morning wherein wee rise from our rest and make our selues
haue heard of the Patience of Iob and haue seene the End which the Lord made and that the Lord is very mercifull and full of pittie Hee that shall set himselfe to consider in his mind how poore Ioseph was handled and sold of his Brethren and how refusing to consent to the shamefull request of his Mistresse hee was cast into Prison and kept there two yeeres surely a man would take pittie on him as on a miserable person But let vs see the accomplishment of the Worke of God Let vs consider him by this meanes exalted to the Gouernment of all the Kingdome of Egypt and then wee shall count him happie aboue all If wee behold Iesus Christ mocked scourged crowned with Thornes crucified betweene two Theeues who would not be offended that the Prince of Glory and Sauiour of the World should be so handled But let vs behold him risen againe ascended into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of God aboue all Principalities and Power and wee will admire and prayse the Worke of God Hee that neuer saw a Haruest seeing the Plough-man taking much paines to tyll the Earth to spread it with Dung and after to cast faire Wheat into the Field so tylled hee would thinke that this Man were mad and that a Child were to be whipt that should doe such a thing But seeing the Haruest hee would change his minde and acknowledge that the Husbandman had done an excellent Worke. Now this is the time to Tyll to Dung and to Sowe the Haruest shall follow Let vs not change the course of the Season neyther let vs separate them the one from the other but let vs ioyne the time of the Death with the day of the Resurrection and let vs assure our selues as wee haue it in the Psalme that hauing sowed in teares wee shall reape with ioy Hee that had seene poore Lazarus full of sores Luke 16.9 at the Gate of the Rich man and the Rich man at the Table in all Delights and Pleasures hee would not haue chosen to be Lazarus but the Rich man but if tarrying a while hee saw the Soule of Lazarus carried straight by the Angels into Heauen and the Rich mans Soule goe to Hell hee would change his minde and would desire to be Lazarus Let vs then derest the glistering state of cursed Riches and let vs account of the poore and afflicted Condition of the Lazarusses of our Time wayting to bee carryed vp into euerlasting glorie The wicked haue nothing in Heauen nor wee in the World Blessed is the man saith Dauid whom the Lord instructeth by the power of his Spirit and by the Doctrine of his Law to haue contentment and rest in the time of aduersitie while the Graue is digged for the vngodly for the end of his felicitie Not to feare death Yea if we were called to suffer Death for the Name of Christ what other thing is this Death but after a long Conflict the day of Victorie the Birth of a blessed Soule after a great Trauell the Hauen desired after so furious Tempests the end of a dangerous and troublesome Voyage the healing of all Wounds and Sicknesses the deliuerance from all feare and terror the accomplishment of our Sanctification the gate of Heauen the entrance into Paradise the taking possession of the Inheritance of the Father the Day of our Marriage with the Lambe and the enioying of our Desires Who is then among vs who feeling with Saint Paul the Bondage of sinne would not crye out with him Alas wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this Body of Death And feeling the good that Death bringeth vnto vs will not also say with him I desire to bee dissolued Rom. 7.24 and to bee with Christ If Death vvherewith God threatened our first Parents is a feeling of the Wrath of God in the Soule and in the Body because of Sinne wee may well say that Death and Life are two Twinnes vnited and knit together vntill the separation of the Soule and Body and this separation which is commonly called Death is rather the deadly stroke of Death the Body being then exempt from paine and the Soule from vice and corruption wayting vntill the rest of Death bee swallowed vp in Victorie at the day of the Resurrection First therefore it is to be considered that there is no Creature more enemie vnto Man nor more able to hurt then the Deuill and indeed he is called the Enemie the Murtherer 1. Pet. 5.8 and the roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure but the Historie of Iob sheweth plainely that God holdeth him bridled so as hee can attempt nothing nor goe eyther forward or backward more then God will permit him And this which is more hee hath not power to enter so much as into the Swine vvithout the leaue of Christ What is this then that we should feare Men Are not they also vnder the prouidence power and gouernment of God It is God said Hannah 1. Sam. 2.3 the Mother of Samuel who weigheth their Enterprises so as they cannot passe one Ounce of the Weight ordayned of God It is hee that killeth and maketh aliue againe which bringeth downe to the Pit and lifteth vp againe hee maketh poore and maketh rich hee abaseth and exalteth Psal 115.3 It is hee alone as Dauid sayth which doth whatsoeuer hee will Now wee doubt not but hee will doe that which hee hath promised vs yea and that hee hath taken vpon him to make vs happie If then the Doctrine of the Prouidence of God importeth that hee hath not onely ordayned in his eternall Councell the end and issue of his Worke which is his Glorie and the Saluation of his Elect but also the fit meanes according to his infinite VVisdome and requisite for execution and accomplishment of it Let vs be assured that there is no creature that can let or alter his VVill as Saint Paul sayth Rom. 8.30 If God be for vs who shall be against vs Let vs also be assured that whatsoeuer happeneth vnto vs it is the way whereby hee hath ordayned to leade vs to Life and euerlasting Glorie c. Secondly The end of our regeneration is that there may appeare in our Life an holy melodie and consent betweene the Righteousnesse of God and our Obedience Yee haue vnderstood here before that the desire of the heart to consecrate your selues to God is a marke of your election and adoption but see yee that this desire may shew it selfe by the workes of Godlinesse and Charitie If you make profession that yee know Christ know yee him according to the Doctrine of Saint Paul that yee haue not knowne him as yee ought if yee mortifie not the Old Man and put on the New walking in righteousnesse and true holinesse God hath drawne you out of the power of Darknesse and hath transported you into the Kingdome of his beloued Sonne Walke yee then as the Children of Light renounce this cursed