it away c Eph. 1.4 4 The calling of God is without repentance and whom he loueth he loueth to the end d Rom. 11.29 Ioh. 13.1 5 I know by my loue of the brethen that I am translated from death to life a 1. Ioh. 3.14 6 I am sory that I can be no more sorie for my sins and this to me is an argument of faith b 2. Cor. 7.10 7 I desire to beléeue in Christ and to run the waies of his Commandements c Mar. 9.24 2. Cor. 8.12 Psal 119.5 8 Christs merits are greater then my sinnes and hee is the propitiation for my sinnes d Ioh. 1.29 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 9 Though the righteous fall he shall rise againe for God supporteth him with his hand e Ps 37.24 Pr. 17.17.24 10 The Spirit doth though very weakly witnesse to my sprit that I am Gods childe f Ro. 8.16 11 I hate sinne with an vnfained hatred g 1. Ioh. 3.9 12 I loue all good things as well as one and hate all euill as well as one h Ps 119.6 104. and I can be contented to be dissolued and to be with Christ and to say Come Lord Iesus come quickely i Phi. 1.23 Reu. 22.21 Euch. If Satan will tempt you to presume of Gods mercies what remedies must you heere vse Phil. I must meditate against this sinne 1 That God bids me not be high minded k Rom. 11.20 2 That security destroyeth more then anie sin l Luk. 17.26 3 That hee is blessed who feareth alwaies a Pr. 28.14 4 That I must worke out my saluation with feare and trembling b Ph. 2.12 5 That as God is a God of mercy so is he also a God of Iustice c Deut. 9.20.2 6 That the more I presume the more subiect I am to fall d Luk. 22.33.34 7 That it is Satans maine weapon to vanquish me God is mercifull e Ro. 6.15 8 That euen Dauid praied to bee kept from sinnes of presumption f Ps 29.13 9 That the longer I continue in sinnes the more hardly I can leaue them g 2. Sa. 3.16 Rom. 2.1 10 That if once God call mee I must vndoe all I haue done before h Ro. 6 21. 11 That then I must shedde many a bitter teare for my sinnes i Ps 32. Lu. 22.62 12 That by going on I heape to my selfe wrath against the day of wrath k Ro. 2.5 and therfore haue we need in this and al the former assaults of God men and diuels to pray Lord leade vs not into temptation Euch. Which is the explanation of this petition Phil. But deliuer vs from euill Euch. What doe you pray for in these words But deliuer vs frō euill Phil. That I and all Cristians may bee freed from the power of Satan sinne the flesh and the world so that being thus preserued we neither shall nor may not fall or so be deliuered from euill that wee may not fall quite away by any temptation Euch. Why say you deliuer vs Phil. Why euen because we are 1. his seruants 2 his children 3 his workmanship 4 his image 5 the price of his sons bloud 6. vessels to carry his name 7 members of his body 8 as sheepe amongst wolues Euch. Do you not by euill vnderstand only the diuell who is called That euill one a Mat. 13.19 Phil. No I do not though temptations come principally from him but by euil you said I must vnderstand all my spirituall enemies according to that of the Apostle Iohn The whole world lyeth in euill b 1 Ioh. 5.19 Euch. Tell mee more plainely what you heere meane by Euill Phil. I vnderstand by it First Satan 1. Ioh. 2.14 Secondly Sinne Rom. 12.9 Thirdly all Euils which may any way hurt vs as Warre Plague Famine Offences Heresies Schismes Errors Seditions c. Fourthly euill persons bee they Turkes Iewes Heretickes Schismatikes Atheists Seducers c. Fiftly eternall and euerlasting Death which is the most fearefull euill of all Euch. How many waies doth God deliuer vs from euill Phil. Twelue waies 1 By preseruing vs from committing sinne c Ge. 20.6 2 By fréeing vs from iudgements due vnto sinne d 2. Sa 12.13 3 By keeping vs from the hurt of sinne and afflictions e Ps 91.13 4 By turning all those sinnes which we commit and the afflictions which wee sustaine to our good f Ps 51.1.119.67.71 5 By bridling Satan that he cannot subdue vs g Rom. 16 20. 6 By giuing vs his holy Spirit that by a liuely faith we ouercome all euill h Ro. 8.2 1. Ioh. 5.4 1. Pet. 5.9 7 By no meanes i Mat. 4.2 8 By small meanes k 2. King 4.3 9 By ordinary meanes l Ios 5.12 10 By extraordinary meanes m 2. King 6.16 11 Contrary to all meanes n Da. 3.25 12 By Christ Iesus who ouercame the world by obeying the flesh by suffering and the diuell by triumphing ouer him in his Crosse Iohn 16.33.1 Pet. 4.1 Col. 2.15 and this is the comfort of all Christians Psal 91.1 Euch. What meanes must you vse to deliuer your selfe from euill Phil. I must 1 Auoid the company of euill persons Prou. 1.10 Genes 39.10 2 Not liue in places where euill is practised though I may gaine much by it 2. Cor. 6.17 3 I must take heede of euill spéeches which may corrupt me others Eph. 4.29 4 I must hide Gods word in mine heart that I do not sinne against him Ps 119.11 Euch. Why are these words added as an explanation to this petition Phil. 1 To teach me that when I am deliuered from euill I may be sure not to be led into temptation for euill is the cause of all temptations a Iam. 1.13 which being taken away the effect ceaseth 2 That of my selfe I cannot resist euill 3 That the least creatures shal be able to hurt me vnlesse God bee my deliuerer 2. King 6.27 Act. 12. 4 That I shall neuer be fully deliuered till God for Christs sake set me at liberty Psal 119.32 Ioh. 8.36 Euch. What must we doe to bee deliuered from the diuell Phil. We must 1 Put on the whole armour of God b Ep. 6.11 2. Cor. 10.4 2 We must know how to vse that armour c Vers 13. 3 We must walke warily that he do not circumuent vs and bee neuer out of our calling d Ep. 4.15 2. Sa. 11. 4 We must euer seeke to feare and serue God e Ps 2.11 Pro. 28.14 5 We must know that Christ is our Captaine and deliuerer f Ioh. 16.33 6 We must meditate of the miserable estate of such as are ouercome by the Diuell g Lu. 11.26 7 We must take his weapons from him which are our flesh Gal. 5.17.1 Pet. 2.11 and the world 1. Ioh. 2.15 Iam. 4.4 1. Ioh. 5.19 1. Cor. 7.31 8 We must pray as Christ
vs by the Word and Sacraments The secōd Position I beléeue this faith to bee wrought in vs of the holy Ghost by the Word and Sacraments that by this faith wee might immediatly receiue and eate the bodie of Christ which was deliuered vp for vs and receiue and drinke the bloud of Christ which was shed for vs for remission of sinnes And so we might more and more bee engraffed and immediatly vnited vnto the bodie of Christ as our Mediatour who died for vs. For euen as the Bread and Wine being Earthly and Materiall Bodies cannot bee incorporated into our Earthly bodies vnlesse wee receiue them in at our mouth and eate them and drinke them So wee cannot bée vnited and incorporated into the bodie and bloud of Christ which Irenaeus calleth an Heauenly thing vnlesse by faith we take hold on Christ eate him and drinke him that is applie him vnto vs. The third Position OF the vse for which we eate the body of Christ and drinke his bloud I beléeue that the bodie of Christ in the Supper is offered and exhibited vnto vs to be eaten and his bloud to bee drunke and that faith by the Word and Sacraments by the helpe of the Holy Ghost being wrought in our hearts it is eaten of vs indéed to the end that we being more neerely and effectually incorporated into Christ we may also bee more throughly confirmed in the New Couenant which in Christ is communicated vnto vs. For as Christ did therefore deliuer his bodie vnto death and shed his bloud that by his death and bloud our sinnes being purged hee might confirme and for euer establish the couenant being renued betwéene God the Father and vs euen as the words of the Supper concerning the bloud doe teach vs and other bookes of the Scripture especially the Epistle to the Hebrewes doe confirme euen so for this end also the body and bloud of Christ is communicated vnto vs that by the participation of them we in like manner being more and more incorporated into Christ might be more and more confirmed in the New Testament Therefore when Christ gaue forth the cuppe in plaine wordes hee named the New Testament that the Apostles might vnderstand to what end the bloud of the sonne of God was not only shed and powred out but also was exhibited to be drunken of them Verily to this end that as by the shedding of his bloud their sinnes and the sinnes of all Gods Elect were purged and being purged the couenant betweene them and God was for all eternitie confirmed So also by drinking of the same both they and all the Elect being more and more incorporated may know themselues to be confirmed and established in the euerlasting Couenant But yet because the Couenant and the flesh and bloud of Christ are diuers obiects and the one is ordinated vnto the other therefore for doctrine sake I distinguish the one from the other and shew what is the proper vse of either of them The fourth Position OF the benefit or vse of the Couenant communicated vnto vs. Lastly I beléeue the couenant it selfe being ratified and confirmed in the bodie of Christ and by the bloud of Christ to bee more and more communicated vnto vs in the same bodie and bloud of Christ that by the bond thereof wee may wholy whatsoeuer we are bee vnited more and more vnto God the Father the Fountaine as of the whole Diuinitie so of all goodnesse and blessednesse by Christ the Mediatour the Spirit working and dwelling in vs and that we may be so vnited that in mind wee may daily more clearely acknowledge him by the Holy Ghost to be our true and our best Father in Christ and in our heart loue him more feruently in Iesus Christ through the Holy Ghost yea with all the powers of soule and bodie wee may daily more sincerely honour him and may bee made like vnto him in Holinesse and Iustice vntill at length sinne being vtterly destroyed and death abolished and the perfect Image of God recouered wee may so perfectly through Christ in the Spirit of God bee vnited and coupled after this life vnto God the Father that he may be all in all Amen For this is the last end vnto which not only the Supper of the Lord but also Baptisme yea the whole Word of God all his benefits all his corrections lastly all the words and works of God doe lead vs vnto CHAP. III. Of the dutie of a Christian man in the Supper of the Lord. WHerefore I thinke and beléeue that these are the duties of a Christian man in the Lords Supper First that he set before his eyes the perfect Communion with God which is none at al without Christ and is to be found only in him and that he direct all things vnto it as vnto the last end Secondly that hee may come vnto this end hee must make his beginning from the meanes which doe incurre into our senses as those things which are first perceiued by our vnderstanding and are better knowne by nature as also hee must heare the word attentiuely and come vnto the Sacraments reuerently and diligently consider as well what the word signifieth as what the Sacraments doe represent and what is offered vnto vs by the Ministerie of them both which is this that Christ hath offered vp his bodie vnto death for vs and shedde his bloud for remission of sinnes and therefore hee hath by his bloud sealed and confirmed in himselfe being Mediatour the New Testament of our euerlasting reconciliation and peace with God And these things are so signified by the Sacraments that they are also offered and giuen vnto vs to be receiued Whereby it comes to passe that they are truly called Signes not only signifying but also exhibiting and giuing the things which they signifie Thirdly I beleeue because the thinges signified and offered by the Signes are to be receiued by faith and faith is the gift of God therefore God is to be praied vnto as hee who offereth the things by the Signes and who commands vs to receiue them by faith He also can giue and increase faith whereby we are able to receiue them Fourthly I beléeue that faith being begotten in vs by hearing of the Word and increased by the diligent consideration of the Sacraments through the Holy Ghost it is the dutie of a Christian man while he receiueth the Externall and Visible Signes with his hand being also Externall and Visible and eateth them with the mouth of his body and drinketh them heare vpon Earth together also to receiue with the hand and mouth of faith and to eate and drinke the Heauenly and Inuisible thinges namely the flesh and bloud of Christ with a faithful heart lifted vp vnto the Heauenly Table that hee being more and more coupled vnto Christ and made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones may liue in Christ and Christ in him For I beleeue the faithfull in the Supper truly to
receiue and eate but by the Spirit and by faith the very true bodie of Christ the which was crucified for vs and so farre forth as it was deliuered vp for vs and that they drinke his bloud which was shed for vs for the remission of sinnes according as the wordes of Christ doe manifestly testifie And that indéed the bodie is present and the bloud is present but vnto the Spirit and vnto the inward man For vnto the Spirit all thinges which hee receiueth by faith are in truth present according to that that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith And no distance of place can effect that the thinges wee receiue by faith should bée absent from vs euen as the Sunne cannot be said to be absent from the eyes of which it is perceiued Fiftly I beléeue because the new couenant in Christ is established by his bloud and the Testament is confirmed by the death of the Testator and because by the bloud of the eternall couenant wee are for euer ioyned vnto God therefore a Christian man who now by faith féeleth himselfe to be incorporated into Iesus Christ ought also to beléeue that hee is confirmed in the couenant with God the Father by a bond that cannot bee broken and therefore that all his sinnes are forgiuen him of God and that hee is destinated and assured to bée the Sonne of God and Heire of eternall life without all feare to be disherited For these thinges which we on our part according to the condition of the couenant owe vnto God namely Faith Loue Obedience wee may firmely beléeue that all those things are fully by Christ the first begotten effected for vs and imputed vnto vs. Further wee ought to bee certainly perswaded that by the assistance of Christ wee shall neuer be forsaken but that we may in some part performe the same And that because Christ himselfe hath both performed those things for vs and hath promised vs this assistance that the New Testament should remaine sure and perpetual as on Gods part so also on our part vntil at length we being receiued into the full possession of the Heauenly Inheritance doe liue in perfect happinesse with the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost our God For there are thrée principall heads of the couenant on Gods part The forgiuenesse of sinnes Adoption which is ioyned with a promise of Gods perpetual good wil grace protection and at last the full possession of Heauenly Inheritance There are also thrée thinges which on our part God doth require by couenant faith in God charitie towards our Neighbour and holinesse of life or perfect obedience Christ by his perfect obedience euen vnto death and by his owne bloud and death hath obtained for vs both those thinges which God hath promised as also hath performed those things which God by couenant required at our hand In testimonie whereof he giueth vs faith whereby wee beléeue in God and charitie whereby wee loue our Neighbour and the Spirit of regeneration whereby we endeuour vnto holinesse of life and true obedience is begun in vs. So Christ bringeth to passe that not only the couenant on Gods part but also on our part remaineth sure and perpetuall It is therefore our dutie that first by faith giuen vnto vs by Christ as wee doe eate his flesh and drinke his bloud so also wee beléeue our selues to be confirmed in the couenant with God and therefore both our sinnes to bee remitted and God to be our Father and that he will perpetually loue and protect vs and lastly that we shall bee heires of eternall life and shall arise to glorie and life euerlasting and that through Christ with whose flesh we are fed in the Supper and we ought to be perswaded that we our selues also are nourished to the end we may bee partakers of a blessed resurrection And therefore wee ought to giue due thankes for so many and so great benefits we ought also to embrace in loue our Neighbour and especially our faithfull brethren That as wee are all one with Christ so wee may also grow vp together in one bodie more and more with the Church Euen as the Apostle Paul exhorteth vs by this argument that wee are all one Bodie and one Bread because we are all partakers of the same Bread With the endeuour of an holy life and and true obedience which is also the gift of Christ wee ought alwayes to glorifie God and declare indéed that wee are true and liuely members of Christ and therefore haue intrest to that true felicitie which cōsisteth in that most perfect vniō with God wherein hee shall bee all in all Thus I beléeue concerning the dutie of a Christian man in the Supper wherein hee may worthily and for his Saluation eate the Bread of the Lord and drinke of his cup. CHAP. IIII. Of the words of the Supper SEeing all things are so as I haue before shewed my opinion is that the wordes of the Lods Supper cannot bee well vnderstood and declared without some trope First for the cup it is manifest as well by the Euangelists as by the Apostle Paul Then for the Bread it is also manifest because where as Christ saith This that is the bread which I haue broken is my bodie the Apostle expounding it saith The Bread which we breake is the Communion of the bodie of the Lord. Thirdly according to the rule of Saint Austen in his third Booke of the institution of a Christian man Cap. 16. Because when wee are commanded to eate the flesh of Christ it yée take the word of eating properly it séemes wee are commanded to doe an heinous déede therefore the spéech of Christ concerning the eating of his flesh is to be vnderstood figuratiuely Moreouer because if you shall vnderstand the wordes without a trope tt will follow that the Bread of Christ was indéed deliuered vp for vs and the bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes Lastly because Luther himselfe vpon the sixth Chapter of Esay saith that in the words of the Supper there is a Synecdoche with whom in this point Bucer doth alwayes agrée Therefore albeit each word in that spéech This is my bodie bee taken in his proper signification so that the true and essential bodie of Christ is attributed to the Bread as indéede it is attributed yet in the whole spéech there must néeds be some trope Séeing that the bread which is giuen for vs and was not crucified cannot properly be said to bee the bodie of Christ which was deliuered vp for vs. So then the controuersie is only concerning the kinde of trope by which the Bread is called the bodie of Christ I say that true bodie which was truly deliuered vp for vs. And I thinke this controuersie not so great worth that for it the peace of the Church bée troubled that he that saith it is a Synecdoche doth condemne him that saith it is a Metonymie And contrariwise he that saith it is a Metonymie condemneth him which
the fierie darts of Sathan can neuer enter You haue the sword of the Spirit it is sharper then the sword of Goliah you haue the sling of Dauid it is more forcible then the speare of Goliah you may walke vpon this Lion and Aspe this young deuouring Lion and Dragon you may treade vnder your féete Psal 91.13 What if he bee wise yet God is wiser What if he be strong yet Christ is stronger What if skilfull yet the Lord is more skilfull What if he be vigilant yet the Al-séeing is more watchfull If you can call to God for aide against him as Iehoshaphat did against the Aramite and say O my God there is no strength in mee to stand before this great multitude that commeth against me neither doe I know what to doe but mine eyes are towards thee 2. Chron. 20.12 feare not neither bee afraid goe out against them the Lord will be with thee and thou shalt ouercome Say that hee ouercame Adam by ambition Saul by hypocrisie and Iudas by auarice yet by the grace of Christ hee shall not ouercome thee Thou dwellest in the secret of the most High and shalt abide in the shadow of the Almightie Hee will deliuer thée from the snare of the Hunter and from the noysome Pestilence hee will couer thée vnder his wings and thou shalt bee sure vnder his feathers his truth shall bee thy shield and buckler hee will giue his Angels charge ouer thée to kéepe thée in all thy wayes they shal beare thée vp in their hands so that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone Quest I confesse that God is able to deliuer me from Sathan but O my sinnes my sins mee thinkes giue mee ouer to Sathan helpe mee with comfort against this temptation I haue sinned and may now die in my sinnes Ans O consider with me what the word doth say Where sinne abounded grace hath superabounded Romans 5. The bloud of Iesus Christ hath purged vs from all sinne 1. Iohn 1.7 If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes 1. Iohn 2.1.2 This is a true saying and worthie by all meanes to be receiued that Iesus Christ came into the World to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe 1. Tim. 1. Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the World Iohn 1. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance 1. Matth. 11. The Sonne of man came to séeke and saue that which was lost Matth. 9. Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and heauie laden and I will refresh you Matth. 11. Hee died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Rom. 4. Hee hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud Reuel 1.6 Thou shalt call his name Iesus for hee shall saue his people from their sinnes Matth. 1. Hee gaue himselfe for vs that hee might redéeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to bee a peculiar people vnto himselfe Titus 1.2 I will bée mercifull to their vnrighteousnesse and will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more Hebr. 8.12 Doe you now beléeue these sayings are you perswaded that you haue faith in Christ If you haue faith you haue iustification if you haue iustification you haue no sinne I meane no such sinne as shall be able to condemne you in the day of iudgement for it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne Besides you are a member of Christs Church and this Church is without spot and wrinkle which it could not bee if you were yet in your sinnes Againe if your iniquities were not forgiuen in Christ to what end thinke you did he come into the World Furthermore consider what your Baptisme doth signifie that as pollution from your bodie is washed by water so sinne from your soule is washed by Christ Haue you forgotten that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper sealeth vnto you the forgiuenesse of sinnes by Christs death Is the Earth full of the mercies of the Lord and shal not this mercie be greater to you then all your miseries Doe you acknowledge and confesse your sinnes and will not he be faithfull and iust to forgiue you your sinnes Doe you aske and shall you not haue doe you séeke and shall you not find doe you knocke and shal not the dore of mercie be opened vnto you I thinke you know that Christs is a Physitian and to what end but to cure the diseased and what disease more dangerous then sinne I hope you know the Gospell of Christ is called the word of reconciliation of grace saluation and of life and that only because it offers all these to sinners And tell mee you that doubt of the forgiuenesse of sinnes what difference is there betwixt the sonnes of God and the sonnes of the Deuill but that they haue their sinnes forgiuen these not To conclude looke vpon the calling of the Preachers of the Gospell if they haue power to pronounce the pardon of sinnes to penitent sinners Christ hath power to giue pardon to the same sinners Therefore bee of good comfort your sinnes are forgiuen you Matth. 9.2 Quest What euen my great and grieuous sinnes mine infidelitie in mistrusting impatience in murmuring blasphemie in profaning the name of God Is the couetousnesse of monie the desire of reuenge the loue of pleasure more then the loue of God forgiuen mee Ans If you beléeue in Christ all things are possible to him that beléeueth your sinnes past shall neuer hurt you if sinne present doe not please you Though your sinnes were as redde as Scarlet God can make them as white as Snow There is no cloud so thicke but this Sun will dispell it no staine so foule but this Fullers sope will wash it out no treason so horrible but this King may pardon it and no sinne so great but God for Christs sake will forgiue it The infidelitie of Adam the Idolatrie of Abraham the incest of Lot the adulterie of Dauid the Apostasie of Peter the persecutions of Paul were grieuous sinnes but God in Christ did remit them all And whatsoeuer was written before time is written for your learning that you through patience and consolation of the Scriptures might haue hope Applie them therefore to your selfe If you owe to this creditor tenne thousand talents if you can sue to him for mercie hee will forgiue them all his Iustice can punish any sinne and his mercie can pardon any sinne When he liued vpon Earth he cured all sicknesses now hee is in Heauen hee can purge all sinnes He hath promised as a Porter to beare our iniquities is there any iniquitie too heauie for him Neuer say then despairing of Gods mercie my sinnes haue taken such hold vpon mee that I am not able to looke vp as an heauie burden they lie vpon mee I am not able to beare them Quest I hope that I shall lay these comforts to mine heart that the greatnesse
him go till we be heard Let not the woman of Canaan bee more earnest with Christ militant then we will be with the same Christ triumphāt Let neuer the Queen of Sheba so willingly come to Salomon as we must willingly come vnto Christ hee loueth most willing and importunate suters Wherefore as Dauid said to Abner neuer see my face vnlesse thou bring Michal with thee so I say vnto you neuer look God in the face vnlesse you bring Prayer with you As I haue declared to you the dutie of prayer so should I speake somewhat of giuing of thankes Many can be content to pray in troubles but few giue thankes for deliuerance out of trouble Multi petentes pauci promittentes paucissimi reddentes saith an ancient Father there are many Petitioners few Promisers most few thankesgiuers Are there not ten cleansed where are the nine there is none returned to giue thankes but this one and he is a Samaritan If euer people vnder the cope of heauen had occasion to praise God wee are they especially for his Word and Gospell and for many deliuerances shewed to our Princes and people But because at the end of this Treatise I haue set downe a forme both of prayer and thankesgiuing I referre you to the perusing of those two platformes I doubt not of your patience for the length of this Preface because I desire to leaue it as an occular Sermon instructing you continually how to call vpon God and preparing you to the expositiō of the Lords Prayer which of many through ignorance is as much prophaned as euer God was by saying the Pater-noster in Latine or repeating other Rosaries in an vnknowne language Now hauing ended as you see these questions and answeres I make question with my selfe to whom I may commend them and because for these ten yeares immediately past I haue liued and preached amongst you and that by the assignement of your Reuerend Pastor M. Doctor Montfort I am bold in generall to present them to you all You haue I confesse known my conuersation been acquainted with my ministrie countenanced me in my calling maintained me in health comforted me in sicknesse and afforded vnto me much more kindnesse than can be requited by this paper present And since it pleaseth God to dispose of mee still in such vncertaine places as that I could neuer yet say heere must I rest I blesse God that euer I came vnto you whose loue and larges hath bin is amongst many of you for what lecturer for ten yeares together can please al such vnto mee as makes mee to say of my late exile Perijssem nisi perijssem I had beene vndone if others had not sought to vndoe me Since I came vnto you I haue preached painfully liued honestly and studied carefully to do you seruice with what conscience I know with what danger you know and with what profit God knowes Surely this good I see done amongst you you haue beautified the house of the liuing God praise that worthy Knight whose loue and labour was first in that worke you haue enlarged that house which is for the dying Saints pray for that good King who gaue you that piece of ground and your congregation is as the thousands of Israel Blesse God for those trumpets of yours who haue euer called you to such holy assemblies Blessed be that God who thus blesseth you blessed be you who thus blesse God and blessed and billeted vp be they in heauen who thus prouide for the liuing and the dead and withall remember their painfull Teachers Now though I cannot say to you as Paul did to the Corinthians I am yours to liue and die with you for no Minister can say it who dependeth vpon voluntarie contribution yet this I will say and say for euer I am yours to liue and pray for you that you may so know God as you may pray to him so pray to God that you may liue before him so liue that you may euer be fit to receiue his Sacrament and so both fit to know pray liue and receiue that after you haue knowen him by Christ prayed to him through Christ liued before him in Christ and receiued his fauour in the seales of Christ you may in the end die in his faith as you haue liued in his feare and at the last day in bodies and soules be partakers of eternall glorie To the grace of this God I commend you to your grace I commend these Treatises doubting not but many of you will be as readie to reade them as you haue beene willing to heare them From your Parish of Saint Martin in the fields Iune 10. 1613. Your seruant in the Lord so long as it shall please God and you ROBERT HILL SPECIALL QVESTIONS HANDLED IN CHRISTS PRAYER EXPOVNDED 1 WHy is it called the Lords prayer Pag. 2 2 Why Christ taught it Pag. 2. 3 3 Whether there be any vertue in the repetition of the words of this prayer Pag. 3 4 Whether it bee euer necessarie to repeate all those words at all times and how wee must Pag. 3. 4 5 Whether we pray to the Father only Pag. 5 6 Whether we may pray to Christ Pag. 8. 9 7 Why we say our Father Pag. 8.9 8 Whether we may say my Father Pag. 8. 9 9 Whether we must pray to God only Pag. 7 10 Why how God is said to be in heauen Pag. 10 11 Why we begin with this name of Paternitie and say our Father Pag. 12 12 What it is to Hallow Gods name Pag. 13 13 Whether bad men may doe that which is good Pag. 19 14 Questions of Gods kingdome Pag. 19. 20. 21 15 What we must iudge of wicked persons Pag. 26 16 mhether wee may pray thus My will bee done Pag. 26 17 What it is to do Gods wil why we pray so Pag. 27. 18 Whether it be enough to do Gods will Pag. 30 19 Whether God cōmāds things impossible Pag. 31 20 What it is that God willeth Pag. 31 21 Why we pray first for things corporall Pag. 35 22 Whether in the fourth petition we aske foode spirituall Pag. 37 23 Whether rich men may pray for daily bread Pag. 39 24 Of praying to be rich Pag. 43 25 Of laying vp for the time to come Pag. 44 26 How to get riches Pag. 45 27 Whether one at the houre of death may pray for dayly bread Pag. 49 28 Of praying only to God for forgiuenesse of sinnes Pag. 54 29 How sinnes are discharged Pag. 55 30 Whether we must cōfesse our sins to men Pag. 56 31 How we must confesse them Pag. 56 32 What is required in confession Pag. 56 33 Whether we must pray for forgiuenesse of sinnes which we do beleeue Pag. 58 34 Of praying for the wicked Pag. 59 35 Of praying for such as sinne against the holy Ghost Pag. 59 36 How that sinne is knowen Pag. 59 37 How sinne is a debt Pag. 60 38 Why we are forgiuen by Christ Pag. 62.
giue vs all that which is fit for vs. Euch. What do you heere pâ—ay against Phil. 1. I pray against vnseasonable weather disorder of creatures vngodly lawes cowardly souldiers and vnfit people for their places and callings 2 I pray against vniust wars cleannes of teeth and that the staffe of bread may not be taken from vs. 3 I pray against pride in abundance discontent in want negligence in mens callings vnfaithfulnesse in dealing improuidence in getting parsimonie in hoording prodigalitie in spending and vnmercifulnes in not giuing to the poore 4 In a word I pray against all vnthankfulnes for Gods creatures our much abusing of such good gifts of God yea against all such sicknes as may hinder vs from getting our daily bread Euch. What do you heere giue thanks for Phil. I thanke God héere for seasonable times godly Gouernours abundance of all things and for all such things as before I prayed for And by name I thank God that he hath hitherto prouided so bountifully for me others that wée haue a sufficiencie for our present estate and doe sée his blessing in the getting hauing and vsing of al his creatures And that in the sweate of our browes wee doe eat that bread which by reason thereof cannot bee called the bread of idlenesse Euch. Which are the two last petions Phil. Forgiue vs our trespasses Forgiue vs c. Lead vs not c. as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill Euch. What doe you learne out of this order that after our praying for daily bread we say And forgiue vs our trespasses and leade vs not into temptation c Phil. I do héere learne these sixe lessons 1 By hauing my daily bread to lift vp my mind for spirituall blessings to God a Luk. 11.13 2 To séeke more earnestly for the pardon of my sinnes then I doe though alas I doe not for my daily bread b Act. 2.39 3 That séeing I make these two petitions for my soule therefore my care must be double to do good for my soule c 2. Pet. 1.10 4 That it is nothing to haue my daily bread vnlesse God giue vnto me the pardon of my sinnes d Wisd 5.8 5 That if God giue me my daily bread I had most néed to pray for the forgiuenesse of my sins because therein I am most subiect to sinne against God e 2. Sam. 1.11.1 6 That if I want my daily bread sin is the cause that I want it and all blessings f Psal 107.34 Lam. 3.44 Isai 59.2 Euch. What is contained in these two last petitions Phil. In the former of them I pray for grace and in the latter for perseuerance in grace Euch. Forgiue vs our trespasses c. How many things are contained in the fifth petition Forgiue vs our trespasses c Phil. Two things 1. A prayer in these words Forgiue vs our trespasses 2 A condition as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Euch. What is the summe of this petition Phil. That it would please God for his Sons sake to be good to me and all his children in the dashing out and washing away al our sinnes as we are ready to forgiue others g Math. 6.14.15 Euch. Why do you pray thus Phil. 1 To manifest Gods goodnes who tels me héere that it is possible to obtaine forgiuenesse of sinnes 2 To the ende I might thinke of the nature of sinne which hinders vs from al good things héere Leuit. 26. and of Gods kingdome héereafter Psal 15.2.3 Reuel 21. 3 To meditate of Gods mercie to man to man I say he spared not the Angels that sinned 2. Pet. 2. he will spare vs. 4 To assure me that though I by sinne forget to performe the obedience of a sonne yet God still retaineth the compassion of a Father Euch. Vnto whom do you pray for the forgiuenesse of sinnes Phil. Not vnto any Angell Saint creature or man but I pray onely to my Lord God h Psal 51.1 Euch. Why do you pray thus only to him Phil. 1 Because hee only can forgiue sinnes i Mat 9.2 2 Because I am commanded so to pray k Hos 14.3 3 Because against him onely I haue sinned l Psal 51.4 4 Because I must not giue his honor to another m Dan. 9.5 5 Because the Church vseth so to pray n Ps 50.10 6 Because I beléeue only on him o Ioh. 14.1 Euch. What doth this teach you Phil. 1 That God alone is to bee called vpon p Psa 25.1 2 That Christ is very God because of himselfe he forgiueth sinnes q Mat. 9.2 Euch. What vse can you make of this doctrine Phil. 1 That when I haue sinned I must come to him for pardon r 2. Sam. 14.10 2 That their doctrine is an erroneous doctrine which call vpon Saints aswell as vpon God Å¿ Mat. 15.24 or dreame of perfection in this life Iob. 9.3 Pro. 24.16 Rom. 7.23 3 That I must be thankfull to my gratious God who wil pardon and forgiue me all my sinnes t Ps 103.3 4 That I must take héed of sin because I must euer craue pardon for it u Rom. 6.21 5 I must labor to bee in the number of those vs who may sue for pardon Euch. What doe you meane by this word Forgiue Forgiue Phil. That it would please God so to discharge and couer all my sinnes as that they may neuer be imputed vnto mee either to make mee despaire in this life or to bee punished in the life to come x Act. 7.60 Euch. How are sins said to be discharged Phil. 1 When they are discharged by the person that committed them so the diuels and the damned discharge their debts by suffring y Mat. 18.34.25.41 2 When they are paied by another and so are our sinnes discharged by Christ * Gal. 3.14 Euch. In what respect may this second satisfaction be called forgiuenesse Phil. 1 In respect of vs who neither do nor can confer any thing to this satisfaction a Luk. 17.10 2 In regard of Christ who alone doth forgiue them b Mat. 9.2 and we no way are able to requite him c Ps 103.1 3 In respect of God the Father who in loue giueth his Sonne and accepteth his obedience as our satisfaction d Io. 3.16 Euch. What learne you by this Phil. 1 That as Benadad did to the King of Israel e 1. King 20.31 so I must humble my selfe to this King of Kings 2 That I must confesse my sins to him because he is readie to forgiue my sinnes f 1. Io. 1.7 3 That there can be by man no satisfaction for sins g Mat. 16.26 for Our merits is Gods mercie saith a Father Euch. What sinnes must you confesse to God Phil. Both knowne and vnknowen knowen in particular h 2. Sam. 12. vnknowen
in generall i Ps 19.14 Euch. Ought you not to confesse your sins to man Phil. Though auricular confession bée a doctrine of diuels yet if sins be so grieuous vnto my conscience that I cannot be perswaded of the pardon of them neither can finde comfort by confession to God I am bound to confesse sinnes troubling mée to man especially to my godly Minister or to such a Preacher of Gods word as is able to comfort me in regard of his knowledge and fit to comfort me in regard of his secrecie k Act. 16.30 Euch. How are you bound to confesse your sinnes Phil. Euen as a guiltie prisoner must do at the barre l Ios 7.20 1 I must bring my selfe before Gods Iudgement seate m Luk. 15.18 2 I must put vp an indictment against my selfe n Luk. 15.19 3 I must giue sentence of condemnation against my selfe o Iona. 1.12 4 I must sue for pardon at the hands of my God p Psal 51.1 Euch. How many things are required in true confession Phil. Fiue 1 It must be voluntary without constraint q 2. Sam. 12. 2 Personall without laying it vpon others r Gen. 3.12 3 Particular without denial of the fact 4 Impartiall by aggrauating each circumstance ſ 1. Sam. 24 1. Cor. 7.11 5 Heartie with all signes of sorrow t Euch. Why are you bound to aske God forgiuenesse Phil. 1 Because all men haue sinned u Rom. 3.10 2 Because God heareth not sinners x Ioh. 9.3 3 Because sins seuer man from God y Esai 59.2 4 If I conceale these sores they are hardly cured a Psal 32.5 5 The more I like sinne the more with Iaels wife it will kill me b Iud. 4.18 6 Of all burdens there is none like to the burden of sinne c Mat. 11. 7 If I confesse God is ready to forgiue d 1. Io. 1.7 8 Gods seruants haue done the like e 2. Sam. 12. 9 If I féele not sins forgiuen in this life it is to be feared they wil not be forgiuen in the life to come f 2. Cor. 7.10 10 There is neither comfort nor content in any worldly thing whatsoeuer vnlesse I can be assured of this forgiuenesse * Mat. 9.2 Psal 103.2 Forgiue vs. Euch. Why do you say Forgiue vs Phil. Because I must pray that God would not onely forgiue mee but that hee would also forgiue all men in the world g Dan. 9.19 Euch. But you are bound to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sins will you pray for that which is had already Phil. I doe not as mistrusting that God hath not forgiuen them h Rom. 3.38 but that I may féele in my heart that God hath forgiuen them i Ps 51.10 and that I may apply that to my self which the Father hath purposed his Sonne purchased and the holy Ghost sealed Euch. Yet to pray thus for pardon it seemes to open a gap to sinne freely Phil. Nay rather if I haue grace the more I pray that my sins may be pardoned the more will I hate and detest sinne k Ps 51.14 and the more I am perswaded that God hath forgiuen me the more I will labour to liue godly Rom. 12.1 1. Ioh. 3.3 Tit. 2.11 Luk. 1.74 Euch. What vse do you make of this Forgiue vs Phil. 1 That as I sue for mine own pardon so must I with the Saints sue for others l Exo. 38.32 2 That I must bee sorrie when men doe sinne m Psa 119 136. 3 That I may not vncharitably discouer mens sinnes n Gal. 6.1.2 1. Pet. 4.8 4 That I must not cause any man to sinne o Pro. 7.18 Gen. 39.8 5 That I must not delight in any sin p Psal 119.104 6 That I must forgiue my brethren q Gen. 50.21 Euch. May you then pray for all men euen the wicked Phil. I may because the Lord alone knoweth who are his r 2. Tim. 2.19 and in the iudgement of charitie I may pray for the conuersion or confusion of the most wicked in the world ſ Ro. 10.1 Psal 25.3 Euch. What if a man sin against the holy Ghost may you pray for such a man Phil. Few or none haue now the spirit of discerning to know when a man sinneth against the holy Ghost and therfore we must take héede how we censure it Euch. Yet giue mee some notes to know this sinne Phil. I will giue you these 1 It is against that illumination which man hath by the holy Ghost Hebr. 6. 2 It is a sin of malice against God to denie him when a man néedes not 3 It is against the person of Christ Heb. 10.16 4 It is in none but such as haue had great knowledge and féeling Hebr. 6 6. 5 It is not a bare cogitation but a malicious detestation of God 6 It is not for a while but continuall 7 Not euery wicked man yea not euery such a wicked man as knoweth the Gospel doth commit this sinne 8 The elect cannot fall into it 9 Christ can forgiue this sinne but he will not because such a sinner doth despise and despaire of grace 10 Al sin either of presumption or malice is a forerunner of this sinne if such persons repent not Euch. Why are sinnes called debts Phil. Because by them we become bounden indebted to God either to discharge them or to be imprisoned for them Math. 18.32 Luk. 13.4 Euch. How many kinds of debt are there in sinne Phil. Thrée 1 A debt of obedience which we owe to God but haue not paid it throgh transgression t Gen. 2.17 3.6 2 A debt of punishment because we haue transgressed u Rom. 6.23 3 A debt of puritie which wée owe by reason of our coruption after our transgression x Rom 8.12 And against all these debts I must séeke that I may get my Quietus est in this life that I be not tormented in the life to come y 1. Iohn 2.1 Euch. Why are sinnes called ours Phil. Because they properly procéed from our selues and we are not by God compelled to sinne z Iam. 1.13 14. Euch. What vse make you of all this Phil. 1 That I must especially labour for pardon of mine owne sinne a Psal 51. 2 That I must not accuse God as the author of sinne b Isa 63.17 3 That because I daily must aske forgiuenesse therefore euen the best men do sinne daily c Pro. 24.16 2. Chro. 6.36 Luk. 5.8 1. Tim. 1.15 1. Ioh. 1.9 4 That as God is patient towards me so must I bee patient towards my brethren d 1. Thes 5.15 5 I must haue a fellow féeling of the sins of others 6 That I must no lesse pray for the pardon of their sinnes than of mine owne 7 That of my selfe I am not able to discharge this debt neither can say haue patience with mee and I will pay thee
and such base animals It is the propertie of a sicke and not a sound man to bee testie and fretfull 3 I haue much comfort by it 1. Sā 25.31 4 I shal banish malice out of mine heart 5 I may with assured comfort sue vnto God for mine owne pardon Mar. 18.6.14 6 I shall cause mine enemie to loue me 7 Then God will auenge my cause Prou. 25.21 8 I shall be fitter for the Lords Supper Mat. 5.25 Gen. 4.4 Euch. May a man forgiue him that hath offended him and yet sue him at the law Phil. Hee may not only sue his aduersarie but pursue him to death and yet forgiue him for vnlesse offendors be punished Gods glorie will bée hindered q 1. Sam. 15.9 Eccl. 8.11 Iustice decayed r Hos 5.10 Pro. 11.14 the Common-weale ruined ſ Pro. 29.4 and all men wronged t Iud. 17.6 and bad Iudges punished u Ier. 22.17 Pro. 24.24 Euch. What rules must you obserue in going to Law Phil. 1 I must doe nothing with a reuenging mind x Rom. 12.19 2 I must take héede that I offend not the Church y 1. Cor. 6.1.2 3 I must doe it for the maintenance of peace z Act. 21.22 4 I must labour by it to better mine aduersarie a Iam. 5.19 5 I must not sue for each trifling matter b 1. Cor. 6.7 6 I must vse all other good meanes and make law my last remedie c Matth. 18.29.31 Euch. May the Magistrate punish a Malefactor and yet be said to forgiue him Phil. Hee may doe it for hee is 1 The Minister of God to take vengeance of him that doth euill Rom. 13.4 2 The offence which he doth punish is not against his person but against the Common-wealth Euch. But when the flesh will tell you that you must bee reuenged what cautions were giuen you to stay your anger Phil. You gaue me these cautions 1 That I must consider that it is Gods doing d 2. Sam. 16.10 2 That I haue also wronged God and man c Eccl. 7.24 3 That Christ hath forgiuen me more f Mat. 17.32 4 That forgiuing is a dutie of loue g Gal. 5.13 14. 5 That I must not destroy him for whom Christ died h 1. Cor. 8.11 6 If I doe not forgiue I incurre Gods wrath i Mat. 6.15 7 That by forgiuing I am like vnto God k Ephes 4.31.32 8 That it is my dutie to doe nothing through contention l Phil. 2.3 Euch. But if I must forgiue mine enemies why did Dauid and others pray against theirs Psalme 54.7 Numb 16.15 2. Timoth. 4.14 Phil. They did so not in malice or desire of reuenge but 1 Vpon a zeale to Gods glorie 2 By the spirit of reuelation knowing that such men were in truth case awayes and vtter enemies to the truth of God Euch. What vse doe you make of this Phil. 1 That I am bound to forgiue all persons m Collos 3.12 all sinnes n Prou. 10. and at all times o Mat. 17.22 when man offends me and that fully 2 That I must liue in peace p 2. Cor. 13.11 and labour to make peace q Mat. 5.9 Exod. 2.13 and shew all tokens of loue to mine aduersary that he may assure himselfe that I haue forgiuen him not by halfe but altogether 3 That if I forgiue not I curse my selfe r Mat. 6.12 4 That they hurt themselues who leaue out this conditition in the Lords Prayer because they will not forgiue 5 That it is a signe of grace to forgiue ſ Matth 17 32. 6 That no man liuing in malice can say the Lords Prayer as he ought to doe t Mat. 5.24 7 That is it difficult to beléeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes u Marke 9.24 because this petition hath a condition to perswade vs annexed vnto it 8 That if they bee commended who forgiue their enemies what shall become of them who prosecute and persecute the Saints of God by whom they receiue much good Prou. 11.11 Euch. What doe you heere bewaile Phil. 1 The corruption of my nature prone to sinne 2 The burden of my sinne which I my selfe can neuer beare 3 That I féele not the want of Christ who only can forgiue sinne 4 That I am not so readie to forgiue men as God is readie to forgiue me Euch. What things doe you here pray for Phil. For thrée things 1 For Humiliation 2 For Iustification 3 For Reconciliation and loue to men Euch. In Humiliation what doe you pray for Phil. 1 That I may sée my sinnes 2 That I may féele them 3 That I may bewaile them 4 That I may most earnestly craue pardon for them séeing the burden of sinne is a most heauie burden Euch. How doe you pray for Iustification Phil. That Christs righteousnesse may be made mine and my sinnes may bee laid vpon Christ for his mercies sake Euch. How doe you pray for reconciliation Phil. That God would giue me a heart to bee reconciled to men so as I may pardon them and they me Euch. What thinges doe you pray against Phil. I pray against blindnesse of minde heardnes of hart continuance in sinne and the least opinion of mine owne righteousnesse that I should lightly regard Christ And lastly against al hatred by which I am kept from louing my brother Euch. What doe you giue thankes for Phil. I thanke God that hee hath giuen mee a sight and sense of sinne and perswaded mee of the pardon and forgiuenesse of them in his Sonne and that howsoeuer I sustaine many wronges at the handes of men yet I can bee contented to forgiue them as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen mée Euch. Which is the sixth petition Phil. The sixth Petition And lead vs not into temptation but c. Euch. Why is it placed after the fourth petition Giue vs c Phil. To teach me that if God giue mée daily bread I am subiect to be tempted with pride a Psa 30.6 Leade vs not into temptatiō and therefore must pray against it and if he deny mee daily bread I am subiect to be tempted with despaire b Ps 22.1.2 and so must pray against it Euch. Why is it set after Forgiue vs our debts Phil. That by this I may learne 1 That forgiuenesse of sinnes and temptations are inseparable companions c Luk. 22.31.32 2. Cor. 7.5 and that such as are not acquainted with temptations are as yet in the power of that strong man who keepeth the house of a secure soule d Lu. 11.21 2 That as the former petition answereth to the first part of the couenant of grace consisting in the remission of sinnes so this is answerable to the second part which consisteth in the writing of Gods Law in our hearts so as we shall not finally bee ouercome in temptation Euch. Why is it coupled to the former petition by this word and Phil. 1
institute this Sacrament in bread not in flesh Answ 1 Because bread is more fit to nourish than flesh 2 As bread is made nourishment by fire so Christ by the Crosse 3 As bread is corporall food so Christ is spirituall food 4 As bread taketh away corporall hunger so Christ spirituall 5 As bread is giuen to the hungrie not to full bellies so is Christ 6 As bread distributed to many is a token of loue so is Christs bodie giuen for many Quest And why vsed he wine especially Answ Because 1 As wine is the most swéet liquor so is Christs bloud 2 As wine quencheth corporall thirst so Christs bloud doth spirituall thirst 3 As wine chéereth so doth Christs bloud 4 As wine heateth so doth Christs bloud 5 As wine is pressed out of the grape so was Christs bloud out of his side 6 As wine maketh man secure bold eloquent and of good colour so doth Christs bloud Quest What is the forme of this Sacrament Answ The coniunction of the thing signified with the signe the action of God with the action of the Minister and the action of faith with the action of the receiuer Quest What doth the action of the Minister signifie Answ His taking bread and wine into his hands doth signifie Gods sealing of Christ to beare the office of a Mediator Ioh. 6.27 His blessing of the bread the sending of Christ to be a Mediator His breaking of bread and powring out of wine the execrable passion of Christ effusion of his bloud The giuing of bread and wine to the receiuer the offering of Christ to all euen Hypocrites but the giuing him only to true Christians Quest. What doth the action of the receiuer signifie Answ His taking of bread and wine into his hand doth signifie his apprehension of Iesus Christ by faith his eating of bread and drinking of wine for the nourishment of his body his applying of Christ vnto himselfe that his true communion with him may be more increased Quest What is the end of this Sacrament Answ 1 The assurance of Gods fauour 2 The increasing of my faith 3 Fellowship with Christ 4 Communion with the Saints Quest You said in the second place that you must examine your faith tell mee therefore what this faith is Answ It is a miraculous worke of God wrought in the heart of a regenerate man by the preaching of the Gospell whereby hée doth apprehend and applie to himselfe particularly Christ Iesus with al his benefits to the pardon and forgiuenesse of all his sinnes Quest Why must you examine whether you haue faith Answ Because 1 Without faith I cannot please God Hebr. 11.6 2 By it I must liue both in my particular and generall calling Hab. 2.4 3 By it I am iustified before God Rom. 5.1 4 By it I put on Christ Galath 3 27. 5 By it I féed on Christ Iohn 6.35 6 By it alone I obey Gods word Rom. 14.23 7 By it I am the child of God Gal. 3.2 8 By it Christ dwelleth in mine heart Ephes 3.17 9 By it I procure Gods blessings vpon my selfe and others Matth. 15.28 10 By it I receiue Christ in this Sacrament Quest How may a man know whether he haue this faith Answ By these signes 1 If wee can from our hearts renounce our false supposed goodnesse and can wholly relie vpon Christ in the matter of our saluation this nature cannot doe 2 If we haue peace of conscience arising from the apprehension of GODS loue in Christ and our reconciliation with him Quest Which are the wants of faith Answ 1 Doubting and distrust of Gods mercy 2 Presumption and vaine confidence in our selues Quest To come to the third part of our examination tell me what repentance is Answ 1 It is a worke of grace arising of a godly sorrow whereby a man turneth from all his sins to God and bringeth forth fruit worthie amendement of life Quest Why must you examine whether you haue this repentance Answ Because 1 Mans heart is deceitfull and subtill Ierm 17.9 2 Without it I cannot beleeue Mark 1.15 3 Impenitency is a fore-runner of iudgement Rom. 2.5 4 By repentance I am assured of my saluation Acts 2.38 5 Till then I can haue no comfort Psal 51.12.13.12.32.6 6 If I want it I can neither pray a nor b heare nor c reprehend sin in others d nor yet be a fit guest for the Lords Table a Psa 50.16 Prou. 28.9 b Matth. 3.7 c Iohn 8.7 d 1. Sam. 16.6 Quest. Giue some reasons to moue to repentance Answ I will wée are moued to repent 1 By Gods mercies Rom. 2.4 2 By his patience 2. Pet. 3.15 3 By his iudgements Isai 26.9 4 By the word preached in the Law and Gospell Ionah 2. Math. 3. 5 By the Sacraments Marke 1.4 6 By sinne past 1. Pet. 4.2 7 By the shortnesse and vncertaintie of this life Psal 90.12 8 By the certaintie of death Eccles 12.13 9 By the paucitie of such as shall bee saued Luke 13.25 10 By thinking of the day of iudgement Acts 17.31 11 For feare we go not to hell 12 That we may be partakers of heauen 13 That else we are not assured of our election 14 Without it we cannot die comfortable 15 It is difficult to performe on our death-beds 16 If we repent not our score will increase 17 Without it God will not heare vs. 18 We else run into hardnes of heart 19 If wee doe not so wee bring Gods plagues vpon others 20 By repentance we honour God and assure our consciences that God hath forgiuen vs for Sin discouered by triall and cast out by repentance will neuer condemne vs. Quest And why then do not men repent Answ Because 1 They haue gotten a custome of sinning 2 They escape vnpunished héere 3 They euer think on mercie 4 They feare not iudgement 5 They beléeue not Gods word 6 They sée that most do so 7 They obserue the life of bad Ministers 8 They looke vpon great men that are bad 9 They sée not the vilenesse of sinne 10 They meditate not how God hath plagued the impenitent Quest How shall you know whether you haue this repentance or not Answ By these markes 1 If I haue a godly sorrow whereby I am displeased with my selfe because by sin I haue displeased God 2 If there bee in mee a changing of the mind and a purpose to forsake sin and euer after to please God 3 If I do daily more and more break off my sinnes and abstaine from inward practise kéeping vnder my corruptions and vngodly thoughts 4 If I can mourne for the present corruption of my nature 5 If I haue béen grieued and craued pardon for my late sinnes euen fithence I was last partaker of the Lords Table Quest You said that obedience was the fourth part of our examination can you tell me what obedience is Answ It is a frée heartie vniuersall euangelicall personall and perpetuall kéeping of Gods Commandements Quest What reasons can you
Luke 23.8 1. Cor. 1.11 6 That as I come I consider whither I goe Exod. 34.24 Zach. 8.21 7 That I carrie my Family with mee Exod. 20.10 8 That I inuite others to come Isay 2.3 Zach. 8.21 Iohn 1.43.47 Luke 2.42 Psalme 122.1 Gen. 11.4 9 That I bring a mind desirous to heare 1. Pet. 2.2 10 That I so come as I may heare the whole Seruice and Sermon For to neglect Seruice sauours of Schisme and to come short of the Sermon ordinarily argues Atheisme Quest What must you doe in hearing the Word Answ 1 I must settle my selfe to heare Acts 10.33 Eccles 6.33 2 Mine eies must be bent vpon the Preacher only Luke 4.20 5.1 Acts 3.5 8.6 Nehem. 8.3 3 I must not offend the Congregation by coughing or sléeping Acts 21.9 21.40 1. Thess 5.7 4 I must read nothing in the time of the Sermon vnlesse I turne to places alleaged but Hoc agere doe that which I am come to doe 5 I must take héed I talke not so with others that I heare onely by péecemeale 1. Corinthians 10.10 Psalme 26.12 6 I must remember I come to learne Isay 2.6 7 If the Doctrine be good neither voice nor youth nor gesture must offend mee 2. Cor. 11.6 8 I must reioyce most in mine owne Teacher Iohn 10.4 9 I must obserue the Preachers method whether he expound teach exhort confute reprehend or comfort 10 I must note that which most concernes me and then thinke that he speakes to and of me Acts 2.38 Iames 1.25 11 I must not be wearie if the Sermon be long Acts 20 9. Ios 8.34 Nehem. 8.3 12 I must write the Sermon if I can Quest What must you doe when you haue heard Answ 1 I must not depart before all euen the blessing bee ended nor before the administration of the Sacraments if there be any 2 As I goe home I must thinke what I haue heard and talke of it as I goe Luk. 24.14 Nicephorus saith that Christians in their iourneying did sing Psalmes and by such singing a Iew was conuerted Lib. 3. Eccles Hist Cap. 37. 3 When I am come home I must conferre of the Sermon The want of this is the maine cause of ignorance vnprofitablenesse and sée that each of my Family haue learned somewhat Deut. 6.4.20 4 If I doubt of any thing I must aske the Preacher or some other Malach. 2.7 Acts 8.34 5 I must not immediatly after hearing goe about my priuate affaires 6 If the Sermon be ended before dinner or supper the best table-talke is of the Sermon Exod. 12.26 7 I must not so much censure the Minister as sée what good things I haue learned Act. 13.45 8 It is not enough to say it was a good Sermon but I must know for what I commend it Ioh. 7.46 9 If any of my people haue béene negligently forgetfull I must reprooue them Marke 7.19 8.18 10 I must labour to turne Gods Word into good workes Rom. 2.13 Ioh. 13.17 Quest Now that you may be able to iudge of Sermons tell mee which you doe thinke a good Sermon Answ Surely that which sheweth 1 The coherence of his Text with that Scripture which goeth before and followeth after it if it haue any 2 Which expoundeth the true meaning 3 Which deliuereth out of it the naturall doctrines with reasons and proofes of that docrine 4 Which maketh vse of each doctrine 5 Which instructeth exhorteth confuteth comforteth 6 In which is manifest the power of Gods Spirit 7 Which heapeth not vp too many testimonies diuine or humane 8 That which Auditors may best vnderstand and remember 9 That which teacheth mee the way to Heauen 10 That which speaketh especially to my heart woundeth my conscience moueth me to teares draweth from me a confession of my personal sinnes causeth me to beléeue and maketh me to turne from all yea euen my beloued sinnes to God Quest But because you see many a sleepe at Sermons tell me what may bee the cause of such heauinesse Answ The causes are 1 The malice of Sathan who rocks the cradle in which men so sléepe 2 The want of consideration of the Maiestie of God the presence of Angels the necessitie of the Word and the subtiltie of our aduersarie who by this meanes deuoures vs. 3 Ouermuch labouring in our callings the day and night before as may appeare by many trades-men 4 Excesse of dyet vpon the Sabbath day at dinner which hinders not only our seruants from comming but them and vs from hearing when we are come 5 Want of exhortation in the Minister that men should awake 6 Neglect of such as sit by vs who suffering vs to sleepe communicate with our sinne 7 The cares of this World 8 Opinion that wee haue knowledge enough 9 Want of attention to that which is spoken 10 An occasion may be because some Ministers preach without studie and so bring not much worth the hearing But that Sermon is a meane one out of which a man may not learne some good 11 The heat of the Ayre where many are together may occasion the best to fall asléepe 12 Some are brought asléepe by sorrow or too long Sermons Matthew 26.43 Acts 20.9 Quest What remedies must you vse against this ordinary drowsinesse An. 1 I must meditate of Gods presence 2 That by it I discourage the Minister 3 That I giue bad example to others 4 That such as see mee will suspect my Religion 5 That the diuell lulles me asleepe 6 That I turne a festiuall into a funerall Sermon 7 That I would be offended if any slept whilest I talked vnto them 8 That so I hinder my selfe of many profitable instructions 9 That Eutychus fell dead in such a sléep 10 I must vse a spare diet 11 I must not be offended that my pew-fellowes awake me 12 I must not sit onely but stand that I may keepe my selfe from drowsinesse Quest And what needes all this direction for hearing may I not as well stay at home and read a good Sermon priuately An. I disallow not reading of Sermons and other good books for by them I may be 1 Instructed in things I know not 2 Confirmed in things that I know 3 I may meditate the better of things written 4 I may spend my vacant time well 5 If I haue no Preacher such Sermons may much edifie me 6 If I be sicke or the weather foule or the way to Church ouer long this course may be a meanes to giue me much comfort But yet preaching to the eare is especially to be regarded For by it 1 God hath appointed ordinarily to saue me 1. Cor. 1. 2 Then are Common places handled Articles of faith expounded and one place of Scripture explaned by another 3 Then darke places are made plaine and repugnant Scriptures reconciled 4 Obiections against truth are answered 5 Generall doctrine is applyed to occasions of times places and persons by exhortation admonition reprehension consolation c. 6 Experience teacheth
you may see his goodnesse to you and yours in the other his iustice against his and the Churches enemies This Booke of mine hath many leaues these other haue only two in the one you may reade of Mercy in the other you may reade of Iudgement The Lord grant vnto your Honor with your most honorable Countesse the Lady Francis a second Dorothea giuen both as a gift to you that feare God such a life that at the houre of death when your glasse shall be runne and the Bridegrome call for you you may both say with that holy man Vixi dum volui volui dum Christe volebas Sic nec vita mihi mors nec acerba fuit London From S. Martins in the fields May 30. 1613. Your Honors at command ROBERT HILL A DIRECTION TO DIE WELL. Question I Doubt not but you are now well instructed for the direction of your whole life but because you haue heere no abiding citie what are you to thinke of that you may die well An. I am euer to meditae of fiue things 1 Of mine owne death which is most certaine that it will come and vncertaine when it will come 2 Of the death of Christ which was bitter to him but sweet to and for his 3 Of the deceitfulnesse of this world which is subtill to allure and subiect to change 4 Of the ioyes of heauen which are comâ—ortable to thinke on and glorious to posâ—esse 5 Of the torments of hell which are endlesse in themselues and comfortlesse to sinners Quest And why ought you first to thinke oftentimes of death Answ 1 Because it is appointed that al must die Hebr. 9.27 Death spares none and therefore there was neuer sacrifice offered to her 2 It is vncertaine when where or how I may die and therefore vncertaine that I may euer thinke of it 3 Many goe merrily to the pit of perdition for want of this meditation 4 Death by this will be more welcome vnto mee for Dangers foreseene are lesse grieuous 5 I shall more easily contemne this world by often thinking that I am a stranger in it 6 It will kéepe me from many sinnes which otherwise I would commit and cause me to repent of sinnes committed 7 Christ my Lord and good Christians his seruants had euer such thoughts 8 Many Philosophers haue done the like and of it haue written many volumes 9 As the day of death leaues me so the day of iudgement shall find me Psal 90.12 10 It was the praier of Moses to God that hee would teach him so to number his daies that hee might applie his heart vnto wisdome 11 It is the end of all my hearing and reading and as it were the scope of a Christian Diuine 12 It is the Art of all Arts and Science of all Sciences to learne to die Quest How prooue you this last Answ Moses saith O that they were wise and that they would consider their latter end Deut. 32.29 The Wise man saith Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse Eccles 7.36 An Emperour said that Fredricke the third The best knowledge was to know God and to learne to die Augustine said that in this our pilgrimage we must thinke of nothing else but that wee shall not be euer heere and yet heere should wee prepare for our selues that place from whence we shall neuer depart Gregorie said All the life of a wise man must bee the meditation of death and He is euer carefull to doe well who is euer thinking of his last end Quest Why then doe so few thinke of death and put this euill day farre from them Answ The reasons are 1 Their infidelity they beleeue not either the happinesse of heauen nor the horrors of hell 2 Their impenitency and euill conscience they would not breake off their sinnes by drawing neere to God 3 Their ignorance of the soules immortalitie the bodies resurrection and the good things prepared for them in heauen by Christ 4 Their ambition in desiring the honors and preferments of this world and being loath to leaue them when they haue enioied them 5 Their couetousnesse by which as Moles they would euer by their good wils liue vpon earth 6 Their delight in the pleasures of sin from which they are taken at the day of death 7 Their want of Gods feare for Hee that feares God feares not to dye 8 Their vnwillingnesse to leaue this world for to die well is to die willingly Quest It seemeth then wee had neede to pray that God would teach vs to number our not yeeres but daies and now tell mee you that haue beene taught this Arithmeticke how you ought to number your daies An. I must number them after this sort 1 I must abstract the time past for that being irreuocable will neuer come againe 2 I may not adde the time to come for it may be it will neuer come vnto me 3 I must set down only the time present and know that it is only mine Our life is a point and lesse then a point a figure of one to which we can adde no Cipher it is but a moment and yet if we vse this moment wel wee may get eternitie which is of greatest moment Quest Is it not then thinke you a great folly that men are so vnwilling to thinke of death Answ Questionlesse it is we sée the Mariner with ioy thinkes of the Hauen The Labourer is glad to sée the euening The Trauailer is merry when his iournie is ended The Souldier is not sorrie when his warfare is accomplished and shall wee be grieued when the dayes of sinne are ended Quest It seemeth by this which you haue said that this life of ours is verie troublesome for we are Mariners our hauen is happinesse Trauellers our iournie is to Paradise Labourers our hire is Heauen and Souldiers our conquest is at death Is then our life both miserable and changeable Answ Yea verily for it is compared to a pilgrimage in which is vncertaintie Genes 47.9 A Flower in which is mutabilitie Isay 40.7 A smoke in which is vanitie Psalme 102.3 An House of Clay in which is miserie Iob. 4.19 A Weauers shittle in which is volubilitie Iob. 7.6 A shepheards tent in which is varietie Isay 38.12 A Ship on the Sea in which is celeritie Wisd 5.10 A Mariner who sitting standing sléeping or waking euer saileth on A shadow which is nothing to the bodie Iob. 8.9 To a thought whereof wee haue thousands in one day To a dreame whereof we haue millions in one night Iob. 20.8 To vanitie which is nothing in it selfe Psal 39. 5. And to nothing which hath no being in the World Psal 39.5 Quest If all this be true as it must needes bee because God hath said it the houre of death is farre better then the day of our birth Is it so Ans It is that for these reasons by it 1 We are fréed from many present miseries Reuel 14.13 Wee are deliuered from many future
of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh requests for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or nakednesse or perill or the sword I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor hell nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus my Lord. Rom. 8. Say with Augustine All my whole hope is in the death of my Lord his death is my merit my refuge my saluation my life my resurrection my merit is Gods mercy I shall neuer want merit so long as this God of mercy is not wanting to me And if Gods mercies are great I also am great in merit Say with Ambrose Christ was subiect to the damnation of death that hee might free vs from the yoke of damnation hee tooke vpon him the seruitude of death that hee might giue vs the liberty of eternall life Say with S. Paul Christ hath redéemed me from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 the Iudge is satisfied he cannot be angry Say that your Sauiour maketh intercession for you for God no sooner looks on him but he is forthwith well pleased with you Say that his mercy endureth for euer I shall iudge the world with him why then shall I feare to be iudged He hath made a Couenant with mee hée will neuer breake He hath giuen me grace to beleeue and trust in him he will not now leaue me I confesse my sinnes he is ready to forgiue them I haue had his Spirit he will neuer take it from me My Sauiour shall iudge me he will not bee angry with mee and for his sake the Father will not be angry for hee is that welbeloued Sonne in whom alone hee is well pleased Quest O but I may feare that I am but a castaway and that eternall death is due vnto me if I fall into this pit what hand can you giue me to helpe me out Answ Will Satan now tell you that you must be damned comfort your selfe with these sayings God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Sonne that who so beléeueth in him should neuer perish but haue life euerlasting Iohn 3.16 He that heareth my words and beléeueth in him that sent me hath eternal life and shall not come into condemnation Ioh. 5. I am the resurrection and the life he that beléeueth in me though hee were dead yet shall he liue and who so liueth and beleeueth in me shall not die eternally Ioh. 11. I giue to my shéepe eternall life and tâ—ey shall neuer perish and none is able to take them out of my hands Ioh. 10. As in Adam all men died so in Christ shall all that is all the elect whereof I am one so I say in Christ shall all be made aliue 1. Cor. 15. Death is swallowed vp in victory O death where is thy victory O hell where is thy sting the sting of death is sinne the strength of sin is the law but thanks be vnto God who hath giuen vs victory through Iesus Christ our Lord. 1. Cor. 15.57 We know that when the tabernacle of this earthly house shall bee dissolued wee shall haue a building from God euen an habitation made without hands in heauen 2. Cor. 5.1 Besides these sweete and sure promises consider that as the faithlesse can neuer liue so the faithfull can neuer die That the promise of God doth quicken things that are dead and calleth things that are not as though they were You feare not the falling of heauen and earth because they are supported by the word of God and why should you feare your owne fall you being supported by the same word Doe you not know that God is present with you by his Spirit and will you feare cold when this fire burneth Can you feare darkenesse when this Sunne shineth Are you poore that haue this gold in your Chest And thinke you to die of thirst when you are at this fountaine of liuing waters Are you not a member of Christs body Is there life in the head and shall there bee death in the members Is your head aboue the water and shall your body neuer come out of the water Doth the roote of a trée giue life vnto the branches and cannot Christ the Roote of Iesse giue life vnto his branches Yea rather say My life is hid with God in Christ when Christ which is my life shall appeare then shal I also appeare with him in glorie Coloss 3. By my first roote Adam I bring foorth briers and thornes fit to be burned by my second roote Christ I am like a tree planted by the riuers of waters which shall giue out her fruit in due season and whatsoeuer I doe it shall prosper Why my deare friend you doe beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes can you then feare eternall damnation You doe beleeue the resurrection of your body will you now doubt of the resurrection of your body Haue the Prophets Apostles set down so much coÌ„cerning saluation by Christ that you should say I am not saued by Christ You were initiated by Baptisme confirmed by Catechisme strengthened by the Lords Supper and professed that religion which by Christ brings saluation and you haue receiued many benefits as pledges of Gods loue and will not all this perswade you that you shall goe to heauen Yea Christ hath ouercome that Diuell that you might subdue him subdued that strong man that you might conquer him and descended downe to hel that you might with him ascend vnto heauen Therefore be constant my beloued and vnmoueable alwaies in the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1. Cor. 15. Quest Thus I hope at the houre of death I shall not feare the place of darknesse but alas such is the weaknesse of my faith that I feare the Prince of darknesse Ans And why should you feare him the Egyptians are drowned they cannot pursue you Goliah is slaine he cannot reuile you the Philistims are ouercome they cannot hurt you Sathan is chained hee cannot harme you Hee will séeke to winnow you but he can only séeke and if he doe more hée shall finde you Gods wheate and then you must néeds be carried into Gods barne Hee is indeede Gods Executioner but why should you feare the Hangman when you haue the Kings pardon or the Sergeant when you haue his protection or the Deuill when you haue Christs intercession You are strong the Word of God dwelleth in you you haue ouercome that Euil one 1. Iohn 2.14 You haue faith your aduersarie would deuoure you by it you are able to resist him 1. Peter 5.8 You haue put on the complete Armour of God Ephesians 6.11 it is an Armour of proofe
learn all our life to die and this is the principall office of life To be briefe by this you shall purchase libertie to your conscience you shall feare nothing you will liue well contentedly and peaceably and without this knowledge there is no more pleasure in life than in the fruition of that which a man feareth alwaies to lose Quest To draw to an end and to come to my end when the pangs of death come vpon me and the wormes of the earth wait for me if God giue mee then mine vnderstanding what I pray you may bee my fittest meditation Answ Say now inwardly to your sicke soule Now my pilgrimage is ended mine haruest is inned my iourney is finished my race is run my glasse is spent my candle is in the socket many of the godly are gone before and I am now to follow them now thinke that you are come out of prison gotten out of Babylon and are going to Ierusalem Now thinke that the Angels stand at your beds head to carrie your soule into Abrahams bosome where you shall see God the Father behold God the Sonne and enioy God the holy Ghost where you shall enioy the societie of Angels the companie of the Saints and the knowledge of them whom you neuer knew héere where you shall liue eternally reigne triumphantly and obey God perfectly Meditate now that you must not bee loth to leaue this world because you go to that which is to come to leaue your house because you are going to Gods house to leaue your temporall riches because you are going to eternal riches to leaue your earthly preferments because God will set a crowne of pure gold vpon your head and to leaue your friends and acquaintance heere because you shall see them in glorie hereafter These and such like must be your meditations Quest Now it may be and I pray God it may be that I may haue speech vnto the last gaspe what words are fit for me to vtter Answ If God giue you that blessing say now with Dauid Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth With Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation With Paul Christ is to me life and death is to mee aduantage I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for mee the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to mee only but to all them that loue that appearing of his Say How sweet is my Sauiour vnto mee sweeter then the hony and the hony combe Say Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Say Lord I haue sinned against thee thou hast promised to forgiue me my sinnes I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Say with Steuen Lord into thine hands I commend my soule Say with the Saints Come Lord Iesus come quickly Say Lord keepe thy Church and people in thy trueth and peace for euermore now Lord dissolue in me the cursed workes of the diuell Say I am sicke be thou my Physitian I am to die Lord giue me life eternall Say Lord bee good vnto my kinsfolks in the flesh and my friends in the Spirit that they may liue in thy feare and die in thy fauour Say with Ambrose I haue not so led my life that I was ashamed to liue neither doe I feare death because I haue a good Lord. Say to thy friends with S. Bernard O ground the anchor of your faith and hope in the safe and sure port of Gods mercie Say with Oecolampadius to all that come to thée I will tell you newes I shall shortly be with the Lord. Say with Luther I pray thee Lord Iesus receiue my poore soule my heauenly Father though I be taken from this life and this body of mine is to be laied downe yet I know certainly that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shal any be able to pul me out of thine hands Say with Annas Burgius Forsake me not O Lord lest I forsake thee Say with Melancthon If it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will grant me a ioyfull departure Say with M. Caluine I held my tongue because thou Lord hast done it I mourned as a a doue Lord thou grindest me to powder but it sufficeth mee because it was thine hand Say with Peter Martyr My bodie is weake but my minde is well There is no saluation but onely by Christ who was giuen of the Father to bee a Redeemer of mankinde This is my faith in which I die and God will destroy them that teach otherwise Farewell my brethren and deare friends Say with Babylas Martyr of Antioch Returne O my soule vnto thy rest because the Lord hath blessed thee Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my foote from falling I shall walke before thee in the land of the liuing Say Blessed is God in all his waies and holie in all his workes Naked I came out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed bee the name of the Lord. I know that my Redeemer liueth and he shall stand the last on the earth And though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet I shall see God in my flesh Whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall cehold and none other for mee though my reines are consumed within me Say in a word Lord I thanke thee that I am a Christian that I liued in a Christian Church that I die amongst a Christian people that I goe to a Christian societie Lord Iesu sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me and receiue my soule Euen so Come Lord Iesu come quickly Amen Quest If I haue time these are fit both meditations and speeches but I may die vpon the sudden what instructions can you giue me against sudden death Answ You may indéed die suddenly either by fire in your house or water in your ship or earth falling into some pit or casualtie in your way or impostumation and an apoplexi in your body or by trauel in child-birth if you be a woman or the sword in warre if you bee a man Therefore thinke 1 That death may come vpon you vnawares wherefore as you would doe for a suspected enemie waite so for it that it may neuer surprize you 2 Know that many worthie men haue died suddenly Iulius Caesar disputing the night before of the good of sudden death was the next day by Brutus and Cassius slain suddenly in the Senate Ioannes Mathesius hauing preached a Sermon of the raising againe of the widow of Nains sonne and therein handling the knowledge that one
subdue them in me I may haue afflictions in this world but Christ bids me to bee of good comfort for he hath ouercome the world Ioh. 16.33 and This is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen my faith 1. Ioh. 5.4 I will say with Dauid Why art thou disquieted O my soule and why art thou troubled within me The Lord is on my side I will not feare what either man or miserie or sin or death or hell or the Diuel can doe against mee I haue God to bée my Father and Christ to be my elder brother I will not feare in the euil day I am not alone Christ is my companion This shall be my studie to beléeue thinges inuisible to hope for that which is deferred and to loue God to the end though he writeth bitter things against me and maketh mee to possesse the sinnes of my youth Though hee kill me I will trust in him I am in Christ Iesus and therefore fréed by his bonds healed by his stripes crucified by his death raised by his resurrection iustified by his obedience sanctified by his spirit and glorified by his glorious Ascension into Heauen Now my flesh by the benefit of Christ who rose againe in my flesh is not spe but re not in hope but indéede saued For in him mine head it is alreadie both risen and ascended vp into Heauen My flesh being safe in this her head shall bee also saued in her members Let them securely triumph their head will neuer forsake them 2 You must learne to rise from sinne to newnesse of life to séeke those thinges that are aboue and not those thinges which are beneath to set your affections on Heauen and heauenly things If you be partaker of the first resurrection the second death shall take no hold of you Reuel 20.6 If you doe not this Christs death shal doe you no good For as hee died and rose againe so must you rise from sinne to righteousnesse and from death to life Therefore awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life Ephes 5.14 Quest If I can thus meditate of Christs death and resurrection I doubt not but death will bee better welcome for if I weare his Crowne of thornes I shall one day weare his Crowne of glorie If I can pledge him in his Cup of gall I shall drinke of his sweet wine If I die with him in this World I shall liue with him in that which is to come But you told mee that I must meditate of the deceitfulnesse of this World must I doe so that I may leaue it more willingly Answ You must néeds doe it the World is like Laban it will giue you Leah for Rachel it will change your wages it wil send you with Iaakob emptie away It is a Syren it will sing to you to sinke you It is as Iael Hebers wife it will offer you milke and couer you with a mantle and in the end strike a naile into the temples of your head It will salute you as Ioab did Amasa and kill you as Amasa was by Ioab killed With Iudas it will kisse you and with Iudas also it will betray you For this cause Salomon cried Vanitie of vanities all is but vanitie Iohn said Loue not this World nor the thinges of this World hee that loueth this World the loue of the Father is not in him 1. Ioh. 2.16 To this purpose the Fathers haue many notable Meditations Augustine said This World is more dangerous fauning then fighting and more to be auoided when she inticeth to loue then when shee compelleth to contempt Againe O yee louers of this World for what doe you labour haue you heere any greater hope then to become friendes of this World what is there which is not fraile and full of perill and by how many perils doe you come to a greater perill This life is miserable death vncertaine it comes vnawares and after all the punishment of our negligence is eternall punishment Againe The World passeth away and the lusts thereof What wilt thou doe whether wilt thou loue temporall thinges and passe away with time or loue Christ and liue for euer Againe Behold the World is troublesome and we like it what would wee doe if it were calme how would wee cleaue vnto beautie if wee so affect deformitie how fast would wee gather the flowers who fill our hands with the thornes Againe This ruinous World is beloued of vs what would we doe if the building were faire Againe The Lords of this World haue true asperitie false iucunditie certaine miserie and hopelesse felicitie Gregorie said Beholde this World which wee loue so much passeth away These Saints at whose monuments wee stand did contemne the then florishing World they had long life continuall health rich estate many children long peace and yet when that World florished in it selfe it withered in their hearts Beholde now it withereth in it selfe and florisheth in our hearts Euerie where death sorrow desolation is at hand Wee are beaten on all sides filled on all sides are we with bitternesse and yet being blinded with carnall concupiscence we loue the bitternesse of this World shee flieth we pursue her she falleth we leane vpon her and because wee cannot keepe her from falling we fal with her whom we hold falling Bernard said Hee that begins to thinke Christ sweet will esteeme quickly the world as bitter Againe This World is full of thornes they are in the Earth they sticke in thy flesh To bee amongst them and not to bee hurt by them proceeds from Gods power not our owne Againe The World crieth I wil faile thâ—â— the flesh crieth I will infect thee the Deuill crieth I will deceiue thee but Christ crieth I will refresh thee Againe The danger of this World is seene in the paueitie of such as passe well thorow it and the multitude that perish in it In the Massilian Sea of foure Shippes scant one is drowned in the Sea of this World of foure soules scant one is saued Chrysostome said The World is a Sea the Church a Ship the Saile Repentance the Rudder the Crosse the Pilot Christ and the Holy Ghost the Windes I would with you therefore to bid this vaine World Adieu and to say with the blessed Apostle Saint Paul God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing saue in the crosse of Christ whereby the World is crucified to me and I vnto the World Quest I shall doe this the better if you tell mee what God hath prepared for mee in Heauen and of this I desire to be instructed from you Answ The Apostle Paul thinking vpon this saith The Eye hath not seene the Eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceiue the good things which God hath prepared for them which loue him The Eye saith Augustine hath not seene it because it is not Colour the Eare hath not heard it because it is not a Sound the
content our selues with a profession of piety and labour not for the power of godlinesse And as for our liues they abound with actuall transgression against euery one of thy ten Commandements hauing broken the same ten thousand tims We Lord haue liued in contempt of thy prouidence committing idolatry with thy creatures taking thy glorious name in vaine and profaning of thy most holy Sabbaths We euen we who should haue been vpright haue not regarded our betters but enuied our brethrē defiled our soules with vnchaste desires laboured to be rich by vnlawfull meanes disgraced our neighbours and longed after that which was none of ours Wee haue heard thy word O Lord but we haue not beleeued it we haue known the word but haue not practised it Wee haue come to thine house without reuerence approched to thy Table without repentance and practised many sins without remorse Doe we any good wee please our selues too much Doe we any euil we feare thée too little we are wearie of praying when we talke with thée we are carelesse in hearing when thou speakest to vs. If we reade thy Sacred and Holy Word it is not swéete vnto vs as the hony combe but wee delight more euen in vngodly bookes Yea O Lord the pampering of our bellies the pride of our apparel the negligence in our calling the mispending of our time our vaine conference at table our wandring eyes our wanton lusts our ambitious minds our couetous desires our vngodly spéeches our lasciuious eares our censuring of our brethren our sinne in recreations our vnwillingnesse to labour our vnfaithfulnesse in life our forgetfulnesse of death and our abuse of thy mercies especially in Christ doe testifie against vs that wée haue sinned against Heauen and against thee and are no more worthie to be called thy children Are wee ashamed at this and reclaimed from it no Lord wee are not ashamed but howsoeuer it hath pleased thee to vse many meanes as partly by thy Word and partly by thy Spirit and partly by thy mercies partly by thy iudgments to the end we might bee reclaimed from our crooked wayes yet we haue contemned thy Word the Ministerie of saluation greiued thy spirit the earnest of our inheritance abused thy mercies the pledges of thy loue and forgotten thy iudgments the messengers of thy wrath Enter not into iudgement with vs thy seruants O Lord for then shall no flesh liuing bee iustified in thy sight Be mercifull vnto vs in forgiuing sinnes past and be gracious vnto vs in preuenting sinnes to come Correct vs O Lord but with mercie not in thy iudgement for then shall we be consumed and brought to nought Open our blind eyes that we may come to a particular knowledge of our particular sinnes especially such as wee are most giuen vnto Soften our hard and stonie hearts that wee may sigh and grone vnder the burden of them make vs good God displeased with our selues because by sinne wee haue dishonoured thy Maiestie Stirre vp our dead and dul hearts that we may hunger after Christ and his righteousnesse and after euery drop of his precious bloud In that Sonne of thine looke on vs thy seruants and for his merits and righteousnesse vouchsafe good God mercifully and fréely to do away al our offences Wash them away in his blood and by the purity of his spirit clense our hearts from the pollution and impurity of them all say vnto our soules thou art our saluation let thy spirit in our hearts crie Abba Father Teach vs. O Lord thy way we shal walk in thy truth O knit our hearts vnto thée that we may feare thy Name And because through corruption in our hearts and sinne in our liues our faith is féeble and our confidence small wée doe humbly beséech thée to strengthen our faith by the daily meditation and particular application of thy mercifull promises made vnto vs in thy Sonne Christ that neither in the dangers of this world nor in the troubles of conscience nor in the houre of death we may fall from thée Gracious Father expell out of our hearts al carnal confidence the vnderminer of our faith teach vs in the spirit of true humilitie to denie our selues and to relie only vpon thée and the merit of Christ in the matter of our saluation And because it is not enough to come vnto thée by prayer and to sue vnto thée for pardon but all that are in Christ must be new creatures therefore we call vpon thée for the spirit of regeneration mortifie therby the corruptions of our flesh quicken vs thereby in the inner man By the power of Christs death let vs die vnto sinne and by the power of his resurrection let vs rise to righteousnesse and newnes of life let the one as a corrasiue eate vp the dead flesh of vngodlinesse and the other as a spur stir vs vp to holinesse Illuminate our mindes that wee may know thy will giue vs spirituall vnderstanding to discerne good and euill Sanctifie our memories to treasure vp good things purifie our consciences to haue peace in thée reforme our willes to doe thy will and let all our affections be ordered aright Teach vs to feare thée continually wheresoeuer wee are to neglect all things in regard of Christ to loue thée and our brethren for thy sake to be zealous of thy glorie to bée grieued at our owne and others sinnes and ioyfull when we can please thée Let our bodies the instruments of sinne be euer hereafter clensed by thy spirit that they may bee temples for that spirit to dwell in keepe our eyes from beholding vanitie our eares from hearkening to variety our mouthes from speaking blasphemie our hands from committing of iniquitie and our bodies from the action of adulterie Let our light so shine before men that they séeing our good workes may glorifie thee our heauenly Father Make vs to remember that as we are sonnes we must depend vpon thée as wee are seruants we must obey thée and as wee are Christians we ought to walke worthy of our vocation calling And because we haue all some particular calling either of rule or seruice or trust or fauour make vs from the highest to the lowest faithfull in our callings and to remember that a day will come in which wee must giue an account vnto thée of all our actions done in this flesh whether they bée good or euill Take away from vs all opportunitie of sinning and make vs euer thankfull that wee liue so as wée want allurements to many sinnes Cause vs to sée how deformed sinne is in it selfe and to what confusion it is like to bring vs Lord make vs to flie the very occasions of sinne and to resist the beginnings of all temptatition let not a night passe ouer our heads in which wee examine not how wée haue spent the day neuer let vs come into any companie wherein wee may not doe or receiue some good Keepe vs that wee fashion not
a true and liuely faith to apprehend and applie all the promises of saluation to my sinfull soule and to this purpose illuminate mine vnderstanding confirme my memorie purifie my conscience inlarge mine heart rectifie my will order al the members of my body and so sanctifie me throughout that my whole bodie soule and spirit may be kept blamelesse till the glorious appearance of my Sauiour Christ Grant me I beséech thée knowledge of thy truth faith in thy promises feare of thy Maiestie zeale of thy glorie obedience to thy statutes faithfulnesse in my calling patience in troubles hungring after righteousnesse and a tender affection towards all my brethren Grant me I beséech thée the gift of Regeneration to become thy childe of faith to beléeue thy promises of obedience to doe thy will of prayer to séeke thy presence of comfort to endure thy trials and of strength to continue thy seruant to my liues end Grant me again and grant it I intreate thée the sauing knowledge of thy word let it bee in my minde by vnderstanding memorie by remembring thought by meditating heart by affecting tongue by speaking and mine actions by performing it to my dying day Mine heart O Lord is deceitfull let mée watch ouer it my will is vnwilling to all goodnesse let it run the way to thy commandements Many behold my life conuersation let it I beséech thée be ordered aright To this end teach mee to sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome doe thy will Thou hast placed me in a calling make me painfull in it that thereby from thée I may haue my daily bread If I haue it kéepe me from pride if not kéepe me from despaire And forgiue mee the abuse of all thy good blessings And howsoeuer I must néeds liue in this world yet let me vse it as though I vsed it not let my conuersation be in heauen mine eyes on thy presence my trust in thy prouidence my delight in thy word and the communion of Saints Make me thinke often of heauen that I may loue it of hel that I may feare it of death that I may exspect it of iudgement that I may escape it and of the vanitie of this present world that thereby I may learne to contemne it I liue by thy prouidence a life of nature I desire by thy spirit to liue the life of grace put on this desire O my God by thy spirit and draw me from good desires to delights from delights to actions from actions to continuance in dooing that which is good And because Satan the aduersarie of thine elect goeth about as a roring lion séeking whom he may deuoure let mee not be ignorant of all his enterprises Make mee wise to foresée his stratagems vigilant to beware his pitfals circumspect to preuent his practises couragious to resist his temptations and constant to ouercome his suggestions He is strong be thou stronger in me he is wise be thou wiser for me hee is watchfull be thou more watchfull about mee hee is malitious bee thou mercifull vnto me Let him neuer finde me idle for then he will allure nor carelesse for then he will surprise nor sinning for then hee will subdue O Iesu be thou Iesus vnto me saue me O Lord from this enemie of mine that this Dragon neuer infect mee with his poyson this Serpent neuer kill mee with his sting this Lion neuer teare mee with his teeth and this aduersarie neuer haue power to ouerthrow me O Christ bee thou Christ vnto mee and anoint mee so with the oile of thy Spirit that of thy fulnesse I may bee filled with grace euen that grace which may further my saluation By it I acknowledge my misery by it let mee féele thy mercie giue mee by it a broken heart a contrite spirit a sorrowfull soule an humble minde a liuely faith that by humbling my selfe I may bee lifted vp by thée and by beléeuing thy promises I may come vnto thée and that as by the one I may mourne for my sinnes so by the other I may beléeue they are pardoned I durst not bee so bold as craue this thy fauour but that I am incouraged by confidence of thy mercie Doe the simple beg wisdome thou giuest it doe the afflicted beg deliuerance thou grantest it doth he that is troubled with his sinnes come vnto thée thou séest him a farre off thou embracest him in thine armes receiuest him into thy grace againe Thou commandest why should I not obey thou promisest why should I not beléeue thou hearest why should I not speake I speake vnto thée in the language of Canaan kéepe not silence at these my prayers Thou O my Sauiour hast died for my sinnes let the power of thy death make me die vnto sin especially to my beloued sins and such as I can hardly get the mastery of Thou O Lord Christ art risen from the dead let the power of thy resurrection make mee to rise vnto newnesse of life And that which is impossible to flesh and blood make it possible by the vertue of thy blood Thou hast redéemed me suffer me not to be in sinnes captiuitie thou hast triumphed ouer Satan for me suffer mee not to be vnder his tyrannie Thou hast couered mee with the robes of righteousnesse teach mee to cast off the rags of iniquitie Thou hast washed me and I am cleane kéepe me that I return not with the swine to my wallow Thou hast begun thy good work in me performe the worke that thou hast begun and strengthen mee in the workes which I doe haue or shall take in hand Kéepe mée good Lord in my old age forsake mee not when I am gray-headed And when it shall please thée to cast me vpon my sicke bed as what man liueth who shall not sée death grant that I may take my sicknesse patiently and at the last gaspe let not either sinne or Satan take such hold vpon me that I depart this life with crying and scrichings and words of despaire but that beleeuing thy word and yéelding to thine ordinance my last houre may bee my best houre and I may say with the Psalmist Lord into thine hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Thus I still crie vnto thée for mercie because my sins crie against mee for iustice Preserue me O Lord for I trust in thée and let me in all things see that I am preserued by thee let me see it in the health of my body the peace of my conscience the gifts of my minde the credit of my name the works of my calling and vpon all such as are neere and deare vnto me Thou hast beene good vnto me in times past O that I could depend vpon thee for the time to come Thou hast by thy mercie kept mee from grosse sinnes cleanse mee I pray thée from my secret sinnes especially such as put forth their heads when I am but a little moued Am I prouoked stay mine anger is my enemy
wauer in his faith nor stagger in his hope nor faint in his patience nor coole in his loue nor sorrow at his dissolution nor looke backe to the world nor bee ouermuch cast downe with the dread of death Grant that when death shall haue closed vp the eyes of his body the eyes of his soule may be fixed vpon thee that when his speech shall be taken from him then his heart may crie vnto thée say Come Lord Iesu come quickly Heare vs good Lord praying for him heare him praying for himselfe heare vs al for Christ Iesus his sake in whom alone thou art well pleased and in whose name and in whose words we conclude our vnperfect prayers saying Our Father c. LOrd blesse vs and kéepe vs Lord make the light of thy countenance thine vpon vs and grant vs thy peace O God the Father looke vpon thy sonne O God the Son looke vpon thy seruant O God the holie Ghost enter into thy temple O holie Father O righteous Sonne O comforting holie Ghost O blessed and glorious Trinitie one in essence thrée in person be with this thy seruant comfort him with that comfort which we would desire in the like visitation let thine Angels pitch their tents about him let his last houre bee his best houre make his life victorious his death pretious and his and our resurrection glorious through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Lord Iesu be with his spirit Amen Amen A THANKES GIVING FOR THE faithfull departure of one after he or she is dead changing as before O Lord God the onely health of them that liue and the alone life of them that die according to thy commandement we called vpon thée and in desire of thy goodnesse we cried vnto thée that thou wouldest be gratious vnto this seruant of thine whose body lieth dead before our eyes We asked his life thou gauest it not because thou sawest what was best for him wee desired his patience to endure this crosse thou heardest our prayers and hast not denied vs the request of our lips because that alone was fittest for him He died not as a foole dieth neither was his dissolution bitter vnto him He is now O Lord a tree planted in thine orchard a stone setled in thy building a Priest sacrificing at thine altar a starre fixed in thy heauen and an heire reigning in thy kingdom If he had died like Absolom we might haue taken vpon vs Dauids lamentation or like Saul we might haue taken vpon vs Samuels lamentation or as the malefactor on the left hand of Christ wee might haue lamented and mourned for him as doubting that hee died not the death of the righteous But precious in thy fight was this death of his and comfortable in our sight was this departure of his Hee like a Lion triumphed ouer death and like a Lambe resigned vp his life he knew that this Redeemer liued and that Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. His faith was in thy promises his hope was in thy mercies his loue was on thy ioyes his zeale was on thy glorie and his desire was to be in heauen For this thy fauour towards our Christian brother wee yeeld vnto thy Maiestie all possible thankes and that thou taking him out of this vale of miserie hast by thine Angels carried his soule to the throne of thy glorie We are O Lord we confesse full of sorrow in that we haue lost the comfort of his presence and we could haue béen contented to haue enioyed him longer if it might haue stood with the good pleasure of thy will But we néed not to mourne as men without hope because we are perswaded he so died in thy fauour that as his soule is partaker of eternall glorie so in that great day of assise and generall iudgement this bodie of his which shall returne to dust must be raised vp againe to liue for euer and then bee made like the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus in heauen He O Lord is gone before vs and we must one day follow after him O how can we render vnto thée sufficient thankes for thy great fauour to vs Christian people aboue all the nations of the world whom when thou callest out of this wretched life thou vouchsafest to place vs with thine Angels in thy kingdome In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die but in the eyes of the godly they are translated from death to life They are arayed with white haue crownes on their heads and Palmes in their hands they shall not die but liue and do behold thy goodnesse in the land of the liuing They serue thée at thy table eate in thy kingdome sing of thy praises are freed from all miseries and they follow the Lambe whither soeuer hee goeth and enioy such pleasures as the eye hath not seene because they are not visible yet the heart doth beleeue because they are most comfortable We beseech thee O Lord that since we must for a while go on in our pilgrimage we may euer haue our eyes bent towards our countrie raise vs out of the graue of sinne renue in vs the life of righteousnes estrange vs from the loue of this world possesse vs with a loue of heauen take from our féete the fetters of pleasure that we may runne as fast to heauen as the wicked do to hell take from our backes the burden of worldlinesse that we may looke as stedfastly vpon things that are aboue as worldlings do vpon things that are below Guide vs euer so by the direction of thy Spirit that both in sicknesse and in health in prosperitie and aduersitie in life at death we may so behaue our selues in this present world that whensoeuer it shall please thée to call vs hence we may by faith in thy promises hope of thy mercies commend our bodies and soules into thy mercifull hands In the meane time hasten the comming of thy Sonne shorten these daies of sinne confound the enemies of saluation dissolue in euery one of vs the cursed workes of Satan sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome accomplish thy will giue vs our daily bread forgiue vs all our sinnes giue vs not ouer into any temptation but deliuer vs from all euill both of sinne in this life and of punishment in the life to come so that we with this our brother and all other departed in the faith of Christ may haue our perfect consummation and blisse in thy eternall and euerlasting kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thée our Father and the holie Ghost our Sanctifier our sanctifier in this life and our glorifier in the life to come bee all praise power Maiestie might and dominion ascribed of vs and thy whole Church from this time forth and for euermore Amen A PRAYER FOR A WOman in trauaile O Lord our Lord Creator of all things preseruer of al mankind comforter of all thine afflicted and the only deliuerer of such as are in danger we
banket Giue mee grace to put on my wedding garment that the Bridegrome of this feast neuer say vnto me Frind how camest thou hither not hauing on thy wedding garment Hast thou now commanded me to examin my selfe let me now trie and examine mine heart and looke how I stand in thy sight The Iewes would not eate with vnwashen hands dare I eat with an vnwashen heart they would not drink but their vessels must be purified and dare I now drinke and my soule not purified Before the passeouer they sanctified themselues and before this sacrament shall not I now sanctifie my self I desire to doe it Lord helpe my desire lest eating and drinking vnworthily I eate and drinke mine owne damnation I therefore being now readie to come to thy Table doe acknowledge and confesse mine owne vnworthinesse I haue sinned against thée many waies and that since I last receiued this Sacrament I haue not knowne thée in thy word beheld thée in thy workes apprehended thée in thy Sonne serued thée in the spirit applied thee by faith feared thée for thy iustice nor admired thée as I ought for thy great mercies I haue not frequented thine house heard thy word laid it vp in mine heart nor practised it in my life as I should I euen I by the lusts of mine eyes the lusts of my flesh and the pride of life haue dishonoured thy great and glorious name And when thou hast forgiuen me ten thousand talents I would not forgiue my brother and hundred pence What shall I say vnto my selfe I haue sinned I will doe so no more I haue sinned Lord forgiue me all my sins and grant that in the whole course of my life hereafter I may liue to the honour of thy great name Giue vnto me now a broken heart a contrite spirit a sorrowfull soule and a minde hungring and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnes Giue me now grace to know thée the only true God the Creator and preseruer of mankinde Giue me grace now to féele the burden of my sinnes and that I am eased of them by the blood of Christ Iesus I doe beléeue in him helpe my vnbeléefe I am sorrie for my sins make me to be heartily and vnfainedly sorrowfull I promise now to liue neerer to thée then euer I haue done giue mee power to performe my promise I forgiue all that haue wronged me euen as thou for Christs sake hast forgiuen me Let this forgiuenesse of mine be without dissimulation And because I am now to taste of bread and wine make mee to consider the vse of them I know O Lord that this sacramentall bread is not the body of thy Son this sacramentall wine is not the blood of thy Sonne but this I know out of thy holy word that they are seales of his bodie and blood Teach me therefore now most gracious God that I seeing bread and wine on the table may behold Christ vpon the crosse and obseruing the bread broken to me may consider of Christs body crucified for mee looking vpon the wine powred out of the vessell may thinke how Christs blood was powred out for my sinnes And as I receiue this bread wine into my stomack for bodily sustenance so cause me to féede on the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ that it may be nourishment for my soule Grant O Lord that I may so now come to thy holy table that hereafter I may bee partaker of thy heauenly Table through Christ my Lord and only Sauiour Amen Our Father which art c. A THANKESGIVING after the Communion ALL glorie honour and praise be giuen to thée most glorious God for all thy mercies bestowed vpon mee for mine election in thy loue my redemption by thy Sonne my sanctification by thy spirit in this life and hope of glorification in the life to come I thank thée for thy word in which I beare of thy goodnesse and I thanke thee for this Sacrament in which I behold thy fauour I haue now béene partaker of bread and wine Lord make mee partaker of Christs bodie and blood Those they will turne to the nourishment of my body let these turne to the nourishment of my soule By those I féele some refreshing for a while by these let mee feele refreshing for euer O let not Christs blood be shed in vaine for me but by it cleanse me from all my sinnes I haue now cast vp all the poyson of impietie suffer me not hereafter to licke it vp againe I haue now disgorged my selfe of reuenge let me neuer returne to my vomit againe I am now washed from all my pollution make me to remember that it is the part of a swine to wallow againe in mud or mire I haue promised now to liue better than before make the latter part of my life better than the former I am a liuing stone in thy building knit me fast to the corner stone I am a branch of the vine set mee fast in that roote I am a member of Christs body kéepe mee that I neuer bee cut off I haue renued this day my couenant with thée grant that I may kéep it to my liues end I haue this day béen put in mind of the benefit by Christs death let me euery day thinke often of his death that therby I may learn to die vnto sin And grant that euer hereafter I may so walk before thee that all such as know that I haue béen at thy table may see that I am become a new creature As for the rest of this day in which thou hast thus shewed thy selfe vnto mee grant that I may spend the same not in surfetting and drunkennesse not in chambring and wantonnesse not in sporting and idlenesse but in hearing of thy word calling on thy name meditation of thy mercies and in holy conference about heauenly things Vnto thee O Father my Creator and preseruer vnto thee O Christ my Redéemer and Iustifier vnto thee O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier and Instructor bee ascribed of mee and thy whole Church all praise and power might and Maiestie glorie and dominion both now whilest we doe liue and for euer whilest we shal liue Amen Our Father which art c. NOw the very God of peace sanctifie me throughout and I pray God that my whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen Amen A THANKESGIVING FOR our late Deliuerance from that vnnaturall conspiracie against our King and State ALmightie Lord God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our most gracious and mercifull Father many are thy mercies towards vs and that our soules know right well And as we cannot be ignorant of them vnlesse wee bee senselesse so we may not be forgetfull vnlesse we be thanklesse By thée our lot is fallen into a good soile and by thée wée haue a goodly inheritance by thée are our bodies deliuered from sicknesse and by thée are our soules