priuate families O Lord our God and heauenly Father wee thy vnworthie children doe here come into thy most holy and heauenly presence to giue thée praise glory for al thy great mercies and manifold blessings towards vs especially for that thou hast preserued vs this night past from all the dangers and feares thereof hast giuen vs quiet rest to our bodies and brought vs now safely to the beginning of this day and doest now a fresh renew all thy mercies vpon vs as the Eagle reneweth her bill giuing vs all things aboundantly to enioy as food raiment health peace libertie and fréedome frō many miseries diseases casualties and calamities which wée are subiect vnto in this life euery minute of an houre and not only so but also for vouchsafing vnto vs many good things not onely for necessitie but euen for delight also But aboue all deare father we praise thy name for the blessings of a better life specially for thy most holy word and sacraments and all the good wée enioy thereby for the continuance of the Gospell amongst vs for the death of thy sonne all that happinesse which we haue thereby Also because thou hast chosen vs to life before we were and that of thy méere goodnesse vndeserued fauour towards vs and hast called vs in thine appointed time iustified by thy grace sanctified vs by thy spirit adopted vs to be thine owne children heires apparant to the great crowne O Lord open our eyes euery day more more to sée and consider of thy great and maruailous loue to vs in all these things that by the due consideration therof our harts may be drawne yet nearer vnto thée euen more to loue thée feare thée and obey thée that as thou art enlarged toward vs in mercie so we may be enlarged towards thée in thanksgiuing and as thou dost abound towards vs in goodnesse so we may abound towards thée in obedience and loue And sith deare father thou art neuer wearie of doing vs good not withstanding all our vnworthinesse naughtinesse therefore let the consideration of thy great mercy and fatherly kindnesse towardes vs euen as it were force our hearts compell vs to come into thy most glorious presence with new songs of thanksgiuing in our mouths Wée pray thée O most mercifull God to forgiue vs all our vnthankfulnesse vnkindnesse prophanes and great abusing of all thy mercies and specially our abuse and contempt of thy Gospell togither with all other the sins of our life which we confes are inumerable mo then can be reckoned vp both in omission of good things and commission of euill We most humbly intreate thée to set them al ouer to that reckoning which thy son Christ hath made vp for them vpon his crosse and neuer to lay any of them to our charge but fréely forget all and forgiue all Naile downe all our sinnes and iniquities to the Crosse of Christ burie them in his death bath them in his bloude hide them in his wounds let them neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs. Set vs frée of the miseries that are vpon vs for sin kéepe back the iudgements to come both of soule bodie goods good name Be reconciled vnto vs in thy deare sonne concerning all matters past not once remembring or repeating vnto vs our olde and abhominable iniquities but accept vs as righteous in him imputing his righteousnesse to vs and our sinnes to him Let his righteousnes satisfie thy iustice for all our vnrighteousnes his obedience for our disobedience his perfection for our imperfectiō Moreouer we humbly beséech thy good maiestie to giue vs the true sight and féeling of our manifold sinnes that we may not be blinded in them through delight or hardned in them through custome as the reprobates are but that we may be euen weary of them and much grieued for them labouring striuing by all possible meanes to get out of them Good Father touch our harts with true repentance for all sinne Let vs not take any delight or pleasure in any sinne but howsoeuer we fal through frailtie as we fall often yet let vs neuer fall finally let vs neuer lie downe in sinne nor continue in sinne but let vs get vpon our féete agayne and turne to thée with all our hearts and séeke thée whilst thou mayest be founde and whilst thou dost offer grace and mercie vnto vs. O Lord encrease in vs that true and liuely fayth whereby we may lay sure hold on thy sonne Christ and rest vpon his merites altogether Giue vs fayth assuredly to beléeue all the great and pretious promises made in the Gospell and strengthen vs from aboue to walke and abound in all the true and sound fruites of fayt◠〈◊〉 vs walke not after the flesh but after the spirite Let vs féele the power of thy sonnes death killing sinne in our mortall bodies and the power of his resurrection raysing vs vp to newnesse of life Let vs growe daylie in the sanctification of the spirite and the mortification of the flesh Let vs liue holily iustly and soberly in this present euill world shewing foorth the vertues of thée in all our particular actions that we may adorne our most holy prafession shine as lights in the midst of a crootied froward generation amongst whom we liue being gainefull to all by our liues conuersations offensiue to none To this end we pray thée fill vs with thy spirite and al spirituall graces as loue wisedome patience contentment méekenes humility temperancy chastity kindenes and affability stir vs vp to vse prayer watchfulnes reading meditation in thy lawe and al other good meanes whereby we may grow and abound in all heauenly vertues Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes from day to day make vs such as thou wouldest haue vs to bée and such as wée desire to bée working in vs both will and déede purpose and power For thou O Lorde art all in all thou wilt haue mercie vppon whom thou wilt haue mercy and whom thou wilt thou hardnest Haue mercie vppon vs therefore deare Father and neuer leaue vs to our selues nor to our owne wils lusts desires but assist vs with thy good spirite that wée may continue to the end in a righteous course that so at length we may be receiued into glory be pertakers of that immortall crowne which thou hast laid vp for all that loue thée and truely call vpon thée Further we intreat thée O heauenly father to giue vs all things necessary for this life as foode raimcut health peace liberty such fréedome from those many fold miseries which we lie open vnto euery day as thou séest méete Blesse vnto vs all the meanes which thou hast put into our hands for the sustenance of this fraile life Blesse our stock and store corne cattle trades occupations all the workes of our handes for thy blessing onely maketh rich and it bringeth no sorrows
sinnes dyed so déepely in crimson that time hath not yet worne out colour If thou thinke thou canst blesse thée from the euill to come make a couenant with thine eyes as Iob did yet let thy heart be griped Iob. 31. 1. and twinged in regarde they haue heretofore béene rowling and extrauagant eyes Thirdly haue respect to the description of sinne Sinne is the transgression of the Law Wherein obserue first what this lawe is which thou breakest Secondly who this God is whom thou offendest First then let it damp thée disquiet thy soule to consider that in euery loose thought by thée conceiued and in euery vnsauory word by thée vttered and in euery lewd déed by thée committed thou hast violated Gods law which law is farre more excellent than the beautifull frame of the whole worlde though in each part it be good and in all the parts together excéeding good For such is our purblindnesse that the great booke of Nature is not able of it selfe to direct vs to the true God as much resembling that Athenian Aulter wherein was written Vnto the vnknowne God but the lawe written Acts. 1. ◠23. pointeth as iust to God as the finger to the dyall and which commends it most of all Psal 19. 7. conuerteth the soule Go to now miserable wretched sinner canst thou by thy dissolute life cracke and disestéeme of this matchlesse Iewell and when when thou hast done wilt thou not enter into a sad and sober consideration opening the sluces of thine eyes and sending forth a swift current of teares Would not that fellon be hangd in chaines who hauing broken most notoriouslie the wholsome lawes of his Prince takes no thought at all but reuiles and playes at Tables all the while he is in prison with his héeles in yrons and his neck in suspence Yes verily Wel then take héed For if after thou hast lift vp thy horne most insolently and pusht downe the incompararable statutes of the Lord thou be not ashamed of thy selfe and confounded in thy selfe but doest feast when thou shouldst fast sing when thou shouldst sobbe laugh when thou shouldst wéepe thou art as néere in quality to the aforesaid théefe as can be well imagined and therfore likely to come to some heauie and fearefull end Secondly take knowledge who he is that enacted this law which thou hast transgressed so shamelesly It is no earthly Prince nor Potentate a creature finite ready to huffe out life at euery moment but it is Iehouah Esa 40. 12. that mighty God who spannes the heauen and measures the waters in his fist in respect of whom all nations are but as the drop of a bucket nay nothing nay lesse Nah. 1. 2. than nothing euen vanity The God of anger who hath his way in the whirlewinde and in the storme at whose sight the earth is burnt the mountaines quake the hils melt the deuils shudder O my déere brother how can thy hart be light sith thou hast offended so great a Maiesty Why doest thou not put sack-cloath about thy loynes and an halter Kings 1. 20. 31. about thy neck with the seruants of Benhadad and crye out Mercie good Lord good Lord graunt mercy for we haue heard that the King of Israell is a mercifull King If thou hadst committed but petit treason against an earthly Prince I perswade me it thou mightst be admitted to his presence thou wouldst stoope and looke forlornly with a palish chéeke and vnkeambd beard neglected apparell vsing these mutes as vocall spokesmen and intercessors for thy pardon and all because The feare of the King is like Prou. 20. 2 the roaring of a Lion And is thy hart so crusted and rough cast that thou wilt not throw thy selfe euen below the earth for displeasing that glorious and fearefull name The Lord thy God Shall a Grasse-hopper Deu. 28. 58 out-face the omnipotent Clay the Potter filth Puritie Darkenesse Light A wispe of stubble a consuming fire a sinner of sinners the holyest of all holyes Surely if these perswasions make no dint nor impression thy hart is harder than the Smiths Anuile yet hearken still I beséech thée to the nature of this God who chiefly ioyes in getting him honor by his boundles mercie If this make thée not bewéepe thy personall sinnes thou hast not so much as a sparkle of grace truly working in thée Wilt thou not be gréeued for offending thy God who loued thée before thou wast Ephe. 1. 4. borne yea before the first stone of the worlds foundation was laide who was thy hope when thou hungest vpon thy mothers brest who guarded thée with Angels as thou layest spralling in thy Cradle and hath euer since fed thée cloathed thée preserued thée Didst thou deserue the least of these blessings If thou say thou didst thou art a lyer and there is no truth in thée For I say vnto thée that he might haue made thée a Dog or a toade or a Serpent haue done thée no wrong at all Euen when thou wast a delightfull burden to thy mother taking thy pastime in her wembe and hauing no other mouth but thy nauell then euen then wast thou odious to God in thine owne nature because conceiued in sin Neither must thou thinke this to be rigor for thy selfe canst not abide a yong Woolfe for that he hath in him the spawne and cruelty and will destroy the flock when he comes to full growth Why wilt thou recompence the Lord euill for good and not rather pine away like the Hart that findeth no pasture for displeasing so indulgent louing a father whose kindnesse is stretched out still Behold this God hanging for thy sake vpon the crosse loe how he stretches out his arines to imbrace thée loe how he bowes downe his head to kisse thée loe how his hart is opened with a speare to loue thée to loue thée an vndutifull and gracelesse child vnworthy indéede to be called his childe And yet he giues not period 1. Cor. 12. 12. to his goodnesse but layes thée nearer his heart marrying thée vnto him and calling thée Christ by his owne name to manifest the wonderfull yet reall coniunction betwixt him and thée O the depth of the riches of the mercy of this God who hath hereto adioined another singuler benefit What is that He hath decréed that thou shouldest be borne not a Turke or a Jew but English then there not when Pharaoh of hell and Antichrist his vicegerent made all true Israelites weary of their liues with all manner of spirituall bondage which they laid vpon them most cruelly but when he set the Diadem on the head of that virgin Quéene who hath giuen vs already thrée and fortye yeares of Iubilee wherein we sit peaceably vnder our vines go ioyfully to the Church to heare the golden bell of Aaron ring sweetely in the Pulpit to feele the fragrant smell of his Pomegranats Be glad yée heauens at this
may enter in Héere begins he to sighe at the view of his sinnes Presently comes me in a Ruffian whom God sends to prooue him whom the Deuill sends to spoile him and he with a payre of Cardes and a Cup of neate Claret thrusts Iesus out into the Stable because there is no roome for him in the Inne Thus be the good motions of the holye Ghoste extinguished by the accesse of a Gamester that Schooles his young maister in the Arte of Driuing away time Driue away time Is Tyme so slow-footed that it néedes driuing My friend if a sinner intice thée to sport when the Feuer of thy sinnes begins to shake thée consent not to him Rather goe aside as a man throwne from the world and then let thy belly tremble let thy lips shake let rottenuesse enter into thy bones Learne of the Nightingale who when she is robd of her yonglings gets her to some solitarie trée where she bewailes her vnhappie marriage Abstract and sequester thy selfe flée resorte say vnto laughter thou art madde haunt vntrodden pathes desire the Lillies of the fielde to cloath themselues in blacke and accompanie thée in thy dolefull passions The fourth Impediment is Impayring of health A ioyfull hart saith the Wiseman causeth good health but a sorrowfull minde Pro. 17. 22 dryeth vp the bones Let not this dismay thée better go sickly to heauen than healthfull to hell Be not all for thy bodie nothing for thy soule but like the Lapidarie estéeme the Iewell farre aboue the rinde or barke Moreouer I affirme that it is the care of this worlde that brings a Calender into the bones and snowes vpon mens heades so timely and not this sorrow which we magnifie For as the Sea at high water if angred with a boystrous wind threatneth present deluge to the earth and yet suddainely it giues backe and runnes away like a coward so the panges and gréeuances of the righteous stird vp by the iustice of God euen when they séeme to deuoure are deuoured of his mercy They are as sorrowing and yet alwayes reioycing by reason of spiritual comfort which putteth life into them Heauines may indure for a night but ioye wil be sure to be with them in the morning The last and worst Let is the holding the mortality of the soule There is a cursed generation that sit downe to eate and drinke and rise vp to play and hold that their soules in death vanish away like a dogges This Satanicall paradoxe possest the hart of that great Phisition Galen A man might haue cast his water and found filthy sediments of Athisme But he is dead long ago I would this sin had died with him Good Christian neuer come thou nere those Carrions that maintaine the soule to be a vapour vnlesse thou haue the winde of them That thou maist be assured of the soules immortality harken to these pregnant and vnanswerable proofes Our fathers are the fathers of our bodyes Heb. 12. 9. Eccle. 12. 7. not of our soules saith the Apostle The spirite returnes to God that gaue it saith the Preacher The Lord breathed the soule into Gen. 2. 7. mans body saith Moses Therefore is it not elementary therefore is it euerlasting But because the disputer of this worlde renounces Christian principles we will enter the listes of reason with him a little and foile him in his proper element The sence is so corrupted by a great obiect that it cannot indure the lesse For example The eye is so dazeled with the beames of the Sun that it cānot iudicially discerne colours in an obscurer light It is contrary with the vnderstanding For the more vehement the obiect is whereabout it is conuersant the more forcible is it in comprehending the inferiour An euident demonstration of the soules diuinity I omit the horror of conscience which cānot possibly light vpon the body it being a spirituall punishment nor yet vpō the soule were it not a subsisting essence And I will but tutch the most admirable gradation of the creatures some whereof are onely bodily as beasts some spirituall as Angels some both spirituall and sensible as man the one in respect of his soule the other of his body Therfore my beloued be thou stedfast immooueable aboundant in mourning for thine iniquities for as much as thou knowest thy sorrow shall not be in vaine in the Lord. If thou finde thy soule at od times vnwilling to thinke of flitting impute that to her illnesse for naturally she is estranged from the father of lights and lodging so warmely and peaceably in the body she is not so forward to remooue as she ought The Infant is at harts-case in the mothers wombe and would not change it for a pallace yet when it is borne and comes to discretion it cannot indure to thinke of the closet where it lay enwrapped The soule delighteth now to inhabit the body but when death hath brought it to a ioyfull birth after a long trauaile O then it would not be imprison'd againe in the body for a thousand worlds And thus by Gods goodnesse haue I gone through the Impediments And now good brother that I haue giuen thée a potion the vertue whereof I trust hath had full course to runne throughout all thy vaynes I am for a farewell to leaue thée a swéete Electuary or Iulep for thy comfort It is a Moderation in sorrowing For the tempter will couet to besnare thy soule with intollerable anguishe that so with Cain thou maiest complaine that thy sinnes are greater than can be forgiuen O pray pray pray for patience and comfort of the holy Ghost for a wounded spirite who can beare Iob and Dauid a blessed pare of Saints mourned like Doues and Pellicans when the Lord caused them to possesse Pro. 18. 14. the sinnes of their youth Surely no wisdom can counsell no counsel can aduise no aduise can asswage a perplexed conscience nor any thing els but onely the hart bloud of Iesus Christ which blood hee hath powred out so plenteously for all true penitent sinners that they may bath themselues therein Then cry incessantly and importunately O sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me open mine eyes heale my woundes cure my Maladies euen for thy goodnes sake O Lord. Remember the heauenly wordes Christ vttered in the extreame agony of his soule My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Behold how hée calleth his father his God twice what time his wrath ceazed vpon him in an incomprehensible maner Sorrow not too much when the Lord openeth the booke of thy conscience all blurd and blotted with sinne but bee of good cheare kisse his holy hand euen when he striketh thée The father of mercies and God of al consolatiō be thy Castle of defence in all thy tribulations spirituall conflicts that thou maist be able to comfort others in the like distresse by the same comfort wherewith thou thy selfe art comforted of him Amen FINIS A Morning praier to bevsed in
with it Giue vs therfore such a competencie sufficiencie of these outward blessings as thou in thy heauenly wisdō séest most néedful for vs. Grant these things good father to vs here present to al thine absent praying thée in speciall fauour to remember our frinds kinsfolks in the flesh al our good neighbours welwillers al those for whō we are bound to pray by nature by deserts or any duty whatsoeuer for Iesus Christes sake our only mediator to whom with thée and the holy Ghost be giuen al praise glory both now and for euermore Amen An Euening prayer to be vsed in priuate families O Eternall God and our most louing deare Father we thy vnworthy children doe here fall downe at the foote of thy great maiesty acknowledging from our harts that we are altogeather vnworthy to come néere thée or to look towards thée because thou art a God of infinite glory and we are most vile and abhominable sinners such as were conceiued and borne in sinne and corruption fuch as haue inherited our fathers corruptions and also haue actually transgressed all thy holy statutes and lawes both in thoughts wordes and déedes before we knew thée and since secretly and openly with our selues and with others our particular sinnes are moe then can be numbred for who knoweth how often times he offendeth But this we must néedes confesse against our selues that our hartes are full of pride couetousnesse and the loue of this world full of wrath anger and impatiencie full of lying dissembling and deceiuing full of vanity hardnesse and prophanenesse full of infidelity distrust and selfe-loue full of lust vncleanenesse and al abhominable desires yea our harts are the very sinks of sinne and dunghils of all filthynesse And besides all this we doe omitte the good things we should doe for there are in vs great wantes of faith of loue of zeale of patience of contentment and of euery good grace so as thou hast iust cause to procéede to sentence of iudgement against vs as most damnable transgressors of all thy holy commaundements yea such as are sunke in our rebellions and haue many times and often committed high treason against thy maiestie and therefore thou maiest iustly cast vs all downe into hell fire there to be tormented with Sathan and his angelles for euer And we haue nothing to except against thy maiesty for so doing sith therein thou shouldest deale with vs but according to equity and our iust deserts Wherefore deare Father we doe appeale from thy iustice to thy mercie most humbly intreating thée to haue mercie vpon vs and fréely to forgiue vs all our sinnes past whatsoeuer both new and olde secret and open knowne and vnknowne and that for Iesus Christes sake our onely Mediator And we pray thée touch our harts with true griefe and vnfained repentance for them that they may be a matter of continuall sorrow and hart smart vnto vs so as nothing may gréeue vs more than this that we haue offended thée being our speciall friend and father Giue vs therefore deare Father euery day more and more sight and féeling of our sinnes with true humiliation vnder the same Giue vs also that true and liuely faith whereby we may laie sure hold on thy Sonne Christ and all his merites applying the same to our owne soules so as we may stand fully perswaded that whatsoeuer hee hath done vppon the crosse he hath done for vs particularly as well as for others Giue vs faith good father constantly to beléeue all the swéete promises of the Gospell touching remission of sinne and eternall life made in thy sonne Christ O Lord increase our faith that we may altogether rest vpon thy promises which are all yea Amen Yea that we may settle our selues and all that we haue wholy vpon them both our soules bodies goods name wiues children and our whole estate knowing that all things depend vpon thy promises power and prouidence and that thy word doth support and beare vp the whole order of nature Moreouer we intreat thée O Lord to strengthen vs from aboue to walke in euery good waye and to bring foorth the fruits of true faith in all our particular actions studying to please thée in all things to be fruitfull in all good works that we may shew foorth vnto all men by our good conuersation whose children we are and that we may adorne and beautifie our most holy profession by walking in a Christian course and in all the sound fruits and practise of godlinesse and true religion To this end we pray thée sanctifie our harts by thy spirite yet more and more sanctifie our soules and bodies and all our corrupt naturall faculties as reason vnderstanding will and affections so as they may be fitted for thy worship and seruice taking a delight and pleasure therein Stir vs vp so vse prayer watchfulnes reading meditation in thy lawe and all other good meanes whereby we may profit in grace goodnes from day to day Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes that we may daily die to sin liue to righteousnesse Draw vs yet nearer vnto thée help vs against our manifold wants Amend our great imperfections renue vs inwardly more and more repaire the ruines of our harts aide vs against the remnants of sinne Enlarge our hearts to run the way of thy commandements Direct all our steps in thy worde let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer vs. Assist vs against our speciall infirmities and master sinnes that we may get the victorie ouer them all to thy glory the great peace comfort of our owne consciences Strengthen vs good father by thy grace holy spirit against the common corruptions of the world as pride whoredome couetousnes contempt of thy Gospell swearing lying dissembling deceiuing O dear father let vs not be ouercome of these filthy vices nor any other sinfull pleasures fond delights wherewith thousands are carried headlong to destruction Arme our soules against all the temptations of this worlde the flesh and the diuell that we may ouercome them all through thy helpe and kéepe on the right way to life that we may liue in thy feare and die in thy fauour that our last dayes may be our best dayes and that we may end in great peace of conscience Grant these things good Father and all other néedfull graces for our soules or bodies or any of thine throughout the whole world for Iesus Christs sake In whose name we further call vpon thée as he hath taught vs in his Gospel saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. A prayer to be vsed at any time by one alone priuately OLord my God heauenly Father I thy most vnworthy childe do here in thy sight fréely confesse that I am a most sinful creature damnable transgressor of all thy holy laws commaundements that as I was borne bred in sin stained in the wombe so haue I continually brought sorth the