saluation which shineth vnto them out of thy word I cease not my God to warne them but they render mee euill for good and make a mocke of whatsoeuer I doe to please thee and bee an example to them they traduce and slander mee in the open streets and impose vpon mee a thousand wrongful imputations I confesse O Lord I now beginne to lose patitience But O my God repaire mine infirmitie and forsake me not for else I shall stumble as a little child at the first precipice that shall lye in my way Increase in mee O Lord strēgth courage to ouercom my affliction and keep mee vnder the shadow of thy wings giuing me euermore constancie and perseuerance and bee vnto mee as a tender-hearted mother which can not but tender him her dugges as oft as her babe cries for it Nourish mee then O Lord vvith the milke of thy sacred loue that so encreasing from strength to strength I may bee able to walke night and day in thy pathes which leade vnto that saluation the hope whereof shineth in thy promises that if my sinne present it selfe to stoppe mee in my way I may open the floudgates of mine eyes and neuer shutte them vntill I haue drowned and sunke it with my teares Psalme 51. Miserere mei Deus HAue mercy vpon me my God according to thy great clemencie and for thy boundless mercies sake forgiue me the punishment which I haue iustly deserued For if thou expect vntill my fastings watchings and prayers shal satisfie for my sinne alas Lord when can this bee My trespasse reacheth frō earth vnto heauen and surpasseth in immensitie of greatnes Who then is able to compasse it or bring it down saue only thy sacred mercie which as far surpasseth the measure of our sinnes as the greatness of thy iustice is beyond ours It is thy mercie O Lord which compasseth this vniuerse which holdeth togither the whole frame of this world which otherwise is readie to dissolue and fall vpon our heads to burie through his ruine the memory of our sinnes to destroy from before thy face our ingrate disloyall and felonious race which disclaimeth her birth creation and preseruation all which it holdeth of thy bountie O then let this mercifull bounty which shineth in thy Diuinitie now extend it selfe vnto me not sparingly or niggardly but fully and plentifully As thou didst once cause the waters to passe their bounds and couer the toppes of the highest mountaines to extirpate and sweepe away the wicked inhabitans of the earth so now cast out the torrent of thy mercie vpon mee O Lord not to swallow mee vp but to bathe mee and clense mee from my wickednesse But let it not content thee O Lord once to haue made mee cleane and to say how thou hast regenerated and washed me in the bloud of thy chaste and innocent lamb for thou diddest not make me so white and pure but thou maiest now finde mee as foule and vncleane I haue plunged my selfe into the depth of filth I am so besmeared and so disfigured that thou wilt not acknowledge mee for thine Yea it maketh me demaund sometimes of my selfe vvhether I be hee whom thy hands haue created and my heart is so ful of shame and confusion that it dareth not resolue me O my God thou hast created me of durt clay and behold I am become such as I was before thou spreddest thine hand ouer me I haue despoyled me of my strength and my beauty to reuest my selfe in mire and filth But wherefore O Lord dost thou not forme and fashion mee anew Is thy hand shortned is thy willingness to shewe mercie to thy creature fallen away Oh thou that art Almightie Oh thou that art euen goodnes it selfe wherfore art thou so slack O Lord thine own worke is become obstinate against thee and taketh pleasure in disfiguring and disforming it selfe be thou as obstinate against thy worke to make it faire and perfect in despight of it But O my God I will no longer stand out in mine owne conceit against thee hold and take mee to thee turne me as thou wilt put a new print vpon this clay renew it put a new stampe vpon it for loe it is prest to follow thy will But when thou hast fashioned me anew do not then leaue me to my self O Lord Put thy bridle within my mouth that it may through abstinence allay that gourmandizing which fouleth it through chastitie it may coole the shamelesse heates of lustes which enflame it through humilitie it may beate downe that pride and arrogance which biting enuie hath bred in it that cōpassionate charitie may driue from it hatefull and greedy couetize that a care to serue and worship thee my bee as a spurre alwaies in the sides of lazie and fetarde negligence For otherwise O my God too much haue I proued how I shall bee handled by these troopes of vices which enuiron mee They will deface and throwe downe in such sort thy handie work that when thou shalt come thou shalt finde onely the shells and shiuers all broken and bruised I haue known them too well these are they that haue brought me to that state wherin I now stand and loe they stand in aray round about me reproaching mee and vpbrayding mee with these blottes wherewith they themselues haue defiled mee and making me guilty of those iniuries which they haue done me I haue sinned I confesse O my God I haue sinned loe I offer vnto thee the bottome of my heart take a view of my whole life I haue sinned in the fight of heauen and earth and all the world is witness of my fault But if I had not sinned how could thy mercy be shewed how wouldest thou acquite thee of thy promises of grace which thou hast so long before proclaimed by the mouth of thy holie Prophets When thou shalt come to sit vpon thy eternall throne of iustice who would feare thee if we were all iust But that men may know and acknowledge thy greatness it is meete that when we shal appear before thee wee cast downe our selues humbly vpon our face and cry O sweet Lord we will not stand in our owne defence before thee our fault is too manifest but behold our pardon is in our hand thou thy selfe hast giuen it vs loe it is signed with thy bloud sealed with thy image which for our redemption hath been printed in the infirmitie of our flesh Thinkest thou my GOD that when I shall appear before thee I will put any confidence in mine owne innocencie or dare to iustifie my selfe in thy presence Alas I know Lord I was no sooner borne but I sinned my mother looked to bee deliuered of a childe and loe a lumpe of sinne How much better had it beene if such fruite had prov'd abortiue which shameth the tree that bare it the earth that nourished it and the ayre that breathed vppon it I did nourish my selfe with
lose both labour and trauell neuer neere that place where shee desireth to arriue But my hope is alwaies in thine aide and I look for succour from aboue I am held captiue of those that cruelly thirst after my life hasten thee O Lord to my deliuerance to thee I flye for succour O receiue me into thy protection teach mee what I shall doe for to thee alone my God doe I tender my seruice Away away from mee thou deceitfull pleasure which heretofore hast bewitched my soule and poisoned my spirit thou hast fedde me with thy too too pleasing delicates to make me with a little hony swallow down a deadly poison of hemlocke which distilling into all my members hath made them half dead and voide of sense so that now I am little better then a dead man But which is worse not my body alone but euen my soule also the fountain of my life present and to come is benumm'd It is time thē that thy spirit come to rouse vp my dying soule to take her by the hand and leade her into a place of safetie to quicken her and imprint in her the image of thy iustice that that may bee her shield against all temptations which besiege her on euery side and threaten her finall ruine Thou shalt come then and by thy comming drawe my soule out of tribulation receiue mee vnto to mercie and destroy all those that haue conspired against me Then shall my warre be at an ende and theirs beginne yea with such a beginning as shall continue in endlesse griefe and as the riuers running from their fountaine still enlarge themselues vntil they come into the sea so shall their miserie increase from day to day and in the ende plunge them into extreame languor and hopelesse distresse And this shall bee the ende of all those that vexe my soule for I am thy faithfull seruant O Lord and thou wilt not cast me out of thy remembrance but wilt call those to account who in reproach of my GOD haue so shamefully handled mee They laughed at my harme but loe the time is at hand vvhen they shall bewaile their owne Thy vengeance beginneth to flame against them and men shal see them fall away as leaues from the trees at the approaching of vvinter How shall I glorifie thy name O GOD And where shall I beginne to set forth thy praise Shall I declare thy bountie in the creation of so many admirable vvorkes as are vnder the Sunne and thy wisedome in preseruing them Shall I proclaime thy iustice in condemning and taking vengeance of the pride of Angels and disobedience of men Shall I sing of thy mercy in redeeming of those who by forsaking of thy law fell headlong into the slauerie of eternal death To what part of thy praises is the base tune of my voice able to stretch or were my voice sufficient what eares were able to receiue it All things faile mee O Lord in this enterprise saue onely courage and will vvhich filled with a vehement and feruent affection cry out vnto thee as lowde as they can Assist their vveake essayes with thy grace and since the teares of my repentance haue vvashed away the foulenesse of my sinnes vvherewith my spirit vvas ouercharged deiected and pressed downe giue mee henceforth the wings of faith and hope whose swift flight may carrie mee into thy bosome to bee revnited to his first originall that I may neuer hereafter entertaine any other thought then vvhat may tende to the furtherance of thy seruice and the aduancement of thy glorie FINIS Those that will see further of this looke his Maiesties Catechisme made by Mr Craige Our Father Which art in Heauen Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done In earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread Forgiue vs our trespasses As we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euil O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure 2 Haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed 3 My soule is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me 4 Turne thee O Lord and deliuer my soule oh saue me for thy mercies sake 5 For in death no man remembreth thee and who will giue thee thankes in the pit 6 I am wearie of my grouing euery night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares 7 My beauty is gone for very trouble worn away because of all mine enemies 8 Away from me all ye that worke vanity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping 9 The Lord hath heard my petition the Lord shall receiue my prayer 10 All mine enemies shal be confounded and sore vexed they shal be turned back and put to shame suddenly Blessed is he whose vnrighteousnes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered 2 Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth no sin and in whose heart there is no guile 3 For while I held my tongue my bones consumed away through my dayly cōplaining 4 For thy hād is heauy vpon me day and night and my moisture is as the drought in summer 5 I will acknowledge my sin vnto thee and mine vnrighteousnes haue I not hid 6 I said I will confesse my sins vnto the Lord and so thou forgauest the wickednes of my sinne 7 For this shal euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou maist bee found but in the great water flouds they shall not come nigh him 8 Thou art a place to hide me in thou shalt preserue me from trouble thou shalt compasse me about with songs of deliuerance Be not like Horse and Mule which haue no vnderstanding whose mouthes must be holden with bit bridle least they fall vpon thee 2 Great plagues remaine for the vngodly but who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy embraceth him on euery side 12 Be glad O ye righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioifull all ye that are true of heart Put me not to rebuke O Lord in thine anger neither chasten mee in thy heauy displeasure 2 For thine arrowes sticke fast in mee and thy hand presseth me sore 3 There is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne 4 For my wickedness are gone ouer my head and are like a sore burthen too heauie for me to bear 5 Mo woūds stinke and are corrupt through my foolishnes 6 I am broght into so great trouble and misery that I goe mourning all the day long 7 For my loynes are filled with a sore disease and there is no whole part in my body 8 I am feeble and sore smitten I haue rored for the very disquietnes of my hart 9 O Lord thou knowest all my desire and my groaning is not hid from
Remember that thou keep holy c. M. What is the breach of this commandement C. In doing any thing of our own for profit or pleasure M. What is the fift commandement C. Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. M. What is the breach of this commandement C. Disobedience to our Superiours or want of duty to our Inferiours M. What is the sixt commandement C. Thou shalt not kill M. What is the breach of this commandement C. Vnlawfull smiting of the hand or malice of the heart M. VVhat is the seuenth commandement C. Thou shalt not commit adulterie M. What is the breach of this commandement C. All vncleannesse of bodie and minde M. What is the eight commandement C. Thou shalt not steale M. What is the breach of this commandement C. The taking away of my neighbors goods by fraude or violence M. What is the ninth commandement C. Thou shalt not beare false witnes M. What is the breach of this commandement C. All lying and backbiting M. What is the tenth commandement C. Thou shalt not couet c. M. What is the breach of this commandement C. All euill desires and motions of the heart They that will see this more at large let them reade Mr. Dod on the commandements M. To whom doest thou pray C. To God alone M. In whose name C. In the name of Iesus Christ M. After what manner C. As Christ taught his disciples M. What be the words C. Our Father c. M. How many Petitions bee there in this Prayer C. Six M. How bee they diuided C. The first three for the glorie of God the second for our commoditie of bodie and soule M. What bee the first words C. Our Father which art in heauen M. What is meant by this C. It is a Preface to breede reuerence before prayer M. Why is this title our and not my C. I pray for my brethren as for my selfe M. VVhy doe you call God father C. Hee is so to vs in Christ Iesus M. Why doe you place him in Heauen C. It is the seat of his Maiestie M. What is the first Petition C. Hallowed bee thy name M. How is his name hallowed C. When wee know him in vnderstanding and in practice M. What is the second petition C. Thy Kingdome come M. What is meant by this C. The kingdome of grace and of glory M. What is the third petition C. Thy will be done in earth c. M. What doe you pray for here C. VVilling obedience and contentation M. What is the fourth petition C. Giue vs this day our dayly bread M. What doe you aske in this Petition C. All things necessary for this present life M. What is the fift Petition C. Forgiue vs our trespasses M. What is the forgiuenes of sinne C. Iustification by Christ M. What meaneth as wee forgiue c C. It is our comfort if we feele our readinesse to forgiue others M. What is the sixt Petition C. Lead vs not into temptation M. What do you desire in this C. To bee kept from those that lead to sinne M. VVhy is it added for thine is thy kingdome power c C. To shew vs that all praise is to be giuen to God at all times Amen Wee trust it shall be so FINIS COMFORTAble and fruitfull Meditations on the Lords Prayer LONDON Printed by H. L. for T. M. and Ionas Man and are to be sold at the signe of the Talbot in Pater noster Rowe 1611. Meditations vpon the Lords Prayer O My God I come vnto thee as to the cōmon Father of all the world euen vnto thee doe I make my supplication who in the creation and preseruation of all thy works hast manifested thy more then fatherly loue and affection I come to thee as to my true and gracious Father which hast not onely giuen me my being life and motion as thou diddest to other creatures but powred out thy spirit vpon me and lightened my soule with the heauenly rayes of thy diuinity I come vnto thee my God beeing regenerate and incorporated into thy family by thy free grace and boundless bounty I come hauing appeased the anger of my Father by the satisfaction of my Redeemer I come because it hath pleased thee to call mee and to spread out thy gracious armes ready to receiue me Receiue me then not in the austeritie of a iust Iudge but in the tender compassion of a mercifull Father And accept this my humble prayer which my heart hath conceiued my lippes disclose and my voice doth send vp to the fauourable eares of my heauenly Father And since it is thy good pleasure O Lord that I thus cal vpon thee Grant O grāt I beseech thee gracious God that it may reach euen vnto thee which art in heauen I know assuredly that thy throne is in the highest heauens that the Sunne the Moone and the stars are vnder thy feet that the earth is but a point to thee and I the least part of the earth yea lesse then nothing VVho then hath made mee so hardy as to dare to lift vp mine eyes to thy most glorious Maiestie It is euen thou my God who hast set thy selfe so high to behold all the workes of thine hands to supply all our wants and dayly to distill downe thy grace into our hearts as a most sweet morning deaw It is thou who hast said Aske and yee shall receiue Call vpon mee and I will heare thee But how can I call vpon thee vnlesse I put my confidence in thee and take fast hold of thy promises by a firme and fast faith O then infuse it into my soule and engraft it in my heart for it is a gift that commeth from the store-house of thy grace And as sometimes thou didst cause the mouthes of babes and sucklings to resound thy praise so at this time gouerne the Infancy and strengthen the weakenes of my hart that it may send out that prayer which is acceptable in thy sight And that it may appeare that the prayer of my lips proceedeth from the meditation of my heart and that notwithstanding the heauie masse of my sinfull flesh doth oppresse my spirit yet vnder that burthen it doth breath fotth thy honour and praise The first request which I make vnto thee is that thy name may be sanctified or rather that thy Name may so sanctifie mee as that I may be able to blesse and magnifie it But which of thy names shall I blesse That wherewith thou hast destroyed and confounded all the enemies of thy people or that wherewith thou hast blessed all the Nations of the earth Wilt thou bee praised as Lord of Hostes the God of power or as the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world Shall I declare how thou hast made all things of nothing how thou hast spangled the heauens with starres adorned the earth with fruits and flowers watered it with rivers and filled it with liuing creatures yea and aboue all hast created man
formed him after thine owne Image Or shall I speak only of this incredible loue wherby thou hast giuen-ouer vnto death thine only Sonne that we might bee restored to euerlasting life My spirits O Lord are too faint for so great an enterprise and my breath would faile before I could recount the least part of them Let it therefore suffice that I sanctifie thy name in an humble and chast thought and that my minde may euer be fast fixed in the meditation of thy goodnes forasmuch as it hath pleased thee at all times to bee so good and gracious to mee So that I and all those whom thou hast placed in this world as in the midst of a rich and glorious Temple to behold and admire thy diuine Maiestie may wholly apply all our faculties and vnderstanding to the apprehending of thy will That so beeing all of vs re-vnited and linked in one and the selfe-same desire to serue thee thy Kingdome may come that wee hauing cast off the yoake of sin which hath so long held vs in thraldome thy loue alone may rule in our consciences full of happiness and true felicitie For to obey thee is to commaund our disordinate affections to commaund them is to be Maisters of our selues and to bee Maisters of our selues is more then soueraigne principalitie A sweet thing it is to serue thee O my God thy yoake is easie and al the tribute thou exactest of vs is onely that wee will be willing to be made happie Confirme and strengthen in vs this will and graciously assist the zeale of thy seruants to the beating downe and repressing of their insolence who blaspheame thy sacred Maiestie to the ende that thy Law and truth may raigne ouer all the world O thou King of Kings who rulest in our hearts and in our humilitie obedience doest establish thine Empire subdue our wils vnto thy law that so whilest all of vs with one accord shall aime at the same marke aspire to the aduancement of thy glorie our good workes may testifie the discipline of our heauenly King to whom as his deuoted subiects wee render homage and fealtie for those manifold and great gifts and graces which wee hold of his bountie But what obeisance can wee render thee How can wee attaine to that height of perfection as is due vnto thee who is able to sound the depth of thy thoughts or who is able to fulfill thy will All wee can doe is but to pray vnto thee that thy will may bee done For seeing that thou art euen goodnes it selfe and therefore wilt nothing but what is good and that with thee to will and to doe is all one wee doe in this Prayer whollie commit our selues to thy will who art neuer wanting to will vs well and to do whatsoeuer thou in thy goodnes knowest to be expedient for vs. Whatsoeuer thou hast vvilled O Lord hath been done and from this thy good wil and pleasure as from an euer-flowing fountaine are deriued so many good things as the whole Globe of the earth is filled and the immense circle of the heauens is beautified therewith Continue then this thy goodnes vnto vs and forasmuch as thy loue is as fire which augmenteth where it meeteth with combustible matter and that it encreaseth in wel-doing to vs euen to vs poore miserable wretches in whose misery and infirmitie it may finde matter enough to worke vpon when I pray to thee my God that thy will may bee done the intent of my prayer is that it may please thee to roote out of mine hart all worldly wil which springing from the corruption of the flesh is no waies compatible with the law of the spirit That thou wilt neuer giue me the raines to liue at mine owne pleasure and seeing that thou hast vouchsafed to honour me with so high a title as to be stiled thy sonne thou wilt not emancipate or giue me ouer to mine affections but keepe me vnder the rodde of thy lawe vnder the tutelage of thy Commandements So shall I togither with all those that haue vowed alleageance and are thy faithfull seruants readily and cheerefully betake our selues to thy seruice and during our abode in this life striue to set forth thy glorie here on earth which is sounded without ceasing by that heauenlie quire of blessed Saints and Angels in thy holie and heauenly habitation But such is the frailetie of our mortall bodies daily fading and falling away that without dayly repairing and sustenance they make vs vnapt to serue thee wee therefore make our daily recourse vnto thee for such things as are necessarie to the maintenance of our life beseeching thee to giue vs our daily bread But giue vs withall O God grace so to vse it and all other good gifts that in nourishing our bodies wee starue not our soules and make them vnable to attaine to the knowledge of thy truth That togither with thy bountie receiuing also thy benediction we settle not our affections vpon worldly and transitorie things so passing through things temporall that wee finally lose not the eternall Let not the taste of this earthly bread make vs to forget that heauenly Manna that bread of life which nourisheth and cherisheth our feeble soules filleth our mouthes with heauenlie plenty and maketh vs the liuing Temples of our God by receiuing him into our bodies through a stedfast and liuely faith Grant vnto vs my God that by receiuing this bread our hearts consciences may bee fullie assured that wee are incorporate with our Redeemer and become fellow-members of our head Christ Iesus and that as hee taking vpon him our flesh did vndergoe our death so wee clad and inuested with his may bee made partakers of his immortalitie And since it hath pleased thee to make vs the vessels and receptacles of thy diuinitie purifie and cleanse our hearts and renew and rectifie all our affections that there may bee nothing to cause thee retire and leaue vs destitute of thy grace and our saluation But wee cannot bee cleansed vnlesse thou forgiue vs our trespasses and wipe away our iniquities For wee haue beene slaues vnto sinne and death and whatsoeuer wee can call ours belongeth vnto them Neither haue wee so much as one mite toward the paying of our ransome or acquiting our debt Of thee therefore must wee expect forgiuenes who hast once redeemed vs by thy precious bloud and made vs free from Satan our arch enemie but wee daily fall againe into the hands of our enemies by committing millions of sins which bring into slauerie and make vs lyable to grieuous punishment Yet let not this O my God cause thee to shutte vp that treasure from vs whence wee may take the price of our libertie Let not O Lord our obstinacie in back-sliding take away thy constancy in pardoning but let thy mercifull hand be euer ready to reforme vs. For sinne euer since the fall of our first father Adam is as
it were incorporated into our sinfull flesh and dayly increaseth and groweth with vs so that the older we grow the fowler and filthier wee appeare vnlesse it please thee to apply dayly vnto our maladies the merits of thy Passion that as we by our in-bred corruption do wound and exulcerate our cōscience so thou wilt gratiously refresh it by curing our wounds and suppling them with thine oile of mercy Otherwise vvell might we feare O Lord least casting downe thine eyes dayly vppon vs it would as it were grieue thy holy spirit so oft to returne vnto vs by reason of our manifold sins and offences O then pardon our offences that is to say our whol life and so pardon vs O heauenly Father as we forgiue them that haue offended vs. Make vs euermore to set before our eyes that loue wherewith thou hast lou'd vs in vndertaking the paiment of our debts and the punishment of our sins That we may duely consider how vnreasonable it were for vs to expect that grace of thee which wee can not afford our neighbour since there is no comparison betwixt the offences they commit against vs and those wherwith we offend thy diuine Maiesty Root out of our hearts all malice fiercenes and bitternes giue vs a calme and peaceable spirit which may foster and maintaine in vs vnity and brotherly loue teaching vs to support with gentleness one anothers infirmities For wee can not but acknowledge O Lord how easily we slippe yea stumble and tumble in the slippery paths of this refractorie life Too too slender is our owne force and abilitie to hold vs on foot and vphold vs against those whirle-windes which are euer ready to driue vs headlong into Iniquitie And therefore most earnestly doe we beseech thee not to forsake vs in our temptations but to remoue farre from vs all occasions of offending thee and to arme vs against all obiects with thy Spirit without which we shall be euer vanquisht by whō wee bee sure to vanquish For the price and crown of victory is reserued for those and those alone who follow thee their Captaine Graunt vs then this grace that whensoeuer any inordinate desire of worldly wealth shall assaile vs wee may oppose as a rampier against it the desire of heauenly gifts and graces generously scorning and contemning the pelfe and transitorie trash of this world as iustly suspecting their deceitfulnes fragility That we may call to minde that they are but as a cloud which for a while fleeteth from one country to another and suddenly vanisheth away and appeareth no more that many times that gold and siluer which wee heape vp with much sweate and trauell doth serue but to the procuring of our owne damnation And if it shall please thee to bestowe vpon vs riches in greater aboundance grant vnto vs likewise the grace to vse them well and lovingly and charitably to communicate them to such as haue want For the whole earth is thine and wee are but the tillers and tenants thereof our goods belong vnto thee and wee are but thy depositaries and vassals So that if we refuse to impart them to such as demaund them in thy name thou maiest not onely put vs out of possession but make vs pay the vsurie of our ingratitude vnfaithfulnes Furthermore we begge of thee that the false lustre of the honors of this world may not deceiue our dazeled sight nor drawe vs on to desire more then is expedient for vs. Let it alwaies be imprinted in our hearts and thoughts that there is no true honour in this wotld but to serue thee aright and that in thy seruice the seat of honor is lowlinesse and the greatnes thereof consisteth in humilitie Furthermore that this same deceitfull lure which wee so much admire after which we runne our selues out of breath and all but to our ruine is but like an Ignis fatuus about the riuers that shineth not but in the darke and draweth them into mischiefe that vnwarily follow it Our worldly pompe and secular dignities appear not but in the obscuritie of this world If once we close our eyes against the heauenly light they seeme to vs as bright as fire their lustre appeareth as burnisht gold but when we come to follow them wee fall into swift torrents and daungerous whirl-pooles where we are plunged floting in vncertaintie betwixt the willes of Princes and the vnstedfast opinions of the wauering vulgar vntill we meete with some rocke of offence and there wee are crusht Giue me therefore O my God constancie to withdraw mine affections and withhold my sight from such vanities make mee only ambitious of thy glorie let my spirit bee so addressed to immortalitie that shee make no repose in the choaking smoke of this world Let mee neuer enuy them that enioy all these fickle goods and fading honours but let all my aemulation bee to come as neere as possible to that onely example and perfect patterne of good life which most liuely appeareth in that absolute tabliture of thy most innocent life That so all the violent passions of anger rancour and disdaine may be banished out of my soule my heart enflamed with desire to doe good to all hurt to none and both bodie and soule may be alwaies watchfull and dayly emploied about good and laudable workes neuer languishing in slothfull stupiditie That this base and infamous gourmondizing which abuseth thy good gifts being drowned in wine and buried in daintie dishes may euer be farre from me Extinguish also O heauenly Father all vnchaste prouocations of the flesh which allure vs to violate the chastitie of our bodies and the puritie of the soule And remoue far from vs all those obiects which may stir vp any slippery and vnchaste affections To conclude deliuer vs from all euill euen from the hands of wicked Angels not suffering them to haue any power ouer vs. And when we of our selues shall bee running headlong into mischiefe preuent vs with speede draw vs back and stretch out thy fatherly hand ouer vs euer readier to shew thy mercy then to execute thy iustice Saue vs euen maugre our owne selues and let not our backsliding and obstinacie alienate thee from vs or cause thee to forget to bee both our mercifull GOD and also our louing Father FINIS BRIEFE AND profitable Meditations on the 7. penitentiall Psalmes London printed by H. L. for T. M. Ionas Man and are to be sold at the signe of the Talbot in Pater-noster Rowe 1611. Meditationes in 7. Psal poenitentiales Domine ne in furore Psalme 6. 1 LEt not the arme of thy heauie displeasure bee lifted vp against mee O Lord. For that would be as a torrent and violent streame to carrie me headlong into death and eternall damnation It would bee as a fire to eate vp my flesh and turne my carcasse into ashes What eye is able to looke vp and not to consume at the very fight of thy wrathful