¶ To the righte worshipful Maistresse Isabel Harington one of the Gentlewomen of the Queenes Maiesties most honorable priuie Chamber Thomas Paulfreyman hir dayly Orator wisheth with continuance the increase of Gods eternal grace and fauour AS EXPERIENCE playnely teacheth tyme truely telleth and nature for the moste parte approueth the diuersitie of our humane affects in diet hovv not only to the vvorshipful or most honorable but also to the very poorest and of most base estate the delicatest most deintie svvete and pleasant dishes are not alvvayes aptely agreable or to contente fully their minds but sometimes for a shift and to their better liking desireth more ordinarie grosse and familiar fare vvherby in nature they are the better contented their appetites ofte times more quickened their minds recreated yea and the healthes of their bodies the better also preserued euen so righte vvorshipfull touching the interne parte diuine substance or invvarde affections of the soule the heauenly nature also and most christen diet therof experience and tyme beareth likevvyse their svvay effectually to iudge and declare the same in truth among the sounde members of Chrystes onely immaculate most preciouse and vnspotted body to their sufficient contentation quickning recreating and most healthfull preseruing And albeit you are herein for your part as the electe of God surely grounded in him of good purpose foreappoynted and by grace moste happely called to be in this life vvyth prepared soule and quiet cōscience partaker of sundry his heauenly delicates accustomably norished most dayntely sedde and abundauntly satisfied to your very vvell lyking in the excellencie of such your ioyouse and invvarde refection and vvithout ouer secret hiding a knovven distributor of your good portion to others for their bothe bodily and ghostly comforte at all times in necessitie as the shevver fauourably foorth the flovving frutes of faythfulnesse and true pietie yet presuming vpon your vertue and christen clemencie I haue novve boldly attempted and moste humbly cōmended vnto you for varieties sake this moste vnvvorthy very slender and ouer base present to be at the least by your godly sufferaunce as superfluous store amōg the rest but a backestander in your sight to bee looked vpon aloofe a long and farre off as it vvere but by the vvay euen vvith a glauncing eye and at leisure to be tryed for your onely pleasure vvhat is the effectuall and true taast therof But not to alienate or alter by any meanes your already vvel staied and most happy affections so mightily confirmed in you and that in the best parte by the ineffable povver of Gods moste sacred spirite your only and omnisufficient piller but rather in dede to incitate you if possibly it might be to the better estimatiō of your ovvn former prouision and most faultlesse fornamed furniture And truely greate reason vvhy it should be so that things vvel knovven and of moste excellencie should haue condignely their beste preferment for so God him selfe vvith the most godly vvould vvishe by iustice it should so be hovv soeuer most cōmonly they are knovvne to the contrarie And notvvithstanding the dayes are novve diuersly daungerous very dayntie and exceede in muche fynenesse vvhether in speaking curiouse deuising exacte searching or penning of matter touching either diuinitie or othervvyse of Prophane descriptions so very singuler exquisite pycked and tender are mens eares naturally adioyned to their flourishing quicke and ready vvyttes profounde knovvledge and iudgemente and therefore the more hasardefull and a meane truely to purchase vnto themselues that deale in suche cases rather reprochefull and many scornefull scoffes than commendation or shevv of good countenance vnlesse they rarely exceede or surmount the vvel dooings of infinite others and that also touching thys my presente attempt vvheras the godly in these dayes hath moste gratiously endeuored to set forth already and that moste plentifully diuers and sondry vvorks very diuinely of great excellency and of necessitie to quicken and stirre vp daily to God the ouer drousie slacke sick sinnefull soules to reioyce also their mindes and to fructifie before him their vnprofitable and baraine harts yet as a pore helper a most inferiour labourer or vvell vvilling drudge in the vineyarde of Christe humbling my selfe most gladly vnder the correction of the charitable and frendly of the godly vvise in their knovvn vertue and humblenesse approued skilfulnesse vvatchfulnesse and needie diligence in that their holy function appointed beholding vvith them the necessity of the time hovv the vvilde vveedes of vvilfulnesse to vvickednesse sinne and abhomination do daily abound and raign rankly vvithout sufficient stoppe in their very infectuous and filthie fulnesse to choke to represse and kepe lovve by the grounde the fragraunte and svveete smelling fruites of vertue vvhereby as vvith infinite snares the Diuell entangleth still daily encreaseth infecteth poisoneth and hazardeth all the leudly idle carelesse and vaine children of this so sore crazed and old stouping vvorld of deth alredie iudged condemned and at the brink of deth in vvhom by vvhom and during vvhose time Satan tempteth allureth deceiueth plucketh tovvardes him and tosseth them as it seemeth vvith his cruell clavves vp side dovvne at his pleasure and dalieth vvith them at his vvill as vvith his ovvne possessed as vvith those that forsake God as in a time of the contempt of god of hating the clere light of god of louing the darknesse of the diuel to their condempnation more than the light of selfe loue of pride and vanitie of defiled life and suche like a time approued of all times most straunge most monstruous and therefore the more daungerous vvherby sathan vvith his vvhole rablement of hellike ministers the vvorld also it selfe and the proud rebellious flesh mainly bestirreth thē vvith their full povver togither to make hauock to bring altogither vnder their seruile most confused bitter yoke I haue in my moste simple vnderstanding and as God therin by his grace hath directed me endeuored to bestovve some parte of my time in setting forthe sundry godly meditations and prayers vpon special causes respected as instrumentes to shrub to roote out cutte dovvne spoile and destroy at the least some poysoned euils from the most beautiful and louely vineyard of Christe And as I haue by them thought most conuenient that oure almightie and most terrible God vvho seemeth to be greatly amongst vs forgotten in euery of them shuld cheefely be had in remembrance to be duely reuerēced and feared to be called vpon and most highly magnified so haue I for the most part made mention of our frailetie present and most vvretched state and of the mightie povver also of our forsaid enemies hovv politike they are hovv puissant hovv vvatchful hovv cruel hovv accustomably in all estates they do preuaile and that God therfore by humble sute vvold sone graunt vs his mercy extēd forth his arme to strengthen vs and moste grationsly in time deliuer vs least in the vvaightinesse of our sins yet daily amongste vs encreased vve be ouer
sore pressed oure consciences moste fovvly defiled burdened depely galled and vvounded the iudgementes of the highest not vvayed oure invvard senses benummed oure hartes hardened all diuine graces contemned and so vvith the plages of God the more svviftly by his iustice confounded heaping in the vvhile vēgeance vpō our selues against the day of his vvrathe and publike declaration of his proclaimed and iust iudgement and to be dampned vvith the vvorld vvith the Diuell and his Angels for euer vnto vvhom by vvhose custome and importune knocking at the doores of our gracelesse very vaine and most frutelesse hearts the knocking of the Lorde Christ vvilfully neglected vvee haue subiected oure selues and opened vvide vnto him to let in both him self his conioyned companions and vvith them all abhomination and vnrightuouseneste to quicken vvith more hast the flames of Gods furie to make ponderous and ouer heauie the svvitfe descending ballance of his very terrible irrcuokeable iustice To the ende therefore this small and moste simple volume may vnder youre godly protection gather the rather some estimation and credite passe forth for good to the vse of the godly I moste humbly beseeche youre vvorship so to accepte it in the simplicitie thereof and graunt thereunto your Christian furtherance that some good for Goddes glory may grovve thereby to some that some liues at the least may be somevvhat amended the furies of God the sooner preuented and the bright lighte of the sonne of god shine with more povver amongste vs to ouerthrovve vs in his feare to beate flatte to the earth our carthie and proude fleshe and to vvaste soone or consume for good and most happie chaunge our most damnable vvorks of darknesse I shall as of bounden duetie for this and for other the like causes deserued most humbly pray for you that God in mercie may euer blesse both you your moste vvorthy beloued in Christe your ofspring and vvhole familie Your humble and daily Oratoure THOMAS Paulfreyman An exhortation to the christen Reader BEing mindful de uout christian of god thine heauēly father and as best beseemeth thee an earthly creature always to remember thy maker that by a quickning spirite in the inwarde and newe man commended vnto thee from aboue thorough the free grace of election in Iesus Christ by whom thou art new borne to whom thou art coupled a quick and a lyuely member with whom thou art partaker of the Heauenly and diuine nature euen the nature of God thine eternall father In whom thine harte is prepared towardes him by whome thou seekest most truly to knowe him most earnestly to loue him diligently to seeke him faythfully to serue hym most lowly to honour him reuerently to feare and obey him and so foorth as his only worde of truth most straightly prescribeth and precisely requireth of thee of all people and in all estates thoroughout all generations In his hygh magnificence almightynesse etermtie great power and maiestie to loue him in his benignitie in his myldenesse tendernesse faithfulnesse truth and greate mercie to feare him in his lordly dignitie princely gouernment statelinesse rough countenance wrathefulnesse seuere iustice and iudgement and to offer daily vnto him the acceptable sacrifice of faithfull and hartie prayers in the name of his sonne Iesus Christe as hee himselfe most healthfully taughte thee and for whose onely sake promyse is made to heare thee that his myghtye hande may ener preserue thee vphold thee keepe thee safe norishe thee directe strengthen defende and deliuer thee in all places at all tymes and in al cases of necessitie bothe of bodge and soule and to giue thee also thorough Christ his holy spirite as a seale of assurance to certifie thee that thou arte the chyld of God inwardly to inflame and comforte thee to warke true faith into thee to dispose with cherefulnesse the frutes of true charitie to quiet thee in al tempests of aduersitie yea and to leade thee still on by the hande for the tyme and from time to tyme vnto the place of rest the cheerefull and safe porte the restfull hauen or moste sure rode of eternalioy and felicitie If thou desire to enioy all these and suche lyke blessings as are moste needefull for thee both for body and soul from the hand of God and according to the measure of the gift of Christ O hearken then vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God Incline bubly thine eare prepare thine hart sike him early in holinesse turne thee vnto him without delay receyue him with most pure affection and lift vp sone thy sickely soule to beholde the glory of his countenaunce O bond thy body of earth downe to the face of the earthe Grone in thy selfe to God with greefe and lay open simply before him the felt secretes of thy sinful hart Call daily vppon him and so aduisedly trie him as thou hast assured trust in him And before thou duetifully at temptest thy godly contemplatiōs prayers praises and thanks giuing to God prepare thee earnestly a sitte soule for the presence of so high and great a God. Forget not before whome thou presentest thy selfe and vnto whome thou doste minde to talke Be not vainly or wiekedly presumptuous in thine high and great attempt before him Abase thy selfe tremble in his presence Remember god beholdeth al disorders in thee with a piercing sharpe and reuenging eye 1 Examine therfore thy selfe before with indgemente Descende deepely into thine owne bowells and see there whether thou be as of ryghte thou oughtest truely penitent for thy former sinnes and wickednesse 2 Whether thou determinest thence forth from thine hearte not to tourne againe vnto them as dothe a cleane washed swine which newly defiles hir selfe in the lothsome and foule stinking mire 3 Whether thou bee in his sighte a louble faced or deepe dissembling hipotrite touching thy dealings with him and the worlde as thy booke in thee of records moste playnely witnesseth vnto thee 4 Whether thou bee as by name thou professest a zelouse fauorer of the word of life 5 Whether thou with the Prophet Dauid vnseinedly hatest all supersticiouse vanities contrary to the word of life 6 Whether thou with the said prophete feelest in thy selfe to be grieued with the enemies of God and with all such as rise vp ageinst him or to suppresse the word of life 7 Whether thou weyest wyth thy selfe that like as thy body being but of an earthy and corporall substaunce cannot possiblie liue without the vsual nourishmente of materiall bread and meate so the soule in the spirituall state therof cannot liue but be sterued and dye euen the eternall and euerlasting deathe withoute the spirituall nutriment and heauenly sweete tast of the woorde of God whiche to the soule is the onely breade of lyse and whereafter thou shouldest hunger too vpholde thy lyfe 8 Whether thou stedfastly beleue to be saued by the only merites death and bloudshed of Christ crucified vpon the crosse withoute thyne owne and other mens
merites eyther their most damnable and idolatrous deuised vanities 9 Whether thou thynkest it not the Dyuels bewytchyng by his maligne mimsters to bee depriued of so pious and precious a prepared raunsome 10 Whether thou at the receyuing of the holy mysteries of Christes body and bloud vnderstandest them to bee his owne only ordinance for the vse of his holy churche and to bee witnesses therein of the open and publike confession of the true saithe whiche thou haste in him and to be saued onely by his bodilye death and the bloudy sacrifice vppon the Crosse once for all offered vnto God his heauenly father for thine for mine for al the sinnes of the whole worlde euen so many as haue this acceptable saithe of God in them 11 Whether thou haue regarded by the word of God touching the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud the difference therin betwixt the Diuelles faith and thine either the saithe of an Hipocritishe and dampnable reprobate 12 Whether thou hast by true saithe repugned the Deuill who boldely chalēgeth thee as he thinketh he may be bolde and maketh equall compart son with thee of thy saithe touching simplie the confession of Christe as of his Conception by the holy Ghost of his Natiuitie and birth of the virgine Marie to be also the Sonne of God liued perfecte and vndefiled man vppon the earthe his doings to be onely omnipotent most miraculous wonderfull suffered most sharpe and cruell death was buryed rose againe ascended into the heauens verie God and very man yea and of his retourne also againe vnto iudgement All these things the Diuels beleeue and confesse with thee but yet vtterly vnperswaded to be his onely sufficient sauioure and redeemer by his precious bloude shedde and deathe euen as those saithlesse wickednesse which in theyr vnsoundnesse stubbornesse vnstayednesse touching the couenant of God in his sonne Christe for their saluation accompt the price of his precious bloud to be insafficient for them withoute the very absurde and most fond annexing of their owne and other mennes merites and so to make Christe vnto them selues to be at the moste but a mingled peeced botched and patched Sauioure 13 Whether thou hast on this maner folowing considered of Sathans chalenge and comparison with thee and sayde thus vnto hym in the secrecies of thy faithfull soule for thy defence O thou very mortal most cruel and damned enemie I vnfaynedly from myne hart defie thee I withstande thee to the face thou hast naught to doo with me or to make suche comparisous with mee in my christen and most holy profession I know full wel thy malice and stoutnesse which hath ben in thee from the beginning bothe agaynste the annoynted of God and all his Experiēce teacheth me of thy not slumbring of thy wandring about and seeking watchefully to deuoure and to spoyle mee of my faith wherby I must be saued I tell thee thou most wicked one thy trauell is all in vayn I am none of thyne nor nothing inclined to thyne affection or motions I am Gods I tell thee and the perswaded childe of God by his spirit of truth who by grace possessing me and by his power mightily working in mee hath moste graciously planted in my harte the frutefull tree of pictie of true and perfect fayth fast roted in me deply stayed and surely setled euen with the finger of god my father touching the dignitie price and true estimation of his sonne and mine onely sauiours most preciouse body for mine only health and eternal saluatiō And though I haue falne or fainted as traiterously thou hast tripped me yet of frailtie haue J falne not wilfully of malice as thou haste most maliciously tempted me which God hath seene in me in mercy therfore hath raised me vp ageyne and wil stil vpholde me in spite of thee Art thou ignorant of this thou griseled and foule helly monster that I am not such a one as thou art or as thou woldest haue mee to bee doubtefull of my faythe as the wicked are to leaue the freedome of Gods spirite and to bee entangled agayne in thine infernall filthy bands Thinkest thou that I beeyng nowe called to the lighte and knowledge of the sweete woorde of life whereof I haue truely tasted and haue in detestation mine olde conuersation will be newly agayne deceiued offer to approche eyther once nibble or smell to thy beslubbered brackishe and most filthy embrued baytes Notest thou me of suche slipperinesse that hauyng farre entraunce in the spirite and feele the incomparable ioyes therof that I will nowe ende in the greefes and sorrowes of the fleshe to sette so lyttle by the Kyngdome of Iesus Chryste that taking holde of the Plough will now looke backe agayne to bee as a Dogge and to returne agayne to my vomite or as a beastely Swyne to beraye my selfe agayne in the myre to defourme the Image of God and to defile his holy Temple No no Sathan thou arte deceiued I tell thee truely for thy discouragemente I am now better schooled well armed and better warned to let thee goe for naughte Knowest thou not that I haue put vppon me to endure for euer my Lorde and God my Chryste and Sauioure Art thou forgetfull O thou enemie that I in true faythe professing his name and receyuing woorthily hys bolye and most blessed Sacraments by the onely rule of his word am armed ouer all with his only healthful and most mercifull merites to strengthen me mightily ageinst thee who is made mine with all that he hathe and I am onely hys hoth body and soule one bodye wyth him fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones Ah Sathan this certeinty and truth in faith considered wastefull are thy wretched wandringes and wylye waightings to wreck and vex my soul Away from me away J say thou cursed and spightfull spirite or stay if thou lust to offer boldly vnto mee as thou darest thy very blashlesse and bragge attempts of malignitie I yet tell thee they shall not hurt me neither do I any thing esteeme thee J regard not thy force J feare not thy fury The Lorde is my God he is the God of my strēgth and considence thou hast of thy selfe no powre at all ageinst me For what so euer thou attempteste or seekest to performe therin to thy wil thou wantest powre But that which thou doest is by his onely omnipotent hande and sufferaunce that is my God whose waight and mightinesse thy broosed braines hath selte to make thee stonpe for euer to hamper thee at his will to thine owne irons to ouer throwe thee soone in thine owne tourne and to blowe thee backewarde at will euen with the breath of his mouth into the bailesse and deepe botomelesse pitte whose bonde slaue thou art and a drudge enforced and in thine outrage by his permission a knowne peerelesse paricide a very restlesse pitilesse and most gracelesse raunging roge the only ring leader and infectuouse ranke roote of all reproch
Of whiche truth the Apostle thus wryteth vnto thee that without al contradiction she must nedes be vnto thee either the sanoure of life vnto life or the sauoure of death vnto death Such iudgemēt will truth haue ouer thee and stand in full effect there will be no meane but to be either with thee or else flatly againste thee as it shall truely finde thee at thy fal frō this life there wil be no daliāce it will for euer saue thee or eternally damne thee how so euer thereof thou makest thine account or leanst of will to the contrary with thy very blinde wicked and peruerse hart Feare therfore harken to the truth in time haue sure confidence in truthe thine helper is at hand be and the truth are one he is grateful he is faithful dout thou not double not nor wilfully withstand not the offred graces of thy mylde master thy iust Lord and moste louing God and be not before him and in the presence of his holy Angels vnprepared or a dallier a man indifferent a slacke Simme a drousie one a lyngrer a double deaier a wanton or a carelesse one among the reiectes and wretches of this worlde that in their coldenesse darkenesse hopelesse houeryng vayne deuising wilfulnesse tolitie forgeifulnesse contempte of God and Godlynesse tempteth so hygh so magnificent terrible great God of maiestie most deadlily to danger them elues who diuersly in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye is able by his iustice to destroy thee to cracke sodainely in sunder the thred of thy life to twine strōgly the cordes of thy perdurable eternal death Therfore as he ought in his mightinesse of euery wighte to be feared so he shold not of any one either presumptuously or vainely be tempted But for thy part obey him in his will and suffer him with all pacience to try thee through aduersitie cōmitting thy selfe wholely vnto his only wil mercy for surely he will beholding in thee the power of saithe not suffer thee to be tempted aboue thy strengthe or yeelde thee so farre to fall but with his owne right hand will raise thee quickly vp againe And I exhorte thee also to take heede that thou possesse not in his sight at any time an vnstayed ofte wauering and winde shaken hart through Sathans blustrings stormie and tempestuous blastes stirred vppe daily and hourely againste thee and that by Goddes permission for good least by thine impaciencie diffidente trembling and sore shakes of thine vnchristen inconstancie thou be sodainly turned to thy shiftes put to thy faultie flight and so be dispossessed of thy verie healthful safe and most sure holde or else spoiled with reproche of thy christen armor or be occasioned by desperate pursute to starte from the face of the ennimie to stacker fearfully at his offered blowes and in hazarde to take hurt by some dangerous and sodain fal◠greatly to dishonor thee before Christe thy captaine and with him infinite armies of heauēly soldiors whose tents to encourage thee are pitched round about thee I say therefore vnto thee O Christian stand thou cherefully to thy charge in all things and defende manfully thine owne dismaie thee not J say for the Lorde God him selfe will be thy defender and keeper and wil stand by thee to strengthen thee and to deliuer thee from all daungers And if legions of diuels should copasse thee trench thee in round about plant their power and bēd forcibly their shot agaynst thee well may they threatningly thunder far frō thee rore rattle and rumble in the aire ouer thee tumble terribly about thee parche something thy tender skin and wonderfully in such sort amase thee yet shall they not preuayle agaynst thee hurte any member of thee or once remoue thy fast fixed soote but shalt stād sure fer euer euen as the highe mightie steadie and strong mounte Sion for Gods arme stayeth thee who by his power hathe ouercome the diuell euen the great diuell Sathanas him selfe he holdeth him at will by his infernall chaynes his whole cursed armie also hell gates and al the powers of hell O praise therfore thine almightie God exalt his glorious name for euermore watche and pray continually pray with vnderstāding pray at al times and in al places as his holy spirite shall moue thee for the vpholding of thee and for the auoyding of the engins sleights and tēptations of the enimies that God himselfe may be pleased thy soule strēgthned the diuels chased vāquished or put to flight And when thou prayest deceiue not vaynly thy selfe be not blinded with the proud Pharisie in thine owne conceite boasting of thy righteousnesse in the presence of God neither glorying in any thing for he throughly beholdeth thee and seeth that truely in thee euen thy secrete and hidde sinnes a masse of all abhomination as thou oughtest chiefly therein to be thine owne iudge But humble thy self before him with the penitent and poore wretched Publicane confessing thy sinnes and wickednesse and feare not then to attayne grace through suche true faith hūblenesse Moreouer forget not that as God is a moste highe heauenly and diuine substance and a spirite of al goodnesse and truth so wil he also of thee be spiritually worshipped praysed and prayed vnto euē in the truth by the word of truth and frō the depth and bocome of thine hart This also I put thee in remēbrāce of a thing greatly requisite that in the tyme of thy prayers which thou daily consecratest to god be they more or lesse long or short thou be not withdrawen with the snarling suggestions secret twitches inward motions or wylie sleightes of the enimie Sathan thorough the abuse of thy senses and outwarde bodily members as thine eyes thine eares and suche like that whilest thy tongue onely oft babbleth and vaynely wastest muche breath thine hearte whiche God chiefely respecteth and dothe very gladly desire bee fardest off and bee moste vaynely turned another way gretly to displease him to vexe sore thine owne conscience and to make vtterly frustrate al thine attempts or importune sutes of greate necessitie This I say also vnto thee If thou desire to be the child of God and voyde of al doubts so in dede to be fauour frō thy hart Christ thy forerunner and sauiour by whose onely grace thou arte adopted the childe of god Make not towards him thy fidelitie crased mingled or patched let it goe soundly and al whole togither both frō thy body thy soule Let him alwayes enioy frō thee the whole perfect mā the man regenerate new borne and made by his spirit the child of light ful of agilitie and liuelinesse whose soule mounting with felicitie still vp to the heauens is there resident with Chryst the sauiour and alwayes conuersant in heauenly things And let him also bee euermore vnto thee thine onely whole ful perfect and sufficient redemer ear nest petitioner and ready pacifier of the diuine fury against thee for al causes who with
teares it repenteth me that euer I sinued against thée I fall flat to the earthe before thée confessing my sinnes vnfainedly my weakenesse and infirmitie for I haue most greuously offended thée my conscience therein accuseth me crie yet with true saithe vnto thée Mercie good Lord mercie with thankes giuing and extolling thée for thine infused grace vppon me And I pray thée moste humblie O my God of all mercie to continue thy fatherly affection the encreasing of thy grace and strength of thy spirit vpon me to helpe to directe and comfort me vnto the ende and in the ende in all my temptations troubles weakenesse and infirmities bothe of bodie and minde Least sathan as I said preuaile and confound me the tickling pleasures of this world deceiue me and the olde man my wretched flesh which is not yet subiect to the spirite do master me againste all which I must arme my self stande to the battaile continually fighte bolde out at the swoordes pointe offer the pricke driue backe chase ouerthrowe wound and confounde whilest breath shall holde in this wretched body yea I say wretched in déede being compassed with so many calamities and infinite miseries for the which cause O Lord I craue alwayes thy mightie power in my weakenesse I make my mone haste thée nowe to helpe me O strengthen me graunte me thy presence stande by me encourage me to fight manfully that by thee I may amaze the enemies put them fast to flight gette the victorie triumphe before thée and extoll thée in thy great might mercie nowe and for euer through Iesus Christ our Lord who liueth and raigneth with thée and the holy Ghost in all honoure and glory worlde without ende Amen II. To dvvell in the seruice of God to haue the world and the pleasures thereof in cōtempt and to striue daily against them with the armor of rightuousnesse FOr as muche O almightie God as we are all warned by thine holye Apostle Iohn not to bée louers of thys euyll world nor the vain pleasures therof bicause bothe the one and the other come vtterly to naughte and that also to be a louer of the world is to be an hater of thée to slip from thy will and from the presence of thy maiestie as one that regardeth thée not knowes thée not neither séeke to know thée but startle aside from thée forsaketh the right way and entreth of will the perrillous way full of hidde thistles thornes briers brambles venemous wormes and serpentes linking also thē selues into the amitie league and seruice of the moste sleightie hatefull and deadly enemie the proude Prince of this worlde who for a time by Gods permission is brokē lose and rageth in his course roareth and fighteth cōtinually against the Soule of man who entangleth only his owne to their vtter ouerthrowe with the vaine pleasures thereof euen with the delightes in effect but of one houre and with the encreasing of sorowes for manye yéeres I beséeche thée O thou king of all holinesse whose seruice is most highe most happie most sure most healthfull wealthful heauenly perpetuall perfecte selicitie and freedome which seest the weakenesse inconstancie greate miserie and necessitie of me thine humble seruaunt the outrage also power of my cruel aduersaries graunt me sufficiencie of thy grace strengthe of thine holy spirite that by vertue thereof I may be directed in the way wherin I should walke my pathes made straite and my foote stedfast alwayes to withstande the euil attemptes of the moste wicked and the outwarde glittering gloryes of this sinful and vain world and not yéelde my minde to the pleasures comforts of the same as a childe of vanitie enclosed therin for the time as in a deepe dungeon of daunger and of deadly darkenesse founded vppon a sandie and rotten soile very olde ruinous sore shaken and readie at euery momente to fall throughe age vppon me but to be otherwise staide by thine holy and mightye arme pacientlie in the meane season to abide thy will to lay my foundation sure to be sober and watchfull ouer all daungers to stretch forth mine handes to the battaile to strengthen mine armes like a bow of stéele that vnder thy protection power I may manfully resist all hurtful euilles and the assaults of the wicked and stand stably to my profession in thy holy seruice wherunto thorow thy grace I am called to the ende that by thine only helpe I should do the workes of rightuousnesse O thou rightuous Lorde and God of my strengthe which haste made me which hast conserued me and arte moste louing and carefull ouer me I putting mine only hope and confidence not in the holy Angels celestiall spirites blessed Sainctes in heauen or good men héere in earth but only in thée suffer me not to be tempted aboue my strengthe or to be ouerwhelmed of mine owne cōcupiscēce but in the midst of temptation make thou a way for me to escape with ioy Thou O God art only omnipotent moste gratious ful of al goodnesse faithfulnesse and truthe fulfil therfore thy promisses towardes me most merciful Lord thou God of truthe Put vppon me thine whole armor of rightuousenesse O thou God of mighte and true holinesse that by thy power I may be strong against all aduersaries for I wrestle not as thou knowest against flesh and blud in this life but against rule against power and againste worldly rulers of the darknesse of this worlde and againste spirituall wickednesse in heauenly things by whome without thine heauenly power I stande euer in hazarde to eternall destruction bothe of body and soule For which cause I say O my swéete God arme me strongly strengthen me in my weakenesse and make me stoute that in this christen chiualrie I may stand perfecte in all things before thée and not slippe by cowardise or inconstancie from thy faithful seruice but fight vnder thy banner vntil the last breath couragiously putting mine euemyes to flight and cary away with triūph a glorious victorie ouer them So shall it come to passe that thorowly running this so shorfe a race in my holy calling as a puissant warrior in thy most high and excellent seruice with lawfull striuing and with violent plucking towards me thine heauenly kingdome I shall in the ende perfectly sée it and possesse it and shall receiue in mine hands a Palme of victorie vppon mine head a Crowne of glory prepared the hidde Manna also and a white stone wherein is written a newe name which no man knoweth sauing only the receiuer of it who shal serue thée thou great God of heauen in the moste sacred state of true holinesse perfecte frée dome excellencie dignitie and equalitie with thine holy Angels and al blessed Saincts in euerlasting felicitie Graunt this mine humble petition O Lorde for thy greate mercies sake So shall I here and in eternall blessednesse extoll and magnifie thy glorious name Amen III. For the humble
hearing apte receiuing keeping and continuing of the vvoorde of God amongst vs. COnsidering o thou God of al holinesse that the certainetie of oure Christian faithe standeth by the Scryptures or immoueable woorde of thy truthe which as thy messenger procéedeth from thee by thy gratious inspiration or secreate brething wherunto as vnto a seast royal euery man of al nations vnder heauen are called but are of thy Church only receiued and deuoutly vsed to the instruction confirmation strengthening and establishing of thine only faithfull true flocke and be as thy blessed Apostle calleth them sacred and holy birause they be heauenly moste precious diuine healthfull and comfortable to the soule excelling all the wisedom of Philosophers and the vainly wise of this world and be therefore in their high power and maiestie woorthily aboue all aduanced segregate and put aparte by them selues from all other wrytings of prophane matters and the flitting descriptions of men not onely pertaining to this present worlde and for the vse of this temporal life but also from all Ethnicke superstitians salse woorshippings wicked sacrifices and erronious opinions vsed contrary to thy woord against thée the only eternal and true God which by lying custome and crueltie are corruptly crepte into thy Church to the foule féeding filling defiling and poisonning therof and is yet daily occasioned therby wout thy grace to be sinisterly drawne and seduced straying frō the right way and haled to death by will in oure selues from the life that is in thée euen to eternall death and destruction we beséeche thée moste humbly O thou gracious God to enspire vs with thy holy spirite of truthe to kindle in all our hartes the fire of thy loue light and truth that by thy power in them oure faithes may be strengthened oure soules also humbled rightly ledde and instructed in thy word of loue light truthe and of eternall life by vertue wherof at our first entrāce to Christ our high Pastor we may truely vnderstande our profession and promisse in holy baptisme and haue it accordingly wrytten with thy finger of grace in our hartes to the true knowledge of thy law and the spiritual vnderstanding therof to loue thée moste woorthily aboue all and our neighbor as our selues as also to knowe the promisses of thy mercie in thy sonne oure Sauiour Iesus Christ most soundly and purely as thy holy word expresseth therein whereby we may be well vpholden and zealously staide in our profession to treade our pathes right to be guided by the true light to heare gladly the voice of oure shepheard Iesus Christe to testifie his name to folowe him the onely true lighte and not to feare the powers of darknesse but to ouercome them by thy mighte although euen with the losse of our liues not only the dalyings dimme deuises and vanities of the wicked and to shun all suche hatefull enemics as are vsuall mockers daily deprauers sinnefull despisers wilfull impugners wicked seducers double dealers backe sliders pluckers back from thy word but also the sleights of their father Sathan the enticements of the worlde and the filthie motions of the fleshe And to that happie ende O Lorde we may be constant and thy woorde euer abide in vs stirre vs vp to continuall and hartie prayer quicken our zeale woorke in vs a true liuely quicke and frutefull faithe that it being a bright shining light in our hartes to the expelling of all Hipocrisie cloudinesse darknesse and erroure and also our conuersation being answerable to our profession the continuance of thy grace may stil comfortably shine vppon vs thy holy woorde may continue amongste vs may be truely preached vnto vs diligently boldly and zealously vttered ouer al and by al the ministers thereof by what occasion time and place so euer it be for vnto vs that shall be saued it is a thing moste precious and holy It is the woorde of life the woorde of reconciliation the lanterne vnto oure féete and a light vnto our pathes the fountaine of wisedome the breade of life the foode of the soule thy mightie power and swoorde of the spirite And for as much O heauenly father as thy woordes thus to vswarde come from heauen are spirite and life and are not to be wayed with the vaine imagination policie wisedome or witte of man nor yet to be applied vnto the hurtfull pleasures of this sinnefull worlde but to be moste holily and highly estéemed moste humbly had in credite reuerently thought vppon gladly inclined vnto heard with silence and receiued with all modestie ghostly gréedinesse we humbly beséeche thée that as thou haste euer heeretofore ben the only gratious director instructor and teacher of thy holy Patriarks and Prophets Apostles and holy fathers from time to time from the beginning and amongste al men for thine electes sake in Iesus Christe continuest yet so still vntill this day O traine vs vp also in thine heauenly knowledge we pray thée prepare our harts teach vs thy law and wryte thy woordes of life in the tables of oure heartes that in these our monstrous dayes of moste wilfull vanitie which in their strangenesse crieth oute by plagues to be punished we may aforehande be warned we may be yet better schooled thy wrath thereby preuented our soules more spiritually nourished filled with thy fauoure more mortified daily from the vanities of this brickel life guided to more thristian modestie and temperāce affected solie to the way of holinesse comforted in all troubles and aduersities boldned manfully against the face of the enemies stayed well armed and strengthened against all temptations stirred vp to the encrease of all vertues that thy woordes which shal iudge vs in the last day being by thy ministers truely preached and of vs also as zealously embraced and by any meanes not to be despised or slandered but on all partes surely holden and to shewe for the accordingly the true frutes of rightuousnesse we may be called of thée thy holy disciples auoide I say the sal of thy vēgeāce amōgst vs thy iudgement also to eternal condemnation be receiued in time to euerlasting saluation throughe thy grace the only merites of thy sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen IIII. For Fayth BY reading or hearing thy holy worde O blessed sauiour we are taught that true fayth which is thine onely gifte is onely therby attayned and that by the power of thine heauenly spirite it is breathed into the onely hearts of all thine electe who receiue it by measure and quantitie according to the will and power of the same spirite and with thine eyes beholding it in them thou gloriest in them thou daily blessest them thou encreasest it in them thy countenance shineth vppon them thou amiably appearest and she west thy selfe vnto them yea so acceptable it is in thy sighte O swéete sauiour that thou béeing the king of eternall glory and maiestie art espoused to the soules of the faithfull
of obedyence from the hearte and for Goddes sake but fall of will moste wickedly and as bonde slaues into the sinne of hatred contempte murmuring grutching conspiring rebelling and into innumerable suche like as men being wholely giuen ouer to a wicked will runnyng headlong into all kinde of mischeefes whereby we become as resectes and caste awayes from thy glorious fauoure we purchase thy displeasure thou 〈◊〉 our treacheries the cursse of the people shall fall vpon vs the spoile of the innocentes and theyr bloud shed shall crie for vengeance against vs our dayes shal be shortned our offspring and family ashamed vtterly confounded contempned and for euer brought to naught O gratious God graunt therefore that we may euer regarde thy wil be mindefull of thy statutes feare thy indgements and consider with our selues oure christian obedience and duetie towardes aucthoritie walking humbly in oure vocation before thée to the vpholdyng of peace to the contenting of aucthoritie to render vnto them their duetie to the benefiting of oure Country to the blessing of our posteritie and to remember also with this assured persuasion that whether so euer we turne oure selues in thus life we shall not aptly finde rest in any place if we be seditious mischéeuously inclined traiterous conspirators or rebellyous for thy iudgements will still folow vs thy swoorde shall deuoure vs and cruel messengers shall be sente againste vs as of many we haue both herd read and oft times knowne amōgst vs For thou O Lord in the feruor of thy zeale neither canst nor wilte suffer the higher powers so to be disobeyed or vnnaturally spurned against but thou wilt by thy iustice sée it sharpely reuenged as the offence verily committed against the persone of thine eternall maiestie Giue vs grace therfore O heauenly father we humbly beséeche thée to way reuerently thy will in thy woord and accordingly to liue in all subiection to the higher powers to pray daily most hartily for them as for the apte instrumentes of thy grate and furtherers of thy glory at these dayes of true lighte that thou wilt touche daily deepely all their harts with the finger of thine heauenly grace that thy principall spirite may for euer possesse them and that thy blessings also may daily abounde bothe vpon them vpon vs and vpon oure posteritie as vpon the childrē of true obedience peace and humblenesse to our reioying and praising of thy glorious name vntill the ende of this life and for euer thorowe Iesus Christe oure onely Lorde and Sauioure Amen X. For the Queenes moste excellenre Maiestie for hir Honourable Councelloures hir whole Court or familie O Almightie God and father of all mercie which gratiously gouernest moste wisely rulest and aboundantly blessest héere vppon earthe thy great Congregation the pillar and grounde of truthe the flocks of Christe thine holy Churche the Spouse of Christe the elect vessels of thy mercie thine whole householde and familie whose God of mercie thou only art throughoute all generations and helper in all oure néedes and necessities and haste appointed therein by thy diuine ordinaunce temporall rulers Princes and Magistrates to rule and gouerne thy people according to equity and the rule of rightuousnesse for the aduauncement of the good and pumshmente of the euill and hast also al their harts in thine holy hand to direct sanctiste and gouerne them after thine owne will to the godly example of others and to set foorthe amongste them thy glory haue mercy vpon thy seruant Elizabeth our noble and most gracious Quéene in the excellencie of hir most high calling holy seruice and of greate charge before thée in thy sanctified Churche that as hir heart specially being truely directed in thy sight by the spirit of light and truthe to the true knowledge perfect obedience and ready furtherance of thy will with all christian diligence and seruencie as aboue all things best behooueth hir moste gratious and royall maiestie that the rather in all other hir necessities shée may at all times be moste assuredly blessed by thée releeued comforted strengthened mightely defended and deliuered bothe in body and soule so also the honorable hir beloued graue and prudente Counsellors faithful ministers vnder hir whole familie may euery of them in their degrée christian vocation or faithfull seruice duetifully waie with them selues the vertue of their charge straight bande and profession before thée séeking truely vnder hir highnesse for thy glorye and hir honoure the fruteful knowledge of thy lawes that in theyr state of great excellency right worshipful calling meane state or inferioure ministerie whether of the Cleargie as they are termed or of the laitie they may haue the feare and true obediēce before their eyes framing vnfainedly all their affections their actions and dueties by the only rule of thy woorde of life walking vprightly therein holily and religiously in thought woorde and déede with vndesiled pure and peaceable consciences to the daily edifying encouraging and strengthening of all others that thereby hir whole Court or Princely family being through fulnesse of vertue and thine heauenly wisedome wōderfull to beholde woorthily noted of all delighted in of all and moste highly commended of al may be of all moste dearely beloued highly estéemed ioyfully receiued thankefully vsed practised and folowed as a moste precise patron of all perfect and true pietie as a very brighte large and cleare shining light déeply piercing inwardly quickening farre extending and reaching ouer al or as a cleare sountaine or quick springing water descending from an high most beautifull to looke on most pleasant to taste on very dilectable most necessary helthfull and comfortable common to all swiftly running towardes all and embraced of all and into al partes belonging to hir highnesse or round about hir wherby through the puritie healthfulnesse clearnesse cleannesse fulnesse therof al hir people and others drawing to thē selues and tasting abundantly of the same may long be preserued healthfully norished vpholdē in vortue in true religion honestie all the dayes of their liues that in stead of thy terrible iudgemēts and wrathfull indignations due vnto all for disobedience contempt and sinfulnesse thy moste gracious fatherly blessings as swéete dews from heauen may alwayes most comfortably fauourably with spéede and abundantly light both vpon hir highnesse vpon hir Nobilities whole Courte and whole Countrey to thine only honoure praise and glory euen in the sight and faces of all hir and our ennemies that they may plainely sée it may be ashamed of their errour of their darknesse wilful madnesse great disobedience wicked attēptes and contemptes and may be more mindefull of thée thou greate God of rightuousnesse séeke most gladly in truthe to knowe thée to feare thine holy name to be conuerted vnto thée and to blesse wyth vs in rightuousnesse al the dayes of their liues thorow thy son Iesus Christ and for his sake our only sauioure our only mediatoure and aduocate Amen XI Against vaine hope and
rest of the .v. Cities and their whole countrey with firie flames sulpher and Brimstone from heauen were destroyed with suche other like the terror of thy vengeance by sharpe plages punishments vpon others cléerly mentioned in thy holy scriptures plainly approued in other histories and daily both knowne and felt amongst vs O most gratious louing father create therfore in vs we beséeche thée hunble contrite clean harts renue within our bowels right spirites and turne all voluptuousnesse away from vs that neither in thought word nor déede we willingly offend the sight of thy maiestie And graunt that whether we liue vnmattried or in the holy state of Matrimonie we may leade our liues in puritie true holinesse and chastitie And when at any time we féele in our selues to be assalted with temtation or stirred by euil luste to cōmit obhomination we may then haue strengthe of thy grace to sette before oure eyes thy iustice the rewarde of sinne the terror of deathe the day and end of this life the gnawing worme of our conscience thy terrible doome the chalenge of the Deuill the euerlasting tormentes and the horrible paines of hell And that we liuing in oure christian calling and holy profession in all puritie hothe of bodie and soule all the dayes of our liues we may receiue in the ende the rewarde of euerlasting felicitie sée thée face to face in thine eternall and most glorious kingdome thorow thy sonne Iesus Christe Amen XIIII A Prayer against svvearing and blasphemie WHen we O holy eternall God haue in remembraunce as we be charged thy precise wil and cōmaundementes giuen generally vnto vs all and binding vs all from euil namely amōg the rest not to take the name of thée our god in vain nor in any wise to abuse it as doth the wicked Ethuieke that knoweth not thy name irreligiously vainly and falsoly but at all times to consider well of it highly to extoll it and haue it in dureuerence as behooneth the faithful louers and professors of the same least we be 〈◊〉 of thee accurssed and guiltie and sustaine as thou hast threatned thy moste iuste and sharpe reuenge we are héere greatly occasioned to consider our present and moste daungerous state howe vnperfecte wretched and dampnable it is in thy sighte throughe oure deadly fal from thy will in this holy precept and are nowe driuen cyther to séeke remedie at thine onely mercifull hande or to perishe in hel eternally we beséethe thée moste humbly O thou God of all grace that as thou beholdest in vs the erroure of oure liues and oure corrupted inclination to all sinne and vanitie contrary to the prescripte rule of thy holy lawe and to séeke thereby as muche as ut vs lyeth the disglory of thy name to worke our owne shame and vtter confusiou so to graunt nowe vnto vs that oure soules in their vnclenlinesse horriblenesse blasphemous state may be truly purged of al infectiōs deadly darknesse wilfull malice ignorāce and the sights of them refreshed quickened made liuely and perfecte by the bright light and true faith in thy holy woorde that they may cléerely and comfortably see know and beholde the true glory of thy maiestie thereby also inwardly féele the swéete promisses of thine heauēly grace the frée pardone also of all our sinnes and the receiuing of vs into thy grace fauor not for any thing at all in our selues but for thy sonne Christe Iesus sake throughe which only mercy and great goodnesse graunted vnto vs in him thou arte and of righte euer oughtest to be only estomed of vs only praised magnified and highly reuerenced as thy name in heauen in earth moste condignely of all requireth which is from vs euen so muche in euery respect as we in déede truely know thée in thy sonne Christe by whome only and throughe grace in him we are stirred most woorthily to extol thy most glorious and holy name but not so lightly by custome to prophane it and vnreuerently abuse it whether by cruell blasphemie contempte of thine heauenly woorde true religion doctrine or otherwise in our sinneful conuersation or euill maner of liuing Take vs therefore we pray thée to thy mercie O Lord and that soone for great is our sinne and iniquitie in this accustomed sinne of blasphemie O set thy feare spéedely before our eyes and shut not vp from vs the knowledge of thy truthe our director to rightuousnesse but kindle inwardly into oure soules the lighte thereof leaste in the deadly darkenesse pride and great peruersitie of our wicked harts we do daily degenerate turne from our profession fall willingly from thée become ingratefull vaine proude and high minded contumelious spitefull shamelesse open enimies and very blasphemous againste thée as the only possessors of the deuill and falling like reprobates from iniquitie to iniquitie Who for theyr horrible abuses sake and prophanation of thy name how they shall be woorthily plaged thine hande of iustice not being shortned is plainely euident in thy most sacred and heauenly woord of truthe For thou thy selfe haste saide that what so euer he be that is a blasphemer vseth thy name vainly and vnprofitably shall not escape thy scurges and punishments And in an other place it is also wrytten that who so euer vseth muche to sweare shall be filled with curssings and iniquity and the plage which is the iuste bengeance of thy wrath shall neuer depart frō his house but shal in time consume it and all the inhabitantes thereof Again we read out of thy Prophet Zacharie that thou shewedst vnto him flying in the air a maruellous large and a great booke euen .xx. cubites in length .x. in bredth wherin was contained the horrible plages that are prepared for all thē which contemptuously malitiously vainly falsly or rashely sweare by thy blessed and holy name O Lorde of infinite mercies and long suffering God that art to be blessed for euer whose mercyes reacheth vnto the heauens if thou in these our dayes of great abhomination curssed blaspheming taking thy holy name in vaine so carelessy vsually and by custome for euery smal trifle bisides other deadly and dampnable sinnes daily committed amōgst vs shouldest in the iudgement of thine owne cause flersly rise vp againste vs or as thy Prophet Dauid sayth extréemely marke what is done amisse O Lord how shuld we abide it How should we moste sinnefull wretches in these dayes abide the terror of thy vengeance that by thy iustice hangeth ouer vs or should in a moment consume vs all like stubble But thou rewardest vs not according to our sinnes thy mercie endureth for euer and therefore to auoide the terror of thy iustice due vnto vs most disobediēt sinners we appeale to the déep fountains of thy mercy humbling our selues before thy mercies seat with penitent harts for the remission of our sins that thou wilt not impute thē now vnto vs
of all our affences and be depely tormonted in vnsufferable anguishes 〈◊〉 forowes yelling lauguistying and the auinosse for our carelesse most gracelesse negligence bicause 〈◊〉 our health and tune of felicitie we 〈◊〉 forgetful of thée vs we caued not to tēpte thée we feared not thy threatned vengeance neither thy Preachers and Prophetes we were vnmindefull of the ende we considered not the way of all fleshe we remembred not deathe neither readily prepared for his sodaine comming whose ensigne by thy iustice is openly all blacke displayed most ougly issuing out of his darke sepulcher to the spéedie destruction of all fleshe Therefore O Lord as oure liues are wholely in thyne onely hande and are by thée when we call vppon thée most graciously directed quicken our harts to prayer endue vs thorowe thy grace wyth thine heauenly wisdome teache vs thereby to number our dayes to applie oure hartes vnto wisedome to be mindefull of thée our God not to be forgetfull of oure wretched and wicked state and to remember alwayes thy rightful iustice in iudgemente that we may endeuor to be suche in déede in oure liues as we woulde wishe moste gladly to be founde at our deathes O heauenly father so strengthen vs with thy vsuall and woonted grace that as we may haue this worlde in most earnest contempte so we may also as effectually craue at thine holy hād the daily prospering and going forwards in vertue pray that our loue may abounde towardes godly discipline for the fourme of good liuing yéelde fréely forth the frutes of earnest and true repentāce haue ready and prest wils to shewe true obedience bothe in body and soule to be humble and méeke in spirite not to stay at any time the deniall of oure selues to subiecte our selues to thy holy will and commaundements and so to leane gladly to the suffering of this worldes calamities not for oure selues but for the loue of Iesus Christe for our brethren for so shal we be knowne to be the children of god All which if we happely possesse vse and put in daily practise great shall be the cause of oure ioy to haue good affiaunce in thy mercy a swéete tast of good life and a sure hope by happie death becomming in the meane while parient Pilgrims in spirituall pouertie and not regarding the pleasures of this life that oure soules may possesse the felicitie of thy freedome be daily lifted vp vnto thée in this our short race that we may continually praie with sorowfull sighings déepe sobbings inwarde gronings and shedding salte teares in our accustomed and moste humble sutes bewayling oure miserable state mourning the delay of this bodyes dissolution and yéeld with pacience to abide the stroke of deathe that when it which is the laste enemie shall be destroyed our spirites may haue rest in thine eternall life therow the only merites of thy sonne our Lord and sauior Iesus Christe Amen Amen XVII To haue in remembrance the secrete iudgementes of God and to feare the withdrawing of his grace HAuing good experyence by thyne holy scriptures O thou rightuous God that as thou arte moste high most glorious most holy wise and mighty and a great God aboue all Gods eternal and from euerlasting so arte thou also a Lord a ruler a master an ouerscer a iudge ouer all the dooings of men yea a seuere iudge a straighte examiner an vpright iust rewarder against whome no man may once rowse or aduaunce him selfe stande in his owne conceite or shewe before thée any proude or hautie countinance for it is thou onely O Lorde that art omnipotent whose mighty arm reacheth ouer all which aduancest and bringest lowe which strykest and healest which woundest and makest whole which liftest vp and throwest downe againe which dealest in thy iudgement not after the manner of men wickedly winking at the sinnes generally committed of all or of a few but vsest vprightnesse vnto all withoute respecte of persons generally particularly to many to a fewe and to some one alone when their sinnes before thée are ful and waxeth ripe vnto iudgement apte to fall and ready to féele from thy wrathfull hande the sodaine stroke of thy vengeance for vengeance annexed to thy power is only thine and thy iust rewarde whose iudgementes for sinne are very terrible fierce a flaming and consuming fire to licke vp catche burne and deuonre all or some as the cause shal require and as by thy iustice in iudgement thou finedest thē for so in all ages we haue both truly heard and knowne which examples of thine in sundry wise are all wrytten for our vnderstanding and learning always to be remembred of vs to put vs in good mind to terrifie vs to bridle oure affections to feare thy maiestie to séeke the true knowledge of thy will reuerently therein to obey thée and to escape aptly therby thy iust rigor vengeance for vengeance is thine thou wilt reward O holy and iust god which also artmost gracious which sparest whē we deserue punishmēt in thy wrath thinkest vpon mercy and haste vowed compassion vpon the poore penitent haue mercy vppon me moste wretched sinner O forgéeue me all my wickednesse past let thy tender mercie preuent my sinnes cast them al behinde thy backe and shewe me againe thy cōfortable countinance for my sinnes sore trouble me they iustly accuse me thy iudgementes terribly thunder against me they sore shake my limmes with feare and trembling and terrifie out of measure my sore vexed and contrite heart And if by thine heauenly motion O Lorde I yet wade further in thy iudgemēts and consider the very heauens not to be cleane in thy sight but expecte the day of their renouation for further cleerenesse and puritie O how am I occasioned to be the more amazed and to bewail my wretched state in the lothsomnesse of my corruption And if in the Angels them selues thou haste founde sinne and the desert of eternall death therefore not spared thy iudgemēts ouer them O what shall become of me earthie fraile and moste sinnefull wretche And if also the gloryous starres themselues haue in the excellencie of their outwarde clearenesse and beautie falne down from heauen abide likewise thy iudgement what shall I a masse of darknesse stime and filthe of the earthe looke for at thy wrathfull hand hauing my very secrete sinnes not hid from thee in their moste horrible lothsome and poysoned apperance But yet I beséeche thée O heauenly father althoughe thou be a straighte iudge ouer all thy creatures for sin whether of heauen or of earth celestiall terrestriall or infernall subiecte to thy will and to abide iustly thy iudgement for thine approued clemencies sake and tender pity towardes me imprinted stil freshe in my memorie and boldened thereby to approche thy presence so to extēd vpō me thy great mercy and grace that as I nowe craue the continual good motion inward stirring vp of my mind
by thine holy spirit to remember always the burthen of my sinne and to feare the terror of thy iudgemēts for due punishing of the same so I make vnto thée most hūble sute not to be destitute of a liuely faith true trust and confidence in thy mercy and grace that thou wilt hūble my soule before thée prepare in me a cleane heart and a will inclineable to thy testimonyes that how so euer by thy will and iustice I féele in this worlde for good thy priuate iudgements to the purging repressing and kéeping vnder my stubburne and proude fleshe at the generall iudgement day and in the world to come that when al works good and bad shal be reduced to memory and when a straight accompt and reckening shall be made and a iust rewarde giuen celestiall or infernal both to body and soul I may yet escape the fulnesse of thy paimēt due for euer to the wicked by theyr deadly and iuste deserte Heare me O my God of all mercie and take thou care ouer me this day moste graciously directe me confirme and strengthen me in thy wayes leaste in mine owne respecte I be founde but féeble and weake slipping full of inconstancie vncleane and too too filthie for there is no will no power nor holynesse that auayleth no wisedome no temperaunce humilitie loue dilygence chastitie or mine owne keping to good effect without the frée direction of thyne holy hand daily gouernment most gratious preseruation defending holy watching All which as they procéede onely from thée and are of thy méere mercie bestowed moste bountifully vpon me so graunt me grace yea the continuaunce of thy grace not to be forgetfull of thée but always to remember thée with al humilitie and thākfulnesse euch from the very depth and bottome of mine harte and soule all the dayes of my life and haue thenceforth the rewarde of eternall felicitie thorowe thy mercie and the only merites of thy sonne and my Sauioure Iesus Amen XVIII The Flighte of the faithfull Soule to Christe in the exuemitie of temptations and invvarde affections of the minde IF I in presenting my selfe before thée O swéete Iesu my Lord and only sauioure shall séeme by thy gratious permission some thing to say vnto thée with heauinesse of harte for my sinnes which are infinite most dānable by instice in thy sight and most plainly also proue by thy woorde of truthe that thou art yet bounde to be fauorable vnto me bound to cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe bounde to bestowe thy good graces thy blessings and benesites vpon me yea and bounde also in time to giue vnto me thine heauenly and celestiall Paradise I will not do it rashly before thée my Lorde and my God vpon presumption or cōtemptuously or for that I beare not a due and woorthy reuerence vnto the glory of thy diuine maiestie neither meane I therby in any thing to diminish the excellencie of thyne heauenly power but rather to magnifie and extoll thine only omnipotencie and great goodnesse and to stirre vp my selfe euen with al humilitie to cōsider in parte the deare loue that thou bearest towardes me thy most euil and vnprofitable seruaunte O my swéete Iesu beare nowe with me therfore and first of all remember I beseeche thée thy perfecte knowledge héerin that thine eterns and most mercifull father did send thée into this worlde and vale of great miserie to the ende thou shuldest saue me comfort me in my distresse strengthen me defende and deliuer me moste wretched sinner in all anguishes troubles temptations and miseries bothe of bodie and soule and that my sinnes shuld not preuaile againste me when I humbly pray and craue thy mercie Thou O mercyfull and louyng Lorde and sauior was obedient to the will of thine heauenly father like a most lowly and mild childe and for the loue sake also whiche thou hadst to thy flocke like a most deare louing pastoure diddest offer thy selfe to die euen the most cruell and shameful death vpon the crosse And also if in case I did at any time make resistaunce rebelliously and wickedly to disobey to straggle or stray abrode when thou calledste vnto me tourning the deafe eare would not heart thée he straightely charged thée and gaue expresse Commaundemente vnto thée also that thou shouldest constraine and compell me home again to the fold and to be also his beloued ghest in his heauenly kingdome at the ioyfull day of thy mariage O Christe for this onely good purpose was thou borne vnto vs for thys cause didste thou humble thy selfe among vs and for thys moste happie ende did thy father so plentifully enrich thée and euen filled thée with the aboundance of his good giftes treasures Therefore O my mercifull Lorde Iesu remember I pray thée thy tharge sée thou be mindefull of thy good and most holy office and yeeld héerein to the obedience of thy fathers will as thou arte bound and woonte to doe Thou knowest O Lord that all good and iust lawes binde those that be riche wealthy in this world to distribute parte of their substance to the relieuement of poore and néedie personnes yea and the richer they be of the good gifts of God and in the greater miseries they finde their poore néedy neighbors the more are they bound gladly to helpe and succoure them This I say lord bicause I acknowledge thée to be moste riche and of moste excellent power abounding farre aboue all others in all ioyes and treasures incomparable where I contrarywise am in greate sorrow and heauinesse of hart oppressed with all care and miserie and with extréeme pouertie and necessitie both of body and soule Wherefore O Lord I humbly make sute vnto thée chalenge thée to be my spéedie helper for that I know thée to be moste readye moste willing most able and most bound to comfort me And thoughe I haue moste gréeuously offended the eyes of thy maiestie yet bicause thou art merciful and I appealing to thy mercy thou canst not set thy selfe agaynst me or withholde thy compassion from me but arte rather bound with all good incoragement spéedily to helpe succour me And why Lord should I say this truly for this cause the greter in the excellency of thy holy state thou dost approuedly find thy selfe aboue all other so muche the more art thou subiecte and obedient to the indispensable law of charitie and to be therfore most mercifull vnto me and to be obedient thervnto is the greatest and moste porfecte soueraintie thou shouldest not be that Chryst of God onlesse thou diddest gladly participate thy deare loue to thy brethren Yea I say moreouer thou art so much the rather bound to loue me for that thou arte myne head and I the meaner parte and mēver of thy body Neither maiest thou say thou canst not helpe me for although with the flowing foūtaynes of thy grace thou hast boūtifully enriched all the Sainctes
that euer wer from the beginning yet notwithstanding that thy deuine treasures are not so spente nether sodiminished but that there remayneth store abundauntly for me and for all penitent sinners No no Lorde thou hast treasures yet superfluous which shal endure for euer and wilt not thou aide and comforte me thy poore wretched creature with the crums that fall from thy table for my most ioyful refection seeing me now in danger irke to perish Shat I thinke O Lord thy compassion so slēder and so farre from me that I shal doubt to be refreshed at thy gracious hād No God forbid I wil neuer thinke so euill or slenderly of thee but rather beléeue that as thou arte able so thou wilt in déede helpe me and am thorowly persuaded whie Am not I swéete Iesu one of thy precious redéemed Iewelles And hast thou not spent euen thy moste precious heart bloud for me suffering for my sake so many so extreame paines moste greeuous torments Yea and haste thou not giuen thine owne deare life and soule to purchase me vnto thy selfe and to liue with thée in thy fathers kingdome And nowe to relieue or recouer me out of daunger shouldest thou shew thy selfe so vnkinde vnto me that I can not be partaker of thy superfluous store thine ouerplus and thine offalles Thy father did so plentifully enriche thée with so many his woorthy graces to the end thou O Lord shuldest behold in this world the sicknesse and great necessities of thy troubled flocke and largely againe to distribute vnto thē in their pouertie and to ease them also of their painefulnesse and infirmitie And bicause O my Lord and sauioure I yéelde and humbly confesse me to be one of those poore miserable scabbed shéepe and acknowledge thée also the only bountifull good and free phisition I come therfore boldly and say thus vnto thée O Christ Iesu as thy mercifull father hath fréely giuen thée vnto me with the fulnesse of thine incomparable and heauenly treasures for my ready health wealth strength both of body and soule so I now flée vnto thée moste toyfully embrasing thée and in suche wise truste in thy mercy that thou shalt too too muche wrong me if thou stóc from me or forsake me Yea Lorde I say vnto thée in consideration hereof thou oughtest not neither canst thou abanbon or cast me out from thee but retaine embrace me for my most ioyful sauing health O Lord Iesu suffer me yet a litle to questiō with thée Was not thou the very same man the same Lorde sauiour god which by fauour hauing enriched thine holy Apostles gauest them also in charge that they shuld communicate deale and deuide to others such spirituall ryches heauenly treasures as thou before haddest giuen vnto them Should I iudge of thée that giuest cōmaundemente to others in dooing good things that thou thy selfe wilte not perfourme the same O Lord as thou art a god of mercy truth and delightest of all men to be truly so noted were it possible for thée to alter one iot of thy puritie most perfect beautiful clerenesse of thy godly diuine nature wherby one shéepe of thy flock should quayle or find any light occasiō of offence O Iesu as thou art righteous so art not thou a stūbling block vnto the righ teous And truly my soule trusteth in thée it moūteth vp into the heauēs before thée my faith is liuely towards thee O performe therfore faythfully towards me as thou art faithful the which thou didst so iustly cōmaund vnto thine Apostles and to vs Thou certainly doest know that thine heuēly father at the beginning filled thée withal vertues stuffed thée with al tresures poured his graces vpon thée with al plentifulnesse to the ende that in thys world thou shouldest not bend nor set thy mind properly to possesse gather treasure for thine own self but that thou shouldest altogither turne and apply thine endeuoure to sée me and the rest of thy poore brethren comforted safely nourished kept strengthened and defended in all assayes And so thou haste done hitherto as S. Paule beareth vs in hande for all that thou hast pretended wrought and suffered from the beginning was for me for thine and my brethrens sake Thine holy incarnation therefore thy natiuitie and circumcision thy baptisme thy fasting and praying thy temptations thy watchings thy preachings thy painful trauellings and dangers thy shamelesse accusatiōs spittings and raylings thy bloudie sweat thy woful and bitter teares thy cruel and traiterous apprehension thy crosse and moste painefull passion thy bloud shed thy life thy death thy buriall thy resurrection yea thy moste glorious ascention into euerlasting life and al the rest which thou haste done felt and suffered was all for me they are all mine and I now chalenge them all at thine hand as mine owne Al thy diuine treasures are mine yea and euen thou thy selfe art wholely also mine Thy father hath giuen thée vnto me and thou also was contented that I should possesse thée and therfore thou canst not nowe denie thy selfe to be mine Thou camest into this worlde to take paynes for me and to serue me and doste thou not knowe that what so euer the seruaunt getteth by his trauaile he gaineth it not for him selfe but for the vse of hym whome he serueth Thou didst like a puissant Prince triumphantly fighte for me by waging and winning battail and therfore the treasures and spoyles the triumphs and victories which thou then didst get are altogither mine It is not now of late O Iesu thou moste victorious and noble Prince since thou as with whom were only lefte these greate and precious treasures and haste thou nowe bestowed them all I will not say thine but my treasures wherewith thou hast purchased for me a moste pleasant place of rest euen the ioyfull and heauenly Paradise yea thou haste also taken possession of it for me and shouldest thou now goe aboute to dispossesse me of myne owne and to depriue me of mine inheritaunce and right No Lorde no there is in me no possibilitie at all to beléeue that for I haue in suche wise bothe hearde felte and knowne diuersly and innumerable wayes of thy gratious good nature and of thy perfecte charitie and truthe that I muste néedes confesse thy great goodnesse and liberalitie towardes me and so to trust truely in thee Thou hast diligently sought for me thou haste offered thy selfe vnto me thou hast so many wayes called vnto me and so diuers and sundry wayes allured me to come to thy moste royal and magnificent marriage promising to accepte me for thy deare beloued gheast therefore I am moste certainely persuaded and fully assured not to be deceiued of thée And thou hast sayd he that commeth to thée thou wilte not cast him oute And nowe that I moste gladly and willingly yéelde vnto
thée and take me to thy mercy sometune one of thy great enimies very wicked very faithlesse obstinate headie and rebellious but nowe thy louing brother thy faythfull frende thyne obediente louer and a sounde member of thy body O saue me then I say comforte my soule guyde mée in thy wayes strengthen mée and let not thy spirite departe from mee that I may hencefoorthe ioyfully please thée and render alwayes vnto thy father through thée all due prayse honour and glory here in thys vale of myserie and in the euerlasting world which is to come Amen FINIS Whervnto the eternal spirite stirreth the hearts of gods electe A preparation to Prayer Certaine special cautes folowing that are to be coÌ„sidied by gods childreÌ„ wherof they examin the selues before prayer and receyning of the holy sacramintes to auoid his heauy iudgemeÌ„ts The diffrence to be considered betweene the true christians fayth the faith of the diuell and the reprobate The true christiaÌ„ at earnest defiance with the diuel and she weth vnto him for his discoâ—â—gemeÌ„t the power of his fayth The mercy grace of God â—n the hearts of his elect to cosider in this life their dangerous and miserable state for sinne CoÌ„cupiscence and the malice therof The diuell the onely author of concupiscence and sin The soules de formitie thorowe sinne True faith in the abouÌ„ding mercies of God. The miserable state of the sicke Soule without true faith in the fre mercy of god The feeling of the grace of god The humble submission confession of the faythfull Soule A calling vnto God for comfort and strength The fighte of the faythfull Soule What danger they fall into that forsake god and leane to the worlde and the pleasures thereof The seruice of God what it is The worlde a deepe dongeon wherin the children of vanitie are enclosed Armoure of rightuousenesse Christian chiualrie The sight of a christian 〈…〉 in the seruice of god must be continuall and couragious Palone of victorie Crowne of glorie Hid Manna And a White stone The scriptures of God only receyued of the faithfull Superstitions false worship pings c. Our professioÌ„ in holy Baptisme Enemies of Gods word Hartie prayer to God maketh vs constante in the word of God. The worde of God what it is and how of the godly to be considted God the only instructour of all in all ages An apt Prayer for these oure dayes Faithe only breathed into the hartes of Gods elect True faithe in Christe Faithe iustifieth The power of Faith. The miserable state of man in thys life Man posses seth in himself two powers and of sundly inclinations The serpent cause of discorde Prince of sedition The meane to knowe the good motions from the bad The inconuenience of care lesnesse or not to receiue in time the good motions of God. The power of the spirite of light and truthe The way and mene to plese God in this life Holy discipline Exercises of the crosse The inconuenieuce that commeth by sufferance and cuill custome He is happie that humbleth him selfe to discipline MaÌ„ in present danger God at hand to deliuer Pynches to the proude flesh are somtime necessarie Man for a time is but an exile from his home and a pilgrime The Iustice of God and sinne are not clerely seuered in this life amoÌ„g the children of God. Man but a worme duste and ashes Man moste vayne and naught Mans humble subiection before God attayneth the grace mercy and peace of God. Man a thing of nothing It is better for a man to obey than to leane to his owne sway The inconuenience that commeth by disobedieÌ„ce The iudgements of God ouer seditious rebelles Princes and Magistrates are the most apte InstrumeÌ„ts stirred of God to further his glory here vppon earth What it is to imitate christ How we shold for the greate loue of God lone hym agayne Humilitie God threatneth the world for sinne The Canker couetousnesse how it reigneth Conetousnes how it worketh Couetousnes the woorshipping of Idols Couetousnesse he we it hathe preuayled Children of diffidence Abac. 2. Constancie in chastitie Sole life Matrimonie a fountayne in Gods church The corruptioÌ„ of fleshe and bloud The power of flesh and blud and what they worke The pumishe ments of God for vnclennes of lyse To bee a blasphemer of Gods name is rather the propertie of an ethnik than a Christian The errour of our liues The power of Gods word The mercy of God in Christ The inconue niece that foloweth the want of Gods worde The punishe ments and plages of God for taking his name in vaine The necessitie of Gods mercie Sute for mercie The sanctifying of Gods holy name The kingdom of heauen A quiet conscience The nature of a mans conscience Wicked consciences The con modity of a quiet conscience Mans life fickle and but a vayne shadow The damnable state of mankinde in thys frayle life In what case we shal stande at the houre of death The blacke enfine of deth displayed Discipline worketh the fourme of good liuing The sweete frutes of good lyfe agaynst the comming of death Paciente abyding of death bringeth the soule to rest The maiestie and great power of God ouer al flesh God a God of vengeance Gods iudgements are to be remebred and why Gods iudgements are terable and thuÌ„ dring The heauens the Angelles theÌ„ selues and the stars falne from heauen are all subject to the iudgements of god God at the last day by his iust iudgemeÌ„t rendereth full payment vnto all wicked sinners God freely by his grace dyrecteth to good life Christ is chalenged and why Christes obedience to hys father for hys flocke The cause of christs death The bonde of the wealthy in this world Christ aboundeth in heaueÌ„ly riches chatitie power and loyes in comparable The distressed loule Christ humbly chalenged Chryst bound to helpe and why Chryste the head and cow foâ—â—er of hys members Store remayneth of Gods grace The assured fayth of the thirsten soule Fayth in Christes bloud Scabde shepe Chryst the phisitian Christ humbly chalenged Strong faythe in Chryste Rom. 15. Chrysts incarnation natiuitie so forth are al chalenged of the faithfull soule as his owne Rom. 8. Math. 20. Chryst a seruaunt Chryst a conquerour Paradise purchased by Christe Experience of Christes good nature and his mercie Math. xj xxij Iohn 6 Ioho 12. Math. 5. Roma 1. Christes payment and howe Ezech 16. Ezech. 16. Math 18. Sinne of Gods electe Iohn 15. Chryste the onely sauiour the onely adâ—ocate Sinne of the reprobate The bloud of Abel cried for vengeance Chrystes bloud calleth to saluation ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman for William Norton ANNO. 1572.