Quest What is examination Ans It is a triall of my selfe how I stand in the grace of God 2. Cor. 13.5 Quest What learne you out of this that a man must examine himselfe before he come to this Table Ans First that children are not capable of this banquet 1. Cor. 11.28 though the Ancient Church administred it to them 2 That ignorant persons must not approch to this Table 1. Cor. 11.24 3 That mad people are not to be admitted to this feast 1. Sam. 21.15 4 That such as intend to liue in their sinnes must not dare to approch vnto this Communion Cor. 11.27 5 That such as doe not trie themselues cannot come 6 That such as doe trie themselues must come after triall and may come with much comfort Quest Doe you thinke that a man may not come to the Lords Table vnlesse some good time before he examine himselfe Ans There is a Primarie and after it a Customarie receiuing of the Lords Supper when I first receiue it it is most fit that I be prepared by my Parents Tutors or gouernours that I be examined by my Minister and aduised of my selfe how I come to this holy banquet But after that time vnlesse it bee after some speciall offence I thinke this strict course is not of necessitie Quest Why thinke you this course most necessarie at your first communicating Ans 1 Because it is a kind of confimation of my Baptisme 2 A second receiuing of mee into the Church 3 My first admission of me to the King of Kings Table 4 A solemnization of my spirituall marriage with Christ 5 I am but a nouice and then must especially thinke what I doe 6 I may by so doing cause others to come reuerently to this holy Table 7 If I be once fitted and prepared by my Minister he shall not need a second triall of my knowledge and faith 8 Lastly I shall stoppe the mouthes of mine aduersaries who say yong folks care not how they come to this feast Quest When then is a man fit to receiue Answ When he is fit to pray 2 When he is fit to heare 3 When he is resolued to forgiue 4 When he meanes to be a new man for all which duties I thinke we should be fitted at al times especially when we come to this Sacrament Quest Wherein stands that examination aforesaid Answ In fiue things 1 I must examine what knowledge I haue Prou. 19.2 2 What faith I haue Act. 8.37 3 What repentance I haue Exod. 12.8 4 What obedience I haue Psalm 26.6 5 What loue I beare to my brethren Matth. 5.23.24 Quest Why must you examine what knowledge you haue Answ Because 1 By knowledge I beare the Image of God Coloss 3.10 2 Without knowledge the mind is not good Prou. 19.2 Nay ignorance is hell saith Marke the Hermit 3 He that is ignorant is worse then the diuell the one knoweth much the other nothing at all 4 Without knowledge we cannot practise 5 In this knowledge is eternall life Ioh. 3.36 6 He that is ignorant is Salomons foole A foole nay a beast amongst men 7 Ignorance is a fore-runner of destruction Hos 4. 8 Knowledge is the eye of the soule 9 The Prophets pray and preach against ignorant persons Ierem. 10. Hos 4.2.3 10 Knowledge is the mother of faith repentance and all graces yea the want of it maketh men most deceiued in the doctrine of the Sacrament Quest Wherefore then are the most people ignorant Ans The reason is 1 Their idlenesse Prou. 2. 2 Their malice Iob. 21.14 3 Their pride Psal 25. 4 Their worldlinesse Eccles 38.25 5 Their blindnes by Sathan 2. Cor. 4.3 6 Naturall coruption 2. Cor. 2.14 Quest Wherein stands the examination of your knowledge Ans In two things 1 What generall knowledge I haue 2 What knowledge I haue in particular Quest Wherein consisteth general knowledge Ans In thrée things whereof the first is 1 What knowledge I haue of God 2 What knowledge I haue of my selfe 3 What knowledge I haue of the couenant of grace Quest What knowledge must you haue of God Ans I must know him to be such an one as he hath reuealed himselfe in his Word to wit one a inuisible b and indiuisible essence c and thrée truly distinct persons d namely the Father begetting e the Sonne begotten f and the g holy Ghost procéeding from the Father and the Sonne h Deutro 6.4 i Iohn 1.8 k Exodus 3.14 1. Ioh. 5.7.8 e Iohn 3.16.18 f Psal 2.7 g Iohn 15.26 Quest Must you know nothing else of God Answ Yes I must know that hee is a Creator and b gouernour of all things c a most wise vnderstander and knower of all thoughts most d holy e iust and f mercifull to his creatures that he is g eternall without either beginning or end h and that he is present in all places a Gen 1.1 b Mat. 10.10 c 1. Chron. 28.9 d 1. Pet. 1.17 e Psa 145.17 f Ps 103.8 g Reu. 1.17 h Pro. 15.3 Quest How may you know whether you haue this sauing knowledge of God Answ By my loue to him longing after him desire to be with him and zeale to performe obedience vnto him Quest What must you know concerning your selfe Answ That by nature I am stained wholly with a originall sinne so that my b minde is full of blindnesse c will of frowardnesse d affections of peruersnesse e my conscience of guiltinesse so that thereby I am subiect to the f curse of God in life in death and after death a Gen. 6.5 b Eph. 4.18 c Rom. 6.18 d Ephes 4.19 e Psalm 51. f Deut. 27.26 Galat. 3.10 Quest What things are you subiect to in life Answ By reason of this sin in my a soule I am a subiect to madnesse b in my body to diseases c in my goods to losse and d in my name to reproch a Deut. 28.61 b Deut. 28.60 Deut. 28.28.68 d Prou. 10.7 Quest What are you subiect to in death Answ To the separation of the a soule from the bodie and in that separation to be either b comfortlesse or c senselesse Gen. 2.17 b Matth. 27.4.5 c 1. Sam. 25.37 Quest What are you subiect to after death Answ To be a tormented for euer with the diuell and his angels b and to be cast away from the presence of God Matth. 25.41 b Luc. 13.26 Quest What must you know concerning the couenant of grace Answ That a Christ Iesus hath deliuered me from this misery who being very God b became man c to die d for my sinnes and rose againe for my iustificacion a Luke 1.68 c. b Ioh. 1.1 c Ioh. 1.14 d Rom. 4.25 Quest What particular knowledge is required of you Answ I must know the nature and vse of this Sacrament 1. Cor. 11.18 Quest What then is the Lords Supper Answ It is a Sacrament wherein by the vse of Bread and Wine those that are ingrafted into Christ are nourished to life Quest What learne you out
liuing that they take héed of such sinnes I will deliuer vnto you a rare example I knew a Gentleman of good sort who seldome came to the Church in the time of his health I was sent for to him in the time of his sicknesse and after many instructions deliuered vnto him he vttered vnto me this speech Sir I am beholding to you for this paines and thanke God for this comfort But if God had now denied this fauour vnto mee hee should haue dealt with me but according to iustice I haue liued a good time in this Parish I haue beene inuited by my friends called by the Bel mooued by the good report I heard of you and others to come to this Church but I made many excuses as of sicknesse and going to other places and did not come And though I haue many sinnes which I must answere for yet none at this time grieueth mee more then that I haue liued vnder a painfull Ministerie and yet was neuer partaker of it so that you and the whole Parish may iudge that I am either of no Religion or of a contrarie Religion to that which is professed in this Kingdome pray for mee that this sinne may bee pardoned heare me make a confession of my faith and that I die in the faith of Christ and am heartily sorrie for this mine offence I pray you therefore make it knowne when I am dead An. This I did and thus must we do ye◠in discretion that we may not be thought biters of the dead if either for crownes or gownes we doe otherwise it is a sinne Quest You propounded in the beginning fiue thinges which I ought euer to meditate on The first is expounded to my great comfort concerning the second which is Christs passion and death what ought I especially to thinke of Answ It is necessarie indéed you should thinke often of it for nothing will make you more willing to die then to be perswaded that Christ by his death hath washed you from sinnes and by his resurrection hath giuen vnto you eternall life I remember that Hierome complaining much of the people of his time that they had little féeling of the passion of Christ crieth out after this sort Euery Creature suffereth together with Christ at his suffering the Sun is darkened the Earth is mooued the Rockes cleaue a sunder the Vaile of the Temple is diuided the graues are opened only miserable man suffereth not with Christ for whom alone Christ suffered And Saint Bernard complaining of himselfe saith I went on securely knowing nothing of that fearefull iudgement of God which was in heauen denounced against mee and behold the Sonne of a Virgin the Sonne of the most high God is sent and commanded to be slaine that by the precious balme of his blood hee might heale all my wounds Consider O man how great are those wounds for the curing of which the Lord Christ must needs be wounded If these wounds had not beene deadly yea and to eternall death the Sonne of God would neuer haue dyed that he might cure them And that Augustine meditating on the passion of Christ saith The Crosse of Christ it to vs the cause of all happinesse it hath deliuered vs from the blindnesse of error it hath restored vs from darknesse to light it hath conioyned vs being aliens to God wee were farre from him it hath brought vs to his presence wee were pilgrime Citizens it shewed vs to him his crosse is the cutting off of discord the foundation of peace aboundance and largesse of all gifts Quest What then is the passion of Christ Answ It is that al-sufficient sacrifice of the Sonne of God whereby he offered himselfe to the Father that he might merit for all that beléeue in him iustification by this obedience sanctification by his Spirit redemption by his death and eternall life by his resurrection from the dead Quest What moued Christ thus to suffer Answ 1 The good will and pleasure of the Father 2 The misery of mankinde 3 Gods infinite and vnspeakeable loue 4 The voluntary obedience of Christ himselfe Quest Of what continuance was this passion of his An. From the day of his birth till the houre of his resurrection Quest Tell me what he suffered from his birth till his death Answ He suffered in his body circumcision hunger weeping and wearinesse in his soule temptation and heauinesse in his estate pouerty and needinesse in his name ignominy and contemptuousnesse in person persecution and weakenesse and in his whole life miserie and wretchednesse and to this end onely that he thus freeing vs from deserued ignominy might bring vs in the ende vnto eternall glory Quest But because his greatest suffering was about and at his death shew mee first what he suffered not long before he died Ans When Dauid considered by the spirit of prophecie of this point he saith The sorrowes of the graue haue compassed mee the troubles of hel haue taken hold vpon me And when Ieremy did consider it by the same Spirit he crieth out in the person of Christ Lament 1.12 Haue you no regard all yee that passe by this way Behold and 〈◊〉 if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto mee wherewith the Lord hath afflicted mee in the day of his fierce wrath from aboue he hath sent fire into my bones which preuaileth against them hee hath spread a net for my feet and turned mee backe hee hath made mee desolate and daily in heauinesse He was in a Garden where Adam transgressed his soule was heauy vnto death hee sweat drops or rather cloddes of bloud trickling downe vnto the ground and was constrained to cry Father if it bee possible let this cup passe from mee There hee was assaulted by Satan betrayed by Iudas apprehended by Souldiers and forsaken of all his professed Disciples Quest And why thinke you was his soule thus perplexed Ans Not for the feare of a bodily death for that he might if he would haue auoided But 1 The meditation of sinnes tyranny deaths victory and Satans malice al which had made hauocke of mankinde 2 The consideration of those cursed contumelies and that damnable death which he was to vndergoe in his blessed body 3 The thoughts he had of mans ingratitude who was not thankefull nor mindeful of so great saluation 4 The sense and féeling of Gods wrath which hee susteined and satisfied for our sinnes Quest When he was apprehended and brought vnto Caiphas surely the high Priest would vse him well Ans Nay hee is by him arraigned as a theefe mocked as a foole accused as an incendiary stricken as one contemptible and spit vpon as an execrable person and all this to frée vs from that shamefull execration Qu. Was he no better vsed when he came before Pilate Answ Not a whit for 1 Hee was accused as a seducer of the people a seditious person a conspiratour against the State a subuerter of the Nation an enemy to Caesar
aduaÌ„ced â—sswage mine enuie haue I abundance temper mine intemperance am I in want mitigate my feares doest thou exalt me keepe me from pride doest thou humble me kéep me from impatience doest thou withdraw thy selfe from mee let mee euer say Vp Lord why sleepest thou doth Satan assault mee because I am rich in grace preserue me O Lord that I lose not thy grace For woe is mee if I fall from thée I haue promised that I will not fall thou hast promised I shall not fall leade mee by thine hand that I do not fall Finally because thou hast been good vnto me many waies Lord make me thankful for all thy fauours Thou hast made mee a man not a beast a Christian not an Heathen a Protestant not a Papist Whilest many are ignorant I haue knowledge whilest many are profane I haue been obedient to thy will whilest many want the ordinarie meanes of saluation thou affordest me meanes for saluation of my soule Many are bound I am free in prison I haue libertie in want I haue sufficiencie They liue in warres I in peace they in persecution I in free profession of the truth they in sicknesse I in health And although by my sinnes I deserue to bee consumed yet thou hast spared me a great while and giuen me a long time of repentance What shall I giue vnto thee for all these mercies and fauours of thine I will take the cup of saluation praise thy great and glorious name and most humblie entreate thée that as thou neuer ceasest to bee good vnto me so I may neuer cease to be thankfull vnto thée Pardon good God my losse of time my abuse of thy creatures my negligence in my calling my vnthankfulnesse for thy kindnesse and whatsoeuer is wanting in my person practise prayer or thanksgiuing make a supplie of it in the merit of Christ Iesus to whom with thée and thy blessed spirit be all praise and glorie now and for euermore Amen A PRAIER TO BE SAID by a sick person or for him changing my vnto vs c. ALmightie God and in Iesus Christ my most mercifull and all-sufficient Sauiour I thy sicke and sinfull seruant diseassed in my bodie and distressed in my soule doe flie vnto thée yea to thée alone for succour I haue liued heretofore in the health of my bodie I acknowledge that thou wast the author of my health I am cast downe vpon my sicke bed thou hast by thy prouidence sent this Herauld to arrest me It is O Lord the messenger of death preaching vnto mee that vndoubted doctrine which I haue beene learning euer since I was borne namely That it is appointed that all must die and after death commeth iudgement My spirit is willing and would faine say Come Lord Iesus come quickly my flesh is fraile and in weaknesse doth say Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me And as in mine health I did nothing but sinne when I was not assisted by thy good Spirit so now in my sicknesse I shall doe nothing but sorrow vnlesse I bee comforted by the same Spirit O Lord comfort me in this agonie of mine and say vnto my soule I am thy saluation Thou art the Physitian heale me thou art that Samaritan pitie me thou art the resurrection and the life quicken me and quicken mee so in the inner man that neither the loue of this world nor the losseÌ„ of this light nor the consideration of thy Iustice nor the feare of death nor the terror of hell may make me vnwilling to depart this life Thou alone knowest the sorrowes of mine heart take them away thou beholdest my feare of death deliuer me out of al my feares couer my sores with the righteousnesse of thy Son heale them by the blood of thy Son and though thou launce them with the knife of the law yet bind them vp againe with the bands of the Gospell I know that my Physitian dwelleth in heauen yet he sendeth his medicines downe vpon the earth Besides thee none in heauen can helpe me and there is none in earth in comparison of thée to do me any good I am weake strengthen me I am sick cure me I am faint comfort me I must die quicken me I am assaulted defend me I am full of feare encourage mee I haue desired to liue the life of the righteous O let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last houre be like vnto his Into thine hands doe I commend my soule for thou hast redeemed it ô Lord God of truth My conscience doth tell mee that I haue sinned against thee and whatsoeuer I now suffer it is for my sinnes they are like an heauie burden vpon my soule they presse me downe to the graue of death and Satan doth lay them now especially before me to make me despaire of thy mercies in Christ Lord assure mee of the pardon of them all perswade my soule by the Spirit of my Sauiour that they are nailed to his crosse washed in his blood couered in his righteousnesse acquited by his death buried in his graue and fully discharged by his alone satisfaction Now now I stand in néed of thy Spirit let it crie in mine heart Abba Father I desire none Angell from heauen to comfort me I desire the Spirit of adoption to assure me to assure me o Lord that thou art my Father and I thy son thou my shepheard and I thy sheepe thou my king and I one of those subiects who shall shortly waite vpon thée in the kingdome of heauen to which I must passe by the gates of death O though I haue now a sick body yet grant me I pray thée a sound soule In thy hands are life and death thou hast the keyes of the graue and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest back again my mother bare mee a mortall man I came into this world to leaue it at thy pleasure it pleaseth thee now to forewarne me of mine end which might haue come vpon mee before this time I might haue perished either in the womb or in my cradle or in my childhood or before I had knowne thée or suddenly might I haue béen taken away and I deserued to die so soone as I was borne I owe thée a death as Christ Iesus died for me I haue béene salling to this hauen euer since I was borne be thou my Pilot that I sinck not in the hauens mouth but that I may land at the port of paradise I haue done I confesse little seruice vnto thée and if thou shouldest now take mee away I should die before I haue begun to liue Thou knowest what is best for me Conuert me O Lord and I shall be conuerted O Lord turne me and in a moment I shall bee turned vnto thee Therefore déere Father giue me that mind which a sick man should haue faith in thy promises hope of eternall life patience with my paine a desire to bee loosed and to bee with Christ and
wauer in his faith nor stagger in his hope nor faint in his patience nor coole in his loue nor sorrow at his dissolution nor looke backe to the world nor bee ouermuch cast downe with the dread of death Grant that when death shall haue closed vp the eyes of his body the eyes of his soule may be fixed vpon thee that when his speech shall be taken from him then his heart may crie vnto thée say Come Lord Iesu come quickly Heare vs good Lord praying for him heare him praying for himselfe heare vs al for Christ Iesus his sake in whom alone thou art well pleased and in whose name and in whose words we conclude our vnperfect prayers saying Our Father c. LOrd blesse vs and kéepe vs Lord make the light of thy countenance thine vpon vs and grant vs thy peace O God the Father looke vpon thy sonne O God the Son looke vpon thy seruant O God the holie Ghost enter into thy temple O holie Father O righteous Sonne O comforting holie Ghost O blessed and glorious Trinitie one in essence thrée in person be with this thy seruant comfort him with that comfort which we would desire in the like visitation let thine Angels pitch their tents about him let his last houre bee his best houre make his life victorious his death pretious and his and our resurrection glorious through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Lord Iesu be with his spirit Amen Amen A THANKES GIVING FOR THE faithfull departure of one after he or she is dead changing as before O Lord God the onely health of them that liue and the alone life of them that die according to thy commandement we called vpon thée and in desire of thy goodnesse we cried vnto thée that thou wouldest be gratious vnto this seruant of thine whose body lieth dead before our eyes We asked his life thou gauest it not because thou sawest what was best for him wee desired his patience to endure this crosse thou heardest our prayers and hast not denied vs the request of our lips because that alone was fittest for him He died not as a foole dieth neither was his dissolution bitter vnto him He is now O Lord a tree planted in thine orchard a stone setled in thy building a Priest sacrificing at thine altar a starre fixed in thy heauen and an heire reigning in thy kingdom If he had died like Absolom we might haue taken vpon vs Dauids lamentation or like Saul we might haue taken vpon vs Samuels lamentation or as the malefactor on the left hand of Christ wee might haue lamented and mourned for him as doubting that hee died not the death of the righteous But precious in thy fight was this death of his and comfortable in our sight was this departure of his Hee like a Lion triumphed ouer death and like a Lambe resigned vp his life he knew that this Redeemer liued and that Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. His faith was in thy promises his hope was in thy mercies his loue was on thy ioyes his zeale was on thy glorie and his desire was to be in heauen For this thy fauour towards our Christian brother wee yeeld vnto thy Maiestie all possible thankes and that thou taking him out of this vale of miserie hast by thine Angels carried his soule to the throne of thy glorie We are O Lord we confesse full of sorrow in that we haue lost the comfort of his presence and we could haue béen contented to haue enioyed him longer if it might haue stood with the good pleasure of thy will But we néed not to mourne as men without hope because we are perswaded he so died in thy fauour that as his soule is partaker of eternall glorie so in that great day of assise and generall iudgement this bodie of his which shall returne to dust must be raised vp againe to liue for euer and then bee made like the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus in heauen He O Lord is gone before vs and we must one day follow after him O how can we render vnto thée sufficient thankes for thy great fauour to vs Christian people aboue all the nations of the world whom when thou callest out of this wretched life thou vouchsafest to place vs with thine Angels in thy kingdome In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die but in the eyes of the godly they are translated from death to life They are arayed with white haue crownes on their heads and Palmes in their hands they shall not die but liue and do behold thy goodnesse in the land of the liuing They serue thée at thy table eate in thy kingdome sing of thy praises are freed from all miseries and they follow the Lambe whither soeuer hee goeth and enioy such pleasures as the eye hath not seene because they are not visible yet the heart doth beleeue because they are most comfortable We beseech thee O Lord that since we must for a while go on in our pilgrimage we may euer haue our eyes bent towards our countrie raise vs out of the graue of sinne renue in vs the life of righteousnes estrange vs from the loue of this world possesse vs with a loue of heauen take from our féete the fetters of pleasure that we may runne as fast to heauen as the wicked do to hell take from our backes the burden of worldlinesse that we may looke as stedfastly vpon things that are aboue as worldlings do vpon things that are below Guide vs euer so by the direction of thy Spirit that both in sicknesse and in health in prosperitie and aduersitie in life at death we may so behaue our selues in this present world that whensoeuer it shall please thée to call vs hence we may by faith in thy promises hope of thy mercies commend our bodies and soules into thy mercifull hands In the meane time hasten the comming of thy Sonne shorten these daies of sinne confound the enemies of saluation dissolue in euery one of vs the cursed workes of Satan sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome accomplish thy will giue vs our daily bread forgiue vs all our sinnes giue vs not ouer into any temptation but deliuer vs from all euill both of sinne in this life and of punishment in the life to come so that we with this our brother and all other departed in the faith of Christ may haue our perfect consummation and blisse in thy eternall and euerlasting kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thée our Father and the holie Ghost our Sanctifier our sanctifier in this life and our glorifier in the life to come bee all praise power Maiestie might and dominion ascribed of vs and thy whole Church from this time forth and for euermore Amen A PRAYER FOR A WOman in trauaile O Lord our Lord Creator of all things preseruer of al mankind comforter of all thine afflicted and the only deliuerer of such as are in danger we
Oedypus to dissolue our doubts it is our commentarie to vnderstand Gods word d Clauis Scriptura Origen It is a e Deo sacrificium diabolo flagellum homini subsidium August The praise of praier sacrifice to God a scourge to the diuell and an helpe to our selues in all our troubles Wherefore as the Apostle by examples commended faith to the Hebrewes so may I by examples commend prayer to you By it Abrahams seruant obtained a wife for Isaac and by it Moses obtained a pardon for Israel By this the same Moses ouercame the Amalekites and by this Abraham interceded for the Sodomites By prayer Iacob was deliuered from Esau Iosuah from the men of Aie Dauid from Goliah The Prophet from Ieroboam Elizeus from the Samaritans Hezechiah from death Iehosophat from the Aramites Manasses from captiuitie Ieremiah from his aduersaries and Daniel from the Lions the dâ—seased from his leprosie the Apostles from prison the Church from persecution By prayer Hannah obtained a sonne Dauid deliuerance Salomon wisedome Elias the restoring of a dead child Elizeus the opening of his seruants eyes Nehemiah the kings fauour the Centurion his seruants health Christ comfort in his agonie the Apostles a successor to Iudas Stephen pardon for Paul and Monima the conuersion of her sonne S. Austin In Psal 63 Thus true it is which that Austin saith Great is the profit of pure prayer and as a faithfull messenger deliuers her arrand and pierceth thither whither flesh cannot come And this it was which made Bernard to say Brethren let none of vs lightly esteeme his prayer I tell you that hee to whom wee pray doth not lightly esteeme it after it is out of our mouth he writes it in his Booke and one of these two wee may doubtlesse expect either that hee will grant our petition or that which hee knoweth to be better for vs. Call vpon me and I will heare saith God aske and you shall haue saith Christ Before they crie I will heare them saith Isaiah The Lord is nigh to all that call vpon him saith Dauid but to such as call vpon him in truth And if we may belieue the Apostle Iames the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much Pray therefore and we had need to pray Why wee ought to Pray Satan will deuoure thee pray for deliuerance The world will allure thee pray for assistance The flesh will betray thee pray for defence The wicked will seduce thee pray for continuance What beloued If God had commaunded vs a great thing ought wee not to doe it how much more when he saith pray and preuaile aske and haue seeke and finde knock and it shall bee opened vnto you aske Temporall things and haue them seeke for Spirituall things and find them knocke for Eternall things and the gates of heauen shall stand as open to you as the gates of the prison did to the Apostle Peter By this with Eliah you may open and shut the verie gates of heauen and by this with the Apostle you may shake the foundations of the earth O pretious praier what could not onely wee but euen the whole world doe without thee Thou increasest the earth calmest the sea asswagest the fire purgest the ayre protectest our Gouernours confoundest our enemies preseruest our health instructest our mindes blessest our actions encreasest our wealth exaltest our honour speakest but the word and we are preserued Prayer in all places Pray wee therefore in all places at all times for all persons and for all things Pray wee in all places but in euery place lifting vp pure hands vnto God Thus Isaac prayed in the field Iakob in his bed Israel in Egypt Moses on the Mount Iosuah at Iericho Elias in the chamber Hezekiah on his couch Ieremie in the dungeon Ionah in the Whales bellie Daniel in the Lions den Christ in the Garden the Disciples in a ship Peter in a Tanners house Paul at the sea side and the Iewes at Ierusalem Call vpon him in thy priuate chamber and crie vnto him with thy familie in thy parlour Thou needest not to fall downe at some piller with hypocrites but praise him especially in the congregation of Saints for there many voices are Gods best melodie Pray also at all times at euening Pray at all times and morning and at noone day will I pray vnto thee yea at midnight will I rise to call vpon thee nay seuen times a day wil I praise thee saith Dauid Daniel did so three times a day Paul did it day and night Hannah did it all the daies of her life and the Psalmographer vowes it I will praise the Lord as long as I liue as long as I haue any being I will sing praises to my God Pray continually not as those Heretiques Euchitae who would euer do so but as Christians who know when to do so With morning prayer the day begin With euening prayer the night shut in Without this prayer sit not to eate Without Gods praise rise not from meate And forget not to pray for all persons Pray for ad persons for the King as the head his Senatours as the eyes his Clergie as the mouth his Souldiers as the hands his Subiects to all trades as the feete vpon which the Common-wealth doth stand Art thou a Minister pray for thy flocke An Auditor for thy Preacher A Father for thy child an Husband for thy wife a Master for thy seruant or a Gouernour pray for thy family Is any Sicke pray for his health Poore for his wealth Imprisoned for his libertie Seduced for his recouerie Confirmed for his constancie or in any Distresse for his deliuerie Pray for all men that their bodies may be preserued soules saued estates maintained that thy and their thoughts may bee sanctified your words seasoned and your actions ordered by the Spirit of God To whom we must Pray Will you know now to whom wee must pray not to a Calfe as the Israelites did nor to Baal as his Priests did nor to an Image as Idolaters did nor to any Saints as our fathers did but as we are bound to serue God alone so are we bounden to pray to God alone for hee alone knoweth our wants heareth our petitions hath promised to helpe vs is able to doe for vs and is the alone present helper in the needfull time of trouble I will draw to an end You haue seene beloued the necessitie of this seruice How wee must Pray let mee shew you a litle the qualities of this seruice Pray we must in knowledge with vnderstanding in faith by beleeuing in remorse with feeling in zeale without cooling in intention without wandering in reuerence without contemning in constancie without reuolting and in loue without reuenging Let our eyes be fastned hearts fixed knees bowed mouthes opened our hands lifted vp as to the King of Kings And as Iacob would not let the Angell goe till he were blessed so let not vs let
him go till we be heard Let not the woman of Canaan bee more earnest with Christ militant then we will be with the same Christ triumphāt Let neuer the Queen of Sheba so willingly come to Salomon as we must willingly come vnto Christ hee loueth most willing and importunate suters Wherefore as Dauid said to Abner neuer see my face vnlesse thou bring Michal with thee so I say vnto you neuer look God in the face vnlesse you bring Prayer with you As I haue declared to you the dutie of prayer so should I speake somewhat of giuing of thankes Many can be content to pray in troubles but few giue thankes for deliuerance out of trouble Multi petentes pauci promittentes paucissimi reddentes saith an ancient Father there are many Petitioners few Promisers most few thankesgiuers Are there not ten cleansed where are the nine there is none returned to giue thankes but this one and he is a Samaritan If euer people vnder the cope of heauen had occasion to praise God wee are they especially for his Word and Gospell and for many deliuerances shewed to our Princes and people But because at the end of this Treatise I haue set downe a forme both of prayer and thankesgiuing I referre you to the perusing of those two platformes I doubt not of your patience for the length of this Preface because I desire to leaue it as an occular Sermon instructing you continually how to call vpon God and preparing you to the expositiō of the Lords Prayer which of many through ignorance is as much prophaned as euer God was by saying the Pater-noster in Latine or repeating other Rosaries in an vnknowne language Now hauing ended as you see these questions and answeres I make question with my selfe to whom I may commend them and because for these ten yeares immediately past I haue liued and preached amongst you and that by the assignement of your Reuerend Pastor M. Doctor Montfort I am bold in generall to present them to you all You haue I confesse known my conuersation been acquainted with my ministrie countenanced me in my calling maintained me in health comforted me in sicknesse and afforded vnto me much more kindnesse than can be requited by this paper present And since it pleaseth God to dispose of mee still in such vncertaine places as that I could neuer yet say heere must I rest I blesse God that euer I came vnto you whose loue and larges hath bin is amongst many of you for what lecturer for ten yeares together can please al such vnto mee as makes mee to say of my late exile Perijssem nisi perijssem I had beene vndone if others had not sought to vndoe me Since I came vnto you I haue preached painfully liued honestly and studied carefully to do you seruice with what conscience I know with what danger you know and with what profit God knowes Surely this good I see done amongst you you haue beautified the house of the liuing God praise that worthy Knight whose loue and labour was first in that worke you haue enlarged that house which is for the dying Saints pray for that good King who gaue you that piece of ground and your congregation is as the thousands of Israel Blesse God for those trumpets of yours who haue euer called you to such holy assemblies Blessed be that God who thus blesseth you blessed be you who thus blesse God and blessed and billeted vp be they in heauen who thus prouide for the liuing and the dead and withall remember their painfull Teachers Now though I cannot say to you as Paul did to the Corinthians I am yours to liue and die with you for no Minister can say it who dependeth vpon voluntarie contribution yet this I will say and say for euer I am yours to liue and pray for you that you may so know God as you may pray to him so pray to God that you may liue before him so liue that you may euer be fit to receiue his Sacrament and so both fit to know pray liue and receiue that after you haue knowen him by Christ prayed to him through Christ liued before him in Christ and receiued his fauour in the seales of Christ you may in the end die in his faith as you haue liued in his feare and at the last day in bodies and soules be partakers of eternall glorie To the grace of this God I commend you to your grace I commend these Treatises doubting not but many of you will be as readie to reade them as you haue beene willing to heare them From your Parish of Saint Martin in the fields Iune 10. 1613. Your seruant in the Lord so long as it shall please God and you ROBERT HILL SPECIALL QVESTIONS HANDLED IN CHRISTS PRAYER EXPOVNDED 1 WHy is it called the Lords prayer Pag. 2 2 Why Christ taught it Pag. 2. 3 3 Whether there be any vertue in the repetition of the words of this prayer Pag. 3 4 Whether it bee euer necessarie to repeate all those words at all times and how wee must Pag. 3. 4 5 Whether we pray to the Father only Pag. 5 6 Whether we may pray to Christ Pag. 8. 9 7 Why we say our Father Pag. 8.9 8 Whether we may say my Father Pag. 8. 9 9 Whether we must pray to God only Pag. 7 10 Why how God is said to be in heauen Pag. 10 11 Why we begin with this name of Paternitie and say our Father Pag. 12 12 What it is to Hallow Gods name Pag. 13 13 Whether bad men may doe that which is good Pag. 19 14 Questions of Gods kingdome Pag. 19. 20. 21 15 What we must iudge of wicked persons Pag. 26 16 mhether wee may pray thus My will bee done Pag. 26 17 What it is to do Gods wil why we pray so Pag. 27. 18 Whether it be enough to do Gods will Pag. 30 19 Whether God cōmāds things impossible Pag. 31 20 What it is that God willeth Pag. 31 21 Why we pray first for things corporall Pag. 35 22 Whether in the fourth petition we aske foode spirituall Pag. 37 23 Whether rich men may pray for daily bread Pag. 39 24 Of praying to be rich Pag. 43 25 Of laying vp for the time to come Pag. 44 26 How to get riches Pag. 45 27 Whether one at the houre of death may pray for dayly bread Pag. 49 28 Of praying only to God for forgiuenesse of sinnes Pag. 54 29 How sinnes are discharged Pag. 55 30 Whether we must cōfesse our sins to men Pag. 56 31 How we must confesse them Pag. 56 32 What is required in confession Pag. 56 33 Whether we must pray for forgiuenesse of sinnes which we do beleeue Pag. 58 34 Of praying for the wicked Pag. 59 35 Of praying for such as sinne against the holy Ghost Pag. 59 36 How that sinne is knowen Pag. 59 37 How sinne is a debt Pag. 60 38 Why we are forgiuen by Christ Pag. 62.
36 Obiect that friends forsake answered Pag. 146 37 Obiect that want solemne buriall answered Pag. 147 38 Of our reconciliation to man in sicknesse Pag. 147 39 VVhy we ought to haue a will in readines Pag. 148 40 How we ought to make our will Pag. 149 41 Whom we may make our executors Pag. 149 42 Who is our best friend in our sicknesse Pag. 150 43 What speeches we must vse to our friends that visit vs. Pag. 151 44 Comforts against the feare of death Pag. 151 45 Comforts against the feare of Gods anger Pag. 157 46 Comforts against the feare of desperation Pag. 159 47 Comforts against the feare of Satan Pag. 162 48 Comforts against the commission of sinne Pag. 164 49 Comforts against the greatnesse of our sinnes Pag. 167 50 Comforts against the multitude of sinnes Pag. 169 51 Comforts against our imperfect obedience Pag. 171 52 What thoughts wee must haue at the houre of death Pag. 175 53 Of speech at that time Pag. 176 54 Of sudden death Pag. 180 55 Whether we may pray against it Pag. 183 56 Why wee must take thought for our bury all Pag. 184 57 Of the place of buryall Pag. 186 58 Of keeping cleane Church-yards Pag. 187 58 Of Monuments Pag. 187 60 Of mourning Pag. 189 61 Of mourning apparell Pag. 191 62 Of Funerall Sermons Pag. 192 63 That Christs death is often to be thought on Pag. 194 64 What his passion is Pag. 195 65 What moued Christ to suffer Pag. 196 66 When his suffering beganne Pag. 196 67 What hee suffered before his apprehension Pag. 197 68 Why was his soule troubled Pag. 197 69 What it was that crucified Christ Pag. 200 70 Why he was crucified at Easter Pag. 201 71 Why he died on the Crosse Pag. 202 72 Who haue profit by Christs death Pag. 203 73 How it is meritorious Pag. 204 74 A meditation of Christs death Pag. 205 75 Whether we must follow Christ in his Crosse Pag. 208 76 Of the vertue of Christs resurrection Pag. 209 77 Of the deceitfulnesse of the world Pag. 212 78 Of eternall glorie Pag. 215 79 What we shall enioy in heauen Pag. 216 80 How we shall come vnto heauen Pag. 217 81 VVhat the obiect of life eternall is Pag. 217 82 For whom it is prepared Pag. 218 83 That our bodies shall rise Pag. 219 84 The qualities of our bodies after the resurrection Pag. 223 85 How our bodies shall be spirituall Pag. 224 86 VVhether they shall bee perfect without the least imperfection Pag. 224 87 The qualities of the soule after death Pag. 225 88 Sweet meditations of the Fathers concerning the ioyes of heauen Pag. 226 89 Of the torments of hell Pag. 231 A consolatorie Epistle against all crosses Pag. 239 An heauenly meditation in Verse Pag. 249 A prayer for morning or euening Pag. 251 A morning prayer Pag. 266 An euening prayer Pag. 277 A prayer to bee said alone or with companie changing I into we Pag. 289 A thanks-giuing for our Gunne-powder deliuerance Pag. 335 A prayer for a sick man Pag. 298 A thanks-giuing after deliuerance from sicknesse Pag. 307 A prayer to be said by a sick man Pag. 313 A thanks-giuing after the death of any Pag. 319 A prayer for a woman in trauaile Pag. 323 A thanks-giuing after her safe deliuerance Pag. 326 A prayer before the Communion Pag. 329 A thanks-giuing after Pag. 332 Graces Pag. 341 FINIS CHRISTS PRAYER EXPOVNDED The Speakers Euchedidascalus A Teacher of Prayer Phileuches A Louer of Prayer Euch. PHileuches amongst many Sermons which I haue preached vnto you you haue heard me expound the Lords prayer are you bound to giue account of that you haue heard Phil. Sir doubtlesse I am for the Apostle Peter teacheth me that I must be alwaies readie to giue an answere to euery one that asketh me a reason of the hope that is in me with meekenesse and reuerence a 1. Pet. 3.15 Euch. Repeate then the Lords Prayer Phil. Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread and forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs and lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill for thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Amen Euch. Why is this prayer called the Lords Prayer Phil. 1 Because Christ Iesus our Lord set downe the same b Mat. 6.9 2 Because we cannot pray vnlesse Christ teach vs c Luc. 11.1 Rom. 8.26 3 To make vs estéeme it in that it was giuen by our Lord. 4 To distinguish it from the prayers of others Euch. Why did Christ teach his Church this prayer Phil. 1 To put vs in minde of our miserie that vnlesse God giue it we can haue no good thing * Iam. 1.17 2 Of his mercy who giues if we aske 3 To comfort vs that we may be so bold as to aske 4 To instruct vs in what manner we should aske 5 To assure vs that we comming to the Father in his Sonnes owne words he will heare vs for his Sonnes sake 6 To teach vs by this short summe what we may lawfully aske at the hands of God and that other things we should not aske * Matth. 20 7 That Christ might not be inferior to Iohn who taught his disciples to pray 8 To teach Ministers Parents Tutors and Masters to doe the like to their children and people 9 To shew that God is not like the great Monarches of the earth to whom we may not come vnlesse Ahashuerosh-like he hold out his golden Scepter Ester 4. 10 That God vouchsafeth all this his honour that they may come vnto him Euch. Is there any vertue in these verie words of this prayer Phil. There is no such vertue as that by the bare repetition of it we can bind God to grant our requests or that we should neuer pray in other words but as the ten Commandements containe all things to be done of vs the Créed all things to be beléeued by vs so the Lords Praier doth comprehend all things to be asked by vs of Almighty God Euch. Is it necessarie euer to repeat all this prayer Phil. It is surely a good conclusion for our ordinarie course of praying both publikely and priuately because those things which wee cannot at such times craue or giue thanks for in particular are all contained in this platforme but that euery petition should euer bee vsed it is not necessarie Euch. How then may you repeate it with comfort Phil. Surely as Luther teacheth me to repeate the ten Commandements and the Articles of my faith in my prayers Euch. How is that Phil. To obserue the present necessity As for example Do I sée the prophanation of Gods name and contempt of his word I must then say O heauenly father maintaine I pray thee the glorie of thine owne name and suffer
Gods will Phil. The reuealed will of God is done by voluntarie f 1. Thes 5.3 obeying or patient suffering that which God commandeth g Mat. 26.39 The secret will is done of vs by praying that Christ Iesus may come to iudgment h Reuel 22.20 that Antichrist may more and more be reuealed and that we may patiently beare all future afflictions Euch. Why doe you pray that this will of God may be done Phil. Because 1. It is euer Iust Holy Good and Safe yea the very rule of all goodnesse 2 It is most profitable to such as doe it 3 All calamities come from disobedience Gen. 3. Deut. 28. Leuit. 26. 4 If I be regenerate it will not be grieuous vnto me to doe his will Matth. 11.30 1. Ioh. 5.3 5 Sathan the World and mine owne flesh hinder me 6 I cannot doe it vnlesse God assist mée and direct mée by his Holy Word and Spirit Euch. But must I pray euer to doe Gods will Phil. You must yet in regard of Gods secret will you may with a good will without sinne dissent from it Samuels wil was good when hee wept for Saul whom God would not haue him to bewaile 1. Sam. 26. besides you may with the like good wil wil that which God will not so a Childe may be vnwilling of his Fathers death whom notwithstanding Gods will is shall not recouer and so Christ said Father If it bee possible let this cuppe passe from mee but when we once know the will of God be it for vs or against vs we must then say with Dauid Here am I let him doe to mée as séemeth good in his eyes 2. Sam. 15.26 and with Hezechiah The word of the Lord is good Isay 39.8 and with Paul The will of the Lord be done Acts 21.14 Euch. What meane you by Earth and Heauen in this petition Phil. I doe not meane by Earth my bodie and Heauen my soule as Tertullian thought nor by Earth Earthly men and Heauen Heauenly men or by Heauen Christ and Earth his Church as others thought but in these words I pray that as the Angels in Heauen are readie to doe Gods will so men on Earth may be readie to doe it Euch. How doe Angels the will of God Phil. They doe it chearefully without murmuring speedily without delaying generally without omitting sincerely without dissembling constantly without forbearing and perfectly without halting Euch. Are there none in Heauen which do Gods will besides Angels Phil. You may also if you will looke vnto Christ the Saints and all Creatures in Heauen and Earth Euch. How I pray you Phil. 1 Christ personall in Heauen hath done Gods will for hee came not to doe his own wil but the will of him that sent him Iohn 6.38 Christs Mysticall that is the Church as his bodie 1. Cor. 12.12 must doe it euen as Christ the head of that bodie hath done it 2. In Heauen is the Congregation of the first borne Hebr. 12.23 that is the Saints departed there did and doe carefully performe Gods will so must we 13. In the starrie Heauen the Sunne and Moone in the Ayrie Heauen the Frost Snow Raine c. fulfill his Word so must wée Euch. Is it then enough to doe Gods will Phil. No verily but we must regard also how it should be done we must not only doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his pleasure but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his good pleasure When wee serue God wee doe his pleasure when wee serue him with our best endeauours wee doe his good pleasure Euch. But is it possible for man to doe perfectly Gods will Phil. It will bee possible in the life to come it is impossible whilest wee liue in this World for The good which wee would doe we doe not and the euill that we would not that doe we Rom. 7.19 Euch. How many kindes then of perfections are there Phil. There is first a perfection of sinceritie which was in Hezekias obedience a Esa 38.3 Secondly a perfection of all parts which was in Zacharie and Elizabeths obedience b. Luk. 1.6 Thirdly a perfection of degrées which was only in the first and second Adam and is now only in the Holy Angels who onely can perfectly obey Gods will Euch. If this obedience bee impossible to be performed why then doe wee pray for it Phil. Because I must with Paul striue for this perfection c Philip. 3. and pray vnto God that I may come to this perfection d 1. Thes 5 25. without whose will I shall neuer bee able to doe his will Ioh. 15.5 Euch. What then is it that God wils Phil. He willeth 1. Our saluation by Christ Act. 4.12 Ioh. 6.40 2 The knowledge of his will Ioh 17.3 3 Faith in Christ Iesus Ioh. 6.40 4 Obedience to his Commandements both in doing and suffering Psal 143. Rom. 8.28 Matth. 26.39 Act. 21.1.41 Sam. 3.18 5 Holinesse of life Eph. 1.4 1. Thes 4.3.4 Rom. 12.1.2.3.4 6 Loue to our brethren Ioh. 13.34.15 That we may doe these things we pray in this petition Euch. What then is required that I may doe Gods will Phil. 1 That you doe lay aside your owne will which indeede is hard euen to the godly the flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Law in their members leading them vnto the Law of Sinne and of Death 2 You must be possessed with a base conceipt of your owne will that we must not leane vpon it but know that euerie man is a Beast in his owne knowledge 3 You must estéeme highly of Gods will be it neuer so contrarie to reason so Abraham did Gen. 22.3 Take to thée Gods will be assured of Heauen take away thine own will and feare not Hell 4 You must pray that God will giue power to performe and then let him command what he list Euch. What wants doe you here bewaile Phil. 1 I bewaile mine owne and others rebellious natures in that wee are as prone to receiue sinne as a match or tinder is to receiue fire 2 I bewaile the sinnes of the World as Ignorance Sorceries Schismes Hypocrisie Pride Ambition Couetousnesse Negligence in procuring others good with all contempt and disobedience to the word of God and that all Creatures being so obedient to God Ier. 7 8. man onely is most disobedient 3 Our impatience that when God layeth any crosses vpon vs we cannot as wée ought endure them patiently 4 Our slacke and imperfect obedience yea priuie pride proude presumption deadnesse of Spirit secret hypocrisie and all other weaknesse which breaketh either into or out vpon vs in our best seruice to our Heauenly Father Euch. What thinges doe you pray for in this Petition Phil. 1 I pray that I and all people may in true humiliation and hatred of sinne bée conuerted to God by putting off the old man and putting on the new that we may obey his Commandements in our general and particular callings and in al afflictions submit our selues to the
will of God 2 That with a spéedie resolution a willing minde chearefull heart and constant purpose wee may euer doe that which wee are commanded Which wee cannot doe vnlesse as by his preuenting grace he giueth vs both will and power so with his following grace hee accomplish his worke begunne in vs. Euch. What thinges doe you pray against in this Petition Phil. I pray against all impietie towards God vnrighteousnesse towards man and disobedience in my selfe In a word against all rebellious withstanding Gods reuealed will vnfaithfulnesse in mens calling all discontented murmuring at Gods doings and all either backwardnesse or wearinesse in the Seruice of God and lastly against all hypocrisie which is contrarie to an honest and a sincere heart Euch. What thinges doe you here thanke God for Phil. 1 Here I blesse God for mine own and others conuersion 2 For our obedience to Gods will 3 For our patience in all trials 4 That with some chearefulnesse wee may serue God 5 That our seruice is not full of hypocrisie and that prophanesse vnrighteousnesse disobedience rebellion vnthankfulnesse murmuring discontentment backwardnesse wearinesse and Hypocrisie are so mortified in vs that in some weake measure we desire to please God Euch. Why are these three Petitions set in the first place Phil. Because when we doe begin to aduance Gods glorie set vp Gods Kingdome and doe Gods will then our daily bread the forgiuenesse of sinnes and all o-other blessings will be giuen vnto vs. As on the contrarie if we dishonour God hinder his Kingdome and doe our owne wills we cannot looke for any blessing of this or a better life for godlinesse only hath a promise of this life and the life to come 1. Tim. 6.6 Euch. Hauing spoken thus much of the three first Petitions we are now come to the latter three How doe you diuide those three last Petitions Phil. One of them is for thinges concerning mans bodie the other two are concerning his soule Euch. But why are you heere taught to pray for thinges corporall and after to pray for things spirituall doth not this crosse that commandement of Christ Seeke first the Kingdome of God Matth. 6.32 Phil. No it doth not but by this order I am taught first to sée the corruption of mans nature which ought in the first place to séeke thinges spirituall but because wee liue rather by sense then by faith wee doe principally desire thinges corporall Secondly I am taught Christs mercie vnto man in that by this order he descendeth to our infirmitie who rather depend vpon him for the pardon of our sinnes then wee can trust him for our prouision in this life which argueth that wee are of little faith Mat. 9.5 Thirdly I am taught by this to depend vpon him for the forgiuenesse of my sinnes for when I sée that hée is héere so carefull for my bodie hée will doubtlesse be more carefull to prouide for my soule Rom. 8.32 Euch. What vse can you make of this order Phil. 1 That I must principally séeke the good of my soule which will bring all goodnesse and goods to my bodie a Mar. 10. Psal 4.6 2 That I must haue care also of my bodie for the preseruation whereof God hath prouided food apparell physicke and other meanes b 1. Tim 5.23 3 That from the blessings on my body I must ascend by degrées to bee perswaded for my soule that hee who is so prouident for the one will bee much more prouident for the other c Eccles 11.30.31 4 I must aknowledge mine owne corruption that I am so carefull for Earthly things d Matth. 6. 5 I sée that I may vse Gods Creatures in that he will haue me to pray for them e 1. Cor. 10.26 6 I must acknowledge the mercy of God to mee in that hee yéeldeth so much to mine infirmitie as to permit mee to aske these corporall thinges before such as are Spirituall and of greatest good for the saluation of my soule f Pro. 30.8 Euch. Which is the fourth petition and the first of the three latter Phil. Giue vs this day our daily bread Giue vs this day our daily bread Vide Sixti Senensis Biblioth and M. Finch his Theology Euch. Doe you not by bread here vnderstand Christ Iesus the foode of the soule Phil. Indéed many ancient Fathers and some of our English Protestant writers haue so vnderstood this petition and I am bound to pray that God will euer giue me this Bread Iohn 6.34 But I am taught that this Bread is not ment héere Euch. But man consisting of body and soule must we not pray that both may bee fed with their daily bread Phil. We must and doe in this praier but not in this petition When I pray that Gods kingdome may come then I pray for the foode of my soule héere when I pray for daily bread I pray for necessaries belonging to my body Euch. By what reasons are you taught the contrary Phil. 1 Because I pray for such things in the second petition going before 2 Because temporall things being to be prayed for they can haue no fitter place to be desired then in this 3 Seeing this praier is a rule of all our praiers we must in some one petition craue things temporal of God euen as Agur did Prou. 30.8 and Iacob Gen. 28.20 4 Many ancient and the most new writers thinke so Euch What then doe you meane by Bread Phil. I meane properly that kind of sustenance which we call Bakers bread but figuratiuely all things which are or may be for the good of my body and this naturall life as strength by nourishment health by Physicke warmth by apparell sufficiencie by labour and the blessing of God in the vse of all these and such like 2. King 6.22 Iohn 13.18 Euch. Why doe you aske all these things vnder the name of bread Phil. 1 Because bread is absolutely necessary for mans life a Psa 104.15 2 To teach vs frugality in vsing Gods creatures b Ioh. 6.12 3 To make vs content with whatsouer God sendeth c Phi. 4.11 4 To make vs thankefull if God giue more then bread d Psa 23.5 5 Because in ancient times bread was mans most ordinary food as appeareth Ge. 18.5 Psal 104.15 Mark 8.4 Euch. Why do you pray that God would giue bread Phil. To teach me that all riches whether of inheritance or by gift pains trades office seruice wit marriage or any other meanes are the gift of God who onely giueth man power to get riches Deut 8.18 Euch. What vse make you of this that riches are Gods gift Phil. These vses I ought to make 1 To acknowledge that all that I haue commeth from God and not by my selfe or any other e Pro. 10.27 2 That I must not be proud of them because I haue receiued them f Ro. 11.20 3 To admire Gods fauour who hath made me rich and others poore g 1.
will loue and embrace more earnestly our Christian Religion which teacheth obedience and practiseth it euen to such Gouernours as are bad d Pro. 24.2 Ier. 27.9 Rō 13.1.2 1. Pet. 2.13 14. Eccl. 10.20 D. Bilsons D. Mortons books of obedience though their Catholike Apologie stander vs with the contrarie Euch. How doth God tempt men by aduersitie Phil. Whether we will thinke 1 That godly men haue béene so tempted e Iam. 5.11 2 That it is Gods furnace to trie our faith f Ps 66.10 Dan. 3.25 3 That it is Gods medicine to purge our sinnes g Ioh. 15.2 4 That wee must not declame against God h Ps 38.13 Iob. 3.2 5 That we must more meditate of Heauen i 2. Cor. 4.17.5.1 6 That if wee féele not the Sunne rising of Gods grace we must not thinke that it is set for euer k Ps 31.14.77.7.8.9 7 That wee must endure all kindes of temptations whether of bodie by sicknesse or soule by sorrow or our person by imprisonment or state by pouerie or name by contempt c l Iam. 1.12 Euch. But to come to mans temptations What if man tempt you to Popish Religion how must you resist this temptation Phil. By considering that that Religion can bee no good Religion 1 Where the Scriptures are not knowne m Mat. 22.29 Iohn 5.39 Psal 1.1.119.9.20.4 2 Where Images are worshipped n Exo. 32.8 Deu. 27.15 3 Where a péece of bread is adored o 1. Cor. 11.24 4 Where Saints are inuocated p Isa 63.16 Mat. 15.24 5 Where ignorance is commended q Pro. 19.2 Iohn 17.3 6 Where Purgatorie is maintained r Mat 25.46 7 Where Christs merit is mangled ſ Heb. 13.8 8 Where subiects are so fréed from allegeance to their Soueraigne that if hee bee not a Romanist it shall bee as meritorious to kill that King as to eat their God t 1. Sā 24.6 2. Sam. 1.14.15 9 Where such soueraigne power is giuen to one man the Pope as that hee may determine the true sense of all Scripture x Lu. 24.32 define all causes of faith y 2. Tim. 13.16 call Councels z Act. 15.6 excommunicate any person a 1. Cor. 5.4 depose any King b Pro. 8.15 Dan. 4.34 forgiue sinnes properly c Isa 44.22 Psal 32.1 Matth. 9.2 decide all causes brought to Rome by appeale d Lu. 12.14 and make such Lawes as shall bind the conscience e Iam. 4.12 all which is giuen to the Bishop of Rome but is derogatorie to the Kingly Propheticall and Priestly Offices of Christ Euch. What if you be tempted to forsake the Church because of some abuses supposed in the Church how must you resist that temptation Phil. By considering that a child is not to be forsaken because it is sicke nor a bodie neglected because it is diseased and that Christ and his Apostles did not depart from the Churches As in the Church of Corinth 14. seueral errors as appeareth in the first Epistle though there were amongst them many abuses and the most of them greater then bee amongst vs who haue the Word purely preached and the Sacraments rightly administred That you may neuer depart from vs to them of the Shismaticall separation consider 1 That before Browne they can bring no one learned man that euer did write of or defend their opinion 2 They can shew none before that time that euer did suffer for that opinion 3 They of that separation will not liue in any reformed Church in the World 4 All reformed Churches condemne them as Shismatickes 5 They are very troublesome to the Christian Magistrate wheresoeuer they liue 6 Obserue how for matters of smal moment they excommunicate one another the father deliuering the sonne and the sonne the father ouer vnto Sathan 7 Note the varietie of strange opinions amongst them and you shall hardly finde one of their Ministers agrée with another but each of them are Broachers of strange Doctrine 8 If you obserue but the spirit of these men you shall truly sée it is not an humble but a rayling spirit 9 Many of them stand more vpon their outward discipline then that they may de a discipline to themselues 10 Suspect your owne iudgement suspend your sentence séeke peace bée not credulous looke as well vpon good thinges as those euils that are amongst vs and I hope you will neuer depart from vs. Euch. To come againe vnto Sathans temptations what must you doe to resist them Phil. I must labour 1 Not to be ignorant of his enterprises 2 To watch ouer my selfe continually g Mat. 26.41 3 To resist him by the shield of faith h Eph. 6.16 4 To subdue him by the sword of the Spirit i Eph. 6.17 5 To bee perswaded that hée will neuer cease k 1. Pet. 5.8 6 To thinke of my danger if I fall l Reu. 2.5 7 To consider how I may hurt others if I fall m 2. Sam. 12.14 8 That by falling I may deny my God n Lu. 22.61 9 That I shall bee rewarded if I continue a Reu. 2.7.11.17 and chap. 3.5.12.21 10 That by praier I shall haue power to resist him b Eph. 6.19 Euch. These rules indeed are generall but what if he tempt you to the sinne of couetousnesse what remedies must you vse Phil. I must meditate 1 That God hath taken vpon him to be my carefull protector c Ps 23.1 2 That this sinne is the roote of al euil d Tim. 6.10 3 That euery couetous man is an Idolater e Col. 3.5 4 That my life stands not in abundance f Lu. 12 16 5 That Christ and his disciples were poore g Mat. 8.20.4.21 6 That I shall carry nothing with me h Iob. 1.21 1. Tim. 6.7 7 That I must giue an account of my getting * Lu. 16.2 8 That it will hinder me in the seruice of God i Luk. 14.18.19 9 That rich men come hardly to heauen k Lu. 18.24 10 That by riches I am most subiect to be spoiled l Ie. 52.26 11 That they make a man vnwilling to die m Ec. 41.1 12 That they may be taken away frō me n Pr. 23.5 13 That many woes are denounced against rich men o Am. 6.1 Lu. 6.24 Ia. 5.1.2.3 Euch. What remedies haue you against the tempation of pride Phil. I must meditate 1 That I must not bee proude because I haue all things of gift a 1. Cor. 4.7 2 That God resisteth the proud b 1. Pe. 5.5 3 That it hindereth a greater largesse of grace c Lu. 18.24 4 That I am but dust and ashes d Ge. 18.27 5 That pride cast Sathan out of heauen e 2. Pet. 2.4 6 That if it be in apparell I haue more occasion to bee humbled for my shamefull nakednesse f Ge. 2.25.33
teacheth vs Deliuer vs from euill and as Paul did 2. Cor. 12.9 and 2. Chro. 20.12 Euch. What wants do you bewaile in this petition Phil. 1 The rebellion of our wicked nature by which wee resist the Spirit of God h Rom. 7.14 c. 2 Our readinesse in each little temptation to yeelde vp our selues to the committing of sinne i Luk. 22.45.46 3 That we cannot enough mourne for the remnants of our bondage by which we are kept in the power of Satan * Ro. 7.24 4 That so many fall by Satans temptation k Psal 119.136 5 That we cannot heere get mastery ouer our owne corruptions l 2. Cor. 12.8 6 That wee loue so this spirituall Sodom in which wee are subiect to and fal by temptation e Gen. 19.16 7 The tyranny of Satan our aduersary going about each way to subdue vs f Mat. 9.12 Euch. What things doe you heere pray against Phil. I pray 1 Against temptation as it may be a means to draw men from God and cause them to commit sinne g 2. Cor. 12.7.8 2 Against afflictions as they are punishments of sinne curses from God motiues to impatience or meanes to make mée to take Gods name in vaine h Pro. 30.9 3 Against desertion that God would not leaue me or if hee doe that hee would not leaue me ouer long by withdrawing from his former a second grace of the Spirit i Ps 119.8 4 Against all future relapse into sinne God hardening my heart blinding of my eyes 1. Tim. 1.20 backsliding from the truth either in part or in whole all sorts of iudgements temporall or eternall and what hurt soeuer may befall me either by prosperity or aduersity 5 In a word I pray against the assaults of Satan the enticements of the world the societie of the wicked and that corruption which may surprise me by mine owne flesh Euch. May not a man pray for temptations and afflictions Phil. Though both of them may be oftentimes good for vs yet because that good is an accidentall good and we know not how we shal beare tēptations if God send them therefore it is not meet to pray for them Therefore such as wish to bee poore that they might loue heauen better or blinde to meditate of heauen better or any way miserable that they might not loue this world to well they haue no great warrant out of Gods word To these we may adde such as pray for death and will not waite Gods leasure till he take them out of this world Euch. What doe you heere pray for Phil. I pray for grace so resist and perseuerance when I or any of the Church are tempted and that to this purpose we may put on the whole armour of God as the girdle of verity in soundnes of doctrine Eph. 6.16 the breast-plate of righteousnesse in integrity of life the shooes of preparation of the Gospell of peace which are to be worne by patience in afflictions the shield of faith to resist Satans assaults the helmet of saluation which is the life of eternitie and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God I pray also heere that all our afflictions may bee turned to our good that wisdome may bee giuen vs to preuent our persecutors that I and others may be patient in aduersitie humble in prosperity and that our sinnes may turne to our good by reuealing our corruption in being ready to fall discouering our vnability of our selues to stand detesting our nature so prone to impiety renouncing all confidence in our own strength and casting our selues vpon Gods power in temptation yea that by them we may sée satans malice in tempting vs and Gods great mercy in recouering vs and finally that being once recouered in temptation wee may pitty and comfort such as be tempted Euch. What things doe you giue thankes for Phil. That in the former things which I haue praied for God hath made me able so to resist and that neither Sathan nor the world nor my flesh hath so subdued me but that I am able to rise againe Euch. Which is the third part of this prayer Phil. The third part of the Lords praier For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Which words are a reason of all the former by which we are moued to craue all the former blessings at the hands of our God Euch. Why doth Luke leaue out this clause Phil. Either because the Euangelists did not binde themselues to a precise forme of wordes or because this praier was vttered at two seueral times by Christ in a seuerall manner Vide Bezam in cap. 11. Lucae leauing out not only this clause but the third petition wholly the explanation of the sixt and changing some words which are in Matthew But we haue no warrant to doe the like as the vulgar Latin translation and the Rhemists do euen in the Gospel of Saint Matthew being bold to mangle the Lords Prayer as they are to leaue out the second Commandement Euch. Why is this conclusion added Phil. To teach 1 To pray vnto him who is able to heare vs a 1. Chro. 6.21 Ephes 3.20 2 To pray in faith to him that wil helpe vs b Iam. 1.6 3 To pray in feruencie as desirous to be holpen c Matth. 15.22 4 To pray in humilitie because all is of God d Psal 192.17 1. Chron. 29.14 5 To pray in thankfulnesse because all is from God e 1. Chron. 29.13 6 That in euery petition we must haue this conclusion in our mindes Euch. VVhy is it set after the last petition Phil. To confute Sathan in his greatest temptations He that he might withdraw vs from the Kingdome of God will perswade vs as hee would Christ that all power is his Matth. 4. but we that we may not yéeld to this his assault are here taught that the Kingdome is Gods Euch. VVhat doe you meane by these words thine is the Kingdome Phil. Euen that which Dauid meant when hee said 1. Chron. 29.12 Thine O Lord is greatnesse power and victorie and praise and all that is in Heauen and in Earth is thine thine is the Kingdome and thou excellest ouer all Euch. Why is the Kingdome said to bee Gods Phil. 1 Because hee made all f Gen. 1.1 2 Because he possesseth all g Psa 24.1 3 Because he commandeth all h Ps 114.7 4 Because he disposeth all i Dan. 4.31 32. Euch. What doe you learne out of this Phil. That I may with confidence pray vnto him because as Kings will prouide for the bodies and soules of al their subiects so God my King will prouide for me 2 That I must be gouerned by him as a subiect must by his owne Soueraigne 3 That no Superior power can doe me hurt vnlesse hee haue commission from aboue 4 That al Princes must giue account to this King and therfore
giue why you must examine your obedience Answ Amongst many I giue these 1 Disobedience is as the sinne of witchcraft 1. Sam. 15.23 2 Obedience is better then sacrifice 1. Sam. 15.22 3 It is a fruit of faith Rom. 8.1 4 By this examination I shal be moued to repent Ierem. 31.19 5 If I haue done any thing that is good I shall haue cause to giue God due thankes 6 Without it I cannot appeare before God Ierem. 7.9 Quest How many properties are there of this obedience Answ Fiue 1 It must be frée without constraint Psalm 110.3 2 Sincere without hypocrisie 2. Tim. 1.5 3 Vniuersall not to some but to all the Commaundements Psalm 119.6 Iam. 2.10 4 Perpetuall till the houre of our death Matth. 24.13 5 Personall in regard of our personall calling 1. Pet. 5.1 Quest Which is the last part of examination Answ Our reconciling our selues vnto our brethren if we haue made them any offence Matth. 5.24 Quest Can you shew mee any reasons of this examination Answ Yea surely For 1 If I loue not my brother God loues not me 1. Ioh. 3.14 2 If I forgiue not my brother God forgiueth not me Matth. 6.15 3 If I want loue I am none of Christs disciples Ioh. 13.35 4 Without it I shall neuer doe good to my brother 1. Cor. 13.2 Quest By what signes may you know whether you are so reconciled that you loue your brother Answ By these 1 If I be not ouercome with euill Rom. 12.21 2 If I ouercome euill with goodnesse Rom. 12.21 3 If I can pray for him Acts 7.60 4 If I can yéeld to him Gen. 13.19 5 If I can conceale my wrongs and his infirmities Prou. 11.12.13 6 If I can conuerse friendly with him Genes 34.4 7 If I can depart sometime from my right Gen. 13.10 8 If when I may I auenge not my selfe 2. Sam. 19.23 Quest When are we fit to receiue the Sacrament in regard of reconciliation Answ Euen then when we are fit to say in the Lords prayer Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And therefore many indanger their own consciences in refusing to receiue lest they should leaue their sinnes and be reconciled to men Now the Lord grant that I may after this sort examine my selfe that at all times by putting off the old man and putting on the new I may be fit to come to Gods Table Quest I hope you are well instructed in examination Tell mee what premeditation the second part of preparation is Answ It is a consideration of those graces which wee doe receiue by the death of Christ signified in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Quest Which are those graces that wee must consider of Answ Our redemption from hell our deliuerance from death damnation and the curse of the Law 2 The remission of our sinnes whereby we receiue freedome from sinne and acceptation to life Psalme 103.3.4 3 Which is a fruit of the former reconciliation with God when wee are made friends with him Colos 1.20 4 Our communion and fellowship with Christ 1. Cor. 10.16 5 Interest and title to eternall life by Christ in whom we are sonnes Iohn 1.12 Rom. 8.13 Quest What fruit ariseth out of these two Answ A spirituall hunger after Christ and his benefits for when a man hath examined his wants and hath considered the riches of Christ his hart longs after the same Ioh. 7.37 Quest You haue well said all that you haue yet said how must you be disposed in the action of receiuing Answ I must seriously thinke of these fiue points 1 When I sée the Minister take bread and wine I must consider the action of God whereby he sent Christ to worke my redemption 2 When I sée the bread broken and the wine powred out I must consider first The bitter passion of Christ for me in so suffering secondly Gods infinite loue to mée who sent Christ to redéeme me his enemy thirdly Gods wrath towards me for my sinne which nothing could satisfie but the death of Christ Fourthly I must detest those sins of mine which caused Christ thus to suffer 3 When the minister distributeth bread and wine I must consider that as it is truly offered vnto me by man so Christ is truly offered vnto me by God 4 In receiuing bread and wine I must apprehend Christ by faith 5 In eating that bread and drinking that wine I must apply Christ particularly to my selfe and be perswaded that as that bread and wine is made the nourishment of my bodie so Christs body and blood is made the nourishment of my soule Yea I must féele the power of Christ to mortifie the corruption of my nature by his death to quicken me in newnesse of life by his resurrection and to giue me power to fight against my deadly aduersaries the world the flesh and the diuell Quest When you are to receiue these consecrated mysteries may you receiue them kneeling vpon your knees Answ You taught me that this gesture hath béen much abused yet at the commandement of the Church it may be vsed without impietie 1 Because knéeling is a thing indifferent as is the vncouering of the head at that time 2 Because the Minister then prayeth to God as he giueth them 3 Because Christ is more particularlie then offered then in the word 4 That we may stoppe our aduersaries mouthes who crie out against vs that we regard not this Sacrament 5 Because then especially God requires our humiliation 6 That the better wee may lift vp our hearts to God 7 Because in matters of indifferencie we are bound to kéep the peace of the Church 8 Because we teach that this reuerence is not done to the creatures but to our Creator 9 Because by this gesture we are moued to receiue with greater reuerence 10 It is reteined by the Church of Bohemia Quest But this Ceremonie sauoreth of adoring a breaden god Answ To our aduersaries it doth to vs it doth not being taught the contrarie therfore if it be not taken away it may be vsed if it were the feare of superstition were taken away with it But in things which may be well vsed let no man be contentious we haue no such custome neither haue the Churches of God Ambrose his counsell to 〈…〉 and his mother Monica is good counsell When I am at Millaine I fast not on Saturday because there they fast not and when I come to Rome I fast on Saturday because there they then fast Thus must we doe in things indifferent that we may keep the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace Quest Yet were it not fit to follow the example of Christ who did administer it sitting at the table Answ Marke what I say And the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things 1 If we must precisely follow Christs practise in this then they who receiue standing transgresse in practise as well as they who receiue kneeling which I thinke you will not
calamities Isay 57.2 3 Our soules are receiued into glorie Luke 23.43 4 Our bodies are reserued to like glorie Philip. 3.20 5 That wise man Salomon thought so Eccles 7.3 6 That holy man Paul wished so Philip 1.23 Quest But because Paul desired to die may we also desire to die Answ Though the bodie and soule bee as man and wife conioyned together yet with some cautions a man may desire the diuorce of these twaine 1 If he resigne his wil to the wil of God 2 If hee can tarrie the good leasure of God 3 If he doe it that he may be with God 4 That hée may bee disburdened of this bodie of sinne and thus Paul desired to bée dissolued and to be with Christ Philip. 1.23 Quest What thinke you of such as are in miserie and desire to die to bee freed from miserie Answ I thinke their desires are not simply vnlawful especially if they submit them to the will of God I am vexed with a long and lingering disease I would bee fréed by death if God would frée me I am detained in Prison I would be deliuered by death if God would deliuer mee I am exiled from my Countrie I would goe to Heauen if God would send for mee Doe I sinne in this God forbid Elias did it when hee desired God to take away his life 1. Kings 19.4 And Iob did it when hee would haue béene contented to depart this life and many of Gods children haue done the like Quest Why then did Hezekiah mourne when he was to die and why did Dauid say Let my soule liue and Christ Let this cuppe passe from me Answ Hezekiah did so because at this time he had not receiued a promised issue to succéed him Christ did so because hee was to die the death of the crosse and Dauid did so both because he was in a grieuous temptation and if he had then died his enemies would haue triumphed ouer him Quest But all this while you haue not told me what death is Answ It is nothing else but the priuation of this naturall life or the departure of the soule from the bodie or as it were the deposition of an heauie burden of troubles in this life by which we are eased especially if wee carry not with vs such a burden of sinnes as may weigh vs downe to the pit of perdition Secundus the Philosopher being asked this question by Hadrian the Emperour said Death is an eternall sleep the dissolution of our bodies the feare of rich men the desire of poore men an ineuitable euent an vncertaine Pilgrimage a robber of Mankind the Mother of sléepe the passage of life the departure of the liuing and a dissolution of all Quest Should Adam haue tasted of this death if he had stood in his innocencie Answ Hee should not for the stipend and wages of sinne is death Romans 6.23 His bodie indéed was subiect to mortalitie but should not haue died as our bodies now are subiect to sicknesse and yet we may die without sicknesse to wounding and yet it may bée they are neuer wounded and as the garments of the Children of Israel did not by Gods prouidence weare by the space of fortie yéeres though they were subiect to wearing so we may say of Adams bodie it should not haue died though it were subiect to death Quest Are wee then any better in Christ then we were in Adam Answ We are much for in Adam wée might haue died and by him doe die In Christ wee cannot die but change this life for a farre better Quest Are there any Monitors or Messengers of death Answ There are thrée casualtie sickenesse and old age Casualtie foretels me my death is doubtfull Sicknesse that death may be grieuous Olde age that death is certaine Casualtie foretels mée of death at my backe sicknesse that she is at my héeles old age that she is before my face Quest That I may giue the better entertainment to death when shee commeth who hath sent these three Harbengers before her what can you aduise me for to doe Answ Surely I would wish you first to beléeue in Christ by whom the sting of death is taken out for They onely feare death who doubt whether Christ died for them 2 To liue well so long as you liue for Hee can neuer feare death who by a good life hath giuen entertainment to the feare of God Quest What euen in my youth must I begin to liue wel Will not God accept of my seruice when I am old Answ Will you wound your selfe that you may goe to the Chirurgian and will you sinne in your youth that you may sue for pardon in your old age will you lay all the burden vpon a lame Horse when you haue many stronger in your teame shall the Deuill haue your Flowers and God your wéeds the Deuill your wine and God the lées the Deuill the fattest and fairest of your flocke and God an halt a lame and a leane Sacrifice God forbid Quest Yet if I haue but time to say Lord haue mercie vpon me though I haue liued neuer so badly God will haue mercie vpon me Ans It is true indéed That holy Théefe did it vpon the crosse and God had mercie vpon him Marie Magdalen did it after her lewd life and God had mercie vpon her But first are you not worthie to want fauour at your death who haue refused it all your life Secondly doe you thinke that your repentance is vnfained which is but only for a few dayes or houres Thirdly doe you not sée that such repentance is often hypocriticall when men that recouer from sicknesse fall againe to sinne after such a kind of repentance Fourthly doe not many fal into desperation at their death because they haue not serued God in their life Fiftly is it not a folly to doe that all day which you must bee enforced to vndoe at night Sixtly doe you not sée that God in his Iustice doth take sense and reason from many at their death who haue refused his mercie all the dayes of their life Quest Yet you cannot denie but many bad men haue made a faire shew at the houre of death haue called vpon God and died like Lambes Ans Like Lambes why the most of them die like stones they haue liued a sottish and a senselesse life and so they die Nabal did so but hee died like a foole the rich glutton did so but he died like a beast Quest And you know also that many persons who haue liued a very strict life haue died in despaire and blaspheming of God Ans By the gates of hell they went into Heauen by the extremitie of their disease they might speake they knew not what and by the sense of Gods iudgments they might say My God why hast thou forsaken mee But know this that he neuer dies ill who hath liued well and hee seldome dies well who hath liued ill We must iudge men by their life and not iudge any by
their death Quest Now then of all men that die in this World whose death is most miserable Ans The death of sinners for them we must mourne most and their death is most miserable Their birth is bad their life is worse their departure is worst of all their death is without death their end is without end and their want is without want But precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Quest Can you giue mee any example to proue this Ans I can One at the houre of his death féeling alreadie the torments of hell cried out after this sort O lamentable destinie O infinite calamitie O death without death O those continuall cryings which shall neuer be harkened vnto Our eyes can see nothing but sorrowfull spectacles and intolerable torments Our eares can heare nothing but woe woe without end wofull O thou earth why doest thou not swallow vs O yee mountaines why doe you not couer vs from the presence of the Iudge How farre doe the torments of Hell exceede all the tortures of this life O you bewitching pleasures of this VVorld how haue you ledde vs blindfold to the horrors of Hell Woe woe for euer vnto vs who without hope are cast from the fauour of God O that after tenne thousand yeares we might bee deliuered O that in any time we might haue an end But it cannot be our temporall pleasures haue eternall paines our mirth it is now turned into mourning and we are cast into eternall fire A King said O that I had neuer beene a King Quest Shew mee also some examples of good men who haue vttered things comfortable at their death Answ Christ said Father into thine hands I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 Steuen said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Acts 7.59 Simeon said Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word Saint Augustine said as Hierom reporteth Nature compels me to be dissolued I according to the Scripture phrase am to goe the way of my forefathers Now Christ inuiteth me now I desire to see celestiall fights O keepe you the faith thinke you also that you are mortall men Let this be your care to keepe the commandements of God that when you die all the Saints may receiue you as their familiars and friends into the euerlasting tabernacles If you regard mee or keepe any remembrance of me your Father thinke of these things sauour these things do these things Saint Iohn said My little children loue one another my little children loue one another and being demaunded why he did ingeminate so often this spéech He said My Lord and Master taught it vs in his life preached it before his death and if yee doe this it sufficeth Holy Effrem said O Lord God receiue preserue saue and be mercifull to vs by thy grace Tobiah said to his sonne Keepe thou the Law and the Commandements and shew thy selfe mercifull and iust that it may goe well with thee Chap. 14. 9. Mauritius the Emperour said when Phocas caused his children and wife to be slaine before his eyes and lastly himselfe The Lord is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes Psal 145. Antonius surnamed Pius that is the godly King said Why do you mourne for mee and not rather thinke of that common both death and pestilence And when his friends were readie to leaue him he said If you now leaue me fare yee well I but go before you And being demanded to whom he would leaue his sonne To God saith hée and you if he deserue well Master Deering a little before his death being by his friends raised vp in his bed séeing the Sunne shine and being desired to speake said There is but one Sun that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Iakob for they were excellent men in the world yet must we all confesse that we are great sinners and that there is no saluation but in the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus and wee haue all need of the grace of God And for my part as concerning death I feele such ioy of spirit that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather chuse a thousand times seeing God hath appointed the separation the sentence of death than the sentence of life The Earle of Essex said O God Creator of all things and Iudge of all men thou hast let mee know by warrant out of thy word that Satan is then most busie when our end is neerest and that Satan being resisted will flie I humblie beseech thee to assist mee in this my last combat and seeing thou acceptest euen of our desires as of our acts accept I beseech thee of my desires to resist him as of true resistance and perfect by thy grace what thou seest in my flesh to bee fraile and weake giue mee patience to beare as becommeth mee this iust punishment inflicted vpon mee by so honorable a triall Grant mee the inward comfort of thy Spirit let thy Spirit seale vnto my soule an assurance of thy mercies lift my soule aboue all earthly cogitations and when my life and bodie shall part send thy blessed Angels which may receiue my soule and conuey it to the ioyes in heauen Then concluding his prayer for all estates of the Realme hee shut vp all with the Lords Prayer reiterating this Petition Lord Iesus forgiue vs our trespasses Lord Iesus receiue my soule King Edward the sixt said Lord God deliuer mee out of this miserable and wretched life and take me among thy chosen Howbeit not my wil but thy wil be done Lord I commit my spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest how happie it were for mee to bee with thee yet for thy chosens sake send me life health that I may truly serue thee O my Lord God blesse thy people and saue thine inheritance O Lord saue thy chosen people of England O my Lord defend this Realme from Papistrie and maintaine thy true Religion that I and my people may pâ—aise thy holy Name for thy Sonne Iesus Christs sake I am faint Lord haue mercie vpon me and take my spirit And manie of the like you may reade in the book of Martyrs Quest Are not they most happy that die in this sort and sing these Cygnean songs as funerall hymnes Answ O happie and thrice happy are they whose life is a continuall praysing of God and whose death is an vncessant prayer to God Quest Yet if it please God I would not die in my youth and the flower of mine age Answ Why are you of so couetous a disposition that you would measure all things by the ell Is nothing precious but that which is durable think you the tallest person the comliest person the greatest picture the best picture
great sin For 1 It argues madnesse for a man to lay violent hands vpon himselfe 2 Impatience that he cannot wait the leisure of God 3 Cowardlinesse that he wil not endure that which might be inflicted vpon him 4 Vnthankfulnesse not to preserue this Iewell which is bestowed vpon him And in a word such a practise causeth not onely the actors but their actions profession posteritie and Countrie to bee euill spoken of Quest Well say then that I be cast vpon my sicke bed what rules can you giue mee to obserue at that time Answ You are first to set your soule in order and sée how you stand in the fauour of God Quest And what are the reasons of this rule Answ 1 Because the sicknesse of the bodie doth procéed from the sinne of the soule Lament 3.39 2 The cure of the soule procures often the health of the bodie Matth. 9.2 3 If your sicknes be a sicknesse to death you shall die more quietly otherwise death is most fearefull in sicknesse 4 By this you shall take your sicknesse the more patiently 5 You shall so giue example to such as come to visit you to doe the like 6 All your friends shall by this bee perswaded that you are the childe of God Quest Doe you thinke in this case it is fit whilest I am in good memorie and it may be in some hope of recouerie to send for my godly Minister to comfort me Answ O it cannot but bee very fit for he is 1 The Lords messenger to declare vnto man his reconciliation by Christ 2 Hee is able to beat you downe by the curses of the Law and to raise you vp by the promises of the Gospell 3 Hee hath experience to speake a word in due season vnto you 4 Hee especially as Gods Physitian hath store of salues to cure your sicke soule 5 You may boldly vncouer your sores to him who will not discouer them to your future shame 6 Hee can see further into the nature of your heart then oftentimes you your selfe can 7 He will boldly rip vp your vlcers that after he may the better cure them 8 If he comfort or correct you for sinne you may be perswaded that both come from God 9 You shall by this much ease your owne heart by crauing comfort from a godly Preacher 10 You shall cause others in the like visitation to doe as you haue done and you your selfe he fitter to die Quest When I haue taken this course for my soule what must I doe in the next place for my body An. You are then to vse the helpe of a godly Physitian and that for these reasons 1 Your body is the soules house if it be decaying you must seeke to repaire it by al good meanes you can 2 God hath giuen expert Physitians skil to restore many diseases of the body 3 God hath appointed many soueraigne remedies to recouer man in his sicke estate 4 You shall better satisfie your selfe if you die in that you neglected not lawfull meanes 6 For want of this dutie many doe perish who might recouer Quest Now in taking Physicke what must I doe Answ You must 1 Commend it to Gods blessing by praier 2 Not rely onely vpon the meanes 3 Know that it cannot preuent either old age or death 4 Humble your soule that God may heale your body 5 Waite Gods leasure in blessing the meanes 6 Bée thankefull to God if by it you recouer Quest What then may I thinke of seeking to vngodly or superstitious Physitians though learned Answ 1 If you cannot haue any other you may with good conscience vse such 2 If they haue a peculiar gift to cure that disease which troubleth you you may goe vnto them Quest And may I not aswell vse them as Religious Physitians Answ I thinke not for 1 They will make little conscience to cure you 2 You cannot hope that they shall cure you 3 You doe as much as in you lyeth countenance them in their sinne and superstition 4 You make them able to doe much hurt 5 It is an argument that you put more confidence in such meanes then in God 6 You discourage godly men in that calling 7 You make the Gospell to bee euil spoken of 8 What doe you know whether it will one day bee a corrosiue to your conscience that you haue vsed bad meanes when as God offered you good Quest It seemeth then that to vse the helpe of good Witches or Cunning men or women as they are called is most vnlawfull Answ To vse their helpe is to goe from the God of Israel to Baalzebub God of Eckron from Samuel in Ramoth to the Witch at Endor from the Riuers of Samaria to the Waters of Damascus from the Liuing to the Dead and from God to the Deuill and yet this is the practise of most people Quest And why now I pray you would you haue mee first to send for a Physitian for my soule before I send for a Physitian for my bodie Surely this is not the customary course but rather the contrarie Answ It is so first wee haue the Physitian and when hee leaues vs then the Minister is sent for and when hee once comes wee thinke all the World is gone with vs but it is a preposterous course for these reasons 1 Neuer looke for health in bodie til you haue a good soule 2 You must desire God to blesse the meanes hee vseth which you truly cannot doe till your conscience bee perswaded of the pardon of your sinnes 3 The memorie of the torments for sin may be a meanes to increase the greatnesse of your disease 4 You shal else make the World beléeue that you are perswaded that you hope still for life Quest Well say then that I send for my Preacher and why should I not send for him as well as for my Physitian what must I doe when he is come vnto me Answ You are bound 1 To acknowledge and confesse all such sinnes as doe any way so disquiet you that you cannot bee perswaded of the pardon of them 2 You are to reueale those seuerall temptations by which Sathan assaileth you in your sicknesse 3 You are to desire comfort from him against the burden of your sinnes and those temptations of the Deuill 4 You must beléeue that whatsoeuer he saith to you out of Gods word is the voice of God 5 You must hide nothing from him by which you like hypocrites desire to bee thought to be in a better estate then you are 6 You must desire him to pray for you that God may either recouer your health or receiue your soule 7 You must not be sorrie if hee say vnto you that your sicknesse may bee a sicknesse to death and that therefore you had néed to prouide for another World 8 If you be ignorant in pietie and godlinesse you must neuer leaue him till you haue gotten a sauing and sure knowledge of God in Christ Quest And what must he doe then to
me Answ He must 1 Examine your knowledge faith repentance and reconciliation to your Neighbour 2 Comfort you against the feare of death 3 Pray for your continuance in faith 4 Aduise you to dispose well of your goods and as you are able to remember the poore Quest But It may be I am sicke of the Pestilence may I send then for my Preacher to comfort me Answ If you labour to get comfort by the Word and Sacraments in your health you will not so much desire his presence in this sicknesse and this is the iust iudgement of God vpon many at their death that as they regarded not the publike meanes of comfort in their health so hee will not vouchsafe it vnto them being sicke But neither can hee come nor you send vnto him in this visitation 1 He may not come for if he doe 1 He cannot after come into the Church to preach vnto them that are well 2 He cannot resort to his owne people 3 He cannot visit any Christian friend 4 If hee fall sicke he may suspect that he is guiltie of his owne death 5 If any in his Family fal sicke and die he may be guiltie of their death 6 Hee is a publike person and must doe nothing that may hinder his Ministerie 7 It hath troubled some Ministers at their death in that they haue béene so bolde to aduenture 8 He hath no warrant for such a seruice out of Gods Word 9 There is now no extraordinary calling to such a seruice as Isaiah had to visite Hezekiah 10 Zanchius with many other learned men thinke it not fit that Ministers should visite such persons Vide Zanch. in Epist ad Philip. Cap. 2. Vers 30. 11 You cannot send for him for this is 1 To put confidence in the presence of a Minister that hee is able to forgiue sinnes and this ordinarie sending for Ministers only at the last gaspe sauours much of Popish Superstition 2 Say that he infect others you are guiltie of their death 3 If he be infected and die himselfe you rob the Church of their painfull Pastor 4 You disable him to doe that publique and priuate good which hee might else doe to such as are sound 5 You doe not as as you would doe to others for it may bee you would not visite them 6 It argues little loue that you doe not regard the life of your Minister Quest But say that hee knowes me to bee a good Christian that I would not send but that Sathan assaults mee to desperation my soule is in danger shall not I aduenture his bodie to saue my soule Answ This is not an vsuall thing but if I that am a Preacher should know of any such whose knowledge was sound faith good life vnblameable and loue to mee vnfained if I should vnderstand that such a man could find no comfort but by my presence I will commend and commit my selfe vnto God and vsing the best preseruatiues before and after which I could I would draw only so néere vnto him as hee might receiue comfort from mee and looke for Gods blessing vpon my preseruation Quest And what needs all this if you haue a particular faith that you shall not die of the plague may you visite any for all this Answ A particular faith nay rather a presumptuous faith a particular faith to be deliuered from a present danger is a miraculous faith He that hath such a faith may with Daniel liue among Lions the three children walke in the fire and the Apostle Paul shake off a mortiferous viper God seldome giues this faith now adaies the presumption of it consumes many presumptuous people Quest Yet for all your saying my dayes are numbred my death is appointed If I shal die of that disease I cannot flie it by not visiting if I shall not I shall not die of it though I visite Ans True it is but that God who hath appointed the end hath appointed the meanes to the end and you are bound to vse those meanes hee hath appointed your saluation by the Gospell Wil you say I shall bée saued though you beléeue not the Gospel nor frequent the ministerie of the word of God Quest Why is it not true If I shall be deliuered I shal be deliuered and if not I shall not Answ I wil answere you with a story of the like argment One Ludouicus a learned man of Italy yet wanting the direction of Gods Spirit and so neuer considering aduisedly of the meanes of our saluation he grew at last to this resolution It bootes not what I doe nor how I liue If I be saued I am saued He grew at length desperately sicke sends for a Physitian and requires his helpe This Physitian being acquainted with his assertion for his soule begins to apply it thus to his bodie VVhy Sir you neede not my helpe If your time bee not come there is no neede of Physicke if it bee come no Physicke will recouer you Ludouicus musing of the matter in his bed and considering aduisedly the Physitians speech finding by reason that as means must be vsed for the health of the bodie so God also had ordained meanes for the saluation of the soule vpon further conference with shame and griefe hee recanted his former opinion tooke Physicke and so was happily cured of bodie and soule at one time Apply this vnto your conceit and you shall find that if you meane to bee fréed from the plague you must vse meanes to kéepe your selfe from it Quest Yet many escape who visite their friendes at such a time Answ Bee it so it is either by Gods speciall prouidence or the constitution of their bodies or the preseruatiues they vse or that they are reserued for some other time or that sicke persons may not want some to comfort them yet many more doe perish in this case then can bee preserued Quest Why then shall none come to persons infected Answ God forbid they of a Family that are bound to come ought to helpe one another they that will bée hired to looke to such persons haue a calling to come vnto them and such as Magistrates doe appoint as they ought to appoint honest and aged persons for that seruice they also may come and looke for Gods preseruation in doing their dutie Quest But because you are to direct mee to die well say that I am sicke and die of the Pestilence what comforts can you giue mee against that kind of death Ans You had in truth then néed of much comfort therefore consider vpon your sicke bed that 1 Euery disease is Gods visitation and therefore you must bée content to endure it 2 The Pestilence is not such a disease as is sent only for the sinnes of them that die of it but often for the sinnes of them that doe liue and though it be a plague indéed to the vnbeléeuers yet to vs Christians it is but a triall and exercise of vertue saith Cyprian in his booke of mortalitie 3
That though it bee a sharpe sicknesse yet is it also a short sicknesse and more tolerable then the Stone Dropsie Gout Palsey or the French disease 4 That Dauid desired it before either famine or warre 5 That very many who die of this disease haue their senses and memories till the last houre 6 That the tokens which come out vpon you are Gods tokens so that before you die you haue a good time to call vpon God 7 That many Noble Personages Godly Preachers Expert Physitians Skilfull Lawyers and most Christian people haue died of it 8 That by it God taketh you from many miseries of this life 9 That Iob was grieued for manie Moneths with a more fearefull disease 10 That it hinders not the saluation of your soule though you die of such a sickenesse 11 If you bee sicke of it God may recouer you 12 If it please him to recouer you againe you are like to bee after far more healthfull Quest O but my friendes will not come at mee Ans O but God will neuer forsake you and especially in Cities you shall haue so manie as can doe you any good the fewer you haue to gaze vpon you the fitter you are to looke vp to God Quest But alas I shall want my solemne funerall Answ What is that to the saluation of your soule and resurrection of your body comfort your selfe in Christian not costly buriall Quest I see then that as there is no antidote against death so there is no perfume against the plague I may die of it but good Lord deliuer me and mine and all good people from it But now when I am sicke of any disease as I must reconcile my selfe to God so ought I not to reconcile my selfe to my neighbour An. If you haue wronged him in his bodie by striking soule by seducing person by imprisoning goods by stealing name by slandering or any other way haue done him hurt you must seeke to bee reconciled vnto him Math. 5.25 Qu. What if I be so diseased that he dares not come to me or be so farre absent that hee cannot come to me what am I now to doe Answ In this case 1 God accepteth the will for the deede 2 You must testifie your desire to friends present Quest You said that a Minister must exhort sicke persons to dispose their goods Is this necessary to be done Answ Of goods yea and offices too Magistrates must be carefull of their godly successors and Ministers of their fellow-labourers Deut. 31.1 Iosh 23. Quest As for my goods is it fit to make my will in sickenesse An. Nay rather you should euer haue it ready in your health if you haue not it is néedefull in sickenesse to make it for these reasons though many thinke they must die if their Will be made 1 In regard of your own credit that others may thinke you a wise man 2 Of your own conscience that hauing set all in good order you may more fréely depart in peace 3 Of your louing wife for whom you ought to prouide 4 Of your children that each of them may haue a conuenient portion of your goods 5 Of your seruants that they may not depart empty away 6 Of your friends that some legacies may be allotted to them 7 Of the Church that you may as you are able remember it 8 Of the Common wealth that you may doe good to such societies as you haue liued in 9 Of the poore that by giuing to them you may send that portion of wealth before you to heauen 10 Of your possessions and goods themselues that they may know their owners after you are gone Quest How ought I to make my Will Ans It must bee made according to the Law 1 Of Nature by which you are borne 2 Of that Nation in wich you liue 3 Of God by whom you haue liued and to whom you die And thâ—s you must doe in few plaine and significant words Qu. Say that I haue gotten my goods badlie what must I doe Ans You must make restitution to the true owners if you know them if not the poore are the best inheritors of such goods Quest Who is the fittest to be Executors of my Will Answ That person whom thou hast tried to bee faithfull to God sincere in his conuersation wise in his owne businesse and who is like to be louing to thine and trusty to accomplish the whole intent of thy Testament Qu. As I am about my Will many friends will perhaps come and visit mee how shall I know who are my best friends Ans Surely they who giue you good aduice for your soules health who haue a fellow-feeling of your sickenesse and who wish rather your life to doe good then your death to haue goods especially your best friend is a good conscience for that wil neuer leaue you nor forsake you Quest Can you illustrate this by any storie Answ I haue read of a man going to execution for Treason against his Prince Hee meetes with three of his old friends hee desires them all to sue for his pardon the first saith I dare not but heere is money to buy you a Coffin and a shéete the second saith I may not but I will bring you to your ende and there leaue you the third saith O I will run and sue vpon my knees for you I will neuer leaue you To apply this Our first friend is money it can doe no more but performe our funerals the second is our acquaintance they will but attend vs to the graue and so leaue vs the last friend is a good conscience and it will neuer leaue vs till we are assured that God hath pardoned all our sinnes Quest But when my friends come to visite me am I to performe no duty to them Answ You are to will them 1 To serue God heartily 2 To obey Gouernours faithfully 3 To continue in the truth zealously 4 To be louing one to another 5 To be kind to your suruiuing aliance 6 To meditat of death by your example 7 To pray that you may die Christs faithfull seruant 8 To comfort you against the feare of death 9 Not to be ouer sorrowfull at your dissolution 10 To bee carefull that your goods bee disposed according to the true intent of your will And lastly to speake such good words vnto them that they may haue hope that you die in Gods fauour Quest I remember that you told me that though death be masked in the time of health yet it will shew it selfe vgly at the last gaâ—pe what comforts can you giue me against the feare of death when it commeth An. If I were a worldling I would say vnto you neuer thinke of it till it come but that it may not affright you when it comes but you may encounter with it in its owne den I wil giue vnto you certaine comforts Quest Which are they I pray you Answ I remember many and it is necessary you should know them For the day
the fierie darts of Sathan can neuer enter You haue the sword of the Spirit it is sharper then the sword of Goliah you haue the sling of Dauid it is more forcible then the speare of Goliah you may walke vpon this Lion and Aspe this young deuouring Lion and Dragon you may treade vnder your féete Psal 91.13 What if he bee wise yet God is wiser What if he be strong yet Christ is stronger What if skilfull yet the Lord is more skilfull What if he be vigilant yet the Al-séeing is more watchfull If you can call to God for aide against him as Iehoshaphat did against the Aramite and say O my God there is no strength in mee to stand before this great multitude that commeth against me neither doe I know what to doe but mine eyes are towards thee 2. Chron. 20.12 feare not neither bee afraid goe out against them the Lord will be with thee and thou shalt ouercome Say that hee ouercame Adam by ambition Saul by hypocrisie and Iudas by auarice yet by the grace of Christ hee shall not ouercome thee Thou dwellest in the secret of the most High and shalt abide in the shadow of the Almightie Hee will deliuer thée from the snare of the Hunter and from the noysome Pestilence hee will couer thée vnder his wings and thou shalt bee sure vnder his feathers his truth shall bee thy shield and buckler hee will giue his Angels charge ouer thée to kéepe thée in all thy wayes they shal beare thée vp in their hands so that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone Quest I confesse that God is able to deliuer me from Sathan but O my sinnes my sins mee thinkes giue mee ouer to Sathan helpe mee with comfort against this temptation I haue sinned and may now die in my sinnes Ans O consider with me what the word doth say Where sinne abounded grace hath superabounded Romans 5. The bloud of Iesus Christ hath purged vs from all sinne 1. Iohn 1.7 If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes 1. Iohn 2.1.2 This is a true saying and worthie by all meanes to be receiued that Iesus Christ came into the World to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe 1. Tim. 1. Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the World Iohn 1. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance 1. Matth. 11. The Sonne of man came to séeke and saue that which was lost Matth. 9. Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and heauie laden and I will refresh you Matth. 11. Hee died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Rom. 4. Hee hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud Reuel 1.6 Thou shalt call his name Iesus for hee shall saue his people from their sinnes Matth. 1. Hee gaue himselfe for vs that hee might redéeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to bee a peculiar people vnto himselfe Titus 1.2 I will bée mercifull to their vnrighteousnesse and will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more Hebr. 8.12 Doe you now beléeue these sayings are you perswaded that you haue faith in Christ If you haue faith you haue iustification if you haue iustification you haue no sinne I meane no such sinne as shall be able to condemne you in the day of iudgement for it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne Besides you are a member of Christs Church and this Church is without spot and wrinkle which it could not bee if you were yet in your sinnes Againe if your iniquities were not forgiuen in Christ to what end thinke you did he come into the World Furthermore consider what your Baptisme doth signifie that as pollution from your bodie is washed by water so sinne from your soule is washed by Christ Haue you forgotten that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper sealeth vnto you the forgiuenesse of sinnes by Christs death Is the Earth full of the mercies of the Lord and shal not this mercie be greater to you then all your miseries Doe you acknowledge and confesse your sinnes and will not he be faithfull and iust to forgiue you your sinnes Doe you aske and shall you not haue doe you séeke and shall you not find doe you knocke and shal not the dore of mercie be opened vnto you I thinke you know that Christs is a Physitian and to what end but to cure the diseased and what disease more dangerous then sinne I hope you know the Gospell of Christ is called the word of reconciliation of grace saluation and of life and that only because it offers all these to sinners And tell mee you that doubt of the forgiuenesse of sinnes what difference is there betwixt the sonnes of God and the sonnes of the Deuill but that they haue their sinnes forgiuen these not To conclude looke vpon the calling of the Preachers of the Gospell if they haue power to pronounce the pardon of sinnes to penitent sinners Christ hath power to giue pardon to the same sinners Therefore bee of good comfort your sinnes are forgiuen you Matth. 9.2 Quest What euen my great and grieuous sinnes mine infidelitie in mistrusting impatience in murmuring blasphemie in profaning the name of God Is the couetousnesse of monie the desire of reuenge the loue of pleasure more then the loue of God forgiuen mee Ans If you beléeue in Christ all things are possible to him that beléeueth your sinnes past shall neuer hurt you if sinne present doe not please you Though your sinnes were as redde as Scarlet God can make them as white as Snow There is no cloud so thicke but this Sun will dispell it no staine so foule but this Fullers sope will wash it out no treason so horrible but this King may pardon it and no sinne so great but God for Christs sake will forgiue it The infidelitie of Adam the Idolatrie of Abraham the incest of Lot the adulterie of Dauid the Apostasie of Peter the persecutions of Paul were grieuous sinnes but God in Christ did remit them all And whatsoeuer was written before time is written for your learning that you through patience and consolation of the Scriptures might haue hope Applie them therefore to your selfe If you owe to this creditor tenne thousand talents if you can sue to him for mercie hee will forgiue them all his Iustice can punish any sinne and his mercie can pardon any sinne When he liued vpon Earth he cured all sicknesses now hee is in Heauen hee can purge all sinnes He hath promised as a Porter to beare our iniquities is there any iniquitie too heauie for him Neuer say then despairing of Gods mercie my sinnes haue taken such hold vpon mee that I am not able to looke vp as an heauie burden they lie vpon mee I am not able to beare them Quest I hope that I shall lay these comforts to mine heart that the greatnesse
of my sinnes shall not cause mee to despaire yet when I looke vpon the multitude of those sinnes which I haue committed against God I feele my selfe in a wofull estate comfort me I pray you in this temptation Answ Doe the number of your sinnes now disquiet you yet comfort your soule with these meditations There is no man liuing which sinneth not The iust man falleth seuen times a day Who can tell how oft hee offendeth Psal 19. The Apostle and excellent man cried out I am Carnall and sold vnder sinne Rom. 7. The good that I would doe I doe not and the euill which I would not that doe I. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh Galathians 5.17 Yet for all this hee trusted in the mercies of God as others did being perswaded that his imperfections were not imputed to him but couered with the righteousnesse of Christ And this the same Paul testifieth in that he saith Now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 And what is the reason that wee daily pray Forgiue vs our debts but that wee sinne daily Yea though the bloud of Christ were but once shed yet by it is he an eternall Mediatour satisfying the iustice of God for sinnes past present and to come He is not like vnto many in this World who hauing once remitted some trespasse wil remit no more or paied a debt wil pay no more but as Esaus father had many blessings so God our father hath many mercies If wee fall a thousand times he will at our repentance recouer vs a thousand times He doth not forgiue vs till seuen times but till seuentie times seuen times Larga Dei bonitas totum non dimidiabit Aut nihil aut totum te lachrymante dabit The bountie large of God will not diuide the whole He either al or nothing giues vnto the weeping soule Quest Truth it is as you say that God will forgiue my manifold sinnes but mine heart tels me that Gods law requires perfect obedience and this alas I cannot performe what comfort can you giue me now that mine obedience is imperfect Answ Why the obedience of the best is both perfect imperfect perfect in Christ imperfect in vs imperfect in this life perfect in the life to come perfect by imputation imperfect by sanctification perfect in parts imperfect in degrée that is the whole bodie and soule of a Christian are in euery part sanctified but yet both of them in all their parts and faculties grow vp to a greater measure of sanctification A child so soon as it is borne is a perfect man because it hath al the parts of a man and this is a perfection of parts it is not perfect in regard of that growth it may haue in strength and vnderstanding and that is the perfection of degrées We are babes in Christ and so perfect Christians at the beginning of sanctification we must grow vp to be tall men that we may be perfectly perfect in our glorification It is Gods mercie towards vs that wee cannot come to perfection in this life the dregs of corruption will neuer whilest wee liue be drawne out the tares of vngodlines will neuer quite be pulled vp the chaffe of iniquitie wil neuer be cleane remoued from the wheate and the rags of the old Adam will neuer cleane be put off and that as I take it for these reasons 1 That we might giue al glorie to God 2 That wee might euer depend vpon God 3 That knowing our owne weaknesse we should not presume too much on our own strength 4 That by recouering our selues aftâ—â— falling wee might haue experience and patience in Gods fauour 5 That wee might worke out our saluation with feare and trembling 6 That with Paul we might learne that the grace of God is sufficient for vs. 7 That wee might be the more whetted on to an increase of faith and confidence in Christ 8 That we might with greater earnestnesse call vpon God in all our feares 9 That with more contention we should run the race set before vs. 10 That wee should know that it is grace not nature by which we stand 11 That receiuing many foyles our selues we might better comfort and pitie others that fall 12 That wee might the rather with the Apostle desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Know therefore that it is good for you that you are not perfect you would bee proud of it if you were the holiest men could neuer attaine it the most holy God doth not require it If you haue truth in the inward parts and desire to please God without hypocrisie labour to grow in the graces of Gods spirit God your father will make more of you by reason of your imperfections as a good mother doth of that childe that is diseased or lamed It is pride that makes men dreame of perfection in this life and they that thinke to goe to heauen this way must goe alone for none can follow them Let vs not glorie of our perfection but let vs glorie in our Redemption The Church is a companie of sinners saued by Christ of sicke persons cured by Christ of Israelites dwelling among the Cananites of malefactors crying with that holy théefe Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome and of Publicans casting themselues down and saying Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner The Church is but the Moone and some times so eclipsed that she is but a litle lightened by the Sunne God indeede as a good Physitian prescribes vnto vs a perfect diet but wee like vnto disordered Patients tast of that which causeth a relapse and then we must come to the Physitian againe and like a skilfull Physitian God out of our falls doth make a preseruatiue to kéepe vs from falling Quest By this that you haue said I shall as I hope receiue much comfort if God cast mee vpon my sick bed yet because after death coÌ„meth iudgement how shall I bee able to perswade my selfe in death that I may with ioy looke vpon my Iudge Answ Consider that you are in Christ and there is no condemnation to them that are in him it is God that hath iustified you who shall condemne you it is your Father that shall iudge you why do you feare him be then of good comfort he wil say vnto you Come thou blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for thée before the foundations of the world were laid Quest If I lay all these comforts to mine heart in health what benefit shall come to me at my death Answ You shall shew your selfe an excellent scholler in the schoole of wisedome and that you haue not spent your time ill who haue thus learned to die well For hée hath last his whole time who knowes not how to end it Hee liueth ill saith Seneca who knoweth not to die well neither is he borne in vaine who deceaseth in peace We must
friend should haue of another in heauen within thrée houres after slept peaceably in the Lord. Luther sitting at supper and discoursing of the same argument about midnight after departed this life One Master Reade an Alderman of Norwich hauing read in the morning the chapter of Henockes taking vp in the Counsell chamber died suddenly at the table amongst his brethren And that wise Counseller the Lord of Buckhurst Earle of Dorset died suddenly at the Counsell Table in white Hall Mr. Flint a Preacher in London a man of great learning godly life and good report hauing procured the new building of his Church at which hee much reioiced fell downe from a scaffold on the top of that Church and so died In the commentaries of Iohn Holcot vpon the book of wisdom it is recorded of one who reading the fourth Chapter of the book of Wisdome was found dead in his studie with his finger pointing to the seuenth verse of that chapter Though the righteous be preuented by death yet shall he be at rest First where you shall reade these two verses Mors non est subita cui praecessit bona vita Nec minuit merita si moriatur ita If godly life do go before Through suddaine death our ioy is more 3 Know that if you liue wickedly sudden death is a fearefull iudgment for who then can bee perswaded of Gods fauour towards you and this makes the wicked of all kinds of death to pray to be deliuered from sudden death they would liue like Nabal but die like Dauid liue like the rich glutton and die like Lazarus they would die the death of the righteous but they would not liue the life of the righteous And therefore their Prayer is the prayer of Balaam Lord let mee die the death of the righteous and that my last end may bee like vnto his Numb 23. But if you liue euer in the feare of God it may bee an argument of Gods mercie to take you away vpon a short warning For so 1 You die without any great paine 2 You goe to God without any great trouble 3 You are not in danger of blaspheming God at your death 4 You will cause others to thinke well of your death because you liued a godly life 5 Many by your example will labour to prepare against such a kind of death 6 Your translation is like that of Henoch and Elias and of them that shall be aliue at the day of iudgment 1. Thess 4.17 Quest Is it lawfull to pray against a sudden death Answ The godly may and the wicked must pray against it The godly may 1 That as they haue honored God with their lips in their life so if it bee his good will they may doe it at their death 2 That because vpon the sudden few men haue their worldly estate fully setled they may haue time to order it 3 That they may not be a griefe to their friends that they are so soone taken from them 4 That they may escape the censure of the world which for the most part iudgeth hardly of this kind of death 5 That they may not die in such sort as diuers wicked men in the Scriptures haue died 6 Lest being ouertaken in some strange place they may so want the honour of Christian buriall and their friends not know what is become of them 2 The wicked must pray against it left so dying without repentance here there be no place left for them heereafter to repent in But I doubt whether God will heare their prayers For are not they worthy to want time of humiliation at their death who neglected saluation in their life The admonition of the wise man Eccl. 18.18 is very good Get thee righteousnesse before thou come to iudgement and vse Physicke before thou bee sicke Examine thy selfe before thou bee iudged and in the day of destruction thou shalt finde mercie Humble thy selfe before thou be sicke and whilest thou maiest yet sinne shew thy conuersion Quest Now since my soule must depart from my bodie ought I to take any great thought for my buriall Ans As the graue at your death is readie for you Iob. 17.1 so you also must haue care of it and your suruiuing friends must haue such respect to your dead body that it may be interred in a religious sort for 1 You are no Scythian that your dead bodie should be eaten at some feast nor Sabean that it should be cast on a dunghill nor Hyrcanian that it should bee deuoured by dogs nor Lothophagian that it should be cast into the sea nor Indian that it should be burned with fire but a Christian that it may be buried in the earth 2 Your dead body is a member of Christ 3 It was as well as the soule the temple of the holy Ghost 4 It was the ordinance of God that earth should return to his earth as the soule doth to him that gaue it Gen. 3. Eccles 7. 5 That Christ who redéemed your soule hath also paied a ransome for your bodie 6 It hath beene an instrument vsed by God to performe many seruices vnto him 7 It must rise againe out of the graue and in the day of iudgement bee made like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Phil. 5.21 8 Religious and godly friends haue had this care to burie their dead so Abraham had to burie Sarah Ioseph to burie Iaakob Israel to burie Samuel Nichodemus to burie Christ and the Disciples to burie Iohn the Baptist and Steuen the first Martyr that suffered after Christ 9 It is one of Gods iudgements to want buriall Iere. 22.19 10 The Saints complaine for the want of it saying Psal 79.3 The dead bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to bee meate vnto the fowles of heauen and the flesh of thy Saints vnto the beasts of the earth Their blood haue they shed like water round about Ierusalem and there was none to burie them 11 Ioseph gaue commandement concerning his bones Gen. 50. and Tobiah of his bodie Tob 14. 12 Many heathen people haue been very carefull of this dutie The Egyptians embalmed and so buried their dead and the Hebrewes made a law that no enemy should lie vnburied Quest What thinke you of the place of buriall Answ Abraham bought a field for the buriall of his dead Gen. 24. Christ was buried in a garden according to the custome of the Iewes Ioh. 20. The Turkes at this day burie none in their Cities and it was one of the lawes of the 12. Tables amongst the Romanes that none should be buried within thē walles Amongst Christians Churches and Church yards are appointed for the dead and to the end that the dead might not annoy the liuing it were well if Gouernours would be carefull to prouide larger places of buriall for this would be a meanes 1 To kéepe the City from contagion 2 That our dead bodies should not bee raked vp againe 3 To shew our care for the Saints departed 4 To take away the
Heart cannot comprehend it because it must Comprehend the heart and this wee shall more fully perceiue by how much wee doe more Faithfully beléeue Firmely expect and Ardently desire God saith the said Father hath prepared that for them that loue him which cannot be Apprehended by faith Attained to by hope or obtained by charitie it transcendeth our desires and wishes it may be Obtained it cannot be valued Quest Yet that I may get such a glimpse of that glorie begin with mine estate after I am dead what shall I enioy in the Kingdome of Heauen Ans You shall be carried to the Bosome of Abraham the Celestiall Paradise the House of your Father the new Holy and durable Ierusalem you shall then enter into your Masters Ioy you shal haue an Inheritance immortall vndefiled which withereth not reserued in the Heauens you shall Rest from your labours haue Peace from your Enemies and behold the Glorie of God in Christ Iesus in which place shall bee such and so many ioyes as all the Arithmeticians in the World are not able to number them all the Geometricians are not able to weigh them all the Grammarians Rhetoricians and Logicians are not able to expresse them in fit termes There shall bee ioy aboue vs for the Vision of God about vs for the vision of the Angels beneath vs for the vision of the Heauens and within vs for the vision of Happinesse There Salomons wisdome shall be reputed but folly Absaloms beautie but deformitie Azaels swiftnesse but slownesse Sampsons strength but weaknesse Methusalaes long age but infancie and the Kingdome of Augustus Caesar but beggerie Quest By what meanes shall I obtaine this happinesse Answ By Gods mercie that giueth it by Christs Merit that bought it by the Gospell that offereth it by Faith that receiueth it and by the Spirit that sealeth it vnto your soule Quest What is the obiect of it Ans The Vision knowledge and comprehension of God in Christ We shal indéed behold the Angels and enioy their companie sée the Saints and haue their societie But as the ioy of a Courtier is in the presence of his Prince so the ioy of a Christian shall be in the presence of his Christ Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matthew 5.8 Blessed are they that dwell in thine house for they shall euer praise thee Psal 8.4 We shall see him as he is 1. Ioh. 3.3 The Angels doe this in the Kingdome of Heauen and wee shall doe it in the same Kingdome Here we liue by faith there we shall liue by sight Quest Is this felicitie prepared for all Answ For all that beleeue it is prepared The Elect haue obtained it the rest are hardened Rom. 11.7 In euery Nation hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Acts 10. There is neither Iew nor Gentile Grecian or Barbarian Male or Female Bond or Free but wee are all one in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.27 Quest Shall my bodie only or my soule only or both bodie and soule enioy this felicitie Answ Both bodie and soule your soule shal be sanctified throughout and your body made like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus Phil. 3.20 Quest Shall this very bodie of mine rise againe to life after death Answ It shall assuredly for 1 The Lord keepeth all the bones of his Saints that not one of them shall be broken Psal 34.21 and there shall not an haire of our head perish Luke 21.18 2 Euery one shall receiue in his bodie that which he hath done be it good or euill 2. Cor. 5.10 3 God hath consecrated this bodie of yours to be a Temple for the holie Ghost to dwell in 1. Cor. 3.16 4 This corruptible shall put on incorruption saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. This saith he pointing as with the finger at the same substance and could not speake more expresly vnlesse hee should haue taken his owne skinne with his owne hands as Tertullian well obserued 5 Christ rose againe in his owne bodie and you shall rise as he did 6 In this bodie you haue suffered for Christ liued for Christ and in it you shall reigne with Christ 7 You shall be happie but how happie if one part should perish saith Tertullian in his booke of the Resurrection of the flesh 8 I am sure saith Iob that my Redéemer liueth though after my skin wormes destroy this bodie yet shall I sée God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall sée and mine eyes shall behold and none other for mee though my reines are now consumed within me Iob. 19.25 Quest O that you could teach me this by some such comparisons as might confirme my faith concerning this doctrine for there are many Sadduces in the world at this day who denie the resurrection of the bodie Answ Indéed I remember that Gregorie in his Morals hath a like saying of some in his time There are saith he a number of people who considering that the soule is dissolued from the bodie that the bodie is turned into rottennesse that rottennesse returneth to dust and that this dust is resolued into the first elements cannot see how that by reason there should be any resurrection and beholding drie and dead bones mistrust that they shall not againe bee clothed with their flesh and so reuiue Such men though they cannot by faith beleeue as they ought the bodies resurrection yet let them be perswaded by this naturall reason What I pray then doth the whole world but imitate our resurrection daily in her elements For wee see daily that trees in winter want both leaues and fruit and behold suddenly in the spring time out of a drie tree as it were by a new resurrection leaues bud out fruits ripen and the whole tree is apparelled with her reuiued beautie Let them behold the dead kernell set into the earth how a tree sprouteth out of it and let them deuise if they can where that great tree was in so small a seede Where was the bodie where the barke where the branches where the greene leaues where that plentie of fruit Do they not perceiue that all these were in the kernell or seede before it was cast into the ground Why then should they wonder how a little dust resolued into elements should when God will become a liuing bodie againe seeing that so small a seed comming first out of a tree should by the power of God become an huge tree againe For as the tree is in the kernell so are our bodies in the glorified bodie of Christ In the man Christ saith Cassiodorus is the flesh of euery one of vs yea our very blood and a portion of vs. Therefore I beleeue that where my portion reigneth there shall I reigne where mine owne blood ruleth there do I perceiue that I shall rule where my flesh is glorified there know I that I shall be glorious And why then shall it séeme strange vnto you that God is able to raise your body againe
at the last day A Tayler can rip a garment and set it together againe though it bee in a thousand pieces a Clockmaker can take asunder euery wheele of a watch and ioyne it together again and shal not God be able to doe the like for your bodie Why my deare brother did God create you of nothing can he not restore you from something doth not he hold all the elements in his hands is not he more skilful then that Alchymist who can extract the quintessence of any substance or that goldsmith who though many mettals bee mingled together yet can he seuer each one to his first substance is not he the Lord God of all flesh is there any thing hard to him Ierem 32 Can the Phoenix rise out of her own ashes and shall not you arise out of your owne dust Can the trees reuiue againe in the spring and cannot you reuiue againe at the last day You sée that many birds and flies are dead all winter and reuiue in summer you know that the corne which at the séede time is cast into the ground groweth vp in haruest Shall God saith Augustine quicken the rotten and dead graines of seed whereby thou liuest in this world and shall bee not much more raise thee vp that thou maiest liue for euer Know then that as euery night hath his day euery Sunsetting his Sunrising euery sleeping his awaking euery labour his rest and euerie winter his spring time so euerie death shall haue his life Say then euen when you are to die Post tenebras spero lucem After darkenesse I hope for light Iob. 17.12 For if the Spirit of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwel in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shal also quicken your mortall body by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Reade and reade often the 1. Cor. 15. chapter and those two golden Chapters of the last resurrection and eternall life in Bucanus his Institutions and you shall be much comforted and confirmed in this point Quest I beleeue that I shall see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing but when I see him what shall bee the qualities where with my body shall be adorned Ans It shall be 1 Immortall for this mortall shal put on immortalitie 1. Cor. 15. 2 Incorruptible for this corruptible shall put on incorruption 1. Cor. 15. 3 Spirituall it is sowen a naturall body it shall rise a spirituall bodie 1. Cor. 15. 4 Strong it is sowen in weaknes it shal rise in strength 1. Cor. 15. 5 Perfect for as Adam was in his first creation and Christ after his resurrection so shall you be at the resurrection of the iust 6 Beautifull it shall shine like the stars be bright as the Sunne and cleare as Crystall Dan. 12. Matth. 22. 1. Cor. 15. The glory of the heauenly bodies is one the glorie of the earthly bodies is another Quest Why saith the Apostle that our bodies shall be spirituall bodies Answ Not that the essence shall be changed but the qualities of that essence they are called spirituall 1 Because they shall giue themselues wholly to be gouerned by the Spirit 2 They shall be vpheld by the power of the Spirit so that they shall need no meat or drinke but by the Spirit of Christ shall be nourished to eternall life Quest And why say you they shall be perfect Answ Because as there is no pollution in heauen so shall there be no imperfection The yong infant shal not rise in his infancy nor the aged person in his decrepite age nor the blind person without his fight nor hée that is borne lame or imperfect with that imperfection but séeing our resurrection is a new creation we shall then be as in our first creation Aug. lib. 11. de ciuit Dei cap. 13. And in his Enchiridion to Laurentius he saith The bodies of the Saints shall rise without any maime without any deformitie without any corruption without difficultie in which there shall be as great facilitie as there is felicitie Lyra ad Ephes cap. 4. ver 13. Looke to the 1 Adam created a perfect man the 2 Adam rising a perfect man and Gods promise Philip. 3.21 1. Cor. 15. 49. to make our bodies like Christs bodie and you will resolue w … comfort of this truth Quest As my bodie shall be thus renued so shall not my soule be renued Answ It shall Then shall the glorious Image of God shine in it for 1 Your vnderstanding shall be full of the knowledge of God which he shall immediately reueale vnto you 2 Your will shall perfectly obey God 3 All your affections shall be so purified and well ordered that there shall be a swéet harmony betwixt all the faculties of your soule Quest Can you shew me this by any comparison Answ Lactantius will do it for me As a candle saith he while it is in the lanterne it giueth a good light and enlightneth the lanterne it selfe and if it bee taken out although the lanterne bee left darke yet the candle shines more cléerely than it did before so while the soule is in the body it is the light and gouernour thereof and when it forsakes the bodie although the bodie bee left dead and insensible yet then the soule enioyes her proper vigour and brightnesse Lib. 7. cap. 12. Diuin Iustit Quest That I may the better thinke of this glorious e … tie and eternall glorie tell mee what the ancient Fathers haue thought of it Answ They indéed sequestring themselues from the mist and mudde of this present world saw more clearely than we the happinesse of Paradise and therefore they haue many diuine meditations of this matter I will repeate some and reade you to this purpose the two last Chapters of the Reuelation Augustine said Such is the beautie of eternall righteousnesse such is the ioy of that eternall light that if wee might stay there but for one day euen for that time alone wee should contemne the innumerable yeares of full delights and circumfluence of all happinesse Again We can more easily tell what there is not in that eternall life then what there is There there is no death sorrow lâ—ssitude or infirmitie There there is no hunger no thirst no heate no corruption no want no mourning no griefe Againe Haste haste to that place where you shall liue for euer for if you so loue this miserable and mutable life where you liue with such labour and for all your running riding sweating and sighing you can hardly prouide necessaries for your selues how much more ought you to loue eternall life where you shall not labour but enioy all securitie all felicitie happie libertie and happie blessednesse where we shal be like Angels the righteous shine like stars where God shall be all in all vnto them who shal be seen without end loued without wearinesse praised without irksomenesse Againe This inheritance I meane this of Christ by which we
our selues to this World but rather imitate the fashion of the most godly in our callings Let vs neuer count any sinne to be a little one because that our Sauiour died for the least And because wee liue in dangerous times wherein many are withdrawne from the profession of thy truth Lord giue vs heartes neuer to entertaine any such doctrine which cannot bee warranted out of thy word nor to admit of any such Teachers as goe about to withdraw vs from obedience to our Gouernours and if any one fall into any sinne let vs restore such a one with the spirit of méekenesse considering our selues that wee also may bee tempted We further acknowledge most gracious God that our life is a warfare vpon earth our enemies are sinne Sathan and the world Lord helpe vs in this spirituall combat Are wee weake be thou strong are we tempted with the temptation giue an issue may we be ouercome teach vs to watch ouer our owne hearts and waies is there any one sinne which we are weake to resist in the act of temptation giue vs power to resist it that by this meanes we may haue as iust cause to praise thee in our conquests as wee haue many reasons to humble our selues in our foiles Wee see also most all-séeing God that none can liue godly in this world but they must suffer persecutions either Ismael will reuile them with a reproachfull tongue or Esau will pursue them with a bloody swor◠what now must wee doe in these daies of triall whither shall we come for helpe but to thee To thee therefore must wee come O Lord our God crauing wisdome to foresee prouidence to preuent patience to beare and hearts to be prepared for this fierie triall that by the deniall of our selues distasting the world and liking of heauen and heauenly things we may make a good vse euen of the least affliction Confound in euery one of vs the cursed works of the diuell increase in vs daily the gifts of thy spirit Fit vs for such callings in which thou hast or wilt place vs and make vs to referre the strength of our bodies the gifts of our minde our credit in this world and whatsoeuer grace thou hast already or wilt héereafter bestow vpon vs to the glory of thy name the good of thy Church and the eternall saluation of our owne soules And howsoeuer we liue here in this Babylon of the world Lord let our conuersation be euer in heauen that whether we eat or drink or whatsoeuer we doe els we may heare alwaies this voice sounding in our eares Arise you dead and come into iudgement Many other things haue wee to beg for our selues that our ignorance knoweth not to aske or forgetfulnesse remembers not to aske heare vs for them in thy beloued Son And giue vs leaue now good God to pray to thee for others There are no Christian people at any time assembled but they are redy to pray for vs and therfore it is our dutie to pray for them We therefore commend to thée thy whole Church and each member of the same be good gracious to these Churches of England Scotland France and Ireland giue the Gospell a frée passage euery where and put on the meanes by which it may be published where it is not or maintained where it is Diuide not O thou indiuisible God diuide not Ephraim against Manasses nor Manasses against Ephraim nor both of them against Iudah The coate of thy Sonne was without seame let the Church of thy Sonne bee without seame Our aduersaries got ground and worke vpon our diuision knit vs so together that their worke may be as the confusion of Babel Are there any meanes to hinder the current of thy Gospell stop them in the head poison them in the streame stay them in the riuer and let their labour be like his that would repaire Iericho To this end be good to the light of our eyes the breach of our nostrils the procurer of our happinesse thy Salomon our King preserue his bodie in health his soule in soundnesse his heart in thy truth his life in honor his honor from vnderminers and his eares from flatterers the bane of each kingdome Kéepe him that hee may euer maintaine thy truth Defend him against the insinuation of practising Papists who will neuer wish well vnto him vnlesse they see he doe wish ill vnto thee Let thy good Spirit be with Iosiah our Prince season his young yeeres with the knowledge of thy will that as he groweth in yéeres so he may grow in stature and fauour both with God and men Bee good vnto them that haue the tution of him and make them instruments of much good that may be done by him Preserue with these our gracious Quéene let vs sée her as a fruitfull Vine about the Kings house and her children like to Oliue plants round about his table And because where many Councellers are there is peace O Lord blesse his honorable Counsell in all things let them take counsel at thy word and in euery consultation aime at thy glory The Péeres of our land the pillars of our kingdome we commend vnto thée make them contented with their present honors and to continue loyall to their vndoubted Soueraigne And because the Preachers of thy word are the pillers of thy Church blesse them all from the highest to the lowest that both by life doctrine they may set out thy most holy word Take from the Great the spirit of ambition and from the meane the spirit of contention that both may labor as much as they may to oppose themselues against the common aduersary and not to aduantage him by intestine diuision Blesse the people of this land such as are called confirme them such as are not conuert them and to that purpose send a faithfull Pastor into each Congregation who may speake a word in due season vnto them Touch al our hearts from the highest to the lowest with true repentāce that thy iudgements present imminent may be preuented and remoued thy mercies stil continued to vs and our posterity after vs especially in the true ministerie of the word Sacraments that such as suruiue vs may praise thy name Be mercifull to all thine afflicted ones be they sicke in bed distressed in conscience pinched with pouerty disgraced for thy truth or kept in prison and deliuered to death reléeue them in their necessity strengthen them in their weakenesse comfort them in their distresse mitigate their sorrowes and turne all their troubles to thy glory and their good To this end giue thy seruants comfort by thy word sufficiency of things needfull for them blesse the fruits of the earth disappoint both Turke Pope from incroaching vpon thine inheritance let all such prosper as fight thy battels and let thy Gospel bee preached from the one end of the world vnto the other In thy good time let the Sunne of thy Gospell shine vpon Iewes Turks Infidels Atheists and
to preserue vs from despaire and vpon thy threatnings that wee doe not presume Blesse them that fight thy battels by land or sea whether they incounter with Mahomet or Antichrist And blesse them thou God of hosts in such a sort that the Hâ—athen in the end may bee constrained to say Doubtlesse there is a reward for the righteous verely there is a God that iudgeth the earth And séeing only we heare of rumours of wars and liue in such libertie as neuer any nation hath done so long make vs thankfull vnto thée that we are in such a case that wée are not led into captiuitie neither is there complaining in our stréets And teach vs to build thy Church in our rest as Salomon built the Temple in his peace We haue O Lord béene long in prosperitie be mercifull to this sinfull nation which hath surfetted and is sicke of too too much ease Let not thy blessings rise vp against vs but make vs as rich in goodnesse as in goods in pietie as in plentie that as we go before all nations in prosperitie so wee may labour to excéede them in sinceritie Blesse this familie from the greatest to the least blesse it O Lord with thy grace and peace so that superiours may rule it according to thy word seruants may obey as the seruants of Christ and that euery one in the same may be loued of thée Thou séest O Lord how bold we are we haue called vpon thée for our selues and others but many other things should wee haue begged of thée because we want them and thanked thée for because we haue receiued them Our vnderstanding is shallow our memorie short and wee are vnworthy to pray vnto thée and most vnworthie to receiue the things which we haue prayed for therefore we commend our persons prayers actions and endeuours this day to thy most gratious and mercifull protection and that in the name of Christ thy Sonne and our Sauiour in whose name and in whose words we further call vpon thée and thank thée saying Our Father c. LEt thy mightie hand and outstretched arme O Lord be still our defence thy mercie louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ our saluation thy true and holy word our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end and let all héere present say Amen AN EVENING PRAYER FOR PRIVATE families O Lord prepare our hearts to praier MOst High and Mightie God father of eternitie and fountaine of mercie wee acknowledge and confesse this fauour of thine that thou giuest vnto vs these blessed opportunities publikely in thy Temple to méete together priuately in our Families to méet together especially we acknowledge now this worke of thy grace that we dare not commit our bodies to rest before we haue coÌ„mended our selues to thée Thou hast not dealt so with euery familie neither haue the wicked a desire to praise thée wee are now present before thée O Lord be thou president amongst vs grant vnto vs all such a portion of thy Spirit that in feare of thy Maiesty reuerence of thy name a sense of our miseries and an assurance of thy mercie we may come now before thée as before that God who séest our behauiour searchest our hearts knowest our wants art able to grant more then we can desire We acknowledge confesse before thy great Maiestie that in the loynes of our first parents thou diddest make vs to thine image but in them we fell away from that blessed estate and are plunged into a most wofull and desperate condition being able to doe nothing but displease thée Our forefathers haue eaten sowre grapes and their childrens téeth are set on edge By the transgression of one wee all haue sinned and are depriued of thy glorious image and as an hereditarie disease it hath infected all the powers of our soules and bodies Our vnderstandings are filled with blindnesse and darknesse not sauouring the things of saluation our consciences are wounded seared defiled and neuer soundly at peace in themselues our memories are fit to retaine euill and to forget euery thing that is good our willes run headlong to all iniquitie but are auerse to all goodnesse our affections are with violence carried after the sway of our willes our thoughts are vnsatiable and infinite in euill our best actions are great abominations and our whole conuersation is lothsome to God and man By this meanes O Lord we are odious to thy Maiestie execrable to thine Angels detestable to thy Saints slaues to Satan worthie to be accursed in this life and for euer By this means our bodies are subiect in each member to diseases and our soules are subiect in each facultie to disorder we by this means haue lost thy fauour are cast out of Paradise haue sold our birth-right and exchanged heauen for the pit of hell And héerein we are most miserable that we feele not our miserie feare not thy wrath desire not thy fauour and consider not what we lost when we fell from thée Yet thou art our Father and wée thy children thou art our God and we thy people thou art our shepheard and we the sheep of thy pasture And when no creature in heauen or in earth was able to reconcile vs vnto thy Maiesty thou in thy loue diddest send thy Son to be the propitiation for our sinnes In him therefore we come vnto thée in whom alone thou art well pleased with vs and since hee is that Lambe that taketh away our sinnes in him we beséech thée to looke vpon vs. Let the puritie of his nature answere the impuritie of ours the perfection of his obedience satisfie for our imperfection and the sufficiencie of his sufferings frée vs from all torments which wee deserued to suffer for our sins He hath conquered Satan by his glorious resurrection from the dead and by it hath triumphed ouer sinne and death And now we are restored into thy grace againe grant that wee may feele the fruits of that grace especially such faith in thy promises peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost zeale to good workes in this life present and assurance of happinesse in the life to come that we neuer hereafter doe fall from thee But because we cannot either stand vnlesse thou vphold vs nor walke vnlesse thou lead vs nor liue vnlesse thou quicken vs nor raigne vnlesse thou crowne vs therefore we entreate thee to vphold vs by thy hand that we fall not direct vs by thy word that we erre not quicken vs by thy Spirit that we die not and crowne vs with glorie that we lose not our inheritance Sanctifie vs al in thy truth thy word is that truth Sanctifie vs by the Law that by it we may see our miserie feele the want of Christ bee sorrowfull for our sinnes aduise what to do desire pardon resolue to come to thée confesse our iniquities and renounce al things in the world to get saluation in
commandements not so much in outward conformitie as in soundnes of heart And when we haue done thée the best seruice wee can teach vs to say in humilitie We are vnprofitable seruants And séeing it is not sufficient to do good but it is also our dutie to auoid euill make vs to abhorre al appearance of euill knowing out of thy word that it defileth the soule may be committed in thought is of omission as well as commission and if we commit but the least sinne we offend the puritie of thine excellencie and are guiltie of the whole law Make vs therefore euer to remember that sin is filthie and lothsome euen in the greatest pleasure and act thereof that the end thereof is bitter and the inward parts most abominable Teach vs O thou Master of Israel to kéep a continual watch ouer our inner and outward man to feare our selues euen then when thou art most mercifull to vs to walke alwaies as in thy presence to meditate of thy iudgements inflicted vpon thy dearest children for sin and in faith patience diligence and humilitie to be euer laboring in our vocation Make vs to mourne for our delight in sinne to know that we carrie this traytor about vs that we can neuer subdue him but by prayer to thée and practising vertues contrary to his assaults But because all is in vaine without perseuerance wee intreate thée that wee may continue in the practise of all holy duties to thée euen vnto our liues end Wee thanke thée O Lord for all thy benefits this day past in our whole life thou hast giuen thy Son for a ransome thy Spirit for a pledge thy word for a guide and reseruest a kingdome for our perpetuall inheritance Thou mightest haue said before we were formed let them be monsters let them be Infidels or let them be beggers or cripples or bondslaues as long as they liue But thou hast made vs in the best likenesse and nurced vs in the best religion and placed vs in the best land so that thousands would thinke themselues happie if they had but a piece of our happinesse We want nothing but thankfulnesse to thée make vs more thankefull then euer we haue béene heretofore and because wee know not how long wee shall enioy these blessings of thine by reason of our sins fit and prepare vs for harder times that wee may bee contented with whatsoeuer thou shalt send Blesse thy Church and children this night and for euer according to their seueral necessities be merciful vnto them Blesse this Land wherein we doe liue the gouernment and Gouernours of the same from the highest to the lowest And because we are now to rest in our beds watch ouer vs in this rest of ours giue vnto vs comfortable and swéet sleepe fit vs for all seruices of the day following make our soules to watch for the comming of Christ let our beds put vs in minde of our graues and our rising from thence of the last resurrection so that whether we wake or sléepe we being thine may waite for thée Forgiue vs the sinnes of this day past this houre present and our whole life before not for our merits but for Christs mercies in whom alone thou art well pleased and in whose name and whose words we further call vpon thee and thanke thée saying Our father which art c. NOw the very God of peace sanctifie vs throughout and hee grant that our whole spirit and soule and bodie may bee kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God the Father the blessing of God the Sonne and the comfort of God the holy Ghost be with vs and all the seruants of Christ Iesus to preserue our bodies from sicknesse our soules from sin and our estates from ruine this night and for euer more Amen A PRAYER TO BE VSED by a mans selfe or with others changing the number O Lord my God mercifull and louing to all thy seruants pitifull and patient to mee thy child I with that poore Publican cast my selfe downe at the foot-stoole of thy Maiestie and with an vnfained sorrow for all my sinnes do as he did crie vnto thée for fauour saying Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner One déepe calleth to an other the depth of miserie to the depth of mercie Haue mercy vpon me O Lord according to thy great goodnesse and in the multitude of thy mercies doe away al mine offences Lord I acknowledge confesse my sins and mine iniquities are not hid from thée By creation I confesse thou diddest make me good in righteousnesse and true holinesse I was like vnto thée if my first Parents had not defaced that image I should haue serued thée in truth all the daies of my life But they falling from thée I fel with them and they sinning against thée I sinned with them And as when a great man is a traitor his blood is stained so by Adams transgression his posteritie is tainted Thus O Lord I was conceiued in sin and brought foorth in iniquitie and now I know that in mee that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing yea I am by nature the child of wrath if I haue none other but my first birth I may curse the day that euer I was borne I féele O Lord but it is thy spirit that giueth me this féeling that mine vnderstanding is darkened conscience seared memorie decaied will bewitched heart hardened affections disordered conuersation corrupted my thoughts desires and best actions are abominable sinnes in thy sight Mine eyes cannot sée thée in thy creatures mine eares cannot heare thée in thy word my mouth cannot praise thée in thy workes mine hands and féete cannot serue thée in my calling destruction and calamitie are in all my waies and the way of peace I haue not knowne For these sinnes of mine I am subiect to the curse for cursed are they that erre from thy statutes Cursed is the earth with briers and barrennesse and cursed is the heauen with often droughts and moistnesse And for my selfe what am I not subiect to by reason of sinne My bodie is subiect to all diseases my soule to all her sicknesses my name to all reproches mine estate to all casualties I deserue iustly to bee deliuered ouer to the illusions of Satan allurements of the world corruptions of my flesh hardnesse of heart desperation of thy goodnesse calamities in my calling and to eternall destruction after I am dead Vnto whom now shall I come for comfort vnto whom now shall I sue for succour I am stung with a Serpent I will looke vp to the brasen Serpent I am sicke of sinne I will goe to the Physician of my soule I lie dead in the graue of corruption who shall raise mee vp but he that is the resurrection and the life O bountifull Iesu O swéet Sauiour O thou Lambe of God that takest away the sins of the world haue mercie vpon mee Lord giue vnto me
a true and liuely faith to apprehend and applie all the promises of saluation to my sinfull soule and to this purpose illuminate mine vnderstanding confirme my memorie purifie my conscience inlarge mine heart rectifie my will order al the members of my body and so sanctifie me throughout that my whole bodie soule and spirit may be kept blamelesse till the glorious appearance of my Sauiour Christ Grant me I beséech thée knowledge of thy truth faith in thy promises feare of thy Maiestie zeale of thy glorie obedience to thy statutes faithfulnesse in my calling patience in troubles hungring after righteousnesse and a tender affection towards all my brethren Grant me I beséech thée the gift of Regeneration to become thy childe of faith to beléeue thy promises of obedience to doe thy will of prayer to séeke thy presence of comfort to endure thy trials and of strength to continue thy seruant to my liues end Grant me again and grant it I intreate thée the sauing knowledge of thy word let it bee in my minde by vnderstanding memorie by remembring thought by meditating heart by affecting tongue by speaking and mine actions by performing it to my dying day Mine heart O Lord is deceitfull let mée watch ouer it my will is vnwilling to all goodnesse let it run the way to thy commandements Many behold my life conuersation let it I beséech thée be ordered aright To this end teach mee to sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome doe thy will Thou hast placed me in a calling make me painfull in it that thereby from thée I may haue my daily bread If I haue it kéepe me from pride if not kéepe me from despaire And forgiue mee the abuse of all thy good blessings And howsoeuer I must néeds liue in this world yet let me vse it as though I vsed it not let my conuersation be in heauen mine eyes on thy presence my trust in thy prouidence my delight in thy word and the communion of Saints Make me thinke often of heauen that I may loue it of hel that I may feare it of death that I may exspect it of iudgement that I may escape it and of the vanitie of this present world that thereby I may learne to contemne it I liue by thy prouidence a life of nature I desire by thy spirit to liue the life of grace put on this desire O my God by thy spirit and draw me from good desires to delights from delights to actions from actions to continuance in dooing that which is good And because Satan the aduersarie of thine elect goeth about as a roring lion séeking whom he may deuoure let mee not be ignorant of all his enterprises Make mee wise to foresée his stratagems vigilant to beware his pitfals circumspect to preuent his practises couragious to resist his temptations and constant to ouercome his suggestions He is strong be thou stronger in me he is wise be thou wiser for me hee is watchfull be thou more watchfull about mee hee is malitious bee thou mercifull vnto me Let him neuer finde me idle for then he will allure nor carelesse for then he will surprise nor sinning for then hee will subdue O Iesu be thou Iesus vnto me saue me O Lord from this enemie of mine that this Dragon neuer infect mee with his poyson this Serpent neuer kill mee with his sting this Lion neuer teare mee with his teeth and this aduersarie neuer haue power to ouerthrow me O Christ bee thou Christ vnto mee and anoint mee so with the oile of thy Spirit that of thy fulnesse I may bee filled with grace euen that grace which may further my saluation By it I acknowledge my misery by it let mee féele thy mercie giue mee by it a broken heart a contrite spirit a sorrowfull soule an humble minde a liuely faith that by humbling my selfe I may bee lifted vp by thée and by beléeuing thy promises I may come vnto thée and that as by the one I may mourne for my sinnes so by the other I may beléeue they are pardoned I durst not bee so bold as craue this thy fauour but that I am incouraged by confidence of thy mercie Doe the simple beg wisdome thou giuest it doe the afflicted beg deliuerance thou grantest it doth he that is troubled with his sinnes come vnto thée thou séest him a farre off thou embracest him in thine armes receiuest him into thy grace againe Thou commandest why should I not obey thou promisest why should I not beléeue thou hearest why should I not speake I speake vnto thée in the language of Canaan kéepe not silence at these my prayers Thou O my Sauiour hast died for my sinnes let the power of thy death make me die vnto sin especially to my beloued sins and such as I can hardly get the mastery of Thou O Lord Christ art risen from the dead let the power of thy resurrection make mee to rise vnto newnesse of life And that which is impossible to flesh and blood make it possible by the vertue of thy blood Thou hast redéemed me suffer me not to be in sinnes captiuitie thou hast triumphed ouer Satan for me suffer mee not to be vnder his tyrannie Thou hast couered mee with the robes of righteousnesse teach mee to cast off the rags of iniquitie Thou hast washed me and I am cleane kéepe me that I return not with the swine to my wallow Thou hast begun thy good work in me performe the worke that thou hast begun and strengthen mee in the workes which I doe haue or shall take in hand Kéepe mée good Lord in my old age forsake mee not when I am gray-headed And when it shall please thée to cast me vpon my sicke bed as what man liueth who shall not sée death grant that I may take my sicknesse patiently and at the last gaspe let not either sinne or Satan take such hold vpon me that I depart this life with crying and scrichings and words of despaire but that beleeuing thy word and yéelding to thine ordinance my last houre may bee my best houre and I may say with the Psalmist Lord into thine hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Thus I still crie vnto thée for mercie because my sins crie against mee for iustice Preserue me O Lord for I trust in thée and let me in all things see that I am preserued by thee let me see it in the health of my body the peace of my conscience the gifts of my minde the credit of my name the works of my calling and vpon all such as are neere and deare vnto me Thou hast beene good vnto me in times past O that I could depend vpon thee for the time to come Thou hast by thy mercie kept mee from grosse sinnes cleanse mee I pray thée from my secret sinnes especially such as put forth their heads when I am but a little moued Am I prouoked stay mine anger is my enemy
banket Giue mee grace to put on my wedding garment that the Bridegrome of this feast neuer say vnto me Frind how camest thou hither not hauing on thy wedding garment Hast thou now commanded me to examin my selfe let me now trie and examine mine heart and looke how I stand in thy sight The Iewes would not eate with vnwashen hands dare I eat with an vnwashen heart they would not drink but their vessels must be purified and dare I now drinke and my soule not purified Before the passeouer they sanctified themselues and before this sacrament shall not I now sanctifie my self I desire to doe it Lord helpe my desire lest eating and drinking vnworthily I eate and drinke mine owne damnation I therefore being now readie to come to thy Table doe acknowledge and confesse mine owne vnworthinesse I haue sinned against thée many waies and that since I last receiued this Sacrament I haue not knowne thée in thy word beheld thée in thy workes apprehended thée in thy Sonne serued thée in the spirit applied thee by faith feared thée for thy iustice nor admired thée as I ought for thy great mercies I haue not frequented thine house heard thy word laid it vp in mine heart nor practised it in my life as I should I euen I by the lusts of mine eyes the lusts of my flesh and the pride of life haue dishonoured thy great and glorious name And when thou hast forgiuen me ten thousand talents I would not forgiue my brother and hundred pence What shall I say vnto my selfe I haue sinned I will doe so no more I haue sinned Lord forgiue me all my sins and grant that in the whole course of my life hereafter I may liue to the honour of thy great name Giue vnto me now a broken heart a contrite spirit a sorrowfull soule and a minde hungring and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnes Giue me now grace to know thée the only true God the Creator and preseruer of mankinde Giue me grace now to féele the burden of my sinnes and that I am eased of them by the blood of Christ Iesus I doe beléeue in him helpe my vnbeléefe I am sorrie for my sins make me to be heartily and vnfainedly sorrowfull I promise now to liue neerer to thée then euer I haue done giue mee power to performe my promise I forgiue all that haue wronged me euen as thou for Christs sake hast forgiuen me Let this forgiuenesse of mine be without dissimulation And because I am now to taste of bread and wine make mee to consider the vse of them I know O Lord that this sacramentall bread is not the body of thy Son this sacramentall wine is not the blood of thy Sonne but this I know out of thy holy word that they are seales of his bodie and blood Teach me therefore now most gracious God that I seeing bread and wine on the table may behold Christ vpon the crosse and obseruing the bread broken to me may consider of Christs body crucified for mee looking vpon the wine powred out of the vessell may thinke how Christs blood was powred out for my sinnes And as I receiue this bread wine into my stomack for bodily sustenance so cause me to féede on the body and blood of our Sauiour Christ that it may be nourishment for my soule Grant O Lord that I may so now come to thy holy table that hereafter I may bee partaker of thy heauenly Table through Christ my Lord and only Sauiour Amen Our Father which art c. A THANKESGIVING after the Communion ALL glorie honour and praise be giuen to thée most glorious God for all thy mercies bestowed vpon mee for mine election in thy loue my redemption by thy Sonne my sanctification by thy spirit in this life and hope of glorification in the life to come I thank thée for thy word in which I beare of thy goodnesse and I thanke thee for this Sacrament in which I behold thy fauour I haue now béene partaker of bread and wine Lord make mee partaker of Christs bodie and blood Those they will turne to the nourishment of my body let these turne to the nourishment of my soule By those I féele some refreshing for a while by these let mee feele refreshing for euer O let not Christs blood be shed in vaine for me but by it cleanse me from all my sinnes I haue now cast vp all the poyson of impietie suffer me not hereafter to licke it vp againe I haue now disgorged my selfe of reuenge let me neuer returne to my vomit againe I am now washed from all my pollution make me to remember that it is the part of a swine to wallow againe in mud or mire I haue promised now to liue better than before make the latter part of my life better than the former I am a liuing stone in thy building knit me fast to the corner stone I am a branch of the vine set mee fast in that roote I am a member of Christs body kéepe mee that I neuer bee cut off I haue renued this day my couenant with thée grant that I may kéep it to my liues end I haue this day béen put in mind of the benefit by Christs death let me euery day thinke often of his death that therby I may learn to die vnto sin And grant that euer hereafter I may so walk before thee that all such as know that I haue béen at thy table may see that I am become a new creature As for the rest of this day in which thou hast thus shewed thy selfe vnto mee grant that I may spend the same not in surfetting and drunkennesse not in chambring and wantonnesse not in sporting and idlenesse but in hearing of thy word calling on thy name meditation of thy mercies and in holy conference about heauenly things Vnto thee O Father my Creator and preseruer vnto thee O Christ my Redéemer and Iustifier vnto thee O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier and Instructor bee ascribed of mee and thy whole Church all praise and power might and Maiestie glorie and dominion both now whilest we doe liue and for euer whilest we shal liue Amen Our Father which art c. NOw the very God of peace sanctifie me throughout and I pray God that my whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen Amen A THANKESGIVING FOR our late Deliuerance from that vnnaturall conspiracie against our King and State ALmightie Lord God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our most gracious and mercifull Father many are thy mercies towards vs and that our soules know right well And as we cannot be ignorant of them vnlesse wee bee senselesse so we may not be forgetfull vnlesse we be thanklesse By thée our lot is fallen into a good soile and by thée wée haue a goodly inheritance by thée are our bodies deliuered from sicknesse and by thée are our soules
deliuered from sinne by thée our names are not a reproch vnto our enemies and by thée our estates are not a prey vnto the Idolatrous Thou euen thou hast done great things in our land and thy right hand amongst vs hath brought mightie things to passe What is it O Lord that thou hast not done vnto this vine of thine English Israel and what couldest thou doe more for it then thou hast Thou hast planted it by thy hand placed it in thy vineyard hedged it by thy prouidence garded it by thine Angels watred it by thy Spirit pruned it by thy rods supported it by thy power committed it to thy husbandmen beautified it by thy mercies and fructified it by thine abundance not of sowre but swéete grapes The wilde Boare of the woods can neuer roote it vp the beasts of the forrest shall neuer deuoure it Lord continue stil to visit this vine which without thy visitation must be fruitlesse and strengthlesse Thou hast cast out the heathen and planted vs in thou hast subdued our enemies and made vs the mirror of the whole world Thou hast giuen vs thy Sonne to be our Sauiour thy word to bee our instructor thy Spirit to be our sanctifier thy Preachers to be our monitors thy Sacraments to be our seales and Kings to be our nursing Fathers 1588. Q. Elizabeth K. Iames. 1603. and Quéenes to be our nursing Mothers When our enemies came against vs thou subduedst them when our light was extinguished thou diddest set vp a greater when the Plague was amongst vs thou calmedst it and when our Countrie was to bee betraied then wast our deliuerer What shall wee render vnto thée for all these fauours or what can we render for all these mercies O our soules praise the Lord and all that is within vs praise his holie Name O our soules praise the Lord and let vs neuer forget his benefits We Lord had béene blowen vp with the powder of rebellion had not the power of thy prouidence watched ouer vs. We therefore our Princes Nobles Clergie Commons our Wiues Children Seruants and all are heere before thy Maiestie this day now render vnto thée for more we cannot and more thou desirest not the sacrifice of praise the calues of our lips for this wonderfull deliuerance shewed vnto our gracious King and Countrie Lord teach vs thereby to bee thankfull vnto thée obedient to our Gouernours frequent in prayer feruent in the spirit and zealous in good workes lest a worse thing hereafter happen vnto vs. Make vs to detest Poperie the poyson of Authoritie Iesuites the bellowes of sedition Papists the plotters of rebellion to thinke better of our Christian Brethren this not new but most ancient Religiō of ours by which we are taught pietie to God loyaltie to Gouernors peace to the Church reuerence of superiority charitie to our inferiours amitie to our equals loue to our enemies patiēce in tribulation thankfulnesse in prosperitie faithfulnesse in our calling and honestie to all And séeing of late thou hast deliuered our backes from whipping our libertie from seruing our soules from dying our country from consuming our King and State from a sudden blowing vp Lord wee pray thée that the meditation of this mercy may neuer depart out of our mindes but that wée may bee thankfull vnto thée for mercies receiued and feareful of thée for iudgements escaped Teach vs to pray vnto thée alone who canst heare and grant our requests to kéepe our Countrey from inuasion our Church from dissension our houses from infection our State from alteration and people from the cruell mercies of the Italian Popedome whose faith is fancie whose force is fraud whose trust is treason whose obedience is hypocrisie whose lawes are traditions whose pardoners are Priests whose sauiour is the Pope whose god is an idoll whose seruice is ceremonies whose glorie is their shame and whose end is damnation except they repent Let the Sunne of the Gospell be neuer eclipsed the light of thine Israel neuer bee extinguished the hope of our happinesse neuer be subuerted nor the branches of our vine euer cut off Thus we thy people and shéepe of thy pasture shall haue iust occasion to prayse thy great Name in the face of thy Congregation from this time forth for euermore Lord kéepe in our King the spirit of Maiestie in our Quéene the spirit of Chastitie in our Prince the spirit of Pietie in our Nobles the spirit of loyaltie in our Counsellers the spirit of Prudencie in our Clergie the spirit of Vigilancie and in vs all the spirit of Fidelitie And as for such as wish euill to this Sion of ours the Honor of thy Name the Palace of thy pleasure the Place of thy protection and the wonder of the world if they belong to thée giue them hearts to repent and to returne to vs if not or euer their pots be hot with thornes let indignation vexe them as a thing that is rawe Euen so let all thine enemies perish O Lord. And vnlesse their Children be better than the Parents as the Prophet prayeth deliuer them vp to famine let them drop by the force of the sword let their wiues be robbed of their children and be widowes and let their husbands bee put to death let their confederate yong men be slain by the sword let them be ouerthrowne in the day of thine anger and let none be left to make lamentation for them and to say O my brother O my sister Lord roote all Cananites out of this land of the liuing that such as feare thée may dwell safely Blessed be the Lord God of our saluation for euer and euer and let all the people say Amen Amen 1. Sam. 12.24.25 Now therefore feare yee the Lord and serue him in the truth with all your hearts and consider how great things hee hath done for you But if yee doe wickedly yee shall perish both yee and your King GRACES He that eateth and drinketh and letteth Grace passe Sitteh downe like an Oxe and riseth like an Asse Grace before meate WE acknowledge and confesse this fauour of thine eternal God and gracious Father that it pleaseth thy Maiestie to giue vnto vs so many opportunities to méet together we beséech thée to blesse vs our méeting at this time all thy good creatures prouided for vs and grant that we may vse them soberly as in thy presence and receiue them thankfull as from thine hand to the glory of thy Name the good of our bodies the future saluation of our soules through Christ our Lord and alone blessed Sauiour Amen Grace before meate ALmightie Lord God our mercifull Father we beséech thy Maiestie to bee good vnto vs in the pardon and forgiuenesse of our sinne past and by the assistance of thy good and holy Spirit to preuent all them that are to come to watch ouer vs as thou hast done by thy speciall prouidence to direct vs continually by thy holy word to blesse vs in thy vse of all thy good creatures that now wee shall receiue from thy bountifull hand giuing strength to them to nourish vs and giuing hearts vnto vs to bee thankfull vnto thée for the same And grant that whether we eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we do else we may do all to the glorie of thy most holy Name through Christ thy Sonne and our only Sauiour Amen Grace after meate WE beséech thy Maiestie eternall God gracious Father to make vs truly and vnfainedly thankfull vnto thée for all those mercies that we haue receiued and for all those iudgements that we haue escaped both temporall concerning this life eternall concerning that life to come for thy gratious prouidence this day past for our comfortable and peaceable chéerefull méeting together in thy feare at this time and for all thy good creatures bestowed vpon vs for the comforting refreshing of these feeble and weake bodies of ours Now we humbly intreate thée that as thou hast fed them with that foode which is conuenient and necessarie for the same so it would please thée to féede our soules with that foode which perisheth not but endureth to eternall and euerlasting saluation so as we may séek so to passe through these things temporall that finally we lose not things eternall Blesse with vs thine vniuersall Church our Kings Quéenes Maiestie the Prince and their Realmes O Lord continue thy truth and peace amongst vs with the pardon and forgiuenesse of all our sinnes this day at this time and héeretofore committed against thée through Christ our Lord and blessed Sauiour Amen Another after meate O Lord of eternall glorie who hast elected vs in the loue of a Father redeemed vs by the obedience of thy Son sanctified vs by the operation of thy Spirit preserued vs hitherto by thy gracious prouidence instructed vs many times by thy good and holy word and now at this present and often heeretofore most gratiously and bountifully refreshed comforted vs with thy good creatures and with the mutuall societie and comfort one of another and hast bestowed many other good blessings and benefits vpon vs as health of bodie peace of conscience and abundance of thy good creatures which thou hast denied to many of thy seruants and déere children which deserue the same as well as our selues thy Maiesties Name be blessed and praised of vs and thy whole Church both now and for euer-more Amen FINIS