a hard matter to bee passed away from those things which doe not so neerely touch man how bitter I pray you will the separation be of soule body two such kind louing familiars who haue alwaies liued sweetly together euen from the mothers wombe surely they cannot bee separated without great griefe If the Oxe doe commonly lowe and mourne when his yoke-fellow which was wont to draw with him is taken away how will euery one of vs mourn when the soule shall be separated from the body Then will they with teares repeate their sinnes againe and againe and cry out O death bitter death doest thou 〈◊〉 separate vs And when the cogitation of so sharpe a separation is deepely setled in our minds then griefe followeth grief and sorrow commeth vpon sorrow for then it commeth presently to mind what a miserable condition the body and soule shall be in after the separation When a man beginneth to recount with himselfe that his body after a few houres shall be buried in a graue or darke tombe hee cannot cease from wondering at so abiect and miserable a condition What the body that now liueth which seeth heareth speaketh shall â—it bee made after one houre in a moment blinde deafe dumbe without spirit without life It shall haue then in stead of a large Pallace a base Sepulcher in stead of a soft bed the hard ground for delights rottennesse for sweete smels stinkes and in stead of seruants and familiar friends wormes And thus this cogitation of the graue will very sore trouble and terrifie a man in these extremities yet notwithstanding euery man feareth much more when he beginneth to consider what condition remaineth for the soule When Man beholdeth that eternitie and that new Region vnknowne to al men liuing which he then alone naked is to enter and when he vnderstandeth that there is to bee found in the same both euerlasting glory and perpetuall paine and miserie and knoweth not of which he shall take his part it cannot bee told with how great feare with what carefulnesse and with what exceeding sorrow hee shall be tormented when he perceiueth plainely that after two houres hee shall be either in eternall ioyes or in euerlasting paines Is not this a crosse very heauy surpassing all other crosses this vncertainty of a blessed or cursed estate which after a small time the sinner expecteth the remembrance of his sins and feare of the iust iudgement of God without hope of remission or faith in Christ is a hell to the mind not to be expressed For by how much the Kingdome which he desireth is of largenesse and by how much the firy furnace which he feareth is terrible by so much the greater shall this perturbation be considering also that Angels shall come to carry the faithfull vp into Heauen and infernall spirits to carry the wicked and infidels into hell But there is yet a farre greater perturbation then this namely that he shall call to mind the accouÌ„t which he is to make to God of all his words deeds and thoughts for of it self 〈◊〉 is a horrible thing to thinke vpon the day of iudgement the which horror will wonderfully and extremely vexe disquiet the Diuels themselues for as so long as we liue they set forth vnto vs the mercy of God and doe also commend the same and doe striue all that they can to keepe vs from meditating of his iustice iudgements euen so now on the contrarie they extenuate and make his mercy insufficient and doe set before our eies the greatnesse and seuerity of the Lords iustice Then will the sinner beginne to tremble and fal into desperation and will beginne to reason thus with himselfe If God for the sinnes of others spared not his onely Sonne will he spare me which am guilty of so many sinnes If this be done in the green tree what shall befall that which is seare and drie If the Prophets if the Apostles if the Martyrs after they liued godly so many yeeres entred not into the Kingdome of Heauen without tribulations what other place can bee left for mee but that of hell fire which know no good that I haue done If the Scripture be true which saith He will render to euery man according to his workes what should I which haue done so many horrible and great wickednesses looke for but eternall torments If that of the Apostle bee true as in deed it is when he saith That which a man soweth that shall he reape what shall hee reape but eternall death which hath made so cursed a so wing Iâ— no polluted thing shall enter into the Kingdome of God how shal I which am altogether filthy and vncleane haue hope to make so happy and blessed an entrance Then all his sinnes which he committed with so greater desire and facility when hee liued shall violently inuade the sinfull man like an hoast of enemies then the feare of punishment will open the eyes which sleeping security in sinne before had shut then ambition pride thefts murthers adulteries fornications gluttonies drunkennesse lying periury idle words vncleane thoughts negligent slacknesse and all that naughty is will come to remembrance O how heauy and grieuous will they then seeme to be which now seem so light and are done with so much sweetnes and pleasure How greatly will they then torment the minde of the sinner Who is able to expresse that last agonie wherein the soule fighteth with sore and painefull sicknesse with the temptations of diuels with feare of the iudgement to come and all this at one instant Then commeth that last perturbation the failing of all the senses as the fore-runner of death approaching which vehemently terrifieth At what time the breast swelleth the speech groweth hoarse faint and hollow the eyes sinke the nose beginneth to be sharpe the countenance waxeth pale the feete die and the arteries send forth a cold sweate These things which do thus appeare outwardly are grieuous and full of horror but they are without all comparison more greeuous horrible which are felt inwardâ—â— for as Saint 〈◊〉 writeth of blessed 〈◊〉 saying Though hee had many yeeres serued God yet did hee feare at the time of his departure What shall they doe who many yeeres haue serued the Diuell and their execrable wickednesses and who haue prouoked God vnto wrath whither shall they goe whose helpe shall they craue what counsell shall they take If they look vpward they shall see the drawne sword of Gods Iustice if downeward they shall see a gulfe gaping and hell fire there if the time past they shall see all things vanished away like a shadow if the time to come they shall behold the eternitie of Worlds which shall last without end Who can bee able to resist and abide the assault of the diuels who will bee then busiest in their desire to bestirre them with all their might and maine What shall then sinfull men doe which are left in this estate Returne they cannot and
longer to abide in this state will not bee permitted them If we did but vnderstand and know what manner of battell this is and what manner of burthen is then to bee borne by man in this houre wee would then verily bee other manner of persons then heretofore we haue beene All these things Faith teacheth Nature proclaimeth Experience testifieth and it is euident to euerie one of vs that wee shall come vnto that state wherein wee will desire with all our heart that wee had bridled ourselues from all our wickednesse that we 〈◊〉 exercised all the workes of vertue that we had liued 〈◊〉 al holinesse and not spent our time in vanitie Let vs not imitate foolish men who looke vpon present things onely let vs wisely â—rouide for things to come and so by the grace of God wee shall bring to passe by our godly meditation and praiers that the same houre which to others is the beginning of sorrowes to vs shall be the beginning of joy and felicitie Thus far is shewed what may befall a man at the point of death vntill the moment of his departure Now let vs see how the body is bestowed after the separation of the soule from it After the dissolution the body lieth vpon the ground not a humane body but a dead carcasse without life without sense without strength and so fearefull to looke vpon that the sight thereof may hardly be indured to be short it is little better as touching the substance then the body of a horse or a dogge which lyeth dead in the fields and all that passe by stop their noses and make hast away that they be not annoyed with the sight and â—linke thereof Such is Mans body now becom though it were the body of a monarch Emperor or King Where is now that maiestie that excellencie that authoritie which it had afore-time when men trembled to behold it and might not come in presence thereof without all reuerence and obeisance Where are all those things become were they a dreame or a shadow After all those things the funerall is prepared which is all they haue of all their riches and possessions and this also they should not haue if in their life time they did not appoint it for their dignitie and honour The Prophet Dauid saith truely Be not thou afraid though one be made rich or if the glory of his house be encreased for hee shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth neither shall his pompe follow him A pit is digged seuen or eight foot long and that must serue euen Alexander the Great whom the World could not containe In this pit the dead carkasse must dwell alone continually whereto as soone as it is come the wormes doe welcome it and the bones of other dead men are constrained to giue place In this house of perpetuall obliuion and silence the carkasse being wound in a sheete and bound hands and feete is shut vp though it neede not to haue so great labour bestowed vpon it for it would not runne away out of that prison though the hands and feete were loose If we doe but consider a little of the Tombes and Sepulchers of Princes and Noble men whose glory and maiesty we haue seene when they liued heere on earth and do behold the horrible formes and shapes which they now haue shall wee not erie out as men amazed Is this that glory is this that highnesse and excellencie where now are the degrees of their waiting seruants where are their ornaments and jewels where is their pompe their delicacie and nicenesse all these things are vanished away with the smoake and there is now nothing left but dust horror and stinke Now leauing the Body in the graue let vs consider how the soule entreth into the new World As soone as the soule of the sinner is dissolued from the flesh it beginneth to passe through a Region vnknowne where there are new Inhabitants and a new manner of liuing What then shall the miserable and sinfull pilgrime doe when he shall see himselfe alone in such an vnknowne Region being full of feare and horror how and by what meanes shall he defend himselfe from those most fierce theeues and horrible monsters which in those vast Deserts doe assaile passengers this verily is a fearfull journey and yet the iudgement is much more fearefull which in that place is exercised Who is able to expresse the vprightnesse of the Iudge the seueritie of the iudgement the diligence of inquisition and the multitude of witnesses in this iudgement teares will not preuaile praiers will not be heard promises will not be admitted repentance will be too late riches honourable Titles Scepters Diadems these will profite much lesse The inquisition will be so curious and diligent that not one light thought nor one idle word not repented of in the World past shall be forgotten For truth it selfe hath said that of euery idle word which men haue spoken they shall giue an account in the day of iudgement how many which doe now â—in with great delight yeâ— euen with greedinesse of heart will be then astonished ashamed and silent Then shall the daies of thy mirth be ended and thou shalt be ouerwhelmed with euerlasting darknesse and instead of thy pleasures thou shalt haue euerlasting torments When Ieremy had remembred all the calamities and sinnes of the Iewes at the last he imputed all to this Shee remembred not her end So if wee may iudge why naturall men care for nothing but their pompe why great men care for nothing but their golden gaine why voluptuous Epicures care for nothing but their pleasure why the pastor careth not for his flock nor the people for their pastor we may say with Ieremy They remember not their end When Salomon had spoken of all the vanities of men at last he opposeth this against all Remember thou shalt come to iudgement As if hee should haue said Men would neuer speake as they speake thinke as they think nor doe as they doe if they were perswaded that their thoughts words and deeds should come to iudgement What if wee had died in the â—aies of our ignorance like Iudas that hanged himselfe before he could see the passion resurrection or ascention of CHRIST IESVS We are therefore to number our daies and our sinnes too But alas how many daies haue we spent and yet neuer thought why aâ—y day was giuen vs but as the old yeer went and new came so wee thought that a new would follow that and that another will follow this and God knoweth how soone we may be deceiued for so they thought that are now in their graues This is not to number our daies but to prouoke God to shorten our daies Which of vs haue not liued twenty yeeres yea and some thirty or forty and happely some many more and yet we haue neuer applied our hearts aright vnto wisedome O if we had learned but euery yeere one vertue since we were borne we might
grant me perfect patience in all trâ—bulations and aduersitie Preserue me from pride â—re enuâ—e couetousnesse and from all offences contrarie to thy law suffer no false delight of this deceiueable life by fleshlie temptation and fraude of the â—â—end to blind mee at the houre of my death I beseech thee O Lord grant me such a light of thy ghostlie wisdome that I may doe those things which are most acceptable to thee grant mee grace to doe hurt to nobodie but to helpe those with good counsell which haue offended thee and make me to proceede in vertue vntill such time as I shall see thy Omnipotent Maiestie and let me not turne to those sinnes which I haue sorrowed for and accused my selfe of The horrible sentence of endlesse death the terrible iudgement of damnation thy wrath ire and indignation mercifull Lord let them neuer fall vppon me thy mercie and thy merites euer bee betweene them and me Lord grant mee grace inwardlie to feare and dread thee and to eschew those things whereby I might offend thee giue mee a contrite heart for that I haue offended thee good Father remoue my sinfull dispositions which dull mine heart and like lead doe suppresse me Let me not forget the riches of thy goodnesse of thy patience of thy long sufferance and benignitie let the threatning of paine and torment which shall fall vpon sinners the losse of thy loue and of thy heauenlie inheritance euer make me feare to offend thee Suffer mee not deare Father to liue and die in sinne but soone call me to repentance when I haue displeased thee and grant mee grace trulie to loue thee and when I offend thee smite mee not with thy wrathfull indignation I beseech thee but let it be thy gentle rodde of correction Let the remembrance of thy kindnesse and patience conquer the malicious wretched desire in mee draw me Lord to thee by thy holy spirit and doe with mee according to thy mercie and not after my vnthankefulnesse withdraw tâ—y sword of vengeance O Lord for thy great mercie sake and grant me to be the childe of saluation whereby I may haue glorification cleere fight and fruition of the Deitie and bee euer present to see the glorious Trinitie O sweete Sauiour Lord Iesus Christ grant me grace for to remember perfectlie the danger of death and the great account which I must then giue to thee Lord dispose so of mee then that my soule may bee acceptable in thy sight turne net thy louing face then from me but be a merciful King meeke Iudge at that dreadful houre of my visitation that I may not haue the â—igour of thy righteousnesse which is Goeâ—e câ—rsed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels but to heare that comfortable saluation which thou doest giue to thy chosen Come yee blessed of my Father and enioy the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the World Let this hope of thy mercies comfort my sick weake soule that I neuer fall into desperation of thy endlesse mercie For the merites of thy Sonne Christ Iesus I beseech thee grant mee these petitions which I haue asked of thee haue mercie on me awretched sinner And I beseech thee bring me to thine euerlasting glorie there to rest in blisse World without end A Prayer to GOD to defend vs from euill company and our tongues from vttering â—ll words O Lord Iesus grant mee grace to â—lie euill companie and when I come among them for thy glorious passion I beseech thee to preserue me that no occasion of sinne ouercome me and send me comfort from thy omnipotent Maiestie to withstand al illusions of the flesh whereby thy blessed name may be dishonoured Keepe my mouth good Lord from slanders ill speaking lying false witnessebeating cursing swearing vncharitable châ—ding dissolute laughing and words of vanitie Make me blessed Lord with dread to remember that thou presentlie hearest me and that the least of my words shall iudge me Suffer not my heart to be light of credite in hearing that which is detraction obloquy rancour and ire Represse all inordinate affections of carnalitie and where I haue by euil fellowship offended thy Maiestie I beseech thee for the helpe of thy mercies in so offending thee let thy power protect me thy wisdome direct me thy fatherlie pittie correct me and send me a gracious life and a blessed ending and with thy goodnes preserue me from euerlasting damnation and terrour of mine enemie Jn my temptations I beseech thee Lord to helpe me and to keepe my soule from consent to sinne For the tender loue thou bearest to mankinde repell the power of my aduersaries which intend the damnation of mee Possesse my soule O Sauiour with all humble subâ—ection to thy law and make mee pure in spirit meeke in speaking patient in suffering to hunger after righteousnesse and to bee mercifull to all them that be in miserie Make mee peaceable in conueâ—sation cleane in heart vnto godlie meditation and ioyfull to suffer persecution for thee Let all my powers and desires bee ruled according to thy will let all my petitions be ordered by thy wisdome to the euerlasting profit of my soule Lord keepe my soule and my bodie whereby I may be patient in suffering iniuries rebukes let me leade that life which thou knowest to be most to thine honor and my eternall felicity Fill mine heart with contrition and mine eies with teares that I neuer be forsaken of thee Awake my dull soule from the sleepe of sin and send mee helpe Lord from Heauen to ouercome the olde serpent with all his crafts Deliuer me from the enemie of daâ—kenesse and his great crueltie let thy obedience recompence for mine obstinacie thy abstinence for my superfluitie thy meekenesse and thy patience for my pride irefull heart enmitie Thy charitie for my malice thy deuotion for my dulnesse thy louing heart for mine vnkindnesse thy holy death for my wretched life Lord grant mee grace in the time of prayer to fixe my minde on thee and at that time to remember the perils of bodie and soule which I haue escaped and the benefits that I haue receiued thorow thy great mercie And I thanke thee most Heauenlie Father for all the Creatures which thou hast made to helpe man and that thou hast made man after thine owne Image in glorie to honour thee The motions of my running mind the desire of mine vnstable heart in time of praier stop and stay Lord I beseech thee and represse the power of my ghostlie enemie which then doth with-draw my minde from thee and thy true seruice to many vaine imaginations Lord I beseech thee to take me into thy power and with thy goodnesse glad me Lord let my minde be so occupied in goodnesse that my prayers may bee acceptable to thee Heare now sweet Sauiour the voice of a sinner who would faine loue thee and with the heart as greatlie please thee as euer hee hath offended thee I
beseech thee saue my enemies from thy wrath and forgiue them that haue offended thee like as I would bee forgiuen in those things whereby I haue offended thee Giue mee grace to order my life O Lord and the workes of my bodie soule with resolued intent neuer to offend thee whereby I may receiue the reward of thy infinite ioy and eternall felicitie O Lord Iesus Christ grant mee whatsoeuer thy diuine wisdome knoweth most expedient for mee and that this miserable life is not worthy to obtaine Grant at the houre of my death I neuer fall from thee when as I shall bee accused for my hainous offences and sinnes committed against thy omnipotent Maiestie I beseech thee breake my froward heart and make it obedient vnto thee Lord keepe me from sudden death and preserue mee so by thine almightie hand and grant me sweete Father to haue a contempt of this World that I may with a iâ—yfull heart come into thy blessed presence Let the remembrance of thy death make mee ioifull wherby I may endure temptations tribulations and make mee so to loue thee that I may come to inherite that ioifull immortall and glorious life most excellent blisse and endlesse felicitie which is ordained in thy heauenlie Kingdome and for thy seruants prepared Lord grant me these supplications which I haue made to thee at this present grant me here in this Pilgrimage a gracious life and â— blessed ending free from debt and deadly sinne and after my death bring mee to euerlasting life there to haue an endlesse blisse and felicitie Amen A Prayer to GOD for hiâ— great goodnesse vnto Man O My Soueraigne Lord Iesu the very true Son of Almightie God that sufferedst death for my sake I beseech thee Lord haue mercie on mee that am a wretched sinner but yet thy creature For thy tender passion keepe me from all perils bodilie and ghostlie and especiallie from all things that may turne to thy displeasure And with all my heart I thanke thee most mercifull Lord for the great mercies which thou hast shewed me in the great dangers which I haue beene in as well in soule as in bodie and that thy grace and endlesse mercie hath alway kept and saued mee since the houre of my birth vnto this day Lord I beseech thee let thy mercie be continued towards mee and for my great offences vnkindnesse wretched and sinfull life Lord â— humblie aske pardon for the same at thy Almightiâ— hands And I thanke thee moâ—â— gracious Lord for thy greâ—â— benefits and graces which thou hast so largely bestowed on me before many other Creatures who haue betteâ— deserued then I. Lord I doe here meekeliâ— prostrate my selfe in heart aâ— it becommeth thy seruant promising neuer to offenâ— thee more tendering all honour and praise to thy holiâ— name who liuest raigne one God World withoâ—â— end Amen A Prayer to GOD to deliâ—er vs from our ghostlie Enemies MOst deare Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ I beseech thee of thy benigne goodnesse and mercie to protect saue keepe and defend me against the assaults of my ghostlie enemies for I haue no other trust hope nor succour but thee alone Grant me therefore most gracious Father to dread loue thee aboue all things in this present life and after this life ended to enioy the Kingdome prepared for all true beleeuers Further I beseech thee that thou wilt vouchsafe out of thy great mercie and clemencie to shew thy bountifull goodnesse vpon me anâ— to forgiue me all my sinnes and grant that I may perseuere euerlastinglie in alâ— goodnesse and serue thee aright that after this life â— may raigne with thee in euerlasting glorie Worlâ— without end Amen A Prayer to GOD daâ—lie to be saide O My most blessed Lord the wel spring of pity and Fountaine of endlesse mercie I humbly beseech thee to giue mee grace so to spend this my transitory life in vertuous and godly exercises that when the day of my death shal come though I feele paine in my body yet I may feele comfort in my soule and with a faithfull hope of thy mercie imbrace thy messenger so contentedlie that I may wâ—llingly thorow thy grace and strength depart out of this vale of misâ—riâ— in loue towards thee and charitie towards the World that I may hasten me to that glorious Counâ—rey wherein thou hast purchased mee an inheritance for euer with thy most precious bloud O my sweete Sauiour and Lord Iesus Christ I beseech thee while thou doest suffer mee to liue in this World be so gracious a Father as to giue vnto me a contrite and cleane heart quiet and patient a bodie chaste humble and obedient to follow thy will and alwaies ready to do thee seruice To thee O God bee alâ— praise which hast â—ermitteâ— mee to accomplish thiâ— worke grant O â—ordâ— iâ— may bee to thee acâ—eptable to my soule healthfâ—l and to others profitable through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer to be vsed at all times O Heauenly Lord and Omnipotent Father the patterne of all goodnes and follower of all vertues most stoute ouerthrower of all wickednesse and sharpest rooter vp of vices mercifullie behold my frailety and pronenesse to euill Helpe me with thy superâ—al power that I may learne â—o despise all earthly pleaâ—â—res and the vanities thereâ—â— and loue all celestiall and â—eauenly things Make mee resist all sinne which stands betweene thy â—aiesty and my weake spiâ—â—t ready to ouerthrow mee â—â— thy mercies were not assiâ—â—ant to my poore soule Make me to withstand all â—â—mptations firmely to imâ—race vertue to eschew all â—orldlie honours and carâ—all delights and to bewaile â—â—ine offences committed in â—y sight I beseech thee restraine my â—â—bridled desires with thy â—â—uing hand whereby I may â—â—staine from a leude and â—ose life and accustome my selfe with goodnesse to thâ— end that by thy benefit anâ— gift of grace by the true woâ—shipping and seruing of thâ— Omnipotent Maiestie I maâ— possesse the Crowne of eueâ—lasting life in thy Kingdomeâ— prepared for thine â—leâ— World without end Amen A Prayer to bee daily saide vnto our Lord Iesus Christ O Maker of Heauen anâ— Earth King of Kingâ— Lord of Lords which of nothing diddest make mee tâ— thine Image and likenessâ— and didst redeeme mee witâ— thine owne blood when I sinner was not worthy tâ— name to call or with heâ— to thinke vpon thee Humbly I desire meekâ—ie pray thee that thou gentâ—ie wilt behold mee thy sinâ—ull and wreâ—ched seruant O haue mercie on mee thou which â—adst mercy on the woman of Canaan vpon Mary Magdalen vpon the â—ublican vpon the thiefe â—anging on the Crosse Vnto thee I confesse Lord â—y sinnes which if I would cannot hide from thee Haue mercy Lord on me or I am a wretched sinner â—hich haue sore offended â—ee in pride couetousnsse â—luttony letchery vaingloâ—â—e hatred enuie adulterie â—â—est lying backbiting â—orting dissolute and wanâ—â—n laughing idle words â—aring tasting sleeping â—orking and many more waies
Come ye blessed c. Go ye cursed c. THE SOVLES Alarum-bell WHEREIN THE sicke Soule through the horror of conscience being awakened from security by the sight of sinne hath recourse to GOD by MEDITATION and PRAYER By H. Thompson Watch pray lest ye fal into temptation Mat. 26. At London printed by Io. Beale 1618. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Sir Ivlivs Caesar Knight one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Counsell Henry Thompson wisheth increase of grace and all spirituall gifts by Iesus Christ our Lord. THe chiefe and principal thing Right Honourable appertaining to euerie worthy personage which thing it is good to see that your Honour doth well consider is to walke in the Garden of humility whereto the â—igh 〈◊〉 direct way is to passe by 〈◊〉 of Vertue whose 〈◊〉 is anchored and lincked to the feare and loue of GOD. For as by the one 〈◊〉 couered the multitude of sinnes so by the other is obtained blessednesse wisedome and knowledge Dauid that noble King and Prophet after hee had long trauelled and passed through the Gate of Vertue entred the faire and pleasant Garden of Humilitie and his walking and continuance therein so much pleased God that hee saide of him by the mouth of his Prophet I will set vp thy seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy bodie And now knowing most Honourable Knight the great loue and affection which your Honor euer hath and doth beare to vertue and godlinesse I was thereby moued the more boldlie after I had gathered together this small-handfull of flowers named The Soules Alarum-Bel to dedicate the same to your Honour as the fruite of my labours nothing doubting but that they shall bee acceptable vnto you and shelter themselues vnder your fauourable sure protection And I thought good to set forth a Treatise of this nature the rather because meditation is the key that openeth to vertue and all godlines for the encrease of vertue and godly liuing leading all them that follow it to tread in the right and true pathe which our Sauiur Christ hath prescribed vnto vs in his holy Gospell I most humbly beseeche your Honour to accept it as my good will towards you a shew of thankefulnesse but no satisfaction for the great fauours and kindnesses which my friends and I haue receiued from your Honour So crauing your honourable patience pardon herein if any thing haue escaped me for want of knowledge or learning I shall according to my bounden dutte call dailie with my most humble and heartie prayers to Almighty GOD that hee will finish that good which hee hath begunne in you praying also for the prosperous preseruation of your health and posteritie long to liue in honour ioy and felicitie in this World and to send you in the World to come a ioyfull Resurrection Amen Your Honors to commande in all duty and seruice Henry Thompson The Preface to the Reader REligious Reader amongst other there bee two seuerall causes which haue instigated me to enterprise and publish this worke of Meditation partly because of mine owne exercise and commodity for the health of my soule in the World to come and the good ordering of my body here in this present troublesome Pilgrimage and partly for the vtility and profit of my natiue Countrey the aduancement and benefit whereof euery Man is bound both by nature and conscience to studie by all meanes possible to the vttermost of his power for the true leading of the soule into the right path of righteousnesse And for that purpose euery Man is bound to distribute according to the greatnes or smalnesse of the Talent ministred and lent vnto him bee it neuer so little if it may any way profit and see it doe not remaine in him as dead and frustrate but rather that it bee bestowed forth to encrease and fructifie But gentle Reader the manifold miseries and calamities of this our wretched life which are incident to our fraile flesh being duly considered doe enforce vs to seeke out the right way of Meditation for the comfort of our weake and oppressed soules ouer growne with the deluge of sinne Now if we did rightly know the aboundance of benefits which true Meditation being poured forth to GOD in zeale of heart doth bring wee would bee farre more industrious to find it and being once found and surely lodged in the secret chamber of our hearts we would be farre more desâ—rous to keepe it the thoghts of our hearts are as so many spectacles to demonstrate and make apparant vnto vs the benefit necessity force and vse of holy â—editation inciting vs both to frequency and feruency therein without which besides many other benefits which thereby wee either obtaine or lose neither can Sathan be resisted nor our faith manifested nor GOD daily honoured There be many considerations likewise therunto mouing aâ— the shortnesse of our life which is but a span and the vanity thereof the suddennesse of Christs comming in a moment the strict and fearefull account that must bee â—â—dered at the day of his appearance for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vngodly vncharitable and vnchristian liuing and behauiour And because holy Meditation is a mourning and desire of the Spirit to God for that which is lacking euen as the sicke man sorroweth for his health whereby being reconciled to God by faith he may enioy the thing he doth expect and craue or hath need of In what a desperate danger may wee bee thought to bee in if wee shall shew our selues slacke or carelesse in this so auailable a dutie Let vs therefore meditate in all places and at all times calling to mind the largenesse of Gods gracious loue and his louing kindnesse in Christ Iesus our Sauiour who biddeth vs aske and it shall be giuen knocke and it shall be opened And whensoeuer thou art burthened or oppressed with thy sinnes or any other misery or calamity in the World vse godly and holy meditation and be thou then fully assured the Lord will offer himselfe to be reconciled to thee if thou thy selfe be readie and faithfull to call for the same at his hands To the furthering whereof and as it were the tracing a path thereto consider that life it selfe is but the harbenger of death and we liue to die GOD that numbred the haires of our head hath unmbered our yeeres also which we cannot passe whether in middle age or in old age or in Infancy when and where and how we know not for the issue of death is in the hands of God Our end and finall dissolution is therefore concealed from vs because we should be alwayes meditating and prepared for our end and thinke euery moment vpon death which is the ende of all flesh Dauid teacheth vs to looke backe into our liues by holy meditation whereby wee may learne to redeeme the time by timely repentance Psal 90. As a Bird guideth her â—light with her traine so the life of man is best directed by a continuall meditating recourse
is or shal be and euery mans thought and deede done or to be done in the world is present to his knowledge For the eternall essence of God which must excell all other beings hath in it selfe such a nobilitie that it comprehendeth all the whole plenty of life together and knitteth time past and time to come with the time present and nothing is to God past or to come but all things are to him present For if any thing were to him newly knowen then God had not all perfect knowledge in him as the beginning and so there should bee in God some mutability and change and augmentation of knowledge And because hee had euer most perfect being and most perfect knowledge and his knowledge cannot bee separated from his being as I haue proued before it must needes follow that God knew all things euer and euery thing was euer is and shall bee to him present CHAP. II. What the Soule is THere is a three-fold soule that is to say a soule Vegetatiue Sensitiue and Intellectiue a soule vegetatiue is that life that is in Plantes Trees Grasse Herbes or fruits which do Gen. 2. 9. grow A soule sensitiue is that life which is in a brute beast which occupieth vseth the fiue senses such as are the taste the smelling the hearing the sight and touching but lacketh reason and vnderstanding as is a horse a cowe a bird a fish and such like But a soule intelectiue is aspiritual substance created inuisible most like to the immortall God hauing no other image or figure but only of his creator Gen. 1. â—7 Ephes 4. 2. and hath a liuely power and vnderstanding to know good from euill and right from wrong man is that Creature to whom GOD hath giuen this soule Intellectiue Now because man hath growing as plants and herbes haue he is therefore called liuely and because he hath the vse of the fiue senses as brute beastes haue therefore hee is called Sensible and because hee hath reason and vnderstanding therefore hee is called Reasonable A man then is nothing else but a liuely sensible and reasonable creature For the body and the reasonable soule ioyned together doe make a man Therefore there is no Creature of God in earth that hath any knowledge and reason how to do honour to God saue onely man so that God will by his goodnesse and mercy reward man for Mat. 25. his good deeds and by his Iustice punish him for his offences and euill deeds For the soule of man is immortall and shall neuer dye For no incorporeal substaÌ„ce created by God shall euer haue end Which thus is proued the soule must needs be made of somewhat or else of nothing but there can bee nothing named of the which it is made or if it be made of any other meane thing or things then must it bee made of part of it selfe which so gathered together maketh the whole soule or else it is made of some matter with some forme and fashion added thereto but it is not made of parts gathered together for the soule hath no parts nor cannot be deuided neither is it made of any other matter for euery thing that is made of any matter and forme may bee resolued vnto the same matter whereof it was first made when the forme or fashion is broken or destroyed as an Image an house a cup such like And therefore sith that the soule of man cannot bee resolued to any such matter whereof it is made because it is a simple substance of it selfe ergo it is made of no matter Then if it be neither made of part of it selfe neither of any matter it hath no meane cause of it creation and being and as it must needs be immediately made Gen. 1. 26. of God which is infinite so consequently it followeth that the soule of man must needs bee infinite incorruptible and immortall and doth liue after it is separated from the body either in ioy or paine And as touching the being of the â—oule after it is separated from the body it is not circumscribed in any place For a naturall place is the vtter and extreame terme or part and hollow superficies of a body containing another body within it a superficies is that which hath but length and breadth and no manner of thicknesse for 〈◊〉 it haue length breadth and thicknesse then it is a body So that euery thing that I see which is the obiect of my sight and whereupon my sight doth rest not considering the thicknesse is called a superficies so the vtter part of euery bodily thing that I do see is called the Superficies because I do see the length breadth thereof but not the thicknesse As by example a Tun is called by coÌ„mon people the place of the wine because it containeth the wine within it and so that hollow superficies of the tunne is the very naturall place of the wine and such a naturall place doth containe within it alwaies a corporall substance and a bodily thing Therefore the soule can neuer bee contained in any naturaâ—l place because it is no corporall substance but a spirituall which doth occupy no place no more then the thought or minde doth which occupieth no place Also vnderstand thou that there bee two kind of things which haue being the one is a reall thing and the other is a rationall A reall thing is that which is perceiued by the Organs and Instruments of the fiue wits as that thing which may be seene heard tasted felt or smelled But rationall things are those which bee not perceiued by the fiue witts but onely bee perceiued by reason and they bee things incorporeall as loue charity meeknesse abstinence pride malice sloth and such other Furthermore of places there bee three diuersities One is a place Continentiue another is a place Limitatiue and the third a place Operatiue A place Continuentiue is that wherein reall things as bodies images and figures be contained as the Tunne wherein the wine is contained A place Limitatiue is where things incorporeal bee limited to bee as the proper place limitatiue for loue is that thing which is loued and that thing which is so loued is the place limited for that to bee and there the loue is in his place limitatiue which place limitatiue of loue cannot bee euer certaine but mutable and because loue may bee at once in diuers things therefore loue may bee in diuers places limitatiue at one time A place operatiue is that place where the operation of the thing is because wee see that the maruailous operation of God is that maruailous swift mouing of the heauenly Spheares and bodies aboue which do appeare to vs therefore wee say that the place where God is is heauen so that Gen. 1. 8 where so euer the operation of God appeareth there is the place operatiue and there is God And thus to conclude God hath ordained a place of ioy a place
weakenesse to bid him depart and say him Nay It is Matt. 16. 20. but a bitter recompence to buy the pleasures at so deare a rate as at the price of the soule in euerlasting confusion for our life is short and fading and but the length of a shanne and if thou thinke it more take the Counters into thy hands and see what reckoning thou canst make of it What is past grieues thee with the remembrance thereof because so much of thy time is spent what is present burdeneth thee with the weight thereof because in sweat and soare study and trauell thou doest waste thy time what is to come troubleth thee with the vncertainty of it lest the graue do swallow thee before thou see it Yea make thine account as thou oughtest and thou shalt find it swifter then the Weauers shuttle Iob 7. 6 and speedier then a post on the wings of the wind Iob 9. 25. Then in consideration of this and whatsoeuer hath beene spoken to the vnâ—lothing of our nakednesse and humbling vs before God to the pulling off our robes of leuity and lightnesse and the preparing our bodies to the graue and our soules to this insuing exercise of holy meditation to the daunting of all flesh All must come and the houre may be neere but it cannot be farre off and howsoeuer wee forget it it will bee sure to remember vs. Therefore let vs know that here as Pilgrimes and strangers wee wander hauing no abiding City but wee seeke for one to come But wee must not seeke to find it here nor suffer the vaine applause of the world and the vainer conceit of our selues to make vs forget where wee liue remembring that wee are of our selues but as trees turned vpwards hauing no sap from the Earth but refreshed and moistened with the deaw of Heauen Let vs so prouide for our iourney that wee misse not the Ciâ—y wee seeke for Let vs so runne our race that we obtaine the victorie and reward we runne for and therefore if thou expect in thy labour blessing in thy peace continuance in affliction comfort in thy death triumph in thy iudgement ioy respect in thy life sobâ—iety in thy calling honesty in thy pleasures iudgement in thy sorrowes in thy life religion If God be not with thee to direct thee that thou stray not to correct thee that thou presume not to sustaine thee that thou famish not to pardon thee that thou despaire not to support thee that thou stumble not to strengthen thee that thou fall not and to sanctifie thee that thou sinne not and to glorifie thee that thou perish not If the Lord thorowout the whole course of thy life and in thy death be not present and powerfull to thee thou faintest in the one and failest in the other and desperation enuironeth thee on euery side for where the Lord keepeth not watcheth not but turneth away his face all the miseries in the World then will lay their siege Therefore to him let vs day and night send vp our supplications and prayers vnfainedly without ceasing like incense into the aire whereby that mercifull and louing Sauiour of mankind may continue his goodnesse towards vs and giue vs that what we want to support vs by his grace to direct vs by his Spirit and so leade vs thorowe this exemplarie World of sinne and wickednesse with our eyes so looking forward fixed on him that we let not temptations in at their windowes so captiuating our desires vnto the omnipotency of his Maiesties will that with Lot we may be righteous in a City in a World of vncleannesse that so wee may saue our soules at the last though we lose all the vaine pleasures in the World besides The losse of 〈◊〉 soule would more 〈◊〉 Sathan then 〈◊〉 sorroweth for the daâ—nation of his owne but Christ our louing Sauiour he being ouâ— onely and chiefe Precursor into Heauen euen vnto his last breath being not vnmindfull of his little flocke did as Abraham vnto Isa ackâ— as Dauid vnto Salomon as Tobias vnto his son bequeathed vnto his a few small houres before his glorification his best and principall legacy being eternall life confirming it vnto them in his last and latest prayer made for his Apostles This is life eternall that we know thee to bee the onely very God without beginning or ending and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ That wee know him who he is and Rom. 11. what he is 1 Who he is euen the principall and singular essence from whom and by whom all things were created all things are preserued all things shall be dissolued 2 What hee is great in wisdome and therefore knoweth powerfull in strength and therefore can plentifull in loue and therefore will crowne those which hee knoweth and know those euerlastingly which hee loueth and loue those most tenderly which know and acknowledge him By his knowledge he will rule by his strength defend by his loue embrace all that know and acknowledge him that know him after a long and earnest seeking him and acknowledge him by a most gracious and happy finding him seeking him among their miseries finding him in his mercies seeking him in the croud and preasse of their sinnes finding him in the top of his Crosse seeking Him in finding our selues finding him in seeking our selues As wee desire to know and find God so wee must endeuour by all means possible to know and seeke out our sâ—lues and make a true inquisition about our selues before wee can attaine and reach vnto the right knowledge of him that made vs. For God being as he is without beginning and ending and not subiect to definition or Description must be shadowed per posteriora because hee hath not priora he being primum principium the primary cause principall ground of euery principle yea that principium principiorum that illimited wonderfull and vnsearchable Alpha must bee Apoc. 1. comprehended and knowne by his effects It is meere dotage in Philosophie to search out causes of Principles when they are Principles they haue not precedent causes and therefore those things that borrow not their proofe demonstration from fore-running causes their brightnesse and luster must appeare by their effects Since then God in regard of his being which is without ending is incompreheÌ„sible and void of all demonstration mans frailtie must labour to know him by his effects and works For the inuisible wisdome of God is seene by the creation of the world and if in any creature the perfect Art of Gods omnipotencie may be comprehended it is in nothing more then in man vpon whom he hath set the stampe of his owne image Man therefore must know him giue him that due reuerence of honor which pertains to the omnipotencie of his Maiestie for in knowing GOD man knowes himselfe as being his workmanship Therefore wee ought to loue and know him as our Maâ—er Creator Redeemer First know thy selfe with the eye of experience then know
hard Therefore let vs kill sinne in the beginning then shall we not sinne in concupiscence much lesse in practising of sinne and delighting in sin The other cause is the malice and watchfulnesse of the Diuell by which he holdeth 2 Tim. 2. 26. fast his seruants captiues for he which committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne and is held in captiuitie with the snares of the Diuell as the Apostle teacheth euen at his will The diuel is that strong Luc. 11. 21 armed man which with great care diligence standeth vpon his guard wherevpon Saint Augustine faith Hee is not so strong by his owne strength as by our owne negligence although his power be very great yet hee taketh not so much by force as by his subtill suggestions for which cause hee did not aske leaue of our Sauiour Christ that hee might cast him downe from the pinnacle of the Temple but Mat. 4. sought rather to perswade Christ to cast himselfe down headlong The Serpent in like manner sought not by force to cramme Eue but allured her to take it her selfe Gen. 3. that shee might as it were with her owne knife cut her owne throate The Diuell will not breake open the doore vpon vs but hee must find it open empty swept and garnished and then hee Mat. 12. will enter and that hee may thus make our selues the instruments of our owne miserie and woe hee ceaseth not to tempt vs neither day nor night Saint Gregory saith he may win vs at the least-wise by his tediousnesse When hee hath thus brought vs to his lure then his care is to hold vs still in his bondage and for feare that we should make conscience of sinne and so turne to the Lord by repentance he putteth a faire vizard ouer the vglie face of sinne and so disguizeth her that the proud person which exceedeth in apparell saith that his or her pride is clenlinesse and decencie the whore-monger and fornicator taketh his filthy life to be but the course of youth the drunkard and riotous person perswadeth himselfe that his excesse is but good fellowship the couetous person beleeueth that his couetousnesse is good husbandry the idle person which spendeth his whole time in Dice Cards and such like pastimes neglecting his vocation in the true seruing of God flattereth himselfe that his time thus wickedly spent is honest recreation whereas if the Diuell had not blinded them so as they might see sinne in her colours she would seeme such a deformed monster as they would loath her for euer Her eyes are ful of adultery her eares are very large and great open to heare al deuices and vaine delights her tongue swollen with lying and deceit her throate is an open sepulcher and a swallowing gulfe her lips are inuenomed with the poyson of Aspes her hands are large to receiue bribes her belly hath a timpany of surfetting and gluttony her backe is laden with idlenesse and yet her seete are swift to shed bloud With her heart shee thinketh vpon nothing but how to betray the innocent and oppresse the widdow and the fatherlesse yea from the very top of the head vnto the sole of the foot shee is full of botches and sores and hath no whole part What man will be coupled with this monster which is the monster of all monsters who hath no other dowry and portion of her father the Diuell but hell fire Let him then that hath been enchanted with her adulterous eies diuorce himselfe betimes from her company without delay for it is very perillous to stay long her handmaide securitie will peraduenture flatter vs and say it is too soone to depart with this sweete vnsauoury companion and so to craue further company This is the weakenesse of fraile flesh which fancy feeds the vaine thoughts who say all shall be well but it is the Diuels voice and if wee continue therein and withstand not our vnbridled thoughts which the fraile flesh doth yeeld vnto but still hearken to the Diuels voice hee will serue vs as hee serued Adam and Eue and will lay open our nakednes and shame to the confusion of body and soule if wee suddenly doe not repent and amend vs of our vngodly courses Delaied repentance is the cause of the absence of the Holie Ghost from vs for as the spirit of the Lord dwelling in our hearts maketh the way of vertue easie and sweete in so much that the Prophet Dauid saith I haue as great Psal 119. delight in the way of thy Commandements as in all manner of riches and I haue ruâ—ne the way of thy Commandements when thou hast set my heart at libertie Euen so contrariwise the absence of the Holie Ghost maketh the same way hard and vnpleasant And as the light of the Sun cheareth vp mens spirits to goe to their labours euen so the Sunne of righteousnesse shining in our hearts with the bright beames of his grace maketh vs to haue a delight in the way of his Commandements The first outward meanes of Saint Pauls conuersion was the great light which hee sawe from Heauen then hee was cast downe to the ground and humbled he heareth a voice and acknowledgeth it to be Gods voice and then ariseth vp and saith What shall I doe It is the celestiall illumination that worketh our Acts 9. 6. 26. 12. conuersion vnto God and frameth our hearts to his obedience And therefore the Lord saith by the mouth of the Prophet Osea thus to sinfull men Wâ—e vnto them when I shall depart away from them Ose 6. 12. and by the Prophet Ieremie Vnderstand and know what a grieuous thing it is that the Lord thy God hath forsaken thee The Apple is not so eaten of wormes nor the garment so eaten with mothes as the powers of the soule are corrupted with sinne and wickednesse the vnderstanding is darkened the iudgement dulled and the will depraued whereof it commeth that now to liue a holy and godly life is a very hard and painefull matter Who seeth not then in what peril and error they are who putting off their repentance and conuersion from day to day do thinke that the same which is now hard vnto them they shall finde afterwards more easie when all the causes of difficultie and hardnes are encreased when they haue encreased the causes of their labour and difficultie by adding sinnes vnto sinnes and when an euill custome hath taken more deep roote shall not the Diuell then more fortifie his Castle which is thy soule shall not GOD which is thy light depart further off from thee shall not the powers of thy soule then hauing receiued many wounds bee made more weake and insufficient to goodnesse Beside this thou must greatly hazard the losse of heauenly treasures by a long delay GOD hath thought vpon vs and loued vs from euerlasting and hath prepared for vs an eternall reward with what face then canst thou holde from God a little momentanie seruice
whereas thou owest vnto God al that thou art able to doe for euer GOD hath giuen vnto vs the life of his onely begotten Sonne the which is of greater price then the life of all men and by what right and prerogatiue darest thou denie vnto him the flower of thy youth and to spend the same in other things then in the seruice of God and to offer vnto him the dregs and rottennesse of old age Onely consider what the Prophet Malachie saith If hee Mal. 1. 8. offer the blind for sacrifice is it not euill If he offer the lame and sicke is it not euill Offer it now vnto thy Prince will he be content with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hosts But cursed be the deceiuer which hath in his flocke Vers 14. a Male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing Our selues and all that whole we haue is not sufficient to serue the Lord. Let our youth be dedicated to his seruice as well as our age let vs serue him not onlie in sicknesse but also in health let vs turne vnto him not onely when we are in affliction and vnder the crosse but also in prosperity for forced holinesse is of no account Pharaos repentance Festus trembling and Iudas sorrow auailed them nothing Saint Augustine in his second Booke of true and false repentance which affliction wringeth from men saith Will you put the matter out of doubt Repent then whilest you are young and in health otherwise whether a man doe safely depart out of this life none are sure The â—ame Authour saith thus Wilt thou repent thee when thou canst â—inne no longer Thy sinnes then haue forsaken thee and not thou thy sinnes Sinne is common to all times and ages of mans life yea to fraile and vaine youth more then to olde age Which caused King Dauid to say Remember not O Lord the sinnes of my youth There is then at no time want of matter in vs for repentance and yea our sins are much more then our sacrifices Sinne is common to all but timely and speedy repentanc to few Let the exhortation of our Sauiour moue vs which he so oftentimeâ— repeateth Watch watch because ye know not the Mat. 24. day nor the houreâ— If it be demanded of you who assure your selues that after a few yeeres be past you will repent Christ made thee no promise I will not say of yeeres and moneths but of the morrow which is but one day Nay who can assure himselfe one houre What greater folly or rashnesse then can there be deuised then for a worme of the Earth to determine any thing certaine concerning the times and seasons which the Father hath set in his owne power Thou canst not be ignorant how many this vaine confidence hath deceiued euen to this day But man will say The Lord is full of compassion mercie Obiect he hath made large promises to those that trust in him he sent his Sonne into the World for vs and therefore hee will not suffer vs to perish O how wee deceiue Answ our selues Truth it is the promises of GOD are greater then fraile Man can or doth consider and his promises appertaine not to vs if we can make no better vse of them Let vs thinke vpon that Prouerbe of Salomon Hast thou found Hony eate not too much Hast thou the sweete and most comfortable promises of God in the Gospel let vs vse them to our comfort and presume not thereby to liue securely in sinne Iacob must change his garments Gen. 27. before he can obtaine a blessing and Hester must decke Hest 2. her selfe when shee commeth into the presence of the King that is to say We must put off the garment of sinne by speedy repentance and wee must bee cloathed with vertue and godlinesse otherwise our meditation and prayers returne emptie to our ouerthrow both of Bodie and Soule CHAP. V. Of the force the vse and necessitie of Prayer and the benefit which riseth therof O LORD the consideration hereof duely considered in the heart of a true Christian and touched with the least finger of thy Grace can and will heale all our infirmities if wee will but suddenly recount our mispent and leude liues and with-draw our selues into our retired closet or chamber where we may not onely vnburden our peruerse vile and festred conscience but find ease for our sickeweake soules by calling heartily to mind the sweete promises of our good God who neuer suffers the true beleeuing Petitioner to goe away vnrewarded his mercie is so great to them that faithfully serue him by keeping his Commandements And againe the largenesse of his great and vnspeakable loue the extension of his fauour the inheritance laide vp the Kingdome prepared a peace and rest euerlasting without distractioÌ„ tumult or vexation to annoy his chosen the eager pursuite of our vnbridled vain affectioÌ„s and self-loue to this world are to be meditated vpon by euery good Christian This World and self-loue to this World is but a Sea of vanities which will proue a bitter sea-flowing with all kind of miseries and if wee pull not downe the sailes of our lasciuious life we are in danger to lose the expected promises of our Sauiour Christ which hee hath promised to all his true beleeuing seruants Lord we beseech thee infuse into our hearts such abundance of thy grace that wee may be withdrawne from all vice that tendeth to the displeasure of thy omnipotent Maiestie and so being withdrawne in a most humble and prostrate humilitie wee may giue thee that true sacrifice which thou hast prescribed and commanded vs that the good thoughts of thy spirit may draw thy mercy so towards vs as that our petitions may ascend vp to the Throne of thy diuine Maiestie like the smoake of Incense into the aire Grant we lay as it were our mouthes to the eares of that Heauenly Wisedome that knoweth our wants better then wee can vnderstand them ourselues yea euen before wee can vtter them and that we goe to him that calles Come vnto mee all you that trauell and are heauy laden Mat. 11. and I will refresh you O comfortable saying to him then let vs goe nay flie that are wearied vnder the burthen of a diseased conscience for hee is that true refreshing 〈◊〉 which cureth the inwardsore of a distressed and 〈…〉 if wee doe faithfully aske it at his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sinceritie purenes of our hearts Why should we not then â—lie vnto this good Lord who is the Father of all mercy and God of all comfort Let vs runne to him that is so willing not onely to heare vs at our call but farre more willingly to receiue imbrace our godly petitions and desires He is that sweete comfortable 〈◊〉 and true 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 race by which all the benefits and gifts in that 〈◊〉 Treasurehouseâ— are continued and reserued for Christs chosen O let vs then vse Prayer
and fansies which beare away the due reuerence wee owe vnto God For when we haue praied to GOD that hee will giue eare vnto our requests and receiue our petitions they are sonegligently done that we had need pray againe to desire him that hee will out of his bountifull loue and great mercy cast his eye of pitty and not of anger vpon the great offence which was committed in the idlenesse of our prayers and supplications made by vs vnto his diuine Maiestie and that he will forgiue vs our sins committed in our prayers because wee thinke then leasâ— of him at the time we make our prayer vnto him neuer remembring the Maiestie of his person to whom weâ— speake nor the Excellencie of the worke wee take in hand neuer rowsing vp the spirit of a sorrowfull repentant heart for our former offences committed but if we â—hance then to stirre vp ouâ— deuotion to prayer we leaue them halt and lame bodie without soule or soule without deuotion sound of lips without the heart one part of our selues without the other or the whole without a whole clamour without intention But Dauid practised true repentance which may not bee repented of and such were the panges and prickings of Iobs heart vnto GOD My groanings saith he come forth before I eate and my roarings are powred forth Not onely groaning nor crying but also roarings with a continual inundation as one waue dasheth forth another Now when the soule is thus prepared to speake the eares of the Lord are euer open to heare the true penitent sinners cry These are wonderfull passions The hungry Lyon in the desert opprest with extremitie of suffering want neuer roared so much for his prey nor the Hart braying after the water brookes as the goodnesse of the Lord in the soule of the faithfull He is the mighty LORD of Heauen and Earth whose name be blessed and hallowed for euer in Earth as it is in Heauen and blessed are all those that are in loue with his goodnes and traâ—â— nearest vnto his steps And to giue vs a further example in his owne cause when his soule was hedged in and enuironed round about with vexation euen vnto death when anguish sorrow incompassed him round about as also then in his greatest agony when he cried with a great voice not for particular persons as before hee wept but vndergoing the burthen and punishment of all the sinnes and sinners in the World My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and crying againe with a great voice gaue vp the ghost Therefore the blessed Apostles mentioning the daies of his humanitie and the exercise of his godly and sacred life and fruite of his lips and the passions of his spirit thought it not enough to giue notice to the World that he prayed to his Father that hee praied with teares which trickled downe his blessed cheekes and watered the ground nor of a cry alone weakely sent out but of a vehement and strong cry which if Heauen were brasse were able to pierce through it and find way into the Sanctuary into the eares of the Almighty Such a prayer as it ascends lightly vp borne vpon the wings of Faith so it eueâ— comes laden heauily downe with a blessing on the head of him that first gaue it flight This Lanthorne of our direction and composition of humilitie and goodnesse this glorious and neuer enough admired LORD of life who prest opprest with the weight burthen thereof groaned vnder the affliction of our sinnes in a most perfect forme of exact obedience with his bleeding teares for vs shewed vs the right forme of faithfull supplications for our selues Let vs then bee importunate and feruent in our praiers that our Petitions may wrestle with GOD and ouercome him For if our praiers bee powred forth in the â—eruentnesse of zeale without wauering then let vs make no doubt but hee wil graciously receiue them into his armes of mercie Way hâ—e thus grieueâ— for vs and shall not wee grieue for ourselues groaned hee vnder the weight of our sin being himselfe without sinne onely in compassion and pitty towards vs why then doe not we continuallie groane and grieue It is so farre from vs that in no way wee giue his heauenlie Maiestie his due except in committing finne and drinking it downe the throate with greedinesse and a desiring thirsting appetite euen as Beheâ—â—th drinketh down Iâ—rdan without sense sorrow or griefe for the same The true consideration hereof will enforce and procure in vs a more perfect desire to follow the true prescription that our Sauiour hath prescribed for vs in his holy Gospell which commandeth vs by expresse words to bee importunate and feruent in our prayers that our Petitions may ascend vp to GOD our Lord and onely Sauiour and there to be receiued into his bosome to preâ—rent a further and greater danger before the dreadfull Maiestie of the omnipotent LORD of Heauen and Earth who with the breath of his nostrels is able to destroy our bodies and soules change the World and the beauty thereof into a Chaos and â—eape of confusion turne the Sunne into darkenesse and the Moone into blood and alter the property and being of all the Creatures in the World at the twinckling of an eye Considering what we are that speake that offer vp the calues of our lippes and the fruites of our repentance poore naked impotent vnworthy wretches wee should be importunate and with a feruentnesse of zeale poure out our supplications vnto GOD that he wil mercifully heare vs and gently receiue our supplications and according to his wonâ—ed goodnesse satisfie our faithfull requests poured forth vnto him in the name of CHRIST IESVS our Lord and onely helper in all distresse But our wretchednesse and mortality our nakednesse in good workes towards him is such that if there were any spark of true faith in vs it would make vs ashamed as it did our first Parents when they bidde themselues from the presence of their GOD. The view of our sinnes is exceedingly sinful the number the weight the danger thereof hang about our neckes like milstones that we are notable nor worthy to cast vp our eyes to heaueÌ„ for our sinnes are so exceedingly miserable that the Prophet of GOD being astonished to see either man or the Sonne of man so kindly visited biddeth vs be feruent in our Petitions to GOD. And we must expect an happy successe of our supplications vnlesse we wil cal in question or doubt of the promises of God which are more stable then the pillars of the Earth or the basis of the surest foundation except we will cast our graine into the earth and expect no haruest plant Vines and not drinke the Wine thereof If wee meane to receiue that at GODS hand we doe expect to haue then wee must prepare our selues in another forme to poure out our vnworthy plaints and petitions and thinke that GOD either heareth not or regardeth not at all the
weakenesse of our faith is such but hee is willing to grant as farre as is expedient for our good If our darke vnderstanding would giue vs leaue duely to consider there is another motiue for feruency to bee vsed vnto that great GOD who will not be mocked with the idlenesse of ouâ— thoughts and lippes iâ— be pittifulnesse of his fauourable countenance which is so great to man as if wee doe but carefully aske it in zeale and humility of heart hee is then so ready to hearken to our requests that presently he opens his hand of bountie and powreth on vs his benefits plenteously All these respects and considerations thereto tending doe crie vnto vs in most pittifull and lamentable manner to make out hard and stony hearts to melt and cry vnto his Omnipotent and Diuine Maiestie whereby wee may grow to be more feruent in our Petitions We must not thinke that the noise of our lips as the ringing of basons meer sounds and voices that awake and flie vp whilest the inward man doth slumber and keepe downe procures audience at the hands of God The strongest and most effectuall speech in the secret eares of GOD proceedeth not from bare words but from intention of heart Hee that heareth without eares can interpret our praiers without our tongues he that made both the one and the other knowes the language of both alike He that saw Nathaniel vnder the Fig-tree before hee was called saw and sanctified Iohn Baptist in his Mothers wombe before hee came forth and read the heart of Zachcus before his conuersion seeth and blesseth our godly praiers feruently conceiued and sowen in the root of our consciences before they bring forth any fruite But if they be onely verball and vocall sounds without wringing any droppe of contrition from the conscience bloud from the spirit they may beat the aire with empty sounds but into the eares of the Almighty shall they not enter but their want of deuotion shall bee answered by him as the prayers of those Idolaters Ezechiel 8. Though they crie in mine eares with a loude voice yet wil I not heare them Therefore let vs not herein behaue our selues vnworthilie nor presume to speake to the Maiestie of GOD but with such a due respect and reuerence to his Omnipotence that in speaking wee know to whom wee doe it Let vs stirre vp both our tongues spirits that they may ioine hand in hand the sooner to preuaile with GOD. And further if wee doe thinke that our often powred out petitions and plaints to God doe not preuaile according as our fraile flesh would haue it yet wee must not be discouraged or waxe Luc. 18. 1. faint thereby but goe on still in our suite grounded vpon Faith and so importune his Maiestie euermore and more sollicite his long suffering patient eares with our faithful clamors so shall wee at last obtaine all that we godly desire Peraduenture not in the same manner that our fraile flesh desires yet in that which the LORD out of his great mercies seeth most conuenient for the helpe of the Soule and for the comfort of the Bodie It were good for vs to carry Iobs minde saying Though GOD kill me yet will I trust in him Though GOD denieth vs a while yet let vs not despaire in him for without his helpe there is no good to bee had or to be expected either for the reliefe of body or soule It is said Heauen Earth shall passe but not one tittle of his word shall fall to the ground Therefore when we haue powred forth our suite and made our petition knowne then let vs beginne anew repeate it recite it ingeminate it and dwell vpon it bee not beaten away by any distrust or temptation from thy hold Learne adherence to thy suite from the Mariners constancy which is we beseech thee O LORD we beseech thee And if wee set our he arts truely on worke they will soone finde out this theame When the affection is fastened the tongue is easie and willing to dwell thereupon For example Dauid when he heard of the death of his â—onne Absolon he said O Absolon O my sonne Absolon ô Absolon my sonne my sonne where his affection seemes onely to dwell vpon the name and memory of his Sonne and his tongue to haue forgotteÌ„ to pronounce any other speech saue onely Absolon It manifesteth likewise what loue our SAVIOVR â—are towards that holy Ciâ—ie in that hee ingeminated â—nd repeated his sorrowes â—uer and ouer saying O Ieâ—usalem Ierusalem if I forget Ierusalem let my right hand â—orget â—eâ— câ—â—ning Our affections must be in oue with him aâ—d his blesâ—ed name more then Sonne â—r Citie or any worldly deâ—ight that it mâ—â— beâ— euer â—editating in our hearts â—nd walking in our tongues â—aying My God and my Lord. And the more we are held off the neeâ—eâ— let vs preasse Let vs attend his leasure merâ—ifull pleasure with patience without distrust without wearinesse The longer Abraham talked with GOD the more hâ— preuaâ—ted hee brought him from the whole number to fiftie from fiftie to ten before he gaue him ouer Marâ— the manner of his iâ—portunitie Behold I haue begunne tâ— speake vnto my Lord and â— am but dust and ashes Lâ— not my Lord be angry And will speake againe once word I haue begâ—â—ne and againe will speakâ— And let not â—â— Lord be angry So fâ—rre wâ— GOD from anger that heâ— gaue him both a patienâ—â—are and a gracious answere in hiâ— most importunate request If â—â—â— befound there I will not destroy â—â— Let vs confider and beâ—olde what is the force of â—raier poured forth in sinceâ—ity from the tongue of a â—ighteous and zealous man It is so powerfull in the â—ares of his Diuine Maiesty that if in the whoâ—e City â— Citie so exceedingly sinfull â—hat the crie thereof ascenâ—ed vp into Heauen euen inâ—o the eares of the Holy of â—oliest whose wrath and reâ—olution was of their ouerthrow â—â—d his deâ—â—â—minate decrâ—e past thercupon If I â—ay there had bâ—â—ne but ten â—ighâ—eous persons to haue stood vp betwiâ—t his wrath and their sinnes for their sakes it had not beene destroied It pleaseth the eareâ— of his Heauenly Maiestiâ— right well to bee long in treated whose blessed condition and nature is neuer 〈◊〉 truly leuelled at as when 〈◊〉 perswâ—de our selues thâ—â— our importunity therein câ—â— neuer be burâ—hensome to hâ—â— Highnessâ— Many times hâ—th his Mâ—iestie vnto vs â—â—nfull and â—â—serable wretches in geminâ—ted recited and repeated â—â—uer the riches of his merciâ—â— As in these and the like plâ—ces The Lord is mercifâ—â— gracious 〈◊〉 to anger abâ—â—dant in goodnesse and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 for tâ—â—â—sands for giving iâ—â—iqâ—iâ—â—◠〈◊〉 and or aâ—sgressions What did he meane there by but that twise and 〈◊〉 â—imes together wee should â—â—geminate recite and reâ—eate ouer againe our reâ—uests and petitions and cry or his mercy and then if he â—eeme deafe for a while and â—ake as though hee heard â—ot yet at last the
zeale of â—ur importunity wâ—ll proâ—ure his Omnipotent Maieâ—â—ie to graâ—t audience If our words and prayâ—ers will not preuaile then â—et vs ioine thereto our â—eares that GOD may say to â—s as he said to Ezekiah I â—aue seene thy teares They â—re so powerful messengers â—hiefly if they be done in the â—â—nceritiâ— and singlenesse of â—eart No sooner can the thought â—ppeare crauing his merciâ—ull aide but the eye of his compassion and goodnesse â—s vpon them Then who is it that wilâ— not worship and serue thiâ—â—ouing Master being so readie at our call to receiue ouâ— Petitions into his hands oâ— mercie Dâ—â—id saith that God haâ— heard the voice of his weepingâ— Teares and sorrow for ouâ— sinnes doe cause the eares oâ— GOD to open vnto our godâ— lie requests Therefore let vâ— glorifie this good GOD with our bodies in true humilitie and serue him in spirit and lift vp our soules with Dauid and our hands with Moses our eyes with Peter â—â—d our voices with Dâ—bâ—râ— Thus seeking wee shall find thus knocking it shall bee oâ—ened vnto vs. â—et vs giue our Petitious but the â—â—ght voiâ—e to aske with guestionlesse there is no â—oubt but GOD will heare â—s in his mercie to our imâ—easurabâ—e comfort and â—oy It must not be the dumbe â—nd silent which must giue â—n eye to seeke with it must â—ot bee the blinde and careâ—esse which giues an hand to â—nocke with it must not â—eare to molest and disquiet â—ot onely the doores but all â—he Treasures and Iewels in â—he Kingdome of Heauen â—hich will bee opened vnto â—hose his chosen And whiâ—her our blessed SAVIOVR â—oth hâ—â—â—elf iâ—nuite vs Come â—nto â—ee all 〈◊〉 that labour â—nd are laden O this is a loue withouâ— example where the King â—imselfe not onely comman deâ—h but desireâ— our appearance Who then shall keepâ— vs backe where he comman deth Open ye gateâ— of rightcousnesse and be ye opened ye euerlastiâ—g doores O what a blessed and comfortable saying is this vnto sinnefull man by so great â— Lord and King Who theâ— shall oppose themselues against vs What need we to haue a Mediatour an Intercessor or friend when bee himselfe hath giuen his voice and freely calles vs to himselfe alone Though the frankenesse and bounty of his loue hath yeelded acceâ—â—e vnto hiâ— heauenly Maiesty this great 〈◊〉 four good GOD vnto â—â— must not eâ—bolden vs with â— lesse respect or reuerence in shewing our dutie in the true seruing of him which loue of his doth deâ—erue more in a farre greater degree then our vaine and â—raile flesh can yeelde vnto â—is Omnipotency and State that fitâ— in glory at the right â—and of his Father And whereas we are poore â—ormes creeping vpon the â—oote-stoole of this Earth â—ray wee that his Maiestie will bee so gracious as to â—ouchsafe we should speaâ—â—â—nto him as it were face to â—â—ce to poure out our petitiâ—ns with our owne voices â—â—to his most blessed and saâ—â—ed earâ—â— All know by 〈◊〉 experâ—ence that the Kings of thâ— earth keep themselues witâ— in a strict watch and waâ— râ—gard and their persons aâ—â—â—ull of Maiestie and terroâ— and not spoken vnto bâ—â— with difficulty and frienâ—ship besides the infinite dâ—straction of suites and buâ—â—nesses more then the cares 〈◊〉 any mortal man can receiuâ— driue them of necessity 〈◊〉 the deputation of subordâ—nate Ministers But in GOD who rideâ— vpon the Cherubins aâ—â— maketh his enemies 〈◊〉 foote stoole there is neithâ—â— dange of his person nor dâ—fect in his hearing For hâ— that â—lanted the eare doâ— he not heare He that stâ—â—deth and knocketh at 〈◊〉 〈…〉 for â—â—â—rance when wee knocke at â—is will he not grant enâ—rance In earthly Courts among which wee liue wee may haue many impediments â—ew will hardly fauour vs but many may hinder vs before we can deliuer our message But at these Heauenlie Gates at which we must alwaies call the LORD alone â—s Porter For when the friend knocked in the Parable of Luke â—t mid-night the heauiest 〈◊〉 deadest houre of the night â—e who was neerest the gate â—irst awaked if hee slept at all and first answered How willing is hee to grant that is so willing to â—e disquieted Now glad to heare our knocke that hatâ— placed his bed so neere thâ—â— gate Hew truly may we say that hee was not oneâ—â— nâ—cre the gate but thâ—â—ord himselfe and the verâ— gate who when his Chiâ— dren were fast asleepe thâ— cares of Angels and Saint shut vp hee first and at thâ— veâ—y first call nâ—y onely he among the rest made answâ—â— vnto it The LORD is alwaieâ—â—eerer vnto vs then we arâ— vnto him Psal 10. Hee â—â—â—reth the desire of the poore Hâ— first prepareth the heart anâ— setteth it on worke to pray and when hee hath so donâ— he bendeth his care vnto â—â— giuing vnto vs both thâ— cause and the effect boâ— the blessing and meanes â— â—e blessings The true stand â—ost effectual messenger we â—aue to send our Petitionâ—â—y is Prayer poured forth â— the zeale and singlenesse four hearts If we send vp merites the â—arres in Heauen will disâ—aine it that we who dwell â—t the foote-stoole of GOD are presume so farre when â—e purest Creatures in Heaâ—en are impure in his fight If we send vp feare and diâ—rust the length of the way â—ill tire them out and with â—he weight sinke to the â—round before they come â—alfe way vp to the Throne of saluation If wee send vp blasphenies and curses all the Creautes in Heauen and Earth â—ill set themselues against vs the Sunne and the Mooâ— will raine downe bloud thâ— fire hot burning coales thâ— aire thunderbolts vpon ouâ— heads But Prayer is a Messenger freed from all these imperfections whom neitheâ— the irksomnesse of the way or tediousnesse of the passage can hinder from hâ— purpose quicke of speedâ— faithfull of trust able â—â— mount aboue the Eagles â—â— the Skie into the Heauen 〈◊〉 Heauens as a Chariot of fiâ—â— leading vs alost into the prâ—sence of GOD to seeke hâ—â— assistance and grace The least finger of hiâ— right hand is of more puissance then the whole arâ—â— of flesh or armie of spiritâ— yea then the whole liueâ— hole substances of Angels Men of siluer gold silke â—urple and all other Creaâ—â—res So that Prayer shall walke â—â—rough life death withâ—ut controllement If it find Angelâ— Principâ—â—ties Powers things present â—nd things to come or any â—ther Creature in the World â—opping her passage and reâ—uking her forwardnesse â—â—e shall cleere her way notâ—ithstanding and climbe â—â—to the presence of her GOD and in his eares deliâ—er her message Be wee in sicknesse To â—im the true Phisicion that â—nowes both the cause and â—he cure shee comes for â—ealth Be wee in imprisonment There she sollicites a releaâ—â— from him the Lord of libeâ—tie Be we opprest with pâ—uertie or want The Earth the LORDS and all thâ—â— dwell therein to him she comes for the blessing 〈◊〉 the Lord maketh rich Are wee afflicted aboâ—â—
measure beyond the streÌ„gâ—â— of man in so much that we doubt whether wee liue 〈◊〉 no receiuing the sentence 〈◊〉 dâ—ath within our selues sâ— that in our opinion we comâ—prehend no deliuery no euasion but lie open to the direct accomplishment there of Yet in this exigent anâ— extremitie we come to Goâ— by these meanes of Prayer being almost beyond hope without expectation and bâ— his gracious and mercifulâ— pleasure wee are deliuered Therefore let vs here in râ—â—â—ue comfort his Maiestic â—ut of his great clemâ—nrie â—ath and doth deliuer vs daiie not onely from the death of our bodies when wormes â—nd rottennesse haue made â—heir last and long prey vpâ—on them but from the â—eath of our minds when the spirit is buried vnder â—orrowes and no Greature â—ound in Heauen or Earth to giue it comfort Be our minds be our afflictions neuer so many and great though in our weake â—magination we can imagin â—o deliuery no release when all earthly comforts forsake â—s yet let not vs forsake thiâ—â—efuge let vs not despaire in his mercifull helpe â—o more then Iâ—â—â— did who being in the bottome of the Sea and within a prison in that bottome in such an affliction so great so strange as greater nor stranger could not be to humane reason or more without hope yet said Ioâ—â—â— 2. 2. I cried in â—inâ— affliction vnto the Lord and hee heardme◠〈◊〉 of the beâ—ty of hâ—â—â— crâ—ed I and thou heâ—r dâ—st my voice Therefore in our aduersitie and wants how great greeuous soeuer they oppresse our weakenesse yet let vs neither distrust or despaire of his mercifull helpe but let vs pray still in hope in all the anguish of minde â—â—d let our prayers bee with such a confidence and zeale of loue to GOD as the feruencie thereof may ascend vp to his Throne and there rest in his pittifull eye and armes of mercy In our prosperity be it neuer so flourishing let vs pray nay pray continuallie In our health and prosperitie let vs pray to continue it In our sicknesse and aduersity let vs pray to release vs. For if wee consider our estates rightly wee shall perceiue many reasons to the exercise of Prayer daily to feek his sauour and the long continuance thereof without whose mighty protection and care ouer vs we are ready to fall into a thousand dangers of vndoing both the body and soule and to perish continuallie And therefore let vs well consider and take heed both in time and season with words sutahle in our Petitions to our purpâ—se and intention in giuing thankes for his great benefits daily poured vpon vs with intrestie in our Petitions for necessities to bee implored by vs in the time of sicknesse in the time of our health in the time of our aduersity in the time of our prosperity Let vs come before him suting our words in the habite of our occasions with such a fitnesse and decencie that they fall not harshly from the purpose ascend into the eares of the Almighty LORD the true patterne of all wâ—sdome and goodnesse who hath giuen vs the first and best forme there of himselfe who hath both taught vs to pray and taught vs how to pray and who will both heare our petitions and grant our requests contained therein as farre as seemes expedient to his vn searchable wisedome that knowes our wants before hee heares our complaints our necessities better then we our selues And because meditation is so excellent a thing so readie so swift so powerfull so vnseparated from vs that it cleaues vnto vs when all other meanes faile and forsake vs therefore we should the more earnestly imbrace it more zealously imploy it more dearely esteeme it It finds vs out comfort in our greatest extremities and miseries our wayes being hedged vp as with thornes that we cannot stirre to deliuer our selues therehence When we are ouer flowen with the deluge of sinne as with a floud iudgements inuiron vs on euery side this is the Dâ—ue that brings vnto our Soules the Oliue branch of comfort But alasse we kill the life thereof through the coldnesse of our deuotioâ— and carelesnesse of our deliuerie and vnfit preparation thereunto and find not the sweetnesse and successe that else wee might expect and obtaine at the hands of GOD thereby Let these things be oftentimes our meditation and study that so despising the vaine things of this transitorie life and passing our steps in the path-way to feâ—icity we may at the last obtaine the reward which our Sauiour CHRIST hath promised Come ye blessed of my Father Euen so let vs resolue with our selues that for as much as wee haue begunne our Pilgrimage in the Spirit neuer to end it in the Flesh and that if all the World would fall away from GOD and his Word yet wee and ours will serue the LORD So shall we be sure in the ende of this our Pâ—lgrimage which we haue passed with feare to enter into that spirituall Canaan which CHRIST our IEHOVA hath promised vs which LORD for thy mercy sake grant vs. Amen Come ye blessed c. Go ye cursed c. THE SOVLES Alarum-bell The Second Part. Containing diuers godly PRAYERS most fit to comfort the wounded consciences of all such penitent sinners who hope for saluation through the merits of Christ Iesus By H. Thompson At London printed by Io. Beale 1618 TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE and my very good Lord WILLIAM Lord Eurye Baron of Maâ—lton Heâ—ry Thompson wisheth all honour grace and spiritualâ— gifts by Iesus Christ our Lord. BEing willing Right Honourable and my verie good Lord in the sight of all the World to leaue some publike testimonie of my humble dâ—â—ty and vâ—fâ—ined good will towards your Honour I thought I could no better way performe it then by dedicating these poore labours of mine to bee shrowded and harboured vnder your Honours fauourable protection beseeching your Honour to accept this my humble and bounden dutie And as I dedicate it to your Honour so I humbly craue that it may bee defended for GOD hath set you in authoritie to maintaine his Word and loue his Religion which hee hath prescribed in his holy Gospell Hee hath honoured you that you should honour him and hath set you up that you should maintaine him and wholly trust in him and liâ—e to him as a sâ—ay that can neuer faile neither in this World nor tâ— the World to come All other things shall faile for all flesh is grasse and the glory of man is as the flower of the field but GOD is euerlasting his Word is euerlasting and they that are begotten to him by the iâ—â—â—rtall seede of his Word shall liue for euer and this life beginneth and groweth and increaseth in the true knowledge of GOD to the increasing of our faith and â—â—â—king in vs as the seale of our adoption that true sanctification that maketh vs to liue vnto GOD by righteousnesse purely to worship hiâ—â—ccording to his Word anâ— with brotherly
Anâ— thou must purpose with thy selfe to doe â—othing that day which may displease God but meditate in thy minde some godly meditations desiring his assistance for the furtherance of the true seruing his omnipâ—tent Maiâ—sty â— A Prayer before wee settle our selues to our Deâ—â—tions O Most gracious Lord giue me leaue to present my selfe before thy diuine Maiestie and to poure out my vnworthy prayers in the sight of thy most mighty and glorious presence Behold mee O Lord not in my merits but in the multitude of thy mercies I now comâ— to make manifest my necessities and to vtter my griefeâ— vnto thee I come as a poorâ— and needy wretch vnto â— God of infinit glory I comâ— as a worme of the Earth vnto my Soueraigne Makeâ— and Creatour I come as â— guiltie hainous offendeâ—â— I am not worthy to lift vâ— mine eyes to Heauen muâ—â— lesse to open my mouth in thy glorious presence oâ— presume to talke with â— Lord and King of so great â— Maiesty being my selfe buâ— slime and ashes but ô Fatheâ— of mercies and God of all comfort thou promisest that who asketh shall receiue â— who knocketh shall bee leâ— in who seeketh shall findeâ— Thou inuitest the greatest â—inners and refusest not to â—eelde thy assistance to any â—hat will vse it grant mee â—herefore grace now to pray â—nto thee as my duety and â—hy desert requireth grant â—e a pureintention a ferâ—ent deuotion and an attenâ—â—ue mind that it be not carâ—ed away with impertinent â—oughts nor any other diâ—raction but with humble â—eart firme hope and perâ—ct charity I may effectualâ—e pray vnto thee and aske â—f thee that which thou seeâ—t most for thy glory and â—y good graâ—t Lord I beâ—ech thee that thou wilt â—elpe mee to pray worthily â—at thou maiest mercifuâ—ly â—rant my Petitions keepe â—y thoughts from wandring râ—straine my imaginations and preserue my sences from being distractedâ— defend O Lord my weakâ— heart from ghostly assaultsâ— and so fixe my minde vpon thee that I be not carrieâ— away from consideration oâ— thy presence grant mee distinctly to pronounce my words attentiuely to apply my thoughts and to bee wholly rauished and possessed with zeale and true deuotion O Lord grant me to aske forgiuenesse with â— deepe contrition and fulâ— purpose of amendement â— grant me to craue thy benefits with hearty thankfulneâ—â— for those which I haue receiued Grant mee to pray for my selfe with a perfect resignation vnto thy will and â—or all others with true chaâ—itie and sincere affection Affoord O Lord such comâ—ort to my soule as thou â—eest fit â—or mee and by the â—ssistance of thy spirit inspire â—hy good motions into mee â—hat I may feele them forciâ—ly accept them thankefulie and fulfill them effectuâ—llie Finally I humbly beâ—eech thee of thy mercy and goodnesse that I may praise â—hee with a true repentant â—eart to appease the fury of â—hy anger against me whereâ—y I may come to enioy â—ith thy Maiesty eternall â—lorie without end Amen A Morning Prayer O Most gracious LORD and Omnipotent Father thou which madeâ—â— Heauen and Earth the Sea and all that is therein together with thy dearely beloued Son IESVS CHRIST and with thy holy Spirit thou hast brought vs to the beginning of this day thorow thy goodnesse now we beseech thee that this day wee fall into no sinne buâ— that we may accomplish thy holy will by directing ouâ— words framing our thoghts and disposing our doing accordingly Helpe vs anâ— further vs O Lord in all ouâ— Prayers that whatsoeuer wâ— doe may alwaies take beginning from thee and being so begun wee may proceede in true seruing of thee who art the Fountaine 〈◊〉 light and most peerelessâ— spring of Wisdome LORD vouchsafe that the beames of thy wonderfull glorie may beate against my darke and smal vnderstanding and driue from me two kinde of mists to wit sinne and ignorance wherein I was borne Thou O Lord that makest the tongues of little Infants to be eloquent teach me to rule my tongue and let thy grace and blessing bee pouâ—ed on my lippes Giue mee sharpnesse of vnderstanding thy heauenly word and ability to retaine it a facility to serue a good kind of interpretation a good place to vtter my words and that they may tend to thy glory and guide my entrance to the matters I speake of direct my proceeding in the same and make perfect my conclusion Come Holy Ghost fill my heart with thy faith and kindle in mee the fire of thy loue doe thus good Lord who diddest bring the Gentiles to the vnity of thy saith by all kindes of diuers and strange languages send out Lord thy holy Spirit and all things shall be created and thou shalt make fresh the face of the Earth and thou that hast taught the Hearts of thy faithfull by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost giue mee the same spirit right vnderstanding and alway to reioice in thee make mee forsake Sathan and cleaue to thee ô Christ who art the way truth and life shew me thy wayes ô Lord and teach me thy pathes direct my steps according to thy word that no vnrighteousnesse reigne ouer mee Maâ—e my going perfect in thy wayes that my steps be not moued Lord whi hart the Father of grace anâ— mercie desend me from my enemies and receiue mee at the houre of my death Good Lord grant I may depart in a good houre out of this World and that I may arise from the death of sinne and walke in newnesse of life that when I shall rise againe at the latter day when our life shall be seene manisestly of all men I also may bee openly but fauourably seene of thy glory who liueâ—â— and reiguest one GOD World without end Amen Another Prayer for the Morning O Lord God and my heauenly Father I do here present my selfe with my morning sacrifice vnto thy Omnipotent Maiestie crauing thy mercifull aide for the strengthening of my weake faith at this present that thereby I may be made the more apt and able to serue thy heauenly Maiesty in all holinesse and true sincerity of heart And now that the time allotted for my feeble senses is expired and that the spring of the morning approacheth I offer vp my bounden duety of praise and thankesgiuing to thy euer blessed and glorious Maiestie vpon whom all the houres and moments of life depend for adding yet more space vnto my daies for granting me a larger time of repentance for the obtaining of thy grace and exercise of vertue and amendement of my sinfull life O eternal and euerliuing God who art the guardian to all true beleeuers make me euermore to magnifie and extoll thy mercies and in true token of this my thankefulnesse hauing nothing more neere vnto me then my selfe I here offer and present my selfe body and soule vnto thy heaâ—enly will and pleasure beseeching thee to dispose of me as of thine owne to direct the remainder of my life to thy Honour and seruice
poure his benefits plentifully vpon vs as long as the World endureth Lord God thou hast created made of thine infinite goodnesse and vnspeakable mercie for Mans comfort thy blessed Sunne-shine to be a perpetuall bright Lampe and Candle to be an ingenderer nourisher comforter of all liuing things in this inferiour VVorld This great worke and Fatherly prouidence of God ought to cause vs to praise and magnifie him alwaies and to make vs remember his manifold benefits that hath so louingly created all things for mans sake O Lord as thy merâ—ies abound towards vs so grant that we may be as plentifull iâ— vertuous liuing and conuersation and that wee doe not thorow our wicked liues and euill behauiour pull vpon our felues thy wrath and displeafure in a busing thy good Creatures and in hoording vp the treasure of this VVorld from our needâ—ull and poore Bretheren and so purchase that curse which the wisedome of God vâ—tereth by the mouth of Salomon where he saith Who so hoordeth vp his goods shall bee cursed among the people but blessing shall light vppon his head that is liberal to the poore Bring it forth therefore ye couetous that yee may bee partakers of the blessing which is prepared for the righteous And as our Sauiour Christ saith They that are whole neede not the Phisician but they that are sicke You therefore that are sicke and haue neede seeke the helpe of that good Physician in time for there is better remedie to be had in the beginning then after a long delay and tarrying for the preseruation of our sicke soules Lord make vs earnestly and diligently to seeke helpe of the Heauenly Physician which is the pertect curer both of body and soule and make vs to apply those heauenly medicines the Precepts of thy most holie Word to the great and almost incurable diseases of our infected soules in seeking whereof we be all too remisse and slack But yet spare vs good Lord spare thy people and correct vs not in thine anger but in thy merâ—y thinke vpon vs for thou art the God of mercy long suffering slow to continue displeasure and ready to forgiue But alasse how shouldest thou cease to punish shouldest shew mercy when wee cease not to sinne and offend but continue still in our wiâ—â—ednesse without repentance What sufficient excuse can wee make or what reasonable let can we lay that thou oughtest not to punish vs Whereas there was neuer more godly preaching neuer more exhortation to repentance seldome the like crying out against sinne neuer more disswading from couetousnesse and vsurie there be daily admonitions to forsake swearing continual calling from all wickednesse beside the number of godly learned Bookes made and set forth and yet cannot all these moue vs once to repent or to desist and forsake our wonted wicked waies and filâ—hy affections Defend mee Lord by thy right hand and giue a gracious caâ—e to my request for all mans stayes are but vaine Lord condâ—â—t me in thy waies 〈◊〉 I may giue thankes to â—â—ee for thy mercie and goodnesse who neâ—er leauest them destitute that put their assured trust in thee who liuest and raignest one God World without end Amen A Prayer for Seruants with their dutie O Christ my Lord and Sauiour who being the Son of the liuing GOD â—â— GOD himselfe from euerlasting didst not disdaine at the wil of thine Heauenly Father to make thy selfe of no reputation to become Man to take vpon thee the shape of a Seruant and to obey thy Fathers Commandement to the death yea euen of the Crosse for our saluation refusing no seruice no trauell no labour no paine that might make vnto the comfort of mankinde We most humbly beseech thee to giue all thy Seruants grace to practise thy humilitie and obedience that as thou most willingly didst serue and obey thy Heauenly Fathers good pleasure so they in like manner may with most hearty affection serue and obey their bodily Masters in all things that are agreeing with thy blessed Word not with eye-seruice as Men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God that whatsocuer they do they may doe it heartily euen as to the Lord and not vnto Men. For as much as they are sure that they shall receiue the reward of thy Heauenly Inheritance of thee O Lord Christ while truly and faithfully they serue their bodily Masters Grant that so many as are vnder theyoake may count their Masters worthy of all honour that the name of God and his Doctrine bee not euill spoken of and that they may obey them with all feare not onely if they bee good and curteous but also though they bee sroward and please them in all things not answering them againe not picking ought from them but shew good faithfulnesse that in all things they may bring credit to the doctrine of thee our GOD and Sauiour to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour praise and glory for euer and euer Ameu Seruants ought to account their Masters worthy of all honour I Tâ—â— 6. 1 and to be subiect vnto them with all feare not onely to the good and curteous but also to the froward 1 Pet. 2. 18 and to please them in all things not answering againe and to be no filchers nor deceiuers of them in any thing but shew all good faithfulnes Tit. 2. 9. 10 in singlenesse of their hearts as vnto Christ not with seruice to the eye as Men-pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of GOD from their hearts with good will seruing the Lord and not Men. Ephe. 6. 5. 6. 7. A Prayer for Children and their dutie AS thou O mercifull Father hast giuen commandement vnto all Fathers and Mothers to bring vp their Children in thy feare nurture and doctrine so likewise thy good pleasure is that children should honour and reuerence their Parents diligently giue care vnto their vertuous instructions and faithfully obey them As thou hast promised health honour glorie and riches long life and all that good is vnto them that honour reuerence and humbly obey their Fathers Mothers so hast thou threatned vnto disobedient Children ignominy euil same contempt shame dishonor pouerty sicknesse short life and such other plagues Yea in thy holy Law thou dost not onely pronounce them accursed that dishonour their Fathers and Mothers but thou also commandest that if anie Childe be stubborne and disobedient and will not heare but rather despise the commandement of his Father and Mother the same should bee stoned to death without mercy so greatlie doest thou abhorre disobedience and rebellion against all persons but especially against Parents I therefore heartily wishing that the plagues of thy fierce wrath for thou O Lord art a consurning fire may bee farre from them most humbly beseech thee to engraue in the hearts of all Children of whatsoeuer age kinde estate or degree they be true honour heartie reuerence and vnfeined obedience towards their Pareâ—ts Giue them
grace good Lord that as they professe thy Sonne Christ in name so they may truly represent his maners in their life and conuersation which willingly was obedient to his Mother Mary and her Husband Ioseph giuing example vnto all children of the like subiection and obedience towards their Parents Engraft in them such a loue towards their Fathers and Mothers that they may both reuerence them with outward honour and also to their power helpe them succour them prouide for them comfort and cherish them in their neede euen as their Paâ—ents comforted and nourished them in their Infancie and tender age But aboue all things giue them grace truly to honour thee which art the Heauenlie Father yea our Father and Redeemer which hast made vs and daily cherishest vs euen as a Father or Mother doth cherish their most deare and naturall Children So shall it come to passe that they faithfully honouring thee shall also in order heartily honour and vnfeinedlie obey their carnall Parents in thy feare vnto the glory of thy most holy blessed name which is most worthy to bee honoured World without end Amen Children their dâ—ty is to acknowledge their Parents next vnto God their Heauenly Father to be the Authors of their life and being and also to acknowledge and rightly to cousider of their charges cares troubles and paines in bringing them vp and to loue theâ—â— for all that they haue done for them and in token of loue and thankfulnesse to maintaine relieue and comfort them when need is as Ioseph Gen. 47. 11 to be as faithfull seruaâ—ts vnto them Mal. 3. 17. To worke and take paines for them as Râ—th did though shee was but a daughter in Law Ruth cha 2. Their dutie is to feare and reuerence their Parents in their hearts according to Gods Commandement Lâ—â—it 19. 3. and also to reuerence them in their outward behauiour by standing bare-headed before them putting off their hats with an humble and lowlie countenance when their Parents speake vnto them or they vnto their Parents and bowing their bodies when they passe by or come towards vs â—s Salomon did to his Mother I Kings 2. 19 or receiuing any thing of their Parents as Ioseph did Gen. 48. 12 and by giuing them the vpper hand as Salomon did to his Mother though â—he was a King 1 Kings 2. 19. Their duty is to obey their Parents according to the Word of God Col. 3. 10. Especially in marriage as Isaâ—c did Gen. â—4 and Iacob Gen. 28 and not â—o greeue them by marrying â—gainst their will as Esan did Gen. 26. 34 who was a râ—proâ—ate hated of God Rom. 9. 13 A Prayer against Whoredome O Lord God and Omnipotent Father the searcheâ— and trier of the thoughts anâ— reines of all Creatures O hoâ— greatly doest thou abhomâ— whoredome fornication and all vncleannesse O Lord thâ— drowing of the world with water the destruction of Sodomâ— Gomorrah with fire brimstone from Heauen and otheâ— like plagues mentioned in holy Scriptures doe euidently declare and shew Thy Commandement is that we should commit none Adultery And in the Common-wealâ— of the Israelites thou commandedst that there should be neither whoremonger nor whore if any such were found that they should be stoned to death Although the lips of an harlot are to the foolish a dropping hony-combe and her necke softer then oile yet at the last shee is as bitter as wormewood and as sharpe as a sword her feete goe downe vnto death and her steps haste them to hell and hee that accompanieth himselfe with an whore shall goe downe vnto hell but hee that goeth away from her shall be saued yea he that maintaineth an whore shal come vnto beggery in this World and after this life shall haue his part in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone O Lord thou hast called vs not vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse and purenesse of life thou hast made vs one body and one spirit with thee how vnseemely then is it to take the mâ—mbers of Christ to make them the members of an Harlot Wee therefore most humbly beseech thee to make in vs cleane harts and to renue right spirits within vs and to turne away all voluptuousnesse froâ— vs. Take from vs the lusts of the bodie let not the desites of vncleaunes take hold vpon vs giue vs not ouer into an vnâ—â—amefast and obstinate mind let not fornication adulterie or any kind of vncleannesse be once named among vs let not filthy communication proceed out of our mouthes but that which is good to edifie withall when neede is that it may haue fauour with the hearers And as for as much as neither whoremongers wedlock-breakers abusers of themselueswith mankinde shall inherite the Kingdome oâ— God Grant Lord wee heartilie pray thee that such as be vnmarried may keepe themselues pure and vndefiled aâ—ter the example of that godly young man Iosâ—â—h and bring with them into honorable wedlock both their bodies and their minds chaste and honest Grant also that the married men may beware and keepe themselues from all whoredome and vse the company of no woman besides their wiues Againe grant that all married woemen may practise the manners of that vertuous woman Susaâ—â—a and neither for flattering nor menacing wordes at any time consent to vncleannesse but so keepe the body vndesiled that it may be honourable that God may blesse them and their godly trauels and make them ioyfull Mothers of many Children Finally grant O most mercifull Father that wee may so auoid all vncleannesse that we being pure both in body and soule may attaine to see thy glorious face in thy Heauenlie Kingdome throgh Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for a Woman with Childe THou O Lord art wonderfull in all thy workes and whatsoeuer thy good pleasure is that doest thou easily bring to passe neither is there any thing impossible with thee that thou wilt performe and albeit this thine Almighty power sheweth it selfe aboundantly in all thy workes yet in the conceiuing forming and bringing forth of man it shineth most euidently At the beginning O Heauenly Father when thou madest Man and Woman thou coÌ„mandedst them to encrease multiply and replenish the Earth If through the subtile inticements of Sathan they had not transgressed thy Commandements by eating the foÌ„rbidden fruite the Woman whom thou hast appoâ—nted the Organe Instrument and vessell to couceiue nourish and bring forth Man through thy wonderfull wormanship had without any labour paine or trauel brought forth her fruite but that which thy goodnes made easie sinne and disobedience hath made hard painefull dangerous and if thy helpe were not impossible to be brought to passe so that now all Woemen bring forth their Children in great sorrow paines and troubles Notwithstanding thou shewest thy selfe vnto thy Creatures a Father of mercy and God of all consolation for that which through their owne imperfection and feeblenesse they are not able of themselues to bring to
passe thou through thy vnspeakable power makest easie in them and bringest to a fortunate end Wee therefore being fullie perswaded of thy bent and readie goodnesse of thy present helpe of thy sweete comfort in all miseries and necessities knowing also by the testimonie of thy Word how great intollerable the paines of Women are that trauell of childe if through thy tender mercies they be not mittigated and eased most hâ—mbly pray thee for Iesus Christ his sake thy Sonne our Lord that thy louing kindnesse may make that easie and tollerable which sinne hath made hard and painefull Ease O LORD the paines which thou most righteouslie hast put vpon all Woemen for the sinne and disobedience of our Grand-mother Eue in whom all wee haue sinned and giue vnto all such as haue conceiued and bee with childe strength to bring forth that Childe which thou wonderâ—ully hast wrought in them be present with them in their trouble helpe them and deliuer them Let thy power bee shewed no lesse in the safe bringing forth then in the wonderfull fashioning of the Childe that that which thou hast begunne in them may come vnto good successe Make them glad and ioyfull Mothers that they through thy goodnesse being safely deliuered and restored to their olde strengths may liue and praise thy blessed name foâ—euer Amen A Thankesgiuing vnto GOD for their deliuerance O LORD GOD among other thy great benefits yea and those innumerable which thou daily bestowest vpon vs thy needy and poore Creatures this is not the least O most mercifull Father that thou of thy tender goodnesse doest vouchsafe for the conseruation of mankind to preserue the Woemen that are with childe and to giue them safe deliuerance of their burthen by this meanes making them glad and ioyfull Mothers For these thy benefits and good will towards vs wee so heartily thanke thee as heart can thinke beseeching thee to worke such thankeâ—ulnesse in the hearts of all Mothers that they being not vnmindfull of this high benefit of their safe deliuerance wrought onely by the Sauiour of all mankinde may shew themselues thankeful vnto thee for this thy goodnesse and neuer forget that thy present helpe and most sweete comfort which thou mercifullie shewest vpon them in their great trauailes labours and paines when they fled vnto thy holie name for succour as vnto a strong bull-warke and holie deâ—ence Continue thy fauour towards them O Lord by making them ioyfull Mothers of many children and indue them with long life that they may see their Childrens Children And the Children that thou gauest vnto them make thou as in age so likewise in wisdome and in the aboundance of thy holy Spirit to encrease that they may haue fauour both with thee and with all good men vnto the glory of thy most blessed name one GOD World without end Amen A Prayer for a sicke Man O Almighty GOD and all full of mercie which art the onelie Father of helpe and true Physician of our bodies soules in thy hands are life and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest backe againe Wee came into this World vpon a condition to forsake it whensoeuer thou wouldest call vs and now the Summoners are come thy fetters hold mee and none can loose me but he which bound me I am sicke in bodie with paine and in soule for feare of condemnation LORD thou hast stricken me but in iudgement shew mercie I deserued to die so soone as I came to life but thou hast preserued me till now and shall this mercie be in vaine as though we were preserued for nothing Who can praise thee in the Graue I haue done thee no seruice since I was borne but my goodnesse is to come and shall I die before I beginne to liue But good Lord thou knowest what is best of all and if thou conuert me I shal be conuerted in an houre and as thou acceptedst the will of Dauid as well as the act of Solomon so thou wilt accept my desire to serue thee as well as if I did liue to glorifie thee The spirit is willing but the flesh is fraile and as I did liue sinfully whensoeuer thy Spirit was from me so I shall die vnwillingly vnlesse thy Spirit prepare me Therefore deare Father giue mee that minde which a sicke man should haue and encrease my patience in my paine and call vnto â—y remembrance all that which I haue heard or read or felt or meditated so strengthen me in this houre of my trauaile that I which neuer taught any good while I liued may now teach others to die to beare their sickenesse patiently Applie vnto mee all the mercies of thy beloued Sonne as if he had died for me alone be not from me when the enemy comes but when the Tempter is bustest let thy Spirit bee busiest too and if it please thee to loose me out of this prison and when I shall leaue my earth to earth let thy Angell carry vp my soule as they did Lazarâ—â— and place me in one of those mansions which thy Sonne is gone to prepare for me This is my Mediator which hath reconciled mee and thee when thou diddest abhorre me for my sinneâ— and thou diddest send him from Hâ—auen to vs to shew that thou art bound to heare him for vs. Therefore in him I come vnto thee in him I call vpon thee O my Redeemer my Preseruer and my Sauiour to thee bee all praise with thy Father and the Holy Spirit for euer and euer Amen A Prayer to be saide before the receiuing of the holy Communion THy loue towardes vs O most gentle Father is so great and vnmcasurable that it can by no meanes be expressed by mouth nor sufficiently conceiued in heart and this thy loue is without any deserts on our behalse freely and willinglie O Heauenly Father thou hast sent downe thy only Son Christ Iesus from the glorious seate of thy diuiâ—â—e Maiestie to take our flesh vpon him and to become perâ—ect man of the substance of a pure and vndefiled Virgiu Mary through the operation of the Holie Ghâ—st O thou that art this our Mediatour thou taughtest the will of thy Heauenly Father confirming the same with wonderfull mercies vnto the great comfort of many which then liued and vnto the perfect establishment of our faith which liue at this present aâ—ter thou haddest trauelled in this World certain yeeres the time afore appointed from euerlasting of thy Heauenly Father drawing nigh that thou mightest giue thy selfe an oblation and sweete smelling sacrifice to God the Father for the sins of the whole World euen so many as repent beleeue and amend willing that so noble and worthy a benefit of our redemption should not bee forgotten nor fall out of remembrance who art the sole Authour of our saluation and the onely comfort of weake consciences when thou hadst eaten the Paschall Lambe with thy Disciples according to the appointment of the Law thou tookest bread into thy hand gauest thankes
to thy Heauenly Father brakest it and gauest it to thy Disciples saying Take ye â—ate ye this is my body which is giuen for you doe this in remembrance of me Because the singular and inestimable benefit of our redemption brought to passe by the one and onely oblation of thy blessed bodie broken on the Altar of the Crosse should not bee forgotten Thou brakest the bread in the sight of the Disciples and gauest vnto them commanding them to cate it in the remembrance of the breaking of thy body which then was betraied by the traiterous Disciâ—le Iudas that sonne of perdiâ—ion and the day following was vnfainedly broken on the Crosse for our ransome deliuerance and saluation here â—liddest thou appoint the breaking of the bread among the faithfull gathered together for that purpose a worthy blessed memoriall of thy bodie broken And because the breaking of thy bodie should be the better remembred thou diddest innoble the bread with the name of thy bodie when notwithstanding it was onely the figure signe token and memoriall of thy holy body In like manner when supper was done thou tookest the cup in thy hands gauest thankes to thy Heauenly Father and deliueredst it vnto thy Disciples saying Drinke ye all of this for this is my blood of the â—ew Testament Conenant or Bargaine which shall bee shed for many for the remâ—ssion of sinnes this doe so often as you drinke it in the remembrance of mee As by the breaking of thy blâ—ssed bodie our ransome is perfectly paid so by the shedding of thy blood are all our sinnes euen vnto the vttermost washed away Therefore as by the breaking of the bread thou wouldest the breaking of thy bodie and the benefits gotten by it to bee remembred among the faithfull so to that end that the shedding of thy blood and the merites thereof should not be forgotten Thou gauest them the Cup of Wine to drinke commanding them that so oft as they or any of the faithsull gathered together for that purpose to drinke of the Cup they should remember thy death and the shedding of thy precious blood as thy holy Apostle saith As oft as ye shall eate this Bread and drinke of this Cup yee â—hall shew the Lords death till he come And as thou didst ennoble the Bread with the name of thy body being but the figure of thy bodie because the breaking of thy body should the better be remembred So likewise here doest thou garnish and nobly set forth the wine naming it thy blood when notwithstanding it onely representeth and preacheth vnto vs the shedding of thy blood because it should be the more deepely grauen and the better retained in our minds O most mercifull Redeemer gentle Sauiour we are come together at this present to celebrate the memoriall of thy blessed and glorious passion and to eate and drinke this Bread and wine in the remembrance of thy blessed Body breaking and thy precious Blâ—od shedding Most humbly and from the verie heart beseeching thee to giue vs grace worthily to eate this Bread and drinke of this Cuppe lest by the vnworthy receiuing of them wee be guilty of thy bodie and blood and so eate and drinke out owne damnation and that wee may come the more worthily vnto this thy Table Grant that we may earnestlie bee at defiance with all sins and so inwardly bee ashamed that we at any time haue grieuously offended thy diuine Maiestie by attempting anie thing that is not agreeable to thy good pleasure that from hence forth wee may not onely loath detest and abhor whatsoeuer is displeasant vnto thee but also imbrace and lay hand on that which is good and acceptable in thy sight Forgiue vs all our sinnes and giue vs grace euen with our whole heart to loue all men yea our very enemies and not only to forgiue all such as haue offended vs but also to be readie at all times to doe for them whatsoeuer good or pleasure we be able And that wee may bee the more welcome vnto thee and bee found meete and worthy guests to sit at this Table and to eate of these thy blessed giâ—ts and that our soules may be well comforted nourished fedde and made merrie by the worthy receiuing of them cloath vs we pray thee with that wedding garmeâ—â— euen true and liuely saith wherewith our hearts are purified wherewith we are married vnto thee and made one flesh and one blood with thee wherewith also wee are iustified and counted righteous in thy sight And grant that through the same faith wee earnestly set the eyes of our minde on these thy most sweete and louing promises My Body shall be broken for you my Bloud shall bee shedde for you for remission of sinnes And all this not for our â—ood deeds and merites which â—â— this behalfe are none but for â—he worthinesse of thy blessed â—assion for the dignitie of thy â—recious blood and for the onâ—e and alone sacrifice of thy â—olie bodie For that O Lord is the salue that heâ—â—eth our soules that is the medicine that comforteth our weake and troubled consciences that is the liuing bread whereâ—f whosoeuer cateth shall neuer hunger but liue for euer That is the Iewell of Ioy thaâ— maketh our sorrowfull hearts merrie that is the mighty Bulwarke the strong desence the sure Fortresse that preserueth and keepeth harmelesse against Sathan sinne death Hell desperation and all the infernall Powers to come to the Table to beo present at the Supper to heare and see what is there done yea and to receiue the holy mysteries of the body anâ— blood there set forth vnto vs profiteth vs nothing at all if wâ— faithfully beleeue not That thy Bodie was broken and thy blood shedde for our sinnes and that by the one oblation thereof done once for all our sinnes are forgiuen vs our Heauenly Father is reconciled vnto vs his wrath stirred vp thorow sinne against vs is pacified quietnesse of conscience euerlasting life is giuen vs but it rather turneth vnto our damnation because wee eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe vnworthily and shal with that hypocrite which â—resumed to come vnto the marriage not hauing the wedding garment bee bound hand â—nd foote and cast into vtter â—arkenesse where shall be weeâ—ing and gnashing of teeth Therefore wee humbly beâ—eech thee to giue vs grace acâ—ording to thy Apostles counâ—â—ll diligently to proue trie and examine our selues whether such repentance such faith such loue such disposition towards all godlinesse bee sound in vs or not as thou dost require in them which will come worthily and with fruite vnto thy Table And for as much as it is thy gift to repent heartily to beleeue truly to loue vnfainedly to be disposed earnestly to embrace true godlinesse and to goe forward in the same from vertue to vertue vnto the ende Grant I most intirely pray thee I may so repent that the fruites thereof may bee found in me so beleeue that I may acknowledge thee my