as a miraculous demonstration of his Diuinity or an euidence that hee was the true Messias because hee accomplished the Types foregoing in Moses and Eliah and in this regard it is to bee admired of vs but no way to be imitated And in this sence Caluin Videlius's words mayâ—passe and Saint Chrisostome must bee taken vnlesse thy will haue him contradict himselfe Secondly as a morall remedy against tentation or rather a spirituall Armour which Christ tooke vpon him when he was to buckle with the Diuell and thus wee may and ought to imitate Christ's Fast in the kinde though not in the degree As we cannot fast as Christ fasted so neither can we pray as Christ prayed whole nights and with strong cries and a bloody sweat yet no Christians euer doubted but that we may and must follow Christ in all religious exercises though not with euen paces yet as wee are able And because they appeale to S. Chrysostome let him be the Vmpire Our Lord Iesus Christ wheÌ„ he entred into the lists with Sathan fasted forty days giuing vs an example how wee ought to arme our selues against the Diuel Certainely if the Learned Bishops afterwards Martyrs that penned our Booke of Common Prayers had thought Christ's Fast of forty dayes no way to belong to our Fast they would neuer haue appointed the Story of Christ's Fast for the Gospell the first Sunday in Lent nor touched vpon it in the Collects For thine instruction meditate on Christ's Fast. For thy comfort apply the benefit of it to thy soule For thy correction condemne thy luxury and consider what great cause thou hast to humble thy soule with fasting Quicken Thy repentance by the Psalme Thy fasting by the exhortation Thy Deuotion by the prayer ensuing The Psalme for Ash-wednesday PVt mee not to rebuke ô Lord in thine anger neither chasten mee in thy heauy displeasure Psal 38. 1. For thine arrowes stick fast in mee and thy hand presseth me sore verse 2. There is no life in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne verse 3. For my wickednesses are gone ouer my head they are like a sore burden too heauy for me to beare verse 4. Lord thou knowest all my desires and my groaning is not hid from thee verse 9. Heare my Prayer ô Lord consider my desire ô hearken vnto mee for thy Truth and righteousnesse sake Psal. 43. 1. And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified verse 2. My spirit is vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate verse 4. I stretch forth my hands vnto thee my soule gaspeth vnto thee as a thirsty land verse 6. Lord be mercifull vnto me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee Psal. 41. 9. O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercy thinke vpon me ô Lord for thy goodnesse Psal. 21. 6. I haue eaten ashes as it were bread and mingled my drinke with weeping Psal. 102. 9. And that because of thine indignation and wrath for thou hast taken me vp and cast me downe verse 10. My dayes are gone like a shadow and I am withered like grasse verse 11. When thou with rebuke doest chasten man for sinne thou makest his beauty to consume away like as it were a moth fretting a garment euery man therefore is but vanity Psal. 39 12. What man is he that liueth shall not see death and shal deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue Psal. 89. 47. When the breath of man goeth forth he shall turne againe to his earth and then all his thoughts perish Psal. 146. 3. What profit is there in my blood when I goe downe to the pit Psal. 30. 9. Shall the dust giue thanks to thee Or shall it declare thy Truth verse 10. Heare Lord and haue mercy vpon me Lord be thou my help verse 11. Here my Prayer ô Lord and let thine eares consider my colling hold not thy peace at my teares Psal. 39. 13. For I am a stranger vpon earth and a soiourner as all my Fathers were verse 14. O spare me a little that I may recouer my strength before I go hence and bee no more seene verse 15. AN ADMONITION FOR ASH-WEDNESDAY OR Exhortation to Fasting THE ANALSYS A deuout Christian ought to Fast because 1 God commandeth it 2 Christ commendeth it by Precept Example 3 The Saints practised it Vnder the Law Vnder the Gospell 4 It expelleth the Diuell 5 It quickens Prayer 6 It humbleth the Spirit 7 It tameth the flesh 8 It auerteth God's Iudgements 9 It obtaineth blessings Temporall Spirituall THE TEXTS BLow the Trumpet in Zion sanctifie a Fast call a solemne Assemblie Ioh. 2. 16. Is this the Fast which the Lord requireth c. Isa. 58. 5. The Bridegroome shall be taken away and then they shall Fast. Mat. 9. 15. When yee Fast bee not as the hypocrites c. Mat. 6. 16. Giue your selues to Fasting 1 Cor. 7. 5. And when he had fasted forty dayes and forty nights afterward he was an hungry Mat. 5. 2. Moses fasted Exod. 34 28. Fliah Fasted 1 King 19. 8. I ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth Dan. 10. 3. Hanna serued God with Fasting and Prayer Luk. 2. 37. About this howre I Fasted Acts 10. 30. As they Ministred to the Lord and Fasted Acts 13. 2. Then Fasted they and Prayed verse 3. In Fasting often 2 Cor. 11. 27. And Prayed and Fasted Acts 14. 23. This kinde of Diuell goeth not out but by Fasting and Prayer Mat. 17. 21. I humbled my soule with Fasting Psal. 35. 13. I beate downe my body 1 Cor. 9. 27. And hee proclaimed through Nineueh Let neither man nor beast taste any thing neither feede nor drinke water Ionah 3. 7. And God saw their workes and God repented him of the euill which hee said he would doe vnto them and hee did it not verse 10. Go and assemble all the Iewes that are found in Shushan and Fast ye for me and eate not nor drinke in three dayes I also and my Maides will Fast likewise Ester 4. 16. And the Posts went forth with speede to exe cute the Kings decrees Ester 8. 14. Mordecay went out in a crowne of gold and to the Iewes was come Ioy and gladnesse verse 15. I Fasted Acts 10. 30. Peter sayd Of a trueth I see c. ver 34. The holy Ghost fell on them verse 4. 4. A Prayer for Ash-wednesday O Let not my Lord be angry that I who am but dust and ashes dare speake vnto him for my sinnes cry for vengeance and shall I be silent for pardon Gracious God either silence them or heare mee If thou wilt not heare the voice of my words heare the voice of my teares if thou wilt not heare them heare the voice of thy sons blood which
my vnmindfulnesse of thee and vngratefulnesse to thee all my life I deserue that thou shouldest vtterly abandon and forsake me now at my death But thy thoughts are not like our thoughts nor thy affections like mine Though a woman could forget the fruit of her wombe yet thou wilt not nor canst not forget those that trust in thee Thy gifts and graces are without repentance and whom thou louest thou louest to the end Thou wilt not breake a bruised reede nor quench the smoking â—lax Though thou hast seuerely corrected me in this thy fearefull visitation yet thou hast not and I know wilt not giue me ouer to eternal death Deare Father shew thy strength in my greatest weakenes confirme thy mercy to me in my greatest misery apply thy comfort to me in this my last extremity Asswage the paines of my body with ghostly comforts and diminish the feare of death by the assured hope of a better life Call to my minde whilest yet I breathe all the errors of my vnderstanding that I may timely reuoke them all the sins of my will that I may heartily bewaile them all the testimonies of thy loue that I may gratefully acknowledge them all the promises of thy Gospell that I may comfortably embrace them all my holy vowes and purposes that I may finally confirme them and gracious Lord accept the will for the deede O let me that am now returning to dust and ashes speake but this once to my Lord maker With all my heart soule and strength I beseech thee by all that my Sauiour Iesus Christ hath done and suffered for mee I intreate thee speake peace to my soule at her departing and say vnto her I am thy saluatioÌ„ Make my election sure by my true repentance perfect charity assured confidence constant patience comfortable perseuerance vnto the end and in the end To the TRINITY GLorious Creator gracious Redeemer euerlasting comforter Lord God Almighty send me ayde helpe from heauen in this my last and most dreadfull conflict with all the powers of hell darknes Arme me with thy compleat armour and endue mee with power from aboue to vanquish Sathan and his infernall bands and to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked in the bloud of my Redeemer I am thine ô God the Father by the right of creation I am thine ô God the Sonne by the right of thy purchase I am thine ô God the Holy Ghost by the right of thine inhabitation and possession Saue me Father by thy power saue me Sonne by thy merits saue me holy Spirit by thy grace O holy blessed and glorious Trinitie whose power no creature is able to resist Rebuke confound thine enemy that goeth about to deface thine Image in me to spoile thy creature to destroy him for whom thou ô Sonne offeredst thy self on the Crosse by the eternall Spirit to the Father O Father be now to me a father in my greatest need O Iesus be to me a Iesus in my greatest danger O Comforter bee to me a Comforter in my greatest afflictions Holy Righteous Iudge eternall Sathan taketh aduantage of thy fatherly chastising me he grows strong against mee by this my great weaknesse Now hee rageth most furiously because his time is short He assaulteth mee euery way by subtill suggestions by fearfull visions and apparitions Hee terrifieth my flesh with the vgly shape of death he affrighteth my conscience with the horror of the last iudgement and scorcheth my soule euen with flashes of hell fire O Father of spirits deliuer not the soule of thy Turtle Doue that mourneth to thee day and night as a prey vnto him Though neuer so deformed yet I am thy worke O God my Father though neuer so vile yet I am thy purchase ô God my Redeemer though neuer so polluted yet I am thy Temple O God my sanctifier Faithful Creator preserue the worke of thine hand faithfull Redeemer preserue the purchase of thy bloud faithfull Sanctifier preserue the Temple of thine honour I abhorre my selfe in dust and ashes and I conceiue more grief then I am able to expresse for abusing thy workes ô Father thy Word and Sacraments ô Sonne thy gifts graces ô Spirit Father forgiue me all sinnes of infirmity against thy power Sonne forgiue me all sinnes of ignorance against thy wisedome Holy Ghost forgiue mee all sinnes of malice against thy grace Most mighty Father giue mee thy protection Most mercifull Son giue me thy peace Most gracious holy Spirit giue me thy comfort that I may safely peaceably and cheerfully leaue this vale of teares Father possesse me of the kingdome which thou O Sonne hast purchased and thou O Spirit hast sealed vnto mee Into thy hands O Father who breathedst into mee the Spirit of life Into thy hands O Sonne who breathedst out thy Spirit for mee Into thy hand ô Holy Spirit who renewedst a right spirit within mee and hast comforted my spirit to the last gaspe I now commend my spirit Amen To the Lord IESVS at the howre of death VVElcom blessed houre the period of my pilgrimage the terme of my bondage the end of my cares the close of my sighs the bound of my trauels the gole of my race and the hauen of my hopes I haue fought a long fight in much weaknes I haue finished my course though in great faintnesse and the crowne of my ioy is that through the strength of thy grace I haue kept the true faith and now I dye in it I willingly resigne my flesh I despise the world and I defie the diuell who hath no part nor share in mee And now what is my hope My hope Lord Iesu is euen in thee For I know that thou my Redeemer liuest and thou wilt immediatly receiue my soule and raise vp my body also at the last day and I shall see thee in my flesh with these eyes and none other My heart fainteth my strength faileth my tongue faltereth Lord let thy Spirit of comfort helpe mine infirmities and make supplication for mee with sighes and groanes that cannot be expressed I submit my selfe wholly to thy will I commit my soule to thee as my faithfull REDEEMER who hast bought mee with thy most precious bloud I professe to all the world I know no name vnder heauen by which I may be saued but thine my IESV my Sauiour I renounce all confidence in merits saue thine I thankfully acknowledge all thy blessings I vnfeinedly bewaile all my sinnes I stedfastly belieue all thy promises I heartily forgiue all mine enemies I willingly leaue all my friends I vtterly loath all earthly comforts I entirely long for thy comming Come Lord Iesu come quickly Lord Iesu receiue my Spirit The Hand-Maide's Posie written in the end of her Manuell Birth is a bragge Glory a blaze Honour's earths pompe Riches a gaze Fame is but winde Beauty a flower Pleasure a dance the world a bower In heauen with thee Lord let me be On earth my heauen 's alone in
sake and for thy righteousnesse sake bring my soule out of trouble Psal. 143. 11. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified v. 2. O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercy thinke vpon me ô Lord for thy goodnesse Psal. 25. 6. Deliuer me from all mine offences and make me not a rebuke to the foolish Psal. 39. 9. O teach mee to number my daies that I may apply my heart vnto wisedome Psal. 90. 12. An Admonition to the Sicke THE ANALYSIS Euery good Christian ought to struggle with his infirmities labour to compass his minde to meet patience in sicknesse especially considering that sicknes is 1 His heauenly Fathers visitation whose 1 Power cannot bee resisted 2 Will must be obeyed 3 Goodnesse must bee acknowledged in sending vs good as well as euill 2 A deserued scourge for his sinne 3 Seat in loue to him for his good 1 To weane him from the loue of the world 2 To strengthen the spirit in him and tame the flesh 3 To breed in him a loathing and detestation of sin in generall the cause of all afflictions 4 To call him home and bring him to a sence acknowledgement of his particular sinne 5 To proue the truth and sincerity of his faith and loue 6 To saue him from eternall punishment for his sinne 7 To make him seeke more earnestly to God who will be found of him and if his appointed time bee not come manifest his glory in deliuering him frō the very iawes of death THE TEXTS VVEe haue had Fathers of our flesh which corrected vs and wee gaue them reuerence shall wee not much rather be in subiection to the Father of Spirits and liue Heb. 12. 9. Who hath euer resisted his wil Rom. 9. 19. He is able to subdue all things to himselfe Phil. 3. 21. Hee draweth the mighty with his power he riseth vp and no man is sure of life Iob 24. 21. Will hee pleade against mee with his great power Iob 23. 6. God is greater then man Iob 33. 12. Why doest thou striue against him for hee giueth not account of any of his matters v. 13. Thy will be done c. Mat. 6. 10. Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me Mat 26. 39. Yet not as I will but as thou wilt v. 16. I held my peace because it was thy doing Psal. 39. 10. Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts c. 1 Pet. 3. 11. Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull creator 1 Pet. 3. 19. Wee haue receiued good at the hands of God and shall wee not receiue euill Iob 2. 10. Affliction commeth not forth of the dust neither doth trauaile come forth of the ground Iob 5. 6. I will make thee sicke in smiting thee because of thy sinne Micha 6. 13. Man suffereth for his sinne Lam. 3. 39. Wee know that all things worke together for good to them that loue God Rom. 8. 28. The heate beate vpon the head of IONAS that he fainted and wished in himselfe to dye and said It is better for me to die then to liue Ionah 4. 8. And ELIAH requested that he might die It is enough Lord take away my life I am no better then my Fathers 1 Kings 19. 4. We that are in this Tabernacle doe groane being burdened 2 Cor. 5. 4. That I should not bee exalted aboue measure there was giuen me a Thorne in the flesh 2 Cor. 12. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for when I am weake then am I strong v. 10 Though our outward man decay our inward man is renewed c. 2 Cor. 4. 16. My wounds stinke and are corrupt through my foolishnesse Psal. 38. 5. vid. Psal. 38. 4. Let vs search and trie our waies and turne againe to the Lord Lam. 3. 40. I truly am set in the Plague and my heauinesse is euer in my sight Psal. 38. 17. I will confesse my wickednesse and be sorrie for my sinne verse 18. The people turneth not to him that smiteth them Isa 9. 13. see Ezra 9. 13. The thing that I so greatly feared is fallen vpon me Iob 3. 25. We haue transgressed and rebelled and thou hast not pardoned Lam. 3. 42. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Iob 13. 15. He shall also be my saluation for an hypocrite shall not stand before him v. 16. And though all this be come vpon vs yet doe we not forget thee nor behaue our selues frowardly in thy couenant Psal. 44. 18. Our heart is not turned backe neither our steps gon out of the way v. 19. No not when thou hast smitten vs into the place of dragons and couered vs with the shadow of death v. 20. We are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 32. I will bee vnto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a roaring Lyon to the house of Iudah I will teare and goe away Hosea 5. 14. I will goe and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offences and seeke my face In their affliction they will seeke me early v. 15. Hee would haue filled his bellie with the huskes that the swine did eate and no man gaue vnto him Luke 15. 16. And when he came to himself he said How many hired seruants in my Father's house haue meate enough and I perish with hunger v. 17. I will arise and goe to my Father c. v. 18. When in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel and sought him hee was found of them 2 Chron. 15. 4. In wrath or in the middest of iudgement thou remembrest mercy Abak 3. 2. Ikill and make aliue I wound and I heale Deut. 32. 39. The Lord bringeth downe to the graue and bringeth vp 1 Sam. 2. 6. This man was borne blinde that the worke of God might bee shewed in him Ioh. 9. 8. This sicknesse is not vnto death but for the glory of God that the Son of God might bee glorified thereby Ioh. 11. 4. For wee had the Sentence of death in our selues that wee should not trust in our selues but in God that raiseth the dead 2. Cor. 1. 9 10. Who hath deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer in whom wee trust that he will yet deliuer vs ver 11. A Prayer for the Sicke FAithfull Creator and preseruer of all men especially of thine Elect whom thou smitest in mercie and chastenest in loue and correctest in tender compassion and wounding and healing againe killing and reuiuing bringing downe to the gates of hell and raising vp from thence againe Look downe I beseech thee vpon thy poore prostrated seruant grieuously punished and afflicted in body with the smart