heart with the sprinkling of the blood of that immaculate lambe Christ Iesus the righteous purge me daily more and more from all my corruptions euen those which are most secret and open to the view of none but of thy all-seeing maiestie whose eye pierceth thorough all things and seeth and discerneth perfectlie those things which are hid from the sight of men and which we our selues are ignorant of Cleanse me both in soule in bodie and in spirit from the filthinesse of all sinne and iniquitie and from the staine of all inbred corruption and so sanctifie me throughout with thy grace that I may be a fit temple and mansion for thy holy spirit to rest in yea that thou maist delight to remaine to abide and to dwell with me for euer which is the onely happinesse and felicitie which my soule desireth and longeth for and which I know assuredly thou who hast promised it wilt not denie vnto me Grieuing of the spirit of God THou art vnwilling to giue iust occasion wherby thy kind friend might be grieued and so for thy vnkind dealing with him be moued to leaue thee and depart from thee in displeasure hauing no delight no desire to return any more vnto thee no scarcely though he be much sought vnto and intreated with great importunitie Why then dost thou daily and hourely deale so vnkindly with thy best friend why dost thou grieue the spirit of God which is the onely comforter and without whom thou canst neuer haue anie true peace or contentment in any estate or condition of life Why dost thou continually offer him so iust cause to turn away from thee yea to remoue farre off and to denie any more to visite thee with that gratious and comfortable presence of his though thou shouldest hereafter neuer so oft and so earnestly seeke and sue vnto him O my God forgiue me my sins whereby I haue heretofore grieued that holy spirit of thine by whom thou hast sealed me and assured me of those gracious promises which thou hast made vnto me in thy Christ Forgiue me those manifold sinnes and trangressions whereby I haue from time to time most grieuously displeased and prouoked thy maiestie who hast continually shewed thy selfe euery way so good and so kinde vnto me Hide thy face from them and let them neuer come into thy remembrance to be a meanes to cause thee as iustlie thou maist to depart and to take thy spirit from me lest I die and perish But notwithstanding my vndeseruednesse for thy promise sake doe thou stil in mercie vouchsafe freely to continue thy wonted and accustomed loue and kindnesse vnto me Giue me not onely the presence but also the grace and comfort of thy spirit yea let it alwaies rest and remaine with me that so my spirit may liue and praise thee O Lord this I know that nothing but my sinnes can hinder this goodnes and blessing of thine from me forget therefore I pray thee my sins past couer my sinnes present and keepe me from falling into sinne hereafter and then I am assured that thy blessed and gratious spirit shall dwell with me and comfort me both now and euer according vnto thy promise Spirituall desertions THe Sunne may be eclipsed for a while by the interposition of the thicke duskie bodie of the Moone but that being remoued it will quickly cause the bright beams therof to shine forth again vnto the world The Lord may hide his face from me for a time by reason of my sinnes which onely can make a separation and diuision betweene him and me and cause him to withdraw the light of his gracious countenance from me but sure I am that he will neuer vtterly forsake me for his foundation is surely laide his loue and grace is vnchangeable He hath been once nay often gracious vnto me and will continue so for euer O my God keepe me from sinning against thee so shall the light of thy countenance shine alwaies vpon me so shall I feele the comfort of thy presence remaining with me in life in death after death euen for euer The truth and faithfulnesse of God in performing his promises THe Lord is mercifull in promising and true in performing whatsoeuer he hath promised vnto his children We haue no other title to the least of Gods blessings but euen this his mercie and truth to claime them by and hauing that wee need no other O Lord although my sinnes are many and grieuous and might iustlie cause thee to withdraw all thy mercies and fauours from me and to denie any more to be gracious vnto me yet Lord thy truth and faithfulnesse indure for euer O thinke vpon thy couenant and according to thy mercie do thou alwaies remember me and looke vpon me Euen for thy promise sake haue mercie vpon me and notwithstanding my sinnes call for iudgement yet doe thou continue still to be good and gracious vnto me in the supplie of thy manifold blessings and mercies The comfort of a good conscience especially in death A Good conscience is a continuall feast as in and thoroughout the whole life time so especiallie in the houre and in the verie agonie and pang of death With what sweet pleasant food of diuine consolation doth it then feed the soule refresh the mind when all other comforts faile and become as running streames dried vp in the heate of summer nothing then will afford the like comfort vnto this Wouldst thou see this as it were in a glasse clearely represented vnto thy view Suppose that euen now thou sawest one lying at the point of death vpon the bed of his sorrowes readie to take his last farewell of the world to lay downe his bodie in the dust where he should haue corruption to be his father and the crawling worme his mother and his sister and the graue his house and dwelling place for a long season whiles his soule being separated from his bodie should depart into a farre countrie Suppose now at this instant thou sawest one in this estate as thus most certaine it shall be with thee with me with all of vs what thinkest thou would be the greatest comfort vnto him what is it that would most refresh him and cheere him vp Fine fare or sweete iuncats Alas he takes no pleasure in them he cannot tast them though they be neuer so daintie or if he could yet should hee take no delight nor finde any sweetnesse in them for it is his soule that now hungers and thirsts and seeks for comfort whiles his bodie is almost senselesse He desireth he looketh for spirituall foode wherewith his fainting soule and languishing spirits may be fed and refreshed and not for corporall yea that is loathsome vnto him Sweet musicke and delightsome melodie Alas the daughters of singing are now abased he is almost past hearing and though he could heare it neuer so well yet it would not be any refreshing vnto him he could not solace himselfe in it yea rather
or worthinesse of mine owne but onely in thy mercie O Lord and in the al-sufficient merits of thy Christ my Lord and blessed Sauiour who hath giuen himselfe to death for me and powred foorth his pretious blood vpō the crosse to make full satisfaction for me and to reconcile me vnto thy Maiestie Loe therefore I doe humbly prostrate my self O Lord before the throne of thy grace and mercy in Christ Iesus I doe renounce my self and vtterly disclaime mine owne righteousnes acknowledging it to bee but as a stained and polluted cloth and desire only to appeare before thee in that righteousnesse of thy Sonne and to be found in him whom alone thou hast made vnto mee wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Were it not that I had comfort in this I should be of all creatures the most miserable yea had I not trusted herein I had long since perished and bin vtterly confounded Behold mee therefore O gracious God and louing Father behold me with the eye of thy mercie Looke vpon mee not as I am in my selfe all stained and defiled with sinne and iniquitie but in thy Sonne euen that iust and holy one who only is my righteousnesse and my saluation and in whom alone I do and will trust both in life and in death Accept therefore of me graciously in him Clothe and couer me with the pure and spotlesse garments of his righteousnes and holinesse that so the filthinesse of my pollution may neuer appeare in thy sight who art of so pure eyes that all sinne is an abomination vnto thee let the merit of his obedience of his death and passion whereby he offered himselfe a sacrifice pleasing and acceptable and of sweete smelling sauour vnto thee for all thy chosen and redeemed ones be a full satisfaction for me and for all my sinnes though neuer so many and so grieuous Let me through faith in him be made partaker of his puritie of his innocencie of his righteousnes of his holinesse and of his perfection that so howsoeuer I am in my selfe vncleane sinfull vnrighteous vnholy and full of manifold infirmities and imperfections yet in him and through him I may appeare in thine eyes pure as he is pure innocent as he is innocent righteous as he is righteous holy as hee is holy and perfect as he is perfect and being accepted into thy grace and fauour through him in this life may haue cōfort and confidence in death and in the day of iudgement and liue with thee in glorie in the life to come together with Christ my Sauiour redeemer and with thy blessed Spirit and with all thy Saints and elect Angels in that kingdome which thou hast prepared and of which I rest in cōtinuall hope and expectation desirous of the accōplishment of thy promise which is endlesse blessednes and felicitie A comfort for afflicted consciences THere is none that receiueth a great measure of spirituall comfort and diuine consolation whereby his spirits are cheered and his soule refreshed and filled with inward ioy and gladnes but he hath vsually some grieuous temptation either going before or following after it Thus the Lord doth ordinarily deale with his children there are none of his Saints but haue experience of it in themselues The Lord doth not alwaies cause the ioyfull light of his cheerfull countenance to shine cleerely vpon them he doth not alwaies fill their hearts with that peace which passeth all vnderstanding or rauish their soules with that inward and spiritual ioy and comfort which is vnspeakable and glorious neither doth hee alwaies absent himselfe or hide the brightnes of his face from them but sometimes he doth graciously visite them and causeth them to taste abundantlie of the sweetnes of his kindnesse his mercie and goodnesse so that they are exceedingly refreshed and feele such diuine and heauenly comfort and inward solace as that they are not able outwardly to expresse it and sometimes again as though hee had forgotten them he seemeth to hide and to absent himselfe from them and suffereth them to be assailed with some grieuous temptation so that their day is turned into night their light into darknesse their ioy and gladnes into sorrow and heauinesse And this the Lord doth that he may cause them to acknowledge this to be his gift euen that inward spirituall comfort wherewith their spirits doe reioyce before him and therefore to be thankfull vnto him whē they receiue it or haue a more especiall sense and feeling of it as also to make them to depend wholly vpon him who is the life of their soules and without whom there can bee no true solace no found ioy and withall to exercise their faith their hope and their loue the proofe whereof is seene in those spirituall desertions O Lord God if it be thy will let thy spirit of peace and cōfort alwaies rest vpon me let me taste cōtinually of the sweetnes of thy mercies wherewith thou art wont to refresh the soules of thy seruants after that they haue been wearied and oppressed with any grieuous affliction or temptation but if it seeme good vnto thee for the triall of my faith and for the exercise of the graces of thy spirit in me to withhold at any time this blessing for a while from me and to depriue me of the liuely sense and feeling of spirituall and diuine consolation yet let me not faint but rest in hope and expect with patience the time of thy gratious and heauenly visitation with which according vnto thy promise thou wilt refresh and comfort me giuing vnto me the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse that so thy name may bee glorified of mee in the thankfull acknowledgement of thy goodnes towards me The Christians glorious conquest THere is none that can attaine vnto so great a conquest in this world as a true Christian Hee through the grace which hee receiueth from Christ who daily assisteth him and is alwaies present with him sustaining him with his effectuall power is able to doe more then all the greatest Monarchs or mightiest Potentates in the earth can possibly doe of their own strength yea though they gather all their forces together For he doth not only conquer himselfe and subdue his own lusts which rebell against the spirit of his minde but also he ouercommeth this world yea the prince thereof euen Satan himselfe with all those spirituall wickednesses which raigne in others and haue thē continually in subiection vnder them O Lord without thee I am able to do nothing with thy helpe there is nothing but shall bee easie vnto me Let it please thee continually to assist mee with thy grace and to strengthen mee with thy mightie power that so I may daily see all mine enemies more and more subdued vnto mee and hauing gotten the victorie and conquest of them in this life may hereafter receiue that crowne of life which thou hast promised vnto all thē that ouercome liuing
fulnesse of thy presence and drinke abundantly out of the riuers of thy pleasures for euermore The old man neuer dies in this life EVery Christian as long as hee liueth in this world hath the old man liuing in him hee is in part but not wholly crucified and slaine hee hath receiued his deadlie wound and lieth a dying euery day but will not bee quite dead till the soule be separated by death from this earthly this sinfull and this corruptible bodie O Lord subdue and mortifie daily more and more I humbly pray thee the corruption of my nature let mee feele the power and strength thereof weakened and decaying in me put thy spirit into my hart wâ—ich may striue continually against it and suppresse the force of it so that although in some sort it liue in me yet it may not raigne at any time nor haue dominion ouer me And when it pleaseth thee make an end of these wretched and miserable daies and deliuer me from this bodie of sinne and of death which I carrie continually about with me that so being wholly freed from the bondage vnto which I am now subiect and restored vnto perfect libertie I may serue thee with all cheerefulnes and alacritie as thy holie Angels and Saints in glorie now doe and shall for euermore A free minde how to be obtained THere cannot bee a free minde where the heart doth not continually rest vpon God and stay it selfe vpon him only Hee that doth this shall quickly finde all sinfull and immoderate feare and the excessiue and inordinate loue of all earthly things much diminished and abated in him yea flying quite away and vanishing in such sort as if hee had neuer bin annoied or encumbred with them He that doth it not it cannot bee but that he should liue and spend his daies in coÌ„tinuall disquietnes yea in great miserie and vexation of minde and spirit by reason of many distracting thoughts superfluous cares and vaine desires which will euen pierce his soule with many sorrowes and oppresse his minde with much griefe anguish and perplexitie Ah Lord thou knowest the secret thoughts and desires of my heart thou seest what it is that my soule longeth after how faine I would serue thee with that cheerefulnesse of minde and that freedome of spirit which is the sacrifice wherein thou art so much delighted Haue regard vnto me I humbly intreate thee consider my request which I powre out vnto thee from a heart vnfained Giue me daily a greater measure of thy grace whereby I may breake thorow those snares which are laid for me and wherewith I am readie continually to bee intangled and grant that I may resigne my selfe wholly vnto thee and rest yea set and fixe my heart euen roule my selfe vpon thee that so I may passe the rest of my pilgrimage heeâ—e on earth peaceablie cheerefullie and comfortably as one that is set at libertie from all sinfull and inordinate affections from the vaine desires and the needlesse and troublesome cares of this euill and wicked world Amen An effectuall motiue to true humilitie and lowlines of minde OH how meanly ought euery one to esteeme of himselfe How little ought he to be in his owne eyes seeing that in himselfe he is nothing notable of himselfe no not so much as once to thinke that which is good If he were as wise as Salomon so famous for his wisedom and vnderstanding yet if the Lord did not continually guide his heart and direct his stâ—ppes there would be much follie aâ—d vanitie sound with him If he were aâ— râ—ghteous as Dauid â— man after Gods owne heart yet if the Lord did not alwaies preserue him and strengthen him through the assistance of his gracious spirit he would fall most dangerously yea if he were as pure and as holy as the Angels themselues those heauenly spirits yet if the Lord should not sustaine him with his especiall grace and continue him in that estate but withdrawe his hande from him he would quickly fall as it were a starre from heauen and all his glorie being lost and his light dimmed yea quite extinguished become like vnto Sathan the prince of darkenes nothing but sinfulnes and impuritie There is no wisedom no righteousnes no holines no stedfastnes but onely in God and of God who is the fountaine of all grace and goodnes and from whom the streames thereof are to be deriued into the hearts of men or else there wil be nothing but barrennes and emptines in them God is all in all the best without him are as nothing hauing no power no ability to do any thing which is good What is it then that men should glorie of in themselues Or how should they not alwaies haue a verie meane conceite and esteeme of themselues yea euen annihilate themselues and giue the glorie of all vnto God vnto whom alone it is due O blessed God giue me that meekenes of spirit and that true humblenes of minde which as it is a thing rare and pretious in it selfe so of thee verie much set by Teach me considering mine own weaknes of which I haue daily experience and my insufficiencie of my selfe and of my owne strength to doe to will or to thinke any thing which is good to be lowly vile and abiect in mine owne eyes yea to esteeme my selfe as nothing without thee and alwaies acknowledging mine owne feeblenes and manifold fraileties and infirmities to depend wholly and onely vpon thee yea to cleaue fast vnto thee and to ascribe the praise and glorie of whatsoeuer good is wrought in me or by me vnto thee alone who art the God of my streâ—gth the author and giueâ— both of grace and glorie and the beginner and finisher of euery good thing which is wrought in any of thy children Another THE more that any one doth emptie himselfe of his owne worth and goodnes the more will the Lord fill and replenish him with the abundant riches of his diuine and heauenly grace The lower that he doth abase and cast downe himselfe the higher wil the Lord aduance him and lift him vp euen farre aboue that which he did either desire or expect Thus his gaine wil be exceeding great in that wherein to others he may seeme to suffer some losse much to preiudice himself O Lord grant I beseech thee that I may euery day be more humbled with the sight of mine owne vnworthines of my spirituall pouertie and beggarlines that so it may please thee to inrich me with the greater measure of thy grace let me yet be more vile in mine own eyes that so I may at length be exalted of thee aboue that which I deserue and be crowned with honour and glory in thy kingdome for euermore Vainglorie what a vanitie and follie it is VAinglorie as it is a common disease in the world so the greatest vanitie that can be yea meere follie and madnesse itself It argues euidently that he that is carried away with it
may alwaies make pretious account of the least measure which it shall please thee in mercie to vouchsafe vnto me referre it wholly to thy honour and glory And sith whatsoeuer I am I am in thee whatsoeuer grace I haue I haue it from the whose gift onely it is let me be content with that portion which thou in thy wisdome and goodnesse allottest vnto me and knowing that for the present it is sufficient for me neither enuie those that haue receiued more lest I repine against thee nor despise those that haue lesse lest it displease thee and cause thee in iustice to withdraw that grace from me which in mercie thou hadst freelie giuen vnto me and to bestow it vpon those who would make better vse of it Death alwaies to be desired of the godlie IF anie shall take away from me my torne and ragged-worne coate and in stead thereof put vpon me a new and a better shall I thinke that I haue anie iniury done vnto me haue I anie cause to complaine as if I were wronged If the Lord vncloath me by depriuing me of this temporall this sinfull and corruptible life and in stead of it cloath me with that which is eternall incorruptible and most glorious doth he hurt me doth he any wrong or iniurie vnto me shall I complaine yea rather Lord let me desire alwaies to remoue out of this bodie and to dwell with thee for euer Let me desire earnestlie to put off this corruption to be dissolued to be with Christ my Sauiour in the heauens for this is that onelie happinesse and felicitie which I expect and hope for Lord euen when it pleaseth thee let me see thy saluation which thou hast promised The imprisonment of the godlie in this life THe godlie whiles they remaine in this world liue as it were in perpetuall imprisonment They are laden with manie chaines and fetters which lie heauie vpon them and cause them to sigh in themselues and to long earnestly for the time of their deliuerance freedom O blessed Lord thou knowest what a burden vnto my soule this corruptible and sinnefull bodie of mine is which I carry coÌ„tinually about with me and how this earthlie mansion keepeth downe and oppresseth my minde and maketh me heauie and vntoward for the performance of that good which thou commandest and wherein my heart desireth to approue it selfe vnto thee I am so fast in prison so much encumbred with manifold annoiances which are as it were so manie heauie irons pressing downe my minde and hindring me from walking before thee with that freedome of spirit and that cheerefulnes and alacrity wherein thou delightest that my soule mourneth secretlie within me and longeth to be freed from this miserie and bondage wherein I am now detained O Lord when wilt thou set me at libertie Continually doe I expect and waite for the redemption of this earthlie and sinfull bodie The vanitie of all earthlie things OH the vanitie of the things of this world riches pleasures honour whatsoeuer else to him that hath a carnall and fleshly eye may seeme most pretious and glorious how fruitles how fading and transitorie are they was there euer anie that found any true peace any sound ioy or contentment in anie or in all of them What a vaine thing then is it for any one to be carried with such an vnsatiable desire after them yea to place if not his onely yet his chiefe happines and felicitie in them as many doe O Lord draw my heart daily more and more from the things of this world whereunto the most are so fast glewed weane my soule both from the loue and desire of them and let my delight be in thee let me reioyce in thee continuallie yea let my soule alwaies long after thee and in comparison of thee esteeme of all these earthly things but as drosse meere vanitie A true discerning of the worlds vanitie maketh men willing to leaue it and desirous of a better estate out of it MAnie there be that complaine of the vanitie and deceitfulnesse of this world and yet are loth to leaue it to depart out of it Such either had neuer a true sight of the vanitie of all things here below and of the wretchednesse and miserie whereunto men euen the best are subiect in this life or else they neuer indeed fullie tasted of the blessednesse and felicitie of the life to come euen those endlesse ioyes and vnspeakable glorie which are prepared and reserued for the Saints in the kingdome of God or if they haue in some sort tasted of this heauenly gift yet without any certaintie or assurance that it belonged vnto them and that their right and portion should be in it and therefore could not be so soundly affected with it as thereby to be brought into a true dislike and contempt of this present euill world which notwithstanding at least they wouâ—d seeme to be out of loue with The man that seeth indeed how vaine how deceitfull and how miserable this world is and hath withall receiued the first fruits of the spirit of God and tasted of the sweetnes blessednes of the world to come and also knoweth that the assurance of the promise thereof is made and sealed vnto him and that by the truth it selfe euen by him whose word shall stand when heauen and earth shall passe away that man as he shall finde cause enough to complaine of this euill world wherein he liueth so it cannot be but that he should desire vnfainedly to be gone out of it to make change for a better euen that which his soule longeth after and in the hope and expectation whereof he resteth continually sighing in himselfe and waiting earnestly for the fruition and full possession thereof when as being vnclothed of the burden of this flesh loosed out of the prison of this earth he shal be clothed with glorie and immortality and liue for euer in that celestiall mansion not made with hands but eternall in the heauens O Lord when shall I be fullie deliuered from the bondage of corruption vnto which I am now daily subject when shall I lay downe this bodie of sinne and death which I now carrie continually about with me when shall I remoue out of this earthlie tabernacle when shall I leaue the wildernesse of this wearisome world and departing from hence be translated into that glorious kingdome of thine which thou hast promised vnto me My soule longeth to dwell in thy courts to see thy saluation to enioy thy blessed presence and to liue and rest with thee continuallie For here alas I find no resting place yea I see vanitie wretchednesse and miserie on euerie side in euerie place One sorrow succeedeth another The snares of many afflictions and temptations haue taken holde of me many deepe waters haue passed ouer me and euen almost ouerwhelmed me I am assailed continually with many and those verie dangerous and perillous enemies who fight against my
paths of mine owne feete let me feare mine owne waies and suspect the worst of my selfe in all my actions being priuie vnto those secret corruptiōs which lie lurking within me and both thinke and hope the best of others because I know not what thy worke is or may be in them yea let me alwaies be ready to iudge accuse and condemne my selfe and euen in my thoughts to excuse and acquit others by making a fauourable interpretation of all their doings vntill such time as thou doest manifest giue cleere euidence that they are such as are not to be approoued Thus I shall please thee and not sinne against those towards whom I ought alwaies to bee charitably affected and free from all ill suspition and wicked surmizes Why the Lord suffereth oft times the infirmities of his children to be knowne to others IT is a meanes oft times to make a mā the more hūble to know that others are priuie vnto his wants his weaknesses and infirmities which hee was desirous to keepe secret to perceiue that the sores and blemishes of his soule lie open vnto the view of others which hee could wish rather were couered and kept close And for this end the Lord many times in mercie and goodnes doth suffer the shame and nakednes of his children to bee discouered before the face of others when as they would gladly haue it hid frō the eyes of all and not seene of any yea hee doth suffer them to fall by many weaknesses and infirmities euen such as are no waies pleasing but grieuous and irksome vnto them that so he may cause them to be the more humble and lowly and not to lift vp their hearts at any time aboue their brethren but so to demeane themselues that it may appeare that they esteem better of others then of themselues which is an excellent and a singular grace whereunto all that are yet defectiue herein should labour by all meanes to attaine O Lord if it seeme good vnto thee at any time to make others to see the weaknes of thy seruant to cause my wants imperfectiōs and infirmities to be knowne and discerned of others as thou knowest how readie I am to faile if thy grace doth not continually sustaine me let it not grieue me so much that others behold that in me which may cause me to be ashamed as make me euery day more carefull to vse al meanes to bee healed and cured of those diseases whereunto my soule is subiect and inclinable through sinne and to increase as in all other graces so especially in true humilitie and meeknes of spirit without the which I can neuer please thee nor haue the light of thy coūtenance shining vpon me The heauen of the godly and the hell of the wicked in this life IF there be a heauen in this world it is the true Christian onely that enioyes it in whose heart that blessed spirit doth dwell comforting and refreshing him continually in an vnspeakable maner If there be any hell in this life it is in the soule and conscience of the wicked and vngodly man whom Satan that euill spirit hath possessed and bereaued of that which should bee the ioy and comfort of his life and not that onely but also euen oppressed with many feares and sorrowes and with much anguish and horrible amazement arising from his hellish and guilty conscience O blessed God who hast giuen me to see the great difference which is betweene the estate of thy children and of the wicked and vngodly euen in this world how that the one is blessed and happie the other wretched and miserable grant that I may not at any time desire to haue the same lot with the wicked though it seeme outwardly to fare well with them but let me alwaies rest in thee and reioyce in that portion which thou hast giuen vnto mee knowing that on earth there can be no better inheritance nor any estate more to be desired The cares of this world what hindrances they are to the sincere and entire worship of God HE that is insnared and intangled with the things of this world or that is not free from all inordinate affectiōs whatsoeuer cannot haue a perfect and an vpright heart before God nor freedome of spirit in his worship and seruice The soule onely that is emptied of the troublesome cares and sinfull desires wherwith most are surcharged and the minde that is set at liberty from all earthly vanities is fit to come before God with truth vprightnes and sinceritie and to offer such sacrifices with which he is well pleased and wherein he most delighteth O Lord let not the excessiue and inordinate desire of any earthly thing cleaue vnto me emptie my heart of the cares of this world banish farre from me the loue of all those things whereby I may any waies bee hindred from the performāce of those duties which thou requirest of me and grant that I may be carefull to vse all meanes whereby my affections may be so rightly ordered that I may serue thee with a good heart in integritie and sinceritie all my daies True zeale THey that are trulie zealous are more zealous against themselues then others As they doe not when iust occasion and opportunitie is offered suffer the open sinnes of others to passe vnreproued so they are least partiall towards themselues but are readiest to check themselues euen for their inward and most secret corruptions As they haue an eye vnto the actions of others are carefull to discountenance sinne by fastening a seasonable rebuke and iust censure vpon it wheresoeuer it doth apparētly shew and manifest it selfe so especially they are alwaies chiefly prying into their own actions and hauing espied a fault are most seuere censorious in iudging and rebuking themselues for it They are grieued at the offences of others but their owne sinnes they doe most gall them yea they cā neuer be quiet whiles they see the relikes remainders of them abiding in them but euen groane daily vnder the burthen of them and vse all means to haue their hearts purged and freed from them Good Lord increase true zeal daily more and more in me let me not through childish feare nor any other sinister respect bee too slack and remisse in shewing my dislike of the sinnes which others doe commit against thy Maiestie and yet let me not be so readie to censure others as to reprooue and reforme my selfe A dangerous thing to affect the glorie of the world HE that loueth God and seekes his glorie cannot bee altogether carried away with the vaine glor e of this world but will either despise it or at least set very light by it He that loueth the glory of this world and doth not only affect it but is also very eager in the pursuite of it thirsting after the praise and applause of men it is a signe that there is little or no loue of God or of his glorie in him These are things that cannot
dayes O Let it please thee who art able to doe all things to make a gracious supplie of that which thou seest to be wanting in me and wherein through weakenesse and infirmitie I am subiect to faile most to helpe and to assist me through the powerfull working of thy blessed spirit without which I am able to doe nothing The extreame follie of men in hazarding the eternall estate of their soules for the enioying of the vaine pleasures of this world O How vaine how momentarie and deceitfull are all earthly pleasures and delights euen then when any enioyeth all that his heart can wish or desire or whereunto his minde standeth most affected They are all as smoake or as a shadowe they vanish suddenlie and come to nothing and when they are gone they are as if they had neuer been euen the remembrance of them doth perish and passe away And whiles that a man hath the vse of them yet doth he not finde any true delight or contentment in them yea it may well be doubted whether he tasteth of more sowre or sweet more honey or gall more pleasure and delight or griefe and vexation whiles he drinketh theÌ„ downe with a greedie appetite and in an vnsatiable maner For thus the Lord vsâ—ally puts much bitternesse into their sweetest cup and mingleth trouble anguish and vexation with their chiefest delights which they most inordinatly desire and seeke after And yet loe such is the follie sottishnes of many vnto whom the Lord otherwise hath giuen vnderstanding whereby to iudge and discerne of things that differ that like vnreasonable men nay like brutish creatures that are destitute of all wisedome and knowledge for the gaining of these fruitlesse and fading vanities they sticke not to lose their owne soules then which nothing should be more deare or pretious vnto them O Lord let me not be taken in the snare of the wicked at any time let me not haue a longing and inordinate desire after those things which please them and with the loue whereof they are drawne away from that wherein their happinesse consisteth if they had eyes to see it but grant that seeing and considering daily more more the vanitie the vncertainty deceitfulnes of these earthly pleasures and worldly delights wherein most are drowned I may haue a true contempt and holy disdaine of them in comparison of those things which concerne thy kingdome and that beeing weaned from the immoderate loue and sinful desire of them I may delite my selfe in thee continually yea solace my selfe in thee alone that so I may be filled with true inward and spirituall ioy reioycing alwaies in thee who onely art the fountaine of all heauenly comfort and contentment and of all diuine consolation Deniall of a mans selfe how necessary MAn is alwaies to rest in the will of God and to yeeld himselfe in all things to be ruled and directed thereby Thereunto must he frame his will his desires yea all the affections of his heart and actions of his life he must in euery thing be swaied wholly and only by that or else he shall neuer performe acceptable obedience vnto God that wherein he is most delighted and best pleased O Lord giue me grace alwaies to denie my selfe and mine owne will and to resigne my selfe vnto thy holy and heauenly will in all things Let me will those things onely which thou willest and affect desire and enterprise nothing but that which thou hast either commanded or warranted the lawfulnes of it that so I may doe it of faith and without sinne Behold Lord I am thy seruant desirous to approue my selfe vnto thy maiestie and to please and obey thee in all things Teach me daily both to know and to doe thy will better then I haue done heretofore euen with all readines willingnes and cheerefulnes as those celestiall creatures doe which alwaies attend vpon thy presence as ministring spirits ready with all diligence and alacritie to execute whatsoeuer thou commandest Frame my heart more and more vnto the obedieÌ„ce of thy lawes and let me with all reuerence and humble submission both of soule and bodie subiect my selfe vnto thee following thee whithersoeuer thou shalt leade me and being content to be ruled directed and gouerned according vnto thy will and good pleasure in all things yea O Lord deale with me as thou pleasest and as thou knowest may be most for thy honor and glorie and for my greatest good in this life and the furtherance of my happines and saluation in the life to come through Christ my only Lord and blessed Sauiour Amen The Lord is the light and the guide of his EXcept the Lord doe inlighten the minds of meÌ„ they are as those that walk in darknes yea euen the best are ready continually to erre and to go astray if he be not their guide if he be not present to direct them and to leade them forward as it were with his hand in the right way Daily experience and obseruation maketh this so cleere and euident that none can either denie it or doubt of it O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steps but if thou leaue him he starteth aside wandreth like a straying sheepe O therefore be thou mercifull vnto me let thy grace and thy truth alwaies shine foorth cleerely vnto me Be thou my guide in all things going before me and directing me aright so that I may neuer bee plucked away with the error of those that fall froÌ„ thee and from thy trueth Giue mee knowledge giue mee vnderstanding teach me to doe thy will and to walke in all the pathes of thy precepts with a right foote and with all sinceritie of heart and affection yea let thy good spirit bee alwaies present to assist me and to leade me in the way wherein I should goe that so I may continue stedfastly and constantly in the knowledge and obedience of thy trueth and doe those things which may be pleasing and acceptable in thy sight and bring comfort vnto my soule and conscience both in life and in death The Lord neuer forsaketh his in the day of affliction or temptation IF the Lord at any time doth expose his children vnto any kinde of miserie or affliction if he suffer them to fall into diuers and grieuous temptatioÌ„s he meaneth them no hurt therein neither is hee therefore to be thought an enemie or to haue lessened his care and louing affection towards them but rather he doth all this for their good yea for their great benefite though they for the present cannot easily discerne it not beeing so well acquainted with the Lords dealings and proceedings with whom it is an ordinarie and no vnusuall thing to proue and exercise his euen his most beloued ones sundrie wayes and in diuers maners His loue is as great towards theÌ„ when he seemeth to be their enemie as when he carrieth himselfe most friendly
and causeth his face to shine most comfortably vpon them in their grearest distresse and affliction as when they haue plentie abundance of peace and prosperitie yea rather if there bee any chaunge in the immutable and vnchangeable God euen then when for a while hee seemeth to withdraw himselfe from them and to leaue them comfortlesse in the middest of their miseries and greatest extreamities hee is most tenderly affected and hath a most gracious respect vnto them although it doth not so appeare vntill he manifest it O my soule why then art thou so cast downe why art thou so disquieted within me why doest thou not waite vpon God why doest thou not rest wholly on his good will and pleasure Why doest thou not put thy whole trust and confidence in him yea returne continuall thankes and praise vnto him whose mercie and goodnes is exceeding great towards thee who in euery thing seeketh thy profit and the furtherance of thy saluation and happinesse yea who is euery way infinitlie gratious vnto thee far aboue that which thou art able to thinke or to conceiue O blessed Lord let mine eyes and my heart be alwaies lifted vp vnto thee my God and louing Father the Father of all mercies and heauenly comforts and suffer me not at any time to bee so forgetfull of thee so distrustfull of thy loue and gratious fauour towards me as that I should faint in the day of affliction or temptation when it shall seeme good vnto thee to trie and exercise me in that manner that it pleaseth thee but grant that I may haue as sure hope and confidence in thee and be as thankfull vnto thee when sorrow and griefe shall lodge with me yea when a multitude of sorrowes shall compasse me about on euery side as when I shall be most filled and replenished with spiritual and diuine comforts and consolations knowing that thou art euer the same alwaies faithfull in that thou hast promised and infinit in thy grace and goodnesse towards thy childreÌ„ most caring for them when they seeme to be least respected and in a manner forsaken of thee The loue of the world and worldly things is the cause of distraction and much disquietnes THE inordinate loue of any worldly thing is the cause of much disquiet of heart and great distraction and vexation of minde How many do hereby pierce themselues thorough with many sorrowes how doe they trouble their own soules when otherwise they might be at rest into what bondage doe they bring themselues yea euen consume themselues in vaine with vnprofitable cares and pensiuenesse It is the wisdome of a Christian therfore neuer to affect or to couet after those things which are vnlawfull for him neuer to desire or to long after any thing which may hinder him in any sort from inward peace and freedome of minde or be a cause of anguish griefe and distraction vnto him but to weane his soule from the excessiue and disordered loue and desire of them considering that they are such things as when he hath the full fruition and enioyment of them he shall finde that they will not satisfie his desire and expectation and that they will quickly vanish away and perish with the vse of them O Lord withdraw my heart I beseech thee daily more and more from the loue of the world and the things thereof seeing they are vaine transitorie and full of griefe and vexation not yielding that delight and contentment which they promise and make shewe of but rather much anguish and vnquietnes of minde Seeing they are a cause of such vnlooked for bitternesse let me not so affect them as I haue done let them not seeme so sweete and pleasant vnto me as they doe vnto others who haue not tasted of better things and therefore finde such relish in these but grant that all the affections of my heart may be set vpon thee alone and that I may delite and reioyce continually in thee who art the onely fountaine of al true ioy peace and happines assuredly perswading my selfe that hauing thee to be my God I shall haue the desires of my heart yea more then euer I did or could expect or desire freely granted vnto me according vnto thy promise wherein I trust and in which standeth my comfort How Christians are to iudge of their estate A ChristiaÌ„ is not to iudge of his estate according vnto his present sense and feeling For the Lord many times is neerest vnto them when he seemeth to bee furthest off from them when they seeme to be euen lost in themselues then is he readiest to be found of them and to shew them his saluation O heauenly Father giue me with faith and patience continually to waite vpon thee and to hold fast that confidence and the reioycing of that stedfast and assured hope wherewith thou hast heretofore vpholden me Let me neuer thinke my selfe to bee altogether forsaken of thee because thou sendest some griefe and affliction vpon me or sufferest Satan to assault me with diuers and sundrie temptations or else for a time withdrawest from me the ioy of thy spirit and the comfort of thy saluation yea though thou seemest to absâ—nt thy selfe from me and to denie that gratious presence of thine vnto me wherewith thou hast heretofore comforted and refreshed me exceedingly but grant that I may cleaue fast vnto thee euen when I haue least feeling of thy loue and fauour and of the worke of thy grace in me and that I may alwaies haue sure trust in thy mercie knowing that thou aâ—t wont to bee neere at hand vnto thy children when thou makest as though thou wert a farre off and wouldest not be found of them The presence of God how blessed and comfortable a thing it is OH how blessed a thing it is alwaies to enioy the gratious and comfortable presence of God! For when he is present all things are pleasant and delightfull the heart reioyceth and the spirit of man is refreshed exceedingly and when he doth absent himselfe or hide his face though but for a season then euery thing becommeth irksome and full of wearines and lothsomnes the soule can take no true pleasure nor delight in any thing no more then the stomacke being distempered in meates in which there is no sweetnesse no relish O my God the God of my ioy the fountaine of my peace and happinesse doe not thou hide thy gratious countenance nor depart farre from me at any time but let thy spirit alwaies dwell within me and comfort me Let my soule taste of those sweet delicates of thine euen that hidden and that heauenly Manna which how pretious and delightsome it is none knoweth but those only vnto whom thou hast freely vouchsafed to giue it let thy face euer shine vpon me and manifest thy presence alwaies by causing me to feele the comfortable fruites and effects thereof within me Oh when shall that blessed and wished for time come when as I shall bee satisfied with the
is not onely much distempered in his soule but euen out of his right minde and destitute of true wisedom and vnderstanding seeing that it bereaues a man of true glorie vnto which that is no waies comparable and depriues him of diuine and heauenly grace the most pretious iewell in this world and most to bee desired and sought for farre aboue all fading and earthly vanities For whiles that any seeketh to please himselfe ouermuch in receiuing honour of men he cannot but displease God verie highly and want that honor which is from aboue whiles he couets and hunts after the praise and applause of this world and desires to lift vp himselfe in the pride and vanitie of his heart aboue others the Lord resisteth him and denieth his grace vnto him so that of all others he is herein through the iust iudgment of God most barren and fruitlesse hauing perhaps the shadow and outward appearance of some morall vertues but wanting that which is the life and soule of them O Lord how little cause haue I to glorie of any thing that is in me except it be of my infirmities my weaknesses and manifold imperfections vnto which I feele my selfe continually subiect What is it for which I should esteeme my selfe to be any thing or to bee once worthie to bee accounted amongst the meanest of thy seruants For behold I am but a fraile and a sinfull man full of wretchednes and miserie nothing without thee not able to doe the least good but as I am strengthened and assisted by thee readie to faile and to sinke right down if I bee not continually sustained and supported by thee What shall I say If I haue any thing it is only thy gift and thy gratious blessing for the which I can neuer be sufficiently thankfull Farre bee it from me therefore to bee so misled with the vaine conceit of wicked and vngodly men that I should lift vp my selfe aboue that which is meete or glorie in any thing of this world lest it displease thee and cause thee in iustice to bring shame and dishonour vpon me but grant that I may reioyce and glorie alwaies and only in thee yea that I may extoll and magnifie thy name continually who art worthie of all praise and glorie both now and euermore The Christians Paradise in this life THe children of God liue continually in a paradise euen whiles they remaine in this world and seeme to others to be wretched and miserable subiect vnto manifold afflictions and diuers kinds of calamities They taste daily of the fruite of the tree of life and are refreshed with those inward spirituall ioyes and heauenly delights which are aboue all other ioyes and in comparison whereof all the pleasures and delights which this deceitfull and enticing world can affoord them are but meere vanitie They are certified of their saluation they know themselues to be elected redeemed by Christ their Sauiour and that none can take thē out of his hands who is so mightie and powerfull in himself and so gratious and louing vnto them yea by faith and hope they are ascended into heauen and in spirit behold that mansion place prouided for them and that glorie which he who neuer deceiued any that trusted in him hath promised vnto them the remembrance and ioyfull expectation whereof doth euen rauish their soules and cause them to glory in the Lord and in the riches of his goodnesse and mercie so gratiously bountifully vouchsafed vnto them when they were most vnworthie of it O blessed Lord open mine eyes that I may see the excellencie of that estate whereunto thou hast called mee of thy free grace take away that vaile which Satan seeketh to spread before me that so I might not see into that glorie which thou of thy endlesse loue and vnspeakable goodnesse hast made me partaker of euen in the middest of those weaknesses those infirmities and afflictions wherewith I am compassed about on euerie side Thou hast giuen me thy spirit to bee my comforter in all my sorrowes yea my faithfull guide to leade me along safely by the waters of diuine and heauenlie consolations and to conduct me with much peace and ioy thorow this vale of miserie vnto that promised rest that heauenly Canaan Euery day thou causest me to taste of thy goodnesse yea fillest me with thy hid treasures such as the world is not acquainted with Euen in the depth of miserie thou makest me to see and to enioy the blessednesse and glorie of thy Saints and chosen ones And after that I haue been for a while tossed in this sea wilt cause me speedily to arriue at that hauen where I would be yea thou wilt stretch forth thy hand and receiue me into thine owne presence cause me to behold thy face in that brightnes of glorie for euermore How the life to come ought to be desired of euery true Christian in regard of the excellencie and glorie of it THat heathenish pagan as is reported of him reading Platoes discourse of the soules immortalitie estate after this life was so rauished therewith that with the desire thereof he cast himselfe into the sea ended his life His act was sinfull and no waies to be imitated by any for no man is to cut off the threede of his life vntill the Lords appointed time but yet his vehement desire and earnest affecting of that glory which he apprehēded conceited in his minde may teach euen vs that are Christians to blush in our selues when we finde our hearts so dull and senseles that the remēbrance of that promised glorie and happine swill no more affect vs then ordinarily it doth the most Oh it should wholly possesse our soules and rauish our mindes and cause vs to labour by all meanes to get assurance vpon good euidence that we shall at length haue our part and portion in it being gathered togeher with all the Saints into that glorious kingdome those heauenly mansions O mercifull God how great is thy goodnes how vnsearchable are the riches of thy grace and fauour towards thy Saints and chosē ones those whom in Christ Iesus thou imbracedst before all worlds Oh how blessed and glorious is that estate which thou reseruest for them in the heauens and which thou wilt giue thē possession of as soone as these fraile and sinfull daies of theirs are ended Thou wilt cause them to shine as the starres yea as the sunne it selfe when it is in the greatest brightnes All kinde of impuritie and vncleannes beeing done away thou wilt clothe thē with the glorious robes of innocencie righteousnes and holines thou wilt adorne them with those pretious iewels of all diuine and heauenly graces and cause thy name to be written in their foreheads yea thou wilt set them vpon thrones with thy Christ with scepters in their hands and crownes on their heads and giue vnto them for an euerlasting inheritance that celestiall kingdome of endles blisse happines Thou wilt euery way
seuered or separated from the other but that there will be a want found of the benefite which should be receiued thereby Meditation is a preparatiue to praier Praier the end of meditation If thou wouldest pray effectually thou must begin with meditation if thou wouldest meditate profitably and fruitfully thou must end with praier Vse both these duty as thou shalt haue occasion as if thy heart be wel ordered and rightly affected as it ought thou canst seldome or neuer want it and withall pray vnto God for a blessing vpon them and doubt not but that thou shalt finde much sweetnes and comfort in them and reape no small benefite by them MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies Psalm 119.15 Teach mee to doe the thing that pleaseth thee for thou art my God Psalm 143.10 If I regard wickednes in mine heart the Lord will not heare me Psal 66.18 The Lord is neere vnto all that call vpon him euen to all that call vpon him in truth Psal 145.18 Enemies to deuotion first sinfull lusts HE that hath an aguish fitte vpon him can taste nothing well but all things euen the most sweete and wholesome meats are vnsauorie to him he can find no relish in them So it is with the man whose soule is disteÌ„pered through sinne He findes no sweetnes no sauour in the things of God yea his soule doth loath and abhorre them though they be sweeter then Manna it selfe O Lord keepe me from this spiritual distemperature which of all others is most dangerous and grant that I may alwaies delight in those things which are pleasing vnto thee yea that I may finde much sweetnes in them euen in meditation praier and all other holy exercises which thou hast prescribed in thy word that so my soule may liue for euer 2 Worldly Cares THe cares of this world and the desire of these earthly vanities oh what snares they are to the soule and to the spirit of a man How many are taken in them and so brought into a kinde of thraldome bondage What incumbrances are they vnto them in the performance of good actions How doe they coole yea quench the holy motions the godly desires and purposes of the heart and hinder it from diuine and heauenly meditations which otherwise it would relish farre better and finde much more sweetnes and delight therein then now it doth O my God preserue thou mee both now and alwaies from the inordinate and immoderate cares of this euill world and from the excessiue and vnlawfull desire and affection of all vaine and transitorie things Let me not be insnared and intangled with them as others are Let them not be any let or hindrance vnto my soule to withdraw it from the more serious meditation of spirituall and heauenly things or in any sort to coole my affection towards them or to cause me to take the lesse pleasure and delight in them or to be the more vnfit to be conuersant about them Let them not so oppresse my minde that I should finde lesse libertie and freedome of spirit in good things or become more vnapt for the performance of any dutie of thy worship and seruice any holy or religious exercise which thou requirest of me but grant I beseech thee that seeing how deceitfull this world is how vaine all things here below are I may daily be more and more weaned from the loue and desire of them yea may haue thy loue so shed into my heart that all my delight may be in thee all my affections set vpon thee in such sort that all carnall and earthly things which would withdraw me from thee and from the loue of spirituall and heauenly things may be bitter and vnpleasant vnto me and that I may serue thee with more chearefulnes and alacritie all my daies to thy glorie and to the increase of my happines in thy kingdome 3 Sathans suggestions THat euil and enuious spirit the enemie of al mankinde neuer resteth but seeketh vncessantly to cast ill motions and suggestions into the hearts of men and to draw away their minds from euery good thing which they enterprise and take in hand He vseth all meanes to make them faint in the seruice of God to coole their zeale to quench their spirituall deuotion to hinder them in the performance of all good duties and religious exercises which might make for the increase of grace in them and to cause them if it be possible to fall from that purpose of heart and godly resolution which heretofore they haue had to continue in the Lord and to walke in the waies which he hath commanded yea no sooner shall the good spirit inspire into them any good motions any holy desires but that wicked and envious one standing readie at hand will labour presentlie to strangle them so that they shal neuer come to any effect but vanish away and leaue the hearte more heardened and lesse capable of goodnes and of any spirituall and heauenly grace then euer it was before Oh how closely and how slily doth he insinuate himselfe into the minds of men and deceiue and delude them in this maner when they think little he is so neare them or so busie in working them so great a mischiefe euen that which if it be not carefully preuented in time wil be their vtter ruine in the end O Lord let me neuer giue eare vnto the deceitfull inchantments and to the enticing dangerous charmes of that subtile and wilie serpent who is alwaies hissing about me Let me not once listen vnto him nor yeeld vnto any of his suggestions but alwaies resist him in the first motions vnto euery sinne wherunto he shall tempt me And whensoeuer that good spirit of thine shall speake inwardly and secretlie vnto my soule and inspire any good thought any holie affection or desire into my heart let me hearken thereunto as vnto thy voice Let me carefullie vse the meanes to foster and cherish such beginnings of grace as it shall please thee in mercie and goodnes to infuse into me that so I may not fall away from any good thing which thou hast wrought in me heretofore nor finde my selfe more vnfit or vnto ward vnto any dutie or spirituall exercise wherein heretofore thou hast caused me to take much ioy and great delight but graunt that I may daily increase in grace and goe forward cheerefully constantly in the wayes of pietie and true holines and with full purpose of heart cleaue fast vnto thee to the end of my daies neuer forsaking thee nor being forsaken of thee who art the God of my hope my strength my saluation WORKES OF CREAtion ALl the workes of God are excellent and glorious if we stand to consider them â—b 40.10 from Behemoth whom the scripture mentioneth and setteth forth as one of the cheifest of them to the Ostrich from the great Whale in the middest of the seas to the least fish that moueth in the waters
it would seeme harsh in his eares and vnpleasant vnto his mind it is another kind of musick and melodie which hee longs to heare and hearken after that therein he may finde sound ioy and true comfort in that his extremitie His pleasures profits or great reuenues in this world neither can these comfort him in that houre they will not afford him any true ioy pleasure or delight no though he might euen swimme and bathe himselfe in the abundance of them yea rather they would be a trouble vnto him they would disquiet distract his mind both because he now seeth that he is presently to leaue theÌ„ for euer to giue a finall farewell vnto them neuer to haue any vse or benefit of theÌ„ afterwards as also and that especiallie because he knoweth that he is forthwith to goe to answer and to giue an account both for the getting vsing imploying of theÌ„ and to receiue accordinglie His credit fame and reputation amongst men alas although he were as famous and renowned as Salomon was when he was so admired that nations came farre and neere to see to heare him this then would little auaile him it would yeeld him no pleasure no delight yea rather it will grieue him to thinke how that haply hath bin an occasion heretofore to make him proud vaine-glorious and how that hereafter it will perish with the remembrance of him and vanish as the smoake so that all his glory shall lie buried in the dust and his name be as if it had neuer been Friends kins-folke and acquaintance Neither can they affoord him any true peace and sound comfort Indeed in the time of his health they might be a ioy and refreshing vnto him euen the verie sight and presence of them peraduenture would affect him with an inward and secret delight and contentment but now they can bring little or no comfort vnto him no more then Iobs friends did vnto him in the depth of his miserie euen sit by him and say nothing yea rather they will be a meanes to renue his sorrow and to increase his griefe because he is so shortly to take his last farewell of them for so long a season as also for that hee sees them who are most deare vnto him nothing but mourning weeping sorrowing and lamenting for him on euery side which cannot but disquiet and trouble him very much especially hauing his minde so much busied with the serious consideration of that long iourney which his soule immediatly after the dissolution and separation thereof from his body is now presently to take into that vnknowne land It is therefore neither the finest fare or daintiest iuncats the sweetest musicke and most delightsome melodie neither pleasures profits great reuenues honor preferment friends kinsfolks acquaintance nor any worldly thing else whatsoeuer though neuer so pretious neuer so glorious in the eyes of men that can yeeld him any true peace or sound comfort when this houre is once come wherein he must breathe out his soule which hath a long time beene vnited vnto his body in such a firme league and with so straite a bond of speciall loue and amitie that it is death now to depart or to be separated from it and lay downe his body in the dust and make his graue in the darke where he shall neither see any nor be seene of any What therfore thinkest thou is it wherein he shall finde comfort when he shall stand in most need of it hauing besides all the former occasions of griefe and sorrowe sinne and Sathan assaulting yea laying harder siege against him then euer before seeking by all meanes to daunt him and to rob depriue him of al true peace and comfort yea if it be possible to bring him vnto deepe despaire What then would be most sweete and pleasant vnto him What would most refresh him and cheere vp his languishing spirit In briefe if thou shouldest aske him what was his comfort in this extremity wherein he found most ioy and delight would he not answere thee that his reioycing was the testimonie of his owne conscience euen in this that he had endeauoured himselfe with Paul to haue alway a cleare conscieÌ„ce toward God and men in this that he had laboured with Henoch to walke with God al his life long in this that it was his chiefe care coÌ„tinually to liue vprightly and sincerely before God and blamelesly and innocently before men Would he not tell thee that this was the thing wherin he reioyced wherewith he was comforted Surely without doubt he would And no maruaile For this this the testimony I meane of a good conscience would then be as a delightsome feast a most heauenly banquet vnto him It would be sweete musicke and a pleasant melodie within him Neuer did he tast of such iuncats as these would be to his hungry soule and to his fainting spirits It would be as it were Manna from heauen and water of life out of the Sanctuarie of God to refresh and to reuiue him when hee were almost dead Neuer did he heare any musicke that so much delighted him Oh how would it cheere vp his soule and refresh his minde causing him to breake foorth into that speech of the holie Prophet Why art thou so cast downe O my soule why art thou so disquieted so troubled within me O put thy trust in God euen thy God reioyce yea againe reioyce in him for loe as he hath promised hee will send foorth his light and his truth which shal leade thee bring thee safely vnto his holy mountaine and vnto his dwelling place Lo he wil plenteously reward thee receiuing thee presently into his heauenly palace and set thee vpon a Throne and crowne thee with glorie and immortalitie Or to say with that ancient and religious Father Goe foorth ô my soule what fearest thou why art thou danted or any waies dismaied Goe foorth what needest thou to feare Commit thy selfe vnto him who as he is a faithfull Creator so is hee also a liberall rewarder of all them that delight in well doing Behold thou hast fought a good fight thou hast finished thy course thou hast endeuoured to keepe faith and a good conscience and to serue God in truth vprightnes and sinceritie all thy daies So therefore those heauenly ministers the Angels of God who haue heretofore attended vpon thee are now ready waiting for thee eueâ— to embrace thee wiâ—â— their armes and to câ—râ—ie thee with ioy and triumph into that heauenly citie that celestiall paradise that new Hierusalem where thou shalt enioy the blessed presence of that glorious God aâ—d the comfortable societie and compaâ—â—â— oâ— al the Saints and Angels who desire and expect thy comming and with whom thou shalt liue and conuerâ—e in heauenly manner being â—â—tisfied with fulnes of ioy blâ—sse and happinesse for euermore This is the comfort which a good conscience will giue as thoroughout the whole life in the daies of triall and afflictioÌ„ so
especially if he bee not only guiltie of the fact to himselfe but perceiues that the Iudge hath certain knowledge and cleere euidence of the same and of all the particular circumstances thereof Oh thē what a horrible feare shall possesse the hearts and minds of all sinful and vngodly wretches when they shall stand before that iust Iudge when they shall bee brought vnto their answere for al their vnrighteous wicked deeds which they haue committed in the whole course of their liues when that glorious God that seuere and mightie Iudge the Iudge of the whole world hauing a perfect register of all their actions words and workes yea of the secretest thoughts and imaginations of their hearts and hauing all things which euer they haue done as cleere as the Sunne or as crystall before him shall looke vpon thē with a fierie eye and with a frowning and irefull countenance and shew such signes of his wrathfull indignation against them as that the heauen shall shake and the earth tremble yea both heauen and earth flie away from his face and moue out of their places for the greatnes of his wrath which shall be more dreadful then the heart of man is now able to conceiue O then what an astonishment shall come vpon them how shall shame and confusion couer their faces how shall feare griefe and anguish euen rend their hearts and soules Neuer was Belshazzar so perplexed so amazed and astonished at the sudden appearing of the hand writing ouer the wall the forerunner of his speedie destruction as they shall then bee The chaunging of his countenance the troublesome thoughts of his minde the loosing of his ioynts and the smiting of his knees one against the other was but a shadow of that vnspeakeable dread horror and fearefull amazement wherewith all vngodly persons shall be then stricken and vtterly confounded in themselues Seeing O Lord that appearāce of thine in that day wherein thou hast appointed to iudge the world shall be so terrible vnto all the wicked that would not obey thee nor hearken vnto thy voice to walke in the waies of thy commandements O let the remembrance thereof make me alwaies carefull to refraine my foote from their paths and to endeuour my selfe vnto righteousnesse that so when their feare commeth I may haue cause to reioyce and be glad in thee yea euen to looke vp vnto thee with ioyfulnes and to glorie in thy saluation who then wilt shew thy selfe to be maruellous and exceeding glorious in all thy Saints euen al those that haue beleeued in thy name and waited for that blessed comming of thine which as thou hast promised so let it bee thy pleasure to hasten The excellencie of a true Christian O How great is the excellencie of euery true christian euen of euery one that is such a one not onely in name in title or outward profession but in deede and in trueth Surely his honour is great his estate is glorious yea the grace and dignity which he hath receiued is such as that the spirit of a mā is not able fully to discerne or to comprehend the same Although by nature he was the childe of wrath subiect vnto wretchednes and all miseries as well as others yet by grace he is become the sonne of God euen of the most high God and so partaker of endlesse blisse and happinesse He is borne againe by the spirit of God through the incorruptible and immortall seed of the word and so made a newe creature in Christ more excellent and glorious then those celestiall creatures the sunne the moone and all the starres of heauen Beeing thus inwardly renued in his whole nature which before was so much corrupted and decayed he is in a mysticall wonderfull maner ioyned and vnited vnto Christ and made a member of his bodie Beeing so ingrafted into him he receiueth spirituall life grace and strength from him vntill he come vnto a ripe and perfect age euen vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ his heade He is made partaker of the diuine nature then which there can be no greater excellencie sith therby he becommeth like vnto God and hath the liuely printe of his image stamped in his soule euen in those graces of renued knowledge wisedome righteousnes and true holines which shine therin Beeing created in this maner of God in Christ and framed vnto the similitude likenes of his owne image he is beloued of God as his chiefest treasure and chosen substance on earth more deare vnto him and more pretious in his sight then all these visible creatures his hearts delight is set vpon him He blesseth him daily with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things He hath giuen him right and interest vnto all things whether it be the world or life or death whether things present or things to come euen al things whatsoeuer There is not any thing but God causeth it to work for the best vnto him and turneth it vnto his profite and greatest good yea such is his wisedome and goodnes that by a speciall dispensation of his diuine prouidence he causeth poison to become wholesome vnto him making the very sinnes which man committeth to turne rather to his good then to his hurt in that by them beeing humbled in himselfe he bringeth him to renounce himselfe and to cleaue faster and nearer vnto him depending wholly and onely vpon him for the supply of all spirituall graces and strength and to be more carefull and watchfull ouer all his wayes and more circumspect and heedefull in auoiding all sinne and the occasions therof He hath those glorious creatures the Angels of God as ministring spirits continually seruing him as it were and attending vpon him yea garding him and compassing him round on euery side though to the eye of flesh they are inuisible and so not onely keeping and preseruing him from all dangers which might befall him but also beeing meanes from God to conuey much good vnto him as the experience of many faithfull seruants of God giueth cleare and euident proofe These euen these celestiall creatures are not onely his familiars and companions continually accompanying him but also his attēdants sent forth of God to watch ouer him and to waite daily vpon him He hath furthermore acquainted him with his will and reuealed his secret counsell vnto him as farre as is meete and conuenient for him euen that secret purpose of his which he had decreed in himselfe before all worlds he hath made manifest vnto him and giuen him a cleare sight of those hidden mysteries wherin is blessednes and true happinesse he hath made knowen vnto him the secrets of the kingdome of heauen He hath giuen him also his spirit that blessed spirit of grace and comfort to refresh and to cheere him vp in al his griefes and sorrowes and to leade him forth into greene and pleasant pastures so that he is fulfilled with that spirituall delight and heauenly ioy and solace which is vnspeakable and
glorious He hath set vp the scepter of his kingdome in his heart so that all his enemies shall fall downe before him euen Sathan the chiefest of his aduersaries who fighteth continually against him and seeketh by all meanes to bring him into bondage and thraldome vnder him What should I say more Beeing vnited vnto Christ his redeemer and made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh he is also ioyned and nearly allied vnto God the Father and so being ioynt-heire with the Sonne hath that crowne of immortal glory belonging vnto him and shal at length euen when this short life is ended liue and raigne in that celestiall kingdome with God himselfe and with all his holy Saints and elect Angels for euermore And in the meane-while euen whiles he liueth here crawling as it were vpon the earth hauing the place of his abode heere below where he is as one of no reputation in the world which knoweth him not he hath his life his conuersation and his chief abode in heauen being alwaies looking vp vnto that place of his glory which is aboue where Christ Iesus his sauiour sitteth at the right hand of his father his eyes are euer lifted vp vnto heaueÌ„ and set vpon those things which are within the vaile where his hope yea his heart is so that euen whiles he liueth with his bodie on earth in minde and in soule he is transported in a maner into heauen it selfe and seeth those things in spirit which are vnutterable and which flesh and bloud or the senses of a natural man can neuer reach vnto neuer be able in any sorte to comprehend O Lord who can expresse the honor which thou hast giuen vnto thy Saints who is able to declare the speciall grace which thou in thy infinite goodnes and mercie hast vouchsafed to euery one whom it hath pleased thee to giue vnto thy Christ and in him to elect and chose vnto life and saluation according to the good pleasure of thy will before the world was Oh with what glorie and honour hast thou crowned them how highlie hast thou aduanced them being moued thereunto by nothing that was in them but only of thy free loue and mercie that therby thou mightest cause thy infinite grace and glorie to shine forth vnto the world to the praise of thy name throughout all generations O blessed God whose mercy and kindnes vnto mankind is so infinit and incoÌ„preheÌ„sible seeing it hath pleased thee in the exceeding greatnes of thy loue and riches of thy grace towards mee in Christ to chuse mee vnto life and glorie and to make mee euen me so vnworthie a creature one of that small number whom thou hast so highly honored in this world and wilt for euer glorifie euen with that exceeding measure of glorie in the world to come O let my heart and my mouth neuer cease praising and magnifying thy great and glorious name and howsoeuer I may seeme vile and contemptible in the eyes of the world which doth neither know thee nor thine but hath alwaies hardly intreated those whom thou hast chiefly honored esteeming them as the scumme and ofscouring of the earth the very abiects of men yea men vnworthie to liue in the world yet let me neuer passe any thing at all how the blinde world doth iudge or esteeme of me or how it is affected towards me but let me alwaies reioyce in thee and glorie in thy saluation and rest continually in a comfortable hope and ioyfull expectation of all that goodnes of thine which thou hast treasured vp in store for mee in thy kingdome and whereof thou hast giuen mee the first fruits already as a pledge and assurance of that which I shal haue the full fruition of hereafter for euer An humble heart most pleasant vnto God a proud most vile and abominable AN humble and a lowlie hart is a mansion wherein the Lord delighteth to dwell he filleth and replenisheth it with the riches of the graces of his spirit but as for the proud and high minded they are an abomination vnto him His soule doth loath them and his spirit will neuer rest nor remaine with them they are no fit mansion for him yea they are meete only to be an habitation for Satan that euill and vncleane spirit who being the father of the children of pride can take no pleasure where hee findeth true humilitie but seeketh for lodging in those especially who are of a proud and hautie spirit These are his darlings in these is his chief delight in them he hath a roome alwaies ready trimmed prepared for him euen in the closets of their hearts where he dwelleth and raigneth continually from whence he will neuer depart as long as hee findeth so fit a mansion for him The onely way to cast him out of the heart and soule of man is to emptie it altogether of pride and to haue it garnished with that excellent grace of humilitie and lowlinesse O Lord who art the fountaine of all grace giue vnto me I earnestly desire thee a contrite spirit a meeke and an humble heart Banish all pride and vanitie of minde far from me and make me lowly yea base and vile in mine owne eyes that so that wicked spirit being vtterly dispossessed and finding no abiding place within mee I may bee fit to entertaine that good spirit of thine thou maist delight to dwell and remaine with me and to fill my emptie soule with those pretious riches and treasures of thy heauenly graces which are the things which my heart desireth and longeth after Oh doe thou heare me and satisfie me as my trust is in thee who I know assuredly wilt neuer faile me nor withhold thy goodnesse from me whiles I seeke vnto thee with a heart vnfained Confidence in any creature a most vaine thing WHat a vaine thing is it to put any trust or confidence in man or in any creature what is this but to rest vpon a broken reed How greatly do such deceiue themselues how oft doe they faile in their desires and misse that which they hoped for O Lord God who art glorious and wonderfull in power and strength nothing is or can be hard vnto thee thou only art my hope all my trust confidence is in thee Whom haue I in heauen or in earth but thee vpon thee thee only I rest and depend continually O doe thou neuer forsake me Suspition THE best man is alwaies leâ—st suspitious But hee that is giuen euer to mistrust and to suspect the worst of others as it may be iustly feared that hee hath a very corrupt and vnsound heart himselfe so it may bee vndoubtedly affirmed that he is very offensiue and displeasing vnto God very vnquiet in himselfe and most vncharitable towards his neighbour whom notwithstanding he hurteth not so much thereby as himselfe O Lord increase the grace of true charitie daily more and more in me Let me alwaies be looking into mine owne hart considering the
iudgeth hauing so precious an esteeme of those whom that maketh no account of and accounting those as vile yea abominable and to bee abhorred of all whom that doth chiefly magnifie and most esteeme of let me haue this resolution alwaies to passe very little what corrupt men or this blinde world deemeth and iudgeth of me and let it be my speciall care to labour alwaies by all meanes to be approued of thee and to be assured that howsoeuer others shall seeke to cast shame reproch and dishonour vpon me yet that I am good in thine eyes and pretious in thy sight one whom thou dost iustifie and wilt glorifie The willing and ioyfull bearing of the crosse a signe of a well growen Christian HE that doth finde sweetnesse in drinking of the bitter cup of afflictions which God daily offereth vnto him it is a signe that hee is a good proficient in the exercise of Christianitie and true religion For to beare the crosse patiently willingly and comfortably to endure wrongs and iniuries to denie himselfe and to die daily vnto the world yea to be crucified vnto it and to haue it crucified vnto him is more then a carnall and naturall man can possibly doe or he that hath not through a daily practise of humilitie and true obedience learned whollie to subiect himselfe vnto Gods will and pleasure Good Lord seeing it pleaseth thee to cause me to taste of the bitternes of many afflictions grant that they may not seeme grieuous but pleasant vnto me knowing that it is thy will thereby to humble me and to make me more fit for the receiuing of a greater measure of thy heauenly grace Seeing thou hast appointed me daily to take vp my crosse and to follow my blessed Sauiour who in so many sufferings of his hath gone before me and left his example as a paterne and president behinde him vnto which all that are his should endeuour to frame thēselues that so they may bee conformable vnto him I humbly beseech thee that it would please thee to giue mee patience willingnes and cheerefulnes in vndergoing whatsoeuer it shall seeme good vnto thee to lay vpō me being fully assured that hereby I shall haue entrance vnto glorie euen that glorie into which thy Christ hath alreadie entred and made a way for me and of which all these light and momentarie afflictions are not worthie nor in any sort comparable thereunto The exceeding follie and vanitie of the wicked O The vaine and preposterous courses of men who doth not wonder that beholdeth and considereth them and how should they not blush and be exceedingly ashamed of their follie and sottishnes when they thinke of them Let the flattering and deceitful world call them and allure them with the enticing promises of earthly and temporall things pleasures profits honours euen those things which are fading and transitorie and they are readie to follow it presently and to shew themselues seruiceable vnto it with all willingnes and readinesse that may be yea to vndergoe much labour and toile and to endure great hardship and to passe thorough many difficulties in the earnestnes of their desire to attaine vnto that whereof notwithstāding they faile oft times and come short of their hope and expectation Let God whose word is truth and who neuer faileth any in that which hee promiseth vnto them nor deceiueth thē that rest vpon him and giue credit vnto his word but satisfieth thē most abundantly and returneth more vnto them then they did either expect or could desire let God euen that gratious and bountifull God with whom is the treasurie of all good things call them and promise vnto them the vnspeakable riches of celestiall and heauenly things such as are most excellent and glorious farre passing the most desireable things of this world and such as shall neuer fade nor bee any waies diminished or once subiect vnto any change or alteration yet they haue no heart to come vnto him or to follow him but are exceeding heauie and drowsie yea very vnapt and vntoward vnto that which were so greatly for their good and in which alone consisteth true blessednesse and eternall felicitie and happinesse O Lord let me neuer bee so foolish as the men of this world are in whom there is no vnderstanding let me be more carefull to serue thee then they are to serue the world euen that cursed Mammō which they make their god Let me labour more for spirituall and heauenlie things such as shall remaine and abide for euer then for those things which are carnall and earthly and such as are of no continuance but shall quickly perish and passe away as a shadow and bee quite forgotten euen as if they had neuer been Yea let me alwaies preferre that inestimable price of glorie that chief that vnchangeable and euerlasting good which thou hast promised and prepared for thy Saints in that celestiall kingdome which I daily expect and hope for before all the alluring and deceitfull vanities the seeming and supposed good yea all the most pretious and glorious things of this world whatsoeuer wherwith those that are earthly-minded are so greatly enamoured and wherein they place the height of their false and imaginarie felicitie and happinesse The spirit of God is the life of the soule AS is the bodie without the soule so is the soule without the spirit of God which is the life thereof If there bee a separation of the soule of man what is his bodie but a dead and a liueles corpse or carcase hauing no sense or motion It cannot once breathe or stirre it selfe nor put foorth any power for the performance of the least action So is it with the soule of euery one in whom the spirit of God is wanting or from whom it is departed There is no life no vigour no power or abilitie to doe any thing which is good yea sooner may a dead body moue it self and exercise the actions and operations of a naturall life then the soule which is without the spirit of God and so destitute of the life of grace can shew foorth any certaine signes and effects of a spiritual life O Lord I haue found by experience what a deadnes there is vpon me if thou at any time withdrawest thy spirit and doest not cause it to worke effectually vpon my soule without the continuall presence and assistance thereof I am not able to doe no not to will or desire in any sort that which is good but am euen as a breathlesse and liuelesse creature one in whō there is no life O therefore let it please thee to powre out thy spirit plentifully vpon me let me alwaies finde it not only present but also powerfully working within me quickning me vnto the willing and cheerefull performance of all those things which thou requirest of me yea let it please thee in whō only I liue and moue and without whom I am as one whose spirit is departed from him let it please thee O Lord to
breathe the life of grace daily more and more into me and to inspire me continually with good motions with holy and heauenly desires that so I may delight in those things which are pleasing vnto thee and bring foorth the fruits of the spirit abundantly throughout the whole course of my life to the praise of the glorie of thy grace from whence alone is all my sufficiency and abilitie to the benefit of those among whom I either now doe or hereafter shall liue and to the endlesse comfort and saluation of mine owne soule through Christ my Lord and Sauiour who with thee O father and with thy holie spirit bee blessed and praised both now and euermore Amen The loue of the world and worldly desires banish all true loue of God from the soule HEE that suffereth any wordlie desires or the inordinate affection of any earthly thing whatsoeuer to take place in his heart cannot loue God sincerely entirely and vnfainedly yea the more the desire of his heart is inlarged vnto the affecting of those things the more is the loue of God abated and diminished in him as much as the one increaseth so much the other of necessitie must decrease O Lord who hast manifested thy loue so richly towards me fill my heart daily more and more with the loue of thy maiestie let the same whollie possesse me For this end suffer me not to be intangled at any time with the inordinate desire of any of these fading and fruitlesse vanities but free me I beseech thee from the sinful and immoderate affecting thereof yea purge my heart and banish farre from me the loue of al those things which might be a meanes in any sort to alienate my minde from thee and grant that my soule may delight in thee and that I may loue thee with my whole heart yea that the affection of my loue may bee set and fixed vpon thee alone who only art worthie to bee loued aboue all things and that if I loue or affect any thing else it may not bee otherwise then in thee and for thee vnto whom I am desirous to giue my heart with all the affections thereof The sinfulnes of mans nature corrupted O Lord what a fountaine of corruption do I see continually springing vp within me and how much more doth there abound in me which beeing hid from mine eyes is seene onely of thee who alone knowest the heart and beholdest the inward and most hidden secrets thereof which the eye of man cannot pierce into Doe thou vouchsafe to clense it daily more more Powre downe plentifully that cleane water of thy sanctifying grace which may wash away that filthines euen those staines and pollutions wherewith I am defiled and which beeing lothesome in mine owne eyes cannot but be as an abomination before thee who art so pure that thou canst not see euill nor behold wickednesse O let thy spirit purge and purifie my soule from that inbred corruption and contagiō thereof which cleaueth so fast vnto it yea let it be as fire to drie vp those polluted streames which flow continually from that vncleane fountaine that so I may be found of thee without spot and blamelesse in the day of that glorious appearance of thy sonne my blessed sauiour and redeemer in whom though I see him not yet doe I beleeue and reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Blindnes of minde a great miserie IF any want the eyes of their bodies they account it a greate miserie and would vse any meanes be at any cost to enioy the comfort and benefite of their sight And yet most want the eyes of their soules and thinke it to be no miserie neither regard nor seeke once for that wherein the comfort of their liues consisteth and whereby they should come to see the light of glory in the kingdome of heauen O Lord though others be wilfully blinde and so most miserable whiles they see it not yet open thou mine eyes euer more and more Suffer not sinne with the deceitfulnes thereof to drawe any filme ouer them but giue me daily a clearer sight of mine owne miserie and of thy vnspeakeable mercies towards mee who am vnworthie of the least of them Hardnes of heart a fearefull plague THere can no worse plague happen vnto any one then a harde and obdurate heart and yet alas how fewe be there that complaine of it although they be farre gone with it How fewe that seeke to be thoroughly recouered of it although they haue present meanes continually offered vnto them for the cure of it Oh they know not the danger of it or if they doe and seeke not carefullie for the remedie surely they are exceeding desperate of their estate Good Lord breake thou this stony heart of mine I humbly pray thee Giue me to see and to grieue daily more and more for the hardnes of it and neuer to sleepe in rest till I feele it softned and mollified yea till I be cured and altogether recouered of it Howsoeuer it shall please thee outwardly to afflict me for my good yet Lord keepe me alwaies I beseech thee from that inward spirituall and most fearefull iudgement which thou vsest to send vppon the reprobate who beeing past all feeling seale vp vnto themselues thereby the assurance of eternall perdition Feare of God I Haue oft wondered to see in what awe most stand of mortall men who haue power of their goods life or outward estate how carefull they are to please them how affraid to offend them and yet in the meane while how regardlesse they are and shew thēselues to be of that great that powerfull and immortall God whose name is terrible yea who is able presently to cast them both soule and bodie into hell for euer there to haue their portion among the damned Either men are Atheists and thinke there is no God for they that beleeue that there is a God can not but know that his power is infinite and therefore must needes feare him more then any man whose power is but finite when it is greatest Or else they are maruellous desperat who though they know and will acknowledge the power and the fiercenes of his wrath yet feare not the punishment and the horrible torments which he hath threatned against them O Lord let me not be either so blinded or so hard-hearted as the wicked and vngodly are Let me alwaies feare before thee and tremble at thy presence standing continually in awe of so great and glorious a maiestie which the Angels adore and reuerence And let this feare of thee and thy righteous iudgements banish and driue out of my heart the loue of all sinne so that I may not once dare willingly to commit the same though I might thereby gaine the whole world Yea Lord doe thou plant thy feare in my heart let it possesse my soule and then it can not be but that I should seeke in all things to please thee more then men and feare to offend thee in
any thing not fearing the feare of those that bee thine enemies and hate thee Feare of God speaking in his word MEn we see oft times are stricken and amazed at the sudden noise of a great thunder-clap they tremble and quake yea this causeth many with the Heathenish Emperour to seeke for couert and to hide and shroud themselues for feare And yet behold such is the corruption of mans nature such is their stupiditie that although they heare daily a greater more dreadfull noise euen the mightie and terrible voice of God which soundeth in his word and whereby he threatneth them in most fearefull manner not only with temporall iudgement but also with eternall perdition and destruction yet they are scarce once moued they feare not they doe not quake and tremble but sooth vp themselues in the wickednesse of their hearts and blesse themselues in their sinfull and vngodlie waies thinking that al is well and dreaming of nothing but of peace and safetie when thir confusion is neerest and sudden destruction and desolation ready presently to seize vpon them O let it be otherwise with me with all them that feare thy name O Lord let me be touched rightly affected with the consideration of thy great and glorious maiestie when I behold thy wondrous and maruellous workes how thou casts forth thy lightnings vnto the ends of the world and thundrest from heauen with a mightie voice at the noise whereof euen the bruit beasts and dumbe creatures doe quake and tremble for feare Let these things cause me to acknowledge the greatnes of thy power to stand in a holie and awfull reuerence of thy presence and to giue glorie vnto thy name who art the mightie and glorious God of heauen and earth but let me be much more moued and inwardly affected when I heare the voice of that mightie and powerfull Word of thine which goeth out of thy mouth and which thou causest to sound in mine eares by the ministerie of men whom thou hast ordained and in and by whom thou speakest both to the eares and to the hearts of men O let this word of thine which in it selfe is mightie in operation and whereby through the working of thy spirit thou doest maruellous things let it strike and break in sunder this hard and stonie heart of mine let â—r cause me to tremble at the hearing of it yea euen to fall downe before thee and to adore thy maiestie to be afraid of thy displeasure and to serue thee with an humble and with a contrite heart all my daies Then according vnto thy promise thou wilt looke mercifully vpon me thou wilt deale exceedingly graciously with me yea though heauen be thy throne and the earth thy footstoole yet thou wilt vouchsafe to dwell with me by the comfortable presence of thy grace and blessed spirit for euermore Knowledge and conscience must goe togther MAny labour for knowledge few for conscieÌ„ce to practise those things which they know Such knowledge is vaine and bringeth no profit to him that hath it â—â—e what if thou couldest repeate all the most pithie sentences of the wisest and grauest Philosophers and the greatest Sages that euer were it were nothing Yea what if thou couldest say ouer the whole Bible without book and with the superstitious Iew tell exactly how oft euery letter were found in the same and withall wert able to expound the hardest and most difficult places therein that could be put vnto thee so that al that heard of thee did admire thee as one very rare and eminent in thy kinde All this were nothing it were in vaine and no waies auaileable vnto thee if thou wert not as carefull to haue thy heart touched thy minde sanctified and thy life reformed as thy head stuffed and filled with varietie and abundance of knowledge learning if thou didst not labour as much if not more for the practise of those things which thou knowest then for the bare and naked speculation it selfe without fruther profit Giue me grace O Lord as to vse all good meanes to attaine vnto all kinde of learning which is necessarie and profitable for me especially the knowledge of thy word and those secret and hidden mysteries which thou hast therein reuealed so much more with all diligence carefully and conscionably to practise those things which I haue learned ioyning to my knowledge vertue faith temperance patience godlinesse and vnfained loue and charitie vnto all men euen mine enemies and those that are most bitter towards me yea most wickedly and malitiously set against me that thus the knowledge which by thy blessing I shall attaine vnto may not bee idle or vnprofitable but I may abound and encrease in the fruits thereof to the praise of thy name the benefit of others among whoÌ„ I shall liue mine owne comfort in this life and the furtherance of my saluation in thy kingdome after this life for euer Another IT is not without cause that the Scriptures make the heart the seate of truth sinceritie and vprightnes and not the head seeing the heart is the seate and subiect of the affectioÌ„s the braine of knowledge vnderstanding iudgment A man may know and vnderstand much and yet be very ill affected he may be of a large capacitie and of a very deepe apprehension euen of the greatest mysteries of Christian religion and yet be of an exceeding corrupt minde and of a most vnsound life Knowledge is good and to be desired and sought for and that with diligence but yet good affection must be ioyned with it and increased by it or else it will not bee profitable but hurtfull and dangerous making the owner of it rather worse then better It is a good thing to know much but it is better and more acceptable to God to affect the good things wee know that wee might practise them and to dislike the euill we know that wee might shunne and auoid them God euer loued and delighted more in the truth and sinceritie of the heart then in the bare speculation and fruitlesse apprehensions of the minde and vnderstanding part Let it be my desire O Lord my care and my earnest endeuour rather to liue well then to know much let me labour for both since both are necessarie yet alwaies preferre this before the other seeing that without this is least profitable and more dangerous not of it selfe but through the fault of him that vseth it amisse making the life more corrupt and bringing with it the greater condemnation in the end The worldly mans Idoll THat which euerie one most setteth his heart vpon that doth hee make his God yea rather his Idol Thus the God of the couetous is riches euen that cursed Mammon The God of the voluptuous pleasure of the ambitious honour O then how many vile and wicked Idolaters bee there in the world Surely as many as doe giue themselues ouer to couetousnesse ambition and voluptuousnes euen the excessiue and inordinate desire of the vaine and
one minute then of that which is eternall and shall neuer haue an end but continue for euer in such glorie the enioying whereof one moment is better then all the glorie pleasures and delights of this life whereof any man is or can bee made partaker in this world yea though hee liue long and see many daies and wants nothing of those things heere below which seeme most pretious and glorious in the eyes of men What should I say more We are more troubled with the feare and dread of our naturall death the death of our bodies which if our liues were such as they ought to be would be more desired then feared of vs being the entrāce into that promised rest and happinesse then of the death of our spirits yea of our soules and bodies euen that fearfull most dreadful death which is the second death when as the soule presently after the dissolution and separation of it from the bodie in the end of this life and both soule and bodie euen the whole man immediatly after the day of iudgement hauing receiued their finall doome shall bee deliuered vp vnto eternall death and condemnation in hell where they shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power Surely many such there be in al places who haue so small sense and feeling of the greatest euils both present and imminent that are more grieued and troubled for the approching of some lesser euill then of the greatest miserie that can possibly befall a man the very remembrance and consideration whereof were enough to breed a horror and astonishment in the minde of the hardiest the most obstinate and impenitent sinner if he should haue a right apprehension of it Oh the follie of such men who seeth not how Satan hath blinded and besotted them that they should bee as those who haue no vnderstanding no discerning of things that differ so exceedingly O blessed Lord open their eyes that they may haue a sight of their greatest miseries touch their hearts that they may haue a feeling of that which should bee their greatest griefe and wherewith they should be most affected And keepe thy seruants from falling at any time into that vaine and foolish opinion and imagination of theirs Let vs alwaies feare thy displeasure more then the angrie countenance of any mortall man whatsoeuer let vs be more afraid to be despised and reiected of thee or to bee such as thou takest no pleasure no delight in then to be disgraced and contemned of the whole world esteemed the filth and ofscouring of all things men vnworthie to liue vpon the earth let vs chuse rather to incurre the daunger of the losse of our goods lands substance and to bee content to haue our outward estate in this world much impaired yea altogether wasted and brought euen to nothing rather then once willingly to hazard our euerlasting estate in the world to come by bringing our selues into daunger of the losse of those vnsearchable riches and treasures of life glorie and endlesse felicitie euen those farre more excellent and glorious things which thou hast promised and prepared for all thy Saints in that heauenlie kingdome Let vs not feare the death of these mortall bodies of ours which are but dust and shall returne to the earth of which they are framed let not the remēbrance thereof trouble vs or bee any waies grieuous and bitter vnto vs nay rather let vs reioyce in it and long for it and that with an earnest desire seeing it shall be a passage vnto vs from this life vnto a better but let vs feare auoid those things which might cause the death of our soules yea let vs so feare hell death and destruction that we may be full assured we shall escape them and when this life of ours is ended be translated into that place where thou dwellest in fulnes of glorie and maiestie and liue and raigne with thee in the heauens for euermore Amen The Lords seruice the greatest freedome TO be in the Lords seruice is the greatest freedome yea the greatest priuiledge and most excellēt prerogatiue that men can attaine vnto in this world It is a verie honourable and glorious calling no earthly dignitie office or prehemencie whatsoeuer to be compared vnto it The Angells of heauen those celestiall creatures account it as it is indeed their crowne and their greatest glorie that wherein they finde cause of continuall ioy and reioycing Why then should any man a worme of the earth esteeme so meanly of it as many do yea thinke it to be a burden which he is loth to take vpon him a bondage which it is grieuous to him to vndergoe yea a disgrace and reproch which he is vnwilling to sustaine Oh that vaine man should be so degenerate and base minded as to haue so meane a◠conceite of that which he ought so highly to prize that he should suppose the seruice of the great king and monarch of the whole world the most high God wherein the most excellent creatures do glorie to be base and contemptible that he should thinke it a dishonour and disparagment vnto him to professe himselfe to be a dutiful and obedient seruant vnto the Lord of heauen the mightie possessour of all things to whom all knees are to bowe and whom all creatures must adore when as he accounteth it an honour and a grace vnto him to be reputed an inferior seruant vnto his minister and vicegerent vpon earth and no small priuiledge to be in any office vnder him yea that he should be such a miscreant as to despise that which if he were not strangely blinded and extremely besotted he would think himself happie that he might haue it once vouchsafed and granted vnto him O blessed Lord how great is thy goodnesse and thy mercie towards me in that it hath pleased thee to take me into thy seruice how much am I bound vnto thee for this fauour which thou hast shewed vnto me who by reason of my sinnes whereby I haue from time to time dishonoured thee am altogether vnworthie to be called thy seruant or once to be reckoned amongst the least and meanest of those vnto whom thou hast vouchsafed this so great a priuiledge so glorious a dignitie and prerogatiue Oh that I were able to performe that seruice which is due vnto thee and which thou requirest of me Thou art my Lord and my God vnto whom I owe all dutie all homage and loyaltie thou onely art worthie to be serued worshipped and glorified of all creatures both in heauen and in earth I acknowledge that all that I can possible doe is lesse then that which my dutie and thy loue and goodnesse bindeth me vnto and which thou mayest well expect of me It is the desire of my heart to be found euery way obedient and faithfull vnto thee yea to serue thee with al my strēgth with all my might and that vnto the end of my
shewe thy selfe maruellous towards them aboue that we are able to thinke or coÌ„ceiue in this frailetie of ours which is not able to comprehend the brightnes of that heauenly light which thou wilt cause to shine forth vnto them in a wonderfull and glorious maner no more then our bodily eyes are able to behold the glittering beames of the Sunne when it is in the full strength thereof O blessed Lord affect my heart with the due consideration of that maruellous glorie of thine euen that happie and glorious condition which in thy vnspeakeable mercie and kindnes thou wilt raise me vnto as soone as these wretched dayes of sinne and miserie are ended And let the remembrance thereof cause me continually to sigh and to long after it and to rest euer in a ioyfull expectation of it desiring either to be dissolued by death or which I rather desire to see my Sauiour comming in the cloudes with glory and maiesty attended with thousands of Saints and Angels that so I may haue entrance into that heauenly paradise and take full possession of that rich vndefiled and neuer fading inheritance enioying the sweete fellowship and communion of all thy chosen and beloued ones yea liuing continually in thy most blessed presence and beholding that maruellous light wherein thou dwellest who inhabitest eternity Who shall be citizens of that heauenly kingdome THey that will be citizens of the kingdome of heauen must first liue as pilgrims and strangers here vpoÌ„ earth They must passe by all these transitorie and earthly things vsing them when they haue occasion as if they vsed them not They must not set their hearts vpon any thing which is here below but aspire alwaies vnto those things which are aboue desiring and longing with an earnest affection to bee at home euen at that heauenly mansion where the place of their perpetuall rest and abode is and where they shall continue for euer with that blessed companie and society of those glorious and celestiall creatures which now continually desire and expect their comming that so they may reioyce together in the fruition and accomplishment of the same felicitie and happinesse O Lord let my heart I beseech thee bee more and more daily alienated and estranged from this world and the things thereof which are but meere vanitie and let me carrie my self continually as a pilgrime and soiourner heere on earth as all thy Saints haue been not suffering my affections at any time to bee fastened vnto any of these fading and transitorie things but weaning them altogether from the same resting alwaies in a desire and ioyful expectation of my returne vnto that blessed home of mine that so when this wearisome and sinfull course is ended I may be receiued into thy celestiall mansion and liue with thee in glorie for euer Soli Deo gloria AN ALPHABETICAL Table of the chiefe points contaiâ—ed in the seueral Meditations A ACcount of all our actions to be giuen to God pag. 27 Affections ouermastered with much difficultie pag. 263 AfflictioÌ„s the necessitie of theÌ„ 94 the benefit thereof 153. the Ancre of the soule in afflictions 96. A comfort for the afflicted pag. 370 Ambitious mans Idoll pag. 309 Angels watch ouer the godly pag. 36 B BLessings of God not the lesse to bee regarded because they are common 34. especiall blessings and fauours especially to be remembred pag. 201 Blindnesse of minde a great miserie pag. 293 C CAre ought rather to bee had for the soule then for the bodie 49. for things to come then for things present pag. 149 Censurers the danger of their sinne pag. 168 Christians must neuer stand at a stay 30. what manner of life it becomes them to leade 110. 342. their imprisonment in this world 66. their life a pilgrimage on earth 106. God their â—â—ght and guide 368. their glorious conquest 261. 263. Their excellencie 216. their paradise in this life 395. How they are esteemed of in the world 267. 275. what reckoning they are in with God 277. A singular priuiledge of theirs 244. how they are to iudge of their estate pag. 377 Comfort for afflicted consciences pag. 257. 370 Compassion towards others in their griefes pag. 337 Confidence in any creature a vaine thing pag. 230 Conscience the comfort of a good conscience especially in death 125. how the conscience is disquieted pag. 203 Contentednes in all estates pag. 90 Couetousnesse a dangerous disease 91. Idolatrie pag. 309 Crosse seâ—â—fflictions D DEath alwaies to bee expected and prouided for 24. 25. 108. to be desired 65 of whom it is most feared pag. 76 Deniall of a mans selfe how necessarie pag. 365 Desertions of the godly pag. 122 Deuotion hindred first by sinfull lusts 1. secondly by worldly cares 3. thirdly by Satans suggestions pag. 6 E EState of a Christian how to be iudged of pag. 377 F FAith pag. 246 Feare of God pag. 296. 299 Forgiuing of others how necessarie pag. 329 Freedome of minde how to bee obtained pag. 384 Freewill pag. 322 G GOds glorie carefully to bee sought after in all things 26. His truth and faithfulnes 123. His loue and fauour to be sought for aboue all things and his wrath feared 344. his especiall prouidence ouer his children 86. his all-seeing presence how it ought to affect vs. 150. his presence how blessed and comfortable a thing it is pag. 380 Grace different degrees thereof in the godly 61. 63. the decay of it dangerous pag. 100 H HArdnes of heart what a fearfull plague it is pag. 295 Haste of the wicked to hell prouokes the godly to make the more speed to heauen pag. 53 HeaueÌ„ who citizeÌ„s thereof pag. 404 Heauenly-mindednes pag. 199 Holy Ghost how the soule is to be fitted and prepared for the entertainment of so glorious a guest 116. grieuing thereof pag. 118 Humilitie motiues thereunto pag. 227. 386. 390 I INfirmities of others must be borne with 172. Why the Lord suffereth oft times the infirmities of his children to be knowne to others pag. 233 Iudgement day how dreadfull it will be to the wicked pag. 211 Iustification by faith only pag. 246 K KNowledge conscience and practise must goe together pag. 303. 306 L LIfe the shortnes and vncertaintie of it 206. As is the life of man so is his death and finall estate 209. the life of the righteous as well to be sought after as their death wished pag. 315 Life to come how it is to be desired in regard of the excellencie and glorie of it pag. 399 A comfortable life how to be obtained pag. 339 Liues of the Saints of old and men in these daies how different pag. 179 Loue of God by what meanes it decaieth in men pag. 289 Loue of the world a cause of distraction and much disquietnes pag. 374 M MEditation of things holy and diuine by what meanes especially it is hindered and interrupted pag. 1. 3. 6 Mercies of God pag. 15 O OLd man neuer dies in this life pag. 382 P PAtience of God pag. 114 Patience in affliction pag. 153 A signe of a well growen Christian pag. 279 Prayers of the faithfull what benefit they bring to others pag. 31 Prouidence pag. 86 R REdemption pag. 12 Repentance the follie and danger of deferring it pag. 319 Reproches comfort therin pag. 334 Resigning of a mans selfe and al that hee enioyes to Gods will pag. 325 Respect of persons for outward ornaments and indowments more then for the inward vertues and graces of the minde how vnbeseeming a thing it is pag. 84 S Satans guilefull temptations 76. 79. 102. his policie and practises against the Church of God what euent they vsually haue 143. None free froÌ„ his temptations 155. Whom he tempteth most pag. 162 Securitie the danger of it pag. 38 Seruice of God the greatest freedome pag. 356 Sin how hurtfull and dangerous it is 22. 99. the occasions of it carefully to be auoided pag. 82 Sinfulnes of mans nature corrupted pag. 281 Spirit of God the life of the soule 286. See Holy Ghost Suspition pag. 231 T TEmptations Diuers kinds of them in the godly 157 more danger in lesser temptations sometimes then in greater 165. See Satan V VAinglorie 242. the follie and vanitie thereof pag. 392 Vanitie of all earthly things pag. 63. W WAtchfulnes pag. 146 Wicked their follie 18 42. 49. 281. 361. their bondage and slauerie 47. what an vnpleasant and distracted life they leade 312. What difference there is betweene their estate and the estate of the godly eueÌ„ in this life pag. 236 Word of God the vnfruitfull hearing of it dangerous 59. it ought to bee heard with feare and trembling pag. 299 Worldlings their follie 42. their dulnes and sottishnes 205. 281. their miserable estate pag. 310. 574. Worldly mans Idoll pag. 309 Worship what it is that God especially requireth 323. hindrances thereunto pag. 238 Z Zeale pag. 240 FINIS