of all our affences and be depely tormonted in vnsufferable anguishes 〈◊〉 forowes yelling lauguistying and the auinosse for our carelesse most gracelesse negligence bicause 〈◊〉 our health and tune of felicitie we 〈◊〉 forgetful of thée vs we caued not to tēpte thée we feared not thy threatned vengeance neither thy Preachers and Prophetes we were vnmindefull of the ende we considered not the way of all fleshe we remembred not deathe neither readily prepared for his sodaine comming whose ensigne by thy iustice is openly all blacke displayed most ougly issuing out of his darke sepulcher to the spéedie destruction of all fleshe Therefore O Lord as oure liues are wholely in thyne onely hande and are by thée when we call vppon thée most graciously directed quicken our harts to prayer endue vs thorowe thy grace wyth thine heauenly wisdome teache vs thereby to number our dayes to applie oure hartes vnto wisedome to be mindefull of thée our God not to be forgetfull of oure wretched and wicked state and to remember alwayes thy rightful iustice in iudgemente that we may endeuor to be suche in déede in oure liues as we woulde wishe moste gladly to be founde at our deathes O heauenly father so strengthen vs with thy vsuall and woonted grace that as we may haue this worlde in most earnest contempte so we may also as effectually craue at thine holy hād the daily prospering and going forwards in vertue pray that our loue may abounde towardes godly discipline for the fourme of good liuing yéelde fréely forth the frutes of earnest and true repentāce haue ready and prest wils to shewe true obedience bothe in body and soule to be humble and méeke in spirite not to stay at any time the deniall of oure selues to subiecte our selues to thy holy will and commaundements and so to leane gladly to the suffering of this worldes calamities not for oure selues but for the loue of Iesus Christe for our brethren for so shal we be knowne to be the children of god All which if we happely possesse vse and put in daily practise great shall be the cause of oure ioy to haue good affiaunce in thy mercy a swéete tast of good life and a sure hope by happie death becomming in the meane while parient Pilgrims in spirituall pouertie and not regarding the pleasures of this life that oure soules may possesse the felicitie of thy freedome be daily lifted vp vnto thée in this our short race that we may continually praie with sorowfull sighings déepe sobbings inwarde gronings and shedding salte teares in our accustomed and moste humble sutes bewayling oure miserable state mourning the delay of this bodyes dissolution and yéeld with pacience to abide the stroke of deathe that when it which is the laste enemie shall be destroyed our spirites may haue rest in thine eternall life therow the only merites of thy sonne our Lord and sauior Iesus Christe Amen Amen XVII To haue in remembrance the secrete iudgementes of God and to feare the withdrawing of his grace HAuing good experyence by thyne holy scriptures O thou rightuous God that as thou arte moste high most glorious most holy wise and mighty and a great God aboue all Gods eternal and from euerlasting so arte thou also a Lord a ruler a master an ouerscer a iudge ouer all the dooings of men yea a seuere iudge a straighte examiner an vpright iust rewarder against whome no man may once rowse or aduaunce him selfe stande in his owne conceite or shewe before thée any proude or hautie countinance for it is thou onely O Lorde that art omnipotent whose mighty arm reacheth ouer all which aduancest and bringest lowe which strykest and healest which woundest and makest whole which liftest vp and throwest downe againe which dealest in thy iudgement not after the manner of men wickedly winking at the sinnes generally committed of all or of a few but vsest vprightnesse vnto all withoute respecte of persons generally particularly to many to a fewe and to some one alone when their sinnes before thée are ful and waxeth ripe vnto iudgement apte to fall and ready to féele from thy wrathfull hande the sodaine stroke of thy vengeance for vengeance annexed to thy power is only thine and thy iust rewarde whose iudgementes for sinne are very terrible fierce a flaming and consuming fire to licke vp catche burne and deuonre all or some as the cause shal require and as by thy iustice in iudgement thou finedest thē for so in all ages we haue both truly heard and knowne which examples of thine in sundry wise are all wrytten for our vnderstanding and learning always to be remembred of vs to put vs in good mind to terrifie vs to bridle oure affections to feare thy maiestie to séeke the true knowledge of thy will reuerently therein to obey thée and to escape aptly therby thy iust rigor vengeance for vengeance is thine thou wilt reward O holy and iust god which also artmost gracious which sparest whē we deserue punishmēt in thy wrath thinkest vpon mercy and haste vowed compassion vpon the poore penitent haue mercy vppon me moste wretched sinner O forgéeue me all my wickednesse past let thy tender mercie preuent my sinnes cast them al behinde thy backe and shewe me againe thy cōfortable countinance for my sinnes sore trouble me they iustly accuse me thy iudgementes terribly thunder against me they sore shake my limmes with feare and trembling and terrifie out of measure my sore vexed and contrite heart And if by thine heauenly motion O Lorde I yet wade further in thy iudgemēts and consider the very heauens not to be cleane in thy sight but expecte the day of their renouation for further cleerenesse and puritie O how am I occasioned to be the more amazed and to bewail my wretched state in the lothsomnesse of my corruption And if in the Angels them selues thou haste founde sinne and the desert of eternall death therefore not spared thy iudgemēts ouer them O what shall become of me earthie fraile and moste sinnefull wretche And if also the gloryous starres themselues haue in the excellencie of their outwarde clearenesse and beautie falne down from heauen abide likewise thy iudgement what shall I a masse of darknesse stime and filthe of the earthe looke for at thy wrathfull hand hauing my very secrete sinnes not hid from thee in their moste horrible lothsome and poysoned apperance But yet I beséeche thée O heauenly father althoughe thou be a straighte iudge ouer all thy creatures for sin whether of heauen or of earth celestiall terrestriall or infernall subiecte to thy will and to abide iustly thy iudgement for thine approued clemencies sake and tender pity towardes me imprinted stil freshe in my memorie and boldened thereby to approche thy presence so to extēd vpō me thy great mercy and grace that as I nowe craue the continual good motion inward stirring vp of my mind
thée and take me to thy mercy sometune one of thy great enimies very wicked very faithlesse obstinate headie and rebellious but nowe thy louing brother thy faythfull frende thyne obediente louer and a sounde member of thy body O saue me then I say comforte my soule guyde mée in thy wayes strengthen mée and let not thy spirite departe from mee that I may hencefoorthe ioyfully please thée and render alwayes vnto thy father through thée all due prayse honour and glory here in thys vale of myserie and in the euerlasting world which is to come Amen FINIS Whervnto the eternal spirite stirreth the hearts of gods electe A preparation to Prayer Certaine special cautes folowing that are to be coÌ„sidied by gods childreÌ„ wherof they examin the selues before prayer and receyning of the holy sacramintes to auoid his heauy iudgemeÌ„ts The diffrence to be considered betweene the true christians fayth the faith of the diuell and the reprobate The true christiaÌ„ at earnest defiance with the diuel and she weth vnto him for his discoâ—â—gemeÌ„t the power of his fayth The mercy grace of God â—n the hearts of his elect to cosider in this life their dangerous and miserable state for sinne CoÌ„cupiscence and the malice therof The diuell the onely author of concupiscence and sin The soules de formitie thorowe sinne True faith in the abouÌ„ding mercies of God. The miserable state of the sicke Soule without true faith in the fre mercy of god The feeling of the grace of god The humble submission confession of the faythfull Soule A calling vnto God for comfort and strength The fighte of the faythfull Soule What danger they fall into that forsake god and leane to the worlde and the pleasures thereof The seruice of God what it is The worlde a deepe dongeon wherin the children of vanitie are enclosed Armoure of rightuousenesse Christian chiualrie The sight of a christian 〈…〉 in the seruice of god must be continuall and couragious Palone of victorie Crowne of glorie Hid Manna And a White stone The scriptures of God only receyued of the faithfull Superstitions false worship pings c. Our professioÌ„ in holy Baptisme Enemies of Gods word Hartie prayer to God maketh vs constante in the word of God. The worde of God what it is and how of the godly to be considted God the only instructour of all in all ages An apt Prayer for these oure dayes Faithe only breathed into the hartes of Gods elect True faithe in Christe Faithe iustifieth The power of Faith. The miserable state of man in thys life Man posses seth in himself two powers and of sundly inclinations The serpent cause of discorde Prince of sedition The meane to knowe the good motions from the bad The inconuenience of care lesnesse or not to receiue in time the good motions of God. The power of the spirite of light and truthe The way and mene to plese God in this life Holy discipline Exercises of the crosse The inconuenieuce that commeth by sufferance and cuill custome He is happie that humbleth him selfe to discipline MaÌ„ in present danger God at hand to deliuer Pynches to the proude flesh are somtime necessarie Man for a time is but an exile from his home and a pilgrime The Iustice of God and sinne are not clerely seuered in this life amoÌ„g the children of God. Man but a worme duste and ashes Man moste vayne and naught Mans humble subiection before God attayneth the grace mercy and peace of God. Man a thing of nothing It is better for a man to obey than to leane to his owne sway The inconuenience that commeth by disobedieÌ„ce The iudgements of God ouer seditious rebelles Princes and Magistrates are the most apte InstrumeÌ„ts stirred of God to further his glory here vppon earth What it is to imitate christ How we shold for the greate loue of God lone hym agayne Humilitie God threatneth the world for sinne The Canker couetousnesse how it reigneth Conetousnes how it worketh Couetousnes the woorshipping of Idols Couetousnesse he we it hathe preuayled Children of diffidence Abac. 2. Constancie in chastitie Sole life Matrimonie a fountayne in Gods church The corruptioÌ„ of fleshe and bloud The power of flesh and blud and what they worke The pumishe ments of God for vnclennes of lyse To bee a blasphemer of Gods name is rather the propertie of an ethnik than a Christian The errour of our liues The power of Gods word The mercy of God in Christ The inconue niece that foloweth the want of Gods worde The punishe ments and plages of God for taking his name in vaine The necessitie of Gods mercie Sute for mercie The sanctifying of Gods holy name The kingdom of heauen A quiet conscience The nature of a mans conscience Wicked consciences The con modity of a quiet conscience Mans life fickle and but a vayne shadow The damnable state of mankinde in thys frayle life In what case we shal stande at the houre of death The blacke enfine of deth displayed Discipline worketh the fourme of good liuing The sweete frutes of good lyfe agaynst the comming of death Paciente abyding of death bringeth the soule to rest The maiestie and great power of God ouer al flesh God a God of vengeance Gods iudgements are to be remebred and why Gods iudgements are terable and thuÌ„ dring The heauens the Angelles theÌ„ selues and the stars falne from heauen are all subject to the iudgements of god God at the last day by his iust iudgemeÌ„t rendereth full payment vnto all wicked sinners God freely by his grace dyrecteth to good life Christ is chalenged and why Christes obedience to hys father for hys flocke The cause of christs death The bonde of the wealthy in this world Christ aboundeth in heaueÌ„ly riches chatitie power and loyes in comparable The distressed loule Christ humbly chalenged Chryst bound to helpe and why Chryste the head and cow foâ—â—er of hys members Store remayneth of Gods grace The assured fayth of the thirsten soule Fayth in Christes bloud Scabde shepe Chryst the phisitian Christ humbly chalenged Strong faythe in Chryste Rom. 15. Chrysts incarnation natiuitie so forth are al chalenged of the faithfull soule as his owne Rom. 8. Math. 20. Chryst a seruaunt Chryst a conquerour Paradise purchased by Christe Experience of Christes good nature and his mercie Math. xj xxij Iohn 6 Ioho 12. Math. 5. Roma 1. Christes payment and howe Ezech 16. Ezech. 16. Math 18. Sinne of Gods electe Iohn 15. Chryste the onely sauiour the onely adâ—ocate Sinne of the reprobate The bloud of Abel cried for vengeance Chrystes bloud calleth to saluation ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman for William Norton ANNO. 1572.
merites eyther their most damnable and idolatrous deuised vanities 9 Whether thou thynkest it not the Dyuels bewytchyng by his maligne mimsters to bee depriued of so pious and precious a prepared raunsome 10 Whether thou at the receyuing of the holy mysteries of Christes body and bloud vnderstandest them to bee his owne only ordinance for the vse of his holy churche and to bee witnesses therein of the open and publike confession of the true saithe whiche thou haste in him and to be saued onely by his bodilye death and the bloudy sacrifice vppon the Crosse once for all offered vnto God his heauenly father for thine for mine for al the sinnes of the whole worlde euen so many as haue this acceptable saithe of God in them 11 Whether thou haue regarded by the word of God touching the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud the difference therin betwixt the Diuelles faith and thine either the saithe of an Hipocritishe and dampnable reprobate 12 Whether thou hast by true saithe repugned the Deuill who boldely chalēgeth thee as he thinketh he may be bolde and maketh equall compart son with thee of thy saithe touching simplie the confession of Christe as of his Conception by the holy Ghost of his Natiuitie and birth of the virgine Marie to be also the Sonne of God liued perfecte and vndefiled man vppon the earthe his doings to be onely omnipotent most miraculous wonderfull suffered most sharpe and cruell death was buryed rose againe ascended into the heauens verie God and very man yea and of his retourne also againe vnto iudgement All these things the Diuels beleeue and confesse with thee but yet vtterly vnperswaded to be his onely sufficient sauioure and redeemer by his precious bloude shedde and deathe euen as those saithlesse wickednesse which in theyr vnsoundnesse stubbornesse vnstayednesse touching the couenant of God in his sonne Christe for their saluation accompt the price of his precious bloud to be insafficient for them withoute the very absurde and most fond annexing of their owne and other mennes merites and so to make Christe vnto them selues to be at the moste but a mingled peeced botched and patched Sauioure 13 Whether thou hast on this maner folowing considered of Sathans chalenge and comparison with thee and sayde thus vnto hym in the secrecies of thy faithfull soule for thy defence O thou very mortal most cruel and damned enemie I vnfaynedly from myne hart defie thee I withstande thee to the face thou hast naught to doo with me or to make suche comparisous with mee in my christen and most holy profession I know full wel thy malice and stoutnesse which hath ben in thee from the beginning bothe agaynste the annoynted of God and all his Experiēce teacheth me of thy not slumbring of thy wandring about and seeking watchefully to deuoure and to spoyle mee of my faith wherby I must be saued I tell thee thou most wicked one thy trauell is all in vayn I am none of thyne nor nothing inclined to thyne affection or motions I am Gods I tell thee and the perswaded childe of God by his spirit of truth who by grace possessing me and by his power mightily working in mee hath moste graciously planted in my harte the frutefull tree of pictie of true and perfect fayth fast roted in me deply stayed and surely setled euen with the finger of god my father touching the dignitie price and true estimation of his sonne and mine onely sauiours most preciouse body for mine only health and eternal saluatiō And though I haue falne or fainted as traiterously thou hast tripped me yet of frailtie haue J falne not wilfully of malice as thou haste most maliciously tempted me which God hath seene in me in mercy therfore hath raised me vp ageyne and wil stil vpholde me in spite of thee Art thou ignorant of this thou griseled and foule helly monster that I am not such a one as thou art or as thou woldest haue mee to bee doubtefull of my faythe as the wicked are to leaue the freedome of Gods spirite and to bee entangled agayne in thine infernall filthy bands Thinkest thou that I beeyng nowe called to the lighte and knowledge of the sweete woorde of life whereof I haue truely tasted and haue in detestation mine olde conuersation will be newly agayne deceiued offer to approche eyther once nibble or smell to thy beslubbered brackishe and most filthy embrued baytes Notest thou me of suche slipperinesse that hauyng farre entraunce in the spirite and feele the incomparable ioyes therof that I will nowe ende in the greefes and sorrowes of the fleshe to sette so lyttle by the Kyngdome of Iesus Chryste that taking holde of the Plough will now looke backe agayne to bee as a Dogge and to returne agayne to my vomite or as a beastely Swyne to beraye my selfe agayne in the myre to defourme the Image of God and to defile his holy Temple No no Sathan thou arte deceiued I tell thee truely for thy discouragemente I am now better schooled well armed and better warned to let thee goe for naughte Knowest thou not that I haue put vppon me to endure for euer my Lorde and God my Chryste and Sauioure Art thou forgetfull O thou enemie that I in true faythe professing his name and receyuing woorthily hys bolye and most blessed Sacraments by the onely rule of his word am armed ouer all with his only healthful and most mercifull merites to strengthen me mightily ageinst thee who is made mine with all that he hathe and I am onely hys hoth body and soule one bodye wyth him fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones Ah Sathan this certeinty and truth in faith considered wastefull are thy wretched wandringes and wylye waightings to wreck and vex my soul Away from me away J say thou cursed and spightfull spirite or stay if thou lust to offer boldly vnto mee as thou darest thy very blashlesse and bragge attempts of malignitie I yet tell thee they shall not hurt me neither do I any thing esteeme thee J regard not thy force J feare not thy fury The Lorde is my God he is the God of my strēgth and considence thou hast of thy selfe no powre at all ageinst me For what so euer thou attempteste or seekest to performe therin to thy wil thou wantest powre But that which thou doest is by his onely omnipotent hande and sufferaunce that is my God whose waight and mightinesse thy broosed braines hath selte to make thee stonpe for euer to hamper thee at his will to thine owne irons to ouer throwe thee soone in thine owne tourne and to blowe thee backewarde at will euen with the breath of his mouth into the bailesse and deepe botomelesse pitte whose bonde slaue thou art and a drudge enforced and in thine outrage by his permission a knowne peerelesse paricide a very restlesse pitilesse and most gracelesse raunging roge the only ring leader and infectuouse ranke roote of all reproch
rest of the .v. Cities and their whole countrey with firie flames sulpher and Brimstone from heauen were destroyed with suche other like the terror of thy vengeance by sharpe plages punishments vpon others cléerly mentioned in thy holy scriptures plainly approued in other histories and daily both knowne and felt amongst vs O most gratious louing father create therfore in vs we beséeche thée hunble contrite clean harts renue within our bowels right spirites and turne all voluptuousnesse away from vs that neither in thought word nor déede we willingly offend the sight of thy maiestie And graunt that whether we liue vnmattried or in the holy state of Matrimonie we may leade our liues in puritie true holinesse and chastitie And when at any time we féele in our selues to be assalted with temtation or stirred by euil luste to cōmit obhomination we may then haue strengthe of thy grace to sette before oure eyes thy iustice the rewarde of sinne the terror of deathe the day and end of this life the gnawing worme of our conscience thy terrible doome the chalenge of the Deuill the euerlasting tormentes and the horrible paines of hell And that we liuing in oure christian calling and holy profession in all puritie hothe of bodie and soule all the dayes of our liues we may receiue in the ende the rewarde of euerlasting felicitie sée thée face to face in thine eternall and most glorious kingdome thorow thy sonne Iesus Christe Amen XIIII A Prayer against svvearing and blasphemie WHen we O holy eternall God haue in remembraunce as we be charged thy precise wil and cōmaundementes giuen generally vnto vs all and binding vs all from euil namely amōg the rest not to take the name of thée our god in vain nor in any wise to abuse it as doth the wicked Ethuieke that knoweth not thy name irreligiously vainly and falsoly but at all times to consider well of it highly to extoll it and haue it in dureuerence as behooneth the faithful louers and professors of the same least we be 〈◊〉 of thee accurssed and guiltie and sustaine as thou hast threatned thy moste iuste and sharpe reuenge we are héere greatly occasioned to consider our present and moste daungerous state howe vnperfecte wretched and dampnable it is in thy sighte throughe oure deadly fal from thy will in this holy precept and are nowe driuen cyther to séeke remedie at thine onely mercifull hande or to perishe in hel eternally we beséethe thée moste humbly O thou God of all grace that as thou beholdest in vs the erroure of oure liues and oure corrupted inclination to all sinne and vanitie contrary to the prescripte rule of thy holy lawe and to séeke thereby as muche as ut vs lyeth the disglory of thy name to worke our owne shame and vtter confusiou so to graunt nowe vnto vs that oure soules in their vnclenlinesse horriblenesse blasphemous state may be truly purged of al infectiōs deadly darknesse wilfull malice ignorāce and the sights of them refreshed quickened made liuely and perfecte by the bright light and true faith in thy holy woorde that they may cléerely and comfortably see know and beholde the true glory of thy maiestie thereby also inwardly féele the swéete promisses of thine heauēly grace the frée pardone also of all our sinnes and the receiuing of vs into thy grace fauor not for any thing at all in our selues but for thy sonne Christe Iesus sake throughe which only mercy and great goodnesse graunted vnto vs in him thou arte and of righte euer oughtest to be only estomed of vs only praised magnified and highly reuerenced as thy name in heauen in earth moste condignely of all requireth which is from vs euen so muche in euery respect as we in déede truely know thée in thy sonne Christe by whome only and throughe grace in him we are stirred most woorthily to extol thy most glorious and holy name but not so lightly by custome to prophane it and vnreuerently abuse it whether by cruell blasphemie contempte of thine heauenly woorde true religion doctrine or otherwise in our sinneful conuersation or euill maner of liuing Take vs therefore we pray thée to thy mercie O Lord and that soone for great is our sinne and iniquitie in this accustomed sinne of blasphemie O set thy feare spéedely before our eyes and shut not vp from vs the knowledge of thy truthe our director to rightuousnesse but kindle inwardly into oure soules the lighte thereof leaste in the deadly darkenesse pride and great peruersitie of our wicked harts we do daily degenerate turne from our profession fall willingly from thée become ingratefull vaine proude and high minded contumelious spitefull shamelesse open enimies and very blasphemous againste thée as the only possessors of the deuill and falling like reprobates from iniquitie to iniquitie Who for theyr horrible abuses sake and prophanation of thy name how they shall be woorthily plaged thine hande of iustice not being shortned is plainely euident in thy most sacred and heauenly woord of truthe For thou thy selfe haste saide that what so euer he be that is a blasphemer vseth thy name vainly and vnprofitably shall not escape thy scurges and punishments And in an other place it is also wrytten that who so euer vseth muche to sweare shall be filled with curssings and iniquity and the plage which is the iuste bengeance of thy wrath shall neuer depart frō his house but shal in time consume it and all the inhabitantes thereof Again we read out of thy Prophet Zacharie that thou shewedst vnto him flying in the air a maruellous large and a great booke euen .xx. cubites in length .x. in bredth wherin was contained the horrible plages that are prepared for all thē which contemptuously malitiously vainly falsly or rashely sweare by thy blessed and holy name O Lorde of infinite mercies and long suffering God that art to be blessed for euer whose mercyes reacheth vnto the heauens if thou in these our dayes of great abhomination curssed blaspheming taking thy holy name in vaine so carelessy vsually and by custome for euery smal trifle bisides other deadly and dampnable sinnes daily committed amōgst vs shouldest in the iudgement of thine owne cause flersly rise vp againste vs or as thy Prophet Dauid sayth extréemely marke what is done amisse O Lord how shuld we abide it How should we moste sinnefull wretches in these dayes abide the terror of thy vengeance that by thy iustice hangeth ouer vs or should in a moment consume vs all like stubble But thou rewardest vs not according to our sinnes thy mercie endureth for euer and therefore to auoide the terror of thy iustice due vnto vs most disobediēt sinners we appeale to the déep fountains of thy mercy humbling our selues before thy mercies seat with penitent harts for the remission of our sins that thou wilt not impute thē now vnto vs
of all mischieues and abhomination vnder the sonne 14 O beloued Christian Whether art thou in this wise armed with saith too stande too the face of the Diuell sharply to reproue him and put him to flighte 15 Whether hast thou in thine harte through this saith heauenly mirth and melody inward reioicing and thy retourne with triumphe exalted the name of thy God felt in thy selfe to bee doubtlesse his childe and too loue as thou lawfully oughtest the lawe of thy deare and most louing father 16 Whether hast thou considered or not this heauenly mistery aforesaid to be the Sacramente of true pietie the Character of perfecte vnttie and the most assured band of frutful and christian charitie 17. Whether thou being a subiecte in any estate borne to be ruled vnder thy soueragne and not to rule bearest vnto hir thy dere and natural Prince as also to thine natiue countrey by the bloud of Goddes woorde a naturall saithfull and true louing harte 18 And finally whether thou bee christianly charitable or a cleere remitter of all thy neighbours offences as thou thy selfe woldest of God be clerely remitted And so foorth in all other thinges as best behoueth thine holye profession least to the coÌ„trary in gods sighte all thy conceyued holinesse by orater or whatsoeuer beeing but provbane hipocritish childish mere darknesse and very folly there be founde in thee but the only title or vnauailable bare name of christianitie and therefore verie perniciouse burifull and to be tourned into sinne ageinst thee and so in stead of healthfull very delightfull and beautifull blessings which thou daily huntest after the banefull most bitter and blacke curses of God doo sodeinly fall vppon thee Beware then J exhorte thee looke well to thy selfe in time flatter not thy selfe vainly or rather dampnablie be not longe a dalier in the schoole house of daliaunce be not alwayes a fondling a weakling or a suckling a milkesoppe or babish infante in Chryst weye truely the vertue of healthefull manfull and strong nourishmente in Chryste attende to the tyme thou shouldeste nowe bee a strong man in Chryste thou art now as a man most grationsly visited for the highest doo seeke thy company than the which what shouldest thou more desire O remember then how very reprochfull how vnmaÌ„full vnhealthfull hurtfull miserable and discoÌ„mendable is thy seruile state in such wise to be pind in not to growe out in time nor get from thy rockinges thy wearisome wrappinges or swadling bandes of extreame weakenesse but alwayes to be lulde in the armes of vntimely tendernesse wherby thou art barred from thy highest and moste chiefe solicitie Way warely by the scriptures thy due danger and discommeÌ„dation of suche thine insensibilitie and wearishnesse Shouldest not thou rather reioice to be calde as a man of strength to the felowship ripe age and strong manhode of Christe and to be partaker in his presence of his most frendefull healthfull strengthfull and heaueÌ„ly banket whereunto al things are already prepared and therunto art thou now called God also graunt thee to be in the number of his electe that thou maist with saith set forwards thy fote hungerly with zeale to striue for thy place to beleue by Gods only word that the lord of the seast fauoreth thee Be not hindred hinder not thy selfe let excuses be farre from thee deferre not the fauouring of thy soules refreshing loke to thy turne in time open to day thine eyes and be not yet blinde to morowe least with the blinde in thy wil of blindenesse thou be sone blindely led into the irrecouerable deepe and most damnable dungeon of blindnesse darknesse horror with the diuel the Prince of darknesse and death foreuer Consider this he that seeth thee euen as in deede thou art is a God of moste cleare sighte bright lighte truthe and rightuousnesse Call to minde towardes him thy true profession seruice turn not thâ—â— but of true kinde leane simply 〈◊〉 truthe ioyne not with the wickeâ— which by their questions dout of that truth and aske how knowe you that it is the word of truth for bothe they thou shall answer to that word of truthe whereby must be directed bothe thy religion and manners and wherin thou must be bothe mindefull skilful and thaÌ„keful for thy discharge Jgnoraunce cannot excuse thee it shall not excuse thee thou oughtest not be ignorant thou nedest not be ignorant what so euer is writteÌ„ is writteÌ„ for thy learning thou readest it thou hearest it or thou maist if thou luste It is not farre from thee It is before thine eyes in thine hart if grace be with thee towardes it and is most truely pronouÌ„ced vnto thee by the eternall spirite of truth that most miraculously with al simplicitie by his zealous ministers inwardly to pierce thee to lighten the darknesse of thine hart and to quicken true life vnto thee if thou haste eares to heare in these dayes the dayes of gods grace and of his heauenly visitation Vaine curiositie of faultes finding and complaining shal not serue thee in thy respecting of persones dayes and times they oughte not to hinder thee haue thou thine hart prepared stick thou to the graces of god offered What are slanderous brutes to thee if thou be of god a louer of the truth of which truthe let thine owne conscience be the iudge if it be not vtterly dead or most damnably benuÌ„med WheÌ„ thou hearest the truth in time take hold of truthe let not occasion slip from thee with hir turned baldnesse towardes thee for shee flieth swiftly and to cal hir again back wil not help thee yea the truth wil theÌ„ reproue thie be iuste iudge ouer thee and condempne thee to thy face for thy moste folishe and late repentaunce Jf truthe therefore offer hir selfe vnto thee stand most amiably before thee and sound most heauenly words vnto thine eare O attend then to the truth haue good opinion in the truth slie not from the truthe feare not the truthe ioyne to the truth be familiar with the truth beleue the truthe confesse boldly the truthe and stand stedfastly to the truth for truthe is of high excellencie a glorious ladie a dame of noble fame and of great antiquitie she is euer gratious vnto the frendly of full power also of great maiestie and familiar with the highest Thinke well therefore of truth entertaine hir reuerently shee shineth with glory vnto thee O let hir alwayes possesse thee reioyce in hir coÌ„panie and vse hir very frendly for she wil highly againe requite thee shen thee sone most freely hir natural vsage propertie which shal be all inwardly to serch thee thorowly to purge thee most clerely to pollish thee most beutifully to adorne thee to breake thy baÌ„ds of impietie to make the spiritually free and prefer thee through true saithe to possesse the high presence of the deitie This is truthes nature to deale kindly with thee if thou most vnkindly neglectest not hir companie
Of whiche truth the Apostle thus wryteth vnto thee that without al contradiction she must nedes be vnto thee either the sanoure of life vnto life or the sauoure of death vnto death Such iudgemēt will truth haue ouer thee and stand in full effect there will be no meane but to be either with thee or else flatly againste thee as it shall truely finde thee at thy fal frō this life there wil be no daliāce it will for euer saue thee or eternally damne thee how so euer thereof thou makest thine account or leanst of will to the contrary with thy very blinde wicked and peruerse hart Feare therfore harken to the truth in time haue sure confidence in truthe thine helper is at hand be and the truth are one he is grateful he is faithful dout thou not double not nor wilfully withstand not the offred graces of thy mylde master thy iust Lord and moste louing God and be not before him and in the presence of his holy Angels vnprepared or a dallier a man indifferent a slacke Simme a drousie one a lyngrer a double deaier a wanton or a carelesse one among the reiectes and wretches of this worlde that in their coldenesse darkenesse hopelesse houeryng vayne deuising wilfulnesse tolitie forgeifulnesse contempte of God and Godlynesse tempteth so hygh so magnificent terrible great God of maiestie most deadlily to danger them elues who diuersly in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye is able by his iustice to destroy thee to cracke sodainely in sunder the thred of thy life to twine strōgly the cordes of thy perdurable eternal death Therfore as he ought in his mightinesse of euery wighte to be feared so he shold not of any one either presumptuously or vainely be tempted But for thy part obey him in his will and suffer him with all pacience to try thee through aduersitie cōmitting thy selfe wholely vnto his only wil mercy for surely he will beholding in thee the power of saithe not suffer thee to be tempted aboue thy strengthe or yeelde thee so farre to fall but with his owne right hand will raise thee quickly vp againe And I exhorte thee also to take heede that thou possesse not in his sight at any time an vnstayed ofte wauering and winde shaken hart through Sathans blustrings stormie and tempestuous blastes stirred vppe daily and hourely againste thee and that by Goddes permission for good least by thine impaciencie diffidente trembling and sore shakes of thine vnchristen inconstancie thou be sodainly turned to thy shiftes put to thy faultie flight and so be dispossessed of thy verie healthful safe and most sure holde or else spoiled with reproche of thy christen armor or be occasioned by desperate pursute to starte from the face of the ennimie to stacker fearfully at his offered blowes and in hazarde to take hurt by some dangerous and sodain fal◠greatly to dishonor thee before Christe thy captaine and with him infinite armies of heauēly soldiors whose tents to encourage thee are pitched round about thee I say therefore vnto thee O Christian stand thou cherefully to thy charge in all things and defende manfully thine owne dismaie thee not J say for the Lorde God him selfe will be thy defender and keeper and wil stand by thee to strengthen thee and to deliuer thee from all daungers And if legions of diuels should copasse thee trench thee in round about plant their power and bēd forcibly their shot agaynst thee well may they threatningly thunder far frō thee rore rattle and rumble in the aire ouer thee tumble terribly about thee parche something thy tender skin and wonderfully in such sort amase thee yet shall they not preuayle agaynst thee hurte any member of thee or once remoue thy fast fixed soote but shalt stād sure fer euer euen as the highe mightie steadie and strong mounte Sion for Gods arme stayeth thee who by his power hathe ouercome the diuell euen the great diuell Sathanas him selfe he holdeth him at will by his infernall chaynes his whole cursed armie also hell gates and al the powers of hell O praise therfore thine almightie God exalt his glorious name for euermore watche and pray continually pray with vnderstāding pray at al times and in al places as his holy spirite shall moue thee for the vpholding of thee and for the auoyding of the engins sleights and tēptations of the enimies that God himselfe may be pleased thy soule strēgthned the diuels chased vāquished or put to flight And when thou prayest deceiue not vaynly thy selfe be not blinded with the proud Pharisie in thine owne conceite boasting of thy righteousnesse in the presence of God neither glorying in any thing for he throughly beholdeth thee and seeth that truely in thee euen thy secrete and hidde sinnes a masse of all abhomination as thou oughtest chiefly therein to be thine owne iudge But humble thy self before him with the penitent and poore wretched Publicane confessing thy sinnes and wickednesse and feare not then to attayne grace through suche true faith hūblenesse Moreouer forget not that as God is a moste highe heauenly and diuine substance and a spirite of al goodnesse and truth so wil he also of thee be spiritually worshipped praysed and prayed vnto euē in the truth by the word of truth and frō the depth and bocome of thine hart This also I put thee in remēbrāce of a thing greatly requisite that in the tyme of thy prayers which thou daily consecratest to god be they more or lesse long or short thou be not withdrawen with the snarling suggestions secret twitches inward motions or wylie sleightes of the enimie Sathan thorough the abuse of thy senses and outwarde bodily members as thine eyes thine eares and suche like that whilest thy tongue onely oft babbleth and vaynely wastest muche breath thine hearte whiche God chiefely respecteth and dothe very gladly desire bee fardest off and bee moste vaynely turned another way gretly to displease him to vexe sore thine owne conscience and to make vtterly frustrate al thine attempts or importune sutes of greate necessitie This I say also vnto thee If thou desire to be the child of God and voyde of al doubts so in dede to be fauour frō thy hart Christ thy forerunner and sauiour by whose onely grace thou arte adopted the childe of god Make not towards him thy fidelitie crased mingled or patched let it goe soundly and al whole togither both frō thy body thy soule Let him alwayes enioy frō thee the whole perfect mā the man regenerate new borne and made by his spirit the child of light ful of agilitie and liuelinesse whose soule mounting with felicitie still vp to the heauens is there resident with Chryst the sauiour and alwayes conuersant in heauenly things And let him also bee euermore vnto thee thine onely whole ful perfect and sufficient redemer ear nest petitioner and ready pacifier of the diuine fury against thee for al causes who with
teares it repenteth me that euer I sinued against thée I fall flat to the earthe before thée confessing my sinnes vnfainedly my weakenesse and infirmitie for I haue most greuously offended thée my conscience therein accuseth me crie yet with true saithe vnto thée Mercie good Lord mercie with thankes giuing and extolling thée for thine infused grace vppon me And I pray thée moste humblie O my God of all mercie to continue thy fatherly affection the encreasing of thy grace and strength of thy spirit vpon me to helpe to directe and comfort me vnto the ende and in the ende in all my temptations troubles weakenesse and infirmities bothe of bodie and minde Least sathan as I said preuaile and confound me the tickling pleasures of this world deceiue me and the olde man my wretched flesh which is not yet subiect to the spirite do master me againste all which I must arme my self stande to the battaile continually fighte bolde out at the swoordes pointe offer the pricke driue backe chase ouerthrowe wound and confounde whilest breath shall holde in this wretched body yea I say wretched in déede being compassed with so many calamities and infinite miseries for the which cause O Lord I craue alwayes thy mightie power in my weakenesse I make my mone haste thée nowe to helpe me O strengthen me graunte me thy presence stande by me encourage me to fight manfully that by thee I may amaze the enemies put them fast to flight gette the victorie triumphe before thée and extoll thée in thy great might mercie nowe and for euer through Iesus Christ our Lord who liueth and raigneth with thée and the holy Ghost in all honoure and glory worlde without ende Amen II. To dvvell in the seruice of God to haue the world and the pleasures thereof in cōtempt and to striue daily against them with the armor of rightuousnesse FOr as muche O almightie God as we are all warned by thine holye Apostle Iohn not to bée louers of thys euyll world nor the vain pleasures therof bicause bothe the one and the other come vtterly to naughte and that also to be a louer of the world is to be an hater of thée to slip from thy will and from the presence of thy maiestie as one that regardeth thée not knowes thée not neither séeke to know thée but startle aside from thée forsaketh the right way and entreth of will the perrillous way full of hidde thistles thornes briers brambles venemous wormes and serpentes linking also thē selues into the amitie league and seruice of the moste sleightie hatefull and deadly enemie the proude Prince of this worlde who for a time by Gods permission is brokē lose and rageth in his course roareth and fighteth cōtinually against the Soule of man who entangleth only his owne to their vtter ouerthrowe with the vaine pleasures thereof euen with the delightes in effect but of one houre and with the encreasing of sorowes for manye yéeres I beséeche thée O thou king of all holinesse whose seruice is most highe most happie most sure most healthfull wealthful heauenly perpetuall perfecte selicitie and freedome which seest the weakenesse inconstancie greate miserie and necessitie of me thine humble seruaunt the outrage also power of my cruel aduersaries graunt me sufficiencie of thy grace strengthe of thine holy spirite that by vertue thereof I may be directed in the way wherin I should walke my pathes made straite and my foote stedfast alwayes to withstande the euil attemptes of the moste wicked and the outwarde glittering gloryes of this sinful and vain world and not yéelde my minde to the pleasures comforts of the same as a childe of vanitie enclosed therin for the time as in a deepe dungeon of daunger and of deadly darkenesse founded vppon a sandie and rotten soile very olde ruinous sore shaken and readie at euery momente to fall throughe age vppon me but to be otherwise staide by thine holy and mightye arme pacientlie in the meane season to abide thy will to lay my foundation sure to be sober and watchfull ouer all daungers to stretch forth mine handes to the battaile to strengthen mine armes like a bow of stéele that vnder thy protection power I may manfully resist all hurtful euilles and the assaults of the wicked and stand stably to my profession in thy holy seruice wherunto thorow thy grace I am called to the ende that by thine only helpe I should do the workes of rightuousnesse O thou rightuous Lorde and God of my strengthe which haste made me which hast conserued me and arte moste louing and carefull ouer me I putting mine only hope and confidence not in the holy Angels celestiall spirites blessed Sainctes in heauen or good men héere in earth but only in thée suffer me not to be tempted aboue my strengthe or to be ouerwhelmed of mine owne cōcupiscēce but in the midst of temptation make thou a way for me to escape with ioy Thou O God art only omnipotent moste gratious ful of al goodnesse faithfulnesse and truthe fulfil therfore thy promisses towardes me most merciful Lord thou God of truthe Put vppon me thine whole armor of rightuousenesse O thou God of mighte and true holinesse that by thy power I may be strong against all aduersaries for I wrestle not as thou knowest against flesh and blud in this life but against rule against power and againste worldly rulers of the darknesse of this worlde and againste spirituall wickednesse in heauenly things by whome without thine heauenly power I stande euer in hazarde to eternall destruction bothe of body and soule For which cause I say O my swéete God arme me strongly strengthen me in my weakenesse and make me stoute that in this christen chiualrie I may stand perfecte in all things before thée and not slippe by cowardise or inconstancie from thy faithful seruice but fight vnder thy banner vntil the last breath couragiously putting mine euemyes to flight and cary away with triūph a glorious victorie ouer them So shall it come to passe that thorowly running this so shorfe a race in my holy calling as a puissant warrior in thy most high and excellent seruice with lawfull striuing and with violent plucking towards me thine heauenly kingdome I shall in the ende perfectly sée it and possesse it and shall receiue in mine hands a Palme of victorie vppon mine head a Crowne of glory prepared the hidde Manna also and a white stone wherein is written a newe name which no man knoweth sauing only the receiuer of it who shal serue thée thou great God of heauen in the moste sacred state of true holinesse perfecte frée dome excellencie dignitie and equalitie with thine holy Angels and al blessed Saincts in euerlasting felicitie Graunt this mine humble petition O Lorde for thy greate mercies sake So shall I here and in eternall blessednesse extoll and magnifie thy glorious name Amen III. For the humble
hearing apte receiuing keeping and continuing of the vvoorde of God amongst vs. COnsidering o thou God of al holinesse that the certainetie of oure Christian faithe standeth by the Scryptures or immoueable woorde of thy truthe which as thy messenger procéedeth from thee by thy gratious inspiration or secreate brething wherunto as vnto a seast royal euery man of al nations vnder heauen are called but are of thy Church only receiued and deuoutly vsed to the instruction confirmation strengthening and establishing of thine only faithfull true flocke and be as thy blessed Apostle calleth them sacred and holy birause they be heauenly moste precious diuine healthfull and comfortable to the soule excelling all the wisedom of Philosophers and the vainly wise of this world and be therefore in their high power and maiestie woorthily aboue all aduanced segregate and put aparte by them selues from all other wrytings of prophane matters and the flitting descriptions of men not onely pertaining to this present worlde and for the vse of this temporal life but also from all Ethnicke superstitians salse woorshippings wicked sacrifices and erronious opinions vsed contrary to thy woord against thée the only eternal and true God which by lying custome and crueltie are corruptly crepte into thy Church to the foule féeding filling defiling and poisonning therof and is yet daily occasioned therby wout thy grace to be sinisterly drawne and seduced straying frō the right way and haled to death by will in oure selues from the life that is in thée euen to eternall death and destruction we beséeche thée moste humbly O thou gracious God to enspire vs with thy holy spirite of truthe to kindle in all our hartes the fire of thy loue light and truth that by thy power in them oure faithes may be strengthened oure soules also humbled rightly ledde and instructed in thy word of loue light truthe and of eternall life by vertue wherof at our first entrāce to Christ our high Pastor we may truely vnderstande our profession and promisse in holy baptisme and haue it accordingly wrytten with thy finger of grace in our hartes to the true knowledge of thy law and the spiritual vnderstanding therof to loue thée moste woorthily aboue all and our neighbor as our selues as also to knowe the promisses of thy mercie in thy sonne oure Sauiour Iesus Christ most soundly and purely as thy holy word expresseth therein whereby we may be well vpholden and zealously staide in our profession to treade our pathes right to be guided by the true light to heare gladly the voice of oure shepheard Iesus Christe to testifie his name to folowe him the onely true lighte and not to feare the powers of darknesse but to ouercome them by thy mighte although euen with the losse of our liues not only the dalyings dimme deuises and vanities of the wicked and to shun all suche hatefull enemics as are vsuall mockers daily deprauers sinnefull despisers wilfull impugners wicked seducers double dealers backe sliders pluckers back from thy word but also the sleights of their father Sathan the enticements of the worlde and the filthie motions of the fleshe And to that happie ende O Lorde we may be constant and thy woorde euer abide in vs stirre vs vp to continuall and hartie prayer quicken our zeale woorke in vs a true liuely quicke and frutefull faithe that it being a bright shining light in our hartes to the expelling of all Hipocrisie cloudinesse darknesse and erroure and also our conuersation being answerable to our profession the continuance of thy grace may stil comfortably shine vppon vs thy holy woorde may continue amongste vs may be truely preached vnto vs diligently boldly and zealously vttered ouer al and by al the ministers thereof by what occasion time and place so euer it be for vnto vs that shall be saued it is a thing moste precious and holy It is the woorde of life the woorde of reconciliation the lanterne vnto oure féete and a light vnto our pathes the fountaine of wisedome the breade of life the foode of the soule thy mightie power and swoorde of the spirite And for as much O heauenly father as thy woordes thus to vswarde come from heauen are spirite and life and are not to be wayed with the vaine imagination policie wisedome or witte of man nor yet to be applied vnto the hurtfull pleasures of this sinnefull worlde but to be moste holily and highly estéemed moste humbly had in credite reuerently thought vppon gladly inclined vnto heard with silence and receiued with all modestie ghostly gréedinesse we humbly beséeche thée that as thou haste euer heeretofore ben the only gratious director instructor and teacher of thy holy Patriarks and Prophets Apostles and holy fathers from time to time from the beginning and amongste al men for thine electes sake in Iesus Christe continuest yet so still vntill this day O traine vs vp also in thine heauenly knowledge we pray thée prepare our harts teach vs thy law and wryte thy woordes of life in the tables of oure heartes that in these our monstrous dayes of moste wilfull vanitie which in their strangenesse crieth oute by plagues to be punished we may aforehande be warned we may be yet better schooled thy wrath thereby preuented our soules more spiritually nourished filled with thy fauoure more mortified daily from the vanities of this brickel life guided to more thristian modestie and temperāce affected solie to the way of holinesse comforted in all troubles and aduersities boldned manfully against the face of the enemies stayed well armed and strengthened against all temptations stirred vp to the encrease of all vertues that thy woordes which shal iudge vs in the last day being by thy ministers truely preached and of vs also as zealously embraced and by any meanes not to be despised or slandered but on all partes surely holden and to shewe for the accordingly the true frutes of rightuousnesse we may be called of thée thy holy disciples auoide I say the sal of thy vēgeāce amōgst vs thy iudgement also to eternal condemnation be receiued in time to euerlasting saluation throughe thy grace the only merites of thy sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen IIII. For Fayth BY reading or hearing thy holy worde O blessed sauiour we are taught that true fayth which is thine onely gifte is onely therby attayned and that by the power of thine heauenly spirite it is breathed into the onely hearts of all thine electe who receiue it by measure and quantitie according to the will and power of the same spirite and with thine eyes beholding it in them thou gloriest in them thou daily blessest them thou encreasest it in them thy countenance shineth vppon them thou amiably appearest and she west thy selfe vnto them yea so acceptable it is in thy sighte O swéete sauiour that thou béeing the king of eternall glory and maiestie art espoused to the soules of the faithfull
glory answerable to my profession making for the peace of my conscience or to the contrary and so by due triall to forsake the one and embrace the other least throughe leude carelessenesse or not aptly yelding to the good motions of thine holy wil I giue thine offered grace moste gracele sly the slippe becomming in thy sighte but a fugitiue a reage a runneagate a corner créeper a vaine dullarde grose earthie lumpishe and heauie voide of spirit and life darke in true iudgemente affected to vaine desires moste wickedly falling from thée forsaken also of thee giuen ouer to my selfe wretchedly wandring at will or at the wilde aduenture and stande as a dead pray to the will of al deuouring aduersaries euen to the sleights of the moste curssed serpente to the sugred baits of this deceitful world and to the filthie desires of the rebellious fleshe by whome I shal be most wickedly seduced moste horribly blinded and fowly corrupted and so trained on in a short race to the slaughter euen to the swalowing gulffe of despaire the bottomelesse hurlepwle or most déepe sinke of destruction O my god of al mercie and grace that art the only helper of me in all my necessities assist and comfort my soule with thy spirite of lighte and truthe that I may nowe and at all times bothe truely discerne retaine wyth good will and folow the only good motions thereof and forcibly withstaÌ„d the contrary that no prouocations venemous enticementes or poysoned pleasures of the fleshe be occasions to defile and hazard my soule But folowing the good desires of the spirite which are moste pure perfect and godly and my soule euer mindefull of hir celestiall nature enforsing hir selfe vpwarde to the high heauens before thy presence there may spring vp vnto me all the dayes of my life the good continuance of thy grace the blessed traÌ„quillitie of an innocent minde the reaped frutes also of a good spirite and lastly in time euerlasting life which thou hast prepared for me thorow thine only mercy and grace in the merites of thy sonne and my sauior Iesue Christ Amen VI. For the chastising of the Soule to keepe it lowe and in subiection WE be taught of thée O thou GOD of heauen that who so euer wil rightly prosper in this life and goe daily forwardes in true godlynesse woorthy thy wel liking must tast substantially of thine heauenly wisedeme and enter the way thereto with all lowly subiection holding still faste thy reuerent feare estéeming vnfainedly the way of thy testimonies and be alwayes very watchful that he offend not thy sight It behooueth vs therfore O Lord in the state of our great weakenesse and frailetie and in our darknesse and deadly ignorance to haue daily accesse to thée thou God of our power true light and wisedome by prayer and most humble sute that we may séeke by thine heauenly wisedome to know thée truly and to haue thy feare before our eyes that in our profession we may be euer constante pacient and strong in thée auoiding thorow thy grace al carelesse securitie waÌ„dring inconstancie and slippernesse kéeping all our powers vnder thine holy discipline without repining or murmuring and not yéelde vp our selues according to the will of the fleshe to flying vanities and the swifte flitting things of this world but cleaue stedfastly vnto thée and giue ouer our selues wholely paciently to abide thy holy will to the quickning of vs in our dulnesse and humaine fearefulnesse and to the swéete chastening of our vntoward and drousie soules Doubtlesse O Lord very great swéete pleasant to the godly is the commoditie of thy chastisements and the exercises of thy crosse to the encrease of godlinesse among thy children and to suppresse the wil of the proud flesh which otherwise to the contrarie would be soone ouerwhelmed with too much pride iolitie forgetfulnes flouth and carelessenesse Quicken vs therfore O Lord with the rod of thy fauoure visite at times oure gracelesse dulnesse that we may féele thereby the touche of thy grace the sorowes also of our mindes in oure offences and cal our own wayes to remembraÌ„ce that we may say with the holy Prophet It is good for me Lord that I haue ben punished and that to this happie ende that I may learne thy statutes Againe before I was troubled I went wrong c. O grauÌ„t vnto vs most louing God that with thy rod of fatherly correction we may iudge our selues happie reioyce with thy holy prophet least to the contrary by sufferance euil custome or hauing our reane of wantonnesse too much at liberty we too too much deceiue our selues in our forgetfulnesse laughe at our own wickednesse wheÌ„ rather most bitterly we should bewaile our sinfulnesse remeÌ„ber therby the infinite dangers to the soule howe it is compassed suttlely deceiued holden captiue thrâ—l to the diuel And we must coÌ„fesse vnto thée O our god that we stand not at any time in true libertie or ioy effectual in any thing onlesse we possesse by thy spirite thy reuerent feare that also ioyned with a peaceable quiet coÌ„scieÌ„ce O what a happines therfore is it to a maÌ„ to cast fréely froÌ„ him al impedimeÌ„ts lettes of worldly vanities yéelde him self wholely vnder thine hand of discipline and to the chastening of his soule Graunt vs O Lord to be so happie that we may daily renounce and put from vs what so euer may staine burthen our most tender weake and simple consciences Graunt vnto vs in this worlde of warfare strengthe of thy grace that we may fighte the battaile of christian souldiours and ouercome by custome the vsuall supporter of all euil Graunt vs grace O mercifull Lorde that we may stand stedfastly to our charge yéelde with pacience to thy will and in all things to take straight view of our selues and chéefely with our owne eyes to beholde well our selues that in thy sight we be all well armed and so alwayes preuent the warning of others to the ouerthrow of the dedly aduersarie Graunt this o heauenly father with humblenesse of hart we beséeche thée to the quick ening and strengthening of oure soules in al temptations and chastisements and stirre vp daily in them thyne heauenly sparkes and swéete motions of comfort to their moste happie reioysing and to the exaltation of thy moste glorious name in this life and in the euerlasting world to come through thy son Christ our Lorde Amen VII For pacience in aduersitie and to remember that this worlde is but a place of perigrioation or passing forwardes vnto an other worlde WHen thou in mercie O lord beholdest thine own féest them among others how hazardly vnto deadly dangers they daily offer them selues raunging abrode at aduenture like loste shéepe and readie to be torn of euery sauage and deuouring beast thou by and by of thy fatherly and teÌ„der pitie considerest their miserable state and condition and how néedefull
of obedyence from the hearte and for Goddes sake but fall of will moste wickedly and as bonde slaues into the sinne of hatred contempte murmuring grutching conspiring rebelling and into innumerable suche like as men being wholely giuen ouer to a wicked will runnyng headlong into all kinde of mischeefes whereby we become as resectes and caste awayes from thy glorious fauoure we purchase thy displeasure thou 〈◊〉 our treacheries the cursse of the people shall fall vpon vs the spoile of the innocentes and theyr bloud shed shall crie for vengeance against vs our dayes shal be shortned our offspring and family ashamed vtterly confounded contempned and for euer brought to naught O gratious God graunt therefore that we may euer regarde thy wil be mindefull of thy statutes feare thy indgements and consider with our selues oure christian obedience and duetie towardes aucthoritie walking humbly in oure vocation before thée to the vpholdyng of peace to the contenting of aucthoritie to render vnto them their duetie to the benefiting of oure Country to the blessing of our posteritie and to remember also with this assured persuasion that whether so euer we turne oure selues in thus life we shall not aptly finde rest in any place if we be seditious mischéeuously inclined traiterous conspirators or rebellyous for thy iudgements will still folow vs thy swoorde shall deuoure vs and cruel messengers shall be sente againste vs as of many we haue both herd read and oft times knowne amōgst vs For thou O Lord in the feruor of thy zeale neither canst nor wilte suffer the higher powers so to be disobeyed or vnnaturally spurned against but thou wilt by thy iustice sée it sharpely reuenged as the offence verily committed against the persone of thine eternall maiestie Giue vs grace therfore O heauenly father we humbly beséeche thée to way reuerently thy will in thy woord and accordingly to liue in all subiection to the higher powers to pray daily most hartily for them as for the apte instrumentes of thy grate and furtherers of thy glory at these dayes of true lighte that thou wilt touche daily deepely all their harts with the finger of thine heauenly grace that thy principall spirite may for euer possesse them and that thy blessings also may daily abounde bothe vpon them vpon vs and vpon oure posteritie as vpon the childrē of true obedience peace and humblenesse to our reioying and praising of thy glorious name vntill the ende of this life and for euer thorowe Iesus Christe oure onely Lorde and Sauioure Amen X. For the Queenes moste excellenre Maiestie for hir Honourable Councelloures hir whole Court or familie O Almightie God and father of all mercie which gratiously gouernest moste wisely rulest and aboundantly blessest héere vppon earthe thy great Congregation the pillar and grounde of truthe the flocks of Christe thine holy Churche the Spouse of Christe the elect vessels of thy mercie thine whole householde and familie whose God of mercie thou only art throughoute all generations and helper in all oure néedes and necessities and haste appointed therein by thy diuine ordinaunce temporall rulers Princes and Magistrates to rule and gouerne thy people according to equity and the rule of rightuousnesse for the aduauncement of the good and pumshmente of the euill and hast also al their harts in thine holy hand to direct sanctiste and gouerne them after thine owne will to the godly example of others and to set foorthe amongste them thy glory haue mercy vpon thy seruant Elizabeth our noble and most gracious Quéene in the excellencie of hir most high calling holy seruice and of greate charge before thée in thy sanctified Churche that as hir heart specially being truely directed in thy sight by the spirit of light and truthe to the true knowledge perfect obedience and ready furtherance of thy will with all christian diligence and seruencie as aboue all things best behooueth hir moste gratious and royall maiestie that the rather in all other hir necessities shée may at all times be moste assuredly blessed by thée releeued comforted strengthened mightely defended and deliuered bothe in body and soule so also the honorable hir beloued graue and prudente Counsellors faithful ministers vnder hir whole familie may euery of them in their degrée christian vocation or faithfull seruice duetifully waie with them selues the vertue of their charge straight bande and profession before thée séeking truely vnder hir highnesse for thy glorye and hir honoure the fruteful knowledge of thy lawes that in theyr state of great excellency right worshipful calling meane state or inferioure ministerie whether of the Cleargie as they are termed or of the laitie they may haue the feare and true obediēce before their eyes framing vnfainedly all their affections their actions and dueties by the only rule of thy woorde of life walking vprightly therein holily and religiously in thought woorde and déede with vndesiled pure and peaceable consciences to the daily edifying encouraging and strengthening of all others that thereby hir whole Court or Princely family being through fulnesse of vertue and thine heauenly wisedome wōderfull to beholde woorthily noted of all delighted in of all and moste highly commended of al may be of all moste dearely beloued highly estéemed ioyfully receiued thankefully vsed practised and folowed as a moste precise patron of all perfect and true pietie as a very brighte large and cleare shining light déeply piercing inwardly quickening farre extending and reaching ouer al or as a cleare sountaine or quick springing water descending from an high most beautifull to looke on most pleasant to taste on very dilectable most necessary helthfull and comfortable common to all swiftly running towardes all and embraced of all and into al partes belonging to hir highnesse or round about hir wherby through the puritie healthfulnesse clearnesse cleannesse fulnesse therof al hir people and others drawing to thē selues and tasting abundantly of the same may long be preserued healthfully norished vpholdē in vortue in true religion honestie all the dayes of their liues that in stead of thy terrible iudgemēts and wrathfull indignations due vnto all for disobedience contempt and sinfulnesse thy moste gracious fatherly blessings as swéete dews from heauen may alwayes most comfortably fauourably with spéede and abundantly light both vpon hir highnesse vpon hir Nobilities whole Courte and whole Countrey to thine only honoure praise and glory euen in the sight and faces of all hir and our ennemies that they may plainely sée it may be ashamed of their errour of their darknesse wilful madnesse great disobedience wicked attēptes and contemptes and may be more mindefull of thée thou greate God of rightuousnesse séeke most gladly in truthe to knowe thée to feare thine holy name to be conuerted vnto thée and to blesse wyth vs in rightuousnesse al the dayes of their liues thorow thy son Iesus Christ and for his sake our only sauioure our only mediatoure and aduocate Amen XI Against vaine hope and
pride O Lorde that art only omnipotente milde and mercyfull and the only perfect hope of thy beloued inheritance vpon whom thy grace hath moste fréely abounded and whose sinnes thou haste remitted by the onely oblation sacrifice and bloude shed of thy deare sorme Christ Iesus for which purchase and moste pretious redemption thou only requirest of them but to be beloued againe and that with an vpright staysdnesse an assured strength and true confidence only in thée and not otherwise vainely in any vaine man or other treatures and that they be not hautie in theyr owne eyes but possesse euen in thy sighte in them selues the spirit of méekenesse and of most lowly submission we most entirely beséeche thée to strengthen vs héerein with thine heauenly grace to stay vs vnto thy selfe to make vs humble in oure owne eyes that imitating the steppes of thy sonne we be not ashamed to beare in thy sight the contempt of this wretched world and to become with all lowlinesse and milde subiection euen very slaues to all others for the loues sake of thy deare sonne Iesus whose rule of Humilitie we haue moste truely professed and thereby promissed to beare with pacience bothe pouertie and all other afflictions in thys vale of wretched nesse where when and in what manner so euer it shall please thée to lay them vppon vs. O Lord so vpholde thou vs with thine heauenly grace that we staie not simplie vpon our owne selues or putte oure truste in others but flee faste from our selues and from all others and put oure whole and onely hope in thée endeuouring with all our powers bothe of bodie and minde to obey thy will trust only in thée that thou wilt always be the readie helper of oure good willes and a moste apte furtherer of all oure honest meanings Lette thy mercie O Lorde so be vppon vs that we be not vainely puffed vppe or putte confidence eyther in oure owne knoweledge or in the pollicie of any mortall manne but onely depende vppon thy Diuine fatherly prouidence which both helpest and géeuest thy grace to the humble and thrustest also downe the lostie and proude So temper vs lord with thine heauenly grace that we glory neither in our richesse if we haue them nor yet in our fréendes if they be mightie for thou moste mightie God haste dominion ouer their power and when thèy are alofte and exalted in their glorie thou throwest them downe abatest their corage and destroyest them with thy heauie hād but to glory as we ought only in thée which doest fréely minister vnto vs all things necessarie and destrest aboue all to giue thine owne selfe wholely vnto vs Thou O Lorde haste led vs the way to true humilitie that whether touching either the mightinesse beautie or cômlinesse of the body which being stricken with some light disease is by and by ouerthrowne and defaced we in no wise aduaunce our selues And least we stand most vainely in our owne conceits whether for oure owne towardenesse wisedome wit or in other things iudge better of our owne selues thā we doe of others we greatly offend and fall into thine heauie displeasure and bring thy wrathe vppon vs bicause we estéeme them not as thine owne proper giftes and so be thankefull vnto thée for them O graunt vnto vs therfore most gratious God thy spirite of méekenesse and true humblenesse that we may walke rightly before thée and haue in our selues and in thy sight cleane hartes constantelaithe and moste sure hope and considence trauing cōtinually thy spirit of romfort paciently therby to beare our crosse to folowe the example of our sauioure Christ and to beare with ioy the afflictions of this life through his merits precious death pastion Amen XII Against Couetousnesse IF we O thou iust terrible God coulde nowe thorowe thy grace euen in the middest of all oure iniquities heaping daily iniquitis vppon iniquitie remember yet in time thy certaine deter minatiō and threaiued iudgement vpon this world the plages thereof shortly enstring for the wickednesse of end 〈◊〉 harte and as thou haste tolde vs by thy Prophet Esay to lay to 〈◊〉 to make the face of the whole earth desolate and scatter abrode all the inhabitoures thereof bicause they haue offended thy lawes changed thine ordinalires and made thine euer lasting testament of 〈…〉 receiuing therfore with wee their most sharp bitter portion the taste of thy diuine fury vtter shame desolation swift confusion O what cause haue we then to remember in these oure dayes if through grace it might be for good this most vile sin abidng the rest the outragious 〈◊〉 couetousnesse that so diuersty woorketh the disglory of thy name spoyleth thy churches welfare Which in the estimation of this worlde so langely raigneth so vniuersally so familiarly yea also mercilesly ouerfloweth al deuoureth al hath al at his beck and hastneth fast vpō this geiteration an euil and pitilesse generation doubtlesse in the end now of this olde rotten worlde the sodaine and straight performance of thy hideous and fearefull premisses O Lord our God moste dangerous is our stats our dayes are most euill our desertes are great we haue sinned greuously thy plagues are iustly prepared and thy iudgements to condemnation by thy iustice are at hand vpon vs For who in effecte cā say from any sin his hart is clean or rather most mōstruously against nature not to be defiled either who can in conscience say that he féeles not in him selfe as priuately for him selfe and corruptly this most hurtfull and infectuous maladie of the soule which amongst all other contagious euils is moste perniceous and by the diuel him self déepely grafted in vs and is by him so closely crept in vnto vs that it hath ioyned it selfe euer to the very secrete affections of our hartes shewing it selfe a most diligent woorker a busie labourer or minister to the procuring bréeding encreasing norishing and bringing forthe of corruption ruption and sinnes innumerable couertly lurking in our filthie flesh sowly to the death issueth abrode in his time For it is as sayth thine holy Apostle the roote of all mischéefe and that all suche also as are the Rauens and gréedie Gripes or gutlings of the world and desirous of the deceiteful riches thereof fall without stay into temptations and snares and into many beastly foolish and noisome lusts which draw them into temptation and destruction Also he calleth it a woorshipping of idols it spoileth God of his honor and is therby in euery place of the holy Scriptures condemned and forbidden as a sinne most hainous horrible diuellishe and damnable bicause it is a moste curssed and venemous euill tied to ambition hautie and vaineglorious full of maliciousnesse ful of crueltie very tirannous and greeoely hunteth after bloud the déepe set séede doutlesse of the diuell who was a murtherer from the beginning hathe therewith by his subteltie maruellously
preuailed vpon the earth and broughte into subiection not onely the most vnfaithfull very reiectes and wicked caste awayes from thy fauour who being but earthly set their whole felicitie vppon earthly things but euen the very professors also of thy moste holy and blessed religion For in all estates and degrées from the most to the least from the highest to the lowest all are defiled therewith al bend their wittes moste gracelesly and inordinately to vnsatiable couetousnesse excéeding farre the limits of necessitie scraping gathering togither as the children of diffidence very worldlings contrary to the lawe of nature coÌ„trary to the law of charitie or christen holinesse and puritie whether by righte or by wrong by hooke by crooke by extortion by oppression by flattery by periury sorcery vsury bribery simony priuy coÌ„spiracy against town citie prince and the whole countrey greedie of vengeance yea by what meanes so euer it be oft by most wilful consent to murther whether of others or through indigence lacke of sufficiencie or by some sinister stroke of fortune desperately destroy themselues Such are our willes to wickednes o lord that being voide of thy grace we sink déepely into al abhomination are altogither without moderation or stay of our appetites affectionately grubbing for more more til death cut vs short till our mouths be filled with grauel or til we heape vp as the Prophet saith thick clay against our selues feling the iustice of the rightuous god froÌ„ whome we are fled and haue putte oure only affiaunce in wicked and vaine filthie Mammon To the end therfore O moste louing God we may in thée be better staide oure liues in thy feare more aptly framed and oure faultie faithes more christianly reformed graunte that by thy woorde we may truly know thée obey thy wil put our only trust in thée loue thée as our god of mercie and reuerence thée as our Lorde of iustice Graunte vnto vs the influence of thine heaueÌ„ly grace that our gracelesse indurate and moste barraine hartes being thus bewitched and hardned by the diuel may he by thée moste gratiously reformed frutefully tempered déepely indued thorowly softened sowen with thy celestiall séedes well harrowed rowed and made truely profitablé that thy holy Church may thereby be spéedely purged of this very present and moste pestilent infection nowe raigning with outrage ouer all the world Wherof bicause our liues standeth not in the abundance of these vanities which we héer possesse thy sonne Christ left straighte charge vnto vs the professoures of his name in any wise to beware of Couetousnesse Roote out therefore we pray thée O God from oure hartes oure vnsatiable and gréedie desires O incline oure hartes vnto thy testimonies and not to couetousenesse but yéelding to thy will with contented mindes in oure calling we may in all our necessities cast gladly our cares vpon thy back that art truly rich almightie a readie helper very mindeful and merciful vnto vs for oure sufficient relieuement and to further therby thy glory Prepare vs to be charitable frée harted and liberall to haue in vs the bowels of compassion to be pitiful alwayes to the poore to yéeld to sufficiencie too neither riches nor pouertie to remember we nakedly entred this world that we shall cary nothing oute of this world that we muste forsake the worlde for it will forsake vs away néedes we muste we are heere but strangers our yeares are but few our calling sodain death tarieth not death spareth not death aresteth our reckening muste be made oure iudge is iust our witnesse is true oure sentence is determined oure place appointed our rewarde prepared and moste preciously purchased O heauenly father for thine holy electe obedient children by the only death and bloud shed of thy son our deare Lord sauior Iesus Christ Amen XIII Against Adultrie and Whoredome FOrasmuche O eternal God as thou only arte moste rightuous pure holy vndefiled and abhorrest from thine harte the stinking sin of lust adultry whoredom fornication such like and requirest also of vs in the .vij. precept that in our liues conuersation we be like vnto thée in all puritie holinesse and in any wise not to defile or once spot our selues with the attempts of vnlawful lustes or wantonnesse but constantly hold kéep fast the integritie of oure faithfull promisse made vnto thée our onely Lorde God bothe in the calling of our sole liues and in the holy state also of matrimonie which in the sighte of thée is very honourable of highe perfection and great excellencie and is amongste men in thy holy Churche as it were the louely fountaine or wel spring of good life not only in the beautifying of them selues thorow their own clerenesse in chastitie but floweth forthe also by example doctrine with moste swéete taste to their owne beloued offspring and familie and to the apt seasoning likewise of the single and vnmaryed sorte we most humblye beséeche thée to take from vs in our weakenesse and frailty the violent power of fleshe and bloude and to quenche in vs continually the raging lustes of oure vncleane sinful bodies which inwardly moueth violently stirreth striueth woundeth inflameth burneth altereth sore the body amaseth the minde spoileth the senses maketh menne mad or turneth the vnwise of the worlde quite beside their wittes O God that art maker of all makind thou séest all things thou beholdest al our doings thou knowest the affections of our hartes and howe by nature we are naturally enclined to suche euill and giuen to féele in our weakenesse the smarts of oure infections boyling soming fumes of the fickle and fraile fleshe and stirred daily therby to greate abhominations and filthinesse to hasten vpon our selues the heat of thy furious and fierce vengeance because we haue vowed as thou haste commaunded suche euils to be eschued and none adulterie or the syke vnclennesse to be commicted for as thou O Lordo haste called vs so haue we yéelded to thy cal and promised thée to walke before thée in puritie and holyuesse of life being made of many members one body and one spirite with thée and therefore from the harte to abhorre all vnclennesse and not to be defiled made the members of an harlot for we know that no fornicator filthie adulteror whoremonger abuser of himselfe with mankinde no vncleane person nor weakeling shal inherite thine heauenly kingdome O father of all merey and grace let not the desues then of suche corruption and vurlenlinesse faston their roote of death vppon vs neither to be giuen ouer to an vnshamefast and obstinate minde flying from thy holy will in our profession contemning the act â—â—…table countels of the godly or also neglecte the terrible exaÌ„ples of thy iustice a written for our learning and to print with faith in memone that for suche abhomination and wickednesse thou haste plaged the ear the The olde worlde was drouned the Sodomites the
but for the glory of thy name to mollifie to cleanse and alwayes to kéepe cleane oure harde stonie and euill stuffed hartes with the déepe piercing deawe of thine heauenly grace that where all those terrible punishmentes and moste gréeuous plagues before mentioned are already deuised prepared threatned and at an instant appoynted to fall vpon vs we may yet by thy mercie escape them extoll thée in thine vnspeakeable goodnesse and magnifie thine holy name from our hartes and with our tongs and voices and feare to prophane or abuse it no neither yet thy creatures in heauen or in earth but most humbly with al ioyfulnesse to attend to thy sōnes most holy precept which is not to sweare at all by any thing but in our communication to vse yea yea nay nay euen from hart and mouth simply truly and without dissimulation and to passe forthe our liues and conuersation in our calling reuerently sincerely and vncorruptly as becommeth faithfull and vnfained Christians the true louers and professoures of thine only holy name which is to be blessed for euer Amen XV. For the possessyng of a peaceable and quiet conscience SEing thy kingdome O GOD as thou sayest is within vs and that it behooueth as thou haste taught vs to haue outward things of this world and the world it selfe in contempt and to embrace only with good affecte all inwarde things to the beautifying of the inwarde man whereby we shall the more aptly féele in déede thine holy kingdome to come into vs which kingdome is thine most high most glorious holy eternall and euerlasting a kingdome of ioy and peace in the holy ghost whereof the wicked hathe no parte in possession but only thine holy electe and precious redéemed inheritaunce Graunt vnto vs all we humbly pray thée such loue towardes thée and thine heauenly kingdome that for thy sake and for the loue therof we may cōtenine our selues estéeme but light of this life and set all this world at naughte And being lifted vp in spirite aboue oure selues and voide of all inordinate desires excelling in oure liues in all heauenly vertues and be suche in déede inwardly as we séeme to the worlde outwardly our soules may be made fit habitacles to enioy thy glorious presence with most happy felicitie extolling thy grace glorying in the woorkes of true holynesse and in the testimonie of a peaceable and quiette conscience which is in all menne a secrete knowledge a priuie opener inwarde accuser a ioyfull quieter of their myndes in all their dooings and a witnesse bearer of the truthe euen vnto the presence and precise iudgement of thée oure God. O graunt therfore vnto vs most gratious God so to be directed by thy holy spirite that oure consciences may be vnto vs vnstained and pure euen as a very perfecte and cleare glasse speedely to be looked into and plainely to sée in tyme with a true and perfecte sighte not onely the moste filthy foule spottes and enormious blemishes of oure sinnefull and sicke soules but also the very smallest or beginnings of diseases by soone quicke touche or sharpe pricke of remorse whereby feare may be conceiued of imminet daunger and by humble sute to flée fast vnto thée the moste readie perfecte and heauenly Phisition that we may be soone salued wyth the oyntment of thy diuine grace and not to be as the wicked whose consciences are moste déepely corrupted inwardly rankeled deade and benummed throughe carelesnesse and the custome of sinne that they cannot once féele sée nor perceyue their owne most lothsome sicknesse and deformitie of soule vntill thou O God by the stroke of thy deadly darte layest them open before theyr faces to their own confusion sodaine and swifte destruction and so their consciences being now foūd most déepely wounded the worm therof terribly gnawing biting and accusing them they fall most damnably into desperation without regard of thy maiestie or any hope at all of thy tender mercie O heauenly father and the only fountaine of all grace tourne thy face from oure sinnes deliuer vs from thy wrathfull indignation and so strengthen vs by the power and lighte of thine eternal spirit that we may be trained to the true knowledge and perfecte obedience of thy will that we may in all oure doings remember our profession and promisse possesse firme faithe which truely quieteth and setteth at rest the conscience of man feare thy iudgementes liue vprightly and worthily before thée glory in the testimonie of a good conscience sprinkled and cleansed with the bloud of thy sonne Christ enioy peace and true gladnesse not troubled inwardly but sléepe quietly not glorying in the praises of men but reioyce only in thée oure God in thy mercy and grace in thy holy truthe in the price of oure redemption and in the onely moste happie state of eternall felicitie which thou haste faithfully promised which thy sonne hathe purchased which vnto vs shall be performed most happely and in due time thorowe thine onely frée grace and loue towardes vs in the precious deathe and bloud shed of thine only sonne our alone sauiour only aduocate and mediator Iesus Christe Amen XVI To haue in remembrance the houre of death CAlling to mynde O eternall god the fickle state of humain felicitie the swifte passage of this brickle life how man standeth héere in a vaine shadowe freshly florishing like a floure to day and can to morowe no where be founde and as quickely forgotten as he is gone and yéeldeth then vp by the dint of death his swifte passage to God or to the Deuill O how it behooueth vs to startle sodainely to bestirre vs to looke aboute vs and to prepare spéedely for so sodayne assaulte But howe shall we Lorde standing in déede in such infelicitie slumbring in suche securitie so infected with frailetie so compassed with flatterie cloked in hipoerisie and ouerwhelmed with vanitie neither yet féele in oure selues any fighte or trouble of conscience prepare vs as we oughte for so conueniente a tyme Thou knowest O Lorde as by thy wrathe we iustly also féele howe sedainly vnwares death cruelly assaileth vs and strippeth vs from our pleasures vayne delectations and delusious of this deceitfull worlde We regarde nothing at all the sodaine comming of the sonne of man by whose mighty arme in our forgot fulnesse we he woorthily stricken to the death and to our mother the earth againe in whose entrails we were once brod and oute of whose moste ponsoned pappes we haue suckt the milke of all our deadly delites and with the brusting draught of our most beastly excesse we haue sodainely ouerthrowne our selues and haue very willingly faln vpon thy mercilesse swoorde of deathe Throughe which iudgement wort and terrible time we shall begin then to thinke with late wailing and wo far otherwise of our formen liues than we did before in the lulling dayes of our carnall delices we shall then conswer the greatnesse and granitie