first we offer vnto thy diuine Maiestie the calues of our lips the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing for thine infinite mercies which thou hast beene pleased to conferre vpon vs out of thy boundlesse and endlesse goodnesse What thou hast done for vs this day is beyond all that we are able to expresse or conceiue thou hast preserued vs from all perils and dangers so that none of those iudgements which our sinnes haue deserued haue bin inflicted vpon vs thou hast inlarged our time and opportunitie to repent thou hast prouided for our soules and bodies thou hast bin no way wanting vnto vs if we had hearts to acknowledge it Forgiue vs that wee cannot acknowledge thy goodnesse as we ought to doe and more and more quicken vs in this dutie that we may with heart and voyce acknowledge thee to be that Father of lights from whom we doe receiue euery good and perfect gift ascribing vnto thee the whole glory of all that we enioy both now and euermore And grant we pray thee that our thankfulnesse may not be onely verball but reall we labouring in deede and in truth to be dutifull vnto thee that hast bin so bountifull vnto vs Pardon vs for the sinnes of this day wherein we haue offended thee whether open or secret of ignorance or of knowledge of infirmity or presumption of omission or commission in thought word or deed The sinnes of this day are enough to plunge vs soule and body into the bottomelesse gulfe of perdition If thou shouldest straightly mark them what answer shall we be able to make thee how shall we dare to appeare in thy presence before whom all thy creatures feare and tremble But thy mercy is aboue all thy workes much more aboue all our works of sinne In the confidence of thy mercy we come vnto thee beseeching thee in thy sonne Christ to be reconciled with vs and to assure vs hereof by the certificate of thine owne blessed spirit Breake the strength of sinne that would subdue vs more and more and reare in vs cleane hearts and renew a right spirit within vs. Increase our faith in the sweet promises of the Gospell and our repentance from dead workes our hope of eternall life our feare of thy name our zeale for thy glory our hatred of sinne our loue of righteousnesse our contentment in all estates our patience in aduersitie our prudence in prosperity that so being furnished with the endowments of grace here we may be fitted for the enioyment of glory hereafter And because the night is now vpon vs and our bodies desirous of quiet rest wee pray thee to take vs into thy blessed tuition and to refresh our wearied bodies with comfortable sleepe Protect vs and all that doe belong vnto vs vnder the shadow of thy wings defend vs from all euill both oâ— sinne and punishment keepe vs from security and carelesnesse from dulnesse and drowsâ—nesse of spirit from fire and robbery from the malice of Satan and all his adherents from all perils into which for our sinnes we might iustly fall Let the sight of the bed minde vs of that last bed the graue wherein we are shortly to take vp our lodging we know not how soone None of vs here present can certainly tell whether these eyes of ours once closed vp shall euer any more open againe in this world therfore receiue vs good Lord receiue vs into the armes of thy mercy vnto thine almighty protection wee bequeath our selues soules and bodies and all that we haue vpon thy mercy alone we cast our selues both this present night and for euer more Be mercifull to thy whole Church continue the flourishing state of the Kingdomes wherin weliue Decrease in it the number of superstitious Papists and prophane Atheists and increase in it the number of such as vnfainedly feare thee Preserue from all dangers and conspiracies our religious King Charles our gracious Queene Mary the Prince Palatine of Rhene with that excellent Lady Elizabeth his wife and their children Giue them all such a measure of thy spirit and grace that they may seeke to aduance thy kingdome on earth and at last be aduanced to thine euerlasting Kingdome in heauen Endow the right Honorable of our Priuie Counsell with all such graces as may make them fit for so high a place Stirre vp Magistrates and men in authority to endeauour after the furthering of thine honour and the benefiting of thy people Make the Ministers able and willing to discharge the duties of their weighty calling with diligence and conscience water their indeauours with the dew of heauen that daily such as belong vnto life eternall may be added vnto the Church Comfort O comfort thine afflicted seruants wheresoeuer or howsoeuer troubled sweeten their afflictions and season their sorrowes with the comforts of thy spirit Giue them all needfull assistance and in thy owne time a ioyfull deliuerance And make vs ready for afflictions that they may not come vpon vs as a snare but that we may in good measure like wise Virgins be prepared for the comming of Christ Iesus the sweet Bridegroome of our soules Finally we pray thee beare with the weakenesse and coldnesse and imperfection of our prayers to grant our requests not for our merits but for thine owne mercies and for the sake of thy dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ who died to make satisfaction for vs liueth to make intercession for vs in whose words we shut vp our imperfect prayers saying as himselfe hath taught vs. Our Father c. O Lord blesse and saue vs make thy face to shine vpon vs thy word to instruct vs thy grace to direct vs thy Angels to protect vs thy spirit to comfort and support vs vnto the end and in the end Amen Amen A Prayer in time of Warre OH Lord God of hoasts in power inuincible in wisedome vnsearchable in mercy incomprehensible that giuest deliuerance in the time of trouble and assistance in the day of battell wee most humbly and heartily beseech thee to saue vs from all those extremities and in speciall from our enemies which our sinnes doe threaten to bring vpon vs. Hitherto thou hast pleased to make our Nation a spectacle of thy ineffâ—ble goodnesse but we deserue to be made a spectacle of thy vnsupportable wrath Our contempt of thy threatnings our abuse of thy mercies our neglect of thy iudgements with infinite other inormities doe menace the taking away of thy old mercies and the bringing in of some iudgement We haue iust cause to feare O Lord that our loud and crying sinnes doe call in our enemies vpon vs and arme them against vs yea that they are already prest and prepared to execute thy vengeance Then open our eyes we pray thee that we may see thy Ensigne set vp thy Banner displayed and the euidence of thy approaching sword open our eares that wee may heare thee blowing of thy trumpet and giuing the alarum to warre open our hearts that we may not be
thou hast Were it not a point of wisedome after so long time and so many great iniuries to feare the most terrible iustice of Almighty God who the more patiently he suffereth sinners the more hee doth afterwards punish them with seueritie iustice Were it not meet for thee to â—eare thy long continuance so many yeares in sinne and in the â—ispleasure of Almighty God procuring there by against thee such a mighty aduersary as he is and prouoking him of a mercifull louing father to become thy seuere terrible iudge and enemy Were ir not meet to feare least that the force of euill custome may in continuance of time be turned into nature and that thy long vicious vsuall manner of committing sinne may make of a vice a necessity or little lesse Why art thou not afraid least by little and little thou maiest cast thy selfe downe head long into the deep pit of a reprobate sence whereinto after that a man is once falne hee neuer maketh account of any sinne be it neuer so great The Patriarke Iacob said vnto Laban his father in law These foureteene yeares haue I serued thee and looking to thine affaires now it is time that I should looke to mine owne and begin to attend vnto the affaires of mine owne houshold Wherefore if thou hast likewise bestowed so many yeares in the seruice of this world and of this fraile transitory life were it not good reason that thou shouldest now begin to make some prouision for the saluation of thy soule and for the euerlasting life to come There is nothing more short nor more transitory then the life of man and therefore prouiding so carefully as thou doest for all such things as be necessarie for this life which is so short why doest thou not prouide likewise somewhat for the life that is to come which life shall endure for euer and euer A Sigh HEnce lazie sleepe tbou sonne of sullen night That with soft-breathing Spels keeps sorrowes vnder Thy charmes cheares vp the spirits with delight And laps the Sences in Lethaean stumber Packe and â—e gone for my sad soule knowes well Care best accordeth with a gloomie Cell And what more darke then my sin-clouded Soule Where yet the Sunne of Sapience neuer shone But still in Errors vgly câ—ue did roule Where nought keepes concord but discordant mone Leaue me I say and giue me leaue to tell That to my Soule my selfe ha's not done well Good man if good there liues one Thou that art So farre thrust from the worlds imperiouseyes Helpe me to act this penitentiall part I meane No coyner of new Niceties Nor wodden Worshipper Giue me him than That 's a God-louing and good-liuing man To be my partner in this Tragedie Whose scenes run bleeding through the wounded Acts Heart-strucke by Sinne and Satans fallacie And poyson'd by my selfe-dcommitted facts Send me thy prayers if not thy presence found To stop the Ore-face of this streaming wound Steere me sweet Sauiour while I safe haue past The stormie Euroclydons of Despaire Till happily I haue arriu'd at last To touch at Thee my Soules sole-sauing stayre Tow vp my sin-frought Soule sunke downe below And long lien weltring midst the waues of wo. New rig me vp lest wallowing I orewhelme Thy Mercy be my Main-mast And for Sayles My Sighs thy Truth my tackling Faith my Helme My ballast Loue Hope Anchor that ne're failes Then in Heau'ns hauen calme Peace me arriue Where once enharbor'd I shall richly thrine Woes me how long ha's Pride besotted me Proposing to â—im Reason my good parts My nimble Wit my quicke procliuitie To Apprehension and in high desarts How many stood beneath me I vaine foole Thus fob'd by Satans steights ore-slipt my Soule Who in darke Error downe embodied lies Blacke as the Star-lesse Night and hideously Impuritie with rustie wings crosse flies Betwixt the Sunne of Righteousnesse and me Whil'st Bat-like beats my Soule her leather sayles Gainst the soft Ayre and rising fals and failes Must I for each vnsyllabled close Thought Render account O wit fi'lde Conference Cal'd in is thy protection then deare bought How was my brow o'rehatcht with Impudence To let whole worlds of words my cheekes vp-swell The least of whom would ding me downe to Hell O wretched Impes then of mans impious race who 'l breath out Blasphemies to make a Iest And call wit flashing the sole punctuall grace Of genuine knowledge But amongst the rest Iudge in what case are those wit-hucksters in That hourely practise this soule sinking sinne O may my tongue be euer riuetted Fast to my roofe but when it speakes Gods praise May not one vocall sound by breath be fed But when it carols out celestiall Layes Let not one tone through my tongues hatches flye But what beares with 't heau'ns glories harmonie Helpe Lord of power my feeble-ioynted praiers To clamber th' azure Mountaines throwne aboue me And keepe a seat for me there mongst thâ—se haires Apportion'd out to such as truely loue thee Admit them in thine eares a resting roome Vntill to thee and them my soule shall come Meane while moyst ey'd Repentance here below Shall Inmate wise be Tenant to my minde For Prayers without true Penitence doe show Like meats vnseason'd or like Bils vnsign'd Or corne on tops of Cottages that growes Which vselesse no man either reapes or sowes O how my Soule 's surpriz'd with shallow feares When thinking to leane on Lifes broken staffe And counting to mine age large summes of yeares I heare the sweet and sacred Psalmograph Compare Life to a Flowre a Puffe a Span Who 's Monarch now next minute 's not a Man Must I needs dye why surfet â—on Pleasure Must Ineeds dye why swim I in Delight Must I needs dye why squint I after Treasure Must I needs dye why liue I not aright Must I needs dye why liue I then in sin Thrice better for me I had neuer bin Fountaine of breathing Dust such grace me giue That I in life prepare in dust to lye Let me be dying still whiles I doe liue That I may blisfull liue when I shall dye For in Christs Schoole this Paradox learne I Who dies before he dies shall neuer die If I must die then after must begin The life of Ioy or Torment without end The life of Torment purchas'd is by sinne The life of Ioy by life that learnes t' amend Why should I then prophane sweare curse lust lie If I but thinke on this That I must die Why should I quaffe to more then Nature can Sith more drinke I gaine more losse is mine For may I not be tearm'd a bestiall man To drowne my Reason in a cup of wine Yea tenfold worse Thus monster made at least God made me Man I make my selfe a Beast How swelt I with hard trauell through the Dale That leads to Prophanations irkesome cell But freeze by softly pacing vp the skale Where burning zeale and her bright sisters dwell Thus sweat I in the
shadow shake i' th shine And by free choice from good to ill decline Sweet Sauiour cleanse my leprous loath some soule In that depurpled Fount which forth thy side Gurgling did twixt two Lilly-mountaines roule To rinse Mans tainted Race Sin soylifide Wash it more white then the triumphant Swan That rides o' th siluer brest of Eridan Suffer my prayers harmony to rise Into thine eares while th' Angels beare a part Accept my Sigâ—s as smelling Sacrifice Sent from the Altar of my bleeding heart Vpto thy nostrils sweet as th' Oyle of Aaron Or th'odoriferous Rose of flowrie Sharon The Hart ne're long'd more for the purling brookes Nor did the lust full Goate with more pursuit After the blossom'd Tritifolie looke Then do's my panting Soule t' enioy the fruit Of thy Life-water which if I attaine To taste of once I ne're shall thirst againe Euen as the chapped ground in Summers heat Cals to the clouds and gapes at euery showre Whose thirstie Casma's greedily intreat As tho they would th' whole house of heau'n deuour So do's my riuen Soule beparcht with sin Yawne wide to let mayst drops of Mercie in Earths vanitie VAnitie of vanities and all is but vanitie saith the wisest Preacher that euer wrote One generation passeth and another commeth and all is but vexation of spirit Which diuine theorem that we may the better perceiue let vs set our selues to the serious meditation of it for the more we search the more we shall see all things to be vanity nothing constant nothing for our eternall good but our soules saluation Mans life on â—arth doth no sooner begin but his 〈◊〉 approacheth his death hasteneth Some come vpon the stage of this world but to haue a breathing and are presently gone others stay a while longer it may be a day perhaps a weeke perhaps a month peraduenture a yeare or it may be some few yeares but alas the longer they stay the greater their griefe care feare and anxietie of minde Euen in the infancie of age man is oft times left as Mâ—ses sometime was in the flouds of misery but as age increaseth sorrow increaseth because sinne increaseth when youth runnes most at randome and thinketh it selfe most safe it is then hemm'd in with greatest dangers then the rashfoole-hardy minde of man hurrieth him headlong to hell except the irresistible power of Gods preuenting grace doth speedily stay him then his wits are euen intoxicated with a frenzie of iniquity and wholly bent vpon riotousnesse rashnesse luxury iollitie superfluity and excesse in carnall pleasures Hee then deuoteth his time and addicteth himselfe to all manner of euill drinking dancing reuelling swaggering swearing whoring gaming quarelling fighting and in the meane while neuer thinkes on heauen nor feareth hell His head is frought with vanities his heart with fallacies whereby his soule is brought into a labyrinth of inextricable miseries So great is the temerity of his vnaduised minde that no consideration of Gods iudgements either past or present or to come can set a stop to his wickednesse His youthfulnesse damps at no bogges quagmires hils or mountaines but wingeth him ouer all impediments mounts him ouer all motiues that might way-lay his sinnes He sticks not to offend his maker to recrucifie his redeemer to resist shall I say his sanctifier no but the Spirit whom God hath giuen to be his sanctifier and if hee so carry himselfe toward thâ—se no meruaile that he derideth his Tutor scornes the Minister like the little children that mock'd Elisha oppresseth his poore brother as Pharaoh did the Israelites spareth not Infants no more then Herod did regardeth not parents no more then Hophin and Phinius did Let the mother direct him the father correct him his ancients instruct him alas all is in vaine youth makes men head-strong selfe-conceited and proud so that they swell with an ouerweening opinion of their owne worth they thinke themselues the onely wits of the time the onely men of the world more fit to teach others then to learn themselues more able to giue then to take aduice If they goe on a while in their lewd courses without the restraining and renewing Grace of God they get a habit of euill are hardned through the custome of sinne none may resist them none compare with them no law of God or man can restraine them They take counsel together against Psa. 2. 2 3 the Lord and against his annointed saying Let vs breake their bands asunder and cast away their cords from vs. Whereupon oftentimes the ripenesse of sinne being hastened by outragiousnesse of sinning God suddenly Nâ—quities vitae non sinit esse senew cuts them off in their intemperancy luxury quarrels and disorders which shewes their vainnesse to be meere vanity Suppose they grow as great as Tamberlaine yet a Gunne Pike Arrow nay a Fly Flea or Gnat a dram nay a drop of poyson proues them to be vaine men one of these silly creatures may send him presently to his creatour to receiue his final doome Yet alas what doe these most minde The bum-basted silken Gallants of our time that come forth like a May morning decked with all the glory of Art the Epicurean Cormerants the gusling and tipling tosse-pots the dainty painting Dames the delicate mincing Ladies the sweet-singing Syrens the dancing Damsels the finicall youths the couzening Shop-keeper the crafty Crafts-man I say what doe all these but set their minds vpon vanitie vpon glory honour pride drosse and such like trash which weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary proue lighter then vanity Doe we not sometime see more spent vpon one suite in Law then would keepe a poore Country towne with the inhabitants for a whole yeare See wee not more spent vpon one suite of apparell for one proud carkasse then would build a Free-schoole So that the cloathes on many a Gallants backe exceeds his Rent-day See we not more spent vpon a Feast to satisfie the curiosity of a few then would satisfie the necessity of a hundred poore wretches almost famished to death See wee not more drunke in a Tauerne at one â—itting by a small company then would serue a troope of sturdy Souldiers in the field Many goe daily to the Tauern where they sticke not to spend their twelue pence who would grudge to giue one penny nay one farthing to a hungry begger Againe is there not now more spent vpon a Ladies feather then would pay a meane mans tythes Is there not more spent vpon one paire of sleeues then would cloath sixe bodies and more spent at a Whitsun-ale then would keepe the poore of the Parish for a yeare Haue wee not amongst our Gentry some of the female sexe who will spend more vpon a Glasse and a pot of complexion then they will giue a whole yeare at their gate they must be menders of that which God makes makers of that which God marres turning themselues like the Camelion into all shapes though neuer so grisly and vgly and being
his garner but the chaffe he will burne in a fire that should neuer be quenched This was the preaching and embassage which the holy fore-runner of our Sauiour Iesus Christ brought into the world And so great was the thunder of these words and the terrour which entered into mens hearts so dreadfull that there ran vnto him of all estates and conditions of men euen of the very Pharisees and Publicans yea and Souldiours also which of all others are wont to be most dissolute and to haue the least care of their consciences and each of them demanded for himselfe particularly of that holy man what he should doe to attaine vnto saluation and to escape those terrible threatnings which he had denounced vnto them so great was the feare they had conceiued of them And this is that deare Christian brother which I doe at this present in the behalfe of Almighty God deliuer vnto thee although not with such feruency of spirit and like holinesse of life yet that which importeth more in this case with the same truth and certainty for so much as the faith and Gospell which Saint Iohn Baptist then preached is euen the same now taught Now if thou be desirous to vnderstand in few words how great the punishment is that almighty God hath threatned in his holy Scriptures to the wicked that which may most briefly and most to the purpose be spoken in this matter is this That like as the reward of the good is anvniuersall good thing euen so the punishment of the wicked is an vniuersall euill which comprehendeth in it al the euils that are For the better vnderstanding whereof it is to be noted That all the euils of this life are particular euils and therefore doe not torment all our sences generally but onely one or some of them As taking an example of the diseases of our body we see that one hath a disease in his eyes another in his eares one is sicke in the heart another in the stomacke some other in his heâ—d And so diuers men are diseased in diuers parts of the body howbeit in such wise that none of all these diseases be generally throughout all the members of the boby but particular to some one of them And yet for all this we see what griefe onely one of these diseases may put vs vnto and how painefull a night the ficke man hath in any one of these infirmities yea although it be nothing else but a little ach in one tooth Now let vs put the case that there were some one man sicke of such an vniuersall disease that he had no part of his body neither any one joynt or sence free from his proper paine but that at one time and instant hee suffered most exceeding sharpe torment in his head in his eyes and eares in his teeth and stomack in his liuer and heart and to be short in all the rest of his members and joints of his body and that he lay after this sort stretching himselfe in his bed being pained with these greefes and torments euery member of his body hauing his particular torment and griefe Hee I say â—hat should lye thus pained and afflicted how great torment anâ— gâ—iefe of minde and body thinke ye should he sustaine Oh what thing could any man imagine more miserable and more worthy of compassion Surely if thou shouldest see but a dâ—gge to be so tormented and â—riâ—ued in the street his very paines would moue thy heart to take pitty vpon him Now this is that my deare Christian brother if any comparison may be made betweene them which is suffered in that most cursed and horrible place of hell and not onely during for the space of one night but euerlastingly for euer and euer For like as the wicked men haue offended Almighty God with all their members and sences and haue made armour of them all to serue sinne euen so will he ordaine that they shall be there tormented euery one of them with his proper torment There shall the wanton vnchaste eyes be tormented with the terrible sight of Diuels the eareswith the confusion of such horrible cries and lamentations which shall there be heard the nose with the intollerable stinke of that vgly filthy and loathsome place the taste with a most rauenous hunger and thirst the touching and all the members of the body with extreame burning fire The imagination shall be tormented by the conceiuing of griefes present the memoâ—y by calling to minde the pleasures past the vnderstanding by considering what benefits are lost and what endlesse miseries are to come This multitude of punishments the holy Scripture signifieth vnto vs when it saith Mat. 15. Psal. 10. That in hell there shall be hunger thirst weeping wailing gnashing of teeth swords double edged spirits created for reuengement serpents wormes scorpions hammers wormewood water of gall the spirit of tempest and other things of like sort Whereby are signifiâ—d vnto vs as in a figure the multitude and dreadfull terrour of the most horrible torments and paines that be in that cursed place There shall be likewise darknesse inward and outward both of body and soule farre more obscure than the darkenesse of Aegypt which was to be felt euen with hands Exod. 20. Thâ—re shall be fire also not as this fire here that tormenteth a little and shortly endeth but such a fire as that place requireth which tormenteth exceedingly and shall neuer make an end of that tormenting This being true what greater wonder can there be than that they which beleeue and confesse this for truth should liue with such most strange negligence and carelesnesse as they doe What trauell and paines would not a man willingly take to escape euen one onely day yea one houre the very least of these torments and wherefore doe they not then to escape the euerlastingnesse of so great paines and horrible torments endure so little a trauell as to follow the exercise of vertue Surely the consideration of this matter were able to make any sinfull soule to feare and tremble in case it were deepely regarded And if amongst so great number of paines there were any manner hope of end or release it would be some kinde of comfort but alas it is not so for there the gates are fast shut vp from all expectation of any manner of ease or hope In all kinde of paines and calamities that be in this world there is alwayes some gap lying open whereby the patient may receiue some kind of comfort sometimes reason sometimes the weather sometimes his friends sometimes the hearing that others are troubled with the very same disease and sometimes at the least the hope of an end may cheare him onely in these most horrible paines and miseries that be in hell all the wayes are shut vp in such sort and all the hauens of comfort so embarred that the miserable sinner cannot hope for remedy on any side neither of heauen nor of earth neither of the time past or
in store I deserue that my request should now be denied me sith when the poore made request vnto me I refused to releeue them I haue deserued to sigh and lament so long as God shall be God I haue deserued that this worme of conscience shal gnaw mine entrails for euer and euer by representing vnto mee the little pleasure that I haue enioyed and the great felicitie which I haue lost and how far greater that was which I might haue gained by forgoing that little which I would not forgoe This is that immortall worme that shall neuer dye but shal lye there euerlastingly gnawing at the entrailes of the wicked which is one of the most terrible paines that can possibly be imagined Peraduenture thou art now perswaded good Reader that there can be added no more vnto this than hath beene said But surely the mighty arme of God wanteth not force to chastice his enemies more more for all these paines that are hitherto rehearsed are such as doe appertaine generally to all the damned but besides these generall paines there are also other particular paines which each one of the damned shall there suffer in diuers sorts according to the quality of his sinne And so according to this proportion the hauty and proud shall there be abased and brought low to their great confusion The couetous shall be driuen to great necessity the glutton shall rage with continuall hunger and thirst The lecherous shall burne in the very same flames which they themselues haue enkindled And those that haue al their life time hunted after their pleasures and pastimes shall liue there in continuall lamentation and sorrow But because examples are of very great force to moue our hearts I will bring onely one for this purpose wherby somewhat of this matter may the better be perceiued It is written of a certaine holy man that he saw the paines in spirit of a licentious and worldly man in this sort First he saw how the diuels that were present at the houre of his death when hee yeelded vp his ghost snatched away his soule with great reioycing and made a present thereof to the prince of darkenesse who was then sitting in a chaire of fire expecting the comming of this present Immediately after that it was presented before him he arose vp out of his seat and said vnto the damned soule that he would giue him the preheminence of that honourable seat because he had beene a man of honour ann was alwayes very much affected to the same Incontinently after that he was placed therein crying and lamenting in that honourable torment there appeared before him two other most ougly diuels and offered him a cup full of most bitter and stinking liquor and made him to drinke and carouse it vp all perforce saying It is meet sithence thou hast beene a louer of precious wines and bankets that thou shouldest likewise proue of this our wine whereof all we doe vse to drinke in these parts Immediately after this there came other two with two fiery trumpets and setting them at his eares began to blow into them flames of fire saying This melody haue we reserued for thee vnderstanding that in the world thou wast very much delighted with minstrelcie and wanton songs and sodainly he espied other diuels loaden with vipers and serpents the which they threw vpon the breast and bellies of that miserable sinner saying vnto him that forsomuch as he had beene greatly delighted with the wanton embracings and lecherous lusts of women he should now sollace himselfe with these refreshings instead of those licentious delights and pleasures which he had enioyed in the world After this sort as the Prophet Esay saith in the 47. chapter when the sinner is punished there is giuen measure for measure to the end that in such a great variety and proportion of punishments the order and wisedome of Gods iustice might the more manifestly appeare This vision hath almighty God shewed in spirit to this holy man for aduertisement and instruction not that in hel these things are altogether so materially done but that by them we might vnderstand in some manner the varietie and multitude of the paines which be there appointed for the damned Whereof I know not how some of the Pagans haue had a certaine knowledge for a Poet speaking of this multitude of paines affirmed That although he had a hundred mouthes and as many tongues with a voyce as strong as yron yet were they not able onely to expresse the names of them A Poet he was that spake this but truely therin he spake more like a Prophet or an Euangelist than a Poet. Now then if all this euill shall most assuredly come to passe what man is he that seeing all this so certainly with the eyes of his faith will not turne ouer the leafe and begin to prouide for himselfe against that time Where is the iudgement of mâ—n now become Where is their wits yea where is at least their selfe-loue which seeketh euermore for his owne profit and is much affraid of any losse May it be thought that men are become beasts that prouide onely for the time present Or haue they peraduenture so dimmed their eye-sight that they cannot looke before them Hearken saith Esay O yee deafe and ye blinde open your eyes that you may see Who is blinde but my seruant And who is deafe but yee vnto whom I haue sent my messengers And who is blind but he that suffereth himselfe to be sold for a slaue Thou that seest so many things wilt thou not suffer thy selfe to see this Thou that hast thine ears open wilt thou not giue eare hereunto If thou beleeue not this how art thou then a Christian If thou beleeue it and doest not prouide for it how canst thou be thought a reasonable man Aristotle saith That this is the difference betweene opinion and imagination that an imagination alone is not sufficient to cause a feare but an opinion is for if I doe imagine that a house may fall vpon mee it is not enough to make me afraid vnlesse I beleeue or haue an opinion it will be so indeede for then it is sufficient to make me afraid And hereof commeth the feare that murderers alwayes haue by reason of the suspition they conceiue that their enemies doe lye in wait for them If then the opinion and onely suspition of danger is able to cause the greatest courage to feare how is it that the certainty and beleefe of so many and so great terrible miseries which are farre more sure than any opinion doth not make thee to feare If thou perceiuest that for these many yeares past thou hast led a licentious and sinfull life and that at the last according to present iustice thou art condemned to these horrible torments in hell if also there appeare by probable coniecture that there is no more likelihood of thy amendment for ensuing years to come than there was in those already past how happeneth it
houshold Prayer for priuate Families in the Morning MOst mighty and glorious God the onely Craator and Gouernour of heauen and earth and all things therein contained we miserable sinners here met together by thy grace doe in thy feare prostrate our selues before thy throne of Maiesty and glory desiring in some measure to shew our vnfained thankfulnesse for thy innumerable mercies multiplied vpon vs from the first houre of our birth yea before our birth and before time was Before the foundations of the world were laid thou out of thy free loue and meere mercy didst elect vs to eternall life when thou didst reiect others Thou didst create vs after thine owne image engrauing vpon vs the characters of spirituall wisedome righteousnesse and true holinesse when it was in thy power to haue made vs like vnto the beasts that perish yea to haue equalled vs to the basest of thy creatures And when through our owne default we lost that dignity thou dist so pittie vs as to send from thine owne bosome thine onely begotten Son to recouer it for vs and to restore it to vs and that with no lesse price then his owne heart-bloud Besides it hath pleased thee continually to spread the wings of thy gracious protection ouer vs to ward and guard vs by thy prouidence to open thy hand and to replenish vs with good things to continue our life health strength food raiment peace and liberty to this very houre Thou hast euen loaded vs with thy benefits if we had hearts rightly to consider it thou renewest thy mercy toward vs euery morning and the night past hast giuen vs a testimony of thy loue For whereas for the sinnes committed the day before thou mightest euen in the dead of sleepe haue giuen vs a sodaine call out of this world and so presently haue brought vs to that great account which wee must make before thee thou vouchsafest yet to spare vs yea which is more to refresh vs with comfortable rest to preserue vs from all dangers that might haue befallen our soules or bodies and to bring vs in safety to the beginning of this day Heauenly father grant that we may not be vnmindfull of thy manifold mercies but that wee may often thinke of them and speake of them to thy glory and that the consideration thereof may stirre vs vp to deuote all the powers of our soules and members of our bodies to thy seruice Forgiue vs our former vnthankfulnesse for thy mercies and our seueral abuses of them yea pardon all our sinnes past we most humbly beseech thee for thy owne mercies sake and for thy sonnes merits Our sinnes are great and grieuous for in sinne we were borne and euer since haue we gone on in a course of sinne and rebellion against thee we doe daily breake thy holy precepts and that against the light of our owne knowledge albeit we know that thou art our Creatour who hast made vs our Redeemer who hast bought vs with the precious bloud of thy onely begotten Sonne and our Comforter who bestowest vpon vs all things needfull for our being and well-being for this life and for a better life Yea euen thee thee O Lord haue we presumed to offend that hast beene thus abundantly mercifull vnto vs. For this our vnthankefulnesse and wickednesse enter not into iudgement with vs wee most humbly beseech thee from the bottome of our hearts but haue mercy vpon vs haue mercy vpon vs most mercifull Father and in mercy wash away all our sinnes with the bloud of Iesus Christ that so they may neuer be laid to our charge nor haue power to rise vp in iudgement against vs. Pierce our hearts with a feeling of our sinnes that wee may mourne for them as wee ought to doe make vs to loath and abhorre them that we may leaue and auoid them that we may be watchfull against all occasions of sinne and circumspect ouer our owne wayes Poure thy spirit and put thy grace into our hearts that thereby we may be inabled for thy seruice and both in body and soule may glorifie thee heere that wee may be glorified of thee and with thee hereafter And as a speciall meanes to keepe vs in subiection before thee worke in vs holy Father a continuall and effectuall remembrance of this earths vanity of our owne mortality of that great and terrible iudgement to come of the paines of hell and ioyes of heauen which follow after O let the remembrance of these things be a spur to prouoke vs vnto vertue and a bridle to hold vs in from gallopping after vice and wickednesse We know not â—ow soone thou wilt set a period to our liues and call for our soules to appeare before thee whether this day or not before the euening O prepare vs therefore for the houre of death that we may then neither feare nor faint but may with ioy yeeld vp our soules into thy mercifull hands and doe thou O Father of mercy receiue them Let thy mercifull eye looke vpon vs this day shield vs from the temptations of the diuell and grant vs the custody of thy holy Angels to defend vs in all our wayes enable vs with diligence and conscience to discharge the duties of our callings and crowne all our endeauours with thy blessing without thy blessing all mans labour is but vaine doe thou therefore blesse vs in our seuerall places oh prosper thou our handy-worke Prouide for vs all things which thou knowest to be needful for euery one of vs this day Giue vs a sanctified vse of thy creatures a godly iealousie ouer ourselues a continual remembrance of thy omniscience and omnipresence that we may labour to approue our very thoughts vnto thee weane vs from the loue of this world and rauish our soules with the loue of our home and thine euerlasting Kingdome Defend the vniuersall Church the Churches of this Land especially our gracious King Charles our illustrious Queene Mary together with Prince Palatine Electour the Princesse Elizabeth his wife and their Princely issue crowne them with thy graces here and with thy glory hereafter Be with the Magistracie and Ministerie of the Realme make thy Gospell to flourish amongst vs by the labors of those whom thou hast appointed to this great seruice Comfort thine afflicted seruants in what place or case soeuer they be giue vs a fellow feeling of their miseries and wisedome to prepare our selues against the euill day Heare vs in these things and grant what else thou knowest needfull for vs not for our worthinesse but for thy Sons sake our alone Sauiour in whose name and words we conclude our imperfect prayers saying Our Father c. A houshold Prayer for priuate Families in the Euening O Glorious God in Iesus Christ our gracious Father wee wretched creatures by nature but by thy grace thy seruants and children doe here make bold to appeare before thee in the humility of our soules to performe some part of that dutie which wee owe vnto thee And