deserueth suddaine iudgement And therefore let it please thee that as thy deere sonne through thy surpassing loue hath reconciled all such vnto thy fauor againe that are truely penitent so let thy holy spirite continually worke to the taming of vnbridled flesh and let me by the same spirite neuer leaue more and more to seeke and endeuour to subdue my grosse affections vntill I come to a true and absolute mortification of all tâ—e euils that rise vp in mee so shall I denie and forsake my selfe and follow thee so shall I leaue my selfe and come vnto thee I shal hate my selfe and loue thee I shal conquere my self and serue thee Good Father thou seest that I am most weake and without the continuall woorking of thy grace I can not in any measure suppresse my desires but rather they the more strongly rise in me I cannot denie my selfe but rather I deny the working of grace in me I do not onely not mortifie my sinnes but sinne rather reuiueth and becommeth strong in me insomuch as it bringeth forth fruit not vnto life but vnto death Therefore I beseech thee sanctifie me that I defile not my selfe with the filthinesse of the flesh or fleshly thinges howsoeuer they seeme to please me Let me not be deceiued with the pleasing iudgement of wordly men who affirme sinne to bee no sinne darkenesse to bee light and light to bee darkenesse Atheisme to be religion and sanctitie to be sinne couetousnesse to be good husbandry and charity to be folly hatred and reuenge to be manhoode and loue to bee cowardice swearing to be courage and meekenesse to be madnesse pride to be decencie and comelinesse to bee beastly Oh good Father many are the enormities that rise vp in vs defended not only as things tollerable but as things laudable oh mortifie therfore mortifie these euils let vs no longer be besotted with y e filthy fashions of the corrupt world extinguish the flames of carnall desires represse the raging lusts of the flesh and graunt that we may shun and with due watchfulnesse auoyde all thinges that haue but the apparance of cuil that being thus inwardly subdued I may make outward profession that whatsoeuer I doo it may be simply grounded vpon the truth of a good coÌ„science in singlenesse of the spirite in newnesse of life And let me still retaine this in memorie that I can not follow mine owne will and thy woord I may not impart my affections to the deedes of the flesh and the woorkes of the spirite I can not walke in darknesse and light the way of death and the way of life I cannot serue thee and sinne Direct me therefore good Father direct mee in my whole life and seperate mee from the worlde and worldly things and let me dwell with thee in all godly meditations and contemplations and let mee vse the things in this world as if I vsed them not let mee liue in this life as if I were dead to sinne and beeing thus truelie mortified in the body and quickned in the spirite let mee looke in continuall watchfulnesse for the dissolution of this my mortall bodie that my soule may ascende and in the ende both in soule and bodye I may for euermore enioy the eternall ioyes of heauen Amen O Lord increase our faith This tendeth to a true deniall of ourselues in mortifying our affections whereby we ouer greedily imbrace the pleasures of this world COrrupt and filthy are we all the proudest man is dust No comfort here we liue in thral and linger here in lust The sweetest of delights that we can chuse to please our will what brings it vs who doth not se that pleasures turne to ill Art thou a maÌ„ whose state is great if pompe exalt thy mind What then Thy soul with sin impleat bewraies thy plesures blind A dolefull bell doth wait to ring when thou secure shalt die what song of glory canst thou sing when corpes in graue shall lie What shal auaile thy lofty lookes whereat the poore doe quake And what thy Machauilian bokes whose cursed slights for sâ—ke Thy brauest buildings high in state thy golden gods but dust Thy Thrasoes thy Gnatoes mate no more shall serue thy lust Thy formal friends that fawne on thee please the time for gaine wil sigh in shew but shrink froÌ„ the wheÌ„ most thou groanst in pain The rich aray which here doth make thy stinking carcasse gay Thy foe when thou art gone will take laugh thou in clay No state so strong no man so sure no office or degree Can graunt vs warrant to endure beyond our time we see Why then doth flesh triumph braue it selfe in pleasing daies Yet sinks in sins at last the graue our grosse farewell displaies Oh then in hast and happie time bid all this trash farewell Ye high and low of dung slime to day leaue of to swell Subdue ye pride denie your will now mortifie your lust No share els in Gods holy hill ye haue to hell ye must A motion to Prayer tending to the obtaining of the kingdome of God IT hath pleased Almightie Gâ—D in greate measure of mercye to call vs home vnto him to confesse our sins which although they be great many yet through the abundance of his loue he hath taken them away through the merits of his sonne And onely craueth this that we wil forsake our selues and follow him wherein we are mooued to seeke the Lord our God and to frame our selues to that course that may bring vs wholy vnto him being the fountaine of all goodnes which we can receiue either in soule or body And forasmuch as hee saw the corruptions of our heartes to bee such as they brought forth oftentimes peruerse and contrarie desires tending most especially to worldly and fleshly things He in fauour directed vs especially what to craue at his hands namely To seeke the kingdome of God the riches and righteousnesse thereof And then shall all things necessary both to body and soule bee administred vnto vs. In so much as it appeareth that the foundation of al our petitions tending to bodily reliefe must bee builded not vpon our owne rash conceites as to aske what our naturall disposition will lead vs vnto But to seek the word of God the knowledge of Christ and the things of the body beeing of small moment shall be cast vpoÌ„ vs by the louing prouidence of our good God Although in deede the kingdome of God bee not meate and drincke it coÌ„sisteth not in the outward man as in promotion in riches in beauty in honour in health in friends nor in whatsoeuer pleasures of flesh and bloud no not in ceremonies and traditions inuented by man not in the outward word neyther in whatsoeuer is seene with the external eye But it consisting in spirituall feeling taste and vse in the sincere and pure knowledge exercise and comfort of the Gospell of Jesus Christ perfourming the will of God here in earth
of the spirite Saue thy selfe go not to Ierusalem to fall into trouble so shall we alwayes couet pleasing thinges but poysonâ—d things as riches preferment honor ease idlenesse negligence in our callinge excesse in buildinges superfluous diet most diuelish attire and what euill accompanieth not this It is thought an easy fault nay no fault to be enuious to bee a glutton to be drunken to be a blasphemer to receiue rewardes against iustice to be partiall in iudgement if it leane but a little awry and especially if it be not seene of men But this liberty of the flesh will be one day restrayned and Gods mercies deteined from such libertines who although they cannot nor will forsake or deny themselues as yet it may please God to rowse them out of this forgetfullnesse strike their hearts with such a feeling of his displeasure that they may cast off their affections of the flesh and measure all their thoughtes woordes and workes by the spirite and therefore it is good to pray vnto the Lorde for his assistance therein knowing this that he that cannot forsake himself and deny himselfe howsoeuer hee flattereth his owne security and integrity wherein he foolishly persuadeth hymselfe that hee followeth Christ he is far from Christ and surely he will say vnto him in the last day I know thee not It is not the buying of a farme the prouing of oxen nor the marriage of a wife that can excuse vs continuing in the flesh and fleshly desires It is not inough to obserue the letter of the law For then wee may still continue manslayers in wrath towards our brethren wee may commit adultery by lusting we may sinne in our communication exceeding yea and nay And therefore must we abstaine from all apparance of euill and in all purity both of soule mind and body through the power and strength of the spirite of God endeuor continually to forsake and deny our selues being made free from sinne let vs become the seruants of righteousnes and let vs giue all our members instruments of righteousnes in holynes and purenes When we were in the flesh sin had power in our members bringing foorth fruites vnto death But now being deliuered from sin we must serue the Lord in newnesse of spirite and not in our old conuersation Ther dwelleth no good thing in our flesh for we may feele continuall rebellions therein which repugne the lawe of the spirite which law giueth strickt commandement against the affections of the flesh and would haue all the corrupt motions therof to be vtterly denied And therfore let vs fight manfully against all euils in what degree so euer they rise against the spirite Wee must carefully watch the doors of our hearts with the weapons of the spirite least that sinne creepe into our inwarde partes which obtayning the consent of our minds yea but a little it will take such aduantage by pleading possession that it will be harde to remoue it And therefore let vs preuent the entry of sinne by mortifying the deedes of the flesh so shall it neuer beare fruite in vs to death And surely if the spirite that raised vp Christ dwell in vs our mortall bodies shall be quickened by the same spirite And so quickned that it shall bring foorth the fruites of true mortification in vs. And then shall we be knowne to be the sonnes of God euen by that badge of denying our selues Let vs pray therefore vnto the Lord that he wil sanctifie vs within that he will make our whole lumpe holy the roote and the branches holy If our heartes be pure all our actions will likewise be pure We must hunger and thirst for righteousnes if wee will bee blessed with the righteous Wee must runne the race of the godly if we will receiue the reward wyth the godly we must subdue our euils and conquer our corrupt motions as doo the godly if we will bee crowned with the godly We must haue our hearts hands all the partes of our bodies knit together in one consent to the true forsakinge and denyinge of our selues The inward shew and outward affections must concurre in the same so shall we be both outwardly approoued and inwardly assured that wee haue the spirit of trueth and so consequently that we are the Lordes who will alwayes attend our safety if wee thus carrie our selues before him Reade the 15. Psalme learne it and haue it in thine heart and obserue it in thy proceedings and it shall teach thee what it is that is required of thee to become a fit man to enter into the kingdome of God The Prayer for mortification O Righteous God mercyfull Father who art so pure and cleane that there is no euill dwelleth with thee no corruption resteth in thy sight But he that walketh vprightly he that worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth from his hart he is accepted with thee such a one thou louest such a one thou receiuest and such a one shall rest in thy holy hill But on the contrarie hee that walketh after his owne hearts desires hee that yeldeth vnto the corrupt motions of flesh and bloud and cloaketh iniquitie vnder the shew of godlinesse such a one doest thou hate such a one doth thy soule abhorre and such a one shall not come neere thee hee may pray and shall not be heard he may cry and call but thou wilt not helpe him Wherefore my good God sith there is required in all men the sinceritie and true inwarde zeale of the soule and an absolute killing of the motions of the flesh and mortifying af all fleshly affections Looke fauourably vppon me in whome doe dwell an innumerable troope of foolish fantasies a heape of sinfull affections I find and feele that though many times to will be present with me yet to perfoâ—rme is not in my power sinne preuaileth and deathe through sinne swalloweth mee vp so that I rest in darkenesse of sin and that by giuing scope vnto mine owne peruerse will And so long good Father as I dwell in this house of flesh and bloud detayned downe-warde wyth the pleasing and entising things therof I cannot maister my corrupt desires I cannot bridle mine affections but in steede of true mortification I breake out into such outrage by consent of all my members that my affections extend from conceiuing euill to performing of euill from desiring to sinne to commit sinne euen with greedinesse And yet such is my miserable estate being thus in my selfe that flesh and bloud flattereth it selfe and concludeth that whatsoeuer I purpose in an euill desire so that it breake not foorth into open grosse wickednesse that I am holy enough that I am as sincere as is requisite and that I stand too fearefull of thy iudgements when thou knowest that all and euery the least conceite of sin breaking into action in what couert measure or meane degree soeuer it by and by endaungereth my soule and
resist the holy Ghost And his filthines will so infect his poore soule euen with the leprosie of iniquitie that he shall neuer bee suffered to enter into the sweete habitation of eternall hartes ease All the filthy desires and lustes of the fleshe lye hidden in the hart adultery witchcraft hatred debate emulation wrath contention sedition heresies enuie murthers drunkennes gluttony and such other filthy annoyances which vnless they bee swept out and cast off they will infect the whole house of our bodies with such vnsauery and noysom pollutions y t our mouthes will be defiled with cursing lying and bitternesse our eyes with lust our handes with touching vncleane thinges our feete shall not bee able to walke the way of righteousnesse but take the waye of sinne and all the whole howse of our earthly tabernacle shall bee so inuironed with filthinesse that all our progresse will bee turned to our disprofite and our hearts ease to heart sore Wherefore let vs cast away al the dregs of y e old Adam which is vnrighteousnes wherein wee sometime walked and let vs deeke vs with the workes of the new man which is renued in knowledge after the image of Christ who is the way in whome we must walke the truth which we must imbrace and the life wherein we must liue for euermore which way as it is pure cleane sweete and without turning so must we be pure cleane and without sin not turning back vnto iniquitie And as that truth is vnchangeable plaine and without deceit so must we be simple constant faithfull and as that life is without all blemish euerlasting and neuer ending so must we be quickned liuing without all blemish and spot of sin in righteousnes holines for euer Therefore let vs consider what are the principall and chiefe ornaments to bewtifie this our mansion house being thus swept and clensed from the former filthines that when we shall remoue from this our earthly tabernacle we may take that way depart hence in that truth and so for euer liue in that life Christ Jesus who will bring vs vnto his heauenly habitation the absolute end of our progresse and the full accomplishment of our heauenlie hearts ease Let vs then consider that as the filthines which we haue cast out was most vgly filthy and noysome vnto vs because they were the works of the flesh which bring foorth death So we must adorne vs with sanctitie and holines the works of the spirit which will be a most comely bewtifying of these our houses of claie and leade vs vnto life We must now therefore sweeten and perfume our hearts with loue with ioy with inward peace with long suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperance and all godly conuersation casting away all desire of vaine glory not prouoking one another nor enuying one another that being dead to sin and liuing to God we may declare the same in this our standing house by an innocent and sanctified life Hauing thus clensed our houses from filthines and corruptions of the flesh and decked the same with the ornaments of the spirite It is necessarie that wee should proceede to the execution of our callings according to the rule of the diuyne word knowing this that wee liue not vnto our selues but vnto god not for our selues but for our brethren for whose sakes wee are bound to trauell in our callings to execute our offices and functions as becommeth vs that our calling in Christ may bee made sure euen in this life There are in euery body many members and euery member hath his seuerall place office and function Euery kingdome is a body wherein there is a gouernour and people as subiects to be gouerned wherein also are many Magistrates as the principal members of that bodie and also there are inferiour members preserued and defended by the more glorious Euery familie is a body where is a father and where commonly are children where are maisters there are seruants All these hauing seuerall offices and places in this standing house of our Common weale must euery one proceede to the performance of his calling in such sort as there bee not any disorder or anie complaining in our streetes Wee are humblie to thanke our God that hee hath established our heade in such comely sort and endued her with all vertues aunswerable vnto her high function yea we may sing vnto our Queen Elizabeth the Queene of Sabaes songe which she made of the happie gouernment of Salomon Happie are thy men may wee say happy are these thy seruantes which stande here before thee and heare thy wisedome Blessed bee the Lord thy God which loued thee to set thee in the Throne of Englande because the Lorde loued Englande for euer and made thee Queen to do equitie righteousnes It is verified in her That the king by iudgment maintaineth the country How haue we the poore members of this body whereof she is the head beene maintayned preserued conducted and blessed in her gouernement No nation hath tasted the like benefites by peace by plentie by health and especially which is most sweete by the continuall vse of the worde of God whereby hath beene discried most filthie drosse and dregges and the rubble of errors which in former time stuffed vp the house of our land so that we could not walke in the truth without perill And now in great measure swept and cleansed and garnished adorned and beautified with spirituall ornaments of iudgement of equitie of mercie and truth in so much as we may sing that mercie and truth are met togither and righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other The God of peace preserue her that she may be if it please him our head while we stay in this mansion of the flesh O that there were such a resemblance of performance of duetie in euery of the members as is apparant in the head that the subiects could answere in like sorte for their obedience as her Maiestie for gouernment then should we haue a most comfortable abiding in this our standing house of the flesh then should all the noysome corruptions of enuie malice reuenge gall and bitternesse of the hart be turned into loue meekenesse mercie peace then should we haue no leading into captiuitie no imprisonments no murthers no strife no debate no cause of complaining amongst vs. But we must looke into our dueties and fashion our selues not according to the former deedes of disobedience but as becommeth the seruants of God knowing that we are commanded to obey such as are appointed to rule ouer vs we must submit our selues vnto all manner ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto her Maiestie as vnto our superiour or vnto gouernours as vnto them that are sent from her for the punishment of euill doers but for the praise of them that do well We are commanded reuerently to vse the Judges and not to