the whole world but they would presently cut off all delaies which in good things are alwaies exceeding dangerous and seeke diligently by all meanes to leade their liues in that manner and so to secure their estate that in death they might haue assurance that they should not die but liue hauing their soules translated and carried though not by firie chariots as Elias was yet by the hands of those heauenlie Angels which continually waite and attend vpon them from earth to heauen from this vale of miserie to that place of endlesse glorie and happinesse O Lord keepe me from that extreame follie and simplicitie of the wicked whom Satan hath so deceiued and deluded that they should be carelesse of that which most neerly concernes them euen their future and eternall estate after this life which depends vpon the course of their life lead in this world which is short and momentarie Let it bee my care and endeuour euery day to seeke by a holy conuersation to be assured of the certaintie of my election and of my blessed and happie estate after this life euen my future glorification in thy kingdom that so I may be alwaies prepared and rest continually in a ioyfull hope and expectation of the accomplishment and fulfilling of thy gratious promise Freewill IT is a vaine thing to thinke that a man hath freewill vnto that which is good As well maist thou perswade me that a stone can moue it selfe or that a dead bodie can raise it selfe out of the graue Except the Lord put to his hand wee can neuer moue our selues no not to one good motion one good thought or desire much lesse giue our selues to the constant practise of that which is good Except the Lord put new life into vs except he quicken vs with his spirit we are al but dead men and shall lie in our graues vntill we be awaked vnto iudgement O Lord the fountaine of grace and life doe thou quicken me so shall I liue do thou lift me vp so shall I rise out of the graue of sinne and death Doe thou draw me so shall I come vnto thee yea so shall I euen runne with libertie in all the waies of thy commandements Heare me O Lord and help me for in thee doe I trust in whom onely I liue moue and haue my being and without whom all my life is but death Without thee I can doe nothing In thee and by thee all things What worship God especially requireth MAny performe outward worship and seruice vnto God few that which is inâ—ard Both are required but the latter is chiefly necessarie without which the former though commanded is neither pleasing nor acceptable yea vile and abominable vnto him that hath alwaies loathed such dead carcases such liuelesse sacrifices Lord giue me grace alwaies to offer vnto thee a whole burnt offering to serue thee as in bodie which thou hast made for that end so especially in spirit and in truth so shall I not bee reproued yea then thou wilt accept both of me and of all my sacrifices and be exceeding gracious and mercifull vnto me aboue that I can expect or desire Christians are willingly to resigne themselues and all that they enioy to Gods will ALL those things which wee enioy in this world are not our owne but Gods he gaue them to vs to vse and at his pleasure he may call for them and cause vs to restore them to him againe since he alone hath absolute right and interest in them Whiles wee haue them wee are to haue a care to vse them well and not to neglect them or to bee regardlesse of them We ought to vse them and yet not so to vse them as if they were our own but lent vnto vs by another of whom we haue receiued them When hee taketh them from vs we are willingly to restore them and readily without any murmuring or repining to part with them sith they were but lent vnto vs for a time for our conuenient or necessarie vse and are now called for againe by the right owner of them so that to bee vnwilling to returne them at his commaund is not neither ought to bee otherwise esteemed of vs then as the vsurping or violent detaining of another mans goods against his will and pleasure euen theft and robberie against the highest What meaneth it theÌ„ that many are so loth to restore the things which God hath giuen them the vse of for a while and now requireth of them againe What meanes it that many are so grieued to part with those things which the Lord hath lent them vntil such time as he should call for them Yea why is it that many complaine so grieuously as if they were greatly iniured or had very hard measure offered vnto them when the Lord taketh from them their wiues their children their friends their goods their lands liuings or their life it selfe Are they their owne and not Gods Why then should they sinne against him by repining that they cannot keepe them against his will Hath he giuen vnto them the vse of them thus long doth he now call for them and require them againe of them Why then should they not with al willingnes and thankfulnes restore them acknowledging themselues much indebted vnto him for the fruition of them and the benefit they haue receiued by them hitherto O Lord thou hast freely and most graciouslie vouchsafed many blessings and benefits vnto me euen in the things of this world the least whereof I am altogether vnworthie of thou hast giuen me life health friends and a competencie of these earthly things which in wisedome thou sawest to bee conuenient for me thou art the author and giuer of them as of all other things which are good Whiles it pleaseth thee to continue them vnto me for my vse giue me grace to vse them soberly in a sanctified manner so as may be most for thy glorie and my comfort both here and hereafter wheÌ„ it shall please thee to take theÌ„ away from me and to depriue me either of any or of all of them grant that I may with a willing minde and with a thankfull heart returne them againe vnto thee saying with that faithfull and constant seruant of thine whom thou hast made a paterne and president vnto me Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither euen into the bellie of the earth which is the mother of vs all the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord. Forgiuing of others how necessary for all men HE can neuer truely and freely forgiue those that offend and iniurie him that hath not first tasted of the infinite loue and fauour of God in Christ towards him in the forgiuenes of those manifold sinnes and innumerable and most grieuous offeÌ„ces whereby he hath displeased and prouoked him But he that hath a true apprehension and a liuely sense and feeling hereof in his owne soule
iudgeth hauing so precious an esteeme of those whom that maketh no account of and accounting those as vile yea abominable and to bee abhorred of all whom that doth chiefly magnifie and most esteeme of let me haue this resolution alwaies to passe very little what corrupt men or this blinde world deemeth and iudgeth of me and let it be my speciall care to labour alwaies by all meanes to be approued of thee and to be assured that howsoeuer others shall seeke to cast shame reproch and dishonour vpon me yet that I am good in thine eyes and pretious in thy sight one whom thou dost iustifie and wilt glorifie The willing and ioyfull bearing of the crosse a signe of a well growen Christian HE that doth finde sweetnesse in drinking of the bitter cup of afflictions which God daily offereth vnto him it is a signe that hee is a good proficient in the exercise of Christianitie and true religion For to beare the crosse patiently willingly and comfortably to endure wrongs and iniuries to denie himselfe and to die daily vnto the world yea to be crucified vnto it and to haue it crucified vnto him is more then a carnall and naturall man can possibly doe or he that hath not through a daily practise of humilitie and true obedience learned whollie to subiect himselfe vnto Gods will and pleasure Good Lord seeing it pleaseth thee to cause me to taste of the bitternes of many afflictions grant that they may not seeme grieuous but pleasant vnto me knowing that it is thy will thereby to humble me and to make me more fit for the receiuing of a greater measure of thy heauenly grace Seeing thou hast appointed me daily to take vp my crosse and to follow my blessed Sauiour who in so many sufferings of his hath gone before me and left his example as a paterne and president behinde him vnto which all that are his should endeuour to frame thēselues that so they may bee conformable vnto him I humbly beseech thee that it would please thee to giue mee patience willingnes and cheerefulnes in vndergoing whatsoeuer it shall seeme good vnto thee to lay vpō me being fully assured that hereby I shall haue entrance vnto glorie euen that glorie into which thy Christ hath alreadie entred and made a way for me and of which all these light and momentarie afflictions are not worthie nor in any sort comparable thereunto The exceeding follie and vanitie of the wicked O The vaine and preposterous courses of men who doth not wonder that beholdeth and considereth them and how should they not blush and be exceedingly ashamed of their follie and sottishnes when they thinke of them Let the flattering and deceitful world call them and allure them with the enticing promises of earthly and temporall things pleasures profits honours euen those things which are fading and transitorie and they are readie to follow it presently and to shew themselues seruiceable vnto it with all willingnes and readinesse that may be yea to vndergoe much labour and toile and to endure great hardship and to passe thorough many difficulties in the earnestnes of their desire to attaine vnto that whereof notwithstāding they faile oft times and come short of their hope and expectation Let God whose word is truth and who neuer faileth any in that which hee promiseth vnto them nor deceiueth thē that rest vpon him and giue credit vnto his word but satisfieth thē most abundantly and returneth more vnto them then they did either expect or could desire let God euen that gratious and bountifull God with whom is the treasurie of all good things call them and promise vnto them the vnspeakable riches of celestiall and heauenly things such as are most excellent and glorious farre passing the most desireable things of this world and such as shall neuer fade nor bee any waies diminished or once subiect vnto any change or alteration yet they haue no heart to come vnto him or to follow him but are exceeding heauie and drowsie yea very vnapt and vntoward vnto that which were so greatly for their good and in which alone consisteth true blessednesse and eternall felicitie and happinesse O Lord let me neuer bee so foolish as the men of this world are in whom there is no vnderstanding let me be more carefull to serue thee then they are to serue the world euen that cursed Mammō which they make their god Let me labour more for spirituall and heauenlie things such as shall remaine and abide for euer then for those things which are carnall and earthly and such as are of no continuance but shall quickly perish and passe away as a shadow and bee quite forgotten euen as if they had neuer been Yea let me alwaies preferre that inestimable price of glorie that chief that vnchangeable and euerlasting good which thou hast promised and prepared for thy Saints in that celestiall kingdome which I daily expect and hope for before all the alluring and deceitfull vanities the seeming and supposed good yea all the most pretious and glorious things of this world whatsoeuer wherwith those that are earthly-minded are so greatly enamoured and wherein they place the height of their false and imaginarie felicitie and happinesse The spirit of God is the life of the soule AS is the bodie without the soule so is the soule without the spirit of God which is the life thereof If there bee a separation of the soule of man what is his bodie but a dead and a liueles corpse or carcase hauing no sense or motion It cannot once breathe or stirre it selfe nor put foorth any power for the performance of the least action So is it with the soule of euery one in whom the spirit of God is wanting or from whom it is departed There is no life no vigour no power or abilitie to doe any thing which is good yea sooner may a dead body moue it self and exercise the actions and operations of a naturall life then the soule which is without the spirit of God and so destitute of the life of grace can shew foorth any certaine signes and effects of a spiritual life O Lord I haue found by experience what a deadnes there is vpon me if thou at any time withdrawest thy spirit and doest not cause it to worke effectually vpon my soule without the continuall presence and assistance thereof I am not able to doe no not to will or desire in any sort that which is good but am euen as a breathlesse and liuelesse creature one in whō there is no life O therefore let it please thee to powre out thy spirit plentifully vpon me let me alwaies finde it not only present but also powerfully working within me quickning me vnto the willing and cheerefull performance of all those things which thou requirest of me yea let it please thee in whō only I liue and moue and without whom I am as one whose spirit is departed from him let it please thee O Lord to
fulnesse of thy presence and drinke abundantly out of the riuers of thy pleasures for euermore The old man neuer dies in this life EVery Christian as long as hee liueth in this world hath the old man liuing in him hee is in part but not wholly crucified and slaine hee hath receiued his deadlie wound and lieth a dying euery day but will not bee quite dead till the soule be separated by death from this earthly this sinfull and this corruptible bodie O Lord subdue and mortifie daily more and more I humbly pray thee the corruption of my nature let mee feele the power and strength thereof weakened and decaying in me put thy spirit into my hart wâ—ich may striue continually against it and suppresse the force of it so that although in some sort it liue in me yet it may not raigne at any time nor haue dominion ouer me And when it pleaseth thee make an end of these wretched and miserable daies and deliuer me from this bodie of sinne and of death which I carrie continually about with me that so being wholly freed from the bondage vnto which I am now subiect and restored vnto perfect libertie I may serue thee with all cheerefulnes and alacritie as thy holie Angels and Saints in glorie now doe and shall for euermore A free minde how to be obtained THere cannot bee a free minde where the heart doth not continually rest vpon God and stay it selfe vpon him only Hee that doth this shall quickly finde all sinfull and immoderate feare and the excessiue and inordinate loue of all earthly things much diminished and abated in him yea flying quite away and vanishing in such sort as if hee had neuer bin annoied or encumbred with them He that doth it not it cannot bee but that he should liue and spend his daies in coÌ„tinuall disquietnes yea in great miserie and vexation of minde and spirit by reason of many distracting thoughts superfluous cares and vaine desires which will euen pierce his soule with many sorrowes and oppresse his minde with much griefe anguish and perplexitie Ah Lord thou knowest the secret thoughts and desires of my heart thou seest what it is that my soule longeth after how faine I would serue thee with that cheerefulnesse of minde and that freedome of spirit which is the sacrifice wherein thou art so much delighted Haue regard vnto me I humbly intreate thee consider my request which I powre out vnto thee from a heart vnfained Giue me daily a greater measure of thy grace whereby I may breake thorow those snares which are laid for me and wherewith I am readie continually to bee intangled and grant that I may resigne my selfe wholly vnto thee and rest yea set and fixe my heart euen roule my selfe vpon thee that so I may passe the rest of my pilgrimage heeâ—e on earth peaceablie cheerefullie and comfortably as one that is set at libertie from all sinfull and inordinate affections from the vaine desires and the needlesse and troublesome cares of this euill and wicked world Amen An effectuall motiue to true humilitie and lowlines of minde OH how meanly ought euery one to esteeme of himselfe How little ought he to be in his owne eyes seeing that in himselfe he is nothing notable of himselfe no not so much as once to thinke that which is good If he were as wise as Salomon so famous for his wisedom and vnderstanding yet if the Lord did not continually guide his heart and direct his stâ—ppes there would be much follie aâ—d vanitie sound with him If he were aâ— râ—ghteous as Dauid â— man after Gods owne heart yet if the Lord did not alwaies preserue him and strengthen him through the assistance of his gracious spirit he would fall most dangerously yea if he were as pure and as holy as the Angels themselues those heauenly spirits yet if the Lord should not sustaine him with his especiall grace and continue him in that estate but withdrawe his hande from him he would quickly fall as it were a starre from heauen and all his glorie being lost and his light dimmed yea quite extinguished become like vnto Sathan the prince of darkenes nothing but sinfulnes and impuritie There is no wisedom no righteousnes no holines no stedfastnes but onely in God and of God who is the fountaine of all grace and goodnes and from whom the streames thereof are to be deriued into the hearts of men or else there wil be nothing but barrennes and emptines in them God is all in all the best without him are as nothing hauing no power no ability to do any thing which is good What is it then that men should glorie of in themselues Or how should they not alwaies haue a verie meane conceite and esteeme of themselues yea euen annihilate themselues and giue the glorie of all vnto God vnto whom alone it is due O blessed God giue me that meekenes of spirit and that true humblenes of minde which as it is a thing rare and pretious in it selfe so of thee verie much set by Teach me considering mine own weaknes of which I haue daily experience and my insufficiencie of my selfe and of my owne strength to doe to will or to thinke any thing which is good to be lowly vile and abiect in mine owne eyes yea to esteeme my selfe as nothing without thee and alwaies acknowledging mine owne feeblenes and manifold fraileties and infirmities to depend wholly and onely vpon thee yea to cleaue fast vnto thee and to ascribe the praise and glorie of whatsoeuer good is wrought in me or by me vnto thee alone who art the God of my streâ—gth the author and giueâ— both of grace and glorie and the beginner and finisher of euery good thing which is wrought in any of thy children Another THE more that any one doth emptie himselfe of his owne worth and goodnes the more will the Lord fill and replenish him with the abundant riches of his diuine and heauenly grace The lower that he doth abase and cast downe himselfe the higher wil the Lord aduance him and lift him vp euen farre aboue that which he did either desire or expect Thus his gaine wil be exceeding great in that wherein to others he may seeme to suffer some losse much to preiudice himself O Lord grant I beseech thee that I may euery day be more humbled with the sight of mine owne vnworthines of my spirituall pouertie and beggarlines that so it may please thee to inrich me with the greater measure of thy grace let me yet be more vile in mine own eyes that so I may at length be exalted of thee aboue that which I deserue and be crowned with honour and glory in thy kingdome for euermore Vainglorie what a vanitie and follie it is VAinglorie as it is a common disease in the world so the greatest vanitie that can be yea meere follie and madnesse itself It argues euidently that he that is carried away with it