in Christ and by Christ O father of glory geue vnto vs the spirite of wisdom and bryng vs into the true knowledge of this thy beloued sonne Jesus Christ and the knowledge of thy selfe Open and lighten the eyes of our myndes and vnderstandyng that we may know what the hope is whereunto thou hast called vs and how riche the glory of thine enheritance is vpon thy saintes and the excedyng greatnes of thy power towards vs that by true faith by vnderstanding and knowledge of thine eternal wisdom which is Jesus Christ we may be in dede as we are called true christians and vnfeyned professoures of thy holy name to worship thee in spirite and truth and to set forth the glory of thy grace geuen vnto vs in Christ Jesus our Lord Amen O deare Father wryte in our hartes loue of thy law hate to all sinne thankfulnes of hart and continuall heat of thy holy spirite for thy sonne Jesus christes sake To whom with thee and thy holy spirit be all honour maiestie glory thankes rule empire and dominion for euermore ⧠A forme of thanks-geuing for our redemption and prayer for strength and encrease of faith ETernal praise thanks bee geuen vnto thee deare God father of our Lord Jesus Christ which hast blessed vs with all spirituall blessinges in heauenly thinges by Christ in that thou hast chosen vs in hym before the foundation of the worlde was layd that we should be wythout blame before thee through him by whome we haue redemption through hys bloud euen the forgeuenes of our sinnes In whom after we heard the worde of truth the Gospell of our saluation wherein we beleued we were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance which spirite hath and doth beare witnes vnto our spirites that we are thy children and therefore cryeth in our hartes Abba Father And thus most gracious father when thou hast once geuen the earnest peny of our saluatiō into our hartes thou doost not repent of thy gift calling neither wilt thou at any time breake thy couenant of grace and mercy in Christ thy sonnes merites confirmed in vs by that seale and loue token For what though we be weake in our beliefe shall our vnbeliefe make thy promise of no effect No thou wilt alwayes be found true but all men be liers And yet Lorde thou doost most graciously behold and accept be it neuer so little a sparke of fayth We say therefore cry vnto thee with one that wept and said I beleue Lord helpe my vnbeliefe Yea that little be it neuer so little is thy mere gift also The which as thou hast begon so most merciful Lord encrease the same more and more to the peace and comfort of our conscience and the glory of thy name through Jesus Christ Amen ⧠A meditation for the exercise of true mortification HE that wil be ready in waighty matters to deny hys owne will and to be obedient to the will of God the same had neede to accustome himselfe to deny his desires in matters of lesse waight and to exercise the mortificatiō of his owne wil in trifles For if that our affections by this daily custome be not as it were halfe slaine surely surely whē the plunge shall come we shall finde the more to do If we cannot watch with Christ one houre as he sayth to Peter we vndoutedly can much lesse go to death with him Wherfore that in great temptatiōs we may be ready to say wyth Christ Not my wyll but thyne be done in that this commonly commeth not to passe but where the rootes of our lustes by thy grace deare father are almost rotten and rooted out by a daily deniall of that they desire I humbly beseche thee for Christes sake to helpe meherein First pardon me my cherishing and as it were watering of mine affectiōs obeying them in their deuises and superfluous desires wherethrough in that they haue taken deepe roote and are to liuely in me I secondly do beseche thee to pull them vp by the rootes out of my hart and so henceforthe to order me that I may continually accustome my self to weaken the principall roote that they by rootes and braunches may loose all their power Graunt me I beseche thee that thy grace may daily mortify my concupiscence of pleasure in thinges that is of wealth riches glory liberty fauour of mē meates drinkes apparel ease yea and life it selfe that the horror and impaciency of more greuous things may be weakened and I made more pacient in aduersitie Wherunto I further desire and pray thy goodnes dere father that thou wilt adde this namely that I may for euer become obedient and ready to do thy good will in all things hartely and willingly to serue thee and do whatsoeuer may pleà se thee For doubtles although we accustome our selues in the pleasaunt thinges of this life to a mortification and deniall of our selues yet we shal finde enough to do when more bitter and weighty crosses come For if thy sonne our Sauiour euer wont to obey thy good will prayed so hartely and often Not my will but thy will be done wherby he declareth him selfe to be very man how can it be but we whose nature is corrupt not only in natiuitie but in the rest of our whole life also shal find both our handes full in great and greuous temtations wholy to resigne our selues vnto thee Graunt therfore deare father for thy christes sake I most hartely beseche thee thy grace and holy spirite to be effectuall in me that daily I may accustome my selfe to deny my will in more easy and pleasant things of this lyfe that when neede shal be I may come vnto thee with a resigned will alwayes stedfastly expecting thy mercy and in the meane season cōtinually obeying thee with readines and willïngnes doing whatsoeuer may most please thee through Christ our lord which liueth with thee c ¶ A meditation of the comming of Christ to iudgement and of the rewarde both of the faithful vnfaithful OH Lord Jesus Christ the sonne of the euerliuing God by whō all thinges were made are ruled and gouerned as of thy loue for our redemption thou didst not disdaine to be our mediatour and to take vppon thee our nature in the wombe of a virgine purely and without sinne by the operation of the holy spirite that both thou mightest in thine owne person wōderfully beautifie and exalte our nature and worke the same in vs also first abolishing the giltines of sinne by remission then sinne it selfe by death and last of all death by raysing vp againe these our bodies that they may be like vnto thyne owne glorious and immortall body according to the power wherewith thou art able to subiect all thinges vnto thee as I say of thy loue for our redemption thou becamest man and that most poore and afflicted vpon earth by the space of xxxiii yeres at the least in most
CHRISTIAN Prayers and Meditations in English French Italian Spanish Greeke and Latine IMPRINTED at London by Iohn Daye An. 1569. IESSE DAVID SALOMŌ ABIA 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IORAM OSIAS IOATAM AHAS ESECHIA Manss◠E R HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE Elizabeth Regina 2. PARALIPOM 6. Domine Deus Israel non est similis tui Deus in coelo in terra qui pacta custodis misericordiam cum seruis tuis qui ambulant coram te in toto corde suo ⧠Prayers to be sayd in the mornyng and first when you awake out of your sleepe pray thus MOste mercifull God and father of our Sauior Jesus Christ I moste humbly thanke thee for the sweete sleepe and comfortable rest which thou hast geuen me this night past besechyng thee that lyke as thou hast now awaked my body from sleepe so thou wouldest awake my soule from the slepe of sinne and darkenes of thys world and that which thou hast now awaked out of slepe thou wouldest after deathe wherof this sleepe is but an image restore rayse agayne to life euerlasting Oh gracious God make my body I hartely pray thee such a companion or rather a minister of godlines to my soule this day and all the tyme of this present lyfe that in the lyfe to come it may be pertaker with the same of euerlasting happines thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. * Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall shew light vnto thee Eph. 5 ¶ Occasions to meditate HEre call to mynd the great mirth and blessednes of the euerlasting resurrectiō Also remember to muse vpō that most clere light that bright mornyng and new clearenes of our bodies after the long darknes which they haue bene in All then shall be ful of vnspeakable ioyes and felicitie ⧠When you behold the day light pray O Lord God thou most glorious true lyght from whēce this light of the day sunne doth spring and shyne vnto vs O lyght which lightnest euery mā that commeth into this world O light which knowst no night nor euening but art alway a midday most cleare and fayre without whome all is most horrible darknes and by whō all things are most splendent O thou wisdome of the eternall father of mercies lighten my mynd that I may see those thynges onely which please thee and may be blynded to all other thynges Graunt me so to walke in thy wayes by the light of thy holy worde that nothing els may be lyght and pleasaunt vnto me * Lighten mine eyes O Lorde that I sleepe not in death least mine enemies say I haue preuailed against him Psal 30. ¶ Occasions to meditate MVse a while how much the light and eye of the mynde and soule is better then of the body Also how much more we ought to care for the soule that it may see wel then for the body Moreouer that beastes haue bodely eyes as well as men but men only haue eies of the mind and that such as are godly wise ⧠When you arise pray OVr first parentes cast downe themselues from a most excellent high honorable estate in to shame and misery and in to the deepe sea of all wickednesse and mischiefe but oh Christ thou puttyng forth thy hande didst rayse them vp agayne Euen so we except we be raysed vp by thee shall lye still for euer O good Christ our most gracious redemer as thou doost mercifully rayse vp now this my body euen so I beseeche thee rayse vp my mynde and harte to the true knowledge and loue of thee that my conversation may be in heauen where thou art * If you be risen with Christ thinke vpon those thinges that be aboue Colloss 3. ¶ Occasions to meditate THinke how foule the fall of Adam was by reason of sinne and so of euery one of vs from the height of gods grace Againe thinke vppon the inestimable benefite of Christ by whose helpe we daily arise agayne from our fallynges ⧠When you are made redy to begin the day withall pray O Almighty God most mercifull father thou knowest hast taught vs also somethyng to knowe that the weaknes of man and woman is great that without thy grace they can neither do nor thinke any good thing Haue mercy vpon me I hūbly beseche thee thy most weake fraile and vnworthy chylde Lighten my mynde that I may with pleasure looke vpon good thinges onely Enflame my hart with the loue therof that I may carefully couete them and at the last by thy gracious cōducting may happely attayne them thorough Jesus Christ our Lorde I distrustyng altogether myne owne weakenes commende and offer my selfe both soule and body into thy handes * Thy louyng spirite leade me forth into the lande of righteousnes Psal 143. ⧠Cogitations meete to begin the day withall THinke first that man consisteth of soule body and that the soule is from heauen heauenly firme and immortall but the body is from the earth earthly fraile and mortall Agayne thinke that though by reason of sinne wherein you are conceyued and borne the partes of the soule which do vnderstand and desire be so corrupte that without speciall grace to both partes you can neither know nor loue any good thyng in gods sight much lesse then do that is good yet this notwithstandyng thynke that you are regenerate by Christes resurrection which your baptisme requireth you to beleue and therefore to do also some good in the sight of God through Christ for whose sake our poore doynges are accepted for good the euill and infirmitie cleauing therunto not beyng imputed through faith Thinke that by fayth which is gods séede for they which beleue are of God and made Gods children geuen to those that be ordeyned to eternall life thinke I say that by fayth you receiue more and more the spirit of sanctification through the vse of Gods worde and sacramentes and earnest prayer to illuminate your minde vnderstanding iudgement and reason and to bow forme frame and inflame your affections with loue and power to do that that good is and therfore vse you the means aforesaid accordingly Thinke that by this spirite you are thorough faith coupled to Christ as a liuely member and so to God and as it were made one with hym and by loue which springeth out of this faith you are made one also with all that be of God and so you haue fellowship with God and all good men that euer were or shall be in all the good that God and all his saintes haue or shall haue Thinke that as by faith and loue through the spirite of God you are now entred into this communion the blessednes whereof no tounge can expresse so after thys lyfe you shall first in soule and in the last day in body also enioy for euer the same societie most perfectly which now is but begonne in you Thinke in consideration of your heauenly estate how your body is the temple of
a shadow a warfare a bubble of water a worde grasse a flower That we shall die it is most certaine but the time no mā can tell when The longer in this life we do remaine the more wee synne which will turne to our further paine By cogitation of death our mindes be often in a maner oppressed with darkenes because we do but remember the nyght of the body forgetting the light of the mynde and of the resurrection Hereto remember the good thinges that after thys life shall ensue in certaintie of faith without wauering and so shall the passage of death be more desired It is like a sayling ouer the sea to your home and countrey it is like a medicine or purgation to the health of soule and body it is the best Phisicion it is lyke a womās trauaile For as the chylde beyng deliuered commeth into a more large place then the wombe wherin it did lye before so the soule beyng deliuered out of the body commeth into a much more larger and fayrer place euen into heauen ⧠A meditation concerning the sober vsage of the body and pleasures in this life THe beginning of all euill in our kynde of liuyng springeth out of the deprauation and corruptnes of our iudgement because our will alwayes followeth that which reason iudgeth to be folowed Now that which euery man taketh to be frendly and agreyng to his nature the same doth he iudge necessarily to be good for hym and to be desired This is meate drinke apparel riches fauour dignitie rule knowledge and such lyke because they are thought good agreeyng either to the body or to the mind or to both for they helpe either to the conseruation or to the pleasure of man accompted of euery one amongest good thinges Howbeit such is the weaknes of our witte on the one parte and the blindnes and too much rage of our lustes on the other part that we beyng left to our selues can not but in the desire of thynges which we iudge good and agreeyng to our nature by the iudgement of our senses and reason we cannot I say but ouerpasse the boundes wherby they myght be profitable vnto vs and so we make them hurtfull to vs which of themselues are ordayned for our health What is more necessary then meate and drynke or more agreeyng to nature but yet how few be there which do not hurt themselues by thē In lyke maner it goeth with riches estimation frends learning c. Yea although we be in these most temperate yet when there wanteth the spirit our regeneratour we are so drowned in them that we vtterly neglect to lift vp our myndes to the good pleasure of God to the ende we might imitate and follow God our maker by yelding our selues ouer duly to vse his gyftes to the common and priuate vtility of our neighbours But now God onely is life and eternity and cannot but demaunde of vs hys handiworke that we should render our selues and all we haue to the ende wherefore we were made that is to resemble for our portion his goodnes as those which be nothing els but witnesses instrumēts of his mercy So that when we wholy do naturally striue against that kind of life wherto he hath create vs by seking alwayes our selues what other thing ought to ensue but that he should againe destroy vs take away his notable giftes wherwith he therfore indued vs that by all kinde of wel doyng we should resemble his image yea what other thyng may ensue but that he should leaue vs that eternally that we might feele and by experience proue how bitter a thing it is to leaue the lord in whom is all goodnes Oh that I might therfore find such fauor in thy sight deare father that thou wouldest worke in me by thy holy spirite a true knowledge of all good thynges and harty loue to the same through Christ Jesus our lord and only Sauiour Amen ⧠A meditation vpon the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. OH Lord Jesus Christ the sonne of the almighand euerliuyng God by whome all thynges were made and be ruled and gouerned thou the liuely image of the substaunce of the Father the eternall wisedom of God the brightnes of his glory god of God light of light coequal coeternall and consubstancial with the father thou which of the loue thou hadst to mankynde when he was fallen from the felowship of God into the societie of Sathan and all euil didst vouchsafe for our redemption to become a Mediatour betwene God man taking to the Godhead our nature as concerning the substaunce of it and so becamest man also the heire of all and most merciful Messias which by the power of thy Godhead merites of thy manhode hast made purgatiō of our synnes euē by thine owne self whilest thou wast here on earth being now set on the right hand of thy father for vs euen concernyng our nature in maiesty glory and power infinite I pray and humbly besech thy mercy to graunt me at thys present to rehearse some of thy passions and suffringes for me the last night that thou wast here before thy death that thy good spirite myght therby be effectual to worke in me faith as well of the pardon of my synnes by them as mortification of myne affections comfort in my crosses and paciēce in afflictions Amen In the midst of thy last supper with thy deare Apostles these thynges could not but be before thee namely that they all would leaue thee the most earnest would forsweare thee and one of the xij should most traitrously betray thee which were no small crosses vnto thee Judas was admonished of thee to beware but when he tooke no heede but wilfully went out to finish his work contemnyng thy admonition and counsell he could not but vexe thy most louyng hart After supper there was contention amongs thy disciples who should be greatest after ter thee yet dreamyng carnally of thee and thy kyngdome and hauyng this affection of pryde and ambition busie amonges them notwithstandyng thy diligence in reprouyng and teachyng them After thy admonition to thē of the crosse that would come therby to make them more vigilant so grosse wer they that they thought they could wyth their two swordes put away all perils which was no little griefe vnto thee After thy cōmyng to Gethsemane heauines oppressed thee therfore thou wouldest thy disciples to pray Thou didst tell to Peter and his fellowes that thy hart was heauy to death Thou didst wyll them to pray being carefull for them also lest they should fall into tēptation After this thou wentest a stones cast from thē and didst pray thy selfe falling flat and groueling vppon the earth but alas thou feltest no comfort and therfore thou camest to thy disciples which of all others were most sweete deare vnto thee but lo to thy further discomfort they passe neither of thy perils nor of their owne and therfore sleepe apace After thou hadst
gates of death and yet reducing backe againe I besech thee that as thou hast with thy sharpe visitation and greuous sicknes already corrected me thy disobedient seruaunt so thou wilt also after thys thy fatherly correction mercifully relieue and restore me if it may so stand with thy gratious goodnes euen as thy beloued sonne our Sauiour Jesus Christ vppon earnest sute and prayer as in hys holy Gospell is mentioned relieued and restored vnto health the rulers sonne being in extreme sicknes and at the very poynt of death which my most humble sute I likewise entirely make vnto thee most mercifull father in the name of the same thy dearlybeloued sonne our Sauiour Jesus Christ who liueth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost world without end Amen ¶ In time of sicknes O Most mightie most mercifull Sauior Jesu Christ the onely sonne of the liuing God who being here vpon the earth amongest mortall men by the healing of all diseases and pardoning of the sinnes of such as put theyr trust in thee diddest declare vnto the world that thou art that onely heauenly and perfect Physition as well of our soules as of our bodyes and when such as trusted in theyr owne righteousnes did lay it to thy charge as a fault that thou diddest keepe company with sinners thou diddest expressely testifie that not such as were in health but such as were sicke had nede of the Physitian Beholde O heauenly Physitian here in me a matter most worthy of thy diuine cure most meete to shew both thy power and mercy vppon Behold a person sore oppressed both with the sickenes of my soule and body Beholde me thy handmaiden vpon whom from my tender yeares vnto thys day thou hast heaped so great so many and almost infinite benefites of thy gratious goodnes whom being borne of a king and Queene thou hast not onely endued with giftes of grace meete for a kingdome but also hast deliuered me from many great daungers out of the handes of my enemies from the snares of death which they had set for my life hast exalted me vnto the dignitie of a Queene and placed me in the high estate of honour amongest mortall persons and that not through any my deseruyng but onely of thy free goodnes and mere liberalitie But now O Lord either lest too much worldly prosperitie should cary my minde astray and cause me to forget my selfe and my boūden dutie towardes thee or els for that I being by thee made a Queene ouer thy people haue neuer as I ought to doe from my hart acknowledged and confessed my self to be the subiecte and handmaiden of thy Maiestie neither behaued my selfe towardes thee accordingly as became thy bond maiden neither being thankfull towardes thee as my most gratious Sauiour nor obedient vnto thee as my most dreadfull Lord or els for other causes vnto thy diuine wisedome best knowen now I say eyther wholesomly to admonish or most iustly to punishe thy disobedient seruant and so gratiously to correcte and amend me thou hast stricken me with a greuous sicknes of my body and very daūgerous vnto my life and also troubled abashed my minde with terrours and anguishes of my soule and withall thou hast by my daunger sore flighted and amased thy people of England whose safetie quietnes next after thee seemeth to stay vppon me aboue all other worldly creatures and vpon my life and continuance amongest them Wherfore as well I as thy people cōmitted ▪ vnto me bowing the knees of our hartes before thy maiestie do hūbly besech thee most gratious Sauiour in thy iudgement to remember thy mercy and according to thy accustomed goodnes to deliuer me thy handmaiden from thys present perill of daungerous sicknes And first O heauenly Physitian I besech thee heale my soule pardoning my vnkindnes towardes thee forgeuing my forgetfulnes of thee and of my selfe vtterly blotting out and putting cleane away all other my sinnes committed agaynst thy Maiestie Heale my minde reforming and instructing me with thy heauenly grace that I may take thys sicknes which thou hast most iustly punished me withall contentedly and paciently as a bitter but wholesome medicine of all the diseases of my minde offered vnto me by thee as it were by the handes of the best Physician And withall heale my body also making it sound and pure frō all infirmities remnantes of sicknes that I may be throughly cured by the hauing of a whole minde in a whole body and that I hauing obteyned perfect health of both by thy only benefite not onely my self but also all thy people of England with me may both be taught by the perill past hereafter to geue due reuerence and obedience vnto thy maiestie and for the deliuerie from so great a daunger and benefite of perfect health may magnifie thy goodnes and mercy with perpetuall prayses and continuall thankesgeuing who with thy heauenly father and the holy Ghost are one immortall and most glorious God to whom belongeth all Empyre power and maiestie worlde without end Amen ¶ A Prayer to be sayd after sicknes or any other kinde of crosse or affliction ALmightie most mercifull father I thy poore creature worke of thyne handes acknowledge and confesse vnto thee my manifolde sinnes and offences which I frō my youth vp vnto thys day haue cōmitted agaynst thee in thought word and deede am taught and moued by thy worde and grace to be hartely sory for the same beseching thee for Jesus Christ thy deare sonnes sake to haue mercy vpon me and to forgeue me all these myne offences according to thy great mercy and promise which hast sayd At what time so euer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne frō the bottome of hys hart I will put all hys wickednes out of my remembraunce Ezech. xviij O Lord I confesse that I was borne in sinne and conceaued in wickednes and am by nature a childe of wrath for in my fleshe dwelleth no good thyng and of my selfe I am not able to thinke a good thought much lesse to do that thou in thy lawe requirest of me which hast sayd Cursed is he that continueth not in all thinges that are written in the lawe to doe them Again thy law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne Therfore O Lorde I come vnto thee for grace which hast sayd Aske ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you to preuent and draw my will vnto all goodnes for none can come vnto thee except he bee drawen and except we bee borne from aboue we can not see the kingdome of God Therfore O Lorde renue in me a right spirite that I may receaue strength and ablenes to do thy righteous will Assist me with thy grace that I may be strengthened with power in the inward man and be armed with thy holy armour which is the brestplate of righteousnes the shield of fayth the hope of
saluation for an helmet and the sworde of the spirit which is thy holy word that I may stand perfect in all that is thy will and bee found worthy through Christ to receaue the crowne of life which thou hast promised to all them that loue thee Graunt that I may euer desire will that which is most pleasing and acceptable to thy will Thy will be my will my will be alwayes to follow thy will Let there be euer in me one will and one desire with thee and let me neuer desire to will or not to will but as thou wilt Graunt me that aboue all things I may rest in thee and fully quiet and pacifie my hart in thee for thou Lord art the true peace of the hart and perfect rest of the soule Thou knowest Lord what is most profitable and expedient for me wherfore do with me in all thynges as it shall seeme best vnto thee for it may not be but well that thou doest which doest most iustly and blessedly dispose all things after thy most godly wisdome Graunt vnto me O Lorde that I may esteeme all things in this world as they be transitory and soone vanishing away my self also with them drawing towardes my end for nothing vnder the Sunne may long abide but all is vanitie and affliction of spirite O Lorde God which art sweetenes vnspeakable turne in to bitternes to me all transitory and earthly delightes which may draw me from the loue of eternall thinges Blessed are they that for the loue of thee set not by the pleasures of thys world but crucifie the fleshe the lustes therof so that in a cleane and pure conscience they may offer their prayers vnto thee and be accepted to haue company with thee and thy blessed Angels O euerlasting light send down the beames of thy brightnes and lighten the inward partes of my hart Open my hart that I may beholde thy lawes and teach me to walke in thy commaundementes Beholde my weaknes O Lorde and consider my frailnes best knowen vnto thee I couet to cleaue fast to heauenly thinges but worldly affections and tentatiōs plucke me backe they dayly rebell and suffer not my soule to liue in rest Which although they draw me not alway to consent yet neuertheles their assaultes be very greuous vnto me Oh what a life may this be called where no trouble nor misery lacketh where euery place is full of snares of mortall enemies For one trouble or temptation ouer passed an other cōmeth by and by and the fyrst conflict yet during a new battaile sodeinly ariseth Tedious it is to me to liue in such battell but I perceaue such conflictes are not vnprofitable for me whilest I know my selfe and mine infirmities the better and am therby compelled to seke helpe at thy hād It is good for me O Lord that thou hast thus exercised and humbled me that I may learne to dread thy secrete and terrible iudgementes which scourgest euery child that thou receauest which woūdest and healest which bringest downe to the gates of hell bringest backe againe I yelde thee thankes therefore that thou hast not spared my sinnes but hast punished me with scourges of loue and hast sent affliction anguishe within and without Of grace and fauour it is O Lord that thou sufferest thy seruauntes to be troubled and afflicted in this world because they should not be condemned with the world Thou wouldest that they should here be broken with affliction that they may after rise in a new light and be clarified and made glorious in thy kingdome Oh holy father thou hast ordained it so to be it is done as thou hast appoynted Wherefore O Lorde geue me the grace to rest in thee aboue all thinges and to quiet my hart in thee aboue all creatures aboue all glory and honour aboue all dignitie and power aboue all health and beautie aboue all riches and treasure aboue all ioye pleasure aboue all fame and praise aboue all mirth and consolation that mans hart may take or feele besides thee For thou Lord art most good most wise most righteous most holy most iust most blessed most high most mightie most cōfortable most beautifull most louing most glorious in whō all treasures of goodnes most perfectly rest And therfore what soeuer I haue besides thee it is nothing vnto me for my hart may not rest nor fully bee pacified but onely in thee Oh Lorde Jesu who shall geue me winges of perfecte loue that I may flie vp from these worldly miseries and rest with thee Of Christ the king of euerlasting glory my soule cryeth vnto thee with cōtinuall groninges and sayth how long taryeth my Lord God to come to me Oh whē shall the end come of all these miseries When shall I be cleane deliuered from the bondage of sinne When shall I Lorde haue my minde onely fixed on thee and be mery in thee with perfect ioy and gladnes Whē shall that blessed houre come that thou shalt visite me and make me glad with thy blessed presence when thou shalt be to me all in all When shall I come vnto thee and feele and enioy those sweete consolations which with thy blessed Sainctes are alwayes present When shall I haue peace without trouble peace without and peace within and on euery side stedfast and sure Oh Lorde Jesu when shall I stand and beholde thee and haue full sight and contemplation of thy glory When shall I be with thee in thy kingdome that thou hast ordayned for thine elect people before the beginning Oh blessed mansion of that heauenly Citie Oh most cleare day of eternitie whom the night may neuer darken Thys is the day alwayes cleare and mirry alwaies sure and neuer chaunging Thys day shineth clearly to thy Sainctes in heauen oh gracious God with euerlasting brightnes but to vs here on earth so great is the darknes of sinne in vs it shineth obscurely as it were a farre of we see but a glimmering therof Would to God thys day might shortly appeare shyne vnto vs and that these worldly vanities were at an end Thy heauenly Citizens know and feele how ioyfull thys day is but we the children of Eue straūgers and exiles here on earth doe lament and bewaile the bitter tediousnes of thys present lyfe short and euill full of sorrowe and anguishe Where man is oftentimes defiled with sinne encumbred with afflictiō vnquieted with troubles lapped in cares busied with vanities blinded with errours ouercharged with labours vexed with tentations ouercome with vayne delightes and pleasures of the world and miserably wrapped in many kindes of calamities Wherfore O Lord arise and helpe me comfort mine exile asswage my sorrowe destroy the power of mine enemies the kingdome of sinne Sathan the world and my wicked flesh which alwaies make battaile against me and bring these conflicting dayes to an end so shall I sing prayses vnto thee O God of my saluation magnifie thy holy name world
the holy ghost your mēbers of Christ the whole worlde and all thinges therein are your owne Therfore say vnto your soule O my soule arise follow God contemne this world purpose well and pursue it long for the Lordes commyng be ready and watch that he come not vpon thée vnwares And forsomuch as you must liue to Gods pleasure sée the vocation and state of your life wherunto God hath called you and pray to god for grace knowlege and habilitie to take the most profitable thinges in hand well to begin better to go on and best of all to ende the same to Gods glory and the profite of others and thinke that tyme lost wherin you speake not or do not or at tho least thinke not something to Gods glory and the commoditie of his children ⧠At the sunne going downe pray HOw vnhappy are they O Lorde on whō thy Sunne goeth downe and geueth no lyght I meane thy grace which is always cleare as the midday Darke night vnto thē is the midday which depart from thee In thee is neuer night but alwayes day light most cleare This corporall Sunne hath his courses now vp now down but thou deare Lord if we loue thee art alwayes one O that thys blocke and veile of sinne were taken away frō me that there might be alwayes cleare day in my mynde ¶ Occasion to meditate THinke that as we are not sory when the sunne goeth downe because we know it will rise agayne euen so we should not sorrow for death wherwith the soule and body do parte asunder for they shall eftsones returne and come together agayne in most glorious wise ⧠When the candels be light pray MOst thicke and darke cloudes do couer our myndes excepte thy light O Lord do driue them away Thy Sunne O most wise worker is as it were a firebrand to this worlde Thy wisdome whereby light commeth to both soule and body is a firebrand to the spirituall world After day when the night commeth thou hast geuen for the remedy of darknes a candell After sinne for the remedy of ignoraunce thou hast geuen thy doctrine which thy deare sonne hath brought vnto vs. O thou that art the author and maister of al truth and art the true lyght make vs so to see that the dimnes of our myndes may be driuen cleane away * Thy worde is a lanterne to my feete a light vnto my pathes Psal 4. * Lift thou vp the light of thy countenaunce vpon vs and send ioy and gladnes into our hartes ¶ Occasions to meditate THinke that the knowledge which God geueth vnto vs by the candel light wherby we see those thyngs in this night of our bodies which are expedient for vs should make vs to wishe much more for this spirituall light of our soules this doctrine of our saluation and when we gette it the more to esteme it and diligently to embrace it Agayne that as all would be horrour without candell light so there is nothing but meere confusion where Gods worde taketh not place ⧠When you make your selfe vnready pray THys our lyfe and weake knit body by reason of sinne by little and little shall be dissolued and so shall be restored to the earth from whence it was taken then will be an ende of this vanitie which by our folly we haue wrought to our selues O most meke father so do thou vntie loose me for thou art he that hast knit these my weak members together that I may perceiue my selfe to be loosed and dissolued so may remember both of whome I was made and also whether I must go least I be had vnprouided vnto thy tribunall seate * Put of the olde man with hys lustes and concupiscences Col. 3 Ephe. 4. ¶ Occasion to meditate THinke that as we do willingly put of our garmentes because we shall receiue them againe when the night is past so we should not vnwillingly forsake our bodies when God by death shal call vs because we shall receyue them againe in the resurrection of the iust ⧠When you enter into your bed pray THe day now ended men geue thēselues to rest in the nyght and so this lyfe finished we shall rest in death Nothing is more like this life thē euery day nothing more lyke death thē slepe nothyng more like to our graue then our bed O Lord our keper and defender graunt that I now laying me downe to rest beyng vnable to keepe my selfe may be preserued from the crafts and assaultes of the wicked enemy And graunt further that when I haue runne the race of this lyfe thou wouldest of thy mercy call me vnto thee that I may lyue and watche with thee for euermore And now gracious God geue me to take my rest in thee and bring to passe that thy goodnes may be euen in sleepe before mine eyes that slepyng I be not absent from thee but may haue my dreams to draw me vnto thee so both soule and body may be kept pure and holy for euer * I will lay me downe in peace and take my rest Psal 4. ⧠An other prayer O Lord Jesus Christ my watchman and keper take me to thy care graunt that my body slepyng my minde may watch in thee and be made mery by some sight of that celestiall and heauenly life wherin thou art the king prince together with the father and the holy ghost where the Aungels and holy spirits be most happy citizens Oh purify my soule keepe cleane my body that in both I may please thee sleping waking for euer Amen ¶ Occasion to meditate THinke that as this troublesome day is now past and night come and so rest quietnes and pleasant sléepe which maketh most excellent princes and poore wretches alike euen so after the tumultes troubles temptations and tempestes of thys life they that beleue in Christ haue prepared for them an hauen and rest most pleasant and ioyfull As you are not afraid to enter into your bedde and to dispose your selfe to sléepe so be not afraid to die but rather cherefully prepare your selfe therunto Thinke that now you are néerer your ende by one dayes iourney then you were in the morning ⧠A prayer to God the Father for the true knowledge of the mystery of our redemption in Christ. O Almighty God Father of our Lorde Jesus Christ and by him also our father the father of all mercy and God of all consolation haue mercy vpon vs and heare our prayers We most humbly beseche thee for thy deare sonne Jesus Christes sake for his merites and cruell death which he suffred to deliuer vs from eternall death and the power of darknes send into our hartes thy spirite of truth to worke in vs a true liuely and stedfast faith that the cleare light and brightnes of thy gospell the glory of Christ may shine vnto vs lighten our mindes that we may learne vnderstand the wonderfull vnspeakable riches of the mystery of our redemption