the feild and we â—eed not only our selues but our oxen in our meadowes and stalles to feed our vnprofitable carcasses our horses in the stable to beare our vnprofitable carkasses when the poore in our streetes at our gates feed vpoÌ„ empty aire for lacke of sustenance we remeÌ„ber not theÌ„ not Christ in them the hungereth and Christ the must feed vs which is the aduocate for the poore yâ— iudge of the rich in this obliuion and height of our sins what is become of humility of repentance we are all begotten in sin and to misery are we brought forth coÌ„cupiscence hath bene the nurse whose milke wee haue sucked from time to time as we haue growne in yeares so hath corruptioÌ„ growne vp with vs as part of our owne nature what remayneth theÌ„ O Lord for vs but humility repeÌ„taÌ„ce to prostrate our selues vpon the knees of our harts and say Lord haue mercy vpoÌ„ sinners with the poore publican not with yâ— proud Pharise to say I am not like this maÌ„ or other my brethren for I doe thus and so let vs not be so mad as to forget nature so much all our imperfections the substance and mettall whereof wee are made and that we must suddenly turne to the earth vpon which now we trample with such contempt and scorne and must become chamberers and fellowes with wormes and rotlennesse and what cause haue wee then to be proud Nay what cause haue wee not to bee humble when of all the large possessions and inheritances wee possesse wee haue no more truely our own then the length and bredth of our Carkasses And againe let vs humble our selues that Christ may exalt vs and not exalt our selues lest hee throw vs downe as hee scattereth the proud in the imagination of their hearts Let vs learne of him to bee humble and meeke which although the King of heauen and earth hauing all power and preheminence and proud in subiection vnder his feet yet was not touched with this vice himselfe that chose poore Fisher-men to bee his Disciples payd tribute to his inferiours rode vpon an asse praied for his Persecutors imbraced yong children cured the halt and the lame and the blinde and regarded the low estate of his Handmaid and will regard vs if wee regard this vertue which hee so regarded if wee be imitators of his steps and examples which hee grant that hath thus led the way the God the King the Prince of humility for his own deere sake Amen The liuing words in effect of a dying man closed vp in this vertue I Vnto thy hands O Lord I commend my soule and body prostrate in all humility and obedience to thy good will and pleasure Lord Iesus haue mercy vpon thy humble and prostrate seruant The summe of the Prayer of the Lady G. at the time of her execution VVIllingly and ioyfully O Lord come I hither into thy hands to resigne my soule and body in whose protection I trust they shall bee safer and better then in this life although in the best measure they euer were giue vnto me my God thy poore and weake seruant and vessell patience constancy and strength to vndergo this my sentence of death strengthen the frailty of my sex in the act of this my suffering and though I dye for that I neuer of my selfe desired yet howsoeuer lest any sinne in the least consent or thought hath defiled my purity therein for it pardon me my God and blot it out of the booke of thy remembrance and not onely that but the whole course thereof throughout my whole life that my soule with the wings of faith in thy mercy may cheerefully ascend to thy blessed kingdome And so preparing her selfe to dye with these words rendred her life Lord Iesus receiue my Spirit A generall Thankesgiuing to God for all his benefites and mercies to man O Eternall God in Christ Iesus most gracious and mercifull for all thy blessings both temporall and spirituall bestowed vpon me the least of thy seruants and most vnworthy to cast vp mine eyes to thy heauenly Tabernacle where thou reignest in glory doe I yeild all possible hearty thanks vnto thy diuine Maiesty for all thy blessings and mercies bestowed vpon me especially for the singular benefite of my Iustification and the admirable gift of eternall saluation purchased by the righteousnesse and deerest life of thy beloued Son Christ Iesus my Sauiour My lot is fallen in a pleasant place well is me and yet woe is mee because it is and I vnderstand it not hast thou beene fauourable vnto all thy creatures in the world or hast thou neglected others and beene mindfull of me Good Lord why shouldest thou bestow thy health thy wealth thy rest and liberty aduancements friends possessions Children like the Oliue Oliue branches and their trees for me them to repose securely vnder Why shouldest thou I say bestow these blessings vpon me more then vpon others I can giue no reason for it but stand wondring and admiring thy mercy which is the cause of it and if thou shouldest take a suruey of my worthinesse to enioy all these at thy hands and finding mee so vnworthy as I am of the least shouldest withdraw them all backe againe what could I say but commend thy iustice Haue I deserued liberty and Ioseph thy seruant deserued bonds Haue I deserued rest and thy Dauid to bee tost to and fro vpon his watery couch day and night to haue the sonne of his owne loynes and the loynes of his owne body rebelling against him Hath thy Lazarus deserued to lye at the gates afflicted in body minde crauing but crums wherewithall to be refreshed and I like the rich man whose dogges more merciful theÌ„ their maister came and licked his sores sitting at my table furnished with abundance like his Haue I deserued health and thy Iob to lye full of botches and biles vpon the dung-hill Are these thy blessed seruants tried in the furnace of affliction layd in the throat of hell and am I wrapt vp into Abrahams bosome haue I their portion and do they stand at reward or sent empty Why my soule is it so well with thee mercy aboundance of mercy and why art thou so ill my soule O mercy yet most wretched sinner that I am haue I not in a Christian loue and godly nature beene moued to serue thee in a larger measure considering these thy benefites vpon mee so largely multiplyed then the poore and persecuted Children that neuer tasted thy mercy but in imitation of their misery Continue O Lord this thy goodnesse vnto me and the more to perswade thee thereunto lift my heart and spirit out of this dull and earthly Center wherein it moueth to the meditation of thée and these thy mercies with a thankfull retribution of all my thoughts and affections to thée from whence they come that I may euer serue thee from this hower with those dutyes which the world the flesh and
and tongues were strangers ignorant of eithers purpose the lippes babling without the heart no compunction within honouring God with our mouthes but our spirits farre from him our hearts not bleeding whose droppes should be heard and pittied our Altar without fire prayer without heat words without intention suppliancy of the body without the harmony and consent of the inward man And as they must bee zealous so directed to him alone for neither to Angels nor Saints Mediators or Friends one or other greater or lesser in heauen or in earth they are not due are not to be offered but to the eares of him and his annoynted after the example of so many both ancient righteous Patriarks Prophets Iudges Kings recorded in the booke of God and in an hundred and fifty Psalmes a hundred whereof at the least are prayers and supplications and in all the deuout requests that the Apostles of Christ and other his Disciples sent into heauen to him alone and his blessed Sonne our Sauiour without intercession or request to any other And by the example of that Kingly Prophet in the 86. Psalme Bow downe thine eare vnto mee I am poore and needy my distresse requireth thy helpe Bee mercifull vnto mee O Lord I cry vnto thee continually Reioyce the soule of thy seruant for vnto thee O Lord doe I lift my Soule VVhom haue I in Heauen but thee and in earth that I desire in comparison of thee But it is good for mee to hold mee fast by God to put my trust in the Lord God c. Psalm 73. And to whom wee must not onely pray with zeale and desire but with fitnesse and congruity and application vnto our seuerall necessities as for the generall blessings and benefites of God there must bee generall thankesgiuings for sins in generall generall confessions ancient and vsuall formes of prayer for ancient and vsuall occurrences we may take vnto vs words as the Prophet Hosea speaketh and say vnto the Lord at all times Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously so will we render the calues of our lippes But as the diuersity of our sinnes our newnesse and strangenesse and abhominations therin shall pull from the Iudgement seate of God new and varyed and diuâ—rsâ—â—y of punishments and iudgements therefore so wee must accordingly vary our prayers and speake in the language of their necessity In time of plague or infection sicknesse and mortality our prayers must bee to God that hee would stay and sheath vp the sword in the hand of his deuouring Angell that on euery side strikes downe to the graue emptying houses and streetes to fill vp Church-yardes and vaults making them a meâ—hridate or preseruatiue against the Contagion and danger thereof which indeed is the souerainest restoratiue vnder heauen to make sound againe what sinne hath hurt and wounded acknowledging with a sorrow from our hearts that our sinnes haue procuâ—ed â—t and the hand of GOD most iustly inflicteth it therefore acknowledging the original cause thereof to proceede more ouâ— of our owne corruption and nature then the aire or any other secundary cause beseeching his maiestie as Phinees did that the plague may cease and that hee will visite no longer with that kinde of iudgement If a barrennesse possesse the land leanenesse and scarsity and famine dwell vpon her borders so that the Children thereof cry for bread and swoone as they go in the streetes for food we must pray in another stile that the Lord will vouchsafe to heare the Heauens againe that the Heauens may heare the Earth the Earth the Corne and VVine and Oyle And these Israell and all other his distressed people Hosea 2 and that hee will visite no longer with this kinde of iudgement If the enemy shall threaten our Land to inuade our Territories to make a deuastation spoyle and hauocke of all that wee haue that may fall in his way saying Come wee will deuoure wee will deuoure the name of Syon shall bee no more had in remembrance Ioel. 2. Wee must addresse our petitions to the Lord in another key and forme of Supplication Spare thy people O Lord and giue not thy heritage to reproach that the Heathen shall rule ouer them VVherefore should they say amongst thy people VVhere is now their GOD O cease to visite thy seruant with this kinde of iudgement If the cloudes yeeld not their moisture vpon our fruites vpon earth so that the labour of our handes and the fat of our fieldes perish through sterility and drought Still as the Plagues are new so let vs come before him with new Complaints new Songs new Intercessions and Obsecrations meekly Kneeling before the Lord our maker lowly prostrate at the footstoole of his mercy that these iudgements may bee diuerted and turned away from vs. Thus did that great patterne of wisedome and experience Salomon whose foote-steppes are worthy our imitation beseeching the Lord that when the people should pray vnto him according to their seuerall necessities whether afflicted with the assault of their eneâ—y or with want or superfluity of raine with pestilence famine or mill-dew captiuity or any other affliction either in body or in minde he would then in heauen heare their complaints vpon earth and bee mercifull vnto them And as our prayers will not ascend vnlesse faith and deuotion beare them vp nor will speede vnlesse they yssue from a heart that vowes an vnfeined repentance which that wee may the more effectually doe wee must call to minde our sinnes and transgressions that haue procured those iudgements that wee may repent and wash them from vs that God may heare vs and haue mercy vpon vs. But this Repentance that here is meant is more bitter then many imagine For as concerning Repentance euery sorrow is not repentance for then should worldlings repent Some thinke euery confession to bee repentance then had Pharaoh and Saul repented Others imagine euery weeping repentance which is not for then had Esau repented Others take euery little humiliation repentance but mistaking for then had Achab repented Others that euery good word promise is repeÌ„tance if that were so theÌ„ should sicke men repent Some thinke to cry God mercy is repeÌ„tance then should euery foole repent But true repentance indeede and such as is here meant is more then the hanging downe the head like a Bull-rush or to wring out a teare to sob out a sigh to weare sackecloth or haire-cloth or onely with a verball sound and pronuntiation of the lippes without the priuity of the heart within to cry Lord haue mercy on mee and so cease but it is the scourging renting wracking and launcing of the very soule and a downe right showre of teares from a broken and bleeding heart and a filling of the raiâ—es wiâ—h exceeding bitternesse of sorrow and anguish for sinne committed And to this schoole of sharpenesse but sweetnesse of paine but of pleasure let no man thinke it too earely to go too earely to beginne ô go to it
a thousand daggers at our hartes to launch and let forth that putrified corruption that returned such muddy chanâ—elles to thee the fountaine of liuing waters that but with so a high a price and deare expence could not be purified but now beeing thus purged and made cleane let vs be wary we pollute them not againe hauing receiued so pure a guest let vs not harbour with him the vncleane least to our euerlasting losse he take his flight and forsake vs when then our vncleane thoughts and cogitations which his presence expelled and kept a loofe of from vs retire themselues euery one accompanied with seauen worse then themselues and our end be worse then our beginning and so that become vnto vs the sauour of death vnto death which otherwayes had bene the sauour of life vnto life wherefore O Lord blesse vs at this time and this thy holy institution that by our vnworthinesse we turne not that to euill which was ordayned for our good make it O Lord the plaster to heale all our wounds the garment to couer our nakednes the spirituall and corporal bread to the stay of our bodies and soules let it be the cocke to remember our sins and the rocke to stay our soules vppon that we neuer fall from thée againe to that end so blesse vs most gratious God yâ— this thy sacrament now receyued may be to our euerlasting good and wellfare so conducting vs through this vale of misery with so godly a direction guide enuy contention and malice layed a side forgiuing the offences of our bretheren towards vs as we expect forgiuenesse at thy handes that so in a godly society in this world we may liue together in peace vntill we shall raigne with thee in glory which art the end of peace where we shall then behold thee with our bodily eyes as wee behold thee now with faith by the eye of the Spirit and see that body that was broken and bruised for our sinnes those hands that haue made vs and fed vs that head that was crowned now all glorified neuer to bee debaced more To which blessed vision fruition he bring vs that hath so ransomed vs for the glory of his sacred Name Amen A Thanksgiuing vnto God the Father vsed by the reuerend and learned W. Musc and fit to bee vsed of all good Christians LET all true Christians say and acknowledge with one heart and mouth say also with them O my Soule say in this mortall body without this mortall body Glory Honour and Praise bee vnto thee most mercifull God throughout all ages and Generations of the world which hast not spared thine onely Sonne but offered him vp a bleeding Sacrifice for the sins of thy people giuen him to death euen to the death of the Crosse for most wretched mankind to that end that through him we might be saued and deliuered from distruction and brought into the liberty of euerlasting life graunt vnto vs by thy spirit that we may perfect and continue in this thy grace for euer and euer Amen Mart. Luthers Prayers COnferme in vs O God that which thou hast wrought and finish the worke thou hast begunne in vs to the glory of thy name and the sauing of our soules at the dreadfull day of thy Visitation for thy mercies sake Amen Saint Aust O Deus omnium miserationum pater Abyssus misericordiae tuae absorbeat abyssum peccatorum meorum O Father of all goodnesse and mercy let the depth of thy mercy drye vp the depth of my sinnes A Prayer for a Woman with childe or in trauaile to bee said by those present with her O God most wise most iust the blessed Father of our blessed Lord and sauiour Christ Iesus creator preseruer and gouernor of all things next vnder thee vnder the subiection of man so largely intituled by thy loue extended by thy fauour created with so goodly and beautifull a perfection in the estate of Innocency that hee was the modell and figure liuely Image of thee the fountaine of all perfection and happinesse but through sinne is our image defaced our beauty and perfection darkened our whole disposition and purpose altered the earth made barren and cursed for our sake and we cursed in the curse by the sterility labour and manuring thereof that now denies the increase that before shee brought forth without the sweat and sorrow of the heart and browes of man And for yâ— woman a party in the sinne a party in the curse In paine and sorrow shalt thou bring forth And to the Serpent vpon thy belly shalt thou creepe and dust shalt thou eate all the dayes of thy life Yet to this woman O Lord as her present necessity requireth bee propitious neere vnto her let thy birth sweeten her sorrow that broke the head of the Serpent that was the cause of the breach of thy Commandement that hath sweetened the sorrowes of all mankinde Heare her O Lord and answere her fauourably and be not angry with thy seruant for presuming to cry vnto thee for the vncessant beating thine eares with her clamouâ—s for griefe compelleth her to speake and the misery shee indureth inforceth her to cry vnto thee haue mercy vpon her O fountaine of mercy and hearken to her agony that cryeth for thy helpe To her and all women with childe or in trauaile bee mercifull and giue them grace with patience to vndergoe and suffer the decree and pleasure of thy holy will let them neuer striue against thee through impatience but in true faith and inuocation of thy name suffer thy crosse contentedly which their owne originall sinne and wickednesse drew froÌ„ thy hands vnwillingly O Lord if her heauinesse induce for a night let her comfort come in yâ— morning for ioy that a child is borne into the world and to that end blessed God bee thou present and powerfull in the exigent and straite of her greatest extremity for as all thy works are wonderfull and past finding out as our soules know right well so are they not manifested in a shallow measure in the connexion creation and nourishment and preseruation of the infant in the wombe of the mother in the birth and bringing forth of their little limbes into the world all whole and perfect to the which if thy ayd and hand bee absent though all helpe beside in the world bee present they perish vndoubtedly both the one and the other Wherfore thou God of wonders and Father Almighty of heauen and earth as thou hast by the death of thine onely Sonne taken away the sinnes of the whole world and condemned sinne in the flesh so take away the anguish of Childe-birth brought forth by sin to all woman-kinde especially to this woman now in thy hands that shee may ioyfully bring forth that which by thy blessing shee hath happely conceiued that shee may bee to her Husbands and her owne comfort as the fruitfull viâ—e on the walles of his house and his children like the Oliue
before we vtter them going vnto him that calles come vnto me all you that trauell and are heauen loaden and I will refresh you To him therefore let vs goe to him let vs send vp these trusty embassadours our Prayers Prayer the sweet cesterne and conduite of grace by the which all the benefits and guiftes in that heauenly treasure-house are cōtinued reserued and renued vnto vs. Prayer the keye that opens where no man shuts and shuttes where no man can open that enters where no man hath passage and returnes where no man can hinder Prayer the life of the soule when being perplexed with such griefe of hart as neyther Wine nor strong drinke according to the aduise of Salomon can comfort her misery hauing no word to speake nor comfort to apply when it is day wishing for nightes approach and when it is night saying to her selfe when shall it be morning how euer the season no comfort succeeding neither by light nor darkenesse nor in any worldly felicitye wishing as often as shee openeth her lips and draweth in breath into her nostrils if God were as hasty to fulfill as she to desire O that thou wouldest hide me in the graue and keepe mee secret vntill thy wrath were past Iob. 14. yet then euen then she assumeth the winges of a doue the motion and agility of the spirit of God she flyeth by the strength of her Prayers into the bosome of Gods mercy and there like the arke vpon the mountaines of Armenia is at rest Therefore if any be afflicted let him pray let vs not presume in the height of our prosperity with Dauid to say as hee did I shall neuer be remoued thou Lord of thy goodnesse hast made my hill so strong least with him we suddainly shall see a change Thou diddest but hide thy face and I was sore troubled then cryed I vnto the Lord and prayed vnto my God saying what profit is there in my blood Psal 20. therefore let him that standes take good heed that he doe not fall let vs put our confidence in the Lord our God and pray vnto him and to none other neither let vs presume vpon our selues nor any earthly meanes beside for her was neuer contemplation exercise or any kinde study in the world so acceptable to the maiestie of God so gratious in his sight so linked and true a friend to him that makes vse of it as prayer is It waketh in the night season it restes not in the day it forsaketh vs not by land nor by sea in health nor in sicknesse in prosperity nor in aduersity in weale nor in woe liuing nor dying it is our last friend and most indissoluble companion Let vs therefore loue it and therefore let vs vse it There was neuer name in heauen or earth so worthy to bee called vpon so mighty for deliuerance so puissant for protection so gainfull for successe so compendious to abridge vnnecessary labours as the name of IEHOVAH our most mercifull Father and the image of his countenance Iesus Christ Therefore to the Lord there was neuer Sanctuary so free for Transgessors in the strongest priuiledge neuer such safety neuer holes in the rocke so open for the doues of the field the armes of any mother so open to her childe as the bowels of Gods compassion to all faithfull beleeuers Therefore to him and therefore faithfully and in that method fitnesse and propriety as Thomas hauing the obiect of his prayer before his eyes euen Christ Iesus my Lord and my God There was neuer creature liuing vnder the line of the Sun that saw not affliction in his dayes neuer was there any to whom affliction was not grieuous and irke-some yet neuer was there affliction so great but it hath beene vnder the correction of the Lord whose hand hath beene able to maister it Therefore to euery affliction as they come in seuerall kindes for our seuerall sins and transgressions so our prayers must bee seuerall and framed and fitted thereunto and powred forth both with wisedome and zeale that they come not harshly vndigested to those eares that can both sift and try the one and the other the delicasie and tendernesse whereof must bee wisely intreated and the fauour of his countenance carefully sought after the example of him that knew in his soule that a faint and dissembled prayer would returne empty into the bosome of him that sent it vp But a broken and contrite spirit the Lord would not despise neuer sent vp his petitions but with the deepest affection and zeale of his minde with the most sincere integrity and meditated zeale that might be for Euery night washt he his bed and watered his Couch with teares the bloud of the soule and the wine of Angels the pretious and significant pearles of contrition that preuaile without words and effect where words faile And therefore feruently after his example that thou mayst haue the force of two tongues in thy suit the better to speed And to auoyd the malediction which thou mayst else receiue in stead of a blessing for cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently And as we may learn precepts and draw many excellent examples from the lines of the heathē Philosophers writers so here to this wee may learne a zeale in our prayers euen of those wodden Priests K. 1. 18. of whom it is written that they called vpon the name of Baal frō morning to noone and when they had no answere they cryed aloud nay they cut themselues with kniues till the bloud flowed so they prayed not onely in teares but in bloud and shall not wee the children of the light bee as zealous in our generation And frō the agony zeale of the son of Righteousnesse that in the daies of his flesh offered vp prayers supplications with strong cryes teares to him that was able to helpe him learne to adresse our selues in our necessities of whom the Gospel further declares not only that he kneeled at the naming of whose name all knees haue bowed both in heauen earth and vnder the earth but that he fell vpon the ground the footstoole of his owne maiesty and lay vpon that face that neuer Angell beheld without reuerence and when he had prayed before hee prayed more earnestly as the Scriptures record hee once prayed and departed and a second time and yet a third time departed and departed euermore vsing the same petitions his prayer ascending by degrees like incense and perfume and not onely his lippes went but his agony and contention within was so great that an Angell was sent from heauen to comfort him and with the trouble of his soule sweat like droppes of bloud trickling downe to the ground Let vs not therefore offer vp this sacrifice but remēber this blessed example of this our blessed sauiour in our imitation that they may be blessed in their speed and we in their successe and not to vtter them remisse and carelesse as if our spirites
shall come it shall the lesse affright mee in that before I haue set my house in order and disposed my selfe thereto which preparation that I may make and successe that I may find graunt me Lord though so many neclect it for thy mercies sake AmeÌ„ A prayer and meditation for a strong faith and against that dangerous sinne of desperation THough our sinnes were as red as scarlet thy bloud O Lord will wash them as white as snow though in sin we haue bene borne and in iniquity our mothers haue conceyued vs yet will we trust in thy louing kindnesse all the dayes of our life if wee should trust in our owne merits desperatioÌ„ would inuiron vs on euery side yet Lord when we consider the multitude of our sinnes and that euery day of our life we adde to there number so that all the water in the Ocean-sea cannot rince vs from them for the least of which in thy iustice thou mâ—yst throw vs downe to the bottomlesse pit of hell our faith faultereth and we begin to dispayre but that we trust in the merits of his suffering who in the bundle of his afliction hath gert vp ours and will eyther nayle them to his crosse or cast them into the bottome of the sea and hang millstones about there neckes yâ— they shal neuer rise vp in iudgement to condemne vs yâ— else would neuer suffer vs to rise vp to be saued Lord giue vs grace to be wary to our steps vigilant to our pathes to haue an eye to our soules for Sathan compasseth the earth watcheth and roreth and walketh transformeth himselfe into all shapes that he may win vs in all sins into an Angell of light being but a fiend of darkenesse to sift and winnowe vs as wheat graine after graine that if it were possible he might surprise vs good God what need haue we of thy assistance and grace to beare vâ— out that haue such enemies without such enemies within the weakest whereof is stronger then we so that we need the prayers of our owne spirits and the spirit of God that groâ—eth with gronings not to be expressed and of the sonne of God himselfe who sitteth at his fathers right hand and maketh intercession for vs that our faith fayle not and that we fall not into desperation for alasse what ability haue we of our selues or what strength haue wee in our sinnâ—wes who are not as pillers of brasse or the deafe rockes of the sea against the which there waues dash themselues and they are not shaken being substances so firme vâ—alterable that cannot be remoued but dust and ashes crackt with euery flaw and blast of affliction and vnlesse thou support vs we are not able to stand and there is no safty but vnder the winges of thy mercy we haue sinned against heauen and against thee the father of our spirits the father of our flesh against him yâ— gaue vs his law and he that gaue our nature birth and being by our misdeedes and abominations both the tables haue we broken and done very wickedly in thy sight all the creatures in the world haue in there kind and degree bene more dutifull and seruiceable vnto thee then man so much beloued of thee made according to thine owne image indued with reason directed by thy law and thy preceptes auering thus offended men and bretheren what shall we doe all the creatures in heauen earth accusing and condemning vs the Lord himselfe complayning against vs I haue norished and brought forth children and they haue rebelled against mee what shall wee say that our sins are greater then can be forgiuen no let vs with Dauid though our faith haue almost failed and our feet slided with his yet let vs with him recouer out-selues againe by laying hold vpon thy promises support vs O Lord where thy Angels fell Caine Iudas Achitophell for they dispayred in thy mercies and there fall was iâ— recouerable euen to the bottomlesse pit of hell from whence there is no deliuery but we will trust in thy mercies and louing kindnes all the days we liue in and kisse the son least he be angry and o turne away the fauour light of his countenance from vs and least his wrath be kindled against vs his fierce and furious wrath which O Lord who is able to abide the extent and copiousnesse whereof is as his mercies are vnexplicable and therein sueth an abundance of misery with a traine and coniunction of all plagues and punishments out of the ready stâ—re-house of the restrayned inundations of his wrath that let at liberty range in an open feild and there is none to resist them we are all by nature the children of wrath borne to the inheritance thereof as to our fathers landes for nothing remayneth so hereditary to vs as sinne and confusion but yâ— the bloud of Christ hath purchased fauour for vs Lord giue vs grace to continue it in keeping a wary conscience to offend and walking carefully in thy feare but for such O Lord that are allready condemned that runne on in an endlesse labyrâ—nth of sinne the race to distruction without turning vnto thee drawing the vnhappy breath which if it had neuer ben breathed into there nostrills whereby they were made liuing creatures it had bene wel with them without repenting heaping vp anger against the day of wrath not caring to blunt the edge thereof there end is the end of the sentence and they are sure to perish not in the life of the body alone but in the life and eternity of there soules not for an age and a period of time but whilst God raigneth in heauen able to doe iustice to auoid which greuious plagues and punishments giue vs grace O Lord suddainly to turne vnto the whilst the time of grace remayneth least the graue open her mouth and shâ—t it againe vpon vs and close vs vp in our sinnes and deliuer vs guilty into the hands of perdition from the which wee shall neuer bee freed Let vs quench this wrath in time with the bloud of the Lambe staine from the beginning of the world and through the streame of his mercy and the riches of his merits seeke acceptance acquaintance and friendship with our God that wee perish not let vs not despaire in our sins nor presume on his merits too much but lay hold theron by faith so applying the benefite of thy passion and merites to our selues and our soules that wee may finde fauour and bee acceptable in thy sight Thy mercy O Lord is the crowne of all thy workes and my sinnes though they were more then I can commit are not more then thou canst forgiue the assurance of this promise and the probation of thy goodnes euermore shall be the rocke whereupon my faith shall anker I will sayle my brittle barke throughout this sea of vncertainty temptation and danger thou being the starre of my direction throughout yâ— waues and surges thereof that sometimes lift mee vp
vnto the cloudes by the good thoughtes and motions of the spirit and sometimes cast mee downe to the ends of the earth euen to the bottomlesse pit of hell by the temptations and allurements of the world and the deuill till I come vnto the hauen of my rest to the which Lord bring mee for thy mercies sake Amen In time of pestilence TThe life of man most glorious Lord therof by whose handes it was made in whose hands it is inlightned with such vnderstanding capacity so large ample thy creatures benefits so good so innumerable and all for the delight and seruice of man which are so powerful and comfortable to him in the ouerlooking thereof in his large discourse and reason that he could wish in this world a perpetuity without change not knowing in his fleshly and blinded indgemēt what may be more in heauen with thée to content his naturall desire that he inioys not in this eclipse glimpse of thy goodnes vpon earth that lands possessions sumptuous building gorgeous clothing the cōfort of children friends seruāts with many other adiunctes cannot be equalled or exceeded in the world to come we confesse O thou giuer of all good guiftes y◠we are not worthy of the least of these thy benifits not thy friēds but thine enemies such that haue pulled thee frō the crowne to the Crosse nayld thee there vnto death and not greeuing our selues that we haue thus greeued thée snacht thy benefits out of thy hands not returning that easy curtesy vnto thee thou requirest of vs which is nothing but gratuity and thankes being more vngratefull vnto thee for all we haue for by thee we liue and moue and haue our being inioying nothing but from thy al-filling hands from that ouerflowing fountaine of thy goodnes yet more returning to a mortall man for one single curtesy then to thee for all these correct O Lord this fault in nature this vniuersal defect in mākind O Lord if thou hast prepared so good things for thy enemies and friends together what hast thou in store for thy elect there seuered surely such things as the eye hath not sene the eare hath not hard the tongue cannot vtter the hart cannot conceiue w e thée ò Lord there is fulnes of ioy at thy right hād pleasures for euermore Psal 16. who giueth vs drinke out of a whole riuer of pleasure Psal 36. where ioy shal be euer present yet we cannot be filled or rather filled but not satisfied what it is O Lord thou knowest best but there is the fountaine spring from whēce all goodnes floweth take vs into thy besome vnder the wings of thy mercy into that celestiall habitation where the sight and splendor of that heauenly presence shal more delight then all the obscured and mixed pleasures the world can afford on the other side we know as a strong motiue vnto vs the vnsupportable and heauy iudgement prepared against the day of wrath for those y◠haue drunke downe sinne as the Leuiathan the waters terrefie O Lord our vnderstanding with there horrour fearfullnes y◠we neuer come there to feele them bring vs by one meanes or other to the heauen of our happinesse what thy promises cānot perswade let thy threatnings performe by y◠terrour of thy punishments which are impossible to be vttered and yet must be indured bound hand and foot cast into vtter darkenesse where thy fauour nor mercy shall neuer-more be extended where nether the light of the sunne nor the moone or starres much lesse the light of Gods face shal euer shine where for euer shal be weping and gnashing of teeth without determinatiō or ceasing O Lord who is able to indure it thy Angell y◠walkes in the darkenes and striketh at noone dayes the many dangers that accompany our wretched liues the least of which one time or other strikes home take vs in our pallace in our gardēs in ourwarehouses in the feild on the sea on the earth in the ayre in our beds at our tables whatsoeuer our bodies do whatsoeuer our minds thinke comes thy messēger in one shape or another takes vs by the hand leades vs from whatsoeuer is dearest vnto vs to the tribunall seat of thy iustice and mercy where we are eyther to be acquitted or condemned eyther to be receiued or thrust out Lord therfore deale with vs according to thy mercy that if thou prolong our liues bring vs safe out of this storme tempest of mortality that by y◠fal slaughter of others we be brought to such a serious cōsideration of our owne mortality estate y◠we make our preparation thereunto all y◠days of our life knowing y◠he may fal in his tent y◠hath escaped y◠feild perish in y◠hauen y◠hath passed y◠Ocean y◠it must be surrendered one time or another and if it please thée the we fall by y◠stroke of this thy deuouring Angel as the corruption ranlinesse of our nature infectious enough to procure it and bring to passe that thou accept as my deed my will desire and purpose to serue thée my intent for my action that I would as if I should liue to glorifie thée make mée out of loue with this wretched world and all the allurements and baytes therein and in loue only with thee and thy heauenly kingdom for thy blessed name sake Amē For humility vpon these considerations THou mighty Lord of heauen and earth who holdest the ball of the world in thy hand and keepest all times and seasons as in a register who art all hand all eye all foot for strengthe for fight for swiftnesse to whom the in-most chambers and retired clossets the tabernacles and habitations of mortall men nay the hartes and bosomes of all the creatures in the world are vnfoulded and layed open as leuill to thy sight as the aire which we looke on with our eyes what cā we do the is hid frō thy sight ten thousand times brighter then y◠sun or whether can we go y◠our sins offences lye not naked before thée surely no otherway there is but only to inuolue them in the clowds mistes of sighes repentance repentance the guift of God the ioy of Angels the salue of sins the heauen refuge of sinners O where remaines the subiect of the title the Angels sin not and therfore need not repentance nor the spirits of darkenes for the sentence is already past condemnation sealed it is only for me most wretched sinner y◠I am for my brethren of the same inheritance to vs alone doth it belong and we perceiue it not we eat and feed delitiously we are wanton with thy guifts O God abusing them in surfet and riot and luxuriouslye we sinne in drinking in procuring an appetite to exceed therein we sin in our cloathing most superfluously attyred like the rich glutton condemned to hell as if we would exceed Salomon and match the lillies of