reconciled me unto thee when thou didst abhor me for my sins thou didst send him from heaven to me to shew that thou art ready to heare him for us therefore in him I come unto thee in him I will call upon thee O my Redeemer Preserver and my Saviour to thee be praise with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever Amen Who shall stay mee from my Father and my Brother and my Comforter I Owe God a death as his Son died for me ever since I was borne I have been sayling towards this Haven and gathering patience to comfort this houre therefore shall I be one of those guests now that would not come to the banquet when they were invited what hurt is in going to Paradice I shall lose nothing but the sense of evil and anon I shall have greater joyes then I feele pains for my head is in Heaven already to assure me that my soule and body shall follow after O Death where is thy sting why should I fear that which I would not escape because my chiefest happiness is behind and I cannot have it unlesse I go unto it I would goe through Hell to Heaven and therefore if I march but through death I suffer lesse then I would for God my pains do not dismay me because I travell to bring forth eternall life my sins do not affright me because I have Christ my Redeemer the Judge doth not astonish me because the Judges Son is my Advocate the Devill doth not amaze me because the Angels pitch about mee the grave doth not grieve me because it was my Lords bed O that Gods mercies to me might move others to love him for the less I can expresse it the more it is the Prophets and Apostles are my forerunners every man is gone before me or else he will follow after me if it please God to receive mee into Heaven before them that have served him better I owe more thanks to him and because I have deferred my repentance till this houre wherby my salvation is cut off if I should dye suddenly lo how my God in his mercifull providence to prevent my destruction calleth me by a lingring sickness which stayeth till I be ready and prepareth me to my end lik a Preacher and makes me by wofull pains wery of this beloved world lest I should depart unwillingly like them whose death is their damnation so he loveth me whilst he beateth mee that his stripes are Plaisters to salve me therefore who shal love him if I forsake him this is my whole desire now to strengthen my body with my heart and to be contented as God hath appoynted untill I glorifie him or he glorifie mee If I live I live to sacrifice if I die I die a sacrifice for his mercy is above my iniquity therefore if I should fear death it were a signe that I had not faith nor hope as I professed but that I doubted of Gods truth in his promise whether he will forgive his penitent sinners or no. It is my Father let him doe what seemeth good in his sight Come Lord Jesus for thy servant commeth I am willing help my unwillingnesses For the Morning NOw that the day star doth arise Beg we of God with huÌ„ble cries Hurtfull things to keep away While we duly spend the day Our tongues to guide so that no strife May breed disquiet in our life To shut and close the wandring eye Lest it let in vanity To keep the heart as pure and free From â—â—nd and troubled fantasie To tame proud flesh while we deny it A full cup and wanton diet That when the day light shall go out Time bringing on the night about We by leaving worldly wayes May in silence sing God prayse Amen Come Holy Ghost our soules inspire And lighten with celestiall fire Thou the anointing spirit art Who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart Thy blessed unction from above Is comfort life and fire of love 〈…〉 with perpetuall light The … nesse of my blinded sight Anoâ—â—t and cheere my soyled face With the abundance of thy grace Keep 〈◊〉 my â—oes give peace at hom Where thou art guide no ill can com Teach mee to know the father son And thee of both to be but one That through the Ages all along This may be my endles song Prayse to thy Eternall Merit Father Son and Holy Spirit A Prayer for the Morning O Lord be mercifull unto mee a miserable sinner O Lord I beseech thee let thine eares bee attentive unto the prayer of thy servant that desires to feare thy name and prosper I pray thee thy servant this day And good Lord I beseech thee send thy holy Spirit into my soule so to teach mee to pray unto thee that both my selfe and my prayers may be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer And good Lord I beseech thee to remove all my sinnes out of thy sight that they may neither hinder my prayers from ascending up unto thee nor thy mercies from descending downe upon me And good Lord I humbly beseech thee to banish out of my heart and soule all evil thoughts and desires all fond love and affection all carnall lust and concupiscence and whatsoever else may any way hinder mee from the true love and worship of thy divine and sacred Majesty O Eternall God maker and high possessour both of Heaven and Earth looke downe I humbly beseech thee with pity and compassion upon a poor miserable distressed sinner who am not worthy to lift up my eyes towards the throne of thy divine and sacred Majesty much lesse worthy of any of thy mercies and gracious blessings which continually from time to time thou hast beene pleased to bestow upon mee for O Lord so many and so mighty are my sinnes wherewith I have offended thy divine and sacred Majesty both in thought word deed and desire that if thou shouldst enter into judgement with mee and deale with mee according to thy justice and my desert I must expect nothing but eternall death and damnation But I most humbly beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake that it wil please thee to have mercy upon me and to pardon me all my sinnes and offences and to remove all those judgements away from mee which my sinnes have deserved and give mee grace ever heerafter to amend my ungodly life and to love and serve and honour thee truly faithfully and unfeignedly without pride presumption vaine glory and hypocrisie from these and all other deadly sinnes good Lord deliver me And good Father I give thee most humble thanks for all thy mercies and gracious blessings which continually from time to time thou hast been pleased to bestow upon me more especially for that it hath pleased thee this night past to preserve me from all evills notwithstanding all my sinnes and ill deserts Lord thou mightest have made my bed my grave and throwne my soule into the deep pit of hell hadst thou dealt with mee according
I am often angry with my selfe because I am weary to live when I am not weary to sinne I know my folly and am confounded and being confounded I reproove my selfe saying O carnall lover why doest thou so long walke in the mire of concupisence why art thou so carefully busie for earthly things and doest so earnestly desire those goods that shall perish or by what reason callest thou them goods which thou gainest with so much labour and the great hurt of thy soule and being gayned possessest in feare and being possessed losest with griefe and sorrow O my soule why dost thou forget thy own proper estate and nobility and art not ashamed to endure a miserable and shamefull bondage under the corruption of thy corporall sence why art thou deceived with the unfaithfull promises of the world the chiefest good whereof is a mist or vapour that appeareth but a little season and vanisheth as vanity of vanities Blush and be ashamed O miserable sinner how often hast thou departed from thy Creator and turned to deceitfull creatures and comming againe to thy selfe behold with the sight of thy minde how cruelly thy soule hath bowelled her selfe of her owne bowells whilest with an inordinate desire catching at a vile prize of Flies she hath like the Spider made nets for her owne selfe of her owne bowels againe and againe I say blush at that where thou hast had no fruite and lament thy lost time and yeeld thy soule unto God with these speeches I rayle against my self when being inwardly admonished I enter into my selfe and consider with my heart what I have lost and what I have found and I finde that I doe not that good which I like but the evill that I will that I doe for my Enemies hold my will and doe keepe me being fashioned according to the former desires of ignorance captive under the law of sinne but thou O Lord of vertues and the tower of my strength doe not withdraw thy help from me looke Lord unto my defence and protect mee under thy wings left I fall in the sight of my adversaries and my enemies rejoycing against me say I have prevayled against him Breake the bonds of my reproach under which I have beene made crooked and loose the cords of my sinnes wherewith I am strongly bound O most mighty Lord and make knowne thy power to thy enemies that I may offer unto thee a sacrifice of gladnesse saying who shall speake to the power of the Lord or what shall declare his prayses that delivereth my soule from death and my feet from sliding who hath saved me from the Lions mouth and from the devouring Dragon To whom shall I flie but to thee O Lord upon whom all our Fathers have called and have beene saved to thee I say who never deceivest them that trust in thee and let any mans hand be against me for I will feare no evill because thou art with me O Lord all my desires are before thee blot out and put away whatsoever is displeasing unto thee renew create and confirme whatsoever thou hast given me that casting away all carnall and unprofitable desires the sinner may bee accepted in the desires of his heart and coveting to enjoy thee the onely treasure my request may come before thy face and I may bee confident to say unto thee Grant unto mee O God the desire of my soule for I know and am assured that no man can desire thee but by thy selfe nor come to thee unlesse thou draw him draw me therfore O Lord and grant unto mee that I may begin in a good desire that I may end and perfect it in a good worke before my old custome oppresse my new desires and my former will strengthned by age conquer my new will cloth me therfore O Lord I humbly beseech thee in the precious garment of thy salvation and put off the vile clothing of my wicked life wherein being deprived of thee I walke according to the ancient conversation of the old man but being newly clothed in thee and become a new man I may with a new spirit serve thee in a new life and in the sweet smell of thy oyntments running unto thee I may rejoice in Jesus my Saviour CHAP. VIII O Lord Jesus Christ the sonne of the living God who with thy hands stretched forth on the Crosse hast drunke the cup of thy Passion for the redemption of all mankind succour mee this day I beseech thee behold O Lord I that am needy doe come to thee that art wealthy I that am full of misery do approach to thee replenished with mercy suffer mee not therefore to depart voyd or as one worthy to be despised I begin hungry let me not end empty I approach as one hunger starved let mee nor depart unfed and if I sigh before I eat grant that I may eat at least after I have sighed first therefore O blessed Saviour I confesse against my selfe mine iniquity behold O Lord for that I was conceived and born in sinne and thou hast washed and sanctified me from the same and I after this have defiled my selfe with greater offences because those sins wherin I was borne were of necessity but those in which I afterward lay wallowing were voluntary this notwithstanding thou not being unmindfull of thy mercy and goodness hast drawne me from wickednes and from the fellowship of sinners inspiring mee with thy grace to follow thee in the company of those that seeke thy face who walke the direct way that leadeth to felicity but I ungratefull and forgetfull of so many benefits received have after my entrance into a Religious way committed many sinnes and abominations and where I ought to have amended my faults and to have repented for them in stead therof I have added sin upon sin these O Lord are the faults by which I have dishonored thee and defiled my selfe to wit Pride Presumption Vain-glory and Hypocrisie and many other sinnes almost infinite by which my unhappy soule is troubled and afflicted rent and destroyed Behold O Lord mine iniquities have overwhelmed my head being unto me a grievous burthen unsupportable to be endured insomuch as if thou whose property is to pardon and to shew mercy doe not lift mee up with the right hand of thy mercy I shall wofully sink down into the gulph of eternall misery behold O Lord God and see how my ghostly enemy doth insult over mee saying God hath forsaken him I will pursue and take him because there is none that can deliver him how long O Lord wilt thou thus leave me turn back and deliver my soul O save me for thy mercy sake take pitty of me thy son whom thou hast begotten in the great grief of thy passion and doe not so looke to my wickednesse that thou forget thy goodnesse what Father is there that seeing his son in danger doth not endeavour to set him free or what son is there whom his Father doth refuse to correct with the
mee with the blessings of thy sweetnesse even from the beginnings for thou O Lord and my hope from the very time that I was a suckling yea before I was borne hast provided and prepared the waies that I should walk in and by them attain to the glory of thy heavenly Kingdome thou hast knowne mee before thou didst forme mee in my mothers belly and before I issued out of my mothers wombe thou hast preordained of mee whatsoever seemed good to thy divine pleasure I know not O Lord what things are written of me in thy Booke in the secret of thy Consistory which make me to feare exceedingly but thou knowest them all particularly because that which I expect by succession of dayes and times a thousand yeeres hence to bee fulfilled in the sight of thy Eternity is already accomplished and that which is to come is already done but I for that I know not these things living heer in a darke and obscure night cannot but feare and tremble whilest I see sundry dangers on every side assaulting me troupes of enemies pursuing me and infinite miseries of this life invironing me And were it not that the ayd of thy grace doth succour me in these my manifold tribulations I should soon fall into desperation but I have a great hope and confidence O my God in thee who art a God of unspeakable mercy and pity and the consideration of thy infinite mercies are no small comfort unto mee in my miseries The former tokens likewise of thy love and mercies shewed towards me before my nativity but appearing now especially doe put mee in hope for the time to come to receive more ample and greater favours from the hands of thy bountifull liberality which thou doest reserve for thy friends and those that love thee to the end that my hope may rejoice in thee O Lord my God with a sacred and lively cheerefulnesse with which thou doest continually comfort my old disconsolate years CHAP. XII O God of Gods O Lord in mercy surmounting the malice of men I know thou wilt not alwaies be silent then I meane when a flaming fire shall burne before thee and a terrible tempest shall showre down round about thee when thou shalt call both Heaven and earth to judge and discerne thy people and lo in the presence of so many millions of people all mine iniquities shall be revealed before so many troops of Angels all my abominations shall be displayed not only of my actions but likewise of my words and cogitations there shall I poore wretch stand to be judged by so many as have gone before me in doing good I shall by so many accusers be thought worthy of Hell as have given mee example to live well I shall be convinced by so many witnesses as have admonished me by their wholsome speeches and by their godly pious conversation have carried themselves worthy of imitation O my Lord I know not what to say I know not what to answer and albeit I am as yet free from that terrible danger neverthelesse my conscience doth afflict me the hidden secrets of my heart do torment mee coveteousnesse doth presse me pride doth accuse me envy doeth consume mee concupiscense doeth enflame me lust doeth molest me gluttony doth disgrace me drunkennesse doth convince me detraction doth rent me anger doth disturbe me behold O my deliverer who hast delivered me out of the hands of cruell people behold with whom I have lived from the day of my birth with whom I have studied and with whom I have kept promise those very studies which heertofore I affected doe condemne mee which in times past I praysed do now dispraise me These are the friends to whom I have assented the teachers whom I have obeyed the masters whom I have served the counsellours whom I have beleeved and the familiar acquaintance to whom I have consented Woe is me O my God for that my abode heere is prolonged woe is me O my light for that I have lived with those that live in darkness and seeing holy David sayd so much how much more may I bee able to say my soule hath dwelt too long in a strange land O my God my force my fortress no man can be justified in thy sight my hope is not in the sons of men Whom wouldest thou finde justified if thou shouldest judge severely setting mercy aside neither is there any thing whereof a just man may vaunt or which can bring him to glory unlesse thou prevent him before hand with thy mercy and pitty I therefore O my Saviour believe what I have heard that it is thy goodnesse that doth draw mee to repentance thy holy lips have told it me No man can come to me unless my Father who hath sent me draw him Seeing therefore it hath pleased thee to instruct me and by instruction hast vouchsafed mercifully to informe me I beseech thee with all the forces of my heart and mind O Almighty Father together with thy most beloved Son I beseech thee likewise O most blessed Saviour with the holy and blessed Spirit vouchsafe to draw me unto thee that I may run after thee and forsaking all things transitory I may only adhere unto thee and devote my soule and body only to thy service Who is like unto thee O Lord my God thou art great in sanctity terrible and worthy to be praised doing things that deserve to be admired too too late have I knowne thee O true light too late have I known thee and the cause was for that there was a great and dark cloud before my eies that delighted in vanity which hindered me from beholding the Sun of justice and the Light of all verity I was wrapt in darknesse being the child of darkness I loved darkness because I knew not the light I was blind and loved blindness and walked through one darknes into another who hath delivered me from thence where I remained as a blind man sitting in darknesse and in the shaddow of death who hath taken me by the hand and led met forth of the same who is he that hath thus enlightened me I sought him not and he called me but who is he thou art he O Lord my God being most mercifull and pittifull yea the father of mercies and God of all comfort Thou O Lord my God most holy art he that hath done the same whom I confesse with my whole heart rendring thanks to thy holy Name I did not seeke thee thou hast sought me I did not call upon thee thou hast called me Thou hast thundred from Heaven with a great voyce into the internall care of my heart saying let light be made and light was made whereupon that great and dark cloud which had covered my eies departed and was dissolved whereby I have seene thy light and known thy voyce I said truly O Lord thou art my God who hast delivered mee out of darkness and from the shaddow of death calling mee into the admirable
light so that now I see thankes be to thee O Lord who hast inlightened me and I looked backe and beheld the darknesse wherein I had lived and the deepe darke dungeon wherein I had remained which made me with feare and trembling to cry out saying wo is mee in respect of the darknesse in which I have remained wo is mee in respect of my former blindness in which I could not see the light of Heaven wo is mee in respect of my former ignorance when I did not know thee O Lord thanks therefore be to thee O my Inlightner and Deliverer for that thou hast inlightned me and I have knowne thee Too too late have I knowne thee O ancient Verity too late have I known thee O eternall Truth thou remainest in light and I in darknesse and I knew thee not because I could not be inlightned without thee for that there is no light besides thee O God! the Holy of Holies the God of Gods and Lord of Lords of inestimable Majesty whose wonderfull greatnesse cannot bee uttered or imagined before whom the Angelicall powers doe shake for feare O most mighty most holy and most powerfull God the God of the spirits or souls of all mortall creatures from whose sight the Heavens and the earth doe flie away for fear to whom all the Elemens doe obey at a becke let all thy creatures adore and glorifie thee amongst whom I unworthy wretch the sonne of thy handmaid do bow downe the neck of my heart under the feet of thy supreame Majesty being taught so to doe by the faith which thou hast given me rendring thanks unto thee for that thou hast vouchsafed by thy mercy to inlighten me O Light most true sacred and delightfull most worthy of praise and most admirable which inlighteneth every man comming into this world yea the eies of the Angels themselvs Behold now I see for which I humbly thanke thee Behold now I see the light of Heaven a heavenly bright beam proceeding from the face of thy brightness doth shine upon the eies of my mind which maketh all my bones to rejoyce Oh that this light were perfect it me increase it in mee O authour o◠light I beseech thee increase I beseech thee that light that shineth in mee let it bee augmented I beseech thee by thee O fire which doest alwayes burn and art never extinguished enflame me O light which doest alwayes shine and art never darkned enlighten me Oh that I were made hot by thee O sacred fire how sweetly dost thou heate how secretly doest thou shine how desiredly dost thou burn Woe be to those that are not made hot by thee woe bee to those that are not enlightned by thee O true light enlightning all the world whose brightnesse doeth replenish all the world Woe bee to those blind eyes which doe not see thee who art the Sunne that giveth light both to Heaven and Earth Woe be to those dim eyes which cannot see thee Woe be to those eies that are turned away frō seeing verity Woe be to those eyes that are not turned away from seeing vanity Verily those eyes that are accustomed to darkness cannot behold the bright beames of thy supreame righteousness neither do they know what to thinke of the light whose dwelling is in darknesse They see love and approve the darknesse so that walking from one darknesse into another they stumble and tumble they know not whither Doubtlesse they are wretched that know not what they lose but they are more wretched that know what they lose who fall with their eyes open and descend alive into perdition O light most blessed who canst not be seen of those eyes that are never so little defiled Blessed are the clean in heart for they shall see God Cleanse me O cleansing vertue cure mine eyes to the end that with sound and cleare eyes I may bee able to behold thee Remoove from my eyes the scales of my former blindnesse by the means of thy brightness that I may be able stedfastly to behold thee and in thy light I may see light Behold O my light now I see for which I most humbly thank thee Let this my light O Lord I beseech thee be increased by thee Open mine eyes that I may see the wonderfull things of thy Law I give thee thankes O my light for that I now see albeit obscurely as it were in a Mirrour or looking glasse but when shall I see thee apparently face to face Oh when will that day of joy and mirth arive in which I shall enter into the place of thy Tabernacle so mach to bee admired even into the house of my God to the end I may see him face to face that seeth me that so my desire may be accomplished CHAP. XIII I Have exceedingly sinned and I know my offences to bee many which I have committed yet I do not despayre because where sinnes have abounded there grace hath superabounded He that dispayreth of obtayning pardon for his sinnes denieth God to be mercifull hee doth God a great injury that mistrusteth his mercy as much as in him lieth he denieth God to have charity truth and power in which three doth depend my whole confidence that is in the charity of his adoption in the trueth of his promise and in the power of his redemption I cannot bee terrified with the multitude of my sinnes if the death of my Saviour come into my minde because my sinnes cannot overcome the multitude of his mercy The wounds of my Saviour doe tell me that I am truly reconciled to him if I love him wherefore blessed Saviour give me grace to love thee truly and sincerely because love chaseth forth feare verily the whole world doth not afford such a powerfull and present remedy against sinne as is the death of my Redeemer He stretcheth forth his armes on the Crosse and spreads out his hands as one ready to imbrace sinners I purpose to live and desire to die betweene the armes of Christ that hath saved me there will I sing securely I will extoll thee O Lord for thou hast received me and hast not permitted mine enemies to triumph over me Who more can crave Then God for me hath done To free a slave That gave his only Son Blest be that houre When he repair'd my losse I never will Forget my Saviours Crosse Whose death revives My soule once was I dead But now I 'le rayse Againe my drooping head And singing say And saying sing for ever Blest be my Lord That did my soule deliver CHAP. XIV I Render unto the most humble thanks O most gratious and mercifull God for that comming loader with so many and so grievous sins to make my humble confession unto thy divine and sacred Majesty thou art pleased to give mee the grace that I am not ashamed to open my sins and iniquities unto thee whereby I may obtaine thy pardon which being granted unto me by thy mercy and the merits of my Saviour Christ
that thou shouldst raine downe fire and brimstone from out of heaven to devoure me or to open the earth under mee to swallow mee up quicke into hell but thou art gratious and full of compassion and rich in mercies therefore do men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings I have none in Heaven to flie unto but thee nor in Earth of whom I may receive any comfort but at thy favourable hands which are stretched out day and night to receive all that by earnest repentance turne to thee being ready to ease all those that are laden with the burden of their sinnes and to refresh their distressed consciences In the multitude of thy mercies I approach unto thee O Lord desiring hee to looke downe from the height of thy sanctuary upon mee poore and wretched sinner and to wipe away all mine offences and to blot out all my misdeeds especially these my ungratious uncleane and ungodly sinnes which I have confessed unto thee O Lord oh let them not come up in remembrance before thee nor be imputed to me for ever for thy sonnes sake O Lord in whom thou art well pleased in whom thou wast fully satisfied upon the Crosse for my sinnes grant mee free pardon and remission of that I have so foolishly by my exceeding frailty committed against thy divine Majâ—sty and worke in my heart an utter detestation of all my sinnes that I may ever heerafter keep my selfe pure and unspotted for thy kingdom Thou that art able to make of stones children to Abraham mollifie I pray thee my stony heart that all maner of son-like affections may bee imprinted therein pluck up O good Father these roots of bitterness that no unsavory fruit may come off the tree which then by thy owne hand hast planted I desire I looke I call I cry for thy assistance that I may conquer all my unruly and disordinate motions and desires and affections O blessed Saviour that hast granted so many Petitions upon earth to them that were carefull for the body fulfill I pray thee this my desire not for health nor strength nor riches nor honour nor for food nor apparrell but for thy heavenly grace and inspiration yea let mee lose all those rather then be left in my sinfull flesh that I should be ruled any longer thereby Mortifie in me good Father the old body of sinne and give unto mee a new body purged from dead works to serve the living God renew my spirit dayly that I may cast away the works of darknesse let it be enough O mercifull Father that my weaknesse heeretofore hath been made knowne unto mee lest I should be too proud Now let thy strength appeare in putting this my enemy under my feet that thereby I may be bold to put my confidence in thee Why should my body made by thy hand and my soule framed according to thy Image be given as a prey into the hands of Sathan Deliver mee O Lord from the snares of the hunter and preserve mee from the hands of mine enemy who lieth in wait for my spirituall life and laboureth my everlasting destruction so shall I prayse thee for thy goodnesse and magnifie thy Name for giving mee conquest over my adversary that is too strong for mee To thee I â—…ie for succour till this tempest be overpast hide me I pray thee under thy shield and buckler that noâ—e of the fiery darts of Satan take hoâ—â— of me Good Lord for the lovâ— thou bearest to mankinde for thy Sonnes sake who hath taken our nature upon him grant that I may not bee tempted above my strength and that in all temptations I may flie unto thee giving thee most humble and hearty thankes for that thou hast given a desire to withstand my sinfull flesh which thy worke I beseech thee for thy Name sake to perfect and fully accomplish Amen A Meditation of the glory of the new Jerusalem VNto the spring of endles life My fainting soule doth thirst Full faine the cloyster of her flesh With speed she wisheth burst She seeks she sues she strives exild Her Countrey to obtaine Wailing that nothing heer she finds But misery and paine Contemplating the glory which She when she sinned lost Her woes increas her grief the more To think how dear they cost For who can utter with what joy That happy peace delights Wher Palaces stand stately rear'd With living Margarites With gold the lofty turrets shine And chambers glittering bright And all the frame with only jems And pretious stones is dight The streets the City out are pav'd With gold as crystall cleene Where dirt nor raies nor dung annoyes Nor any filth is seene Stormy winter scorching summer Come never there to brawle Rose flowers spring continually With spring continuall Lillies still white and saffron ruddy And balsome sweating growes Meads alwayes green corn alwayes grown And hony in rivers flows Sweet spices breath out fragrant smells Rich liquors and perfumes Fair orchards overshaded stand With fruit that neer consumes No varying course of sun or moon Or stars comes in their sight The Lamb is to that happy City A never fayling light Nor night nor morn nor time is there But a continuall day Wher Saints in glory shine like suns And glittering beams display In triumphs crownd together they With joy conjubilate And the battels of their vanquishd foe Secured now relate Purg'd clean from either blot or spot They grudge of flesh seele none For flesh made now spirituall With the spirit grees in one Abounding with untroubled peace No scandalls them annoy Who freed from mutabilty Their center re-enjoy Where now they present see that truth Which mortall eyes neer saw And from the everlasting spring A living sweetnes draw Where ere they goe they still retain The same unaltred state Fair lively cherefull subject to No change of chance or fate Whose health no sicknes doth decay Whose youth no age doth waste Whose being without passing is For passing now is past They spring they bloom they florish still From all corruption free Mortality is swallowed up By Immortality Who knowing him who all doeth know Can ignorant not be Who in each others patent breasts All inmost secrets see The same they will the same they nill One mind the same of all Though according to their severall paines Their guerdon's severall Thus what 's anothers Charity By love so makes her owne That what is proper to every one To all is common growne Wher ere the body's the Eagles there Are duly congregated And with it are those blessed soules And Angels recreated One bread both Country Citizens Doth feed one bread they crave Still hungry and yet alwayes full Still wishing what they have Whom no saciety doth cloy Whom hunger doth not bite With apetite they ever eat And still have appetite There the melodious singing voyce New harmonies concents Their ears are lull'd with sweetest sounds Of rarest Instruments To him by whoÌ„ they conquered have Due praises there they
sing O happy soule who present dost Behold so great a King And from thy lofty throne surviewst The underwheeling Globes The sun the moon al the heavens In star bespangled robes O Christ the palme of warriors Vouchsafe me of thy pity To make me when I end my war A freeman of this City Grant me among these Citizens Thy bounties to pertake Meane while assist me with thy ayd A happy fight to make That warring out my time the rest In quiet I may spend And for my guerdon thee injoy For ever without end Amen A serious discourse concerning the Day of Death LET us imagine how the time being now come in which the sinfull soule is to be separated from the bands of the body with how grievous feare it is terrified with how great anguish of an afflicted conscience it is tormented it remembers the things forbidden which it hath committed it beholdeth the Commandements of God which through negligence and contempt it hath omitted it grieveth that the time which it had to repent hath been so vainly imployed it grieveth the imutable moment of severe revenge is so near at hand not possible to bee avoyded it would fain stay it is forced to depart it would faine recover that which it hath lost and cannot be heard it looketh backward upon the course of its whole life past and esteemeth it to be but as it were one onely little pace it looketh forward and seeth infinite worlds of time which shall never have end It lamenteth therfore for having lost the joyes of all eternity which it might have gained so quickly it weepeth likewise that for the short pleasure of the alluring flesh it is bereaved of everlasting happinesse it blusheth that for the substance sake which is to be meat for wormes it hath neglected that which should have been placed amongst the quires of Angels At length it lifteth up the eyes of its mind and considering the glory of the immortall riches of Heaven it is ashamed that for the love of the beggery of this present life it hath lost that glory againe when it looketh downwards upon the vaile of this world as upon a mist and contrariwise seeing above it the brightnesse of that eternall light it plainly perceiveth that that which was loved was but darknesse and night Oh if it could obtaine the favour to have some little time for repentance how austere would it be in life and conversation how many and how great matters would it promise to perform how strictly would it binde it selfe to piety and devotion in the meane season whilst the eye-sight faileth and whilst the heart panteth and the throat doth draw breath with difficulty whilst the countenance groweth pale and all the members of the body become stiffe through cold whilst these things and other such like happen as certain signes of death approaching all its works and words present themselves before it yea it s very thoughts are not wanting and all these give bitter testimony against it as against the Authour of them All its sins and iniquities are laid as it were in heaps before its eyes and those which it is unwilling to see it is forced to behold whether it will or no. Moreover on the one side of it it beholdeth a terrible troop of dreadful Devils on the other side a multitude of heavenly Angels the soule that lyeth in the middest quickly perceiveth to which of these companies it appertaineth for if there bee seen in it the signes and tokens of goodnesse it is comforted by the comfortable speeches of the Angels and by the sweetness of their harmonious melody it is allured to come forth of the body contrariwise if the darkness of its deserts and deformity of its filthinesse do adjudge it to the left hand it is forthwith strucken with intolerable fear it is troubled through the foâ—ce of the sudden violence that is used it is throwne down headlong and assaulted and poor soule is forcibly pluckt out of the prison of the flesh that it may be drawn to eternall torments with unspeakable bitternesse Now after it is departed out of the body who is able to expresse how many troops of wicked spirits do lie in wait to intrap it how many bands of frowning fiends being ready with cruell torments to afflict it doe beset the way to hinder his passage and to the end it may not escape and passe through them whole legions of them do assault the same Wherefore to consider these and such like things by frequent meditation is a soveraigne meanes to contemne the inticing allurements of sin to abandon the world and to subdue the unlawfull motions of the flesh and finally doth cause and conserve in us a continuall desire of attaining to perfection which God of his mercy grant us Amen ALmighty God and all mercifull Father which art the Physitian of my body and soule in thy hands are life and death thou bringest to the grave and pullest backe againe I came into the world upon condition to forsake it whensoever thou wouldest call me and now the Sumners are come thy fetters hold mee and none can loose mee but hee that bound me I am sick in body and in soule but he hath strucken me which in judgement sheweth mercy I deserved to die so soon as I came to life but thou hast preserved me till now and shall this mercy be in vaine as though I were preserved for nothing who can praise thee in the grave I have done thee no service since I was borne but my goodness is to come and shall I die before I begin to live but Lord thou knowest what is best of all and if thou convert me I shall be converted in an instant and as thou acceptedst the will of David as well as the act of Solomon so thou wilt accept my desire to serve thee as well as if I had lived to glorifie thee the spirit is willing but the flesh is fraile and as I did live sinfully whensoever thy spirit was from me so I shal die unwillingly unlesse thy spirit prepare me therefore dear Father give me that minde which a sick man should have and increase my patience with my pain and call unto my remembrance all which I have heard or read or felt or meditated to strengthen mee in this hour of my triall that I which never taught any good while I lived may now teach others how to dye to bear their sickness patiently apply unto me all the mercies and merits of thy beloved Son as if he had died for me alone be not far from me when the enemy comes but when the tempter is busiest let thy spirit be busie too and if it please thee to loose me out of this prison when I shall leave my earth to earth let thy Angels carry up my soule to Heaven as they did Lazarus and place me in one of those Mansions which thy Son is gone to prepare for me this is my Mediator which hath
to thy justice and my desert but good Father as thou hast given me time so I beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake to give me grace to repent and amend my ungodly life and to spend those remnant of dayes which thou hast appointed me to live only in thy service And to that end O Lord I humbly beseech thee withdrawe my heart and soule from the love of the world and worldly vanities and wholly devote it unto the love and service of thy divine Majesty And good Father I humbly beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake that it wil please thee to continue thy loving favour unto me in preserving me this day from all sin and wickednesse from all evill thoughts words deeds and desires and from all evill and misfortune both of soule and body good Lord sanctifie my soul and body this day and evermore to thy service Lord blesse and prosper all my proceedings all my thoughts words deeds and desires and grant that they may all bee directed to the honour and glory of thy Name the good of others and the peace and comfort of my owne soule and conscience when I shall come before thee to make my last accounts Lord keep me in thy faith fear and love and give me grace to live in thy feare and die in thy favor and good Lord I humbly beseech thee to grant mee the use of my sight senses and limbs whilest I live in this transitory life that I may bee the better inabled to serve thee Lord bee mercifull to thy whole Church and chosen people every where and in thy good time establish thy true Religion and Worship amongst us which is agreeable to thy holy wil and word And now good Lord Into thy hands I humbly commend my soule and body my life and all that ever I have to be guided directed and protected by thee good Lord suffer me not this day to doe any thing to displease thee but let thy holy spirit guide and direct mee thy holy Angels pitch their tents round about mee to keepe and protect mee from all the assaults of my enemies both bodily and ghostly this day and ever Good Lord shew me the way wherein I shall walke and the thing that I shall doe and give mee grace to walke humbly faithfully and sincerely before thee this day and all the dayes of my life grant this O most mercifull Father and whatsoever else thou in thy divine wisedome knowest most needfull for me and that for the merits of thy deare sonne my Saviour Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holy and blessed Spirit be ascribed all honour prayse power and glory world without end Amen O Lord pardon the imperfection of my Prayers Dum expiro spero For the Evening BLessed Savior Lord of all Vouchsafe to heare when we call And now to those propitious be That in prayer bow to thee Still to be kept from misery Great ruler of the day and night On our darknes cast thy light And let thy passion pardon win For what we have offended in Thought or word or deed of sin And as thy mercy wipes away What we have done amisse to day So now the night returns again Our bodies and our souls restrain From being soild with sinfull stain Let not dull sleepe oppress our eyes Nor us the enemy surprise Nor fearfull dreames our minds affright While the blacknes of the night Holds from us the cheerfull light To thee who doest by rest renew Our wasted strength we humbly sue That when we shall unclose our eies Pure and chaste we may arise And make our morning sacrifice Honour Lord to thee be done O thou blessed Virgins Son With the Father and the Spirit As is thine eternall merit Ever and ever to inherit Amen An Evening Prayer for a private Family O Eternall and most glorious Lord God Creator and Maker of Heaven and Earth we the most miserable most sinfull and most unworthy of all thy creatures do here presume to present our selves before the Throne of thy most glorious Majesty from the bottome of our hearts humbly acknowledging our vile wickedness and upon our knees beg pardon of thy gracious and most glorious Majesty for all our sins past committed in thought word or deed against thy divine Majesty And as in duty we are bound we give thee glory and praise for all thy mercies and good blessings from time to time bestowed upon us and more especially and in particular we laud and magnifie thy great and most glorious Name for that thou hast preserved us safe this day past from all evils and from all dangers both of body and soule and hast bestowed thy blessings upon us both spirituall and temporall for which as for all the rest of thy good gifts and benefits which either this day past or at any other time thou hast been graciously pleas'd to bestow upon us we magnifie thy great and glorious Name beseeching thee that with thy blessings thou wilt give us thy Grace that we may live to glorifie thy great and most mighty Name for them all And good Lord wee beseech thee passe by our great manifold and most numberlesse sins and transgressions Lord grant us true repentance for them all and grant us grace ever hereafter to serve and please thee in newnesse of life all the the dayes we have to live in this our Pilgrimage Lord teach us so to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisedome and grant us grace good Father that we may so spend our remainder of dayes that we have to live in this world that they may be to the glory of thy great Name and to the salvation of our own souls for Jesus Christs sake And as thou hast been a mighty and most glorious Lord God in preserving and keeping of us all the dayes and times of our life hitherto and especially this day past so good Lord vouchsafe to take us all this night into thy most glorious protection Lord defend and keep us from all evils and from all dangers that may happen unto us either bodily or ghostly Lord let thy holy Angels guard us to deliver us from all evils Lord blesse us all with the quiet rest and sleep of our bodies Save us good Lord waking and keepe us sleeping that wee may wake in Christ and rest in peace Blesse us that both sleeping and waking we may be thine O Lord leave us not to our selves nor forsake us utterly but in thy blessed time make us to be sheep of that flocke whereof our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus is the great Shepheard Hear us good Lord in these our weak most imperfect prayers grant us them and what else thou in thy mighty wisdome knowest to be most necessary for us and that for the glory of thy great Names sake for thy mercy sake and for our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus sake in whose most blessed name and words we further call upon thee
as he in his holy and Heavenly and most blessed Gospel hath taught us saying Our Father c. Let thy mighty hand and outstretched arme O Lord be still our defence thy mercy and loving kindnes in Jesus Christ thy deare sonne our salvation thy true and holy word our instruction thy grace and holy spirit our comfort and consolation unto the end and in the end Amen When we enter into our bed IN the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ who was crucified upon his Crosse and layd into his grave for me I lay me downe to rest he blesse me keepe me and rayse me up again and bring mee at last to life eternall Amen I will lay me downe in peace and take my rest for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safety Have mercy upon mee O Lord now and at the howre of death Preserve mee while I am waking and defend mee when I am sleeping that my soule may continually watch for thee and both body and soule may rest in thy peace for evermore Amen An admonition before wee goe to sleepe PErmit not sluggish sleep To close your waking eye Till that with judgement deepe Your dayly deeds you try He that his sin in conscience keeps When he to quiet goes More desperat is then he that sleeps Amidst his mortall foes At night lie downe Prepare to have Thy sleep thy death Thy bed thy grave Awake arise Thinke that thou hast Thy life but lent Thy breath a blast O thou God Almighty Father of all mercy Fountaine of all pity Grant I beseech thee Of thy great clemency On me to have mercy Now and at the howre of death Amen Proverbs of Solomon Chap. 10. TReasures of wickednesse profit nothing but righteousnesse delivereth from death The Lord will not suffer the soule of the righteous to famish but hee casteth away the substance of the wicked Blessings are upon the head of the Just but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked The memory of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot The blessings of the Lord it maketh rich and he doth adde no sorrowes with it The fear of the Lord increaseth the daies but the years of the wicked shall be diminished The patient abiding of the righteous shal be gladnesse but the hope of the wicked shall perish The righteous shall never be removed but the wicked shall not dwell in the Land Chap. 11. RIches availe not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivereth from death The righteousness of the just shall deliver them but the transgressors shal be taken in their owne net He that is mercifull rewardeth his owne soule As righteousness leadeth to life so he that followeth evill seeketh his owne death They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord but they that are upright in the way are his delight He that trusteth in riches shall fall but the righteous shall flourish as a leafe Chap. 13. THe hope that is deferred is the fainting of the heart but when the desire commeth it is a tree of life He that despiseth the word he shal be destroyed but he that feareth the Commandements he shal be rewarded Chap. 14. IN the fear of the Lord is an assured strength and his Children shall have hope The feare of the Lord is a Well-spring of life to avoyd the snares of death Chap. 15. THe Lord is far from the wicked but he heareth the prayer of the righteous The feare of the Lord is the instruction of wisdome and before honour goeth humility Chap. 16. COmmit thy workes unto the Lord and thy thoughts shal be directed By mercy and truth iniquity shall be forgiven and by the feare of the Lord they departed from evill Age is a crowne of glory when it is found in the way of righteousnesse He that is slow to anger is better then the mighty man and he that ruleth his own mind is better then he that winneth a City Chap. 17. A Joyfull heart causeth good health but a sorrowfull minde drieth the bones Chap. 18. THe name of the Lord is a strong towre the righteous runneth to it and is exalted The spirit of man will sustain his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can beare Chap. 19. HEE that hath mercy upon the poore lendeth unto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath given The feare of the Lord leadeth to life and he that is filled therewith shall continue and shall not be visited with evill Chap. 21. HEE that followeth after righteousnesse and mercy shall finde life righteousnesse and glory Chap. 22. THe reward of humility and the fear of God is riches glory and life My son give me thy heart and let thine eyes delight in my wayes Chap. 28. HEE that hideth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Blessed is the man that feareth alway but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into evill He that walketh uprightly shal be saved but he that is froward in his wages shall fall at once Job Chap. 28. THe feare of the Lord is wisdome and to depart from evill is understanding Ecclesiastes Chap. 7. A Good Name is better then a good Oyntment and the day of death then the day that one is born It is better to go to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the living shall lay it to heart Anger is better then laughter for by a sad look the heart is made better The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth The end of a thing is better then the beginning thereof and the patient in spirit is better then the proud in spirit In the day of wealth be of good Comfort and in the day of affliction consider Surely there is no man just upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not Ecclesiasticus Chap. 1. THe fear of the Lord is glory and gladnesse and rejoycing and a joyfull Crowne The fear of the Lord maketh a merry heart and giveth gladness and joy and long life Who so feareth the Lord it shall go well with him at the last and he shall finde favour in the day of his death Who so feareth the Lord shall prosper and in the day of his end he shall be blessed A patient man will suffer for a time and then he shall have the reward of joy Chap. 2. YE that feare the Lord love him and your hearts shal be lightned Consider the old generations of men ye children and marke them them well was there ever any confounded that put his trust in the Lord or who hath continued in his feare and was forsaken or whom did he ever dispise that called upon him For God is gracious and mercifull and forgiveth sins and saveth in the time of trouble and is a defender for all them that seek him in