but for the glory of thy name to mollifie to cleanse and alwayes to kéepe cleane oure harde stonie and euill stuffed hartes with the déepe piercing deawe of thine heauenly grace that where all those terrible punishmentes and moste gréeuous plagues before mentioned are already deuised prepared threatned and at an instant appoynted to fall vpon vs we may yet by thy mercie escape them extoll thée in thine vnspeakeable goodnesse and magnifie thine holy name from our hartes and with our tongs and voices and feare to prophane or abuse it no neither yet thy creatures in heauen or in earth but most humbly with al ioyfulnesse to attend to thy sōnes most holy precept which is not to sweare at all by any thing but in our communication to vse yea yea nay nay euen from hart and mouth simply truly and without dissimulation and to passe forthe our liues and conuersation in our calling reuerently sincerely and vncorruptly as becommeth faithfull and vnfained Christians the true louers and professoures of thine only holy name which is to be blessed for euer Amen XV. For the possessyng of a peaceable and quiet conscience SEing thy kingdome O GOD as thou sayest is within vs and that it behooueth as thou haste taught vs to haue outward things of this world and the world it selfe in contempt and to embrace only with good affecte all inwarde things to the beautifying of the inwarde man whereby we shall the more aptly féele in déede thine holy kingdome to come into vs which kingdome is thine most high most glorious holy eternall and euerlasting a kingdome of ioy and peace in the holy ghost whereof the wicked hathe no parte in possession but only thine holy electe and precious redéemed inheritaunce Graunt vnto vs all we humbly pray thée such loue towardes thée and thine heauenly kingdome that for thy sake and for the loue therof we may cōtenine our selues estéeme but light of this life and set all this world at naughte And being lifted vp in spirite aboue oure selues and voide of all inordinate desires excelling in oure liues in all heauenly vertues and be suche in déede inwardly as we séeme to the worlde outwardly our soules may be made fit habitacles to enioy thy glorious presence with most happy felicitie extolling thy grace glorying in the woorkes of true holynesse and in the testimonie of a peaceable and quiette conscience which is in all menne a secrete knowledge a priuie opener inwarde accuser a ioyfull quieter of their myndes in all their dooings and a witnesse bearer of the truthe euen vnto the presence and precise iudgement of thée oure God. O graunt therfore vnto vs most gratious God so to be directed by thy holy spirite that oure consciences may be vnto vs vnstained and pure euen as a very perfecte and cleare glasse speedely to be looked into and plainely to sée in tyme with a true and perfecte sighte not onely the moste filthy foule spottes and enormious blemishes of oure sinnefull and sicke soules but also the very smallest or beginnings of diseases by soone quicke touche or sharpe pricke of remorse whereby feare may be conceiued of imminet daunger and by humble sute to flée fast vnto thée the moste readie perfecte and heauenly Phisition that we may be soone salued wyth the oyntment of thy diuine grace and not to be as the wicked whose consciences are moste déepely corrupted inwardly rankeled deade and benummed throughe carelesnesse and the custome of sinne that they cannot once féele sée nor perceyue their owne most lothsome sicknesse and deformitie of soule vntill thou O God by the stroke of thy deadly darte layest them open before theyr faces to their own confusion sodaine and swifte destruction and so their consciences being now foūd most déepely wounded the worm therof terribly gnawing biting and accusing them they fall most damnably into desperation without regard of thy maiestie or any hope at all of thy tender mercie O heauenly father and the only fountaine of all grace tourne thy face from oure sinnes deliuer vs from thy wrathfull indignation and so strengthen vs by the power and lighte of thine eternal spirit that we may be trained to the true knowledge and perfecte obedience of thy will that we may in all oure doings remember our profession and promisse possesse firme faithe which truely quieteth and setteth at rest the conscience of man feare thy iudgementes liue vprightly and worthily before thée glory in the testimonie of a good conscience sprinkled and cleansed with the bloud of thy sonne Christ enioy peace and true gladnesse not troubled inwardly but sléepe quietly not glorying in the praises of men but reioyce only in thée oure God in thy mercy and grace in thy holy truthe in the price of oure redemption and in the onely moste happie state of eternall felicitie which thou haste faithfully promised which thy sonne hathe purchased which vnto vs shall be performed most happely and in due time thorowe thine onely frée grace and loue towardes vs in the precious deathe and bloud shed of thine only sonne our alone sauiour only aduocate and mediator Iesus Christe Amen XVI To haue in remembrance the houre of death CAlling to mynde O eternall god the fickle state of humain felicitie the swifte passage of this brickle life how man standeth héere in a vaine shadowe freshly florishing like a floure to day and can to morowe no where be founde and as quickely forgotten as he is gone and yéeldeth then vp by the dint of death his swifte passage to God or to the Deuill O how it behooueth vs to startle sodainely to bestirre vs to looke aboute vs and to prepare spéedely for so sodayne assaulte But howe shall we Lorde standing in déede in such infelicitie slumbring in suche securitie so infected with frailetie so compassed with flatterie cloked in hipoerisie and ouerwhelmed with vanitie neither yet féele in oure selues any fighte or trouble of conscience prepare vs as we oughte for so conueniente a tyme Thou knowest O Lorde as by thy wrathe we iustly also féele howe sedainly vnwares death cruelly assaileth vs and strippeth vs from our pleasures vayne delectations and delusious of this deceitfull worlde We regarde nothing at all the sodaine comming of the sonne of man by whose mighty arme in our forgot fulnesse we he woorthily stricken to the death and to our mother the earth againe in whose entrails we were once brod and oute of whose moste ponsoned pappes we haue suckt the milke of all our deadly delites and with the brusting draught of our most beastly excesse we haue sodainely ouerthrowne our selues and haue very willingly faln vpon thy mercilesse swoorde of deathe Throughe which iudgement wort and terrible time we shall begin then to thinke with late wailing and wo far otherwise of our formen liues than we did before in the lulling dayes of our carnall delices we shall then conswer the greatnesse and granitie
sore pressed oure consciences moste fovvly defiled burdened depely galled and vvounded the iudgementes of the highest not vvayed oure invvard senses benummed oure hartes hardened all diuine graces contemned and so vvith the plages of God the more svviftly by his iustice confounded heaping in the vvhile vēgeance vpō our selues against the day of his vvrathe and publike declaration of his proclaimed and iust iudgement and to be dampned vvith the vvorld vvith the Diuell and his Angels for euer vnto vvhom by vvhose custome and importune knocking at the doores of our gracelesse very vaine and most frutelesse hearts the knocking of the Lorde Christ vvilfully neglected vvee haue subiected oure selues and opened vvide vnto him to let in both him self his conioyned companions and vvith them all abhomination and vnrightuouseneste to quicken vvith more hast the flames of Gods furie to make ponderous and ouer heauie the svvitfe descending ballance of his very terrible irrcuokeable iustice To the ende therefore this small and moste simple volume may vnder youre godly protection gather the rather some estimation and credite passe forth for good to the vse of the godly I moste humbly beseeche youre vvorship so to accepte it in the simplicitie thereof and graunt thereunto your Christian furtherance that some good for Goddes glory may grovve thereby to some that some liues at the least may be somevvhat amended the furies of God the sooner preuented and the bright lighte of the sonne of god shine with more povver amongste vs to ouerthrovve vs in his feare to beate flatte to the earth our carthie and proude fleshe and to vvaste soone or consume for good and most happie chaunge our most damnable vvorks of darknesse I shall as of bounden duetie for this and for other the like causes deserued most humbly pray for you that God in mercie may euer blesse both you your moste vvorthy beloued in Christe your ofspring and vvhole familie Your humble and daily Oratoure THOMAS Paulfreyman An exhortation to the christen Reader BEing mindful de uout christian of god thine heauēly father and as best beseemeth thee an earthly creature always to remember thy maker that by a quickning spirite in the inwarde and newe man commended vnto thee from aboue thorough the free grace of election in Iesus Christ by whom thou art new borne to whom thou art coupled a quick and a lyuely member with whom thou art partaker of the Heauenly and diuine nature euen the nature of God thine eternall father In whom thine harte is prepared towardes him by whome thou seekest most truly to knowe him most earnestly to loue him diligently to seeke him faythfully to serue hym most lowly to honour him reuerently to feare and obey him and so foorth as his only worde of truth most straightly prescribeth and precisely requireth of thee of all people and in all estates thoroughout all generations In his hygh magnificence almightynesse etermtie great power and maiestie to loue him in his benignitie in his myldenesse tendernesse faithfulnesse truth and greate mercie to feare him in his lordly dignitie princely gouernment statelinesse rough countenance wrathefulnesse seuere iustice and iudgement and to offer daily vnto him the acceptable sacrifice of faithfull and hartie prayers in the name of his sonne Iesus Christe as hee himselfe most healthfully taughte thee and for whose onely sake promyse is made to heare thee that his myghtye hande may ener preserue thee vphold thee keepe thee safe norishe thee directe strengthen defende and deliuer thee in all places at all tymes and in al cases of necessitie bothe of bodge and soule and to giue thee also thorough Christ his holy spirite as a seale of assurance to certifie thee that thou arte the chyld of God inwardly to inflame and comforte thee to warke true faith into thee to dispose with cherefulnesse the frutes of true charitie to quiet thee in al tempests of aduersitie yea and to leade thee still on by the hande for the tyme and from time to tyme vnto the place of rest the cheerefull and safe porte the restfull hauen or moste sure rode of eternalioy and felicitie If thou desire to enioy all these and suche lyke blessings as are moste needefull for thee both for body and soul from the hand of God and according to the measure of the gift of Christ O hearken then vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God Incline bubly thine eare prepare thine hart sike him early in holinesse turne thee vnto him without delay receyue him with most pure affection and lift vp sone thy sickely soule to beholde the glory of his countenaunce O bond thy body of earth downe to the face of the earthe Grone in thy selfe to God with greefe and lay open simply before him the felt secretes of thy sinful hart Call daily vppon him and so aduisedly trie him as thou hast assured trust in him And before thou duetifully at temptest thy godly contemplatiōs prayers praises and thanks giuing to God prepare thee earnestly a sitte soule for the presence of so high and great a God. Forget not before whome thou presentest thy selfe and vnto whome thou doste minde to talke Be not vainly or wiekedly presumptuous in thine high and great attempt before him Abase thy selfe tremble in his presence Remember god beholdeth al disorders in thee with a piercing sharpe and reuenging eye 1 Examine therfore thy selfe before with indgemente Descende deepely into thine owne bowells and see there whether thou be as of ryghte thou oughtest truely penitent for thy former sinnes and wickednesse 2 Whether thou determinest thence forth from thine hearte not to tourne againe vnto them as dothe a cleane washed swine which newly defiles hir selfe in the lothsome and foule stinking mire 3 Whether thou bee in his sighte a louble faced or deepe dissembling hipotrite touching thy dealings with him and the worlde as thy booke in thee of records moste playnely witnesseth vnto thee 4 Whether thou bee as by name thou professest a zelouse fauorer of the word of life 5 Whether thou with the Prophet Dauid vnseinedly hatest all supersticiouse vanities contrary to the word of life 6 Whether thou with the said prophete feelest in thy selfe to be grieued with the enemies of God and with all such as rise vp ageinst him or to suppresse the word of life 7 Whether thou weyest wyth thy selfe that like as thy body being but of an earthy and corporall substaunce cannot possiblie liue without the vsual nourishmente of materiall bread and meate so the soule in the spirituall state therof cannot liue but be sterued and dye euen the eternall and euerlasting deathe withoute the spirituall nutriment and heauenly sweete tast of the woorde of God whiche to the soule is the onely breade of lyse and whereafter thou shouldest hunger too vpholde thy lyfe 8 Whether thou stedfastly beleue to be saued by the only merites death and bloudshed of Christ crucified vpon the crosse withoute thyne owne and other mens
great glory as thou sholdest confesse is ascended on high and sitteth with almightinesse power and maiestie on the right hand of his heauenly father with open and fresh bleeding wounds the many fest marks impressions before him for euer of the purchased most preciouse redeemed inheritance euen for thee most notoriouse and deadly sinner by the secrete testimonie of thine owne conscience These things such like of thee thus christenly considered thou mayest bee bold with thy most merciful and louing god But yet agayne I say vnto thee hold thee sure vnto thy sauiour christ swarue not frō him nor frō the vertue of his onely merites wherby thou must be onely saued Cleaue then close to the rocke of assurance leane to no loose nor sandie safetie Trust not to the rottennesse of our humane deuises labour not to languish in a maze of vncertaintie Bemoyle not thy selfe in suche myre of mortalitie and shun soone such shoures as wil wrecke thy soules fidelitie Then cry as J sayd and ceasse not to craue pardon of God thy father in his sonne name ' Doubte not of thy sute what so euer it be for it shal by good motiō be so vpright so reasonable so acceptable before him and allowable and shal touch therwith so neere the tendernesse of his mercy his truthe and fidelitie that of necessitie graunt muste bee made vnto thee he wil not denie thee the requests of thy lippes yea he will so graciously tender thee that foreseing thy cause of inwarde complaynte he wyll prepare quickely thine heart most faithfully to call vpon him Beleeue therfore faithfully trust of assurance and thou shalte surely obteine thy desire with greate mercy and fanour at his holy hande Thy sinnes shal not be imputed vnto thee thou shalte bee blessed and righteouse in the sighte of God all the dayes of thy life so happily shall thine hart be prepared so mightily shal thy prayers preuayle for thee they will forcibly pearce the celestiall and high heauens approche neare to the onely throne of grace and maiestie cry incessantly for thee will not returne from the presence of God nor once be satisfied before the full graunt of their humble sute for thy sauing health and cōmoditie To conclude in all thy godly attemptes whether in praying fasting geuing of Almes frequenting the holy Sacramentes or rendering moste hartie thankes vnto God for his infinite Mercies Graces Blessinges and Benefites bestowed vppon thee and vppon his whole Churche from the beginning vntill this present day and what soeuer in holinesse thou commendest daily vnto him let it always be done vprightly orderly with christian comelynesse and modestie with peace of conscience faithfully constantly cherefully and in charity as the only worde of God moste straitely byndeth thee Which I pray to God may clerely shine into thee by the power of his holy spirite who quicken thee this day to morow and for euer and kindle in thee towardes him the firie flames of his true loue throughe his sonne Chryst Iesus who speedely graunt thee the same signement of his holy hand and satisfie thee with inward ioy in all thy moste lowefull and diuine desires Amen FINIS A deuout meditation of the godly Christian with a briefe Confession and Prayer WHen I O heauenly father thorowe the glorie of thine only eternal gracs am euē in the middest of many muses lamentable mournings déepe sighings and inwarde monings to my self most happily stirred to the due consideration of my self and in what perillous state I euer stande here in this wretched worlde how in the breuity therof I am compassed with many miseries with greuous plagues and punishmentes with dreadful calamities perilles and dangers with diuers maladies sicknesses aand infirmities bothe of body and mind how by the mighty power also pollicie of mine ancient and most deadly enimy the olde subtile serpent this deceitful vaine world as also mine own weaknes corruption apte inclination most vile subiection to sinne I am daily assaulted and tempted to sinne and in cōmitting sinne become the seruant of sin must acordingly looke for death the iuste reward of sinne bicause diuersly therwith and damnably through disobedience the breach of thy law in thought word and déede I haue and do most gréeuously offend the will of thy Maiestie and am become thereby a very Sathanist the childe of the diuel to hasten thy furies vpon mée that he shuld vse his tirānie against me for so witnesseth by accusation my wounded conscience whereby my soule is daylie dysquieted sore clogged gretly destled maruelously amased made monstruouse before thée and hated of thée wherevnto my freedom and innocencie being lost of my owne concupiscence am accustomably blinded drawne and entised and by the malice thereof both vnderstanding heart and wil are holden captiue and in deadelie slauery to the diuel the only author and beginner of all euell concupiscence and sinne By which occastō in stead of healthsome and profitable thinges I ofte desire very noysome most pernitious and hurtfull things And my soule also which in the excellencie therof through reason and the vprightnesse of the inward man should beare the beauty of thy heauenly and most glorious ymage in perfect puritie and innocencie through the corruption therof is sowly deformed and sore blemished and made accordingly his euill fauoured most filthy image and so woorthily by thy iustice shaken off and caste from the presence of thy deitie So that héereby O Lord thou hast yet by the continuance of thy grace moued me to consider that if thy mercies did not abounde vppon me or that thy gratious fauoure should nowe or at any time in this most deadly plight vtterly forsake me and not rather cōfortably with spéedy and most swift sway turne againe towardes me and bring therwith from thine heauenly presence the distilling moystures and large flowing streames of thy celestiall dewe plentifully drawne from the swéete fountains of my sauioure to refresh comfort make whole againe clense beautifie my very leprous moste sinneful and sicke soule and of thy méere mercie to reduce hir to hir pristinate former state my case should be most miserable my bands shuld be indissoluble I shoulde become a cursed reiect remain a fire brand of hell for euer But as thy loue O Lord is vnspeakeable and thy fatherly mercie toward me infinite which willest not the deathe of a sinner but rather he should fourne from his wickednesse and liue and offrest him time and space to repēt and amende so haste thou now in mercie remembred me looked back againe vpon me cheared and comforted me encreased true faithe in me thy spirit hath renued me stirred me to call moste humbly vnto thée set me frée from the ennemie pitied my soules deformitie prepared the most healthful remedie for the bloud of thy sonne Iesus hathe clensed me whereby thou haste so quickened me that my soule reioyseth within me with most earnest
rest of the .v. Cities and their whole countrey with firie flames sulpher and Brimstone from heauen were destroyed with suche other like the terror of thy vengeance by sharpe plages punishments vpon others cléerly mentioned in thy holy scriptures plainly approued in other histories and daily both knowne and felt amongst vs O most gratious louing father create therfore in vs we beséeche thée hunble contrite clean harts renue within our bowels right spirites and turne all voluptuousnesse away from vs that neither in thought word nor déede we willingly offend the sight of thy maiestie And graunt that whether we liue vnmattried or in the holy state of Matrimonie we may leade our liues in puritie true holinesse and chastitie And when at any time we féele in our selues to be assalted with temtation or stirred by euil luste to cōmit obhomination we may then haue strengthe of thy grace to sette before oure eyes thy iustice the rewarde of sinne the terror of deathe the day and end of this life the gnawing worme of our conscience thy terrible doome the chalenge of the Deuill the euerlasting tormentes and the horrible paines of hell And that we liuing in oure christian calling and holy profession in all puritie hothe of bodie and soule all the dayes of our liues we may receiue in the ende the rewarde of euerlasting felicitie sée thée face to face in thine eternall and most glorious kingdome thorow thy sonne Iesus Christe Amen XIIII A Prayer against svvearing and blasphemie WHen we O holy eternall God haue in remembraunce as we be charged thy precise wil and cōmaundementes giuen generally vnto vs all and binding vs all from euil namely amōg the rest not to take the name of thée our god in vain nor in any wise to abuse it as doth the wicked Ethuieke that knoweth not thy name irreligiously vainly and falsoly but at all times to consider well of it highly to extoll it and haue it in dureuerence as behooneth the faithful louers and professors of the same least we be 〈◊〉 of thee accurssed and guiltie and sustaine as thou hast threatned thy moste iuste and sharpe reuenge we are héere greatly occasioned to consider our present and moste daungerous state howe vnperfecte wretched and dampnable it is in thy sighte throughe oure deadly fal from thy will in this holy precept and are nowe driuen cyther to séeke remedie at thine onely mercifull hande or to perishe in hel eternally we beséethe thée moste humbly O thou God of all grace that as thou beholdest in vs the erroure of oure liues and oure corrupted inclination to all sinne and vanitie contrary to the prescripte rule of thy holy lawe and to séeke thereby as muche as ut vs lyeth the disglory of thy name to worke our owne shame and vtter confusiou so to graunt nowe vnto vs that oure soules in their vnclenlinesse horriblenesse blasphemous state may be truly purged of al infectiōs deadly darknesse wilfull malice ignorāce and the sights of them refreshed quickened made liuely and perfecte by the bright light and true faith in thy holy woorde that they may cléerely and comfortably see know and beholde the true glory of thy maiestie thereby also inwardly féele the swéete promisses of thine heauēly grace the frée pardone also of all our sinnes and the receiuing of vs into thy grace fauor not for any thing at all in our selues but for thy sonne Christe Iesus sake throughe which only mercy and great goodnesse graunted vnto vs in him thou arte and of righte euer oughtest to be only estomed of vs only praised magnified and highly reuerenced as thy name in heauen in earth moste condignely of all requireth which is from vs euen so muche in euery respect as we in déede truely know thée in thy sonne Christe by whome only and throughe grace in him we are stirred most woorthily to extol thy most glorious and holy name but not so lightly by custome to prophane it and vnreuerently abuse it whether by cruell blasphemie contempte of thine heauenly woorde true religion doctrine or otherwise in our sinneful conuersation or euill maner of liuing Take vs therefore we pray thée to thy mercie O Lord and that soone for great is our sinne and iniquitie in this accustomed sinne of blasphemie O set thy feare spéedely before our eyes and shut not vp from vs the knowledge of thy truthe our director to rightuousnesse but kindle inwardly into oure soules the lighte thereof leaste in the deadly darkenesse pride and great peruersitie of our wicked harts we do daily degenerate turne from our profession fall willingly from thée become ingratefull vaine proude and high minded contumelious spitefull shamelesse open enimies and very blasphemous againste thée as the only possessors of the deuill and falling like reprobates from iniquitie to iniquitie Who for theyr horrible abuses sake and prophanation of thy name how they shall be woorthily plaged thine hande of iustice not being shortned is plainely euident in thy most sacred and heauenly woord of truthe For thou thy selfe haste saide that what so euer he be that is a blasphemer vseth thy name vainly and vnprofitably shall not escape thy scurges and punishments And in an other place it is also wrytten that who so euer vseth muche to sweare shall be filled with curssings and iniquity and the plage which is the iuste bengeance of thy wrath shall neuer depart frō his house but shal in time consume it and all the inhabitantes thereof Again we read out of thy Prophet Zacharie that thou shewedst vnto him flying in the air a maruellous large and a great booke euen .xx. cubites in length .x. in bredth wherin was contained the horrible plages that are prepared for all thē which contemptuously malitiously vainly falsly or rashely sweare by thy blessed and holy name O Lorde of infinite mercies and long suffering God that art to be blessed for euer whose mercyes reacheth vnto the heauens if thou in these our dayes of great abhomination curssed blaspheming taking thy holy name in vaine so carelessy vsually and by custome for euery smal trifle bisides other deadly and dampnable sinnes daily committed amōgst vs shouldest in the iudgement of thine owne cause flersly rise vp againste vs or as thy Prophet Dauid sayth extréemely marke what is done amisse O Lord how shuld we abide it How should we moste sinnefull wretches in these dayes abide the terror of thy vengeance that by thy iustice hangeth ouer vs or should in a moment consume vs all like stubble But thou rewardest vs not according to our sinnes thy mercie endureth for euer and therefore to auoide the terror of thy iustice due vnto vs most disobediēt sinners we appeale to the déep fountains of thy mercy humbling our selues before thy mercies seat with penitent harts for the remission of our sins that thou wilt not impute thē now vnto vs
thée and take me to thy mercy sometune one of thy great enimies very wicked very faithlesse obstinate headie and rebellious but nowe thy louing brother thy faythfull frende thyne obediente louer and a sounde member of thy body O saue me then I say comforte my soule guyde mée in thy wayes strengthen mée and let not thy spirite departe from mee that I may hencefoorthe ioyfully please thée and render alwayes vnto thy father through thée all due prayse honour and glory here in thys vale of myserie and in the euerlasting world which is to come Amen FINIS Whervnto the eternal spirite stirreth the hearts of gods electe A preparation to Prayer Certaine special cautes folowing that are to be coÌ„sidied by gods childreÌ„ wherof they examin the selues before prayer and receyning of the holy sacramintes to auoid his heauy iudgemeÌ„ts The diffrence to be considered betweene the true christians fayth the faith of the diuell and the reprobate The true christiaÌ„ at earnest defiance with the diuel and she weth vnto him for his discoâ—â—gemeÌ„t the power of his fayth The mercy grace of God â—n the hearts of his elect to cosider in this life their dangerous and miserable state for sinne CoÌ„cupiscence and the malice therof The diuell the onely author of concupiscence and sin The soules de formitie thorowe sinne True faith in the abouÌ„ding mercies of God. The miserable state of the sicke Soule without true faith in the fre mercy of god The feeling of the grace of god The humble submission confession of the faythfull Soule A calling vnto God for comfort and strength The fighte of the faythfull Soule What danger they fall into that forsake god and leane to the worlde and the pleasures thereof The seruice of God what it is The worlde a deepe dongeon wherin the children of vanitie are enclosed Armoure of rightuousenesse Christian chiualrie The sight of a christian 〈…〉 in the seruice of god must be continuall and couragious Palone of victorie Crowne of glorie Hid Manna And a White stone The scriptures of God only receyued of the faithfull Superstitions false worship pings c. Our professioÌ„ in holy Baptisme Enemies of Gods word Hartie prayer to God maketh vs constante in the word of God. The worde of God what it is and how of the godly to be considted God the only instructour of all in all ages An apt Prayer for these oure dayes Faithe only breathed into the hartes of Gods elect True faithe in Christe Faithe iustifieth The power of Faith. The miserable state of man in thys life Man posses seth in himself two powers and of sundly inclinations The serpent cause of discorde Prince of sedition The meane to knowe the good motions from the bad The inconuenience of care lesnesse or not to receiue in time the good motions of God. The power of the spirite of light and truthe The way and mene to plese God in this life Holy discipline Exercises of the crosse The inconuenieuce that commeth by sufferance and cuill custome He is happie that humbleth him selfe to discipline MaÌ„ in present danger God at hand to deliuer Pynches to the proude flesh are somtime necessarie Man for a time is but an exile from his home and a pilgrime The Iustice of God and sinne are not clerely seuered in this life amoÌ„g the children of God. Man but a worme duste and ashes Man moste vayne and naught Mans humble subiection before God attayneth the grace mercy and peace of God. Man a thing of nothing It is better for a man to obey than to leane to his owne sway The inconuenience that commeth by disobedieÌ„ce The iudgements of God ouer seditious rebelles Princes and Magistrates are the most apte InstrumeÌ„ts stirred of God to further his glory here vppon earth What it is to imitate christ How we shold for the greate loue of God lone hym agayne Humilitie God threatneth the world for sinne The Canker couetousnesse how it reigneth Conetousnes how it worketh Couetousnes the woorshipping of Idols Couetousnesse he we it hathe preuayled Children of diffidence Abac. 2. Constancie in chastitie Sole life Matrimonie a fountayne in Gods church The corruptioÌ„ of fleshe and bloud The power of flesh and blud and what they worke The pumishe ments of God for vnclennes of lyse To bee a blasphemer of Gods name is rather the propertie of an ethnik than a Christian The errour of our liues The power of Gods word The mercy of God in Christ The inconue niece that foloweth the want of Gods worde The punishe ments and plages of God for taking his name in vaine The necessitie of Gods mercie Sute for mercie The sanctifying of Gods holy name The kingdom of heauen A quiet conscience The nature of a mans conscience Wicked consciences The con modity of a quiet conscience Mans life fickle and but a vayne shadow The damnable state of mankinde in thys frayle life In what case we shal stande at the houre of death The blacke enfine of deth displayed Discipline worketh the fourme of good liuing The sweete frutes of good lyfe agaynst the comming of death Paciente abyding of death bringeth the soule to rest The maiestie and great power of God ouer al flesh God a God of vengeance Gods iudgements are to be remebred and why Gods iudgements are terable and thuÌ„ dring The heauens the Angelles theÌ„ selues and the stars falne from heauen are all subject to the iudgements of god God at the last day by his iust iudgemeÌ„t rendereth full payment vnto all wicked sinners God freely by his grace dyrecteth to good life Christ is chalenged and why Christes obedience to hys father for hys flocke The cause of christs death The bonde of the wealthy in this world Christ aboundeth in heaueÌ„ly riches chatitie power and loyes in comparable The distressed loule Christ humbly chalenged Chryst bound to helpe and why Chryste the head and cow foâ—â—er of hys members Store remayneth of Gods grace The assured fayth of the thirsten soule Fayth in Christes bloud Scabde shepe Chryst the phisitian Christ humbly chalenged Strong faythe in Chryste Rom. 15. Chrysts incarnation natiuitie so forth are al chalenged of the faithfull soule as his owne Rom. 8. Math. 20. Chryst a seruaunt Chryst a conquerour Paradise purchased by Christe Experience of Christes good nature and his mercie Math. xj xxij Iohn 6 Ioho 12. Math. 5. Roma 1. Christes payment and howe Ezech 16. Ezech. 16. Math 18. Sinne of Gods electe Iohn 15. Chryste the onely sauiour the onely adâ—ocate Sinne of the reprobate The bloud of Abel cried for vengeance Chrystes bloud calleth to saluation ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman for William Norton ANNO. 1572.
merites eyther their most damnable and idolatrous deuised vanities 9 Whether thou thynkest it not the Dyuels bewytchyng by his maligne mimsters to bee depriued of so pious and precious a prepared raunsome 10 Whether thou at the receyuing of the holy mysteries of Christes body and bloud vnderstandest them to bee his owne only ordinance for the vse of his holy churche and to bee witnesses therein of the open and publike confession of the true saithe whiche thou haste in him and to be saued onely by his bodilye death and the bloudy sacrifice vppon the Crosse once for all offered vnto God his heauenly father for thine for mine for al the sinnes of the whole worlde euen so many as haue this acceptable saithe of God in them 11 Whether thou haue regarded by the word of God touching the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud the difference therin betwixt the Diuelles faith and thine either the saithe of an Hipocritishe and dampnable reprobate 12 Whether thou hast by true saithe repugned the Deuill who boldely chalēgeth thee as he thinketh he may be bolde and maketh equall compart son with thee of thy saithe touching simplie the confession of Christe as of his Conception by the holy Ghost of his Natiuitie and birth of the virgine Marie to be also the Sonne of God liued perfecte and vndefiled man vppon the earthe his doings to be onely omnipotent most miraculous wonderfull suffered most sharpe and cruell death was buryed rose againe ascended into the heauens verie God and very man yea and of his retourne also againe vnto iudgement All these things the Diuels beleeue and confesse with thee but yet vtterly vnperswaded to be his onely sufficient sauioure and redeemer by his precious bloude shedde and deathe euen as those saithlesse wickednesse which in theyr vnsoundnesse stubbornesse vnstayednesse touching the couenant of God in his sonne Christe for their saluation accompt the price of his precious bloud to be insafficient for them withoute the very absurde and most fond annexing of their owne and other mennes merites and so to make Christe vnto them selues to be at the moste but a mingled peeced botched and patched Sauioure 13 Whether thou hast on this maner folowing considered of Sathans chalenge and comparison with thee and sayde thus vnto hym in the secrecies of thy faithfull soule for thy defence O thou very mortal most cruel and damned enemie I vnfaynedly from myne hart defie thee I withstande thee to the face thou hast naught to doo with me or to make suche comparisous with mee in my christen and most holy profession I know full wel thy malice and stoutnesse which hath ben in thee from the beginning bothe agaynste the annoynted of God and all his Experiēce teacheth me of thy not slumbring of thy wandring about and seeking watchefully to deuoure and to spoyle mee of my faith wherby I must be saued I tell thee thou most wicked one thy trauell is all in vayn I am none of thyne nor nothing inclined to thyne affection or motions I am Gods I tell thee and the perswaded childe of God by his spirit of truth who by grace possessing me and by his power mightily working in mee hath moste graciously planted in my harte the frutefull tree of pictie of true and perfect fayth fast roted in me deply stayed and surely setled euen with the finger of god my father touching the dignitie price and true estimation of his sonne and mine onely sauiours most preciouse body for mine only health and eternal saluatiō And though I haue falne or fainted as traiterously thou hast tripped me yet of frailtie haue J falne not wilfully of malice as thou haste most maliciously tempted me which God hath seene in me in mercy therfore hath raised me vp ageyne and wil stil vpholde me in spite of thee Art thou ignorant of this thou griseled and foule helly monster that I am not such a one as thou art or as thou woldest haue mee to bee doubtefull of my faythe as the wicked are to leaue the freedome of Gods spirite and to bee entangled agayne in thine infernall filthy bands Thinkest thou that I beeyng nowe called to the lighte and knowledge of the sweete woorde of life whereof I haue truely tasted and haue in detestation mine olde conuersation will be newly agayne deceiued offer to approche eyther once nibble or smell to thy beslubbered brackishe and most filthy embrued baytes Notest thou me of suche slipperinesse that hauyng farre entraunce in the spirite and feele the incomparable ioyes therof that I will nowe ende in the greefes and sorrowes of the fleshe to sette so lyttle by the Kyngdome of Iesus Chryste that taking holde of the Plough will now looke backe agayne to bee as a Dogge and to returne agayne to my vomite or as a beastely Swyne to beraye my selfe agayne in the myre to defourme the Image of God and to defile his holy Temple No no Sathan thou arte deceiued I tell thee truely for thy discouragemente I am now better schooled well armed and better warned to let thee goe for naughte Knowest thou not that I haue put vppon me to endure for euer my Lorde and God my Chryste and Sauioure Art thou forgetfull O thou enemie that I in true faythe professing his name and receyuing woorthily hys bolye and most blessed Sacraments by the onely rule of his word am armed ouer all with his only healthful and most mercifull merites to strengthen me mightily ageinst thee who is made mine with all that he hathe and I am onely hys hoth body and soule one bodye wyth him fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones Ah Sathan this certeinty and truth in faith considered wastefull are thy wretched wandringes and wylye waightings to wreck and vex my soul Away from me away J say thou cursed and spightfull spirite or stay if thou lust to offer boldly vnto mee as thou darest thy very blashlesse and bragge attempts of malignitie I yet tell thee they shall not hurt me neither do I any thing esteeme thee J regard not thy force J feare not thy fury The Lorde is my God he is the God of my strēgth and considence thou hast of thy selfe no powre at all ageinst me For what so euer thou attempteste or seekest to performe therin to thy wil thou wantest powre But that which thou doest is by his onely omnipotent hande and sufferaunce that is my God whose waight and mightinesse thy broosed braines hath selte to make thee stonpe for euer to hamper thee at his will to thine owne irons to ouer throwe thee soone in thine owne tourne and to blowe thee backewarde at will euen with the breath of his mouth into the bailesse and deepe botomelesse pitte whose bonde slaue thou art and a drudge enforced and in thine outrage by his permission a knowne peerelesse paricide a very restlesse pitilesse and most gracelesse raunging roge the only ring leader and infectuouse ranke roote of all reproch
of all mischieues and abhomination vnder the sonne 14 O beloued Christian Whether art thou in this wise armed with saith too stande too the face of the Diuell sharply to reproue him and put him to flighte 15 Whether hast thou in thine harte through this saith heauenly mirth and melody inward reioicing and thy retourne with triumphe exalted the name of thy God felt in thy selfe to bee doubtlesse his childe and too loue as thou lawfully oughtest the lawe of thy deare and most louing father 16 Whether hast thou considered or not this heauenly mistery aforesaid to be the Sacramente of true pietie the Character of perfecte vnttie and the most assured band of frutful and christian charitie 17. Whether thou being a subiecte in any estate borne to be ruled vnder thy soueragne and not to rule bearest vnto hir thy dere and natural Prince as also to thine natiue countrey by the bloud of Goddes woorde a naturall saithfull and true louing harte 18 And finally whether thou bee christianly charitable or a cleere remitter of all thy neighbours offences as thou thy selfe woldest of God be clerely remitted And so foorth in all other thinges as best behoueth thine holye profession least to the coÌ„trary in gods sighte all thy conceyued holinesse by orater or whatsoeuer beeing but provbane hipocritish childish mere darknesse and very folly there be founde in thee but the only title or vnauailable bare name of christianitie and therefore verie perniciouse burifull and to be tourned into sinne ageinst thee and so in stead of healthfull very delightfull and beautifull blessings which thou daily huntest after the banefull most bitter and blacke curses of God doo sodeinly fall vppon thee Beware then J exhorte thee looke well to thy selfe in time flatter not thy selfe vainly or rather dampnablie be not longe a dalier in the schoole house of daliaunce be not alwayes a fondling a weakling or a suckling a milkesoppe or babish infante in Chryst weye truely the vertue of healthefull manfull and strong nourishmente in Chryste attende to the tyme thou shouldeste nowe bee a strong man in Chryste thou art now as a man most grationsly visited for the highest doo seeke thy company than the which what shouldest thou more desire O remember then how very reprochfull how vnmaÌ„full vnhealthfull hurtfull miserable and discoÌ„mendable is thy seruile state in such wise to be pind in not to growe out in time nor get from thy rockinges thy wearisome wrappinges or swadling bandes of extreame weakenesse but alwayes to be lulde in the armes of vntimely tendernesse wherby thou art barred from thy highest and moste chiefe solicitie Way warely by the scriptures thy due danger and discommeÌ„dation of suche thine insensibilitie and wearishnesse Shouldest not thou rather reioice to be calde as a man of strength to the felowship ripe age and strong manhode of Christe and to be partaker in his presence of his most frendefull healthfull strengthfull and heaueÌ„ly banket whereunto al things are already prepared and therunto art thou now called God also graunt thee to be in the number of his electe that thou maist with saith set forwards thy fote hungerly with zeale to striue for thy place to beleue by Gods only word that the lord of the seast fauoreth thee Be not hindred hinder not thy selfe let excuses be farre from thee deferre not the fauouring of thy soules refreshing loke to thy turne in time open to day thine eyes and be not yet blinde to morowe least with the blinde in thy wil of blindenesse thou be sone blindely led into the irrecouerable deepe and most damnable dungeon of blindnesse darknesse horror with the diuel the Prince of darknesse and death foreuer Consider this he that seeth thee euen as in deede thou art is a God of moste cleare sighte bright lighte truthe and rightuousnesse Call to minde towardes him thy true profession seruice turn not thâ—â— but of true kinde leane simply 〈◊〉 truthe ioyne not with the wickeâ— which by their questions dout of that truth and aske how knowe you that it is the word of truth for bothe they thou shall answer to that word of truthe whereby must be directed bothe thy religion and manners and wherin thou must be bothe mindefull skilful and thaÌ„keful for thy discharge Jgnoraunce cannot excuse thee it shall not excuse thee thou oughtest not be ignorant thou nedest not be ignorant what so euer is writteÌ„ is writteÌ„ for thy learning thou readest it thou hearest it or thou maist if thou luste It is not farre from thee It is before thine eyes in thine hart if grace be with thee towardes it and is most truely pronouÌ„ced vnto thee by the eternall spirite of truth that most miraculously with al simplicitie by his zealous ministers inwardly to pierce thee to lighten the darknesse of thine hart and to quicken true life vnto thee if thou haste eares to heare in these dayes the dayes of gods grace and of his heauenly visitation Vaine curiositie of faultes finding and complaining shal not serue thee in thy respecting of persones dayes and times they oughte not to hinder thee haue thou thine hart prepared stick thou to the graces of god offered What are slanderous brutes to thee if thou be of god a louer of the truth of which truthe let thine owne conscience be the iudge if it be not vtterly dead or most damnably benuÌ„med WheÌ„ thou hearest the truth in time take hold of truthe let not occasion slip from thee with hir turned baldnesse towardes thee for shee flieth swiftly and to cal hir again back wil not help thee yea the truth wil theÌ„ reproue thie be iuste iudge ouer thee and condempne thee to thy face for thy moste folishe and late repentaunce Jf truthe therefore offer hir selfe vnto thee stand most amiably before thee and sound most heauenly words vnto thine eare O attend then to the truth haue good opinion in the truth slie not from the truthe feare not the truthe ioyne to the truth be familiar with the truth beleue the truthe confesse boldly the truthe and stand stedfastly to the truth for truthe is of high excellencie a glorious ladie a dame of noble fame and of great antiquitie she is euer gratious vnto the frendly of full power also of great maiestie and familiar with the highest Thinke well therefore of truth entertaine hir reuerently shee shineth with glory vnto thee O let hir alwayes possesse thee reioyce in hir coÌ„panie and vse hir very frendly for she wil highly againe requite thee shen thee sone most freely hir natural vsage propertie which shal be all inwardly to serch thee thorowly to purge thee most clerely to pollish thee most beutifully to adorne thee to breake thy baÌ„ds of impietie to make the spiritually free and prefer thee through true saithe to possesse the high presence of the deitie This is truthes nature to deale kindly with thee if thou most vnkindly neglectest not hir companie
hearing apte receiuing keeping and continuing of the vvoorde of God amongst vs. COnsidering o thou God of al holinesse that the certainetie of oure Christian faithe standeth by the Scryptures or immoueable woorde of thy truthe which as thy messenger procéedeth from thee by thy gratious inspiration or secreate brething wherunto as vnto a seast royal euery man of al nations vnder heauen are called but are of thy Church only receiued and deuoutly vsed to the instruction confirmation strengthening and establishing of thine only faithfull true flocke and be as thy blessed Apostle calleth them sacred and holy birause they be heauenly moste precious diuine healthfull and comfortable to the soule excelling all the wisedom of Philosophers and the vainly wise of this world and be therefore in their high power and maiestie woorthily aboue all aduanced segregate and put aparte by them selues from all other wrytings of prophane matters and the flitting descriptions of men not onely pertaining to this present worlde and for the vse of this temporal life but also from all Ethnicke superstitians salse woorshippings wicked sacrifices and erronious opinions vsed contrary to thy woord against thée the only eternal and true God which by lying custome and crueltie are corruptly crepte into thy Church to the foule féeding filling defiling and poisonning therof and is yet daily occasioned therby wout thy grace to be sinisterly drawne and seduced straying frō the right way and haled to death by will in oure selues from the life that is in thée euen to eternall death and destruction we beséeche thée moste humbly O thou gracious God to enspire vs with thy holy spirite of truthe to kindle in all our hartes the fire of thy loue light and truth that by thy power in them oure faithes may be strengthened oure soules also humbled rightly ledde and instructed in thy word of loue light truthe and of eternall life by vertue wherof at our first entrāce to Christ our high Pastor we may truely vnderstande our profession and promisse in holy baptisme and haue it accordingly wrytten with thy finger of grace in our hartes to the true knowledge of thy law and the spiritual vnderstanding therof to loue thée moste woorthily aboue all and our neighbor as our selues as also to knowe the promisses of thy mercie in thy sonne oure Sauiour Iesus Christ most soundly and purely as thy holy word expresseth therein whereby we may be well vpholden and zealously staide in our profession to treade our pathes right to be guided by the true light to heare gladly the voice of oure shepheard Iesus Christe to testifie his name to folowe him the onely true lighte and not to feare the powers of darknesse but to ouercome them by thy mighte although euen with the losse of our liues not only the dalyings dimme deuises and vanities of the wicked and to shun all suche hatefull enemics as are vsuall mockers daily deprauers sinnefull despisers wilfull impugners wicked seducers double dealers backe sliders pluckers back from thy word but also the sleights of their father Sathan the enticements of the worlde and the filthie motions of the fleshe And to that happie ende O Lorde we may be constant and thy woorde euer abide in vs stirre vs vp to continuall and hartie prayer quicken our zeale woorke in vs a true liuely quicke and frutefull faithe that it being a bright shining light in our hartes to the expelling of all Hipocrisie cloudinesse darknesse and erroure and also our conuersation being answerable to our profession the continuance of thy grace may stil comfortably shine vppon vs thy holy woorde may continue amongste vs may be truely preached vnto vs diligently boldly and zealously vttered ouer al and by al the ministers thereof by what occasion time and place so euer it be for vnto vs that shall be saued it is a thing moste precious and holy It is the woorde of life the woorde of reconciliation the lanterne vnto oure féete and a light vnto our pathes the fountaine of wisedome the breade of life the foode of the soule thy mightie power and swoorde of the spirite And for as much O heauenly father as thy woordes thus to vswarde come from heauen are spirite and life and are not to be wayed with the vaine imagination policie wisedome or witte of man nor yet to be applied vnto the hurtfull pleasures of this sinnefull worlde but to be moste holily and highly estéemed moste humbly had in credite reuerently thought vppon gladly inclined vnto heard with silence and receiued with all modestie ghostly gréedinesse we humbly beséeche thée that as thou haste euer heeretofore ben the only gratious director instructor and teacher of thy holy Patriarks and Prophets Apostles and holy fathers from time to time from the beginning and amongste al men for thine electes sake in Iesus Christe continuest yet so still vntill this day O traine vs vp also in thine heauenly knowledge we pray thée prepare our harts teach vs thy law and wryte thy woordes of life in the tables of oure heartes that in these our monstrous dayes of moste wilfull vanitie which in their strangenesse crieth oute by plagues to be punished we may aforehande be warned we may be yet better schooled thy wrath thereby preuented our soules more spiritually nourished filled with thy fauoure more mortified daily from the vanities of this brickel life guided to more thristian modestie and temperāce affected solie to the way of holinesse comforted in all troubles and aduersities boldned manfully against the face of the enemies stayed well armed and strengthened against all temptations stirred vp to the encrease of all vertues that thy woordes which shal iudge vs in the last day being by thy ministers truely preached and of vs also as zealously embraced and by any meanes not to be despised or slandered but on all partes surely holden and to shewe for the accordingly the true frutes of rightuousnesse we may be called of thée thy holy disciples auoide I say the sal of thy vēgeāce amōgst vs thy iudgement also to eternal condemnation be receiued in time to euerlasting saluation throughe thy grace the only merites of thy sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen IIII. For Fayth BY reading or hearing thy holy worde O blessed sauiour we are taught that true fayth which is thine onely gifte is onely therby attayned and that by the power of thine heauenly spirite it is breathed into the onely hearts of all thine electe who receiue it by measure and quantitie according to the will and power of the same spirite and with thine eyes beholding it in them thou gloriest in them thou daily blessest them thou encreasest it in them thy countenance shineth vppon them thou amiably appearest and she west thy selfe vnto them yea so acceptable it is in thy sighte O swéete sauiour that thou béeing the king of eternall glory and maiestie art espoused to the soules of the faithfull
and makest them thereby to be partakers with thée of thine heauenly and diuine nature through the wonderful operation of thine holy spirite We are taught by thine holy Apostle that what so euer is not of this faith is sinne and that there is no possibilitie without it to please thée or to finde grace by sute at thyne holy hande And therefore all they that come vnto thée must in déede firmly beléeue that thou art very God and very Man yea and suche a God of mighte of mildenesse great mercy aboue all Gods as both can and euer will heare incline thine eare and abundantly rewarde all them that with liuely and true faith séeke thée and vnfaignedly desire to finde thée or to be relieued by thine holy hande By this fayth O Lorde we also obteine of God thy father all good things yea what so euer we craue at his hande in thy name Through this fayth also so many as beléeue are iustified made the sonnes and heires of God and enioy most certainly thereby the rewarde of euerlasting life O Lorde Iesu great is the power and working of this fayth for by it the consciences of the godly are quieted by it they truely know thée the onely high and eternall God by it they loue and feare thée be constant towards thée strong and pacient in al aduersitie their hope is firme for things to come by it they conceiue boldenesse to repaire to the throne of thy grace for mercy to haue sure trust in thee to inuocate thine holy name to adore and worshippe it to confesse the truthe before thée to obey it moste gladly to perseuer therein moste willingly to withstande the force of all tyrannie to yéelde vp in time their spirite and to goe through fayth to thine and their heauenly father Séeing then O graciouse God and Sauiour that this vertue is so heauenly so holy so mightie so acceptable and preciouse in thy sight that without it nothing can be well pleasing the will of thy maiestie or to serue happily our owne turnes and we also of suche frailtie can not attayne to this moste singuler treasure except it come from aboue euen from thée and infused into our hearts by the grace of thine holy spirite we moste hartily beséeche thée by the power thereof to make cleane our hearts to purge them of all error darknesse and ignorance of all mistrust infidelitie and vnfaythfulnesse and to plant moste spéedely in vs a true liuely and vndoubted faithe in the blessed and moste glorious Trinitie in God our heauenly father in thée O God oure only sauioure and in the holy ghoste our most deare and swéete comfortour by whome alone we be all highly blessed preciously redéemed and eternally sanctified and that also for thine only sake O blessed sauioure thine heauenly father is well pleased with vs our sinnes cléerely remitted vnto vs This faithe O swéete Iesu daily encrease in vs help most gratiously our vnbeléefe O Lord strengthen vs from faithe to faithe that we may at the laste thorow thine accustomed grace be made perfectly faithfull constante warriors and valiant conquerors in the defence of thine holy religio againste the power of Sathan the worlde and Antichriste and in all things to she we oure selues in this life bothe in our profession manners truly and frutefully faithful euen to the high exaltation praise of thy name which liuest and raignest with God the father and God the holy Ghoste true and perfecte God our onely mediator and aduocate world without end Amen V. To the attainement of Grace and for the due examination of suche desires and motions as are put daily into oure mindes BEholding O God our maker the miserable state of mākinde in this lyfe how diuersly therein and in finitely he is continually beset compassed and hedged in with bodily and ghostly euil stepping euery moment amōg the low shrubbes lurking stubbes stumbling blockes craggie rockes dead pits trappes catches snares grinnes furious and fierse beastes in the wildernesse of this worlde to present destruction alwayes vncertaine and feareful through danger whereunto in his wayes he may leane or trust wandring in this desert among doutful chaunces voide of certain hope farre off from comfort forsaken of frendes beset with many enemies and entised diuersly to sundry desires and motions so moste gréenously perplexed and inwardly afflicted in minde musing before thée O Lorde in thine heauenly presence vpon hys moste wretched state what shall betide him knoweth not what to doe which way to turne him whether to flée not certaine of his ende ignorant when howe and where he shall ende his dayes and leaue to earthe his moste wretched and earthie carcasse who during his shorte time possesseth two powers diuersly drawing and leading him althoughe onely one preuayleth either with him or againste him which is a willyng consente to vayne pleasures bredde in the corrupted fleshe or otherwise a more apte inclination to the good wil and motion of the spirit which are bothe contrary the one to the other and the one continually warring or waging battaile against the other whose fight if there be resistance are bothe very violente to preuaile stirreth daily the soule to great vnrest Which powers or partes of man O Lord in the time of innocencie before the fall of my first parents haddest coupled them togither in moste blessed concorde and vnitte but alasse nowe separated peace broken and set at discorde by the Serpente the enemie of peace and of mankinde and cannot liue ioyned togither wythoute contynuall warre ruffeling and wrangling together as things dyuers althoughe in déede but one I beséeche thée therefore O my God the greate God and maker of heauen and earthe to beholde with greate compassion my miserable state among the rest in this moste wofull and gréeuous conflicte my greate frailetie and weakenesse wythoute thy grace my darknesse and ignoraunce and the power of sinne raygning in myne earthely and mortall members that as thou arte God the author of peace the true light and guid and the only God of my strengthe to preuaile for me by thine holy spirit against the Prince of sedition and darkenesse of fraud and deceit of erroure and lies and the corrupted motions of the sinneful fleshe so graunt me the strengthe of thy grace a liuely and quicke féeling faithe also in thy promisses thorowe Christe that thereby my spirite being alwayes prepared quickned and directed by thy spirite it may yéelde to the only quickening and good motions therof that by the heauenly power of it I may at all times be constante in them and learn perfectly by due examination and with good desires out of thy worde of truth the euent of all attemptes stirres motions assaultes entisements dessres prouocations and affections to iudge truely of them to way rightly their natures from whence they come by what spirite to what ende whether worthy thy well liking tēding to thy
glory answerable to my profession making for the peace of my conscience or to the contrary and so by due triall to forsake the one and embrace the other least throughe leude carelessenesse or not aptly yelding to the good motions of thine holy wil I giue thine offered grace moste gracele sly the slippe becomming in thy sighte but a fugitiue a reage a runneagate a corner créeper a vaine dullarde grose earthie lumpishe and heauie voide of spirit and life darke in true iudgemente affected to vaine desires moste wickedly falling from thée forsaken also of thee giuen ouer to my selfe wretchedly wandring at will or at the wilde aduenture and stande as a dead pray to the will of al deuouring aduersaries euen to the sleights of the moste curssed serpente to the sugred baits of this deceitful world and to the filthie desires of the rebellious fleshe by whome I shal be most wickedly seduced moste horribly blinded and fowly corrupted and so trained on in a short race to the slaughter euen to the swalowing gulffe of despaire the bottomelesse hurlepwle or most déepe sinke of destruction O my god of al mercie and grace that art the only helper of me in all my necessities assist and comfort my soule with thy spirite of lighte and truthe that I may nowe and at all times bothe truely discerne retaine wyth good will and folow the only good motions thereof and forcibly withstaÌ„d the contrary that no prouocations venemous enticementes or poysoned pleasures of the fleshe be occasions to defile and hazard my soule But folowing the good desires of the spirite which are moste pure perfect and godly and my soule euer mindefull of hir celestiall nature enforsing hir selfe vpwarde to the high heauens before thy presence there may spring vp vnto me all the dayes of my life the good continuance of thy grace the blessed traÌ„quillitie of an innocent minde the reaped frutes also of a good spirite and lastly in time euerlasting life which thou hast prepared for me thorow thine only mercy and grace in the merites of thy sonne and my sauior Iesue Christ Amen VI. For the chastising of the Soule to keepe it lowe and in subiection WE be taught of thée O thou GOD of heauen that who so euer wil rightly prosper in this life and goe daily forwardes in true godlynesse woorthy thy wel liking must tast substantially of thine heauenly wisedeme and enter the way thereto with all lowly subiection holding still faste thy reuerent feare estéeming vnfainedly the way of thy testimonies and be alwayes very watchful that he offend not thy sight It behooueth vs therfore O Lord in the state of our great weakenesse and frailetie and in our darknesse and deadly ignorance to haue daily accesse to thée thou God of our power true light and wisedome by prayer and most humble sute that we may séeke by thine heauenly wisedome to know thée truly and to haue thy feare before our eyes that in our profession we may be euer constante pacient and strong in thée auoiding thorow thy grace al carelesse securitie waÌ„dring inconstancie and slippernesse kéeping all our powers vnder thine holy discipline without repining or murmuring and not yéelde vp our selues according to the will of the fleshe to flying vanities and the swifte flitting things of this world but cleaue stedfastly vnto thée and giue ouer our selues wholely paciently to abide thy holy will to the quickning of vs in our dulnesse and humaine fearefulnesse and to the swéete chastening of our vntoward and drousie soules Doubtlesse O Lord very great swéete pleasant to the godly is the commoditie of thy chastisements and the exercises of thy crosse to the encrease of godlinesse among thy children and to suppresse the wil of the proud flesh which otherwise to the contrarie would be soone ouerwhelmed with too much pride iolitie forgetfulnes flouth and carelessenesse Quicken vs therfore O Lord with the rod of thy fauoure visite at times oure gracelesse dulnesse that we may féele thereby the touche of thy grace the sorowes also of our mindes in oure offences and cal our own wayes to remembraÌ„ce that we may say with the holy Prophet It is good for me Lord that I haue ben punished and that to this happie ende that I may learne thy statutes Againe before I was troubled I went wrong c. O grauÌ„t vnto vs most louing God that with thy rod of fatherly correction we may iudge our selues happie reioyce with thy holy prophet least to the contrary by sufferance euil custome or hauing our reane of wantonnesse too much at liberty we too too much deceiue our selues in our forgetfulnesse laughe at our own wickednesse wheÌ„ rather most bitterly we should bewaile our sinfulnesse remeÌ„ber therby the infinite dangers to the soule howe it is compassed suttlely deceiued holden captiue thrâ—l to the diuel And we must coÌ„fesse vnto thée O our god that we stand not at any time in true libertie or ioy effectual in any thing onlesse we possesse by thy spirite thy reuerent feare that also ioyned with a peaceable quiet coÌ„scieÌ„ce O what a happines therfore is it to a maÌ„ to cast fréely froÌ„ him al impedimeÌ„ts lettes of worldly vanities yéelde him self wholely vnder thine hand of discipline and to the chastening of his soule Graunt vs O Lord to be so happie that we may daily renounce and put from vs what so euer may staine burthen our most tender weake and simple consciences Graunt vnto vs in this worlde of warfare strengthe of thy grace that we may fighte the battaile of christian souldiours and ouercome by custome the vsuall supporter of all euil Graunt vs grace O mercifull Lorde that we may stand stedfastly to our charge yéelde with pacience to thy will and in all things to take straight view of our selues and chéefely with our owne eyes to beholde well our selues that in thy sight we be all well armed and so alwayes preuent the warning of others to the ouerthrow of the dedly aduersarie Graunt this o heauenly father with humblenesse of hart we beséeche thée to the quick ening and strengthening of oure soules in al temptations and chastisements and stirre vp daily in them thyne heauenly sparkes and swéete motions of comfort to their moste happie reioysing and to the exaltation of thy moste glorious name in this life and in the euerlasting world to come through thy son Christ our Lorde Amen VII For pacience in aduersitie and to remember that this worlde is but a place of perigrioation or passing forwardes vnto an other worlde WHen thou in mercie O lord beholdest thine own féest them among others how hazardly vnto deadly dangers they daily offer them selues raunging abrode at aduenture like loste shéepe and readie to be torn of euery sauage and deuouring beast thou by and by of thy fatherly and teÌ„der pitie considerest their miserable state and condition and how néedefull
it is for them to be soughte oute with diligence to be brought home againe to the folde or to be pinned in fauourably pinched a while in some bare pasture and sometime to be kept lowe with thy milde touch of calamities and aduersities to abate their courages and to let their liuely leapes and oute girdes by meanes whereof they be oft called againe better to remember them selues and whereby they may also haue thée the more in minde and truely to knowe their owne state in this life whereunto they are called and to whose seruice to walke in the wayes of thy preceptes to kéepe them euer within their boūds and that during their shorte race they liue héere but as exiles or as Pilgrimes farre from theyr owne home not to liue héere in felicitie not to regarde the pleasures of thys worlde either yet to put theyr hope and affiance in them but to vse thē without abuse as by the way but for their only necessities homward we moste humbly beseeche thée O thou father of all mercie that thou wilt daily renue thy compassion vpon vs that thou wilt tēder vs in our frailty lustinesse vain iolitie that in our offences thou wilt with mercie reforme vs not vtterly by thy iustice confound vs but seeke mildely for vs call vs gently home to thy sheepfold with mercie embrace vs keepe vs togither for euer in one in the swéete vnitie felowship and amitie of thy flocke And if at any time we shall hencefoorthe wander abrode and goe astray wherby we shall offond thée and iustly incurre thy most heauie wrath and displeasure we craue yet at thine holy hād to remember thy mercie and so in the time of correction to temper it with thy iustice that we thy children by adoption and grace may largely tast in that respect the comfortes of thy moste tender and fatherly goodnesse that as we shal for oure disobedience and sinne iustly feele some parte of thy iustice and haue therfore great cause of inward gréefe and heauinesse occasioned daily to grone in our hartes for our spéedie deliuerance from thy rodde of correction and to attaine againe the bright countinunce of thy fauor so we may also in the meane time possesse a liuely faith shewe foorthe the fruites of the same pray continually vnto thée and beare paciently thy holy will wyth all thankfulnesse all the dayes of oure lyues through the only grace of the highe pastor and chéefe shepheard of oure soules thy sonne our Lord and only sauiour Iesus Christe Amen VIII To be humble in the sighte of God. O My lord God which arte mine only goodnesse a God of great Maiestie and to be blessed for euer I moste poore and wretched sinner moste vile woorme dust and ashes and of all others moste vnwoorthy thy grace and fauour yet beholding thy great mercie thy truthe and fidelitie thy vsual and approued clemencie towardes all humble and penitent sinners I among the rest but a lumpe of earthe and shaken by thy power to dust in a momēt doe prostrate my selfe vppon the earthe bewailing before thée my moste sinnefull state crying with the Prophet peccaui peceaui and with repentante teares call for thy mercie O my GOD almightie and my maker which truely knowest me thy creature euen as I am and searchest thorowly in me the very secretes of the heart and raines If I should in thy sight being nothing of my self esteeme any thing of my self or else glory in any thing besids thée vnder the sunne thou woldest as thou mightest by due iustice againste me woorthily reproue me and condempne me with the rest as most vaine and for naught Yea mine own sinnes would accuse me vnto thée and my conscience very terribly crie oute against me for I am before thée but a thing of naught and my sinnes hast thou sealed vp against me to the terrifying alwayes of me and to incurre daily in my mind diuers incommodities inward anguishes to myne owne ouerthrow and cōfusion But humbling my selfe before thée O my God and estéeming of my selfe as in déede I am but vile duste and ashes and cast vtterly from me all estimation of my selfe being pressed downe as it were to nothing then I trust I shall obtain thy mercie then shall I hope to possesse the happie peace then shall I féele true ioy in my self for thy presence shall be euen at hand thy grace shall cōfort me thy good spirit shal quicken me thy fauorable countinance shal cheare me vp and thine heauenly lighte approche neare mine heart wherby it shall most blessedly happen that where I haue héeretofore most vainly estéemed but the least thing of my selfe the same very vaine or small estimation conceyued shall sodenly consume and vanishe to naught for euer and shall thencefoorth by the hand of thy maiestie be so vndor propped and graciously holden vp that I shall neuer decline from due consideration of my selfe what I am of my selfe what I haue bene by whom I haue my being and from whence I am come namely of nothing and from nothing and being so lefte vnto my selfe I shall be founde nothing but only as a shadow or méere infirmitie and weakenesse Therefore I most humbly beséeche thée O thou father of al mercy the only assured stay of thine inheritance which seuerely chasest away the vaine glory of man turne a little towardes me tender me in my weakenesse and shewe me the strengthe of thy countenaunce that immediatly in thée I may be strong and newely chéered vp with inwarde and heauenly gladnesse that being entred into most sodaine admiration with my selfe to sée my self in a momēt by thy fatherly embracement raised vp to heauen which by myne owne pronenesse and waighte of sinne was before caryed downe to hell I may thanke thée my moste swéete and louing God and prayse thée with an humble and moste lowly heart with continual modestie zealously religiously and godly in thought woord and déede thorowe thy mercie and grace in thy sonne Iesus Christe all the dayes of my life Amen Amen IX Of true obedience and subiection to suche as be in authoritie according to the woorde of God. FOr as much O heauenly father as it is rather auaileable for men in this worlde to be in subiection to other than to leane to their owne only sway and leude libertie and so muche more safely to obey than to beare rule and haue all at commaundemente with all humblenesse we beséeche thée to directe vs with thy spirite of humilitie and lowelinesse and to be alwayes in subiection to aucthoritie according to thy woorde by the rule of thine holy Apostle not onely for feare for necessitie and therefore painefully but rather of true loue duetifully moste gladly and that for conscience sake For otherwise O Lorde wée slippe from our Christian profession true obedience and moste reuerente subiection and attaind not the true libertis of minde and the shewing
of obedyence from the hearte and for Goddes sake but fall of will moste wickedly and as bonde slaues into the sinne of hatred contempte murmuring grutching conspiring rebelling and into innumerable suche like as men being wholely giuen ouer to a wicked will runnyng headlong into all kinde of mischeefes whereby we become as resectes and caste awayes from thy glorious fauoure we purchase thy displeasure thou 〈◊〉 our treacheries the cursse of the people shall fall vpon vs the spoile of the innocentes and theyr bloud shed shall crie for vengeance against vs our dayes shal be shortned our offspring and family ashamed vtterly confounded contempned and for euer brought to naught O gratious God graunt therefore that we may euer regarde thy wil be mindefull of thy statutes feare thy indgements and consider with our selues oure christian obedience and duetie towardes aucthoritie walking humbly in oure vocation before thée to the vpholdyng of peace to the contenting of aucthoritie to render vnto them their duetie to the benefiting of oure Country to the blessing of our posteritie and to remember also with this assured persuasion that whether so euer we turne oure selues in thus life we shall not aptly finde rest in any place if we be seditious mischéeuously inclined traiterous conspirators or rebellyous for thy iudgements will still folow vs thy swoorde shall deuoure vs and cruel messengers shall be sente againste vs as of many we haue both herd read and oft times knowne amōgst vs For thou O Lord in the feruor of thy zeale neither canst nor wilte suffer the higher powers so to be disobeyed or vnnaturally spurned against but thou wilt by thy iustice sée it sharpely reuenged as the offence verily committed against the persone of thine eternall maiestie Giue vs grace therfore O heauenly father we humbly beséeche thée to way reuerently thy will in thy woord and accordingly to liue in all subiection to the higher powers to pray daily most hartily for them as for the apte instrumentes of thy grate and furtherers of thy glory at these dayes of true lighte that thou wilt touche daily deepely all their harts with the finger of thine heauenly grace that thy principall spirite may for euer possesse them and that thy blessings also may daily abounde bothe vpon them vpon vs and vpon oure posteritie as vpon the childrē of true obedience peace and humblenesse to our reioying and praising of thy glorious name vntill the ende of this life and for euer thorowe Iesus Christe oure onely Lorde and Sauioure Amen X. For the Queenes moste excellenre Maiestie for hir Honourable Councelloures hir whole Court or familie O Almightie God and father of all mercie which gratiously gouernest moste wisely rulest and aboundantly blessest héere vppon earthe thy great Congregation the pillar and grounde of truthe the flocks of Christe thine holy Churche the Spouse of Christe the elect vessels of thy mercie thine whole householde and familie whose God of mercie thou only art throughoute all generations and helper in all oure néedes and necessities and haste appointed therein by thy diuine ordinaunce temporall rulers Princes and Magistrates to rule and gouerne thy people according to equity and the rule of rightuousnesse for the aduauncement of the good and pumshmente of the euill and hast also al their harts in thine holy hand to direct sanctiste and gouerne them after thine owne will to the godly example of others and to set foorthe amongste them thy glory haue mercy vpon thy seruant Elizabeth our noble and most gracious Quéene in the excellencie of hir most high calling holy seruice and of greate charge before thée in thy sanctified Churche that as hir heart specially being truely directed in thy sight by the spirit of light and truthe to the true knowledge perfect obedience and ready furtherance of thy will with all christian diligence and seruencie as aboue all things best behooueth hir moste gratious and royall maiestie that the rather in all other hir necessities shée may at all times be moste assuredly blessed by thée releeued comforted strengthened mightely defended and deliuered bothe in body and soule so also the honorable hir beloued graue and prudente Counsellors faithful ministers vnder hir whole familie may euery of them in their degrée christian vocation or faithfull seruice duetifully waie with them selues the vertue of their charge straight bande and profession before thée séeking truely vnder hir highnesse for thy glorye and hir honoure the fruteful knowledge of thy lawes that in theyr state of great excellency right worshipful calling meane state or inferioure ministerie whether of the Cleargie as they are termed or of the laitie they may haue the feare and true obediēce before their eyes framing vnfainedly all their affections their actions and dueties by the only rule of thy woorde of life walking vprightly therein holily and religiously in thought woorde and déede with vndesiled pure and peaceable consciences to the daily edifying encouraging and strengthening of all others that thereby hir whole Court or Princely family being through fulnesse of vertue and thine heauenly wisedome wōderfull to beholde woorthily noted of all delighted in of all and moste highly commended of al may be of all moste dearely beloued highly estéemed ioyfully receiued thankefully vsed practised and folowed as a moste precise patron of all perfect and true pietie as a very brighte large and cleare shining light déeply piercing inwardly quickening farre extending and reaching ouer al or as a cleare sountaine or quick springing water descending from an high most beautifull to looke on most pleasant to taste on very dilectable most necessary helthfull and comfortable common to all swiftly running towardes all and embraced of all and into al partes belonging to hir highnesse or round about hir wherby through the puritie healthfulnesse clearnesse cleannesse fulnesse therof al hir people and others drawing to thē selues and tasting abundantly of the same may long be preserued healthfully norished vpholdē in vortue in true religion honestie all the dayes of their liues that in stead of thy terrible iudgemēts and wrathfull indignations due vnto all for disobedience contempt and sinfulnesse thy moste gracious fatherly blessings as swéete dews from heauen may alwayes most comfortably fauourably with spéede and abundantly light both vpon hir highnesse vpon hir Nobilities whole Courte and whole Countrey to thine only honoure praise and glory euen in the sight and faces of all hir and our ennemies that they may plainely sée it may be ashamed of their errour of their darknesse wilful madnesse great disobedience wicked attēptes and contemptes and may be more mindefull of thée thou greate God of rightuousnesse séeke most gladly in truthe to knowe thée to feare thine holy name to be conuerted vnto thée and to blesse wyth vs in rightuousnesse al the dayes of their liues thorow thy son Iesus Christ and for his sake our only sauioure our only mediatoure and aduocate Amen XI Against vaine hope and
pride O Lorde that art only omnipotente milde and mercyfull and the only perfect hope of thy beloued inheritance vpon whom thy grace hath moste fréely abounded and whose sinnes thou haste remitted by the onely oblation sacrifice and bloude shed of thy deare sorme Christ Iesus for which purchase and moste pretious redemption thou only requirest of them but to be beloued againe and that with an vpright staysdnesse an assured strength and true confidence only in thée and not otherwise vainely in any vaine man or other treatures and that they be not hautie in theyr owne eyes but possesse euen in thy sighte in them selues the spirit of méekenesse and of most lowly submission we most entirely beséeche thée to strengthen vs héerein with thine heauenly grace to stay vs vnto thy selfe to make vs humble in oure owne eyes that imitating the steppes of thy sonne we be not ashamed to beare in thy sight the contempt of this wretched world and to become with all lowlinesse and milde subiection euen very slaues to all others for the loues sake of thy deare sonne Iesus whose rule of Humilitie we haue moste truely professed and thereby promissed to beare with pacience bothe pouertie and all other afflictions in thys vale of wretched nesse where when and in what manner so euer it shall please thée to lay them vppon vs. O Lord so vpholde thou vs with thine heauenly grace that we staie not simplie vpon our owne selues or putte oure truste in others but flee faste from our selues and from all others and put oure whole and onely hope in thée endeuouring with all our powers bothe of bodie and minde to obey thy will trust only in thée that thou wilt always be the readie helper of oure good willes and a moste apte furtherer of all oure honest meanings Lette thy mercie O Lorde so be vppon vs that we be not vainely puffed vppe or putte confidence eyther in oure owne knoweledge or in the pollicie of any mortall manne but onely depende vppon thy Diuine fatherly prouidence which both helpest and géeuest thy grace to the humble and thrustest also downe the lostie and proude So temper vs lord with thine heauenly grace that we glory neither in our richesse if we haue them nor yet in our fréendes if they be mightie for thou moste mightie God haste dominion ouer their power and when thèy are alofte and exalted in their glorie thou throwest them downe abatest their corage and destroyest them with thy heauie hād but to glory as we ought only in thée which doest fréely minister vnto vs all things necessarie and destrest aboue all to giue thine owne selfe wholely vnto vs Thou O Lorde haste led vs the way to true humilitie that whether touching either the mightinesse beautie or cômlinesse of the body which being stricken with some light disease is by and by ouerthrowne and defaced we in no wise aduaunce our selues And least we stand most vainely in our owne conceits whether for oure owne towardenesse wisedome wit or in other things iudge better of our owne selues thā we doe of others we greatly offend and fall into thine heauie displeasure and bring thy wrathe vppon vs bicause we estéeme them not as thine owne proper giftes and so be thankefull vnto thée for them O graunt vnto vs therfore most gratious God thy spirite of méekenesse and true humblenesse that we may walke rightly before thée and haue in our selues and in thy sight cleane hartes constantelaithe and moste sure hope and considence trauing cōtinually thy spirit of romfort paciently therby to beare our crosse to folowe the example of our sauioure Christ and to beare with ioy the afflictions of this life through his merits precious death pastion Amen XII Against Couetousnesse IF we O thou iust terrible God coulde nowe thorowe thy grace euen in the middest of all oure iniquities heaping daily iniquitis vppon iniquitie remember yet in time thy certaine deter minatiō and threaiued iudgement vpon this world the plages thereof shortly enstring for the wickednesse of end 〈◊〉 harte and as thou haste tolde vs by thy Prophet Esay to lay to 〈◊〉 to make the face of the whole earth desolate and scatter abrode all the inhabitoures thereof bicause they haue offended thy lawes changed thine ordinalires and made thine euer lasting testament of 〈…〉 receiuing therfore with wee their most sharp bitter portion the taste of thy diuine fury vtter shame desolation swift confusion O what cause haue we then to remember in these oure dayes if through grace it might be for good this most vile sin abidng the rest the outragious 〈◊〉 couetousnesse that so diuersty woorketh the disglory of thy name spoyleth thy churches welfare Which in the estimation of this worlde so langely raigneth so vniuersally so familiarly yea also mercilesly ouerfloweth al deuoureth al hath al at his beck and hastneth fast vpō this geiteration an euil and pitilesse generation doubtlesse in the end now of this olde rotten worlde the sodaine and straight performance of thy hideous and fearefull premisses O Lord our God moste dangerous is our stats our dayes are most euill our desertes are great we haue sinned greuously thy plagues are iustly prepared and thy iudgements to condemnation by thy iustice are at hand vpon vs For who in effecte cā say from any sin his hart is clean or rather most mōstruously against nature not to be defiled either who can in conscience say that he féeles not in him selfe as priuately for him selfe and corruptly this most hurtfull and infectuous maladie of the soule which amongst all other contagious euils is moste perniceous and by the diuel him self déepely grafted in vs and is by him so closely crept in vnto vs that it hath ioyned it selfe euer to the very secrete affections of our hartes shewing it selfe a most diligent woorker a busie labourer or minister to the procuring bréeding encreasing norishing and bringing forthe of corruption ruption and sinnes innumerable couertly lurking in our filthie flesh sowly to the death issueth abrode in his time For it is as sayth thine holy Apostle the roote of all mischéefe and that all suche also as are the Rauens and gréedie Gripes or gutlings of the world and desirous of the deceiteful riches thereof fall without stay into temptations and snares and into many beastly foolish and noisome lusts which draw them into temptation and destruction Also he calleth it a woorshipping of idols it spoileth God of his honor and is therby in euery place of the holy Scriptures condemned and forbidden as a sinne most hainous horrible diuellishe and damnable bicause it is a moste curssed and venemous euill tied to ambition hautie and vaineglorious full of maliciousnesse ful of crueltie very tirannous and greeoely hunteth after bloud the déepe set séede doutlesse of the diuell who was a murtherer from the beginning hathe therewith by his subteltie maruellously
by thine holy spirit to remember always the burthen of my sinne and to feare the terror of thy iudgemēts for due punishing of the same so I make vnto thée most hūble sute not to be destitute of a liuely faith true trust and confidence in thy mercy and grace that thou wilt hūble my soule before thée prepare in me a cleane heart and a will inclineable to thy testimonyes that how so euer by thy will and iustice I féele in this worlde for good thy priuate iudgements to the purging repressing and kéeping vnder my stubburne and proude fleshe at the generall iudgement day and in the world to come that when al works good and bad shal be reduced to memory and when a straight accompt and reckening shall be made and a iust rewarde giuen celestiall or infernal both to body and soul I may yet escape the fulnesse of thy paimēt due for euer to the wicked by theyr deadly and iuste deserte Heare me O my God of all mercie and take thou care ouer me this day moste graciously directe me confirme and strengthen me in thy wayes leaste in mine owne respecte I be founde but féeble and weake slipping full of inconstancie vncleane and too too filthie for there is no will no power nor holynesse that auayleth no wisedome no temperaunce humilitie loue dilygence chastitie or mine owne keping to good effect without the frée direction of thyne holy hand daily gouernment most gratious preseruation defending holy watching All which as they procéede onely from thée and are of thy méere mercie bestowed moste bountifully vpon me so graunt me grace yea the continuaunce of thy grace not to be forgetfull of thée but always to remember thée with al humilitie and thākfulnesse euch from the very depth and bottome of mine harte and soule all the dayes of my life and haue thenceforth the rewarde of eternall felicitie thorowe thy mercie and the only merites of thy sonne and my Sauioure Iesus Amen XVIII The Flighte of the faithfull Soule to Christe in the exuemitie of temptations and invvarde affections of the minde IF I in presenting my selfe before thée O swéete Iesu my Lord and only sauioure shall séeme by thy gratious permission some thing to say vnto thée with heauinesse of harte for my sinnes which are infinite most dānable by instice in thy sight and most plainly also proue by thy woorde of truthe that thou art yet bounde to be fauorable vnto me bound to cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe bounde to bestowe thy good graces thy blessings and benesites vpon me yea and bounde also in time to giue vnto me thine heauenly and celestiall Paradise I will not do it rashly before thée my Lorde and my God vpon presumption or cōtemptuously or for that I beare not a due and woorthy reuerence vnto the glory of thy diuine maiestie neither meane I therby in any thing to diminish the excellencie of thyne heauenly power but rather to magnifie and extoll thine only omnipotencie and great goodnesse and to stirre vp my selfe euen with al humilitie to cōsider in parte the deare loue that thou bearest towardes me thy most euil and vnprofitable seruaunte O my swéete Iesu beare nowe with me therfore and first of all remember I beseeche thée thy perfecte knowledge héerin that thine eterns and most mercifull father did send thée into this worlde and vale of great miserie to the ende thou shuldest saue me comfort me in my distresse strengthen me defende and deliuer me moste wretched sinner in all anguishes troubles temptations and miseries bothe of bodie and soule and that my sinnes shuld not preuaile againste me when I humbly pray and craue thy mercie Thou O mercyfull and louyng Lorde and sauior was obedient to the will of thine heauenly father like a most lowly and mild childe and for the loue sake also whiche thou hadst to thy flocke like a most deare louing pastoure diddest offer thy selfe to die euen the most cruell and shameful death vpon the crosse And also if in case I did at any time make resistaunce rebelliously and wickedly to disobey to straggle or stray abrode when thou calledste vnto me tourning the deafe eare would not heart thée he straightely charged thée and gaue expresse Commaundemente vnto thée also that thou shouldest constraine and compell me home again to the fold and to be also his beloued ghest in his heauenly kingdome at the ioyfull day of thy mariage O Christe for this onely good purpose was thou borne vnto vs for thys cause didste thou humble thy selfe among vs and for thys moste happie ende did thy father so plentifully enrich thée and euen filled thée with the aboundance of his good giftes treasures Therefore O my mercifull Lorde Iesu remember I pray thée thy tharge sée thou be mindefull of thy good and most holy office and yeeld héerein to the obedience of thy fathers will as thou arte bound and woonte to doe Thou knowest O Lord that all good and iust lawes binde those that be riche wealthy in this world to distribute parte of their substance to the relieuement of poore and néedie personnes yea and the richer they be of the good gifts of God and in the greater miseries they finde their poore néedy neighbors the more are they bound gladly to helpe and succoure them This I say lord bicause I acknowledge thée to be moste riche and of moste excellent power abounding farre aboue all others in all ioyes and treasures incomparable where I contrarywise am in greate sorrow and heauinesse of hart oppressed with all care and miserie and with extréeme pouertie and necessitie both of body and soule Wherefore O Lord I humbly make sute vnto thée chalenge thée to be my spéedie helper for that I know thée to be moste readye moste willing most able and most bound to comfort me And thoughe I haue moste gréeuously offended the eyes of thy maiestie yet bicause thou art merciful and I appealing to thy mercy thou canst not set thy selfe agaynst me or withholde thy compassion from me but arte rather bound with all good incoragement spéedily to helpe succour me And why Lord should I say this truly for this cause the greter in the excellency of thy holy state thou dost approuedly find thy selfe aboue all other so muche the more art thou subiecte and obedient to the indispensable law of charitie and to be therfore most mercifull vnto me and to be obedient thervnto is the greatest and moste porfecte soueraintie thou shouldest not be that Chryst of God onlesse thou diddest gladly participate thy deare loue to thy brethren Yea I say moreouer thou art so much the rather bound to loue me for that thou arte myne head and I the meaner parte and mēver of thy body Neither maiest thou say thou canst not helpe me for although with the flowing foūtaynes of thy grace thou hast boūtifully enriched all the Sainctes