become pitch and brimstone to maintaine the fire of Gods scorching wrath in thy sinewes spirits and inward bowels drinking out in full measure the dregges of the wine of his rage and fury and canst thou be so blind and reachlesse that for the vaine pleasure of sinne for a little while thou wilt constraine God to torment thee euerlastingly who it may be euen at this instant if thou wilt still trie his patience and long sufferance will sodainly take thy spirite from thee or come in iudgement to recompence to all sinners by his finall sentence in the burning of the whole world the stipend of horror shame confusion vtter reprobation and waigh with thy selfe that to approch to God is the chiefest ioy of the chosen to behold his glorious countenance in the face of his sonne whereas thy sinnes doe separate thee from him and make thee afraid to speake to him by prayers which is thy chiefest and greatest solace in this mortall life How much more wil thy vngodlinesse make thee wish delay of the last iudgement the speedie and present comming whereof is a chiefe prop of our fight in the midst of so manie troubles and temptations and withall remember how the diuell that roring lyon laboureth by this impure act to make thee most filthie and lothsome in the sight of God and reioyceth to see thy gracious father mercifull Sauiour and comfortable sanctifier so abused and withstood and angred by thee whom he hath wonderfully made carefully preserued and deerely redeemed and tenderly loued that if it may be thou shouldest by vtter apostasie dishonour him in the face of the world who hath aduanced thee in the presence of all his Angels and though thou be so sure in faith that thou canst not vtterly fall the consideration whereof should make thee more duetifull and not incourage thee in a sinful course yet maist thou by little and little and by often falling bring thy selfe into a better liking both of the wicked and of wickednes itselfe whom thou oughtest to hate with a perfect hatred and then God by iust iudgement cast thee into a sure sleepe that thy filthihesse may be seene of men and thou condemned to the griefe of the righteous and scorned to thy shame of the vngodly and in the meane season by prouoking Gods iudgement be spoiled of thy goodly ornaments of thy godly desires of religious thoughts of zealous affections of christian communication of holy indeuours of assured perswasions of faith of stedfast waitings through hope of constant suffering by patience and heartie reioicings from loue In the perfect consummation of which things because all happinesse consisteth beware thou carelesse wretch lest sodainly by thy abhominable filthinesse thou either for a time wholly depriue thy selfe of comfortable feeling of these things or much diminish thy present graces and blessings receiued of the holy spirite to the glorie of God the Father But why doe I vtter my voice or striue to make a dead carkas moue O quicken thou me that art the fountaine of life and call thou out of heauen thy dwelling place that my wandring soule may heare the voice of her shepheard and follow thee whither soeuer thou leadest nay of thy tender compassion take me vp vpon thy shoulders and carrie me gently into thy fold againe for theeues haue stolne me away and haue bound my feete so that I cannot go and they watch for me vntil thou art gone that they may carrie me away quicke from thy pastures O do thou therfore presently deliuer me and giue me thy helping hand O cast thou downe by thy spirite my raging lust and by thy grace subdue mine vntamed affection I am weake O Lord and vnable to resist the force of my mightie aduersarie send thy helpe from aboue and saue me out of the iawes of the cruell lion thou hast deliuered me out of the mouth of hell ô let not the gates thereof anie more preuaile against me let me not anie longer be occupied in vngodlinesse least mine enime triumph ouer me saying in his malicious hart there there so would I haue it Let this sinne be farre from me ô Lord that I should defile my selfe anie more with this notorious wickednesse worke therefore in mine heart an vtter detestation of it that I may euer hereafter keepe my selfe pure and vnspotted for thy kingdome Thou that art able to make of stones children to Abraham mollifie I praie thee my stonie heart that all manner of son like affections may be imprinted therein plucke vp ô good father these rootes of bitternesse that no vnsauorie fruite may come of the tree which thou by thine owne hand hast planted I desire I looke I call I crie for thy assistance that I may cōquer this vnruly motiō O blessed sauiour that hast grāted so manie petitions vpon earth to them that were carefull for the bodie fulfill I pray thee this my desire not for health nor strēgth nor riches nor honour nor for food nor apparell but for thine heauenlie grace and inspiration yea let me lose all those rather thē be left to my sinfull flesh that I should be ruled anie longer thereby Mortifie good father in me the old bodie of sinne and giue vnto me a new bodie purged frō these dead workes to serue the liuing God renew my spirite dayly that I may cast away these works of darknes let it be enough ô merciful Father that my weaknesse in failing heretofore hath bin made known vnto me least I shold be too proud Now let thy strength appeare in putting this mine enimie vnder my feete that thereby I may be bold to put my confidence in thee Why should my bodie made by thine hand and my soule framed according to thine image be giuen ouer as a pray into the hands of Sathan Deliuer me ô Lord from the snare of the hunter and preserue me from the hand of mine enimie who lieth in waite for my spirituall life and laboureth mine euerlasting destruction so shal I praise thee for thy great goodnes and magnifie thy name for giuing me conquest ouer my aduersarie that is too strong for me To thee I fly for succour till this tempest be ouer past hide me I pray thee vnder thy shield bucker that none of the fierie dartes of Sathan take hold on me Good Lord for the loue thou bearest vnto mankind or thy sons sake who hath taken our nature vpon him graunt that I may not be tempted aboue my strength and that in all temptations I may flie vnto thee as a horne of my saluation yeelding thee most humble and heartie thankes for that thou hast giuen me a desire to withstand my sinfull flesh which thy worke I beseech thee for thy namesake to perfect and fully accomplish VVatch and pray lest you enter into temptation the spirite indeed is vvilling but the flesh is vveake Matth. 26. 41. Another zealous prayer ETernall God almightie and all mercifull we thy vnworthy seruants prostrate before thy
landlord wil put another in our roome at a yeares at a monethes at a weeks at a dayes at an houres warning or lesse The cloth which we weare vpon our backes the graues which are vnder our feet the sunne which sets ouer our heads the meate which goes into our mouthes do cry vnto vs that we shall weare set die like the beasts and soules and fishes which now are dead in our dishes but euen now were liuing in their elements Our fathers haue sommoned vs and we must sōmon our children to the graue Euerie thing euerie day suffereth some eclipse nothing stands at a stay but one creature cals to another let vs leaue this world while we play our pageants vpon this stage of short continuance euerie man hath a part some longer some shorter while the actors are at it sodainly death steps vpon the stage like a haulke which separates one of the doues from the flight and shootes his dart where it lights ther fals one of the actors dead before them makes all the rest agast They muse and mourne bury him and then to the sport againe while they sing and play and daunce death comes againe and strikes another there he lies they mourne him and burie him as they did the former and play againe so one after another till the players be vanished like the accusers which came before Christ and death is the last vpon the stage So the figure of this word passeth away Manie which stand here may lie here or elsewhere within this tweluemoneth but thou thinkest it is not I and he thinketh it is not he but he which thinketh so commeth soonest to it if we should liue but a yeare we would prepare our selues to die and do all that God would haue vs that we might liue in heauen and scape the fierie lake where the glutton hath not a droppe of water to coole the tip of his tongue But now we know not whether we shall liue a week to an end we wil do nothing that he bids vs but abide the venture so one is taken after another and because we are not readie therefore we go against our will like Lots wife out of Sodom This is our fashion to set the best last vntill we cannot forsake our sinnes nor hope of mercie Thus I haue proclaimed to all Kings Princes Iudges Counsellers and Magistrates that which Esay did to one Set thy thinges in order for thou shalt die Yet 25. yeares were behind when the Prophet warned him to set all things in order yet I cannot promise you 25. yeares for many princes doe not raigne so long for one that doth That which Esay spake to one heere God pronounceth of all Yee shall die therefore take the message which is sent vnto you when you thinke of your honor think of your end These two remembrances to beare in mind that yee are gods and thinke that yee shall die The holy ghost thought enough to teach you how to liue and how to rule and for vs that haue not so much as the name of an immortall thing like them which are called gods that we may be like God hereafter let vs prepare before the accompt for none are in heauē but they which left the world before the world left them A GODLY PRAYER TO BE SAID AT all times BEcause I haue sinned O Lord and done wickedly in thy sight and prouoked thee to anger by my abhominable wickednes making my bodie which thou hast ordained a vessel for thine honor an instrument to most detestable filthines ô Lord be merciful vnto me pardon me this great wickednes looke not vpon me good father with the eies of iustice neither do thou draw against me the sword of iudgement for thē how shall I that am but dust stand in thy presence when thy wrathfull indignation commeth forth as a whirlewind and thy heauie displeasure as a mightie tempest seeing the earth trembleth the depthes are discouered and the verie heauens are shaken when thou art angrie Exercise not therfore thy furie against me that am but as chaffe before the wind and as stubble against a flaming fire though I haue sinned grieuouslie in thy sight preferring my wicked desire before thy holy commandement esteeming the pleasure of a moment before eternall and euerlasting ioyes nay which is worse making more account of vilenesse and vanitie and extreame folly and madnes then of the glory and maiestie of the most excellent wonderfull and blessed God nothing dreading his displeasure whose wrath maketh the diuels to quake and burneth vnquenchable vnto the bottomlesse pit of hell whose might is so great that by the breath of his nosthrils he is able in the twinkling of an eye to destroy a thousand worlds yet am I bold prostrating my selfe before the throne of thy maiestie heartely to beseech and humblie to entreat thee that thou wilt not deale with me according to my merites for I haue deserued that thou shouldst raine downe fire and brimstone from out of heauen vpon me to deuour me or to open the earth vnderneath me to swallow me vp quick vnto hell but thou art gracious and full of compassion and rich in mercies therefore do men put their trust vnder the shadow of thy wings I haue none in heauen to flie vnto but thee nor in earth of whom I may receiue any comfort but at thy fauourable hands which are stretched out day and night to receiue all that by earnest repentance turne vnto thee being readie to ease all those that are laden with the burthen of their sinne and to refresh their distressed consiences In the multitude of thy mercies I approch vnto thee O Lord desiring thee to looke downe from the height of thy sanctuarie vpon me poore and wretched sinner and to wipe away mine offences and to blot out my misdeedes especiallie this my vngracious vncleane and vngodly act that it may not come vp in remembrance with thee nor be imputed to me for euer for thy sonnes sake O Lord in whome thou art well pleased in whom thou wast fully satisfied vppon the crosse for my sinnes graunt me free pardon and remission of that I haue so foolishlie by my exceeding frailtie committed against thee in this shamefull deed But O thou my vncleane and vnthankfull soule my vngodly and rebellious heart what did I sinfull wretch and execrable caytife so blindly and desperatlie attempt How art thou become quite sencelesse that thou wast so readie to anger thy most louing God and to prouoke thy most mightie iudge that thou mightest satisfie thy filthie flesh suborned both by thine and Gods most malitious aduersarie to grieue and vex the spirit of the Lord and to damne thy self for euer Hath not God of his singular fauour made the heauens of old and placed the sun and moone in them two glorious lights with innumerable starres a wonderfull workmanship for thy vse and benefite Hath he not lifted vp the clouds by his strong
throne of grace do yeeld our selues body and soule vnto thee for all thy benefits which thou from our birth hast heaped vpon vs as though we had alwayes done thy will although wee occupied about vaine things neuer marked neuer loued neuer serued neuer thanked thee so heartelie for them as we esteeme a mortall friende for the least courtesie Therefore we come with shame and sorrowe to confesse our sinnes not smal but grieuous not a few but infinite not past but present not secret but presumptuous against thy expresse word and will against our owne conscience knowledge and liking if any had done thē but our selues O Lord if thou shouldest require but the least of them at our hands Sathā would chalenge vs for his and we should neuer see thy face againe nor the Heauens nor the Earth nor all the goodnes which thou hast prepared for mā What shall we do then but appeale vnto thy mercie and humblie desire thy fatherly goodnes to extend that compassiō toward vs which thy beloued sonne our louing sauiour hath purchased so mightely so gratiously and so dearely for vs we beleeue and know that one drop of his bloud is sufficient to heale our infirmities pardon our iniquities and supplie our necessities but without thy grace our light our strength our guide we are able to do nothing but sinne as wofull experience hath taught vs too long and the example of them which are void therof whose life is nothing else but the seruice of the world the flesh and the diuel Therefore good father as thou in speciall fauour hast appointed vs to serue thee like as thou hast ordained all other creatures to serue vs so may it please thee to send downe thy heauenly spirite into this earthly mansion to illuminate our minds mollifie our hearts change our affections subdue our reason regenerate our wils and purifie our nature to this duetie so shall not thy benefites nor thy chastismentes nor thy word returne void but accomplish that for the which they were sent vutill we be renued to the image of thy sonne Good Lord we beseech thee looke downe in the multitude of thy compassions vpon thy millitant Church this sinful Realme thy gracious handmaid our dread soueraigne her honourable Counsell the ciuill Magistrates the painfull Ministers the two Vniuersities the people that sit in darknes and all that beare thy crosse Gather vs into one cōmunion of thy truth and giue vnto euerie man a spirite to his calling that we being mindfull of the accompt and that we are called Christians may firmely resolue speedely begin continually perseuer in doing suffering thy holy will Good Lord blesse and sanctifie our meeting that no temptation hinder me in speaking nor them in hearing but that thy word may be heard and spoken as the word of 2. King 2. 9. 1. Sam. 16. 5. 1. Sam. 10. 20. Exod. 18. 21. Matth. 23. 2. 1. Sam. 9. 2. 1. Sam. 16. 13. 1. Sam. 28. 26. 2. Chron. 9. 6. Psal. 2. 6. Matth. 14. 19. 2. Chron. 9. 8. Matth. 11. 29. Deut. 17. 19. Psal. 139. 21. Exod. 32. 27. Num. 16. 15. 1. Sam. 10. 9. 1. King 3. 9. 1. King 4. 30. 1. Sam. 25. 25. 2. Thess. 2. 4. 2. Cor. 4. 4. Dan. 4. Nehem. 6. 1◠2. King 15. 30. 1. Sam. 22. 7. 1. Sam. 19. 4. 17. 1. Sam. 21. 17. 1. Sam. 14. 45. 2. Sam. 5. 10. 1. Sam. 10. 26. 1. Sam. 3. 26. Prou. 14. 21. Rom. 13. 5. Iohn 19. 11. Heb. 5. 4. Acts. 8. 9. Rom. 13. 7. 1. Pet. 2. 23. Iere. 27. 12. 2. Chron. 9. 8. Gen. 1. 1. Sam. 17. 39. Zach. 13. 4. Gen. 11. Ruth 1. 20. Exod. 20. 23. Exod. 9. 16. Gen. 11. 4. Gen. 5. 27.