corrupt vgly fruites of that infection and contagion wherein I was first conceiued both in thoughts words workes If I should go about to recken vp my particular offences I know not where to begin or where to make an end For they are moe then the haires of my head yea far mo then I can possibly féele or know For who knoweth the height and depth of his corruption who knoweth how of the offendeth Thou only O Lord knowest my sinnes who knowest my heart nothing is hid from thée thou knowest what I haue béene and what I am yea my conscience doth accuse me of many and gréeuous euilles I do daylie féele by wofull experiene how fraile I am how prone to euill and how vntoward to all goodnesse My minde is full of vainity my hart full of prophanenesse mine affections full of deadnesse dulnesse drowsinesse in matters of thy worship seruice Yea my whole soule is full of spirituall blindnesse hardnesse vnprofitablenesse coldnesse and security And in very déede I am altogether a lumpe of sinne and a masse of all misery and therefore I haue forfeited thy fauour and incurred thy high displeasure and haue giuen thée iust cause to frowne vpon me to giue me ouer and leaue me to mine owne corrupt will and affections But O my deare Father I haue learned from thy mouth that thou art a God full of mercy slow to wrath and of great compassion and kindenesse towardes all such as grone vnder the burthen of their sinnes Therefore extend thy great mercie towardes me poore sinner and giue me a generall pardon for all mine offences whatsoeuer seale it in the blood of thy sonne and seale it to my conscience by thy spirite assuring mee more and more of thy loue and fauour towards me and that thou art a reconciled father vnto me Graunt that I may in al time to come loue thée much because much is giuen and of very loue feare thée and obey thée O Lord increase my faith that I may stedfastly beléeue all the promises of the Gospell made in thy son Christ and rest vpon them altogether enable me to bring forth the sound fruites of faith and repentance in all my perticuler actions Fill my soule full of ioy and peace in beléeuing Fill me full of inward comfort and spirituall strength against al temptations giue me yet a greater féeling of thy loue and many folde mercies towardes me worke in my soule a loue of thy Maiesty a zeale of thy glory an hatred of euil and a desire of all good things Giue me victory ouer those sinnes which thou knowest are strongest in me Let me once at last make a conquest of the worlde and the flesh Mortifie in me whatsoeuer is carnal sanctifie me throughout by thy spirit knit my heart to thée for euer that I may feare thy name renew in me the image of thy sonne Christ daylie more and more Giue me a delight in the reading meditation of thy word Let me reioyce in the publique ministrie thereof Let me loue and reuerence all the faithfull ministers of thy Gospel Sanctifie their doctrines to my conscience seale them in my soule write them in my heart giue me a soft and melting heart that I may tremble at thy wordes and be alwayes much affected with Godly sermons Let not my sinnes hold backe thy mercies from me nor mine vnworthynesse stoppe the passage of thy grace Open mine eyes to sée that great wonders of thy Law Reueale thy secrets vnto me be open harted towards me thy vnworthy seruant Hide nothing from me that may make for thy glory and the good of my soule Blesse all meanes vnto me which thou vsest for my good Blesse all holy instructions to my soule Blesse me at all times both in hearing and reading thy word Giue me the right vse of all thy mercies corrections that I may be the better for them Let me abound in loue to thy children Let my heart be very néerely knit vnto thē that where thou louest most there I may loue most also Let me watch pray that I enter not into temptation giue me patience and contentment in all things Let me loue thée more and more and the world lesse and lesse So drawe my minde vpward that I may despise all transitory things Let me be so wrapt and rauished with the sight féeling of heauēly things that I may make a base reckoning of all carthly things Let me vse this world as though I vsed it not Let me vse it but for necessity as meate and drinke Let me not be carried away with the vaine pleasures and fond delights therof Good father worke thy good worke in me and neuer leaue me nor forsake me till thou hast brought me to true happinesse Oh deare Father make me faithful in my calling that I may serue thée in it and be alwaies carefull to do what good I may in any thing Blesse me in my outward estate Blesse my soule body goods and name Blesse all that belongeth vnto me Blesse my goings out and commings in Let thy countenance be lifted vp vpon me now and alwayes cheare me vp with the ioyes and comforts of thy spirite make me thankefull for all thy mercies For I must néeds confesse that thou art very kinde vnto me in all things For in thée I liue mooue and haue my béeing of thée I haue my welfare and good béeing thou art a dayly friend and special good Benefactor vnto me I liue at thy cost and charges I hold all of thée in Chiefe and I finde that thou art neuer wearie of doing me good thy goodnesse towardes me is vnstanchable Oh I can neuer be thankefull inough vnto thée for al thy mercies both spirituall and corporall But in such measure as I am able I praise thy name for all beséeching thée to accept of my thankesgiuing in thy Sonne Christ and to giue me a profitable vse of all thy fauours that thereby my hart may be fully drawne vnto thée giue me O Father to be of such a good nature and disposition that I may be wonne by gentlenesse and fayre meanes as much as if thou gauest me many lashes Pardon all mine vnthankefulnesse vnkindnesse and great abusing of thy mercies and giue me grace to vse them more to thy glory in all time to come Strengthen me deare Father thus to continue praising and glorifying thy name here vpon earth that after this life I may be crowned of thée for euer in thy kingdome Graunt these petitions most mercifull God not onely to me but to all thy deare children throughout the whole world for Iesus Christs sake in whose name I doe further call vpon thée saying as hée hath taught me O our Father which art in Heauen c. FINIS
THE CHRISTIANS MOVRNING GARMENT The third Edition AT LONDON Printed for Thomas Pauier and are to be sold at his shop at the entrance into the Exchange 1603. To the right Honourable and virtuous young Gentleman Henry Lord Hastings Grace and peace RIght Noble Impe. THose little creatures the Silk-wormes shunning duality of meates and betaking themselues wholy to the fresh leasage of the Mulberie tree frame by Natures instinct and vertue of the Plant so faire and so sweet a webbe that the greatest personage will not thinke much to weare it I am the meanest of the seruants of God farre lesse than the least of his mercies yet by the operation of his blessed spirit the soule of my soule and the efficacie of his holy word whereon alone I wish to feede I trust I haue shaped such a garment as the best Christian will not disdaine to put on A Mourning Garment it is For lighter colours beseeme not Gods Childe in this carelesse Age where Ladye Faith goes bare-foote alas all alone attended by no good workes which makes her wash handkerchers in her teares I present this vesture to your Lordship not doubting but you will accept it and adorne your selfe with it And I desire it may be a token of a dutifull and thankfull minde for the numberlesse fauours our happy vnhappy name hath receiued from your most noble and for zeale of religion most worthie Ancestors The Lord blesse your Honor that as you growe in stature and yeares so you may growe in grace and fauouor with God and men Your Honours in all obseruance William Worship The Christians mourning Garment IT is a rule that will abide the tutch-stone No man comes to heauen with drie eyes Our selues are shippes launched foorth for heauen our teares must be the sea our sighes the gales of winde while Hope is the anchor and Grace steares the helme Moses Hezekiah Peter Mary Magdalen and all the Saints of God were wasted on the riuers that gusht from their own eyes to the kingdome of glory Howbeit though euery penitent sinner wéepe yet euery one that wéepes is not a penitent sinner For teares in themselues are but things indifferent neuer please God but when they issue from a troubled spirite suppled with grace and wounded with true remorse and sence of sinne It is not sorrow 2. Cor. 7. 10. but godly sorrow that goes for currant Some wéepe for themselues not for others some wéepe for others not for themselues some neither wéepe for themselues nor others some both wéepe for themselues and others To wéepe for thy selfe not for others betokens luke-warmnesse to wéepe for others not for thy selfe hypocrisie neither to wéepe for thy selfe nor others deadnesse of hart both to wéepe for thy selfe and others zealousnesse The last of these is an effect of holy sorrow which who so findeth not in himselfe one time or other is no better than a vessell of wrath In the name of God then good Christian brother let thine eyes spout out teares as a Conduite spouteth out waters for thy gréeuous capitall and enormous vices Say not thou art Sanguine complexiond and canst not wéepe of a manly stomack and wilt not Sam. 1. 16. 12. wéepe for Dauid was both yet teares were his meate day and night Flatter not thy selfe the vaine conceit of easie attaining saluation may cast many a soule away in a yeare Thou must vpon necessity mortifie the flesh Away with it Away with it crucifie it crucifie it Now ere thou can do this it will cost thée many a groane and many a teare oh it will go to the hart of thée As thou tendrest thy soule looke home vnrip vnbowell ransacke thy selfe throughout Mourne for thy originall sinnes and for thy actuall sinnes for thy sinnes before thy calling and since thy calling for thy presumptuous sinnes and for thy sinnes of infirmitie for thy open sinnes and for thy secret sinnes for thy sinnes of ommission and for thy sinnes of commission Stéepe thine eyes in teares read letters of discomfort on the ground as thou goest let the streames of thy sighes and the incense of thy praiers rise vp like mountaines before the Lord and if this will not mooue him to pitty if it be possible wéepe teares of bloud Aboue all things beware thou looke not sowerly in company to be séene of men for then thy rewarde is sure to be great in hell Get thée into thy most retyred closet let no body by thy good will know of it pull the latch into thée sée there be no holes in the dore no cranies nor clifts in the wall then fall groueling to the earth thump thy brest strike vpon thy thigh wring thy hands and poure out thy soule before the Lorde so he that séeth thy true humiliation in secret shal one day rewarde thée openly in the sight of his glorious Angels Vnclaspe thy Bible lay the ten commandements before thée and bedewing them with thy teares make thine humble confession thus before God O my God I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes vnto thée my God for mine iniquities are increased and my trespasse is growne vp into heauen Yet Lord remember thy mercies of olde and open mine eyes that I may sée the wonders of thy law that so sinne may be out of measure Rom. 7. 12 sinful Good God thy commandements are iust and holy but I am carnall sold vnder sinne and should not lye yelping and howling in the burning lake of damned soules if I had my right Blessed be thy name for inspiring this good motion of meditating in thy law for it is a glasse wherein I may beholde the vglye morphew of my soule and so be forced to flée to my redéemer for his precious blood to rinse and munditie me that I may be presented a spotlesse virgin before thée Alas I should haue béene thy Nazarite The 1. cōmandement and haue giuen thée all my hart but I haue giuen the flesh a péece of it the worlde a péece of it and the deuill a péece of it I should haue worshipped thée according to the square and tenor of thy word without adding detracting changing but I haue ballanced thy seruice after mine owne scoales and haue more delighted in falling downe before a gilt Image than in beholding thy swéet sonne most liuely crucified in Gal. 3. 1. thy worde preached and sacraments administred I should haue magnified thy name and haue spoken of it with high reuerence but I ah wretch haue curst band and champed Phil. 2. 10. Iesu in my mouth at whose blessed name euery knée should bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth yea Lord I haue torne thy holy name as the Draper rasheth out a péece of linnen to the buyer I should haue hallowed the best daye of the seauen and haue bestowed it in prayer hearing of Sermons receiuing the sacrament almes meditation on Gods workes but I woe worth
priuate families O Lord our God and heauenly Father wee thy vnworthie children doe here come into thy most holy and heauenly presence to giue thée praise glory for al thy great mercies and manifold blessings towards vs especially for that thou hast preserued vs this night past from all the dangers and feares thereof hast giuen vs quiet rest to our bodies and brought vs now safely to the beginning of this day and doest now a fresh renew all thy mercies vpon vs as the Eagle reneweth her bill giuing vs all things aboundantly to enioy as food raiment health peace libertie and fréedome frō many miseries diseases casualties and calamities which wée are subiect vnto in this life euery minute of an houre and not only so but also for vouchsafing vnto vs many good things not onely for necessitie but euen for delight also But aboue all deare father we praise thy name for the blessings of a better life specially for thy most holy word and sacraments and all the good wée enioy thereby for the continuance of the Gospell amongst vs for the death of thy sonne all that happinesse which we haue thereby Also because thou hast chosen vs to life before we were and that of thy méere goodnesse vndeserued fauour towards vs and hast called vs in thine appointed time iustified by thy grace sanctified vs by thy spirit adopted vs to be thine owne children heires apparant to the great crowne O Lord open our eyes euery day more more to sée and consider of thy great and maruailous loue to vs in all these things that by the due consideration therof our harts may be drawne yet nearer vnto thée euen more to loue thée feare thée and obey thée that as thou art enlarged toward vs in mercie so we may be enlarged towards thée in thanksgiuing and as thou dost abound towards vs in goodnesse so we may abound towards thée in obedience and loue And sith deare father thou art neuer wearie of doing vs good not withstanding all our vnworthinesse naughtinesse therefore let the consideration of thy great mercy and fatherly kindnesse towardes vs euen as it were force our hearts compell vs to come into thy most glorious presence with new songs of thanksgiuing in our mouths Wée pray thée O most mercifull God to forgiue vs all our vnthankfulnesse vnkindnesse prophanes and great abusing of all thy mercies and specially our abuse and contempt of thy Gospell togither with all other the sins of our life which we confes are inumerable mo then can be reckoned vp both in omission of good things and commission of euill We most humbly intreate thée to set them al ouer to that reckoning which thy son Christ hath made vp for them vpon his crosse and neuer to lay any of them to our charge but fréely forget all and forgiue all Naile downe all our sinnes and iniquities to the Crosse of Christ burie them in his death bath them in his bloude hide them in his wounds let them neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs. Set vs frée of the miseries that are vpon vs for sin kéepe back the iudgements to come both of soule bodie goods good name Be reconciled vnto vs in thy deare sonne concerning all matters past not once remembring or repeating vnto vs our olde and abhominable iniquities but accept vs as righteous in him imputing his righteousnesse to vs and our sinnes to him Let his righteousnes satisfie thy iustice for all our vnrighteousnes his obedience for our disobedience his perfection for our imperfectiō Moreouer we humbly beséech thy good maiestie to giue vs the true sight and féeling of our manifold sinnes that we may not be blinded in them through delight or hardned in them through custome as the reprobates are but that we may be euen weary of them and much grieued for them labouring striuing by all possible meanes to get out of them Good Father touch our harts with true repentance for all sinne Let vs not take any delight or pleasure in any sinne but howsoeuer we fal through frailtie as we fall often yet let vs neuer fall finally let vs neuer lie downe in sinne nor continue in sinne but let vs get vpon our féete agayne and turne to thée with all our hearts and séeke thée whilst thou mayest be founde and whilst thou dost offer grace and mercie vnto vs. O Lord encrease in vs that true and liuely fayth whereby we may lay sure hold on thy sonne Christ and rest vpon his merites altogether Giue vs fayth assuredly to beléeue all the great and pretious promises made in the Gospell and strengthen vs from aboue to walke and abound in all the true and sound fruites of fayt◠〈◊〉 vs walke not after the flesh but after the spirite Let vs féele the power of thy sonnes death killing sinne in our mortall bodies and the power of his resurrection raysing vs vp to newnesse of life Let vs growe daylie in the sanctification of the spirite and the mortification of the flesh Let vs liue holily iustly and soberly in this present euill world shewing foorth the vertues of thée in all our particular actions that we may adorne our most holy prafession shine as lights in the midst of a crootied froward generation amongst whom we liue being gainefull to all by our liues conuersations offensiue to none To this end we pray thée fill vs with thy spirite and al spirituall graces as loue wisedome patience contentment méekenes humility temperancy chastity kindenes and affability stir vs vp to vse prayer watchfulnes reading meditation in thy lawe and al other good meanes whereby we may grow and abound in all heauenly vertues Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes from day to day make vs such as thou wouldest haue vs to bée and such as wée desire to bée working in vs both will and déede purpose and power For thou O Lorde art all in all thou wilt haue mercie vppon whom thou wilt haue mercy and whom thou wilt thou hardnest Haue mercie vppon vs therefore deare Father and neuer leaue vs to our selues nor to our owne wils lusts desires but assist vs with thy good spirite that wée may continue to the end in a righteous course that so at length we may be receiued into glory be pertakers of that immortall crowne which thou hast laid vp for all that loue thée and truely call vpon thée Further we intreat thée O heauenly father to giue vs all things necessary for this life as foode raimcut health peace liberty such fréedome from those many fold miseries which we lie open vnto euery day as thou séest méete Blesse vnto vs all the meanes which thou hast put into our hands for the sustenance of this fraile life Blesse our stock and store corne cattle trades occupations all the workes of our handes for thy blessing onely maketh rich and it bringeth no sorrows