may enter in Héere begins he to sighe at the view of his sinnes Presently comes me in a Ruffian whom God sends to prooue him whom the Deuill sends to spoile him and he with a payre of Cardes and a Cup of neate Claret thrusts Iesus out into the Stable because there is no roome for him in the Inne Thus be the good motions of the holye Ghoste extinguished by the accesse of a Gamester that Schooles his young maister in the Arte of Driuing away time Driue away time Is Tyme so slow-footed that it néedes driuing My friend if a sinner intice thée to sport when the Feuer of thy sinnes begins to shake thée consent not to him Rather goe aside as a man throwne from the world and then let thy belly tremble let thy lips shake let rottenuesse enter into thy bones Learne of the Nightingale who when she is robd of her yonglings gets her to some solitarie trée where she bewailes her vnhappie marriage Abstract and sequester thy selfe flée resorte say vnto laughter thou art madde haunt vntrodden pathes desire the Lillies of the fielde to cloath themselues in blacke and accompanie thée in thy dolefull passions The fourth Impediment is Impayring of health A ioyfull hart saith the Wiseman causeth good health but a sorrowfull minde Pro. 17. 22 dryeth vp the bones Let not this dismay thée better go sickly to heauen than healthfull to hell Be not all for thy bodie nothing for thy soule but like the Lapidarie estéeme the Iewell farre aboue the rinde or barke Moreouer I affirme that it is the care of this worlde that brings a Calender into the bones and snowes vpon mens heades so timely and not this sorrow which we magnifie For as the Sea at high water if angred with a boystrous wind threatneth present deluge to the earth and yet suddainely it giues backe and runnes away like a coward so the panges and gréeuances of the righteous stird vp by the iustice of God euen when they séeme to deuoure are deuoured of his mercy They are as sorrowing and yet alwayes reioycing by reason of spiritual comfort which putteth life into them Heauines may indure for a night but ioye wil be sure to be with them in the morning The last and worst Let is the holding the mortality of the soule There is a cursed generation that sit downe to eate and drinke and rise vp to play and hold that their soules in death vanish away like a dogges This Satanicall paradoxe possest the hart of that great Phisition Galen A man might haue cast his water and found filthy sediments of Athisme But he is dead long ago I would this sin had died with him Good Christian neuer come thou nere those Carrions that maintaine the soule to be a vapour vnlesse thou haue the winde of them That thou maist be assured of the soules immortality harken to these pregnant and vnanswerable proofes Our fathers are the fathers of our bodyes Heb. 12. 9. Eccle. 12. 7. not of our soules saith the Apostle The spirite returnes to God that gaue it saith the Preacher The Lord breathed the soule into Gen. 2. 7. mans body saith Moses Therefore is it not elementary therefore is it euerlasting But because the disputer of this worlde renounces Christian principles we will enter the listes of reason with him a little and foile him in his proper element The sence is so corrupted by a great obiect that it cannot indure the lesse For example The eye is so dazeled with the beames of the Sun that it cānot iudicially discerne colours in an obscurer light It is contrary with the vnderstanding For the more vehement the obiect is whereabout it is conuersant the more forcible is it in comprehending the inferiour An euident demonstration of the soules diuinity I omit the horror of conscience which cānot possibly light vpon the body it being a spirituall punishment nor yet vpō the soule were it not a subsisting essence And I will but tutch the most admirable gradation of the creatures some whereof are onely bodily as beasts some spirituall as Angels some both spirituall and sensible as man the one in respect of his soule the other of his body Therfore my beloued be thou stedfast immooueable aboundant in mourning for thine iniquities for as much as thou knowest thy sorrow shall not be in vaine in the Lord. If thou finde thy soule at od times vnwilling to thinke of flitting impute that to her illnesse for naturally she is estranged from the father of lights and lodging so warmely and peaceably in the body she is not so forward to remooue as she ought The Infant is at harts-case in the mothers wombe and would not change it for a pallace yet when it is borne and comes to discretion it cannot indure to thinke of the closet where it lay enwrapped The soule delighteth now to inhabit the body but when death hath brought it to a ioyfull birth after a long trauaile O then it would not be imprison'd againe in the body for a thousand worlds And thus by Gods goodnesse haue I gone through the Impediments And now good brother that I haue giuen thée a potion the vertue whereof I trust hath had full course to runne throughout all thy vaynes I am for a farewell to leaue thée a swéete Electuary or Iulep for thy comfort It is a Moderation in sorrowing For the tempter will couet to besnare thy soule with intollerable anguishe that so with Cain thou maiest complaine that thy sinnes are greater than can be forgiuen O pray pray pray for patience and comfort of the holy Ghost for a wounded spirite who can beare Iob and Dauid a blessed pare of Saints mourned like Doues and Pellicans when the Lord caused them to possesse Pro. 18. 14. the sinnes of their youth Surely no wisdom can counsell no counsel can aduise no aduise can asswage a perplexed conscience nor any thing els but onely the hart bloud of Iesus Christ which blood hee hath powred out so plenteously for all true penitent sinners that they may bath themselues therein Then cry incessantly and importunately O sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me open mine eyes heale my woundes cure my Maladies euen for thy goodnes sake O Lord. Remember the heauenly wordes Christ vttered in the extreame agony of his soule My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Behold how hée calleth his father his God twice what time his wrath ceazed vpon him in an incomprehensible maner Sorrow not too much when the Lord openeth the booke of thy conscience all blurd and blotted with sinne but bee of good cheare kisse his holy hand euen when he striketh thée The father of mercies and God of al consolatiō be thy Castle of defence in all thy tribulations spirituall conflicts that thou maist be able to comfort others in the like distresse by the same comfort wherewith thou thy selfe art comforted of him Amen FINIS A Morning praier to bevsed in
let the Rauens of the vallie picke out his eyes that curseth this ancient mother in Israel I could make more ample rehearsall of Gods speciall fauour to thée beloued Christian but the intended quantity of the booke will not suffer me Wherfore read on be not weary of well doing and for thy next taske thinke vpon thrée principall Effects of sinne that so thy sorrow may be aggrauated First ascertaine thy selfe that so long as thou weltrest in thy wickednesse without remorse touch of conscience thou art a seruant Rom. 6. 23 Luk. 15. 15 a vassall to Sinne whose wages is Death A prodigall childe thou art strayed from thy good father into a farre countrey where being all ragd and tottered eaten into the flesh with vermine thou art glad to become the deuils swinheard Which tyrant hath taken thée prisoner to do his wil. mued 2. Tim. 2 26 thée vp in a far more noysome dungeon than that wherein poore Ieremie stacke so fast This is thy state O man Why then doest thou not thrust forth teares and smoake out sighes euen breake the kall of thine heart with sorrow Is swéet liberty so yrkesome yrkesome bondage so swéet Inquire of the Foules of the ayre they will tell thée that fréedome in the wood is better than prisonment in a cage of gold Inquire of the Lions and they wil make answer that they had rather séeke their meate at God in the Wildernesse than haue it put into their mouths through the grate Inquire of the Riuers they will resolue thee that they would much sooner lye open to winde weather at home in the sea than crawle neuer neuer so calmely by the gréenest and best sented medowes I beséech thée therefore by the mercies of God that thou bewayle thy miserable vassallage The Babilonians of hell the Deuil his Angels haue led thée away captiue the cruell Edomits thy sinnes prouoake them against thée and both of them by way of mockage require a song melody of thée then sit thou downe vpon the waters bank wéeping and hanging thy harpe vpon the Willowes for mirth at such time is out of season Cast not thy selfe vpon thy Iuory bed eate not gluttonously drinke not Wine in boules but remember thy soule thine afflicted Ioseph who all this while hath his féet in hel stocks The blessed father of our Lord Iesus Christ bore thine cares that thou maist heare and suffer these wordes of exhortation and plow vp thy hart by his holy spirit for it is made of a tough and churlish kinde of clay I procéede to another Suasiue During the time of thine impenitencie all the Creatures in the world band themselues against thée conspire thine ouerthrow And the reason is for that the Lord of Hostes is marching forward whose faithfull sworne souldiers they be Is not here sufficient matter to cloud ouercast thine eies and to change thy ioy for mourning thy beauty for ashes thy Oyle of gladnes for the spirit of heauinesse At dead time of night in thy soundest sléepe the Imbers on thine hearth desire the winde in their kinde to leaue his naturall course of blowing assant and to whip them vp that so they may get matter to worke vpon The spars and rafters of thy house haue vowed to be ready to increase the flame at lesse than an houres warning Walkest thou in the stréet The tiles threaten downfall In the field the ayre will conuay infection the earth will grone vnder thy soote as loath to beare so vnprofitable a burthē Nay what wilt thou say if the silliest imperfectest creatures dog thée and make thée weary of thy life Are Frogs and Lice Caterpillers nothing with thée Doth not one poore Gnat hartning on her selfe to battaile with her Cornet which she winds so lastingly waken thée and make thée start with her feeble sting Then what would a legion of Gnats doe Ah sinfull soule and laden with iniquity is thy hart made of rubbish thine eye of Marble that the one will not giue againe the other become dankish Knowest thou not what it is to haue the stones of the field out of league with thée and the beasts of the field out of league with thée Take an example of Ionah and sée how he was handled when God mustered vp such forces against him in his displeasure After this Prophet had long laboured and toyled in Israell and could doe no good the Lord gaue him expresse charge to remooue his plow into the Nineuites fielde to shame her He vnmindfull of his commission paies the fare and is shipt For Tharshish he he is resolud While he thus strugled with diuine prouidence the Winds at their Creators commaund brake loose bad the Mariners Ionah 1. 4. deliuer Ionah The Sea sawe that and was wroth and bad the Marriners deliuer Ionah The Whale laye watching all this while and bad the Marriners deliuer Ionah The ship poore winged vessell laye swooning vpon the billowes and bad the Marriners vnballase her of Ionah Nay Ionah stood vp against Ionah and besought the Marriners to tumble him into the large Sepulcher of the sea How now mery sinner doth not the senere vsage of the man of God appall thée If so righteous a man be thus harshly intreated by the creatures where wilt thou an vngodly and vnrepentant man appeare O Sampson why sufferest thou lady Pleasure to play the Delilah dandling thée on her knée til she haue shaued of all thy goodnesse made thée wretched féeble and impotent what Samplon Sampson fend for thy self the Philistnes are vpō thée Sampson There remaineth a third effect of sinne sufficient to split thy hart be thou not insensibly blockish wilfully nefarious extreamly impious It is this All creatures in the world grone vnder the heauy burden of thy sinnes yea the Creator himselfe S. Paul affirmes this in part most excellently For we know Rom. 8. 11. saith he that euery creature groaneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine together vnto this present because it is subiect to vanitie vnder the bondage of corruption The world left being a world when Adam left béeing obedient it was neuer beautifull nor chéerfull since it waxed old in youth through manifold ataxies and disorders and at this day lyes bed-rid waiting with a seruent desire for the glorious cōming of the sonne of God When Israelits sinnes were ripe and calde for the sickle rotten cryed for the corastue what followde The harmelesse creatures must pay for it The beasts of the field and the foules of the heauen must be cut off and Hose 4. 2. 3 the Fishes of the sea must be taken away The Prophet Ieremie bewailing the pitious Lam. 2. 4. estate of Ierusalem testifieth that the very wayes of Sion and the rampart wall did lament for the iniquitie of the Iewes Sée sée my beloued how the dumbe creatures complaine vnder the intollerable waight of
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
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