SAINT PETERS WATCH WORD The end of all things is at hand Digested into eight Chapters and published by R.M. Minister Perused and allowed Reuel 22.7 Behold I come shortly Ver. 20. Surely I come quickly LONDON Printed by I.W. dwelling at Powles Wharfe at the signe of the Crosse-keyes 1603. The Contents of euery seuerall Chapter in this Booke IN the first Chapter The Watchword it selfe is explained In the second the day of Iudgement that it shall be is proued In the third the names and titles of that day are noted In the fourth the signes and tokens of that day are remembred In the fifth who shall bee the supreme Iudge at that day is shewed In the sixt the glorious comming of Christ vnto Iudgement is deciphered In the seuenth the order maner of the iudgement is described In the eight an exhortation vnto prayer sobriety and watchfulnesse is added with a necessarie prayer annexed thereunto TO THE VERIE VVORshipfull vertuous and religious Gentlewoman Mistresse Elizabeth Foord wife vnto the worshipfull master Th. Foord of Ilsington in Deuonshire Esquire R.M. dayly prayeth the rich blessings of God to be powred down vpon them their kindred and posteritie to their comforts in this life and to their eternall saluation in the life to come THe dayes of man being compared with eternitie may be likened vnto one sande on the Sea shore vnto one grasse vpon the ground or to one starre in the firmament matched with all the rest for if a man coulde liue as some almost haue liued a thousand yeares yet all those yeares are but as one day with God The ignoraunce whereof hath made men imagine that it is a very long while agone since God created man and that seeing the world hath continued so many thousand yeares therefore that it shall neuer haue an ende yea the worser sort do thinke that either God hath not at all determined to destroy this worlde or if he haue determined and promised so to do that then he hath forgotten his promise And therefore say many times to themselues Where is the promise of Christ his comming become And wherefore doth he make so long delay Whereunto our Sauiour himselfe doth answere if we would vouchsafe to heare him and sweares because we shoulde beleeue him Beholde I come shortly And surely I come quickly tarying for no mans pleasure one minute of an houre longer then is determined and appoynted which appoynted time though no man may curiously inquire of yet euery good Christian wil dayly think of it thank God for any good thing that may put them in remembrance of the same Among which number of true hearted Christians because I knowe your worship to bee one and such a one whereof in my charge I take greate comfort as well for your godlinesse as for your kindnesse extended vnto me I therefore offer vnto your meeke Meditation by way of dedication these my poore labours howsoeuer imperfect or vnpolished which at times of leysure I haue collected since my first comming vnto you through the fauour and presentment of your kinde husband and my very worshipfull and louing Patron Publishing the same in this sort for the benefite of all but through their owne fault for the comfort onely of all such as either do or hereafter shall vnfainedly loue and looke for the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ to their immortalitie Beseeching the diuine maiestie to giue vs grace and patience cheerfully to passe ouer this our pilgrimage in his feare and in some discharge of our dutie in a good conscience to Gods glorie and to some good of Gods children howsoeuer the world and the childrē therof shall esteeme of vs or of any thing we do that so at last to our endlesse ioy we may heare that sweet sentence of our sauiour pronounced vnto vs Euge bone serue fidelis Well done good and faithfull seruant thou hast beene faithfull in few things I will make thee ruler ouer much enter thou into the ioy of thy Maister Which God of his mercy grant through the merit of his sonne by the assistance of Gods holy spirit who seale the assurance therof in our hearts to which holy and blessed Trinitie be ascribed all prayse power and maiestie for euer Amen Your Worships as much bounden vnder God as his life is worth and in the Lord euer to be commaunded Radford Mauericke To each Christian Reader all health and eternall happinesse wished and desired BEing more then one yeare passed right courteous and Christian Reader sithence I was entreated to peruse Saint Peters Chaine for setting it on vnto a second Edition I therupon by Gods helpe togither with that labour tooke occasion and courage to contriue this little work called Saint Peters watchworde which may either passe alone by it selfe or bee ioyned to that Chaine according as it shall bee fitting and expedient the mettall both of the one and the other being finest golde of the truest touch first hammered vpon the Anuill in Saint Peters forge by that Apostle himselfe and whatsoeuer is added vnto it and howsoeuer vnpolished yet you shall finde it weighed I trust in the vpright ballance of the Lords Sanctuarie Which Watchworde of the Apostle if it waken them that are sound a sleepe in sinne and warne them that are alreadie waking to stand vpon their guard more warily then heretofore it is the onely marke that I ayme at and the verie blessing of God vpon these poore and vnlaboured labours of mine which I heartily desire And because as all men know it is a very vnpleasant thing any whit to trouble them that are asleepe and euen breuitie it selfe to them that are napping is counted tediousnesse I haue therefore not onely indeuoured to be as briefe as conueniently I might throughout this whole Treatise that so I might not offende them that are best disposed but haue also cut or deuided this discourse into diuerse partes or Chapters that so euen they that are drowsie may at least wise take a taste thereof in reading a Chapter betwixt euery nappe and so happily may be thereby incouraged to proceede with the rest as appetite and good desire shall increase vpon them Most humbly praying the holy spirit of God who first mooued Saint Peter to giue this watchword and inspired and confirmed my minde thus to explaine it and to publish the same for the good I trust of others to blesse this little labour of mine and to make it fruitfull with the dew of his grace as well in the heart of the sower as in the minds of those that shall reape any profit thereby And so gentle Reader I wish thee well to fare as thy soule fareth and in thy prayers I pray thee remember him that prayeth dayly for thee and for all them that looke for the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christ to their immortalitie Veni citò domine Iesu SAINT PETERS Watch-word The end of all things is at hand 1. Pet. 4.7 The first Chapter THe
rather when belly-cheere and drunkennesse is more in vse among vs that are named Christians then euer among those heathen people which onely serued their God Bacchus O beastly drunkards what meane you to runne into this excesse riot of drunkennesse without all mean or measure as now you do endeuouring to excel the drunkards and tossepots of all ages In olde time it was said They that are drunken are drunken in the night for then they were ashamed to be seene druÌ„ken in the day But now it seemeth our drunkards are ashamed of themselues if they be not drunken once with the least euery day Drunkards delight to make more drunkards nay they content not themselues with their owne drunkennes but take great pleasure and delight to make other drunke also as is too apparant by their carrowsing and quaffing health to him and health to her and yet no health nor wealth to any of them present or absent Saint Paule telleth thee howe thou shouldest vse thy needye brother though thine enemie If he bee hungry saith he feede him if he bee a thirst Rom. 12.20 giue 〈◊〉 drinke but thou wilt make thy friend â—rinke before he be thirstie and of a â—riend make him many time before hee â—epart thy mortall foe for how many â—ayes and fightings doe we see dayly to rise of these vnhealthful quaffings then â—hat belching of blasphemies and vnâ—aturall murthers follow after and in a worde what sinne is there that doth not â—ccompanie drunkennesse This sinâ—ull custome of quaffing by measure or â—ather aboue measure was not allowed â—n the Court of that great king Ahashueosh no not in the time of his feasting Hester 1. â—â— out rather a lawe by the kinges owne mouth made against it would God some â—aw or other were made to restraine this â—o great licenciousnesse or beastlinesse Vnlawfull drinking forbidden or hereby men are made worse then beasts bring a horse to water and hee will drinke no more then pleaseth him â—or is sufficient but if a drunkarde once come where there is either Ale or Wine â—e is neuer satisfied nay hee will enforce others to doe as he doth so long as eyâ—her of them can stand in the place It is reported that Diogines fel in comanie once with such toslepot companions and when hee was quaffed vnto in wine hee cast it on the ground saying better one then two meaning the wine perish alone then he should haue perished with it Now let the Drunkards heare what iudgement the Prophet Habakkuk pronounceth against them when he sayth Wo vnto thee that giuest thy neighbour drinke meaning in the maner aforesaide and makest him drunken also Habac. 2.15.16 that thou mayst see hiâ— priuities Thou shalt bee filled with shame foâ— glory drinke thou also and be made naked thâ— cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned vntâ— thee and shamefull spuings shall bee for thâ— glorie Againe Pro. 23.29 To whom is woe sayth the Wife dome of God To whom is sorrow Tâ— whom is strife To whom is murmuring Tâ— whom are wounds without cause The fruit of drunkennesse Euen to theâ— that tarry long at the wine and to them that see mixt wine Therefore giueth withall thiâ— counsell Looke not thou vpon the wine hoâ— pleasant it is In the ende thereof it will bite like 〈◊〉 Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice Then sheweth the feate of drunkennesse Thiâ— eyes shall looke vpon straunge women and thiâ— heart shall speake lewd things Therefore it is not without greaâ— cause that our Sauiour forewarning vs of the ende of the worlde counselleth vs aboue all things to take heede of surfetting and drunkennesse and in another place noting the disorders of the vnfaithful seruant at his coÌ„ming to iudgement sayeth Math. 24.49 That hee will eate and drinke with the drunken For which cause I verily suppose that this vnmeasurable drunkennesse of our age is a manifest token that the ende of the world is at hand And it is to be noted that saint Peter taketh the occasion of giuing this watch worde The end of all things is at hand Vpon this that he had said 1. Pet. 4. â— It is sufficient that we haue spent the time past of our life after the lawes of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonie and drinkings doubling as we see this worde drunkennesse then by and by noteth that if it seemeth straunge to these wicked drunkards and vngodly persons if any bee drawne by the preaching of the Gospel from running into the same excesse of riot with theÌ„ But that the godly might not be discouraged he sayth that these drunkards and vngodly persons shall one day giue account Verse 5. to him that is readie to iudge quick and dead of which iudge and iudgement we wil now God willing proceede to speeke of more particularly in the Chapters following first prouing that there shall bee such a day of iudgement and a finall ende of all mortall things The second Chapter FOr the confirmation of this point being a chiefe Article of the Christian faith true Christians I know deferre the plaine and euident testimonies of Scripture howsoeuer the Atheists Epicures deride all scripture Let vs therefore begin our proofe with that ancient prophesie of holy Enoch noch gaue testimonie of the end of the world who liued before the flond and is reported of to haue pleased God and therfore God tooke him away vnto him selfe as it were in the midst of his dayes in respect of them that liued before and after him when he had liued three hundred sixtie and fiue yeares This Enoch the seuenth from Adam sayth saint Iude the Apostle prophesied saying Iude. 14. Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to giue iudgement against all men to rebuke all their vngodly among them of all the wicked deedes which they haue vngodly committed and of all their cruell speaking which wicked sinners haue spoken against him This plaine and euident testimonie of the day of iudgement reuealed vnto so holy a Prophet and Patriarke as Henoch was in the first age of the world and before the flood God would not haue to be buried in forgetfulnesse though many other of Enochs prophesies as it is thought be lost Some of Enochs writings lost Therefore by his holy spirit inspired the minde of Iude the Apostle to record the same in holy writ and the same hath beene taken and accounted in the Church of God for most authenticall and Canonicall Scripture and shall so continue in credite among all the faithfull vntill the ende of the world Besides this same prophesie of Enoch the Patriarch is strongly confirmed vnto vs by the Prophets Apostles and by Christ himselfe so that no man maye doubt the certaintie thereof without great impietie How fitly doth that saying of Salomon in the last of Ecclesiastes Eccle. 1â— â—3 agree with the former prophesies as wel almost in word as
children of darkenesse For what communion hath light with darkenesse In the beginning he made all things good in the ending he will destroy all things that are naught seeing the euil and naughtinesse that is in man or in any other Creature came not vnto it by creation but by corruption Therefore Christ saith he will seperate and diuide one from the other that is the good from the badde The good he compareth to sheepe for their gentlenesse patience and meekenesse of nature the badde he most fitly compareth vnto Goates â—â—ech 34. who are a more sauage and filthy kinde of beastes The metaphor seemeth to be borrowed from Ezechiell who bringeth in the Goates pushing and hurting of the sheepe with their hornes and troubling of their waters These filthy pushing Goates that all their life long desire and delight to harme and wrong the poore sheepe of Christ wil Christ himself that great shepneard finde out euery one of them at the end of the world nonne of them shall be hid from his sight And because these poore sheepe haue a very long time with great patience endured these foule and filthy Goates to feede pasture among them in the outward face of the Church to their extreame hurt and griefe therefore Christ Iesus their sheepheard without any delay at his first comming to iudgement will gather and draw out his faithfull flocke of sheepe from that filthy heard of Goates and to the ende these Goates shall see the care that Christ hath ouer them he will place them in their sight at his right hand of heauenly protection the Goates contrariwise he will set at his left hand to send them presently to endlesse destruction But here before we proceede any further we are to note by whom our Sauiour Christ will make this separation namely by his holy Angels which came with him and attend on him with all ready obedience First he will cause an Arkangell to sound out the trumpet of God in so glorious and fearefull sort that it shall be heard the world throughout not onely they that are liuing but they that are dead in their graues shall heare the sound of that Trumpet and all the wicked spirits and Diuels in hell shal quake and tremble with the noyce thereof Then when all the Nations of the world are summoned and warned by that glorious Trumpet Christ shall send foorth his Angels to separate the Sheepe from the Goates the elect from the reprobate This thing our Sauiour Christ doth reueale vnto vs in the Gospell and saint Paul doth likewise report the same in one of his Epistles to the Thessaloniant First Christ saith in the 24. of Mathew Math. 24.31 that He will send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the foure windes and from the one end of the heauen vnto the other The same doth Saint Marke repeate in the 13. Chapter Moreouer our Sauiour Christ doth at another time make mention of this glorious separation as Saint Mathew reports it in the 13. Math. 13. Chapter for hauing in that place shewed by diuers parables that the children of God must not be offended to liue here for a time in this world accompanied and mingled with the godlesse as the good seed is with the cockle the Wheate with the chaffe they must growe together both for the greater iudgement of the one and tryall of the other vntill the harnest which is the end of the world at what time Christ will send forth his reapers which be the Angels to gather the good seede the pure wheate that hath beene well thrashed with the flaile of affliction and winnowed from the chaffe with the Fan of Gods Iudgement in the Lords garner but the chaffe and the cockle and the Darnell shall be burnt in fire that neuer shal be quenched then shall the Iust shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of God their Father Likewise our Sauiour reporteth this separation in the same Chapter by a parable taken from Fishers which when they haue brought all manner of fish to land gather the good into vessels but cast the bad away So saith our Sauiour shall it be at the end of the world the Angels shall goe forth and seuer the bad from the Iust and shall cast the badde into a fornace of fire there shall be wayling and gnashing of teeth Saint Paule likewise in the fourth Chapter if the first Epistle to the Thessâ— lonians maketh a like description of thesâ— things The Lord himselfe saith he shalâ— descend from heauen with a shout and with the voyce of an Arkangell and with the Trumpet of God according to that which hath beene said already But the Apostle in that place like aâ— he doth in the first to the Corinthians openeth a secret or two more and he saith that he doth it by the word or commandement of the Lord. The first is that at the generall resurrection at the day of iudgement when Christ shall appeare then they that are dead in Christ that is all those that haue died in the faith of Christ since the beginning of the world shall rise first that is before the wicked that did not die in the faith of Christ The second secret or mystery is that those of the faithfull that are liuing at the day of iudgement of whom the same Apostle speaketh in the first to the Corinthians 18. When he saith we shal not all die but all shall be changed those I say that then are liuing vpoÌ„ the earth shal not preuent or goe before those that are dead and turned to dust and powder in the earth but as those that are liuing shall be changed from mortall to immortall in the twinckling of an eye to vse the Apostles words so likewise shall those of the faithfull that are dead be raised vp by the power of God at the voice of the Trumpet and being ioyned to their soules both the one and the other saith the Apostle shall bee caught vp into the cloudes to meete the Lord in the ayre and so shall euer remaine with the Lord which he speaketh specially for the comfort of the faithful and therefore addeth this 1. Thes 4.18 Comfort your selues one another with these words Thus we see how all Nations that is all people of all the Nations of the world shall be gathered together by the holy Angels before Christ sitteth in iudgement The godly with all the holy Angels set on his right hand the wicked with all the damned spirites and diuels set on the left attending and harkning when that finall and definatiue sentence shal be pronounced But before we speake thereof it shall not be amisse to consider in a word or two what shall be come of all other things that are now in the world Saint Peter hath resolued this point already wheÌ„ he preacheth that there shaâ— come and is euen at hand the ende of aâ— things that is of all mortall
things but because the holy Angels are immortall the damned spirits are immortall the soules of men are immortall and the bodies of all men shall then be made immortall according to their first Creation for man made himselfe mortall by sinne and corruption therefore to all these shall be no end but the ending of mans body in this world shall be an endlesse being to theÌ„ in the world to come either to ioy or paine Now as saint Peter hath told vs that there shall be an ende of this world so likewise he telleth vs in the 3. Chapter of his second Epistle how the end shal be how all things shal be destroyed with fire First he saith the world perished being ouerflowen of water 2. â—es 3. But the heauens and the earth which are now are kept in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men By and by he addeth that when this day of Iudgement shall come the Heauens that are ouer vs shall passe away with â—noyce and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with all the works that are therein shall be burnt vp And not contented with once affirming this but repeates the same againe that we should neuer forget it in the ende of his admonition saying Seeing therefore that all these things that is all worldly and earthly things must be dissolued what manner persons ought yee to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse Looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God by the which the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and the Elements shall melt with feruent heate So in fine we see none of these things which now we see with our mortall eyes shall remaine permanent durable but all must bee consumed and dissolued with fire which may teach vs not to put confidence in any thing in this world Notwithstanding saith the same Apostle We looke for a new heauen Esay 65.17 and a newe earth according to Gods promise made vnto vs by the Prophet Esay wherein dwelleth righteousnesse But of his wonderfull and heauenly renewing as it is not reuealed vnto vs in the Scripture particularly so it should bee from my purpose to make any search thereof curiously seeing my text onely leadeth we to speake of the destruction and not of the restoring of all things Onely let the godly content themselues with that discourse which the Apostle Saint Paule maketh in the eight to the Romanes Rom 8.19.20 where he exhorteth the faith full ioyfully to indure all the afflictions of this life which are nothing in value comparable to the glory which at that day shall be reuealed vnto them For saith he The feruent desire of the Creature waiteth when the sonne of God shal be reuealed Because the Creature is subiect to vanitie not of it owne will but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope Because the Creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of ohe sonnes of God for we knowe that euery Creature groneth also and trauelleth in paine together vnto this present and not onely the creature but we also which haue the first fruites of the spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body Thus hauing hitherto briefely noted how Christ shall come at the last day in glory attended on with all his holy Angels how he shall sit vpon the seate of his glory how all Nations shall be gathered before him by the voice of a Trumper sounded by an Arkangell how the Angels shal separate the good from the bad placing the godly on his right hand and the wicked on his left hand Let vs last of all consider of that great doome and irreuocable sentence which the Iudge of heauen earth shal then pronounce from whom by no meanes they may appeale The sentence that shall bee giuen at that day is very short it is but two words in our tongue Come yee Goe yee in the Latine both words are included in one Venite there is Venite come yee and in the end of Venite is Ite Goe yee The Lord will make a short accompt vpon the earth saith the Apostle in righteousnesse But I know it wil be said that Christ doth vse more words and a very long discourse in that 25. of Mathew then Venite Ite It is true he doth so but I am of opinion that he doth vse them rather to instruct vs while we be liuing and before we come vnto Iudgement then to teach vs that we shall haue so long a speech with him at that time of Iudgement Notwithstanding seeing Christ for our sakes hath vouch safed to remember the same vnto vs. Let vs for Christ his sake consider of them as that they may neuer be forgotten of vs when our Sauiour in that place hath tolde that the son of man shall come vnto Iudgement in his glory with all his holy Angels and being seâ— vpon the seate of his glory all Nations shall be gathered before him the faithful sheepe on his right hand and the sinfull Goates on the left hand he presently addeth Then the King shall say vnto them on his right hand Math 25. â—4 that is to the faithfull Come yee blessed of my Father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Contrariwise the same King shall say vnto them on his left hand that is to the wicked and vngodly Goe yee cursed or depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his angels â—er 41. With what words I beseech you could our Sauiour more perswade vs to haue regard how we liue in this world then by proposing vnto vs these two coÌ„trary sentences the one so ful of ioy coÌ„fort as no tongue can expresse The other so full of griefe horror as no hart can thinke That the King pronounceth first the sentence of blisse it noteth his goodnes bountifulnes inclined rather to grace and mercy then to rigor and Iustice if we had but so much grace and goodnesse as to accept of it before it be too late That he vseth this singular worde of comfort Come yee it noteth the ardent loue and affection that our Sauiour beareth to his sheepe whoÌ„ he hath purchased with his own bloud therefore he giueth so great a charge vnto those whom he hath appointed Pastors ouer them in this life to feede his sheepe and to haue care of them in the wildernesse of this world that none of them be destroyed or lost through their negligence if they be their bloud will he require at their shepheards hands That he calleth them the blessed of his Father it noteth that they are beloued of god before ordained vnto this blessing it highly commendeth Gods free grace fauour not mans merit or deseruing That he biddeth theÌ„ to possessâ— the kingdome
the same lesson doth our Sauiour continually teach vs specially when he telleth vs Mark 13. that the end of the world is at hand saying Take heed watch and pray for ye knowe not when the time is And againe elsewhere he saith Watch and pray continually Luk. 21. â— that yee may bee counted worthie to escape all these things and that yee may stand before the Sonne of man Prayer is a chiefe part of that Panoplia or complet harneis which the Apostle Saint Paul in the sixt to the Ephesians Ephe. 6. â— doth charge euery Christian Souldier dayly to put on or being put once on neuer to put it off any more the reason is because so long as we liue in the fielde of this world we must a waies looke our enemie in the face and neuer turne the backe Therefore also it is that the Apostle hath appointed vs no harneis for our hinder parts Againe we must neuer vnarme our selues because there is neuer no truce to be taken with our aduersarie who continually seeketh to kill vs as well or rather by night then by dayâ— aswell in Winter as in Summer Againâ—â— because we wrestle not onely with fleâ—â— and bloud which are our dayly and domesticall enemies and must alwaies bee kept vnder as bond-slaues which naturally seeke to conspire against vs But also as the Apostle saith Against principallities against powers and against the worldly gouernours the prince of the darkenesse of this worlde and against spirituall wickednesses which are in the high places For this cause wee must take vnto our selues the whole armour of God that wee may bee able to resist in the euill day That is euery day when we are tempted and hauing many fightes wee must still stand vpon our stations or guard With our loynes girded about with truth and hauing on the brestplate of righteousnesse And our feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all wee must take the shielde of faith wherewith wee may quench all the fierie dartes of the Diuell We must also take the helmet of saluation and the sworde of the Spirit which is the word of God And yet all this is too little therefore the Apostle addeth And pray alwayes with all manner Prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseueranee So that wee are taught how wee must bee harnessed from toppe to toe as they say as many as are Christes souldiers they must not come naked vnto this fight neither must they onely put on their armor or harnes but they must also take weapons in their hands the sword of the spirit to strike at the diuel if he come neare and the pike of prayer to keepe him off that he doe not assault them And these weapons if the skill of them bee well known are both offensiue and defensiue they will as well sticke and wounde the aduersary as defend vs from the force of his blowes when hee striketh towardes vs yea belieue it deare christian though the Diuel play the Lion when hee is not resisted yet if thou come towardes him as did Dauid towardes Goliah with these weapons in thine hand hee wil soone flee from thee as S. Iames saith and be afraid of thee and euen quake for feare Iam 4.7 as doth the Lion at the crowing 〈◊〉 a cocke for as the roaring of a Lion â—righteth the beastes of the forrest so doth the prayers of the faithful profligat or driue to flight the diuels of hel faithfull prayer therefore is to be considered chiefly in these two respects the one is the great neede and necessitie of it that we may not bee without it the other is the fruite profite that it bringeth with it if it bee dayly and continually vsed the necessity wherof we see already in that it is one of out chiefest weapons wherewith wee must euermore be fighting if happely at any time the sword of the spirit which is the word of God bee forgotten behinde or layed vp in our closet as the sword of Dauid was behind the Ephod and the dore of our remembrance locked and the key lost for a time yet praier must alwayes be present and neuer be forgotten behind therefore it is that wee are so oftentimes exhorted in the scriptures to pray continually and alwayes giue thankes for benefites receiued not that we should doe nothing els but pray but to teach vs that whatsoeuer we doe else either at home or abroad wee must if we please vse prayer with it either publikely or priuately either in word or in thought yea the very secret groninges of the godly at al times are acceptable vnto God and to teach vs also that euery good thing wee take in hand shall prosper the better for prayer yea thinges Adiaphora thinges indifferent yea euen our sportes and recreation such as the wicked vse prophanely may by the godly be vsed holily by the benefit of praier 1. Tim 4.5 All things saith the Apostle are sanctified by the word of God and prayer that is as I take it all indifferent thinges such as in themselues are neither good nor euill are sanctified to the vse of godly men for thinges that are euer good are euer sanctified and thinges that are meerely euill can neuer bee made good only the euilnes that is in theÌ„ may be auoided and taken away and so the thing that was euil before may in a sort bee changed into goodnes all this is done by the word of God and praier through the mightie working of the holy sanctifying spirit of God Praier therefore I say must be present with the children of God at all times the praises of God must be in their mouthes continually for as a souldier without weapon so is a christian without praier and as water is the life of a fish so is praier the life of the fouâ—e As Sampson was soone ouercome by the Philistines when hee once cut off his haire wherin his strength was so these diuelish Philistines will soon come vpon vs if once they see vs to neglect or cast away praier wherein our spirituall strength consisteth For this cause the necessitie of praier is not onelie commended vnto vs in scripture by sundrie precepts 〈◊〉 Psal 50.15 Mat. 11.28 as Call vpon me in the day of trouble I wil hear thee saith God thou shalt prayse me And again come vnto me al that trauel and are heauy loden with the burthen of sin I will ease ye Mat. 7.7 I will refresh yeâ— And seeke aske knocke which teacheth vs that wee must continue in praier and manie such like precepts but also it is most of all commended vnto vs by example which is a most forcible kind of teaching what meaneth that continual course of praier and the spending of whole nightes in praier by our sauiour but to commend vnto vs the necessitie of praier No sooner did that good disciple who soeuer he was desire
vs in safety In time of warre it getteth vs the victorie In time of prosperitie it keepeth vs from pride In time of aduersitie it keepeth vs from despaire If wee be in health we may pray without paine If wee bee sicke pray and recouer as did Hezekiah If wee bee rich prayer encreaseth our store If wee bee poore prayer maketh vs rich in content and goodnes If we be in authoritie wee haue neede to Pray for wisedome courage and grauity If of the CoÌ„monaltie for obedience loi altie If wee be Pastors our prayers preuaile for the people If we bee parishioners wee must pray and prayse God for and with our Pastors In a word prayer is a present for a Prince and is a delight for the painefull plough-man euery man is delighted with the singing of the Nightingale but no Nightingales song is so sweete in the eares of man as the faithfull prayers of the Saints are in the eares of our God Many commend contemplation but prayer is the soule of the coÌ„templatiue life If thou be in companie thou maiest pray secretly If alone thou maiest pray sweetely Whatsoeuer thou doest or wheresoeuer thou goest if prayer be thy guide thou shalt bee sure to prosper If thou begin to loathe these earthly vanities prayer will bring into thy sight the truest treasures If thou once begin to mortifie thy sinfull affections prayer perfumeth thy soule with most sweete consolation and ioy in the holy Ghost As the hill is the way to the mountaines and the meanes to ascende vnto it so prayer is the way to mortificacation As golde precious stones and marble doe make the houses of Kings so praier doth build the temple of Christ that he may dwell in our heartes by the holy Ghost As fire doth scoure the rust of Iron so prayer doth scowre cleanse our soules from the rust of sinne And as the ioynts of the body are bound together by nerues and sinewes so the soules of the righteous are established by prayer Prayer therefore for the force and efficacie thereof is compared by one to a forke that expelleth all euill things from vs and to a hooke or crooke that pulleth downe from heauen al blessings and good things vpon vs. If therefore thy foule seeme at any time to be cloyed and clogged in the earthly tabernacle of thy bodie the windes of prayer will carrie it aboue the cloudes and conduct thee vnto the pallace of eternall pleasure Pray therefore faithfully and pray continuallie and thou shalt bee sure to haue the presence and assistance of the glorious Trinitie Who therefore will not bee in loue with prayer which pierceth the cloudes preuaileth with God prospereth our affaires at home and abroad by day and by night maketh vs beloued of God and his Angels bringeth sweete rest and peace to our bodies and eternall rest and tranquilitie to our soules to our great comfort in this life and to our endlesse ioy in the worlde to come when Christ Iesus our Iudge and Sauiour shall come in the clouds to make an end of all mortall miseries Who blesse vs all and bring vs at that day into the sight of God his Father that we may see his glorie which hee had with him before the â—ld was made by the gracious guiâ—e of his most holy and blessed spirit which most holy and vndeuidable â—itie one God of most glorious Maâ—e be rendred of vs and all Saints and gels in heauen and in earth all power â—d impire all prayse and glorie and thankesgiuing from this time forth and for euer Amen FINIS Laus Deo