Nowe O Lord thou hast fed me with the most excellent foode which thou hadst and hast slaine thy fatted Calfe for me Luk. 15.23 Therefore grant that I may honour thee as my Father and bestow all the actions of my life the motions of my minde the speaches of my mouth to set foorth thy praises in this world that I become neuer vnthankfull and ingrate to meete thy good benefits with my sinnes To thee therefore O Lord with thy Sonne and holy Spirit be all prayse and honour for euermore Amen A MEDITATION OF THE TROVBLE OF CONSCIENCE AS it is easie to speake of Sicknesses and deadlie Diseases incureable so men may speake of a troubled Conscience but none can speake of either of them more powerfullie or comfortablie than those who haue experimented them both therfore let vs speake first of Conscience it selfe and next of her diseases and troubles and last of the remedies anenst a grieuous and troubled Conscience Conscience is a composed worde of Con and Science so that it must haue a knowledge of sinne What Conscience is and somewhat more that is a feeling conjoyned with the knowledge There are manie who sinne ignorantlie thinking that they doe God good seruice as Saul did and the Iewes 1. Timot. 1.13 Rom. 10.2 of whome hee beareth witnesse that they haue the zeale of God without knowledge others knowe their sinne and that they are into a wrong course hauing Science without Conscience and Knowledge without Feeling and these are in a worse case for their knowledge maketh to their farther damnation God hath erected a Tribunall in man Conscience is Gods Tribunall Iudge Accuser and Burrio hath set it in his heart fensing the Court of Conscience wherein he maketh both Index Index Vindex that is Attourney Iudge and Burrio There is no Subterfuge against the accusations of the conscience no excuses no replyes no dilators but she must simplie confesse And as she giueth vp dittie against her selfe so she giueth sentence of condemnation for her sinnes according to the law of God wherevpon ariseth such torments tortures in the conscience and an Hell begun and a fire kindled which shall neuer be quenched vnlesse God by the bloode of his Christ quench the same The tendernesse of the Conscience The Conscience is a verie tender thing and doeth examine the quietest thoughts of the minde which other men doe passe lightly it censureth the smallest words or ydle speaches challenging man that he must bee comptable for them it chargeth mens looks as Iob sayeth I haue made a couenant with mine owne eyes his hearing tasting Iob 51.1 and all his other senses so that the smallest thought is more grieuous to a feeling conscience than the worst actions are to a sleeping conscience or to a reprobate This Conscience is common to the Elect reprobat Rom. 1.24.25.26 c. The Hethniks looked to the glasse of nature and their conscience mutually accusing or excusing them but Christians looke vnto the glasse of the Law and see there what they haue done well or euill The Hethniks describe Conscience Magna est vis conscientiae in vtramque partem vt neque timeant qui nihil commiserint Cic. pro Milone poenam semper ante oculos versari putent qui peccarint that is Great is the force of the Conscience on both sides that neither they are feared who did no wrong those who haue offēded suppose punishment euer to be before their eyes Then if this be into the Hethniks much more ought it to be in Christians who see clearly either God allowing their good actions whereby there is bred an vnspeakable tranquillitie and peace to their soules or dissallowing them whereby the infernal furies are kindled within them In the trouble of Conscience there ariseth a fire of the wrath of God The trouble of Conscience conceiued against our sinnes out of the which fire ariseth such a smoak which letteth vs see nothing in God but justice and where the Creator is obscured and his light eclipsed nothing appeareth vnto vs on earth but darknesse All the creatures yea the dearest vnto them seeme to be their enemies for when the Sunne is darkened Simil. what maruell is it that there bee no light on the earth or what comfort can all the creatures minister vnto vs when the Creator draweth back his coūtenance from vs Simil. As if the King would looke downe vpon a Subject who dare countenance him any longer This sort of temptation befel Dauid Psal 22.1 Narke 15.34 Christ had trouble of conscience Iohn 5.4 and to our Lord himselfe vpon the Crosse who cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Neither shall we account them the lesse beloued of God who are thus tryed for as the poole of Bethesda being troubled by the Angel brought present health to him who was casten into it so a troubled conscience in Gods mercie bringeth saluation and comfort to a Christian And as Medicine that worketh vehemently after bringeth health Simil. so doeth tranquillitie and peace come after a troubled conscience Pretended trouble and true differ But many pretende a trouble of conscience when there is nothing in them but a furious madnesse and a melanchollious desperate diffidence in God for perplexities miseries whereinto they are brought where there is a manifest difference betwixt that their paine and the other in that the godly are only pained for the sinnes which they haue done against God Trouble worketh diuerslie in the godlie and wicked the other for the calamities whereinto their sins haue brought them True it is they acknowledge their sin to be the cause of it but they are not moued for the sin but for the paine Now seeing the spirit of man can beare all externall paines Prou. 18.14 but who can beare a wounded spirit therefore let vs see what remedies can be applied to cure the diseases of the Conscience Remedies against a troubled conscience First it is necessary that the doctrine of faith bee propounded whereby the conscience terrified with Gods judgementes may bee strengthened by his mercies and it is requisit that all the places of Scriptures which promise Gods mercie should bee propounded vnto the patient Next that an interpreter one of a thousand may bee sought who may pray for him as a spirituall Physician to his soule Thirdly that he be frequent in reading and praying that he enter not into temptation and then thus being exercised by Gods helpe hee will recouer And after his recouerie let him take heede to himselfe that he grieue not Gods Spirit but walke in feare and trembling and he shall finde such excessiue joy after that trouble as hee neuer did in all his life before For as after the Winter blasts Simil. the Sunne shineth more comfortably in Sommer so after a troubled conscience commeth greatest tranquillitie to our minds after the
nourish it within thy Sanctuarie that I beeing brought through this shaddowe of the darke worlde by thine externall and internall light may come to that place where there shall bee no night and where there needeth no Candle Rev. 21.23 neither the Sunne nor the Moone to giue light euen where thy glorie shineth and where the Lambe himselfe giueth light To whome with thee O Father and the holie Spirit bee all honour praise power and dominion now and euermore So bee it A MEDITATION VPON THE LORDES second dayes vvorke THE Heauens were created the seconde Daye The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the natiue language is taken frō the Waters because the Waters are there and descende from thence The Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato takes as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conspicable because it is objected to the sight of all men The Latine Coelum because it is Coelatum carued with goodlie Ornaments and Firmamentum from the surenesse of it and Expansum because GOD hath spred it foorth as a Curtaine Ps 104.2 The Heauens haue three significations in the Scriptures First it is taken for the Aire wherein the Fowles and Birdes doe flie Mat. 6.26 Heauen hath three significatiōs Secondlie for the Firmament And thirdlie for the Seate of the Angels and blessed Soules Paradise the Bosome of Abraham the third Heauens wherevnto the Apostle Paul was rauished These three were made this day God created a faire Theatre to himselfe this daye wherein there should bee innumerable Quiristers neare vnto his Throne of pure Seraphims and Cherubims euerie one prouoking other to his prayse and saying Holie Revel 4.8 holie holie LORD GOD Almightie c. And againe there are infinite Aëriall Quiristers who fill the ears of men with their pleasant Songs by their example prouoking men to laude their Creatour And there is a Parpane and middle inter-stise which is the sole and grounde of his vpper House and the Roofe of his neather House to couer the Worlde by an admirable manner I marke three thinges in the Creation of the Heauens Thre things obserued First the order which GOD vseth in the making of them for seeing Man was to bee made of an Heauenlie Soule and an Earthlie Bodie and was to dwell in Heauen for euer and on the Earth onlie for a little time hee maketh the Heauen first If Heauen was first made then seeke it first setting it aboue the Earth and making Man to bow vpwardes looke vnto it and not downward towards the Earth as the Beasts doe being the place of his abode perpetuall remaining The consideration wherof should make vs to vse that same order in our actions which God did in his Albeit our bodies be on the Earth let our hart bee in Heauen Let vs put Heauen in our heart before the Earth let vs looke vnto it and haue our conuersation in it albeit our bodies be captiuate in the earth let our hearts be in our owne Countrey where wee shall dwell for euer Next God grounded the Heauens vpon the second day and perfected them vpon the fourth day God worketh by degrees This is his common forme both in his Spirituall works and in his naturall he worketh by degrees he layeth the foundation of his benefit and after he finisheth it Therfore let vs not hasten nor precipitate but attend Gods will who will perfect our earthly and heauenlie comfort in his owne time Last yee see he bindeth vp the Cloudes in the Aire that they cannot drowne the Earth as he wardes the Seas by the sands By weake meanes God preserueth man to teach vs how God by these weake meanes doeth preserue Mankinde Which if he doe to his enemies what should his Elect Children looke for at his hands A PRAYER Vpon the LORDES second Dayes Worke. O Almightie GOD Thou who created the Heauens the second day inspire my soule I beseech three with heauenlie Meditations inlarge mine heart and loose my tongue to thy praise Ouer-shadow mine heart with thy grace as thou couerest the Eearth with the Heauens that I may consider thy power and goodnesse towards me in this thy workmanship Thou needest not the Heauens O Lord for before the Heauens were thou wast the Heauen of Heauens cannot containe thee 1. King 8.27 but thou madest them for me Therefore lift vp my minde by a spirituall meditation that with heart and minde I may seeke for thee in them and loue them for thee who is in them Thou dwellest in a light vnaccessable I cannot enter into thy Throne to see but I prostrate my soule before the gates of thy grace wrapped in the beggersie clouts of my sinne and at thy commandement I knock Long for Heauen where thou mayest see God Cant. 5.12 Cast the crumms of thy mercie to me that I faint not in this wildernesse Looke with the eyes of the Doue out of thine holie Temple Heare the voyce of my prayer and gather my teares into thy Bottle who am in a strange countrey and so long absent from my Lord and Husband who is now dwelling with thee Looke foorth at the grates of thy Fathers window Cantic 2.9 O thou whom my soule loueth and cure the griefe of mine heart by thy gracious countenance Should wee dwell sundrie so fare I here thou in the heauens hasten thy comming in the Cloudes or hasten my departure by death that I may enjoye the sight of him whome my soule loueth O Lord the Heauen is full of thy glorie when thou commest out of thine Yourie Palaces Psal 45.8 and out of the moste holie places and shewest the signes of thy presence amongst thy Sainctes then the foundations of the Heauens shake then the innumerable legions of the Coelestiall Spirites rayse vp their voyces Psal 18.7 sounding thy prayses they fill al thy Temple speak words which cannot bee expressed Thine holie Armie of twentie thousand thousandes of Angels Revel 7.4 9. and of euerie Tribe of Israel twelue thousand and of all the Nations vnder the Heauens innumerable thousandes Their voyces are like the sound of the Thunder Rev. 14.2 or as the noyse of manie Waters O our God howe glorious art thou in thine holie Temple O that Spirituall Musicke and the Harpes of God wherevpon thy Sainctes doe play both daye and night The twentie and foure Elders Rev. 7.14 15. and the rest who made their long Robes white in the bloode of the Lambe thou leadest them to the pure Fountaines of Waters thou hast wyped away all teares from their eyes They sing Prayse Glorie and Wisedome Thankes Honour Power and Might bee vnto our GOD for euermore The foundation of that Citie is of precious Stones The Iasper the Saphyr Rev. 21.19 20.21 27 and the Emarald the Topaz and the Hiacinth The twelue Gates are twelue Pearles The Streete of the Citie is pure Golde as shyning Glasse There is none vncleane thing
could not bee called a CommunioÌ„ as the Masse-Priest taketh it alone Thirdlie They differ in the Elements the one being receiued in Water the other in Bread and Wine Fourthlie in the manner of receiuing in Baptisme the receiuer is meere passiue doing nothing himselfe but offering himselfe and suffering himselfe to bee washen by another In the Supper the receiuer is actiue and that which is offered vnto him hee taketh eateth and drinketh The superstitious Papist would put it into his mouth for holinesse And finallie Baptisme is ministrated but once Luk. 22.19 1. Corin. 11 25 Simil. and cannot bee reiterated the Supper as often as wee doe it sayeth our Sauiour There is a reiteration for as a childe is once infested in his fathers heritage but hee is fedde daylie at his fathers table so once baptized may often communicate The necessitie of the Word and SacrameÌ„ts But now God willing wee shall speake something of the necessitie of the Word and Sacraments The Word is necessarie to saluation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simplie those who are come to age without the which they cannot bee saued The Sacramentes are necessarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conditionallie they may bee had So I say with Augustine August Non carentia sed contemptis Baptismi damnat that is Not the want but the contempt of Baptisme condemneth men Iosh 5. For as in the Wildernesse many died who were not circumcised Circumcision then being more strictly vrged than Baptisme is now Exod. 4.24 and of a like power and signification yet vve vvill not judge those who so died to be damned no more reason is it that those who are preuented by death or excluded by necessity bee in danger of damnation lacking Baptisme Preparation to the Sacrament is necessarie A man should not set himselfe to any graue action without deliberation much lesse vnto this which is the grauest of all others the Supper of the Lord he should first try and examine himselfe First let vs try our repentance next our faith and thirdlie our loue Our repentance must bee tryed by the Lawe How to try thy repentance without the which there is no knowledge of sinne Examine our selues and judge our selues that God doe not judge vs. Spare not to search all the corners of thine heart that there be no hid leauen therein try what sorrow thou hast for thy former life and in what measure for manie sinnes doe craue many teares Luke 7.38 as the Magdalen washed Christs feete with her teares and Dauid his bed Next Psalm 6.6 try the trueth and sinceritie of thy repentance for God doeth loue the trueth in the inward parts And be sorrowfull Psal 51.6 not for any paine which hath befallen thee for thy sinnes but for offending God thereby Try thy faith see that thou haue knowledge to vnderstand what is giuen thee How to try thy fayth for ignorance secludeth thee from the Sacraments And next that thou canst apply to thy felt that which thou doest receiue externally in the elements and internally by faith in Christ Finally try thy loue that it be without hypocrisie for there is no conjunction with the head How to try thy loue vnlesse there bee communion with the members of the bodie Therefore purge your selues from the leauen of maliciousnesse and bitternesse 1. Cor. 5.7 yea pardon your enemies heartilie and pray for them if ye desire that at this holy SacrameÌ„t God should be mercifull vnto your sinnes The honourable receiuing of the SacrameÌ„ts Both the Sacramentes craue a like reuerence as they are of a like substance and weight and therefore we ought to come with all humilitie and reuerence to that most holie Supper both in bodie and soule praying that God Almightie would blesse this his ordinance and make it steadable to our saluation and then receiuing it in all deautifull reuerence let vs apply it to our owne comfort rendering thanks to God for this inestimable benefite in giuing his Sonne to the death for our redemption A PRAYER BEFORE THE RECEIVING OF THE LORDES SVPPER O Lord God most gracious most holy most glorious I thy poore creature most filthie and vnworthie most graceles and ingracious most contemptible and vilde worme doe heere present my selfe before thine holy Majestie crauing at thine handes that I may bee worthily prepared to receiue the body and blood of Iesus Christ to mine eternall saluation and to this effect I beseech thee that thou wilt remooue from me all impediments which might hinder me from the right receiuing of the same namely ignorance which blindeth my minde infidelitie and damnable hypocrisie O merciful father replenish me with thâ—ne holy Spirit that I may know and vnderstand the mysterie of my redemption and truly apply it to mine owne soule and in all sinceritie and singlenesse of heart render all praise honour and glorie to thy Majestie for the same O Lord the blinde dulnesse of my minde will not suffer me sufficiently to acknowledge these thy most ample benefits the height the length the breadth and the deepnesse whereof neither man nor Angel euer was able to sound yet I am perswaded that all my saluation consisteth in the death and passion of thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST who died for the sinnes of the world and therefore I humbly beg at thy Majesty that as I receiue these outward elements at thy commandement eat and drinke thereof in rememberance of him Nota. so it will please thee secretlie to communicate the vertue of his blood to my soule which may feed the hidden man of mine heart to eternall life by whose power also and force of his death all my wicked and sinfull affections may be crucified and finally by the aide protection of his blood I may bee defended from all my spirituall and temporall enemies from all temptations and dangers and by the selfe same his bodie blood I may be strengthened to fight my spiritual battels and to goe forward in my spirituall journey to that Land of Canaan in the which battell and journey helpe me good Lord by the precious merite of thy deare SONNE CHRIST IESVS to whom with thee and thine holy spirit bee all honour glorie and dominion for euer AMEN A THANKESGIVING AFTER THE RECEIVING OF THE COMMVNION O Most gracious God I heartilie thanke thee for this thy most excellent benefit which thou hast bestowed vpon mee euen the bodie and blood of thy Sonne Christ Iesus for the saluation of my soule I beseech thee most mercifull father that thou wouldest bestowe thine holy spirit vpon me that I may honour and serue thee all the dayes of my life that the corruption of my nature may be beaten downe and the Image of God may bee more clearely seene in me that I may cast off the olde man Colloss 3.9 with the lusts thereof and put on the newe man which is formed after God in holinesse and righteousnesse
raging stormes of the Sea commeth greatest tranquillitie and calmnesse Simil. so after a disquieted minde God sendeth greatest consolations A PRAYER FOR A TROVBLED CONSCIENCE O Lord art thou also become mine enemie hast thou hid thy countenance in displeasure Oh that my griefe vvere vvell weighed Iob 6.2 and my miseries laide together in the Ballance they would bee farre heauier than the sand of the Sea for thine Arrowes are in me and the venome thereof drinketh vp my spirit I eate Gall for my Meat Psa 69.21 my Drinke is mingled with Vinegar Oh that God would destroy me I burne with sorrow spare me not O Lord yet haue I not denyed the wordes of the holie One Iob 6.10.11 Iob 7.6 c my strength is not the strēgth of a stone my dayes are swifter than a Weauers shottle Iob 7.6 c and flie away like the winde I speake to thee O Lord in the trouble of my spirit and moue in the bitternesse of my minde Am I a Whale fish that I am kept in ward I abhorre my life for my paine is greater than I am able to beare Genes 4.13 Iob 19.13 c. I haue none now to help me all haue forsaken me I am left to be a prey to my spirituall enemies thou hast set my secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance I inherit now the sinnes of my youth Iob 20.11 and 7.3 Psa 50.21 and the moneths of vanitie which I passed Thou hast put my sinnes in order and those things which I thought light by ydle thoughts and speaches now I finde them like mountaines so terrible is thy Tribunal and thy Face burning like fire The Heauens are not cleane before thee Iob 4.28 and 15.15 and 15.16 thou foundest no steadfastnesse in the Angels how much lesse can I who haue drunken in iniquitie like water bee justified before thee If I would justifie my selfe when thou hast reasoned with me 9.3.20 mine owne mouth would condemne me though I were just yet I could not answer but I would mak supplication to my Iudge and 9.15 If I wash me with snow water purge mine hands most cleanly 9.30.31 yet shalt thou plunge me into the pitte mine own cloathes shall make me filthie What shall I doe O thou Sauiour of men Wilt thou absent thy selfe for euer Hath God forgotten to be mercifull Psal 77.7.8.9 c. Will hee show no more fauour to my miserable soul doth his promise faile for euermore hath he shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure He hath lifted me vp and casten me down again He hath shot at me with his Arrowes as at a marke Then I said This is my death Iob 7.20 and 16.13 Psa 77.10 Yet I remembred the yeeres of the right hand of the most High and how he deliuered his children by his mightie arme Is the Lord like man that he can repent and Whom he loueth 1. Sam. 15.29 doeth he not loue to the end Manie pledges of thy fauour I haue receiued in my youth wilt thou nowe reject me in my gray haires Is there any shaddowe of change in thee Albeit all men be liars yet thou art faithfull and constant for euer Thy Sonne said Heauen and Earth should perish but one jot of thy word should not fall to the ground Matth. 24.35 But all the Scriptures proclaime thy mercie thou cryedst in the Campe of Israel with thine owne voyce The Lord is mercifull full of compassiō of great kindnesse Exo. 34.16 shewing mercie vnto thousands Therefore O Lord haue mercie vpon me miserable wretch cure my wounds powre in the Oyle and Wine of thy Sonnes blood and spirit that I may be made whole For out of the deepe places of a grieued heart haue I called Psa 130.1 vpon thee If thou wouldest obserue mine iniquities vvho can be saued Psa 130.3 4. But mercie is with thee that thou mayest be feared For euen as when the Sunne departeth in Winter then all tempests arise Snow Haile Frost Simil Windes c so when thou obscurest thy countenance from me then the Winter of all tēptations ariseth aganst me the Deuill my spirituall enemie raiseth vp such fearfull temptations that through the multitude of sinnes he terrifieth me euen in the night when I would haue slept he thought to haue made me to despare of thy mercies but O Lord I know that thy mercies are more infinite than my sins are or can bee yea though my sinnes be moe than the haires of mine head Psa 40.12 yet thy mercies are as the Sandes of the Sea or the Starres of Heauen which cannot be numbred Therefore O God let thy face shine vpon mee and I shall bee saued Psa 31.16 Mine enemies are risen vp against me and as thornes they pricke me on euerie side Psa 42.10 Psal 22.8 they say Now where is thy God he trusted in the Lord let him deliuer him let him saue him seeing he loueth him Psa 38.20 and 11. Psal 41.9 Yea those who render euill for good are mine enemies because I followe goodnesse My friends and familiars haue forsaken me and he that ate at my table hath lifted vp his heele against me yea he with whom I went vnto the House of God and communed with him of spirituall matters and who prayed with me and exercised the parts of diuine worship doeth scorne me saying Where is thy confidence thine hope and thy feare which thou hast of God But O Lord let me not be ashamed Psal 25.3 because I put my trust in thee O thou Sunne of righteousnesse come with the bright beames of thy countenance disperse and chase away the clowdes of my sinnes and of all these temptations chase away my spirituall aduersaries and giue not my temporall enemies cause to rejoyce ouer me neither yet to dishonour thine holie Name that when others say Beholde this poore man called vpon the Lord in his miserie Psal 34.6 and he heard the voyce of his prayer they may turne also vnto thee and be saued for I will consecrate my selfe to thy Name for euer through Christ Iesus my Lord and Sauiour to whom together with thee O Father and the holie Spirite bee all prayse honour glorie power and dominion World without ende So be it A MEDITATION VPON THE ESTATE OF KINGES KINGES are the principall and chiefe mēbers of the Church and are Heads of that Church which is within their Dominions and therefore euerie King ought to doe the part of an Head vnto her that is To fore-see her wealth maintaine her libertie speake for her heare those things which concerne her weale defende her from persecution and oppression and that shee bee not craftilie dealt withall as Pharoah did to the Israelites Exod. 1.10 11 Psal 45.7 lest they touch the Lordes Anointed and hee rebuke them and roote them out All good Christians are most duetifullie
ease mee thereof that with â—acritie and readinesse of heart I may â—erue thee all the dayes of my life as I â—aue serued sinne before Alace was â—ot I the cause that thy Sonne died â—ine Angels are offended and thy Church grieued O Lord let mee be â—omforted before my departure that I may bee the occasion of all their joyeâ— by my repentance as I was the cause of their sorrowe by my fall and foule defection But alace when that I haue repented mee of my former wickednesse I am readie to runne backe vnto that filthie puddle of sinne from the which I was newlie washen yea I haue fallen more often than seauen times euerie day but thou O Lord with thy mercifull hand didst lift me vp againe Therefore deare Father haue mercie vpon mee I beseech thee and continue thy loue and fauour towards mee and let mee not fall as doe the wicked who fall and rise no more Sende vnto mee O my God faithfull Admonishers and let the Righteous rebuke mee yea let mee not want the checkes of mine owne Conscience that I durst forsweare my promise to my God Breach of promise to God I promised to amend my life but I haue not performed mine oath and haue come vnder a double guiltinesse I purposed to cease from sinne euen when I vowed thinking to stand by mine owne strength But nowe good Lord I beseech thee that thou wouldest giue mee thy constant Spirit that I may stand by thy power Psa 51.10 and fall no more If thou wouldest narrowlie marke mine iniquities O Lord Iob 5.3 I could not aunswere thee to one of a thousand yea mine owne mouth condemne mee Iob 9.20 and mine owne cloathes would defile mee Wash mee therefore O my God Purge mee with Hyssope Psal 51.7 and I shal be cleane with Myrrhe and pure Water and I shall bee whiter than Snow O passe by my great sins for mercy pleaseth thee Mich. 7.8 Remember not O Lord mine ingratitude and vnthankfulnesse toward thy Majestie Ingratitude for all thy manifolde and rich benefits which thou hast so bountifullie bestowed vpon mee from time to time Ne yet good Lord remember mine hypocrisie and superficiall seruice Hypocrisie which manie times I haue done vnto thee both priuatelie and in thine House I craue pardon for these two sinnes which are most haynous and I most humblie beseech thee euer hence forwarde to giue mee a thankfull minde and heart vnto thee for all thine innumerable benefites and blessinges and sinceritie in thy worship that with a single eye and a true heart I may glorifie thee O my Creatour all the dayes of my pilgrimage heere in this life and heereafter with thy Sainctes for euer Oh and alace I am sorie and doe most heartilie repent mee for those manifolde injuries which I haue done vnto my Neighboures Injuries to our neighbour euen for lacke of loue towardes them But O Lord I am no wayes able to reckon mine hainous sinnes and grieuous offences which I haue committed both against God and man no more than I am able to count the haires of mine head or the sandes of the Sea or the Starres of Heauen But binde thou all my transgressions in the bundle of thy mercie and burne them in the fire of thy loue Oh burie them all in the bowels of thy CHRIST and in the graue of perpetuall obliuion For why O Lord thy Name is Mercie 1. Gods Name is Mercie and thy nature mercifull yea thy mercie is aboue all thy workes and in dureth for euer 2. His nature mercifull Thy promise is O God that thou wilt not cast off those that come vnto thee Thou hast sworne that thou delightest not in the death of a sinner 3. His promise and oath but that hee bee conuerted and liue Thou commandest all that are wearie 4. His CommandemeÌ„t Matt. 11.28 Luke 18.1 and laden with sinne to come vnto thee and thou wilt ease them Thou commendest the vnjust Iudge who at last yeelded to the importunitie of the Widow Therefore O Lord according to the riches of thy mercies looke vpon mine infirmities Bestow vpon â—e O Father the Comforter Ioh. 14.26 euen the Spirit of trueth who may leade mee in all veritie through this Wildernesse and thy constant Spirit who may establish mine heart by his grace and who may sanctifie me and purifie the sountaine of my soule that all good actions may aboundantlie spring from thence And finallie O Lord I resigne my bodie and soule into thine hand beseeching thee most intirelie that thou wilt keepe thine owne Lodging that I may bee directed by thine holie Spirit in the course of this transitorie life that I hauing the assurance of the forgiuenesse of all my former sinnes and likewise a care feare and reuenge of my corruption I may learne to number my dayes Psa 90.12 redeeme the time and spende and ende my life to thine honour praise and glorie through IESVS CHRIST my Lord and onelie Sauior AmeÌ„ So bee it MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS vpon the Lordes seuen dayes worke MOSES albeit hee was borne after the Flood yet he prophecieth of thinges done from the beginning of the Worlde and hath written fiue Bookes of the same GENESIS GENES which signifieth Generation because it containeth the beginning both of the Worlde and of the Church EXOD. EXODVS an Out-passage or deliuerie of the Church from Aegypt LEVITICVS LEVIT setteth downe both the Orders and Offices of the Leuits for the right ministration of Gods seruice NVMBERS a Reckoning of men NVMB. wherein God performeth his promise to Abraham Gen. 22.17 that his seed should be like the starrs of heaueÌ„ DEVTERONOMIE DEVT. or a Second Law or Declaration of the will of God before the death of Moses He beginneth at the Creation by which he confuteth the Opinion of the Eternity of the World To such as inquire what God was doing before the Creation What God was doing before the World I answere with S. Augustine Hee was preparing Hell for such curious braines And to such as aske where he was I say that God needed no place who is comprehended in no place Places are made for bodies which are conprehensible the Creatour beeing incomprehensible hath no neede therof Neque tempus habet quando neque locum ubi Augustine neque modum quomodo neque causam cur fit that is Hee hath neither a place wherein hee is nor a time when nor a manner how nor a cause why he is But he was in himselfe and had a perfect delectation in his owne Trinitie A MEDITATION VPON THE LORDS first dayes vvorke THE first Creature which GOD made out of the Chaos and Masse was the Light Light admirable which is admirable in two respects First 1. Out of darknesse because it proceeded out of Darknesse as hee doth produce one Contrare out of another 2. Without
signifie Some Planets but each one of them hath a seuerall office and compleateth his course in his appointed time as the Sunne and Moone doe and haue their particular operations vpon the inferiour creatures As for the Comets they take their name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comets which is called the haire because they seeme to carrie as it were haire about them of whom Plinius maketh mention in his second Booke of his naturall historie and twentie fiue Chapter The ends of their creation Simil. As for the ends of their creation First the Sunne was created to rule the Day the Moone the Night So this darke and blinde world is ruled by the light of Christ and of his Church which is illuminated and directed by him But I maruell how the Church of Rome can call her selfe the Sunne and the Princes of the world the Moone for if she be the Spouse of Christ then must she be the Moone of whom is spoken in the Scripture and Christ must be her Sunne So in comparison of her the secular persons are the Earth I maruell likewise of these against whom Ieremie and the rest of the Prophets so oft speaketh who thinke that their life and the events thereof still depend vpon the Starres or Plannets which is a manifest idolatrie putting them in Gods place NOTA. But let vs learne that the superiour creatures haue so power ouer the inferriour bodies that wee leaue all the euent of them to God Against the curiositie in searching our euents 1. Sam. 28.18 the maker and guider of all let vs seeke his fauour depende on his prouidence without any curious searching of our euent lest wee receiue the answere of Saul A PRAYER Vpon the LORDES fourth Dayes Worke. GRACIOVS GOD and mercifull Father who hast filled the Heauens with such infinite Lightes vpon this fourth Day inlighten mine vnderstanding I beseech thee that I may see thy power and thy glorie in these thy good creatures and through them as through spectacles let me look in to the Father of Lights Thou hast created the Sunne who by his beautie and bountie hath adorned the whole Earth As the Sun shineth on the bodie pray that Christ may shine on the soule hee ariseth each morning on my bodie so I pray thee that the Sunne of Righteousnesse the Sunne Iesus Christ may shine vpon my darkened minde euerie daye and houre and chase away the cloudes of ignorance and of sinne from my soule that thou mayest shine brightly in me Woe is mee my Lord howe manie times hath the Sunne shined vpon mee and as Absolom before the Sunne committed wickednesse 2. Sam. 16 22. so I before the Sunne in the pride of my wicked heart haue often times sinned against thee O my Father and therefore I confesse that I am not woorthie that the Sunne should shine vpon mee O Lord Iesu spreade thy Mantle ouer mee that thy Father beholde not my wickednesse Thou puttest light in the Sunne that hee may shine therefore Lord put knowledge and vnderstanding in mee Thou hast put hotnesse in the Sunne Oh warme mine hart with thy loue that through the loue I beare to thee I may also breake foorth in the loue of my Neighboures And as the Sunne runneth constantlie in his course at thy commaundement so Lord let mee run all my dayes in the path of thy Law for hitherto I haue run as a wylde Asse in the broade way of destruction yea I brayed after the desires of sinne psal 42.1 as the Hart doeth after the Riuers of Waters and nothing could haue satisfied mee vnlesse I had obtained my sinfull desire Now Lord haue mercie vpon me draw my feet out of the vnhappie way of sinne let me runne with as speedie a course in the way of thy seruice Let vs bee more diligēt to serue God than wee were before to sin against him that as Sainct Paul thy seruaunt was more diligent in thy employment than he was in the destruction of thy Church so I may be more busied in thy honourable seruice than I was in seruing mine owne affections and in the seruice of Sathan Alace O Lord howe slow am I to doe thy seruice But if thou wilt drawe mee I will run after thee Oh drawe mee by the Cordes of thy loue Cantic 1.3 yea rather than I should lie behinde force mee with the Cordes and Whippes of thy visitation that I may learne to runne a quicker swifter pace than I haue done heeretofore But alace NOTA. that the Sunne which is a senselesse creature should neuer bee wearie and that I should so soone bee tyred in seruing of thee The Sunne constant in its course O louing Father stirre vp a constant zeale of thine honour in mine heart I beseech thee that as I goe forwarde in yeeres so I may make greater progresse in godlinesse O LORD when I see the Sunne and the Moone and the Starres c. which are the workes of thine owne hands O then I thinke with my selfe What is Man that thou shouldest visit him or the sonne of man that thou shouldest magnifie him For albeit the Sunne were in the highest top of its beautie glorie yet it is but my seruant and likewise the Moone The Sunne serueth vs let vs serue GOD. and the Starres Then fye vpon mee if I shall not in whatsoeuer estate I am serue thee O my gracious God who hast made so glorious creatures for my vse LORD I pray thee let my light so shine before men that all who beholde my conuersation may take occasion to glorifie thine holie Name O Father of Lightes lighten thou my Candle that it may shine clearelie and furnish it with the Oyle of thine holie Spirite and Worde that it may shine euen as a bright Morning Starre in thy Kingdome Thy seruant Paul O Lord 1. Cor. 15.41 sayeth that there is one glorie of the Sunne and another of the Moone and another of the Starres It is true there is great diuersitie amongst the Sainctes heere on Earth and likewise great difference of glorie in the Life to come But O my God let mee shine but as the least of thy Starres that I may bee fixed in thy Firmament and giue out my light of knowledge and good life vnto this darke Age. The Moone knoweth the time of her change and as shee changeth so doe all the inferior creatures with her for all men are grasse and there is no steadfast abiding for them heere But O Lord heerein is my comfort The Moone changeth but God can not change Ps 90. ◠6 Psal 90.2 Luke 1.5 that there is no shadowe of changing with thee Thou art from euerlasting to euerlasting yea my God thy kindnesse and trueth abideth from generation to generation euen vnto such as feare thee and attende vpon thy mercies and goodnesse O vnchangeable God I finde none alteration with thee for although men runne
say it O Lord thou hast appointed thy creatures to labour for me then seeing I am eased by them make me to goe forwarde more busilie in thy seruice that they may beare me in all my journeyes to glorifie thee and not carrie me to sinne Numb 22.21 with Baalam the sonne of Beor who caused Israel to sinne And as thou hast appointed the Beasts for my commoditie so through my sinne thou hast inarmed thy creatures aganst me for now the Earth bringeth foorth as many enemies as friends vnto me For the wylde Beastes doe multiplie as our sinne groweth which destroyeth both Man and Beast and the Cornes and Fruits before our eyes are consumed by thy great Hoste The residue of the Palme-worme the Canker-worme hath eaten Ioel 1.4 and the residue of the Canker-worme the Grashopper hath eaten O Lord waken vs in mercy out of the bed of sinne that beeing reconciled to thee thou mayest rebuke thy great Hoste and drowne them in the Sea Further O Lord when I consider how thou madest mee little lesse than an Angell Psal 8.5 and crownedst mee with honour and glorie and yet I am become like a Beast in my sensualities and pleasures Yea oftentimes like a Swine I returne to the puddle of sinne from which I was cleansed Wash me O Lord throughly from an euill conscience Many are like Bulles Lyons and Beares in this Wildernesse where I dwell O blessed God thou hast rescued mee from the clawes of the Beare and the paw of the Lyon 1. Sam. 17.34 Psal 23.2.4 as Dauid did his Fathers Sheepe O Lord thou art my shepheard when I feele my selfe neare lost thy Staffe will deliuer me Therefore will I sacrifice to thee my bodie and my life for thou art the God of my saluation mine hope mine helpe my Sauiour and my God O Lord Matth. 12 34. this is a generation of Vipers and vnnaturall people they haue recompenced me euill for good Alace as I haue done to thee so haue they done to me Nota. I requite thy kindnes with vnkindnesse thy benignities with mine iniquities But pittie O pittie me I will doe so no more Let my wayes please thee O Lord let my soule be thankfull vnto thee that thou mayest tame those Wilde Beasts and make them friendly vnto me Now seeing thou hast made my bodie and soule this sixth day grant that all the dayes of my life I may glorifie thee in them both that while they are together in this world euery one may prouoke other to serue thee Let Soule and Bodie prouoke one another to Gods seruice my soule may be commanded by thee and so may direct my bodie aright and my bodie may be obedient to the directions of thine holy Spirit that so I may vse all thy creatures to the glorie of thine holie Name that when it shall please thee to diuide them then I may render my bodie to the dust whereof it was made and my soule to thee of whom it was created waiting when they shall meete be vnited together againe at the last day to praise and glorifie thee for euermore Amen A MEDITATION VPON THE SEAVENTH DAY Vpon the vvhich the Lord rested from all the Workes which Hee had made Genes 2.2 WEe haue taken a view of the first sixe dayes wherin we haue seen the wonderful works of GOD in the creation of the whole World and all things therein And now wee come to the seuenth Day which is the sweete day of our Lordes rest wherein hee ceased from any new creation but by his providence sustained those thinges which hee had made By this his example he instituted one Day onelie to bee celebrated as a Sabbath to the ende of the world This Day ought to be had in an honourable regard as Augustine obserueth in his 154. Serm. de temp Tom. 10. in these words Venerabilis est hic dies qui Dominicus dicitur c. that is to say This day which is called the Lordes day is venerable on the which the Light was first seene Genes 1.3 Exod. 14.22 Ibid. 16.15 Mat. 3.13 Iohn 2.1 Luke 9.17 Ioh. 20.1 and 20.26 2. The people of Israel passed thorow the redde Sea 3. Manna rained in the Desart 4. The Lord was baptized in Iordane 5. Christ turned Water into Wine in Canah of Galilee 6. Christ fed fiue thousand people with fiue Loaues 7. Our Lord arose from death 8. Entered thorow the close Doores where the Disciples were gathered for feare of the Iewes Act. 2.1 9. The holy Ghost descended vpon the Apostles c. and on which Day we look for the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ to judgement when as the Church shall bee reformed to a Light seuenfolde greater than the Sunne and Moone c. This is a Day not an Houre not of Ydlenesse but of Rest Nota. not vnto our selues but to the Lord not for a time but for euer God craueth a whole Day which consisteth of all the partes Morning Noonetyde and Euening The whole Sabbath is to be sanctified So it is a verie grosse abuse to parte or diuide the Lordes Day at our owne pleasure Wee giue the beginning of this Day to sleepe and many Craftesmen without conscience to worke the mid-time of the day perhaps to the seruice of the Church and the afternoone to Drinke or Pastime euen as though God had not right and title to the whole Day who commandeth it by his Preceptes and commendeth it by his owne example as wee haue showne afore But seeing ignorant people and I am the more sorie euen those who would haue some appearant showe of knowledge doe object saying How shall they spende the Sabbath they haue kept Church-time what shall they doe afternoone it were better for them to play than to drinke so that they thinke Playes to bee lawfull at afternoone and that vpon the Sabbath First I answere that to vse anie sorte of playing gaming or pastime vpon the Lords day An answere vnto those who aske how they should bestow the Sabbath is altogether vnlawfull for vpon this day especiallie wee haue to doe with God in a serious and earnest matter which businesse will chase away all follies and wantonnesse and bring vs into a due consideration how wee may attaine vnto a reconciliation with our God for our manifold sinnes wherewith wee haue so often and hainouslie prouoked him vnto wrath against vs. How the Sabbath should bee spent But I wil more peremptorily answere to their demaund What they should doe First for the morning of the day rise earely and pray confessing the sinnes of the weeke bygone prepare thy heart to receiue the word of God as thou wouldest prepare the ground in breaking it vp Simil. before thou wouldest cast seede into it In the midday heare the word and sing praise to the blessed Trinitie Blessed is the man who delighteth in the law of the Lord. Psaelm 1.2 And
blessing vnto all the rest of the weeke Seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 and all other thinges shall bee casten vnto you vvhere by the contrarie there are Curses denounced aga nst the profanators of the Sabbath Ier. 17.27 that God shall curse the workes of their handes and the Land shall enjoye manie Sabbathes of yeeres euen as it did in the Captiuitie of Babylon Now Three kinds of Sabbaths 1. Of Creation 2. Of Redemption Reuel 1.10 there are three kindes of Sabbathes the first of the Creation as a memoriall that GOD ceased from his worke vpon the seuenth day this lasted till Christes death and resurrection The second Sabbath beganne vpon the day of his resurrectiō which is called THE LORDES DAY in rememberance of a newe Creation of the worlde 3. Of Perfection Isa 66.23 and this will ende with the worlde And the thirde Sabbath shall be eternall when as the sixe dayes of this miserable life shall bee finished vvee shall rest from all our earthlie businesses and trauels that our continuall exercise may bee to glorifie him in minde heart and with all our strength in his Kingdome Then let vs occupie this Sabbath whollie in his prayse vvhich shall bee a sure pledge of that in the Heauens A Prayer vpon the seuenth Day MOst mightie Lord and mercifull Father distill I beseech thee and powre downe into mine earthlie heart thy diuine Dewes vvhich may moysten it together with such heauēly meditations as may stirre vp mine heart vnto thy prayse and glory that as vpon these sixe dayes I haue beene musing and meditating vpon all thy most glorious workes so I may repose my selfe vpon the day of Rest and finde quietnesse to my soule in thee for all the rest of the creatures albeit they be glorious yet they be subject vnto a curse not because of themselues but for man who hath defiled them I haue trusted to the pleasures which I saw in the creatures and I see that it is true that Salomon saide All is but vanitie and vexation of the spirit Eccles 1.2 as Ritches increase so Care groweth But O Lord let me come to thine Arke as the Doue did which found no rest till shee came backe to Noah Genes 8.9 Pull in thine owne doue O my Lord vnto thee for the floods of sinne haue ouerflowed the face of the Earth that I finde no rest heere I am wearie and loadned Lord giue me rest to my soule in thee This day is joyfull to me because that my Lord rose this day from death I beseech thee my God Nota. raise vp my soule from the graue of sinne that I may be partaker of the first Resurrection and make my thoughts spirituall this thy Sabbath day banish from my minde all earthlie cares this day forgiue me in that I haue so many times abused these thine holie dayes Oftentimes when I was praying to thee or thou preaching vnto me Sathan did cast into my mind carnall cogitations which interrupted that communication betwixt my soule thy majestie O Lord forgiue me and fill my soule with thy reuerence and feare in all the dayes of my life to come that all such ydle purposes may be dispatched by thine holie Spirit shut the doore of my soule when thou art speaking vnto me or when I pray to thee that none get entrie to vnquiet me and stay my joy for alace mine heart was casten open vnto many of thine enemies I will close the doore of mine eare to the voyce of all others that thou mayest speake to me Alace my God I finde a great decay of that spirituall joy in me that I haue not that sparke of delight and that inward spirituall joy which I should haue or had sometimes I loath the exercise which I loued mine hands are wearie and fallen downe I haue lost my first loue it was sweeter to me thā the honey Reuel 2.4 now it is loathsome vnto me as the Manna was vnto the Isralites therefore I beseech thee Numb 11.6 kindle vp an holie fire of thy loue in my soule as was in the Disciples going to Emmaus and that the zeale of thine House may eate me vp Luk 24.32 Psal 69.9 and 52.8 and 27.4 Let me flourish as a greene Oliue in the house of my God O would to God I could abide in thine house all the dayes of my life that I might praye with good Anna 1. Sam. 1.13.16 out of the bitternesse of my soule making my supplications to thee O Lord I craue thee pardon for the earthly and ydle speaches which I spake vpon the Sabbath I will holde mine hand vpon my mouth speake no more Iob 39.37 Luk 24.15 The Disciples which went to Emmaus were speaking of Christ he came vnto them alace when I spake of the world he went from me and my heart was colde Lord forgiue me for it was a great sin which I did yea I made no matter to deale in mine earthly businesse on thy Sabbath All mine excuses are nowe accusations against me they burne me when I am trying mine heart But Lord I found neuer any blessing in those mine actions which I enterprysed vpon thy Day I haue sinned I will doe it no more let the world be crucified to me and me to it vpon thy Sabbath I haue resolued in mine heart that I shall spende my dayes while I liue to thine honour Helpe my resolution by thine holie Spirit that neither the corruption of my nature my weaknesse and forgetfulnes Nota. neither the euil example of these wicked and profane people among whom I liue suffer me to break my promise which I doe make vnto thee but that thou mayst be my speach my thought and my delight vpon the Sabbath dayes Let me be feruent in prayer and supplications to thee vpon the day of thy rest Let me heare what thou speakest to me by the mouth of thy seruant Let me gather thy Manna when it is rained downe from the clowdes of Heauen Ex. 16.15 as the people gathered Manna in the Desart that I may heare it as thy word I may gather it and lay it in the store-house of mine heart against the yeere of famine Gen. 41.48 and giue me thy grace that vpon thy holy day I may proclaime thy prayses with the rest of the Saincts This day let me breake my bread to the hungrie seeing thou satisfiest me with thy spirituall graces let me cloathe them that are naked visit those that are sicke and that I may so rest from earthly vanities this day that I may moste diligently worke the workes of God that I may gather out the flowrs of thy most holy Scriptures that I may studie to practise which I heare in a godlie life and conuersation so I may redeem the time which I haue spent in vain Eph. 5.16 that I now getting mercie for the abusing of thy
former Sabbathes may here beginne my spirituall Rest in thy Sanctuarie that after I may accomplish it in thine holie Temple throgh Iesus Christ our Lord and only Sauiour AMEN CERTAINE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS MOST COMfortable for all estates Morning Prayer ALmightie God and moste mercifull Father I beseech thee that thou wouldest chase away with the brightnesse of thy presence my sinnes as a clowde that I may come before thee Psa 18.12 and with a cleane heart beholde thee and offer vp my Prayer as a Morning Sacrifice and as Incense of sweet Odour vnto thee Reuel 8.4 I thanke thy Majestie for the quiet rest of this night that thou hast so safely conuoyed me through the perils of darknesse and saued me from the prince of darknesse and brought me to the light of this day giuen mee a new day of repentance wherein I may seeke thee O Lord it was of thy mercie that I was not consumed Thou the watchman of Israel neither sleepest nor slumberest Psa 121.4 Albeit my bodie was lying as dead and all my senses were asleepe so that I was a readie prey to my spiritual foes Yet O Lord thou wast carefull of me when I was careles of my selfe and thou pitchedst about my bodie the muisible companie of thine holie Angels Psal 34.7 who haue graciously carried me and kept me from all euill Thou smotest the first borne of Egypt in one night by the destroyer Exo. 12.26 2. King 19 35 and the host of Senacherib by thine Angel But O Lord thou hast kept me and mine house safe by their hand thou foundest the blood of the Lambe vpon the doore of my soule and I haue escaped praise bee giuen vnto thee O Lord Ex. 12.13 who hast deliuered me and glorie to the Lambe by whom I haue escaped But especiallie I praise thee that my spirituall enemies haue not preuailed ouer me to snare me in sinne Sathan most busie in the night to cause men sinne Iob 24.16 for the Prince of darknesse worketh his works of darknesse in darknesse by the which hee leadeth the worlde vnto euerlasting darknesse in the night they steale they murder and commit adulteries but the Lord hath deliuered mee from the temptations of the Deuill Blessed bee thy Name for I knowe the night is to the Lord as the light Psal 139.12 hee beholdeth mee and seeth mee therefore I glorifie thee this morning that thou diddest keepe mee and gauest mee not ouer to bee illuded by my spirituall foes Thou wast a light vnto mee in darknesse But alace that my naturall heart cannot acknowledge thy goodnesse I haue rested in my bodie and my minde hath beene at great peace This is a double rest which thou hast giuen to thy beloued But alace thou hast so tenderlie dealt with my flesh that I am displeased that I should spende the whole night which is the halfe of my dayes Nota. so ydlie in my judgement that I should doe nothing but feede my flesh with sleepe I am displeased and thinke within my selfe Shall I lie so long and so manie nightes and shall not prayse my God for thy seruant DAVID not onelie prayed vnto thee in the morning Psa 55.17 and 6.6 and 63.6 and 77.6 119.62 148. at noone-tide and at Euen but also preuented the night watches to meditate on thy worde and watered his Bedde with teares thanking and thinking on thee communing with his owne heart And likewise O Lord I would rather bee content that mine eyes were holden waking with thee to remember thee than I should sleepe to forget thee I beseech thee O my God to forgiue mee thy poore creature who euer doe forget my duetie to thee both day and night and when I am sleeping sanctifie mee so by thy grace that my soule may bee waking with thee Lord wash mee from all the vncleannesse of body and soule which I haue contracted this night and as thou hast made separation betwixt the night and day so diuide mee from all sinne Lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon mee this day and inlighten my minde with vnderstanding that I may see the secret of thy Lawe Visit me with thy sweere mercie this morning Iob 7.18 that I may rejoyce in thee all my dayes I will rise in the morning and compasse thine holie Altar Psal 43.4 and 26.6 Thou art my Father and I am thy Childe I craue thy blessing for Christes sake to all the actions of this day that thou wilt accompanie them with thy speciall presence and direction and so I am sure that whatsoeuer I shall take in hand will prosper Further my mercifull Father I beseech thee to slay the corruptiōs of this wicked nature this day Bring in captiuitie euerie cogitation of my heart which rebelleth against thy will Put a watch to the doore of my lippes that no vnsauourie speach come out of my mouth Psa 141.3 but that which may tende to edification And dispose so all the actions of this day that no corruption which is in me may burst foorth either in word or deed whereby I may offende thee or my neighbour Mortifie the lustes of my flesh my pride turne it vnto humilitie my couetousnesse vnto liberalitie mine insolencie into grauitie Chaunge from euil to good my prodigalitie vnto abstinence my lies vnto trueth mine vncleannesse to chastitie my profanitie to reuerence c yea make that alteration and change in me this day that whatsoeuer delight of sinne is in me it may be consumed and thy graces as fruitfull hearbs may be planted in place of these weeds Forsake me not O Lord this day lest I forsake thee giue me not ouer vnto my selfe and to mine owne counsell and will lest I perish And because these are dayes of defection and apostasie wherein if it were possible the Elect would perish Matth. 24.22 I besech thee that I fall not backe from thy grace but let me make some progresse in godlinesse to approach neare vnto thy kingdome that as the powers of nature doe decay in me and I hasten to the graue so the strength of thine holy Spirite may fortifie mine inward man that I may grow from grace to grace vntill I passe the dangers of this pilgrimage and thou bring me to thy glorie through Christ our Lord. AMEN Euening Prayer O Lord let my prayer come before thee as pure Incense and as the Euening Sacrifice I present it vpon the golden Altar my blessed Sauiour that he Reuel 8.3 through the perfume and sweete smell of his sacrifice may make my petitions acceptable vnto thee I thanke thee O gracious and deare Father that thou hast so fauourably conuoyed me and preserued me from the perils of this day both of my soule and bodie And also I praise thee for thy fatherly care whereby thou hast aboundantly fedde by thy word my soule by thine earthly creatures my bodie I thanke thee that thou
which is to call others which maguifieth the preaching of the worde which is the verie voyce of God by which hee calleth vs vnto repentance Whereby it is euident that wee cannot bee called the true members of the Church Catholicke if wee contemne that voyce by the which God calleth vs vnto him The worde Catholicke or The Catholick Church is not tyed to anie certaine place Iudg. 16.9 Throughout all places telleth vs that shee is bound to no certaine place as the Papists would binde her with Dalidaes rope to the seate of Rome But our Samson Christ will breake such ropes as Flaxe But the Spouse of Christ the Church stretcheth her armes and her feete to the endes of the world for God gaue him the ends of the Earth to bee his possession inheritance Psalm 2.8 From her they will be called Catholickes rejecting the name of Christians from Christ But I thinke they merit to be called Cacolyci which is by interpretation Euill Wolfs deuouring the flocke of God vnder the Skins of I ambes The Church invisible The beautie of the Church is spirituall in vertue and godlinesse Ps 45.13 This Church is invisible because her faith and loue cannot be seene which maketh her a Church Neither is it necessarie that with an outward splendor or beautie she should appeare in any one place of the earth She is altogether beautifull within An honest Matron studieth not to decke her selfe her vertue her naturall colour her obedience her loue c. are her ornaments by which she purchaseth credit with her Husband and is famous with men Prover 31.11.12 c. and 7.16 as that womam in the last of the Prouerbs But the whoore of whom Salomon speaketh decketh her selfe with Carpets and Laces of Egypt So the true Church contenteth her selfe albeit she be backe yet she is comly Cantic 1.4 to please Christ her husband who looketh not to the outward maske but to the heart Christ her Husband had neither forme nor beautie externall hee was a Worme but not a Man Psal 22.6 Should not the Spouse bee like her Lord Her Apostles were beaten and sent to prison the holy Bishops and Martyres to Fire and to Lyons But when she attained Nota. by peace vnder Constantine to Honour and Riches then she was defaced and rent asunder by the Hereticall Doctrine of Arrius and others and at the last the Pope arose in the West and the Mahomet in the East who haue wounded Religion at the heart and haue made vp and coined two new Faiths which are neither olde nor new whereby the Church is spoyled of her Husbands Vestures and beeing cloathed with the Whoorish habit she doeth keepe nothing but the bare name of the Church wherein shee glorieth and giueth her selfe out to the world The true Spouse heareth only the voyce of her Husband Ioh. 10.27 But the Romane Church admitteth strange voyces which are cōtrary to the voyce of God Also the true Church as it were trauelleth in pain to bring foorth children to Christ Gal. 4.19 2. King 11.1 The Romane Church like to Athaliah murthereth the Kings seede the Sonnes of God and embreweth not her handes in the bloode of Turks and Iewes who denie Christ but granteth them Synagogues to dwell amongst themselues But poore Christians they will persecute 1572. Aug. 24. Math. 12.20 and massacre an hundreth thousand at once in France Christ the husband in all his life brake not one bruised Reede he did harme to none he helped all So she is an Harlot Church albeit professing the word The Cnurch is as mount Sion if she be cruell His Spouse is compared to mount Sion For she being founded vpon the rocke Iesus Christ is inuincible let her not be affrayde She is the bush of Moses Moses his Bush A Doue but the Lord is in the fire that it cānot consume her Shee is a Doue for her simplicitie and loue The Romanists are Foxes She is Hierusalem Ierusalem for the vision of peace is in her A PRAYER FOR THE CHVRCH VNIVERSALL I Confesse O Lord that I am most bound to loue thee as my Father who hast both made me a creature and in the bosome of thy Church hast made me ouer againe a newe creature after thine Image Thou hast commanded me also to honour my Mother the Church who conceiued me and vvho trauelled in pangues for me whose brests pappes I haue sucked and out of them I haue receiued the sweete Milke of thy worde who did keepe beare me in her armes vpon whose knees I was fostered and in whose house I haue beene fedde euer since Shee pittied my wanderinges shee corrected mine errours and in a word O Lord I acknowledge that she hath done more than the duetie of a louing Mother vnto mee for whose honour health wealth peace prosperitie succession yea and for all earthlie and heauenlie blessinges I am oblished to pray vpon the knees of my soule and bodie continuallie And first O Lord seeing that thy Church is the onlie glorie and beautie of the world without the which there would bee confusion yea the worlde would turne to the olde Chaos And seeing that the worlde hateth her because shee is not of them O Lord our God blesse her in the middest of her enemies Beautifie thy Lillie in the midst of Thornes Cantic 2.2 Powre downe all the graces of thine holie Spirite vpon her And because the worlde is wrapped vp in ignorance and darknesse like vnto the darknesse of Aegypt Ex. 10.23 and seeing that there is no light but in the land of Goshen O Lord I beseech thee to nourish and continue that light of knowledge in her that all the worlde may knowe thee the true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ 1. Iohn 4.14.15 to bee the Sauiour of the world Yea refresh I beseech thee this light of thy blessed Euangel that it may illuminate the blinde worlde And because thy word is the life and light of the world O Lord let it bee a Lanterne euer shining in this darknesse to quicken these dead people And to this effect O God raise vp faithfull Preachers of thy worde Pray for faythfull Preachers Prover 10.13 men according to thine owne heart vvho will carrie this light giue them knowledge and vnderstanding that their lippes may obserue vvisdome that they teach not the people the lying vanities of a deceitfull and lying heart but that they may instruct them rightly in all thy Precepts that thou mayest feede thy Stewardes vvho will feede thy people with the Bread of Heauen and the Wine which commeth out of thy Wine-cellers and not with the foysted bread Cantic 2.4 nor the poyson of Heresies to destroye the soules of thy people O Lord cloathe thy Priestes with Righteousnesse Psa 132.9 and let thy Sainctes rejoyce Open the doore of vtterance vnto them Coll. 4.3 that they with euidence and demonstration of
thy Spirit may make the whole counsell of God knowne to the people that they keepe nothing backe nor adde nothing lest thou O God adde vnto them the curse of thy Law Rev. 22.18 scrape their names out of the booke of Life And because thy Church is vnder continuall dangers O Lord keepe her and all her members from the cruell rage of all her enemies Lord let the malice of her aduersaries turne to themselues and bring confusion vpon all such as hate Sion Lord giue peace to her Walles and her Palaces and blesse those that blesse her Psal 122.7 and curse those that curse her keepe her like the Apple of thine Eye Psal 17.8 which thou louest Thou wilt bee with her in the middest of the fire and the water that she bee not destroyed nor ouer-whelmed By thine hand O Lord she hath bene preserued They lay shares for the poore Church but cut thou them asunder yea Psal 7.16 and 57.6 trappe them in the net which they haue laide They haue digged a pitte let them fall into the midst of it So shall come to all the enemies of our God and his Church Let them be as a turning Wheele and 83.13 and a rolling Ball. Let them be as smoake which vanisheth before the winde and. 68 2. and as Waxe which melteth in the Sunne Let them be like a lumpe of Lead vvhich sinketh to the bottome of the Sea O Lord if it were any particular reuenge of mine owne I vvould pardon their vvronges But alace it is done to my Mother thy Spouse how shall I beare it Burie them in eternall forgetfulnesse vvho haue done such despitefulnesse to her as that cruel Antichrist and his adherents haue done And to the effect that thine enemies may bee discomfited arise O Lord sharpen the Arrowes of thy Worde by vvhich thou mayest pierce the hearts of the Kinges enemies Psal 45.5 Draw the Sword of thy Word Heb. 4.12 which is two-edged that it may cut to the diuision of the marrow from the bones Let not thy holy Word be as a dead letter any longer in the mouths of thy Ministers but make it a quickning spirit to bring downe great Holdes let the breath of thy mouth confound thy foes that thy Ministrie may be powerfull and the world may see that thou hast not left thy Church without both counsell and comfort 1. Pet. 1.22 that men are not only hearers but also doers of thy word And againe I pray for thy Ministrie that they may be faithfull Stewards of thy Mysteries 1. Cor. 3.12 vigilant Watchmen diligent Shepheardes wise Builders not of stubble 1. Pet. 2.4 but of Golde vpon the foundation which is Christ and that their only care be to see the glorie of thy Name and for the good of the Church which is our Mother Blesse and increase the fruit of her Wombe let her grow in number like the Starres of Heauen let her bee fruitfull in her age let her sonnes be like Oliue Plants bringing foorth fruit let her daughters be like carued corner Stones Psal 144.12 in whose hearts thou wilt carue thine Image in the similitude of a Palace And blesse her with the blessing of Heauen and of the earth and of the deepe Gen. 49.25 and let all the eternall blessings which my soule can wish bee vpon thy Spouse my Mother the vniuersall Church vpon all her children friendes and seruants yea whosoeuer loueth the peace of thy Church let them prosper I pray namelie to thee O Lord for thy Church in France Bohemia Pray for the Church in France and Bohemia which thou began with the bloode of innumerable Martyres which thou hast made to grow amongst the middest of thine enemies Maintaine O Lord the vvorke vvhich thou hast begunne amongst them giue them wisedome that they be not circumueaned with the policies of their aduersaries and that in this dangerous time they may cleaue only to thee who will be both their wisedome and protection O Lord looke vpon this Church which thy right hand hath planted in this Yle of Britane thou translated this Vine out of Aegypt and diddest plant a Vine-yarde to thy selfe thou didst hedge it about with thy prouidence thou confoundedst all her enemies thou buildedst a watch-tower in the middest thereof Isa 5.1.2 c. Psal 80.8 and sent watchmen accordingly to giue warning to them But O Lord thou crauedst lookedst for wine-grapes they yeelded thee wilde-grapes So that now we deserue that thou shouldest pull downe the hedge and suffer the wilde Boare to enter into thy Planting Remember O Lord thine ancient mercies and forget our iniquities digge vs O Lord and take paines vpon vs that we may be fruitfull And finallie O Lord blesse all the visible Congregations of people who call vpon thy Name and all the particular persons whose names are written in the Booke of Life fill vp the number of thine Elect cal them effectually by thy word that we may bee all one Folde vnder one chiefe Shepheard Shorten O Lord the dayes of sinne Ioh. 10.17 and hasten thy comming Lord Iesus that thy Spouse beeing prepared a pure Virgine she may be taken vp to the newe Hierusalem to Heauen Rev. 21.10 where after the infinit Battels temptations of this world she may reigne eternallie and bee crowned in thy Kingdome with Christ her blessed Lord and Sauiour AMEN A MEDITATION VPON THE HOLY COMMVNION THERE are two great Seales which God hath affixed to the Charter of his word to wit Two Seales affixed to the Word the Sacrament of Baptisme and of the Lordes holy Supper Albeit the Church of the Iewes was loadned with manie Sacraments as the Passeouer Circumcision Manna Christians haue fewer Sacraments in numbeâ— than the Iewes but mâ—re in sigâ—ification and amplification the Rocke the Clowde the Sea c. Yet God hath giuen the Christian Church Numero pauciora factu faciliora significatione ampliora that is Fewer in number easier to be done and of more large signification The Sacrament of Baptisme is a Sacrament of Initiation when wee are entered into the Familie of God and the Sacrament of the Supper is a Sacrament of Confirmation whereby the Children of God who are spirituallie borne in Baptisme in the Bath of Regeneration by the remission of their sinnes in Christes bloode which is signified by the washing of water the same are fedde at his Table in the Sacrament of the Supper are fedde by Christes bodie and blood Poâ—h the Sac aments ha e one substance vnto euerlasting Life Both these Sacramentes offer one Christ who is the substance and matter of them both albeit diuerslie First the diuersitie is in the time The Sacraments differ in â—â—e things for Baptisme must goe before the Supper neither can anie communicate who are not first baptized Next Baptisme to one the Supper to manie for otherwise it
bound to pray for Kinges 1. Tim. 2.2 yea although they were euill as Samuel prayed for Saul 1. Sam. 16.1 and the Apostle Sainct Paul in verie manie places of his Epistles admonisheth and chargeth vs to pray for Kinges Magistrates and all such as are in authoritie and not to say with some phantasticke persons that they cannot finde an heart to pray for them for these sort of people are Welles without Water 2. Pet. 2.17 If the Kinges bee persecuters let vs heartilie pray to GOD to conuert them if they bee Nourish-fathers let vs beseech the Lord long to continue them and their posteritie Yea wee ought not onelie outwarldlie and publicklie to pray for Kinges but also inwardlie and in our secret thoughtes to nourish a reuerent and honourable rememberance of them NOTA. and to speake reuerentlie of them lest the Fowles of the Aire carrie it away and wee ought by all meanes to procure for their preseruation for they are as was sayde to Dauid better than ten thousand of vs. 2. Sam. 18.3 To oppone our selues against Kings Princes or other Magistrates doeth greatlie smell of Antichristianisme and Poperie Antichristianisme to oppone to Princes whatsoeuer colour of zeale it seemeth to haue And indeede Kings haue power of Procuration for the prosperitie of the Church but as for Administration it belongeth onelie to the Clergie 1. Chronic. 13.10 The example of Vzza may bee a sufficient warning for Princes that they passe not the limites prescribed vnto them by God For if there bee a woe threatned against those who remooue the auncient Marches Deuter. 27.17 farre greater shall the malediction bee vpon such as shall remooue those Marches which God hath set betwixt himselfe and Man Exod. 19.24 and which Hee interdicted vpon Mount SION A PRAYER FOR THE KINGS MAIESTY AND HIS ROYALL SEEDE O KING of Kinges vnto whom all the World doeth appertaine I thy poore creature according to thy commandement and as I am bound doe humbly pray to thy most excellent Majestie that thou wouldest blesse and preserue all KINGES Princes and Magistrates that they may be mindfull of thee of their Calling that they were raised vp by thee for preferment commeth not from the East nor from the West to the ende that they may leade thy people in thy wayes O Lord sanctifie them and blesse them that they may discharge their duetie faithfullie to the glorie of thy Name the weale of thy Church Conuert ô Lord the persecuters of thy Church informe their ignorance by thy worde and let them acknowledge their only honour to stand in the seruice which they doe to Christ But those who maliciously set themselues aganst thee and against thy Kingdome O Lord ouerthrow them in the righteousnesse of thy judgemēt as thou diddest Herod Pharoah Saul Achab Iulian the Apostate Act. 12.23 Exo. 14.28 1. Sam. 31.4 1. King 22 34. all others who opposed themselus to thee and to thy Christ as the Turke Antichrist the Pope doeth whom O Lord we beseech thee to confound But in speciall O Lord I pray to thee for our Soueraigne Lord the KINGES Majestie indue him with the giftes of thine holie Spirit answerable for his high Calling giue him wisdome and vnderstanding as thou gauest Salomon 1 King 3.9 2. King 18 4. c. 2. King 23 4. c. 1. Sam. 6.7 by the which he may goe in out wisely before the people giue vnto him the zeale of Iosias and Ezechias and make him like Dauid a man after thine owne heart who may guide thy people in thy wayes that he may prosper Blesse his Majesties Royall body with long life and good health and guard him by thine inuisible protection that none of his enemies haue power against him but as thou hast kept his sacred person euen from his mothers wombe to his gray haires now thou wilt not cast off thine ancient care toward him but keep him in thy right hand And aboue all preserue him frō the secret treasonable inuasions of the Pope and his treacherous Iesuits who alreadie interprysed his death by Powder but thou disappointedst them And for this we thanke thee beseeching thee to keepe him still from those blooddie murtherers and all traitours both forraine domesticke who attempt any euill against him Blesse his gouernament O Lord that the Righteous may flourish in his dayes that he may by Iustice bring Peace vnto thy people Blesse O Lord Prince CHARLES his grace print thy true feare knowledge in his tender heart that he may bee a blessing to all his fathers dominions Blesse that royal Prince Princesse the King and Queene of BOHEMIA and their Children blesse keepe and defend them that they may flourish in grace and honour to the worlds ende that when they shall lay downe their temporall crownes at thy feete then thou mayest crowne euerie one of them and their royall Seede with that vnchangeable Crowne of Glorie through Christ our onlie Sauiour Aduocate AMEN A MEDITATION VPON SICKNESSE SIcknesse is a Schoole of God Sicknesse is the Lordes Schoole whereunto he putteth his Children to be nurtured and Discipline there to bee vsed vpon them At this School we learne obedience which we would not learne at the Schoole of the Word Wee doe learne at this Schoole a perfect obedience to the wil of God mortification of our affections contempt of the world loue to our enemies and finally he so doeth tame our nature that our spirit becommeth obedient to his blessed will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest Sicknesse is neuer to be sicke The greatest Sicknesse is neuer to bee sicke It is good therefore that we should be corrected that we perish not vvith the vvicked world Sicknesse is Medicine somewhat painfull but wholsome in the ende The hand which made thee feedeth thee Sicknesse is painfull but yet healthfull and it also nurtureth thee therefore refuse not the correction of God if thou be his Childe Sicknesse is appointed to correct the abuse of our health therefore let vs vse our health wiselie that God be not forced to apply sharpe remedies to our misgouernaments NOTA. Diuersitie of sinnes hath bred diuerse diseases Simil. Diuerse sinnes diuerse diseases and as the Apothecaries haue drogges answerable to the soares so God hath prepared such a sicknesse which he thinketh meetest to remedie such a soare as thou hast Therefore thinke not thy disease to bee fortuite but by prouidence and pray that God may worke by it in thine heart that for which he sent it that is a true conuertion of thee vnto thy God If thy disease be sharper aske of God greater measure of patience Patience necesserie 1. Corin. 10 13 for God is faithfull who will not suffer thee to be tempted aboue that which thou art able to beare thine externall man which is so greatlie humbled shall raise vp the hidden man of thine heart so
thou makest a good change A PRAYER FOR A SICKE PERSON O Most mercifull Father I ackowledge and confesse that I am a most vild creture crying to thee that thou woldest heare me let my prayer come vnto thee in thine holy Temple Ionah 2.3 and 7 The waues of thy judgemens haue gone ouer me and haue ouerwhelmed me the venome of thine arrowes haue drunken vp my spirit Iob 6.4 and thine hand is heauie vpon me I thoght the day light should haue comforted me but behold my pangues increassed and my paine ran vpon me Then I began to thinke My bed will giue me some rest but thou affrightedst me with visions Iob 7.13 and didst keepe mine eyes waking My strength faileth with paine Psal 6.2 my bones are consumed haue mercie vpon me O Lord mine eye Psal 31.9 my soule and my bellie are consumed with griefe When thou chastisest man for his iniquitie Psal 39.5.11 thou makest his beautie to fade as a Moth. Surelie man in his best estate is altogether vanitie O Lord vvhy art thou so farre from mine health Psa 22.1.2 the wordes of my roaring I cry by day and thou hearest not and in the night I haue none audience My life is drawing neare the graue and my yeeres to the buriall There is nothing found in my flesh Ps 38.3.4 because of thine anger neither rest in my bones because of my sinne Mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and as a weightie burthen they are too heauie My reines are all full of burning and there is no strength found in my flesh Ibid. 7. mine heart panteth my strength faileth mee and the light of mine eyes Ibid. 10. euē they are not mine owne I beseech thee pittie me come in to this bed to comfort me thy poore prisoner For Lord I am a prisoner of hope I trust in thee though I said in mine haste Thou hast casten me out of thy presence Psa 31.22 yet thou wilt heare the voyce of my prayer when I call vpon thee Take away mine iniquities which are the cause of my sicknesse Purge me from these filthie humours which are the matter of my sicknesse that these sinnes of corrupt humours being remooued my paine may bee mitigated My sinne inwardly presseth me downe and my diseases thereby are augmented Hide thy face from my sinnes and put away mine iniquities Create a new heart in mee Psa 51.10 and renew a right spirit within me Let my paine asswadge a little that I may gather my strength yet before I goe hence Psa 39.13 and be no more Nowe I call to minde my sinnes by the which I haue prouoked thee to wrath I looke to thee whom I haue rejected I haue multiplied mine iniquities against thee and thou most justlie hast doubled the stripes vpon me Cure my sinnes by thy corrections I refuse not to be corrected but doe it to me in thy mercie and let me feele the merciful hand of thy Spirit bearing me vp and comforting me let me heare his voyce speaking peace to my soule Giue comfort to mine inward man as I haue sicknesse which beareth downe mine outward man Thou wentest downe with Daniel to the denne Dan. 6.22 and 3.25 and with the thrie Children to the fire refuse not to visit this thy poore prisoner in this bed of sicknesse and if I finde thee with me I am content euer to abide heere Forgiue me O Lord the abuse of my former health surelie thou hast justly punished the abuse thereof in wantonnesse in ryot excesse in the pleasures of my flesh Now my flesh is punished for my foolish delights are turned vnto gall and bitternesse Wash cleanse me in thy Sonne Iesus Christ his holy bloode that I may be as white as snow and my foolishnesse may not be in thy rememberance Psal 51.7 O fy vpon the world which I loued and thought it my felicitie nowe it is a burthen to me when I desired to be rich I fell into many temptations and with Zacheus greedilie drew to me that vvhich I doe now most willinglie reject and cast from me Lord Luke 19.8 thou art mine only Physician neither haue I gone with Ahaziah 2. King 1.2 2. Chro. 16.12 to seeke after Beelzebib the God of Ekron neither with Asa put I my confidence in Physicians but in the liuing God O Lord cure me helpe me O my God who made me thou art mine health my strength and my Sauiour If mine health may serue any wayes to further for thy glorie I pray thee for to restore me Let me goe to the House of the LORD and prayse thee Psal 6.5 for the dead will not praise thee and those who goe downe to the pitte will not magnifie thy Name Let me not goe out of this bed to dishonour thee but that I may receiue a new life from thee to leade a new life before thee And if thou hast appointed that by this sicknesse thou vvilt drawe me home to thee then I beseech thee prepare my soule and make it readie and giue me before I come to thee a cleare sight of thee and an earnest desire to be with thee 2. Cor. 12.2 3.4.5 c. Phil. 1.2 3. for when Sainct Paule saw the Heauens it is no maruell that he desired to be dissolued to be with thee In the meane time I commit my bodie and my soule to thy pleasure and good will dispone them as thou thinkest meetest for thy glorie that whether I liue or die Christ may bee mine aduantage Phil. 1.4 Onlie I craue holie FATHER that I may so depende vpon thee in this my disease that I neuer depart from thee to any other I craue also holie patience by the which I may patientlie abide to be corrected by this visitation Matth. 11 29. to beare thy yoke willinglie drinke this cuppe chearfullie and heartilie assuring my selfe that all these troubles in ende shall worke together for the best to me that is Simil. that by them I may bee tryed as Golde in the fire and my drosse being purged I may serue thee more perfectly all the dayes of my life through Christ my Sauiour Amen A PRAYER FOR A WOMAN IN TRAVELL WITH CHILD O Lord God and most mercifull Father I thy poore creature whome thou hast bound vp with the bandes of this Sicknesse doe present my selfe vpon the knees both of my bodie and soule euen I thy poore supplicant whome thou puttest vpon my knees in this my trauell that I may learne to knowe that there is no helpe at all for mee but that which I must beg from thee in this my tribulation And because this paine of mine hath come to all Women by the transgression of Eua the first Woman Gen. 3.16 let me remember that sinne is the mother of these pangues forasmuch as all haue sinned and must be partakers of their sorrowes
Gates of Hell by Stripes and Wounds our Lord weÌ„t before vs. The feare of Death springeth of the weaknesse of faith and our great loue of the world begets in vs great desire of life and our little sight of Glorie maketh ouer great feare of Death RemeÌ„ber that there are two Deaths and feare the greater There are two deaths Rev. 20.14 the first Death is the separation of the soule from the bodie but the second Death is the euerlasting separation of God froÌ„ the soule If thou be partaker of the resurrection from sinne the second Death shal haue no power ouer thee therfore thou needest not to be afraid of the first Death if thou be deliuered from the second 2. Thou needest not to feare the first Death Death is vniuersall for it is a fatall necessitie laide vpon all Flesh Kinges Prophets People c. all must depart A profitable exchaunge by death 3. There is great gain by the exchaÌ„ge for wee get a Palace for a Prison rest for labour libertie for bondage God for men the companie of Angels for the companie of sinners and finallie the Heauens for the Earth 4. Thou mayest take comfort in thy death Present joy by death without delay Luke 23.43 NOTA. Sinne is taken away Simil. The-paines of death are short because thy soule shall not bee holdeÌ„ in suspense nor stand at the gates of HeaueÌ„ nor goe to Purgatory for new tormentes for in the day of thy death thou shalt be with the Lord in Paradise 5. The sting of Death is taken froÌ„ it which is Sinne then Death can doe thee no more harme than a Serpent which wanteth a Sting 6. The pangues of Death which thou sustainest are but momentaneall but thy joyes shall be eternall as Paul saith to the Romanes Chap. 8. Vers 18. Inward comfortes The soule shall shortlie returne 7. God mixeth his inward comforts with thine outward crosses 8. Thy bodie shall sleepe a little thy soule shal returne shortlie the Comforter shall assist thee Christ is praying for thee in Heauen the Sainctes on Earth are crying to the Redeemer the Angels are readie to conuoy thy soule to eternall blisse 9. Heere is thy comfort Christ thy Sauiour suffered the pangues of Death in the highest degree Christ suffered death Matth. 10.24 Shall the seruant be aboue his Master And as he died so he rose againe and ouercame Death in his owne denne Then if the Head bee risen will hee not raise after him all the members of the bodie Yes surelie Lastly The right desire to liue or die Psalm 6.5 Isa 38.7 if thou find a desire in thee to liue longer let the cause of thy desire be that thou mayest liue better as Ezechias and Dauid saide Shall the dead prayse thee And What signe shall I haue to goe to the House of the Lord And if thou desire to die Christ aduantage in life and death see that it be not for thine earthlie burdens but for sinne which thou weariest to beare and for the desire of the fruition of the glorie of God A PRAYER AT THE HOVRE OF DEATH EVerlasting God and my most mercifull Father in Iesus Christ I thy poore Prisoner bound by the Chains of Sicknesse to this Bed vpon whome the bondes of Death are seasing and taking holde I fall downe before the throne of thy Mercy beseech thee to giue me thine holie Spirite that seeing I am going the way of all flesh I may rightlie resolue 1. King 2.2 with solide judgement and perfect memorie anent my departure that as thou hast prepared a place for mee Iob 14.2 so thou wilt prepare mee for it that I being purged by the blood of Iesus sanctified by thy Spirit may enter into the present possession of that inheritance promised to mee And because manie times I learned by thy Worde that I must die by daylie experience in the death of others thou gauest mee warning as also I haue carried in mine owne bodie the markes of death by diuerse diseases yet Lord nowe at last I learne by mine own proofe that which I would not learne by others Nowe therefore O Lord when I looke backe to my former life and consider the sinnes of my childhood and mine age what things I did ignorantlie and what I did against mine owne conscience my forgetfulnesse of thy mercies and mine ingratitude to thee for thy goodnesse mine open sinnes and my secret sinnes my presumptions mine injuries to others mine intemperancie my slouthfulnesse and neglect of thy worship all these sinnes so oft committed by mee beeing put in a masse and manie moe with them I beseech thee most mercifull Father that thou wouldest vouchfase to bind them vp together in the bundle of thy mercie and burne them in the fire of thy loue burie them in the graue of eternall obliuion and make mee nowe quite of them that they burthen mee no more and I beseech thee that now in this my last battell thou wilt so strengthen my faith against infidelitie and distrust that as by thy power I haue ouercome the maine hoste of sin so by thy grace these remnants of a defeated Armie those stragling Souldiours who are shaking their weapons vpon mee they may bee scattered by thine hand that the work of my saluation may now in mercie bee crowned and finished that now I may cry with my Sauiour at his death Consummatum est It is finished Ioh. 19.30 He finished vpon the Crosse the worke of saluation for me now O Lord finish it in me vpon this bedde I acknowledge ô Father that I am infinitlie obliedged vnto thy Majestie for thine innumerable benefits which I haue receiued at thine handes in the time of my life for thou euer didst loue me with a Fatherlie affection thou caredst for mee thou prouidedst in due season to my necessitie thou fedst me thou defendedst mee thou nurturedst me c. Simil. Exod. 19.4 And as the Eagle carrieth the little ones so hast thou carried mee in the armes of thy mercie But in speciall thou broughtest mee from ignorance to the knowledge of the trueth madest mee to be borne in the bosome of the Church gauest me that eternall life Iohn 17.3 which is to knowe thee to bee the true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ the Sauiour of the Worlde Yea when I fell into manifold dangers in this Wildernesse the perils of waters of fire of pouertie of sicknesse of decietfull and wicked men c. thou deliueredst mee from them all by thy mightie and out-stretched arme and hast giuen me this time to resolue with thee to repent and thanke thee for thy benefits For all which thy mercies and excellent benefites both spirituall and temporall I render vnto thee moste heartie thankes praise and glorie to continue for euermore As for anie good thing which is now wrought in mee it is not of mee O Lord but thy grace working in mee who makest thy power to bee knowne in my weaknesse And if thou wouldest look narrowly to my best actions thou wouldest finde in them a thousand imperfections Therefore I couch vnder the Garment of my Lordes righteousnesse oh spreade the Mantle of thy Mercie ouer mee And as for the Worlde I disclaime and renounce it as a false and deceitfull friend which promiseth faire things to those that seeke it but for golden offers it crowneth them with thornes I bid good-night to all my Friends Acquaintances and good Christians and I exhort all you who would haue peace in your latter ende and die the death of the Righteous Numb 23.10 Mat. 7.13 that ye would treade the footesteps of Iesus Christ goe thorowe the straite way keeping faith and loue with the Sainctes to the ende 2. Tim. 4.8 that seeing I haue gone before you and run my race and shortlie shall receiue the Crowne of Righteousnes yee would rejoyce in my victorie and not bee forâ—e for my remoouing And I pray God to bee with you all and to conuoy you safely vnto his Kingdome that wee may all meete joyfullie in his glorie And seeing I feele all the members of my bodie decaying and giuing ouer their office my grinders sailing my sight and hearing decaying Eccl. 12.3 my strong men trembling let the hidden man of mine heart be sanctified by thy grace that I may haue a cleare sight of my Lord and Sauiour and so depart in peace with olde SIMEON thy Seruant Now my Soule returne to thy rest for the Lord hath beene beneficiall to thee Psa 116.7 I commit my spirite into thine handes O LORD take it and by the conuoy of thy moste holie Angels carrie it vnto thy Kingdome And for my bodie I commit it to the dust from whence it came to sleepe there till the Day dawne and my LORD returne and rayse it vppe againe that thou with it may receiue that eternal glory which is prepared for vs thorow Christ Amen FINIS THE PRINTER TO THE READER BEcause it is vnpossible that Bookes of any quantitie in the first Impression should escape all Faults and especially in the absence of the Author therefore it shall please the Christian Reader to auoyde partialitie judge charitablie and correct diligentlie such errours as on our behalfe vnwillinglie haue escaped our correction all which God willing at another time wee shall amende most attentiuelie