hatred c. Or by an Analogia as when he is named a Lion a rocke a tower a Buckler c. Whose signification euery commentary will expresse Of all these Attributes wee must hold these generall Rules 1 NO Attributes can sufficiently expresse the Essence of GOD because it is infinite and ineffable Whatsoeuer therefore is spoken of God is not God but serueth rather to helpe our weake vnderstanding to conceiue in our reason and to vtter in our speech the Maiestie of his Diuine Nature so farre as hee hath vouchsafed to reueale himselfe vnto vs in his Word 2 All the Attributes of God belong to euery of the three Persons as well as to the Essence it selfe with the limitation of a Personall proprietie as the Mercy of the Father is Mercy begetting the Mercy of the Sonne is Mercy begotten the Mercy of the Holy Ghost is Mercy proceeding and so of the rest 3 The Essentiall Attributes of God differ not from his Essence Because they are so in the Essence that they are the very Essence it selfe In God therefore there is nothing which is not eyther his Essence or a Person 4 The Essentiall Attributes of GOD differ not Essentially nor really one from another because whatsoeuer is in God is one most simple Essence and one admits no diuision but onely in our reason and vnderstanding which being not able to know earthly things by one simple Act without the help of many distinct acts must of necessitie haue the helpe of many distinct Acts to know the incomprehensible GOD. Therefore to speake properly there are not in God many Attributes but one onely which is nothing else but the Diuine Essence it selfe by vvhat Attribute soeuer you call it But in respect of our reason they are said to be so many different Attributes for our Vnderstanding conceiues by the name of Mercy a thing differing from that which is called Iustice. The Essentiall Attributes of God are not therefore really inseparable 5 The Essentiall Attributes of GOD are not parts or qualities of the diuine Essence nor Accidents in the Essence as in a Subiect but the very whole and entire Essence of God So that euery such Attribute is not aliud aliud another and another thing but one and the same thing There are therefore no Quantities in God by which hee may be said to be so much and so much nor Qualities by which he may be said to be such and such but whatsoeuer God is hee is such and the same by his Essence By his Essence hee is wise and therefore Wisedome it selfe by his Essence hee is God and therefore Goodnesse it selfe by his Essence hee is mercifull and therefore Mercy it selfe by his Essence hee is iust and therefore Iustice it selfe c. In a word GOD is great without Quantitie good true and iust without Qualitie mercifull without passion an Act without motion euery-where present without site without time the first and the last the Lord of all Creatures from whom all receiue themselues and all the good they haue yet neyther needeth nor receiueth hee any encrease of goodnes or happinesse from any other This is the plaine description of God so farre as hee hath reuealed himselfe to vs in his Word This Doctrine of all others euery true Practitioner of Pietie must competently know and necessarily beleeue for foure speciall vses 1 That wee may discerne our true and onely God from all false Gods and Idols for this description of God is properly knowne onely to his Church in whom he hath thus graciously manifested himselfe 2 To possesse our hearts with a greater awe of his Maiestie whilest we admire him for his simplenesse and infinitenesse adore him for his vnmeasurablenesse vnchangeablenesse and eternitie seeke wisedome from his vnderstanding and knowledge submit our selues to his blessed will and pleasure loue him for his loue mercy goodnesse and patience trust to his Word because of his truth feare him for his power Iustice and anger reuerence him for his holinesse and praise him for his blessednesse and to depend all our life on him who is the onely author of our life beeing and all the good things which wee haue 3 To stirre vs vp to imitate the Diuine Spirit in his holy Attributes and to beare in some measure the Image of his Wisedome Loue Goodnes Iustice Mercy Truth Patience Zeale and Anger against sinne that we may be wise louing iust mercifull true patient and zealous as our God is 4 Lastly that wee may in our Prayers and Meditations conceiue aright of his diuine Maiestie and not according to those grosse and blasphemous imaginations which naturally arise in mens braines as when they conceiue GOD to be like an old man sitting in a chaire and the blessed Trinitie to be like that tripartitae Idoll which Papists haue painted in their Church-windowes When therefore thou art to pray vnto God let thine heart speake vnto him as to that eternall infinite almightie holy wise iust mercifull Spirit and most perfect indiuisible Essence of three ssuerall Persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost who being present in all places ruleth Heauen and Earth vnderstandeth all mens harts knoweth all mens miseries and is onely able to bestow on vs all graces which we want and to deliuer all penitent sinners who with faithfull harts seeke for Christs sake his help out of all their afflictions and troubles whatsoeuer The ignorance of this true knowledge of GOD makes many to make an Idoll of the true God and is the onely cause why so many doe professe all other parts of Gods worship and religion with so much irreuerence and hypocrisie whereas if they did truely know GOD they durst not but come to his holy Seruice and comming serue him with feare and reuerence for so farre doth a man feare God as he knoweth him and then doth a man truely know God when hee ioynes practise to speculation And that is First when a man doth so acknowledge and celebrate Gods Maiestie as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his word Secondly when from the true and liuely sense of Gods Attributes there is bred in a mans heart a loue awe and confidence in God for saith God himselfe If I be a Father where is my honour If I be a Lord where is my feare O taste and see that the Lord â—s good saith Dauid Hee that hath not by experience tasted his goodnes knowes not how good hee is Hee saith Iohn that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him So farre therefore as wee imitate God in his Goodnesse Loue Iustice Mercy Patience and other Attributes so farre doe vvee know him Thirdly when with inward groanes and the serious desires of our hearts wee long to attaine to the perfect and plenarie knowledge of his Maiestie
before the Holy Ghost proceeding from both This Order serues to set forth vnto vs two things first the manner how the Trinitie worketh in their externall actions as that the Father worketh of himselfe by the Sonne and the holy Ghost the Sonne from the Father by the holy Ghost the holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne Secondly to distinguish the first and immediate beginning from vvhich those externall and common action do flow Hence it is that for as much as the Father is the fountaine and originall of the Trinitie the beginning of all externall working the Name of God in relation and the title of Creator in the Creede are giuen in a speciall manner to the Father Our Redemption to the Sonne and our Sanctification to the person of the Holy Ghost as the immediate agents of these actions And this also is the cause why the Sonne as he is Mediator referreth all things to the Father not to the Holy Ghost and that the Scripture so often saith that we are reconciled to the Father This diuine order or oeconomie excepted there is neyther first nor last neyther superioritie nor inferioritie among the three Persons but for Nature they are coessentiall for Dignitie coequall for Time coeternall The whole diuine Essence is in euery one of the three Persons but it was incarnated onely in the second Person of the Word and not in the Person of the Father or of the Hâ—ly Ghost for three reasons First that GOD the Father might the rather set forth the greatnesse of his loue to Mankinde in giuing his first and onely begotten Son to be incarnated and to suffer death for mans saluation Secondly that hee vvho was in his Diuinitie the Son of GOD should be in his Humanitie the Sonne of Man lest the name of Sonne should passe vnto another vvho by his eternall natiuitie was not the Sonne Thirdly because it vvas meetest that that Person who is the substantiall Image of his eternal Father should restore in vs the spirituall Image of GOD which we had lost In the Incarnation the God-head was not turned into the Man-hood nor the Man-hood into the God-head but the God-head as it is the second Person or Word assumed vnto it the Man-hood that is the whole nature of man body and soule and all the naturall properties and infirmities therof sinne excepted The second Person tooke not vpon him the Person of man but the Nature of man So that the humane nature hath no personall subsistence of it owne for then there should be two Persons in Christ but it subsisteth in the Word the second Person for as the soule and body makes but one Person of Man so the God-head and Man-hood makes but one Person of Christ. The two natures of the God-head and Man-hood are so really vnited by a Personall vnion that as they can neuer be separated asunder so are they not confounded but remaine still distinguished by their seuerall and essentiall proprieties which they had before they were vnited As for example the infinitâ—nesse of the Diuine is not communicated to the humanâ— nature nor the finitenesse of the Humane to the Diuine nature Yet by reason of this personall vnion there is such a communion of the proprieties of both natures that that which is proper to the one is sometimes attributed to the other Nature As that God purchased the Church with his owne bloud And that he will iudge the world by that man whom he hath appointed Hence also it is that though the Humanitie of Christ be a created and therefore a finite and limited nature and cannot be euery where present by actuall position or locall extension according to his naturall being yet because it hath communicated vnto it the personall subsistence of the Sonne of God which is infinite and without limitation and is so vnited with God that it is no where seuered from God the body of Christ in respect of his personall being may rightly bee said to be euery where 3 The Actions by which the three Persons be distinguished THe Actions are of two sorts either Eternall respecting the Creatures and those are after a sort common to euery one of the three Persons or Internall respecting the Persons onely amongst themselues and are altogether incommunicable The Externall and communicable Actions of the three Persons are these The creation of the World peculiarly belonging to God the Father The redemption of the Church to God the Sonne And the sanctification of the Elect to God the holy Ghost But because the Father created and still gouerneth the World by the Sonne in the holy Ghost therefore these external actions are indifferently in Scripture oftentimes ascribed to each of the three Persons and therefore called communicable and diuided Actions The Internall and incommunicable Actions or proprieties of the three Persons are these 1 To beget and that belongeth onely to the Father who is neither made created nor begotten of any 2 To be begotten and that belongeth only to the Sonne who is of the Father alone not made nor created but begotten 3 To proceede from both and that belongeth onely to the holy Ghost who is of the Father and the Sonne neither made created nor begotten but proceeding So that when wee say that the diuine essence is in the Father vnbegotten in the Sonne begotten and in the Holy Ghost proceeding wee make not three Essences but onely shew the diuers maners of subsisting by which the same most simple eternall vnbegotteÌ„ Essence subsisteth in each Person namely that it is not in the Father by generation that it is in the Sonne communicated from the father by generation and in the holy Ghost communicated from both the Father and the Sonne by proceeding These are incommunicable Actions and doe make not an Essentiall accidental or rationall but a reall distinction betwixt the three Persons So that he who is the Father in the Trinity is not the Son he who is the Son in the Trinity is not the Father hee who is the holy Ghost in the Trinity is neither the Sonne nor the Father but the Spirit proceeding from both though there is but one and the same Essence common to all three As therefore wee beleeue that the Father is God the Sonne is God and the holy Ghost is God so we likewise beleeue that God is the Father God is the Sonne and God is the holy Ghost But by reason of this reall distinction the Person of the one is not nor neuer can be the person of the other The three Persons therefore of the Godhead doe not differ from the Essence but formally but they differ really one from an other and so are distinguished by their hypostaticall proprieties As the Father is God begetting God the Sonne the Sonne is God begotten of God the Father and the holy Ghost is God
affrighted with hydeous noyse of howling diuels and the gnashing teeth of damned Reprobates thy dainty Nose shall be cloyed with noysome stench of Sulphur thy delicate Taste shall be pained with intollerable hunger thy drunken Throate shall be parched vvith vnquenchable thirst thy Minde shall be tormented to thinke how for the loue of abortiue pleasures which perished ere they budded thou so foolishly lost Heauens ioyes and incurred hellish paines which last beyond eternitie thy Conscience shall euer sting thee like an Adder vvhen thou thinkest how often Christ by his Preachers offered the remission of sinnes and the Kingdome of Heauen freely vnto thee if thou wouldest but beleeue and repent and how easily thou mightest haue obtained mercy in those dayes how neere thou vvast many times to haue repented and yet diddest suffer the deuil and the world to keepe thee stil in impenitency and how the day of mercy is now past and wil neuer dawne againe How shall thy vnderstanding be racked to consider how for momentany riches thou hast lost the eternall treasure and changed heauens felicity for hels misery where euery part of thy body without intermission of paine shall be continually tormented alike In these hellish torments thou shalt be for euer depriued of the beatificall sight of GOD wherein consists the soueraigne good and life of the soule Thou shalt neuer see light nor the lest sight of ioy but lye in a perpetuall prison of vâ—ter darkenesse where shall be no order but horror no voice but of blasâ—hâ—mers howlers no noise but of torturers and tortured no societie but of the Deuill and his Angels who being tormented themselues shall haue no other ease but to wreake their furie in tormenting thee Where shall be punishment without pitty misery without mercy sorrow without succour crying without comfort mischiefe without measure torment without ease where the worme dyeth not and the fire is neuer quâ—nched where the wrath of God shall sease vpon thy soule and body as the flame of fire doth on the lumpe of pitch or brimestone in which flame thou shalt euer be burning and neuer consumed euer dying and neuer dead euer rowing in the panges of death and neuer ridde of those panges nor knowing end of thy paines So that after thou hast endured them so many thousand yeeres as there are grasse on the Earth or sands on the Sea-shore thou art no nearer to haue an end of thy torments then thou vvast the first day that thou wast cast into them yea so farre are they from ending that they are euer but beginning But if after a thousand times so many thousand yeeres thy damned soule could but conceiue a hope that those her torments should haue an end this would be some comfort to thinke that at length an end vvill come But as oft as the Minde thinketh of this word Neuer it is as another Hell in the middest of Hell This thought shall force the damned to cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as if they should say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Lord not euer not euer torment vs thus but their Conscience shall answere them as an Eccho 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euer euer Hence shall arise their dolefull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 woe and alas for euermore This is that second death the generall perfect fulnesse of all cursednesse and misery vvhich euery damned reprobate must suffer so long as GOD and his Saints shall enioy blisse and felicitie in heauen for euermore Thus farre of the miserie of man in his state of corruption vnlesse that he be renued by Grace in Christ. Now followes the knowledge of Mans selfe in respect of his state of regeneration by Christ. Meditations of the state of a Christian reconciled to GOD in Christ. NOw let vs see how happie a godly man is in his state of renouation being reconciled to GOD in Christ. The godly man whose corrupt nature is renued by grace in Christ and become a new creature is blessed in a three-fold respect First in his life Secondly in his death Thirdly after death 1 His blessednesse during this life is but in part and that consists in seuen things 1 Because he is conceiued of the spirit in the wombe of his mother the Church and is borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of GOD who in Christ is his father So that the Image of God his father is renewed in him euery day more and more 2 He hath for the merits of Christs sufferings all his sinnes originall and actuall with the guilt and punishment belonging to them freely and fully forgiuen vnto him And all the righteousnesse of Christ as freely and fully imputed vnto him and so God is reconciled vnto him and aprooueth him as righteous in his sight and account 3 Hee is freed from Satans bondage and is made a brother of Christ a fellow heire of his heauenly kingdome and a spirituall King and Priest to offer vp spirituall sacrifices to GOD by Iesus Christ. 4 God spareth him as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him And this sparing consists In 1 Not taking notice of euery fault but bearing with his infirmities Exod. 34.6.7 A louing father will not cast his childe out of dores in his sicknesse 2 Not making his punishment when hee is chastened as great as his deserts Psalm 103.10 3 Chastening him moderately when he seeth that he will not by any other meanes be reclaimed 2 Sam. 7.14.15 1 Cor. 11.32 4 Graciously accepting his endeauours notwithstanding the imperfection of his obedience and so preferring the willingnesse of the minde more then the worthinesse of the worke 2 Cor. 8.12 5 Turning the curses which he deserued to crosses and to fatherly corrections yea all things all calamities of this life death it selfe yea his very sinnes vnto his good 5 God giues him his holy spirit which 1 Sanctifieth him by degrees throughout so that he doth more and more die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse 2 Assures him of his adoption and that he is by grace the childe of God 3 Encourageth him to come with boldnesse and confidence into the presence of GOD 4 Moueth him without feare to say vnto him Abba Father 5 Powreth into his heart the gift of sanctified praier 6 Perswadeth him that both he and his praiers are accepted and heard of God for Christ his Mediators sake 7 Fils him with 1 Peace of conscience 2 Ioy in the holy Ghost in comparison wherof all earthly ioyes seeme vilâ— vaine vnto him 6 He hath a recouery of his soueraignty ouer the creatures which he lost by Adams fall from thence free liberty of vsing all things which God hath not restrained so that he may vse them with a good conscience For to all things in heauen and
which a wise Merchant will purchase though it cost him all that hee hath Mat. 13. Alexander hearing the report of the great riches of the Eastern country diuided forth-with among his Captaines and Souldiers all his Kingdome of Macedonia Hephoestion asking him what hee meant in so doing Alexander answered that he preferred the riches of India whereof hee hoped shortly to be Master before all that his Father Philip left him in Macedonia And should not Christians then preferre the eternall riches of Heauen so greatly renowned vvhich they shall enioy ere long before the corruptible trash of the earth which last but for a season Abraham and Sarah left their owne Country and possessions to looke for a Citie whose builder and maker is God and therefore bought no land but onely a place of buriall Dauid preferreth one day in this place before a thousand else-where yea to be a doore-keeper in the house of God rather then to dwell in the richest tabernacles of wickednesse Elias earnestly besought the Lord to receiue his soule into his Kingdome and went willingly though in a fiery Chariot thither Paul hauing once seene heauen continually desired to be dissolued that hee might be with Christ. Peter hauing spyed but a glimpse of that eternall glory in the Mount wished that hee might dwell there all the dayes of his life saying Master it is good for vs to be here How much better doth Peter now thinke it to be in heauen it selfe Christ a little before his death prayeth his Father to receiue him into that excellent glory And the Apostle witnesseth that for the ioy which was set before him he endured the Crosse and despised the shame If a man did but once see those ioyes if it were possible hee would endure an hundred deaths to enioy that happinesse but one day S. Augustine saith that he would be content to endure the torments of hell to gaine this ioy rather then to lose it Ignatius Paules Scholler being threatned as hee vvas going to suffer vvith the crueltie of torments answered with great courage of Faith Fire Gallowes Beasts breaking of my bones quartering of my members crushing of my body all the torments of the Diuell together let them come vpon me so I may enioy my Lord Iesus and his Kingdome The like constancie shewed Polycarpe who could not by any terrors of any kinde of death be moued to deny Christ in the least measure With the like resolution answered Basil his persecutors when they would terrifie him with death I will neuer said hee feare death which can doe no more then restore mee to him that made me If Ruth left her owne country and followed Naomi her Mother in Law to goe and dwell with her in the Land of Canaan which was but a type of heauen onely vpon the fame which she heard of the God of Israell though shee had no promise of any portion therein how shouldest thou follow thy holy mother the Church to go vnto Christ into the heauenly Canaan wherin God hath giuen thee an eternall inheritance assured by an holy Couenant made in the words of God signed with the bloud of his Sonne and sealed with his Spirit and Sacraments This shall be thine eternall happinesse in the Kingdome of heauen where thy life shall be a communion with the blessed Trinitie thy ioy the presence of the Lambe thy exercise singing thy ditty Alleluiah thy consorts Saints and Angels where youth flourisheth that neuer waxeth olde Beautie lasteth that neuer fadeth loue aboundeth that neuer cooleth health continueth that neuer slaketh and life remaineth that neuer endeth Meditations directing a Christian how to apply to himselfe without delay the fore-said knowledge of GOD and himselfe THou seest therefore O man how wretched and cursed thy state is by corruption of nature without Christ insomuch that whereas the Scriptures doe liken wicked men vnto Lyons Beares Buls Horses Dogges and such like sauage Creatures in their liues it is certaine that the condition of an vnregenerated man is in his death more vile then a Dogge or the filthiest Creature in the world for the Beast being made but for mans vse when hee dyeth endeth all his miseries with his death But man endued with a reasonable and an immortall Soule made after Gods Image to serue God when hee ends the miseries of this life must account for all his misdeedes and begin to endure those miseries that neuer shall know end No creature but man is liable to yeeld at his death an account for his life The bruite Creatures not hauing reason shall not be required to make any account for their deedes and good Angels though they haue reason yet shall they yeeld no account because they haue no sinne And as for euill Angels they are without all hope already condemned so that they neede not make any further accounts Man onely in his death must be Gods accountant for his life On the other side thou seest O Man how happy and blessed thy estate is being truely reconciled vnto GOD in Christ in that through the restauration of Gods Image and thy restitution into thy soueraigntie ouer other Creatures thou art in this life little inferiour to the Angels and shalt be in the life to come equall to the Angels yea in respect of thy Nature exalted by a personall vnion to the Sonne of God and by him to the glory of the Trinitie superiour to the Angels a Fellow-Brother with Angels in spirituall grace and euerlasting glory Thou hast seene how glorious and perfect GOD is and how that all thy chiefe blisse and happinesse consisteth in hauing an eternall communion with his Maiestie Now therefore O impenitent Sinner in the bowels of Christ Iesus I entreat thee nay I coniure thee as thou tenderest thy owne saluation seriously to consider with mee how false how vaine how vile are those things which still retaine and chaine thee in this wretched and cursed estate wherein thou liuest and doe hinder thee from the fauour of God and the hope of eternall life and happinesse Meditations on the hinderances which keepe backe a sinner from rhe practise of Pietie THose Hinderances are chiefely seauen I. An ignorant mistaking of the true meaning of certaine places of the holy Scripture and some other chiefe grounds of Christian Religion The Scriptures mistaken are these 1 Ezek. 33.14.16 At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth him of his sinne I will blot out all c. Hence the carnall Christian gathereth That he may repent when hee will It is true Whensoeuer a sinner doth repent GOD will forgiue but the text saith not that a sinner may repent whensoeuer he will but when GOD will giue him grace Many saith the Scripture when they would haue repented were reiected and could not repent though they sought it carefully with teares What comfort yeelds this Text to thee who hast not repented nor knowest whether thou shalt
obtaine eternall life For good workes are the true fruits of a true faith which apprehendeth Christ and his obedience vnto Saluation And no other faith auaileth in Christ but that which worketh by loue And but in the act of Iustification that Faith which onely iustifieth is neuer onely but euer accompanied with good workes as the Tree with his fruits the Sun with his light the Fire vvith his heate and Water with his moisture and that faith which doth not iustifie her selfe by good workes before Men is but a dead Faith which vvill neuer iustifie a mans soule before God But a iustifying faith purifieth the heart and sanctifieth the whole man throughout II. From the doctrine of Gods eternall Predestination and vnchangeable decree hee gathereth that if hee be predestinated to be saued hee cannot but be saued if to be damned no meanes can doe any good Therefore all vvorkes of Piâ—tie are but in vaine but hee should learne that God hath predestinated to the means as well as to the end Whom therefore GOD hath predestinated to be saued which is the end hee hath likewise predestinated to be first called iustified and made conformable to the image of his Son which is the meanes And they saith Peter who are elect vnto saluation are also elect vnto the sanctification of the spirit If therefore vpon thy calling thou conformest thy selfe to the Word and Example of Christ thy Master obeyest the good motions of the holy Spirit in leauing sinne and liuing a godly life then assure thy selfe that thou art one of those who are infallibly predestinated to euerlasting saluation If otherwise blame not Gods predestination but thine owne sinne and rebellion Doe thou but returne vnto God and God will gratiously receiue thee as the Father did the prodigall Sonne and by thy conuersion it shall appeare both to Angels and Men that thou didst belong to his Election If thou wilt not why should God saue thee III. When a carnall Christian heares that man hath not free-will vnto good he looseth the reynes to his owne corrupt will as though it lay not in him to bridle or to subdue it Implicitely making God the authour of sinne in suffering man to runne into this necessitie But hee should know that GOD gaue Adam free-will to stand in his integritie if hee would but man abusing his free-will lost both himselfe and it Since the Fall Man in his state of corruption hath Free-will to euill but not to good for in this state we are not saith the Apostle sufficient to think a good thought And God is not bound to restore vs what wee lost so wretchedly and make no more care to recouer againe But as soone as a man is regenerated the Grace of God freeth his will vnto good so that hee doth all the good things hee doth with a Free-will for so the Apostle saith that God of his owne good pleasure worketh both the will and the deede in vs who as the Apostle expoundeth cleance our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God And in this state euery true Christian hath Free-will and as hee increaseth in grace so doth his will in freedome for when the Sonne shall make vs free then shall wee be free indeede and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie for the holy Spirit drawes their mindes not by coaction but by the cordes of Loue Can. 1.4 by illuminating their mindes to know the truth by changing their hearts to loue the knowne truth and by enabling euery one of them according to the measure of grace which hee hath receiued to doe the good which he loueth But thou wilt not vse the freedome of thy will so farre as GOD hath freed it for thou dost many times wilfully against Gods Law to the hazard of thy Soule that which if the Kings Law forbad vnder the penaltie of death or losse of thy worldly state thou wouldest not doe Make not therefore thy want of free-will vnto good to be so much the cause of thy sinne as thy want of a louing heart to serue thy heauenly Father IIII. When the naturall man heares that no man since the fall is able to fulfill the Law of God and to keepe all his Commandements He boldly presumes to sinne as others doe hee contents himselfe with a few good thoughts and if hee be not altogether as bad as the worst hee concludes that hee is as truely regenerate as the best And euery voluntary refusall of doing good or withstanding euill he counts the impossibilitie of the Law But he should learne that though since the Fall no man but Christ who was both God and man did or can perfectly fulfill the whole Law yet euery true Christian as soone as hee is regenerated begins to keepe all Gods Commandements in truth though hee cannot in absolute perfection Thus with Dauid they apply their hearts to fulfill Gods Commandements alwayes vnto the end And then the Spirit of grace vvhich was promised to be more aboundantly poured forth vnder the Gospel helpeth them in their good endeuours and assisteth them to doe vvhat he commands them to doe And in so doing GOD accepteth their good will and endeuour in stead of perfect fulfilling of the Law supplying out of the merits of Christ who fulfilled the Law for vs whatsoeuer wanteth in our obedience And in this respect S. Iohn saith that Gods commandements are not burdenous And S. Paul saith I am able to doe all things through the helpe of him that strengthneth me And Zâ—chary and Elizabeth are said to walkâ— in all the Commandements of the Lord without reproofe Hereupon CHRIST commends to his Disciples the care of keeping his Commandements as the trueest testimonie of our loue vnto him So farre therefore doth a man loue Christ as he makes conscience to walk in his Commandements and the more vnto Christ is our loue the lesse will our paines seeme in keeping his Law The Lawes curse which vnder the Olde Testament was so terrible is vnder the New by the death of Christ abolished to the regenerate The rigor which made it so vnpossible to our nature before is now to the new borne so mollified by the Spirit that it seemes facile and easie The Apostles indeede pressed on the vnconuerted Iewes and Gentiles the impossibilitie of keeping the Law by abilitie of nature corrupted But when they haue to doe with regenerated Christians they require to the Law which is the rule of righteousnesse true obedience in word and deede the mortifying of their members the crucifying of the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof resurrection to newnesse of life walking in the spirit ouercomming of the world by faith So that though no man can say as CHRIST which of you can
rebuke me of sinne yet euery regenerated Christian can say of himselfe which of you can rebuke mee of being an Adulterer whoremonger swearer drunkard theefe vsurer oppressor proud malicious couetous profaner of the holy Saboth a Lyer a neglecter of Gods publike Seruice and such like grosse sinnes else hee is no true Christian. When a man casts off the conscience of being ruled by Gods Law then GOD giues him ouer to be led by his owne lusts the surest signe of a reprobate sense Thus the Law vvhich since the Fall no man by his owne naturall abilitie can fulfill is fulfilled in truth of euery regenerated Christian through the gratious assistance of Christs holy Spirit And this Spirit GOD will giue to euery Christian that will pray for it and incline his heart to keepe his Lawes V. When the vnregenerated man heares that GOD delighteth more in the inward minde then in the outward man Then he faineth vvith himselfe that all outward reuerence and profession is but eyther superstitious or superfluous Hence it is that hee seldome kneeleth in the Church that hee puts on his hat at singing of Psalmes and the publike Prayers vvhich the profane varlet would not offer to doe in the presence of a Prince or a Noble-man And so that hee keepe his minde vnto GOD hee thinkes hee may fashion himselfe in other things to the World Hee diuides his thoughts and giues so much to GOD and so much to his owne lusts yea hee will deuide with GOD the Sabboth and vvill giue him almost the one halfe and spend the other wholy in his owne pleasures But know ô carnall man that Almightie GOD will not be serued by halfes because hee hath created and redeemed the whole man And as GOD detests the seruice of the outward man without the inward heart as Hypocrisie so hee counts the inward seruice without all externall reuerence to be meere profanenesse hee requireth both in his worship In prayer fore bowe thy knees in witnesse of thy humiliation lift vp thine eyes and thy hands in testimonie of thy confidence hang down thy head smite thy breasts in token of thy contrition but especially call vpon God with a sincere heart serue him holy serue him wholy serue him onely for GOD and the Prince of this world are two contrary Masters and therefore no man can possibly serue both VI. The vnregenerated Christian holdes the hearing of the Gospell preached to be but an indifferent matter which he may vse or not vse at his pleasure but whosoeuer thou art that will be assured in thy heart that thou art one of Christs elect sheepe thou must make a speciall care and conscience if possibly thou canst to heare Gods word preached For first the preaching of the Gospell is the chiefe ordinary meanes which GOD hath appointed to conuert the soules of all that hee hath predestinated to be saued therefore it is called the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth And where this diuine ordinance is not the people perish and whosoeuer shall refuse it it shall be more tollerable for the Land of Sâ—dome and Gomorrha in the day of Iudgement then for those people Secondly the preaching of the Gospel is the standard or ensigne of Christ to which all Souldiers and elect people must assemble themselues When this Ensigne is displayed as vpon the Lords day hee is none of Christs people that flockes not vnto it neyther shall any drop of the raine of his Grace light on their soules Thirdly it is the ordinary meanes by which the holy Ghost begetteth Faith in our hearts without which wee cannot please God If the hearing of Christs voyce be the chiefe marke of Christs elect sheepe and of the Bridegroomes friend then must it be a fearefull marke of a reprobate Goate eyther to neglect or contemne to heare the preaching of the Gospell Let no man thinke this position foolish for by this foolishnesse of preaching it pleaseth GOD to saue them which beleeue Their state is therefore fearefull who liue in peace vvithout caring for the preaching of the Gospell Can men looke for Gods Mercy and despise his meanes He saith Christ of the Preachers of his Gospell that despiseth you despiseth mee Hee that is of God heareth Gods words yee therefore heare them not because ye are not of God Had not the Israelites heard Phineas message they had neuer wept Had not the Baptist preached the Iewes had neuer mourned Had not they who crucified Christ heard Peters Sermon their hearts had neuer beene pricked Had not the Nineuites heard Ionas preaching they had neuer repented and if thou wilt not heare and repent thou shalt neuer be saued VII The opinion that the Sacraments are but bare signes seales of Gods promise and grace vnto vs doth not a little hinder Pietie whereas indeede they are seales as well of our Seruice and obedience vnto GOD which seruice if wee performe not vnto him the Sacraments seale no grace vnto vs. But if wee receiue them vpon the resolution to be his faithfull and penitent Seruants then the Sacraments doe not onely signifie and â—ffer but also seale and exhibite indeede the inward spirituall grace vvhich they outwardly promise and reprâ—sent And to this ende Baptisme is called the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost and the Lords Supper The communion of the body and bloud of Christ. Were this truth beleeued the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper would be oftner and with greater reuerence receiued VIII The last and not the least blocke whereat Pietie stumbleth in the course of Religion is by adorning vices with the names of Vertues as to call drunken carowsing drinking of health spilling innocent bloud valor Gluttonie hospitalitie Couetâ—ousnesse thriftinesse Whoredome louing a Mistresse Symonie gratuâ—â—â— Pride gracefulnesse dissembling complement children of Belial good-fellowes Wrath hastinesse ribauldry mirth So on the other side to call Sobrietie in words and actions Hypocrisie Almes-deedes vaine-glory Deuotion Superstition Zeale in Religion Puritanisme Humilitie crouching scruple of Conscience precisenesse c. and whilest thus wee call euill good and good euill true Pietie is much hindered in her progresse And thus much of the first hinderance of Pietie by mistaking the true sense of some speciall places of Scripture and grounds of Christian Religion The second hinderance of Pietie 2 The euill example of great persons The practise of of whose prophane liues they preferre for their imitation before the precepts of Gods holy word So that when they see the greatest meÌ„ in the state many chiefe Gentlemen in their Countrey to make neither care nor conscience to heare Sermons to receiue the Communion nor to sanctifie the Lords Sabbaths c. But to be swearers adulterers carowsers oppressours c. Then they thinke that the vsing of these holy ordinances are
heart Trust not eyther late Repentance or long life not late repentance because it is much to be feared least that the Repentance vvhich the feare of death enforceth dyes with a man dying And the Hypocrite vvho deceiued others in his life may deceiue himselfe in his death GOD accepteth none but free-will Offerings and the repentance that pleaseth him must be voluntarie and not of constraint Not long life for old age will fall vpon the necke of youth and as nothing is more sure then Death so nothing is more vncertaine then the time of dying Yea oft-times when ripenesse of sinne is hastned by outragiousnesse of sinning GOD sodainly cutteth off such vicious liuers eyther with the sword intemperatenes luxurie surfeit or some other fearefull manner of sicknes Maist thou not see that it is the euill Spirit that perswades thee to deferre thy Repentance till olde age when Experience tels thee that not one of a thousand that takes thy course doe euer attaine vnto it Let Gods holy Spirit moue thee not to giue thy selfe any longer to eate and drinke with the drunken least thy Master send Death for thee in a day when thou lookest not for him and in an houre that thou art not aware of and so sodainely cut thee off and appoint thee thy portion with the Hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth But if thou louest long life feare GOD and long for life euerlasting The longest life here when it is come to the period will appeare to haue beene but as a tale that is tolde a vanishing vapour a flitting shadow a seeming dreame a glorious flower growing and flourishing in the morning but in the euening cut downe and withered or like a weauers shittle which by winding here and there swiftly vnwindeth it selfe to an end It is but a moment saith Saint Paul O then the madnesse of man that for a moment of sinful pleasure wil hazard the losse of an eternall waight of glory These are the seuen chiefe hinderers of Pietie vvhich must be cast out like Mary Magdalens seauen Diuels before euer thou canst become a true practizer of Pietie or haue any sound hope to enioy either fauour from CHRIST by grace or fellowship with him in glory The Conclusion TO conclude all for as much as thou seest that without Christ thou art but a slaue of sinne Deaths vassall and wormes meate vvhose thoughts are vaine vvhose deedes are vile whose pleasures haue scarse beginnings whose miseries neuer knowes end vvhat wise man would incurre these hellish torments though hee might by liuing in sinne purchase to himselfe for a time the Empire of Augustus the riches of Croesus the pleasures of Salomon the policie of Achitophel the voluptuous fare and fine apparrell of Diues for what should it auaile a man as our Sauiour saith to winne the whole world for a time and then to lose his soule in Hell for euer And seeing that likewise thou seest how great is thy happinesse in Christ and how vaine are the hinderances that debarre thee from the same beware as the Apostle exhorteth of the deceitfulnesse of sinne For that sinne which seemes now to be so pleasing to thy corrupt nature vvill one day proue the bitterest enemie to thy distressed soule and in the meane while harden vnawares thine impenitent heart Sinne as a Serpent seemes beautifull to the eye but take heede of the sting behinde whose venemous effects if thou knewest thou wouldest as carefully flye from sinne as from a Serpent for 1 Sinne did neuer any man good and the more sinne a man hath committed the more odious hee hath made himselfe to GOD the more hatefull to all good men 2 Sinne brought vpon thee all the euils crosses losses disgraces sicknesse that euer befell thee Fooles saith Dauid by reason of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted Ieremy in lamenting manner asketh the question Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull The holy Ghost answereth him Man suffereth for his sinne Hereupon the Prophet takes vp that doleful out-cry against sinne as the cause of all their miseries woe now vnto vs that euer we haue sinned 3 If thou dost not speedily repent thee of thy sins they wil bring vpon thee yet farre greater plagues losses crosses shame and Iudgements then euer hitherto befell thee Reade Leuit. 26.18 c. Deut. 28.15 c. 4 And lastly if thou wilt not cast off thy sinne GOD when the measure of thine iniquitie is full will cast thee off for thy sinne for as hee is iust so hee hath power to kill and cast into hell all hardened and impenitent sinners If therfore thou wilt auoide the cursed effects of sinne in this life and the eternall wrath due therto in the world to come and be assured that thou art not one of those who are giuen ouer to a reprobate sense Let then ô Sinner my counsell be acceptable vnto thee breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy towards the poore oh let there at length be an healing of thine error Nathan vsed but one Parable and Dauid was conuerted Ionas preached but once to Niniuie and the whole Citie repented CHRIST looked but once on Peter and hee went out and wept bitterly And now that thou art oft so louingly entreated not by a Prophet but by Christ the Lord of Prophets yea that GOD himselfe by his Ambassadours doth pray thee to be reconciled vnto him leaue off thine adulterie with Dauid repent of thy sinnes like a true Niniuite and whilest Christ looketh in mercy vpon thee leaue thy wicked companions and weepe bitterly for thine offences Content not thy selfe with that formall Religion which vnregenerated men haue framed to themselues in stead of sincere deuotion for in the multitude of opinions most men haue almost lost the practise of true religion Think not that thou art a Christian good enough because thou dost as the most and art not so bad as the worst No man is so wicked that hee is addicted to all kinde of vices for there is an Antipathie twixt some vices But remember that Christ saith except your righteousnesse shall exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies yee shall in no case enter into the kingdome of Heauen Consider with thy selfe how farre thou commest short of the Pharisies in fasting praying frequenting the Church and in giuing of Almes Thinke with thy selfe how many Pagant who neuer knew Baptisme yet in morall vertues and honestie of life doe goe farre beyond thee Where is then the life of Christ thy Master and how farre art thou from being a true Christian If thou dost willingly yeeld to liue in any one grosse sinne thou canst not haue a regenerated Soule though thou reformest thy selfe like Herod from many other vices A true Christian must haue respect to walke
faith called the righteousnesse of the Saints Lest whilest vvee are richly apparelled in the sight of men vve be not found to walke naked so that all our filthynesse be seene in the sight of God But that with his righteousnesse as vvith a roabe vvee may couer our selues from perpetuall shame and shield our soules from that fiery colde that vvill procure infernal weeping and gnashing of teeth And withall consider how blessed a people vvere our Nation if euery silken suite did couer a sanctified soule and yet a man would thinke that on whom God bestowed most of these outward blessings of them he should receiue greatest inward thankes But if it proue otherwise their reckoning vvill prooue the heauier in the day of their accounts 6 Consider how Gods mercy is renewed vnto thee euery morning in giuing thee as it vvere a new life and in causing the Sunne after his vncessant race to rise againe to giue thee light Let not then this glorious light burne in vaine but preuent rather as oft as thou canst the Sunne rising to giue GOD thankes and kneeling downe at thy bed side salute him at the day-spring vvith some deuoute Antelucâ—num or morning Soliloquie containing an humble confession of thy sinneâ— the pardon of all thy faults a thanksgiuing for all his benefit and a crauing of his gracious protection to his Church thy selfe and all that doe belong vnto thee Briefe directions how to reade the holy Scriptures once euery yeere ouer with ease profit and reuerence BVT forasmuch that as Faith is the soule so reading and meditating of the word of God are the Parents of Praier Therefore before thou prayest in the Morning first reade a Chapter in the Word of GOD then Meditate a while vvith thy selfe how many excellent things thou canst remember out of it As first what good counsels or exhortations to good workes and to holy life Secondly what threatnings of iudgements against such and such a sinne and what fearefull example of Gods punishment or vengeance vpon such and such sinners Thirdly what blessings GOD promiseth to patience chastity mercy almes-deedes zeale in his seruice charity faith and trust in God and such like Christian vertues Fourthly what gracious deliuerance GOD hath wrought and what speciall blessings hee hath bestowed vpon them who were his true and zealous seruants Fiftly apply these things to thine owne heart and reade not these Chapters as matters of Historicall discourse but as if they were so many Letters or Epistles sent downe from God out of Heauen vnto thee for whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning Rom. 15.4 Sixtly reade them therefore with that reuerence as if GOD himselfe stood by and spake these vvords vnto thee to excite thee to those vertues to diswade thee from those vices assuring thy selfe that if such sinnes as thou readest there be found in thee without Repentance the like plagues will fall vpon thee but if thou dost practise the like Pietie and vertuous deedeâ— the like blessings shall come vnto thee and thine In a word apply all that thou readest in the holy Scripture to one of these two headâ— chiefely eyther to confirme thy Faith or to encrease thy Repentance for as sustiâ—e abstine beare forbeare was the Epitome of a good Philosopherâ— life so creda resipiâ—â—â— beleeue and repent is the whole summe of a true Christians profession One Chapter thus read with vnderstanding and meditated with application will better feed and comfort thy soule then fiue read and runne ouer without marking their scope or sense or making any vse thereof to thine owne selfe If in this manner thou shalt reade three Chapters euery day one in the morning another at noone and the third at night reading so many Psalmes in stead of a Chapter as our Church Liturgie appoints for Morning or Euening Prayers thou shalt reade ouer all the Canonicall Scripture in a yeere except sixe Chapters which thou maist adde to the taske of the last day of the yeere The reading of the Bible in order will helpe thee the better to vnderstand both the History and scope of the holy Scripture And as for the Apocrypha being but penned by mans spirit thou maist reade them at thy pleasure but beleeue them so farre as they agree with the Canonicall Scripture which is endited by the Holy Ghost But it may be thou wilt say that thy businesse will not admit thee so much time as to reade euery morning a Chapter c. O man remember that thy life is but short and that all this businesse is but for the vse of this short life but saluation or damnatioâ— is euerlasting Rise vp therefore euery morning by so much time the earlier defraud thy foggie flesh of so much sleepe but rob not thy Soule of her food nor GOD of his Seruice And serue the Almighty duely whilest thou hast time and health Hauing thus reade thy Chapter as thou art about to pray remember that God is a God of holinesse whereof hee warneth vs by repeating so often Be yee holy for I am holy And when hee deuoured with a sodaine fire Nadab and Abihu for offering vnto him Incense vvith strange fire like those now a-dayes vvho offer prayers from hearts fraught vvith the fire of lusts and malâ—â—e the Lord vvould giue no other reason of his Iudgements but this I will be sanctified in them that come neere mee as if hee should haue said If I cannot be sanctified by them who are my Seruants in seruing mee with that Holinesse that they should I will be sanctified on them by confounding them vvith my iust iudgements which their lewdnesse doth deserue God therefore cannot abide any wilfull vncleannesse or filthinesse in them who serue him insomuch that he commaunded the Israelites that when they were in Campe against their Enemies they should digge a hole with a paddle and couer their excrements his reason is for the Lord thy God walketh in the middest of thy Campe to deliuer thee and to giue thee thine Enemies before thee therefore thy Hoast shall be holy that hee see no filthy thing in thee and turne away from thee If he will haue men to be so holy in time of warre in the Field how much more holinesse expecteth he at our hands in time of peace in our houses therefore saith Zophar in Iob If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hand towards GOD to pray if iniquitie be in thy hand put it farre away and let no wickednesse dwell in thy Tabernacle For as Esay saith If there be any vncleannesse in our hands that is any sinne whereof we haue not repented though wee stretch out our hands vnto him and make many Prayers the Lord will hide his eyes from vs and will not heare our prayers Therefore before thou prayest let GOD see that thy heart is sorrowfull for thy sinne and that thy
minde is resolued through the assistance of his grace to amend thy faults And then hauing washed thy selfe and adorned thy body with apparell which beseemeth thy calling and the Image of GOD which thou bearest shut thy chamber-doore and kneele downe at thy bed-side or some other conuenient place and in reuerent manner lifting vp thy heart together with thy hands and eyes as in the presence of GOD who seeth the inward intention of thy soule offer vp vnto God from the Altar of a contrite heart thy Prayer as a Morning Sacrifice through the mediation of Christ in these or the like wordes A Prayer for the Morning O Most mighty and glorious GOD full of incomprehensible power and Maiestie whose glory the very Heauen of Heauens is not able to containe looke downe from heauen vpon me thine vnworthy Seruant who here prostate my selfe at the foote-stoole of thy Throne of Grace But looke vpon mee O Father through the merits and mediation of Iesus Christ thy beloued Sonne in whom onely thou art well pleased For of my selfe I am not worthy to stand in thy presence or to speake with mine vncleane lips to so holy a God as thou art For thou knowest that in sin I was conceiued and borne and that I haue liued euer since in iniquitie so that I haue broken all thy holy Commandements by sinfull motions vncleane thoughts euill wordes wicked workes omitting many of those duties of pietie which thou requirest for thy seruice and committing many of those vices which thou vnder the penaltie of thy displeasure hast forbidden Here thou maist confesse vnto God thy secret sinnes which doe most burden thy conscience with the circumstances of the time place person and manner how it was committed saying But more especially O Lord I doe here with griefe of heart confesse vnto thee c. And for these my sinnes O Lord I stand here guiltie of thy curse with all the miseries of this life and euerlasting torments in hell fire when this wretched life is ended if thou shouldest deale vvith mee according to my deserts Yea Lord I confesse that it is thy mercy which endureth for euer and thy compassion which neuer failes that is the cause that I haue not beene long agoe consumed But with thee O Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption In the multitude therefore of thy mercy and confidence in Christs merits I entreate thy diuine Maiestie that thou wouldest not enter into iudgement with thy Seruant neyther be extreame to marke what I haue hitherto done amisse for if thou doest then no flesh can be iustified in thy sight nor any liuing stand in thy presence But be thou mercifull vnto mee and wash away all the vncleannesse of my sinne with the merits of that precious bloud which Iesus Christ hath shed for me And seeing that hee hath borne the burden of that curse which was due to my transgressions O LORD deliuer me from my sinnes and from all those Iudgements which hang ouer my head as due vnto mee for them And separate them as farre from thy presence as the East is from the West burie them in the buriall of Christ that they may neuer haue power to rise vp against mee to shame me in this life or to condemne me in the world which is to come And I beseech thee O Lord not onely to wash away my sinnes with the bloud of thine immaculate Lambe but also to purge my heart by thy holy spirit from the drosse of my natural corruption that I may feele thy spirit more and more killing my sinne in the power and practise thereof so that I may with more freedome of minde and liberty of will serue thee the euerliuing God in righteousnesse and holinesse this day And giue me grace that by the direction and assistance of the same thy holie spirit I may perseuere to be thy faithfull and vnfained seruant vnto my liues ende that when this mortall life is ended I may be made a partaker of immortality and euerlasting happinesse in thy heauenly kingdome In the meane time O Lord whilest it is thy blessed will and pleasure that I may continue to spend and end that small number and remnant of daies which thou hast appointed for me to liue in this vale of misery Teach mee so to number my daies that I may apply my heart vnto wisdome and as thou dost adde daies vnto my life so good Lord I beseech thee adde repentance and amendment to my daies that as I growe in yeeres so I may encrease in grace and fauour with thee and all thy people And to this end giue vnto me a supply of all those graces which thou knowest to be wanting in me and necessary for me with an increase of all those good gifts whervvith thou hast already endued me that so I may be the better enabled to leade such a godly life and honest conuersation as that thy name may thereby be gloryfied others may take good example by me and my soule may more cheerefully feed on the peace of a good conscience and bee more replenished with the ioy of the holy Ghost And heere O Lord according to my bounden duty I giue thee most humble and hearty thankes for all those blessings which of thy goodnesse thou hast bestowed vpon mee And namely for that thou hast of thy free loue according to thine eternall purpose elected me before the foundation of the world was laid vnto saluation in Iesus Christ for that thou hast created mee after thine owne Image and hast begunne to restore that in mee vvhich vvas lost in our first Parents for that thou hast effectually called me by the working of thy spirit in the preaching of the Gospell and the receiuing of thy Sacraments to the knowledge of thy sauing grace and obedience of thy blessed will for that thou hast bought and redeemed me vvith the blood of thine onely begotten Sonne from the torments of Hell and thrall of Satan for that thou hast by faith in Christ freely iustified me vvho am by nature the childe of wrath for that thou hast in good measure sanctified mee by thy holy spirit and giuest me so large a time to repent together with the meanes of repentance I thanke thee likewise good Lord for my life health wealth foode raiment peace prosperity and plenty and for that thou hast preserued me this night from all perils and dangers of body and soule and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day And as thou hast now vvakened my body from sleepe so I beseech thee waken my soule from sinne and carnall security and as thou hast caused the light of the day to shine in my bodily eies so good Lord cause the light of thy word and holy spirit to illuminate my heart and giue me grace
as one of thy children of light to walke in all holy obedience before thy face this day and that I may endeauour to keepe faith and a cleere conscience towards thee and towards all men in all my thoughts words and dealings And so good Lord blesse all my studies and actions which I shall take in hand this day as that they may tend to thy glory the good of others and the comfort of mine owne soule and conscience in that day when I shall make my finall accounts vnto thee for them O my God keepe thy seruant that I doe no euill vnto any man this day and let it be thy blessed will not to suffer the Diuell nor his wicked Angels nor any of his euill members or my malicious enemies to haue any power to doe mee hurt or violence But let the eye of thy holy prouidence watch ouer me for good and not for euill and command thy holy Angels to pitch their tents round about me for my defence and safetie in my going out and comming in as thou hast promised they should doe about them that feare thy name for into thy hands O Father I doe heere commend my soule and body my actions and all that euer I haue to bee guided defended and protected by thee being assured that whatsoeuer thou takest into thy custody cannot perish nor suffer any hurt or harme And if I at any time this day shall through frailtie forget thee yet Lord I beseech thee doe thou in mercy remember me And I pray not vnto thee O Father for my selfe alone but I beseech thee also be merciful vnto thy whole Church and chosen people wheresoeuer they liue vpon the face of the earth Defend them from the rage and tyranny of the Diuel the world and Antichrist Giue thy Gospell a free and a ioyfull passage through the world for the conuersion of those who belong to thine election and kingdome Blesse the Churches and kingdomes wherein wee liue with the continuance of peace iustice and true Religion Defend the Kings Maiesty from all his enemies and grant him a long life in health and all happinesse to raigne ouer vs. Blesse the Queene Prince Charles the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the Gratious Lady Elizabeth his Wife Increase in them all heroycall gifts and spirituall graces which may make them fit for those places for which thou hast ordained them Direct all the Nobilitie Bishops Ministers and Magistrats of this Church common-wealth to gouerne the commons in true Religion iustice obedience and tranquillity Be mercifull vnto all the Brethren which feare thee and call vpon thy name And comfort as many among them as are sicke and comfortlesse in body or in minde especially be fauourable to all such as suffer any trouble or persecution for the testimonie of thy truth and holy Gospell And giue them a gracious deliuerance out of al their troubles which way it shall seeme best to thy wisdome for the glory of thy Name the further enlarging of the truth and the more ample encrease of their owne comfort and consolation Hasten thy comming O blessed Sauiour and end these sinnefull daies and giue me grace that like a wise Virgin I may be prepared with oyle in my Lampe to meete thee the sweet Bride-groome of my Soule at thy comming whether it be by the day of death or of iudgement And then Lord Iesus come when thou wilt euen Lord Iesus come quickelie These and all other graces which thou knowest needefull and necessary for me this day and euermore I humbly beg and craue at thy hands O father giuing thee thy glory in that forme of Praier which Christ himselfe hath taught me to say vnto thee Our Father which art in heauen Hallowed be thy name c. Meditations IF when thou art about to pray Satan shall suggest that thy praiers are too long and that therefore it were better either to omit praiers or else to cut them shorter meditate that praier is thy spirituall sacrifice wherewith God is wel pleased And therefore it is so displeasing to the Diuel and so irkesome to thy flesh Bend therefore thy Affections will they nill they to so holy an exercise assuring thy selfe that it doth by so much the more please God by how much the more it is vnpleasing to thy flesh 2 Forget not how the holy Ghost puts it downe as a speciall note of reprobates They call not vpon the Lord They call not vpon God And when Eliphaz supposed that Iob had cast off the feare of God and that God had cast Iob out of his fauour hee chargeth him that hee restrained prayer before God making that a sure note of the one and a sufficient cause of the other On the other side that GOD hath promised that whosoeuer shall call on his Name shall be saued It is certaine that hee who maketh no conscience of the dutie of Prayer hath no grace of the holy Spirit in him For the spirit of Grace and of Prayer are one and therefore Grace and Prayer goe together But he that can from a penitent heart morning and euening pray vnto GOD it is sure that he hath his measure of grace in this world and he shall haue his portion of glory in the life which is to come 3 Remember that as loathing of meate and painefulnesse of speaking are two Symptomes of a sicke body so irkesomnesse of praying when thou talkest with GOD and carelesnesse in hearing when GOD by his Word speakes vnto thee are two sure signes of a sicke soule 4 Call to minde the zealous deuotion of the Christians in the Primitiue Church who spent many vvhole nights and vigils in watching and praying for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and that they might be found readie at the comming of Christ. And how that Dauid vvas not content to pray at morning at euening and at noone but hee would also rise vp at mid-night to pray vnto GOD. And if CHRIST did chide his Disciples because they would not watch vvith him one houre in praying vvhat chiding dost thou deserue who thinkest it too long to continue in Prayer but one quarter of an houre If thou hast spent diuers houres in seeing a vaine Maske or a Play yea whole dayes and nights in carding and dicing to please thy flesh be ashamed to thinke a Prayer of a quarter of an houre long to be too long an exercise for the seruice of GOD. 5 Consider that if the Papists in their blinde superstition doe in an vnknowne and therefore vnedifying Tongue fit onely for the children of mysticall Babylon mutter ouer vpon their Beades euery morning and euening so many scores of Aue-Maries Pater-nosters and Idolatrous Prayers how shall they in their superstitious deuotion rise vp in Iudgement against thee professing thy selfe to be a true Worshipper of Christ If
that thou thinkest these Prayers to be too long a taske being shorter for quantitie then theirs but farre more profitable for qualitie tending onely to Gods glory and thy good and so compiled of Scripture phrase as that thou maist speake to God as well in his owne hâ—ly words as in thine owne natiue language Be ashamed that Papists in their superstitious worshipping of Creatures should shew themselues more deuout then thou in the sincere worshipping of the true and onely God And indeede a prayer in priuate deuotion should be one continued speech rather then many broken fragments 6 Lastly when such thoughts come into thy head eyther to keepe thee from prayer or to distract thee in praying remember that those are the Fowles which the euill one sends to deuoure the good Seede and the carkeises of thy spirituall Sacrifices but endeuour with Abraham to driue them away Yet notwithstanding if thou perceiuest at some times that thy spirits are dull and thy minde not apt for Prayer and holy deuotion striue not too much for that time but humbling thy selfe at the sense of thine infirmity and dulnesse knowing that God accepteth the willing minde though it be oppressed with the heauinesse of the flesh endeauour the next time to recompense this dulnesse by redoubling thy zeale and for the time present commend thy Soule to God in this or the like short Prayer Another shorter Morning Prayer O MOST gracious GOD and mercifull Father I thine vnworthy Seruant do here acknowledge that as I haue beene borne in sinne so I haue liued in iniquitie and broken euery one of thy Commandements in thought word and deede following the desires of mine owne will and lusts of my flesh not caring to be gouerned by thy holy Word and Spirit and therefore I haue iustly deserued all shame and miserie in this life and euerlasting condâ—mnation in Hell-fire if thou shouldest but deale with mee according to thy Iustice and my desert Wherefore O Heauenly Father I beseech thee for thy Sonne Iesus Christ his sake and for the merits of that bitter death and bloudy Passion which I beleeue that he hath suffered for mee that thou wouldest pardon and forgiue vnto me all my sins and deliuer me from the shame and vengeance vvhich is due vnto mee for them And send thy holy Spirit into my heart which may assure mee that thou art my Father and that I am thy childe and that thou louest mee with an vnchangeable loue and let the same thy good Spirit leade mee in thy truth and crucifie in me more and more all worldly and carnall lusts that my sinnes may more and more dye in mee and that I may serue thee in vnfained righteousnesse and holinesse this day and all the dayes of my life that when this mortall life is ended I may through thy mercy in Christ be made a partaker of euerlasting glory in thy heauenly Kingdome And here O Lord from the bottome of my hart I thanke thee for al thy blessings which thou hast bestowed vpon my soule and body for electing mee in thy loue redeeming mee by thy Sonne sanctifying mee by thy Spirit and preseruing me from my youth vp vntill this present day and houre by thy most gracious prouidence I thanke thee more specially for that thou hast defended mee this night from all perils and dangers and hast brought me safe to the beginning of this day And now good Lord I beseech thee keepe me this day from all euill that may hurt me and from falling to any grosse sinne that should offend thee Set thy feare before mine eyes and let thy Spirit so rule my heart that all that I shall thinke doe or speake this day may tend to thy glory the good of others and the peace of mine owne Conscience And to this end I commend my selfe and all my wayes and actions together with all that do belong vnto me vnto thy gratious direction and protection praying thee to keepe both them and mee from all euill and to giue a blessing to all our honest labours and endeuours Defend thy whole Church from the tyranny of the World and of Antichrist Preserue our gracious King from all conspiracies and treasons grant him a long and prosperous raigne ouer vs. Blesse the Queene Prince Charles the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the vertuous Lady Elizabeth endue them vvith thy grace and defend them from all euill Blesse all our Ministers and Magistrates with those graces and gifts which thou knowest necessary for their places Be fauourable to all that feare thee and tremble at thy Iudgements comfort all those that are sicke and comfâ—rtlesse Lordâ— keepe mee in a continuall readinesse by Faith and Repentance for my last end that whether I liue or dye I may be found thine owne to thine eternall glory and mine euerlasting saluation through Iesus Christ my onely Sauiour In whose blessed Name I beg these mercies at thy hands and giue vnto thee thy praise and glory in that Prayer which hee hath sanctified with his owne lips saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Further Meditations to stir vs vp to praier in the Morning THinke not any businesse or haste though neuer so great a sufficient excuse to omit Praier in the Morning but meditate 1 That the greater thy businesse is by so much the more neede thou hast to pray for Gods good-speed and blessing thereon seeing it is certaine that nothing can prosper without his blessing 2 That many a man when hee thought himselfe surest hath beene soonest crossed so maiest thou 3 That many a man hath gone out of his dore and neuer come in againe Many a man who arose well and liuelie in the morning hath beene seene a dead man ere night So may it befall thee And if thou bee so carefull before thou goest abroad to drinke to fence thy body from ill ayres how much more carefull shouldest thou be to pray to perserue thy soule from euill temptations 4 That the time spent in prayer neuer hindereth but furthereth and prospereth a mans iourney and businesse 5 That in going abroad into the world thou goest into a forrest full of vnknown dangers where thou shalt meet many bryars to teare thy good name many snares to trap thy life and many hunters to deuoure thy soule It is a field of pleasant grasse but ful of poysonous serpents Aduenture not therefore to go nakâ—â— among these briars till thou hast prayed Christ to clothe thee with his righteousnesse nor to passe through these snares and ambushments till thou hast praied for Gods prouidence to be thy guide nor to walke barefoote through this snakie field till hauing thy feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace thou hast praied to haue still the brasen Serpent in the eye of thy faith that so if thou commest not home holier thou maiest be sure not to returne worser then when thou wentest out of dores Therefore though
thy haste be neuer so much or thy businesse neuer so great yet goe not about it nor out of thy dores till thou hast at least vsed this or the like short prayer A briefe Prayer for the Morning O Merciful father for Iesus Christ his sake I beseech thee forgiue me all my knowne and secret sins which in thought word or deede I haue coÌ„mitted against thy diuine Maiesty And deliuer me from al those iudgements which are due vnto mee for them and sanctifie my heart with thy holy spirit that I may hence foorth leade a more godly and religious life And heere O Lord I praise thy holy name for that thou hast refreshed me this night with moderate sleepe and rest I beseech thee likewise defend me this day from all perils and dangers of body and soule And to this end I commend my selfe and all my actions vnto thy blessed protection and gouernment beseeching thee that whether I liue or die I may liue and die to thy glory and the saluation of my poore soule which thou hast bought with thy precious bloud Blesse me therefore O Lord in my goying out and comming in and grant that whatsoeuer I shall thinke speake or take in hand this day may tend to the glory of thy name the good of others and the comfort of mine owne conscience when I shall come to make before thee my last accounts Grant this O heauenly father for Iesus Christ thy Sonnes fake In whose blessed name I giue thee thy glory and beg at thy hands all other graces which thou seest to be needfull for mee this day and euer in that praier which Christ himselfe hath taught me saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Meditations directing a Christian how he may walke all the day with God like Enoch HAuing thus begâ—n keep all the day after as diligent a watch as thou canst ouer all thy thoughts words and actions which thou maiest easily doe by crauing the assistance of Gods holy spirit and obseruing these few rules First for thy thoughts 1 BE carefull to suppresse euery sinne in the first motion Dash Babylons children whilest they are young against the stones Tread betimes the Cockatrice egge lest it breake out into a Serpâ—nt Let sinne be to the heart a stranger not a home-dweller Take heede of falling oft into the same sin lest the custome of sinning take away the conscience of sinne and then shalt thou waxe so impudently wicked that thou wilt neither feare God nor reuerence man 2 Suffer not thy minde to feedde it selfe vpon any imagination which is either vnpossible for thee to doe or vnprofitable if it be done but rather thinke of the vvorlds vanitie to contemne it of death to expect it of iudgement to auoide it of hell to escape it and of heauen to desire it 3 Desire not to fulfill thy minde in all things but learne to deny thy selfe those desires though neuer so pleasing to thy nature which being attained will draw either scandall on thy Religion or hatred to thy Person Consider in euery thing the ende before thou attempt the Action 4 Labour daily more and more to see thine owne misery through vnbeleefe selfe-loue and wilfull breaches of Gods law and the necessity of Gods mercy through the merits of Christs passion to be such that if thou wert demanded What is the vilest creature vpon the earth thy Conscience may answere mine owne selfe by reason of my great sinnes And that if on the other side thou wert asked What thou esteemest to be the most precious thing in the world Thy heart might answere One drop of Christs blood to wash away my sinnes And as thou tendrest the saluation of thy soule liue not in any wilfull filthinesse For true faith and the purpose of sinning can neuer stand together 5 Approue thy selfe to be a true seruant of Christ not onely in thy generall calling as in the frequent vse of the Word and Sacraments but also in thy particular in making conscience to eschue euery knowne sinne and to obey God in euery one of his commandements like Iosiah who turned to God with all his heart according to all the Law of Moses And Zacharie and Elizabeth who walked in all the commandements of God without reproofe But if at any time through frailty thou slippest into any sinne Lye not in it but speedily rise out of it by vnfained repentance Praying for pardon til thy conscience be pacified thy hatred of sinne increased and thy purpose of amendement confirmed 6 Beware of affecting popularitie by adulation the end neuer proues good And though attayned by due desert yet mannage it wisely lest it prooue more dangerous then contempt For States desire but to keepe downe whom they contemne for their vnworthinesse but to cut off whom they enuy for their greatnessâ— He therefore is truely prudent who considering the premises neither affecteth nor neglecteth popularity But in any wise take heede of harbouring a discontented minde for it may worke thee more woe then thou art aware of It is a speciall mercy in the multitude of so many blessings as thou doest enioy to haue some crosses God giues thee many blessings lest through want being his childe thou shouldest despaire And hee sends thee some crosses lest by too much prosperity playing the foole thou shouldest presume Many who haue mounted to great dignities would haue contented themselues with meaner had they knowne their great dangers Loue therefore competencie rather then eminencie And in all thy will haue euer an eye to Gods will least thy self-action turnes to thine owne destruction Happy the man who in this short life is least knowne of the world so that hee doth truely know God and himselfe Whatsoeuer crosse therefore thou hast to discontent thee remember that it is lesse then thy sinnes haue deserued Count therefore Christ thy chiefest ioy and sinne thy greatest griefe estimate no want to the want of Grace nor any losse to the losse of Gods fauour And then the discontentment for outward things shall the lesse perplexe thine inward minde And as oft as Sathan shall offer any motion of discontentment to thy minde remember Saint Pauls admonition Wee brought nothing into this World and it is certaine that wee can carry nothing out And hauing foode and raiment let vs be therewith content But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drowne men in destruction and perdition Pray therefore with wise Agur O Lord giue me neyther pouertie nor riches feede mee with foode conuenient for mee least I be too full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord Or least I be poore and steale and take the Name of my God in vaine 7 Bestow no more thought vpon worldly things then thou needes must for the discharge of thy place and the maintenance of thine estate but still
and the Lord will be with the good 10 Lastly make not an occupation of any recreation The longest vse of pleasure is but short but the paines of pleasure abused are eternall Vse therefore lawfull recreation so farre forth as it makes thee the fitter in body and minde to doe more chearefully the seruice of God and the duties of thy calling Thy worke is great thy time is but short And hee who will recompence euery man according to his workes standeth at the doore Thinke how much worke is behinde how slow thou hast vvrought in the time which is past and what a reckoning thou shouldest make if thy Master should call thee this day to thine accounts Be therefore carefull hence-forth to make the most aduantage of thy short time that remaines as a man vvould of an olde Lease that were neere expiring and when thou disposest to recreate thy selfe remember how small a time is allotted for thy life and that therefore much of that is not to be consumed in idlenesse sports playes and toyish vanities seeing the whole is but a short while though it be all spent in doing the best good that thou canst for a man was not created for sports playes and recreation but zealously to serue GOD in Religion and conscionably to serue his neighbour in his vocation and by both to acertaine himselfe of eternall saluation Esteeme therefore the losse of time one of the greatest losses Redeeme it carefully to spend it wisely that when that time commeth that thou maiest be no longer a steward on earth thy Master may welcome thee with an Euge bone serue and giue thee a better in Heauen where thou shalt ioyfully enioy thy Masters ioyes for euermore Meditations for the Euening At Euening when thou preparest thy selfe to take thy rest meditate on these few points 1 THat seeing thy daies are numbred there is one more of thy number spent and thou art now the neerer to thy ende by a day 2 Sit downe a while before thou goest to bed and consider with thy selfe what memorable thing thou hast seene heard or read that day more then thou sawest heardest or knewest before and make thy best vse of them but especially call to minde what sinne thou hast committed that day against GOD or Man and what good thou hast omitted and humble thy selfe for both If thou findest that thou hast done any goodnesse acknowledge it to be Gods grace and giue him the glory and count that day lost wherein thou hast not done some good 3 If by frailty or strong temptation thou shalt perceiue that thou hast committed any grieuous sinne or fault presume not to sleepe till thou haue vpon thy knees made a perticular reconciliation with God in Christ for the same both by confessing the fault and by feruent praying for the pardon of the same Thus making thy score euen with Christ euery night thou shalt haue the lesse to account for when thou art to make thy finall reckoning before his Maiesty in the Iudgement day 4 If thou haue fallen out with any in the day let not the Sunne goe downe on thine anger that night If thy conscience tels thee that thou hast wronged him acknowledge thine offence and entreate him to forgiue thee If hee haue wronged thee offer him reconciliation and if hee will not be reconciled yet do thou from thy heart forgiue him Matth. 5.23 But in any case presume not to be thine owne reuenger For in so doing thou doest God a double iniury First in offering to take his sword of Iustice out of his hand as though he were not iust hauing reserued the execution of vengeance to himselfe Secondly in vsurping authority ouer his seruant without referring the cause to his hearing and censure being his and thy Master Besides thou art too partiall to be a Reuenger For if thou be to execute reuenge on thy selfe thou wilt doe it too lightly if on thy enemy too heauily It belongeth therefore to God to reuenge to thee to forgiue And in testimony that thou hast freely forgiuen him pray vnto God for the forgiuenesse of his fault and the amendment of his life and the next time that occasion is offered and it lyes in thy power doe him good and reioyce in doing it for hee that doth good to his enemies shewes himselfe the childe of GOD and his reward is with GOD his Father 5 Vse not sleepe as a meanes to satiate the foggy lithernesse of thy flesh but as a medicine to refresh thy tyred senses and members Sufficient sleepe quickeneth the minde and reuiueth the body but immoderate sleepe dulleth the one and fatneth the other 6 Remember that many goe to bed and neuer rise againe till they be wakened and raised vp by the fearefull sound of the last trumpet But he that sleepeth and wakeneth with praier sleepeth and wakeneth with Christ. If therefore thou desirest to sleepe securely and safely yeeld vp thy selfe into the hands of God whilest thou art waking and so goe to bed with a reuerence of Gods maiesty and consideration of thine owne misery which thou maiest imprint in thy heart in some measure by these meanes and the like meditations Read a Chapter in the same order as was prescribed in the morning and when thou hast done kneele downe on both thy knees at thy bed side or some other conuenient place in thy Chamber and lifting vp thy heart thine eyes and hands to thy heauenly Father in the name and mediation of his holy Sonne IESVS pray vnto him if thou haue the gift of praier 1 Confessing thy sinnes especially those which thou hast committed that day 2 Caruing most earnestly for Christ his sake pardon and forgiuenesse for them 3 Requesting the assistance of his holy spirit for amendment of life 4 In giuing thankes for benefits receiued especially for thy preseruation that day 5 Praying for rest and protection that night 6 Remembring the state of the Church the King and the Royall Posterity our Ministers and Magistrates and all our brethren visited or persecuted 7 Lastly commending thy selfe and all thine to his gracious custody All which thou maiest do in these or the like words A praier for the Euening O Most gracious God and louing Father who art about my bed and knowest my down lying and mine vprising and art neere vnto all that call vpon thee in truth and sincerity I wetched sinner doe beseech thee to looke vpon me with the eies of thy mercy and not to behold mee as I am in my selfe For then thou shalt see but an vncleane and defiled creature conceiued in sinne and liuing in iniquity so that I am ashamed to lift vp mine eies to heauen knowing how grieuously I haue sinned against heauen and before thee For O Lord I haue transgressed al thy commandements and righteous lawes not onely through negligence and infirmity but oftentimes through wilfull
presumption contrary to my knowledge yea contrary to the motions of thy holy spirit reclaiming me from them so that I haue wounded my conscience and grieued thy holy spirit by whom thou hast sealed mee to the day of redemption Thou hast consecrated my soule and body to be the temples of the holy Ghost I wretched sinner haue defiled both vvith all manner of pollution and vncleannesse My eyes in taking pleasure to behold vanitie mine eares in hearing impure and vnchaste speeches my tongue in leasing and euill speaking my hands are so ful of impuritie that I am ashamed to lift them vp vnto thee and my feet haue carried mee after mine owne wayes my vnderstanding and reasoning which are so quicke in all earthly matters are only blinde and stupide when I come to meditate or discourse of spirituall and heauenly things my memory which should be the treasurie of all goodnesse is not so apt to remember any thing as those things vvhich are vile and vaine Yea Lord by wofull experience I finde that naturally all the imaginations of the thoughts of mine heart are only euill continually And these my sinnes are more in number then the haires which grow vpon mine head and they haue growne ouer me like a loathsome leprie that from the crowne of my head to the sole of my feet there remaines no part vvhich they haue not infected They make mee seeme vile in mine owne eyes how much more abhominable must I then appeare in thy sight And the custome of sinning hath almost taken away the conscience of sinne pulled vpon me such dulnesse of sense and hardnesse of hart that thy iudgements denounced against my sinnes by the faithfull Preachers of thy Word doe not terrifie me to returne vnto thee by vnfained repentance for them And if thou Lord shouldst but deale with me according to thy iustice and my desert I should vtterly be confounded and condemned But seeing that of thine infinite mercie thou hast spared mee so long and still waitest for my repentance I humbly beseech thee for the bitter death and bloudy Passionâ— sake which Iesus Christ hath suffered for mee that thou wouldest pardon and forgiue vnto mee all my sinnes and offences and open vnto mee that euer-streaming fountaine of the bloud of Christ which thou hast promised to open vnder the New Testament to the penitent of the house of Dauid that all my sinnes and vncleannesse may be so bathed in his bloud buried in his death and hid in his wounds that they neuer be more seene to shame me in this life or to condemne mee before thy Iudgement-seate in the world which is to come And forasmuch O Lord as thou knowest that it is not in man to turne his owne heart vnlesse thou doest first giue him grace to conuert And seeing that it is as easie with thee to make me righteous and holy as to bid mee to be such O my God giue mee grace to doe what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt and thou shalt finde me willing to doe thy blessed will And to this end giue vnto me thine holy spirit which thou hast promiseâ— to giue to the worlds end vnto all thine elect people And let the same thy holy spirit purge my heart heale my corruption sanctifie my nature and consecrate my soule and body that they may become the Temples of the holy Ghost to serue thee in righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of my life That when by the direction assistance of thy holy spirit I shall finish my course in this short and transitory life I may cheerefully leaue this world and resigne my Soule into thy Fatherly hands in the assured confidence of enioying euerlasting life with thee in thine Heauenly Kingdome which thou hast prepared for thine elect Saints who loue the Lord Iesus and expect his appearing In the meane while O Father I beseech thee let thy holy spirit worke in mee such a serious repentance as that I may with teares lament my sinnes past vvith griefe of heart be humbled for my sinnes present and vvith all mine endeuour resist the like filthy sinnes in time to come And let the same thy holy spirit likewise keepe mee in the vnitie of thy Church Leade mee in the truth of thy Word and preserue me that I neuer swarue from the same to Poperie nor any other error or false worship And let thy Spirit open mine eyes more and more to see the wondrous things of thy Law and open my lips that my mouth may daily defend thy Truth and set forth thy Praise Increase in me those good gifts which of thy meâ—cy thou hast already bestowed vpon mee and giue vnto mee a patient spirit a chaste heart a contented minde pure affections wife behauiour and all other graces which thou seest to be necessary for me to gouerne my heart in thy feare and to guide all my life in thy fauour that whether I liue or dye I may liue and dye vnto thee who art my God and my Redeemer And here O Lord according as I am bound I render vnto thee from the Altar of my humblest heart all possible thankes for all those blessings and benefits which so graciously plentifully thou hast bestowed vpon my soule and body for this life and for that which is to come namely for mine Election Creation Redemption Vocation Iustification Sanctification and Preseruation from my childe-hoode vntill this present day and houre and for the firme hope which thou hast giuen me of my Glorification Likewise for my health wealth food raiment and prosperitie and more especially for that thou hast defended mee this day now past from all perils and dangers both of body and soule furnishing mee with all necessary good things that I stand in neede of And as thou hast ordained the day for man to trauaile in and the night for him to take his rest so I beseech thee sanctifie vnto mee this nights rest and sleepe that I may enioy the same as thy sweet blessing and benefit That so this dull and wearied body of mine being refreshed with moderate sleepe and rest I may be the better enabled to vvalke before thee doing all such good workes as thou hast appointed when it shall please thee by thy diuine power to waken mee the next morning And whilest I sleepe doe thou O Lord who art the keeper of Israel that neuer slumbrest nor sleepest watch ouer mee in thy holy prouidence to protect mee from all danger so that neyther the euill Angels of Sathan nor any wicked enemy may haue any power to doe me any harme or euill And to this end giue a charge vnto thy holy Angels that they at thine appointment may pitch their tents round about me for my defence and safetie as thou hast promised that they should doe about them that feare thy Name And knowing that
thy name is a strong tower of defence vnto all those that trust therein I here recommend my selfe and all that doe belong vnto me vnto thy holy protection and custodie If it be thy blessed will to call for me in my sleepe O Lord for Christ his sake haue mercy vpon me and receiue my soule into thy heauenly Kingdome And if it be thy blessed pleasure to adde more dayes vnto my life O Lord adde more amendement vnto my dayes and weane my mind from the loue of the world and worldly vanities and cause mee more and more to settle my conuersation on Heauen and heauenly things And perfect daily in mee that good worke which thou hast begun to the glory of thy Name and the saluation of my sinfull Soule O Lord I beseech thee likewise saue and defend from all euill and danger thy whole Church the Kings Maiestie the Queene the Prince Charles together with the Princely Count Palatine of Rhene and the religious Princesse Elizabeth his Wife keepe them all in the sinceritie of thy Truth and prosper them in all grace and happinesse Blesse the Nobilitie Ministers and Magistrates of these Churches Kingdomes each of them with those graces which are expedient for their place and calling And be thou ô Lord a comfort and consolation to all thy people whom thou hast thought meete to visit vvith any kinde of sicknesse crosse or calamitie Hasten O Father the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Make mee euer mindfull of my last end and of the reckoning that I am to make vnto thee therein And in the meane while carefull so to follow Christ in the regeneration during this life as that with Christ I may haue a portion in the resurrection of the iust when this mortall life is ended These graces and all other blessings which thou O Father knowest to be requisite and necessary for me I humbly beg and craue at thy hands in the Name and mediation of Iesus Christ thy Sonne and in that forme of Prayer which hee himselfe hath taught me to say vnto thee Our Father which art in Heauen c. Another shorter Euening Prayer O Eternall GOD and heauenly father if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy Gospell and the examples of Peter Magdalene the Publicane the Prodigall childe and many other penitent sinners that thou art so full of compassion and so ready to forgiue the greatest sinners who are heauiest laden with sinne at what time soeuer they returne vnto thee with penitent hearts lamenting their sinnes and imploring thy grace I should despaire for mine owne sinnes and be vtterly discouraged from presuming to come vnto thy presence considering the hardnesse of my heart the vnrulinesse of my affections and the vncleannesse of my conuersation by meanes whereof I haue transgressed all thy lawes and deserued thy curse which might cause my body to be smitten with some fearefull disease my soule to languish with the death of sinne my good name to be traduced with scandalous reproaches and make mine estate lyable to all manner of crosses and casualities And I confesse Lord that thy mercy is the cause that I haue not beene long agoe confounded But O my God as thy mercy onely staied thy iudgement from falling vpon mee hitherto so I humbly beseech thee in the bowels of the mercy of Iesus Christ in whom onely thou art well pleased that thou wilt not deale with mee according to my deserts but that thou wouldest freely and fully remit vnto mee all my sinnes and transgressions and that thou wouldest washe them cleane from me vvith the vertue of that most precious blood which thy sonne Iesus Christ hath shed for me For hee alone is the Phisition and his bloud onely is the medicine that can heale my sickenesse And he is the true brazen Serpent that can cure that poison wherewith the firy Serpents of my sinnes haue stung and poisoned my sicke and wounded soule And giue mee I beseech thee thine holy spirit which may assure me of mine adoption and that may confirme my faith encrease my repentance enlighten my vnderstanding purifie my heart rectifie my will and affections and so sanctifie me throughout that my whole body soule and spirit may be kept vnblameable vntill the glorious comming of my Lord Iesus Christ. And now O Lord I giue thee hearty thankes and praise for that thou hast this day preserued me from all harmes and perils notwithstanding all my sinnes and ill deserts And I beseech thee likewise defend me this night from the roaring Lion which night and day seeketh to deuoure me Watch thou O Lord ouer me this night to keepe mee from his temptations and tyrannie and let thy mercy shield me from his vnappeaseable rage and malice And to this end I commend my selfe into thy hands and protection beseeching thee O my Lord and God not to suffer Satan nor any of his euill members to haue power to doe vnto me any hurt or violence this night And grant good Lord that whether I sleepe or wake liue or die I may sleepe wake liue and die vnto thee and to the glory of thy name and the saluation of my soule Lord blesse and defend all thy chosen people euery where Graunt our King a long happy raigne ouer vs. Blesse the Queene Prince Charles the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the vertuous Princesse Elizabeth his wife together with all our Magistrates and Ministers comfort them who are in any misery neede or sickenesse Good Lord giue me grace to be one of those wise Virgins which may haue my heart prepared like a Lampe furnished with the Oyle of Faith and light of good works to meet the Lord Iesus the sweet bridegroome of my soule at his second and sodaine comming in glory Grant this good Father for Christ Iesus sake my only Sauiour and Mediator in whose blessed name and in whose owne words I call vpon thee as he hath taught me Our Father which c. Afterwards say Thy grace O Lord Iesus Christ thy loue O heauenly Father thy comfort and consolation O Holy and blessed spirit be with me and dwell in my heart this night and euermore Amen Then rising vp in a holy reuerence meditate as thou art putting off thy cloathes Things to be Meditated vpon as thou art putting off thy cloathes 1 THat the day is comming when thou must be as barely vnstript of al that thou hast in the world as thou art now of thy cloathes thou hast therefore heere but the vse of all things as a Steward for a time and that vpon accounts Whilest therefore thou art trusted with this Stewardship be wise and faithfull 2 When thou seest thy bed let it put thee in minde of thy graue which is now the bed of Christ For Christ by laying his holy body to rest three daies and three
against Heauen and before thee and how that wee haue beene borne in sinne and doe daily breake thy holy Lawes and Commandements contrary to our knowledge and Consciences albeit that we know that thou art our Creator who hast made vs our Redeemer who hast bought vs with the bloud of thine onely begotten Sonne and our Comforter who bestowest vpon vs all the good and holy graces which wee enioy in our soules and bodies And if thou shouldest but deale with vs as our vvickednesse and vnthankfulnesse haue deserued what other thing might vve O Lord expect from thee but shame and confusion in this life and in the vvorld to come wrath and euerlasting condemnation Yet O Lord in the obedience of thy Commandement and in the confidence which wee haue in thy vnspeakeable and endlesse mercy in thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ we thy poore Seruants appealing from thy Throne of Iustice where wee are iustly lost and condemned to thy throne of Grace where mercy raigneth to pardon abounding sinne doe from the bottome of our hearts most humbly beseech thee to remit and forgiue vnto vs all our offences and misdeedes that by the vertue of the precious bloud of IESVS CHRIST thine innocent Lambe which hee so aboundantly shed to take away the sinnes of the world all our sins both originall and actuall may be so clensed and washed from vs as that they may neuer be laid to our charge nor neuer haue power to rise vp in Iudgement against vs. And we beseech thee good Father for Christ his death and passions sake that thou wilt not suffer to fall vpon vs that fearefull curse and vengeance which thy Law hath threatned and our sins haue iustly deserued And for as much O Lord as wee are taught by thy word that Idolaters Adulterers couetous men contentious persons drunkards gluttons and such like inordinate liuers shall not inherite the kingdome of God poure the grace of thy holy spirit into our harts whereby we may be enlightened to see the filthinesse of our sinnes to abhorre them and may be more and more stirred vp to liue in newnesse of life and loue of thy Maiestie so that vvee may daily encrease in the obedience of thy word and in a conscionable care of keeping thy Commandements And now O Lord vvee render vnto thee most heartie thanks for that thou hast elected created redeemed called iustified and sanctified vs in good measure in this life and giuen vs an assured hope that thou vvilt glorifie vs in thy heauenly Kingdome vvhen this mortall life is ended Likewise vve thanke thee for our life health wealth libertie prosperitie and peace especially ô Lord for the continuance of thy holy Gospell among vs and for sparing vs so long and granting vs so gracious a time of Repentance Also vve praise thee for all other thy mercies bestowed vpon vs more especially for preseruing vs this night past from all dangers that might haue befallen our soules or bodies And seeing thou hast now brought vs safe to the beginning of this day vve beseech thee protect and direct vs in the same Blesse and defend vs in our going out and comming in this day and euermore Shield vs O LORD from the temptations of the Diuell and grant vs the custodie of thy holy Angels to defend and direct vs in all our wayes And to this end wee recommend our selues and all those that belong vnto vs and are abroad from vs into thy hands and almightie tuition Lord defend them from all euill prosper them in all graces and fill them with thy goodnesse Preserue vs likewise this day from falling into any grosse sinne especially those vvhereunto our natures are most prone Set a watch before the doore of our lips that vve offend not thy Maiestie by any rash or false oathes or by any lewde or lying speeches giue vnto vs patient mindes pure and chast hearts and all other graces of thy Spirit vvhich thou knowest to be needfull for vs that vvee may the better be enabled to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse And seeing that all mans labour without thy blessing is in vaine blesse euery one of vs in our seuerall places and callings direct thou the works of our hands vpon vs euen prosper thou our handy-worke for except thou guide vs vvith thy grace our endeuours can haue no good successe And prouide for vs all things which thou O Father knowest to bee needfull for euery one of vs in our soules and bodies this day And grant that wee may so passe through the pilgrimage of this short life that our hearts being not setled vpon any transitorie things which we meete with in the way our soules may euery day bee more and more rauished with the loue of our home and thine euerlasting Kingdome Defend likewise O Lord thy vniuersall Church and euery particuler member thereof especially wee beseech thee to continue the peace and prosperity of these Churches and Kingdomes wherein wee liue Preserue and defend from all euils and dangers our gracious King the Queene our hopefull Prince Charles together with the Princely Palsgraue of Rhene and religious Princesse Elizabeth his wife Multiply their daies in blisse and felicity and afterwards crowne them with euerlasting ioy and glory Blesse all our Ministers and Magistrates with all graces needful for their places and gouerne thou them that they may gouerne vs in peace and godlinesse And of thy mercy O Lord comfort all our brethren that are destressed sicke or any way comfortlesse especially those who are afflicted either with an euill conscience because they haue sinned against thy word or for a good conscience because they will not sinne against thy truth Make the first to know that not one drop of the blood of Christ was a drop of vengeance but all drops of grace powerfull to procure pardon vpon repentance for the greatest sinnes of the chiefest sinner in the world And for the other let not O Lord thy long sufferance either too much discourage them or too much encourage their enemies but grant them patience in suffering and a gracious and speedy deliuerance which way may stand best with their comfort and thy glory Giue euery one of vs grace to be alwaies mindefull of his last end and to be prepared with faith and repentance as with a wedding garment against the time that thou shalt call for vs out of this sinnefull world And that in the meane while we may so in all things and aboue all things seeke thy glory that when this mortall life is ended wee may then be made partakers of immortality and life eternall in thy most blessed and glorious Kingdome These and all other graces which thou O Father seest to be necessary for vs and for thy whole Church wee humbly begge and craue at thy hands concluding this our imperfect prayer in that absolute forme of prayer which Christ himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father c. After Prayers let euery one of thy Houshold taking
through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen After euery meale be carefull of thy selfe and Familie as Iob was for himselfe and his Children Iob 1.4 least that in the chearefulnesse of eating and drinking some speech hath slipped out which might be eyther offensiue to God or iniurious to Man And therefore with the like comely gesture and reuerence giue thankes vnto God and pray in this manner BLessed be thy holy name O Lord our GOD for these thy good benefits wherewith thou hast so plentifully at this time refreshed our bodies O Lord vouchsafe likewise to feede our soules with the spirituall foodâ— of thy holy Word and spirit vnto life euerlasting Lord defend and saue thy vvhole Church our gracious King Queene our Noble Prince the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the Lady Elizabeth his Wife Forgiue vs our sinnes and vnthankefulnesse passe by our manifold infirmities make vs all mindfull of our last ends and of the reckoning that wee are to make to thee therein And in the meane while grant vnto vs health peace and truth in Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Or thus BLessed be thy holy name O Lord for these thy good benefits vvherewith thou hast refreshed vs at this time Lord forgiue vs all our sinnes and frailties saue defend thy whole Church our King Queene and royall posteritie and grant vs health peace and truth in Christ our onely Sauiour Amen Or thus WE giue thee thanks O heauenly Father for feeding our bodies so gratiously with thy good Creatures to this temporall life beseeching thee likewise to feede our soules with thy holy Word vnto life euerlasting Defend O Lord thine vniuersall Church the King Queene and their royall Posteritie and graunt vs continuance of thy grace and mercy in Christ our onely Sauiour Amen The Practise of Pietie at Euening At euening when the due time of repairing to rest approacheth call together againe all thy Family Reade a Chapter in the same manner that was prescribed in the morning Then in the holy imitation of our Lord and his Disciples sing a Psalme But in singing of Psalmes eyther after Supper or at any other time obserue these Rules Rules to be obserued in singing of Psalmes 1 BEware of singing diuine Psalmes for an ordinary recreation as doe men of impure spirits vvho sing holy Psalmes intermingled with prophane Ballads They are Gods word take them not in thy mouth in vaine 2 Remember to sing Dauids Psalmes with Dauids spirit 3 Practise Saint Pauls rule I will sing with the spirit but I will sing with the vnderstanding also 4 As you sing vncouer your heads and behaue your selues in comely reuerence as in the sight of God singing to God in Gods owne words But be sure that the matter makes more melodie in your hearts then the Musicke in your eares for the singing with a grace in our hearts is that which the Lord is delighted withall according to that olde verse Non vox sed votum non musica chordula sed cor Non clamans sed amans psallit in aure Dei T' is not the voyce but vow Sound hart not sounding string True zeale not outward show That in Gods eare doth ring 5 Thou maist if thou thinke good sing all the Psalmes ouer in order for all are most diuine and comfortable But if thou vvilt chuse some speciall Psalmes as more fit for some times and purposes and such as by the oft vsage thy people may the easilier commit to memorie Then sing In the Morning Psal. 3.5.16.22.144 In the Euening Psal. 4.127.141 For mercy after a sinne committed 51.103 In sicknesse or heauinesse Psal. 6.13.88.90 91.137.146 When thou art recouered Psal. 30.32 On the Sabbath day Psal. 19.92.95 In time of ioy Psal. 80.98.107.136.145 Before Sermon Psal. 1.12.147 The 1. and 5. Part of the 119. After Sermon any Psalme which concerneth the chiefe argument of the Sermon At the Communion Psal. 22.23.103.111.113 For spirituall solace Psal. 15.19.25.46.67.112.116 After wrong and disgrace receiued Psal. 42.69.70.140.144 After the Psalme all kneeling downe in reuerend manner as is before described let the Father of the Familie or the chiefest in his absence pray thus Euening Prayer for a Familie O Eternall GOD and most graciour Father wee thine vnworthy Seruants here assembled doe cast downe our selues at the foote-stoole of thy grace acknowledgeing that wee haue inherited our Fathers corruption and actually in thought word and deed transgressed all thy holy commandements So that in vs naturally there dwelleth nothing that is good for our hearts are full of secret pride anger impatiency dissembling lying lust vanity prophanenesse distrust too much loue of our selues and the world too little loue of thee and thy Kingdome but empty and voide of faith loue patience and euery spirituall grace If thou therefore shouldest but enter into iudgement with vs and search out our naturall corruptions and obserue all the cursed fruits and effects that we haue deriued from thence Satan might iustly challenge vs for his owne and wee could not expect any thing from thy Maiestie but thy wrath and our condemnation which we haue long agoe deserued But good Father for Iesus Christ thy deare Sonnes sake in whom onely thou art well pleased and for the merits of that bitter death and bloody passion which wee beleeue that he hath suffered for vs haue mercy vpon vs pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes and free vs from the shame and confusion which are due vnto vs for them that they may neuer seaze vpon vs to our confusion in this life nor to our condemnation in the world which is to come And forasmuch as thou hast created vs to serue thee as all other creatures to serue vs so wee beseech thee inspire thy holy Spirit into our hearts that by his illumination and effectuall working we may haue the inward sight and feeling of our sinnes and naturall corruptions and that wee may not be blinded in them through custome as the Reprobates are but that wee may more and more loath them and be heartily grieued for them endeauouring by the vse of al good meanes to ouercome and get out of them Oh let me feele the power of Christs death killing sinne in our mortall bodies and the vertue of his resurrection raising vp our soules to newnesse of life Conuert our hearts subdue our affections regenerate our mindes and purifie our nature and suffer vs not to be drowned in the streame of those filthy vices and sinfull pleasures of this time wherewith thousands are caried headlong to eternall destruction but dayly frame vs more and more to the likenesse of thy Sonne Iesus Christ that in righteousnesse and true holinesse wee may so serue and glorifie thee that liuing in thy feare and dying in thy fauour we may in thine appointed time attaine to the blessed resurrection of the iust vnto eternal life In the meane while O Lord increase our faith in the sweet
promises of the Gospell and our repentance from dead workes the assurance of our hope in thy promises our feare of thy name the hatred of all our sinnes and our loue vnto thy children especially those whom we shall see to stand in neede of our helpe and comfort That so by the fruits of piety and a righteous life we may bee assured that thy holy spirit doth dwell in vs and that wee are thy children by grace and adoption And grant vs good Father the continuance of health peace maintenance and all other outward things so farre forth as thy diuine wisdome shall thinke meet and necessary for euery one of vs. And heere O Lord according to our bounden dutie we confesse that thou hast beene exceeding mercifull vnto vs all in things of this life but infinitely more mercifull in the things of a better life and therefore wee doe heere from our very soules render vnto thee all humble and hearty thankes for all thy blessings and benefits bestowed vpon our soules bodies acknowledging thee to be that Father of lights from whom we haue receiued all these good and perfect gifts and vnto thee alone for them wee ascribe to be due all glory honour and praise both now and euermore But more especially wee praise thy diuine maiesty for that thou hast defended vs this day from all perils and dangers so that none of those iudgements which our sinnes haue deserued haue fallen vpon any one of vs. Good Lord forgiue vs the sinnes which this day wee haue committed against thy diuine Maiesty and our Brethren and for Christ his sake be reconciled vnto vs for them And wee beseech thee likewise of the same thine infinite goodnesse and mercy to defend and protect vs and all that belong vnto vs this night from all danger of fire robbery terrours of euill Angels or any other feare or perill which for our sinnes might iustly fall vpon vs. And that wee may be safe vnder the shadow of thy wings we heere commend our bodies and soules and all that wee haue vnto thine Almighty protection Lord blesse and defend both vs and them from all euill And whilest wee sleepe doe thou O Father who neuer slumbrest nor sleepest watch ouer thy children and giue a charge to thy holy Angels to pitch their tents round about our house and dwelling to guard vs from all dangers That sleeping with thee wee may in the next morning be wakned by thee and so being refreshed with moderate sleepe we may be the fitter to set foorth thy glory in the conscionable duties of our callings And we beseech thee O Lord to bee mercifull likewise to thy whole Church and to continue the tranquillity of these Kingdomes wherin we liue turning from vs those plagues which the crying sinnes of this Nation doe cry for Preserue our religious King Iames from all dangers and conspiracies blesse and prosper the Queene our hopefull Prince Charles The Princely Palsgraue of Rhene and the gracious Princesse Elizabeth his deare wife all our Magistrates and Ministers all that feare thee and call vpon thy name all our Christian brethren and sisters that suffer sickenesse or any other affliction or misery especially those who any where doe suffer persecution for the testimony of the holy Gospell grant them patience to beare thy crosse and deliuerance when and which way it shall seeme best to thy diuine wisdome And Lord suffer vs neuer to forget our last endes and those reckonings which then we must render vnto thee In health and prosperity make vs mindefull of sickenesse and of the euill day that is behinde that these things may not ouertake vs as a snare but that we may in good measure likewise Virgins be found prepared for the comming of Christ the sweet bridegroome of our soules And now O Lord most holy and iust we confesse that there is no cause why thou who art so much displeased with sinne shouldest heare the praier of sinners but for his sake onely who suffered for sinne and sinned not In the onely mediation therefore of thine eternall Sonne Iesus our Lord and Sauiour wee humbly begge these and all other graces which thou knowest to be needfull for vs shutting vp those our imperfect requests in that most holy praier vvhich Christ himselfe hath taught vs to say vnto thee Our Father c. Thy grace O Lord Iesus Christ thy loue O heauenly Father thy comfort and consolation O holy and blessed Spirit be with vs and remaine with vs this night and for euermore Amen Then saluting one another as becommeth Christians who are the vessels of Grace and temples of the holy Ghost Let them in the feare of God depart euery one to his rest vsing some of the former priuate meditations for Euening Thus farre of the Householders publike practise of Piety with his Family euery day Now followeth his practise of Piety with the Church on the Saboth day Meditations of the true manner of practising Pietie on the Sabbath day ALmighty God will haue himselfe worshipped not onely in a priuate manner by priuate persons and Families but also in a more publike sort of all the godly ioyned together in a visible Church that by this meanes he may be knowne not onely to be God and Lord of euery singular person but also of the Creatures of the whole vniuersall world Quest. But why doe not we Christians vnder the new keepe the Sabbath on the same seauenth day vvhereon it was kept vnder the Old Testament I answere because that our Lord Iesus who is the Lord of the Sabbath and whom the Law it selfe commands vs to heare did alter it from that seauenth day to this first day of the vveeke whereon wee keepe the Sabbath For the holy Euangelist notes that our Lord came into the middest of the holy assembly on the two first dayes of the two weekes immediately following his Resurrection and then blessed the Church breathed on the Apostles the holy Ghost and gaue them the ministeriall Keyes and power of binding and remitting sinnes And so it is most probable he did in a solemne manner euery first day of the weeke during the fortie dayes hee continued on earth betweene his Resurrection and Ascention for the fiftieth day after being the first of the weeke the Apostles were assembled during which time hee gaue Commandements vnto the Apostles and spake vnto them those things which appertaine to the Kingdome of God that is instructed them how they should throughout the Churches vvhich were to be conuerted change the Sabbath to the Lords day the bodily sacrifices of beasts to the spirituall sacrifices of praise prayer and contrite hearts the Leuiticall Priesthood of the Law to the Christian Ministry of the Gospell the Iewish Temples and Sinagogues to Churches and Oratories the olde Sacraments of Circumcision and Passeouer to Baptisme and the Lords Supper c. as may appeare by the like phrase Acts 19.8 and Acts 28.23
Sabbath vvhich wee call the Lords day and which he himselfe ordained according to Christs commandement in the same Churches of Galatia and Corinth kept himselfe in other Churches but he speakes of the Iewish daies and times and yeeres and the keeping of the Sabbath on the seauenth day from the Creation which he tearmeth shadowes of things to come abolished now by Christ the body and in the Law are called sabbaths but distinguished from the morall Sabbaths 2 That of Paul to the Colossians let no man therfore condemne you in meate or drinke or in respect of an Holy-day or of the new moone or of the Sabbath dayes But here the Apostle meaneth the Iewish ceremoniall Sabbaths not the Christian Lords day as before 3 That of the same Apostle to the Romanes This man esteemeth one day aboue another day and another counteth euery day alike c. But Saint Paul makes no such account For the question there is not betweene Iew Gentiles but betweene the stronger and weaker Christian The stronger esteemed one day aboue another as appeares in that there vvas a day both commanded and receiued in the Church euery where knowne and honoured by the name of the Lords day And therefore Paul saith here that hee that obserued this day obserued it vnto the Lord. The obseruation whereof because of the change of the Iewish seuenth day some weake Christians as many now a dayes thought not so necessary so that if men because the Iewish day is abrogated will not honour and keepe holy the Lords day but count it like other dayes it is an argument saith the Apostle of their weaknesse whose infirmitie must be borne till they haue time to be further instructed and perswaded Other obiections are friuolous and not worth the answering The true manner of keeping holy the Lords day NOW the sanctifying of the Sabbath consists in two things First In resting from all seruile and common businesse pertaining to our naturall life Secondly In consecrating that rest wholy to the seruice of God and the vse of those holy meanes which belong to our spirituall life For the first 1 The seruile and common workes from which wee are to cease are generally all ciuill workes from the least to the greatest More particularly First from all the workes of our calling though it were reaping in the time of haruest Secondly from carrying burthens as Carryers doe or riding abroad for profit or for pleasure GOD hath commanded that the beasts should rest on the Sabbath day because all occasion of trauailing or labouring vvith them should be cut off from man GOD giues them that day a rest and he that without necessitie depriues them of their rest on the Lords day the groanes of the poore tyred beasts shall in the day of the Lord rise vp in Iudgement against him Likewise such as spend the greatest part of this day in trimming painting and pampering of themselues like Iezabels doing the Diuels worke vpon Gods day Thirdly from keeping of Fayres â—r Markets which for the most part God punisheth with pestilence fire and strange flouds Fourthly from studying any books or science but the holy Scriptures Diuinity For our studie must be to bee rauished in spirit vpon the Lords day In a word Thou must on that day cease in thy calling to doe thy worke that the Lord by his calling may doe his worke in thee For whatsoeuer is gotten by common working on this day shall neuer be blessed of the Lord but it will prooue like Achans golde which being got contrary to the Lords commandement brought the fire of Gods curse vpon all the rest which hee had lawfully gotten And if Christ scourged them out as theeues who bought and sold in his Temple which was but a ceremony shortly to be abrogated is it to bee thought that hee will euer suffer those to escape vnpunished who contrary to his commandement buy and sell on the Sabbath day which is his perpetuall law Christ calleth such sacrilegious Theeues and as well may they steale the Communion Câ—p from the Lords Table as steale from GOD the chiefest part of the Lords day to consume it in their owne lasts Such shall one day finde the Iudgements of God heauier then the opinions of men Fiftly from all recreations and sports which at other times are lawfull for if lawfull workes be forbidden on this day much more lawfull sports which do more steale away our affections from the contemplation of heauenly things then any bodily worke or labour Neither can there bee vnto a man that delighteth in the Lord any greater delâ—ght or recreation then the sanctifying of the Lords day For can there be any greater ioy for a person condemned then to come to his Prince his house to haue his pardon sealed For one that is deadly sicke to come to a Phisitian that can cure him Or for a Prodigall childe that fed on the huskes of Swine to bee admitted to eate the bread of life at his Fathers Table Or for him who feares for sinne the tydings of death to come to heare from God the assurance of eternall life If thou wilt allow thy selfe or thy seruant recreation allow it in the sixe daies which are thine not on the Lords day which is neither thine nor theirs No bodily receation therefore is to bee vsed on this day but so farre as it may helpe the soule to doe more cheerefully the seruice of the Lord. Sixtly from grosse feeding liberall drinking of wine or strong drinke which may make vs either drowsiâ— or vnapt to serue GOD with our hearts and mindes Seuenthly from all talking about wordly things which hindreth the sanctifying of the Sabbath more then working seeing one may worke alone but cannot talke but with others He that keepes the Sabbath onely by resting from his ordinary worke keepes it but as a beast But rest on this day is so farre commanded to Christians as it is an helpe to sanctification and labour so farre forbidden as it is an impediment to the outward and inward worship of GOD. If then those recreations which are lawfull at other times are on the Sabbath not allowed much more those that are altogether at all times vnlawfull Who without mourning can endure to see how in most places Christians keepe the Lords day as if they celebrated a feast rather to Bacchus then to the honour of the Lord Iesus the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world For hauing serued God but an houre in outward shew they spend the rest of the Lords day in sitting downe to eate and drinke and rising vp to play First balasting their bellies with eating and drinking and then feeding their lusts with playing and dancing Against which prophanation all holy Diuines both old and new haue in their times most bitterly inueighed Insomuch that August affirmeth that it was better to plough
then to dance vpon the Sabbath day Now in the name of Almighty God who rested hauing created Heauen and Earth and of his eternall Sonne Iesus the Redeemer of his Church who shall shortly come on the dreadfull day of doome to iudge all men according to the obedience which they haue shewed to his commandements I require thee who readest these words as thou wilt answere before the face of Christ and all his holy Angels at that day that thou better weigh and consider whether dauncing stage-playing masking carding dicing tabling chesse-playing bowling shooting Beare-baiting carowsing tippling and such other fooleries of Robbin-Hood Morrice-daunces Wakes and May-games be exercises that GOD will blesse and allowe on the Sabbath day And seeing that no action ought to bee done that day but such as whereby we either blesse God or looke to receiue a blessing from God how darest thou doe those things on that blessed day on which thou darest not to pray to God to bestow a blessing on it to thy vse Heare this and tremble at this O prophane youth of a prophane age O heart all frozen and voide of the feeling of the grace of God! that hauing euery day in sixe euery houre in euery day euery minute in euery houre so tasted the sweet mercy of thy God in Christ vvithout which thou haddest perished euery moment Yet canst not finde in thy corrupt and irreligious heart to spend in thy Masters seruice that one day of the weeke which he hath reserued for his owne praise and worship Let men in defence of their prophanenesse obiect what they will and answere what the Diuell puts in their mouthes yet I would wish them to remember that seeing it is an ancient Tradition in the Church that the Lords second comming shall be vpon the Lords day how little ioy they should haue to be ouertaken in those carnall sports to please themselues when their Master should finde them in spirituall exercises seruing him The prophanest wretch would then wish rather to be taken kneeling at prayers in the Church then skipping like a Goate in a daunce If this cannot moue yet I would wish our impure gallants to remember that whilest they thus daunce on the Lords day contrary to the Lords commandement they doe but daunce about the pits brinke and they know not which of them shall first fall therein Whereinto being once fallen without repentance no greatnesse can exempt them from the vengeance of that great GOD whose commandement contrary to their knowledge and conscience they doe thus presumptuously transgresse If then Gods commandement cannot deterre thee nor Gods word aduise thee I say no more but what Saint Iohn said before me he which is filthy let him be filthy still For the second 2 The consecration of the Sabbaths rest consists in performing three sorts of duties First before Secondly at Thirdly after the publike exercises of the Church The duties to be performed before the publike exercises are 1 To giue ouer working betimes on the Eue that thy body may bee the more refreshed and thy minde the better fitted to sanctifie the Sabbath on the next day For want of this preparation thy selfe and thy seruants being tyred with labour and watching the night before are so heauy that when you should be seruing God and hearing what his spirit saith vnto the Church for your soules instruction you cannot holde vp your heads for sleeping to the dishonour of God the offence of the church and the shame of your selues therfore the Lord commands vs not only to keepe holy but also to remember afore-hand the Sabbath day to keepe it holy by preparing our harts remouing all busines that might hinder vs to consecrate it as a glorious day vnto the Lord. Therefore vvhereas the Lord in the other Commandements doth but eyther bid or forbid hee doth both in this commandement and that with a speciall memorandum As if a Master should charge his Seruant to looke well vnto tenne things of great trust but to haue a more speciall care to remember one of those ten for diuers vvaightie reasons should not a faithfull Seruant that loues his Masteâ— shew a more speciall care vnto that thing abouâ— all other businesse Thus Moses taught the people ouer-night to remember the Sabbath and it vvas a holy custome among our fore fathers when at the ringing to Prayer on the Eue before the Husbandman would giue ouer his labour in the field and the Tradesman his worke in the Shoppe and goe to Euening Prayer in the Church to prepare their soules that their minds might more cheerefully attend Gods worship on the Sabbath day 2 To possessâ— that night thy vessell in holinesse and honour that thou maist present thy Soule more purely in the sight of GOD the next morning 3 To rise vp earely in the morning on the Sabbath day Be carefull therefore to rise sooner on this day then on other dayes by how much the seruice of GOD is to be preferred before all earthly businesses For there is no Master to serue so good as God and in the end no worke shall be better rewarded then his seruice 4 When thou art vp consider with thy selfe what an impure sinner thou art and into what an holy place thou goest to appeare before the most holy GOD vvho seeth thy heart and hateth all impuritie and hypocrisie Examine thy selfe therefore before thou goest to Church what grieuous sinnes thou hast committed the weeke past confesse them vnto God and earnestly pray for the pardon and forgiuenesse of them And so reconcile thy selfe with God in Christ Renew thy vowes to vvalke more conscionably and pray for an increase of those graces which thou hast and a supply of those which thou wantest But especially pray that thou maist haue Grace to heare the Word of God read and preached vvith profit and that thou maist receiue the holy Sacrament vvith comfort If it be a Communion day that God by his holy Spirit vvould assist the Preacher to speake something that may â—ill thy sinne and comfort thy soule which thou maist doe in this or the like sort A Morning Prayer for the Sabbath day O Lord most high O God eternall all whose Workes are glorious and whose Thoughts are very deepe there can be no better thing then to praise thy Name and to declare thy louing kindnesse in the morning on thy holy and blessed Sabbath day For it is thy will and commandement that wee should sanctifie this day in thy seruice and prayse and in the thankefull remembrance as of the creation of the World by the power of thy Word so of the redemption of mankind by the death of thy Sonne Thine O Lord I confesse is greatnesse and power and glory and victory and praise for all that is in heauen and earth is thine Thine is thy Kingdome O Lord and thou excellest as head ouer all both riches and honour come of thee
and thou raignest ouer all and in thine hand is power and strength and in thine hand it is to make great and to giue grace vnto all Now therefore O my God I praise thy glorious Name that whereas I a wretched sinner hauing so many vvayes prouoked thy Maiesty to anger and displeasure thou notwithstanding of thy fauour and goodnes passing by my prophanenesse and infirmities hast vouchsafed to adde this Sabbath againe vnto the number of my dayes And vouchsafe O heauenly Father for the merits of Iesus Christ thy Sonne whose glorious Resurrection thy whole Church celebrateth this day to pardon and forgiue mee all my sins and misdeeds Especially O Lord clense my soule from those filthy sinnes with the bloud of thy most pure and vndefiled Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the world And let thy holy Spirit more and more subdue my corruptions that I may be renewed after thine owne Image to serue thee in newnesse of life and holinesse of conuersation And as of thy mercy thou hast brought me to the beginning of this blessed day so I beseech thee make it a day of Reconciliation betwixt my sinfull soule and thy Diuine Maiestie Giue mee grace to make it a day of Repentance vnto thee that thy goodnesse may seale it to be a day of pardon vnto me and that I may remember that the keeping holy of this day is a Commandement which thine owne finger hath vvritten That on this day I might meditate on thy glorious workes of our Creation and Redemption and learne how to know and to keepe all the rest of thy holy Lawes and Commandements And when anon I shall with the rest of the holy Assembly appeare before thy presence in thy house to offer vnto thee our morning sacrifice of praise and Prayer and to heare what thy Spirit by the preaching of thy Word shall speake vnto thy Seruant Oh let not my sinnes stand as a Cloud to stoppe my Prayers from ascending vnto thee or to keepe backe thy Grace from descending by thy Word into my heart I know O Lord and tremble to thinke that three parts of the good Seede falles vpon bad ground O let not my heart be like the High-way which through hardnesse and want of true vnderstanding receiues not the Seede till the euill one commeth and catcheth it away nor like to the stony ground which hearing with ioy for a time falleth away as soone as persecution ariseth for thy Gospels sake nor like to the thorny ground which by the cares of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches choaketh the Word which it heareth and makes it altogether vnfruitfull but that like vnto the good ground I may heare thy Word with an honest and good heart vnderstand it and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience in that measure that thy Wisedome shall thinke meete for thy glory and mine euerlasting comfort Open likewise I beseech thee O Lord the doore of vtterance vnto thy faithfull Seruant whom thou hast sent vnto vs to open our eyes that wee may turne from darkenesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God that wee may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith in Christ. And giue me grace to submit my selfe vnto his Ministerie as well when hee terrifieth mee with iudgements as when hee comforteth mee with thy Mercies And that I may haue him in singular loue for his workes sake because hee watcheth for my soule as he that must giue an account for the same vnto his Master And giue mee grace to behaue my selfe in the holy Congregation with comelinesse and reuerence as in thy presence and in the sight of thy holy Angels Keepe mee from drowsinesse and sleeping and from all vvandering thoughts and worldly imaginations sanctifie my Memorie that it may be apt to receiue and firme to remember those good and profitable doctrines which shall be taught vnto vs out of thy Word And that through the assistance of thy holy spirit I may put the same lessons in practise for my direction in prosperity for my consolation in misery for the amendment of my life and the glory of thy Name And that this day which godlesse and prophane persons spend in there owne lusts and pleasures I as one of thy obedient seruants may make my chiefe delight to consecrate it to thy glory and honour not doing mine owne waies nor seeking mine owne will nor speaking a vaine word but that ceasing from the workes of sinne as well as from the workes of mine ordinary calling I may through thy blessing feele in my heart the beginning of that eternall Sabbath which in vnspeakeable ioy and glory I shall celebrate with thy Saints and Angels to thy praise and worshippe in thy heauenly kingdome for euermore All which I humbly craue at thy hands in the name and mediation of my Lord Iesus in that forme of prayer which he hath taught me Our Father which art in Heauen c. Hauing thus in priuate prepared thine owne soule if thou hast the charge of a Family call all thy houshold together reade a Chapter and pray as in the weeke dayes but remember so to dispatch these priuate preparations and duties as that thou and thy family may be in the Church before the beginning of praiers Else your priuate exercises are rather an hinderance then a preparation And as thou and thy houshold doe goe in all reuerence towards the Church let euery one meditate thus with himselfe Things to be Meditated as thou goest to the Church 1 THat thou art going to the Court of the Lord and to speake with the great GOD by Praier and to heare his Maiesty speake vnto thee by his Word and to receiue his blessing on thy soule and thy honest labour in the sixe daies last past 2 Say with thy selfe by the way As the Heart braieth for the Riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God When shall I come and appeare before the presence of God For a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand other where I had rather be a doore-keeper in the House of my God then to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse Therefore I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I worship toward thine holy Temple 3 As thou entrest into the Church say How fearefull is this place this is 〈◊〉 other but the house of GOD this is the gate of Heauen Surely the Lord is in this place God is in this people indeed and prostrating with thy face downeward being come to thy place say O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thy house the place where thy honor dwelleth One thing therefore haue I desired of thee that I will require euen that I may dwell in thy house al the daies
recompence mee according to my desert the earth as weary of such a sinfull burthen should open her mouth and swallow mee vp like one of Dathans family into the bottomlesse pit of hel For if thou didst not spare the naturall branches those Angels of glorious excellency but hurledst them downe from the heauenly habitations into the paines of hellish darkenesse to be kept vnto damnation when they sinned but once against thy Maiesty and didst expell our first Parents out of Paradice when they did but transgresse one of thy lawes Alas what vengeance may I expect who haue not offended in one sinne onely heaping dayly sinne vpon sinne without any true repentance drinking iniquity as it were water euer powring in but neuer powring out any filthynesse and haue trangressed not one but all thy holy lawes and commandements Yea this present day which thou hast straightly commanded mee to keep holy to thy praise and worship I haue not so religiously kept and obserued nor prepared my soule in that holynesse and chastitie of heart as was fit to meete thy blessed Maiesty in the holy assembly of thy Saints I haue not attended to the preaching of thy word nor to the administration of thy Sacraments with that humility reuerence and deuotion that I should For though I was present at those holy exercises in my body yet Lord I was ouertaken with much drowsinesse and when I was awake my minde was so distracted and carried away with vaine and wordly thoughts that my soule seemed to bee absent and out of the Church I haue not so duely as I should meditated with my selfe nor conferred with my Family vpon those good instructions which we haue heard and receiued out of thy holy word by the publike Ministry For default whereof Sathan hath stolne the most part of these instructions out of my heart and I wretched creature haue forgotten them as though they had neuer beene heard And my family doth not thriue in knowledge and sanctification vnder my gouernment as they should Though I know where many of my poore brethren liue in want and necessitie and some in paine and comfortlesse yet I haue not remembred to relieue the one with my almes nor the other with consolations but I haue feasted my selfe and satisfied mine owne lusts I haue spent the most part of the day in idle talke vaine sports and exercises Yea Lord I haue c. And for all these my sinnes my conscience cries guilty thy law condemnes me and I am in thy hand to receiue the sentence and curse that is due to the wilfull breach of so holy a commandement But what if I am by thy Law condemned yet Lord thy Gospell assures me that thy mercy is aboue all thy workes that thy grace transcendes thy Law and thy goodnesse delighteth there to raigne vvhere sinnes doe most abound in the multitude therefore of thy mercies and merits of Iesus Christ my Sauiour I beseech thee O Lord who despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart nor desirest the death of a penitent sinner to pardon and forgiue me all those my sins and all the errours of this day and of my whole life and free my soule from that curse and iudgement which is due vnto mee for them Thou that didst iustifie the contrite Publican for foure words of confession and receiuedst the Prodigall childe when hee had spent all the stocke of thy grace into fauour vpon his repentance pardon my sinnes likewise O Lord and suffer me not to perish for my trangressions Oh spare me and receiue me into thy fauour againe Wilt thou O Lord reiect me who hast receiued all Publicans harlots and sinners that vpon repentance sued to thee for grace Shall I alone bee excluded from thy mercy Farre be it from me to thinke so For thou art the same GOD of mercy vnto mee that thou wast vnto them and thy compassions neuer faile Wherfore O Lord deale not with mee after my merits but according to thy great mercy Execute not thy seuere iustice against mee a sinner but exercise thy long sufferance in forbearing thine owne creature I haue nothing to present vnto thee for a satisfaction but onely the bloudy wounds and bitter death and passion which thy blessed Sonne my onely Sauiour hath suffered for mee Him in whom onely thou art well pleased I offer vnto thee for all my sinnes wherewith thou art displeased Hee is my Mediatour the request of whose bloud speaking better things then that of Abel thy mercy can neuer gaine-say Illuminate my vnderstanding and sanctifie my heart with thy holy spirit that may bring to my remembrance all those good and profitable lessons which this day and at other times haue beene taught me out of thy holy word that I may remember thy commandements to keepe them thy iudgements to auoyde them and thy sweet promises to relye vpon them in time of misery and distresse And now O Lord I resigne my selfe to thy most holy will Oh receiue mee into thy fauour and so draw me by thy grace vnto thy selfe that I may as well be thine by loue and imitation as by calling and creation And giue me grace so to keepe holy thy Sabbaths in this life as that when this life is ended I may with all thy Saints and Angels celebrate an eternall Sabbath of ioyes and praise to the honour of thy most glorious name in thy heauenly Kingdome for euermore Amen And then calling thy family together shut vp the Sabbath with the Meditations and Prayers before prescribed for thy Family And the Lord will giue thee that night a more sweet and quiet rest then ordinary and prosper thee the better in all the labours of the weeke following Thus farre of the ordinary practise of Piety both in priuate and publike Now followeth the extraordinary Practise of Piety whereby God is glorified in our liues THe extraordinary practise of Piety consists eyther in Fasting or in Feasting 1 Of the Practise of Pietie in Fasting There are diuers kindes of Fasting First a constrained Fast as vvhen men eyther haue not foode to eate as in the Famine of Samaria or hauing foode cannot eate it for heauinesse or sickenesse as it befell them who were in the Ship with Saint Paul This is rather Famine then Fasting Secondly A naturall Fast which wee vnder-take Physically for the health of our body Thirdly A ciuile Fast which the Magistrate enioyneth for the better maintenance of the Common-wealth that by vsing Fish as well as Flesh there may be greater plenty of both Fourthly A miraculous Fast as the fortie dayes fast of Moses and Elias the types and of Christ the substance This is rather to be admired then imitated Fiftly A daily Fast when a man is carefull to vse the creatures of GOD with such moderation that hee is not made heauier but more cheerefull to serue God and
not fasted that day And remember that he that soweth plenteously shall reape plenteously and that this is a speciall sowing day Let thy Fasting so afflict thee that it may refresh a poore Christian and reioyce that thou hast dined and supped in another or rather that thou hast feasted hungry Christ in his poore members In giuing Almes obserue two things first the Rules secondly the Rewards 1 Rules in giuing of Almes and doing good workes 1 They must be done in obedience of Gods Commandements Not because wee thinke it to be good but because God requireth vs to do such and such a good deed for such obedience of the worker God preferreth before all Sacrifices and the greatest workes 2 They must proceede from Faith else they cannot please God nay without faith the most specious workes are but shining sinnes and Pharisies Almes 3 Thou must not thinke by thy good vvorkes and Almes to merit Heauen for in vaine had the Sonne of GOD shed his bloud if Heauen could haue beene purchased eyther for Money or Meate Thou must therefore seeke Heauens possession by the purchase of Christs bloud not by the merits of thine owne workes For eternall life is the gift of GOD through Iesus Christ. Yet euery true Christian that beleeues to be saued and hopes to come to heauen must doe good workes as the Apostle saith for necessary vses which are foure First that God may be glorified Secondly that thou maist shew thy selfe thankefull for thy Redemption Thirdly that thou maist make sure thine Election vnto thy selfe Fourthly that thou maist winne others by thy holy deuotion to thinke the better of thy Christian profession And for these vses wee are said to be Gods Workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good work and that God hath ordained vs to walke in 4 Thou must not giue thine almes to impudent Vagabonds vvho liue in wilfull idlenesse and filthinesse but to the religious and honest poore who are eyther sicke or olde that they cannot worke or such who vvorke but their vvorke cannot competently maintaine them seeke out these in the backe Lanes and relieue them But if thou meetest one that asketh an Almes for Iesus sake and knowest him not to be vnworthy deny him not for it is better to giue vnto tenne Counterfeits then to suffer Christ to goe in one poore Saint vnrelieued Looke not on the Person but giue thine Almes as vnto Christ in the partie 2 Of the Rewards of Almes-deedes and good workes 1 Almes are a speciall meanes to moue God in mercie to turne away his temporall Iudgements from vs vvhen wee by a true Faith that sheweth it selfe by such fruits doe returne vnto him 2 Mercifull Almes-givers shall be the Children of the Highest and be like GOD their Father who is the Father of Mercies They shall be his Stewards to dispose his goods his Hands to distribute his Almes and if it be so great an honour to be the Kings Almner how much greater is it to be the God of heauens Almes-giuer 3 When all this World shall forsake vs then onely good Workes and good Angels shall accompany vs the one to receiue their reward the other to deliuerâ— their charge 4 Liberalitie in Almes deâ—des is our surest foundation in this life that wee shall obtaine in eternall life a liberal reward through the Mercy and Merits of Christ. Lastly by Almes deedes wee feede and relieue Christ in his Members and Christ at the last day will acknowledge our loue and reward vs in his Mercy and then it shall appeare that what vvee gaue to the poore vvas not lost but lent vnto the Lord. What greater motiues can a Christian wish to excite him to be a liberall Almes-giuer Thus farre of the Manner of Fasting Now follow the Ends. 3 Of the Ends of Fasting The true ends of Fasting are not to merit Gods fauour or eternall life for that vve haue onely of the gift of God through Christ. Nor to place Religion in bodily abstinence for fasting in it selfe is not the worship of GOD but an helpe to further vs the better to worship GOD. But the true ends of fasting are three First to subdue our flesh to the Spirit but not so to weaken our bodies as that wee are made vnfit to doe the necessarie duties of our calling A good man saith Salomon is mercifull to his beast Prou. 12.10 much more to his owne body Secondly that we may more deuoutly contemplate Gods holy Will and feruently poure forth our soules vnto him by prayer for as there are some kinde of Diuels so there are also some kinde of sinnes which cannot be subdued but by Fasting ioyned vnto prayer Mat. 17.22 Thirdly that by our serious humiliation and iudging of our selues we may escape the Iudgement of the Lord not for the merit of our fasting which is none but for the Mercy of God who hath promised to remoue his iudgements from vs vvhen wee by Fasting doe vnfainedly humble our selues vnto him And indeede no Childe of God euer conscionably vsed this holy exercise but in the end hee obtained his request at the hand of GOD both in receiuing graces which hee wanted as appeares in the examples of Annah Iehosaphat Nehemiah Daniel Esdra Hester as also in turning away Iudgements threatned or fallen vpon him as may be seene in the examples of the Israelites the Niniuites Rehoboam Achaâ— Ezechia Manasses Hee who gaue his deare Sonne from heauen to the death to ransome vs when wee were his Enemies thinks nothing too deere on Earth to bestow vpon vs vvhen vve humble our selues being made his reconciled Friends and Children Thus farre of the priuate Fast. 2 Of the publique Fast. A Publike Fast is when by the authoritie of the Magistrate eyther the whole Church within his dominion or some speciall congregation whom it concerneth doe assemble themselues together to performe the fore-mentioned duties of Humiliation eyther for the remouing of some publique calamitie threatned or already inflicted vpon them as the sword inuasion famine pestilence or other fearefull sicknesse or else for the obtaining of some publique blessing for the good of the Church as to craue the assistance of his holy Spirit in the election and ordination of fit and able Pastors c. or for the tryall of truth and execution of Iustice in matters of difficultie and great importance c. When any euill is to be remoued the Pastors are to lay open vnto the people by the euidence of Gods Word the sinnes which were the speciall causes of that calamitie call vpon them to repent and publish vnto them the mercies of God in Christ vpon their Repentance The people must heare the voice of Gods Messengers with hartie sorrow for their sinnes earnestly begge Pardon in Christ and promise vnfained amendâ—ment
right vnto eternall life when this is ended And counteth all the good or ill that is done vnto vs as done vnto his owne person Secondly their floweth from Christs nature into our nature vnited to him the liuely spirit and breath of grace which renueth vs to a spirituall life and so sanctifieth our mindes wils and affections that wee dayly growe more and more conformable to the Image of Christ. Thirdly hee bestoweth vpon them all sauing graces necessary to attaine eternall life as the sense of Gods loue the assurance of our election with regeneration iustification and grace to doe good workes till we come to liue with him in his heauenly kingdome This should teach all true Christians to keepe themselues as the vndefiled members of Christs holy body and to beware of all vncleanenesse and filthynesse knowing that they liue in Christ or rather that Christ liueth in them From this vnion with Christ sealed vnto vs by the Lords Supper Saint Paul draweth arguments to withdraw the Corinthians from the pollution both of Idolatry 1 Cor. 10.16 and Adultery 1 Cor. 16.15.16 c. Lastly from the former Communion twixt Christ and Christians there flowes an other communion twixt Christians among themselues Which is also liuely represented by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in that the whole Church being many doe all communicate of one bread in that holy action We being many are one bread and one body for wee are all partakers of that one bread that as the bread which we eate in the Sacrament is but one though it be confected of many graines so all the faithfull though they be many yet are they but one mysticall body vnder one head which is Christ. Our Sauiour praied 5. times in that prayer which hee made after his last Supper that his Disciples might bee one to teach vs at once how much this vnity pleaseth him This vnion betwixt the faithfull is so ample that no distance of place can part it so strong that death cannot dissolue it so durable that time cannot weare it out so effectual that it breeds a feruent loue betwixt those who neuer saw one anothers face And this coniunction of Soules is termed the Communion of Saints which Christs effecteth by 7. speciall meanes First by gouerning them all by one and the same holy Spirit Secondly by enduing them all with one and the same faith Thirdly by shedding abroad his owne loue into all their hearts Fiftly by regenerating them all by one and the same Baptisme Sixtly by nourishing them all with one and the same spirituall foode Seauenthly by being one quickning Head of that one Body of his Church vvhich hee reconciled to GOD in the body of his flesh Hence it vvas that the multitude of Beleeuers in the Primitiue Church 〈◊〉 of one heart and of one soule in truth affection and compassion And this should teach Christ 〈◊〉 to loue one another seeing they are all members of the same holy and mysticall body vvhereof Christ is Heâ—d And therefore they should haue all a Christian Sympathie and fellow-feeling to reioyce one in anothers ioy to condole one in anothers griefe to beare vvith one anothers infirmitie and mutually to relieue one anothers wants Of the fourth end of the Lords Supper 4 To feede the Soules of the faithfull in the assured hope of life euerlasting for this Sacrament is a Signe and pledge vnto as many as shall receiue the same according to Christs Institution that hee vvill according to his promise by the vertue of his crucified body and bloud as verily feede our soules to lie eternall as our bodies are by Bread and Wine nourished to this temporall life And to this end Christ in the action of the Sacrament really giueth his very body and bloud to euery faithfull Receiuer Therefore the Sacrament is called the Communion of the Body and Bloud of the Lord. And communication is not of things absent but present neyther were it the Lords Supper if the Lords Body and Bloud vvere not there Christ is verily present in the Sacrament by a double vnion vvhereof the first is spirituall twixt Christ and the worthy Receiuer the second is Sacramentall twixt the body and bloud of Christ and the outward Signes in the Sacrament The former is wrought by meanes that the same holy Spirit dwelling in Christ and in the Faithfull incorporateth the Faithfull as Members vnto Christ their Head and so makes them one vvith Christ and pertakers of all the Graces Life Holinesse and eternall Glory vvhich is in him as sure and as verily as they heare the wordes of the promise and are partakers of the outward Signes of the holy Sacrament Hence it is that the vvill of Christ is a true Christians vvill and the Christians life is Christ vvho liueth in him Gal. 2.20 If you looke to the things that are vnited this Vnion is essentiall If to the Truth of this Vnion it is reall If to the manner how it is wrought it is spirituall It is not our Faith that makes the Body and Bloud of Christ to be present but the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him and vs. Our Faith doth but receiue and apply vnto our Soules those heauenly graces which are offered in the Sacrament The other being the Sacramentall Vnion is not a Phisicall or locall but a spirituall coniunction of the earthly Signes vvhich are Bread and Wine vvith the heauenly Graces which are the Body and Bloud of Christ in the act of receiuing as if by a mutuall relation they vvere but one and the same thing Hence it is that in the same instant of time that the worthy Receiuer eateth vvith his mouth the Bread and Wine of the Lord hee eateth also vvith the mouth of his Faith the very Body and Bloud of Christ. Not that Christ is brought downe from Heauen to the Sacrament but that the holy Spirit by the Sacrament lifts vp his minde vnto Christ not by any locall mutation but by a deuout affection so that in the holy contemplation of Faith hee is at that present with Christ and Christ with him And thus beleeuing and meditating how Christ his Body vvas crucified and his precious Bloud shed for the remission of his sinnes and the reconciliation of his Soule vnto GOD his Soule is hereby more effectually fed in the assurance of eternall Life then Bread and Wine can nourish his body to this temporall life There must be therefore of necessitie in the sacrament both the outward signes to be visibly seene with the eyes of the body and the Body and Bloud of Christ to be spiritually discerned with the Eye of Faith But the forme how the Holy Ghost makes the Body of Christ being absent from vs in place to be present vvith vs by our vnion S. Paul tearmes A great Mysterie such as our vnderstanding cannot worthily comprehend The Sacramentall Bread and
Wine therefore are not bare signifying Signes but such as vvherewith Christ doth indeede exhibite and giue to euery worthy Receiâ—er not onely his diuine vertue and efficacie but also his very Body and Bloud as verely as hee gaue to his Disciples the Holy Ghost by the signe of his sacred Breath or Health to the diseased by the word of his Mouth or touch of his hand or garment And the apprehension by faith is more forcible then the exquisitest comprehension of Sense or Reason To conclude this point this holy Sacrament is that Blessed Bread vvhich being eaten opened the Eyes of the Emauites that they knew Christ. This is that Lordly Cup by vvhich wee are all made to drinke into one Spirit This is that Rocke flowing with hony that reuiueth the fainting spirits of euery true Ionathan that tastes it vvith the mouth of Faith This is that Barly Loafe vvhich tumbling from aboue strikes downe the Tents of the Midianites of infernall darkenesse Elias Angelicall Cake and Water preserued him fortie dayes in Horeb and Manna Angels foode fed the Israelites forty yeeres in the Wildernesse but this is that True Bread of life and heauenly Manna which if vvee shall duely eate will nourish our Soules for euer vnto life eternall How should then our Soules make vnto Christ that request from a spirituall desire which the Capernaites did from a carnall motion Lord euermore giue vs this Bread The fift end of the Lords Supper 5 To be an assured pledge vnto vs of our Resurrection The Resurrection of a Christian is two-folde first the spirituall Resurrection of our Soules in this life from the death of Sinne called the first Resurrection because that by the Trumpet-voyce of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell we are raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace Blessed and holy is he saith Saint Iohn who hath part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death hath no power The Lords Supper is both a meane and a pledge vnto vs of this spiâ—rituall and first Resurrection Hee that eateth mee euen hee shall liue by mee And then are we fit Guests to sit at the Table with Christ when like Lazarus wee are raysed from the death of sinne to newnesse of life The truth of this first resurrection vvill appeare by the motion vvherewith they are internally moued for if when thou art moued to the duties of Religion and practise of Pietie thy heart answereth vvith Samuell Here I am Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth And vvith Dauid O God my heart is ready And vvith Paul Lord what wilt thou haue mee to doe Then surely thou art raysed from the death of sinne and hast thy part in the first Resurrection but if thou remainest ignorant of the true grounds of Religion and findest in thy selfe a kinde of secret loathing of the exercises thereof and must be drawne as it were against thy will to doe the workes of Pietie c. then surely thou hast but a name that thou liuest but thou art dead as Christ tolde the Angell of the Church of Sardis and thy Soule is but as salt to keepe thy body from stincking Secondly the corporall Resurrection of our bodies at the last day which is called the second resurrection which freeth vs from the first death Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day For this Sacrament signifieth and sealeth vnto vs that Christ died and rose againe for vs and that his flesh quickneth and nourisheth vs vnto eternall life and that therefore our bodies shall surely be raised to eternall life at the last day For seeing our head is risen all the members of the body shall likewise surely rise againe For how can those bodies which being the weapons of Righteousnesse Rom. 16 13. Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 and Members of Christ. haue bin fedde and nourished vvith the body and blood of the Lord of life but be raised vp againe at the last day And this is the cause that the bodies of the Saints being dead are so reuerently buried and laid to sleepe in the Lord. And their buriall places are termed the beddes and dormitories of the Saints The reprobates shall arise at the last day But by the Almighty power of Christ as he is Iudge bringing them as malefactors out of the goale to receiue their sentence and deserued execution but the Elect shall arise by vertue of Christs resurrectiâ—n and of the Communion which they haue with him as with their head And his resurrection is the cause and assurance of ours The Resurrection of Christ is a Christians particuler faith the Resurrection of the dead is the childe of Gods chiefest confidence Therefore Christians in the Primitiue Church were wont to salute one another in the morning with these phrases The Lord is risen and the other would answere True The Lord is risen indeede The sixt end of the Lords Supper 6 To seale vnto vs the assurance of euerlasting life Oh what more wished or loued then life Or what doe all men more either feare or abhorre then death Yet is this first death nothing if it be compared with the second death neither is this life any thing worth in comparison of the life to come If therefore thou desirest to be assured of eternall life prepare thy selfe to be a worthy receiuer of this blessed Sacrament For our Sauiour assureth vs That if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Hee therefore who duely eateth of this holy Sacrament may truely say not onely Credo vitam aeternam I beleeue the life euerlasting but also Edo vitam aeternam I eate life euerlasting And indeed this is the true tree of life which GOD hath planted in the middest of the Paradise of the Church And whereof hee hath promised to giue euery one that ouercommeth to eate And this tree of life by infinite degrees excelleth the tree of life that grew in the Paradise of Eden for that had his roote in the earth this from heauen that gaue but life to the body this to the soule that did but preserue the life of the liuing this restoreth life to the dead The leaues of this tree healeth the Nation of beleeuers and it yeelds euery moneth a new manner of fruit which nourisheth them to life euerlasting Oh blessed are they who often eate of this Sacrament at lest once euery moneth taste anew of this renewing fruit which Christ hath prepared for vs at his Table to heale our infirmities and to confirme our beleefe of life euerlasting The seauenth end of the Lords Supper 7 To binde all Christians as it were by an
oath of fidelity to serue the one onely true God and to admit no other propitiatory sacrifice for sinnes but that one reall sacrifice which by his death Christ once offered and by which he finished the sacrifice of the Law and effected eternall redemption and righteousnesse for all beleeuers And so to remaine for euer a publike marke of profession to distinguish Christians from all sects and false religions And seeing that in the Masse there is a strange Christ adored not hee that was borne of the Vigin Marie but one that is made of a wafer Cake and that the offering vp of this breaden-god is thrust vpon the Church as a propitiatorie sacrifice for the Quicke and the dead all true Christians vpon the danger of wilfull periury before the Lord chiefe-Iustice of heauen and earth are to detest the Masse as that Idoll of indignation which is most derogatory to the all-sufficient World-sauing-merits of Christs death and passion For by receiuing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we al sweare that all reall sacrifices are ended by our Lords death and that his body and bloud once crucified and shed is the perpetuall food and nourishment of our Soules 2. How to consider thine owne vnworthinesse A Man shall best perceiue his owne vnworthinesse by examining his life according to the tenne Commandements of Almighty GOD. Search therefore what duties thou hast omitted and what vices thou hast committed contrary to euery one of the Commandements remembring that without repentance and Gods mercy in Christ the Curse of God containing all the miseries of this life and euerlasting torments in Hel fire when this is ended is due to the breach of the least of Gods commandements And hauing taken a due surueigh both of thy sins miseries retire to some secret place and there putting thy selfe in the sight of the Iudge as a guilty malefactor standing at the Barre to receiue his sentence bowing thy knees to the earth smiting thy breast with thy fists and bedewing thy cheekes with thy teares confesse thy sins and humbly aske him mercie and forgiuenesse in these or the like wordes An humble Confession of sins to be made vnto God before the receiuing of the holy Communion O GOD and heauenly Father when I consider the goodnesse which thou hast euer shewed vnto me and the wickednesse which I haue committed against heauen and against thee I am ashamed of my selfe and confusion seemes to couer my face as a vaile for which of thy commandements haue I not transgressed Oh Lord I stand heere guilty of the breach of all thy holy Lawes For the loue of my heart hath not so entirely cleaued vnto thy Maiesty as to vaine and earthly things I haue not feared thy iudgements to deterre me from sinnes nor trusted to thy promises to keepe from doubting of my temporall or from despairing of mine eternall state I haue made the rule of thy diuine worship to be what my minde thought fit not what thy word prescribed finding my heart more proane to remember my blessed Sauiour in a painted picture of mans deuise rather then to behold him crucified in his Word and Sacraments after his owne ordinance Where I should neuer vse thy name whereat all knees doe bow but with religious reuerence nor any part of thy worship without due preparation and zeale I haue blasphemously abused thy holy name to rash and customary oathes yea I haue vsed oathes by thy sacred name as false couers of my filthy sinnes And I haue been present at thy seruice oft times more for ceremony then conscience and to please men more then to please thee my gracious GOD. Where I should sanctifie thy Sabath day by being present at the publike exercises of the Church and by meditating priuately on the word and workes of GOD and by visiting the sicke and relieuing of my poore brethren Alas I haue thought those holy Exercises a burden because they hindred my vaine sports yea I haue spent many of thy Sabbaths in my owne prophane pleasures without being present at any part of thy diuine worship Where I should haue giuen all due reuerence to my Naturall Ecclesiasticall and Politique Parents I haue not shewed that measure of duetie and affection to my Parents which their care and kindnesse hath deserued I haue not had thy Ministers in such singular loue for their workes sake as I ought but I haue taunted at their zeale and hated them because they reproued mee iustly And I haue carryed my selfe contemptuously against my Magistrates Ministers though I knew that it is thine ordinance that I should be obedient vnto them Where I should be slow to wrath and ready to forgiue offences and not suffered the Sunne to goe downe vpon my wrath but to doe good for euill louing my very enemies for thy sake I alas for one sory word haue burst out into open rage harbouring thoughts of mischiefe in my heart I haue preferred to feede on mine owne malice rather then to eate of thy holy Supper Where I should keepe my minde from all filthy lusts and my body from all vncleannesse O Lord I haue defiled both and made my heart a Cage of all impure thoughts and my minde a very Stie of the vncleane Spirit Yea the remedie which thou Lord hast ordained for continencie could not containe me vvithin the bounds of Chastitie for by doating on beautie whose ground is but dust Sathan hath bewitched my flesh to lust after strange flesh Where I should haue liued in vprightnesse giuing euery man his due being contented vvith mine owne estate and liuing conscionably in my lawfull calling should be ready according to mine abilitie to lend and giue vnto the poore ô Lord I haue by oppression extortion Bribes cauilation and other indirect dealings vnder pretence of my Calling and Office robbed and purloyned from my fellow Christians yea I haue deceiued and suffered Christ where I vvas trusted many a time in his poore members to stand hungry cold naked at my dore and hungry cold and naked to goe away succourlesse as hee came and when the leanenesse of his cheekes pleaded pitty the hardnes of my hart would shew no compassion Where I should haue made conscience to speake the truth in simplicitie vvithout any falshood prudently iudging aright and charitably construing all things in the best part and should haue defended the good name and credit of my neighbour alas vile wretch that I am I haue belyed and slaundered my fellow-Brother and as soone as I heard an ill report I made my tongue the instrument of the Diuell to blazon that abroad vnto others before I knew the truth of it my selfe I was so farre from speaking a good word in defence of his good name that it tickled my heart in secret to heare one that I
enuied to be taxed with such a blemish though I knew that otherwise the graces of God shined in him in aboundant measure I made â—ests of officious and aduantage of pernitious lyes herein shewing my selfe a right Cretian rather then an vpright Christian. And lastly O Lord where I should haue rested fully contented vvith that portion which thy Maiestie thought meetest to bestow vpon me in this Pilgrimage and reioyced in an others good as in mine owne Alas my life hath beene nothing else but a greedy lusting after this neighbours house and that neighbours land yea secretly vvishing such a man dead that I might haue his liuing or office coueting rather those things which thou hast bestowed on another rather then being thankefull for that which thou hast giuen vnto my selfe Thus I O Lord who am a carnall sinner and sold vnder sinne haue transgressed all thy holy and spiritual commandements from the first to the last from the greatest vnto the least and here I stand guiltie before thy Iudgement-seate of all the breaches of all thy lawes and therefore lyable to thy Curse and to all the miseries that Iustice can poure forth vpon so cursed a creature And whither shall I goe for deliuerance from this miserie Angels blush at my rebellion and will not helpe mee Men are guilty of the like transgression and cannot helpe themselues Shall I then despaire vvith Caine or make away my selfe with Iudas No Lord for that were but to end the miseries of this life and to beginne the endlesse torments of Hell I will rather appeale to thy Throane of Grace where Mercy raignes to pardon abounding sinnes and out of the depth of my miseries I will cry with Dauid for the depth of thy mercies Though thou shouldest kill me with afflictions yet will I like Iob put my trust in thee Though thou shouldest drowne me in the Sea of thy displeasure with Ionas yet will I catch such hold on thy Mercy that I will be taken vp dead clasping her with both my hands And though thou shouldest cast mee into the bowels of Hell as Ionas into the Belly of the Whale yet from thence would I cry vnto thee O God the Father of Heauen O Iesus Christ the Redeemer of the World O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier three Persons and one eternall God haue mercy vpon mee a miserable sinner And seeing the goodnesse of thine owne nature first moued thee to send thine onely begotten Son to dye for my sinnes that by his death I might be reconciled to thy Maiestie O reiect not now my penitent Soule who being displeased with her selfe for sinne desireth to returne to serue and please thee in newnesse of life and reach from Heauen thy helping hand to saue mee thy poore seruant who am like Peter ready to sincke in the Sea of my sinnes and miserie Wash away the multitude of my sinnes with the merits of that bloud which I beleeue that thou hast so abundantly shed for penitent sinners And now that I am to receiue this day the blessed Sacrament of thy precious body and bloud O Lord I beseech thee let thy holy Spirit by thy Sacrament seale vnto my soule that by the merits of thy Death and Passion all my sinnes are so freely and fully remitted and forgiuen that the curses and Iudgements which my sins haue deserued may neuer haue power eyther to confound me in this life or to condemne me in the world which is to come For my stedfast faith is that thou hast dyed for my sinnes and risen againe for my iustification This I beleeue O Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Worke in mee likewise I beseech thee an vnfained Repentance that I may heartily bewaile my former sins and loath them and serue thee hence forth in newnesse of life and greater measure of holy deuotion And let my soule neuer forget the infinite loue of so sweete a Sauiour that hath laid downe his life to redeeme so vile a Sinner And grant Lord that hauing receiued these seales and pledges of my Communion with thee thou maist henceforth so dwell by thy Spirit in mee that I so liue by Faith in thee and that I may walke all the dayes of my life in godlinesse and pietie towards thee and in Christian loue and charitie towards all my neighbours that liuing in thy feare I may dye in thy fauour and after death be made partaker of eternall life through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen 3 Of the meanes whereby thou maist become a worthy Receiuer THese Meanes are dueties of two sorts the former respecting GOD the later our Neighbour Those vvhich respect GOD are three first sound knowledge secondly true faith thirdly vnfained repentance That which respecteth our neighbour is but one sincere Charitie 1 Of sound knowledge requisite in a worthy communicant Sound knowledge is a sanctified vnderstanding of the first Principles of Religion As first of the Trinity of Persons in the vnity of the Godhead Secondly of the Creation of Man and his fall Thirdly of the curse and misery due to sinne Fourthly of the natures and offices of Christ and redemption by faith in his death especially of the doctrine of the Sacraments sealing the same vnto vs. For as an house cannot be built vnlesse the foundation bee first laid no more can Religion stand vnlesse it bee first grounded vpon the certaine knowledge of Gods word Secondly if wee know not Gods will we can neither beleeue nor doe the same For as wordly businesses cannot be done but by them who haue skill therein so without knowledge must men be much more ignorant in diuine and spirituall matters And yet in temporall things a man may doe much by the light of nature But in religious mysteries the more we relye vpon naturall reason the further we are from comprehending spirituall truth Which discouers the feareful estate of those who receiue without knowledge and the more fearefull estate of those Pastors who minister vnto them without Catechising 2 Of sincere faith required to make a worthy communicant Sincere faith is not a bare knowledge of the Scriptures first grounds of Religion for that Diuels and Reprobates haue in an excellent measure and doe beleeue it and tremble But a true perswasion as of all those things whatsoeuer the Lord hath reuealed in his word so also a particular application vnto a mans owne soule of all the promises of mercy which God hath made in Christ to all beleeuing sinners And consequently that Christ and all his merits doe belong vnto him as well as to any other For first if wee haue not the righteousnesse of Faith the Sacrament seales nothing vnto vs and euery man in the Lords Supper receiueth so much as hee beleeueth Secondly because that without Faith we communicating on earth cannot apprehend Christ in heauen For as he dwelleth in vs by faith so by faith we must likewise eate him Thirdly because
come vnder my roofe and that if thou didst but speake the word onely my soule should be saued Yet seeing it hath pleased the riches of thy grace for the better strengthning of my weakenesse to seale thy mercy vnto mee by thy visible signe as well as by thy visible word In all thankefull humiliâ—y my soule speakes vnto thee with the blessed Virgin Behold the handmaide of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy word Knocke thou Lord by thy word and Sacraments at the doore of my heart and I will like the Publicane with both my fists knocke at my breast as fast as I can that thou maiest enter in and if the dore will not open fast enough breake it open O Lord by thine Almighty power and then enter in and dwell there for euer that I may haue cause with Zacheus to acknowledge that this day saluation is come into my house And cast out of me whatsoeuer shall be offensiue vnto thee for I resigne the whole possession of my heart vnto thy sacred Maiestie entreating that I may not liue henceforth but that thou maist liue in mee speake in me worke in me and so to gouerne me by thy spirit that nothing may be pleasing vnto me but that which is acceptable vnto thee That finishing my course in the life of grace I may afterwards liue with thee for euer in thy kingdome of glory Grant this O Lord Iesu for the merits of thy death and bloodshedding Amen When the Minister bringeth towards thee the bread thus blessed and broken and offering it vnto thee bids thee Take eate c. Then meditate that Christ himselfe commeth vnto thee both offreth and giueth indeed vnto thy faith his very body blood with al the merits of his death and passion to feed thy soule vnto eternal life as surely as the minister offereth giueth the outward signes that feeds thy body vnto this temporall life The bread of the Lord is giuen by the Minister but the bread which is the Lord is giuen by Christ himselfe When thou takest the bread at the Ministers hand to eate it then rouse vp thy soule to apprehend Christ by faith to apply his merits to heale thy miseries Embrace him as sweetly with thy faith in the Sacrament as euer Simeon hugde him with his armes in his swadling clouts When thou eatest the bread imagine that thou seest Christ hanging vpon the Crosse and by his vnspeakeable torments fully satisfying Gods iustice for thy sinnes and striue to be as verily pertaker of the spirituall grace as of the elementall signes For the truth is not absent from the signe neither doth Christ deceiue when he saith This is my body but he giueth himselfe indeede to euery soule that spiritually receiues him by faith For as ours is the same Supper which Christ administred so is the same Christ verily present at his owne Supper not by any Papall Transubstantiation but by a Sacramentall participation whereby he doth truly feede the faithfull vnto eternall life not by comming downe out of heauen vnto thee but by lifting thee vp from the earth vnto him According to that old saying Sursum corda Lift vp your hearts and where the carkase is thither will the Eagles resâ—â—t Mat. 24 When thou seest the wine brought vnto thee apart from the bread then remember that the bloud of Iesus Christ was as verily separated from his body vpon the Crosse for the remission of thy sinnes And that this is the seale of that new couenant which GOD hath made to forgiue all the sinnes of al penitent sinners that beleeue the merits of his bloodâ—heding For the wine is not a Sacrament of Christs blood contained in his â—eines but as it was shed out of his body vpon the Crosse for the remission of the sinnes of all that beleeue in him As thou drinkest the wine and pourest it out of the Cup into thy stomacke meditate and beleeue that by the merits of that bloud vvhich Christ shed vpon the Crosse all thy sinnes are as verely forgiuen as thou hast now drunke this Sacramentall Wine and hast it in thy stomach And in the instant of drinking settle thy meditation vpon Christ as he hanged vpon the Crosse as if like Mary and Iohn thou did see him nailed and his bloud running downe his blessed side out of that gastfull wound vvhich the Speare made in his innocent heart wishing thy mouth closed to his side that thou mightest receiue that precious bloud before it fell to the dustie earth And yet the actuall drinking of that reall bloud with thy mouth vvould be nothing so effectuall as this Sacramentall drinking of that bloud spiritually by Faith For one of the Souldiers might haue drunke that and beene still a reprobate but vvhosoeuer drinketh it spiritually by Faith in the Sacrament shall surely haue the Remission of his sinnes and Life euerlasting As thou feelest the Sacramentall Wine vvhich thou hast drunke warming thy cold stomach so endeuour to feele the Holy Ghost cherishing thy soule in the ioyfull assurance of the forgiuenesse of all thy sinnes by the merits of the bloud of Christ. And to this end God giueth euery faithfull soule together with the Sacramentall bloud the holy Ghost to drinke Wee are all made to drinke into one Spirit And so lift vp thy minde from the contemplation of Christ as hee vvas crucified vpon the Crosse to consider how hee now sits in glory at the right hand of his Father making intercession for thee by presenting to his Father the vnualuable meâ—its of his death which hee once suffered for thee to appease his Iustice for the sins which thou dost daily commit against him After thou hast eaten and drunke both the Bread and Wine labour that as those Sacramentall Signes do turne to the nourishment of thy body and by the digestion of heate become one with thy substance so by the operation of Faith and the Holy Ghost thou maist become one vvith Christ and Christ with thee and so maist feele thy Communion with Christ confirmed and encreased daily more and more That as it is vnpossible to separate the Bread and Wine digested into the bloud and substance of thy body so it may be more vnpossible to part Christ from thy Soule or thy Soule from Christ. Lastly as the Bread of the Sacrament though confected of many graines yet makes but one Bread so must thou remember that though all the faithfull are many yet are they all but one Mysticall Body whereof Christ is Head And therefore thou must loue euery Christian as thy selfe and a member of thy body Thus farre of the duties to be done at the receiuing of the holy Sacrament called Meditation 3 Of the duties which we are to performe after receiuing of the holy Communion called Action or Practise THe duetie vvhich vvee are to performe after the receiuing of the Lâ—rds Supper is called Action or
But thou O Lord art the helper of the helplesse and in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy for though my sinnes be exceeding great yet thy mercy O Lord farre exceedeth them all neither can I commit so many as thy Grace can remit and pardon Wash therefore O Christ my sins with the vertue of thy pretious bloud especially those sinnes vvhich from a penitent heart I haue confessed vnto thee but chiefely O Lord for Christ his sake forgiue mee And seeing that of thy loue thou diddest lay downe thy life for my ransome vvhen I vvas thine enemie Oh saue now the price of thine owne bloud vvhen it shall cost thee but a smile vpon mee or a gratious appearance in thy Fathers sight in my behalfe Reconcile mee once againe O mercifull Mediatour vnto thy Father for though there be nothing in mee that can please him yet I know that in thee and for thy sake hee is well pleased with all whom thou acceptest and louest And if it be thy blessed vvill remoue this sickenesse from mee and restore mee to my former health againe that I may liue longer to set forth thy glory and to be a comfort to my Friends vvhich depend vpon mee and procure to my selfe a more setled assurance of that heauenly inheritance vvhich thou hast prepared for mee And then Lord thou shalt see how religiously and wisely I shall redeeme the time which heretofore I haue so lewdly and prophanely spent and to the end that I may the sooner and the easier be deliuered from this paine and sicknes direct mee O Lord I beseech thee by thy diuine prouidence to such a Physitian and helper as that by thy blessing vpon thy meanes I may recouer my former health and welfare againe And good Lord vouchsafe that as thou hast sent this sicknesse vnto mee so thou wouldest likewise be pleased to send thy holy spirit into my heart whereby this present sicknesse may be sanctified vnto me that I may vse it as thy schoole wherein I may learne to know the greatnesse of my misery and the riches of thy mercy that I may be so humbled at the one that I despaire not of the other and that I may so renounce all confidence of helpe in my selfe or in any other creature that I may onely put the whole rest of my saluation in thy all sufficient merits And forasmuch as thou knowest Lord how weake a vessell I am full of frailty and imperfections and that by nature I am angry and froward vnder euery crosse and affliction O Lord who art the giuer of all good gifts arme me with patience to endure thy blessed will and pleasure and of thy mercy lay no more vpon me then I shall be able to endure and suffer Giue me grace to behaue my selfe in all patience loue and meekenesse vnto those that shall come and visit mee that I may thankefully receiue and willingly embrace all good counsels consolations from them and that they may likewise see in me such good examples of patience and heare from me such godly lessons of comfort as may bee arguments of my Christian faith and profession and instructions vnto them how to behaue themselues when it shal please thee to visit them with the like affliction or sickenesse I know O Lord I haue deserued to die and I desire not longer to liue then to amend my wicked life and in some better measure to set forth thy glory Therefore O Father if it bee thy blessed will restore mee to health againe and grant me a longer life But if thou hast according to thine eternall decree appointed by this sickenesse to call for mee out of this transitory life I resigne my selfe into thy hands and holy pleasure thy blessed will be done whether it be by life or by death Onely I beseech thee of thy mercy forgiue mee all my sinnes and prepare my poore soule that by a true faith and vnfeigned repentance shâ—e may bee ready against the time that thou shalt call for her out of my sicke and sinfull body O heauenly Father who art the hearer of prayers heare thou in heauen this my prayer and in this extremity grant me these requests not for any worthinesse that is in me but for the merits of thy beloued Sonne Iesus my onely Sauiour and Mediator for whose sake thou hast promised to heare vs and to grant whatsoeuer we shall aske of thee in his Name In his name therefore and in his owne words I conclude this my vnperfect Prayer saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. Hauing thus reconciled thy selfe with GOD in Christ 1 Let thy next care be to set thy house in order as Isay aduised king Ezechias making thy last Will and Testament if it bee not already made If it be made then peruse it confirme it and for auoyding all doubts and contention publish it before witnesses that if God call for thee out of this life it may stand in force and vnalterable as thy last Will and Testament and so deliuer it locked or sealed vp in some Boxe to the keeping of a faithfull friend in the presence of honest witnesses 2 But in making thy Testament take a religious Diuines aduise how to bestow thy beneuolence and some honest Lawyers counsell to contriue it according to Law Dispatch this before thy sickenesse doth encrease and thy memory decay lest otherwise thy Testament prooues a dotement and another mans fancy rather then thy will 3 To preuent many inconueniences let me recommend to thy discretion two things 1 If God haue blessed thee with any competent state of wealth make thy Will in thy health time It will neither put thee further from thy goods nor hasten thee sooner to thy death but it will bee a great ease to thy minde in freeing thee from a great trouble when thou shalt haue most need of quiet for when thy house is set in order thou shalt be better enabled to set thy soule in order and to dispose of thy iourney towards GOD. 2 If thou hast children giue to euery one of them a portion according to thine ability in thy life time that thy life may seeme an ease and not a yoake vnto them yet so giue as that thy children may still bee beholding vnto thee and not thou vnto them But if thou keepe all in thy hands whilest thou liuest they may thanke death and not thee for the portion that thou leauest them If thou hast no children and the Lord haue blessed thee with a great portion of the goods of this world and if thou meane to bestow them vpon any charitable or pious vses put not ouer that good worke to the trust of others seeing thou seest how most of other mens Executors prooue almost Executioners And if friends be so vnfaithfull in a mans life How much greater cause hast thou to distrust their fidelity after thy death Lamentable experience sheweth how many dâ—admens Wils haue
of late either beene quite concealed vtterly ouerthrowne or by cauils and quirckes of Law frustrated or altered whereas by the Law of God the will of the dead should not be violated but all his godly intentions conscionably performed and fulfilled as in the sight of God Who in the day of the Resurrection will bee a iust Iudge both of the quicke and dead And if any thing should hap in his Will to be ambiguous or doubtfull it should be construed as it might come neerest to the honour of GOD and the honest intention of the Testator But let the vengeance due to such vnchristian deedes light on the Actors that doe them not on the kingdome wherein they are suffered to be done And let other Rich men bee warned by such wretched examples not to marry their mindes to their money as that they will doe no good with their goodes till death diuorceth them Considering therefore the shortnesse of thine owne life and the vncertainety of others iust dealings after thy death in these vniust daies Let me aduise thee whom GOD hath blessed with ability and an intent to doe good to become in thy life time thine owne Administrator make thine owne handes thine Executors and thine owne eies thy ouerseers cause thy lanthorne to giue her light before thee and not behinde thee giue God the glory and thou shalt receiue of him in due time the reward which of his grace mercy he hath promised to thy good workes 4 Hauing thus set thy house and soule in order if the determined number of thy daies be not expired God will either haue mercy vpon thee and say Spare him O killing malady that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation Or els his Fatherly prouidence will direct thee to such a Physitian and to such meanes as that by his blessing vpon their endeauours thou shalt recouer and bee restored to thy former health againe But in any wise take heede that thou nor none for thee send vnto sorcerers wisards â—harmers or enchaunters for helpe for this were to leaue the God of Israel and to goe to Baalzebub the God of Ekron for helpe as did wicked Ahaziah and to breake thy vow which thou hast made with the blessed Trinity in thy Baptisme and bee sure that GOD will neuer giue a blessing by those meanes which he hath accursed But if hee permits Satan to cure thy body feare lest it tend to the damnation of thy soule thou art tried beware 5 When thou hast sent for the Physitian take heede that thou put not thy trust rather in the Physitian then in the Lord as Aza did of whom it is said that hee sought not the Lord in his disease but to the Physitians which is a kinde of Idolatrie that will increase the Lords anger and make the Physicke receiued vneffectuall Vse therefore the Physitian as Gods Instrument and Physicke as Gods meanes And seeing it is not lawfull without Prayer to vse ordinarie foode 1 Tim. 4.4 much lesse extraordinary Physicke whose good effect depends vpon the blessing of GOD. Before thou takest thy Physicke pray therefore heartily vnto GOD to blesse it vnto thy vse in these or the like vvords A Prayer before taking of Physicke O Mercifull Father who art the Lord of health and of sickenesse of life and of death who killest and makest aliue who bringest downe to the graue and raisest vp againe I come vnto thee as to the onely Physitian who canst cure my soule from sinne and my body from sicknesse I desire neither life nor death but referre my selfe to thy most holy will For though wee must needes dye and bring dead our liues are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe Yet hath thy gratious prouidence whilest life remaineth appointed meanes vvhich thou vvilt haue thy children to vse and by the lawfull vse thereof to expect thy blessing vpon thine owne meanes to the curing of their sicknesse and restitution of their health And now O Lord in this my necessitie I haue according to thine ordinance sent for thy seruant the Physitian vvho hath prepared for mee this Physicke which I receiue as meanes sent from thy fatherly hand I beseech thee therefore that as by thy blessing on a lumpe of dry figs thou didst heale Ezekias sore that he recouered and by seauen times washing in the Riuer of Iordane didst clense Naaman the Syrian of his Leprosie and diddest restore the man that was blinde from his birth by annoynting his eyes with clay and spittle and sending him to wash in the poole of Siloam and by touching the hand of Peters wiues mother didst cure her of her Feauer and didst restore the Woman that touched the hemme of thy Garment from her bloudy issue So it would please thee of thine infinite goodnesse and mercy to sanctifie this Physicke to my vse and to giue such a blessing vnto it that it may if it be thy will and pleasure remoue this my sickenesse and paine and restore mee to health and strength againe But if the number of those dayes vvhich thou hast appointed for me to liue in this vale of misery be at an end and that thou hast sent this sickenesse as thy Messenger to call for mee out of this mortall life then Lord let thy blessed will be done for I submit my will to thy most holy pleasure Onely I beseech thee encrease my Faith and patience and let thy graâ—e and mercy be neuer wanting vnto mee but in the midst of all extremities assist mee with thy holy Spirit that I may willingly and chearefully resigne vp my Soule the price of thine owne bloud into thy most gracious hands and custodie Grant this O Father for Iesus Christ his sake to whom vvith thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory both now and euermore Amen Meditations for the sicke WHilest thy sicknes remaineth vse often for thy comfort these few Meditations taken from the ends wherefore GOD sendeth afflictions to his children Those are tenne 1 That by afflictions God may not onely correct our sinnes past but also vvorke in vs a deeper loathing of our naturall corruption and so preuent vs from falling into many other sins which otherwise vvee would commit like a good Father vvho suffers his tender Babe to scorch his finger in a candle that hee may the rather learne to beware of falling into a greater fire So that the childe of God may say with Dauid It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy Statutes for before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy Word And indeede saith S. Paul wee are chastened of the Lord because wee should not be condemned with the World With one Crosse God maketh two cures the chastisement of sinnes past the preuention of
the poole of Bethesda streaming with fiue bloudy wounds not of a troubling Angell but of the Angell of Gods presence troubled with the wrath due to thy sinnes who descended into hell to restore thee to sauing health and heauen Returne not now with the Dogge to thine owne vomit nor like the washed sow to wallow againe in the mire of thy former sinnes and vncleannesse lest being intangled and ouercome againe with the filthinesse of sinne which now thou hast escaped thy latter ende prooue worse then thy first beginning Twice therefore doth our Sauiour Christ giue the same cautionary warning to healed sinners First to the man cured of his 38 yeeres disease Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing fall vnto thee Secondly to the woman taken in adultery Neither doe I condemne thee Goe thy way and sinne no more Teaching vs how dangerous a thing it is to relapse and fall againe into the former excesse of riot Take heede therefore vnto thy wayes and pray for grace that thou maiest apply thy heart vnto wisdome during that small number of dayes which yet remaine behinde And for thy present mercy and health imitate the thankefull Leaper and returne vnto God this or the like thanksgiuing A thankesgiuing to be said of one that is recouered from sickenesse O Gracious and mercifull Father who art the Lord of health and sickenesse of life and of death who killest and makest aliue who bringest downe to the graue and raisest vp againe who art the onely preseruer of all those that trust in thee I thy poore and vnworthy seruant hauing now by experience of my painefull sicknesse felt the gieuousnesse of misery due vnto sinne and the greatnesse of thy mercy in forgiuing sinners and perceiuing with what a fatherly compassiion thou hast heard my prayers and restored me to my health and strength againe doe heere vpon the bended knees of my heart returne with the thankefull Leaper to acknowledge thee alone to bee the God of my health and saluation and to giue thee the praise and glory for my strength and deliuerance out of that grieuous disease and malady and for thus turning my mourning into mirth my sickenesse into health and my death into life My sinnes deserued punishments and thou hast corrected me but hast not giuen me ouer vnto death I looked from the day to the night when thou wouldest make an end of me I did chatter like a Crane or a Swallow I mourned as a Doue when the bitternesse of sickenesse oppressed me I lifted vp mine eies vnto thee O Lord and thou didst comfort me for thou didst cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe and didst deliuer my soule from the pit of corruption and when I found no helpe in my selfe nor in any other creature saying I am depriued of the residue of my yeeres I shall see man no more among the inhabitants of the world then didst thou restore mee to health againe and gauest life vnto mee I found thee O Lord ready to saue me And now Lord I confesse that I can neuer yeelde vnto thee such a measure of thanks as thou hast for this benefit deserued at my hands And seeing that I can neuer bee able to repay thy goodnes with acceptable workâ— Oh that I could with Mary Magdalen testifie the â—oue and thankfulnes of my heart with abounding teares Oh what shall I be able to render vnto thee O Lord for al these benefits which thou hast bestowed vpon my soule Surely as in my sickenesse when I had nothing else to giue vnto thee I offered Christ and his merits vnto thee as a ransome for my sins so being now restored by thy grace vnto my health and strength and hauing no better thing to giue behold O Lord I doe heere offer vp my selfe vnto thee beseeching thee so to assist mee with thy holy spirit that the remainder of my life may wholly be spent in setting foorth thy praise and glory O Lord forgiue mee my former follies and vnthankefulnesse that I was not more careful to loue thee according to thy goodnesse nor to serue thee according to thy will nor to obey thee according to thy commandements nor to thanke thee according to thy benefits And seeing thou knowest that of my selfe I am not sufficient so much as to thinke a good thought much lesse to doe that which is good and acceptable in thy sight assist mee with thy grace and holy spirit that I may in my prosperity as deuoutely spend my health in thy seruice as I was eranest in my sickenesse to beg it at thy hands And suffer mee neuer to forget eyther this thy mercy in restoring mee to my health or those vowes and promises which I haue made vnto thee in my sickenesse With my new health renew in me O Lord a right spirit which may free mee from the slauery of sinne and establish my heart in the seruice of grace Worke in mee a greater detestation of all sinnes which were the causes of thy anger and my sicknesse and increase my faith in Jesus Christ who is the author of my health and saluation Let thy good spirit leade me in the way that I should walke and teach me to deny all vngodlines and worldly lusts to liue soberly righteously and godly in this world that others by my example may thinke better of thy truth And sith this time which I haue yet to liue is but a little respite and small remnant of daies which cannot long continue teach me O my God so to number my daies that I may apply my heart to that spiritual wisdome which directeth to saluation And to this end make me more zealous then I haue beene in religion more deuout in praier more feruent in spirit more carefull to heare and profit by the preaching of thy Gospell more helpefull to my poore brethren more watchfull ouer my waies more faithfull in my calling and euery way more aboundant in all good workes Let me in the ioyfull time of prosperity feare the euill day of affliction in the time of health thinke of sicknesse in the time of sickenesse make my selfe ready for death and when death approcheth prepare my selfe for iudgement Let my whole life be an expressing thankfulnesse vnto thee for thy grace and mercy And therefore O Lord I do here from the very bottome of my heart together with the thousand thousands of Angels the foure beasts and twenty foure Elders and al the creatures in Heauen and on the Earth acknowledge to be due vnto thee O Father which sitteth vpon the throne and to the Lambe thy Sonne who sitteth at thy right hand and to the holy spirit which proceedeth from both the holy Trinitie of persons in vnity of substance all praise honour glory and power from this time forth and for euermore Amen Meditations for one that is like to die IF thy sickenesse be like to encrease vnto death
temptation is ready to betray the soule By death the soule shall be deliuered from this thraldome and this corruptible body shall put on incorruption and this mortall immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 Oh blessed thrice blessed be that death in the Lord which deliuers vs out of so euill a world and freeth vs from such a body of bondage and corruption The 3. sort of Meditations to consider what good death will bring vnto thee 1 DEath bringeth the godly mans soule to enioy an immediate communion with the blessed Trinitie in euerlasting blisse and glorie 2 It translates his soule from the miseries of this world the contagion of sinne and society of sinners to the Citie of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels And to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in Heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the soules of iust men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Couenant 3 Death putteth the soule into the actuall and full possession of all the inheritance and happinesse which Christ hath either promised vnto thee in his word or purchased for thee by his bloud This is the good and happinesse whereunto a blessed death will bring thee And what truly religious Christian that is young would not wish himselfe olde that his appointed time might the sooner approach to enter into this celestiall Paradise where thou maiest exchange thy brasse for gold thy vanity for felicity thy vilenesse for honour thy bondage for freedome thy lease for an inheritance and thy mortall statâ— for an immortall life Hee that doth not daily desire this blessednesse aboue all things of all others he is lesse worthy to enioy it If Cato Vticensis and Cleombrotus two heathen men reading Platoes booke of the Immortality of the soule did voluntarily the one breake his necke the other runne vpon his sword that they might the sooner as they thought haue enioyed those ioyes What a shame is it for Christians knowing those things in a more excellent measure and manner out of Gods owne booke not to bee willing to enter into these heauenly ioyes especially when their Master cals for them thither If therefore there be in thee any loue of God or desire of thine owne happinesse or saluation when the time of thy departing draweth neere that time I say and manner of death which GOD in his vnchangeable counsell hath appointed and determined before thou wast borne yeeld and surrender vp willingly and cheerefully thy soule into the mercifull hand of Iesus Christ thy Sauiour And to this ende when thine end is come as the Angell in the sight of Manoah and his wife ascended from the Altar vp to heauen in the flame of the sacrifice so endeauour thou that thy Soule in the sight of thy friends may from the Altar of a contrite heart ascend vp to heauen in the sweete perfume of this or the like spirituall sacrifice of Praier A Prayer for a sicke man when he is tolde that he is not a man for this world but must prepare himselfe to goe vnto GOD. O Heauenly Father who art the Lord God of the spirits of all flesh and hast made vs these soules and hast appointed vs the time as to come into this world so hauing finished our course to goe out of the same The number of my daies vvhich thou hast determined are now expired and I am come to that vtmost bound which thou hast appointed beyond which I cannot passe I know O Lord that if thou entrest into iudgement no flesh can bee iustifyed in thy sight And I O Lord of all others should appeare most impure and vniust for I haue not fought that good fight for the defence of thy faith and religion with that zeal and constancy that I should but for feare of displeasing the world I haue giuen â—ay vnto sinnes and errours and for desire to please my flesh I haue broken all thy commandements in thought word and deede so that my sinnes haue taken such hold on me that I am not able to looke vp and they are moe in number then the haires of my head If thou wilt straightly marke mine iniquitiâ—s O Lord where shall I stand If thou waighest me in the ballance I shall be found too light For I am voide of all righteousnesse that might merit thy mercy and loaden with all iniquities that most iustly deserue thy heauiest wrath But O my Lord and my GOD for Iesus Christ thy Sonnes sake in whom only thou art wel pleased with all penitent and beleeuing sinners take pitty and compassion vpon mee who am the chiefe of sinners blot out all my sinnes out of thy remembrance and wash away all my transgressions out of thy sight with the pretious bloud of thy Sonne which I beleeue that he as an vndefiled Lambe hath shed for the clensing of my sinnes In this faith I liued in this faith I die beleeuing that Iesus Christ died for my sinnes and rose againe for my iustification And seeing that he hath endured that death and borne the burthen of that Iudgement which was due vnto my sinnes O Father for his death and passions sake now that I am comming to appeare before thy Iudgement seat acquite and deliuer me from that fearfull Iudgement which my sinnes haue iustly deserued And performe with me that gracious and comfortable promise which thou hast made in thy Gospell That whosoeuer beleeueth in thee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into Iudgement but shall passe from death vnto life Strengthen O CHRIST my faith that I may put the whole confidence of my saluation in the merits of thy obedience and blood Encrease O holy Spirit my patience lay no more vpon me then I am able to beare and enable mee to beare so much as shall stand with thy blessed will and pleasure O blessed Trinity in vnity my Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier vouchsafe that as my outward man doth decay so my inward man may more more by thy grace and consolation encrease and gather strength O Sauiour put my soule in a readinesse that like a wise Virgin hauing the wedding Garment of thy righteousnesse and holinesse shee may be ready to meete thee at thy comming with oyle in her lampe Marrie her vnto thy selfe that shee may bee one with thee in euerlasting loue and fellowship O Lord reproue Sathan and chase him away Deliuer my soule from the power of the dogge Saue me from the Lions mouth I thanke thee O Lord for all thy blessings both spirituall and temporall bestowed vpon me especially for my Redemption by the death of my Sauiour Christ. I thanke thee that thou hast protected me with thy holy Angelâ— from my youth vp vntil now Lord I beseech thee giue them a charge to attend
vpon me till thou callest for my soule and then to carry her as they did the soule of Lazarus into thy heauenly kingdome And as the time of my departure shall approach neerer vnto me so grant O Lord that my soule may drawe neerer vnto thee And that I may ioyfully commend her into thy hands as into the hands of a louing Father and mercifull Redeemer and at that instant O Lord graciously receiue my spirit All which that I may doe assist me I beseech thee with thy grace and let thy holy spirit continue with me vnto the end and in the end for Iesus Christ his sake thy Sonne my Lord and onely Sauiour In whose name I giue thee thy glory and begge these things at thy hand in that prayer which he himselfe hath taught me Our Father c. Meditations against despaire or doubting of Gods mercy IT is found by continuall experience that neere the time of death when the children of GOD are weakest then Sathan makes the greatest flourish of his strength and assailes them with his strongest temptations For hee knoweth that either he must now or neuer preuaile for if their soules once get to heauen he shall neuer vâ—xe nor trouble them any more And therefore he will now bestirre himselfe as much as he can and labour to set before their eyes all the grosse sinnes which euer they committed and the iudgements of God which are due vnto them thereby to driue them if he can to despaire which is a grieuouser sinne then all the sinnes that they committed or hee can accuse them of If Sathan therefore trouble thy conscience more towards thy death then in thy life time 1 Confesse thy sins vnto GOD not onely in generall but also in particular 2 Make satisfaction vnto those men whom thou hast wronged if thou bee able And if thou doest iniuriously or fraudulently detaine or keepe in thy possession any lands or goods that of right doe belong vnto any Widow or Fatherlesse childe presume not as thou tenderest thy soules health to looke Christ the righteous Iudge in the face vnlesse thou doest first make a restitution thereof to the right owners For the Law of God vnder the penalty of his curse requireth thee to restore whatsoeuer was giuen thee to keepe or which was committed to thy trust or whatsoeuer by robbery or violent oppression thou tookest from thy neighbour with a fift part for amends added to the principall And vnlesse that like Zacheus thou doest make restitution of such goods and lands according to Gods law thou canst neuer truly repent and without true Repentance thou canst neuer bee saued But though by the temptation of the Diuell thou hast done wrong and iniury yet if thou doest truly repent and make restitution to thy power the Lord hath promised to bee mercifull vnto thee to heare the praiers of his faithfull ministers for thee to forgiue thee thy trespasse and sinne and to receiue thy soule in the merits of Christs blood as a Lambe without blemish 3 Aske GOD for Christ his sake pardon and forgiuenesse And then these troubles of minde are no discouragements but rather comforts exercises not punishments They are assurances vnto thee that thou art in the right way for the way to Heauen is by the gates of Hell that is by suffering paines in the body and such doubtings in the minde that thy estate in this life being euery way made bitter the ioyes of eternall life may relish vnto thee better and more sweet If Satan tell thee that thou hast no faith because thou hast no feeling meditate 1 That the truest faith hath oftentimes the least feeling and greatest doubts but so long as thou hatest such doubtings they shall not be laide vnto thy charge for they belong to the flesh from which thou art diuorced When thy flesh shall perish thy weake inward man which hates them and loues the Lord Iesus shall be saued 2 That it is a better faith to beleeue without feeling then with feeling The least faith so much as a graine of mustard seed so much as is in an infant baptized is inough to saue the soule which loueth CHRIST and beleeueth in him 3 That the child of God which desireth to feâ—le the assurance of Gods fauour shall haue his desire when God shall see it to bee for his good for God hath promised to giue them the water of life who thirst for it Wee haue an example in Master Glouer the holy Martyr who could haue no comfortable feeling till hee came to the sight of the stake and then cryed out and clapped his hands for ioy to his friend saying O Austen hee is come he is come meaning the feeling ioy of faith and the holy Ghost Tarry therefore the Lordâ— leasure be strong and he shall comfort thine heart If Sathan shall aggrauate vnto thee the greatnesse the multitude and hainousnesse of thy sinnes meditate 1 That vpon true repentance it is as easie with GOD to forgiue the greatest sinne as the least and he is as willing to forgiue many as to pardon one And his mercy shineth more in pardoning great sinners then small offenders as appeares in the examples of Manasses Magdalene Peter Paul c. And where sinne most abounded there doth his grace reioyce to abound much more 2 That GOD did neuer forsake any man till that a man did first forsake GOD as appeares in the examples of Caine Saul Achitophel Ahazia Iudas c. 3 That God calleth all euen those sinners who are heauy laden with sinne and that he did neuer deny his mercy to any sinner that asked his mercy with a penitent heart This the history of the Gospel witnesseth There came vnto Christ all sorts of sicke sinners the blinde lame halâ— leapers such as were sicke of palsies dropsies bloudy flixes such as were lunaticks and possessed with vncleane spirits and Diuels Yet of all those not one that came and asked his mercie and helpe went away without his errant If mercy hee asked mercy he found were his sinne neuer so great were his disease neuer so grieuous Nay he offered and gaue his mercy to many who neuer asked it being moued onely with the bowels of his owne compassion and the sight of their misery as to the woman of Samaria the widow of Naim and to the sicke-man that lay at the poole of Bethesda who had beene 38. yeeres sicke If he thus willingly gaue his mercy to them that did not aske it and was found of them as the Prophet saith that sought him not will he deny mercy vnto thee who doest so earnestly pray for it with teares and doest like the poore Publican so haâ—tily knocke for it with penitent fists vpon a brused and broken heart Especially when thou prayest to thy Father in the name and mediation of Christ for
there is no doubt of pardon If Sathan shall obiect that thou hast many times vowed to repent and hast made a shew of Repentance for the time and yet didst fall to the same sinnes againe and againe and that all thy Repentance was but fained and a mocking of God And that seeing thou hast so often broken thy vowes therfore God hath with-drawn his mercy and hath changed his loue c. meditate 1 That though this were true which indeede is haynous yet it is no sufficient cause vvhy thou shouldest despaire seeing that this is the common case of all the Children of God in this life vvho vow so oft to forbâ—are some sinnes till perceiuing their weakenesse not able to performe it then vow that they will vow no more Their vowes shew the desires of their spirituall man their breakings the weakenesse of their corrupt flesh And our oft slips to the same sinnes Christ fore-saw vvhen hee taught vs to pray daily O Father forgiue vs our trespasses And why doth Christ enioyne thee who art but sinfull man to forgiue thy brother seauen times in a day if hee shall returne seauen times in a day and say it repenteth mee But to assure thee that hee being the God of mercy and goodnesse it selfe will forgiue vnto thee thy seuenty times seuen folde sinnes a day which thou hast committed against him if thou returne vnto him by true repentance The Israelites were cured by looking though with weake eies on the brasen Serpent as oft as they were stung by the fiery Serpent in the wildernesse to assure thee that vpon thy teares of repentance thou shalt be recouered by faith in Christ as oft as thou art wounded to death by Sinne. 2 That thy saluation is grounded not vpon the constancy of thine obedience but vpon the firmenesse of Gods couenant Though thou variest with GOD and the couenant bee broken on thy behalfe yet it is firme on Gods part and therefore all is safe enough if thou wilt returne for there is no variablenesse with him neither shadow of change He hath locked vp thy saluation and made it sure in his owne vnchangeable purpose and hath deliuered to thy keeping the keyes which are Faith and Repentance and whilest thou hast them thou maiest perswade thy selfe that thy saluation is sure and safe For whom God loueth hee loueth to the end and neuer repenteth of bestowing his loue on them who repent and beleeue Lastly if Satan shall perswade thee that thou hast been doubting a long time and that it is best for thee now to despaire seeing thy sinnes encrease and thy iudgements draweth neere meditate 1 That no sinne though neuer so great should bee a cause to moue any Christian to despaire so long as Gods mercy by so many millions of degrees is greater and that euery penitent and beleeuing sinner hath the pardon of all his sinnes confirmed by the Word and Oath of GOD two immutable things wherein it is vnpossible that God should lye His Word is that at what time soeuer a sinner whosoeuer doth repent of his sin whatsoeuer for both time sinnes and sinners are indefinite from the bottome of his heart God will blot forth all his sinnes out of his remembraâ—ce that they shall be mentioned vnto him no more If we will not take his word which GOD forbid wee should doubt of he hath giuen vs his oath As I liue I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue as if he had said Will yee not beleeue my word I sweare by my life that I delight not to damne any sinner for his sinnes but rather to saue him vpon his conuersion and repentance The meditation hereof moued Tertullian to exclaime Oh how happy are wee when God sweareth that hee will not our damnation Oh what miserable wretches are wee if wee will not beleeue God when he sweareth this truth vnto vs Listen O drooping spirit whose soule is assailed with waues of faithlesse despaire how happy were it to see many like thee and Hezechias who mourne like doues for the sence of sinne and chatter like Cranes and Swallowes for the feare of Gods anger rather then to behold many who die like beasts without any feeling of their owne estate or any feare of Gods wrath or tribunall seate before which they are to appeare Comfort thy selfe O languishing soule for if this earth hath any for whom Christ spilt his bloud on the Crosse thou assuredly art one Cheere vp therfore thy selfe in the all-sufficient attonement of the bloud of the Lambe which speaketh better things then that of Abel And pray for those who neuer yet obtained the grace to haue such a sense with detestation of sinne Thou art one indeed for whom Christ dyed and from whom a wounded spirit iudging rather according to his feeling then his faith hath wrung that dolefull voice of Christ My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And doubt not but ere long thou shalt as truely raigne with him as now thou doest suffer with him for Yea and Amen hath spoken it No sinne barres a man from saluation but onely incredulity and impenitencie nothing makes the sin against the holy Ghost vnpardonable but want of repentance Thy vnfained desire to repent is as acceptable vnto God as the perfectst repentance that thou couldest wish to performe vnto him Meditate on these Euangelicall comforts and thou shalt see that in the very agony of death GOD will so assist thee with his spirit that when Saâ—an looketh for the greatest victory he shall receiue the foulest foile yea when the eye-strings are broken that thou canst not see the light Iesus Christ will appeare vnto thee to comfort thy soule and his holy Angels will carry thee into his heauenly kingdome Then shall thy friends behold thee like Manoahs Angell doing wonders indeed when they shall see a fraile man in his greatest weakenesse by the meere assistance of Gods Spirit ouercomming the strength of sin the bitternesse of death and all the power of Satan and in the fire of Faith and perfume of Praier ascend vp with Angels victoriously into Heauen An admonition to them who come to visit the sicke THey who come to visit the sicke must haue a speciall care not to stand dumbe and staring in the sicke persons face to disquiet him nor yet to speake idly and to aske vnprofitable questions as most doe If they see therefore that the sicke party is like to die let them not dissemble but louingly and discreetly admonish him of his weakenesse and to prepare for eternall life One houre well spent when a mans life is almost out-spent may gaine a man the assurance of eternal life Sooth him not vvith the vaine hope of this life least thou betray his soule to eternall death Admonish him plainely of his estate and aske
all euill malignant Spirits farre from him Make him more and more to loath this world and to desire to be loosed and to be with Christ. And when that good houre and time shall come wherein thou hast determined to call for him out of this present life giue him grace peaceably and ioyfully to yeeld vp his Soule into thy mercifull hands and doe thou receiue her into thy mercy and let thy blessed Angels carry her into thy Kingdome Make his last houre his best houre his last words his best words and his last thoughts his best thoughts And when the sight of his eyes are gone and his tongue shall faile to doe his office graunt O Lord that his Soule may with Stephen behold Iesus Christ in Heauen ready to receiue him and that thy Spirit within him may make requests for him with sighes which cannot be expressed Teach vs in him to reade and see our owne end and mortalitie and therefore to be carefull to prepare our selues for our last ends and put our selues in a readidinesse against the time that thou shalt call for vs in the like manner Thus Lord wee recommend this our deare Brother or Sister thy sicke Seruant vnto thy eternall grace and mercie in that Prayer vvhich Christ our Sauiour hath taught vnto vs. Our Father which art in Heauen c. Thy Grace O Lord Iesus Christ thy loue O heauenly Father thy comfort and consolation O holy Spirit be with vs all and especially with this thy sicke seruant to the end and in the end Amen Let them reade often vnto the sicke some speciall Chapters of the holy Scriptures as The three first Chapters of the Booke of Iob. The 34. Chapter of Deutronomie The two last Chapters of Ioshua The 17. Chapter of the first of Kings The 2.4 and 13. Chapters of the second of Kings The 14. and 19. Chapters of Iob. The 38.40 and 65. Chapters of Isay. The Historie of the Passion of Christ. The 8. Chapter to the Romanes The 15. Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians The 4. of the first Epistle to the Thessalonians The 5. Chapter of the second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians The first and last Chapters of S. Iames. The 11. and 12. to the Hebrewes The first Epistle of Peter The three first and the three last Chapters of the Reuelation or some of these And so exhorting the sicke partie to waite vpon God by faith and patience till he send for him and praying the Lord to send them a ioyfull meeting in the Kingdome of Heauen and a blessed Resurrection at the last day they may depart at their pleasure in the peace of God Consolations against Impatiencie in sicknesse IF in thy sicknesse by extremitie of paine thou be driuen to Impatiencie meditate 1 That thy sinnes haue deserued the paines of Hell therefore thou maist vvith greater patience endure these fatherly corrections 2 That these are the scourges of thy Heauenly Father and the rod in his hand If thou diddest suffer with reuerence being a child the correction of thy earthly Parents how much rather shouldest thou now subiect thy selfe being the child of God to the chastisements of thy heauenly Father seeing it is for thine eternall good 3 That Christ suffered in his Soule and body farre grieuouser paines for thee therefore thou must more vvillingly suffer his blessed pleasure for thine owne good Therefore saith Peter Christ suffered for you leauing you an example that ye should follow his steps And Let vs saith Saint Paul runne with ioy the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our Faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse c. 4 That these afflictions which now you suffer are none other but such which are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the world as witnesseth Peter Yea Iobs afflictions were farre more grieuous There is not one of the Saints vvhich now are at rest in heauenly ioyes but endured as much as you doe before they went thither yea many of them willingly suffered all the torments that Tyrants could inflict vpon them that they might come to those Heauenly ioyes whereunto you are now called And you haue a promise that the God of all grace after that you haue suffered a while will make you perfect stablish strengthen and settle you And that God of his fidelitie will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that yee may be able to beare it 5 That God hath determined the time when thy affliction shall end as vvell as the time when it beganne Thirty eight yeeres were appointed to the sicke man at Bethesda's Poole Twelue yeeres to the Woman with the bloudy Issue Three Moneths to Moses Tenne dayes tribulation to the Angell of the Church of Smyrna Three dayes plague to Dauid Yea the number of the godly mans teares are registred in Gods Booke and the quantitie kept in his bottle The time of our troubles saith Christ is but a modicum Gods Anger lasts but a Moment saith Dauid A little season saith the Lord and therefore cals all the time of our paine but the houre of sorrow Dauid for the swiftnesse thereof compares our present trouble to a Brooke And Athanasius to a Shower Compare the longest misery that man endures in this life to the eternitie of heauenly Ioyes and they vvill appeare to be nothing And as the sight of a Sonne safe borne makes the Mother forget all her former deadly paine so the sight of Christ in Heauen vvho was borne for thee will make all these pangs of death to be quite forgotten as if they had neuer been like Stephen who as soone as hee saw Christ forgat his owne woundes with the horrour of the Graue and terrour of the stones and sweetly yeelded his Soule into the hands of his Sauiour Forget thine owne paine thinke of Christs wounds Be faithfull vnto the death and hee will giue thee the Crowne of eternall life 6 That you are now called to Repetitions in Christs Schoole to see how much Faith Patience and godlinesse you haue learned all this while and whether you can like Iob receiue at the hand of God some euill as vvell as you haue hitherto receiued a great deale of good as therefore you haue alwayes prayed Thy Will be done so be not now offended at this which is done by his holy will 7 That all things shall worke together for the best to them that loue God insomuch that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers c. shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. Assure your selfe that euery pang is a preuention of the paines of Hell euery respite an earnest of
heauens Rest and how many stripes doe you esteeme Heauen worth As your life hath beene a comfort to others so giue your Friends a Christian example to dye and deceiue the Diuell as Iob did It is but the Crosse of Christ sent before to crucifie the loue of this vvorld in thee that thou maist goe eternally to liue with Christ who was crucified for thee As thou art therefore a true Christian take vp like Simon of Cyrene with both thy armes his holy Crosse carry it after him vnto him thy paines will shortly passe thy ioyes shall neuer passe away Consolations against the feare of Death IF in the time of thy sickenesse thou findest thy selfe fearefull to dye meditate 1 That it argueth a dastardly minde to feare that which is not For in the church of Christ there is no Death Isay 25.7.8 And Whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in Christ shall neuer dye Iohn 11.26 Let them feare death vvho liue vvithout Christ Christians dye not but when they please GOD they are like Enoch translated vnto GOD Their paines are but Eliahs fiery Charriot to carry them vp to heauen or like Lazarus sores sending them to Abrahams bosome In a word if thou be one of them that like Lazarus louest Iesus thy sicknesse is not vnto thee death but for the glory of God who of his loue changeth thy liuing death to an euerlasting life And if many Heathen men as Socrates Curtius Seneca c. dyed willingly when they might haue liued in hope of the immortalitie of the Soule vvilt thou being trayned so long in Christs Schoole and now called to the Marriage Supper of the blessed Lambe Apoc. 10.7 be one of those Guests that refuse to goe to that Ioyfull Banquet God forbid 2 Remember that thy aboade here is but the second degree of thy life for after thou hadst first liued nine moneths in thy Mothers wombe thou wast of necessitie driuen thence to liue here in a second degree of life And when that number of moneths which GOD hath determined for this life are expired thou must likewise leaue this and and passe to a third degree in the other World vvhich neuer ends Which to them that liue and die in the Lord surpasseth as farre this kinde of life as this doth that which one liues in his mothers wombe To this last and excellentest degree of life through this doore passed Christ himselfe and all his Saints that were before thee and so shall all the rest after them and thee Why shouldest thou feare that vvhich is common to all Gods Elect Why should that be vncouth to thee vvhich was so welcome to all them Feare not death for it is the Exodus of a bad but the Genesis of a better World the end of a temporall but the beginning of an eternall life 3 Consider that there are but three things that can make death so fearefull vnto thee first the losse thou hast thereby secondly the paine that is therein Thirdly the terrible effects which followes after All these are but false fires and causlesse feares For the first if thou leauest here vncertaine goods which theeues may rob thou shalt finde in heauen a true treasure that can neuer be taken away these were but lent thee as a Steward vpon accounts those shall be giuen thee as thy reward for euer If thou leauest a louing Wife thou shalt be marryed to Christ which is more louely If thou leauest Children and Friends thou shalt there find all thy religiously Ancestors and children departed yea Christ and all his blessed Saints and Angels and as many of thy Children as be Gods children shal thither follow after thee Thou leauest an earthly possession a house of clay and thou shalt enioy an Heauenly inheritance and Mansion of Glory vvhich is purchased prepared and reserued for thee What hast thou lost Nay is not death vnto thee gaine goe home goe home and wee will follow after thee Secondly for the paine in Death the feare of Death more painâ—s many then the very pangs of death for many a Christian dyes without any great pang or paines Pitch the Anchor of thy hope on the firme grouâ—â— of the Word of God vvho hath promised in thy weaknesse to perfect his strength and not to suffer thee to be tempted aboue that thou art able to beare And Christ will shortly turne all thy tempâ—rall paines to his eternall ioyes Lastly as for the terrible effects which follow after death they belong not vnto thee being a Member of Christ for Christ by his death hath taken away the sting of death to the faithfull so that now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus And Christ hath protested that he that beleeueth in him hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life Hereupon the holy Spirit from Heauen saith Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord and that from thenceforth they rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them In respect therfore of the faithfull death is swallowed vp into victorie and his sting which is sinne and the punishment thereof is taken away by Christ. Hence death is called in respect of our bodies a sleepe and rest In respect of our soules a going to our heauenly Father a departing in peace a remouing from this body to goe to the Lord a dissolution of soule and body to be with Christ. What shall I say Precious in the sigâ—â—t of the Lord is the death of his Saints These paines are but thy throwes and trauell to bring foorth Eternall Life And who would not passe through Hell to goe to Paradise much more through death There is nothing after death that thou needest feare not thy sinnes because Christ hath paid thy ransome not the Iudge for hee is thy louing Brother not the Graue for it is the Lords Bed not Hell for thy Redeemer keeps the Keyes not the Diuell for Gods holy Angels pitch their Tents about thee and will not leaue thee till they bring thee to Heauen Thou wast neuer neerer Eternall life glorifie therefore Christ by a blessed death Say chearfully Come Lord Iesu for thy Seruant commeth vnto thee I am willing Lord helpe my weakenesse Seauen sanctified thoughts and mournefull sighes of a sicke man ready to die NOW for as much as God of his infinite mercy doth so temper our paine and sickenesse that we are not alwaies oppressed with extremitie but giues vs in the midst of our extremities some respite to ease and refresh our selues thou must haue an especiall care considering how short a time thou hast eyther for euer to lose or to obtaine Heauen to make vse of euery breathing-time which God doth afford thee and during that little time of ease to gather strength against the fits of greater anguish Therefore in these times of relaxation ease vse some of these short
thoughts and sighes The first thought SEeing euery man enters into this life in Teares passeth it in sweate and ends it in sorrow ah what is there in it that a man should desire to liue any longer to it oh what a folly is it that vvhen the Mariner roweth with all his force to arriue at the wished Port and that the Traueller neuer testeth till hee come to his iourneyes end wee feare to discrie our Port and therefore would put backe our Barke to be longer tossed in this continual Tempest we weepe to see our iourneyes end and therefore desire our iourney to be lengthened that vvee might be more tyred with a foule and cumbersome way The spirituall sigh thereupon O Lord this life is but a troublesome Pilgrimage few in dayes but full in euils and I am weary of it by reason of my sinnes Let me therefore O Lord entreate thy Maiestie in this my bed of sickenesse as Elias did vnder the Iuniper tree in his affliction It is now enough O Lord that I haue liued so long in this vale of miserie take my fâ—ule into thy mercifull hands for I am no better then my Fathers The second thought THinke with what a body of sinne thou art loaden vvhat great ciuill warres are contayned in a little world the flesh fighting against the spirit Passion against Reason Earth against Heauen and the world within thee â—anding it selfe for the world without thee and that but one onely meane remaines to end this conflict Death which in Gods appoynted time will seperate thy Spirit from thy flesh the pure and regenerate part of thy soule from that part which is impure and vnregenerated The spirituall sigh vpon the second thought O Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death O my sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ thou hast redeemed me with thy precious bloud And because thou hast deliuered my soule from sinne mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I doe here from the very bottome of my heart ascribe the vvhole praise and glory of my Saluation to thy onely grace and mercy saying vvith the holy Apostle Thankes be vnto GOD which hath giuen mee the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. The third thought THinke how it behooues thee to be assured that thy soule is Christs for death hath taken sufficient gages to assure himselfe of thy body in that all thy senses beginne already to dye saue onely the sense of paine but sith the beginning of thy being beganne with paine meruaile the lesse if thy end conclude with dolours But if these temporall dolours which onely afflict the body be so painefull O Lord who can endure the deuouring fire who can abide the euerlasting burning The spirituall sigh vpon the third thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD vvho art the onely Physitian that canst ease my body from paine and restore my Soule to life eternall put thy Passion Crosse and death betwixt my Soule and thy Iudgement and let the merits of thy Obedience stand betwixt thy Fathers Iustice and my disobedience and from these bodily paines receiue my soule into thine euerlasting peace for I cry vnto thee with Stephen Lord Iesu receiue my spirit The fourth thought THinke that the worst that death can doe is but to send thy soule sooner then thy flesh would be willing to Christ and his heauenly ioyes Remember that that worst is thy best hope The worst therefore of death is rather a helpe then a harme The spirituall sigh vpon the fourth thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sauiour of all them that put their trust in thee forsake not him that in misery flieth vnto thy grace for succour and mercy Oh sound that sweet voyce in the eares of my soule which thou spokest vnto the penitent theefe on the Crosse this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise For I O Lord doe with the Apostle from my soule speake vnto thee I desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ. The fifth thought THink if thou fearest to dye that in Mount Sion there is no death for he that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer die And if thou desirest to liue without doubt the life eternall whereunto this death is but a passage surpasseth all There doe all the faithfull departed hauing ended their miseries liue with Christ in ioyes and thither shall all the godly which suruiue be gathered out of their troubles to enioy with him eternall rest The spirituall sigh on the fift thought O Lord thou seest the malice of Satan who not contenting himselfe 〈…〉 all the daâ—es and nights of our life to seek our destruction shewes himselfe most bâ—siest when thy children are weakest and neerest to their end O Lord reprooue him and preseâ—ue my Soule Hee seekes to terrifie me with death which my sins haue deserued but let thy holy spirit comfort my soule with the assurance of eternall life which thy blood hath purchased Asswage my pain encrease my patience and if it be thy blessed will end my troubles for my soule beseecheth thee with olde blessed Simeon Lâ—rd now let me thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word The sixth thought THink with thy selfe what a blessing God hath bestowed vpon thee aboue many millions of the world that whereas they are either Pagans who worship not the true GOD or Idolaters who worship the true GOD falsely Thou hast liued in a true Christian Church and hast grace to dye in the true Christian faith and to be buried in the sepulchres of Gods seruants who all waite for the hope of Israel the raising of their bodies in the resurrection of the iust The spirituall sigh vpon the sixt thought O Lord Iesus Christ who art the resurrection and the life in whom whosoeuer beleeueth shall liue though hee were dead I beleeue that whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in thee shall neuer dye I know that I shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day for I am sure that thou my Redeemer liuest And though that after my death wormes destroy this body yet I shall see thee my Lord and my God in this flesh Grant therefore O CHRIST for thy bitter death and passions sake that at that day I may bee one of them to whom thou wilt pronounce that ioyfull sentence Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world The seauenth thought THinke with thy selfe how Christ endured for thee a cursed death and the wrath of God which was due vnto thy sinnes and what terrible paines and cruell torments the Apostles and Martyrs haue voluntarily suffered for the defence of Christs faith when they might haue liued by dissembling or denying him how much more willing shouldest thou be to depart in the faith of Christ hauing lesse paines to torment thee
life When therefore thou perceiuest thy soule departing from thy body pray with thy tongue if thou canst else pray in thy heart and minde these words fixing the eyes of thy soule vpon Iesus Christ thy Sauiour A Prayer at the yeelding vp of the Ghost O Lambe of God which by thy blood hast taken away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon me a sinner Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Amen When the sicke party is departing Let the faithfull that are present kneele downe and commend his Soule to God in these or the like words O Gratious God and mercifull father who art our refuge and strength and a very present helpe in trouble lift vp the light of thy fauorable countenance at this instant vpon thy seruant that now commeth to appeare in thy presence Wash away good Lord all his sinnes by the merits of Christ Iesus blood that â—hoâ— may neuer bee laide to his charge Increase his faith preserue and keepe safe his soule from the danger of the Diuell and his wicked Angels Comfort him with thy holy spirit cause him now to feele that thou art his louing Father and that hee is thy childe by Adoption and Grace Saue O Christ the price of thine owne blood and suffer him not to be lost whom thou hast bought so dearely Receiue his Soule as thou didst the penitent theefe into thy heauenly Paradise Let thy blessed Angels conduct him thither as they carried the soule of Lazarus and grant vnto him a ioyfull resurrection at the last day O 〈◊〉 heare vs for him and heare thine owne Sonne our onely Mediator that sits at thy right hand for him and vs all euen for the merits of that bitter death and passion which he hath suffered for vs In confidence whereof we now recommend his soule into thy fatherly hands in that blessed prayer which our Sauiour hath taught vs in all times of our troubles to say vnto thee Our Father c. Thus farre of the Practise of Piety in dying in the Lord. Now followeth the Practise of Piety in dying for the Lord. THE Practise of Piety in dying for the Lord is termed Martyrdome Martyrdome is the testimony which a Christian beareth to the doctrine of the Gospell by enduring any kinde of death to inuite many and to confirme all to embrace the truth thereof To this kinde of death Christ hath promised a crowne Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life Which promise the Church so firmely beleeued that they termed Martyrdome it selfe a crowne and God to animate Christians to this excellent prize would by a prediction that Stephen the first Christian Martyr should haue his name of a crowne Of Martyrdome there are three kindes First Sola voluntate in will onely as Iohn the Euangelist who being boyled in a Cauldron of oyle came out rather annointed then sod and dyed of old age at Ephesus Secondly Solo opere in deede onely as the innocents of Bethleem Thirdly Voluntate opere both in will and deede as in the Primitiue Church Stephen Polycarpus Ignatius Laurentius Romanus Aâ—tiochianus and thousands And in our daies Cranmer Latimer Hoâ—per Ridley Farrar Bradford Philpot Sanders Glouer Tailor and others innumerable whose fierie zeale to Gods truth brought them to the flames of Martyrdome to seale Christs faith It is not the cruelty of the death but the innocency and holinesse of the cause that maketh a Martyr neither is an erronious conscience a sufficient warrant to suffer Martyrdome because Science in Gods word must direct conscience in mans heart for they who killed the Apostles in their erronious consciences thought they did God good seruice And Paul of zeale breathed out slaughters against the Lords Saints Now whether the cause of our Seminary Priests and Iesuits be so holy true and innocent as that it may warrant their conscience to suffer death to hazzard their eternall saluation thereon let Pauls Epistle written to the Ancient Christian Romans but against our new Antichristian Romanes bee iudge And it will plainely appeare that the doctrine which Saint Paul taught to the ancient Church of Rome is ex diametro opposite in â—6 fundamentall points of true Religion to that which the new Church of Rome teacheth and maintaineth For Saint Paul taught the Primitiue Church of Rome 1 That our election is of Gods free grace and not ex operibus praeuisit Rom. 9.11 Rom. 11.5.6 2 That we are iustified by faith only without good works Rom. 3.20.28 Rom. 4.2 c. Rom. 1.17 3 That the good works of the Regenerate are not of their owne condignity meritorious nor such as can deserue heauen Rom. 8.18 Rom. 11.6 Rom. 6.23 4 That those bookes onely are Gods Oracles and Canonicall Scripture which were committed to the custody and credit of the Iewes Rom. 3.2 Rom. 1.2 Rom. 16.16 such were neuer the Apocrypha 5 That the holy Scriptures haue Gods authority Rom. 9.17 Rom. 4.3 Rom. conferd Rom. 11.3.2 conferd with Gal. 3.22 Therefore aboue the authority of the Church 6 That all aswell Laity as Clergy that will be saued must familiarly read or know the holy scriptures Rom. 15.4 Rom. 10.1.2.8 Rom. 16.26 7 That all Images made of the true God are very Idols Rom. 1.23 and Rom. 2.22 conferd 8 That to bowe the knee religiously to an Image or to vvorship any Creature is meere Idolatry Rom. 11.4 and a lying seruicâ— Rom. 1.25 9 That we must not pray vnto any but to GOD onely in vvhom we beleeue Rom. 10.13.14 Rom. 8.15.27 therefore not to Saints and Angels 10 That Christ is our onely Intercessor in Heauen Rom. 8.34 Rom. 5.2 Rom. 16.27 11 That the onely Sacrifice of Christians is nothing but the spirituall sacrificing of their Soules and Bodies to serue GOD in holinesse and righteousnesse Rom. 12.1 Rom. 15.16 Therefore no reall sacrificing of Christ in the Masse 12 That the religious worship called dulia as well as lâ—tâ—iâ— belongeth to God alone Rom. 1.9 Rom. 12.11 Rom. 16.18 conferd 13 That all Christians are to pray vnto God in their owne natiue language Rom. 14.11 14 That wee haue not of our selues in the state of corruption freewill vnto good Rom. 7.18 c. Rom. 9.16 15 That Concupiscence in the Regenerate is sinne Rom. 7.7.8.10 16 That the Sacraments doe not conferre grace ex opere operato but signe and seale that it is conferred already vnto vs. Rom. 4.11.12 Rom. 2.28.29 17 That euery true beleeuing Christian may in this life be assured of his saluation Rom. 8.9.16.35 c. 18 That no man in this life since Adams Fall can perfectly fulfill the Commandements of God Rom. 7.10 c. Rom. 3.19 c. Rom. 11.32 19 That to place Religion in the difference of meates and dayes is superstition Rom. 14 3.5.6.17 23. 20 That the imputed righteousnesse of Christ is that onely that makes vs iust
before God Rom. 4.9.17.23 21 That Christs flesh was made of the Seede of Dauid by Incarnation not of a wafer-cake by Transubstantiation Rom. 1.3 22 That all true Christians are Saints and not those whom the Pope onely doth canonize Rom. 1.7 Rom. 8.27 Rom. 15.31 Rom. 16.2 and 15. Rom. 15.25 c. 23 That Ipse Christ the God of Peace and not Ipsâ— the Woman should bruise the Serpents head Rom. 16.20 24 That euery Soule must of conscience be subiect and pay Tribute to the Higher Powers that is the Magistrates which beare the sword Rom. 13 1.2 c. and therefore the Pope and all Prelates must be subiect to their Emperour Kings Magistrates vnlesse they will bring damnation vpon their Soules as Traitors that resist God and his Ordinance Rom. 13.2 25 That Paul not Peter vvas ordayned by the grace of God to be the chiefe Apostle of the Gentiles and consequently of Rome the chiefe Citie of the Gentiles Rom. 15.15.16.19.20 c. Rom. 11.13 Rom. 16.4 26 That the Church of Rome may erre and fall away from the true Faith as well as the Church of Ierusalem or any other particular Church Rom. 11.20.21.22 And seeing the new vpstart Church of Rome teacheth in all these and in innumerable other points cleane contrary to that which the Apostles taught the Primitiue Romanes let GOD and this Epistle iudge betwixt them and vs whether of vs both standâ— in the true auncient Catholike Faith which the Apostle taught the old Romanes And whether wee haue not done well to depart from them so farre as they haue departed from the Apostles doctrine and whether it be not better to returne to S. Pauls truth then still to continue in Romes error And if this be true then let Iesuites and Seminary Priests take heede and feare least it be not faith but faction not truth but treason not religion but rebellion beginning at Tyber and ending at Tyburne vvhich is the cause of their deaths And being sent from a troublesome Apostaticall See rather then from a peaceable Apostolicall Seate because they cannot be suffered to perswade Subiect to breake their Oathes and to with-draw their Alleageance from their Soueraigne to raise rebellion to moue inuasion to stab and poyson Queenes to kill and murther Kings to blow vp whole States with Gun-powder they desperately cast away their owne bodies to be hanged and quartered and their soules saued if they belong to GOD I wish such honour to all his Saints that sends them And I haue iust cause to feare that the miracles of Lypsius two Ladyes Bluntstones Boy Garnets Straw and the Maides fiery Apron will not suffice to cleare that these men are not murtherers of themselues rather then Martyrs of Christ. And with what Conscience can any Papist count Garnet a Martyr vvhen his owne Conscience forced him to confesse that it was for treason and not for Religion that hee dyed But if the Priests of such a Gun-powder Gospell be Martyrs I maruell who are Murtherers If they be Saints who are Scythians and who are Canibals if they be Catholikes But leauing these let vs to whose fidelitie the Lord hath committed his true faith as a precious depositâ—â— pray vnto GOD that vvee may leade a holy life answerable to our holy Faith in Pietie to Christ and obedience to our King that if our Sauiour shall euer count vs worthy that honour to suffer martyrdome for his Gospels sake be it by open burning at the Stake as in Queene Maries dayes or by secret murthering as in the Inquisition house or by outragious massacring as in the Parrisian Matâ—ens we may haue Grace to pray for the assistance of his holy Spirit so to strengthen our frailty and to defend his cause as that vvee may seale vvith our deaths the Euangelicall truth which wee haue professed in our liues That in the dayes of our liues we may be blessed by his Word In the day of death be blessed in the Lord and in the day of Iudgement be the blessed of his Father Euen so grant Lord IESVS Amen A diuine Colloquie betweene the Soule and her Sauiour concerning the effectuall merits of his dolorous passion Soule LORD wherefore didst thou wash thy Disciples feet Chr. To teach thee how thou shouldest prepare thy selfe to come to my Supper S. Lord why wouldest thou wash them thy selfe C. To teach thee Humilitie if thou wilt be my Disciple S. Lord wherefore didst thou before thy death institute thy last Supper C. That thou mightest the better remember my death and be assured that all the merits thereof are thine S. Lord wherfore wouldest thou goe tâ— such a place where Iudas knew to finde thee C. That thou mightest know that I went as willingly to suffer for thy sinne as euer thou went est to any place to commit a sinne S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou beginne thy Passion in a Garden C. Because that in a Garden thy sinne tooke first beginning S. Lord wherefore did thy three select Disciples fall so fast a sleepe when thou beganst to fall into thy agony C. To shew that I alone wrought the worke of thy Redemption S. Lord why were there so many plots and snares layed for thee C. That I might make thee to escape all the snares of thy ghostly hunter S. Lord why wouldest thou suffer Iudas betraying thee to kisse thee C. That by enduring the words of dissembling lips I might there begin to expiate sin where Satan first brought it into the world S. Lord why wouldest thou be sold for 30. peeces of siluer C. That I might free thee from perpetuall bondage S. Lord why didst thou pray with such strong crying and teares C. That I might quench the furie of Gods iustice which was so fiercely kindled against thee S. Lord why wast thou so afraid and cast into such an agony C. That suffering the wrath due to thy sinnes thou mightest be more secure in thy death and finde more comfort in thy crosses S. Lord wherefore didst thou pray so oft and so earnest that the Cup might passe from thee C. That thou mightest perceiue the horror of that curse and wrath which being due to thy sinnes I was then to drinke and endure for thee S. Lord wherefore didst thou after thy wish submit thy will to the will of thy father C. To teach thee what thou shouldest doe in all thy afflictions and how willingly thou shouldest yeeld to beare with patience that crosse which thou seest to come from the iust hand of thy heauenly Father S. Lord wherefore diddest thou sweat such drops of water and bloud C. That I might cleanse thee from thy staines and bloudy spots S. Lord why wouldest thou be taken when thou mightest haue escaped thine enemies C. That thy spirituall enemies should not take thee and cast thee into the
badnesse thy iustice and my iniustice the impiety of my flesh the piety of thy nature And now O blessed Lord that thou hast endured all this for my sake What shall I render vnto thee for all thy benefits bestowed vpon me a sinfull soule Indeede Lord I acknowledge that I owe thee already for my creation more then I am able to pay for I am in that respect bound with all my powers and affections to loue and to adore thee If I owed my selfe vnto thee for giuing me my selfe in my creation what shall I now render vnto thee for giuing thy selfe for me to so cruell a death to procure my Redemption Great was the benefit that thou wouldest create mee of nothing but what tongue can sufficiently expresse the greatnesse of this grace that thou didst redeeme mee with so deere a price when I was worse then nothing Surely O Lord if I cannot pay the thanks which I owe thee and who can pay thee who bestowest thy graces without either respect of merit or regard of measure It is the aboundance of thy blessings that makes me such a bankerupt that I am so farre vnable to pay the principall that I cannot possibly pay so much as the interest of thy loue But O my Lord thou knowest that since the losse of thine image by the fall of my first vnhappy parents I cannot loue thee with all my might and my minde as I should Therefore as thou didst first cast thy loue vpon mee when I was a childe of wrath and the lumpe of the lost and condemned world so now I beseech thee shed abroad thy loue by thy spirit through all my faculties and affections that though I can neuer pay thee in that measure of loue which thou hast deserued yet I may endeauour to repay thee in such a manner as thou vouchsafest to accept in mercy that I may in truth of heart loue my neighbour for thy sake and loue thee aboue all for thine owne sake Let nothing be pleasant vnto me but that which is pleasing vnto thee And sweet Sauiour suffer me neuer to be lost nor cast away whom thou hast bought so dearely with thine own most precious blood O Lord let me neuer forget thine infinite loue and this vnspeakeable benefit of my redemption without which it had beene better for me neuer to haue been then to haue any being And seeing that thou hast vouchsafed me the assistance of thy holy spirit suffer me O heauenly Father who art the Father of spirits in the mediation of thy Sonne to speake a few words in the eares of my Lord. If thou O Father despisest mee for mine iniquities as I haue deserued yet be mercifull vnto me for the merits of thy Sonne who so much for me hath suffered What if thou seest nothing in me but misery which might moue anger and passion Yet behold the merits of thy Sonne and thou shalt see enough to moue thee to mercy and compassion Behold the mystery of his incarnation and remit the misery of my transgression And as oft as the wounds of thy Sonne appeare in thy sight Oh let the woes of my sinnes be hid from thy presence As oft as the rednesse of his bloud glisters in thine eyes Oh let the guiltinesse of my sinnes bee blotted out of thy Booke The wantonnesse of my flesh prouoked thee vnto wrath Oh let the chastitie of his flesh perswade thee vnto mercy that as my flesh seduced me to sinne so his flesh may reduce me vnto thy fauour My disobedience hath deserued a great reuenge but his obedience merits a greater waight of mercy for what can man deserue to suffer which GOD made man cannot merit to haue forgiuen When I consider the greatnesse of thy passion then doe I see the truenesse of that saying that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue the chiefest sinners Dar'st thou then O Caine say that thy sins are greater then may be forgiuen Thou liest like a murderer The mercies of one Christ are able to forgiue a whole world of Caines if they will beleeue and repent The sinnes of all sinners are finite the mercies of GOD are infinite Therefore O Father for the bitter death and blody passion sake which thy son Iesus Christ hath suffered for me and I haue now remembred vnto thee pardon and forgiue thou vnto me all my sins and deliuer me from the curse and vengeance which they haue iustly deserued And through his merites make me O Lord a partaker of thy mercy It is thy mercy that I so earnestly knocke for Neither shal mine importunity cease to call and knocke with the man that would borrow the loaues vntill thou arise and open vnto me thy gates of grace And if thou wilt not bestow on me the loaues yet O Lord deny mee not the crummes of thy mercy and those shal suffice thy hungry handmaide And seeing thou requirest nothing for all thy benefits but that I loue thee in the truth of my inward heart whereof a nâ—w creature is the truest outward testimony and that it is as easie for thee to make me a new creature as to bid me to be such Create in me O Christ a new heart and renew in me a right spirit and then thou shalt see how mortifying old Adam and his corrupt lusts I wil serue thee as thy new creature in a new life after a new way with a new tongue and new manners with new words and new works to the glory of thy Name and the winning of other sinfull soules vnto thy Faith by my deuoute example Keepe me for euer O my Sauiour from the torments of Hell and tyranny of the Diuell And when I am to depart this life send thy holy Angels to carry mee as they did the soule of Lazarus into thy kingdome Receiue me then into that most ioyful paradise which thou didst promise vnto the penitent theefe which at his last gaspe vpon the Crosse so deuoutly begged thy mercy and admission into thy kingdome Grant this O Christ for thine owne names sake to whom as it is most due I ascribe all glory and honour praise and dominion both now and for euer Amen FINIS Errata GEntle Reader some faults haue escaped vnespied they are not many Where thou meetest them lend thy helping hand to mend them these few especially Page 49. line 18. read differs not pag. 3â—3 in 〈◊〉 Egoâ— Ego pag. 63â— last line as 〈…〉 pag. 68â— li. 16. for internall reâ— integrall FINIS a 1 Tim. 6.15 Apoc. 17.14 b 1 Sam. 20 20. c 2 Chron. 34.3 * Qui monet vt facias quod iam facis ipse monendo laudat hortatu coÌ„probat actae suo d Cor. 8.7 Mat. 25.1 c. 2 Tim. 3.4 * ExempluÌ„ accidit Domino testâ— muâ—ieris quae Theatrum aeâ—â—ijâ— inde cum Daemonio redijâ— Itaque in eâ—orcismo cùm oneraretur immundus spiritus quod ausus est fideâ—em aggredi constantèr iustissimè quidem inquit feci
him briefly these or the like questions Questions to be asked of a sicke man that is like to die DOest thou beleeue that Almighty God the Trinity of Persons in vnity of Essence hath by his power made heauen and earth and all things therein and that he doth still by his diuine prouidence gouerne the same So that nothing comes to passe in the world nor to thy selfe but what his diuine hand and counsell had determined before to be done Doest thou confesse that thou hast transgressed and broken the holy commandements of Almighty God in thought word and deede and hast deserued for breaking his holy lawes the Curse of God which containeth all the miseries of this life and euerlasting torments in Hell fire when this life is ended if so be that GOD should deale with thee according to thy deserts 3 Art thou not sorry in thy heart that thou hast so broken his Lawes and neglected his seruice and worship and so much followed the world and thine owne vaine pleasures And wouldest thou not leade a holier life if thou wert to begin againe 4 Doest thou not from thy heart desire to be reconciled vnto GOD in Iesus Christ his blessed sonne thy Mediator who is at the right hand of God in heauen now appearing for thee in the sight of God and making request vnto him for thy Soule 5 Doest thou renounce all confidence in all other Mediators or Intercessors Saints or Angels beleeuing that Iesus Christ the only Mediator of the new Testament is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them And wilt thou with Dauid say vnto Christ Whom haue I in heauen but thee And there is none vpon earth that I desire besides thee 6 Doest thou confidently beleeue and hope to be saued by the onely merits of that bloody death and passion which thy Sauiour Iesus Christ hath suffered for thee not putting any hope of saluation in thine owne merits nor in any other meanes or creatures being assuredly perswaded that there is not saluation in any other And that there is none other name vnder heauen whereby thou must be saued 7 Doest thou heartily forgiue all vvrongs and offences done or offered vnto thee by any manner of person whatsoeuer And doest thou as willingly from thy heart aske forgiuenesse of them whom thou hast grieuously wronged in word or deede And dost thou cast out of thy heart all malice and hatred which thou hast borne to any body that thou maist appeare before the face of Christ the Prince of Peace in perfect loue and charitie 8 Doth thy Conscience tell thee of any thing which thou hast wrongfully taken and dost still with-hold from any Widow or fatherlesse children or from any other person whomsoeuer Be assured that vnlesse thou shalt restore like Zacheus those goods and Land if thou be able thou canst not truely repent and without true repentance thou canst not be saued nor looke CHRIST in the face when thou shalt appeare before his Iudgement-seate 9 Doest thou firmely beleeue that thy body shall be raised vp out of the Graue at the sound of the last Trumpet And that thy body and soule shall be vnited together againe in the Resurrection day to appeare before the Lord Iesus Christ and thence to goe vvith him into the Kingdome of Heauen to liue in euerlasting blisse and glory If the sicke party shall answere to all these questions like a faithfull Christian then let all who are present ioyne together and pray for him in these or the like words A Prayer to be said for the sicke by them who visite him O Mercifull Father who art the Lord and giuer of life and to whom belongs the issues of death we thy children here assembled doe acknowledge that in respect of our manifolde sinnes vvee are not worthy to aske any blessing for our selues at thy hands much lesse to become suiters to thy Maiestie in the behalfe of others yet because thou hast commanded vs to pray one for another especially for the sicke and hast promised that the prayers of the righteous shall auaile much with thee In the Obedience therefore of thy Commandement and confidence of thy gracious promise we are bold to become humble suiters vnto thy diuine Maiestie in the behalfe of this our deere Brother or Sister vvhom thou hast visited vvith the chastisement of thine owne fatherly hand Wee could gladly wish the restitution of his health and a longer continuance of his life and Christian Fellowship amongst vs but for as much as it appeareth as farre as wee can discerne that thou hast appointed by this visitation to call for him out of this mortall life wee submit our wils to thy blessed will and humbly entreate for Iesus Christ his sake and the merits of his bitter death and Passion which hee hath suffered for him that thou wouldst pardon and forgiue vnto him all his sinnes as vvell that wherein he was conceiued and borne as also all the offences and transgressions which euer since to this day and houre hee hath committed in thought word and deede against thy diuine Maiestie Cast them behinde thy back remoue them as farre from thy presence as the East is from the West Blot them out of thy remembrance lay them not to his charge vvash them away vvith the bloud of Christ that they may no more be seene and deliuer him from all the Iudgements which are due vnto him for his sinnes that they may neuer trouble his conscience nor rise in iudgement against his Soule and impute vnto him the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ wherby hee may appeare righteous in thy sight And in his extremitie at this time vvee beseech thee looke downe from heauen vpon him with those Eyes of Grace and compassion wherewith thou art vvont to looke vpon thy Children in their affliction and miserie Pittie thy wounded seruant like the good Samaritane for here is a sicke Soule that needeth the helpe of such a heauenly Physitian O Lord encrease his Faith that hee may beleeue that Christ dyed for him and that his bloud cleanseth him from all his sinnes and eyther asswage his paine or else encrease his patience to endure thy blessed vvill and pleasure And good Lord lay no more vpon him then thou shalt enable him to beare Heaue him vp vnto thy selfe with those sighes and groanes vvhich cannot be expressed Make him now to feele vvhat is the hope of his Calling and vvhat is the exceeding greatnesse of thy Mercy and power towards them that beleeue in thee And in his weakenesse O Lord shew thou thy strength Defend him against the suggestions and temptations of Sathan who as hee hath all his life time will now in his weakenesse especially seeke to assaile him and to deuoure him Oh saue his soule and reproue Satan command thy holy Angels to be about him to aide him to chase away