the whole world but they would presently cut off all delaies which in good things are alwaies exceeding dangerous and seeke diligently by all meanes to leade their liues in that manner and so to secure their estate that in death they might haue assurance that they should not die but liue hauing their soules translated and carried though not by firie chariots as Elias was yet by the hands of those heauenlie Angels which continually waite and attend vpon them from earth to heauen from this vale of miserie to that place of endlesse glorie and happinesse O Lord keepe me from that extreame follie and simplicitie of the wicked whom Satan hath so deceiued and deluded that they should be carelesse of that which most neerly concernes them euen their future and eternall estate after this life which depends vpon the course of their life lead in this world which is short and momentarie Let it bee my care and endeuour euery day to seeke by a holy conuersation to be assured of the certaintie of my election and of my blessed and happie estate after this life euen my future glorification in thy kingdom that so I may be alwaies prepared and rest continually in a ioyfull hope and expectation of the accomplishment and fulfilling of thy gratious promise Freewill IT is a vaine thing to thinke that a man hath freewill vnto that which is good As well maist thou perswade me that a stone can moue it selfe or that a dead bodie can raise it selfe out of the graue Except the Lord put to his hand wee can neuer moue our selues no not to one good motion one good thought or desire much lesse giue our selues to the constant practise of that which is good Except the Lord put new life into vs except he quicken vs with his spirit we are al but dead men and shall lie in our graues vntill we be awaked vnto iudgement O Lord the fountaine of grace and life doe thou quicken me so shall I liue do thou lift me vp so shall I rise out of the graue of sinne and death Doe thou draw me so shall I come vnto thee yea so shall I euen runne with libertie in all the waies of thy commandements Heare me O Lord and help me for in thee doe I trust in whom onely I liue moue and haue my being and without whom all my life is but death Without thee I can doe nothing In thee and by thee all things What worship God especially requireth MAny performe outward worship and seruice vnto God few that which is inâ—ard Both are required but the latter is chiefly necessarie without which the former though commanded is neither pleasing nor acceptable yea vile and abominable vnto him that hath alwaies loathed such dead carcases such liuelesse sacrifices Lord giue me grace alwaies to offer vnto thee a whole burnt offering to serue thee as in bodie which thou hast made for that end so especially in spirit and in truth so shall I not bee reproued yea then thou wilt accept both of me and of all my sacrifices and be exceeding gracious and mercifull vnto me aboue that I can expect or desire Christians are willingly to resigne themselues and all that they enioy to Gods will ALL those things which wee enioy in this world are not our owne but Gods he gaue them to vs to vse and at his pleasure he may call for them and cause vs to restore them to him againe since he alone hath absolute right and interest in them Whiles wee haue them wee are to haue a care to vse them well and not to neglect them or to bee regardlesse of them We ought to vse them and yet not so to vse them as if they were our own but lent vnto vs by another of whom we haue receiued them When hee taketh them from vs we are willingly to restore them and readily without any murmuring or repining to part with them sith they were but lent vnto vs for a time for our conuenient or necessarie vse and are now called for againe by the right owner of them so that to bee vnwilling to returne them at his commaund is not neither ought to bee otherwise esteemed of vs then as the vsurping or violent detaining of another mans goods against his will and pleasure euen theft and robberie against the highest What meaneth it theÌ„ that many are so loth to restore the things which God hath giuen them the vse of for a while and now requireth of them againe What meanes it that many are so grieued to part with those things which the Lord hath lent them vntil such time as he should call for them Yea why is it that many complaine so grieuously as if they were greatly iniured or had very hard measure offered vnto them when the Lord taketh from them their wiues their children their friends their goods their lands liuings or their life it selfe Are they their owne and not Gods Why then should they sinne against him by repining that they cannot keepe them against his will Hath he giuen vnto them the vse of them thus long doth he now call for them and require them againe of them Why then should they not with al willingnes and thankfulnes restore them acknowledging themselues much indebted vnto him for the fruition of them and the benefit they haue receiued by them hitherto O Lord thou hast freely and most graciouslie vouchsafed many blessings and benefits vnto me euen in the things of this world the least whereof I am altogether vnworthie of thou hast giuen me life health friends and a competencie of these earthly things which in wisedome thou sawest to bee conuenient for me thou art the author and giuer of them as of all other things which are good Whiles it pleaseth thee to continue them vnto me for my vse giue me grace to vse them soberly in a sanctified manner so as may be most for thy glorie and my comfort both here and hereafter wheÌ„ it shall please thee to take theÌ„ away from me and to depriue me either of any or of all of them grant that I may with a willing minde and with a thankfull heart returne them againe vnto thee saying with that faithfull and constant seruant of thine whom thou hast made a paterne and president vnto me Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither euen into the bellie of the earth which is the mother of vs all the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord. Forgiuing of others how necessary for all men HE can neuer truely and freely forgiue those that offend and iniurie him that hath not first tasted of the infinite loue and fauour of God in Christ towards him in the forgiuenes of those manifold sinnes and innumerable and most grieuous offeÌ„ces whereby he hath displeased and prouoked him But he that hath a true apprehension and a liuely sense and feeling hereof in his owne soule
our best friends and louingst companions who expect looke continuallie for our comming into that heauenly citie that celestiall mansion the place where they we are to rest remain with our Sauiour in the presence of that glorious God for euer to be partakers of that felicity blessednes which is vnspeakable and glorious Why then doe we not weane our selues from the world why do we settle our selues here where our rest is not yea why are we so loth to leaue this drie and barren wildernesse where we liue among strangers that know vs not yea amongst many wild and sauage creatures who seeke to do vs all the mischiefe they can O Lord raise vp my thoughts and the affections of my heart vnto those things which are aboue vnto those things which concerne my future estate in thy kingdom let it be continually the earnest desire of my heart to be with thee my God in the heauens there to behold thy face in glory for euer and to haue the full fruition of that sweet and comfortable fellowship and communion of my Sauiour and of all the Saints Angels wherein consists true happinesse and blessednesse Death alwaies to be remembred MAny liue as if they shold neuer die they remember not the euill daies that shall come vpon them and the yeares which shall approch wherein they shall say We haue no pleasure in them They consider not how their eyes shall waxe dimme their eares deafe their tongues speechles yea how their spirits all their senses shall faile them and all those worldlie helpes wherein now they rest and comfort themselues vtterly forsake them O Lord teach thou me to number my daies that I may applie my heart vnto wisdome Let me alwaies be mindfull of my end consider seriously of my frailetie mortalitie that so when death cōmeth which continually waiteth vpon me it may not find me vnprepared but that in the last houre the verie remembrance whereof is bitter vnto many I may find sound comfort and be translated out of this vale of teares this place of mourning where I am compassed about with sinne and miserie into the kingdome of thy deare Sonne and my blessed Sauiour and so be made partaker of that glorious and immortall inheritance which thou reseruest for vs euen for all thy Saints in the highest heauens the place where thou dwellest in glorie and maiestie and where we shall liue and raigne with thee eternallie What maner of life it becommeth Christians to leade THe heathen could say that if men as it is meet they should would haue this alwaies in their minds that they were made of God himselfe in regard of the better part which is the soule and spirit that God was their father he doubted not but they would leade a life beseeming their estate and condition that they would do nothing whereby they might shew themselues to be base degenerate such as in whom there were no resemblance of that diuine and heauenly nature Me thinks many that are Christians at least in name and profession should blush when they reade when they heare this They call God father and thinke themselues much wronged if any should tell them that they were not his children and that not onelie by creation as the heathen are but also in a more speciall maner by grace and adoption through Christ and yet behold many of them are not ashamed of that vilenesse and basenesse in their behauiour their actions liues and practises which the pagans and heathen themselues were ashamed of and haue condemned as by their liues so also by their writings thereby setting a brand of iust reproch and eternall infamie vpon the foreheads of such fained counterfet Christians who are the staine of true religion and christianity such as though they think that of right they may claime this title to themselues to be the chosen people of God those to whom he hath giuen the name priuiledge of his owne sonnes yet in verie deed are the children of the diuell seuen-fold more then the heathen themselues who knew not God in Christ O mercifull Lord grāt I humblie beseech thee that as I call thee father and beleeue and acknowledge my selfe to be thine owne adopted sonne through thy Christ in whom thou hast freely loued and elected me from eternitie so also I may haue grace from thee for thy gift onelie it is not to fashion my selfe like vnto the wicked and vngodly the men of this world that I may not be like vnto them in those vaine courses wherein they walke and delight themselues but that I may alwaies do those things which are beseeming my calling and profession as acknowledging thee to be my father and glorying in this that I am thy sonne so liuing and ordering my selfe as it becommeth thy sonne euen shining forth in all holinesse of life and godly conuersation to the glory of thy name the peace and comfort of mine owne conscience and to the good example of others whom thou hast aduanced vnto the same profession which is so glorious Gods patience in bearing with sinners IT is a wonder that the Sunne which is a witnesse of so many and so enormous sinnes and wickednesses as are committed vpon the earth standeth so long in the heauens and giueth light vnto the world that the heauens are not dissolued and that the elements melt not that the waters ouerflow not and ouerwhelme vs yea that Christ that iust and righteous Iudge of the whole world commeth not in flaming fire to burne vp this earth with all the workes therein which are polluted defiled with our sins It is thy mercie O Lord that we are not consumed O be thou patient towards vs who cease not to prouoke thee daily Let thy good spirit still striue with vs yea draw vs vnto thee with the consideration of thy lenitie and the riches of thy bountifulnesse that so thy long sufferance may be vnto vs saluation euen an effectuall meanes to winne vs vnto the loue and obedience of thy maiestie and so in the end to bring vs to eternall life and happinesse in the heauens The soule how it is to be fitted and prepared for the entertainment of so glorious a guest as the holy Ghost is IF thou wert to entertaine some honourable personage how carefull wouldst thou be to make such preparation and prouision for him that he might be receiued in that maner that were fit for his place and estate how much more carefull sollicitous then oughtest thou to be to prepare the secret lodgings of thy heart and soule to see that nothing be out of order in thy whole man that no vncleannesse nor any thing which is any way polluted remaine within thee who art to receiue and to entertaine so honourable a guest euen the holy spirit of the most high God and to become a temple for so great and so glorious a presence to dwell in for euer O heauenly Father purifie my
heart with the sprinkling of the blood of that immaculate lambe Christ Iesus the righteous purge me daily more and more from all my corruptions euen those which are most secret and open to the view of none but of thy all-seeing maiestie whose eye pierceth thorough all things and seeth and discerneth perfectlie those things which are hid from the sight of men and which we our selues are ignorant of Cleanse me both in soule in bodie and in spirit from the filthinesse of all sinne and iniquitie and from the staine of all inbred corruption and so sanctifie me throughout with thy grace that I may be a fit temple and mansion for thy holy spirit to rest in yea that thou maist delight to remaine to abide and to dwell with me for euer which is the onely happinesse and felicitie which my soule desireth and longeth for and which I know assuredly thou who hast promised it wilt not denie vnto me Grieuing of the spirit of God THou art vnwilling to giue iust occasion wherby thy kind friend might be grieued and so for thy vnkind dealing with him be moued to leaue thee and depart from thee in displeasure hauing no delight no desire to return any more vnto thee no scarcely though he be much sought vnto and intreated with great importunitie Why then dost thou daily and hourely deale so vnkindly with thy best friend why dost thou grieue the spirit of God which is the onely comforter and without whom thou canst neuer haue anie true peace or contentment in any estate or condition of life Why dost thou continually offer him so iust cause to turn away from thee yea to remoue farre off and to denie any more to visite thee with that gratious and comfortable presence of his though thou shouldest hereafter neuer so oft and so earnestly seeke and sue vnto him O my God forgiue me my sins whereby I haue heretofore grieued that holy spirit of thine by whom thou hast sealed me and assured me of those gracious promises which thou hast made vnto me in thy Christ Forgiue me those manifold sinnes and trangressions whereby I haue from time to time most grieuously displeased and prouoked thy maiestie who hast continually shewed thy selfe euery way so good and so kinde vnto me Hide thy face from them and let them neuer come into thy remembrance to be a meanes to cause thee as iustlie thou maist to depart and to take thy spirit from me lest I die and perish But notwithstanding my vndeseruednesse for thy promise sake doe thou stil in mercie vouchsafe freely to continue thy wonted and accustomed loue and kindnesse vnto me Giue me not onely the presence but also the grace and comfort of thy spirit yea let it alwaies rest and remaine with me that so my spirit may liue and praise thee O Lord this I know that nothing but my sinnes can hinder this goodnes and blessing of thine from me forget therefore I pray thee my sins past couer my sinnes present and keepe me from falling into sinne hereafter and then I am assured that thy blessed and gratious spirit shall dwell with me and comfort me both now and euer according vnto thy promise Spirituall desertions THe Sunne may be eclipsed for a while by the interposition of the thicke duskie bodie of the Moone but that being remoued it will quickly cause the bright beams therof to shine forth again vnto the world The Lord may hide his face from me for a time by reason of my sinnes which onely can make a separation and diuision betweene him and me and cause him to withdraw the light of his gracious countenance from me but sure I am that he will neuer vtterly forsake me for his foundation is surely laide his loue and grace is vnchangeable He hath been once nay often gracious vnto me and will continue so for euer O my God keepe me from sinning against thee so shall the light of thy countenance shine alwaies vpon me so shall I feele the comfort of thy presence remaining with me in life in death after death euen for euer The truth and faithfulnesse of God in performing his promises THe Lord is mercifull in promising and true in performing whatsoeuer he hath promised vnto his children We haue no other title to the least of Gods blessings but euen this his mercie and truth to claime them by and hauing that wee need no other O Lord although my sinnes are many and grieuous and might iustlie cause thee to withdraw all thy mercies and fauours from me and to denie any more to be gracious vnto me yet Lord thy truth and faithfulnesse indure for euer O thinke vpon thy couenant and according to thy mercie do thou alwaies remember me and looke vpon me Euen for thy promise sake haue mercie vpon me and notwithstanding my sinnes call for iudgement yet doe thou continue still to be good and gracious vnto me in the supplie of thy manifold blessings and mercies The comfort of a good conscience especially in death A Good conscience is a continuall feast as in and thoroughout the whole life time so especiallie in the houre and in the verie agonie and pang of death With what sweet pleasant food of diuine consolation doth it then feed the soule refresh the mind when all other comforts faile and become as running streames dried vp in the heate of summer nothing then will afford the like comfort vnto this Wouldst thou see this as it were in a glasse clearely represented vnto thy view Suppose that euen now thou sawest one lying at the point of death vpon the bed of his sorrowes readie to take his last farewell of the world to lay downe his bodie in the dust where he should haue corruption to be his father and the crawling worme his mother and his sister and the graue his house and dwelling place for a long season whiles his soule being separated from his bodie should depart into a farre countrie Suppose now at this instant thou sawest one in this estate as thus most certaine it shall be with thee with me with all of vs what thinkest thou would be the greatest comfort vnto him what is it that would most refresh him and cheere him vp Fine fare or sweete iuncats Alas he takes no pleasure in them he cannot tast them though they be neuer so daintie or if he could yet should hee take no delight nor finde any sweetnesse in them for it is his soule that now hungers and thirsts and seeks for comfort whiles his bodie is almost senselesse He desireth he looketh for spirituall foode wherewith his fainting soule and languishing spirits may be fed and refreshed and not for corporall yea that is loathsome vnto him Sweet musicke and delightsome melodie Alas the daughters of singing are now abased he is almost past hearing and though he could heare it neuer so well yet it would not be any refreshing vnto him he could not solace himselfe in it yea rather
or worthinesse of mine owne but onely in thy mercie O Lord and in the al-sufficient merits of thy Christ my Lord and blessed Sauiour who hath giuen himselfe to death for me and powred foorth his pretious blood vpō the crosse to make full satisfaction for me and to reconcile me vnto thy Maiestie Loe therefore I doe humbly prostrate my self O Lord before the throne of thy grace and mercy in Christ Iesus I doe renounce my self and vtterly disclaime mine owne righteousnes acknowledging it to bee but as a stained and polluted cloth and desire only to appeare before thee in that righteousnesse of thy Sonne and to be found in him whom alone thou hast made vnto mee wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Were it not that I had comfort in this I should be of all creatures the most miserable yea had I not trusted herein I had long since perished and bin vtterly confounded Behold mee therefore O gracious God and louing Father behold me with the eye of thy mercie Looke vpon mee not as I am in my selfe all stained and defiled with sinne and iniquitie but in thy Sonne euen that iust and holy one who only is my righteousnesse and my saluation and in whom alone I do and will trust both in life and in death Accept therefore of me graciously in him Clothe and couer me with the pure and spotlesse garments of his righteousnes and holinesse that so the filthinesse of my pollution may neuer appeare in thy sight who art of so pure eyes that all sinne is an abomination vnto thee let the merit of his obedience of his death and passion whereby he offered himselfe a sacrifice pleasing and acceptable and of sweete smelling sauour vnto thee for all thy chosen and redeemed ones be a full satisfaction for me and for all my sinnes though neuer so many and so grieuous Let me through faith in him be made partaker of his puritie of his innocencie of his righteousnes of his holinesse and of his perfection that so howsoeuer I am in my selfe vncleane sinfull vnrighteous vnholy and full of manifold infirmities and imperfections yet in him and through him I may appeare in thine eyes pure as he is pure innocent as he is innocent righteous as he is righteous holy as hee is holy and perfect as he is perfect and being accepted into thy grace and fauour through him in this life may haue cōfort and confidence in death and in the day of iudgement and liue with thee in glorie in the life to come together with Christ my Sauiour redeemer and with thy blessed Spirit and with all thy Saints and elect Angels in that kingdome which thou hast prepared and of which I rest in cōtinuall hope and expectation desirous of the accōplishment of thy promise which is endlesse blessednes and felicitie A comfort for afflicted consciences THere is none that receiueth a great measure of spirituall comfort and diuine consolation whereby his spirits are cheered and his soule refreshed and filled with inward ioy and gladnes but he hath vsually some grieuous temptation either going before or following after it Thus the Lord doth ordinarily deale with his children there are none of his Saints but haue experience of it in themselues The Lord doth not alwaies cause the ioyfull light of his cheerfull countenance to shine cleerely vpon them he doth not alwaies fill their hearts with that peace which passeth all vnderstanding or rauish their soules with that inward and spiritual ioy and comfort which is vnspeakable and glorious neither doth hee alwaies absent himselfe or hide the brightnes of his face from them but sometimes he doth graciously visite them and causeth them to taste abundantlie of the sweetnes of his kindnesse his mercie and goodnesse so that they are exceedingly refreshed and feele such diuine and heauenly comfort and inward solace as that they are not able outwardly to expresse it and sometimes again as though hee had forgotten them he seemeth to hide and to absent himselfe from them and suffereth them to be assailed with some grieuous temptation so that their day is turned into night their light into darknesse their ioy and gladnes into sorrow and heauinesse And this the Lord doth that he may cause them to acknowledge this to be his gift euen that inward spirituall comfort wherewith their spirits doe reioyce before him and therefore to be thankfull vnto him whē they receiue it or haue a more especiall sense and feeling of it as also to make them to depend wholly vpon him who is the life of their soules and without whom there can bee no true solace no found ioy and withall to exercise their faith their hope and their loue the proofe whereof is seene in those spirituall desertions O Lord God if it be thy will let thy spirit of peace and cōfort alwaies rest vpon me let me taste cōtinually of the sweetnes of thy mercies wherewith thou art wont to refresh the soules of thy seruants after that they haue been wearied and oppressed with any grieuous affliction or temptation but if it seeme good vnto thee for the triall of my faith and for the exercise of the graces of thy spirit in me to withhold at any time this blessing for a while from me and to depriue me of the liuely sense and feeling of spirituall and diuine consolation yet let me not faint but rest in hope and expect with patience the time of thy gratious and heauenly visitation with which according vnto thy promise thou wilt refresh and comfort me giuing vnto me the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse that so thy name may bee glorified of mee in the thankfull acknowledgement of thy goodnes towards me The Christians glorious conquest THere is none that can attaine vnto so great a conquest in this world as a true Christian Hee through the grace which hee receiueth from Christ who daily assisteth him and is alwaies present with him sustaining him with his effectuall power is able to doe more then all the greatest Monarchs or mightiest Potentates in the earth can possibly doe of their own strength yea though they gather all their forces together For he doth not only conquer himselfe and subdue his own lusts which rebell against the spirit of his minde but also he ouercommeth this world yea the prince thereof euen Satan himselfe with all those spirituall wickednesses which raigne in others and haue thē continually in subiection vnder them O Lord without thee I am able to do nothing with thy helpe there is nothing but shall bee easie vnto me Let it please thee continually to assist mee with thy grace and to strengthen mee with thy mightie power that so I may daily see all mine enemies more and more subdued vnto mee and hauing gotten the victorie and conquest of them in this life may hereafter receiue that crowne of life which thou hast promised vnto all thē that ouercome liuing
paths of mine owne feete let me feare mine owne waies and suspect the worst of my selfe in all my actions being priuie vnto those secret corruptiōs which lie lurking within me and both thinke and hope the best of others because I know not what thy worke is or may be in them yea let me alwaies be ready to iudge accuse and condemne my selfe and euen in my thoughts to excuse and acquit others by making a fauourable interpretation of all their doings vntill such time as thou doest manifest giue cleere euidence that they are such as are not to be approoued Thus I shall please thee and not sinne against those towards whom I ought alwaies to bee charitably affected and free from all ill suspition and wicked surmizes Why the Lord suffereth oft times the infirmities of his children to be knowne to others IT is a meanes oft times to make a mā the more hūble to know that others are priuie vnto his wants his weaknesses and infirmities which hee was desirous to keepe secret to perceiue that the sores and blemishes of his soule lie open vnto the view of others which hee could wish rather were couered and kept close And for this end the Lord many times in mercie and goodnes doth suffer the shame and nakednes of his children to bee discouered before the face of others when as they would gladly haue it hid frō the eyes of all and not seene of any yea hee doth suffer them to fall by many weaknesses and infirmities euen such as are no waies pleasing but grieuous and irksome vnto them that so he may cause them to be the more humble and lowly and not to lift vp their hearts at any time aboue their brethren but so to demeane themselues that it may appeare that they esteem better of others then of themselues which is an excellent and a singular grace whereunto all that are yet defectiue herein should labour by all meanes to attaine O Lord if it seeme good vnto thee at any time to make others to see the weaknes of thy seruant to cause my wants imperfectiōs and infirmities to be knowne and discerned of others as thou knowest how readie I am to faile if thy grace doth not continually sustaine me let it not grieue me so much that others behold that in me which may cause me to be ashamed as make me euery day more carefull to vse al meanes to bee healed and cured of those diseases whereunto my soule is subiect and inclinable through sinne and to increase as in all other graces so especially in true humilitie and meeknes of spirit without the which I can neuer please thee nor haue the light of thy coūtenance shining vpon me The heauen of the godly and the hell of the wicked in this life IF there be a heauen in this world it is the true Christian onely that enioyes it in whose heart that blessed spirit doth dwell comforting and refreshing him continually in an vnspeakable maner If there be any hell in this life it is in the soule and conscience of the wicked and vngodly man whom Satan that euill spirit hath possessed and bereaued of that which should bee the ioy and comfort of his life and not that onely but also euen oppressed with many feares and sorrowes and with much anguish and horrible amazement arising from his hellish and guilty conscience O blessed God who hast giuen me to see the great difference which is betweene the estate of thy children and of the wicked and vngodly euen in this world how that the one is blessed and happie the other wretched and miserable grant that I may not at any time desire to haue the same lot with the wicked though it seeme outwardly to fare well with them but let me alwaies rest in thee and reioyce in that portion which thou hast giuen vnto mee knowing that on earth there can be no better inheritance nor any estate more to be desired The cares of this world what hindrances they are to the sincere and entire worship of God HE that is insnared and intangled with the things of this world or that is not free from all inordinate affectiōs whatsoeuer cannot haue a perfect and an vpright heart before God nor freedome of spirit in his worship and seruice The soule onely that is emptied of the troublesome cares and sinfull desires wherwith most are surcharged and the minde that is set at liberty from all earthly vanities is fit to come before God with truth vprightnes and sinceritie and to offer such sacrifices with which he is well pleased and wherein he most delighteth O Lord let not the excessiue and inordinate desire of any earthly thing cleaue vnto me emptie my heart of the cares of this world banish farre from me the loue of all those things whereby I may any waies bee hindred from the performāce of those duties which thou requirest of me and grant that I may be carefull to vse all meanes whereby my affections may be so rightly ordered that I may serue thee with a good heart in integritie and sinceritie all my daies True zeale THey that are trulie zealous are more zealous against themselues then others As they doe not when iust occasion and opportunitie is offered suffer the open sinnes of others to passe vnreproued so they are least partiall towards themselues but are readiest to check themselues euen for their inward and most secret corruptions As they haue an eye vnto the actions of others are carefull to discountenance sinne by fastening a seasonable rebuke and iust censure vpon it wheresoeuer it doth apparētly shew and manifest it selfe so especially they are alwaies chiefly prying into their own actions and hauing espied a fault are most seuere censorious in iudging and rebuking themselues for it They are grieued at the offences of others but their owne sinnes they doe most gall them yea they cā neuer be quiet whiles they see the relikes remainders of them abiding in them but euen groane daily vnder the burthen of them and vse all means to haue their hearts purged and freed from them Good Lord increase true zeal daily more and more in me let me not through childish feare nor any other sinister respect bee too slack and remisse in shewing my dislike of the sinnes which others doe commit against thy Maiestie and yet let me not be so readie to censure others as to reprooue and reforme my selfe A dangerous thing to affect the glorie of the world HE that loueth God and seekes his glorie cannot bee altogether carried away with the vaine glor e of this world but will either despise it or at least set very light by it He that loueth the glory of this world and doth not only affect it but is also very eager in the pursuite of it thirsting after the praise and applause of men it is a signe that there is little or no loue of God or of his glorie in him These are things that cannot
iudgeth hauing so precious an esteeme of those whom that maketh no account of and accounting those as vile yea abominable and to bee abhorred of all whom that doth chiefly magnifie and most esteeme of let me haue this resolution alwaies to passe very little what corrupt men or this blinde world deemeth and iudgeth of me and let it be my speciall care to labour alwaies by all meanes to be approued of thee and to be assured that howsoeuer others shall seeke to cast shame reproch and dishonour vpon me yet that I am good in thine eyes and pretious in thy sight one whom thou dost iustifie and wilt glorifie The willing and ioyfull bearing of the crosse a signe of a well growen Christian HE that doth finde sweetnesse in drinking of the bitter cup of afflictions which God daily offereth vnto him it is a signe that hee is a good proficient in the exercise of Christianitie and true religion For to beare the crosse patiently willingly and comfortably to endure wrongs and iniuries to denie himselfe and to die daily vnto the world yea to be crucified vnto it and to haue it crucified vnto him is more then a carnall and naturall man can possibly doe or he that hath not through a daily practise of humilitie and true obedience learned whollie to subiect himselfe vnto Gods will and pleasure Good Lord seeing it pleaseth thee to cause me to taste of the bitternes of many afflictions grant that they may not seeme grieuous but pleasant vnto me knowing that it is thy will thereby to humble me and to make me more fit for the receiuing of a greater measure of thy heauenly grace Seeing thou hast appointed me daily to take vp my crosse and to follow my blessed Sauiour who in so many sufferings of his hath gone before me and left his example as a paterne and president behinde him vnto which all that are his should endeuour to frame thēselues that so they may bee conformable vnto him I humbly beseech thee that it would please thee to giue mee patience willingnes and cheerefulnes in vndergoing whatsoeuer it shall seeme good vnto thee to lay vpō me being fully assured that hereby I shall haue entrance vnto glorie euen that glorie into which thy Christ hath alreadie entred and made a way for me and of which all these light and momentarie afflictions are not worthie nor in any sort comparable thereunto The exceeding follie and vanitie of the wicked O The vaine and preposterous courses of men who doth not wonder that beholdeth and considereth them and how should they not blush and be exceedingly ashamed of their follie and sottishnes when they thinke of them Let the flattering and deceitful world call them and allure them with the enticing promises of earthly and temporall things pleasures profits honours euen those things which are fading and transitorie and they are readie to follow it presently and to shew themselues seruiceable vnto it with all willingnes and readinesse that may be yea to vndergoe much labour and toile and to endure great hardship and to passe thorough many difficulties in the earnestnes of their desire to attaine vnto that whereof notwithstāding they faile oft times and come short of their hope and expectation Let God whose word is truth and who neuer faileth any in that which hee promiseth vnto them nor deceiueth thē that rest vpon him and giue credit vnto his word but satisfieth thē most abundantly and returneth more vnto them then they did either expect or could desire let God euen that gratious and bountifull God with whom is the treasurie of all good things call them and promise vnto them the vnspeakable riches of celestiall and heauenly things such as are most excellent and glorious farre passing the most desireable things of this world and such as shall neuer fade nor bee any waies diminished or once subiect vnto any change or alteration yet they haue no heart to come vnto him or to follow him but are exceeding heauie and drowsie yea very vnapt and vntoward vnto that which were so greatly for their good and in which alone consisteth true blessednesse and eternall felicitie and happinesse O Lord let me neuer bee so foolish as the men of this world are in whom there is no vnderstanding let me be more carefull to serue thee then they are to serue the world euen that cursed Mammō which they make their god Let me labour more for spirituall and heauenlie things such as shall remaine and abide for euer then for those things which are carnall and earthly and such as are of no continuance but shall quickly perish and passe away as a shadow and bee quite forgotten euen as if they had neuer been Yea let me alwaies preferre that inestimable price of glorie that chief that vnchangeable and euerlasting good which thou hast promised and prepared for thy Saints in that celestiall kingdome which I daily expect and hope for before all the alluring and deceitfull vanities the seeming and supposed good yea all the most pretious and glorious things of this world whatsoeuer wherwith those that are earthly-minded are so greatly enamoured and wherein they place the height of their false and imaginarie felicitie and happinesse The spirit of God is the life of the soule AS is the bodie without the soule so is the soule without the spirit of God which is the life thereof If there bee a separation of the soule of man what is his bodie but a dead and a liueles corpse or carcase hauing no sense or motion It cannot once breathe or stirre it selfe nor put foorth any power for the performance of the least action So is it with the soule of euery one in whom the spirit of God is wanting or from whom it is departed There is no life no vigour no power or abilitie to doe any thing which is good yea sooner may a dead body moue it self and exercise the actions and operations of a naturall life then the soule which is without the spirit of God and so destitute of the life of grace can shew foorth any certaine signes and effects of a spiritual life O Lord I haue found by experience what a deadnes there is vpon me if thou at any time withdrawest thy spirit and doest not cause it to worke effectually vpon my soule without the continuall presence and assistance thereof I am not able to doe no not to will or desire in any sort that which is good but am euen as a breathlesse and liuelesse creature one in whō there is no life O therefore let it please thee to powre out thy spirit plentifully vpon me let me alwaies finde it not only present but also powerfully working within me quickning me vnto the willing and cheerefull performance of all those things which thou requirest of me yea let it please thee in whō only I liue and moue and without whom I am as one whose spirit is departed from him let it please thee O Lord to
breathe the life of grace daily more and more into me and to inspire me continually with good motions with holy and heauenly desires that so I may delight in those things which are pleasing vnto thee and bring foorth the fruits of the spirit abundantly throughout the whole course of my life to the praise of the glorie of thy grace from whence alone is all my sufficiency and abilitie to the benefit of those among whom I either now doe or hereafter shall liue and to the endlesse comfort and saluation of mine owne soule through Christ my Lord and Sauiour who with thee O father and with thy holie spirit bee blessed and praised both now and euermore Amen The loue of the world and worldly desires banish all true loue of God from the soule HEE that suffereth any wordlie desires or the inordinate affection of any earthly thing whatsoeuer to take place in his heart cannot loue God sincerely entirely and vnfainedly yea the more the desire of his heart is inlarged vnto the affecting of those things the more is the loue of God abated and diminished in him as much as the one increaseth so much the other of necessitie must decrease O Lord who hast manifested thy loue so richly towards me fill my heart daily more and more with the loue of thy maiestie let the same whollie possesse me For this end suffer me not to be intangled at any time with the inordinate desire of any of these fading and fruitlesse vanities but free me I beseech thee from the sinful and immoderate affecting thereof yea purge my heart and banish farre from me the loue of al those things which might be a meanes in any sort to alienate my minde from thee and grant that my soule may delight in thee and that I may loue thee with my whole heart yea that the affection of my loue may bee set and fixed vpon thee alone who only art worthie to bee loued aboue all things and that if I loue or affect any thing else it may not bee otherwise then in thee and for thee vnto whom I am desirous to giue my heart with all the affections thereof The sinfulnes of mans nature corrupted O Lord what a fountaine of corruption do I see continually springing vp within me and how much more doth there abound in me which beeing hid from mine eyes is seene onely of thee who alone knowest the heart and beholdest the inward and most hidden secrets thereof which the eye of man cannot pierce into Doe thou vouchsafe to clense it daily more more Powre downe plentifully that cleane water of thy sanctifying grace which may wash away that filthines euen those staines and pollutions wherewith I am defiled and which beeing lothesome in mine owne eyes cannot but be as an abomination before thee who art so pure that thou canst not see euill nor behold wickednesse O let thy spirit purge and purifie my soule from that inbred corruption and contagiō thereof which cleaueth so fast vnto it yea let it be as fire to drie vp those polluted streames which flow continually from that vncleane fountaine that so I may be found of thee without spot and blamelesse in the day of that glorious appearance of thy sonne my blessed sauiour and redeemer in whom though I see him not yet doe I beleeue and reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Blindnes of minde a great miserie IF any want the eyes of their bodies they account it a greate miserie and would vse any meanes be at any cost to enioy the comfort and benefite of their sight And yet most want the eyes of their soules and thinke it to be no miserie neither regard nor seeke once for that wherein the comfort of their liues consisteth and whereby they should come to see the light of glory in the kingdome of heauen O Lord though others be wilfully blinde and so most miserable whiles they see it not yet open thou mine eyes euer more and more Suffer not sinne with the deceitfulnes thereof to drawe any filme ouer them but giue me daily a clearer sight of mine owne miserie and of thy vnspeakeable mercies towards mee who am vnworthie of the least of them Hardnes of heart a fearefull plague THere can no worse plague happen vnto any one then a harde and obdurate heart and yet alas how fewe be there that complaine of it although they be farre gone with it How fewe that seeke to be thoroughly recouered of it although they haue present meanes continually offered vnto them for the cure of it Oh they know not the danger of it or if they doe and seeke not carefullie for the remedie surely they are exceeding desperate of their estate Good Lord breake thou this stony heart of mine I humbly pray thee Giue me to see and to grieue daily more and more for the hardnes of it and neuer to sleepe in rest till I feele it softned and mollified yea till I be cured and altogether recouered of it Howsoeuer it shall please thee outwardly to afflict me for my good yet Lord keepe me alwaies I beseech thee from that inward spirituall and most fearefull iudgement which thou vsest to send vppon the reprobate who beeing past all feeling seale vp vnto themselues thereby the assurance of eternall perdition Feare of God I Haue oft wondered to see in what awe most stand of mortall men who haue power of their goods life or outward estate how carefull they are to please them how affraid to offend them and yet in the meane while how regardlesse they are and shew thēselues to be of that great that powerfull and immortall God whose name is terrible yea who is able presently to cast them both soule and bodie into hell for euer there to haue their portion among the damned Either men are Atheists and thinke there is no God for they that beleeue that there is a God can not but know that his power is infinite and therefore must needes feare him more then any man whose power is but finite when it is greatest Or else they are maruellous desperat who though they know and will acknowledge the power and the fiercenes of his wrath yet feare not the punishment and the horrible torments which he hath threatned against them O Lord let me not be either so blinded or so hard-hearted as the wicked and vngodly are Let me alwaies feare before thee and tremble at thy presence standing continually in awe of so great and glorious a maiestie which the Angels adore and reuerence And let this feare of thee and thy righteous iudgements banish and driue out of my heart the loue of all sinne so that I may not once dare willingly to commit the same though I might thereby gaine the whole world Yea Lord doe thou plant thy feare in my heart let it possesse my soule and then it can not be but that I should seeke in all things to please thee more then men and feare to offend thee in
transitorie things of this world O Lord God thou only art my God whom haue I in heauen but thee or what is there that I should desire on earth in comparison of thee O let my hart be alwaies fixed vpon thee let my soule loue thee delight in thee seeke and long after thee aboue all things which is that inward and spiritual worship and seruice which thou requirest of all those vpon whō thy name is called of all those that acknowledge thee the Lord to be their God The miserable estate of a worldling HE that doth once imbrace this world can hardly be loosed from it and brought to follow Christ and to cleaue vnto true religiō in the trueth and sinceritie of the profession thereof yea such is the bewitching nature of it that it will daily more and more fasten vpon him and claspe round about him so that he shall haue no power to free himselfe againe except an extraordinarie grace be ministred vnto him of God Of all men of whom there may be any hope a couetous worldling is in this regard most miserable and his estate most dangerous since that it is harder for him to be reclaimed then for any other for of all sinnes out of which there may be any recouery that sinne of auarice and couetousnes is most irrecouerable O blessed Lord let not my heart be glewed at any time vnto the things of this world Let not the immoderate care and desire thereof take hold of me let it not be rooted in me but let me alwaies enioy such freedome by thy grace that I may willingly readily and cheerefully performe those duties which thou requirest of me yea that I may cleaue fast vnto thee and runne with libertie the waies of thy commandements The vnpleasant and distracted life of a carnall and wicked man WHat pleasure is there in the life of a carnall and wicked man who is carried away with the vaine and inordinate desires of his owne heart Before he hath obtained that which he lusts after he is restles and vnquiet All that he had before doth him no good because hee wants that when he enioyes it he is grieued displeased yea vexed because it doth not satiffie him nor yeeld him that contentment which he looked for in it Afterwards he is perplexed and troubled in minde by reason of the guilt which he hath brought vpon his conscience through his sinne the sweetest fruite whereof in the ende is nothing but shame and sorrow yea much bitternes Thus he is continually disquieted discontented and distracted whiles he followeth his vnlawfull desires and yeeldeth to his disordered and distempred affections he hath no peace no ease no rest Witnes the proud person the couetous the voluptuous the ambitious the enuious and malitious and whosoeuer else he be that letteth loose the raines to any vnbridled passion any inordinate affection It is a meere slauery to be a seruant vnto any such lusts the onely meanes to obtaine true libertie hearts ease peace and sound contentement to resist them and to get the mastrie ouer them and to be no wayes bound to them O mercifull Lord let me not be addicted to these things which are base earthly and sensuall let me neuer willingly yield vnto any sinfull desire of my corrupt nature but giue me grace alwaies to bridle yea to subdue and to mortifie those wicked affections which otherwise would preuaile against me that so beeing ouermastered and euen brought into subiectiō vnder me through the working of thy gracious spirit in me I may passe the whole time of my life hereafter in rest quietnes and true peace and contentednes and serue thee with perfect libertie and freedome all my daies The life of the righteous as well to be sought after as their death wished I Marueile not that all men euen the most wicked and prophane of the world do with cursed Balaam desire and wish for the death of the righteous seeing the end of it is true and perfect blessednes and the want of it extreame woe and miserie But this seemes very strange vnto me that they should not as well desire the life of the righteous not onely because this is the meanes to come vnto the other that necessarily depending hereupon but also since herein is true happines to be found and that which is to be desired of all men and without which man cannot but be miserable and euen a burthen vnto himselfe For the righteous the sincere and vpright in life and conuersation they onely leade a peaceable a comfortable and a ioyfull life They reioyce not so much in the face as in heart not so much to the teeth outwardly as in soule and spirit inwardly whereas the hypocrite the false hearted and all that loue vnrighteousnes neuer haue any true mirth any sound ioy but only a false counterfeit image thereof which when it is at the best is but hollow rotten and vnsound yea whē they sport themselues in their carnall and worldly delights most immoderatly and break foorth into excessiue laughter yet then their ioy is but the fit as it were of a frantick or mad man they know not what they doe and at length their sorrowfull dumpes their troubled thoughts and distracting cares returne againe vnto them vnsent for they break off their laughter with a sigh and end their mirth with heauinesse anguish and great perplexednes yea the Lord filleth their soules with much bitternes so that many times to bee eased of it they could willingly be rid of their liues in which they finde so small comfort Lord let me be as carefull to leade a good life as to make a godly end let me hate all vnrighteousnesse and forsake all the waies of the vngodly and let me seek by all meanes to attaine vnto true holinesse and striue after sinceritie and vprightnes that so the spirit of ioy and gladnesse may rest continually vpon me and cause me alwaies to reioyce vnfainedly in thee with that inward spiritual ioy and comfort the sweetnes whereof none knoweth but thine only euen those whom thou hast giuen to taste of it and which being once giuen of thee from whom alone it proceedeth none is able to take it away againe The follie and danger of deferring Repentance IT is exceeding follie in men to liue carelesly and securely all their life long and to put off all vnto their dying houre vainly supposing that it will be enough for them then to commend themselues vnto God and to desire him to take them to his mercie Alas such know not what they doe they know not the price of their soules for surely if they did they would neuer put them in aduenture to the last houre They consider not the danger of losing them for euer for then certainely they would quickly be of an other mind they would look about them they would not set all vpon such a ticklish point nor put themselues vnto that hazard no not for the gaine of
one minute then of that which is eternall and shall neuer haue an end but continue for euer in such glorie the enioying whereof one moment is better then all the glorie pleasures and delights of this life whereof any man is or can bee made partaker in this world yea though hee liue long and see many daies and wants nothing of those things heere below which seeme most pretious and glorious in the eyes of men What should I say more We are more troubled with the feare and dread of our naturall death the death of our bodies which if our liues were such as they ought to be would be more desired then feared of vs being the entrāce into that promised rest and happinesse then of the death of our spirits yea of our soules and bodies euen that fearfull most dreadful death which is the second death when as the soule presently after the dissolution and separation of it from the bodie in the end of this life and both soule and bodie euen the whole man immediatly after the day of iudgement hauing receiued their finall doome shall bee deliuered vp vnto eternall death and condemnation in hell where they shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power Surely many such there be in al places who haue so small sense and feeling of the greatest euils both present and imminent that are more grieued and troubled for the approching of some lesser euill then of the greatest miserie that can possibly befall a man the very remembrance and consideration whereof were enough to breed a horror and astonishment in the minde of the hardiest the most obstinate and impenitent sinner if he should haue a right apprehension of it Oh the follie of such men who seeth not how Satan hath blinded and besotted them that they should bee as those who haue no vnderstanding no discerning of things that differ so exceedingly O blessed Lord open their eyes that they may haue a sight of their greatest miseries touch their hearts that they may haue a feeling of that which should bee their greatest griefe and wherewith they should be most affected And keepe thy seruants from falling at any time into that vaine and foolish opinion and imagination of theirs Let vs alwaies feare thy displeasure more then the angrie countenance of any mortall man whatsoeuer let vs be more afraid to be despised and reiected of thee or to bee such as thou takest no pleasure no delight in then to be disgraced and contemned of the whole world esteemed the filth and ofscouring of all things men vnworthie to liue vpon the earth let vs chuse rather to incurre the daunger of the losse of our goods lands substance and to bee content to haue our outward estate in this world much impaired yea altogether wasted and brought euen to nothing rather then once willingly to hazard our euerlasting estate in the world to come by bringing our selues into daunger of the losse of those vnsearchable riches and treasures of life glorie and endlesse felicitie euen those farre more excellent and glorious things which thou hast promised and prepared for all thy Saints in that heauenlie kingdome Let vs not feare the death of these mortall bodies of ours which are but dust and shall returne to the earth of which they are framed let not the remēbrance thereof trouble vs or bee any waies grieuous and bitter vnto vs nay rather let vs reioyce in it and long for it and that with an earnest desire seeing it shall be a passage vnto vs from this life vnto a better but let vs feare auoid those things which might cause the death of our soules yea let vs so feare hell death and destruction that we may be full assured we shall escape them and when this life of ours is ended be translated into that place where thou dwellest in fulnes of glorie and maiestie and liue and raigne with thee in the heauens for euermore Amen The Lords seruice the greatest freedome TO be in the Lords seruice is the greatest freedome yea the greatest priuiledge and most excellēt prerogatiue that men can attaine vnto in this world It is a verie honourable and glorious calling no earthly dignitie office or prehemencie whatsoeuer to be compared vnto it The Angells of heauen those celestiall creatures account it as it is indeed their crowne and their greatest glorie that wherein they finde cause of continuall ioy and reioycing Why then should any man a worme of the earth esteeme so meanly of it as many do yea thinke it to be a burden which he is loth to take vpon him a bondage which it is grieuous to him to vndergoe yea a disgrace and reproch which he is vnwilling to sustaine Oh that vaine man should be so degenerate and base minded as to haue so meane a◠conceite of that which he ought so highly to prize that he should suppose the seruice of the great king and monarch of the whole world the most high God wherein the most excellent creatures do glorie to be base and contemptible that he should thinke it a dishonour and disparagment vnto him to professe himselfe to be a dutiful and obedient seruant vnto the Lord of heauen the mightie possessour of all things to whom all knees are to bowe and whom all creatures must adore when as he accounteth it an honour and a grace vnto him to be reputed an inferior seruant vnto his minister and vicegerent vpon earth and no small priuiledge to be in any office vnder him yea that he should be such a miscreant as to despise that which if he were not strangely blinded and extremely besotted he would think himself happie that he might haue it once vouchsafed and granted vnto him O blessed Lord how great is thy goodnesse and thy mercie towards me in that it hath pleased thee to take me into thy seruice how much am I bound vnto thee for this fauour which thou hast shewed vnto me who by reason of my sinnes whereby I haue from time to time dishonoured thee am altogether vnworthie to be called thy seruant or once to be reckoned amongst the least and meanest of those vnto whom thou hast vouchsafed this so great a priuiledge so glorious a dignitie and prerogatiue Oh that I were able to performe that seruice which is due vnto thee and which thou requirest of me Thou art my Lord and my God vnto whom I owe all dutie all homage and loyaltie thou onely art worthie to be serued worshipped and glorified of all creatures both in heauen and in earth I acknowledge that all that I can possible doe is lesse then that which my dutie and thy loue and goodnesse bindeth me vnto and which thou mayest well expect of me It is the desire of my heart to be found euery way obedient and faithfull vnto thee yea to serue thee with al my strēgth with all my might and that vnto the end of my