redéemer and Iudge And thou O my soule as often as thou sinnest so often by faith and repentance be thou renewed Take hold by faith on Gods grace acknowledge the loue of Daily repentance Christ embrace the comfort of the holy spirit who is the earnest of our inheritance whereby it will come to passe that thou comming with confidence vnto the Throne of Gods grace shalt finde comfort against temptations in due season Through Iesus Christ c. Amen Prayers framed to the Argument of the fourth Member Proceede further to attaine Righteousnesse The fourth Member and Vertue O Almightie God and most mercifull Gods long suffering father I acknowledge thy infinite grace and mercie towardes me who hast bene hetherto so patient and long suffering towards me that thou hast not onely endured me hauing all my life long prouoked thée by my many and great sinnes but also hast now at the last preuented me by thy grace that I might come to the knowledge of my sinnes and turne from them and returne vnto thée by hartie repentance and deniall of vnrighteousnesse So that I séeme in some sort to haue procéeded in forsaking the loue of my selfe In moderating my carnall desires In mortifying the Affections of my mind In rooting out euill habites But because I must not stay here but from the deniall of vnrighteousnesse I Grace to proceede mâ—st procéede further to the attaining of righteousnesse which I cannot doe except thou O Lord doe giue grace and power therefore I come vnto thee O Lord beseeching thée to giue me grace both to attaine to vertues and to kéepe them being attained And because they be best both attained and kéept by frequent vse of godly prayer By an ardent loue of vertue and by continuall exercise Giue me grace O Lord neuer to faint Meanes in prayer with hartie affection to embrace vertue and not to hide my Talent but that occupying with the same I may make a good account to thée thereof And that I may grow from vertue to A purpose to perseuere vertue Grant that I may haue a firme will and purpose not onely to enter but also to perseuere in well doing that no storme of temptation may remoue mée that being in loue with vertues I may chéerefully doe the offices due to her yet not for any other respect than for thy glory Alwaies beholding our Maister Iesus Christ as the perfect patterne of life and death Amen We must begin at Iustice O Almightie and most mercifull father A prayer to attaine Iustice who art iust in all thy waies and holy in all thy workes I acknowledge that I am infinite waies bound vnto thée for thine vnspeakable benefits which I can no way recompence but by glorifying thée according to the rule of Iustice which thou hast prescribed to vs that as thou art iust so should we be iust also By giuing to euery one that which is due to them To thée that which is due to thée To men that which is due to men Giue me grace therefore O Lord to worship thee according to the prescript 1. Towards God rule of thy word that is to call vpon thy name with a true affection of heart and a liuely faith To submit my selfe obediently to thy Maiestie In a true feare of thy iudgements auoiding effences And in an earnest loue of thy promises embracing thy mercies To rest vpon thee by a firme hope and constant trust To testifie my thankfulnes by a chéerefull obedience of thy will Neuer to be ashamed of thy truth but to professe it constantly To endure the crosse with an inuincible courage Looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God euen thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord Amen O Almightie God and merciful father 2. Towards our selues thou hast allowed vs to loue our selues to haue a moderate care of our selues by maintaining those good things which thou eitheir in soule or body hast bestowed on vs. Giue me grace therefore to be chiefly 1. The soule careful for the good of my soule by repairing reforming both the superiour and inferiour faculties of my soule Grant me grace therefore O Lord to Superior faculties The mind Wisdome apply my mind to the knowledge of Diuine humane things which either may further me to the life celestiall or make me profitable to humane felicitie Which is wisedome Graunt me Prudence to choose that Prudence which is verily good and to refuse that which is verily euill to marke what is to be desired and what is to be shunned Graunt me discretion which is the coÌ„panion DescretioÌ„ of true Prudence that I may discerne truth from falsehood certainties from vncertainties that which is profitable from that which is vnprofitable that which is seasonable from that which is vnseasonable things honest from vnhonest things pleasant from vnpleapleasant and to conclude good from euill And among these what is moore or lesse good what is conuenient for time place and persons Giue me grace O Lord to remoue all The conscience impediments whereby my conscience may be wounded and grieued which are onely my sinnes which bring sorrow and inflict wounds Graunt that I may so restraine my conscience Knowledge of the law by the knowledge of thy law and awe of thy iudgements that I may not dare any thing contrary to thy will And if my conscience chaunce to be A remedie wounded that I may spéedily seeke my remedie which onely is the redemption by the bleed of Iesus Christ apprehended by a true and liuely faith whereby our consciences are secured before thee if therewithall we abstaine from our sins and serue thée with a pure minde Giue me grace O Lord to will nothing but that which is agréeable to thy will reuealed in thy word that cleauing onely thereunto I may both will and doe those things which are good and acceptable to thée which grace we obtaine by the assistance of thy holy spirit who worketh in all men the power both to will and to performe according to thy frée grace Through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen Giue me grace also O Lord to rule Inferiour faculties The Irascible part the inferiour faculties of my soule Anger and Lust And that I may moderate Anger graunt me fortitude whereby my soule may bée strengthned stirred vp and armed to endure labour and danger yea of death for Christs sake with a good courage that I may bee able to moderate and subdue my affections and not bee subdued of them That I may despise worldly honour and seeke the glory of God and eternall felicitie that I may patiently beare all troubles and aduersities and crosses which cannot with godlinesse and honestie be auoided Graunt mée constancie that I may perseuere in honest and godly purposes Constancie retaining one tenure of minde will that I be not puffed vp in prosperitie nor cast downe in
inioy the most pleasant company of thy God thy creator conseruer Redéemer sanctifier whom beholding face to face thou shalt rest in his ioy who shal be all in all vnto thée Thou Cor. 13 shalt be with Christ the fayrest among Iohn 12 men and shalt see his glory which the father hath giuen him 3 Héere shalt thou beare the Image of the heauenly man and with open face 2 Cor. 3. thou shalt behold the glory of God and shalt be transformed into the same Image from glory to glory There that which is perfect commeth in place and that 1 Cor. 13 Math. 13. Luk 20 1 Iohn 3. which is vnperfect shal be abolished and thou shalt know euen as thou art knowne Thou shalt shine as the sunne in the kingdome of God the Father Thou shalt be as the Angels of God and as the sonnes of God are Thou shalt be like to God who appeareth vnto thee 4 Heere shalt thou be gathered to the company of the holy Angels and to the Heb 12 Congregation of the faithfull who are recorded in heauen where is mutuall knowledge perfect loue perpetuall praising of God 1. Pet. 3. 5 Héere thou shalt be replenished with al ioy without tediousnesse in an heritage immortall vndefiled incorruptible To those that loue him God hath prepared 1 Cor. 2. such ioyes as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither the hart can conceiue in the heauenly Paradice 2 The way to this marke is laid open to The way to the marke Ioh. 14. Ibid. 6. Act. 14 vs. First our Sauiour Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life next it is said by him Euery one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him hath Eternall life and thirdly by many tribulations must we enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Therfore Christ is the way we must enter by faith we must walke through tribulations For straight narrow is the Matth. 7 way that leadeth to life This way of life to the iust is good holy right immaculat elect It is vnknowne What manner of way to mans reason few enter into it there are few walkers among so many talkers and vnpleasant and difficult is it to the flesh because of the companions that accompany the Travellers euen the crosse and deniall of our selues Yet this is the way which God hath set before vs which is pleasing to him wherin he directeth vs and which leadeth to him 3 This way is to be learned out of the Where this way is to be learned holy Scriptures rightly vnderstood by the illumination and schooling of the holy Ghost confirmed by vse and frequente meditation till by experience we féele the Spirit of God to worke in our hearts and by practise wée perceiue a chéerfulnes to walke in the waye of Godlinesse The first member Incipe beginne Ierem 6 Enter O man the way of life and looke diligently about thée where that way is and walke in it Beginne the marke is life there is a way that leades vnto it set thy longing to attaine to thy heauenly father from whom thou art declined after the world and the Deuill The first entry by conuersion Conuersion in 2. pointes 1 Acursion from euill Make thy beginning or entry by conuersion let thy conuersion be by auersion or turning away from euill euen the worst euill and by a reuersion or returne to good euen the best good Turne away therefore from euil euen the worst euill which is sinne and turne Ierem 25. vnto good the best good who is God Let euery man turne away from his wicked way and from his vngodly desire Motiues to turne from sinne Alienation from god Consider O thou sinner thy miserable estate whiles thou art yet in thy sinn 1 Thy sinne doth turne thée from God and God from thée whom it greuously offendeth and maketh thée his vtter enemy Now what can be more grieuous then to haue and feele God to be thine Enemie 2 Thou becommest worthy by thy sinne to be forsaken of God and after a sort to Depriuation of graces be brought to nothing being brought to extreame beggery of the Spirit to wit being depriued of Gods grace and glory To be without the chiefe Ens and good is either to be miserable or else to be nothing at all 3 Thy sinne maketh thée of a man a friend to the Deuill yea his seruant and Consorting or seruing of the Diuell slaue and the heyre of hel fire Every man by sinning selleth his owne soule to the Deuill taking the sweetnes of temporall pleasures as a price for it Againe on the other side also thou driuest away from thée As much as in thee lieth by sinning the good Angell thy kéeper 4 Sinne is a most filthy thing as the scripture setteth it out like mire wherein The filthines of sinne swine wallow like dreggs rottennes corruption leprocie Behold the prodigal Luke 15. sonne wallowed in the mire of Luxury at the last liuing among an heard of Swine Looke also if thy soule stinke not by the putrifaction and corruption of the wouÌ„ds of thy sinnes 5 If thou wax olde in thy sinne O thou Custome of sinne daungerous least impatienie follow sinner it will exercise a great Tirannye ouer thée by custome and by custome of sinn Satan so that thou shalt not repent though thou sometimes desire to repent For sinne is barbarous and exerciseth tiranny ouer the Soule that is once taken captiue to the ruine of thâ—se that receiue it chrysostom I confesse I sighed not being bouÌ„d with yroÌ„ chaines but with mine own yron wil mine August lib 8 enemie had possessed my will and had of it made a chaine for me and had bound me fast I strugled with my selfe and was ouerthrowne of my selfe 6 Whilest thou continuest in sin thou dost sustein the gyft of eternall punishment that is thou art depriued perpetually of the Eternall punishmeÌ„ts vision or sight of God and art tormented with euerlasting paine of most ardent fire Epilogus Call to minde therefore with me the miserable state of a Sinner thou art Gods enemy depriued of gods grace most beggerly most filthy a slaue to the Diuell vnder the tirrany both of Sinne and Satan an heyre of Hell Turne therefore from this worst euill But that thou maist conuert by turning from euill and returning to God Gods helpe to be craued thou hadst néede of the help of Gods grace to preuent accompany and follow thée For it is God that giueth Repentance by Grace threefolde 2. Tim 2. the knowledge of the Truth that wee may recouer out of the snares of the Diuell who are holden Captiue at his will It is God that worketh in vs both to wil Phillip 2. and to performe Say therefore with ioying Conuert me O Lorde and I shal be Ierom. 31. de voc gent Lib. 2. The working of
God giuinge him such humilitie as is due to him Submit and subiect thy selfe reuerently to the Maiestie of God both in mind and body and confesse thy selfe vnworthy of his benefits Thou shalt be humbled to God ward if thou consider him to be thy Creator thou his creature Him to be immortall and thy selfe mortall Him to be the Lord and thou his seruant Him to be the best and thy selfe the worst Humble your selues saith S. Peter vnder the mightie 1. Pet. 5. hand of God and hee will exalt you in due season Say with Iacob the Patriarch Lord I am lesse or vnworthy of all the benefits and truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruants Gen. 32. This humilitie will bréede in thée an obedience towards God for it is not enough ObedieÌ„ce to knowe the will of God except thou doe obey him and endeuour to put in practise the commandements of God which thou hast learned He that doth the will of God endureth for euer And 1 Ioh. 2. if ye know these things saith our Sauiour happie are ye if ye doe them Not Ioh. 13. euerie one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome Mat. 7. of heauen but hee that doth the will of my father who is in heauen euen hee shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen Yéelde vnto God a due feare acknowledging Feare the mercy and Iustice of God Feare to offend God whom to offend is the chiefe euill Conceiue a terror of sinne and the punisher thereof and yet so feare God as that thou loue him as a child doth his father for we must both feare God as our Lord and loue him as our father The Lord hath a delight Psal 147. Psal 112. in them that feare him and yet put their trust in his mercie Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and hath great delight in his commandements Yet haue ye not receiued the spirit of Rom. 8. bondage to feare vz. such a feare as cannot stand with the loue of God 1 Ioh. 4. Render therefore to God the loue that Loue. is due vnto him that is In acknowledging the goodnesse and loue of God towards thy selfe loue thou God againe aboue all things Loue the Lord your Esay 28. God and serue him with all your hart and with all your minde He that loueth father or mother more than me saith Christ is not worthie of me 6. The loue of God is verie diligent in working This is the loue of God that ye keepe his commaundements 1. This loue doth vnite the louer and 1. Ioh. 5 The properties of the loue of God the thing loued so that we say with Dauid Like as the heart desireth the fountaines of water so longeth my soule after thee o my God It bringeth a mutual coniunction with it for God is loue and he that abideth in loue abideth 1. Ioh. 4. in God It so rauisheth a man with the loue of God that forgetting himselfe bee séeketh not his owne but the things that are Iesus Christs 2. This loue maketh vs coÌ„tinuallie to cast the eyes of our mind vpon God Man by loue setteth his affection vpon God because the minde thinketh on nothing else this loue is strong as death it ouercomes all things and is ouercome of nothing 3. It so féedeth the minde that it is neuer satisfied it neuer thinketh or séeketh anie thing but God and him the more it findeth the more it wisheth Viewe the creatures all are yours saith the Apostle viewe thy selfe thou art Christs viewe Christ hée is Gods So by loue thou ascendest to God Fixe thy hope vpon thy God as is meete calling to minde his loue and Hope truth in thinges past and expect with patience his presence and helpe for things to come Cast thy care vpon God and hope in Psal 37. him and hee will bring the matter to passe Item Tarrie the Lords leisure Psal 147 be of good courage expect the Lord and hee shall comfort your heart The Lord hath a pleasure in them that put their trust in his mercie Hope confoundeth not But hope Obiects of our hope thou from God such things as fall vnder a Christian hope to wit eternall happinesse all things that are necessarie and profitable to further vs in the attaining of that blessed felicitie hope for Gods Mercie with his effectual blessing in all things and that by thy Sauiour Christ Iesus Yea hope manie times contrary to hope and striue against the spirit of distrust and desperation And hope thou strongly constantly chéerefully Rest thy confidence vpon God as thou Confidence art bound Acknowledging the power and mercie of thy God and firmely repose thy selfe therein against whatsoeuer dangers happen Blessed is he saith Ieremie that trusteth in God and Ierem. 17 whose confidence is in the Lord. And the sonne of Syrach In all thy Syrach 33 actions put thy trust in God for so shalt thou also fulfill his commaundements 2. Bee thou also religious towardes God giuing him due worship In adoring AdoratioÌ„ or Inuocation of God him and calling vpon his name Call vpon him religiously acknowledging him to haue all power all knowledge and to bée present euery where But call thou vpon God with a present intention of minde with an Rules of Inuocation acknowledging of thine owne vnworthinesse with a true affection of heart with a desire of Gods blessinges submitting thy will to Gods will with hartie repentance with a consideration of Gods commandements with a meditation of the diuine promises with assured faith to be heard with confidence in Christ the Mediator These things being thus prepared intreate the mercie and fauour of God both to obtaine things necessarie for soule and body and to turne away all euill Now the best forme of prayer for euery Christian man is the Lordes praier taught by the sonne of God to his Disciples containing all things briefly which are to be praied for When néede requires giue God the A religious oath honor of a religious oath and call God himselfe to be a witnes of thy spéech as the onely searcher of the heart and if thou doe wittingly deceiue or lye â—et him reuenge the lye or deceit Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and shalt sweare by Deut. 6. his name Thou owest vnto thy God a reuerend Gratitude thankfulnes waie therefore Gods benefits with an admiration and ioy rehearse them commend them celebrate them extol them Acknowledge all good things as receiued from him onely both spirituall and corporall and therefore giue him only the glorie Say with the Psalmist I will praise the Lord at all times his Psal 34. praise shall alwaies bee in my mouth Offer vnto God the sacrifice of thanksgiuing and say Praise the Lord ô my Psal 103. soule and forget not all his benefits Be not thou either ashamed or wearie Exercise of the word
priuate Psal 1. or cloyed with the word of truth exercise thy selfe rather in the word of God by reading meditating talking and conferring with other Let thy delight bee in the law of the Lord meditate therein both day and night let the word of Colloss 2 Christ dwell in thee plentifully in all wisedome teaching and exhorting one another Apply thy reading 1. Tim. 4. Being asked a reason of thy faith at any conuenient time or otherwise being prouoked defend Gods truth out of the holy Scriptures and be not ashamed to confesse it Be readie saith Saint Peter 1. Pet. 3. alwaies to giue an answere to euery one that asketh a reason of the hope that is in you for euery one that confesseth me before men him will I saith Matt. 10. Christ confesse before my father who is in heauen Be not slacke to serue God in publique Exercise of religion publique exercises of Religion At appointed times but especially on the Saboath repaire to the Church where the Christian Congregation is assembled in vnitie of minde forsake not such méetings neither despise thou the communion of Saints but attend the word of God as it is méete vse the Sacraments and pray deuoutly with the Saints Let vs not Heb. 10. forsake the mutuall assemblies saith the Apostle as is the the manner of some Doe all to the glory of God Let all things be done to edifying 1. Cor. 10. 14. Ecclesiasticall rites Moreouer obserue the publique Ecclesiasticall rites attending on Religion that all things may be done decently and in order in conuenient time and place 3. Whatsoeuer crosse it pleaseth God Patience vnder the Crosse to lay vpon thée thou oughtest to beare it patiently for this is our dutie to God Carry therefore the crosse wherewith God doth try thée his child or chastice thée in this vale of teares carry it I say with patience stoutly and with an inuincible Rom. 12. Prou. 3. Heb. 12. mind Be patient in afflictions My sonne saith Saloman refuse not thou the chastening of the Lord neither grudge when thou art reproued of him For whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth c. God doth chastice thée lest thou shouldest Vses of the crosse thinke thy selfe without all fault Hée would haue thée more more to returne to him to cast off sinne and to imbrace vertue that the old man might be crucified and the newe-man reuiued Hée would haue thée to preuēt further lapses and not to rush into securitie He would also staie other from wickednes by punishing thée and that they might spedily returne to good Moreouer the seruant and disciple must be conformed to his Lord master Christ is our Lord and master with whom we must suffer if we will raigne with him God trieth thy faith thy hope thy obedience thy patience thy feruencie in praier He will haue his power and mercie to appeare in strengthning deliuering thée He would make thée wearie of this earthly life to be stirred vp with a desire of thy heauenly loue Therefore beare that is to be borne patience will haue the victorie Be constant in faith and yéeld to God the obedience of thy faith Persist in this Constancie religious worship of God by perseuering vnto the last breath of thy life in a liuely faith and loue of God neither doe thou suffer any thing either prosperous or aduerse to remoue thee from that heauenly truth or godlinesse which thou hast learned Be faithfull vnto death saith the Apoc. 2. Mat. 10. spirit and I will giue thee the Crowne of life for hee that perseuereth vnto the end shall be saued 2. Concerning mans due Iustice giueth to euery man his due man must giue first vnto himselfe that which is due to himselfe And next to his neighbour that which is due to his neighbour Giue to thy selfe that which is due to thy selfe Thou oughtest to loue thy selfe To thy selfe thou owest loue and not to hate thy selfe but this loue must be holy and moderate that knowing thy selfe by the helpe of Gods grace thou maiest frame thy selfe to an holines and righteousnes conformable to the Lawe of God Thou shalt loue thy Rom. 13. Eph. 5. neighbour as thy selfe And neuer yet did any man hate his owne flesh yea he nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord doth the congregation Auselme saith Iustice is a libertie of the minde giuing What iustice is to euery man his proper right to our Superiour reuerence to our Equal concord to our Inferiour discipline to God obedience to our selues holines to our enemie patience to the needie mercie And a man becomming iudge of himselfe must search himselfe without partialitie Enter therefore into thy selfe Dwell with thy selfe and seeke not thy selfe without thy selfe And as Plautus saith Euer perswade thy selfe it is best that thou thy selfe be best if thou cannot attaine to that yet at the last that thou maist bee next the best First therefore thou owest to thy selfe The knowledge of our selues 1. Cor. 11 and 13. the knowledge of thy selfe Surely it is a very hard matter to knowe our selues but heare thou the Apostle who saith Let euery man examine himselfe Item examine your selues whether ye be in the faith Heare other wise Christians as Ayapetus for one We must first learne this diuine precept that euery one knowe him selfe for hee that knoweth himselfe knoweth God He that knoweth God shall become like to God but he that shall become like to God must be worthy of God hee becomes worthy of God who cōmitteth Acceptable to God nothing vnworthy of him but thinketh on diuine things and speaketh what he thinketh and doth what he speaketh Chrysostome saith It is the part of a wise man first to knowe himselfe to viewe what hee himselfe is what is beneath him what is within him what is aboue him what is ouer against him what before him what behind him For this consideration hath a fourefold fruite Our own commoditie our neighbours charitie the worlds contempt and the loue of God And Bernard saith No man is saued without the knowledge of himselfe out of which riseth humilitie the mother of saluation and the feare of God which as it is the entrance to wisedome so is it the entrance to saluation Beeing knowne to thy selfe Care of our selues thou owest of good right to thy selfe a diligent care of thy selfe concerning integritie holinesse to the composing and decking of thy selfe Now thou shalt frame thy selfe to integritie and holinesse if thou studie to vse and order aright the things which God hath committed to thée Whether they be Inward or Outward First therefore when thou knowest Care of goods Of the minde thy selfe reforme all the inward goods of thy minde and body to a rightnes pleasing God Iustice therefore yéelding thy selfe thy right commandeth thée aboue all things to be carefull in enforming rightly and repairing the faculties of thy
Heathen man Heare them ponder them blush and followe them Except thou walke and continue in this way Thou shalt be odious to God The conclusion who hateth the workers of iniquitie Thou shalt be offensiue to good men and euen to the vnbelieuers because for thy sake the name of God is euill spoken of among the Gentiles Thou shalt be cursed euery where and procure grieuous punishments vpon thy selfe Thou shalt be holden captiue as a slaue in Sathans snares To conclude thou shalt haue no part in Gods kingdome but shalt heare that fearefull sentence of the most high Iudge Goe thou cursed one into euerlasting fire O homo Mors tua Mors Christi Fraus Mundi Gloria Coeli Et dolor Inferni sunt meditanda tibi Remember man thy dying day Generall restraints of sinne And Christ who for thee dide Remember Sathans subtilties And how this world doth slide Remember ioyes celestiall And paines that are in hell Let not thy flesh seduce thy soule Remember these things well FINIS Certaine short Praiers framed to the Argument of the parts and members of this booke for the vse of such as desire to profit by calling for the assistance of Gods grace in whatsoeuer they shall be instructed by this booke to be needefull for them 1. A Prayer to prepare vs to enter the way of Christian Pietie and Charitie fitting to the argument of the Prologue O Almightie God and most mercifull father who hast engrafted in al men a desire to knowe and liue And To know from whom all true knowledge and life procéedeth Grant me true knowledge whereby I may knowe thee and my selfe aright Least by knowing much and yet not knowing thée and my selfe aright It may bee saide of mee as of many other that I haue much knowledge and little conscience And am puft vp with knowledge but void of Charitie And seeing this life is not to be desired To liue for it selfe but for an other wherevnto we must enter by the gate of death Giue me grace that I may so liue here that I may alwaies liue with Christ that I may learne both to die and liue aright That I may studie not to liue long but to liue well That I be not sodenly taken out of this life before I haue begun to liue well Moreouer O Lord for as much as thou hast set a marke to such as will liue A marke godly to wit Euerlasting life and hast shewed the way to this marke Euen by The way Iesus Christ who is the way the truth and the life Grant me O Lord the knowledge of The knowledge of the way this way by the right vnderstanding of thy holy word and by the instruction and illumination of thy holy spirit That at the length I may féele thy grace working in my heart That by beginning in thée and not falling from thée but profiting and going forward in godlinesse I may walke in faith and charitie till I come to the marke by Iesus Christ c. Amen A prayer for the entrance of the way The first member of Christian Pietie and Charitie fitting to the argument of the first Member Incipe Begin O Almightie God and most mercifull The end and the way father who hast proposed a happy ende to a Christian life and hast shewed vs a good and right way whereby we might attaine the same yea and hast set vs in that way by the Sacrament of Baptisme and hast instructed vs by thy holy word and confirmed vs in the same by the blessed Sacrament of thy Body and Blood Giue me grace that I may earnestly bend my whole studie and desire to attaine that end or marke And that my heart may long after thée my God from whom I haue long time bin wandring Grant me now at length seriously to meditate my conuersion by turning from sinne the worst of all euils and by returning to thée my God the best of all goods And that I may truly turne from sin Turning from sin giue me grace to consider the miserable state of man liuing in sinne vz. How grieuous a thing it is to haue thée his The miserable state of a sinner enemie and thereby to be depriued of grace in this life and of glorie in the life to come How grieuous a thing it is to grieue the holy spirit and the holy Angels our kéepers How grieuous a thing it is to become a slaue to sinne and Sathan and so an heire of damnation I craue thy helpe therefore O God to leade me to repentance That I may Repentance search my selfe and examine all my actions both internall and externall according to the rule of thy Iustice euē thy law whereby I may discerne how I haue in Degrees of sinne inward heart grown from suggestion to delight from delight to consent from consent to a defence or iustifying of my sinne How Outward I haue growne in action from secret sinning without feare before thée to open sinning without shame of men from thence to a custome without compunction deceiuing my selfe with a vaine hope of mercie with danger of dispaire in the Feare of God end strike therefore O Lord a feare of thée into my heart and astonish my minde that I may feare to be forsaken of thy grace to bee depriued of thy sight to bee tormented in hell pricke my heart not so much with a sorrowe Godly sorrow of thy punishments as with a sorrow of offending thée my good and mercifull father that the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. may succéede the spirit of bondage And the swéete comforts of thy Gospel may sucéede the terrors of thy Lawe Through Iesus Christ our Sauiour c. Amen Now in our conuersion as there is Returning to God Terminus a quo so there is Terminus ad Quem As we must turne from sinne so we must returne to thée who art the chiefest good most simple most perfect Grant mee therefore thy holy spirit which onely can worke this conuersion Effects of our conuersion in my soule By illuminating my vnderstanding that it may iudge aright By directing my will that it may choose aright and by inspiring my heart that it may desire that which is good That in the ende I may bring forth the fruits of holinesse and obedience towards thée my God to whom I am infinitely bound c. And the duties of charitie towards my neighbours As in the practise of the holy Prophet Dauids repentance we are taught And because delaying of returning is dangerous as by thy holy word and Dangers of delay sundry examples we are taught Giue me grace not to defer my conuersion vnto thée but euen this day at the least to begin Least by continuing in sinne I treasure vp for my selfe wrath against the day of wrath Least I be restrained from thée Least I be depriued of ioy and comfort of the spirit Least my conscience be seared