did take it to heart and did apply our inward sense of feeling of his wrath by the punishments already and without repentance like to be more heauily layd vpon us wee should find it more behoued us to turne our silkes into sackclothes and our fine linnen into lamentation our rich rayment into repentance our feastes into fastes then should wee feele in our hearts by the sense and feeling of the Holy Ghost the free forgiuenesse and pardon of our sinnes The King of Niniueh vpon the preaching of Ionah pronouncing from God the destruction of the City for the sinnes of the same felt such remorse and compunction in â—is heart as hee rose from his Throne and laid his Royall rich and soft robes from him and instead of them arayd himselfe in sackcloth and ashes though hee felt them harsh vpon his tender body in token of hiâ— for example of true repentance to his people for their sinnes and caused man and beastes to bee clothed in sackcloth and to abstaine from food in token of sincere repentance And the Lord spared the City And doe not many Ionasses sent from God preach like destruction to vs for our sinnes if wee become so hardened in our hearts as to be past the sense of the feeling of his displeasure shall we not perish The Niniuites repented at the preaching of one Jonas wee have had ten thousand Sermons to that purpose and repent not WEre the Niniuites who repented vpon the preaching of one Ionas spared And did they feele their hearts pricked and their consciences touched at the preaching of one Sermon and that so short Yet forty dayes and Niniueh shall be destroyd Did a people that had scarsly heard of the true God so suddainly and soundly repent and that in three dayes warning in sackcloth and ashes And wee that haue had aboue threescore yeeres the Law and the Gospell the absolute cleere and free knowledge of the liuing God his Christ by aboue tenne thousand Ionasses beating obedience into our eares and shall wee neuer feele it effectuall in our hearts working repentance for our sinnes and amendment of life We feele the heauy hand of God and repent not ARe our hearts so hardned and our consciences so seared that wee bee so farre past feeling as the very seuere scourge of God cannot awake vs Hath hee put his sickle into his haruest not in the City onely but in the whole land hauing already cut downe many silly innocents with many most guilty Hath hee spared such as knew not the right hand from their lest Euen such as neuer actually offended him more than such as haue committed grieuous sinnes and that of knowledge and with a high hand And hath he not taken also many sincere men and women though not perfect among the rest and feele we not yet his wrath that his displeasure continueth and his hand stretched out still against vs Tokens of the hardnes of our hearts DOth any man or woman yet feele in their hearts that God is angry Doth any repentance appeare by any outward markes of sorrow for their sinnes Doe they lay aside their wanton apparell Doe they any whit abate their pride Doth the vsurer abate his vse and lend to the poore for nought Is Bribery extortion and in Iustice banished Is drunkennes abated Is whoredome abandoned Or any vice reformed Doe not rather all forbidden things increase And euery sinne multiply daily And neither of our senses apprehendeth this The eye of the Magistrate sees not the drunkard punished our eares heare not the cries of the poore and of the oppressed to pity them cursing and blasphemies are in our mouthes And our sense of spirituall feeling is meerely mortified that it is to be feared he will change his Rod of visitation by sicknes into fearefull famine or make us feele the sword If wee feele not Gods fauourable correction he will send that wee shall feele LEt vs leave off to dally with God as wee haue done many yeeres hee will not alwayes bee mocked If wee have not the sense to feele his hand of this most fauorable visitation hee will send that which we shall feele if we bee noâ— altogether dead and mortified in sinne we haue seemed but to trifle like trewants in our duties commaunded too long God hath fed vs most plentifully with bread from heauen more aboundantly and more freely then he hath done any nation or people in the world as if wee were his peculiar people most worthy to be beloued aboue all other he hath sowed good seed in our eares but it seemeth to haue taken little roote in our hearts which insteed of good fruites of godlines and obedience bring forth the weeds of wickednes and all sorts of sinnes And wee haue beene long admonished of the danger by Gods many zealous ministers and we feele no pricking in our consciences for our transgressions nor feele or feare Gods threates denounced against vs. All men feele their owne wants and wronges but none regard the members of Christ. EVery man feeles the want of the carnall things hee desires and few there bee that feele the want of grace When they are hungry or thirsty or poore or iniured they feele it But who feeles a sorrow in heart for their sinnes to amendment of their liues Who feeles or takes to heart the misery of Ioseph who feeles a true desire in himselfe to relieue the poore or to defend the oppressed Are wee not all the members of one body whereof Christ is the head And if any of the members suffer thinke wee the head feeles it not And shall any member be afflicted and the rest refuse to helpe it Shall we be so carefull of our owne bodily members that if one of them suffer paine to apply all the rest to relieue it And shall so many members of the mysticall body of Christ suffer not only the sicknes of the body but pouerty want of things necessary depriued of all comfortable attendance perish and so many able men looke awry on them Nay to cast sicke seruants most vncharitably out of their houses inforcing many of theÌ„ to die in the fields like beasts Will God suffer these vnfeeling and senselesse hearts goe without a more heauy punishment then yet they haue felt We ought to haue a feeling of the necessity of the poore HAue thou a feeling of thy brother or sisters miseries and let thy heart bee sensible of thine owne danger and set thy house in order against the time of thy visitation for the time is comming and at hand when thou must feele the force of thy finall dissolution And therefore set thy body thy senses and members of it in good order before the time and as thou hast examined thy tongue and senses So examine thine hands and thy feete which must bee also set in order before thou dye if thou thinke to dye in the Lord. And first examine thine hands The hands of greatest vse hindred for want of sight
violent And yet when his filthy lust was fulfilled hee hated her far more than he seemed to loue her before It is the nature of the corrupt affections of the heart to alter and turne as the wind How many proud men and women haue wee seene obserued or heard off that haue set their affections so egerly vpon new fashions garments women especially who haue beene striken either by the suggestions of Sathan laying their pride before the eyes of their weak consciences to driue them to dispaire or in the mercie of God who hath called them to reformation haue to day worne their proudest attire and that in great conceited glorie that the next day haue especâ—ally cast them all into the fire and consumed them The like change alteration of affectioÌ„s falleth out often between dearest affectionate friends sworne brothers but in euil of whom one hath beene the butcher of the other How dearely doe many times men and their wiues affect one the other one seemeth the better to see the other their loues seeme so mutually intire as there were no possibility that euer a word should passe amisse or in displeasure betweene them and yet within a while they haue falne together like wool-cards tongues fists and nailes haue walked wherâ— before sweetest words seemed not sweet enough The like inconstancy may bee obserued daily amongst our selues in men so hot in religion and following the word as they seeme to affect nothing else and sorrow much if they heare but one Sermon in a day were it possible they would heare tenne such appearance hath their zeale yet when the world offers them some extraordinary commodity or aduancement they will with Demas relinquish Pauls preaching and embrace the world The seede of the word sowne in their hearts fals among thornes that choke it There is no affection truely constant that hath its beginning from any of the outward senses because their obiects bee in themselues inconstant What sees the eye What heares the eare What pleaseth the taste What outward thing affects the mind But things vanishing and variable And therefore as the obiect beginnes to alter so doth the affection But he that affecteth Christ he that aboue all things truely desireth the sincere milke of the Word Hee that thinkes nothing so deare nothing so pretious nothing so delightfull nothing so commodious as the assurance of his glory to come Hee will affect nothing in comparison of it Hee will disaffect Father Mother Wife Children Lands and Life it selfe in regard of it On this he thinks and meditates day and night here is his treasury and vpon it hee sets his whole affection Hee longeth to enioy it as a bride her bridegroome He neuer thinkes his affection perfect enough hee striues by hearing reading meditating on the Word to inflame his affection more and more and stands in continuall feare lest some inferiour delight should worke the least extenuation of it And therefore when he findeth any thing delighting any of his outward senses hee presently suspects it checks it and casts it off as an infected garment knowing that as long as that hangs about him it presseth down his deare affection of things aboue namely of Christ the anchor and finisher of his faith to vnprofitable things below The heart thus affected is euen here rauished as it were with the loue of Heauen heauenly thingâ— reiecting all transitory vanities The purchase of lands the triall of Oxen nor the marrying of a wife shall not hinder or diminish this his heauenly affection What may bee the reason then why most men affect the inferiour fickle and vanishing things that leade to destruction and seeke not nor delight in heauenly the end whereof is glory Surely no other reason but that which lead Eue to affect the Apple because it was faire and beautifull to her eye and pleasing to her taste which made her quite forget the happy estate wherin she was before she tasted it The hearts of carnall men are carryed away and moued for want of the knowledge of the Word of Grace to affect as Eue did things faire to the eye sweet to the taste pleasing to the â—are and profitable to the purse and all but for vaine-glory among worldly men which maketh them to forget not only what they were but which is more dangerous what they shall bee and yet rather than they will giue ouer these worldly trifles yea in respect of good things indeed which are heauenly being more base than dung they will aduenture the losse of heauen and run headlong to hell Some may say if it be not lawfull for men here to affect earthy things but to the indangering of the losse of heaven mens cases are hard It is not denyed but as it is permitted to men to enioy the necessary vse of many earthly things so it is lawfull also moderately to affect one pleasing or profitable thing aboue or before another prouided that they carry not the whole heart with them as the word affection may import which belongeth onely to GOD whom we ought to loue with our whole hearts which is that uttermost extent of affection due to none in the highest degree but to God and his Christ. What profit canst thou reape by thy so louing and affecting things here below which aboue all other ought to bee thy wife that lyeth in thy bosome thy children who are of thine owne flesh and blood thy neighbours as thou art commanded and thy fellow members of Christ These are thy neerest and dearest yet ought not these so farre possesse thy heart as if thou lose any of them thou shouldest grudge at him that gaue them as many weake men and women doe as though their children husband or wife were given either to other in perpetuity And when they dye to shew their affection through immoderate griefe and sorrow to bee more strongly knit vnto these mortall creatures that are not theirs but lent them then to God himselfe This is no vertue but a vice of the heart neither can it be truely called naturall affection though it proceed of nature not of grace for euen naturall affection ought to haue this limitation namely to extend no further than natural life for when the life of him wee doe affect is ended naturall affection should cease Dauid no doubt did intirely affect his son whom he had by Barsheba and shewed the same affection towards him while he was sicke and aliue but as soone as the childe was dead he cast off his affection and sorrow and left mourning for him that he so intirely loued when he was aliue Such affections therefore as are set vpon the transitory and uncertaine things of this life may bee truely termed foolish if they passe the bounds of diuine reason for they onely savour of the corruption of nature and cannot returne any sollid comfort to the heart of the affectionate Where affection is grounded onely vpon carnall opinion without true and illuminate judgement it is like fire
thou art that trustest too much to thy riches and thinke not thy selfe the better man because thou carriest a heauier burden of wealth than thy neighbor doth an honest poor man who hath that simple title only Why rich men are called good men BVt thou that art rich indeed hast the reputation of a Good man Why a good man because thou art a rich man and a man will take thy band for a hundred pounds before thy neighbours for a hundred pence Why because thou art a good man no but of great estate and that is thy goodnes thy neighbour an honest poore man and that is his greatnes and goodnes whose word to his power may be as good as thy band A good man will doe good with his goodnesse BVt if thou be so good a man doe good with thy goodnesse which is thy riches while thou art aliue and leaue not thy goodnesse behind thee and to carry none with thee for if thy goodnesse consist in riches only thou must leaue it and it thee and will such a good man thinke to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen hardly A rich man be he neuer so wicked hath the title of a good man IT is a strange attribute giuen to euery rich man O he is a good man if he haue wealth in abundance let him be Vsurer Extortioner Briber Iew or Atheist he is a good man euery man will lend vpon his band and trust him vpon his word though he be neuer so very an infidell And indeed it is but in shew for the most part that one man doth trust another doth any man trust another in these dayes because he is an honest man some worthy rich and honorable men I acknowledge doe good to honest men thinking them honest men and true members of Christ. But that man that hath a purse to repay and to lend to him againe that hath lent him is the worlds good man And thus goes the current of worldly good men And these are the men that as they haue the glory of the world so they seeke againe to glorifye the world by their glorious posterities for whose aduancement and to purchase vnto themselues the reputation of being very but worldly wise men in outstripping others in getting let the meanes be right or wrong applying all their wits studies and endeuours to become rich in the superlatiue degree to make their names their houses their heires great and greater then the greatest of their neighbors forgetting themselues what they were what they are and what they shal be without repentance and setting their houses soules and bodies in godly order before they dye miserable in the highest degree Pride and couetousnesse rootes of many vices THou art famous for thy wealth and glorious in thy great possessions but be neither the more proud nor the more couetous two rancke rootes whence doe spring all the vices that disorder both the houses of thy soule and body Looke rather a little backe to the place from whence thou camest and consider what thou broughtest into the world with thee Broughtest thou either siluer or gold lands or goods In what garments camest thou into the world Considerations fit for all men IF thou hadst brought any of these things into the world with thee and couldest carry them againe out of the world with thee thou mightest indeed then in some sort repute them thine yet but in a sort for as thy body is subiect to death to corruption and rottenesse so are thy lands and goods thy siluer thy gold and goodliest garments subiect to the like consumption But remember thou camest out of the place of darkenes clothed in bloud which was also thy food wherewith thou wert sustained in life before thou camest into the light Thou haddest no other garment though thou be since washed and outwardly purified and become neate and clad with costly attire whereof thou needest not boast nor wax proud be thy raiments neuer so rich in cost or colour they are but the fragments of the raggs of Adams figge leaues to couer thy nakednesse as he did And if thou consider wel thine owne nakednesse thou maist rather be ashamed than to be proud of thine apparell be whatsoeuer thou art man or woman For if it were not a shame to haue thy nakednesse seene there needed no such costly attire to couer it and yet such is the boldnesse of some impudent women that they are not ashamed to lay out their nakednesse in an vnseemely manner as if they should say as they doe in silence heere is ware to be sold come and buy for your lust or borrow for your loue Men and women be they now neuer so proud and vaineglorious of their dainty feature and beauty they came but out of a den of darkenesse and to a place of darkenesse they must returne and haue no certainty how long they shall liue heere be they neuer so lusty and strong neuer so faire and amiable And yet doe not only not seeke to set their bodies and soules in order but disorder them euery day Few come to their inheritance vnder twenty one yeares IT was many yeares after thou camest into the world before thou didst enioy thy freedome neere a third part of the time of mans life limited by Dauid which few attaine vnto And therfore thou knowest not how soone thou shalt be taken from thy possessions thy goods and dearest worldly delights whilst thou hast time therfore set thy selfe thy soule and thy body lands and goods which are meant by thy house in order knowing that thou must dye and knowest not when where nor how We must remember that we must dye and come to iudgement LOoke before thee to the place whither thou goest and forget it not let not thy glory greatnes cause thee to forget that thou shalt dye and come to iudgment And although thou camest into the world with the breath of life thou shalt returne without it yet not actiuely for thou shalt become as a meere lumpe of earth without power or vigor in thy selfe to moue but be moued at the pleasure of others And here must thou cast off thy glorious garments not as the Eagle casts his bill or the Serpent his skin to be reuested with them but in stead of them thou must be content and be beholden to thy friends to afford thee a silly sheet to put thy naked carkasse in Men must forsâ—ke all when death comes THen must thou leaue behind thee thy louing wife thy dearest children and best friends thy rich possessions thy gold and siluer and what thou esteemedst most precious And then a little length and bredth of land which may be cast vp by inches wil serue thee in stead of many honors manors forrests parkes c. which could hardly be numbred by acres will serue thee for thy fairest chamber And insteed of thy siluer gold wherwith thou couldst neuer be satisfied thou shalt haue earth thy mouth belly full and in
in flaxe soone inkindled and soone extinct soone hot and as soone cold And no other foundation haue those affections that are set vpon carnall and vanishing things A man may as is often obserued affect and hate as it were in one breath things variable and interchangeable for as all naturall things are inconstant so is mans heart Saul seemed so highly to affect Dauid as he was content to giue him his daughter in marriage yet how soone was his loue turned to deadly hatred It was not grounded vpon that loue that proceeds from the Spirit of God But Ionathans loue and affection to Dauid was grounded vpon a more diuine and setled opinion hee saw that God was with Dauid And vpon this ground whosoeuer foundeth his affection towards any man namely as hee findes him to be a man beloued of God his affection is approued of God O that wee could rectifie our loue in this point and learne to affect the best things and not to set our affections on things of the world which when wee haue them they steed vs nothing beyond necessity how superfluous soeuer they bee And when wee seeme to haue them in best assurance either they leaue us before the time or wee must leaue them in time Let us make choice therefore as Mary did of the better part namely to affect things permanent which are aboue and they most excellent Then need wee not to feare bee wee poore or rich high or low noble or base wee shall be able to set our houses both domestick of our soules in such compleate order as shall witnesse our godly care in our liues when wee are dead A preparatiue to Prayer LEt the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be now and alwayes acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer Let my prayer come before thee as Incense and let the lifting vp of my hands be as an Euening sacrifice like a morning obligation a sweet smelling sauour in thy nostrils Heare my prayers and answer me graciously for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Sunday Morning O Lord God Almighty euer-liuing and euer-louing Father in thy well-beloued sonne Iesus Christ who art father of all and rich vnto all that call vpon thy name in truth and sincerity to thee I call and cry together with thy forme and holy spirit three distinct persons in the vnity of essence who hauing made all things of nothing sustainest them in thy good prouidence by the word of thy power that thy name by all men and by all meanes might bee glorified Lord I acknowledge this day to be thine as consecrated and set a part for thy worship and service and to be obserued not only as a holy day but a glorious day vnto thee wherein I ought to pay my vowes vnto thee present my person and my prayers before thee heare thy word and meditate vpon the same to thy glory and mine owne good To this end remoue farre from me all wandring thoughts and worldly affections and worke in me a desire of studying thy Law and of walking in the truth that thy word may not bee vnto mee the sauour of death vnto death but of life vnto life I present not these my supplications trusting to my owne righteousnesse but in thy manifold mercies grant me therefore I beseech thee gratious audience and mercifull acceptaâ—ce euen for my redeemers and sanctifiers sake And as duty obligeth mee principally and aboue all other things and primarily in the first place and before all other things I extoll thine infinite goodnesse together with thine eternall wisdome and truth that thou hast protected mee all this night past and made me to rest and sleepe so quietly vnder the shadow of thy wings And I beseech thee from the bottome of mine heart to protect me this day with thy mighty hand from all dangers both of body and soule giue thine holy Angels charge ouer mee to guide me in all my waies to keepe mee from euils both bodily and ghostly that keeping my faith and a good conscience I may haue thy witnesse and testimony within my selfe that thou hast not ordained me to wrath but to obtain eternall life and saluation To this end remoue farre from me the offences of this present euill world mortify and kill in me the concupiscense of the flesh crucifie all carnall lusts and affections that vice being supplanted vertue and grace may bee established liue and grow in mee Let not since haue dominion ouer mee reigne and beare rule in my mortall body to ouer-sway my soule and incline it unto euills but let thy loue possesse my soule that grace may incite and stirre vp the same vnto all holy duties which may be soe pleasing vnto thy maiesty as may procure thy fauourable kindnesse blessing and protection Giue mee a contrite heart to bewayle my former life and let mee finde comfort in thy mercy for the remission of my sinnes Sanctifie me O blessed and holy trinity this holy day with thine especiall grace that I may honour thee as a Creator loue thee as a redeemer and expect thee as a Sauiour that I may haue a modest carriage in my behauiour true deuotion in my prayers and reuerent attention in thy presence to heare thy word Vnlocke the cares of my body that I may heare those things which thou shalt teach me that hearing I may vnderstand them vnderstanding I may remember them remembring I may practice them to adorne that profession which I haue made in thy name and confirme mee in the faith of thy sonne Iesus Christ whereto I was baptized Raise mee O Father by the power of my sauiours resurrection from sinne and iniquity and giue me spirituall rest peace of conscience ioy in the holy ghost and fellowship in the communion of Saints that when I shall leaue this world I may keepe an euerlasting Sabbath with thee in the kingdome of heauen Behold O Lord I knock at the dore of thy mercy withall the power of my soule and strength of my minde for all these graces and fauours beseeching thee to continue vnto mee the right vse of the same that thy spirit may witnesse vnto my spirit that I am thy sonne and shall bee heire of thy kingdome of glory and that I may be partaker of the inheritance with thy Saints in light where are pleasures that last for euermore Grant this O Father for Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Sunday Noone O Lord my God great in maiesty and infinite in mercy wonderfull in thy goodnesse vnto thy Church and children who hast commanded mee to make prayers and supplications for those that shall enter into the ministery and stand before thee to waite at thine Altar the harâ—est being great and the painefull and conscionable labourers but few I beseech thee that thou wouldest bee pleased to send able ministers into thy Church and set such ouer particular congregatiâ—ns as like Iohn the Baptist may
in the bed put mee in minde of my resting in the graue and my rising from thence of my resurrection that both in life and death I may continue thine through Iesus Christ. Amen Wednesday A Morning Prayer O Eternall and all-seeing God who art of infinite maiesty looke downe from heauen the habitation of thy holinesse vpon me thy poore and vnworthy seruant lying groueling and groning vnder my sinfull misery Thou art a God of power and canst relieue me of goodnesse and wilt in thy good time mercifully helpe mee Vnto thee therefore upon the bended knee of my soule doe I come humbly beseeching thee to cure my sinfull corruptions and by that bloud which my blessed Sauiour out of his gashy wounds did shed for mee to wash away my sinfull staynes O Lord the fountaine of thy mercy can neuer bee drawne dry nor the merits of my blessed Sauiour emptied O therefore bathe my soule in them that being sanctified and iustified I may appeare in thy sight more pure and white then the snow in Salmon And because it is a pleasant thing vnto thee to giue thanks I blesse thy name for keeping mee this night past and bringing of me to the beginning of this day Defend me gracious father in the same let thy eyes alwayes attend vpon mee prosper preserue cheere vp and cherish guide and gouerne instruct and direct mee in all my studies labours actions imployments and duties of my calling that I may spend and imploy this day and the remainder of my life according to thy blessed wil setting thee alwaies before mine eyes and liuing in thy feare euer working that which may be found acceptable in thy sight to the glory of thy most holy name the peace of my conscience and the saluation of my owne soule and the edification by my good example of all those that attend and depend vpon mee To this end be thou O Lord my God and my guide my protector and defender keep me vnspotted of the world teach mee to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly towards my selfe righteously towards my neighbour and piously towards thee my God repenting me of my sinnes and seruing thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all my daies that in life thou maist bee my God in death my deliuerer after death my eternall rewarder Amen Wednesday An Euening Prayer O Most glorious and gracious God who ouerflowest in thy bountifull goodnes vnto the sons daughters of men that endeauour to serue thee and glorifie thy name I doe here at this time with that good Samaritane returne to giue thee thanks for al thy merciful blessings bestowed vpon my soule and body in things spirituall and temporall for mine election before all time my creation in the beginning of time my redemption in the fulnesse of time my iustification by faith in Christ for my sanctification begun and hope of eternall glory to bee reuealed I praise and glorifie thee most holy father for preseruing me hitherto for prospering me this day past in my vocation and calling and for that thou hast yet spared me and giuen me liberty and a gracious opportunity once more to inuocate thy holy name O Lord I acknowledge and confesse that thou mightest haue taken mee away in the middest of my sinnes and in the very act of committing of them but thou hast dealt more mercifully with me continue good Lord this thy mercy and gracious fauour towards mee this night and let thy blessing rest vpon me keepe mee from feare and danger and from all noysome dreames and from all other hinderances of sweet repose and comfortable rest which thou hast appointed for the recreating and refreshing of mankind But because sinne is that which may with-hold good things from mee and deny thy gracious blessing of protection therefore I most humbly and heartily intreate thee for Iesus Christ his sake to seale vnto me a free pardon of all my sinnes of what nature or quality so euer they be whether they be sinnes of omission or commission of knowledge or ignorance of weakenesse or wilfulnesse O Lord deale not with mee according to the magnitude and multitude of them but for thine infinite mercies and sons merits speake peace vnto my soule assuring me of thy gracious pardon and reconciliation in Iesus Christ. Adde them not vnto my account but blot them out of thy booke of remembrance and cast them out of thy sight into the bottome of the sea that they may neuer rise in this life to shame mee nor in the life to come to condemne mee worke in mee an vnfained sorrow for sinne which may occasion my repentance vnto saluation neuer to be repented of Make me to bewaile my sinnes committed and giue mee grace neuer againe to commit my sinnes bewayled but proceed from one degree of holinesse vnto another from faith to faith grace to grace vntill I appeare before thee the God of Gods in Sion Amen Thursday A Morning Prayer O Lord God great and glorious which inhabitest in the highest heauens and dwellest in that light which no mortall man can approach vnto yet beholdest in much mercy and compassion the sonnes and daughters of men not onely lightning euery one that comes into the world but making the out-goings of the morning to be full of glory causing the sunne to shine vpon the iust and vniust mercifully driuing away the darkenesse of the night and shadow of death I praise thy holy Name and thanke thee most humbly that thou hast vouchsafed mee to passe this night in comfortable sleepe and to be brought againe safe and sound vnto this morning light Now I beseech thee by the holy incarnation and blessed natiuity of thy Son Iesus Christ the thrice happy day-starre that appeared to the world let thy mercy this day rest vpon me and let the bright beames of thy light shine into mine heart that I bee not transported either through the corruption of my nature or power of darkenesse to spend this day after mine owne minde and pleasure but that I may carefully follow the heauenly light of thy word to performe thy holy will willingly without murmuring speedily without delaying constantly without ceasing and vniuersally without omitting of that which thou commendest vnto me in thy word Increase in me O Lord the gift of Faith and Hope that I may beleeue in thee and trust to thy mercifull promises made vnto me in Iesus Christ and labour to finde in my soule those graces to which thou hast annexed the promises and grant that neither by mine owne negligence nor the infirmity of the flesh nor the grieuousnesse of temptation I be drawn or driuen away from a sure confidence of thy gracious acceptance with thee in the merit of his sacred bloud dispell these mists and clouds of my sinfull life which blemish my soule and darken mine vnderstanding wash away all my pollutions and staines in the bloud of his passion that I may be acknowledged for one of thine when I
according to thy good pleasure and shewest thy selfe in nothing more omnipotent then in the conceiuing forming and bringing forth of mankinde into this world which alâ—â—ough it was in the beginning ordayned most easily yet by the subtilty of our continuall enemy Satan in causing our first parents to transgresse thy commandement and breake thy will by tasting the forbidden fruit it is now most painefull and dangerous grieuous and perillous insomuch O sweet Lord as without thine especiall grace and assistance fauour and mercy it is altogether impossible for vs fraile women a weake sex to beare and abide the same our imperfection and feeblenesse is such as of our selues we are not able to indure the least of all the sorrowes and sufferings that accompany this kinde of trauaile wherefore sweet Lord and louing Father my humble desire vnto thy maiesty is for Iesus Christ his sake that thou wouldest vouchsafe to extend vnto me and to all women thy mercy and louing fauour to mitigate the paines thereof that we may be able patiently to indure the paines of our trauaile at the howre appointed and make that easie and light vnto vs which our defects haue made heauy and burdensome sweeten that which our deserts haue made sowre that the burden wherewith I am now laden may graciously be deliuered from my weake body Send vs all good Lord happy and gracious deliuerance that wee may bee made ioyfull and happy mothers And vouchsafe vnto me to al that haue conceued and be with childe strength to bring forth that which thine omnipotency hath so wonderfully wrought within vs. In our troubles O Lord helpe vs thou most mighty and mercifull God mightily deliuer vs. Let thy power might and loue be no lesse manifest in the deliuery then in the forming of thy creature that being through thy goodnesse made a ioyfull mother I may obtaine my perfect strength againe and liue to praise and please thee for euermore Amen Another short and most necessary prayer to be said of one with Childe O Lord whose goodnesse wee haue offended and by our sins deserued infinite paines looke with the eye of pitty and compassion vpon me lay aside thy Iustice and shew me thy mercifull fauour and louing kindnesse Let me inioy the benefit of thy helping hand and not feele the weight of thy heauy displeasure fauourably lighten me of this heauy burden in thy good and gracious time and in the howre and instant of my deliuery be present with me O Lord and tender my safety through Iesus Christ. Amen A thanksgiuing after the woman is deliuered of the Childe FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee Almighty God of thy gracious goodnesse to ease me of my paines and deliuer me of my burden and from the pangs and throwes of Child-bearing I doe here humbly prostrate my soule and body before thy sacred maiesty to be vnto thee a reasonable liuely and liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable in thy sight giuing thine omnipotent maiesty infinite and vnfained thanks for this thy gracious preseruation of me and deliuering me out of this great danger of death wherein I was and vnder which I might soon haue perished had not thy mercy sustained me and thy goodnesse imbraced me on euery side To thee therefore O holy and heauenly Father be giuen and ascribed all possible praise and thanksgiuing from this time forth for euermore As thou hast beene gracious vnto me in giuing me a childe so Lord giue me grace to deuote and consecrate it vnto thee and thy seruice To this end worke mightily in it by thy holy Spirit sanctifie it from the wombe that it may bee thine not only whil'st it hangs vpon the mothers brests but so long as it shall breath in the land of the liuing and vntill thou translate it hence to raigne with thee in glory Amen A short Prayer for Wisdome O Lord most great and glorious I confesse that whilst I beare about with me this body of sinne imprisoning the soule my nature corrupted and depraued with sinnes originall and actuall seekes by all meanes possible to oppose the spirit and doe those things which are dissonant and contrary to the motions inspirations and gracious influence and working thereof My flesh lusteth against the spirit so that the things which I would doe I cannot and the things which I suppose to be done in much knowledge and wisdome will bee found not only ignorances and errors but sinnefull wickednesse in thy fight Wherefore I humbly beseech thee O Holy Father to send out thy light and truth thy Spirit of wisdome and reuelation to teach and instruct mee to bee my God and guide to leade mee into all truth Lord send downe that wisdome which waiteth about thy throne and plant the same in my heart that all my sayings doings and devises being alwayes ordered by this wisdome from on high I may intend and doe that which is pleasing in thy sight and profitable for mine owne saluation and shun the contrary in all things through Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour Amen A short Prayer for defence against our Enemies O Lord my God bee not farre from me in trouble and in all dangers bodily or ghostly draw neere and make haste to helpe me I am I confesse a most sinfull creature and haue iustly deserued thy wrath and indignation against me the sorest and seuerest of thy punishments yea that all thy blessings should become curses vnto me and that I should either be destroyed by thine and the churches enemies or that I should bee ruinated by mine owne prosperity Yet Lord for thy mercy sake turne thee vnto me and haue compassion on me let not mine enimies preuaile in their mischieuous devises lest they be to proud in thy mercy conuert them or in thy iustice confound them make them as the stubble before the winde and thine Angell scattering of them Lord I am in thine hand and they are within the compasse of thy power stay and allay their fury let them not take effect in their mischieuous Imaginations and attempts against me but put them to confusion rid me and deliuer me in thy righteousnesse Be thou a son and a shield vnto me to comfort and protect me To this end cause thine Angels to pitch their tents round about mee that being defended vnder the shadow of thy wings and armed with the power of thy might I may not feare what man can doe vnto me Lord regard me with the eye of thy grace and guard me with the hand of thy power that being preserued in both soule and body I may liue in piety peace and godlinesse vnto my liues end Amen A Prayer to be said before the receiving of the Lords Supper O Lord Iesus the Sonne of the liuing God who freely and of thine owne accord offeredst thy most sacred Body to bee broken and thy blood to bee shed for my sinnes that thou mightest ransome me from hell and deliver me from wrath eternal condemnation O sweet
deare Father I confesse my weakenesse is such that I want patience to endure thy tryall take from me thy heauy hand or lay no more vpon mee then I can beare giue an issue vnto all temptations and make a way for mee to escape and in the end grant me a finall deliuerance As thou madest me of dust so thou canst take from me my breath againe and cause me soone to returne vnto my originall earth againe yet spare mee a little that I may recouer my health and strength before I goe hence and be no more seene There is I confesse no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger nor rest in my bones because of my sinnes my heart panteth my strength faileth my beauty and liuely-hood consumeth like a moth-eater-garment O Lord if it be thy will remoue thy stroake away from mee and consume mee not by the blow of thy hand Ease mine agonies mittigate mine extremities be mindfull of my sorrowes and mercifull vnto my sinnes redeeme my life from destruction strengthen my weakenes heale my disease and cause mee againe to walke before thee in the land of the liuing But if thou hast otherwise determined of me to translate mee hence thy will be done grant me patience vnder thy correcting hand and a liuely faith in the all sufficient and efficacious merit of Christ my Sauiour If thou wilt not heale my disease yet forgiue me mine iniquity seale vnto mee a free pardon of all my sinnes in the bloud of thy Sonne say vnto my soule that thou wilt be my saluation In affiance of thy mercifull absolution cause me to declare mine iniquities and be filled with godly sorrow which may worke repentance vnto saluation neuer to be repented of Sprinkle mee with the bloud of Christ and puriâ—â—e me from my dayly pollutions that being washed iustified and sanctified I may be presented vnto thee without spot or wrinkle Let nothing separate mee from thy loue but giue me perseveing grâ—ce to hold out vnto the end that dying thine Angels may conuey my soule into Abrahams bosome there to raigne with thee world without end Amen A Prayer to bee vsed by the friends of the sicke c. O Lord our God and most gracious Creator thou madest vs immortall creatures but by sinne we haue brought death and destruction vpon our selues for we haue profaned thy Sabbaths contemned thine ordinances cast thy word behinde our backs liued in all sinne and sensuality spirituall slumber and security so that thou mightest iustly cut vs off from the land of the liuing and giue vs our portion which hypocrites where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth But Lord for thy mercy sake and for the merits of thy Sonne spare vs a little and giue vs space of amendment before we goe hence and bee no more seene and grace whereby we may draw neare vnto thee to seeke thy fauour in Iesus Christ. Correct vs in thy mercy and not in thy Iustice lest wee should be consumed and brought to nothing If thou giue ouer our bodies vnto sickenesse let it be to the destruction of the body of sin that being aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ we may grow in grace and bee more fruitfull in all good workes And whilest wee liue teach vs to dye dayly mortifying the deeds of the flesh contemning the world with the vanities thereof Weane vs from inordinate selfe-loue that wee may not endeare our selues too much to these transitory liues of ours but may bee ready to depart when it shall please thee to call for vs knowing that we cannot liue euer with thee vnlesse we be willing to dye and be with thee Wherefore we pray thee take away the bitternesse of death and sweeten by the wood of Christs Crosse these waters of Marah that we may sigh and groane in our selues desiring to be deliue-from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Worke in vs a willingnesse to depart but yet we humbly intreat thee let our liues and the life of this thy sicke seruant bee now and euer precious in thy sight looke mercifully vpon him that is grieued with sicknesse Lord if thou wilt thou canst make him whole Send him therefore helpe and health from thy holy place and euermore mightily defend him Let the enemy haue no aduantage against him nor the wicked approach to hurt him but bee thou present with him and strengthen his faith increase his patience vnder thy correcting hand Lift vp by the hand of thy mercy and Fatherly indulgence this thy seruant from the bedde of his sorrowes If thou wilt longer exercise him lend him strength to endure thy tryall and in the end bee bettered by it If thou hast determined to take him hence certify him how long he hath to liue make him to know his end and the measure of his daies that by prayer and repentance of faith hee may prouide wisely for his last end and bee found of thee in peace and inioy euerlasting happinesse dispose his â—editations aright for death and in the howre of death and alwayes make him to deny himselfe in renouncing iustification by any inherent worth or righteousnesse In all sorrowes and sufferings let thy comforts reioyce his soule To this end mortifie in him the corruption of nature quicken him with the soule of new life and establish him with thy free Spirit purge his heart from worldly thoughts and his minde from carnall desires motions and affections Wash his soule and body with the blood of Christ and sanctifie him throughout both in Spirit soule and body with the grace of thy Holy Spirit that departing in the true faith not casting away his confidence nor hope of reioycing in full assurance of a blessed resurrection he may haue boldnesse in the day of Christ and passe from death to life and bee euer with thee to behold thy glory grant this for Iesus Christ his sake Amen Another Prayer to be vsed by those that are about the sicke O Lord our God great and glorious thou that art the Iudge of all the earth we dust and ashes vile and miserable sinners doe here most humbly cast downe our selues before thee for our sinnes which are the causers of all the euils of punishment which thou inflictest on the sonnes and daughters of men Deare Father heare vs and forgiue whatsoeuer is past and grant that wee may euer hereafter serue and please thee through newnesse of life walking before thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all our dayes And because the dayes are evill giue vs grace to redeeme the time and numbring our dayes aright apply our hearts vnto wisdome Cause vs constantly to eschew euill and doe good to seeke peace and ensue it Looke mercifully on this thy seruant grieued with sickenesse and sanctifie this visitation vnto him that those graces which thou hast begun to worke in him may be strengthened increased and by degrees perfected Restore vnto him the voice of ioy and health that the