maketh vs delicate in feeding or to desire variety of dishes and daintie fare but quezie stomackes or a custome in nice feeding want of appetite or weaknesse in digestion so nothing but daintinesse and an appetite to varietie weake spirits yet withall full of proud conceits fleshly apprehēsions itching eares want of good stomackkes and hearts vnhumbled doe cause the fine and delicate cooking of Gods word and saucing it with the froth of mens wits to make it fleshly sweet and pleasant to vaine persons 4. Consider how thou canst lay aside thy worldly businesses thy pleasures and profits to take thy bodily repast either at home or as occasion serues abroad where thou mayest haue it euen so shouldest thou lay aside thy pleasures and profits at times fitting for to get food for thy soule either at home or abroad for as food is necessarie for the bodie so is the word of God preached for thy soule 5. As thou knowest that food preserues not life without Gods blessing and that the least crum may bereaue thee of thy life if it go wrong and therefore doest thou pray to God before euen so know also that hearing and preaching of the word doth not giue not preserue the life of the soule except God blesse the same yea the least mistaking in the chiefest points if God preuent it not may cause thee to erre euen vnto death And therefore before we come to the word let vs pray heartily to God for a blessing 6. As thou wilt not sit downe to receiue food but with cleane hands so come not to Gods word or the Lords Table without a cleane heart and as thou wilt sit downe if thou hast a good stomack when meate is prepared for thee laying aside thy businesse for a while so indeed if our hearts bee good whē the Lord hath prepared by his Ministers food for vs let vs as wee ought lay aside worldly businesses a while to heare his doctrine words of instruction for our strength and edification And being set downe Meditations being set at the table at a feast then let the house in which thou art put thee in remembrance of Gods Church the Master of the house of Christ Iesus the head of his Church and Lord of the feast the table of the Lords Table thy sitting downe the spirituall rest at the heauenly banquet the faire linnens of puritie the furnishing of the Table the variety with plentie of all things of the things prepared for vs by Christ Let the cleanly decent seruice put thee in mind of the pure worship of God the wholesome food of sound doctrine the orderly placing of dishes the orderly administration of holy things The seruitours let them remember thee of Gods Ministers the bread of the word of God and Christs body in the Sacrament the drinke and wine of the water of life and blood of Christ milke of the principles of religion and catechizing strong meate of harder points of doctrine salt of the ministery of the word sauce of afflictiōs mingled with Gods mercies to make them taste the better The cunning caruing and cutting vp of the food of the right diuiding of Gods word the reaching of it cut of the giuing to euery man his part and portion thy hand of thy faith thy chewing in thy mouth of thy meditation in heart thy digestion of thy true receiuing of the word Remember by thy companie the communion of Saints by their talke together the holy conference by their idle speech the nature of vaine and iangling spirits and by their graue and sober speaking the wisdome of their words which are wise in heart By the musicke if any be consider of the sweet melody in concord of louing hearts liuing in vnity and of the ioies in heauen and mirth vnspeakable by the chearing of the heart with meate and drinke causing thee to bee merrie weigh the sweet comforts of the word refreshing thy soule making thee glad in the peace of a good conscience which is a continual feast When thou offerest of that thou hast vnto any let it put thee in mind of the cōmunicating of thy graces and gifts of heauenly things vnto others When thou receiuest willingly with thankes what other offer to thee thinke how willingly and thankfully thou shouldest receiue the food meanes of saluation from other when any shall offer the same vnto thee Being at length well refreshed Being refreshed and readie to arise frō the table and ready to arise thinke what a blessing of God it is to haue food to refresh the body and so in like manner to haue meanes of instruction to thy soule Let him that giueth thankes in the end call to thy remembrance how the Minister giueth thankes at the end of the time of the publike worship which thou art to stay for them as at the Table for saying of grace To conclude this as thou feelest strength of body by taking corporall food so labour to feele strength of grace by receiuing the food of the soule And as thou perceiuest that the body will famish without nourishing of it daily so the soule wil perish where there is no vision And as thou canst find in thy hart to bee at cost for the bodily food and canst labour and go farre for it so such a loue and hunger shouldest thou haue for the foode of the soule that thou shouldest willingly bee at cost for it to labour for it to seeke it as siluer and to search for it as treasurie that thou mayest come to the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Gaius Alas my heart is heauie my soule is perplexed within me Oh how wanting hitherto haue I been of these duties and ignorant of these meditations I confesse I haue risen without any true reuerent remembrance of God a few prayers perhaps I haue made more in sound of words then with sighes and grones from an earnest affection of the heart But now haue I better vnderstood how euery morning I am to demeane my selfe the Lord giue mee grace what now I know and thou good man of God hast so largely instructed mee in hereafter neuer to neglect Iohn Comfort thy selfe my bowels thou hast a large portion in the Lords inheritance I wish chiefely that thou mayest prosper as well as thy soule prospereth thy beginnings in goodnes thy desire to encrease in grace thy faithfull endeauour to attaine thereunto by Gods blessing shall bring thee to perfection and to thy desired wish in the end Gaius Thou hast spoken I thanke thee comfortably vnto thy seruant but if that I haue now obtained thy grace and that I bee acceptable in thine eyes before thou proceedest any further I beseech thee to frame me a form of prayer for euery morning as may fitly agree with my former meditations Iohn Faithfull Gaius I very willingly condiscend to this thy holy desire if therefore it please thee in this or the like maner thou mayest frame thy prayer
euer I had rather bee there a doorekeeper then dwell in the tents of the vaine and wicked though mighty in the world Surely there is no company comparably to the blessed communion of Saints who are Christs members the temple of the holy Ghost and hee in the middest among them Make me highly to esteeme of the publike assembly where thy word is preached and thy name called vpon and cause mee euer to bee vnfainedly thankfull for the same Oh it is thy exceeding great mercy towards me and towards vs all this day that wee may with such freedome and liberty enioy that truth in peace which the blessed Apostles taught and sealed with their blood which many thousands of Saints after thē did professe and maintaine with their very liues in the middest of bloody persecution because otherwise they could not enioy the benefit of the word What ingratitude were therefore this in vs if wee should not laud thy name daily sing praises vnto thy most diuine Maiesty which hast thus in so great mercy dealt with vs that may without feare of open enemies keep publike meetings frequent those places set vp in the honour and praise of thy blessed sonne Iesus How vnworthie should we make our selues of this vnspeakeable grace and fauour if wee should carelesly neglect as too many doe so great meanes of our saluatiō Those that died for the truth may well perswade vs to the loue of the truth and they that shead their blood for preaching it others also who rather then they would not heare it and enioy the benefit of it were contented to hazard their liues they may iustly condemne vs of negligence and shall rise vp in iudgement against vs if wee will not leaue our vaine pleasures and our worldly profits for it O Lord our God lay not this iniquitie to our charge the too much neglect if not contempt of the sauing means of saluation thou mayest in thy iust iudgment vtterly depriue vs of all meanes of our spirituall life of all grace and heauenly comforts for that indeed we doe not so esteeme of the ministerie of thy word and of the Gospell of thy Son as we should Turne vs of thy mercy O God from the accursed loathing to a blessed louing thereof And make vs to account of it as a thing most precious to shew the same in a more earnest seeking after knowledge therein in a greater desire thereof with feruencie of spirit for the truth against sinne in our selues and others against superstition and idolatrie against prophanenesse against contempt of good gouernment and base account of thy faithfull ministers then hitherto wee haue done and cause vs to bring forth also better fruits worthy the Gospell of Christ and our profession That so it may appeare that we be Christians indeed professors in good earnest sincere louers of the truth that so these thy mercies may be established vpon vs continued with vs and propagated to posterities whereby not onely we but euen our children childrens children may haue cause herein with vs to magnifie thy name for euer and for euer And here O Lord I call not vpon thy name for my selfe alone and these thy people knowne vnto me but for all thy whole Church euery where in all the world remember them Lord in thy mercy call those that are not yet called confirme such as are bring backe such as slip out of the way resolue such as stand doubting raise vp such as doe fall comfort the afflicted stand by such as be in combate with the diuell with the world or with the strong and violent streame of corruptions flowing out from their owne euill hearts Stand by them good Lord helpe them for the victorie and deliuer them from euill and by thy grace euer either preuent their falles or forgiue their offences Blesse these particular Churches of England Scotland and Ireland and herein especially the principall member of the same our dread Soueraigne the Kings Maiestie the Queene Prince Charles Fredericke Prince Elector and the Lady Elizabeth the Honourable Councell and worthy Nobles the Ministery and Ministers of thy Gospell and all Schooles of learning for the furtherāce of religiō Lord continue peace among vs vnite our hearts in one in the truth and for the truth cause iustice in true iudgmēt to bee maintained grieuous wrongs and oppressions to bee vtterly suppressed good works of zeale mercy piety to be euery way furthered and the instruments to be highly aduāced And if there be any enemies to thee O God and to thy people maintaining that man of sinne O Lord thou mighty God of heauen reueale them to the world discouer all craftie Achitophels set thy selfe against them and all wicked seducers misleading thy people by errour into Antichristian superstition and idolatrie and either conuert them or confound them for the safety of thy people and their great peace yea for the more full manifestation of thy hatred against that man of sinne against that tyrannicall regiment and that bloody persecuting power with all the trecherous and traiterous adherents to the same and this doe O Lord for thy owne name sake also euen for the merits of Christ Iesus our only Lord Sauiour in whose name we pray vnto thee as he hath taught vs saying Our Father c. Gaius I giue vnto thee thou mā of God most humble thankes for this so great labour vndertaken for my sake I wish I could recompence this thy so great goodnesse but albeit I cannot I doubt not but he that is able and hath promised to reward euery good worke hee assuredly will to whom I shall daily pray that hee may recompence and euerlastingly blesse thee for euery good deede euen so Amen Iohn I thank thee good Gaius I haue done but my dutie of God I deserue nothing of thee for a requitall I looke for no more but that which I know already thou wilt do euen constantly make to a good vse of al. Therin the Lord blesse thee and I am satisfied and so farewel till our next meeting Gaius The Lord be with thee my Father my Father and his holy Angels take safe custodie of thee for euer and euer Amen FINIS
before God and his Church 4. Think also that thou shalt arise out of thy graue as thou doest arise out of thy bed and so indeed appeare in iudgement Seuenthly being vp Meditations in putting on of our clothes putting thy rayment vpon thee meditate of these things That as thou lookest for raiment for thy body so must thou looke for clothing to thy soule which is Christs righteousnesse 2. That as without a hand thou canst not aray thy selfe so without faith thou canst not put on Christ 3. That as bodily raiment is to couer our shame and not therefore to bee proud of it so is Christs righteousnesse for to couer our sinnes 4. That as a rayment fitted vnto thee then doth thee good affordeth thee comfort maketh thee comely preserueth thy body from dangers which by walking naked it might be annoyed with and thy selfe brought to destruction thereby euen so Christ his righteousnesse applied vnto thee doth thee then good affordeth thee cōfort maketh thee comly before God and is thy preseruation to saue thee from the burning wrath of God for sin and other perils of destructiō which all that walke naked without it fall into and perish vtterly 5. That as when thy rayment is on thou darest then boldly bee seene and go before men so hauing on this robe of Christ thou mayest come boldly to the throne of grace before God 6. As thou doest prouide a couering for euery part of thy body being able doest beautifie thy clothes with other ornamēts so labour for spirituall graces to euery part of the soule and beautifie thy profession with the comly ornamēts of good words and good workes adorne thy eare with the earing of attention to the word thy necke with the golden chaine of Peters Euangelicall vertues thy hands with the bracelets of Almes deeds to the poore let thy white linnen put thee in mind of inward puritie thy other outward rayment of common honesty thy well shapt apparell of decent behauiour thy clenly going of auoiding spirituall vncleannesse the maske to one of that sexe of modesty the long garments of chastitie the mufler of womanly silence the fan of Christs ran with which hee will win now the wicked chaffe frō his Church to consume it with fire Let thy old garment put thee in minde of thy old habite in sinne cast away and thy new rayment of thy better estate and regeneration Gaius Surely I doe perceiue well hereby that a wise and godly minded man may make good vse to himselfe of many things which wee doe lightly regard either through ignorance or want of grace Iohn True it is Gaius that holy and sanctified meditations afford as it were food to the soule euen in those things which all men can vse by nature and reason for the benefit and beautie of the body but few can make good vse of for the soule with which yet the godly mans mind is delighted and thereof reapeth no small profit Gaius But Sir when I am vp and thus apparelled what other good meditations may be made vpon the rest of my actions Iohn As thou goest to Meditations in washing wash consider 1. that as thy body needeth washing so doth thy soule of cleansing 2. That as water washeth away the filthines of the flesh so doth Christs blood sinne from thy soule 3. that as therfore thou doest wash because thou wouldest bee cleane and hatest filthinesse euen so in hatred of sinne and loue of puritie must we haue recourse to the blood of Christ that we may be cleansed of all vncleannesse 4. As thou hast washed to goe to thy meat so be washed in innocencie to goe to the Lords Table In brushing and making Meditations in brushing washing of clothes cleane thy garments thinke that as thy rayment is subiect to dust and other vncleannesse in the vse or to mothes in lying still euen so art thou thy selfe subiect to corruptions both in trauell and rest 2. That as thou canst not endure to haue thy garments dustie or vncleane but will brush them to haue off the dust and filth so shouldest thou not endure to haue the dirtie filth or any dustinesse of sinne to cleaue vnto thee 3. That as some spots and for incklings wil not off with light brushing but need more forcible meanes and therefore thou wilt vse rubbing yea and washing too if otherwise the dirt will not out euen so some sinnes will not off with easie meanes but wee must vse rubbing washing that is ardent prayer and much fasting wash them with abundant teares of a penitent heart yea and bring our selues vnto the fountaine of grace desire of God to rinse vs throughly in the blood of Christ that throughout wee may bee purged and made cleane 4. That as washed clothes need wringing and also the warme Sunne to drie them againe so needeth the penitent spirit sory for sinne and wrung with contrition the comfortable promises of the warm Sun beames of the Gospell to drie vp his deepe sorrow and to refresh the heauinesse and sadnesse of his soule 5. That as when thou hast bespotted thy clothes or els others haue besprinkled them thou yet doest not cast them away desperately but vsest the best meanes to make them cleane to vse them againe euen so though thou through thy owne frailty or Satan and the wicked by tentations haue bespotted thy profession good name yet despaire not neither vtterly cast of thy profession and care of a good name but vse good meanes to recouer again these things by well doing In looking into a glasse Meditations in looking into a glasse consider that as this is a meanes for thee to see thy selfe bodily so there is a meanes euen Gods word by which as in a glasse thou maiest behold thy selfe spiritually 2. That as without a glasse thou canst not see thy selfe no more canst thou know thy selfe without Gods word 3. That as a glasse sheweth a man his deformities to himselfe yet the man which wanteth eyes cannot see how the glasse doth set him forth so albeit Gods word shew to euery man his estate yee for want of the eyes of the soule knowledge and diuine wisdome men doe not see their corruptions 4. That as a glasse is true or false so doth it represent the person looking into it if a true glasse truly if naughty and false falsely and corruptly euen so there is a true glasse Gods word shewing vs truly our selues also a false and corrupt glasse which if we doe looke into it doth deale corruptly with vs not shewing our selues truly vnto our selues such a glasse is mans corrupt reason mens praises of vs the traditions and doctrines of men in wil-worship the wittie discourses of meere moralists in their Naturals and such like these bee all corrupt and false glasses which we must not looke into to see our selues but into the only true glasse the word of God For as a true glasse 1. sheweth thy selfe
Blessed be thy name most A Prayer for the morning gracious Father the Lord of life for that thou hast of thy goodnesse and mercy thus preserued mee this present night past and hast awakened mee raised mee vp giuen vnto mee comfortable meditations and a most sweet taste of thy heauenly graces Oh my Father my Father how is my spirit delighted with these celestiall ioyes afford me stil I humbly beseech thee the like measure of thy mercy daily that I may euer feele these comforts and neuer cease to praise thy goodnesse Indeed O Lord I freely confesse vnto thee that I haue lien in the bed of my corruptions and slept in the darke ignorance of my mind and therein tooke such delight as if thou haddest not sent out the sweet beames of the light of truth and called me vp by thy faithfull teachers I had yet remained in the night of misdeeds and perished in my sinnes Sythen therfore O Lord thou hast thus brought mee from darknesse to the light and opened mine eyes to see that which before I could not discerne cause mee now I beseech thee to shake off al fleshly drousines that in so broad a sun-shine of the Gospell I may not as carelesse of spirituall thrist sloathfully lie downe againe in the sinfull corruptions of mine owne heart but so partake of the first resurrection in the state of grace as I may enioy the blessing of the second in the kingdome of glory I doe acknowledge to thee how without thee I am O Lord very miserable poore and naked so as I am ashamed to come before thee but in mercy doe thou pitie mee and clothe me with that faire rayment of Christ his righteousnesse that I may be bold to draw neare to the throne of grace this best robe by the spirit put vpon me and giue me the hand of faith to apply the same vnto me that I may thereby be preserued from the heate of thy wrath for sinne and escape eternall destruction Giue mee grace good Lord to beautifie my holy profession with ornaments of grace good words and good workes let mee neuer want the linnen of inward sincerity nor the outward garment of Christian honestie that I may be welcome to the companie of thy Saints the onely comely creatures whom thou O Lord hast washed and made cleane Wash me O Lord with them for I confesse my selfe polluted with manifold sins and that they stick so hard cleaue so fast vnto mee that I cannot be deliuered nor clensed except thou my God by thy mercifull hand the worke of thy Spirit dost rinse mee in the precious blood of Christ Surely if it were not for the hope which I haue of thy gracious fauour I should verily despaire of my saluation For when by the glasse of thy word I see my selfe so vncleane my corruptions also to be so many and withall feele them so strong in mee I cannot but mourne with teares and lament with heauinesse of heart my present estate deseruing death and iustly causing me to feare rather damnation then to haue any hope at all of saluation But there is mercy with thee O thou blessed God of mercy to which I now appeale humbly crauing at thy hands the ful pardon of al my sinnes behold deare Father the merits of my Redeemer the price which hee hath paid to satisfie thy iustice that so of thy goodnesse thou mayest be well pleased with mee that my prayers may bee granted and my requests which I now put vp vnto thee may graciously be heard of thee It is thy will O Lord that euery one should haue a calling to walke in and that wee should performe such duties diligently as do belong thereunto now Lord for thy mercie sake as thou hast giuen mee a calling and desire to performe the charge laid vpon me therby so I do earnestly beseech thee to help guide aide and strengthen me therin put vpon mee that whole furniture of thine for my spirituall warfare that I may be armed at all assayes to resist also to preuaile against all my ghostly enemies O Lord thou knowest well how manifold the tentations bee which doe follow all those that desire to liue in and by their callings religiously and honestly Thou doest also know how I desire like a true Israelite to walke before thee in godly simplicity and towards the world without fraud or guile peaceably but Satan is so powerfull and often in his tentations the world so full of deceitfull allurements and my heart so weake and vnable to resist that vnlesse thou by thy spirit doe aide me by thy power defend mee by thy word instruct mee and by thy grace preuent mee I shall vndoubtedly goe astray from my intended purpose of wel doing O my God helpe me helpe me therefore O my God In al my iust proceedings protect me make my good purposes prosperous if it bee thy will I heartily pray thee Bend my mind euer to thy good pleasure and will that I encline not vnto wickednesse by ill companie ill counsell ill examples of others though for a time they flourish by il means Make mee O Lord to delight more in thy fauour and loue then in the gaine of all earthly goods Possesse so my heart with vprightnesse and true intendment of iust dealing and peaceable walking towards all in all my courses that I may boldly come to thee and make thee my God the Iudge of all my actions Goe out Lord before me and let my eyes be this day as at all times euer vpon thee that so before I speake I may consult with thee before I do any thing I may bee aduised by thee that so in going out and in continuing abroad thy care may be ouer mee thy prouident hand may helpe me thy mercy also may couer me that so I may by thee returne home in good peace and safety through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour in whose name I further call vpon thee for my self for the whole Church and euery member of the same in that holy forme of prayer which hee taught his blessed Apostle saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Gaius For this thou blessed seruant of God I most humbly thanke thee now if it please thee proceed on to the second point how I may carrie my selfe abroad on the day time Iohn Hold thy selfe Gaius to this mornings worke constantly then go forth in Gods name feare not neither be faint-hearted for the Lord is with thee Walk as a Saint among Directions for the day time men striuing daily to perfection let them as apparantly see thee to be come out of Satans house of bondage spiritually as they can behold thee out of thine owne house bodily Liue in the light of Gods word with respect vnto all and euery one of Gods Commandements as thou doest walke with thy body and sight of the eyes in the shine of the Sunne Behold and looke vp often to the heauens as thy