Oedypus to dissolue our doubts it is our commentarie to vnderstand Gods word d Clauis Scriptura Origen It is a e Deo sacrificium diabolo flagellum homini subsidium August The praise of praier sacrifice to God a scourge to the diuell and an helpe to our selues in all our troubles Wherefore as the Apostle by examples commended faith to the Hebrewes so may I by examples commend prayer to you By it Abrahams seruant obtained a wife for Isaac and by it Moses obtained a pardon for Israel By this the same Moses ouercame the Amalekites and by this Abraham interceded for the Sodomites By prayer Iacob was deliuered from Esau Iosuah from the men of Aie Dauid from Goliah The Prophet from Ieroboam Elizeus from the Samaritans Hezechiah from death Iehosophat from the Aramites Manasses from captiuitie Ieremiah from his aduersaries and Daniel from the Lions the dâ—seased from his leprosie the Apostles from prison the Church from persecution By prayer Hannah obtained a sonne Dauid deliuerance Salomon wisedome Elias the restoring of a dead child Elizeus the opening of his seruants eyes Nehemiah the kings fauour the Centurion his seruants health Christ comfort in his agonie the Apostles a successor to Iudas Stephen pardon for Paul and Monima the conuersion of her sonne S. Austin In Psal 63 Thus true it is which that Austin saith Great is the profit of pure prayer and as a faithfull messenger deliuers her arrand and pierceth thither whither flesh cannot come And this it was which made Bernard to say Brethren let none of vs lightly esteeme his prayer I tell you that hee to whom wee pray doth not lightly esteeme it after it is out of our mouth he writes it in his Booke and one of these two wee may doubtlesse expect either that hee will grant our petition or that which hee knoweth to be better for vs. Call vpon me and I will heare saith God aske and you shall haue saith Christ Before they crie I will heare them saith Isaiah The Lord is nigh to all that call vpon him saith Dauid but to such as call vpon him in truth And if we may belieue the Apostle Iames the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much Pray therefore and we had need to pray Why wee ought to Pray Satan will deuoure thee pray for deliuerance The world will allure thee pray for assistance The flesh will betray thee pray for defence The wicked will seduce thee pray for continuance What beloued If God had commaunded vs a great thing ought wee not to doe it how much more when he saith pray and preuaile aske and haue seeke and finde knock and it shall bee opened vnto you aske Temporall things and haue them seeke for Spirituall things and find them knocke for Eternall things and the gates of heauen shall stand as open to you as the gates of the prison did to the Apostle Peter By this with Eliah you may open and shut the verie gates of heauen and by this with the Apostle you may shake the foundations of the earth O pretious praier what could not onely wee but euen the whole world doe without thee Thou increasest the earth calmest the sea asswagest the fire purgest the ayre protectest our Gouernours confoundest our enemies preseruest our health instructest our mindes blessest our actions encreasest our wealth exaltest our honour speakest but the word and we are preserued Prayer in all places Pray wee therefore in all places at all times for all persons and for all things Pray wee in all places but in euery place lifting vp pure hands vnto God Thus Isaac prayed in the field Iakob in his bed Israel in Egypt Moses on the Mount Iosuah at Iericho Elias in the chamber Hezekiah on his couch Ieremie in the dungeon Ionah in the Whales bellie Daniel in the Lions den Christ in the Garden the Disciples in a ship Peter in a Tanners house Paul at the sea side and the Iewes at Ierusalem Call vpon him in thy priuate chamber and crie vnto him with thy familie in thy parlour Thou needest not to fall downe at some piller with hypocrites but praise him especially in the congregation of Saints for there many voices are Gods best melodie Pray also at all times at euening Pray at all times and morning and at noone day will I pray vnto thee yea at midnight will I rise to call vpon thee nay seuen times a day wil I praise thee saith Dauid Daniel did so three times a day Paul did it day and night Hannah did it all the daies of her life and the Psalmographer vowes it I will praise the Lord as long as I liue as long as I haue any being I will sing praises to my God Pray continually not as those Heretiques Euchitae who would euer do so but as Christians who know when to do so With morning prayer the day begin With euening prayer the night shut in Without this prayer sit not to eate Without Gods praise rise not from meate And forget not to pray for all persons Pray for ad persons for the King as the head his Senatours as the eyes his Clergie as the mouth his Souldiers as the hands his Subiects to all trades as the feete vpon which the Common-wealth doth stand Art thou a Minister pray for thy flocke An Auditor for thy Preacher A Father for thy child an Husband for thy wife a Master for thy seruant or a Gouernour pray for thy family Is any Sicke pray for his health Poore for his wealth Imprisoned for his libertie Seduced for his recouerie Confirmed for his constancie or in any Distresse for his deliuerie Pray for all men that their bodies may be preserued soules saued estates maintained that thy and their thoughts may bee sanctified your words seasoned and your actions ordered by the Spirit of God To whom we must Pray Will you know now to whom wee must pray not to a Calfe as the Israelites did nor to Baal as his Priests did nor to an Image as Idolaters did nor to any Saints as our fathers did but as we are bound to serue God alone so are we bounden to pray to God alone for hee alone knoweth our wants heareth our petitions hath promised to helpe vs is able to doe for vs and is the alone present helper in the needfull time of trouble I will draw to an end You haue seene beloued the necessitie of this seruice How wee must Pray let mee shew you a litle the qualities of this seruice Pray we must in knowledge with vnderstanding in faith by beleeuing in remorse with feeling in zeale without cooling in intention without wandering in reuerence without contemning in constancie without reuolting and in loue without reuenging Let our eyes be fastned hearts fixed knees bowed mouthes opened our hands lifted vp as to the King of Kings And as Iacob would not let the Angell goe till he were blessed so let not vs let
great sin For 1 It argues madnesse for a man to lay violent hands vpon himselfe 2 Impatience that he cannot wait the leisure of God 3 Cowardlinesse that he wil not endure that which might be inflicted vpon him 4 Vnthankfulnesse not to preserue this Iewell which is bestowed vpon him And in a word such a practise causeth not onely the actors but their actions profession posteritie and Countrie to bee euill spoken of Quest Well say then that I be cast vpon my sicke bed what rules can you giue mee to obserue at that time Answ You are first to set your soule in order and sée how you stand in the fauour of God Quest And what are the reasons of this rule Answ 1 Because the sicknesse of the bodie doth procéed from the sinne of the soule Lament 3.39 2 The cure of the soule procures often the health of the bodie Matth. 9.2 3 If your sicknes be a sicknesse to death you shall die more quietly otherwise death is most fearefull in sicknesse 4 By this you shall take your sicknesse the more patiently 5 You shall so giue example to such as come to visit you to doe the like 6 All your friends shall by this bee perswaded that you are the childe of God Quest Doe you thinke in this case it is fit whilest I am in good memorie and it may be in some hope of recouerie to send for my godly Minister to comfort me Answ O it cannot but bee very fit for he is 1 The Lords messenger to declare vnto man his reconciliation by Christ 2 Hee is able to beat you downe by the curses of the Law and to raise you vp by the promises of the Gospell 3 Hee hath experience to speake a word in due season vnto you 4 Hee especially as Gods Physitian hath store of salues to cure your sicke soule 5 You may boldly vncouer your sores to him who will not discouer them to your future shame 6 Hee can see further into the nature of your heart then oftentimes you your selfe can 7 He will boldly rip vp your vlcers that after he may the better cure them 8 If he comfort or correct you for sinne you may be perswaded that both come from God 9 You shall by this much ease your owne heart by crauing comfort from a godly Preacher 10 You shall cause others in the like visitation to doe as you haue done and you your selfe he fitter to die Quest When I haue taken this course for my soule what must I doe in the next place for my body An. You are then to vse the helpe of a godly Physitian and that for these reasons 1 Your body is the soules house if it be decaying you must seeke to repaire it by al good meanes you can 2 God hath giuen expert Physitians skil to restore many diseases of the body 3 God hath appointed many soueraigne remedies to recouer man in his sicke estate 4 You shall better satisfie your selfe if you die in that you neglected not lawfull meanes 6 For want of this dutie many doe perish who might recouer Quest Now in taking Physicke what must I doe Answ You must 1 Commend it to Gods blessing by praier 2 Not rely onely vpon the meanes 3 Know that it cannot preuent either old age or death 4 Humble your soule that God may heale your body 5 Waite Gods leasure in blessing the meanes 6 Bée thankefull to God if by it you recouer Quest What then may I thinke of seeking to vngodly or superstitious Physitians though learned Answ 1 If you cannot haue any other you may with good conscience vse such 2 If they haue a peculiar gift to cure that disease which troubleth you you may goe vnto them Quest And may I not aswell vse them as Religious Physitians Answ I thinke not for 1 They will make little conscience to cure you 2 You cannot hope that they shall cure you 3 You doe as much as in you lyeth countenance them in their sinne and superstition 4 You make them able to doe much hurt 5 It is an argument that you put more confidence in such meanes then in God 6 You discourage godly men in that calling 7 You make the Gospell to bee euil spoken of 8 What doe you know whether it will one day bee a corrosiue to your conscience that you haue vsed bad meanes when as God offered you good Quest It seemeth then that to vse the helpe of good Witches or Cunning men or women as they are called is most vnlawfull Answ To vse their helpe is to goe from the God of Israel to Baalzebub God of Eckron from Samuel in Ramoth to the Witch at Endor from the Riuers of Samaria to the Waters of Damascus from the Liuing to the Dead and from God to the Deuill and yet this is the practise of most people Quest And why now I pray you would you haue mee first to send for a Physitian for my soule before I send for a Physitian for my bodie Surely this is not the customary course but rather the contrarie Answ It is so first wee haue the Physitian and when hee leaues vs then the Minister is sent for and when hee once comes wee thinke all the World is gone with vs but it is a preposterous course for these reasons 1 Neuer looke for health in bodie til you haue a good soule 2 You must desire God to blesse the meanes hee vseth which you truly cannot doe till your conscience bee perswaded of the pardon of your sinnes 3 The memorie of the torments for sin may be a meanes to increase the greatnesse of your disease 4 You shal else make the World beléeue that you are perswaded that you hope still for life Quest Well say then that I send for my Preacher and why should I not send for him as well as for my Physitian what must I doe when he is come vnto me Answ You are bound 1 To acknowledge and confesse all such sinnes as doe any way so disquiet you that you cannot bee perswaded of the pardon of them 2 You are to reueale those seuerall temptations by which Sathan assaileth you in your sicknesse 3 You are to desire comfort from him against the burden of your sinnes and those temptations of the Deuill 4 You must beléeue that whatsoeuer he saith to you out of Gods word is the voice of God 5 You must hide nothing from him by which you like hypocrites desire to bee thought to be in a better estate then you are 6 You must desire him to pray for you that God may either recouer your health or receiue your soule 7 You must not be sorrie if hee say vnto you that your sicknesse may bee a sicknesse to death and that therefore you had néed to prouide for another World 8 If you be ignorant in pietie and godlinesse you must neuer leaue him till you haue gotten a sauing and sure knowledge of God in Christ Quest And what must he doe then to
friend should haue of another in heauen within thrée houres after slept peaceably in the Lord. Luther sitting at supper and discoursing of the same argument about midnight after departed this life One Master Reade an Alderman of Norwich hauing read in the morning the chapter of Henockes taking vp in the Counsell chamber died suddenly at the table amongst his brethren And that wise Counseller the Lord of Buckhurst Earle of Dorset died suddenly at the Counsell Table in white Hall Mr. Flint a Preacher in London a man of great learning godly life and good report hauing procured the new building of his Church at which hee much reioiced fell downe from a scaffold on the top of that Church and so died In the commentaries of Iohn Holcot vpon the book of wisdom it is recorded of one who reading the fourth Chapter of the book of Wisdome was found dead in his studie with his finger pointing to the seuenth verse of that chapter Though the righteous be preuented by death yet shall he be at rest First where you shall reade these two verses Mors non est subita cui praecessit bona vita Nec minuit merita si moriatur ita If godly life do go before Through suddaine death our ioy is more 3 Know that if you liue wickedly sudden death is a fearefull iudgment for who then can bee perswaded of Gods fauour towards you and this makes the wicked of all kinds of death to pray to be deliuered from sudden death they would liue like Nabal but die like Dauid liue like the rich glutton and die like Lazarus they would die the death of the righteous but they would not liue the life of the righteous And therefore their Prayer is the prayer of Balaam Lord let mee die the death of the righteous and that my last end may bee like vnto his Numb 23. But if you liue euer in the feare of God it may bee an argument of Gods mercie to take you away vpon a short warning For so 1 You die without any great paine 2 You goe to God without any great trouble 3 You are not in danger of blaspheming God at your death 4 You will cause others to thinke well of your death because you liued a godly life 5 Many by your example will labour to prepare against such a kind of death 6 Your translation is like that of Henoch and Elias and of them that shall be aliue at the day of iudgment 1. Thess 4.17 Quest Is it lawfull to pray against a sudden death Answ The godly may and the wicked must pray against it The godly may 1 That as they haue honored God with their lips in their life so if it bee his good will they may doe it at their death 2 That because vpon the sudden few men haue their worldly estate fully setled they may haue time to order it 3 That they may not be a griefe to their friends that they are so soone taken from them 4 That they may escape the censure of the world which for the most part iudgeth hardly of this kind of death 5 That they may not die in such sort as diuers wicked men in the Scriptures haue died 6 Lest being ouertaken in some strange place they may so want the honour of Christian buriall and their friends not know what is become of them 2 The wicked must pray against it left so dying without repentance here there be no place left for them heereafter to repent in But I doubt whether God will heare their prayers For are not they worthy to want time of humiliation at their death who neglected saluation in their life The admonition of the wise man Eccl. 18.18 is very good Get thee righteousnesse before thou come to iudgement and vse Physicke before thou bee sicke Examine thy selfe before thou bee iudged and in the day of destruction thou shalt finde mercie Humble thy selfe before thou be sicke and whilest thou maiest yet sinne shew thy conuersion Quest Now since my soule must depart from my bodie ought I to take any great thought for my buriall Ans As the graue at your death is readie for you Iob. 17.1 so you also must haue care of it and your suruiuing friends must haue such respect to your dead body that it may be interred in a religious sort for 1 You are no Scythian that your dead bodie should be eaten at some feast nor Sabean that it should be cast on a dunghill nor Hyrcanian that it should bee deuoured by dogs nor Lothophagian that it should be cast into the sea nor Indian that it should be burned with fire but a Christian that it may be buried in the earth 2 Your dead body is a member of Christ 3 It was as well as the soule the temple of the holy Ghost 4 It was the ordinance of God that earth should return to his earth as the soule doth to him that gaue it Gen. 3. Eccles 7. 5 That Christ who redéemed your soule hath also paied a ransome for your bodie 6 It hath beene an instrument vsed by God to performe many seruices vnto him 7 It must rise againe out of the graue and in the day of iudgement bee made like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Phil. 5.21 8 Religious and godly friends haue had this care to burie their dead so Abraham had to burie Sarah Ioseph to burie Iaakob Israel to burie Samuel Nichodemus to burie Christ and the Disciples to burie Iohn the Baptist and Steuen the first Martyr that suffered after Christ 9 It is one of Gods iudgements to want buriall Iere. 22.19 10 The Saints complaine for the want of it saying Psal 79.3 The dead bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to bee meate vnto the fowles of heauen and the flesh of thy Saints vnto the beasts of the earth Their blood haue they shed like water round about Ierusalem and there was none to burie them 11 Ioseph gaue commandement concerning his bones Gen. 50. and Tobiah of his bodie Tob 14. 12 Many heathen people haue been very carefull of this dutie The Egyptians embalmed and so buried their dead and the Hebrewes made a law that no enemy should lie vnburied Quest What thinke you of the place of buriall Answ Abraham bought a field for the buriall of his dead Gen. 24. Christ was buried in a garden according to the custome of the Iewes Ioh. 20. The Turkes at this day burie none in their Cities and it was one of the lawes of the 12. Tables amongst the Romanes that none should be buried within thē walles Amongst Christians Churches and Church yards are appointed for the dead and to the end that the dead might not annoy the liuing it were well if Gouernours would be carefull to prouide larger places of buriall for this would be a meanes 1 To kéepe the City from contagion 2 That our dead bodies should not bee raked vp againe 3 To shew our care for the Saints departed 4 To take away the
at the last day A Tayler can rip a garment and set it together againe though it bee in a thousand pieces a Clockmaker can take asunder euery wheele of a watch and ioyne it together again and shal not God be able to doe the like for your bodie Why my deare brother did God create you of nothing can he not restore you from something doth not he hold all the elements in his hands is not he more skilful then that Alchymist who can extract the quintessence of any substance or that goldsmith who though many mettals bee mingled together yet can he seuer each one to his first substance is not he the Lord God of all flesh is there any thing hard to him Ierem 32 Can the Phoenix rise out of her own ashes and shall not you arise out of your owne dust Can the trees reuiue againe in the spring and cannot you reuiue againe at the last day You sée that many birds and flies are dead all winter and reuiue in summer you know that the corne which at the séede time is cast into the ground groweth vp in haruest Shall God saith Augustine quicken the rotten and dead graines of seed whereby thou liuest in this world and shall bee not much more raise thee vp that thou maiest liue for euer Know then that as euery night hath his day euery Sunsetting his Sunrising euery sleeping his awaking euery labour his rest and euerie winter his spring time so euerie death shall haue his life Say then euen when you are to die Post tenebras spero lucem After darkenesse I hope for light Iob. 17.12 For if the Spirit of him that raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwel in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shal also quicken your mortall body by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Reade and reade often the 1. Cor. 15. chapter and those two golden Chapters of the last resurrection and eternall life in Bucanus his Institutions and you shall be much comforted and confirmed in this point Quest I beleeue that I shall see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing but when I see him what shall bee the qualities where with my body shall be adorned Ans It shall be 1 Immortall for this mortall shal put on immortalitie 1. Cor. 15. 2 Incorruptible for this corruptible shall put on incorruption 1. Cor. 15. 3 Spirituall it is sowen a naturall body it shall rise a spirituall bodie 1. Cor. 15. 4 Strong it is sowen in weaknes it shal rise in strength 1. Cor. 15. 5 Perfect for as Adam was in his first creation and Christ after his resurrection so shall you be at the resurrection of the iust 6 Beautifull it shall shine like the stars be bright as the Sunne and cleare as Crystall Dan. 12. Matth. 22. 1. Cor. 15. The glory of the heauenly bodies is one the glorie of the earthly bodies is another Quest Why saith the Apostle that our bodies shall be spirituall bodies Answ Not that the essence shall be changed but the qualities of that essence they are called spirituall 1 Because they shall giue themselues wholly to be gouerned by the Spirit 2 They shall be vpheld by the power of the Spirit so that they shall need no meat or drinke but by the Spirit of Christ shall be nourished to eternall life Quest And why say you they shall be perfect Answ Because as there is no pollution in heauen so shall there be no imperfection The yong infant shal not rise in his infancy nor the aged person in his decrepite age nor the blind person without his fight nor hée that is borne lame or imperfect with that imperfection but séeing our resurrection is a new creation we shall then be as in our first creation Aug. lib. 11. de ciuit Dei cap. 13. And in his Enchiridion to Laurentius he saith The bodies of the Saints shall rise without any maime without any deformitie without any corruption without difficultie in which there shall be as great facilitie as there is felicitie Lyra ad Ephes cap. 4. ver 13. Looke to the 1 Adam created a perfect man the 2 Adam rising a perfect man and Gods promise Philip. 3.21 1. Cor. 15. 49. to make our bodies like Christs bodie and you will resolue w … comfort of this truth Quest As my bodie shall be thus renued so shall not my soule be renued Answ It shall Then shall the glorious Image of God shine in it for 1 Your vnderstanding shall be full of the knowledge of God which he shall immediately reueale vnto you 2 Your will shall perfectly obey God 3 All your affections shall be so purified and well ordered that there shall be a swéet harmony betwixt all the faculties of your soule Quest Can you shew me this by any comparison Answ Lactantius will do it for me As a candle saith he while it is in the lanterne it giueth a good light and enlightneth the lanterne it selfe and if it bee taken out although the lanterne bee left darke yet the candle shines more cléerely than it did before so while the soule is in the body it is the light and gouernour thereof and when it forsakes the bodie although the bodie bee left dead and insensible yet then the soule enioyes her proper vigour and brightnesse Lib. 7. cap. 12. Diuin Iustit Quest That I may the better thinke of this glorious e … tie and eternall glorie tell mee what the ancient Fathers haue thought of it Answ They indéed sequestring themselues from the mist and mudde of this present world saw more clearely than we the happinesse of Paradise and therefore they haue many diuine meditations of this matter I will repeate some and reade you to this purpose the two last Chapters of the Reuelation Augustine said Such is the beautie of eternall righteousnesse such is the ioy of that eternall light that if wee might stay there but for one day euen for that time alone wee should contemne the innumerable yeares of full delights and circumfluence of all happinesse Again We can more easily tell what there is not in that eternall life then what there is There there is no death sorrow lâ—ssitude or infirmitie There there is no hunger no thirst no heate no corruption no want no mourning no griefe Againe Haste haste to that place where you shall liue for euer for if you so loue this miserable and mutable life where you liue with such labour and for all your running riding sweating and sighing you can hardly prouide necessaries for your selues how much more ought you to loue eternall life where you shall not labour but enioy all securitie all felicitie happie libertie and happie blessednesse where we shal be like Angels the righteous shine like stars where God shall be all in all vnto them who shal be seen without end loued without wearinesse praised without irksomenesse Againe This inheritance I meane this of Christ by which we
a true and liuely faith to apprehend and applie all the promises of saluation to my sinfull soule and to this purpose illuminate mine vnderstanding confirme my memorie purifie my conscience inlarge mine heart rectifie my will order al the members of my body and so sanctifie me throughout that my whole bodie soule and spirit may be kept blamelesse till the glorious appearance of my Sauiour Christ Grant me I beséech thée knowledge of thy truth faith in thy promises feare of thy Maiestie zeale of thy glorie obedience to thy statutes faithfulnesse in my calling patience in troubles hungring after righteousnesse and a tender affection towards all my brethren Grant me I beséech thée the gift of Regeneration to become thy childe of faith to beléeue thy promises of obedience to doe thy will of prayer to séeke thy presence of comfort to endure thy trials and of strength to continue thy seruant to my liues end Grant me again and grant it I intreate thée the sauing knowledge of thy word let it bee in my minde by vnderstanding memorie by remembring thought by meditating heart by affecting tongue by speaking and mine actions by performing it to my dying day Mine heart O Lord is deceitfull let mée watch ouer it my will is vnwilling to all goodnesse let it run the way to thy commandements Many behold my life conuersation let it I beséech thée be ordered aright To this end teach mee to sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome doe thy will Thou hast placed me in a calling make me painfull in it that thereby from thée I may haue my daily bread If I haue it kéepe me from pride if not kéepe me from despaire And forgiue mee the abuse of all thy good blessings And howsoeuer I must néeds liue in this world yet let me vse it as though I vsed it not let my conuersation be in heauen mine eyes on thy presence my trust in thy prouidence my delight in thy word and the communion of Saints Make me thinke often of heauen that I may loue it of hel that I may feare it of death that I may exspect it of iudgement that I may escape it and of the vanitie of this present world that thereby I may learne to contemne it I liue by thy prouidence a life of nature I desire by thy spirit to liue the life of grace put on this desire O my God by thy spirit and draw me from good desires to delights from delights to actions from actions to continuance in dooing that which is good And because Satan the aduersarie of thine elect goeth about as a roring lion séeking whom he may deuoure let mee not be ignorant of all his enterprises Make mee wise to foresée his stratagems vigilant to beware his pitfals circumspect to preuent his practises couragious to resist his temptations and constant to ouercome his suggestions He is strong be thou stronger in me he is wise be thou wiser for me hee is watchfull be thou more watchfull about mee hee is malitious bee thou mercifull vnto me Let him neuer finde me idle for then he will allure nor carelesse for then he will surprise nor sinning for then hee will subdue O Iesu be thou Iesus vnto me saue me O Lord from this enemie of mine that this Dragon neuer infect mee with his poyson this Serpent neuer kill mee with his sting this Lion neuer teare mee with his teeth and this aduersarie neuer haue power to ouerthrow me O Christ bee thou Christ vnto mee and anoint mee so with the oile of thy Spirit that of thy fulnesse I may bee filled with grace euen that grace which may further my saluation By it I acknowledge my misery by it let mee féele thy mercie giue mee by it a broken heart a contrite spirit a sorrowfull soule an humble minde a liuely faith that by humbling my selfe I may bee lifted vp by thée and by beléeuing thy promises I may come vnto thée and that as by the one I may mourne for my sinnes so by the other I may beléeue they are pardoned I durst not bee so bold as craue this thy fauour but that I am incouraged by confidence of thy mercie Doe the simple beg wisdome thou giuest it doe the afflicted beg deliuerance thou grantest it doth he that is troubled with his sinnes come vnto thée thou séest him a farre off thou embracest him in thine armes receiuest him into thy grace againe Thou commandest why should I not obey thou promisest why should I not beléeue thou hearest why should I not speake I speake vnto thée in the language of Canaan kéepe not silence at these my prayers Thou O my Sauiour hast died for my sinnes let the power of thy death make me die vnto sin especially to my beloued sins and such as I can hardly get the mastery of Thou O Lord Christ art risen from the dead let the power of thy resurrection make mee to rise vnto newnesse of life And that which is impossible to flesh and blood make it possible by the vertue of thy blood Thou hast redéemed me suffer me not to be in sinnes captiuitie thou hast triumphed ouer Satan for me suffer mee not to be vnder his tyrannie Thou hast couered mee with the robes of righteousnesse teach mee to cast off the rags of iniquitie Thou hast washed me and I am cleane kéepe me that I return not with the swine to my wallow Thou hast begun thy good work in me performe the worke that thou hast begun and strengthen mee in the workes which I doe haue or shall take in hand Kéepe mée good Lord in my old age forsake mee not when I am gray-headed And when it shall please thée to cast me vpon my sicke bed as what man liueth who shall not sée death grant that I may take my sicknesse patiently and at the last gaspe let not either sinne or Satan take such hold vpon me that I depart this life with crying and scrichings and words of despaire but that beleeuing thy word and yéelding to thine ordinance my last houre may bee my best houre and I may say with the Psalmist Lord into thine hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Thus I still crie vnto thée for mercie because my sins crie against mee for iustice Preserue me O Lord for I trust in thée and let me in all things see that I am preserued by thee let me see it in the health of my body the peace of my conscience the gifts of my minde the credit of my name the works of my calling and vpon all such as are neere and deare vnto me Thou hast beene good vnto me in times past O that I could depend vpon thee for the time to come Thou hast by thy mercie kept mee from grosse sinnes cleanse mee I pray thée from my secret sinnes especially such as put forth their heads when I am but a little moued Am I prouoked stay mine anger is my enemy
and smell to euery flower in this poesie is the fairest flower in your owne Garden You haue I confesse great honour vpon earth being descended of a Royall familie Allied to the greatest Peeres of the Land Espoused to an honourable Knight blessed with hopefull children and graced as I heare with rare gifts of nature but that Christs Religion is so precious vnto you your greatest honour is reserued in Heauen If it please you to entertaine this poore present which before now I was afraide to offer to any I doubt not but as you shall receiue comfort by it so it shall receiue such fauour by you that this spirituall nose-gay comming from you into the hands of others will not bee vsed as other flowers are this morning in the bosome the next to the beesome But it will bee often in the hand frequent in the sight and comfortable to the sent of each sauourie soule The God of heauen who hath planted you as one of his fairest flowers in his Garden the Church Militant so water you with the dew of Heauen and heauenly Graces that after you haue long flourished here you hereafter may with your Honourable two Sisters Elizabeth the vertuous Countesse of Huntingdon and Anne that worthie Ladie Chandoyes bee transplanted into that Garden of Eden the Church Triumphant and for euer flourish in the Courts of your God London St. Martins in the fields Iune the 16. Anno 1613. At the seruice of your Honor. ROBERT HILL A PITHIE DISCOVRSE OF OVR COMMVNION WITH CHRIST THough the word of life in it self causeth peace yet by the malice of Satan it occasioneth warre and though the Sacrament of life shew our commumunion with Christ yet by the corruption of man it is made an instrument of combustion The Vbiquiterian Lutheran is zealous on the one side for his consubstantiation and with the bread and wine he will chap vp his sauiour The Artolatrian Romanist is as zealous on the other for his transubstantiation and after the repetition of fiue Latine words will deuoure his creator And if varieties of opinion concerning the Lords Supper should but heere be repeated as a great ship would not hold the the Reliquian pieces which the Papists haue of Christs crosse so a large volume would but hold the opinions which are about Christs Sacrament Is it the falt of this blessed banquet that so many are distracted about feeding vpon it no it is not It is reported that one in a lightsome house being stricken blinde complained exceedingly of the darknesse of the chamber where as the salt was in the want of his sight When the eye is diuine it must not complaine of the sunne if it see not when stomake is corrupt it must not complaine of the meate if it digest not and when the fantasticall wit of man is wedded to reason no meruaile if it perceiue not the things of God The preaching of Christs crosse was a scandale to the Iewes their owne corrupt heart caused it to bee offensiue The administoation of Christs Sacrament is a stumbling block to the curious their owne carnall conceit makes them to fall If wee could in our iudgements subscribe vnto the written word of God and of spirituall things conceit after a spirituall manner our Capernaiticall aduersaries would not looke heere for a breaden God and our carnal gospellers would look for more heere than common bread It is euen to the wicked the bread of the Lord and to the godly that bread which is the Lord. By comming to the Lordes table if wee come as wee should wee reape much good for heere we may behold the loue of Christ to vs who as a louing friend by this remembrancer desires euer to liue in our mindes and memories and the prouidence of Christ for his beloued friends that his benefits bestowed might truly profit being kept in memorie might enioy their end euer to shew forth his death till he come Yea by thus comming we testifie our spirituall nourishment by his body and blood we seale to our selues the pardon of our sinnes Christ couenants with vs to receiue vs gratiously we condition with him to obey him principally and if we desire either to testifie our desire of the first resurrection out of the graue of sinne or our hope of the second out of the graue of death wee shall do both these so often as we come to the holy communion In a word it is a testimonie of our profession and consent to Gods Religion a token of our separation from all the tents of Satan an obligation of our constancie in the profession of the Gospel a sinew and conseruation of publique meetings a caueat to take heede of relapse into sinne a comforter in the middest of any Temptation and a seale of that communion which is betwixt Christ and Christians The cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ and the bread which we breake i. Cor. 10.6 is it not the Communion of the body of Christ as the preaching of the Gospell is Gods powerfull instrument to signe our saluation so the sacrament of the Lords Supper is an effectuall instrument to seale this coniunction Now that wee may more frequently communicate with Christians I am bolde to entreate of our communion with Christ In the first Adams innocencie there was an act of assotiation betwixt God and man but with condition of mans loyaltie to God The condition is broken man is exiled from Gods presence and becomes an enemie both to God and man Gods iustice can not admit sinfull man into fauor mans infidelitie hinders him from suing to God for fauor Christ our Sauiour the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuine Sonne of God and humane Son of man satisfieth Gods Iustice acquaints man with Gods mercie and in the fulnesse of time this seede of the woman breakes the Serpents head But vnlesse man haue communion with Christ his al sufficient satisfaction will do him no good What then may this communion be it is a spirituall societie of mutuall loue betwixt Christ and his Church A societie like vnto that of Adam and Heuah when they twaine became one flesh spirituall like vnto that of the soule and the bodie where they by the spirites become one man of mutuall loue like a paire of Turtle Doues who neuer know any other but one mate of Christ and his Church like that of the head and the members when they by certaine iunctures become one body Christ communicated with our nature in his incarnation when hee tooke vnto him the seede of Abraham hence comes that vnion which we call Hypostaticall and he is become Flesh of our Flesh We communicate with the person of Christ when we are incorporated into him Hence comes that vnion which wee call mysticall wee now become Flesh of his Flesh If we consider the things vnited together this vnion is substantiall and essentiall if the bond by which they are vnited it
is spirituall and secret And as we haue feeling of Christ dwelling on our hearts so the more shall wee haue feeling of this blessed societie by which we haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an vnion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellowship and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 participation with whole Christ and his merits and meet altogether in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13.5.30 But as in our separation from God by the spirit of Satan our mindes heart and wils were first seuered and then followed the whole man so the first thing in this coniunction which must be ioyned with God by his spirit is the vnderstanding by knowledge the heart by affiance the will by obedience after which will follow all the new man By the humanitie of Christ we are conioyned to him and by his Spirit he is ioyned to vs. Not either by an actuall falling of Christs flesh into ours or a naturall contiguitie or conexion of our persons or essentiall comixtion of his body with ours but by a copulation and connexion altogether spirituall felt by grace in this life and seene by glorie in the life to come when Christ and his Church before Gods iudgement seate shall appeare as one Christ. But Christ is in heauen and we vpon earth Send thy faith into heauen and hee in heauen is ioyned to thee heere vpon earth Thy sight in a moment can visiblie touch the starres of heauen much more may thy faith touch that morning starre and sunne of righteousnesse which is in heauen Say that the wife bee in England the husband in India the head aboue the feete below the branches on the top the roote in the ground the spring in one place the riuers in an other the foundation on the earth the building in the ayre is there not notwithstanding an vnion betwixt them Surely there is Christ is our husband the Church is his spouse Christ is our head ech Christian is a member Christ is the roote the righteous are branches Christ is the fountaine the Religious are riuers Christ is the foundation belieuers are Gods building Be hee neuer so high euen in the highest heauens we vpon earth are so ioyned vnto him that by vertue of this vnion our soules do receiue the life of grace in this world and our bodies shall receiue the life of glorie in the world to come Heere this coniunction appeares in the vnitie of spirit for in it there is neither a commixtion of persons nor an vnion of substances but a confederation of our affections and concatenation of our wils there it shall appeare in the consociation of our persons For wee shall enioy there a most holy and comfortable conuersation with Christ see him as he is conferre with him face to face and as in this sacrament as by a marriage ring wee are espoused to him heere so there wee shall be solemnly maried to him for euer And all this comes vnto vs because the word was made flesh not because that Flesh hath any such vertue in it selfe it is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing but in that it is caro verbi flesh vnited to the word to that word which is the fountaine of life quickning all things and causing the death of that flesh to obtaine for vs eternall life The flesh is not quickning in it selfe but in the word Hypostatically vnited vnto it saith Cyrill This word by personall vnion quickneth Christs humanitie and giueth it for our saluation merite and efficacie and by mysticall vnion quickneth Christian consciences and ioyneth them in loue and life vnto God so that now there is a mutuall giuing and receiuing betwixt Christ and his Church From Christ wee receiue first him selfe which the Father and their Spirit to become our portion Secondly Adoption to be actually made the children of God Thirdly a title and right to Christs righteousnesse in his sufferings and with all to his fulfilling of the whole law Lastly a right to the Kingdome of heauen which now is made the inheritance of the Saints And what doth he now receiue from vs surely drosse for gold euil for good shame for glorie sorrow for solace and a curse for this blessing For he receiues ftom vs first our sinnes with the punishment thereof made his by imputation and suertie-ship Secondly our afflictions which hee accounts his owne so long as we suffer for righteousnesse sake And this is our communion which we haue with Christ But because we are all members of one bodie and are all baptized into one Spirit and after do eate of one bread there is also a communion with all Christians one with an other Art thou a liuing saint vpon earth thou art in regard of minde of one iudgement in the grounds of pietie affection of one heart alike affected to God Christ Iesus and euery good Christian though thou wast neuer acquainted with them And in regard of the gifts of the spirit like a good candle thou wilt spend them al to the good of others be ready to serue thy brother in loue and both by example admonition exhortation consolation prayer to conuey all graces in thee to an other yea not to be wanting to him in communicating thy goods And for our communion with the dead they in heauen do pray generally for al vs and we on earth do desire our dissolution to be with them But that we may enioy this blessed societie we must walke in the light For if we say that we haue fellowship with him yet walke in darknesse we lie but if we walke in the light as hee is in the light then haue wee fellowship one with an other 1. Ioh. 1.7 that is God with vs we with God and godly people and the blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne purgeth vs from all sinne Thus then Christ in heauen by his spirit is so vnited to vs we on earth by our faith are so vnited to him that without him we can do nothing with him we are able to do al things Of his fulnesse we receiue grace for grace And as by the power of the sunne in the second heauen all things are made fruitfull heere vpon earth so by the power of Christ in the third heauen all men become sanctified in the Church yet not by the alone inward operation of his spirit without the outward vse of the word and sacraments By the word alone when the sacraments are not administred and both by word and sacraments when they are ioined together Is the word preached in it Christ speaketh by his spitit to vs. Are the sacraments administred by baptisme we are receiued in to the communion of Gods couenant and by the Eucharist wee are more confirmed in the same By the word God enters by one gate into vs namely by the eare by the Eucharist he knocks at al the gates
of our soule and seekes entrance by euery sense Are they both conioyned our vnion becomes more effectuall vnto vs. By the word without the sacraments Christ may come vnto vs by the sacraments without the word he will not come vnto vs. Adde the word vnto the element and it becomes a sacrament This I write against such as thinke that Christ doth after a farre better sort communicate himselfe to vs in the sacraments than hee doth in the word whereas the sacraments hath all their efficacie from the word euen the word of institution deliuered by Christ vnderstood of Christians Yet note that in the sacraments Christ communicates himselfe more particularly to vs then in the word The end of both is to ioyne vs to him himself to vs that we being thus one with him might grow vp together with him till that he at the last become all in all of vs hee by this matrimoniall coniunction to loue vs as his spouse we to reuerence him as our husband and both he and we together to bee honored of God the Father in the resurrection of the iust with complete glory Consider what I say and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things Iune 16. 1613. Thine in the Lord. ROBERT HILL A COMMVnicant prepared to the Lords Table Question MY good Auditor after all these instructions concerning prayer are you not desirous to receiue the Lords Supper Answere Yea sir I am desirous with all mine heart if you shall thinke mee fit for so holy a Banquet Quest But since you call it a Banquet tell me how many sorts of Banquets are mentioned in Gods word Answ Six 1 The Kingdome of heauen Mat. 22.3 2 A Banquet for the fowles of the ayre Zep. 1.8 3 A Banquet of feasting Genes 21.8 43.34 1 Sam. 25.36 Hester 1.3 Iohn 2.9 Luk. 15.23 4 A Banquet of the Word Prou. 9.1 5 The Banquet of a good conscience Prou. 15.15 6 The Banquet of his Supper and to this I am bound to come as a guest Quest Is it then a matter of necessity to come to the Lords Table Answ Yea surely it is most necessary whether I regard the commandement of God the necessity of eating the Paschall Lambe the custome of ancient Christians the communion of the Saints or the further confirmation of my faith in Christ Quest How many properties are there belonging to a fit guest Answ Two one inward another outward Quest Which are the inward properties Answ 1 He must be bidden Luk. 14.8 2 He must be humble Luk. 14.9 3 He must haue knowledge of the person to whose table he comes Prou. 23.1 4 He must bring an appetite to eat Pr. 9.4 5 He must put on Christ his wedding garment Rom. 13.14 6 He must vse banquetlike talke within himselfe concerning the vse of these mysteries 7 He must be sober in vsing them 8 Chéerefull in receiuing them 9 Louing to his fellow guests 10 Thankfull to the Master of the feast Quest What is the outward propertie Answ A reuerent hearing of the Word and the like receiuing of the Sacrament at that time Quest What must you doe to bee a fit guest Ans Samuel bids me to sanctifie my selfe Dauid bids mee to wash mine hands in innocencie and Paul bids me to examine my selfe and so to eat of that bread and after to drinke of that cup. Quest By what rules must you make this triall Answ 1 By the Spirit whether I haue it or not 1. Ioh. 3.24 2 By the word whether or no I haue obeyed it Psal 119.59 Quest How doe you proue this examination to be needfull Ans 1 If the Iewes durst not eat the Paschall Lambe without it I must not eat of the Lambes Supper without it 2. Chron. 35.6 2 I must neither pray nor heare Gods Word before I sée in what estate I am Eccles 4.17 Luke 8.18 and if I want this I may as well be Iudas as Iohn at the Lords Passeouer 3 I come in the best sort I can to the feast or presence of any great man in this World Prou. 23.1 Gen. 41.14 4 Hee that came without his wedding garment was examined how hee came thither Matth. 22.12 If I eate and drinke vnworthily I eate and drinke mine owne damnation 1. Cor. 11.29 6 Dauid must not eate the Shew bread 1. Sam. 21.4 nor the Leuites beare the Arke Exod. 29. nor Moses stand before God Exod. 3.4 nor so much as a Snuffer bee in Gods house without sanctification Exod. 25.38 7 If Christs dead bodie must bee wrapped in a cleane linen cloth Ioh. 19.40 and laid in a new Sepulchre vers 41. how must wee bee prepared to receiue the same bodie crucified and bloud powred out for vs And if they hasted so to the Poole of Bethesdah Ioh. 5.2 or the waters of Siloam Ioh. 9.7 or Samaria Ioh. 4.13 why should not we doe the like to this bread liquor of life 8 Will wee not put our common meat and drink into vnclean vessels and dare we put Christs meat and drinke into vnsanctified soules 9 Else wee pollute the verie bodie and bloud of Christ Hag. 2.13.14 10 By this holy Preparation I shall reape great profit Christs bodie shall bee meat vnto me and his blood drink vnto me for if the touching of Christs garment profited one woman Matth. 9.21 the féeding on his bodie must more profit vs. Quest What comfort shall you reape by this carefull examination Answ Much euery way for by it I am 1 Assured of my communion with Christ 2 That I desire this pledge of that communion 3 That I reuerence his holy Institution 4 That I am no swine to whom these pearles should be denied 5 That I am a true member of Christs Church 6 That I néede not feare to go out with Christ to mount Caluerie because I haue prepared my selfe to feast with him in his Parlor at Ierusalem 7 Then Christ will say vnto mée as hée did to his Spouse in the booke of the Canticles Eat O my friend and make thee merry my beloued Cant. 5.1 8 As I addresse my self to feast with him so will Christ come and sup with me Reu. 3.20 and as the Iewels giuen by Abrahams seruant to Rebeccah were receiued as comfortable pledges of Isaaks loue to her so these Iewels offered me by Gods seruant are as pledges of Christs loue to bee receiued chéerefully by me yea and when I find my selfe worst in mine owne eyes then as you taught mee I am best in the eyes of God Quest What thinges are required of him that will come a fit guest to the Lords Table Answ Thrée thinges The first what I must do before I come 2 What I must doe when I am come 3 What I must doe after I haue béene partaker of that holy Supper Quest What thinges are required of you before you come Ans Two thinges First I am bound to examine my selfe 1. Cor. 11.28 2 I am bound to pray and meditate of diuers things
of this definition Answ 1 That he cannot eate the Lords body who is not of the Lords body August 2 That a man must come with all chéerfulnesse to this banquet a and not to feare it as a man would do poyson a Ezra 6.16 Quest When and where was this Sacrament first celebrated Answ The place was in an vpper Parlor to teach me that I should mount vp in mine affections to God and not tarry héere below vpon earth the time was immediatly before Christs departing out of this world to admonish me that euery day of my communicating should be a new departing of mine heart out of this world to mine heauenly Father for this loue-feast begunne héere vpon earth shall not be finished till I come to heauen Quest Tell me now what is the outward matter of this Sacrament Answ Bread and wine by which are signified Christs body crucified his blood powred out a Luk. 22.19.20 Quest How prooue you this Answ Christ saith Take eate this my body that is as Tertullian expoundeth it figura corporis the figure of my body 2 Irenaeus saith The Eucharist consisteth of two things the one terrestriall the other celestiall 3 Augustine saith A Sacrament is a visible signe of an inuisible grace and he doubted not to say This is my body when hee gaue the signe of his bodie 4 Macarius calleth the bread and wine antitypa exemplary types of Christs body and bloud yet must wee know that to the true receiuer Christ is now giuen as well as these creatures 5 Bernard saith It is called bread per significationem non proprietatem by signification not by property Quest Is not bread and wine turned into the bodie and bloud of Christ Answ No for these reasons 1 Christ instituted this Supper before he was crucified 2 Then he must haue giuen his dead bodie with his liuing hands 3 The bread after consecration is distrâ—buted into parts but the whole body of Christ is receiued of euery seuerall communicant 4 The bread is the coÌ„munion of Christs body and therefore not the very body 5 This were to make the body of Christ of Bakers bread 6 The bread and wine will corrupt being kept after consecration 7 Wee see and taste onely bread and wine 8 Else the wicked should eate Christs body and so must haue eternall life Iohn 6.54 9 This taketh away the nature of a Sacrament wherein there must be a signe and the thing signified 10 It destroies the nature of Christs body making it aliue and dead in heauen and vpon earth glorified and vilified and in many places at one time 11 It is a kinde of inchantment to giue power to the mumbling of fiue Latine words to change the substance of bread and wine 12 The Apostle calleth it bread and wine before and after consecration 1. Cor. 10.16 2. Cor. 11.26.27 13 The kingdome of God is not corporall meate and drinke Rom. 14.17 14 Victor the third Bishop of Rome Note this was poisoned by his Subdeacon when hee tooke the cup and Henry the seuenth Emperour of Luxelburge was also poisoned in receiuing the bread at the hands of a Monk 15 Christs bodie and bloud enter not into the stomacke but into the heart 16 There commeth no good to vs by the corporall but by the spirituall presence of Christ Iohn 6.54 17 It derogateth from the dignity of the Sacrament of Baptisme in which there is no such metamorphosis 18 Then men neede not to séeke for Christ in heauen Colos 3.2 19 It taketh away the remembrance of Christs death 20 To say it is done because Christ can do it is no good argument for we must not reason from his omnipotency to euert any Article of faith but we beleeue that the bodie of Christ is in heauen not on earth and in a word it would séeme to me a matter of impietie to deuoure or digest Christs blessed bodie Quest Draw me but one other reason into a Syllogisme which you think is vnanswerable Ans I will and that shal be such a one as I learned out of the booke of Martyrs from that blessed martyr M. Frith and it is this They who eate Christ in the Lords Supper as the Fathers before his incarnation did eate him in Mannah and the Paschall Lambe they cannot eate Christ corporally for at that time Christ was not borne But the faithfull eate Christ in the Lords Supper as the Fathers before his incarnation did eate him in Mannah and the Paschall Lambe 1. Cor. 20.3.4 Therfore the faithfull in the Lords Supher cannot eate Christ corporally Quest But yet may not this be done by a Miracle Answ Priests haue no promise to worke miracles now adaies and that it can be no miracle it may appeare by these vnanswerable reasons 1 Euery miracle is sensible as when Moses rod was turned into a Serpent Exodus 7.10 and Christ turned Water into Wine Iohn 2.10 But this miracle is not sensible for I sée bread and taste bread I sée wine and taste wine euen after consecration Therefore it is no miracle 2 That which is ordinarie is no miracle but this of the Priests is ordinarie therefore no miracle Quest Why then is bread called the Lords bodie and wine his bloud Answ 1 That all the faithfull may acknowledge the dignity of this Sacrament 2 That we remaine not in the outward bread and wine but bee intent vpon the thing signified 3 That we may come with greater deuotion to that Sacrament 4 That we may be assured that as outwardly wee are pertakers of bread and wine so inwardly wee are partakers of Christ and his benefits Quest What rules must I then obserue that I may in the receiuing of the bread and wine rightly discerne the Lords body Answ I will giue you three 1 Take euery thing in it owne nature and kinde doe not with our aduersaries take the signe for the thing signified nor the earthly thing for the heauenly 2 Vse euery one of them in the manner appointed by Christ and with such reuerence as is due vnto them doe not as carnall professors doe who put no difference betwixt this and common bread and wine for no bread or wine in the world is in vse like this 3 Vse them to their right ends as First for a commemoration of Christs death Secondly for thy further communion with Christ doe not either as some aduersaries doe by a conceited concomitancy take away the memory of Christs passion nor as negligent Communicants forget the comfort of their renewed communion with their blessed Sauiour for heerein standeth our greatest comfort by communicating Qu. May you not receiue the bread without the wine Answ No for these reasons 1 This were to crosse Christs institution 2 It doth dispriuiledge Christs people 3 It maketh Christs feast a drie feast 4 It taketh away the remembrance of Christs blood-shed 5 The wine signifieth not Christs blood in his veines but that blood which was powred out Quest Why did Christ
vs by the Word and Sacraments The secōd Position I beléeue this faith to bee wrought in vs of the holy Ghost by the Word and Sacraments that by this faith wee might immediatly receiue and eate the bodie of Christ which was deliuered vp for vs and receiue and drinke the bloud of Christ which was shed for vs for remission of sinnes And so we might more and more bee engraffed and immediatly vnited vnto the bodie of Christ as our Mediatour who died for vs. For euen as the Bread and Wine being Earthly and Materiall Bodies cannot bee incorporated into our Earthly bodies vnlesse wee receiue them in at our mouth and eate them and drinke them So wee cannot bée vnited and incorporated into the bodie and bloud of Christ which Irenaeus calleth an Heauenly thing vnlesse by faith we take hold on Christ eate him and drinke him that is applie him vnto vs. The third Position OF the vse for which we eate the body of Christ and drinke his bloud I beléeue that the bodie of Christ in the Supper is offered and exhibited vnto vs to be eaten and his bloud to bee drunke and that faith by the Word and Sacraments by the helpe of the Holy Ghost being wrought in our hearts it is eaten of vs indéed to the end that we being more neerely and effectually incorporated into Christ we may also bee more throughly confirmed in the New Couenant which in Christ is communicated vnto vs. For as Christ did therefore deliuer his bodie vnto death and shed his bloud that by his death and bloud our sinnes being purged hee might confirme and for euer establish the couenant being renued betwéene God the Father and vs euen as the words of the Supper concerning the bloud doe teach vs and other bookes of the Scripture especially the Epistle to the Hebrewes doe confirme euen so for this end also the body and bloud of Christ is communicated vnto vs that by the participation of them we in like manner being more and more incorporated into Christ might be more and more confirmed in the New Testament Therefore when Christ gaue forth the cuppe in plaine wordes hee named the New Testament that the Apostles might vnderstand to what end the bloud of the sonne of God was not only shed and powred out but also was exhibited to be drunken of them Verily to this end that as by the shedding of his bloud their sinnes and the sinnes of all Gods Elect were purged and being purged the couenant betweene them and God was for all eternitie confirmed So also by drinking of the same both they and all the Elect being more and more incorporated may know themselues to be confirmed and established in the euerlasting Couenant But yet because the Couenant and the flesh and bloud of Christ are diuers obiects and the one is ordinated vnto the other therefore for doctrine sake I distinguish the one from the other and shew what is the proper vse of either of them The fourth Position OF the benefit or vse of the Couenant communicated vnto vs. Lastly I beléeue the couenant it selfe being ratified and confirmed in the bodie of Christ and by the bloud of Christ to bee more and more communicated vnto vs in the same bodie and bloud of Christ that by the bond thereof wee may wholy whatsoeuer we are bee vnited more and more vnto God the Father the Fountaine as of the whole Diuinitie so of all goodnesse and blessednesse by Christ the Mediatour the Spirit working and dwelling in vs and that we may be so vnited that in mind wee may daily more clearely acknowledge him by the Holy Ghost to be our true and our best Father in Christ and in our heart loue him more feruently in Iesus Christ through the Holy Ghost yea with all the powers of soule and bodie wee may daily more sincerely honour him and may bee made like vnto him in Holinesse and Iustice vntill at length sinne being vtterly destroyed and death abolished and the perfect Image of God recouered wee may so perfectly through Christ in the Spirit of God bee vnited and coupled after this life vnto God the Father that he may be all in all Amen For this is the last end vnto which not only the Supper of the Lord but also Baptisme yea the whole Word of God all his benefits all his corrections lastly all the words and works of God doe lead vs vnto CHAP. III. Of the dutie of a Christian man in the Supper of the Lord. WHerefore I thinke and beléeue that these are the duties of a Christian man in the Lords Supper First that he set before his eyes the perfect Communion with God which is none at al without Christ and is to be found only in him and that he direct all things vnto it as vnto the last end Secondly that hee may come vnto this end hee must make his beginning from the meanes which doe incurre into our senses as those things which are first perceiued by our vnderstanding and are better knowne by nature as also hee must heare the word attentiuely and come vnto the Sacraments reuerently and diligently consider as well what the word signifieth as what the Sacraments doe represent and what is offered vnto vs by the Ministerie of them both which is this that Christ hath offered vp his bodie vnto death for vs and shedde his bloud for remission of sinnes and therefore hee hath by his bloud sealed and confirmed in himselfe being Mediatour the New Testament of our euerlasting reconciliation and peace with God And these things are so signified by the Sacraments that they are also offered and giuen vnto vs to be receiued Whereby it comes to passe that they are truly called Signes not only signifying but also exhibiting and giuing the things which they signifie Thirdly I beleeue because the thinges signified and offered by the Signes are to be receiued by faith and faith is the gift of God therefore God is to be praied vnto as hee who offereth the things by the Signes and who commands vs to receiue them by faith He also can giue and increase faith whereby we are able to receiue them Fourthly I beléeue that faith being begotten in vs by hearing of the Word and increased by the diligent consideration of the Sacraments through the Holy Ghost it is the dutie of a Christian man while he receiueth the Externall and Visible Signes with his hand being also Externall and Visible and eateth them with the mouth of his body and drinketh them heare vpon Earth together also to receiue with the hand and mouth of faith and to eate and drinke the Heauenly and Inuisible thinges namely the flesh and bloud of Christ with a faithful heart lifted vp vnto the Heauenly Table that hee being more and more coupled vnto Christ and made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones may liue in Christ and Christ in him For I beleeue the faithfull in the Supper truly to
receiue and eate but by the Spirit and by faith the very true bodie of Christ the which was crucified for vs and so farre forth as it was deliuered vp for vs and that they drinke his bloud which was shed for vs for the remission of sinnes according as the wordes of Christ doe manifestly testifie And that indéed the bodie is present and the bloud is present but vnto the Spirit and vnto the inward man For vnto the Spirit all thinges which hee receiueth by faith are in truth present according to that that Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith And no distance of place can effect that the thinges wee receiue by faith should bée absent from vs euen as the Sunne cannot be said to be absent from the eyes of which it is perceiued Fiftly I beléeue because the new couenant in Christ is established by his bloud and the Testament is confirmed by the death of the Testator and because by the bloud of the eternall couenant wee are for euer ioyned vnto God therefore a Christian man who now by faith féeleth himselfe to be incorporated into Iesus Christ ought also to beléeue that hee is confirmed in the couenant with God the Father by a bond that cannot bee broken and therefore that all his sinnes are forgiuen him of God and that hee is destinated and assured to bée the Sonne of God and Heire of eternall life without all feare to be disherited For these thinges which we on our part according to the condition of the couenant owe vnto God namely Faith Loue Obedience wee may firmely beléeue that all those things are fully by Christ the first begotten effected for vs and imputed vnto vs. Further wee ought to bee certainly perswaded that by the assistance of Christ wee shall neuer be forsaken but that we may in some part performe the same And that because Christ himselfe hath both performed those things for vs and hath promised vs this assistance that the New Testament should remaine sure and perpetual as on Gods part so also on our part vntil at length we being receiued into the full possession of the Heauenly Inheritance doe liue in perfect happinesse with the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost our God For there are thrée principall heads of the couenant on Gods part The forgiuenesse of sinnes Adoption which is ioyned with a promise of Gods perpetual good wil grace protection and at last the full possession of Heauenly Inheritance There are also thrée thinges which on our part God doth require by couenant faith in God charitie towards our Neighbour and holinesse of life or perfect obedience Christ by his perfect obedience euen vnto death and by his owne bloud and death hath obtained for vs both those thinges which God hath promised as also hath performed those things which God by couenant required at our hand In testimonie whereof he giueth vs faith whereby wee beléeue in God and charitie whereby wee loue our Neighbour and the Spirit of regeneration whereby we endeuour vnto holinesse of life and true obedience is begun in vs. So Christ bringeth to passe that not only the couenant on Gods part but also on our part remaineth sure and perpetuall It is therefore our dutie that first by faith giuen vnto vs by Christ as wee doe eate his flesh and drinke his bloud so also wee beléeue our selues to be confirmed in the couenant with God and therefore both our sinnes to bee remitted and God to be our Father and that he will perpetually loue and protect vs and lastly that we shall bee heires of eternall life and shall arise to glorie and life euerlasting and that through Christ with whose flesh we are fed in the Supper and we ought to be perswaded that we our selues also are nourished to the end we may bee partakers of a blessed resurrection And therefore wee ought to giue due thankes for so many and so great benefits we ought also to embrace in loue our Neighbour and especially our faithfull brethren That as wee are all one with Christ so wee may also grow vp together in one bodie more and more with the Church Euen as the Apostle Paul exhorteth vs by this argument that wee are all one Bodie and one Bread because we are all partakers of the same Bread With the endeuour of an holy life and and true obedience which is also the gift of Christ wee ought alwayes to glorifie God and declare indéed that wee are true and liuely members of Christ and therefore haue intrest to that true felicitie which cōsisteth in that most perfect vniō with God wherein hee shall bee all in all Thus I beléeue concerning the dutie of a Christian man in the Supper wherein hee may worthily and for his Saluation eate the Bread of the Lord and drinke of his cup. CHAP. IIII. Of the words of the Supper SEeing all things are so as I haue before shewed my opinion is that the wordes of the Lods Supper cannot bee well vnderstood and declared without some trope First for the cup it is manifest as well by the Euangelists as by the Apostle Paul Then for the Bread it is also manifest because where as Christ saith This that is the bread which I haue broken is my bodie the Apostle expounding it saith The Bread which we breake is the Communion of the bodie of the Lord. Thirdly according to the rule of Saint Austen in his third Booke of the institution of a Christian man Cap. 16. Because when wee are commanded to eate the flesh of Christ it yée take the word of eating properly it séemes wee are commanded to doe an heinous déede therefore the spéech of Christ concerning the eating of his flesh is to be vnderstood figuratiuely Moreouer because if you shall vnderstand the wordes without a trope tt will follow that the Bread of Christ was indéed deliuered vp for vs and the bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes Lastly because Luther himselfe vpon the sixth Chapter of Esay saith that in the words of the Supper there is a Synecdoche with whom in this point Bucer doth alwayes agrée Therefore albeit each word in that spéech This is my bodie bee taken in his proper signification so that the true and essential bodie of Christ is attributed to the Bread as indéede it is attributed yet in the whole spéech there must néeds be some trope Séeing that the bread which is giuen for vs and was not crucified cannot properly be said to bee the bodie of Christ which was deliuered vp for vs. So then the controuersie is only concerning the kinde of trope by which the Bread is called the bodie of Christ I say that true bodie which was truly deliuered vp for vs. And I thinke this controuersie not so great worth that for it the peace of the Church bée troubled that he that saith it is a Synecdoche doth condemne him that saith it is a Metonymie And contrariwise he that saith it is a Metonymie condemneth him which
saith it is a Synecdoche so that both part agrée in this that it is the true and naturall bodie of Christ as the Euangelists and the Apostle doe plainly teach that it is spoken of the true bread and so that the Articles of faith bee kept on both sides in their plaine meaning pure and vncorrupt As that the naturall bodie of Christ is one is finite is humane is in Heauen doth no more die is not consumed not broken And yet indéed as the Scriptures teach is offered vnto all is communicated to all the faithfull but in a mysterie and after a Spirituall manner Euen as the faithfull themselues doe grow vp into one bodie and are incorporated with their head Christ and with the whole Catholike Church not after a Carnall but after a Spirituall manner And therefore as in the Sprituall and Mysticall fellowship with Christ and the Church wicked Hypocrites haue no part séeing they want faith but are only in the outward and Visible societie so I beléeue that those Hypocrites are Partakers not of the true and naturall and truly Heauenly flesh and bloud of Christ but only of the externall and outward signes the which also are termed by the name of the flesh and bloud of Christ euen by Christ-himselfe Wherefore wheras the Apostle saith They who eate vnworthily are guiltie of the bodie of the Lord if it bee vnderstood of the wicked which certainly and not without a cause Bucer denieth I interpret that in this sense wherein the same Apostle saith vnto the Hebrewes that some doe tread vnder foot the Son of God and account the bloud of the Testament a prophane thing to wit not because they doe truely eate the flesh of Christ and drinke the bloud but because they doe it vnworthily but rather because reiecting by their vngodlinesse the bodie and bloud the Bread and Wine being offered they drinke and eate the Bread and Wine vnworthily This thing good Christian assure thy selfe of that I am not so wicked as to doubt of the truth of Christs wordes in the Supper as some too impudently doe accuse me of neither that I dispute of the simple vnderstanding of euery word in this proposition This is my bodie For by this Article This that the Bread is declared besides that the text doth teach Paul also doth so interprete it 1. Cor. 10. 11. Neither this word is doth signifie any other thing as I thinke then to bee and I take this word bodie for the true bodie of Christ as Christ himselfe doth interpret who addeth which is giuen for you And therefore there is no controuersie among vs whether in the lawfull vse of the Supper the Bread bee truly the bodie of Christ but wee dispute only of the manner by which the Bread is the bodie of Christ And moreouer neither part call into question that the bread is after that manner the body of Christ after which Christ would then haue it will now haue it to be for it must be according to his will And whereas in the words of the Supper the wil of Christ is not expressed cōcerning the maner I think it is to be gathered out of the like places to wit Sacramentall kinde of spéeches Moreouer this foundation being laid that Christ then would not and now will not that the bread should bee his body after any of the manners of those men who take away the truth of his true humane body or else doe disagree from the analogy of faith and ouerturne some article of the faith from his simple meaning So the manner of Christs being in the Sacrament by Transubstantiation is excluded both because neither in the Sacrament of Baptisme the substance of the water is changed as also because straight way many bodies héere vpon earth should bee faigned vpon Christ besides that body which he hath in heauen and lastly because the substance of bread neither before neither after the conuersion was deliuered to death for vs I adde moreouer that according to Saint Marke the substance of wine was in the belly of the Apostles when he said This is the bloud The manner also of Consubstantiation is excluded both because neither in the water of Baptisme the bloud of Christ is locally included whereby we are washed from our sinnes as also because this maner doth take away the nature of the true humane body and doth Diametrically repugne with the article of the ascention into heauen and of the sitting at the right hand For the same causes that manner also is to be taken away which is not much vnlike vnto this which is imagined by a real and local adherency or coniunction not to speake that not one word can be read for the proofe of this that after some of these thrée manners Christ would haue the bread to be his body After what manner then is it probable that Christ would haue the bread to bee his body Verily after this manner as all other Sacraments are said to be that thing whereof they are Sacraments to wit by a Sacramental and so a Mystical vnion For that which we call a Sacrament the Grecians cal a Mystery Wherefore this spéech is vsuall with the Fathers that the bread is the body of Christ euen the present body and that it is eaten in a mystery Now a mystery is said to be when visible things doe lead vs to the true vnderstanding and receiuing of inuisible things and earthly things of heauenly things corporall things of spirituall things In which sense the Apostle to the Ephesians calleth the carnall marriage of Adam and Eue a great mystery because of the spiritual marriage which is contracted betweene Christ and his Church and to which that other marriage doth leade vs. But carnall men destitute of the spirit of God and of faith cannot be brought by earthly things vnto heauenly things or by the participation of those earthly vnto the communion of these heauenly seeing they cannot so much as vnderstand them as the Apostle saith Which is the cause why I iudge and beleeue that the flesh and bloud of Christ being heauenly and spirituall things cannot in deede and truth be receiued of wicked men no not by the mouth of their body which also was Bucers opinion Therefore hee said that the body of Christ was both present and eaten of vs in the Supper not after any worldly manner but onely after a spirituall and heauenly manner The which what is it else then to say that it is eaten of vs by the spirit of Christ For by Christ heauenly things are ioined vnto earthly things and by him they are receiued of them And this is my beleefe and iudgement for the meaning of the words of the Supper which I will constantly hold till that a better a truer and more agreeable to the Scriptures shall by other men bee offered and plainely prooued unto me Ille non edit corpus Christi qui non est de corpore Christi August He cannot eat the
or the longest shadow the goodliest shadow Neither men nor their liues are measured by the ell in a great and a small circle the figure is all one and it is hath béen and will be fatall euen to great and glorious personages ordinarily not to liue long Take Salomon Iosiah and Christ Iesus for example Quest O but I would not die in a strange countrey Answ No Abraham did and died quietly Ioseph did and he died honorably many Saints did and they died gloriously Are you slaine in battell you haue a tombe amongst the dead bodies of your enemies Do you die in trauaile you are héere a stranger your countrie is in heauen Death comes vnto you masked in these such like shapes take off the maske and it is the same death wherewith women and children die Euery place is a like distant from heauen Quest And when I haue seen all the world would you haue mee willing to leaue all the world Answ Why you euer haue séene the same rising and setting of the Sunne the same encreasing and decreasing of nature the like sins that haue béen in former times and if you haue séene all the world consider but the vanitie mutabilitie of this world and either you will say that this world is a world of wickednesse or that now in his old age it is passing away as a thréed-bare garment ouer-worne Quest Is it easie now thinke you to leaue wife and children father and mother and all my friends Ans Where you go you shall find more such as you neuer saw they whom you leaue behind shall shortly follow after you Quest But what shall become of my wife children friends and kins-folkes who depend vpon me Answ All these belong more to God than to you he loues them best and will prouide best for them and such so left haue often risen to high and great place Quest Yet if I died not alone I might haue more comfort Answ Alone why how many thousand in the whole world die in the same moment of time which you die in and yet which God may grant to you but a few of them goe to heauen Quest Once againe would you haue me not to feare death which causeth mee to lose life looke like a ghost and which taketh away from mee all the ioies of this world Answ By losing a temporall life you finde that life which is eternall you shall not be afraid when you looke gastly and that gastly body of yours shall one day bee clothed with glory and be made like to the glorious body of your most glorious Sauiour and as for the petie and peacocke ioies héere you shall haue ioies eternall and vnspeakable heereafter Quest Seeing then I must needs die what must I doe to die well Answ 1 Labour that your sinnes die in you before you die in the world 2 Be euer ready and prepared either for death or iudgement 3 Endeauour that your death may bee voluntary 4 Consider what an excellent thing it is to end your life before your death and in such sort that at that houre you haue nothing to doe but to die that then you haue no more néede of any thing not of time not of your selfe but sweetly and comfortably to depart this life so that you may say in the testimony of a good conscience I was not ashamed to liue and I am not afraid to die because I know my Redeemer liueth Quest How many waies may a man carry himselfe in death Answ Fiue 1 He may feare and flye it as euill 2 Attend it sweetly and patiently as a thing naturall ineuitable and reasonable 3 Contemne it as a thing indifferent and of no great importance 4 Desire and seeke after it as the onely hauen of rest from all the troubles and torments of this life and so esteeme it as great gaine 5 He may giue it to himselfe by taking away his owne life Quest What thinke you of the first because it is the opinion of the most Answ 1 Because the most thinke so therefore it is most remote from the truth 2 Such seeme to giue little credit to Gods word which teacheth that by it wée rest from our labours 3 If death be euill it is an euill only in opinion and such an euill as neuer did hurt to a good man 4 Why should a man feare that which in truth he knowes not what it is or what good it wil bring vnto him as Socrates once said vnto his friends when hee would not pleade for his life before his Iudges 5 It argueth faint-heartednesse and follie to feare that which cannot be auoided 6 If it be good why should we feare it if euill why do we by sorrow adde euill vnto euill 7 He that once begins to feare death can neuer by reason of this feare liue a good and a contented life He is neuer a freeman that feares death 8 Consider that if nature had made men immortall so that will they nill they they should haue liued euer how many thousands in miserie would haue cursed nature Surely if we had it not in this vale of misery we would desire it more Quest Giue mee your opinion of the second Answ Surely me thinkes they kéepe the golden meane for they will neither desire death as knowing it to bée against nature nor flie from it considering that it is against iustice reason and their dutie to God they know right well that the first day of their birth setteth them in their way to death Nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet At birth begin we life to end This end doth on that birth depend Why should wee feare to go that way which all the world hath gone before vs why to ariue at that hauen to which wee haue béen sayling euer since we were borne Quest And doe you thinke that the third sort of people do well who contemne death Answ To contemne death yea and life it selfe for the glorie of God the good of the Church the manifestation of the truth the saluation of our soules and the credit of our names argueth a courage Christian and inuincible hath béen practised both by the Saints of God many famous worthies euen amongst the heathen And surely he that feares death too much shal neuer be fit for any honorable action nay he shall neuer be a frée-man neither can he truly say that he beléeueth the immortalitie of the soule or his resurrection to eternall life by Christ Quest Need I not to craue your opinion of the fourth and fifth sort wherof one desires to die and the other in that desire doth take away his owne life Ans I haue in this treatise answered concerning the fourth shewed how a man may desire death you shall find it if you reade on in this direction But for a mā to take away his own life though it may séem sometimes to procéed from the greatnes of a mans courage yet it cannot but be a
fond conceit of many who thinke it a great blessing to bee buried in a Church especially if it bee in the Chancell néere the Altar Quest. Ought there any care to bee had to keepe Churchyards in good sort Answ There ought 1 They are the houses of Christians and as it were chambers or beds to sléepe in 2 They are places to which we may resort to bee put in minde of our future mortalitie 3 It argues little charitie to abuse those places where our friends lie buried 4 The Romans had this Law Let the place where the dead are buried be accounted holy and the Romanists haue diuers good Canons against such as shal any way abuse euen Church yards and it were to bee wished that it were looked to amongst vs. Quest What thinke you of making monuments for the dead Answ I remember Tullie saith that the Romans had a law that no man should build a more costly Sepulchre then could be finished in thrée daies Lib. 2. de Leg. The Egyptians builded gorgeous Sepulchres and meane houses because the one was to them but as an Inne the other as they thought an eternall habitation Celius Rhodig Now that great and good men should haue monuments as it is a thing indifferent so I thinke it not simply vnlawfull 1 The Iewes vsed such as wee may sée in the Bible Dauid saith the Scripture is dead and his Sepulchre is with vs to this day Act. 2.29 2 By them wee may be put in minde of that glorious habitation wee shall haue in Heauen 3 It is an argument that we loued such persons whom we thus honour after their death 4 We kéepe a memorie of their excellent vertues 5 We are moued to follow them in good actions 6 It distinguisheth betwixt person and person for though all die alike yet all must not be alike buried But note that the best monument is to be set vp in the heartes of good people for good workes and the next is to leaue a godly posteritie as for the monuments which the wicked leaue they argue 1 Their pride that they would leaue a name vpon earth 2 Their infidelitie that they looke not for the resurrection of the iust 3 Their couetousnes that they will carrie that to the graue with them which better might haue béene spent vpon the poore 4 Their folly to build such a sepulchre as when men looke vpon it shall remember their bad and beastly life Quest Are the dead thinke you to bee mourned for Answ Solon gaue commandement that the Common-wealth should mourne for him but Ennius would not be mourned for But as for vs Christians though we must not with superstitious Nations hire mourning Women to lament for vs yet it is lawfull to deplore the departure of the dead for 1 As the Egyptians mourned for Iaakob seuentie daies so his children lamented him seuen daies Gen. 50. 2 Abraham mourned for Sarah Israel for Iosias and Samuel the faithfull for Steuen the women for Dorcas and Dauid for his good friend Ionathan 3 It was an argument of Gods wrath against Iekoniah that no man should say for him Alas my brother Ierem. 22.18 4 We receiue much good by the presence of our friends and why should wee not bewaile their absence 5 If they were godly wee must lament them 1 Because they did much good in their callings Acts. 9.39 2 Because the World was blessed by them Prou. 11.11 3 Because wee may feare some iudgement after their departure Isay 58.2 4 Because oftentimes worse come in their stead 5 Because the wicked will then be more readie to sinne 6 Because they were great ornaments in the Church or Common-wealth in which they liued Lament 4.20 And if they be godlesse we must mourne for them especially because we cannot bee perswaded but that they are gone to the pit of perdition 2 Sam. 18.33 Yet we must remember that we kéepe a meane in mourning and looke that our sorrow be not 1 In selfe loue because wee haue lost some good by them 2 In distrust as though we had no hope that they should rise againe 1. Thess 4. 3 In hypocrisie that we may séeme only to men to mourne 4 In excesse as though there were no comfort for vs that are aliue because God hath taken away the comfort of our life Cyprians spéech is verie good in this thing Why saith he doest thou take it impatiently that he is taken from thee whom thou beleeuest that he shal returne He is but gone a iournie whom thou thinkest quite gone Hee that goes before is not to bee lamented but rather desired And this desire is to bee tempered with patience Why art thou grieued that he is gone whom thou must follow We ought not to lament them ouer much who by the calling of God are freed from miserie they are not for euer sent away but for a while sent before They are but gone a iournie we must looke for their returne sailed into a strange Countrie they will if we waite come againe So also is that of the Wise man Ecclus. 38.16 My sonne powre out teares ouer the dead and begin to mourne as if thou hadst suffered some great harme thy selfe and then couer his bodie according to his appointment and neglect not his buriall Make a grieuous lamentation and bee earnest in mourning and vse lamentation as hee is worthie and that a day or two left thou be euill spoken of and then comfort thy selfe for thine heauinesse c. Quest May mourning apparrell be vsed at funerals Answ If the heart mourne as wel as the habite I doe not thinke it vtterly vnlawful for 1 By it we kéep a memory of our friend 2 We are drawne to some humiliation 3 We are put in mind of our owne mortalitie 4 It argues his loue that bestowes it vpon vs. 5 By this meanes many poore are clothed 6 It is but a Legacie of the dead to the liuing Quest And what thinke you of funerall Sermons for many thinke it sinne to preach at that time Ans I doubt not but they may be preached for 1 Wee must preach in season and out of season 2 Many come then to the house of God and why should they depart emptie away 3 It is a fit time to teach that one day we must die 4 Many accidents fall out in a mans sicknesse which are fit to bee published at such a time 5 Many worthie vertues haue shined in some mans life which for the imitation in others are not to bee buried at his death 6 Many corruptions haue raigned in some which then wee may bee exhorted to auoide 7 They are not for the bare commendation of the dead but for the instruction and consolation of them that are aliue Quest And doe you thinke that any would bee content to haue his infirmities laid out at his funerall Answ Whether hee will or not if God may get honour and the Church good there is no wrong to the dead to admonish the
Heart cannot comprehend it because it must Comprehend the heart and this wee shall more fully perceiue by how much wee doe more Faithfully beléeue Firmely expect and Ardently desire God saith the said Father hath prepared that for them that loue him which cannot be Apprehended by faith Attained to by hope or obtained by charitie it transcendeth our desires and wishes it may be Obtained it cannot be valued Quest Yet that I may get such a glimpse of that glorie begin with mine estate after I am dead what shall I enioy in the Kingdome of Heauen Ans You shall be carried to the Bosome of Abraham the Celestiall Paradise the House of your Father the new Holy and durable Ierusalem you shall then enter into your Masters Ioy you shal haue an Inheritance immortall vndefiled which withereth not reserued in the Heauens you shall Rest from your labours haue Peace from your Enemies and behold the Glorie of God in Christ Iesus in which place shall bee such and so many ioyes as all the Arithmeticians in the World are not able to number them all the Geometricians are not able to weigh them all the Grammarians Rhetoricians and Logicians are not able to expresse them in fit termes There shall bee ioy aboue vs for the Vision of God about vs for the vision of the Angels beneath vs for the vision of the Heauens and within vs for the vision of Happinesse There Salomons wisdome shall be reputed but folly Absaloms beautie but deformitie Azaels swiftnesse but slownesse Sampsons strength but weaknesse Methusalaes long age but infancie and the Kingdome of Augustus Caesar but beggerie Quest By what meanes shall I obtaine this happinesse Answ By Gods mercie that giueth it by Christs Merit that bought it by the Gospell that offereth it by Faith that receiueth it and by the Spirit that sealeth it vnto your soule Quest What is the obiect of it Ans The Vision knowledge and comprehension of God in Christ We shal indéed behold the Angels and enioy their companie sée the Saints and haue their societie But as the ioy of a Courtier is in the presence of his Prince so the ioy of a Christian shall be in the presence of his Christ Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matthew 5.8 Blessed are they that dwell in thine house for they shall euer praise thee Psal 8.4 We shall see him as he is 1. Ioh. 3.3 The Angels doe this in the Kingdome of Heauen and wee shall doe it in the same Kingdome Here we liue by faith there we shall liue by sight Quest Is this felicitie prepared for all Answ For all that beleeue it is prepared The Elect haue obtained it the rest are hardened Rom. 11.7 In euery Nation hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Acts 10. There is neither Iew nor Gentile Grecian or Barbarian Male or Female Bond or Free but wee are all one in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.27 Quest Shall my bodie only or my soule only or both bodie and soule enioy this felicitie Answ Both bodie and soule your soule shal be sanctified throughout and your body made like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus Phil. 3.20 Quest Shall this very bodie of mine rise againe to life after death Answ It shall assuredly for 1 The Lord keepeth all the bones of his Saints that not one of them shall be broken Psal 34.21 and there shall not an haire of our head perish Luke 21.18 2 Euery one shall receiue in his bodie that which he hath done be it good or euill 2. Cor. 5.10 3 God hath consecrated this bodie of yours to be a Temple for the holie Ghost to dwell in 1. Cor. 3.16 4 This corruptible shall put on incorruption saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. This saith he pointing as with the finger at the same substance and could not speake more expresly vnlesse hee should haue taken his owne skinne with his owne hands as Tertullian well obserued 5 Christ rose againe in his owne bodie and you shall rise as he did 6 In this bodie you haue suffered for Christ liued for Christ and in it you shall reigne with Christ 7 You shall be happie but how happie if one part should perish saith Tertullian in his booke of the Resurrection of the flesh 8 I am sure saith Iob that my Redéemer liueth though after my skin wormes destroy this bodie yet shall I sée God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall sée and mine eyes shall behold and none other for mee though my reines are now consumed within me Iob. 19.25 Quest O that you could teach me this by some such comparisons as might confirme my faith concerning this doctrine for there are many Sadduces in the world at this day who denie the resurrection of the bodie Answ Indéed I remember that Gregorie in his Morals hath a like saying of some in his time There are saith he a number of people who considering that the soule is dissolued from the bodie that the bodie is turned into rottennesse that rottennesse returneth to dust and that this dust is resolued into the first elements cannot see how that by reason there should be any resurrection and beholding drie and dead bones mistrust that they shall not againe bee clothed with their flesh and so reuiue Such men though they cannot by faith beleeue as they ought the bodies resurrection yet let them be perswaded by this naturall reason What I pray then doth the whole world but imitate our resurrection daily in her elements For wee see daily that trees in winter want both leaues and fruit and behold suddenly in the spring time out of a drie tree as it were by a new resurrection leaues bud out fruits ripen and the whole tree is apparelled with her reuiued beautie Let them behold the dead kernell set into the earth how a tree sprouteth out of it and let them deuise if they can where that great tree was in so small a seede Where was the bodie where the barke where the branches where the greene leaues where that plentie of fruit Do they not perceiue that all these were in the kernell or seede before it was cast into the ground Why then should they wonder how a little dust resolued into elements should when God will become a liuing bodie againe seeing that so small a seed comming first out of a tree should by the power of God become an huge tree againe For as the tree is in the kernell so are our bodies in the glorified bodie of Christ In the man Christ saith Cassiodorus is the flesh of euery one of vs yea our very blood and a portion of vs. Therefore I beleeue that where my portion reigneth there shall I reigne where mine owne blood ruleth there do I perceiue that I shall rule where my flesh is glorified there know I that I shall be glorious And why then shall it séeme strange vnto you that God is able to raise your body againe
content our selues with a profession of piety and labour not for the power of godlinesse And as for our liues they abound with actuall transgression against euery one of thy ten Commandements hauing broken the same ten thousand tims We Lord haue liued in contempt of thy prouidence committing idolatry with thy creatures taking thy glorious name in vaine and profaning of thy most holy Sabbaths We euen we who should haue been vpright haue not regarded our betters but enuied our brethrē defiled our soules with vnchaste desires laboured to be rich by vnlawfull meanes disgraced our neighbours and longed after that which was none of ours Wee haue heard thy word O Lord but we haue not beleeued it we haue known the word but haue not practised it Wee haue come to thine house without reuerence approched to thy Table without repentance and practised many sins without remorse Doe we any good wee please our selues too much Doe we any euil we feare thée too little we are wearie of praying when we talke with thée we are carelesse in hearing when thou speakest to vs. If we reade thy Sacred and Holy Word it is not swéete vnto vs as the hony combe but wee delight more euen in vngodly bookes Yea O Lord the pampering of our bellies the pride of our apparel the negligence in our calling the mispending of our time our vaine conference at table our wandring eyes our wanton lusts our ambitious minds our couetous desires our vngodly spéeches our lasciuious eares our censuring of our brethren our sinne in recreations our vnwillingnesse to labour our vnfaithfulnesse in life our forgetfulnesse of death and our abuse of thy mercies especially in Christ doe testifie against vs that wée haue sinned against Heauen and against thee and are no more worthie to be called thy children Are wee ashamed at this and reclaimed from it no Lord wee are not ashamed but howsoeuer it hath pleased thee to vse many meanes as partly by thy Word and partly by thy Spirit and partly by thy mercies partly by thy iudgments to the end we might bee reclaimed from our crooked wayes yet we haue contemned thy Word the Ministerie of saluation greiued thy spirit the earnest of our inheritance abused thy mercies the pledges of thy loue and forgotten thy iudgments the messengers of thy wrath Enter not into iudgement with vs thy seruants O Lord for then shall no flesh liuing bee iustified in thy sight Be mercifull vnto vs in forgiuing sinnes past and be gracious vnto vs in preuenting sinnes to come Correct vs O Lord but with mercie not in thy iudgement for then shall we be consumed and brought to nought Open our blind eyes that we may come to a particular knowledge of our particular sinnes especially such as wee are most giuen vnto Soften our hard and stonie hearts that wee may sigh and grone vnder the burden of them make vs good God displeased with our selues because by sinne wee haue dishonoured thy Maiestie Stirre vp our dead and dul hearts that we may hunger after Christ and his righteousnesse and after euery drop of his precious bloud In that Sonne of thine looke on vs thy seruants and for his merits and righteousnesse vouchsafe good God mercifully and fréely to do away al our offences Wash them away in his blood and by the purity of his spirit clense our hearts from the pollution and impurity of them all say vnto our soules thou art our saluation let thy spirit in our hearts crie Abba Father Teach vs. O Lord thy way we shal walk in thy truth O knit our hearts vnto thée that we may feare thy Name And because through corruption in our hearts and sinne in our liues our faith is féeble and our confidence small wée doe humbly beséech thée to strengthen our faith by the daily meditation and particular application of thy mercifull promises made vnto vs in thy Sonne Christ that neither in the dangers of this world nor in the troubles of conscience nor in the houre of death we may fall from thée Gracious Father expell out of our hearts al carnal confidence the vnderminer of our faith teach vs in the spirit of true humilitie to denie our selues and to relie only vpon thée and the merit of Christ in the matter of our saluation And because it is not enough to come vnto thée by prayer and to sue vnto thée for pardon but all that are in Christ must be new creatures therefore we call vpon thée for the spirit of regeneration mortifie therby the corruptions of our flesh quicken vs thereby in the inner man By the power of Christs death let vs die vnto sinne and by the power of his resurrection let vs rise to righteousnesse and newnes of life let the one as a corrasiue eate vp the dead flesh of vngodlinesse and the other as a spur stir vs vp to holinesse Illuminate our mindes that wee may know thy will giue vs spirituall vnderstanding to discerne good and euill Sanctifie our memories to treasure vp good things purifie our consciences to haue peace in thée reforme our willes to doe thy will and let all our affections be ordered aright Teach vs to feare thée continually wheresoeuer wee are to neglect all things in regard of Christ to loue thée and our brethren for thy sake to be zealous of thy glorie to bée grieued at our owne and others sinnes and ioyfull when we can please thée Let our bodies the instruments of sinne be euer hereafter clensed by thy spirit that they may bee temples for that spirit to dwell in keepe our eyes from beholding vanitie our eares from hearkening to variety our mouthes from speaking blasphemie our hands from committing of iniquitie and our bodies from the action of adulterie Let our light so shine before men that they séeing our good workes may glorifie thee our heauenly Father Make vs to remember that as we are sonnes we must depend vpon thée as wee are seruants we must obey thée and as wee are Christians we ought to walke worthy of our vocation calling And because we haue all some particular calling either of rule or seruice or trust or fauour make vs from the highest to the lowest faithfull in our callings and to remember that a day will come in which wee must giue an account vnto thée of all our actions done in this flesh whether they bée good or euill Take away from vs all opportunitie of sinning and make vs euer thankfull that wee liue so as wée want allurements to many sinnes Cause vs to sée how deformed sinne is in it selfe and to what confusion it is like to bring vs Lord make vs to flie the very occasions of sinne and to resist the beginnings of all temptatition let not a night passe ouer our heads in which wee examine not how wée haue spent the day neuer let vs come into any companie wherein wee may not doe or receiue some good Keepe vs that wee fashion not
to preserue vs from despaire and vpon thy threatnings that wee doe not presume Blesse them that fight thy battels by land or sea whether they incounter with Mahomet or Antichrist And blesse them thou God of hosts in such a sort that the Hâ—athen in the end may bee constrained to say Doubtlesse there is a reward for the righteous verely there is a God that iudgeth the earth And séeing only we heare of rumours of wars and liue in such libertie as neuer any nation hath done so long make vs thankfull vnto thée that we are in such a case that wée are not led into captiuitie neither is there complaining in our stréets And teach vs to build thy Church in our rest as Salomon built the Temple in his peace We haue O Lord béene long in prosperitie be mercifull to this sinfull nation which hath surfetted and is sicke of too too much ease Let not thy blessings rise vp against vs but make vs as rich in goodnesse as in goods in pietie as in plentie that as we go before all nations in prosperitie so wee may labour to excéede them in sinceritie Blesse this familie from the greatest to the least blesse it O Lord with thy grace and peace so that superiours may rule it according to thy word seruants may obey as the seruants of Christ and that euery one in the same may be loued of thée Thou séest O Lord how bold we are we haue called vpon thée for our selues and others but many other things should wee haue begged of thée because we want them and thanked thée for because we haue receiued them Our vnderstanding is shallow our memorie short and wee are vnworthy to pray vnto thée and most vnworthie to receiue the things which we haue prayed for therefore we commend our persons prayers actions and endeuours this day to thy most gratious and mercifull protection and that in the name of Christ thy Sonne and our Sauiour in whose name and in whose words we further call vpon thée and thank thée saying Our Father c. LEt thy mightie hand and outstretched arme O Lord be still our defence thy mercie louing kindnesse in Iesus Christ our saluation thy true and holy word our instruction thy grace and holy Spirit our comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end and let all héere present say Amen AN EVENING PRAYER FOR PRIVATE families O Lord prepare our hearts to praier MOst High and Mightie God father of eternitie and fountaine of mercie wee acknowledge and confesse this fauour of thine that thou giuest vnto vs these blessed opportunities publikely in thy Temple to méete together priuately in our Families to méet together especially we acknowledge now this worke of thy grace that we dare not commit our bodies to rest before we haue coÌ„mended our selues to thée Thou hast not dealt so with euery familie neither haue the wicked a desire to praise thée wee are now present before thée O Lord be thou president amongst vs grant vnto vs all such a portion of thy Spirit that in feare of thy Maiesty reuerence of thy name a sense of our miseries and an assurance of thy mercie we may come now before thée as before that God who séest our behauiour searchest our hearts knowest our wants art able to grant more then we can desire We acknowledge confesse before thy great Maiestie that in the loynes of our first parents thou diddest make vs to thine image but in them we fell away from that blessed estate and are plunged into a most wofull and desperate condition being able to doe nothing but displease thée Our forefathers haue eaten sowre grapes and their childrens téeth are set on edge By the transgression of one wee all haue sinned and are depriued of thy glorious image and as an hereditarie disease it hath infected all the powers of our soules and bodies Our vnderstandings are filled with blindnesse and darknesse not sauouring the things of saluation our consciences are wounded seared defiled and neuer soundly at peace in themselues our memories are fit to retaine euill and to forget euery thing that is good our willes run headlong to all iniquitie but are auerse to all goodnesse our affections are with violence carried after the sway of our willes our thoughts are vnsatiable and infinite in euill our best actions are great abominations and our whole conuersation is lothsome to God and man By this meanes O Lord we are odious to thy Maiestie execrable to thine Angels detestable to thy Saints slaues to Satan worthie to be accursed in this life and for euer By this means our bodies are subiect in each member to diseases and our soules are subiect in each facultie to disorder we by this means haue lost thy fauour are cast out of Paradise haue sold our birth-right and exchanged heauen for the pit of hell And héerein we are most miserable that we feele not our miserie feare not thy wrath desire not thy fauour and consider not what we lost when we fell from thée Yet thou art our Father and wée thy children thou art our God and we thy people thou art our shepheard and we the sheep of thy pasture And when no creature in heauen or in earth was able to reconcile vs vnto thy Maiesty thou in thy loue diddest send thy Son to be the propitiation for our sinnes In him therefore we come vnto thée in whom alone thou art well pleased with vs and since hee is that Lambe that taketh away our sinnes in him we beséech thée to looke vpon vs. Let the puritie of his nature answere the impuritie of ours the perfection of his obedience satisfie for our imperfection and the sufficiencie of his sufferings frée vs from all torments which wee deserued to suffer for our sins He hath conquered Satan by his glorious resurrection from the dead and by it hath triumphed ouer sinne and death And now we are restored into thy grace againe grant that wee may feele the fruits of that grace especially such faith in thy promises peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost zeale to good workes in this life present and assurance of happinesse in the life to come that we neuer hereafter doe fall from thee But because we cannot either stand vnlesse thou vphold vs nor walke vnlesse thou lead vs nor liue vnlesse thou quicken vs nor raigne vnlesse thou crowne vs therefore we entreate thee to vphold vs by thy hand that we fall not direct vs by thy word that we erre not quicken vs by thy Spirit that we die not and crowne vs with glorie that we lose not our inheritance Sanctifie vs al in thy truth thy word is that truth Sanctifie vs by the Law that by it we may see our miserie feele the want of Christ bee sorrowfull for our sinnes aduise what to do desire pardon resolue to come to thée confesse our iniquities and renounce al things in the world to get saluation in
wauer in his faith nor stagger in his hope nor faint in his patience nor coole in his loue nor sorrow at his dissolution nor looke backe to the world nor bee ouermuch cast downe with the dread of death Grant that when death shall haue closed vp the eyes of his body the eyes of his soule may be fixed vpon thee that when his speech shall be taken from him then his heart may crie vnto thée say Come Lord Iesu come quickly Heare vs good Lord praying for him heare him praying for himselfe heare vs al for Christ Iesus his sake in whom alone thou art well pleased and in whose name and in whose words we conclude our vnperfect prayers saying Our Father c. LOrd blesse vs and kéepe vs Lord make the light of thy countenance thine vpon vs and grant vs thy peace O God the Father looke vpon thy sonne O God the Son looke vpon thy seruant O God the holie Ghost enter into thy temple O holie Father O righteous Sonne O comforting holie Ghost O blessed and glorious Trinitie one in essence thrée in person be with this thy seruant comfort him with that comfort which we would desire in the like visitation let thine Angels pitch their tents about him let his last houre bee his best houre make his life victorious his death pretious and his and our resurrection glorious through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Lord Iesu be with his spirit Amen Amen A THANKES GIVING FOR THE faithfull departure of one after he or she is dead changing as before O Lord God the onely health of them that liue and the alone life of them that die according to thy commandement we called vpon thée and in desire of thy goodnesse we cried vnto thée that thou wouldest be gratious vnto this seruant of thine whose body lieth dead before our eyes We asked his life thou gauest it not because thou sawest what was best for him wee desired his patience to endure this crosse thou heardest our prayers and hast not denied vs the request of our lips because that alone was fittest for him He died not as a foole dieth neither was his dissolution bitter vnto him He is now O Lord a tree planted in thine orchard a stone setled in thy building a Priest sacrificing at thine altar a starre fixed in thy heauen and an heire reigning in thy kingdom If he had died like Absolom we might haue taken vpon vs Dauids lamentation or like Saul we might haue taken vpon vs Samuels lamentation or as the malefactor on the left hand of Christ wee might haue lamented and mourned for him as doubting that hee died not the death of the righteous But precious in thy fight was this death of his and comfortable in our sight was this departure of his Hee like a Lion triumphed ouer death and like a Lambe resigned vp his life he knew that this Redeemer liued and that Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. His faith was in thy promises his hope was in thy mercies his loue was on thy ioyes his zeale was on thy glorie and his desire was to be in heauen For this thy fauour towards our Christian brother wee yeeld vnto thy Maiestie all possible thankes and that thou taking him out of this vale of miserie hast by thine Angels carried his soule to the throne of thy glorie We are O Lord we confesse full of sorrow in that we haue lost the comfort of his presence and we could haue béen contented to haue enioyed him longer if it might haue stood with the good pleasure of thy will But we néed not to mourne as men without hope because we are perswaded he so died in thy fauour that as his soule is partaker of eternall glorie so in that great day of assise and generall iudgement this bodie of his which shall returne to dust must be raised vp againe to liue for euer and then bee made like the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus in heauen He O Lord is gone before vs and we must one day follow after him O how can we render vnto thée sufficient thankes for thy great fauour to vs Christian people aboue all the nations of the world whom when thou callest out of this wretched life thou vouchsafest to place vs with thine Angels in thy kingdome In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die but in the eyes of the godly they are translated from death to life They are arayed with white haue crownes on their heads and Palmes in their hands they shall not die but liue and do behold thy goodnesse in the land of the liuing They serue thée at thy table eate in thy kingdome sing of thy praises are freed from all miseries and they follow the Lambe whither soeuer hee goeth and enioy such pleasures as the eye hath not seene because they are not visible yet the heart doth beleeue because they are most comfortable We beseech thee O Lord that since we must for a while go on in our pilgrimage we may euer haue our eyes bent towards our countrie raise vs out of the graue of sinne renue in vs the life of righteousnes estrange vs from the loue of this world possesse vs with a loue of heauen take from our féete the fetters of pleasure that we may runne as fast to heauen as the wicked do to hell take from our backes the burden of worldlinesse that we may looke as stedfastly vpon things that are aboue as worldlings do vpon things that are below Guide vs euer so by the direction of thy Spirit that both in sicknesse and in health in prosperitie and aduersitie in life at death we may so behaue our selues in this present world that whensoeuer it shall please thée to call vs hence we may by faith in thy promises hope of thy mercies commend our bodies and soules into thy mercifull hands In the meane time hasten the comming of thy Sonne shorten these daies of sinne confound the enemies of saluation dissolue in euery one of vs the cursed workes of Satan sanctifie thy name aduance thy kingdome accomplish thy will giue vs our daily bread forgiue vs all our sinnes giue vs not ouer into any temptation but deliuer vs from all euill both of sinne in this life and of punishment in the life to come so that we with this our brother and all other departed in the faith of Christ may haue our perfect consummation and blisse in thy eternall and euerlasting kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thée our Father and the holie Ghost our Sanctifier our sanctifier in this life and our glorifier in the life to come bee all praise power Maiestie might and dominion ascribed of vs and thy whole Church from this time forth and for euermore Amen A PRAYER FOR A WOman in trauaile O Lord our Lord Creator of all things preseruer of al mankind comforter of all thine afflicted and the only deliuerer of such as are in danger we
commandements not so much in outward conformitie as in soundnes of heart And when we haue done thée the best seruice wee can teach vs to say in humilitie We are vnprofitable seruants And séeing it is not sufficient to do good but it is also our dutie to auoid euill make vs to abhorre al appearance of euill knowing out of thy word that it defileth the soule may be committed in thought is of omission as well as commission and if we commit but the least sinne we offend the puritie of thine excellencie and are guiltie of the whole law Make vs therefore euer to remember that sin is filthie and lothsome euen in the greatest pleasure and act thereof that the end thereof is bitter and the inward parts most abominable Teach vs O thou Master of Israel to kéep a continual watch ouer our inner and outward man to feare our selues euen then when thou art most mercifull to vs to walke alwaies as in thy presence to meditate of thy iudgements inflicted vpon thy dearest children for sin and in faith patience diligence and humilitie to be euer laboring in our vocation Make vs to mourne for our delight in sinne to know that we carrie this traytor about vs that we can neuer subdue him but by prayer to thée and practising vertues contrary to his assaults But because all is in vaine without perseuerance wee intreate thée that wee may continue in the practise of all holy duties to thée euen vnto our liues end Wee thanke thée O Lord for all thy benefits this day past in our whole life thou hast giuen thy Son for a ransome thy Spirit for a pledge thy word for a guide and reseruest a kingdome for our perpetuall inheritance Thou mightest haue said before we were formed let them be monsters let them be Infidels or let them be beggers or cripples or bondslaues as long as they liue But thou hast made vs in the best likenesse and nurced vs in the best religion and placed vs in the best land so that thousands would thinke themselues happie if they had but a piece of our happinesse We want nothing but thankfulnesse to thée make vs more thankefull then euer we haue béene heretofore and because wee know not how long wee shall enioy these blessings of thine by reason of our sins fit and prepare vs for harder times that wee may bee contented with whatsoeuer thou shalt send Blesse thy Church and children this night and for euer according to their seueral necessities be merciful vnto them Blesse this Land wherein we doe liue the gouernment and Gouernours of the same from the highest to the lowest And because we are now to rest in our beds watch ouer vs in this rest of ours giue vnto vs comfortable and swéet sleepe fit vs for all seruices of the day following make our soules to watch for the comming of Christ let our beds put vs in minde of our graues and our rising from thence of the last resurrection so that whether we wake or sléepe we being thine may waite for thée Forgiue vs the sinnes of this day past this houre present and our whole life before not for our merits but for Christs mercies in whom alone thou art well pleased and in whose name and whose words we further call vpon thee and thanke thée saying Our father which art c. NOw the very God of peace sanctifie vs throughout and hee grant that our whole spirit and soule and bodie may bee kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God the Father the blessing of God the Sonne and the comfort of God the holy Ghost be with vs and all the seruants of Christ Iesus to preserue our bodies from sicknesse our soules from sin and our estates from ruine this night and for euer more Amen A PRAYER TO BE VSED by a mans selfe or with others changing the number O Lord my God mercifull and louing to all thy seruants pitifull and patient to mee thy child I with that poore Publican cast my selfe downe at the foot-stoole of thy Maiestie and with an vnfained sorrow for all my sinnes do as he did crie vnto thée for fauour saying Lord bee mercifull to mee a sinner One déepe calleth to an other the depth of miserie to the depth of mercie Haue mercy vpon me O Lord according to thy great goodnesse and in the multitude of thy mercies doe away al mine offences Lord I acknowledge confesse my sins and mine iniquities are not hid from thée By creation I confesse thou diddest make me good in righteousnesse and true holinesse I was like vnto thée if my first Parents had not defaced that image I should haue serued thée in truth all the daies of my life But they falling from thée I fel with them and they sinning against thée I sinned with them And as when a great man is a traitor his blood is stained so by Adams transgression his posteritie is tainted Thus O Lord I was conceiued in sin and brought foorth in iniquitie and now I know that in mee that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing yea I am by nature the child of wrath if I haue none other but my first birth I may curse the day that euer I was borne I féele O Lord but it is thy spirit that giueth me this féeling that mine vnderstanding is darkened conscience seared memorie decaied will bewitched heart hardened affections disordered conuersation corrupted my thoughts desires and best actions are abominable sinnes in thy sight Mine eyes cannot sée thée in thy creatures mine eares cannot heare thée in thy word my mouth cannot praise thée in thy workes mine hands and féete cannot serue thée in my calling destruction and calamitie are in all my waies and the way of peace I haue not knowne For these sinnes of mine I am subiect to the curse for cursed are they that erre from thy statutes Cursed is the earth with briers and barrennesse and cursed is the heauen with often droughts and moistnesse And for my selfe what am I not subiect to by reason of sinne My bodie is subiect to all diseases my soule to all her sicknesses my name to all reproches mine estate to all casualties I deserue iustly to bee deliuered ouer to the illusions of Satan allurements of the world corruptions of my flesh hardnesse of heart desperation of thy goodnesse calamities in my calling and to eternall destruction after I am dead Vnto whom now shall I come for comfort vnto whom now shall I sue for succour I am stung with a Serpent I will looke vp to the brasen Serpent I am sicke of sinne I will goe to the Physician of my soule I lie dead in the graue of corruption who shall raise mee vp but he that is the resurrection and the life O bountifull Iesu O swéet Sauiour O thou Lambe of God that takest away the sins of the world haue mercie vpon mee Lord giue vnto me