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A03356 The pathvvay to prayer and pietie Containing, 1 An exposition of the Lords Prayer, with an apologie for publicke, and priuate set prayer. 2 A preparation to the Lords Supper, with Ma. Zanchius confession, confirming that sacrament. 3 A direction to a Christian life, both in our generall and particular callings. 4 An instruction to die well, and a consolation against all crosses. With diuers prayers, and thanksgiuings fit for this treatise. By Robert Hill, Doctor in Diuinitie.; Christs prayer expounded, a Christian directed, and a communicant prepared Hill, Robert, d. 1623.; Zanchi, Girolamo, 1516-1590. 1613 (1613) STC 13474; ESTC S117083 223,397 566

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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
grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. or Christs praier as Our father c. which the Ancient Church hath chosen rather then any forme as may appeare from Cyprian vpon the Lords praier Tertul. de fuga August 126. Serm. de Temp. and in his 42. Epistle hée saith In the Church at the Lords Table is daily said the Lords praier and the faithfull heare it And no maruaile for Christ hath taught vs to say Our Father c. Secondly they must disallow the singing of Dauids Psalmes which would bee contrary to Gods appointment Ier. 33.11 Dauids appointment Psal 66.2.3 2. Chro. 16.7.8 and holy mens as Iehosaphat 2. Chr. 20.21 Zerubbabel Iosuah c. Ezra 3.10 Hezechiah 2. Chron. 29.30 and contrary to the practise of the Leuits 2. Chro. 5.13 Ezra 3.11 and of the people 2. Chron. 29.28 and of the Iewes after the Passeouer singing as is supposed one of the Psalmes betwixt the 112. and 119. Psalmes and contrary to the practise of Christ with his Apostles as Matth. 26.30 Mark 14.26 and that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 14.15.26 Ephes 5. Colos 3.16 And lastly as contrary to the iudgement practise of all reformed Churches at this 〈…〉 day so of the Primitiue Church next ensuing the Apostles For Plinius Secundus in his Epistle to Traianus the Emperor saith that The Christians were wont to sing Psalmes to their Christ in the morning before day light And Tertullian in his Apologie saith that Christians after their often meetings at Supper cheared their harts with singing of Psalmes And Augustine in his ninth booke of Confession saith that In Ambrose his Church at Myllaine this singing of Psalmes was vsed and in the tenth booke of his Confession Chapter 33. hath these words of himselfe Cum reminiscor c. When I remember the teares which I spent whilest the Psalmes were sung in the Church O Lord at the beginning of my conuersion and now also am I affected I acknowledge great profit and benefit of this ordinance To these wee may adde Iustine Martyr in his second Apology towards the end The reason why these Psalmes were and are now song is because they containe many solemne praiers and praises to God and to that end were commanded to be song Psa 66.2.3 1. Chron. 16.7.8 compared with Psalm 105. 96. Psalmes and Ezra 3.11 compared with Psalme 136. Euch. But what reasons can you giue why these kinds of set praiers are may be vsed Phil. 1 By set praiers is holpen the knowledge and faculty of conceiuing and by written praier the memory boldnesse readinesse c. is holpen and by both is holpen the dull spirit by ease of intention about the forme of praier and freedome to attend more about the manner and the obiect which is God praied vnto 2 If we had a perfect measure of grace or such assistance of the Spirit as many had in the Apostles dayes more might bee said for the contrary plea. But alas now we are weake in grace and many an honest and conscionable heart may want gifts to conceiue a praier and sometimes vtterance of that they haue conceiued Therefore as a weake man is holpen by an artificiall crouch so a Christian man is holpen by a spirituall set praier 3 If this were not what should become of many in the Church especially the common sort wanting knowledge and conceit to frame a praier And also many foolish praiers should bee powred out in the Congregation by many Ministers especially them of meaner gifts in knowledge and conceiuing and who lacke memory vtterance boldnesse readinesse c. which gifts are euen in the best more defectiue at one time then at an other 4 In this age so farre inferiour to that of the Apostles without set praier there would be such distraction and diuersity not onely in the matter but also in the forme of prayer and such deformity and discordance in Leiturgie leauing it to the discretion of euery priuate Minister that whereas God is the God of order and consent 1. Cor. 14.33 we should be like the people of confusion Whereas vniformity of publike liturgie by set and read praier as it serues to maintaine the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace so to encrease the hope and comfort of the Church and efficacie of our praiers with God when the Church in euery congregation speakes one and the same thing like the Church triumphant in heauen which is as the sound of many waters but all sing the same song 5. Disallowe set praier and contradict both the practise of the Church vnder the Gospell about 1500. yeeres and of the old Church vnder the Law to whom Dauid committed his written Psalmes many of them being prayers to bee song to the Lord as afore wee said in the words of Dauid And how doth not this onely crosse the practise of Christ who communicated with the Iewes in their prescript and read Leiturgy frequenting the Temple earely Iohn 8.2 and late Mark 11.11.19 and daily Luke 19.47 Mat. 14.49 and namely at their solemne feasts Ioh. 5.1 And resorting to their Temple or some of their Synagogues euery Sabbath day Luk. 4.16 But also the Apostles practise who as is probable and is helde by diuers learned men writing vpon that place went vp to publike praier Acts 3.1 Yea and Paul entred into the Temple and there with others was purified all customes being obserued Act. 21.26 and ordinarily resorted to their Synagogues Acts 14.1.13.5 euen euery Sabbath day Acts 18.4 yea in the time of their cōmon leiturgy Act. 13.14.15 6 If a nationall Church could continually be like to some Parochiall congregation furnished for the time with some able Minister to conceiue praier vpon all occasions then an ordinary Leiturgy would not bee so materiall But such a nationall Church being impossible or not lyable to our hope read and suited Praier better serues for all regards 7 I would wish these people that stand so much vpon conce●●ed Praier to thinke that first for want of fitnesse many are often kept from praying at al secondly they are much cooled in the time of Praier for want of delight therein thirdly they commit many follies and idle repeticions in praying both to the dishonor of God shame to themselues and offence oftentimes to those people with whom they pray and then are to séeke for words to God which they would not want when they come before the King In a word whether Praier in pouring of it out be drawne out of intention as when it is first indited or out of the memory as when it is in a set forme repeated or out of the booke as when written or printed praier is read It is not this that makes or marr●s a praier but other things either essentiall or pertinent to prayer as the condition of the hart quality of the matter cariage of manner c. Euch. But for all this in the Apostles times at the the first planting of the Gospell wee reade
not of this stinted and set or written kind of Praier if it had beene fit would not they haue vsed it Phil. Why because none is mentioned are you sure none was vsed Say none was the Iewish ancient Leiturgy continued in the Apostles times to which they resorted as before is proued yet it was to ende in the Iewes and that at the least with the destruction of the Temple called the Buriall thereof Now if no set forme came in place by and by it might bee because the Church was not yet setled and because extraordinary miraculous gifts of the holy Ghost yet continuing in the Church therefore Prayer immediatly inspired by diuine inspiration powred out as God gaue vtterance to some special persons whom he extraordinarily raised vp might well serue for the gathering of the Church and bee agréeable to all places people of all Languages and all occasions and most answerable to the state of the Church then being when as vtterance both in Language matter and method was to bee expected from God as he pleased to giue it without ordinary meanes But no sooner was the Church setled and the first gifts of the holie Ghost ceased but then at the latest set and written formes of prayer came in And though certaine formes of Leiturgy fathered vpon some of the Apostles or Apostolicall men as those of Saint Peter Marke Iames c. were not framed by them as some doe suggest yet Liturgies set and prescript came in then or about that time which since the Church of Rome haue corrupted as is proued before Euch. But doth not this set forme of praier binde the spirit Phil. That is not materiall but indeed they helpe the spirit as is aforesaid And we binde the spirit therby no more then did holy men binde the spirit by set and stinted prayer which they in Scripture are recorded to haue vsed yea no more then doth the conclusion fo any praier binde the Spirit when we breake of praier Euch. Yet me thinkes that set prayer manifests onely the memory and written praier the faculty of reading but the spirit they doe not manifest Phil. Both may bee manifested thereby and that as well as the spirit was manifested in the set praier of Christ which hee vsed as aforesaid and in the suted prayers of many others his Prophets and seruants And why may not a written praier manifest the spirit as well as a text or lesson of holy Scripture manifest the spirit which endited the same being read in the Congregation As is warranted Luk. 4.17 Act. 13.15.17 15.21 And like as the Scripture did not only manifest the spirit when it was first endited but doth also when it is read so praier which manifested the spirit when it was first endited serues also to manifest the spirit when it is repeated or read but when it is endited it manifesteth the spirit enditing and when it is repeated or read it manifesteth the spirit which hath endited And whē it is endited thē is the faculty of conceiuing or inuention exercised and where it is repeted or read that facultie resteth but other faculties with the affections may be exercised if not more then when the inuention is working Euch. Against this set forme of prayer a maine obiection is that such prayer is drawne not out of the heart but out of the booke this I finde in the booke of differences of separated Churches Page 3. Chap. 4. Verse last Phil. Prayer may bee drawne out of a Booke and yet out of Gods Treasurie and it was drawne out of the heart before it came in the Booke though not out of thine heart yet that which is drawne out of an others heart may bee profitable vnto thée else why desire we the prayers one of another for vs And albeit thou drawest it originally out of the booke yet thou drawest it into thy heart the Spirit where Prayer is read working there by the Booke that which Prayer being endited worketh by the inuention without the Booke and then loe thou drawest it out of thine heart Secondarily and thou first offerst it to God out of thine heart drawing out originally out of thine heart in respect of oblation and so it may bee acceptable as the prepared Ramme which Abraham found in a Bush and offered it to the Lord. To conclude as we must iudge the Leuites to haue sung the Psalmes of Dauid being many of them Prayers as aforesaid out of the Booke set before their eyes vnlesse wee will beyond likelihood iudge them to haue had all the Psalmes of Dauid by heart with the Musicall notes answering the Church instruments so againe Psalmes gotten by heart are drawne out of the Booke out of which they are gotten whereby vpon disallowance of Prayer drawne out of a Booke must néeds follow a disallowance of singing those Psalmes which are gotten by heart out of the Booke and so by disallowance of read Psalmes and Psalmes gotten by heart both which are drawne out of the Booke will follow disallowance of singing of Psalmes at all and all this followes vpon the disallowance of read Prayer which to end we cannot altogether doe vnlesse wée disallow the saying of the Lords Prayer which also is drawne out of a Booke Euch. And now I pray what thinke you of our Communion or Seruice Booke may I lawfully be present at the Prayers of the same Phil. I will tell you what M. Deering writing against M. Harding speaketh of the Communion Booke he speaketh to this effect and why M. Harding doe you disgrace the Booke of Common Prayer since there is nothing in it contrarie to Gods Word And Doctor Taylor that blessed Martyr three nights before his suffering gaue and commended to his wife a Booke of the Church Seruice which in the time of his inprisonment he as M. Fox writeth daily vsed and the same Authour vpon the yeare 1557. writeth of another godly Martyr who had a companie of Bookes throwne into the fire with him and by euent a common Prayer Booke fell betwéene his hands who receiued it ioyfully and kissed it and prayed holding his hands vp to Heauen and the Booke betwixt his Armes next his heart thanking God for sending him it and professing his gladnesse to bee burned with such a Booke And thus condemning this holy Booke you condemne the iudgements of these and many other holy men who after they had painfully penned the same gaue manie of them their liues for the Gospell amongst whom M. Fox in his ninth Booke of the acts and monuments nameth that reuerend Bishop Cranmer and saith the rest were the best learned and discréet men Euch. Doe you speake this to perswade only the vse of set Prayer Phil. In no sort For howsoeuer these thinges haue béene said to proue the lawfull vse of set stinted and prescribed or read Prayer and namely of read Prayer in the publique assemblies of our Church which is so neglected or contemned of manie that at the publique
you may see his goodnesse to you and yours in the other his iustice against his and the Churches enemies This Booke of mine hath many leaues these other haue only two in the one you may reade of Mercy in the other you may reade of Iudgement The Lord grant vnto your Honor with your most honorable Countesse the Lady Francis a second Dorothea giuen both as a gift to you that feare God such a life that at the houre of death when your glasse shall be runne and the Bridegrome call for you you may both say with that holy man Vixi dum volui volui dum Christe volebas Sic nec vita mihi mors nec acerba fuit London From S. Martins in the fields May 30. 1613. Your Honors at command ROBERT HILL A DIRECTION TO DIE WELL. Question I Doubt not but you are now well instructed for the direction of your whole life but because you haue heere no abiding citie what are you to thinke of that you may die well An. I am euer to meditae of fiue things 1 Of mine owne death which is most certaine that it will come and vncertaine when it will come 2 Of the death of Christ which was bitter to him but sweet to and for his 3 Of the deceitfulnesse of this world which is subtill to allure and subiect to change 4 Of the ioyes of heauen which are com●ortable to thinke on and glorious to pos●esse 5 Of the torments of hell which are endlesse in themselues and comfortlesse to sinners Quest And why ought you first to thinke oftentimes of death Answ 1 Because it is appointed that al must die Hebr. 9.27 Death spares none and therefore there was neuer sacrifice offered to her 2 It is vncertaine when where or how I may die and therefore vncertaine that I may euer thinke of it 3 Many goe merrily to the pit of perdition for want of this meditation 4 Death by this will be more welcome vnto mee for Dangers foreseene are lesse grieuous 5 I shall more easily contemne this world by often thinking that I am a stranger in it 6 It will kéepe me from many sinnes which otherwise I would commit and cause me to repent of sinnes committed 7 Christ my Lord and good Christians his seruants had euer such thoughts 8 Many Philosophers haue done the like and of it haue written many volumes 9 As the day of death leaues me so the day of iudgement shall find me Psal 90.12 10 It was the praier of Moses to God that hee would teach him so to number his daies that hee might applie his heart vnto wisdome 11 It is the end of all my hearing and reading and as it were the scope of a Christian Diuine 12 It is the Art of all Arts and Science of all Sciences to learne to die Quest How prooue you this last Answ Moses saith O that they were wise and that they would consider their latter end Deut. 32.29 The Wise man saith Remember thy end and thou shalt neuer doe amisse Eccles 7.36 An Emperour said that Fredricke the third The best knowledge was to know God and to learne to die Augustine said that in this our pilgrimage we must thinke of nothing else but that wee shall not be euer heere and yet heere should wee prepare for our selues that place from whence we shall neuer depart Gregorie said All the life of a wise man must bee the meditation of death and He is euer carefull to doe well who is euer thinking of his last end Quest Why then doe so few thinke of death and put this euill day farre from them Answ The reasons are 1 Their infidelity they beleeue not either the happinesse of heauen nor the horrors of hell 2 Their impenitency and euill conscience they would not breake off their sinnes by drawing neere to God 3 Their ignorance of the soules immortalitie the bodies resurrection and the good things prepared for them in heauen by Christ 4 Their ambition in desiring the honors and preferments of this world and being loath to leaue them when they haue enioied them 5 Their couetousnesse by which as Moles they would euer by their good wils liue vpon earth 6 Their delight in the pleasures of sin from which they are taken at the day of death 7 Their want of Gods feare for Hee that feares God feares not to dye 8 Their vnwillingnesse to leaue this world for to die well is to die willingly Quest It seemeth then wee had neede to pray that God would teach vs to number our not yeeres but daies and now tell mee you that haue beene taught this Arithmeticke how you ought to number your daies An. I must number them after this sort 1 I must abstract the time past for that being irreuocable will neuer come againe 2 I may not adde the time to come for it may be it will neuer come vnto me 3 I must set down only the time present and know that it is only mine Our life is a point and lesse then a point a figure of one to which we can adde no Cipher it is but a moment and yet if we vse this moment wel wee may get eternitie which is of greatest moment Quest Is it not then thinke you a great folly that men are so vnwilling to thinke of death Answ Questionlesse it is we sée the Mariner with ioy thinkes of the Hauen The Labourer is glad to sée the euening The Trauailer is merry when his iournie is ended The Souldier is not sorrie when his warfare is accomplished and shall wee be grieued when the dayes of sinne are ended Quest It seemeth by this which you haue said that this life of ours is verie troublesome for we are Mariners our hauen is happinesse Trauellers our iournie is to Paradise Labourers our hire is Heauen and Souldiers our conquest is at death Is then our life both miserable and changeable Answ Yea verily for it is compared to a pilgrimage in which is vncertaintie Genes 47.9 A Flower in which is mutabilitie Isay 40.7 A smoke in which is vanitie Psalme 102.3 An House of Clay in which is miserie Iob. 4.19 A Weauers shittle in which is volubilitie Iob. 7.6 A shepheards tent in which is varietie Isay 38.12 A Ship on the Sea in which is celeritie Wisd 5.10 A Mariner who sitting standing sléeping or waking euer saileth on A shadow which is nothing to the bodie Iob. 8.9 To a thought whereof wee haue thousands in one day To a dreame whereof we haue millions in one night Iob. 20.8 To vanitie which is nothing in it selfe Psal 39. 5. And to nothing which hath no being in the World Psal 39.5 Quest If all this be true as it must needes bee because God hath said it the houre of death is farre better then the day of our birth Is it so Ans It is that for these reasons by it 1 We are fréed from many present miseries Reuel 14.13 Wee are deliuered from many future
our desire to obtaine or doe that which wee haue prayed for Vpon his Amen Iohn 16.23 we ground ours Euch. What then doth this word Amen import at the end of this Petition and euery Prayer Phil. More a great deale then many thinke for it is as much as if we should say thus Wee haue begged many thinges at thy hand and wee doe desire thee to heare and are perswaded thou wilt heare all our requests Euch. What are wee taught by this seale Amen Phil. We are taught 1 That we pray not in hypocrisie to God but ●s perswaded that God is both faithfull and true to grant our requests being able and willing to doe it Esay 49.7.8 Rom. 4.21 1. Thes 5.24 able as our King willing as our Father and faithfull in all 1. Iohn 1.9 to forgiue sinnes 1. Cor. 10. to deliuer from temptation 2. Thess 3. to kéepe vs from all euill 2 To desire earnestly that we pray for 3 To be perswaded that we shal receiue it though infidelity be mixed with our faith 4 Not to vse this word Amen so vnaduisedly as wee doe but to know what it is to which we say Amen least by ignorance we seale a curse to our selues and others 5 That Latine Gréeke and Hebrew wordes may bee vsed Manie of like sort are in Daniel and the Gospels as Golgotha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eli Eli Lammasabachthani c. when they grow so common that other people of a Nation doe vnderstand them for héere is the Hebrew word Amen vsed in Gréeke Latine and English 6 It calleth to our mind that vndoubted promise of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 16.23 confirmed by an oath Verily verily or Amen Amen I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee shall aske my Father in my name shall bee giuen vnto you 7 That by this seale of our consent wee confesse that whatsoeuer wee can pray for is contained in the former petitions 8 That it is our earnest desire that God would giue vs all thinges which wee haue prayed for So that this word Amen is a seale both of our faith to beléeue those things to bee true and loue that wee desire the accomplishment of them Euch. For people to say Amen at the end of prayers is it a practise of any antiquitie Phil. Yea verily it was vsed of the Church before Christ as appeareth Deut. 27.15 Ezra 8.6 Nehem. 5.13 Psal 89.52 1. Chron. 16.33 Psal 106.48 and of the Church after Christ 1. Cor. 14.16 For which cause it is the seale of all the Epistles and of the Booke of the Reuelation Euch. How may I say Amen with comfort Phil. 1 If you pray in the spirit with an earnest desire Psal 62.8.42.1.63.1 2 If you know the thing bee true you pray for that is agréeable to Gods will 1. Cor. 14.25 Iohn 4.23 But how can they know this who pray in an vnknowne tongue or know not the thing for which they pray Matth. 20.22 or not to a good end Iames 4.3 3 If you haue confidence to bee heard Psal 145.18 Iames 1.6 if your suit be either expedient or that God will giue you not your desire yet that which shall be best for you 4 You must say Amen to euerie petition as well to Hallowed bee thy name as thy Kingdome come 5 You must say Amen to the conclusion of the Prayer For thine is c. that is as well in your thankes giuing for benefits receiued as in your supplication which you make to receiue God will not haue Hosannah without Halleluiah If we thus say Amen to him he will become Amen to vs. Euch. What now haue you to say of all that hath beene taught you Phil. No more but this that I and manie others are bounden excéedingly to Almightie God that wee liue in such a Kingdome where our children are so taught in the trade of their wayes that when they are olde they may follow it And thou O Lord to whom Kingdome Power and Glorie belongeth kéep the Scepter of thy Gospell long amongst vs that the children to be borne may feare thy Name Amen CERTAINE QVESTIONS AND ANSVVERS CONCERNING some circumstances in praying wherein especially the lawfulnesse of set and read Prayer is prooued taken out of part of a Treatise of prayer written by M. H. H. a godly Preacher of this Citie and drawne into this forme of a Dialogue by mutuall conference Euch. I haue now receiued instruction from you cōcerning the Lords Prayer but because I am bounden to Prayer alwaies what must I doe to pray aright Phil. Looke to your selfe First before Secondly in Thirdly after you haue done praying Euch What must I doe before I pray Phil. You ought First to repent Isay 1.15 Iohn 9.31 1. Iohn 3.22 repent I say euen of your past and last sinnes committed against God Daniel 9.56 Ezra 9.6 c. 2. Be reconciled to your Brother Matth. 23. Marke 11.25 3. You must bee prepared as one that knowes hee is to speake to God Euch. Wherein doth this preparation consist Phil. 1 In the emptying of the minde from Worldly thoughts 2 In the consideration of things to be asked 3 In lifting vp of the heart to the Word Psal 25.1 4 In an heartie reuerence of Gods Maiestie Eccles 5.1 Isay 29.13 Euch. What then must I doe in praying Phil. Your Prayer must proceed First from a sense of your wants 2 From an earnest desire of grace which you want 3 From a true faith 4 It must bee grounded vpon Gods Word and promise 5 It must be made to God alone 6 In the name of Christ 7 In it you must perseuer 8 To Prayer ioyne euer giuing of thankes Euch. And what must I doe after Prayer is ended Phil. First beléeue that whatsoeuer you haue asked if it bee fit for you you shall receiue Mark 11.24 Secondly practise that which you haue prayed for and vse all lawfull meanes to obtaine it Euch. Which is thought the fittest gesture in praying Phil. In prayer both publique and priuate vse such a gesture as may expresse the inward humilitie of your heart and your vnfained reuerence of Gods Maiestie Not forgetting in publique Prayer to conforme your selfe to the laudable custome of that Church in which you are Remember that you speake vnto God and you will carrie your selfe with greater reuerence then if you were before the greatest King Euch. But what shall we thinke of set and stinted Prayer whether priuate in Christian Families or publique vsed in the Church of God Phil. You doe well indéede to propound this question for manie are of opinion that all such kinde of praying is vnlawfull and will neither practise it themselues nor bee present where it is vsed Euch. Can the lawfulnesse hereof bee proued Phil. Yes verily 1 from Gods ordinance 2 Christs 3 From the prescript of the Prophets 4 The iniunction of godly Kings and Magistrates 5 From the practise of the Church and men indued with the spirit of God yea Christs owne practise 6 From
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
that the liuely voice is more effectual then ocular reading 7 Publike assembles haue singular promises of Gods presence grace and blessing 8 As the Priests lippes must preserue knowledge so the people must require it at his mouth 9 It is an encouragement to a good Minister 10 Good example to others Quest But are all men bounden to heare Gods Word Ans Yea verily euill men must that they may be conuerted good men must that they bee not corrupted the ignorant must that they may be instructed and the learned must for these reasons 1 To learne new points of piety which they know not 2 To recal such things as they do know 3 To mooue them to practise duties knowne 4 To encourage the Preacher by their presence 5 To giue example to others to doe so 6 To giue testimony that they are members of the Church Qu. Thus I see how you shall not take Gods word in vaine by hearing tell mee how you may not take Gods name in vaine by swearing Ans Heere I must obserue 1 Gods commandement that I must not sweare Matth. 5.34 Iames 5.12 2 His curse vpon such as haue blasphemed Zach. 5.3 Eccles 23.9 3 If I lye little I shall sweare lesse Luc. 22.70.71 4 I must refraine pety oathes Matth. 5.34.35.36 5 I must labour to forbeare for a time 1. Thes 5.22 6 I must binde my selfe from it 7 I must consider before I name God Eccles 5.1 8 I must meditate of the Maiesty presence goodnesse and iustice of God 9 I must get some to admonish me 10 I must not be greedy of gaine 11 I must know that the more I sweare the lesse I am beleeued in a truth 12 I must auoide the company of swearers 13 I may note that there is neither profit nor pleasure in an oath 14 It is an argument of an Atheist 15 Men dare not abuse the name of a King 16 I take it in ill part when mine own name is disgraced 17 I must take away all occasions of swearing 18 I must looke to the practises of the best men 19 I must reade heare meditate on Gods word Psal 119.11 20 I must giue an account of euery idle word Math. 12.36 A DIRECTION TO DIE WELL. PHILIP 1.23 I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ LONDON Printed for Edward Blunt and William Barret 1613. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS Earle of Exceter Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Counsell Grace and Peace RIght Honourable Although it be appointed that all must die yet the most put farre from them that euill day It is certaine we must haue an end and the remembrance of it keepes vs from sinne The goodliest Cities haue beene equalled with the ground the stateliest buildings leuelled with the earth the greatest Empires brought to nothing the Kings of the earth haue beene bound in chaines and their Nobles in fetters of iron We all waxe olde as doth a garment wee dwell heere as in houses of clay our breath passeth away and wee are gone Where is Methushelah with all his yeeres Sampson with all his strength Absolom with all his beauty Salomon with all his wisdome Dauid with all his victories or Croesus with all his wealth Are wee in our yong age till thirty we may bee saluted with a good morrow are we in our full age till fifty wee are saluted with a good day are wee in our old age wee must take it patiently that we are then saluted with God send you good rest I haue seene saith Dauid an end of all perfection and happy are they that haue Dauids eyes But all men haue not this sight the god of this world hath so blindfolded many that if they bee young they cannot see death at their backes if old they will not see it before their eies Wee would mourne if wee knew wee should liue but a moneth wee laugh when it may bee wee shall not liue one day Heu viuunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Et velut infernus fabula vana foret Alas men liue as though they should not die And as if hell were nothing but a lie Ambitiosus honos opes foeda voluptas Haec tria pro trino numine mundus amat Vaine pompe and wealth and luxurie The worldling makes his trinitie To the end therefore that all men might thinke of their end I haue published this Direction to die well And though this small mite be not worthy to come into your rich Treasurie yet am I bold to cast it in and because it is all I can giue at this time I most humbly beseech you to giue it entertainment You haue gained much in this present world but you haue esteemed godlinesse the greatest gaine and with that blessed Apostle Saint Paul You account all ●hings to be but dung to the ende you ●ight winne Christ And though it hath ●leased God to giue vnto you great riches in this world yet am I perswaded that the remembrance of death is not bitter vnto you Eccl. 41.1 for as you are not ashamed to liue so you are not afraide to die You waite for it because by her two Harbengers Sickenesse and Old age it euer waiteth vpon you Heere you sow liberally that hereafter you may reape plentifully you cast your bread vpon the waters Eccl. 11.2 after many daies you are sure to find it And if he hath his reward for a cuppe of cold water you who deale your bread to the hungrie who bring the wandring poore to your house who see the naked and couer him and hide not your selfe from your owne flesh * Esai 58.7 you Right Honourable shall not want your reward 2. Chr. 30.22 And seeing you with good King Hezekiah speake comfortably to euery poore and painefull Leuite how should they but speak honourably of you The Lord grant th● that sheafe of your family may euer be like vnto Iosephs sheafe and euery day grow to a greater increase of fruitfulnesse Gen. 37.7 till it be●fitted as a ricke of Corne for the Lord Barne and he grant vnto you a long life godly posterity and a peaceable end that heere you may see your Childrens Children in great prosperity so as you may loue yours yours may honour you and both you and yours bee honoured of God and that you who are blessed in your honorable Predecessors may euer be happy in your future Successours I doubt not but it will please you to pardon my boldnesse and the rather peruse this Direction to die well because your whole life is as it ought to bee a meditation of death And because it is but a little Manuall and may bee read ouer in a few houres giue me leaue to commend vnto you two other Bookes in which you may reade all the daies of your life The one is the booke of Gods mercies the other is the booke of Gods iudgements In the one