unto thee and thereby found ease and comfort I may never wittingly nor willingly relapse and fall back again into those my sins that have so much dishonoured thee and wronged my own soul LXXI Upon the sight of a mother putting mustard on her nipples to wean her child and to keep it from sucking LOrd I have long sucked at the breasts of this world and have drawn from them much sweet and pleasing milk of sin fensualness and other vanities whereby I am grown a greater child of disobedience yea even of wrath and utter perdirion too without thy great mercy in Jesus Christ Oh therefore wean me I beseech thee and mine affections from all such worldly vanities and if nothing else will do it Lord embitter the nipples thereof with such a measure of thy fatherly chastisements that I may in thy good time be so weaned from them LXXII Upon the hearing of a wayfaring man enquiring after his way OH that I could be as carefull to stand in thy wayes and to enquire after the old way that I might walk therein and that I may be the better enabled to do so Lord Jesus do thou which art the Way the Truth and the Life make me every day more and more willing to seek after it and having found it assist me with thy grace that I may walk therein as thy child should do LXXIII Upon the sight of a Souldiers putting on of his armes LOrd this man I see will not venture to fight against his bodily enemies without his armes and shall I venture to fight against sin and Satan and the other spirituall enemies of my salvation unarmed Oh that I might have thy grace therefore to do as thou commandest and to put on the whole armour of God that like a good Souldier of Jesus Christ I may be able to fight the good fight of faith against them all and in the end overcome them LXXIV Upon the sight of two walking together CAn two walk together except they be agreed Lord then how shall I ever look to walk with thee in white in another world except I be reconciled unto thee by the bloud of thy Son here in this world which that I may the better be and have the better assurance thereof let the Ministery of reconciliation to whom thou hast committed the word of reconciliation be every day more and more powerfull towards me for the effecting of it and let thy blessed Spirit bear witness more and more unto my soul and conscience that it is thus effected for me LXXV Upon the sight of one paying workmen their wages HEre I see none but those that have laboured called to receive wages Oh that I might therefore have thy grace so to labour in thy Vineyard here that when the evening of my life shall come I may receive the penny of eternal bliss with the rest of thy labourers in heaven LXXVI Upon the sight of one vomiting after the taking of luke-warm water LOrd this man shews me what I must expect from thee if Laodicea-like I am neither hot nor cold but luke-warm in the profession of thy true Religion his stomach lothing this luke-warm water doth not with more readinesse cast and vomit up that then I must look to be spued out of thy mouth if I am such a luke-warm person Oh therefore give me the grace that I may be truly zealous for the time to come and may carefully and conscionably amend what is past LXXVII Upon the sight of one that was very carefull not to spot or stain a new suit LOrd give me the grace to keep my self unspotted of the world and to hate even the garment spotted by the flesh and not to have either spot or wrinkle in me that may be displeasing in thy sight but that I may be found of thee in peace without spot and blameless LXXVIII Upon the sight of a roome furnished with all variety of utensills LOrd here I see vessells not onely of Gold and silver but also of wood and of stone and some for honour and some for dishonour and such are men in the visible Church But Lord give me the grace that I may be so purged from my sins that I may be a vessell to honour sanctified and meet for thee my Masters use and prepared unto every good work LXXIX Upon the sight of a mist rising out of the earth LOrd this sheweth me what my life is for what is it else but even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Oh give me the grace therefore to make the best use of it whilst I have it LXXX Upon the sight of a Vine pruned MY Saviour Jesus Christ thou art the Vine and I hope that through thy grace I am a branch thereof Oh that thy Father who is the husbandman of it would so prune and purge me that I may bring forth more fruit then heretofore I have done LXXXI Vpon the sight of a dried Neats-tongue served in at a table OH that my speech might be alwaies with grace seasoned with the salt of wisdom and discretion that I might know how I ought to answer every man which whom I have to do LXXXII Vpon the sight of one breaking up fallow ground OH that I might have thy grace O Lord to break up the fallow ground of my heart that the seed of thy word might be no longer sown amongst the thorny cares of this world lest they do as hitherunto they have done grow up with it and choak it LXXXIII Vpon the sight of one smiting himself upon the thigh as being sorry and ashamed for something which he had done OH that I might have thy grace O Lord so to smite upon my thigh that being ashamed of that which I have done amiss I may unfeignedly repent of it and turn unto thee LXXXIV Vpon the sight of a freath'd hedge of Thornes LOrd I am apt to go astray and to wander from the waies of thy commandements and rather then I should continue so to do Lord do thou stop my waies with thornes and make an hedge thereof that I may not be able to find my sinfull waies and courses again LXXXV Vpon the hearing of an house broken up and goods carried away LOrd I see by this how vain and transitory the goods of this world are Oh give me therefore thy grace that I may not seek to lay up treasure for my self here on earth where the moth and rust do corrupt and theeves break through and steal but that I may lay up treasure for my self in Heaven where neither moth nor rust do corrupt nor theeves break through and steal LXXXVI Upon the hearing of one telling a tale LOrd suffer me not to spend my years as a tale that is told which commonly are idle and of little use and profit and many times do much hurt LXXXVII Upon the
some comfortable assurance that I am one of those trees which thou my Heavenly Father hast planted that so I may not be rooted up CLX Upon the sight of an old aged servant cast off by his master LOrd cast me not off in the time of age forsake me not when my strength faileth CLXI Upon the sight of one that held up his hand to defend his eye from a stroke LOrd keep thou me as the apple of thine eye CLXII Vpon the sight of one levelling and making plain a way LOrd make thy way plaine before my face CLXIII Upon the sight of one that was cast out of favour and was desirous to be received into favour again O God thou hast for my sins deserved ly cast me out of thy favour thou hast been justly angry with me oh return again unto me CLXIV Upon the sight of one rescued out of his enemies hands O My God deliver me I beseech thee from out of the hands of all my spirituall enemies CLXV Upon the sight of one that earnestly petitioned a friend to help him HEar my prayer O God and hide not thy self from my supplication CLXVI Upon the sight of pigeons flying from a Hawk OH that I had wings like a Dove then should I likewise flee away and be at rest from my persecutors CLXVII Vpon the sight of a Sow wallowing in the mire LOrd I have been washed both in my Baptism the laver of regeneration and I trust by thy blessed Spirit I am sure I have with many a tear washed and bathed my soul in hearty sorrow for my filthy sinnes past Oh never suffer me to return to wallow in those my filthy sins again as this sow which hath been washed doth now wallow again in the mire CLXVIII Vpon the sight of night drawing on LOrd thy word doth tell me that when the night cometh no man can work I see the night of death is coming on upon me Oh give me therefore the grace to work so whilst the day of my life doth last that when the night of death shall come I may not have that work to do which may be for the everlasting good of my soul CLXIX Upon the sight of one that was dumb LOrd I see in this dumb person wherein I have been so often faulty in thy sight not daring to speak of thee or for thee when I should have done it Lord pardon this my sin past and do thou which hast and still canst open the mouth of the dumb open my mouth which hath been so often dumb that it may speak both to thy glory and my own souls comfort CLXX Upon the sight of a Mill-wheel driven about with the water HEre I see that the more this wheel is driven away by the water the faster it returns unto it again So Lord give me the grace that when thou shalt by the water of affliction seem to drive me at any time from thee I may with the more speed return unto thee for ease and comfort CLXXI. Upon the sight of a field that was white and ready for the harvest LOrd this field shews me how ready I am for the sickle of thy wrath to cut me down for my many and manifold sins if thou shouldst deal with me according to my deserts But Lord in mercy look down upon me and withhold the hand of thy sin-revenging Justice from me that I may by thy grace live more to thy glory than hitherto I have done CLXXII Upon the sight of a candle put out LOrd put not out the candle of my life in utter darkness as thou usest to put out the candle of the wicked CLXXIII Upon the sight of Bees labouring in the summer LOrd these little creatures I see will not neglect any time or season wherein they may gather food to preserve them alive in winter Oh that I had but the like care in the summer of my life health and strength to provide for the good of my soul against the winter of death sicknesse or weaknesse CLXXIV Upon the sight of one stung with a Bee LOrd I see in this party that is stung what hurt the sting of so little a creature as the Bee is may do Oh give me therefore the grace to take heed of the sting of death which is sin and the sting of conscience which is for sin for these will put me to farre more pain than this stinging of the Bee can do him CLXXV Upon the sight of Bees fighting with strange Bees that came to rob them of their honey LOrd here I see that even these little creatures cannot endure to be robbed of what they have laboured for but will fight for the preservation of it even unto death Oh that I might have the like care and courage to fight against and to withstand all those my spirituall enemies which seek to rob my soul of thy spirituall graces CLXXVI Upon the sight of a dead mans coffin deckt with flowers LOrd here I see the love of the living to the dead how carefull they are to deck even that which shortly must be put into the earth Oh give me the grace that I may shew so much love to my poor soul which is dead in trespasses and sins that I may every day more and more seek to deck it with the spirituall flowers and herbs of grace that it may appear lovely in thy sight and may smell sweet unto thy nostrils through my Saviour Jesus Christ CLXXVII Upon the hearing of sweet musick LOrd if this musick here on earth be so sweet how needs must that musick in heaven be sweet where there are perpetuall Hallelujahs sung unto thee by the heavenly quire of Saints and Angels into which quire Lord in thy good time admit me to bear a part CLXXVIII Vpon the sight of an old ruinous house fallen down LOrd here I see in this house the very picture and pattern of mans frailty whither he must at last when all is done to support him Oh give me therefore the grace that before this earthly house of my body be dissolved I may be provided of a celestiall habitation wherein I may dwell with thee for ever CLXXIX Vpon the sight of the shadow on a Diall LOrd here I see this shadow passeth on though I cannot discern it and just so it is with my life it passeth away like a shadow though I do not discern and take notice of it Oh give me therefore the grace that I may improve my time to the best uses whilst I have it lest when it is past it be too late to recall it or to make that use of it that we would or should do CLXXX Vpon the sight of a Mole heaving LOrd I see in this creature my own earthly mindedness and how apt and prone I am to settle my affections on earthly things Oh help me therefore with thy grace to
to a tree for shelter in a storm IN like manner Lord do I desire to run unto thee Lord be thou my shelter from the storm of my potent adversaries that the blast of these terrible ones may be as a storm against the wall CVIII Upon the sight of April showers OH let thy word drop down into my heart as these showers doe descend upon the earth that like good ground it may bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God CIX Upon the sight of a quiver of Arrowes LOrd make me as a polished shaft and do thou hide me in thy Quiver from the face and fury of thine enemies and mine CX Upon the sight of one quenching out of fire LOrd thy Spirit within me is as fire and my sins are as water Oh strengthen me therefore with thy grace that these sins of mine may never be so prevalent in me as to have the power to quench any good motion of thy blessed Spirit within me CXI Vpon the sight of a great load of Corn LOrd keep me from pressing thee down with my sins as I see this cart is pressed down with sheaves CXII Vpon the sight of one making preserves OH thou which art the preserver of men do thou preserve me in Jesus Christ unto thy heavenly Kingdome CXIII Vpon the sight of one overjoyed for having gotten into the presence of an earthly Prince LOrd let me come into thy presence in heaven who art the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and then shall I have infinitely more joy then this world can afford even joy unspeakable and glorious and such pleasures as never shall have end CXIV Vpon the sight of one that endeavoured to save his child by pulling of him out of the fire into which he was faln LOrd I am thine Oh save me for thy mercies sake from the fire of hell CXV Upon the sight of one striving to take something out of anothers hand LOrd I am one of thy sheep and therefore never suffer any of thine and mine enemies to pluck me out of thy hands CXVI Upon the sight of a great preparation made for the entertainment of a great personage LOrd who is greater then thou art Oh that I could with as much care and with as great preparation seek to entertain thee in my soul as this man doth this great personage into his house CXVII Vpon the sight of one that was at plough LOrd thou hast said that no man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdome of God Oh that I might therefore have thy grace to persist and to go on in that Christian course that I have begun that I may not in the end be bereaved of thy heavenly Kingdome CXVIII Vpon the hearing of a Counsellour or Advocate pleading for his Client LOrd Jesus be thou my Advocate with thy Father and do thou appear in his presence for me and plead thou my cause before him against all the enemies of my salvation when they shall seek to lay any thing to my charge CXIX Vpon the sight of a Gardener watering his garden LOrd this Gardener may water his garden to make it fruitfull and the things in it to grow but when he hath done all that he can there will be neither fruit nor growth without thy blessing for Paul may plant and Apollos may water but 't is thou onely must give the increase Lord therefore let thy blessing second my endeavours in all that I shall undertake in thy fear CXX Vpon the sight of a Physitian giving physick to his patient LOrd heal my soul for I have sinned against thee and heal all mine other infirmities for thou Lord onely canst do it and without thee all other are Physitians of no value CXXI Vpon the hearing of one that was cut and cured of the stone THe stone whereof this man complained and wherewith he was so grievously vexed was onely in his body but I Lord have a stony heart within me Oh do thou therefore according to thine own gracious promise made unto me in thy Word take this stony heart out of my flesh and give instead thereof an heart of flesh CXXII Vpon the sight of a pattern to work by LOrd give me the grace to shew my self a pattern of good works to all those with whom I live that thou maist be glorified thereby CXXIII Vpon the sight of one slipping and taking a fall LOrd it is thy charge that he that thinketh he standeth should take heed lest he fall Oh do thou therefore hold up my goings in thy paths that my feet slip not CXXIV Vpon the hearing of Partridges to call THese Partridges being severed do by this their call come together but commonly for their hurt because hereby they discover to the Partridge-taker where they are and so make themselves his prey Lord give me grace to avoid the company and not to hearken to the call of wicked men lest being in their company and being made partaker of their sins I doe also partake of their punishments CXXV Upon the sight of money tied up in a napkin LOrd keep me from being like that unprofitable servant in the Gospel who laid up his masters talent in a napkin lest that be taken from thee and I for not imploying it to thine advantage be cast into utter darkhess where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth for ever CXXVI Vpon the sight of a naked Infant LOrd thus naked came I out of my mothers womb and thus naked shall I return thither again O give me grace therefore to seek for that true clothing the robes of thy Sons righteousness that howsoever it fareth with my body yet my soul may not appear naked in thy sight CXXVII Upon the sight of a Carpenter driving a nail into a piece of timber LOrd do thou fasten me in thy favour as a nail in a sure place and let thy soul-saving word be fastened in my heart by the Masters of the Assemblies the Ministers of thy Word as a naile never to be pulled out from thence CXXVIII Upon the sight of one ear-marking his sheep LOrd grant me the true ear-mark of thy sheep which is to hear thy voice speaking unto me in thy Word as thy child should do CXXIX Upon the sight of a Master beating his Servant LOrd give me the grace that seeing I know the will of thee my Master so much as Ido I may endeavour to do it by leading my life accordingly lest for my carelesness and neglect of my duty therein I be also beaten with many stripes in hel-fire hereafter CXXX Vpon the sight of a cholerick person that was apt to take notice of and to be very angry for the least offence offered him LOrd if thou shouldst be thus extreme to mark every thing that I have
seek those things which are above and to settle my affections on them and not on the things which are in the earth lest heaving and heaping up these earthly things in hope to make further way for my greedy desires I be in the end pierced through with many sorrows and become a prey to Sathan CLXXXI Upon the sight of a Marriage LOrd do thou marry me unto thee for ever and that in righteousnesse and in judgement and in mercy and in compassion CLXXXII Upon the sight of a virgin trimmed up and going to be married LOrd grant that as this virgin going to be married hath adorned her self and made her self ready for her husband so I being clothed with the robes of Christs righteousnesse may be alwayes in a readiness for him and to be presented unto him as a chast virgin when the marriage day of the lamb shall come CLXXXIII Upon the sight of the stars in a clear starry night LOrd give me the grace to doe what I can in my place and calling to turn many unto righteousness that so I may one day shine as the stars for ever and ever CLXXXIV Upon the sight of a Raven LOrd thou wert pleased to feed thy servant Eliah by the ministery of those unclean birds the Ravens Oh give me therefore the grace nor to refuse the food of my soul although brought unto me by one that is as unclean in my sight as the Ravens were in the sight of Elias CLXXXV Upon the hearing of young Ravens crying in the nest LOrd thy word doth tell me that thou feedest the young Ravens when they cry Oh let me therefore never despair of thy providence towards me for the feeding of me and the supplying of my wants who am in thy sight much better than they CLXXXVI Vpon the sight of an Anchor SEafaring men use the Anchor to stop and stay their ships that they may not be carried away and tossed up and down with the violence of the waves Lord my soul is tossed up and down in the sea of this world amongst the severall changes and chances thereof as much as any ship can be on the sea and I have no help nor hope in my self or any other creature to avoid the ship-wrecking thereof therefore Lord doe thou give me the grace to fasten the Anchor of my hope on the firm ground of thy gracious promises made unto me in Jesus Christ and then shall I be safe CLXXXVII Vpon the sight of a Rainbow LOrd this Rainbow is an Emblem of thy mercy which like the Rainbow is not to be seen when once the night of death is come and as that so this terminates on the earth the ends of it reaching no further Oh give me the grace therefore to make use of thy mercy in this time of mercy that my soul may never be drowned more in the deluge of sin here nor in the deluge of thy wrath for my sins hereafter CLXXXVIII Vpon the sight of one winnowing of corn LOrd I see in this how Sathan would serve me if thou shouldst leave me to his will for thy word doth tell me that he would winnow me as wheat But sweet Jesus do thou for me what thou didst promise to do for Peter do thou pray for me that my faith may not fail and then all Satans winnowing of me shall not be able to hurt me CLXXXIX Upon the sight of a piece of Scarlet LOrd my sins like Scarlet have been twice died died in the wool by my originall corruptions and died in the cloth by my many actuall transgressions but yet here is my comfort that thou canst yea and wilt for so thou hast promised make these my sins that be as Scarlet to become as white as snow upon my true repentance which I beseech thee for thy mercy sake to grant unto me CXC Vpon the sight of a foundation laid LOrd give me the grace that I may lay a good and sure foundation for my self against the time to come that in the end I may obtain eternall life CXCI. Vpon the sight of one that pleaded hard against his Adversary PLead thou my cause O Lord with them that strive with me CXCII Upon the sight of a bunch of dried Hysop hanging up in an house LOrd purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean and give me the grace that both my soul and body may with a bunch of Hysop that is my faith dipped in the bloud of the true paschall lamb my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be sprinkled therewith that the destroying Angel of Gods wrath may passe over me CXCIII Vpon the sight of wormes in a dead carcase LOrd these wormes shew me what must become of my dead body the wormes will destroy it but when they have done this they will die themselves but there is another worm which I more fear the worm of conscience which will never die Lord of thine infinite mercy keep me from that CXCIV Vpon the sight of a curious piece of workmanship LOrd I am thy workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works but I have not answered that end for which I was created Lord pardon my failings and enable me to do it better in the time to come CXCV. Vpon the sight of a linsie-woolsie garment LOrd I see by thy forbidding of this unto thy people under the old law that thou wouldst not have them mingle diverse Religions together Oh therefore give me the grace that I may never offend in this kind but that I may chuse the true and refuse all false Religions CXCVI. Vpon the sight of one that had a withered hand LOrd this man I see cannot stretch forth this hand of his to do any thing therewith no more can I stretch forth either of mine to do any thing that is good Oh therefore do thou sweet Jesus which tookest compassion on the man which had the withered hand in the Gospel and didst heal that do thou by the same power and grace also heal mine that I may be able to do that good which thou expectest at my hands CXCVII Upon the hearing of the word withdraw at a Committee LOrd give me the grace that I may withdraw my self from every brother that walketh inordinately and which doth think that gain is godlinesse CXCVIII. Upon the hearing of an hard and dangerous service of a souldier LOrd give me the grace that I may fuffer affliction as a good souldier of Jesus Christ CXCIX Upon the sight of a mother wiping the teares from her childs face LOrd in thy good time bring me to thy heavenly Kingdome where thou hast promised to wipe all teares from my eyes CC. Upon the sight of a wide and spacious gate LOrd thy word tells me that it is the wide gate and broad way that leadeth to destruction Oh keep me therefore by thy grace that I may neither enter
that the way to heaven is not like an easie stair-case on which a man may go up with his hands in his hose but I see by this that he that will come thither must make use of his hands as well as of his feet Lord give me the grace therefore that I may by the hand of faith lay hold on the merits of my crucified Saviour and stretch forth my hands to the doing of good works as well as have the feet of my soul my affections carrying me forward in the way that leads unto thee and to thy heavenly kingdom CCXXI Upon the sight of one whom another did uphold as he went LOrd do thou which upholdest all things by thy mighty word uphold me with thy free spirit with the right hand of thy righteousness in all my going that my foot-steps slip not and I fall into some dangerous temptation and from thence into condemnation CCXXII Vpon the sight of an empty house swept and garnished LOrd this house shews me what I have been in thy sight when I have heretofore received the holy Communion of the blessed body and bloud of my Saviour Jesus Christ I have I must confesse been like this house emptied of all good works swept with an overly repentance and garnished with an outward shew of a seeming sanctity which was not in me in deed and in truth Lord keep me from being ever so again lest Sathan take unto him seven devils worse then himself and enter into me and so make my last estate far worse then was my first CCXXIII. Upon the sight of fire seising upon an house which could not be quenched LOrd keep me from that fire of Hell which shall never be quenched CCXXIV. Upon the sight of two coales lying together whereof the one kindled the other LOrd here I see the benefit of unity and concord for where that is one I see may do much good unto another either by enkindling the graces of Gods Spirit in him or by preserving them already enkindled Oh give me therefore the grace that I may keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace CCXXV. Vpon the sight of one that came to visit his friend that was in great perplexity LOrd I am grievously perplexed oh visit me with thy salvation CCXXVI Vpon the sight of one that by violence took something from another LOrd thy word doth tell me that the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and that the violent take it by force Oh that I might have thy grace to use this holy violence that in the end I might obtain thy heavenly Kingdome CCXXVII Vpon the sight of one writing very swiftly LOrd make me a Scribe prompt in the law of thee my God and let my tongue be as the pen of a ready writer to express the comforts that I find therein CCXXVIII Vpon the sight of vapours rising out of the earth LOrd these vapours shew what my life is for what indeed is my life but a vapour that appeareth for a little time and afterward vanisheth away Oh that I might therefore have the grace so to redeem this short time of my life and to improve it to such holy and sanctified uses that when this short life of mine shall have its end I may live with thee in life everlasting CCXXIX Vpon the sight of one binding of sheaves in a corn-field LOrd the work that this man is now about shewes me what will be my case in the great and generall harvest of the world at the worlds end for then I shall be found either to be of the number of the tares which must be bound in sheaves to be burnt or be good wheat which must also be bound in sheaves to be carried into thine everlasting barn in Heaven Oh give me therefore the grace that whilest I am in this field of the world I may spring up and bring forth fruit unto thee in holinesse like the good seed which thou thy self sowedst that so I may have some comfortable assurance that after this life I shall enjoy life everlasting in heaven and not be like the tares of the Devils sowing which must be burnt in hell-fire for ever CCXXXI Upon the sight of an Ewe that brought two Lambs LOrd thou hast been pleased in thy Word to compare thy people to a flock of sheep every one of which bringeth forth twins that I may then have the more comfortable assurance that I am one of thy sheep and of this thy flock Lord give me the grace to bring forth those blessed twins of holinesse and righteousnesse which thy word requireth in all those that are thine CCXXXII Upon the coming on of the twilight LOrd this is the time that the Adulterer waiteth for and the Adultresse maketh use of for the accomplishing of their uncleannesse thinking now that no eye shall see them Lord keep me from having any fellowship with these unfruitfull works but give me grace rather to reprove them CCXXXIII Upon the sight of two Turtle-doves kept tame in a house LOrd thou wert pleased of thy gracious goodnesse and mercy under the law to accept of two turtle Doves or two young Pigeons from the poor that were not of ability to bring a Sheep for a sin-offering Oh be thou as gracious a God to my poor soul and accept at my hands what I am able to doe though much lesse than that others do do or I should do CCXXXIII Upon the sight of a brand taken out of the fire LOrd this brand shewes me the estate wherein I was and wherein I might have been had not thy mercy prevented it I was in the very midst of the fire of affliction and therein I was likely to have continued till I had been utterly consumed hadst not thou in thy mercy prevented it Oh be thou still my gracious God as to deliver me from the danger wherein I am at present so to keep me from the like danger in the time to come lest I be consumed in thy wrath CCXXXIV Vpon the hearing of a little boy that crope in at a window and opened the doores to let in greater theeves LOrd this little theefs entrance and making way for greater theeves shews into what danger my soul may come by wanton looks for if I let but these once into my heart through the windowes of mine eies they will quickly let in many another foul sin that will wholly rob me of thy grace Oh turn away therefore mine eies from such vanities and give me the grace to make a covenant with mine eies that they may not admit any such lustfull objects CCXXXVI Upon the sight of one going up a slippery hill where though he had many slips and some falls yet recovered the top of the hill at last LOrd Heaven is thy holy hill and the way thither is very slippery and none can ascend thither without many
field LOrd let not the fire of thy wrath and fierce indignation devoure me as this fire doth the stubble that is cast into it but in wrath remember mercy CCLXV. Upon the sight of Rookes in a corn-field newly sown LOrd these fowls are not more desirous to eat up and devour this newly sown corn then is the Devil that master-fowl of the aire to catch away that precious seed of thy word sown in my heart by the ministers and preachers thereof Lord give the grace therefore that I may not be like the ground by the high-way side on which whatsoever seed was sown the fowles presently devoured it because it was not covered with earth but that I may rather be like the good ground wherein the seed sown was so hid and covered that it brought forth fruit in abundance CCLXVI. Vpon the hearing of a strong castle or fort taken by force LOrd my heart the Devil hath for a long time fortified hoping to keep it for himself for ever But Lord thou art stronger then he oh do thou therefore overcome him for me and take me out of his possession that I may live to glorifie thee for this thy wonderfull deliverance of me and for all thy other mercies which thou hast shewed towards me in Jesus Christ CCLXVII Vpon the sight of one that trode in the steps of another that went before him LOrd Jesus thou hast suffered for me and in thy sufferings hast left me an example that I should follow thy steps Oh that I might have thy grace so to do it that following thee here in this world I may in the next attain to that happinesse in Heaven which thou hast promised to all those that follow thee in sincerity and truth CCLXVIII Vpon the sight of one that was sent to reconcile two that were at variance LOrd thou and I have been long at variance by reason of my many and manifold sins committed against thee yet thou art willing I see to have me reconciled unto thee again and for that end hast sent the ministers of thy word as thy Ambassadours to pray me in Christs stead to be reconciled unto thee Lord let not their paines taken herein be fruitlesse and to none effect but give me the grace to accept of the conditions offered and to blesse thy name for the mercy vouchsafed me therein CCLXIX Vpon the sight of chaffe driven away with the wind when one was winnowing LOrd let thine and thy Churches enemies be as chaffe before the wind and let thine Angel scatter them CCLXX. Vpon the sight of one dipping a sop in wine and eating it LOrd grant that after the taking of thy holy Sacrament I may not be like Judas into whom after the taking of the sop Sathan entred lest being filled with iniquity I be brought to destruction both of body and soul as he was CCLXXI. Upon the hearing of some that had suffered shipwrack LOrd keep me from making shipwrack of faith and a good conscience CCLXXII Upon the hearing of a shepherd that watcht his flock by night LOrd be thou my shepherd and do thou which never slumbrest nor sleepest watch over me with the eye of thy fatherly providence that neither the Devil which goeth up and down like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour nor any of his wicked instruments may be able to hurt me CCLXXIII Vpon the sight of a mastive lying before a door LOrd here I see in this mastive lying before this door what I must expect if I shall boldly enter into any known sin for as this mastive lying before the door of this house is ready to fly upon those that shall enter therein so will my conscience fly upon me if I shall enter into the waies of sinne Oh help me therefore with thy grace and keep me by thy power from all such courses that I may neither offend thee my God nor draw upon my self any such sad inconvenience CCLXXIV Upon the sight of a crab-stock grafted with good fruit which yet sent forth many shoots of his own kind LOrd here I see what I am and what I must expect to be as long as I live in this world I may have thy word engrafted in me and may seem thereby to grow in grace and goodnesse but yet still do what I can there will some shoots of my naturall corruption be sprouting forth savouring of the old stock Adams sinfull loines from whence we all came Oh do thou therefore so assist me with thy grace that though such sins may be in me yet they may not reign in me but do thou like a good husband cut and prune them off so as that they may not hinder the growth of thy word in me nor make me unfruitfull in the acknowledging of our Lord Jesus Christ CCLXXV Upon the sight of one that sheltred himself under a tree in the time of a storm LOrd the times wherein we live are stormy times and we know not whether to run for shelter in these sad times but onely unto thee who hast promised to be a place of refuge and a covert from the storm to all those that be thine Oh be thou then such a shelter for us and we will glorifie thy name for this thy mercifull deliverance of us CCLXXVI Upon the sight of divers mens sheep put into one and the same sheep-fold LOrd Jesus thou hast other sheep which are not yet of this thy fold wherein we are Oh do thou then which art the good sheph erd in thy good time bring these also into this thy fold that so there may be one sheep-fold and one shepherd CCLXXVII Vpon the washing of mine own hands LOrd give me the grace that I may be as carefull to wash my hands in innocency before I do approch unto thine Altar there to receive the body and bloud of my Saviour Jesus Christ CCLXXVIII Upon the sight of a cart laden with corn LOrd I have by my many and manifold sins often pressed thee as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves Oh be mercifull unto me for what is past and give me thy grace that I may never do so again hereafter CCLXXIX Vpon the sight of one taking larks in a field HEre I see nets spread here I see larks flittering up and down with their wings though tied by their legs here I see a turning glasse against the Sun with the radiant and shining brightnesse whereof those silly birds are so taken that without fear they hasten to the place here I also see the bird-catcher himself sitting a good way off watching to cast his net over them when he thinks they are within the reach of them And Lord what is this but a lively representation of the Devils that grand fowlers dealing with me For where can I go in this wide field of the world where he hath