shadow shake i' th shine And by free choice from good to ill decline Sweet Sauiour cleanse my leprous loath some soule In that depurpled Fount which forth thy side Gurgling did twixt two Lilly-mountaines roule To rinse Mans tainted Race Sin soylifide Wash it more white then the triumphant Swan That rides o' th siluer brest of Eridan Suffer my prayers harmony to rise Into thine eares while th' Angels beare a part Accept my Sigâ—s as smelling Sacrifice Sent from the Altar of my bleeding heart Vpto thy nostrils sweet as th' Oyle of Aaron Or th'odoriferous Rose of flowrie Sharon The Hart ne're long'd more for the purling brookes Nor did the lust full Goate with more pursuit After the blossom'd Tritifolie looke Then do's my panting Soule t' enioy the fruit Of thy Life-water which if I attaine To taste of once I ne're shall thirst againe Euen as the chapped ground in Summers heat Cals to the clouds and gapes at euery showre Whose thirstie Casma's greedily intreat As tho they would th' whole house of heau'n deuour So do's my riuen Soule beparcht with sin Yawne wide to let mayst drops of Mercie in Earths vanitie VAnitie of vanities and all is but vanitie saith the wisest Preacher that euer wrote One generation passeth and another commeth and all is but vexation of spirit Which diuine theorem that we may the better perceiue let vs set our selues to the serious meditation of it for the more we search the more we shall see all things to be vanity nothing constant nothing for our eternall good but our soules saluation Mans life on â—arth doth no sooner begin but his 〈◊〉 approacheth his death hasteneth Some come vpon the stage of this world but to haue a breathing and are presently gone others stay a while longer it may be a day perhaps a weeke perhaps a month peraduenture a yeare or it may be some few yeares but alas the longer they stay the greater their griefe care feare and anxietie of minde Euen in the infancie of age man is oft times left as Mâ—ses sometime was in the flouds of misery but as age increaseth sorrow increaseth because sinne increaseth when youth runnes most at randome and thinketh it selfe most safe it is then hemm'd in with greatest dangers then the rashfoole-hardy minde of man hurrieth him headlong to hell except the irresistible power of Gods preuenting grace doth speedily stay him then his wits are euen intoxicated with a frenzie of iniquity and wholly bent vpon riotousnesse rashnesse luxury iollitie superfluity and excesse in carnall pleasures Hee then deuoteth his time and addicteth himselfe to all manner of euill drinking dancing reuelling swaggering swearing whoring gaming quarelling fighting and in the meane while neuer thinkes on heauen nor feareth hell His head is frought with vanities his heart with fallacies whereby his soule is brought into a labyrinth of inextricable miseries So great is the temerity of his vnaduised minde that no consideration of Gods iudgements either past or present or to come can set a stop to his wickednesse His youthfulnesse damps at no bogges quagmires hils or mountaines but wingeth him ouer all impediments mounts him ouer all motiues that might way-lay his sinnes He sticks not to offend his maker to recrucifie his redeemer to resist shall I say his sanctifier no but the Spirit whom God hath giuen to be his sanctifier and if hee so carry himselfe toward thâ—se no meruaile that he derideth his Tutor scornes the Minister like the little children that mock'd Elisha oppresseth his poore brother as Pharaoh did the Israelites spareth not Infants no more then Herod did regardeth not parents no more then Hophin and Phinius did Let the mother direct him the father correct him his ancients instruct him alas all is in vaine youth makes men head-strong selfe-conceited and proud so that they swell with an ouerweening opinion of their owne worth they thinke themselues the onely wits of the time the onely men of the world more fit to teach others then to learn themselues more able to giue then to take aduice If they goe on a while in their lewd courses without the restraining and renewing Grace of God they get a habit of euill are hardned through the custome of sinne none may resist them none compare with them no law of God or man can restraine them They take counsel together against Psa. 2. 2 3 the Lord and against his annointed saying Let vs breake their bands asunder and cast away their cords from vs. Whereupon oftentimes the ripenesse of sinne being hastened by outragiousnesse of sinning God suddenly Nâ—quities vitae non sinit esse senew cuts them off in their intemperancy luxury quarrels and disorders which shewes their vainnesse to be meere vanity Suppose they grow as great as Tamberlaine yet a Gunne Pike Arrow nay a Fly Flea or Gnat a dram nay a drop of poyson proues them to be vaine men one of these silly creatures may send him presently to his creatour to receiue his final doome Yet alas what doe these most minde The bum-basted silken Gallants of our time that come forth like a May morning decked with all the glory of Art the Epicurean Cormerants the gusling and tipling tosse-pots the dainty painting Dames the delicate mincing Ladies the sweet-singing Syrens the dancing Damsels the finicall youths the couzening Shop-keeper the crafty Crafts-man I say what doe all these but set their minds vpon vanitie vpon glory honour pride drosse and such like trash which weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary proue lighter then vanity Doe we not sometime see more spent vpon one suite in Law then would keepe a poore Country towne with the inhabitants for a whole yeare See wee not more spent vpon one suite of apparell for one proud carkasse then would build a Free-schoole So that the cloathes on many a Gallants backe exceeds his Rent-day See we not more spent vpon a Feast to satisfie the curiosity of a few then would satisfie the necessity of a hundred poore wretches almost famished to death See wee not more drunke in a Tauerne at one â—itting by a small company then would serue a troope of sturdy Souldiers in the field Many goe daily to the Tauern where they sticke not to spend their twelue pence who would grudge to giue one penny nay one farthing to a hungry begger Againe is there not now more spent vpon a Ladies feather then would pay a meane mans tythes Is there not more spent vpon one paire of sleeues then would cloath sixe bodies and more spent at a Whitsun-ale then would keepe the poore of the Parish for a yeare Haue wee not amongst our Gentry some of the female sexe who will spend more vpon a Glasse and a pot of complexion then they will giue a whole yeare at their gate they must be menders of that which God makes makers of that which God marres turning themselues like the Camelion into all shapes though neuer so grisly and vgly and being
neuer well till they be most ill neuer as they conceit in fashion till indeede they be out of all fashion If this be not a vanity of vanities who can tell what is vanity Euery man is an eye-witnesse of this vanity the more is the pittie that it should be so common your Lady the Merchants wife the trades mans wife nay all of all sorts are a degree aboue their estate Your Gallant is no man vnlesse his haire be of the womans fashion dangling and wauing ouer his shoulders your woman no body except contrary to the modesty of her sexe shee be halfe at least of the mans fashion shee jets she cuts she rides shee sweares she games shee smoakes shee drinkes and what not that is euill She is in the vniuersall portraiture of her behauiour as well as in her accoutrements more then halfe a man the man on the other side no lesse womanish Wee may well admire and exclaime with the Poet O tempora O mores O the times O the manners of these times O quantum est in rebus mane O how great a nothing is there in all things What a vanity of vanity hath ouerspread the age we liue in Were our forefathers now aliue to be spectators of this vanity it would strike them into amazement In their dayes the Pike the Speare the Sword the Bowe the Arrow Musket and Calieuer with the warlike Horse were the obiect of exercise and recreation Now the Pot the Pipe Dice and Cards and such like vanities indeede worse then the quintescence of the extreamest vanity We are now all for ease wee must lye soft fare deliciously goe sumptuously drinke Wine in bowles carowse healths till health be quite drunke away nay wee must kneele to our drinke when we will not kneele to him that gaue vs our drinke we doe homage to that which takes away the vse of our legges nay of our braines our hearts wits sence â—eason when we refuse homage to him that gaue vs all these O vaine man that dost thus forget thy God and abuse thy selfe why dost thou thus suffer thy selfe to be swallowed vp in the gulfe of vanity which hath no bottome but misery Why sufferest thou the Diuell thus to take thee on the hip that he may cast thee downe into the Abisse of hell Art thou so bewitched with that which will haue an end a sudden end a wretched end Thy hony will proue Gall in the end and thy Wine Vinegar In these faire roses of vanity the Diuell hides his pins that shall pricke thee when thou lookest to be refreshed with their sweet smels These vanities wee purchase at no easie rate it is with the procurement of punishment anrd losse of happinesse As the biâ—d that accepts of the Fowlers meat buyes it full dearely with the losse of her owne life so when we accept these vanities from the Diuell it is with the losse of better things in price aboue the whole world In these contracts with Satan we make Esau's peâ—niworth sell heauen for a messe of pottage Claucus exchange Gold for Copper Now thou art pompering thy corruptible flesh but let pale death step in and clap thee on the shoulder wher 's thy mirth wher 's thy felicity thy voluptuous vanity doth presently expire There is a banquet set before thee in which are all varieties of delicacies but alas euery one poysoned darest thou touch or taste any one of them by sin thou poysonest all those outward blessings of God which in themselues are wholesome and good and wilt thou ingurgitate that which is poyson to thy soule Tell me when all is done two or three hundred yeares hence what thou wilt be the better for all thy dainties more then the poore man that neuer tasted them Nay how much better in the day of triall and at the houre of death Then all thy pride pompe and pleasure shall be turned into squaled deformity irrecouerable calamity then vanity shâ—wes it selfe in the proper colours then death and knell and hell doe all conspire to aggrauate thy sorrow yea then hell begins to come to thee before thou come to it thy eyes sleepe not thy senses rest not thy perplexed heart burnes within thee thy wounded conscience bleeds within thee thou seest nothing but terror thou feelest nothing but horror thou thinkest thy self to be haunted with sprights ghosts and hellish furies stinging thee with Adders pursuing thee with Torches and firebrand That saying of the Heathen man is then if noâ— before verified Suae quemque exagitant suriae euery man is tormented with his owne fury which is his conscience Besides thy wife children or other friends â—o the exasperating of thy griefe doe stand about thee weeping as loath to part from thee whereas thy sinnes follow thee and will follow thee doe what thou canst hell gapes before thee with a wide mouth as ready to deuoure thee destruction on both sides attends thee backe thou canst not goe for a dead corps followes thee so neere that thou canst not part from it it is tied vnto thee with an indissolueable knot besides conscience followes thee and cries out against thee and will not leaue thee continually it presents thee with the dreadfull spectacle of thy doleful and wofull sinnes If this were now seriously considered how would it make thy heart to ake with grieuing thy eyes to swell with weeping thy hands to be alwayes lifted vp thy knees euer bended How wouldest thou striue to subdue thy flesh to the spirit sensuality to reason reason to faith and faith to the seruice of God But thou dost not now consider this that thy sinne is so fast linkt to thy conscience that at the last albeit not before it will pull and hale thee and rack and prick thy conscience which will accuse conuict condemn thee all thy vanities all thy iniquities will then pursue thee like so many furious ghosts Then ex ore tuo out of thy own mouth shalt thou be iudged thou euill seruant thy owne mouth shall confesse that thou hast followed nothing but vanity What a vanity was it for me to make earth my heauen and so to admire euen adore this earth that it is a hell to forsake it What a wofull bargain haue I made to sell my soule for vanity I was borne in vanity I haue liued in vanity and it is my feare that I shall dye in vanity Oh how griefe followeth griefe my heart is terrified my thoughts hurried my conscience tortured I fry in anguish I freeze in paine I stand agast and know not which way to turne me my friends must forsake me my â—oes will deride me my earthly ioyes and comforts I should call them vanities haue betraid me Indeede my friends may goe with me to the graue but there they must leaue me my riches pleasures and such like vanities vanish before but my sinnes and conscience will neuer leaue me the diuell will still pursue me hee that tempts me now to
that running headlong into so manifest a danger thou art not at all afraid Especially considering the sinfull state wherein thou liuest and the horrible paines and torments which doe attend for thee and the time which thou hast lost and the endlesse repentance which thou shalt haue therefore in the most horrible torments of hell Assuredly it goes beyond the compasse of all common sence conceit of humane reason to consider That there should be such negligent wilfull grosse carelesse blindnesse able to enter and take such deepe rooting in the soule of man The Conclusion of all the Premises IF now all this be so I beseech thee euen for the bitter passion of our sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ to remember thy selfe and consider that thou art a Christian and that thou beleeuest assuredly for a most vndoubted truth whatsoeuer the true faith instructeth thee This faith telleth thee that thou hast a iudge aboue that seeth all the steps and motions of thy life and that certainly there shall a day come when he will require an account of thee euen for euery idle word This faith teacheth thee That a man is not altogether at an end when he dieth but that after this temporall life there remaineth another euerlasting life and that the soules dye not with the bodies but that whiles the body remaineth in the graue vntill the generall day of iudgement the soule shall enter into another new country and into a new world where it shall haue such habitation and company as the faith and workes were which it had in this life This faith telleth thee also that both the reward of vertue and the punishment of vice is a thing so wonderfull that although the whole world were full of bookes and all creatures were writers yet should they all be wearied and the world come to an end before they should end their description and make a perfect declaration what is comprehended in each one of these points This faith informeth thee also that the debts and duties which we owe to almighty God are so great that albeit a man had so many liues as there be sands in the Sea yet would they not suffice if they were al employed in his seruice And this faith likewise telleth thee that vertue is such an excellent treasure that all the treasures of the world and all that mans heart can desire are in no sort comparable vnto it Wherefore if there be so many and so great respects that doe inuite vs vnto vertue how commeth it to passe that there be so few louers and followers of the same If men be moued with gaine commodity what greater coÌ„modity can there be than to attain life euerlasting If they be moued with feare of punishment what greater punishment can be found than the most horrible euerlasting dreadfull torments in the lake of fire and brimstone to continue euer world without end If that bonds of debts and benefits what debts are greater than these which we owe vnto almighty God as well for that he is which he is as also for that which we haue receiued of him If the feare of perils doe moue vs what greater perill can there be than death the houre thereof being so vncertaine and the account so strait If thou be moued with peace liberty quietnesse of minde and with a pleasant life which are things that all the world desires it is certaine that all these are found much better in the life that is gouerned by vertue and reason than in that life which is ruled by the affections and passions of the minde forsomuch as man is a reasonable creature and no beast Howbeit in case thou account all this as not sufficient to moue thee thereunto yet let it sussice thee to consider further that euen almighty God so abased himselfe for thy sake that he descended from heauen vnto the earth and became man and whereas hee created the whole world in sixe dayes he bestowed three and thirty yeares about thy redemption yea and was also contented for the same to loose his life Almighty God dyed that sinne should dye and yet for all this doe we endeauour that sinne might liue in our hearts notwithstanding that our Lord purposed to take away the life of sinne with his owne death If this matter were to be discussed with reason surely this already spoken might suffice to preuaile with any reasonable creature for not onely in beholding almighty God vpon the crosse but whethersoeuer we doe turne our eyes we shall finde that euery thing crieth out to vs and calleth vpon vs to receiue this so excellent a benefit for there is not a thing created in the world if wee duely consider it but doth inuite vs to the loue and seruice of our Sauiour Iesus Christ insomuch that looke how many creatures there be in the world so many preachers there are so many bookes so many voices and so many reasons which doe all call vs vnto almighty God And how is it possible then that so many callings as these are so many promises so many threatnings and so many prouocations should not suffice to bring vs vnto him What might almighty God haue done more than he hath done or promised more greater blessings than hee hath promised or threatned more grieuous and horrible torments than he hath threatned to draw vs vnto him and to plucke vs away from sinne And yet all this notwithstanding how commeth it to passe that there is so great I will not say arrogancy but bewitching of men that doe beleeue these things to be certainly true and yet be not afraid to continue all the dayes of their life in the committing of deadly sinnes yea to goe to bed in deadly sinne and to rise vp againe in deadly sinne and to embrue themselues in euery kinde of loathsome detestable and odious sin euen as though all their whole endeauours intended by the practise of sinne to resist all grace and fauour in the sight of God And this is done in such sort so without feare so without scruple of minde so without breaking of one hoâ—â—â—s sleepe and without the refraining of any one delicate morsell of meat for the same as if all that they beleeued were dreames and old wiues tales and as if all that the holy Euangelists haue written were meere fiction and fables But tell me thou that art such a desperate wilfull rebell against thy Creator and Redeemer which by thy detestable life and dissolute conuersation doest euidence thy selfe to be a firebrand prepared to burne in those euerlasting and reuenging horrible fires of hell What wouldest thou haue done more than thou hast done in case thou haddest beene perswaded that all were meere lyes which thou hast beleeued For although that for feare of incurring the danger of the princes lawes and the execution of their force vpon thee thou hast somewhat brideled thine appetites yet doth it not appeare that for any feare of Almighty God thou hast refrained thy
frame our premises as we would finde our conclusion endeauouring to liue as we are desirous to dye let vs not offer the maine crâ—p to the Diuell and set God to gleane the reproofe of his haruest let vs not gorge the Diuell with our fairest fruits and turne God to the filthy scâ—aps of his leauings but let vs truely dedicate both soule and body to his seruice whose right they are and whose seruice they owe that so in the euening of our life we may retire to a Christian rest closing vp the day of our life with a cleare sunne-set that leauing all darknesse behinde vs we may carry in our consciences the light of grace and so escaping the horrour of an eternall night passe from a mortall day to an euerlasting morrow Thine in Christ Iesus Samuell Rowland STrike saile poore soule in sins tempestuous tide That runst to ruine and eternall wracke Thy course from heauen is exceeding wide Hels gulfe thou ent rest if grace guide not backe Sathan is Pilot in this nauigation The Ocean Vanity The Rocke damnation Warre with the Dragon and his whole alliance Renounce his league intends thy vtter losse Take in sinnes flag of truce set out defiance Display Christs ensigne with the bloudy crosse Against a Faith proofe armed Christian Knight The hellish coward dares not mannage fight Resist him then if thou wilt victor be For so he flies and is disanimate His fiery darts can haue no force at thee The shield of faith doth all their points rebate He conquers none to his infernall den But yeelding slaues that wage not fight like men Those in the dungeon of eternall darke He hath enthralled euerlasting date Branded with Reprobations cole-blacke marke Within the neueropening ramd vp gâ—â—e Where Diues rates one drop of water more Than any crowne that euer Monarch wore Where furies haunt the harttorne wretch despaire Where clamours cease not teeth are euer gnashing Where wrath and vengeance sit in horrors chaire Where quenchlesse flames of sulphur fire be flashing Where damned soules blaspheme God in despight Where vtter darknesse stands remou'd from light Where plaâ—ues inâ—iron torments compasse round Where anguish rores in neuer stinted sorrow Where woe woe woe is euery voices sound Where night eternall neuer yeelds to morrow Where damned tortures dreadfulâ— shall perseuer So long as God is God so long is euer WHo loues this life from loue his loue doth erre And chusing drosse rich treasure doth denie Leauing the pearle Christs connsels to preferre With selling all we haue the same to buy O happy soule that doth disburse a summe To gaine a kingdome in the life to come Such trafficke may be termed heauenly thrift Such venter hath no hazard to disswade Immortall purchase with a mortall gift The greatest gaine that euer Merchant made To get a crowne where Saints and Angels sing For laying out a base and earthly thing To taste the ioyes no humane knowledge knowes To heare the tunes of the coelest all quires T' attaine heau'ns sweet and mildest calme repose To see Gods face the summe of good desires Which by his glorious Saints is howerly eyde Yet sight with seeing neuer satisfide God as he is sight beyond estimate VVhich Angel tongues are vntaught to discouer VVhose splendor doth The heauenâ— illustrate Vnto which sight each sight becomes a louer VVhom all the glorious court of heauen land VVith praises of eternities applaâ—d There where no teares are to interpret griefes Nor any sighes heart dâ—lours to expound There where no treasure is surpris'd by theeues Nor any voice that speakes with sorrowes sound No vse of passions no distempered thought No spot of sinne no deed of error wrought The natiue home of pilgrime soules abode Rest's habitation ioyes true residence Ierusalem's new Citie built by God Form'd by the hands of his owne excellence VVith gold pau'd streets the wals of precious stone VVhere all sound praise to him sits on the throne HEAVENS Glory Earths Vanitie and Hels Torments Of the Glory of the bles sed Saints in Heauen TO the end there might want nothing to stirre vp our mindes to vertue after the paines which Almighty God threateneth to the wicked he doth also set before vs the reward of the good which is that glory and euerlasting life which the blessed Saints doe enjoy in heauen whereby hee doth very mightily allure vs to the loue of the same But what manner of thing this reward and what this life is there is no tongue neither of Angels nor of nen that is sufficient to expresse it Howbeit that wee may haue some kinde of â—auour and knowledge thereof I intend here to rehearse euen word for word what S. Augustine saith in one of his meditations speaking of the life euerlasting ensuing this transitoâ—ie time and of the joyes of the blessed Saints in heauen O life saith he prepared by Almighty God for his friends a blessed life a secure life a quiâ—t life a beautifull life a cleane life a chast life a holy life a life that knoweth on death a life without sadnesse without labour without griefe without trouble without corruption without feare without variety without alteration a life replenished with all beautie and dignity where there is neither enemy that can offend nor delight that can annoy where loue is perfect and no feare at all where the day is euerlasting and the spirit of all is one where Almighty God is seene face to face who is the onely meate whereupon they feed without loathsomenesse it delighteth mee to consider thy brightnesse and thy treasures doe reioyce my longing heart The more I consider thee the more I am striken in loue with thee The great desire I haue of thee doth wonderfully delight me and no lesse pleasure is it to me to keepe thee in my remembrance O life most happy O kingdome truely blessed wherin there is no death nor â—nd neither yet succession of time where the day continuing euermore without night knoweth not any mutation where the victorious conqueror beeing ioyned with those euerlasting quires of Angels and hauing his head crowned with a garland of glory singeth vnto Al mighty God one of the songs of Syon Oh happy yea and most happy should my soule be if when the race of this my pilgrimage is ended I might bee worthy to see thy glory thy blessednesse thy beautie the wals and gates of thy Citie thy streets thy lodgings thy noble Citizens and thine omnipotent King in his most glorious Maiestie The stones of thy wals are precious thy gates are adorned with bright pearles thy streets are of very fine excellent gold in which there neuer faile perpetuall praises thy houses are paved with rich stones wrought throughout with Zaphirs and couered aboue with massie gold where no vncleane thing may enter neither doth any abide there that is defiled Faire and beautifull in thy delights art thou O Ierusalem our mother none of those things are suffered in thee that are suffered here There is
many debts to discharge by reason of the offences committed in his sinfull life already past NOw then if on the one side there be so many and so great respects that doe binde vs to change our sinfull life and on the otherside we haue not any sufficient excuse why we should not make this exchange How long wilt thou tarry vntill thou fully resolue to doe it Turne thine eyes a little and looke backe vpon thy life past and consider that at this present of what age soeuer thou be it is high time or rather the time well nigh past to begin to discharge some part of thy old debts Consider that thou which art a Christian regenerated in the water of holy Baptisme which doest acknowledge Almighty God for thy father and the Catholike Church for thy mother whom she hath nourished with the milke of the Gospel to wit with the doctrine of the Apostles and Euangelists consider I say that all this notwithstanding thou hast liued euen as loosely dissolutely as if thou hadst beene a meere Infidell that had neuer any knowledge of Almighty God And if thou doe denie this then tell mee what kinde of sin is there which thou hast not committed What tree is there forbidden that thou hast not beholden with thine eyes What greene meddow is there in which thou hast not at the least in desire feasted thy letcherous lust what thing hath beene set before thine eyes that thou hast not wantonly desired What appetite hast thou left vnexecuted notwithstanding that thou didst beleeue in Almighty God and that thou wert a Christian what wouldest thou haue done more if thou hadst not had any faith at all If thou hadst not looked for any other life If thou hadst not feared the dâ—eadfull day of iudgement What hath all thy former life â—e ne but a web of sinnes a sinke of vices a way full of brambles and thornes and a fâ—oward disobedience of God with whom hast thou hitherto liued but onely with thine appetite with thy flesh with thy pride and with the goods and riches of this transitory world These haue beene thy gods these haue beene thine idols whom thou hast serued and whose lawes thou hast diligently obeyed Make thine account with the Almighty God with his lawes and with his obedience and peradâ—â—nture thou shalt finde that thou hast esteemed him no more than if he had beene a goâ— of wood oâ— stone For it is certaine that there be many Christians which beleeuing that there is a God are induced to sinne with such facilitie as though they beleeued that there were no God at all and doe offend no whit the lesse though they beleeue that there is a God then they would doe if they beleeued there were none at all What greater iniurie what greater despight can bee done than so to contemne his diuine maiestie Finally thou beleeuing all such things as Christs Church doth bâ—leeue hast notwithstanding so led thy life as if thou wert perswaded that the beleefe of Christians were the greatest fables or lies in the world And if the multitude of thy sinnes past and the faculty thou hast vsed in committing of them doe not make thee afraid why doest thou not feare at the least the Majesty and omnipotencie of hiâ— against whom thou hast sinned Lift vp thine eyes and consider the infinit greatnesse and omnipotencie of the Lord whom the powers of heauen no adore before whose Maiesty the whole compasse of the wide world lyeth prostrate in whose presence all things created are no more than chaffe carried away with the winde Consider also with thy sâ—lfe how vnseemely it is that such a vile worme as thou art should haue audacity so many times to offend and prouoke the wrath of so great a maiesty Consider the wonderfull and most terâ—ible seueâ—ity â—f his iustice and what horrible punishments he hath vsed from time to time in the world against sinne and that not onely vpon particular persons but also vpon Cities Nations Kingdomes and Prouinces yea vpon the vniuersall World And not onely in earth but also in heauen and not onely vpon strangers sinners but euen vpon his owne most innocent sonne our sweet Sauiour Iesus Christ when he tooke vpon him to satisfie for the debt that we owed And if this seuerity was vsed vpon greene and innocent wood and that for the sinnes of others what then will he doe vpon dry and withered wood and against those that are loden with their owne sinnes Now what thing can bee thought more vnreasonable then that such a fraile wretch as thou art should be so saucie and malapert as to mocke with so mightie a Lord whose hand is so heauie that in case hee should strike but one stroke vpon thee hee would at one blow driue thee downe headlong into the deepe bottomelesse pit of hell without remedy Consider likewise the great patience of this our mercifull Lord who hath expected thy repentance so long euen from the time that thou didst first offend him and thinke that if after so long patience and tarrying for thee thou shalt still continue thy leaud and sinfull life abusing thus his mercy and proucking him to further indignation and wrath hee will then bend his bowe and shake his sword and raine downe vpon thee euen sharpe arrowes of euerlasting wrath and death Consider also the profoundnesse of his deepe iudgments wherof we read and see daily so great wonders We see how Salomon himselfe after his so great wisdome and after those three thousand parables and most profound mysteries vttered by him was forsaken by Almighty God and suffered to fall dâ—wn and adore Ido's We see how one of those seuen first Deacons of the Primitiue Church which were full of the holy Ghost became not onely an hereticke but also an arch hereticke and a father of heresies We see daily many starres fall downe from heauen vnto earth with miserable fals and to wallow themselues in the durt and to eat the meat of swine which sate before at Gods owne table and were fed with the very bread of Angels If then the iust and righteous for some secret pride or negligence or else for some ingratitude of theirs be thus iustly forsaken of Almighty God after they haue bestowed so many yeares in his seruice What maiest thou looke for that hast done in a manner nothing else in all thy life time but onely heaped sinnes vpon sinnes and hast thereby offended almighty God most grieuously Now if thou hast liued after this sort were it not reason that thou shouldst now at the length giue ouer and cease heaping sinne vpon sinne and debt vpon debt and begin to pacifie the wrath of Almighty God and to disburden thy sinfull soule Were it not meet that that time which thou hast hitherto giuen to the world to thy flesh and to the Diuell should suffice and that thou shouldest bestow some little time of that which remaineth to serue him who hath giuen thee all that
sinne will then torment me for sinning vntill I cry out with Cain My punishment is greater then I can beare A horse is but a vaine thing to saue a man said the sweet singer of Israel so say I all earthly things are too vaine to saue a man to make him blessed I appeale to the conscience of euery man if thou hast tried the pleasures of vanity and who hath not whether thou maist not take vp the words of Saint Rom. 6. 12. Paul What fruit haue I of those things whereof I am now ashamed Shame and griefe and guilt and punishment are the fruit of vanity enough I thinke to rend our hearts from affecting of it Thinke vpon this thou that art in the trace of vanity that thou maist make a retreat loose no more time herein for thou hast already lost too much redeeme the time because the dayes are euill and why are they euill but because they are vaine Whatsoeuer is without the circumference of euill is about the sphere of vanity Resolue therefore with thy selfe that all things earthly worldly carnall sinfull are vaine the fashion of this world passeth away faith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 3. The fashion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word very emphaticall it signifies first an accidentall and externall figure without substance secondly the habit vesture or cloathing of a thing Saint Paul vseth this word to debase the world by intimating vnto vs that the world is cloathed with a vesture that is wearing and wasting the fashion of it lasteth but for a time it is ready euery houre to put on a new fashion againe by intimating vnto vs that the world is without any substantiall forme like vnto shewes and shadowes that vanish in the representation Saint Luke cals all Agrippa's pompe but a fancie Dauid cals the yeares of a man but a tale Psal. 90. 9. We spend our yeares as a tale that is told As a tale nay as a thought for so much the originall word doth import and how many thoughts may a man haue in an houre Nothing is more changable then a vesture nothing more fugitiue then a shadow nothing more fickle then a fancie nothing more swift then thought What a disproportion therefore is it for the immortall soule of a man to be fastened vnto things which are of such a variable nature What a folly for vs to preferre those which are but momentary for so I may more truely cal them then temporall vnto those things which are indeede eternall Glasses are in great vse amongst vs yet because of their brittlenesse who esteemes them precious We smell to flowers because they are sweet but because they are fading we regard them thereafter It were well if we would deale thus with all other vanities viz. regard them as they are vse the creatures we may but not abuse them serue our selues of them but not serue them inioy them but not ouer-ioy in them Now because examples are are very effectuall whether we vse them by way of dehortation or whether by way of exhortation let me propound one or two in this matter whereof I am treating that by them thou maist be beaten off from the vanities and iniquities of this present euill world When Alexander in the height of his glory kept * a Parliament of the whole Conuentum terrarum orbiâ— world himselfe was summoned by death to appeare in another world It was a wonderfull president of the vanity and variety of humane condition saith the Historian to see mighty Iustin. l. 2. Zerxes flote and flye away in a small vessel who before wanted Sea-roome for his Ships When Belshazzar was laughing and Dan. 5. quaffing with his Princes and Concubines carowsing healths in the sacred Vessels deaths secretary the hand-writing on the wall told him he was weighed in the ballance and his Kingdome was finished And before him his father Nebuchadnezzar at that time the greatest Monarch in the world as he was strouting in his Galleries and boasting of his owne power and honour a voyce from heauen told him that his Kingdome was departed from him that he Dan. 4. should be driuen from amongst men that he should haue his dwelling with the Beasts of the field c. And the sentence was fulfilled on him the same houre So Zedekiah was a liuely spectacle 2 Kin. 25 of this worlds vanity and misery who of a potent King became a miserable captiue saw his children slaine before his face after that had his eyes put out and died miserably in prison I had almost forgotten Salomon the wisest King that euer Eccl. â— was hauing giuen himselfe to take pleasure in pleasant things hauing made great workes built goodly Houses planted Vineyards Gardens and Orchards and planted in them trees of all fruit hauing gathered siluer and gold and the chiefe treasures of Kings and Prouinces being now full of wisedome and schooled with experience he is licensed to giue his sentence of the whole world and euery man knowes what his censure was Vanity of vanities Eccl. 1. â— vanity of vanities all is vanity This wise King trauelled all the world ouer and the further he went the more vanity he did see and the neerer he looked the greater it seemed till at last he could see nothing but vanity Wouldst thou know what is to be seene or heard or had in this vast Vniuerse Vanity saith Salomon yea vanity of vanities and what else Vanity of vanities And whâ—â— else All is vanity Nothing beneath the Moone that hath not a tincture of vanity Nay the Moone it self the Sunne all the Planets all the Starres the whole body of the Heauens is become subiect to Vanitie The creature is subiect vnto Vanity saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 20. that is the whole frame of the world consisting of the coelestiall and elementary region the visible heauens with all their goodly furniture of Starres and of coelesti all bodies and the earth with her ornaments and the other elements The heauens shall perish Psal. 10◠〈◊〉 and they shall waxe old as doth a garment and the Lord shall change â—hem as a vesture and they shall be changed As a garment the older it waxâ—th the lesse comely it is the lesse able to warme him that weares it so the materiall heauens by continuance of yeares decrease in beauty and vertue The neerer the Sunne drawes to the end of his daily course the lesse is his strength in the euâ—ning we feele the Sunne to decay in his heat and he waxeth alway the weaker Now if those superiour bodies then much more things inferiour and sublunary are included within the compasse of vanity But it was my purpose when I first set vpon this subiect so ample and large to be so much the more short euery vnderstanding can of it selfe discourse where such plenty of matter is offered I haue therefore according to the modell of that gift which God hath giuen me contriued a great picture
his garner but the chaffe he will burne in a fire that should neuer be quenched This was the preaching and embassage which the holy fore-runner of our Sauiour Iesus Christ brought into the world And so great was the thunder of these words and the terrour which entered into mens hearts so dreadfull that there ran vnto him of all estates and conditions of men euen of the very Pharisees and Publicans yea and Souldiours also which of all others are wont to be most dissolute and to haue the least care of their consciences and each of them demanded for himselfe particularly of that holy man what he should doe to attaine vnto saluation and to escape those terrible threatnings which he had denounced vnto them so great was the feare they had conceiued of them And this is that deare Christian brother which I doe at this present in the behalfe of Almighty God deliuer vnto thee although not with such feruency of spirit and like holinesse of life yet that which importeth more in this case with the same truth and certainty for so much as the faith and Gospell which Saint Iohn Baptist then preached is euen the same now taught Now if thou be desirous to vnderstand in few words how great the punishment is that almighty God hath threatned in his holy Scriptures to the wicked that which may most briefly and most to the purpose be spoken in this matter is this That like as the reward of the good is anvniuersall good thing euen so the punishment of the wicked is an vniuersall euill which comprehendeth in it al the euils that are For the better vnderstanding whereof it is to be noted That all the euils of this life are particular euils and therefore doe not torment all our sences generally but onely one or some of them As taking an example of the diseases of our body we see that one hath a disease in his eyes another in his eares one is sicke in the heart another in the stomacke some other in his heâ—d And so diuers men are diseased in diuers parts of the body howbeit in such wise that none of all these diseases be generally throughout all the members of the boby but particular to some one of them And yet for all this we see what griefe onely one of these diseases may put vs vnto and how painefull a night the ficke man hath in any one of these infirmities yea although it be nothing else but a little ach in one tooth Now let vs put the case that there were some one man sicke of such an vniuersall disease that he had no part of his body neither any one joynt or sence free from his proper paine but that at one time and instant hee suffered most exceeding sharpe torment in his head in his eyes and eares in his teeth and stomack in his liuer and heart and to be short in all the rest of his members and joints of his body and that he lay after this sort stretching himselfe in his bed being pained with these greefes and torments euery member of his body hauing his particular torment and griefe Hee I say â—hat should lye thus pained and afflicted how great torment anâ— gâ—iefe of minde and body thinke ye should he sustaine Oh what thing could any man imagine more miserable and more worthy of compassion Surely if thou shouldest see but a dâ—gge to be so tormented and â—riâ—ued in the street his very paines would moue thy heart to take pitty vpon him Now this is that my deare Christian brother if any comparison may be made betweene them which is suffered in that most cursed and horrible place of hell and not onely during for the space of one night but euerlastingly for euer and euer For like as the wicked men haue offended Almighty God with all their members and sences and haue made armour of them all to serue sinne euen so will he ordaine that they shall be there tormented euery one of them with his proper torment There shall the wanton vnchaste eyes be tormented with the terrible sight of Diuels the eareswith the confusion of such horrible cries and lamentations which shall there be heard the nose with the intollerable stinke of that vgly filthy and loathsome place the taste with a most rauenous hunger and thirst the touching and all the members of the body with extreame burning fire The imagination shall be tormented by the conceiuing of griefes present the memoâ—y by calling to minde the pleasures past the vnderstanding by considering what benefits are lost and what endlesse miseries are to come This multitude of punishments the holy Scripture signifieth vnto vs when it saith Mat. 15. Psal. 10. That in hell there shall be hunger thirst weeping wailing gnashing of teeth swords double edged spirits created for reuengement serpents wormes scorpions hammers wormewood water of gall the spirit of tempest and other things of like sort Whereby are signifiâ—d vnto vs as in a figure the multitude and dreadfull terrour of the most horrible torments and paines that be in that cursed place There shall be likewise darknesse inward and outward both of body and soule farre more obscure than the darkenesse of Aegypt which was to be felt euen with hands Exod. 20. Thâ—re shall be fire also not as this fire here that tormenteth a little and shortly endeth but such a fire as that place requireth which tormenteth exceedingly and shall neuer make an end of that tormenting This being true what greater wonder can there be than that they which beleeue and confesse this for truth should liue with such most strange negligence and carelesnesse as they doe What trauell and paines would not a man willingly take to escape euen one onely day yea one houre the very least of these torments and wherefore doe they not then to escape the euerlastingnesse of so great paines and horrible torments endure so little a trauell as to follow the exercise of vertue Surely the consideration of this matter were able to make any sinfull soule to feare and tremble in case it were deepely regarded And if amongst so great number of paines there were any manner hope of end or release it would be some kinde of comfort but alas it is not so for there the gates are fast shut vp from all expectation of any manner of ease or hope In all kinde of paines and calamities that be in this world there is alwayes some gap lying open whereby the patient may receiue some kind of comfort sometimes reason sometimes the weather sometimes his friends sometimes the hearing that others are troubled with the very same disease and sometimes at the least the hope of an end may cheare him onely in these most horrible paines and miseries that be in hell all the wayes are shut vp in such sort and all the hauens of comfort so embarred that the miserable sinner cannot hope for remedy on any side neither of heauen nor of earth neither of the time past or
standing vpon a pan of burning coales for the space of repeating the Lords prayer What shall it be thinke you to stand body and soule burning in the midst of those euerlasting hot raging fires in hell in comparison of which the fires of this world are but painted fires Is there any wit or iudgement in this world Haue men their right sences doe they vnderstand what these words import or are they peraduenture perswaded that these are onely the fables of Poets or doe they thinke that this appertaineth not to them or else that it was onely ment for others None of all this can they say for so much as our faith assureth vs most certainly herein And our Sauiour Christ himselfe who is euerlasting truth crieth out in his Gospell saying Heauen and earth shall faile bâ—t my word shall not faile Of this misery there followeth another as great as it which is that the paines are alwayes continuing in one like degree without any manner of intermission or decreasing All manner of things that are vnder the cope of heauen doe moue and turn round about with the same heauen and doe neuer stand still at one state or being but are continually either ascending or descending The sea and the riuers haue their ebbing and flowing the times the ages and the mutable fortune of men and of kingdomes are euermore in continuall motion There is no feauer so feruent that doth not decline neither griefe so sharp but that after it is much augmented it doth forthwith decrease To be sho't all the tribulations and miseries are by little and little worne away with time and as the common saying is Nothing is sooner dried vp than teares Onely that paine in hell is alwayes greene onely that feauer neuer decreaseth onely that extremity of hear knoweth not what is either euening or morning In the time of Noahs flood almighty God rained forty dayes and forty nights continually without ceasing vpon the earth and this sufficed to drowne the whole world But in that place of torment in hell there shall raine euerlasting vengeance and darts of furie vpon that cursed land without euer ceasing so much as one onely minute or moment Now what torment can be greater and more to be abhorred than continually to suffer after one like manner without any kinde of alteration or change Though a meat be neuer so delicate yet in case we feed continually thereupon it will in very short time be very loathsome vnto vs for no meat can be more precious and deli cate than that Manna was which almighty God sent down vnto the children of Israel in the Desart and yet because they did eat continually thereof it made them to loath it yea and prouoked them to vomit it vp againe The way that is all plaine they say weaâ—ieth more than any other because alwayes the variety yea euen in punishment is a kinde of comfort Tell me then if things that be pleasant and sauory when they be alwayes after one manner are an occasion of loathsomenesse and paine what kinde of loathsomenesse will that be which shall be caused by those most horrible paines and torments in hell which doe continue euerlastingly after one like sort What will the damned and cursed creatures think when they shall there see themselues so vtterly abhorred and forsaken of almighty God that he will not so much as with the remission of any one sinne mitigate somwhat their torments And so great shall the fury and rage be which they shall there conceiue against him that they shall neuer cease continually to curse and blaspheme his holy name Vnto all these paines there is also added the paine of that euerlasting consumer to wit the worme of conscience whereof the holy Scripture maketh so oftentimes mention saying Their worme shall neuer dye and their fire shall neuer be quenched This worme is a furious raging despight and bitter repentance without any fruit which the wicked shall alwayes haue in hell by calling to their remembrance the opportunity and time they had whiles they were in this world to escape those most grieuous and horrible torments and how they would not vse the benefit thereof And therefore when the miserable sinner seeth himselfe thus to be tormented and vexed on euery side and doth call to minde how many dayes and yeeres he hath spent idly in vanities pastimes and pleasures and how oftentimes he was aduertised of this perill and how little regard he tooke thereof What shall he thinke What anguish and sorrow shall there be in his heart Hast thou not read in the Gospell that there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth The famine of Aegypt endurd onely seuen yeares but that in hell shall endure euerlastingly In Aegypt they found a remedy though with great difficulty charge but for this there shall neuer a ny remedy be found Theirs was redeemed with money and cattell but this can neuer be redeemed with any manner of exchange This punishment cannot be pardoned this pâ—ine cannot be exchanged this sentence cannot be reuoked Oh if thou knewest and wouldest consider how euery one condemned to hell shall there remaine tormenting and renting himselfe weeping and wailing and saying O miserable and vnfortunate wretch that I am what times and opportunities haue I suffered to passe invaine A time there was when with one cup of cold water I might haue purchased to my selfe a crowne of glory and when also with such necessary workes of mercy in relieuing the poore I might haue gained life euerlasting Wherefore did I not looke before me How was I blinded with things present How did I let passe the fruitfull yeares of abundance and did not enrich my selfe If I had beene brought vp amongst Infidels and Pagans and had beleeued that there had beene nothing else but onely to be born and to dye then might I haue had some kinde of excuse and might haue said I knew not what was commanded or prohibited me but for so much as I haue liued amongst Christians and was my selfe one of them professed and held it for an article of my beleefe that the houre should come when I should giue vp an account after what order I had spent my life forsomuch also as it was daily cried out vnto me by the continuall preaching and teaching of Gods Embassadours whose aduertisements many following made preparation in time and laboured earnestly for the prouision of good workes forasmuch I say as I made light of all these examples and perswaded my selfe very fondly that heauen was prepared for me though I tooke no paines for it at all what deserue I that haue thus led my life O ye infernall furies come and rent me in peeces and deuoure these my bowels for so haue I iustly deserued I haue deserued eternall famishment seeing I would not prouide for my selfe while I had time I deserue not to reap because I haue not sowne I am worthy to be destitute because I haue not laid vp
will in any one thing neither from carnall pleasures not from backbiting and slandering thy neighbours nor yet from fulfilling thine inordinate lusts and desires in case thine ability serued thee thereunto Oh what doth the worme of thy conscience say vnto thee whiles thou art in such a fond securitie and confidence continuing in such a dissolute and wicked life as thou doest Where is now become the vnderstanding iudgement and reason which thou hast of a man Why art thou not afraid of so horrible so certaine and so assured perils and dangers If there were a dish of meat set before thee some man albeit he were a lyer should say vnto thee refraine to touch and eat thereof for it is poysoned durst thou once aduenture to stretch out thy hand to take a taste thereof though the meat were neuer so sauorie and delicate and he neuer so great a lyer that should beare thee thus in hand If then the Prophets if the Apostles if the Euangelists yea if Almighty God himselfe doe cry out vnto thee and say Take heede thou miserable man for death is in that kind of meat and death doth lye lurking in that gluttonous morsell which the diuell hath set before thee How darest thou reach for euerlasting death with thine owne hands and drinke thine owne damnation Where is the applying of thy wits thy iudgement and the discourse and reason which thou lâ—â—st of a spirituall man Where is their light where is their force Sith that none of them doâ— bridle thee any whit from thy common vsuall vices Oh thou wretched and carelesse creature bewitched by the common enemy Satan adiâ—dged to euerlasting darknesse both inward and outward and so doest goe from one darknesse to the other Thou art blinde to see thine owne misery insensible to vnderstand thine owne perdition and harder than any Adamant to feele the hammer of Gods word Oh a thousand times most miserable thou art worthy to be lâ—mented with none other teares than with those wheâ— with thy damnation was lamented when it was said Luke 19. Oh that thou knewest this day the peace quietnesse and treasures which Al mighty God hath offered vnto thee that doe now lye hidden from thine eyes Oh miserable is the day of thy natiuitie and much more miserable the day of thy death forsomuch as that shall be the beginning of thine euerlasting damnation Oh how much better had it beene for thee neuer to haue beene born if thou shalt be damned in the horrible pit of hell for euer where the torments are perpetually durable How much better had it beene for thee neuer to haue beene baptised not yet to haue receiued the Christian faith if through the abusing thereof by thy wicked life thy damnation shall thereby be the greater For if the light of reason onely sufficeth to make the Heathen Phylosophers inexcuseable because they knowing God in some degree did not glorisie him nor serue him as the Apostle saith in the first to the Romans how much lesse shall hee be excused that hath receiued the light of faith and the water of Baptisme yea and the holy Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ hearing daily the doctrine of the Gospell if hee doe nothing more than those Pâ—gan Phylosophers haue done Now what other thing may we inferre of the premisses but briefly to conclude That there is none other vnderstanding none other wisedome none other counsell in the world but that setting aside all the impediments and combersome dangerous wayes of this life wee follow that onely true and certaine way where by true peace and euerlasting life is obtained Hereunto are we called by reason by wisedome by law by heauen by earth by hell and by the life death iustice and mercy of Almighty God Hereunto are we also very notaâ—ly iâ—uited by the holy Ghost peaking by the mouth of Ecclesiasticus in the sixt chapter in this 〈…〉 My sonne harken â—o instruction euen from the first yeares of thy youth and in thy latter dayes thou shalt enioy the sweet fruit of wisdome Approach vnto it as one that pâ—â—weâ—h and soweth and with patience expect the fruitful â—ncrease which it shall yeeld vnto thee The paines that thou shâ—lt take shall be but little and the benefits that thou shalt speedily enioy shall be great My sonne hearken to my words and neglect not this my counsell which I shall giue thee put thy feet willingly into her fetters and thy necke into her chaines bow downe thy shoulders and carry her vpon thee and be not displeased with her bonds approach neere vnto her with all thy heart and follow her wayes with all thy strength seeke for her with all thy diligence and she will make her selfe knowne vnto thee and after that thou hast found her neuer forsake her for by her shalt thou finde rest in thy latter dayes and that which before did seeme so painfull vnto thee will afterwards become very pleasant Her fetters shall be a defence of thy strength and a foundation of vertue and her chaine shall be a robe of glory for in her is the beauty of life and her bonds are the bonds of health Hetherto Ecclesiasticus Whereby thou maiest vnderstand in some degree how great the beauty the delights the liberty and riches of true wisdome are which is vertue it selfe and the knowledge of Almighty God wherof we doe intreat But if all this be insufficient to mollifie our stony hearts lift vp thine eyes and fix thy thoughts constantly to behold our omnipotent God in his mercy and loue towards sinners vpon his dying crosse where he made full satisfaction for thy sinnes There shalt thou behold him in this forâ—e his feet nailed fast looking for thee his â—rmes spread abroad to receiue thee and his head bowing downe to giue thâ—e as to â—noâ—â—er prodigall sonne nâ—w kâ—ssâ— of pâ—ace and attâ—â—â—ment From thence hee calleth thee if thou wouldest â—eare with so many callings and cries as there be wounds in his whole body Hearken thou therefore vnto these voyces and consider well with thy sâ—lfe that if his prayer he not heard that hearkeneth not vnto the cries of the poore how much lesse shall he be heaâ—d that maketh himselfe deafe to such cries as these being the most mercifull cryings of our louing sauiour and intended for our soules saluation Who is he that hath not cause to resolue himselfe whoâ—ly into teares to weepe and bewâ—ile his manifold offences Who is he that can lament and will not lament at this vnlesse he be such a one as seeth not nor careth not what great shipwracke waste and hauocke he maketh of all the riches and treasures of his soule FINIS GODLY PRAYERS NECESSARY AND VSEFVLL for Christian Families vpon seuerall occasions Therefore I say vnto you What things soeuer yee desire when yee pray beleeue that ye receiue them and ye shall haue them Printed at London for M. S. 1628. Godly Christian PRAYERS A
houshold Prayer for priuate Families in the Morning MOst mighty and glorious God the onely Craator and Gouernour of heauen and earth and all things therein contained we miserable sinners here met together by thy grace doe in thy feare prostrate our selues before thy throne of Maiesty and glory desiring in some measure to shew our vnfained thankfulnesse for thy innumerable mercies multiplied vpon vs from the first houre of our birth yea before our birth and before time was Before the foundations of the world were laid thou out of thy free loue and meere mercy didst elect vs to eternall life when thou didst reiect others Thou didst create vs after thine owne image engrauing vpon vs the characters of spirituall wisedome righteousnesse and true holinesse when it was in thy power to haue made vs like vnto the beasts that perish yea to haue equalled vs to the basest of thy creatures And when through our owne default we lost that dignity thou dist so pittie vs as to send from thine owne bosome thine onely begotten Son to recouer it for vs and to restore it to vs and that with no lesse price then his owne heart-bloud Besides it hath pleased thee continually to spread the wings of thy gracious protection ouer vs to ward and guard vs by thy prouidence to open thy hand and to replenish vs with good things to continue our life health strength food raiment peace and liberty to this very houre Thou hast euen loaded vs with thy benefits if we had hearts rightly to consider it thou renewest thy mercy toward vs euery morning and the night past hast giuen vs a testimony of thy loue For whereas for the sinnes committed the day before thou mightest euen in the dead of sleepe haue giuen vs a sodaine call out of this world and so presently haue brought vs to that great account which wee must make before thee thou vouchsafest yet to spare vs yea which is more to refresh vs with comfortable rest to preserue vs from all dangers that might haue befallen our soules or bodies and to bring vs in safety to the beginning of this day Heauenly father grant that we may not be vnmindfull of thy manifold mercies but that wee may often thinke of them and speake of them to thy glory and that the consideration thereof may stirre vs vp to deuote all the powers of our soules and members of our bodies to thy seruice Forgiue vs our former vnthankfulnesse for thy mercies and our seueral abuses of them yea pardon all our sinnes past we most humbly beseech thee for thy owne mercies sake and for thy sonnes merits Our sinnes are great and grieuous for in sinne we were borne and euer since haue we gone on in a course of sinne and rebellion against thee we doe daily breake thy holy precepts and that against the light of our owne knowledge albeit we know that thou art our Creatour who hast made vs our Redeemer who hast bought vs with the precious bloud of thy onely begotten Sonne and our Comforter who bestowest vpon vs all things needfull for our being and well-being for this life and for a better life Yea euen thee thee O Lord haue we presumed to offend that hast beene thus abundantly mercifull vnto vs. For this our vnthankefulnesse and wickednesse enter not into iudgement with vs wee most humbly beseech thee from the bottome of our hearts but haue mercy vpon vs haue mercy vpon vs most mercifull Father and in mercy wash away all our sinnes with the bloud of Iesus Christ that so they may neuer be laid to our charge nor haue power to rise vp in iudgement against vs. Pierce our hearts with a feeling of our sinnes that wee may mourne for them as wee ought to doe make vs to loath and abhorre them that we may leaue and auoid them that we may be watchfull against all occasions of sinne and circumspect ouer our owne wayes Poure thy spirit and put thy grace into our hearts that thereby we may be inabled for thy seruice and both in body and soule may glorifie thee heere that wee may be glorified of thee and with thee hereafter And as a speciall meanes to keepe vs in subiection before thee worke in vs holy Father a continuall and effectuall remembrance of this earths vanity of our owne mortality of that great and terrible iudgement to come of the paines of hell and ioyes of heauen which follow after O let the remembrance of these things be a spur to prouoke vs vnto vertue and a bridle to hold vs in from gallopping after vice and wickednesse We know not â—ow soone thou wilt set a period to our liues and call for our soules to appeare before thee whether this day or not before the euening O prepare vs therefore for the houre of death that we may then neither feare nor faint but may with ioy yeeld vp our soules into thy mercifull hands and doe thou O Father of mercy receiue them Let thy mercifull eye looke vpon vs this day shield vs from the temptations of the diuell and grant vs the custody of thy holy Angels to defend vs in all our wayes enable vs with diligence and conscience to discharge the duties of our callings and crowne all our endeauours with thy blessing without thy blessing all mans labour is but vaine doe thou therefore blesse vs in our seuerall places oh prosper thou our handy-worke Prouide for vs all things which thou knowest to be needful for euery one of vs this day Giue vs a sanctified vse of thy creatures a godly iealousie ouer ourselues a continual remembrance of thy omniscience and omnipresence that we may labour to approue our very thoughts vnto thee weane vs from the loue of this world and rauish our soules with the loue of our home and thine euerlasting Kingdome Defend the vniuersall Church the Churches of this Land especially our gracious King Charles our illustrious Queene Mary together with Prince Palatine Electour the Princesse Elizabeth his wife and their Princely issue crowne them with thy graces here and with thy glory hereafter Be with the Magistracie and Ministerie of the Realme make thy Gospell to flourish amongst vs by the labors of those whom thou hast appointed to this great seruice Comfort thine afflicted seruants in what place or case soeuer they be giue vs a fellow feeling of their miseries and wisedome to prepare our selues against the euill day Heare vs in these things and grant what else thou knowest needfull for vs not for our worthinesse but for thy Sons sake our alone Sauiour in whose name and words we conclude our imperfect prayers saying Our Father c. A houshold Prayer for priuate Families in the Euening O Glorious God in Iesus Christ our gracious Father wee wretched creatures by nature but by thy grace thy seruants and children doe here make bold to appeare before thee in the humility of our soules to performe some part of that dutie which wee owe vnto thee And
present or of the time to come or of any other meanes The damned soules thinke that all men are shooting darts at them and that all creatures haue conspired against them that euen they themselues are cruell against themselues This is that distresse whereof the sinners doe lament by the Prophet saying The sorrowes of hell haue compassed me round about and the snares of death haue besieged me For on which side so â—uâ—r they looke or turne their eyes they doe continually behold occasions of sorrow and griefe and none at all of any ease or comfort The wise Virgins saith the Euange list that stood ready prepared at the gate of the Bridegrome entred in and the gate was forthwith locked fast O locking euerlasting O enclosure immortal O gate of all goodnesse which shal neuer anâ— more be opened againe As if he had said more plainly the gate of pardon of mercy of comfort of grace oâ— intercession of hope and of all other goodnesse is shut vp for euer and euer Six dayes and no more was Manna to be gathered but the seuenth day which was the Saâ—â—bath day was there none to be found and therefore shall he fast for euer that hath not in due â—â—me made his prouision aforehand The sluggâ—rd saith he wise man will not till his ground for feare of cold and therefore shall he beg his bread in summer and no man shall giue him to eat And in another place he saith He that gathereth in summer is a wise sonne but he that giueth himselfe to sleeping at that season is the sonne of confusion For what confusion can be greater then that which that miserable couetous rich man suffereth who with a few crâ—ms of bread that fell from his table might haue purchased to himselfe abundance of euerlasting felicitie and glory in the kingdome of heauen But because he would not giue so small a thing he came to such an extreame necessity that he begged yea and shall for euer beg in vaine onely one drop of water and shall neuer obtaine it Who is not moued with that request of that vnfortunate damned person who cried O father Abraham haue compassion on me and send downe Lazarus vnto me that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and touch my tongue for these horrible flames doe torment me exceedingly What smaller request could there be desired than this He durst not request so much as one cup of water neither that Lazarus should put his whole hand into the water nor yet which is more to be wondered at did he request so much as the whole finger but onely the tip of it that it might but touch his tongue and yet euen this alone would not be granted vnto him Whereby thou maiest perceiue how fast the gate of all consolation is shut vp and how vniuersall that interdict â—d excommunication is that iâ— there laid vpon the damned siâ—h this rich Glutton could not obtaine so much as this small request So that wheresoeuer the damned persons doe turne their eyes and on which sid soeuer they stretch their hands they shall nor finde any manner of comfort â—e it neuer so small And as he that is in the Sâ—a choaked and almost drowned vnder the water not finding any stâ—y whereupon to â—â—t his foâ—t stretcheth forth his hands oftentimes on euery side in vain because all that he graspeth after is thin and liquid water which deceiues him euen so shall it fare with the damned persons when they shall be drowned in that deepe Sea of so many miseries where they shall striue and struggle alwaies with death without finding any succour or place of stay whereupon they may rest themselues Now this is one of the greatest paines wherewith they be tormented in that cursed place for if thâ—se torments should haue their continuance limited but for a certaine time though it were for a thousand yea a hundred thousand millions of yeares yet euen this would be some little comfort vnto them for nothing is perfectly great in case it haue an end But alas they haue not so much as this poore and miserable comfort but contrariwise their paines are equall in continuance with the eternity of almighty God and the lâ—sting of their misery with the eternity of Gods glory As long as almighty God shall liue so long shall they dye and when almighty God shall cease to be God then shall they also cease to be as they are O deadly life O immortall death I know not whether I may truely tearme thee either life or death for if thou be life why dost thou kil And if thou be death why doest thou endure Wherefore I will call thee neither the one nor the other for so much as in both of them there is contained something that is good as in life there is rest and in death there is an end which is a great comfort to the afflicted but thou hast neither rest nor end What art thou then Marry thou art the worst of life and the worst of death for of death thou hast the torment without any end and of life thou hast the continuance without any rest O bitter composition O vnsauory purgation of our Lords cup of the which all the sinners of the earth shall drinke their part Now in this continuance in this eternity I would wish that thou my deare Christian brother wouldst fixe the eyes of thy consideration a little while and that as the cleane beast cheweth the cud euen so thou wouldest weigh this point within thy selfe with great deliberation And to the intent thou maiest doe it the better consider a little the paines that a sicke man abideth in one euill night especially if he be vexed with any vehement griefe or sharpe disease Marke how oft he tumbleth and tossâ—th in his bed what disquietnesse he hath how long tedious one night seemeth vnto him how duâ—ly he counteth all the houres of the clocke and how long he deemeth each houre of them to be how he passeth the time in wishing for the dawning of the day which notwithstanding is like to helpe him little towards the curing of his disease If this then be accounted so great a torment what torment shall that be thinke you in that euerlasting night in hell which hath no morning nor so much as any hope of any dawning of the day O darknesse most obscure O night euerlasting O night accuâ—sed euen by the mouth of almighty God and all his Saints That one shall wish for light and shall neuer see it neither shall the brightnesse of the morning arise any more Consider then what a kinde of torment shall that be to liue euerlastingly in such a night as this is lying not in a soft bed as the sicke man doth but in a hot burning furnace feming out such terrible raging flames What shoulders shall be able to abide those horrible heats If it seeme to vs as a thing intollerable to haue onely some part of our feet