thee the Lord of Lords and the King of kings creating at the beginning ruling all things euermore in heauen and earth according to thy wonderfull wisedome and power and our selues to be thy poore seruants the worke of thy hands and the shéepe of thy pasture subiected to thy Maiestie and depending vpon thy fatherlie prouidence for all things 2 Neuerthelesse séeing thou in thy wisedome annointest Kings and Quéenes appointing them to rule ouer thy people to sit as Lieutenants in thy seate to minister iustice and most of all as Fathers and Nurses to mainteine and cherish thy Church commanding vs not onlie to obey and honour them but moreouer to praie for them as watching ouer vs for our good 3 We therefore beséech thée for the great mercies sake and for Iesus Christes sake to shew thy mercie to all Kings and Princes that mainteine thy glorious Gospell but especiallie we praie thée to blesse our most gratious Queene and gouernour Elizabeth thine handmaid with all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus and with all temporall blessings according to thy good pleasure that in the great measures of thy effectuall loue she may more and more finde great increase of vertue and wisedome and strength in Christ Iesus to the faithfull and happie discharge of her dutie that her holinesse and ioie and zeale of thy house may be multiplied and euerlasting 4 And séeing it hath pleased thée of thy singular mercie to giue her this speciall honour first to suffer for thy glorious truth and afterward miraculouslie deliuering her out of the hands of her enimies to set a crowne vpon her head and to make her the instrument to aduance thy glorie and Gospell for which she suffered and to bring it out of darkenes into light out of persecution into this great and long peace 5 As we giue thée most hartie thankes for this singular benefite so we beséech thée to make her and vs euermore thankefull for it and in thy good pleasure still to preserue her for the continuance of these blessings towards vs with all increase from time to time to thy glorie the benefite of the Church and her infinite peace in Christ Iesus the prince of peace 6 And furthermore we praie thée for her and the estate that such as be enimies of the Gospell and her enimies also for the defence thereof may not despise the peace offered them to repentance but that they may account thy long suffering and her peaceable and vnbloudie gouernement an occasion of saluation to their soules and vnfeigned loue to the truth and their mercifull souereigne Otherwise if they still remaine disobedient to the truth rebellious to her highnesse and dangerous to the state then O God of our saluation as thou hast discouered them so discouer them still as thou hast preuented them so preuent them still and let their eies waxe wearie with looking and their hearts faint with waiting for the comming of that which yet commeth not neither let it come O Lord we beséech thee but a blessed and a long reigne to her and peace to Sion for euermore 7 Also deare father so blesse so loue so in thy spirit sanctifie and kéepe her that she may in the spirit of counsell and fortitude so rule that other sister also namelie this her Commonwealth that they may flourish together and growe vp together as palme trées in beautie and in strength giuing aide and helpe one to another that in the Church the glorie of God may appeare as the Sunne in his brightnesse and that the land may flowe with milke and honie and true peace abound therein as in the triumphant reigne of Debora 8 These graces O Lord are great and we miserable sinners vnworthie of the least of them therefore looke not to vs but to thy selfe not to our iniquities but to thy great mercies accepting the death and passion of thy Sonne as a full ransome for all our offences throwing them into the bottome of the sea and making his crosse and resurrection effectuall in vs to all obedience and godlinesse as becommeth thy Saincts that to all other thy good blessings towards our gratious souereigne this may be added that she gouerneth blessedlie ouer a blessed people a people blessed of the Lord and beloued of the Lord. 9 Yea Lord that thy graces may abound as the waters of the Sea in the Prince and in the people in the Church and in the Common-wealth from daie to daie till the daie of our translation into thy kingdome where iustice inhabiteth where also we shall inhabite and reigne with thée according to thy promise for euer Graunt these things O mercifull father for thy deare sonne our Lord Iesus Christ his sake in whose name we craue them at thy mercifull hand praieng furthermore for them as he hath taught vs to praie Our Father which art in heauen c. The third Branch of Thankesgiuing Generallie deciphering in a pithie and ample meditation Gods great goodnes manifestlie appearing in the diuersitie of the blessings wherwith he hath crowned man Also a praier for grace to be thankefull The contents more particularlie lie open in the sequeale The first Blossome 1 An inuocation or calling vpon God ioined with submission 2 An acknowledgement of Gods manifold blessings and his prouidence 3 A petition for the gratious gift of thankefulnes 4 Testimonies of Gods infinite loue and of the effects of the shining Sunne 5 The sundrie vses of Gods good creatures appointed for mans releefe 6 Ornaments of the minde 7 A request for true knowledge and perceiuerance with the operation of the same 8 Another for thankefulnes 9 What sacrifice God delighteth in 10 A supplication for grace to offer vp the same 1 SEtting before vs O most mercifull louing father the godlie Patriarches the holie Prophets the true Conuerts the constant Martyrs all such as haue loued thy glory far aboue their owne life we prostrate our selues with all submission on of soule and spirit before thy throne of Maiestie humblie beseeching thée for Iesus Christ his sake who is the fulnes of our tore and comfort to bend downe thine eares and to heare the praiers which we powre foorth before thée and for thy sonne sake in whom thou art well pleased grant the request of thy seruants made vnto thée at this present 2 We know most gratious God and louing father yea we cannot but in conscience acknowledge and with tongue confesse that manifold yea innumerable are the gifts which thou hast heaped vpon vs yea so manie are they that we can not with voice vtter neither yet in heart conceiue the greatnes and worthines of them For wheras all other creatures are made framed and fashioned to serue the vse of man and to yéeld themselues obedient and tractable to his commandement and gouernment onelie man representing and bearing thine owne image and likenesse ruleth as a Lord and reigneth as a king ouer all creatures indued with life yea there is nothing within the compasse
kingdome of heauen 6 To be short and to speake summarilie in this pit is the portion of all such as haue cast the commandements of God contemptuouslie behind them couetous persons robbers adulterers swearers rebels blasphemers bloud-suckers extortioners vsurers idle liuers wantons enimies to Gods truth Antichristians liers false disciples teachers of diuelish doctrines prophaners of holie things superstitious persons sowers of sects and schismes in the Church Atheists Nullifidians Apostataes mainteiners of erronious opinions Papists and to conclude all that liue after the flesh blundering like Bitelles in blindnes hating the light like Bats and Owles whose lot is to drinke the dregs of Gods wrath and vengeance out of a full cup to their comfortlesse condemnation The second Chapter 1 Of the waie of the righteous 2 Nothing can hurt them whom the Lord defendeth 3 Of the power of God and his grace also who are fortunate and who miserable 4 The same opened and prooued by one speciall example instead of manie 5 What we must do if we will walke in the waie of the Lord. 6 Of the waie of righteousnes and who walke in the same 7 Wholsome counsels and admonitions THen since it is apparent by this recitall of offenders who they be that walke in the wide waie that leadeth to destruction it is soone to be gathered who they be that abhorre and auoide who they be that detest and defie it woorse than a Scorpion which stingeth vnto death 1 The waies of the righteous are in the hands of God and he disposeth the footesteps of the iust he is at the elbowe of the faithfull to staie them from falling and by his spirit he maketh their treadings stedfast How then is it possible for the godlie man to miscarrie hauing the Lord God his gratious gouernour 2 What afflictions can alter his happines that hath the King of glorie to be his helper What weapon can wound his soule that is armed at all points with the spirit of fortitude and strength What temptations can ouercome him whose right hand holdeth fast the sword of Gods word which cutteth in sunder whatsoeuer it smiteth and pearseth betwéene the marrowe and the bones 3 With whome Gods power is present nothing can turne to his annoiance Before whome the grace of God breaketh the yse his passage cannot be perillous and therefore that man is most happie and fortunate whome God vouchethsafe to gouerne as he contrariwise is most miserable and accursed whom the spirit of the Almightie hath forsaken 4 Examples hereof are in the holie Scriptures most plentifullie to be gathered For let vs but looke vnto the two first sonnes of Adam Caine and Abell who being brethren and both comming of the loines of the same parents were notwithstanding contrarie in all respects the one a murtherer the other a Martyr the one bloudthirstie and violent the other mercifull and innocent the first a persecuter the second a sufferer the elder refused the yonger receiued Caine accursed Abell blessed Héere we sée the effects of Gods grace and his iudgements in one example for manie 5 But to returne vnto the footepath of felicitie which is nothing else but the waie wherein the Lord hath commanded vs to walke it is necessarie that we heare the counsel of the holie scripture namelie that if we will be perfect we must walke before the Lord as Noah did who for so doing was called the iust and vpright man of his time Salomons aduice ought not onelie to be receiued but also folowed who teacheth vs a néere and readie waie to the footepath of felicitie exhorting vs in all our waies to thinke vpon God and he will direct our steps 6 There is a beginning of this good waie which the wicked haue not the grace to attaine vnto but it pleaseth the Lord to reueale it to the iust This beginning is expresselie noted by the holie Ghost to be righteousnes which is the greatest riches that anie Christian hart can wish This waie of righteousnes is the Lords waie it is the holie waie wherein the Iewes in Esaies time and in them we and our posterities after vs are commanded to walke without shrinking aside either to the right hand or to the left 7 In this waie being the waie of perfection it is not possible for vs vnlesse we put off our imperfections to walke for it is a sanctified and holie waie and therefore nothing that is common or vncleane can treade in the same Let the counsell of Tobie teach vs what to do in this case namelie to beséech the Lord that he would guide our paths and direct vs in our waies Let vs harken to the counsell of Dauid and praie as he praied Staie my steps in thy paths O Lord that my féete do not slide For the saieng of Salomon is most agréeable vnto truth That the heart of man purposeth his waie but the Lord doth direct his steps Let vs therefore go vp to the Lords hill and to the house of the God of Iacob and he shall teach vs his waies that we may treade in his pathes The third Chapter 1 The maner how we ought to examine our selues whether we walke in the waie of the Lord or no and first of our Christian beliefe 2 Of the keeping of the commandements and how we haue discharged our duties therein 3 Of the violating of the sabboth daie and how it is prophaned 4 The sundrie waies whereby concupiscence is kindled 5 A testimonie and token of ae cleere and vnguiltie conscience HOW shall a man persuade himselfe that he walketh in the waie of the Lord and is guided and conducted by his grace Let him enter into his own conscience and call to examination his continual trade of life conuersation thus communing with his owne heart 1 Hast thou perfourmed the solemne vowe which thou madest with God in thy baptisme Hast thou renounced and detested the diuell and all his workes Hast thou beléeued in God the father in God the sonne and in God the holie Ghost Hast thou bene a mainteiner of the ancient and apostolicall faith which acknowledgeth the incarnation of Iesus Christ his passion his descension his resurrection his ascension and his glorification 2 Hast thou bene an vnfeigned worshipper of God and not mingled his diuine and sincere seruice with mens imaginations vaine ceremonies irreligious rites superstitious traditions and hereticall constitutions Hast thou not bene derogatorie in thought word nor déede to the honour of God whereby he hath bene depriued of some part of his glorie Hast thou not bene a worshipper of images a fauourer of idolatrie a popish canonist an anoiled sacramentarie a Franciscane a Dominicane a Trinitarie a popish Sectarie a Iesuite a seede of Antichrists seminarie a bringer in of nouelties into the Church to the sowing of sectes schismes and heresies Hast thou not bene a swearer a forswearer a blasphemer a lier a dissembler an hypocrite and false-hearted whereby thou hast taken the name of God in vaine and abused
the calling of a Christian Hast thou not béene obstinate of life rebellious and disobedient casting behinde thée the commandements of thy parents 3 Hast thou not béene a breaker of the holie Sabboth which God himselfe sanctified for the imitation of all men that with circumcised harts they should celebrate and solemnize the same Hast thou not applied that daie seuered to holie exercises to vaine pastimes for thine owne pleasure and recreation yea hast thou not spent it in beastlie behauiour as in Epicurisme bellie cheare sensualitie Gentilisme and otherwise than the precise vocation of a well reformed Christian requireth Hast thou not bene maliciouslie minded enuious mercilesse vncharitable couetous an extortioner a briber a â—surer a violent oppresser a defrauder of the poore a gréedie gatherer all which with thousands the like enormities tend to the violating of the lawe of God 4 Hast thou not bene wanton lewd lecherous bawdie in speach and communication a defiler of thy vessell an adulterus person led into sundrie lusts and concupiscences a tempter of maidens and wiues to naughtines an allurer of yong damsels to the violating of their virginitie a singer of light songs and sonets a teller of tales and stories of loue and what loue is a nice danser and such like all which tend to the peruerting of honestie and are as it were bellowes to blowe and kindle the fire of fleshlie lust and concupiscence Hast thou not bene a priuie pilferer an open â—reaâ—er a robber a theefe an vsurper of that which is not thine owne a challenger of another mans right a false dealer a seeker after filthie lucre and a shamelesse slaunderer which is a kinde of stealth most detestable Hast thou not coueted this and that as thou hast bene caried awaie with the violence of thy desires knowing that although it might make for thy profite yet it could not but turne to the damage of thy brother 5 Hast thou offended in these cases or art thou cleare If thou haue so walked that thy conscience can pleade faultles vngiltie betwixt thée and thine innocencie then maist thou boldlie beléeue that the grace of God is thy guide and gouernour then maist thou be assured that thou art in the verie footepath to felicitie passing into the land of promise Hierusalem the Lords citie not built with hands as subiect to ruine and corruption but eternall and euerlasting The fourth Chapter 1 None is voide of sinne no not one all haue transgressed and gone astraie 2 The mercie of God the cause of mans restitution after his fall 3 To what end Christ suffered torments in this world 4 None is able to fulfill the commandements of God and that God hath a regard to our infirmities 5 What he must do that would liue eternallie BUT alas what is he that hath not offended Is there anie man that is able to stand in triall of his innocencie 1 Our parents sinne stained vs and their transgression was deliuered to vs by line all descent how then can we comming of vnrighteous parents be inculpable and blamelesse children Truth it is A corrupt trée bringeth forth corrupt fruite and pitch defileth them that touch it 2 Neuerthelesse the mercie of God was such after the fall of Adam and Eue in Paradise that in the bloud of his sonne shed vpon the crosse in the open face of the world he wrought his restitution and placed him in the hope of saluation from whence before he fell 3 This did he to the end that by his death the force of sinne being broken and the power of Sathan crushed we might no longer wallowe in the mire of filthines like swine but reare vp our selues to heauen there to haue our harts fixed where he sitteth in whome the fulnes of our felicitie is reposed 4 And though the lawe of the Lord be so vpright and iust and our nature so corrupt and defiled that we haue no abilitie nor power of our selues to fulfill the commandements for we haue not so much as the least sparkle of sufficiencie in this consideration such is our pronenesse to do amisse yet the Lord God is so louing vnto vs that he holdeth himselfe contented with our weake working of his will for his sonnes sake in whome our want is supplied 5 Who so therefore is desirous to taste of the fruite of the trée of life and to drinke of the pleasant running riuers of rest who so I saie longeth after true happines and faine would sée good daies let him endeuour to the vttermost of his might to tame and bridle his wandering desires which if they be not brought vnder and constrained to grone vnder the yoke of subiection he shall haue his mind so bent vpon transitorie vanities and his wilso wedded to this wicked world that the light of his vnderstanding being put out he shall neuer finde the footepath of faith leading the high waie to heauen In this respect therefore let vs learne what is to be done The fift Chapter 1 The looking glasse of Gods word and the effects of the same 2 The dignitie of man in comparison of al other creatures 3 His state in the first Adam and his state in the second 4 The assaultes of Sathan notwithstanding our redemption and what we must do in temptation 5 Our duties towards God for his gratious giftes and benefites in prosperitie 1 THOU that wouldst treade the footepath to felicitie must take into thy hands the looking glasse of Gods word where thou shalt see in thy selfe all the staines and blemishes of sinne and shalt likewise finde in a readines swéete water to wash them awaie and to cleanse thée from all such filthines and pollusion 2 There thou shalt sée the dignitie of man in comparison of all other creatures he onelie being indued with reason and all other liuing things beside lead by lust Consider of this excellent blessing be thankfull for it and giue God the glorie This is the footepath to felicitie 3 Againe let this be thy dailie meditation that through the fall of the first Adam thou becamest a castawaie but by the death of the second Adam thine attonement in his bloudshed being accomplished thou wast receiued againe into fauour Consider of this excellent blessing be thankefull for it and giue God the glorie This is the footepath to felicitie 4 And though thy redemption be wrought by and through the innocent passion of Christ yet Sathan thy cankered enimie is assaulting thée afresh with newe traines and snares séeking to vndermine thée praie God to fortifie thy faith cast out thine anchor on the firme land of constancie crie for helpe at his hand whose helpe is in a readines repose all thy hope in him that hath care of thy safetie and is of power to confound thy ghostlie enimie Consider of this excellent blessing be thankefull for it and giue God the glorie This is the footepath to felicitie 5 If thou be crowned with the graces and gifts of God either corporall or
mentall as with welth wisedome strength comlines possessions children knowledge vnderstanding faith honestie credit estimation and such like Consider of this excellent blessing be thankefull for it and giue God the glorie This is the footepath to felicitie If thou haue a house to hide thy head in lodging fit for thy naturall nightes rest and quietnes cloathing to couer thy shame and nakednes sustenance to preserue thée aliue substance to mainteine thy house and familie Consider of this excellent blessing be thankefull for it and giue God the glorie This is the footepath to felicitie The sixt Chapter 1 What we ought to do when God punisheth vs with aduersitie 2 Affliction in bodie and conscience with an exhortation to patience 3 Of what behauiour we should be in the alterat ion of our state 4 Considerations for him that is disfranchised either for some offence committed or otherwise 1 MOreouer if thou be punished of the Lord for thy sinne either in thy wife children or anie other thing that thou possessest despaire not therefore neither let diffidence or mistrust ransacke thy soule and drowne thée in disquietnes Consider of this fatherlie chastisement be thankefull for it and giue God the glorie This is the footepath to felicitie 2 If thou be afflicted in thine owne bodie and pricked in conscience at the horrour of thy sinne cal to God for comfort beséech him to mitigate and asswage thine anguish and to set thée at libertie Let this be thy meditation dailie in patience pitch thy pauilion be thankefull for it and giue God the glorie This is the footepath to felicitie 3 If thou wast once rich and now art poore once in plentie now in penurie once a maister now a seruant once a commander now an obeier once fauoured now forsaken once clothed now naked once a harbourer now harbourles once a man now a wretch Consider thy condition God can raise thée vp as he hath throwne thée downe murmur not at his chastisements for he punisheth his children in compassion like a Father and not with rigour like a Tyrant in anie case be thankefull and giue him the glorie This is the footepath to felicitie 4 If thou hauing bene sometimes a Citizen art now an alien be not therewithall discontented he can worke thy restitution by whose sufferance thou art fallen into that condition Consider whereof this alteration sprang either from some offence which purchased vnto thée this punishment or from a good cause as the quarell of Christ and his holie gospell the profession whereof hath brought thee into such extremitie O be ioiful and glad in this respect thy banishment is libertie thy heauines is comfort thy bitternes is swéetnes thy shame is fame thy dammage is aduantage thy losse is lucre thy death is life Consider this throughlie faint not vnder the crosse but praie vnto the Lord to arme thée with constancie and patience shewing thy selfe thankefull giuing vnto God the glorie This is the footepath to felicitie The seuenth Chapter 1 The dutie of all such as beare office in a Common-wealth principallie towards God and consequentlie towards man 2 Admonitions for fathers of families and housholders concerning domesticall gouernement 3 Lessons for all estates and degrees 4 Exhortations vnto the rich and the poore 5 The peruerse state of the world 6 Of the waie of death and of such as walked therein 7 Of the waie of life and what is to be done of such as would walke in the same 1 FUrthermore if thou bearest office in the Common-wealth and hast autoritie to command by vertue of thy place praie to God to direct thy spirit by his spirit of equitie and iudgement that thy vocation may be so followed and discharged as that by thy sinceritie and vprightnes thou maist become a mirrour to all magistrates and officers Praie instantlie that this may so come to passe it is his speciall blessing be thankefull for it and giue God the glorie This is the footepath to felicitie 2 If thou be a housekéeper and hast hanging on thy hands wife children seruants and a familie first sée that God be sincerelie serued and then thou thy selfe honoured In the morning powre foorth thy praiers vnto God vnfeignedlie beséeching him to guide thée thy whole houshold in his faith feare and loue trulie and vprightlie to followe their functions and callings at their handiworke or other exercise whatsoeuer it be put them in minde of Gods goodnes and instill into their eares wholesome precepts of Christian knowledge At noone tide preparing to dinner laie before them in plaine speach according to their slender capacities the tender care and fatherlie loue of God in prouiding for them such foode as is requisite toward the supportation and maintenance of life wherevpon put them in minde to haue alwaies in their hearts a reguter of Gods care ouer his déere children whose bowels of compassion are so farre extended that he will not sée his people perish through penurie and want of necessarie prouision The like exercise also vse at supper and at euerie ordinarie and extraordinarie refection that as the externall elementarie sustance which entreth in at the mouth and goeth downe the stomach where after it is digested it is dispearsed by iust measure and proportion to the nourishment of all their bodilie members so their minds may be fed fat with the foode of the soule that is with spirituall exercises holy meditations godly thoughts Christian conuersation obedience whatsoeuer else is acceptable in the sight of God When the night approcheth by reason of the declining and shrinking of the Sunne to the westerne angle of the world call together like a good shepheard thy whole familie or flocke and thou among them as a perfect patterne of pietie knéeling downe with humilitie thanke God for the vse of the daie past for the luckie successe of your labours for his louing kindnes in preseruing you from perill and beséech him with integritie and holines of heart to make this night comfortable vnto you to ouershadowe you with the shield of safetie when you are asléepe that you may by no meanes be indangered but as you lie downe so you may rise vp the beloued of the Lord and the adopted children of your heauenlie Father Consider these circumstances and account them all Gods blessings ascribe nothing to thy selfe which art a lumpe of sin but attribute all vnto Gods prouidence which hath wrought all in all be thankefull for it and giue the glorie to his eternall name This is the footepath of faith which leadeth the high waie to heauen 3 To speake of all states and degrées of people generallie and inclusiuelie If thou be King or Quéene noble or vnnoble forren or frée maister or seruant rich or poore acknowledge thy selfe but dust and ashes be not proude in thine owne conceite glorie in nothing vaunt of nothing bragge of nothing remembring the saieng of Paule what hast thou that thou hast not receiued and that of Iob
abhominations How farre these swine are from the footepath to felicitie anie man may iudge 5 It is not to be spoken for the truth trieth it selfe that these men sit in the shadowe of death and though they séeme to haue their heauen in this life yet doubtles both their féete are in hell mouth and their bodies and soules are like to followe one daie except the wonderfull grace of God and his vnspeakeable mercie worke in them a strange and vnthought vpon alteration For no man of himselfe can streighten his crookednes plaine his roughnes soften his hardnes swéeten his sowrenes tame his wildnes refourme his wickednes cleanse his filthines supplie his vnperfectnes this is the worke of Gods spirit the aide and assistance whereof we must séeke by praier and inuocation before we can treade the footepath to felicitie 6 Now séeing that we are subiect vnto falling and not able to stand vnlesse the Lord staie vs moreouer for that the waie of the King and the begger in respect of this life is all one Againe séeing we haue a daie of resurrection when we all shall receiue as we haue deserued paine in hell or ioie in heauen were it not madnes naie were it not desperatenes in vs the cogitation of these things with a number more neglected to runne on still with full raine in wickednes to become slaues to sinne to serue Sathan to fight against God to adnihilate or make of none effect the merits of Christs passion to minister occasion to the Angels of mourning to gréeue the holie Ghost to buffet and wound thine owne soule to throwe thy selfe wilfullie into destruction I thinke yes what is thine opinion 7 Well fare the prodigall childe for he wandering in this wrong waie and being touched in conscience and taught that he was not right retired and came home with a sorrowfull song and lamentable outcrie Father I haue sinned Well fare Marie Magdalene for she trauelling in this bypath of perdition and inwardlie called to a reformation of her filthie life for she was a gréeuous sinner submitted her selfe fell on the ground stooped knéeled vpon her knées washed the féete of Iesus with her teares and wiped them with the heares of her head Well fare the poore and contemned Publicane for he in the heauines of his hart lamented that euer he ranne at randon in this crooked waie he thumped his breast with his fistes and from the verie bottome of his heart cried out for mercie saieng O Lord haue mercie vpon me a sinner Well fare the Niniuites for they hauing gone astraie like lost shéepe and walking in the waie of sinners which is the waie of death heard the Prophet Ionas ringing vnto them the alarum bell of repentance and being reuoked from their wickednes escaped threatened destruction Well fare Ioseph that paterne of integritie and vprightnes for he would not in anie wise walke with the wife of Potiphar in the waie of wantonnes her alluring lookes her flattering enticements her proffered violence her instant and importunate temptations notwithstanding These with millians more may teach and instruct such as tender the saluation of their owne soules that it is better to treade the streight and narrowe path of vertue and innocencie which leadeth vnto life though it séeme vnpleasant and troublesome than to wander in the wide waie of wickednes which tendeth vnto eternall death though it be most delectable and fragrant for this is no footepath to felicitie 8 But wo worth that cruell cutthrote whose maister hauing forgiuen him a great debt euen the summe of ten thousand talents arrested his fellowseruant for a debt of an hundred pence cruellie cast him in prison and would not release him till he had discharged the whole summe which was but fiue and twentie shillings This fellowe walked in the waie of wickednes and therefore he is condemned vnto death eternall Wo vnto that graceles and dissembling sonne who being commanded of his father to go and worke in his Uineyard answered that he would and yet went not but spent the time otherwise vnthriftilie this man walked in the waie of disobedience which is sinne and therefore is in danger of eternall death Wo vnto those merciles husbandmen vnto whome the trauelling housholder hauing let out his Uineyard and requiring the increase of the fame by his seruants whome he had sent to that purpose was not onlie withstoode in his message but had not onelie his seruants but also his onelie sonne the heire of all his lands kéeping possession abused beaten and killed These husbandmen for their crueltie and vniust dealing shall abie at the daie of iudgement and as they walked in the waie of death so death euen euerlasting death shall be their portion Wo vnto those vnthankefull and careles worldlings who being solemnelie inuited and bidden to that great supper in the Gospell excused themselues by the necessitie of their weightie affaires and refused to come for they in so doing neglected their owne soules health therby most wilfullie ran in danger of eternall death Wo vnto him that being vngarnished with a wedding garment durst notwithstanding sit downe at the banket for he in so doing did highlie offend the maister of the feast and by his presumption ranne in danger of death and damnation Wo vnto that yong man whom Christ by his owne mouth taught how to become perfect namelie by selling all that he had and giuing it vnto the poore which doctrine séeming bitter vnto him and too sharp for his digestion he departed too too heauie and sorrowfull as very loth to pay so deare for heauenlie treasure This rich Gentleman would not pay so hie a price for the discipline of Christ and therefore was so much the further off from life and saluation by how much he was nearer vnto death and condemnation Wo vnto that couetous foole who hauing his hart set vpon his halfepenie inlarged his barnes to receiue his plentifull crop singing swéetelie to his soule Be merrie and take thine ease thou hast wealth enough for manie yeares not mistrusting or doubting anie thing that the diuels were agréed that same night to fetch his soule away And thus he wretched worldling walked in the way of death and destruction Wo vnto the vncleane beastlie Gergesens among whom Christ working manie miracles was so farre from any curteous intertainment that he was desired for the safetie of their swine to depart from their coasts thus preferring their hogs before their souls health they wilfullie walked the way of death and vtter desolation not passing a point for the footepath to felicitie 9 The Scripture abounding with such examples teacheth vs the danger of walking in darkenesse and sitting in the shadowe of death And therefore néeding no better schoolemaister vnto Christ let vs be content to learne in them the wholsome lessons of life which if we print in the tables of our hart kéepe grauen in memorie as in a marble stone to imitate and followe them to be ruled
and guided by them to square and frame the whole course of our life by their rule we shall not onelie not walk in the wais of the wicked to eate with them in hel fire the bread of affliction and to drinke the dregs of torments but we shall tread in the footepath of the godlie at last enter into the Common wealth of Israel the kingdome of heauen which God grant Amen The tenth Chapter 1 Of waies the sundrie kinds 2 Of the way of life opened by authoritie of Scripture 3 A lesson how to be perfect and vpright 4 The safetie of such as walke in the Lords way 5 The benefites flowing from this way 6 The mischiefe folowing the transgression of Adam and Eue. 7 Notable mens names remembred who walked in Gods way and of the eternitie of the word 8 The excellencie of the Lords way set forth by similitudes 9 Peters boldnesse in venturing to tread the Lords way without the staffe of faith 10 Of ten leapers and the thankefull Samaritane 11 That we of England are like to the Gaderens 12 Of Marie Magdalene Ioanna and Susanna and what we may learne of them 13 What we must doe if we meane to walke in the Lords way and of the merchant and the husbandman by way of example 14 Of Nichodemus who sought the way of the Lord by night 15 Of the pretiousnesse of our soules 16 The way of the Lord and the waies of the world are quite contrarie 17 How they differ is proued by things that vtterlie disagree 18 All creatures couet places correspondent to their nature of the Salamander and the Hydra with an application of this doctrine 19 The immortalitie of the soule and a lesson for all Christians to learne 20 A praier or request that it would please God to guide our feete in his way 1 THere is a waie for the birds in the aire a waie for the beasts in the field a waie for the wormes in the earth a waie for the fish in the sea There is a waie for the winde a waie for the raine a waie for the sunne a waie for the moone There is a waie from the East a waie from the West a waie from the North a waie from the South There is a crooked waie a streight waie a rough waie and a plaine waie There is a sandie waie a stonie waie a soft waie and a hard waie There is a waie aboue a waie beneath a waie before a waie behinde a waie on the right hand and a waie on the left There is an open waie a secret waie a darke waie a bright waie There is a waie to hell a waie to heauen a waie to death and a waie to life Of this last waie I meane to open the commoditie and so to make a conclusion 2 The waie to life euerlasting is the waie wherein we all should walke it is the safe waie for the soule to saue it from all annoiances all other waies this onelie excepted are dangerous to enter for they are darke lanes as it were leading to the dungeon of death The excellencie of this way is such as that it cannot be described For it is the way of God euen his owne way established in righteousnesse and perfection And therefore the Prophet verie notablie speaking of this matter hath this worthie sentence My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are my waies your waies saith the Lord. As if he should say your thoughts are vncleane corrupt earthie vile vnpure vnperfect sinfull abominable wicked variable momentanie vncertaine wauering for they are ingendered in your hearts which are nothing else but a sinkehole of sinfulnesse a dunghill of naughtinesse a puddle of filthinesse a lake of vncleannesse and what is worst that is your heart As for your waies they are no better Thus by an antithesis or opposition the Lord teacheth vs what his waies are euen the waies of truth righteousnesse puritie and perfection wherein who soeuer walketh no doubt he is in the high way to heauen and treadeth the footepath to felicitie 3 Abraham being nintie nine yeares old was instructed and taught how to become perfect the Lord appearing vnto him and giuing him his lesson in that behalf I am God all sufficient walke before me that is kéepe thée within the compasse of my paths wander not this way or that way but walke in one way euen my way and be thou vpright There was no meanes either for Abraham or anie other holie man to vse wherby to attaine and come to vprightnesse but onlie the walking in the way of the Lord as we may sée prooued confirmed in this place by Gods owne mouth How preposterouslie therefore they goe to woorke which séeke sinisterlie and indirectlie to recouer perfection and vprightnesse some building vpon traditions of men some vpon custome some vpon ceremonies some vpon Paule some vpon Apollo some vpon Cephas some vpon good woorkes some vpon merits some vpon pardons some vpon indulgences some vpon pilgrimages some vpon professions all which to be but sand Christ the rocke refused a blind man may discerne For is this to walke in the waie of the Lord nothing lesse 4 This waie of the Lord is the waie of beautie peace saith Salomon it is the waie of holinesse saith Esaie it is the waie of streightnesse éeuennesse plainnesse and smoothnesse saie Ose and Ieremie in this waie whosoeuer walketh the moone shall not hurt him by night nor the sunne annoie him by day the pestilence shall not touch him the arrowes of the hunter shall not wound him he shall not stumble nor hit his foot against a stone the Lord will ouershadowe him with the shield of safetie the Lord will be his defence his buckler his speare against all his enimies no lightning from aboue no earthquake beneath no consuming fire on this side no raging sea on that no element no planet finallie no creature shall do him anie harme This honor will the Lord vouchsafe all such as walke in his waie which is the waie of life the high waie to heauen and the footepath to felicitie 5 Dauid oppressed with the crueltie of his enimies and fearing great dangers calleth vnto God for succour His petition consisting of manie partes whereof some concerne himselfe othersome his aduersaries this is one thing which he craueth at the hands of his maker Make thy waie plaine before my face saith that good man Giuing vs to vnderstand that by walking in the waie of the Lord we haue our felicitie fulfilled as by the contrarie the measure of our confusion and cursednes is made vp Yea to walke in the waie of the Lord is the rule to make our crooked waies streight the plainer to make our rugged waies smooth the lanthorne to make our darke waies bright and lightsome according to that saieng of the Prouerbewriter The waie of the righteous shineth as the light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect daie This is the waie of wisdome and
deliuered before at large A Listning eare that loues to learne how to amend that is amisse By grace diuine shall haue the choice of that which good healthfull is Resist the force and strength of sinne with spirituall artillerie Absteine froÌ„ noisome lusts This is the footepath to felicitie Haue alwaies in rememberance Christ Iesus crucifide to death And let the same thy comfort be till vtter gaspe of life and breath Meeke minded be all pride detest and learne of Christ humilitie Forbeare thy furious foe This is the footepath to felicitie Lament the lacke of faith and truth which lies forsaken and forlorne Exhort to peace where it doth want and of the needie thinke no scorne Make much of such as pleasure take in fostring loue and charitie In such is hope of grace This is the footepath to felicitie Nothing so much doth like the Lord as louing of his heauenlie lawe Giue eare therto and from the same let no alurement thee withdrawe An vpright life delight to leade thy lust keepe in captiuitie By vertue honour seeke This is the footepath to felicitie Reuolt not from the word of truth but euen to death the same professe And make account that thy reward will be eternall happinesse Hell is the hire of euerie one that is to truth an enimie A true beleeuer die This is the footepath to felicitie Marke what reposed is in heauen for such as do their maisters will Free libertie from thraldoms yoke and blessed Angels food their fill Lord lighten thou our mistie eâ—â—s that we may loue the veritie Extend to vs thy spirit This is the footepath to felicitie Make vs to ioie in nothing more than in thy word procuring peace I meane thy Gospell full of grace the loue whereof O Lord increase New harts new minds create in vs and make vs like thy maiestie Good like thy selfe so shall we finde the footepath to felicitie Amen FINIS A Guide to Godlinesse diuided into three speciall branches namelie Confession Petition Thanksgiuing and their seuerall blossomes A Christian treatise and no lesse sweete and comfortable than necessarie and profitable to be read both for common and priuate vse c. BY ABRAHAM FLEMING 1. Timoth. 4 8. Godlines is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that which is to come ¶ Printed at London by Henrie Denham dwelling in Pater noster rowe at the signe of the Starre 1581. A Preface to the true Christian Reader AMong all the meanes which God hath ordeined to bring man to the state of blessednes I finde praier to be pretious profitable and necessarie Pretious because it is the incense which we are commanded to burne vnto the Lord in the sanctuarie of our harts pretious I saie because thereby we obteine at the hands of God whatsoeuer tendeth to the good estate of the soule and yet once againe pretious because the Lord God at the ascending thereof vp into heauen stretcheth foorth his bountifull hand and largelie bestoweth vpon vs whatsoeuer is beneficiall for our mortall bodies Profitable because it procureth vnto vs the ministration of all maner commodities behoofull for this life For it is the onlie instrument which we are commanded by Christ in the Gospell to vse if we stand in neede of anie thing either temporall or spirituall during our pilgrimage in this life as the verie words of our sauiour seeme to import in this sense saieng Whatsoeuer ye aske of the father in my name it shall be giuen you Againe Aske and ye shal haue as if he said If ye aske not ye are worthie to want because you neglect the vse of the precept Now who is so ignorant but knoweth that the asking which Christ meaneth is praier For to aske of God is not to aske after the maner of men with a kind of carnal and corruptible affection the end where of is to staie the force of concupiscence or desire and the obteining of that which is required but it is an inward secret heauenlie by we are so farre from profiting that of our selues we should waxe worse and worse 3 For the more light of knowledge is shewed the blinder would we remaine the greater obedience is taught the frowarder and stubberner would we become if thou by the mightie working of thy holie spirit shouldest not cause it to be fruitefull And although we haue this naturall corruption in common with the whole rotten race of Adam yet we confesse that in vs it hath budded and shot forth so much more than in others as we haue had mo meanes to kill it and to cause it to wither than others haue had 4 Where first of all the gratious offer of the treasure of thy holie Gospell vnto vs maketh vs guiltie manie waies For where passing by manie other nations thou hast trusted our nation withall yet with a number of vs it hath found as small entertainment and felt as great resistance as amongst them at whose gates it neuer knocked For a great portion of the land partlie neuer yéelding themselues to the obedience thereof and partlie falling from it after they had once yéelded stand proudelie as it were at the staues end with thée The rest which make profession of their submission vnto it do it not accordinglie For first there bée heapes of our people which either through a déepe rooted affection and loue to Popish religion or through a wicked opinion which they nourish of embracing the truth set foorth are so nousled blinded and misled as that they still abide in an vtter ignorance of the truth it selfe in such fort that although there be no want of preaching yet they are as rawe in the knowledge of the true seruice of thée as they were expert before in the seruice of the diuell 5 And where knowledge is to anie such sufficiencie as is requisite for the inheritors of the kingdome of heauen there is it for a great part ioined with such hypocrisie as maketh them more detestable before thée which searchest the verie reines than if they had still continued in their ignorance Now for the remnant of vs which through grace haue trulie and faithfullie beleeued it is with so great weakenes of faith and so small reformation of manners that our glorious profession of the Gospell supported and borne out with so small shewe of good fruites which the excellencie therof doth require maketh not onelie the enimies to condemne vs but our selues to suspect one another whether we belong vnto thée or no. 6 Wherein O Lord we acknowledge that to be our great and horrible sinne that being put in trust with this vnspeakeable treasure of thy holie Gospell and preferred before our neighbors professors about vs yet we are in thankefull obedience vnto thee behinde them all first in knowledge last in zeale before them in the doctrine of thy holie Gospell behinde them in the discipline of the same 7 The yoke of the slauerie of our bodies which the Popish religion
this life or of the life to come both those which we either haue or yet hope to enioie from the greatest to the smallest from the kingdome of heauen to one onelie drop of water that we are worthie of all the plagues which either haue heretofore seazed or bene yet possessed of vs. Yea if thou shouldest ransacke all the hid and secret treasures of thy fearefull iudgements which in thy lawe thou threatenest against the breakers thereof not onlie to the rasing and swéeping of vs from the face of the earth but also to the throwing of vs headlong into the bottomles pit of hell yet would we therin also acknowledge thy righteous iudgements For to vs belongeth shame and confusion of faces but vnto thée glorie and righteousnes The third Blossome conteining 1 An appeale to Gods promises in Christ for the remission of our sinnes 2 The bloud of the Lambe washeth vs wooll white 3 A praier in the behalfe of the dispersed Church against Papists and Heretikes and for godlie vnitie 4 Gods blessing maketh our land fruitefull and that we are the Lords sheepe our vnworthinesse notwithstanding 5 A request for the continuance of his loue and mercie 6 To what end it is to be desired 1 ALl this both guilt of sinne and desert of punishment notwithstanding O father of mercies and God of all comfort we trusting vnto the promises which thou hast made vs in Iesus Christ are bold through him humblie to call for the performance of them And first we humblie desire thee to forgiue vs all our sins Thou hast said that if we confesse our sinnes thou art faithfull to forgiue vs them We acknowledge the debt cancell therefore the obligation let not the multitude of them preuaile against vs but where our sinne hath abounded let thy grace more abound and as we haue multiplied our sinnes so we praie thée to multiplie thy mercies 2 And although we haue by continuance in them so soked ourselues that thereby we are not onlie lightlie stained but also haue gotten as it were the scarlet and purple die of them yet let them all we praie thée being washed in the bloud of thy swéete Lambe be made as white as the snowe in Salmon and as the wooll of the shéepe which come from washing And to conclude as our sinnes haue magnified themselues in an infinite length breadth deapth and height so let thy mercies which passe all vnderstanding of all sides and assaies outreach them 3 Therefore also we most humblie desire thée O Lord that the sinne being pardoned thy wrath which is alreadie declared may be appeased towards all the Churches of our profession and especiallie towards vs that the manifolde breaches of the Churches and Commonwealthes maie be made vp that those being receiued into the bosome of the Church which belong to thine election the rest of the Papists and Heretikes may be vtterlie rooted out and that our enimies in religion béeing slaine we may to the vttermost thinke all one thing in the honest and peaceable gouernement of the Commonwealth 4 Upon which vniting of vs in all truth and honestie the curses of the plague and barrennesse being remoued a waie may be made to thy blessings which as the hills do the vallies may make our land holesomelie fruitefull And that not onlie the wrath which is alreadie kindled may be quenched but that which hath bene latelie threatened may be caused to retire For the graunt whereof vnto vs we beséech thée to remember that how vnworthie soeuer yet are we thy people and the shéepe of thy pasture whome thou hast redéemed with thy most pretious bloud watched ouer with a carefull eie defended with a mightie hand despise not therefore O Lord the workes of thy hands 5 And séeing thou hast loued vs when we hated thée visited vs when we desired thée not then acknowledged vs when we knewe thée not now that there be a number of vs which loue thée desire thine abode and acknowledge thée hold on thy loue still depart not from vs denie vs not O thou God of truth which art the God that sinne by the assistance of Gods spirit 6 For the due examination of our thoughts and an vpright hart 7 For conuersation fit and agreeable to our calling 8 For constancie in our profession against all temptations and impediments 1 O Mercifull and heauenlie Father we thy seruants do humblie prostrate our selues before thy diuine Maiestie acknowledging here in thy sight our hainous offences committed against thine omnipotencie séeing and beholding thy heauie wrath against them We féele our selues laden O Lord our God with a huge companie of horrible sinnes whereof euen the verie least being but conceiued in thought is sufficient in iudgement to throwe vs downe to the euerlasting burning lake 2 Our owne consciences O Lord do beare witnes against vs. of our manifold transgressions of thy blessed lawe of our securitie and senslesse blindnes running headlong to destruction committing sinne after sinne although not notorious to the world yet horrible before thine eies The thoughts of our hearts rise vp in iudgement against vs the vanitie of our talke before thy Maiestie condemneth vs the wickednes of our déedes from thy sight reiecteth vs all our wicked thoughts words and déedes with the inward corruption of our nature do altogether as it were a whole lumpe and loade of sinne lie heauie vpon vs and with their intollerable weight do euen presse vs downe to Hell 3 We do dailie grone vnder the burthen of them inwardlie lamenting our owne follie so gréedilie running into them In heauen earth or hell we sée none able to susteine the weight of them but euen thy dearelie beloued sonne Iesus Christ who in mercie intinite and compassion endlesse hath susteined and ouercome that endlesse punishment due vnto them in him therefore in him most mercifull Father and through him we come to thée being fullie assured according to thy promise that thou wilt accept and take that full recompense which he thy deare son hath made for vs as a iust ransome for all the sinnes of all those who with a true faith take hold on him In him therefore we sée thine anger towards vs appeased thy wrath satisfied and our debts paied 4 Increase in vs good Lord we beséech thée this liuelie and féeling faith for we féele it oftentimes in vs verie weake and troubled with manie doubts increase it in vs O Lord that we maie through thy holie spirit be assured that the punishment of our sinnes is fullie in thy sonne discharged Make vs O Lord our God to feele this â—ame in our soules and consciences that Iesus Christ is ours and all that he hath done that we are graffed into his bodie and made one with him and therefore fellow heires with him of eucriasting life Let vs not onelie haue these words in our mouthes good Lord but through thy holie spirit let vs feéle the comfort of them in our hearts fullie sealed and setled in vs
that we feéling our selues inwardlie before thy iudgement seate discharged and our consciences towards theé released may be swallowed vp with an vnfeined loue toward thy heauenlie Maiestie and towards our brethren for thy sake 5 Make sinne to die in vs dailie more and more that we may hate detest and vtterlie abhorre all sinne and wickednes in all men but especiallie in our selues that we may stronglie through thy holie spirit set our selues in open warre and defiance against all sin and wickednes that we please not our selues in our sinnes but streightlie examining sinne by the iust rule of thy holie lawes we may vtterlie from the bottome of our hearts condemne euen the least sinne in our selues hauing our whole ioie comfort and consolation vpon those things which be agreéable to thy blessed will 6 Giue vs grace alwaies to be afraide to do anie thing contrarie to thy good pleasure and from the bottome of our hearts to examine and trie our thoughts before thy presence that they be vpright and vnfeined not hypocriticall in outward shew onlie and appearance but that euen all corners of our hearts being opened and disclosed before theé we may euen as though it were openlie before the face of the whole world bring them in shewe knowing that a double hart is detestable in thy sight 7 O Lord direct and guide our feéte that we may walke alwaies as before thine eies not onelie before the eies of man being more carefull to walke circumspectlie in this respect that we haue theé to be a viewer of our doings a thousand fold more than the eies of man that thus we may walke as becommeth thy children not onlie in outward shew but also in sinceritie of hart abhorring euen the least sinne in our selues striuing resisting and fighting against sinne not delighting our selues in sinne nor nourishing the same in our breast but earnestlie embracing and studiouslie seéking after those things which be pleasant in thine eies 8 O good Lord make vs constant and firme harted that neither the feare of man nor losse of goods life lands possessions or friendes drawe vs awaie from theé to do anie the least thing contrarie to thy will and pleasure neither the fauour or friendship of man nor yet the flattering enticements of this world nor the vaine promotions of the same do moue vs anie whit from the true and endles ioie delight pleasure which we ought to haue in those things which be agreéable to thy will and the constant performance of the same but that alwaies to the end of our life we may continue in thy pathes growing and increasing from faith to faith from strength to strength till at the length we shall come to thy euerlasting rest Amen T. C. The second Branch of Petition The first Blossome conteining A praier to God at our vprising in the morning O Bountifull GOD which among all other thine aboundant blessings hast giuen vs the bright daie and Sunne shine to be the guide and gouernour of all our doings we beseéch theé that as thou art the father of light and hast sent light among vs not onlie the light of the cleére daie but also the light of thy glorious Gospell so thou wouldest direct all that we go about in light that we may shew our selues children of light in applieng our labour and occupieng both our minds and bodies in the workes of light that when the daie of retribution shall come when thou wilt reward euerie one according to the measure of their merits we maie enter into that light whose brightnes shall neuer be darkened there to liue with him who is the light of the world Iesus Christ the righteous to whome with theé and the holie Ghost be all laud praise honour and glorie for euermore Amen The second blossome conteining A petition to be said at the putting on of our clothes O Eternall and most mercifull Father we beseéch theé as thou hast giuen vs clothes to couer our bodies to hide our nakednes to preserue our corporall health so to decke and beautifie our soules with the riches of thy true knowledge which is the summe and substance of all perfect happines through Iesus Christ our sauiour Amen The third Blossome conteining A petition to be said at the washing of our hands GRant O mercifull sauiour that as with this water the filth and vncleannes of our bodilie members are washed and scowred so our inward soules may by the dailie remembrance and vertue of thy bloudie death and passion be purged from all sinne and iniquitie that both bodie and soule being voide of blemish we maie come the neérer vnto theé in perfection Amen The fourth Blossome conteining A petition to God at our going abroade about our worldlie businesse O Gratious God which sanctifiest the hearts of thy chosen seruants and circumcisest their thoughts in so much that they become wholie acceptable vnto theé and are altogether cleansed from carnalitie and corruption we beseéch theé so to pitch the tents of thy protection and prouidence about vs this present daie that all things whatsoeuer we purpose may by thy gratious guiding be so disposed and prospered that our hearts be not carried awaie with the cares of this world as hauing little hope in thine all sufficiencie and bountifulnes O Lord so season vs with the salt not of vnsauourinesse least we be throwne out vpon the dunghill of reprobation and so troden vnder foote as out-casts of none account but with the salt of sinceritie and righteousnes so powder our spirits that whatsoeuer we take in hand this present daie may be so furthered helped forward and prospered by thy goodnes that we thereby may reape sufficient commoditie none offended or discontented either with vs or our labour nor thou by anie meanes dishonoured but highlie praised and glorified both in vs and in our doings according to the saieng of thy sonne in the holie Gospell Let your light so shine before men that they seéing your good workes may glorifie your father which is in heauen This O Lord and all other graces necessarie grant vnto vs for thy sonnes sake our onlie mediatour and aduocate Amen The fift Blossome conteining A petition to be said when we are at worke and about our businesse PRosper O Lord by the presence assistance of thy grace the businesse which we haue in hand Put into our minds to do it faithfullie and rather for conscience sake than couetousnes Further our affaires we beséech thée of thine infinite goodnes giue our labours prosperous happie successe and graunt vs grace to glorifie thée in thy blessings Amen The sixt Blossome conteining A petition vnto God at the leauing off from our labour whether it be of bodie or minde ALmightie God and most mercifull father which cloathest the lillies of the field with such roialtie as Salomon when he sat vpon the throne of his maiestie neuer possessed which feedest the birds of the aire the beasts of the land and the fish
out of his reckoning booke Why then should I hang downe my head as though confusion were the portion of mine inheritance To them that loue God all things turne to good This his visitation is but a preparatiue to further felicitie which in due time he will reueale to me his seruant when he hath taken sufficient proofe and experience of my patience which I beséech him to establish and confirme that the possession of eternitie may be the reward of my sufferance Wherefore O most mercifull father if it be thine appointment as thy determinations are secret and hidden from the heart of man that this my sicknes and trouble be vnto death O then gratiouslie heare my supplication and let the voice of my crie enter into thine cares Giue me not ouer in my distresse and weakenesse when Sathan is most busie to spoile me but stand thou like an inuincible Giant on my right hand let the wings of thine almightines ouershadowe me euen vntill my last gaspe Moreouer graunt most mercifull father that at the separation and dissolution of my soule and bodie I may still continue thine my bodie turning into dust whence it tooke first substance and my soule possessing heauen whence it receiued bring O Lord send me a toifull resurrection at the date of iudgement and let me be numbred among the lambes whome thou hast chosen to be ioint-heires with thée of thine owne happines in heauenlie ioies O Lord heare my praier and let my crie come vnto thee Lord haue mercie vpon me Christ haue mercie vpon me O holie Ghost be my comforter O blessed Trinitie receiue my soule into the place of glorie Amen The twelfe Blossome conteining A petition to be said at the houre of death ouer the partie visited and lieng speechlesse O Eternall God the welspring of life and the treasure of true and euerlasting riches thou God of the quicke and the dead thou which hast appointed euerie man a mansion in this earthlie pilgrimage and placed vs here as tenants at thy pleasure to remoue and depart when it is thy will to call vs. thou euen thou which ridest vpon the wings of the winde whose seate is the heauen of heauens whose footstoole is the earth whose messengers are the Angels and celestiall hoast O bow downe thine cies of pitie looke vpon vs. O thou glorie of Sion thou beautie of Hierusalem thou Alpha and Omega thou which art incomprehensible the first person of the holie Trinitie open thy gratious eares and heare the petitions of vs thy seruants O heare vs and that betimes thou sauer of soules whiles breath is in the nostrels of this thy diseased and sicke creature for after this life it is too late to make intercession Thou hast chastened him O Lord inwardlie and outwardlie his strength is turned into weakenes his health into sicknes his flesh consumeth his limines are lame his eiesight waxeth dimme his spéech is stopped all his senses are numined his hart panteth life and death struggle within him and wrestle for superioritie He lieth in pangs he is past hope of recouerie to our iudgement he refuseth sustenance he can take no rest O looke vpon him thou comfort of Israell and deliuer Ioseph out of this prison O Lord haue mercie vpon him O God make him strong to endure this sharpe and bitter conflict Let not the terrour of death the torinent of his sicknes the losse of life or departing from anie transitorie pleasure withdrawe his heart from thée but as thou didst create it and powredst it into his bodie so vouchsafe to reserue it for thy selfe that thou maist be glorifiedin it both now and héereafter when it shall please thee to raise it vp with the rest of the bodie in the last resurrection Behold Lord he is not able to praie for himselfe thy hand is so heauie vpon him at this present he can not so much as lift vp a limme thou hast whipped him so sore he is past hope of health in the eies of man thou hast made such déepe furrowes vpon his backe he is spéechlesse because thou hast taken awaie the vse of his tongue lo Lord he lifteth vp his eies vnto heauen notwithstanding all these infirmities weakenesses O remember him forgiue him his sins remit and blot out of thy reckoning booke the ten thousand talents which he oweth thée He is not able to testifie the inward sorowe of his heart conceiued for sinne so sharpe and seueare is thy present visitation which iustlie and deseruedlie thou hast laid vpon him and surelie though thou didst punish him more rigorouslie yet thou art not accusable of iniustice For iust art thou O Lord in all thy workes and righteous in all thy iudgements But yet Lord we beséech thée to asswage the heate of thy wrath which if it burne still and continue vnquenched alas who shall be able to abide it Behold Lord how lowe he is brought all his bones are out of course which waie so euer he is turned he féeleth nothing but anguish no rest no ease no quietnes can he take such is the weight of thine anger against him for the instruction of vs that are aliue and here present at his visitation that we may learne thereby to detest sinne which is the cause of thy displeasure and to amend least a worse thing happen vnto vs. O Lord we beséech thée to consider our supplications and to accept the praiers which we powre out in thy presence in the behalfe of this our diseased brother And louing Lord if it be thy will to take him hence O then we beséech thee to shorten his time to end his lingering sicknes and so to deliuer him from all earthlie trouble But if it be thy pleasure to raise him vp being thus cast downe and to quicken strengthen him whome thy hand hath driuen almost to deathes dore then at the intercession of vs thy seruants hasten his time of recouerie and restore him vnto health and soundnes We praie for him O Lord not knowing the secrets of thy counsell which is vnchangeable deale with him as it pleaseth thée thine he is to order and dispose For thou art the potter and he but a lumpe of claie vnto thée we commit his soule and bodie thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen for thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen The thirteenth Blossome conteining 1 Gods vniuersall gouernement 2 That he annointeth Kings and Queenes and why 3 A petition vnto him in the behalfe of our gratious Queene Elizabeth 4 His mercie in preseruing her in time of tribulation 5 A praier for the continuance of her good estate 6 Against the enimies of the truth either to be conuerted or confounded 7 The Church of God and the Commonwealth two sisters 8 The death of Christ a full ransome for all our sinnes 9 Requestes to be dailie made of euerie true Christian. 1 O Gratious Lord and most mercifull father we acknowledge
God might by the diuine vertue of thy death and passion be reconciled and escape the penaltie of the lawe to the curse whereof sinne had made vs subiect but thou by thy sufferings hast set vs at libertie and deliuered vs from danger of damnation We cannot imagine how to extoll thy mercie sufficientlie in taking vpon thée a worke of such difficultie euen the appeasing of thy fathers wrath kindled against vs in whome the glorious image of our Creator was shamefullie defaced Thy bowels of compassion and tender loue excéede all comparison For the manifold torments which thou in thy mortall bodie didst suffer in the presence of most vniust Iudges are assured warrants of thy tendernes ouer vs whome to set frée from punishment thou gauest thine owne déere and most swéete soule to be a satisfactorie oblation vpon the which all our filth of sinne might be cast and so cease as not imputable vnto vs anie more thereby reconciling vs vnto thy father and sealing the same attonement with thy pretious heart bloud To thée therefore be honour and praise for euermore Amen The sixt Blossome conteining A thankesgiuing for the benefite of our iustification LAude and praise be giuen vnto thée O eternall God who hast vouchsafed to adopt vs into the number of thy chosen children not for anie of our merits but for thy mercie sake the curse of the lawe taking force by sinne notwithstanding And we extoll thy goodnes O most bountifull father for that thou hast of thy frée grace for Iesus sake in whome thou art delighted staied the execution of thy wrath and vengeance against vs who haue prouoked thée to indignation by our manifold sinnes and wickednes which had vtterlie excluded and shut vs out of the gates of thy good will did it not please thée at the intercession of thy beloued sonne to receiue vs into fauour and to reckon vs for righteous by the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of thy sonnes righteousnes We haue so lead our life since the first time that thy hand planted vs in this world as that the whole race which we haue runne hath bene a kind of continuall kindling of thy furie to consume vs and yet O vnmeasurable mercie thou hast so pitied our weakenesses that thou hast and doest iustifie vs that is to saie acquite vs that were accused from all filthines and that by the mediation of thy sonne Iesus Christ not by allowance of our innocencie but by imputation of his righteousnes that in him we which in our selues are iudged vnrighteous might be counted righteous To thée therefore O most louing father and to Iesus Christ thy sonne be all honour and glorie Amen The seuenth Blossome conteining A thankesgiuing for the gift of our sanctification ALmightie God which from time to time hast sanctified thy people and purged their harts from the prophane imaginations of idolatrous and heathenish vnbeléeuers that they might be a holie heritage a peculiar people vnto thee zealous of good workes and addicted vnto the deuout seruice of thée we praise and magnifie thy goodnes in that it hath pleased thée to sequester vs from the number of the pagan people who are altogether ignorant of thée and thy diuine worship and hast opened the eies of our vnderstandings and sanctified them by the visitation and presence of thy holie spirit whereby we haue atteined to the knowledge of thy truth and the mysteries reuealed in the same Which sanctification as thou hast vouchsafed to begin in vs so we most humblie beséech thée to continue euen to the end tearme of our life that the old leauen of maliciousnes being quite cleanfed awaie we may be changed into new dowe to serue thée in holines and righteousnes which is the end of our election O holie Ghost which didst descend in the similitude of a doue and in the likenes of clouen tongues ouershadowe vs we beséech thée and take vp thy dwelling in our harts that whatsoeuer we saie thinke or do may lauour and tast of sanctification so shall we for this and all other thy good graces as we are bound by dutie praise and glorifie thée for euer and euer Amen The eight Blossome conteining A thankesgiuing for our preseruation OMnipotent God most mightie in word and déede which hatest nothing that thy holie hands haue created we praise and magnifie thée for all thy benefites bestowed vpon vs from our infancie vntill this our present age for caring and prouiding for vs all necessaries conuenient and agréeable to this our mortall life we thanke thée for our health wealth and libertie our peace quietnes tranquillitie our children offspring and affinitie all which are thy blessings not due to vs by desert but bestowed vpon vs of thy goodnes and frée will And as we glorifie thee for these thy temporall benefits so we magnifie thee and extoll thy most holie name for the rich treasure of thy word and Gospell for thy holie sacraments and other gifts powred vpon thy Church and congregation of whome we confesse our selues to be members and thy son Christ Iesus the principall and supreme head in whome béeing knit together like liuelie stones we make one spirituall building erected to the honour of thy most blessed name We giue thée thankes also O mercifull father for thy patience thy long sufferance and forbearing to punish vs dailie offending against thy diuine maiestie for the preaching of thy word to call vs home vnto thée by repentance and to a reformed life for defending vs from bodilie dangers at home and abroade by water and land in companie and alone whereas manie a one doth miscarrie as we sée and by due proofe are able to testifie For some are drowned some hanged some burned some boiled some dismembred some murthered one this waie another that waie destroied in strange forme and fashion by fire by water by weapon by famine by sicknesse and other casualties some suddenlie some lingeringlie some infamouslie and diuers diuerslie as they are eating as they are drinking as they are dansing as they are cursing as they are forswearing as they are sleeping as they are waking some betraied of their counterfet friends some insnard of their malicious enimies some falling into the hands of théeues on land some assaulted of pirats on sea and manie by manifold meanes ouertaken with diuers dangers oftentimes denouncing extremitie of death From the which perils for that it hath pleased thée of thine infinite clemencie to preserue and saue vs from our verie cradle wherewith we might haue bene ouerthrowne and so spéedilie dispatched had not thy holie hand ouershadowed vs and compassed vs round about being wrapped in our swathling cloutes we giue thée most hartie thankes and praise thy blessed name with pure vndefiled lips Accept our seruice receiue our sacrifice euen the eleuation and lifting vp of our hands and harts vnto thée the oblation of thanksgiuing presented vnto thy diuine Maiestie for thine innumerable graces and blessings
that thereby they might amend their inordinate trade of life he professed himselfe a teacher in this Schoole to the end that others as well as he might perceiue what aduantage a well disposed life affordeth This Schoolemaister we must presuppose to be such a one whose hart the finger of the Lord had touched and into whose vnderstanding the sunne of sanctification had shined He was not one that walked in carnall libertie neither in the concupiscence of the eie neither in the vanitie of the mind for then should there be a repugnancie and dissention betweene his conuersation and profession which ought to agree like musicall concords Take him therefore to be such a one as being renewed in the spirit of the inner man is able to teach to instruct to rebuke and to informe that the man of God might be made perfect in all righteousnesse But now entering into this Schoole of Skill let vs like good scholers with full purpose Gods grace being our gouernour to profit and go forward in that we professe learne by hart our A B C in this Schoole and according to our lessons frame the course of our life Abraham Fleming To the Reader The starkest foole if well he marke This skilfull Schoole prooues greatest clarke Come therefore you that wise would be And learne anew this A B C. The Schoole of Skill or The rule of a reformed life The first sententious sequence of the A B C deliuering diuers doctrines of vertue and vice to be folowed and auoided A Wife man shal heare and increase in learning and a man of vnderstanding shall atteine vnto wise counsels Be not wise in thine owne eies but feare the Lord and depart from euill Commit thy works vnto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be directed Death and life are in the power of the tong and they that loue it shall eat the fruit therof Euen a foole when he holdeth his peace is counted wise and he that stoppeth his lips prudent Fauour is deceiptfull and beutie is vanitie but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is readie to perish and wine vnto them that haue gréefe of heart He that turneth awaie his eare from hearing the lawe euen his praier shall be abhominable In the transgression of an euill man is his snare but the righteous doth sing reioice Kéepe thine hart with all diligence for thereout commeth life Let thine eies behold the right and let thine eielids direct thy waie before thée Manie reuerence the face of the prince and euerie man is a friend to him that giueth gifts Northerne windes driue awaie the raine so doth an angrie countenance the slandering tongue Obey thy father that hath begotten thee and despise not thy mother when she is old Pride goeth before destruction and an high minde before the fall Quietnes in a poore cottage is better than strife in a princes pallace Riches gather manie friends but the poore is separated from his neighbour Smite a scorner and the foolish will beware reprooue the prudent and he will vnderstand knowledge The foolishnes of a man peruerteth his waie and his heart fretteth against the Lord. Ualiantnes in a King is like the strength of a Lion his lookes shall sraie his foes Wisedome is high to a foole therefore he cannot open his mouth in the gate Youth is worthie to be reuerenced if it be adorned with discretion and continencie Zeale without knowledge is foolishnes loue without honestie is lewdenes and friendship without faith is flatterie The second sententious sequence of the A B C deliuering diuers doctrines of vertue and vice to be followed and auoided APplie thine heart to instruction and thine eares to the words of knowledge A man that wandereth out of the waie of wisedome shall remaine in the congregation of the dead Be not light of credit but lay thine eare open to truth and honestie so shalt thou be worshipfull Be thou not enuious against euill men neither desire to be with them Count nothing thine owne whiles thou liuest in this world for euerie man hath his talent but lent Cast out the scorner and the seditious man so shall contention and reproch ceasse Do good to thine enimie to the vttermost of thy might so shalt thou fulfill the law of charitie Drawe towards the wise to learne wisedome so shalt thou be had in reputation Eate thou not the bread of him that hath an euill eie neither desire his deintie meates Euen in laughing the hart is sorowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse Foolishnes is ioie to him that is destitute of vnderstanding but a man of vnderstanding walketh vprightlie Flatterie is like vnto the wéeping of a Crocodile and when he talketh most friendlie he meaneth least honestie God ouerthroweth the wicked and they are not but the house of the righteous shall stand Giue no eare to the report of a slanderer for in his tongue lieth deadlie poison He that keepeth his tongue kéepeth his life but he that openeth his lippes destruction shall be to him He shall be sore vexed that is suretie for a stranger and he that hateth suertiship is sure Intend nothing that may turne to the harme of thy neibour for he is as thine owne selfe Iustice and truth are in such as feare God as for the wicked they abhorre vertue Kéepe not companie with dronkards nor with gluttons for the féete of such go to death Knowe him well whom thou makest of thy counsell least he bewraie thy secrets Looke not vpon the wine when it is redde and when it sheweth his colour in the cup or goeth downe pleasantlie Let not thine heart be enuious against sinners but let it be in the feare of the Lord continuallie Mercie and truth do preserue the King for his throne shall be established with mercie Make no friendship with an angrie man neither go with the furious man Notorious liers flée from as from a Scorpion for they are the verie frie of Sathan Neuer giue thy consent in a thing that is wicked for God rewardeth both with shame Opprobrious words defile the scule of him from whome they proceede and wound to the death Of thine increase spare somewhat to the poore that God may blesse thy store Pitie the case of such as be succourlesse and shut not thine eies against the naked Patience is a souereigne vertue and bringeth the soule of the iust to euerlasting comfort Quicken thy heart with honest mirth least too much heauines ouerthrowe thy health Quietlie tarrie the Lordes leasure in the tune of thy trouble for so to do is wisedome Rob not the poore because he is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement Righteous lips are the kings delight and he loueth them that speake right things Set not thy mind vpon vanitie for therein consisteth nothing that is sound Submit thy neeke to the yoke of obedience so shalt thou be praised among the people The wrath of a King is as
the messenger of death but a wise man will pacifie him The heart of man purposeth his waie but the Lord doth direct his steps Uiolence and tyrannie are the ruine of a Realme but mercie vpholdeth the Kings throne Upbraide not thy better with contumelious talke least thou heape hot coles vpon thine owne head Without counsell thoughtes come to naught but in the multitude of counsellers is stedfastnesse Wisedome resteth in the heart of him that hath vnderstanding and is vnknowne in the minds of fooles Yeald to the magistrate dutifulnes and with thine equall vse courtesie Yong or old rich or poore strong or weake thou art not thine owne but Gods who made thée Zacheus the Publicane offering to make restitution if he had done anie man wrong teacheth the rich of this world what their duties should be Zerubbabell shall laie the highest stone of the spirituall temple his hands haue laid the foundation of the same The third sententious sequence of the A B C deliuering diuers doctrines of vertue and vice to be folowed and auoided A Sound heart is the life of the flesh but enuie is the rotting of the bones A faithfull witnes deliuereth soules but a deceiuer speaketh lies An angrie man stirreth vp strife but he that is slowe to wrath appeaseth strife Better is a dinner of gréene hearbes where loue is than a stalled oxe hatred therewith Better is a litrie with the feare of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therwith Better is a drie morsell if peace be with it than an house full of sacrifices with strife Childrens children are the crowne of the elders and the glorie of the children are their fathers Contemne not anie that is in authoritie for that is the readie waie to runne into Gods wrath Chasten thy sonne whiles there is hope and let not thy soule spare for his murmurings Diuers weights are an abhomination vnto the Lord and deceiptfull balances are not good Depart from the foolish man when thou perceiuest not in him the lips of knowledge Destruction shall light vpon them that imagine euill but to such as thinke on good things shall be mercie and truth Enter not into lawe with a rich man for it is in him to peruert equitie and right Exercise thy selfe in that which is honest so shall no shame followe there vpon Exempt thy selfe from the companie of wanton women for they leade thée the waie to hell Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction shall driue it awaie Frowardnesse is the token of a foole and inconstancie is a signe of little trust Followe not the counsell of the wicked least thou be partaker of their punishment Giue admonition to the wise and he will be the wiser teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning Good vnderstanding maketh acceptable but the waie of the disobedient is hated Grudge not to giue of thine abundance to him that is néedie least God be angrie He that mocketh the poore reprocheth him that made him and he that reioiceth at destruction shall not escape vnpunished He that is slowe vnto anger is better than the mightie man and he that ruleth his owne mind is better than he that winneth a citie How much better is it to get wisedome than gold and to get vnderstanding is more to be desired than siluer In the mouth of the foolish is the boasting of pride but the lips of the wise will beware of such It is a great abhomination when Kings are wicked for a Kings feare should be vpholden with righteousnes If thou sinitest a scornefull person the ignorant shall take better héede and if thou reprouest one that hath vnderstanding he will be the wiser Kéepe thy selfe from strife for therein consisteth a mans honour but they that haue pleasure in bralling are fooles euerie one Kings ought to be feared as the roaring of a Lion who so prouoketh him vnto anger offendeth against his owne soule Kindle not contention betwéene neighbour and neighbour for the Lord will roote such out of the land Laie no priuie wait wickedlie vpon the house of the righteous and disquiet not his resting place Let not thy wrath and gelousie moue thée to follow the wicked and vngodlie Like as the cold of snowe in the haruest so is a faithfull messenger to them that send him for he refresheth his maisters minde Make not thy boast of to morrowe for thou knowest not what may happen to daie Manie there be that séeke the princes fauour but euerie mans iudgment commeth from the Lord. Mercie in a King is like a pearle of great value in a golden crowne O happie is the land that hath such a King Nourture thy sonne with correction and thou shalt be at rest yea he shall do thée good at thine hart Neuer trust a flatterer with anie secret for such a one can not kéepe counsell Notwithstanding thou be poore and yet hast wisedome thou shalt be had in reuerence One poore man oppressing another by violence is like a continuall raine that destroieth the fruit Oppresse not the fatherlesse and widowe for the Lord himselfe will take vengeance Ouercome euill with good so shall the Lord blesse thée in all thy procéedings Put thou nothing vnto the word of the Lord least he reprooue thée and thou be found a lier Plentie bringeth lothsomnes and forgetfulnes of God O well is he that kéepeth measure Pitch not thy tents among the wicked least thou be ouerthrowne in their destruction Quéenes and Kings are to be feared of their subiects O well is he whose heart is obedient Quench the wrath of thine aduersarie with patience so shall his anger asswage Quicklie reforme thy selfe if thou haue offended and excuse not the thing wherin thou hast done amisse Riches and honour wait vppon wisedome yea excellent goodes and righteousnesse Receiue knowledge before siluer and vnderstanding before the finest gold Remoue from thée all malice and enuie for the heart of the froward is a tormenting hell Some men are rich though they haue nothing againe some men are poore hauing great riches Séeke wisdome in thy youth so shalt thou be honoured in thine age Set aside all slouthfulnesse and walke vprightlie in thy vocation and calling The lawe is a well of life vnto the wise that it may kéepe him from the snares of death The righteous eateth and is satisfied but the bellie of the vngodlie hath neuer enough The poore is hated euen of his owne neighbours but the rich hath manie friends Uisit thy friend in the time of his aduersitie so shalt thou shew thy faithfulnesse Uaine are all things vnder the Sunne onelie the word of God lasteth for euer Unto the counsell of the wise let thine eares be open but flée the conuersation of the wicked When it goeth well with the righteous the citie is merrie and when the vngodlie perish there is gladnesse Wéepe ouer the sinnes which thou hast committed and praie to God penitentlie for pardon Where pride is
there is shame and confusion but where lowlines is there is wisedome Yrcke and loath the follies of the flesh for the end of them is euerlasting confusion Yéeld not thy selfe into the hands of thine enimies for they séeke nothing but to sucke thy bloud Youthfull arraie is vnséemelie for the aged but grauitie maketh youth louelie and gratious Zealouslie mainteine the truth yea before a Iudge for truth will preuaile and get the victorie Zeale in a good cause is commendable and praiseworthie O happie is he that hath such a zeale Zealouslie to follow the commandements of God and trulie to loue his lawe is life euerlasting FINIS A Referendarie to the Premisses THough praise it be to fight in feeld With valiant magnanimitie Yet till thy foe be forst to yeeld As prisoner in captiuitie Thou canst not vaunt of victorie Subdue the band rebellious So shalt thou be victorious Againe in running of a race We see by plaine experience That he which hath the swiftest pace And gets the gole by diligence Receiues a winners recompence The rest with running weried are slenderlie considered Euen so this Schoole of godlie skill In order Alphabeticall To Scholers wanting wit and will Is nothing beneficiall Because they are the principall Requird in each capacitie Bring these and reape commoditie A swarme of Bees VVith their honie and Honicombes Gathered out of the sweete and odoriferous Garden of Gods Word Heerein such lessons are to be learned as concerne the whole course of our life both towards God and man being in number two hundred whereof some persuade vs to vertue and godlinesse othersome dissuade vs from vice and wickednesse BY ABRAHAM FLEMING Ecclesiasticus 11. 3. ¶ The Bee is but small among fowles yet doth her fruit passe in sweetenesse AT LONDON Printed by Henrie Denham Anno Dom. 1581. The Preface to the Christian Reader WE see that Bees being a sociable creature that is apt for companie flee together in swarmes and assembled vnder one hiue discharge the dutie wherevnto they are ordeined namelie to make Honie The benefite of this labouring and diligent creature is so necessarie that such as haue knowne and tasted by due proofe and experience the fruite of their trauell and the sweetenesse of their worke will be hardlie persuaded to neglect the fostering of them for feare of losing so singular commodities as they do yeeld Euen so this swarme of Bees which I not by the sound of a basen but by the painefulnesse of my pen haue gathered together out of the pleasant garden of Gods most holie word where I found them scattered heere and there among the fragrant flowres and sweete beds of wholesome hearbes making most comfortable Honie and offering thee a tast thereof are not lightlie to be esteemed considering that the issue and euent of their trauell well ordered and vsed is so beneficiall as nothing more if anie thing like For their Honie hath this vertue that to such as eate it and digest it throughlie it giueth a regenerated mind a sanctified soule a circumcised hart a mortified bodie and all good things that man can imagine or deuise of which spirituall graces who so hath once possession his conscience will tell him what it is to taste to sucke to eate and thoroughlie to digest Honie made by such a swarme of Bees These Bees followe one another orderlie and decentlie without desire of first or highest place out of one garden they gathered it in one hiue they made it and for all godlie disposed peoples feeding heere they leaue it in their Honicombes There is none that hauing wit will finde fault with water of the cleerest fountaine with floure of the finest wheate with a garment of the costliest silke with a ring of the purest golde with a iewell of the highest price For it is the nature of man to couet the verie best things yea and to obteine them if they may be gotten for anie monie Heere thou hast a swarme of Bees making most excellent Honie sweete pleasant and whoalsome It differeth from ordinarie Honie because the Bees that made it are extraordinarie and the flowers whereout they suckt it grew in no common garden it is offered vnto thee gratis no gaine looked for but onelie thy good will in receiuing it and thy diligence in vsing it Make much therefore of these Bees and open thy mouth wide that thy throte swallowing their sweete Honie may distribute the same to all thine inward partes and that the outward and inward man may be reformed Abraham Fleming A SVVARME of Bees The first Honicombe yeelding most wholesome exhortations vnto vertue and vertuous life 1 BE mercifull and faithfull binde these two iewels about thy neck and write them in the tables of thine heart 2 Be ioifull in the Lord thy God with all thine heart and leane not vpon thine owne will 3 Be obedient to the lawe of the Lord honour him with thy substance and with thy firstlings 4 Be a searcher after wisedome and an inquirer after vnderstanding and knowledge 5 Be wise so shalt thou haue honour in possession but shame is the promotion that fooles shall haue 6 Be a louer of wisdome she shall beautifie thy head with manifold graces and garnish thée with a crowne of glorie 7 Be conuersant with the righteous for their path shineth as the light that is brighter brighter 8 Be carefull to kéepe thine owne counsell in a matter of weight for therein consisteth the safetie of thy soule 9 Be obedient to the voice of thy teachers and harken vnto them that infourme thée 10 Be circumspect in choosing thy waie so shalt thou escape misfortune and danger 11 Be thou a drinker of the water of thine owne well and of the riuers that run out of thine owne spring 12 Be bountifull let thy welles flowe abroade that there may be riuers of waters in the stréetes 13 Be thou contented with thine own prouision and be glad with the wife of thy youth 14 Be glad with thy yong wife let her be as the louing hinde and pleasant roe let her breasts alwaie satisfie thée 15 Be wise warie in thy waies for the Lord séeth thy footesteps and pondereth all thy goings 16 Be carefull to saue thy selfe as a Doe from the hand of the hunter and as a bird from the hand of the fowler 17 Be prouident in Summer what shall serue thée in winter least thou haue not to supplie thy want 18 Be obedient to thy fathers commandement and forsake not the lawe of thy mother 19 Be at defiance with a wicked and naughtie woman for her house is the high waie to hell 20 Be temperate in thy diet for gluttonie and gormondising is vninéete for a man The second Honicombe yeelding most wholesome exhortations to vertue and vertuous life 21 BE true and trustie to thy friend so shall he be bold to commit the secrets of his soule into thy hands 22 Be conuersant with the wise and with such as be of
vnderstanding kéepe companie 23 Be desirous of the feare of the Lord for it is the beginning of wisedome and vnderstanding 24 Be a wise sonne so shalt thou make thy fathers heart glad and driue awaie heauines from thy mother 25 Be a worshipper of the Lord thy God and in the daie of thine hunger he will refresh thée 26 Be thou painefull and laborious in thy trade and occupation so shalt thou atteine to be rich 27 Be iust and righteous in thy life and conuersation so shalt thou haue a good report 28 Be warned at the mouth of the wise despise not the counsell of such as haue experience 29 Be diligent in doing thy dutie and towards such as are thy betters vse reuerence 30 Be a moderate spender so shalt thou be thriftie for prodigalitie bringeth pouertie 31 Be earnest in a quarell of equitie and whiles thou liuest be neuer ashamed of the truth 32 Be zealous in religion and righteousnesse rebuke the offender that he may amend 33 Be patient in the time of trouble so shalt thou receiue a garland of glorie at the last 34 Be worldlie wise according to honestie and in all thy dealings haue an vpright conscience 35 Be painefull in thy life whiles thou art strong and healthfull so shalt thou be counted wise 36 Be rich in vertue and poore in vice with such riches God is glorified and with such pouertie he is honoured 37 Be mercifull to the néedie and from such as lacke turne not thy face least God be displeased 38 Be a harbourer of the succourles and let thine hands be open to the refreshing of the néedie 39 Be plentifull in good workes and where occasion is ministred leaue a testimonie of compassion 40 Be sparing in spéech laughter for a babbler is abhorred of such as be sober and wise The third Honicombe yeelding most whoalsome exhortations to vertue and vertuous life 41 BE mercifull so shalt thou do thy selfe a benefite for who so hurteth his neighbour is a Tyrant 42 Be liberall in giuing so shalt thou haue plentie for he that watereth shall be watered also himselfe 43 Be a sercher after good things so shalt thou finde fauour for who so séeketh after mischiefe it shall happen vnto him 44 Be a louer of correction so shalt thou loue knowledge for he that hateth to be reproued is a foole 45 Be true in thy talk and speake that which is right for a false witnesse deceiueth by his lieng 46 Be iust and righteous so shall no aduersitie happen vnto thée but the vngodlie shall be filled with miserie 47 Be a wise sonne and hearken to thy fathers warning least being scornefull thou be reproued 48 Be sure to kéepe thy mouth so shalt thou kéepe thy life for who so rashlie openeth his lips destroieth himselfe 49 Be righteous and thou shalt abhorre lies whereas the vngodlie shameth himselfe and is put to silence 50 Be innocent and harmelesse in thy waâ—eâ— for vngodlinesse ouerthroweth drowneth the sinner 51 Be righteous if thou wilt excell and loue wisedome if thou wilt be honourable and worshipfull 52 Be a walker in the waie of righteousnes for therein is life but in the contrarie is death and destruction 53 Be vertuous and thou shalt leaue vnto thy children an euerlasting inheritance and riches that shall neuer rust 54 Be plentifull in thine almes and God shall increase thy store and giue thée his blessing abundantlie 55 Be faithfullie occupied in the feare of the Lord and thou shalt walke vprightlie before him all thy life long 56 Be contented with a little in righteousnes for that is better than great rents wrongfullie gotten 57 Be content to commit thy workes vnto the Lord so shall that prosper which thou deuisest and intendest 58 Be righteous in thy tong and sober in thy talke for such are pleasant vnto Kings and great estates 59 Be obedient and loiall so shalt thou be in fauour and thine order of liuing shall be a good example vnto others 60 Be carefull to do thy duetie and haue a single eie ouer the charge committed vnto thine hand The fourth Honicombe yeelding most wholesome exhortations to vertue and vertuous life 61 BE humble and lowlie in the whole course of thy life let the lawe of the Lord be the rule to guide thy goings 62 Be readie to do thy friend good in the daies of his distresse for in so doing thou sauest his life 63 Be comforted in thy heauinesse with the counsell of thy neighbour cast not awaie all hope 64 Be to other as thou wouldst haue other be to thée that is iust louing fauourable gentle and courteous 65 Be in thy youth mindfull of thine age and laie vp in thy yong yeares to kéepe thée when thou art old 66 Be merrie of hart for that maketh a lustie age but a sorrowfull mind drieth vp the bones 67 Be wise and vse few words embrace vnderstanding make much of knowledge and science 68 Be a searcher after vertue and an enimie to vice so shalt thou finde perfect blessednesse in the end 69 Be merrie with them that be merrie and mourne with them that mourne yet excéede not measure 70 Be carefull ouer thy charge so shalt thou get double credit and encrease in fauour 71 Be discréet in thy talke communication and in thy behauior be mild humble courteous 72 Be pitifull to the distressed succour such as be afflicted and to the néedie reach out thine hand 73 Be to thy friend in aduersitie a present helpe that in thy necessitie he may make retribution 74 Be true and trustie in thy vocation and in all thy dealings set Gods feare before thy face 75 Be content with thine estate and breake not beyond thy tedder for in so doing thou wantest wisedome 76 Be gentle and courteous in spéech for a smooth tongue purchaseth fauor among the people 77 Be liberall and lend laie not vp thy treasure and sée thy brother lacke but giue of thy goodes to the néedie 78 Be obedient to thy parents to thy betters giue reuerence liue within lawe and loialtie 79 Be circumspect and warie in all thy busines and attempt nothing without aduisement 80 Be gealous ouer thine honest name least thou bring thy selfe to shame among the people The fift Honicombe yeelding most whoalsome exhortations to vertue and vertuous life 81 BE néere to thy selfe in the time of néede least such as be wise laugh thée to scorne and make thée a byword 82 Be faithfull to thy friend in all his affaires for therevpon dependeth thine estimation and credit 83 Be a companion with honest women but of wanton minions beware for they are the verie dores of death 84 Be modest at the table least they that sit by séeing thine intemperance abhorre thée 85 Be sparing at wine for too much drinking therof inféebleth the wit and weakeneth the memorie 86 Be louing and carefull ouer thy wife for to vse her hardlie and not like a husband is the next
way to make her an harlot 87 Be warie how thou viewest the beautie of a woman too narrowlie least thou be taken in her loue and so fall to follie 88 Be chaste in communication and talke for manie times the heart giueth vtterance to the tongue 89 Be carefull to kéepe thée in one place and continue in thy calling if thou intend to be thriftie 90 Be more desirous to saue than to spend least in the time of néede thou haue not to serue thy turne 91 Be a true paimaister of thy hired seruant and let him haue his wages for his worke 92 Be courteous and gentle so shall such as be absent commend thée and they that be present shall reioice in thy companie 93 Be merrie at thy meate and giue God thankes for the same so shalt thou haue alwaies enough 94 Be mindfull of thy dutie to God euerie morning euening magnifie his holie name 95 Be sober and continent among yong women in the presence of thy wife least she burne in gealousie ouer thée 96 Be in thy conuersation humble and gentle and haue a regard to the whole course of thy life 97 Be in thine apparell modest in thy communication honest in thy behauiour sober and in all thy doings discréete 98 Be to the stranger courteous to thy neighbour friendlie to all a wellwiller to none an enimie 99 Be to thy prince trustie and loiall to the magistrate obedient and to thy betters dutifull 100 Be thankefull to God for all his benefites and let his praise be alwaies in thy mouth harlot 16 Be not suertie for a stranger and for him whome thou knowwest not be not handfasted 17 Be not in thy neighbours danger if thou be humble thy selfe and with thy friends intreate thy creditour 18 Be not sluggish but consider the Emmet and by her example learne to be wise 19 Be not slouthfull and idle least pouertie créepe vpon thée and beggerie ouertake thée as a traueller 20 Be not proud of countenance abhorre a lieng tongue and detest hands that shed innocent bloud The seuenth Honicombe yeelding most whoalsome dehortations from vice and vitious life 21 BE not haunted with an hart that is full of wicked imaginations for that is the next waie to mischiese 22 Be not a false witnesse that bringeth lies nor a sower of discord among brethren 23 Be not a companie kéeper with a faire woman least thou be taken and intrapped with her faire lookes 24 Be not familiar with an harlot for she bringeth a man to beggerie but an honest woman is worth gold 25 Be not a tempter of thy neighbours wife to lewdnesse least thou runne in danger of Gods cursse 26 Be not a blasphemer of the Lords name least he be sharplie auenged of thée for thy presumption 27 Be not a reprouer of the scornfull least he owe thée euill will but rebuke a wise man and he will loue thée 28 Be not of the number that saie Stolne waters are swéete and the bread that is priuilie eaten hath a good taste 29 Be not a gatherer of goodes wrongfullie for they profit nothing in the end 30 Be not a stirrer vp of hatred and strife but embrace loue for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes 31 Be not a much babbler for therein is great offence but refraine thy lips so shalt thou be wise 32 Be not double of tongue and a dissembler for the Lord abhorreth the counterfeite hypocrite 33 Be not an extortioner nor an oppresser of the poore for the Lord will take their cause in hand 34 Be not fugitiue and lightfooted from place to place but continue content with thine owne estate 35 Be not gealous ouer thy faire and youthfull wife least thou turne her loue into hate 36 Be not couetous and gréedie of monie for in time both thou and thy wealth shall awaie 37 Be not delicate and nice for that is the propertie of women but auoid all such vanities 38 Be not inquisitiue after things aboue thy knowledge least thou be counted a busie bodie 39 Be not a mainteiner of wrong iudgement least the Lord confound thée in thy wickednesse 40 Be not ouer carefull for thy life least thou fall into mistrust despaire of Gods prouidence The eight Honicombe yeelding most whoalsome dehortations from vice and vitious life 41 BE not a talebearer from care to eare least thou be forsaken of thy friends and made an outcast 42 Be not vniust in buieng and selling let thy balance be euen and thy weights without fault 43 Be not a dissembler nor a discouerer of secrets but faithfull of heart and trustie in counsell 44 Be not a purchaser of thy neighbours house ouer his head for in so doing thou suckest his bloud 45 Be not suertie for a stranger least thou smart for it for he that hateth suertiship is sure 46 Be not a worker of deceiptfull workes but a sower of righteousnesse so shalt thou receiue thy reward 47 Be not corrupt in heart for such doth the Lord abhorre but in such as are of an vndefiled conuersation he hath pleasure 48 Be not ouer bold to trust in thy riches least thou haue a fall but vse them in the feare of the Lord. 49 Be not a sower of disquietnes in thine owne house least thou haue wind for thine heritage 50 Be not malicious least thou be insnared with thine owne mouth but be méeke of spéech so shalt thou be honoured 51 Be not a medler in other mens matters least thou be ill thought of and haue small thanks for thy labor 52 Be not hastie in vttering thy wrath least thou be counted a foole and in the end thou discouer thine owne shame 53 Be not a slanderous person for such a one woundeth like a sword but a wise mans tongue is wholesome 54 Be not an imaginer of euill for commonlie mischiefe doth followe but be a counseller of that which is honest 55 Be not a lier and a forger of vntrueths for such doeth the Lord abhorre but they that deale trulie please him 56 Be not a sluggard faine to haue and not to get but be diligent and thou shalt haue plentie and abundance 57 Be not proud for after pride followeth strife whilest thou thinkest none comparable in worthines vnto thy selfe 58 Be not a getter of thy goodes by vanitie for they are soone spent but they that are gathered together with the hand shall increase 59 Be not desperate and out of hope in thy heauinesse for that is the next waie to kill thy hart 60 Be not a bolsterer of the wicked in his wickednesse least thou be partaker of his punishment The ninth Honicombe yeelding most whoalesome dehortations from vice and vitious life 61 BE not deceitfull for such a one shall not roste that he tooke in hunting but the riches of the iust are of great value 62 Be not shamelesse in sinning least the vengeance of the Lord ouertake thée and thou be crushed in péeces 63 Be not sparing in vsing the rod
least thou hating thy sonne be an occasion that he cursse thée another daie 64 Be not scornefull least in séeking for wisedome thou find it not though thou wouldest giue gold for it 65 Be not familiar with a foolish man when thou perceiuest not in him the lips of knowledge and vnderstanding 66 Be not iniurious and wrongfull to the poore for therein thou blasphemest thy maker and dishonourest his maiestie 67 Be not proud and haughtie of heart for such doth the Lord abhorre and he hateth them euen to hell 68 Be not froward in thy waies if thou wilt please the Lord but followe the path of peace and equitie 69 Be not a deuiser of vanities which please thine owne heart for with such toies is the Lords wrath kindled 70 Be not a wicked dooer for such as exercise themselues in naughtinesse are an abhomination vnto him 71 Be not carelesse at the Kings displeasure for the wrath and anger of the Prince is the messenger of death 72 Be not rash in thine enterprises for of rashnesse and hardinesse commeth repentance and sorrowe 73 Be not a controller of thy betters for in so doing thou doest run among thorns and thistles 74 Be not offensiue to thy brother in anie thing least he being gréeued complaine against thée bitterlie 75 Be not a prouoker of the angrie least by heaping fire vpon fire thou thy selfe féele the flaming heate 76 Be not acquainted with a sorcerer and with an inchanter or soothsaier kéepe not companie 77 Be not curious in vanities least thou become a scorne among the wise and a mocking-stocke among the sober 78 Be not ouercome with wine and strong drinke for thereby manie a wise man hath shewed him selfe a foole 79 Be not fauourable to the malefactour and seucare against the innocent for that is to peruert iustice 80 Be not a shifter to liue by other mens sweate but let thine owne labour minister vnto thée allowance The tenth Honicombe yeelding most whoalsome dehortations from vice and vitious life 81 BE not wanton nor light in thy behauiour least thy maners being marked thou reape shame and rebuke 82 Be not a couerer of an offence where the offender falleth wilfullie but open his fault that he may be reproued 83 Be not seditious and giuen to discord and strife least thou be counted a mainteiner of mischiefe 84 Be not vainglorious and confident in thy foolishnesse for such a one is like a shee Beare robbed of her whelps 85 Be not a rewarder of euill for good for if thou so do euill shall not depart from thy house 86 Be not a iustifier of the vngodlie nor a condemner of the innocent for both these doth the Lord abhorre 87 Be not delighted in sinne and wickednesse for that is to bring destruction euerlasting death to thine owne soule 88 Be not froward of heart least thou thereby obteine no good neither beare thou a double tong in thy mouth 89 Be not wilfull in thine owne opinion neither defend thou obstinatelie that which is not right 90 Be not wise in thine own conceipte least in so doing thou be counted a foole among the discréete 91 Be not married to thine owne fansie and like not so well of thy selfe as to haue other in contempt 92 Be not hastie to be reuenged vpon thine enimie but bridle thy raging lust for a time with reason 93 Be not stubborne and revellious against a magistrate least thou heape coles of fire vpon thine head 94 Be not presumptuous and of an haughtie heart for the end of pride is shame and confusion 95 Be not a listener after newes nor a raiser vp of reports least thou become a common scorne 96 Be not a laughter at other mens miseries for thine estate is subiect to the like wretchednesse and calamitie 97 Be not a grudger against God if he afflict thée but patientlie beare all tribulations and sorowes 98 Be not suspicious where there is no appearance and though there be yet be not too rash in thy iudgement 99 Be not liberall of another mans least thereby thou growe out of credit with thy friends 100 Be not a deceiuer of the simple nor guilefull in thy dealings for that is the waie to lose loue and fauour The Conclusion Taste of the honie heere in this hiue If thou wilt learne to liue well and thriue FINIS A Referendarie to the Premisses NO cookerie is so exquisite No dish so deintie dressed But ouercommes the appetite By gluttonie oppressed And therefore wise King Salomon Commendeth moderation No kind of sweete restoritie Though curiouslie compounded No instrumentall melodie In time and measure sounded But by degrees superlatiue Offends the vertue sensitiue Such store of honie is gathered Heere in this swarming Beehiue As being often swallowed So whets the power digestiue That more and more it coueteth And neuer faints or surfeteth Who would not then most hungerlie Eate plentie of this honie Which tastes so sweete and sauourlie And costs so little monie The vse thereof is generall God graunt it proue effectuall A Plant of Pleasure Bearing fourteene seuerall flowres called by the names of Holie Hymnes and Spirituall Songs Wherein such godlie exercises are presented to the hands of euerie particular person as may conuenientlie be applied to their priuate vse not onlie in the pleasant Spring of prosperitie but also in the hard Winter of aduersitie BY ABRAHAM FLEMING Ephes. 5. verse 18 19. ¶ Be ye fulfilled with the spirit speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and Spirituall Songs singing and making melodie in your hearts AT LONDON Printed by Henrie Denham Anno Dom. 1581. A Preface to the true Christian Reader IT is a naturall inclination of man for the delighting and solacing of himselfe after some labour or exercise to seeke such recreations as dooe best agree with his disposition Herevpon some couet this game othersome that and euerie man indeede what maketh most for his contentment Which kind of recreations and refreshings men are not forbidden in Gods word to vse so that the feare of his diuine maiestie preuent them in all their actions and that they abuse not those benefites of recreation to a licentious and wanton libertie Verie necessarie it is that consideration be had of the state of the bodie which cannot alwaies endure labour but that now and then it must be refreshed not onlie with some intermission ceassing from trauell but also with some kind of exercise coupled with delectation and pleasure whereby not onelie the bodie and euerie member thereof is comforted but the mind also and the faculties or powers of the same iollilie quickened Such care taken for the bodie which is earthlie and corruptible should teach vs I thinke a point of wit which we want touching the regard wherewith we ought to be moued for the good estate of the mind or soule which is heauenlie and immortall For how much the minde is more pretious than the bodie so much the more wisedome would it should be
esteemed otherwise we shall seeme to preferre the shell before the kernell the barke before the pith the shadowe before the substance yea most absurdlie we shall refuse wheate for chaffe pure gold for drosse cleere wine for dregs and in conclusion repent our want of grace It were behoofull therefore for vs first and principallie to see to our mind which is chiefest part of our essence and being that the same after some serious studie and contemplation desiring to be refreshed be not fed with fond fansies fables dotages imaginations dreames I cannot tell what idle and vnfruitefull discourses which kindle the affections and set the flesh a gogge but rather with holie exercises and godlie meditations such as are and may be prouided for the purpose to reuiue the spirit and quicken the new man if the partie be gratiouslie affected Thou hast heere therefore presented vnto thine hand good Reader a plant of pleasure bearing fourteene seuerall flowers called by the name of holie Hymnes and spirituall Songs to reade at thy leasure for thy recreation and not so much for thy recreation as for thy profit which I haue put partlie in rythme and partlie in prose for the satisfaction of sundrie Readers desires some beeing addicted to this and some delighted in that kind of writing I would to God it were in me to frame my wit to the will of the well disposed in all points I haue done what I could the Lord knoweth what I would his name be praised for all whose glorie to seeke and set foorth I beseech him giue vs all grace so shall the faithfull reioice and clap their hands but shame shall fall vpon the reprobat force them to hang downe their heads Abraham Fleming A Plant of Pleasure bearing fourteene seuerall Flowres ¶ The first Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 A petition vnto God for the remission of sinnes 2 A description of Gods greatnesse 3 Of his habitation and that he seeth all things A. 1 AS the Sunne is the soule and life of the world so is thy word O God the comfort of my heart Be gratious fauourable vnto me thy seruant that I may be freé from the malice of mine enimies Reward me not according to my deseruings O Lord for I am full of sinne and in me there is no righteousnesse According to thy louing kindnesse therefore O mercifull father blot mine offences out of thy register and pardon me Haue mercie on me O founteine of all mercie cleanse me from the corruption of sinne and wash me with the water of thy word Am not I a reasonable creature indued with knowledge and vnderstanding O Lord to whom should I then come but to theé 2 Men beasts fishes and foules they are the works of thine hands by the vertue of thy word they were created and made From the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same I will continue in the contemplation and view of thy greatnes Lighten the eies of my hart O Lord that they may seé the mightines of thy maiestie in thy creatures Endlesse is thy glorie and thy power is incomprehensible wonderfull art thou in thy iudgments Maruellous things are wrought by thine omnipotent hand day by day the eies of all people are witnesses of thy power 3 In heauen is thy dwelling place from whence thou beholdest the commings in and the goings out of all men Nothing is hidden from thine eies O Lord the brightnesse of thy maiestie can not be absent Giue me grace O God to leade my life in the loue of thy lawe so shall I not miscarrie The second Flowre called a spirituall Song conteining 1 A commemoration or remembrance of the benefites of Christes death and passion 2 A petition for thankefulnesse 3 A confession of Gods greatnesse and almightinesse B. 1 AL people praise the Lord with faithfull heart and voice Be bold to magnifie his name and therein to reioice Remember well the worke which he for vs hath wrought And laud his name accordinglie in word in deed and thought Hell gates he hath shut vp in spite of Sathans power And saued the soules of sinfull men from torments sharpe and sower Most mightie is his arme his greatnesse hath none end From force of foes that vs assault all his he doth defend 2 Lord lighten thou our hearts that we may praise thy power Eternallie which flourisheth and worketh euerie hower 3 Most mightie is thy word thy maiestie surmounts In glorie none so excellent as scriptures cast accounts No Prince nor Potentate may once with thee compare Giue vs thy grace no lesse to learne O Lord with Christian care The third Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 A request for assistance against our aduersaries 2 A confession of our vilenesse by reason of sinne 3 A petition for true mortification and regeneration 4 Of the pretiousnesse of mans soule R. 1 ACcording to thine vnmeasurable mercies O God heare my praier and let thine eares be open to the crie of my complaint Be my sauiour and deliuerer from danger and distresse bridle thou the desperatenesse of mine aduersarie that he do me no mischefe Rebuke them O Lord that go about to raise reproches against me chastise them that they may seé wherein they haue offended As for me I will withstand them in their maliciousnesse for I hope thou wilt arme me with the spirit of fortitude and patience Holie one of Israell heare the supplication of me thy seruant and in the time of necessitie assist me 2 A worme and no man I confesse my selfe to be yea more vile and contemptible than anie vnreasonable creature for sinne hath sâ—oong my soule My heart is defiled with a thousand corrupt cogitations yea the thoughts which are hidden in my heart are not so infinite as they are wicked From mine infancie and cradle I haue bene blemished with sinne and as for righteousnes or iustice there is none in mine entrailes Lord I am so ouerwhelmed in sinne and iniquitie that I stand in continuall feare of thy punishment Oh giue me grace to repent Euening and morning I call my sinnes to memorie and they are more in number than the haires of my head yet O Lord be mercifull 3 Make me a new creature by the inspiration of thy sanctifieng spirit and let mine inward man be circumcised with the razour of mortification Increase in me godlie desires and let all carnall concupiscences be quite quenched in me that I may long after nothing but the loue of thy lawe 4 Nothing is more pretious in thy sight O Lord than the soule of man O let not sinne preuaile against it Grant me thy grace euen to the last houre of my life that I may haue in heauen mine inheritance purchased by Christ his death and passion Amen The fourth Flowre called a Spirituall Song conteining 1 A glorifieng of God 2 An exhortation to praise him 3 A repetition of certaine properties in him 4 A protestation or vow of Christian
dutie to do him reuerence A. 1 ALl glorie vnto God the guider of the iust Blest be his name in heauen earth whereto the righteous trust 2 Repaire his temples to him worship and adore Alleluiah sing and saie to him for euermore 3 He is the God of grace whose kingdom knows none end A mightie God from all annoies that can his flocke defend Most mercifull is he to such as do repent Forgiuing them which for their sins are sorie and lament Laud we his holie name as dutie doth command Each tongue sound out his maiestie adore him sea and land 4 My heart my tongue and voice shall plaie the organ pipes In praising him out of the skore our desperate debts which wipes No time will I let slip if God do giue me grace Great thanks to render to his name which filleth euerie place The fift Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 The reward of the proud and impenitent 2 An admonition not to be high minded 3 To be touched with compassion towards the afflicted 4 To be mindfull of Gods mercies in tribulation 5 A declaration of his omnipotencie and power 6 A petition that the word of God might be the rule of our life H. 1 AN humble heart is a sacrifice vnto the Lord a contrite spirit he will not despise as for the proud and impenitent he casteth them out of his fauour in the heate of his indignation 2 Be not high minded neither puft vp with a vaine opinion of thy selfe but consider that thou art but dust and ashes and that thou hast nothing but naughtinesse by nature 3 Relent at the aduersities and afflictions of thy neighbour and in the bowels of compassion mitigate his miserie for nothing falleth vpon him but the same may in time chance to thée Arme thy selfe with patience to endure all tribulations if God chastise thée with anie kind of punishment acknowledge thine owne transgressions in that behalfe and be penitent 4 Haue in thy mind the greatnes of Gods mercies which are aboue all his workes put thy trust in him in the time of trouble he will deliuer thée and set thée at libertie Aske after succour where it is to be found the Lord is all sufficient he hath treasures of good things for them that loue him as for the wicked of this world they are out of his fauour Much mightier is the mercie of the Lord than the heart of man can conceiue of his power there is no end all the world is replenished with his greatnes most excellent and glorious 5 Fall downe ye hils before his presence tremble ye deepes at the sight of his maiestie for the whole compasse of the world he holdeth in his hand to dispose the same at his pleasure Lord God of Iacob who is like vnto thée Heauen and earth are witnesses of thine excellencie the Sunne and the Moone declare the greatnesse of thy glorie to all nations Euerie creature telleth abroade that thou art omnipotent for at thy becke all things obeie yea heauen it selfe which is thine owne habitation trembleth and quaketh at thy thundering voice 6 Make me O Lord God obedientlie to leade my life direct thou my footesteps by the rule of thy lawe and let thy holie word be a lanthorne before me that I go not astraie If I haue at anie time swarued and done amisse it hath come to passe through the want of thy word which I beséech thée let lighten my goings like a bright burning lampe Notwithstanding O Lord I deserue no such fauour and loue at thy hands yet for thine owne sake which art the founteine of mercie vouchsafe to shew thy selfe gratious Glorie honour and praise be ascribed vnto thée which hast béene from beginning of beginnings and shalt continue in power and maiestie when all things vanish and decaie The sixt Flowre called a spirituall Song conteining 1 A petition for humilitie and assistance against our enimies 2 For mercie and loue of Gods lawe 3 For the leading of a good life A. 1 AN humble heart O God vnto thy seruants giue Be thou to them a louing Lord whiles in this world they liue Regard thy little flocke be thou to them a sheeld And thē defend frō greedie Wolues least ouercome they yeeld 2 Haue mercie on vs all whose waies most wicked are And to the path of Paradise our speedie steps prepare Make vs to loue thy lawe and therein to delight For that is an oblation most pleasant in thy sight 3 Let me so leade my life that what I thinke or saie Extend vnto the laud and praise of thee my God alwaie Make me an instrument thine excellence to sound In faith and in good works O God vouchsafe I may abound Nothing though high of price and glorious to the eie Grant mightie God frō thy precepts may drawe my feete awrie The seuenth Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 An inuocation to God for succour in affliction 2 For restitution of perfection lost by sinne 3 For the fortifieng of faith in time of triall 4 For prosperous successe of our enterprises 5. For protection and strength in persecution of the Gospell 6 A deprecation against Gods enimies and the aduersaries of his Word M. 1 AT euening and at morning I praise thée O God earlie do I call vpon thée yea before the rising of the Sunne do I direct my voice to thee my King and my God Be not far from me in the time of mine affliction but when troubles assault me be thou present and at hand to defend me so shall I féele comfort in my soule and glorifie thy most excellent name 2 Restore to me the fulnesse of thy grace which mine owne sins and the transgressions of my progenitours haue diminished that by the restitution of the same I may the more vprightlie leade my life before thy face 3 And though the world be full of wickednesse and thy glorie dailie derogated by the diuelish deuises of lewd liuers yet so fortifie my faith that I fall not awaie from thee Helpe me O God to withstand the subtile suggestions of Sathan and all Sathanicall souldiours such I meane as set shoulder against thée thy son Christ. 4 Accept me among thy chosen children and ouershadowe me with the shield of thine omnipotencie that whatsoeuer I take in hand may haue happie successe to my profit and to thy glorie 5 Mightilie protect me in all perils and dangers speciallie in the time of persecution when thy Gospell is called in question among false Heretikes superstitious Papists and cauilling Scismatikes Fortific my spirit with the armour of thy word that I may powre it out plentifullie in the presence of thine enimies to their shame and confusion and to the aduancement of thy name Let not their sophisticall assertions intangle or intrap me but let thy sacred Scripture so flourish and fructifie in my heart that by thy gratious gift of vnderstanding I may controll them in their errours Enter thou with me O
Lord when I am cited to appeare before the Sathanicall synagogue which presumptuouslie call the professours of thy Gospell to a reckoning of their religion O be thou mine assistant Make them ashamed of their malicious imaginations and in their owne snares let them be intangled ouerwhelme them in the pit which they haue prepared for others so shall I magnifie thy heauenlie power Increase in them the spirit of wilfull blindnesse because they haue not béene harbourers of thy faithfull ministers and because they haue contemptuoustie withstoode thy word which is the liquor of life Neuerthelesse if it be thy pleasure such as féele anie remorse of conscience and be sorie for their obstinacie vouchsafe to receiue them into thy fauour that they may be witnesses of thine vnspeakeable mercie God the father God the sonne and God the holie Ghost heare my praier and let my crie be considered for thine owne sake and for thy sonnes sake O God looke downe from aloft and shew thy louing kindnesse to all people The eight Flowre called a spirituall Song conteining 1 The chiefest comfort in this life 2 The meanes whereby to obteine blessednesse 3 The cause of a quiet conscience and how it is come by 4 An exhortation to glorifie GOD. F. 1 AMid so manie miseries depending on our life Behold a comfort namelie this with sinne to be at strife 2 Resisting of concupiscence subduing fleshlie lust Are meanes to come to blessednesse enioied of the iust 3 Hereof the true tranquillitie remaining in the minde According to her qualitie doth flourish in her kind Most mightie Ioue be praisd whose grace doth compasse this For no deserts of ours whose liues are dailie lead amis 4 Land we his holie name as doth vs best become Exalt him in his holinesse O nations all and some Make all your mirth and glee on him alone to rest In him reioice and clap your hands oblations such are best Nothing so much becoms a Christian than deth this Grant vs the same O gratious God that liuest aloft in blis The ninth Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 A petition for repentance and remission of finnes 2 A deliuerance from our enimies 3 An inuocation vpon God for present help 4 A depâ—ecation against the aduersaries of Gods truth L. 1 A Penitent heart O God thou wilt not despise O teach me thy statutes that I may sée my sinne Be fauourable vnto me whose iniquities are gone ouer my head O heale my sores and vlcers which stinke in thy sight 2 Rise vp thou holie one of Israell like a Giant in triumph and rescue me from the irruptions and inrushings of mine enimies According to thy greatnesse deliuer me O set me frée from the furiousnesse of my foes from the furiousnesse of my mortall and deadlie foes Horrible are the mischéefes which they haue imagined against me but thou which art omnipotent wilt ouerwhelme them in their maliciousnesse 3 As for me I will be confident vpon thy prouidence will I depend vpon an assured hope of thy heauenlie helpe will I attend O Lord. Make no long tarieng O my King and my God for vpon thée onlie doth the anchor of my saluation rest thou art my health and my safetie Forsake me not in the time of néede least mine enimies taking courage against me scorne at me in their pride and saie where is thy God 4 Let not the enimies of thy truth beare vp their bristles against thée and contemptuouslie cast thy glorie to the ground O Lord destroie both them and their deuises Euen as the Sunne consumeth snowe and as waxe wasteth in the fornace so let them be put to silence in the rigour of thy wrath and iudgement Make them like vnto Sodom and like vnto Gomorrha make them like vnto Pentapolis and Babylon that they may knowe thou liuest which art Lord ouer all Inlarge their torments far aboue the torments wherwith they haue persecuted thy people deale with them according to thine own pleasure Not my will but thy will be fulfilled O father according to thine owne decrée deale with them either in mercie or in iudgement Giue them proofes of thine omnipotencie that they may knowe thée which sittest aboue whose eies sée their deuises and art able to reuenge thine owne cause The tenth Flowre called a spirituall Song conteining 1 An exhortation to praise the Lord. 2 That all states and degrees ought to stoope before him and do him reuerence 3 Wherein our mirth and melodie should consist 4 That all creatures must magnifie Gods Maiestie E. 1 ATtend ye nations giue eare O learne to laud the Lord Behold his wondrous works and praise his name with one accord 2 Rich poore weake strong old folke yong approch and praises sing All people dwelling in the world to God oblations bring High potentates and all estates the king that crowne doth weare And subiects sworne to loialtie the Prince of Princes feare 3 Make all your mirth aud melodie his honour to resound Feare him in truth and faithfulnesse whose blessings do abound Let euerie thing lift vp their voice and laud his holie name 4 Each creature drawing vital breth extoll and praise the same Magnificent and wonderfull yea onlie God is hee In these his works before our eies his puissance we may see No time therefore let vs omit in publishing his praise Giue glorie oh heauen oh earth and sea to him which liues alwaies The eleuenth Flowre called a holie Hymne conteining 1 A petition to God vnder a continued allegorie for a renewed life 2 The weedes of the heart 3 The good and wholesome hearbes of the soule M. 1 AS siluer is purged from drosse by the force of the fire so by thy mercie O Lord GOD let me be purged from mine offences and sinnes Be fauourable vnto me an vnfruitefull bough of old Adams rotten and putrified stocke O water thou me with thy sanctifieng spirit Raine downe from heauen vpon me I beséech thee O let the drops of thy grace fall vpon me that I may bud and beare blossoms As for the wéedes of wickednesse and sinne let them wither and die in me that I may leade an vpright life in thy sight and glorious presence Husband me in such wise O Lord that I may fructifie and increase abundantlie that I may bring foorth thirtie sixtie and an hundred fold according to thy good pleasure A riuer of pleasantnesse be thou vnto me whereby I may be filled full of sap and flourish continuallie like the gréene Baie trée Make my leaues neuer to wither or vade let not the Sunne scortch or drie them to the losse of their beautifull colour and séemelinesse From all stormes and tempests shéeld and ouershadowe me that my roote may be replenished with pith and my branches spread abroade Let not the blustering blasts of winter do me anie harme but as my lips and my tongue gratte in me a desire and delight to speake the truth iustlie vprightlie and Christianlie Lighten thou my waies and
direct all my goings let the deaw of thy blessed spirit drop into my heart so shall I be obedient vnto thy lawe 4 Enter not against me in iudgement and rigour but let thy mercie preuent thy iustice so shall I be sure to escape shame reproch and confusion 5 My heart my tongue and my voice shall become instruments of praise to sound out thy greatnesse and goodnesse in the cares of all people and nations In my bed will I meditate of thy commandements at my meate thy lawe shall be in my mouth thine ordinances statutes shall be my dailie exercise Neither gold nor siluer neither precious stones neither robes of roialtie nor princelie treasure delight me like thy word Gréedilie will I séeke after the loue of thy lawe at morning and at euening yea at midnight will I comfort my soule in thy gratious Gospell The fourteenth Flowre called a spirituall Song conteining 1 Sententious exhortations from sundrie sinnes 2 To liue according to Gods lawe 3 Not to mistrust his power in the time of trouble 4 The reward of them that do after Gods will 5 To esteeme the Preachers of the Gospell 6 To take no euill thing in hand G. 1 ABsteine from fleshlie lust and spirituall peace possesse Be slowe to followe wanton waies all wicked thoughts suppresse Reuolt from vitious workes forbidden deedes detest Alluring lookes and lieng lips in silence let them rest 2 Haue God before thine eies who searcheth hart and raines And liue according to his lawe then glorie is thy gaines 3 Mistrust not thou his might when sorrowes thee assaile For he is of sufficient force in perils to preuaile Laie vp within thy heart his testament and will 4 Eternall life is their reward that do his lawes fulfill 5 Make much of such as teach and preach his gospell pure In them if thou attend their talke God will thy peace procure 6 Nothing attempt in hast which hurtfull may be found Growe daie by daie from grace to grace so shall thy blisse abound The Conclusion Not onlie with tongue and sound of thy voice But with thy whole hart in IESVS reioice FINIS A Referendarie to the premisses for the godlie Reader SOme liue in fleshlie pleasure And some in courtlie brauerie Consuming lands and treasure About a golden slauerie Whose sweetenesse whiles they couit They cannot choose but loue it Some neuer ceasse lamenting Because they are in penurie And alwaies are inuenting Their end by mortall iniurie Whereas they should content them With that which God hath sent them But be thou better learned Which louest Christ his veritie Whereby thou hast discearned That euerie thing is vanitie The world and all within it Though worldlings sweate to win it And when conuenient leasure Doth serue for recreation Then vse these plants of pleasure And grifts of consolation Yea then and alwaies vse them And at no time refuse them A Groue of Graces Supplied with plentie of Plants appliable to pleasure and profit Whereof whosoeuer be disposed deuoutlie to take a view they shall haue the choice of fortie and not so few godlie exercises of Christian dutie ordinarilie to be vsed before and after their dailie diet BY ABRAHAM FLEMING 1. Tim. 4. ver 4 5. ¶ Euerie creature of God is good and nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing for it is sanctified by the word of GOD and praier AT LONDON Printed by Henrie Denham Anno Dom. 1581. A Preface to the true Christian Reader AS the benefits of God are manifold or rather infinite bestowed vpon man from the time of his creation euen so ought the fruites of his obedience thankefulnesse to be aboundant and plentifull For if a man hauing diuers good friends but some more beneficiall than othersome sheweth himselfe most officious and dutifull to them of whome he hath receiued most commoditie by how much the greater reason ought we so to behaue our selues in all kinde of holie seruice towards God who hath heaped vpon vs more blessings than the tongue of anie man can vtter or his memorie conteine We see that all things are created by God all things nourished by him all things increased by him all things multiplied by him and all things preserued by him for the vse of man vnto whose gouernement he hath committed them put him in full possession and giuen him a lordlie title ouer them to vse and dispose at his pleasure requiring at his hands for this singular bountifulnesse nothing but an vnderstanding hart a renewed mind and religious lips which might tell abroade the great goodnes of so louing a God and stir vp others to magnifie his name And although we ought to glorifie God at all times according to the continued course of his compassion and kindnesse shewed vnto vs from the daie of our birth vntill this present houre sundrie and manie waies as well in clothing vs as also in nourishing and feeding vs besides other inuisible graces which not appearing to the world can not so well be remembred yet because my purpose is particular and stretcheth no further than to Christian dutifulnesse proper vnto God for his dailie blessings presented vnto vs all vpon our ordinarie tables I would not wish thee good Reader to looke for anie other matter at my hands than the verie title of this treatise doth import which I haue called by the name of A Groue of Graces For as in a Groue there do growe manie plants of great varietie and choice the weakest and slenderest whereof may in due and conuenient time do some good and necessarie seruice euen so gentle Reader thou hast heere in this Groue sundrie good Graces put into thine hands some in verse and othersome in prose all and euerie of them tending to Gods glorie as blessings and thanksgiuings vnto his diuine Maiestie for his vnspeakeable clemencie and fatherlie prouidence which he hath ouer vs sinfull and wretched creatures whereof the Lord giue vs grace to continue mindfull and keepe vs in the reuerent vse of his good gifts for Iesus Christes sake our onlie mediator and aduocate Amen Abraham Fleming A Groue of Graces The first Plant. ¶ Grace before Dinner ALmightie God thou giuer of all good things blesse we beséech thée the meate which is set before vs for our repast and vs the receiuers of the same that we may prosper with it and that the substance thereof conuerted into nourishment may make vs strong and able of bodie to endure and goe through our dailie labour Open our eies also O Lord that we may sée from whome all things do come and séeing may extoll and magnifie thy name through Iesus Christ Amen The 2. Plant. ¶ Grace after Dinner BRethren and Sisters assembled and refreshed with the blessings of God forget not to giue him thankes for the present vse of these his comfortable and nourishing creatures beséeching him to continue them among vs and to make vs thankefull partakers of the same for his sonnes sake Iesus