TO THE HIGH AND mighty Prince CHARLES Prince of WALES CHRIST IESVS the PRINCE of Princes blesse your Highnesse with length of dayes and an increase of all Graces which may make you truely prosperous in this life and eternally happy in that which is to come Ionathan shot three Arrowes to driue Dauid further off from Sauls furie and this is the third Epistle which I haue written to draw your Highnesse neerer to Gods fauour by directing your heart to beginne like Iosiah in your youth to seeke after the GOD of DAVID and of IACOB your Father Not but that I know that your Highnesse doth this without mine admonition but because I would with the Apostle haue you to abound in euery Grace in faith and knowledge and in all diligence and in your loue to Gods Seruice and true Religion Neuer was there more neede of plaine and vnfained Admonitions for the Comicke in that saying seemes but to haue prophesied of our times Obsequium amicos veritas odium parit And no maruell seeing that wee are fallen into the dregges of Time which being the last must needes be the worst dayes And how can there be worse seeing Vanitie knowes not how to be vainer nor Wickednesse how to be more wicked And whereas heretofore those haue beene counted most holy who haue shewed themselues most zealous in their Religion they are now reputed most discreet who can make the least profession of their Faith And that these are the last daies appeares euidently because that Securitie of mens eternall state hath so ouerwhelmed as CHRIST fore-told it should all sorts that most who now liue are become louers of pleasures more then louers of God And of those who pretend to loue GOD. O GOD what sanctified hart can but bleede to beholde how seldome they come to prayers how irreuerently they heare Gods Word what strangers they are at the Lords Table what assiduous spectators they are at Stage-playes where being Christians they can sport themselues to heare the Vassals of the Diuell scoffing Religion and blasphemously abusing phrases of holy Scripture on their Stages as familiarly as they vse their Tabacco-pipes in their bibbing-houses So that he who would now adayes seeke in most Christians for the power shall scarse almost finde the very shew of godlinesse Neuer was there more sinning neuer lesse remorse for sinne Neuer was the Iudge neerer to come neuer was there so little preparation for his comming And if the Bride-groome should now come how many who thinke themselues wise enough and full of all knowledge would be found foolish Virgines without one droppe of the Oyle of sauing Faith in their lamps For the greatest wisedome of most men in this age consists in being wise first to deceiue others and in the end to deceiue themselues And if sometimes some good Booke haps into their hands or some good motion comes into their heads whereby they are put in minde to consider the vncertaintie of this life present or how weake assurance they haue of eternall life if this were ended and how they haue some secret sinnes for which they must needes repent here or be punished for them in Hell hereafter Securitie then forthwith whispers the Hypocrite in the Eare that though it be fit to thinke of these things yet It is not yet time and that hee is yet young enough though hee cannot but know that many millions as young as himselfe are already in hell for want of timely Repentance Presumption warrants him in the other Eare that hee may haue time hereafter at his leasure to repent and that howsoeuer others dye yet hee is farre enough from death and therefore may boldly take yet a longer time to enioy his sweete pleasures and to encrease his vvealth and greatnesse And hereupon like Salomons Sluggard he yeelds himselfe to a little more sleepe a little more slumber a little more folding of the hands to sleepe in his former sinnes till at last Despayre Securities ougly hand-maide comes in vnlooked for shewes him his Houre-glasse dolefully telling him that his time is past and that nothing now remaines but to dye and be damn'd Let not this seeme strange to any for too many haue found it too true more without more grace are like to be thus soothed to their end and in the end snared to their endlesse perdition In my desire therefore of the common saluation but especially of your Highnesse euerlasting Welfare I haue endeuoured to extract out of the Chaos of endlesse Controuersies the olde Practise of true PIETIE which flourished before these Controuersies were hatched which my poore labours in a short while comes now forth againe the third time vnder the gracious protection of your Highnesse fauour and by their entertainment seeme not to be altogether vnwelcome to the Church of Christ. If to be pious hath in all ages beene held true honour how much more honourable is it in so impious an age to be the true Patrone and Patterne of Pietie Pietie made Dauid Salomon Iehosaphat Ezechias Iosias Zerubbabel Constantine Theodosidus Edward the 6. Queene Elizabeth Prince Henry and other religious Princes to be so honoured that their names since their deaths smels in the Church of GOD like a precious oyntment and their remembrance is sweet as Hony in all mouthes and as Musicke at a banquet of Wine when as the liues of others who haue beene godlesse and irreligious Princes doe rot and stinke in the memory of Gods people And what honour is it for great men to haue great titles on earth when God counts their Names vnworthy to be written in his Booke of life in heauen It is Pietie that enbalmes a Prince his good name and make his face to shine before men and glorifieth his Soule among Angels For as Moses face by often talking with GOD shined in the eyes of the People so by frequent praying which is our talking with God and hearing the Word which is Gods speaking vnto vs we shall be changed from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord to the Image of the Lord. And seeing this life is vncertaine to all especially to Princes What argument is more fit both for Princes and People to study then that which teacheth sinfull man to deny himselfe by mortifying his corruption that hee may enioy Christ the Author of his saluation To renounce these false and momentanie pleasures of the world that he may attaine to the true and eternall ioyes of Heauen to make them truely honourable before God in Piety who are now onely honourable before men in vanitie What charges soeuer wee spend in earthly vanities for the most part they eyther dye before vs or wee shortly die after them but what we spend like Mary in the Practise of Pietie shall remaine our true memoriall for euer For Pietie hath the promise of this life and of that which shall neuer
Wine therefore are not bare signifying Signes but such as vvherewith Christ doth indeede exhibite and giue to euery worthy Receiâ—er not onely his diuine vertue and efficacie but also his very Body and Bloud as verely as hee gaue to his Disciples the Holy Ghost by the signe of his sacred Breath or Health to the diseased by the word of his Mouth or touch of his hand or garment And the apprehension by faith is more forcible then the exquisitest comprehension of Sense or Reason To conclude this point this holy Sacrament is that Blessed Bread vvhich being eaten opened the Eyes of the Emauites that they knew Christ. This is that Lordly Cup by vvhich wee are all made to drinke into one Spirit This is that Rocke flowing with hony that reuiueth the fainting spirits of euery true Ionathan that tastes it vvith the mouth of Faith This is that Barly Loafe vvhich tumbling from aboue strikes downe the Tents of the Midianites of infernall darkenesse Elias Angelicall Cake and Water preserued him fortie dayes in Horeb and Manna Angels foode fed the Israelites forty yeeres in the Wildernesse but this is that True Bread of life and heauenly Manna which if vvee shall duely eate will nourish our Soules for euer vnto life eternall How should then our Soules make vnto Christ that request from a spirituall desire which the Capernaites did from a carnall motion Lord euermore giue vs this Bread The fift end of the Lords Supper 5 To be an assured pledge vnto vs of our Resurrection The Resurrection of a Christian is two-folde first the spirituall Resurrection of our Soules in this life from the death of Sinne called the first Resurrection because that by the Trumpet-voyce of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell we are raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace Blessed and holy is he saith Saint Iohn who hath part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death hath no power The Lords Supper is both a meane and a pledge vnto vs of this spiâ—rituall and first Resurrection Hee that eateth mee euen hee shall liue by mee And then are we fit Guests to sit at the Table with Christ when like Lazarus wee are raysed from the death of sinne to newnesse of life The truth of this first resurrection vvill appeare by the motion vvherewith they are internally moued for if when thou art moued to the duties of Religion and practise of Pietie thy heart answereth vvith Samuell Here I am Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth And vvith Dauid O God my heart is ready And vvith Paul Lord what wilt thou haue mee to doe Then surely thou art raysed from the death of sinne and hast thy part in the first Resurrection but if thou remainest ignorant of the true grounds of Religion and findest in thy selfe a kinde of secret loathing of the exercises thereof and must be drawne as it were against thy will to doe the workes of Pietie c. then surely thou hast but a name that thou liuest but thou art dead as Christ tolde the Angell of the Church of Sardis and thy Soule is but as salt to keepe thy body from stincking Secondly the corporall Resurrection of our bodies at the last day which is called the second resurrection which freeth vs from the first death Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day For this Sacrament signifieth and sealeth vnto vs that Christ died and rose againe for vs and that his flesh quickneth and nourisheth vs vnto eternall life and that therefore our bodies shall surely be raised to eternall life at the last day For seeing our head is risen all the members of the body shall likewise surely rise againe For how can those bodies which being the weapons of Righteousnesse Rom. 16 13. Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 and Members of Christ. haue bin fedde and nourished vvith the body and blood of the Lord of life but be raised vp againe at the last day And this is the cause that the bodies of the Saints being dead are so reuerently buried and laid to sleepe in the Lord. And their buriall places are termed the beddes and dormitories of the Saints The reprobates shall arise at the last day But by the Almighty power of Christ as he is Iudge bringing them as malefactors out of the goale to receiue their sentence and deserued execution but the Elect shall arise by vertue of Christs resurrectiâ—n and of the Communion which they haue with him as with their head And his resurrection is the cause and assurance of ours The Resurrection of Christ is a Christians particuler faith the Resurrection of the dead is the childe of Gods chiefest confidence Therefore Christians in the Primitiue Church were wont to salute one another in the morning with these phrases The Lord is risen and the other would answere True The Lord is risen indeede The sixt end of the Lords Supper 6 To seale vnto vs the assurance of euerlasting life Oh what more wished or loued then life Or what doe all men more either feare or abhorre then death Yet is this first death nothing if it be compared with the second death neither is this life any thing worth in comparison of the life to come If therefore thou desirest to be assured of eternall life prepare thy selfe to be a worthy receiuer of this blessed Sacrament For our Sauiour assureth vs That if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer and the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Hee therefore who duely eateth of this holy Sacrament may truely say not onely Credo vitam aeternam I beleeue the life euerlasting but also Edo vitam aeternam I eate life euerlasting And indeed this is the true tree of life which GOD hath planted in the middest of the Paradise of the Church And whereof hee hath promised to giue euery one that ouercommeth to eate And this tree of life by infinite degrees excelleth the tree of life that grew in the Paradise of Eden for that had his roote in the earth this from heauen that gaue but life to the body this to the soule that did but preserue the life of the liuing this restoreth life to the dead The leaues of this tree healeth the Nation of beleeuers and it yeelds euery moneth a new manner of fruit which nourisheth them to life euerlasting Oh blessed are they who often eate of this Sacrament at lest once euery moneth taste anew of this renewing fruit which Christ hath prepared for vs at his Table to heale our infirmities and to confirme our beleefe of life euerlasting The seauenth end of the Lords Supper 7 To binde all Christians as it were by an
that without faith wee cannot be perswaded in our consciences that our receiuing is acceptable vnto God 3 Of vnfained repentance requisite for a true Communicant True Repentance is a holy change of the minde when vpon the feeling sight of Gods mercy and of a mans owne misery hee turneth from all his known and secret sinnes to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the rest of his daies For as he that is glutted with meat is not apt to eat bread so hee that is stuffed with sinnes is not fit to receiue Christ. And a conscience defiled with wilfull filthinesse makes the vse of all holy things vnholy vnto vs. Our sacrificed spotlesse Passeouer cannot bee eaten with the sowre leauen of malice and wickednes saith Paul 1 Cor. 5.8 Neither can the olde bottles of our corrupt and impure consciences retaine the new wine of Christs precious bloud as our Sauiour saith Mar. 2.22 Wee must therefore truely repent if we will bee worthy partakers 2 The duties to be performed in respect of our neighbour is Charity Charity is a hearty forgiuing of others who haue offended vs and after reconciliation an outward vnfained testifying of the inward affections of our hearts by gestures words and deeds as oft as we meete and occasion is offred For first without loue to our neighbour no sacrifice is acceptable vnto GOD. Secondly because one chiefe end wherefore the Lords Supper was ordained is to confirme Christians loue one towards an other Thirdly no man can assure himselfe that his owne sinnes are forgiuen of God if his heart cannot yeelde to forgiue the faults of men that haue offended him Thus farre of the first sort of duties which we are to performe before wee come to the Lords Table called Preparation 2 Of the second sort of duties which a worthy Communicant is to performe at the receiuing of the Lords Supper called Meditation THis exercise of spirituall Meditation consists in diuers points First when the Sermon is ended and the banquet of the Lords Supper begins to be celebrated meditate with thy selfe how thou art inuited by Christ to be a guest at his holy table and how louingly he inuiteth thee Hoe euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters of life c. Come buy wine and milke without money and without price eate yee that which is good let your soule delight it selfe in fatnesse Take ye eate ye This is my body which was broken for you drinke yee all of this for this is my blood which was shed for the remission of your sinnes What greater honor can be vouchsafed then to be admitted to sit at the Lords own Table What better fare can be affoorded then to feede of the Lords owne body and bloud If Dauid thought it to be the greatest fauour that he could shew vnto good Barzallaâ— for all the kindenesse that hee shewed vnto him in his troubles to offer him That he should feed with him at his owne Table in Ierusalem how much greater fauour ought we to account it when Christ doth indeede feede vs in the Church at his owne Table and that with his owne most holy body and bloud Secondly as Abraham vvhen hee vvent â—p to thy Mount to sacrifice Isaak his Sonne left his Seruants beneath in the Valley so vvhen thou commest to the Spirituall Sacrifice of the Lords Supper lay aside all earthly thoughts and cogitations that thou maist wholy contemplate of Christ and offer vp thy Soule vnto him vvho sacrificed both his Soule and Body for thee Thirdly meditate vvith thy selfe how precious and venerable is the Body and Bloud of the Sonne of God vvho is the Ruler of Heauen and Earth the Lord at vvhose becke the Angels tremble and by whom both the quicke and dead shall be iudged at the last day and thou among the rest And how that it is hee who hauing beene crucified for thy sinnes offereth now to be receiued by faith into thy soule On the other side consider how sinfull a Creature thou art how altogether vnworthy of so holy a Guest how ill deseruing to taste of such sacred foode hauing beene conceiued in filthinesse and wallowing euer since in the mire of Iniquitie bearing the Name of a Christian but doing the Workes of the Diuell adoring CHRIST with an Aue Rex in thy mouth but spitting Oathes in his face and crucifying him anew vvith thy gracelesse actions Fourthly ponder then with what face darest thou offer to touch so holy a body with such defiled hands or to drinke such precious blood with so lewde and lying a mouth or to lodge so blessed a guest in so vncleane a stable For if the Bethshemites vvere slaine for but looking irreuerently into the Arke of the olde Testament what Iudgement mayest thou iustly expect who with such iâ—â—ure eies and heart art come to see and receiue the Arke of the New Testament in which dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily If Vzza for but touching though not without zeale the Arke of the Couenant was stricken with sudden death What stroake of diuine Iudgement maiest thou not feare that so rudely with vncleane hands doest presume to handle the Arke of the eternall Testament wherein is hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge If Iohn Baptist the holiest man that was borne of a woman thought himselfe vnworthy to beare his shooes O Lord how vnworthy is such a prophane wretch as thou art to eate his holy flesh and to drinke his precious bloud If the blessed Apostle S. Peter seeing but a glympse of Christs Almightie Power thought himselfe vnworthy to stand in the same Bâ—ate with him how vnworthy art thou to sit with Christ at the same Table where thou maist behold the infinitenesse of his Grace and Mercy displayed If the Centurion thought that the roofe of his house was not vvorthy to harbour so diuine a Guest what roome can there be fit vnder thy ribs for Christs holinesse to dwell in If the bloud-issued sicke woman feared to touch the Hemme of his Garment how shouldest thou tremble to eate his flesh and to drinke his all-healing bloud Yet if thou commest humbly in Faith Repentance and Charitie abhorring thy sins past and purposing vnfainedly to amend thy life henceforth let not thy former sinnes affright thee for they shall be neuer laid vnto thy charge and this Sacrament shall seale vnto thy Soule that all thy sinnes and the Iudgements due vnto them are fully pardoned and cleane washed away by the bloud of Christ. For this Sacrament vvas not ordained for them who are perfect but to helpe penitent sinners vnto perfection Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And he saith that the whole neede not the Physitian but they that are sicke Those hath Christ called and when they came them hath hee euer helped Witnesse the whole Gospell which testifieth that not one sinner
the damnation of hell This fulnesse of cursednesse is either particular or generall Particular or that which in a lesse measure of fulnesse lighteth vpon the Soule immediately as soone as shee is separated from the body For in the very instant of dissolution she is in the sight and presence of God For when she ceaseth to see with the organe of fleshly eyes she seeth after a spirituall manner like Stephen who saw the glory of GOD and Iesus standing at his right hand or as a man who being blinde-borne and miraculously restored to his sight would see the Sunne which hee neuer saw before And there by the testimonie of her owne Conscience Christ the righteous Iudge vvho knoweth all things maketh her by his omnipresent power to vnderstand the doome and Iudgement that is due vnto her sinnes and what must be her eternall state And in this manner standing in the sight of Heauen not fit for her vncleannesse to come into Heauen shee is said to stand before the throne of God And so forthwith she is carried by the euill Angels who came to fetch her with violence into Hell where shee is kept as in a Prison in euerlasting paines and chaynes vnder darknesse vnto the Iudgement of the great day But not in that extremitie of torments which she shall finally receiue at the last day The generall fulnes of cursednesse is in a greater measure of fulnesse which shall be inflicted vpon both thy Soule and Body when by the mighty power of Christ the supreame Iudge of heauen and earth the one shall be brought out of Hell and the other out of the Graue as Prisoners to receiue their dreadfull doome according to their euill deedes How shall the Reprobate by the roaring of the Sea the quaking of the Earth the trembling of the Powers of Heauen and terrours of heauenly Signes be driuen at the worlds end to their wits end Oh vvhat a vvofull Salutation will there be betwixt the damned Soule and Body at their revniting at that terrible day O sincke of Sinne O lumpe of Filthinesse will the Soule say vnto her Body how am I compelled to re-enter vnto thee not as an habitation to rest but as a Prison to be tormented together How doest thou appeare in my sight like Iephtes Daughter to my greater torment Would God thou hadst perpetually rotted in thy graue that I might neuer haue seene thee againe How shall wee be confounded together to heare before God Angels and Men laid open all those secret sinnes which wee committed together Haue I lost Heauen for the loue of such a stinking Carrion Art thou the flesh for whose pleasures I haue yeelded to commit so many Fornications O filthy Bâ—lly how became I such a foule as to make thee my God How madde was I for momentanie ioyes to incurre these torments of eternall paines yee Rockes and Mountaines why skirpe yee so like Rams Psal. 114.4 and will not fall vpon mee to hide mee from the face of him that comes to sit on yonder Throne for the great day of his wrath is come and vvho shall be able to stand Apoc. 6.16.17 Why tremblest thou thus O Earth at the presence of the Lord and vvilt not open thy mouth and swallow mee vp as thou diddest Korah that I be seene no more O damned Furies I would yee might vvithout delay teare me in pieces on condition that you vvould teare me vnto nothing But whilest thou art thus in vaine bewailing thy miserie the Angels hale thee violently away from the brincke of thy Graue to some place neere the Tribunall seate of Christ where being as a cursed Goate separated to stand beneath on earth as on the left hand of the Iudge Christ shall rippe vp all the benefits he bestowed on thee and the torments hee suffered for thee and all the good deedes which thou omitted and all the vngratefull villanies which thou didst commit against him and his holy Lawes Within thee thine owne conscience more then a thousand witnesses shall accuse thee the Diuels vvho tempted thee to all thy lewdnesse shall on the one side testifie vvith thy Conscience against thee and on the other side shall stand the holy Saints and Angels approuing Christs Iustice and detesting so filthy a creature Behinde thee an hydeous noyse of innumerable fellow-damned Reprobates tarrying for thy company Before thee all the world burning in flaming fire Aboue thee an irefull Iudge of deserued vengeance ready to pronounce his sentence vpon thee Beneath thee the fiery sulphureous mouth of the bottomlesse pit gaping to receiue thee In this wofull estate to hide thy selfe will be impossible for on that condition thou vvouldest wish that the greatest Rocke might fall vpon thee to appeare will be intollerable and yet thou must stand forth to receiue with other reprobates this thy sentence Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Depart from mee there is a separation from all ioy and happinesse Yee cursed there is a blacke and direfull Excommunication Into fire there is the crueltie of paine Euerlasting there is the perpetuitie of punishment Prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Here are thy infernall tormenting and tormented companions O terrible Sentence from which the condemned cannot escape which being pronounced cannot possibly be with-stood against which a man cannot except and from which a man can no where appeale So that to the damned nothing remaines but hellish torments which knows neyther ease of paine nor end of time From this Iudgement-seate thou must be thrust by Angels together vvith all the damned Diuels and Reprobates into the bottomlesse Lake of vtter darknesse that perpetually burnes with fire and Brimstone Whereunto as they shall be thrust there shall be such weeping woes and wailing that the cry of the company of Core Dathan Abiram when the earth swallowed them vp was nothing comparable to this howling nay it vvill seeme vnto thee a Hell before thou goest into hell but to heare it Into vvhich bottomlesse Lake after that thou art once plunged thou shalt euer be falling downe and neuer meet a bottome and in it thou shalt euer lament and none shall pittie thee thou shalt alwaies weepe for the paine of fire and yet gnash thy teeth for the extremitie of colde thou shalt weepe to thinke that thy miseries are past remedie thou shalt weepe to thinke that to repent is to no purpose thou shalt weepe to thinke how for the shadowes of short pleasures thou hast incurred these sorrowes of eternall paines thou shalt weepe to see how that weeping it selfe can nothing preuaile yea in weeping thou shalt weepe more teares then there is water in the Sea for the water of the Sea is finite but the weeping of a Reprobate shall be infinite There thy lasciuious Eyes shall be afflicted vvith sights of ghastly Spirits thy curious Eares shall be
thy name is a strong tower of defence vnto all those that trust therein I here recommend my selfe and all that doe belong vnto me vnto thy holy protection and custodie If it be thy blessed will to call for me in my sleepe O Lord for Christ his sake haue mercy vpon me and receiue my soule into thy heauenly Kingdome And if it be thy blessed pleasure to adde more dayes vnto my life O Lord adde more amendement vnto my dayes and weane my mind from the loue of the world and worldly vanities and cause mee more and more to settle my conuersation on Heauen and heauenly things And perfect daily in mee that good worke which thou hast begun to the glory of thy Name and the saluation of my sinfull Soule O Lord I beseech thee likewise saue and defend from all euill and danger thy whole Church the Kings Maiestie the Queene the Prince Charles together with the Princely Count Palatine of Rhene and the religious Princesse Elizabeth his Wife keepe them all in the sinceritie of thy Truth and prosper them in all grace and happinesse Blesse the Nobilitie Ministers and Magistrates of these Churches Kingdomes each of them with those graces which are expedient for their place and calling And be thou ô Lord a comfort and consolation to all thy people whom thou hast thought meete to visit vvith any kinde of sicknesse crosse or calamitie Hasten O Father the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Make mee euer mindfull of my last end and of the reckoning that I am to make vnto thee therein And in the meane while carefull so to follow Christ in the regeneration during this life as that with Christ I may haue a portion in the resurrection of the iust when this mortall life is ended These graces and all other blessings which thou O Father knowest to be requisite and necessary for me I humbly beg and craue at thy hands in the Name and mediation of Iesus Christ thy Sonne and in that forme of Prayer which hee himselfe hath taught me to say vnto thee Our Father which art in Heauen c. Another shorter Euening Prayer O Eternall GOD and heauenly father if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy Gospell and the examples of Peter Magdalene the Publicane the Prodigall childe and many other penitent sinners that thou art so full of compassion and so ready to forgiue the greatest sinners who are heauiest laden with sinne at what time soeuer they returne vnto thee with penitent hearts lamenting their sinnes and imploring thy grace I should despaire for mine owne sinnes and be vtterly discouraged from presuming to come vnto thy presence considering the hardnesse of my heart the vnrulinesse of my affections and the vncleannesse of my conuersation by meanes whereof I haue transgressed all thy lawes and deserued thy curse which might cause my body to be smitten with some fearefull disease my soule to languish with the death of sinne my good name to be traduced with scandalous reproaches and make mine estate lyable to all manner of crosses and casualities And I confesse Lord that thy mercy is the cause that I haue not beene long agoe confounded But O my God as thy mercy onely staied thy iudgement from falling vpon mee hitherto so I humbly beseech thee in the bowels of the mercy of Iesus Christ in whom onely thou art well pleased that thou wilt not deale with mee according to my deserts but that thou wouldest freely and fully remit vnto mee all my sinnes and transgressions and that thou wouldest washe them cleane from me vvith the vertue of that most precious blood which thy sonne Iesus Christ hath shed for me For hee alone is the Phisition and his bloud onely is the medicine that can heale my sickenesse And he is the true brazen Serpent that can cure that poison wherewith the firy Serpents of my sinnes haue stung and poisoned my sicke and wounded soule And giue mee I beseech thee thine holy spirit which may assure me of mine adoption and that may confirme my faith encrease my repentance enlighten my vnderstanding purifie my heart rectifie my will and affections and so sanctifie me throughout that my whole body soule and spirit may be kept vnblameable vntill the glorious comming of my Lord Iesus Christ. And now O Lord I giue thee hearty thankes and praise for that thou hast this day preserued me from all harmes and perils notwithstanding all my sinnes and ill deserts And I beseech thee likewise defend me this night from the roaring Lion which night and day seeketh to deuoure me Watch thou O Lord ouer me this night to keepe mee from his temptations and tyrannie and let thy mercy shield me from his vnappeaseable rage and malice And to this end I commend my selfe into thy hands and protection beseeching thee O my Lord and God not to suffer Satan nor any of his euill members to haue power to doe vnto me any hurt or violence this night And grant good Lord that whether I sleepe or wake liue or die I may sleepe wake liue and die vnto thee and to the glory of thy name and the saluation of my soule Lord blesse and defend all thy chosen people euery where Graunt our King a long happy raigne ouer vs. Blesse the Queene Prince Charles the Prince Palatine of Rhene and the vertuous Princesse Elizabeth his wife together with all our Magistrates and Ministers comfort them who are in any misery neede or sickenesse Good Lord giue me grace to be one of those wise Virgins which may haue my heart prepared like a Lampe furnished with the Oyle of Faith and light of good works to meet the Lord Iesus the sweet bridegroome of my soule at his second and sodaine comming in glory Grant this good Father for Christ Iesus sake my only Sauiour and Mediator in whose blessed name and in whose owne words I call vpon thee as he hath taught me Our Father which c. Afterwards say Thy grace O Lord Iesus Christ thy loue O heauenly Father thy comfort and consolation O Holy and blessed spirit be with me and dwell in my heart this night and euermore Amen Then rising vp in a holy reuerence meditate as thou art putting off thy cloathes Things to be Meditated vpon as thou art putting off thy cloathes 1 THat the day is comming when thou must be as barely vnstript of al that thou hast in the world as thou art now of thy cloathes thou hast therefore heere but the vse of all things as a Steward for a time and that vpon accounts Whilest therefore thou art trusted with this Stewardship be wise and faithfull 2 When thou seest thy bed let it put thee in minde of thy graue which is now the bed of Christ For Christ by laying his holy body to rest three daies and three
nights in the graue hath sanctified and as it were warmed it for the bodies of his Saints to rest and sleepe in till the morning of the resurrection So that now vnto the faithfull Death is but a sweet sleepe and the graue but Christs bed where their bodies rest and sleepe in peace vntill the ioyfull morning of the Resurrection day shall dawne vnto them Let therefore thy bed-cloathes represent vnto thee the mould of the earth that shall couer thee thy shâ—etes thy winding sheete thy sleepe thy death thy waking thy resurrection And being laid downe in thy bed when thou perceiuest sleep to approach say I will lay mee downe and sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest mee dwell in safety Thus religiously opening euery Morning thy heart and shutting it vp againe euery Euening with the word of God and praier as it were vvith a locke and key and so beginning the day with GODS worship continuing it in his feare and ending it in his fauour thou shalt be sure to finde the blessing of GOD vpon all thy daies labours and good endeauours and at night thou mayest assure thy selfe thou shalt sleepe safely and sweetly in the armes of thy heauenly Fathers prouidence Thus farre of the Piety which euery Christian in priuate ought to Practise euery day Now followeth that which he being a Housholder must practise publikely with his Family Meditations for Houshold Piety 1 IF thou be called to the gouernment of a Familie thou must not hold it sufficient to serue GOD and liue vprightly in thine owne person vnlesse thou cause all vnder thy charge to doe the same with thee For the performance of this dutie God was so well pleased with Abraham that he would not hide from him his counsell For saith GOD I know him that he will command his sons and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him And Abraham had 318. men seruants which were thus borne and Catechized in his house With whose helpe hee rescued also his Nephew Lâ—t from the captiuity of his enemies And religiously valiant Iosuah protesteth before all the people that if they all would fall away from the true worship of GOD yet that hee and his house would serue the Lord. And GOD himselfe giues a speciall charge to all householders that they do instruct their Family in his word and traine them vp in his feare and seruice These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt whâ—â— them continually vpon thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp c. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him Dauid according to this Law had so ordered his Family That no deceitful person should dwell in his house but such as would serue God and walke in his way And religious Hester had taught her Maydes to serue GOD in fasting and prayer And the more to further thy family in the zeale of Religion settle euer thy chiefest affection on those whom thou shalt perceiue to be best addicted to true religion This also will turne to thine owne aduantage in a double respect First GOD will the rather blesse and prosper the labour and handy worke of such godly Seruants For Laban perceiued that God blessed him for Iacobs sake And Potiphar saw that the Lord made all that Ioseph did to prosper in his hand yea when innocent Ioseph vvas cast into prison his Keeper saw that whatsoeuer he did the Lord made it to prosper and therefore the Keeper committed all the charge of the Prisoners into Iosephs hand Secondly the truer a man doth serue God the faithfuller he will serue thee 2 If euery Housholder were thus carefull according to his duetie to bring vp his Children and Familie in the seruice and feare of God in his owne house then the house of God should be better filled and the Lords Table more frequented euery Sabbath day and the Pastors publike preaching and labour would take more effect then it doth The streetes of Townes and Cities would not abound with so many drunkards swearers whoremongers prophane scorners of true Pietie and Religion Westminster-Hall would not be so full of contentions wrangling suites and vnchristian debates and the Prisons vvould not be euery Sessions so full of theeues robbers traytors and murtherers But alas most Housholders make no other vse of their Seruants then they doe of their beasts Whilest they may haue their bodies to doe their seruice they care not if their Soules serue the Diuell Yet the common complaint is that faithfull and good seruants are scarce to be found True but the reason is because there are so many prophane and irreligious Masters for the example and instruction of a godly and religious Master will make a good and a faithfull seruant as may witnesse the examples of Abraham Ioshua Dauid Cornelius c. who had good seruants because they were religious masters such as were carefull to make their seruants Gods seruants It is the chiefe labour and care of most men to raise and to aduance their house yet let them rise vp earely lye downe late and eate the bread of carefulnesse all vvill be but in vaine for except the Lord build a house that is raise vp a familie they labour in vaine For GOD hath sealed this as an irreuocable Decree that he will poure his wrath vpon the Families that call not vpon his Name yea God will take the wicked and plucke him out of his Tabernacle and roote him out of the land c. Yea when his iniquities are full he will make the Land to spue out euery Canaanite Religion then and the Seruice of God in a Family is the best building and surest entailing of house and Land to a man and his posteritie for the righteous man shall inherit the land and dwell therein for euer As therefore if thou desirest to haue the blessing of God vpon thy selfe and vpon thy familie eyther before or after thine owne priuate deuotion call euery morning all thy familie to some conuenient roome and first eyther reade thy selfe vnto them a Chapter in the word of God or cause it to be read distinctly by some other If leasure serue thou maist admonish them of some remarkeable good notes and then kneeling downe with them in reuerent sort as is before described pray with them in this manner Morning Prayer for a Familie O Lord our GOD and heauenly father who art the onely Creator Gouernour of Heauen and Earth and all things therein contained we confesse that wee are vnworthy to appeare in thy sight and presence considering our manifold sinnes vvhich wee haue committed
enuied to be taxed with such a blemish though I knew that otherwise the graces of God shined in him in aboundant measure I made â—ests of officious and aduantage of pernitious lyes herein shewing my selfe a right Cretian rather then an vpright Christian. And lastly O Lord where I should haue rested fully contented vvith that portion which thy Maiestie thought meetest to bestow vpon me in this Pilgrimage and reioyced in an others good as in mine owne Alas my life hath beene nothing else but a greedy lusting after this neighbours house and that neighbours land yea secretly vvishing such a man dead that I might haue his liuing or office coueting rather those things which thou hast bestowed on another rather then being thankefull for that which thou hast giuen vnto my selfe Thus I O Lord who am a carnall sinner and sold vnder sinne haue transgressed all thy holy and spiritual commandements from the first to the last from the greatest vnto the least and here I stand guiltie before thy Iudgement-seate of all the breaches of all thy lawes and therefore lyable to thy Curse and to all the miseries that Iustice can poure forth vpon so cursed a creature And whither shall I goe for deliuerance from this miserie Angels blush at my rebellion and will not helpe mee Men are guilty of the like transgression and cannot helpe themselues Shall I then despaire vvith Caine or make away my selfe with Iudas No Lord for that were but to end the miseries of this life and to beginne the endlesse torments of Hell I will rather appeale to thy Throane of Grace where Mercy raignes to pardon abounding sinnes and out of the depth of my miseries I will cry with Dauid for the depth of thy mercies Though thou shouldest kill me with afflictions yet will I like Iob put my trust in thee Though thou shouldest drowne me in the Sea of thy displeasure with Ionas yet will I catch such hold on thy Mercy that I will be taken vp dead clasping her with both my hands And though thou shouldest cast mee into the bowels of Hell as Ionas into the Belly of the Whale yet from thence would I cry vnto thee O God the Father of Heauen O Iesus Christ the Redeemer of the World O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier three Persons and one eternall God haue mercy vpon mee a miserable sinner And seeing the goodnesse of thine owne nature first moued thee to send thine onely begotten Son to dye for my sinnes that by his death I might be reconciled to thy Maiestie O reiect not now my penitent Soule who being displeased with her selfe for sinne desireth to returne to serue and please thee in newnesse of life and reach from Heauen thy helping hand to saue mee thy poore seruant who am like Peter ready to sincke in the Sea of my sinnes and miserie Wash away the multitude of my sinnes with the merits of that bloud which I beleeue that thou hast so abundantly shed for penitent sinners And now that I am to receiue this day the blessed Sacrament of thy precious body and bloud O Lord I beseech thee let thy holy Spirit by thy Sacrament seale vnto my soule that by the merits of thy Death and Passion all my sinnes are so freely and fully remitted and forgiuen that the curses and Iudgements which my sins haue deserued may neuer haue power eyther to confound me in this life or to condemne me in the world which is to come For my stedfast faith is that thou hast dyed for my sinnes and risen againe for my iustification This I beleeue O Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe Worke in mee likewise I beseech thee an vnfained Repentance that I may heartily bewaile my former sins and loath them and serue thee hence forth in newnesse of life and greater measure of holy deuotion And let my soule neuer forget the infinite loue of so sweete a Sauiour that hath laid downe his life to redeeme so vile a Sinner And grant Lord that hauing receiued these seales and pledges of my Communion with thee thou maist henceforth so dwell by thy Spirit in mee that I so liue by Faith in thee and that I may walke all the dayes of my life in godlinesse and pietie towards thee and in Christian loue and charitie towards all my neighbours that liuing in thy feare I may dye in thy fauour and after death be made partaker of eternall life through Iesus Christ my Lord and onely Sauiour Amen 3 Of the meanes whereby thou maist become a worthy Receiuer THese Meanes are dueties of two sorts the former respecting GOD the later our Neighbour Those vvhich respect GOD are three first sound knowledge secondly true faith thirdly vnfained repentance That which respecteth our neighbour is but one sincere Charitie 1 Of sound knowledge requisite in a worthy communicant Sound knowledge is a sanctified vnderstanding of the first Principles of Religion As first of the Trinity of Persons in the vnity of the Godhead Secondly of the Creation of Man and his fall Thirdly of the curse and misery due to sinne Fourthly of the natures and offices of Christ and redemption by faith in his death especially of the doctrine of the Sacraments sealing the same vnto vs. For as an house cannot be built vnlesse the foundation bee first laid no more can Religion stand vnlesse it bee first grounded vpon the certaine knowledge of Gods word Secondly if wee know not Gods will we can neither beleeue nor doe the same For as wordly businesses cannot be done but by them who haue skill therein so without knowledge must men be much more ignorant in diuine and spirituall matters And yet in temporall things a man may doe much by the light of nature But in religious mysteries the more we relye vpon naturall reason the further we are from comprehending spirituall truth Which discouers the feareful estate of those who receiue without knowledge and the more fearefull estate of those Pastors who minister vnto them without Catechising 2 Of sincere faith required to make a worthy communicant Sincere faith is not a bare knowledge of the Scriptures first grounds of Religion for that Diuels and Reprobates haue in an excellent measure and doe beleeue it and tremble But a true perswasion as of all those things whatsoeuer the Lord hath reuealed in his word so also a particular application vnto a mans owne soule of all the promises of mercy which God hath made in Christ to all beleeuing sinners And consequently that Christ and all his merits doe belong vnto him as well as to any other For first if wee haue not the righteousnesse of Faith the Sacrament seales nothing vnto vs and euery man in the Lords Supper receiueth so much as hee beleeueth Secondly because that without Faith we communicating on earth cannot apprehend Christ in heauen For as he dwelleth in vs by faith so by faith we must likewise eate him Thirdly because
vvho came to Christ for mercy went euer away vvithout his errand Bathe thou likewise thy sicke Soule in this fountaine of Christs bloud and doubtlesse according to his promise Zach. 13.1 thou shalt be healed of all thy sinnes and vncleannesse Not sinners therefore but they who are vnwilling to repent of their sinnes are debarred this Sacrament Fiftly meditate that Christ left this Sacrament vnto vs as the chiefest token pledge of his loue not when wee vvould haue made him a King Iohn 6.15 which might haue seemed a requitall of kindnesse but vvhen Iudas and the High Priest were conspiring his death therefore vvholy of his meere fauour When Nathan would shew Dauid how entirely the poore man loued his sheepe that was killed by the rich man hee gaue her said hee to eate of his owne morsels and of his owne Cup to drinke 2 Sam. 12.3 and must not then the loue of Christ to his Church be vnspeakeable when hee giues her his owne flesh to eate and his owne bloud to drinke for her spirituall and eternall nourishment If then there be any loue in thine heart take the Cuppe of saluation into thy hand and pledge his loue with loue againe Psal. 116.11 Sixtly when the Minister beginneth the holy consecration of the Sacrament then lay aside all praying reading and all other cogitations whatsoeuer and settle thy meditation onely vpon those holy actions and rites which according to Christs Institution are vsed in and about the holy Sacrament For it hath pleased God considering our weaknesse to appoint those rites as meanes the better to lift vp our mindes to the serious contemplation of his heauenly graces When therefore thou seest the Minister putting apart Bread and Wine on the Lords Table and consecrating them by Prayers and the rehearsall of Christs Institution to be a holy Sacrament of the blessed Body and Bloud of Christ then meditate how GOD the Father of his meere loue to mankinde set apart and sealed his onely begotten Sonne to be the all-sufficient meanes and onely Mediator to redeeme vs from sinne and to reconcile vs to his grace and to bring vs to his Glory When thou seest the Minister breake the Bread being blessed thou must meditate that Iesus Christ the eternall Sonne of GOD was put to death and his blessed Soule and Body vvith the sense of Gods anger broken asunder for thy sinnes as verely as thou now seest the holy Sacrament to be broken before thine eyes And withall call to minde the hainousnesse of thy sinnes and the greatnesse of Gods hatred against the same seeing Gods Iustice could not be satisfied but by such a Sacrifice When the Minister hath blessed and broken the Sacrament and is addressing himselfe to distribute it then meditate The King who is the Master of the feast stands at the Table to see his guests and looketh vpon thee whether thou hast on thee thy Wedding garment thinke also that all the holy Angels who attend vpon the Elect in the Church and doe desire to behold the celebration of these holy Mysteries doe obserue thy reuerence and behauiour Let thy Soule therefore whilest the Minister bringeth the Sacrament vnto thee offer this or the like short Prayer vnto Christ. A sweet Soliloquie to be said betwixt the Consecration and receiuing of the Sacrament IS it true indeed that GOD will dwell on earth behold the Heauen and the Heauen of Heauens are not able to containe thee how much more vnable is the soule of such a sinfull câ—itife as I am to receiue thee But seeing it is thy blessed pleasure to come thus to suppe with me and to dwell in mee I cannot for ioy but burst out and say What is man that thou art so mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou so regardest him What fauour soeuer thou vouchsafest mee in the abundance of thy Grace I will freely confesse what I am in the wretchednesse of my Nature I am in a vvord a carnall Creature vvhose very soule is sold vnder sinne a wretched man compassed about with a body of death yet Lord seeing thou callest here I come and seeing thou callest sinners I haue thrust my selfe in among the rest and seeing thou callest all with their heauiest loades I see no reason why I should stay behinde O Lord I am sicke and whither should I goe but vnto thee the Physitian of my Soule Thou hast cured many but neuer didst thou meete vvith a more miserable patient for I am more leaprous then Gehazi more vncleane then Magdalene more blinde in Soule then Bartimeus vvas in Body for I haue liued all this while and neuer seene the true light of thy Word My Soule runnes with a greater fluxe of sinne then vvas the Hemorisse issue of bloud Mephiboseth was not more lame to goe then my soule is to walke after thee in loue Ieroboams Arme was not more withered to strike the Prophet then my hand is maimed to relieue the poore Cure me O Lord and thou shalt doe as great a worke as in curing them all And though I haue all their sinnes and sores yet Lord so abundant is thy grace so great is thy skill that if thou wilt thou canst with a word forgiue the one and heale the other And vvhy should I doubt of thy good will when to saue mee will cost thee now but one louing smile vvho shewedst thy selfe so willing to redeem me though it should cost thee all thy heart bloud and now offerest so gratiously vnto mee the assured pledge of my redemption by thy bloud Who am I O Lord God and what is my merit that thou hast bought me with so deare a price It is meerely thy mercie and I O Lord am not worthy the least of all thy mercies much lesse to be a partaker of this holy Sacrament the greatest Pledge of the greatest mercy that euer thou diddest bestow vpon those sonnes of men whom thou louest How might I in respect of mine owne vnworthynesse cry out for feare at the sight of thy holy Sacrament as the Philistimes did when they saw the Arke of God come into the assembly Woe now vnto me a sinner But that thy Angel doth comfort me as he did the women Feare thou not for I know that thou seekest Iesus which was crucified It is thou indeed that my soule seeketh after And heere thou offerest thy selfe vnto me in thy blessed Sacrament If therefore ELIZABETH thought her selfe so much honoured at thy presence in the wombe of thy blessed mother that the babe sprange in her bellie for ioy how should my soule leape within mee for ioy now that thou commest by thy holy Sacrament to dwell in my heart for euer Oh what an honour is this that not the mother of my Lord but my Lord himselfe should come thus to visit me Indeede Lord I confesse with the faithfull Centurion that I am not worthy that thou shouldest
then meditate on three things First how graciously God dealeth with thee Secondly from what euils death wil free thee Thirdly what good death will bring vnto thee First concerning Gods fauourable dealing with thee 1 Meditate that God vseth this chastisement of thy body but as a Medicine to cure thy soule by drawing thee who art sicke in sin to come by repentance vnto Christ thy Physitian to haue thy soule healed 2 That the sorest sickenes or painefullest disease which thou canst endure is nothing if it be compared to those dolours and paines which Iesus Christ thy Sauiour hath suffred for thee when in a bloody sweat he endured the wrath of God the paines of hell and a cursed death which was due to thy sinnes Iustly therefore may he vse those words of Ieremy Behold and see if there be any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto mee wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath Hath the sonne of God endured so much for thy redemption and wilt not thou a sinful man endure a little sicknesse for his pleasure especially when it is for thy good 3 That when thy sicknes and disease is at the extreamest yet it is lesse and easier then thy sinnes haue deserued Let thine owne conscience iudge whether thou hast not deserued worse then all that thou doest suffer Murmure not therefore but considering thy manifold and grieuous sinnes thanke God that thou art not plagued with far more grieuous punishments Thinke how willingly the damned in hell would endure thy extreamest paines a 1000. yeeres on condition that they had but thy hope to be saued and after so many yeeres to be eased of their eternal torments And seeing that it is his mercy that thou art not rather consumed then corrected how canst thou but beare patiently his temporall correction seeing the ende is to saue thee from eternall condemnation 4 That nothing commeth to passe in this case vnto thee but such as ordinarily befell to others thy brethren who being the beloued and vndoubted seruants of GOD when they liued on earth are now most blessed and glorious Saints with Christ in Heauen as Iob Dauid Lazarus c. They groaned for a time as thou doest vnder the like burthen but they are now deliuered from all their miseries troubles and calamities And so likewise ere long if thou wilt patiently tarry the Lords leisure thou shalt also bee deliuered from thy sicknesse and paine either by restitution to thy former health with Iob or which is farre better by being receiued to heauenly rest vvith Lazarus 5 Lastly that God hath not giuen thee ouer into the hand of thine enemie to bee punished and disgraced but being thy louing Father he correcteth thee with his owne mercifull hand When Dauid had his wishe to choose his own chastisement hee chose rather to be corrected by the hand of GOD then by any other meanes Let vs fall into the handes of the Lord for his mercies are great and let mee not fall into the hand of man Who will not take any affliction in good part when it commeth from the hand of God from whom though no affliction seemeth ioyous for the present wee know nothing commeth but what is good The consideration heereof made Dauid to endure Shemeis cursed railing with greater patience and to correct himselfe another time for his impatiencie I should not haue opened my mouth because thou didst it and Iob to reprooue the vnaduised speech of his wife thou speakest like a foolish woman What shal we receiue good at the hand of God and not receiue euill And though the cup of Gods wrath due to our sinnes was such a horrour to our Sauiours humane nature that hee earnestly prayed that it might passe from him yet when he considered that it was reached vnto him by the hand and will of his Father hee willingly submitted himselfe to drinke it to the very dregs thereof Nothing will more arme thee with patience in thy sickenesse then to see that it commeth from the hand of our heauenly father who would neuer send it but that he seeth it to bee vnto thee both needfull and profitable The 2. sort of Meditations are to consider from what euils death will free thee IT freeth thee from a corruptible body which was conceiued in the witnesse of flesh the heare of lust the staine of sinne and borne in the blood of filthynesse a liâ—ing prison of the soule a liuely instrument of sinne â— very sacke of stinking dung the excrements of whose nostrils eares pores and other passages duely considered will seeme more loathsome then the vncleanest sinke or vault Insomuch that whereas trees and plants bring foorth leaues flowers fruits and sweet smels mans body brings foorth naturally nothing but lice wormes rottennesse and filthy stench His affections are altogether corrupted and the imaginations of his heart are onely euill continually Hence it is that the vngodly is not satisfied with prophannesse nor the voluptuous with pleasures nor the ambitious with preferments nor the curious with precisenes nor the malicious with reuenge nor the lecherous with vncleannesse nor the couetous with gaine nor the drunkard with drinking New passions and fashions doe daily grow new feares and afflictions doe still arise heere wrath lies in waite there vaine-glory vexeth heere pride lifts vp there disgrace casts downe and euery one waiteth who shall arise in the ruine of another Now a man is priuily stung with backbiters like fiery Serpents anon hee is in danger to be openly deuoured by his enemies like Daniels Lyons And a godly man where ere he liueth shall euer be vexed like Lot with Sodomes vncleannesse 2 Death brings vnto the godly an end of sinning and of all the miseries which are due vnto sinne So that after death there shall be no more sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine for GOD shall wipe away all teares from our eyes yea by death we are separated from the company of wicked men and GOD taketh away mercifull and righteous men from the euill to come So he dealt with Iosiah I will gather thee to thy Fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place And God hides them for a while in the graue vntill the indignation passe ouer So that as Paradise is the Heauen of the soules ioy so the graue may be tearmed the hauen of the bodies rest 3 Whereas this wicked body liues in a world of wickednesse so that the poore soule cannot looke out at the eye and not be infected nor heare by the eare and not bee distracted nor smell at the nostrils and not be tainted nor taste with the tongue and be allured nor touch by the hand and not be defiled and euery sense vpon euery
him briefly these or the like questions Questions to be asked of a sicke man that is like to die DOest thou beleeue that Almighty God the Trinity of Persons in vnity of Essence hath by his power made heauen and earth and all things therein and that he doth still by his diuine prouidence gouerne the same So that nothing comes to passe in the world nor to thy selfe but what his diuine hand and counsell had determined before to be done Doest thou confesse that thou hast transgressed and broken the holy commandements of Almighty God in thought word and deede and hast deserued for breaking his holy lawes the Curse of God which containeth all the miseries of this life and euerlasting torments in Hell fire when this life is ended if so be that GOD should deale with thee according to thy deserts 3 Art thou not sorry in thy heart that thou hast so broken his Lawes and neglected his seruice and worship and so much followed the world and thine owne vaine pleasures And wouldest thou not leade a holier life if thou wert to begin againe 4 Doest thou not from thy heart desire to be reconciled vnto GOD in Iesus Christ his blessed sonne thy Mediator who is at the right hand of God in heauen now appearing for thee in the sight of God and making request vnto him for thy Soule 5 Doest thou renounce all confidence in all other Mediators or Intercessors Saints or Angels beleeuing that Iesus Christ the only Mediator of the new Testament is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them And wilt thou with Dauid say vnto Christ Whom haue I in heauen but thee And there is none vpon earth that I desire besides thee 6 Doest thou confidently beleeue and hope to be saued by the onely merits of that bloody death and passion which thy Sauiour Iesus Christ hath suffered for thee not putting any hope of saluation in thine owne merits nor in any other meanes or creatures being assuredly perswaded that there is not saluation in any other And that there is none other name vnder heauen whereby thou must be saued 7 Doest thou heartily forgiue all vvrongs and offences done or offered vnto thee by any manner of person whatsoeuer And doest thou as willingly from thy heart aske forgiuenesse of them whom thou hast grieuously wronged in word or deede And dost thou cast out of thy heart all malice and hatred which thou hast borne to any body that thou maist appeare before the face of Christ the Prince of Peace in perfect loue and charitie 8 Doth thy Conscience tell thee of any thing which thou hast wrongfully taken and dost still with-hold from any Widow or fatherlesse children or from any other person whomsoeuer Be assured that vnlesse thou shalt restore like Zacheus those goods and Land if thou be able thou canst not truely repent and without true repentance thou canst not be saued nor looke CHRIST in the face when thou shalt appeare before his Iudgement-seate 9 Doest thou firmely beleeue that thy body shall be raised vp out of the Graue at the sound of the last Trumpet And that thy body and soule shall be vnited together againe in the Resurrection day to appeare before the Lord Iesus Christ and thence to goe vvith him into the Kingdome of Heauen to liue in euerlasting blisse and glory If the sicke party shall answere to all these questions like a faithfull Christian then let all who are present ioyne together and pray for him in these or the like words A Prayer to be said for the sicke by them who visite him O Mercifull Father who art the Lord and giuer of life and to whom belongs the issues of death we thy children here assembled doe acknowledge that in respect of our manifolde sinnes vvee are not worthy to aske any blessing for our selues at thy hands much lesse to become suiters to thy Maiestie in the behalfe of others yet because thou hast commanded vs to pray one for another especially for the sicke and hast promised that the prayers of the righteous shall auaile much with thee In the Obedience therefore of thy Commandement and confidence of thy gracious promise we are bold to become humble suiters vnto thy diuine Maiestie in the behalfe of this our deere Brother or Sister vvhom thou hast visited vvith the chastisement of thine owne fatherly hand Wee could gladly wish the restitution of his health and a longer continuance of his life and Christian Fellowship amongst vs but for as much as it appeareth as farre as wee can discerne that thou hast appointed by this visitation to call for him out of this mortall life wee submit our wils to thy blessed will and humbly entreate for Iesus Christ his sake and the merits of his bitter death and Passion which hee hath suffered for him that thou wouldst pardon and forgiue vnto him all his sinnes as vvell that wherein he was conceiued and borne as also all the offences and transgressions which euer since to this day and houre hee hath committed in thought word and deede against thy diuine Maiestie Cast them behinde thy back remoue them as farre from thy presence as the East is from the West Blot them out of thy remembrance lay them not to his charge vvash them away vvith the bloud of Christ that they may no more be seene and deliuer him from all the Iudgements which are due vnto him for his sinnes that they may neuer trouble his conscience nor rise in iudgement against his Soule and impute vnto him the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ wherby hee may appeare righteous in thy sight And in his extremitie at this time vvee beseech thee looke downe from heauen vpon him with those Eyes of Grace and compassion wherewith thou art vvont to looke vpon thy Children in their affliction and miserie Pittie thy wounded seruant like the good Samaritane for here is a sicke Soule that needeth the helpe of such a heauenly Physitian O Lord encrease his Faith that hee may beleeue that Christ dyed for him and that his bloud cleanseth him from all his sinnes and eyther asswage his paine or else encrease his patience to endure thy blessed vvill and pleasure And good Lord lay no more vpon him then thou shalt enable him to beare Heaue him vp vnto thy selfe with those sighes and groanes vvhich cannot be expressed Make him now to feele vvhat is the hope of his Calling and vvhat is the exceeding greatnesse of thy Mercy and power towards them that beleeue in thee And in his weakenesse O Lord shew thou thy strength Defend him against the suggestions and temptations of Sathan who as hee hath all his life time will now in his weakenesse especially seeke to assaile him and to deuoure him Oh saue his soule and reproue Satan command thy holy Angels to be about him to aide him to chase away
thoughts and sighes The first thought SEeing euery man enters into this life in Teares passeth it in sweate and ends it in sorrow ah what is there in it that a man should desire to liue any longer to it oh what a folly is it that vvhen the Mariner roweth with all his force to arriue at the wished Port and that the Traueller neuer testeth till hee come to his iourneyes end wee feare to discrie our Port and therefore would put backe our Barke to be longer tossed in this continual Tempest we weepe to see our iourneyes end and therefore desire our iourney to be lengthened that vvee might be more tyred with a foule and cumbersome way The spirituall sigh thereupon O Lord this life is but a troublesome Pilgrimage few in dayes but full in euils and I am weary of it by reason of my sinnes Let me therefore O Lord entreate thy Maiestie in this my bed of sickenesse as Elias did vnder the Iuniper tree in his affliction It is now enough O Lord that I haue liued so long in this vale of miserie take my fâ—ule into thy mercifull hands for I am no better then my Fathers The second thought THinke with what a body of sinne thou art loaden vvhat great ciuill warres are contayned in a little world the flesh fighting against the spirit Passion against Reason Earth against Heauen and the world within thee â—anding it selfe for the world without thee and that but one onely meane remaines to end this conflict Death which in Gods appoynted time will seperate thy Spirit from thy flesh the pure and regenerate part of thy soule from that part which is impure and vnregenerated The spirituall sigh vpon the second thought O Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death O my sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ thou hast redeemed me with thy precious bloud And because thou hast deliuered my soule from sinne mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling I doe here from the very bottome of my heart ascribe the vvhole praise and glory of my Saluation to thy onely grace and mercy saying vvith the holy Apostle Thankes be vnto GOD which hath giuen mee the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. The third thought THinke how it behooues thee to be assured that thy soule is Christs for death hath taken sufficient gages to assure himselfe of thy body in that all thy senses beginne already to dye saue onely the sense of paine but sith the beginning of thy being beganne with paine meruaile the lesse if thy end conclude with dolours But if these temporall dolours which onely afflict the body be so painefull O Lord who can endure the deuouring fire who can abide the euerlasting burning The spirituall sigh vpon the third thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing GOD vvho art the onely Physitian that canst ease my body from paine and restore my Soule to life eternall put thy Passion Crosse and death betwixt my Soule and thy Iudgement and let the merits of thy Obedience stand betwixt thy Fathers Iustice and my disobedience and from these bodily paines receiue my soule into thine euerlasting peace for I cry vnto thee with Stephen Lord Iesu receiue my spirit The fourth thought THinke that the worst that death can doe is but to send thy soule sooner then thy flesh would be willing to Christ and his heauenly ioyes Remember that that worst is thy best hope The worst therefore of death is rather a helpe then a harme The spirituall sigh vpon the fourth thought O Lord Iesus Christ the Sauiour of all them that put their trust in thee forsake not him that in misery flieth vnto thy grace for succour and mercy Oh sound that sweet voyce in the eares of my soule which thou spokest vnto the penitent theefe on the Crosse this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise For I O Lord doe with the Apostle from my soule speake vnto thee I desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ. The fifth thought THink if thou fearest to dye that in Mount Sion there is no death for he that beleeueth in Christ shall neuer die And if thou desirest to liue without doubt the life eternall whereunto this death is but a passage surpasseth all There doe all the faithfull departed hauing ended their miseries liue with Christ in ioyes and thither shall all the godly which suruiue be gathered out of their troubles to enioy with him eternall rest The spirituall sigh on the fift thought O Lord thou seest the malice of Satan who not contenting himselfe 〈…〉 all the daâ—es and nights of our life to seek our destruction shewes himselfe most bâ—siest when thy children are weakest and neerest to their end O Lord reprooue him and preseâ—ue my Soule Hee seekes to terrifie me with death which my sins haue deserued but let thy holy spirit comfort my soule with the assurance of eternall life which thy blood hath purchased Asswage my pain encrease my patience and if it be thy blessed will end my troubles for my soule beseecheth thee with olde blessed Simeon Lâ—rd now let me thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word The sixth thought THink with thy selfe what a blessing God hath bestowed vpon thee aboue many millions of the world that whereas they are either Pagans who worship not the true GOD or Idolaters who worship the true GOD falsely Thou hast liued in a true Christian Church and hast grace to dye in the true Christian faith and to be buried in the sepulchres of Gods seruants who all waite for the hope of Israel the raising of their bodies in the resurrection of the iust The spirituall sigh vpon the sixt thought O Lord Iesus Christ who art the resurrection and the life in whom whosoeuer beleeueth shall liue though hee were dead I beleeue that whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in thee shall neuer dye I know that I shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day for I am sure that thou my Redeemer liuest And though that after my death wormes destroy this body yet I shall see thee my Lord and my God in this flesh Grant therefore O CHRIST for thy bitter death and passions sake that at that day I may bee one of them to whom thou wilt pronounce that ioyfull sentence Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world The seauenth thought THinke with thy selfe how Christ endured for thee a cursed death and the wrath of God which was due vnto thy sinnes and what terrible paines and cruell torments the Apostles and Martyrs haue voluntarily suffered for the defence of Christs faith when they might haue liued by dissembling or denying him how much more willing shouldest thou be to depart in the faith of Christ hauing lesse paines to torment thee
prison of vtter darkenesse S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be forsaken of all thy Disciples C. That I might reconcile thee vnto God of whom thou wast forsaken for thy sinnes S. Lord wherfore wouldest thou stand to be apprehended alone C. To shew thee that my loue of thy saluation was more then the loue of all my Disciples S. Lord wherefore was the young man caught by the Souldiers and onstript of his linnen who came out of his bed hearing the stir at thy apprehension and leading to the high Priest C. To shew their outrage in apprehending me and my power in preseruing out of their outragious hands all my Disciples who otherwise had been worse handled by them then was that young man S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be bound C. That I might lose the cordes of thine iniquities S. Lord why wast thou denied of Peter C. That I might confesse thee before my Father and thou mightest learne that there is no trust in man and that Saluation proceedes of my meere mercy S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou bring Peter to repentance by the crowing of a cocke C. That none should despise the meanes which God hath appointed for their conuersion though they seeme neuer so meane S. Lord wherefore diddest thou at the Cock-crowing turne and looke vpon Peter C. Because thou mightest know that without the helpe of my grace no meanes can turne a sinner vnto God when he is once falne from him S. Lord wherefore wast thou couered with a purple roabe C. That thou mightest perceiue that it was I that did away thy Scarlet sinnes S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be crowned with thornes C. That by wearing thorns the first fruits of the curse it might appeare that it is I which takes away the sinnes and curse of the world and crownes thee vvith the crowne of life and glory S. Lord why was a Reede put into thine hand C. That it might appeare that I came not to breake the brused Reede S. Lord wherefore wast thou mocked of the Iewes C. That thou mightest insult ouer Diuels who otherwise would haue mocked thee as the Philistims did Sampson S. Lord wherfore wouldest thou haue thy blessed face defiled with spittle C. That I might clense thy face from the shame of sinne S. Wherfore Lord were thine eyes hood-winkt with a vaile C. That thy spiritual blindnesse being remoued thou mightest behold the face of my Father in heauen S. Lord wherefore did they bâ—ffet thee with fists and beat thee with staues C. That thou mightest be freed from the stroakes and tearings of infernall fiends S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be reuiled C. That God might speake peace vnto thee by his word and spirit S. Lord wherefore was thy face disfigured with blowes and bloud C. That thy face might shine glorious as the Angels in heauen S. Lord wherefore wouldst thou be so cruelly scourged C. That thou mightest be freed from the sting of conscience and whips of euerlasting torments S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be arraigned at Pilats barre C. That thou mightest at the last day be acquited before my iudgement seat S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be falsly accused C. That thou shouldest not he iustly condemned S. Lord wherefore wast thou turned ouer to be condemned by a strâ—nge Iudge C. That thou being redeemed from the captiuity of a hellish Tyrant mightest bee restored to God whose owne thou arâ— by right S. Wherefore O Christ didst thou acknowledge that Pilate had power ouer thee from aboue C. That Antichrist vnder pretence of being my Vicar should not exalt himselfe aboue all Principalities and Powers S. Lord why wouldest thou suffer thy passion vnder Pontius Pilate being a Romane President to Caesar of Rome C. To shew that the Caesarian and â—ontifician policie of Rome should chiefely persecute my Church and crucifie me in my members S. But why O Lord wouldest thou be condemned C. That the law being condemned in me thou mightest not be condemned by it S. But why wast thou condemned seeing nothing could be proâ—ed against thee C. That thou mightest know that it was not for my fault but for thine that I suffered S. Lord wherefore wast thou led to suffer out of the City C. That I might bring thee to rest in the heauenly Citie S. Lord why did the Iewes compell Simon of Cyrene comming out of the field to carrie thy Crosse. C. To shew the weakâ—nesse whereunto the burthen of thy sinnes brought me and what must be euery Christans case which goeth out of the field of this world toward the heauenly Ierusalem S. Lord why wast thou vnstripped of thy garments C. That thou mightest see how I forsooke all to redeeme thee S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou be lift vp vpon a Crosse C. That I might lift thee vp with me to heauen S. Lord wherefore diddest thou hang vpon a cursed tree C. That I might satisfie for the sin committed in eating the forbidden fruit of a tree S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou hang betweene two theeues C. That thou my deare soule mightest haue place in the midst of heauenly Angels S. Lord wherefore were thy hands and feete nayled to the Crosse C. To enlarge thy hands to doe the workes of righteousnesse and to set thy feete at libertie to walke in the wayes of peace S. Lord wherefore did they crucifie thee in Golgotha the place of dead mens souls C. To assure thee that my death is life vnto the dead S. Lord why did 〈◊〉 the Souldiers diuide thy seamelesse coate C. To shew that my church is one vvithout rent of Schisme S. Lord wherefore didst thou taste vinegar and gall C. That thou mightest eate the bread of Angels and drinke the water of life S. Lord why saidst thou vpon the Crosse It is finished C. That thou mightest know that by my death the Law was fulfilled and thy redemption effected S. Lord why didst thou cry out vpon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me C. Least thou being forsaken of God shouldest haue beene driuen to cry in the paines of hell Woe and alas for euermore S. Lord wherefore was there such a 〈◊〉 darknesse when thou didst suffer and cry out â—n the Crosse C. That thou mightest see an Image of those Hellish pâ—inâ—â— which I 〈…〉 deliuer thee from 〈◊〉 lesse paines of Hell and euerlasting chaines of darknesse S. Lord why wouldest thou haue thin◠〈…〉 bread C. That I might embrace thee more louingly my sweet soule S. Loâ—d how 〈◊〉 thâ— theefe that neuer wrought good before obtaine Paradise vpon so short repentance C. That thou maist see the power of my death to forgiue them that repent that no sinner needs despaire S. Lord why did not the other
affrighted with hydeous noyse of howling diuels and the gnashing teeth of damned Reprobates thy dainty Nose shall be cloyed with noysome stench of Sulphur thy delicate Taste shall be pained with intollerable hunger thy drunken Throate shall be parched vvith vnquenchable thirst thy Minde shall be tormented to thinke how for the loue of abortiue pleasures which perished ere they budded thou so foolishly lost Heauens ioyes and incurred hellish paines which last beyond eternitie thy Conscience shall euer sting thee like an Adder vvhen thou thinkest how often Christ by his Preachers offered the remission of sinnes and the Kingdome of Heauen freely vnto thee if thou wouldest but beleeue and repent and how easily thou mightest haue obtained mercy in those dayes how neere thou vvast many times to haue repented and yet diddest suffer the deuil and the world to keepe thee stil in impenitency and how the day of mercy is now past and wil neuer dawne againe How shall thy vnderstanding be racked to consider how for momentany riches thou hast lost the eternall treasure and changed heauens felicity for hels misery where euery part of thy body without intermission of paine shall be continually tormented alike In these hellish torments thou shalt be for euer depriued of the beatificall sight of GOD wherein consists the soueraigne good and life of the soule Thou shalt neuer see light nor the lest sight of ioy but lye in a perpetuall prison of vâ—ter darkenesse where shall be no order but horror no voice but of blasâ—hâ—mers howlers no noise but of torturers and tortured no societie but of the Deuill and his Angels who being tormented themselues shall haue no other ease but to wreake their furie in tormenting thee Where shall be punishment without pitty misery without mercy sorrow without succour crying without comfort mischiefe without measure torment without ease where the worme dyeth not and the fire is neuer quâ—nched where the wrath of God shall sease vpon thy soule and body as the flame of fire doth on the lumpe of pitch or brimestone in which flame thou shalt euer be burning and neuer consumed euer dying and neuer dead euer rowing in the panges of death and neuer ridde of those panges nor knowing end of thy paines So that after thou hast endured them so many thousand yeeres as there are grasse on the Earth or sands on the Sea-shore thou art no nearer to haue an end of thy torments then thou vvast the first day that thou wast cast into them yea so farre are they from ending that they are euer but beginning But if after a thousand times so many thousand yeeres thy damned soule could but conceiue a hope that those her torments should haue an end this would be some comfort to thinke that at length an end vvill come But as oft as the Minde thinketh of this word Neuer it is as another Hell in the middest of Hell This thought shall force the damned to cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as if they should say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Lord not euer not euer torment vs thus but their Conscience shall answere them as an Eccho 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euer euer Hence shall arise their dolefull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 woe and alas for euermore This is that second death the generall perfect fulnesse of all cursednesse and misery vvhich euery damned reprobate must suffer so long as GOD and his Saints shall enioy blisse and felicitie in heauen for euermore Thus farre of the miserie of man in his state of corruption vnlesse that he be renued by Grace in Christ. Now followes the knowledge of Mans selfe in respect of his state of regeneration by Christ. Meditations of the state of a Christian reconciled to GOD in Christ. NOw let vs see how happie a godly man is in his state of renouation being reconciled to GOD in Christ. The godly man whose corrupt nature is renued by grace in Christ and become a new creature is blessed in a three-fold respect First in his life Secondly in his death Thirdly after death 1 His blessednesse during this life is but in part and that consists in seuen things 1 Because he is conceiued of the spirit in the wombe of his mother the Church and is borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of GOD who in Christ is his father So that the Image of God his father is renewed in him euery day more and more 2 He hath for the merits of Christs sufferings all his sinnes originall and actuall with the guilt and punishment belonging to them freely and fully forgiuen vnto him And all the righteousnesse of Christ as freely and fully imputed vnto him and so God is reconciled vnto him and aprooueth him as righteous in his sight and account 3 Hee is freed from Satans bondage and is made a brother of Christ a fellow heire of his heauenly kingdome and a spirituall King and Priest to offer vp spirituall sacrifices to GOD by Iesus Christ. 4 God spareth him as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him And this sparing consists In 1 Not taking notice of euery fault but bearing with his infirmities Exod. 34.6.7 A louing father will not cast his childe out of dores in his sicknesse 2 Not making his punishment when hee is chastened as great as his deserts Psalm 103.10 3 Chastening him moderately when he seeth that he will not by any other meanes be reclaimed 2 Sam. 7.14.15 1 Cor. 11.32 4 Graciously accepting his endeauours notwithstanding the imperfection of his obedience and so preferring the willingnesse of the minde more then the worthinesse of the worke 2 Cor. 8.12 5 Turning the curses which he deserued to crosses and to fatherly corrections yea all things all calamities of this life death it selfe yea his very sinnes vnto his good 5 God giues him his holy spirit which 1 Sanctifieth him by degrees throughout so that he doth more and more die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse 2 Assures him of his adoption and that he is by grace the childe of God 3 Encourageth him to come with boldnesse and confidence into the presence of GOD 4 Moueth him without feare to say vnto him Abba Father 5 Powreth into his heart the gift of sanctified praier 6 Perswadeth him that both he and his praiers are accepted and heard of God for Christ his Mediators sake 7 Fils him with 1 Peace of conscience 2 Ioy in the holy Ghost in comparison wherof all earthly ioyes seeme vilâ— vaine vnto him 6 He hath a recouery of his soueraignty ouer the creatures which he lost by Adams fall from thence free liberty of vsing all things which God hath not restrained so that he may vse them with a good conscience For to all things in heauen and
earth he hath a sure title in this life and he shall haue the plenary and peaceable possession of them in the life to come Hence it is that all Reprobates are but vsurpers of all that they possesse and haue no place of their owne but Hell 7 He hath the assurance of Gods Fatherly care and protection day and night ouer him which care consisteth in three things 1 In prouiding all things necessary for his soule and body concerning this life and that which is to come so that he shal be sure euer either to haue enough or patience to be content with that he hath 2 In that God giues his holy Angels as his ministers a charge to attend vpon him alwaies for his good yea in danger to pitch their tents about him for his safty where euer hee be Yea Gods protection shall defend him as a cloud by day and as a pillar of fire by night and his prouidence shall hedge him frō the power of the Deuill 3 In that the eyes of the Lord are vpon him and his eares continually open to see his state and to heare his complaint and in his good time to deliuer him out of all his troubles Thus farre of the blessed estate of the godly and Regenerated man in this life Now of his blessed estate in death 2 Meditations of the blessed estate of a regenerate man in his death WHen GOD sends death as his messenger for the regenerated man hee meetes him halfe the way to heauen for his conuersation and affection is there before him Death is neyther strange nor fearefull vnto him not strange because he dyed daily not fearefull because vvhilest hee liued hee vvas dead and his life vvas hid with Christ in God To dye vnto him therefore is nothing else in effect but to rest from his labour in this world to goe home to his fathers house vnto the citie of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne to God the Iudge of all and to the Spirits of iust men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediator of the new Testament Whilest his Body is sicke his Minde is sound for God maketh all his bed in his sicknesse and strengtheneth him with faith and patience vpon his bed of sorrow and when hee begins to enter into the way of all the world hee giueth like Iacob Moses and Ioshua to his Children and friends godly exhortations and counsailes to serue the true GOD to worship him truely all the dayes of their life His blessed soule breatheth nothing but blessings and such speeches as sauours a sanctified spirit As his outward man decayeth so his inward man increaseth and vvaxeth stronger When the speech of his tongue faultreth the sighes of his heart speaketh louder vnto GOD when the sight of the Eyes faileth the Holy Ghost illuminates him inwardly vvith aboundance of spiritual light His soule feareth not but is bold to goe out of the body and to dwell with her Lord. Hee sigheth out with Paul cupio dissolui I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. And with Dauid As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God My Soule thristeth for God for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before God Hee prayeth vvith the Saints How long O Lord which art holy and true Come Lord Iesus come quickely And vvhen the appointed time of his dissolution is come knowing that hee goeth to his Father and Redeemer in the peace of a good Conscience and the assured perswasion of the forgiuenesse of all his sinnes in the bloud of the Lambe hee sings with blessed old Simeon his Nunc dimittis Lord now lettest thou thy Seruant depart in peace c. And surrenders vp his Soule as it were with his owne hands into the hands of his heauenly Father saying vvith Dauid Into thy hands O Father I commend my Soule for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth And saying with Stephen Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Hee no sooner yeelds vp his sacred Ghost but immediately the holy Angels who attended vpon him from his birth vnto his death carry and accompany his Soule into Heauen as they did the Soule of Lazarus into Abrahams bosome which is the Kingdome of Heauen whither onely good Angels and good workes doe accompany the Soule the one to deliuer their charge the other to receiue their reward The Body in conuenient time as the sanctified Temple of the holy Ghost the members of Christ nourished by his Body the price of the bloud of the Sonne of God is by his fellow-brethren reuerently laid to sleepe in his graue as in the bed of Christ in an assured hope to awake in the resurrection of the iust at the last day to be pertaker vvith the Soule of life and glory euerlasting And in this respect not onely the Soules but the very Bodies of the faithfull also are termed blessed Thus farre the blessednesse of the soule and body of the regenerated man in death Now let vs see the blessednesse of his soule and body after death 3 Meditations of the blessed estate of the regenerated man after death THis state hath three degrees 1 From the day of Death to the Resurrection 2 From the Resurrection to the pronouncing of the Sentence 3 After the Sentence which lasts eternally As soone as euer the regenerated man hath yeelded vp his Soule vnto Christ the holy Angels take her into their custodie and immediately carry her into Heauen and there presents her before Christ where shee is crowned with a Crowne of righteousnesse and glory not which she hath deserued by her good workes but vvhich God hath promised of his free goodnesse to all those vvho of loue haue in this life vnfainedly serued him and sought his glory Oh! what ioy vvill it be to thy Soule vvhich vvas vvont to see but miserie and sinners now to behold the face of the God of Glory yea to see Christ vvell comming thee as soone as thou art presented before him by the holy Angels vvith an Euge bone serue Well done and well-come good and faithfull seruant c. enter into thy masters ioy And vvhat ioy vvill this be to behold thousand thousands of Cherubims Seraphims Angels Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers All the holy Patriarkes Priests Prophets Apostles Martyrs Professors and all the Soules of thy Friends Parents Husbands Wiues Children and the rest of Gods Saints who departed before thee in the true Faith of Christ standing before Gods Throne in blisse and glory If the Queene of Sheba beholding the glory and attendance giuen to Salomon as it were rauished therwith brake out and said Happy are thy men happy are
these thy Seruants which stand euer before thee and heare thy Wisedome How shall thy Soule be rauished to see her selfe by grace admitted to stand vvith this glorious companie to behold the blessed Face of Christ and to heare all the Treasures of his diuine Wisedome How shalt thou reioyce to see so many thousand thousands wel-comming thee into their heauenly Societie for as they all reioyced at thy conuersion so vvill they now be much more ioyful to behold thy Coronation and to see thee receiue thy Crowne which vvas laid vp for thee against thy comming For there the crowne of Martyrdome shall be put on the head of a Martyr vvho for Christs Gospell sake endured torments the Crowne of virginitie on the head of a Virgin vvhich subdued Concupiscence the Crowne of Pietie and Chastitie on the head of them who sincerely professed Christ and kept their wedlocke-bed vndefiled the Crowne of Good-workes on the good Almes-giuers head vvho liberally relieued the poore the Crowne of incorruptible glory on the head of those Pastors vvho by their preaching and good example haue conuerted soules from the corruption of sinne to glorifie God in holinesse of life Who can sufficiently expresse the reioycing of this heauenly Company to see thee thus crowned with glory arrayed with the shining Roabe of righteousnesse and to behold the Palme of victory put into thy hand Oh what gratulation will there be that thou hast escaped all the miseries of the World the snares of the Diuell the paines of Hell and obtained with them thy eternall rest and happinesse for there euery one ioyeth as much in anothers happinesse as in his owne because hee shall see him as much loued of GOD as himselfe Yea they haue as many distinct ioyes as they haue compartners of their ioy And in this ioyfull and blessed state the Soule resteth with Christ in Heauen till the Resurrection when as the number of her Fellow-seruants and Brethren be fulfilled which the Lord termeth but a little season The second degree of mans blessednesse after death is from the Resurrection to the pronouncing of the finall sentence For at the last day 1 The Elementary Heauens Earth and all things therein shall be dissolued and purified with fire 2 At the sound of the last Trumpet or voyce of Christ the Archangell the very same bodies which the Elect had before though turned to dust and earth shall arise againe and in the same instant euery mans soule shall re-enter into his owne body by vertue of the Resurrection of Christ their head and be made aliue and rise out of their graues as if they did but awake out of their beds And howsoeuer Tyrants bemangled their bodies in pieces or consumed them to ashes yet shall the Elect finde it true at that day that not an haire of their head is perished 3 They shall come forth out of their graues like so many Iosephs out of Prison or Daniels out of the Lyons Dens or Ionahs out of Whales bellies 4 All the bodies of the Elect being thus made aliue shall arise in that perfection of nature whereunto they should haue attained by their naturall temperment if no impediment had hindered and in that vigor of age that a perfect man is at about three and thirtie yeeres old each in their proper sexe Whereunto Diuines thinke the Apostle alludeth when he saith till wee all come vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the age or stature of the fulnes of Christ. Whatsoeuer imperfection vvas before in the body as blindnesse lamenesse crookeâ—nesse shall then be done away Iacob shall not halt nor Isaac be blinde nor Leah bleare-eyed nor Mephibosheth be lame for if Dauid would not haue the blinde and lame to come into his house much lesse will Christ haue blindnesse and lamenesse to dwell in his heauenly Habitation Christ made all the blinde to see the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare the lame to walke c. that came to him to seeke his grace on earth much more will hee heale all their imperfections whom hee will admit to his glory in Heauen Among those Tribes there is not one feeble but the lame man shall leape as an Hart and the dumbe mans tongue shall sing And it is very probable that seeing GOD created our first Parents not infants or olde men but of a perfect age or stature the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or new creation from death shall euery way be more perfect then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first frame of a man from which he fell into the state of the dead Neither is it like that Infancy being imperfection and olde age corruption can well stand with the state of a perfect glorified body 5 The bodies of the Elect being thus raised shall haue foure most excellent and supernaturall quallities For 1 They shall be raised in power wherby they shall for euer be freed from all wants and weakenesse and enabled to continue without the vse of meate drinke sleepe and other former helps 2 In incorruption whereby they shall neuer be subiect to any manner of imperfections blemish sickenesse or death 3 In Glory whereby their bodies shal shine as bright as the Sunne in the firmament and which being made transparant their soules shall shine through farre more glorious then their bodies Three glimses of which glory was seene First in Moses face Secondly in the transfiguration Thirdly in Stephens countenance Three instances and assurances of the glorification of our bodies at that glorious day Then shall Dauid lay aside his Shepheards weede and put on the roabe of the Kings sonne Iesus not Ionathan Then euery true Mordecai who mourned vnder the Sakecloth of this corrupt flesh shall be arrayed with the Kings royall apparell and haue the Crowne royall set vpon his head that all the world may see how it shall be done to him whom the King of kings delighteth to honour If now the rising of one Sun makes the morning so glorious how glorious shall that day be when innumerable million of millions of bodies of Saints and Angels shall appeare more glorious then the brightnesse of the Sunne the body of Christ in glory surpassing all 4 In Agility whereby our bodies shall be able to ascend and to meete the Lord at his glorious comming in the ayre as Eagles flying vnto their blessed Carkase To this agility of the Saints glorious bodies the Prophet alludes saying They shall renewe their strength they shall mount vp with winges as Eagles they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not faint And to this state may that saying of Wisdome be referred In the time of their vision they shall shine and runne too and fro as sparkes among the stubble And in respect of these foure qualities Paul calleth the raised bodies of the Elect Spiriâ—ualâ— for they shall be spirituall in
afflictions of this present life are not worthy which all the Elect shall with the blessed Trinity enioy from that time that they shall be receiued with Christ as ioynt heires into that euerlasting Kingdome of ioy Notwithstanding we may take a scantling thereof thus The holy Scriptures set foorth to our capacity the glorie of our eternall and heauenly life after death in foure respects 1 Of the Place 2 Of the Obiect 3 Of the Prerogatiues of the Elect there 4 Of the effects of those Prerogatiues 1 Of the Place THe place is the Heauen of Heauens or the third Heauen called Paradise whither Christ in his humane nature ascended farre aboue all visible heauens The Bridgroomes chamber which by the firmament as by an azured curtaine spangled with glittering starres and glorious planets is hid that wee cannot behold it with these corruptible eyes of flesh The holy Ghost framing himselfe to our weakenesse describes the glory of that place which no man can estimate by such things as are most precious in the estimation of man And therefore likeneth it to a great and a holy City named the heauenly Ierusalem Where onely God and his people who are saued and written in the Lambes booke doe inhabite all built of pure gold like vnto cleare glasse or Chrystall the walles of Iasper stone the foundations of the wals with twelue manner of precious stones hauing twelue gates each built of one pearle three gates towards each of the foure cornerâ— of the world and at each gate an Angell as so many Porters that no vncleane thing should enter into it It is foure square therefore perfect the length the breadth and height of it are equall 12000. furlongs euery way therefore glorious and spacious Through the middest of her streets euer runneth a pure Riuer of the water of life as cleare as Christall therefore wholesome And of either side of the riuer is the Tree of life euer growing which beares twelue manner of fruits and giues fruit euery moneth therefore fruitfull and the leaues of the tree is health to the Nations therefore healthy There is therefore no place so glorious by creation so beautifull with delectation so rich in possession so comfortable for habitation For there the King is Christ the law is loue the honour verity the peace felicity the life eternity There is light without darknesse mirth without sadnesse health without sicknesse wealth without want credit without disgrace beauty without blemish ease without labour riches without rust blessednesse without miserie and consolation that neuer knoweth ende How truely may we cry out with Dauid of this Citie Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God! and yet all these things are spoken but according to the weakenesse of our capacity For heauen exceedeth al this in glory so farre as that no tongue is able to expresse nor heart of man to conceiue the glory thereof as witnesseth Paul who was in it and sawe it O let vs not then dote so much vpon these woedden cottages and houses of moulding clay which are but the tents of vngodlinesse and habitation of sinners but let let vs looke rather and long for this heauenly City whose builder and maker is God which he who is not ashamed to be called our God hath prepared for vs. 2 Of the Obiect THE blisseful and glorious obiect of all intellectuall and reasonable creatures in heauen is the God-head in Trinity of Persons without which there is neither ioy nor felicity but the very fulnesse of ioy consisteth in enioying the same This Obiect wee shall enioy two waies 1 By a beatificall vision of God 2 By possessing an immediate communion with his diuine nature The beatificall vision of GOD is that onely that can content the infinite minde of man For euery thing tendeth to his center GOD is the center of the soule therfore like Noahs Doue shee cannot rest nor ioy till shee returne and enioy him All that GOD bestowed vpon Moses could not satisfie his minde vnlesse hee might see the face of GOD. Therefore the whole Church praieth so earnestly God be merciful vnto vs and blesse vs cause his face to shine vpon vs. When Paul once had seen this blessed sight he euer after counted al the riches and glory of the world in respect of it to be but dung And all his life after was but a sighing out cupio dissolui I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. And Christ prayed for all his Elect in his last prayer that they might obtaine this blessed vision Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be where euen where I am To what end that they may behold that my glory c. If Moses face did so shine when he had beene with GOD but fourty daies and seene but his backe parts how shall wee shine when we shall see him face to face for euer and know him as we are known and as he is Then shall the soule no longer be termed Marah bitternesse but Naomi beautifulnesse for the Lord shall turne her short bitternesse to eternall beauty and blessednesse Ruth 1.20 The second meanes to enioy this obiect is by hauing an immediate and an eternall communion with GOD in heauen This we haue first by being as members of Christ vnited to his manhood and by the manhood personally vnited to the word we are vnited to him as he is GOD and by his Godhead to the whole Trinity Reprobates at the last day shall see GOD as a iust Iudge to punish them but for lacke of this Communion they shall haue neither grace with him nor glory from him For want of this communion the Diuels when they saw Christ cried out Quid nobis te cum What haue we to doe with thee O Sonne of the most high God But by vertue of this Communion the penitent soule may boldly goe and say vnto Christ as Ruth vnto Bâ—az Spread O Christ the wing of the garment of thy mercy ouer thine handmaide for thou art my kinsman This Communion God promised Abraham when hee gaue him himselfe for his great reward And Christ praieth for his whole Church to obtaine it This communion Saint Paul expresseth in one word saying that God shall be all in all vnto vs. Indeed God is now all in all vnto vs but by meanes and in a small measure But in heauen God himselfe immediatly in fulnesse of measure without all meanes will be vnto vs all the good things that our soules and bodieâ— can wish or desire He himselfe will be saluation and ioy to our soules life and health to our bodies beauty to our eyes musicke to our eares honey to our mouthes perfume to our nostrils meat to our bellies light to our vnderstandings contentment to our willes and delight to our hearts and what can be
were all his thoughts and imaginations Then husbands and wiues looke to your actions and thoughts For all shall be made manifest one day See 1. Cor. 4.5 8 The faithfull in the old Testament are said to be gathered to their Fathers therefore the knowledge of our friends remaines 9 Loue neuer falleth away therefore knowledge the ground thereof remaines in another life 10 Because the last day shall be a declaration of the iust iudgement of God when he shall reward euery man acording to his workes and if euery mans work be brought to light much more the worker And if wicked men shall account for euery idle word much more shall the idle speakers themselues bee knowne And if the persons be not knowne in vaine are the workes made manifest Therefore saith the Apostle Euery man shall appeare to account for the worke that hee hath done in his body c. See Wisdome Chapter 5.1 Though the respect of diuersities of degrees and callings in Magistracy Ministry and Oeconomy shall cease yea Christ shall then cease to rule as he is Mediator and rule all in all as hee is God equall with the Father and the holy Ghost The greatest knowledge that men can attaine vnto in this life comes as farre short of the knowledge which wee shall haue in heauen as the knowledge of a childe that cannot yet speake plaine is to the knoweldge of the greatest Philosopher in the World They who thirst for knowledge let them long to be students of this Vniuersity For all the light by which wee know any thing in this world is nothing but the very shadow of God but when we shall know GOD in heauen wee shall in him know the manner of the worke of the creation the mysteries of the worke of our Redemption yea so much knowledge as a Creature can possibly conceiue and comprehend of the Creator and his works But whilest wee are in this life wee may say with Iob. How little a portion heare wee of him And assure our selues with Syracides that There are hid yet greater things then these be and that wee haue seene but a few of Gods works 2 They shall loue God with as perfect and absolute loue as possibly a creature can doe The manner of louing God is to loue him for himselfe the measure is to loue him without measure For in this life knowing God but in part we loue him but in part but when the Elect in heauen shall fully know God then they will perfectly loue God And for the infinite causes of loue which thy shall know to be in him they shall be infinitly rauish't with the loue of him 3 They shall be filled with all manner of diuine pleasures At thy right hand saith Dauid there are pleasures for euermore Yea they shall drinke saith he out of the riuer of pleasures For assoone as the soule is admitted into the actuall fruition of the beatificall presence of God shee hath all the goodnesse beauty glory and perfection of all creatures in all the world vnited together and at once presented vnto her in the sight of God If any be in loue there they shall enioy that which is more amiable if any delight in fairenesse the fairest beauty is but a dusty shadow to that he that delights in Pleasures shall there finde infinite varieties without either interruption of griefe or distraction of paine Hee that loueth honour shal there enioy it without the disgrace of cankred enuy he that loueth treasure shall there possesse it and neuer be beguiled of it There they shal haue knowledge void of all ignorance health that no sickenes shall impaire and life that no death can determine In a word looke how farre this wide world surpasseth for light pleasures comfort the darke and narrow womb wherin thou wast conceiued a childe so much doth the world to come exceede in ioyes solace consolation this present world Now happy then shall wee be when this life is chāged we thither translated 4 They shal be replenished with an vnspeakeable ioy In thy presence saith Dauid is the fulnesse of ioy And this ioy shall arise chiefly from the vision of God and partly from the sight of all the holy Angels and blessed soules of iust and perfect men who are in blisse and glory with him But especially from the blissefull sight of Iesus the Mediator of the New Testament our Emmanuel God made man His sight will be the chiefe cause of our blisse and ioy If the Israelites in Ierusalem so showted for ioy that the earth rang againe to see Salomon crowned how shall the Elect reioice in heauen to see Christ the true Salomon adorned with glory If Iohn Baptist at his presence did leape in his mothers wombe for ioy how shall wee exult for ioy when he will be not onely with vs but in vs in heauen If the wise men reioyced so greatly to finde him a Babe lying in a manger how great shall the ioy of the Elect bee to see him sit as as King in his celestiall throne If Simeon was so glad to see him an Infant in the Temple presented by the hands of the Priest how great shall our ioy be to see him a King ruling all things at the right hand of his Father If Ioseph and Mary were so ioyfull to finde him in the middest of the Doctors in the Temple how glad shal our soules be to see him sitting as Lord among Angels in heauen This is that ioy of our Master which as the Apostle saith the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard nor the heart of man can conceiue which because it cannot enter into vs vvee shall enter it 5 Lastly they shall enioy this blissefull and glorious estate for euermore Therefore it is tearmed euerlasting life and Christ saith that our ioy shall no man take from vs. All other ioyes be they neuer so great haue an end Assuerus Feast lasted an hundred and eightie dayes but hee and it and all his ioyes are gone For mortall man to be assumed to heauenly glory to be associated to Angels to be satiated with all delights and ioyes but for a time were much but to enioy them for euer without intermission of end who can heare it and not admire it who can muse of it and not be amazed at it All the Saints of Christ as soone as they felt once but a true taste of these eternall ioyes counted all the riches and pleasures of this life to be but losse and dung in respect of that And therefore with vncessant prayers fasting almes-deedes teares faith and good life they laboured to acertaine themselues of this eternall life and for the loue thereof they willingly eyther solde or parted with all their earthly goods and possessions Christ calleth all Christians Merchants Luke 19. and eternall life a precious pearle
but a foolerie for a man liues forty yeeres before hee knowes himselfe to be a foole and by that time hee seeth his folly his life is finished Hearke Husbandman before thou seest many more crops of haruest thy selfe shalt be ripe and Death will cut thee downe with his Syckle Heark Trades-man ere many sixe moneths goes ouer thy last moneth will come on after which thou shalt trace away and trade no longer Hearke most graue Iudge within a few Tearmes the terme of thy life approcheth wherein thou shalt cease to iudge others and goe thy selfe to be iudged Hearke ô man of God that goest to the Pulpit preach this Sermon as if it were the last thou shouldest make to thy people Hearke Noble-man lay aside the high conceit of thy Honour Death ere it be long vvill lay thine Honour in the dust and make thee as base as the earth that thou treadest vnder thy feet Hearke thou that now readest this Booke assure thy selfe ere it be long there vvill be but two holes where now thy two eyes are placed and others shall reade the truth of this lesson vpon thy bare skull which now thou readest in this little Booke How soone I know not but this I am sure of that thy time is appointed thy moneths are determined thy dayes are numbred and thy very last houre is limited beyond which thou shalt not passe for then the first borne of Death mounted on his pale Horse shall alight at thy doore and notwithstanding all thy Wealth thy Honour and the teares of thy dearest friends will carry thee away bound hand and foote as his prisoner and keepe thy body vnder a loade of earth vntill that day come vvherein thou must be brought forth to receiue according to the things which thou hast done in that body whether it be good or euill Oh let not then the false hope of an vncertaine long life hinder thee from becomming a present Practizer of religious Pietie GOD offereth grace to day but who promiseth to morrow There are now in hell many young-men vvho had purposed to repent in their olde age but Death cut them off in their impenitencie ere euer they could attaine to the time they set for their repentance The longer a man runnes in a disease the harder it is to be cured for custome of sin breedes hardnesse of heart and the impediments vvhich hinder thee from repenting now will hinder thee more when thou art more aged A wise man being to goe a farre and foule iourney will not lay the heauiest burthen vpon the weakest horse And with what conscience canst thou lay the great load of repentance on thy feeble and tyred old age Whereas now in thy chiefest strength thou canst not lift it but art ready to stagger vnder it Is it wisdome for him that is to saile a long and dangerous voyage to lye playing and sleeping whilest the winde serueth and the Sea is calme the shippe sound the Pilote well the Marriners strong and then to set foorth when the windes are contrary the weather tempestuous the Sea raging the Ship rotten the Pilote sicke and the Sailers languishing Therefore O sinfull soule beginne now thy conuersion to God whilest life health strength and youth lasteth before those yeeres draw nigh wheÌ„ as thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them GOD euer required in his seruice the first borne and the first fruits and those to be offered vnto him without delay So iust d Abel offered vnto GOD his firstlings and fattest lambes and reason good that the best Lord should be first best serued All Gods seruants should therefore remember to serue their Creator in the daies of their youth and earely in the morning like Abraham to sacrifice vnto GOD the yong Isaak of their age Yee shall not see my face saith Ioseph to his brethren except you bring your yonger brother with you And how shalt thou looke in the face of Iesus if thou giuest thy younger yeeres to the Diuell and bringest him nothing but thy blinde lame and decrepit old age Offer it vnto thy Prince saith Malachy If he will not accept such a one to serue him how shall the Prince of Princes admit such a one to be his seruant If the King of Babel would haue young men well fauoured and such as had ability in them to stand in his palace shall the King of heauen haue none to stand in his Courts but the blinde and lame such as the soule of Dauid hated Thinkest thou when thou hast serued Satan with thy prime yeeres to satisfie God with thy dogge daies Take heede lest God turne thee ouer to thy olde master againe That as thou hast all the daies of thy life done his worke so hee may in the ende pay thee thy wages Is that a fit time to vndertake by the serious exercises of repentance which is the worke of workes to turne thy sinnefull Soule to GOD when thou art not able with all thy strength to turne thy weary bones on thy soft bed If thou findest it so hard a matter now thou shalt finde it farre harder then For thy sinne will waxe stronger thy strength will grow weaker thy conscience will clog thee paine will distracte thee the feare of death will amaze thee and the visitation of friends will so disturbe thee that if thou be not furnished aforehand with store of faith patience and consolation thou shalt not be able either to meditate thy selfe or to heare the words of comfort from others nor to pray alone nor to ioyne with others who pray for thee It may bee thou shalt be taken with a dumbe palsey or such a deadly senslessenesse that thou shalt neither remember God nor thinke vpon thine owne estate And doest thou not well deserue that God should forget to saue thee in thy death vvho art so vnmindefull now to serue him in thy life The feare of death will driue many at that time to cry Lord Lord but Christ protesteth that hee will not then know them for his Yea many shal then like Esau with teares seeke to repent and yet finde no place to repentance For man hath not free-wil to repent when he will but when God will giue him grace And if Mercy shewed her selfe so inexoâ—able that shee would not open her gates to so tender suiters as Virgins to so earnest suiters as knockers because they knocked too late How thinkest thou that shee will euer suffer thee to enter her gates being so impure a wretch that neuer thinketh to leaue sinne till sinne first leaueth thee and didst neuer yet knocke with thine owne fistes vpon the breasts of a penitent heart And iustly doth her Grace deny to open the gates of Heauen when thou knockest in thine aduersitie who in thy prosperitie wouldest not suffer Christ whilest he knocked to enter at in the dore of thy
in the truth of his heart in all the Commandements of GOD alike for saith Saint Iames he that shall offend in one point of the Law wilfully it guiltie of all And Peter bids vs lay aside not some but all malice guile and hypocrisies c. One sin is enough to damne a mans Soule without Repentance dreame not to goe to heauen by any neerer or easier vvay then Christ hath trained vnto vs in his Word The way to Heauen is not easie or common but straite and narrow yea so narrow that Christ protesteth that a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdome of Heauen and that those who enter are but few and that those few cannot get in but by striuing and that some of those vvho striue to enter in shall not be able This all Gods Saints whilest they here liued knew well when with so often fastings so earnest prayers so frequent hearing the word and receiuing the sacraments and with such abundance of tâ—ares they deuoutly begged at the hands of GOD for Christs sake to be receiued into his Kingdome If thou wilt not beleeue this truth I assure thee that the Diuell which perswades thee now that it is easie to attaine Heauen will tell thee hereafter that it is the hardest businesse in the world If therefore thou art desirous to purchase sound assurance of saluation to thy Soule and to goe the right and safe way to Heauen get forth-with like a wise Virgin the Oyle of Pietie in the Lampe of thy Conuersation that thou maist be in a continuall readinesse to meete the Bride-groome vvhether hee commeth by Death or by Iudgement Which that thou maist the better doe let this be thy daily practise How a priuate man must beginne the morning with Pietie AS soone as euer thou awakest in the morning keepe the doore of thy heart fast shut that no earthly thought may enter before that GOD be come in first and let him before all others haue the first place therein So all euill thoughts either will not dare to come in or shall the easier be kept out and the heart vvill more sauour of Pietie and godlinesse all the day after But if thy heart be not at thy first waking filled with some meditations of GOD and his Word and dressed like the Lampe in the Tabernacle euery morning and euening with the oyle Oliue of Gods word and perfumed with the sweet incense of praier Satan vvill attempt to fill it with vvorldly cares or fleshly desires so that it vvill grow vnfit for the seruice of God all the day after sending foorth nothing but the stench of corrupt and lying vvordes and of rash and blasphemous oathes Beginne therefore euery daies worke with Gods word and prayer And offer vp vnto God vpon the Alter of a contrite heart the groanes of thy spirit and the calues of thy lippes as thy morning sacrifice and the first fruits of the day and as soone as thou awakest say vnto him thus A short Soliloquie when one first wakes in the Morning MY soule waiteth on thee O Lord more then the morning-watch watcheth for the morning O God therefore be mercifull vnto mee and blesse me and cause thy face to shine vpon me fill me with thy mercy this morning so shal I reioice and be glad all my daies Meditations for the Morning Then Meditate 1 HOw Almighty GOD can in the resurrection as easily raise vp thy body out of the graue from the sleepe of death as hee hath this morning wakened thee in thy bed out of the sleepe of nature At the dawning of which resurrectiâ—n day Christ shall come to be glorified in his Saints and euery one of the bodies of the thousands of his Saints being fashioned like vnto his glorious body shal shine as bright as the Sunne All the Angels shining likewise in their glory the body of Christ surpassing them all in splendor and glory and the God-head excelling it If the rising of one Sunne make the morning skie so glorious what a bright shining and glorious morning will that be when so many thousand thousands of bodies farre brighter then the Sunne shall appeare accompany Christ as his glorious traine comming to keepe his generall Session of righteousnesse and to iudge the wicked Angels and all vngodly men And let not any transitory profit pleasure or vaine-glory of this day cause thee to lose thy part and portion of the eternall blisse and glory of thaâ— day which is properly tearmed the resurrection of the iust Beasts haue bodilie eies to see the ordinary light of the day but endeauour thou with the eies of faith to foresee the glorious light of this day 2 That thou knowest not how neere the euill spirit which night and day like a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking to deuoure thee was vnto thee whilest thou sleptst and wast not able to helpe thy selfe and that thou knowest not what mischiefe he would haue done to thee had not God hedged thee and thine with his euer-waking prouidence and guarded thee with his holy and blessed Angels 3 If thou hearest the Cocke crow remember Peter to imitate him and call to minde that Cocke-crowing sound of the last Trumpet which shall waken thee from the dead And consider in what case thou art if it sounded now and become such as thou wouldest wish to be then Lest at that day thou wilt wish that thou hadst neuer seene this yea curse the day of thy naturall birth for want of being new borne by spirituall grace When the Cocke crowes the Thiefe despaires of his hope and giues ouer his nights enterprize So the Diuell ceaseth to tempt or attempt any further when he heares the deuoute Soule wakening her selfe with morning prayer 4 Remember that Almighty God is about thy bed and seeth thy downe lying and thy vprising vnderstandeth thy thoughts and is acquainted with all thy wayes Remember likewise that his holy Angels who guarded and watched ouer thee all night doe also behold how thou vvakest and risest Doe all things therefore as in the awefull presence of GOD and in the sight of his holy Angels 5 As thou art putting on thine apparell remember that they were first giuen as couerings of shame being the filthy effect of sinne and that they are made but of the offals and excrements of dead beasts Therefore whether thou respect the stuffe or the first institution thou hast so little cause to be proude of them that thou hast great cause to be humbled at the sight and wearing of them seeing the richest apparels are but fine couers of the foulest shame Meditate rather that as thine apparell serues to couer thy shame and to fence thy bodie from cold so thou shouldest be as carefull to couer thy soule with that wedding garment which is the righteousnesse of Christ and because apprehended by our
let thy care be greater for heauenly then earthly things and be more grieued for a dishonour done to GOD then for an iniurie offered to thy selfe But if any priuate iniurie be offered vnto thee beare it as a Christian with Patience Neuer was an innocent man wronged but if patiently hee bare his crosse he ouercame in the end But thy good name in the meane while is wounded beare that also with Patience And hee that at the last day will giue thy Body a Resurrection will as sure in his good time grant a resurrection to thy good name If impatiently thou frettest and vexest at thy wrongs the hurt which thou doest thy selfe is more then that which thine Enemie can doe vnto thee Neither canst thou more reioyce him then to heare that it throughly vexeth thee But if thou canst shew Patience on earth GOD will shew himselfe iust from Heauen Pray for him for if thou be a good man thy selfe thou canst not but reioyce if thou shouldest see thy worst enemie to become a good man too But if hee still continueth in his malice and increaseth in his mischiefe giue thou thy selfe vnto Prayer committing thy selfe and commending thy cause vnto the Righteous Iudge of Heauen and Earth saying with Ieremy O Lord of hoasts that iudgest righteously and tryest the reynes and the heart vengeance is thine and vnto thee haue I opened my cause In the meane while waite with Dauid on the Lord Be of good courage and hee shall comfort thine heart 8 The more others commend thee for any excellent act be thou the more humble in thine owne thoughts Affect not the vaine praises of men the blessed Virgin was troubled when shee was truely praised of an Angell They shall be praised of Angels in Heauen who haue eschewed the praises of men on Earth Neyther needest thou praise thy selfe deale but vprightly others vvill doe that for thee Be not thou curious to know other mens doings but rather be carefull that no man knowes any ill dealings by thee 9 Esteeme no sinne little for the curse of GOD is due to the least and the least would haue damned thee had not the Sonne of God dyed for thee Bewaile therefore the miserie of thine owne state and as occasion is ministred mourne for the iniquitie of the time Pray to God to amend it and be not thou one of them that make it worse 10 Lastly thinke often of the shortnesse of thy life and certaintie of Death and wish rather a good life then a long For as one day of mans life is to be preferred before the longest age of a Stagge or Rauen so one day spent religiously is to be higher valued then a mans whole life that is consumed in profanenesse Cast ouer therefore once euery day the number of thy dayes by substracting those that are past as being vanished like yesternights dreame contracting them that are to come sith the one halfe must be slept out the rest made vncomfortable by the troubles of the world thine owne sicknesse and the death of friends counting onely the present day thine which spend as if thou wert to spend no more Secondly for thy Words 1 REmember that thou must answere for euery idle word that in multiloquie the wisest man shall ouer-shoote himselfe Auoid therefore all tedious and idle talke whereof seldome ariseth comfort many times repentance especially beware of rash answeres when the tongue out-runs the minde The word was thine whilest thou keptst it in it is anothers as soone as it is out O the shame when a man 's owne tongue shall be produced a witnesse to the confusion of his owne face Let then thy wordes be few but aduised fore-thinke whether that which thou art to speake be fit to be spoken affirme no more then what thou knowest to be true and be rather silent then speake to an ill or to no purpose 2 Let thy heart and tongue euer goe together in honestie and truth hate dissembling and lying in another detest it in thy selfe or GOD will detest thee for it for he hateth the lyar and his father the Diuell alike And if once thou be discouered to make no conscience of lying no man will beleeue thee when thou speakest a truth but if thou louest truth more credit will be giuen to thy word then to a liars oath Great is the possession which Sathan hath in those who are so accustomed to lying that they will lie though they get nothing by it themselues nor are not compelled vnto it by others Let not thine anger remaine when thou seest the cause remoued and euer distinguish twixt him that offendeth of infirmitie or against his will and him who offendeth maliciously and of set purpose let the one haue pittie the other iustice 3 Keepe thy speech as cleane from all obsenitie as thou vvouldest thy meate from poyson and let thy talke be gracious that hee that heares thee may grow better by thee and be euer more earnest vvhen thou speakest of Religion then when thou talkest of worldly matters If thou perceiuest that thou hast erred perseuere not in thine errour reioyce to finde the truth and magnifie it Study therefore three things especially to vnderstand well to say well and to doe well And when thou meetest with Gods Children be sure to make some holy aduantage by them learne of them all the good that thou canst and communicate vvith them all the good things that thou knowest The more good thou teachest others the more will God still minister vnto thee For as the gifts of men by much vsing doe perish and decrease so the gifts of God by much vsing doe the more grow and increase like the Widowes Pitcher of Oyle vvhich the more it poured to fill other vessels the more it vvas still replenished in it selfe 4 Beware that you beleeue not all that is told you that you tell not all that you heare for if you doe you shall not long enioy true friends nor euer want great troubles Therefore in accusations be first assured of the truth then censure And as thou tenderest the reputation of an honest heart neuer let malice in hatred make thee to reueale that which loue in friendship bound thee a long time to conceale But for feare of such afterclaps obserue two things First Though thou hast many acquaintance yet make not any thy familiar friend but he that truly feares God Such a one thou neuer needest to feare For though you should in some particulers fall out yet Christian loue the maine ground of your friendship will neuer fall away and the feare of God will neuer suffer him to doe thee any villainy Secondly doe nothing in the sight of a ciuill friend for which thou canst not be safe vnlesse it
and the Lord will be with the good 10 Lastly make not an occupation of any recreation The longest vse of pleasure is but short but the paines of pleasure abused are eternall Vse therefore lawfull recreation so farre forth as it makes thee the fitter in body and minde to doe more chearefully the seruice of God and the duties of thy calling Thy worke is great thy time is but short And hee who will recompence euery man according to his workes standeth at the doore Thinke how much worke is behinde how slow thou hast vvrought in the time which is past and what a reckoning thou shouldest make if thy Master should call thee this day to thine accounts Be therefore carefull hence-forth to make the most aduantage of thy short time that remaines as a man vvould of an olde Lease that were neere expiring and when thou disposest to recreate thy selfe remember how small a time is allotted for thy life and that therefore much of that is not to be consumed in idlenesse sports playes and toyish vanities seeing the whole is but a short while though it be all spent in doing the best good that thou canst for a man was not created for sports playes and recreation but zealously to serue GOD in Religion and conscionably to serue his neighbour in his vocation and by both to acertaine himselfe of eternall saluation Esteeme therefore the losse of time one of the greatest losses Redeeme it carefully to spend it wisely that when that time commeth that thou maiest be no longer a steward on earth thy Master may welcome thee with an Euge bone serue and giue thee a better in Heauen where thou shalt ioyfully enioy thy Masters ioyes for euermore Meditations for the Euening At Euening when thou preparest thy selfe to take thy rest meditate on these few points 1 THat seeing thy daies are numbred there is one more of thy number spent and thou art now the neerer to thy ende by a day 2 Sit downe a while before thou goest to bed and consider with thy selfe what memorable thing thou hast seene heard or read that day more then thou sawest heardest or knewest before and make thy best vse of them but especially call to minde what sinne thou hast committed that day against GOD or Man and what good thou hast omitted and humble thy selfe for both If thou findest that thou hast done any goodnesse acknowledge it to be Gods grace and giue him the glory and count that day lost wherein thou hast not done some good 3 If by frailty or strong temptation thou shalt perceiue that thou hast committed any grieuous sinne or fault presume not to sleepe till thou haue vpon thy knees made a perticular reconciliation with God in Christ for the same both by confessing the fault and by feruent praying for the pardon of the same Thus making thy score euen with Christ euery night thou shalt haue the lesse to account for when thou art to make thy finall reckoning before his Maiesty in the Iudgement day 4 If thou haue fallen out with any in the day let not the Sunne goe downe on thine anger that night If thy conscience tels thee that thou hast wronged him acknowledge thine offence and entreate him to forgiue thee If hee haue wronged thee offer him reconciliation and if hee will not be reconciled yet do thou from thy heart forgiue him Matth. 5.23 But in any case presume not to be thine owne reuenger For in so doing thou doest God a double iniury First in offering to take his sword of Iustice out of his hand as though he were not iust hauing reserued the execution of vengeance to himselfe Secondly in vsurping authority ouer his seruant without referring the cause to his hearing and censure being his and thy Master Besides thou art too partiall to be a Reuenger For if thou be to execute reuenge on thy selfe thou wilt doe it too lightly if on thy enemy too heauily It belongeth therefore to God to reuenge to thee to forgiue And in testimony that thou hast freely forgiuen him pray vnto God for the forgiuenesse of his fault and the amendment of his life and the next time that occasion is offered and it lyes in thy power doe him good and reioyce in doing it for hee that doth good to his enemies shewes himselfe the childe of GOD and his reward is with GOD his Father 5 Vse not sleepe as a meanes to satiate the foggy lithernesse of thy flesh but as a medicine to refresh thy tyred senses and members Sufficient sleepe quickeneth the minde and reuiueth the body but immoderate sleepe dulleth the one and fatneth the other 6 Remember that many goe to bed and neuer rise againe till they be wakened and raised vp by the fearefull sound of the last trumpet But he that sleepeth and wakeneth with praier sleepeth and wakeneth with Christ. If therefore thou desirest to sleepe securely and safely yeeld vp thy selfe into the hands of God whilest thou art waking and so goe to bed with a reuerence of Gods maiesty and consideration of thine owne misery which thou maiest imprint in thy heart in some measure by these meanes and the like meditations Read a Chapter in the same order as was prescribed in the morning and when thou hast done kneele downe on both thy knees at thy bed side or some other conuenient place in thy Chamber and lifting vp thy heart thine eyes and hands to thy heauenly Father in the name and mediation of his holy Sonne IESVS pray vnto him if thou haue the gift of praier 1 Confessing thy sinnes especially those which thou hast committed that day 2 Caruing most earnestly for Christ his sake pardon and forgiuenesse for them 3 Requesting the assistance of his holy spirit for amendment of life 4 In giuing thankes for benefits receiued especially for thy preseruation that day 5 Praying for rest and protection that night 6 Remembring the state of the Church the King and the Royall Posterity our Ministers and Magistrates and all our brethren visited or persecuted 7 Lastly commending thy selfe and all thine to his gracious custody All which thou maiest do in these or the like words A praier for the Euening O Most gracious God and louing Father who art about my bed and knowest my down lying and mine vprising and art neere vnto all that call vpon thee in truth and sincerity I wetched sinner doe beseech thee to looke vpon me with the eies of thy mercy and not to behold mee as I am in my selfe For then thou shalt see but an vncleane and defiled creature conceiued in sinne and liuing in iniquity so that I am ashamed to lift vp mine eies to heauen knowing how grieuously I haue sinned against heauen and before thee For O Lord I haue transgressed al thy commandements and righteous lawes not onely through negligence and infirmity but oftentimes through wilfull
and thou raignest ouer all and in thine hand is power and strength and in thine hand it is to make great and to giue grace vnto all Now therefore O my God I praise thy glorious Name that whereas I a wretched sinner hauing so many vvayes prouoked thy Maiesty to anger and displeasure thou notwithstanding of thy fauour and goodnes passing by my prophanenesse and infirmities hast vouchsafed to adde this Sabbath againe vnto the number of my dayes And vouchsafe O heauenly Father for the merits of Iesus Christ thy Sonne whose glorious Resurrection thy whole Church celebrateth this day to pardon and forgiue mee all my sins and misdeeds Especially O Lord clense my soule from those filthy sinnes with the bloud of thy most pure and vndefiled Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the world And let thy holy Spirit more and more subdue my corruptions that I may be renewed after thine owne Image to serue thee in newnesse of life and holinesse of conuersation And as of thy mercy thou hast brought me to the beginning of this blessed day so I beseech thee make it a day of Reconciliation betwixt my sinfull soule and thy Diuine Maiestie Giue mee grace to make it a day of Repentance vnto thee that thy goodnesse may seale it to be a day of pardon vnto me and that I may remember that the keeping holy of this day is a Commandement which thine owne finger hath vvritten That on this day I might meditate on thy glorious workes of our Creation and Redemption and learne how to know and to keepe all the rest of thy holy Lawes and Commandements And when anon I shall with the rest of the holy Assembly appeare before thy presence in thy house to offer vnto thee our morning sacrifice of praise and Prayer and to heare what thy Spirit by the preaching of thy Word shall speake vnto thy Seruant Oh let not my sinnes stand as a Cloud to stoppe my Prayers from ascending vnto thee or to keepe backe thy Grace from descending by thy Word into my heart I know O Lord and tremble to thinke that three parts of the good Seede falles vpon bad ground O let not my heart be like the High-way which through hardnesse and want of true vnderstanding receiues not the Seede till the euill one commeth and catcheth it away nor like to the stony ground which hearing with ioy for a time falleth away as soone as persecution ariseth for thy Gospels sake nor like to the thorny ground which by the cares of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches choaketh the Word which it heareth and makes it altogether vnfruitfull but that like vnto the good ground I may heare thy Word with an honest and good heart vnderstand it and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience in that measure that thy Wisedome shall thinke meete for thy glory and mine euerlasting comfort Open likewise I beseech thee O Lord the doore of vtterance vnto thy faithfull Seruant whom thou hast sent vnto vs to open our eyes that wee may turne from darkenesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God that wee may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith in Christ. And giue me grace to submit my selfe vnto his Ministerie as well when hee terrifieth mee with iudgements as when hee comforteth mee with thy Mercies And that I may haue him in singular loue for his workes sake because hee watcheth for my soule as he that must giue an account for the same vnto his Master And giue mee grace to behaue my selfe in the holy Congregation with comelinesse and reuerence as in thy presence and in the sight of thy holy Angels Keepe mee from drowsinesse and sleeping and from all vvandering thoughts and worldly imaginations sanctifie my Memorie that it may be apt to receiue and firme to remember those good and profitable doctrines which shall be taught vnto vs out of thy Word And that through the assistance of thy holy spirit I may put the same lessons in practise for my direction in prosperity for my consolation in misery for the amendment of my life and the glory of thy Name And that this day which godlesse and prophane persons spend in there owne lusts and pleasures I as one of thy obedient seruants may make my chiefe delight to consecrate it to thy glory and honour not doing mine owne waies nor seeking mine owne will nor speaking a vaine word but that ceasing from the workes of sinne as well as from the workes of mine ordinary calling I may through thy blessing feele in my heart the beginning of that eternall Sabbath which in vnspeakeable ioy and glory I shall celebrate with thy Saints and Angels to thy praise and worshippe in thy heauenly kingdome for euermore All which I humbly craue at thy hands in the name and mediation of my Lord Iesus in that forme of prayer which he hath taught me Our Father which art in Heauen c. Hauing thus in priuate prepared thine owne soule if thou hast the charge of a Family call all thy houshold together reade a Chapter and pray as in the weeke dayes but remember so to dispatch these priuate preparations and duties as that thou and thy family may be in the Church before the beginning of praiers Else your priuate exercises are rather an hinderance then a preparation And as thou and thy houshold doe goe in all reuerence towards the Church let euery one meditate thus with himselfe Things to be Meditated as thou goest to the Church 1 THat thou art going to the Court of the Lord and to speake with the great GOD by Praier and to heare his Maiesty speake vnto thee by his Word and to receiue his blessing on thy soule and thy honest labour in the sixe daies last past 2 Say with thy selfe by the way As the Heart braieth for the Riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God When shall I come and appeare before the presence of God For a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand other where I had rather be a doore-keeper in the House of my God then to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednesse Therefore I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I worship toward thine holy Temple 3 As thou entrest into the Church say How fearefull is this place this is 〈◊〉 other but the house of GOD this is the gate of Heauen Surely the Lord is in this place God is in this people indeed and prostrating with thy face downeward being come to thy place say O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thy house the place where thy honor dwelleth One thing therefore haue I desired of thee that I will require euen that I may dwell in thy house al the daies
to doe the duties of his calling This is specially to be obserued of Ministers and Iudges Sixtly A religious Fast which a man voluntarily vndertakes to make his body and soule the fitter to pray more feruently vnto GOD vpon some extraordinarie occasion And of this fast onely wee are to treate The Religious Fast is of two sorts eyther priuate or publike 1 Of a priuate Fast. THat vvee may rightly performe a priuate Fast foure things are to be obserued first the Author secondly the Time and Occasion thirdly the Manner fourthly the Ends of priuate Fasting 1 Of the Author The first that ordained Fasting was God himselfe in Paradise and it was the first Law that God made in commanding Adam to abstaine from eating the forbidden fruit GOD would not pronounce nor write his Law without Fasting and in his Law commands all his people to Fast. So doth our Sauiour Christ teach all his Disciples vnder the New Testament likewise By religious Fasting a man comes neerest the life of Angels and to do Gods will on earth as it is done in heauen Yea Nature seemeth to teach man this duty in giuing him a little mouth and a narrower throaete for Nature is content with a little Grace with lesse Neyther doth Nature and Grace agree in any one act better then in this exercise of religious Fasting for it strengtheneth the memory and cleareth the minde illuminateth the vnderstanding and bridleth the affections mortifieth the flesh and preserueth chastitie preuenteth sicknesse and continueth health it deliuereth from euils and procureth all kinde of blessings By breaking this Fast the Serpent ouer-threw the first Adam so that hee lost Paradise But by keeping a Fast the second Adam vanquished the Serpent and restored vs into Heauen Fasting was she who couered Noâ—h safe in the Arke whom Intemperance vncouered and left starke naked in the Vineyard By fasting Lot quenched the flame of Sodome whom drunkennesse scorched with the fire of Incest Religious Fasting and talking vvith GOD made Moses face to shine before men when Idolatrous eating and drinking caused the Israelites to appeare abhominable in the sight of GOD. It rapt Elias in an Angelicall Coach to Heauen when voluptuous Ahab was sent in a bloudy Chariot to Hell It made Herod beleeue that Iohn Baptist should liue after death by a blessed resurrection when after an intemperate life hee could promise nothing to himselfe but eternall death and destruction O diuine Ordinance of a diuine Author 2 Of the Time The holy Scripture appoints no time vnder the new Testament to fast but leaues it vnto Christians owne free choyse Rom. 14.3 1 Cor. 7.5 to fast as occasions shall be offered vnto them Mat. 9.15 As when a man becomes an humble and earnest suiter vnto God for the pardon of some grosse sinne committed or for the preuention of some sinne whereunto a man feeles himselfe by Sathan sollicited or to obtaine some speciall blessing which hee wants or to auert some Iudgement which a man feares or is already fallen vpon himselfe or others or lastly to subdue his flesh vnto his spirit that hee may more cheerefully poure forth his Soule vnto God by prayer Vpon these occasions a man may fast a day or longer as his occasion requires and the constiâ—uâ—ion of his body and other needfull affayres will permit 3 Of the manner of a priuate Fast. The true manner of performing a priuate Fast consists partly in outward partly in inward actions The outward Actions are to abstaine for the time that wee fast First from all worldly businesse and labour making our fasting day as it were a Sabbath day Leuit. 23.28 for worldly businesse will distract our mindes from holy deuotion Secondly from all manner of foode yea from bread and water so farre as health will permit 1 That so we may acknowledge our owne indignitie as being vnworthy both of life all the meanes for the maintenance thereof 2. That by afflicting the body the soule which followeth the constitution thereof may be the more humbled 3. That so wee may take a godly reuenge vpon our selues for abusing our libertie in the vse of Gods Creatures 4. That by the hunger of our bodies through want of these earthly things our Soules may learne to hunger more eagerly after spirituall and heauenly foode 5. To put vs in minde that as vvee abstaine from foode which is lawfull so wee should much more abstaine from Sinne which is altogether vnlawfull Thirdly from good and costly Apparell that as the abuse of these puffes vs vp with pride so the laying aside their lawfull vse may witnesse our humilitie And to this end in auncient times they vsed especially in publike Fasts to put on Sacke-cloath or other course apparell The equitie hereof stil remaineth especially in publike Fasts at what time to come into the Assembly vvith starched bands crisped haire braue apparell and decked with â—lowers or perfumes argueth a Soule that is neyther humbled before GOD nor euer knew the true vse of so holy an exercise Fourthly from the full measure of ordinary sleepe That thou maist that vvay also humble the body and that thy soule may watch and pray to be prepared for the comming of Christ. And if thou vvilt breake thy-sleepe earely and late for worldly gaine how much more shouldest thou doe it for the seruice of God And if Ahab in imitation of the godly did in his fast lie in Sacke-cloath to breake his sleepe by night what shall wee thinke of those vvho on a fasting day will yeeld themselues to sleepe in the open Church Fiftly and lastly from all outward pleasures of our senses So that as it was not the throate onely that sinned so must not the throate onely be punished and therefore vve must endeuour to make our eyes as at all times so especially on that day to fast from beholding vanities our eares from hearing mirth or Musicke but such as may moue to mourne our nostrils from pleasant smels our tongues from lying dissembling and slandering yea the vse of the Marriage bed must be omitted in a religious reuerence of the diuine Maiestie That so nothing may hinder our true humiliation but that all may be signes that vve are vnfainedly humbled Thus much of the outward manner 2 The inward manner of Fasting consists in two things 1. Repentance 2. Prayer Repentance hath two parts 1. Penitencie for sinnes past 2. Amendement of life in time to come This penitency consists in 3. things First an inward insight of sinne and sense of miserie Secondly a bewailing of thy vile estate Thirdlie an humble and particuler confession of all thy knowne sinnes 1 Of the inward insight of sinne and sense of miserie This sense and insight will be effected in thee First by considering thy sinnes especially thy grosse sinnes according to the circumstances of the time when place where
for their want of due preparation And the man vvho came to the Marriage-feast without his wedding-garment or examining of himselfe vvas examined of another and thereupon bound hand and foote and cast into vtter darkenesse Mat. 22.12 And Saint Paul tels the Corinthians that for vvant of this preparation in examining and iudging themselues before they did eate the Lords Supper God had sent that fearefull sicknesse among them wherof some were then sicke others weeke and many falne asleepe that is taken away by temporall dâ—â—th Insomuch that the Apostle saith that euery vnworthy receiuer eaâ—es his owne Iudgement temporall if he repents eternall if he repents not and that in so hainous a measure as if he were guilty of the very body and blood of the Lord whereof this Sacrament is a holy signe and seale And Princes punish the indignity offered to their great seale in as deep a measure as that which is done to their owne Persons whom it representeth and how hainous the guiltinesse of Christs bloud is may appeare by the misery of the Iewes euer since they wished his bloud to be on them and their Children But then thou wilt say It were safer to abstaine from comming at all to the holy Communion Not so for God hath threatned to punish the wilful neglect of his sacraments with eternal damnation both of body and soule And it is the Commaundement of Christ Take eate doe this in remembrance of mee and he vvill haue his Commandement vnder the penaltie of his Curse obeyed And seeing that this Sacrament was the greatest token of Christs loue which hee left at his end to his friends whom he loued to the end Therefore the neglect and contempt of this Sacrament must argue the contempt and neglect of his loue and bloud-shedding then which no sinne in 〈◊〉 account can seeme more hainous Nothing hinders vvhy thou maist not come freely to the Lords Table but because thou hadst rather vvant the loue of God then leaue thy filthy sinnes Oh come but come a guest prepared for the Lords Table seeing they are blessed who are called to the Lambes Supper O come but come prepared because the efficacie of this Sacrament is receiued according to the proportion of the Faith of the Receiuer This preparation consists in the serious consideration of three things first of the Worthinesse of the Sacrament which is tearmed â—o discerne the Lords Body secondly of thine owne Vnworthinesse vvhich is to iudge thy selfe thirdly of the meanes whereby thou maist become a worthy Receiuer called communication of the Lords body 1 Of the worthinesse of the Sacrament THE worthinesse of this Sacrament is considered three vvayes first by the Maiestie of the Author ordaining secondly by the Preciousnesse of the Parts whereof it consisteth thirdly by the Excellencie of the Ends for which it vvas ordained 1 Of the Author of the Sacrament The Author was not any Saint or Angell but our Lord Iesus the eternall Sonne of God for it pertaineth to Christ onely vnder the New Testament to institute a Sacrament because hee onely can promise and performe the grace that it signifieth And we are charged to heare no voyce but his in the church How sacred should vvee esteeme the Ordinance that proceedeth from so diuine an Author 2 Of the parts of the Sacrament The parts of this blessed Sacrament are three first the Earthly signes signifying secondly the diuine Word sanctifying thirdly the heauenly graces signified First the earthly Signes are Bread and Wine in number two but one in vse Secondly the diuine Word is the word of Christs Institution pronounced with praiers and blessings by a lawfull Minister The Bread and Wine without the word are nothing but as they were before but when the Word commeth to those Elements then they are made a Sacrament and GOD is present with his owne ordinance and ready to performe whatsoeuer hee doth promise The diuine wordes of blessing doe not change or annihilate the substance of the bread and wine for if their substance did not remaine it could be no Sacrament but it changeth them in vse and in name For that which was before but common bread and wine to nourish mens Bodyes is after the blessing destinated to an holy vse for the feeding of the Soules of Christians and where before they were called but Bread and Wine they are now called by the name of those holy things which they signifie The body and bloud of Christ the better to draw our minds from those outward Elements to the heauenly graces vvhich by the sight of our bodies they represent to the spiritual eyes of our faith Neyther did CHRIST direct these wordes This is my Body this is my Bloud to the Bread and Wine but to his Disciples as appeares by the vvordes going before Take yee eate yee Neyther is the Bread his Body but in the same sense that the Cup is the New Testament viz. by a Sacramentall Metonymie And Marke notes plainely that the wordes This is my Bloud c. was not pronounced by our Sauiour till after that all his Disciples had drunken of the Cup. Mar. 14.23.24 And afterwards in respect of the naturall substance thereof hee cals that the fruit of the vine which in respect of the spirituall signification thereof he had before tearmed his Bloud verse 25. After the manner of tearming all Sacraments And Christ bids vs not to MAKE him but to doe this in remembrance of him and hee bids vs eate not simply his body but his body as it was then broken and his bloud shed which Saint Paul expounds to be but the Communion of Christs body and the communion of his bloud that is an effectuall pledge that vvee are partakers of Christ and of all the merits of his body and bloud And by the frequent vse of this Communion Paul will haue vs to make a shew of the Lords death till he come from heauen and till vve as Eagles shall be caught vp into the Ayre to meete him who is the blessed Carkeis and life of our soules Thirdly the spirituall graces are likewise two the Body of Christ as it was with the feeling of Gods anger due to vs crucified and his bloud as it was in the like sort shed for the remission of our sinnes They are also in number two but in vse one viz. whole Christ with all his benefits offered to all and giuen indeede to the faithfull These are the three internall parts of this blessed Sacrament the Signe the Word and the Grace The Signe without this Word or this Word without the Signe can doe nothing and both conioyned are vnprofitable without the Grace signified but all three concurring make an effectuall Sacrament to a worthy Receiuer Some receiue the outward signe without the spirituall grace as Iudas who as Austen saith receiued the bread of the Lord but not the Bread
sinne to come For though the eternall punishment of sinne as it proceedeth from Iustice is fully pardoned in the sacrifice of Christ yet vvee are not without serious iudging of our selues exempted from the temporall chastisement of sinne for this proceedeth onely from the loue of God for our good And this is the reason that when Nathan told Dauid from the Lord that his sinnes were forgiuen yet that the Sword of chastisement should not depart from his house and that his Childe should surely die For GOD like a skilfull Physitian seeing the soule to be poysoned vvith the setling of sinne and knowing that the raigning of the Flesh vvill proue the ruine of the Spirit ministreth the bitter pill of affliction vvhereby the reliques of sinne is purged and the soule more soundly cured the flesh is subdued and the spirit is sanctified Oh the odiousnesse of sinne vvhich causeth God to chasten so seuerely his Children whom otherwise hee loueth so deerely 2 God sendeth affliction to seale vnto vs our Adoption for euery Childe whom God loueth hee correcteth And hee is a Bastard that is not corrected Yea it is a sure note that where GOD seeth sinne and smites not he there detests and loues not Therefore it is said that hee suffered the vvicked Sonnes of Eli to continue in their sinnes without correction because the Lord would slay them On the other side there is no surer token of Gods fatherly loue and care then to be corrected with some crosse as oft as vvee commit any sinfull crime Affliction therefore is a seale of Adoption no signe of Reprobation For the purest Corne is cleanest fanned the finest Gold is oftest tryed the sweetest Grape is hardest pressed and the truest Christian heauiest crossed 3 God sendeth affliction to weane our hearts from too much louing this World and worldly vanities and to cause vs the more earnestly to desire and long for eternall life For as the Children of Israel had they not beene ill entreated in Aegipt vvould neuer haue beene so willing to goe towards Canaan so were it not for the crosses and afflictions of this life Gods Children would not so heartilie long and willingly desire for the Kingdome of Heauen For wee see many Epicures that vvould be content to forgoe heauen on condition that they might still enioy their earthly pleasures and hauing neuer tasted the ioyes of a better how loath are they to depart this life whereas the Apostle that saw Heauens glory tels vs that there is no more comparison twixt the ioyes of eternall life and the pleasures of this world then there is betwixt the filthiest dung and the pleasantest meate or betwixt the stinkingst dung-hill and the fairest bed-chamber As therefore a louing Nursse puts Worme-wood or Mustard on the breast to make the childe the rather to forsake the dug so GOD mixeth sometimes affliction with the pleasures and prosperitie of this life least like the Children of this generation they should forget God and fall into too much loue of this present euill vvorld and so by riches grow proud by fame insolent by libertie vvanton and spurne with their heele against the Lord when they waxe fat For if Gods children loue the vvorld so well when like a curst stepmother shee misvseth and strikes vs how should vvee loue this harlot if shee smiled vpon vs and stroaked vs as shee doth her owne worldly Brats Thus doth GOD like a wise and louing Father embitter with crosses the pleasures of this life to his children that finding in this earthly state no true nor permanent ioyes they might sigh long for eternall life where firme and euerlasting ioyes are onely to be found 4 By affliction and sicknesse God exerciseth his children and the graces which hee bestoweth vpon them He refineth and trieth their faith as the Goldsmith doth his gold in the furnace to make it shine more glistering bright he stirreth vs vp to pray more 〈…〉 and zealously and proueth what patience we haue learned all this while in his schoole The like experience he maketh of our hope loue and all the rest of our Christian vertues which without this triall would rust like iron vnexercised or corrupt like standing waters that either haue no current or else are not powred from vessell to vessell whose taste remaineth and whose sent is not changed And rather then a man should keepe still the sent of his corrupted nature to damnation who would not wish to be changed from state to state by crosses and sickenesse to saluation For as the Camomill which is troden groweth best and smelleth most fragrant and as the fish is sweetest that liues in the saltest waters so those soules are most pretious vnto Christ who are most exercised and afflicted with his Crosse. 5 God sendeth affliction to demonstrate vnto the world the truenesse of his childrens loue and seruice Euery hypocrite will serue GOD whilest he prospereth and blesseth him as the Diuel falsly accused Iob to haue done but who saue his louing childe will loue and serue him in aduersity when GOD seemeth to bee angry and displeased with him yea and cleaue vnto him most inseperably when hee seemeth with the greatest frown and disgrace to reiect a man and to cast him out of his fauour yea when he seemeth to wound and kill as an enemy yet then to say with Iob Though thou Lord kill me yet will I put my trust in thee The louing and seruing of God and trusting in his mercy in the time of our correction and misery is the truest note of an vnfained child and seruant of the Lord. 6 Sanctified affliction is a singular helpe to further our true conuersion and to driue vs home by repentance to our heauenly Father In their affliction saith the Lord they will seeke mee diligently Aegypts burdens made Israel cry vnto GOD. Dauids troubles made him pray Hezekias sickenesse made him to weepe and miserie droue the Prodigall childe to returne and sue for his Fathers grace and mercy Yea wee reade of many in the Gospell that by sickenesses and affliction were driuen to come into CHRIST vvho if they had health and prosperity as others would haue like others neglected or contemned their Sauiour and neuer haue sought vnto him for his sauing health and grace For as the Arke of Noah the higher it was tossed with the floud the neerer it mounted towards heauen so the sanctified Soule the more it is exercised vvith affliction the neerer it is listed towards GOD. Oh blessed is that crosse that draweth a sinner to come vpon the knees of his heart vnto Christ to confesse his owne misery and to implore his endlesse mercy Oh blessed aye blessed bee that Christ that neuer refuseth the sinner that commeth vnto him though weather-driuen by affliction and miserie 7 Afflictions worke in vs pittie and compassion towards our fellow-brethren that
temptation is ready to betray the soule By death the soule shall be deliuered from this thraldome and this corruptible body shall put on incorruption and this mortall immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 Oh blessed thrice blessed be that death in the Lord which deliuers vs out of so euill a world and freeth vs from such a body of bondage and corruption The 3. sort of Meditations to consider what good death will bring vnto thee 1 DEath bringeth the godly mans soule to enioy an immediate communion with the blessed Trinitie in euerlasting blisse and glorie 2 It translates his soule from the miseries of this world the contagion of sinne and society of sinners to the Citie of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels And to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in Heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the soules of iust men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Couenant 3 Death putteth the soule into the actuall and full possession of all the inheritance and happinesse which Christ hath either promised vnto thee in his word or purchased for thee by his bloud This is the good and happinesse whereunto a blessed death will bring thee And what truly religious Christian that is young would not wish himselfe olde that his appointed time might the sooner approach to enter into this celestiall Paradise where thou maiest exchange thy brasse for gold thy vanity for felicity thy vilenesse for honour thy bondage for freedome thy lease for an inheritance and thy mortall statâ— for an immortall life Hee that doth not daily desire this blessednesse aboue all things of all others he is lesse worthy to enioy it If Cato Vticensis and Cleombrotus two heathen men reading Platoes booke of the Immortality of the soule did voluntarily the one breake his necke the other runne vpon his sword that they might the sooner as they thought haue enioyed those ioyes What a shame is it for Christians knowing those things in a more excellent measure and manner out of Gods owne booke not to bee willing to enter into these heauenly ioyes especially when their Master cals for them thither If therefore there be in thee any loue of God or desire of thine owne happinesse or saluation when the time of thy departing draweth neere that time I say and manner of death which GOD in his vnchangeable counsell hath appointed and determined before thou wast borne yeeld and surrender vp willingly and cheerefully thy soule into the mercifull hand of Iesus Christ thy Sauiour And to this ende when thine end is come as the Angell in the sight of Manoah and his wife ascended from the Altar vp to heauen in the flame of the sacrifice so endeauour thou that thy Soule in the sight of thy friends may from the Altar of a contrite heart ascend vp to heauen in the sweete perfume of this or the like spirituall sacrifice of Praier A Prayer for a sicke man when he is tolde that he is not a man for this world but must prepare himselfe to goe vnto GOD. O Heauenly Father who art the Lord God of the spirits of all flesh and hast made vs these soules and hast appointed vs the time as to come into this world so hauing finished our course to goe out of the same The number of my daies vvhich thou hast determined are now expired and I am come to that vtmost bound which thou hast appointed beyond which I cannot passe I know O Lord that if thou entrest into iudgement no flesh can bee iustifyed in thy sight And I O Lord of all others should appeare most impure and vniust for I haue not fought that good fight for the defence of thy faith and religion with that zeal and constancy that I should but for feare of displeasing the world I haue giuen â—ay vnto sinnes and errours and for desire to please my flesh I haue broken all thy commandements in thought word and deede so that my sinnes haue taken such hold on me that I am not able to looke vp and they are moe in number then the haires of my head If thou wilt straightly marke mine iniquitiâ—s O Lord where shall I stand If thou waighest me in the ballance I shall be found too light For I am voide of all righteousnesse that might merit thy mercy and loaden with all iniquities that most iustly deserue thy heauiest wrath But O my Lord and my GOD for Iesus Christ thy Sonnes sake in whom only thou art wel pleased with all penitent and beleeuing sinners take pitty and compassion vpon mee who am the chiefe of sinners blot out all my sinnes out of thy remembrance and wash away all my transgressions out of thy sight with the pretious bloud of thy Sonne which I beleeue that he as an vndefiled Lambe hath shed for the clensing of my sinnes In this faith I liued in this faith I die beleeuing that Iesus Christ died for my sinnes and rose againe for my iustification And seeing that he hath endured that death and borne the burthen of that Iudgement which was due vnto my sinnes O Father for his death and passions sake now that I am comming to appeare before thy Iudgement seat acquite and deliuer me from that fearfull Iudgement which my sinnes haue iustly deserued And performe with me that gracious and comfortable promise which thou hast made in thy Gospell That whosoeuer beleeueth in thee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into Iudgement but shall passe from death vnto life Strengthen O CHRIST my faith that I may put the whole confidence of my saluation in the merits of thy obedience and blood Encrease O holy Spirit my patience lay no more vpon me then I am able to beare and enable mee to beare so much as shall stand with thy blessed will and pleasure O blessed Trinity in vnity my Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier vouchsafe that as my outward man doth decay so my inward man may more more by thy grace and consolation encrease and gather strength O Sauiour put my soule in a readinesse that like a wise Virgin hauing the wedding Garment of thy righteousnesse and holinesse shee may be ready to meete thee at thy comming with oyle in her lampe Marrie her vnto thy selfe that shee may bee one with thee in euerlasting loue and fellowship O Lord reproue Sathan and chase him away Deliuer my soule from the power of the dogge Saue me from the Lions mouth I thanke thee O Lord for all thy blessings both spirituall and temporall bestowed vpon me especially for my Redemption by the death of my Sauiour Christ. I thanke thee that thou hast protected me with thy holy Angelâ— from my youth vp vntil now Lord I beseech thee giue them a charge to attend
and more meanes to comfort thee The spirituall sigh vpon the seauenth thought O Lord my sinnes haue deserued the paines of hell and eternall death much more these fatherly corrections wherewith thou doest afflict me But O blessed Lambe of God which takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon me and wash away all my filthy sinnes with thy most precious blood and receiue my soule into thy heauenly kingdome for into thy handâ— O Father I commend my spirit and thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth The sicke person ought now to send for some Godly and Religious Pastor IN any wise remember if conueniently it may be to send for some godly and religious Pastor not onely to pray for thee at thy death for GOD in such a case hath promised to beare the Praiers of the righteous Prophets and Elders of the Church But also vpon thy confession and vnfaigned repentance to absolue thee of thy sinnes For as Christ hath giuen him a calling to baptize thee vnto repentance for the remission of thy sinnes so hath he likewise giuen him a calling and power and authority vpon repentance â—o absolue thee from thy sinnes I will giue thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be lâ—â—sed in heauen And againe Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee bind in earth shall be â—ound in heauen whatsoeuer yee loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen And againe receiue yee the holy Ghost whosoeuer sinnes yeare◠〈◊〉 they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuer sinnes yee retaine they are retained This doctrine was as ancient in the Church of God as Iob for Elihu tels him That when God strikes a man with malady â—n his bed so that his soule draweth neere the graue and his life to the buriâ—rs If there beâ— any messenger with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse then will hee haue mercy vpon him c. And answerable heereunto saith Saint Iames if the sicke 〈◊〉 committed sinnes vpon his repentance and the praier of the Elders they shall be forgiuen him These haue power â—o shut heauen and to deliuer the scandalous impenitent sinner 〈◊〉 Satan For the weaponâ— of their war faâ—â— are 〈◊〉 carnall but mighty through God to cast downe c. and to haue vengeance in readinesse against all disobedience They haue the key of loosing therefore the power of absoluing The Bishops and Pastors of the Church doe not forgiue sinnes by any absolute power of their owne for so onely Christ their master forgiueth sinnes but ministerially as the seruants of Christ and stewards to whose fidelity their Lord and Master hath committed his keyes and that is when they doe declare and pronounce either publikely or priuately by the word of God what bindeth what looseth and the 〈◊〉 of God to penitent 〈◊〉 or his iudgement to impenitent and obstinate personâ— and so doe apply the generall promiseâ— or threatnings to the penitent or impenitent For CHRIST from heauen doth by them as by his Ministers on Earth declare whom hee remitteth and bindeth and to whom he will open the gates of heauen and against whom he will shut them And therefore it is not said whose sinne yee signifie to be remitted but whose sinnes yee remit they then doe remit sinnes because Christ by their ministry 〈…〉 aâ— Christ by his Disciples loâ—sed Lazarus Iob. â—â— 44 And as no water could wash away 〈…〉 but the waters of 〈…〉 though other riuers 〈◊〉 cleare because the promise was annexed vnto the 〈◊〉 of Iordane and not of â—â—ther Riuers so though another man may pronounce the same words yet haue they not the like efficacie and power to worke on the conscience as vvhen they are pronounced from the mouth of Christs Ministers because that the promise is annexed to the Word of God in their mouthes for them hath he chosen separated and set apart for this worke and to them hee hath committed the ministerie and word of reconciliation by their holy calling and ordination they haue receiued the holy Ghost and the Ministeriall power of binding and loosing They are font forth of the holy Ghost for this worke wherunto he hath called them And Christ giues his Ministers power to forgiue sins to the penitent in the same words that he teacheth vs in the Lords Prayer to desire God to forgiue vs our sins to assure all penitent sinners that God by his Ministers absolution doth fully through the merits of Christs bloud forgiue them all their sinnes So that what Christ decreeth in heauen in foro Iudicij the same hee declareth on earth by his reconciling Ministers in foro paenitentiae So that as GOD hath reconciled the world to himselfe by Iesus Christ so hath he saith the Apostle giuen vnto vs the ministery of this reconciliation Hee that sent them to baptise saying Goe and teach all nations baptising them c. sent them also to remit sinnes saying As my Father sent mee so send 〈…〉 whosoeuer sinnes yee remit they are remitted vnto them c. As therefore none can baptise though he vse the same Water words but onely the lawfull Minister whom Christ hath called and authorised to this diuine and Ministeriall Function So though others may comfort vvith good words yet none can absolue from sinne but onely those to whom Christ hath committed the holy ministerie and word of reconciliation and of their absolution Christ speaketh he that heareth you heareth me In a doubtfull title thou wilt aske the counsell of thy skilfull Lawyer in perill of sickenesse thou wilt know the aduise of thy learned Physitian and is there no danger in dread of damnation for a sinner to be his owne Iudge Iudicious Caluin teacheth this point of doctrine most plainely Etsi omnes mutuò nos debeamus consolari c. Although saith he we ought to comfort and confirme one another in the confidence of Gods mercy yet we see that the Ministers are appointed as witnesses and sureties to acertaine our consciences of the remission of sinnes insomuch as they are said to remit sinnes and to loose soules Let euery faithfull man therefore remember that it is his duty if inwardly he be vexed and afflicted with the sence of his sins not to neglect that Remedy which is offered vnto him by the Lord to wit that for the easing of his Conscience he make priuate confession of his sinnes vnto his Pastor and that he desire his priuate indeuour for the application of some comfort vnto his soule whose office it is both publikely and priuately to administer Euangelicall Consolation to Gods people Beza highly commendeth this practise and Luther saith
that he had rather lose 1000. worlds then suffer priuate confession to be thrust out of the Church Our church hath euer most soundly maintained the truth of this doctrine but most iustly abolished the tyrannous and Antichristian abuse of Popish auricular confession vvhich they thrust vpon the Soules of Christians as an Expiatorie Sacrifice and a meritoâ—ious satisfaction for sinne racking their Consciences to confesse when they feele no distresse and to enumerate all their sinnes which is impossible that by this meanes they might diue into the secrets of all men which oft times hath proued pernitious not onely to priuate persons but also to publike states But the truth of Gods vvord is that no person hauing receiued Orders in the Church of Rome can truely absolue a sinner for the Keyes of absolution are two the one is the Key of Authoritie and that onely Christ hath the other is the Key of Ministerie and this hee giues to his Ministers who are therefore called the Ministers of Christ The Stewards of Gods Mysteries The Ambassadours of reconciliation Bishops Pastors Elders c. But Christ neuer ordayned in the New Testament any Order of sacrificing Priests neyther is the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth Sacerdos or sacrificing Priest giuen to any Officer of Christ in all the New Testament Neyther doe we reade in all the New Testament of any who confessed himselfe to a Priest but Iudas Neyther is there any reall Priest of the New Testament but onely Christ. Neyther is there any part of his Priesthood to be now accomplished on Earth but that which hee fulfilleth in Heauen by making intercession for vs. Seeing therefore Christ neuer ordayned any Order of sacrificing Priests and that Popish Priests scorne the name of Ministers of the Gospell to whom onely Christ committed his Keyes it necessarily followeth that no Popish Priest can truely eyther excommunicate or absolue any sinner or haue any lawfull right to meddle with Christs Keyes But the Antichristian abuse of this diuine Ordinance should not abolish the lawfull vse thereof twixt Christians and their Pastors in cases of distresse of Conscience for which it was chiefely ordayned And verily there is not any meanes more excellent to humble a proud heart nor to raise vp an humble spirit then this spirituall conference betwixt the Pastors and the People committed to their charge If any sinne therefore troubleth thy conscience confesse it to Gods Minister aske his counsell and if thou dost truely repent receiue his Absolution And then doubt not in foro Conscientiae but thy sinnes be as verily forgiuen on earth as if thou didst heare Christ himselfe in foro iudicij pronouncing them to be forgiuen in Heauen Qui vos audit me audit hee that heareth you heareth mee Try this and tell mee whether thou shalt not finde more ease in thy Conscience then can be expressed in words Did prophane men consider the dignitie of this diuine calling they would the more honour the Calling and reuerence Persons The sicke man hauing thus eased his Conscience and receiued his Absolution may doe well hauing a conuenient number of faithfull Christians ioyning with him to receiue the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper to encourage him in his Faith to discourage the Diuell in his assaults In this respect the Councell of Nice tearmeth this Sacrament Viaticum the soules prouision for her iourney And albeit the Lords Supper be an Ecclesiasticall action yet for as much as our Lord the first institutor celebrated it in a priuate house and that Saint Paul tearmeth the houses of Christians the Churches of Christ. And that Christ himselfe hath promised to be in the middest of the faithfull where but two or three are gathered together in his Name I see no reason but if Christians desire it vvhen they are not through sickenesse able to come to the church but that they should receiue and Pastors ought to administer vnto them the Sacraments at home Hee sheweth more simplicitie then knowledge who thinks that this sauours of a priuate Masse For a Masse is called priuate not because it is said in a priuate house but because as Bishop Iewel teacheth out of Aquinas the Priest receiueth the Sacrament himselfe alone without distribution made vnto others and then it is priuate although the vvhole Parish be present and looke vpon him There is as much difference betweene such a Communion and the Antichristian Idol of a priuate Masse as there is betwixt Heauen and Hell For at a Communion in a priuate family vpon such an extraordinary occasion Christ his institution is obserued Many faithfull brethren meet together and tarry one for anothâ—r Christ his death is remembred and shewed and the Minister together with the faithfull and the sicke party do communicate Master Caluin saith That he doth very willingly admit administring of the Communion to them that are sicke when the case and opportunity so requireth And in another place hee saith That hee hath many waighty reasons to compell him not to deny the Lords Supper vnto the sicke Yet I would wish all Christians to vse to receiue often in their health especially once euery moneth with the whole Church for then they shall not neede so much to assemble their friends vpon such an occasion nor so much to be troubled themselues for want of the Sacrament For as Master Perkins saith very well The fruit and efficacy of the Sacrament is not to be restrained to the time of receiuing but it extends it selfe to the whole time of mans life afterward the efficacy whereof did men throughly vnderstand they should not neede to be often exhorted to receiue it Pastores omnes hic exoratâ—s vellem vt in huius controuersiae statum penitius introspiciant nec fideles ex hac vita migrantes panem vitae petentes viatico suo fraudari sinaâ—t ne lugubris ista in â—ijs adimpleatur lamentatio Parvâ—li panem petunt non sit qui frangat eis As therefore when a wicked liuer dyeth he may say to death as Ahab said to Eliah Hast thou found me O mine enemy So on the other side when it is told a penitent sinner that death knocks at the doore and beginnes to looke him in the face he may say of death as Dauid said of Ahimaaz Let him come and welcome for he is a good man and commeth with good tidings he is the messenger of Christ and bringeth vnto me the ioyfull newes of eternall life And as the Redde Sea was a gulfe to drowne the Aegyptians to destruction but a passage to the Israelites to conuey them to Canaans possession so death to the wicked is a sincke to hell and condemnation but to the godly the gate to euerlasting life and saluation And one day of a blessed death will make an amends for all the sorrowes of a bitter
life When therefore thou perceiuest thy soule departing from thy body pray with thy tongue if thou canst else pray in thy heart and minde these words fixing the eyes of thy soule vpon Iesus Christ thy Sauiour A Prayer at the yeelding vp of the Ghost O Lambe of God which by thy blood hast taken away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon me a sinner Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Amen When the sicke party is departing Let the faithfull that are present kneele downe and commend his Soule to God in these or the like words O Gratious God and mercifull father who art our refuge and strength and a very present helpe in trouble lift vp the light of thy fauorable countenance at this instant vpon thy seruant that now commeth to appeare in thy presence Wash away good Lord all his sinnes by the merits of Christ Iesus blood that â—hoâ— may neuer bee laide to his charge Increase his faith preserue and keepe safe his soule from the danger of the Diuell and his wicked Angels Comfort him with thy holy spirit cause him now to feele that thou art his louing Father and that hee is thy childe by Adoption and Grace Saue O Christ the price of thine owne blood and suffer him not to be lost whom thou hast bought so dearely Receiue his Soule as thou didst the penitent theefe into thy heauenly Paradise Let thy blessed Angels conduct him thither as they carried the soule of Lazarus and grant vnto him a ioyfull resurrection at the last day O 〈◊〉 heare vs for him and heare thine owne Sonne our onely Mediator that sits at thy right hand for him and vs all euen for the merits of that bitter death and passion which he hath suffered for vs In confidence whereof we now recommend his soule into thy fatherly hands in that blessed prayer which our Sauiour hath taught vs in all times of our troubles to say vnto thee Our Father c. Thus farre of the Practise of Piety in dying in the Lord. Now followeth the Practise of Piety in dying for the Lord. THE Practise of Piety in dying for the Lord is termed Martyrdome Martyrdome is the testimony which a Christian beareth to the doctrine of the Gospell by enduring any kinde of death to inuite many and to confirme all to embrace the truth thereof To this kinde of death Christ hath promised a crowne Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life Which promise the Church so firmely beleeued that they termed Martyrdome it selfe a crowne and God to animate Christians to this excellent prize would by a prediction that Stephen the first Christian Martyr should haue his name of a crowne Of Martyrdome there are three kindes First Sola voluntate in will onely as Iohn the Euangelist who being boyled in a Cauldron of oyle came out rather annointed then sod and dyed of old age at Ephesus Secondly Solo opere in deede onely as the innocents of Bethleem Thirdly Voluntate opere both in will and deede as in the Primitiue Church Stephen Polycarpus Ignatius Laurentius Romanus Aâ—tiochianus and thousands And in our daies Cranmer Latimer Hoâ—per Ridley Farrar Bradford Philpot Sanders Glouer Tailor and others innumerable whose fierie zeale to Gods truth brought them to the flames of Martyrdome to seale Christs faith It is not the cruelty of the death but the innocency and holinesse of the cause that maketh a Martyr neither is an erronious conscience a sufficient warrant to suffer Martyrdome because Science in Gods word must direct conscience in mans heart for they who killed the Apostles in their erronious consciences thought they did God good seruice And Paul of zeale breathed out slaughters against the Lords Saints Now whether the cause of our Seminary Priests and Iesuits be so holy true and innocent as that it may warrant their conscience to suffer death to hazzard their eternall saluation thereon let Pauls Epistle written to the Ancient Christian Romans but against our new Antichristian Romanes bee iudge And it will plainely appeare that the doctrine which Saint Paul taught to the ancient Church of Rome is ex diametro opposite in â—6 fundamentall points of true Religion to that which the new Church of Rome teacheth and maintaineth For Saint Paul taught the Primitiue Church of Rome 1 That our election is of Gods free grace and not ex operibus praeuisit Rom. 9.11 Rom. 11.5.6 2 That we are iustified by faith only without good works Rom. 3.20.28 Rom. 4.2 c. Rom. 1.17 3 That the good works of the Regenerate are not of their owne condignity meritorious nor such as can deserue heauen Rom. 8.18 Rom. 11.6 Rom. 6.23 4 That those bookes onely are Gods Oracles and Canonicall Scripture which were committed to the custody and credit of the Iewes Rom. 3.2 Rom. 1.2 Rom. 16.16 such were neuer the Apocrypha 5 That the holy Scriptures haue Gods authority Rom. 9.17 Rom. 4.3 Rom. conferd Rom. 11.3.2 conferd with Gal. 3.22 Therefore aboue the authority of the Church 6 That all aswell Laity as Clergy that will be saued must familiarly read or know the holy scriptures Rom. 15.4 Rom. 10.1.2.8 Rom. 16.26 7 That all Images made of the true God are very Idols Rom. 1.23 and Rom. 2.22 conferd 8 That to bowe the knee religiously to an Image or to vvorship any Creature is meere Idolatry Rom. 11.4 and a lying seruicâ— Rom. 1.25 9 That we must not pray vnto any but to GOD onely in vvhom we beleeue Rom. 10.13.14 Rom. 8.15.27 therefore not to Saints and Angels 10 That Christ is our onely Intercessor in Heauen Rom. 8.34 Rom. 5.2 Rom. 16.27 11 That the onely Sacrifice of Christians is nothing but the spirituall sacrificing of their Soules and Bodies to serue GOD in holinesse and righteousnesse Rom. 12.1 Rom. 15.16 Therefore no reall sacrificing of Christ in the Masse 12 That the religious worship called dulia as well as lâ—tâ—iâ— belongeth to God alone Rom. 1.9 Rom. 12.11 Rom. 16.18 conferd 13 That all Christians are to pray vnto God in their owne natiue language Rom. 14.11 14 That wee haue not of our selues in the state of corruption freewill vnto good Rom. 7.18 c. Rom. 9.16 15 That Concupiscence in the Regenerate is sinne Rom. 7.7.8.10 16 That the Sacraments doe not conferre grace ex opere operato but signe and seale that it is conferred already vnto vs. Rom. 4.11.12 Rom. 2.28.29 17 That euery true beleeuing Christian may in this life be assured of his saluation Rom. 8.9.16.35 c. 18 That no man in this life since Adams Fall can perfectly fulfill the Commandements of God Rom. 7.10 c. Rom. 3.19 c. Rom. 11.32 19 That to place Religion in the difference of meates and dayes is superstition Rom. 14 3.5.6.17 23. 20 That the imputed righteousnesse of Christ is that onely that makes vs iust
phrase of laying by in store comprehendeth al the other exercises of the Sabath and why should the Apostle require the collections to be made on the first day of the weeke but because that on this day the holy assembly were held in the the Apostles time 1 Cor. 11.33 15.1.2 1 Cor. 14.37 Acts 20.4.5.6 c. a Acts 21.4 c. b Apoc. 1.10 Mos Christianus c. It is the manner of Christians to call it the Lords day Beda in Luc. cap. 24.1 Heb. 2.5 Heb 2.11 and 5.9 * Ier. 17.22 Ezech. 20.19.20.21.24 Ezec. 23.38 Nehe. 9.14 Ex. Bodin de Repub. lib. 4. cap. 2. 1 Cor. 14.33 40. Esa. 55.1.2 Apoc. 3.18 Iames 2.9 Gen. 2 3. Exod. 34.1 c. Deut. 4.13 Deut. 4.4 1 Reg. 8.9 Heb. 9.4 Rom. 5.17 Matth. 5.19 Acts 15.20.24.28.21 Mat. 24.20 Euseb. hist. Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 5. It is probable that this oracle was that voice migremus hinc which with an earthquake was heard by night in the temple mentioned by Iosephus de bello Iudaico lib. 7. cap. 12. Mat. 24.35 Isa. 56.6 Nehem. 13.11 c. Eph. 2.14 Pro 2.17 Mat. 19.6.8 Nitimur in vetitum Hor. Rom. 7.14 Gen. 1.14 Iob. 9.9 Iob 38.31 Amos 5.8 a To distinguish twixt Spring and Haruest Summer and Winter and to foreshew Iudgements to come b Moaedim sig Sacred times appointed for Gods holy worship hauing special significations and promises c One of the 7. daies of the week from the other d Solar Sabbatary and Iubilie Ex. 23 11.12 Index Chron. apup Anno Mundi 1998. After M. Rob. Pont. his computation Treatise of the last decaying age of the world published Anno Dom. 1600. R. Pont. tr of the last age pag. 17. Ier. 25.11.12 Hezr 1.1 * Apoc. 8.2 and 9.7 Napier on the Apoc. Proposition 6.8.9 hiâ— Resolution Apoc. 5. Pont. Of the last age of the world pag. 12. Buchol 2. Index Chron. Broughton Consent A.M. 2430. Deut. 34. Pont. ibid. Scaliger Bucholzer * Pont. p. 21. Buch. Index Cronol apud A.M. 2500. * Iubilie some deriue of trumpets or Rammes-hornes wherewith the Iubilie was sounded others from Jubal a streame because they carry vs to the death of Christ the author of our eternall rest ioy Isay 61. Luke 4. * Pont. of the last decaying age of the world pag. 12.13.21 a Expertum est in plerisque omnibus 63. annum cum periculo cladâ— aliqua venire aut corporis morbique grauioris aut vitae interitus aut animi agritudinis Agellius lib. 1.15 c. 7. Augustus in ep ad Caiâ—n nepotem exultat s◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commâ—â—em senâ—orum omnium 63. euasisse Bodin de Repub. lib. 4. cap. 2. * Aristotle Cicero Bernard Bocace Erasmus Luther Melancthon Sturmiâ—s c. * She was she is what can there more be said In earth the first in heauen the second Maide Bodin Bucholz Climax vitae virorum ferè septenariis aut nouenariis Faeminarum verò senariis d finitur Bodin de Rep. lib. 4. cap. 2. Wisd. 11.17 Wolph praem chron Apoc. 10.6 Tempus est reruÌ„ mundanarum duratio extrinsecuâ— obseruata H. Wolph Chron. cap. 1. Tempus cum mundo caepit una desiturum est ibid. Gen. 2.3 Apoc. 1.10 * Si quid horuÌ„ tota die per orbem frequentat Ecclesia Nam hoc quin ita saciendum sit disputare insolentissimae insaniae est August Ep. 118. ad Ian. Synod Col. part 9. cap. 9. Ignat. ad Magnes Apolo 2. Origen homilia 7. super Exod. 1. Epistol ad Ianuar. 119. cap. 13. ad Cassul Epi. 86. August de temp Ser. 251. Psal. 87.3 Aug. de temp ser. 251. 154. Conc. Const. Can. 8. Wolphius Chron. lib. 2. cap. 1. Muss Bipont postill Dom. Pasc. Mat. 27.52 Codoman Aâ—nat An. Munâ— 2515. Iosh. 6.13 Apo. 10.7 Aug. ad Casulan ep 86. ad Ianuar 119. cap. 13. Aug. Serm. de temp 251. 154. Conc. 6. Constant cau 8. * Non dubiâ—amus quin variè apud Christianos Sabbathum violetur non abstinendo ab iis quae aliis diebus licita sunt Armin. Iunius praelect in Gen. 2.3 Exod. 31.13 14. c. Ezek. 20.12.20 Ezek. 46.1.2.3 c. Exod. 35.2 Armin. disput Theolog. in praecep 4. Thes. 14. Act. 10.15 Isa. 58.13 Read H. Wolphins Cronolog de Temp. lib. 2. cap. 4 pag. 118. and cap. 7. pag. 140. c. Num. 5.32 2 Mac. 27.28 Cent. Magdol 12. cap. 6 Discip. de tempore Ser. 117. Tho. Cantiprat lib. 2. de apib Tympiâ— admiran vindict diu Theus hist. Iohan Finc lib. 3. de miraculis Stowes A. bridgement Anno 1582. Discite iam moniti Dominum non temnere Christum Whilest the Preachers cryed in the church prophanenesse prophanenesse Gaine would not suffer them to heare therefore when they cryed fire fire in the streets God would not suffer any to helpe * Numb 15.38 a Num. 28.9.10 b Exo. 35.2.3 c Exo. 16.23 d Deu. 5.15 e It was the Sabbath day on which Moses and the Children of Israel sang to God wheÌ„ Pharaoh and his hoast were drowned in the sea Exod. 15. See Trem. Iun. notes on Deu. 5.15 on Exod. 12.15 Obiect â— Gal. 4.10 1 Cor. 16.1 and 14.37 Act. 20.7 Col. 2.17 Leuit. 23.37 38. Obiect 2. Col. 2.16 Obiect 3. Rom. 14.5 Rom. 15.1 Apoc. 1.10 * Exo. 31.29 30. Exod. 31.12 13. Exod. 31.15 c. Exod. 34.21 Nehe. 13.15 Ier. 17.21.22.27 Deut. 5.14 Rom. 8 22· Deut. 25. â— â— Cor. 9.9 Neh. 15.15.16.19 Apoc. 1.19 Isa. 58.13.14 Psal 37.4 Ephes. 5.18.19 Rom. 12.11 Deut. 28.47 Isa. 58.13 1 Cor. 10.7 Exod. 32.6.18.19 Melius enim arare quam saltare in Sabato Aug. in tit Psal. 91. Act. 17.31 Rom. 2.12 c. 2 Thes. â— 8 c. Lactan. lib. 7. cap. 19. Apo. 12.11 * This was the last and heauiest curse that Saint Iohn wished spirituall Babylon Apo. 2. 3. Isa. 56.2 c. and 58.13 c. Exod. 16.23 c. Exod. 19.15 1 Cor. 7.5 Gen. 35.2 1 Thes. 4.4 1 Sam. 21.5 Exod. 19.16 Psal. 92.2 Eccles. 417. Col. 4.3 Psal. 91.1.2.5 1 Chron. 29 11. c. * Here thou maist confesse whatsoeuer sinne of the last weeke clogs thy conscience Iohn 1.29 Mat. 13.1 Luke 8.25 Col. 4.3 Act. 26.18 1 Thes. 5.13 Heb. 13.17 1 Cor. 11.10 Eph. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.12 Esa. 58.13 Esa. 66.23 Psal. 104.4 Psal. 42.1.2 Psal. 84.10 Psal. 5.8 Gen. 28.26.17 1 Cor. 14.25 Psal. 26.8 Psal. 27.4 Psal. 27.6 Psal. 23.6 Eccl. 4.17 1 Cor. 12.12 Act. 2.2.46 4.32 Eccle. 5.1 Eze. 46.10 Psal. 110.3 * Cum Romam venio Jeiuno Sabbato cum hîc sum non Ieiuno Sic tu ad quam fortè Ecclesiam veneris eius morem serua si cuiquaÌ„ non vis esse scandalo nec queÌ„quam tibi Amb. consil August ep ad Ianuar. Luk. 4.20 Luk. 19.48 Isa. 2.3 Act. 10.33 1 Chr. 17.25 Gal. 4.14 1 Thes. 2.13 Apoc. 2.7 Luk. 24.32 Luk. 11.28 Rom. 15.16 Deut. 33.3 Ioh. 10.27 Ioh.
against Heauen and before thee and how that wee haue beene borne in sinne and doe daily breake thy holy Lawes and Commandements contrary to our knowledge and Consciences albeit that we know that thou art our Creator who hast made vs our Redeemer who hast bought vs with the bloud of thine onely begotten Sonne and our Comforter who bestowest vpon vs all the good and holy graces which wee enioy in our soules and bodies And if thou shouldest but deale with vs as our vvickednesse and vnthankfulnesse haue deserued what other thing might vve O Lord expect from thee but shame and confusion in this life and in the vvorld to come wrath and euerlasting condemnation Yet O Lord in the obedience of thy Commandement and in the confidence which wee haue in thy vnspeakeable and endlesse mercy in thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ we thy poore Seruants appealing from thy Throne of Iustice where wee are iustly lost and condemned to thy throne of Grace where mercy raigneth to pardon abounding sinne doe from the bottome of our hearts most humbly beseech thee to remit and forgiue vnto vs all our offences and misdeedes that by the vertue of the precious bloud of IESVS CHRIST thine innocent Lambe which hee so aboundantly shed to take away the sinnes of the world all our sins both originall and actuall may be so clensed and washed from vs as that they may neuer be laid to our charge nor neuer haue power to rise vp in Iudgement against vs. And we beseech thee good Father for Christ his death and passions sake that thou wilt not suffer to fall vpon vs that fearefull curse and vengeance which thy Law hath threatned and our sins haue iustly deserued And for as much O Lord as wee are taught by thy word that Idolaters Adulterers couetous men contentious persons drunkards gluttons and such like inordinate liuers shall not inherite the kingdome of God poure the grace of thy holy spirit into our harts whereby we may be enlightened to see the filthinesse of our sinnes to abhorre them and may be more and more stirred vp to liue in newnesse of life and loue of thy Maiestie so that vvee may daily encrease in the obedience of thy word and in a conscionable care of keeping thy Commandements And now O Lord vvee render vnto thee most heartie thanks for that thou hast elected created redeemed called iustified and sanctified vs in good measure in this life and giuen vs an assured hope that thou vvilt glorifie vs in thy heauenly Kingdome vvhen this mortall life is ended Likewise vve thanke thee for our life health wealth libertie prosperitie and peace especially ô Lord for the continuance of thy holy Gospell among vs and for sparing vs so long and granting vs so gracious a time of Repentance Also vve praise thee for all other thy mercies bestowed vpon vs more especially for preseruing vs this night past from all dangers that might haue befallen our soules or bodies And seeing thou hast now brought vs safe to the beginning of this day vve beseech thee protect and direct vs in the same Blesse and defend vs in our going out and comming in this day and euermore Shield vs O LORD from the temptations of the Diuell and grant vs the custodie of thy holy Angels to defend and direct vs in all our wayes And to this end wee recommend our selues and all those that belong vnto vs and are abroad from vs into thy hands and almightie tuition Lord defend them from all euill prosper them in all graces and fill them with thy goodnesse Preserue vs likewise this day from falling into any grosse sinne especially those vvhereunto our natures are most prone Set a watch before the doore of our lips that vve offend not thy Maiestie by any rash or false oathes or by any lewde or lying speeches giue vnto vs patient mindes pure and chast hearts and all other graces of thy Spirit vvhich thou knowest to be needfull for vs that vvee may the better be enabled to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse And seeing that all mans labour without thy blessing is in vaine blesse euery one of vs in our seuerall places and callings direct thou the works of our hands vpon vs euen prosper thou our handy-worke for except thou guide vs vvith thy grace our endeuours can haue no good successe And prouide for vs all things which thou O Father knowest to bee needfull for euery one of vs in our soules and bodies this day And grant that wee may so passe through the pilgrimage of this short life that our hearts being not setled vpon any transitorie things which we meete with in the way our soules may euery day bee more and more rauished with the loue of our home and thine euerlasting Kingdome Defend likewise O Lord thy vniuersall Church and euery particuler member thereof especially wee beseech thee to continue the peace and prosperity of these Churches and Kingdomes wherein wee liue Preserue and defend from all euils and dangers our gracious King the Queene our hopefull Prince Charles together with the Princely Palsgraue of Rhene and religious Princesse Elizabeth his wife Multiply their daies in blisse and felicity and afterwards crowne them with euerlasting ioy and glory Blesse all our Ministers and Magistrates with all graces needful for their places and gouerne thou them that they may gouerne vs in peace and godlinesse And of thy mercy O Lord comfort all our brethren that are destressed sicke or any way comfortlesse especially those who are afflicted either with an euill conscience because they haue sinned against thy word or for a good conscience because they will not sinne against thy truth Make the first to know that not one drop of the blood of Christ was a drop of vengeance but all drops of grace powerfull to procure pardon vpon repentance for the greatest sinnes of the chiefest sinner in the world And for the other let not O Lord thy long sufferance either too much discourage them or too much encourage their enemies but grant them patience in suffering and a gracious and speedy deliuerance which way may stand best with their comfort and thy glory Giue euery one of vs grace to be alwaies mindefull of his last end and to be prepared with faith and repentance as with a wedding garment against the time that thou shalt call for vs out of this sinnefull world And that in the meane while we may so in all things and aboue all things seeke thy glory that when this mortall life is ended wee may then be made partakers of immortality and life eternall in thy most blessed and glorious Kingdome These and all other graces which thou O Father seest to be necessary for vs and for thy whole Church wee humbly begge and craue at thy hands concluding this our imperfect prayer in that absolute forme of prayer which Christ himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father c. After Prayers let euery one of thy Houshold taking