done amiss and wherein I have offended thee I could not answer thee one thing of a thousand neither should I be able to stand in thy sight Lord therefore enter not into judgement with me neither repay me according to my deserts but deal with me according to thy wonted mercies CXXXI Vpon the sight of a great house wherein were many rooms LOrd this puts me in mind of heaven which is an house wherein are many mansions Oh sweet Jesus do thou prepare me a place there and howsoever I am in this world I shall be sure to be happy then CXXXII Vpon the hearing of one caught with a lie LOrd thy Word doth tell me that every one by nature is a liar and I do find that I am as apt and prone to that as to any other sin O therefore remove from me I beseech thee vanity and lies and take from me the way of lying CXXXIII Vpon the hearing of a woman that did long for something LOrd make me to long also for thy salvation and do thou in thy good time satisfie my longing soul CXXXIV Vpon the sight of a weak stomach lothing meat OH that I could O Lord so lothe my self for my sins committed against thee as this weak stomach doth meat CXXXV Vpon the sight of a woman laying leaven THis leaven shewth the nature both of sin and grace for a little of either will leaven the whole lump Lord give me the grace therefore to take heed of the leaven of sin that I may not be sowred therewith and give me such a measure of the leaven of grace that I may not be puffed up and grow proud therewith CXXXVI Upon the sight of two blind men one leading the other I Find in the Gospel that if the blind do lead the blind both will fall into the ditch Lord my body without my soul is blind and so is my soul too without thy grace Oh therefore give me thy grace to enlighten the eyes of my soul lest it lead my body where it should not and so at last both body and soul fall into the irrecoverable ditch of hell fire CXXXVII Upon the sight of two kissing SWeet Jesus my Lord and Saviour kiss thou me with the kisses of thy mouth and bestow on me such comfortable testimonies of thy love here that I may be sure to be beloved of thee for ever hereafter CXXXVIII Upon the hearing of one upbraided with his former faults LOrd remember not against me my former iniquities but blot them all out of the book of thy remembrance CXXXIX Vpon the sight of the keeper of the lions in the Tower of London carying the keyes of the grates in his hand LOrd Jesus do thou which hast the keys of hell and of death never suffer the Devil that roaring Lion of hell to come forth to hurt me CXL Vpon the sight of one searing with an hot Iron LOrd keep me by thy grace that my conscience may never be seared as it were with an hot iron CXLI Upon the sight of a joyner glewing boards together LOrd give us the grace that we may joyn our selves unto thee in a perpetuall covenant never to be forgotten and that we may be joyned one to another in love never to be dissolved CXLII Upon the sight of one giving earnest upon a bargain LOrd grant me the earnest of thy Spirit that I may thereby have an assurance of my right and title to thy heavenly Kingdome purchased for me by the bloud of thy Son CXLIII Upon the sight of incense burned OH that my prayer might be set forth before thee as incense CXLIV Vpon the sight of a precious Jewel LOrd when thou makest up thy Jewels let me be one of them CXLV Upon the sight of a Turtle-Dove flying from a Kite OH give not the soul of thy Turtle-Dove unto the beast and forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever CXLVI Vpon the sight of one that endeavoured to maintain his right ARise O God maintain thine own cause remember thy dayly reproch by the foolish man CXLVII Upon the sight of an hireling at work LOrd thy word tells me that my daies are as the daies of an hireling Oh give me grace therefore to accomplish the work which thou hast set me about as the hireling doth his day and when that is ended I may with him look for that reward of my work which thou in thy mercy hast promised me CXLVIII Upon the sight of one running to hide himself from his persecutors LOrd there be many which seek after my soul to destroy it but Lord be thou my hiding-place to which I may alwaies resort CXLIX Upon the sight of a souldier putting on his helmet LOrd give me the grace to put on for an helmet the hope of salvation CL Upon the sight of one girding on his coat O Lord that I might have thy grace thus to grid up the loines of my mind with the girdle of sincerity and truth CLI Upon the sight of one washing at a fountain LOrd open unto me that fountain which shall be for sin and for uncleannesse even the bloud of my crucified Saviour Jesus Christ and let thy blessed spirit so wash me therein that I may be clensed from my sins and appear righteous again in thy sight CLII. Upon the sight of a filthy cloth taken off from a running sore LOrd give me the grace to hate even the garment spotted with the flesh CLIII Upon the sight of a natural fool LOrd this man is a fool by nature Oh that I might have thy grace to become such a one by grace as he is by nature that so I might be truly and spiritually wise CLIV. Upon the sight of one made clean that had fallen into the mire LOrd make me as carefull to clense my self from all filthinesse both of the flesh and Spirit as this man is desirous to be made clean from this his outward pollution CLV Upon the sight of two fighting LOrd give me the grace to fight the good fight of faith against all thine and mine enemies CLVI Upon the sight of one anointed with eye-salve that had sore eyes LOrd the eyes of my understanding are every way as unable to behold things spirituall as the sore eyes of this man are to behold things corporall Oh do thou therefore sweet Jesus anoint them with thy heavenly eye-salve that I may be better enabled to see them as I should doe CLVII Vpon the sight of a tree that was deeply rooted LOrd grant that I may be rooted and grounded in love in faith and all other saving graces as thy child should be CLVIII Vpon the sight of a Well LOrd grant that thy grace may be in me a well of water springing up to eternall life CLIX. Upon the sight of one planting trees LOrd give me
more in the Summer of my life health and prosperity think of the Winter of death sicknesse and adversity and make provision for them XLV Upon the sight of a shooting match at Buts Here I see some shooting above the Mark others under it some on the right hand others on the left at last cometh one and hit's the mark it self and just so dealeth Death with us sometimes it shooteth above us and takes away our Superiours and Elders sometimes beneath us and takes away our Inferiours and younger sometimes on the right-hand and taketh away our dear friends and sometimes on the left-hand and taketh away our deadly foes and happy were we if we could take these as warning arrowes shot from a loving hand to warn us to look to our selves but such is our improvidence that we will not lay these fair warnings to heart but go on still in our carnall security till at last and it may be when we look least for it it shoots also to us our selves and wo be unto us if it find us unprovided Lord give us therefore the grace so to think of Death every day as if it were to be our dying day XLVI Upon the sight of a man felling or cuiting down a Tree LOrd here I see the Axe laid to the root of this tree to cut it down This tree is a refemblance of me his root of my heart and conscience and the Axe of thy word which hath strook me and pierced me often and that to the very heart by the Ministery thereof But because there hath followed upon it no amendment of life Lord what can I now expect if thou shouldest deal with me in justice but that thou shouldst now also lay to me the axe of thy judgements and cut me down therewith and cast me into hell fire To prevent which Lord make me more and more sensible of the strokes of thy former Axe and give me grace to amend my life thereby XLVII Upon the sight of a new born babe seeking after and sucking the Nurses breast LOrd give me the grace that I may as a new borne babe desire the sincere milk of thy word that I may grow thereby XLVIII Upon the sight of Balme put into a wound LOrd I am a poor wounded Soul wounded in spirit with the sight of my sins and the sense of thy wrath due unto me for them Oh doe thou therefore pour into my Soul the precious Balme of thy soul-saving word that this poor wounded soul of mine may by the comforts thereof be also comforted and cured XLIX Upon the sight of two parties betrothed LOrd betroth thou me unto thy self for ever and that in righteousness and in judgment and in loving kindness and in mercies L. Upon the sight of one that had a bone out of joynt LOrd this is my case as long as I am out of that place and calling wherein thou hast placed me I may be still of the body but am neither for use nor ease and neither that to my self nor to my fellow-members and so I must continue till thou shalt be pleased to set me right again which I beseech thee for thy son Christ Jesus sake to do for me LI. Upon the sight of a Bone-setters binding up and splintering of a broken bone THis man hath done a great work in bringing every part and piece of this broken bone into his right place but I see except he do also bind them up and splinter them they will not so continue nor grow together again Lord I have taken many a grievous fall and by means of it I am heart-broken O sweet Jesus do thou whose office it is to bind up the broken-hearted bind up this broken heart of mine that it may continue firm and grow in grace goodness LII Upon the sight 〈◊〉 something blotted out in a Book LOrd my sins are all written in the book of thy remembrance and in the book of my conscience and at the last day when the books shall be opened they will manifestly appear to God Angels and men as so many evidences against me except thou in thy mercy shalt blot them out for thine own sake with the blood of thy Son and my Saviour Jesus Christ which that thou wilt do for me it is my hearty desire and prayer LIII Upon the hearing of certain Captives redeemed LOrd do thou redeem me with the precious bloud of thy Son and my Saviour Jesus Christ from the Captivity thraldom and slavery of Satan wherein I have been so long held to do his will LIV. Upon the sight of one breathing out his last breath LOrd here I see that my life is but a breath which as ths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…vest me at first so thou maist take from me again when thou pleasest Oh give me grace therefore that I may make such good use of this transitory and uncertain life of mine that I may be prepared for death whensoever or wheresoever it shall in like manner happen unto me LV Vpon the sight of a bruised Reed LOrd I am of my self as weak as this bruised reed having been so much and so often bruised both with outward afflictions and inward temptations yet seeing thou hast promised not to break such a bruised reed in confidence therefore of this thy mercy and gracious promise made unto me in thy word I do now come unto thee beseeching thee so to support my weaknesse by thy power and so to heal me thus miserably bruised by thy grace that though I be weak in my self yet I may be strong in thee and in the power of thy might LVI Upon the sight of a shield LOrd give me the grace to put on the shield of faith that I may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked LVII Upon the sight of one that was buffeted LOrd I am often and grievously buffeted by Satan and his messengers Oh that I were freed from these their buffetings or that I might have some comfortable assurance that thy grace shall be sufficient for me either to keep me from being overcome by them or if I am at any time overcome to pardon my weakness and failing therein and to restore me to thy mercy and favour in Jesus Christ LVIII Vpon the sight of a surety arrested and made to pay the debt of the principall THus do I believe that my Saviour and surety Jesus Christ was by death arrested for my debt of sin and that he hath satisfied it to the full concealing the hand-writing that was against me Lord therefore enter not into Judgement with me for any of my sins past but accept of thy Sons active and passive obedience as a full satisfaction for them all LIX Vpon the sight of Snow LOrd thou hast promised that though my sins were as crimson double-dyed dyed in the wool of my originall corruption and dyed
afterwards again in the many threds of my actuall transgressions yet if I will but consent and obey thou wilt make them as white as snow Make good this thy promise to me thy servant who is both willing and desirous to obey thee in all things as far as thy grace shall enable me LX Upon the sight of two wrastling together LOrd give me thy grace that when I shall wrastle with thee by my prayers and my tears as thy servant Jacob did that I may not let thee goe till thou hast blessed me and when I shall wrastle with the Devil to withstand his temptations doe thou so assist me with thy grace and let thy power be so seen in my weaknesse that he may not be able to prevail against me LXI Upon the sight of one winning a wager at running LOrd this man hath taken great pains to win this earthly wager Oh that I could take the like pains in running my Christian Race that I might in the end obtain the Crown of Glory LXII Upon the hearing of the wind rising ARise O North and come O South and all ye other Soveraign winds of the Spirit of God do ye breath and blow upon the garden of my soul that the sweet odours of Gods heavenly graces which are therein may be dispersed to the glory of God and to the benefit of other Christian Souls LXIII Upon the sight of a thirsty Traveller going to a Well to drink LOrd this man doth not more thirst after the water of this Well to quench his bodily thirst then my Soul doth after thee the fountain of ever-living water Oh give me therefore of this water and do thou which biddest me to come unto thee and drink satiate my soul therewith when I am come LXIV Upon the sight of a weaver weaving in his looms LOrd this mans work is to me a Remembrancer of my mortality and that many waies His shuttle sheweth me the swift passing away of my time his weaving the addition of daies to my age but so as the more of his work is added to the cloth the less is upon the beam and the more the one increaseth the nearer the other approcheth to his end and cutting off so the more daies are added to my age the more is detracted from my life and the nearer it draweth to its end and cutting off Therefore Lord give me thy grace that I may make a right use of this my short and swift-passing life and be ever mindfull as I should be of my mortality and ever preparing for it lest I be cut off before I look for it LXV Upon the hearing of a Cock crowing LOrd the crowing of a Cock was to Peter a means with thy blessing to bring him to the sight of his sin and to true repentance for it Oh that thou wouldst so bless unto me the voice of thy Spirituall Cocks the Ministers of thy word and mine own conscience that they may also by thy blessing be a means to bring me to the like sight of my sins and to true repentance for the same LXVI Upon the sight of a Malefactors arraignment LOrd this must one day be my case for I must appear before the judgement-seat of Christ the Judge of quick and dead that I may there receive the things which have been done in my body according to that I have done whether it be good or evil and therefore good Lord give me the grace that I may in the mean time ever think upon it and use the means to have my sins put away by true repentance for them and by a lively faith in the merits of Jesus Christ before that great and fearfull day shall come LXVII Upon the sight of one stooping and striving to go in at a strait passage LOrd the way leading to thy Kingdome is through a low and a strait passage through which none can enter that are not lowly and humble and can be content for the Kingdome of heavens sake to strip themselves of whatsoever thing may be an hindrance to their entrance thereinto O give me the grace therefore to be truly humble in thy sight as thy child should be and to cast away every thing that presseth down and my sins that hang so fast on that I may with the more speed and ease enter thereinto LXVIII Upon the sight of Reapers reaping down a close of corn THis field of corn being ripe what wonder is it to see Reapers put into it to cut it down And therefore Lord when our sins are become so ripe what can be expected but that the sickle of thy wrath should be put in amongst us to cut us down also All that I can say for my self or the people of this sinfull nation is Lord enter not into judgement with us or if our sins shall force thee so to do Lord in justice remember mercy and repay us not according to our deserts LXIX Upon the sight of a Mower cutting down grass in a medow THis medow is the emblem of mankind for as in this there is grasse of all sorts and sizes â—â—me longer some shorter some younger and but newly sprung some elder and othersome so ripe that it is ready to wither yea and amongst these too there are many flowers of a most gay and specious colour and yet when the Mower comes with his sithe down they go all neither one not other is spared And just so is it with mankind some are taller and lifted up higher than others in honours and worldly preferment others are of a meaner sort rank and condition some are infants newly born others of elder and riper years yea some by reason of their old and decrepit age ready to wither yea and amongst these too there are some of a more beautifull and specious shew in the eyes of the beholders than others yet when Death Gods mower once comes with his sithe he spares neither young nor old neither rich nor poor nor any of any sort or condition amongst mankind but down they go all one as well as another Lord teach me therefore so at all times to prepare for it that when it shall come it may not find me unprepared LXX Upon the sight of a Dog returning to and eating up his own vomit THe stomach of this Dog before he vomited seemed to be very sick and much pained and yet being eased of that pain how ready and willing is he to return to this his vomit again which formerly pained him and to eat it up And if this be so odious a thing in my sight Lord what shall I be unto thee when after the confession of my sins unto thee whereby I have found ease and comfort I shall return again to my former sinfull course of life that so much dishonoured thee and wronged mine own soul Therefore Lord I beseech thee so strengthen me with thy grace that having confessed my sins
seek those things which are above and to settle my affections on them and not on the things which are in the earth lest heaving and heaping up these earthly things in hope to make further way for my greedy desires I be in the end pierced through with many sorrows and become a prey to Sathan CLXXXI Upon the sight of a Marriage LOrd do thou marry me unto thee for ever and that in righteousnesse and in judgement and in mercy and in compassion CLXXXII Upon the sight of a virgin trimmed up and going to be married LOrd grant that as this virgin going to be married hath adorned her self and made her self ready for her husband so I being clothed with the robes of Christs righteousnesse may be alwayes in a readiness for him and to be presented unto him as a chast virgin when the marriage day of the lamb shall come CLXXXIII Upon the sight of the stars in a clear starry night LOrd give me the grace to doe what I can in my place and calling to turn many unto righteousness that so I may one day shine as the stars for ever and ever CLXXXIV Upon the sight of a Raven LOrd thou wert pleased to feed thy servant Eliah by the ministery of those unclean birds the Ravens Oh give me therefore the grace nor to refuse the food of my soul although brought unto me by one that is as unclean in my sight as the Ravens were in the sight of Elias CLXXXV Upon the hearing of young Ravens crying in the nest LOrd thy word doth tell me that thou feedest the young Ravens when they cry Oh let me therefore never despair of thy providence towards me for the feeding of me and the supplying of my wants who am in thy sight much better than they CLXXXVI Vpon the sight of an Anchor SEafaring men use the Anchor to stop and stay their ships that they may not be carried away and tossed up and down with the violence of the waves Lord my soul is tossed up and down in the sea of this world amongst the severall changes and chances thereof as much as any ship can be on the sea and I have no help nor hope in my self or any other creature to avoid the ship-wrecking thereof therefore Lord doe thou give me the grace to fasten the Anchor of my hope on the firm ground of thy gracious promises made unto me in Jesus Christ and then shall I be safe CLXXXVII Vpon the sight of a Rainbow LOrd this Rainbow is an Emblem of thy mercy which like the Rainbow is not to be seen when once the night of death is come and as that so this terminates on the earth the ends of it reaching no further Oh give me the grace therefore to make use of thy mercy in this time of mercy that my soul may never be drowned more in the deluge of sin here nor in the deluge of thy wrath for my sins hereafter CLXXXVIII Vpon the sight of one winnowing of corn LOrd I see in this how Sathan would serve me if thou shouldst leave me to his will for thy word doth tell me that he would winnow me as wheat But sweet Jesus do thou for me what thou didst promise to do for Peter do thou pray for me that my faith may not fail and then all Satans winnowing of me shall not be able to hurt me CLXXXIX Upon the sight of a piece of Scarlet LOrd my sins like Scarlet have been twice died died in the wool by my originall corruptions and died in the cloth by my many actuall transgressions but yet here is my comfort that thou canst yea and wilt for so thou hast promised make these my sins that be as Scarlet to become as white as snow upon my true repentance which I beseech thee for thy mercy sake to grant unto me CXC Vpon the sight of a foundation laid LOrd give me the grace that I may lay a good and sure foundation for my self against the time to come that in the end I may obtain eternall life CXCI. Vpon the sight of one that pleaded hard against his Adversary PLead thou my cause O Lord with them that strive with me CXCII Upon the sight of a bunch of dried Hysop hanging up in an house LOrd purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean and give me the grace that both my soul and body may with a bunch of Hysop that is my faith dipped in the bloud of the true paschall lamb my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be sprinkled therewith that the destroying Angel of Gods wrath may passe over me CXCIII Vpon the sight of wormes in a dead carcase LOrd these wormes shew me what must become of my dead body the wormes will destroy it but when they have done this they will die themselves but there is another worm which I more fear the worm of conscience which will never die Lord of thine infinite mercy keep me from that CXCIV Vpon the sight of a curious piece of workmanship LOrd I am thy workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works but I have not answered that end for which I was created Lord pardon my failings and enable me to do it better in the time to come CXCV. Vpon the sight of a linsie-woolsie garment LOrd I see by thy forbidding of this unto thy people under the old law that thou wouldst not have them mingle diverse Religions together Oh therefore give me the grace that I may never offend in this kind but that I may chuse the true and refuse all false Religions CXCVI. Vpon the sight of one that had a withered hand LOrd this man I see cannot stretch forth this hand of his to do any thing therewith no more can I stretch forth either of mine to do any thing that is good Oh therefore do thou sweet Jesus which tookest compassion on the man which had the withered hand in the Gospel and didst heal that do thou by the same power and grace also heal mine that I may be able to do that good which thou expectest at my hands CXCVII Upon the hearing of the word withdraw at a Committee LOrd give me the grace that I may withdraw my self from every brother that walketh inordinately and which doth think that gain is godlinesse CXCVIII. Upon the hearing of an hard and dangerous service of a souldier LOrd give me the grace that I may fuffer affliction as a good souldier of Jesus Christ CXCIX Upon the sight of a mother wiping the teares from her childs face LOrd in thy good time bring me to thy heavenly Kingdome where thou hast promised to wipe all teares from my eyes CC. Upon the sight of a wide and spacious gate LOrd thy word tells me that it is the wide gate and broad way that leadeth to destruction Oh keep me therefore by thy grace that I may neither enter
a slip and fall in his passage yet he that hath slipt oftenest and most grievously fallen may in thy mercy recover thither at last Lord vouchsafe this thy mercy then unto me and though I cannot but slip and fall in my passage towards Heaven which is thy holy hill yet by the grace of true repentance rising again I may at last through thy mercy and thy Sons merits recover thither CCXXXVII Upon the hearing of an horse neighing after a mare LOrd keep me from neighing after my neighbours wife like a fed horse in the morning CCXXXVIII Upon the turning of the wind from North-east to North-west HEre I see a sensible turning of the wind from one point of the North unto another and yet is the wind still in the North as far from the South as before And such is the course of many a man in his repentance he turns from one sin to another as from covetousnesse to prodigality from Atheism or Judaism to Popery or the like remaining still as much under the power of sin and as far from God as before From which course Lord evermore keep me by thy grace and make my repentance more perfect than so for thy greater glory and my souls greater comfort CCXXXIX Vpon the sight of one whose face being toward the West turned himself toward the North THis is also a lively resemblance of a false and feigned penitent who turns from his sins just as if a man whose face is towards the West should turn to the North for of turning he may look both wayes both to the West whereon his face was set and to the East whereon his back was turned so many turn from their sins not directly but side-wayes so that with one eye they may look to God and with the other to some sin from which false and feigned kind of repentance good Lord do thou also deliver me CCXL Upon the hearing of a Trumpet in the night to call Souldiers to horse LOrd this trumpet puts me in mind of the trumpet that shall sound at the last day to call me with all mankind to judgement Oh give me therefore the grace that whether I eat or drink sleep or wake or whatsoever else I am doing I may alwaies think that I hear this trumpet sounding in mine eare and calling me to judgement and that therefore I may still be in a readinesse to make my appearance with comfort when that time shall come CCXLI. Upon the sight of one pouring oile into a lamp and trimming of it LOrd grant me the grace to be of the number of those wise Virgins which had oile in their lamps and were ready and prepared for the coming of the Bridegroom that so I may enter into the Bride-chamber of Heaven with him when he cometh and not be like those foolish Virgins which never thinking of providing oile for their lamps till the Bridegroom was coming were for want of it shut out of Heaven CCXLII. Upon the sight of one that sued his neighbour upon an action of Trespass LOrd if he did remember how often he hath trespassed against thee he would not thus sue his neighbour for trespassing against him for the wrong that his neighbour hath done to him is but as an hundred pence to those ten thousand talents which he oweth thee Lord therefore open his eies and mine that we both taking notice of our trespasses against thee may learn to shew that mercy to others which we our selves hope for from thee CCXLIII Upon the sight of a great deal of treasure which one had laid up LOrd give me the grace that I may not treasure up unto my self wrath against the day of wrath CCXLIV Vpon the hearing of a woman that fell in travail before she looked for it LOrd grant that when I shall say peace and safety sudden destruction may not come upon me as travail upon a woman with child CCXLV Upon the sight of one that trampled another under his feet LOrd trample me not in thy fury as my sins have deserved but deale with me in mercy for thy Son Christ Jesus sake CCXLVI Upon the sight of a strong Tower LOrd thy name is a strong Tower and thou hast promised that whatsoever righteous person shall run into it he shall be safe Oh that I might have thy grace to be one of those righteous persons that running with them thither I might be safe also from the rage and fury of thine and mine enemies CCXLVII. Upon the hearing of one that brought glad tidings LOrd what joy is there here upon the hearing of the glad tidings which this messenger hath brought though it be but for a temporall blessing Oh how much more thankfull and joyfull should I be for that blessing of blessings the birth of my Saviour Christ the joyfullest tidings that ever any heard And that I may be so indeed Lord give me the grace to remember it and to ponder it aright CCXLVIII Upon the hearing of a fearfull clap of thunder LOrd this is thy great and terrible voice which I now hear and if this be so full of terrour oh then how fearfull will thy presence be when thou comest in thy glory shewing thy self from heaven with thy mighty Angels in flaming fire Lord give me therefore the grace that what I now hear may by thy blessing work in me such an awe of thy Maj. that I may by it admire thy mercy feare thy power and prepare for thy coming as thy child should do CCXLIX Vpon the sight of one asking his Fathers blessing LOrd thy word tells me and experience sheweth how powerfull and prevalent the Fathers blessing hath been and if the blessing of an earthly Father hath been so how much more powerful prevalent will thy blessing be O heavenly Father which givest a blessing to all other blessings Oh blesse me even me then O Father I beseech thee and then shall I be blessed CCL Vpon the sight of two cocks set together to fight to know which was of the hardest kind LOrd here I see the policy of my subtile Adversary the Devil who sets me and my neighbours at discord of purpose that he may have our souls when in this world and Cock-pit of contention we have made him pastime and sport Lord keep me therefore by thy grace that to pleasure the Devil I may not be so in hatred or contention with any that thereby I may endanger mine own or any other mans soul CCLI Upon the sight of one that died suddenly LOrd here I see in this man what what might have betided me if thou hadst not been the more mercifull unto me for my breath was in my nostrils as well as his and thou mightest as well have taken away my breath as his and have caused me as suddenly to have returned to the earth from whence I came as he hath done Oh give
me the grace therefore to magnifie thy mercy for the favour which thou hast shewed me in preserving my life thus long and teach me so to numbet my daies that be to come that I may apply my heart unto wisdome and may spend the residue of them in thy fear that dying never so suddenly I may die in thy favour through Jesus Christ CCLII Vpon the hearing of the sentence of death pronounced against a malefactour LOrd here I see in what a fearfull agonie this poor soul is upon the Judges pronouncing of the sentence of Death against him And if this sentence of Death pronounced by an earthly Judge be so terrible how much more terrible must needs be that sentence which the Judge of the quick and the dead shall pronounce against sinners at the last day Oh give me therefore the grace that I may so judge my self here that I may not be thus judged of thee with the Judgement of condemnation hereafter CCLIII Vpon the sight of one bending his bow to shoot LOrd how often have thine and mine enemies bent their tongues like bows to shoot out bitter words like arrowes against me But Lord as thou hast ever been so still be thou my shield and then I shall be safe CCLIV Vpon the sight of a shepherd breaking the teeth of his sheep-dog LOrd do thou thus break the teeth of thine and mine enemies that they may by their barking at me and my good name and not biting or hurting me hasten me in the way to that blessed field and fold of thine in heaven hereafter and fetch me in when I am strayed and stragled from thee here CCLV. Vpon the sight of one teaching a child to read LOrd I am a very child in understanding and can no more spell or read any thing in thy book the holy Scriptures for my souls present comfort here or everlasting good hereafter then this child can do unlesse I have one to teach me Oh do thou then by the ministers of thy word which thou hast appointed to be teachers of thy people and by the co-operating and assisting grace of thy blessed Spirit which thou hast promised shall teach us all things teach me every day better and better to spell read and understand what may be for my souls good CCLVI. Vpon the sight of swine eating acornes under an Oake HEre I see these swine greedily grouzing up the Acornes which they finde under this tree but I see not one of them lifting up so much as half an eye towards the tree that sned them down unto them And just so Lord have I too often done for how many blessings have I received from thy bounteous goodness for which I have been so far from giving thee deserved thanks that I have scarce ever looked up with an acknowledging eye to that bountifull hand of thine from whence they all have come Lord pardon this my great unthankfulnesse past and make me every day more and more thankfull as thy child should be CCLVII Vpon the sight of a boy which had a bird tied by one leg in a string LOrd herein I see how the Devil deals with me This poor bird having his wings at liberty may flutter up and down and sometimes seem to take his wings and to flie away but being fast tied by but one of his legs he is still in the boys possession and do what he can he cannot flie from him and just so it is with me if the Devil have gotten hold of me though it be by the voluntary entertainment of but any one lust or sin he cares for no more for he knowes that I am thereby in his possession and that he may when he pleaseth if I shall at any time offer to flie from him call me back to his obedience again Good God therefore give me the grace that I may mortifie and subdue all my vile lusts and sinfull affections every day more and more and that I may not willingly continue in any one of them to thy dishonour and the wronging my of own soul CCLVIII. Upon the sight of one tasting of sweet-meats LOrd give me thy grace to taste and see how gracious thou art and that thy word may be as sweet to my taste as this that he hath now tasted feems to be unto his CCLIX Vpon the hearing of one blamed for tarrying longer then was expected LOrd I have been long in misery and I have sent my prayers as messengers unto thee for release therefrom but yet I see little or no appearance of any such release Oh my God make no longer tarrying if it be thy blessed will but rid me out of this misery under which I have so long groaned or if thy will be that I shall continue in it then Lord give me the grace to submit to thy blessed will therein and with patience to attend thy deliverance therefrom when thy will and pleasure shall be to have it and in the mean time not to murmure and repine against thee though to flesh and blood thy tarrying seem longer then ordinary CCLX Upon the hearing of some that were taken captives by the Turks LOrd these poor souls are like to undergo much misery in the place to which they are carried captives and must remain in the same except they be redeemed from thence by some ransom paid for them And this just is my case for Lord I have been taken captive by the Devil to do his will and am like still so to continue except thou O sweet Jesus the Saviour and Redeemer of mankind shalt by the ransome which thou hast paid for me redeem me from thence which I do believe thou hast done for me and wilt in thy good time give me the comfortable assurance thereof which Lord hasten to do for thy mercies sake I do beseech thee CCLXI Upon the sight of a post riding by LOrd this post I see rideth apace but my daies if I had the grace to take notice of it do post away with a far greater speed Lord give me the grace to take notice of it as I should do and to make the best use of it whilst time serveth CCLXII Upon the sight of a swallow LOrd this bird I see observes the time of his returning to us Oh that I might have the grace to observe in like manner the time of my returning unto thee by true and sound repentance CCLXIII Upon the sight of one that stumbled at a stone in his way LOrd how many stumbling-blocks doth the Devil continually cast in my way towards Heaven from all which good Lord deliver me But above all other keep me I beseech thee so by thy grace that neither Jesus Christ my crucified Saviour may be unto me a stumbling-block as he was unto the Jewes nor thy word as it hath been unto other disobedient persons CCLXIV Upon the sight of stubble burnt in a
not spread his nets where he hath not many of his instruments which are in his possession though they seem to be at liberty puposely there set to tempt and toll me into their company and be partaker with them of their sinnes and sinnefull courses where he hath not also many vain pleasures and delights to draw me to his lure and he himself alwaies ready at hand to surprise me and to catch me and to make me his here and eternally his in hell fire hereafter except thou by thy grace shalt ptevent it which I beseech thee for thy Son and my Saviour Jesus Christ his sake to grant unto me CCLXXX Upon the sight of a lamb OH sweet Jesus the eternall Son of the eternall God thou which art the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world do thou so take away my sins that they may neither terrifie my conscience here nor condemm my soul hereafter CCLXXXI Upon the sight of a sheep shearing OH sweet Jesus my onely Lord and Saviour which in thy sufferings wert like a sheep dumb before his shearer and openedst not thy mouth to revile or threaten those that thus wronged thee but committedst thy cause to him that judgeth righteously and therein didst leave me an example that I should follow thy steps give me the grace I beseech thee that I may do the like whensoever I shall be called to suffer with thee or for thee CCLXXXII Vpon the hearing of one that had wronged his neighbour and for it being to appear before a Justice of peace procured some friends in the way thitherwards to take up the matter and to end it for him LOrd I have wronged thee my God and mine own conscience many waies by my sins and have often injured my neighbours by meanes of which both thou and they are become mine Adversaries Oh give me the grace therefore that whilst I am in the way and do live here I may so agree with you all that hereafter I be not delivered to the judge of quick and dead the Lord Jesus Christ that righteous judge and be by him delivered to the Devil the Jaylor of hell who will cast me into that easelesse and endlesse prison of Hell never to come forth thence again CCLXXXIII Upon the sight of a painted and curiously wrought sepulchre LOrd keep me that I may not be like unto this sepulchre to appear beautifull and righteous outwardly to the eies of men and be in the meane time as full of sin and wickednesse within as this is of dead mens bones and all filthinesse CCLXXXIV Upon the sight of one that sought for a thing lost LOrd I have so long erred from the waies of thy commandements that I have at last lost my self and thy favour Oh seek thy servant therefore and in thy good time find me again lest I be lost for ever CCLXXXV Upon the sight of a pot boyling and not skummed LOrd here I see how much skumme and filthinesse is apt to arise out of my heart when once my choler that is within me doth begin to boile and if it be not skummed and taken away by thy grace how soon it will intermix it self with my best actions Oh help me therefore by thy preventing grace that it may not so any more arise in me or if it do that by the same grace assisting me I may speedily repent me of it and skumme it and take it away as it doth arise lest thy wrath lighting upon me both I and it be in the end consumed with the fire of this thy wrath and just indignation CCLXXXVI Upon the sight of one that was corrected by his master for his bad writing and withall taught how to amend it LOrd thy word doth assure me that he is in a happy condition whom thou chastisest and withall teachest him by thy word how to amend That I may then be so happy Lord let me not onely be chastised by thee for what I have done amisse but be taught also by thy blessed word and Spirit how to amend it CCLXXXVII Vpon the sight of a Smith at work upon his Anvile THey say that the more the Anvile is beaten upon the harder it groweth Lord keep me from being so that I may not be the more hardened in my sins by the strokes of thy judgements inflicted on me for them lest not being amended by them I either cause thee to inflict on me or mine some more heavy judgements or to cease punishing of me which will prove in the end the heaviest judgement of all CCLXXXVIII Vpon the sight of a Dog flying upon the stone that hit him without regard to the throwers hand LOrd how often have I done the like by flying upon those with bitter reproches which were but the secondary causes and instruments of my wrong without ever looking at thy hand which set them on work Lord be mercifull unto me for what is past and give me the grace to look up to thy hand better for the time to come that I may with the more patience and comfort undergo what thou by them shalt think meet to lay upon me CCLXXXIX Vpon the sight of a glasse of distilled water stirred and shaken AS long as this glasse of distilled water stood still and unshaken there was nothing to be seen in it but fair and clear water but now being stirred and shaken what a moode and muddy residence doth there arise in it And just so Lord is it with me as long as I am not stirred moved and provoked by any I seem a Saint and as if I had in me nothing of spleen and gall at all but being once moved and provoked how much impatience techinesse frowardnesse and other like corruptions do there manifest themselves in me Lord give me grace therefore rightly to know my self and mine own heart that I may neither conceive too well of my self nor judge too ill of others when I am exempted and they are suffered to fall in any grosse sin CCXC. Vpon the sight of one skilfull in Chymistrie that extracted salt out of herbs CHymicks are of opinion that there is almost nothing but salt may be drawn out of it and that there is no man but hath salt in him Lord give me the grace that I may also have salt in my self the salt of true spirituall wisdome and discretion that I may by the same so season all my actions and so temper all my affections that both by the one and other I may bring glory to thy name good to others and comfort to my own soul CCXCI. Vpon the sight of a burning fire-brand which was soon extinguished when cast into water LOrd here I see how great a measure of zeal may be soon quenched amongst wicked company Oh give me therefore the grace to keep out of such company which are so prejudiciall to thy glory and to my souls
good CCXCII Upon the sight of a stone cast into a pool of water AT the first casting in of this stone I see but a few and those little circles too which did arise upon the face of the water into which it was cast but staying a while and that no long time neither behold the circles were multiplied and grew bigger and bigger till they came home to the very bankes of the pool And so Lord will it be with me in the willing admission of any one known sin For though at first it be but one and may seem but a small sin unto me yet being willingly admitted and entertained will soon cause more and greater sins in me till I become beyond measure sinfull unless the grace of God prevent it Lord therefore evermore by thy grace keep me that I may not wittingly or willingly admit of any sin CCXCIII Upon the sight of one lighting a great fire with a match of brimstone put to a little cole on the hearth LOrd I see in this mine own case for when I have by thy grace and the dayly exercise of the work of mortification almost subdued my sins yet if I be not still careful to avoid the occasions of sin they will by meanes of them soon break out again and come to as great an height of impiety as before Lord therefore give me thy grace that I may with all care and diligence avoid all such occasions as may lead me into any sin CCXCIV. Upon the sight of one drawing water out of a well LOrd give me the grace to draw waters out of the wells of salvation CCXCV. Upon my sitting down at a well-furnished table LOrd give me the grace soberly and thankfully to make use of these thy good blessings that this table may not become a snare unto me here nor I for my intemperance and other sins whereby I have so often offended thee in my eating and drinking heretofore I am likely still to do so again except I have thy fear before mine eies be shut out and not suffered to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob at thy table in the kingdom of heaven hereafter CCXCVI. Upon the fight of dogs eating of the crumbes that fell from their Masters table LOrd I confess that 't is not fit that the childrens bread should be given to whelps yet seeing the dogs may eat of the crumbes that fall from their masters table and I in mine own eies am such a Dog and in thine eies far worse if thou shouldst look upon me as I am in my self Lord suffer me though every way thus unworthy yet to gather up some crumbes of comfort from under thy holy table whensoever I shall approch thereunto CCXCVII. Upon my lying down in my bed after a wearisome journey LOrd I have long wearied my self in the waies of wickednesse and now would fain be at rest from them Oh do thou then which callest all such wearied souls unto thee and hast promised rest unto them grant that I being thus wearie of my sins here may rest with thee hereafter in those eternall beds which thou hast prepared for thine in Heaven CCXCVIII Upon the hearing of one that directed a man in his way SHew me likewise thy waies O Lord and teach me thy paths that I may not erre from the waies of thy commandements CCXCIX Upon the hearing of one that was delivered out of prison OH bring my soul also out of this prison of my body when thy will and pleasure is that I with the rest of thy Saints may glorifie thee and be glorified by thee eternally in heaven CCC Upon the hearing of a blind man bemoning his case LOrd if it be so heavy a case to want our bodily eies and to be but bodily blind what is it to want the eies of our soul and to be spiritually blind Lord then whatsoever becometh of the eies of my body let me never I beseech thee be deprived of the eies of my soul nor let the God of this world so blinde my mind that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ may not shine unto me The end Published by this Author The Saints Hony-comb full of Divine Truths touching both Christian belief and a Christians life In two Centuries The Communicants Guide directing the younger sort which have never yet Received and the Elder and ignorant sort which have hitherto Received unworthily how they may Receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to their souls comfort Both sold by R. Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane A Catalogue of some Books printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane London Books written by Mr. Tho. Pierce Rector of Brington THe Sinner impleaded in his own Court wherein are represented the great discouragements from sinning which the Sinner receiveth from Sin it self 2. Correct Copy of some notes concerning Gods Decrees especially of Reprobation The 3 Edition with some Additionals in 4. new 3. The Divine Philanthropie defended in answer to Mr. Barlce in 4. new 4. The Self-revenger to which is added an Appendage touching the judgement of the late L. Primate of Armagh in 4. new 5. A Vindication of Grotius from Mr. Baxter of Mr. Baxter from Mr. Barlce of Episcopal Divines from Both together To which is added an Appendage Touching the judgement of the right Honourable and right Reverend Father in God James Lord Primate of Armagh and Metropolitan of Ireland irrefiagably attested by the Certificates of Dr. Walton Mr. Thorndike and Mr. Gunning sent in a Letter to Doctor Bernard By Tho. Pierce in 4. new 6. The Divine Purity defended in answer to Dr. Reynolds in 4. new Ro. 1. 11. Eph. 5. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 34. Eph. 4. 22 24. Eph. 5. 14. Iob 12. 6. Isa. 61. 10. Ro. 13. 14. Gal. 3. 27. Eph. 4 24. Mat. 10 30 Act. 27. 34 Luk. 21. 18 Luk. 12. 7. Psa. 51. 2. 1 Joh. 1. 7 Rev. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 11. ecel. 5. 1. Rev. 12. 2. Joh. 13. 5. Gal. 5 24. Cant. 5. 3. Deut. 21. 12. 2 Cor. 11. 21 * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} propriè est sordes quae in summis manuum ac digitorum unguibus colligitur Scapul Jam. 1. 21. Jam. 1. 24 25. Psal. 119. 9. Psal. 19 12. 51. 2 2 Cor. 5. 2. 4. Rom. 13. 14. Gal. 3. 27. Pambo mentioned in Socrat. hist. Eccles. li 4 c. 18. hath the like pious thought upon the like occasion Gal. 4. 4. Rom. 8. 15. Rom. 12. 9. Job 42. 6. Psal. 119. 101. 418. Ezck. 11. 19. 36. 26. Mat. 3. 9. Mal. 4. 2. Acts 26. 18. Col. 1. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Rom. 14. 12. Matth. 25. 19. Luk. 12. 46. Mark 13 35. Ps. 90. 12. Gen. 7. 16. Psal. 4. 8. Rev. 3. 7. Ps. 51. 15. 40. 6. Acts. 16. 14. Matth. 23. 37. Psal. 57. 1. 6. 4. 2 Sam. 11. Mat 26. 70. 1 Cor. 10. 12. Rom. 1.