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
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
man hath conflicted vvith long sicknesse and hauing endured the brunt of paine should now expect some ease in comes Death Natures slaughter-man Gods curse and Hels purueyor and lookes the olde man grimme and blacke in the face and neither pitying his age nor regarding his long-endured dolours will not be hyred to forbeare eyther for siluer or gold nay he will not take to spare his life skin for skin and all that the olde man hath but batters all the principall parts of his body and arrests him to appeare before the terrible Iudge And as thinking that the olde man will not dispatch to goe with him fast enough Lord how many darts of calamities doth he shoot through him stitches aches crampes feauers obstructions rhewmes flegme collicke stone wind c. Oh what a ghastly sight it is to see him then in his bed when Death hath giuen him his mortall wound what a cold sweat ouer-runnes all his body what a trembling possesseth all his members the head shooteth the face waxeth pale the nose blacke the neather law-bone hangeth down the eye-strings breake the tongue faltreth the breath shortneth and smelleth earthy the throate ratleth and at euery gaspe the heart-strings are ready to breake asunder Now the miserable Soule sensibly perceiueth her earthly body to beginne to dye for as towards the dissolution of the vniuersall frame of the great world the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse the Moone into bloud and the Stars shall fall from heauen the Ayre shall be full of stormes flashing Meteors the Erath shall tremble and the Sea shall roare and mens hearts shall faile for feare expecting the end of such sorrowfull beginnings So towards the dissolution of man which is the little world his Eyes which are as the Sunne and Moone lose their light and see nothing but bloud-guiltinesse of sinne the rest of the Senses as lesser Starres doe one after another faile and fall his Minde Reason and Memorie as heauenly powers of his Soule are shaken with fearefull stormes of despaire and first flashings of Hell-fire his earthly body beginnes to shake and tremble and the humours like an ouer-flowing Sea roare and rattle in his throate still expecting the wofull ends of these dreadfull beginnings Whilest he is thus summoned to appeare at the great Assizes of Gods Iudgement behold a Quarter-Sessions and Gaole-deliuery is held within himselfe where Reason sits as Iudge the Diuell puts in a Bill of inditement as large as that Booke of Zacharie wherein is alledged all thy euill deeds that euer thou hast committed and all the good deedes that euer thou hast omitted and all the curses and iudgements that are due to euery sinne Thine owne Conscience shall accuse thee and thy Memory shall giue bitter euidence and Death stands at the Barre ready as a cruell Executioner to dispatch thee If thou shalt thus condemne thy selfe how shalt thou escape the iust condemnation of God who knowes all thy misdeeds better then thy selfe Faine wouldest thou put out of thy minde the remembrance of thy wicked deeds that trouble thee but they flow faster into thy remembrance and they will not be put away but cry vnto thee Wee are thy workes and we will follow thee And whilest thy Soule is thus within out of peace and order thy children wife and friends trouble thee as fast to haue thee put thy goods in order some crying some crauing some pittying some cheering all like Flesh-flies helping to make thy sorrowes more sorrowfull Now the Diuels who are come from hell to fetch away thy soule beginne to appeare to her and wait as soone as she comes forth to take her and carry her away Stay she would within but that shee feeles the body beginne by degrees to dye and ready like a ruinous house to fall vpon her head Fearefull shee is to come forth because of those Hell-hounds which wait for her comming Oh shee that spent so many dayes and nights in vaine and idle pastimes would now giue the whole world if she had it for one howres delay that shee might haue space to repent and reconcile her selfe vnto GOD. But it cannot be because her Body which ioyned with her in the actions of sin is altogether now vnfit to ioyne with her in the exercise of repentance Repentance must be of the whole man Now she seeth that all her pleasures are gone as if they had neuer beene and that but onely torments remaine which neuer shall haue end of being Who can sufficiently expresse her remorse for her sinnes past her anguish for her present miserie and her terror for the torments to come In this extremitie shee lookes euery where for help and shee findes her selfe euery way helplesse Thus in her greatest miserie desirous to heare the least word of comfort shee directs this or the like speech vnto her Eyes O Eyes who in times past were so quicke-sighted can yee spie no comfort nor any way how I might escape this dreadfull danger But the Eye-strings are broken they cannot see the Candle that burneth before him nor discerne whether it be day or night The Soule finding no comfort in the Eyes speakes to the eares O earaes who were wont to recreate your selues with hearing new pleasant discourses and Musickes sweetest harmonie can you heare any newes or tydings of the least comfort for mee The Eares are eyther so deafe that they cannot heare at all or the sense of hearing is growne so weake that it cannot endure to heare his dearest friends to speake And why should those eares heare any tydings of ioy in Death who could neuer abide to heare the glad Tydings of the Gospell in his life The Eare can minister no comfort Then shee intimates her griefe vnto the Tongue O Tongue who wast wont to brag it out vvith the brauest where are now thy bigge and daring words now in my greatest need canst thou speake nothing in my defence Canst thou neyther daunâ— these Enemies with threatning wordes nor entreat them vvith faire speeches Alas the Tongue two dayes agoe lay speechlesse it cannot in his greatest extremitie either call for a little drincke or desire a friend to take away with his finger the flegme that is ready to choake him Finding here no hope of helpe shee speakes vnto the feete Where are yee O feet which sometime were so nimble in running can you carry me no where out of this dangerous place The feete are stone dead already If they be not stird they cannot stirre Then shee directs her speech vnto her hands O hands who haue beene so often approued for manhood in peace and warre and wherewith I haue so often defended my selfe and offended my foes neuer had I more need then now Death lookes mee grimme in the face and kils mee Hellish fiends waile about my bed to deuoure mee helpe now or I perish for euer Alas the hands are so weake and doe so tremble that they cannot reach to the mouth
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
not matters of so great moment for if they were such great and wise men would not set so little by them Heereupon they thinke that Religion is not a matter of necessity And therefore where they should like Christians rowe against the streame of impiety towards heauen they suffer themselues to be carried with the multitude downe right to Hell thinking it impossible that God will suffer so many to be damned Whereas if the God of this world had not blinded the eies of their minds the holy Scriptures would teach them that Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called c. but that for the most part the poore receiue the Gospell and that fewe rich men shall be saued And That howsoeuer many are called yet the chosen are but few Neither did the multitude euer saue any from damnation As God hath aduanced men in greatnesse aboue others so doth God expect that they in religion and piety should goe before others otherwise greatnesse abused in the time of their stewardship shal turn to their greater condemnation in the day of their accounts At what time sinfull great and mighty men aswell as the poorest slaues and bondmen shall wish that the rockes and mountaines shall fal vpon them and hide them from the presence of the Iudge and from his iust deserued wrath It will prooue but a miserable solace to haue a great company of great men partakers with thee of thine eternall torments The multitude of sinners doth not extenuate but aggrauate sinne as in Sodome Better it is therefore with a few to be saued in the Arke then with the whole world to be drowned in the floud Walke with the few goodly in the Scriptures narrow path to heauen but crowde not with the godlesse multitude in the broad way to hell Let not the examples of irreligious great men hinder thy repentance for their greatnesse cannot at that day exempt themselues from their owne most grieuous punishments The third hinderance of Pietie 3 The long escaping of deserued punishment in this life Because sentence saith Salomon is not speedily executed against an euill worker therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully set in them to doe euill not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth them to repentance But when his patience is abused and mans sinnes are ripened his Iustice will at once both beginne and make an ende of the sinner and hee will recompence the slownesse of his delay with the grieuousnesse of his punishment Though they were suffered to runne on the score all the daies of their life yet they shall be sure to pay the vtmost farthing at the day of their death And whilest they suppose themselues to be free from iudgement they are already smitten with the heauiest of Gods Iugdements a heart that cannot repent The stone in the râ—ines or bladder is a greeuous paine that kils many a mans body but there is no disease to the stone in the heart whereof Nabal dyed and killeth millions of Soules They refuse the triall of Christ and his Crosse but they are stoned by hels executioner to eternall death Because many Nobles and Gentlemen are not smitten with present Iudgements for their outragious Swearing Adultery drunkennesse oppression prophanesse of the Sabbath and disgraceful neglect of Gods worship and seruice they beginne to doubt of diuine prouidence and iâ—stice Both which two eyes they would as willingly put out in God as the Philistims boared out the eyes of Sampson It is greatly therefore to be feared lest they will prouoke the Lord to cry out against them as Sampson against the Philistimes By neglecting the Law and walking after their owne hearts they put out as much as in them lieth the eies of my Prouidence and iustice Leade me therefore to those chiefe pillars vvhereupon the Realme standeth that I may pull the Realme vpon their heads and be at once auenged of them for my two eies Let not Gods patience hinder thy repentance but because he is so patient therfore doe thou the rather repent The fourth hinderance of Pietie 4 The presumption of Gods mercy For when men are iustly conuinced of their sinnes forthwith they betake themselues to this shield Christ is mercifull so that euery sinner makes Christ the Patrone of his sinne as though hee had come into the world to bolster sinne and not to destroy the workes of the Diuel Herevpon the carnall Christian presumeth that though hee continueth a while longer in his sinne God will not shorten his daies But what is this but to be an Implicite Atheist Doubting that either GOD seeth not his sinnes or if he doth that he is not Iust. For if hee beleeueth that God is iust how can he thinke that God who for sinne so seuerely punisheth others can loue him who still loueth to continue in sinne True it is Christ is mercifull But to whom onely to them that repent and turne from iniquity in Iacob But if any man blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not be mercifull to him c. O madde men who dare blesse themselues when God pronounceth them accursed Looke therefore how farre thou art from finding repentance in thy self so farre art thou from any assurance of finding mercy in Christ. Let therefore the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and hee will haue mercy vpon him and to our God for hee is very ready to forgiue Despaire is nothing so dangerous as presumption For we reade not in al the Scriptures of aboue three or foure whom roaring Despaire ouerthrew But secure Presumption hath sent millions to perdition without any noise As therefore the Damsels of Israel sang in their daunces Saul hath kild his thousands and Dauid his tenne thousands so may I say that despaire of Gods mercy hath damned thousands but the presumption of Gods mercy hath damned tenne thousands and sent them quicke to hell where now they remaine in eternall torments without all helpe of ease or hope of redemption God spared the thiefe but not his fellow God spared one that no man might despaire God spared but one that no man should presume Ioyfull assurance to a sinner that repents no comfort to him that remaines impenitent God is infinite in mercy but to them onely who turne from their sinnes to serue him in holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12.14 To keepe thee therefore from the hinderance of presumption remember that as Christ is a Sauiour so Moses is an accuser Liue therefore as though there were no Gospel die as though there were no law Passe thy life as though thou wert vnder the conduct
sake Whilest thou holdest GOD thy friend thou needest not feare who is thine enemy for either God will make thine enemy to become thy friend or will bridle him that hee cannot hurt thee No man is ouerthrown by his enemy vnlesse that first his sinne haue preuailed ouer him and God hath left him to himselfe Hee that would therefore be safe from the feare of his enemies and liue still in the fauour of his God let him redeem the folly of the time past with serious Repentance looke to the time present with religious diligeÌ„ce and take heede to the time to come with carefull prouidence 5 Giue euery man the honour due to his place but honour a man more for his goodnesse then for his greatnes And of whomsoeuer thou hast receiued a benefit vnto him as GOD shall enable thee remember to be thankfull Acknowledge it louingly vnto men and pray for him heartily vnto God and count euery blessing receiued from God as a pledge of his eternall loue and a spur to a godly life 6 Be not proud for any externall vvorldly goods nor for any internall spirituall gifts Not for externall goods because that as they came lately so they will shortly be gone againe their losse therefore is the lesse to be grieued at Not for any internall gifts for as GOD gaue them so will hee likewise take them away If forgetting the giuer thou shalt abuse his gifts to puffe vp thine heart with a pride of thine owne worth and to contemne others for whose good Almightie God bestowed those gifts vpon thee Hast thou any one vertue that moues thee to be selfe-conceited thou hast twenty vices that may better vilifie thee in thine owne eies Be the same in the sight of God who beholds thy heart that thou seemest to be in the eyes of men that see thy face Content not thy selfe with an outward good name when thy Conscience shall inwardly tell thee it is vndeserued and therefore none of thine A deserued good name for any thing but for godlinesse lasts little and is lesse worth In all the holy Scriptures I neuer read of an Hypocrites repentance and no wonder for whereas after sinne conuersion is left as a meanes to cure all other sinners what meanâ—â— remaines to recouer him who hath conuerted conuersion it selfe into sinne Woe therefore vnto the Soule that is not yet stil seeme religious 7 Marke the fearefull ends of notorious euill men to abhorre their vvicked actions marke the life of the godly that thou maist imitate it and his blessed end that it may comfort thee Obey thy betters obserue the wise accompany the honest and loue the religious And seeing the corrupt nature of man is prone to hypocrisie beware that thou vse not the exercise of religion as matters of course and custome without care and conscience to grow more holy and deâ—out thereby Obserue therefore how by the continuall vse of Gods meanes thou feelest thy speciall corruptions weakened and thy sanctification more and more increased and make no more shew of holinesse outwardly to the world then thou hast in the sight of God inwardly in thine heart 8 Endeuour to rule those who liue vnder thine authoritie rather by loue then by feare for to rule by loue is easie and safe but tyranny is euer accompanied vvith care and terror Oppression will force the oppressed to take any aduantage to shake off the yoake that they are not able to beare neyther will Gods iustice suffer the sway that grounded on Tyrannie long to continue Remember that though by humane ordinance they serue thee yet by a more peculiar right they are Gods Seruants Yea now being Christians not as thy Seruants but aboue Seruants brethren beloued in the Lord. Rule therefore ouer Christians being a Christian in loue and mercy like Christ thy Master 9 Remember that of all actions none makes a Magistrate more like God whose vice-gerent hee is then in doing Iustice iustly for the due execution whereof First haue euer an open eare to the iust complaints of vniust dealings Secondly so lend one eare to the accuser as that thou keepe the other for the accused for hee that decreeth for eyther part before both be heard the decree may be iust but himselfe is vniust Thirdly in hearing both parts incline not to the right hand of affection or to the left of hatred as to beleeue arguments of perswasion for a friend before arguments concluding for a foe Fourthly denie not Iustice which is Regia mensura to the meanest Subiect but let the cause of the poore and needy come in equal ballance with the rich and mightie If thou perceiuest on the one side in a cause the high hils of cunning aduantages powerfull combination and violent prosecution and on the other side the low valleyes of pouertie simplicitie and desolation prepare thy way as GOD doth to iudgement by raising valleyes and taking downe hils equalling in equalitie that so thou maist lay the foundation of thy sentence vpon an â—euen ground In matters of right and wrong twixt party and party let thy conscience be carefull rather Ius dicere to pronounce the Law that is made secundum allegata probata rather then Ius dare to make a Law of thine owne vpon the authoritie of sic volo sic iubeo fearing that fearefull malediction Cursed be hee that remoueth his neighbours land-marke In tryals of life and death let Iudges like Elohim in Iustice remember mercy and so cast the seuere eye of Iustice vpon the fact as that they looke with the pittifull eye of Mercy vpon the Malefactor wresting the fauour of Law to the fauour of life where grace promiseth amendment but if Iustice requireth that one rather then vnitie must perish and that a rotten member must be cut off to saue the whole body from putrifiing fiat Iustitia But whilest thou art pronouncing the sentence of Iudgement on another remember that thine owne iudgement hangs ouer thine head In all causes therfore iudge aright for thou shalt be sure to finde a righteous Iudge before vvhom thou must shortly appeare to be iudged thy selfe at what time thou maist leaue to thy Friend this for thine Epitaph Nuper eram Iudex iam Iudicis ante Tribunal Subsistens paueo iudicor ipse modò Many I know not vpon what grounds seeme to be much agrieued vvith the Lawes of the Land but wiser men may answere them with the Apostle nos scimus bonam esse Legem modò Iudex ea legitimè vtatur Wee know that the Law is good if a man vse it lawfully And he shall be vnto me a righteous Iudge whose heart neyther corruption of bribes feare of foes nor fauour of friends can with-draw from the conscionable practise of these precepts And to that rare and venerable Iudge I say with Iehosaphat Be of courage and doe Iustice
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
of their life When any blessing is to be obtained the Pastors must lay open to the people the necessitie of that blessing and the goodnesse of GOD vvho giueth such graces for the good of men The People must deuoutly pray vnto GOD for bestowing of that Grace and that hee would blesse his owne meanes to his owne glory and the good of his Church And when the holy Exercise is done let euery Christian haue a special care according to his abilitie to remember the poore And whosoeuer when iust occasion is offered vseth not this holy exercise of Fasting hee may iustly suspect that his heart neuer yet felt the power of true Christianitie So much of Fasting Now followeth the exercise of holy feasting 2 Of the Practise of Piety in holy Feasting HOLY Feasting is a solemne thankesgiuing appointed by authority to be rendred vnto God on some speciall day for some extraordinary blessings or deliuerances receiued Such among the Iewes was the Feast of the Passeouer to remember to praise God for their deliuerance out of Egypts bondage or the feast of Purim to giue thankes for their deliuerance from Hamans conspiracie Such among vs are the 5. of August to praise God for deliuering our gracious King from the bloudy conspiracy of the Traiterous Gowries And the 5. of Nouember to praise God for the deliuerance of the King and the whole State from the Popish Gunpowder Treason Such feasts are to be celebrated by a publike rehearsall of those speciall benefits by spirituall Psalmes and daunces by mutuall feasting and sending presents euery man to his neighbour and by giuing gifts to the poore But forasmuch as the benefit of our Redemption was the greatest that man needed from God or that God euer bestowed vpon man and that the Lords Supper is left by our Redeemer as the chiefest memoriall of our Redemption euery Christian should account this holy Supper his cheefest and ioyfullest feast in this world And seeing that as it ministreth to worthy partakers the greatest assurance which they haue of their saâ—â—ation so it pulleth temporall Iudgements on the bodies and without Repentance eternall damnation on the soules of them who receiue it vnworthily Let vs see how a Christian may best fit himselfe to be a due partaker of so holy a feast and to be a worthy guest at so sacred a Supper Meditations concerning the due manner of practising Piety in receiuing the holy Supper of the Lord. THough no man liuing is of himself worthy to be a guest at so holy a banquet yet it pleaseth GOD of his grace to accept him for a worthy receiuer who endeauoureth to receiue that holy mystery with that competent measure of reuerence that he hath prescribed in his word He that would receiue this holy Sacrament with due reuerence must conscionably performe 3. sorts of duties First those which are to beâ— one before he receiueth Secondly those that are to be done in the receiuing Thirdly those that are to be done after that hee hath receiued the Sacrament The first is called Preparation the second Meditation the third Action or Practise 1 Of Preparation That a Christian ought necessarily to prepare himselfe before he presume to be a partaker of the holy Communion may euidently appeare by 5. reasons First because it is Gods commandement For if hee commanded vnder the paine of death that none vncircumcised should eate the paschall Lambe nor any circumcised vnder 4. daies preparation how much greater preparation doth hee require of him that comes to receiue the Sacrament of his body and bloud which as it succeedeth so doth it exceed by many degrees the Sacrament of the Passeouer Secondly because the example of Christ teacheth vs so much for he washed his Disciples feet before hee admitted them to eate of his Supper Signifying how thou shouldest lay aside all vnpurenesse of heart and vncleannesse of life and be furnished with humility and charity before thou presumest to taste of his holy Supper Thirdly because it is the counsell of the holy Ghost Let euery man examine himselfe and so let him eate c. And if a man when he is to eate with an earthly Prince must consider diligently what is before him and put a knife to his throate rather thâ—n commit any rudenesse How much more oughtest thou to prepare thy soule that thou maiest behaue thy selfe with all feare and reuerence when thou art to feast at the holy Table of the Prince of Princes Fourthly because it hath beene euer the practise of all Gods Saints to vse holy preparation before they would meddle with diuine Mysteries Dauid would not goe neere to Gods Altar till he had first washed his handes in innocency Much lesse shouldest thou without due preparation approach to the Lords Table Ahimelech would not giue nor Dauid and his men would not eate the shew-bread but on condition that their vessels were holy how much lesse shouldest thou presume to eate the Lords bread or rather the bread which is the Lord vnlesse the vessell of thy heart bee first clensed by repentance And if the Lord required Ioshuah as he had done Moses before to put off his shooes in reuerence of his holinesse who was present in that place where hee appeared with a sword in his hand for the destruction of his enemies how much rather shouldst thou put off all the affections of thine earthly conuersation when thou commest neere that place where Christ appeareth to the eye of thy faith with woundes in his hands and side for the redemption of his friends And for this cause it is said That the Lambes wife hath made her selfe ready for his mariage Prepare therefore thy selfe if thou wilt in this life be betrothed vnto Christ by Sacramentall grace or in heauen married vnto him by eternall glory Fiftly because that God hath euer smitten with fearefull iudgements those who haue presumed to vse his holy ordinances without due feare and preparation God set a flaming sword in a Cherubins hand to smite our first Parents being defiled with sinne if they should attempt to goe into Paradise to eate the Sacrament of the tree of life Feare thou therefore to be smitten with the sword of Gods vengeance If thou presumest to goe to the Church with an vnpenitent heart to eat the Sacrament of the Lord of life God smote 50000. of the Bethshemites for looking irreuerently into his Arke and kild Vzza with sudden death for but rash touching of the Arke and smote Vziah with a Leapry for medling with the Priests office which pertained not vnto him The feare of such a stroake made Ezechias so earnestly to pray vnto God that he would not smite the people that wanted time to prepare themselues as they should to eate the Passeouer and it is said that the Lord heard Ezechiah and haled the people intimating that had it not beene for Ezechias prayer the Lord had smitten the people
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
before God Rom. 4.9.17.23 21 That Christs flesh was made of the Seede of Dauid by Incarnation not of a wafer-cake by Transubstantiation Rom. 1.3 22 That all true Christians are Saints and not those whom the Pope onely doth canonize Rom. 1.7 Rom. 8.27 Rom. 15.31 Rom. 16.2 and 15. Rom. 15.25 c. 23 That Ipse Christ the God of Peace and not Ipsâ— the Woman should bruise the Serpents head Rom. 16.20 24 That euery Soule must of conscience be subiect and pay Tribute to the Higher Powers that is the Magistrates which beare the sword Rom. 13 1.2 c. and therefore the Pope and all Prelates must be subiect to their Emperour Kings Magistrates vnlesse they will bring damnation vpon their Soules as Traitors that resist God and his Ordinance Rom. 13.2 25 That Paul not Peter vvas ordayned by the grace of God to be the chiefe Apostle of the Gentiles and consequently of Rome the chiefe Citie of the Gentiles Rom. 15.15.16.19.20 c. Rom. 11.13 Rom. 16.4 26 That the Church of Rome may erre and fall away from the true Faith as well as the Church of Ierusalem or any other particular Church Rom. 11.20.21.22 And seeing the new vpstart Church of Rome teacheth in all these and in innumerable other points cleane contrary to that which the Apostles taught the Primitiue Romanes let GOD and this Epistle iudge betwixt them and vs whether of vs both standâ— in the true auncient Catholike Faith which the Apostle taught the old Romanes And whether wee haue not done well to depart from them so farre as they haue departed from the Apostles doctrine and whether it be not better to returne to S. Pauls truth then still to continue in Romes error And if this be true then let Iesuites and Seminary Priests take heede and feare least it be not faith but faction not truth but treason not religion but rebellion beginning at Tyber and ending at Tyburne vvhich is the cause of their deaths And being sent from a troublesome Apostaticall See rather then from a peaceable Apostolicall Seate because they cannot be suffered to perswade Subiect to breake their Oathes and to with-draw their Alleageance from their Soueraigne to raise rebellion to moue inuasion to stab and poyson Queenes to kill and murther Kings to blow vp whole States with Gun-powder they desperately cast away their owne bodies to be hanged and quartered and their soules saued if they belong to GOD I wish such honour to all his Saints that sends them And I haue iust cause to feare that the miracles of Lypsius two Ladyes Bluntstones Boy Garnets Straw and the Maides fiery Apron will not suffice to cleare that these men are not murtherers of themselues rather then Martyrs of Christ. And with what Conscience can any Papist count Garnet a Martyr vvhen his owne Conscience forced him to confesse that it was for treason and not for Religion that hee dyed But if the Priests of such a Gun-powder Gospell be Martyrs I maruell who are Murtherers If they be Saints who are Scythians and who are Canibals if they be Catholikes But leauing these let vs to whose fidelitie the Lord hath committed his true faith as a precious depositâ—â— pray vnto GOD that vvee may leade a holy life answerable to our holy Faith in Pietie to Christ and obedience to our King that if our Sauiour shall euer count vs worthy that honour to suffer martyrdome for his Gospels sake be it by open burning at the Stake as in Queene Maries dayes or by secret murthering as in the Inquisition house or by outragious massacring as in the Parrisian Matâ—ens we may haue Grace to pray for the assistance of his holy Spirit so to strengthen our frailty and to defend his cause as that vvee may seale vvith our deaths the Euangelicall truth which wee haue professed in our liues That in the dayes of our liues we may be blessed by his Word In the day of death be blessed in the Lord and in the day of Iudgement be the blessed of his Father Euen so grant Lord IESVS Amen A diuine Colloquie betweene the Soule and her Sauiour concerning the effectuall merits of his dolorous passion Soule LORD wherefore didst thou wash thy Disciples feet Chr. To teach thee how thou shouldest prepare thy selfe to come to my Supper S. Lord why wouldest thou wash them thy selfe C. To teach thee Humilitie if thou wilt be my Disciple S. Lord wherefore didst thou before thy death institute thy last Supper C. That thou mightest the better remember my death and be assured that all the merits thereof are thine S. Lord wherfore wouldest thou goe tâ— such a place where Iudas knew to finde thee C. That thou mightest know that I went as willingly to suffer for thy sinne as euer thou went est to any place to commit a sinne S. Lord wherefore wouldest thou beginne thy Passion in a Garden C. Because that in a Garden thy sinne tooke first beginning S. Lord wherefore did thy three select Disciples fall so fast a sleepe when thou beganst to fall into thy agony C. To shew that I alone wrought the worke of thy Redemption S. Lord why were there so many plots and snares layed for thee C. That I might make thee to escape all the snares of thy ghostly hunter S. Lord why wouldest thou suffer Iudas betraying thee to kisse thee C. That by enduring the words of dissembling lips I might there begin to expiate sin where Satan first brought it into the world S. Lord why wouldest thou be sold for 30. peeces of siluer C. That I might free thee from perpetuall bondage S. Lord why didst thou pray with such strong crying and teares C. That I might quench the furie of Gods iustice which was so fiercely kindled against thee S. Lord why wast thou so afraid and cast into such an agony C. That suffering the wrath due to thy sinnes thou mightest be more secure in thy death and finde more comfort in thy crosses S. Lord wherefore didst thou pray so oft and so earnest that the Cup might passe from thee C. That thou mightest perceiue the horror of that curse and wrath which being due to thy sinnes I was then to drinke and endure for thee S. Lord wherefore didst thou after thy wish submit thy will to the will of thy father C. To teach thee what thou shouldest doe in all thy afflictions and how willingly thou shouldest yeeld to beare with patience that crosse which thou seest to come from the iust hand of thy heauenly Father S. Lord wherefore diddest thou sweat such drops of water and bloud C. That I might cleanse thee from thy staines and bloudy spots S. Lord why wouldest thou be taken when thou mightest haue escaped thine enemies C. That thy spirituall enemies should not take thee and cast thee into the