vnto the cloudes by the good thoughtes and motions of the spirit and sometimes cast mee downe to the ends of the earth euen to the bottomlesse pit of hell by the temptations and allurements of the world and the deuill till I come vnto the hauen of my rest to the which Lord bring mee for thy mercies sake Amen In time of pestilence TThe life of man most glorious Lord therof by whose handes it was made in whose hands it is inlightned with such vnderstanding capacity so large ample thy creatures benefits so good so innumerable and all for the delight and seruice of man which are so powerful and comfortable to him in the ouerlooking thereof in his large discourse and reason that he could wish in this world a perpetuity without change not knowing in his fleshly and blinded indgemēt what may be more in heauen with thée to content his naturall desire that he inioys not in this eclipse glimpse of thy goodnes vpon earth that lands possessions sumptuous building gorgeous clothing the cōfort of children friends seruāts with many other adiunctes cannot be equalled or exceeded in the world to come we confesse O thou giuer of all good guiftes y◠we are not worthy of the least of these thy benifits not thy friēds but thine enemies such that haue pulled thee frō the crowne to the Crosse nayld thee there vnto death and not greeuing our selues that we haue thus greeued thée snacht thy benefits out of thy hands not returning that easy curtesy vnto thee thou requirest of vs which is nothing but gratuity and thankes being more vngratefull vnto thee for all we haue for by thee we liue and moue and haue our being inioying nothing but from thy al-filling hands from that ouerflowing fountaine of thy goodnes yet more returning to a mortall man for one single curtesy then to thee for all these correct O Lord this fault in nature this vniuersal defect in mākind O Lord if thou hast prepared so good things for thy enemies and friends together what hast thou in store for thy elect there seuered surely such things as the eye hath not sene the eare hath not hard the tongue cannot vtter the hart cannot conceiue w e thée ò Lord there is fulnes of ioy at thy right hād pleasures for euermore Psal 16. who giueth vs drinke out of a whole riuer of pleasure Psal 36. where ioy shal be euer present yet we cannot be filled or rather filled but not satisfied what it is O Lord thou knowest best but there is the fountaine spring from whēce all goodnes floweth take vs into thy besome vnder the wings of thy mercy into that celestiall habitation where the sight and splendor of that heauenly presence shal more delight then all the obscured and mixed pleasures the world can afford on the other side we know as a strong motiue vnto vs the vnsupportable and heauy iudgement prepared against the day of wrath for those y◠haue drunke downe sinne as the Leuiathan the waters terrefie O Lord our vnderstanding with there horrour fearfullnes y◠we neuer come there to feele them bring vs by one meanes or other to the heauen of our happinesse what thy promises cānot perswade let thy threatnings performe by y◠terrour of thy punishments which are impossible to be vttered and yet must be indured bound hand and foot cast into vtter darkenesse where thy fauour nor mercy shall neuer-more be extended where nether the light of the sunne nor the moone or starres much lesse the light of Gods face shal euer shine where for euer shal be weping and gnashing of teeth without determinatiō or ceasing O Lord who is able to indure it thy Angell y◠walkes in the darkenes and striketh at noone dayes the many dangers that accompany our wretched liues the least of which one time or other strikes home take vs in our pallace in our gardēs in ourwarehouses in the feild on the sea on the earth in the ayre in our beds at our tables whatsoeuer our bodies do whatsoeuer our minds thinke comes thy messēger in one shape or another takes vs by the hand leades vs from whatsoeuer is dearest vnto vs to the tribunall seat of thy iustice and mercy where we are eyther to be acquitted or condemned eyther to be receiued or thrust out Lord therfore deale with vs according to thy mercy that if thou prolong our liues bring vs safe out of this storme tempest of mortality that by y◠fal slaughter of others we be brought to such a serious cōsideration of our owne mortality estate y◠we make our preparation thereunto all y◠days of our life knowing y◠he may fal in his tent y◠hath escaped y◠feild perish in y◠hauen y◠hath passed y◠Ocean y◠it must be surrendered one time or another and if it please thée the we fall by y◠stroke of this thy deuouring Angel as the corruption ranlinesse of our nature infectious enough to procure it and bring to passe that thou accept as my deed my will desire and purpose to serue thée my intent for my action that I would as if I should liue to glorifie thée make mée out of loue with this wretched world and all the allurements and baytes therein and in loue only with thee and thy heauenly kingdom for thy blessed name sake Amē For humility vpon these considerations THou mighty Lord of heauen and earth who holdest the ball of the world in thy hand and keepest all times and seasons as in a register who art all hand all eye all foot for strengthe for fight for swiftnesse to whom the in-most chambers and retired clossets the tabernacles and habitations of mortall men nay the hartes and bosomes of all the creatures in the world are vnfoulded and layed open as leuill to thy sight as the aire which we looke on with our eyes what cā we do the is hid frō thy sight ten thousand times brighter then y◠sun or whether can we go y◠our sins offences lye not naked before thée surely no otherway there is but only to inuolue them in the clowds mistes of sighes repentance repentance the guift of God the ioy of Angels the salue of sins the heauen refuge of sinners O where remaines the subiect of the title the Angels sin not and therfore need not repentance nor the spirits of darkenes for the sentence is already past condemnation sealed it is only for me most wretched sinner y◠I am for my brethren of the same inheritance to vs alone doth it belong and we perceiue it not we eat and feed delitiously we are wanton with thy guifts O God abusing them in surfet and riot and luxuriouslye we sinne in drinking in procuring an appetite to exceed therein we sin in our cloathing most superfluously attyred like the rich glutton condemned to hell as if we would exceed Salomon and match the lillies of
of there ouerthrow and his determinate decree past therupon in that populous and sinfull Citty if there had bene but ten righteous persons to haue stood vp betwixt his wrath his iudgements and there sins for there sakes it had not bene destroy'd It pleaseth the eares of his maiestie right well to be longer intreated whose blessed condition nature is neuer so truly leuelled at as when we perswade ourselues our importunacy therein can neuer be burdensome vnto him as he that hath twise and ten-times together ingeminated and recited ouer and repeated againe the riches of his mercy as Ex 34. The Lord the Lord is mercifull gratious sâ—ow to anger abundant in goodnesse truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity and sins and transgressions what did he meane thereby but that twise and ten-times together we should ingeminate recite and repeat ouer againe our requestes and petitions and crye for his mercy and then though he seeme deafe for a while vnto our petitions and make as though he heard them not yet through our importunity at last we shall get him to confesse an Audience if our wordes and prayers alone will not preuayle let vs then ioyne therto our teares that God may say to vs as he sayd to Ezekiah I haue sene thy teares for they are such powerfull Embassadors that they can no sooner appeare but the eye compassion of God is vpon them yea Dauid saith that God hath heard the voyce of his weeping and teares are waightie wordes texts that containe in theÌ„ large commentaries for in the eares of God a vehement desire is a strong crye a remisse and earelesse intention a silent and still voyce a teare in sorrow for our sins that with the Publican cryes Lord be mercifull vnto mee a sinner shall be more iustified and acceptable to God then all the Pharisiticall brags and ostentation of our worthines we can make therefore glorifie God with thy body and thy spirit and all the facultes of both as is most meet and requisite for all are his lift vp thy soule with Dauid lift vp thyne handes also with Moses thine eyes with S. Peter and thy voyce with Deborah and thus seeking you shall finde thus knocking it shall be opened vnto you giue but thy prayer a voyce to aske with for it must not bee dumbe and silent giue it an eye to seeke with for it must not be blind and carelesse giue it an hand to knocke with for it must not feare to molest disquiet and not only the doores but all the treasures and iewelles of the kingdome of heauen shall be open vnto you whither and to which our blessed Sauiour himselfe inuites vs come vnto me all you that labor are laden O loue without example where the king himselfe commandeth our appearance who shall keepe vs backe where he commands open yee gates of righteousnes and bee yee opened yee euerlasting doores who shall oppose them against vs what need we heare of mediators intercessors or friendes where he himselfe hath giuen his voyce calles vs to himselfe alone and yet though the francknes of his loue hath giuen vs this accesse let vs not come vnto him with the lesse respect or reuerence which doth deserue the more in a far greater degree that notwithstanding his omnipotency state that sits in glory at the right hand of his father we poore wormes creeping vpon the footstole of his earth that he will vouchsafe we should speake vnto him as it were face to face powre out our petitions with our owne voyces into his most sacred eares then to an earthly king we all know by daily experience the kings of the earth keepe theÌ„selues within strict watch wary regard and there persons are full of maiesty terror not spoken vnto but with difficulty friendship beside the infinit distraction of sutes busines more then the eares of any mortal man can receiue driue them of necessity to the deputation of subordinate ministers whose breath is in there nostrilles whose life is the life of there country there people with whom they liue therfore requisite that wary regard attendance should dwell about there persons but in God who rideth vpon the Cherubins maketh his enimies his footstoole there is neither danger in his person nor defect in his hearing for he that planted the eare doth he not heare he that standeth knocketh at our doores calleth for entrance when we knock at his wil he not graÌ„t entraÌ„ce In earthly courts amoÌ„gst which we liue we may haue many impediments few that will hardly fauour vs but many that may hinder vs before we caÌ„ deliuer our message But at these heaueÌ„ly gates at which we must alwaies call the Lord is porter alone for when the friend knocked in the parable of Luke at midnight the heauiest deadest hower of the night who was nearest the gate first awoke if he slept at all first answeared O quam dâ—re vult O how willing is he to grant that is so willing to be disquieted how glad to here thy knock that hath placed his bed so neare the gate O quaÌ„ non ad ianuam tantum sed ipsa Ianka dominus fuit and how truely may wee say that hee was not onely neere the gate but the Lord himselfe and the very gate who when his children were fast a sleepe the eares of Angels and Saints shut vp first and at very first call nay onely amongst the rest made answere vnto it the Lord is alwaies neerer vnto vs then wee are to him Psal 10. Hee heareth the desâ—re of the poore hee first prepareth the heart and setteth it on worke to pray and when he hath so done bendeth his eare vnto it giuing vnto vs both the cause and the effect both the blessing and meÌ„anes of the blessing doubtlesse the trustiest and most effectuall messenger wee haue to send is prayer if we send vp merites the starres in heauen will disdaine it that wee that dwell at the footstoole of God dare presume so farre when the purest creatures in heauen are impure in his sight if wee send vp feare and distrust the length of the way will tire them out and with the weight they will sinke to the ground before they come halfe way vpto the throne of saluation if we send vp blasphemies and curses all the creatures in heauen and earth will band themselues against vs the Sunne and the Moone will raine downe bloud the fire hot burning coales the aire thunderbolts vpon our heads but prayer is a messenger freed from all these imperfections which neither the tediousnesse of the way nor difficulties of the passage can hinder from her purpose quicke of speed faithfull of trust able to mount aboue the Eagles of the sky into the heauen of heauens as a Chariot of fire leading vs aloft into the presence of God to seeke his assistance and grace the least finger of whose
made vs when wee were not moulded vs from the dust of the earth an element so base and contemptible to so excellent a perfection to a creature so glorious and admirable as man is not onely the worke of thine owne hands but the Image of thine owne Person from the very iawes of Death and damnation deliuered vs if we wilfully runne not into it againe that in continuing thy blessings day by day vpon vs hast shewed thy selfe to bee our most gratious mercifull and louing Lord and hast hitherto preserued vs by thy powerfull prouidence that we haue drawne out yâ— thrid of our life vnto this time these are thy mercies our God and not our merits giuen vs freely without any desert of ours for the rayment of our backes for the foode of our bellies for the ayre that wee sucke in and breath out for the fashion of our bodyes for the motion of the members thereof for our capability reason the creation of all thy creatures in the world to the vse and subiection of man and so many thy benefites that whatsouer wee expresse the more wee remember yet for all these thou requirest nothing else of vs but that we know and acknowledge thée to be the Lord and giuer thereof what couldest thou require lesse of vs then to acknowledge thee to obey thee to feare thee loue thee and to keepe thy commandements and yâ—t doe wee scant thee of that moitye of thy due that easie taske but the sound of our lippes and yâ— consent of our hearts that so wee might become thy faithfull children and bee made true heires and partakers of thine euerlasting kingdome and reigne with thée for euer Guilty therefore O Lord in this grosse offence wee stand forth to accuse our selues of wonderfull folly and ingratitude hauing stroue as much as in vs lyeth to stoppe the streame of thy mercies that land-comfort to our soules in all our extremities yâ— they should not come néere vs we haue bene carelesse of thy word neither haue wee taken any delight to fulfill thy lawes and Commandements and therefore if thou hadst long agoe as a flower before a Sithe-man mowed vs downe as many more worthy of these blessings then we haue beene and brought vs to the Barre of thy Iudgement and from thence cast vs who are before thy face but as chaffe before the winde or as stubble before the fire into the laks of perdition who is he that could accuse thee of iniustice nay our owne consciences would acquit thee and condemne vs for seeing thou hast sought vs and wee would not bee found it is good reason we should cry vnto thee and finde no mercy But O Lord thy mercies are aboue our iniquities so thou hast spared vs many yeares and past ouer our manifold transgressions as one that were ignorant of them in silence and sorrow in witnesse wherof the heauens with their apparitions siâ—ke of disasters and euents haue bene portenders vnto vs that we might be forewarned the earth vpon her bases proppes and foundations so firmely layed hath of late bene shaken at the aspecte of thine anger and tottered to and fro like a drunken-man thy waters and the whole courses thereof that rowle with indignation vp and downe there channelles beeing tyed within boundes and limittes as the lions in there dens dash themselues with indignation against there dammes there shores stoppes to there fury fixed there by thy word Hetherto shalt thou passe and no further haue of late by thy sufferance borne downe there keepers many yeares and sweld higher then there brinkes and in there mercilesse furies prey'd vpon whole countries leauing nothing but desolation behind them and all for our sins and forwarnings besides thy threatning vs by drought famine and pestilence the fearfull denuntiation of thy word applied vnto our guilty consciences that so perceyuing thine anger we might feare and be saued euen so I Lord as thou hast bene gratious in forewarning vs by these so giue vs grace that we may be forewarned by them that in time we may repent and turne from our wicked wayes and no longer abuse thy patience but run vnto thee in repentance and humility that so we may be saued in the day of thy appearance which so worke in vs that ouercome at length with thy goodnesse patience we may no longer delaye to aske councell of thee and thy holy word what we ought to forbeare and what we ought to follow that we be not pufâ— vp with prosperity nor to much deiected in sickenesse and aduersity that we may despaire of our selues the helpe of our owne haÌ„des but may expect all things from thy goodnesse that we put not our confidence in transitory things but wholy relye vpon thee thy promises Blesse this famely O Lord and euery member thereof blesse also our parentes and frendes according to the flesh and nature and continue thy blessed word vnto vs and to our posterities after vs euen vnto the ends of the world for thy dearly beloued sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiours sake into whose handes and protection we commend our soules and our bodies this euening and the rest of our liues the were bought and redeemed with his most deare pretious bloud whose acceptance he graunt for his owne deare sake Amen Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arme ô Lord be stil our defence thy mercy and louing kindenesse in Iesus Christ thy deare sonne our saluation thy true and holy word our instruction thy grace and holy spirit our comfort and consolation vnto the end and in the end Amen The Lord blesse vs and saue vs the Lord make his face to shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs the Lord turne his fauorable countenance towardes vs and this night and euermore vouchsafe to send vs thy euerlasting peace Amen The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with vs all euermore Amen A prayer to God for the forgiuenes of sins MOst holy most iust most mercifull and omnipotent God thou alone doest punish and no man can releiue thou alone doest chastice and no man can controwle thou alone doest saue and no man can condemne thou bringest to the graue and bringest backe againe pardon I beseech thee my sins more in number then the drops in the sea then the starres in the firmament and purge my corruption beyond bound without measure looke not vpon my merits for they are none at all for the purity of mankind is defiled in sinne wherefore to mee O Lord to me thy poore seruant belongeth nothing but shame and confusion but to thee is mercy and iudgement and glory inherent destroy not I humbly intreat good father of mercy the creation and frame and composition of thine owne haÌ„ds deâ—ace not the image wherein thou thy selfe art so liuely portrayed but haste to comfort me make thy corrections my instructions that in patience awhile I may heare possesse my soule and
and I shall not bee condemned deliuer mee from the pit of corruption that openeth her mouth shutteth vs therein and keepeth vs as part of her owne bowels For the graue will not acknowledge thee nor the dead confesse thee but the liuing shall extoll and magnifie thy name world without end But if to thy vncomprehended wisedome to ballance against which all the wisedome in the world is but folly it seeme better to thee that I dye then liue then deale with me according to thy good pleasure giue thine Angels charge ouer my soule that it may be receiued in peace which into thine hands I commend that gauest it me strengthen my faith in thee and in thy Law that I may willingly resigne that into thy hands that was due vnto thee the first day that I liued if it had pleased thee to call for it by a double right nay so many rights that might claime a thousand liues if I had them to lay downe for thee that hast layd downe thine owne Sons and done so many things for me and for my sake and for all mankinde and teach me O Lord to make such true vse of this my sicknesse that the former miseries of this wretched life ioined with my present griefe anguish make me weary of these times of sin and willing to resigne my soule into thy hands prepared by this vnwelcome yet wholsome summoner that will transport mee out of this vale of misery to that euerlasting kingdome which thou hast purchased for mee which grant I beseech thée for Christ Iesus sake my onely Sauiour and Redéemer Amen The commendation of the soule to bee said at a sicke mans death out of the Man of M. Crashaw I Here commend thee to Almighty God most deere brother and I commit thee to him whose creature thou art Goe forth therefore O Christian Soule get thee gone out of this filthy world goe forth in the name of the Almighty Father who created thee in the name of Iesus Christ who dyed for thee in the name of the Holy-ghost who hath beene powred out vpon thee and when thou happy soule art deliuered out of the prison of the body the glorious quier of heauenly Angels meete and the Company of all holy Saints entertaine thée the louing countenance and cheerefull face of Iesus Christ shine vpon thee a mercifull iudge be he vnto thee that thou maist haue sentence to sit for euermore amongst his Saints on his right hand thy dwelling be in peace and thy habitation in the heauenly Ierusalem for euermore farre bee it from thee euer to feele or know how horrible the darknesse how terrible the flames how intollerable the torments of hell are Sathan and all his hellish g 〈…〉 be confounded at thy presence and if he dare set vpon thee victory and triumph bee on thy side shame and trembling fall vpon him from the presence of Gods Angels and be hee banished into the blacke mists and confused Chaos of eternall darknesse But let the Lord arise and his enemies bee scattered and as the smoake vanisheth so let them flye away but let the iust bee exalted and reioyce in the presence of the Lord let the infernall legions not dare to touch thee nor all Sathans Hell-hounds presume to hinder thee and hee who disdained not to dye for thee bee hee thy Sauiour and deliuerer from all spirituall vexation Bee the gates of Paradice open vnto thee and thy Christ giue thee thy place and mansion in the same and hee that is the true Pastor and great Sheepheard of the sheepe acknowledge thée for one of his true sheep and receiue thee into his fold Iesus Christ absolue thee from all thy sinnes and place thee on his right hand among his elect that there thou mayst see thy Redeemer face to face and in the society of blessed soules maist enioy the comforts of heauenly contemplation and the blessed vision of God for euer and euer Amen W. C. Six signes according to S. Anselme vpon the which a man may â—est confident of his saluation 1 If he beleeue the articles of Chrian faith as many as are determined by the Church 2 If he reioyce to dye in the faith of Christ 3 If hee know that hee hath grieuously offended God 4 If he be hartely sorry for it 5 If he resolue to forsake his sinnes if God giue him life 6 If he hope and beleeue to come to eternall saluation not by his owne merits but by the merits of Iesus Christ. Then say to the sicke person If Sathan obiect any thing against thee oppose thou the merits of Christ betwixt thee and him And thus without all doubt he shall be saued Another Meditation against the feare of death for strength patience in that last houre Statutum est omnibus semel mori THe mettall and substance wherof we are made being but dust ashes slime corruption might alone without further motiue reason perswade vs that we are not euerlasting nor made for continuance what is man therefore O Lord that he should be proud or what are our bodies that we should so regard them the beauty delicasie whereof so much pampered and adorned so much accounted esteemed of so curiously carefully preserued kept must so suddenly discend to corruption amongst the wormes creepers of the earth and to rubble and ashes This mutation and dissolution of our bodies the separation and seuering of two antient Inne-mate-friends must needs as in the act so in the consideratioÌ„ therof strike a strange amazement in a weake and vnresolued Christian that truly vnderstands not what death is which is indeed to the godly and those that haue made a preparation thereunto the gate and passage to a better life the end of sorrow and a rest from labour yet O Lord consider the weakensse of our nature and helpe vs in that which euen thy blessed Saints Prophets and Apostles that knew thee in a measure aboue our knowledge that haue giuen rules and motiues and reasons against the â—eare thereof yet in the tryall and accomplishment thereof haue found the imbecility of flesh and nature repugnant against it and for the adding of a few lingring dayes of further cares and sorrowes some haue forsworne thee others haue wept vnto thee and all haue beene willing to stretch it out to the last minute and yet it is but a prolonging not a preseruing Ezechias may turne to the wall and weep and mourne like a Doue and pray for life yet at the last hee must render it vp O Lord giue vs therefore patience to part with it being no inheritance to vs but debt to thee beeing most certaine and assuredly perswaded that thou wilt one day restore it to his former nay fuller perfection lessen our loue toward the world and our selues and increase it towards thee and thy Kingdome Make this good Father the frequent thought and meditation of our hearts to thinke that wee must dye that it may
the feild and we â—eed not only our selues but our oxen in our meadowes and stalles to feed our vnprofitable carcasses our horses in the stable to beare our vnprofitable carkasses when the poore in our streetes at our gates feed vpoÌ„ empty aire for lacke of sustenance we remeÌ„ber not theÌ„ not Christ in them the hungereth and Christ the must feed vs which is the aduocate for the poore yâ— iudge of the rich in this obliuion and height of our sins what is become of humility of repentance we are all begotten in sin and to misery are we brought forth coÌ„cupiscence hath bene the nurse whose milke wee haue sucked from time to time as we haue growne in yeares so hath corruptioÌ„ growne vp with vs as part of our owne nature what remayneth theÌ„ O Lord for vs but humility repeÌ„taÌ„ce to prostrate our selues vpon the knees of our harts and say Lord haue mercy vpoÌ„ sinners with the poore publican not with yâ— proud Pharise to say I am not like this maÌ„ or other my brethren for I doe thus and so let vs not be so mad as to forget nature so much all our imperfections the substance and mettall whereof wee are made and that we must suddenly turne to the earth vpon which now we trample with such contempt and scorne and must become chamberers and fellowes with wormes and rotlennesse and what cause haue wee then to be proud Nay what cause haue wee not to bee humble when of all the large possessions and inheritances wee possesse wee haue no more truely our own then the length and bredth of our Carkasses And againe let vs humble our selues that Christ may exalt vs and not exalt our selues lest hee throw vs downe as hee scattereth the proud in the imagination of their hearts Let vs learne of him to bee humble and meeke which although the King of heauen and earth hauing all power and preheminence and proud in subiection vnder his feet yet was not touched with this vice himselfe that chose poore Fisher-men to bee his Disciples payd tribute to his inferiours rode vpon an asse praied for his Persecutors imbraced yong children cured the halt and the lame and the blinde and regarded the low estate of his Handmaid and will regard vs if wee regard this vertue which hee so regarded if wee be imitators of his steps and examples which hee grant that hath thus led the way the God the King the Prince of humility for his own deere sake Amen The liuing words in effect of a dying man closed vp in this vertue I Vnto thy hands O Lord I commend my soule and body prostrate in all humility and obedience to thy good will and pleasure Lord Iesus haue mercy vpon thy humble and prostrate seruant The summe of the Prayer of the Lady G. at the time of her execution VVIllingly and ioyfully O Lord come I hither into thy hands to resigne my soule and body in whose protection I trust they shall bee safer and better then in this life although in the best measure they euer were giue vnto me my God thy poore and weake seruant and vessell patience constancy and strength to vndergo this my sentence of death strengthen the frailty of my sex in the act of this my suffering and though I dye for that I neuer of my selfe desired yet howsoeuer lest any sinne in the least consent or thought hath defiled my purity therein for it pardon me my God and blot it out of the booke of thy remembrance and not onely that but the whole course thereof throughout my whole life that my soule with the wings of faith in thy mercy may cheerefully ascend to thy blessed kingdome And so preparing her selfe to dye with these words rendred her life Lord Iesus receiue my Spirit A generall Thankesgiuing to God for all his benefites and mercies to man O Eternall God in Christ Iesus most gracious and mercifull for all thy blessings both temporall and spirituall bestowed vpon me the least of thy seruants and most vnworthy to cast vp mine eyes to thy heauenly Tabernacle where thou reignest in glory doe I yeild all possible hearty thanks vnto thy diuine Maiesty for all thy blessings and mercies bestowed vpon me especially for the singular benefite of my Iustification and the admirable gift of eternall saluation purchased by the righteousnesse and deerest life of thy beloued Son Christ Iesus my Sauiour My lot is fallen in a pleasant place well is me and yet woe is mee because it is and I vnderstand it not hast thou beene fauourable vnto all thy creatures in the world or hast thou neglected others and beene mindfull of me Good Lord why shouldest thou bestow thy health thy wealth thy rest and liberty aduancements friends possessions Children like the Oliue Oliue branches and their trees for me them to repose securely vnder Why shouldest thou I say bestow these blessings vpon me more then vpon others I can giue no reason for it but stand wondring and admiring thy mercy which is the cause of it and if thou shouldest take a suruey of my worthinesse to enioy all these at thy hands and finding mee so vnworthy as I am of the least shouldest withdraw them all backe againe what could I say but commend thy iustice Haue I deserued liberty and Ioseph thy seruant deserued bonds Haue I deserued rest and thy Dauid to bee tost to and fro vpon his watery couch day and night to haue the sonne of his owne loynes and the loynes of his owne body rebelling against him Hath thy Lazarus deserued to lye at the gates afflicted in body minde crauing but crums wherewithall to be refreshed and I like the rich man whose dogges more merciful theÌ„ their maister came and licked his sores sitting at my table furnished with abundance like his Haue I deserued health and thy Iob to lye full of botches and biles vpon the dung-hill Are these thy blessed seruants tried in the furnace of affliction layd in the throat of hell and am I wrapt vp into Abrahams bosome haue I their portion and do they stand at reward or sent empty Why my soule is it so well with thee mercy aboundance of mercy and why art thou so ill my soule O mercy yet most wretched sinner that I am haue I not in a Christian loue and godly nature beene moued to serue thee in a larger measure considering these thy benefites vpon mee so largely multiplyed then the poore and persecuted Children that neuer tasted thy mercy but in imitation of their misery Continue O Lord this thy goodnesse vnto me and the more to perswade thee thereunto lift my heart and spirit out of this dull and earthly Center wherein it moueth to the meditation of thée and these thy mercies with a thankfull retribution of all my thoughts and affections to thée from whence they come that I may euer serue thee from this hower with those dutyes which the world the flesh and